Islam's
Other god
[Part
3]
Analyzing
the Deification of Muhammad Within Muslim Tradition
We now move into the next phase of our examination. Here we want to primarily
focus on the Islamic traditions in order to see how Muslims have transformed the
mere human Muhammad into a divine figure.
Unless noted otherwise most of our quotations
will be taken from a classical Sunni work, Kitab
Ash-shifa bi ta'rif huquq al-Mustafa (Healing by the recognition of the
Rights of the Chosen One), authored by a Muslim scholar named Qadi 'Iyad Ibn
Musa al-Yahsubi. We will be using Aisha Abdarrahman Bewley's English
translation, published by Madinah Press (Inverness,
Scotland, U.K., third reprint 1991, paperback). All underline and capital
emphasis is ours.
OBSESSIVE MUSLIM BEHAVIOUR AND DEVOTION TO
MUHAMMAD
The worship which Muslims gave (give) to
Muhammad can be seen from situations where his followers would drink Muhammad's
urine and smear his spittle on themselves, thinking that they would receive a
blessing or a cure as a result of it!
One of the scholars concerned with reports
about the Prophet and his qualities related that when he wanted to defecate,
the earth split open and swallowed up his faeces and
urine, and it gave off a fragrant smell.
Muhammad ibn Sa’d,
al-Waqidi’s scribe, related that ‘A’isha said to the
Prophet, "When you come from relieving yourself, we do not see anything
noxious from you." He said, "‘A’isha, don’t
you know that the earth swallows up what comes out of the prophets so that none
of it is seen?"
Although this
tradition is not famous, the people of knowledge still mention the purity of
his faeces and urine…
There was also a
time when Malik ibn Sinan DRANK HIS BLOOD on the Day of Uhud
and licked it up. The Prophet allowed him to do that and then said,
"The Fire will not touch you."
Something similar
occurred when ‘Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr
drank cupped blood. The Prophet said, "Woe to you from the people
and woe to the people from you," but he did not object to what he had
done.
Something similar is
related about when a woman DRANK SOME OF HIS URINE. He told her, "You will
never complain of a stomach-ache."
He did not order any
of them to wash their mouths out nor did he forbid them to do it again.
The hadith of the woman drinking the urine is sound. Ad-Daraqutni follows Muslim and al-Bukhari
who relate it in the Sahih. The name of this
woman was Baraka, but they disagree about her lineage. Some say that it was Umm
Ayman, a wooden cup he placed under his bed in which
he would urinate during the night. One night he urinated in it and when he
examined it in the morning there was nothing in it. He asked Baraka about that.
She said, "I got up and felt thirsty, so I drank it without knowing."
The hadith is related by Ibn
Jurayj and others.
The Prophet was born
circumcised with his umbilical cord cut… (pp. 35-37)
Note that the drinking of blood is a clear
violation of God’s true Word, the Holy Bible:
"If any one of
the house of Israel
or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face
against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the
altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes
atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No
person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among
you eat blood. Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who
sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten
shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every
creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the
people of Israel,
You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is
its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off." Leviticus 17:10-14
"but should
write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual
immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood… For it has
seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than
these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and
from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.
If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell." Acts
15:28-29
They even violated the commands of the Quran!
He has only
forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and
that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked; but
whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin
shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. S. 2:173 Shakir
Forbidden to you is
that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on
which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled
(animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by
being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what
you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you
divide by the arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who
disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day
have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen
for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining
willfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. S. 5:3 Shakir
Say: I do not find
in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for an eater to eat of
except that it be what has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or
flesh of swine -- for that surely is unclean -- or that which is a
transgression, other than (the name of) Allah having been invoked on it; but
whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then
surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful. S. 6:145 Shakir
He has only
forbidden you what dies of itself and blood and flesh of swine and that
over which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, but whoever is
driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful. S. 16:115 Shakir
Muhammad and his followers were therefore
guilty of sinning against God. Iyad continues:
When Quraysh sent 'Urwa ibn Mas'ud to the Messenger of
Allah in the year of al-Hudaybiyya, he saw the
unparalleled respect which his Companions displayed towards him. Whenever he
did 'wudu they ran to get his leftover 'wudu water and nearly fought over it. If he spat they
took it with their hands and wiped it on their faces and bodies. If a hair of
his fell they ran to get it. If he commanded them to do something, they ran
to do his command. If he spoke, they lowered their voices in his presence. They
did not stare at him due to their respect for him. When he returned to Quraysh, he said, "People of Quraysh!
I have been to Chosroes in his kingdom, and Caesar in
his kingdom and the Negus in his kingdom, but by Allah, I have not seen any
king among his people treated anything like the way Muhammad is treated by his
Companions." ...
Anas said, "I saw the Messenger when his hair was
being shaved. His companions were around him and whenever a lock fell, a man
picked it up." (Iyad, pp. 236-237)
The sahih ahadith narrate the same thing:
... Before embracing
Islam Al-Mughira was in the company of some people.
He killed them and took their property and came (to Medina) to embrace Islam. The Prophet said
(to him, "As regards your Islam, I accept it, but as for the property I do
not take anything of it. (As it was taken through treason). Urwa
then started looking at the Companions of the Prophet. By Allah, whenever
Allah's Apostle spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them (i.e.
the Prophet's companions) WHO WOULD RUB IT ON HIS FACE AND SKIN; if he ordered
them they would carry his orders immediately; if he performed ablution, they
would struggle to take the remaining water; and when they spoke to him,
they would lower their voices and would not look at his face constantly out of
respect. Urwa returned to his people and said,
"O people! By Allah, I have been to the kings and to Caesar, Khosrau and An-Najashi, yet I have never seen any of
them respected by his courtiers as much as Muhammad is respected by his
companions. By Allah, if he spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of
them (i.e. the Prophet's companions) who would rub it on his face and skin;
if he ordered them, they would carry out his order immediately; if he
performed ablution, they would struggle to take the remaining water; and
when they spoke, they would lower their voices and would not look at his face
constantly out of respect." (Sahih
Al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 50, Number 891: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/050.sbt.html#003.050.891)
Qadi 'Iyad states that this
veneration and worship doesn't cease now that Muhammad is dead:
It is just as
necessary to have esteem and respect for the Prophet after his death as it were
when he was alive. This means to show it whenever the Prophet, his hadith or sunna are
mentioned, when anyone hears his name or anything about his life or how his
family and relatives behaved. It includes respect for the People of his House (ah
al-bayt) and his Companions...
Abu Humayd said, "Abu Ja'far,
the Amir al-Mu'minin,
had a dispute with Malik in the Prophet's mosque. Malik said to him, 'Amir
al-Mu'minin, do not raise your voice in this mosque. Allah taught the
people how to behave by saying, "Do not raise your voices above the
Prophet" (49:2) He praises people with the words, "Those who
lower their voices in the presence of the Messenger of Allah." (49:3)
He censures people, saying, "Those who call you..." Respect
for him when he is dead is the same as respect for him when he was alive."
"Abu Ja'far was humbled by this. He asked Malik,
'Abu Abdullah, do you face qibla when
you supplicate or do you face the Messenger of Allah?' He replied, 'Why would
you turn your face from him when he is YOUR MEANS and the means of your
father, Adam, to Allah on the Day of Rising? I face him and ASK HIM to
intercede and Allah will grant his intercession. Allah says, "If,
when you wronged yourselves, they had come to you."'"
(4:64) (pp. 237-238)
Here is a man who faces Muhammad's grave when
he prays, and actually prays to Muhammad in order to ask him for intercession!
And:
When there were many
people around Malik, he was asked, "If only you
would appoint someone to whom you could dictate and then he could make the
people hear." He replied, "Allah said, 'O you who believe, do not
raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet.' (49:2) The respect due
to him when he is dead is the same when he was alive."
Ibn Sirin used to laugh at
times but when the hadiths of the Prophet were
mentioned in his presence he became humble. When a hadith
of the Prophet was recited, 'Abdu'r-Rahman ibn Mahdi commanded them to be
silent, saying, "Do not raise your voice above the voice of the
Prophet." He interpreted the above as meaning that the people must be
silent when the Prophet's hadiths are recited,
just as if they were listening to him speaking. (p. 239)
Praying for Muhammad and visiting his grave
also violates the Holy Scriptures which prohibit believers from contacting the
dead:
"When you come
into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to
follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found
among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who
practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a
charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever
does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these
abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be
blameless before the LORD your God, for these nations, which you are about to
dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD
your God has not allowed you to do this." Deuteronomy 18:9-14
"And when they
say to you, 'Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who
chirp and mutter,' should not a people inquire of their God? Should they
inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to
the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because
they have no dawn." Isaiah 8:19-20
MUHAMMAD AS INTERCESSOR
The Holy Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus is
the true believers' Saviour, Redeemer, and
Intercessor. God's Word says that Jesus, after his resurrection, ascended to
the right hand of God, to the highest position possible, where he forever lives
to mediate and intercede for his people:
"But he, full
of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus
standing at the right hand of God. And he said, 'Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'
… And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, 'Lord Jesus, receive
my spirit.' And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord,
do not hold this sin against them.' And when he had said this, he fell
asleep." Acts 7:55-56, 59-60
"What then
shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who
did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with
him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's
elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who
died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed is interceding for us." Romans 8:31-34
"and what is
the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the
working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from
the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named,
not only in this age but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:19-21
"Therefore
God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every
name, so 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
"He has
delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of
his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins...
