Muhammad ﷺ full name
Muhammad
Founder of Islam (c. – )
This article is about the Islamic prophet. For other people named Muhammad, see Muhammad (name).
Muhammad biography: Muhammad [a] (c. – 8 June CE) [b] was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. [c] According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.
For the Islamic view and perspective, see Muhammad in Islam. For other uses, see Muhammad (disambiguation).
Muhammad[a] (c.&#;&#;&#; 8 June &#;CE)[b] was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam.[c]According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.
He is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets in Islam, and along with the Quran, his teachings and normative examples form the basis for Islamic religious belief.
Muhammad was born c.&#;&#;CE in Mecca. He was the son of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Amina bint Wahb. His father, Abdullah, the son of Quraysh tribal leader Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim, died around the time Muhammad was born.
Mohammed biography Muhammad — 8 June was an Arab religious , social, and political leader, best known as the founder of Islam. Islamic teachings say Muhammad was a prophet who God inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam , Abraham , Moses , Jesus , and other prophets. He is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets within Islam. Islamic religious beliefs are based on Muhammad's teachings, his practices, and the Qur'an. Muhammad was born in Mecca , Hejaz.His mother Amina died when he was six, leaving Muhammad an orphan. He was raised under the care of his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, and paternal uncle, Abu Talib. In later years, he would periodically seclude himself in a mountain cave named Hira for several nights of prayer. When he was 40, c.&#;, Muhammad reported being visited by Gabriel in the cave and receiving his first revelation from God.
In ,[2] Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly,[3] proclaiming that 'God is One', that complete 'submission' (Islām) to God (Allāh) is the right way of life (dīn), and that he was a prophet and messenger of God, similar to the other prophets in Islam.[5]
Muhammad's followers were initially few in number, and experienced persecution by Meccan polytheists for 13 years.
To escape ongoing persecution, he sent some of his followers to Abyssinia in , before he and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina (then known as Yathrib) later in This event, the Hijrah, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar.
In Medina, Muhammad united the tribes under the Constitution of Medina. In December , after eight years of intermittent fighting with Meccan tribes, Muhammad gathered an army of 10, Muslim converts and marched on the city of Mecca. The conquest went largely uncontested, and Muhammad seized the city with minimal casualties. In , a few months after returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he fell ill and died.
By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam.
The revelations (waḥy) that Muhammad reported receiving until his death form the verses (āyah) of the Quran, upon which Islam is based, are regarded by Muslims as the verbatim word of God and his final revelation. Besides the Quran, Muhammad's teachings and practices, found in transmitted reports, known as hadith, and in his biography (sīrah), are also upheld and used as sources of Islamic law.
Apart from Islam, Muhammad is regarded as one of the prophets in the Druze faith and a Manifestation of God in the Baháʼí Faith.
Biographical sources
Main articles: Historiography of early Islam and Historicity of Muhammad
Quran
Main article: Muhammad in the Quran
The Quran is the central religious text of Islam.
Muslims believe it represents the words of God revealed by the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad.[6][7][8] The Quran is mainly addressed to a single "Messenger of God" who is referred to as Muhammad in a number of verses. The Quranic text also describes the settlement of his followers in Yathrib after their expulsion by the Quraysh, and briefly mentions military encounters such as the Muslim victory at Badr.[9]
The Quran, however, provides minimal assistance for Muhammad's chronological biography; most Quranic verses do not provide significant historical context and timeline.
Almost none of Muhammad's companions are mentioned by name in the Quran, hence not providing sufficient information for a concise biography.[9] The Quran is considered to be contemporary with Muhammad, and the Birmingham manuscript has been radiocarbon dated to his lifetime, its discovery largely disproving Western revisionist theories about the Quran's origins.[12][13]
Early biographies
Main article: Prophetic biography
Important sources regarding Muhammad's life may be found in the historic works by writers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Hijri era (mostly overlapping with the 8th and 9th centuries&#;CE respectively).
These include traditional Muslim biographies of Muhammad, which provide additional information about his life.
The earliest written sira (biographies of Muhammad and quotes attributed to him) is Ibn Ishaq's Life of God's Messenger written c.&#; (&#;AH). Although the original work was lost, this sira survives as extensive excerpts in works by Ibn Hisham and to a lesser extent by Al-Tabari.[17] However, Ibn Hisham wrote in the preface to his biography of Muhammad that he omitted matters from Ibn Ishaq's biography that "would distress certain people".[18] Another early historical source is the history of Muhammad's campaigns by al-Waqidi (d.&#;&#;AH), and the work of Waqidi's secretary Ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi (d.&#;&#;AH).
