A family almost as old as Islamic history itself has been caring for the sacred cloak since the 7th century. TRT World visited the mosque where the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is kept and spoke with the family that protects it.
Hundreds of people gathered at the entrance to a mosque in Istanbul's ancient Fatih district on a windy day of Ramadan in May.
Outside, shopkeepers were selling dates and bottles of water, which comes from an underground spring in Mecca.
Prayers were loudly heard from speakers attached to the mosque, and women in headscarves and men in caps hurried inside with a mixture of awe and excitement on their faces.
Every year, thousands of believers from all over the world visit this mosque during the month of Ramadan to see one of the most valuable Islamic artifacts - the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), called Hirka-i Sharif. The 160-year-old mosque that houses the historical relic bears the same name.
The flow of those wishing to see the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) does not weaken / Source: trtworld.com
The building has the shape of an octagon, according to the number of parts that make up the cloak, and is designed in such a way that people can walk along the corridors and, without interfering with those praying below, find themselves on the upper floor where the cloak is located.
“Every year, over a million people visit during Ramadan. We had 20,000 visitors last Sunday,” said Sumeira Guldal, general secretary of the Hirka-e Sharif Mosque Foundation, which runs the shrine.
“In just three weeks, we have more visitors than many museums in Turkey,” Guldal said.
Descendant in the 59th generation
The family that is the guardian of Hirka-i-Sharif, perhaps, enjoys no less interest than the mosque itself.
The family members are direct descendants of Uwais Qarani, a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), to whom he gave the cloak.
For 13 centuries, from generation to generation, the family kept the precious artifact.
“I have been going to the mosque since I was three or four years old. I saw how jealous and careful my family was about the cloak, and was always ready to let people visit it,” said Barysh Samir, a 59th generation descendant of Uwais Karani.
“We have a very honorable mission,” said Sameer, a 45-year-old Istanbul native who is a mechanical engineer. – “How many families in the world know their genealogy, which is rooted in 59 generations?”
Barysh Samir is a descendant of Uwais Karani in the 59th generation / Source: trtarabi.com
special connection
The story of Uwais Qarani has fascinated Muslim scholars for centuries. He has a special status in Islam and is considered a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), despite the fact that they have never met.
A native of Yemen, Qarani went to Medina to see the Prophet (SAW), but did not find him. He could not stay and wait for him, because he had to return to take care of his sick mother.
Hearing that a man devoted to his mother left without meeting him, the Prophet (SAW) asked his two most faithful - Umar (peace be upon him) and Ali (peace be upon him) - to hand over his cloak to Uwais.
Since then, the descendants of Uwais Karani have been the keepers of the famous golden cloak.
Although circumstances prevented the Qarani from meeting the Prophet (SAW) in person, many people believed that they met spiritually. This especially elevated the status of the Qarani among the Sufi mystics.
Mosque of Khirka-i Sharif / Source: istanbuldakicamiler.com
But the cloak brought fame to Uwais and guests flocked to his house. who loved loneliness and solitude, it was very burdensome.
Uwais Qarani died in Northern Iraq, where he fell in battle fighting for Ali (peace be upon him), the son-in-law of the Prophet (SAW) and the fourth righteous caliph, against the troops of Muawiyah at the Battle of Siffin in 657.
The descendants of the Karani lived in Iraq until the 8th century, always keeping a cloak, until they were forced to move to Western Turkey, settling in the picturesque city of Kusadasi.
“We have no documents explaining why we came to Kusadasi. It seems that the family considered it safe and decided to settle here. The descendants of Qarani remained there until 1611,” Samir said.
In 1611, Ahmet I, the Ottoman sultan and Muslim caliph of the time, heard about the cloak and decided that he should keep it. But his advisers and Islamic scholars strongly advised against doing this, saying that it would be a violation of the will of the Prophet (SAW). As a result, he invited the family to live in Istanbul.
For the next hundred years, the descendants of Uwais allowed people to look at the cloak during each Ramadan, but as its popularity grew and more visitors came, it became difficult to receive such a large number of people.
In the historical center of Istanbul in the Sultanahmet district, next to the Hagia Sophia, an ancient palace rises, which for four centuries served as the main residence of 25 Ottoman sultans and a place for solemn events and royal entertainment. Today in Topkapi is located famous museum, where important Muslim shrines are kept, such as the cloak and sword of the Prophet Muhammad. Topkapi Palace is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as "the finest example of palace ensembles from the Ottoman period."
Myths and facts
Topkapi means "cannon gate" in Turkish. This name was given to the palace because of the large fortress gates, which have not survived to this day.
Founded in 1459 by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the palace complex covered an area of 173 hectares along coastline and at its peak was home to 4,000 people. There were several mosques, hospitals, a bakery and a mint here. But unlike other royal residences that had a clear plan, such as the Schönbrunn Palace or the Palace of Versailles, Topkapi has developed over the centuries, expanding and changing.
So initially the Tiled Pavilion with a harem was located outside the palace complex. A century later, in the 16th century, Roksolana (a concubine originally from Ukraine, and then the wife of Sultan Suleiman I), achieved the transfer of the harem to the Topkapi Palace in order to be closer to the Sultan. The construction of the Topkapi harem under Suleiman I was the largest restructuring of the complex.
To XVIII century Topkapı gradually lost its importance as the sultans preferred to spend more time in their new palaces along the Bosporus. In 1856, the residence of the Sultan was moved to the Dolmabahce Palace, the first palace in Istanbul built in European style. But the imperial treasury and the library remained in Topkapi.
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1921, the palace was transformed into a museum of the imperial era, which has become one of the most visited attractions in Turkey. 
What to watch
The palace complex consists of four main courtyards, surrounded by a wall and divided among themselves. The palace includes many pavilions with hundreds of rooms and halls, representing fine examples Ottoman architecture. The most important of them are open to the public.
A rich collection of weapons, medieval shields and armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and frescoes, as well as royal treasures and jewelry.
Here you will see thousands of examples of Turkish, Chinese, Japanese and European porcelain, arranged in order of time, as well as more than a hundred samples of Turkish tiles from the 18th and 19th centuries.
An interesting collection of caftans belonging to the sultans Mehmed II, Osman II, and Abdul-Aziz, along with silk carpets for prayer and clothes.
A priceless collection of jewelry and precious stones, located in four halls, attracts great attention. Most of the jewelry is encrusted with diamonds, rubies, pearls, emeralds and other precious stones.
One of the sections presents the weapons of the sultans - combs, swords, shields, quivers, precious daggers, as well as jade bowls, writing sets, scepters, canes, kerosene lamps and hookahs. Of particular interest are candlesticks made of 46 kg of silver, decorated with thousands of diamonds, donated by Muslim pilgrims.
In the adjacent hall you will find the throne of Nadir Shah (Persian ruler in the 18th century) adorned with thousands of emeralds, rubies, pearls and the world-famous 86-carat Kasikchi diamond.
Portraits of all the Ottoman sultans are displayed in the Sultans' Chamber.
Saadet Hall (Hasoda), which is one of the most important sections of the museum for Muslims, houses sacred artifacts: the weapons of Muhammad and the four caliphs, and the Koran. In another hall (Hasado), Muhammad's robe is kept in a golden display case. There are also letters, seals, hair and swords of the prophet.
Another pavilion displays a rich collection of weapons that once belonged to the Arabs, Iranians, Mamluks and Turks from the 7th to the 10th centuries.
The Agalar Mosque is full of manuscripts and miniatures belonging to different periods, as well as samples of calligraphy of the Ottoman Empire.
In total, about 65,000 exhibits are on display, which is only a tenth of the Topkapi Museum collection. 
Miniature "Reception at the Sultan Selim II". Turkey, second half of the 16th century
The miniature from the book "Shah-name-i-Selim-khan" is evidence of the stable Ottoman tradition of creating illustrated histories of each reign, which arose already in the 16th century. On the handwritten books the Islamic ban on the image of living beings did not apply.
Sultan Selim is depicted sitting on a golden throne under a canopy. He is dressed in a light-colored robe, girded with a red belt, and a dark blue caftan, with a high turban on his head. On his right hand are the Grand Vizier and other high officials of the state, behind him is the chief squire and guardian of the Sultan's mantle. On the heads of the latter are high red-gold headdresses. The squire occupied the third place in the court hierarchy after the vizier and custodian of the Sultan's chambers. In the Sultan's treasury, they were responsible for the safety of the ruler's personal weapons. During solemn processions, the duty of the squire was to ride on the right hand of the Sultan and hold his saber. The chief squire is dressed in a blue caftan with a gold belt. The custodian of the sultan's robe was the sultan's personal valet and rode right behind him. His duties included monitoring the safety of the entire magnificent wardrobe of the sovereign. The keeper of the mantle is dressed in a red caftan with a golden belt, he holds one of the symbols of power - a golden matara (richly decorated flask with water). Beside them stands large group less senior courtiers. The persons invited to the audience are located below. One of them bows low to the padishah, the other knelt before the throne.
Chamber of sacred relics in the third courtyard
On the left side of the third courtyard, behind the Mosque of the White Eunuchs, is the Sultan's Chamber, erected under Mehmed Fatih as the place of his permanent residence. At the beginning of the 16th century, under Selim Yavuz (Grozny), its appearance changed - a new building was added, which is called the Pavilion of Sacred Relics. After Selim's conquest of Mamluk Egypt in 1517, the Turkish sultans also began to bear the title of Caliph, the religious head of the orthodox Sunni Muslims. From Cairo to Istanbul, on the orders of Selim, the main shrines of Islam were transferred, which were in the possession of the last Abbasid caliphs - distant relatives of the prophet himself.
In the Chamber there are keys and locks from the Kaaba, the keepers of which for a number of centuries were Turkish sultans, gutters from its roof, details of the bedspreads that change annually at the shrine, fragments of reliquaries from the famous Black Stone. In addition, there are models of the Kaaba, made of different materials, as well as models of the mosque in Medina, where the prophet Muhammad was buried, and the mosque "Dome of the Rock" in Jerusalem. Among the sacred relics are also the few surviving personal belongings of the prophet - his cloak and sword. One of the not so common Muslim world shrines reminds of the earthly path of Muhammad. This is a casket with his tooth, knocked out in the first battle for Islam during the Withdrawal on March 19, 652, when the Muslim army was defeated during the war between Mecca and Medina. Also here are the things of his closest relatives, for example, the shirt and dressing gown of his beloved daughter Fatima, the mother of his only grandchildren. The swords of his closest associates, Umar and Usman, have also been preserved.
Sacred relics also include things associated with biblical and gospel characters mentioned in the Koran. For example, the dish of Patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim), who is considered the ancestor of all Arabs, a small wooden rod - according to legend, the prophet Moses (Musa) used it to draw water from a rock. In addition, there is the sword of the pious Israeli king David (Dawud) and clothes attributed to Patriarch Joseph (Yusuf). Among the greatest relics revered by Christians is the ark with right hand John the Baptist (Yahya).
Despite the fact that now the exhibition of sacred relics is considered a museum exhibition, a large number of Muslims come here to not only look at the ancient shrines, but also bow to them.
Sword of the Prophet Muhammad. Arabia, 7th century
The sword of the Prophet Muhammad is one of the main shrines of Islam, as it not only has a memorial value, but is also covered with many legends. Tradition says that during his life, Muhammad wielded nine swords, each of which had its own name. Some of them he inherited, others he received as a gift from his comrades-in-arms, others he captured in battles as trophies.
However, Mohammed was not a warrior by profession, he was born in 571 into a family of wealthy merchants and spent the first half of his life in Mecca completely peacefully. Left an orphan at an early age, he was brought up first by his grandfather, then by his uncles. Muhammad did not get a large inheritance, and at the age of 25 he married a wealthy widow older than himself. Leading a prosperous life, he left trade and began to show interest in philosophical and religious teachings, of which many were known in Arabia. At the age of about 40 years, in 610, the first revelation was sent to him, and soon Muhammad began to preach the doctrine of faith in one Allah. His activities in Mecca led to a conflict with some of its inhabitants, including relatives. The Prophet with his supporters in 622 made the Hijra - the resettlement from Mecca to Medina. Since that time, the Muslim chronology has been counting down. A year later, a war began between the supporters of Muhammad and the adherents of polytheism from Mecca, during which some of the swords stored today in Topkapi were used.
However, the sword al-Kadyb ("Bar", "Rod") was never used in battles, such weapons were used by travelers and pilgrims on dangerous medieval roads. It has a narrow thin blade about a meter long. On one side of it, the Arabic inscription "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is His prophet." Mohammed Ben Abdallah Ben Abd al-Mutallib is inscribed in silver. In no historical source there is no indication that this sword was used in any battle. It remained in the house of the Prophet Muhammad and was used later by the caliphs from the Fatimid dynasty. The tanned leather scabbard appears to have been restored in later eras.
In addition to this sword, Topkapi has several other blades that also belonged to Muhammad. Another of his swords is preserved today in the Hussein Mosque in Cairo.
Treasury Building
One of oldest buildings the third courtyard is the so-called Fatih Pavilion (Fatih Köshku), whose body stretched along the Sea of Marmara. Its building, also called Enderun Hazinesi (Treasury of the Inner Court), was built during the time of Sultan Mehmed II (circa 1460) and was among the first in the emerging structure of the new palace. It was conceived as a place to store the main treasures of the Sultan's treasury, which could leave the palace only on especially important occasions.
The building is crowned with two domes, cut through by small windows, and surrounded by a gallery, like many other Topkapı buildings. Apparently, according to the original plan of the first customer, Sultan Mehmed, the palace was planned as a summer residence, so the only purpose of the domes was to provide lighting and increase the volume of air in the room, and the galleries were supposed to prevent the sun from heating the walls. This is also evidenced by an open terrace with a fountain adjacent to the Fatih Pavilion on the other side.
Over time, the pavilion of the 15th century was connected with another building - the Chamber of Military Companies, founded by Murad IV in 1635. During the construction of the gallery of this chamber, Byzantine columns made of greenish stone were used. The premises of the Chamber of Military Campaigns, rebuilt in the 18th century, currently house a unique exposition of caftans and other clothes of the sultans of the 15th-19th centuries.
Enderun Hazinesi has opened an exhibition of one of the largest collections of treasures in the world. The sultans of the Ottoman Empire accumulated a huge amount of unique valuables and highly artistic artifacts, many of which are presented in this exposition, located in four halls.
So today we are starting new series publications -« Legendary Blades". We will talk about legendary weapons, but not about fabulous mythical swords, but about real historical artifacts stored in museums and which are national treasures of different countries.
They have no price in the usual sense of the word. It is impossible to estimate the value of such an object if there is a whole era behind it. Most of these blades have not left the carefully guarded walls of museums for many years, as states do not want to expose relics even minimum risk. Many of them are prohibited from filming and photographing - especially religious shrines, which some of the blades, without any doubt, are.
But let's move on to the topic of today's publication - to the sword of Armageddon.
Even the very title of the publication immediately raises the question: does the author really claim that there is a real sword, which, even according to legend, can become the weapon of Armageddon?
After all, Armageddon is a global catastrophe or war that will destroy all of humanity.
And from this point of view, an atomic or hydrogen bomb, an asteroid, a deadly virus pandemic, a zombie invasion, but not some rusty ancient blade, can become an instrument of the end of the world.
