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Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 1 of 3): Proofs of His Prophethood
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Description: Evidence for the claim that Muhammad was a true prophet and not an imposter. Part 1: Some proofs that led various companions to believe in his prophethood.
By IslamReligion.com
Published on 06 Feb 2006 - Last modified on 29 Mar 2011
Viewed: 32163 (daily average: 15) - Rating: 4.6 out of 5 - Rated by: 20
Printed: 1283 - Emailed: 45 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> Evidence Islam is Truth
> Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood
Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Evidence of His Prophethood
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_001.jpg) Divine facilitation is proportionate to human need. God
makes acquisition easier as the need of humans increase. Air, water, and
sunlight are necessary for human survival, and thus God has granted their
acquisition to all without hardship. The greatest human need is to know the
Creator, and thus, God has made it easy to know Him. The evidence for God,
however, differs in its nature. In its own way, everything in creation is
evidence of its Creator. Some evidence is so obvious that any lay person can
immediately ‘see’ the Creator, for instance, the cycle of life and death.
Others ‘see’ the handiwork of the Creator in the elegance of mathematical
theorems, universal constants of physics, and the development of the embryo:
“Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the
earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed signs for men of
understanding.” (Quran 3:190)
Like the existence of God, human beings need
evidence to establish the truth of prophets who spoke in His name. Muhammad,
like the prophets before him, claimed to be God’s final prophet to humanity.
Naturally, the evidence for his veracity is diverse and numerous. Some are
obvious, while others are apparent only after deep reflection.
God says in the Quran:
“…Is it not enough (for them to know) that your Lord
is witness unto everything?” (Quran 41:53)
Divine witness by itself is sufficient without
any other evidence. God’s witness for Muhammad lies in:
(a) God’s past revelations to earlier prophets which
prophesize Muhammad’s appearance.
(b) God’s Acts: the miracles and
‘signs’ He gave to support Muhammad’s claim.
How did it all begin in the early days of
Islam? How were the first believers convinced he was God’s prophet?
The first person to believe in the prophethood
of Muhammad was his own wife, Khadija. When he returned home trembling out of
fear after receiving divine revelation, she was his solace:
“Never! By God, God will never disgrace
you. You keep good relations with your relatives, help the poor, serve your
guests generously, and assist those hit with calamities.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
She saw in her husband a man God would not
humiliate, because of his virtues of honesty, justice, and helping the poor.
His closest friend, Abu Bakr who had known him
all his life and was almost the same age, believed the moment he heard the
words, ‘I am God’s Messenger’ without any additional confirmation other
than the open book of his friend’s life.
Another person who accepted his call on merely
listening to it, was ‘Amr’ He says:
“I used to think before Islam that people
were in error and they were on nothing. They worshipped idols. In the meantime,
I heard of a man preaching in Mecca; so I went to him…I asked him: ‘Who are
you?’ He said: ‘I am a Prophet.’ I again said: ‘Who is a Prophet?’ He said:
‘God sent me.’ I said: ‘What did He send you with?’ He said: ‘I have been
sent to join ties of relationship, to break the idols, and to proclaim the
unity of God so nothing is associated with Him (in worship).’ I said: ‘Who is
with you in this?’ He said: ‘A free man and a slave (referring to Abu Bakr and
Bilal, a slave, who had embraced Islam by that time).’ I said: ‘I intend to
follow you.’” (Saheeh Muslim)
Dimad was a desert healer who specialized in
mental illnesses. On his visit to Mecca he heard the Meccans say that Muhammad
(may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him) was insane! Confident of his
skills, he said to himself, ‘If I were to come across this man, God might cure
him at my hand.’ Dimad met the Prophet and said: ‘Muhammad, I can protect
(one) who suffers from mental illness or under sorcery, and God cures one whom
He so desires at my hand. Do you desire to be cured?’ The Prophet of God
responded, starting with his usual introduction to his sermons:
“Indeed, praise and gratitude is for God.
We praise Him and ask for His help. He who God guides, none can lead astray,
and he who is led astray cannot be guided. I bear witness no one deserves
worship but God, He is One, has no partners, and Muhammad is His Servant and
Messenger.”
