The initial life of the prophet Muhammad is known very little, and the possible information we know only from Arabic sources.

The founder of Islam was born into the Hashemite lineage (بنو هاشم) in the Qurayshite tribe (قريش) around 570/571 AD. in Mecca. This year is called the year of the elephant because the Ethiopian ruler Abrah invaded Mecca that year using elephants.

Muhammad’s father was عبدالله (Abdullah), his mother was آمنا (Amina). The prophet never recognized his father. He died before his birth. Soon after, when the prophet was six, his mother died, and his grandfather looked him after عبد المطلب (Abd Mutallib) and uncle أبو طالب (Abu Talib).

When Muhammad was 25, there was a breakthrough – he then married a fifteen-year-old widow, خديجة (Khadijah). خديجة came from the Qurayshite tribe and shr was the widow of a wealthy merchant. The improvement of his material situation gave the creator of Islam the opportunity to stabilize his life and, consequently, submit to his preferences and thoughts.

Muhammad and religion

Muhammad’s main place of thought was the cave on mountain حراء. In the same cave in 610 CE the prophet experienced his first revelation – a mysterious voice made him recite in the name of the Lord. The night during which the apparition took place was called “The Night of Strength (and / or the Night of Destiny)” (ليلة القدر).

Muhammad accepted his calling and another one followed shortly after the first apparition. The mysterious voice was then recognized as the archangel Gabriel (جبريل). (Muhammad later had another revelation which was harsh, eloquent and sublime) The Prophet accepted his calling and began to act as a messenger of Allah (رسول) among his people. Initially, he preached and announced a new mission.

The new faith did not catch on immediately. Muhammad was ridiculed and gained very few followers. The first person to believe was خديجة, and soon relatives of the prophet joined the group of believers. Over time, the group of the faithful began to expand as slaves, the poor, and the lower classes joined the new religion.

Nevertheless, the prophet’s tribesmen mocked and mocked the new religion. When this proved insufficient, they began to persecute the first followers of Islam, who, unable to endure the oppression, fled Mecca to Abyssinia, where they found refuge. Muhammad was not discouraged by the departure of many of his followers and continued to preach.

Shortly after these events, there was a wonderful nighttime journey by the prophet named إسراء (isra). Muhammad was transported on a horse with wings, a woman’s face, and a peacock’s tail from Al Qaba to Jerusalem, where he ascended (mirage) to the seventh heaven. After this event, Jerusalem became the third place of Muslim worship, and إسراء became a stimulating force in Islam and the subject of folk fantasy.

Mecca and Medina

About 622 C.E. Muhammad was invited to live in Medina. First, he allowed two hundred followers to elude the Qurayshites, and he himself arrived in Medina on September 24, 622, already venerated as a leader. This event is called the Hijra. It wasn’t necessarily an escape, but rather a well-thought-out hike. Hijra was a turning point. It completed the Mecca stage and started the Medina stage.

In the Medina phase, Islam was made money and nationalized. Muhammad broke with Christianity and Judaism. The day of prayer on Saturday was replaced with a prayer on Friday. The exhortation of trumpets and gongs to prayer was replaced by exhortations from the minaret. The month of Ramadan was declared the month of fasting. The direction of prayer was changed from Jerusalem to Mecca, and additionally the pilgrimage to Al-Qaba and kissing the black stone were recognized.

Muhammad wanted to return to his hometown. In 628, the prophet ordered an expedition to Mecca and enforced a pact whereby Meccans and Muslims were treated equally. This treaty ended Muhammad’s war against his own people. At the end of 630, Mecca was conquered, and the idols there were immediately destroyed.

The year 631 is called the year of the delegation. Muhammad then made peace treaties with Christians and Jewish tribes. In exchange for a fee, they were protected. Additionally, numerous delegations came to Mecca during the year to pledge loyalty to the prophet. Initially, the tribes joined in without conviction, and they were driven mainly by profit. Muslims were then content with a verbal declaration of faith.

In 632, Muhammad went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. This pilgrimage was called a farewell pilgrimage. The Prophet returned after his pilgrimage to Medina and died three months later – June 8, 632.

At the height of his fame, Muhammad led a modest lifestyle. He lived in a clay hut, often mending his robes and was available to the people. During his lifetime, the prophet had about twelve wives. Some marriages were made out of love, but some were political arrangements. Muhammad’s daily behavior established laws in effect and made him faithfully imitated.