Is Muhammad a Prophet?

A critical examination of Jalal Abualrub’s Debate Points [Part 2]

We continue with our critical look at Jalal’s quote from Ja’far ibn Abu Talib where he claimed that Muhammad taught his followers to abandon idolatry and vice, and to maintain ties with kith and kin. We will shortly see that Muhammad actually legalized many perverted and vile practices, and commanded his followers to turn violently against their family and friends.

Islamic Mut’a – Temporary Marriage

At one stage in his life Muhammad permitted women to be degraded for the purpose of satisfying the sexual desires of Muslim men who couldn’t control their lust. He even had the audacity to pass this off as marriage, albeit temporary marriage. Among Muslims this abuse of women is called Mut’a:

Narrated Abdullah:
We used to participate in the holy wars carried on by the Prophet and we had no women (wives) with us. So we said (to the Prophet). "Shall we castrate ourselves?" But the Prophet forbade us to do that and thenceforth he allowed us to marry a woman (temporarily) by giving her even a garment, and then he recited: "O you who believe! Do not make unlawful the good things which Allah has made lawful for you." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 139: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/060.sbt.html#006.060.139)

It is hard to see what the difference is between this and prostitution. Both of these evil practices require a sum of money to be paid to the women, and the intention behind both is solely and purely to satisfy the sexual lust of men who cannot control their passions. This is unlike marriage where the intention is to enter into a long term commitment to a partner whom one will love and cherish.

There continued to be some debate among Muhammad’s companions whether this vile, filthy act was abrogated or whether it was still applicable in certain situations:

XXXII. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade the mu'ta (temporary) marriage* later

4825. It is related that ‘Ali said to Ibn ‘Abbas, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade the mut'a and the meat of domestic donkeys at the time of Khaybar."

4826. It is related that Abu Jamra said, "I heard Ibn ‘Abbas being asked about the mut'a and he made an allowance for it. A client of his said to him, ‘That is only when the situation is severe and women are few,’ or something like that. Ibn ‘Abbas said, ‘Yes.’"

4827. It is related that Jabir ibn 'Abdullah and Salama ibn al-Akwa' said, "We were in an army when the messenger of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to us and said, ‘You have been given permission to practise the mut'a, so do so.’"

Salama ibn al-Akwa’ reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a man and a woman agree [to a temporary marriage] then the association between them lasts for three nights. If they like, they can make it longer, or if they part to separate, they do so." I do not know whether it was particular to us or for people in general.

Abu 'Abdullah said, "‘Ali made it clear from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that it is abrogated."

[*The mu’ta is marriage with a woman for a specific length of time.] (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 70. Book of Marriage: http://bewley.virtualave.net/bukhari35.html)

The followers of the second largest Muslim sect, the Shiite branch, believe that this practice is still valid for Muslims and have produced tomes defending its legitimacy and morality. The following is an example of such an attempt of justifying this gross immoral practice: http://answering-ansar.org/answers/mutah/en/index.php

Adultery and Raping of Captives

To make matters worse Muhammad legalized the capture and raping of women, even if they happened to be married!

Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: Thus hath God ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property, - desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and God is All-knowing, All-wise. S. 4:24 Y. Ali

The above passage emphatically licenses and permits adultery since what else do you call the raping of married women who are taken captive?

It did not remain an abstract theoretical right, but was readily put into practice by the Muslim jihadists:

Abu Sirma said to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (Allah he pleased with him): O Abu Sa'id, did you hear Allah's Messenger mentioning al-'azl? He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger on the expedition to the Bi'l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we asked Allah's Messenger, and he said: It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born. (Sahih Muslim, Book 008, Number 3371: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/008.smt.html#008.3371)

Abu Said al-Khudri said: The apostle of Allah sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Quranic verse, ‘And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess’. That is to say, they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Volume 2, Number 2150)

Moreover, according to one commentator Muhammad would entice his murderous jihadists to fight by promising them beautiful women:

وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ ائْذَنْ لِي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا

الْقَوْل فِي تَأْوِيل قَوْله تَعَالَى : { وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُول اِئْذَنْ لِي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَة سَقَطُوا } وَذَكَرَ أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَة نَزَلَتْ فِي الْجَدّ بْن قَيْس . وَيَعْنِي جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ بِقَوْلِهِ : { وَمِنْهُمْ } وَمِنْ الْمُنَافِقِينَ , { مَنْ يَقُول اِئْذَنْ لِي } أُقِمْ فَلَا أَشْخَص مَعَك , { وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي } يَقُول : وَلَا تَبْتَلِنِي بِرُؤْيَةِ نِسَاء بَنِي الْأَصْفَر وَبَنَاتهمْ , فَإِنِّي بِالنِّسَاءِ مُغْرَم , فَأَخْرُج وَآثَم بِذَلِكَ. وَبِذَلِكَ مِنْ التَّأْوِيل تَظَاهَرَتْ الْأَخْبَار عَنْ أَهْل التَّأْوِيل . ذِكْر الرِّوَايَة بِذَلِكَ عَمَّنْ قَالَهُ : 13047 - حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّد بْن عَمْرو , قَالَ : ثنا أَبُو عَاصِم , قَالَ : ثنا عِيسَى , عَنْ اِبْن أَبِي نَجِيح , عَنْ مُجَاهِد , فِي قَوْل اللَّه : { اِئْذَنْ لِي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي } قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " اُغْزُوا تَبُوك تَغْنَمُوا بَنَات الْأَصْفَر وَنِسَاء الرُّوم " فَقَالَ الْجَدّ : اِئْذَنْ لَنَا , وَلَا تَفْتِنَّا بِالنِّسَاءِ . * - حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِم , قَالَ : ثنا الْحُسَيْن , قَالَ : ثني حَجَّاج , عَنْ اِبْن جُرَيْج , عَنْ مُجَاهِد , قَالُوا : قَالَ رَسُول اللَّه صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " اُغْزُوا تَغْنَمُوا بَنَات الْأَصْفَر " يَعْنِي : نِسَاء الرُّوم , ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مِثْله

Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? And indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides).

