72 BULLETIN 148, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



IV 

 RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL OBJECTS OF MOHAMMEDANISM 



FOUNDER OF MOHAMMEDANISM 



The founder of the Mohammedan rehgion and creator of the Arabic 

 nation was Mohammed, who was born about 570 A. D., in Mecca, in 

 Arabia. He belonged to the family of the Koreish, who controlled the 

 sanctuary of Mecca, known from its dicelike shape as the Kaaba 

 (cube), in which is embedded the sacred black stone (probably a 

 meteorite), said to have been one of the precious stones of Paradise and 

 to have been dropped on earth with Adam. On his journeys with the 

 caravans, which passed through Mecca on the road from Yemen to 

 Syria, Mohammed was brought into contact with Jews and Christians, 

 and their practices, and what he heard from them with regard to their 

 behefs aroused his interest. When 24 years old he entered the service 

 of a rich widow, Khadija, whom he afterward married. When ap- 

 proaching middle age, Mohammed used to retire to a cave on Mount 

 Hira, on the outskirts of Mecca, to meditate in soUtude, where he had 

 dreams and visions. On one of these occasions he relates a revelation 

 came to him through the voice of the angel Gabriel, which confirmed 

 him in the belief that there was only one God, creator and ruler 

 of the universe, and he was also convinced that he was the divinely 

 sent prophet, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus were 

 before him. It was about 610 A. D. that Mohammed first appeared 

 in public with the claim that he was sent by Allah with a message to 

 his people, calling on them to worship the only one God. For some 

 years his preaching attracted little attention. His wife, the members 

 of his family, and a few influential citizens of Mecca accepted his 

 claim of being inspired. Gradually bitter opposition to him began to 

 develop so that it became unsafe for him to remain in Mecca. On the 

 other hand, at Yathrib, situated some distance north of Mecca, much 

 interest was felt for him. So in 622 A. D. Mohammed, together 

 with his followers, left Mecca for Yathrib. The departure was called 

 the Hegira or Eijira, "flight," of Mohammed. It is from this event 

 that the Mohammedans date the era still in use by them, and Yathrib 

 became since then known as Medinet el-Nabi, "the city of the Prophet," 

 or, more briefly, el- Medina, "the city." In Medina Mohammed 

 ceased to be a mere preacher of a simple creed, but became a warrior, 

 lawgiver, and political leader. Several encounters between the ad- 

 herents of Mohammed and the Meccans took place, the outcome of 

 which was generally favorable to Mohammed, so that in 629 A. D. 

 Mecca yielded to him. Mohammed died in 632 A. D. at Medina. 



