Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Original Forgiveness – Did Original Sin Really End with Adam?" (2)


In 7:170-179,46:27 Allah explains that 
"We make clear the communications, and that haply they might return". 
The concept of returning to God implies that the instinctive ability to perceive His existence is in human nature 7:172, and that man's turning away from Him is an unnatural consequence of his spiritual degeneration. In other instances Allah says that this Quran is "their" reminder, ie with the aim of bringing them back to their true uncorrupted nature that must lead them to recognize divine guidance, bring them back to the way from which they have deviated 23:71,74. 

It is a pervasive notion seen in many Quranic terminologies, as for example the inaba/returning to God 30:33 where the Arabic derived from "noub" means returning again to something. This is because the most fundamental Quranic teaching is that man’s nature is hardwired with monotheism and theology, while polytheism is alien to it. 

The concept of Allah "misguiding" is then introduced, through the parable 
7:175"of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray". 
Because they first turned their backs to the guiding light leading them to the straigth path, and followed a different path, disputed about Allah without knowledge and deliberately misused and misinterpreted His guidance, innovated in religion 6:140,22:4,74:31 the shaitan/evil entities among the men and jinns managed to overtake them and lead them further away from the correct path. Such people are 
"unjust to their own souls" 
and indulging in spiritual self-destruction, willfuly opening up the door to the whisperings of evil beings. They are responsible for their straying and the statement that Allah causes their "idlal" means He abandons them altogether to thread the wrong path they have freely decided to walk on despite all warnings to the contrary 
7:178,186"Whomsoever Allah causes to be lost/yudil, there is no guide for him; and He leaves them alone in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on". 
In the background in which the Quran was revealed, the word idlal from d-l-l carried strong implications, since being lost in the desert would most often result in a painful death.
Once truth has been clearly made distinct from error, a volitional entity cannot be coerced into accepting a proposition against its will 2:256,18:29. God "misguides" them by removing His guidance 53:30, providing them what they wish for and leaving them to walk the path they freely choose 
2:257,7:30"A part has He guided aright and (as for another) part, error is justly their due, surely they took the Shaitans for guardians beside Allah, and they think that they are followers of the right". 
At that point, rejection of the right path, causes one to enter into a path where warnings and signs of truth, the light of guidance and the correct spiritual direction are absent 
24:40,59:19,64:6,9:67"they have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them". 
The only active guidance left on that path is that from the evil guardians spoken of above, now more than readily taken as open friends, yet they truly are the weakest of all guardians 29:41. The feebleness of their opposition is likened in 9:32 to the puff from a person's mouth attempting to extinguish a strong light. No matter their plots and machinations looking complex and elaborate on the outside, they are as a spider's web taken away by a breeze, while Allah's guardianship which they have rejected is 
31:22"the firmest thing upon which one can lay hold"
 elsewhere described as an extended rope of salvation which the believers are urged to hold fast by 3:101-3,4:175,22:78 and warned not to sell for a small price once they have tied themselves with it, to God 2:27,3:77,5:7.
As demonstrated through the history of previous nations upon whom revelation was bestowed, as soon as they forsook their covenant with God, they became disunited and their comunity disintegrated. This disunion is counted in the Quran as a divine punishement 6:65. The use of the spider's web, as well as other insect habitations, to convey the sense of fraility of a false system is found in previous scriptures too Job8:14,27:18. 

Allah's guardianship is the strongest foundation upon which one can build his spirituality 
9:109"Is he, therefore, better who lays his foundation on fear of Allah and (His) good pleasure, or he who lays his foundation on the edge of a cracking hollowed bank, so it broke down with him into the fire of hell; and Allah does not guide the unjust people". 
Allah remains the Watcher over them despite them having rejected His guardianship and turned away, thinking they have any ability to really choose a protector other than the sole keeper of all that exists 42:6,9,48. 

Clearly, Allah's turning away from those who initially willfully turned away from His guidance, is what causes their misguidance. Just as with divine guidance, divine misguidance is always contingent on an initial willful action. The lights of guidance are turned off, not haphazardly but in consequence of persistent rejection, which leaves nothing but darkness. That is the definition of divine misguidance/abandonement 
10:11"We leave those alone who hope not for Our meeting in their inordinacy, blindly wandering on".
 As plainly stated in 7:170-179, Allah sends guidance to all indiscriminately so He cannot be spoken of as arbitrarily "leading astray" as stated here regarding the Thamud nation 
41:17"We showed them the right way, but they chose error above guidance". 

The objects of idlal are therefore always those who have already turned away and chose the wrong path
 14:27,40:34,68:7"Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course" 
or 
45:23"Allah has made him err having knowledge" 
ie knowing what he has done previously to deserve being left in error 
"him who takes his low desire for his god". 
When the prophet David in the HB admonishes the entire nation through his own son Solomon, he very eloquently describes this notion. God sends guidance to all but does not insist on those that shut themselves to it 
1Chr28:9"And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father and worship Him with a whole heart and with an eager soul, for the Lord seeks all hearts, and He understands the thoughts of every creation; if you seek Him, He will be found to you, and if you forsake Him, He will abandon you forever".

Similarly in 7:16,15:39 after Iblis' curse, he says it is Allah who "ighwa" -literally "made him err". How was this done? Indirectly and not arbitrarily, not by compeling Iblis to sin but by puting him in a situation where his own arrogance and prejudice were exposed. The choice was of course his, to either obey or disobey the command. He chose rebellion and his reasons given to God after he was given the chance to explain himself were evil and totally unjustified.

