Publisher's Synopsis
Muhammad was the founder of the religion of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as a prophet and messenger of God the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets and by most Muslims the last prophet as taught by the Quran 33:40-40. Muslims thus consider him the restorer of an uncorrupted original monotheistic faith of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets. He was also active as a diplomat, merchant, philosopher, orator, legislator, reformer, military general, and, according to Muslim belief, an agent of divine action. Discontented with life in Mecca, he retreated to a cave in the surrounding mountains for meditation and reflection. According to Islamic beliefs it was here, at the age 40, in the month of Ramadan, wherein he received his first revelation from God. Three years after this event Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly, proclaiming that
