Rafi Ahmad Fidai
A Concise History of the Muslim World - Volume 1 presents a chronological study of Islam’s formative historical period, beginning with the world and Arabia before Islam and continuing through the life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the era of the Pious Caliphs.The volume first surveys the religious and social setting into which Islam appeared. It then follows the Makkan and Madinan phases of the Prophet’s life, including revelation, opposition by the Quraish, the Hijrah, the establishment of the Prophet’s Mosque, the development of the Madinan community, major battles, the Treaty of Hudaibiya, the conquest of Mecca, the Farewell Pilgrimage, and the sources of Islamic teaching.A separate discussion examines the perpetual teachings of Islam, its pillars, and the manuscript’s conception of the ideal Islamic state of Madina.The greater part of the volume traces the caliphates of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab, Hazrat Usman ibn Affan, Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Hazrat Hasan ibn Ali. Alongside military and territorial history, the work gives sustained attention to consultation (shura), finance, Baitul Mal, judiciary, police, public welfare, education, treatment of non-Muslim communities, equality, administration, provincial organization, and the personal qualities of the early caliphs.The final chapter considers the significance of the Pious Caliphate as a distinct period in early Muslim history.The manuscript states that Qur’ānic passages are presented through translations of meaning and that Prophetic sayings are accompanied by references to Hadith books and reporters. Suitable for students, researchers, libraries, Islamic studies collections, and readers seeking a structured introduction to the earliest centuries of Muslim historical and institutional development.
