Islam
Background: Muhammad
The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca around 570 AD. We know very little about his early life, but we do know that in mid-life (610 AD) he experienced a series of revelations from the angel Gabriel. Soon afterward, he began preaching publicly. The people of Mecca were pagans and they did not like Muhammad's harsh criticisms of their practices; in 622, he and his family emigrated to Medina. This move is called the hijra (or Hegira) and marks year 1 of the Islamic calendar.
Muhammad was much more successful at Medina. It was here that he began preaching that his followers were commanded by God to convert or else conquer the neighboring tribes. Expansion followed rapidly, and in 630 they had conquered Mecca. Muhammad himself died in 632.
He was recognized by his followers to be what he claimed to be: the final and true prophet, following in a direct tradition from Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. We have nothing from Muhammad's hand. The sacred book of Islam, the Koran (Quran), was written down in final form in 651 and 652, by his followers who knew him directly and intimately.