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to
reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making
peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and
hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh
by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach
before him," Colossians 1:13-14, 19-22
"In him also
you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the
body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him
in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the
powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead
in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our
trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with
its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the
rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in
him." Colossians 2:11-15
"If then you
have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where
Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things
that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your
life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then
you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4
"For there is
one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is
the testimony given at the proper time." 1 Timothy 2:5-6
"Consequently, he
is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since
he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting
that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated
from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high
priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those
of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself."
Hebrews 7:25-27
"But as it is,
Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as
the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better
promises." Hebrews 8:6
"how much more
will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve
the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant,
so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them
from the transgressions committed under the first
covenant." Hebrews 9:14-15
"And by that
will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all... For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those
who are being sanctified." Hebrews 10:10, 14
"who has gone
into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and
powers having been subjected to him." 1 Peter 3:22
"My little
children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if
anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but
also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
Regarding salvation, the Quran tells Muslims not
to despair of Allah's mercy:
O my sons, go ye and
inquire about Joseph and his brother and despair not of the mercy of ALLAH; for
none despairs of ALLAH's mercy save the disbelieving
people. S. 12:87
Say, `Travel in the
earth, and see how HE originated the creation. Then will ALLAH create the
second creation. Surely, ALLAH has power over all things; He punishes whom He
pleases and has mercy on whom He pleases, and to Him you shall be turned back. Those
who disbelieve in the Signs of ALLAH and the meeting with HIM - it is
they who despair of MY mercy. And they will have a grievous punishment. S.
29:21-23 Sher Ali
Say, `O MY servants
who have sinned against their souls, despair not of the mercy of ALLAH,
surely, ALLAH forgives all sins. Verily, HE is Most forgiving, Ever
Merciful; S. 39:53
These passages indicate that Allah alone is
the source of a Muslim's hope and redemption, and that they are not to despair
of his favor and forgiveness.
The ahadith, on the
other hand, contradict this and point to Muhammad as the saviour
and hope of Muslims:
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said,
"The believers will be kept (waiting) on the Day of Resurrection so long that
they will become worried and say, 'Let us ask somebody to intercede far us
with our Lord so that He may relieve us from our place.'
Then they will go to
Adam and say, 'You are Adam, the father of the people. Allah created you with
His Own Hand and made you reside in His Paradise and ordered His angels to
prostrate before you, and taught you the names of all things. Will you
intercede for us with your Lord so that He may relieve us from this place of
ours?' Adam will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking.' He will mention his
mistakes he had committed, i.e., his eating off the tree though he had been
forbidden to do so. He will add, 'Go to Noah, the first prophet sent by Allah
to the people of the Earth.' The people will go to Noah who will say, 'I am not
fit for this undertaking.' He will mention his mistake which he had done, i.e.,
his asking his Lord without knowledge. He will say (to them), 'Go to Abraham, Khalil Ar-Rahman.' They will go
to Abraham who will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking.' He would mention
three words by which he told a lie, and say (to them). 'Go to Moses, a slave
whom Allah gave the Torah and spoke to, directly and brought near Him, for
conversation.'
They will go to
Moses who will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking.' He will mention his
mistake he made, i.e., killing a person, and will say (to them), 'Go to Jesus,
Allah's slave and His Apostle, and His Spirit and His Word.' They will go to
Jesus who will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking but you'd better go to
Muhammad the slave whose past and future sins have been forgiven by Allah.' So
they will come to me, and I will ask my Lord's permission to enter His House
and then I will be permitted. When I see Him I will fall down in prostration
before Him, and He will leave me (in prostration) as long as He will, and then
He will say, 'O Muhammad, lift up your head and speak, for you will be listened
to, and intercede, for your intercession will be accepted, and ask (for
anything) for it will be granted:' Then I will raise my head and glorify my
Lord with certain praises which He has taught me. Allah will put a limit for me
(to intercede for a certain type of people) I WILL TAKE THEM OUT AND MAKE
THEM ENTER PARADISE." (Qatada said: I heard Anas saying that), the Prophet said, "I will go out
and take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter Paradise, and then I
will return and ask my Lord for permission to enter His House and I will be
permitted.
When I will see Him
I will fall down in prostration before Him and He will leave me in prostration
as long as He will let me (in that state), and then He will say, 'O Muhammad,
raise your head and speak, for you will be listened to, and intercede, for your
intercession will be accepted, and ask, your request will be granted.'"
The Prophet added, "So I will raise my head and glorify and praise Him as
He has taught me. Then I will intercede and He will put a limit for me (to
intercede for a certain type of people). I will take them out and let them
enter Paradise." (Qatada added: I heard Anas saying that) the Prophet said, "I will go out and
take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter Paradise, and I will return
for the third time and will ask my Lord for permission to enter His house, and
I will be allowed to enter.