In the commentary regarding the Almighty’s saying, "Among them is (many) a man who says: Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial," it was mentioned that this verse came down regarding a man named Al-Jad Ibn Qais. The Exalted mentioned in this verse, "Among them," referring to the hypocrites. Regarding the verse, "a man who says: Grant me…," this was in reference to a man who said to the prophet, "Give command that I do not accompany you." Regarding the verse, "draw me not into trial," this means, "do not trouble me with the sight of the women of Al-Asfar ("The Yellow," i.e. blonds) and their daughters, for I am tempted by women, (for I fear) that I might go out and commit a sin with them…"

It was narrated by Muhammed Ibn Amru, narrated by Asim, narrated by Issa, narrated by Ibn Abi Najih, narrated by Mujahid regarding Allah’s saying, "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial," that the prophet of Allah – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – said, "Invade Tabuk and your spoils will be the daughters of Al-Asfar and the women of the Romans (Byzantines)."

Al-Jad replied, "Grant us exemption and draw us not into trial with women." It was narrated by Al-Kasim, narrated by Al-Hussain, narrated by Hajjaj, narrated by Ibn Jurayj, narrated by Mujahid who stated that the prophet said, "Invade and you will have the spoils of the daughters of the Al-Asfar" meaning the Roman women and this narration was repeated by others. (Commentary of al-Tabari on Q. 9:49; Arabic source; translation by Dimitrius; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Not only did Muhammad tempt his men by promising beautiful women as booty but he also went so far as to condemn a man for not wanting to fall into fornication and possibly adultery! So much for Muhammad calling people to turn away from vile and immoral deeds!

Committing Adultery with the wife of an adopted Son

The moral problems for dawagandists like Jalal are far from over since we learn that on one occasion Muhammad had desires for a married woman which led to her being divorced by her husband. The Muslim expositors agree that the following text,

"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allâh and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, he has indeed strayed in a plain error. And (remember) when you said to him (Zaid bin Hârithah the freedslave of the Prophet) on whom Allâh has bestowed Grace (by guiding him to Islâm) and you (O Muhammad too) have done favour (by manumitting him) "Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allâh." But you did hide in yourself (i.e. what Allâh has already made known to you that He will give her to you in marriage) that which Allâh will make manifest, you did fear the people (i.e., Muhammad married the divorced wife of his manumitted slave) whereas Allâh had a better right that you should fear Him. So when Zaid had accomplished his desire from her (i.e. divorced her), We gave her to you in marriage, so that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of (the marriage of) the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them (i.e. they have divorced them). And Allâh's Command must be fulfilled. There is no blame on the Prophet in that which Allâh has made legal for him. That has been Allâh's Way with those who have passed away of (the Prophets of) old. And the Command of Allâh is a decree determined." S. 33:36-38 Hilali-Khan

Was "revealed" to force Muhammad’s first cousin Zaynab bint Jash to marry his adopted son Zayd and to also justify Muhammad marrying his daughter-in-law:

And it is not [fitting] for any believing man or believing woman, when God and His Messenger have decided on a matter, to have (read takuna or yakuna) a choice in their matter, in contravention of the decision of God and His Messenger. This [verse] was revealed regarding 'Abd Allah b. Jahsh and his sister Zaynab, whose hand the Prophet had asked for in marriage, but meaning on behalf of Zayd b. Haritha. They were loathe to this [proposal] when they found out [that it was on the latter's behalf], for they had thought that the Prophet (s) wanted to marry her himself. But afterwards they consented because of the [following part of the] verse: And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger has certainly strayed into manifest error. Thus the Prophet (s) gave her in marriage to Zayd. Then on one occasion he [the Prophet] caught sight of her and felt love for her, whereafter [when he realised that] Zayd lost his affection for her and so said to the Prophet (s), 'I want to part with her'. But the Prophet said to him, 'Retain your wife for yourself', as God, exalted be He, says: (Tafsir al-Jalalayn: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=36&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

And when (idh is dependent because of [an implied preceding] udhkur, 'mention [when]') you said to him to whom God had shown favour, by [guiding him to] Islam, and to whom you [too] had shown favour: by manumitting him - this was Zayd b. Haritha, who had been a prisoner of war before [the coming of] Islam (al-jahiliyya). The Messenger of God (s) purchased him before his call to prophethood, and then manumitted him and adopted him as his son - 'Retain your wife for yourself and fear God', before divorcing her. But you had hidden in your heart what God was to disclose, [what] He was to manifest of your love for her and of [the fact] that should Zayd part with her you would marry her, and you feared people, would say, ‘He has married his son’s wife!’, though God is worthier that you should fear Him, in all things, so take her in marriage and do not be concerned with what people say. Zayd subsequently divorced her and her [obligatory] waiting period was completed. God, exalted be He, says: So when Zayd had fulfilled whatever need he had of her, We joined her in marriage to you - the Prophet consummated his marriage with her without [the customary] permission [from her legal guardian] and gratified the Muslims with [a feast of] bread and meat - so that there may not be any restriction for the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have fulfilled whatever wish they have of them. And God's commandment, that which He has decreed, is bound to be realised. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=37&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