Dimad, stuck by the beauty of the words, asked
him to repeat them, and said, ‘I have heard the words of diviners, sorcerers, and
poets, but I have never heard such words, they reach the depth of the oceans.
Give me your hand so I may pledge my allegiance to you on Islam.’
After Gabriel brought the first revelation to
Prophet Muhammad, Khadija, his wife, took him to visit her old cousin, Waraqa
bin Nawfal, a biblical scholar, to discuss the event. Waraqa recognized
Muhammad from the prophecies of the Bible and confirmed:
“This is the Keeper of Secrets (Angel
Gabriel) who came to Moses.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The face can be a window to the soul. Abdullah
bin Salam, the chief rabbi of Medina at the time, looked at the face of the
Prophet when he arrived in Medina, and exclaimed:
“The moment I looked at his face, I knew it
was not the face of a liar!” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
Many of those around the Prophet who did not accept
Islam did not doubt in his veracity, but refused to do so for other reasons.
His uncle, Abu Talib, aided him throughout his life, confessed to the
truthfulness of Muhammad, but refused to break off from the religion of his
ancestors out of shame and social status.
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Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 2 of 3): Was He a Liar?
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Description: Evidence for the claim that Muhammad was a true prophet and not an imposter. Part 2: A look into the claim that Muhammad was a liar.
By IslamReligion.com
Published on 06 Feb 2006 - Last modified on 18 Jun 2007
Viewed: 21612 (daily average: 10) - Rating: 3.8 out of 5 - Rated by: 13
Printed: 1135 - Emailed: 14 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> Evidence Islam is Truth
> Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood
Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Evidence of His Prophethood
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A Logical Analysis of His Claim
As discussed earlier, Muhammad made the claim, ‘I
am God’s Messenger.’ Either he was true in his claim or he was not. We
will begin by the assuming the latter and investigate all possibilities raised
by skeptics of past and present, discussing some of their misconceptions. Only
if all other possibilities are exhausted can one reasonably claim that the only
possibility left is that he was true in what he claimed. We will also look at
what the Quran has to say on the matter.
Was He a Liar?
Is it possible for a liar to claim for a period
of 23 years with unwavering certitude that he is a prophet like Abraham, Moses,
and Jesus, that there will be no more prophets after him, and that the
scripture he has been sent with will remain his lasting miracle till the end of
time?
A liar will falter sometimes, perhaps with a
friend, maybe with his family members, somewhere he will make a mistake. His
message, delivered over two decades, will contradict itself sometimes. But
what we see in reality is that the scripture he brought declares freedom from
internal inconsistencies, his message remained consistent throughout his
mission, and even in the midst of a battle, he proclaimed his prophethood!
His life story is preserved book open for
everyone to read. Before Islam, he was well-known to his own people to be
trustworthy and reliable, an honest man, a person of integrity, who did not
lie.
It was due to this reason they named him “Al-Ameen”, or “The Trustworthy” He
was strongly opposed to lying and warned against it. Is it possible for him to
tell a consistent lie for 23 years, a lie so monstrous that it would make him a
social outcast, when he was never known to have lied even once about anything?
It’s simply against the psychology of liars.
If one was to ask why a person would make claim
to prophethood and lie, their answer might be one of two:
1) Fame, Glory, wealth and status.
2) Moral progress.
If we were to say that the Muhammad claimed
prophethood for fame glory and status, we would see that what actually occurred
was the exact opposite. Muhammad, before his claim to Prophethood, enjoyed a
high status in all aspects” He was of the most noble of tribes, of the most
noble of families, and was known for his truthfulness. After his claim, he
became a social outcast. For 13 years in Makkah, he and his followers faced
excruciating torture, which led to the death of some of his followers,
ridicule, sanctioning, and excommunication from society.
There were many other ways which a person could
gain fame in the society of that time, mainly from valor, and poetry. If
Muhammad had made the claim that he himself authored the Quran, as will be
explained later, that would have been enough for his name and poetry to be
engraved in gold and hung inside the Ka’bah for eternity, people from all over
the world hallowing him. Rather, he proclaimed that he was not the author of
his revelationa, and that it was from the One high above, causing him to be
ridiculed in his time until ours.
The Prophet was the husband of a wealthy
tradeswoman, and he enjoyed the comforts of life available t him at his time. But
after his claim of prophethood, he became of the poorest of people. Days
passed without stove fire being lit in his house, and at one time, hunger drove
him to the mosque in hope of some provision. The leaders of Makkah in his time
offered him the riches of the world in order for him to leave his message. As
a response to their offer, he recited the verses of the Quran 41:1-38.11. The
Following are some of these verses:
“(As for) those who say: ‘Our Lord is God,’ and,
further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend upon them, saying: ‘Fear
not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were
promised. We are your guardians in this world's life and in the hereafter, and
you shall have therein what your souls desire and you shall have therein what
you ask for. A hospitable gift from one Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!’ And who
is better in speech than one who calls to God, works righteousness, and says, ‘I
am of those who has submitted in Islam?’ Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Repel
(evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred
become as it were thy friend and intimate. And no one will be granted such
goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint,- none but
persons of the greatest good fortune.” (Quran 41:30-35)
If one were to say that Muhammad lied and claimed
prophethood in order to bring moral and religious reform to a society ridden with
ills, this argument is futile in itself, for how can one bring moral reform
through a lie. If Muhammad was so keen to uphold and preach upright morals and
worship of One God, then could he have lied himself in doing so? If we say
that this is not possible, the only answer is that he was speaking the truth. The
only other possibility is that he was insane.
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Muhammad’s Claim to Prophethood (part 3 of 3): Was He Insane, a Poet, or a Sorcerer?
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Description: Evidence for the claim that Muhammad was a true prophet and not an imposter. Part3: A look into some other false claims made by critics.
By IslamReligion.com
Published on 06 Feb 2006 - Last modified on 04 Oct 2009
Viewed: 18273 (daily average: 8) - Rating: 4.3 out of 5 - Rated by: 19
Printed: 1170 - Emailed: 31 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles
> Evidence Islam is Truth
> Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood
Category: Articles
> The Prophet Muhammad
> Evidence of His Prophethood
|
Was He Insane?
Someone who has dealt with mentally ill knows
people can be identified by their symptoms. Muhammad displayed no symptom of
insanity at any time in his life No friend, wife, or family member suspected
or abandoned him due to insanity. As for the effects of revelations on the
Prophet, such as perspiration and the likes, it was due to the intensity of the
Message which he had to bear and not due to any epileptic fit or instance of
insanity...
Quite to the contrary, Muhammad preached for a long
time and brought a Law unknown in its completeness and sophistication to
ancient Arabs. If the prophet was insane, it would have been obvious to those
around him at one point in a period of twenty three years. When in history did
an insane man preach his message to worship One God for ten years, three of
which he and his followers spent in exile, and eventually became the ruler of
his lands? Which insane man has ever won the hearts and minds of people who
met him and earned the respect of his adversaries?
More so, his closest companions, Abu Bakr and
Umar were recognized for their abilities, nobility, skills, and finesse. They
were willing to sacrifice anything for the religion he brought. On one
occasion, Abu Bakr, brought all his material possessions to Muhammad, may the
mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and when asked what he left for his
family, responded, ‘I left for them God and His Messenger!’
Abu Bakr, a merchant by profession, after being
elected the ruler of all of Arabs after Muhammad, spent a mere two dirham on
himself and his family!
Umar became the ruler of Arabia after Abu Bakr
and conquered Syria, Egypt, and subdued the Persian and Roman Empires. He was
a man known for his scrupulous justice. How can someone suggest these people
were following a mentally deranged individual?
God suggests: stand before God without bias or
pre-conceived beliefs, and discuss it with another person or think about it
yourself, this prophet has no madness, he is as stable today as you had known
him for forty years.
