Muhammad and the birth of Islam

• Arabia

  Arid region with a desert that is among the driest in the world
• Arabian Peninsula

  • Greenness can be found in peripheral spaces like Yemen, Oman, and Hedjaz
  • Human activity is very limited, mostly consisting in long distance trade
  • Cities were scarce, even if there were some in Hedjaz and Yemen
• Sarakênoi

  Greek word meaning "who lived in a tent" (= Nomads in the desert)
• Writing did not really develop in the Arabian Peninsula, leading to a lack of local sources
• Jahiliyya

  Time period described as "ignorance" with Arabia full of scoundrels, drunkards, and polytheists
• Arabs

  Populated the Arabian Peninsula, with identities mostly lying upon language as they were all speaking Arabic-related idioms/dialects
• Arabia was never unified by a unique political power, mostly divided between rival kingdoms
• Polytheism

  Common in pre-Islamic Arabia, with gods like Shams (the Sun) and Al-Llah (the God) having temples in Mekka
• Judaism and Christianity also developed in Arabian societies, with influence on the formulation of Islam
• Muhammad

  Born around 570 in Mekka, belonged to the tribe of Quraysh, married a widowed wife named Khadija
• Muhammad's life turning point

  1. In 610, heard the voice of archangel Gabriel telling him to "recite" the words of God ("Quran" means recitation)

  2. Began to spread his message, giving foundation to a new religion known as Islam (= "submission" to God)
• Fundamental practices and beliefs of Islam

  • The unicity of God, with Muhammad as his messenger (sahada)
  • Prayers, five times a day (salat)
  • Almsgiving (zakat) (=Aumônes)
  • Fasting (sawm)
  • Pilgrimage (Hagg)
• Muhammad's life after initial hostility

  1. Decided to leave Mekka in 622 with his companions, to settle in the oasis of Yathrib (Modern-day Medina)

  2. Kept receiving the word of God, precising the beliefs of Islam as well as its liturgy

  3. Affirmed the difference of Islam and Judaism

  4. Gained prestige and became a credible statesman

  5. Worked to spread his religion in Arabia, using mostly diplomacy
• Muhammad died in 632, soon after achieving another pilgrimage, and his power passed to a "lieutenant" (Khalifa), Abu Bakr
• Sunna

  The sacred texts of Islam, including the Quran and the Hadith (Muhammad's recorded words and actions)
• Quran

  A book of 114 chapters, each of them being constituted by verses, transmitted by teachings and hearings after Muhammad's death
• Compilation of the Quran

  The first caliphs gathered all of the written fragments of revelation, selected those considered authentic, and arranged them in suras
• Hadith

  The corpus of the recorded words and actions, as well as the silent approval, of Muhammad, used to define norms
• Hadith

  • Constituted by a chain of transmission "isnad" and the fact/saying itself "matn"
  • Among the most renowned collections are the Sahih of Al-Buhari, the one of Muslim and the Mutawatta of Malik b. Anas