Quote from Quwamdeen Durojaiye on June 18, 2023, 3:31 pm

STORY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (571AD-632AD)

Prophet Muhammad was born around 570AD in Mecca(now Saudi Arabia).His father died before he was born and he was raised first by his grandfather and then his uncle.He belonged to a poor but respectable family of the Quraysh tribe.

In his early teens,Muhammad worked in a camel caravan, following in the footsteps of many people his age, born of meager wealth. Working for his uncle, he gained lot of experience in commercial trade traveling to Syria and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean.

In time, Prophet Muhammad earned a reputation as honest and sincere, acquiring the nickname “Al-Amin” meaning faithful or trustworthy.

In his early 20s, Muhammad began working for a wealthy merchant woman named Khadijah ,15years his senior.she soon became attracted to this young, accomplished man and proposed marriage.He accepted and over the years the happy union brought several children.Not all lived to adulthood, but one ,Fatima, who marry Muhammad’s cousin Ali Ibn Abi Talib, whom Shiite Muslims regard as Muhammad successor.

Muhammad was also very religious, occasionally taking journeys of devotion to sacred sites near Mecca. On one of his pilgrimage in 610 he was meditating in a cave on mount Jabalal-Nour.The Angel Gabriel appeared and relayed word of God “Recite in the name of your lord who creates man from clot!Recite for your lord is most generous……”These words became the opening verses of Surah (chapter)96 of the holy Quran.Most Islamic historians believe Muhammad was initially disturbed by the revelations and that he didn’t reveal them publicly for several years. However Shia tradition stated he welcomed the message from Angel Gabriel and was deeply inspired to share his experience with other potential believers.

Islamic tradition holds that the first person to accept Islam were his wife Khadijah and his close friend Abu Bakr.Most people in Mecca either ignored him or mocked him as just another prophet. However ,when his message condemned idol worship and polytheism, many of Mecca’s tribal leaders began to see Muhammad and his message as a threat. Sensing a threat, Mecca’s merchants and leaders offered Muhammad incentives to abandon his preaching, but he refused.

Increasingly, the resistance to Muhammad and his followers grew and they were eventually forced to emigrate from Mecca to Medina, a city 260miles to the north in 622. This event marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. There Muhammad was instrumental in bringing an end to a civil war raging amongst several of the city’s tribes.Muhammad settled in Medina, building his Muslim community and gradually gathering acceptance and more followers.

Between 624 and 628, the Muslims were involved in a series of battles for their survival. In the final major confrontation, The Battle of the Trench and siege of Medina, Muhammad and his followers prevailed and a treaty was signed. Tru treaty was broken by the Meccan Allies a year later, By now Muhammad has plenty of forces and the balance of power has shifted away from Meccan leaders to him.

In 630, the Muslim army marched into Mecca, taking the city with Minimum casualties. Muhammad gave amnesty to many of the Meccan leaders who had opposed him and pardoned many others.Most of the Meccan population converted to Islam.Muhammad and his followers then proceeded toward to destroy all of the statues of pagan gods in and around the Kaaba .

After the conflict with Mecca was finally settled, Muhammad took his first true Islamic pilgrimage to that city in March, 632, he. Delivered his last sermon at mount Arafat.Upon his return to Medina to his wife’s home, He fell ill for several days.He died on June 8 632, at the age of 62 and was buried at al-masjid an-Nabawi (the mosque of the prophet) one of the first mosque built by Muhammad in Medina.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the last and final messager of God whose birthday anniversary is being celebrated as Milad-in-Nabi