The Arab conquest of North Africa began 15 years after Muhammad's death in 632 and lasted a century and a half. The author describes the Ibadiya Islamic tradition that developed out of Berber opposition in the area in terms of its teachings about the individual's relation to God and the community's relation to authority. She explains how the Ibadi Iman came to serve as an alternative authority to the caliph. Includes black-and-white and color photos, four extensively annotated maps, and brief descriptions of the Ibadi sources. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR