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Deen Hub Editorial
The Life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
2025-03-22
10 min read
Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah around 570 CE into the noble tribe of Quraysh. Orphaned early in life — his father Abdullah died before his birth and his mother Aminah when he was six — he was raised by his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib and then his uncle Abu Talib. From his earliest years he was known among his people as "Al-Amin" (the Trustworthy) and "Al-Sadiq" (the Truthful), testifying to the purity of his character long before prophethood. His early life as a shepherd and then as a trader for the noble businesswoman Khadijah showed his integrity, patience, and reliability in every role he occupied.
At the age of forty, while in retreat in the Cave of Hira near Makkah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) received the first revelation through the Angel Jibreel: "Read! In the name of your Lord who created..." (96:1). This was the beginning of a 23-year mission to transform Arabia — and ultimately the world. The early years of his mission were marked by fierce opposition, persecution, and the patiently borne suffering of his small community of believers. For thirteen years in Makkah, the Muslims endured mockery, economic boycott, and physical torture. The Prophet himself bore every hardship with extraordinary patience, never once responding to persecution with hatred.
The Battle of Badr in 624 CE — just two years after the Hijra — was the first major military confrontation between the Muslims and the Quraysh. Outnumbered three to one, the 313 Muslim fighters defeated the Quraysh army of over 1,000. The Quran called it "Yawm al-Furqan" — the Day of Distinction — and it established the viability of the nascent Muslim community. The subsequent battles of Uhud (625 CE) and Khandaq (627 CE) tested the Muslims further, each one deepening their reliance on Allah and revealing the character of the Prophet as a military leader who shared every hardship with his companions.
In 622 CE, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made the Hijra (migration) to Madinah — an event so pivotal that it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Madinah, he established the first Islamic community, a model of justice, brotherhood, and governance. The Constitution of Madinah, establishing rights for Muslims, Jews, and other communities, was a groundbreaking document in human history.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 628 CE appeared to be a defeat — the Muslims were prevented from performing Umrah and agreed to seemingly unfavourable terms. Yet the Quran described it as "a clear victory." (48:1). Within two years, the treaty had allowed Islam to spread so widely that when the Quraysh violated its terms, the Prophet (peace be upon him) marched on Makkah with 10,000 companions. The city was conquered without bloodshed — a testament to the Prophet's strategic wisdom and his commitment to mercy over revenge.
After years of conflict and negotiation, Makkah was peacefully conquered in 630 CE. The Prophet (peace be upon him) entered as a conqueror and granted a general amnesty — "Go, for you are free" — an act of extraordinary mercy that led to the mass embrace of Islam. By the time he delivered his Farewell Sermon on Mount Arafat in 632 CE, the Arabian Peninsula had been transformed.
The Farewell Sermon, delivered to over 100,000 companions during his final Hajj, is one of the most significant speeches in human history. In it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared the sanctity of human life, property, and honour; established the equality of all races before Allah ("There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, except by piety"); confirmed the prohibition of riba (usury); and instructed men to treat women with kindness. He ended by asking: "Have I conveyed the message?" — and the vast assembly replied: "Yes."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away in Madinah in 632 CE at the age of 63. His legacy is preserved in the Quran and the Sunnah. He is described in the most beautiful terms: "And We have not sent you, except as a mercy to the worlds." (21:107). For Muslims, he is not only a historical figure but a living guide whose example illuminates every aspect of human life. His physical description, his habits of eating, sleeping, and worship, his interactions with family, strangers, and enemies — all of it is recorded and emulated by Muslims to this day, making him the most documented human being in history.
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Introduction to the Quran
At the age of forty, while in retreat in the Cave of Hira near Makkah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) received the first revelation through the Angel Jibreel: "Read! In the name of your Lord who created..." (96:1). This was the beginning of a 23-year mission to transform Arabia — and ultimately the world. The early years of his mission were marked by fierce opposition, persecution, and the patiently borne suffering of his small community of believers. For thirteen years in Makkah, the Muslims endured mockery, economic boycott, and physical torture. The Prophet himself bore every hardship with extraordinary patience, never once responding to persecution with hatred.
The Battle of Badr in 624 CE — just two years after the Hijra — was the first major military confrontation between the Muslims and the Quraysh. Outnumbered three to one, the 313 Muslim fighters defeated the Quraysh army of over 1,000. The Quran called it "Yawm al-Furqan" — the Day of Distinction — and it established the viability of the nascent Muslim community. The subsequent battles of Uhud (625 CE) and Khandaq (627 CE) tested the Muslims further, each one deepening their reliance on Allah and revealing the character of the Prophet as a military leader who shared every hardship with his companions.
In 622 CE, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made the Hijra (migration) to Madinah — an event so pivotal that it marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Madinah, he established the first Islamic community, a model of justice, brotherhood, and governance. The Constitution of Madinah, establishing rights for Muslims, Jews, and other communities, was a groundbreaking document in human history.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 628 CE appeared to be a defeat — the Muslims were prevented from performing Umrah and agreed to seemingly unfavourable terms. Yet the Quran described it as "a clear victory." (48:1). Within two years, the treaty had allowed Islam to spread so widely that when the Quraysh violated its terms, the Prophet (peace be upon him) marched on Makkah with 10,000 companions. The city was conquered without bloodshed — a testament to the Prophet's strategic wisdom and his commitment to mercy over revenge.
After years of conflict and negotiation, Makkah was peacefully conquered in 630 CE. The Prophet (peace be upon him) entered as a conqueror and granted a general amnesty — "Go, for you are free" — an act of extraordinary mercy that led to the mass embrace of Islam. By the time he delivered his Farewell Sermon on Mount Arafat in 632 CE, the Arabian Peninsula had been transformed.
The Farewell Sermon, delivered to over 100,000 companions during his final Hajj, is one of the most significant speeches in human history. In it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared the sanctity of human life, property, and honour; established the equality of all races before Allah ("There is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, except by piety"); confirmed the prohibition of riba (usury); and instructed men to treat women with kindness. He ended by asking: "Have I conveyed the message?" — and the vast assembly replied: "Yes."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away in Madinah in 632 CE at the age of 63. His legacy is preserved in the Quran and the Sunnah. He is described in the most beautiful terms: "And We have not sent you, except as a mercy to the worlds." (21:107). For Muslims, he is not only a historical figure but a living guide whose example illuminates every aspect of human life. His physical description, his habits of eating, sleeping, and worship, his interactions with family, strangers, and enemies — all of it is recorded and emulated by Muslims to this day, making him the most documented human being in history.
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