Rashidun Caliphate: Map & History
The Rashidun Caliphate was the early Islamic polity led by the first four successive caliphs (lit.
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The Rashidun Caliphate was the early Islamic polity led by the first four successive caliphs (lit. "successors"): Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, collectively known as the Rashidun, or "Rightly Guided" caliphs. These early caliphs led the Muslim community (Ummah) from the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 632 CE to the establishment of the succeeding Umayyad Caliphate in 661 CE.
Modern Countries Once Part of Rashidun Caliphate
At its mapped extent, Rashidun Caliphate covered territory in 24 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Iraq634–665 CE · nearly all
- Jordan634–655 CE · nearly all
- Armenia644–665 CE · nearly all
- Kuwait634–665 CE · nearly all
- Bahrain633–665 CE · nearly all
- Qatar633–665 CE · nearly all
- Saudi Arabia633–665 CE · most
- Azerbaijan644–665 CE · most
- Egypt641–660 CE · most
- Syria634–665 CE · most
- Yemen633–665 CE · most
- Oman633–665 CE · most
- United Arab Emirates633–665 CE · most
- Iran644–665 CE · most
- Lebanon638–655 CE · most
- Palestine638–655 CE · most
- Israel638–655 CE · most
- Georgia647–665 CE · a large part
- Turkey638–665 CE · a large part
- Afghanistan644–665 CE · a large part
- Turkmenistan644–665 CE · a large part
- Libya647–655 CE · a large part
- Tunisia647–655 CE · a small part
- Pakistan644–665 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Rashidun Caliphate's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Rashidun Caliphate in Depth
History
According to the traditional account, Muhammad began receiving what Muslims consider to be divine revelations in 610 CE, calling for submission to the one God, preparation for the imminent Last Judgement, and charity for the poor and needy. As Muhammad's message began to attract followers, he was also met with increasing hostility and persecution from Meccan elites. In 622 CE Muhammad migrated to the city of Yathrib (now known as Medina), where he began to unify the tribes of Arabia under Islam, returning to Mecca to take control in 630 and order the destruction of all pagan idols. By the time Muhammad died c. 11 AH (632 CE), almost all the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam, but disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community.
Military expansion
The Rashidun Caliphate expanded rapidly; within the span of 24 years, a vast territory was conquered comprising Mesopotamia, the Levant, parts of Anatolia, and most of the Sasanian Empire. Some explanations for the success of the Arab invasion of the empires to the north, west and east initiated by the Rashidun were the weakening of the two empires brought on by wars between them (especially the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628), and by the Plague of Justinian, which crippled both states. Arab tribes had served as mercenaries for both empires in decades prior to the invasion and that experience gave them valuable military tactical skills and familiarity with the battlefields they would fight on against the two empires.
Economy
According to a work on early Islam by Abdus Salam Nadvi, among their other virtues, the Rashidun were known for their leniency in levying taxation.
Bayt al-Mal (lit., the house of money), i.e. the treasury, or the state exchequer, was established by the first caliph Abu Bakr. His successor Umar built the building housing it.
Revenues for the Bayt came from taxes on lands left in the hands of their owners, rents from confiscated lands, and to a lesser extent the zakat tithe paid by Muslims, one fifth of the military spoils, and tribute and personal taxes paid by the conquered.
A "major portion" of the funds collected for the Bayt al-Mal (at least under caliph Umar) went to stipends or allowances that Muslims gave themselves as conquerors of the land.
Significance and legacy
All four Rashidun caliphs were connected to Muhammad through marriage and were early converts to Islam, and so were thought to be "a continuation of the prophetic period with all its virtues and sanctity"; the daughters of Abu Bakr and Umar, Aisha and Hafsa respectively, were married to Muhammad, and two of Muhammad's daughters Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum were married to Uthman, while another daughter of Muhammad, Fatimah, was married to Ali, who was also Muhammad's cousin and raised in his household.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Rashidun Caliphate (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Rashidun Caliphate: Key Facts
| Capitals | Medina, Kufa |
|---|---|
| Official language | Arabic |
| Form of government | elective monarchy, theocracy |
| Founded | June 632 CE |
| Dissolved | 28 July 661 CE |
Preceded by
- first Islamic state
- Byzantine Empire
- Diocese of Egypt
- Sasanian Empire
- Prophetic era
Succeeded by
- Umayyad Caliphate
Facts from Wikidata Q12490507 (CC0).
Rashidun Caliphate Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 7,090,123 km² in 651 CE.
Rashidun Caliphate: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Rashidun Caliphate exist?
The Rashidun Caliphate is dated to 633 CE – 665 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Rashidun Caliphate?
The capital of the Rashidun Caliphate was Medina (632–656), Kufa (656–661).
How large was the Rashidun Caliphate at its peak?
At its peak in 651 AD the Rashidun Caliphate covered about 7,090,123 km².
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