What do you know about the life of the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad the prophet - biography. Who is Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca ( Saudi Arabia) around 570 AD. e., in the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. Muhamed's father, Abdallah, died before the birth of his Son, and Muhamed's mother, Amina, died when He was only six years old, leaving the Son an orphan. Muhammad was raised first by His grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, a man of exceptional piety, and then by His uncle, the merchant Abu Talib.

At that time, the Arabs were inveterate pagans, among whom, however, a few adherents of Monotheism stood out, such as, for example, Abd al-Muttalib. Most Arabs lived a nomadic life in their ancestral territories. There were few cities. The main ones among them are Mecca, Yathrib and Taif.

From his youth, the Prophet was distinguished by exceptional piety and piety, believing, like His grandfather, in One God. First He shepherded the flocks, and then He began to participate in trade affairs His uncle Abu Talib. He became famous, people loved Him and, as a sign of respect for his piety, honesty, justice and prudence, they bestowed the honorary nickname al-Amin (Trustworthy).

Later, He conducted the trading affairs of a wealthy widow named Khadija, who, some time later, proposed to Muhammad to marry her. Despite the age difference, they lived a happy life married life, having six children. And although in those days polygamy among Arabs was common. The Prophet did not take other wives while Khadija was alive.

This newfound position freed up much more time for prayer and reflection. As was his custom, Muhammad retired to the mountains surrounding Mecca and secluded himself there for a long time. Sometimes His seclusion lasted several days. He especially fell in love with the cave of Mount Hira (Jabal Nyr - Mountains of Light), majestically rising above Mecca. On one of these visits, which occurred in the year 610, something happened to Muhammad, who was about forty years old at that time, that completely changed His entire life.

In a sudden vision, the angel Gabriel (Gabriel) appeared before Him and, pointing to the words that appeared from outside, ordered Him to pronounce them. Muhammad objected, declaring that he was illiterate and therefore would not be able to read them, but the angel continued to insist, and the meaning of these words was suddenly revealed to the Prophet. He was ordered to learn them and accurately pass them on to the rest of the people. This is how the first revelation of the sayings of the Book, now known as the Koran (from Arabic “reading”), was marked.

This eventful night fell on the 27th of the month of Ramadan, and was called Laylat al-Qadr. From now on, the life of the Prophet no longer belonged to him, but was given over to the care of the One who called him to prophetic mission, and he spent the rest of his days in the service of God, proclaiming His messages everywhere.

When receiving revelations, the Prophet did not always see the angel Gabriel, and when he did, the angel did not always appear in the same guise. Sometimes an angel appeared before Him in human form eclipsing the horizon, and sometimes the Prophet only managed to catch his gaze on Himself. At times He heard only a voice speaking to Him. Sometimes He received revelations while deeply immersed in prayer, but in other cases they appeared completely “at random”, when Muhammad, for example, was busy worrying about business. Everyday life, either went for a walk or simply enthusiastically listened to a meaningful conversation.

At first, the Prophet avoided public sermons, preferring personal conversations with interested people and with those who noticed extraordinary changes in Him. A special path opened up for him Muslim prayer, and He immediately began daily pious exercises, which invariably caused a wave of criticism from those who saw him. Having received the highest order to begin a public sermon, Muhammad was ridiculed and cursed by the people, who thoroughly mocked His statements and actions. Meanwhile, many Quraysh became seriously alarmed, realizing that Muhammad's insistence on establishing faith in the One True God could not only undermine the prestige of polytheism, but also lead to the complete decline of idolatry if people suddenly began to convert to the faith of the Prophet. Some relatives of Muhammad turned into His main opponents: humiliating and ridiculing the Prophet himself, they did not forget to do evil against converts. There are many examples of bullying and abuse of those who have accepted new faith. Two large groups The first Muslims, in search of refuge, moved to Abyssinia, where the Christian Negus (king), very impressed by their teaching and way of life, agreed to provide them with protection. The Quraysh decided to ban all trade, business, military and personal connections with the Hashim clan. Representatives of this clan were strictly forbidden to appear in Mecca. We've arrived very much hard times, and many Muslims were doomed to severe poverty.

In 619, the Prophet's wife Khadija died. She was His most devoted supporter and helper. In the same year, Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, who defended Him from the most violent attacks from his fellow tribesmen, also died. Stricken with grief, the Prophet left Mecca and went to Taif, where he tried to find refuge, but was rejected there too.

The Prophet's friends betrothed a pious widow named Sauda as his wife, who turned out to be a very worthy woman, and also a Muslim. Aisha, the young daughter of his friend Abu Bakr, knew and loved the Prophet all her life. And although she was too young for marriage, however, according to the customs of that time, she nevertheless entered the Muhamed family as a sister-in-law. It is necessary, however, to dispel the misconception that exists among people who completely do not understand the reasons for Muslim polygamy. In those days, a Muslim who took several women as wives did so out of compassion, graciously providing them with his protection and shelter. Muslim men were encouraged to help the wives of their friends killed in battle, to provide them with separate houses and treat them as if they were their closest relatives (of course, everything could be different in the case of mutual love).

In 619, Muhammad had the opportunity to experience the second most important night of his life - the Night of Ascension (Laylat al-Miraj). It is known that the Prophet was awakened and carried on a magical animal to Jerusalem. Over the location of the ancient Jewish Temple on Mount Zion, the heavens opened and a path opened that led Muhammad to the throne of God, but neither he nor the angel Gabriel accompanying him was allowed to enter the beyond. That night the rules of Muslim prayer were revealed to the Prophet. They became the focus of faith and the unshakable basis of Muslim life. Muhammad also met and talked with other prophets, including Jesus (Isa), Moses (Musa) and Abraham (Ibrahim). This miraculous event greatly consoled and strengthened the Prophet, adding confidence that Allah did not abandon Him and did not leave Him alone with his sorrows.

From now on, the fate of the Prophet changed in the most decisive way. He was still persecuted and ridiculed in Mecca, but the Prophet's message had already been heard by people far beyond the city's borders. Some of the elders of Yathrib persuaded Him to leave Mecca and move to their city, where He would be received with honor as a leader and judge. Arabs and Jews lived together in this city, constantly at war with each other. They hoped that Muhammad would bring them peace. The Prophet immediately advised many of His Muslim followers to migrate to Yathrib while He remained in Mecca, so as not to arouse unnecessary suspicion. After the death of Abu Talib, the emboldened Quraish could calmly attack Muhammad, even kill him, and he understood perfectly well that this would sooner or later happen.

The Prophet's departure was accompanied by some dramatic events. Muhammad himself miraculously escaped captivity thanks to his exceptional knowledge of the local deserts. Several times the Quraysh almost captured Him, but the Prophet still managed to reach the outskirts of Yathrib. The city was eagerly awaiting him, and when Muhammad arrived in Yasrib, people rushed to meet him with offers of shelter. Confused by their hospitality, Muhammad gave the choice to his camel. The camel stopped at a place where dates were drying, and it was instantly presented to the Prophet for building a house. The city received a new name - Madinat an-Nabi (City of the Prophet), now abbreviated as Medina.

The Prophet immediately began preparing a decree according to which He was proclaimed the supreme head of all the warring tribes and clans of Medina, who were henceforth forced to obey His orders. It established that all citizens were free to practice their religion in peaceful coexistence without fear of persecution or disgrace. He asked them only for one thing - to unite and repel any enemy who dared to attack the city. The former tribal laws of the Arabs and Jews were replaced by the basic principle of "justice for all", regardless of social status, color and religion.

Becoming the ruler of a city-state and gaining untold wealth and influence. The prophet, however, never lived like a king. His dwelling consisted of simple mud houses built for His wives; He never even had his own room. Not far from the houses there was a courtyard with a well - a place that from now on became a mosque where devout Muslims gather.

