In answer to the video "Islam, Interfaith Marriage and Misogyny"
This youtuber is here having trouble with the issue of intermarriages in Islam; so i'll explain it to him.
In Islam, spirituality is the prime quality of selection for marriage. Fornicators are therfore forbidden to marry other members of the Muslim comunity, just like the idolaters with whom intermariages are prohibited 2:221.
The Bible reflects that notion too in Deut7:3,Ezra9:13,2Cor6:14. The Torah further teaches that if a Jewish man marries a gentile woman, he must divorce her, send her away, and send the children who resulted from this illegal union as well.
Spiritual affinity is an important factor to consider in human ties, especially marital ties, since in the Quran, marriage is a source of serenity on all levels
30:21"And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion".
Faith should be the first criteria of selection
25:77,34:7,49:13"Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you".
Because they are not distant from Muslims spiritually, as opposed to idolaters, the Quran has allowed intermariages with the people of the book 5:5. But it also delivers a stern warning to guard the principles of faith very cautiously against the influence of a non-Muslim wife. There is complete silence as to whether a Muslim woman is allowed to mary a man from the people of the book, this cannot be taken as a prohibition since the Quran has explicitly denied other intermarriages, such as with idolaters. This silence could be due to the fact that in the Muslim society, let alone society worldwide, it is the man that asks for a woman's hand and the Quran in this verse is addressing Muslim men 2:221.
Shirk, meaning partnering or more specifically in religion, the act of giving to an entity or concept besides God or along with Him, any independant attribute, authority, power that otherwise belongs to God alone, is a sin that can vary in severity. The Quran attributes this sin to Muslims and non-Muslims alike 12:106,16:100,41:6-7. However the appellation mushrikin, which denotes a persistent, willful behaviour, open acknowledgment of associating separate deities to God, is never used to define any of them, Muslims or people of the book. Only those guilty of the highest degree of shirk, knowingly and openly attributing divinity to entities other than the One God, and treating them as separate deities, are called mushrikin. This isnt the case of Trinitarians, the majority sect among Christians who, although technically accused of associating with Allah 5:72,9:30, view themselves as monotheists. Their shirk is not based on conscious intent, but rather flows from their "overstepping the bounds of truth" in their veneration of Jesus 4:171,5:77 and so the Quran uses a subtle device to separate between declared adherents to polytheism (the Idolaters of Arabia) and those who were adverse to polytheism yet had become involved in it. It refers to the polytheistic practices of the People of the Book with a verb; never are they referred to in the form of an adjective, ie mushrikin, which, as said earlier, denotes a wilful mindframe.
Again, that appellation is a particular Quranic terminology and we should look at the Quran to know who is called a mushrik. The Quran does not use this term for the Jews or the Christians. Instead it invented for them the term "people of the book" and clearly seperates between the two
5:82,22:17,98:1"Those who reject (Truth), among the People of the Book and among the mushrikin.."
In the times of the prophet Muhammad, when a Christian delegation came to him from Najran to inquire of his message, they were received at his mosque, where they prayed and resided. In 3:64 it tells them to
"come to a word that is just between us and you"
with this commonality being
"that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah"
meaning that they openly declare the correct tawhid and yet cannot perceive that they corrupt it in several ways, which the Quran came to correct and reform.
Some have argued that the people of the book stand excluded from the marriage law in 5:5 based on 60:10 saying Muslims may not remain married to those guilty of kufr and verses such as 9:28-33,5:17 and others qualify the people of the book as kuffar. However, the term in the Quranic language carries a wide range of understanding, from "non believer" to "active enemy of Allah" to "non adherer to the law of Allah, although not necessarily out of the fold of Islam" as in
5:47"And whoever does not judge by what Allah brought down, then those are the kafirun".
Words with wide ranges of meaning are understood, in Arabic as in any language, in their proper context. When read in context, the kuffar of 60:10 are the polytheists with whom marriage is forbidden, not the people of the book. This verse is universally known as having been revealed in a specific context, that of the treaty of Hudaybiya which involved Muslims and pagans. This is the typical error of those trying to approach the Islamic texts hastily, in their bid to draw their quick conclusions. The exegisis of every verse in the Quran isnt done in a vacuum, but must firstly correlate with other verses on the same topic elsewhere in the Book, then must agree with the multifaceted subtlties of the Arabic language, and finally with the vast corpus of historical and prophetic traditions.
All these areas fly far above the head of the likes of this youtuber.
In answer to the video "Islamicize Me Day 8: Urine Luck!"
This issue is often made into a mountain by the enemies of Islam. The prophet recommended the ingestion of camel's urine that had grazed in particular areas that thus rendered it useful to humans, in combination with milk, not separately. That prescription was a one off incident to a group of people that consequently were cured. It was not something recommended to everyone or for general consumption. It was meant as a treatment and we have no other instances of the prophet using it or telling others to do so. It is well known, as a side note, that camel urine has strong antibiotic properties. Due to this, the critics of Islam have now switched to saying that isolating the beneficial component makes the remedy risk free, as compared to taking the cure in its raw form ie the urine. Yet a modern drug, even though having the component of interest in concentration is still harmful to an extent and has a long list of side effects. Take chemotherapy for example. Ancient people cured diseases using inherited knowledge and raw materials provided by nature. Chemical extraction and synthetic reproduction didn't exist. These ancient remedies, like our modern drugs werent perfect but did the specific job they were known to be useful for, as is clearly the case in this hadith.
