Being a response to a Muslim Dawagandist
Bassam Zawadi addresses (*) my articles concerning the Islamic scripture portraying Jesus as the greatest of all prophets, vastly superior to Muhammad, and that his blessed mother is the greatest woman ever created (1, 2).
In the second half of his rebuttal Zawadi posted three somewhat lengthy answers from the www.islamqa.com website to prove that Muhammad is the best of creation. Instead of posting all three articles in their entirety we encourage the readers to either consult Zawadis article or go to the sources themselves and spend some time reviewing the evidence that they presented to prove that Muhammad is the greatest creature. Here are the links to the original responses:
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=83417&ln=eng
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=10669&ln=eng
http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?ref=7459&ln=eng
What we will do here is cite a few paragraphs in order to show just how weak their case truly is. We will then follow that up by responding to Zawadis summation of all the points raised by these articles since this will help us keep the response from becoming too lengthy.
The Prophets (peace be upon them) vary in status over one another. This is something that has been stated by Allaah in His Book and by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in His Sunnah.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning)
"Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allaah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour); and to Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), We gave clear proofs and evidences, and supported him with Rooh-ul-Qudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)]"
[al-Baqarah 2:253]
Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the words "others He raised to degrees (of honour)", in other places it is indicated that among them is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaam Mahmoud (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the honour of intercession on the Day of Resurrection"
[al-Isra' 17:79]
Thirdly:
There is no difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the fact that our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is superior to all of his fellow-Prophets (peace be upon them). That is clear from the evidence of the Qur'aan and Sunnah, such as the following:
1 - He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will attain the station of praise and glory (maqaam Mahmoud) on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salaah (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur'aan in the prayer) as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer ____ Nawaafil) for you (O Muhammad). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaam Mahmoud (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the honour of intercession on the Day of Resurrection)"
[al-Isra' 17:79]
And:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him): "By Allaah, if my brother Moosa were alive, he would have no choice but to follow me."
And when the Messiah Eesaa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) comes down at the end of time, he will come to rule in accordance with the sharee'ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he will follow him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It is rather obvious that neither Zawadi nor his sources bothered reading Q. 17:79 carefully:
And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur'an in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawafil) for you (O Muhammad SAW). IT MAY BE that your Lord will raise you to Maqaman Mahmuda (a station of praise and glory, i.e. the highest degree in Paradise!). Hilali-Khan
Here are two other versions for comparisons sake:
IT MAY BE that thy Lord will raise thee to a praised estate. Pickthall
IT MAY BE that thy Lord will raise thee up to a laudable station. Arberry
The reader can see that this text doesnt say that Muhammad will definitely be granted this honored station but that Allah MAY grant him this rank. Doesnt this clearly show that Muhammad was rather uncertain whether his lord would truly favor him by giving him this status?
In fact, the following narrative shows that Muhammad was actually uncertain whether he would receive this rank and even asked his followers to beg Allah to give it to him:
'Abdullah b. Amr b. al-As reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When you hear the Mu'adhdhin, repeat what he says, then invoke a blessing on me, for everyone who invokes a blessing on me will receive ten blessings from Allah; then BEG from Allah al-Wasila for me, which is a rank in Paradise fitting for only one of Allah's servants, and I HOPE that I MAY BE that one. If anyone who asks that I be given the Wasila, he will be assured of my intercession. (Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Number 0747)
This uncertainty may stem from the fact that in this very same surah Allah rebukes and threatens Muhammad:
This is (part) of that wisdom wherewith thy Lord hath inspired thee (O Muhammad). And set not up with Allah any other god, lest thou be cast into hell, reproved, abandoned. S. 17:39 Pickthall
Indeed they were near to seducing thee from that We revealed to thee, that thou mightest forge against Us another, and then they would surely have taken thee as a friend; and had We not confirmed thee, surely thou wert near to inclining unto them a very little; then would We have let thee taste the double of life and the double of death; and then thou wouldst have found none to help thee against Us. S. 17:73-75
And tells him that he was nothing more than a mere mortal messenger incapable of performing miracles:
Or thou have a house of gold; or thou ascend up into heaven, and even then we will put no faith in thine ascension till thou bring down for us a book that we can read. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord be Glorified! Am I aught save a mortal messenger? S. 17:93 Y. Ali
As if this werent bad enough Muhammad wasnt even certain of his own destiny or the destiny of others!
Say: "I am no bringer of new-fangled doctrine among the messengers, NOR DO I KNOW WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH ME OR WITH YOU. I follow but that which is revealed to me by inspiration; I am but a Warner open and clear." S. 46:9
More on Allah rebuking Muhammad and his station of intercession later.
Now contrast this with Christ whom the Quran expressly testifies has been given the highest station of honor and glory imaginable. Jesus, according to the Muslim scripture, was raised to dwell in the very presence of God Almighty himself:
(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein ye used to differ. S. 3:55 Pickthall
But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise. S. 4:158 Pickthall
Seeing that you cant get any higher than being in Gods presence wouldnt this actually prove that Jesus has received the greatest honor by being exalted to the highest of all levels? And wouldnt this also conclusively prove that Christ, not Muhammad, has been given Maqam Mahmud or the station of praise?
In fact, the readers may have noticed that the phrase "a praised station" is a rather unclear expression. It does not say, as Hilali-Khan do in their parenthesis, that this is the HIGHEST degree in paradise. As the various translations indicate, the expression merely means A (not THE) praised station. It seems not to be a name of a definite place, but an unspecific term.
Yet what does this precisely mean, what position does this refer to exactly?
The wording itself doesn’t imply that the station is necessarily higher than any other person’s rank or position. Nothing in the phrase necessarily suggests that this is THE highest position one can attain and it is really no different than what the Quran says about the prophet Idris:
And mention in the Book (the Qur'an) Idris (Enoch). Verily! He was a man of truth, (and) a Prophet. And We raised him to a high station. S. 19:56-57 Y. Ali
Note the one major difference in what these texts say regarding the prophet of Islam and Idris; Idris is said to have been taken to a high station or rank whereas Q. 17:79 says that Allah MAY, not that he has or definitely will, grant Muhammad this station of praise.
The author of the Quran apparently didn’t want to commit himself to anything specific here.
Now contrast this with the above Quranic references which emphatically proclaim that Allah raised Jesus to himself which is much more definite and clear.
Moreover, Muhammads claim that Moses would have to follow him is contradicted by the Quran which commands the former to follow the guidance and religion of the prophets like Moses:
They say: "Become Jews or Christians if ye would be guided (To salvation)." Say thou: "Nay! (I would rather) the Religion of Abraham the True, and he joined not gods with God." S. 2:135 Y. Ali
Say: "God speaketh the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith; he was not of the Pagans." S. 3:95 Y. Ali
That is Our argument. We gave it unto Abraham against his folk. We raise unto degrees of wisdom whom We will. Lo! thy Lord is Wise, Aware. And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one (of them) did We prefer above (Our) creatures, With some of their forefathers and their offspring and their brethren; and We chose them and guided them unto a straight path. Such is the guidance of Allah wherewith He guideth whom He will of His bondmen. But if they had set up (for worship) aught beside Him, (all) that they did would have been vain. Those are they unto whom We gave the Scripture and command and prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein, then indeed We shall entrust it to a people who will not be disbelievers therein. Those are they whom Allah guideth, so follow their guidance. Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I ask of you no fee for it. Lo! it is naught but a Reminder to (His) creatures. S. 6:83-90 Pickthall
Lo! Abraham was a nation obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the idolaters; Thankful for His bounties; He chose him and He guided him unto a straight path. And We gave him good in the world, and in the Hereafter he is among the righteous. And afterward We inspired thee (Muhammad, saying): Follow the religion of Abraham, as one by nature upright. He was not of the idolaters. S. 16:120-123 Pickthall
He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Dreadful for the idolaters is that unto which thou callest them. Allah chooseth for Himself whom He will, and guideth unto Himself him who turneth (toward Him). S. 42:13 Pickthall
Finally,
Narrated Mujahid:
That he asked Ibn 'Abbas, "Is there a prostration in Surat-al-Sad?" (38.24) Ibn 'Abbas said, "Yes," and then recited: "We gave ... So follow their guidance." (6.85,90) Then he said, "He (David) is one them (i.e. those prophets)." Mujahid narrated: I asked Ibn 'Abbas (regarding the above Verse). He said, "Your Prophet (Muhammad) was one of those who were ordered to follow them." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 156)
Note carefully what all of these texts are saying. Muhammad is to embrace the religion of the prophets like Abraham and it is their guidance that he is commanded to follow, not the other way around. Even Zawadi realizes and admits this since he will later say that:
- He (peace be upon him) obeyed the command and followed the guidance of the Messengers who came before him (Emphasis ours)
Thus, if Moses were walking the earth during the time of Muhammad then the latter would have to follow the former, not the other way around.
They replied:
Many texts in the Qur'aan and Sunnah speak of the greatness of our Prophet Muhammad and his sublime status before his Lord, may He be exalted, through the noble attributes and unique characteristics that Allaah bestowed only upon him, which indicates that he is the best of creation, the most honoured by Allaah and the greatest in status before Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah has sent down to you the book (the Qur'aan), and Al-Hikmah (Islamic laws, knowledge of legal and illegal things, i.e. the Prophet's Sunnah (legal ways), and taught you that which you knew not. And Ever Great is the Grace of Allaah unto you (O Muhammad Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã)"
[al-Nisa' 4:113]
By this criterion Christ should be viewed as the greatest of all the prophets:
When the angels said, 'Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be.' 'Lord,' said Mary, 'how shall I have a son seeing no mortal has touched me?' 'Even so,' God said, God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing He does but say to it "Be," and it is. And He will teach him the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah, the Gospel, to be a Messenger to the Children of Israel saying, "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will create for you out of clay as the likeness of a bird; then I will breathe into it, and it will be a bird, by the leave of God. I will also heal the blind and the leper, and bring to life the dead, by the leave of God. I will inform you too of what things you eat, and what you treasure up in your houses. Surely in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. S. 3:45-49 Arberry
When God said, 'Jesus Son of Mary, remember My blessing upon thee and upon thy mother, when I confirmed thee with the Holy Spirit, to speak to men in the cradle, and of age; and when I taught thee the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah, the Gospel; and when thou createst out of clay, by My leave, as the likeness of a bird, and thou breathest into it, and it is a bird, by My leave; and thou healest the blind and the leper by My leave, and thou bringest the dead forth by My leave; and when restrained from thee the Children of Israel when thou camest unto them with the clear signs, and the unbelievers among them said, "This is nothing but sorcery manifest." S. 5:110
Notice how this Muslim argument ends up making Jesus vastly superior to Muhammad since the former was instructed in more Books than the latter, performed miracles that the prophet of Islam never did or could, and even spoke while in the cradle!
It is now time to address Zawadis summary of the data presented by the www.islamqa.com team.
- He (peace be upon him) will be the leader of all mankind (includes Prophets) on the Day of Judgment.
How can Muhammad be the leader of mankind when he isnt even as great as Jonah or Moses?(1)
Narrated Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "None has the right to say that I am better than Jonah bin Matta." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 127)Narrated Abu Huraira:
"A man from the Muslims and a man from the Jews quarreled, and the Muslim said, By Him Who gave superiority to Muhammad over all the people! The Jew said, By Him Who gave superiority to Moses over all the people!' On that the Muslim lifted his hand and slapped the Jew. The Jew went to Allah's Apostle and informed him of all that had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet said, Do not give me superiority over Moses, for the people will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, I will be the first to regain consciousness and behold, Moses will be standing there, holding the side of the Throne. I will not know whether he has been one of those who have fallen unconscious and then regained consciousness before me, or if he has been one of those exempted by Allah (from falling unconscious)." (See Hadith No. 524, Vol. 8) (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 564)
By Muhammads own admission Abraham is greater than him since he candidly stated that the Patriarch was the best of creation:
Anas b. Malik reported that a person came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: O the best of creation; thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: He is Ibrahim (peace be upon him). (Sahih Muslim, Book 030, Number 5841)
Now let us contrast Muhammads admission of not being the best with the glory and honor of the Lord Jesus:
"I tell you, something greater than the temple is here For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Matthew 12:6, 8
"The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here." Matthew 12:41-42
"Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" John 5:45-47
"Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses--as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope." Hebrews 3:1-6
"By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward." Hebrews 11:24-26
Jesus is greater than the temple of God and the prophets such as Jonah and Moses. In fact, Jesus is so great that Abraham rejoiced over the fact that he would see the Christ:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. The Jews said to him, Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, "If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death." Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be? Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God. But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM. So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple." John 8:51-59
- No Prophet's intercession will avail except that of Muhammad's peace be upon him.
Which is contradicted by the following narrations:
Mention, when the angels, namely, Gabriel, said, 'O Mary, God gives you good tidings of a Word from Him, that is, a boy, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, He addresses her attributing him to her in order to point out that she will give birth to him without a father, for, the custom is to attribute the child to its father, honoured shall he be in this world, through prophethood, and the Hereafter, through [his] intercession and the high stations [al-darajat al-'ula, cf. Q. 20:75], and of those brought close, to God. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn; source; bold and underline emphasis ours)
The Prophet added, "Then the prophets and Angels and the believers will intercede, and (last of all) the Almighty (Allah) will say, Now remains My Intercession. He will then hold a handful of the Fire from which He will take out some people whose bodies have been burnt, and they will be thrown into a river at the entrance of Paradise, called the water of life (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number 532s)
How, then, can these Muslims dare say that no other prophets intercession will prevail when there are narratives that explicitly state that their intercession will be accepted?
Moreover, how can Muslims rely on Muhammads intercession when there are specific reports which say that he cannot aid or save anyone on the Day of Judgment?
