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Born following the death of his father, Muhammad, as per the Arab custom, was unable to inherit anything, thus he was prepared for a life of poverty.
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The beloved daughter of Muhammad and Kadijah. Upon her mother's death, Fatima takes on the role of the protector and guardian of Muhammad. She laters Marries Ali, and gives Muhammad his only descendants.
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During meditation in a cave named Hira, Muhammad is visited by the angel Gabriel and is told, "You are the messenger of God." The angel asks him to recite, to which Muhammad replies that he cannot read. The angel was persisted and seized Muhammed and says, "Proclaim! In the name of thy Lord and CHerisher, Who created man, out of a clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is most bountiful, Who taught the pen, taught man that which he knew not. (Qur'an 96:1-5)
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During Muhammad's life, he continued to recieve messages from Garbriel every so often while he meditated.
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Over an aproximate 20 year time-span, Islam becomes rooted. Alliance gradually built up, thus making Muhammad the strongest man of influance in a fast growing Muslim Nation. He insists that those wanting association with him, become Muslims.
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Muhammad gains followers who hang on his every word. The young men became known as Muslims. Sometime mistreated by the merchants of Mecca, Muhammad and his followers held fast to their beliefs.
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To escape the boycott thrusted upon Mecca to not trade with the Muslims, 8 leave for Ethiopia More flee over the next few years.
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Muhammad took a spiritual and physical journey, during one single night (circa 621). He travels on the back of a horse named Buraq to the "furthest mosque". Muhammad leads other muslims in prayer. According to the Qur'an and the Hadith, Muhammad ascends to heaven and speaks directly to God. During this conversation, God revels the details of the salat prayer. Muhammad brings these instructions back to the faithful.
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Following what he professed to be an angelic aspiritions which revelled to him, the words of Allah, Muhammad dictated the Qur'an (the holy book of Islam).
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After years of mistreatment from the merchants of Mecca, Muhammad joins approximately 70 of his followers in Medina. Hijra, or emmigration from one's place of living to another, which is the era on which the Islamic, is established as the base of Islam.
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Following Muhammad's move to Medina, the number of his followers grow. Several clashes with the Muslims and the merchants of Mecca precided this date, however Muhammad lead this attack himself. With a force of over 300 men, they defeated a band of over 800 Meccans, thus delivering a serious blow to the ego of the powers that be in Mecca. The Muslims firmly believe that God is protecting them.
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The Arabs of Mecca attack Medina, causing many to flee to the hills. Although this skermish was considereda win for the Muslims as the Meccans retreated, many began to doubt their protection of God.
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Muhammad's forces trick the Meccans and their allies by digging a vast trench and the central area of Medina. Faith in God and Muhammad teachings are regained.
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Following a criticism of the treay, Muhammad and ten thousand men enter Mecca, and conquer the city. Ka'ba is cleansed and the pilramage rites of those coming to Mecca are Islamicized. The tribes of the Arab world vow allegence to Muhammad.
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At his death Muhammad had 9 wives and 1 concubine. His life was reverred by the Muslims. Polictically he supplied the fundations necessary to complete these achievemnts, through these marraiges and cement unity with the Arab tribes.
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Upon Muhammad's death, his followers chose the kalifa (successor in Arabic). Abu Bakr, Muhammad's father-in-law and close friend, was chosen over Ali, his cousin and son-in-law. Abu Bakr becomes the first of 4 caliphs (political, religious leader "kalifa').
Noted acheivements:
-realizes need to expand Islam
-declares Jahad agaist Byzantine Christians but dies prior to carrying this out -
Islamic religious leaders chosen upon the deaths of their sucessors.
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Developed during the reign of Abu Bakr, then subsequently Umar, the "path and the way" of Islam (Shari'ah Law). This law covers many fascets of the culture of Islam including crime, politics, secular laws, intercourse, diet, prayer, hygeine, fasting and the over all expected daily behavior of Muslims.
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Umar (father-in-law) chosen as second caliph. He added "commader to the Faithful" as a title for caliphs. He lead many victories and greatly expanded Islam. Noted Acheivements:
-added Commander of the Faitful as title for caliphs
-expand Islam through a series of victories against Muslim opposition
-institutes "religious tolerance"
-creates tax, the kharaj, for landowners and farmers
- creates tax, the jizya, for non-muslims to pay in return for the freedon to practice their own religions. -
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The expansion of Islam under Umar's leadership continues.
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This ends the Christian rule in Egypt to this day.
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Christian Persia was not convinced that Islam was the way to go, A Persian Christian assasinates Umar.
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A rich man from the Umayyad family, was chosen as Umar's sucessor. THis displeased the Muslims. Althugh he continued to expand Islam, he was considered by Muslims to be frivolous and bias toward his own family and friend, chosing them for high positions and depleating the treasury of Islam.
Notes Accomplishments:
-created a simple text of the Qur'an -
A group of Muslims who were against Uthman, believing him to be frivolous and of tampering with the words of the Qur'an, resulted in a civil war were Muslims fought Muslims over the chosing of the 4th and last of the caliths. Ali and Mu'aiya were the 2 men at the head of this conflict.
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The civil war comes to an end after the assasination of Ali. Mu'awiya declares himself caliph.
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Triumphant for Muhammad and his followers, this treaty lead to the conversion of hundred of Meccans and nomads to the belief in the God of the Muslims.
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There are now 2 sects of Islam, the Sunni and the Shia Islam.
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Following the trip to Seria, after a sucessful bussiness acomplishment, Khadija asks Muhammed to marry her. From this point on Muhammad was a wealthy man. Khadija was the first person to convert to Islam and known as the mother of Islam.
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