CH 6, Sect. 1 – The Life of Muhammad Born in Makkah (Mecca) in the Arabian peninsula around 570 AD into a wealthy trading family. He was troubled about the growing gap between the rich and poor. He went to the hills around Mecca to “meditate.”

While meditating he was visited by an angel – Gabriel. Gabriel was given revelations by God – who then told Muhammad to recite and spread God’s message. Muhammad believed that God had partly revealed himself through Moses (Jews) and Jesus (Christianity). Muhammad believed he was the final prophet.

After Muhammad died his revelations were written down in a holy book called the Quran. Islam means “peace through submission to the will of God.” Those who practice Islam are called Muslims. Muhammad and his followers were persecuted by the people of Makkah – as a result they had to flee to the city of Madinah (Medina). This is known as the Hijrah and occurred in 622 AD – year one of the Muslim calendar.

Muhammad won support from the people in Madinah as well as Arabs who lived in the desert called Bedouins. In 630 AD Muhammad marched on Makkah with a force of 10,000 men – the town surrendered and most people converted to Islam. Muhammad then declared the Kaaba as the scared shrine of Islam. Muhammad died in 632 AD.