Fix the mistake: The Birth and Expansion of Islam

The Appearance of Muhammad and the Birth of Islam

At the beginning of the 7th century, a merchant in Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula began preaching after claiming to have received revelations from God. Islam, founded by this man, Muhammad, later created a vast civilization spanning Eurasia and Africa in only about 100 years.

Background of the Arabian Peninsula

  • Tribal society: In the 6th century, the Arabian Peninsula was a polytheistic tribal society. Mecca was a commercial city centered on the Kaaba
  • Byzantium and the Sasanian Empire: The two great surrounding empires were exhausted by prolonged conflict, creating conditions that allowed the Arabs to rise
  • Muhammad (c. 570–632): Born as a merchant in Mecca, he is said to have received a revelation from the angel Gabriel in a cave around 610

The Hijra and the Formation of the Community

In 622, Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution (the Hijra). This year became the first year of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, he organized the Muslim community (umma), and in 630 he conquered Mecca and destroyed the idols of polytheism.

Example Question ①
Explain the “Six Articles of Faith and Five Pillars” of Islam.
Answer:
Six Articles of Faith: Belief in Allah, angels, revealed scripture (the Quran), prophets, the afterlife, and divine decree.
Five Pillars: The five obligatory acts of declaration of faith (shahada), prayer (salat, five times a day), almsgiving (zakat), fasting (sawm, Ramadan), and pilgrimage (hajj, to Mecca).

Characteristics of Islam

  • Strict monotheism: There is no god but Allah. Idol worship is prohibited
  • The Quran: The holy scripture recording God’s words. Arabic is the sacred language
  • Umma (community): The ideal of a religious community transcending ethnicity and tribes
  • Egalitarianism: All believers are equal before God (although reality was complex)
Key Points
  • The Hijra in 622 was the first year of the Islamic calendar
  • The Six Articles of Faith and Five Pillars form the framework of Islamic belief and practice
  • The concept of the umma brought unity beyond tribal society
  • The Quran was written in Arabic, and translations were treated as secondary

Practice Questions

  1. What was Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina called, and in what year did it occur?
  2. Give the name of Islam’s holy scripture and its language.
  3. Which of the Five Pillars is related to Ramadan?

Answers and Explanations

  1. Answer: The Hijra (sacred migration), 622
    Explanation: This year became the starting point of the Islamic calendar (Hijri calendar).
  2. Answer: The Quran, Arabic
    Explanation: Arabic is considered the sacred language, and prayers are also performed in Arabic.
  3. Answer: Fasting (sawm)
    Explanation: During the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food and drink during the daytime for one month.

歴史（中央アジア）: related lessons