Muhammad was born in 570 CE in Mecca and founded the religion of Islam. He began receiving revelations from God at age 40 and preached the oneness of God. He faced persecution from Meccans and migrated to Medina in 622, an event known as the Hijra. From there, he established the first Muslim community and community. Key events included the Battle of Badr, which increased his prestige, and the conquest of Mecca in 630, after which he controlled most of Arabia. He established Islam as both a religion and a social and political system before his death in 632.

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2. Youngest of the world’s major religions.
More than one billion adherents.
Islam means “Submission”
Islam is a total way of life – religious faith and rituals, but also a pattern of order for
society in family life, civil and criminal law, business, etiquette, food, dress and
personal hygiene
Dominant in many nations in Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Pre-Islamic Arab Religion – religious setting –
Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism - - but mostly the native religion of the Arab
people
Only information comes from Muslim sources, including the Koran, so critical of
precursors
Pre-Islamic people worshipped a variety of gods, but recognized one supreme, high
God who was separate and unapproachable
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3. Muhammad’s life
Muhammad born about 570, died 632
Legends surrounding his birth – host of angels joyously attended his birth
Once he was born, he fell to the ground, took a handful of dust and gazed toward
heaven proclaiming, “God is Great.”
Born clean, circumcised, with his umbilical cord already cut
Other global signs are said to have occurred – lights illuminated special palaces
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4. Born into a family in a powerful tribe, but poor. Muhammad had to work as a
shepherd and trader
Father died before he was born
His mother died when he was six years old
Grandfather who had taken care of him since birth died when he was eight
Then loving uncle – Abu Talib cared for him
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5. At 25, he married Khhadija, a well-to-do widow
She was 15 years older than he was
They had two sons who died in infancy and four daughters
She was his only wife while she was alive
Little known about M for this period, except he had a good reputation
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6. At 40 (610), he began having visions or receiving revelations
He believed that he received a prophetic call from the angel Gabriel
At first, he was afraid that he was possessed by an evil spirit, but his wife encouraged
him
There were long periods of silence when God did not speak to m.
After some years, he began preaching to his friends and relatives secretly
He called his new faith “Islam” for submission and said he was merely a prophet
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7. Response to the message
Muhammad was persecuted because his message could have economic
repercussions (against deities worshipped at Mecca’s central shrine the Ka’ba)
The belief at the time had been that idols, gods and goddesses had power
People didn’t like hearing that a judgement was to come
Some Muslims forced to migrate to Abyssinia, which was Ethiopia
Needed livelihood – raided caravans – show of strength and to get money
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8. 619 Khadija died
Story about Muhammad’s journey to heaven – one night, the prophet was taken by
the angel Gabriel from Mecca to Jerusalem and then through the seven heavens
where he visisted with all the previous prophets (including Jesus, Moses, Abraham) –
finally taken into the presence of God where he received procedures for Islamic
worship of daily prayers (some consider this a purely spiritual event, others think it
literally happened). This story led to an increase in hostility and opposition toward
Muhammad.
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9. When Muhammad lost the protection of his guardian Abu Talib in 620, he was not
safe in Mecca, so he went to Yathrib (later called Medina), about 450 km north of
Mecca in 622 – this is called the hijra (migration) – to Medina – THIS IS A KEY EVENT
IN ISLAM – beginning
Muhammad well received in Medina – residents more monotheistic because of
influence of Jewish tribes
Also city was prosperous, but there were feuds among tribes. They hoped
Muhammad could help settled the disputes
Muhammad became a diplomat and politician
In the next ten years, Muhammad rose to become a political leader of virtually all of
central and western Arabia
Groups peacefully coexisted for a time. Muhammad had warm relations to the Jews,
even encouraging Muslims to pray facing Jerusalem, accepted some Jewish festivals,
until…. Some Jews would not accept him
Eventually Muhammad said pray toward Mecca, changed other ideas – like not
sharing festivals with Jews, etc…
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10. Battle of Badr
Specifically mentioned in the Koran
Muslims would raid caravans coming out of Mecca
Muhammad had at least 300 men
Muhammad led the campaign himself – thought it was a large caravan, worth a lot of
money
Meccans had their caravan and an army of 950 fighting men
Muslims outnumbered three to one, but they had strategy and zeal on their side,
they overpowered Meccan leadership
Muslims lost only 14 people. Meccans lost 45 men with 70 taken prisoner
Victory was seed as a sign of God’s choice of Muhammad
M’s prestige increased
He eliminated opponents in Medina and sent the Jewish tribes away
He married to cement his position as head of the community
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11. Various Battles
Siege of Medina – Meccans try once more in 627 to oust Muhammad. He stays put in
Medina and digs a trench around the city. Meccans waited for two weeks, but could
not cross into the city. With bad weather and little hope, they withdrew.
This strengthened M’s position. He didn’t trust the remaining Jews in his city. Thought
they had plotted with the Meccans, so he put the Jewish men to death and sold
women and children into slavery
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12. Conquest of Mecca
Rising power for two years
Financially growing
More people joining Islam
Mecca was in decline
Some leaders had joined Muhammad
In 628, peace treaty between Muhammad and Meccans, but when some Meccan
allies attacked M’s allies, the treaty was nullifield
In Jan 630, M with 10,000 men invaded Mecca with virtually no resistance
He cleansed the Kaabah of its idols and issue da general pardon to leaders of Mecca
(mostly) and gave Meccans rewards for their surrender
He won respect and admiration
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13. Remaining years
Large number of tribes in Arabian peninsula pledged allegiance to Muhammad
Some submitted after defeat by armies
Generally, polytheists were forced to profess Islam while Christians and Jews could
practice their faith, but had to pay taxes
In 632, M died at the age of 63, a sudden but natural death
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