بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
Our Master

MUḤAMMAD

RasūlAllāh — the Seal of the Prophets, mercy to all the worlds

Lineage, Family, Character, and Life Story of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Compiled from Imam Ibn Sayyid al-Nas's Nur al-Uyun and other Sirah texts to nourish the love of the Ummah.

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Above All Creation

His Superiority & Exclusive Attributes

RasūlAllāh ﷺ is the leader of all men and the liege-lord of all Prophets. What follows is granted to him alone.

The most beloved of Allāh in creation, and the most honourable — he will be the first to intercede on Judgement Day, and his intercession (shafāáh) will be accepted.
The Station of Praise — he will be the first raised to al-Maqām al-Maĥmūd, and he was aided by awe; the whole earth was made pure for his followers to pray upon.
The greatest nation — his ummah is the greatest of all nations that have come, because of him.
The lawgiver — Allāh made him the lawgiver: he can make things obligatory or forbidden, lawful and unlawful.
A mercy to the universe — he was sent as a mercy to all creation, and was given the keys to all the treasures of the earth.
The Vision — he was granted the Vision, to see Allāh in a waking state, on the night of Ascension. He is the owner of Kawthar and Tasnīm.
His prophethood is universal — after his coming, anyone who does not believe in him is a kāfir, destined for hell forever.
The final word — when Sayyidunā Ýīsā ﷺ returns, he will follow and enforce RasūlAllāh's sharīáh.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
His Right Upon Us

Loving RasūlAllāh ﷺ and His Right Upon His Ummah

We should love him more than anyone else in this world — far more than our parents, our children and everyone else. One cannot be a complete Muslim until he or she loves RasūlAllāh ﷺ more than everyone else. One should hope for and strive for this love because, on the Day of Judgement, "a man will be with whom he loves."

Signs of True Love
  • To follow him faithfully and adopt his sunnah in all aspects of one's life — in speech, actions, dress, habits and manners.
  • To obey his commands and refrain from what he has prohibited.
  • To respect him and to mention him with deference.
  • To display humility due upon a servant, upon hearing his name.
  • To ask for blessings and peace upon hearing his name.
  • To love and respect his loved ones: his noble family, descendants, companions and upright scholars of his nation.
  • To be compassionate with his followers, strive for their betterment and ease their hardship.
  • To bear enmity with his enemies, to be adherent to his sharīáh, and to be righteous and pious.
  • To love the Qur'ān by reading and understanding it.
  • To love the hereafter and be abstemious (zuhd) in this world.
  • To visit him in Madīnah.
  • Roots

    His Ancestors

    Two lines of noble descent, converging at Kilāb, and meeting again in RasūlAllāh ﷺ.

    Father's Line

    Ádnān Ma'ádd Nizār Muḍar Ilyās Muḍrikah Khuzaymah Kinānah Naḍr Mālik Fihr Ghālib Lu-ayy Kaáb Murrah Kilāb Qusayy Ábd Manāf Hāshim Ábd al-Muţţalib Ábdullāh (father)

    Mother's Line

    Kilāb Zuhrah Ábd Manāf Wahb Āminah (mother)
    Both lines share their noble ancestor Kilāb — and meet again in the marriage of Ábdullāh and Āminah, the parents of RasūlAllāh ﷺ.
    Father
    Ábdullāh
    Mother
    Āminah
    On the night of his ﷺ birth, the palace of Chosroes shook until the sound of its tremor was heard from afar, and fourteen columns of his palace collapsed; the grand fire of the Persians, which had been burning continuously for a thousand years, was extinguished, and the water of lake Sawah evaporated.

    The Blessed Birth

    Muştafā ﷺ was born in Makkah on Monday, the 12th of Rabīý al-Awwal, in the year of the Attack of the Elephants.

    Sixty-Three Years

    The Chronicle of His Life

    From the year of the Elephant to Madīnah al-Munawwarah — a life measured in Common Era, years Before the Hijrah, and years Anno Hegirae.

    CE Common Era BH Before Hijrah AH Anno Hegirae
    Birth · 570 CE / 53 BH

    The Blessed Birth

    Born in Makkah on Monday, the 12th of Rabīý al-Awwal, in the year of the Attack of the Elephants.

    Age 6 · 576 CE / 47 BH

    A Mother's Passing

    The mother of Muştafā ﷺ, Sayyidah Āminah, passes away.

