The Saudis, and many other Arabs and Muslims as well, trace much of their heritage to the birth of the Prophet Muhammad in 570.

The time before Islam is generally referred to as "the time of ignorance" (of God).

Muhammad was born in Mecca at a time when the city was establishing itself as a trading center.

For the residents of Mecca, tribal connections are still the most important part of the social structure.

Muhammad was born into the Quraysh, which has become the leading tribe in the city because of its involvement with water rights for the pilgrimage.

By the time of Muhammad, the Quraysh have become active traders as well, having established alliances with tribes all over the peninsula.

These alliances permit the Quraysh to send their caravans to Yemen and Syria.

Accordingly, the Quraysh represent in many ways the facilitators and power brokers for the new status quo in Arabian society.

Tribes consist of clans that have various branches and families, and Muhammad comes from a respectable clan, the sons of Hashim, but from a weak family situation.

Muhammad's father Abd Allah had died before his son was born, leaving the Prophet without a close protector.

The Prophet is fortunate, however, that his uncle Abu Talib is one of the leaders of the Hashimite clan; his connection to Abu Talib gives Muhammad a certain amount of protection when he begins to preach in 610 against the Meccan leadership.