Hedjaz was a kingdom of stark contrasts: fertile coastal plains and barren sands, crashing seas and burning sands, wealthy merchants and nomadic herders -- pagan city dwellers, and the Christian nomads of the northwest.
In the lands northwest of Medina, where the coast of Arabiya is very close to Egypt, the local herders and nomads had routine contact with East Roman traders traveling up and down the Red Sea. In the shifting sands of this land, one feature remained constant -- the small oasis markets, where the desert met the seashore, and where the Bedouin herdsmen bartered for and purchased the goods they needed from Roman-Egyptian merchants. More than mere pots and pans changed hands in these markets -- ideas flowed as freely as the desert sands in a fierce wind.
Perhaps the most revolutionary idea to ever be brought to these lands by the East Romans was that of monotheims. The Egyptian merchants were almost all Christians, some Coptic, some Orthodox; but all shared the common belief in one God and his Son.
Many of the Bedouins who visited these markets and spoke with the Romans had come to adopt Christianity as their religion. To them, the people of the immeasurable and unvarying desert, it seemed unlikely that there was a different god for every object -- in their minds, the small amount of variation in the desert of Hedjaz did not call for such a variation in deities. Rather, it made more sense that one single, almighty God controlled everything -- not to mention, it made praying easier, as with one prayer they could call for rain to drink, grass for their sheep to graze, and good health for their pregnant mare, that they might gain a strong and healthy horse from the birth. All this made monotheism seem like the logical religion for these Arabs.
One such man was named Mohammed. He was a young man, with only a short beard and one single horse. His father had been a shepherd, ad had his father before him, but Mohammed was not the kind to accept the nomadic herding life. The fact was, Mohammed didn't know what he wanted. He was confused, unsure of himself and his path.
And then one day, in an oasis market, he met an Egyptian Christian merchant who taught him about the nature of God. Mohammed realized that his calling in life was that of a holy man, a mystic; but what god to speak for, what religion to preach? Only further confused by this seeming enlightenment, Mohammed traveled south into the mountains of Hedjaz, where he found a great cave. There, in that cave, he meditated for more than a week, pondering the nature of God, the meaning of man's existence, and the proper faith to adhere to.
On the eigth day of his meditation, Mohammed felt into a rapturous dream. In it, he was enveloped in a cloud of fire, and from this fiery bower he heard the voice of God speak to him. "Mohammed," said the voice, "you are the first among your people to realize the true nature of that which cannot be realized. You are the last and final prophet in a long thread of seers, from Ibrahim to Jesus. You, you shall be my Prophet, and shall spread my word throughout the world. You alone know the Divine Truth; now it is your duty to spread that Truth, and the One True Faith, to all the peoples of the world, that they may live together as one family. Go now, Mohammed, and spread the Faith to the heathens of Mecca and Medina, and to the Christians of Egypt, and all the peoples of your world. Go, and spread news of that which to only you speaks." And as God commanded, Mohammed did.
Setting out from his cave, Mohammed road for Mecca, capital of the Kingdom of Hedjaz and center of the region's pagan faith. In Mecca stood the Ka'aba, a pagan shrine built around a great black meteor, taken by the Meccan Arabs as a sign from the gods. Mohammed had decided that it was at that shrine where he would preach the gospel of Allah, the One True God, and turn the people from their false, idolatrous ways.
Upon arriving in Mecca, Mohammed was greated in the typical Arab way -- by the city elder, who sat in a tent and offered Mohammed food and drink. However, the Prophet's interests lay not in hospitality, and so took the customary drink of coffee and piece of bread, and made his way towards the shrine of the meteor.
Mohammed set down a blanket outside the Ka'aba and from it began to call the people of Mecca to him. When a sizable crowd had gathered, he began to speak of his dream, and his meditations, and the true nature of Allah. He spoke of the instructions Allah had given him for how the people should worship properly, and how they should live properly, as well. Many people in the crowd were moved by Mohammed's words; but others were horrified. The authorities of the temple, and even the soldiers of the Prince of Mecca, came upon Mohammed to silence and arrest him. Knowing his life was in jeopardy, Mohammed mounted his horse and rode from the city with haste. Behind him followed some thirty of his new followers, and also the Meccan authorities.
Several miles outside the city, in the hasrh desert and mountain country, the soldiers and priests gave up the chase and let Mohammed and the Mohammedites ride to safety. Knowing they might still be in danger, the Mohammedites fled all the way to Medina, the other great city of the Hedjaz.
In Medina, Mohammed and his followers continued to preach their message of a tolerant, loving God who wished for His people to live their lives righteously. Mohammed spoke of a paradise that awaited the faithful after the death; those Christians living in the city already knew this Paradise well, as Heaven. But even the Christians, far removed from the epicenters of their faith, were swayed by the Prophet's eloquent words. Secure in the belief that Jesus was a prophet who had come before Mohammed to lay the foundation for his spreading of the True Faith, the Christians converted willingly and joined Mohammed and his men.
Now more than two hundred strong, the Mohammedites set out again for Mecca after spending several months in Medina. In Medina, Mohammed had had another vision; in this vision, Allah had given Mohammed a great sword and commanded him to use it to vanquish the enemies of the Faith and bring ruin to the temples of the idolaters. Mohammed interpreted this to mean that in order to free the people of Mecca from their misguided ways, the pagan Ka'aba shrine must be destroyed. The Mohammedites had armed themselves in Medina, and were now approaching Mecca with the intent of defacing the shrine and bringing an end to paganism and idolatry in the Hedjaz.
Upon entering Mecca a second time, Mohammed was not greated so warmly. The guards were weary of allowing so many armed men to pass; but since they made no threats against the city, they were allowed to enter. Making their way past the markets and houses, the Mohammedites approached the Ka'aba, where prayers were just ending. As the crowds surrounding the shrine dispersed, and the structure was emptied of worshippers, the Mohammedites launched their attack. Overrunning the priests who kept the shrine, the Prophet and his followers broke into the temple and defaced it, smashing the idols and cutting down the artwork of the gods. When they were done, not a single idol or image remained; the pagan gods of Arabiya had been defeated.
Mohammed and his apostles came to preaching again around the wrecked shrine. This time, the people were more receptive, realizing that if the pagan gods truly existed, they would have struck down those who defiled their temple. Even the priesthood, without purpose now as the shrine was destroyed, succumbed to his preaching. Soon, all the city was converted to the new faith, which Mohammed had come to calling Islam -- "surrender to God."
Mohammed preached five pillars of faith:
1. Monotheism and the confession of faith ("There is no God before Allah and Mohammed is his Prophet")
2. Prayer five times a day towards the Ka'aba (now a holy site for Islam)
3. Almsgiving and charity to help the poor
4. The Fast of Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage (all Muslims living outside Mecca must visit it once in their lives)
These tenets of faith appealed to the masses, young and old, rich and poor, warrior and artisan. The Prophet preached of inclusion, or tolerance, of brotherhood. Soon the word spread from Mecca and Medina into the surrounding lands. Islam was the religion of the people. Islam would bring salvation and paradise. Islam would unite the world.
Actually I am only half-joking.
