Arabs Before The Advent Of Islam(Jahiliya Period)

Political Conditions:
Absence of central government.
Tribal Wars on petty issues unending bloodshed, barbarism.
Nomadic Bedouins were land pirates.
They plundered their neighbours, caravans.
Political power depended solely on availability of man to kill or be killed.

Moral Conditions:
War,Women and Wine were the three absorbing passions of the Arabs.
Before Islam Arabs were indulged in all vices,drinking,debauchery,Robbery,murder,infantici
de.
Polygamy and Polyandry were in vogue.
Prostitution was a recognized profession.
Women had no inheritance in property.

Social Conditions:
For them existed only tribe and family but no Arab nation.
No sense of Subordination.
Fabric of society had collapsed
Chaos,Disorder,violence was rampant.
Building a civilized and rule based society was regarded by them as hindrance to their
freedom.
Slavery was permanent in Arab Society.
Slaves were treated most inhumanly.

Religious Conditions:
Indulged in Idolatory and nature worshiping.
No belief in one God and hereafter.
The house of Kaaba had become the house of Idols
It had 360 Idols

Economic Conditions:
Barren Soil and non navigable rivers and dry climate made cultivation of Arab impossible.
Poverty ridden Arabs used to infanticide.
Bedouins mainly reared flock and cattle.
Camel acted as ship of the desert.
In Trade Makkah was the great commercial center.
From here silk ,leather, corn,weapons were supplied.
Barter system was in vague.

Intellectual Conditions:
The Arabs Excelled the whole world especially in their poetry,memory power and eloquence.
They had wild love for their language Arabic.

Conclusion:
Stage was set :the moment was psychological for the rise of a great religious and
psychological leader.
The prophet came as a mercy towards the creatures and raised the Arabs from a fallen state
to the highest pitch of glory.
Pk Hitti.

Significance of Islam as a Revolutionary

Force

Religious Reforms:
Shift from polytheism to monotheism.
Belief in One God,prophethood,Hereafter.

Social Reforms:
-women status was raised, given share in the property.
Shift from tribal to egalitarian society.
-gambling, drinking and all unethical practices were banned
-equality among all social classes.
Blood thirsty enemies became brothers.
Best example at Medina
-principles were being followed, as Prophet himself was the role model being truthful and
honest
-social justice started prevailing
-polygamy and polyandry were reduced to a great extent

Political Reforms:
Islamic Political system based on equality,liberty,fraternity.
tribes no more remained the centre of political power
-merit was followed in every aspect of life.
-Central authority was formed at Medina.
Foundation of world Empire.
Charter of human rights was given in last sermon of Holy prophet.
First Constitution was given by holy prophet in Median:
-treaties were signed on equal footing

Economic Reforms:
Prophet introduced best economic system
-social disparity ended to a great extent
Inheritance laws were established.
-zakat, sadqat were implemented
-economic reforms by Prophet himself then by caliphs......

Encouragement of Muslims to the pursuit of knowledge

The first positive impact of Islam in the world can be seen in the encouragement of Muslims
to the pursuit of knowledge,
as prophet Mohammed said, the best form of worship is the pursuit of knowledge.

Intellectual Reforms:
Islam brought a revolutionary change in the pre Islamic intellectual domains.
Islam Promoted learning and education.
Arabs who were lizard eaters became the most civilized people on the face of earth.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIJRAH

Introduction:
Hijrah was one of the most important events and turning point in the history of Islam.
It is for this reason `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) adopted Hijrah date to calculate
years.
Muslims chose Hijrah as the focal point to reckon their chronology.

Background:
While the noble task of Dawah Ilallah was going on in the society of Makkah all around and
the opposition was getting momentum in its wake day by day,
Rasulullah (S) started his human efforts to find out a headquarter for the Islamic
Movement. This was the need of the time.

He was constantly in search of such a place.

Later on, after the death of Khadijah and Abu Talib, Rasulullah (S) himself traveled to
Ta'if with his beloved companion Zaid bin Harith
in the tenth year of Prophethood with the same mission but could not succeed. He was
treated roughly by the street monkers of Ta'if and was bleeding profusely.

However, Allah (SWT) prepared Madinah for Rasulullah (S) and his companions to
migrate.
Madinah was inhabited by two Arab tribes, Aus and Khazraj and the three tribes of Jewish
origin were situated at its outskirts.
The Arab used to hear form the Jews of Madinah that a Prophet is to come and when he
comes, they will take revenge from others under his command.
On the eleventh year of Prophethood, some Arab brothers from Madinah came to Makkah
for Hajj.
They heard about Prophethood of Rasulullah (S).
They realized that he (S) is the same Prophet of Allah about whom the Jews are in waiting,
They meet Rasulullah (S) and entered into Islam.
They took the lead over Jews.
On return, Musa'b bin Umair accompanied them to Madinah to teach them about Islam
and the Qur'an.
Through the magnificent Dawah efforts of Musa'b bin Umair, Madinah was conquered for
Islam.
Next year 72 person came from Madinah.
They made a covenant with Rasulullah (S) and invited him to come to Madinah.
This was the Second Covenant of Aqabah.

SIGNIFICANCE OF HIJRAH

No pattern of a collective life before

In the social aspect when the first revelation was made to Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi
Wasallam)
a period of twelve (12) years was devoted by him to inculcate religion in the minds of
individuals
while no pattern of a collective life based on true religious concepts could be presented to
the world.

Islam considered personal affair

The status of the Muslim individuals in Makkah Mukarramah gave rise to the misconception
that Islam, or believing in, the Noble and in the prophet was one's personal affair;
it pertained only to the hereafter and had nothing to do with collective life.

Few Families were entirely Muslims

The situation in Makkah Mukarramah during the earlier part of the Prophet's (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) career was
that in a house-hold while the father was a believer, the son was an infidel,
or the wife a believer and the husband an infidel.
There were only a few houses where the.
It was only after Hijrah that people began to see clearly that Islam is a way of life

which pays attention to and reforms every facet of human existence,

giving directions regarding almost every moment of one's conscious time.
The Hijrah also made the Arabs in particular, to see as to what was a Muslim house-hold
and a Muslim society.
Hence, only after this event the world could see the aspect of social decency and decorum
under Islam.

Foundation of a Muslim State Political freedom

The third reason which made the Hijrah a very important event is the political freedom for
the Muslims.
Before Hijrah the Muslims had no say in any matter, internal or external.
They were a minority against whom the hearts of the majority were full of enmity -
the Muslims were an insignificant part of a set of dominating unbelievers in Makkah
Mukarramah.

Beginning of a new civilization, a culture and a history

In physical terms, Hijrah was a journey between two cities about 200 miles apart,
but in its grand significance it marked the beginning of an era, a civilization, a culture and a
history for the whole mankind.
Islam progressed not only from the physical Hijrah, but because Muslims took Hijrah
seriously in all its aspects and dimensions.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made the Hijrah from Makkah to
Madinah,
he did not just transfer his residence or took shelter in another city, but as soon as he
arrived in Madinah
he began the transformation of that city in every aspect.

It is important for us to study and reflect on the things that he did in Madinah.
There are many lessons for us in that history and we can learn many things for our life.

Reforms Brought by Holy Prophet In Madina

1. Masjid (Mosque): The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) first established a
Masjid for the worship of Allah.
He himself worked in carrying the stones and building that small, humble but most powerful
structure.
This was the beginning, but soon other Masajid (mosques) were established in Madinah.

2. Madrasah (Islamic school and educational institution for the community):.

The first school under the supervision of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was
the school of Suffah.
Later many other schools were opened. According to Maulana Shibli Numani,
there were nine schools opened in Madinah alone in the time of the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him).

3. Unity Formed: He established brotherly relations between the Muhajirun (Muslims who
migrated from Makkah) and the Ansar (residents of Madinah who helped the Prophet and
his Companions). Masjid andMadrasah were not enough; what was also important was to
have good relations between Muslims.
They should have their brotherhood on the basis of faith, not on the basis of tribes as they
used to have prior to Islam.

4. Intercommunity and Interfaith Relations: Prophet (peace and blessings be upon

him) also established good relations with other communities living in Madinah.
There was a large Jewish community as well as some other Arab tribes who had not
accepted Islam.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prepared a Mithaq (a covenant or a
constitution) for relations between these communities.

5. Cleaning the City: Yathrib (previous name of Madinah) was a dirty city.
When the Sahabah (Prophet's Companions) came from Makkah to Madinah, many of them
got sick and did not like that city.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked them to clean the city and remove its
dirt and filth.
`Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: We came to Madinah and it was the most
polluted land of Allah.
The water there was most stinking. (Al-Bukhari, 1756)

6. Water System in the City: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the
Sahabah to dig wells in different parts of the city.
It is mentioned that more than 50 wells were opened in the city of Madinah and there was
enough clean water for every one.

7. Agriculture and Gardening: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
encouraged the Sahabah to cultivate the land and make gardens.
He told them that any one who would cultivate any dead land, would own it.
Many people started working and cultivating and soon there was enough food for every one.

8. Poverty Eradication:
In a short period of time it happened that there were no poor people in Madinah.
Every one had enough and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to give gifts
to coming delegations.

