Islam was founded in the early 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula, specifically in the city of Mecca, which is in present-day Saudi Arabia. It began around 610 CE when the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from Allah through the Angel Gabriel while meditating in the Cave of Hira near Mecca
. Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad and the location of the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam. Muhammad initially preached in Mecca but faced opposition and persecution, leading him and his followers to migrate to Medina in 622 CE. This migration, known as the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad established the first political and social structure of the Muslim community and later returned to conquer Mecca in 630 CE, solidifying it as the spiritual center of Islam
. Thus, Islam's foundation is closely tied to both Mecca and Medina, with Mecca being the original place of revelation and Medina the site of the early Muslim community's political and social establishment
