The Prophet Muhammad's life and example
Sīra and ḥadīth on the Prophet's life and conduct — including episodes Muslim scholars themselves have written about and discussed across the centuries.
Questions in this hub
- How old was ʿĀʾishah when she married Muhammad?
What the canonical Sunni ḥadīth report, and how Muslim scholars classical and modern have wrestled with it.
- Did Muhammad marry his adopted son's wife?
Q 33:37 records the marriage of Muhammad to Zaynab bint Jaḥsh, formerly the wife of his adopted son Zayd ibn Ḥārithah. What do tafsīr and sīra say happened?
- How many wives did Muhammad have?
Muhammad had more wives than the four-wife limit for ordinary Muslim men, and Q 33:50 gives him special permissions described as uniquely for him.
- What is the "satanic verses" incident?
Early Muslim historians report that Muhammad once recited verses praising the Meccan goddesses, then said Satan put them on his tongue. The classical sources are not unanimous, and the implications are serious.
- What happened to the Banū Qurayẓah?
After the Battle of the Trench, the Jewish tribe of Banū Qurayẓah was besieged in Medina. The classical Sunni sīra reports the execution of their adult men.
- How did Muhammad die?
Islamic sources report that Muhammad died after a final illness. Some reports also connect that illness with pain from the poisoned food at Khaybar.
- Was Muhammad sinless or infallible?
Muslims often honor Muhammad as the best example. The Qurʼān also tells him to seek forgiveness and records moments of correction.
- Does Muhammad continue the message of the earlier prophets?
Islam presents Muhammad as restoring the same basic message given to earlier prophets. The question is how that claim compares with the earlier scriptures and prophetic pattern.
- Did Muhammad teach the same God as Moses and Jesus?
Islam claims continuity with the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The comparison needs both overlap and difference.
- Does Muhammad meet the biblical test of a prophet?
If Muhammad is claimed as a prophet in continuity with Moses and Jesus, biblical tests for prophecy become relevant to the claim.
- Is Muhammad mentioned in the Bible?
The Qurʼān says Muhammad is described in earlier scripture. Which Bible passages are usually proposed, and how should they be tested?
- Is Deuteronomy 18:18 about Muhammad?
Deuteronomy 18 is one of the most common Bible-prophecy arguments for Muhammad. The wording and covenant context decide how strong the case is.
- Is the Paraclete in John 14 about Muhammad?
Some Muslims connect Jesus’s promise of the Paraclete with the Qurʼān’s announcement of Aḥmad. The Greek text and John’s context are the key evidence.