“Say: ‘I counsel you one thing only: Be (ever
conscious of) standing before God, whether you are in the company of others or
alone; and then bethink yourselves (that) there is no madness in (this prophet,)
your fellow-man: he is only a warner to you of suffering severe to come.’” (Quran
34:46)
The Meccans of old rejected his call out of
tribal partisanship, and they were not truthful in their accusations of his insanity.
Even today, many people refuse to accept Muhammad as a prophet simply because
he was an Arab and self-gratify themselves by saying he must have been insane
or worked for the devil. Their hatred for Arabs translates into their
rejection of Muhammad, even though God says:
“Nay, but he (whom you call a mad poet) has brought
the truth; and he confirms the truth of (what the earlier of God’s)
message-bearers (have taught).” (Quran 37:37)
Although the pagan Arabs knew Muhammad all too
well, but they still through accusations of insanity at him, for they considered
his religion a sacrilege against the tradition of their forefathers.
“And when our verses are recited to them as clear
evidences, they say, ‘This is not but a man who wishes to avert you from that
which your fathers were worshipping.’ And they say, ‘This is not except a lie
invented.’ And those who disbelieve say of the truth when it has come to them,
‘This is not but obvious magic.’ And We had not given them any scriptures
which they could study, and We had not sent to them before you, (O Muhammad),
any warner. And those before them denied, and they (the people of Mecca) have not attained a tenth of what We had given them. But they (i.e., the former
peoples) denied My messengers, so how (terrible) was My reproach.” (Quran
34:43-45)
Was He A Poet?
God mentions their accusation in the Quran and
responds to it:
“Or do they say (of you), ‘A poet for whom we await a
misfortune of time?’ Say, ‘Wait, for indeed I am, with you, among the
waiters.’ Or do their minds command them to (say) this, or are they a
transgressing people? Or do they say, ‘He has made it up?’ Rather, they do
not believe.” (Quran 52:30-32)
God describes the poets of that time so the
Prophet can be compared with them:
“And as for the poets - (they, too, are prone to
deceive themselves: and so, only) those who are lost in grievous error would
follow them. Art thou not aware that they roam confusedly through all the
valleys (of words and thoughts),
and that they (so often) say what they do not do (or feel)? (Most of them are
of this kind -) save those who have attained to faith, and do righteous deeds,
and remember God unceasingly, and defend themselves (only) after having been
wronged, and (trust in God’s promise that) those who are bent on wrongdoing
will in time come to know how evil a turn their destinies are bound to take!”
(Quran 26:224-227)
Arabian poets were the furthest from the truth,
speaking of wine, womanizing, war, and leisure, unlike the Prophet who invites
to good manners, serving God, and helping the poor.Muhammad followed his own
teachings before anyone else unlike the poets of old or philosophers of today.
The Quran which the Prophet recited was unlike
any poetry in its style. The Arabs of the time has strict rules in regards to rhythm,
rhyme, syllables and endings to each verse of poetry. The Quran did not
conform to any of the rules which were known in the time, but at the same time,
it surpasses any type of text which the Arabs had ever heard. Some of them
actually became Muslims after hearing only a few verses of the Quran, due to
their certain knowledge that the source of something so beautiful as it could
not be any created being.
Muhammad was never known to have composed a poem
before Islam or after prophethood. Rather, the Prophet had a sever dislike for
it. Compilations of his statements, called Sunna, have been diligently
preserved and are completely different in its literary content than the Quran.
The store-house of Arabic poetry do not contain any couplets by Muhammad.
Was He A Sorcerer?
Prophet Muhammad never learned or practiced
sorcery. On the contrary, he condemned the practice of sorcery and taught his
followers how to seek protection against it.
Sorcerers have a strong relationship with the
devil. Their partnership allows them to deceive people. Devils propagate
lies, sins, obscenities, immorality, evil, and they destroy familys. The Quran
clarifies those upon whom the devils descend:
“Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They
descend upon every sinful liar. They pass on what is heard, and most of them
are liars.” (Quran 26:221-223)
Prophet Muhammad was known and recognized to be
a man of integrity true to his word who was not known to have ever lied. He
commanded good morals and fine manners. No sorcerer in world history has
brought a scripture like the Quran or a Law like his.
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