Muhammad

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mohammed \Mohammed\ (m[=o]*h[a^]m"m[e^]d) n. ['The praised
     one'.] [Also spelled {Mahomed}, {Mahomet}, {Muhammad} (the
     Arabic form), {Mahmoud}, {Mehemet}, etc.]
     The prophet who founded Islam (570-632).
  
     Syn: Muhammad, Mahomet, Mahmoud.


          [WordNet 1.5] Mohammed (or Mahomet (ma*hom"et)) was born
          at Mecca, Arabia, about 570: died at Medina, Arabia,
          June 8, 632. He was the founder of Mohammedanism, or
          Islam ('surrender,' namely, to God). He was the
          posthumous son of Abdallah by his wife Amina, of the
          family of Hashim, the noblest among the Koreish, and was
          brought up in the desert among the Banu Saad by a
          Bedouin woman named Halima. At the age of six he lost
          his mother, and at eight his grandfather, when he was
          cared for by his uncle Abu-Talib. When about twelve
          years old (582) he accompanied a caravan to Syria, and
          may on this occasion have come for the first time in
          contact with Jews and Christians. A few years later he
          took part in the "sacrilegious war" (so called because
          carried on during the sacred months, when fighting was
          forbidden) which raged between the Koreish and the Banu
          Hawazin 580-590. He attended sundry preachings and
          recitations at Okatz, which may have awakened his
          poetical and rhetorical powers and his religious
          feelings; and for some time was occupied as a shepherd,
          to which he later refers as being in accordance with his
          career as a prophet, even as it was with that of Moses
          and David. When twenty-five years old he entered the
          service of the widow Khadijah, and made a second journey
          to Syria, on which he again had an opportunity to come
          in frequent contact with Jews and Christians, and to
          acquire some knowledge of their religious teachings. He
          soon married Khadijah, who was fifteen years his senior.
          Of the six children which she bore him, Fatima became
          the most famous. In 605 he attained some influence in
          Mecca by settling a dispute about the rebuilding of the
          Kaaba. The impressions which he had gathered from his
          contact with Judaism and Christianity, and from Arabic
          lore, began now strongly to engage his mind. He
          frequently retired to solitary places, especially to the
          cave of Mount Hira, north of Mecca. He passed at that
          time (he was then about forty years old) through great
          mental struggles, and repeatedly meditated suicide. It
          must have been during these lonely contemplations that
          the yearnings for a messenger from God for his people,
          and the thought that he himself might be destined for
          this mission, were born in his ardent mind. During one
          of his reveries, in the month of Ramadan, 610, he beheld
          in sleep the angel Gabriel, who ordered him to read from
          a scroll which he held before him the words which begin
          the 96th sura (chapter) of the Koran. After the lapse of
          some time, a second vision came, and then the
          revelations began to follow one another frequently. His
          own belief in his mission as apostle and prophet of God
          was now firmly established. The first convert was his
          wife Khadijah, then followed his cousin and adopted son
          Ali, his other adopted son Zeid, and Abu-Bekr, afterward
          his father-in-law and first successor (calif). Gradually
          about 60 adherents rallied about him. But after three
          years' preaching the mass of the Meccans rose against
          him, so that part of his followers had to resort to
          Abyssinia for safety in 614. This is termed the first
          hejira. Mohammed in the meanwhile continued his meetings
          in the house of one of his disciples, Arqaan, in front
          of the Kaaba, which later became known as the "House of
          Islam." At one time he offered the Koreish a compromise,
          admitting their gods into his system as intercessors
          with the Supreme Being, but, becoming
          conscience-stricken, took back his words. The conversion
          of Hamza and Omar and 39 others in 615-616 strengthened
          his cause. The Koreish excommunicated Mohammed and his
          followers, who were forced to live in retirement. In
          620, at the pilgrimage, he won over to his teachings a
          small party from Medina. In Medina, whither a teacher
          was deputed, the new religion spread rapidly. To this
          period belongs the vision or dream of the miraculous
          ride, on the winged horse Borak, to Jerusalem, where he
          was received by the prophets, and thence ascended to
          heaven. In 622 more than 70 persons from Medina bound
          themselves to stand by Mohammed. The Meccans proposed to
          kill him, and he fled on the 20th of June, 622, to
          Medina. This is known as the hejira ('the flight'), and
          marks the beginning of the Mohammedan era. This event
          formed a turning-point in the activity of Mohammed. He
          was thus far a religious preacher and persuader; he
          became in his Medinian period a legislator and warrior.
          He built there in 623 the first mosque, and married
          Ayesha. In 624 the first battle for the faith took place
          between Mohammed and the Meccans in the plain of Bedr,
          in which the latter were defeated. At this time, also,
          Mohammed began bitterly to inveigh against the Jews, who
          did not recognize his claims to be the "greater prophet"
          promised by Moses. He changed the attitude of prayer
          (kibla) from the direction of Jerusalem to that of the
          Kaaba in Mecca, appointed Friday as the day for public
          worship, and instituted the fast of Ramadan and the
          tithe or poor-rate. The Jewish tribe of the Banu
          Kainuka, settled at Medina, was driven out; while of
          another Jewish tribe, the Banu Kuraiza, all the men, 700
          in number, were massacred. In 625 Mohammed and his
          followers were defeated by the Meccans in the battle of
          Ohud. The following years were filled out with
          expeditions. One tribe after another submitted to
          Mohammed, until in 631 something like a definite
          Mohammedan empire was established. In 632 the prophet
          made his last pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the
          "farewell pilgrimage," or the pilgrimage of the
          "announcement" or of "Islam." In the same year he died
          while planning an expedition against the frontier of the
          Byzantine empire. Mohammed was a little above the middle
          height, of a commanding figure, and is described as
          being of a modest, tender, and generous disposition. His
          manner of life was very simple and frugal. He mended his
          own clothes, and his common diet was barley-bread and
          water. But he enjoyed perfumes and the charms of women.
          His character appears composed of the strongest
          inconsistencies. He could be tender, kind, and liberal,
          but on occasions indulged in cruel and perfidious
          assassinations. With regard to his prophetic claims, it
          is as difficult to assume that he was sincere
          throughout, or self-deceived, as that he was throughout
          an impostor. In his doctrines there is practically
          nothing original. The legends of the Koran are chiefly
          drawn from the Old Testament and the rabbinical
          literature, which Mohammed must have learned from a Jew
          near Mecca, though he presents them as original
          revelations by the angel Gabriel, See {Koran}.
          [Century Dict. 1906]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Muhammad
       n 1: leader of Black Muslims who campaigned for independence for
            Black Americans (1897-1975) [syn: {Elijah Muhammad}]
       2: the Arab prophet who founded Islam (570-632) [syn: {Mohammed},
           {Mohammad}, {Mahomet}, {Mahound}]