The Islamic Religion – Its Belief System, the Beginning, and Founder of Islam
Islam is a religion that believes that it had completed the long procedural chain of guidance from Allah to its own humanity. The religion shares the history and basic common values, along with the Abrahamic religions. This religion gives a basic principle to the belief and faith system - the belief in one God, the righteous living system, and the faith in their own afterlife.
In this context, we are going to study the beginning of Islam. Portraying which we will priorly know about the life of Muhammad, who is the founder of Islam.
Islamic Religion – Who is a Muslim?
Islam is the faith system and in a comprehensive manner it reflects life which literally means ‘peace through the submission to the God or Allah.’ This religion clearly displays a much clearer understanding of a person’s relationship with the Almighty or God, their main purpose in life, and their ultimate destiny in this mortal life.
A Muslim can be anyone who readily adopts the Islamic way of lifestyle by believing that there is the oneness of God and recites the good wishes for Muhammad, about his prophethood that peace rests upon him. In today's century, Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world and this is practiced by more than 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide.
Life of Muhammad
Muhammad’s childhood was tragic, he was orphaned at the age of 6. Muhammad then was saved from a life of slavery by his uncle who later gave him a job in his own successful caravan business. He was then married to a successful businesswoman in her own way, this time Muhammad witnessed first-hand how the families of the Quraysh lived here.
He witnessed that the families were arrogant, reckless, niggardly, and egotistical, believed only in wealth and riches, and took no responsibility for the people outside their own immediate or elite circle, in the short they lacked basic human morality.
Muhammad viewed this as a declining issue in his own tribal existence. All this forced him to take the path of social reform which had to be based on a new spiritual phase, which happened much before his own revelations, in that time, Muhammad had no idea that his destiny would be to implement and change these social reforms via spiritual guidance.
Creator of Islam Religion
Muhammad was a very religious person, occasionally while taking journeys of devotion to the sacred sites near the pilgrimage of Mecca he used to sit and meditate for hours long. All these attributes led him to be the founder of Islam.
In one of his pilgrimages in 610, Muhammad was meditating in a cave on Mount Jabal aI-Nour, where the Angel Gabriel appeared in front of him and recited the words of God: “Recite in the name of your Lord Who creates, creates man from a clot! Recite for your lord is most generous….” – These quoted words later became the opening verses of the sūrah (chapter) 96 of their religious book - Qur'an.
Death of Prophet Muhammad
After the completion of conflict with Mecca got finally wrapped up and settled, Muhammad took his very first and true Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and in March, of the year 632, he delivered his last sermon at Mount Arafat.
On his return to Medina to his wife’s home, he suffered from illness for a couple of days. Later he died on 8th June in the year 632, he was aged 62 at the time of his death. He was buried at al-Masjid an-Nabawi (known as the Mosque of the Prophet) one of the first mosques that were built by the same Muhammad in Medina.
The life of the Prophet was truly spiritual. It seemed his life was totally destined by Allah. He came to this mortal land for the purpose of revelation, for guiding his own tribe on the path of humanity. After his death, following the Islamic religion which is growing in today’s world far and wide.
More about Mohammad
Muhammad was born in Mecca in the year 570 AD. He was born in the holy city of Mecca and is believed by the Islamic people that it was either on the 12th or 17th day of Rabi al- Awal.
Prophet Muhammad was a descendant of the Prophet Ismail (AS). Prophet Ismail is most known for his story which illustrates why we give Qurbani every year. Between these two Prophets, there is roughly a 2,679 years gap.
The Prophet’s father, named Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, died even before Muhammad was born. He was then sent to live with a milk mother in a deserted area. As the tradition during that time, he was nursed by Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb who was from the Banu Sa’ad tribe.
Muhammad reunited with his own mother named, Aminah bint Wahb when he was at the age of six, but she died just after a year in the year 577 AD.
Muhammad was known as ‘The Trustworthy’ in Medina. He had earned this reputation which meant
someone who was honest and could be trusted by the mass, especially by the Jewish population, and he was highly respected by everyone in Medina.
Muhammad married his First Wife, named Sayyida Khadija, whose age was 25. She was Prophet’s only wife for 25 long years before her death in the year 619 AD, the same year as Muhammad’s uncle had died, hence this year was known as the year of sorrows.
The Prophet took on household chores in his married life. According to various scholars, Muhammad would take up household chores like sweeping the floor, repairing the old clothes, and doing the shopping for the household.
The Angel Jibreel First Appeared in front of Muhammad in the year 610 AD
It was in the year 610 AD when the Angel Jibreel had first appeared to the Prophet (PBUH) in the Cave of Hira, where he shared the first revelations of the Qur’an. During this point, Muhammad became a prophet of Allah and he began to gather followers in privacy in Mecca. He began spreading the message of Islam publicly after three years in the year 613 AD.
