Who was Muhammad?
For more
than 1,400 years, millions of people have considered him the final Prophet sent
by God. Muslims do not worship him. They love him, respect him, and follow his
example, but they worship only God.
For a
non-Muslim, however, an important question remains:
Was
Muhammad truly a prophet of God, or was he simply a religious leader who
created a successful movement?
This is a
serious question. It deserves a serious and fair answer.
Muhammad lived in Arabia in the seventh century. He was not born into a powerful empire. He did not begin his mission as a king, wealthy politician, or military commander. He was known among his people for many years as a trustworthy and honest man.
At the age of about forty, he began to say that he was receiving revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. The message was simple but profound:
There is only one God. Worship Him alone. Be just. Be honest. Protect the weak. Do not oppress people. Do not cheat. Do not kill innocent people. Take care of your parents, your family, your neighbors, the poor and the vulnerable.
This message is called Islam.
But why should a modern person believe that Muhammad was really a prophet?
To answer this question, we need to look at his character, his message, his life, and even the difficult questions that are sometimes raised against him.
1. What
Did Muhammad Teach?
The central
message of Muhammad was not complicated.
He called
people to believe in one Creator.
The Qur'an
repeatedly tells human beings to think about the universe, life, death, nature,
and their own existence.
Muhammad
did not say:
"Worship
me."
On the
contrary, he repeatedly taught that he was only a servant and messenger of God.
The Qur'an
says:
"Say,
˹O Prophet,˺ “I am only a man like you, ˹but˺ it has been revealed to me that
your God is only One God.”"
Qur'an 18:110
This is an
important point.
Muhammad
presented himself as a messenger, not as God.
He taught
that all human beings are servants of their Creator and that no human being
deserves to be worshipped.
2. Why
Did People Believe Him?
One of the
strongest arguments for Muhammad's sincerity is his personal life.
Before
claiming prophethood, Muhammad was already known in Makkah as Al-Amin,
meaning "the trustworthy."
He was not
beginning with a reputation for lying.
When he
announced his message, he faced enormous opposition.
His own
people insulted him. Some called him a magician, a poet, or a madman. His
followers were persecuted. Some were tortured. His social and economic life
became extremely difficult.
If his
objective was simply money, fame, or political power, he could have abandoned
his mission when he was offered wealth, status, and leadership in exchange for
giving up his message.
Instead, he
continued.
His message
also required him to live according to the same moral principles that he taught
others.
He
commanded people to be generous while he himself lived simply.
He
condemned arrogance while he lived among ordinary people.
He
encouraged forgiveness even when he had suffered personally.
He taught
justice
This
consistency is important when we try to understand whether a religious leader
sincerely believed his own message.
3. What
Did Muhammad Gain From His Mission?
Another
important question is:
What did
Muhammad gain by claiming to be a prophet?
At the
beginning of his mission, he gained very little in worldly terms.
He lost
security.
He faced
rejection.
His
followers were persecuted.
He and his
clan experienced a social and economic boycott.
Later, when
he became a political leader in Madinah, he had authority, but his personal
lifestyle remained remarkably simple.
He could
have lived like an emperor.
He did not.
Historical
reports describe a man who sometimes lived with very limited food and material
possessions.
He slept on
a simple bed. He repaired his own clothes. He helped his family. He sat with
ordinary people.
The truth
deserves to be searched for with an open mind and a sincere heart.
4. The
Qur'an: The Message He Delivered
Muslims
believe that the Qur'an is the word of God revealed to Muhammad.
The Qur'an
is also important when examining Muhammad's character.
If Muhammad
had invented the Qur'an to glorify himself, we might expect the book to
constantly praise him.
But the
Qur'an sometimes corrects him publicly.
For
example, in the opening verses of Surah 'Abasa, Muhammad is corrected because
he gave attention to influential people while a blind believer was seeking
guidance.
The Qur'an
says:
"He
frowned and turned away because there came to him the blind man..."
Qur'an 80:1–2
This is an
interesting feature.
A person
inventing a religious book to make himself look perfect would probably not
include passages that correct him.
The Qur'an
also emphasizes that Muhammad himself is a human being who will die:
"Indeed,
you will die, and indeed, they will die."
Qur'an 39:30
Islam
therefore does not present Muhammad as a divine being.
