Muhammad And The Beginnings Of Islam :: History Historical Islam Islamic muslim

Muhammad And The Beginnings Of Islam Muhammad, whose full name was Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibnAbd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim, was born in Mecca around 570 AD aft(prenominal) thedeath of his father, Abd Allah. Muhammad was at first under the divvy upof his paternal granddaddy, Abd al-Muttalib. Because the climate ofMecca was considered to be unhealthful, he was given as an infant to awet toy with from a nomadic tribe and spent some time in the desert. Atsix, he lost his mother, Aminah of the clan of Zuhra, and at eight hisgrandfather. Though his grandfather had been head of the prestigiousHashem clan and was prominent in Mecca politics, he was probably not theleading man in Mecca as some sources suggest. Muhammad came under thecare of the new head of the clan, his uncle Abu Talib, and is reputed tohave accompanied him on trading journeys to Syria. About 595, on such ajourney, he was in charge of the merchandise of a rich woman, Khadijahof the clan of Asad, and so impressed her that she offered trades union. She is said to have been about 40, but she bore Muhammad at least twosons, who died young, and four daughters. The best cognize daughter wasFatimah, the wife of Muhammads cousin Ali who is regarded asMuhammads divinely ordained successor by the Shiah branch of Islam. Until Khadijahs death in 619, Muhammad took no other wife. Themarriage was a minuteing point in Muhammads living. By Arab custom, minorsdid not inherit, and therefore Muhammad had no share in the property ofhis father or grandfather. However, by his marriage he obtainedsufficient capital to engage in mercantile activity on a scalecommensurate with his abilities. Muhammad appears to have been of a reflective turn of mind and is saidto have adopted the habit of occasionally spending nights in a hill cavenear Mecca. The poverty and misfortunes of his early life doubtlessmade him aware of tensions in Meccan society. Mecca, inhabited by thetribe of Quraysh to which the Hashim clan belo nged, was a mercantilecenter formed around a sanctuary, the Kabah, which secure the safetyof those who came to trade at the fairs. In the later 6th century therewas extensive trade by camel caravan between the Yemen and theMediterranean voice (Gaza and Damascus), bringing goods from India andEthiopia to the Mediterranean. The great merchants of Mecca hadobtained monopoly control of this trade. Mecca was thus prosperous, butmost of the wealth was in a few hands.