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25 Important Facts To Know about Prophet Muhammad

It is estimated that Muhammad was born around 570 in Mecca. His parents were Abdullah son of Quraysh tribal leader Abd al Muttalib Hashim and his mother was Amina. His father died before his birth while his mother died when he was six hence orphaned at a very early age. Therefore, he was raised by his grandfather Abd al Muttalib and uncle Abu Talib. Hence, he began his prayer life early as he could isolate himself to prayer in the mountain cave named Hira for many nights to seek God.  At the age of 40, he experienced a supernatural encounter when he was visited by Angel Gabriel in the cave. He reported this as his first encounter with an answered prayer.      He was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. The Islamic doctrine posits that he was a divinely connected preacher and prophet. He is believed to be inspired by the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, and more so Jesus. In addition, he is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets within Islam. Muhammad united Arabia into a single Muslim polity, with the Quran as well as his teachings and practices forming the basis of Islamic religious belief.

When he was 40, Muhammad reported being visited by Gabriel in the cave and receiving his first revelation from God. In 613, Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly, proclaiming that “God is One”, that complete “submission” to God is the right way of life, and that he was a prophet and messenger of God, similar to the other prophets in Islam. Initially, he had very few followers. Also at the beginning where he got hostile to Meccan polytheists for 13 years. In addition, to escape ongoing persecution, he sent some of his followers to Abyssinia in 615, before he and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina, then known as Yathrib, in 622. This event, the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri Calendar. In Medina, Muhammad united the tribes under the Constitution of Medina. In December 629, after eight years of intermittent fighting with Meccan tribes, Muhammad gathered an army of 10,000 Muslim converts and marched on the city of Mecca. The conquest went largely uncontested and Muhammad seized the city with little bloodshed. In 632, a few months after returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he fell ill and died. By the time of his death, most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam.

The revelations each known as Ayah – literally, “Sign of God” that Muhammad reported receiving until his death from the verses of the Quran, regarded by Muslims as the verbatim “Word of God” on which the religion is based. Besides the Quran, Muhammad’s teachings and practices known as sunnah, found in the Hadith and sira biography or literature, are also upheld and used as sources of Islamic law.

Read more about Prophet Muhammad here.

1. The Name Muhammad

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The name Muhammad means praiseworthy in Arabic and it appears only four times in the Quran. However, the Quran addresses Muhammad using other names like the prophet, messenger, servant of God, announcer, witness, bearer of good tidings, warner, reminder, one who calls unto God, light personified, and the light-giving lamp. The Quran is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe it represents the words of God revealed by the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad. The Quran, however, provides minimal assistance for Muhammad’s chronological biography; most Quranic verses do not provide significant historical context.

For more information about another great man who experienced God’s presence, click here.

2. He was a Merchant

He accompanied his uncle on Syrian trading journeys to gain experience in commercial trade during his mid ages. Islamic tradition states that when Muhammad was either nine or twelve while accompanying the Meccans’ caravan to Syria, he met a Christian monk or hermit named Bahira who is said to have foreseen Muhammad’s career as a prophet of God. However, little is known of Muhammad during his later youth as available information is minimal. This makes it difficult to separate history from legend. It is known that he became a merchant and was involved in trade between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Due to his upright character, he acquired the nickname al-Amin meaning faithful, trustworthy, and al-Sadiq meaning truthful, and was sought out as an impartial arbitrator. His reputation attracted a proposal in 595 from Khadijah, a successful businesswoman. Muhammad consented to the marriage, which by all accounts was a happy one.

For more information about Prophet Muhammad, click here.

3. His Followers Travelled  to Ethiopia

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Ashama ibn Abjar of the Christian Ethiopian emperor welcomed some of Muhammad’s followers in 615 who emigrated to the Ethiopian Kingdom of Aksum from Mecca. They founded a small Kingdom. However, most of the followers of Muhammad returned to Mecca before Hijra. In addition, a small group rejoined them in Medina. Meccan persecution played a major role in Muhammad’s decision to suggest that a number of his followers seek refuge among the Christians in Abyssinia. According to the famous letter of Urwa preserved in al-Tabari, the majority of Muslims returned to their native town as Islam gained strength and as high-ranking Meccans, such as Umar and Hamzah, converted. However, there is a completely different story on the reason why the Muslims returned from Ethiopia to Mecca. According to this account—initially mentioned by Al-Waqidi then rehashed by Ibn Sa’ad and Tabari, but not by Ibn Hisham and not by Ibn Ishaq—Muhammad, desperately hoping for an accommodation with his tribe, pronounced a verse acknowledging the existence of three Meccan goddesses considered to be the daughters of Allah. Muhammad retracted the verses the next day at the behest of Gabriel, claiming that the verses were whispered by the devil himself. Instead, ridicule of these gods was offered. This episode, known as The Story of the Cranes, is also known as Satanic Verses. According to the story, this led to a general reconciliation between Muhammad and the Meccans, and the Abyssinia Muslims began to return home. When they arrived Gabriel had informed Muhammad that the two verses were not part of the revelation, but had been inserted by Satan. Notable scholars at the time argued against the historic authenticity of these verses and the story itself on various grounds. The objections continued until the rejection of these verses and the story itself eventually became the only acceptable orthodox Muslim position.

4. He Introduced the Pilgrim to Mecca

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Historically, many people visited Mecca on business or as pilgrims to the Kaaba. Muhammad took this opportunity to look for a new home for himself and his followers. After several unsuccessful peace negotiations, he found hope with some men from Yathrib which was later called Medina. The Arab population of Yathrib was familiar with monotheism and was prepared for the appearance of a prophet because a Jewish community existed there. They also hoped, by the means of Muhammad and the new faith, to gain supremacy over Mecca. However, the Yathrib were jealous of its importance as a place of pilgrimage. Converts to Islam came from nearly all Arab tribes in Medina. From then seventy-five Muslims came to Mecca for pilgrimage and to meet Muhammad every year. Meeting him secretly by night, the group made what is known as the Second Pledge of al-‘Aqaba, or, in Orientalists’ view, the Pledge of War. Following the pledges at Aqabah, Muhammad encouraged his followers to emigrate to Yathrib. As with the migration to Abyssinia, the Quraysh attempted to stop the emigration. 

5. He Faced Opposition after His Wife and Uncle Abu Talib’s Death

Muhammad experiences a very difficult time of mourning both his wife  Khadijah and his uncle Abu Talib in the year 619. With the death of Abu Talib, the leadership of the Banu Hashim clan passed to Abu Lahab, a tenacious enemy of Muhammad. Soon afterward, Abu Lahab withdrew the clan’s protection over Muhammad. This placed him in danger. The withdrawal of clan protection had a negative impact on Muhammad. It implied that blood revenge for his killing would not be exacted. He visited Ta’if, another important city in Arabia, and tried to find a protector, but his effort failed and further brought him into physical danger. Muhammad was forced to return to Mecca where he was given protection by a Meccan man named Mut ‘im ibn Adi, protection of the tribe of Banu Nawfal, hence, the return of Muhammad in Mecca.

6. He was Invited to Settle in Medina

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The twelve important clans of Median sent a delegation to invite him to serve as chief arbitrator for the community because they considered him a neutral outsider. The arbitration was necessary because there was fighting in Yathrib. The dispute involved its Arab and Jewish inhabitants and was estimated to have lasted for around a hundred years before 620. The recurring slaughters and disagreements over the resulting claims, especially after the Battle of Bu’ath in which all clans were involved, made it obvious to them that the tribal concept of blood feud and an eye for an eye were no longer workable unless there was one man with authority to adjudicate in disputed cases. The delegation from Medina pledged themselves and their fellow citizens to accept Muhammad into their community and physically protect him as one of their own.

7. He Initiated a Peace Constitution in Medina 

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He came up with a document that brought peace within the tribes in Medina. The document was known as the Constitution of Medina which established an alliance between the eight Medinan tribes and the  Muslim emigrants from Mecca. Some of the highlights in the constitution were the rights and duties of all citizens and the relationship between different communities. More so, the Muslim community and other communities like the Jews and other Peoples of the Book. The community defined in the Constitution of Medina, Ummah, had a religious outlook, was also shaped by practical considerations, and substantially preserved the legal forms of the old Arab tribes.

8. He Initiated the First Muslim Converts in Medina

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The weak clans in terms of great leaders were easily converted to Islam because they were exposed to outsiders and also by the fact that the newcomers were strong. The other group of people who accepted Islam was the pagans since they never had any religion. According to Ibn Ishaq, this was influenced by the conversion of one of the prominent Medinam leaders, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh. Medinans who converted to Islam and helped the Muslim emigrants find shelter became known as the Ansar or supporters. Then Muhammad instituted brotherhood between the emigrants and the supporters. and he chose Ali as his own brother

9. He Began Praying Facing Mecca by Muslims

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The emigration by Muslims to Medina was at a high level which triggered the people of Mecca to seize the property of Muslim emigrants to Medina. This was not taken easily so war broke out between the people of Mecca and the Muslims. Muhammad delivered Quranic verses permitting Muslims to fight the Meccans as per sura Al-Hajj, Quran 22:39–40.  According to the traditional account, on 11 February 624, while praying in the Masjid al-Qiblatayn in Medina, Muhammad received revelations from God that he should be facing Mecca rather than Jerusalem during prayer. Muhammad adjusted to the new direction, and his companions praying with him followed his lead, beginning the tradition of facing Mecca during prayer.

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10. He Led an Attack on Mecca

Muhammad ordered a number of raids to capture Meccan caravans, but only the 8th of them, the Raid of Nakhla, resulted in actual fighting and capture of booty and prisoners. In March 624, Muhammad led some three hundred warriors in a raid on a Meccan merchant caravan. The Muslims set an ambush for the caravan at Badr. Aware of the plan, the Meccan caravan eluded the Muslims. A Meccan force was sent to protect the caravan and went on to confront the Muslims upon receiving word that the caravan was safe. The Battle of Badr commenced. Though outnumbered more than three to one, the Muslims won the battle, killing at least forty-five Meccans with fourteen Muslims dead. They also succeeded in killing many Meccan leaders, including Abu Jahl. Seventy prisoners had been acquired, many of whom were ransomed. Muhammad and his followers saw the victory as confirmation of their faith, and Muhammad ascribed the victory to the assistance of an invisible host of angels. The Quranic verses of this period, unlike the Meccan verses, dealt with practical problems of government and issues like the distribution of spoils.

11. He Led the Battle of Badr

However, due to the fighting that broke out in Medina, Muhammad was expelled by Banu Qaynuqa, one of the three main Jewish tribes. According to al-Waqidi, after Abd-Allah ibn Ubaiy spoke for them, Muhammad refrained from executing them and commanded that they be exiled from Medina. The battle of Badr marked the beginning of mutual-aid alliances between Muhammad and a number of Bedouin tribes to protect his community from attacks from the northern part of Hejaz.

12. There was a Plot to Assassinate Him

He slipped out of Mecca together with his followers to a northern town called Medina, a journey of 280 miles or 450 kilometers in 622 CE. The journey was prompted by a plot to assassinate him and he had to escape.

13. He Experienced a Whole Night Walk with Angel-Gabriel

Prophet Muhammad is believed by the Islamic tradition that in 620, he experienced a night-long journey with the angel Gabriel.  At the start of the journey, the Isra is said to have traveled from Mecca on a winged steed to the farthest mosque. In addition, during this journey, he is said to have toured heaven and hell. In actual fact, Islam believes that during this tour to heaven, he interacted with the great early prophets including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Ibn Ishaq, the author of the first biography of Muhammad, presents the event as a spiritual experience.

Read more about another great prophet here.

14. Muhammad Won the Battle of Hunayn

Following the conquest of Mecca, Muhammad was alarmed by a military threat from the confederate tribes of Hawazin who were raising an army double the size of Muhammad’s. The Banu Hawazin were old enemies of the Meccans who were joined by the Banu Thaqif, the inhabitants of Ta’if city.   However, as much as they adopted an anti-Meccan policy due to the decline of the prestige of the Meccans, Muhammad defeated them. This battle was known as the Battle of Hunayn.