Almost the entire life of the Prophet Muhammad was spent in constant prayer and in the instruction of believers. Except five obligatory prayers, which He spent in the mosque, the Prophet devoted a lot of time to solitary prayer, and sometimes most He devoted his nights to pious reflections. His wives performed night prayer with Him, after which they retired to their chambers, and He continued to pray for many hours, falling asleep briefly towards the end of the night, only to wake up soon for the pre-dawn prayer.

In March 628, the Prophet, who dreamed of returning to Mecca, decided to make His dream come true. He set out with 1,400 followers, completely unarmed, wearing pilgrim attire consisting of two simple white veils. However, the followers of the Prophet were denied entry into the city, despite the fact that many citizens of Mecca practiced Islam. To avoid clashes, the pilgrims made their sacrifices near Mecca, in an area called Hudaibiya.

In 629, the Prophet Muhammad began plans for the peaceful capture of Mecca. The truce concluded in the town of Hudaibiya turned out to be short-lived, and in November 629 the Meccans attacked one of the tribes that was in a friendly alliance with the Muslims. The Prophet marched on Mecca at the head of 10,000 men, the largest army to ever leave Medina. They settled near Mecca, after which the city surrendered without a fight. The Prophet Muhammad entered the city in triumph, immediately went to the Kaaba and performed a ritual circuit around it seven times. Then He entered the shrine and destroyed all the idols.

It was not until March 632 that the Prophet Muhammad made His only full-fledged pilgrimage to the shrine of the Kaaba, known as Hajat al-Wida (The Last Pilgrimage). During this pilgrimage, revelations were sent to Him about the rules of Hajj, which all Muslims follow to this day. When the Prophet reached Mount Arafat to “stand before Allah,” He proclaimed His last sermon. Even then, Muhamed was seriously ill. He continued to lead prayers in the mosque as best he could. There was no improvement in the disease, and He fell ill completely. He was 63 years old. It is known that His last words were: “I am destined for a stay in Paradise among the most worthy.” His followers found it difficult to believe that the Prophet could die like a common man, but Abu Bakr reminded them of the words of revelation spoken after the Battle of Mount Uhud:
“Muhamed is only a messenger. There are no longer any messengers who once existed before him;
If he also dies or is killed, will you really turn back?" (Quran, 3:138).

Introduction

Islam is the third and last of the developed monotheistic religions. It originated in the Middle East, had its roots in the same soil, was nourished by the same ideas, and was based on the same cultural traditions as Christianity and Judaism.

This religious system, with its most strict and complete monotheism taken to the limit, developed on the basis of its two predecessors, so borrowings in terms of not only general cultural, but also purely theological, religious-cultural, are noticeable here at every step.

So, Islam arose in Western Arabia (Hejaz region) at the beginning of the 7th century. The founder of this religion is considered to be a resident of Mecca, Muhammad (570-632). At the age of 40 (about 610), Muhammad declared himself the messenger of the one God and Allah, who revealed his will to him through revelations, which, together with the sayings of Muhammad himself, were later written down in the Koran, the main holy book of Muslims. The basis of Islam is the restoration of the faith of Abraham, which Muhammad believed had been corrupted by the Jews. Many questions concerning the life and work of the Prophet Muhammad still remain controversial, and the authors did not consider themselves obliged to strictly follow any of the schools of Islamic studies when covering them. At the same time, in the traditions of Russian culture (V.S. Solovyov, V.V. Bartold), the authors considered Islam as an independent monotheistic religion, no less developed than, say, Christianity.

The purpose of the work is to characterize the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

1. Life and work of the Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) around 570 AD. e., in the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. Muhamed's father, Abdallah, died before the birth of his Son, and Muhamed's mother, Amina, died when He was only six years old, leaving the Son an orphan. Muhammad was raised first by His grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, a man of exceptional piety, and then by His uncle, the merchant Abu Talib.

At that time, the Arabs were inveterate pagans, among whom, however, a few adherents of Monotheism stood out, such as, for example, Abd al-Muttalib. Most Arabs lived a nomadic life in their ancestral territories. There were few cities. The main ones among them are Mecca, Yathrib and Taif.

From his youth, the Prophet was distinguished by exceptional piety and piety, believing, like His grandfather, in One God. First He tended the flocks, and then He began to participate in the trading affairs of His uncle Abu Talib. He became famous, people loved Him and, as a sign of respect for his piety, honesty, justice and prudence, they bestowed the honorary nickname al-Amin (Trustworthy).

Later, He conducted the trading affairs of a wealthy widow named Khadija, who, some time later, proposed to Muhammad to marry her. Despite the age difference, they lived a happy married life with six children. And although in those days polygamy among Arabs was common. The Prophet did not take other wives while Khadija was alive.

This newfound position freed up much more time for prayer and reflection. As was his custom, Muhammad retired to the mountains surrounding Mecca and secluded himself there for a long time. Sometimes His seclusion lasted several days. He especially fell in love with the cave of Mount Hira (Jabal Nyr - Mountains of Light), majestically rising above Mecca. On one of these visits, which occurred in the year 610, something happened to Muhammad, who was about forty years old at that time, that completely changed His entire life.

In a sudden vision, the angel Gabriel (Gabriel) appeared before Him and, pointing to the words that appeared from outside, ordered Him to pronounce them. Muhammad objected, declaring that he was illiterate and therefore would not be able to read them, but the angel continued to insist, and the meaning of these words was suddenly revealed to the Prophet. He was ordered to learn them and accurately pass them on to the rest of the people. This is how the first revelation of the sayings of the Book, now known as the Koran (from Arabic “reading”), was marked.

This eventful night fell on the 27th of the month of Ramadan, and was called Laylat al-Qadr. From now on, the life of the Prophet no longer belonged to him, but was given to the care of the One who called him to the prophetic mission, and he spent the rest of his days in the service of God, proclaiming His messages everywhere.

When receiving revelations, the Prophet did not always see the angel Gabriel, and when he did, the angel did not always appear in the same guise. Sometimes the angel appeared before Him in human form, eclipsing the horizon, and sometimes the Prophet only managed to catch his gaze on Himself. At times He heard only a voice speaking to Him. Sometimes He received revelations while deeply immersed in prayer, but at other times they appeared completely “at random”, when Muhammad, for example, was busy worrying about the affairs of everyday life, or went for a walk, or simply enthusiastically listened to a meaningful conversation.

At first, the Prophet avoided public sermons, preferring personal conversations with interested people and with those who noticed extraordinary changes in Him. A special path of Muslim prayer was revealed to him, and He immediately began daily pious exercises, which invariably caused a wave of criticism from those who saw him. Having received the highest order to begin a public sermon, Muhammad was ridiculed and cursed by the people, who thoroughly mocked His statements and actions. Meanwhile, many Quraysh became seriously alarmed, realizing that Muhammad's insistence on establishing faith in the One True God could not only undermine the prestige of polytheism, but also lead to the complete decline of idolatry if people suddenly began to convert to the faith of the Prophet. Some relatives of Muhammad turned into His main opponents: humiliating and ridiculing the Prophet himself, they did not forget to do evil against converts.

The Quraysh decided to ban all trade, business, military and personal connections with the Hashim clan. Representatives of this clan were strictly forbidden to appear in Mecca. Very difficult times came, and many Muslims were doomed to severe poverty.

In 619, the Prophet's wife Khadija died. She was His most devoted supporter and helper. In the same year, Muhammad’s uncle, Abu Talib, who defended Him from the most violent attacks from his fellow tribesmen, also died. Stricken with grief, the Prophet left Mecca and went to Taif, where he tried to find refuge, but was rejected there too.

The Prophet's friends betrothed a pious widow named Sauda as his wife, who turned out to be a very worthy woman, and also a Muslim.

In 619, Muhammad had the opportunity to experience the second most important night of his life - the Night of Ascension (Laylat al-Miraj). It is known that the Prophet was awakened and carried on a magical animal to Jerusalem. Over the location of the ancient Jewish Temple on Mount Zion, the heavens opened and a path opened that led Muhammad to the throne of God, but neither he nor the angel Gabriel accompanying him was allowed to enter the beyond. That night the rules of Muslim prayer were revealed to the Prophet. They became the focus of faith and the unshakable basis of Muslim life. Muhammad also met and talked with other prophets, including Jesus (Isa), Moses (Musa) and Abraham (Ibrahim). This miraculous event greatly consoled and strengthened the Prophet, adding confidence that Allah did not abandon Him and did not leave Him alone with his sorrows.

From now on, the fate of the Prophet changed in the most decisive way. He was still persecuted and ridiculed in Mecca, but the Prophet's message had already been heard by people far beyond the city's borders. Some of the elders of Yathrib persuaded Him to leave Mecca and move to their city, where He would be received with honor as a leader and judge. Arabs and Jews lived together in this city, constantly at war with each other. They hoped that Muhammad would bring them peace. The Prophet immediately advised many of His Muslim followers to migrate to Yathrib while He remained in Mecca, so as not to arouse unnecessary suspicion. After the death of Abu Talib, the emboldened Quraish could calmly attack Muhammad, even kill him, and he understood perfectly well that this would sooner or later happen.

The Prophet's departure was accompanied by some dramatic events. Muhammad himself miraculously escaped captivity thanks to his exceptional knowledge of the local deserts. Several times the Quraysh almost captured Him, but the Prophet still managed to reach the outskirts of Yathrib. The city was eagerly awaiting him, and when Muhammad arrived in Yasrib, people rushed to meet him with offers of shelter. Confused by their hospitality, Muhammad gave the choice to his camel. The camel stopped at a place where dates were drying, and it was instantly presented to the Prophet for building a house. The city received a new name - Madinat an-Nabi (City of the Prophet), now abbreviated as Medina.

The Prophet immediately began preparing a decree according to which He was proclaimed the supreme head of all the warring tribes and clans of Medina, who were henceforth forced to obey His orders. It established that all citizens were free to practice their religion in peaceful coexistence without fear of persecution or disgrace. He asked them only for one thing - to unite and repel any enemy who dared to attack the city. The former tribal laws of the Arabs and Jews were replaced by the basic principle of "justice for all", regardless of social status, color and religion.

Becoming the ruler of a city-state and gaining untold wealth and influence. The prophet, however, never lived like a king. His dwelling consisted of simple mud houses built for His wives; He never even had his own room. Not far from the houses there was a courtyard with a well - a place that from now on became a mosque where devout Muslims gather.

Almost the entire life of the Prophet Muhammad was spent in constant prayer and in the instruction of believers. In addition to the five obligatory prayers that He conducted in the mosque, the Prophet devoted a lot of time to solitary prayer, and sometimes devoted most of the night to pious reflections. His wives performed night prayer with Him, after which they retired to their chambers, and He continued to pray for many hours, falling asleep briefly towards the end of the night, only to wake up soon for the pre-dawn prayer.

In March 628, the Prophet, who dreamed of returning to Mecca, decided to make His dream come true. He set out with 1,400 followers, completely unarmed, wearing pilgrim attire consisting of two simple white veils. However, the followers of the Prophet were denied entry into the city, despite the fact that many citizens of Mecca practiced Islam. To avoid clashes, the pilgrims made their sacrifices near Mecca, in an area called Hudaibiya.

In 629, the Prophet Muhammad began plans for the peaceful capture of Mecca. The truce concluded in the town of Hudaibiya turned out to be short-lived, and in November 629 the Meccans attacked one of the tribes that was in a friendly alliance with the Muslims. The Prophet marched on Mecca at the head of 10,000 men, the largest army to ever leave Medina. They settled near Mecca, after which the city surrendered without a fight. The Prophet Muhammad entered the city in triumph, immediately went to the Kaaba and performed a ritual circuit around it seven times. Then He entered the shrine and destroyed all the idols.

It was not until March 632 that the Prophet Muhammad made His only full-fledged pilgrimage to the shrine of the Kaaba, known as Hajat al-Wida (The Last Pilgrimage). During this pilgrimage, revelations were sent to Him about the rules of Hajj, which all Muslims follow to this day. When the Prophet reached Mount Arafat to “stand before Allah,” He proclaimed His last sermon. Even then, Muhamed was seriously ill. He continued to lead prayers in the mosque as best he could. There was no improvement in the disease, and He fell ill completely. He was 63 years old. It is known that His last words were: “I am destined for a stay in Paradise among the most worthy.” His followers found it difficult to believe that the Prophet could die like a common man, but Abu Bakr reminded them of the words of revelation spoken after the Battle of Mount Uhud:

“Muhamed is only a messenger. There are no longer any messengers who once were before him; if he dies or is killed, will you really turn back?” (Quran, 3:138).

2. The teachings of Muhammad. Koran

Muhammad was not a deeply original thinker. As the founder of a new religion, he was clearly inferior in this regard to others, such as the semi-legendary Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tzu or the very real Confucius. At first, Muhammad did not insist at all that he was creating a new teaching, advocating the recognition of a single god, somewhat akin to the Christian or Jewish, although at the same time related to the highest divine symbol of the Kaaba. He openly borrowed all the dogma of his teaching, including the prophets from Abraham to Jesus, from the Bible. It is interesting that in the first years of the spread of the young religion, Muhammad even prayed, turning his face to the holy city of Jews and Christians - Jerusalem. Only after the Jews began to openly ridicule the mistakes of the illiterate Muhammad, the prophet ordered to turn the face towards Mecca during prayer.

Having created the cult of one Allah, Muhammad called on his followers to pray to him daily, accompanying the prayer with ablution, as well as to fast and contribute zakat to the common treasury of the faithful in favor of the poor.

From their Bibles, Muhammad borrowed the idea of ​​the Last Judgment, the idea of ​​heaven and hell, Satan (Shaitan), demons (jinn) and much more. At first, he actively spoke out in support of the poor and against oppression by merchants. Muhammad in Medina. The number of Muhammad's followers in Mecca was increasing, and this was met with growing resistance from the wealthy Quraish merchants, the most influential residents of the city. The Quraish, who relied on the sanctuary and gods of the Kaaba, did not see the point in the new religion and even feared the strengthening of its supporters. The death of Khadija and Abutalib deprived Muhammad of internal support in Mecca, and in 622 the prophet, along with his few followers, went to neighboring Medina, which competes with Mecca.

Medina, hostile to the Quraysh, willingly accepted Muhammad (his mother was from Yathrib), and the presence of a large Jewish community in Medina made them more prepared to accept his teachings. Soon after Muhammad's arrival in Medina, almost the majority of the population of this city joined the ranks of the faithful. It was a huge success, almost a triumph, so the year 622, the year of migration, began to be considered the first year of the new Muslim era (Hijra in Arabic).

Muhammad transformed from a simple preacher into a political leader of a community that at first included not only Muslims. His autocracy is gradually established in Medina. The main support of Muhammad were the Muslims who came with him from Mecca - the Muhajirs and the Medina Muslims - the Ansars.

Muhammad also hoped to find religious and political support from the Jews of Yathrib; he even pointedly chose Jerusalem as the qibla. However, they refused to recognize Muhammad as the non-Jewish messiah; moreover, they ridiculed the Prophet of Allah and even came into contact with the enemies of Muhammad - the Meccans. They were joined by some other Yathribs from pagans, Jews and Christians, who initially willingly accepted Islam, but then opposed Muhammad. This internal Medina opposition is repeatedly condemned in the Qur'an under the name of "hypocrites" (munafikun).

