The life of Muhammad only roughly known. The influences he experienced and the religious crisis that transformed the merchant into prophet largely escape the historian, lacking sufficient sources.
Muhammad preaching
Naturally, the Koran It is essential to know the thought of the prophet, but he is very sparing when it comes to his life; the other sources are richer, but also later.
Muhammad (What does it mean the praised) born in Mecca at a date that must be placed between 567 and 572, probably 571. His father belonged to a rich clan, that of the Hasim.
However, the childhood Muhammad He spent in poverty and loneliness. His father, Abd Allah, had died shortly before he was born. His mother, Amina, had to take him to a Bedouin tribe to raise him, and she died shortly after picking him up.
It was then that his uncle took it upon himself to educate him, and he spent the early years herding herds with his brother and driving caravans. Later, he met a rich widow, Khadijawith whom he later married and started a family.
But for those days, Muhammad he retired to the mountain to pray and meditate.
According to legend, one night when he was sleeping in a grotto on Mount Hira, not far from MeccaDjabra’il, the archangel Gabriel, appeared to him, and since then he would continue to visit him to transmit to the prophet the fragments of the Eternal Book that the angels kept in the highest of heaven.
Djabra’il and Muhammad
During the first three years, Muhammad he only revealed his mission to his intimates. He then received the order to openly preach to the coraichíes.
Muhammad He began by addressing the members of his Hashemite clan: he proclaimed the unique character of God, announced the final judgment and exhorted his fellow citizens to submit to the commandments of God. To, to pray and to practice almsgiving. But he didn’t even manage to convince the uncle of him.
It is evident that his preaching of the final judgment and the need to practice charity would have been badly received by the members of that privileged oligarchy, occupied in speculations and material enrichment, only the poor lacking everything and the slaves became disciples his.
Thus they formed the first group of Muslimsword that means «believers«, and the aristocracy began to be suspicious of this activity of Muhammad.
In such conditions, the rupture was inevitable and the persecutions were not long in coming. When he preached, they drowned out his voice with obscene shouting and chanting or spat in his face.
In the texts, Muhammad he seems to have patiently endured everything, like the ancient prophets. He responded to the accusations and taunts with quiet dignity.
After losing his uncle and his wife, the inhabitants of Yathrib (caravan town of northern Mecca) went to ask Muhammad settle in his city.
On September 24 622, Muhammad entered into Yathrib and so this city became the city of prophetwhich we know by the name of medina (Madinat al-Nabi).
the city of Medina
This emigration charged with spiritual meaning bears the name of hegiraand with it begins a new era, the was muslimwhich for Muslims then begins at 622.
In its beginnings, the life of the emigrants was difficult, the authority of Muhammad was threatened.
Not all the inhabitants of medina had been converted: there were many Jewsand even among Muslimsthere were many who had converted for convenience.
To legitimize his authority, Muhammad was led to become a warrior, thus imposing the “Holy war”. It began at the initiative of prophetanxious to ensure the material life of the community.
in 624 Muhammad left with 300 Muslims (to whom he promised “paradise in the shadow of sabers”) to intercept the great caravan of the Koraichíes returning from Syria, which he finally defeated.
Thus began a series of attacks and counter-attacks among which the power of Muhammad began to slowly increase.
In January 630, 10,000 Muslims armed they took the path of Mecca. But there was no combat. The Coraichi chiefs submitted, Muhammad entered the city without using weapons.
The Kaaba in Mecca
Then he ordered the idols of the kaaba, built by Abraham, and proclaimed a general amnesty. The new faith triumphed. He sent representatives everywhere to tear down idols; he signed agreements with the tribes.
Thus, Arabia recognized the domination of the prophet and began to organize.
In 632, with 90,000 followers, the prophet completed the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and I just fixed the rites. Muhammad preached in the Mount Arafatand exhorted the Arabs to remain united when he was dead, in the “submission of god”, that is, in the Islam.
Returning to Medina, he fell ill and died on June 8, 632.