Non Commonly Known Facts About Muhammad

Muhammad's biography after Islam is pretty much famous, let us talk about him before prophethood, i.e the first 40 years (he passed away at 63)

He was born in Mecca as an orphan on year 570 AD (his father died during pregnancy). He was breastfed for two years living with a Bedouin family in the desert. At age six his mother died. He was sponsored by his grandfathe. At age 8 his grandfather died. He was then sponsored by his father’s brother (uncle) who was poor but felt very blessed for sponsoring Mohammad and supported him till his last breath on his deathbed though he himself didn’t embrace Islam (which helped keeping Meccan pagan tribes from getting to Muhammad).

On His early teens He travelled with his uncle on a trade caravan to the Levant, on the way one afternoon they met a Christian monk called “Bouhaira” in the Jordanian desert, after the monk noticed certain signs on Muhammad he invited the caravan for dinner and asked his uncle to safeguard and protect Mohammad, the Uncle had to finish his business quickly and send Mohammad back to Mecca. At his early twenties he tried twice to join his peers in some nightlife fun, in both cases he passed out till sunrise, never tried to do the same afterwards. He like some men during his time never prayed to idols, nor drank any wine and stopped eating meat slaughtered in honor of pagan idols. He was known among his people for being honest, not telling lies, not committing any felony, hence gaining the nickname of the “Honest Man”

A socially high ranking widow came to know of his qualities, and entrusted him for her trade, which made her good profits out of his deals. After experiencing much of his good manners and qualities, she proposed to marry him. At age 25 and with agreement of his uncle, he married Khadijah who was then at 40 and became love of his life. He had 7 kids from Khadijah 4 girls, and 2 or 3 boys (the boys died at infancy or very young age), the girls lived to follow Islam afterwards. Three of his daughters got Married before Islam in Mecca one of them Zainab had a very touching love story with her cousin husband Abu Alas (The fourth Fatima got married in Madinah after migration from Mecca.)

At age 35 during rebuilding of the Kaaba (the holy house of Mecca) different Meccan tribes quarreled and fought over who would get the honor of laying the black stone, finally they agreed to accept Muhammad judgement (for his honesty) he proposed to put the stone on a piece of cloth and that all tribe heads carry it to Ka’aba then Muhammad took the blackstone and fixed in its place. On his late 30’s started to meditate for few days on intermittent trips to a far mountain that overlooks Mecca, staying in a very small cave that lies on mountain tip.

At age 40 he received his first revelation from Archangel Gabriel, the very first word was “Read” he denied his ability to read, he was illiterate. His wife Khadija after comforting him for the strange revelation, told him you're not a liar, you help the poor and the needy, and became the very first Muslim ever, she fully supported him till her death at 65 with everything she could.