When I see Him, I
will fall down in prostration before Him, and will remain in prostration as
long as He will, and then He will say, 'Raise your head, O Muhammad, and speak,
for you will be listened to, and intercede, for your intercession will be
accepted, and ask, for your request will be granted.' So I will raise my head
and praise Allah as He has taught me and then I will intercede and He will put
a limit for me (to intercede for a certain type of people). I will take them
out and let them enter Paradise." (Qatada
said: I heard Anas saying that) the Prophet said,
"So I will go out and take them out of Hell (Fire) and let them enter
Paradise, till none will remain in the Fire except those whom Quran will
imprison (i.e., those who are destined for eternal life in the fire)." The
narrator then recited the Verse:-- "It may be that your Lord will raise
you to a Station of Praise and Glory." (17.79) The narrator added: This is
the Station of Praise and Glory which Allah has promised to your Prophet. (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93, Number
532v: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/093.sbt.html#009.093.532v)
And:
Ja'far ibn Muhammad said,
"Part of his blessing on him is that He made him his beloved, swore by his
life, abrogated other shari'as by him, RAISED
HIM TO THE HIGHEST PLACE, protected him to all mankind and made booty lawful
for his community. He also made him an accepted intercessor and the master of
the descendants of Adam..." (p. 27)
"... Some of
them will enter the Garden by His mercy and some of them will enter the Garden
BY MY INTERCESSION. I will continue to intercede until He gives a paper of
good deeds to men who have been commanded to the Fire..." (p. 117)
In some traditions, Muhammad is said to be on
the right side of Allah's throne as he intercedes:
Abu Hurayra related from the Prophet, "I will be clothed
in one of the robes of the Garden. Then I will stand on the right of the
Throne where no created being except me will stand." (p. 108)
The Prophet said,
"I will be the master of the people on the Day of Rising." He will be
their master in this world and on the Day of Rising.
However, the Prophet
indicated that he alone will have mastery and intercession on that day since
people will take refuge with him and will not find anyone but him. A master is
that one to whom people go when seeking what they need. On that day he will be
the only master among mankind. No one will compete with him about it or lay
claim to it, as Allah says, "Whose is the Kingdom today? Allah's, the
One, the Conqueror." (40:16) The Kingdom is His in this world and the
Next World. However, in the Next World the claims of those who made them in the
world will be cut off. Furthermore, all people will seek refuge with Muhammad
to intercede for them. He will be their master in the Next World without any
pretension.
Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said, "On that
Day of Rising, I will come to the Gate of the Garden and ask it to open. The
Guardian will say, 'Who are you?' I will reply, 'Muhammad.' He will say,
'Because of you I was commanded not to open the door to anyone before
you.'" (p. 109)
Ka'b ibn Malik
related that the Prophet said, "People will be gathered on the Day of
Rising, and my community and I will be on a hill and my Lord will clothe me in
a green robe and give me permission. Then I will say what Allah wills I say.
That is the Praiseworthy Station."
Ibn 'Umar mentioned the hadith of intercession and said, "He will
advance until he knocks at the gates of the Garden. On that day, Allah will
grant him the Praiseworthy Station He promised him."
Ibn Mas'ud said: "The
Prophet will stand on the right of the Throne in a station where none but he
will stand. The first and the last will envy it."
Ibn Mas'ud said that the
Messenger of Allah said, "I will stand in the Praiseworthy Station."
He was asked, "What is it?" He said, "On that day, Allah will
descend on His Throne..." (p. 114)
In one narration, Adam beseeches Allah to
forgive him on account of Muhammad!
Abu Muhammad al-Makki, Abu'l-Layth as-Samarqandi and others related that when Adam rebelled, he
said, "O Allah, forgive me my error BY THE RIGHT OF MUHAMMAD!" Allah
said to him, "How do you know Muhammad?" He said, "I saw written
in every place in the Garden, 'There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.' So I knew that he was the most honoured
creation in Your eyes." SO ALLAH TURNED TO HIM AND FORGAVE HIM. It is said
that this is the interpretation of the words of Allah, "Adam learned some
words from his Lord" (2:27) (p. 89)
Clearly, these stories are intended to turn
Muhammad into a Christ figure so as to usurp the glory and uniqueness of the
Lord Jesus, something which the unbelievers even saw:
There is enough
proof in the words of Allah, "Say: if you love Allah, follow me, and
Allah will love you and forgive your wrong actions." (3:30)
The commentators
relate that when this ayat was revealed, the
unbelievers said, "Muhammad means that we should love him AS THE
CHRISTIANS LOVE 'ISA SON OF MARYAM." Angry with them, Allah revealed this ayat, "Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger. If
they turn their backs, Allah does not love the unbelievers." (3:31) So
he increased his honour by commanding them to obey
him and connected that to obedience to Himself... (pp. 112-113)
MUHAMMAD AND THE REASON FOR CREATION
According to the Holy Bible, Jesus is the
source and reason for creation, that all things were created through him and
for him. Christ, being God's Son, is superior and supreme over all creation:
"In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without
him was not any thing made that was made... He was in the world, and the
world was made through him, yet the world did not know him... And the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as
of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-3, 10,
14
"He is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all
things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created
through him and FOR HIM. And he is before all things, and in him all
things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might
be PREEMINENT." Colossians 1:15-18
"but in these
last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all
things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the
glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the
universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ... And, 'You, Lord, laid
the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of
your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a
garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be
changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.'" Hebrews
1:2-3, 10-12
"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 3:3-6
Muslim tradition, however, says that Muhammad
is the best of all creation and that he was the first human Allah created. Some
narrations go even further than this and say that Allah would not have created
anything had it not been for Muhammad:
Qatada said that the Prophet said, "I was the first of
the Prophets to be created and the last of them to be sent." That is why
he was mentioned before Nuh and the others. (p. 23)
Abu Hurayra said that the Messenger of Allah said, "I was
sent from the best of each generation of the children of Adam generation after
generation, until I was in the generation from which I came."
