Muhammad in Islam

Rasul Allah
Muhammad
مُحَمَّد
"Muhammad, the Messenger of God"
inscribed on the gates of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina
Prophet of Islam
TitleKhatam al-Nabiyyin ('Seal of the Prophets')
Personal
Bornc. 570 CE[1]
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

In Islam, Muḥammad (Arabic: مُحَمَّد) is venerated as the Seal of the Prophets and earthly manifestation of primordial divine light (Nūr), who transmitted the eternal word of God (Qur'ān) from the angel Gabriel (Jabrāʾīl) to humans and jinn.[2] Muslims believe that the Quran, the central religious text of Islam, was revealed to Muhammad by God, and that Muhammad was sent to guide people to Islam, which is believed not to be a separate religion, but the unaltered original faith of mankind (fiṭrah), and believed to have been shared by previous prophets including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.[3][4][5][6] The religious, social, and political tenets that Muhammad established with the Quran became the foundation of Islam and the Muslim world.[7]

According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad received his first revelation at age 40 in a cave called Hira in Mecca,[8] whereupon he started to preach the oneness of God in order to stamp out idolatry of pre-Islamic Arabia.[9][10] This led to opposition by the Meccans, with Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl as the most famous enemies of Muhammad in Islamic tradition. This led to persecution of Muhammad and his Muslim followers who fled to Medina, an event known as the Hijrah,[11][12] until Muhammad returned to fight the idolaters of Mecca, culminating in the semi-legendary Battle of Badr, conceived in Islamic tradition not only to be a battle between the Muslims and pre-Islamic polytheists, but also between the angels on Muhammad's side against the jinn and false deities siding with the Meccans. After victory, Muhammad is believed to have cleansed Arabia from polytheism and advised his followers to renounce idolatry for the sake of the unity of God.

As manifestation of God's guidance and example of renouncing idolatry, Muhammad is understood as an exemplary role-model in regards of virtue, spirituality, and moral excellence.[13] His spirituality is considered to be expressed by his journey through the seven heavens (Mi'raj). His behaviour and advice became known as the Sunnah, which forms the practical application of Muhammad's teachings. Even after his (earthly) death, Muhammad is believed to continue to exist in his primordial form and thus Muslims are expected to be able to form a personal bond with the prophet. Furthermore, Muhammad is venerated by several titles and names. As an act of respect and a form of greetings, Muslims follow the name of Muhammad by the Arabic benediction "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", ("Peace be upon him"),[14] sometimes abbreviated as "SAW" or "PBUH". Muslims often refer to Muhammad as "Prophet Muhammad", or just "The Prophet" or "The Messenger", and regard him as the greatest of all Prophets.[3][15][16][17]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference abraha was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Theuma, Edmund. "Qur'anic exegesis: Muhammad & the Jinn." (1996).
  3. ^ a b Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path. Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-511233-7.
  4. ^ Esposito (2002b), pp. 4–5.
  5. ^ Peters, F.E. (2003). Islam: A Guide for Jews and Christians. Princeton University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-691-11553-5.
  6. ^ Esposito, John (1998). Islam: The Straight Path (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 9, 12. ISBN 978-0-19-511234-4.
  7. ^ "Muhammad (prophet)". Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD] (Encarta Encyclopedia). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation. 2007.
  8. ^ "The Quran | World Civilization". courses.lumenlearning.com. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  9. ^ Muir, William (1861). Life of Mahomet. Vol. 2. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. p. 55.
  10. ^ Shibli Nomani. Sirat-un-Nabi. Vol 1 Lahore.
  11. ^ Hitti, Philip Khuri (1946). History of the Arabs. London: Macmillan and Co. p. 116.
  12. ^ "Muhammad". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  13. ^ Matt Stefon, ed. (2010). Islamic Beliefs and Practices. New York City: Britannica Educational Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-61530-060-0.
  14. ^ Matt Stefon (2010). Islamic Beliefs and Practices, p. 18
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ 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.