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Muhammad was a shepherd in his youth. As he grew up, he became known for his
truthfulness, generosity, and sincerity; earning the title of al Amin, the trustworthy one.
Muhammad was frequently called upon to arbitrate disputes and counsel his fellow
Makkans.
Muhammad was of a contemplative nature and had long detested the decadence and
cruelty of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the cave of
Hira' near the summit of Jabal an-Nur, the "Mountain of Light" on the outskirts of
Makkah.
At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his first
revelation from God through the Archangel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued
for twenty three years, is known as the Qur'an
Muhammad began to share the revelations he received from God with the people of
Makkah. They were idol worshippers, and rejected Muhammad's call to worship only
One God. They opposed Muhammad and his small group of followers in every way.
These early Muslims suffered bitter persecution.
In 622, God gave the Muslim community the command to emigrate. This event, the
hijrah or migration, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260 miles
to the North, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
Madinah provided Muhammad and the Muslims a safe and nurturing haven in which
the Muslim community grew. After several years, the Prophet and his followers
returned to Makkah and forgave their enemies. Then, turning their attention to the
Ka'bah (the sanctuary that Abraham built), they removed the idols and rededicated it to
the worship of the One God. Before the Prophet died at the age of 63, most of the
people of Arabia had embraced his message. In less than a century, Islam had spread to
Spain in the west, as far east as China.
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