Al-'Abbas said that the Prophet said, "Allah created Creation
and He placed me among the best of them from the best of their generations.
Then He selected the tribes and He put me among the best tribe. Then He
selected the families, and He put me among the best of their families. I am the
best of them in person and the best of them in family." ...
In a hadith narrated by Ibn 'Umar which at-Tabarani has
related, the Prophet says, "Allah, the Mighty and Majestic sifted through
His creation and chose the Banu Adam from them. Then
He sifted through Banu Adam and chose the Arabs from
them. Then He sifted through the Quraysh and chose
the Banu Hashim from them.
Then He sifted through the Banu Hashim
and chose me from them. I AM THE BEST OF THE BEST. Whoever loves the Arabs,
loves them through love for me. Whoever hates the Arabs, hates them through
hatred of me."
Ibn 'Abbas said that the spirit
of the Prophet was a light in the hands of Allah two thousand years before He
created Adam. That light glorified Him and the angels glorified by his
glorification. When Allah created Adam, He cast light into his loins.
The Messenger of
Allah said, "Allah brought me down to earth in the loins of Adam, placed
me in the loins of Nuh and then cast me into the
loins of Ibrahim. Allah continued to move me from
noble loins and pure wombs until He brought me out of my parents. None of them
were ever joined together in fornication."
The famous poem of
al-'Abbas in praise of the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, testifies to the soundness of this tradition. (p. 43)
In the hadith of Anas, the
Prophet said, "I am the most honoured of the
Children of Adam with my Lord and it is no boast."
Then there is the hadith of Ibn 'Abbas, "I am the noblest of the first and the last and
it is no boast."...
Ibn 'Abbas reported from the
Prophet that he said, "When Allah created Adam, He made me descend to the
earth in his loins. He put me in the loins of Nuh in
the Ark and
cast me into the fire in the loins of Ibrahim. Then
he continued to move me from noble loins to pure wombs until He brought me out
from my parents. None of them ever met in fornication."
This is what al-'Abbas ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib
was indicating when he said:
Before you came to
the world,
you were excellent in the shadows and in the repository
in the time (of Adam)
when they covered themselves with leaves.
Then you fell through the ages-
not as a mortal nor a lump of flesh nor as a clot.
Rather as a drop which rode the ships-
and put a bridle on the idol
Nasr while its people were drowned
(in the time of Nuh).
The drop was transferred from loin to womb.
As the world proceeded, the next era appeared.
Then your guardian house contained loftiness from Khindif
When you were born, the earth shone
and the horizon was illuminated by your light.
We travel in that illumination
and in the light and the paths of right guidance.
O coolness of the fire of Ibrahim!
O cause of the protection in the blazing fire! (pp. 85-86)
Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah
preferred Muhammad over the angels of the heavens and over all the prophets,
may the blessings of Allah be upon them."... (p. 88)
Another
variant has that Adam said, "When you created me, I lifted my gaze to Your
Throne AND WRITTEN ON IT WAS: 'There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah,' so I knew there would be no one held in greater esteem by
You than the one whose name You placed alongside Your own name." Allah
then revealed to him, "By My might and majesty, he is the last of the
prophets among your descendants. IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR HIM, I WOULD HAVE NOT
CREATED YOU." It is said that Adam was given the kunya,
Abu Muhammad. Some people say that it was Abu'l-Bashar
(the father of mankind). (p. 89)
The following narration is attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas and is cited by a
Muslim scholar named al-Hakim:
"Allah revealed
to ‘Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him): ‘O ‘Isa, believe in Muhammad, and tell whoever you meet of your
ummah (community) to believe in him. For were
it not for Muhammad, I would not have created Adam, and were it not for
Muhammad, I would not have created Paradise and Hell. I created the
Throne over the water and it would not settle until I wrote on it,
Laa ilaaha
ill-Allah Muhammad Rasool Allah (There is no god
but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)."
