Muhammad
Early Life
As a young man
Muhammad’s Visions
Theocracy
© Karen Devine 2008
Muhammad’s Early Life
• Muhammad was born into the Quraysh tribe around 570
CE.
• The Quraysh tribe was responsible for the upkeep of the
ancient shrine in Makka (Mecca).
• He was orphaned at an early age.
• His father Abdullah died six months before he was born.
• After his birth he was sent to wet nurses in the hills
outside the city.
• His mother Amira died before he was 6.
• His guardian grandfather died when he was 8.
• He was then cared for by his uncle Abu Talib, the leader
of the Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe.
Muhammad as a young man.
• Muhammad became familiar with the caravan trade and the
business of being a merchant.
• As a merchant, he met and married Khadijah, a widowed
entrepreneur. She was 40 and he was 25.
• Together they had 2 or 3 sons and 4 daughters.
• All the sons died in childhood and only Fatima survived
Muhammad.
• Fatima gave Muhammad 2 grandsons: Hasam and Husayn.
• Muhammad had more wives after the death of Khadijah.
• Muhammad is said to have become disturbed by the
changes to Makkan society as it moved in transition from a
semi-rural to a commercial society.
Muhammad’s Visions
• Muhammad decided to meditate
upon these changes in a cave on Mt
Hira.
• It was here that Muhammad’s first
revelation occurred when he was 40
years old in 610 CE.
• He was visited by the Angel Gabriel.
• The first to believe his revelations
were Khadijah, his cousin Ali and an
older man, Abu Bakr.
• The Angel Gabriel put “words on his
lips for proclamation” and hence the
Qur’an or recitation is first preached.
The Themes to Muhammad’s
Teaching
•
•
a)
b)
c)
d)
Muhammad continued to
receive divine revelations over
the next 22 years and these
messages become the Qur’an.
There are four themes to
Muhammad’s teachings:
the coming of judgement day
the unity of God
denouncing dishonest practices
of merchants
denouncing the abandonment
of widows and orphans.
Muhammad and Controversy
 Muhammad’s messages
were controversial due to:
a) his attacks on polytheism
b) his attacks on the attitudes
that existed in the Makkan
society.
c) His support of the poor
which meant that the rich
had to pay more tax.
 Muhammad was a threat to
the rulers of Makka who
relied on the pilgrimage to
the Ka’ba.
The Night Journey
 In 620 CE Muhammad is invited to
Madina to serve as a mediator in a
tribal dispute.
 This migration was known as the
Hijira.
 It was on the journey to Madina,
known as the “Night Journey”, that
the Angel Gabriel took Muhammad
to Jerusalem to the site now
known as the “Dome of the Rock”.
 From there Muhammad was taken
to heaven, past all the prophets
who preceded him, to the
presence of God.
Beginnings of a Theocracy
 Muhammad moves to
Madina in 622 CE and
this was the beginning
of true Islam.
 Muhammad developed
from preacher to
political leader.
 Hence, Madina
became a theocracy
with Allah as its ruler
and Muhammad as the
interpreter of God’s
will.
Muhammad Prohibits
•
•
•
•
•
Idol worship
Sexual immorality
Drunkenness
Gambling
Disadvantageous marriage and inheritance laws.
Muhammad and Battles
 In 624 CE at the Battle of Badr,
Muhammad engaged in a
blockade of caravans from Makka.
Here a small band of Muslims
defeated a large army.
 Muhammad’s followers saw this
as evidence that angels were
fighting on the side of Muslims.
 There were 3 more successful
battles fought by Muhammad.
 Eventually Muhammad turned
both Makka and Madina into cities
of God.
 Muhammad died after a short
illness in 632 CE.
Muhammad: A Model for Muslim
Life
•
•
•
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
Muhammad had a strong character and personality.
The practices of Muhammad become the guiding
source of Islamic law. (Sunna)
Muhammad was a:
Prophet of God
Religious leader
Political leader
Ruler
Military commander
Chief judge
Law giver.
Activity Time
• Read pages 103107
• Complete ALL
activity questions
on page 107.