By Keith Thompson
Biblical standards confirm Muhammad
was a satanic false prophet
Six-hundred
years before Muhammad was born, Jesus and his apostles warned of future false
prophets and deceivers who would do things Muhammad did. In Matthew 7:15-16
Jesus says, “‘Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their
fruits’” (Matthew 7:15-16).
In
Galatians 1:8-9 the apostle Paul warned of fallen
angels masquerading as real angels deceiving people to reject the Gospel
message (i.e., Jesus’ death for sins and resurrection; cf. 1 Corinthians
15:1-3). This is precisely what took place when Muhammad got deceived to deny
the gospel by a being claiming to be the angel Gabriel. The text says, “But
even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to
the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now
I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you
received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9).
Also, the apostle John warned of those, like Muhammad, who would
deny Jesus is the divine Son of God and that God the Father is the Father: “. . .This is the
antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). One of
Muhammad’s key teachings was Jesus was not the Son of God and that God is not a
spiritual or metaphorical Father to anyone (Koran 5:18; 9:30; 19:35).
Moreover, the same apostle also warned of those who, like
Muhammad, would come and deny the incarnation of Jesus and thus His deity: “For
many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.
Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist” (2 John 1:7).
Therefore, according to the Bible Muhammad was a false prophet
from Satan. But what about the early Islamic sources? Do they provide us with
material showing Muhammad was a satanic false prophet?
Muhammad’s foster-mother
Muhammad’s
foster-mother thought Muhammad was demon possessed when he was young after two beings threw him to the ground. The 8th century Muslim
biographer Ibn Isaq reports a
story told by Muhammad’s foster-mother Halima:
“. . .he and his brother were with our lambs behind the tents when his brother came running and said to us, ‘Two men clothed in white have seized that Qurayshi brother of mine and thrown him down and opened up his belly, and are stirring him up.’ We ran towards him and found him standing up with a livid face. We took hold of him and asked him what was the matter. He said, ‘Two men with white raiment came and threw me down and opened up my belly and searched therein for I know not what,’ so we took him back to our tent. His father said to me, ‘I am afraid that this child has had a stroke, so take him back to his family before the result appears.’ So we picked him up and took him to his mother who asked why we had brought him when I had been anxious for his welfare and desirous of keeping him with me. . . . . When she asked if I feared a demon possessed him, I replied that I did” (Ibn Isaq, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad, [Oxford University Press, 2014], pp. 71-72).
This
episode is also attested to in The
History of al-Tabari, Vol. 6, p. 63 and Koran 94:1. This shows Muhammad’s
foster-mother was convinced Muhammad was demon possessed during this episode.
Moreover,
the fact these beings threw Muhammad to the ground is consistent with what the
Bible says demons do to people. Luke
9:42 says, “While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the
unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father" (Luke
9:42).
Muhammad’s first alleged
revelational experience was demonic
This
episode seems like something one might see in a supernatural horror movie as
opposed to what one would expect out of an experience with the true Angel
Gabriel. In Sahih Bukhari we read
about this early encounter in the cave of Hira between Muhammad and this being:
“The Prophet added, ‘The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, ‘I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?’ Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists) has created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous (96.1, 96.2, 96.3) . . . .’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3).
Another
early report says here Muhammad was being strangled so hard he felt like he was
going to die (Ibn Isaq, The Life of the
Prophet Muhammad, [Oxford University Press, 2014], p. 106).
This
is not how the true Gabriel treats God’s prophets and people. In Luke 1:11-19
Gabriel appeared to Zechariah which frightened Zechariah. However, immediately
Gabriel comforted him and told him not to be frightened since God’s blessing
was coming to him with the birth of John the Baptist. There was no strangling
or abuse. Moreover, in Luke 1:26-31 Gabriel appeared to Mary and she became
frightened. However, Gabriel immediately calmed her down and told her not be
afraid since she has found favor with God and was to give birth to the divine
Son of God, Jesus Christ. Again, there is no strangling or torture here.
Thus,
what appeared to Muhammad was not Gabriel but some sort of hostile being –
either Satan or a demon.
