The
Muslim conquest of North Africa continued the century of rapid
Arab Muslim military expansion following the death of
Muhammad in 632 AD. By 642, the Arabs controlled
Mesopotamia,
Egypt and
Syria, had invaded
Armenia, and were concluding their conquest of the
Persian Empire with their defeat of the Persian army at the
Battle of Nihawand (Nehawand). It was at this point that Arab military expeditions into North African regions west of Egypt were first launched, continuing for years and furthering the
spread of Islam.