(And when thou saidst unto him on whom Allah hath conferred favour) through Islam, i.e. Zayd (and thou hast conferred favour) on him by emancipating him: (Keep thy wife to thyself) and do not divorce her, (and fear Allah) and fear Allah and do not let her go. (And thou didst hide in your mind) her love and the desire to marry her (that which Allah was to bring to light) in the Qur’an, (and thou didst fear mankind) and you feel ashamed of people because of this (whereas Allah had a better right that thou shouldst fear Him) whereas you should be ashamed of Allah. (So when Zayd had performed the necessary formality (of divorce) from her) when she has finished her waiting period after her divorce from Zayd, (We gave her unto thee in marriage, so that (henceforth)) after you (there may be no sin for believers about wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have performed the necessary formality (of release) from them) when they had finished their waiting period after they are divorced or after the death of their husband. (The commandment of Allah) marrying Zayd to Muhammad (pbuh) (must be fulfilled) must take place. (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=37&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Some Muslim dawagandists are of the opinion that Muhammad only proposed marriage to his adopted son’s wife when Q. 33:37 was "revealed". Nothing could be further from the truth:

Anas (Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the ‘Iddah of Zainab was over, Allah’s Messenger said to Zaid to make a mention to her about him. Zaid went on until he came to her and she was fermenting her flour. He (Zaid) said: As I saw her I felt in my heart an idea of her greatness so much so that I could not see towards her (simply for the fact) that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) had made a mention of her. So I turned my back towards her, and I turned upon my heels, and said: Zainab, Allah’s Messenger has sent (me) with a message to you. She said: I do not do anything until I solicit the will of my Lord. So she stood at her place of worship and the (verse of) the Qur’an (pertaining to her marriage) was revealed, and Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) came to her without permission… (Sahih Muslim, Book 008, Number 3330: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/008.smt.html#008.3330)

According to this text the Quran’s injunction regarding Muhammad and Zaynab wasn’t composed until after he had offered to marry her. This supports our contention that Muhammad sought justification for marrying his son’s divorced spouse and needed to convince Zaynab that she was doing what was pleasing to Allah in accepting Muhammad’s marriage proposal. At the very least this hadith proves that Muhammad wanted to marry her even before the verse of the Quran was composed!

To make matters worse, Muhammad abolished adoption altogether when people starting mocking him for marrying his adopted son’s divorcee!

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar:
We used not to call Zaid bin Haritha the freed slave of Allah's Apostle except Zaid bin Muhammad till the Qur’anic Verse was revealed: "Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers. That is more than just in the Sight of Allah." (33.5) (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 305: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/060.sbt.html#006.060.305)

And:

God has not placed two hearts inside any man: [this was revealed] in order to refute those disbelievers who said that they each had two hearts with which they could reason better than Muhammad's single mind; nor has He made your wives whom (read as alla'i, or alla') you repudiate by zihar (read tazzahharuna, or tuzahiruna; the original ta' [of tatazaharuna] has been assimilated with the za') - a man would say to his wife for example, 'You are for me as [untouchable as] my mother's back - your mothers, in other words, [He has not made you wives] like [your] mothers, so that they are illicit [for conjugality] in that respect, [a practice] which in pre-Islamic times was considered a [valid form of] divorce. An atonement with [necessary] conditions is necessary in such a case, as mentioned in surat al-Mujadila [Q. 58:2-3]. Nor has He made those whom you claim as [adopted] sons (ad'iya', the plural of da'iyy, which is one claimed as the son of one who is not his [biological] father) your sons, in reality. That is a mere utterance of your mouths, namely, [of] the Jews and the hypocrites. When the Prophet (s) married Zaynab bt. Jahsh, who had been Zayd b. Haritha's wife, the adopted son of the Prophet (s), they said, 'Muhammad married his son's wife!', and so God proved them liars in this. But God speaks the truth, in this [matter], and He guides to the way, the way of truth. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=4&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Again:

(Proclaim their real parentage) name them in relation to their real fathers. (That will be more equitable) better, more correct and fairer (in the sight of Allah) in relation to lineage. (And if ye know not their fathers) if you do not know the lineage of their fathers, (then (they are) your brethren in the faith) name them with names showing brotherhood in faith: ‘Abdullah, ‘Abd al-Rahman, ‘Abd al-Rahim and ‘Abd al-Raziq, (and your clients) and name them as your clients. (And there is no sin for you in the mistakes that ye make unintentionally) regarding the identification of one’s parentage, (but what your hearts purpose (that will be a sin for you)) what is a sin for you is to attribute intentionally someone to other than his real father. (Allah is Forgiving) of what was done in the past, (Merciful) in relation to what will happen in the future. This verse was revealed about Zayd Ibn Harithah who was adopted by the Prophet (pbuh). People used to call him Zayd Ibn Muhammad, but Allah forbade them from calling him so and guided them to what is proper. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=33&tAyahNo=5&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Finally:

