The Story of Islam

MUHAMMAD
• Born in 570 in Mecca in modern Saudi Arabia.
• After his parents’ death, he was raised by a grandfather and then an uncle.
• He traveled widely with his uncle, Abu Talib, a merchant.
• He worked for and then married Khadijah, a wealthy widow.
• She was fifteen years his senior.

MECCA
• A major trading town some seventy-two kilometers from the Red Sea.
• Mecca was a center for the worship of many gods.
• A black stone, probably a meteorite, had fallen to Mecca and was believed to have supernatural power.
• A building called the Ka’ba housed the spirits worshipped by the Arab tribes and visiting traders.
• These included the Sun, Venus, Fortune, Apollo, al-Lat (the Goddess), al-Uzza (the Mighty One) to name a few.

REVELATIONS
• At about 40 years of age, Muhammad began having revelations as he meditated.
• He thought he was hearing from demons.
• His wife convinced him otherwise.
• One night the Angel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad.
• Other revelations urged the worship only of Allah, one of the many gods worshipped in Mecca.
• The revelations continued for the remaining 22 years of Muhammad’s life.

THE BIRTH OF ISLAM
• Muhammad preached his monotheism and received much opposition.
• He and his followers withdrew to Yathrib, now known as Medina (“City of the Prophet”) on July 16, 622.
• This is the Hijira, the “Flight,” and is the official beginning of Islam.
• Later, by 630, Muhammad and his followers conquered Mecca and devoted the Ka’aba to Allah alone.
• Progressively, Muhammad’s forces dominated all of the Arabian Peninsula for the cause of Allah.
• Muhammad died on June 8, 632.
• Within a century Islam dominated most of the Middle East, Northern Africa, Near East, and parts of Asia.

FACTS ABOUT MUHAMMAD
• He had numerous wives: officially 15 but probably dozens.
• His favorite was Aisha with whom he consummated marriage when she was nine.
• He took another man’s wife as his own more than once.
• He also kept many concubines.