He was a
man who claimed to have been chosen by God to deliver God's message.
5.
Muhammad and Moral Reform
Perhaps one
of the most important aspects of Muhammad's mission was moral reform.
Pre-Islamic
Arabia had many positive qualities. Arabs valued courage, generosity,
hospitality, loyalty .
But society
also suffered from serious problems.
Tribal
revenge could continue for generations.
The weak
could be exploited by the strong.
Women could
suffer injustice.
Orphans
could be abused.
The poor
could be ignored.
Alcohol was
widespread.
Gambling
was common.
illicit
sexual relations
Some tribes
even practiced the killing of infant girls.
Islam
challenged many of these practices.
The Qur'an
strongly condemned the killing of children:
"Do
not kill your children for fear of poverty."
Qur'an 17:31
It
condemned the abuse of orphans.
It
commanded people to care for the poor.
It
prohibited alcohol and gambling because of their destructive effects:
"Indeed,
intoxicants, gambling... are an abomination of Satan's work, so avoid them that
you may succeed."
Qur'an 5:90
Islam also
placed strong importance on marriage, family responsibility, modesty.
The
objective was not simply to create more rules.
The
objective was to create a healthier human being and a healthier society.
6. What
Can Islam Offer Modern Societies?
Modern
Western societies have achieved extraordinary things.
Science,
medicine, technology, education, human rights, democratic institutions and many
other achievements have improved human life enormously.
Muslims
should recognize these achievements honestly.
At the same
time, modern societies also face serious social problems.
Some people experience loneliness, family breakdown, addiction, alcoholism, sexual exploitation, violence, consumerism and a loss of meaning.
Having boyfriends and girlfriends and mixing between men and women (I hope that Western thinkers will pay closer attention to its serious consequences, as it can be one of the major causes of many social problems)
Of course,
these problems do not exist in every Western family or among every Western
person.
But they
are real social challenges.
Islam
proposes a different moral framework.
It does not
say:
"If
something gives you pleasure, it must be good."
Instead,
Islam asks:
"Does
this action benefit you, your family, your community and your relationship with
God?"
This difference is important.
7.
Alcohol: Freedom or Destruction?
Modern
discussions about freedom sometimes treat alcohol as a normal part of adult
life.
But alcohol
can cause serious social and personal problems.
It can
contribute to addiction, family conflict, accidents, violence, health problems
and financial difficulties.
Islam
therefore takes a preventive approach.
It does not
wait until a person becomes an alcoholic.
It closes
the door before the addiction begins.
The Qur'an
explains that alcohol and gambling may contain some benefit, but their harm is
greater:
"In
them is great sin and benefits for people, but their sin is greater than their
benefit."
Qur'an 2:219
This is a
powerful principle.
Not
everything that provides pleasure is necessarily good.
Sometimes
real freedom means having the strength to say no.
8.
Relationships Between Men and Women
Islam
recognizes human attraction.
It does not
pretend that men and women have no sexual desires.
Instead,
Islam tries to organize these desires through marriage and responsibility.
A
relationship in Islam is not supposed to be based only on attraction.
It involves
responsibility, commitment, family and rights.
Islam
therefore prohibits casual and illicit sexual relationships.
It also
teaches men and women to lower their gaze and behave modestly.
This does
not mean that Islam considers women inferior.
In fact,
the Qur'an repeatedly emphasizes the spiritual equality of men and women.
"Indeed,
the Muslim men and Muslim women... the believing men and believing women... God
has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward."
Qur'an 33:35
A person's
value before God is not determined by being male or female.
It is
determined by faith and righteousness.
9. The
Question of Muhammad's Marriages
Some people
ask:
Why did
Muhammad marry several women?
This
question deserves an honest answer, not an attempt to hide the issue.
Muhammad
was married to Khadijah for approximately twenty-five years. During most of
that period, he was married only to her.
She was
older than him, and their marriage lasted until her death.
His later
marriages occurred during a period when he was already a religious and
political leader.
Many of
these marriages had social, humanitarian or political dimensions.
Some of his
wives were widows.
Some
marriages strengthened relationships between tribes.
Some
created family connections that helped establish peace.
This does
not mean that every modern person must immediately find every historical
marriage easy to understand.