Abolition of Adoption…

<nor has He made your adopted sons your real sons.>

This was revealed concerning Zayd bin Harithah, the freed servant of the Prophet. The Prophet had adopted him before prophethood, and he was known as Zayd bin Muhammad. Allah wanted to put an end to this naming and attribution…

This is a command which abrogates the state of affairs that existed at the beginning of Islam, when it was permitted to call adopted sons after the man who adopted them. Then Allah commanded that they should be given back the names of their real fathers, and states that this was more fair and just. Al-Bukhari narrated that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar said: "Zayd bin Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with him, the freed servant of the Messenger of Allah was ALWAYS CALLED Zayd bin Muhammad, UNTIL (the words of the) QUR'AN WERE REVEALED …

<Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is more just with Allah.>"

An Adopted Child should be named after His Real Father…

This was also narrated by Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i. They used to deal with them as sons in every respect, including being alone with them as Mahrams and so on. Hence, Sahlah bint Suhaly, the wife of Abu Hudhayfah said: "O Messenger of Allah! We used to call Salim our son, but Allah has revealed what He has revealed. He used to enter upon me, but I feel that Abu Hudhayfah does not like that." The Prophet said…

((Breastfeed him and he will become your Mahram.))

Hence when this ruling was abrogated, Allah made it permissible for a man to marry the ex-wife of his adopted son, and the Messenger of Allah married Zaynab bint Jash, the divorced wife of Zayd bin Harithah Allah said…

<So that (in the future) there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them> (33:37)

And Allah says in Ayat At-Tahrim…

<The wives of your sons from your own loins> (4:23).

The wife of an adopted son is not included because he was not born from the man's loins. A "foster" son through breastfeeding is the same as a son born from one's own loins, from the point of view of the Shari‘ah, because the Prophet said in the Two Sahihs…

((Suckling makes unlawful as lineage does.))…

<Call them by their fathers.> This is concerning Zayd bin Harithah. He was killed in 8 AH at the battle of Mu’tah. In Sahih Muslim it is reported that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah said…

((O my son.))" It was also reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi …

<But if you know not their father's (sic) then they are your brothers in the religion and Mawalikum (your freed servants).>

Here Allah commands that adopted sons should be given back their fathers’ names, if they are known; if they are not known, then they should be called brothers in faith or freed servants, to compensate for not knowing what their real lineage is. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume 7 (Surat An-Nur to Surat Al-Ahzab, Verse 50), abridged by a group of scholars under the supervision of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, Riyadh, Houston, New York, London, Lahore; First Edition: August 2000], pp. 634-637: http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=33&tid=41208; http://tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=33&tid=41232; capital and underline emphasis ours)

Adoption is even considered a great sin in Islam!

f. Bloodline relationship cannot be changed, that is why in Islam there is no concept of adoption. According to the Islamic point of view, to adopt someone as a son IS A GREAT SIN. (English Translation of Sunan Ibn Majah - Compiled by Imam Muhammad Bin Yazeed Ibn Majah Al-Qazwini, From Hadith No. 1783 to 2718, Ahadith edited and referenced by Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair 'Ali Za'i, translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Canada), final review by Abu Khaliyl (USA), [Darussalam Publications and Distributors, First Edition: June 2007], Volume 3, The Chapters On Wills, Chapter 6. There Is No Bequest For An Heir, p. 558; capital and underline emphasis ours)

How different is this from the attitude of the true God of the Holy Bible who delights in adopting rebel sinners into his family through faith in the Lord Jesus, granting them the status of sons and making them coheirs with his eternally beloved Son:

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him… And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:14-17, 23

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." Galatians 4:4-7

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." 1 John 3:1-3

And in adopting sinners as his children, whereby he transforms their characters to reflect his holy character, God sets the example for his followers to do likewise by adopting children who have either been abandoned or whose parents have died in order that they may experience the love and comfort that comes from belonging to a family. It also allows parents who cannot have children of their own to experience the joy that comes from raising a family.

And yet because of Muhammad barren Muslim couples and orphaned or abandoned Muslim children can never experience this, never knowing what it is to have and be a family. Muhammad thought more about his own reputation, being more concerned with saving face in light of the people slandering him for marrying his adopted son’s wife, than with the needs of barren couples and abandoned or orphaned children. This is not what we would expect the so-called "mercy unto all the worlds" to be like or to do.

The other major problem with Islam’s abolishing adoption is that the very reason the Quran gives for Muhammad’s marriage to Zaynab is that this was intended to set an example and precedence for other adoptive fathers to marry their adopted sons’ divorcees if they so chose. But how can this be the reason when Muhammad went on to outlaw adoption completely? Doesn’t this prove that this was nothing more than an excuse which Muhammad needed in order to justify marrying his daughter-in-law?

More importantly, there was absolutely no need for Muhammad to even marry his adopted son’s divorcee as an example for others when all he needed to do was compose a verse telling his followers that it was alright for Muslims to marry their adopted son’s wives.

As if it couldn’t get any more worse, specific Islamic sources say that Q. 33:37 gave Muhammad the singular privilege and license to force any man to divorce his wife if he so desired her!

