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ArishMell · 70-79, M
[b]Yes. [/b]
The Prophet Mohammed as Muslims honour him (often adding in speech something like "May peace be upon in him") was a merchant by profession, making him quite wealthy by their contemporary standards.
I don't know what he dealt in; but cotton, silk (the latter from the Far East) and fabrics, bronze and pottery, and spices were major commodities of his place and time.
He was also married; and the histories I have read say they were all as educated as he was. (Don't tell the Taliban!)
The faith he founded, Islam, is unlike the other two Abrahamic faiths in being developed and codified by a single man from its multi-faith / multi-prophet Hebrew roots plus his own ideas he ascribed to divine revelations. In that respect it is parallel to the much older Indian and Chinese faiths.
Unlike Christianity, which was developed by followers of Jesus' and OT prophets' teachings some three centuries AD - in effect, codified selectively by committee from a minor Jewish sect diverging from mainstream Judaism.
The Islamic, Shia / Sunni schism that continues to cause so much strife even 1300 years later, is rooted in later interpretations of the Koran by Mohammed's own relations; mainly a nephew.
The Prophet Mohammed also wrote a companion book - I have seen an English translation but forget its title - which is essentially a guide to living as a good Muslim.
(Probably best not tell the Taliban or ISIS that, either; nor that Islam's early history is noted for a remarkable flowering of scientific and medical learning, and standards of living, that bemused the NW European, Christian[?] "Holy" Crusades invasions trying to crush Islam in the Eastern Mediterranean lands.
The Prophet Mohammed as Muslims honour him (often adding in speech something like "May peace be upon in him") was a merchant by profession, making him quite wealthy by their contemporary standards.
I don't know what he dealt in; but cotton, silk (the latter from the Far East) and fabrics, bronze and pottery, and spices were major commodities of his place and time.
He was also married; and the histories I have read say they were all as educated as he was. (Don't tell the Taliban!)
The faith he founded, Islam, is unlike the other two Abrahamic faiths in being developed and codified by a single man from its multi-faith / multi-prophet Hebrew roots plus his own ideas he ascribed to divine revelations. In that respect it is parallel to the much older Indian and Chinese faiths.
Unlike Christianity, which was developed by followers of Jesus' and OT prophets' teachings some three centuries AD - in effect, codified selectively by committee from a minor Jewish sect diverging from mainstream Judaism.
The Islamic, Shia / Sunni schism that continues to cause so much strife even 1300 years later, is rooted in later interpretations of the Koran by Mohammed's own relations; mainly a nephew.
The Prophet Mohammed also wrote a companion book - I have seen an English translation but forget its title - which is essentially a guide to living as a good Muslim.
(Probably best not tell the Taliban or ISIS that, either; nor that Islam's early history is noted for a remarkable flowering of scientific and medical learning, and standards of living, that bemused the NW European, Christian[?] "Holy" Crusades invasions trying to crush Islam in the Eastern Mediterranean lands.
hippyjoe1955 · 61-69, M
@ArishMell Virtually nothing you wrote is true. What is true is Mohammed is like King Arthur. Great tales exist about him but there is no actual evidence of his existence. The legend you wrote was written to keep an empire together with a religion of its own. Thus the bias of the muslim faith. The western Christians launched the crusades in response to the muslim aggression and expansion. Muslims were forcing Jews and Christians under their control to convert or die.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@hippyjoe1955 Really?
I suspect you wish Mohammed had not existed so want him to have been as unreal as King Arthur (invented by a Mediaeval French novelist) , but his existence is rather more credible than that of the Old Testament prophets or the divinity of Jesus; and if he did not write the Q'ran and found a huge faith on it, then who did? Some Mediaeval Q'anon?
Lets' face it, the history of all three Abrahamic religions and their own sects, despite common roots, is one of power struggles, strife and bloodshed centred on the arrogant but childish excuse of their own theology being more "true" than the others.
While Christians are no position to moan about other cultures' historical expansionism and enforced conversions.
Notably, Islam is the last major faith to have been devised. Sects of existing ones, and assorted cults, have appeared over the 1300 years since, but no new complete religion.
I suspect you wish Mohammed had not existed so want him to have been as unreal as King Arthur (invented by a Mediaeval French novelist) , but his existence is rather more credible than that of the Old Testament prophets or the divinity of Jesus; and if he did not write the Q'ran and found a huge faith on it, then who did? Some Mediaeval Q'anon?
Lets' face it, the history of all three Abrahamic religions and their own sects, despite common roots, is one of power struggles, strife and bloodshed centred on the arrogant but childish excuse of their own theology being more "true" than the others.
While Christians are no position to moan about other cultures' historical expansionism and enforced conversions.
Notably, Islam is the last major faith to have been devised. Sects of existing ones, and assorted cults, have appeared over the 1300 years since, but no new complete religion.