Because Muhammad was the chosen recipient and messenger of the word of God through the divine revelations, Muslims from all walks of life strive to follow his example. After the holy Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet (hadith) and descriptions of his way of life (sunna) are the most important Muslim texts.

Why is Muhammad considered a prophet?

Muslims believe Allah chose Muhammad to be his prophet because he was a fair and wise man and because he was concerned for the people. Allah continued to reveal his word to the prophet for the next 23 years. The revealed teachings were written down by the Prophet Muhammad's close friends and followers.

How did Muhammad become a prophet?

In 610, in a cave in Mount Hira north of Mecca, he had a vision in which he heard God, speaking through the angel Gabriel, command him to become the Arab prophet of the “true religion.” Thus began a lifetime of religious revelations, which he and others collected as the Qur'an.