Islamic views of Muhammad
Encyclopedia
Muhammad
(also spelled Muhammed or Mohammed), is considered the last prophet
by the Islam
ic holy book, the Qur'an
as interpreted by most Muslims. He was born in 571 in Mecca.
s believe that Muhammad is a messenger (rasul in Arabic) and prophet of God
. He is also acknowledged as the last
of Islam's prophets
, including Adam
(Adam
), Nuh (Noah
), Ibrāhīm (Abraham
), Dawood
(David
), Musa
(Moses
), 'Isa (Jesus
), and others.The family tree of all these prophets are shown right. Some Islamic scholars argue that Muhammad was foretold in the Bible
.
Although some Western references like Catholic Encyclopedia regard Muhammad as the founder of Islam, Muslims believe that monotheistic
faith was not created by a human but it was finally revealed by God
to Muhammad.
Muslims do not worship Muhammad, due to the belief in the Oneness of God
as stated in the Shahada
. In addition, Muslims see him as a human being and not as a God or angel
.
Muslims must follow Islamic prophet Muhammad, according to this verse from the Qur'an
appeared to him at the Cave of Hira
, the Qur'an, began to be revealed to him. His wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
, encouraged him to describe the events that happened in the cave.
Other than Qur'an, Hadith
, narrations originating from the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is an important part of Islam. Muslims do not believe in Hadith as Divine Revelation, however they follow the Hadiths as Mohammad's teachings, as there is no distinction between Muhammad's teachings and to surrender to one God in Islam..
as referring to Muhammad splitting the Moon
in view of the Quraysh when they began persecuting his followers. See miracles of Muhammad
, Aisha bint Abu Bakr
, Hafsa bint Umar
, Zaynab bint Khuzayma
, Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya
, Rayhāna bint Zayd ibn ʿAmr
(disputed), Zaynab bint Jahsh
, Juwayriya bint al-Harith
, Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan
, Safiyya bint Huyayy
, Maymuna bint al-Harith
and Maria al-Qibtiyya
. Muslims see the wives of Muhammad as Mothers of the Believers.
said that Muhammad is ill. Abu Bakr
also agreed on that. When Muhammad heard that, he ordered both to leave the room. Umar was full of grief upon hearing the news of demise of Muhammad. Umar, the devoted disciple, could not accept the reality that the "Messenger of God" has died. According to the Qur'an, "Muhammad is but a messenger; messengers have passed away before", i.e. died or killed. It is said that Umar promised to strike the head of any man who would say that Muhammad died. At this point Abu Bakr is reported to have come out to the Muslim community and gave his famous speech which included:
Abū Bakr then recited these verses from the Qur'an:
Hearing this from Abu Bakr, the most senior disciple of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, Umar then fell down on his knees in great sense of sorrow and acceptance of the reality. Sunni Muslims say that this denial of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم death was occasioned by his deep love for him.
He was buried in Medina
in his house now the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi
(Prophet's Mosque
).
," (in English often abbreviated to PBUH or simply "(p)"), since Muhammad is so esteemed by Muslims.
Muhammad is often referenced with these titles of praise or epithet:
He also has these names:
In Turkey, he is often called Hz. Muhammed or "Peygamber Efendimiz".
believe that Muhammad is alive with the power of invisibility; his spirit pervades the world and can be reached by true seekers.
believe in the prophethood
of Muhammad like all Muslims.
) through Fatima are sinless.
The Twelver Shi'a teaches that Muhammad, Fatima
together with the twelve descendants of Muhammad through Fatima are purified by God (See the Event of the Cloak
). They are commonly called The Fourteen Infallibles
. Though The Fourteen Infallibles are human being and may be tempted by Satan towards sin, it is believed that they will be helped by God to overcome Satan's temptations. The following verse of Qur'an is sometimes cited to prove this position.
is often equated with blasphemy
, which is punishable by death in some Islamic state
s.
Pakistan
is frequently in the news for prosecutions under its blasphemy law
. If the courts decline to act, angry crowds have been known to lynch
the suspected blasphemer.