However, Armageddon is not the death of our world at all, as most readers think, but the last and most terrible battle in the history of mankind, in which people will fight each other, led by the forces of universal evil and good. The result will not be the destruction of everyone and everything, but a victory over the forces of darkness. After that, the thousand-year kingdom of goodness and justice will come on earth.
And only after the expiration of a thousand years will all the final fuss begin with the Last Judgment, the resurrection of the dead and other events on the occasion of the end of the world.
Moreover, the name "Armageddon" is just an indication of the place of the battle, such as Waterloo or Borodino. And it is well known to us - not far from Mount Megiddo (har Megiddo - in Hebrew) in Israel, it remains only to clarify the time a little.
And if Armageddon is a battle, then why not be a very real sword that will be fought there?
It is for this very sword, the hero of today's story, that we will have to go to Istanbul. Although it is possible that this sword was forged when even Byzantium itself had not yet been founded, later - Constantinople, the imperial capital of the Romans, captured five and a half centuries ago by the Turks and called Istanbul by them.
Together with a crowd of tourists, we will follow you to the historical center ancient city- Cape Saraiburnu overlooking the Golden Horn, where the Bosphorus separates Europe and Asia.
There is the palace of the Turkish sultans Topkapi, for more than four centuries the former residence of the rulers of the Brilliant Porte - the Ottoman Empire.
Topkapi Palace. View from the Bosphorus. Behind the cape on the other side is the Sea of Marmara.
To get to the palace, we need to go through the Gate of the Lord (Bab-ı Hümayun) - the palace itself and its outer courtyard are surrounded high wall with towers.
Lord's Gate (Imperial Gate)
passing by the ancient Byzantine church, on the way through the park we will go to the main gate of the palace - the Gate of Greeting (Babü’s-selam).
The Welcome Gate is the main gate of Topkapı Palace.
In the second, already the courtyard of the palace, there was an exquisite park and several buildings, including the Divan building (the cabinet of ministers under the Sultan) with the Tower of Justice. This part of the palace was comparatively open to many, including visiting members of the embassies of foreign powers and staff serving the palace. There was also a palace kitchen (more than 800 people worked there), a stable, and premises for guards.
And, of course, the Treasury building is also the treasury of the empire. It is called the "external treasury", since the palace has another one - "internal", inaccessible to everyone except the Sultan, his family and those closest to him. Now in the "outer treasury" is a museum of weapons, here is the richest collection of Islamic weapons in the world from the 7th to the beginning of the 20th century. Of course, there are also weapons from other countries, in particular the European ones are not ignored. Thousands and thousands of exhibits - over 400 types of weapons alone.
Collection of weapons in Topkapı's outer treasury
But all this weapons wealth is of little interest to you and me. We go straight to the Gate of Bliss, which leads to the third courtyard, closed to outsiders during the time of the Sultan.
Gate of Bliss
The third courtyard behind the Gate of Bliss was essentially an inner palace. The Sultan did not live here (he lived in the premises of the fourth courtyard of the palace), but all official events took place here. The third courtyard was surrounded by buildings with the throne room, the harem, the Inner Treasury and, finally, the Privy Chambers.
All the solemn receptions of the Sultan were held in the throne room, but we are certainly interested in the treasury? And not in vain.
The amount of treasures - gold, precious stones, jewelry is really impressive, but to put it simply - it goes off scale.
Treasury building in the third courtyard
Sultan Mustafa IV on a golden throne. Late XVIII century.
The throne of the Great Mogul, the ruler of India Shah Jahan, a gift to the Sultan.
For example, there are two pair of candlesticks made for the Kaaba (the main shrine of Islam) from 48 kg of gold and decorated with 6,000 diamonds.
But our path lies with you in the holy of holies Topkapi - in the Secret Chamber of the inner palace. Once upon a time, even the Sultan himself could visit it only once a year. Now it is open to the general public, which is a headache for the Turkish government, since the highest clergy of Islam demand that it be closed, leaving access only for pilgrims on strictly certain days of the year. After all, there is a large number of the most holy relics of Islam!