    Age 8 · 578 CE / 45 BH

    His Grandfather's Passing

    His grandfather Ábd al-Muţţalib, who had taken him into his care, passes away.

    Age 12 · 582 CE / 41 BH

    Journey to the Levant

    Goes to the Levant with his uncle Abū Ţālib. At Buşrā, the monk Baĥīrā recognises him ﷺ.

    Maysarah was Sayyidah Khadījah's slave, who accompanied Muştafā ﷺ on his journey to the Levant. He saw angels descending from heaven and giving him shade.
    Age 25 · 595 CE / 28 BH

    Marriage to Sayyidah Khadījah

    Muştafā ﷺ marries Sayyidah Khadījah, a forty-year-old widow. Muştafā ﷺ did not marry another lady in her lifetime.

    Age 35 · 604 CE / 18 BH

    Rebuilding of the Kaábah

    The Kaábah is rebuilt by the Quraysh; RasūlAllāh ﷺ places the Black Stone with his own blessed hands.

    Age 40 · 609 CE / 13 BH

    The First Revelation

    Muştafā ﷺ receives the first revelation in the cave of Ĥirā'a on the Mountain of Light (Jabal al-Nūr), on Monday, the 8th of Rabīý al-Awwal.

    The Seal of Prophethood. RasūlAllāh ﷺ is the first prophet to be created and the last to be sent into this world — there will be no other prophet after his coming. This is a fundamental tenet of Islam; anyone who believes that after RasūlAllāh ﷺ a prophet has come or can come is a liar and a kāfir. RasūlAllāh ﷺ foretold of thirty liars (dajjāls) who would claim to be prophets, and who will appear prior to the biggest liar — the one-eyed dajjāl, who will claim to be god.
    Age 47 · 616 CE / 6 BH

    Abū Ţālib's Hollow — Shiýb Abī Ţālib

    The people of Makkah boycott and blockade the family of RasūlAllāh ﷺ and subject them to brutal sanctions for more than three years, to force them to stop aiding RasūlAllāh ﷺ.

    Age 50 · 619 CE / 3 BH

    The Year of Grief — Ám al-Ĥuzn

    Death of Abū Ţālib. A few days later, Sayyidah Khadījah ﷺ passes away.

    Age 51

    The Night Journey & Ascension — al-Isrā'a wa'l Miýrāj

    The five-times-daily prayer is made obligatory.

    Age 53 · 1 AH · 622 CE

    The Emigration to Madīnah

    Muştafā ﷺ emigrates to Madīnah, thirteen years after the proclamation of his prophethood. He reaches Madīnah on Monday, the 8th of Rabīý al-Awwal, 1 AH.

    2 AH

    Fasting in Ramaḍān Made Obligatory

    Fasting is enjoined upon the believers for the first time.

    3 AH

    Wine is Forbidden

    The prohibition of intoxicants is revealed.

    6 AH · 628 CE

    Ĥajj Made Obligatory & the Treaty of Ĥudaybiyyah

    The pilgrimage is made obligatory. In the same year, the Treaty of Ĥudaybiyyah (bayáh al-riđwān) is concluded.

    RasūlAllāh ﷺ performed the pilgrimage twice before it was made obligatory, and only once after. This Ĥajj was qirān — úmrah and Ĥajj together in the same iĥrām. He performed the lesser pilgrimage (úmrah) four times; all four were in Dhu'l Qaádah.
    Age 60 · 8 AH · 629 CE

    The Victory — Conquest of Makkah

    Muştafā ﷺ entered Makkah on the 20th of Ramaḍān, 8 AH.

    9 AH

    The Year of Delegations — Ám al-Wufūd

    Tribal delegations arrive from across Arabia to pledge allegiance to Islam.

    Age 63 · 11 AH · 632 CE

    The Passing Away

    Muştafā ﷺ passed away from this mundane world, in Madīnah al-Munawwarah, on Monday, the 12th of Rabīý al-Awwal, 11 AH.

    His Household

    His Family

    Blessed Wives — Mothers of Believers

    Khadījah bint Khuwaylid
    Sawdah bint Zamáh
    Āýishah bint Abū Bakr
    Ĥafşah bint Úmar
    Umm Ĥabībah (Ramlah)
    Umm Salamah (Hind)
    Zaynab bint Jaĥsh
    Juwayriyah bint Ĥārith
    Maymūnah bint Ĥārith
    Zaynab bint Khuzaymah
    Şafiyyah bint Ĥuy'yī
    Sayyidah Khadījah is the mother of all his ﷺ children, except Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm, whose mother is Sayyidah Māriyah.