In Medina, the first mosque, the house of Muhammad, was built, the foundations of Muslim ritual were established - the rules of prayer, ablution, fasting, the call to prayer, collections for pious needs, etc. In the sermons of Muhammad, the rules of community life began to be recorded - the principles of inheritance, division of property, marriages. Bans are announced on wine, pork and gambling.

The position of Muhammad as the messenger of Allah begins to stand out. In the “revelations” there appear demands for special respect for Muhammad; exceptions from certain prohibitions that are obligatory for others are “sent down” to him. Thus, in Medina, Muhammad formed the basic principles of religious teaching, ritual and community organization.

The Medina Muslim community developed its own charter, its own organizational forms, the first laws and regulations in the field of not only ritual and cult, but also the norms of everyday life. By developing all these laws, Muhammad noticeably deepened the differences between his teachings and the teachings of Christians and Jews, which made it possible to take a significant step towards the formation of a new religion from others, even if related to it.

This step was also facilitated by the prophet’s break with the Jewish colony in Medina, which acted in alliance with Mecca against the Muslims. Soon, almost all of southern and western Arabia submitted to the influence of the Islamic community in Medina.

The basic ideas and principles of Muhammad's doctrine are recorded in the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. According to the accepted tradition in Islam, the text of the Koran was revealed to the prophet by Allah himself through the mediation of Jabrail (the biblical Archangel Gabriel, who served as an intermediary between God and people). Allah has repeatedly conveyed his sacred commandments through various prophets - Moses, Jesus, and finally Muhammad. This is how Islamic theology explains the numerous coincidences between the texts of the Koran and the Bible: the sacred text transmitted through earlier prophets was distorted by Jews and Christians, who did not understand much in it, missed something, distorted it, therefore only in their own latest version, authorized by the great prophet Muhammad, the faithful can have the highest and indisputable divine truth.

This legend of the Koran, if purified of divine intervention, is close to the truth. The main content of the Koran is as closely related to the Bible as Islam itself is close to Judeo-Christianity. But everything is explained much more simply than Muslim theology tries to do. Muhammad himself did not read books, including the Bible. However, having entered the path of the prophet, through intermediaries he very diligently became acquainted with the content of the sacred Judeo-Christian texts, which told about the same one and omnipotent god, whom Muhammad began to worship under the name of Allah.

Processing them in his mind and skillfully combining them with the Arab national-cultural tradition, Muhammad built his first sermons on this basis, which, being then written down by his secretaries-scribes, formed the basis of the Koran. Muhammad's nervous psyche greatly contributed to the fact that in the eyes of his followers, the prophet really looked like a kind of heavenly messenger, speaking on behalf of the highest deity. His sayings, most often in the form of rhymed prose, were perceived as divine truth and it was in this capacity that they were then included in the consolidated text of the Koran.

According to one of the best experts on Arab culture, Academician I. A. Krachkovsky, who specially studied and translated the Qur'an into Russian, in the text of the Qur'an, despite the differences in the language and style of its individual chapters, one can feel a certain unity of the main content, the main idea, going back to preachings of Muhammad. Experts distinguish two main groups among the chapters (surahs) of the Koran - the Meccan one, dating back to the sermons of Muhammad, who began his prophetic journey before the Hijra, when few people recognized him as a teacher of faith, and the Medina one, based on the sayings of the already widely recognized and revered founder of Islam. The text of the Koran is abrupt and often contradictory, although within a single chapter one can feel the desire to preserve the unity of theme and plot.

Conclusion

IN modern science There is a general agreement that Muhammad actually lived and acted, uttered a significant part of the words that make up the Koran, and founded the Muslim community, first in Mecca, then in Yathrib. In the biography of Muhammad (sira), in legends about his words and deeds (hadith), in commentaries to the Koran (tafsir), etc. Along with historically reliable information, there are many later additions, speculations and legends. All together they make up the biography of the Prophet known to all Muslims. Islam, in principle, does not endow Muhammad with any supernatural traits. The Koran repeatedly emphasizes that he is a person like everyone else.

However, a cycle of legends about miracles gradually arose around his figure. Some of them develop allusions from the Qur'an, such as the legend that angels cut the young Muhammad's chest and washed his heart, or the legend of his night journey on the magical animal al-Buraq to Jerusalem and subsequent ascension to heaven. A number of legends have developed about the miracles performed by Muhammad - in his presence a milking sheep gives milk, a small amount of food is enough for many people, etc. In general, however, there is relatively little such material in the legends about Muhammad.

List of used literature

1. Vasiliev S. History of Eastern religions. - M.: graduate School, 2002. - 304 p.
2. Grundman V., Ellert G. Jesus of Nazareth, Muhammad - the prophet of Allah. - M.: Phoenix, 2004. - 743 p.
3. Fundamentals of Religious Studies. / Edited by I. N. Yakovlev. - M.: Higher School, 2004. P. 302..

Muhammad was born around 570 in Mecca, a city of merchants and pagan sanctuaries. Mecca lay in the middle of the Hejaz on the trade route to Syria. As the Arabs believed, Mecca arose approximately in the place where Hagar and her son once got lost. The Meccans lived on the income from trade, bringing Yemenite and Indian goods to Syria and Palestine. The main pagan sanctuary in Hijaz was located in Mecca, in which there were 360 ​​idols.

Muhammad was orphaned very early and was raised by his relatives. When Muhammad was a child, legend says, omens already pointed to his great future.

One day, frightened and trembling children, Muhammad’s playmates, came running to the nurse of the future prophet. They reported that someone radiant and huge approached Muhammad, opened his chest, took something out of his chest and threw it on the ground. This unknown person then washed the wound with water and healed it. The nurse got scared and ran to look for Muhammad. She found Muhammad lying in the field, he was pale, and there was a purple scar on his chest. It was the head of the angels, Gabriel (Jabrail in Arabic), who purified the soul of Muhammad.

When Muhammad grew up, he for a long time He was poor, worked for pennies for rich merchants and for his relatives. At the age of 25, Muhammad married a rich woman named Khadija and began to manage her trading affairs. Khadija turns into Muhammad's closest friend and like-minded person. The prophet experienced the death of Khadija painfully. The Meccans treated Muhammad with respect; he was known as a fair and kind man.

Every year Muhammad retired to mountain caves near Mecca. There he fasted and indulged in pious thoughts. And then one day, in 610, Muhammad fell asleep in a cave, and Gabriel visited him in a dream. He ordered him: “Read,” and then said several phrases, forcing Muhammad to repeat them. Thus Muhammad was called to prophesy. Since then, Muhammad has received revelations from above, that is, instructions in a new religion, and preaches them to the people.

At first, Muhammad had very few followers. He only revealed himself to close relatives and friends. But now he decides to inform all the inhabitants of Mecca about the new religion. The Meccans were very indignant when they heard Muhammad's call to turn away from pagan gods and believe in One God. They considered him an apostate who had betrayed the faith of his grandfathers, and oppressed his family and associates in every possible way. The very life of the prophet was under threat. Muhammad was fully convinced of the truth of the saying: “There is no prophet in his own country.” Then Muhammad and a handful of his followers left Mecca and traveled north to the city of Yathrib. Yathrib was the closest trading city to Mecca, inhabited by Arabs and Jews.

The Arabs call this event hajra (migration). The countdown of the Muslim era begins from the year of migration (622).

