Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was received in Madinah as a leader and a spiritual visionary. He
and his followers set about the establishment of a genuine community, or Ummah, free of pressure and persecution. The community at Madinah included a number of Jewish and Christian families, whom Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him tried to convert. His efforts were successful with some Jewish residents, but the Jews who did not choose to accept Prophet Muhammad's peace be upon him faith were allowed to continue their way of life, since they were also held to be "people of the Book" to whom Allah had made himself known through earlier prophets.

The care of the community at Madinah was of grave concern to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Many of those who followed the prophet to Madinah were without work, and necessary food was sometimes obtained by plundering the caravans passing Madinah on the way to Mecca.

Also, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his followers became steadily more agressive in their attempts to win converts to Islam. The word jihad, meaning struggle, was applied to the early efforts of the Ummah to win converts and strengthen its own recruiting. Military encounters with the pagan opponents of Islam began in 624, with the battle of Bedr. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him defeated the stronger Koraysh army of Mecca, and the victory reinforced the resolve of the new religion's followers. Succeeding battles established the Muslims as the dominant force in Arabia, and finally a truce with Mecca was arranged, under which the Muslims could visit the holy shrines in the city.