In Ibn Ishaq’s excerpt and Fred Donner’s “Muhammad and the Believers’ Movement,” we learn that Muhammad starts off as a merchant and is largely viewed as a trustworthy individual. While this may not necessarily be true, we do get the sense that he is someone that is respected. I also found it interesting that Muhammad does not have a desire to be a religious figure or start a new religion. According to some sources, as we discussed in class, he even considers killing himself because of his experience hearing a voice in the wilderness, et cetera. The question of a figure’s centrality and importance are also important to think about, as Muhammad himself is important and the revelation he brings is central, but there is also an emphasis on the fact that Muhammad himself is not central. This also brings up the idea that Muhammad’s family is central to the issue of who should be leading once he is gone. These two sources also discuss the fact that, in Islamic tradition, the Quran is the words of God through Muhammad. The differences between an apostle versus a disciple are also important to understand Islamic tradition and the importance of Muhammad. I have typically used the two terms interchangeably, but it was interesting to note that an apostle is not just a devote follower like a disciple is, but is sent on a mission with an aim to promote someone else, like an ambassador. Not only is Muhammad someone who is sent by God with a message, but he was also a political and military leader