And by the way As is explicit in the Quran, the divine protection of the carriers of the revelation pertains strictly to the revelation itself. But in everyday affairs, the messengers, who are still humans endowed with freewill and thus the potential, if not to sin due to their heightened level of spiritual awareness, to make mistakes, they are left to their own devices in their everyday lives to fight off the assaults of evil forces. No prophet was in a constant state of communication with the divine realm.
The hadith and Quran itself speak of long periods where revelation had stopped, and the subsequent taunting of his enemies on the issue, the questions of his followers and his anxious anticipation.
In answer to the video "Islam, Interfaith Marriage and Misogyny"
In the Greek Testament writings in 1cor7, a wife has no right over her body but her husband does, which leaves the door wide open to marital rape. Back in the HB itself, a rape victim is sometimes forced to marry her rapist. He may not divorce her at any point, giving him free license to keep on abusing his victim for the rest of her life Deut22. The Quran says that witholding the sexual act intentionally is justified if other things, it is during the menses
2:222"And they ask you about the monthly courses. Say; it is a harm. Keep therefore aloof from women during their courses, and do not approach them until they are cleansed. And when they are cleansed, go in unto them as Allah has commanded you".
Now although that youtuber specifically did not make the claim, before he does jump on the bandwaggon of his co-youtube Islam experts and starts accusing the prophet of having sex with his wives during their menses, i'll address this lie right away. The words here in 2:222 are not general but restricted to sexual contact, and more specifically penetration. This is seen, firstly by the mention of "harm" resulting from that contact and more importantly from the part of the verse that talks about "coming into them" once the menses are over "from where Allah ordered you" (which implicitly forbids anal sex). The words are clear and unambiguous and dont mean that men and women may not or should not approach one another normally, interracting in everyday life as well as sharing the same bed, or even being romantic or erotic during that time, all of which having nothing to do with causing "harm" or "coming into them from where Allah has ordained".
The prophet used to yubaashir his wives during that time, without penetration. Yubaashir is a polite word to describe romantic physical, skin to skin interraction, from the root b-sh-r/skin
"The Prophet used to kiss and embrace/yubaashir while he was fasting, and he had more power to control his desires than any of you" "and then she smiled".
The statement is unambigous and shows that although he used to yubaashir his wives, the prophet still restrained himself sexually. He did not complete the sexual act, something that happens when penetration occurs.
During a woman's periods, the Quran requires the same level of restraint among husbands and wives, but similarly this restraint, as seen from Aisha's words as she was pleasantly remembering her husband, is only limited to sexual penetration.
Another implication of the statement of "coming into them as Allah commanded" is that it prohibits penetration in an unnatural way
"Ibn 'Abbas said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah will not look at a man who has intercourse with a woman in her back passage".
Similar reports are numerous. Further, "coming to your tilth however you wish" simply allows all variations of intercourse so long as it is in the natural way, ie "in the place of tilth".
It is in the HB that general contact with one's wife is forbidden during menses, and actually among the 613 commandements revealed at Sinai, stating a menstruating woman is unclean and defiles others Lev15:17-33. She becomes completely ostracized in basic social activities because not only is she unclean but almost everything she touches or that touches her can transmit ritual impurity, exactly like a leper whose impurity isnt only restricted to him, but his entire house too Lev13:2-49,14:34-46. Similarily to the physically impared and handicapped who arent fit to approach holy sites for offerings to God, as their physical blemishes are a profanity to God's sanctuaries Lev21:16-24.
Christians followers of St Paul, who have arbitrarily, and contrary to Jesus' explicit instructions, absolved themselves from Torah observance, which includes those purity laws, have no restriction at all about mingling, or even sexually interracting with women during their menstrual period.
The pagans of Arabia were divided between those of Medina who adopted some of the Jewish customs, and the others who had no rules in this matter, some even seeking sexual intercourse specifically during this period of a woman's life in the belief that if a woman became pregnant then, the child would be cruel and extremely fond of shedding blood. These were admirable qualities for a man among the Bedouins.
In answer to the video "Islamicize Me Day 8: Urine Luck!"
The Quran never came to correct the prophet's worldviews in terms of knowledge of nature and general causality, neither of his contemporaries but rather guide him and the rest of humanity through him, to the most complete, advanced human spiritual knowledge. The divine protection therefore only pertained to the Quran which is the source of that perfect spiritual knowledge. The prophet was "uswa hasana" in his application of the Quran, just as following Jesus' way, as he is quoted saying in the NT, meant following his footsteps in his application of the Torah. This phrase in no way implies that he was a perfect creation.
For example, after having described their outstanding moral and spiritual qualities, the Quran nevertheless asks the prophets to constantly seek istighfar/protection (from sins), for themselves and their followers too 47:19 and several prophets are quoted throughout the Quran asking for ghafr 30:24,35,71:28. This way the Quran teaches an important lesson; it does not behoove the foremost among his servants, let alone other regular believers that they should harbor a feeling of perfect righteousness or prideful accomplishment in front of God
53:32"therefore do not attribute purity to your souls; He knows him best who guards (against evil)".
The believer should keep in mind that only God is perfection and as a demonstration of his understanding of such concept, should constantly seek God's forgiveness for any shortcoming as well as protection for future potential flaws and blemishes. This concept is pervasive throughout the Quran, starting with the single most repeated sura, sura fatiha. This type of spiritual humility is requested even from those that perform the most commendable deeds of the religion, so that they never fall into arrogance and self-righteousness 73:1-20. It was under this state of mind that the prophet implored his Lord for ghafr in this world, just as he will do in the hereafter 66:8.
