Context:
Islam, Allah and the Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad is the prophet of Islam who through supernatural encounters with an angel called Gabriel at the age of 40, began delivering the words and commands of Allah, originally the name of the God of Arabia, almost until he died. These were later captured in the Koran (Qu’ran). The Koran also recognises Abraham as the father of all Muslims and Jesus as a Muslim prophet. Muhammad is considered the final prophet and the Koran as the final correct sacred text.
For 10 years while living in Mecca, Muhammad was for the most part ridiculed and persecuted for his new system of beliefs. In 622 he with his followers numbering less than 200 migrated to Medina where he established his new headquarters. This migration date sets the start of the Islamic calendar.
It was in Medina in 627 under the instructions from Angel Gabriel that Muhammad destroyed an entire Jewish tribe beheading 600 men and enslaving the women and children.
For the next ten years, from his Medina mosque Muhammad wielded a campaign of terror that eventually brought all of Arabia including Mecca under his control and in submission to Islam.
The last fews years of his life were spent warring in Syria against the Christians. After his death his successors carried on conquering the world with a further 548 campaigns into Europe. Eventually they were forced back centuries later by the Crusades.
Muhammad as the Prophet of Islam is looked upon as “the perfect man”. His ways, words and stories have been collected into another set of books called Hadiths and carry as much weight as the Koran for Muslims. Together the “dos” and “don’ts” of both the Hadiths and the Koran have generated into a sacred path of law and life, called “Shariah”. Shariah Law governs the life, government and culture of Muslims across the world, on an individual level and at a state level. It is a totalitarian system communal living that Muslims follow where ever they settle.
Islam itself means a ‘submission’ or ‘surrender’. The promise of peace comes only when all peoples of the world finally submit to Islam and Shariah Law.
The Islamic Mindset:
Believers and non-Believers: Islam’s world-view divides people up into believers and non-believers. Each Muslim belongs to the nation of Islam called the “Ummah” and is called personally by the Koran to protect it. The penalty for leaving (apostasy), calls for the person’s death and the dispersion of assets back to the community.
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