In Yathrib, Muhammad was received well. The Jews who lived there understood the meaning of the prophet's sermon, as did the Yathrib Arabs, who had previously heard from them about the One God. The authority of the prophet grew so much that people renamed Yathrib “City of the Prophet” or simply “City”, in Arabic - Medina. In Medina, Muhammad built the first mosque and determined the order of Muslim worship. He becomes the ruler of Medina and begins a war with the Meccans, among whom a split quickly occurred. Most of them demanded that the city rulers surrender to the prophet. The noble people of the city, seeing the mood of the townspeople, gave up Mecca without a fight. Muhammad, having entered the city, first of all cleared the main Meccan sanctuary, called the Kaaba (translated from Arabic as “Cube”), from idols. The Kaaba became a sacred place for all Muslims.

The Kaaba is recognized by Muslims as the main temple also because, according to Arab legend, the Kaaba was built by Abraham himself, visiting his son Ishmael. Since Abraham professed monotheism, he dedicated the Kaaba to the One God. Later, according to Muslims, people desecrated the temple with paganism.

The Kaaba is located in the center of the main Muslim mosque, called al-Haram (“Holy”), and is a cubic stone building, the height of a five-story building. Inside the Kaaba is kept the “black stone,” which, according to legend, God gave to Adam, the first man on earth.

Arabian cities and nomadic tribes one after another joined Muhammad, but soon, in 632, Muhammad died.

The holy book of Muslims is the Koran. It records the revelations Muhammad received from God, which are summarized in chapters (suras) in the Koran. Islam translated from Arabic means a special action of a person in relation to God, namely, “surrendering oneself” to God. Surrendering oneself to God means believing in the One God and voluntarily agreeing to follow His will, which is the kindest and fairest instruction for a person. A Muslim (the words “Islam” and “Muslim” have the same root) is a person who has “surrendered himself” to God. According to Muslims, the first man Adam was the first to “surrender to God.” But the faith of Adam's descendants weakened over time, and they fell into paganism. Then God chose the prophet Abraham to preach monotheism. Abraham converted his people to the true faith. To remind people about monotheism, God sent the Jewish prophet Moses, and then Jesus Christ.

Muhammad's sermon also called for people to believe in the True God and abandon the worship of natural forces. Muhammad's words were primarily addressed to the pagans - Arabs, Persians, etc. Muhammad warned people about the coming Last Judgment, which would occur at the end of time, and in which everyone would receive reward from God for the good and evil committed during life. Muhammad said that the teaching he preached did not contradict true Judaism and Christianity, but confirmed them.

Muhammad respected the Mother of God, the Mother of Christ. When Muslims entered Mecca and began to destroy the idols in the Kaaba, one warrior wanted to wash away the wall image of the Virgin Mary with Christ with water. Muhammad forbade him to do this, covering the faces of the Virgin and Child with his palms.

The beliefs of Christians, Jews and Muslims are similar in many ways. And the main thing is that the followers of all three religions worship the One Deity, while the differences relate primarily to the ways in which (rites, dogmas, way of life) the faith of Christians, Jews and Muslims in the One God is manifested.

Having founded a new religion, Muhammad spread monotheism among many pagan tribes and peoples, which was the reason for the rapid cultural rise over vast areas from Atlantic Ocean to the Chinese borders. Muhammad was not only a religious teacher, but also a skilled politician. It took Christianity more than three centuries to transform from a small religious community into a state religion and become the basis of the lives of millions of people. Muhammad managed to accomplish a similar transformation in the last ten years of his life. Having begun as a prophet persecuted by everyone, he ended his life as the sovereign of a Muslim power.

When Ishmael, the son of Abraham, God bless them! - settled in Mecca and numerous offspring were born to him there, so that they filled Mecca... Mecca became too close for them, and clashes and enmity began between them, and some of them expelled others. And they dispersed throughout the country in search of food.

What led them to worshiping idols and stones was the fact that no one left Mecca without taking a stone with them from the Sanctuary ( This refers to the sanctuary of the Kaaba.) because of reverence for this Sanctuary and affection for Mecca. And wherever they settled, they placed this stone and walked around it, as they walked around the Kaaba, wanting to gain her mercy and out of affection and love for the Sanctuary.

From Surah Maryam, which tells about the Virgin Mary (Maryam) and Jesus Christ (Isa). The text is divided into verses (signs), each of which begins on a new line.

And remember Mary in scripture. So she moved away from her family to an eastern place.

And she made a veil for herself before them. We sent Our Spirit to her, and he took on the appearance of a perfect man before her ( This refers to the angel Gabriel.).

She said: “I seek protection from you from the Merciful, if you fear God.”

He said: “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you a pure boy.”

She said, “How can I have a boy? No man touched me, and I was not a whore.”

He said: “This is what your Lord said: “This is easy for Me. And We will make it a sign for people and Our mercy.” This matter is settled."

And she carried him and went with him to a distant place.

And her torment led her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: “Oh, if only I had died before this and been forgotten, forgotten.”

And he called ( Baby Jesus.) to her: “Do not be sad: your Lord has made a stream under you.”

And shake the trunk of the palm tree above you, it will drop fresh, ripe (fruits) to you.

Eat, drink, and cool your eyes! And if you see one of the people, then say: “I have made a vow of fasting to the Merciful and I will not speak to a person today.”

She came with him to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary, you have done an unheard of thing!

O sister of Aaron ( Sister of Aaron is an expression indicating that the Virgin Mary belongs to the people of Israel, the same as “daughter of the Israeli people.” Aaron - older brother of the Hebrew prophet Moses), your father was not a bad person, and your mother was not a harlot.”

And she pointed at him. They said, “How can we talk to a child in a cradle?”

He said: “I am a servant of God, he gave me the Scripture and made me a prophet.

And he made me blessed wherever I was, and commanded me prayer and alms while I live, and kindness to my mother, and did not make me an oppressor, unhappy.

And peace be with me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am resurrected alive!”

This is Jesus, the son of Mary, according to the Word of Truth,( This refers to God) which they doubt...

Hadiths are the statements of the prophet, his remarks on this or that matter, and his teachings to his followers. If the Koranic revelations are considered by Muslims to be the speech of God himself, then hadiths are only the opinion of a person, although extremely authoritative and weighty.

1. Anyone whom prayer does not restrain from bad deeds has fallen far from God.

2. Contentment with little is inexhaustible wealth.

3. Heaven is under the feet of mothers.

4. Shame comes from faith.

5. Dry eyes are a sign of a hard heart.

6. The best among you are those who call you to good.

7. This is a great betrayal if you told your brother something, and he (believing) confirmed what you said, and you lied to him.

8. In order to turn out to be a liar, it is enough to repeat everything that you heard.

9. In order to turn out to be ignorant, it is enough to say everything you know.

10. Friendliness towards people is half the mind.

11. Asking well is half knowing.

12. Seek knowledge even in China; the pursuit of knowledge is the duty of every Muslim man and woman.

13. Teacher and student are friends for good.

14. Anyone who died defending his property is a holy martyr.

15. The property of a Muslim is the blood of a Muslim.

16. Poverty is the threshold of unbelief, and envy is such that it changes a person’s destiny.

© Sadra LLC, 2016

Introduction

Arabia, which was also called the “scorched earth,” was hot deserts, endless sandy valleys and hills. Arabia is a waterless land, a land where nothing grew except desert thorns, which they called “vegetation.” The dwellings of the Arabs, if they could be called dwellings, were more like crypts in which creatures called “people” swarmed and spent their meager lives, feeding on dates and stale water.

Wars and civil strife were commonplace in the public life of that time. Mecca was a temple of idols. Its inhabitants were traders and moneylenders who bought human souls for dirhams and dinars.

The tribal way of life and cattle breeding, coupled with the cruel oppression of the dispossessed, were an integral part of social order Arabia. The spiritual crisis that arose in Arabia was only part of that global spiritual crisis, one of the evidences of which was the strengthening of oppression, which destroyed the peace and social order in society.

