Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 3 of 3): Was He Insane, a Poet, or a Sorcerer?

Was He Insane? Someone who has dealt with mentally ill knows people can be identified by their symptoms.  Muhammad displayed no symptom of insanity at any time in his life  No friend, wife, or family member suspected or abandoned him due to insanity.  As for the effects of revelations on the Prophet, such as perspiration and the likes, it was due to the intensity of the Message which he had to bear and not due to any epileptic fit or instance of insanity... Quite to the contrary, Muhammad preached for a long time and brought a Law unknown in its completeness and sophistication to ancient Arabs.  If the prophet was insane, it would have been obvious to those around him at one point in a period of twenty three years.  When in history did an insane man preach his message to worship One God for ten years, three of which he and his followers spent in exile, and eventually became the ruler of his lands?  Which insane man has ever won the hearts and minds of people who met him and earned the respect of his adversaries?

Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 2 of 3): Was He a Liar?

A Logical Analysis of His Claim As discussed earlier, Muhammad made the claim, ‘I am God’s Messenger.’  Either he was true in his claim or he was not.  We will begin by the assuming the latter and investigate all possibilities raised by skeptics of past and present, discussing some of their misconceptions.  Only if all other possibilities are exhausted can one reasonably claim that the only possibility left is that he was true in what he claimed.  We will also look at what the Quran has to say on the matter. Was He a Liar?

Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 1 of 3): Proofs of His Prophethood

Divine facilitation is proportionate to human need.  God makes acquisition easier as the need of humans increase.  Air, water, and sunlight are necessary for human survival, and thus God has granted their acquisition to all without hardship.  The greatest human need is to know the Creator, and thus, God has made it easy to know Him.  The evidence for God, however, differs in its nature.  In its own way, everything in creation is evidence of its Creator.  Some evidence is so obvious that any lay person can immediately ‘see’ the Creator, for instance, the cycle of life and death.  Others ‘see’ the handiwork of the Creator in the elegance of mathematical theorems, universal constants of physics, and the development of the embryo:

The Miraculous Quran (part 11 of 11): A Challenge for Humanity

The Linguistic Miracle of the Quran There is another important aspect that Muslim scholars have traditionally considered the greatest miraculous aspect of the Quran, this is the linguistic miracle.  Unfortunately, though, before becoming a Muslim (and even afterwards), I had no way to truly appreciate this topic.  I could only read what some scholars had written about the language and beauty of the Quran.  For example, John Naish wrote: The Quran in its original Arabic dress has a seductive beauty and charm of its own.  Couched in concise and exalted style, its brief pregnant sentences, often rhymed, poses an expressive force and explosive energy which is extremely difficult to convey by literal word for word translation.[1] Similarly, Arberry yearned for his earlier days when he would hear the Quran being recited during Ramadhan in Egypt.[2]  I actually had no access to hearing the Quran being recited and therefore did not know what a moving experience it is.  Furthermore, without knowledge of the Arabic language, the impression of the English translations could not possibly be like that of the original Arabic.  However, I must discuss this miraculous here, however briefly, because it is truly one of the most amazing aspects of the Quran.

The Miraculous Quran (part 10 of 11): Scientific Miracles

Scientific Miracles of the Quran The “scientific miracles” of the Quran is a topic that many people are talking about nowadays, as the research in many fields continues.  The source for this is probably the fact that there are literally hundreds of verses of the Quran in which God points to different aspe cts of this creation and encourages humans to reflect and learn from what they are seeing. Shortly after I became Muslim, I became aware of Maurice Bucaille’s The Bible, the Quran and Science.  For the sake of brevity, I wish to share with you the important conclusions that he reached: The Quran follows on from the two Revelations that preceded it and is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, the sign of the various human manipulations to be found in the Gospels, but provides a quality all of its own for those who examine it objectively and in the light of science i.e. its complete agreement with modern scientific data.  What is more, statements are to be found in it (as has been shown) that are connected with science: and yet it is unthinkable that a man of Muhammad's time could have been the author of them.  Modern scientific knowledge therefore allows us to understand certain verses of the Quran which, until now, it has been impossible to interpret. In view of the level of knowledge in Muhammad's day, it is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Quran which are connected with science could have been the work of a man.  It is, moreover, perfectly legitimate, not only to regard the Quran as the expression of a Revelation, but also to award it a very special place, on account of the guarantee of authenticity it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms.[1]

