Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims (CE 570 to 661)

A new story of Islam. The story of the movement which was launched by Muhammad (s) in Makkah, and was consummated with the support of his cousin, collaborator, and vicegerent 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). It covers a period of ninety years from A.D. 570 to A.D. 661.

Author(s): Sayyid Ali Ashgar Razwy

Publisher(s): World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities

Table of Contents

Introduction. 7

Transliteration. 13

The Geography of Arabia. 14

1.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 15

2. The Republic of Yemen. 16

3. The Sultanate of Oman. 16

4. The United Arab Emirates 17

5. The State of Qatar 17

6. The State of Bahrain. 17

7. The State of Kuwait 17

Climate 17

Vegetation. 17

Arabia before Islam. 20

Political Conditions in Arabia 20

Economic Conditions 22

Social Conditions 23

The State of Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia 24

Education among the Arabs Before Islam. 25

Banu Hashim - Before the Birth of Islam   28

The Birth of Muhammad and the Early Years of his Life 31

The Marriage of Muhammad Mustafa and Khadija  35

The birth of Ali ibn Abi Talib. 37

On the Eve of the Proclamation of His Mission  40

The Birth of Islam and the Proclamation by Muhammad of his Mission  42

Early Converts to Islam and their persecution  51

Some victims of persecution: 54

The Two Migrations of Muslims to Abyssinia  61

Hamza Accepts Islam. 64

Umar's Conversion to Islam. 66

The Economic and Social Boycott of the Banu Hashim   70

The Annulling of the Boycott 74

The Deaths of Khadija and Abu Talib  78

Muhammad's Visit to Ta'if 82

The New Horizons of Islam. 85

The Second Pledge of Aqaba 85

The Hijra (Migration) 87

The First Year of Hijra. 92

The Construction of the Mosque in Yathrib. 92

Adhan and Prayer 94

Yathrib Becomes Medina 95

The Groupings in Medina 95

The Charter or Constitution of Medina 95

Muhajireen and Ansar 96

The Brotherhood of the Muhajireen and the Ansar 97

Muhajir Brother of Ansari 97

An Assessment of the Roles of the Muhajireen and the Ansar 98

The Battles of Islam. 101

The Second Year of the Hijra. 103

Change of Qibla – February 11, A.D. 624. 103

The Battle of Badr 105

Ali ibn Abi Talib and the Battle of Badr 109

The Prisoners of War 110

Results of the Battle of Badr 110

The Marriage of Fatima Zahra and Ali ibn Abi Talib  112

The Battle of Uhud. 115

The Withdrawal of the Makkan Army. 123

Ali and the Battle of Uhud. 124

The Martyrs of Uhad. 124

The Birth of Hasan and Husain. 126

The Death of Fatima bint Asad, the Mother of Ali ibn Abi Talib  128

The Battle of the Trench. 129

The Muslims and the Jews 135

The Treaty of Hudaybiyya. 138

The Conquest of Khyber 146

The Results of the Conquest of Khyber 151

The Estate of Fadak. 152

The Umra or the Lesser Pilgrimage – A.D. 629 (8 A.H.) 153

Letters of the Prophet to the Rulers of Neighboring Countries 155

The Battle of Mootah. 156

The Campaign of Dhat es-Salasil 162

The Conquest of Makkah. 165

The Battle of Hunayn. 179

Ali and the Battle of Hunayn. 184

The Ansar and the Spoils of Hunayn. 186

The Expedition of Tabuk. 188

The Proclamation of Surah Bara'ah or Al Tawbah  191

The Last Expedition. 195

The Farewell Pilgrimage 197

The Coronation of Ali ibn Abi Talib as the Future Sovereign of the Muslims and as Head of the Islamic State 200

Usama's Expedition. 210

Abu Bakr as Leader in Prayers 217

The Unwritten Testament of the Messenger of God  221

The Wives of the Muhammad the Apostle of God  226

The Death of Muhammad, the Messenger of God  231

Monday, Rabi al-Awwal 1, 11 A. H. 235

Burial of the Prophet 237

The Reaction of the Family and the Companions of Muhammad Mustafa to his Death  239

