How did Muhammad (saws) become a prophet and a messenger of Allah (swt)?
At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (saws) received his first Revelation from Allah (swt) through the Angel Jibril (Gabriel) (as). This Revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur’an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Jibril (as), and to preach the truth which Allah (swt) had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers (mostly slaves and the poor) suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 Allah (swt) gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left Makkah for the city of Yathrib (Now Madinah – “the City”) some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years of battles and dialogue, the messenger (saws) and his followers were able to return to Makkah 10,000 strong by the Grace of Allah (swt), where they FORGAVE their enemies (who had previously heavily persecuted them) and established Islam de