Some reports say he used to implore Allah for protection one hundred times every day, as he was commanded by the Quran itself.
And he used to do so even after 48:2 was revealed telling him his past, present and future sins are forgiven. He did so out of humility and to set the standard of modesty in face of divine perfection
"The Prophet used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen. Somebody said, to him," "Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and those to follow." On that, he said, "Shouldn't I be a thankful slave of Allah?"
No human, no matter how close to Allah in terms of revelational experience, will ever be faultless. This verse 48:2 does not say what type of sin, intentional or not, major or minor, was commited by the prophet. No indication of major sins, let alone intentional, are found concerning the prophet, anywhere in the hadith corpus or the Quran. Yet we find the Quran reproaching him even the slightest unfitting action for a man of his standing, actions which none would find problematic.
This is the etiquette that Islam has taught to man. A man might have performed the highest possible service to Allah's Religion, might have offered countless sacrifices in its cause, and might have exerted himself extremely hard in carrying out the rites of His worship, yet he should never entertain the thought that he has fulfilled the right his Lord had on him wholly, the Sustainer who maintains him and the universe at each instant. Rather he should always think that he has not been able to fulfill what was required of him.
This reveals an important point, something the prophets have always been aware of as seen in their constant prayers for forgiveness and protection, the inherent imperfection of humans, their shortcomings in the face of divine perfection. One should therefore never feel self-righteous or self-sufficient in any endeavour.
In answer to the video "Islamicize Me Day 8: Urine Luck!"
When a prophet of God, the last human capable of willfully sinning, asks for God's mercy not even following a sin, but out of fear of not performing an act of worship to its full extent, then how much more so should the regular believer be conscious of his shortcomings in regards to God?
This is the characteristic of the men of God, who never become complacent and arrogant, whether in their duties towards fellow men or towards God, especially so when they reach the climax of their power and glory and that before that point they were constant and steadfast upon the straight path regardless of their ordeals. Success instead causes them increase in spirituality and far sightedness in their dealings with men and their duties towards God. The prophet, and the Muslims through him, is told to do the following, after seeing the unfolding of the prophecy of entire victory
110:3"Then celebrate the praise of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness; surely He is oft-returning (to mercy)".
In addition to teaching man spiritual humbleness, this also conveys the idea that should one attain some victory, it should not lead to pride and vanity, but to remembrence of God and gratitude, as well as seeking ghafr/covering, protection from sins. Even if the prophecy proved true in the days of Muhammad, and even more so today as Islam is still spreading worldwide, a believer shouldnt be boastful about it as many Muslims usually are when speaking of the spread and success of their religion.
The prophet was therefore certainly not "uswa hasana" in how he ate (with the right hand because the left was used for relieving in cleaning oneself after), slept or saw the nature around him. Anyone is free to imitate his lifestyle and adopt his worldviews as found in extra Quranic writings, if one finds any personal benefits in doing so but that isn't a religious requirement nor relevant to it, and that is explicitly stated in the Quran itself.
With that in mind, when the prophet made deductions as related in the ahadith, pertaining to his natural environement, general causality and basic observation of certain phenomenon, it is only expected from him that they would fit what the ancients of his time would find "plausible". These views however, right or wrong, no matter how extraordinary they might seem in light of our current knowledge, have no bearing on the Quran itself, which is again, pledged to be fully protected.
It would have been interesting to have had written records of how the previous prophets saw the world, as we have with Muhammad, and see who among them held the most "unscientific" personal views.
In answer to the video "Islam, Interfaith Marriage and Misogyny"
As stated earlier, the Quran urges man to be considerate towards the wife, he cannot forsake his spirituality and obedience to God in the process
2:222"go in to them as Allah has commanded you".
Anything going against the prescribed way in which sex is to be performed, is forbidden. This includes sodomy, whether it be practiced by heterosexual or homosexual couples. Every verse speaking of mating involves members of the opposite sex and in fact states that the very reason for creating the human species in opposite genders is that
7:189"he might incline to her".
Inclining to "him" would therefore cancel the reason for God's model of creation. Homosexuality in the sense of a platonic romantic attraction to the same gender, isnt a sin in itself and nowhere is it condemned, until it involves sexuality 7:80-1. It is a temptation like any other unlawful desire that only becomes transgression when acted upon. Overcoming temptation, whether it be sexual misconduct or anything else, in order to live within the boundaries of the religion, is a great virtue and the struggle of every spiritualy awakened individual
84:25"surely you must strive (to attain) to your Lord, a hard striving until you meet Him"
7:201"Surely those who guard (against evil), when a visitation from the Shaitan afflicts them they become mindful, then lo! they gain insight and foresight".
In a wider context from a Quranic perspective, whatever we have been granted innately (psychological traits), or otherwise, remain conduits for us to be trialled through. As stated in the Quran, how one responds to those trials is a matter for God to decide, depending on the level of difficulty and how pronounced each characteristic is manifested in each one. The greater one's occasions and inclinations to do wrong, the greater the chance for spiritual growth.
The language used in the verse 2:222 evokes tenderness and deep consideration between the mates with the imagery of the farmer cultivating his tilth with great care. The words allude to liberty in this regard like the farmer is free to approach his land and cultivate it, as well as responsibility, caution and care which he must exercise in approaching his land. A farmer may not mishandle his land nor plant it anyway or anytime he likes.
