Abigael Rotich

The role ideas and geography impacted the rise and spread of Islamic caliphate. Islamic caliphate which is defined as a state under an Islamic steward called a Caliph considered to be religious successor of the Prophet Muhammad and leads an entire nation under Islamic laws. For instance Abu Bakr was the first Caliph to succeed after Muhammad. Ottoman Empire was an Islamic Caliphate. Ideas played a significant role in the rise and spread of the caliphate where by various developed ideas were used to spread the caliphate across the continent and beyond. There was conversion of people into the new faith and conquest of those who opposed the conversion this greatly done by Muhammad with the aim of abolishing paganism among the Arab tribes hence spread of the Caliphate. The idea brought by Caliph Abu Bakr of incorporating Arabia into a region controlled by political power from Medina since they were united by one faith in God. This greatly encouraged the rise and spread of the caliphate. The idea of the holy wars of expansion as interpreted by the Muslims in the Jihad where the people were given the role to win new believers into the Islam religion hence extending the faith to nonbelievers. Aggressive wars was in the case of resistance. The idea of taxing non-Muslims in the conquered region greatly encouraged the Caliphate rule as many became converts to evade the tax and adhered to the form of governance according to the Islam religion Islam embraced all people hence breaking the barriers of race and nationality hence became a welcoming religion and people were at ease being associated with their system thus lead to rapid spread of the caliphate. Geographical factor that aided the rise and spread of Islamic caliphate was the long series of political war out of Arabia between the Byzantine and Persian empires that left both sides exhausted. Moreover, the inhabitants of Syria and Egypt alienated by religious resent against the Byzantine Empire attempt to spread Christianity hence Arab armies wining conquering the regions that is Syria Iraq, Egypt and Persia. Trade is one of the major geographical factor that contributed to the spread of the caliphate done by great caravans, merchants and sea vessels travelling for vast trading networks on both land and sea. The spread through trade was effectively seen in North Africa. Pilgrimage and missionaries between Mecca and Medina where the believers interacted greatly with various local cultures and thus won new converts. This had greater impact on the local native communities. References http://history-world.org/islam4.htm https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/medieval-times/spread-of-islam/a/the-rise-of-islamic-empires-and-states