نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسنده English
A significant topic of early Islamic history was the territorial expansion of the Prophetic government following the migration of Muslims to Medina. This stands in contrast to the period of the Prophet of Islam's (PBUH) mission in Mecca, during which such success in the expansion of Islam and the formation of an Islamic government was not achieved. Regarding the understanding of the factors contributing to the Muslims' success in Medina, diverse analyses have been presented from intra-religious and sociological perspectives; However, these studies have paid comparatively less attention to the influential geopolitical exigencies. Classical geopolitical studies have consistently focused on understanding the environmental and human factors influencing the adoption of policies and actions by states aimed at the expansion of political territory. This study endeavors to investigate, through the examination and analysis of historical documentation, a range of geopolitical factors instrumental in the consolidation and expansion of the Islamic polity's territorial boundaries after the Muslim migration to Medina. Research findings indicate that the environmental exigencies of Medina and their influence on the emergence of a polycentric urban structure played a significant role in consolidating the Prophetic government within Medina. Furthermore, Medina's geostrategic capability to disrupt the trade caravan routes to the city of Mecca had the potential to significantly and doubly impact Mecca's commercial activity. Also, the civilizational conflicts between the nascent Islamic state and the Jewish communities in Medina, which ultimately manifested in military engagements, led to the consolidation of Medina as Prophetic state territory. Moreover, the singular framework of the Prophetic state's political economy within Medina engendered enhanced social solidarity among Muslims and provided foundational conditions for territorial aggrandizement, ultimately leading to the conquest of Mecca.