We know from history that there were many prophets. And most of the historical data we know through the Holy Scriptures. The existence of prophets also belongs to such data: numerous historical facts confirm this. In particular, the existence and prophetic mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). You can agree with history or not, but we have no right to deny it.
How do we distinguish who was a prophet and who was not? Of course, just as we know which of the historical figures was a doctor, a philosopher, we also know who was a prophet. But for this you need to have information about them, preferably from primary sources. When there is information, knowledge, comparing them and weighing them on the scales of the mind, you can determine who was a prophet and who was not, if there is no prejudice in the soul. In this article, dear reader, we will take a general look at the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) through the prism of reason.
1. The wisdom of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was an orphan, he did not have the opportunity to receive any knowledge, there was no special education (he did not finish school, institute, university, etc.). Moreover, he could neither read nor write. But his learning and intellect are astonished to this day. The Qur'an, which was sent down to him, and his sayings - "hadith" - are the standard of wisdom and eloquence. The scholars of Islam have written hundreds of thousands of volumes of interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadith. They admit that the Koranic sayings are an endless ocean of knowledge. This knowledge, as instructions, is followed by Muslims around the world in all ages. With the help of this knowledge, they curbed their passions, ego, turned away from the vile sinful nature and acquired meritorious qualities. Where did all this depth of knowledge come from for an illiterate and uneducated person?
2. Morality of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
During the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) the Arabs were in a state of great moral decline: drunkenness, gambling, idolatry, adultery and prostitution, killing and burying children alive all flourished then. But along with this, they also had commendable, outstanding qualities: generosity, courage, courage, hospitality. After the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called them to monotheism and those who listened to them accepted Islam, their morality completely changed. They became truthful, just, stopped committing sinful things - since then, the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) have become an example to follow so outstanding that they have changed the whole world. During the time of the Caliphate, they brought high morals to Byzantium and Persia, taught and re-educated people who grew up in these gigantic empires. The justice of Islam was so amazing and attractive to other people that the Byzantines, remaining even in their own religion (Christianity), fought on the side of the Muslims against their own treacherous rulers. How could the Arabs, in such a short period of time, one or two decades, themselves come and lead others to such an outstanding change in morality?
3. The honesty of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was among the Arabs before his prophetic mission began. His nickname was Amin, which translates to " fiduciary " or " one who can be trusted ". He possessed outstanding qualities, such as hospitality, helping the poor, maintaining family ties, and honesty. Until the age of forty, he did not call people to anything and did not demand anything from them. But after sending revelations and commanding him to call people to monotheism, those around him considered him a liar because of their envy and thirst for power - they were afraid that power would pass to him. Although their property even at that time was entrusted to him, because he was the custodian of the welfare of the people of Mecca. At that time, there were no banks, but there were such people, distinguished among others by their honesty, to whom people trusted to keep their savings, and so he was. An Arab at that time remarked that the Meccans are amazing people because they trust Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in this world with their wealth, and do not trust in regard to life after death. Could a person whose honesty has been impeccable for many years, suddenly, suddenly become a liar, despite the fact that this quality allegedly affected only the fact that he calls to Islam, while otherwise his honesty remained impeccable even from the point of view of his enemies? No one could blame him for anything. There was not a single person who, having believed him, would then turn away because he noticed falsehood and untruth.
4. Trials of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The difficulties that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) experienced because of the call of people to Islam could not be endured by anyone except the prophet. He was mocked in every possible way, called names with humiliating words, his followers were tortured in a terrible way. For three years, everyone who was with him was in a boycott (in the current economic blockade) and suffered from hunger so much that they sometimes had to eat grass. Whatever the trials, he did not break down and did not give up the truth in his words. If he had convictions about the falsity of his own words, why would he need to plunge himself into such trials that an ordinary person cannot endure?
5. Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) need authority?
So say those who are skeptical of Islam. But in fact, because of the call, he endured a lot of grief and suffering coming from his own people. We know from history that the heads of the tribes living in Mecca came with Abu Talib (uncle of the Prophet) to him and offered him any amount of wealth, offered him to become the chief among all the inhabitants of Mecca, offered him to choose any women and promised to give him as a wife - as long as he refuses his call. To which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “Even if you give me the sun in your right hand, and the moon in your left, I will not leave my obligations to Allah Almighty.” From this it can be seen that, in addition to people following Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) did not want anything. And there are dozens of such examples of the fact that he had no claims to power. So how can the ignoramuses claim that he did this in pursuit of power?
6. Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) want wealth?
We know that before the call began, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a wealthy man who generously shared his wealth and fed the poor. Their family had a good business: they sent trade caravans. But after the start of the conscription, both he and his wife spent all their savings on the spread of Islam. They spent so much that they had nothing left of their former prosperity. There was a moment when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had a certain amount of money, and he did not go to bed until he distributed it to the poor, worrying that there were people in need, and rushing to them. Even when Islam was spread throughout the Arab peninsula and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was the head of a huge Muslim state, he had nothing at home except what the poor usually have. When he died, his saddle was pledged to a Jew for a small amount of grits he purchased for his family. His companions and the righteous caliphs (rulers) of Islamic states were distinguished by the same qualities. What do those who claim that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) take up his mission in dreams of wealth rely on?
7. Miracles of the prophets.
Miracles are evidence given to prophets to confirm their prophetic mission. Unusual things, contrary to nature and normality, can also come from sorcerers, etc., but false prophets cannot do them. Allah Almighty does not allow this. All prophets were given the gift of performing miracles, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) performed miracles and predictions, which later came true. For example, he predicted: the conquest of Persia, Byzantium and Istanbul by Muslims, at a time when they (Muslims) were in the worst situation. Examples of miracles: the moon split into two parts by his prayer, water came out between his fingers (when it was necessary to drink a large number of those suffering from thirst), etc. There are more than three thousand miracles listed in the books that were performed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and blessing). Isn't this proof of his prophetic mission? After all, this proved the prophetic missions of all the prophets: Musa, Isa, Ibrahim (peace be upon them) ...
One of the surprising aspects of Muhammad's mission was his conviction that he was called to be a prophet among the great prophets of the past who shaped the Judeo-Christian heritage. This required the gradual abandonment of the widespread pagan idolatry of the Arabs, so he had to face the opposition of his people for many years. In addition, the Jews and Christians had something that the Arabs will never have - the Holy Book sent by God. The Jews have the Taura, the Law, and Muhammad assumed that this book was sent to Moses; Christians have Injil, the gospel, which he believes was sent to Jesus. Muhammad called them (Jews and Christians) Ahl al-Kitab, People of the Book, and regarded himself as the last prophet who received his own Holy Book, al-Quran, the Exposition.
Muhammad's conviction that he was called into the ranks of the true prophets sent from God, as written in the Qur'an, was so strong that he accepted their prophecies without questioning their basic content. The countless number of records, telling about unprecedented signs and miracles, did not cause him doubts even when the pagans of Mecca insistently demanded that he demonstrate miracles. When the persecution of Muslims reached its peak, Muhammad, during his escape to Medina, established the direction of the prayer (qibla) to Jerusalem and forced his followers to keep fasts, as the Jews did. He had no doubt that in the past God had favored the Jews, a fact which the Qur'an constantly emphasizes, using phrases somewhat reminiscent of Paul's Epistle to the Romans (9:4-5):
Sons of Israel! You will remember the mercy that I bestowed on you, and keep your side of the Covenant, then I will also keep Mine. Fear only Me.
To the children of Israel We gave the Book, prophecy (among themselves) and power; we gave them all the blessings for living (in this world) and exalted them above other people.
(Sura 45:16)
Muhammad's deepest desire was to unite with the Jews and be recognized by them as God's chosen messenger. Apparently he was unaware that the Jewish Holy Books had always taught that God's complete revelation of the Messiah was to be revealed exclusively through them and that he, being an Arab, simply had no chance of meeting their expectations. He also knew nothing about the many differences between the Qur'an and their Holy Books. The stories of the life of the prophets, set out in the Koran and in the Bible, do not correspond much to each other.
Expecting that soon after moving to Medina a large number of Jews would follow him, he found that their opposition undermined his authority to a much greater extent than the opposition of the Meccans. In a humiliating way, people questioned his mission. Muhammad lost his face when he revealed his ignorance of their Holy Books. The Jews took advantage of this, irritating him with their knowledge, and at the same time skillfully distorted the meaning of what he said or used phrases whose meaning he did not understand. This greatly amused the Jews.
In the book of Exodus (24:7) it is written that on Mount Sinai, the Israelites promised Moses: "... All that the Lord said we will do, and we will be obedient", but the Qur'an says that when they were called to obey the law of God on Mount, they answered : "We hear, but we do not obey" (Surah 2:93). It was only after some time that Muhammad realized how wrong he was. The Qur'an condemned the Jews for deceit:
Among the Jews there are those who rearrange the words (the Scripture sent down to them) from their place, and say: “We have heard, but we do not obey (this)” ...
However, it was too late to correct the mistake made in the text of the Qur'an. Such incidents greatly distressed Muhammad, and his attitude towards the Jews became extremely hostile. By declaring that there were significant errors and distortions in the Qur'an, the Jews threatened to undermine the very foundation of his mission, and the only way out of this situation was to drive them out of Medina and attack them with diatribes in the Qur'an. Here is a typical response to their accusations:
And the Jews said: “The hand of the Lord is tied (to the neck)!” Let their hands be tied (to their necks), and they be cursed for the (blasphemy) of their speeches! … We aroused in them enmity and hatred towards each other until the Day of the Lord's Judgment. And every time they kindle the fire of war, the Lord will put it out.
And you will see that of all people, the strongest enmity is against those who believe (in God), the Gentiles and Jews.
During the last years of Muhammad's life in Medina, mutual hostility between him and the Jews constantly increased. A lot of Jewish written evidence in early biographical writings demonstrates this enmity. One biographer describes a tradition that the Jews wanted to kill Muhammad as a child because they feared that he would become a prophet (Ibn Saad, Tabaqat, vol. 1, p. 125). Another tradition with the same enthusiasm showers them with abuse:
Around the same time, the Jewish rabbis were hostile to the messenger out of envy, hatred and malice, because God chose His messenger from the Arabs.
(Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 239)
A brief overview of how Muhammad dealt with the three Jewish tribes living in the vicinity of Medina will show how deep their hostility towards each other was.
Muhammad's conflict with the Jews of Medina
Muhammad's victory at Badr gave him the opportunity to send his warriors against the tribe of the Banu Qaynuq, who lived near the city. In the market place, he demanded that they recognize him as the chosen one of God if they want to avoid misfortunes hanging over them, similar to those that befell the Quraysh. The inhabitants of the tribe answered him with a refusal. Without losing his presence of mind, he accused them of violating the treaty and kept their settlement surrounded until they surrendered unconditionally. Abdullah ibn Ubayy came to Muhammad and begged him not to execute them. In the end, Muhammad relented and ordered them to leave the city immediately (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 363).
After the battle of Uhud, Muhammad similarly attacked the Banu Nadir tribe, located near Medina. He announced that the people of the tribe organized a plot to kill him. Mindful of the fate of the Banu Qaynuka tribe, the inhabitants prepared to leave the city, but Abdallah ibn Ubayy and his associates persuaded them to stay, promising their support. During the fifteen-day siege, they did not receive any help. Then the prophet ordered his followers to cut down the date palms that belonged to them. The Jews shouted to him:
Muhammad, you forbade senseless destruction and condemned the guilty. Why did you cut down and burn our palm trees?
(Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 437)
In fact, Muhammad's actions were contrary to the command given by God to his people in the Bible: never cut down trees in a city that is being fought or besieged. It was allowed only to use the fruits of these trees for food, but in no case cut them down (Deut. 20:19). According to tradition, Muhammad was most likely familiar with this passage, because after he ordered the cutting of date palms in the town of Buwayra, a revelation immediately appeared in the Qur'an justifying his act (As-Sahih al-Bukhari, volume 5, p. 242). Here is the text:
Whether you cut off a part of the (tender) palms, or left others on the vine - all this is by the will of Allah to cover the disbelievers with shame.
The Banu Nadir tribe fled in exactly the same way as their compatriots and settled in the Jewish fortress of Khaibar, north of Medina. The Bani Qurayza tribe was the last to leave, immediately after one of the main clashes between Muhammad and the Quraysh from Mecca in the Battle of the Ditch. While Medina was being besieged by the allied forces, the Jews of this tribe, who lived in the eastern part of the city, made an agreement with the Quraysh and allowed them to enter the city through their quarter. The Muslims sowed discord among the soldiers of the allies and avoided defeat, and when the Quraysh retreated, the Jews found themselves in a helpless position. Muhammad immediately surrounded their quarter, and after a month-long siege they were forced to surrender, but, unlike the other two tribes, they were not allowed to leave the city. Just as Abdallah ibn Ubayy asked Muhammad for the Bani Qaynuk tribe and succeeded in this, so a certain al-Aus, an Arab, whose tribe was related to the Jews, asked the prophet to spare them. However, Muhammad asked him if they would be satisfied if one of the tribes decided their fate. He then chose a certain Saad ibn Muadh, one of the few Muslims wounded during the siege of Medina. It must be admitted that this was a rather treacherous choice, given the circumstances. Sa'd ibn Muad asked the Jews if they would agree to accept the justice of Allah, and after they agreed, he turned the same question to Muhammad. Then he announced his decision: “Here is my sentence: all men must be killed, property divided, and women and children taken prisoner” (Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, p. 464). There is another written evidence of what happened, it says:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) allowed Sa'd ibn Mu'adh to decide on them. He issued a sentence: "Those who are subject to shaving (i.e. men) should be killed, women and children should be made slaves, and property should be distributed." After that, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “You have agreed with the justice of Allah in the seven heavens.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him, returned on Thursday the 7th of Dhu-l-Hijjah. Then he ordered to bring them to al-Madina, where trenches were dug in the market. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him, sat down with his companions, and they were divided into small groups. Their heads were cut off. Their number was between six hundred and seven hundred.
(Ibn Saad, Tabaqat, Volume 2, p. 93)
Other records of similar massacres of captives by an apostle of Islam are unknown, and the authenticity of the historical material is sometimes disputed by Muslim writers. However, there is evidence from Ibn Saad, from which we can conclude that, perhaps, Muhammad predicted the same fate for the Bani Qaynuka tribe. He ordered that their hands be tied behind their backs and prepared for beheading. And only Abdallah, who had become very influential by that time, dissuaded him (ibid., pp. 32-33). Perhaps the gruesome spectacle of the beheadings and mass graves of vast numbers of people (tradition has it that the executions continued until late in the evening) caused some Muslims to react negatively to the events, although others who accepted their righteousness objected, saying that a divine act was being carried out here. the command of Allah in relation to the treacherous people who predetermined their fate. The Qur'an says that Allah himself struck terror into their hearts, and the Muslims were able to kill them and take possession of their lands, houses and property (Sura 33:26).
A little time passed, and Muhammad attacked the Jewish fortress of Khaibar, and although he did not succeed in conquering it, he established his dominion over it. At the end of his life, he instructed Umar, his second successor, to see to it that all Jews were expelled from the Arabian Peninsula, and the caliph obediently carried out the will of the prophet.
Contacts of Muhammad with the Christians of Arabia
Muhammad's contacts with the Christians of the Hejaz, in contrast to those with the Jews, were relatively rare. The Christians were outnumbered by the Jews, and their small groups were scattered at a considerable distance from each other throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
Communication with Negus, the king of Abyssinia, favorably disposed Muhammad towards Christians, and for a long time he treated them as potential friends and allies. Indeed, in contrast to the negative attitude towards the Jews, the Koran says about Christians:
And you will surely find that those who say, “We are Nazirites,” are closest in love to those who believe. And this is because among them there are priests and monks who are deprived of pride (and do not exalt themselves before others).
The Qur'an often shows the most favorable treatment of Christians. It predicts the victory of the Byzantine Christians over the pagan Persians (Sura 30:4), describes the early Christians and recently died in Yemen. They are presented as an example of true believers. The Qur'an approves of many monks and priests who protect monasteries and churches from destruction, "in which the name of God is remembered in full" (Sura 22:40).
However, as time went on, Muhammad's good attitude towards Christians changed to deep antagonism, as Christians, like Jews, refused to accept him as a prophet and doubted the authenticity of the Qur'an. A gathering of believers in the Christian settlement of Najran openly questioned the misrepresentations encountered in the book, in particular the misrepresentation of the name Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Koran says that those around her turn to her Ya ukhta Harun - "O sister of Harun (Aaron. - Note ed.)!" (Sura 19:28). In the Qur'an, she is referred to by the same name, Maryam, which is the name of Aaron's real sister, Miriam (Ex. 15:20), and confusion in these names caused Muhammad to encounter serious errors in the content of the book.
Al-Mughira ibn Shuba says: “When I arrived in Najran, they (i.e., the Christians of Najran) asked me:“ Have you read “O sister Harun” (i.e., Hadrat Maryam) in the Koran, while Moses was born long ago to Jesus." When I returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), I asked him about this, to which he replied: “People (in the old days) used to give names (to their associates) of prophets and pious people who died before them” ” .
(As-Sahih Muslim, volume 3, p. 1169)
Nothing irritated the prophet more than a challenge to his prophetic calling. From written sources it is clear that he had a very limited knowledge of Christianity, and neither he nor his associates understood the essence of Christian teaching. The crucifixion of Christ is mentioned only once in the Qur'an in the context of the outrage of the Jews (Sura 4:157), but there is no hint in the book of the belief of Christians in the subsequent redemption. In addition, the Koran, without hesitation, calls Jesus al-Masih - the Messiah (Sura 4:171), without giving any explanation for this definition. In the course of time, Muhammad must have developed a deep disillusionment with the Christians, which he also felt with the Jews, and the Quran is at times extremely hostile towards them:
O you who believe! You do not take either Jews or Christians as friends and patrons, they are friends to each other. And the one of you who takes them as friends is himself one of them.
In the year when the armies of the Muslims clashed with the military forces of Byzantium north of Medina, Muhammad's hostility towards the Christians reached its climax. Tradition says that the Qur'an angrily condemns their kufr (belief in Allah) for believing in the divinity of Christ, as well as believing in a triune Deity (Sura 5:75-76). Kufr is an accusation usually directed only at idolaters. The last recorded words of the prophet mark the rise of Muhammad's rejection of the People of the Bible towards the end of his life:
Umar b. al-Khattab narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: “I will drive out the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and leave no one here except the Muslims.”
(As-Sahih Muslim, Volume 3, p. 965)
Umar b. Abd al-Aziz says that the last statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was: “O Lord, kill the Jews and Christians. They made churches from the tombs of their prophets. Beware, there should not be two religions in Arabia.”
(Al-Muwatta Malika, p. 371)
A lot was cast between Islam and the other two religions with whose legacy the prophet associated himself. Up to the present time, Muslims have been suspicious, mistrustful and hostile towards the other two monotheistic faiths. Perhaps Muhammad never understood the reason for the refusal of Jews and Christians to recognize him, as a result of which Islam historically placed itself in opposition to Judaism and Christianity, instead of peacefully coexisting with them.
Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) around 570 CE. e., in the Hashim clan of the Quraish tribe. Muhammad's father, Abdallah, died before the birth of the Son, and Muhammad's mother, Amina, died when He was only six years old, leaving the Son an orphan. Muhammad was brought up 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 original territories. There were few cities. Chief among them are Mecca, Yathrib and Taif.
If what I do is for the benefit of me and my faith, my life now and then, my task is easy and blessed.
Muhammad the Prophet
If what I am doing is to the detriment of me and my faith, my life now and then, then spare me from this task.
From his youth, the Prophet was distinguished by exceptional piety and piety, believing, like His grandfather, in the One God. First He looked after the flocks, and then He became involved in the trading affairs of His uncle Abu Talib. He became famous, people loved him and, as a sign of respect for piety, honesty, justice and prudence, they gave him the honorary nickname al-Amin (Trustworthy).
Later, He ran the business of a wealthy widow named Khadija, who, some time later, proposed marriage to Muhammad. Despite their age difference, they lived a happy married life with six children. And although in those days polygamy among the Arabs was common. The Prophet did not take other wives for Himself while Khadijah was alive.
The newfound position freed up much more time for prayer and reflection. As usual, Mohammed retired to the mountains surrounding Mecca, and retired there for a long time. Sometimes His seclusion lasted for several days. He especially fell in love with the cave of Mount Hira (Jabal Hyp - Mountains of Light), majestically towering over Mecca. On one of these visits, which took place in the year 610, something happened to Muhammad, who was then about forty years old, that completely changed his whole life.
There is no better success than patience.
Muhammad the Prophet
ct Whoever knows the Truth and follows it is safe.
In a sudden vision, the angel angel Jabrail (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 pass them on to the rest of the people exactly. In this way, 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 day 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.
“... Eat what I gave you Allah V inheritance, and do not create wickedness on the earth ... "
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 managed only to catch his gaze on Himself. At times He only heard 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 in the care of the affairs of daily life, or went for a walk, or simply listened enthusiastically to meaningful conversation.
The servant will appear on the Day of Judgment before the Lord and will answer the question of what wealth he owned, how he acquired it and for what needs he spent it.
Knowledge is the tree, and action is the fruit.
Muhammad the Prophet
The best is the one who is the best in relation to his family.
At first, the Prophet avoided public sermons, preferring personal conversation with interested people and with those who noticed extraordinary changes in Him. He opened a special way of 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 mocked his words and deeds to their heart's content. Meanwhile, many Quraish became seriously alarmed, realizing that Muhammad's insistence on asserting faith in the One True God could not only undermine the prestige of polytheism, but also lead to a complete decline in idolatry if people suddenly began to convert to the faith of the Prophet. Some of Muhammad's relatives turned into His main opponents: while humiliating and ridiculing the Prophet himself, they did not forget to do evil against the converts as well. There are many examples of mockery and abuse of those who accepted the new faith. Two large groups of the first Muslims in search of asylum moved to Abyssinia, where the Christian negus (king), very impressed with their teachings and way of life, agreed to provide them with protection. The Quraysh decided to ban all trade, business, military, and personal ties with the Hashim clan. Representatives of this clan were strictly forbidden to appear in Mecca. Very difficult times have come, and many Muslims were doomed to the most severe poverty.
In 619, the wife of the Prophet 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. The prophet, stricken with grief, left Mecca and went to Taif, where he tried to find refuge, but was rejected there too.
The friends of the Prophet betrothed him a pious widow named Sauda, who turned out to be a very worthy woman, and besides, she was 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 relative. However, it is necessary to dispel the misconception that exists among people who do not understand the reasons for Muslim polygamy at all. In those days, a Muslim who takes several women as his wife did it out of compassion, graciously providing them with his protection and shelter. Muslim men were urged to help the wives of their friends who died in battle, to provide them with separate houses and treat them as if they were the closest relatives (of course, everything can be different in the case of mutual love).
A kind word is charity.
Oh Allah! I call on you because you are omniscient and know even that which is hidden.
Muhammad the Prophet
The best remembrance of Allah is to say: there is no other deity but the One God.
In 619, Muhammad experienced the second most important night of his life - the Night of the Ascension (Laylat al-Mi'raj). It is known that the Prophet was awakened and carried on a magical animal to Jerusalem. Above the location of the ancient Jewish Temple on Mount Zion, the heavens opened up and opened the way that led Muhammad to the throne of the Lord, but neither he nor the angel Gabriel accompanying him were 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 foundation of the life of Muslims. Muhammad also met and talked with other prophets, including Jesus (Isa), Moses (Musa), and Abraham (Ibrahim). This miraculous event greatly comforted and strengthened the Prophet, adding confidence that Allah did not leave Him and did not leave him alone with 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 that city. Some of the elders of Yathrib urged Him to leave Mecca and move to their city, where He would be honored as a leader and judge. Arabs and Jews lived together in this city, constantly at enmity with each other. They hoped that Muhammad would bring them peace. The Prophet promptly advised many of His Muslim followers to move to Yathrib while He remained in Mecca, so as not to arouse undue suspicion. After the death of Abu Talib, the emboldened Quraysh could easily attack Muhammad, even kill him, and he perfectly understood that this must happen sooner or later.
The departure of the Prophet was accompanied by some dramatic events. Muhammad himself narrowly escaped captivity thanks to his exceptional knowledge of the local deserts. Several times the Quraish almost captured Him, but the Prophet still managed to reach the outskirts of Yathrib. He was eagerly expected in the city, and when Muhammad arrived in Yathrib, people rushed to meet him with offers of shelter. Embarrassed by their hospitality, Muhammad left the choice to his camel. The camel stopped at a place where dates were dried, and it was instantly given to the Prophet to build a house. The city received a new name - Madinat an-Nabi (City of the Prophet), now known as Medina in abbreviation.
O Allah, I seek Your protection from cowardice and cowardice.
The man is sleeping; must he die before he wakes up?
Muhammad the Prophet
Allah has forbidden you disobedience, disrespect and callousness towards your parents.
The Prophet immediately proceeded to prepare a decree, according to which He was proclaimed the supreme head of all the warring tribes and clans of Medina, who henceforth were forced to obey His orders. He established that all citizens were free to practice their religion in peaceful coexistence without fear of persecution or the highest disgrace. He asked them for only one thing - to rally and repulse 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 or creed.
Becoming the ruler of the city-state and mastering untold wealth and influence. The prophet, however, never lived like a king. His dwelling consisted of simple earthen houses built for His wives; He never even had a room of his own. Not far from the houses there was a courtyard with a well - a place that has now become a mosque, where devout Muslims gather.
Almost the entire life of the Prophet Muhammad was spent in constant prayer and instructing the believers. In addition to the five obligatory prayers, which He spent in the mosque, the Prophet devoted a lot of time to solitary prayer, and sometimes he devoted most of the night to pious reflections. His wives performed a 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, so that he would soon wake up to 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, in pilgrimage robes, consisting of two plain white veils. However, the followers of the Prophet were denied entry into the city, despite the fact that many of the citizens of Mecca practiced Islam. In order to avoid clashes, the pilgrims offered their sacrifices near Mecca, in a place called Hudaybiya.
In 629, the Prophet Muhammad began plans for the peaceful conquest of Mecca. The truce concluded in the town of Hudaybiya turned out to be short-lived, and in November 629 the Meccans attacked one of the tribes, which was in a friendly alliance with the Muslims. The Prophet marched on Mecca at the head of 10,000 men, the largest army ever to 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 circumambulation around it seven times. Then He entered the holy place and destroyed all the idols.
It was not until March March 632 that the Prophet Mohammed made His only full-fledged pilgrimage to the shrine of the Kaaba, known as the Hajjat al-Vida (Last Pilgrimage). During this pilgrimage, revelations were sent to Him about the rules of the 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 the prayers in the mosque to the best of his ability. There was no improvement in the disease, and He finally fell ill. He was 63 years old. It is known that His last words were: "I am destined to stay in Paradise among the most worthy." His followers had difficulty believing that the Prophet could have died 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 messengers who were once before him;
If he also dies or is killed, will you turn back?” (Quran 3:138).
He who leaves his parents in old age will not enter Paradise.
“Do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah completely forgives sins, for He is Forgiving, Merciful. (Az-Zumar, 39/53)
SUPREME TEACHER. PROPHET MUHAMMED “O man! Only follow my laws and you will become like me; you will say: “Yes it will be!” And it will be so. ”* “Teacher, before your name - I bow in thanksgiving.” ** In the life of each of us, at all times and among all peoples, the teacher is a person, acquaintance and relationship with which leave a long mark in the soul, thoughts, make changes in the way of life, in the understanding of the world around. It is wonderful when qualitative changes take place for the better, the highest reward is when one who has received knowledge is imbued with it and becomes a teacher himself. Grateful students left many memories of real teachers as a warning to posterity. And how many more names humanity will learn over time. Let me tell you about the main teacher. About the Supreme teacher of Muslims - who learned the light of truth from the Almighty and generously shared his knowledge with people - the Prophet Muhammad. Knowledge - in general - is something, not just complex or interesting, but something paradoxical. It is given (by whom?) only to those who are looking for it, who are ready to receive it, and the strangest thing is the decision on the worthiness of the recipient. And then the whole life is for comprehending the gift, processing it in one's own mind, and when knowledge becomes a way of being - transferring, often very secret, to students. How does it happen that suddenly a person begins to dissatisfy the familiar present? Why do thoughts creep into my head about something new, not yet known, but already so necessary? Where does this certainty come from that somewhere there is a more important, more valuable truth? Why, often many are looking for, but is revealed to the chosen one (by whom?)? And only this chosen one for the sake of knowledge goes to great lengths - difficulties and hardships, misunderstanding of others, and what is most terrible - the truth often turns out to be such that a person is forced to destroy traditional ideas about being in himself, to subject to strict revision hedgehog well-established concepts of good and evil, about justice and injustice. In what ways is his rejection of until recently indisputable truths? How then does he move from nihilism in everyday reality to new ideals, which are destined to turn into new dogmas over time? What role does his reason, intuition, cognitive and creative power of imagination play in this? I think that throughout his life the Great Teacher Prophet Muhammad not only answered these eternal and vital questions for many, many people - he taught to live, to live - right. Already in childhood, Muhammad was endowed with the ability to attract the sympathy of people with whom fate came close to him, to evoke a rather benevolent and respectful attitude towards himself in those around him. Despite these happy character traits, Muhammad's adolescence and youth were not so joyful and bright. The inevitable inattention and indifference of those around him, the early realization of his position as a poor relative, who in the future has no one to rely on, not only required him to have a complex art not to lose his dignity in such conditions, but also painfully wounded his pride, left a lot of bitterness in his soul. Muhammad himself later spoke of his childhood and youth simply and extremely succinctly: "I was an orphan." But it was this closed orphan boy who was marked with a "prophetic seal", not only physically - in the form of a legendary birthmark on his body, but also exceptionally and peculiarly gifted with the ability to carefully and bizarrely process and use all the knowledge and impressions that he, an illiterate person (i.e., not specially trained), managed to get it in any way. At the age of 12, Muhammad, according to legend, made his first long journey with his uncle's caravan to Syria. According to legend, not far from the city of Basra, the caravaners met one famous monk, the Christian Bagheera, who determined from his sacred books that it was the inconspicuous boy Muhammad who had a great future. The conversation with the monk made an indelible impression on Muhammad and, perhaps, sowed the first seeds of his subsequent spiritual quest. There is not much evidence of Muhammad's childhood and youth, but enough to give an idea of him. According to Arab historians, Muhammad was distinguished by his excellent character, honesty and conscientiousness, was a good neighbor and, in general, every model of perfection. He was well-versed in trade and the profession of a clerk, a caravan guide, demanded from a person both intelligence, and ingenuity, and honesty, and fidelity to his word, and impeccable care for the goods entrusted under his responsibility. Muhammad's affairs were going well, people trusted him, as a man of impeccable reputation among the Quraysh, he received the nickname Truthful. According to Muhammad himself, in his youth he led a respectable and chaste life, and God kept him from all the sins and vices of idolatry. - Why don't the legends ascribe to Muhammad those diabolical temptations, the heroic struggle against which adorns the lives of many Christian saints? The most natural explanation, apparently, boils down to the fact that there were simply no special temptations, and Muhammad, as a truthful and sincere person, was not going to engage in attributing non-existent feats to himself. His authority could be sufficient to make others lose their desire to fantasize about these topics. It should also be borne in mind that there is a profound difference between saints and prophets. Saints become saints by performing various feats in the name of faith, and the deeper the initial abyss of sin in which they were, the greater their merit, the more worthy they are of respect and reverence. Prophets, on the other hand, according to the idea widespread among the Semitic peoples, are most often simply chosen for some dignity inherent in them from birth by God, who takes an active care of the purity of his chosen ones. In principle, any person can become a saint, and a prophetic gift is a property that does not depend on the human will. * You can quote textbooks as much as you like about the historical need for the Arabs to have their own consistently monotheistic religion, and the emergence of Islam is the best they could have. But the question is, what comes first? The torments of the search and creativity of Muhammad from dissatisfaction with reality, receiving revelations from Allah, rethinking - penetrating the truth, transferring - learning under the most difficult conditions to others (often through force) what will then be considered necessary and the only true one. Or - the urgent need for centralization, statehood, legislation, general improvement of life. The Quran gives exhaustive explanations; and for a Muslim, there is no question of primary cause. Allah, having decided that the time had come, sent down to Muhammad the knowledge - necessary for the further well-being and prosperity of the Arabs. The choice of the bearer of knowledge - the Prophet - is not discussed, everything is the will of the Almighty. After all, the actions of the man Mohammed, the movements of his soul, the way of life were marked by God's chosen people long before the official revelation sent down on Mount Hira. A few years after his marriage to Khadija, strange phenomena began to occur with Muhammad, outwardly resembling seizures - suddenly, and for no apparent reason, his body began to tremble, as if with a chill, his face turned pale and covered with large drops of sweat; convulsions sometimes occurred. At the same time, Muhammad did not lose consciousness, but felt unbearable longing. He lay down with his head wrapped in a cloak, and asked to be left alone for a while. He categorically rejected all proposals to turn to doctors or spellcasters. Obviously, he did not consider such conditions to be the result of illness and was by no means sure that the possession of evil spirits was the cause of them. In some way they were dear to him, in any case, he was not going to resort to outside help to get rid of attacks. Strange dreams and no less strange seizures were for Muhammad something like a window into the supersensible world - a window ajar only with a thin veil. At times it seemed to him: one more small effort - and the veil would fall, a direct communication would be established between him, Muhammad, and the supersensible world, and then all the secrets of being would be revealed. You just need to further cleanse yourself of all filth, including malice, envy, fear, craving for wealth. Pray even more concentratedly and sincerely, even more deeply believe in God and love him. These were moments of uplift and self-confidence. But as they passed, Muhammad again and again was seized by a feeling of painful doubt and despair from the consciousness of the absolute unattainability of the goal. From such thoughts he was seized by a deep melancholy, to get rid of which all the same means helped - prayer, contemplation, fasting. Muhammad’s indication that “prayer is the union of the believer with God by the elevation of the spirit,” and his repeated testimonies of the highest pleasure that prayer brought him, mean that after a certain many years of training, he managed to evoke in himself with prayers a distinct sense of the reality of God’s existence, which was accompanied by a sharp subjective feeling of joy, happiness and harmony. It was precisely the occupation of prayers that constantly supported in Muhammad the hope of establishing direct contact with the supersensible world. Mohammed prayed often, he liked to pray very much, especially at night - it is easier to concentrate, to completely immerse himself in prayer. After spending part of the night in prayer - sometimes he went to the Kaaba for this - in the morning he woke up cheerful, completely asleep, in a good mood. But the questions of how to pray, when, to whom, with what words, how many times a day, there was no answer, and therefore, there was no certainty that you were doing exactly what you needed. Gradually, Muhammad developed his own system of prayers, which best suited the characteristics of his psyche and aesthetic tastes. According to its content, all his prayers are requests addressed to God for help in achieving what he wanted to achieve, by all means - the Love of the Most High. A request, combined with faith in the kindness, omnipotence and mercy of the one to whom it is addressed, gives a feeling of confidence. Therefore, the words of the prayer. With which Muhammad turned to God, in their effect on his own psyche, they were self-hypnosis formulas: “I will love God! , I will do deeds that deserve his love!, I will make my heart innocent, and my tongue true!, I will avoid vice!, I will be firm in faith and gain mercy in the eyes of God! vision, prayers, undoubtedly, showed extraordinary literary abilities, a certain poetic talent, which he possessed, and the presence of which he subsequently repeatedly and most decisively denied. And now, after uninterrupted religious searches, his labors were crowned with success, and for a moment a window to the supersensible world opened up before him. This great event is repeatedly described in many theological works, and later the biographers of the Prophet were faced with many versions of this historical moment. But the main thing is that on one of the nights of the month of Ramadan 610, forty-year-old Muhammad on Mount Hira was ordered by someone threateningly: “Read!”. At the words of Muhammad that he cannot read, the stranger put an unknown book on his chest. Muhammad had nothing to breathe from heaviness, and he asked: “What to read?” Then the unknown forced him to repeat after himself: “Read! In the name of your Lord, who created - created a man from a clot. Read! Your Lord is the most generous, who taught with kalam, taught a person what he did not know, ”as soon as Muhammad repeated these words, the night guest disappeared. In the future, this night was called the Night of Accomplishment or the Night of Power, the lines dictated to Muhammad contained the most important information about the essence of God and his relationship to man. God in them is defined as an almighty creator, never leaving the world for a second in his creative care - he creates continuously and continuously shows a wonderful, supernatural ability to create complex, perfect and beautiful. As an example of the omnipotence of God, his ability to create the most complex and perfect creature on earth - man is given. Also, according to his will, in the way he has indicated, every second all plants and animals arise on earth; the supersensible world permeates the real world, and only therefore the real world can exist, and therefore, whether a person wants it or not, his whole life flows in God, even if he thinks himself independent of God, not subordinate and not subject to him. Not only, so to speak, the biological existence of a person depends on God, but in Revelation it is said that the most generous God taught a person what he did not know, “kalam” - a reed stick for writing, which was used by the Arabs for writing. It follows that God is the main source of knowledge for man, and this knowledge comes to man in the form of "scripture". Not immediately, but still gradually, Muhammad began to realize that it was he who was the chosen one, the same thing happened to him as with Moses, God really speaks to him. However, Allah, who chose Muhammad as his prophet (nabi) and messenger (rasul), was not the traditional Allah, well known in Mecca, who occupied his modest place among other deities of the Meccan temple - the Kaaba. From the very first revelation of God that descended to him, Muhammad knew for sure that his Allah is the only real and omnipotent Deity. The first and most important thing that Muhammad preached, more precisely, the Koran, through the mouth of Muhammad, is that God is one, one, eternal, and he cannot have any children, relatives, associates or rivals. This is the same God as the Jews and Christians, but they have perverted the revelations and laws sent to them. And now God is again turning to people to guide them on the path of truth. Muhammad, throughout his previous life, was ready for the fact that everything that is revealed to him and transmitted from above is an undeniable truth that does not require any proof. Only faith - and that's all, Allah demanded from a person. The faith of Mohammed was gained through life, brought up by the thirst for truth. All previous life experience prepared him for what he learned at the moments of the arrival of Divine revelations and for him there were no longer any doubts, ambiguities or rejection of the content, on the contrary, the answers to what was requested were striking in their necessity, accuracy and momentary concreteness, and most importantly, again and again supported in Muhammad the consciousness that he communicates with the Almighty, the Almighty, the All-Knowing and the All-Merciful. Mohammed - a man knew and immediately imbued with the New Faith. But the mission of the Prophet is to bring knowledge to people. He is the mouth of the Lord, he no longer belongs to himself, there is no life that is not connected with the transmission of the revelation of the Most High to those who have not yet known the truth. Every step, every deed, word, new day - everything is subordinated to the service of the Lord, the New Faith. It is impossible to convince anyone of anything if even a shadow of doubt overcomes oneself. In my opinion, it is for the prophets that the saying “brings the light of truth” has no other, figurative meaning. A true Prophet burns with his conviction that his knowledge is correct. And the brighter the light from burning in the case of the Prophet of the Most High. It was the ardent conviction of the need for cognition-recognition of the Truth of the Faith through the revelations of Allah - the Koran that attracted supporters to Muhammad. Mohammed drew the power of words, honesty and clarity of thought necessary to reach people's hearts in Divine revelations, he also turned to them for support in moments of his own weakness from despair, when he once again understood that he was not heard, not understood, rejected, expelled. For Muhammad's contemporaries, his numerous relatives, neighbors and just people living with him in the same city, the recognition of the New Faith meant a complete break with the old gods and customs on which Mecca was based as a major trading and religious center. Muhammad's sermons undermined the power of the traditional elite of the Quraysh tribe. Ridicule, mockery of Muhammad himself and the oppression of believers - "who betrayed themselves to Allah" - Muslims were inevitable. No matter what, Muhammad steadfastly continued to "read" the Koran, arguing with his fellow tribesmen. Many Quranic sermons are a response to the doubts and objections of the Meccans. He convinced them that Allah is the only and powerful God, he tirelessly repeated to them that he communicates with Allah and fulfills only his will, Allah chose him, endowed him with special rights and assigned prophetic duties to bring the light of the New Faith to people. He painted them pictures of heaven and hell. Where will people go after the resurrection: only those who believe will go to heaven, those who refuse the path of Allah will go to hell. He carried the word of God to people, and he was accused of gathering the unworthy around him and sowing confusion. The move to Yathrib (later Madinat al-Nabi), and the reasons for it have already been repeatedly described, but the move is described mainly as, practically, an flight; the question of life or death for Muhammad was decided. I dare to suggest that the question of life was decided not only by enemies, but also by Muhammad himself; not just about life, as the existence of a person - physical life. But, as a Prophet, led by the Lord God, Muhammad solved the issue of the life and being of a person. It is unlikely that anyone doubts that Muhammad is an extraordinary, bright, powerful personality, and for him his life on the physical level was less valuable than the spiritual one - serving the Lord God, proclaiming the Truth, teaching the canons of the new Faith, and through it serving people. Moving to Yathrib (after all, the word “flight”, which is often used in this case, I think is not appropriate here), in my opinion, an attempt from scratch, “from scratch” to create something that has not happened yet. Confirmation of one's innocence not only in word, but also in deed. The listeners of his sermons asked for a miracle. If you call yourself a Prophet, if you know what and how is better than our reality, show us, show us a miracle. Prove that your God is with you. The stronger, the more powerful your God, the more impressive the miracle will be. The creation of a new society based only on the principle of accepting and serving the true Faith and the One Lord, and then the establishment of the state - the main legislator in which the Lord God and Muhammad the Prophet is his viceroy on earth - is not the most impressive miracle? I think this is the main goal of finding a place for resettlement of the Muslim community from Mecca. Did Mohammed experience fear during those terrible days and nights when he himself had to set off on the journey, following the bulk of the Muslims who left for Yathrib? I doubt that faith in Allah is the main defense in any situation, especially for his viceroy. Precautions taken by close friends, co-religionists and by Muhammad himself, primarily by Muhammad himself, were needed in order to bring out the most valuable thing for the Muslim community - the "mouth of the Lord God." The postulates of the True Faith were revealed only to the elect, only Mohammed had the right given from above to process and adapt this knowledge and pass it on to the suffering. Muhammad understood better than anyone that with his early death (in the sense that Muhammad did not convey much knowledge received from the Almighty) one of the main conditions for the conscious acceptance of the Truth of the Faith: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad the Prophet and His viceroy on earth" simply loses its meaning. There is no Prophet - who will carry the light of knowledge “to the people”, there is no morally and spiritually prepared heir yet - which means that the prophetic mission has not been fulfilled, it has been postponed until the appearance of a new Seeker. There are already believers, but among them there are not many firmly, unconditionally believers, many are still balancing, looking back, afraid of the uncertainty of the future. It is given to the prophet to see the future, to prophesy - to predict, not to guess. And know ahead. And if an understanding was revealed to Muhammad that it is possible and necessary to live in a new way, that such a life is real and knowledge is offered for its construction, he, with his characteristic honesty, consistently brought his mission of the Prophet to its logical end. Madinat al nabi - the city of the Prophet - the brainchild of the Prophet, his flesh and blood. Blessings of Allah - Muhammad saw during his lifetime the fruits of his sermons and labors. And one more key moment in the biography of the Teacher (for me personally). At all times and among all peoples, the pursuit of a good life, a better share for children, a “long ruble” (once a fashionable expression), the benefits of civilization (later), etc., etc., is often paid for by betrayal of the Motherland . Mohammed's love for the Motherland - for Mecca not only captivates, amazes and shocks. Never and under no circumstances, not in times of misunderstanding and persecution, not during a forced move, not during difficulties and the struggle to build an Islamic state - not a single bad word about your hometown, no desecration or desecration of your hometown, even from a position of strength . The knowledge that the Motherland will understand and appreciate, Mohammed carried with honor and dignity throughout his life. There is no God but Allah and Muhammad the Prophet and his viceroy on earth; outside of Mecca, it would also be possible for someone to appear, sometime, “questioning”, to whom the Truth would be revealed, but Mecca gave the world Muhammad, and he knew and realized this better than anyone else. The best gratitude to the Motherland of the Prophet and the religion of Islam - Mecca - the eternal recognition and respect of mankind. Muhammad's teaching - Islam triumphed; monotheism is the final branch of the evolution of religions. It's up to the students. Quantity should turn into quality, everyone cultivates in himself his love for the Almighty and himself, in his own way, fulfills the precepts of Muhammad in order to earn the mercy of Allah. April 2010 – May 2011
The name al-Amin was the most frequently mentioned nickname of our Prophet Muhammad during the forty years of his life until the descent of the first revelation. Thus, even those who had difficulty believing in revelation later listened to the man's words, on the assumption that he would not lie about his prophetic mission, since they absolutely trusted everything he said.