Due to these early biographical efforts, more is known about Muhammad than almost any other founder of a major religion. Many scholars accept these early biographies as authentic. However, Waqidi's biography has been widely criticized by Islamic scholars for his methods, in particular his decision to omit his sources.[20] Recent studies have led scholars to distinguish between traditions touching legal matters and purely historical events.
In the legal group, traditions could have been subject to invention while historic events, aside from exceptional cases, may have been subject only to "tendential shaping". Other scholars have criticized the reliability of this method, suggesting that one cannot neatly divide traditions into purely legal and historical categories.[22] Western historians describe the purpose of these early biographies as largely to convey a message, rather than to strictly and accurately record history.[23]
Hadith
Main article: Hadith
Other important sources include the hadith collections, accounts of verbal and physical teachings and traditions attributed to Muhammad.
Hadiths were compiled several generations after his death by Muslims including Muhammad al-Bukhari, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Muhammad ibn Isa at-Tirmidhi, Abd ar-Rahman al-Nasai, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Malik ibn Anas, al-Daraqutni.[24][25]
Muslim scholars have typically placed a greater emphasis on the hadith instead of the biographical literature, since hadith maintain a traditional chain of transmission (isnad); the lack of such a chain for the biographical literature makes it unverifiable in their eyes.
The hadiths generally present an idealized view of Muhammad.[27] Western scholars have expressed skepticism regarding the verifiability of these chains of transmission.
Sheikh mohammed biography
She delivered twelve 12 male children for him. From them came Nabit and Qaydar, and from these two in particular, God made a group of Arabs multiply. Continue Reading. At that time in Makkah, the people named years by major events. It was the year of the Western calendar.It is widely believed by Western scholars that there was widespread fabrication of hadith during the early centuries of Islam to support certain theological and legal positions,[28][27] and it has been suggested that it is "very likely that a considerable number of hadiths that can be found in the hadith collections did not actually originate with the Prophet".[27] In addition, the meaning of a hadith may have drifted from its original telling to when it was finally written down, even if the chain of transmission is authentic.[22] Overall, some Western academics have cautiously viewed the hadith collections as accurate historical sources,[24] while the "dominant paradigm" in Western scholarship is to consider their reliability suspect.[28] Scholars such as Wilferd Madelung do not reject the hadith which have been compiled in later periods, but judge them in their historical context.
Meccan years
Main article: Muhammad in Mecca
Early life
See also: Mawlid and Family tree of Muhammad
| Timeline of Muhammad's life | ||
|---|---|---|
| Important dates and locations in the life of Muhammad | ||
| Date | Age | Event |
| c.&#; | – | Death of his father, Abdullah |
| c.&#; | 0 | Possible date of birth: 12 or 17 Rabi al Awal: in Mecca, Arabia |
| c.&#; | 6 | Death of his mother, Amina |
| c.&#; | 12–13 | His grandfather transfers him to Syria |
| c.&#; | 24–25 | Meets and marries Khadijah |
| c.&#; | 28–29 | Birth of Zainab, his first daughter, followed by: Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima Zahra |
| 40 | Qur'anic revelation begins in the Cave of Hira on the Jabal an-Nour, the "Mountain of Light" near Mecca.
At age 40, Angel Jebreel (Gabriel) was said to appear to Muhammad on the mountain and call him "the Prophet of Allah" | |
| Begins in secret to gather followers in Mecca | ||
| c.&#; | 43 | Begins spreading message of Islam publicly to all Meccans |
| c.&#; | 43–44 | Heavy persecution of Muslims begins |
| c.&#; | 44–45 | Emigration of a group of Muslims to Ethiopia |
| c.&#; | 45–46 | Banu Hashim clan boycott begins |
| 49 | Banu Hashim clan boycott ends | |
| The year of sorrows: Khadija (his wife) and Abu Talib (his uncle) die | ||
| c.&#; | 49–50 | Isra and Mi'raj (reported ascension to heaven to meet God) |
| 51–52 | Hijra, emigration to Medina (called Yathrib) | |
| 53–54 | Battle of Badr | |
| 54–55 | Battle of Uhud | |
| 56–57 | Battle of the Trench (also known as the siege of Medina) | |
| 57–58 | The Meccan tribe of Quraysh and the Muslim community in Medina sign a year truce called the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah | |
| 59–60 | Conquest of Mecca | |
| 61–62 | Farewell pilgrimage, event of Ghadir Khumm, and death, in what is now Saudi Arabia | |
Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim[30] was born in Meccac.&#;, and his birthday is believed to be in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal.
