The Rise of Islam

The Revelations

In the early seventh century ce, a wealthy merchant in Mecca by the name of Mohammed would frequently retire to the cave of Hira to pray and meditate. He is reputed to have remained in the cave until he ran out of food and then return after replenishing his provisions. Around 610, he began to have dreams that purportedly anticipated the events of the following day. These were followed by visions, which he interpreted as visits from the archangel Gabriel. Sometimes the angel appeared as a man, twice “in the form in which he was created – with 600 wings.” The visitations had an immense emotional impact on Mohammed and at one point he is said to have exclaimed, “I fear that I have gone mad.”

The conditions under which Mohammed experienced his revelations are not unique. Stark (2004, ch. 5) identifies the following circumstances under which revelations can profoundly affect a religion's founding: (1) They occur in periods of social crisis, (2) They occur at a time when there is widespread belief in the existence of revelations.