9. Safety, Security, Law and Order:

Madinah became the safest city in the world.
There were very few incidents of theft, rape, drunkenness or murder and they were
immediately taken care of.
In short, Hijrah teaches us that wherever Muslims go, they should bring goodness to that
land.
Muslims should work for both moral and material goodness of the society.

Conclusion
Before Hijrah, it was all trial and tribulation and after Hijrah, Allah (SWT) shower His
blessings on Muslims all around.
Muslims should observe the first of Muharram as a unique day of the Islamic History,
which opened the gates of success for the Ummah 1400 years ago.
So that is the reason it is called a turning point of Islam

Charter of Madinah
Throughout the history of the world, all countries and nations operated under certain laws
promulgated by their founders/rulers. From the codes of Hammurabi to the constitutions of
today, treaties have evolved significantly over centuries.

First written constitution In History

Many historians consider the English Magna Carta to be the first written constitution;
however, according to the research of Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah, one of the most eminent
Muslim researchers and scholars of the 20th century, the Charter of Madina (Mithaq-ul-
Madina) was the first constitution written by mankind.

The Charter of Medina precedes the American constitution of 1787 and the English Magna
Carta of 1215.

The Background Of the Charter of Madinah

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered the message of Allah in Makkah for
about 13 years in the face of staunch opposition.

In 622 A.D. he finally moved to Yathrib (Madinah) together with his followers after receiving
an invitation from the Arab tribes of Yathrib.
At that time, Yathrib was a pluralistic society composed of people of different religions with
a large population of Jews. These tribes were engaged in bitter quarrels and often went to
war over disputes that had been going on for generations. There were 12 tribes of Arabs
divided between Aws and Khazraj and ten Jewish tribes including Banu Nazeer, Banu
Quraiza and Bani Qainuqa.

The continuous state of anarchy in Madinah eventually forced the residents to seek options
for peace. They agreed to make a prominent tribal chief, Abdullah ibn Ubay bin Salool, their
king so that peace and harmony could be achieved. Around this time, Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) arrived in Madinah and the tide turned against Abdullah bin Ubay. Since the Prophet
was viewed as a respectable, honest and trustworthy person, he was requested to head the
soon to be city-state of Madinah.

Creation of the Charter

After assuming a central role in Madinah, the Prophet recognized a few pressing needs,
which included:

Determining the rights and responsibilities of the local population as well as the immigrants
from Makkah

Making agreements with the non-Muslim population of Madinah, especially the Jews, to
ensure peace and harmony

Creating a strategy and plan to defend the city against invasions

Making resources available for the immigrants to make a living

The strong need to create a centralized government in Madinah to end the prevailing
anarchy culminated in the creation of the Charter of Madinah.

The text of the charter has been preserved in its entirety by the scholars Ibn Ishaq and Abu
Ubaid.

It is divided into two parts;

the first part deals with the rules and regulations for Muslim immigrants (Muhajiroon) and
Muslim natives (Ansar) and the

second part deals with the rights and responsibilities of the Jews of Madinah.

This charter contains 47 clauses,

which laid the foundations of a sovereign nation-state comprising of Muslims, Jews and
Pagans, having equal rights and responsibilities under a common citizenship.

Many historians believe that the charter was developed in two stages:

the first part was written before the battle of Badr and

the second part about relations with Jews, after Badr, when Muslims had gained a much
stronger standing.

The salient features of this charter include:

All parties included in the charter, i.e. Muslims, people of the book (Jews and Christians)
and pagans, had freedom to practice their religion

All citizens of the state had equal rights and responsibilities and were protected against
excess and oppression

A system of financial aid was developed within each tribe and between tribes.

Communal funds were set up which were used in times of financial need such as to pay
ransom or blood-money

In the event of a war or hostile attack from outsiders on one tribe, all tribes of Madinah
(signatories of the charter) were required to come to the aid of the defending tribe

In the event of a dispute among the signatories, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the final
authority for settling the dispute

The Quraysh of Makkah were to be boycotted commercially by all signatories and nobody
was to extend any support to them

Significance of the Charter of Madinah

It is a landmark document, not only in Muslim history but also in the constitutional history
of the world. This charter transformed all aspects of life in Madinah including political,
religious and social life. Its biggest achievement was bringing belligerent tribes together to
form a polity and establishing long term peace among them. It put an end to the prevailing
anarchy and protected the life, liberty, property and religious freedom of all people included
in the accord. It created a state where equal rights and responsibilities were truly provided
for all citizens. The charter of Madinah replaced the traditional tribal kinship with a new
social order and created a nation state with a new social fabric.

Dr. Hamidullah writes in his book, The First Written Constitution,

this new constitution brought with it very important, and to Arabia at least very
revolutionary change and improvement, by providing the people with a central public
institution for seeking justice, in place of everyone seeking it with the power of his own
hand or, at best, that of his family. This epoch-making innovation brought an end for all
times to the chaos of tribalism and which laid the basis for a wider institution, viz a State.

Treaty of Hudaibiya:
Prophet of Islam prefered Global Peace & Unity over conflict

QURAYSH had tried to destroy Islam but had failed.

The number of Muslims grew and their armies increased from three hundred at the battle of
Badr, seven hundred at the battle of Uhud, to three thousand at the battle of the
Trench.After the annual fast of Ramadan, the Prophet (pbuh) had a dream which indicated
that the Muslims should go to Mecca for the pilgrimage.

One thousand and four hundred Muslims got ready to go with him on the Lesser Pilgrimage
called the `Umra.

They dressed in white and went unarmed to show Quraysh that they had come to make the
pilgrimage and not to fight.

When Quraysh heard that the Prophet (pbuh) was on his way, they sent troops with Khalid
ibn al-Walid to stop the Muslims from entering the city.
To avoid meeting this small army the Prophet (pbuh) changed his route and led the men
through rugged mountain passes.
When they reached easier ground he told them, Say, we ask Allahs forgiveness and we
repent towards Him At Hudaybiyah, south of Mecca.
the Prophets camel knelt down and refused to go any further. T
he Muslims thought she was either stubborn or tired,

but the Prophet (pbuh) said:

The same power that once stopped the elephant from entering Mecca is now stopping us!
He then ordered them to make camp, which they did, although they all hoped they would
travel on to the sacred Kabah the following day.

Messengers were sent to Quraysh to tell them that the Muslims had come only for the
pilgrimage, to worship Allah at the Holy Kabah, and that they wanted to enter the city
peacefully.

But Quraysh took no notice.

Bait_E_ Radwan

Finally, the Prophets son-in-law, Uthman ibn Affan, a wise and respected man, was chosen
to go, and the Muslims settled down to wait and see what news he would bring back.
After they had waited a long time, the Muslims became very worried. At last they decided
that he must have been killed.
A state similar to that of Revelation then came upon the Prophet (pbuh).
He gathered the Muslims around him under an acacia tree and asked them to swear their
allegiance to him, which they did.
This pact, which is mentioned in the Koran, became known as the Bait_E_ Radwan (which
means Paradise).

Shortly after, `Uthman ibn Affan returned and the Muslims were relieved to see that no
harm had come to him.

Some Meccan warriors tried to attack the Muslim camp but were captured and brought
before the Prophet (pbuh), who forgave them when they promise to stop attacking the
Muslims.

Treaty Of Hudaibya

Soon after this, official messengers came from Quraysh and talks began for a peaceful
settlement.
A man called Suhayl ibn Amr was sent by the Meccans to work out a treaty.
When the Prophet (pbuh) asked Ali to write In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the
Most Merciful, on the top of the page, Suhayl objected, saying Write only: bismik
Allahumma (in Thy name, O Allah). I dont know him as al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-
Rahim (the most Merciful).
The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and dictated: This is a treaty between Muhammad the
Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn Amr. Stop! cried Suhayl, I dont believe that you are
Rasulallah (the Messenger of Allah). If I thought you were Allahs Messenger, I wouldnt be
fighting against you, would I?
Calmly, the Prophet (pbuh) agreed that he should be referred to in the treaty as
Muhammad, son of Abd Allah. The Muslims were very upset at this, and Umar furiously
cried out, Are you not Allahs Messenger, and are we not Muslims? How can we accept such
treatment when we are right and they are wrong? This will make people laugh at our
religion!
But the Prophet (pbuh) knew what was best and the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was signed.

Terms Of Treaty
1. In this treaty the two sides agreed to stop fighting for a period of ten years.
2. It was also agreed that the Muslims should go back to Medina immediately but that they
could return the following year for the pilgrimage.
3. This pilgrimage would last three days.
4. In addition, the treaty allowed Muslims wishing to leave Islam and return to Mecca to do
so.
5. It also permitted Meccans to leave and become Muslims provided they had the
permission of their guardians.
6. The Muslims agreed to send any Meccan who did not have their guardians permission
back to Mecca.
The majority of the Muslims were very disappointed when they heard the terms of the
agreement and thought that it should not have been accepted.
They did not realize that this was in fact a great victory for the Prophet (pbuh), which Allah
would later confirm in a Revelation.

Importance Of The Treaty

The agreement made sure that the following year they would enter Mecca peacefully, and in
time would result in Muslims becoming stronger and more respected throughout Arabia.

At the time the treaty was signed the Muslims could not have foreseen that the number of
people who would travel to Medina to become Muslims in following year would be greater
than in all the years before.

Before the Muslims departed, they followed the Prophets example of making sacrifice and
either shaving or cutting their hair.