"If Muhammad desired an unmarried woman, he had the right to have sexual intercourse with her without a marriage contract, or witnesses, or consent of a guardian, even without her approval. But if she was married and Muhammad desired her, her husband ought to divorce her so that he could marry her. If he [Muhammad] desired a slave, her master must offer her as a gift to him. Likewise, Muhammad has the right to marry any woman he wants of the men without her approval. He also has the right to marry during pilgrimage as he did with Maymuna. Moreover, he had the right to choose from the spoils of war whatever he wanted, whether it was a maid or anything else; that is, before the distribution of the spoils." (Burhan al-Deen al-Halabi, al-Sira al-Halabiyya, Volume III, p. 377)

And:

And any believing woman who dedicates herself to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed (nikah) her; this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large).

As for what was granted and made lawful (by Allah) to the prophet they are 16 issues…

Fourth: To take more than four women.
Fifth: To marry (yastankih – or have intercourse), with a woman who verbally pronounces her dedication (to the prophet).
Sixth: To marry (yastankih) without the presence (or permission) of a legal guardian.
Seventh: To marry (yastankih) without a dowry.
Eighth: To marry (and have intercourse) during a state of ritual consecration and purification.
Ninth: The annulment of an oath he may make to his wives.
Tenth: If MUHAMMAD looks at a woman (and desires her) THEN IT IS NECESSARY FOR HER HUSBAND TO DIVORCE HER AND FOR MUHAMMAD TO MARRY HER. Ibn al-A’raby said, "This is what the servant of the two holy mosques has also said, as was clear to the scholars FROM THE STORY OF ZAID which also had this meaning."
Eleventh: That the prophet released Safiyyah (from her captured status) and he considered her release as her dowry.
Twelfth: To enter Mecca without being in a state of ritual purification.
Thirteenth: To fight in Mecca…
Fifteenth: His marriage is still considered effective after his death.
Sixteenth: If he divorces a woman she remains prohibited to everyone and may not be married (nikah) to someone else.

Yastankih comes from the word yan’kah. For it is said in different forms nakaha and istankaha just as it is said ajab and istajab… It is permissible to use the word istankaha to mean one whom requests marriage or one who requests sexual intercourse. (Al-Qurtubi, Q. 33:50; Arabic source; translation by Dimitrius; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Again, we wouldn’t expect someone whom the Quran labels as a mercy for all creatures to act in this manner, stealing the wives of people in order to satisfy his desires and lusts.

In light of this it is rather hard to see how Muhammad could have taught his followers to shun vile actions when he lusted after and eventually wed a married woman, one whom he had initially ordered to espouse his adopted son!

This leads us to the next section.

Muhammad’s Love of Women

According to some of Islam’s commentators the following verse:

Or do they envy men (Muhammad and his followers) for what Allah has given them of His Bounty? Then We had already given the family of Ibrahim (Abraham) the Book and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah - Divine Inspiration to those Prophets not written in the form of a book), and conferred upon them a great kingdom. Q. 4:54 Hilali-Khan

Was "revealed" to silence Muhammad’s critics who were complaining of all the wives he was taking:

(Or are they jealous) nay, they are jealous (of mankind) of Muhammad and his Companions (because of that which Allah of His bounty hath bestowed upon them?) the Scripture, prophethood and marrying many wives. (For We bestowed upon the house of Abraham) David and Solomon ((of old) the Scripture and Wisdom) knowledge, understanding and prophethood, (and We bestowed on them a mighty kingdom) We honoured them with prophethood and Islam and bestowed upon them sovereignty over the Children of Israel. David had 100 legitimate wives, and Solomon had 300 legitimate wives plus 700 concubines. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0)

Or, nay, are they jealous of people, namely, of the Prophet (s), for the bounty that God has bestowed upon them, in the way of prophethood and abundance of women? In other words, they wish that he be deprived of such things, saying, 'If he were truly a prophet, he would not be concerned with women'. For We gave the House of Abraham, his forefather, the likes of Moses, David and Solomon, the Book and wisdom, and prophethood, and We gave them a mighty kingdom: David had ninety nine women, and Solomon had a thousand, free women and slavegirls. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn: http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=54&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0)

The reason why Muhammad had more wives than his own followers were allowed to have is because he loved women too much and couldn’t control himself:

There is an authentic ‘Hadith collected from Anas ibn Malik, who said that the Messenger of Allah said…

"From your (this) life, I was made to like women (in marriage) and Teeb (perfume); the comfort of my eye was made in Prayer." Those who narrated the ‘Hadith to mean, "I was made to like three things from this life", made a mistake, because the Prophet did not say, ‘three’. Certainly, Prayer is not among the matters of life.

Women [in marriage] and Teeb were among the dearest things to the Prophet. He used to sleep with his wives, all in one night. He was endowed with the strength of thirty men with regards to sexual ability and otherwise. Allah allowed him more than He allowed anyone from among his Ummah (Muslim Nation).

