Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

The Seal of the Prophets — Mercy to All of Mankind

"Muhammad is not more than a Messenger, and indeed many Messengers have passed away before him."

— Surah Al-Imran 3:144

🌿 Birth and Early Life

Muhammad ﷺ was born in Makkah, Arabia, on Monday 12 Rabi Al-Awwal, approximately 570 CE. His mother was Aminah, daughter of Wahb of the Zahrah family. His father, Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttalib, passed away before his birth. Before he was six years old, his mother too passed away, leaving him doubly orphaned.

His grandfather, Abdul Muttalib — the chief of the Quraysh — took him in with great tenderness and love. Two years later, on his deathbed, Abdul Muttalib entrusted the young Muhammad ﷺ to his son Abu Talib, who became his guardian and protector for the years ahead.

From his earliest years, Muhammad ﷺ stood apart from those around him. His honesty, his purity of conduct, and his compassion for the weak earned him the trust and admiration of all who knew him. By common consent, the people of Makkah gave him the title Al-Ameen — The Trustworthy.

💚 Marriage to Khadijah and the First Revelation

At twenty-five, Muhammad ﷺ travelled to Syria as a trusted merchant for Khadijah (RA), a noble and wealthy widow. His faithfulness and integrity so impressed her that she proposed marriage. Their union was one of profound love and devotion. Khadijah (RA) bore him three sons — all of whom died in childhood — and four daughters.

As he approached his fortieth year, Muhammad ﷺ increasingly withdrew to the Cave of Hira on Mount Nur, spending days and nights in deep contemplation. He was deeply troubled by the moral state of his society — the idol worship, the cruelty, the endless tribal wars, the oppression of the weak.

Then, in 610 CE, the Angel Jibreel appeared to him in the cave and commanded: "Read!" Muhammad ﷺ replied: "I am not a reader." The angel embraced him and commanded again. A third time, the angel held him and then spoke the words that would change the world:

Muhammad ﷺ returned home trembling. Khadijah (RA) wrapped him in a garment and comforted him. When he told her what had happened, she did not hesitate: "Rejoice, O dear husband. By Allah, He will never let such a thing happen to you, for you speak the truth, you are faithful, you bear the afflictions of the people, you spend in good works, you are hospitable and you assist your fellow men." She was the first to believe — and her faith never wavered.

📖 The Early Mission and Persecution

For three years the Prophet ﷺ preached quietly and privately, winning thirty followers. Then came the command to preach openly. He called the people of Makkah publicly, warning them of the fate of nations that had rejected their prophets — 'Ad, Thamud, the people of Nuh — and inviting them to the worship of the One Allah.

The Quraysh — whose prestige, wealth and power were built upon the idol worship he condemned — were furious. They organised systematic persecution. Each powerful family tortured its own members who had accepted Islam. The poor, the enslaved, and those without tribal protection suffered most. Some were imprisoned, starved and flogged. Others were laid on burning sand with heavy rocks on their chests.

Yet the Prophet ﷺ stood firm. When his uncle Abu Talib relayed the Quraysh's offers — wealth, leadership, anything he wished — if only he would stop his preaching, the Prophet ﷺ replied with words that have echoed through history: "O my uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left to cause me to renounce my task, verily I would not desist until Allah made manifest His cause — or I perished in the attempt."

✨ The Night Journey — Isra and Mi'raj

In the twelfth year of his mission, Allah honoured His Prophet ﷺ with the miraculous night journey. He was taken by night from the Sacred Mosque in Makkah to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem, and from there ascended through the heavens. At each heaven he met a prophet — Adam (AS), Yahya and Isa (AS), Yusuf (AS), Idris (AS), Harun (AS), Musa (AS), and Ibrahim (AS).

He was taken to the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, beyond which no creation may pass. There Allah prescribed upon the believers fifty prayers a day. As the Prophet ﷺ descended, Musa (AS) urged him to return and ask for a reduction, knowing the difficulty his people would face. Again and again the Prophet ﷺ returned, until the prayers were reduced to five — each carrying the reward of ten. It was Musa (AS) who still urged him to ask for less, but the Prophet ﷺ said with deep contentment: "I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order."