In 2005 a Danish
newspaper, Jyllands-Posten
, printed some controversial cartoons
, a few of which were interpreted as insulting Muhammad and Islam. Some countries -- Saudi Arabia
, Turkey
, and Iraq
among them—protested the Danish government for not taking action against the newspaper. The Danish government responded by asserting that it does not control the media.
during most of its history
, there are rich traditions of visual representation of Muhammad
, mainly in the form of paintings and illustrations in religious or hagiographical
texts. Religious figures rarely have their face shown. Such figures are often shown with their head veiled in sheets embroidered with Qur'anic text.
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
(also spelled Muhammed or Mohammed), is considered the last prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
by the Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic holy book, the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
as interpreted by most Muslims. He was born in 571 in Mecca.
Prophethood
MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s believe that Muhammad is a messenger (rasul in Arabic) and prophet of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. He is also acknowledged as the last
Seal of the Prophets
Seal of the Prophets is a title given to the Islamic prophet Muhammad by a verse in the Qur'an. Muslims traditionally agree upon that Muhammad received the final revelation in the form of the Qur'an for all mankind, for all time....
of Islam's prophets
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
, including Adam
Islamic view of Adam
Adam is one of the most important figures in the history of the Islamic faith, as he is believed by most Muslims to have been the first human being and the first prophet. Adam's role as the father of the human race is looked upon by Muslims with reverence, who also venerate his wife, Eve, as the...
(Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
), Nuh (Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
), Ibrāhīm (Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
), Dawood
Islamic view of David
Islamic views on David are unified in his status as appointed prophet, messenger , and lawgiver of God, and as a righteous King of the united Kingdom of Israel, which itself is a holy country in Islam...
(David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
), Musa
Islamic view of Moses
Musa , known as Moses in the Old Testament, is considered an Islamic prophet, messenger, lawgiver and leader in Islam. Moses is mentioned more in the Quran than any other individual, and his life is narrated and recounted more than that any other prophet...
(Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
), 'Isa (Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
), and others.The family tree of all these prophets are shown right. Some Islamic scholars argue that Muhammad was foretold in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
Although some Western references like Catholic Encyclopedia regard Muhammad as the founder of Islam, Muslims believe that monotheistic
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
faith was not created by a human but it was finally revealed by God
God in Islam
In Islamic theology, God is the all-powerful and all-knowing creator, sustainer, ordainer, and judge of the universe. Islam puts a heavy emphasis on the conceptualization of God as strictly singular . God is unique and inherently One , all-merciful and omnipotent. According to the Islamic...
to Muhammad.
Muslims do not worship Muhammad, due to the belief in the Oneness of God
Tawhid
Tawhid is the concept of monotheism in Islam. It is the religion's most fundamental concept and holds God is one and unique ....
as stated in the Shahada
Shahada
The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet...
. In addition, Muslims see him as a human being and not as a God or angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
.
Muslims must follow Islamic prophet Muhammad, according to this verse from the Qur'an
Divine revelation
According to Islamic tradition, when the angel GabrielGabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
appeared to him at the Cave of Hira
Hira
Hira or the Cave of Hira is a cave about from Mecca, on the mountain named Jabal Al-Nūr in the Hejaz region of present day Saudi Arabia...
, the Qur'an, began to be revealed to him. His wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid
Khadījah bint Khuwaylid or Khadījah al-Kubra was the first wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. She was the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Asad and Fatimah bint Za'idah and belonged to the clan of Banu Asad. She is important in Islam as Muhammad's first wife, and one of the "mothers of the believers"...
, encouraged him to describe the events that happened in the cave.
Other than Qur'an, Hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, narrations originating from the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad is an important part of Islam. Muslims do not believe in Hadith as Divine Revelation, however they follow the Hadiths as Mohammad's teachings, as there is no distinction between Muhammad's teachings and to surrender to one God in Islam..
Miracles
Muslims believe the Qur'an is the living miracle given to Muhammad by God, as the collection of the works which all are written in rhyme and meter. Some Muslims believe that there are other miracles of Muhammad. For example, some Muslim commentators and some Western scholars have interpreted the Sura Al-QamarAl-Qamar
Surat Al-Qamar is the 54th sura of the Quran with 55 ayat. Some verses refer to the Splitting of the moon. "Qamar" , meaning "'Moon" in Arabic, is also a common name among Muslims.-Arabic Text:...
as referring to Muhammad splitting the Moon
Splitting of the moon
The splitting of the moon was a miracle performed by Muhammad in Islamic tradition. The incident is mentioned in Muslim traditions as the context of revelation for the Qur'anic verse where some Muslim commentators accept the historicity of the miracle and some reject it..Early traditions...
in view of the Quraysh when they began persecuting his followers. See miracles of Muhammad
Miracles of Muhammad
According to historian Denis Gril, the Qur'an does not overtly describe Muhammad performing miracles, and the supreme miracle of Muhammad is finally identified with the Qur’an itself. However, Muslim tradition credits Muhammad with several supernatural events...