The Prophet used to treat his wives fairly regarding spending the night at each one’s house, maintenance and accommodation. As for love felt in the heart, he used to say…

"O, Allah! This is my division in what I have control of, so do not blame me for what [You control and] I do not control." This ‘Hadith was said to pertain to love and sexual intimacy, fairness regarding what is not obligatory, because one has no control over such matters. (Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah, Zad-ul Ma'ad fi Hadyi Khairi-l 'Ibad [Provisions for the Hereafter Taken From the Guidance of Allah's Best Worshipper], translated by Jalal Abualrub, edited by Alaa Mencke & Shaheed M. Ali [Madinah Publishers & Distributors, Orlando Florida; First Edition, December 2000], Volume 1, pp. 236-236; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Muhammad’s lust for women was such that he would often choose the most beautiful captive for himself, and would also force his followers to hand over their beautiful booty to him:

… We conquered Khaibar, took the captives, and the booty was collected. Dihya came and said, ‘O Allah's Prophet! Give me a slave girl from the captives.’ The Prophet said, ‘Go and take any slave girl.’ He took Safiya bint Huyai. A man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Allah's Apostle! You gave Safiya bint Huyai to Dihya and she is the chief mistress of the tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir and she befits none but you.’ So the Prophet said, ‘Bring him along with her.’ So Dihya came with her and when the Prophet saw her, he said to Dihya, ‘Take any slave girl other than her from the captives.’" Anas added: "The Prophet then manumitted her and married her." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8, Number 367: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/008.sbt.html#001.008.367)

And:

Narrated Anas bin Malik:
We arrived at Khaibar, and when Allah helped His Apostle to open the fort, the beauty of Safiya bint Huyai bin Akhtaq whose husband had been killed while she was a bride, was mentioned to Allah's Apostle. The Prophet selected her for himself… (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 522: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/059.sbt.html#005.059.522)

Nor was Safiyya an isolated case:

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin:

Juwayriyyah, daughter of al-Harith ibn al-Mustaliq, fell to the lot of Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, or to her cousin. She entered into an agreement to purchase her freedom. She was a very beautiful woman, most attractive to the eye.

Aisha said: She then came to the Apostle of Allah asking him for the purchase of her freedom. When she was standing at the door, I looked at her with disapproval. I realised that the Apostle of Allah would look at her in the same way that I had looked.

She said: Apostle of Allah, I am Juwayriyyah, daughter of al-Harith, and something has happened to me, which is not hidden from you. I have fallen to the lot of Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas, and I have entered into an agreement to purchase of my freedom. I have come to you to seek assistance for the purchase of my freedom.

The Apostle of Allah said: Are you inclined to that which is better? She asked: What is that, Apostle of Allah? He replied: I shall pay the price of your freedom on your behalf, and I shall marry you.

She said: I shall do this. She (Aisha) said: The people then heard that the Apostle of Allah had married Juwayriyyah. They released the captives in their possession and set them free, and said: They are the relatives of the Apostle of Allah by marriage. We did not see any woman greater than Juwayriyyah who brought blessings to her people. One hundred families of Banu al-Mustaliq were set free on account of her. (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 29, Number 3920: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/029.sat.html#029.3920)

And:

According to Ibn Humayd–Salamah–Muhammad b. Ishaq– Muhammad b. Ja‘far b. al-Zubayr–the Prophet’s wife ‘A’ishah, who said: When the Messenger of God divided the captives of the Banu al-Mustaliq, Juwayriyah bt. Al-Harith fell to the share of Thabit b. Qays b. al-Shammas (or to a cousin of his), and she contracted with him for her freedom. She was a sweet, beautiful woman who captivated anyone who looked at her. She came to the Messenger of God seeking his help in the matter of her contract. By God, as soon as I saw her at the door of my chamber, I took a dislike to her, and I knew that he would see in her what I saw… (The History of al-Tabari: The Victory of Islam, translated by Michael Fishbein [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany 1997], Volume VIII, pp. 56-57; bold and italic emphasis ours)

Aisha’s statement leaves absolutely no doubt that Muhammad chose Juwayriyah solely for her outstanding beauty. As the translator of the History of al-Tabari noted:

… Similar frankness appears in the account in A.H. 6 of Muhammad’s marriage to Juwayriyah, "a sweet, beautiful woman, who captivated anyone who looked at her" (the words of ‘A’isha’s). She had been captured during the raid on the Banu al-Mustaliq and, in accordance with custom, became the slave of one of her captors. The latter agreed to free her in exchange for a sum of money. Juwariyah approached Muhammad for help, and the latter, CAPTIVATED BY HER BEAUTY, offered her "something better" then payment of the price of her freedom – namely, marriage with himself… (Ibid., p. xiii; capital and underline emphasis ours)

No wonder that Muhammad’s contemporaries accused him of being a womanizer!

… Layla bt. al-Khatim b. ‘Adi b. ‘Amr b. Sawad b. Zafar b. al-Harith b. al-Khazraj approached the Prophet while his back was to the sun, and clapped him on his shoulder. He asked who it was, and she replied, "I am the daughter of one who competes with the wind. I am Layla bt. al-Khatim. I have come to offer myself [in marriage] to you, so marry me." He replied, "I accept." She went back to her people and said that the Messenger of God had married her. They said, "What a bad thing you have done! You are a self-respecting woman, but the Prophet is a womanizer. Seek an annulment from him." She went back to the Prophet and asked him to revoke the marriage and he complied with [her request]… (The History of Al-Tabari: The Last Years of the Prophet, translated and annotated by Ismail K. Poonawala [State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany, 1990], Volume IX, p. 139; bold emphasis ours)

It is rather interesting that al-Qayyim claimed that Muhammad treated his wives fairly by spending equal time with them when elsewhere he candidly admitted that his prophet preferred Aisha to the rest of his spouses. This led to discord and constant complaining from the wives:

Next, the Prophet married Umm Abdullah, Aishah, as-Siddiqah (the truthful one), daughter of as-Siddiq (the truthful one) Abu Bakr ibn Abi Qu’hafah, whom Allah has exonerated from the above seven heavens. ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr was the beloved wife of the Prophet. The angel showed Aishah to the Prophet while she was wrapped in a piece of silk cloth, before he married her, and said to him, "This is your wife." The Prophet married Aishah during the lunar month of Shawwal, when she was six, and consummated the marriage in the first year after the Hijrah, in the month of Shawwal, when she was nine. The Prophet did not marry any virgin, except Aishah, and the revelation never came to him while he was under the blanket with any of his wives, except Aishah…

[2] [Al-Bukhari (4738) and Muslim (2548) narrated that ‘Aishah said, "Allah’s Apostle married me when I was six years old, and I was admitted to his house when I was nine years old."]

