Famous Men of the Middle Ages · Ch. VII, part 1 · Unit 3: Mohammed and the Saracens
11. Mohammed, part 1: The trustworthy young trader
Goal: Your child can tell what the book says about Mohammed's early life in Mecca, why he was called "the truthful," and how Muslims believe the Koran was revealed.
You'll need
- The book, open to this chapter
- A map or globe showing Europe, the Middle East and Asia (a free online map works)
- Paper and colored pencils
- Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
What's in the book
Chapter VII, sections I and II (570-632 A.D.): Mohammed (Muhammad) is born in Mecca in 570, is orphaned, and is raised by his uncle Abu Talib. He becomes a skilled camel-driver and trader, so honest that people call him El Amin, "the truthful." He manages the caravans of the widow Khadijah and marries her. He spends weeks each year in prayer in a cave on Mount Hira, where he said the angel Gabriel appeared to him; the Koran was written down from what he memorized.
The lesson, step by step
A note before you read
This book was written in 1904 by two American school superintendents, and it tells this story from the outside. It uses the words "Mohammedan" and "Moslem." Today the followers of Islam are called Muslims, and the Prophet's name is usually spelled Muhammad. Muslims do not use the word "Mohammedan," because they worship God, not Muhammad.
SayThis chapter is about the founder of a religion that more than a billion people follow today. We will read what the book says, and we will talk about it respectfully.
Set the scene
Find Arabia, the Red Sea, and the cities of Mecca and Medina. Say: Much of Arabia is desert. Traders crossed it in long lines of camels called caravans.
Read the chapter
Read sections I and II, up to the end of the paragraph about the Koran. It begins:
The founder of this religion was a man named Mohammed, or Mahomet.
(It is fine to start with the chapter's first sentence; this is the third.)
Tell it back
Prompts:
- Who brought Mohammed up, and what work did he do as a boy?
- Why did the people of Mecca trust him with their money?
- Who was Khadijah?
- What happened in the cave on Mount Hira, as the book tells it?
Talk it over
Read this:
He became so well known in Mecca for being truthful and trustworthy that people gave him the name of El Amin, which means "the truthful."
Ask: What would you have to do for people to give you a name like that?
A word to know
The book says the word Koran means "the Book." Say: The name is usually spelled Quran today and is usually translated "the recitation" or "the reading." Muslims believe it is the word of God, given to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
Remember it
Add to the timeline: "570 Mohammed (Muhammad) born in Mecca."
Afterwards
Ask your child what El Amin means and why Mohammed was given that name.
Tip
If your family is not Muslim, "Muslims believe..." is the easy, respectful way to talk about the angel and the Koran; if your family is Muslim, your child may know more than the book and can teach you.
Answers to the book's problems
His uncle Abu Talib; he looked after sheep and camels and went on trading journeys. He always told the truth, kept his promises and paid over every coin he received. Khadijah was a wealthy widow who ran her husband's business; she hired Mohammed to manage her caravans and later married him. The book says he spent weeks there in prayer, and he declared that the angel Gabriel appeared to him and revealed the religion he later taught; he memorized it and had it written down.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.