RAC: Lesson - Islam: Origins

An image showing the Kaaba in Mecca with many people visiting.The Origins of Islam

In 570 CE, Muhammad was born in the bustling city of Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula. At that time, the Arabian Peninsula was emerging from a state of isolation (due to the foreboding deserts that kept people out). It was an exciting time to live in Arabia marked by debates on trade, religion, and power. This was especially true for the western coast on the Red Sea which was the home of the city of Mecca. Mecca was a simple city, but busy with the increased trade between Arabia and the Mediterranean World. 

When Muhammad was around 40 years old, according to Islamic tradition, he received his first revelation from God while on a spiritual retreat. More revelations followed. God (Allah in Arabic) told Muhammad that he must worship only one God, act righteously, and tend to the less fortunate. Following the traditions of Abraham and Jesus, Muhammad went to work sharing these revelations with the people of Mecca.

Mecca: Exile and Return

Within 12 years, the leaders of Mecca chased Muhammad and his followers out of town for being radical and challenging their authority. Muhammad and his followers settled in Medina where they continued their teachings on God, behavior, and government, establishing the religion of Islam (which means "submission") and gathering believers known as Muslims (which means "those who submit"). In 630 CE, Muhammad led his followers back to Mecca where they defeated the polytheistic non-believers that led the city and converted the polytheistic temple of Mecca with its polytheistic idols—the Kaaba—into a monotheistic mosque. And from that point forward in history, Mecca became the spiritual homeland of Islam.

The Death of Muhammad

Muhammad died when he was sixty-two and by that time the peninsula of Arabia had adopted Islam as its major religion. This means that during a span of 22 years, Muhammad experienced his revelations from God, gathered followers, was accused of being a troublemaker and exiled, gathered more followers, and ultimately established a religion accepted throughout a large expanse of land and diverse people. That's a lot to do in just under a quarter of a century.

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION