The Life of Muḥammad and the Beginnings of HSTAFM 162 Class 2.1 January 12, 2016

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a Design: Aziz Al-Azmeh, Islam Dayeh

B 0100200300400500 km 0100200300400500 TAY’ Traditional Periodization of the Prophet’s Life

• Preparation for Prophecy: (birth c. 570 CE) • Childhood: preparation for prophecy • Merchant career and marriage to Khadīja • Meccan Revelations and Persecution: (c. 610 CE) • Early revelations in Mecca • Building up early network of followers • Persecution by Meccans • Night Journey and Ascension (Isrā’ and Miʻrāj, c. 621 CE) • Emigration and War: (622 CE) • Building Medinan community, political ruler • War with Meccans, their allies, conflict with Medinan Jews • After the Conquest: (to death in 632 CE) • Conquest of Mecca in 630 CE • Receiving submission of Arabian tribes • Conquest of The Sīra (prophetic biography) literature • No contemporary written biographical literature from the time of the Prophet Muḥammad survives. • In the mid-eighth century, a man called Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq collects reports about the life of Muḥammad and compiles a text in called Sīrat rasūl allāh (A Life of the Messenger of God). • While Ibn Isḥāq’s text does not survive, it was further edited by a Cairo-based historian called Ibn Hishām (d. 828 CE). Why is the Life of the Prophet Muḥammad Important?

• Sunna (habit, manner of life) as a source for legal orthodoxy • The context of the Revelation of the Qurʼān (asbāb al-nuzūl) • Sources: ḥadīth transmission, composition of Qurʼānic exegesis (tafsīr) Preparation for Prophecy

Born around 570CE in the prominent clan of Banū Hāshim of the tribe – soon he is orphaned. He is raised by foster parents in the desert as a shepherd. Adopted into the home of his uncle Abū Ṭālib, he becomes known as al-Amīn – the trustworthy one. With his uncle, he goes on merchant caravans north to – where he is recognized by the Christian monk Bahīrá. Meccan Revelations

• At first, preaches to family and friends: Khadīja, Abū Bakr and ‘Alī immediately believe • Slowly begins preaching to the Quraysh, who meet him with serious opposition and mockery • Soon his preaching threatens the tranquility of the annual ḥajj, and is smeared as a “sorcerer who splits people from their families.” • Torture, killing of Muḥammad’s followers. • Flight of some followers to Ethiopia for refuge with the Christian king Aṣḥama ibn Abjar. Meccan Revelations 2

Boycott of Bānū Hāshim: no intermarriage or trade for two years Conversion of ‘Umar – newfound strength Year of Sadness 9/619: new protector? Abū Ṭālib dies, Khadīja dies. Prophet seeks protection in Tā’if – when he fails, Mut’im b. ‘Adi protects him. The Night Journey and Ascension: Muḥammad finds his place among prophets, Jerusalem is direction of prayer. Masjid al-Aqṣá (“The Farthest Mosque”), Jerusalem, built during the Umayyad period (8th century) and rebuilt during the Fāṭimid period (11th century) Emigration to Medina and War

Deal worked out with Yathrib, and many emigrate – eventually only Muḥammad, Abū Bakr and ‘Alī remain in Mecca When Muḥammad’s protector Muṭʻim dies, his murder is planned… 622, the tenth year of revelation, Muḥammad and Abū Bakr move to Yathrib (Medina). Medina and War with Mecca • Battle of Badr (624 / 2): miraculous Muslim victory, major Quraysh leaders killed – Islam now a power to be reckoned with. • Battle of Uḥud (625 / 3): almost ends in defeat for the Muslims • Battle of the Trench (627 / 5): Meccans and their allies besiege Medina, Muslims drive them away. • Treaty of Ḥudaybiyya (628 / 6): peace established, Muslims can visit Mecca for pilgrimage (ḥajj) • Conquest of Mecca (630 / 8): after conflict breaks out between Mecca’s allies and the Prophet’s allies, Muhammad declares peace broken and moves to occupy Mecca. Scales have shifted so far towards Muslims that the conquest is peaceful. Abū Sufiyān and Meccan opponents of Islam convert to Islam. Historiographical Issues

• How do we know about Muḥammad’s life (and the origins of Islam)? • Skepticism about sacred narratives –Principle of Analogy –Principle of Dissimilarity • Outright skepticism (Revisionist School) Hagarism (1977) Genealogy

• Abraham • Isaac • Israelites • = Jews • Ishmael • Ishmaelites • = Arabs The History of the Qurʼān

• Revealed Piecemeal from 610-632 Compilation • Written down or memorized by Muslims during the lifetime – of Muhammad – 632 orders a comprehensive copy made, held by Hafsa, daughter of ‘Umar ‘Uthmanic text: disagreements lead ‘Uthman to order one – consonantal text in 650 (on camel parchment). Oldest full text of comes from the mid 900’s, though fragments have now been identified from the 7th century. • An Oral Text/ the Arabic Script: – Consonants not dotted • Consonants not vowelled • At least 10 well-known ‘readings’ of the Quran

Qurʼān as a Book

• Types of material: – Hortatory/didactic: believe, do good deeds, fear God, beware the Day of Judgment, obey God and his Prophet – Narrative: tales of Moses, Abraham, Noah, Yusuf, Zulaykha – Predictive/Eschatological: fate of believers and unbelievers, creation and end of the world – Polemical: claims of Muhammad’s opponents, the failings of the ‘People of the Book’ – Doctrinal: the nature of God – Legal: less than 500 verses deal with law and ritual • Structure of Quran: • Not a continuous narrative • Contextual: asbāb al-nuzūl = occasions of revelation’ • Ellipticalism: assumes audience knowledge • Person: God as beyond language… ‘He’, ‘I’ ‘We’ and ‘God’