Unconditional trust in the words and deeds of anyone today seems so incredible that, in fact, we are talking about the fact that it is impossible to find someone who has never talked and gossiped. We very often emphasize that they are forced to live in an era when vices are revered and evil is exalted high and we find excuses for ourselves: they say that it is impossible in such conditions for the existence of someone who would be true to his word and whom everyone unconditionally trusted would. We act as if trust, truthfulness and fidelity are things long gone.
Now we believe that it is absolutely impossible for a man of the heart, a true friend who can be trusted and who behind our backs, in our absence, will not say anything that could cause our displeasure. The only motive that strengthens our relationships with friends is our presentation of ourselves. We are no longer able to maintain any other form of friendship.
In fact, mass culture in this respect also imposes on us, at every appropriate occasion, a certain line of behavior, each element of which is more effective than the previous one:
Mass culture teaches us not to leave each other alone, to confess our sins without hiding anything inside, and encourages us to share it with each other by bringing everything out. She promises us the strengthening of mutual relations if, with her suggestion, we become psychologists for each other, exploring and analyzing our inherent shortcomings and vices.
During morning television programs, women are encouraged to experience a sense of relief by talking about their marital problems to an audience of millions. So they, along with thousands of others, are stimulated to find ways to get rid of suffering. We forget that such things should not be shared under any circumstances. And those who keep us in the status of home-grown "psychologists" are constantly making money by taking advantage of the fact that we flaunt our suffering.
Under such conditions, how can we in some "correct" form love our loved ones, if behind their backs we pile up heaps of verbal rubbish and gossip about them? Can we call it love if it does not reach the divine dimensions of love?
And yet such "loud propaganda" is not able to make us forget about one ancient truth: even if we do not open our mouths, there is someone Hearing us and Speaking to us. In fact, to realize our non-aloneness, it is quite enough to resort to Him from Himself. I believe that we can find friends who will share our loneliness and suffering when talking with them does not undermine the trust in us of our loved ones. So it has been until now. And it will be until the end of time.
I believe that one of the greatest blessings of Islam, with which man is blessed, is precisely this blessing. And I know that we will certainly find wonderful health by following this path, which provides us with the opportunity to become worthy to have others trust our words. Isn't a Muslim a person whose hands and tongue do not cause inconvenience to others?
Those who claim to rule our lives want us to doubt our neighbors, our loved ones, and all those we don't yet know. They tell us to live armed with trust only in our own personal interests, to be constantly on guard against others, in fact, to become paranoid, who do not trust not only what others say, but also what they do. They assure us that only we ourselves are the sole criterion of everything and everything.
September 11 was the decisive factor that plunged us into a state of extreme suspicion of everyone and everyone, caused by the need to arm ourselves with exaggerated criteria of trust. Starting from this day, the countries that sow terror, trying to hide this policy from the attention of their own population, every day add new means to the arsenal of protective measures against the "evil" of enemies, whom they, at their own whim, have declared a target.
In Great Britain, which has long since become a state in which the most widespread surveillance of the population is practiced, the issue of forced fingerprinting of even schoolchildren is on the agenda. In addition to this, it is assumed that this operation will be carried out without notifying either the children themselves or their parents. In 3,500 schools, libraries and catering establishments, services are already provided on the basis of fingerprinting. In a number of schools, children's fingerprints were collected under the guise of "playing spy".
Who can claim that the words of those who establish the so-called. "criteria of trust" based on the view of their own children as potential spies and criminals? And in the future, who can we trust at all, if we assume that everyone around us already has evil thoughts towards us, or someday will certainly bear them? Let's leave it. Whom can we convince from the bottom of our hearts that our words are trustworthy?
Again, in the UK, in accordance with a decree that entered into force at the beginning of last year, in connection with suspicion of promoting terrorism, the bank accounts of any person in whose name the word Muhammad is present are frozen in the event that on his accounts there is a movement of funds exceeding a certain volume. This is justified by the fact that, allegedly, among the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks and many other acts of intimidation, the most common name is the name of Muhammad.
The love we have for the Prophet is incomparably greater than the love we have for children. But it is not enough for them to identify the name of our Beloved Messenger with every terrorist act - the rejection of this name is inspired by them already at the subconscious level. However, I do not protest against this, no, I show restraint in the same way that the Prophet Muhammad showed restraint when stones were thrown at him in the gardens of Taif.
Not once throughout his life did he delve into someone else's underwear, looking for flaws, he was merciful even to those who wished him death and showered him with curses, he forgave enemies, and not only forgave, but did them honor, not embarrassed to elevate them . Only by following the path that the Beloved (sav) has laid down, and intending to do even the smallest of what he did, can we, in this accursed era of the end of time, be among the worthy trust of people.
And yet I can't help but wonder: Who can we trust, feeling everlasting suspicion of all strangers? And even when we trust, can we obey our loved ones without question? And if we don't trust our loved ones...
How can we learn to be faithful if we ourselves do not trust our loved ones? And isn't our loyalty to our own word measured by the degree of our sense of trust in others?