Even though they were unable to visit the sacred mosque, their pilgrimage was accepted by
Allah because it had been their true intention.

On the return journey to Medina, the Victory chapter of the Koran was revealed
to the Prophet (pbuh).

It begins:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Surely We have given thee (O Muhammad) a clear victory,
That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin
That which is past and that which is to come,
And may complete His blessings upon thee,
And may guide thee on the right path,
And that Allah may help thee with mighty help.
(Koran xlviii.1-3)

Now most of those who left Mecca to join the Prophet (pbuh) without the consent of their
guardians and were turned back by him as agreed, Did not in fact return to Mecca, but lived
instead in groups along the seashore.Then they were joined by others who had left Mecca
but these groups began to endanger Quraysh caravans which were passing by and disrupted
their trade because of this, Quraysh told the Prophet (pbuh) that if he wanted to take these
new Muslims, they would not ask for them to be returned.
The young men, therefore, joined the Prophet (pbuh) and the people in Mecca and Medina
grew more at ease with one another.
The young men from the seashore were shortly followed by those Muslims who were still
living in Abyssinia, and soon the numbers of believers in Medina had doubled.

About this time, Khalid ibn al-Walid, the great warrior who had defeated the
Muslims at Uhud, set out from Mecca for Medina.

Along the way he met Amr ibn al-As, the clever speaker who had pursued the Muslims
when they fled to Abyssinia.
Amr, who had attempted to find asylum in Abyssinia, had just returned from that country,
the Negus having urged him to enter Islam.
He asked Khalid, Where are you going? Khalid replied, The way has become clear.

The man is certainly a Prophet, and by Allah, I am going to become a Muslim.

How much longer should I delay? Amr ibn al-As answered, I am travelling for the same
reason.

So they both traveled on to Medina to join the Prophet (pbuh).

The two men were, however, worried about meeting the Prophet (pbuh) because of having
fought against the Muslims in the past.

Therefore, Amr came before Allahs Messenger he said, O Prophet, will my past faults be
forgiven and no mention made of what has gone before?
The Prophet (pbuh) replied Amr, Islam wipes away everything that happened before, as
does the hijrah.

A year after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet (pbuh) was able
to lead two thousand pilgrims on the Umra.

Quraysh vacated Mecca and watched the rites from the hills above the city.
The agreed period of three days was observed, after which the Muslims returned to Medina.

THE CONQUEST OF MAKKAH

RAMDHAAN 8 A.H.

Background:

The truce of Hudaybiyah was broken by the Quraish when they sided with the tribe of Banu
Bakr (with whom they had a pact to help one another),they attacked the tribe of Khuza'a
who were the allies of the Muslims.

Three offers were given to Quraish:

Pay Blood money of the murdered

Quraish withdraw their support for Banu Bakar
It be announced that the treaty of Hudaibya has fallen apart.

Quraish went for third option but then regretted .

Abu Soofyaan ibn Harb realized this and did his best to revive the treaty,
but the Muslims had already realized that the kuffar were not to be trusted,and the treaty
was never revived.
This was a victory for the Muslims.

Events

On hearing the news that the kuffar had broken the truce Rasulullah prepared to leave for
Makkah..

It was the 10th day of Ramadaan in the year 8 Hijri that an army of 10,000 Muslims
marched towards Makkah.

The Muslims encamped at Mar-ur-Zahraan, a place a few kilometers from Makkah.

When the shepherds of Makkah returned in the evening they reported to the Makkans
that a huge army was encamped outside Makkah at Mar-uz-Zahraan.
Abu Soofyaan ibn Harb went to investigate .

During his investigation he met Hazrat Abbas (R.A.), the uncle of Rasulullah
who convinced Abu Soofyaan ibn Harb to have an audience with Rasulullah .

Abu Soofyaan ibn Harb the arch-enemy of Islaam who had instigated so many battles
against the Muslims was now in the tent of the Prophet .
Rasulullah our Nabi offered him protection from any harm.

The Muslim army triumphantly entered Makkah without any bloodshed and the
kuffar surrendered without an attempt to resist.

The city of Makkah was now at the mercy of Rasulullah and the Muslims.
Everybody was present in the courtyard of the Haram (sanctuary of the Ka'ba).
The enemies of Rasulullah and Islaam were helpless.

Rasulullah asked them: 'What do you expect at my hands?'.

The voices of their hearts rang out: 'Kindness and pity, gracious brother, gracious nephew'.

'Have no fear this day, May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show
mercy'.
Hinda, the wife of Abu Soofyaan ibn Harb, who had mutilated the body of Hazrat Hamza
(R.A.)
came in the presence of Rasulullah covered in a veil. She accepted Islam.

Rasulullah purified the sacred House of Allah (Ka'ba) removing all its 360 idols and stones,
reciting

Rasulullah also proclaimed that : 'sale of intoxicants and usury (Interest) is declared as
Haraam'.

Effects of the Conquest:

Triumph of truth over falsehood

"Truth has come and Falsehood vanished and no more shall falsehood return" (Sahih al-
Bukhari.)
The sanctuary of the Ka'ba contained such idols as Hubal, Latt and Manaat.
They saw their downfall for they were nothing but pieces of stones.
Now every nook and corner of Makkah witnessed and resounded with the call of Tauheed.
Beginning of new era in the preaching of Islam.
The day of rebirth of Humanity.
Establishment of new power in the world

It was indeed a unique conquest for Islam and triumph of Rasulullah 's unshakable faith in
his sacred cause.
Witness our beloved Nabi now seated on mount Safa delivering his sermon to the multitude
of people,
contrast this with his flight (Hijrat), stay in the Cave of Thoor and receiving wounds in the
battles.
Now his faith in 'SURELY ALLAH IS WITH US' is the secret of his success in life and mission.

Rasulullah had left Madinah for Makkah with the Muslim Army on Wednesday 10th
Ramadhaan 8 A.H. and
entered Makkah on the 20th of Ramadhaan and on that very day Makkah was conquered.
He remained in Makkah for about 10-15 days and thereafter returned to Madinah Tayibah.

The Sermon of The Holy Prophet on His Final

Pilgrimage to Ka'aba

Introduction:

The farewell Pilgrimage of the Holy Prophet may rightly be called the culminating point in
his Prophetic career.

It was the sixty-third year of the Prophets life

the 10th of Hijra that he decided to perform Hajj,
which in history, goes by the name of Hajja-tul-Wada.

The Prophets mission, had, by this time, been completed to all intents and purposes. To a
people steeped in ignorance, he gave light and inspired them with belief in

Five days before Dhu-al-hijjah, the Holy Prophet put on Ahram,

and set out to Makkah with more than 114,000 Muslims.

The Holy Prophet reached Makkah on the 5th of Dhu-al-Hijjah.

He Performed hajj Rituals:

on the 9th, after the Fajr, morning prayer, He reached to Plains of Arafat where he delivered
the famous sermon which we have the honour to present below.
THE LAST SERMON OF THE HOLY PROPHET OF ISLAM

O People! Listen to my words, for I do not know whether we shall ever

meet again and perform Hajj after this year.
Allah, the sole Creator, Master and Sustainer of the Universe.

Equality:

O Ye people! Allah says, O

people We created you from one male and one female and made you into
tribes and nations, so as to be known to one another.
Verily in the sight of Allah, the most honoured amongst you is the one who is most God-
fearing.
There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a
non-Arab over an Arab, nor for the white over the black nor for the black
over the white except in God-conciousness.
All mankind is the progeny of Adam and Adam was fashioned out of clay.

Rights Of Wives:
O people! Verily you have got certain rights over your women and your
women have certain rights over you. Treat the women kindly Fear Allah concerning women,
for verily you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful
unto you by words of Allah.

Prohibiting Exploitation:
Nothing of his brother is lawful for a Muslim except what he himself gives
willingly. So do not wrong yourselves.

Brotherhood:
O People! Every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim, and all the
Muslims form one brotherhood. It establishes brotherhood among Muslims irrespective of
the divergence of their geographical, racial and colour backgrounds and provides an outline
of a social order, perfectly free from oppression and injustice.

Rights of Slaves
you feed them with such food as you eat yourselves,
and clothe them with the clothes that you yourselves wear.
All debts must be repaid,
all borrowed property must be returned.

Everyone is responsible for his own Deeds:

Beware! No one committing a crime is responsible for it but himself.
Neither the child is responsible for the crime of his father, nor the
father is responsible for the crime of his child.
Verily, the satan is disappointed at ever being worshipped in this land of
yours, so beware of him in your matters of religion.

Islam Perfected:
This day I have perfected for you your faith and completed my blessings upon you and have
accepted for you Islam as Religion.(Al-Quran)
O people! No Prophet would be raised after me and no new Ummah (would be formed)
after you.

Verily I have left amongst you that which will never lead you astray, the
Book of Allah, which if you hold fast you shall never go astray.
And beware of transgressing the limits set in the matters of religion, for
it is transgression of (the proper bounds of) religion that brought
destruction to many people before you.

Behold! Worship your Lord;

offer prayers five times a day;
observe fast in the month of Ramadhaan;
pay readily the Zakat (poor due) on your property;
and perform pilgrimage to the House of God and
obey your rulers and you will be admitted to the Paradise of your Lord.

Let him that is present, convey it unto him who is absent, for many people
to whom the message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the
audience.