A group of rich people and moneylenders engaged in trade in Mecca acquired enormous wealth through illegal means, exploiting the lower strata of society. Usury and harsh exploitation only contributed to increasing contradictions and intensifying the spiritual impoverishment of the population.

The Arab tribes, due to their ignorance, worshiped natural phenomena or idols. The Kaaba was turned into a pagan temple 1
“Nahj al-balagha”, Allame Khoi, volume 2, page 173; "Tarikh jamei adyan", trans. Ali Askar Hikmat, page 479.

Undecent customs and the very way of life destroyed the greatness of an entire nation. The depravity of the Arabs before the Islamic period led to a situation about which history says: “Its fruits were moral corruption and crime, its food was carrion, its slogan was fear, its logic was the sword...”

According to their customs, the Arabs recognized as more worthy and preferable in communication only those who came from Arabs, in whom Arab blood flowed. In other words, in the era of original ignorance (jahiliyya) 2
If you are interested in the topic of ignorance modern world, then read the Persian translation of the book “Jahiliyyat al-Qarn al-Ishrin” written by Muhammad Qutb.

Nationalism, well known to the 20th century, was the cult of pre-Islamic Arabia. Each tribe was proud of the fact that it possessed certain qualities, considering this a distinctive criterion for itself.

Raids, robberies, barbarism, oppression, aggression, and treachery characterized the priorities of the Arabs of that time.

They regarded murder as a manifestation of true valor and courage!..

A daughter in a family meant shame, and often humiliating extreme poverty forced an Arab to abandon the child, killing or burying an innocent child alive in a grave. When the pagan Arab was announced about the birth of his daughter, his face turned black with indignation. The father secluded himself and kept thinking about what to do with the baby: accept the shame, leaving him, or bury him alive in the ground and “thus not tarnish his dignity, because sometimes the presence of even one girl in the family was considered reprehensible.” 3
Taken from Holy Quran, 16:58–59; 17:31. Tafsir Al-Mizan, Volume 12, Page 294 was also used.

Thus, based on the above, it follows that the Arab people lived in a deep quagmire of depravity and spiritual decline. The Arabs turned into ferocious people and robbers. They, like many other peoples of the world, followed superstitions, invented legends, which served as the basis of their “religion.”

It is quite obvious that a thorough transformation of such a society was necessary. But this movement of revival had to be led by a divine man, guided by the Almighty himself, since only in this case could mistakes and miscalculations be avoided. On the path to achieving the improvement of society, such a person will not be guided by greed. While destroying his personal opponents, he will not pursue his own interests, doing this under the guise of “filtering” elements that disobey him. On the contrary, such a person will try to change these people into better side. He will follow the path of Allah and work for the good of the people. For one thing is clear: a leader devoid of moral and ethical qualities is not able to correct society and lead it to salvation. This is given exclusively to divine leaders. It is with the help of inspiration from above that they are able to deeply and comprehensively transform individual and social aspects of human life.

And now it’s time to look at the new world leader, his personality and the changes he brought with him...

Birth and childhood of His Lordship Muhammad (S) 4
Short form - may Allah bless him and his family.

Mecca was plunged into darkness and the heavy stupor of night. There were no traces of life or manifestations of any activity. Only high in the sky the moon slowly rose from behind the mountains, shedding its dim light on simple houses among the sands.

After midnight, an intoxicating breeze swept over the hot lands of the Hijaz, preparing them for a short rest. At the same time, the stars joined in this simple celebration of the night, giving it brilliance, splendor and modest animation. They looked down and smiled at the sleeping people of Mecca.

As soon as dawn broke, the singing of birds awakening early in the morning was heard in that heavenly air, as if pouring out their souls.

Morning came, but still a vague silence reigned in the city. Everyone was immersed in sleep, and only Amina was awake. She felt the pain she had been waiting for... Little by little the pain intensified... Suddenly, she noticed in her room several unfamiliar and radiant women, from whom a fragrance emanated. The woman in labor was amazed. Who are they? How did you get through the closed doors?! 5
"Bihar al-Anwar", volume 15, page 325.

A little time passed, and a baby dear to Amina’s heart was born. After long months of waiting early morning On the seventeenth of Rabbi'al-Awwal, her eyes lit up with a miracle - the birth of a child.

Everyone was happy about the appearance of little Muhammad (C). But at the same time, as the baby illuminated Amina’s lonely bedchamber, she was not next to her young spouse Abdullah. For fate so happened that, returning from a trip to Syria, he died in Medina and was buried there, leaving Amina forever 6
“Kamil at-tawarikh”, p. 10; "Tabakat", volume 1, p. 61; "Bihar al-Anwar", volume 15, page 125.

Muhammad (S) – an extraordinary baby

The birth of the Prophet Muhammad (C) was accompanied by a number of unusual phenomena, which were observed in the sky and on the ground. In particular, they were discovered in the East, considered at that time the cradle of civilization.

Since this baby was born to save nations from depravity, spiritual decline and corruption and to lay a new foundation for the progress and prosperity of mankind, already at the time of the birth of Muhammad (C), events occurred in the world that prompted man to wake up from the sleep of ignorance and oblivion.

The palace of Anushirvan, filled with greatness, was in the eyes of people a symbol of eternal power and authority. But that night the castle shook and fourteen battlements of its wall collapsed 7
"Bihar al-Anwar", volume 15, page 257.

Suddenly the fire went out in the Zoroastrian temple of Fars, the flame of which had been burning for a thousand years... 8
Ibid., pp. 258–263.

Halima - nurse of Muhammad (S)

In the old days, it was a common custom among the Arabs to give newborn children to be raised by a wet nurse living in the vicinity of the city, since in this case the child not only grows up on clean and fresh air desert, but also studies the best, authentic Arabic dialect that could only be found in the desert expanses of Arabia 9
Siree Halbiye”, volume 1, page 99.

So, following this ancient custom and in view of the fact that Amina had no milk, Abd al-Mutallib, the grandfather and guarantor of Muhammad (C), intends to hire for his beloved grandson (the only reminder of his son Abdullah) the venerable and reliable woman who would take care of him. After preliminary searches, he chooses Halima from the Bani Sa'd tribe, which was famous among the Arabs for its valor and eloquence, as a wet nurse. Halima was one of the most chaste and noble women of her time. She returned with Muhammad (C) to her native tribe and took care of him as if she were her own child.

It should be noted that the people of the Bani Sa'd tribe experienced drought for a long time. The arid desert expanses and the sky devoid of moisture were the reason for the aggravation of their sad, plight. But from the day Muhammad (C) came to Halima's house, grace descended on her: life, which had been spent in poverty, now began to improve, and the pale faces of the woman and her children acquired freshness, Halima's breast, which had little milk, became full . The pastures of those regions where herds of sheep and camels usually grazed were covered with greenery. But before Muhammad (C), this tribe was going through difficult times!

Compared to other children, Muhammad (C) grew faster, was the fastest in running, and also spoke well. Happiness and prosperity accompanied him, which was immediately understood by the people around him. Haris, Halima’s husband, even once said to her: “Do you know what kind of blessed child fate has given us?.. 10
"Sira", Ibn Hisham, volume 1, page 159.

Muhammad (S) in the whirlpool of events

When Muhammad (C) was six years old, his mother Amina, taking him with her, left Mecca and headed to Medina to see her relatives. There is also a version that she went to visit the grave of her husband Abdullah. But she was not destined to return. Amina died on the way back and was buried in a place called Abva 11
Ibid., p. 168.

Thus, Muhammad (C) loses his parents at an age when every child needs fatherly love and motherly affection more than ever.

