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Originally Posted by Max2147
He got his start as the peaceful arbiter of disputes in Medina. He unified the Arab tribes that had constantly fought among themselves before he came along. He was a brilliant political leader. And yes, he was a military leader as well - quite an effective one too.
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That's a little different from the way I heard it. My understanding was that Muhammad was a self-styled prophet in Mecca, who was shunned by his neighbors and family. Disillusioned, he went to Medina and began leading raids against Meccan caravans. Eventually, he got enough guys together to go back and sack Mecca.
IIRC, part of the reason Islam is so radically divided between the Sunni and Shiite sects is because after the prophet's death, some chose to follow his closest friend and other followed his brother, who he disliked but who was his closest kin.
Is that all true or am I mistaken?