But you and I will only be required not to be there in shorts and T-shirts, and women will not be allowed there without a closed dress and a headscarf covered. And yes - photo and video shooting inside is STRICTLY prohibited. There, twilight always reigns inside, so that the bright light does not damage the ancient relics.
The building of the Secret Chambers in the third courtyard of the Topkapi Palace, where the repository of holy relics is located.
In this room, the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad is kept separately from everyone else.
Even just a list of holy relics will impress any follower of Islam: the prophet’s cloak, his swords and bow, banner, the prophet’s personal letter, his sandals, the prophet’s tooth (!) , beard hair (each hair separately), the prophet’s footprints, his bowl and staff , a personal seal, the swords of his associates, the staff of Moses, the cauldron of Abraham, the headdress of John the Baptist and much more.
It may surprise some that they are doing something like Christian relics here, but almost all the great prophets of the Bible who lived before Muhammad are considered prophets in Islam, and they are revered by Muslims no less than by Christians.
Anticipating your questions, not a single sacred relic has been examined by scientists, and therefore the authenticity of many (if not most) relics remains in doubt from the point of view of historians. Some simply cannot be authentic, unless, of course, they are approached from the point of view of faith - Islam.
A hair from the prophet's beard. Impressive?
The footprint of the prophet in stone, a miracle is a sign of holiness
One of the wings of the ancient doors of the Kaaba
Letter written by Prophet Muhammad
But this relic is sure to interest you more. Two personal swords of the prophet (Al-Ma'thur and Al-Qadib) and his bow. On the foreground gilded silver bow case.
The bow is made from cane. The bowstring is removed, because it is curved in the opposite direction.
Sword of the prophet Al-Ma'thur, blade length 99 cm. Decorated with gold and precious stones.
Sword Al-Qadib, blade length 101 cm
Surely there will be users who are outraged by the quality of these photographs of swords and say that, they say, it was possible to find similar photos on the network and of better quality.
Maybe, here they are:
But this is not a photo of real swords - in the first case it is just an artist's drawing, and in the second case it is not a very high-quality replica. As you remember, photography is prohibited in the pavilions, so no photos from high resolution you will not find on the net, especially macro photography of the hilt, blade or even the sheath of these very swords.
Swords of the Companions of the Prophet
All this gold-decorated jewelery is a later work. In the time of Muhammad, the same swords looked much more modest.
And against the background of all these decorated swords in the wall niche behind armored glass, this modest sword is almost invisible.
Its hilt and scabbard do not have the gleam of gold, but for what reason is it displayed in this way, is it really so important as a sacred relic with all this?
After all, the swords of the first holy caliphs and even the two personal swords of the prophet, an incredible treasure by the standards of Islam, are exhibited together, and this sword is in splendid isolation! I will say more, even some highly respected theologians of Islam doubt the authenticity of this relic, since the very existence of such a sword violates the foundations of the Koran: it has an image of a person, which is strictly prohibited in Islam.
Nevertheless, this is one of the most famous nine swords of the Prophet Muhammad - Al-Battar (Al-Battar "Dissecting"), and it is he who is the goal of our journey with you!
Al-Battar sword, blade length 101 cm
It is a double-edged sword with a curved handle and a very long blade. Due to the length and shape of the blade, its hilt, the absence of a heavy knob on the hilt and, as a result, the center of gravity is shifted towards the blade, it is quite obvious that the sword is intended primarily for chopping blows delivered by a rider on horseback. Which in total corresponds to the realities of the war of the time of the prophet.
But the blade itself is noticeably older than Muhammad!
Let's look at it a little closer.
Visible drawing - very conditional image man as if drawing Small child, at the very guard and Arabic script on the blade itself. I have a larger picture for you.
What is shown here?
To do this, you need to remember the history of the sword, this is a military booty taken from the Banu Kaynuk near Medina (modern Saudi Arabia). The sword was presented as a gift to the Prophet Muhammad as a precious relic already at that time, because it is not for nothing that this sword is also called the “Sword of the Prophets”. According to legend, it belonged to a number of holy prophets, whose names are written in Arabic script on the blade. The first of these great prophets is Daud.
It is he who is depicted on the blade for a very important matter - cutting off the head of Jalut, a mighty giant and king of the Amalek tribe, who was originally the owner of this sword. To put it bluntly, Jaluta was not lucky, some scumbag killed him without a sword, and then chopped off his head with his own blade.
Does this story remind you of anything? That's right, you guessed it, this is a retelling of the biblical duel between David and Goliath. And yes, Daud is David.
The next prophet, in whose hands the sword was, according to the list - Suleiman ibn Daud. Translated into the "language" of Christians, the famous king Solomon, the son of David the conqueror of Goliath.
But pay attention to the blade, there is not only Arabic script, but there is another inscription in a language unfamiliar to us.
This Nabataean script, from which the Arabic script later developed, fell into disuse at the beginning of the 6th century, a century before the revelation of the prophet Muhammad. Another argument in favor of the very real antiquity of the sword. He is at least one and a half thousand years old!
But we will not list all the prophets who allegedly owned this sword. Let us dwell on one and the most important for us - the last one before Muhammad: Isa ibn Mariam, which means "Isa the son of Mariam." But Mariam is woman's name, and the Arabs always call a person by the name of his father, and not by his mother!
The fact is that Isa never had a father, he was born from a mother-girl, thanks to a miracle created by Allah. Yes, we are talking it is about Jesus Christ, only the Koran completely rejects the version of the death of the prophet Isa on the cross, arguing that, contrary to all the assurances of the Romans and the Jews who betrayed their prophet, they did not manage to "neither kill him nor crucify him, but it only seemed to them." Isa did not die, and therefore did not resurrect, he was taken to heaven by Allah himself, where he will stay next to him almost until the Last Judgment.
Is it really the words of Jesus “I did not bring peace to you, but a sword” - about this very sword ?!
And I would be glad to agree, but here's the hitch: Christ never had a sword, it's just a metaphor, that is, a figure of speech. Well, in no way could a carpenter-prophet from Nazareth walk around Judea with a huge sword more than a meter long on his belt, he would have been immediately seized by the authorities and arrested for preparing for a rebellion. And there is not even a single indirect hint in the New Testament that Jesus could have a sword.
And here we are facing a seemingly insoluble problem - if the sword was never in the hands of Christ, then the inscription on the sword is a lie, and this, from the point of view of a faithful Muslim, cannot be: holy relics cannot lie!
However, there is one quite elegant solution to this issue, which we did not even suspect.
The blade lists all of its owners, right?
Yes. And although Isa did not own a sword, did not even hold it in his hands, it is wrong to cross it out of the list, because this inscription itself is not a fact of the past, but a prophecy: the sword will belong to Jesus!
Muslims, like Christians, believe in the second coming of the prophet Isa (Christ). His return will herald for all the nearness of the Last Judgment. At that time, Dajjal (Antichrist) will rule the world, who will deceive most of the people, calling evil - good, and black - white. Isa will win and destroy the false messiah Dajjal. After that, the kingdom of goodness and justice will come on earth, however, unlike the version of Christianity, it will last not 1000 years, but only 40, after which the prophet Isa will die and be buried next to the prophet Muhammad. Well, then everything is as written, almost the same for both religions - the trumpets of angels will sound, the dead will rise, the Last Judgment and the end of the world are coming.
So - many Muslims believe that according to legend, it is Al-Battar in the hands of the prophet Isa who will defeat Dajjal.
And since this will happen, according to Christian eschatology, during the great last battle then in front of you...
the sword of Armageddon, with which Jesus will personally slay the leader of the forces of evil - the Antichrist.
What is left for you and me? Just say goodbye to Istanbul, Topkapi Palace and sacred relics in the Secret Chamber.
See you soon!
New publications about real legendary blades are waiting for you.
