Legacy of the Final Prophet
Muhammad ﷺ, the final prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca in 570 CE. An introduction to his life, message, and the legacy he left for all of humanity.
Muhammad ﷺ, the leader of the religion of Islam, is the final prophet in a long line of prophets including Nūḥ (Noah), Ibrāhīm (Abraham), Mūsā (Moses), and ʿĪsā (Jesus). He was born in Mecca in 570 CE and was orphaned at an early age. He was brought up by his uncle, Abū Ṭālib, and later worked as a merchant and shepherd. He married by the age of 25 and was known for helping people in his community. However, he was unhappy with life in Mecca due to the greed and dishonesty of the people — he felt a strong desire to find a way to show people how to live better lives.
First revelation
Muhammad ﷺ decided to spend time alone in a cave outside Mecca, where he received his first message from God at the age of 40. The Angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) appeared before him and conveyed the first words of revelation. Despite not knowing how to read or write, Muhammad ﷺ was able to remember everything the angel said. He began preaching what God had told him: that Allāh is the one true God, and that submission to Him is the only way to worship Him.
Opposition and migration
Muhammad ﷺ faced opposition and was treated harshly by some tribes around Mecca. To escape danger, he and his followers went to Medina in 622 CE — this event, known as the Hijra, marked the beginning of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, Muhammad ﷺ united the local tribes who had been fighting each other. After eight years of effort, his followers — who had grown to 10,000 — returned to Mecca. He did not punish the people who had driven him out of the city, but instead made new rules and laws that ensured proper care for the poor and children.
The Qur’an and his legacy
Muhammad ﷺ continued to receive messages from Allāh throughout his life, and these messages became the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam. He died in 632 CE after falling ill. By the time of his death, he had united the tribes of Arabia into a single community following the religion of Islam.
To Muslims, Muhammad ﷺ and the other prophets are considered so holy that the phrase “Peace Be Upon Him (ﷺ)” is always said when their names are mentioned — a practice that continues to this day across the entire Muslim world.
