For 40 years Muhammad lived as a polytheist Meccan with his tribe, the Quraysh. They worshipped hundreds of idols in the kaabah. Muslims today refuse to accept that their beloved prophet was an idolater but the Quran is clear. Allah himself admits that Muhammad was ignorant.
And thus have We inspired in thee (Muhammad) a Spirit of Our command. Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path. Surah 42:52
Muhammad’s cousin, Ibn Abbas, goes on to elaborate in his commentary that Muhammad did not know the faith nor monotheism:
“…nor did you know the call to Allah’s divine Oneness…” (Tafsir Ibn Abbas for 42:52)
Over the years, Muhammad had learnt about monotheism from Jews and Christians. Overnight, he became, or claimed that he had become, a prophet.
His audience, his fellow Arab pagans, ridiculed him as a con-man ~ liar (35:4), forger (25:4) and a possessed madman (15:6). Muhammad’s pride was hurt. Even his own uncle, Abu Lahab, denounced him. His other uncle, his guardian for most of his life, Abu Talib, refused to accept Islam even on his deathbed. Muhammad responded by praying that his uncle’s brains would boil in hell-fire. As for Abu Lahab, Allah and Muhammad dedcated an entire chater to curse him.
As a result, Muhammad tried to connect himself to the respected Jews and Christians in a desperate attempt to give his claims credence. He told the Meccans that the Jews and Christians accepted him because his name is found in their scriptures (see 61:6).
[This is why today you still have Muslims insisting that Muhammad’s name is found in the Torah and Gospel. It isn’t. When Muslims realized that there is no “Muhammad” anywhere in the Bible, they ran with the “Oh because the Bible has been corrupted” argument. Anyway, that’s a different topic. You can read more on this in my other article: Was Muhammad The Wife Of Ezekiel?]
The Quraysh didn’t fall for Muhammad’s ruse. They had their 360 idols and they were content. Incidentally, one of their idols was Allah. In fact, Muhammad’s father was a devotee of this idol and was named in honor of him. Abdullah means ‘servant of Allah.”
In many parts of the Quran, you will find, the Christians and Jews being praised and honored and exalted. (See 2:62, 5:69, 10:94 etc.) He was trying to gain the approval of the Jews and Christians, in order to convince the Arabs pagans of Mecca.
For the first ten years of his prophethood, he was not successful. The Meccans repeatedly asked for proof but the amateur prophet had none to show. (See 2:118, 2:145, 6:37, 10:20, etc). In the end, he only managed to gain a few followers, mostly his own family members. His wife Khadijah was his first convert.
When he went to Madinah in AD 622, he thought the Jews would welcome him as their prophet with open arms. He even tried to follow their practices in order to gain their approval and become like them.
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to copy the people of the Scriptures in matters in which there was no order from Allah.
Sahih Bukhari 5917
Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who copies any people is one of them.
Sunan Abi Dawud 4031
The Jews were not convinced. Instead they looked down on him as a fraud. Muhammad was devastated. Suddenly his whole demeanour towards them changed. From trying to copy the Jews and be like them, he suddenly adopted a comical “just do the opposite of Jews” philosophy.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The Jews and the Christians do not dye (their grey hair), so you shall do the opposite of what they do (i.e. dye your grey hair and beards).
Sahih Bukhari 3462
Narrated Aws ibn Thabit al-Ansari:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Act differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their sandals or their shoes. Sunan Abi Dawud 652
Were the practices of Islam simply a result of Muhamamd’s contempt for Jews?
Look at this verse.
Thou wilt find the most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the Jews and the idolaters. And thou wilt find the nearest of them in affection to those who believe (to be) those who say: Lo! We are Christians. That is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud. Sura 5:82
Apparently, he gave up on the Jews but he still had hope on the Christians.
However, when the Christians also denied his claims of being a prophet, Muhammad was upset. Again. Enraged. Suddenly from being praised and admired, the Christians were now the enemy too. He became hostile. Once again, Muhammad adjusted his theology. In Sura 5:51, Muslims are commanded not to take the Jews and Christians as friends.
According to an authentic hadith, Muslims are never to initiate even greeting a Jew or Christian on the street. Muslims are to force them into the ditch when they pass a Jew or Christian on the road. Surah 66:9 commands Muslims to strive and be harsh against all non-Muslims.
Why was Muhammad so antagonistic against them? Simple. He was exasperated because the Jews and Christians refused to acknowledge him as a prophet. His feelings were hurt.
A Jewish leader in Madinah, named Ka’b bin Al-Ashraf, wrote poetry praising the Meccans. Guess whose feelings were hurt? Muhammad and Allah! Islam was built on the insecurity of Muhammad. And even Allah, so it seems.
Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Who is ready to kill Ka`b bin Al-Ashraf who has really hurt Allah and His Apostle?” Muhammad bin Maslama said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you like me to kill him?” He replied in the affirmative. So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to him (i.e. Ka`b) and said, “This person (i.e. the Prophet) has put us to task and asked us for charity.” Ka`b replied, “By Allah, you will get tired of him.” Muhammad said to him, “We have followed him, so we dislike to leave him till we see the end of his affair.” Muhammad bin Maslama went on talking to him in this way till he got the chance to kill him.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3031
In Madinah, Muhammad finally got the following he dreamed of. He grew in influentce and gained a sizable army. Eventually, he grew powerful enough to demand that everyone either submit to his message or die.
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
“The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: ‘I have been commanded to fight the people until they say La ilaha illallah. If they say it, then their blood and wealth are prohibited for me, except for a right that is due, and their reckoning will be with Allah.'”
Sunan an-Nasa’i 3977
This is the true Islam of Muhammad. And that was how Islam was originally spread. Till today you will find that Islam is a mixture of the pagan Arab customs, the Jewish practices and Christian beliefs but all distorted and repackaged for the religion that Muhamamd invented.
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