Narrated Abu Huraira:
When Allah revealed the Verse: "Warn your nearest kinsmen," Allah's Apostle got up and said, "O people of Quraish (or said similar words)! Buy (i.e. save) yourselves (from the Hellfire) as I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Bani Abd Manaf! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment, O Safiya, the Aunt of Allah's Apostle! I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment; O Fatima bint Muhammad! Ask me anything from my wealth, but I cannot save you from Allah's Punishment." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 51, Number 16)Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "(On the Day of Resurrection) camels will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had (in the world), and if he had not paid their Zakat (in the world) then they would tread him with their feet; and similarly, sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had in the world, and if he had not paid their Zakat, then they would tread him with their hooves and would butt him with their horns." The Prophet added, "One of their rights is that they should be milked while water is kept in front of them." The Prophet added, "I do not want anyone of you to come to me on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating. Such a person will (then) say, O Muhammad! (please intercede for me,). I will say to him. I can't help you, for I conveyed Allah's Message to you. Similarly, I do not want anyone of you to come to me carrying over his neck a camel that will be grunting. Such a person (then) will say O Muhammad! (please intercede for me). I will say to him, I can't help you for I conveyed Allah's message to you." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 24, Number 485)
More importantly, how can Muslims place their trust in him when he himself wasnt certain of his own fate?
Narrated 'Um al-'Ala:
An Ansari woman who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet that the Ansar drew lots concerning the dwelling of the Emigrants. 'Uthman bin Maz'un was decided to dwell with them (i.e. Um al-'Ala's family), 'Uthman fell ill and I nursed him till he died, and we covered him with his clothes. Then the Prophet came to us and I (addressing the dead body) said, "O Abu As-Sa'ib, may Allah's Mercy be on you! I bear witness that Allah has honored you." On that the Prophet said, "How do you know that Allah has honored him?" I replied, "I do not know. May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle! But who else is worthy of it (if not 'Uthman)?" He said, "As to him, by Allah, death has overtaken him, and I hope the best for him. By Allah, though I am the Apostle of Allah, yet I do not know what Allah will do to me," By Allah, I will never assert the piety of anyone after him. That made me sad, and when I slept I saw in a dream a flowing stream for 'Uthman bin Maz'un. I went to Allah's Apostle and told him of it. He remarked, "That symbolizes his (good) deeds." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 266)
And what assurance can they have in one who was constantly threatened and severely rebuked by his god?
And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them, they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it. Say (O Muhammad): It is not for me to change it of my accord. I only follow that which is inspired in me. Lo! if I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day. S. 10:15 Pickthall
And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee. Verily the Truth from thy Lord hath come unto thee. So be not thou of the waverers. And be not thou of those who deny the revelations of Allah, for then wert thou of the losers. S. 10:94-95 Pickthall
And if he had invented false sayings concerning Us, We assuredly had taken him by the right hand And then severed his life-artery, And not one of you could have held Us off from him. S. 69:44-47 Pickthall
If Zawadi tries to produce other narratives to show otherwise he will not be resolving the problem. All he will be doing is to prove that the Quran and hadiths are full of irreconcilable contradictions. To illustrate this point here is a narrative which claims that Muhammads intercession will be for those who commit major sins, thereby contradicting the one cited above which says that he will not be able to intercede for those who failed to give alms or zakat:
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: My intercession will be for those of my people who have committed major sins. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 40, Number 4721)
Now isnt failing to pay zakat among the major sins in Islam? If so, doesnt this narrative indicate that Muhammad will be able to intercede for such sinners? Then why does the hadith we posted earlier have Muhammad deny that he will be able to help those who failed to give alms?
With such blatant contradictions do Muslims really want to bank their eternal destiny, their eternal souls, on such shaky evidence, on sources which are full of gross errors and mistakes?
- He (peace be upon him) was given conciseness of speech.
So he says. Apart from this being completely subjective (after all who determines what concise speech is or isnt?) the evidence from the Quran and hadith show that Muhammads speech was anything but eloquent or concise since these sources both contain grammatical and linguistic mistakes, as well as gross errors of science and history (1, 2). The Quran is also unnecessarily repetitive, repeating the same point or phrase over and over again (cf. Surah 55). This is far from being concise in ones speech.
- He (peace be upon him) was supported with fear cast into the hearts of his enemies.
Besides begging the question, i.e. Muhammad was a true prophet whom God supported against his enemies, there is nothing special here:
"In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified, the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling, the people of Canaan will melt away; terror and dread will fall upon them. By the power of your arm they will be as still as a stone until your people pass by, O LORD, until the people you bought pass by." Exodus 15:13-16
"I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way." Exodus 23:27-28
"Set out now and cross the Arnon Gorge. See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble and be in anguish because of you." Deuteronomy 2:24-25
"You may say to yourselves, These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out? But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed. He will give their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their names from under heaven. No one will be able to stand up against you; you will destroy them." Deuteronomy 7:17-24
"Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." Joshua 2:8-11
- He (peace be upon him) was the Seal of Prophets.
No he wasnt:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." Matthew 5:17-18
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." John 6:27
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe." Hebrews 1:1-2
Seeing that Jesus came to complete and seal up the revelation of his Father everyone who claims to be preaching Gods Word must proclaim the same message that Christ gave to the Churches through his blessed Apostles. After all, the very essence and the entire focus of prophecy center completely on the Person and work of Christ:
"At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit (essence or heart) of prophecy." Revelation 19:10
Moreover, the hadith literature admits that Jesus will come back again to finish the job that Muhammad left undone, specifically, ushering in the true faith universally thereby completely eradicating all unbelief. This makes him the seal, not Muhammad, since he will consummate the message of God which promises that his truth would prevail over against all forms of disbelief. More on these points later.
The Quran even speaks of a beast that Allah will send in the last days as his messenger:
When the Word falls on them, We shall bring forth for them out of the earth a beast that shall speak unto them: 'Mankind had no faith in Our signs.' S. 27:82 Arberry
All of these points disprove and contradict the assertion of Muhammad being the seal or last prophet.
- He (peace be upon him) will be the first of the Messengers to cross the Sirat on the Day of Judgment.
A few problems here. First, besides this begging the question again the Quran doesnt know of any bridge called Sirat which people will have to cross.
Second, beyond this even the Quran actually says that, instead of crossing over a bridge, everyone will have to enter hell and only the righteous will be brought out from there:
No one of you there is, but he shall go down to it; That for thy Lord is a thing decreed, determined. Then We shall deliver those that were god-fearing; and the evildoers We shall leave there, hobbling on their knees. S. 19:71-72 Arberry
This would definitely include Muhammad going to hell. For more on this issue please consult the following articles and rebuttals:
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/muslims_in_hell2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/qi029.html
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/karim_in_hell.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell_ahadith.htm
Third, the Quran does make a single exception in the case of Jesus since it says that he has gone to be with God himself:
Behold! God said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. S. 3:55 Y. Ali
Nay, God raised him up unto Himself; and God is Exalted in Power, Wise; - S. 4:158 Y. Ali
Thus, Jesus wont have to cross any Sirat or be taken out of hell since he dwells in Gods very own heavenly presence.
- He (peace be upon him) obeyed the command and followed the guidance of the Messengers who came before him, thus acquiring all the qualities of perfection that they had which made him superior to all of creation.
On the contrary, he violated many of the teachings of the true prophets of God and went so far as to distort their theological beliefs.
- He (peace be upon him) was made Imam over all the Messengers during the night of Mi'raaj.
A fictitious journey which never took place, except perhaps in the imagination of Muhammad or later traditionists who concocted this fairytale. In fact, this tale provides further proof that Muhammad isnt a genuine prophet and that the Quran cannot be Gods word and here is why. According to Q. 17:1 Allah took his servant by night to al-Masjid al-Aqsa or the farthest mosque:
Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless, - in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). Y. Ali
Specific narratives identify Masjid al-Aqsa as the Temple in Jerusalem. These reports claim that Allah transported Muhammad to Jerusalem where he actually visited and went inside the Temple itself:
It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: I was brought al-Buraq Who is an animal white and long, larger than a donkey but smaller than a mule, who would place his hoof a distance equal to the range of version. I mounted it and came to the Temple (Bait Maqdis in Jerusalem), then tethered it to the ring used by the prophets. I entered the mosque and prayed two rak'ahs in it, and then came out and Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk. I chose the milk, and Gabriel said: You have chosen the natural thing. Then he took me to heaven (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0309)
And:
<from Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa> means the Sacred House which is in Jerusalem, the origin of the Prophets from the time of Ibrahim Al-Khalil. The Prophets all gathered there, and he (Muhammad) led them in prayer in their own homeland. This indicates that he is the greatest leader of all, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and upon them. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir-Abridged Volume 5, Surah Hud to Surat Al-Isra', Verse 38, abridged by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors; Riyadh, Houston, New York, Lahore, First Edition: July 2000], p. 551; source; bold emphasis ours)
Again:
I remember being in Al-Hijr, and the Quraysh were asking me about my Night Journey. They asked me things about Bayt Al-Maqdis that I was not sure of, and I felt more anxious and stressed then than I have ever felt. Then Allah raised up Bayt Al-Maqdis for me to see, and there was nothing they asked me about but I told them about it. And I remember being in a gathering of the Prophets. Musa was standing there praying, and he was a man with curly hair, as if he were one of the men of Shanu'ah. I saw 'Isa ibn Maryam standing there praying, and the one who most resembles him is 'Urwah bin Mas'ud Ath-Thaqafi. And I saw Ibrahim standing there praying, and for the one who most resembles him is your companion (meaning himself). Then the time for prayer came, and I led them in prayer. When I finished, a voice said, 'O Muhammad, this is Malik, the keeper of Hell,' so I turned to him, and he greeted me first. (Ibid., p. 571; source; bold emphasis ours)
Finally,
"The truth is that the Prophet was taken on the Night Journey when he was awake, not in a dream, and he went from Makkah to Bayt Al-Maqdis riding on Al-Buraq. When he reached THE DOOR OF THE SANCTUARY, he tied up his animal by THE DOOR AND ENTERED, where he prayed two Rakahs to 'greet the Masjid'...
"Then he came back down to Bayt Al-Maqdis, and the Prophets came down with him and he led them in prayer there when the time for prayer came. Some claim that he led them in prayer in heaven, but the reports seem to say that it was in Bayt Al-Maqdis. In some reports it says that it happened when he first ENTERED...
"Then he came OUT OF BAYT AL-MAQDIS and rode on Al-Buraq back to Makkah in the darkness of the night. As for his being presented with the vessels containing milk and honey, or milk and wine, or milk and water, or all of these, some reports say that this happened in Bayt Al-Maqdis, and others say that it happened in the heavens. It is possible that it happened in BOTH places, because it is like offering food or drink to a guest when he arrives, and Allah knows best." (Ibid. pp. 572-573; source; bold and capital emphasis ours)
As anyone who has read the Bible and ancient history can attest there was no Temple standing during the time of Muhammad since Solomons Temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians in approximately 586 BC with the second Temple being destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. So what Temple could Muhammad have possibly visited and what mosque could he have been describing seeing that there was no Temple or mosque standing at that time?
And it will not do for Zawadi to say that the Quran, in Q. 17:1, is referring to the Temple site but not to the Temple itself, since the narrations we just cited attest that Muhammad claimed to have personally visited the Temple and actually entered inside it.
For more on this gross error we recommend the following articles and rebuttal:
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/nightjourney.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/h003.html
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Saifullah/aqsa.htm
Moreover, how can he be a leader over the prophets and messengers when, by the hadiths own admission, Abraham is better than him and he wasnt as great as Jonah or Moses?
Finally, what Zawadi is referring to is the assertion of the hadiths that Muhammad led a group of prophets in prayer when he traveled to this non-existent Temple in Jerusalem:
And Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best of them. This is indicated by the fact that he was their imam on the night of the Mi'raaj, because no one but the best is put forward. More evidence that he is the best of them comes from Abu Hurayrah, who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: I will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and the first one for whom the grave will be opened, and the first to intercede, and the first whose intercession will be accepted.'"
And:
With regard to the saheeh ahaadeeth, "Do not prefer me over Yoonus ibn Mattaa" and "By the One Who chose Moosa over all of creation" - these all indicate the immense humility of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when speaking of his brothers the Messengers. But he is undoubtedly the best of them all, for he led them in prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) on the night of the Israa'.
If leading prayers in front of a person implies that one is somehow better then does this mean that the Mahdi who will supposedly lead Jesus in prayer when the latter returns is better than the Christ?
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: A section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection. He said: Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims') commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah for this Ummah. (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0293)
And:
JESUS AND THE MAHDI
When our liege-lord the Mahdî sees him he will move back and say: "Step forward, Spirit from God!" Jesus will say: "The call to prayer was raised but for you, therefore, step forward!" Then our liege-lord Jesus will pray behind our liege-lord al-Mahdî. Because of this, it was said that among the immense merits of this Community of Islâm is that a Prophet beloved of God and brought near Him one of the Messengers of High Resolve (ulîl-`azm) - will pray behind an individual from this Community. (Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and His Most Blessed Mother - Translation of a talk given in Arabic at Dâr al-Fatwâ in Beirut, Lebanon on 10 January 2003 by the Shaykh al-Sayyid al-Habib `Ali Jafri of Yemen, translated by GF Haddad; source)
The above example demonstrates that both Zawadi and his Muslim sources are committing a non-sequitur since it does not logically follow that just because Muhammad supposedly led the prophets in prayer that this somehow means he was better than them. If anything, one can say that, just as in the case of Jesus allowing the Mahdi to lead him in prayer, the prophets were being humble and showing kindness to one who had come last of all and was inferior to them as a way of teaching him humility. (Now we obviously dont believe that Muhammad was a true prophet or that he ever went to Jerusalem. We are just assuming all of this for arguments sake.)
- Allah revealed to him (peace be upon him) a book that He promised to preserve Himself, while in the past entrusted the protection of the books were entrusted to fallible human beings.
