Raddah

Raddah refers to the Ridda Wars, a series of military campaigns undertaken by the Caliph Abu Bakr between 632 and 633 CE. Following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, several Arab tribes renounced their allegiance to Medina and refused to pay the obligatory alms (zakat). Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, viewed this as a rebellion against the nascent Islamic state and launched military expeditions to bring these tribes back into the fold.

The primary objective of the Raddah campaigns was to reassert the authority of the central government in Medina and preserve the unity of the Muslim community. Abu Bakr famously declared that he would fight anyone who differentiated between the prayer and the zakat, emphasizing the integral nature of these pillars of Islam. The campaigns were largely successful, consolidating Muslim rule over the Arabian Peninsula.

Key figures involved in the Raddah Wars included prominent companions of the Prophet Muhammad who led various military detachments. The wars saw battles against a diverse range of opponents, including tribes who refused zakat, those who followed false prophets, and those who attempted to break away entirely. The successful conclusion of the Raddah Wars laid the foundation for the rapid expansion of the Islamic empire in the subsequent decades. It is considered a pivotal moment in early Islamic history, securing the survival and consolidation of the religion and its political entity.