🌙 The Hijrah to Madinah

As Islam grew, the Quraysh plotted the Prophet's assassination. One man from every tribe was to strike simultaneously, so that no single tribe could be held responsible. On the appointed night, the Prophet ﷺ miraculously slipped away while Ali (RA) lay in his bed. With Abu Bakr (RA) at his side, he hid in the Cave of Thawr for three days while the Quraysh searched frantically.

When the searchers came to the very mouth of the cave, Abu Bakr (RA) trembled with fear — not for himself but for the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ placed his hand on his companion's shoulder and said with complete serenity: "Do not grieve. Certainly Allah is with us."

The Hijrah — the migration to Madinah — marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ built the first mosque, established a charter of rights for all citizens, and began to forge a community united not by tribe or blood, but by faith and brotherhood.

⚔️ The Major Battles

Battle of Badr (624 CE): Three hundred Muslims faced a Makkahn army of one thousand. Allah sent angels to assist the believers and the Quraysh were defeated. Their chief Abu Jahl was slain. The prisoners were treated with remarkable humanity — fed well and treated kindly, contrary to all Arab tradition.

Battle of Uhud (625 CE): The Quraysh returned with three thousand men. Initially the Muslims had the upper hand, but when a group of archers abandoned their positions for the sake of war spoils — disobeying the Prophet's ﷺ direct command — the tide turned. Seventy Muslims were martyred, including the Prophet's beloved uncle Hamza (RA). The Prophet ﷺ himself was wounded in the face. Yet even in defeat, his faith never wavered.

Battle of Khandaq (627 CE): An army of ten thousand marched on Madinah. On the advice of Salman al-Farsi (RA), the Muslims dug a defensive trench around the city. The enemy besieged them for twenty days but could not cross. Eventually, internal divisions, harsh weather, and Allah's decree broke the coalition and they withdrew — defeated without a major engagement.

🕌 The Conquest of Makkah

In 630 CE, eight years after the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ marched towards Makkah with ten thousand companions. The city that had tortured his followers, driven him out, and sworn his death now lay before him. Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, came forward and accepted Islam on the eve of the conquest.

The Muslim army entered Makkah peacefully and without bloodshed. Not a single house was robbed. Not a single man or woman was insulted. The Prophet ﷺ granted a general amnesty to the entire city — the same people who had persecuted him for twenty years. He stood before them and said: "Go, for you are free."

Three hundred and fifty idols around the Ka'bah were destroyed. As they fell, the Prophet ﷺ declared: "Truth has come and falsehood has vanished — verily, falsehood is ever fleeting."

📜 The Farewell Sermon

In 632 CE, the Prophet ﷺ led the Farewell Pilgrimage to Makkah — accompanied by between ninety thousand and one hundred and forty thousand Muslims. On the plain of Mount Arafat, he delivered his final sermon to the vast gathering, words that still ring through history:

The assembled multitude responded as one voice: "Yea, verily you have." The Prophet ﷺ raised his eyes to the sky and said: "O Lord, I beseech You, bear witness to it."

🕊️ The Passing of the Prophet ﷺ

In the eleventh year of the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ fell ill. His last days were marked by extraordinary serenity and calm. Even in his final illness, he appeared at the mosque to lead prayer when he could. When he could no longer go himself, he appointed Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the people in prayer.

His last words to his community, spoken with what strength remained, were: "O Muslims, if I have wronged anyone of you, here I am to answer for it. Better to blush in this world than in the next." He forgave all, cleared all debts, and recommended to his followers the observance of prayer, justice, and goodwill.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away on 12 Rabi Al-Awwal, 11 AH — laying his blessed head on the lap of Aisha (RA). He was sixty-three years old. He was buried in the same room where he died — which is today enclosed within Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

"O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad."

صلى الله عليه وسلم — Peace and Blessings be upon him