Marriages
He married Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Sawda bint ZamaSawda bint Zama
Sawda bint Zamʿa ibn Qayyis ibn ʿAbd Shams was a wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and considered by Muslims to be a Mother of the Believers.-Migration to Abyssinia:...
, Aisha bint Abu Bakr
Aisha
Aisha bint Abu Bakr also transcribed as was Muhammad's favorite wife...
, Hafsa bint Umar
Hafsa bint Umar
Ḥafsah bint ‘Umar and wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and therefore a Mother of the Believers.-Biography:She was married to Khunais ibn Hudhaifa, but became a widow when she was eighteen and according to Islamic tradition her father offered her to Abu Bakr and Uthman Ibn Affan...
, Zaynab bint Khuzayma
Zaynab bint Khuzayma
Born in 595, Zaynab bint Khuzayma was the fifth wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.As a result of her early death, less is known about her than any of his other wives.-Life:...
, Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya
Umm Salama Hind bint Abi Umayya
Hind bint Abi Umayya was a wife of Muhammad, and therefore a Mother of the Believers.-Name:Hind bint Abi Umayya, Hind al Makhzumiyah, Hind bint Suhayl, also called as Umm Salama ....
, Rayhāna bint Zayd ibn ʿAmr
Rayhana
Rayhāna bint Zayd ibn ʿAmr was a Jewish woman from the Banu Qurayza tribe. Her relationship with Muhammad is disputed.Rayhana was originally a member of the Banu Nadir tribe who married a man from the Banu Qurayza...
(disputed), Zaynab bint Jahsh
Zaynab bint Jahsh
Zaynab bint Jahsh was a wife of Muhammad and therefore a Mother of the Believers. Prior to this, she was briefly married to Muhammad's adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah...
, Juwayriya bint al-Harith
Juwayriya bint al-Harith
Juwayriyya bint al-Harith was married to Muhammad, the Islamic prophet when he was 58 years old and she was 20, thus placing the marriage in 628...
, Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan
Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan
Ramlah bint Abi Sufyan, رملة بنت أبي سفيان, aka Umm Habiba, أم حبيبة, was the daughter of Abu Sufyan. She was born c. 589 and died in 666...
, Safiyya bint Huyayy
Safiyya bint Huyayy
Safiyya bint Huyayy was a Jewish woman captured from the Banu Nadir tribe at age 17, who became Muhammad's wife. She was, along with all other wives of Muhammad, titled Umm-ul-Mo'mineen or the "Mother of Believers"....
, Maymuna bint al-Harith
Maymuna bint al-Harith
Maymuna bint al-Harith was a wife of Muhammad and therefore a Mother of the Believers.-Family:Her original name was Burrah, but Muhammad changed it to Maimunah....
and Maria al-Qibtiyya
Maria al-Qibtiyya
Maria al-Qibtiyya , or Maria the Copt, was an Egyptian Coptic Christian slave who was sent as a gift from Muqawqis, a Byzantine official, to the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 628. Some sources say she became his wife, taking the title "Mother of the Believers"...
. Muslims see the wives of Muhammad as Mothers of the Believers.
Death of Muhammad
After the Qur'an was completed, Muhammad died on 8 June 632. Just before the death, there was a group of companions of Muhammad near him when Muhammad asks that he wants to write a will and hence requires a pen and paper. UmarUmar
`Umar ibn al-Khattāb c. 2 November , was a leading companion and adviser to the Islamic prophet Muhammad who later became the second Muslim Caliph after Muhammad's death....
said that Muhammad is ill. Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
also agreed on that. When Muhammad heard that, he ordered both to leave the room. Umar was full of grief upon hearing the news of demise of Muhammad. Umar, the devoted disciple, could not accept the reality that the "Messenger of God" has died. According to the Qur'an, "Muhammad is but a messenger; messengers have passed away before", i.e. died or killed. It is said that Umar promised to strike the head of any man who would say that Muhammad died. At this point Abu Bakr is reported to have come out to the Muslim community and gave his famous speech which included:
Abū Bakr then recited these verses from the Qur'an:
Hearing this from Abu Bakr, the most senior disciple of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, Umar then fell down on his knees in great sense of sorrow and acceptance of the reality. Sunni Muslims say that this denial of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم death was occasioned by his deep love for him.
