Prophet’s Life from his Birth to his Call to Prophethood

Describe the main events in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from his childhood until he received revelation. [10]

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in 570, the year of the elephant. His parents were Abdullah and Amna. He was born half orphan because his father died a few months before he was born.

As with the custom of the time, he was sent to the desert with a wet nurse Halima Saadia. She narrated that they had good fortune with the arrival of Muhammad (pbuh) in their household. Therefore, she asked for Amna’s permission that he stay with her another two years. During this time, the incident of the angels coming to clean his heart happened.

Halima returned Muhammad (pbuh) to Amna in 576 when he was six. Amna took him to Yathrib to visit the grave of his father and to meet their relatives. During the return journey, she died and was buried at Abwa. He was brought back to Makkah by Umm-e-Aiman, their slave.

Abdul Muttalib, his grandfather, looked after Muhammad (pbuh) for two years and he showered all his love and affection on him. After his death in 578, Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, looked after him when he was eight. He loved his nephew more than his own children.

Muhammad (pbuh) went on trade journeys with Abu Talib. In 582, they went to Basra where Bahira the monk saw him, who recognised in him the signs of the Prophet. He advised Abu Talib to take his nephew back as Jews may identify him as the future prophet and harm him.

In 585, Muhammad (pbuh) joined his uncles in a sacrilegious war (Harb-ul-Fijar). He only picked the arrows thrown by the enemy and handed them over to his uncles. Following the war, a Fudul confederacy (Half-al-Fazul) was formed with the object of maintaining peace. He attended all its meetings and was impressed with their aim.

When Muhammad (pbuh) grew older, he started to work as a trader. Unlike other businessmen of the time, he was extremely honest and fair in his dealings. His honesty and truthfulness impressed the people to such an extent that they gave him the titles of Al-Sadiq (the Truthful) and Al-Amin (the Trustworthy).

This reputation brought Muhammad (pbuh) to Khadija bint Khuwalid, a wealthy businesswoman. She requested him to take her merchandise to Syria against a share in the profits. He returned with great profits. On hearing about his fair dealings from her slave Maisara, she herself made an offer of marriage to him. They married in 595; the Prophet (pbuh) was 25 and Khadija was 40. They had a happy marriage life and had six children together; 4 daughters and 2 sons, both of whom died in infancy.

In 605, a dispute arose among the chiefs when time came to place the Black Stone (Hajr al-Aswad) in its proper place after the Ka’abah was rebuilt. Muhammad (pbuh) helped resolve the issue and an explosive situation was resolved peacefully.

After this, Muhammad (pbuh) spent longer periods in seclusion in the cave of Hira, and at age of 40, in 610, the angel Jibril came with the first revelation.