The Miraculous Quran (part 9 of 11): A Unique Prophecy

Coming from a Christian perspective, I was anxious to see what kind of prophecies were related to the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him. I was taught that if a prophet’s prophecies do not come to pass, he could not be a true prophet of God. There are a number of such prophecies in the Quran but I will highlight only one of them—actually I have already made mention of one, the fact that the Quran would be preserved. (Similarly, God promised, although the Prophet had many adversaries who wanted to see him dead, that He would protect the Prophet Muhammad until his mission was concluded. Indeed, the Prophet did not die until after God had revealed the verse, “This day I have completed your religion for you…”) I am highlighting this one prophecy because it had to do with events that were completely out of the control of the Prophet or the Arabs. There is a passage in the Quran that reads:

The Miraculous Quran (part 8 of 11): From Savages to Saints

The next aspect that caught me eye—and this again was something that non-Muslims were mentioning in their works—was the effect that the Quran had on the generation of the Prophet. May the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and afterwards. It is clear that the Arabs at the time of the Prophet were wont to drink, make merry and engage in tribal battles. They were known to sometimes kill their female babies. However, one finds that in a short span of close to twenty years a movement that started with just one man was able, due to the grace of God and the miraculous effect of the Quran, to change almost all of the Arabs and non-Arabs in the Arabian peninsula and bind them together into a brotherhood of faith and mercy which was so strong that if any one part of this brotherhood was in anguish, the whole brotherhood would be affected negatively. At that time, one could find two people who were from previously antagonistic tribes sharing their wealth and willing to give up their lives for each other. Indeed, one was willing to split half of his wealth and divorce one of his wives for the sake of his new brother who was from a “foreign” tribe. Perhaps one of the best descriptions of the change that took place among the Muslims can be seen in the famous statement of the Companion Jafar ibn Abu Talib who was asked by the Negus of Abyssinia about the mission of the Messenger. He told him, O king, we were an ignorant people, worshipping idols, eating carrion and indulging in sexual pleasures. We ridiculed our neighbors, a brother oppressed his brother, and the strong devoured the weak. At this time a man rose among us, who had already been known to be truthful, noble and honest. This man called us to Islam. And he taught us to give up worshipping stones, to speak the truth, to refrain from bloodshed, and not to defraud the orphans of their property. He taught us to provide comfort to our neighbors and not to bring a slander against chaste women. He enjoined upon us to offer prayers, observe fasts and give alms. We followed him, gave up polytheism and idolatry and refrained from all evil deeds. It is for this new way that our people have become hostile to us and compel us to return to our old misguided life.[1]

The Miraculous Quran (part 7 of 11): Various Aspects of the Law

I noticed almost immediately that the Quranic teachings are very comprehensive, complete, balanced and practical. For the sake of brevity, I will not go into this aspect in any detail but it was something that impressed me quite a bit. The range and flexibility of the laws of the Quran are impressive. It was clear to me that this book was not revealed just for a people at a specific time but was meant for people of very different times and places. The Quran is very comprehensive in that it touches upon and gives clear guidance concerning such diverse issues as ritual acts of worship, business transactions, marriage, divorce, the laws of warfare and so on. There is a definite balance that one feels when one reads the Quran. A human’s spiritual and mundane needs are met simultaneously in the same passage. Even the most detailed passages concerning law still contain admonition, remembrance of Allah and exhortation to behave in the best manner possible. The scope of the Quranic teachings is not just for the individual himself. It is not the case that Allah has given him some kind of spiritual guidance to, perhaps, only guide his morals and character. Instead, Allah has also revealed a law that is meant for society as a whole. Humans do not have to grope about trying to decide what is best for the community at large. It has been given by Allah to guide mankind to the best way of life. It covers the individual’s personal practice and piety as well as his relationship with his parents, spouse, children, neighbors, community and humanity as a whole. All of this with a proper balance and within the overall framework of making one’s life a true and complete form of worship of God alone. There is clearly one only goal for humans—the worship of God—and all of the deeds of this worldly life fall within the scope of that goal. There is no schizophrenia in a person’s life. He is not trying to please God and Caesar at the same time or even at different times. He does not even need to resort to chasing after vain desires and compromise his ethics to live a rewarding life in this world. He simply needs to live his life in this world in a wholesome manner under the shade of the comprehensive guidance of the Quran. One Particular Aspect of Islamic Law: Its Practicality

