Research Article

From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History

Number: 60 June 30, 2026
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From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History

Abstract

Throughout history, spoils of war have been a key revenue source for states and an important income source and motivator for soldiers. In pre-Islamic Arabia, the salab, personal equipment stripped from a slain enemy, held profound symbolic value beyond economics, embodying honor and power as captured in the axiom “Whoever is mighty, plunders” (Man ʿazza bazza). For the vanquished, it signified humiliation and fueled revenge cycles. Emergence of Islam and the rise of a centralized Islamic polity challenged this tribal custom in the adaptation of it into new order. Despite its role in early Islamic military history, salab has received limited scholarly attention, often reduced to a legal subcategory of ghanīmah (spoils) or nafal (grants), overlooking its motivational and command functions. Classical Arabic sources, (lexicons, poetry, sīra, ḥadīth, chronicles, and jurisprudence) reveal a richer socio-cultural context. This study examines salab as a dynamic socio-legal institution in early Islamic statecraft, tracing its evolution from pre-Islamic roots through the Prophetic era to Rashidun refinements. It investigates how Prophet Muḥammad and the Caliphs transformed it into a regulated grant, consolidating centralized command. Adopting the Annales School's longue durée and mentalité frameworks, the research analyzes social, political, and cultural dimensions via textual analysis of primary sources. It argues that Islam harnessed sala’s motivational power, institutionalizing it as a meritocratic tool. Under Caliph ʿUmar, expansions necessitated khums taxation for communal welfare, exemplifying adaptation from tribal imperative to state mechanism.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Religious Studies (Other), Islamic Studies (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

January 20, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 30, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 60

APA
Altuntaş, H. M. (2026). From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 60, 55-82. https://doi.org/10.17120/omuifd.1867944
AMA
1.Altuntaş HM. From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History. OMUIFD. 2026;(60):55-82. doi:10.17120/omuifd.1867944
Chicago
Altuntaş, Hacı Mehmet. 2026. “From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History”. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, nos. 60: 55-82. https://doi.org/10.17120/omuifd.1867944.
EndNote
Altuntaş HM (June 1, 2026) From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi 60 55–82.
IEEE
[1]H. M. Altuntaş, “From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History”, OMUIFD, no. 60, pp. 55–82, June 2026, doi: 10.17120/omuifd.1867944.
ISNAD
Altuntaş, Hacı Mehmet. “From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History”. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 60 (June 1, 2026): 55-82. https://doi.org/10.17120/omuifd.1867944.
JAMA
1.Altuntaş HM. From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History. OMUIFD. 2026;:55–82.
MLA
Altuntaş, Hacı Mehmet. “From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History”. Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, no. 60, June 2026, pp. 55-82, doi:10.17120/omuifd.1867944.
Vancouver
1.Hacı Mehmet Altuntaş. From Tribal Plunder to State Grant: The Practice of the Salab in Early Islamic Military History. OMUIFD. 2026 Jun. 1;(60):55-82. doi:10.17120/omuifd.1867944