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The Prophet Muhammad

Born around 570 CE, his father died just before his birth or closely thereafter, and his mother died when he was six years old. He was raised by his grandfather and later by his uncle. He married Hadija, a wealthy widow, who hired Muhammad as a salesman dealing with Syria.

The first revelation to Muhammad occurred in 610 CE, when he was 40 years old. This event took place on Mount Hiraa near Mecca. At the beginning only Muhammad’s immediate family followed him (sura 26, ayat 214): his wife Hadija, his cousin ‘Ali and his adopted son Zayd. According to some traditions, the next to join Muhammad were people of the lower classes of society. Others point to Abu Bakr– a follower of Muhammad who was a respected merchant in Mecca – as the first of the prophet’s followers, who was later joined by other merchants of Mecca, including Othman ibn ‘Afan, a member of the Umayyad family – the most important amongst the families in Mecca. A fierce adversary of Muhammad was ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, who later became his loyal follower.

Muhammad was renowned for his assembling around him people who were willing to believe in Allah as their only god. He further tried to incorporate in his religion three goddesses (the daughters of Allah( Sura 53, ayat 19-20), though he drew back from this idea, and thus offended the Quraysh tribe. This incident cost him his isolation in his own town. Even so, as he was under the patronage of his uncle , he and his possessions were safe.

Following the death of his wife and uncle he was in a dangerous position and had to flee out of Mecca. The first to offer Muhammad protection were the Jewish population of Yathrib, north of Mecca. Muhammad had then ordered his believers to migrate to Yathrib. He himself settled in the city of Medina. Muhammad’s migration to Medina, the hijra, occurred in 622. This date was later established as the first year of the Muslim calendar. The believers who migrated with Muhammad to Medina were called mahjiron, the residents of Medina were called an-Nasr, and together they are referred to as ’Umma. The relationship between the parties composing the ’Umma were based on an agreement, known as the ”Agreement of the ’Umma”. New judicial procedures were founded, in which Allah was the judge and Muhammad was the only arbitrator. A short time after his migration to Medina Muhammad set out to strike Mecca’s economy by attacking the caravans carrying merchandise to the city.

At the beginning Muhammad’s teachings were influenced by his relationship with the Jewish community. This accounts for changing the direction of prayer (Qibla) from Jerusalem to Mecca and emphasizing the Muslims’ affiliation with Abraham, the founder of the monotheistic beliefs.

In 628 a ten-year truce was reached between Mecca and Medina. The agreement was signed at Hadiba, a city on the border of the two cities. In the agreement Muhammad recognized the sanctity of Mecca, and the members of the Quriesh tribe recognized Muhammad as the head of the Muslims. Next, Muhammad set out to attack the Jews of Hibar in the northern part of the country. The victories of Muhammad won him the support of the Bedouins of Arabia. A year after the Hadiba agreement Muhammad arrived at Mecca, capturing it a year later (630 without resistance, thanks to Abu Spian of the aristocratic Umayyad family, who came out and received his conditions. Muhammad cleaned the Ka‘ba from its idols and circled it according to the local custom. From then on the inhabitants of Mecca and Medina were united in one political and military force, and together they began the conquest of Arabia and the conversion of its residents to Islam. In 631 the heads of the Arab tribes swore a solemn oath to Islam. Muhammad died in 632 at Medina at the age of 63 years.

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