“O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me, and no new faith will be born. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand my words which I convey to you. I leave two things behind me, the Qur’an and my Sunnah; if you follow these, you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again, and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”
These are the words of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, which he delivered at the end of his historic “Farewell Sermon.” The message is loud and clear. On one hand, it is an announcement of the completion of the Prophetic Mission. On the other hand, it provides an outline for the Muslim Community (Ummah) for the Centuries to come to live a true Islamic life. Simultaneously, the Muslim community was entrusted with the duty of spreading the Message to those who might be ignorant.
The Muslim community that existed then was asked to convey the message to others, and then those would convey it to others, and so on. In reality, a complete mechanism for transmitting the message of Islam was formulated and transferred to the Ummah. So, the continuation of the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ was made the responsibility of the entire Ummah. It formed the base for the early expansion of Islam within the Arabian Peninsula and beyond in the coming days.
The legacy of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ finds its roots in the early Muslim conquests, which started right during his lifetime but gained momentum, after his passing. After his passing in 632 CE, the Rashidun Caliphs, Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umer bin Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan and Ali Ibn Abi Talib رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا carried this legacy, forward. The Rashidun Caliphate lasted for almost 30 years.
This was a phase of consolidation, transformation, strengthening the Islamic rule, and expansion of the geographical limits of the Islamic state beyond the Arabian Peninsula, such as Iraq, Levant, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and the Northern parts of the African Continent. This phase of expansion was also the fulfillment of the responsibility of transmission of the Message of Islam, as was assigned by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ during his Farewell Sermon.
The coming generations of the Muslim Caliphates, the likes of the Umayyads, Abbasids, and later Ottomans, also carried along this legacy, though they did not follow the true sense of Islamic teachings in many ways.
The Legacy of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ
The fundamentals of the Prophetic Mission of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ were based on monotheism (Oneness of Allah سُبْحَانَهُۥ وَتَعَالَىٰ) and the concept of rewards and punishments on the Day of Resurrection. It was aimed at establishing a culture based on social justice. The norms of living a true Islamic life were not outlined by him but exhibited through his personal acts, the Sunnah.
The concept of an Islamic State was practically demonstrated by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, in the shape of Islamic State in Medina. During the last phase of his worldly life, he perfected the mechanism of governing the Islamic state, which his Companions followed during the era Rashidun Caliphate (the rightly guided caliphs, a term used in Islamic history).
The first real test after his passing, which the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ had to face was the selection of his successor, who would lead the Muslim Ummah, politically as well as religiously. This was successfully achieved by his companions, with the selection of Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, as the first Caliph. With that, the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ was carried along for the next 30 years, in the shape of Rashidun Caliphate.
Legacy of The Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ and the Early Muslim Expansion
The conquest of Mecca laid the foundation for the era of Muslim Expansion during the Prophet’s lifetime. By the time of his passing, almost the entire Arabian Peninsula came under the authority of Muslim Rule.
After his passing in June 632 CE, the Muslim Expansion Campaigns continued without any break. The first Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, was the key figure to take along this legacy despite a certain level of hesitation by some of the Prophet’s companions. Eventually, this legacy was taken to the heights of the other Rashidun Caliphs.
Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ – The Era of Consolidation
After the passing of Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ, the Muslim Ummah faced a tough challenge of continuing his legacy. The first Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bark رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ accepted the challenge. It had to settle the issues of false prophets, various tribes’ denial of paying Zakat, and different tribes’ rebellious activities. The Caliph launched military campaigns against all such rebellious tribes, which are known as the “Ridda Wars” in Islamic history.
Under the guidance and leadership of the first Caliph, the Muslim armies successfully overcame all these issues. The Islamic State successfully re-asserted its authority and rule over the entire Arabian Peninsula. The problem of false prophets was successfully eliminated. Hence, the short period of the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ is marked as the era of Consolidation and establishment of the Authority of Islamic Rule.
Another challenge for the first Caliph was the continuation and accomplishment of the military campaign planned by the Prophet during his last days, the expedition of Usama Bin Zayd. Usama Bin Zayd was the son of Zayd Bin Haritha (the adopted son of the Prophet). Zayd Bin Haritha was martyred during the Battle of Mut’ah. The Prophet planned a military campaign against Byzantine Syria to take revenge for this incident. He appointed Usama Bin Zayd to lead the expedition, who was just 20 years old then.
The first Caliph decided to continue with this campaign. His close advisors felt reluctant to do so, considering Usama’s age and the Prophet’s passing. But the Caliph stood firm on this sensitive issue. He asserted that no one could stop the expedition launched by the Prophet. So, the campaign was given the go-ahead in June 632 CE, days after the Prophet’s passing. Usama came back victorious.
Caliphate of Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ – The Era Muslim Conquests
After the death of Hazrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was selected the next Caliph. His caliphate lasted for around 10 years, from 634 to 644 CE. This is considered the Golden Age of the early Muslim Expansion in Islamic history. During this period, Islamic Rule was extended to present-day areas such as Iraq, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.
