Muhammad and the Ummah: Introduction

At Mecca the ummah were a mostly religious community, but after Muhammad led the hijrah to Medina, the ummah became a political community as well. Knowing why and how this happened, as well as the long-term consequences is important to understanding the history of Islam and the Muslims.
The why and how of the ummah becoming a political group is explained in the way the followers of Muhammad were treated in Mecca. Because the Quraysh were pagans in the majority, they would never let Muhammad or his followers gain power as long as they were the minority. On page 173 Hodgson states, "...the…