Have you ever wondered about Muhammad’s life before 610 AD when he first encountered the being in the cave?
For the first 40 years of Muhammad’s life, he never heard of Islam or the word Muslim. He never heard of Quran. Never recited the shaadah or prostrated in prayer 5 times a day. For 40 years of his life, he did not live as a Muslim or a prophet of Allah or even as an adherent of Allah’s religion.
He sort of loitered around in caves.
The only Allah he knew was one of 360 idols that had sat quietly in the kaabah for generations. His family looked after the kaabah. They probably had a schedule for cleaning and polishing the Allah statue together with Allah’s 3 daughters ~ al-Lat, al-Manat & Uzzah as well as making sure all the rest of statues of the 360 pagan idols were in order for the tribes to worship and and pray to.
The only prophets he had heard about were told to him by the Jews and Christians he came in contact with in his trade. None of those prophets had ever spoken of 360 idols but Muhammad and his father, Abdullah (meaning: servant of Allah) and his entire tribe worshipped and served those pagan idols.
Forty years of his life, Muhammad was a pagan. Muslims like to deny this but there is no portrayal or evidence of him rejecting the pagan practices of the jahiliyah in those 40 years until the day he declared he was the first Muslim and a religion was invented with it’s recitations and rituals and practices and instructions and pillars.
For 40 years, he never performed salat. Rather, he performed meditations in dark caves inhabited by demons.
What was he meditating on since he never heard of Islam or Quran? Was it acceptable to Allah?
Why did God never appear to Muhammad? or even speak to him?
According to the Bible, the Lord God, YHWH, appeared to His prophets and servants throughout history.
God appeared to Abraham (Genesis 12:7)
God appeared to Isaac (Genesis 26:2)
God appeared to Jacob (Exodus 6:3)
God appeared to Israel (Deuteronomy 31:15)
God appeared to Moses (Exodus 3)
God appeared to Gideon (Judges 6:12)
God appeared to Samuel (1 Samuel 3:21)
God appeared to David (2 Chronicles 3:1)
God appeared to Solomon (1 Kings 3:5)
Can you see where I am going with this?
And why didn’t God give His words DIRECTLY to Muhammad?
The Bible records that the Word of the Lord YHWH came DIRECTLY to His prophets, not through an angel or intermediaries.
The Word of The Lord came to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:3)
to Zechariah (Zechariah 7:1)
to Jonah (Jonah 1:1)
to Haggai (Haggai 2:1)
to Elijah (1 Kings 19:9)
to Nathan (2 Samuel 7:4)
to Isaiah (2 Kings 20:4)
to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 34:12)
I could go on and on.
Is it reasonable to believe that, God, in delivering His most important message, “FINAL REVELATION” to the “LAST PROPHET” for “ALL MANKIND”, decides NOT to deliver it Himself? Does it sound like the same God?
For such a CRUCIAL message to go out to the whole world, why wouldn’t He show up as He had always done? God did not even give the message DIRECTLY as He had done in the past but chooses an “angel” to do it? Why?
I know God can do anything. Of course, He can use an angel if He wants to. But when He uses an angel it is often a personal message like what Gabriel delivered to Mary, about the birth of Jesus and to Zechariah, about the birth of John the Baptist.
There must be a reason why God did not appear to Muhammad. What is it?
Can you find out? God does not do anything randomly or for no reason at all. There must be a very specific purpose for Him to do this.
What is it? Finding out about this is not dishonoring to God because learning about the purpose of the Master is the duty of every slave so as to serve Him better.
I can think of numerous sayings of Jesus and Muhammad that contradict each other. I’m sure if you study you’ll find many but here are just two to get us thinking about the differences in what Jesus said and what Muhammad said.
Jesus said that there is no marriage in heaven.
Muhammad said that in jannah all men will be married to virgins.
Both cannot be right. Who’s speaking the truth? And for what reason would the other one lie???
Jesus said that God is our Father and that we can have a relationship with God as His sons.
Muhammad said that God is not a father and we cannot have any relationship with him except as his slaves.
Both cannot be right. Who’s speaking the truth? And for what reason would the other one lie???