And if you were asked about me, what would you say?"

They answered, "We bear witness that you have conveyed the trust (of
religion) and discharged your ministry of Prophethood and looked to our
welfare."

Thereupon Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) lifted his forefinger towards the sky
and then pointing towards people said:
"O Lord: Bear Thou witness unto it.

Importance

The sermon of the Holy Prophet is not only remarkable for its eloquence,
but it contains a sublime message for the whole of the human race.

It was a declaration of Human Rights and moral values, a charter of Women Rights.

The world has not been able to lay down better principles of ethics and morality than those
enunciated in it.

Every word of it breathes a spirit of magnanimity and aims at establishing righteousness

and fair dealing among men on a workable basis.
It was the declaration of Finality of Syedna Muhammad's Prophethood, the religion was
being perfected by this Final Message from The Creator to his creatures for all times to
come.

To a disunited mass, engaged in perpetual warfare, he gave unity of thought and action.

He had revealed the love of God and His will to mankind and had given it a visible
expression by founding a society on the basis of righteousness, piety and God-
consciousness, the like of which is not to be found in the whole history of mankind.

In short, Syedna Muhammad had delivered to human race the final Truth with all its
necessary implications.

The completion of His prophetic mission implied His departure from this earthly home to the
heavenly abode.

The Holy Prophet had clearly visualised it.

He, therefore, decided to give the finishing touch to his massive work and imprint its salient
points on the minds of his devoted followers so that they might always keep before them
the system of life-values enunciated by Islam.

Hazrat Umer (R.A)

Hadrat Umar (R.A.) as the Second Caliph of Islam

As described in connection with the life of Hadrat Abu-Bakr, during his illness he consulted the
"Shura" about the next "Khalifah"
and then gave his decision in favour of Hadrat Umar (R.A.) who took the charge of Caliphate
after the death of Hadrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) on 22nd of Jamadi-uth-Thani 13 A.H. (23rd Aug. 634
A.C.).

Umar the pioneer of the Islamic Democracy

The constitution of Islamic caliphate during the time of Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) was
based entirely on the Islamic democratic system.
All matters were decided after consultation with the "Shura"(The Council of Advisors).
He remarked, "It is essential for a "Khalifah" to consult his "Shura".

Muslims and non-Muslims were treated alike.

Islamic Republic based upon "Shura"

As stated before all matters were decided after consultations with the "Shura", the Advisory
Council during his time.

There were three main types of "Shura".

The first "Shura" consisted of very prominent and popular Companions like:
Hadrat Uthman, Ali, 'Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Mu'adh bin Jabal, Ubayy bin Ka'b, Zaid bin
Thabit, Talha and Zubair (Raziallah Anho).
They were permanent members of the "Shura".
All the important matters were decided in consultation with these persons. This "Shura" could be
named as the Higher Advisory Council.

The second "Shura" was the General Advisory Council which consisted of many companions
from amongst the Ansar and Muhajirin (Raziallah Anho).
The Companions who participated in the battle of Badr were given priority in this "Shura".
All matters of general interest were discussed with this "Shura".
In this "Shura" were also included the chiefs of various clans and tribes.

The third type of "Shura" ranked in between the Higher and the General Advisory Councils.
It consisted of some selected Companions among the Muhajirin and Ansar.
Matters of special interest were put before the "Shura"

Whenever a "Shura" was called everyone of its members was fully allowed to give his opinion
without any fear or hesitation.

Provincial Administration

Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) divided the whole Islamic Khilafat (i.e. Islamic State into various
provinces each with a capital.
The following were, the provinces and their governors in 23 A.H., i.e. near the end of Hadrat
Umar's Caliphate.

1. Hijaz with Makkah as its capital; Governor -- Nafi' bin Abu Harith.
2. Syria with Damascus as its capital; Governor-- Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan.
3. Iran with Basrah as its capital; Governor -- Abu Musa al-Ash'ari.
4. Iraq with Kufa as its capital; Governor -- Mughirah bin Shu'bah.
5. Egypt with Fustat as its capital; Governor -'Amr bin al-'As.
6. Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital; Governor -- 'Alqamah bin Majaz.
7. Jazirah (i.e. Mesopotamia) with Hims (Hems) as its controlling capital; Governor -- 'Umair bin
Sa'd.
8. The central province of Arabia with Medina as its capital.

The title of a Provincial Governor was "Wali",

who was the chief administrator and generally the supreme commander of the armed forces of
that province.
In each province there were usually following officers besides the Governor:

The Treasury Officer (Sahib-i-Baitul-Mal;

the Revenue Collector (Sahib-i-Kharaj);
the Chief Police Officer (Sahib-i-Ahdath);
the Judge (alQadi).
In those provinces where the governor was not holding the office of the commander of armed
forces,
a separate commander was appointed.

Usually the officers were appointed after consultation with the "Shura" (the Advisory Council).

The provinces were divided into districts.

Each district was administered by an officer called 'Amil.

The Khalifah was the religious head of the State

Not only the Khalifah the Governors were also great scholars of Islam.

Judiciary

The judicial functions were entrusted to Qadis (Judges).

A Qadi was completely free of the executive administration.
On a number of occasions the Khalifah (Hadrat Umar) himself appeared before a Qadi to defend
himself in some cases.

"Umar was the first ruler in Islam", says Amir Ali, "to fix salaries for judges and to make their
offices distinct from the executive officers."

Department of Education

Hadrat Umar took special interest in imparting Islamic knowledge to the Muslims.
The Holy Qur'an was compiled in a Book form during the period of Hadrat Abu Bakr on Umar's
(Raziallah Anho) insistence.
He established schools for teaching the Holy Qur'an in all the conquered territories.

Such schools were located in the Masjids.

A number of writers like Ibn-i-Jauzi (see "Sirat Umar") have mentioned that the teachers of such
schools received good salaries.

It was compulsory for every Muslim to memorise sufficient part of the Holy Qur'an
especially
Surahs al-Baqrah;an-Nisa,al-Maidah; an-Nisa, al-Ma'idah, al-Hajj and an-Nur (Chapters, 2, 4, 5,
22 and 24 of the Holy Qur'an).
In these Surahs Islamic laws and principles are described elaborately.
To know basic Islamic laws was compulsory.

Thus the concept of compulsory education was introduced at a time when nobody knew
about it.

The students memorising whole of the Qur'an by heart were given scholarships and other
facilities.

Introduction of Islamic Calendar

Construction of Masjids and establishment of Schools

He founded a number of schools.

Masjids were used for giving religious instructions.
A number of Masjids were built by Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho).
He asked the governors of various provinces, specially of Syria to build at least one Masjid in
each city or town.
In Kufa a separate Masjid was built for every clan.
According to some historians he built four thousand Masjids.

The Haram (Masjid-ul-Haram) in Makkah was too small for the increasing Muslim population.
He extended it and built a wall around it in order to separate it from the township.

He covered the Ka'bah with very costly Egyptian cloth instead of ordinary cloth.

The Masjid of the Holy Prophet was also extended.

Police Department & institution of prisons

To keep order inside the State, a police force was necessary.

Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) was the first Muslim Head of State who established the Police
Department.

There was no jail in Arabia before Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho).

He bought five houses in Makkah and used them as prisons.

The Bait-ul Maal (Public Treasury) and Revenue Administration

A Public Treasury (Bait-ul-Maal) was for the first time established by the Holy Prophet
(Sallallahu'alaihi wa Sallam) in the form of a common fund for the benefit of the general public.
During the time of Hadrat Abu Bakr (Raziallah Anho), a house was purchased for the purpose.
During the caliphate of Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) the Bait-ul Mal was immensely enlarged.
He reorganised the entire system on a very sound and just basis.
In Medina there was the central Treasury and regular accounts were kept.
Following were the main sources of revenue

(i) Jizya (Indemnity or Defence Tax);

(ii) Zakat(Poor Tax);
(iii) Khiraj(Land Tax);
(iv) 'Ushr (Special land Tax);
(v) Booty(Income from the conquered places)
(vi) Tax on non-Muslim merchants or traders (because they did pay Zakat).

Public Works Department

Construction of office buildings and erection of new cities

Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) built a number of offices for various needs.
The construction of prison in Makkah and Baitul-Mal in Medina has been mentioned before.
The Treasury houses were also built in various provinces.
The construction of the building of Treasury House (Bait-ul-Mal) was supervised by a Persian
engineer Rozbah who used the same type of cement in the building as was used in the palaces of
the Persian Emperors.

Rest-houses and police posts

A number of rest-houses for travellers were also built.
Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) also built many new roads and bridges.
The road between Makkah and Medina was broadened and a number of rest-houses and police
posts were built on this road.

canals were constructed

As described above a number of canals were constructed for irrigation and for supply of fresh
water.
A nine mile long canal was constructed in Basrah which brought water from the river Tigris.
Hadrat Sa'd bin Waqqas built a canal in Kufa.
He constructed a number of canals for irrigation purposes.
120000 labourers were employed in Egypt alone.

Survey of Lands in Iraq

Special care of Agriculture

Agronomy was the main source of income during those days.
Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) took special care of the welfare of agriculture and the farmers.
As stated before he dug a number of canals for irrigation.
A number of gardens were planted on his order.
He made a law under which no Muslim could acquire land from the natives of the soil in the
conquered territories.
However land could be purchased. He supported both Muslim and non-Muslim farmers.
Personal care of the Public and stipends to disabled persons and the poor

A number of new cities were founded.