With respect to readers and subscribers, Bald Kamrad
If you want to know in advance about the approach of Armageddon, ask your friend, who went to Istanbul, to look into the Topkapi Palace and check if the Al-Battar sword is in place.
Hello, dear readers of the Sprint-Answer website. Today we have September 19, 2017 on our calendars, which means that the printed version will be released tomorrow next issue newspaper Argumenty i Fakty. So far, there is an electronic version of the newspaper, so it is already possible to print all the correct answers to the crossword puzzle No. 38 in the AiF newspaper for 2017. All correct answers to the crossword can be found at the end of the article, they are printed in a compact form immediately after the questions of the crossword.
Horizontally:
1. Fairy blond.
5. Anniversary feast.
9. Who replaced Leon Trotsky as People's Commissar for Defense?
10. "Tambov wolf to you..." (from the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession").
11. Who discovered ultraviolet rays?
12. "In the garden of elder, and in Kyiv ...".
13. What does Joe play from the movie Only Girls in Jazz?
16. What branch of agriculture does the hero of our film comedy "The Pig and the Shepherd" work for?
18. Goods at a gas station.
19. What musical instrument capable of replacing an entire orchestra?
20. "Pip you on ...!".
26. Which of the Russian revolutionaries became the father-in-law of Joseph Stalin?
29. The palace where the cloak and sword of the Prophet Muhammad are kept.
30. "Herbal assortment" from a pharmacy (4 letters).
31. Show in the sky.
32. Where did Helena Blavatsky put all the "souls of the dead"?
36. "Severe supervision" of "freedom of speech".
39. Entertainer at the hotel.
40. What did Mikhail Bulgakov dream of devoting his life to from his youth?
44. "Each one of my soul heals the beast."
47. Outer State.
48. "Alien does not know your pain."
51. What did Delesov lose from the story "Albert" by Leo Tolstoy?
52. Chemical ingredient.
53. German tradesman.
54. "You need to know the authorities in ...".
55. "Sense organ" at the device.
56. Military artist.
57. The fourth of the jurors in the film "12" by Nikita Mikhalkov.
Vertically:
1. Where is the debit and credit reduced?
2. "Brings suckers."
3. Sheer trifle.
4. Fatigue limit.
6. Which of our magicians "saws off his own hand" in the movie "Thieves in Law"?
7. The most prestigious brand of wedding rings.
8. Who stole the ambrosia from the Olympian gods?
12. "Paradise pleasure" for a businessman.
14. How does the world owe the Athenian Cleisthenes what attitude towards dissidents?
15. Passion for singer Alexander Marshal.
17. Sin of the seller.
21. A living symbol of Belarus.
22. Judgment from heaven.
23. "Notorious ...".
24. Matinee with Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden.
25. It is about him that the Frenchman Gustave Flaubert jokingly writes in his book: firstly, he did not exist, and secondly, he is famous for his laughter!
27. Red deer from North America.
28. Which marshal of France was married to Napoleon's sister?
33. Reaper's Razor.
34. "Ripple of music."
35. Country around Vientiane.
36. Rhythm "from under the hooves."
37. "I grab onto ..., drink milkshakes."
38. From which city do they rule the country?
41. "Venetian lace" now.
42. "Sexual appetite" pills.
43. You can't!
45. “How can a woman remain attractive and not starve to death?!” (classic comedy).
46. How does a fox cover his tracks?
47. The aroma of "dog life."
49. Which parrot from the cartoon speaks with the voice of Khazanov?
50. "Road to the Heart" for blood.
53. “We live to give… every new day.”
Answers to the crossword "AiF" No. 38 for 2017
Horizontally: 1. Snow White 5. Banquet 9. Frunze 10. Boyar 11. Ritter 12. Uncle 13. Saxophone 16. Sheep breeding 18. Gasoline 19. Organ 20. Language 26. Alliluyev 29. Topkapi 30. Gathering 31. Fireworks 32. Astral 36