Posted: 9/3/2016 Updated: 9/4/2016
Trigger
I watched this very recommendable BBC documentary The Life of Muhammad. “The Life of Muhammad is a 2011 British three-part documentary miniseries examining the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and the origins of Islam. The documentary was directed by Faris Kermani, written by Ziauddin Sardar, and presented by Rageh Omaar.”
Lessons From The Life Of Muhammad
I would bet not many Christians nor Muslims are aware of this fact that Muhammad in his earlier life was rescued by Christians. I only learned about this through the above BBC documentary.
Muhammad and his then small band of followers had to flee Mecca around 613 or 615 AD (known in Islamic history as the First Hijra), perhaps they even had to flee Mecca twice, because the ruling tribe of Mecca were persecuting Muhammad for his new religion.
Muhammad fled to what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea. Back in those days, this was the Christian kingdom of Aksum, a successful merchant and trading empire of the time. The King granted these refugees asylum. Muhammad was allowed to practice his new religion in this Christian kingdom.
The ruling tribe of Mecca even send an envoy to ask the Christian king to return the Muslim refugees and to malign the new religion of Islam. However, the Christian king and his bishop gave the muslims a hearing in which e.g. a follower of Muhammad recited the Quran Surah of Mary and described Jesus as God's servant, His prophet, His spirit, and His word. The Christian king was pleased and declared the refugees to be safe in his country.
Sources:
Conclusion
This episode suggests that without the benevolence of this Christian king, the new religion of Islam may have never seen the light of day.
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