Islamic History Timeline MCQs – 6th to 15th Century CE

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born on 22nd April 570 AD (12 Rabi-ul-Awwal) in the Year of the Elephant (Aam-ul-Feel) — the year Abraha, Viceroy of Yemen, invaded Makkah with war elephants and was miraculously repelled. This year is also referred to as 571 AD in some chronologies due to calendar conversion differences.

Aam-ul-Feel (Year of the Elephant) refers to 570 AD — the year Abraha, the Abyssinian Viceroy of Yemen, marched with war elephants to destroy the Kaaba. Allah destroyed his army miraculously (as described in Surah Al-Fil). The Holy Prophet (PBUH) was born in this same year.

The first revelation came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in 610 AD in the Cave of Hira on Mount Noor, near Makkah. The Prophet was 40 years old. Angel Jibreel (AS) appeared and revealed the first five verses of Surah Al-Alaq (96:1–5), beginning with ‘Iqra’ (Read). This event is known as the Commencement of Prophethood (Ibtida-e-Wahi).

619 AD is known as the Year of Sorrow (Aam-ul-Huzn) because the Holy Prophet (PBUH) suffered two great personal losses: the death of his beloved wife Hazrat Khadija (RA) and the death of his uncle and protector Abu Talib. These two losses left the Prophet more vulnerable to persecution by the Quraish.

The Hijra — migration from Makkah to Yathrib (Madinah) — took place in 622 AD. It is the most significant date in Islamic history, marking the beginning of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar. The Second Pledge at Aqaba was taken in 622 AD, after which the Muslims migrated. The Hijri calendar starts from 1 Muharram 1 AH, corresponding to July 622 AD.

The Battle of Badr was fought on 17 Ramadan, 2 AH (March 17, 624 CE). It was the first major battle of Islam — 313 Muslims defeated an army of 950 Quraish. 14 Muslims were martyred and 70 Quraish were killed and 70 taken prisoner. It is called the ‘Day of Furqan’ (Day of Distinction between truth and falsehood).

The Battle of the Trench (Ghazwa-e-Khandaq) was fought in 627 AD (5 AH). On the suggestion of Hazrat Salman al-Farsi (RA), a trench was dug around Madinah to defend against a confederate army of 10,000. The Banu Quraiza Jews who betrayed the Muslims were expelled after the battle.

The Truce of Hudaibiya (Treaty of Hudaybiyyah) was signed in 628 AD (6 AH) between the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Quraish of Makkah. Although initially appearing unfavorable, the Quran called it ‘Fatah al-Mubeen’ (A Clear Victory, Surah Al-Fath 48:1) because it gave Muslims 2 years of peace to expand Islam. Hazrat Ali (RA) wrote the text of the treaty.

The Conquest of Makkah (Fatah Makkah) took place in Ramadan 8 AH, corresponding to 630 AD. The Prophet (PBUH) marched with an army of 10,000 into Makkah without bloodshed. He declared a general amnesty (Aam-ul-Afwa) for the Quraish. 630 AD is also called Aam-ul-Fatah (Year of Victory).

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed away on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 11 AH, corresponding to 632 AD. He was 63 years old. He performed his Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat-ul-Wada) in the same year and delivered the Farewell Sermon (Khutbah Hajjat-ul-Wada). After his death, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was elected as the first Caliph.

Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was elected as the first Caliph of Islam immediately after the death of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in 632 AD. He ruled for approximately 2 years (632–634 AD) and is known for suppressing apostasy (Ridda Wars) and unifying the Arabian Peninsula. He compiled the first written Quran.

Hazrat Umar Farooq (RA) became the second Caliph in 634 AD after the death of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA). He ruled for 10 years (634–644 AD) and greatly expanded the Islamic state — conquering Syria, Egypt, Persia, Jerusalem and much of the Byzantine Empire. He was martyred in 644 AD by Abu Lulu Firuz.

Jerusalem fell to the Muslims in 637 AD during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar (RA). Hazrat Umar himself travelled to Jerusalem to accept the keys of the city from the Patriarch Sophronius. This was a momentous event — Hazrat Umar promised safety to all inhabitants regardless of religion. The conquest was preceded by the Battle of Yarmouk (636 AD).

Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (RA) became the third Caliph in 644 AD after the martyrdom of Hazrat Umar (RA). Known as Dhul-Noorayn (the one with two lights — for marrying two daughters of the Prophet), he ruled for 12 years (644–656 AD) and oversaw the official compilation and distribution of the Holy Quran. He was martyred in 656 AD.

Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) became the fourth Caliph in 656 AD after the martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (RA). He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), husband of Hazrat Fatima (RA). He shifted the capital from Madinah to Kufa in 657 AD, fought the Battle of the Camel (656 AD) and Battle of Siffin (657 AD), and was martyred in 661 AD.

Hazrat Ali (RA) shifted the capital from Madinah to Kufa (in present-day Iraq) in 657 AD. Kufa was strategically located and had a large base of Ali’s (RA) supporters. The Battle of Siffin (657 AD) and the Arbitration proceedings at Daumat ul Jandal also took place during his caliphate.

The Tragedy of Karbala and the martyrdom of Hazrat Hussain (RA), the grandson of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), occurred in 680 AD (10 Muharram 61 AH). Hazrat Hussain (RA) along with 72 companions was martyred on the plains of Karbala (Iraq) by the forces of Yazid bin Muawiyah. This event is commemorated annually on Ashura (10 Muharram).

Uqba bin Nafe founded the town of Qairowan in Tunisia in 670 AD during the Muslim advance in North Africa. Qairowan became an important center of Islamic learning and one of the oldest cities in North Africa. Uqba bin Nafe marched to the Atlantic Ocean in 682 AD but was ambushed and killed at Biskra.

711 AD is one of the most celebrated dates in Islamic history — in this single year, the Muslims simultaneously conquered Spain (under Tariq bin Ziyad, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar), Sind (under Muhammad bin Qasim, entering the subcontinent), and Transoxiana (Central Asia). 713 AD saw the further conquest of Multan in present-day Pakistan.

The Battle of Tours (also called Battle of Poitiers) was fought in 732 AD in France. It was a decisive defeat for the Muslim forces advancing into Western Europe, led by Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi, who was killed in the battle. The Frankish forces were led by Charles Martel. This battle is considered the high-water mark of Muslim expansion into Western Europe.

The Battle of Zab (750 AD) was fought on the banks of the Greater Zab river in Iraq between the last Umayyad Caliph Marwan II and the Abbasid forces. Marwan II was defeated and fled to Egypt, where he was killed. This ended the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 AD). Damascus fell and the Abbasid dynasty came to power, eventually establishing Baghdad as their capital (763 AD).

The city of Baghdad was founded in 763 AD by Abbasid Caliph Mansur (Al-Mansur). He called it Madinat al-Salam (City of Peace) and built it as a perfectly round city. Baghdad became the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate and grew into the largest city in the world, the center of Islamic civilization and learning during the golden age of Islam (8th–13th centuries).

Harun-ur-Rashid became the Abbasid Caliph in 786 AD upon the death of his brother Hadi. He ruled until his death in 809 AD — one of the most prosperous periods of the Abbasid Caliphate. He is famously featured in ‘1001 Nights’ (Arabian Nights) and maintained close diplomatic contact with Charlemagne of Europe. His era is considered the zenith of Abbasid power.

The Fatimid Caliphate conquered Egypt in 969 AD, ending the Ikhshidid dynasty’s rule. The Fatimids were a Shia dynasty that had established their rule in North Africa in 909 AD. After conquering Egypt, they founded Cairo (Al-Qahira) as their capital and established Al-Azhar University, which remains one of the world’s oldest universities.

The Qarmatians, a radical Ismaili sect, sacked Makkah in 929 AD, killed thousands of pilgrims, and carried away the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) from the Holy Kaaba. The stone was held for 22 years before being restored in 951 AD. This is one of the most shocking events in early Islamic history. The Qarmatians had established their state in Bahrain in 891 AD.

Mahmud Ghazanavi attacked and plundered North India 17 times from 1001 AD to 1025 AD. He defeated the Hindu Shahis (1001), captured Multan and Ghur (1005), defeated the Rajput confederacy (1008), and conquered Punjab (1019). He looted temples and trade centers including Somnath temple. He died in 1030 AD.