Al-Hakim, said that
the isnaad (or chain of transmission) for the above
was sahih or sound (see this article: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/093.sbt.html#009.093.532v)
And:
But for you, I would
not have created the spheres. (al-Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, 2.232)
"Were it not
for you, I would not have created the universe." (al-Shawkaani,
al-Fawaa’id al-Majmoo’ah
fi’l-Ahaadeeth al-Mawdoo’ah, p. 326)
Although most Muslim scholars hold these hadiths to be fabricated, they are nevertheless very
popular, have spread widely and are quoted many times in writings of common
Muslim piety and even by some scholars.
Even amongst those Muslims who argue that the
above narration is fabricated, there are some who still agree that the content
or meaning is true. For example, this next scholar, ash-Shaykh
Mulla Alee Qaaree (d.
1014), said:
"maudu [fabricated], but it’s meaning is correct..."
(‘al-Asraar al-Marfoo’ah’
of Alee al-Qaaree, pp. 67-68; bold emphasis and
words within brackets ours)
The 18th century scholar al-Ajluni, whom we cited above, mentioned in his book on
popular hadiths that despite this narration
having been forged, in his opinion it is still sound in meaning even if not an
authentic narration.
Sunni Muslim writer, G.F. Haddad, in his
adaptation of the work by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Lata'if al-Ma`arif fi ma li Mawasim
al-`Am min al-Waza'if ("The Subtleties of
Learning Concerning the Devotions That Pertain to the Various Times of the
Year", ed. YaSin Muhammad al-Sawwas, Dar Ibn Kathir, 1996), stated:
... So it is
possible that Muhammad - Allah bless and greet him - was specifically brought
out from the loins of Adam before the spirit was breathed into the latter, for
Muhammad - Allah bless and greet him - is the purpose (al-maqsud) in the creation of the human species, he is its
very essence (`aynuhu), quintessence (khulasatuhu),
and core (wasita `aqdih). And it has
been narrated that Adam - upon him peace - saw the name of Muhammad - Allah
bless and greet him - written on the Throne and that Allah - Almighty and
Glorified - said to Adam: "Were it not for Muhammad I would not have
created you." Al-Hakim narrated it in his Sahih
[see its documentation in the Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine 4:36-41].
[The above position
is also that of Ibn Rajab's
two teachers, Ibn Taymiyya
and Ibn al-Qayyim. Ibn Taymiyya said in his Fatawa
al-Kubra (11:95-97):
"Muhammad -
Allah bless and greet him - is the Chief of the Children of Adam, the Best of
Creation, the noblest of them in the sight of Allah. This is why some have said
that "Allah created the Universe due to him," or that "Were it
not for him, He would have neither created a Throne, nor a Footstool, nor a
heaven, earth, sun or moon." However, this is not a hadith
on the authority of the Prophet - Allah bless and greet him -... but it may be
explained from a correct aspect...
"Since the best
of the righteous of the children of Adam is Muhammad - Allah bless and greet him
-, creating him was a desirable end of deeep-seated purposeful wisdom, more than
for anyone else, and hence the completion of creation and the fulfillment of
perfection was attained with Muhammad, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant
him peace... The Chief of the Children of Adam is Muhammad, may Allah Exalted
bless him and grant him peace, Adam and his children being under his banner.
He, may Allah Exalted bless him and grant him peace, said: "Truly, I was
written as the Seal of the Prophets with Allah, when Adam was going to-and-fro
in his clay," i.e. that my prophethood was
decreed and manifested when Adam - upon him peace - was created but before the
breathing of the Spirit into him, just as Allah decrees the livelihood,
lifespan, deeds and misery or happiness of the slave when He creates the embryo
but before the breathing of the spirit into it.
"Since man is
the seal and last of all creation, and its microcosm, and since the best of man
is thus the best of all creation absolutely, then Muhammad - Allah bless and
greet him -, being the Pupil of the Eye, the Axis of the Mill, and the
Distributor to the Collective, is as it were the Ultimate Purpose from amongst
all the purposes of creation. Thus it cannot be denied to say that "Due to
him all of this was created", or that "Were it not for him, all this
would not have been created," so if statements like this are thus
explained according to what the Book and the Sunna
indicate, it is acceptable." End of Ibn Taymiyya's words.
