Muhammad is the one among the prophets whose life is to be found in history. Born of the family of Ishmael, Muhammad had in him the prophetic heritage, and before him that purpose to be fulfilled which had been prophesied by Abraham in the Old Testament. The Prophet became an orphan in his childhood and knew what it is in the world to be without the tender care of the mother and without the protection of the father. This experience was the first preparation for the child who was born to sympathize in the pain of others.

Some say once, others say twice, and others say three times, a miracle happened: that the breast of the Prophet was cut open by the angels. Some say they took something away, and instantly his breast was healed. What was it? It was the poison which is to be found in the sting of the scorpion and the teeth of the serpent; it is the same poison which exists in the heart of man. All manner of prejudice, hatred, and bitterness, in the form of envy and jealousy, are the small expressions of this poison which is hidden in the heart of man. When this poison is taken away in some form or other, then the serpent remains with its beauty and wisdom but without its poisonous teeth.

So it is with man. Man meets with hardships in life, sometimes too hard to stand at the moment, but often such experiences become as higher initiations in the life of the traveller on the path. The heart of man which is the shrine of God, once purified of that poison, becomes the holy abode where God Himself resides. As a youth Muhammad travelled with his uncle, who went to Syria on a business trip. He knew the shortcomings of human nature, which have a large role to play in the world of business. He knew what profit means, what loss means, and what both mean in the end. This gave him a wider outlook on life, because he saw how eager one is to profit by the loss of another. Human beings live in this world no better than the large and small fishes in the water, who live upon one another.

When the time came to defend the country against a powerful enemy, young Muhammad stood shoulder to shoulder with the young men of his land to defend his people in their terrible strife. His sincerity in friendship and his honesty in his dealings endeared him to all those far and near, who called him by the name Amin, which means trustworthy. His marriage with Khatidja showed him to be a man of devotion, a man of affection, and an honorable man as husband, father, and citizen of the town he lived in.

Then came the time of contemplation, the fulfillment of that promise which his soul had brought in the world. There came moments when life began to seem sad, with all the beauty and comfort it could offer. He then sought refuge from that depression in solitude. Sometimes for hours, for days, or for weeks sitting in the mountains of Gare Hida, he tried to see if there was anything else to be seen. He tried to hear if there was anything to be heard; he tried to know if there was anything to be known. Patiently Muhammad continued in the path of the search after truth.

In the end he began to hear a word of inner guidance, "Cry on the sacred name of thy Lord." As he began to follow that advice, he found the reecho of the word his heart repeated in all things of nature, as if the wind repeated the same name he did. The sky, the earth, the moon, and the planets all said the same that he was saying. Once in tune with the infinite, realizing his soul one within and without, the call came, "Thou art the man, go forward into the world and carry out Our command, glorify the name of God, unite them who are separated, waken those who are asleep, and harmonize one with the other, as in this is the happiness of man."

Often Khatidja found Muhammad had covered himself with a mantle, that he might not see himself, and was trembling at the sight of the responsibility that was thrown on him. But she kept telling him, "You are the man, a man so kind and true, so sincere and devoted, and so forgiving and serving. It is your work to perform; fear not, you are destined to it by the Almighty, trust in His great power, and in the end success will be yours."

When Muhammad gave his message, to his surprise not only enemies but also friends near and dear to the Prophet turned against him, and would not listen to a new gospel. Throughout the insults and the harm and injury they caused him and those who listened to him, he still continued, in spite of being exiled from home three times. He proved in the end, as every real prophet must prove, that truth alone is the conqueror, and to truth belongs all victory.