A fresh look at the origins and development of Islam, this is a fascinating reconstruction of the formative era of the Muslim community. Using a wealth of classical Arabic sources, it chronicles the lives of the Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and the subsequent two generations of Muslims, together known as the the Pious Forebears. This accessible book takes a close look at the embryonic Muslim communities and explains the impact of the earliest converts on the development of Islam and its current beliefs.