Early Reforms Under Islam

Many social changes took place under Islam between610 and661, including the period of Muhammad's mission andthe ruleof his four immediate successors who established theRashidun Caliphate. Historians generally agree thatIslamicsocial reforms in areas such as social security, familystructure, slavery and the rights of women and ethnicminorities improved on what was present in existing Arabsociety. For example, according to Lewis, Islam "from thefirst denounced aristocratic privilege, rejectedhierarchy,and adopted a formula of the career open to the talents."