HISTORY OF ISLAM
was gradually revealed to humanity by a number of earlier
prophets, but the final and complete revelation of the faith was
made through the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) in the 7th
Mohammed (pbuh) was born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia in 570.
He was a deeply spiritual man, and often spent time in
meditation on Mount Hira.
One night in 610 he was meditating in a cave on the mountain
when he was visited by the angel Jibreel who ordered him
to "recite". After some difficulty Mohammed (pbuh)
found that he was reciting words which he came to understand
were the words of God.
During the rest of his life Mohammed (pbuh) continued to receive
these revelations. The words were remembered and recorded, and
form the text of the Holy Qu'ran, the Muslim scripture.
Realising that God had chosen him as his messenger Mohammed
began to preach what God had revealed to him.
The simple and clear-cut message of Islam, that there is no God
but Allah, and that life should be lived in complete submission
to the will of Allah, was attractive to many people, and they
flocked to hear it.
Mohammed's (pbuh) popularity was seen as threatening by the
people in power in Mecca, and Mohammed (pbuh) took his followers
on a journey from Mecca to Medina in 622.
This journey is called the Hijrah (migration) and the event was
seen as so important for Islam that 622 is the year in which the
Islamic calendar begins.
The Return to Mecca
7 years late Mohammed (pbuh) had gained so many followers that
he was able to return to Mecca and conquer it.
From this time on he was generally accepted as the true final
Prophet of God (pbuh).
continued to lead his community both spiritually and in earthly
matters until his death in 632.
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