Originating on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Islam is now the second-largest religion in the world after Christianity. Prominent in the Arabian Peninsula, Islam was introduced to East Asia via the trade routes that connected West Asia and China. The religion sparked colossal societal and economic changes and now provides a safe haven for around two billion followers.
Islam, meaning "submission", has its roots in 7th-century Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia. It is where Muslims believe the direct word of God, or Allah, was revealed to Muhammad, considered by adherents to be the final messenger among the monotheistic prophets, from Adam and Abraham to Moses and Jesus.
Born around 570 CE to one of Mecca's prominent families, Muhammad made a living as a trader, earning the sobriquets "al-Amin" (trustworthy) and “al-Sadiq" (truthful). He worked for a widow called Khadija, whom he went on to marry. At the age of. 40, disillusioned with society's ills, Muhammad began retreating to a cave to meditate, and it was here it is reported that he was visited by the archangel Gabriel. This marked the first revelation from God and the advent of Islam.
Muhammad began to preach the messages that he had received, secretly for several years and then publicly. At the time, the Kaaba in Mecca was an important place of worship for Arabia's pagan tribes with their polytheistic beliefs. Muhammad's revelations, and his insistence to worship one God, were a direct challenge to the social order, and the Meccan authorities subjected Muhammad and the first converts to abuse, torture, and even death.
This story is from the AG 153 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
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This story is from the AG 153 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
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