Muhhamad's flight to Medina
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When Muhhamad first revealed the teachings of his meeting with the angel Gabriel, he was forced into exile by the people of Mecca. Everyone thought he was a heretic and a fake. However, Muhhamad took his small group of followers and went to Medina, about 270 miles away from Mecca.This flight is known as the hegira marked the beginning of the Muslim era.(2) Medina was originally called Yathrib. Farmers settled there sometime before 200 BC until it received it's present day name Medina, meaning town.(1) In Medina, Muhhamad gained supporters and created an army of 10,000 men. Greatly outnumbered by the Meccan army, Muhhamad and his men triumphed and conquered the city. Medina then became the second holy city in Islam and was the center of the Muslim community.