founder and main prophet of Islam (c. 570–632) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Muhammad (570 – 8 June 632) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader, best known as the founder of Islam. Islamic teachings say Muhammad was a prophet who God inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. He is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets within Islam. Islamic religious beliefs are based on Muhammad's teachings, his practices, and the Qur'an.[1][2][3]
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Muhammad مُحَمَّدٌ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | c. 570 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 8 June 632 (aged c. 61–62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | 24°28′03.22″N 039°36′41.18″E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other names |
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Years active | 583–609 as merchant 609–632 as religious leader | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable work | Constitution of Medina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Successor | Succession to Muhammad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse |
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Children | Children | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Parent(s) | Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib (father) Aminah bint Wahb (mother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relatives | Family tree of Muhammad, Ahl al-Bayt ("Family of the House") | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal (Ism) | Muhammad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Patronymic (Nasab) | Muḥammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf ibn Qusai ibn Kilab | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Teknonymic (Kunya) | Abu al-Qasim | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Epithet (Laqab) | Khātim an-Nâbîyīn (Seal of the prophets) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Muhammad was born in Mecca, Hejaz. In 610 AD, at the age of forty, while Muhammad was praying, he reportedly met Gabriel and received the first revelation of the Qur'an.
At first, Muhammad preached these revelations to his close friends and family. Then he started preaching monotheism publicly, and received opposition from Meccan polytheists. He was eventually forced to leave his hometown of Mecca. After reaching Medina with Abu Bakr, the Medinan Muslims helped Muhammad and built a mosque there.
Muhammad was born about 570 AD in Mecca.[4] His father, whose name was Abdullah, died six months before Muhammad's birth. His mother, Amina, died when he was six years old. After that, his grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib, took care of him, but he too died two years later when Muhammad was nine. After his grandfather's death, his uncle Abu Talib took care of him. When he was young, Muhammad accompanied his uncle on trade trips. Abu Talib remained a good support to him for many years of his adult life.
In 610 AD, when Muhammad was forty years old, he went for a walk to the mountain of Hira near Mecca. According to Muslims, the angel Gabriel (called Jibril in the Arabic language) spoke with him in a cave on the mountain. The story says that when Muhammad first saw the angel Gabriel, he fainted because Gabriel was so large. This is what Gabriel said to Muhammad:
"Read... in the name of Allah Who made man from a drop of blood... Allah is Most Rewarding... He Who taught man to write with pen... and taught man what he knew not."[5]
Muhammad went back home to his wife Khadijah and told her what had happened. New revelations came to him commanding him to preach what was being sent down from God. When Muhammad first started teaching, many of the people of Mecca, who worshipped idols, did not like the things that Muhammad said. But there were also people who listened to his preaching and obeyed his messages. These people were the first of the followers of Islam. Leaders of Mecca punished and tortured the followers of Islam. Some followers of Islam were executed. Muhammad resisted this and continued to teach Islam.
After Muhammad finished his work in Mecca, he took his message to Medina, where some people learned about him and his followers. They welcomed him into their city, and Muhammad wanted them to convert to Islam. They agreed, and many of his followers went to Medina. This movement from Mecca to Medina is called the Hijrah. The Hijra was also the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Muhammad stayed behind until all of his people left Mecca safely.
As Muhammad stayed in Mecca, his uncle Abu Lahab trained seven men to kill Muhammad in his sleep. According to history, they did not see him leave Mecca. The men went into his house and found his cousin, Ali. Abu Lahab and his horsemen went to the desert to look for him and his friend, Abu Bakr.
Muhammad and Abu Bakr arrived in Medina. Some people welcomed Muhammad to their homes. He used his camel to show everyone where he would build his house. The first mosque of Medina, a small place for prayer, was built in the back of this house.
The people in a strong Jewish tribe in Medina disagreed with Muhammad's teachings and rules. This tribe told their allies in Mecca to sell all the things and homes that Muslims of Mecca left behind. The Muslims and those from Mecca were advised to fight for their property. Muhammad told them not to do that.
Muslims were called all over Medina to gather at a mosque that Muhammad prayed in. They were told to fight against the people of Mecca who burned down their homes and stole their property.
The Quraysh pagans of Mecca heard about this, and they sent a larger army numbering 1000 warriors to fight the Muslims. They met in Badr, but the pagans were defeated and Abu Jahl, one of the pagan leaders, was also killed.
However, the Muslims lost the second battle at Uhud. One year after the fight at Badr, the army of Mecca had outside help. Muslim archers failed to listen to Muhammad's instructions and Khalid ibn al-Walid cleverly took advantage of that. Hamza, Muhammad's last uncle, was killed when a slave from Mecca threw a spear into his chest. Muhammad himself was injured.
Then in 627, Abu Sufyan led the Quraysh and its allies to attack Medina itself. However, they could not pass the trench that the Muslims had dug around Medina. After several weeks, the coalition broke up and went home. The Medinians were considered victors.
After the pagans of Mecca failed to gain control of Medina, the Muslims became stronger. The pagans then decided to sign a truce with the Muslims where they promised not to fight each other for ten years. The Muslims used this as a chance to talk to other people all over Arabia. In three years, many people changed their religions to Islam.
However, this truce did not last for long. After three years of the truce, a small group of horsemen from Mecca attacked a Muslim camp and killed a few of them. The Muslims in Medina heard of this, and the truce was cancelled. Abu Sufyan, the third leader of Mecca in Muhammad's lifetime, tried to resume the truce, but Muhammad politely refused the offer. Muhammad told his followers to be ready to capture Mecca. After Mecca was captured, they went on to capture the Torkan.