    Sons & Daughters

    Qāsim
    Ábdullāh
    Ţayyib–Ţāhir
    Ibrāhīm
    Zaynab
    Ruqayyah
    Umm Kulthūm
    Fāţimah
    The prevalent opinion is that our Master had only three sons, and that Ţayyib and Ţāhir were titles of Ábdullāh.

    Grandchildren

    Children of Sayyidah Fāţimah: Imām Ĥasan, Imām Ĥusayn, Imām Muĥsin, Ruqayyah, Zaynab and Umm Kulthūm.
    Children of Sayyidah Zaynab: Álī, Yaĥyā and Umāmah (who married Mawla Álī).
    Children of Sayyidah Ruqayyah: Ábdullāh, son of Sayyidunā Úthmān.
    Muĥsin died in infancy, and Ruqayyah before adulthood (both children of Sayyidah Fāţimah). Álī (son of Zaynab) died young; Ábdullāh (son of Ruqayyah) also died in infancy.

    A Household of Mercy

    Qul lā asalukum álayhi ajran illa'l mawaddata fi'l qurbā — "Say: I ask of you no reward for this, except love for my kinsfolk."

    قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا ٱلْمَوَدَّةَ فِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ
    As Those Who Knew Him Described

    His Physical Attributes

    RasūlAllāh ﷺ was neither very tall in height, nor was he impishly short; rather, he was of a medium height. His hair was neither very curly, nor very straight; rather, it was wavy. His face was neither plump, nor was it round; rather, it was oval shaped. His complexion was white with a rosy hue.

    His bright eyes had intensely black pupils and long eyelashes. He was well-built and had broad shoulders. He had sparse body hair; however, he had hair on his chest, and also on his arms and legs. His palms and feet were fleshy and sturdy.

    When he walked, he lifted his foot firmly and with vigour, as if he were descending on a slope. When turning towards someone, he would turn fully towards them to face them, and not just turn his neck. Between his two shoulders was the Seal of Prophethood; and he is the Seal of all Prophets.

    "I had never seen anyone like him before, or after him."— [Shamāyil]

    He had the most generous heart in his bosom, and he was the most eloquent and truthful among all men. He was kind, patient, considerate and magnanimous. Whoever saw him suddenly would be awestruck; and those who became familiar and stayed in his company would love him.

    His hair would reach his earlobes. There were no more than twenty grey hairs in both his blessed head and beard. His face was radiant and shone like the full moon. He was immensely beautiful to behold. He was the epitome of dignity in silence; and when he spoke, there was an effusion of splendour and awe.

    From afar, he appeared graceful, elegant and the most handsome of all. So also from near; he was the most beautiful, comely and pleasant. His speech was sweet and his forehead ample. His eyebrows were thin and long, and were not joined; his nose was aquiline — thin and straight, with a raised bridge. His cheeks were soft, he had a full mouth, and his teeth were spotless and white. There was a narrow gap between his two front teeth. [Nūr al-Úyūn]

    By Which He Is Known

    His Names

    MuĥammadThe Praised
    AĥmadWho Praises His Lord The Most
    MāĥīyThe Effacer of Disbelief
    ĤāshirThe Gatherer
    ÁāqibThe Ultimate
    MuqaffīThe Last Prophet to Follow
    Nabiyu't TawbahThe Prophet of Redemption
    Nabiyu'r RaĥmahThe Prophet of Mercy
    Ţāhā & YāsīnGiven Names
    Nabiyyu'l MalĥamahThe Prophet of Holy War
    BashīrThe Bearer of Glad Tidings
    NadhīrThe Warner of Punishment & Wrath
    SirājThe Light of Guidance
    MunīrThe Illuminated
    Ra'ūfThe Kind
    RaĥīmThe Merciful
    Raĥmatun li'l ÁālamīnThe Mercy to the Universe
    MuzzammilThe Cloaked One
    Muddath'thirOne Wrapped in Mantle
    Nadhīru'l MubīnManifest Warner
    MudhakkirHe Who Reminds
    ÁbdSlave of Allāh
    His Worldly Life

    Weapons, Animals & Battles

    Weapons

    9Swords
    4Lances
    4Bows
    3Armours

    Swords: Dhu'l Fiqār, Qalaýī, Battār, Ĥatf, Mikhdam, Rasūb, Ma'thūr, Áđb, Qađīb. Lances: Muthwiy and three others.

