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== Life of Mohammed==

== Life of Muhammad==

Mohammed (A.D. 570-632) or [[Muhammad]] was the founder of Islam.  He began life as a wealthy tradesmen, one of the elite of his city of [[Mecca]].  He claimed to be privy to certain [[revelations]] in middle age, speaking of a need to abandon worship of the many gods who dominated Mecca's religion at the time, and worship the one God, [[Allah]].   

Muhammad (A.D. 570-632) or Mohammed, was the founder of Islam.  He began life as a wealthy tradesmen, one of the elite of his city of [[Mecca]].  He claimed to be privy to certain [[revelations]] in middle age, speaking of a need to abandon worship of the many gods who dominated Mecca's religion at the time, and worship the one God, [[Allah]].   

These early revelations spoke of a need to return to the [[monotheism]] of [[Abraham]]; in this way, at an early age, Mohammed saw himself as reviving an ancient faith, a perceived correction to [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]], and restoring his people to what he saw as their rightful position as the true founders and heirs of monotheism.  In these revelations, submission to the will of God - [[Allah]] - was critical.  Mohammed's fledgling religion continued to develop throughout his life, through periodic revelations often relating directly to events currently facing his new faith.

These early revelations spoke of a need to return to the [[monotheism]] of [[Abraham]]; in this way, at an early age, Muhammad saw himself as reviving an ancient faith, a perceived correction to [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]], and restoring his people to what he saw as their rightful position as the true founders and heirs of monotheism.  In these revelations, submission to the will of God - [[Allah]] - was critical.  Muhammad's fledgling religion continued to develop throughout his life, through periodic revelations often relating directly to events currently facing his new faith.

The faith caught on slowly, winning only a few converts in Mecca (the first being his wife).  Under increased pressure and ostracism from elders in Mecca, Mohammed began the [[hijra]], an organized exodus of his followers from Mecca to the city of [[Medina]].  [[Muslims]] date the formation of their religion to the ''hijra'' itself, even beginning their dating system at this point.

The faith caught on slowly, winning only a few converts in Mecca (the first being his wife).  Under increased pressure and ostracism from elders in Mecca, Muhammad began the [[hijra]], an organized exodus of his followers from Mecca to the city of [[Medina]].  [[Muslims]] date the formation of their religion to the ''hijra'' itself, even beginning their dating system at this point.

At Medina, the new Muslims immediately adopted an aggressive stance, seeking to coexist with the [[Jews]] living in Medina on ''his'' terms.  The encounter ended badly, though, with Mohammed dividing and conquering the Jewish groups in Medina, ordering the massacre of the [[Qurayza]] [[Jewish]] tribe, as they refused changing their [[religion]] to his submission,  after (possibly) fabricating a cause to break what is called by modern historians the [[Compact of Medina]].<ref>Berkey, ''The Formation of Islam''</ref>

At Medina, the new Muslims immediately adopted an aggressive stance, seeking to coexist with the [[Jews]] living in Medina on ''his'' terms.  The encounter ended badly, though, with Muhammad dividing and conquering the Jewish groups in Medina, ordering the massacre of the [[Qurayza]] [[Jewish]] tribe, as they refused changing their [[religion]] to his submission,  after (possibly) fabricating a cause to break what is called by modern historians the [[Compact of Medina]].<ref>Berkey, ''The Formation of Islam''</ref>

The tribes around the Muslims began to convert to Islam out of self-preservation.  Those that didn’t were gradually defeated in battle in a pattern that became the blueprint for the successful establishment of Islam as a world religion.  Typically, the enemy’s trust would be gained by non-intrusive measures in which the Muslims would insert themselves into the foreign community while professing their respect for local traditions and political structures.  As they began to gain power, however, they would divide loyalties and exercise violence to acquire local hegemony.   

The tribes around the Muslims began to convert to Islam out of self-preservation.  Those that didn’t were gradually defeated in battle in a pattern that became the blueprint for the successful establishment of Islam as a world religion.  Typically, the enemy’s trust would be gained by non-intrusive measures in which the Muslims would insert themselves into the foreign community while professing their respect for local traditions and political structures.  As they began to gain power, however, they would divide loyalties and exercise violence to acquire local hegemony.   

== After Mohammed's Death ==

== After Mohammed's Death ==

Mohammed's death at an early age caused the splintering of his religion into new sects, over the question of succession.  The groups called themselves the [[Sunnis]] and the [[Shiite|Shi'as]].  Many attribute this split to the high degree to which authority was centered in the powerful character of Mohammed himself: without his powerful personality, the movement could not survive intact.<ref>Bernard Lewis, ''What Went Wrong''</ref>

Muhammad's death at an early age caused the splintering of his religion into new sects, over the question of succession.  The groups called themselves the [[Sunnis]] and the [[Shiite|Shi'as]].  Many attribute this split to the high degree to which authority was centered in the powerful character of Muhammad himself: without his powerful personality, the movement could not survive intact.<ref>Bernard Lewis, ''What Went Wrong''</ref>

 

The failure or splintering of movements built around a charismatic leader is a recurring sociological problem, often studied by psychologists, and referred to as the problem of the [[routinization of charisma]].  [[Christianity]] faced the same problem, and many attribute the conquest of this problem to the leadership of the apostle [[Paul]].<ref>Maximillian Weber, ''Theory of Social and Economic Organization,'' in the chapter "The Nature of Charismatic Authority and its Routinization," see also Len Oakes, "Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities"</ref>.

The failure or splintering of movements built around a charismatic leader is a recurring sociological problem, often studied by psychologists, and referred to as the problem of the [[routinization of charisma]].  [[Christianity]] faced the same problem, and many attribute the conquest of this problem to the leadership of the apostle [[Paul]].<ref>Maximillian Weber, ''Theory of Social and Economic Organization,'' in the chapter "The Nature of Charismatic Authority and its Routinization," see also Len Oakes, "Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities"</ref>.