BASRAH :
KUFA:
FUSTAT:
Mosul and Jizah
Jizah was built after the victory of Alexandria in Egypt.

Military Reforms:

Regular Army

One of the biggest achievements of Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) was to keep regular armies of
the State.

For the first time in the history of Islam all irregular armies or mercenaries were divided into
clear-cut classes of regular and irregular armies.

The army personnel was well paid and their families also got allowances.

Separate registers for regular and irregular armies were maintained.

In order to keep military tradition of the Muslims, Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) did not allow
the army personnel to hold land in the conquered territories,
which might have impaired military prowess of Muslim soldiers.

Central cantonments were built in the following places:

Medina,
Kufa,
Basrah,
Mosul,
Fustat,
Damascus,
Hims (i.e. Hems),
Jordan, Palestine (Jerusalem), and
Ramla.

Besides the Commanding officer, the army had Translators, Doctors, Surgeons and Detectives.

No regular military personnel was allowed to do business or agriculture.

It was compulsory for every soldier to be trained in swimming, riding, and walking bare-
footed besides other military training.

The army was generally divided into cavalry and infantry.

Each central cantonment had at least four thousand horses for the cavalry.

Stables were provided with big pastures.

Special care was taken of the horses.

There were big granaries in cantonments to supply food to the military personnel.

Special arrangements were made to protect the frontiers.

One million equipped soldiers were present in all the regular and irregular armies.

This was done after the Muslims had conquered the Persian Empire and a major part of
Byzantium.

Review of Hadrat Umar's service to Islam

The period of Hadrat Umar's caliphate undoubtedly is the "Golden Age" of Islam in every
respect.
It was Umar under whose rule Islam became a world power and the mighty empires of Persia
and Byzantine (Eastern Roman) crumbled before the arm of Islam.
Within ten years of his glorious rule, the whole of the Persian Empire, Syria, Palestine, Egypt
and a part of Turkey came under the banner of Islam and the nations entered the fold of Islam.

He was not only a conqueror but also an exemplary administrator who originated an efficient
system of administration,
and thus he was the real founder of political system of Islam .

He enforced Divine Law (Shari'ah) as the code of a newly formed International Islamic
State;

he safeguarded the internal safety by introducing the police force:

he gave stipends to the poor;
he constructed cantonments and forts for the safety of Islamic armies;
he founded new cities for the growth of Islamic culture and civilisation;
he improved agriculture and economics of the Islamic State;
he founded the educational system in an Islamic State;
in brief he was the founder of a great Islamic State.
Hadrat Umar (R.A.) as a great scholar

He was a great Jurist and Theologian of Islam.

A full volume could be complied out of the verdicts and judgements given by Hadrat Umar
(R.A.).
As a matter of fact he opened a new door of Ijtihad'
"(Disciplined judgement of a Jurist) in the history of Islamic Law and Jurisprudence,
and settled a number of disputable cases during his caliphate.

Freedom of Opinion

Actually Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) was the founder of ISLAMIC DEMOCRACY based
upon the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaho Alehe Wassallam).

The words of the Holy Prophet are very true

"IF THERE WERE TO BE A PROPHET AFTER ME HE WOULD HAVE BEEN UMAR

IBN AL-KHATTAB." (Tirmidhi)

AND

"AMONG THE NATIONS BEFORE YOUR TIME THERE HAVE BEEN INSPIRED PEOPLE
(WHO WERE NOT PROPHETS), AND IF THERE IS ONE AMONG MY PEOPLE HE IS
UMAR". (Bukhari and Muslim)

Character

He was a very pious Muslim.

His success lay in two things-
fear of Allah and
his love for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).

He never used even oil from the Bait-ul-Mal (Public Treasury) to burn a lamp at night for his
personal needs.

Whenever he finished the official work he put off the lamp.

He used to patrol in the city at night to find out the needs and requirements, and conditions
of the people.

He did not hesitate to take his wife to work as a midwife for a poor woman.
The salary he got from the Bait-ul-Mal was so low that it was hardly enough for him and his
family's needs.
Hadrat Umar was the most just ruler in the Islamic History.
All the citizens, including the Caliph himself, were equal before law.
In short he was the best example of an ideal character, and was the greatest "Khalifah" of Islam
after Abu Bakr (R.A.).
He selflessly devoted his whole energy for the cause of Islam.

Muslims will always be indebted to him for his great achievements.

Martyrdom of Hadrat Umar (R.A.)

The glorious rule of Hadrat Umar (R.A.) came to an end with his death on Wednesday the 27th
of Dhil Hijjah, the year 23 A.H. (643 A.C.) when he was 61 years old.
There was a Persian slave of Hadrat Mughirah bin Shu'bah, named Abu Lu' Lu' Firoze.
One day he complained about the burden his master had imposed upon him.
The complaint was not genuine, hence Hadrat Umar (R.A.) ignored it.
Next day, early in the morning when Hadrat Umar (R.A.) went to Masjid to perform Fajr Salat,
the slave who was hiding in a corner, attacked him with a dagger and stabbed him six times.
People overpowered the assassin but he slew himself with the same dagger.

The injuries were so serious that the Caliph died the next morning.

Before his death the Muslims asked him about his successor,

He appointed a panel of six persons, Hadrat 'Uthma Zubair, Talha, Sa'd bin Waqqas and 'Abdur
Rahman bin 'Auf (R.A.) to select a "Khalifah" from amongst them within three days after him.

He requested Hadrat Aisha (R.A.) for permission for his burial by the side of the Holy Prophet
(Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam).
Though she had reserved that place for herself but on Umar's request she gave it to him where he
was buried.

Achievements:

Hadrat Umar (Raziallah Anho) was the pioneer of modern civilisation to form a state based upon
the Islamic democratic system,
the system which was incorporated in the West as late as 19th and 20th centuries.

He was the greatest democratic administrator whose example is unparalleled not only in the
history of Islam but also in the history of modern civilisation.

A vast part of the Middle East, Persian Empire and Byzantium, was conquered during the ten
years of his "Khilafat" (Caliphate) which he consolidated into a state governed by Islam i.e.
laws.

"As an administrator", says Prof. K. Ali, a Muslim writer,

"he remained a model for all great Muslim rulers during the whole Islamic history".
Another famous historian, Amir Ali says,
"During the thirty years that the Republic lasted, the policy derived its character chiefly from
Umar both during his life-time and after his death."

Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayads: The First Muslim Dynasty
Under their rule, which lasted from 61 to 750 AD, the early Islamic community was
transformed into the most powerful empire of the day.

Rise of the Umayads

Muawiya, When Muhammad first began preaching his mesage, the Umayad clan comprised
his greatest opositon.
They were the richest and most powerful clan in Meca, and they were threatened by the
changes that Islam brought.
Muawiya, the firstUmayad ruler, was the son of Abu Sufyan, Muhammads most biter
oponent.

Abu Sufyan embraced Islam after Muhammads forces marched on Mecca, and Muawiya
joined his father and older brother, Yazid, in becoming a late convert to the new religion.

A younger son and scion of Muhammads enemy, Muawiya was not a likely candidate tobe
the leader of the Islamic community.

But his skil and intelect, combined with a lot of luck, enabled him to build the first Muslim
dynasty.

After his conquest of Meca, Muhammad gave many Quraysh elites, including
members of Muawiyas Umayad family, high-ranking positons in his government.

Muawiya joined the army of his older brother Yazid in the conquest of Syria.
Yazid was granted governorship of Syria by Caliph Umar, and Muawiya continued to serve
him.

In 640 AD, however, Yazid died of the plague, and Muawiya replaced him.

Muwaiya quickly set about turning Syria into his own power base.

He launched successful atacks against he Byzantines, which brought him great

booty and respect from his soldiers.

Then, in 61 AD, Muawiya was proclaimed caliph.

Muawiya set about creating a strong and somewhat centralized government.

He moved the capital and administrative center of the empire from Medina to Damascus,
Syria, his powerbase.

Military Expeditions and achievements:

He is credited with raising a highly-trained army of Syrian soldiers which was used
to expand Muslim authority east into Khorasan and west into North Africa.

In the east, the borders of the Muslim empire were expanded to Khorasan and the Oxus
River.

The conquest of Tripolitania and Ifriqiyah led to the founding

of the garrison city Kairouan in 670 as a base for continuing forays into what is today
Algeria.

Navy fleet of 4000 ships:

He established a big Navy fleet of 4000 ships

He also established naval factories in Syria and Alexandria.
He confined the naval strength of Byzantine in Mediteranian and
established supremacy of muslims naval force in Mediteranian.
Naval expeditions against the Byzantines and raids into Anatolia.

Muawiya also led excursions into Anatolia beginning in 672.

Muawiya also attempted to conquer the rest of the Byzantine Empire for Islam.

The Islamic conquests had ben temporarily interupted by the civil war, but Muawiya began
them again.

He achieved some successes, but his ultimate goal was Constantinople.

which culminated in an unsuccessful three-year seige of Constantinople (674-677).
The Byzantines, aided by a new incendiary weapon known as Greek fire, defeated the
Muslims.

Adminstrative Reforms

He retained the administrative structures left by the Byzantines and Persians

but consolidated his authority by appointing kinsmen to key posts.

