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7th century to 15th century AD
By the end of the 7th century Islam had spread throughout the whole of the Arabian peninsula, ending the paganism practised by much of its population. Politically, the 3rd to 7th centuries AD had seen a reversal in the fortunes of the Arabs of eastern Arabia. The trading opportunities they had once enjoyed had reverted to the control of the Sassanids, Byzantines and others.
| Related heritage sites |
| Al-Jassasiya Al-Zubarah town Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani Museum Qatar National Museum |
The call to embrace Islam came in 627-9 AD and the Christian governor of the Hasa Oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia quickly adopted the new faith and sent a delegation to the Prophet in Medinah. Others followed suit. Within a short time Islam had helped to do away with the old tribal rivalries by teaching the equality and brotherhood of all Muslims. This new ideology was to provide an inspiration to Arab Muslims and introduce a new era of expansion and exploration, as Islam was taken to the furthest corners of the civilised world.
In 750 AD the Umayyid dynasty, based in Damascus, was overthrown by the Abbasids, who were descended from the uncle of the Prophet. The capital was relocated to Baghdad and this had far-reaching political and economic implications for the Gulf as, inevitably, trade benefited from the wealth and sophistication of the Abbasid empire. This was the golden age of trade in the Gulf, which was to last until the 10th century. Merchants traded with India, China and East Africa and the port of Suhar in Oman rose in importance. This period of adventures by merchant seamen gave rise to the stories of Sindbad the Sailor. The demand in Abbasid Baghdad for pearls undoubtedly enriched the pearl fishers and merchants of Qatar; however, few accounts of Qatar's fortunes exist from this period. The geographer Yaqut al Hamawi, who died in 1229, referred to rough red woollen cloaks being exported from Qatar, and also commented that the markets for horses and camels in Qatar were renowned.
The inland settlement of Murwab near Zubara dates from this period. It consists of some 250 houses, a fort and two mosques. The fort is the oldest in the country and was built on the site of a still earlier fort which was destroyed by fire. The style of both is similar to forts in Iraq dating to the 8th to 9th centuries. Sherds of fine quality ceramics and glassware give a hint of the relative affluence of the town-dwellers. Two other smaller settlements in the area are contemporary. Murwab is the only sizeable ancient settlement in Qatar not situated on the coast.
In the 13th century AD the island of Hormuz, at the mouth of the Gulf, established itself as a new maritime power and by the mid 14th century had gained control of Gulf trade.
The Gulf entered into a new period of prosperous commerce and Hormuz became famous among the European trading nations.
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