Muhammad

Muhammad was a seventh-century Arab religious and political leader whom Muslims regard as God’s final prophet and the recipient of the Quran.

Mecca: A city in western Arabia that became Islam’s holiest city and Muhammad’s birthplace. Muhammad began preaching there, where the Kaaba drew pilgrims and Quraysh held power.
Quran: The central scripture of Islam, understood by Muslims as God’s revelations to Muhammad in Arabic. Muslims regard it as the revelation Muhammad received and conveyed.
Constitution of Medina: A pact associated with Muhammad that set terms for relations among communities in Medina. It illustrates how his authority addressed cooperation and conflict among the city’s groups.
Khadija bint Khuwaylid: Muhammad’s first wife and an early supporter of his prophetic mission. She supported him during the movement’s earliest years in Mecca.
Succession to Muhammad: The dispute over who should lead the Muslim community after Muhammad’s death in 632 CE. His death left political leadership unsettled and eventually contributed to divisions within Islam.
Quraysh: A tribal confederation that dominated Mecca and included Muhammad’s clan, the Banu Hashim. Its leaders’ opposition to Muhammad’s preaching shaped the early Muslim community.
Hadith: Reports about Muhammad’s words, actions, and approvals, transmitted and collected in Islamic traditions. Hadith preserve accounts of his conduct and provide a basis for interpreting his example.
Battle of Badr: A 624 CE battle in which Muhammad’s forces defeated a larger Meccan force near Badr. The victory strengthened the early Muslim community during its conflict with Mecca.
Abu Bakr: A close companion of Muhammad who became the first caliph after his death. His succession became a defining event in the community’s transition beyond Muhammad’s leadership.
Sunni Islam: The largest branch of Islam, whose traditions recognize the early caliphs as legitimate successors to Muhammad. Sunni understandings of communal authority developed around the succession after his death.

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