Muhammad never believed in eating alone. He would always go himself to invite others over to dine with him. He considered eating together to be Sunnah and thus the prophet himself advised others against the norm of eating alone when there is an opportunity to eat with another person.
The saying of the Prophet is quoted likewise “When a food possesses four qualities it becomes perfect: being halal, eating it with other people, having started with the name of God, and having ended with the praise of God.”
Conclusion
Thus, in this article, we have gained knowledge about the Islam religion and the background of how it began as well as about the founder of Islam. It is believed to have begun in the Seventh century with Prophet Mohammad. After this, the disciples of Mohammad as well as he himself spread the religion and its values in the Arabian peninsula, and in today’s world, it is considered the fastest growing religion in the world.
FAQs on Beginning of Islam
1. When and how did the religion of Islam begin?
Islam originated in the 7th century CE on the Arabian Peninsula. It began with the divine revelations received by Prophet Muhammad starting around 610 CE in the city of Mecca. According to Islamic belief, these messages were delivered by the angel Gabriel. Prophet Muhammad's teachings of monotheism (belief in one God, Allah) were met with resistance in polytheistic Mecca, leading to his migration to the city of Medina in 622 CE. This event, known as the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar and the establishment of the first Muslim community (ummah).
2. What are the Five Pillars of Islam, which form the core of its teachings?
The Five Pillars of Islam are the fundamental practices that all Muslims are obligated to follow. They provide a framework for a Muslim's life, focusing on submission to God and discipline. The five pillars are:
Shahada: The declaration of faith, stating that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.
Salat: The ritual prayer performed five times a day while facing the Kaaba in Mecca.
Zakat: The practice of charitable giving, where Muslims donate a portion of their wealth to the needy.
Sawm: The act of fasting from dawn to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan.
Hajj: The pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, which every able-bodied Muslim must undertake at least once in their lifetime.
3. Who wrote the Holy Quran?
Muslims believe the Quran is the literal word of God (Allah), not written by any human. It was revealed orally to Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over approximately 23 years. The Prophet himself was believed to be illiterate and did not write down the revelations. Instead, he recited them to his companions, who memorised them and recorded them on various materials like palm leaves, stones, and parchment. After the Prophet's death in 632 CE, these scattered revelations were meticulously collected and compiled into the book form known today as the Quran.
4. What was the religious environment of the Arabian Peninsula before Islam?
Before the advent of Islam, the Arabian Peninsula was religiously diverse. The dominant belief system was polytheism, where people worshipped numerous gods and goddesses, with their idols housed in the Kaaba in Mecca, making it a major pilgrimage site. Alongside this, there were significant communities of Christians and Jews, particularly in the northern and southern regions of the peninsula. Zoroastrianism also had a presence. This rich and varied religious landscape formed the context into which Prophet Muhammad introduced the monotheistic message of Islam.
5. Why was Mecca an important city even before the rise of Islam?
Mecca's importance before Islam was twofold. Firstly, it was a vital center for trade and commerce. Its strategic location at the crossroads of major caravan routes connected the Mediterranean world with the Indian Ocean, making it a bustling hub for merchants. Secondly, it was the most significant religious pilgrimage site in Arabia. It housed the Kaaba, a sacred shrine containing hundreds of idols worshipped by various Arab tribes, which attracted pilgrims from across the peninsula, further boosting its economic and cultural status.
6. What is the historical significance of the Hijra in the story of Islam?
The Hijra, the migration of Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, is a pivotal event in Islamic history. Its significance goes beyond being a simple journey. It marks the transition from a period of persecution in Mecca to the establishment of the first organised and independent Muslim community, or ummah, in Medina. This event was so foundational that it was chosen to mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar (Hijri calendar), symbolising the birth of the Islamic state.
7. How does the origin of Islam compare in time with Judaism and Christianity?
Islam is the youngest of the three major Abrahamic religions. Judaism is the oldest, with its origins tracing back thousands of years. Christianity began in the 1st century CE, emerging from Second Temple Judaism. Islam originated in the 7th century CE. While distinct, all three religions are connected as they trace their spiritual lineage back to the prophet Abraham (known as Ibrahim in Islam), and they all share a core belief in one God.
8. What were the key challenges Prophet Muhammad faced while preaching in Mecca?
Prophet Muhammad faced several major challenges in Mecca. His message of monotheism directly threatened the polytheistic beliefs and traditions of the powerful Quraysh tribe, who controlled the city. This challenge was not just religious but also economic, as the tribe's wealth and influence were heavily tied to the pilgrimages to the Kaaba's idols. Consequently, he and his small group of followers faced verbal ridicule, social boycott, and physical persecution, which ultimately led to the strategic migration (Hijra) to Medina.
