Ridda wars in the context of "Musaylima"

Zakat (or Zakāh) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Zakat is the Arabic word for "giving to charity" or "giving to the needy". Zakat is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam a religious obligation, and by Quranic ranking, is next after prayer (salat) in importance. Eight heads of zakat are mentioned in the Quran.

As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth to help the needy. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, often considered to be a tax. The payment and disputes on zakat have played a major role in the history of Islam, notably during the Ridda wars.

Al-Yamama (Arabic: اليَمامَة, romanized: al-Yamāma) is a historical region in south-eastern Najd in modern-day Saudi Arabia.

Only a handful of centralized states ever arose in the Yamama, but it figured prominently in early Islamic history, becoming a central theater in the Ridda wars immediately following Muhammad's death. Despite being incorporated into the Najd region, the term 'al-Yamama' remains in use as a traditional and historical term to reference or emphasize the region's ancient past. The current headquarters of the Saudi government in Riyadh, for example, is known as the Palace of Yamamah.

Abū Muḥammad Maʿdīkarib ibn Qays ibn Maʿdīkarib (599–661), better known as al-Ashʿath (Arabic: الأشعث), was a chief of the Kinda tribe of Hadhramawt and founder of a leading noble Arab household in Kufa, one of the two main garrison towns and administrative centers of Iraq under the Rashidun (632–661) and Umayyad (661–750) caliphs.

Al-Ash'ath embraced Islam in the presence of the Islamic prophet Muhammad only to leave the faith following the latter's death in 632. He led his tribesmen against the Muslims during the Ridda wars but surrendered during a siege of his fortress, after which many Kindites were executed. He was imprisoned, but pardoned by Caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) upon his repentance. Al-Ash'ath joined the Muslim conquests of Mesopotamia and Persia, fighting in several battles between 636 and 642. He settled in the newly-founded garrison city of Kufa and became the leader of his tribesmen there. Under Caliph Uthman (r. 644–656), al-Ash'ath governed Adharbayjan. In 657, he fought as a commander in the Battle of Siffin for Caliph Ali (r. 656–661) against Mu'awiya, but supported an end to the battle by arbitration, for which generally pro-Alid sources consider him a traitor. When Mu'awiya became caliph after Ali was assassinated in 661, the position of al-Ash'ath and his family was strengthened in Kufa, where he soon after died.

The Battle of Dhu al-Qassah took place in the area of Dhu al-Qassah, located approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi) east of Medina, in the Medina Province, in the central-western part of Saudi Arabia, from 25 to 30 July 632. It pitted the forces of the Rashidun Caliphate led by the Caliph Abu Bakr As-Siddiq against the rebel apostates led by General Hibal ibn Khuwailid.

This battle, comprising four engagements resulted in a victory for the Rashidun Caliphate, marking the beginning of the Wars of Apostasy, the withdrawal of the apostate rebels to the Abraq area and a consolidation of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq's legitimacy in his new role as caliph.

The Hawazin (Arabic: هوازن / ALA-LC: Hawāzin) were an Arab tribe originally based in the western Najd and around Ta'if in the Hejaz. They formed part of the larger Qays tribal group. The Hawazin consisted of the subtribes of Banu Sa'd, and Banu Jusham, as well as the powerful Banu Thaqif and Banu Amir, which were both often counted separately from the Hawazin.

The tribe often clashed with their one-time patrons, the Ghatafan, and on occasion, sub-tribes of the Hawazin fought each other. The tribe had little contact with the Islamic prophet Muhammad until 630 when they were defeated by Muhammad's forces at the Battle of Hunayn. The Hawazin tribe were one of the first to rebel and fight against the early Muslim state based in Medina during the Ridda wars, which followed Muhammad's death in 632.