Chapter IV. Atheism. Criticism of Islam Being not only a materialist, but also a militant atheist, Akhundov was the first thinker of Azerbaijan who declared a mortal struggle against the religion of Islam. His philosophical and political treatise "Letters of Kemal-ud-Dovle" is one of the best

Ibn Battuta, Mohammed ibn Mohammed, ibn Ibrahim (1302-1377) Returning to Tangier, Ibn Battuta also chose a rather difficult route: from Mecca to the east, through the entire Arabian Peninsula, further along the shores of the Persian Gulf through southern Iran (Persia ) to the Strait of Hormuz. Here Ibn

The founder of the religion of Islam was Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم . Muslims deeply revere him, considering him a prophet and messenger of Allah. The first biography of Muhammad was compiled by Ibn Ishaq, who was born half a century after the death of the prophet. It has come down to us in fragments and in part.

Muhammad is a historical figure, he was born in 570 in the city of Mecca. Muhammad's childhood was full of tragic events: his father Abdullah died a few days before the birth of the boy, his mother - when he was only 6 years old. After the death of his parents, Muhammad was brought up by his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, who was one of the most respected elders in the Quraysh tribe. When his grandfather died, his uncle Abu-Talib took care of the boy. The suffering he endured made him sensitive to people and other people's hardships.

At the age of 12, Muhammad made his first journey with his uncle's caravan to Syria. For half a year the boy observed the life of nomadic Arabs. At about the age of 20, Muhammad began an independent life. He was a man who knew a lot about trade, knew how to drive caravans. According to Arab historians, Mohammed was distinguished by his excellent character, honesty and conscientiousness, loyalty to the given word. Becoming a camel driver, Muhammad traveled to many countries, saw people of different faiths, learned and understood a lot. At the age of 25, he married a wealthy Meccan widow, Khadija, and became a wealthy and respected person in Mecca.

Preachers of monotheism lived in Mecca - Hanifs, who worshiped one God and not idols like the rest. That is, the religion that has remained since the time of the prophet Ibrahim (Avrvma). Muhammad got acquainted with the religious traditions of the peoples, noted the positive and negative sides.

Muhammad prayed to Allah at first in complete solitude, spending days and nights in prayer. Mount Hira was Muhammad's favorite place of prayer. According to legend, after three years of tireless prayers, a revelation of Allah came to Muhammad at night. He saw the angel Jibril, who told him the words of Allah, which spoke about the essence of God and his relationship to man. The revelations received on Mount Hira finally convinced Muhammad of the correctness of his religious ideas.

Subsequently, Muhammad began to propagate the religious system sent down by God to him. The closest people - wife, cousin, adopted son - became the first Muslims. The dissemination of the religious teachings of Muhammad was not easy, secretly. Together with a friend and co-religionist Abu Bakr, they created a religious community (ummah). Once, when Muhammad was lying in a gazebo, covered with a cloak, a voice sounded again, which ordered him to begin a public sermon. Muhammad gave his first public sermon in the center of Mecca to a large crowd of citizens, but it was not successful. The Quraysh did not believe that Allah created the earth, man, animals, they demanded a miracle from him. While Muhammad glorified Allah in his sermons, the townspeople put up with it. But when he began to attack the gods (idols) who were revered in the Kaaba temple, then the Quraysh decided to forbid praying to Muhammad and his supporters near the temple. He was doused with dirty water, stoned, scolded, humiliated. In 622, Mohammed and his loved ones, unable to withstand ridicule and persecution, moved to the city of Yathrib (Medina). The year of resettlement was the beginning of the Muslim chronology.

The people of Medina accepted Muhammad with almost universal approval. In Medina, Muhammad became a skilled politician and ruler. He rallied all the warring clans of the city, rightly ruled. People believed Muhammad and followed him. The number of converts to Islam grew rapidly. Medina became a strong Muslim center. The first mosque was built here, the rules of prayers and behavior in everyday life were established, the basic principles of religious doctrine were formed. They were expressed in the "revelations" that made up the Qur'an, in the words, decisions and actions of Muhammad himself.

But Mecca remained hostile to the Muslims. The people of Mecca attacked the Muslims several times, and Muhammad had to use force to subdue and bring the Quraysh to reason. In 630, Muhammad solemnly returns to Mecca. Mecca with the Kaaba become the shrine of Islam. Mohammed cleared the pagan sanctuary of the Kaaba from idols, leaving only the "black stone". Muhammad signed a peace treaty with the Quraysh and, having converted everyone to Islam, returned to Medina. In 632 he died of an illness, being in fact the ruler of all Arabia.

All sources, reporting on the life and work of Muhammad, emphasize his modest lifestyle. Muhammad was undoubtedly an exceptional personality, devoted to his work, intelligent and flexible politician. The personal qualities of Muhammad were an important factor in the fact that Islam, which was at first one of the many ideological currents that marked the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages, turned into one of the most influential world religions. According to the teachings of Islam, Muhammad is the last prophet in the history of mankind. After him there were no more prophets and world religions.

It is interesting:

“Mohammed lives extremely simply, dresses modestly. In a rough cloak, has one change of linen linen, does not allow himself any slits and expensive fabrics, wears a turban or a square head scarf, boots or sandals, cleans and mends his clothes himself, does not need a servant for him. Muhammad's food is just as simple: a handful of dates, a barley cake, cheese, a cup of milk, porridge and fruit - this is food from day to day, meat is served no more than once a week.

“Muhammad, according to the description of contemporaries, was of medium height, broad-shouldered, sinewy, with large arms and legs. His face was oblong, with sharp and expressive features, an aquiline nose, black eyes. Steep, almost fused eyebrows, a large and flexible mouth, white teeth, black smooth hair that fell to his shoulders, and a long, bushy beard ...

He was gifted with a quick mind. Strong memory. Vivid imagination and genius of ingenuity. By nature, he was quick-tempered, but he knew how to control the impulses of his heart. He was honest and the same with everyone. The common people loved him for the friendliness with which he received and listened to all complaints.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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).