Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah, Arabia, on Monday, 12 Rabi’ Al-Awwal (2 August 570 A.D). His mother Aminah was the daughter of Wahb bin Abd Al-Manaf of the Zarah family. His father Abdullah was the son of Abd Al-Muttalib. His genealogy has been traced to the noble house of Isma’il, the son of Ibrahim (Abraham) in about the fortieth descent.
Muhammad’s father died before his birth and his mother died when he was about six years old, making him an orphan.
According to the tradition of noble families of Makkah, he was taken by a foster mother, Haliah, to her village where he lived for a few years. During these years he was taken to Makkah several times to visit his mother. After the death of his mother, he was placed under the custody of his grandfather, Abd Al-Muttalib. When the grandfather died, he was taken care of his uncle, Abu Talib. By this time he used to look after the sheep around Makkah and would accompany his uncle on trade journeys to Syria.
In his youth, he believed firmly in the Oneness of God. He lived a very simple life and hated vanity and pride. He was compassionate to the poor, widows and orphans and shared their sufferings by helping them. He avoided all vices which were common among youth people such as gambling, drinking, and vulgarity. He was well-known as As-Sadiq (the truthful) and Al-Amin (the trustworthy). He was trusted as a mediator between two conflicting parties in his homeland, Makkah.
When he was about 25 years old, his uncle suggested that he work with the caravan which belonged to a wealthy widow named Khadijah. He accepted and undertook the journey to Syria. He conducted business with such prudence and sense of duty that he returned with larger profit than usual. Khadijah was so impressed by the honest and attractive personality of Muhammad that she offered to marry him, which Muhammad accepted. This marriage was a happy one. They had children but most of them died in infancy. Khadijah was his only wife until she died when she was 51 years old.
Muhammad was born in the midst of a polytheistic (unbelievers) society. He was saddened and sick of the corrupt society around him. He often went to Hira cave in the mountain near Makkah, later known as Jabal An-nur (the mountain of Light) where he meditated and pondered over the prevailing darkness of ignorance. Here he often remained deep in thought in communion with the unseen yet all-prevailing God of the Universe.
One night, while he was meditating in the Hira cave, the Angel Gabriel came to him. The Angel aroused him and his mighty voice reverberated in his ears. He was perplexed and did not know what to do. He was asked to read. He replied: “I cannot read!” The Angel repeated three timesm asking Muhammad to read. He replied with the same answer. Finally the Angel said:
“Read in the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read in the name of your God, the Most Bountiful, who taught by means of pen, and taught man what he did not know”.
This was the first revelation received by Muhammad. He was about 40 years old. The revelation continued to come to him from time to time over a period of 23 years.
The series of revelations were arranged according to the guidance given to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and collected in the form of book called Al-Mushaf which was also called Qur’an (Reading). Most of its verses have the same clear meaning. Some verses are interpreted in conjunction with other verses, and some others were interpreted by the Prophet himself through his words, actions and agreements which are known as his Sunnah (Traditions).
The Quran and the Sunnah taken together provide the guidance and way of life for those who submit to God. People who follow this guidance and way of life are guaranteed by Allah to be saved in this world and the hereafter.
“Muhammad is nought but an apostle and the apostle had surely passed away before him: Will ye, he, if he dieth or be slain, turn round on your heels?”
Muhammad as a man has already died, but as a prophet he left behind a legacy in the form of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. He stressed the urgent need to hold firmly to these two sources during his Farewell speech in the valley of Arafat. If people hold fast to them, they will never go astray.
The teachings he left for us, if put into practice in their true spirit and proper way, will bring a happy life in this world and rewards that will be received by those who believe in them in the life after death. In this sense, Islam is a a guide for the worldly affairs of humanity. The hereafter is merely a continuation of the worldly life.