He was buried in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
in his house now the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi
Al-Masjid al-Nabawi
Al-Masjid al-Nabawi , often called the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque situated in the city of Medina. As the final resting place of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, it is considered the second holiest site in Islam by Muslims and is one of the largest mosques in the world...
(Prophet's Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
).
Names and titles of praise
When speaking or writing, Muhammad's name is often followed by the phrase "peace be upon himPeace be upon him (Islam)
Peace be upon him is a phrase that practising Muslims often say after saying the name of a prophet of Islam. There are three variants of this phrase in Arabic:...
," (in English often abbreviated to PBUH or simply "(p)"), since Muhammad is so esteemed by Muslims.
Muhammad is often referenced with these titles of praise or epithet:
- an-NâbîProphets of IslamMuslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
, "the Prophet" - ar-RasûlApostle (Islam)In Islam, an Apostle or Messenger is a prophet sent by God.According to the Qur'an, God sent many prophets to mankind. The five universally acknowledged messengers in Islam are Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus and Muhammad, as each is believed to have been sent with a scripture...
, "the Messenger" - al-HabeebHabibHabib is an Arabic male name with the meaning "beloved", or "darling", it also appears as a surname. The name is popular in the Middle East, Africa, and France.-Given name:* Habib Beye , French-Senegalese footballer...
, "the beloved" - al-MuṣṭafāMustafaMustafa is the primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, . The name is an epithet of Muhammad that means, Chosen One. It is a very common male given name, throughout the Muslim world.-Mostafa:...
, "the chosen one" - al-AmînAminIn Arabic Amin ' for males means 'faithful, trustworthy'. The female equivalent is Amina, which is a widely used name among female Arabs .-People:امین*al-Amin, nickname of Muhammad in his youth*Amin Ahsan Islahi...
, "the trustworthy" - as-Sadîq, "the honest"
- al-HaqHaqqHaqq is the Arabic word for truth. In Islamic context, it is also interpreted as right and reality. Al-Haqq, the truth, is one of the names of God in the Qur'an. It is often used to refer to God as the Ultimate Reality in Sufism....
, "the truthful" - ar-Rauf, "the kind"
- al-Uswa-e-Hasana, "the model of conduct"
- al-Insān al-KāmilAl-Insān al-KāmilIn Islamic theology, al-Insān al-Kāmil , is a term used as an honorific title to describe Muhammad...
, "the perfect man" - al-Khairul Bashar, "the best of mankind"
- al-Khātim an-Nâbîyīn, "the seal of the prophetsSeal of the ProphetsSeal of the Prophets is a title given to the Islamic prophet Muhammad by a verse in the Qur'an. Muslims traditionally agree upon that Muhammad received the final revelation in the form of the Qur'an for all mankind, for all time....
" - ar-Rahmatul lil 'alameenRahmatullahRahmatullah is a male Muslim given name and, in modern usage, surname, meaning mercy of God. It may refer to:-Males:*Rahmatullah Kairanawi , Indian Muslim scholar and author...
, "the beneficent and mercy of all the worlds personified" - as-ShaheedShahidShahid is an Arabic word meaning "witness". It is a religious term in Islam, meaning both "witness" and "martyr." While a martyr may die as a consequence of fighting, a shahid is a "witness" because he gives his life out of passion for truth. The shahid exchanges himself for the divine and thereby...
, "the witness" - al-Mubashshir, "the bearer of good tidings"
- an-NathirNadhrNadhr or Nadhir is an Arabic word that refers to prophets.إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلاَ تُسْأَلُ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَحِيمِ...
, "the warner" - al-Mudhakkir, "the reminder"
- ad-Dā‘īDawahDa‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
, "the one who calls [unto God]" - al-BashirBashirBashir or Basheer is a male given name. Derived from Arabic, it means "the one who brings good news".Bashir may refer to :- Surnames :* Abu Bakar Bashir, Indonesian Muslim cleric and leader of Indonesian Mujahedeen Council...
