1. What was happening on the Arabian peninsula before the time of Muhammad?

2. Before Muhammad most Arabs were Bedouins.  Nomadic herders  Scattered tribes  Warriors raided other tribes and waged war against each other.  Polytheistic

3. Muslims trace their heritage through biblical tradition.  The Qur’an uses the same creation story and early histories found in the Jewish/Christian holy books.  Muslims trace their family lines to one of Noah’s sons (Shem).  The Qur’an teaches that Arabs are descended from Abraham (called the father of Judaism).  Abraham’s first son, Ishmael was banished when his legitimate son, Isaac, was born.  Ishmael is said to have been sent to Makkah.

4. Makkah (Mecca) was an important city.  Makkah became well-known as a trading stop on the way to Constantinople. It’s fresh water well was an important draw.  It was made a very important city by a tribe called the Quraysh in the 5 th century.  As a trade city, it had a very diverse population (Arabs, Christians and Jews).

5. Makkah was a religious center.  We know that even before the Quraysh took power, local tribes stored their religious idols in the shrine called the Kaaba.  Tradition says that the kaaba was dropped from heaven.  By the 600s, more than 300 idols were stored inside.