Jesus and Muhammad had very different messages. You cannot claim to follow both because their messages were as different as North and South. Can you go in two opposite directions at the same time?
You have to choose one or the other. If you are sincere in knowing the right way and the real truth:
Read about the life of Jesus; his words, his works and his teachings.
AND
Read about the life of Muhammad; his words, his works and his teachings.
Then decide for YOURSELF who you must follow. God has given you a mind. Use it. Don’t let anyone make this decision for you. Not your parents. Not your family. Not your husband or wife. Not your imams or pastors or scholars. Not your Muslim friends or your Christian friends. And certainly not the internet.
YOU DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. And then follow faithfully for the rest of your life.
You can read about the life of Muhammad from the Hadith and Seera.
You can read about the life of Jesus in the Gospels recorded by the sahaba of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
I can help you if you want, I will send to you a pocket-sized gospel booklet so you can read conveniently in your own time at home. I will pay for the cost of the book and the postage to send to you. My gift to you for free. Just leave a comment and we can discuss further.
The Quran says that Muhammad is the “Seal of the Prophets.” (33:40)
By this, Muslims take it to mean that, he is the last of the prophets.
Impressive.
So I was very interested to learn more from the Hadith and other Islamic sources to find out what the SEAL really meant. I finally discovered what it was and I still can’t stop laughing!
Sahih Al-Bukhari explains it:
He (Muhammad) then performed ablution and I drank of the remaining water of his ablution and then stood behind his back and saw “Khatam An-Nubuwwa” (The Seal of Prophethood) between his shoulders like a button of a tent. (Vol 7, Bk 70:574)
I stood behind him (Muhammad) and saw the seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, and it was like the “Zir-al-Hijla” (means the button of a small tent, but some say ‘egg of a partridge.’ etc.) (Vol 1, 4:189)
The seal was actually something that could be seen, something physical, shaped like a button or an egg, on Muhammad’s back!
This is confirmed in Sahih Muslim:
Jabir b. Samura reported: I saw the seal on his back as if it were a pigeon’s egg. (Book 030, 5790)
I then went after him and saw the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders on the left side of his shoulder having spots on it like moles. (Book 030, 5793)
So now we learn that the seal were actually a mole with spots on his back!
Narrated Qurrah ibn Iyas al-Muzani:
I came to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) with a company of Muzaynah and we swore allegiance to him. The buttons of his shirt were open. I swore allegiance to him and I put my hand inside the collar of his shirt and felt the seal… (Book 32, 4071, Sunan Abu Dawud)
It was something that could be felt to the touch! Probably a benign or malignant raised mole!
Question: What is the SEAL OF THE PROPHET spoken of in Sura 33:40?
Answer: An egg-shaped mole with spots, on Muhammad’s back, between his shoulders. The SEAL of the prophet has nothing to do with being the last prophet. It was simply a physical evidence on his body that he was a prophet. Obviously Muhammad used this ugly mole on his back to as evidence of prophethood.
For Further Reading:
In the History of al-Tabari:
… When Bahira saw this, he descended from his cell and sent the caravan a message inviting them all… Finally he looked at Muhammad’s back, and saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulders… He replied, … “I also recognize him by the seal of prophethood which is below the cartilage of his shoulders and which is like an apple.” … (The History of al-Tabari: Muhammad at Mecca, translated and annotated by W. Montgomery Watt and M. V. McDonald [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany 1988], Volume VI, pp. 45, 46)
Al-Harith – Muhammad b. Sa‘d – Muhammad b. ‘Umar – ‘Ali b. ‘Isa al-Hakami – his father – ‘Amir b. Rabi‘ah: I heard Zayd b. ‘Amr b. Nufayl saying … “He is a man who is neither short nor tall, whose hair is neither abundant nor sparse, whose eyes are always red, and who has the seal of prophethood between his shoulders. His name is Ahmad…” (p. 64)
Ahmad b. Sinan al-Qattan al-Wasiti – Abu Mu‘awiyah – A‘mash – Abu Zibyan – Ibn ‘Abbas: A man of the Banu ‘Amir came to the Prophet and said, “Show me the seal which is between your shoulders, and if you lie under any enchantment I will cure you, for I am the best enchanter of the Arabs.” “Do you wish me to show you a sign?” asked the Prophet. “Yes,” said the man, “summon that cluster of dates.” So the Prophet looked at a cluster of dates hanging from a date palm and summoned it, and began to snap his finger until it stood before him. Then the man said, “Tell it to go back,” and it went back. The Amiri said, “O Banu Amir, I have never seen a greater magician than I have seen today.” (Pp. 66-67)
“Then one said to the other, ‘Open his breast.’ He opened my heart, and took out from it the pollution of Satan and the clot of blood, and threw them away. Then one said to the other, ‘Wash his breast as you would a receptacle– or, wash his heart as you would a covering.’ Then he summoned the sakinah, which looked like the face of a white cat, and it was placed in my heart. Then one of them said to the other, ‘Sew up his breast.’ So they sewed up my breast and placed the seal between my shoulders…” (p. 75)
Thanks to Sam Shamoun.
