Who was Muhammad?
Muhammad was a prophet and founder of Islam. He spent most of his early life as a salesman. At the age of 40, he began to have revelations from Allah which became the basis of the Koran and the basis of Islam. By 630 he had united most of Arabia under one religion. Since 2015, there are more than 1.8 billion Muslims in the world who say, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
The life of Muhammad
Muhammad was born about 570 AD in Mecca (now Saudi Arabia). His father died before he was born and he was first raised by his grandfather and then by his uncle. He belonged to a poor but respected family of the Kuraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and commerce.
Many tribes living in the Arabian Peninsula at that time roamed the country and traded in goods through the desert. Many nations believed in polytheism, and worshiped their own gods. Mecca was an important center of commerce and religion, home to many temples and shrines, where devotees worshiped idols. The most famous site was the Kaaba (meaning cube in Arabic). It is believed that it was built by Abraham (Ibrahim for Muslims) and his son Ismail. The people of Mecca are slowly turning to polytheism and idolatry. Of all the gods worshiped, it is believed that Allah was considered the greatest and devoid of the image.
In his first twelve years, Muhammad worked in a camel's saddle, following in the footsteps of many of his peers, who were born with little wealth. Working for his uncle, he acquired commercial knowledge while traveling to Syria and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. In time, Muhammad made a name for himself as faithful and upright, earning the nickname “al-Amin” which means to be faithful or trustworthy.
In his 20s, Muhammad started working for a wealthy businesswoman named Khadijah, who was 15 years old. She was immediately attracted to the young man, who worked hard and proposed marriage. He welcomed and over the years a happy union brought in several children. Not all of them live until they are old, but one, Fatima, will marry Muhammad's cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Shi'ite Muslims consider him to be Muhammad's successor.
The Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad was also very religious, sometimes taking pilgrimages near the shrines near Mecca. During one of his visits in 610, he meditated in a cave on Mount Jabal aI-Nour. The angel Gabriel appeared and conveyed the word of God: “Sing in the name of your Lord, who created you, who created man in his image! What your master says is very generous…. ”These words became the opening verses of sūrah (chapter) 96 of the Qur'an. Many Muslim historians believe that Muhammad was initially disturbed by revelations and that he did not disclose them openly for several years. However, Shi'a tradition says he received a message from Angel Gabriel and was strongly encouraged to share his knowledge with other potential believers.
Islamic tradition says that the first people who did not believe it was his wife, Khadija and her best friend Abu Bakr (who is considered to be Muhammad's successor to the Sunni Muslims). Soon, Muhammad began to gather a few followers, at first he did not face opposition. Many people in Mecca ignored or ridiculed him as just another prophet. However, while his message condemned idolatry and polytheism, many Mecca leaders began to view Muhammad and his message as a threat. Apart from contradicting ancient beliefs, the abandonment of idolatry had economic consequences for the merchants who cared for the thousands of pilgrims who came to Mecca every year. This was especially true of the members of Muhammad's own tribe, the Kuraysh, who were the guardians of the Kaaba. Hearing the threat, traders and leaders in Mecca promised Muhammad reasons to stop his preaching, but he refused.
Increasingly, opposition to Muhammad and his followers intensified and they were eventually forced to move from Mecca to Medina, a city 260 miles north of 622. The event marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. There Muhammad played a key role in ending the civil war between the city's several tribes. Muhammad settled in Medina, built his Muslim community and gradually gained the acceptance of many followers.
Between 624 and 628, Muslims were involved in a series of battles for their survival. In the last major battle, The Battle of the Trench and Siege of Medina, Muhammad and his followers won and signed a treaty. The agreement was broken by Meccan partners the following year. By this time, Muhammad still had a lot of power and the remaining power had gone from the Meccan leaders to him. In 630, a new Islamic army marched into Mecca, capturing the city and wounding it. Muhammad granted amnesty to many Meccan leaders who opposed him and forgave many others. Most Meccans converted to Islam. Who was Muhammad and his followers then Muhammad?
Muhammad was a prophet and founder of Islam. He spent most of his young life as a salesman. At the age of 40, he began to have revelations from Allah which became the basis of the Koran and the foundation of Islam. By 630 he had united most of Arabia under one religion. Since 2015, there are more than 1.8 billion Muslims in the world who say, "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
The life of Muhammad
Muhammad was born about 570 AD in Mecca (now Saudi Arabia). His father died before he was born and he was first raised by his grandfather and then by his uncle. He belonged to a poor but respected family of the Kuraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and commerce.
Many tribes living in the Arabian Peninsula at that time roamed the country, selling goods as they crossed the desert. Many nations believed in polytheism, and worshiped their own gods. The city of Mecro continued to destroy all the idols of the pagan gods of the Kaaba and its environs.
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