The Miraculous Quran (part 6 of 11): The Excellence of its Teachings II

Furthermore, in the Talmud[1]—and some non-Muslim scholars, such as Rodinson, claimed that the Quranic material came from the Talmud—it  states that there was a dispute between God and the Jewish scholars.  After a lengthy debate with no resolution, they decided to refer the matter to one of the rabbis.  After the rabbi’s decision, God was forced to admit that He was mistaken.[2]  Thus, God, according to them, is not even perfect with respect to His knowledge.  The Christian conception of God and God having a son is, of course, completely blasphemous from an Islamic perspective.  I often wondered how there could have been a semi-human son of God or how Jesus in particular could be the son of God.  As Jesus is pictured in the New Testament, besides performing some miracles that earlier prophets performed, there is nothing special about him.  He lived like a human being, eating and drinking.  He suffered like a human and even prayed out to God.  The Romans and Jews[3] defeated God’s supposed son and he could not save himself, even crying out to his father.  Beyond that, there are also of the difficult questions encountered by Christians: was he partially divine and partially human, was he completely divine, he was completely human, was he divine since birth, was he divine at a time and then that divinity left him and so on.  In the Islamic conception of God, there is nothing of this nature whatsoever.  In fact, the Quran even denies the crucifixion—surely if the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, were simply copying from the Bible, he would have included that story.

The Miraculous Quran (part 5 of 11): The Excellence of its Teachings I

I was very impressed with the Quran’s teachings about God and found it unlike any other scripture that I had studied.  This was once again proving to me that this scripture was free of all human interpolation.  I was also very impressed with the way that it handled belief about God in particular and its belief system as a whole. Let me explain what I mean by this. No Leap of Faith Coming from a Christian background, I experienced what many experienced concerning matters of belief and how to understand them.  It was virtually impossible to get straight answers concerning the very basics of Christian beliefs from the pastors and priests.  The reality is that the concepts of belief were meant to be a “mystery” and belief in what one cannot truly understand is what proved a person’s faith. That approach simply did not sit well with me and I found it, and still find it, illogical.  It does not seem that the truth as revealed by the Merciful and Wise God, who has given so many marvelous signs in the creation, should lead one to have to say, as the 2nd-century North African Church Father Tertullian is well known for saying: credo quia absurdum est, “I believe because it is absurd.” Religion should not be simply “faith-based”—a leap of faith, as such.  Actually, it should be first as well “knowledge-based,” so that both the heart and the mind find solace in it and submit to it with a firm resolution.  And this is what I found in Islam.

The Miraculous Quran (part 4 of 11): The Detailed Preservation of the Quran

I was painfully aware of much of the history of the Bible and it was one of the main problems that I had with Christianity.[1]  I had asked pastors and the like about this question and most of them at that time, this was before the fundamentalists became very mainstream, were very open about it and would admit that there were problems with the historical authenticity of the Bible.  At the same time, though, most of them proclaimed that the “teachings” have been preserved although the details may not have been.  In other words, the Bible was clearly not God’s word; they would claim that the Biblical writers were “inspired” by God.  That is the most that they could claim, although even that they could not prove.  This seemed to me to be blind faith because if you do not know if the details have been preserved, how can you be so certain that the main teachings have truly been preserved.  In reality, we do not even know who Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were and why exactly their names were attached to those famous Gospels. In the light of this, I found Jeffrey, while trying to prove that there are some minor difficulties with the Quran, demonstrating that the compilation of the Quran from its earliest years is known in great detail, as most of his work was concerning the time of the Companions of the Prophet.  I was very impressed and this supposed attack on the Quran simply, again as I alluded to earlier, made me continue in my study of the Quran.  (Of course, much later I would read responses to Jeffrey’s arguments, totally refuting his claims of the Quran not being preserved in tact.) The Quran’s Promise that it Shall be Preserved

