economic thought in the qur"àn and sunnah 31lenge their inherited beliefs and customs, at least not without great
resistance. Moreover, the political input of the new religion adds a
further reason for resistance; it introduced radical changes not only
in religion, but also politically, socially and economically. It, there-
fore, threatened the power base of the assumed authority at that
time, hence it was met with great resistance from the elite of the
society, particularly in Makkah itself.
Islam found support in the sedentary Medenite society. Two main
factors could be said to have encouraged the Medineses to lend sup-
port to Islam; the rivalry between the Arab pagans and the Jews in
Medina and the continuous conflict between two major clans in the
city itself. Firstly, the Jews reproached the pagan Medineses for their
paganist deity, taking pride in their own divine religion and the
expected Messiah. The Arab Medineses found in Islam the coun-
terpart religion to that of the Jews and hoped that the new Prophet,
who spoke the word of God, could be the often mentioned and
expected Messiah. Secondly, the rival clans hoped that the new
Prophet would play a reconciliatory role in unifying them.
After ten years of limited success in Makkah, the Prophet emi-
grated to al-Medìnah, in 620 A.C., having advised his followers to
emigrate before him. From his base in al-Medìnah, the Prophet
directed his missions to the rest of Arabia. After several battles with
the Makkahns, he finally achieved victory over them and took over
Makkah in 630 A.C. In 631 A.C. a treaty was concluded between
the Prophet, and the Christians and the Jews of Tabùk, on the bor-
ders of Ghassànland, and without any military engagement they
accepted to be taken under the protection of Islam for the payment
of a poll tax called jizyah(Ibn Hisham). (The poll tax on non-Muslims
replaces Zakàh tax which is imposed on Muslims only). Furthermore,
during 630–631 A.C. delegates were sent to other parts of Arabia
and to Egypt, to convert people to Islam. Tribes from Central Arabia,
Oman, Œadramawt, al-Yemen, Hamadan and Kindah joined in.
Arabia, as Hitti says, which had hitherto never bowed to the will of
one man, seemed then inclined to be dominated by the Prophet
Muœammad and be incorporated into his new scheme, (Hitti, 1963).
Arabia at last was united. This is known in history as the birth of
the Islamic-Arabian state.
The principles of the state’s administration were laid down by the
Prophet. Al-Medìnah, where the Prophet resided even after the con-
quest of Makkah, was the capital of the Islamic state (Ibn Hisham).