Three basic mistakes here. First, the Quran claims that Allah promised to preserve all of his revelations, not just the Muslim scripture:
then they would not be respited. It is We who have sent down the Remembrance (al-thikra), and We watch over it. S. 15:9 Arberry
The promise to protect the Remembrance also includes with it the promise to preserve the prophetic Scriptures in the hands of the Jews and Christians since the Quran identifies these very writings as the Remembrance:
We sent not any before thee, except men to whom We revealed: 'Question the people of the Remembrance (al-thikri), if it should be that you do not know -- S. 16:43 Arberry
And We sent not before you (O Muhammad SAW) but men to whom We inspired, so ask the people of the Reminder (al-thikri) [Scriptures - the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel)] if you do not know. S. 21:7 Hilali-Khan
Notice how some of Islams renowned exegetes explained the foregoing verses:
(And We sent not (as Our messengers) before you other than men) human beings like you (whom We inspired) to whom We sent angels just as We have sent to you. (Ask the followers of the Reminder) the people of the Torah and the Gospel (if you know not) that Allah sent only human messengers? (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn Abbâs on Q. 21:7; source: see also this page; bold and italic emphasis ours)
And We did not send before you anything other than men, to whom We revealed, and [sent] not angels: 'So ask the followers of the Remembrance, those knowledgeable in the Torah and the Gospels; if you do not know', that, then they know it, and you are more likely to believe them than the believers are to believe Muhammad (s), (Tafsir al-Jalalayn on Q. 16:43; source: see also this page; bold and italic emphasis ours)
Here is another Quranic citation:
Or have they taken for worship (other) aliha (gods) besides Him? Say: "Bring your proof:" This (the Qur'an) is the Reminder for those with me and the Reminder (wa thikru) for those before me. But most of them know not the Truth, so they are averse. S. 21:24 Hilali-Khan
Al-Jalalayn explain that:
Or have they chosen besides Him, exalted be He, other than Him, gods? (herein is an interrogative meant as a rebuke). Say: 'Bring your proof, for this - but such a thing is impossible. This is the Remembrance of those with me, namely, my community, and that [Remembrance] is the Qur'an, and the Remembrance of those before me, of communities, namely, the Torah and the Gospel and other Books of God, not a single one of which contains the statement that with God there exists another god, in the way that they claim - exalted be He above such a thing. Nay, but most of them do not know the truth, the affirmation of God's Oneness, and so they are disregardful', of that discernment that leads to [knowledge of] it. (Tafsir Al-Jalalayn; source; bold and italic emphasis ours)
Other Quranic verses on this topic are:
And indeed We granted to Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) the criterion (of right and wrong), and a shining light [i.e. the Taurat (Torah)] and a Reminder (wa thikran) for Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V.2:2). S. 21:48 Hilali-Khan
For We have written in the Psalms, after the Remembrance, 'The earth shall be the inheritance of My righteous servants.' S. 21:105 Arberry
We also gave Moses the guidance, and We bequeathed upon the Children of Israel the Book for a guidance and for a reminder (wa thikran) to men possessed of minds. S. 40:53-54 Arberry
Thus, since God swore to preserve the Remembrance and since the Remembrance includes such Biblical books as the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospels this therefore means that God has sworn to preserve the Holy Bible.
Second, how does Zawadi think Allah (supposedly) preserved the Quran if not through fallible human beings to whom he entrusted the Muslim scripture?
Third, the Quran hasnt been preserved perfectly since it contains variant and conflicting readings, missing passages, contradictions etc. (1; 2). This, perhaps, explains the Qurans candid admission that corruption to the Muslim scripture was actually taking place as early as Muhammads time:
(Of just such wrath) as We sent down on those who divided (Scripture into arbitrary parts), - (So also on such) as have made Qur'an into shreds (as they please). S. 15:90-91
Doesnt this reference provide evidence for the fact that people were tampering with the Quranic text and that Muhammad could do little about it except warn them against perverting his scriptures?
Hence, the foregoing conclusively demonstrates that Allah miserably failed to fulfill his promise of preserving his "final" book, which shows that he is either impotent or capricious or both.
- He (peace be upon him) is sent to all mankind, while the others were meant for specific groups of people for a specific amount of time.
Wrong again since the Muslim scripture itself testifies that both Jesus and his mother are signs for all creation, and that his Gospel is a guide for all mankind:
It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) Before this, as a guide to mankind (Min qablu hudan lil-nasi), and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). Then those who reject Faith in the Signs of God will suffer the severest penalty, and God is Exalted in Might, Lord of Retribution. S. 3:3-4 Y. Ali
And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light (feehi hudan wa-noorun), confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil). Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah hath revealed therein. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are evil-livers. S. 5:46-47 Pickthall
And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East, And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art God-fearing. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind (ayatan lil-nasi) and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. S. 19:16-21 Pickthall
And she who guarded her virginity, so We breathed into her of Our spirit and appointed her and her son to be a sign unto all beings (ayatan lil-alameen). S. 21:91 Arberry
For more on this issue, and other related topics, we recommend the following articles:
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/jonah.html
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/mo_not_universal.html
- If any of the Prophets were alive, they would abide by the Law sent down to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. This is exactly what Prophet Jesus peace be upon him will do in his second return.
