History. In 634–640, as part of the Muslim conquest of the Levant, Syria was conquered by the Muslim Arabs in the form of the Rashidun army led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, under the overall leadership of Abu Bakr, resulting in the region becoming part of the Islamic empire.
What religion was Syria before Islam?
The name “Syria” is derived from the Assyrian and Syriac Christian denominations, which constituted eighty percent of the country’s population before Islam arrived in the seventh century.
How did Syria convert to Islam?
The Islamic conquest of Syria began the process of Islamization with the rapid installation of mosques and garrisons in the major cities and along the coast- line, while the first inhabitants of Syria to adopt Islam were many of the Arabs who already lived in the region before the seventh century.
When did Arabic come to Syria?
Sunni Arabs arrived in Syria in the 7th century with the wave of early Islamic expansion from the Arabian peninsula, and established the Umayyad Dynasty centered in Damascus. They form the dominant ethnic majority in contemporary Syria.
Who conquered Syria in Islam?
However, the actual conquest did not begin until 634, two years after Muhammad’s death. It was led by the first two Rashidun caliphs who succeeded Muhammad: Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Are Kurds Shia or Sunni?
In our survey, 98% of Kurds in Iraq identified themselves as Sunnis and only 2% identified as Shias. (A small minority of Iraqi Kurds, including Yazidis, are not Muslims.) But being a Kurd does not necessarily mean alignment with a particular religious sect.
When did Damascus fall to Islam?
634
The siege of Damascus (634) lasted from 21 August to 19 September 634 before the city fell to the Rashidun Caliphate. Damascus was the first major city of the Eastern Roman Empire to fall in the Muslim conquest of Syria.
Where are Syrians originally from?
Syrians are of diverse origins; the main influence came from ancient Semitic peoples of the Levant such as the Arameans, as well as populations from Mesopotamia and modern-day Arabia, with additional Greco-Roman influence.
Who first settled in Syria?
The Amorites
One of the earliest settlements was probably at Ugarit; human habitation at Tell Hamoukar in NE Syria dates to at least 4000 B.C. The Amorites, coming c. 2100 B.C. from the Arabian peninsula, were the first important Semitic people to settle in the region, and they established many small states.
Who founded Syria?
Hashim al-Atassi, who had been Prime Minister under King Faisal’s brief reign, was the first president to be elected under a new constitution, effectively the first incarnation of the modern republic of Syria.
What was the ancient religion in Syria?
Syrian and Palestinian religion, beliefs of Syria and Palestine between 3000 and 300 bce. These religions are usually defined by the languages of those who practiced them: e.g., Amorite, Hurrian, Ugaritic, Phoenician, Aramaic, and Moabite.
What is the original religion of the Sultan of Syria?
Sultan was born into a large traditional Sunni Muslim family in Baniyas, Syria.
Who did the ancient Syrians worship?
At 3rd-millennium Ebla the most important god was Dagan, “Lord of Gods” and “Lord of the Land.” Other gods of Ebla included El, Resheph, the storm god, Ishtar, Athtart, Chemosh, and the sun goddess. The gods of the city included several referred to by their Sumerian names.