The symbol ﷺ is Arabic for “God bless him and grant him peace.” Muslims say it after his name out of love and respect.
His life in short
- 570 Born in Mecca, in Arabia. His father died before he was born and his mother when he was six. He was raised by his grandfather, then by his uncle Abu Talib.
- Young man Worked as a shepherd, then as a merchant. People in Mecca called him al-Amin, “the trustworthy,” and left their valuables in his care.
- 595 Married Khadijah, a successful businesswoman who had employed him. They were married until her death in 619.
- 610 At 40, received the first revelation of the Quran in the cave of Hira.
- 610–622 Taught in Mecca that there is one God and that all people are equal before Him. He and his followers were mocked, boycotted and attacked.
- 622 Moved to the city of Medina, where he led a community of Muslims, Jews and others under a written charter. The Islamic calendar starts from this year.
- 630 Returned to Mecca with thousands of followers, almost without bloodshed, and pardoned the people who had persecuted him for years.
- 632 Gave his Farewell Sermon and died in Medina, aged 63.
What he was like
When his wife Aisha was asked about his character, she said: “His character was the Quran.” The people around him described a man who:
- mended his own clothes, repaired his own sandals and helped with the housework
- shortened his prayer when he heard a baby crying, so the mother wouldn't worry
- played with children, and stood up to greet his daughter Fatimah whenever she came in
- lived simply, sometimes going a month or more without a cooked meal at home, even while leading a city
We have sent you only as a mercy to all the worlds.
Quran 21:107
What he taught
“The strong person is not the one who overpowers others. The strong person is the one who controls himself when he is angry.”
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
“Your smile for your brother is charity.”
Jami' at-Tirmidhi
In his Farewell Sermon, given to a huge crowd of pilgrims shortly before his death, he said:
“O people, your Lord is one and your father is one. No Arab is better than a non-Arab, and no non-Arab is better than an Arab; no light-skinned person is better than a dark-skinned person, and no dark-skinned person is better than a light-skinned one, except in righteousness.”
Musnad Ahmad
How others have seen him
In 1978, the American writer Michael H. Hart ranked the hundred most influential people in history. He put Muhammad ﷺ first, explaining that he “was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.”
Quran quotes are English translations of the meaning, adapted from Saheeh International and M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. Tap a reference to read the verse in Arabic with other translations.