Muhammad (570–632)

Muhammad was the founder of Islam, whose followers today number 1.3 billion. He was one of the greatest leaders in human history. His followers hold him in high respect and often ask God to bless him whenever his name is mentioned. Islam, the religion of submission to Almighty God, was introduced in AD 610 by Muhammad in Mecca. Muslims believe that Islam is not a new faith but a continuation of the previous monotheistic religion preached by Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The Arabs in Muhammad's time had no central government; they were Bedouins, pastoralists, and animists who believed in many lesser gods and spirits. Muhammad grew up as an orphan under the guardianship of his uncle Abu Talib. As a young man, he was a shepherd and learned the trade from his uncle. He was known among his tribe as a trustworthy person with high moral standards. People were fond of him and enjoyed his companionship. He was later employed by a wealthy merchant, Khadijah, who sent him on trade to Syria. Muhammad returned, having earned a great deal of profit. Khadijah admired his honesty and self-confidence. In spite of the fact that she was older than he, she proposed marriage to him, and they married when Muhammad was 25 years old and Khadijah was 40. Their marriage was very successful. They had six children, four girls and two boys, all of whom died before Muhammad except Fatimah. As a couple at Mecca, they continued their trade, and occasionally Muhammad retreated to Mount Hira for meditation.

While he was meditating on Mount Hira one day, Archangel Gabriel approached Muhammad and asked [Page 983]him to recite. Muhammad did not recite, because he did not know how to read or write. On the third attempt by Gabriel, Muhammad asked what to recite and Gabriel told him to recite in the name of God, the Creator. That was the beginning of the revelation to Muhammad, which lasted for 23 years. Muhammad was frightened and ran home to his wife, Khadijah. She comforted him, and when his fear grew, she took him to her uncle, Waraqat bin Nawfal, a Christian monk, who also comforted him but warned him that if he were a true prophet, he would be exiled by his tribe, the Quraysh, because every prophet before him had been rejected by his own people.

Muhammad began to invite the Quraysh to believe in one God and in Muhammad as a messenger from God, to believe in resurrection and in life after death, where every individual will be tried by God. Those who live a righteous life would go to heaven and those who do wrong and fail to repent would be punished by God. He also called them to practice good deeds and shun all evils. These are the basic elements of the message of Muhammad at Mecca. The Quraysh rejected this message and suspected Muhammad of being possessed by evil spirits (jinn). The Quraysh assumed that belief in Muhammad would cause them to lose their businesses and leadership position among the Arabs, who annually visited Mecca for pilgrimage to the Ka'bah, which the Quraysh controlled. Muhammad continued to preach the oneness of God and gradually won a few converts to Islam.

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