The Nature and Role of Muhammad the Prophet in Islam
             Born in approximately 571 AD, Muhammad is the most important and influential leader of the Islamic religion. His ability to influence people into believing his experiences helped the Islamic faith become what it is today. There are millions of people in this world whose lives have some how been effected by this man in one way or another. He has played a significant part in the development of Islam, and the happenings throughout his lifetime have caused changes and divisions to this faith.
             There is little that is factually known about Muhammad's life prior to the revelations he received from the Angel Gabriel in 609 AD. His birth name is not even known for certain. However, there are some concrete facts regarding his childhood. He grew up as an orphan and was raised by one of his uncles in the Hashim clan1. At the age of twenty-five, he married a wealthy women, Khadija, who was fifteen years older than he2. It is said that he was an unusually honest man, and many stories in the Hadith tell of his destiny to become a prophet3.
             During his marriage to Khadija, Muhammad frequently went to meditate at Mount Hira, which was located only a few miles north of Mecca4. On one occasion, Muhammad received the first of many of God's revelations from Mount Hira. This event would change the world forever. These messages Muhammad received from the Angel Gabriel in 609 AD, would eventually be written down by some of Muhammad's followers. Muhammad's followers, known as the Companions, are the ones who were responsible for writing down the message Muhammad had received from God5. They wrote this down because it is believed that Muhammad was illiterate6. These written down revelations would eventually form the Islamic Bible, the Quran.
             After Muhammad had received these messages from God, he began to preach to the people of Mecca but with little success. A...