A response to Chapter 9

The manners and morals of Muhammad

Most students of Islam acknowledge that Muhammad was a generally moral person. But Muslims claim much more. They insist that he was both beyond (major) sin and is the perfect moral example for mankind. Some claim that he was even sinless!

Let's see how see how "Islam manifested itself in his person as a living example for all Muslims till the end of time" as Mr. Al-Kadhi puts it. Mr. Al-Kadhi states, "He was never angered by matters of this life nor that which was associated with it. If he became angry he turned away. The majority of his laughter was [restricted to] smiling".

Muhammad's personality
In terms of Muhammad's personality, the hadiths record him as being short-tempered and easily angered (vol 1.,#90-92). Both the Quran and Hadiths show that Muhammad was a sinner in need of forgiveness. Allah even commanded him to pray for the forgiveness of his sins (40:55, 41:19, 48:2).

Muhammad's superstition
Muhammad was superstitious. He believed in the power of the "evil eye" and told people to recite the Quran to fight it (Vol 7, no. 636). He believed in bad and good omens such as the appearance of certain birds and other animals (vol.4, nos.110,111; vol.7, nos.648-650). Muhammad kissed and adored the black stone in the Ka'ba (vol.2, no. 667). He was superstitious about even numbers. He always avoided them (vol.1, no.162). Muhammad believed that if you placed a green palm leaf on the grave of those suffering in that grave, their pain would be lessened as it dried (vol.2,no.443). To prove the depth of Muhammad's belief in and fear of magic, one need only read (vol. 7, nos. 656-664).

Muhammad's sin of polygamy
Muhammad told his followers that they could have a maximum of four wives (4:3) plus an unknown number of female concubines (4:24), yet Muhammad took more than 4 wives.

Polygamy is morally wrong. Although God permitted it along with other human frailties and sins, he never commanded it.

That monogamy is God's standard for the human race is clear from the following facts:

The Problem of Retaliation
As seen in the section, "The Life of Muhammad", on at least 2 occasions Muhammad ordered people assassinated for composing poems that mocked him.

The Problem of Mercilessness
Further explained in "The Life of Muhammad" section.

Mr. Al-Kadhi states, "Muhammad did not reward evil with evil, rather, he would forgive and overlook. He encouraged his followers to be industrious, make an honest living. He was known among them for his soft-spokenness, his generosity, his tolerance, and his friendliness".

This has already been proven incorrect in the section, "The Life of Muhammad".


Sources for the hadiths are the nine-volume translation made by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan entitled, The Translation of the Meaning of Sahih Al-Bukhari (Kazi Publications, Lahore, Pakistan, 1979).


Muhammad

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