The Prophet Muhammad

Arabia Before Muhammad

What do you see here?

What skills would a person need to survive and prosper in this environment?

A. Makkah

Important trade stop and religious center of Arabia

People settled there because of the fresh water well

Location of the Kaaba

Population very diverse: Arabs, Christians, Jews, etc.

B. Arabs

Arab (abhar = to move or pass) Majority of Arabia’s first inhabitants were

Bedouins (nomadic Arabs) Origins: Africa or Mesopotamia?

Biblical tradition: Arabs are Semites (descendants of Noah’s son)

Qur’anic traditiion: Arabs are descendants of Abraham’s son Ishmael

B. Arabs Valued camels and swords

above all else Had no strong central

government Practiced animistic

polytheism (many gods)

C. Quraysh

Powerful local tribe of Arabs Encouraged tribes to deposit idols in the

Kaaba and protected them for a fee.

Muhammad’s Call to Prophethood What do you see here? What might the geometric shape on the right

represent? The one on the left? Any ideas as to why the shapes are there?

Muhammad’s Early Life

Born into the Hasim family of the powerful Quraysh tribe sometime between AD 570 and 580

Angels told mother, Amina, to name child Muhammad (highly praised)

Father, Abdallah, died before Muhammad’s birth; mother, Amina, died when he was six

Muhammad’s Early Life

Raised by uncle, Abu Talib As a young man, he worked for a wealthy

widow, Khadija Married Khadija; had 7 children (only 1

daughter – Fatima- survived) Had reputation as a seeker of solitude

The Divine Revelations

Tradition has it, at the age of 40 Muhammad was alone in a cave outside Makkah seeking solitude (which was usual for him) and was visited by the angel Gabriel

Muhammad was instructed to teach humanity more about God and how to worship Him.

The Divine Revelations

Muhammad, like the prophets who preceded him, taught people to believe in One God (in Hebrew is “Eloh” and in Arabic is “Allah”).

Muhammad’s miracle was the Qur’an itself, which Muslims consider to be the final message from God to humanity.

At first not many believed Muhammad.

The Divine Revelations

Geometric shapes cover the images of Muhammad and Gabriel in this picture, because Muslims believe that depictions of the prophets of God and other respected persons are not acceptable and they request others respect their view on this matter.

Muhammad Spreads the Word of Allah What do you see here? What do you think the two geometric shapes

on the left represent? What are the men on the right doing?

Muhammad’s Teaching

Major points of Muhammad’s public teaching: There was only one God and all should submit to

him All believers in God were equal The rich should share with the poor People should live righteously All people would be subjected to a judgement day

Muhammad’s Teachings

The Prophet’s companions credited him with miracles: Passed through the seven levels of heaven in the

“Night Journey”(in 619) Miraj in Arabic Gabriel led way - Buraq, the winged horse, carried him

from Makkah to Jerusalem and then to heaven where he traveled through the 7 levels of heaven meeting Adam, John, Jesus, Joseph, Idris, Aaron, Moses and Abraham. Baraq took him to Paradise to meet God

Caused a dry well in Makkah to gush water

Angry Makkans

Muhammad’s preaching angered many of the people of Makkah: Wanted to abolish idolatry yet most Makkans did

not want to give up their idols Critical of wealthy merchants who controlled most

of the money and power in Makkah

Protection for the Prophet

He was able to remain in Makkah because of his powerful and respected family

The Emigration to Madinah

What do you see here? Where in the picture is Muhammad? Why would it have been necessary for

Muhammad to leave Makkah? Why would these people be eager to have

Muhammad enter their community?

The Hijrah

Muhammad decided to leave Makkah after death of wife,Khadija, and uncle,Abu Talib

Traveled to oasis city of Yathrib This journey (hijrah, in Arabic) marks the

beginning of Islam and the Muslim calendar

Muhammad’s Welcome

Prophet was welcomed by Jews and Arabs of Yathrib

Both groups hoped Muhammad could prevent a civil war from breaking out

Renamed Yathrib to Madinaht unNabit, which means “City of the Prophet”

Believers in Islam began to call themselves Muslims (those who submit to God’s will)

Conflict in Madinah

Muhammad hoped Islam could win new converts

Some Jewish leaders did not accept Muhammad as God’s latest prophet

Jews who opposed Muhammad were expelled from Madinah

At first, Muhammad told Muslims to pray in the direction of Jerusalem, but later changed it to the Kaaba in Makkah

The Return to Makkah

What do you see on the left? Where is Muhammad represented in this

picture? What do you think Muhammad and his

companions are doing? Why would the group of soldiers want to

attack them?

The Quraysh

As more people accepted Islam, the Quraysh became hostile towards the Muslims

Muhammad and his followers

Muhammad’s army, though tremendously outnumbered, won the Battle of Badr

Outcomes of the Battle of Badr More battles were fought in the years that followed the

Battle of Badr Makkans laid siege on Madinah in AD 627, in the Battle

of Trench In AD 630, Muhammad and his supporters captured

Makkah Idols and other pagan relics were destroyed and the

Kaaba was rededicated to God In 632, Muhammad led the hajj, commonly called “the

pilgrimage of farewell,” for it was his last Every detail of his actions on this event was noted and

imitated by his disciples The rites and ceremonies of hajj became standard

practice for all Muslims

Islam as a Way of Life

What do you see here? Which structure is the most important? What is covering the structure? Why do you think so many people are

gathered at this location? Without using force of intimidation, how could

these people be kept orderly and peaceful?

The Five Pillars of Faith

Muhammad’s companions desired to maintain an Islamic community

Recorded his revelations into Qur’an; his personal deeds into the Sunna

Sunna and Qur’an provide guiding rules and principles for all Muslims

The most basic rules of the Sunna and Qur’an are summarized in the five pillars

Shahada (profession of faith)

“There is only one God and Muhammad is his prophet.”

Salat (daily worship)

Five times a day Guided by a precise set of rituals

Zakat (almsgiving)

2.5% of a Muslim’s income, or 1/40 of all they possess annually

Sawm (fast)

From sunrise to sunset during the holy time of Ramadan

Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)

Undertaken once in a lifetime Reminder of equality between all Muslims