Image of Muhammad (C)

Just as the birth of the Prophet of Islam (S) and the events following it were amazing and spoke of his extraordinary personality, his lordship's speech and behavior as a child distinguished him from his peers, so much so that even his grandfather Abd al-Mutallib appreciated it and showed him the deepest respect 12
"Bihar al-Anwar", volume 15, pp. 382, ​​402, 366.

The Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, said: “I never saw Muhammad lie or commit obscene and rash acts, nor heard any inappropriate laughter or useless conversations. He spent most of his time alone." 13
Right there.

Muhammad (C) was seven years old when this happened amazing case. One day the Jews cooked a stolen chicken and sent it to Abu Talib. Everyone tasted this meat, and only Muhammad (C) did not touch it. When the others wanted to know the reason, he replied: “Meat was forbidden, but God protects me from everything forbidden...”

Another time, Jewish rabbis took a chicken from their neighbors, promising to pay after. But the Prophet (C) still did not touch the meat, saying that he doubted the permissibility of this food.

Then the Jews confirmed: “This child has great superiority.” 14
Ibid., p. 336.

Several cases from childhood and adolescence

The childhood of the Prophet Muhammad (C), accompanied by the bitterness of orphanhood, passed under the tutelage of his generous grandfather Adb al-Mutallib and affectionate uncle Abu Talib. As if these years, when any sadness tormented his subtle soul, were a necessary condition for further formation great personality Prophet (C). The orphan, who was destined to become a Messenger and benefactor, had to know all the sorrows and suffering from childhood; he needed to have firmness and fortitude in order to bear the difficult burden of the divine message. Despite the fact that the future Prophet (C) was deprived of the kindness of his mother and the tender love of his father, he was not abandoned. Abu Talib, in accordance with the will of his brother, as well as at the urgent request of his father, Abd al-Mutallib, took Muhammad (C) under his care and protection. In fact, the nephew replaced Abu Talib's son and was the memory of his brother Abdullah and his father Abd al-Mutallib. Abu Talib was to Muhammad (C) an affectionate father, a devoted uncle and a compassionate and sympathetic guardian. Uncle and nephew were so attached to each other that it seemed that their lives were intertwined with an inextricable thread. Because of his great affection, Abu Talib never parted with Muhammad (C) and even took him with him to such large bazaars as Akkaz, Majanna, Zil Majaz. When Abu Talib left Mecca to trade in Syria, he, unable to withstand separation, took him with him on the road. Sitting on a camel, Muhammad (C) covered the long journey to Syria... 15
Sira", Ibn Hisham, volume 1, page 180.

Meeting of Muhammad (S) with the monk Bahira

On the day when the Quraish caravan approached the city of Busra 16
A small town in Syria.

A certain monk named Bakhira, leading a hermit life, was in his cell. Suddenly he noticed a caravan in the distance and a cloud that followed it and protected the travelers from the scorching rays of the sun.

Bakhira left his cell and ordered his servant: “Go and tell those people that today they are our guests.”

Everyone came except Muhammad (C), who remained to guard the things. Seeing that the cloud remained over the camels, Bahira asked: “Are all the travelers present here?” “Yes, except for one boy,” came the answer.

The monk asked for the boy to be brought, and when he came, the cloud also followed him. Bahira looked at Muhammad (C) very carefully and then said to him: “I will ask you for the sake of Lat and Uzza.” 17
The most revered idols of the Meccan pagans.

“Don’t ask me anything for the sake of Lat and Uzza.” I swear by Allah, I hate nothing more than the two of them.

“Answer me then for the sake of Allah.”

- Ask.

After a short conversation with Muhammad (C), the monk fell to his feet and hands and, kissing them, said: “If it is given to me to live in your time (the time of your prophecy), then I will be one of the first to fight your enemies. Truly, you are a great man..."

Then Bakhira asked who this child belonged to. They pointed him to Abu Talib, saying that he was his father.

“This boy should not have a living father,” Bakhira objected.

“He is my brother’s son,” admitted Abu Talib.

Then Bakhira turned to him:

“This boy has a great future ahead of him.” But if the Jews see him and know what I know, they will try to kill him. Keep him away from them!

– But what does he have to do, and what do the Jews have to do with this? – asked Abu Talib.

- He will be a Prophet. The Angel of Revelation will descend to him. God will not leave him alone! 18
Bihar al-Anwar”, volume 15, pp. 193–204.

Shepherding

Despite the fact that Abu Talib was one of the noble Quraysh, there was still not enough money for the heavy expenses of his family. Muhammad (C), having reached maturity, was inclined to take up the matter and thereby help Abu Talib.

But what profession should he choose so that it corresponds to his spiritual world?

In view of the fact that Muhammad (C) was to become a great Prophet and a noble leader, and also to face the stubborn and unbridled Arabs, to fight the fanatical Jews and the wrong traditions of the era of ignorance, to lay the foundations of an exalted palace of justice and to bring happiness and prosperity to the world, he prefers shepherding.

Muhammad (C) grazed the cattle of his relatives and Meccans in the steppes located in the vicinity of the city of Mecca. He gave the money he received for his work to his uncle. In addition, deserted spaces, remote from the bustle of the world, were a good opportunity to move away from a society mired in depravity and ignorance.

Moral purity of Muhammad (S)

At a time when previously hidden natural instincts and abilities are manifested and formed in a person, children enter a new stage - unpredictable and tremulous. They see themselves in another world. In this very important point in the life of a young man it is necessary to keep and balance his momentary desires and spiritual aspirations. Various types of deviations, depravity and depravity, can engulf youth and cast them into a terrible abyss of misfortune.

Muhammad (S) lived in a society whose atmosphere was polluted with immorality. Not only the youth, but also the elderly people of Hijaz, in an obscene and shameful manner, inclined towards debauchery and sexual perversion. In every alley, a black flag fluttered over some of the houses - a sign of depravity, inviting similar depraved people.

So, Muhammad (C) spent his childhood and youth in such low society. However, having not created a family until he was twenty-five, he still did not fall under the negative influence of his environment. During this period of the life of the great Prophet Muhammad (S), even the slightest indecent act cannot be traced to him. In any case, the Prophet (S), unlike the others, achieved perfection in all moral qualities and morals: in generosity, kindness, nobility, patience and endurance, honesty, reliability, good neighborliness and distance from vices. In this regard, even before the prophetic mission, he was called “Muhammad Amin”, which translates as “faithful and trustworthy man” 19
"Sira", Ibn Hisham, volume 1, page 183.

Both friends and enemies agree with this and highlight his high spiritual qualities.

Panegyric works written by poets during the marriage of the Prophet (S) to Saint Khadija (A) 20
Short form - peace be upon her.

They remind him of his most beautiful qualities, such as chastity. Addressing Khadija, the poet says: “...Oh, Khadija (A)! Among the people of the whole world, you have reached the highest level, you alone have received this honor.” (i.e. you are the only woman who was awarded the honor of marriage with Muhammad (C)) 21
"Bihar al-Anwar", volume 16, page 74.

Another poet in his poems expresses himself as follows: “If you compare Ahmad (C) with all creations, he will surpass them. Indeed, his virtues are clear to the Quraish." 22
Ibid., page 75.

Marriage

According to legend, Saint Khadija (A) was the first woman to convert to Islam. On her father's and mother's side she belonged to the Quraish tribe.

Khadija's father is Khuwaylid ibn Assad, mother is Fatima bint Za'd ibn Assam. Thus, the pedigree of Saint Khadija (A), the Mother of the Faithful on both the paternal and maternal lines, goes back to a noble Arab family.

Khadija (A) had a pure soul and received a religious upbringing. Even before the emergence of Islam, she was known under the name “Tahira”, which means “pure, immaculate,” and was considered the best woman tribe of Quraish.

