A Reappraisal of the Copts Conversion to Islam during the Muslim Conquest and al-Rāshidūn Era

There are a few and scattered reports about the Conversion of Copts to Islam throughout the Muslim Conquest and al-Rāshidūn era. The historical sources almost keep silent on the matter and so make it difficult to examine and provide reliable statistics of the number of converts. Thomas Arnold, according to two narratives; John of Nikiu’s and Yaqubi’s concludes that many Egyptians in this period deliberately converted to Islam. In this article, by comparing both narratives with other reports, which are directly related to the types and amount of taxes, Coptic conversion in the historical sources as well as Arnold's claim will be considered. The historical sources, although scattered, shows that during the Conquest and al-Rāshidūn era, the conversion to Islam in Egypt was not widespread but sporadic.