1. the rashidun (rightly-guided caliphs):
Abu Bakr
‘Umar ibn al-Khattab
‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan
‘Ali ibn Abi Talib
followed by:
the Umayyad dynasty (r )
set up by Mu‘awiya ibn Abi Sufyan
(r )

2. khalifat rasul allah = “successor to the
Messenger of God”
khalifat allah = “deputy of God”
amir al-mu’minin = “commander of
the believers”
ahl al-kitab = “people of the book”
ahl al-dhimma = people of the pact = dhimmis

3. ‘Umar II (‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz,
mawla (pl. mawali) = non-Arab convert
to Islam
muhtasib = market/public health inspector
≈ Byzantine agoranomos and
astynomos
‘Abd al-Malik (r )

4. Umayyad Problems
Financial problems
Resentment from: 1. marginalised non-Arab
Muslims
2. non-Syrian or non-
favoured armies
3. civil war opponents
4. opponents of dynastic
rule and un-Islamic
caliphs

5. Timeline
740 Berber revolt in North Africa and Iberia
Umayyads face various revolts.
Reign of Marwan II al-Himar
(“the ass”)
‘Abbasid revolt. ‘Abbasids defeat
Umayyads in two battles, pursue
Marwan II to Egypt and kill him.