When you ask how old is Islamic religion, the answer you get depends entirely on who you’re talking to—a historian or a practicing Muslim. It’s a bit of a trick question.
If we’re looking at it from a textbook perspective, Islam is roughly 1,400 years old. It officially kicked off in the early 7th century. Specifically, 610 CE is the year most scholars point to because that’s when Muhammad, a merchant from Mecca, received what Muslims believe was his first revelation.
But here’s the thing.
If you ask a Muslim, they’ll tell you Islam isn't 1,400 years old at all. They believe it’s as old as humanity itself. In their view, Islam wasn’t a "new" religion started by Muhammad; it was a restoration of the original faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. So, depending on your lens, we’re either looking at a seventh-century phenomenon or the oldest tradition on the planet.
The 610 CE Marker: Why Historians Use This Date
Let’s stick to the historical timeline for a second.
The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca around 570 CE. At age 40, while meditating in the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light (Jabal al-Nour), he reported being visited by the Angel Gabriel. This is the "Birth of Islam" in the eyes of academia.
It didn't just explode overnight. It was slow. For the first three years, Muhammad only shared these messages with close friends and family. It was a grassroots movement in the truest sense. By the time the Hijra (the migration to Medina) happened in 622 CE, the community had grown enough to form a distinct political and social identity. This 622 CE date is so crucial that it marks Year 1 on the Islamic lunar calendar.
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The Rapid Expansion
Once it started moving, it moved fast. Within a century of Muhammad’s death in 632 CE, the Islamic empire stretched from Spain all the way to India. It’s one of the fastest expansions of a world religion and empire in recorded history.
Why did it spread so quickly? It wasn't just about conquest, which is a common misconception. Many people in the Byzantine and Sassanid empires were actually fed up with their previous rulers and high taxes. The early Islamic Caliphates offered a relatively organized legal system and, in many cases, lower taxes for protected non-Muslim subjects (dhimmis).
The Difference Between Islam and "The Prophet's Islam"
To really understand how old is Islamic religion, you have to grasp the concept of Fitra.
In Islamic theology, Fitra is the natural state of man—a built-in inclination to believe in one God. Because of this, Muslims argue that every prophet sent by God throughout history was technically teaching "Islam," which literally translates to "submission" to God's will.
- Abraham (Ibrahim): Often called the father of monotheism.
- Moses (Musa): Seen as a major law-giver in the Islamic tradition.
- Jesus (Isa): Revered as a prophet born of a virgin, though not as the son of God.
So, while the revelation of the Quran is 1,400 years old, the message is considered eternal. This is why you’ll see such a strong connection in Islamic practice to the stories of the Old Testament. They aren't viewed as "other" people’s stories; they are viewed as the early chapters of the same book.
Archaeological Evidence vs. Oral Tradition
Honesty is important here. Historians sometimes clash with religious narratives.
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For a long time, the earliest physical evidence of Islam—like inscriptions and coins—seemed to lag slightly behind the oral tradition. However, in 2015, the University of Birmingham found fragments of a Quran manuscript that were carbon-dated to between 568 and 645 CE.
This was a massive deal.
It meant the written text was almost certainly produced during the life of Muhammad or very shortly after. It backed up the traditional narrative that the Quran was compiled early, rather than being a later invention as some skeptical 20th-century historians had suggested.
What about Mecca?
Some revisionist historians, like Patricia Crone in the 1970s, questioned if Islam actually started in Mecca. They pointed to a lack of contemporary 7th-century archaeological records in the city. But most modern scholars have moved away from those extreme "revisionist" theories. The geography, the trade routes described in early texts, and the specific pagan practices mentioned all align pretty well with the Hejaz region of modern-day Saudi Arabia.
Why the "Age" of Islam Matters Today
It isn't just about dates on a calendar.
The age of the religion dictates its relationship with the modern world. Because Islam is the "youngest" of the major world religions, its formative years happened in the full light of history. We have more contemporary records of Muhammad’s life than we do for Jesus or Buddha.
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This creates a unique dynamic. The Hadith (the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet) provide a massive, complex, and sometimes debated body of "precedent" for everything from how to brush your teeth to how to run a government.
- Lunar vs. Solar: The Islamic calendar (Hijri) is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
- The 1400s: Currently, the Islamic world is in the 1440s (AH).
- Centuries of Scholarship: Because the religion is 14 centuries old, there are layers upon layers of interpretation (fiqh) that vary by region—from Morocco to Indonesia.
Honestly, people often lump "The Middle East" and "Islam" together as one ancient, unchanging block. That's a mistake. The religion has evolved, branched into Sunni and Shia sects, and adapted to dozens of cultures over those 1,400 years.
Putting It Into Perspective
To put the age in context, when the first Islamic community was being formed in Medina, the Roman Empire (the Byzantine half) was still very much alive. The Dark Ages were just starting in Europe. The Maya civilization was peaking in Central America.
Islam isn't some "new age" faith, but it’s also not as ancient as Hinduism or Judaism. It sits in that middle ground—old enough to have shaped the foundations of modern science, medicine, and philosophy (especially during the Islamic Golden Age), but "young" enough that its origins feel tangible.
Actionable Takeaways for Further Learning
If you really want to dig deeper into the timeline of Islam, don't just read one source.
- Check out the Birmingham Quran Manuscript: Look up the images of the parchment online; it's a surreal bridge to the 7th century.
- Study the "Golden Age": Research the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE). This is when the 1,400-year-old religion turned into a global powerhouse of math and science.
- Visit a Local Mosque: Most have "Open House" days where you can ask a scholar about the distinction between the "new" Islam of the 7th century and the "eternal" Islam they believe in.
- Compare Calendars: Use an online converter to find your birthday on the Hijri calendar. It helps internalize how Muslims track their own history.
Understanding the age of Islam helps clarify why it feels both ancient and surprisingly modern. It is a faith rooted in the 7th century that views itself as the final chapter of a story that began at the dawn of time.