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The First Muslim is Lesley Hazleton’s historical account of the Prophet Muhammad and his journey as he began one of the most influential religions in the world. Summary of the Book At first glance, he would have seemed ordinary. That is what most people thought about this forty year old merchant. However, his words had the power to claim their attention. Originally dismissed as a young child, not many people realized that Muhammad was going to change the world. He prayed in the Cave of Hira on Mount Jabal al-Nour for several weeks a year. One day, he was blessed with a visitor who changed his destiny. The Angel Gabriel visited Muhammad in the cave, and forced him to recite what would eventually become the Holy Quran. Upon his revelations rested the foundations of Islamic Faith. In this detailed account, Lesley Hazleton reveals the story of the Prophet and examines how one man rose out of poverty and obscurity to become the most powerful man in the Middle East. About Lesley Hazleton Lesley Hazleton is a British-American writer known for her work on religion, politics and history. Among her other published works are: After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split, Jezebel: The Untold Story of the Bible's Harlot Queen and Mary: A Flesh-and-Blood Biography. Hazleton studied at Manchester University and pursued her postgraduate degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She was awarded The Stranger's Genius Award in Literature.