In 630, most people in Arabia had become Muslims, and they became part of Muhammad's large army to capture Mecca. The people of Mecca were afraid to fight back because the army was so big. Abu Sufyan, who was unhappy over the broken truce, went to Muhammad's camp outside Mecca to ask for forgiveness. Muhammad did not say that he would forgive him, so he returned home. While he was with Muhammad, he changed his religion to Islam by saying the Testimony (ash-Ashaada):
"I testify that there is no other god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
The next day, the Muslim army walked towards Mecca. Everyone ran to their homes and closed all doors and windows. They were afraid that the Muslims were going to kill them, because of the bad things they did to the Muslims many years ago. But, the Muslims went towards the Ka'aba, believed to be built by Abraham and his elder son, Ishmael. Bilal ibn Ribah, a former Ethiopian slave, shouted out loud to the people of Mecca that they were all safe: "All those who lay down arms are safe. All those in the house of Abu Sufyan are safe. All those behind closed doors are safe."
Abu Sufyan heard this in his home. From this, he learns that Muhammad forgave him. At that time, Muhammad and his followers removed and broke all idols from the Kaaba. The idols were statues that were worshiped as gods. Muhammad forgave all citizens of Mecca. In the end, Bilal climbed to the top of the Kaaba and called for prayer. This was Muhammad's victory in spreading Islam all over Arabia. But, because he was old, he would not live for long.
In 632 AD, on June 8, Muhammad became very sick. Before he died, he told his followers about his death. He is buried in the chamber of his wife Aisha in Medina, where the Masjid al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) is. In Medina, his friend Abu Bakr went to the Masjid al-Nabawi and shouted to the people:
"If any of you worship Muhammad, you should know that Muhammad is dead. But those of you who worship Allah(SWT) (God), let it be known that Allah(SWT) (God) is alive and cannot die."[6]
Although Muhammad died, Islam soon spread all over the Middle East. Then, centuries later, it continued till it reached Africa, Asia and Europe. Islam has become one of the biggest and fastest-growing religions in the world.
When Muslims say or write the name of Muhammad, they usually follow it with "Peace and Blessings be upon him" (Arabic: sall-Allahu `alayhi wa sallam). For example, "Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him)".[7] In printed matter, a calligraphic symbol is frequently used instead of printing the phrase.
Sunni Muslims believe that Abu Bakr succeeded Muhammad. Shias believe that Ali should have succeeded.
Muslims usually do not make or show images (like paintings or drawings) of Muhammad. For this reason, mosques do not contain paintings or sculptures of Muhammad. Instead, they use abstract art, architecture, and calligraphy for decoration.
The Qur'an does not say that Muslims must never make images of Muhammad. However, it does contain passages that forbid the creation of idols. The Hadith also includes passages that forbid Muslims from creating images of God. As a consequence, Muslims (especially Sunni Muslims) believe there should be no pictures of Muhammad. When people create images of Muhammad, some Muslims may view this as disrespectful, offensive, and emotionally injurious.
Much of knowledge about the Life of Muhammad is based on narrations. Lawrence Conrad examines the biography books written after the 100-150-year oral period,[8] and sees an 85-year time interval related to the date of birth of Muhammad that in these works. Conrad describes it as "the fluidity (evolutionary process) in the story".[9]
In 2005, a Danish newspaper published political cartoons of Muhammad. In the demonstrations that followed, more than 100 people died. Johan Galtung, a Norwegian mathematician and peace activist, tried to help both sides come together and talk. According to Galtung, the attacks against Danish institutions ended after the government invited talks.[10]
Main article: Charlie Hebdo shooting
In January 2015, several terrorists committed a series of coordinated attacks in Paris, France called the Charlie Hebdo attacks.
On 7 January 2015, Said and Chérif Kouachi burst into the editorial meeting of the magazine Charlie Hebdo with Kalashnikovs and began shooting. They killed five cartoonists, who called themselves Cabu, Charb, Honoré, Tignous and Wolinski; psychoanalyst Elsa Cayat; economist Bernard Maris; proof-reader Mustapha Ourrad; police officer Frank Brinsolaro, who was protecting Charb; caretaker Frédéric Boisseau; and Michel Renaud, founder of the Rendez-vous du Carnet de voyage festival; who was there as a guest. The Kouachi brothers also seriously wounded Riss, another cartoonist; journalists Philippe Lançon and Fabrice Nicolino; and webmaster Simon Fieschi.
As they left the building, the terrorists shouted: “We’ve avenged the prophet, Muhammad”. Shortly after, they killed policeman Ahmed Merabet while he lay on the pavement wounded and begging for mercy.
Two days later, 32-year-old Amedy Coulibaly took a number of hostages in a supermarket in Paris. Four were killed: Yohan Cohen, 20, who worked at the supermarket; Philippe Braham, 45, a business manager for an IT firm; Yoav Hattab, 21, a student and the youngest supermarket victim; Francois-Michel Saada, 64, a former pension fund manager. Prosecutors in Paris also linked Coulibaly to the 7 January shooting of a 32-year-old jogger in a park in south-west Paris. The jogger survived.
The killing of 27-year-old policewoman Clarissa Jean-Philippe has also been officially linked to the Charlie Hebdo attacks. The killing took place in in the suburb of Montrouge outside Paris.
A list of his wives' names in chronological order
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