    Walking Stick: Úrjūn · Baton: Mamshūq · Aventail: Sabūgh · Armours: Sughdiyyah, Fiđđah, Dhāt al-Fuđul · An iron-tipped staff, a leather belt with three loops of silver, and a white flag.

    Animals

    10Horses
    3Mules
    20Camels
    1Donkey

    Horses: Sakb, Murtajiz, Lizāz, Lahīf, Żarib, Ward, Đars, Mulāwiĥ, Sab'ĥah, Baĥr. Riding Camels: Qaswā, Áđbā'a, Jadáā'a.

    Ewe: Ghaythah · Mules: Dul-dul, Fiđđah, Ayliyyah · Donkey: Yáfūr · A white rooster, hundreds of sheep, and twenty milch camels in the woods.

    Battles

    27Battles
    54Sorties
    9He Fought In

    Badr (Ramaḍān 2 AH) · Uĥud (Shawwāl 3 AH) · Khandaq (Dhu'l Qádah 5 AH) · Banī Qurayżah (Dhu'l Qádah 5 AH) · Banī Muşţaliq (Shábān 6 AH) · Khaybar (Jumādā al-Ūlā 6 AH) · Conquest of Makkah (Ramaḍān 8 AH) · Ĥunayn (Shawwāl 8 AH) · Ţāýif (Shawwāl 8 AH).

    Also mentioned: Wādī al-Qurā, Ghābah and Banī Naḍīr.

    Worldly Possessions

    Two Ĥibarah mantles, an Omani lower-garment, two Şuĥārī cloaks, a Şuĥārī and a Suĥūlī shirt, a Yemeni jubbah, a napkin, a white cloak, three or four tight-fitting skull caps, a dyed blanket.

    A pouch for an ivory comb, a vial of kohl, scissors, a toothbrush (miswāk), plain socks presented by Najāshī, a bed of leather stuffed with palm fibres.

    Two goblets — one reinforced with silver scraps — a stone basin, a brass vessel, a brass bucket, a cauldron, a measuring jar and a smaller measuring vessel, a couch, a velvet quilt, a black cloak, and a turban named Şaĥāb, which he gifted to Álī. Two garments kept for Fridays, apart from those worn on other days; a towel to wipe his blessed face after ablution.

    A signet ring of silver, with a silver bezel, engraved with the words "Muĥammad, Messenger of Allāh."

    Dress

    His clothes were not ostentatious or grandiose. He wore clothes made of wool, and loved the ĥibarah — a Yemenite cloak with red and white stripes. He liked to wear the qamīş, and liked the colour green. On Fridays he would wear a reddish cloak and a turban.

    He loved perfumes, and used ghāliyah (a mixed perfume) or pure musk. He disliked offensive smells. He would apply kohl to his eyes — three times in the right eye, and twice in the left. He would oil his hair and his beard, and liked to begin from the right in every action. He also used a mirror.

    He never travelled without: a flacon of oil, a vial of kohl, a mirror, a comb, a pair of scissors, a toothbrush (miswāk), a needle and thread. He also had cupping (ĥijāmah) done on him.

    Food & Drink

    He did not partake from alms and charity, but accepted and reciprocated gifts. His food was neither sumptuous nor extravagant. He would go hungry at times, and would tie stones upon his belly to suppress hunger. He would eat with three fingers and lick them afterward. He would drink seated, and in three draughts.

    He has eaten: bread with vinegar, flesh of chicken and houbara, calabash (bottle gourd), shoulder meat of lamb, olive oil, barley bread with dates, watermelon with fresh dates, cucumber with fresh dates, and dates with cream. He loved sweets and honey.

    Who He Was

    His Lofty Character & Some of His Miracles

    His Lofty Character

    Sayyidah Āýishah said: "His character was the Qur'ān." His anger or pleasure was only for the sake of his Allāh — he did not avenge or become angry for personal reasons. He was the bravest, the most generous, and the most magnanimous of men, and never refused anyone. He did not hoard gold or silver; he would stock only a year's worth of provision of dates and wheat, and give away everything else.