A somehow similar metaphore is employed in the HB, as it compares a wife to the vine, a weak and tender tree, that needs support, often fastened to the sides of the house, on which it cleaves, runs up and bears fruit. The image creates a parallel with the weakness and tenderness of the female sex, their fruitfulness in bearing children and care for the household in which she is to stay in and exert herself
Ps128:3"Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table".
The Quran's eloquent words leave no room to them being read with the notion of forced sex in mind. Firon's crime of keeping the Israelites' women for himself and his men as a humiliation and torment, ie to abuse them sexually, as fasad fil ard meaning it is a crime punishable by death 28:4,5:33.
In answer to the video "Islam, Interfaith Marriage and Misogyny"
The Quran directs men and women to complete and comfort eachother. They have been made from the same essence and should therefore relate to oneanother 4:25. They are eloquently depicted as garments of tranquility and protection to eachother
2:187"They are raiment (libas) for you and ye are raiment for them"
9:71"And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other".
"Libas" is a clothing used to cover the physical body, also used in the Quran as a means by which one is spiritually covered with God-consciousness/taqwa 7:26. It is to that sort of covering the verse 2:187 refers to because each spouse restrains the other from unchastity, and protects society from debauchery. "be in contact with them and seek what Allah has written for you". This is just another instance of the Quran's supreme pragmatism. The coming together of men and women in lawful sexual intercourse isnt primarily a means of being
Gen1:28"fruitful and multiply".
Otherwise the divine law should have banned sexual relations between married infertile people or in any other case that doesnt cause, or at least has the high probability of ending in procreation. Rather the Quran's approach addresses human nature and reality. It considers lawful sexuality as a means by which a natural need is satisfied, first and foremost. Regardless of whether being "fruitful and multplying" results from it or not. Sexual attraction is a pressure God has ingrained in human nature. When a couple engages in that action, they are in reality seeking what Allah has written for them, even if at that time their only aim is to satisfy their sexual desire.
The Quran refers in many places to the positive, God-ordained nature of sexuality within limits, that there is nothing wrong in satisfying carnal desires in lawful ways. What is evil is to deny or forbid those needs or that one should transgress the prescribed limits for satisfying those needs
23:5-7,2:187,222"go in to them as Allah has commanded you".
God awareness therefore remains in all situations, even while seeking to fulfill what is an indispensable basis for a healthy husband/wife relationship
2:223"Your wives are a tilth for you, so go into your tilth when you like, and do good beforehand for yourselves, and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, and know that you will meet Him, and give good news to the believers".
Man is told to consider the spouse's affectionate disposition aforehand meaning he does not have the entire monopoly of the right to sexual intimacy. This statement goes both ways, which means that neither of the 2 is permitted to withhold the sexual act without a valid reason. Such a behavior would amount to abuse and mistreatment of the husband or the wife, hence reports the likes of which stating that angels curse the wife that refuses her husband's invitation to sleep with him, making him angry. This speaks of a wife not giving any reason for her refusal, hence the husband's upset feelings.
When informed of Abdullah Ibn Amr’s neglecting of his wife’s conjugal rights, the Prophet reminded him that
"Your wife has a right over you".
Some traditions relate the importance of both being satisifed after physical intercourse. The Prophet once said,
“When a man approaches his wife he should not hasten until she is satisfied because women have needs”
also
“You men must make yourselves tidy and be prepared for your wives, as you would like them to be prepared for you”.
This is about the importance for the husband to be well groomed for his wife, as a sign of love and respect. As shown from the Quran earlier, the spouse's affectionate disposition, his or her mood, must be taken into account aforehand
"None of you should fall upon his wife like an animal; but let there first be a messenger between you. The companions asked, what is that messenger? The prophet replied, Kisses and (romantic) words".
In answer to the video "Muhammad the Mystic and the Boy Under the Blanket"
The first revelation was thus inspired to Muhammad, who unlike Jeremiah or Isaiah had no established prophetic tradition to console or support him mentally, on a blessed night 44:3 also referred to as lailatul qadr 97:1, during the month of Ramadan 2:185.
Muhammad went back to Khadija to whom he recounted the event. She immediately trusted him and accepted Islam. A slight nuance however between Muhammad and Jesus is that while Jesus was opposed by his closest relatives, Muhammad was first and foremost recognized and accepted by his own bossom friends and people of his household. They knew him intimitely and would have detected the inconsistent actions and thoughts of a deceiver abroad and at home. This is strongly corroborative of his sincerity.
Jesus on the other hand was rejected in his hometown and by his family, despite his own parents knowing of the wonderful circumstances of his birth and childhood! His own mother, who gave birth to him miraculously, and his brothers James and Jude even thought he had gone mad Mk3.
Khadija also appeased Muhammad's fears of the consequence of having accepted the burden of prophecy with all the religious, social and political changes it would imply in his sordid and violent environement of the Age of Ignorence, the Jahiliyya.
As the prophet Ezekiel sat bewildered for 7 days among the people without uttering a word Ezek3:15 following a similar shocking first encounter with the revelational experience, so did the prophet Muhammad seek to recuperate ahead of his mission.
Against all political and economical wisdom, his wife Khadija decided to fully support him and reliquish her prestigious status and succesful commerce. Muhammad was given the Kawthar 108:1; the term covers the abundance of grace, wisdom and knowledge, mercy and goodness, spiritual power and insight. Through these faculties he was able to achieve, through his works, dignity in this world and in the hereafter, and was able to lead and establish a nation that would bear the torch of truth to the world. Muhammad would receive clear revelations from on high through dreams 8:43, wakefulness 17:1, through the holyspirit 26:193-4.
