Answering Islam - A Christian-Muslim dialog

Allah and Muhammad: Will the Real Servant Please Stand Up! Pt. 2

Sam Shamoun

We continue from where we left off

The Proof 

In this part we are going to present some of the many places in the Quran that speak directly to the needs and concerns of Muhammad. And instead of reinventing the wheel I have chosen to reproduce the excellent material produced by the late Christian pastor, author and apologist Dr. Labib Mikhail from his book, “Islam, Muhammad and the Quran.” We highly recommend this book for all serious students and apologists interested in learning about Islam and sharing the Gospel of the Lord Jesus with Muslims. 

The following excerpt from chapter 11 of his book, “Testing The Truthfulness Of The Quran,” can be read in its entirety over here. All capital and underline emphasis will be ours. 

Muhammad Used the Quran to Solve his Own Problems and to Satisfy His Own Desires 

It is clear from the following examples that Muhammad used the revelations of the Quran to solve his own problems and satisfy his carnal desires. 

1. Muhammad lusted after Zainab, his daughter-in-law, and desired to marry her, so a revelation came to him from his Allah saying: 

Then when Zaid [Muhammad's adopted son] had dissolved [his marriage] with her [with Zainab, his daughter-in-law] We joined her in marriage to thee (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:37). 

2. Aisha, the youngest of Muhammad's wives, conspired with his other wives against him because he had sex with Mary, the Coptic slave, in the bed of his wife Hafsa, daughter of Omar. Muhammad refused to share their beds for one month. Then the following revelation came to threaten them: 

When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it [to another], and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and passed over a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, "Who told thee this?" He said, "He told me Who is the Knower, the Aware." If ye two turn in repentance to Allah, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and [every] Righteous one among those who believe and furthermore, the angels will back [him] up. It may be, if he divorced you [all], that Allah will give him in exchange consorts better than you - who submit [their wills], who believe, who are devout; who turn to Allah in repentance, who worship [in humility], who fast - previously married or virgins (Surat Al-Tahrim 66:3-5). 

Muhammad's wives were scared. They repented. The revelation did what Muhammad wanted and he came back to them. 

3. Muhammad's wives asked his permission to adorn themselves, and wanted him to raise their allowance, so the following revelation came to threaten them: O Prophet! say to thy consorts: 

"If it be that ye desire the life of this world, and its glitter - then come! I will provide for your enjoyment and set you free in a handsome manner (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:28). 

This meant that he would give them money and divorce them. The sword of divorce was always ready to threaten Muhammad's wives and subdue them in the name of Allah. 

4. Muhammad was afraid that his wives would be seduced by other men, so a revelation came to him to order his wives as well as other Muslim women to wear a veil:

O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their persons [when out of doors]: That is most convenient, that they should be known [as such] and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:59). 

Another verse was given to Muhammad's wives: O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty [to Allah], then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire [to you], but utter customary speech (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:32).

5. Muhammad was afraid that his wives might commit lewdness behind his back, especially since some of them were much younger than him, so the following revelation came to threaten them and instill terror in their hearts: 

O ye, wives of the Prophet! Whosoever of you committeth manifest lewdness, the punishment for her will be doubled, and that is easy for Allah (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:30). 

The question is: if Muhammad's godly example and the teachings of the Quran had an influence on the wives of Muhammad, to keep them honest and pure, why would such a threat be needed?

6. Muhammad was annoyed by those who used to enter his houses without permission, and was afraid that they might seduce his wives, so the following revelation came to him: 

O ye who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses, until leave is given you, for a meal, [and then] not [so early as] to wait for its preparation: but when ye are invited, enter; and when ye have taken your meal, disperse, without seeking familiar talk. Such [behavior] annoys the Prophet he is shy to dismiss you, but Allah is not shy [to tell you] the truth. And when ye ask [his ladies] for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's sight an enormity (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:53). 

7. Muhammad was annoyed by those who called him from behind his apartments, so he needed a revelation to stop them from doing it. 

Those who shout out to thee from without the inner apartments - most of them lack understanding. If only they had patience until thou couldst come out to them, it would be best for them: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surat Al-Hujurat 49:4, 5). 

8. To motivate his followers to pay alms to him, that he would pray for them or meet them in private for counsel, Muhammad needed a revelation. The revelation came in the following words:

Of their wealth take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them: And Allah is One Who heareth and knoweth (Surat At-Tawbah 9:103). 

Incidentally, the reader may ask how Muhammad, who is himself a sinner, can purify and sanctify his followers, something only God can do.

O ye who believe! When ye hold conference with the messenger, offer an alms before your conference. That is better and purer for you. But if ye cannot find [the wherewithal] then lo! Allah is Forgiving. Merciful (Surat Al-Mujadilah 58:12 MPT). 

Muhammad's prayers and counsel cost Muslims their money. 

9. When Muhammad went to Al-Madina, he commanded the Muslims to pray toward Jerusalem, toward the destroyed Jewish temple which is now "Al Aksa Mosque." He thought that by this act the Jews would accept him as a true prophet. However, the Jews rejected him, so he wanted to change the direction from Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Makkah. It was a political move to please the Arabs. But he needed a revelation to do it: 

The fools among the people will say "What hath turned them from the Qiblah [the direction to which the Muslims must turn when they pray] to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both East and West: He guideth whom He will to a way that is straight. We see the turning of thy face [for guidance] to the heavens: now shall we turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction (Surat Al-Baqarah 2:142, 144). 

We must not forget that the sacred mosque, the Kaaba, was full of idols at that time.

10. When Abu-Bakr suggested to Muhammad to take ransom from the prisoners of war at the battle of Badr and free them, Omar suggested that the prisoners of that war should all be killed. Now Muhammad needed a revelation to justify Omar's suggestion since it was against any code of war. The revelation came as follows:

It is not for any Prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth [for you] the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty Wise. (Surat Al-Anal 8:67 MPT). 

11. According to Muhammad, Allah had commanded that a man could marry up to four women at any one time: 

Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four (Surat Al-Nisa 4:3). 

Four women were not enough for Muhammad, so he needed special permission from Allah to marry any number of women he wished. The revelation came as follows: 

O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou has paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the captives of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated with thee; and any believing woman who gives herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her - this only for thee, and not for the believers [at large]; we know what we have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess - in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surat Al-Ahzab 33:50). 

12. To instill terror in the hearts of his enemies, revelations came to say: 

The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world and heavy punishment is theirs in the hereafter (Surat Al-Maidah 5:33). 

Remember thy Lord inspired the angels [with the message] "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instill terror into the hearts of the infidels [literal translation] smite them above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them" (Surat Al-Anfal 8:12). 

All the verses we mentioned, indicate HOW IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, MUHAMMAD GOT EVERYTHING HE WANTED. Many of the suras are concerning Muhammad and directed to him. It has no meaning to the 20th century person; no application to his life. Moreover, we sense in these verses a sadistic behavior toward those who oppose Muhammad. Many verses of the Quran were revealed to solve Muhammad's problems and satisfy his desires

With the foregoing in perspective we are ready to proceed to the concluding part of our discussion.