On the contrary, the Quran commands Muhammad to follow the guidance of the prophets, just as Zawadi admitted, not vice-versa. See above for details. This means that if any of the prophets were walking the earth during Muhammads time he would be forced to follow that particular prophet.
Secondly, according to the hadith Jesus will actually change the Quran by doing what Muhammad himself failed to do during his lifetime, namely, eradicate disbelief entirely thereby making much of the Quran obsolete. See below for the details.
- The Law revealed to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is superior to all of those sent in the past and abrogates them all.
A careful examination of the Quran in light of the teachings of the Holy Bible, specifically the message brought by Christ and his holy Apostles, shows that the ethical system and moral code of the Muslim scripture is vastly inferior. Muhammads teachings fail to compare to the instructions of the Apostles such as the blessed Paul.
Moreover, as we noted above, the Islamic tradition teaches that Jesus will actually abrogate and cancel out a great portion of the law of Muhammad.
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace_be_upon_him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 37, Number 4310)
Two important points to glean from this narration. First, abolishing the jizya shows that at Christs return there will no longer be any unbelievers since this payment is taken from the people of the Book (i.e. Jews and Christians) who refuse Islam according to Q. 9:29. Yet since all people must either believe or be killed when Jesus returns there will no longer be any reason to impose the jizya.
Second, Jesus descending to destroy all other religions, thereby completely eradicating unbelief, means that much of the Quran will be inapplicable and unnecessary during his second coming. There are many verses within the Quran detailing how Muslims should treat non-Muslims, all of which will be of no avail and pretty much useless when Christ returns to abolish disbelief altogether.
For more on this topic, and other related points, please consult the following articles:
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/last_prophet.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Incoherence/last_messenger.html
- He (peace be upon him) will hold a banner of praise on the Day of Judgment.
Actually, the One who will be the banner of praise is Jesus since both the Holy Bible and the Quran agree that he has been given the highest place of honor and glory by virtue of God raising his beloved Messiah to dwell in his very own presence:
"which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." Ephesians 1:20-23
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority." Colossians 2:9-10
"and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you alsonot the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right handwith angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." 1 Peter 3:21-22
And according to Gods true Word, the Holy Bible, one of the very reasons why God exalted Christ to the highest level is so that every created thing would glorify and worship him as the Sovereign Lord of all creation:
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
"And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped." Revelation 5:8-14
- He (peace be upon him) is the only Prophet who was given a miracle (i.e. Qur'an) that can be witnessed by all mankind that come after him.
Far from being a miracle, the Quran is one of the greatest proofs against the prophetic claims of Muhammad. The Quran is a lasting testimony that Muhammad was a false prophet and had nothing to do with the true God who inspired the books of the Holy Bible.
Endnotes
(1) Here is how the Muslim writers at www.islamqa.com try to explain the contradictory statements found throughout the ahadith, specifically in regards to Muhammad claiming to be the leader of the children of Adam whereas in other reports denying that he is better than certain prophets such as Jonah:
With regard to the other hadeeth - "Do not differentiate between the Prophets" - it may be responded to in five ways. The first is that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said this before he knew that he was the leader of the sons of Adam; then when he came to know he spoke of it.
This is far from being a coherent response since these same Muslims claimed that Muhammad does not speak according to his own desires, but utters only that which comes to him by way of revelation:
The Qur'aan and Sunnah both come from the same source, both are Revelation (wahy) from Allaah. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Nor does he speak of (his own) desire.
4. It is only a Revelation revealed.
5. He has been taught (this Qur'aan) by one mighty in power [Jibreel (Gabriel)]"
[al-Najm 53:3-5]
How, then, could Allah allow him to make such a statement if it wasnt true? Why didnt Allah prevent him from saying something so blatantly wrong (if indeed it was wrong)? Why didnt he inspire him to speak the truth about his status over the prophets right from the start, thereby preventing him from speaking out of ignorance?
The second is that he said it out of politeness and humility
It isnt an act of politeness or humility for Muhammad to lie about the distinction which exists among the prophets, especially when he had no problem boasting about being their leader:
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "I am the leader (qa'id) of the messengers, and this is no boast; I am the seal of the prophets, and this is no boast; and I shall be the first to make intercession and the first whose intercession is accepted, and this is no boast."
Darimi transmitted it. (Tirmidhi Hadith Number 1519; ALIM CD-Rom Version)
Now if saying that other prophets were better than him is a sign of humility should we therefore take his claim of being the leader of mankind a sign of his arrogance?
Moreover, didnt Muhammad call anyone that would say he was better than Jonah a liar?
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Whoever says that I am better than Jonah bin Matta, IS A LIAR." (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 128)
And since he bragged about being the leader over the messengers, which by extension implies that he is better than Jonah, doesnt this make him out to be a liar according to his own words? Where is the politeness and humility in this?
We omit the rest of the other points since they really dont address anything.
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