Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Mecca 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 Al-Ameen (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 Allah through the Angel Gabriel.
The revelations continued for twenty-three years, and they
are collectively known as the Qur’an.
As soon as he began to recite the Qur’an and to preach
the truth which Allah 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 Allah
gave them the command to emigrate. This emigration from Mecca
to the city of Medina, 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 Mecca, 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.
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 Allah and His reward in the Hereafter. Moreover, in all
his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful
of Allah.
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