This is x-posted from /r/Islam if anyones wondering.
Hi guys!
I'm working on a powerpoint for my Arab Civ class over the military successes in early Islam, and am having troubles finding some information over a few topics.
I need to overview the Muslim soldier (i.e. how he differed from other soldiers) for a few minutes. I remember reading somewhere that the Muslim soldier was lighter armed and more mobile than many other soldiers. But other than that, I have no idea what he looked like, how the Muslim Army was structured, and what innovations they brought fourth with the art of war. Basically, you can answer the question, "What made the Muslim soldier so much more efficient and effective than other Arabs at the time?"
Also, I somewhat understand how a war went in Arabia at the time. From what I understand, it goes somewhat like this: Armies meet up, a few words are exchanged, poetry battles, 1v1 duels ensued (which was said to indicate who would win the war), and finally a clash of armies by charging at each other. If I'm wrong or missed anything out, then please pitch in!
Also, if someone could help me out with how Islam changing the ethics of war and Islam's impact on war seen all the way up to today, that'd be amazing!
Now, keep in mind, this is a school project, so I don't want people to do my research. I only need sources! You don't need to give me a very detailed outline of everything about the Muslim army, but if you could refer to me some sites/books, that'd be fine. If you can't get any sources, then I guess a simple answer here could suffice. Of course, I am doing my own research too, and I already have a few journals and books selected.
If anyone is wondering what I have so far, I have this excellent narration by Abu Bakar that goes:
O people! I charge you with ten rules; learn them well! Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield. Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path. You must not mutilate dead bodies. Neither kill a child, nor a woman, nor an aged man. Bring no harm to the trees, nor burn them with fire, especially those which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy's flock, save for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them alone!
I've also studied the initial Muslim wars in great detail, so I'll have fun explaining those to my class. If people here want me to, I can even upload my finished powerpoint to be used by others (it is very good looking if I say so myself). If intrested, then of course leave a comment asking me!
Thanks in advance!
The books to read would be Hugh Kennedy's The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State (2001) and Fred Donner's The Expansion of the Early Islamic State (2008). Note however that there is a fairly vigorous academic debate on the nature of early Islam right now, so there are a lot of theories floating around rather than a neat consensus. I'm also wondering if you have considered the historiography of this period - have you read anything about the revisionist critiques against the traditional narratives? Personally I'm reasonably sure that the battles happened, but I'm not so sure if we can reconstruct the exact details of the early battles when we have no contemporary sources for them (and even if we had them, we shouldn't take them at their word). A case in point would be the idea that individual champions fought against each other before a battle: this might be a thing in battles fought within Arabia, but it wasn't mentioned in some of the earliest sources, such as in the Sira of Ibn Ishaq if I remember correctly, which is a rather important point since Ibn Ishaq's work is the earliest example of a biography of the Prophet that we have. The earliest battles fought by Muhammad seem to be largely attacks on Meccan caravans, so duels might have been redundant and ultimately harmful from a military perspective. This kind of thing also didn't happen in battles against Rome and Persia, since the imperial powers simply would not do something so stupid as that and waste away their leaders and morale in these duels. These oft-repeated claims are found in later Muslim sources but they definitely did not reflect the reality of the seventh century. If you mention some of the arguments involved, it should make your presentation even more impressive.
Follow-up question: what did Byzantine field manuals say about fighting arab troops during this era?
Is there a specific region you have in mind for the Muslim conquests?