His name was Muhammad, "the praised one." He was orphaned at an early age; hence he understood the plight of orphans and the under-privileged. Here is an overview of his life.
As an illiterate man, at the age of 40, he received his first revelation from Allah during the ninth month of the lunar calendar, Ramadan, delivered by the Archangel Gabriel, which obviously shook him at first, as Allah, God captures it in the Qur'an also. The first believer was the Prophet's wife, Khadijah, who is known and respected as "the mother of Muslims", and she was also there to support him through the challenges. The first message revealed to him was, "Read/Recite in the name of your Lord, Who created you!" Hence Islam, the way of life Muhammad was sent to teach, emphasized the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge since its inception.
