CHRONOLOGY OF MUHAMMAD’S LIFE
570 Muhammad born in Mecca
595 Muhammad marries Khadija, who later becomes the first Muslim
(Kadija was rather wealthy, thus freeing Muhammad to pursue his religious interests)
610 Muhammad receives what he comes to believe is his first visitation from Gabriel and revelation from Allah
(It was after his “visions” started that Muhammad’s wife and a Gnostic Christian relative of hers helped to convince Muhammad that he was “the last prophet”)
613 Muhammad begins preaching Islam publicly in Mecca
615 Friction with the Quraysh causes some Muslims to leave Arabia for Abyssinia
619 Khadija dies
619 The satanic verses incident
620 The night journey: Muhammad reports that he has been carried to Paradise and has met the other prophets
622 The Hijra: Muhammad and the Muslims flee to Medina
622 Muhammad consummates his marriage with 9 y/o Aisha
624 The Nakhla raid and the beginning of violence in the name of Islam
(This raid establishes the principle that persecution/slander against Islam is worse than killing (Qur’an 2:217)
624 The Battle of Badr: the Muslims overcome great odds to defeat the pagan Meccans
(It was after this battle that Muhammad told Muslims to fight and behead their enemies (Qur’an 47:4) Muhammad also admonsished those who refused to fight (Qur’an 47:20)
624 Muhammad and the Muslims besiege the Jewish Qaynuqa tribe and exile them from Medina
(It was about this time that Muhammad started to take a harsher stance toward the Jews (Qur’an 8:58), and Christians (Qur’an 5:17, 4:157, 5:116, 5:14) and that assassinations became sanctioned (This is found in the Hadith)
625 The Battle of Uhud: the pagan Meccans defeat the Muslims
(After this battle, Muhammad admonished the Muslims for focusing on booty rather than devotion to Allah (Qur’an 3:152) It was about this time that the pattern of excusing loss/failure by assigning it to insufficient faith/piety was established (Qur’an 3:149-151)
625 Siege and exile from Medina of the Jewish Nadir tribe
627 The Battle of the Trench: The Jewish Qurayzah tribe betrays Muhammad
(It was in association for the preparation for this battle that Muhammad admonished that all “true believers” obey Muhammad and Allah, and not to take Muhammad’s words lightly (Qur’an 24:62-63). This is also when Muhammad first envisioned that he would rule all of Arabia)
627 Muhammad beheads the males of the Qurayzah tribe and enslaves the women and children
(Preceding this battle, Muhammad declared that Jews were pigs and monkeys (Qur’an 5:59-60, 7:166) After the battle, Muhammad set himself apart as “a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah” (Qur’an 33:21)
628 Muhammad concludes the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with the pagan Meccans
(This treaty would set the pattern that peace was only to be made with non-believers to allow Muslims to gain strength to attack, and then only for a period of ten years or less)
628 Muhammad and the Muslims besiege the Khaybar oasis and exile the Jews from it
628 Muhammad is poisoned at Khaybar
(After killing the leader of Khaybar, Muhammad then “married” his newly-made widow who was said to be extraordinarily attractive – consummating their “marriage” that same night.)
630 Muhammad and the Muslims conquer Mecca
(It was about this time – shortly after taking Mecca – that Muhammad ordered “apostates” should be killed)
630 The Muslims prevail at the Battle of Hunayn and conquer Ta’if; Muhammad becomes the master of Arabia
630 Warfare against the Christians: the expedition to Tabuk
(After this raid, Muhammad started to receive “revelations” that were more harsh toward Jews and Christians than ever before (Qur’an 9:30)
631 The Arabian tribes remaining outside Islamic rule accept Islam
632 Muhammad dies in Medina on June 8
The Oil for Your Lamp 