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Who was Prophet Muhammad?

Short answerMuhammad son of Abdullah ﷺ is the final prophet and messenger in Islam. Born in Makkah around 570 CE, he received revelation at forty, called people to worship God alone for 23 years, migrated to Madinah and passed away in 632 CE. Before prophethood he was known as “the Truthful, the Trustworthy,” and the Quran describes him as a mercy to the worlds.

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A brief timeline

  • About 570 CE: born in Makkah; raised as an orphan under his grandfather and uncle.
  • 610 CE: revelation begins in the cave of Hira.
  • 622 CE: the migration to Madinah, the start of the Hijri calendar.
  • 630 CE: the opening of Makkah and general amnesty.
  • 632 CE: passing after the Farewell Pilgrimage.

See the full page “Who is Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?” for more detail.

A mercy to the worlds

Quran
وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ إِلَّا رَحۡمَةٗ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

Nous ne t’avons suscité que par miséricorde pour l’humanité.

Al-Anbiya 21:107
Quran
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٖ

Tu es, en vérité, doté du caractère le plus élevé.

Al-Qalam 68:4

Son caractère

Hadith
إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ صَالِحَ الْأَخْلَاقِ

I was sent only to perfect good character.

Ahmad 8952, Al-Bukhari (Al-Adab al-Mufrad) 273

The seal of the prophets

Quran
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٖ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا

Mouhammad n’est le père d’aucun homme parmi vous, mais le Messager d’Allah et le sceau des prophètes. Allah a une parfaite connaissance de toute chose.

Al-Ahzab 33:40

Questions fréquentes

Why do Muslims say “peace be upon him”?

As love, respect and a prayer for him, following God’s command to send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ; Muslims say it for all prophets as well.

Was Muhammad illiterate?

Yes, he is described as the unlettered prophet, which Muslims see as a sign the Quran is revelation, not his composition.

Les textes et traductions sont en cours de révision par des savants.