The formative history of Islam - CCEAThe life and career of Muhammad

The Prophet Muhammad is the founder of Islam.

Muhammad was born in 570CE in Makkah (Mecca), which is now in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad’s father died before he was born, and his mother passed away when he was six years old.

As a young man, Muhammad was very concerned about the safety and well-being of strangers in Makkah. He became a founding member of a group to protect these people in society.

Muhammad became a trader when he was older, he was known as al-Amin (meaning ‘the trustworthy one’) because of his honest nature.

The people in Makkah at the time were polytheists. Muhammad felt that Makkah should be a holy place, and he often spent his time in prayer or fasting. He thought that the people did not truly live their faith in their everyday lives as they treated others badly and lived immorally. He became very interested in the lives of those who were members of the monotheistic religions of Judaism and Christianity.

At the time of Muhammad, the Ka’bah was very important as it held more than 350 idols. People came to Makkah as pilgrims and to trade.

Their gods included:

• Allah (the God)
• Allat (the wife of Allah)
• The three daughters of Allah – al-Lat (the Sun), al-Uzza (Venus, the planet) and Manat (Fate).