Naṣārā

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Naṣārā (Arab., Christians (singular Naṣrānī), possibly derived from al-Nāṣira (Nazareth) but most likely from Syriac naṣrāyā (Nazaraioi of Acts 24. 5)). In modern Arabic, Christians are generally called Masīḥiyyūn, i.e. followers of the Masīḥ (Messiah). The name Naṣārā is used in the Qurʾān for the various Christian communities at the time of Muḥammad.

When the Naṣārā would not accept the teachings of Muḥammad, the Qurʾān began to declare the independence of the Muslims.

With the fairly sizeable community of Christians in Najrān, a treaty was made, in which Muḥammad allowed them freedom to practise their religion and to keep their property; treaties were similarly made with Christian tribes in the Arabian peninsula. Later, however, ʿUmar had the majority of the Najrān Christians exiled to Iraq.