The document discusses the spread of Islam following the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th-17th centuries. Islam spread through conquest and trade, which extended from northern Africa to southern Europe and parts of Asia. An important result of increased trade and interaction was the adoption of the Chinese papermaking process, making written text more accessible. The Islamic Golden Age saw advances in many fields of science through the work of scholars like Al-Khwarizmi in algebra and Al-Razi in medicine.