WHO HAS THE REAL SEAL OF GOD?
“For on him (Jesus Christ), God the Father has set His seal.” John 6:27
1. God speaks DIRECTLY to the prophets He chooses.
Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the rest, right up to John the Baptist and Jesus, all spoke and heard from God directly.
Why didn’t God speak to Muhammad directly as HE had been doing for thousands of years?
2. The genealogies of many of the prophets are recorded in the scriptures.
We can trace Noah, Abraham, Moses, David … all the way back to Adam. The genealogy of Jesus too, is preserved and remember, this was recorded way back in the 1st century AD.
Yet a ‘prophet’ who came 600 years later, when there had already been great advances in writing and record keeping and science, has no record of his genealogy. Why didn’t Allah give it? Muhammad claims to be descended from Ishmael but there is no evidence for such.
3. Prophets in scripture worshiped God Almighty and no one else.
Muhammad worshiped hundreds of idols for 40 years of his life! Why did Allah allow his chosen last “prophet” to be a pagan idolatrous polytheist bowing down and worshiping stone statues as his gods for two-thirds of his life before calling him?
4. The Quran says that prophets are to come from the line of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.
And We gave him Isaac and Jacob; and We placed among his descendants the gift of prophecy and the Scriptures;… (Al Ankabut 29:25)
Although Ishmael is a son of Abraham, there is no mention of Ishmael’s name here; only Abraham’s son, Isaac and grandson, Jacob and THEIR descendants carry the prophethood. Not Ishmael and not his descendants. Based on this and other verses like 2:44, 19:49, 37:95-109, 21:69-70, 38:43-46, Muhammad is DISQUALIFIED and has no right to become a prophet. The only way he can claim to be a prophet is to say that these Quran verses from Allah are false.
5. Allah says in the Quran that IF Muhammad was a false prophet, then Allah would seize him and cut off his aorta. This is confirmed in the hadith and tafsir. Here is the ayah:
Qur’an 69:44-46—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.
Question: What happened at Muhammad’s death?
Answer: Sahih al-Bukhari 4428 —The Prophet in his ailment in which he died, used to say, “O Aishah! 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.”
This cannot be just a mere coincidence. Allah promised he would cut off the aorta of the false prophet. And then Muhammad said that his aorta was being cut off! This is an incredible sign that Muhammad was a false prophet.
There was no direct call from Allah. When Muhammad ran away terrified from the Hira cave after having an encounter with a mysterious being, it was his wife Khatijah who first consoled him saying it was an angel even though Muhammad had originally been convinced it was a demon. So a woman was the first one to declare him a prophet? In those times, a woman’s testimony was not accepted the way a man’s testimony was. Why was he meditating in the cave in the first place? What religion was he following that required such meditation? What god came and met him as a result of his meditation?
In the end, I believe, Allah himself killed Muhammad in the most shameful and painful way at the hands of a poor Jewish girl because Muhammad was a false prophet who fabricated the sayings of Allah.
In Mark 12:1-12, Jesus teaches about the Parable of the Tenants.
Please read this passage and think carefully about what Jesus is saying.
This is the story of a man who plants a vineyard and then rents it out to some farmers/tenants.
