The most definite date of the Prophet's birth that has been recorded is 12th of Rabi' aI-Awwal. Some people celebrate his birthday every year, known as the Milaad-Un-Nabi. He was born in A.D. 570/571 in the once prestigious but losing Bani Hashim clan of the Quraysh, the ruling tribe of Mecca, a city in the Arabian peninsula, on a Friday (Jumuʿah). Muhammad traces his lineage through his ancestor Adnan back to Ishmael, the son of Ibrahim (Abraham). His father was Abdu'llah, the son of Abd al-Muttalib (Shaybah ibn Hashim), the son of Hashim, the first Hashemite. Abdu'llah died before Muhammad's birth while his mother Aminah bint Wahb passed away five to six years later.
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم grew up outside the city in the desert with the family of Haleemah bint Abi Dhuayb, a bedouin wet nurse who nurtured him. According to the contemporary Arab customs, babies were sent outside the city to bedouin (country) families as they thought the environment was healthier and more suitable for growing stronger children. A number of miraculous incidents is reported to have occurred with Haleemah's family with the coming of Muhammad which includes the ripping of young Muhammad's صلى الله عليه وسلم chest by archangel Gabriel who washed his heart with zamzam water to purify him (taken from Sahih Muslim) .
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was sent back to Aminah before she went on a journey to visit her husband's grave and died. The boy's charges were taken by his loving grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him more than his children and always gave him a special treatment. When Abd al-Muttalib passed away leaving his eight year old grandson, it was Muhammad's uncle Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the father of Ali and Banu Hashim's new leader, who took his responsibilities. He remained by his nephew's side until he died some years after Muhammad's prophethood at the age of 40.
At the age of 9 or 12, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم accompanied his uncle on a trade journey to Syria. They settled in the city of Basra, which was under Byzantine domain, when Bohirathe Nazarene (or according to many Christians "Nestorian") monk came out of his monastery to entertain the travellers. When he saw Muhammad, he took his hand and prophesied that the would be prophet of God. When asked how he could say so he pointed at Muhammad's an apple-like mark below his neck and warned that Muhammad should be taken back to Mecca before anyone in Bosra knew about this.
At age of 15, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم witnessed the "Sacrilegious" wars between the Quraysh and their allies Banu Kinanah on one side and Qays 'Aylan tribe on the other. The wars continued with varying fortunes and considerable loss of human life for a number of years. It was thus called because the inviolables were made violable, the prohibited months being included. In one of those battles, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم attended on his uncles but did not raise arms against their opponents. His efforts were confined to picking up the arrows of the enemy as they fell, and handing them over to his uncles.