Islam Religion originated in Arabia. It was started by Prophet Mohammed in the 7 century. By language and culture, Prophet Mohammed was an Arab. His family profession was trade. The Arabs lived in different tribal groups at that time. Each tribe had a tribal head. The heads were chosen on the basis of courage, intelligence, generosity and family relations.
Mohammed was born and brought up in the Quraysh tribe. There was a temple called Kaaba in Mecca. In that, there was a Black Stone and many other idols. The Kaaba temple was in the control of the Quraysh tribe. Even the tribes outside Mecca considered Kaaba a holy temple and placed their own idols here. Mecca is situated on a trade route between Yemen and Syria.
This increased the importance of Mecca. The temple in Mecca was a holy place. Their violence was prohibited. All visitors were given protection. Therefore Mecca was known as a holy city. Mohammed, the founder of Islam, propagated belief in one God and membership in one community (Umma). It was from here that Islam originated.
In 612 AD Mohammed declared that he was the Prophet of God. He formulated a religion which was based on monotheism. He declared that he was asked by God to propagate the worship of only one God. The goal of Prophet Mohammed was establishing a community of believers. This community has to testify its. existence before God and also other religious communities.
The message of Prophet Mohammed attracted the people of Mecca. They had thought that they had lost the advantages, of religion and trade and they were waiting for a new identity. The people who accepted the principles enunciated by Prophet Mohammed were known as Muslims.
They were promised heaven on the Day of Judgment and part of the wealth of the community during their earthly life. Soon the Muslims faced opposition from the nobles of Mecca. The denial of their gods by the Muslims made them worried. They looked at the new religion as a threat to the dignity and progress of Mecca. So they tried to persecute the followers of Mohammed and to kill Mohammed himself.
In 622AD Mohammed and his followers fled Mecca to Medina. This incident is known as ‘Hijra’ and it was a turning point in the history of Islam. A new Muslim calendar was started in the year in which Mohammed reached Medina (622).
The survival of a religion depends on the survival of its followers. The community of the believers should be coordinated internally and it should be protected from external dangers. For such coordination and protection, some political institution like the nation or government is needed. These political institutions can be formed from three sources; a. from the past (traditional), b. borrowing from outside and c. make something new.
Mohammed became the ruler and religious head of Medina and he established a strong administration. With this Islam became stronger. In 630 AD he conquered Mecca. With this, Prophet Mohammed’s prestige spread everywhere as a ruler as well as a religious head. Since Islam started in the difficult circumstances of a desert land, Arabs gave a lot of importance to power and unity.
