Muslim countries may not be among the superpowers today, but that does not mean they cannot be among them tomorrow.
It is an undeniable fact that they were among the world’s superpowers in the past. Consider this:
Muslim countries were undeniably global superpowers during several historical periods, especially from the 8th to the 17th century, when Islamic civilizations led in science, politics, economics, and military strength. Here are some key eras when Muslim states dominated the world stage:
1. The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE)
Capital: Damascus (Syria)
At its peak, it was the largest empire in the world, stretching from Spain in the west to India in the east. It dominated Mediterranean trade and expanded Islamic influence deep into Europe, Africa, and Asia.
2. The Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 CE)
Capital: Baghdad (Iraq)
Known as the Golden Age of Islam, especially during the 9th to 11th centuries. Baghdad was the intellectual and cultural capital of the world, home to the Bayt al-Ḥikmah (House of Wisdom). Muslim scholars excelled in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, and more. Economically, the Abbasids were powerful due to their central role in Silk Road trade.
3. The Caliphate of Córdoba (929–1031 CE)
Located in Muslim Spain (Al-Andalus), this breakaway state from the Abbasids became a European center of learning and culture. Córdoba was one of Europe’s most advanced cities, with paved roads, street lighting, libraries, and universities.
4. The Seljuk Empire (11th–13th centuries)
Turkish Muslims controlled vast territories from Central Asia to the Middle East and played a crucial role in defending the Muslim world from Crusader invasions.
5. The Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517 CE)
Based in Egypt and Syria, the Mamluks defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut (1260)—a turning point in world history. They preserved the Muslim world from Mongol destruction and maintained a powerful, stable state.
6. The Mughal Empire (1526–1857 CE)
In the Indian subcontinent, the Mughals ruled one of the wealthiest and most populous regions. Cities like Delhi, Agra, and Lahore flourished with art, trade, and administration. The empire’s economy was a major contributor to the global GDP.
7. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1924 CE)
At its height during the 16th and 17th centuries under Suleiman the Magnificent, it was a superpower rivaling the Habsburg Empire and later European powers. It controlled vast territories in Europe, Asia, and Africa, had one of the strongest militaries, centralized administration, advanced architecture, and law. Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) was a global political and economic center.
Muslim nations were not just participants in global affairs—they dominated them for over a millennium. Their decline began in the late 17th and 18th centuries due to colonialism, internal strife, and Western conspiracies.
Ask British historians: Who were the Ottomans? Who crushed the Roman and Persian empires? Have you studied the Crusades and the repeated failures of the Franks, under papal command, to take Jerusalem from the Muslims?
Yes, the Muslim world is weak today because we have played into the hands of our enemies. This is why Zionists continue to bomb Palestinians while the world does nothing.
We have been fragmented; liberalism and secularism have been imposed upon us.
Yet the Muslim nation will rise again. That is the greatest fear of the West, which plots day and night to prevent it. You are part of their plot, whether you realize it or not. We refuse to be used by them—that is why people like you will continue to hate us.
As for the current Muslim governments, there is little they can do for now, even though Western powers still depend on them economically. You saw Trump galvanizing Muslim nations, seeking billion-dollar investments to salvage the collapsing American economy.
Muslim nations may lack military might at present, but their economic power remains. If you understand politics, you will see this clearly.
Know this: a day is coming when the lion will awaken, and the world will become safe again—just as Muslims once saved it centuries ago.
This is Part Eleven. I still have an epilogue for all this.
