The Arabs are expansionist and religious. They start the game with Pottery and Ceremonial Burial and build Ansar Warriors instead of Knights. Before the spread of Islam and the Arabic language, the term "Arab" referred to any of the nomadic residents of the Arabian Peninsula. When used in a modern context, "Arab" refers to any of the Arabic-speaking peoples who reside on the Atlantic Coast of Africa, Southwestern Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi-Arabia, Syria, and Iraq. The earliest nomadic inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula herded their sheep, goats, and camels through an unforgiving desert environment; while those Arabs who settled in the oases provided date and cereal agriculture as trade staples for Arab caravans that transported spices, ivory, and gold from southern Arabia and the Horn of Africa to the civilizations farther north. During the 7th century AD, Muhammad emerged as the prophet for the religion of Islam, which was widely adopted by the Arab community. Islam unified the Bedouins and the town-dwellers of the oases, and within a century, spread throughout most of the present day Arab-speaking world. The newfound social organization that followed Islam offered new possibilities for the Arabs as agricultural production and intercity trading, particularly in luxury goods, saw significant increases. Gradually, the triad of temple, court, and market formed, as well as a standardized style of writing for laws and other texts. New institutions also emerged, including: coinage, territorial deities, royal priesthoods, and standing armies, which further enhanced Arab power. Adherence to the religion of Islam has become a global phenomenon. Muslims predominate in approximately 30 to 40 countries, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and along a belt that stretches across northern Africa into Central Asia and the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. Despite the absence of any large-scale Islamic political entities, the Islamic faith continues to expand, by some estimates faster than any other major religion. By proclaiming his message publicly, Muhammad gained followers. Abu Bakr is noted as being the first male convert to Islam and also as Muhammad's closest companion and advisor. At the point of Muhammad's death, on June 8th, 632 AD Muslims resolved the crisis of succession by accepting Abu Bakr as the first Caliph. In his rule as