THE EARLY CALIPHATE BY MAULANA MUHAMMAD ‘ALI THE AHMADIYYA ANJUMAN ISHA‘AT ISLAM LAHORE — PAKISTAN www.aaiil.orgiii PREFACE The Early Caliphate,, which is a record of thirty years of ideal Islamic rule, is a natural sequel to Muhammad the Prophet, in which I offered a picture of the life of that great benefactor of humanity, the Prophet Muhammad, who of all the world’s great men is the most misunderstood, Two reasons have prompted me to undertake this task. The first is that, just as the Holy Prophet brought about a transformation which is unparalleled in the history of the world, to his immediate followers it was vouchsafed to contribute not only “the most amazing story of conquest in the whole history of our race”* but also wonderful moral and spiritual uplift of humanity. The second reason is that in all histories of this period written by either Muslim or non-Muslim writers, there exist many misunderstandings about the great and noble deeds of the most righteous monarchs that the world has ever produced. In the Early Caliphate 1 have dealt with the period of thirty years that followed the death of the Holy Prophet. In Islamic history this period is known as Khilafah Rishidah or the rightly directed Caliphate; the underlying significance being that the men who were chosen to steer the temporal bark of Islam during this period were also models of right- eousness and that they led the Muslim nation onward both temporally and spiritually. In a hadith of the Holy Prophet, this period of thirty years is specially called Khilafah or Successorship to the Holy Prophet as distinguished from Mulk or the Kingdom of Islam which came after it. In the last phase of the Holy Prophet’s life he was both prophet and king, a spiritual guide of his people as well as their temporal head, and therefore the later phase of the kingdom of Islam in which the king was only the temporal head does not fully represent the idea of successorship. The Khilafah Raghidah or the Early Caliphate, however, is in both aspects fully representative of successorship to the Prophet, and it is for this reason that I have included in the history ofiv the Caliphate an account of the lives of the four Caliphs whose reigns constitute the Early Caliphate, viz., AbU Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman and ‘AI. I would draw attention to two salient points about which there prevails great misconception. The first is the general impression among Muslims as well as non-Muslims that, though the battles which the Holy Prophet had to fight were defensive and not aggressive, yet the wars of the Early Caliphate were undertaken with no other object than the expansion of Islam and the territorial extension of its kingdom. In this short history I have shown that this is quite an erroneous view, and that Muslims never sallied forth to impose their religion or even their rule on the neighbouring empires ; or to offer what has frequently been represented as the alternatives of Islam or Jizyah. This question has been fully dealt with in the lives of AbU Bakr and ‘Umar. The second point to which I wish to draw special attention relates to the equally great miscon- ception as to internal dissensions of the times of ‘Uthman and ‘Ali, The example of greatness set by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar are not wanting in ‘Uthman and ‘Ali ; only they are revealed in a different sphere. The book was written originally in Urdu in the form of a simple history. The element of the lives of the Caliphs was added in a second edition, and it is now that second edition that is being presented in English garb. The trans- lation has been done by my able and esteemed friend Maulana Muhammad Ya‘giib Khan, Editor of Light, to whom my sincerest thanks are due for his labour of love. I must also thank him for the help he has given me in reading the proofs. MUHAMMAD ‘ALT, President Ahmadiyyah Anjuman Isha‘at Islam, Ahmadiyyah Buildings, Lahore, 12-9-32.CONTENTS Preface e ae ss v /—Abu Bakr Early Life—Conversion to Islam and services—He is per- secuted—His daughter ‘A ishah is married to the Prophet —Flight to Madinah—Services in Madinah—Part in warfare —Abu Bakr as Imam during the Prophet’s last days— The Prophet’s demise—Abii Bakr’s election as Caliph— Abu Bakr’s