The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)

Birth & Lineage

Muhammad was born in Mecca around 570 CE into the noble clan of Banu Hashim. Orphaned young — his father Abdullah died before his birth and his mother Amina when he was six — he was raised by his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib and then his uncle Abu Talib, the father of Imam Ali.

Life & Virtues

Known even before prophethood as al-Amin, “the trustworthy,” he received the first revelation of the Qur’an at about forty years of age in the cave of Hira in 610 CE. For thirteen years he called the people of Mecca to the worship of one God amid fierce persecution.

In 622 CE he migrated (the Hijra) to Medina, where he established the first Muslim community. Shia Muslims hold that at Ghadir Khumm, returning from his farewell pilgrimage, he appointed his cousin and son-in-law Ali as the leader after him.

Passing & Legacy

The Prophet passed away in Medina in 11 AH (632 CE) and is buried in his chamber, now within his Mosque. He left behind the Qur’an and his purified household (the Ahl al-Bayt) as the two weighty trusts to guide the believers.

His Household & Daughters

The Prophet’s children were born to his wife Khadija. In Shia tradition his only daughter by blood was Fatima al-Zahra; the other young women raised in his home — Zaynab, Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum — are held by many Shia scholars to have been daughters of Khadija’s sister Hala, brought up by the Prophet and Khadija as their own.

Reports of Poisoning

The Prophet passed away after an illness in 11 AH. Some sources relate that he died as a result of poisoning.