[3] [Al-Bukhari (3491) narrated that Allah’s Apostle said…

"O, Umm Salamah! Don’t trouble me by harming ‘Aishah, for by Allah, the Divine Inspiration never came to me while I was under the blanket of any woman amongst you except her."] (Ibn al-Qayyim, pp. 157-158; see also p. 242; bold and underline emphasis ours)

And:

Narrated 'Urwa from 'Aisha:
The wives of Allah's Apostle were in two groups. One group consisted of 'Aisha, Hafsa, Safiyya and Sauda; and the other group consisted of Um Salama and the other wives of Allah's Apostle. The Muslims knew that Allah's Apostle loved 'Aisha, so if any of them had a gift and wished to give to Allah's Apostle, he would delay it, till Allah's Apostle had come to 'Aisha's home and then he would send his gift to Allah's Apostle in her home. The group of Um Salama discussed the matter together and decided that Um Salama should request Allah's Apostle to tell the people to send their gifts to him in whatever wife's house he was. Um Salama told Allah's Apostle of what they had said, but he did not reply. Then they (those wives) asked Um Salama about it. She said, "He did not say anything to me." They asked her to talk to him again. She talked to him again when she met him on her day, but he gave no reply. When they asked her, she replied that he had given no reply. They said to her, "Talk to him till he gives you a reply." When it was her turn, she talked to him again. He then said to her, "Do not hurt me regarding Aisha, AS THE DIVINE INSPIRATIONS DO NOT COME TO ME ON ANY OF THE BEDS EXCEPT THAT OF AISHA." On that Um Salama said, "I repent to Allah for hurting you." Then the group of Um Salama called Fatima, the daughter of Allah's Apostle and sent her to Allah's Apostle to say to him, "Your wives request to treat them and the daughter of Abu Bakr on equal terms." Then Fatima conveyed the message to him. The Prophet said, "O my daughter! Don't you love whom I love?" She replied in the affirmative and returned and told them of the situation. They requested her to go to him again but she refused. They then sent Zainab bint Jahsh who went to him and used harsh words saying, "Your wives request you to treat them and the daughter of Ibn Abu Quhafa on equal terms." On that she raised her voice and abused 'Aisha to her face so much so that Allah's Apostle looked at 'Aisha to see whether she would retort. 'Aisha started replying to Zainab till she silenced her. The Prophet then looked at 'Aisha and said, "She is really the daughter of Abu Bakr." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 47, Number 755: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/047.sbt.html#003.047.755)

What audacity! Muhammad justifies his neglect of certain wives and preferential treatment of Aisha on the grounds that Allah would send down revelations only when he was in the sheets of his child bride!

Further Reading

Severing Ties with Kin

We now come to the final section dealing with Ja’far ibn Abu Talib’s assertion that Muhammad commanded his followers to maintain good relations with their family members and to be kind to neighbors. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The fact is that the Quran actually orders Muslims not love any of their unbelieving family members:

Thou wilt not find any people who believe in God and the Last Day, loving those who resist God and His Apostle, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred. For such He has written Faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself. And He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein (for ever). God will be well pleased with them, and they with Him. They are the Party of God. Truly it is the Party of God that will achieve Felicity. S. 58:22 Y. Ali

O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers. Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. S. 9:23-24 Pickthall

Note that Q. 58:22 says that "For such He has written Faith in their hearts" which implies that the Muslims not loving even their parents is "the mark of a true believer," being a sign that Allah has put faith in their hearts! Basically, this means that faith in Islam results in a believer receiving strength and determination to hate anyone who opposes Muhammad, even if they happen to be the closest of relatives! It forbids them to love them, to honor them, to treat them in friendship. And the Islamic source material shows how far this can go in extreme instances:

THE AFFAIR OF MUHAYYISA AND HUWAYYISA

The apostle said, ‘Kill ANY Jew that falls into your power.’ Thereupon Muhayyisa b. Masud leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with whom they had social and business relations, and killed him. Huwayyisa was not a Muslim at the time though he was the elder brother. When Muhayyisa killed him Huwayyisa began to beat him, saying, ‘You enemy of God, did you kill him when much of the fat on your belly comes from his wealth?’ Muhayyisa answered, ‘Had the one who ordered me to kill him ordered me to kill you I would have cut your head off.’ He said that this was the beginning of Huwayyisa’s acceptance of Islam. The other replied, ‘By God, if Muhammad had ordered you to kill me would you have killed?’ He said, ‘Yes, by God, had he ordered me to cut off your head I would have done so.’ He exclaimed, ‘By God, a religion which can bring you to this is marvellous!’ and he became a Muslim.

I was told this story by a client of B. Haritha from the daughter of Muhayyisa from Muhayyisa himself.