The Miraculous Quran (part 3 of 11): A Sacred Scripture Must be From God

My First Parameter: If it is God’s Religion I am Looking for, the Sacred Scripture Must be From God In my study of other religions, one of my goals was to read each religion’s sacred scriptures directly, in order to understand directly from the source what the religion was all about.  This is obviously what piqued my curiosity in the Quran. I already had a strong belief in God and was convinced of the existence of a Supreme Being.  In fact, for a while, I was sometimes a Christian and sometimes simply a deist, following in the footsteps of Voltaire and many of the “founding fathers” of the United States. Already believing in God, therefore, my first parameter for a true religion was that the religion must have God as its original source.  No one can know the details about God except God.  He is above and beyond the realm of human experience.  More importantly, no one knows how He should be worshipped except Him.  No one knows what way of life is pleasing to Him except Him.  Although humans are able to come to many sound conclusions about God, no human could logically claim that he has somehow—independent of revelation from God—discovered the way in which God should be worshipped and the way that is pleasing to God.  Thus, if the ultimate goal in one’s heart is to truly please and worship God as He should be worshipped, then one has no alternative but to turn to Him for guidance and direction.

The Miraculous Quran (part 2 of 11): The Quran and Orientalists

Studying the Quran in 1976: The Quran Versus many Non-Muslim Writers You should keep in mind that this took place in 1976.  This was before the Iranian Revolution and Islam being plastered all over the media.  I didn’t know any Muslims at the time.  (I was living in a relatively small college town and I incorrectly assumed that there were no Muslims there.) Thus, there was no one trying to convince me of the truth of Islam.  In fact, I eventually converted to Islam before ever meeting a Muslim, doing my best to learn the prayers from a book written by a missionary, T. P. Hughes’ The Dictionary of Islam.

The Miraculous Quran (part 1 of 11): My Path to Islam

Opening Statement Let me state at the outset that, after being Muslim for many years now, if I were given the topic of “The Miraculous Quran,” as I see it now, I would be emphasizing and discussing aspects that were completely unknown to me at the time that I was studying Islam as a non-Muslim.  I have been studying the Quran for over thirty years now and it never fails to fascinate me.  In fact, the phenomenon of continually finding new fascinating aspects of the Quran has been true for the Muslim scholars throughout the years.  Over the centuries, as they have spoken about the Quran, later scholars recognize the miraculous aspects that the earlier scholars mentioned while coming across other aspects that they consider no less remarkable and amazing.  Thus, for example, in the past century, we have had Aishah bint al-Shaati, Sayyid Qutb and Mustafa Saadiq al-Raafi’ee all adding components to the overall theory of the miraculous nature of the Quran.[1]  Lately, many have emphasized what are called the “scientific miracles of the Quran,” a topic we shall try to visit toward the end of this lecture. However, this lecture is about “my story” and my path to Islam via the Quran.  Therefore, I will be emphasizing those aspects of the Quran that influenced me the most at that time and I will give less time to other aspects that I have studied in detail since then. A Very Brief Introduction to the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran

The Prophecies of the Quran

The Quran contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled, but in this discussion, we will limit ourselves to only five.[1]  The first two prophecies are noteworthy: unlike any other world scripture, the Quran prophesizes its own preservation under divine care, and we will demonstrate how it actually occurred. The Protection of the Quran from Corruption The Quran makes a claim no other religious text makes, that God Himself will keep its text safe from alteration.  God says: “Behold, it is We Ourselves who have gradually revealed this reminder, and, behold, it is We who shall truly guard it [from all corruption].” (Quran 15:9) The Ease of Memorizing the Quran