Later on the man sends his servants one by one to collect the harvest. But they are all beaten or treated shamefully or killed.
What does this story really mean?
The man in the story represents God. The servants represents His prophets that He sent. They were abused, shamed and killed by those very people He sent them to.
So what did the man do? Let’s look at the following 3 verses:
Verse 6: He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all saying, “They will respect my son.”
Verse 7: But the tenants said to one another, “This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours.”
Verse 8: So they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.
(bold emphasis mine)
What do we learn from Jesus’ parable? Three truths.
1. After sending all the prophets, God sent His Son, Jesus, last of all.
2. No other servant or messenger was sent after Him
3. The Son was killed
[You can read the rest of the parable Mark 12:1-12 to see what God does next.]
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
“I (God) will raise up for them (Israelites) a prophet like you (Moses) from among their brothers (the 12 tribes of Israel). And I will put my words in his mouth, and he (the prophet) shall speak to them (Israelites) all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18; words in parentheses mine)
WHO IS THIS PROPHET MOSES WROTE ABOUT?
Jesus said: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say.”(John 5:46-47)
HE WROTE ABOUT ME!
Jesus Himself is declaring and admitting that Moses wrote about him!
In fact all the prophets wrote about Jesus.
“Then Jesus took them (disciples) through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
Jesus is the ONE. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life.
So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM HE and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. (John 8:28)
If you do not believe that Jesus is who He claims to be, this is what will happen to you…..
Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not. That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24)
In John 14:16-17 – Jesus says to His disciples, Peter, James, John and the others:
1.“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
Muslims claim that the Comforter that is addressed by Jesus in this verse is Muhammad.
Let’s examine if this could be true.
In John 14:16-17, Jesus us speaking to his disciples.
The Father will send another Comforter (“Ahmad”). Another? Was there a previous Ahmad that Jesus asked the Father to send? Who was it?
Th Spirit of Truth. Is Muhammad a spirit?
The world cannot receive, because the world cannot see him or know him? Why not? Was Muhammad invisible? The world did see Muhammad. The world did know him. The world cannot receive him? Hundreds of millions of muslims have received him.
You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. Remember Jesus was speaking to His disciples. Did Peter and John know Muhammad? Did they write about him? Did Muhammad dwell with them? Was Muhammad IN the disciples?
2. John 14:26 – But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
This verse clearly says that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit but let’s just ignore that.
The Father will send the Comforter in Jesus name. Was Muhammad sent in Jesus name?
He shall teach all things and bring to remembrance all things that Jesus said to His disciples. Did Muhammad remind and teach Jesus’ disciples of what Jesus had told them? When did Muhammad meet them? Is that Muhammad’s message in the quran?
3. John 15:26 – But I will send you the Comforter — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
I will send you the Comforter. Did Jesus send Muhammad?
The Spirit of Truth. Again is Muhammad a spirit?
He will come to you from the Father. Did Muhammad come from the Father? Wasn’t he a just man born on earth? Wouldn’t this be shirk to associate Muhammad had been with God before he came?
4. John 16:14 – Jesus is speaking: He (Comforter) will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.
He will bring me glory. Did Muhammad give Jesus glory or did he give Allah glory? This Comforter would seem to be blaspheming Allah.
The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me. Did Muhammad tell the disciples what he received from Jesus? Or did he tell what he received from Allah?
All that belongs to the Father is mine. Jesus is basically saying that He is equal with the Father, and that is why what the Spirit receives from Jesus is the same as receiving from the Father.
5. John 16:13 – When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. This is clarified in verse 14, that He will only speak what He receives from Jesus. What did Muhammad receive from Jesus that he spoke?
He will tell you about the future. Did Muhammad make any prophecies about the future?
6. John 16:7 – Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Muslims see this verse and question, “Wait a minute, the Holy Spirit had already come, so why would Jesus say that the Comforter would only come to you after Jesus departs?”
In the Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit only came upon prophets, kings and priests to guide them in their service. But now Jesus was promising the Holy Spirit would come EVEN to them, the disciples. See the prophecy in Joel 2:28
I will send him to you. Did Jesus send Muhammad? Why didn’t Muhammad ever mention this? Did Jesus send him to His disciples, Peter, John and others? If Jesus sent Muhammad, why did Muhammad know or say nothing about Allah and followed the multiple pagan gods like his parents for 40 years of his life?
