SINCE WHEN IS ANYONE A MUSLIM?

Islam began as a world religious movement in the first decade of the seventh century C.E. in the city of Makkah (Mecca) in Arabia. It was taught by Muhammad, son of 'Abdullah, of the tribe of Quaraysh and the clan of Hashim. When Muhammad was forty years old, he began to have visions in which God sent down a series of revelations through the Angel Gabriel. The revelations, recited in Arabic form, were a disclosure not of God, but of His will or commandments.

The revelations came piecemeal, sometimes asserting God's existence, His unity and providence, His judgment on the Last Day, some-times describing what should be done in a situation which called for a solution, dispensation, or guidance. Sometimes the revelations applied to a situation with a wider religious context such as relations with unbelievers, or with Christians and Jews, of whom there were many in Arabia and the adjoining countries. At first Muhammad himself did not believe. He thought he was having illusions or was being tempted or possessed by the devil. But the visions persisted and the revelations continued, and he finally became convinced that God was truly calling him to rise and teach the new faith.

The first convert was Muhammad's wife, Khadijah. She became convinced, even before Muhammad, that he was indeed a prophet. Other relatives and friends began to believe in him also, and a nucleus community was formed. The Arabs, whose traditional faith was pagan, denied the unity and transcendence of God as well as the Day of judgement. At first they reacted to the new teaching with scorn. But Muhammad and his companions stood firm. Then the unbelievers countered with public abuse, slander, and persecution.

The fledgling community bore its travail with patience and determination and continued to grow. Soon the Arab hierarchy in Makkah decided that there was no escape from total war against the new Muslims if the position of Makkah and its rulers in the religious, social, political, and economic spheres was to be saved. They offered Muhammad wealth and the kingship of Makkah, and promised to cure his "madness" by the greatest physicians of the world. But he refused. Then they sought to break up the tribal solidarity of Muhammad's clan of Hashim on which the Muslims depended for intertribal security. They appealed to the Prophet's uncle and personal protector-the non-Muslim Abu Talib, the clan's elder statesman-to renounce his tribal solidarity with Muhammad. The old uncle pleaded with his nephew to cease causing difficulties because the clan could no longer bear them. But the Prophet replied: "If the sun was put in my right

(Islam, Isma'il R. Al Faruqi 1984, p13-14)

Go To Start: WWW.BIBLE.CA