Few people are more important when establishing the caliphate and the Arab-Muslim Empire in the early phases of its existence. One of them is Mu' awiya ibn Abi Sufyan. There are a lot of controversies in Islam about this great man. But this is separate from the extraordinary achievements he made in his lifetime. Mu'awiya is a powerful figure in the history of Islam. Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan is undoubtedly the most elusive and ambiguous of the early caliphs. Furthermore, he was a political genius at a time when nothing else could have saved the Islamic Empire from dissolution, regardless of what we think of him as a ruler and a man (a matter on which opinions disagree sharply, to put it gently). He goes through numerous stages in his life and work. There is a wealth of information on Mu' awiya ibn Abi Sufyan in this book, from his life and times in the Islamic Empire through his character, controversies, and reign.

In this accessible study, Stephen Humphreys introduces the most elusive of the early caliphs, Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan (602-680). Notoriously guarded about his thoughts, motives and emotions, Mu’awiya was universally known as a figure of immense political acumen. Beyond this, opinions are deeply divided. Throughout history, some have accused him of being the first caliph to diverge from Muhammed’s model of ideal Muslim leadership whilst others credit him with uniting an empire in disarray and transforming the Caliphate into a practicable form of government. In light of this, Humphreys critically analyses his sources, and seeks to get as close as possible to a historical account of the great man.

In this accessible study, Stephen Humphreys introduces the most elusive of the early caliphs, Mu'awiya ibn abi Sufyan (602-680). Notoriously guarded about his thoughts, motives and emotions, Mu'awiya was universally known as a figure of immense political acumen. Beyond this, opinions are deeply divided. Throughout history, some have accused him of being the first caliph to diverge from Muhammad's model of ideal Muslim leadership whilst others credit him with uniting an empire in disarray and transforming the Caliphate into a practicable form of government. In light of this, Humphreys critically analyses his sources, and seeks to get as close as possible to a historical account of the great man.

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading The split between the two forms of Islam was already in the process of forming upon the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad had constructed around himself not only a potent new religious movement but also a powerful young state called the Ummah (the "Community" for lack of a better translation). Belonging to the Islamic faith also meant belonging to the Ummah, which was governed by its own laws and had many of its own institutions. In his own lifetime, Muhammad had ruled the Ummah through what sociologists call "charismatic authority," a term coined by Max Weber that is defined as "resting on devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual person, and of the normative patterns or order revealed or ordained by him." Hence, Muslims believe Muhammad ruled because he was uniquely chosen and endowed by God as the exemplar of all humanity, giving him a unique (though not perfect or infallible) ability to govern humanity. This was a holistic form of governance because the Prophet did not simply deliver God's words (what became the Holy Qur'an), nor did he simply pronounce upon court cases and create laws. He did all those things, but he also presented in his own person the embodiment of the best that humanity could aspire to. He was fully human, but the finest, most pious example that humans would ever produce. Amid the upheaval in the Islamic world following Muhammad's death, the Umayyad Caliphate lasted for less than a century, but in that time it managed to become one of the most influential of the major caliphates established following him. Its official existence was from 661-750, and the rulers were the male members of the Umayyad dynasty, roughly translated from Arabic as the "Sons of Umayyah." Its primary base of power was in Syria following the creation of a dynastic, hereditary rule headed by one of Syria's long-lasting governors, Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan. Like the other caliphates around that time, the Umayyads existed in a constant state of internal struggle and external conflict. Battles over succession, especially over which lineages possessed the more legitimate claim to power, plagued the early years of the caliphate in Syria. The most significant were the First Muslim Civil War in 661 and the Second Civil War in 680. The official right to become caliph passed between branches of the Umayyad clan, but Syria and Damascus continued to be the main seats of power even as the kingdom expanded to include the Iberian Peninsula, the Transoxiana, the Maghreb, and Sindh. The Umayyad Caliphate became renowned for being a center of authoritarian power, education, and cultural development. The population was multiethnic and consisted of local peoples conquered throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia, including regional Christians and Jews. At its greatest extent, the empire extended over an area of 4,300,000 sq. miles, with over 33,000,000 residents. It was one of the largest known empires in history, even considering modern developments, and a precursor to the Golden Age of Islam. It remains a subject of modern debate how to best understand the Umayyads, but there is no doubt they were one of the most influential of the early medieval empires and paved the way for future Islamic caliphates to wield impressive amounts of influence throughout the Middle East. The Umayyad Caliphate: The History and Legacy of the Second Islamic Kingdom Established After the Prophet's Death chronicles the caliphate's life and accomplishments, and the massive impact it left on the world. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Umayyad Caliphate like never before.

Hazrat Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (R.A) became the first caliph of the Muslims after the death of the Prophet (S.A.S). He was a close Companion of the Prophet (S.A.S); therefore, he became the first adult Muslim to believe in the revelation. As a wealthy trader, he supported the Prophet’s (S.A.S) mission in the early years by freeing slaves their masters mistreated for accepting Islam. The Prophet (S.A.S) gave him the title Al-Siddiq for his truthfulness and love for Allah and His Messenger. This book discusses Abu Bakr’s (R.A.) life and kingdom. This book is divided into three parts. The first part confers his life in Mecca. It details his early life, his relationship with the Messenger of Allah, his conversion to Islam, and his persecution after his conversion. The second part of looks at his life in Medina after migration. It sheds light upon his contribution to Medina. He played an active role in the military expedition with the Prophet (S.A.S). The third and final part is about the Caliphate, which lasted two years. Within a short span of two years, he unified the Muslims and expanded Islam to the furthest lands.