ABSTRACT
Muh. ammad is the central fi gure in Islam. Chosen by God to receive the revelation of the Qurʾ ān, he has been taken by all Muslims to be the ideal man, the perfect embodiment of what it means to be a Muslim. Having lived a fairly normal existence in sixth-century Central Arabia, at the age of 40 Muh. ammad revolutionized his society in ways which were both unexpected and long lasting.