Muhammad believed he was demon possessed and wanted to kill
himself
The 9th century Islamic historian
and exegete al-Tabari notes the following: “The pre-Islamic Arabs believed in
the demon of poetry, and they thought that a great poet was directly inspired
by demons" (The History of al-Tabari, Vol. 9, [State University of New
York Press, 1990], p. 167 note 1151).
The Koran itself mentions some examples of people who suspected that Muhammad
was under such demonic inspiration. Koran 44:14 says, “Yet they turn away from
him and say: ‘Tutored (by others), a man possessed!’” (Koran 44:14,
Yusuf Ali). Also Koran 37:36 says, “And say: ‘What! shall we give up our gods
for the sake of a Poet possessed?’” (Koran 37:36, Yusuf Ali).
Now, in the early Muslim literature – namely al-Tabari and Ibn Isaq – we
find Muhammad believed he was one of these demon possessed poets after his
experience with Gabriel in the cave of Hira, so much so that he wanted to
commit suicide:
“… I recited it, and then he desisted and departed I woke up, and it was as though these words had been written on my heart. There was no one of God’s creation more hateful to me than a POET or a madman; I could not bear to look at either of them. I said to myself, "Your humble servant (meaning himself) is either a POET or a madman, but Quraysh shall never say this of me. I shall take myself to a mountain crag, hurl myself down from it, kill myself, and find relief in that way" (The History of al-Tabari, Vol. 6, [State University of New York Press, 1988], p. 71).
You find a similar account in Ibn
Isaq’s Life of Muhammad: “Now none of God’s creatures was more hateful
to me than an [ecstatic] poet or a man possessed: I could
not even look at them. I thought, “Woe is me poet or possessed…” (Ibn
Isaq, The Life of Muhammad,, [Oxford University Press, 2014], p.
106).
Muhammad was so distraught and
convinced his encounters with spirit beings were nefarious that he wanted to
end his own life! In the Bible there is not
one instance of a true prophet or apostle being concerned they were demon possessed or controlled by Satan in going
forth with their divine mission from God. This is unique to Muhammad because he
was demon possessed.
Waraqah’s initial concern
Initially Muhammad’s wife’s cousin
Waraqah correctly believed Muhammad was demon possessed. After Muhammad’s wife Khadija explained to Waraqah what was
happening with Muhammad after his first encounter with the being who would come
to be seen as Gabriel, Waraqah had a very interesting perspective:
“Waraqah expressed surprise and said Jibreel came only to Prophets, the best of creatures, so, he wished to meet the Prophet. He said that sometimes the devil deceives people pretending to be Jibreel and then he to whom the devil goes turns mad” (Ibn Kathir, The Life of Prophet Muhammad, [Darul – Ishaat Karachi, 2010], p. 130).
Waraqah was correct about devils or
Satan appearing as an angel of light to deceive people much like what happened
many years later to the false prophet of Mormonism Joseph Smith when he was
approached by a being who claimed to be the angel Moroni. The Biblical
reference of warning can be found in 2 Corinthians 11:14: “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises
himself as an angel of light.” That is what occurred with Muhammad.
Muhammad’s revelations were actually possessions
During his alleged revelations
Muhammad would hear ringing in his ears and sweat profusely (Sahih
Al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Number 2), turn red and breath heavily (Sahih
Muslim, 2656, Abdul Siddiqi
Translation, Vol. 2, p. 700; Ibn Kathir, The
Life of Prophet Muhammad, [Darul – Ishaat Karachi, 2010], p. 126), be
choked (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 3), move his lips quickly (Sahih
Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 4), hear voices thinking trees and rocks were
speaking to him (The History of al-Tabari,
Vol. 6, [State University of New York Press, 1988], p. 63), fall to his knees
with trembling shoulders (The History of
al-Tabari, Vol. 6, [State University of New York Press, 1988], p. 68), feel
dread and terror (The History of
al-Tabari, Vol. 6, [State University of New York Press, 1988], p. 68), have
a racing heart with swollen veins on his shoulders and neck (Ibn Kathir, The Life of Prophet Muhammad, [Darul –
Ishaat Karachi, 2010], p. 123), and have
a severe fever (Ibn Kathir, The Life of
Prophet Muhammad, [Darul – Ishaat Karachi, 2010], p. 126).
