Muhammad

Birth

570

Muhammad was born in 570 C.E. in Mecca. His father died a few weeks before he was born, and his mother when he was six. Their ancestors came from the Quraysh tribe and his mother placed him in the care of a nomad woman for the first years of his life. He then lived with his grandfather until the his when he was 8. While his educational background is scarce, he traveled to Syria at a young age, gaining exposure to monotheistic religions which might have influenced his beliefs later on. (Muhammad)

Persians Overthrow Abyssinian Rule in Yemen

570

From the year 525, Yemen was the center of a period of conflict between Persians and Abyssinians, lasting for 50 years that was then followed by the Persian control of Yemen. This led to a state of political, tribal and religious division, as the Persians wanted to defeat the Romans by defeating the Abyssinians in Yemen. In 570 A.D., a strong Persian Army along with 800 prisoners and the backing of some Yemeni tribes, defeated the Abyssinians and took control of Yemen. (Pike)

Alexander of Tralles: "de re medica"

575

In this year, Alexander of Tralles, a greek physician, wrote the second book of his Twelve Books of Medicine or, Libro Duodecim De Re Medica (Book Two of Medicine). His medical books had been published throughout Europe and the Middle East and utilized by several religions as fact. Alexander of Tralles is also credited with the discovery that depression can lead to homicidal and suicidal tendencies around this time (Bouras).

Plague in Rome

590

The plague of Justinian was one of the worst outbreaks of the plague, under the rule of Emperor Justinian I and claiming millions of lives. The plague arrived in Constantinople in 542 after making small appearances throughout the previous year throughout the outer provinces of the Roman Empire. The reign of the plague ended in the Roman Empire in 590, but it continued to sweep across the Mediterranean world for about 225 years, finally disappearing in 750. (Horgan).

Marriage of Muhammad and Khadija

595

Muhammad meets Khadijah, a distant cousin of his. She had been married twice and had a number of children. After giving him a job to do, he returned and impressed her with his business skills and good looks. Many scholars believe she was 40 at this time while he was 25, but it is debated as she later had 6 more children with Muhammad. Muhammad argued that he did not have enough money to marry but agreed upon the reasoning that his bride had beauty, property and nobility on her own. (Oliver)

First Japanese Ambassadors in China

607

The establishment of the Sui dynasty in 589 reunited China under a single government and provided an opportunity for the Yamato court to seek diplomatic exchange with a new, powerful Chinese dynasty. The Japanese court chose to send officials to the Sui court while attempting to further gather its authority in Japan and make itself as a centralized state. This resulted in the Tang missions that followed, which helped the new Japanese state evolve with a successful Chinese model. (Fuqua)

First Revelation

610

He got his 1st Revelation when he was 40. He got visions in his dreams and became introspective, seeking solitude in a cave. He meditated and often heard the words "Peace be on thee, O Messenger of God" but could could not find who said them. Alone in a cave, an angel appeared and commanded: "Recite." He then spoke what would become the first words of the Koran. Horrified by this, he contemplated suicide, but stopped when the angel came again, who he later saw as the angel Gabriel. (Oliver)

Tension Between Muslims and Quraysh; Conversion of Umar

613

Muhammad received a revelation that told him to warn the people of Mecca that they should become aware of God’s perfection and recognize Him as the one supreme being. Conflicts arose when he began teaching in public. People saw his words as a threat to their political power. Families became divided as members chose to follow Muhammad instead of the idols. Near the end of 616, one of his biggest opponents, Unad ibn al-Khattab, made the conversion, which was a big success for the religion (Oliver)

Persians Overrun Egypt

616

The Persian shah, Khosrau II, had taken advantage of the internal turmoil of the East Roman Empire. The Persians had driven the Romans out of northern Mesopotamia, Syria and Palestine. Determined to destroy Roman rule, sights were turned to Egypt. The Persian army headed for Alexandria, and it was betrayed to the Persians in June. After Alexandria's fall, the Persians expanded their rule south along the Nile. Resistance required some cleaning operations, but soon the province was secured (Kaegi)

Jerusalem Dream

620

He claims he saw Gabriel and that he was lifted on horse. They flew to Jerusalem where they landed on a rock, known now as the Dome of the Rock. He saw other prophets as they climbed a ladder to Heaven, seeing God. He later told of the dream as that they must pray 100 times a day. While that turned to 5, it is still continued among Muslims. The dream is why they believe Jerusalem is the holiest city after Mecca and Medina. For Muhammad it aided faith and determination for Islam's growth (Oliver)

Production of Porcelain in China

620

Porcelain was first produced in China around 620 C.E. The skillful transformation of ordinary clay into beautiful objects has captivated the imagination of people throughout history and across the globe. Chinese ceramics, by far the most advanced in the world, were made for the imperial court, the domestic market, or for export. (Khan)

Hijra; Beginning of Muslim Era A.H.; Pledge of War

622

As events were becoming intolerable in Mecca, a group located far north were looking for an outsider to help them overcome internal issues. They agreed to accept and protect the Prophet. After sending most of his people ahead, Muhammad escaped from Mecca on September 24 and arrived in the place that came to be Medina. This event, the Hijra, was a flight from Mecca but more significantly it marked the end of an old community based on blood ties, thus beginning the Muslim era in history (Muhammad)

Jihad against Quraysh & Opposers of Islam

624

Muslims believed they were fighting Holy War. In 624 they learned the Quraysh leaders were leading a caravan with 1000 camels close to them. This was an important caravan, and the Muslims would profit well if able to obtain it. Volunteers set out to attack it, and cut off their enemy’s access to water. In this era combat between armies was very different. A leader would step forward to challenge the enemy to a single fight. These broke out between sides for 3 years before dying down (Oliver)

Lesser Pilgrimage

628

In 628, he tried to make the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca. He had a vision of going to Mecca and revering at the Kaba. They refused him entry and sent an army to stop him. Instead of entering, they made the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. This was humiliating to the Muslims. As he returned home he claimed the rejection and treaty as a "victory." To insure this, he found a source of the spoils of war. He promised them spoils and soon he attacked Khaibar, beat the Jews there and gave out the winnings (Silas)

Conquest of Mecca

630

A breaking of the truce by some allies of Mecca prepared the way for the triumph of Muhammad. In January 630 C.E. (8 A.H.), he set out from Medina with a large force. A number of leading Meccans met him on the way and made their submission. He destroyed the idols of the Ka'ba and the nearby shrines of Manat and al-Uzza. Mecca now took its important place in the Islamic state, though Muhammad continued to make his residence and headquarters in Medina. (Muhammad)

Death

Jul 8, 632

The conversion of neighbors and a journey north were events of his last 2 years. There were personal problems; the deaths of 3 children, issues with wives, and the beginning of failing health. In March 632, he made the farewell pilgrimage to Mecca. Soon, his health became worse and he died on June 8. His friend Abu Bakr rallied the stunned community with the words: "O men, if anyone worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead; if anyone worships God, God is alive, immortal."(Muhammad)