The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: who he was

His life at a glance: a timeline

A Hijri year counts from the Hijrah, his emigration to Madinah.

1. Year of the Elephant (570 CE)Born in Makkah, on a Monday
2. Ages 6 and 8His mother Aminah dies, then his grandfather
3. Age 40The first revelation, in the cave of Hira
4. The Makkan yearsHe calls Quraysh to Islam; some Muslims leave for Abyssinia
5. Hijri year 1 (622 CE)The Hijrah: he emigrates to Madinah
6. Hijri years 6 and 8Hudaybiyyah, then the conquest of Makkah
7. Hijri year 10The Farewell Pilgrimage
8. Hijri year 11 (632 CE)Dies in Madinah, on a Monday in Rabi' al-Awwal

Who was the Prophet Muhammad?

Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah (also spelt Mohammed) was of the Quraysh tribe, from its clan of Banu Hashim. He said Allah chose Quraysh from Kinanah, Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and him from Banu Hashim (Sahih Muslim 2276, graded sahih).

1AuthenticSahih Muslim 2276

Another verse addresses him: "We sent you not except as a mercy for the peoples." (Al-Anbiya 21:107).

When and where was Prophet Muhammad born?

He was born in Makkah in the Year of the Elephant, 570 CE in the Western calendar 32. The classical sources date it by the Year of the Elephant, not by a Western year, and they differ on the exact night (see the table below).

Asked about fasting on Mondays, he said it was the day he was born and the day he was sent, or revelation came to him (Sahih Muslim 1162, narrated by Abu Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him).

2AuthenticSahih Muslim 1162

Ibn Ishaq, in Ibn Hisham's al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, dates the birth to Monday, 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, in the Year of the Elephant (Surah Al-Fil, 105:1, speaks of "the owners of the Elephant") 23. Ibn Kathir's al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah records other nights (see the table below) and al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar's report that he was born in Makkah 24.

His father, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, died while his mother, Aminah bint Wahb, was pregnant, says Ibn Ishaq 23. Aminah died at al-Abwa' when he was six; his grandfather 'Abd al-Muttalib, with whom he then lived, died when he was eight 25.

How did the first revelation come?

Revelation came to him at forty, said Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3851, graded sahih). Al-Baqarah 2:185 names Ramadan as the month the Quran was revealed. 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, tells how it began (Sahih al-Bukhari 3):

1. It began with true dreams, each coming to pass as clearly as daybreak.
2. He came to love solitude, worshipping for nights at a time in the cave of Hira, then returning to his wife Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, for provisions.
3. The angel came to him in the cave and said: "Read." He answered: "I am not a reader." Three times the angel pressed him hard, then recited the opening of Surah Al-Alaq (Sahih al-Bukhari 3).
4. He returned to Khadijah, his heart trembling, saying: "Cover me." She said Allah would never disgrace him.

What happened in the Makkan years?

When the verse "And warn your tribe of near kindred" (Ash-Shu'ara 26:214) came down, he climbed the hill of as-Safa, called the clans of Quraysh together and warned them of a severe punishment (Sahih al-Bukhari 4770, graded sahih).

5AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 4770

When the Muslims were put under trial, some emigrated to Abyssinia, 'Aisha said (Sahih al-Bukhari 3905, graded sahih).

Khadijah died three years before he left for Madinah, according to 'Urwa ibn al-Zubayr, a successor (of the generation after the companions), in Sahih al-Bukhari 3896 (graded sahih).

6AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 3896

What was the Hijrah?

The Hijrah is his emigration from Makkah to Madinah, after some of his followers had gone ahead. It took place in 622 CE, the year the Islamic calendar counts from 32. In 'Aisha's account, he came at midday to her father, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, to say he had permission to leave, and Abu Bakr went with him. The two hid in a cave in Mount Thawr for three nights, then set out with a hired guide (Sahih al-Bukhari 3905, graded sahih).

7AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 3905

The Quran speaks of the two in the cave: "the second of two; when they two were in the cave" (At-Tawbah 9:40).

