Islamic Origins in Arabia

• Islam originated in the Arabian Peninsula, a central location connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia.
• While the southern region of the peninsula enjoys some fertile land, most of it is harsh desert.

Bedouin Clans

• Bedouins, nomadic peoples, lived in clans for security and community in the harsh desert environment.
• Bedouin values, including courage, family loyalty, and warrior skills, were integrated into the Islamic way of life.

Market Towns

• Many nomads settled in market towns located near fertile land.
• Larger market towns along the west coast developed into significant trade centers.

Trade Routes

• By the 600s, Arabian trade routes were linked to major global routes.
• The Arabian Peninsula was strategically important for traders on the Silk Roads and in the Mediterranean.

Goods and Information

• Merchants transported spices and incense westward using camels to traverse the desert.
• They also facilitated the exchange of information and ideas with the outside world.

One God

• Mecca held importance as a religious site, drawing diverse religious pilgrims to the Ka'aba, an ancient shrine.

Mixed Environment

• The Arabian Peninsula had a diverse religious landscape, including Christians, Jews, and others practicing monotheism.
• Muhammad was born around AD 570 into this environment.

Orphaned

• Muhammad, although from a powerful Meccan family, was orphaned at age six.
• With little formal schooling, he became involved in the caravan trade as a young man.

Partners

• At 25, Muhammad began working for Khadijah, a wealthy businesswoman, as a trader and business manager.
• They later married.

Gabriel Speaks

• Muhammad, while meditating in a cave near Mecca at age 40, had a vision and believed he heard the voice of the angel Gabriel.
• Gabriel told Muhammad that he was a messenger of Allah.

One and Only God

• Muhammad believed the voice he heard and regarded himself as the final prophet of God.
• He started preaching that Allah was the only God and that all other gods should be abandoned.

First Followers

• Those who agreed to the fundamental principle of Islam became known as Muslims.
• In Arabic, Islam signifies "submission to the will of Allah," and Muslim means "one who has submitted."
• Muhammad's wife, friends, and relatives were among his initial followers.

Fear and Hostility

• By 613, Muhammad started preaching in Mecca but faced hostility.
• Many Meccans feared his ideas would lead to the neglect of traditional Arab gods.
• They worried Mecca would lose its status as a pilgrimage center.

Journey to Yathrib

• Hostility towards Muslims caused Muhammad to leave his home in 622.
• He and his followers migrated 200 miles to Yathrib, which was later renamed Medina.

Journey to Yathrib

• This migration, known as the Hijrah, resulted in substantial growth in the number of Islam followers.
• During the journey, Muhammad preached to people they encountered along the way.
• Some abandoned their lives to join his religious community.

Religious, Political, & Military Leader

• In Medina, Muhammad's role expanded beyond religious leader.
• He became a politician who brokered peace between the Arab and Jewish populations.
• He later became a military leader as conflict arose between Medina and Mecca.