Muhammad (; ; c. 570 CE – 8 June 632 CE) is the prophet and founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was God's Messenger, sent to confirm the essential teachings of monotheism preached previously by Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. He is viewed as the final prophet of God in all the main branches of Islam, though some modern denominations diverge from this belief. Muhammad united Arabia into a single Muslim polity and ensured that his teachings, practices, and the Quran formed the basis of Islamic religious belief. 

Born approximately 570CE (Year of the Elephant) in the Arabian city of Mecca, Muhammad was orphaned at an early age; he was raised under the care of his paternal uncle Abu Talib. Periodically, he would seclude himself in a mountain cave named Hira for several nights of prayer; later, at age 40, he reported being visited by Gabriel in the cave, where he stated he received his first revelation from God. Three years later, in 610, Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly, proclaiming that "God is One", that complete "surrender" (lit. "islām") to him is the right course of action ("dīn"), and that he was a prophet and messenger of God, similar to the other prophets in Islam.
Which animal was the symbol for the year he was born?
Elephant