Life History of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Key Dates and Events

570/571 C.E.: Born on 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant.
574 C.E.: Hazrat Halima (RA) brings Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) back after weaning; he lived with her for four years in a clean environment.
576 C.E.: Demise of Hazrat Aamina; Grandfather Hazrat Abdul Muttalib takes care of him.
578 C.E.: Demise of Hazrat Abdul Muttalib; Uncle Hazrat Abu Talib takes care of him.
582 C.E.: Journey to Syria; Meets Buhaira who forecasts Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) forthcoming prophethood.
593 C.E.: Rebuilding of the Ka'ba and placing of the Hajre Aswad (Black Stone); Tribes quarreled over the honor of placing the stone.
594 C.E.: Second journey to Syria under the employment of Hazrat Khadija (RA).
595 C.E.: Marriage to Hazrat Khadija (RA).
- Slaves are set free.
- Sets up Society (Hilf-Ul-Fuzul) to bring peace and unity among the tribes of Makkah.
- Killing, stealing, and harassing visitors were discouraged, promoting love and brotherhood.
609 C.E. (Year of Nabuwwat, 1st): Receiving the first Divine Revelation (Wahi) in Ramadhan.
612 C.E. (3rd Year): Islam accepted by twenty persons; Public declaration of the call of Islam.
614 C.E. (5th Year): Advice to a group of Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia, due to persecution in Makkah.
619 C.E. (10th Year): Me'raj (Ascension) - 27 Rajab.
621 C.E. (12th Year): The first Oath of Allegiance - Aqaba.
622 C.E. (13th Year/1 A.H.):
- The second Oath of Allegiance.
- Hijra (Emigration) to Madinah.
- The beginning of the Islamic Calendar (A.H.).
624 C.E. (2 A.H.):
- Battle of Badr.
- Expulsion of Banu Qaynuqa.
- Change of Qibla from Jerusalem to Makkah.
625 C.E. (3 A.H.): Battle of Uhad.
627 C.E. (5 A.H.): Battle of the Trench.
628 C.E. (6 A.H.):
- The Treaty of Hudaibiyya.
- Letters (Epistles) to Kings.
629 C.E. (7 A.H.): Conquest of Khybar.
630 C.E. (8 A.H.):
- The Expedition of Muta.
- Conquest of Makkah.
630 C.E. (9 A.H.): The Expedition of Tabuk.
631 C.E. (10 A.H.): Year of Deputation and Farewell Pilgrimage.
632 C.E. (11 A.H.): The demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (12th Rabi-ul-Awwal).

Birth and Childhood

Born on Monday, 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, 571 A.D.
Name: Muhammad (The praised one).
Father: Abdullah (passed away before Muhammad (PBUH) was born).
Grandfather: Abdul Muttalib took Muhammad to the Ka'ba and thanked Allah.
Abdul Muttalib made an aqeeqah for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on the 7th day after his birth.
Born in the noble family of Banu Hashim of the Quraish tribe.
Taken by Hazrat Halima (RA) to her village where he lived for four years.
- While he stayed with Hazrat Halima (RA), she was never short of anything and her home was always blessed.
Returned to his mother when he was four years old.
His mother took him for a visit to her families in Madinah when he was six years old.
Mother passed away at Abwa while returning to Makkah; brought back by Umm-e-Aiyman.
Grandfather Abdul Muttalib looked after him after his mother's demise, but soon passed away too.
Uncle Abu Talib looked after him when he was eight years old.
Used to watch the flocks of his uncle in the desert.
Truthful, well-mannered, and honest as a young boy.
Never wasted his time playing games and always helped other people.

Youth

Hardworking young man, learned business from his uncle Abu Talib.
At first, he went with his uncle on business trips at the age of twelve but later he started trading on his own.
Respected by the people of Makkah.
Believed in one Allah, loving and kind, always kept his promise, and lived a simple life and hated pride.
Helped to re-start the work of Hilf-ul-Foodhul, promoting peace and unity among the tribes of Makkah.
Known as As-Saadiq (The Truthful) and Al-Ameen (The Trustworthy).

Building of the Ka'bah

The Ka'bah was badly damaged by floods, the different tribes of Makkah worked together to build the Ka'bah again.
Tribes quarrelling over the honor to replace the Hajre Aswad (Black Stone).
A wise old man suggested that the first person to enter the Ka'bah in the morning shall suggest what was to be done.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the first person to enter the Ka'bah in the morning.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) put the black stone in the center of the sheet and asked the chiefs of all the tribes to lift it up together.
When the sheet reached the proper height, he (PBUH) lifted the black stone and put it in its proper place.