In answer to the video "Muhammad the Mystic and the Boy Under the Blanket"
At around the age of 40, Muhammad would retire in al Hira where he would meditate, and his loving wife Khadija would bring him food to help him in the process. A narration from Aisha relates how 6 months prior to that momentous event, the prophet had dreams every single night of happenings that would occur the following day. He was being prepared in an increasing manner to be in touch with the metaphysical realm. During one of those seclusions, Muhammad, extremely respected for his wisdom, truthfulness, honesty, charity and honourable character, is formally introduced to his momentous mission with the first revelation, consisting of the first 5 verses of Sura Al Alaq
96:1-5"Recite in the Name of Your Lord Who created. He created the human being from a clot. Recite and your Lord is Most Honourable, Who taught (to write) with the pen, taught the human being what he knew not".
The one who taught Muhammad these heavenly words was the same whom he would see in his dreams months prior. This led him to think at first that he was hallucinating. So when he first resisted the command to "read". In answer, the angelic visitor repeatedly hugged him with strength so he would know he was not hallucinating, that his experience was tangible and real. After resisting and interrupting three times and pressed three times, Muhammad allowed Jibril to reveal the verses in totality and recited exactly as he was commanded.
We're not talking of God or the angel of God, wrestling with a prophet, and that prophet overcoming him, as is alleged in regards to prophet Joseph in the Biblical account.
The prophet Muhammad's encounter with the metaphysical realm is very realistically depicted. He is a normal human being whose first reaction is fear and denial upon seeing a supernatural creature in a remote location, alone. That fear and confusion however did not pertain to the revelation itself, which he flawlessly recited when pressed the third time. As he was comforted by his entourage, then confirmed in his prophethood by the old Waraqa, his disbelief dissipated. That short and shocking introduction to revelation was followed by a long period, where no such supernatural encounter occurred. This is highly corroborative of the prophet's sincerity, as he was expected to keep on receiving revelation to enhance his credibility and corroborate his extraordinary claims. But as time passed, up to 3 years according to tradition, the prophet himself, despite his initial terror started longing for Jibril to return. When he did, it was again a magnificent but shocking sight
"While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up towards the sky, and behold! I saw the same Angel who came to me in the Cave of Hira', sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I was so terrified by him that I fell down on the ground. Then I went to my wife and said, 'Wrap me in garments! Wrap me in garments!' They wrapped me, and then Allah revealed: "O you, (Muhammad) wrapped-up! Arise and warn...and desert the idols." (74.1-5) Abu Salama said....Rujz means idols." After that, the Divine Inspiration started coming more frequently and regularly".
This time, the prophet did not resist uttering the revelation. Thereafter his heart was progressively accustomed to bearing the connection with the metaphysical realm through concise revelations, he would not experience fear and terror whenever the angel appeared. In fact, contrary to his initial resistance, a little after his first encounter, the prophet became so eager in memorizing, understanding and communicating the revelation, that he would hastily repeat what Gabriel inspired him, as he was receiving it. The Quran came to check him on that anxiousness, and to appease his fear
75:16-9"Move not your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with recitation of the Qur'an. Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation. So when We have recited it, then follow its recitation. Then upon Us is its clarification [to you]".
It is important to emphasize, prophethood came totally unexpectedly to him
28:86"And you did not expect that the Book would be inspired to you, but it is a mercy from your Lord".
He in addition never entertained, prior to it, the idea of political and religious leadership. As his early critics among the notables themselves objected, he was unimportant from that perspective prior to claiming prophethood and to them, such a weighty message, if true, should only be delivered to a notable 43:31. He did not display any such intent prior to it as his opponents themselves could not deny, nothing out of the ordinary in his demeanor and ambitions as would have been evident for anyone with political aspirations, besides his notoriety as a trustworthy and upright individual 10:16. That is also putting aside his state of shock following his vivid encounter with the divine, revealing utter unpreparedness for its implications. To these may be added the well-known facts of his denial of any desire for material gains out of his mission and, more particularly, his turning down of the Quraysh leaders' repeated offers of wealth, leadership and power to him in lieu of his abandoning his mission or compromising some of its tenets as repeatedly alluded to both in the Quran and traditions.
The exact process of revelation is a process unknown to humans and the prophets themselves do not understand its intricate details 17:85 however from the prophet Muhammad's testimony in the oral tradition where he describes the way he felt it coming to him, we know it could sometimes be a very powerful and internally violent experience. Especially so the very first revelation of sura Alaq that left him overwhelmed, exhausted and terrorized.
But he never thought he was being visited by evil entities like the jinn, that were believed to come to the poets with eloquent words. The prophet never doubted that his encounter was with an angelic entity, as described earlier. The Quran unequivocally identifies the carrier of God's word to the prophet as the angel Gabriel. And although no self-serving reports exist where the angel of revelation formally introduces himself, we do have many reports where the prophet identifies the agent of revelation as Gabriel.
In the darkest times of his prophetic mission, towards the beginning, the prophet Muhammad would often retreat in fear, as any human being would be in that situation. Violent opposition and derision, intense sacrifices and possible death, are the lot of the prophets, especially at the beginning of their call. Revelation would come to comfort him and pull him out of that state of mind. He would be told to rise and through acts of devotion, to prepare himself spiritually to be able to bear what is about to come down on him from on high
73:5"Surely We will make to light upon you a weighty Word".
