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PREISLAMIC ARABIA. The Arabian Peninsula is arid and volcanic, making agriculture difficult except near oases or springs. The two most important cities are Mecca and Medina. Medina was a large agricultural settlement, while Mecca was an important financial center for many surrounding tribes. Communal life was essential for survival in the desert conditions, as people needed support against the harsh environment and lifestyle. Tribal grouping was encouraged by the need to act as a unit. Indigenous Arabs were nomadic or sedentary; the nomadic constantly travelling from one place to another seeking water and pasture for their flocks, while the sedentary settled and focused on trade and agriculture. Nomadic survival was also dependent on raiding caravans or oases, the nomads not viewing this as a crime . In pre-Islamic Arabia, gods or goddesses were viewed as protectors of individual tribes, their spirits being associated with sacred trees, stones, springs and wells. The Kaaba shrine in Mecca housed 360 idol statues of tribal patron deities. Monotheistic communities existed in Arabia, including Christians and Jews. MUHAMMAD. Born in 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca, he was orphaned at an early age and brought up under the care of his uncle Abu Talib. He later worked as a merchant, as well as a shepherd, and was first married by age 25 with a wealthy widow named Khadijah (40 years old). Discontented with life in Mecca, he retreated to a cave in the surrounding mountains for meditation and reflection. According to Islamic beliefs it was here, at age 40, in the month of Ramadan, where he received his first revelation from God. Three years after this event Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly, proclaiming that "God is One", that complete "surrender" to Him is the only way acceptable to God, and that he himself was a prophet and messenger of God. Muhammad gained followers, and was met with hostility from some Meccan tribes; he and his followers were treated harshly. To escape persecution, Muhammad and some of his followers in Mecca migrated to Medina in the year 622. This event, the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad united the conflicting tribes, and after eight years of fighting with the Meccan tribes, his followers, conquered Mecca. In 632, Muhammad fell ill and died. By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam; and he united the tribes of Arabia into a single Muslim religion. 1. Write down the meaning of the underlined words. 2. Look up the verbs of paragraph number 1 and write down the verbs in past and infinitive. PAST 3. INFINITIVE PARTICIPLE MEANING PAST INFINITIVE PARTICIPLE MEANING True or false, change false sentences into true. In 622 Muhammad had to migrate from Medina to Mecca. Muhammad died in 631. Muhammad married a poor widow named Aisha. The Kaaba shrine housed 360 idols. The two most important cities in the Arabian Peninsula are Mecca and Medina. The Arabian Peninsula is very fertile. Nomadic tribes usually raided caravans. Muhammad received his first revelation from God in the month of february. Muhammad declared himself prophet and messenger of God. 4. What is Hijra?. ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How is the environment in the Arabian Peninsula?. ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Who are these characters? 1. Abu Talib: 2. Khadijah: