Muhammad when he was born and died. Brief biography of the Prophet Muhammad
Prophet Muhammad (Mohammed), the founder of Islam, was born in Mecca around 570 (according to some versions - April 20 or 22, 571). Muhammad's father died shortly before his birth, and when the boy was 6 years old, he lost his mother. Two years later, Muhammad's grandfather, who cared for him like a father, died. Young Muhammad was raised by his uncle Abu Talib.
At the age of 12, Muhammad and his uncle went to Syria on trade business, and plunged into the atmosphere of spiritual quest associated with Judaism, Christianity, and other religions.
Prophet Muhammad" >
Muhammad was a camel driver and then a merchant. When he turned 21, he received a position as a clerk for the wealthy widow Khadija. While engaged in Khadija's trading affairs, he visited many places and everywhere showed interest in local customs and beliefs. At the age of 25 he married his mistress. The marriage was happy.
But Muhammad was drawn to spiritual quests. He went into deserted gorges and, alone, plunged into deep contemplation. In 610, in a cave on Mount Hira, Muhammad saw the luminous figure of God, who ordered him to remember the text of the revelation and called him “Messenger of Allah.”
Having begun to preach among his loved ones, Muhammad gradually expanded his circle of adherents. He called on his fellow tribesmen to monotheism, to a righteous life, to observance of the commandments in preparation for the coming divine judgment, and spoke about the omnipotence of Allah, who created man and all living and nonliving things on earth.
He perceived his mission as an order from Allah, and called biblical characters his predecessors: Musa (Moses), Yusuf (Joseph), Zakaria (Zechariah), Isa (Jesus). A special place in the sermons was given to Ibrahim (Abraham), who was recognized as the forefather of Arabs and Jews, and the first to preach monotheism. Muhammad stated that his mission was to restore the faith of Abraham.
The Mecca aristocracy saw his preaching as a threat to their power and organized a conspiracy against Muhammad. Having learned about this, the prophet's companions persuaded him to leave Mecca and move to the city of Yathrib (Medina) in 632. Some of his associates had already settled there. It was in Medina that the first Muslim community formed, strong enough to attack caravans coming from Mecca. These actions were perceived as punishment for the Meccans for the expulsion of Muhammad and his companions, and the funds received went to the needs of the community.
Subsequently, the ancient pagan sanctuary of the Kaaba in Mecca was declared a Muslim shrine, and from that time on, Muslims began to pray, turning their gaze to Mecca. The inhabitants of Mecca itself did not accept the new faith for a long time, but Muhammad managed to convince them that Mecca would retain its status as a major commercial and religious center.
Shortly before his death, the prophet visited Mecca, where he broke all the pagan idols that stood around the Kaaba.
Muslims around the world celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. According to tradition, it takes place in prayers and religious readings; it is also customary to invite guests to the house and give gifts to children.
Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) around 570 AD. e., in the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. Muhammad's father, Abdallah, died before the birth of his Son, and Muhammad'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. He first tended flocks and then became involved 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 business 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 for himself 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 retired there for a long time. Sometimes His seclusion lasted several days. He especially fell in love with the cave of Mount Hira (JabalHyp - 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, saying 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 Leilatal-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 daily 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 public preaching, 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 mockery and abuse of those who accepted a new faith. Two large groups of early Muslims, seeking refuge, moved to Abyssinia, where the Christian negus (king), very impressed by their teachings 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. 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. 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 family of Muhammad 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. 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, Muhammad 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:
“Muhammad is only a messenger. There are no longer the messengers who once were before him;
If he also dies or is killed, will you really turn back?" (Quran, 3:138).
Muslims around the world celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. According to tradition, it takes place in prayers and religious readings; it is also customary to invite guests to the house and give gifts to children.
Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) around 570 AD. e., in the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. Muhammad's father, Abdallah, died before the birth of his Son, and Muhammad'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. He first tended flocks and then became involved 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 business 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 for himself 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 retired there for a long time. Sometimes His seclusion lasted several days. He especially fell in love with the cave of Mount Hira (JabalHyp - 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, saying 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 Leilatal-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 daily 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 public preaching, 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 mockery and abuse of those who accepted a new faith. Two large groups of early Muslims, seeking refuge, moved to Abyssinia, where the Christian negus (king), very impressed by their teachings 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. 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. 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 family of Muhammad 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. 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, Muhammad 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:
“Muhammad is only a messenger. There are no longer the messengers who once were before him;
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Mecca on August 29, 570 according to the Gregorian calendar - it was Monday, 12 Rabi al-Awal, the year of the Elephant (according to the lunar calendar). He came from the brave and famous Quraysh tribe, which traces its origins to the Prophet Ismail, peace be upon him, the eldest son of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him.
Thus, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the blood brother of all the Jewish prophets, descendants of Ibrahim - Ishaq (Isaac, the younger brother of Ismail), Yaqub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) ), peace be upon them. And Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, is their common great-great-great-grandfather.
The grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), Abd al-Muttalib, was the elder of the tribe, the keeper of the Kaaba, that is, a very revered person. His father Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib died without seeing his son. For 4 years, Muhammad (saw) lived the ordinary life of a boy from a nomadic tribe in the Arabian steppe, where his nurse Halima from the Banu Saad tribe took him from Mecca. The boy was destined to live with his mother Amina for only two years. At the age of 6 he was left a complete orphan.
Initially, his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib was involved in the upbringing of the future Prophet (saw), and after his death, his uncle Abu Talib. In his uncle's family, Muhammad (s.a.w.) led a relatively independent life, being present during discussions of the most important public affairs, during disputes on religious and moral topics, during stories about trade travels, about adventures in distant countries, about ancient legends and customs of various tribes and peoples. All this contributed to his spiritual development.
Muhammad (s.a.w.) later spoke simply and laconically about his childhood and youth: “I was an orphan.” An orphan reaches maturity earlier than other children. He feels the suffering of orphans and empathizes with them in life.
At the age of 12, Muhammad (s.a.w.) made his first long journey with the caravan of his uncle Abu Talib to Syria, doing work feasible for his age.
By about the age of 20, Muhammad (s.a.w.) began a completely independent life, without the formal tutelage of Abu Talib. By this time, his occupation was completely determined - he was a man knowledgeable in trade, he knew how to drive caravans, hiring himself to wealthy merchants, a caravan guide or a trading agent as a clerk. According to Arab historians, Muhammad (s.a.w.) was known as a man of impeccable reputation, distinguished by excellent character, honesty and conscientiousness, intelligence and intelligence, and loyalty to his word.
At the age of 25, Muhammad (saw) married Khadija, daughter of Khuwaylid. Their marriage turned out to be extremely happy. Khadija became for her husband not only his beloved wife, but also his best friend, adviser and assistant in his difficult career as a prophet. She bore him children: Kasem, Abdullah, Zeinab, Rukaya, Um-Kulsum and, finally, Fatima-zahra (“beautiful”, “brilliant”). To the great grief of the parents, their sons died in childhood, and their daughters died during his lifetime, after marriage. Only Fatima survived her father by 6 months.
From an early age, Muhammad spent a lot of time in solitude. The favorite place of prayer and reflection of Muhammad (pbuh) was the deserted, steep stone mountain of Hira, located a few hours' walk from Mecca, where he most often spent the entire month of Ramadan. Here the first revelation of God came to him.
On one of the nights of the month of Ramadan in 610, someone powerful and terrible appeared for the first time on Mount Hira to the forty-year-old Muhammad (s.a.w.) (it was Jibril a.s. (Archangel Gabriel)) and ordered him (illiterate!) to read. And when Muhammad refused, he himself read five lines to him and ordered him to repeat them, and these lines burned into the heart of Muhammad (s.a.w.): “Read! In the name of your Lord, who created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord the most generous one, who taught Kalam, taught man what he did not know.”
Five short lines dictated to Muhammad (saw) on one of the nights of Ramadan (this night was later called the Night of Accomplishment, or the Night of Power), contained the most important information about the essence of God and His relationship to man. God is defined in them as the omnipotent Creator, who does not leave the world for a second in his creative concern - to create the complex, perfect and beautiful.
An example of his special omnipotence is the creation of the most complex and perfect creature on earth - man. The most generous God taught man what he did not know - “kalam”. This means that God is the main source of knowledge for man, and this knowledge descends to man in the form of “scripture”. On the sacred Night of Accomplishment, or Night of Power, Jibril told Muhammad (saw) an excerpt from the heavenly Koran, and thus the beginning of the earthly Koran was laid - an exact copy of the heavenly original.
Muhammad's wife Khadija was the first to accept Islam, followed by his cousin and pupil Ali and adopted son Zayd. The closest people believed in Muhammad (saw) without the slightest hesitation, they believed deeply and for the rest of their lives.
The first among the Quraysh to accept the new faith was Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, who began to actively preach Islam among his many friends and acquaintances. At first, the preaching of the new faith was carried out in deep secrecy. The spread of the teaching was very slow: in 3 years, Muhammad (s.a.w.) acquired only about 40-50 supporters. From them he created a religious community (ummah), firmly cemented by mutual twinning and completely devoted to him, Muhammad (saw) - the spiritual head, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah.
During these three years, God did not send any new revelations to Muhammad (saw). And only at the end of 613, when he, wrapped in a cloak, lay in the gazebo, the voice of the Almighty sounded again:
O wrapped one!
Arise and exhort!
And magnify your Lord!
And clean your clothes!
And run away from the filth!
And don't show mercy by striving for more!
And for the sake of your Lord, be patient!
The revelation received contained a direct command to begin the public preaching of the faith.
Muhammad (saw) gave his first public sermon from the al-Sada hill in the center of Mecca in front of a large crowd of citizens, but it was not successful, and when Muhammad (saw) declared himself the messenger of Allah, he a hail of ridicule rained down. And this was repeated every time Muhammad (saw) appeared with his sermon. The Quraysh did not want to recognize the almighty Allah.
They considered the entire system of evidence put forward by Muhammad (s.a.w.) - God's creation of the earth, man, animals, etc. - to be frivolous. The idolaters demanded miracles from him that would confirm his superiority and degree of dignity before God. Muhammad (saw) considered the Koran to be the main miracle of the new faith.
Despite the fierce polemics of Muhammad (saw) and his few supporters with the idolatrous Quraysh, the situation in Mecca remained peaceful during the first year after the start of the public preaching of the new faith. But when Muhammad (s.a.w.) moved from glorifying the one true Allah to direct attacks on the gods who were worshiped in the Kaaba temple, this caused a stir in Mecca. The Quraish realized that decisive action was needed against the Muslims.
Muhammad (s.a.w.) and his followers were prohibited from praying near the Kaaba; The Meccan authorities organized the persecution of Muhammad (s.a.w.) and his supporters. There were cases when Muhammad (pbuh) and other Muslims were pelted with stones and mud, and neighbors secretly poured slop and sewage at the doorstep of his house.
Muhammad (saw) lived in an atmosphere of unheard-of humiliation, from which the supporters of his teachings were unable to protect him, but the prophet (saw) found a way out of the dramatic situation - settling where he could get food for yourself and hide from the “malice” of the Quraish. So approximately 83 Muslims moved to Ethiopia. This was the first hijra - the first migration of Muslims.
This event took place in 615, 5 years after the start of the preaching activity of Muhammad (pbuh). But Muhammad (pbuh) himself still remained in Mecca. And only in 622 he himself and his loved ones made the hijra to Medina, unable to withstand all the oppression, ridicule, and persecution that accompanied him in Mecca and its environs.
The year of migration (Hijra) became the beginning of chronology for all Muslims, and a group of supporters of Muhammad (s.a.w.) who moved to Medina received the honorary name of the Muhajirs who performed the Hijra. With the Hijra came the end of weakness and humiliation, and the era of greatness and power of Islam began.
Having strengthened himself in Medina, the Messenger of Allah (saw) began to create his powerful state. His main goal was to unite all Arab tribes, mired in paganism and endless internecine struggle, into a single people devoted to Islam. At the beginning of 624, a document called the “Constitution of Medina” was drawn up and adopted.
In this document, which has come down to us in the original, for the first time the position of Muhammad (saw) in Medina was determined and the principles on the basis of which the transformation of the diverse population of the oasis into a single people, the ummah of the prophet and messenger of God (saw) was carried out .V.). In the "Constitution" Muhammad (s.a.w.) is not named a ruler, he is recognized as a prophet - a person who receives revelations from Allah.
Medina became a strong Muslim center (in a few years it would become the capital and main trading center of all conquered lands). The first mosque was built here, where Muslims prayed together. The fame of Muhammad (pbuh) and his faith spread far beyond Medina. But Mecca, ruled by the vengeful Abu Sufyan, was still hostile to the Muslims. Muhammad (saw), at the head of the Muslim army, had to participate in various military conflicts (the battles of Badr and Uhud) in order to bring the Quraish to reason with military force and prove to them the power of Islam.
In 630, Muhammad (s.a.w.) solemnly entered Mecca, which he had conquered. The tribal nobility of Quraysh considered it best not to continue the dispute. Mecca and the Kaaba became the shrines of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (saw) sent his envoys to the Roman Caesar, the ruler of the Persians, Khosroes, the Ethiopian Negus, the ruler of Egypt, calling on them to join Islam. All the messengers, having fulfilled the order of the prophet (saw), returned to Muhammad (saw), and a few years later Persia, Ash-Sham and Egypt became Islamic states.
After the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) completely brought the religion of Allah to the people, on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar in the 11th year of Hijri (633 AH) he was seized by a headache and fell ill. Some time later, on the 12th of the month Rabi ‘ul-Awwal, on Monday, on his birthday, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) - the light of our eyes - left this world.
This day was the most difficult for Muslims, and even the senior companions, due to the sadness and bitterness of parting with the Beloved (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), could not restrain themselves. The great companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ‘Umar bin Khattab, being at a loss, not realizing what was happening, declared that he would cut off the head of anyone who said that the Messenger of Allah had died. “I swear by Allah, the Messenger of Allah is not dead!” - he repeated. Some of the Companions lost consciousness, others were speechless, and it was as if no one noticed or realized anything.
However, Abu Bakr, whom Allah had endowed with strong faith, showing patience, humbly turned to the people and began to console them. He approached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), opened his face, kissed him and said: “May my parents be your ransom! You were beautiful during life and remained so after death. I swear by the One in Whose hand my soul is, Allah will never let you taste death twice!” - refuting with these words the statements of those who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would resurrect and then die again.
Then Abu Bakr came out to the people and said to ‘Umar: “Do not rush, O oath-giver!” And when Abu Bakr spoke, ‘Umar sat down, and Abu Bakr praised Allah, thanked Him and said: “Whoever worshiped Muhammad, Muhammad died, and whoever worshiped Allah, verily Allah is the Living and does not die!” And he read the verse in which Allah Almighty, addressing the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), says that, truly, he is also mortal, like all people.
After these words of Abu Bakr, the people began to cry.
Even when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was ill, Jibril came to him for ziyarat. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him if he would ever come down to earth again after his death. Jibril replied that after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) he had nothing to do on earth, but added that he would go down ten times to pick up ten jewels.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him about these jewels and Jibril listed them:
The first time he will descend to take away grace (barakat) from the earth, the second time - to take away love for each other from the hearts of people, then - sympathy, mercy, the fourth time - the justice of rulers, the fifth - the modesty of women, the sixth - the patience of the poor and needy , the seventh time will take away from the Ulama scholars detachment from the worldly (zuhd) and piety, fear of God, the eighth - the generosity of rich people, the ninth - the Speech of Allah - the Koran, and the tenth - faith (iman).
Today, if you think about it, out of all of the above, only two jewels remain - the Koran and faith.
The founder is the prophet Muhammad. He was born in 570 AD. In Arabic chronology this year is called Year of the Elephant. The year received its name because at that time the ruler of Yemen, Abraha, launched an offensive against Mecca with the goal of capturing it and subordinating all Arab lands to his influence. His army traveled on elephants, which caused horror among local residents, who had not seen these animals until that time. However, halfway to Mecca, Abrakh’s army turned back, and Abrakh himself died on the way home. Researchers believe that this happened due to a plague epidemic that destroyed a significant part of the army.
Muhammad came from an impoverished clan of an influential family kureish. Members of this clan had to monitor the safety of spiritual sanctuaries. Muhammad was orphaned early. His father died before he was born. His mother gave him, according to the custom of that time, to a Bedouin nurse, with whom he grew up until he was five years old. His mother died when he was six years old. Muhammad was first raised by his grandfather Abdalmuttalib, served as a caretaker at the Kaaba temple, then after his death - uncle Abu Talib. Muhammad got involved in work early, tending sheep and participating in equipping trade caravans. When he turned 25, he took a job with Khadija, a rich widow. The work consisted of organizing and escorting trade caravans to Syria. Soon Muhammad and Khadija got married. Khadija was 15 years older than Muhammad. They had six children - two sons and four daughters. The sons died in infancy.
Only the beloved daughter of the prophet Fatima outlived her father and left offspring. Khadija was not only the prophet’s beloved wife, but also a friend; in all the difficult circumstances of his life, she supported him financially and morally. While Khadija was alive, she remained Muhammad's only wife. After his marriage, Muhammad continued to engage in trade, but without great success. The change in the historical situation had an effect.
Muhammad spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation. When Muhammad was meditating in one of the caves in the vicinity of Mecca, he had a vision during which he received the first message from God, transmitted through an archangel Jabrayil(biblical - Gabriel). The first people to believe Muhammad's preaching and accept Islam were his wife Khadija, his nephew Ali, his freedman Zaid and his friend Abu Bakr. At first, the call for a new change was carried out secretly. The beginning of open preaching dates back to 610. The Meccaites greeted it with ridicule. The sermon contained elements of Judaism and Christianity. Muhammad, according to historical information, was illiterate. He took oral stories from the Holy Scriptures from Jews and Christians and adapted them to the Arab national tradition. Biblical stories organically became part of the holy book of the new religion, linking together the stories of many peoples. The popularity of Muhammad's sermons was facilitated by the fact that he read them in recitative, in the form of rhymed prose. Gradually, a group of companions from different strata of Meccan society formed around Muhammad. However, during the entire initial stage of preaching, right up to the resettlement to Medina, Muslims were subjected to persecution and persecution by the Meccan majority. As a result of this oppression, a large group of Muslims emigrated to Ethiopia, where they were received with understanding.
The number of Muhammad's supporters in Mecca was constantly growing, but resistance to the new religion on the part of influential residents of the city was also growing. After the death of Khadija and uncle Abutalib, Muhammad lost his inner support in Mecca and in 622 was forced to leave for his mother’s city Yathrib, which after that became known as Medina - city of the prophet. A large group of Jews lived in Medina, and the people of Medina were more prepared to accept the new religion. Soon after Muhammad's migration, the majority of the population of this city became Muslim. It was a huge success, so the year of migration began to be considered the first year of the Muslim era - Hijras(relocation).
During the Medina period, Muhammad developed and deepened his teaching in the direction of isolation from related religions - and. Soon all of southern and western Arabia submitted to the influence of the Islamic community in Medina, and in 630 Muhammad solemnly entered Mecca. Now the Meccans bowed before him. Mecca was declared the holy capital of Islam. However, Muhammad returned to Medina, from where he made a pilgrimage in 632 (hajj) to Mecca. In the same year he died and was buried in Medina.
Islam is one of the most widespread religious movements in the world. Today, he has a total of over a billion followers worldwide. The founder and great prophet of this religion is a native of Arab tribes named Muhammad. His life - wars and revelations - will be discussed in this article.
Birth and childhood of the founder of Islam
The birth of the Prophet Muhammad is a very important event for Muslims. It happened in 570 (or so) in the city of Mecca, which is located on the territory of modern Saudi Arabia. The future preacher came from an influential tribe of Quraish - the guardians of Arab religious relics, the main of which was the Kaaba, which will be discussed below.
Muhammad lost his parents very early. He did not know his father at all, since he died before the birth of his son, and his mother died when the future prophet was barely six years old. Therefore, the boy was raised by his grandfather and uncle. Under the influence of his grandfather, young Muhammad was deeply imbued with the idea of monotheism, although most of his fellow tribesmen professed paganism, worshiping many deities of the ancient Arab pantheon. This is how the religious history of the Prophet Muhammad began.
The youth of the future prophet and first marriage
When the young man grew up, his uncle introduced him to his trading business. It must be said that Muhammad was quite successful in them, gaining respect and trust among his people. Things went so well under his leadership that over time he even became the manager of the trading affairs of a wealthy woman named Khadija. The latter fell in love with the young, enterprising Muhammad, and the business relationship gradually grew into a personal one. Nothing stopped them, since Khadija was a widow, and in the end Muhammad married her. This union was happy, the couple lived in love and harmony. From this marriage the prophet had six children.
Religious life of the prophet in his youth
Muhammad was always distinguished by his piety. He thought a lot about divine things and often retired to prayer. He also had the custom of annually retiring to the mountains for a long time, so that, hiding in a cave, he would spend time there in fasting and prayer. The further history of the Prophet Muhammad is closely connected with one of these solitudes, which occurred in 610. He was then about forty years old. Despite his already mature age, Muhammad was open to new experiences. And this year became a turning point for him. One can even say that then the second birth of the Prophet Muhammad took place, the birth precisely as a prophet, as a religious leader and preacher.
Revelation of Gabriel (Jabreel)
In short, Muhammad experienced a meeting with Gabriel (Jabreel in Arabic transcription) - an archangel known from Jewish and Christian books. The latter, Muslims believe, was sent by God to reveal to the new prophet a few words, which the latter was ordered to learn. These, according to Islamic beliefs, became the first lines of the Koran - the holy scripture for Muslims.
Subsequently, Gabriel, appearing in various guises or simply expressing himself in his voice, conveyed to Muhammad instructions and commands from above, that is, from God, who in Arabic is called Allah. The latter revealed himself to Muhammad as the Lord who had previously spoken in the prophets of Israel and in Jesus Christ. Thus the third arose - Islam. The Prophet Muhammad became its actual founder and ardent preacher.
Muhammad's life after the beginning of his sermon
The further history of the Prophet Muhammad is marked by tragedy. Because of his persistent preaching, he acquired many enemies. He and his converts were boycotted by his countrymen. Many Muslims were subsequently forced to seek refuge in Abyssinia, where they were mercifully sheltered by the Christian king.
In 619, Khadija, the faithful wife of the prophet, died. Following her, the uncle of the prophet died, who defended his nephew from his indignant fellow tribesmen. To avoid reprisals and persecution from enemies, Muhammad had to leave his native Mecca. He tried to find shelter in the nearby Arab city of Taif, but he was not accepted there either. Therefore, at his own peril and risk, he was forced to return.
When the Prophet Muhammad died, he was sixty-three years old. It is believed that his last words were the phrase: “I am destined to live in heaven among the most worthy.”