, "the announcer" - an-NoorNoor (Sufism)Noor is the link which binds being to knowledge in Sufism. The word itself means light. Each particle of light that is reflected of the "mirror of the heart" projects spiritual knowledge according to distinctive types of colors....
, "the light personified" - as-Siraj-un-Munir, "the light-giving lamp"
- al-KareemKarimKarim is a common given and surname of Arabic origin.-Given name:* Kareem Amer, Egyptian blogger* Kareem Kelly, Canadian footballer* Kareem Rush, American basketball player...
, "the noble" - an-NimatullahNimatullahNimatullah, also spelled Ni'matullāh, Nematollah etc. is a male Muslim given name, also used by Arabic-speaking Christians. It is composed of the elements Nimat, meaning blessing and Allah, meaning of God. It may refer to-People:...
, "the divine favour" - al-MuzzammilAl-MuzzammilSūrat al-Muzzammil is the 73rd sura of the Qur'an with 20 ayat.-Arabic Verses: بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ # یٰۤاَیُّہَا الۡمُزَّمِّلُ # قُمِ الَّیۡلَ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا...
, "the wrapped" - al-MuddathirAl-MuddathirSūrat al-Muddaththir is the 74th sura of the Qur'an with 56 ayat.-Arabic Verses: بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ # یٰۤاَیُّہَا الۡمُدَّثِّرُ # قُمۡ فَاَنۡذِرۡ # وَ رَبَّکَ فَکَبِّر...
, "the shrouded" - al-'Aqib, "the last [prophet]"
- al-Mutawakkil, "the one who puts his trust [in God]"
- al-Kuthâm, "the generous one"
- al-Mahi, "the eraser [of disbelief]"
- al-Muqaffi, "the one who followed [all other prophets]"
- an-Nâbîyyu at-TawbahRepentance in IslamThe word Tawbah in Arabic literally means 'to return'. In an Islamic context, it refers to the act of leaving what God has prohibited and returning to what He has commanded. The subject of repentance is one which concerns all people who believe in God, and is central to Islamic belief as well. It...
, "the prophet of penitence" - al-Fatih, "the opener"
- al-Hashir, "the gatherer (the first to be resurrected) on the day of judgement"
- as-Shafe'e, "the intercessor"
- al-Mushaffaun, "the one whose intercession shall be granted"
He also has these names:
- Abu'l-Qasim, "father of Qasim"
- AhmadAhmadAhmad or Ahmed are the principal transliterations of the Arabic given name, . The name comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D, meaning "highly praised", implying "one who constantly thanks God".-Etymology:...
, "the chosen one" - HamidHamidHamid refers to two different but related Arabic given names both of which come from the Arabic triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D.One, means "praised" or "praiseworthy"....
, "praiser" - Mahmood, "praiseworthy"
- `Abd-AllahAbdullah (name)Abdullah or Abdallah is the primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, , built from the Arabic words Abd and Allah . The first letter a in al-Ilah in its native pronunciation is often unstressed and commonly transliterated by u, a stressed a is often used as well, although any vowel can also...
, "servant of Allah"
In Turkey, he is often called Hz. Muhammed or "Peygamber Efendimiz".
Sufi views
SufisSufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
believe that Muhammad is alive with the power of invisibility; his spirit pervades the world and can be reached by true seekers.
Sunni beliefs
SunnisSunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
believe in the prophethood
Prophethood
Prophethood is the word used to reference the institution by which God sends emissaries, or prophets, to guide mankind. Use of the word is almost always theological.-Islam:...
of Muhammad like all Muslims.
Shia beliefs
In Shia'ism, Muhammad is free from sins as the doctrine of sinlessness called [Ismah] (Arabic: عِصْمَة, Persian: ِعصمت) states. This doctrine literally means 'protection' and is generally translated as "sinlessness". Protection is believed to be of three types of "Protection from mistake in receiving the revelation from Allah", "Protection from mistake in conveying the revelation of Allah" and "Protection from sins." It is believed that all the prophets in Islam, Fatima, and the twelve descendants of Muhammad(Twelvers. Ismailis believe the line is still going on, and are on the 49th imam, Aga Khan IVAga Khan IV
Prince Karim, Aga Khan IV, NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM is the 49th and current Imam of the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslims. He has held this position under the title of Aga Khan since July 11, 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan...
