The Prophet Muhammad (HSC SSCE Studies of Religion): Revision Notes
The Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad's birth and early life
Muhammad was born around 570 CE in Mecca, a major trading town on the Arabian Peninsula. He belonged to the Quraysh tribe, which was the dominant tribe in Mecca and held responsibility for maintaining the Ka'ba, a sacred shrine.
Muhammad's early life was marked by loss and hardship. His father died before he was born, and his mother passed away when he was only six years old. Following his mother's death, Muhammad was cared for first by his grandfather, and later by his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Talib would become an important protector for Muhammad in later life.
Key definitions:
- Prophet: An inspired teacher and guide sent by God to deliver messages from heaven
- Ka'ba: A sacred shrine in Mecca that would later become the holiest site in Islam
Early working life
As soon as he was old enough, Muhammad began earning a living. Like many others in Mecca, he started as a shepherd before becoming a trader on the caravans. These caravans were camel trains that transported goods across Arabia.
Muhammad did not learn to read or write, which was common at the time. Despite this, he quickly gained a reputation for being exceptionally honest and trustworthy. He earned the nickname "al-amin", meaning "the trustworthy", and people often asked him to settle disputes because of his fair character.
Key term:
- Caravans: Groups of travellers journeying together on camels for trade
Marriage to Khadijah
Muhammad worked for a wealthy widow named Khadijah, who owned a trading caravan. Impressed by his skills, honesty, and character, Khadijah proposed marriage to Muhammad when he was 25 years old. She was approximately 40 at the time. Muhammad accepted, and while Khadijah lived, he took no other wives.
Their most significant child was Fatima, who would go on to establish a lineage of the Prophet. This lineage plays an important role in Islamic history, particularly in the division between Sunni and Shi'a Islam.
The prophetic mission begins
The first revelation
Muhammad had a habit of leaving Mecca to meditate and reflect in the nearby mountains. In 610 CE, at the age of 40, a life-changing experience occurred while he was contemplating in a cave.
Muslims believe that the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad during this meditation. The angel commanded Muhammad to read three times. Each time, Muhammad replied, "I do not know what to read." The angel then recited the first five verses that would become part of the Qur'an.
Muhammad was frightened by this experience. He rushed home to Khadijah, worried that he might be losing his mind. Khadijah reassured him, suggesting that God would not forsake him because of his good character and reputation.
Key term:
- Angel: From the Greek word "angelos", meaning messenger; thought to be made of light and sent by God to deliver messages to prophets
Understanding Muhammad's prophetic role
Muslims recognise many figures as prophets. They believe Adam was the first prophet (Qur'an 2:37) and also accept biblical prophets including Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus as prophets of Islam. The Qur'an mentions 25 prophets by name. However, Muhammad holds a special position: he is called the "seal of the prophets", meaning he is the last prophet and completes the prophetic tradition.
The Qur'an (meaning "recitation") is a collection of messages revealed to Muhammad by God (Allah) through the Archangel Gabriel. Muhammad was given the responsibility of conveying this message to all humanity. Muslims see Muhammad as a normal human being, though one with exceptional character and spiritual depth. They view the Qur'an itself as the great miracle of their faith.
Muslims believe the Qur'an was revealed by God to perfect and complete earlier revelations, such as the Torah (revealed to Moses) and the Gospels or Injil in Arabic (revealed to Jesus). They regard the Qur'an as the highest and most authentic authority. Muhammad is therefore set apart from other people because he was the instrument through which a new and final revelation from God was conveyed.
Early teaching and persecution
For three years after the first revelation, Muhammad continued to receive messages from God. He began teaching these messages quietly to those closest to him—his family and close friends.
Muhammad's core message was strictly monotheistic: there is only one God, Allah, and only God should be worshipped. He also emphasised the importance of piety, prayer, good works, and the essential equality of all humans.
After three years, Muhammad began teaching the people of Mecca more widely. At first, only a few listened. The problem was that the Meccans were polytheists who worshipped many gods. Leading figures in Mecca saw Muhammad's monotheistic message as a threat to their religious practices and economic interests (the Ka'ba housed idols of many gods and attracted pilgrims).
The Meccan leaders began to oppose Muhammad actively. They persecuted his followers whenever possible and made life extremely difficult for Muhammad himself. If Muhammad had not been protected by his uncle Abu Talib and his clan, he might have been killed. Despite this protection, several of Muhammad's followers were persecuted and killed.
Exam tip: When discussing the persecution of early Muslims, examiners look for understanding of both religious and economic reasons for opposition. The Meccan leaders felt threatened by monotheism, which challenged their polytheistic practices and the profitable pilgrimage trade centred on the Ka'ba's many idols.
The Hijra: migration to Medina
After 12 years of teaching and preaching in Mecca, with persecution increasing, Muhammad and his followers needed to flee to find safety and protection elsewhere.
Move to Yathrib
Fortunately, a town called Yathrib, located about 450 kilometres north of Mecca, welcomed Muhammad and his followers. Yathrib was experiencing serious internal problems. Different tribes in the town fought constantly with each other, and there was also a sizeable Jewish community. The people of Yathrib had heard about Muhammad's ability to make peace and settle disputes fairly.
