Muhammad and Christianity

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This article discusses Muhammad's attitude towards Christianity as well as his interactions with Christians during the 7th century.

1 Interactions
2 See also
3 Notes
4 References

[edit] Interactions

[edit] Pre-Islamic

Before Muhammad started preaching Islam, at the age of forty, he had few interactions with Christians.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal was a Nestorian monk^[1], Mecca's priest or preacher according to some sources.

[edit] Meccan period

Waraqah is said to have believed in Muhammad as a prophet, but died as a Christian. After the early Muslim community faced intense persecution, Muhammad sent 90 of his followers to Abyssinia. There the Muslims were received by the Christian king Ashama ibn Abjar.

[edit] Medinian period

In 630 AD Muhammad received a Christian delegation from Najran in Medina. Debate with Christians ensued some days. Finally the Christians asked Muhammad for peace and he accepted. Muhammad extended the hand of friendship towards them, a treaty was signed and both parties left on friendly terms.

[edit] Byzantines

According to traditional Islamic sources, in 628 Muhammad sent a letter to Heraclius inviting him to Islam. The Byzantine emperor received it while on a pilgrimage in Jerusalem and called upon a person who belonged to Muhammad's tribe Quraysh. Abu Sufyan came forwards and a discussion between them took place.^[2] At the end of the discussion the emperor said,

If what you say should be true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet Him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.” ^[3]

In 629, Muhammad sent a force of 3,000 men to fight 100,000 Byzantines and Ghassanids, near Al-Karak. The battle ended when both sides retreated.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^ Al-Jibouri (2007)
^ Siddiqui (2007)
^ Sahih Bukhari 4:52:191

[edit] References

Al-Jibouri, Yasin T. Khadija Daughter of Khuwaylid, <http://www.al-islam.org>[1] (accessed January 8, 2007)
Siddiqui, Muzammil. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Political Leader [2] (accessed January 8, 2007)