What will I learn about: how an orphaned outsider overcame a life of marginalization to become the prophet of Islam, humanizing a deeply historical and political figure?

Discover how an orphaned outsider overcame a life of marginalization to become the prophet of Islam, humanizing a deeply historical and political figure.

What will I learn about: Learn how Muhammad’s existence was shaped by tribal fate before his birth, stemming from his grandfather's dramatic vow to sacrifice his own son?

Learn how Muhammad’s existence was shaped by tribal fate before his birth, stemming from his grandfather's dramatic vow to sacrifice his own son.

What will I learn about: the profound impact of Muhammad’s desert childhood, where a mystical angelic encounter purified his heart and solidified his spiritual connection to nature?

Understand the profound impact of Muhammad’s desert childhood, where a mystical angelic encounter purified his heart and solidified his spiritual connection to nature.

What will I learn about: how a terrifying mid-life revelation on Mount Hira transformed a quiet husband into a profound orator with the crucial support of his wife Khadija?

Find out how a terrifying mid-life revelation on Mount Hira transformed a quiet husband into a profound orator with the crucial support of his wife Khadija.

What will I learn about: Explore the two-year 'dark night of the soul' Muhammad endured during divine silence, revealing how patience and steadfast faith can overcome deep depression and doubt?

Explore the two-year 'dark night of the soul' Muhammad endured during divine silence, revealing how patience and steadfast faith can overcome deep depression and doubt.

The First Muslim

The Story of Muhammad

Lesley Hazleton

★ 4.1 / 5(117 ratings)

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Categories:

Biography & Memoir

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered why the first reaction of the Prophet Muhammad to his divine revelation was not one of triumph, but of profound fear and uncertainty?
💡Did you know that the origins of the Islamic faith were deeply intertwined with a high-stakes struggle for social justice in a world of extreme inequality?
💡Are you curious about how a single man’s vision managed to transform the fractured, tribal landscape of 7th-century Arabia into a unified global force?

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Key Takeaways from The First Muslim

✓Discover how an orphaned outsider overcame a life of marginalization to become the prophet of Islam, humanizing a deeply historical and political figure.
✓Learn how Muhammad’s existence was shaped by tribal fate before his birth, stemming from his grandfather's dramatic vow to sacrifice his own son.
✓Understand the profound impact of Muhammad’s desert childhood, where a mystical angelic encounter purified his heart and solidified his spiritual connection to nature.
✓Find out how a terrifying mid-life revelation on Mount Hira transformed a quiet husband into a profound orator with the crucial support of his wife Khadija.
✓Explore the two-year 'dark night of the soul' Muhammad endured during divine silence, revealing how patience and steadfast faith can overcome deep depression and doubt.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The First Muslim

Mind Map

The First Muslim

Pre-Birth & Ancestry+

Early Life & Childhood+

The First Revelations+

The Test of Faith+

Clan Division & Pushback+

Political Conflict & Boycott+

The Migration to Medina+

Triumph & Unification+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

Why was Muhammad's father, Abdullah, almost sacrificed before Muhammad was born?

A. He was captured by a rival tribe during a trade expedition.
B. His father made a vow to sacrifice a son if the gods gave him ten healthy sons.
C. The priests of Mecca demanded a sacrifice to end a severe drought.
D. He committed an egregious offense against tribal hospitality rules.

Question 2 of 8

According to the text, what supernatural event prompted Muhammad's wet nurse, Halima, to return him to his mother in Mecca?

A. He was visited by the angel Gabriel who told him to return to his mother.
B. He miraculously produced water from a dry spring in the desert.
C. Two angels opened his chest, washed his heart, and removed a black speck.
D. He began reciting prophetic verses that frightened the bedouin elders.

Question 3 of 8

How did Muhammad initially react to his first revelation from the angel Gabriel on Mount Hira?

A. He was ecstatic and immediately ran to the Kaaba to preach.
B. He was terrified, thought he had gone crazy, and contemplated throwing himself off the mountain.
C. He calmly accepted his fate and immediately began writing the Qur'an.
D. He doubted the angel's identity and demanded a sign from God before he would listen.

Question 4 of 8

Following his first revelation, Muhammad experienced a two-year period where God was silent. What was the primary purpose of this period, according to the text?

A. It allowed his enemies in Mecca to forget about his initial preaching.
B. It tested his faith, taught him patience, and proved his steadfastness despite his doubt.
C. It gave him time to secretly build a coalition of followers in the desert.
D. It forced him to seek out the guidance of a priestess in Medina.

Question 5 of 8

Why did Muhammad's teachings eventually lead to the partial exclusion of his Hashim clan from Meccan society?

A. He demanded that all the wealthy clans hand over their property to the Hashim clan.
B. His messages became political, criticizing corruption and wealth while siding with the poor and oppressed.
C. He refused to participate in the traditional hajj pilgrimage, angering the tribal leaders.
D. He allied himself with foreign empires against local Meccan tribal leaders.

Question 6 of 8

What initially brought Muhammad to the attention of the people of Medina, leading to his eventual relocation there?

A. Pilgrims from Medina heard him preaching and invited him to their city to be a conflict mediator.
B. They were impressed by his military victory over the Umayyads.
C. They heard of his miraculous survival in the desert as a child.
D. They wanted to secure a lucrative trade agreement with his wealthy Hashim clan.

Question 7 of 8

Why was the migration of Muhammad and his followers to Medina in 622 AD considered such a radical and difficult act?

A. The journey across the desert was physically impossible during the summer months.
B. Leaving one's tribal land and clan was unheard of and went against deep tribal loyalties.
C. The people of Medina demanded a massive tribute of camels before allowing them to enter.
D. Muhammad's followers were forced to leave their wives and children behind permanently.

Question 8 of 8

How did Muhammad initially attempt to force a resolution to the embattled relationship between Mecca and Medina?

A. He sent his cousin Ali to negotiate a secret treaty with the Meccan chiefs.
B. He organized a massive economic boycott of Meccan trade routes.
C. He led a group of unarmed followers on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
D. He challenged the chief of the Umayyads to a one-on-one duel.

The First Muslim — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Muhammad’s story opens with a solemn vow from his grandfather.
3Muhammad grew up in the desert, yet a miracle brought him back to the city of Mecca.
4God appeared to Muhammad, appointing him as His messenger.
5Muhammad’s faith was deeply tested, yet he rose to it.
6Muhammad’s sacred message sparked division inside his clan.
7Muhammad’s message became overtly political, leading to his clan’s partial exclusion from wider Meccan society.
8Muhammad secured the support he needed in Medina, and his followers joined him there.
9Muhammad united Medina and Mecca via a pilgrimage and a battle.

The First Muslim Summary & Overview

The First Muslim (2013) details the incredible story of the prophet Muhammad, the first member of the Islamic faith. These blinks take you back to before Muhammad’s birth and tell the complete story of God’s revelation to this prophet, how he spread Islam and what his contemporaries thought of his ideas.

Who Should Listen to The First Muslim?

Historians of all types
Students and scholars of Islam and its history
Critical readers who want to know more about the origins of Islam

About the Author: Lesley Hazleton

Lesley Hazleton is a renowned Middle East specialist. Her other books include After the Prophet, which was selected as a finalist for the 2010 PEN nonfiction award.

The First Muslim

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to The First Muslim — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from The First Muslim

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

The First Muslim — Full Chapter Overview

The First Muslim Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to The First Muslim?

About the Author: Lesley Hazleton

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