The information brought together in Part 1 relates primarily to Mohammed's struggle for recognition of his mission and message and is limited to this. Knowing about, and understanding, Mohammed's struggle is of vital importance if one wishes to understand what Mohammed taught, the Koran and Muslim belief and practice.

Throughout his whole life as Prophet he struggled against the powerful Meccan ruling elite, against the Meccan family which dominated Mecca, the Quraysh. They first opposed and then persecuted him and his followers for ten years, following which he fought them for ten years till he won and then he died.

So we need to know just what Mohammed taught which upset the elite so thoroughly and persistently, which caused him and his followers to be so harshly opposed and so actively persecuted.

The first step towards understanding the intent and substance of God's (Allah's) revelations as expressed by Mohammed's teachings, is to gain knowledge about the then developing Arabic written language, that is to understand how recorded letters and symbols were used to state the meaning of words, and about the dialects of the time.

Such knowledge and understanding is particularly important when considering how the Koran was assembled and what scholars and clerics have done and are doing when they are 'interpreting' the text of the Koran.

Following Parts 1 and 2 we are here looking at the struggle for power and control over the Muslim community which took place after Mohammed died and seeing how Muslim belief and practice evolved in the two hundred years under the caliphs.

These events and struggles formed Sunnism and Shiism, shaped the Koran and Muslim belief and practice, underlie today's conflicts and confrontations within Islam.

Hadiths (traditions) tell that Zaid bin Thabit compiled the Koran and that Caliph Uthman later had an official version prepared.

The arabic text of these hadiths recorded the underlying reality. They state that on the one hand we have the word of benevolent Allah as taught by Mohammed that people (believers) should have a good life of high quality in this life, but that on the other hand is the ruling elite's opposing viewpoint that people should be obedient and serve willingly without questioning their condition.

Mohammed's social teachings are stated from Koran chapters (suras) singled out by 'Abbreviated Letters', statements of revelation from compassionate and caring Allah. It seems that some self-seeking doctrines were added later by the ruling elite of that time.

The content of the corresponding compassionate and benevolent teachings are described as are the Koran's stated rewards for following them and the consequences of ignoring or opposing them.

Includes a comprehensive summary table of the struggles of the Muslims while Mohammed was alive, primarily against the Meccan ruling elite but also including their conflicts with the Jewish Medinan clans.

The unexpected but convincing conclusions are directly relevant to understanding present tensions and conflicts within Islam.

Mohammed taught that people should follow the edicts of the one all-seeing and almighty but compassionate God, and the obligation of generosity and respect for the rights of the poor and the defenceless. {3}

Preaching the obligation of generosity and respect for the rights of the poor and the defenceless, soon aroused the opposition of the Meccan elite.

Attacks upon the Meccan gods at length drew down persecution upon Mohammed's followers {1}. Mockery and insults turned into persecution and in 615 Mohammed advised some of his followers to take refuge in the Christian country of Abyssinia {3}. A number of his followers emigrated to Abyssinia.

Mohammed had now struggled to preach the word of God in this environment for roughly ten years. A small number believed, mostly of the poorer classes. The followers he drew were the rejected, the disadvantaged, the weak and the oppressed - slaves, women and minority tribes. {1, 5}

Negotiations with parties from Yathrib (Medina) led to agreement. Mohammed gave the signal for his Meccan followers to slip quietly away to Medina. On September 622 Mohammed and his companions made their way to Medina and joined them. {1}

In Medina, Mohammed was the religious leader, the acknowledged head of the community (umma) of emigrants (muhajirun) which had federated with the eight major Medinan tribes called the supporters (ansar). {1, 2}

The needs of the Muhajirun (the emigrants who had left Mecca and come to Medina) were pressing. Needed were booty and supplies to sustain the impoverished Muslim community. {1, 2}

Small expeditions began to molest the Meccan caravans.

Many of Mohammed's followers disliked this new attitude.

Further difficulty was caused by an attack on a small caravan at Nakhlah at the beginning of Rajab II as it raised the question of fighting in the sacred months.

An attempt to intercept one of the chief Meccan caravans returning from Syria led to a battle at the wells of Badr. The Quraysh army was defeated.

But the booty had not been so great as had been expected, and difficulties arose as to the division of it. {1}

This was followed by the expulsion of one of the Jewish clans, the 'Bani Qainuqa', from Medina {1}

The Qaynuqa, who were traders and goldsmiths of Medina, retired to their strongholds where they were besieged. They surrendered to the Muslims after 15 days, and were given three days to leave the city, without their arms and probably without their goldsmiths' tools as well.

A large Meccan force appeared before Medina.

The Muslims decided to accept this Quraysh challenge, marched out and positioned themselves at Uhud, a hill to the north of the town. On the way, however, a portion of their army broke off and returned to Medina. The Muslims were defeated. {1}

The Quraysh, having no quarrel with Medina, withdrew. Some of the Muslim forces followed, and claimed a victory. {1}

Muslim raiding was resumed. {1}

A main drive was the search for booty and supplies to sustain the impoverished Muslim community. {2}

The Muslims sent an ultimatum to the 'Bani Nadir', another Jewish clan {1}, demanding that if they did not leave Medina within ten days they would be put to death. If they left, however, they would continue to own their palm groves and receive part of the produce.

The Nadir held out 15 days before surrendering to the Muslims.

They were allowed to leave but had to abandon their weapons and were not entitled to take their date harvest.

So the Jewish clan had to hand over their weapons, their homes, land and harvest.

When the Meccans unsuccessfully besieged Medina, the Qurayza, the last major clan of Jews in Medina, were neutral.

After the Meccans departed, the Muslims attacked the strongholds of the Qurayza. After 25 days the Qurayza asked to surrender on the same terms as the Nadir.

The Muslims demanded an unconditional surrender, which the Qurayza accepted.

All the men of Qurayza (about 600) were put to death, were ruthlessly slaughtered, the women and children sold as slaves {1} and the Muslims took all that had belonged to the Qurayza.

The decision to kill the male Qurayza and to enslave and sell their women and children, was not taken by the Prophet Mohammed.

A ruthless episode which it is difficult to reconcile with Mohammed's teachings 'that people should follow the edicts of the one all-seeing and almighty but compassionate God, and the obligation of generosity and respect for the rights of the poor and the defenceless. {3}'

The Muslims thought they were strong enough to force their way into Mecca. Their Beduin allies, however, failed them. {1}

Professing peaceable intentions they set out, ostensibly to perform the pilgrimage. They found their way blocked by Meccan forces, and halting at the borders of the 'haram', at 'Hudaibiyah', entered into negotiations. The treaty they made was a disappointment to the Muslims. {1}

This was followed in May 628 by an attack on the last independent Jewish clan of Khaibar. {1}

In May-June the Muslims conquered the oasis.

A Muslim expedition northwards unexpectedly met strong Byzantine resistance and was defeated at Mutah. {1}