jifna, along with most of palestine, was annexed by the rashidun caliphate under umar ibn al-khattab after the battle of ajnadayn in 634. the town became less politically significant under the arab dynasties of the umayyads, abbasids and fatimids, but remained a major regional center for trade and commerce, due to its location along the jerusalem–nazareth road. it was known by the arabs as "gafeniyyah".