Arabian Peninsula – mostly desert, which means…

<10” rain/year

Bedouins – nomadic herders of the desert

Only loyalty is to local family/tribal leaders called sheikhs

Most Arabs were pagans, but a few have heard of Judaism and Christianity

By AD 600, Makkah has become a major trade center and tourist town

Arab pilgrims come yearly to worship at the Kaaba in Makkah

And these pilgrims spend LOTS of money in Makkah, so the city is prosperous (rich)

In his trade travels with grandpa, Muhammad has heard of Judaism and Christianity (but he was still a pagan).

@25, he married a rich widow and could retire from the caravans and live a life of leisure…

AD 610 – Muhammad goes out into the desert to think

The angel Gabriel appears to him and commands him to “recite!”

Finally, Muhammad understands that he is to learn and carry God’s message to the Arabs.

Muhammad thinks he’s hallucinating or has lost his mind

But his wife and friends believe him and convert to his message.

Why do the people of Makkah want to kick Muhammad out of Makkah?

He wants to stop all of the pagan activities at the Kaaba. This will…

Kill the pilgrimages

He wants to stop all of the pagan activities at the Kaaba. This will… Kill the pilgrimages kill the tourism

He wants to stop all of the pagan activities at the Kaaba. This will… Kill the pilgrimages kill the tourism kill the economy of Makkah

He wants to stop all of the pagan activities at the Kaaba. This will… Kill the pilgrimages kill the tourism kill the economy of Makkah Will upset their pagan gods

He wants to stop all of the pagan activities at the Kaaba. This will… Kill the pilgrimages kill the tourism kill the economy of Makkah Will upset their pagan gods the gods will punish Makkah

AD 622 Muhammad and his family/friends leave Makkah and go to Yathrib, later called Madinah.

AD 622 Muhammad and his family/friends leave Makkah and go to Yathrib, later called Madinah. The people there readily embrace Muhammad’s teachings and all of them convert.

From this point on (AD 622), the followers of Muhammad are known as Muslims, and the religion will be called Islam.

AD 622 is the Muslim Year One

From this point on (AD 622), the followers of Muhammad are known as Muslims, and the religion will be called Islam. AD 622 is the Muslim Year One This year is 1431 in the Muslim world.

Makkah sends assassins, then an army to kill Muhammad & the Muslims, but the Muslims wipe out the Makkah army

Result: Muhammad and his Muslim followers easily take over Makkah –

Result: Muhammad and his Muslim followers easily take over Makkah – No resistance left – Everyone in Makkah converts.

Changes to Kaaba: Destroys all of the pagan idols and turns it into a Muslim shrine, dedicated to Allah. (he says it was a place of worship & sacrifice for Abraham and even Adam, so he’s just restoring it to monotheism).

As a Muslim shrine, the Kaaba will now be the center of Muslim pilgrimages –

As a Muslim shrine, the Kaaba will now be the center of Muslim pilgrimages – tourism in Makkah lives on, and the merchants of Makkah are happy

Muhammad has: Unified the Arabs religiously with a monotheistic religion with a standard moral code – they all convert to Islam within 10 years

Muhammad has: Unified the Arabs religiously with a monotheistic religion with a standard moral code – they all convert to Islam within 10 years Unified the Arabs politically – they all now look to Muhammad for political leadership as well as religious leadership