The Quran often uses the image of vastness, greatness found in nature and more particularly the mountains when it wants to express the greatness of a thing, more specifically of this Revelation
14:46,10:22-23,42:33,59:21"Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect".
This kind of imagery, again pictured in 13:31, is meant at contrasting those whose hearts are more inert and harder to penetrate by divine guidance, than a massive mountain would be. This literary style also serves the purpose of picturing the importance of Revelation; it takes a special kind of creature with a special kind of internal disposition to be able to bear it, in addition to bearing the consequences of having to communicate it. The word used in sura sharh to describe what kind of burden Muhammad was relieved from through God's expansion of his chest is wizr, used for something nearly unbearable
94:1-3"Have We not expanded for you your breast, And taken off from you your burden, Which pressed heavily upon your back".
What is rendered "pressed heavily" is anqada which actually is used when something is about to break. The prophet Moses at the beginning of his call and prior to his confrontation with Pharao requested from God the same spiritual relief and strengthening 20:25. God repeatedly gives Muhammad instructions to prepare himself spiritually, through acts of devotion, for the momentous task at hand
73:5"Surely We will make to light upon you a weighty Word".
There are narrations speaking of the effects of revelation, not only on the prophet but on those around him; his camel would sit and sink into the sand, a close companion whose knee happened to be under that of the prophet almost shattered.
All of the various manifestations of revelation on him were far removed from any sign of neuronal illness, as some malicious critics have recently suggested, since he never lost consciousness or memory during the process. The slander of epilepsy, unsurprisingly finds its source 200 years following the prophet's death by the pens of Bible loving Christians the likes of Theophanes. The Arabs knew what was the disease of epilepsy, even had a word for it. Once Ibn Abbas narrated
“This black lady came to the Prophet and said, ‘I get attacks of epilepsy/sara'a and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.’ The Prophet said (to her), ‘If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.’ She said, ‘I will remain patient,’ and added, ‘but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.’ So he invoked Allah for her".
None of his revelational experiences as reported in the ahadith conform to the symptoms of a mental illness. When he was first visited by Gabriel who compelled him the "Read". He was fully conscious and returned home terrified. When the painful ringing of a bell occurs, he retains what was revealed to him then recites it. His companions witnessed sweat drops forming on his forehead even on cold days, after which he would recite the revelation. When the burden of revelation descended on him and his face turned red on account of its intensity, Ubida b. Samit said he would then begin reciting. Similar events would precede a recitation, as witnessed by his companions, such as when his camel's legs would sink in the sand or a person's leg above which the prophet's leg was resting would almost crush from the weight.
Even though some physical effects of the revelation may resemble those of epilepsy, such as trembling and foaming, they could as well be due to the intensity of the process upon his body. This effect (trembling or foaming) was not generalized and again, immediately after the prophet would gain lucidity and begin to recite. Epileptic seizures are for the most part followed by a state of confusion and amnesia. The Prophet experienced revelation in all situations, when he was seated, standing, walking or riding, morning and evening, and even when he was talking to others, whether friends or foes. Revelation would come unexpectedly and cease just as suddenly. It would last only for a very brief period.
The prophet's experience, besides being witnessed as it occurred to him and changed his demeanour, or when it physically affected things around him, is also attested in the ahadith, speaking of a man appearing out of nowhere on several occasions in the life of the prophet and the community. That person would then take on a leading role, including to teach the prophet and his followers, publicly, the daily prayers, as well as to command him and the Muslim soldiers, to besiege the treacherous tribe of Bani Qurayza. These are not trivial issues, whether from the point of view of the religion, or the life of the community, showing that the prophet, although the uncontested leader of his people, was not acting from his own accord in essential matters. The ahadith relate several other encounters with the same man, unknown to the closest companions, appearing in unlikely circumstances among the people, then disappearing, and always in slightly different physical shape. He would be identified as the angel Jibril whenever the people inquired to the prophet. This "man" was around the prophet and the community from the very beginning, as the prophet was taught the first revelation, to other instances where the companions witnessed him teaching the Quran to the prophet, to when they saw him visit the prophet when he became sick. In terms of resemblance, the prophet likened him to a companion named Dihya. Someone else once confused him with Dihya too. Dihya as a side note, was not influential in the community in any way, even after the prophet's death did not attain to any leading position, neither was he among the closest companions whose decisions were considered by the prophet, nor was he knowledgeable so as to contribute to the Quran. Despite this closeness of interaction, none among the community was able to get a hold of the mysterious visitor, or could interact with him once the purposes of his visits were over. Medina's population at the time was around 20.000, the type of social life was very open and each individual had a very large network of friends and kinsfolk. It would have been impossible for this man to escape the people's grasp, let alone the numerous hypocrites who were always on the lookout to discredit the prophet, had he been known or been living in or anywhere near Medina. Other appearances were observed during battles, with men dressed as the occasional visitor of the prophet was
"Narrated Sa`d: On the day of the battle of Uhud, on the right and on the left of the Prophet were two men wearing white clothes, and I had neither seen them before, nor did I see them afterwards".
Just as the first revelation of the Quran caused him extreme fatigue, as well as overwhelmed him emotionally, we see the same pattern in regards to the revelational experience of the prophets of the HB. When the word of God descends it is described as Deut33:2"fiery", and prophets the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel stated concerning the revelational experience that it can be
Isa8:11"overwhelming"
Jer20:9"And it was in my heart like a burning fire"
and Ezek2:2,8"the spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and it stood me on my feet...hearken to what I speak to you, open your mouth and eat what I give you..".
