These are interesting bits from The Life of Muhammed:
'Abdu'l-Muttalib [Muhammad's grandfather] before his decease [when Muhammad was about 8 years old] appointed his son Abu Talib as guardian of his grandson. Abu Talib executed his office kindly and well. It is recorded that, 'on account of the great love he bore for Muhammad, he could not allow him to be absent from him for a single moment. During the night he made him sleep by his side, and in the day he fed him with delicious food.' When twelve years of age Muhammad went with his uncle on a mercantile journey to Syria."
"The Traditions give a very full account of Muhammad's personal appearance, his habits, his dress, his food, and the details of his daily life. From them we gather that in the primer of manhood he was handsome, rather above the middle height, with a broad and open chest. His head was large with a lofty brow, his jet black hair was slightly curly and fell down to his shoulders. His eyebrows were long and finely arched, and the heavy eyelashes covered large black piercing eyes. The nose was aquiline, the teeth white and regular, and a long black beard added dignity to his appearance. His skin was clear and soft. He walked with a firm but hasty step. As a rule he was taciturn and reserved, but in congenial company he could unbend and enter into the social pleasures of his friends. He was simple in his habits and in the matter of dress and food. He abhorred strong drinks but loved perfumes.
I think I've seen this guy quite often on the covers of bodice-rippers in WalMart.
"The Traditions give a very full account of Muhammad's personal appearance, ...gilding the lily somewhat I imagine.
According to the "Taboo Numismatics" site, this early Islamic coin -- a gold dinar issued during the reign of the caliph Abd al-Malik in 693 A.D. -- most likely depicts Mohammed himself. The author of the site makes a strong case that the central figure is Mohammed and that the figures on either side of him are Abu-Bakr (Mohammed's companion) on his left and Aisha (his young wife) on his right. Also suggesting that these now-extremely-rare coins (all now housed in the British Museum) depict Mohammed is the fact that they were all ordered to be destroyed shortly after being minted, which may have been the first instance of an image of Mohammed being seen as inappropriate. The coin was made only 67 years after Mohammed's death (the year 77 of the Islamic era, which dates to his arrival in Medina from Mecca), which would make it far and away the earliest depiction of Mohammed ever made, and possibly even modeled after memories of people who knew him during his lifetime. (Hat tip: Ted K.) The large head and wide mustache of Mohammed in this portait may have been modelled after this coin of Byzantine Emperor Constans II (seen on the right) which was struck decades earlier. The Islamic coin also seems to be emulating Byzantine coin designs of the same era which show Jesus on the obverse, in the place where the male figure is on the Islamic coin. To follow the full argument, start at the first image in the series and click through to read the full captions for each coin. http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_full/