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Who was Muhammad?

Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah in the year 570, during the
period of history Europeans called the Middle Ages. Muhammad was the son of
Aamenah and Abdullah, from the tribe of Quraysh. He was a direct descendant of
Ishmael, the eldest son of prophet Abraham. Muhammad's father died just before
he was born, and his mother passed away when he was six. He was raised by this
grandfather, the chief of Makkah; and upon his grandfather's death, Muhammad
came under the care of his uncle, Abu Talib.

Muhammad was a shepherd in his youth. As he grew up, he became known for his
truthfulness, generosity, and sincerity; earning the title of al Amin, the
trustworthy one. Muhammad was frequently called upon to arbitrate disputes and
counsel his fellow Makkans.

At age 25, Muhammad married Khadijah, an honorable and successful businesswoman.
They were blessed with two sons and four daughters. It was an ideal marriage and
they lived a happy family life.

Muhammad was of a contemplative nature and had long detested the decadence and
cruelty of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the
cave of Hira' near the summit of Jabal an-Nur, the "Mountain of Light" on the
outskirts of Makkah.
How did Muhammad become a Messenger of God?

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his
first revelation from God through the Archangel Gabriel. This revelation, which
continued for twenty three years, is known as the Qur'an

Muhammad began to share the revelations he received from God with the people of
Makkah. They were idol worshippers, and rejected Muhammad's call to worship only
One God. They opposed Muhammad and his small group of followers in every way.
These early Muslims suffered bitter persecution.

In 622, God gave the Muslim community the command to emigrate. This event, the
hijrah or migration, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260
miles to the North, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

Madinah provided Muhammad and the Muslims a safe and nurturing haven in which
the Muslim community grew. After several years, the Prophet and his followers
returned to Makkah and forgave their enemies. Then, turning their attention to
the Ka'bah (the sanctuary that Abraham built), they removed the idols and
rededicated it to the worship of the One God. Before the Prophet died at the age
of 63, most of the people of Arabia had embraced his message. In less than a
century, Islam had spread to Spain in the west, as far east as China.



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