How Christians helped the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
In the history of interaction between various religious communities, there are many examples when representatives of different faiths supported each other in difficult times.
A special place is occupied by the era of the spread of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ found support from Christian communities. These relations are based on the general principles of justice, mercy and brotherhood, which are inherent in all world religions.
Episode one
When the Messenger of God ﷺ was a 12-year-old boy, his uncle Abu Talib took him on a trading trip.
When they arrived in the city of Busra, they met a monk named Bahira, who, from the descriptions contained in the holy scriptures, realised that he was an unusual boy and recognized him as the future prophet.
He warned Abu Talib about the possible danger that could threaten the boy at the hands of ill-wishers and advised him to return home quickly.
Episode Two
At the age of 25, Muhammad ﷺ once again went to Sham (Syria) with the trade caravan of Khadija , accompanied by an assistant named Maysara.
This time, he also met a priest. His name was Nestur. He, too, like Bahira, understood that this was not a usual person and said that Jesus (Isa ) had warned about his appearance. The priest saw that a cloud was moving behind Muhammad ﷺ, creating a shadow over him and noticed other signs described in previous scriptures.
Nestur turned to Maysara, “Do not leave him, treat him with respect and care, he is God’s chosen one, whom the Lord honoured with prophecy.”
Episode Three
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was first given revelation, he did not know what to do. Then his wise wife Khadija took him to her cousin Waraqa, who was a christian and well versed in the Holy Scriptures revealed to Jesus (Isa ).
Waraqa was already at an advanced age. When the Prophet ﷺ told him about what happened in the cave of Hira and what he saw, Waraqa exclaimed, “This is the same angel Jibril , whom God sent to Moses (Musa ) with revelation! Oh, if only I were young in those days, oh, if only I lived to see the time when your people will drive you out!”
Muhammad ﷺ was surprised and asked, “Will people drive me out?”
Waraqa replied, “Yes, for whenever a man came bearing something similar to what you brought, he was always the object of enmity. If I live to see the beginning of your prophecy, I will help you as much as I can!”
However, Waraqa soon left this world. The fact that Waraqa recognised the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ played an important role in spreading the news of his mission among various communities.
To be continued…
