While I intend for the main focus of my Culture Project to be on the role of Islam in modern Afghanistan, I felt it was necessary to get a complete understanding of the history of Islam in Afghanistan. Moreover, it is easier to get a perspective of how Islam has changed in Afghanistan through knowing the religion's role during different periods of the nation's history. Admittedly, I did not know too much about how Islam was introduced in the region that is now Afghanistan, so I decided to begin my research there. That said, the following paragraphs provide some insight into how Islam was introduced in Afghanistan:
Islam first reached Persia in 637 and gained a presence in what is now Afghanistan in 642, when Muslims took control of Herat. However, the Umayyads (the Arabs who came to spread Islam to Afghanistan) faced resistance in attempting to convert the region. Arguably, the most challenging factor that the Umayyads had to deal with were the many tribes in the region. Additionally, the large presence of Buddhism and Hinduism made the already difficult conversion process more lengthy.
The presence of Islam was not whole until the rise of Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar (who was born in what is now southwestern Afghanistan) and the Saffarid dynasty. Notably, the rise of the Saffarids did not occur until the late 9th century; which indicated the well-over 200 years it took to convert Afghanistan to Islam). Ya'qub was successful in conquering many parts of Afghanistan and introducing Islam as the prominent religion of most major cities in Afghanistan. Ya'qub set the precedent for future Islamic dynasties, and by the early 11th century, according to most historians, the majority of Afghanistan was converted to Islam.
I found the development of Islam in Afghanistan to be very interesting, especially the length of time it took for total conversion of the region (taking nearly 400 years). Some historians have called Afghanistan a "graveyard of empires," alluding to the nations and empires who have invaded Afghanistan only to be met with unexpected conditions that yielded failed invasions. It is interesting to ponder if a similar view can be applied to the time it took for Islam to take hold in Afghanistan. Hopefully, it is something I will get a better view of once I get more in-depth with my research.
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You have a typo in your first dates, but this is really interesting. I particularly like your insight into the time it took for Islam to become completely dominant in Afghanistan.
Don't know how I missed that. The Islamic Conquest of Persia began in 637; not 1637.