Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him (c. 570-632) came from a family belonging to the Koraysh. His early years were difficult because of the deaths of both his parents and his grandfather who cared for him after his parents' loss.

He was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib, a prominent merchant of Mecca. His early years were spent helping his uncle in the caravan trade. Even as a young man, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him came to be admired by his fellow Meccans as a sincere and honest person, and earned the nickname al-Amin, "the trustworthy."

When he was about twenty years old, he accepted employment by a wealthy widow, Khadija, whose caravans traded with Syria. He later married Khadija and took his place as a leading influential citizen of
the city. Prophet Muhammad's peace be upon him marriage to Khadija was a long and happy one, and produced two sons, who both died as infants, and two daughters, of whom the younger, Fatima, is best known.

Description

A description of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and probably a very accurate one, has been preserved in the Sira, the traditional biography of the Prophet. He is described as a handsome, large man with broad shoulders, black, shining eyes flecked with brown, and a fair complexion. His personality was reserved and gentle, but he was a man of impressive energy. He walked quickly, and always seemed to make it difficult for his friends to keep up with him. Although he was a popular companion, an energetic businessman, and a responsible husband and father, Muhammad was a very introspective man.

Meditation

Often he would escape from the society, which he considered too materialistic and irreligious, and spend long hours alone in a cave on nearby Mount Hira. In these hours of meditation Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him searched for answers to the metaphysical questions that many thoughtful Arabs were beginning to explore. Prophet Muhammad's peace be upon him meditations many times produced nearly total mental and physical exhaustion. During one such solitary meditation, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him heard a call that was to alter the history of the world.