Who was Muhammad?

Who was Muhammad?: the cards as text

Islam 101. Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review.

  1. Card 1

    An orphan, a trader, a prophet: one life, sixty-three years.

  2. Card 2

    An orphan in Makkah

    Muhammad began life as an orphan. Born in Makkah around 570, he lost his father before birth and his mother at six. Raised by his grandfather, then his uncle, he became a trader known as al-Amin: the trustworthy.

  3. Card 3

    Lesson: Before he was a prophet, Muhammad was known for being honest.

  4. Card 4

    The cave and the first word

    The trader known as the trustworthy often withdrew to reflect. At about forty, in a mountain cave near Makkah, he experienced what Muslims believe was the angel Jibril bringing the first words of the Qur'an: "Read."

  5. Card 5

    Qur'an 96:1-5

    ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ۝١ خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ۝٢ ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ۝٣ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ۝٤ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ ۝٥

    1 Read in the name of your Lord Who created, 2 created man from a clinging clot. 3 Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, 4 Who taught by the pen, 5 taught man what he did not know.

  6. Card 6

    Lesson: The first word of the Qur'an was a command to read.

  7. Card 7

    Thirteen hard years

    Why would a message of one God cause trouble? Makkah's leaders had wealth resting on the idols at the Ka'bah. Muhammad's followers were mocked, boycotted and tortured, and some fled to Christian Abyssinia for safety.

  8. Card 8

    Lesson: Islam began in Makkah as a persecuted minority.

  9. Card 9

    Madinah, and a community

    In 622 Muhammad left Makkah for Madinah, a move called the Hijrah that starts the Islamic calendar. There he led a community of Muslims, Jews and others, and faced wars with Makkah.

  10. Card 10

    Lesson: Muhammad forgave the city that had driven him out.

  11. Card 11

    "Only a man like you"

    Muhammad died in Madinah in 632. Muslims revere him but do not worship him: the Qur'an has him say "I am only a man like you." His example, the Sunnah, shapes Muslim life today.

  12. Card 12

    Qur'an 18:110

    قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرࣰ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَٰهُكُمۡ إِلَٰهࣰ وَٰحِدࣰۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلۡيَعۡمَلۡ عَمَلࣱا صَٰلِحࣱا وَلَا يُشۡرِكۡ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدَۢا ۝١١٠

    110 Say, “I am only a man like you; it has been revealed to me that your God is One God. So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate none in the worship of his Lord.”

  13. Card 13

    Lesson: Muslims follow his example; they worship only God.

  14. Card 14

    Reflect: Do Muslims worship Muhammad?

    Answer: No, they follow his example. No. He is honoured as a prophet and a model, but worship is for God alone. The Qur'an calls him a man like any other.

  15. Card 15

    The end of Who was Muhammad?.

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