Mohammed Islam Jihad (Holy War) Mohammed and Jihad

Background into Islam
The Messenger and the Message
By Abdullah Al Araby
Jump to: Mohammed Islam Jihad (Holy War) Mohammed and Jihad

In the year A.D. 610, in a cave near Mecca, while he was spending time in solitary meditation, Mohammed said that he was visited by the Angel Gabriel who in a vision delivered to him the first message of Islam.


MOHAMMED
Mohammed was born A.D. 570 into a highly regarded family from the respected tribe of Qoraysh. His father died before his birth and his mother died when he was only six years old. When he was eight, his grandfather Abd Al Muttalib also died, leaving him in the care of his uncle, Abu Talib.

As a young man, Mohammed was exposed to the various sects of Christianity and Judaism. He observed how they were constantly arguing and debating each other. This may have influenced his disenchantment with the traditional polytheistic religion of the Arabs at the time. Mohammed later referred to Christians and Jews as "People of the Book." (In reference to the Bible)

At age 25, Mohammed started working for the rich widow Khadija, who later married him. She was 15 years older than he. He then became a successful merchant.

At age 40, Mohammed spent much time in meditation, and proclaimed that he was selected by God to preach the true religion.

Mohammed very soon faced harassment and persecution from the tribal chiefs who saw the new religion as a danger to the city's principal source of revenue. They feared that it would eliminate the profitable pilgrimages to the pagan shrine of the Kaaba.

In the year A.D. 622, after an attempt by his opponents to murder him, Mohammed and his few followers fled to Yathrib (later named Medina) in a migration known as the Hijira.

In Medina, Mohammed's followers grew in strength and number. From there he began a series of raids on the city of Mecca. Ultimately he subjugated the city and brought all of Arabia under his control.

Mohammed died in the year A.D. 632