Manhood

Good manners and truthfulness became well known to all his friends and the people of Makkah; noted for his honesty.
The people of Makkah respected him and called him AL-AMEEN (the trustworthy);People left their goods with him for safe keeping.
Often went to a cave called Hira, spending time in the remembrance of Allah as disgusted with wrongdoings around him.
Hazrat Khadija (RA) asked him to go to Syria for her on a business trip, hearing about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s honesty and truthfulness.
Returned and gave an account for every dirham; Hazrat Khadija (RA) was won over by his honesty and good manners.

Marriage

Trustworthiness, virtue, honesty, and truthfulness praised by every tribe and individual in Makkah.
Hazrat Khadeejah-binte-Khuwaylid (RA) sent a marriage proposal; Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) consulted his uncle Abu Taalib and gladly accepted the proposal as a mark of respect.
Hazrat Khadeejah (RA) was forty years old and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was twenty-five.
Abu Taalib performed the Nikah and delivered the historical Nikah Khutbah (Sermon).
Umar-bin-Asad represented Hazrat Khadejjah (RA) as her Wakeel (representative).
Mehr (dowry) of four hundred misqaal (20 misqaal being equivalent to 4.37 grams of gold).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had two sons, Qasim and Abdullah (both passed away in childhood), and four daughters: Hazrat Zaynb (RA), Hazrat Umme-kulthum (RA), Hazrat Ruqayya (RA), and Hazrat Faatimah (RA).

Search for Truth

Developed a tendency to be alone and in deep thought at the age of thirty-three,drawn toward the contemplation of Allah.
Resented the worship of idols and he denounced 'polytheism' (worship of more than one God).
Abstained from eating food that had been offerings to the idols.
Began to retire to the cave of Hira, about five kilometers from Makkah.
The cave was only three meters by two meters in size.
Took only a small supply of bread and water during his visits to the cave.
Always engaged in prayer and contemplation of the Greatness of Allah, the One and Only God.

Prophethood

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was forty years old, an angel appeared in the cave of Hira and commanded him three times to 'Read'.
The angel then recited the following verses as the first revelations of the Quran then disappeared:
- 'Read, in the name of Allah who created (everything). He created man from a clot of blood. Read, your Lord is great who taught you but virtue of the pen that which you did not know'.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) hurried home and related the incident to Hazrat Khadeejah (RA).
Hazrat Khadeejah (RA) comforted him, saying 'you should feel happy. Allah will never let you down because you have loved, helpful, truthful, and you are 'Fair'.
Began to preach Islam after this granting of apostleship.
First to become a Muslim: Hazrat Khadeejah (RA) (wife), Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) (closest friend), Hazrat Ali-ibn-Abu Taalib (R.A.) (young cousin), and Hazrat Zaid-bin-Harith (RA) (freed slave).

Preaching

Allah's messages continued to come, and he quietly but firmly began to preach the Oneness of Allah and the good ways of living to his relatives and friends.
Hazrat Khadeejah (RA), Hazrat Abu Bakar bin Kuhafa (RA), Hazrat Zaid (RA), Hazrat Ali (RA), Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (RA), Hazrat Talha bin Ubaidullah (RA), Hazrat Zubair bin Awaam (RA), Hazrat Sa'ad bin Abi Waqass (RA) and Hazrat Abdur-rahmaan bin Auf (RA) became Muslims.
The teaching of Islam continued in secret for three years.
Allah commanded Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to preach the religion of Islam openly to his people.
Called his people together from the family of Quraish and invited them to the religion of Islam.
People of the Quraish were very angry with his teaching and began to abuse him (PBUH).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not stop preaching Islam, although the people of Makkah, especially his uncle Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl (Amr bin Hishaam) were against his message and preaching.
The poor and weak converts to Islam, like Hazrat Bilal (RA) and others, suffered at the hands of the Quraish.
With all the hardships no one left Islam, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not stop his mission of Islam.

Two Stalwarts of Islam

Abu Jahl attacked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) while he was resting near the hills of Safaa, wounding him on his head.
Hazrat Hamza (RA), the uncle of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), attacked Abu Jahl and made him bleed from his head.
Hazrat Hamza (RA) immediately became a Muslim.
Hazrat Umar (RA) decided to assassinate Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); Abu Jahl promised him a gift of a hundred camels and one thousand silver coins if he would do this.
Met Nuaym-bin-Abdullah, who told him that Hazrat Umar (RA) 'should first put his own house in order' because his sister Hazrat Fathima (RA) and her husband Hazrat Saeed-bin-Zayd (RA) had already embraced Islam.
Hazrat Umar (RA) beat his sister and her husband; they told him that they would rather prefer death than give up Islam.
Hazrat Umar (RA) calmed down and asked to hear what they were reading (the Quran). When he heard the recital of the Quran, he decided to become a Muslim.
Arrived at the house of Hazrat Arqaam (RA) and accepted Islam. The cheer of 'Allah is Great' was heard in the mountains of Safaa.
This was the sixth year of Prophethood.