7. John 7:39 – Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
This verse confirms what I said above. Jesus is saying that the disciples and believers would receive the Holy Spirit. They had not received the Holy Spirit yet at that point in time. They would receive the Spirit after Jesus had ascended to heaven.
8. Luke 24:49 And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
This was spoken by Jesus after His resurrection and before His ascension. He was telling them to wait in the city of Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes.
If this reference is to Muhammad, the disciples would have had to wait in Jerusalem for a mighty loooong time. More than 600 years! And even then Muhammad didn’t come to Jerusalem, did he? The disciples obeyed Jesus and waited in Jerusalem. 40 days after Jesus had ascended to heaven, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit did come as promised! (You can read about it in Acts 2)
9. Acts 2:33 – Peter said: “And the Father, as He had promised, gave Jesus the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.”
Here is Peter acknowledging what had just happened. They received the Holy Spirit just as Jesus had promised (as in the verses recorded in John).
.
10. John 16:8-9 – Jesus is speaking: And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin….The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me
One of the things which the Comforter will do is to convict the world of sin. What is that sin? The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in Jesus.
Did Muhammad do that? Did he convict the world of the sin of refusing to believe in Jesus or refusing to believe in Allah?
Finally, let’s see what happens when one receives the Comforter, Holy Spirit…. Romans 8:16 – For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Galatians 4:6 – And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
Does Muhammad join himself to our spirit? Does Muhammad affirm we are God’s children? Does he prompt us to call God as Father?
It is the Holy Spirit that enable Christians to call God Father.
Is Muhammad the Comforter that Jesus promised? No, Jesus was clearly speaking about the Holy Spirit and not a human being.
In trying to force Muhammad into the role of the Comforter, you are dishonoring Muhammad. He would never say or do any of these things that is described and spoken of for the Comforter.
PROLOGUE
Why do Muslims claim that the Comforter that is addressed by Jesus refers to Muhammad? Why? Because they say in the original Greek the word used is “Periklytos” which means “praised one” referring to Muhammad.
Let’s see if there is historical basis for this claim.
It says PARAKLETOS!
When we look into the original Greek text, the word used is NOT Periklytos but PARAKLETOS. Παράκλητον
Parakletos means advocate, ‘the one called alongside to help’ or comforter. Not “praised one.”
Could “Parakletos” be a corruption? Did someone change the word sometime in history to remove this reference to Muhammad?
Well, let’s look at history then. Examine the manuscript evidence. The Codex Sinaiticus (http://www.codexsinaiticus.com) is dated 350 A.D. If you study the word in this manuscript, you will find that it is “PARAKLETOS” Παράκλητον not periklytos as alleged!
Notice the screenshot of the manuscript on the left and the RED underlined word.
Remember, this document precedes Muhammad by more than 300 years; way before the advent of Islam and centuries before Muhammad was even born! No one knew who Muhammad was. Why would anyone change words that they knew nothing about?
The basis of the Quran is the revelation to Muhammad. According to Islam, the revelation was given by the angel Jibreel.
Were there witnesses who saw and heard this to verify the claim? No
Did Muhammad do any miracles to prove what he said happened? No.
I wanted to find out more so I did a brief study on these claims to find evidence that what Muhammad said is true. I think both Christians & Muslims might be surprised (or shocked) by some of these things. I’m sharing it here. If there are any errors, it is unintended. Please let me know, with your proof, so I can correct it. All references about the incident are from accepted Muslim sources like Sahih Hadith Bukhari & Hadith Muslim. (My own analysis of events is based on comparison with the Bible.)
This is how it all unfolded….
Muhammad had an encounter with an angel. He did not know who or what this spiritual being was. The angel that appeared to him began to strangle and press him violently and tried to force him to recite/read. Even though Muhammad pleaded that he was illiterate but the angel kept insisting and kept up the torture. This happened repeatedly for a total of three times.