) through Fatima are sinless.
The Twelver Shi'a teaches that Muhammad, Fatima
Fatima
-People:* Fatima , a female given name of Arabic origin* Fatima bint Muhammad, daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad* Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah...
together with the twelve descendants of Muhammad through Fatima are purified by God (See the Event of the Cloak
Ahl al-Kisa
Ahl al-Kisā refers to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah, his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and his two grandsons Hasan and Husayn. They are also referred to as Āl al-‘Abā or Panj-tan-e Āl-e Abā or simply Panj tan...
). They are commonly called The Fourteen Infallibles
The Fourteen Infallibles
The Fourteen Infallibles are Twelver Shī‘ah Islam religious figures from between the 6th and 9th century whom Twelvers believe are infallible, i.e. "divinely bestowed [with] freedom from error and sin". This quality of infallibility is known as Ismah...
. Though The Fourteen Infallibles are human being and may be tempted by Satan towards sin, it is believed that they will be helped by God to overcome Satan's temptations. The following verse of Qur'an is sometimes cited to prove this position.
Punishment of criticism
Criticism of MuhammadCriticism of Muhammad
Criticism of Muhammad has existed since the 7th century, when Muhammad was decried by his non-Muslim Arab contemporaries for preaching monotheism. During the Middle Ages he was frequently demonized in European and other non-Muslim polemics...
is often equated with blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
, which is punishable by death in some Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
s.
Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
is frequently in the news for prosecutions under its blasphemy law
Blasphemy law in Pakistan
The Pakistan Penal Code prohibits blasphemy against any recognized religion, providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. However, in practice, it is only applied to Islam. An accusation of blasphemy commonly subjects the accused, police, lawyers, and judges to harassment, threats, and attacks...
. If the courts decline to act, angry crowds have been known to lynch
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
the suspected blasphemer.
In 2005 a Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
newspaper, Jyllands-Posten
Jyllands-Posten
Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten , commonly shortened to Jyllands-Posten or JP, is a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper. It is based in Viby, a suburb of Århus, and with a weekday circulation of approximately 120,000 copies, it is among the largest-selling newspaper in Denmark...
, printed some controversial cartoons
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
, a few of which were interpreted as insulting Muhammad and Islam. Some countries -- Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
among them—protested the Danish government for not taking action against the newspaper. The Danish government responded by asserting that it does not control the media.
Visual representation
While most of Islam was predominantly aniconisticAniconism
Aniconism is the practice or belief in avoiding or shunning images of divine beings, prophets or other respected religious figures, or in different manifestations, any human beings or living creatures. The term aniconic may be used to describe the absence of graphic representations in a particular...
during most of its history
Muslim history
Muslim history is the history of Muslim people. In the history of Islam the followers of the religion of Islam have impacted political history, economic history, and military history...
, there are rich traditions of visual representation of Muhammad
Depictions of Muhammad
The permissibility of depictions of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, has long been a concern in the history of Islam. Oral and written descriptions are readily accepted by all traditions of Islam, but there is disagreement about visual depictions....
, mainly in the form of paintings and illustrations in religious or hagiographical
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
texts. Religious figures rarely have their face shown. Such figures are often shown with their head veiled in sheets embroidered with Qur'anic text.
See also
- MuhammadMuhammadMuhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
- Miracles of MuhammadMiracles of MuhammadAccording to historian Denis Gril, the Qur'an does not overtly describe Muhammad performing miracles, and the supreme miracle of Muhammad is finally identified with the Qur’an itself. However, Muslim tradition credits Muhammad with several supernatural events...
- Prophets of IslamProphets of IslamMuslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
- Relics of MuhammadRelics of MuhammadSome streams of Islam have a tradition of venerating the relics attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The most genuine relics are believed to be those housed in Istanbul's Topkapı Palace, in a section known as Hirkai Serif Odasi at the start of the Twentieth century...
- Stories of The ProphetsStories of The ProphetsStories of The Prophets or Qasas al-anbiya is a famous work of Islamic literature, written by the Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir. In the book, Kathir has compiled all accounts of information regarding various prophets and messengers through Islamic history...