Muhammed Essay, Research Paper

Mohammed Mohammed was the only man in history who was both a successful political andreligious leader. Mohammed founded one of the world’s greatest religions: Islam. Today,thirteen hundred years after his death, our world is still influenced by him. Mohammed was born around 570 in Makkah, Southern Arabia. At the age of sixhe became an orphan and was raised by his uncle. He is believed to have been illiterate. During his teen years, Mohammed was an honest and reliable person while working as aleader for a prosperous trade route. When he was still young, a wealthy old widow,Khadija, put him in charge of her business affairs. Later, when Mohammed was 25, hemarried Khadija, which eliminated all his financial worries. This arrangement gave himtime to reflect on the meaning of life. From then on, he spent much of his life fasting andpraying in a cave outside of Makkah. In 610 AD, Mohammed experienced one of two revelations. The prophet heard avoice calling to him, Allah, which is the Arabic word for God. Allah commandedMohammed to spread the word of God. In the second revalation, Allah told Mohammedthat he needed to warn others about divine judgement. Mohammed gradually accepted hismission from Allah. Mohammed began to preach to the people of Makkah, telling themthat there was only one God whom everyone should worship and obey. Many of his first followers were the poor. The poor were attracted to Mohammedbecause of his call for social justice. The wealthy disliked Mohammed for his attacks on

the images at the Kaaba (Arab’s most holiest shrine). They feared that monotheisticworship could end the pilgrimages to Makkah, and threaten their livelihood. By 622, Mohammed sent about sixty Muslim families from Makkah to Yathrib. Shortly after, Mohammed followed the families in secret because his life was in danger inMakkah due to disagreements between two rival tribes. The people of Yathrib agreed toprotect Mohammed. This move was known as Hijrah, or emigration; it marks thebeginning of the Islamic era, and is the first year on the Muslim calendar. One of Mohammed’s accomplishments was the Madinah Compact. The Compactstated that all Muslims were to place loyalty to the Islamic community above loyalty totheir tribe. The Madinah Compact sought to end tribal feuds. These disagreements weregenerally solved by Mohammed, under divine laws given to him and recorded in holyscriptures. The Madinah Compacts shows that Mohammed was skilled as a politicalorganizer as well as an inspired prophet. By 630, Mohammed had gained enough supporters to take over Makkah. Thistime, Makkah accepted Mohammed’s rule. The entire Arabian Peninsula was includedunder Mohammed’s empire by 631. A brief illness ended Mohammed’s life in 632. He spent his last 2 and one-halfyears converting Arab tribes to the new religion. Mohammed’s successors and friendscontinued to follow his beliefs. Mohammed inspired the Arabs to conquer all ofMesopotamia, Syria, and Palestine. Thousands of years later, Mohammed still influencesour society today through the Islamic religion.