Muhayyisa composed the following lines on the subject:

My mother’s son blames because if I were ordered to kill him
I would smite his nape with a sharp sword,
A blade white as salt from polishing.
My downward stroke never misses its mark.
It would not please me to kill you voluntarily
Though we owned all Arabia north to south.

(The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth impression 1995], p. 369; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Here, a man tells his brother that he would not even hesitate to behead him if Muhammad ordered it. And:

They (the narrators) said: The Apostle of Allah sent a force under al-Dahhak Ibn Sufyan Ibn ‘Awf Ibn Abu Bakr al-Kilabi, against al-Qurara. Al-Asyad Ibn Salamah Ibn Qart was with him. They encountered them at al-Zujj, the Zujj of Lawah and invited them to embrace Islam. They refused, so they attacked them and forced them to flee. Then al-Asyad met his father Salamah who was on his own horse, in a pond of al-Zujj. He invited his father to embrace Islam promising him amnesty. He (father) abused him and his creed. Consequently al-Asyad hamstrung the horse of his father. When the horse fell on his hoofs Salamah reclined on his spear in water. He (al-Asyad) held him till one of them (Muslims) came there and killed him. His son did not kill him. (Ibn Sa’ad’s Kitab Al-Tabaqat Al-Kabir, English translation by S. Moinul Haq, M.A., PH.D assisted by H.K. Ghazanfar M.A. [Kitab Bhavan Exporters & Importers, 1784 Kalan Mahal, Daryaganj, New Delhi - 110 002 India], Volume II, p. 201)

Thus, Muhammad’s religion destroys the relationship between Muslim converts and their disbelieving parents.

In this case, the son puts before his own father the choice of embracing Islam now or death. He prevents his father from fleeing. The son is the direct cause that his father is killed by his fellow Muslims.

Muslim sources report another instance where a Muslim son is willing to kill his non-Muslim father:

According to Ibn Humayd – Salamah - Muhammad b. Ishaq - 'Asim b. 'Umar b. Qatadah: 'Abdallah b. 'Abdallah b. Ubayy b. Salul came to the Messenger of God and said: "Messenger of God, I have been told that you want to kill 'Abdallah b. Ubayy because of what has been reported to you concerning him. If you are going to do it, command me to do it and I will bring you his head. By God, al-Khazraj know that there has never been among them a man more dutiful to his father than I. I am afraid that you may order someone else to do it and that he may kill him; and then my soul will not allow me to look on the slayer of 'Abdallah b. Ubayy walking among the people: I would kill him, killing a believer to avenge an unbeliever, and thereby enter the Fire [of Hell]." The Messenger of God said, "No, we will be gentle with him and associate with him on friendly terms as long as he stays with us." Thus, after that day whenever he did anything objectionable, it was his own tribesmen who reproved him, corrected him, censured him, and threatened him. When word of how they were behaving reached the Messenger of God, he said to 'Umar b. al-Khattab: "What do you think, Umar? By God, had I killed him the day you ordered me to kill him, prominent men would have been upset, who, if I ordered them today to kill him, would do so." 'Umar said, "Now by God I know that what the Messenger of God ordered had more of a blessing in it that what I would have ordered." (The History of al-Tabari, Volume VIII, p. 55)

Being a devout Muslim, the son does not question Muhammad’s right to command that his father be killed. He even seems to consider it meritorious to follow that order. He does not fear that killing his own father would send him to hell, but only that avenging the murder by killing the murderer would do so.

The Muslim scripture further prohibits Muslims from befriending and seeking protection with disbelievers, unless they are outnumbered by the unbelievers or are living in an area controlled by the infidels:

Let not the believers take disbelievers for their friends in preference to believers. Whoso doeth that hath no connection with Allah unless (it be) that ye but guard yourselves against them, taking (as it were) security. Allah biddeth you beware (only) of Himself. Unto Allah is the journeying. S. 3:28 Pickthall

O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Whoso of you makes them his friends is one of them. God guides not the people of the evildoers. S. 5:51 Arberry

Muslims are actually commanded to be harsh with the unbelievers:

O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell, - and worst indeed is that destination. S. 9:73 Hilali-Khan

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking Bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of (their) prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Taurat (Torah). But their description in the Injeel (Gospel) is like a (sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, it then becomes thick, and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the disbelievers with them. Allah has promised those among them who believe (i.e. all those who follow Islamic Monotheism, the religion of Prophet Muhammad till the Day of Resurrection) and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness and a mighty reward (i.e. Paradise). S. 48:29 Hilali-Khan

In contrast to the above we have Abu Talib, the uncle of Muhammad, who protected his nephew against his opponents in Mecca. Abu Talib remained a pagan until his death and did not believe in Muhammad’s message, and yet he gave Muhammad the freedom to believe differently and even to preach his message to the people. This is quite unlike Muhammad and his followers who did not return this favor when they became powerful, but instead forced the alternative of Islam or death even upon their closest relatives.

In other words, Abu Talib in his "unbelief" was nobler and more civilized than Muhammad and his followers!

The preceding points should sufficiently put to rest the erroneous assertions of Ja’far ibn Abu Talib that Muhammad came to remove idolatry and vice and to promote monotheism, truthfulness, compassion and kindness to family and friends.

Lord Jesus willing, more rebuttals to Jalal’s debate points to follow shortly.

Further Reading