Muhammad’s condition is inconsistent
with what is documented about the experiences of previous prophets who received
revelation from God. Such things are never said to accompany their revelational
experiences. Instead Muhammad exhibited features which are actually consistent
with what the Bible describes as demonic possession.
In an essay the Muslim apologist Bassam Zawadi,
in regards to this data, admitted, “. . .these are the symptoms of one who usually gets possessed by Satan. . .”
(Bassam Zawadi, Rebuttal to Sam Shamoun's Article ‘Examining Some
More Evidence for Muhammad Being Deceived’). Although Zawadi claims
Muhammad was not demon-possessed, he did in fact admit that all these symptoms are common with those who are
demonically possessed.
The satanic verses
Muhammad admittedly included verses
from Satan as part of the Koran and then retracted them. Originally Surah 53 of the Koran included what are known as the
infamous “satanic verses.” These verses say three pagan goddesses named al-Lat,
al-Uzza and Manat exist and are valid intercessors who are exalted. According
to al-Tabari the reason Muhammad delivered these verses was because he was
eager for the welfare of his former pagan tribe the Quraysh and wanted unity
with them. So, after becoming a Muslim, he acquiesced to their paganism and
delivered verses from the devil acknowledging their false pagan gods (The History of al-Tabari, Vol. 6, [State
University of New York Press, 1988], pp. 107-108).
After criticism and retracting these
satanic verses, Koran 22:52 was then created by Muhammad to give an excuse as
to why he delivered verses from Satan: “Never
did We send an apostle or a prophet
before thee, but, when he framed a desire, Satan threw some (vanity) into his
desire: but God will cancel anything (vain) that Satan throws in, and God
will confirm (and establish) His Signs: for God is full of Knowledge and
Wisdom” (Koran 22:52, Yusuf Ali). In other words, after Muhammad retracted the
verses the devil put on his tongue, he claimed Allah said all prophets speak satanic revelations by mistake – so it is
normal. Islamic commentators who agree Koran 22:52 refers to the satanic verses
episode include: Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Al-Wahidi, Zamakhshari, and others.
Many early Islamic religious sources
affirm this satanic verses episode occurred in history (e.g. The History of al-Tabari, Vol. 6, [State
University of New York Press, 1988], pp. 107-108; Ibn Isaq, Life of Muhammad, [Oxford University
Press, 2014], pp. 165–166; Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 385; Koran
17:73-75; 22:52).
According to Deuteronomy 18:20
Muhammad was a demonic false prophet because of this episode:
“But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die” (Deuteronomy 18:20).
Moreover, if Muhammad could not tell the difference
between a revelation from the devil and one from God, why should he be trusted
as a reliable prophet?
Muhammad and black magic
Muhammad was the victim of black
magic. At a period during his
so-called prophetic career, Muhammad
was under the satanic influence of bewitchment or witchcraft. The scholar
Alfred Guillaume cites an Islamic tradition which says Muhammad was under the
control of this black magic for a whole year (Ibn Isaq, The Life of
Muhammad,, [Oxford University Press, 2014], p. 240 n. 1).
In Sahih Bukhari this bewitchment is explained:
“Narrated 'Aisha: A man called Labid bin al-A'sam from the tribe of Bani Zaraiq worked magic on Allah's Apostle till Allah's Apostle started imagining that he had done a thing that he had not really done. . . (Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 71, Number 658).
And:
“Narrated Aisha: Magic was worked on Allah's Apostle so that he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not. . .” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71, Number 660).
Black magic is a satanic art and
Muhammad was under its control. He imagined things and believed untruths such
as having sex with his wives. If this could be done to Muhammad, one has to
wonder what else he imagined and what other untruths he believed during his
“prophetic” career.
That Muhammad was bewitched is
attested in many sahih ahadith (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54,
Number 490; Volume 7, Book 71, Number 658; Volume 7, Book 71, Number 660;
Volume 7, Book 71, Number 661; Volume 8, Book 75, Number 400).
