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1-Page Summary of Destiny Disrupted
Overview
In order to understand the world today, you need to tell both sides of the story. It’s important not to rely on one perspective or another because that might lead you astray.
The author points out that many people don’t know much about Muslim empires. The book fills in those gaps by expertly guiding you through the past from a Muslim perspective. It pays particular attention to the many Muslim empires, which flourished throughout history and were at the center of human civilization for long periods of time.
The Muslim culture flourished for centuries and reached great heights. By the Industrial Revolution, however, it had started to decline. This is a summary of how Islam was born; just how far the Muslim empires stretched; and why Europeans went on explorations in search of spices.
Big Idea #1: Sandwiched between West and East, the Islamic world was born amid a commercial and pagan society.
The author wonders where the term “Middle East” came from. To find out, let’s travel back in time to when civilization emerged around the Mediterranean Sea and China. In between these two areas, we have what is now known as the Middle East.
This world is the area between India and Pakistan, which are divided by the Indus River, as well as Turkey’s border with Europe. It lies between Asia and Europe – two very different cultures that have distinct histories.
The Middle East is the area between two rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris. In southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), around 5,500 years ago, the Sumerians developed a high culture. They created letters and numbers in doing so. Eventually other cultures rose to prominence: Akkadians, Amorites, Babylonians and Persians among them. Then came Alexander the Great of Greece who conquered Persia after that; this was followed by Roman rule which lasted until Christ’s birth during that time period.
All of these empires and cultures came to an end in the Middle Ages. The Prophet Muhammad was born around 570 CE, and his birthplace, Mecca, was a trading hub at that time. He grew up poor among rich Arab merchants who believed in many gods. However, one day he had a life-changing experience while meditating on the mountainside. An angel named Gabriel visited him and commanded him to recite (the first word revealed by Allah).
Muhammad’s revelation was that there is only one God and that he wanted to help the poor. He tried to spread this message, but it made the rich merchants of Mecca very uncomfortable.
Thus, Islam has been born.
Big Idea #2: Muhammad founded the Muslim community and was followed by the Khalifas.
When Muhammad began preaching, he gained a large number of followers in Mecca. He soon became too influential for the pagan merchants to tolerate.
The Quraysh tribe eventually plotted to assassinate Muhammad. He was forced to flee Mecca for the sanctuary of Medina, which marks the beginning of the Muslim community. The migration is called Hijrah and it’s similar to BC and AD in that they divide history into BH (before Hijrah) and AH (after Hijrah).
The Prophet Muhammad moved to Medina in 622 AD. He was joined by many people who converted to Islam. The Muslim community grew and became more powerful, eventually defeating the Meccan army. As a result of this victory, the Muslims were able to return to Mecca where they took over the Ka’ba temple and made it their holy site.
Muhammad died in 10 AH. The four successors who followed him were called the “rightly guided khalifas.”
Muhammad died unexpectedly, and the community was left in chaos. There were fierce debates about who should be their leader. Abu Bakr became the first khalifa (caliph) after Muhammad’s death, which made him a historical figure.