An Unmet Challenge

The Evidence Initially, the Meccan unbelievers said Muhammad is the author of the Quran.  God responded to them: “Or do they say, ‘He himself has composed this [message]’?  No, but they are not willing to believe!  But then, [if they deem it the work of a mere mortal,] let them produce another discourse like it - if what they say be true!  [Or do they deny the existence of God implicitly by denying the fact of His revelation?]  Have they themselves been created without anything - or were they, perchance, their own creators?” (Quran 52:33-35) First, God challenged them to produce ten chapters like the Quran: “Or they may say, ‘He forged it,’ Say, ‘Bring ye then ten suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever you can, other than God! - If you speak the truth!’  If then they answer not your (call), know you that this revelation is sent down with the knowledge of God, and that there is no god but He!  Will you then submit (to Islam)?” (Quran 11:13-14) But, when they were unable to meet the challenge of ten chapters, God reduced it to a single chapter: “And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down on Our slave, then produce a surah thereof and call upon your witnesses other than God, if you should be truthful.  But if you do not – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers.” (Quran 2:23-24) Finally, God foretold their eternal failure to meet the divine challenge: “Say: ‘If all mankind and all jinn[1]  would come together to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce its like even though they were to exert all their strength in aiding one another!’” (Quran 17:88) The Prophet of Islam said: “Every Prophet was given ‘signs’ because of which people believed in him.  Indeed, I have been given the Divine Revelation that God has revealed to me.  So, I hope to have the most followers of all the prophets on the Day of Resurrection.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) The physical miracles performed by the prophets were time-specific, valid only for those who witnessed them, whereas the like of the continuing miracle of our Prophet, the Noble Quran, was not granted to any other prophet.  Its linguistic superiority, style, clarity of message, strength of argument, quality of rhetoric, and the human inability to match even its shortest chapter till the end of time grant it an exquisite uniqueness.  Those who witnessed the revelation and those who came after, all can drink from its fountain of wisdom.  That is why the Prophet of Mercy hoped he will have the most followers of all the prophets, and prophesized that he would at a time when Muslims were few, but then they began to embrace Islam in floods.  Thus, this prophecy came true. Explanation of Quran’s Inimitability

Did Muhammad Author the Quran?

Who authored the Quran?  Someone must have produced it!  After all, how many desert men have stood up in the history of man and given the world a book like the Quran?  The book has amazing details of past nations, prophets, and religions as well as accurate scientific information unavailable at the time.  What was the source of all this?  If we were to deny the divine origin of the Quran, we are left with only a few possibilities: - The Prophet Muhammad authored it himself. - He took it from someone else.  In this case, he either took it from a Jew or a Christian or one of the foreigners in Arabia.  The Meccans did not bother to accuse him of having taken it from one of them. A brief response from God is: “And they say, ‘Legends of the former peoples which he has written down, and they are dictated to him morning and afternoon.’  Say, [O Muhammad], ‘It has been revealed by He who knows [every] secret within the heavens and the earth.  Indeed, He is ever Forgiving and Merciful.’” (Quran 25:5-6) It was well known to his detractors that Muhammad, who was raised among them, never learned how to read or write from the time of his birth.  They knew whom he befriended and where he had traveled; they acknowledged his integrity and honesty by calling him ‘Al-Ameen,’ the Reliable, the Trustworthy, the Honest.[1]  Only in their revulsion against his preaching did they accuse him – and then it was anything they could dream up: He was accused of being a sorcerer, a poet and even an imposter!  They could not make up their minds.  God says: “Look how they strike for you comparisons; but they have strayed, so they cannot [find] a way.” (Quran 17:47) Simply, God is aware of what is in the heavens and the earth, He knows the past and the present, and reveals the truth to His prophet. Could Muhammad Have Authored It?

The Authorship of the Quran (part 1 of 3): The Words of a Human?