Historical
societies were different from modern societies.
Marriage,
age, family structure, social responsibility and political alliances were
understood differently.
We should
therefore be careful when judging a seventh-century Arabian society exclusively
through the assumptions of the twenty-first century.
10. The
Question of Aisha
To
understand the marriage between Prophet Muhammad and Aisha, historians look at
the culture 1,400 years ago rather than modern legal standards.
In
7th-century Arabia—as well as in many other ancient societies—marriage was
generally understood in terms of physical maturity and social readiness rather
than a fixed legal age defined by modern law.
Early
marriage was also a common and socially accepted practice, often linked to
strengthening family ties and tribal alliances.
Importantly,
even the Prophet’s strongest opponents in Makkah did not object to this
marriage, which suggests it was not seen as unusual within the norms of that
time. Over time, Aisha became one of the most influential figures in early
Islamic history, known for her knowledge, teaching, and transmission of
prophetic traditions, which highlights that her role extended far beyond her
marriage and had a lasting intellectual and religious impact on the Muslim
community.
Strengthening
Alliances: The marriage strengthened the bond between Prophet Muhammad and Abu
Bakr, his closest friend and primary supporter. The formal engagement took
place in Mecca, but the actual marriage was delayed for several years until
Aisha reached full maturity in Medina. Aisha grew up to become one of the most
influential figures in Islamic history. She was known for her intelligence and
powerful memory, and living in the Prophet’s household allowed her to observe,
memorize, and later transmit over 2,000 sayings and personal teachings to the
Muslim community.
11.
Islam Does Not Promise an Easy Life
Another
reason to take Muhammad seriously is that Islam does not present religion as a
promise of unlimited worldly pleasure.
Islam
teaches responsibility.
You will be
tested.
You will
experience suffering.
You will
sometimes have to control your desires.
You will
sometimes have to forgive.
You will
have to give charity.
You will
have to pray even when you are busy.
You will
have to be honest even when lying would benefit you.
You will
have to avoid certain pleasures even when they are attractive.
12. What
Is the Islamic Solution to Modern Social Problems?
Islam does
not claim that every social problem can be solved by one rule.
But it
offers a coherent moral system.
It encourages:
- strong
families;
- responsible
marriage;
- care
for children;
- respect
for parents;
- protection
of the weak;
- modesty;
- sexual
responsibility;
- prohibition of alcohol and
gambling;
- charity;
- honesty
in business;
- justice;
- forgiveness;
- control
of anger;
- protection
of human life;
- responsibility
toward neighbors;
- care
for orphans;
- generosity
toward the poor.
These
principles can be valuable even for someone who is not Muslim.
13. The
Most Important Test
Perhaps the
fairest way to examine Muhammad is not to begin with the most controversial
questions.
Begin with
his central message.
Ask
yourself:
Is there
one Creator?
If there
is, should human beings worship Him alone?
Does
human life have a purpose?
If it does,
should we live according to moral principles?
Are
human beings responsible for their actions?
If they
are, should there be accountability after death?
Does
Muhammad's message produce a coherent understanding of God, morality and human
responsibility?
These are
serious questions.
They
deserve serious investigation.
14. A
Message to the Non-Muslim Reader
You do not
need to become Muslim simply because someone tells you to.
Do not
believe something blindly.
Read the
Qur'an.
Read about
Muhammad's life.
Study the
historical sources.
Compare his
teachings with what he actually did.
Ask
difficult questions.
Do not be
afraid of the answers.
And do not
judge Islam only through the behavior of Muslims.
Muslims are
human beings.
Some are
excellent.
Some are
ordinary.
Some make
serious mistakes.
The Qur'an
itself tells Muslims that they must be just, even toward people they dislike.
The
question is therefore not:
"Are
all Muslims good?"
The
question is:
"Is
Islam true?"
And another
question follows:
"Was
Muhammad truly a messenger of God?"
Conclusion:
Who Was Muhammad?
Muhammad
(peace be upon him) was a man who devoted his life to calling people to worship
one God and to live with justice, honesty, mercy and responsibility. His
message challenged many harmful practices and offered a moral path based on
faith, family and respect for human life. Whether you are Muslim or not, his
life deserves to be studied with an open mind and a sincere search for the
truth.
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