Muslims from Madinah met him on the lava plain outside it, and he stopped among the clan of Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf on a Monday in Rabi' al-Awwal, according to 'Urwa ibn al-Zubayr in Sahih al-Bukhari 3906 (graded sahih). Ibn Ishaq gives the date as 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, his age as 53 26. The companions counted the Islamic years from this arrival, said Sahl ibn Sa'd, may Allah be pleased with him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3934, graded sahih).

8AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 3934

What did he do in Madinah?

After more than ten nights with Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf, where a mosque "founded on piety" was built, he rode on until his camel knelt in a date-drying yard owned by two orphan boys. He asked the two boys to name a price; they offered it as a gift. He then built a mosque there, carrying mud bricks himself: the narration calls it the Messenger's mosque in Madinah (Sahih al-Bukhari 3906, graded sahih).

9AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 3906

Ten years in Madinah followed (Sahih al-Bukhari 3851). They included battles, and the Quran names one: "Allah had already given you the victory at Badr" (Al Imran 3:123). Ibn Hisham dates Hudaybiyyah, when he set out for 'umrah (the lesser pilgrimage), to the end of year six. He dates the conquest of Makkah to Ramadan of year eight 27.

What was the Farewell Pilgrimage?

It is his Hajj in the tenth year. Jabir ibn 'Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said the Prophet went nine years without making Hajj, then announced it in the tenth, and great numbers came to Madinah to follow him (Sahih Muslim 1218, graded sahih). He set out with five nights of Dhu al-Qa'dah left, says Ibn Ishaq 27.

10AuthenticSahih Muslim 1218

'Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said the verse "This day have I perfected your religion for you..." (Al-Maidah 5:3) came down while the Prophet stood at 'Arafah, on a Friday (Sahih al-Bukhari 45, graded sahih).

11AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 45

How did Prophet Muhammad die?

He died after an illness, in 'Aisha's house in Madinah, on a Monday, in 632 CE 32.

• When the illness grew heavy, he asked his wives' permission to be nursed in 'Aisha's house, and they agreed (Sahih al-Bukhari 4442, graded sahih).
• He died there on her day, resting against her chest. Wiping his face with water, he said "There is no god but Allah; death has its agonies", then raised his hand, saying "with the highest companion", until he passed away (Sahih al-Bukhari 4449, graded sahih).
• The day was a Monday, 'Aisha told her father (Sahih al-Bukhari 1387, graded sahih).

Where do the sources differ on dates and his age?

The narrations differ on his years in Makkah, and so on his age.

Where is Prophet Muhammad buried?

His grave is in Madinah, in the house of 'Aisha where he died: she said he died on her day "and was buried in my house" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1389, graded sahih). 'Umar, dying, asked her permission to be buried with his two companions, and she gave it (Sahih al-Bukhari 1392, graded sahih).

In Hijri year 88, Ibn Kathir records, 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz, on the caliph al-Walid's order, brought 'Aisha's room into the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, so that the grave came inside the mosque 29.

What is Prophet Muhammad's family tree?

His father's name was 'Abdullah and his mother's Aminah. Ibn Hisham's al-Sirah opens with his line, father to father, back to 'Adnan (ibn means "son of") 30.

1. Muhammad
2. 'Abdullah
3. 'Abd al-Muttalib
4. Hashim
5. 'Abd Manaf
6. Qusayy
7. Kilab
8. Murrah
9. Ka'b
10. Lu'ayy
11. Ghalib
12. Fihr
13. Malik
14. al-Nadr
15. Kinanah
16. Khuzaymah
17. Mudrikah
18. Ilyas
19. Mudar
20. Nizar
21. Ma'add
22. 'Adnan

Beyond 'Adnan, Ibn Hisham traces it to Isma'il, son of Ibrahim, peace be upon them.

Khadijah was the first woman he married, and he married no one else while she lived, says Ibn Hisham. All his children were hers except Ibrahim, whose mother was Mariyah, may Allah be pleased with her. His daughters Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with them, all accepted Islam and emigrated with him 31.

As Ibn Ishaq lists them, that is eight children; counting al-Tayyib and al-Tahir as one son, 'Abdullah, it is seven.