Eastern Arabia
From the time when Islam emerged in the 7th century until the early 16th century, the term "Bahrain" referred to the wider historical region of eastern Arabia stretching from Bubiyan Island to the Strait of Hormuz along the Persian Gulf coast. Eastern Arabians were amongst the first to embrace Islam during the time of the Islamic "Nabi" (Prophet) Muhammad, who ruled eastern Arabia through one of his representatives, Al-Ala'a Al-Hadhrami. Eastern Arabia embraced Islam in 629 (the seventh year of "Hijrah"). During the time of Umar I the companion of Mohammad, Abu Hurairah, was the governor of eastern Arabia. Umar I also appointed Uthman bin Abu al-As as governor of the area. Al Khamis Mosque, founded in 692, was one of the earliest mosques built in eastern Arabia, in the era of Umayyad caliph Umar II.