Daniel fell in a swoon when the angel Gabriel began speaking to him Dan8:15-18. He lost consciousness a second time when the angelic carrier of revelation visited him and spoke to him directly Dan10:4-9. The angel Gabriel, after having assumed the shape of a human being, infused Daniel with strength in order for him to regain consciousness and be able to speak Dan10:10-19.
Obviously none of this pattern among the Israelite prophets and the Ishmaelite prophet parallel with Saul/Paul's encounter with a shining light. Similarly, the Pharisees' reaction was justified in Acts2:13 when they mockingly alluded to people on the day of pentecost as a group of drunkards, for their odd, erratic behaviour and incomprehensible speech; this type of effect that the indwelling spirit of holiness supposedly had on them was something unheard of in the prophetic history. No prophet who received the holyspirit ever behaved in such a manner, whether the prophets of the HB down to the last Ishmaelite prophet.
Concerning Malachi, it is described as
Mal1:1"The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel in the hand of Malachi".
Again when comparing true inspiration to the alleged prophetic dreams of false prophets God states
Jer23:29"Is not My word so like fire? says the Lord, and like a hammer that shatters a rock?".
There always is an element of compulsion, implying that when God chooses an individual to be the recipient of revelation, prophecy seizes him against his will, as alluded to by Ezekiel who was fearfully setting himself to confront a highly sinful nation of Israelites
Ezek3:14,11:5"and I went, embittered in the wrath of my spirit, and the hand of the Lord became strong upon me..Then the spirit of the Lord fell upon me".
Depending on the manner in which it is communicated it can be extremely terrorizing, the prophet Amos compares it to the roaring of a lion Amos3:8, and when revelation was collectively bestowed upon the Israelites, they even thought they would die, begging Moses to put a halt to the experience by becoming their sole intermediary with God Deut5:23-27. There are also mention of various degrees of revelation intensity, such as in Numbers11:17 speaking of God intensifying the spirit of prophecy that was filling Moses, or doubling the power of the spirit of prophecy from a prophet to another, from Elijah to Elisha who effectively was granted double the miracles than his master Elijah 2Kings2:9.
It is also important emphasizing that the medium of revelation is always angelic, just as with the prophet Muhammad.
The weightier the revelation in terms of implications and importance, the more intense and overwhelming it is to the human recipient. One cannot compare the revelation to Zakariyya of a future child, to the revelation of the Torah and the covenant experienced by the Israelites at Mt Sinai who consequently thought they would die, or to the revelation bestowed upon Muhammad, one that could shatter a mountain if it was made to descend on it. The Quran speaks of the capabilities and prestige of the carriers of revelation to Muhammad's heart so as to highlight this weightiness. There is a reason why Waraqa the Christian in his old age, after learning of what had occurred with Muhammad immediately declares it is namus, the Arabic transcription of the Greek nomos meaning Law or Torah. Waraqa recognized that what Muhammad experienced was the same as had once happened to Moses with the sending down of the Torah on Sinai.
Nobody witnessed Paul's vision of Jesus and even the accounts given in the NT contradict themselves about what was allegedly seen or heard. No Apostles witnessed the alleged crucifixion, they all fled according to the NT Matt26:56. Nobody saw an angel telling Mary about the risen Jesus. No Apostles witnessed Jesus talking to Satan, no Apostles witnessed Mary giving birth to Jesus and they didnt see the angels. There were no witnesses to the Holy Spirit descending upon the various prophets within the HB that spoke to Israel. General revelation, descending upon people indiscriminately happened only once in the history of mankind and was stopped quickly, upon the people's request, fearing they would die as already shown above.
And for the already shown reasons, prophecy needs a special kind of eligibility, preparation, and purity of soul. All the wires of the vast electrical system of a city cannot be expected to receive the same high amount of electricity that immediately arrives into the initial thick wires directly from the main generator. Hence the vain and misplaced requests of some of the prophet Muhammad's contemporaries to experience revelation like he did
2:118-9,74:52,6:124"We will not believe until we are given the like of what was given to God's messengers. Allah knows best where to place His messengership".
The Quran is the testimony of God not based upon whether we see an angel coming to Muhammad or not, the Quran is the testimony of God based upon its own internal evidence. We know an angel came to Muhammad because of the Quran, not the other way around
36:2-3"by the Quran full of wisdom, Most surely you are one of the messengers",
the wisdom of this Quran is the evidence that it is from God and that Muhammad is His prophet. Prophets are those whom God chooses to speak with, and their authority comes by the signs that God manifests to people. Belief in Prophets isnt based upon who is witnessing what, its dictated by what they bring to establish their Prophethood. We have the Quran, Christians never saw the resurrection and dont even have one Bible.
In answer to the video "Muhammad the Mystic and the Boy Under the Blanket"
Saf Ibn Sayyad was a Jew and once when asked by the prophet if he testified to his prophethood he answered that, just as the learned Jews of the past and today reluctantly admit, Muhammad indeed was a prophet but not to the Israelites. Saf continued, in a challenging tone
"Do you bear witness to the fact that I am the messenger of Allah? Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) rejected this and said: I affirm my faith in Allah and in His messengers".
Notice the prophet's tactful and eloquent negation of ibn Sayyad's arrogance. He did not repond with a negation or affirmation. He answered rethorically, forcing the questionner to deduct by himself the true answer.
