1. The Middle East Association Presents: Muhammad, The Statesman

2.  Born in Mecca, in the year 570  Father died before his birth  Raised by his mother, then grandfather and then uncle  As a teen he worked as a shepherd and in his twenties he worked for a wealthy business woman, who then proposed to him and they married.

3.  Muhammad was disturbed by the Arabs materialism and idolatry.  Began preaching monotheism and a new moral way of life, at first the message was spiritual.  In 622 He and a few hundred of his followers fled Mecca to Medina.  In Medina he became not just a spiritual leader but this was the first instance of him as a political leader.

4.  Muhammad as a moral reformer  Muhammad improved life for the Arabs, especially the poor, slaves and women  Muhammad as a social reformer  He set-up a new system of social security and family structure for his people.

5.  The Constitution of Medina- year 622  The documents main concern was to bring an end to the bitter tribal fighting amongst the tribes in Medina.  This included Muslim, Jewish and Pagan tribes.  It instituted a number of rights and responsibilities for the Muslim, Jewish, and pagan communities of Medina bringing them within the fold of one community.

6.  Muhammad died in Medina in 632  One hundred years after his death, his teachings and way of life had spread to corners of Arabia and far off to Indo-China  Conquests of the Persian and Mesopotamia  These conquests brought great freedoms to Jews and Christians in these areas  Some even preferred the rule of the Muslims over that of the Byzantines

8. Questions? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?