Religion, although a decreasing factor in today's society, was once the backbone of the government, and even though it is a very subjective entity, common beliefs were once held. At the turn of the 6th Century, the most common social beliefs lied in the Jewish and Christian religions, which were both closely related, essentially intertwined. At this point, a man named Muhammad was leading an average life for a person of the time, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, oblivious to the fact that he would change the face of history and revolutionize the religious beliefs. It is said that the Angel Gabriel came to Muhammad in the year 610 CE, declaring Muhammad the Messenger of God, to confirm His previous scriptures that had apparently been corrupted and misrepresented by the Jews and Christians (Qur"an, p. 2). He slowly gained followers, and in 622 CE, Hijra, the flight of Muhammad and his followers to Medina, marked the beginning of the Muslim Era, resulting in the intensification of Muhammad's efforts to spread the word of God. Over time, the Muslims built up an enormous army that became unstoppable by that of the Persians or the Byzantines, which allowed them to conquer lands and spread the word of Islam with a fair bit of ease. The newly formed religion also appealed to the masses in the Near-Middle East for many reasons, as not just a belief system, but as a culture and way of life. Ultimately, there were many factors that lead to the widespread embracement of Islam in the 7th century, including Muhammad's efforts and influence, the powerful and massive Muslim army, and the positive effects of the new religion.
Muhammad was clearly the primary reason for Islam's creation and mass popularity. After getting word from Gabriel, Muhammad received many messages from God Himself, which gave him the divine inspiration to spread the refined word of the Lord. Muhammad was very sceptical of the other religions as well, and carried no attachment to them, making him unbiased in forming the Nation of Islam.
