PROPHET MUHAMMAD
The prophet Muhammad was a man with a mission—to tell people about God. His teachings founded a new religion, Islam. The followers of Muhammad and Islam are called Muslims. Today, Islam is one of the world's largest religions, with almost 1 billion followers.
THE TRUSTED ONE
Muhammad was born about ad 570 in Mecca, a trading center in
Arabia (now Saudi Arabia). Because he was thoughtful and serious by nature, he
was called al-Amin. This means “the trusted one” in the Arabic language.
Muhammad worked as a merchant, traveling long distances to trade.
THE PROPHET
On his travels, Muhammad met
people from many faiths and discussed religious ideas with them. He also took
time away from busy, noisy Mecca, to pray and meditate (think deeply) in
a cave. While he was there, he experienced religious visions, or revelations. He
came to believe he had been chosen as a prophet to preach God’s message to the
world.
ONE GOD
Muhammad spoke to the people of
Mecca. He told them to destroy their old idols and worship Allah, the one true
God. He said God was all-powerful, but loving and merciful. He said that God had
sent earlier prophets, such as Moses and Jesus, but that now there wouldn’t be
any more.
Muhammad’s preaching won converts
but also made enemies. In ad 622
he fled from Mecca to a distant city, Medina, and set up a Muslim community
there. After years of fighting, the Muslims from Medina conquered Mecca. Its
citizens became Muslims. Quickly, Islam spread through Arabia and beyond.
THE MUSLIM WAY OF LIFE
Muhammad taught Muslims to pray five
times a day, give to charity, fast during the month of Ramadan, and go on
pilgrimages to Mecca. He told them that all Muslims were equal, whatever their
race, class, or color. He said they should live at peace with Jews and
Christians because they worshiped the same God.
Muhammad died in ad 632. To guide believers, his
revelations were written down in the Qur’an. Muslims believe it is the word of
God. Muhammad’s own words were treasured as Hadith (“sayings”), and his way of
life was honored as Sunna (“good example”).
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