The Battle of Dandanqan was fought in 1040 AD in Khurasan (present-day Turkmenistan). The Seljuk Turks under Tughril Beg decisively defeated the Ghaznavid Sultan Masud, effectively ending Ghaznavid dominance in Khurasan. This battle marked the rise of the Seljuk Empire, which would go on to become the dominant power in the Muslim world for the next century.

The Battle of Manzikert (1071 AD) was fought between the Seljuk Turks under Sultan Alp Arsalan and the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes was defeated and taken captive — a humiliating blow to Byzantium. This battle opened up Anatolia (modern Turkey) to Turkish settlement and is considered a turning point in Byzantine-Islamic history.

The First Crusade was launched in 1095 AD, called by Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont. The stated aim was to recover Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule. The Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 AD after a brutal siege, massacring much of its Muslim and Jewish population. Jerusalem was later recaptured by Salah-ud-Din in 1187 AD.

The Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099 AD, marking the end of the First Crusade. After a seven-week siege, the Crusaders entered the city and conducted a massacre of Muslims and Jews. Jerusalem remained under Crusader rule for 88 years until Salah-ud-Din Ayyubi recaptured it in 1187 AD during the Third Crusade.

Salah-ud-Din Ayyubi (Saladin) founded the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt in 1171 AD, when he ended the Fatimid Caliphate. He had entered Egypt as a Fatimid vizier in 1169 AD but took full control in 1171 AD. He then annexed Syria in 1174 AD and united the Muslim world against the Crusaders, ultimately recapturing Jerusalem in 1187 AD.

Salah-ud-Din (Saladin) recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187 AD — 88 years after it had been seized in 1099 AD. This triggered the Third Crusade (1189–1192 AD), led by Richard I of England, Philip II of France and Frederick I of Germany. Unlike the Crusader conquest of 1099 AD (which involved massacres), Salah-ud-Din’s conquest was notably merciful.

Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was crowned king in Lahore in 1206 AD after the death of his master Shahab-ud-Din Ghuri — marking the founding of the Delhi Sultanate. He was a slave-general of Ghuri who rose to become the first Sultan of Delhi. He built the Qutb Minar in Delhi. He died in 1210 AD (in a polo accident according to some accounts) and was succeeded by Aram Shah.

Razia Sultana became the Delhi Sultan in 1237 AD — she was the first female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate and the first Muslim female ruler of India. She was the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish. She ruled without purdah and participated in state affairs openly. She died in 1240 AD (1241 AD per some accounts) — possibly killed in battle.

The Mongols under Hulagu Khan (Halaku Khan) sacked Baghdad in 1258 AD — one of the greatest catastrophes in Islamic history. The last Abbasid Caliph Mustasim was killed. Hundreds of thousands of people died and the city’s libraries, hospitals and institutions were destroyed. This ended the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 AD) which had been the center of Islamic civilization.

The Battle of Ayn Jalut (1260 AD) in Palestine was fought between the Mamluks of Egypt under Sultan Qutuz and Baybars, and the Mongols under Kitbuqa. The Mamluks won — breaking the myth of Mongol invincibility for the first time. Baybars became the Mamluk Sultan and the Mongol westward advance was permanently halted. This is considered one of the most decisive battles in world history.

Jalaluddin Rumi, the great Persian Sufi poet and mystic, died in 1273 AD in Konya (present-day Turkey). He was born in 1207 AD in Balkh (present-day Afghanistan). His most famous works include the Masnavi (a six-volume spiritual masterpiece) and Divan-e-Shams-e-Tabriz. He founded the Mevlevi (Whirling Dervishes) Sufi order.

The Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty of Delhi — founded by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak (1206 AD) — ended in 1290 AD. Jalal-ud-Din Khilji then came to power, founding the Khilji dynasty. The Slave Dynasty is also called the Ghulam (Slave) Dynasty because its sultans were originally slave-soldiers who rose to positions of power.

The Battle of Ankara (1402 AD) saw the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid I (Yildirim Bayazid / Bayazid the Thunderbolt) defeated and taken captive by Amir Timur (Tamerlane). This was a major setback for the Ottoman Empire. After Bayazid died in captivity, his son Muhammad I eventually reunited the empire and began its restoration.

Amir Timur (Tamerlane / Timur-e-Lang) died in 1405 AD while on a campaign to conquer China. He was born in 1336 AD in Transoxiana (present-day Uzbekistan). He conquered vast territories from Persia to India, defeating the Delhi Sultanate (1398 campaign) and the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid (Battle of Ankara, 1402). He is a controversial figure — celebrated as a conqueror but criticized for his brutality.

