بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Muhammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that all people should worship only Him. Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'. He liked to be alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and drinking little. In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave.
In the second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through Muhammad (pbuh). This first Revelation occurred as follows. The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and commanded him to 'Read'. Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.' At this the Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him to him until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and said again 'Read.' 'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the Archangel embraced him again. For the third time the Archangel commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he could not and was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel Gabriel said:
"Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth, Createth man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who teacheth by the pen, Teacheth man that which he knew not". (Koran xcvi.1-5) Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them.
When the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he went away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; Ɔ Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.' He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel Gabriel.
In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'. Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect said: 'Be happy, 0 son of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.' Muhammad (pbuh),
The Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had happened he was exhausted and felt fast asleep. Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin, Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had happened. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had become a Christian after studying The Bible. He told Khadijah that Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of his people. But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be patient because he had a great message for all the world. From that day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the verses he taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later written down, and are known to us as the Holy Koran.
Source: (http://www.rasoulallah.net/subject_en.asp?hit=1&lang=ar&parent_id=503&sub_id=5304)
Answer 1
He actually required some convincing; he would see visions of the archangel Gabriel (or Jibral, in Arabic) and hear voices speaking to him. At first he was in some doubt whether he was becoming a prophet or just going mad. (He expressed that doubt as "a prophet or a poet," since poets in Arabia were considered not quite right in the head.) It was his excellent first wife, Khadija, who convinced him that he was God's Chosen and told him she would be his first disciple [Note: the first Muslim was a woman.]. She also took him to meet her ancient uncle, a Christian, who backed up her opinion. So but for the encouragement of Christians and women there might be no Islam today.
Answer 2
Muhammad when got exposed to the angel he got scared as it was the first to be exposed to this situation. He returned back home heavily sweating and scared. This even by itself is a proof that Quran was not a human text writing as some claim. His wife got the advice of her cousin who is Christian and know about these events and it was he who told Muhammad that he is the prophet of this nation and that He got exposed to the angel Gabriel. them Aly who is Muhammad cousin believed in Islam and then his friend abou bakr joined his call.
The angel Gabriel visited prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); after this first event; thousands of times. So, if he didn't get the message from his wife and her cousin, sure he would know it later from the angel himself. The other point, prophet was disappointed with the many questions of the Jews and not because they didn't convert to Islam although many Jews at Medina converted already to Islam. It is a religion revealed by God and it would be spread by will of God regardless of Muhammad's wife or her cousin. So, the statement in Answer A that "So but for the encouragement of Christians and women there might be no Islam today" is not true and not valid.
"Allah" is just a contraction of "al-Ilah" meaning "the God." There were both Jews and Christians in Arabia during Muhammed's time, and the Christian Arabs used that word for the God of the Bible.
Almighty Allah is the Sole Creator, Sustainer, Ruler of all the worlds. He enjoys absolute Power of all things. He does not consult any one to make a decision. He has no Son, No Parents, No Partner and NO Associate whatsoever. He chose 1,24,000 Prophets (May peace be upon them all), the last one being Hazrat Muhammad (SAW).
God revelations to Prophet Mohamed (peace upon him) is the same way of God revelations to all other prophets including Noah, Abraham, Isac, Ismael, Jacob, Joseph, John, Mses, Solomon, Haroun, etc.. , to Jesus. This is either through Angel messenger or from behind a barrier or through other ways that God know and we don't know.
Karen Armstrong (Islam: A Short History) says that one of Muhammad's greatest disappointments was when the Jews of Medina refused to accept him as a prophet. Muhammad had long been worried by what he perceived to be a crisis in Arab society and believed that the solution required him to be accepted as a prophet.
Not directly... He received the first massage from God through the Angel Gabriel in a cave while he was praying in a mount cave called Hiraa in Makkah (Mecca in English).
:) a teacher threw words in his head so he can memorize them forever :(
The message to surrender to Allah's will , the one and only one God, was received by Muhammad from God through God revelation of Quran to him through the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) that started in year 610 AD through the year 632 AD (year of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) death. This mesaage is called Islam.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) received the verses of the Quran from God, via the angle Gabriel (peace be upon him). The quran was originally memorized, then recorded on paper
He was about 40 years old
By revelation from his God "Allah" through the angle Gibraiel.
When he received the message from God, when the people had been very from God.
A Muslim woman wears hijab for the simple reason that God has commanded it in the Quran and Sunna. As Muslims we make the testimony "Muhammad is the messenger of God". The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would not be a messenger if he did not come with a message, and his message is the Quran. Therefore, we are really saying "The Quran is the message of God". Our faith in God motivates us to obey God's message and that is why we follow what God has commanded in the Quran. That is the explanation.
Islam religion per God Quran revelation to prophet Muhammad is founded by Allah (God in English and same God in Christianity and Judaism) and not prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Prophet Muhammad is the God Messenger and prophet who conveyed God message to his followers. Refer to related question below
There is no God other than Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
* Muhammad is the last prophet from God. * Muhammad was sent with the Divine message to the whole mankind. * Muhammad is the central figure in the Islamic faith. * Muhammad means who is the universe choose, is the Prophet of Muslims.
Muslims worship one God, follow Muhammad as the messenger of Allah (God) by the rules of the Qur'an (the message - or holy book - sent to all humans by Muhammad peace be upon him)
Muhammad _________________________________________________________________ Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). However, prophet Muhammad is a God prophet to convey the message of God to all people. The message is primarily to worship Allah 9or God and same God in Christianity and Judaism) as the one and only one God with no partner, no son, no father, no associate, no companion, and no equivalence. The founder of Islam is God and not any prophet. Refer to question below.
In principle, prophet Muhammad's message was the God message conveyed to people by all God prophets since universe creation. All of them called for Islam in its general sense of of Islam Arabic word meaning of submission to God the one and only one God; the Creator. However, The specific prophet Muhammad's message is appealing for many reasons, among them are that:Prophet Muhammad high credibility and respect before being assigned by God as a prophet.Truthfulness of Islam religion and QuranThe message calls for worship of God; the one and only one God with no partner, no son, no father, no companion, and no associate; with mediator.Islam calls for peace, forgiveness, and tolerance and forbid racism and discriminationGood Islam moralsRefer to relevant questions below.