First of all, an angel is a servant of God and will only do what they are commanded by God. No angel of God has ever acted in a such a violent and abusive manner against a single human being in this way. Secondly, shouldn’t the angel have known that Muhammad was illiterate, yet he cruelly forced Muhammad to do what poor Muhammad just could not do. Thirdly, this incident caused Muhammad such great fear and he was so terrified that he ran back home to his wife Khadija to find comfort.
In the Bible, any time that an angel appears to a human being, his first words are almost always, “DO NOT FEAR.” Because such fear is not from God! We see this repeated over and over again the Bible. No prophet was ever abused in such a manner! Muhammad was so overcome with FEAR that he is described in Islamic sources as: trembling, heart beating fast, snorting like a horse, and neck muscles twitching. In fact, Muhammad is convinced that it is a demon!
At home Khatija comforts and assures her husband that Allah would not shame him. (even though she did not even witness what actually happened, she was trying her best to make Muhammad feel better; she was just being a good wife!). How did Khadija come to her conclusion that the “angel” was not from satan? By unveling her private parts with the prophet seated on her lap. Her reasoning was that an angel of God would not be hanging around to while she exposes her private parts.
She [Khadija] said to the apostle of God, ‘O son of my uncle, are you able to tell me about your visitant, when he comes to you?’ He replied that he could, and she asked him to tell her when he came. So when Gabriel came to him, as he was wont, the apostle said to Khadija, ‘This is Gabriel who has just come to me.’ ‘Get up, O son of my uncle, she said, ‘and sit by my left thigh’. The apostle did so, and she said, ‘Can you see him?’ ‘Yes,’ he said. She said, ‘Then turn round and sit on my right thigh.’ He did so, and she said, ‘Can you see him?’ When he said that he could she asked him to move and sit in her lap. When he had done this she again asked if he could see him, and when he said yes, she disclosed her form and cast aside her veil while the apostle was sitting in her lap. Then she said, ‘Can you see him?’ And he replied, ‘No.’ She said, ‘O son of my uncle, rejoice and be of good heart, by God he is an angel and not a satan.’
Later she and Muhammad went to visit her cousin, Waraqa, whom they hoped could make sense of had happened and advise Muhammad. Waraqa was literate and he was supposedly a Christian. I say “supposedly” because there was a heretic cult in that place at the time. They were the Nestorians, whose beliefs differed from what the Bible teaches.
In all likelihood, Waraqa was a Nestorian and not a true Christian, follower of Jesus Christ.
What makes me say this?
What can we know about Waraqa? It is said that he used to “read the Gospel in Arabic”. This is false because the Gospel had not been translated to Arabic at that time! So what was he reading?!
It is also said that Waraqa used to “write/copy the Gospel in Hebrew.” Again this is untrue because the Gospel was only translated to Hebrew a few centuries later. So what was Waraqa copying?!
When Muhammad relates his encounter with the angel to Waraqa, this man, who was old and almost blind by this time, tells Muhammad that the angel is Jibreel (Gabriel). How and why did Waraqa come to such a conclusion when he himself was not there to witness what happened?
Waraqa claims the angel is the SAME Jibreel (Gabriel) that appeared to Moses. But wait a minute! This is a very crucial point. Gabriel did not appear to Moses!
There is no evidence anywhere in the Bible or in history where Gabriel had appeared to Moses! Where did Waraqa get his information?
In truth, the angel Gabriel is recorded as having appeared to three people in the records of the Bible – Daniel, Zechariah & Mary but NOT to Moses. So what Waraqa said was innaccurate!
Muhammad believes what Waraqa tells him. But he is worried that the Arabs might oppose him because of the revelations. Waraqa assures him that he will support Muhammad as long as he is alive. Unfortunately Waraqa dies a few days later having fed misinformation to his nephew, the would-be prophet!
Muhammad is sad and becomes suicidal and tries to kill himself on several occasions.
Being suicidal is a satanic act. God would never lead anyone to suicide. Muslim scholar Bassam Zawadi defends Muhammad’s attempt to commit suicide and says it is because of depression. He argues, “What, a Prophet cannot be depressed? Says who? What criteria are people using to say that?”
I will give you 3 examples from the Bible of people who were suicidal.