Similarly Ibn al-Qayyim wrote in his Bada'i`
al-Fawa'id (p. 63): "Have you realized your
value? I only created all the universes for your sake... All things are trees
whose fruit you are."] (Source: http://www.sunnah.org/fiqh/Ibn_Rajab_Mawlid.htm)
This next Muslim writer agrees that Muhammad
is the reason for creation:
... That blessed
person, who is the Beloved of God, for whose sake God created all the worlds,
is absolutely free from every kind of defect, fault and shortcoming. (F. Gulen, The Infinite
Light, Volume 1, Chapter five - The essentials of Prophethood: THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD, UPON HIM BE
PEACE AND BLESSINGS; http://www.ymsite.com/books/infinitelight/infpg37.html#f;
underline emphasis ours)
And:
Before passing on to
explain the reasons for the setback suffered at Uhud,
it should be pointed out that the Companions have, after the Prophets,
superiority over all the other people in virtue. They were honored with being
the comrades and trainees of the greatest of the whole creation, one for
whose sake the universe was created and who was sent as a mercy for all the
worlds, that is, the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings... (Gulen, The Infinite
Light, Volume 2, Chapter eight - The Military Dimension of Muhammad's Prophethood: THE BATTLE OF UHUD: http://www.ymsite.com/books/infinitelight/inf2pg4.htm#h;
underline emphasis ours)
MONOTHEISM AND THE ISLAMIC CREED
God's true Word, the Holy Bible, lists
several creeds, or confessions of faith, which all true believers are required
to affirm. One of the major and most popular creeds of the Holy Bible is the Shema (Hebrew- "Hear"), a confession of
faith affirming the unity of God:
"Hear, O
Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." Deuteronomy
6:4-5
This confession is repeated by the Lord Jesus
in Mark 12:29-30. The NT also contains some creeds which true Christians are
required to confess:
"because, if
you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is
saved." Romans 10:9-10
"yet for us there
is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and
one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we
exist." 1 Corinthians 8:6
"There is one
body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to
your call-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of
all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4-6
The official Islamic creed, the confession of
faith which Sunni Muslims are required to affirm, places Muhammad alongside
Allah:
Ash hadu al
la ilaha il Allah-u, wa ash hadu an-na Muhammad-ar Rasul Allah
The English rendering is:
There is no god worthy of worship except
Allah and Muhammad is His messenger
Here is another version:
Ash-hadu anla ilaha illal-Lahu
Wahdahu la Sharika Lahu wa-ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu
And its translation:
I bear witness that there is none worthy
of worship except Allah, the One, without any partner. And I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
The ahadith record
Muhammad as purportedly saying:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Once Mu'adh was along with Allah's Apostle as a
companion rider. Allah's Apostle said, "O Mu'adh
bin Jabal." Mu'adh
replied, "Labbaik and Sa'daik, O Allah's
Apostle!" Again the Prophet said, "O Mu'adh!"
Mu'adh said thrice, "Labbaik
and Sa'daik, O Allah's Apostle!" Allah's Apostle
said, "There is none who testifies sincerely that none has the right to
be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is his Apostle, except that Allah,
will save him from the Hell-fire." Mu'adh said,
"O Allah's Apostle ! Should I not inform the people about it so that they
may have glad tidings?" He replied, "When the people hear about it,
they will solely depend on it." Then Mu'adh
narrated the above-mentioned Hadith just before his
death, being afraid of committing sin (by not telling the knowledge). (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 3, Number
130: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/003.sbt.html#001.003.130)
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) Said: The
blood of a Muslim man who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that
Muhammad is Allah's Apostle should not lawfully be shed except only for one
of three reasons: a man who committed fornication after marriage, in which case
he should be stoned; one who goes forth to fight with Allah and His Apostle, in
which case he should be killed or crucified or exiled from the land; or one who
commits murder for which he is killed. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 38, Number 4339: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/038.sat.html#038.4339)
Qadi 'Iyad notes in relation to
this creed:
Qatada said, "Allah exalted his fame in this world and
the Next. There is no speaker, witness nor anyone doing the prayer who fails to
say, 'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'"
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri related that the
Prophet said, "Jibril, peace be upon him, came
to me and said, 'My Lord and your Lord says, "Do you know how I have
exalted your fame?"' I said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said,
'When I am mentioned you are mentioned with Me.'"
Ibn 'Ata quoted a hadith
qudsi saying, "I completed belief with your
being mentioned with Me." And another one which says, "I have made
your mention part of My mention so whoever mentions Me, mentions you."
Ja'far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq, "No one mentions you as the Messenger but that
he mentions Me as the Lord."
The fact that
mention of the Prophet is directly connected to mention of Allah also shows
that obedience to the Prophet is connected to obedience to Allah and his name
to Allah's name. Allah says, "Obey Allah and His Messenger"
(2:32) and "Believe in Allah and His Messenger." (4:136) Allah
joins them together using the conjunction wa
WHICH IS THE CONJUNCTION OF PARTNERSHIP. IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO USE THIS
CONJUNCTION IN CONNECTION WITH ALLAH IN THE CASE OF ANYONE EXCEPT THE PROPHET.
Hudhayfa said that the Prophet said, "None of you should
say, 'What Allah wills and (wa) so-and-so
wills.' Rather say, 'What Allah wills.' Then stop and say, 'So-and-so
wills.'"
Al-Khattabi said, "The Prophet has guided you to correct behaviour in putting the will of Allah before the will of
others. He chose 'then' (thumma) which implies
sequence and deference as opposed to 'and' (wa)
WHICH IMPLIES PARTNERSHIP."
Something similar is
mentioned in another hadith. Someone was
speaking in the presence of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace, and said, "Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has been rightly
guided, and whoever rebels against them both (joining them together by using
the dual form)..." The Prophet said to him, "What a bad speaker you
are! Get up! [Or he said: Get out!]"