    He was the most truthful, righteous, trustworthy, courteous, honourable, honest and upright of men. He was immensely forbearing, bashful and modest — he was more bashful than a veiled maiden, and his gaze was always lowered in bashfulness and humility.

    He would mend his own shoes and clothes. He accepted invitations from everyone. He was the kindest of men, and would ask slaves to ride with him on his mule. He did not scold his servants or slaves, nor hit them; he did not maintain distinction and treated everyone as equals. He would forgive even his enemies. He visited the sick, loved the poor, sat with them and attended their funerals. He fasted on Mondays and Thursdays.

    Some of His Miracles

    The Qur'ān itself. The cleaving of his chest. Informing the Meccans about Jerusalem. His splitting of the moon. Surāqah's horse sank into the ground when he pursued him. Upon his touch, Umm Maábad's ewe gave plenty of milk, as did a young she-goat which had never mated.

    Upon his prayer: Sayyidunā Úmar became Muslim; Sayyidunā Álī became impervious to heat and cold; his sore eye was cured; Jābir's camel became the swiftest animal in the convoy, and Jābir repaid his lenders after his dates were miraculously increased. It rained in Madīnah, and then subsided.

    He threw a handful of dust on the enemy at Ĥunayn, and they were vanquished. A tree bore witness that he was the Messenger of Allāh. Rocks and trees saluted him; pebbles glorified Allāh in his hand. A piece of cooked lamb informed him of poison. He fed a thousand warriors from a little dough. Water spouted from his fingers, and thousands drank from it. Brackish water became sweet when he spat in it. With one strike he pulverised a huge boulder in the Trench.

    Those Around Him

    His Circle

    Family, freed and freedmen, the promised ten, his lieutenants and his scribes.

    11

    Uncles

    Ĥārith, Qutham, Zubayr, Ghaydāq, Abū Lahab (Ábdu'l Úzzā), Ábdu'l Kábah Ĥajl (Mughayrah), Đirār, Abū Ţālib (Ábd Manāf), Ĥamzah, Ábbās.

    6

    Aunts

    Áātikah, Arwā, Umm Ĥakīm (Bayđā), Umaymah, Barrah, Şafiyyah.

    7

    Bondwomen

    Umm Rāfiý Salmā, Barakah, Māriyah, Rayĥānah, Maymūnah bint Saád, Khađrah, Rađwā.

    10

    Áasharah Mubash'sharah

    The Ten Given Glad Tidings of Paradise

    Abū Bakr al-Şiddīq, Úmar ibn al-Khaţţāb, Úthmān ibn al-Áffān, Álī ibn Abū Ţālib, Zubayr ibn al-Áwwām, Saád ibn Abī Waqqāş, Ábdu'r Raĥmān ibn Áwf, Ţalĥah ibn Úbaydullāh, Sayýīd ibn Zayd, Abū Úbaydah Áāmir ibn al-Jarrāĥ.

    14

    Lieutenants

    Álī, Ĥasan, Ĥusayn, Jaáfar, Ĥamzah, Abū Bakr, Úmar, Muşáb ibn Úmayr, Bilāl, Salmān, Miqdād, Abū Dharr, Ámmār, Ábdullāh ibn Masúūd.

    13

    Scribes

    Abū Bakr, Úmar, Úthmān, Álī, Áāmir ibn Fuhayrah, Ábdullāh ibn Arqam, Ubayy ibn Kaáb, Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās, Khālid ibn Sayýīd, Ĥanżalah ibn Rabīý, Zayd ibn Thābit, Muáāwiyah (ibn Abī Sufyān), and Shurāĥbīl ibn Ĥasanah.

    29

    Slaves

    Zayd ibn Ĥārithah, Usāmah ibn Zayd, Thawbān ibn Bujdud, Abū Kabshah Sulaym, Anasah, Shuqrān (Şāliĥ), Rabāĥ, Yasār, Fađālah, Abū Rāfiý Aslam, Abū Muwayhibah, Rāfiý, Midám, Karkarah, Zayd, Úbayd, Tahmān, Ma'būr, Wāqid, Abū Wāqid, Hishām, Abū Đamrah, Ĥunayn, Abū Áshīb (Aĥmar), Abū Úbayd, Safīnah, Abū Hind, Anjashah, Abū Lubābah.