Born in 570 C.E., Muhammad saw himself as an ordinary man, a merchant, father, husband and businessman who often sought solitude from the rough and tumble life of the city, Mecca. His father, Abdullah, was killed on a caravan trip when he was just a small boy and was raised by his uncle Abu Talib. He simply saw himself as "A man among men."
The story of Muhammad is told through the eyes of those closest to him... by those who were touched by his wisdom and during his lifetime he battled misunderstanding and hatred, even from his own relatives, to protect and nurture the new faith. At the age of forty, he staggered out from his place of refuge high above the city a shocked and shattered man having just been visited by the angel Gabriel and with time he began to "recite" just as Gabriel had told him to. Recite is the root word for the Koran (or Qu'ran) and Muhammad found himself dumbstruck by this angelic command because he was known for his quiet observation and did not join in with other common practices. 
I found this to be a wonderful insight into Islam, it's roots and the man who made it all possible for the believers. Deepak Chopra has done an excellent job of bringing Muhammad's character to life so that we can truly see him in a new light. I had known little of this Prophet and to be able to understand his culture and beliefs was truly an amazing journey. In this world today, especially after 9/11 it was refreshing to understand the true nature of Islam and with understanding comes tolerance...a little something that we could all use a dose of no matter different our faith or beliefs are.
