Texts of Islam

Islam: Chapter Two: The Ḥadīth: The News of God's Messenger: 2. The Founding of the Community

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This is a narrative history excerpt drawn from early Islamic biographical literature (the *sīra* tradition, heavily reliant on Ibn Isḥāq), tracing the pivotal years from Muhammad's loss of Meccan clan protection through the Hijra of 622 CE, the founding of the Medinan community, and his death. The central argument is that the Hijra — not the first revelation or Muhammad's birth — represents the true founding moment of Islam as a political and social order, which is why the Islamic calendar begins there. The text details how Muhammad negotiated tribal politics to secure refuge with the Medinans (Anṣār), escaped a Meccan assassination plot with Abū Bakr, established the mosque and call to prayer in Medina, and progressively consolidated religious law, military power, and political authority across the Arabian Peninsula. A distinctive feature is its interweaving of Qur'ānic verses as divine commentary on unfolding events, presenting history and scripture as mutually validating. The account also frankly describes the suppression of Medinan Jewish tribes and the shift of the prayer direction from Jerusalem to Mecca as steps in defining Islam's distinctly Arabian identity. It closes with an intimate deathbed scene narrated by ʿĀʾisha, emphasizing Muhammad's voluntary acceptance of death as a final prophetic act.

Islam: Chapter Two: The Ḥadīth: The News of God's Messenger: 2. The Founding of the Community

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