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Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah in the year
570. Since his father died before his birth and his mother died shortly
thereafter, he was raised by his uncle who was from the respected tribe of
Quraysh. He was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained so
till his death. His people, before his mission as a prophet, were ignorant
of science and most of them were illiterate. As he grew up, he became known
to be truthful, honest, trustworthy, generous, and sincere. He was so
trustworthy that they called him the Trustworthy. Muhammad (peace be upon
him) was very religious, and he had long detested the decadence and idolatry
of his society.
At the age of forty, Muhammad (peace be upon him) received his first
revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. The revelations continued for
twenty-three years, and they are collectively known as the Quran.
As soon as he began to recite the Quran and to preach the truth which God
had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered
persecution from unbelievers. The persecution grew so fierce that in the
year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This emigration from Makkah
to the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of
the Muslim calendar.
After several years, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his followers were
able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies. Before Muhammad
(peace be upon him) died, at the age of sixty-three, the greater part of the
Arabian Peninsula had become Muslim, and within a century of his death,
Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. Among the
reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the truth and clarity
of its doctrine. Islam calls for faith in only one God, Who is the only one
worthy of worship.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a perfect example of an honest,
just, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave human being. Though he
was a man, he was far removed from all evil characteristics and strove
solely for the sake of God and His reward in the Hereafter. Moreover, in all
his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of God. |
