The peninsula's tribes have tied themselves to the Prophet with various treaties but have not necessarily become Muslim.

The Prophet expects others, particularly pagans, to submit but allows Christians and Jews to keep their faiths provided they pay a special tax as penalty for not submitting to Islam.

After the Prophet's death, most Muslims acknowledge the authority of Abu Bakr (died in 634), an early convert and respected elder in the community.

Abu Bakr maintains the loyalty of the Arab tribes by force; and in the battles that follow the Prophet's death, which come to be known as the apostasy wars, it becomes essentially impossible for an Arab tribesman to retain traditional religious practices.

Arabs who had previously converted to Judaism or Christianity are allowed to keep their faith, but those who follow the old polytheistic practices are forced to become Muslims.

In this way, Islam becomes the religion of most Arabs.