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570
Birth
Muhammad was born in 570 AD in the city of Mecca, after his father’s death. His mother also passed away when he was a child, leaving him orphaned at a young age. Thus, as a child, Muhammad was chiefly cared for by his uncle. -
Dec 8, 610
Angel Visitation
While on a spiritual retreat in the year 610, Muhammad thought he heard the angel Gabriel speaking to him. The angel Gabriel is supposed to have told Muhammad that he was “the messenger of God.” -
Nov 18, 613
The First Message
About 613, Muhammad preaches in Mecca the message which he has received about the existence of one God, all-powerful but also merciful, while also stating freely that previous prophets - Abraham, Moses, and Jesus - have preached the same truth in the past. -
Nov 17, 622
First Hijrah
By this time, Muhammad had gained some followers of his teachings, and in the year 622 they all migrated to Medina, a city in Saudi Arabia. Today, this migration is known as “The Hijrah” and it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. -
Nov 18, 624
Violence Begins
Violence began to be associated with Islam when Muhammad ordered the 7th Caravan Raid against the pagan Meccans. It was proclaimed during one of the four holy months, despite the fact that fighting was forbidden. This was known as the Nakhla Raid. -
Mar 18, 632
The Farewell
A sermon was delivered on the Farewell Pilgrammage. As part of the sermon, Muhammad recited from the Revelation from Allah. After the sermon, Muhammad claimed that he has delivered Allah’s message to the people. -
Mar 30, 632
The Final Revelation
3 months before his death in 632, Muhammad received his final revelation after his pilgrimage to Makkah and as he was traveling on the road to Madinah, with the revelation taking place at Ghadir Khumm. -
Jun 8, 632
Death
The death of Prophet Muhammad: After two months of performing the Haji (farewell pilgrimage), Prophet Muhammad fell ill. He continued to lead congregation prayers and invoked special blessings until he was too weak to move. He died at age sixty-three. -
Marriage to Khadijah
In 595 AD, Muhammad marries his distant cousin, Khadijah, who later becomes his first follower. She had three children from prior marriages that become apart of the “new family.” However, the marriage between Muhammad and Khadijah was controversial from the start and nearly lead to a feud. -
The Deaths of Many
In 619 AD, Muhammad’s wife, Khadijah, died at the age of 65. Several months later both his uncle and protector died. This greatly influenced the mourning rituals of Islam as the religion grew. -
Treaty of Hudaibiyah
Prophet Muhammad and his companions went on to perform an Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). The Quraysh tried to provoke the Prophet’s companions to fighting, but they did not fight back. Then they made unpleasant remarks to the Prophet, until the Urwah spoke of the Prophet’s wisdom. The Quraysh realized their mistake and came to an agreement with the Prophet. -
Battle of the Trench
After the Battle of the Trench, in 628, Muhammad decided to lead a pilgrimage to Makkah. The Muslims camped at Hudaybiyyah, just outside Makkah, where they were halted by Quraysh. The Makkans didn’t want to let the Muslims make the pilgrimage but entered into a peace treaty with Muhammad.