1. King Saul – an evil spirit tortured him. He was often depressed and needed David to soothe him with music. In the end how did Saul die? By killing himself with his own sword.
2. Judas Isacriot – satan entered him. He betrayed Jesus. Regretted it, and he hanged himself.
3. In Mark 9:21 is the story of a young boy who was demon possessed and the evil spirit would always attempt to “kill him by causing him to fall into water (to drown) or fire (to be burnt).” Read the story, Jesus heals the boy. And “the spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out.” And the boy was restored and healed completely.
Did you notice that, “convulsed him violently”. That’s what an evil spirit does to a body it can inhabit. Similiar to what Muhammad experienced then?
A depiction of Muhammad receiving his first revelation from the angel Gabriel. From the manuscript Jami’ al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, 1307, Ilkhanate period.
Let’s move on.
After a period of silence, Muhammad again encounters the same angel. And from then on, the revelations became more regular.
According to Muhammad, the angel that appeared to him had 600 wings. Isn’t this a contradiction? The Quran says the maximum number is 4 wings (sura 35:1), which in turn contradicts what the Bible says about angels (seraphims) that have 6 wings. No record anywhere of any angel with 600 wings!
Who is this angel that came to Muhammad? This must be some “special” angel who wanted to terrify and impress Muhammad! Also Muhammad saw the angel filling the sky and horizon and sitting on a throne. A THRONE? An angel that has a throne? This is very very strange!
There is no record anywhere that angels have thrones. The throne is only for God. It becomes clear that this being is a usurper. He is not acting on God’s instructions. This being has his own throne and authority and seems to change/disguise himself to have more wings than even God’s angels!
Therefore, I am convinved that the angel that showed up to Muhammad was not Jibreel (Gabriel) as Waraqa had mistakenly led Muhammad to believe. Some Hadith sources give the name of the angel as NAMUS.
It is worrisome that there are no such names for any angels anywhere else in the Bible or the Quran.
“Namus” is an Arabic word that means “law” or “custom”. Whereas “Gabriel” means ‘God is my Strength’. So we have Gabriel whose name shows that he is a servant of God and depends on God as his strength, and Namus, who has his own throne and by the definition of his name, would imply that he depends on the law or customs (rituals). Two very different beings.
So who was it who gave those revelations to Muhammad that became the basis for the Quran?
My conclusions
What Muhammad experienced during the first encounter shows signs of being an encounter by an evil spirit in the manner in which it attacked Muhammad. Hadiths show that Muhammad experienced the influence of magic, witchcraft, had delusions, became suicidal, became stark raving mad for 1 year before he recovered.
Fear is not from God, but from satan. Confusion is not from God. Muhammad was fearful. Muhammad was confused. He was possessed by an evil spirit who abused, tortured and treated him violently so that Muhammad would fall under his authority. It was not the REAL Gabriel. He would never have done that. Waraqa was grossly mistaken. Read the accounts of Gabriel’s visits to humans and notice that his first words are always “Do not fear!” Satan is able to disguise himself as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:14).
Satan is known as the father of lies. (John 8:44). What kind of message do you think the father of lies revealed? Jesus said, “The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy”. (John 10:10)
In my opinion, Muhammad is not to be blamed. The finger needs to be pointed at NAMUS.
Who is NAMUS?
Hadith sources and references:
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 1, No. 3; Vol 6, Bk 60, No. 478; Vol 9, Bk 87, No. 111; Sahih Muslim Bk 001, No. 0301, all by Aisha.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 1, No. 3; Vol 4, Bk 55, No. 605; Vol 4, Bk 54, No. 461: ; Vol 6, Bk 60, No.444, 445, 447,448; Vol 8, Bk 73, No. 233 by Jabir bin Abdullah;
Sahih Muslim Bk 001, No. 0304, 0307, 0330, 0331, 0332, 0333, 0337, 0340.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 4, Bk 54, No. 457: by Aisha; Vol 4, Bk 54, No. 458: by Masruq; Vol 6, Bk 60, No. 379: by Abdullah; Vol 6, Bk 60, No. 380
Suicidal: Sahih Bukhari 9:87:111. Ibn Ishaq p.106-107