There is also another independent
attestation of this bewitchment reported by Ibn Isaq: “From B. Zurayq: Labid B.
A’sam who bewitched the apostle of God so that he could not come at his wives”
(Ibn Isaq, The Life of Muhammad,, [Oxford University Press, 2014], p.
240).
True prophets prior to Muhammad were
not bewitched by satanic people. As 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “the Lord is
faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (2
Thessalonians 3:3).
Muhammad’s death
Muhammad’s death proves he was a
satanic false prophet and not of God. In
Koran 69:44-46 Muhammad stated if he fabricated false teachings (i.e., invented
revelations) not from God he would have his aorta cut. It says, “And if he had
fabricated against Us some of the sayings, We would certainly have seized him
by the right hand, Then We would certainly have cut off his aorta” (Koran
69:44-46, Shakir).
Well it just so happens that the
Muslim sources tell us Muhammad was poisoned by a Jewish person and then
reported that it caused him to feel as if his aorta was being cut:
“Ibn 'Abbas replied, ‘That indicated the death of Allah's Apostle which Allah informed him of.’ 'Umar said, ‘I do not understand of it except what you understand.’ Narrated 'Aisha: The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used to say, ‘O 'Aisha! I still feel the pain caused by the food I ate at Khaibar, and at this time, I feel as if my aorta is being cut from that poison" (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 713).
This is also repeated in the hadith
of Sunan Abu Dawud:
“. . . The Apostle of Allah . . . . He then said about the pain of which he died: I continued to feel pain from the morsel which I had eaten at Khaybar. This is the time when it has cut off my aorta” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4498, Ahmad Hasan Translation, Vol. 3, p. 1264).
This is a clear sign from the true
God that Muhammad was a false prophet.
Muslims claim Jesus was under Satan’s control
In response Muslims claim the Bible
teaches Jesus couldn’t decide weather to follow Satan or not for 40 days and
that he had evil desires during this time of temptation in the dessert. Because
their prophet was clearly under the control of Satan, this is what they resort
to claiming in response.
They appeal to Matthew 4:1 which
says, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew
4:1). Then they connect that verse with James 1:13-14 which says, “Let no one
say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and
enticed by his own desire” (James 1:13-14).
However, the word tempt has two meanings. It can mean to
“successfully tempt” or “try to tempt.” If I go up to someone and try to get
them to do something, I would be “tempting” them. It does not matter if they
actually had the desire to do it or not. So yes, when people are successfully tempted they are lured and
enticed by their own desires as James 1:4 says. But Jesus was not tempted in
that sense.He was tempted in the other sense.
In context James is clearly teaching God cannot be successfully tempted or succumb to temptation with evil. This
doesn’t mean, however, that it’s impossible for people to try to tempt God (which can also be called “tempting” him). Many have tried to do so like in Psalms
106:13-15 (and the same Greek word for “tempt” (i.e., peirazō) used
in Matthew 4:1 and James 1:13-14 is used in the LXX version of this Psalm).
This is the case with Jesus too. Satan tried
to tempt Jesus (which can also be called “tempted”) just like people tried
to tempt God in Psalms 106:13-15. Yet, Jesus was never successfully tempted with evil.
We know this because
Jesus did not succumb to Satan’s proposals. Everything Jesus said to the devil
in Matthew 4:1-11 after being offered certain things by him was a rejection or
rebuke. For example, after such satanic proposals, Jesus said “Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (v.
4), “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (v. 7), “Be gone, Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you
serve’” (v. 10). This also refutes the argument that since James 1:13 teaches
God is never successfully tempted that therefore Jesus couldn’t be God since he
was tempted. This is again because Jesus was never successfully tempted. He was
tempted in the other sense.
Paul
was possessed?
Another response by Muslims is to
falsely claim Apostle Paul was possessed.
They say Paul went to the ground on the road to Damascus after seeing a
vision of Jesus and that this is similar to what Muhammad experienced.
Therefore, they say, Paul must have been possessed too.
Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI always knew Mohammad was a lier like his father the devil