Muhammad in Makkah

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  • Created by: Sharon
  • Created on: 12-11-12 10:13
Armstrong claims Muhammad’s foster family were
poor so Muhammad would have experienced nomadic life at its harshest.
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Ibn Ishaq however argues that the family
miraculously prospered better with the arrival of Muhammad.
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According to Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad’s first biographer, Khadijah was
“determined, noble and intelligent”.
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Muslim tradition states that Khadijah was 40 and Muhammad was 25 when he married her but Rippin doubts this as
Khadijah gave him four daughters and several sons (the sons died as infants).
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Rippin believes that the biographers exaggerated Khadijah’s
age in order to emphasise that a wealthy intelligent woman chose Muhammad to be her husband.
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Muhammad’s biographies describe him as
good looking and intelligent, although illiterate. He had great energy but self-control. When he spoke it was brief and to the point.
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He was nicknamed the “Trustworthy”. as
He seems to have been quiet and serious-minded in a society where it is usual for men to be excitable, outgoing and boastful.
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On the night that Muslims call
“The Night of Power and Excellence”, he received the first of many revelations from God.
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Zakaria Bashier (1940 - ), like most Muslims, believes that the event on
Mount Hira is historically true. The information comes from Muhammad himself and his early followers. Muhammad was nicknamed “The Trustworthy” and Bashier states that it is “totally inconceivable” that Muhammad could have lied about receiving God’s
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Muslim scholars claim that the Prophet could not have made up the Qur’an himself as
the ideas, language and style are impossible for any human being to have written.
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Hubert Grimme (1864 – 1942) argued that Muhammad was
so shocked by the behaviour of the people of Makkah that he made up the story of the Angel Gabriel speaking to him to make them change their ways.
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Theodor Nöldeke (1836-1930) argued that Muhammad
might have believed that he heard an angel talking to him and that he was receiving messages from God. But Muhammad was not really getting messages from God. Muhammad was an over emotional poet and epileptic
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Maxime Rodinson (1915-2004) claimed that Muhammad was
hallucinating. He had heard the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai from Christians and Jews.
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Bashier points out that
the early Makkan converts were not all social outcasts as they were mainly members of the ruling Quraysh tribe and included men such as Abu Bakr who was a wealthy merchant.
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It was during this time that Muhammad experienced the “Night ascent”, al-Mi’raj. Ruthven states
that it is not clear whether this experience was a vision, dream or psychic happening.
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The Muslim scholar Sarwar sees it as an historical event
in which the Prophet was woken and taken by a miraculous beast to Jerusalem where he led the prophets of the past in prayer
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Andrew Rippin states that the story of the night journey is
very important for both Muhammad and all Muslims because it confirmed Muhammad’s status as Allah’s Prophet.
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Brown states that the people from Yathrib
realised that a spokesman from Allah would be a good judge in the bitter dispute between the two tribes.
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Armstrong claims that in Makkah the Quraysh could not
believe such an ordinary person could become a messenger of Allah. But in Yathrib Muhammad was a remote and mysterious figure.
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Ibn Ishaq claimed that Muhammad made a
positive decision to leave Makkah. However the Qur’an repeatedly claims that the Muslims were “expelled” or “driven out” of Makkah.
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Elias states that it is the most important event in Islamic history.
The “Great Emigration”, or “flight”, Hijrah, marked the turning point in Muhammad’s fortunes and a new stage in the history of Islam.
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Bashier therefore claims that it is extremely unlikely
that a madman would have been capable of preaching its complex message.
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In addition, Abu Bakr and other Muslims in Makkah agreed
with Muhammad’s teachings, knowing that Makkah needed to change. The women, slaves, the weak and poor all believed it was an excellent message. Also Umar converted to Islam just by reading a passage from the Qur’an.
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Watt claims that Muhammad could not have been
suffering from a mental illness because he was a respected diplomat. A madman would not have been able to negotiate the Pledges of Aqaba and convince the people of Yathrib that he was the right person to be chief judge in their civil war.
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Bashier also rejects the view that
the early Makkan converts were all social outcasts as they were mainly members of the ruling Quraysh tribe and included men such as Abu Bakr who was a wealthy merchant.
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Muhammad became God’s Prophet at the moment of his call in Makkah when he received the first of many revelations. Muhammad also went on his night journey during his career in Makkah which Rippin states
is a very important event for all Muslims because it confirmed Muhammad’s status as Allah’s Prophet.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

miraculously prospered better with the arrival of Muhammad.

Back

Ibn Ishaq however argues that the family

Card 3

Front

“determined, noble and intelligent”.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Khadijah gave him four daughters and several sons (the sons died as infants).

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

age in order to emphasise that a wealthy intelligent woman chose Muhammad to be her husband.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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