He belonged to the Banu Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe, which was a dominant force in western Arabia. While his clan was one of the more distinguished in the tribe, it seems to have experienced a lack of prosperity during his early years.[d] According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad was a hanif, someone who professed monotheism in pre-Islamic Arabia.[35] He is also claimed to have been a descendant of Ishmael, son of Abraham.[36]
The name Muhammad means "praiseworthy" in Arabic and it appears four times in the Quran.[37] He was also known as "al-Amin" (lit.&#;'faithful') when he was young; however, historians differ as to whether it was given by people as a reflection of his nature or was simply a given name from his parents, i.e., a masculine form of his mother's name "Amina".
Prophet mohammed biography We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Muhammad was the prophet and founder of Islam. Most of his early life was spent as a merchant. At age 40, he began to have revelations from Allah that became the basis for the Koran and the foundation of Islam. By he had unified most of Arabia under a single religion.Muhammad acquired the kunya of Abu al-Qasim later in his life after the birth of his son Qasim, who died two years afterwards.
Islamic tradition states that Muhammad's birth year coincided with the Year of the Elephant, when Abraha, the Aksumite viceroy in the former Himyarite Kingdom, unsuccessfully attempted to conquer Mecca.[41] Recent studies, however, challenge this notion, as other evidence suggests that the expedition, if it had occurred, would have transpired substantially before Muhammad's birth.[42] Later Muslim scholars presumably linked Abraha's renowned name to the narrative of Muhammad's birth to elucidate the unclear passage about "the men of elephants" in Quran –5.The Oxford Handbook of Late Antiquity deems the tale of Abraha's war elephant expedition as a myth.
Muhammad's father, Abdullah, died almost six months before he was born.[46] Muhammad then stayed with his foster mother, Halima bint Abi Dhu'ayb, and her husband until he was two years old.
At the age of six, Muhammad lost his biological mother Amina to illness and became an orphan. For the next two years, until he was eight years old, Muhammad was under the guardianship of his paternal grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, until the latter's death. He then came under the care of his uncle, Abu Talib, the new leader of the Banu Hashim.
Abu Talib's brothers assisted with Muhammad's learning&#;&#; Hamza, the youngest, trained Muhammad in archery, swordsmanship, and martial arts. Another uncle, Abbas, provided Muhammad with a job leading caravans on the northern segment of the route to Syria.
The historical record of Mecca during Muhammad's early life is limited and fragmentary, making it difficult to distinguish between fact and legend.
Several Islamic narratives relate that Muhammad, as a child, went on a trading trip to Syria with his uncle Abu Talib and met a monk named Bahira, who is said to have then foretold his prophethood. There are multiple versions of the story with details that contradict each other. All accounts of Bahira and his meeting with Muhammad have been considered fictitious by modern historians[55] as well as by some medieval Muslim scholars such as al-Dhahabi.
Sometime later in his life, Muhammad proposed marriage to his cousin and first love, Fakhitah bint Abi Talib.
But likely owing to his poverty, his proposal was rejected by her father, Abu Talib, who chose a more illustrious suitor. When Muhammad was 25, his fortunes turned around; his business reputation caught the attention of his year-old distant relative Khadija, a wealthy businesswoman who had staked out a successful career as a merchant in the caravan trade industry.
She asked him to take one of her caravans into Syria, after which she was so impressed by his competence in the expedition that she proposed marriage to him; Muhammad accepted her offer and remained monogamous with her until her death.
In , the Quraysh decided to roof the Kaaba, which had previously consisted only of walls. A complete rebuild was needed to accommodate the new weight.
Amid concerns about upsetting the deities, a man stepped forth with a pickaxe and exclaimed, "O goddess! Fear not! Our intentions are only for the best." With that, he began demolishing it. The anxious Meccans awaited divine retribution overnight, but his unharmed continuation the next day was seen as a sign of heavenly approval.
According to a narrative collected by Ibn Ishaq, when it was time to reattach the Black Stone, a dispute arose over which clan should have the privilege. It was determined that the first person to step into the Kaaba's court would arbitrate. Muhammad took on this role, asking for a cloak. He placed the stone on it, guiding clan representatives to jointly elevate it to its position.
He then personally secured it within the wall.
Beginnings of the Quran
See also: Muhammad's first revelation, History of the Quran, and Waḥy
The financial security Muhammad enjoyed from Khadija, his wealthy wife, gave him plenty of free time to spend in solitude in the cave of Hira. According to Islamic tradition, in , when he was 40 years old, the angel Gabriel appeared to him during his visit to the cave.