Abu Sulayman said, "He disliked the two names being joined
together in that way BECAUSE IT IMPLIES EQUALITY."... (pp. 7-8)
It is related that 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet,
"Part of your excellence with Allah is that He has made obedience to you
obedience to Him. Allah says, 'Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah'
(4:80) and 'If you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you.'"
(3:31) it is related that when this ayat was
sent down, people said, 'Muhammad wants us to take him as a mercy IN THE WAY
CHRISTIANS DID WITH 'ISA,' so Allah revealed, 'Say: Obey Allah, and the
Messenger.'" (3:32) (p. 9)
"... He coupled
his name with His own name, and his pleasure with His pleasure. He made him one
of the two pillars of tawhid." (p. 27)
Ibn 'Abbas said, "Written
on the door of the Garden is: I am Allah. There is no god but Me. Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah. I will not punish anyone who says that." (p. 90)
Another source provides further attestation
that Muhammad didn't like it when people used the conjunction wa (and) when associating him with Allah:
Further, a man once
said to the Prophet ... "What Allah and what you will." He ... said,
... Do not say, 'What Allah and what Muhammad will.' Rather say, 'What Allah
wills and then what Muhammad wills.' (Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah, Zad-ul
Ma'ad fi Hadyi Khairi-l 'Ibad [Provisions for the Hereafter Taken From the Guidance
of Allah's Best Worshipper], translated by Jalal Abualrub, edited by Alaa Mencke & Shaheed M. Ali [Madinah Publishers & Distributors, Orlando Florida;
First edition, October 2001], Volume 4, p. 285)
Sunni Muslims have clearly deified Muhammad
by making it mandatory to confess his name alongside their confession of
Allah's unity. Thankfully, not all Muslims accept this confession since they
realize that it is blasphemy and idolatrous. As one Muslim put it:
Verse 3:18 states the First Pillar of Islam
(Submission): "God bears witness
that there is no other god besides Him, and so do the angels and those who
possess knowledge."
This most crucial
pillar has been distorted. Millions of Muslims have adopted Satan's polytheistic version, and insist
upon mentioning the name of Muhammad besides the name of God. However,
the Quran's great criterion in 39:45
stamps such Muslims as disbelievers:
"When God
ALONE is mentioned, the hearts of those who do disbelieve in the Hereafter shrink with aversion, but when others
are mentioned with Him, they become satisfied."
I have conducted
extensive research into this criterion, and I have reached a startling
conclusion: the idol worshipers who do not uphold the First Pillar of Islam as
dictated in 3:18 are forbidden by God
from uttering the correct Shahadah. They simply
cannot say: "Ash-hadu Allaa Elaaha
Ellaa Allah" by itself, without mentioning the
name of Muhammad. Try it with any idol worshiper who claims to be a
Muslim. Challenge them to say:
"Ash-hadu Allaa Elaaha Ellaa Allah." They
can never say it. Since this is the religion of Abraham (2:130, 135;
3:95; 4:125;
6:161; 12:37-38;
16:123; 22:78;
Appendix 9), the ONLY creed must be
"LAA ELAAHA ELLAA ALLAH (there is no god except the One God)".
Muhammad did not exist on earth before Abraham.
A Gross
Blasphemy
There is no
greater blasphemy than distorting the Quran to idolize the prophet Muhammad against his will. Verse 19 of Sura "Muhammad" (47:19)
states:"You shall know that there is no god except the one God."
Shown below is a photocopy of the regular logo of a Muslim publication THE
REVIEW OF RELIGIONS (The London
Mosque, 16 Gressenhall
Road, London SW18 5QL, England.)
Using the Quran's calligraphic style, the publishers of THE REVIEW OF RELIGIONS
added the phrase "Muhammad Rasool
Allah" in such a way that gives a false impression that such is the Quranic statement of 47:19.
What a blasphemy! (The First Pillar of Islam (Submission): "Laa Elaaha Ellaa Allah" (No god
except God): http://www.submission.org/suras/app13.html)
This is unlike the Christian confessions.
Since the NT teaches that Jesus is Lord in the sense of being Yahweh, the
biblical writers didn't consider it a compromise of true monotheism to expand
the Jewish Shema to include Jesus within the Divine
identity. To them, Jesus wasn't a creature whom they were deifying it, but was
God's eternal Word and Wisdom who became man for our salvation. Islam, however,
explicitly denies that Muhammad is anything but a creature. To, therefore,
include him alongside God in the creedal confession of faith is a severe
compromise of pure monotheism, being an explicit act of associating a finite
creature with God, what Islam considers to be the unpardonable sin of shirk
(Cf. surah 4:48, 116). To top it off, the Islamic
creed is not even explicitly formulated within the chapters of the Quran, but
is derived from later Islamic sources such as the hadith
literature.
We come to the conclusion of Part 3. Continue
with Part 4.
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