1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

How big was the Islamic empire at its Greatest? From the 7th century, Muslim armies conquered the eastern part of the old Roman Empire and defeated the old empire of Persia. They went on to conquer North Africa and northern India. At its greatest, the Islamic Empire stretched from Spain in the west to the borders of China in the east. Today, there are many Islamic countries, and over 1,300 million Muslims in the world. These are the areas of Islamic faith today. Islam's holiest cities are Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: The Rise of Islam