Muawiya is credited with the creation of specialized bureaus, known as diwans,

to increase the centralization of the government;

two such diwans created to improve communications are the

diwan al-khatam, the chancellery,
diwan al-barid, the postal service.

He gave Christians, especialy former Byzantine oficials, positons in his own government,
using their expertise in governing the provinces, and adopting Byzantine financial and
administrative systems.

He died soon after, in 680 AD.

Muawiya as a king: Founder of hereditary kingship

Monarchy hereditary kingship

Muawiya was the first man who transformed the Khilafat into a Mulk-republic to a kingship.
He once, said, "I am first king among the kings," He made caliphate a hereditary kingship
by nominating his son Yazeed in 674 A.D to the throne.

His example of nominating the next caliph became a precedent and was followed by the
subsequent Caliphs of Ummayyad dynasty.
Their practice was equally followed by the Abbassids and the later dynasties.
, he may be called the founder of hereditary kingship in the history of Islam.

Secular Autocratic form of government

The tribal democracy of his predecessors was gone for ever and Muawiya replaced it by his
personal rule and
autocracy which his successors turned into the pattern of the Byzantine or Persian
absolution.

Outwardly, Muawiya observed the forms and functions of the Caliphs.

Like the orthodox caliphs, he led the prayers on Friday, But unlike them, he kept himself
aloof from the common Muslims.
He gave up the simplicity and accessibility of Orthodox Caliphs.

His palace was guarded by guarded by armed soldiers and when he appeared in the public,
he was surrounded by his bodyguards.

Public treasury as his personal property

He regarded the public treasury as his personal property. He tackled all important problems
in his personal capacity and had no connection with the Council of Elders.
Therefor, "the accession of Muawiya to the throne at Damascus heralded the end of
Caliphate and the beginning of Kingship."

Nonetheles, their lack of descent from Muhammad, their controversial practice of handing
down power from father to son, and their mistreatment
of non-Arab Muslims made them a controversial dynasty, a topic of debate among Muslims
even to this day, and ultimately led to their fal.

Marwan

A new Umayad,Marwan, from a separate branch of the family, took the throne and oposed
Ibn al- Zubayr, claiming power for the Umayads.
As a result, a civil war broke out between Marwan in Damascus and Ibn al-Zubayr in Meca.
This was the Second Arab Civil War, or Second Fitna.
Marwan did not survive long, ruling only about a year.
But was suceded by his son, Abd al-Malik, who would be remembered as perhaps the most
important Umayad caliph.

The Reign of Abd al-Malik

Abd al-Malik became caliph after the death of his father Marwan I in 685, amidst the
ongoing Second Fitna.
Within a few years, he dispatched armies on a campaign to reassert Umayyad control over
the Islamic empire.
he was facing three distinct groups (the Kharijites, Shi'a, andAbd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr and
his followers)
that were fighting amongst themselves and against Umayyad control.
Abd al-Malik consolidated Muslim rule and extended it,Abd al-Malik instituted many reforms
such as:
Making Arabic the official language of government across the entire empire. As islamic
empire had spread far and wide however the conquered areas were yet to adopt Arabic as
the official language for official purposes. Thus it was Abdul malik who took measure for
that and it promoted Unified Islamic culture and civilization.
he made it madatory medium of communication throught the Muslim Empire.

Al-Walid

Al-Walid ibn Abd al-MaliK or Al-Walid I (668 23 February 715)

who ruled from 705 to his death in 715.
His reign saw the greatest expansion of the Caliphate, as successful campaigns were
undertaken in Transoxiana, Sindh, Hispania and against the Byzantines.
Walid continued the expansion of the Islamic empire that was sparked by his father, and
was an effective ruler.

Sulayman in 715 AD

Al-Walid was suceded by his brother Sulayman in 715 AD.

Second Arab Siege of Constantinople
Sulayman began the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, determined to end the Byzantine
Empire
once and for al. This siege involved even more soldiers than the first, and was meant
to learn from the failures of the first siege.
While the atack semed unstopable, amixture of Byzantine trickery and bad weather
hampered the Muslims.
The siege lasted over a year, but he Islamic forces were eventualy forced to give up, and
many were
kiled as they fled, or drowned in a series of storms that wrecked the departing Muslim
flet. This would be the last atempt by the Arabs to conquer Byzantium.
From that point on, it was generaly held that he Islamic Empire would have to acept he
continued existence of the Byzantine Empire. They would continue to fight over land,
but neither would be able to completely conquer the other.
Sulayman was suceded in 717 by his cousin Umar ibn al-Aziz, who became
known as Umar II.
Umar ibn al-Aziz

He was the last great Umayad caliph.

Umar I was known for his piety, and he continued Abd al-Maliks eforts to integrate Islam
into the state.
He exempted new converts to Islam from having to pay the jizya tax
(which first-generation converts previously stil had to pay).
This encouraged many people of the empire to become Muslims.
His kind treatment of the mawali, non-Arab converts to Islam, made
him very popular, though his sucesors would not continue this policy.

Umar I built bridges to the Shites by ending the public cursing of Ali, and he avoided
luxuries.
Instead of spending government money on himself, he gave generously to the poor and
needy.
Umar II only lasted thre years in power, and he was folowed by a series of less capable
rulers.

Umayyad Administration

One of Muawiya's first tasks was to create a stable administration for the empire.
He followed the main ideas of the Byzantine Empire which had ruled the same region
previously, and had three main governmental branches: political and military affairs, tax
collection, and religious administration.
Each of these was further subdivided into more branches, offices, and departments.

Provinces

Geographically, the empire was divided into several provinces, the borders of which
changed numerous times during the Umayyad reign.

Each province had a governor appointed by the khalifah.

The governor was in charge of the religious officials, army leaders, police, and civil
administrators in his province.
Local expenses were paid for by taxes coming from that province, with the remainder each
year being sent to the central government in Damascus.
As the central power of the Umayyad rulers waned in the later years of the dynasty,
some governors neglected to send the extra tax revenue to Damascus and created great
personal fortunes.
Government workers
As the empire grew, the number of qualified Arab workers was too small to keep up with the
rapid expansion of the empire.
Therefore, Muawiya allowed many of the local government workers in conquered provinces
to keep their jobs under the new Umayyad government.
Thus, much of the local government's work was recorded in Greek, Coptic, and Persian.
It was only during the reign of Abd al-Malik that government work began to be regularly
recorded in Arabic.[47]

The Byzantine and Sassanid Empires relied on money economies before the Muslim
conquest, and that system remained in effect during the Umayyad period.
Pre-existing coins remained in use, but with phrases from the Quran stamped on them.

In addition to this, the Umayyad government began to mint its own coins in Damascus the
first coins minted by a Muslim government in history. Gold coins were called dinars while
silver coins were called dirhams.

Central diwans

To assist the Caliph in administration there were six Boards at the Centre: Diwan al-
Kharaj (the Board of Revenue), Diwan al-Rasa'il (the Board of Correspondence), Diwan al-
Khatam (the Board of Signet), Diwan al-Barid (the Board of Posts), Diwan al-Qudat (the
Board of Justice) and Diwan al-

Jund (the Military Board)

Diwan al-Kharaj
The Central Board of Revenue administered the entire finances of the empire. It also
imposed and collected taxes and disbursed revenue.

Diwan al-Rasa'il
A regular Board of Correspondence was established under the Umayyads. It issued state
missives and circulars to the Central and Provincial Officers.
It co-ordinated the work of all Boards and dealt with all correspondence as the chief
secretariat.

Diwan al-Khatam
In order to check forgery, Diwan al-Khatam (Bureau of Registry), a kind of state
chancellery, was instituted by Mu'awiyah.
It used to make and preserve a copy of each official document before sealing and
despatching the original to its destination.
Thus in the course of time a state archive developed in Damascus by the Umayyads under
Abd al-Malik. This department survived till the middle of the Abbasid period.

Diwan al-Barid
Mu'awiyah introduced postal service, Abd al-Malik extended it throughout his empire, and
Walid made full use of it.
The Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik developed a regular postal service.
Umar bin Abdul-Aziz developed it further by building caravanserais at stages along the
Khurasan highway.
Relays of horses were used for the conveyance of dispatches between the caliph and his
agents and officials posted in the provinces.
The main highways were divided into stages of 12 miles (19 km) each and each stage had
horses, donkeys or camels ready to carry the post.
Primarily the service met the needs of Government officials, but travellers and their
important dispatches were also benefitted by the system.
The postal carriages were also used for the swift transport of troops. They were able to
carry fifty to a hundred men at a time.
Under Governor Yusuf bin Umar, the postal department of Iraq cost 4,000,000 dirhams a
year.

Diwan al-Qudat (QAZI)

In the early period of Islam, justice was administered by Muhammad and the orthodox
Caliphs in person.
After the expansion of the Islamic State, Umar al-Faruq had to separate judiciary from the
general administration and appointed the first qadi in Egypt as early as 23H/643AD.
After 661AD a series of judges succeeded one after another in Egypt under the Umayyad
Caliphs, Hisham and Walid II.

Diwan al-Jund

The Diwan of Umar, assigning annuities to all Arabs and to the Muslim soldiers of other
races, underwent a change in the hands of the Umayyads.
The Umayyads meddled with the register and the recipients regarded pensions as the
subsistence allowance even without being in active service.
Hisham reformed it and paid only to those who participated in battle.
On the pattern of the Byzantine system the Umayyads reformed their army organization in
general and divided it into five corps:
the centre, two wings, vanguards and rearguards, following the same formation while on
march or on a battle field.

