ABSTRACT
ThroughouttheIslamicerapoliticsremainsthecentralfactor inwhethertradeintheGulfflourishedordeclined,butitisapity thatthereisnotmorefactualinformationabouttradeandnavigation intheGulfduringtheearlyyearsoftheera;ImeantheRashidin caliphateandtheUmayyadstate.Thiscannotbeblamedwhollyon thefactthattheIslamicArabStatehadlittleinterestintherealmof commerceandlookedtowardsagricultureforherstableandvital sourceofincomeaswellastootherrecognisedfinancialresources. Itmaybeingreatpartattributabletothefactthattherewerefew whobotheredwritingaboutthesematters,andtothebeginningsof theArabcommunity'stransformationintoacommunityofboundaries andofcities,fortheearlyMuslimchroniclersandwriterswrote aboutseveraltopicsthatwereconsideredessentialwithinthe boundsofthatperiod:
a)thelifeoftheProphetandthesignificanceofwhathesaid anddid,andabouttheRashidincaliphsandthecompanionsofthe Prophet
b)biographies,precedenceandgenealogy c)theMuslimconquestsintheeastandthewest d)administrativeandagriculturalmatters,ietheadministra-
tionofconqueredterritories.
