Life Quote by Reza Aslan
““Grateful for their generosity, Muhammad orders the land to be leveled, the graves dug up, and the palm trees cut down for timber to build a modest home. He envisions a courtyard roofed in palm leaves, with living quarters made of wood and mud lining the walls. But this will be more than a home. This converted drying-ground and cemetery will serve as the first masjid, or mosque, of a new kind of community, one so revolutionary that many years later, when Muslim scholars seek to establish a distinctly Islamic calendar, they will begin not with the birth of the Prophet, nor with the onset of Revelation, but with the year Muhammad and his band of Emigrants came to this small federation of villages to start a new society. That year, 622 C.E., will forever be known as Year 1 A.H. (After Hijra); and the oasis that for centuries had been called Yathrib will henceforth be celebrated as Medinat an-Nabi: “The City of the Prophet,” or more simply, Medina. There””
About This Quote
Source Book: No god of the Qur'an: A History of the Qur'an and Its Interpretation, 2007
Muhammad’s establishment of a community in Medina marked the start of the Islamic calendar and a new societal model centered on shared faith and purpose.
In simple terms: Muhammad founded a community that became the basis for Islamic dating and social structure.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the power of communal foundations.
Themes
faith
community
foundation
Mood
inspirational
historical
Type
religious
educational
When to use this quote
- religious practice
- historical study
- community building
Key Concepts
Islamic history
social organization
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does community play in your life?
- How do traditions shape collective identity?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may simplify complex historical processes.