Constantinople was captured by Ottoman Sultan Muhammad II (Muhammad al-Fatih / Mehmed the Conqueror) in 1453 AD. This ended the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, which had lasted over 1,000 years. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had prophesied this conquest. Muhammad II was 21 years old when he achieved this. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul and became the new Ottoman capital.

Muhammad bin Qasim conquered Sind in 711 AD, bringing Islam to the Indian subcontinent. He was sent by the Umayyad Governor Hajjaj bin Yusuf to avenge pirate attacks on Muslim ships. He defeated Raja Dahir at the Battle of the Indus (Raor). 713 AD saw the further conquest of Multan. This is the beginning of Islamic history in the subcontinent.

Baghdad was founded in 763 AD by Abbasid Caliph Mansur (Abu Jafar al-Mansur) — the second Abbasid Caliph. He designed it as a perfectly round city called Madinat al-Salam (City of Peace). Baghdad grew into the largest city in the world under the Abbasids, becoming the center of Islamic civilization and the famous ‘House of Wisdom’ (Bayt al-Hikma).

Hilf-ul-Fudul (the League of the Virtuous) was formed in 591 AD, before the Prophethood. It was a social welfare pact among several Quraish tribes to protect the weak, redress grievances, and support the oppressed in Makkah. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) became an active member and later said that he would still honor such a pact even after Islam.

In 594 AD, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) took the trade caravan of Hazrat Khadija (RA) to Syria and back. Khadija (RA) was impressed by his honesty and trustworthiness (he was known as Al-Amin — The Trustworthy) and proposed marriage. They were married in 595 AD when the Prophet was 25 years old and Khadija (RA) was 40.

Mahmud Ghazanavi first defeated the Hindu Shahis in 1001 AD — his first major invasion of India. The Hindu Shahi king Raja Jayapala was defeated and taken prisoner. This began Mahmud’s series of 17 invasions of India (1001–1025 AD). He went on to capture Bhatiya (1004), Multan and Ghur (1005), and the Punjab (1019).

Shahab-ud-Din Ghuri (Muhammad of Ghor / Muhammad Ghuri) died in 1206 AD. He had conquered Northern India and Bengal and laid the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate. After his death, his slave-general Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was crowned king in Lahore, founding the Slave Dynasty. The First Battle of Tarain (1191 AD) saw Ghuri defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan; the Second Battle (1193 AD) saw Ghuri victorious.

Malik ul Salih established the first Muslim state of Samudra Pasai in Indonesia in 1267 AD. This is considered the beginning of Islam’s spread to Southeast Asia. Today, Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. The spread of Islam to Southeast Asia occurred primarily through Arab and Indian Muslim traders.

The Battle of Siffin (657 AD) was fought on the banks of the Euphrates river between the forces of Hazrat Ali (RA) and Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan over the question of the caliphate. The battle ended inconclusively with an arbitration agreement at Daumat ul Jandal. The Battle of Nahrawan (658 AD) followed against the Khawarij who rejected the arbitration.

The Battle of Yarmouk was fought in 636 AD in present-day Jordan/Syria. The Muslim forces under Khalid bin Walid decisively defeated a much larger Byzantine army, opening the way for the conquest of Syria and Jerusalem. This is considered one of the most decisive battles in history, permanently ending Byzantine rule in Syria and Palestine.

The First Pledge at Aqaba was taken in 621 AD. A group of 12 Ansar (helpers from Yathrib/Madinah) took an oath of allegiance to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) at Aqaba near Makkah. They pledged not to associate partners with Allah, not to steal, commit adultery, kill their children, or disobey the Prophet. The Second Pledge at Aqaba (622 AD) involved 73 men and 2 women, paving the way for the Hijra.

Harun-ur-Rashid died in 809 AD while on a military campaign. He was succeeded by his son Amin. However, a civil war broke out between Amin and another son Mamun; Amin was killed in 814 AD and Mamun became the Caliph. Harun-ur-Rashid’s reign (786–809 AD) is regarded as the golden age of the Abbasid Caliphate, famous for his court at Baghdad and his diplomatic relations with Charlemagne.