Al-Baladhuri's The Origins of the Islamic State (or History of Muslim Conquests) is one of the most reliable sources on the beginnings of the Islamic Empire. The book begins with the wars of the Prophet Muhammad, followed by accounts of the ridda wars, the conquests of Syria, Armenia, Egypt, the Maghrib, and lastly, the occupation of Iraq and Persia.

"The work, one of the most valuable sources for the history of the Arab conquests." -Brill's Encyclopedia of Islam

"Since its publication in 1866, by Prof. de Goeje, al-Baladhuri's Futuu al-Buldaan, has been recognized as one of our chief authorities for the period during which the Arab state was in process of formation." - Richard Gottheil, Columbia University (1916)

Abu-l Abbas Ahmad ibn Jabir al-Baladhuri was one of the greatest Arabic historians of the ninth century. He may have been of Persian origin as he is said to have been a translator from the Persian. He spent most of his life in Baghdad and its environs. His studies led him to Damascus, Emesa, and Antioch, and in Iraq he studied with such famous historians as al-Mada'ini, Ibn Sa`d, and al-Zubayri. He was a companion of al-Mutawakkil.

Philip Khuri Hitti (1886-1978) was an eminent historian of the Middle East. He graduated from the American University in Beirut in 1908 and received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he also taught. Later, Hitti taught at Princeton University until he retired in 1954, where he was Professor of Semitic Literature and Chairman of the Department of Oriental Languages. He is the author of numerous works on the Middle East.

• Foreword
• Introduction Arabic Historiography with Special Reference to al-Baladhuri
• Al-Madinah
• The Possessions of the banu-an-Nadir
• The Possessions of banu-Kuraizah
• Khaibar
• Fadak
• Wadi-l-Kura and Taima
• Makkah
• The Wells of Makkah
• The Floods in Makkah
• At-Ta'if
• Tabalah and Jurash
• Tabuk, Ailah, Adhruh, Makna and al-Jarba'
• Dumat al-Jandal
• The Capitulation of Najran
• Al-Yaman
• 'Uman
• Al-Bahrain
• Al-Yamamah
• The Apostasy of the Arabs in the Caliphate of abu-Bakr as-Siddik
• The Apostasy of the banu-Wali'ah and al-Ash'ath ibn-Kais ibn-Ma'dikarib ibn-Mu'awiyah-l-Kindi
• Al-Aswad al-'Ansi and those in al-Yaman who Apostatized with him
• The Conquest of Syria
• The Advance of Khalid ibn-al-Walid on Syria and the Places he Reduced on his Way
• The Conquest of Busra
• The Battle of Ajnadin (or Ajnadain)
• The Battle of Fihl in the Province of the Jordan
• The Province of the Jordan
• The Battle of Marj as-Suffar
• The Conquest of Damascus and its Province
• Hims
• The Battle of al-Yarmuk
• Palestine
• The Province of Kinnasrin and the Cities called al-'Awasim
• Cyprus
• The Samaritans
• Al-Jarajimah
• The Frontier Fortress of Syria
• The Conquest of Mesopotamia [al-Jazirah]
• The Christians of the bany-Taghlib ibn-Wa'il
• The Fortifications of the Mesopotamia Frontier
• Arabis made the Language of the State Registers
• The Conquest of Armenia
• The Conquest of Egypt and al-Maghrib [Mauritania]
• The Conquest of Alexandria
• The Conquest of Barkah and Zawilah
• The Conquest of Tripoli
• The Conquest of Ifrikiyah
• The Conquest of Tanjah [Tangiers]
• The Conquest of Andalusia
• The Conquest of Certain Islands in the Sea
• Terms made with Nubia
• The Karatis
• The Conquest of as-Sawad The Caliphate of abu-Bakr as-Siddik
• The Caliphate of 'Umar ibn-al-Khattab
• The Battle of Kuss an-Natif, or the Battle of al-Jisr
• The Battle of Mihran or an-Nukhailah
• The Battle of al-Kadisiyah
• The Conquest of al-Mada'in
• The Battle of Jalula'
• The Founding of al-Kufah
• Wasit al-'Irak
• Al-Bata'ih
• Madinat as-Salam
• Arabic made the Language of the Register
• Hulwan
• The Conquest of Nihawand
• Ad-Dinawar, Masabadhan and Mihrijankadhaf
• The Conquest of Hamadhan
• Kumm, Kashan and Isbahan
• The Death of Yazdajird ibn-Shahriyar ibn-Kisra ibn-Abarwiz ibn-Hurmuz ibn-Anushirwan