The conquests accomplished during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ are summarized below:
- The Battle of Ajnadayn (Palestine) is the first major military campaign, which was fought in August 634 during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ. Muslim forces won the battle.
- The Battle of Yarmouk was fought in 636 CE against the Byzantine Empire. Islamic forces won decisively, leading to the conquest of Syria and Palestine.
- The Battle of Qadisiyyah happened in 636 CE against the Sassanian Empire. It resulted in the fall of Persia (Iran).
- Egypt was conquered from 639 to 642 CE, and as a result, it was included in the Islamic State.
The Islamic state expanded to around 2,200,000 square miles during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ. Other significant developments during his Caliphate include establishing Administrative Systems such as “Diwan” (revenue management system). He also established military bases in Kufa and Basra.
Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ – The Era of Internal Conflicts and Consolidation
The Caliphate of Hazrat Uthman Ibn Affan رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ spans over a period of 12 years, the largest among the Rashidun Caliphs. After the death of Hazrat Umar رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, he was elevated to the office of Caliph in 644 CE and ruled the Islamic state till 656 CE. This was the time to consolidate the Islamic Rule over the area conquered during the earlier military campaigns. However, some more areas were also included in the Islamic State, such as Anatolia, Sindh, and Khorasan.
One of the major and historical events during his Caliphate was the compilation of the Quran in the shape of a formal Book. This was necessary to preserve the original text of the Quran. That’s why he is also referred to as “Jami al-Quran – جَامِعُ الْقُرْآن” (the Compiler of the Quran).
During the latter part of his Caliphate, internal conflicts arose in the Muslim State. This resulted in internal dissent, which caused major unrest within the state. The rebellious forces challenged his rule, particularly during the last two years of his Caliphate, which led to his assassination.
Caliphate of Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ – The era of Internal Unrest and Civil War (First Fitna)
After the death of Hazrat Uthman رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ, Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was selected as the fourth Rashidun Caliph. His caliphate lasted for around five years from 656 to 661 CE. The assassination of Hazrat Uthman رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was an unfortunate incident. His followers and allies insisted on its revenge. This was the first and most difficult challenge for the fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ. On the one hand, he had to face the demand for revenge; on the other hand, he had to maintain and consolidate peace within the Caliphate.
The major events that happened during his Caliphate are summarized below:
- The Battle of Camel was fought between the Army of the Caliph and his opponents, led by Hazrat Aisha رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهَا in 656 CE. This was the first-ever war between the two Muslim armies in early muslim history. The battle of won by the Caliph Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ.
- In 657 CE, the most unfortunate incident of the first Civil War, also referred to as First Fitna took place. It was a battle between the forces of the Caliph Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ and the Governor of Sayria, Mu’awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. This battle is known as the Battle of Siffin. The battle ended without any result but it badly damaged the internal peace within the Caliphate. It also formed the basis for establishing the Umayyad Caliphate, led by Mu’awiya.
- Eventually, Hazrat Ali رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ was martyred in 661 CE, ending the glorious era of Rashidun Caliphate.
The Outcome of Early Muslim Expansion
Despite the outburst of internal conflicts within the Muslim Ummah, the impact of early Muslim Expansion was quite significant. It had a profound effect on the Muslim Rule in many ways.
· Spread of Islam
The main purpose of these early military campaigns was the spread of Islam, as was advised by the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِۦ وَسَلَّمَ during his Farewell Sermon. He entrusted the responsibility of spreading Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula, to the shoulders of the entire Ummah (Muslim Community). The responsibility was accomplished successfully by way of early Muslim Conquests during the era of the Rashidun Caliphate. The Message of Islam was successfully spread to the entire Middle East and parts of Asia and Africa. The best part of this expansion was that no one was forced to accept Islam; it was the Message and behavior of the Muslim Community, which resulted in a huge number of converts to Islam.
· Development of Islamic Culture
With the expansion of Islamic rule in different cultural and civic societies, such as the Middle East, Asia and Africa, the Islamic Culture experienced a variety of positive traits of other civilizations. It developed an Islamic culture, marked by noticeable developments in arts, philosophy, science, architecture, medicine and so on. The impact lasted long and saw the emergence of renowned Muslim Scholars and Scientists.
· Formulation and Innovations of Governance Rules
The Rashidun Caliphate introduced various administrative and governance protocols, which were mostly new for the Arabs, such as the establishment of “Diwan” (Revenue management system) by the second Rashidun Caliph.
· The Unity of Muslim Ummah
Initially, the Muslim Ummah was united under the leadership of the Rashidun Caliphate, which was a remarkable achievement. It resulted in the further expansion of Muslim Rule. However, in the last phase of the Rashidun Caliphate, the unity of the Muslim Community could not be maintained, especially during the first fitna.
The Prophet’s legacy and the early Muslim Expansion resulted in the consolidation of the Islamic Revolution, not only in the Arabian Peninsula but also in the vast areas of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. It also set an example of social justice, equality of rights, and a successful model of economic management based on the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence, as derived from the Quran and Sunnah.