There is a version that before becoming the wife of the Prophet (S), Her Grace Khadija (A) was married and had children, but biographers hardly mention them. The reason for this omission is that in their books they begin by describing life path Khadija only from the time she received the honor of becoming the wife of the Prophet (S).

After the death of her husband, Khadija (A) did not marry, although representatives of the most noble Quraish tribes wooed her. By the grace of Allah, she was honored to become the wife of the Messenger of God and the great Prophet (S). Khadija (A) was his first wife and his life partner for 25 years.

Being rich woman, she annually equipped a trade caravan, which was equal in number to all the Quraish caravans combined. She hired people to conduct the trade affairs of the caravan. The news of the nobility of Muhammad (C) spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Khadija (A) decided to invite him to conduct her trading affairs.

One day Khadija (A) shared her secret with her friend Nafisa, sister of Yali ibn Umayya. She wanted her friend to talk to Muhammad (C) about a sensitive topic.

Ibn Sa'd narrates from the words of Nafisa: “Khadija (A) - the daughter of Khuwaylid ibn Abdulaz ibn Kasa - was a very intelligent, practical, rich woman and superior in noble origin to all the Quraish. And all her relatives sent matchmakers to her, since if she agreed, a large fortune could go to them. When a trade caravan led by the honest and trustworthy Muhammad (C) returned from Syria, Khadija (A) called me to her and said: “I have chosen you for a serious matter.” To which I replied: “I belong to you to the tips of my fingers and am always at your service.” Khadija (A) said: “Talk about me to Muhammad (C).” I went to Muhammad ibn Abdullah (C) and asked him: “Why don’t you choose a wife for yourself?” He apologized and said that he did not have sufficient funds to start a family, to which I replied: “What will you do if I point you to a woman who has beauty, wealth and is equal to you in origin?”

- Who are you speaking about?

– About Khadija (A).

After this incident, a little time passed, and Muhammad (C), along with his uncle Hamza, went to make a match. Addressing Khadija's uncle Amr ibn Asad ibn Abdulazi Al-Fakhri, Hamza said: "Muhammad (C) is superior to all the young men of the Quraish tribe in his nobility, honor, merit and intelligence, and he wishes to marry Khadija..."

So, a wedding took place, the witnesses and participants of which were all the Quraish nobility.

The Prophet (S) spoke about Khadija (A): “I swear to God, I did not have a better wife than Khadija. In those days when everyone was an infidel, she was the first to accept Islam, when everyone rejected me, she believed me. She did not spare her property for me..."

The Great Prophet of Islam (S), even after the death of Khadija (A), always remembered her with warmth.

From the story of Ibn Abbas: “One day the Prophet drew four lines on the ground and said: “Do you know what these lines mean?” They answered: “God and His Messenger know more than us.” To which the Prophet (S) said: “These are the best of the women of paradise: Khadija (A), daughter of Khuwaylid, Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, Maryam, mother of Jesus, and Asiya, daughter of Mazahem.”

In the first years of the prophetic mission, the Quraysh put a lot of pressure on the Prophet of Islam (S), and he was forced to move and live with his relatives and associates in the Sha’b Abu Talib mountain gorge. Khadija (A) followed him and was always with the Prophet during those difficult years.

Historians write: “The Prophet and Khadija (A) lost all their wealth. But faith in the Almighty gave them the strength to endure hunger, persecution and all the difficulties that they had to face. All this affected her health. Khadija (A) became very weak and soon after returning to Mecca, without recovering, she left this mortal world.”

In the same year, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, also died, and since the Prophet (S) lost his closest and dearest people who were his reliable support in life, in history this year was called the year of “sorrow and sorrow.”

Question answer

Why do the Arabs, especially the Quraish, deserve more love Muslims than other nations?

The Arabs were chosen by the Almighty to spread Islam. Allah has sent down the last thing to humanity Holy Bible– Koran – on Arabic. And from the Arabs He singled out the Quraish, choosing Muhammad (ﷺ) as Prophet from this family. This is also stated in the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). And since the Prophet (ﷺ) was an Arab, the Quran was revealed in Arabic and the language of the inhabitants of Paradise is Arabic.

Which significant events preceded the birth of the Prophet (ﷺ )?

On the night when our Prophet (ﷺ) was born, a new star. All the idols that were in the Kaaba crumbled; the fire which the unbelievers worshiped and which had not been extinguished for a thousand years went out; Lake Sava, which the unbelievers worshiped, dried up. From that night, the priests stopped receiving messages from heaven that the genies brought them; the walls of the palace of the Persian Shah (Kisra) cracked and 14 balconies fell; the troops of the ruler of Yemen, Abraha, who was going to destroy the Kaaba, taking war elephants with him, were destroyed by the Almighty, etc.

List some of the signs and wonders that happened during the time when the Prophet's mother (ﷺ) was pregnant with him.

On the night when Amina, having become pregnant, was chosen by Allah to become the mother of the Lord of all people and communities, the animals of the Quraysh began to speak, testifying that Amina was carrying in her womb the future Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The thrones of many kings and rulers turned over, their idols crumbled.

After long droughts and crop failures, the land flourished again. Amina was informed in a dream that she was pregnant and was carrying under her heart the Lord of all worlds and best creation Almighty. She did not feel any pain or heaviness during childbirth.

During her pregnancy, Amina noticed how birds surrounded her respectfully out of respect for the one she carried in her womb. And when she approached the well to draw water, the water itself rose to the top as a sign of respect for the greatness of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When she told her husband Abdullah about all this, he said that the reason for this was the greatness of their unborn child. Amina recalled that she heard the praise (tasbih) of the angels in his honor.

Where did the angels take the Prophet (ﷺ ) immediately after his birth?

Immediately after the birth of Muhammad (ﷺ), the angel Gabriel, at the command of Allah, raised him above the earth from east to west and conveyed to all people and jinn on earth and in heaven the news of the birth of the Prophet (ﷺ). The entire Universe was shown to him. All this did not last more than an hour, and Muhammad (ﷺ) was returned to his home (Said-afandi, “Kisasul anbiya”, vol. 2, p. 111).

What did they do with the Prophet (ﷺ ) three angels immediately after his birth?

When the Prophet (ﷺ) was born, three angels appeared to prepare him before ascending to heaven. One angel had a silver jug ​​with the scent of musk, another had a golden cup, and the third had folded silk, white as snow.

First, the angels, pouring water from a jug, washed the body of the Prophet (ﷺ) seven times. They placed him in a bowl and washed his head and feet, after which he was perfumed with beautiful incense, and his eyes were outlined with antimony. Then the angel Rizvan placed the seal of the prophecy, which was wrapped in silk, between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (ﷺ) (Said Afandi, “Kisasul anbiya”, vol. 2, pp. 113–114).

What is the wisdom of cutting the chest of the Prophet by angels (ﷺ )?

The heart of the Prophet (ﷺ) was washed several times. As a child, the heart of the Prophet (ﷺ) was washed in order to protect it from Satan. Before being entrusted with the messenger mission, his heart was washed again so that he could accept the revelation (vahyu) in its most perfect, pure form. On the night of his ascension, he was washed in preparation for dialogue with Allah. (Read more about this in Muhammad al-Alawi’s book “Muhammad al-insanul-kamil”.)

Who gave it to the Prophet and why (ﷺ) name Muhammad?

Immediately after giving birth, the mother of the Prophet (ﷺ) sent news of the birth of the child to his grandfather Abdul Muttalib. He was very happy and named the newborn Muhammad (ﷺ). This name was not widely known among the Arabs. But it was mentioned in the heavenly scriptures (in the Torah, in the Gospel, etc.), and Allah Almighty inspired Abdulmuttalib to name the child the name Muhammad (ﷺ), fulfilling His predestination (“Nurul-Yakin”, p. 10).