Muhammad in Islam

Imam al-Anbiya'
Rasul Allah
Muhammad
مُحَمَّد
"Muhammad, the Messenger of God"
inscribed on the gates of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina
Prophet of Islam
Preceded byIsa (Jesus)
Succeeded byNone
TitleKhatam al-Nabiyyin ('Seal of the Prophets')
Personal
BornMonday, 12 Rabi' al-Awwal 53 BH (c. 21 April 570 CE) or Saturday, 17 Rabi' al-Awwal 53 BH (c. 26 April 570 CE)
DiedMonday, 12 Rabi' al-Awwal 11 AH (8 June 632 CE)
Resting placeGreen Dome, Prophet's Mosque, Medina
ReligionIslam
SpouseSee Muhammad's wives
ChildrenSee Muhammad's children
Parents
Notable work(s)Constitution of Medina
Other namesSee Names and titles of Muhammad
RelativesSee Family tree of Muhammad, Ahl al-Bayt  ("Family of the House")
Arabic name
Personal
(Ism)
Muḥammad
مُحَمَّد
Patronymic
(Nasab)
Ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim ibn ʿAbd Manāf ibn Quṣayy ibn Kilāb
ٱبْن عَبْد ٱللَّٰه بْن عَبْد ٱلْمُطَّلِب بْن هَاشِم بْن عَبْد مَنَاف بْن قُصَيّ بْن كِلَاب
Teknonymic
(Kunya)
Abū al-Qāsim
أَبُو ٱلْقَاسِم
Epithet
(Laqab)
Khātam al-Nabiyyīn ('Seal of the Prophets')
خَاتَم ٱلنَّبِيِّين
Muslim leader
SuccessorSee Succession to Muhammad

Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (Arabic: مُحَمَّد بْن عَبْد ٱللَّٰه بْن عَبْد ٱلْمُطَّلِب; c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE) is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets in all of the main branches of Islam. Muslims believe that the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, was revealed to Muhammad by God, and that Muhammad was sent to restore Islam, which they believe did not originate with Muhammad but is the true unaltered original monotheistic faith of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.[1][2][3][4] The religious, social, and political tenets that Muhammad established with the Quran became the foundation of Islam and the Muslim world.[5]

Born about the year 53 BH (570 CE) into a respected Qurayshi family of Mecca, Muhammad earned the title "al-Amin" (ٱلْأَمِين, 'the Trustworthy').[6][7] At the age of 40 in 11 BH (610 CE), Muhammad is said to have received his first verbal revelation in the cave called Hira, which was the beginning of the descent of the Quran that continued up to the end of his life; and Muslims hold that Muhammad was asked by God to preach the oneness of God in order to stamp out idolatry, a practice overtly present in pre-Islamic Arabia.[8][9] Because of persecution of the newly converted Muslims, upon the invitation of a delegation from Medina (then known as Yathrib), Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina in 1 AH (622 CE), an event known as the Hijrah.[10][11] A turning point in Muhammad's life, this Hijrah also marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad sketched out the Constitution of Medina specifying the rights of and relations among the various existing communities there, formed an independent community, and managed to establish the first Islamic state.[12] Despite the ongoing hostility of the Meccans, Muhammad, along with his followers, took control of Mecca in 630,[13][14] and ordered the destruction of all pagan idols.[15][16] In his later years in Medina, Muhammad unified the different tribes of Arabia under Islam[17] and carried out social and religious reforms.[18] By the time he died in about 11 AH (632 CE), almost all the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam.[19]

Muslims often refer to Muhammad as Prophet Muhammad, or just "The Prophet" or "The Messenger", and regard him as the greatest of all Prophets.[1][20][21][22] He is seen by the Muslims as a possessor of all virtues.[23] As an act of respect, Muslims follow the name of Muhammad by the Arabic benediction sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, (meaning Peace be upon him),[24] sometimes abbreviated as "SAW" or "PBUH".

  1. ^ a b Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path. Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-511233-7.
  2. ^ Esposito (2002b), pp. 4–5.
  3. ^ Peters, F.E. (2003). Islam: A Guide for Jews and Christians. Princeton University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-691-11553-5.
  4. ^ Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 9, 12. ISBN 978-0-19-511234-4.
  5. ^ "Muhammad (prophet)". Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD] (Encarta Encyclopedia). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation. 2007.
  6. ^ Khan, Majid Ali (1998). Muhammad the final messenger (1998 ed.). India: Islamic Book Service. p. 332. ISBN 978-81-85738-25-3.
  7. ^ Khan, Muhammad Zafrullah (1980). Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets. Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7100-0610-3.
  8. ^ Muir, William (1861). Life of Mahomet. Vol. 2. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. p. 55.
  9. ^ Shibli Nomani. Sirat-un-Nabi. Vol 1 Lahore.
  10. ^ Hitti, Philip Khuri (1946). History of the Arabs. London: Macmillan and Co. p. 116.
  11. ^ "Muhammad". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  12. ^ Ghali, Muhammad M (2004). The History of Muhammad: The Prophet and Messenger. Cairo: Al-Falah Foundation. p. 5. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  13. ^ Ramadan, Tariq (2007). In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-19-530880-8.
  14. ^ Husayn Haykal, Muhammad (2008). The Life of Muhammad. Selangor: Islamic Book Trust. pp. 438–9 & 441. ISBN 978-983-9154-17-7.
  15. ^ Hitti, Philip Khuri (1946). History of the Arabs. London: Macmillan and Co. p. 118.
  16. ^ Ramadan, Tariq (2007). In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-19-530880-8.
  17. ^ Campo (2009), "Muhammad", Encyclopedia of Islam, p. 494
  18. ^ Watt, W. Montgomery (1956). Muhammad at Medina. Oxford University Press. pp. 261–300. ISBN 978-0-19-577307-1.
  19. ^ Richard Foltz, "Internationalization of Islam", Encarta Historical Essays.
  20. ^ Morgan, Garry R (2012). Understanding World Religions in 15 Minutes a Day. Baker Books. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-4412-5988-2. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  21. ^ Mead, Jean (2008). Why Is Muhammad Important to Muslims. Evans Brothers. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-237-53409-7. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  22. ^ Riedling, Ann Marlow (2014). Is Your God My God. WestBow Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-4908-4038-3. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  23. ^ Matt Stefon, ed. (2010). Islamic Beliefs and Practices. New York City: Britannica Educational Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-61530-060-0.
  24. ^ Matt Stefon (2010). Islamic Beliefs and Practices, p. 18

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