Marwan II (74050) abandoned the old division and introduced Kurdus (cohort), a small
compact body.

The Umayyad troops were divided into three divisions: infantry, cavalry and artillery.

Arab troops were dressed and armed in Greek fashion.

The Umayyad cavalry used plain and round saddles.
The artillery used arradah (ballista), manjaniq (the mangonel) and dabbabah or kabsh (the
battering ram).
The heavy engines, siege machines and baggage were carried on camels behind the army.

Social Organization

The Umayyad Caliphate exhibited four main social classes:

1. Muslim Arabs
2. Muslim non-Arabs (clients of the Muslim Arabs)
3. Non-Muslim free persons (Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians)
4. Slaves

The Muslim Arabs were at the top of the society and saw it as their duty to rule over the
conquered areas.
Despite the fact that Islam teaches the equality of all Muslims, the Arab Muslims held
themselves in higher esteem than Muslim non-Arabs and generally did not mix with other
Muslims.
The inequality of Muslims in the empire led to social unrest. As Islam spread, more and
more of the Muslim population was constituted of non-Arabs.
This caused tension as the new converts were not given the same rights as Muslim Arabs.
Also, as conversions increased, tax revenues from non-Muslims decreased to dangerous
lows.
These issues continued to grow until they helped cause the Abbasid Revolt in the 740s.[49]

Non-Muslims Dhimmis.
Non-Muslim groups in the Umayyad Caliphate, which included Christians, Jews,
Zoroastrians, and pagan Berbers, were called dhimmis.
They were given a legally protected status as second-class citizens as long as they accepted
and acknowledged the political supremacy of the ruling Muslims.
They were allowed to have their own courts, and were given freedom of their religion within
the empire. Although they could not hold the highest public offices in the empire, they had
many bureaucratic positions within the government. Christians and Jews still continued to
produce great theological thinkers within their communities, but as time wore on, many of
the intellectuals converted to Islam.

Downfall Of Umayads:

The caliphates miltary prestige had ben damaged by the failure of the
second siege of Constantinople, and more defeats followed.

Spain was firmly under Muslim rule, but he Islamic invasion of France was crushed by the
Franks under

Charles Martel at he Batle of Tours in 732 AD, halting Muslim expansion in Western Europe.

Islamic expansion in the Far East mostly halted as well.

The borders of the Islamic Empire became fixed, and in many ways the empire was already
to big to effectively govern.

Abbasid Revolution

In 74 AD, a new civil war, called the Third Fitna, tore the Umayad caliphate
apart. In the end, the descendants of Abd al-Malik were wiped out, and power went to
Marwan II, a grandson of Marwan I(by another son).

This civil war weakened the Umayad miltary and made it more susceptible to rebelion.
The major areas of rebelion against he Umayads were the eastern lands that
had once been the Persian Empire.
While the Umayad base of power remained in Syria, many Arabs in Iran were unhapy and
felt overloked by the government.
In additon, non-Arab Muslims, called mawali, had inferior status to Arab Muslims underthe
Umayads.
Only Muslim Arabs were first-claas citzens.

The largest group of mawali was the Persians, who lived in the eastern part of the empire.
These eastern lands were also home to a large number of Shites, and they believed that the
Umayad caliphate was ilegitmate because it was not ruled by the family of Muhammad.
Members of Muhammads familyhis uncle Abass line, known as the Abasidsstarted a
rebelion.
The Abasids apealed to the disaffected Arabs of Persia, to the mawali of the region, and,
thanks to their descent from Muhammad, to the Shites.
So a large confederation of enemies of the Umayads had come together under Abul`Abas
as-Safah
The Abasids under as-Safah marched west, and met he Umayyad caliph
Marwin II at he Batle of the Zab. Marwin II was defeated and killed.
As-Safah captured Damascus and was proclaimed the new caliph.
He invited the remaining members of the Umayad family to a feast and had them
slaughtered.
Only one member of the Umayad dynasty, Abd al-Rahman, escaped. Through a series of
adventures and close calls, Abd al-Rahman made it o Spain, which declared itself
independent from the Abasid caliphate.

Spain was to distant and independent for the Abasids to regain.

The Umayad Dynasty would continue to rule Islamic Spain until the eleventh century.
The rest of the empire, however, fell under the control of the Abasids.

CONCLUSION:

The Umayyad caliphate was marked both by territorial expansion and by the administrative
and cultural problems that such expansion created.
Despite some notable exceptions, the Umayyads tended to favor the rights of the old Arab
families, and in particular their own, over those of newly converted Muslims (mawali).
During the period of the Umayyads, Arabic became the administrative language.
State documents and currency were issued in the language.
Mass conversions brought a large influx of Muslims to the caliphate.
The Umayyads also constructed famous buildings such as the
Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, and the Umayyad Mosque at Damascus.
According to one common view, the Umayyads transformed the caliphate from a religious
institution (during the rashidun) to a dynastic one.
However, the Umayyad caliphs do seem to have understood themselves as the
representatives of God on earth, and to have been responsible for the "definition and
elaboration of God's ordinances, or in other words the definition or elaboration of Islamic
law."
The Umayyads have met with a largely negative reception from later Islamic historians, who
have accused them of promoting a kingship (mulk, a term with connotations of tyranny)
instead of a true caliphate (khilafa).
In this respect it is notable that the Umayyad caliphs referred to themselves not as khalifat
rasul Allah ("successor of the messenger of God", the title preferred by the tradition), but
rather as khalifat Allah ("deputy of God").
The distinction seems to indicate that the Umayyads "regarded themselves as God's
representatives at the head of the community and saw no need to share their religious
power with, or delegate it to, the emergent class of religious scholars.
" In fact, it was precisely this class of scholars, based largely in Iraq, that was responsible
for collecting and recording the traditions that form the primary source material for the
history of the Umayyad period.
In reconstructing this history, therefore, it is necessary to rely mainly on sources, such as
the histories of Tabari and Baladhuri, that were written in the Abbasid court at Baghdad.
Modern Arab nationalism regards the period of the Umayyads as part of the Arab Golden
Age which it sought to emulate and restore.
This is particularly true of Syrian nationalists and the present-day state of Syria, centered
like that of the Umayyads on Damascus.
White, one of the four Pan-Arab colors which appear in various combinations on the flags of
most Arab countries, is considered as representing the Umayyads
WALEED BIN ABDUL MALIK
who ruled from 705 to his death in 715.

His reign saw the greatest expansion of the Caliphate, as successful campaigns were
undertaken in Transoxiana, Sindh, Hispania and against the Byzantines.

Walid continued the expansion of the Islamic empire that was sparked by his father, and
was an effective ruler.

His father Abd al-Malik had taken the oath of allegiance for Walid during his lifetime.
As such the succession of Walid was not contested.

Apex of Islamic power.

His reign was marked by endless successions of conquests east and west, and historians
consider his reign as the apex of Islamic power.

CONQUESTS

Walid continued the Islamic conquests and took the early Islamic empire to its farthest
extents.

Conquest of Spain 711

In 711, Muslim armies crossed the Strait of Gibraltar(Named After
Tariq Ibn Zayd) and began to conquer the Iberian Peninsula using North African Berber
armies.

By 716, the Visigoths of Iberia had been defeated and Iberia was under Muslim control.

This would be the farthest extent of Islamic control of Europe (in 736, they were stopped in
their expansion into Europe south of Tours, France).

Conquest of Sindh 712

Muhammad Bin Qasim a young commander defeated Raja Dahir in 712
In the east, Islamic armies made it as far as the Indus River in 712

under Walid, the Caliphate stretched from the Iberian Peninsula to India.

Central Asian Conquests

Qutayba ibn Muslim,
Khurasan's governor,
led forces extending the caliphate to the east.
Qutayba conquered
Bukhara in 709
Khwarizm in 712
Samarkand in 714,
advancing into Farghana and sending envoys to China.

Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf

He continued to play a crucial role in the organization and selection of military commanders
in the East, serving as virtual viceroy there.

Like his father, Walid continued to allow Hajjaj free rein, and his trust in Hajjaj paid off with
the successful conquests of Transoxiana and Sindh.

Musa ibn Nusayr and his retainer Tariq ibn Ziyad conquered Al-Andalus.

Hajjaj was responsible for picking the generals who led the successful eastern campaigns,

and was well known from his own successful campaign against Ibn Zubayr during the reign
of Walid's father.

Others, such as Walid's brother Salamah, advanced against the Byzantines and into
Adharbayjan.

Arabicization

It was also Walid that coupled Islamicization with Arabicization.

Conversion was not forced on conquered peoples; however, since non-believers had to pay
an extra tax, many people did convert for religious and non-religious reasons.

This created several problems, particularly since Islam was so closely connected with being
Arab.

Being Arab, of course, was more than an ethnic identity, it was a tribal identity based on
kinship and descent.

As more and more Muslims were non-Arabs, the status of Arabs and their culture became
threatened.

In particular, large numbers of Coptic-speaking (Egypt) and Persian-speaking Muslims

threatened the primacy of the very language that Islam is based on.