15. He Fought Hard to Convert Many Nations to Islam

In the same year, Muhammad organized an attack against northern Arabia because of their previous defeat at the Battle of Mu’tah and reports of hostility adopted against Muslims. With great difficulty he assembled 30,000 men; half of whom on the second day returned with Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy, untroubled by the damning verses which Muhammad hurled at them. Although Muhammad did not engage with hostile forces at Tabuk, he received the submission of some local chiefs of the region. He also ordered the destruction of any remaining pagan idols in Eastern Arabia. The last city to hold out against the Muslims in Western Arabia was Taif. Muhammad refused to accept the city’s surrender until they agreed to convert to Islam and allowed men to destroy the statue of their goddess Al-Lat.

16. He Oversaw the Surrender by the Banu Thaqif to Islam

A year after the Battle of Tabuk, the Banu Thaqif sent emissaries to surrender to Muhammad and adopt Islam. Many bedouins submitted to Muhammad to safeguard against his attacks and to benefit from the spoils of war. However, the bedouins were alien to the system of Islam and wanted to maintain independence: namely their code of virtue and ancestral traditions. Muhammad required a military and political agreement according to which they “acknowledge the suzerainty of Medina, to refrain from attack on the Muslims and their allies, and to pay the Zakat, the Muslim religious levy.

17. He ended the Superiority over Black or White 

 For instance, he said a white has no superiority over a black, nor a black any superiority over a white except by piety and good action. He abolished old blood feuds and disputes based on the former tribal system and asked for old pledges to be returned as implications of the creation of the new Islamic community.

18. His Advice to Men on Respect for Women

Commenting on the vulnerability of women in his society, Muhammad asked his male followers to “be good to women, for they are powerless captives in the households. You took them in God’s trust and legitimated your sexual relations with the Word of God, so come to your senses people, and hear my words …” He told them that they were entitled to discipline their wives but should do so with kindness.

19. His take on Islamic Inheritance

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He addressed the issue of inheritance by forbidding false claims of paternity or of a client relationship to the deceased and forbade his followers to leave their wealth to a testamentary heir. He also upheld the sacredness of four lunar months in each year. According to Sunni tafsir, the following Quranic verse was delivered during this event: “Today I have perfected your religion, and completed my favors for you and chosen Islam as a religion for you”. According to Shia tafsir, it refers to the appointment of Ali ibn Abi Talib at the pond of Khumm as Muhammad’s successor, this occurring a few days later when Muslims were returning from Mecca to Medina

20. His Journey with Angel-Gabriel Analysis

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However, historians like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir state that this was a physical journey. Some western scholars hold that the Isra and Mi’raj journey traveled through the heavens from the sacred enclosure at Mecca to the celestial heavenly prototype of the Kaaba. Moreover, the later traditions indicate Muhammad’s journey as having been from Mecca to Jerusalem.

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21. He was Polygamous

Muhammad married many wives after the death of his first wife Khadijah. However, this practice was common in Arabic Society although Khadijah did not share him with other wives because she was his favorite. In addition, the number of women Muhammad married after Khadijah is not known because he not only had wives but also many concubines as well as female slaves. 

22. He Shared his Meals with other People

He had formed a habit of never eating alone and therefore he could invite other people to share a meal always. This became the Muslim culture.

23. Praying alone was His Culture

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He was a prayerful person. In fact, most of the time he could retrieve lonely people to seek God’s guidance.

24. The Name Muhammad is Unique

The name Muhammad means “praiseworthy” in Arabic. It appears four times in the Quran. The Quran also addresses Muhammad in the second person by various appellations like the prophet, messenger, servant of God, announcer, witness, bearer of good tidings, warner, reminder, one who calls unto God light personified,  and the light-giving lamp.

25. He Belonged to the Quraysh Tribe

He belonged to the tribe of Quraysh during his early age which was a dominant force in western Arabia. However, the tribe formed cult association f hums which tied members of many tribes in western Arabia to the Kaaba. Further, they reinforced the prestige of the Meccan sanctuary. The tribe was famous as it was the strength of the city economically, hence Muhammad was raised in a city that was an economic backbone in western Arabia.

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