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The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in A.D. April 571. At the age of 25 he married Khadija, a wealthy 40-year old widow from the Qoreish tribe. Two important events mark the life of Mohammad. In A.D. 610, during the Kadir night of the Ramadan month, while Muhammad was praying in a cave on Hira Mountain near Mecca, the Angel Gabriel revealed to him that God has chosen him as His Prophet. This event marks the beginning of Muhammad’s prophecy, the arrival of the Qur;an (the Koran) and the establishment of Islam. The other important event is known as “Miraç” which took place in A.D 619 and the date marks the event when, according to Islamic belief, the Angel Gabriel ascended with the Prophet Muhammad into God’s presence.
Muhammad began to preach the new religion proclaiming that there was one true God, Allah. He preached against polytheism and social injustice. He sent the message of ‘purification through the true religion’. In this way began the new religion of Islam.
In Mecca, Muhammad faced opposition from the established ruling elite as his preaching threatened the status quo and their own privileged position. His new ideas undermined the structure of society and as such they were considered dangerous. As a result, Muhammad and his supporters were persecuted.
In A.D 622, Muhammad and his followers moved to Medina (the original name is Yathrib/ Jathrippa) and established there the first Muslim community. This move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah (Hegira / ‘Migration’) and marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. The Prophet won over more followers. In A.D 630 he returned to Mecca triumphant. Following 23 years of prophecy, he died at the age of 63 in Medina in A.D 632. Before his death, Muhammad had managed to unite the various Arab tribes under the banner of Islam.
Mohammad through his preaching introduced new ideas regarding the social, political and religious structure of society.
By the time of his death, the new religion of Islam had spread to most parts of Arabia. |
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