Do Muslims worship Muhammad?
No. Muslims worship Allah alone. They love, honor and follow the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as God's final messenger, but they believe he was a human being, not divine, and they never pray to him. Worshipping anyone besides Allah, even a prophet, goes against the very core of Islam.
A messenger, not a god
The Quran tells the Prophet ﷺ to say plainly who he is:
Another verse says, "Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him" (Quran 3:144). He ate, slept, got sick, married, raised children and died like other people. What made him special was the revelation he received and the example he lived.
That's also why the shahada has two parts: "There is no god but Allah" and "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." The first is about who we worship; the second is about whom we follow. See How do I take my shahada?
He warned against overpraising him
The Prophet ﷺ himself said: "Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3445).
When he died, some companions were in shock. Abu Bakr calmed the people with words Muslims still remember: "Whoever worshipped Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, then Allah is Alive and shall never die" (Sahih al-Bukhari 3668). Then he recited Quran 3:144.
Why the confusion?
- The old word "Mohammedan": older Western books called Muslims "Mohammedans," as if they followed him the way Christians follow Christ. Muslims have never called themselves that.
- Deep love: Muslims say "peace be upon him" (ﷺ) after his name and get upset when he is insulted. That's respect and love, not worship.
- Salawat: sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ is a prayer to Allah asking Him to bless His messenger, not a prayer to the Prophet.
What following him looks like
Muslims follow the Sunnah, his teachings and example, because the Quran tells them to. In practice that means learning how he prayed, how he treated his family, how he spoke kindly and how he dealt fairly with people. Muslims also believe in all earlier prophets, such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus, and honor them in the same way. See Do I have to believe in all the prophets to become Muslim?
Because the prophets are so respected, Muslims are also careful with how their names are used. See Can I name my pet after a prophet?
- Muslims worship Allah alone, never the Prophet ﷺ.
- The Quran calls Muhammad ﷺ "a man like you" and a messenger.
- He himself warned against exaggerated praise.
- Muslims love and follow him, which is different from worship.
People also ask
Is Allah a moon god?
No, Allah is not a moon god. Allah is the Arabic word for God, used by Arab Christians too, and the Quran forbids bowing to the sun or moon.
Read the full answer →Do Muslims worship the Kaaba?
No, Muslims don't worship the Kaaba. They worship Allah alone, and the Kaaba is the qibla, the direction they face in prayer. Here's why.
Read the full answer →What does Islam say about atheists?
Islam sees belief in God as human nature and atheism as a serious mistake, yet forbids forcing faith and asks Muslims to treat atheists kindly.
Read the full answer →Who was Ishmael in Islam?
Ishmael (Isma'il) is a prophet in Islam, Abraham's eldest son with Hagar, who built the Kaaba with him and is the ancestor of Prophet Muhammad.
Read the full answer →What does Islam say about Sikhism?
Islam respects Sikhs and shares their belief in one God, but differs on prophethood, scripture and rebirth. Here's how Muslims view Sikhism.
Read the full answer →