Although it is proven that the text of the Quran has remained intact till today, how are we sure that the words actually originated from God and not some other source?  This takes us to look at the authenticity, authority, or source of the Quran. Concerning the authorship of the Quran, Muslims believe that it was revealed verbatim (i.e. word for word) by God, to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  Non-Muslims, however, who do not support this view, can have no differences with Muslims concerning the fact that the Quran was at least first witnessed to be uttered by Muhammad, a Meccan Arab in the 7th century CE and, as proved above, there have been no changes to the records of his utterances since then. Muslims’ claim of “internal evidence” for the divine authorship of the Quran, i.e. from statements to that effect in the Quran itself (e.g. Quran 4:82; 6:19; 6:92; 27:6; 45:2, etc.), is understandably looked upon with skepticism, as nearly anyone can quote passages from his or her scripture that claim the scripture in question is revelation from God.  We are therefore forced by reason and objectivity to look elsewhere for “external evidence” of the Quran’s divine source or authority. The simple proposed structure for the presentation of this “external evidence” is an elimination process, where we get to the answer of the question – “Who is the author of the Quran?” – by eliminating all alternative answers to this question which are definitely implausible.  In other words, the definite or (at least) most probable author or source of the Quran is identified by eliminating unacceptable alternative candidates. There are various contradictory views and opinions held by some non-Muslims as to the source of the Quran.  The following list of “possible” authors reflects the main theories:

The Authorship of the Quran (part 2 of 3): The Words of a Poet or a Teacher?

The Style of the Quran There is a world of difference between the style of the Quran and Muhammad’s own style as recorded in the books of Ahadeeth.  The differences between the two in every respect – style and contents – are immediately evident.  The sayings of Muhammad (Ahadeeth) are conversational, oratorical, and expository, of a kind the Arabs were already familiar with.  By contrast, the style of the Quran is authoritative: “We created the heavens and the earth…” (Quran 15:85, 44:38, 46:3, 50:38) Also, “Say!...”[1] Also, “… had it (the Quran) been from any other than God, they would have found therein much discrepancies.” (Quran 4:82) Also, “… Say then: ‘Bring a chapter like it and call, if you can, on other than God…’”(Quran 10:38) Also, “… then bring a chapter like unto it… and if you can not — for surely you cannot, then…” (Quran 2:23-24) Which fallible human being would write a book and challenge humanity to find discrepancies in it, as does the author of the Quran (Quran 4:82)?  Would any sensible student after writing an exam paper add a note to the lecturer saying “Read my answers with care and find any discrepancies or mistakes in it if you can!”?  The style of the Quran is simply that of the All-Knowing Creator. Furthermore, the Quran is a literary masterpiece of Arabic which was and remains unrivaled in its eloquence.  Its rhythmic style, rhyme, near-haunting depth of expression, majesty, and “inimitable symphony, the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy”[2], shook the foundations of a society which had prided itself on its oratory skills.  Contests were held every year in Mecca for who could recite the longest and most eloquent pieces from memory.  When the Quran was revealed, all such contests were brought to a halt, as there was no more competition. Like the miracle of Moses’ stick turning into a real snake which outdid the ability of all the Pharaoh’s magicians at a time when the Egyptians were noted for their mastery of sorcery and magic, and the miracle of Jesus’ healing of the blind and bringing the dead back to life which outdid the ability of all the doctors at a time when the Jews were noted for their mastery of medicine, the Quran was the Prophet Muhammad’s own miracle.[3]  How could such magnificent and unrivaled expressions emanate from a man who, for 40 years, was never known for any such ability? Similarities and Discrepancies between the Quran and the Bible

The Authorship of the Quran (part 3 of 3): Was it the Words of Satan or God?

Quranic Teachings about Satan and about Morality Some claim that the Quran was the work of the devil.[1]  Let us examine how much sense (or non-sense) this allegation makes. If he authored or inspired the Quran, why would Satan curse himself and call himself the worst enemy of man (Q.35:6; 36:60)?  Why would Satan command that before reciting the Quran, one must first say: “…I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed.” (Quran 16:98) How could Satan so vehemently condemn himself?  Is it really acceptable to common sense to hold the view that Satan would ask people to do good, to be moral and virtuous, to worship none but God, to not follow Satan or his whispers, and to avoid and struggle against evil? To hold such a view is clearly repugnant to reason, as Satan has only undermined himself through this means if he is the author.  Even the Bible attests: “And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.” (Mark 3:26)[2] This argument applies to any “Satanic forces”, be they “evil spirits”, “deceitful aliens”, etc. The Quran’s Factual Contents and Scientific Information