Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim, the last of the prophets and messengers, the lord of the first and the last. Born in Makkah in 571 CE (the Year of the Elephant) and died in Medina in 632 CE.

He is from the lineage of Ishmael, son of Abraham (peace be upon them), from the tribe of Quraish, considered the noblest among the Arabs. He grew up as an orphan: his father died before his birth, and his mother died when he was six years old. He was taken care of by his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib, then by his uncle Abu Talib.

Muhammad was known before prophethood for his truthfulness and trustworthiness, nicknamed "Al-Ameen" (The Trustworthy) and "As-Sadiq" (The Truthful). He never lied, never cheated, and never betrayed. In his youth, he worked as a shepherd, then as a merchant. People would entrust him with their valuables and goods when they traveled.

At the age of forty, he received the first revelation in the Cave of Hira by the angel Gabriel, who commanded him to read the first verses of the Quran: "Read, in the name of your Lord who created." He began calling his people to monotheism and worship of God alone, abandoning idol worship.

Muhammad and his companions suffered severe persecution from Quraish. They were tortured, beaten, and besieged in the valley of Abu Talib for three years. Some Muslims emigrated to Ethiopia to escape persecution.

After 13 years of preaching in Makkah, God permitted the Muslims to migrate to Yathrib (Medina) in 622 CE, the year marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar. The people of Medina welcomed them warmly, and Medina became the capital of the first Islamic state.

The Muslims fought several battles in self-defense, the most famous being the Battle of Badr (314 Muslims against 1,000 pagans) which ended in a great victory for the Muslims. Eight years after the migration, Makkah was conquered by an army of 10,000 Muslims. Muhammad showed great clemency to the conquerors, telling them: "Go, you are free."

In the tenth year of Hijrah, Muhammad performed the farewell pilgrimage with 114,000 companions. He delivered a historic sermon on Mount Arafat, exhorting Muslims to respect the lives and property of others, to respect women's rights, and to equality among all peoples: "No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, nor a white over a black, except through piety."

Muhammad died in Medina at the age of 63, on the 12th of Rabi al-Awal in the 11th year of Hijrah. He was buried where he died, in his room beside the Prophet's Mosque.

Muhammad was an exemplary model of morality and behavior. His wife Aisha described his character as "the Quran personified." He worked in his home, served his family, repaired his clothes, and helped the needy. He was extremely humble, loved the poor, sat with them, and did not like arrogance.

Muhammad married several women, including Khadija bint Khuwaylid whom he married before prophethood and loved deeply, and with whom he had most of his children, and Aisha bint Abi Bakr whom he also loved greatly, as well as other wives called "Mothers of the Believers."

Muhammad left the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah as fundamental sources of Islam. He left no money or wealth, but an immense spiritual heritage that still guides humanity today. He transformed a society of warring tribes into a united nation based on justice, kindness, and faith in the one God.