"Then he said (to Ibn Saiyad), "What do you think?" Ibn Saiyad answered, "True people and liars visit me." The Prophet said, "You have been confused as to this matter." Then the Prophet said to him, "I have kept something (in my mind) for you, (can you tell me that?)" Ibn Saiyad said, "It is Al-Dukh (the smoke)."
Thereupon Allah's Messenger said: May you be disgraced and dishonoured, you would not be able to go beyond your rank. 'Umar b. Khattab said: Allah's Messenger, permit me that I should strike his neck. Therupon Allah's Messenger said: If he is the same (Dajjal) who would appear near the Last Hour, you would not be able to overpower him, and if he is not that there is no good for you to kill him".
This long hadith shows something important. The prophet did not come to Saf ibn Sayyad randomly and started questioning him. There were speculations he might be the dajjal to the point people wanted to kill him, and so the prophet went to him publicly in order to discredit him and put an end to the negative attention he was generating; first by getting him to freely admit to Muhammad's prophethood, then by eloquently negating Saf's arrogant claim to prophethood, and finally showing that he had no special knowledge that could distinguish him from anyone, he couldn't see anything in the prophet's mind but smoke.
Since these steps did not decisively end the rumours, the prophet went together with a witness to attempt to overhear anything which would prove the deceit on Saf's part but when they were discovered and that the prophet could not catch him red handed saying anything compromising, the prophet then followed up by clearly defining to the suspicious people how to recognize the dajjal when he will actually appear.
Later on Saf would convert and become a devout, practicing Muslim, and would even reiterate the prophet's descriptions of the dajjal to those who still were suspicious and fearful of him. In another version of that encounter, ibn Sayyad doesnt answer the prophet's question on the unseen with a blurry "vision" of smoke. Instead he clearly sees the throne of Allah over the waters
"Whereupon Allah's Messenger said: You see the throne of Iblis upon the water", and what else do you see? He said: I see two truthfuls and a liar or two liars and one truthful. Thereupon Allah's Messenger said: Leave him He has been confounded".
The prophet first corrects his supposed divine vision by telling him he has been deceived. Iblis deceives by all means and all avenues except in true visions which, per the Quran he has no access to. He was making the false prophet ibn Sayyad think he was having a divine vision of God on His throne. It is interesting to note that the prophet had said that, to imitate the Creator, Iblis also established himself on a throne
"Verily Satan puts his throne on ocean and sets veils around himself. This way he imitates Allah, the Almighty".
In yet another version of the encounter, ibn Sayyad says that his vision was
"a throne on the sea , surrounded by serpents then the Prophet said “that is the throne of Iblees".
Following this, the noble prophet, for ibn Sayyad's own sake, still gave him a chance to stop his shameful, deceitful act but instead, he gave an even more confused "vision" that further discredited him. At that point the prophet could have chosen to execute him as eagerly proposed by one of his companions, without this action diminishing an iota from his credibility as a true prophet.
The Bible orders to kill false prophets, a command the prophets of the Bible ruthlessly applied in many cases, slaughtering false prophets in masse.
Instead Muhammad told his companions to leave this confused fellow wandering on in his delusions. Ibn Sayyad later came to the truth, as already mentioned, like other contemporary Jews that initially opposed the prophet, accepting Islam and dying as devout Muslims.
As regards that end times figure, the traditions refer to him as the deceiver or the messiah deceiver. Among his recognizable features, of which both the traditions and the Quran warn about, is that he will urge people to believe in him as both God and messiah, waging war and oppression against those that dont
3:79-80"It is not meet for a mortal that Allah should give him the Book and the wisdom and prophethood, then he should say to men: Be my servants rather than Allah's; but rather (he would say): Be worshippers of the Lord because of your teaching the Book and your reading (it yourselves). And neither would he enjoin you that you should take the angels and the prophets for lords; what! would he enjoin you with unbelief after you are Muslims?"
He will gain many followers which isnt surprising, given that Christianity's central belief is in a divine messiah who shall return in this world as a warrior figure. They will be the foremost to be deceived. Many details, both in the canonized and apocryphal Christian traditions have circulated, some true others false, some having survived and others disappeared. Among the details that were common in the region of the Levant, was that the dajjal will not step foot in Mecca and Medina, a notion which Tamim addari, a Christian convert later confirmed
" I am going to tell you about myself and I am Dajjal and would be soon permitted to get out and so I shall get out and travel in the land, and will not spare any town where I would not stay for forty nights except Mecca and Medina as these two (places) are prohibited (areas) for me and I would not make an attempt to enter any one of these two. An angel with a sword in his hand would confront me and would bar my way and there would be angels to guard every passage leading to it; then Allah's Messenger striking the pulpit with the help of the end of his staff said: This implies Taiba meaning Medina. Have I not, told you an account (of the Dajjal) like this? 'The people said: Yes, and this account narrated by Tamim Dari was liked by me for it corroborates the account which I gave to you in regard to him (Dajjal) at Medina and Mecca".
Many deceiving messiahs have in fact already appeared, some even claiming divinity, and many more will come
"The Hour shall not be established until nearly thirty imposters, Dajjal appear, each of them claiming that he is the Messenger of Allah".
Every true prophet has warned against such a phenomenon in a different way
"l warn you against him (i.e. the Dajjal) and there was no prophet but warned his nation against him. No doubt, Noah warned his nation against him but I tell you about him something of which no prophet told his nation before me..."
