The Life of Muhammad

Mecca At the time of Muhammad, Mecca was already a center of religious pilgrimage. Located in Mecca was a black meteorite that had fallen to earth long before Muhammad’s time. It was venerated because it was believed to have been sent from heaven. A squarish shrine had been constructed to contain it, called the Kabah (‘cube’).

Khadijah As an adult, Muhammad worked as a caravan driver for a widow named Khadijah, who inherited a caravan company from her deceased husband. The friendship between the two grew over time. They married when Muhammad was 25 and she was about 40.

Khadijah This marriage brought financial, spiritual, and emotional support to Muhammad; Khadijah proved to be his mainstay until her death, together they had about 6 children but no boys survived. After Khadijah died, Muhammad remarried a number of times. It is believed he married many of them out of compassion because in his society widows needed husbands for financial support and legal protection.

Becoming a Prophet As a religious person, Muhammad spent time pondering and meditating. One day while doing this in the hills surrounding Mecca when he was about 40 he received his first revelation. A bright presence came to him and held before his eyes a cloth covered with writing.

Becoming a Prophet At first Muhammad doubted the nature of the revelation, but his wife reassured him and he became convinced that the bright presence was the angel Gabriel. When more revelations came to him he began to share them with his closest friends and relatives. These were the first Muslims.

Muhammad the Enemy? As Muhammad began to spread his revelations, he was not well received. His messages were unthreatening- teaching of kindness and taking care of the poor and weak, but he also insisted there was only one God. His teachings insisted on getting rid of other gods and their images and statues. He also was against usury (lending money as exorbitant rates) and the failure to make and keep fair contracts.

Hijra This threatened business people and those who believed in multiple gods. The persecution of Muhammad and his people intensified. He and his people finally left Mecca and migrated- this is known as the Hijra. This event is central to Islam and marks the point at which Muhammad’s message was favorably received and the start of the Islamic community. Therefore the Muslim calendar dates the year of Hijra as year 1.

Yathrib Muhammad eventually conquered the city of Yathrib and gained control there. He set up the first Islamic mosque, where many early rules about worship and social regulation were worked out. Yathrib later became Medina.

Mecca Muhammad’s goal was still always to return to Mecca and when he did he and his soldiers triumphed against great odds. There he began to institutionalize the religion. Eventually Muhammad died in Yathrib in 632 CE.

Muhammad’s Legacy Muhammad viewed himself (as did his followers) as the last of the long line of prophets who transmitted God’s word to humanity., He did not consider himself divine but simply an instrument in the hands of God. Muslims view Muhammad as a man who showed perfection in his life, and they revere him as an ideal human being, a model for all believers.