pos>n. [ 'The praised one'. ] [ Also spelled Mahomed, Mahomet, Muhammad (the Arabic form), Mahmoud, Mehemet, etc. ] The prophet who founded Islam (570-632).
Syn. -- Muhammad, Mahomet, Mahmoud. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

Mohammed (or Mahomet was born at Mecca, Arabia, about 570: died at Medina, Arabia, June 8, 632. He was the founder of Islam ('surrender, ' namely, to God), formerly also called Mohammedanism. He was the posthumous son of Abdallah by his wife Amina, of the family of Hashim, the noblest among the Koreish, and was brought up in the desert among the Banu Saad by a Bedouin woman named Halima. At the age of six he lost his mother, and at eight his grandfather, when he was cared for by his uncle Abu-Talib. When about twelve years old (582) he accompanied a caravan to Syria, and may on this occasion have come for the first time in contact with Jews and Christians. A few years later he took part in the "sacrilegious war" (so called because carried on during the sacred months, when fighting was forbidden) which raged between the Koreish and the Banu Hawazin 580-590. He attended sundry preachings and recitations at Okatz, which may have awakened his poetical and rhetorical powers and his religious feelings; and for some time was occupied as a shepherd, to which he later refers as being in accordance with his career as a prophet, even as it was with that of Moses and David. When twenty-five years old he entered the service of the widow Khadijah, and made a second journey to Syria, on which he again had an opportunity to come in frequent contact with Jews and Christians, and to acquire some knowledge of their religious teachings. He soon married Khadijah, who was fifteen years his senior. Of the six children which she bore him, Fatima became the most famous. In 605 he attained some influence in Mecca by settling a dispute about the rebuilding of the Kaaba. The impressions which he had gathered from his contact with Judaism and Christianity, and from Arabic lore, began now strongly to engage his mind. He frequently retired to solitary places, especially to the cave of Mount Hira, north of Mecca. He passed at that time (he was then about forty years old) through great mental struggles, and repeatedly meditated suicide. It must have been during these lonely contemplations that the yearnings for a messenger from God for his people, and the thought that he himself might be destined for this mission, were born in his ardent mind. During one of his reveries, in the month of Ramadan, 610, he beheld in sleep the angel Gabriel, who ordered him to read from a scroll which he held before him the words which begin the 96th sura (chapter) of the Koran. After the lapse of some time, a second vision came, and then the revelations began to follow one another frequently. His own belief in his mission as apostle and prophet of God was now firmly established. The first convert was his wife Khadijah, then followed his cousin and adopted son Ali, his other adopted son Zeid, and Abu-Bekr, afterward his father-in-law and first successor (calif). Gradually about 60 adherents rallied about him. But after three years' preaching the mass of the Meccans rose against him, so that part of his followers had to resort to Abyssinia for safety in 614. This is termed the first hejira. Mohammed in the meanwhile continued his meetings in the house of one of his disciples, Arqaan, in front of the Kaaba, which later became known as the "House of Islam." At one time he offered the Koreish a compromise, admitting their gods into his system as intercessors with the Supreme Being, but, becoming conscience-stricken, took back his words. The conversion of Hamza and Omar and 39 others in 615-616 strengthened his cause. The Koreish excommunicated Mohammed and his followers, who were forced to live in retirement. In 620, at the pilgrimage, he won over to his teachings a small party from Medina. In Medina, whither a teacher was deputed, the new religion spread rapidly. To this period belongs the vision or dream of the miraculous ride, on the winged horse Borak, to Jerusalem, where he was received by the prophets, and thence ascended to heaven. In 622 more than 70 persons from Medina bound themselves to stand by Mohammed. The Meccans proposed to kill him, and he fled on the 20th of June, 622, to Medina. This is known as the hejira ('the flight'), and marks the beginning of the Muslim era. This event formed a turning-point in the activity of Mohammed. He was thus far a religious preacher and persuader; he became in his Medinian period a legislator and warrior. He built there in 623 the first mosque, and married Ayesha. In 624 the first battle for the faith took place between Mohammed and the Meccans in the plain of Bedr, in which the latter were defeated. At this time, also, Mohammed began bitterly to inveigh against the Jews, who did not recognize his claims to be the "greater prophet" promised by Moses. He changed the attitude of prayer (kibla) from the direction of Jerusalem to that of the Kaaba in Mecca, appointed Friday as the day for public worship, and instituted the fast of Ramadan and the tithe or poor-rate. The Jewish tribe of the Banu Kainuka, settled at Medina, was driven out; while of another Jewish tribe, the Banu Kuraiza, all the men, 700 in number, were massacred. In 625 Mohammed and his followers were defeated by the Meccans in the battle of Ohud. The following years were filled out with expeditions. One tribe after another submitted to Mohammed, until in 631 something like a definite Muslim empire was established. In 632 the prophet made his last pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the "farewell pilgrimage," or the pilgrimage of the "announcement" or of "Islam." In the same year he died while planning an expedition against the frontier of the Byzantine empire. Mohammed was a little above the middle height, of a commanding figure, and is described as being of a modest, tender, and generous disposition. His manner of life was very simple and frugal. He mended his own clothes, and his common diet was barley-bread and water. But he enjoyed perfumes and the charms of women. His character appears composed of the strongest inconsistencies. He could be tender, kind, and liberal, but on occasions indulged in cruel and perfidious assassinations. With regard to his prophetic claims, it is as difficult to assume that he was sincere throughout, or self-deceived, as that he was throughout an impostor. In his doctrines there is practically nothing original. The legends of the Koran are chiefly drawn from the Old Testament and the rabbinical literature, which Mohammed must have learned from a Jew near Mecca, though he presents them as original revelations by the angel Gabriel, See Koran. [ Century Dict. 1906 ]

a. [ From Mohammed, fr. Ar. muhámmad praiseworthy, highly praised. ] Of or pertaining to Mohammed, or to Islam, the religion and institutions founded by Mohammed; in the latter sense, synonymous with Islamic, the term preferred by Moslems. [ Written also Mahometan, Mahomedan, Muhammadan, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. A follower of Mohammed, the founder of Islam (also called Islamism or Mohammedanism); an adherent of Islam; one who professes Islam; a Muslim; a Moslem; a Musselman; -- this term is used mostly by non-Moslems, and some Moslems find it offensive. [ Written also Muhammadan, Mahometan, Mahomedan, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

