Muhammad

Who Was Muhammad?

Muhammad was the prophet and founder of Islam. He spent the majority of his early life as a merchant. At the age of 40, he began receiving revelations from Allah, which formed the basis of the Qur’an and the foundation of the Islamic faith. By 630 AD, he had successfully unified most of Arabia under a single religious framework. As of 2015, there are over 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide who affirm the central tenet of Islam: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.”

The Life of Muhammad

Muhammad was born circa 570 AD in Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. Orphaned at birth, he was initially raised by his grandfather and later by his uncle. He belonged to a modest yet respectable family within the Quraysh tribe, which played a significant role in Meccan politics and commerce. During this era, many tribes in the Arabian Peninsula were nomadic, trading goods as they traversed the desert. Most tribes practiced polytheism, worshipping various deities. Mecca served as an important trading and religious hub, housing numerous temples and worship sites dedicated to idols. The most renowned site was the Kaaba, believed to have been constructed by Abraham (known as Ibrahim in Islam) and his son Ismail. Over time, the residents of Mecca shifted towards polytheism, with Allah being regarded as the greatest deity, often worshipped without an idol.

In his early teens, Muhammad worked in camel caravans, following a common path for young men of his socioeconomic background. Employed by his uncle, he gained valuable experience in commercial trade, traveling from Syria to the Indian Ocean. Muhammad developed a reputation for honesty and integrity, earning him the nickname “al-Amin,” meaning faithful or trustworthy.

In his early twenties, he began working for Khadijah, a wealthy merchant woman 15 years his senior. She was drawn to Muhammad’s character and proposed marriage, which he accepted. Their union produced several children, though not all survived to adulthood; however, one daughter, Fatima, later married Muhammad’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Shi’ite Muslims regard as Muhammad’s rightful successor.

The Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad was deeply spiritual, often undertaking journeys of devotion to sacred sites near Mecca. During one such pilgrimage in 610 AD, while meditating in a cave on Mount Jabal al-Nour, he experienced a profound encounter with the Angel Gabriel, who conveyed the word of God: “Recite in the name of your Lord who creates, creates man from a clot! Recite, for your Lord is most generous…” These verses became the opening of Surah 96 of the Qur’an. Initially, Muhammad was troubled by these revelations and did not disclose them publicly for several years. However, according to Shi’a tradition, he welcomed the message from Gabriel and felt inspired to share his experience with potential believers.

Islamic tradition holds that Khadijah and his close friend Abu Bakr, who is regarded as Muhammad’s successor by Sunni Muslims, were among the first to embrace his message. Muhammad gradually gathered a small following, facing little initial opposition. However, as his teachings condemned idol worship and polytheism, many of Mecca’s tribal leaders began to perceive his message as a threat to their established beliefs and economic interests, particularly those linked to the pilgrimage trade at the Kaaba. In response to increasing hostility, Muhammad and his followers emigrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, he played a crucial role in resolving ongoing tribal conflicts and established a cohesive Muslim community, gaining further acceptance and followers.

Between 624 and 628 AD, Muslims engaged in a series of battles for their survival. The pivotal confrontation occurred during the Battle of the Trench and the Siege of Medina, which concluded with a treaty. However, this treaty was later violated by the Meccan allies. By this point, the balance of power had shifted, and in 630 AD, Muhammad led a Muslim army into Mecca, capturing the city with minimal casualties. He granted amnesty to many opposing leaders and facilitated the conversion of most of Mecca’s population to Islam, subsequently ordering the destruction of idols surrounding the Kaaba.

The Death of Muhammad

Following the resolution of conflict with Mecca, Muhammad undertook his first true Islamic pilgrimage to the city. In March 632 AD, he delivered his final sermon at Mount Arafat. After returning to Medina, he fell ill for several days and passed away on June 8, 632 AD, at the age of 62. He was buried at al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Mosque of the Prophet), one of the first mosques established by Muhammad in Medina.