One God, Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Lecture 7 - Muhammad, Lord of Medina

Introduction:

A new environment and a new challenge for Muhammad and Islam, a chal-

lenge met and overcome in extraordinary fashion.

A. Muhammad as Prophet (Nabi): The Message of Islam

1.Muhammad at Medina

a. Medina was an oasis in the grip of civil strife. Muhammad had been

invited to help act as an arbitrator.

b. The oasis was once owned by the Jews but the control had passed to

the Arabs, who were now fighting among themselves.

c. Agreement was made to have Muhammad come to Medina as a medi-

ator. All sides signed the Medina Accords which are an agreement that

made the Muslims, pagans and Jews one “umma” or community.

2. Muhammad and the Jews
   a. Muhammad’s message was filled with biblical stories and it appears he
   was originally acceptable to the Jews as a mediator, and perhaps, he
   thought, as a prophet.
   b. But the Jews rejected his claims to prophethood and he brought down
   his wrath upon them, whether for their lack of support or their collusion
   with his enemies at Mecca, we don’t know.
   c. This rejection eventually led to their violent removal from the town.
   Muhammad exiled one tribe, enslaved another and had executed a
   number of the third.


3. Muhammad as Statesman: An Arabian Empire
   a. Muhammad struck out militarily against the Meccans in the battle of
   Badr Wells in 624 CE. This is the first use of force to resist persecu-
   tion, linking force and violence to religion, as it often was in Judaism
   and Christianity.

Before beginning this lecture you may want to...

Read some of the Medina sûras of the Quran.

Consider this...

1. Muhammad was his own Constantine. Why?


2. Why was Muhammad a failure at Mecca and a success at Medina?


3. What happened to the Jews of Medina?

LECTURE SEVEN