That the Prophet Muḥammad plays a central role in establishing Islamic teachings is well known; all subsequent generations of Muslims have studied the history of his life, mastering and transmitting his reported words and actions. It is less obvious, however, how he might come to be an immediate and emotionally vital presence to individual believers. In Christianity, images of Jesus play a central role in evoking intimate emotional responses to the life and passion of Christ, but physical representations of the Prophet Muḥammad hold a marginal and disputed place in Muslim piety. No Islamic rite plays a role analogous to that of the Christian Eucharist, which places the figure of Jesus firmly at the center of the ritual life of the community. The three most central ritual acts in Islam - the five daily prayers, Ramaḍān fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca - emphasize the individual believer's immediate encounter with God over any vivid evocation of the Prophet himself. Nevertheless, believing Muslims throughout the centuries have not merely acknowledged Muḥammad's prophethood and followed his teachings; they also have experienced him as an intimately known and intensely beloved presence in their lives. Indeed, in well-authenticated reports, the Prophet is said to have declared that no one is truly a believer unless he loves the Prophet more than his own parent or child.