Muhammad was born in Mecca, a city in modern-day Saudi Arabia, and began receiving revelations from God through the angel Gabriel when he was 40 years old. These revelations were later recorded in the Quran, which Muslims believe is the word of God as revealed to Muhammad.
The first Muslims were a small group of Muhammad’s companions and followers who accepted his teachings and believed in his message. These early Muslims faced persecution and hostility from the non-Muslim population of Mecca. Many were forced to flee to the nearby city of Medina in what is known as the Hijra (migration).
The Muslim community in Medina, known as the ummah, grew and became more powerful. Muhammad and his followers could return to Mecca and establish Islam as the dominant religion in the region. From its humble beginnings, Islam spread rapidly throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, and today there are millions of Muslims worldwide.
