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      The early life of Prophet Muhammad

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can understand Prophet Muhammad's journey towards prophethood, and how he received revelations from Allah (God).

      Key learning points

      1. The Prophet Muhammad became a successful merchant. He was valued for his honesty and integrity.
      2. He married his wife, Khadija. She saw his skills as a merchant.
      3. He spent time in meditation/prayer away from Makkah.
      4. Muslims believe that he was called to be a prophet and received his revelations through angel Jibr'il.

      Keywords

      • Prophet - someone inspired to teach or proclaim the will of God

      • Angel - a spiritual being who is a messenger from God

      • Revelation - spiritual understanding made known by God

      • Integrity - is being honest and fair

      Common misconception

      Muhammad was always a religious man and prophet.

      Muhammad was a merchant and a family man before he received his calling from God.

      Teacher tip

      Discuss different events from Prophet Muhammad's life showing integrity. Let children see a Qur'an and discuss these are words of Allah (God) revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Remind children about handling the Qur'an respectfully.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      Who was born in Makkah in 570 CE?

      Correct answer: Muhammad
      Khadija
      Musa

      Q2.
      A belief in many gods is called ...

      compassion
      theology
      Correct answer: polytheism

      Q3.
      Most people in Makkah at the time of Muhammad believed in ...

      one God
      Correct answer: many Gods
      no God

      Q4.
      Jews and Christians lived in Makkah as well. They believed in ...

      Correct answer: one God
      many Gods
      no God

      Q5.
      The Prophet was looked after by his uncle because he was an ...

      Correct Answer: orphan, Orphan

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      When Prophet Muhammad was a young man, he worked as a ...

      Correct Answer: merchant, Merchant

      Q2.
      Prophet Muhammad’s work as a merchant earned him the title “Al-Amin”. What does this mean?

      the good one
      Correct answer: the trustworthy
      the patient
      the kind

      Q3.
      Who was one of Prophet Muhammad's biggest early supporters?

      his uncle
      Correct answer: his wife, Khadija
      the people of Makkah

      Q4.
      Where did the Prophet Muhammad go to pray and get away from Makkah?

      Correct Answer: Cave Hira, A cave, The cave, cave hira, Cave Hijra

      Q5.
      Who appeared to the Prophet Muhammad to reveal the Qur'an?

      Correct answer: Angel Jibr'il
      God himself
      Moses

      To help you plan your 4 religious education lesson on: The early life of Prophet Muhammad, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...