. The Muslim calendar, a lunar calendar reckoning from the year of the hegira (hejira), 622 a. d. Thirty of its years constitute a cycle, of which the 2d, 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th, and 29th are leap years, having 355 days; the others are common, having 354 days. By the following tables any Mohammedan date may be changed into the Christian date, or vice versa, for the years 1900-1935 a. d.

Months of the Mohammedan year.

 1 Muharram . . . .. 30 2 Safar . . . . . . .. 29 3 Rabia I . . . . . . 30 4 Rabia II . . . .. 29 5 Jumada I . . . .. 30 6 Jumada II . . . . 29 7 Rajab . . . . . . .. 30 8 Shaban . . . . . . . 29 9 Ramadan . . . . . . 30 10 Shawwal . . . . . . 29 11 Zu'lkadah . . . . 30 12 Zu'lhijjah . . . 29* * in leap year, 30 days

 a. h. a. d. a. h. a. d.
 --------------------------------------------------------------
 1317 begins May 12, 1899 1336* begins Oct.17, 1917
 1318 May 1, 1900 1337 Oct. 7, 1918
 1319* Apr.20, 1901 1338* Sept.26, 1919
 1320 Apr.10, 1902 1339 Sept.15, 1920
 1321+ Mar.30, 1903 1340 Sept.4, 1921
 1322* Mar.18, 1904 1341* Aug.24, 1922
 1323 Mar. 8, 1905 1342 Aug.14, 1923
 1324 Feb.25, 1906 1343 Aug. 2, 1924
 1325* Feb.14, 1907 1344* July 22, 1925
 1326 Feb. 4, 1908 1345 July 12, 1926
 1327* Jan.23, 1909 1346* July 1, 1927
 1328 Jan.13, 1910 1347 June 20, 1928
 1329 Jan. 2, 1911 1348 June 9, 1929
 1330* Dec.22, 1911 1349* May 29, 1930
 1331 Dec.11, 1912 1350 May 19, 1931
 1332 Nov.30, 1913 1351++ May 7, 1932
 1333* Nov.19, 1914 1352* Apr.26, 1933
 1334 Nov. 9, 1915 1353 Apr.16, 1934
 1335 Oct.28, 1916 1354 Apr. 5, 1935
 -----------------------------------------------------------------
 * Leap year + First year of the 45th cycle
 ++ First year of the 46th cycle
 

The Mohammedan calendar is one of the most primitive. It is strictly a Lunar calendar, the year consisting of twelve lunar months, which retrograde through the seasons in about 321/2 years. To reconcile the lunar cycle to a given number of complete days, a leap year is introduced on the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 24th, 26th and 29th years of a thirty year cycle, making these years consist of 355 days instead of 354. The names of the months and the number of days are: 1, Muharram (30); 2, Saphar (29); 3, Rabia I (30); 4, Rabia II (29); 5, Jomada I (30); 6, Jomada II (29); 7, Rajah (30); 8, Shaaban (29); 9, Ramadan (30); 10, Shawaal (29); 11, Dulkasda (30); and 12, Dulheggia (29 or 30). The years are calculated from July 16, 622 A.D., the day following the Hegira, the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina after an attempted assassination. The beginning of the 46th cycle, with the first day of Muharram, in the year 1351, compares to May 7, 1932 of the Gregorian calendar; continuing: 1365 Dec. 6, 1945 1366 Nov. 25, 1946 1367 Nov. 15, 1947 1368 Nov. 3, 1948 1369 Oct. 24, 1949 1370 Oct. 13, 1950 1371 Oct. 2, 1951 1372 Sept. 21, 1952 1373 Sept. 10, 1953 1374 Aug. 30, 1954 To find the Gregorian equivalent to any Mohammedan date multiply 970, 224 by the Mohammedan year, point off six decimal places and add 621.5774. The whole number will be the year A.D., and the decimal multiplied by 365 will be the day of the year. https://web.archive.org/web/20040112151506/http://www.arsakeio.gr/universe/timeref1.htm [ PJC ]

prop. n. The era in use in Moslem countries. See Mohammedan year, below. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

prop. n. The year used by Muslims, consisting of twelve lunar months without intercalation, so that they retrograde through all the seasons in about 321/2 years. The Mohammedan era begins with the year 622 a. d., the first day of the Mohammedan year 1332 being Nov. 30, 1913, according to the Gregorian calendar. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } prop. n. The religion, or doctrines and precepts, of Mohammed, contained in the Koran; Islamism; Islam. The term Islam is preferred by most Moslems, and some find the term Mohammedanism to be offensive, as they worship Allah, not Mohammed. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

{ } prop. v. t. To make conformable to the principles, or customs and rites, of Islam. [ Written also Mahometanize. ] [ 1913 Webster ]