How Did The Abu-Bakr Contribute To The Rise Of Muslim Society

After the Muhammad died in 632, the Muslim society had to face a crisis to choose their leader because Muhammad didn’t choose an inheritor or taught his supporters how to select it. The Abu

Bakr had voted as a leader of the Muslim society. He was a faithful companion of Muhammad.

In 632, Abu-Bakr was elected as the first caliph of Islam. The next three designated caliphs includes Abu-Bakr were called “rightly guided” caliphs because they followed the Qur’an and

Muhammad’s movements as guidance to their leadership. Their rule was called a caliphate.

With the death of Muhammad, few tribes on the Arabian Peninsula relinquished to follow Islam.

Furthermore, some people claimed themselves prophets. In order to spread Islam, Abu Bakr appealed jihad.

This kind of tolerance was continued later the Muslim state was founded. Although Christians and Jews were not permitted to spread their own religion, they were able to engage in important role such as officials, scholars, and bureaucrats.

The Muslim state had difficulty to maintain a united rule despite spectacular gains on the battlefield. In 656, Uthman was murdered. A Muhammad’s cousin named Ali was the rightful successor according to Uthman. But, Muawiya who was a governor of Syria challenged him and

Ali was assassinated in 661. A System of choosing a caliph by voting was supposed to have died with him.

A House called Umayyad took control of Muslim community. They had moved the capital of

Muslim state to Damascus, which is located far away from Mecca to make easier to rule conquered lands. But, the Muslims in Arab felt it was too distant from their home. Also, the

Umayyads did forsake the humble and frugal life of former caliphs and started to spend wealth

1 Beck, Roger B. WorldHistory Patterns of Interatction. HoltMcdougal, 23 June 2011.

2 “Spread of Islam.” Edited by Tom Robinson, Oxford Islamic Study Online, Oxford University Press ,

The majority of Muslims sided with Umayyads in the interest of peace. However, some of them still struggled against Umayyads. This group of Muslims was called Shi’a. They established an alternative view about the caliph. According to this view, only a descendant of Muhammad can become a caliph. Members of this group are called Shi’ites. Muslims who didn’t resist the rule of

Umayyads and accepted them later became called as Sunni. Other group called Sufi forbidden the deluxe and wealthy life like the Umayyads. They tend to pursue deficiency and devoutness to

Allah. Divisions in Islam and political hostilities led Umayyads to its collapse. In 750, rebellion forces overthrew the Umayyad eventually and one of the most influential among them name

Abbasids finally took throne of the Muslim States. Once they took power and murdered the remaining members of the Umayyad family. A one price named Abd al-Rahman escaped the slaughter and fled to Spain. There he set up an Umayyad caliphate. Spain had already been conquered and settled by Muslims from North Africa, Who were known as Berbers. They marched army north from state in al-Andalus in Southern Spain until defeat at the Battle of