Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the final prophet sent by God (Allah) to humanity. Muslims believe he was born in Mecca, in Arabia, around the year 570 CE. His lineage traces back to Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon them) (Ibn Sa'd — et-Tabakātü'l-Kübrâ, s. V01/P084–V01/P086). He was known for his noble character and trustworthiness even before his prophethood (Bukhari — el-Câmiu's-Sahîh, s. V03/P1397–V03/P1399).
God sent him as a mercy to all creation, and his message was for all people, Arabs and non-Arabs alike, as well as jinn (Abdülkâdir Geylânî — el-Gunye, s. V01/P155–V01/P157). His primary role was to convey God's final revelation, the Quran, to mankind. The Quran is considered a miracle in its linguistic beauty, eloquence, and inimitable style, which even the most skilled Arab poets of his time could not replicate (Abdülkâdir Geylânî — el-Gunye, s. V01/P155–V01/P157; Shâfi'î — el-Üm, s. V07/P293–V07/P297).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was entrusted with prophethood at the age of forty (Bukhari — el-Câmiu's-Sahîh, s. V03/P1397–V03/P1399). He received divine revelations through the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) (Ibn Sa'd — et-Tabakātü'l-Kübrâ, s. V01/P163–V01/P165). His mission was to call people to the worship of the One God, to establish justice, and to perfect good character (Ibn Sa'd — et-Tabakātü'l-Kübrâ, s. V01/P163–V01/P165). He faced significant hardship and persecution from the polytheists of Mecca for his beliefs, but he remained steadfast (Bukhari — el-Câmiu's-Sahîh, s. V03/P1397–V03/P1399).
Muslims believe that his message abrogated previous divine laws, and he is considered the seal of the prophets, meaning there will be no prophet after him (Gazâlî — Kavâidü'l-Akâid, s. V01/P061–V01/P074; Ebû Tâlib el-Mekkî — Kûtü'l-Kulûb, s. V02/P136–V02/P137). He is also described as "the seal of the prophets" (al-'Aqib), meaning he comes last (Ibn Sa'd — et-Tabakātü'l-Kübrâ, s. V01/P084–V01/P086). His teachings and example are preserved in the Sunnah (his sayings and actions), which, along with the Quran, form the basis of Islamic guidance.