Islam Spreads!

When Muhammad was in Medina, he became a spiritual and a political leader. His house became the forst mosque, or building for Muslim prayer. The year 622- the year of the hegira- became very important to the development of Islam that Muslims made it the first year in the Islamic Calender. In Medina, Muhammad reported new revelations about rules for government, society, and worship. God had told Muhammad that Muslims should face Mecca when they pray. Muslims recognized the importance of Mecca as the home of the Kaaba. They believe the Kaaba is a place of worship for one God that Abraham built. As the Muslim community grew stronger, other Arab tribes began to acept Islam as their religion.COnflict with the Meccans increased however. In 630, the people of Mecca finally gave in, and accepted Islam as their religion as well. In Mecca Muhammad destroyed the statues of Gods and Godesses in the Kaaba.