The Death of Muhammad Mustafa and his Umma 240

Muhammad Mustafa and his Succession  242

Following is an attempt to answer this question. 243

The Sunni Theory of Government 249

1. Election: 249

2. Nomination: 249

3. Selection by plutocrats: 249

4. Seizure of the government by naked force: 249

The Struggle for Power 1. 256

The Struggle for Power 2. 262

The Meeting of the Ansar in Saqifa 262

The Struggle for Power 3. 265

Saqifa Banu Sa'eda 265

Saad's Speech. 265

The Struggle for Power 4. 272

A Critique of Saqifa. 277

Saqifa and the Logic of History. 287

Question 1. 288

Answer 288

Question 2. 288

Answer 288

Question 3. 290

Answer 290

Question 4. 290

Answer 290

Question 5. 291

Answer 291

Question 6. 293

Answer 293

Question 7. 294

Answer 294

Question 8. 295

Answer 295

Question 9. 296

Answer 296

Question 10. 299

Answer 299

Saad ibn Ubada, the Ansari Candidate for Caliphate 304

Abu Bakr the first Khalifa of the Muslims 305

Principal Events of the Caliphate of Abu Bakr 307

The First Civil War in Islam. 307

Usama's Expedition. 307

Malik ibn Nuweira and the Massacre of his Tribe 307

Other Conquests of Abu Bakr 311

Seizure by Abu Bakr of the Estate of Fadak. 312

Ali's Retirement from Public life 314

The Death of Fatima Zahra 316

Abu Bakr's Policy. 317

The Aims of the Wars of Abu Bakr and Umar 318

Abu Bakr's sickness and death. 320

Abu Bakr's election and democracy. 321

Democracy and the Muslims 323

Umar bin al-Khattab, the Second Khalifa of the Muslims 327

Principal Events of the Caliphate of Umar 328

Civil and Military Administration and Policy. 328

Some Reflections on the Conquests of the Arabs 330

The Last Days of Umar bin al-Khattab. 335

The Members of the Electoral Committee 340

Following deductions can be made from Umar's arrangements for finding a khalifa: 345

Muawiya's Verdict on Umar's Electoral Committee 346

Umar and Muhammad Mustafa, the Messenger of God. 347

Uthman, the Third Khalifa of the Muslims 353

Ali's Protest 356

The Protest of Ammar ibn Yasir 357

Abu Sufyan's Congratulations to Uthman. 357

Uthman bin Affan, the Third Khalifa of the Muslims, 644-656. 358

Uthman's Marriages 359

Principal Events of the Caliphate of Uthman. 361

Favoritism and Nepotism in the Khilafat of Uthman. 361

Hakam bin Abul Aas 362

Marwan bin al-Hakam. 363

Harith bin al-Hakam. 363

Abdullah bin Khalid. 363

Saeed bin Aas 364

Abdullah bin Saad bin Abi Sarh. 365

New Governors of the Provinces 367

Kufa 367

Basra 367

Syria 367

Egypt 367

Modern Historians and the Caliphate of Uthman. 367

Uthman and the Friends of Muhammad, the Messenger of God. 369

Abu Dharr el-Ghiffari 369

Dr. Taha Husain. 372

Ammar ibn Yasir 372

Abdullah ibn Masood. 373

Uthman and the King-makers 374

Abdur Rahman bin Auf 375

Amr bin Aas 375

Causes of the Assassination of Uthman. 376

Uthman's Assassination. 384

The Aftermath of the Assassination of Uthman. 386

Uthman and “Abdullah bin Saba” 388

Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Fourth Caliph of the Muslims 392

The Restoration of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth – (The Caliphate of Ali ibn Abi Talib) 394

The State of the Umma at Ali's Accession to the Throne 402

Dismissal of Uthman's Governors 405

The New Governors 407

1. Qays ibn Saad Ansari, the governor of Egypt. 407

2. Uthman bin Hunaif, the governor of Basra. 408

3. Ammara bin Shihab Ansari, the governor - designate of Kufa. 408

4. Sahl bin Hunaif Ansari, the governor - designate of Syria. 408

5. Obaidullah ibn Abbas, the governor of Yemen. 408

6. Qathm ibn Abbas, the governor - designate of Makkah. 408

Prelude to the War 410

Talha bin Obaidullah. 410

Zubayr bin Awwam. 411

Ayesha bint Abu Bakr 413

The Battle of Basra (the battle of Camel) 418

The Second Civil War in Islam. 418

Ibn Saad. 430

Hakim. 430

Ali Enters Basra 438

The Change of Capital from Medina to Kufa  441

The Revival of the Umayyads 449

Muawiya bin Abu Sufyan. 455

Amr bin Aas 458

The Battle of Siffin. 466

The Battle of Layla-tul-Harir 471

The Death of Malik al-Ashtar and the Loss of Egypt 483

The Loss of Egypt 485

The Assassination of Ali 488

Some Reflections on Ali's Caliphate 492

Ali's Internal and External Policy. 494

Internal Policy. 494

Ali's External Policy. 496

Ali as an Apostle of Peace 503

Ali and the Ideals of Freedom and Liberty  511

Ali and his Legacy. 513

A List of “Firsts” in Islam. 515

The “Indispensability Equation” of Islam   518

The Sacrifices of Muhammad for Islam   522

The Major Failure of Abu Bakr and Umar 524

Who Wrote the History of Islam and How?  529