THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED
PROPHET MUHAMMAD  [pbuh]
HIS BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE
The Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in around 570 AD/CE, a member of the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. His father, Abdullah, a merchant, died before he was born, and his mother, Amina, died when he was only six years old, leaving him an orphan. He was brought up firstly by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, a man famous for his saintly life, and then by his uncle, Abu Talib.

At this time, the people of Arabia were mainly superstitious pagans with a few notable monotheist exceptions, such as Abd al-Muttalib. Many Arabs lived nomadic lives on traditionally claimed territories, and there were only a few key cities such as Makkah, Yathrib and Taif. Makkah was a wealthy trading post that also happened to be the most important shrine for the Arab idol
The cube-shaped Ka'aba temple [right] claimed a very ancient history; it was said to have been built in the first place by Adam, the first created human being, and then rebuilt by Abraham [Ibrahim] the Prophet, and his son Ishmail. Originally, it had        been a temple dedicated to the One True God, but over the centuries the pagan Baal cults had predominated and at the time of the Prophet it was said to have contained no less than 360 statuettes and cult objects dedicated to minor deities.
The Prophet grew up a particularly devout and honourable man, a believer in One God [a 'monotheist'], like his grandfather. He worked first as a shepherd and then as a merchant, working for his uncle, Abu Talib. He became well known and well liked, and earned the nickname ' al Amin' ['the Trustworthy One'] because of his piety, honesty, fair dealing and practical common-sense.

Later, he was employed by a wealthy widow, Khadijah, who, after a short while, offered herself in marriage to him, although she was in her forties and he was twenty-five years old. Despite the age difference, they were very happily married and had six children. Even though polygamy [having more than one wife ] was normal among Arabs at this time, the Prophet never considered any other marriage while she  lived.
HIS CALL TO BE A PROPHET
His new position gave him security and much more time to devote to prayer and meditation. It was his habit to go off alone to the mountains around Makkah, and be close to God for long periods of time. Sometimes he would stay away for several days. He particularly used to favour the Cave of Hira on Jabal Nur [ the 'Mount of Light'] overlooking Makkah. On one of these occasions, in the year 610 CE, when he was around forty years old, something happened that changed his life entirely.
A presence he identified as the angel Gabriel [Jibreel] was suddenly there with him, and he was shown words and ordered to recite them. He protested that he was not a learned man and could not read them, but the angel insisted, and suddenly the Prophet knew what the words said. He was ordered to learn them, and repeat them to others. Thus came the first revelation of verses of the Book now known as the Qur'an [ the Recitation].

The night this happened was towards the end of the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and is known as Lailat ul-Qadr. It is celebrated on the 27th of the month, although the exact date is not known.

From this moment of calling, the Prophet's life was no longer his own, but in the hands of Him who had called him to be a prophet, and spend the rest of his days in His service, repeating His messages.

After this vision, the Prophet had no further revelations for some time, and went through a period of trial and testing when he was not sure of the implications of what had happened to him. Then, after around two years, the messages began again, and continued for the rest of his life, a period of twenty-three years from the first revelation to the last.

His first converts were his wife, Khadijah, his nephew Ali, a slave boy called Zaid [both about ten years old and living in his household] and his friend, the merchant Abu Bakr.
The Cave Hira on Jabal Nur
THE REVELATIONS
The Prophet did not always see the angel Gabriel when he had his revelations, and when he did, the angel did not always appear in exactly the same form. Sometimes the angel was huge, filling the horizon, and sometimes the Prophet was only aware of eyes watching him. Occasionally, he just heard a voice speaking to him. Sometimes he revealed that the message did not come through clearly, but there was a sound like muffled bells, and this gave him a headache. At other times, the message was as clear and direct as if another person was just standing beside him.

Sometimes he received the revelations when he was deep in prayer, but at other times they occurred 'spontaneously' while he was engaged in everyday life, out riding, or involved in conversation concerning the  subject.