Many people in Yathrib liked Muhammad's teachings about peace. Some even converted to Islam before Muhammad arrived. Once an agreement was reached with the Muslims of Yathrib, Muhammad instructed his Meccan followers to migrate to this town. Muhammad himself was the last to leave Mecca in 622 CE.
Significance of the Hijra
The migration from Mecca to Yathrib is called the Hijra (migration). This event marks a crucial turning point in Islamic history. From this time onward, Muslims shifted from being a small, persecuted group in Mecca to becoming a powerful religious and political force in Arabia.
Key term:
- Hijra: The year Muhammad left Mecca (622 CE); this date became the first year of the Muslim calendar
The year of the Hijra was later established as the beginning of the Muslim lunar calendar. In Western texts, the term A.H. (Anno Hijra) is sometimes used to indicate the Muslim year.
Life in Medina
Establishing the Muslim community
In Yathrib, Muhammad and his followers established the first organised Muslim community. The town's name was changed to Medina (short for "Madinat al-Nabiy"), which means "city of the prophet".
Muhammad assumed leadership of both the Muslim community and the entire city population. He introduced laws carefully to ensure fairness and stability. Beyond religious leadership, Muhammad carried out a social revolution that would soon spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula. He became not only a religious leader but also a skilled statesman and political leader.
Further marriages
After Khadijah died around 619 CE (while still in Mecca), Muhammad married several other women. Some of these marriages were based on love, while others served to secure alliances with powerful tribes, strengthening the Muslim community. Some marriages also provided care and support for women who had no other means of support.
Conflict with Mecca
When Muhammad settled in Medina, his teaching continued to spread, and the number of his followers increased. The Meccans were unhappy that Muslims now had a safe refuge. They were also concerned because Muslims were in a position to block important northern trade routes.
Several battles took place between the Muslims and their opponents from Mecca:
- Battle of Badr (624 CE): The first and one of the most significant battles. Muhammad and the Medinans successfully repelled Meccan forces.
- Subsequent battles: After 624 CE, several more conflicts occurred, with the Medinans usually prevailing over the Meccans.
- Truce (628 CE): A peace agreement was negotiated, permitting Muhammad and his followers to make a pilgrimage to the Ka'ba.
Return to Mecca
In 630 CE, after the Meccans broke the treaty, Muhammad marched with his forces toward Mecca but waited outside the city. The Meccans feared they would be destroyed in revenge.
However, Muhammad did not seek bloody vengeance. Instead, he declared a general amnesty, forgiving the Meccans for their past persecution. His primary focus was the idols placed in the Ka'ba.
Muhammad rode his camel to the Ka'ba, dismounted, and ordered the destruction of all the idols. From this point forward, the Ka'ba would be used exclusively for worshipping the One God, Allah, without statues or idols. Most of the people of Mecca converted to Islam shortly after this event.
Although Muhammad made his home in Medina, Mecca remained the holiest place in Islam. The Ka'ba became the focal point toward which Muslims pray.
Final years and death
Shortly before his death, Muhammad received a final series of revelations from Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. These messages stressed that Allah's revelation to humanity had been completed and that the Qur'an was God's final message to humanity.
Muhammad completed one last pilgrimage to Mecca before his death. This became known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. In 632 CE, at the age of 63, Muhammad died.
After Muhammad's death, Islam continued to spread from the Arabian Peninsula throughout the world, eventually becoming one of the major world religions.
Muhammad as role model for Muslim life
The life of Muhammad as the prophet of Allah is well documented through several sources:
- Sections of the Qur'an
- The Hadith (a collection of his sayings and actions compiled after his death)
- Biographies written after his death
These sources present Muhammad as a man who was extremely honest, caring and loving, and a very careful administrator of the early Muslim community. In Islamic texts, Muhammad stands out as the model of ideal personhood for Muslims.
He is renowned as a quintessential Muslim who remained faithful to Allah despite facing tremendous struggles and persecution. His life demonstrates complete submission to God's will. Therefore, Muhammad becomes a model of life and submission to Allah for all Muslims to follow.
Exam guidance: When evaluating Muhammad's significance, consider both his religious role (receiving and transmitting God's final revelation) and his practical achievements (uniting tribes, establishing laws, creating a lasting community). Strong answers will analyse how these two aspects reinforced each other.
Remember!
- Muhammad was born around 570 CE in Mecca and became the final prophet of Islam, known as the "seal of the prophets"
- At age 40 (610 CE), Muhammad received his first revelation from the Archangel Gabriel in a cave, marking the beginning of his prophetic mission
- The Hijra (migration) to Medina in 622 CE was a turning point that transformed Muslims from a persecuted minority into a powerful religious and political community
- Muhammad returned to Mecca in 630 CE, cleansed the Ka'ba of idols, and established it as the centre of Islamic monotheistic worship
- Muhammad died in 632 CE after completing the Farewell Pilgrimage, having successfully united much of Arabia under Islam
- Muslims view Muhammad as the ideal role model for how to live as a faithful servant of Allah, as documented in the Qur'an and Hadith
Key terms to remember: Prophet, Hijra (622 CE), Qur'an, Angel Gabriel, Ka'ba, Medina, Caliph, Hadith