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Originally Posted by highthief
We don't know much of Muhammed's early life other than he was orphaned and raised by his uncle and aunt I believe, so it is tough to say exactly what his beliefs were unti a bit later in life. However, his society as a whole was largely polytheistic with Allah being worshipped in some tribes as an important or chief god among several.
With respect to the term "Muslim" - In contemporary views, we recognize Muslims as adherents to Islam, which did not come into existence until the latter part of Muhammed's life, regardless of the etymology of the word.
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Much is known about Muhammad's early life
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Originally Posted by http://muhammad.net/bio/profbio.html
http://muhammad.net/bio/profbio.html
It was in the midst of such conditions and environments that Muhammad was born in 569 after Christ. His father, 'Abdullah had died some weeks earlier, and it was his grandfather who took him in charge. According to the prevailing custom, the child was entrusted to a Bedouin foster-mother, with whom he passed several years in the desert. All biographers state that the infant prophet sucked only one breast of his foster-mother, leaving the other for the sustenance of his foster-brother. When the child was brought back home, his mother, Aminah, took him to his maternal uncles at Madinah to visit the tomb of 'Abdullah. During the return journey, he lost his mother who died a sudden death. At Mecca, another bereavement awaited him, in the death of his affectionate grandfather. Subjected to such privations, he was at the age of eight, consigned at last to the care of his uncle, Abu-Talib, a man who was generous of nature but always short of resources and hardly able to provide for his family.
Young Muhammad had therefore to start immediately to earn his livelihood; he served as a shepherd boy to some neighbours. At the age of ten he accompanied his uncle to Syria when he was leading a caravan there. No other travels of Abu-Talib are mentioned, but there are references to his having set up a shop in Mecca. (Ibn Qutaibah, Ma'arif). It is possible that Muhammad helped him in this enterprise also
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As far as polythesism, Arabic society had degenerated
into idol worship, and local god worship
The traditions of Abraham became
more of a secular fair, than a religous ceremony
This bothered Muhammad, much like christians
of today are bothered with secular christmas and easter.
He spent his later years teaching
speaking out against polythesism
Preaching monotheism...
a return to the old values as the new way
Not everyone accepted his teaching
in his time or ours.
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