Topic 2.

9 The Early leaders of

Muslim community

a) the leadership of Islam following the

death of the Prophet
1. Hazrat Abu Bakr(RA): Firstly,Hazrat Abu bakr was the one who led
the compilation of Holy Quran which was not an easy task for him as
it wasn't done during the time of Prophet(SAW) and a huge part of
Quran could be lost.Secondly,He waged war against those who
refused to pay Zakat as during his time a rebellion started in which
people refused to pay Zakat in Bait-ul-mal and he even declared that
he will fight alone if someone doesn't help him in the
war.Lastly,Hazrat Abu Bakr(RA) united the whole Arabia under
central command of Caliph and he started the encounters with the 2
superpowers of the world;Byzantine and Persian empire,conquering
South and north of Iraq and many cities of Syria including Busra
2. Hazrat Umar(RA): Firstly,Hazrat Umar(RA) was a great administrator
as He established states of muslim empire and was the first leader to
setup an army which was given proper training.Secondly,he also
worked in many social reforms including the female education and
promoted females t receive it as he sent special trained teachers to
villages to teach them Holy Quran and a number of schools were built
in different cities and towns.Lastly,He was also known as the greatest
military leader of Islamic history as he conquered Egypt which was
the powerful province of Byzantine Empire and had a strong base of
Byzantine navy.he also conquered jerusalem.
3. Hazrat Uthman(RA):Firstly,the first compilation of Holy Quran was
done in time of Hazrat Abu Bakr,however when the Islamic empire
expanded the new converts of Syria and other states recited Quran in
different dialects,so he took this step by making the duplicates of the
 original text of Quran and sending all these copies to the head of
states and ordering them to burn the previous copies.Secondly,he
was one who built the first Arab navy in annals of Islam as before
there was no concept of building Navy in Arabia.This helped in
conquering Cyprus,Eastern Mediterranean and a further North
Africa.Lastly,he also expanded Masjid of Holy Prophet(SAW) as it
was too small for growing number of muslims.He also developed
Islamic states with construction of dams,bridges,wells and roads.
4. Hazrat Ali(RA):Firstly,Hazrat Ali was known for his just and efficient
administration. He established the first Treasury in Islam and
appointed able and honest governors to oversee the provinces. He
also took measures to improve the economic conditions of the
people.Secondly,Hazrat Ali is known for his military prowess and
bravery. During his caliphate, he faced numerous challenges from
rebellious tribes and factions, but he was able to suppress them with
the help of his loyal and well-trained army. He also led successful
military campaigns against external enemies, such as the Byzantine
Empire and the Kharijites.Lastly,He emphasized the importance of
knowledge and education, and promoted the spread of Islamic
teachings and values through preaching and the establishment of
madrasas. He also worked to improve the social and economic
conditions of women, slaves, and other marginalized groups in
society. He is also known for his contributions to Islamic
jurisprudence and theology

(b)the role and achievements of Early

Islamic Leaders

Explain the role and achievements of early islamic

leaders:
Firstly,compilation of Holy Quran was done by the early companions as it
was a difficult task for Abu Bakr to compile the Quran for the muslim
community but during the time of Uthman many new converts recited
Quran in different dialects and Uthman took a good step.Secondly,,Hazrat
Abu Bakr(RA) united the whole Arabia under central command of Caliph
and he started the encounters with the 2 superpowers of the
world;Byzantine and Persian empire,conquering South and north of Iraq
and many cities of Syria including Busra.Lastly,,Hazrat Ali was known for
his just and efficient administration. He established the first Treasury in
Islam and appointed able and honest governors to oversee the provinces.
He also took measures to improve the economic conditions of the people

( C ) importance of period of early leaders

for Islamic community

All the early leaders of Islamic community including;Abu Bakr,Uthman,Umar

and Ali are approved by Allah to guide the Islamic society as Allah has
forgiven them during the Battle of Tabuk.Secondly they compiled the Qur'an
into a single volume, established centers of learning, and encouraged the
study of Islamic sciences such as hadith, fiqh, and tafsir. This helped to
ensure the continuity and transmission of Islamic knowledge to future
generations. Lastly,During this period, the Islamic empire expanded rapidly,
reaching as far as Spain in the west and India in the east. This expansion
was facilitated by the military conquests of the early leaders and their
ability to establish stable and effective governance in the conquered
territories.The 2 most powerful nations of the world were defeated in their
period including Byzantine and Persian empire.
12 marks statements

Q1 “the role and achievements of the early leaders was

the most important in establishment of Islam”.Assess the
statement
Ans Most muslims will agree that the role and achievements of the early
leaders was the most important in the establishment of Islam as all the
early leaders were the companions of the Holy Prophet(SAW) and did
many contributions for the Islamic community or example Hazrat Abu Bakr
who carried out the duty of compilation of Holy Quran,which was not an
easy task for him as it wasn't done during the time of Prophet(SAW) and to
preserve the Holy Quran for the future generations.Moreover Hazrat Abu
Bakr(RA) united the whole Arabia under central command of Caliph and he
started the encounters with the 2 superpowers of the world;Byzantine and
Persian empire,conquering South and north of Iraq and many cities of Syria
including Busra.This expanded Muslim empire and the beginning of the
golden age for muslims.As stated in the above passage,Allah mentions his
favor on the muslims during the expedition of Tabuk in the hour of difficulty
in which these early leaders were present

Many muslims will also agree that the role of Hazrat Umar(RA) was also
the most important in the establishment of Islam as Hazrat Umar was
known as a great administrator as He established capitals of muslim
empire and was the first leader to setup an army which was given proper
training.Not only this but he was also known as the greatest military leader
of Islamic history as he conquered Egypt which was the powerful province
of Byzantine Empire,he conquered many fortresses in Egypt such as
Alexandria.As stated in the above passage,All the caliphs were muhajireen
and are forgiven by Allah means they are approved to the Islamic society.

Although,the role and achievements of the early leaders was the most
important in establishment of Islam,however some muslims may also agree
that not only their role was important as early leaders but also in the battles
which were fought during the time of Prophet Muhammed(SAW) such as
Tabuk in which Abu Bakr gave all of his wealth and property even the
clothing for the cause of Islam in the battle of Tabuk.

CHALLENGES FACED BY EACH CALIPH

Abu Bakr: Abu Bakr faced several challenges during his rule, including the
Ridda Wars, which were fought against rebel tribes that refused to pay
taxes after the death of Prophet Muhammad. He also had to contend with
the threat of invasion from the Byzantine Empire.

Umar: Umar faced several challenges during his rule, including managing
the rapid expansion of the Muslim empire. He also had to deal with internal
political tensions and threats from rival factions within the Muslim
community.

Uthman: Uthman faced several challenges during his rule, including the
growing influence of powerful governors and the emergence of sectarian
divisions within the Muslim community. He was also criticized for nepotism
and favoritism towards his family members and supporters.

Ali: Ali faced several challenges during his rule, including a power struggle
with Aisha, the Prophet Muhammad's widow, and other influential figures
who opposed his leadership. He also had to contend with the emergence of
the Kharijite movement, a radical sect that rejected his leadership and
launched several uprisings against him.
Overall, each caliph faced unique challenges during their rule, but they
were able to overcome many of these challenges through their leadership,
wisdom, and dedication to the principles of Islam. Their legacy continues to
inspire Muslims around the world today.