The angel showed him a cloth with Quranic verses on it and instructed him to read. When Muhammad confessed his illiteracy, Gabriel choked him forcefully, nearly suffocating him, and repeated the command. As Muhammad reiterated his inability to read, Gabriel choked him again in a similar manner. This sequence took place once more before Gabriel finally recited the verses, allowing Muhammad to memorize them.
These verses later constituted Quran
When Muhammad came to his senses, he felt scared; he started to think that after all of this spiritual struggle, he had been visited by a jinn, which made him no longer want to live. In desperation, Muhammad fled from the cave and began climbing up towards the top of the mountain to jump to his death.
But when he reached the summit, he experienced another vision, this time seeing a mighty being that engulfed the horizon and stared back at Muhammad even when he turned to face a different direction. This was the spirit of revelation (rūḥ), which Muhammad later referred to as Gabriel; it was not a naturalistic angel, but rather a transcendent presence that resisted the ordinary limits of humanity and space.[72][73]
Frightened and unable to understand the experience, Muhammad hurriedly staggered down the mountain to his wife Khadija.
By the time he got to her, he was already crawling on his hands and knees, shaking wildly and crying "Cover me!", as he thrust himself onto her lap.
Prophet muhammad biography Prophet Muhammad — Founder of Islam. Muhammad was a significant religious, political and military leader who helped to unite Arabia under the new religion of Islam. Muhammad was born in CE in the Arabian city of Mecca. Orphaned from an early age, he was brought up by his uncle Abu Talib. He worked as a merchant and shepherd and did not receive any formal education.Khadija wrapped him in a cloak and tucked him in her arms until his fears dissipated. She had absolutely no doubts about his revelation; she insisted it was real and not a jinn. Muhammad was also reassured by Khadija's Christian cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal, who jubilantly exclaimed "Holy! Holy! If you have spoken the truth to me, O Khadijah, there has come to him the great divinity who came to Moses aforetime, and lo, he is the prophet of his people."[76] Khadija instructed Muhammad to let her know if Gabriel returned.
When he appeared during their private time, Khadija conducted tests by having Muhammad sit on her left thigh, right thigh, and lap, inquiring Muhammad if the being was still present each time.
After Khadija removed her clothes with Muhammad on her lap, he reported that Gabriel left at that moment. Khadija thus told him to rejoice as she concluded it was not Satan but an angel visiting him.
Muhammad's demeanor during his moments of inspiration frequently led to allegations from his contemporaries that he was under the influence of a jinn, a soothsayer, or a magician, suggesting that his experiences during these events bore resemblance to those associated with such figures widely recognized in ancient Arabia.
Nonetheless, these enigmatic seizure events might have served as persuasive evidence for his followers regarding the divine origin of his revelations. Some historians posit that the graphic descriptions of Muhammad's condition in these instances are likely genuine, as they are improbable to have been concocted by later Muslims.
Shortly after Waraqa's death, the revelations ceased for a period, causing Muhammad great distress and thoughts of suicide.[81] On one occasion, he reportedly climbed a mountain intending to jump off.
However, upon reaching the peak, Gabriel appeared to him, affirming his status as the true Messenger of God. This encounter soothed Muhammad, and he returned home. Later, when there was another long break between revelations, he repeated this action, but Gabriel intervened similarly, calming him and causing him to return home.
Muhammad was confident that he could distinguish his own thoughts from these messages.
The early Quranic revelations utilized approaches of cautioning non-believers with divine punishment, while promising rewards to believers. They conveyed potential consequences like famine and killing for those who rejected Muhammad's God and alluded to past and future calamities. The verses also stressed the imminent final judgment and the threat of hellfire for skeptics.
Due to the complexity of the experience, Muhammad was initially very reluctant to tell others about his revelations; at first, he confided in only a few select family members and friends. According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad's wife Khadija was the first to believe he was a prophet. She was followed by Muhammad's ten-year-old cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib, close friend Abu Bakr, and adopted son Zayd.
As word of Muhammad's revelations continued to spread throughout the rest of his family, they became increasingly divided on the matter, with the youth and women generally believing in him, while most of the men in the elder generations were staunchly opposed.
Opposition in Mecca
See also: Persecution of Muslims by Meccans
Around , Muhammad began to preach to the public;[3] many of his first followers were women, freedmen, servants, slaves, and other members of the lower social class.
These converts keenly awaited each new revelation from Muhammad; when he recited it, they all would repeat after him and memorize it, and the literate ones recorded it in writing. Muhammad also introduced rituals to his group which included prayer (salat) with physical postures that embodied complete surrender (islam) to God, and almsgiving (zakat) as a requirement of the Muslim community (ummah).
By this point, Muhammad's religious movement was known as tazakka ('purification').
Initially, he had no serious opposition from the inhabitants of Mecca