After Muhammad died in 632 they needed a new religious leader. the selected one of Muhammad's good friends Abu-Bakr to be the first successor or caliph. Not everyone was for the caliph. The Arabian Peninsula abandoned Islam all together. Some declared themselves prophets.
Abu-Bakr declared jihad which had 2 meanings. One was and inner struggle with evil and the other was against non-believers.
Muslim comm was expanding. Over the next 3 caliphs they expanded into Sassanid and Byzantine empires.
The reason they were able to expand is because the empires were in a war. Very disciplined. Good leaders. Muslims in the empire would help the attacking Muslims.
The Quran does not allow Muslims to force others to convert. Muslims allowed others to practice their own religion. Taxed Jews and Christians.
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