The
Ridda wars (Arabic: حروب الردة), also known as the
Wars of Apostasy, were a series of military campaigns launched by the
Caliph Abu Bakr against rebel Arabian tribes during 632 and 633 AD, just after
Muhammad died. The rebels' position was that they had submitted to Muhammad as the prophet of God, but owed nothing to Abu Bakr. Some rebels followed either
Tulayha or
Musaylima or
Sajjah, all of whom claimed prophethood. Most of the tribes were defeated and reintegrated into the Caliphate. The peoples surrounding Mecca did not revolt.