In part to alleviate that threat, Walid instituted Arabic as the only official language of the
empire.

He decreed that all administration was to be done only in Arabic.

It was this move that cemented the primacy of Arabic language and culture in the Islamic
world.

Walid himself continued the effective rule that was characteristic of his father,

He developed a welfare system:

built hospitals, educational institutions and measures for the appreciation of art.

Religious Harmony
It was under the rule of Walid and his father Abd al-Malik
that Christians and Jews were granted the official title of "Peoples of the Book"
to underline the common monotheistic roots they shared with Islam.

Military Reforms
Walid paid great attention to the expansion of an organized military,
building the strongest navy in the Umayyad era,
it was this tactic that supported the ultimate expansion to Iberia.
His reign is considered as the apex of Islamic power.

PATRONAGE OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

The long history of Islamic architecture really begins with Walid

In 691, Caliph Abd al-Malik ordered that the Dome of the Rock be built on the site where
the Prophet Muhammad begun his journey to heaven (Meraj) on the Temple Mount.

About a decade afterward, Walid ordered the building of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Walid also began the first great building projects of Islam, the most famous of which is the
mosque at Damascus.

This is also the period, however, in which Islamic court culture begins to germinate.
With the caliph as a patron, artists and writers begin to develop a new, partly secular
culture based on Islamic ideas.

Walid himself was an enthusiast of architecture and he repaired and refurbished Masjid al
Nabawi in Medina.

He also improved mountain passes and wells in Hijaz (al-Tabari).

CHARACTER

He was also known for his own personal piety,

and many stories tell of his continual reciting of the Qur'an and
the large feasts he hosted for those fasting during Ramadan.
Walid was succeeded by his brother Sulaiman and was buried in Bab al-Saghir cemetery in
Damascus.
His grave is still present to this date.
Omar bin Abdul Aziz
Omar bin Abdul Aziz, also known in history as Omar II, was the first revivalist Emir in
Islamic history.

After Muawiya, the character of the Caliphate changed and dynastic rule was
established.
The corruption of the Omayyads reached its crescendo with Karbala.
The Omayyads built lavish palaces, surrounded themselves with servants and maids,
accumulated enormous estates,
treated the public treasury as their privy purse and lived like princes and kings.
There was no accountability for their wealth or for their actions.
The populace had no say in the affairs of the state.
The Caliph was not nominated nor could he be questioned.
The people were there merely to obey the strongman, pay taxes and serve in the armed
forces.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz became the Emir by a coincidence of history.

When the Omayyad Emir Sulaiman (714-717) lay on his deathbed, he was advised that he
could earn the pleasure of God by following the example of the early Caliphs and nominating
someone besides one of his own sons as the next Emir.
He therefore dictated in his will that Omar bin Abdul Aziz, a distant cousin, was to succeed
him and Omar bin Abdul Aziz was to be followed by Yazid bin Abdul Malik.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz was a man of polish and experience, having served as the governor of
Egypt and Madina for more than twenty-two years.

He had been educated and trained by a well-known scholar of the age, Saleh bin Kaisan.
Before his accession to the Caliphate, Omar bin Abdul Aziz was a dashing young man, fond
of fashion and fragrance.
But when he accepted the responsibilities of Caliphate, he proved to be the most pious,
able, far-sighted and responsible of all the Omayyad Emirs.

Indeed, Omar bin Abdul Aziz set out to reform the entire political, social and
cultural edifice of the community and to bring back the transcendental values that
had governed the Islamic state in its infancy.

He started by setting a good example in his own person.

When news reached him of his nomination to the Caliphate, he addressed the people, O
people! The responsibilities of the Caliphate have been thrust upon me without my desire or
your consent.
If you choose to select someone else as the Caliph, I will immediately step aside and will
support your decision. Such talk was a breath of fresh air to the public. They unanimously
elected him.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz discarded his lavish life style and adopted an extremely ascetic life
after the example of Abu Dhar Ghifari, a well-known companion of the Prophet.
Abu Dhar is known in history as one of the earliest mystics and Sufis in Islam who retired
from public life in Madina during the period of Uthman (r) and lived in a hermitage some
distance away from the capital. Omar bin

Abdul Aziz discarded all the pompous appendages of a princely lifeservants, slaves, maids,
horses, palaces, golden robes and landed estatesand returned them to the public treasury.
His family and relatives were given the same orders.

The garden Fidak provides a good example.

This was a grove of palms owned by the Prophet.
The Prophets daughter Fatima (r) had asked for this garden as an inheritance but the
Prophet had declined saying that what a Prophet owned belonged to the whole community.
Fatima(r) had pressed her claim before Abu Bakr (r) but Abu Bakr (r) had denied the
request saying that he could not agree to something that the Prophet had not agreed to.
After the Caliphate of Ali (r), Fidak had been made a personal estate of the Omayyads.
Omar restored Fidak to the public treasury, as a trust for the whole community.

The Omayyads had no accountability to the treasury.

To support their lavish life styles, they collected enormous taxes from Persia and Egypt.
They compelled traders to sell them their merchandise at discount prices. The Emirs
appointees received gifts of gold and silver in return for favors.
Omar reversed the process.
Omar abolished such practices, punished corrupt officials and established strict
accountability.

Some Omayyad officials, drunk with power, mistreated the conquered peoples.
Oftentimes, their property was confiscated without due process of law. Contrary to the
injunctions of the Shariah, even though people in the new territories accepted Islam, they
continued to be subject to Jizya.
Those who refused to pay the taxes were subject to harsh punishment.
Omar abolished these practices and ensured fairness in the collection of taxes.

Gone was the oppression of Hajjaj in Iraq and Qurrah bin Shareek in Egypt. The populace
responded with enthusiastic support of the new Caliph. Production increased.
Ibn Kathir records that thanks to the reforms undertaken by Omar, the annual
revenue from Persia alone increased from 28 million dirhams to 124 million
dirhams.

Following the example of the Prophet, Omar bin Abdul Aziz sent out emissaries to
China and Tibet, inviting their rulers to accept Islam.

It was during the time of Omar bin Abdul Aziz that Islam took roots and was
accepted by a large segment of the population of Persia and Egypt.

When the officials complained that because of conversions, the jizya revenues of the state
had experienced a steep decline, Omar wrote back saying that he had accepted the
Caliphate to invite people to Islam and not to become a tax collector.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz was a scholar of the first rank and surrounded himself with great
scholars like Muhammed bin Kaab and Maimun bin Mehran.
He offered stipends to teachers and encouraged education.
Through his personal example, he inculcated piety, steadfastness, business ethics and moral
rectitude in the general population.

His reforms included strict abolition of drinking, forbidding public nudity,

elimination of mixed bathrooms for men and women and fair dispensation of
Zakat.
He undertook extensive public works in Persia, Khorasan and North Africa,
including the construction of canals, roads, rest houses for travelers and medical
dispensaries.

Omar bin Abdel Aziz was the first Caliph to commission a translation of the Quran
from Arabic into another language.
Upon the request of the Raja (king) of Sindh (in modern day Pakistan), Omar bin Abdel Aziz
had the Quran translated into the ancient Sindhi language and had it sent to the Raja (718
CE). To put this event into historical context, this was within ten years of the conquest of
Sindh and Multan by Muhammed bin Qasim and the conquest of Spain by Tariq and Musa.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz was also the first Emir to attempt a serious reconciliation of
political and religious differences among Muslims.

Since the time of Muawiya, it had become customary for khatibs to insult the name
of Ali ibn Abu Talib (r) in Friday sermons.
Omar bin Abdul Aziz abolished this obnoxious practice and decreed instead that
the following passage from the Quran be read instead:
God commands you to practice justice, enjoins you to help and assist your kin and He
forbids obscenity, evil or oppression, so that you may remember Him (Quran, 16:90).
It is this passage that is still recited in Friday sermons the world over.

He treated Bani Hashim and the Shias with fairness and dignity.

He even extended his hand to the Kharijites.

According to Ibn Kathir, he wrote to the Kharijite leader Bostam, inviting him to an open
discussion about the Caliphate of Uthman (r) and Ali (r).
He went so far as to stipulate that should Bostam convince him, Omar would willingly repent
and change his ways.
Bostam sent two of his emissaries to the Caliph.
During the discussions, one of the emissaries accepted that Omar was right and gave up
Kharijite extremism. The other went back unconvinced. Even so, the Caliph did not
persecute the man.

Omar bin Abdul Aziz was the first Muslim ruler who moved his horizons from
external conquests to internal revival.
He recalled his armies from the borders of France, India and the outskirts of
Constantinople.

There were few internal uprisings and disturbances during his Caliphate. Islam had
momentarily turned its horizons on its own soul, to reflect upon its historical condition and
replenish its moral reservoir.

Faith flourished, as it had during the period of Omar ibn al Khattab (r). It is for these
reasons that historians refer to Omar bin Abdul Aziz as Omar II and classify him as the fifth
of the rightly guided Caliphs, after Abu Bakr (r), Omar (r), Uthman (r) and Ali (r).

But greed does not surrender its turf to faith without a battle.

The reforms of Omar II were too much for the disgruntled Omayyads and the rich
merchants.
Omar II was poisoned and he died in the year 719, after a rule that lasted only
two and a half years.
He was thirty-nine years old at the time of his death. And with him died the last chance for
Omayyad rule.