The man who would be remembered by history as the Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca into an upper middle-class family around the year 570. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by family members and as an adult he became a successful merchant.
Muhammad was about 40 years old when, according to Islamic tradition, he began to receive revelations from God and was visited by the angel Gabriel. Arab culture at the time was polytheistic but Muhammad proclaimed that there was only one God—the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians. Initially Muhammad shared the messages secretly, only with his family and close acquaintances. But in around 613, when he was in his mid-40’s, he began to declare “Islam” (derived from an Arabic word meaning “submission”) publicly, eventually prompting a severe backlash from Meccans and particularly the religious leadership.
After years of persecution, during which the new faith also acquired many new followers, Muhammad and his followers (called “Muslims”) emigrated to Medina, a city about 200 miles north of Mecca, where they established a theocratic Islamic community. Armed conflict with Mecca eventually evolved into a full-scale war, and in 629 a Muslim force led by Muhammad captured the city. In the 630’s, strengthened by thousands of new converts, Islam spread rapidly and by 635 the entire Arabian Peninsula had been conquered.
In June 632, Muhammad died at his home in Medina, at about age 62.
According to Islamic tradition, as word of Muhammad’s death spread, a crowd gathered outside the house, demanding to know if it was true. Umar, Muhammad’s father-in-law, is said to have to have declared that anyone who says Muhammad is dead is a traitor to Islam and should be killed. Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s closest advisor (and also his father-in-law) then emerged from the house and said, “For any who worship Muhammad, he is dead. For any who worship Allah, he is alive and will never die.”
Abu Bakr succeeded Muhammad as “Caliph” (Islamic leader) and under his leadership the faith continued to grow and spread into new areas. Within a hundred years of Muhammad’s death the Muslim Conquests had established an Islamic empire stretching from Spain and Morocco in the west, to modern Pakistan in the east. There are today over 1.8 billion Muslims, about 25% of the world population.
The Islamic prophet Muhammad died on June 8, 632, one thousand three hundred ninety years ago today.
The photo is of the Green Dome in Medina, built over the tombs of Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Umar.
* * *
Avail of easy and fast online loan at
www.tala.com Philippines
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=122563.0
