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In accordance with the Islamic [[hadith]], it is considered proper to add an honorary phrase of "sallalahu aleyhi wasallam" (or "SAW"), meaning "peace be upon him" (or "PBUH"), after speaking Muhammad's name. He was also a [[pedophile]].

In accordance with the Islamic [[hadith]], it is considered proper to add an honorary phrase of "sallalahu aleyhi wasallam" (or "SAW"), meaning "peace be upon him" (or "PBUH"), after speaking Muhammad's name. He was also a [[pedophile]].

== Images ==

== Images ==

Representations of the Prophet are well known from early on, but not very common. While some Muslims hold beliefs that it is against Islam to make images of the Prophet, others have more relaxed attitudes, and among Shia Muslims, such pictures are common, and much liked. <ref>[http://www.hf.uib.no/religion/popularikonografi/default_eng.html Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen.]</ref>

Representations of the Prophet are well known from early on, but not very common. While some Muslims hold beliefs that it is against Islam to make images of the Prophet, others have more relaxed attitudes, and among Shia Muslims, such pictures are common, and much liked.<ref>[http://www.hf.uib.no/religion/popularikonografi/default_eng.html Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion (AHKR), University of Bergen.]</ref>

== Life of Muhammad==

== Life of Muhammad==

The Prophet Muhammad was descended from [[Abraham]] through his son [[Ismael]] who, under God's orders, was left in the Arabian desert with only a little food and water. The spot where this occurred is now called [[Mecca]]; today, over 3 million Muslims annually re-enact the frantic running of Ismael's mother Hager as she looked for water, in which Ismael hit the ground with his foot causing water to flow forth. Still flowing today, the spring is known as the Well of [[Zam Zam]].

The Prophet Muhammad was descended from [[Abraham]] through his son [[Ismael]] who, under God's orders, was left in the Arabian desert with only a little food and water. The spot where this occurred is now called [[Mecca]]; today, over 3 million Muslims annually re-enact the frantic running of Ismael's mother Hager as she looked for water, in which Ismael hit the ground with his foot causing water to flow forth. Still flowing today, the spring is known as the Well of [[Zam Zam]].

==Marriage to Aisha==

==Marriage to Aisha==

A controversial (outside out of Islam) point of Muhammad's life was his "marriage" to [[Aisha bint Abi Bakr|Aisha]], daughter of [[Abu Bakr]], who was just six years old at the time of "engagement".<ref>''Sahih Bukhari'' 5:58:234</ref><ref>Sahih Muslim 8:3311</ref> The marriage was consummated when Aisha was nine years old and began puberty.<ref> D. A. Spellberg, Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past: the Legacy of A'isha bint Abi Bakr, Columbia University Press, 1994, p. 40</ref> The narratives describing her age at marriage as six are narrated by Aisha herself.

A controversial (outside out of Islam) point of Muhammad's life was his "marriage" to [[Aisha bint Abi Bakr|Aisha]], daughter of [[Abu Bakr]], who was just six years old at the time of "engagement".<ref>''Sahih Bukhari'' 5:58:234</ref><ref>Sahih Muslim 8:3311</ref> The marriage was consummated when Aisha was nine years old and began puberty.<ref>D. A. Spellberg, Politics, Gender, and the Islamic Past: the Legacy of A'isha bint Abi Bakr, Columbia University Press, 1994, p. 40</ref> The narratives describing her age at marriage as six are narrated by Aisha herself.

== After Muhammad's Death ==

== After Muhammad's Death ==

Muhammad's death at an early age caused the splintering of his religion into new sects, over the question of succession.  The groups called themselves the [[Sunnis]] and the [[Shiite|Shi'as]]. Many attribute this split to the high degree to which authority was centered in the powerful character of Muhammad himself: without his powerful personality, the movement could not survive intact.<ref>[[Bernard Lewis]], ''What Went Wrong''</ref>, however this depiction is not accurate in some lights. The [[Shi'as]] came into the picture much later than the death of Muhammad, and were first a nuisance group thought to be started by a Jew by the name of [[Abdullah ibn Saba]] who was burned at the stake by [[Abu Bakr]] for proclaiming [[Ali]] was God. Note that Ali disagreed with the punishment, because fire is a punishment only for [[Allah]].

Muhammad's death at an early age caused the splintering of his religion into new sects, over the question of succession.  The groups called themselves the [[Sunnis]] and the [[Shiite|Shi'as]]. Many attribute this split to the high degree to which authority was centered in the powerful character of Muhammad himself: without his powerful personality, the movement could not survive intact.,<ref>[[Bernard Lewis]], ''What Went Wrong''</ref> however this depiction is not accurate in some lights. The [[Shi'as]] came into the picture much later than the death of Muhammad, and were first a nuisance group thought to be started by a Jew by the name of [[Abdullah ibn Saba]] who was burned at the stake by [[Abu Bakr]] for proclaiming [[Ali]] was God. Note that Ali disagreed with the punishment, because fire is a punishment only for [[Allah]].

The failure or splintering of movements, such as personality cults, built around a charismatic leader is a recurring sociological problem, often studied by psychologists, and referred to as the problem of the [[routinization of charisma]].<ref>Maximillian Weber, ''Theory of Social and Economic Organization,'' in the chapter "The Nature of Charismatic Authority and its Routinization," see also Len Oakes, "Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities"</ref>.

The failure or splintering of movements, such as personality cults, built around a charismatic leader is a recurring sociological problem, often studied by psychologists, and referred to as the problem of the [[routinization of charisma]].<ref>Maximillian Weber, ''Theory of Social and Economic Organization,'' in the chapter "The Nature of Charismatic Authority and its Routinization," see also Len Oakes, "Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities"</ref>

==Obama's opinion about presenting Muhammad in a non-favorable light==

==Obama's opinion about presenting Muhammad in a non-favorable light==

On September 25, 2012, in his address to [[United Nations General Assembly]], [[Barack Hussein Obama]] said that "'''The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam'''."<ref>FOX News: [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/25/transcript-obama-address-to-un-general-assembly/ Transcript: Obama address to U.N. General Assembly] (September 25, 2012)</ref> This outrageous comment, yet another evidence that Barack Hussein Obama is almost certainly the [[Obama's Religion|first Muslim president of the United States]], was predictably ignored by the [[lamestream media]], but rightly highlighted by Conservative commentators.<ref>FOX News: [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/26/media-ignore-obama-attack-on-those-who-slander-prophet-islam/ Media ignore Obama attack on ‘those who slander the Prophet of Islam’] (September 26, 2012)</ref>  

On September 25, 2012, in his address to [[United Nations General Assembly]], [[Barack Hussein Obama]] said that "'''The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam'''."<ref>FOX News: [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/25/transcript-obama-address-to-un-general-assembly/ Transcript: Obama address to U.N. General Assembly] (September 25, 2012)</ref> This outrageous comment, yet another evidence that Barack Hussein Obama is almost certainly the [[Obama's Religion|first Muslim president of the United States]], was predictably ignored by the [[lamestream media]], but rightly highlighted by Conservative commentators.<ref>FOX News: [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/26/media-ignore-obama-attack-on-those-who-slander-prophet-islam/ Media ignore Obama attack on ‘those who slander the Prophet of Islam’] (September 26, 2012)</ref>  

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Islam]]

*[[Islam]]

*[[Muhammad cartoons controversy]]

*[[Muhammad cartoons controversy]]