Rashidun Empire or theIslamic Empire (Arabic:الامبراطورية الاسلامية) orRashidun Caliphate (Arabic:الخلافة الراشدية) are the terms used to describe theempire that was controlled by the first four successors ofMuhammad (the "Rightly Guided" caliphs). The empire was founded afterMuhammad's death in632 and lasted until 'Ali's death in661. At its height, the power of the RashidunCaliphs extended throughout North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Iranian highlands.
After Muhammad's death in 632, the MedinanAnsar were debating who -among them- should succeed prophet Muhammad in running the affairs of the Muslims. They choseAbu Bakr. So he became the firstKhalifa Rasul Allah (Successor of the Messenger of God), and started a campaigns to for the Muslim Religion. At first hesubdued the Arabian tribes which had left the Islamic community. As a Khalifa orCaliph he was not amonarch and never claimed such a title. His three successors also never claimed a title as monarch.
The first general of the empire wasKhalid ibn Walid. During his campaign against thePersian Empire(Iraq 633 - 634) andByzantine Empire (Syria 634 - 638) Khalid developed brilliant tactics. The CaliphAbu Bakr's way was to give his generals their mission, the geographical area in which that mission would be carried out, and the resources that, could be made available for that purpose. He would then leave it to his generals to accomplish their mission in whatever manner they chose, on the other hand CaliphUmar in later part of his Caliphate used to direct his generals as to where they would stay and when to move to the next target and who will be commanding the left and right wing of the army in the particular battle, this made the phase of conquest comparatively slower but provided well organized campaigns. CaliphUthman used the same method as of Abu Bakr, he would give missions to his generals and then leave it to them how they accomplish it. CaliphAli also followed the same method.
The state religion wasIslam. The non-Muslim people were allowed to practice any religion they want to follow.[4] But theSharia Law was practiced in the state.Islam was the guiding force of the Caliphate. Any act of state was first to be approved by theQur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammed. If there were no such guide lines available then wisdom or Hikmat was used, after which if the act would go against the established principals, norms,system etc. it was not carried on with.
Notes
- ↑Hasan remained caliph for six months andMuhammad predicted that "the caliphate after me in myummah will last for thirty years. Then there will be kingship after that."[1] And those six months of Hasan ibn Ali is included in caliphate.[2]
