Orphaned young, Muhammad worked as a shepherd and then a merchant, earning the nickname al-Amin (the trustworthy) from his own city. At forty, in a mountain cave he used for quiet reflection, he received the first verses of the Quran through the angel Gabriel. Thirteen hard years of preaching in Mecca brought persecution; the migration to Medina in 622 CE founded a community where the message could live. Ten years later, he returned to Mecca at the head of ten thousand, and declared a general amnesty for the city that had driven him out. He died in 632 CE owning almost nothing, having changed everything.
what he taught
One God, no idols; the equality of people: “no Arab is superior to a non-Arab, except by piety”; kindness to parents, neighbors, orphans, and animals; honesty in trade; and accountability before God. His farewell sermon reads like a charter of rights.
what following the Sunnah means
The Sunnah is his recorded example: how he prayed, spoke, forgave, ate, and dealt with people. Muslims study it through verified hadith collections and imitate what is imitable. Honoring him never becomes worshipping him; Muslims correct even that suggestion.
where this comes from
“The best of you are those best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family.”
Sources
AlAnswer curates and links established scholarship; we do not issue original rulings. Read the full sources for complete context. General education, not a personal ruling. For your specific situation, ask a local scholar.
people also ask
Why do Muslims say “peace be upon him”?
It is a prayer of respect the Quran itself teaches. Muslims say it whenever his name is mentioned.
Are there pictures of him?
No authenticated images exist, and Islamic tradition avoids depicting prophets entirely, which is why you will see calligraphy instead of portraits.
Did he write the Quran?
Muslims believe the Quran is God's speech revealed to him, and note he could not read or write, which the Quran itself points out.