The prophet Mohammad (PBUH) died in about the year 632
In the summer of 710, it was only 78 years since the death of the prophet (PBUH). And therefore his teachings were still fresh in the minds of the people.
In the summer of 710, a small force of 7000-strong men under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad landed to the west of Gibraltar.
Tariq was given orders from his superior Musa ibn Nusair in Damascus to conquer as much land as he could northwards of the peninsula from the hands of a declining Visgothic kingdom, and, upon Tariq's fateful arrival on the shores of the peninsula, he set ablaze to all his ships while commandingly quoting to his troops : "behind you lies the crashing waters and ahead lies your enemy."
Tariq and his conquerors began their campaigns while experiencing little organised resistance and achieved their success by occupying Cordova and Toledo shortly after, where they decided to give the name al-Andalus to the region.
Tariq's military exploits are unquestionably of great importance historically and it is with his honour that Gibraltar takes its name from (Jabal Tariq, Tarik's Mountain).
When news arrived to Damascus of Tariq's success, Musa ibn Nusair was quick to come to the aid of Tariq when he crossed the straits with an army of 18,000 men. His ambition to share some prominence as well as fighting for the Islamic cause, quickly saw the conquering of other neighbouring towns and cities, but his advance was soon halted to the extreme North where he was defeated at the battle of Poitiers by the French. Nevertheless, the conquest of most of Spain was complete with the joint efforts of these two figures.
http://www.idir.net/~suede/successor1.html
Why did Islam invade Spain?
-
In the summer of 710, it was only 78 years since the death of the prophet (PBUH). And therefore his teachings were still fresh in the minds of the people.
In the summer of 710, a small force of 7000-strong men under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad landed to the west of Gibraltar.
Tariq was given orders from his superior Musa ibn Nusair in Damascus to conquer as much land as he could northwards of the peninsula from the hands of a declining Visgothic kingdom, and, upon Tariq's fateful arrival on the shores of the peninsula, he set ablaze to all his ships while commandingly quoting to his troops : "behind you lies the crashing waters and ahead lies your enemy."
Tariq and his conquerors began their campaigns while experiencing little organised resistance and achieved their success by occupying Cordova and Toledo shortly after, where they decided to give the name al-Andalus to the region.
Tariq's military exploits are unquestionably of great importance historically and it is with his honour that Gibraltar takes its name from (Jabal Tariq, Tarik's Mountain).
When news arrived to Damascus of Tariq's success, Musa ibn Nusair was quick to come to the aid of Tariq when he crossed the straits with an army of 18,000 men. His ambition to share some prominence as well as fighting for the Islamic cause, quickly saw the conquering of other neighbouring towns and cities, but his advance was soon halted to the extreme North where he was defeated at the battle of Poitiers by the French. Nevertheless, the conquest of most of Spain was complete with the joint efforts of these two figures.
http://www.idir.net/~suede/successor1.html
Why did Islam invade Spain?
-
And Sicily was under Muslim rule for almost 200 years.
