Question

Explain how Muhammad and his followers were able to conquer large amounts of land and then control them peacefully

Answer 1

Hi!
Prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in the Arabian Peninsula from 622 to 632 CE. The religion expanded further throughout the seventh and eight centuries under the Rashidun Caliphate and the Ummayad Caliphate. This marked the emergence of the Arab power and Islamic influence that stretched from the Middle East and Central Asia, including the Holy Land of Jerusalem, to North Africa and several European territories such as the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Italy.

It is important to highlight the fact that conflicts and divisions characterised the pre-Islamic Arabian Peninsula. There were no true leadership and governance. The empires from Europe failed to provide the component needed to create social and political stability.

However, the Prophet Muhammad successfully established a polity through the introduction of Islam and his charismatic albeit staunch leadership. This polity was instrumental in uniting the different factions in the Arabian Peninsula because Islam provided the necessary cohesive forces. These forces included the creation of ethnic and cultural identities through religious traditions and customs, and a model for social and political organisation through creeds and policies based on religious teachings.

Based from the aforementioned, the primary reason why Islam spread quickly within the Arabian Peninsula is that Muhammad used Islam as a tool to make sense out of au chaotic picture. He provided a compelling but strong leadership and direction through his religious teachings that were both timely and practical. In other words, Islam was the missing component needed to stabilise the society and politics in the region.


The spread of Islam from Mecca and the Arabian Peninsula to the rest of the Middle East and other parts of the world such as Europe and Southeast Asia was phenomenal. It was rapid and effective. Note that this religion is the second largest and the fastest-growing major religion in the world.
Hope this helpsaa