ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books History of Islam Ssction Three : From Prophethood To Migration Chapter One :Prophethood and promulgation of the Religion On the Threshold of Prophethood The Holy Prophet’s ancestors were all monotheists and his household was pure.

Beside the sincerity and purity of his ancestors and household, he enjoyed pure and high education and always stayed away from the unseemliness and abomination of idolatry practiced by the Meccan people.[^1] Referring to the period of the Holy Prophet’s training and education, Imam `Ali (a.s) states: From the time of Muhammad's nursing days, God provided him with His most elegant angels to guide him towards the most appropriate virtues.[^2] Imam al-Baqir (s) has said, From the time the Holy Prophet stopped suckling, God appointed him an elegant angel to teach and train him good manners and appropriate behavior.

It was the same angel who, prior to his prophethood, called him saying “Blessings be to you, , the Messenger of Allah.” However, the Holy Prophet thought that the voice was coming from the stones and the ground; and the more he paid attention the less he could observe anything.[^3] Approaching his prophethood, Muhammad (s) had reached the highest point in rational thinking; he could not tolerate corrupted surroundings anymore and preferred seclusion.[^4] From the time he was thirty-seven years old, he was dominated by some specific spiritual conditions.

He felt there was a window open to him from the unknown world. Whatever he had heard from Bahira, Nustur and others was taking place, because he was observing a new light and exposed to some secrets: he repeatedly received some messages from Gabriel, but he could not identify the sender.[^5] For a time during his sleep, he was addressed as the Prophet. Once, in the desert surrounding Mecca, he heard someone calling him Messenger of Allah.

He asked, “Who are you?” The answer was, “I am Gabriel; God has sent me to tell you that you are His Messenger.” When he told his wife of the content of the message, she became delighted, saying, “I hope it is true.”[^6] During this time, Muhammad (s) used to resort to Hara’ Mount to pray God[^7] in seclusion.[^8] It was a common practice among the Qurayshi monotheists to stay at Hara’ and worship God.[^9] The first person to carry out such a practice was `Abd al-Muttalib, the Holy Prophet's grandfather, who used to go to Hara’ during the months of Ramazan.