statesmanship—Abu Bakr’s address to the people—‘Ali and Abi Bakr—Abu Bakr duly elected Caliph—Usamah’s army despatched to Syria—False claimants to prophethood— Aswad ‘Ansi—Musailimah— Tulaihah—Sajah—The Apostasy movement—Refusal to Pay zakat—-The Defence of Madinah—Rebel attack on Madinah repulsed—Despatch of expedition to diff- erent quarters—Object of expeditions —Khalid defeats Tulaihah—Malik ibn Nawairah—Khilid defeats Musail- imah—Bahrain rebellion crushed—‘Uman and Mahrah cleared of rebels—Yaman and Hadramaut restored— Conflict with Roman Empire and Persia—Insurrection called for fortification of frontiers—AbU Bakr’s motives in sending expeditions to frontiers—The strength of the Caliphate as compared with the two Empires—Aggres- sion on the enemy’s part—Trouble in Arabia fomented by Persia and Rome—Muthanna’s expeditions—Khalid reinforces Muthanna’ and assumes command—Hirah taken—Jizyah and charge of loot—Conquest of Anbar and ‘Ain al-Tamr—Expedition on the Northern frontier —The battle of Ajnadain—Abii Bakr’s illness and death —Simplicity of his life—The collection of the Qur’an— The collection of zakat—Government by counsel—vi Position of the Ruler—Treatment of enemies—Strength of character—Appearance and character .. Pages 1—55 2—‘Umar Early life—Conversion to Islam—The Flight—Help rendered to the cause of Islam—The Prophet’s death and after— ‘Umar pursues the Frontier policy of Abu Bakr— Objection against early Muslim conquests—The safety of Arabia the sole motive of the Early Caliphate wars —Defeat enhanced Persia’s and Rome’s passion for revenge—A necessity of war—Islam, jizyah or the sword —Significance of the alleged message—Persian forces under Hurmuz—Muslim General’s appeal to Caliph— Hirah lost and regained—Battle at Namaraq—Battle of Jasr—Persia again defeated at Buwaib—Sa‘d appointed generalissimo—Battle of Qadisiyah—Sa‘d’s advance on Mada’in—The western part evacuated by Persians—Fall of Mada’in—Persians’ advance on and defeat at Jaltla —Battle of Takrit—Christian tribes embrace Islam— Mosul occupied—Damascus conquered—Battle of Fihl— Battle of Hims—Battle of Yarmuk—Jerusalem capitu- lates—Treaty of Jerusalem—Greek efforts to expel Muslims from Syria—Conquest of Jazirah—Removal of Khalid—Plague of ‘Amwas—Egypt invaded—Fall of Fustat—Fall of Alexandria—Library of Alexandria— The Suez Canal—Campaign in Khuzistan—Hurmuzan becomes Muslim—Ban against advance on Persia with- drawn—Death of ‘Umar—Reasons underlying the great conquest of ‘Umar’s reign—Weakening of the Roman and Persian Empires—False charge of love of loot— Glorious deeds of the Muslim soliders—Solidarity of Islam—Democratic spirit—Simple life and concern for the ruled—Treatment of non-Muslims—Condition of women in the time of ‘Umar—Gradual abolition ofvii slavery—Equality of man—Works of public good— Spreading of Islam and knowledge of Qur’an—Soldier and Administrator—A true successor of the Prophet . . Pages 56-125. 3—Uthman Early Life—Conversion to Islam—Emigration to Abyssinia— Services rendered to the cause of Islam—‘Uthman’s part in warfare—Part played in earlier Caliphate— Elected Caliph—Revolt in Persia leads to extension of Empire—Roman attack on Syria and further conquests— Cyprus occupied—Roman invasion of Egypt and further conquests in Africa—Causes of the discontent in ‘Uth- man’s Caliphate—Appointment and dismissal of Gover- nors—‘Uthman’s impartiality in the choice of Governors —Ibn Saba leads agitation against ‘Uthman—Agitation gains strength—Disaffection spreads among Beduins —Deportation of Abu Dharr—Burning of unauthentic copies of the Holy Qur’an—Mischief started—Enquiry into grievances—Governors’ Conference—Seditionists gather at Madinah—Seditionists’ entry into Madinah— The Caliph is maltreated and imprisoned in his house— Madinah Muslims averse to shedding Muslim blood— Annual Pilgrimage—The Caliph is salin—‘Uthman sacri- ficed his life for the unity of Islam—Prophet’s great qualities mirrored in the first four Caliphs—‘Uthman took nothing from the public treasury—‘Uthman’s reign—Administration—Standardization of the Qur’an —Manners and morals. Pages 126-168. 4— Alr Early Life—Conversion to Islam and determination to help the cause—Flight to Madinah—Marriage with Fatimah— Martial exploits—As an envoy and preacher of Islam—