This is a central theme in the Quran, that God aids all people in the direction that they want to take. The notion is also present throughout the HB, as in 
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Sam Shamoun "Original Forgiveness – Did Original Sin Really End with Adam?" (1)


In accordance with the divinely established system of freewill, guidance is a condition of Allah's will in the sense that He has decreed that He will guide only those who seek guidance. This is a very common Quranic terminology, for example it is stated that God grants success in the hereafter to 
22:14"those who believe and do good deeds" 
and the sentence ends with 
"Allah does what He pleases".
Doing what He pleases in relation to success in the hereafter does not mean designating people haphazardly or arbitrarily regardless of their condition, but it means doing what He pleases in regards to the decreeing of laws and enforcing them, laws according to which 
"Allah will cause those who believe and do good deeds to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow".
Divine guidance is a grace from God with which He rewards all who desire to be guided, reflecting that desire through certain sincere actions 
28:56,24:46"from on high have We bestowed messages clearly showing the truth; but God guides onto a straight way [only] him that wills [to be guided]". 
The ever recurrent divine statement 
"Allah yahdi man yasha" 
lit. means 
"Allah guides whom wills". 
Linguistically, it can equally be rendered as 
"Allah guides whom He wills" 
but it is closer both implicitly and explicitly to 
"Allah guides whom wills to be guided" 
since there are instances where the phrase is used with God as the direct subject 74:56. Both renditions still however carry the same meaning: Allah knows those who are willing and deserving His spiritual guidance and He will grant it to them 
28:56"Allah guides whom He will/Allah yahdi man yasha and He knows best those who are willing to be guided". 
This is the major point often missed by non-Muslims coming across this peculiar Quranic terminology, as well as some Muslims themselves who advocate predestination; the overarching principle in terms of freewill and causality is that God does as He said He will do, not as others want him to do. This is the meaning of God doing "what He wills". The prophets throughout the Quran have captured that notion to their people, including Jesus 
5:116"If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise". 
God doing "what He wills" to His creatures is connected to His might and wisdom; He will never do an injustice to anyone 
4:40"Surely Allah does not do injustice to the weight of an atom, and if it is a good deed He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward".
Further, by making the "release" of guidance strictly in God's will, contingent upon criteria He alone validates, leaves no room for pride, boldness and complacency in anyone regarding the matter. The expression appears in similar contexts in order to negate all prejudice, when speaking of forgiveness 5:18 or prophetic guidance 3:73-4.

It is a central theme of the Quran, sometimes inside a larger sura or in the form of an entire sura as in the fatiha, to teach the believer how to seek Allah's guidance. 
 
Man has to first choose by himself the basic guidance that has been made available to all human beings, as pledged to Adam, in various forms such as revelations or scriptures 
4:174"O People, surely there has come to you manifest proof from your Lord and We have sent to you clear light". 
This verse manifests the supplicant's prayer in sura fatiha, where he asks God for guidance towards the right way. After having been exposed to this indiscriminate divine guidance, one is free to accept it as there is no coercion in religion 2:256,18:29. The finding of the right direction therefore originates first through man's own choice and inner struggle 
47:17,91:7-8,13:11"surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition". 
Once that basic, indiscriminate guidance is accepted, God further increases in guidance those that seek Him 
3:101,4:175"Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path". 
This is Allah's internal guidance. It is contingent on man's initial willingness to be guided, which is reflected in deeds and attitude. Countless verses reflect that notion including 2:213,4:69,5:16, 6:117,10:9,12:22,19:76,28:56,29:69,31:4-5,42:13,53:30,58:22,64:11,68:7 and many more verses where Allah declares that He best knows who are the followers of the right way and strive therein from those who choose to go astray, those who incline to truth, who obey and believe in Him, the doers of good, worship Him with certainty of heart, those who turn to Him and those who give priority to true faith above any other principle that may contradict it. These are the people that He guides, impresses faith on their hearts, bestows on them wisdom and knowledge 28:14 (as similarly stated by Solomon in Prov2:7), His mercy and grace 4:70,175. 

These are the ones whose breasts are expanded so as to give them inner certainty and create a favorable receptacle for guidance 6:125,18:13,39:22-23. The most eminent of prophets such as Moses and Muhammad similarly had their chest expanded as they set themselves to face the tyrants of their times 20:25,94:1. The servants of God are further tranquilized, healed, and strengthened in their hearts 10:57,48:4. Just as the believing youths who had fled their land on account of the religious persecution and hid in a cave were increased and established in guidance 18:13-4. Solomon in the HB stated concerning God's guidance 
Prov3:8"it shall be healing for your navel and marrow for your bones". 
Long before, as Solomon was placed on the throne and shouldered with the responsibility of building the Temple, David his father admonished the nation through him, reminding him of that notion of conditional divine guidance 
1Chr28:9"And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father and worship Him with a whole heart and with an eager soul, for the Lord seeks all hearts, and He understands the thoughts of every creation; if you seek Him, He will be found to you, and if you forsake Him, He will abandon you forever".

God's communications become self-evident to the rightly guided 29:49, making their "steps firm" 14:27,47:7 during their ascent to moral heights. Although this ascent may seem like an uphill climb, it ultimately leads to a pure, happy and fulfilled life for the God-conscious, whether in this world or the next 16:97,90:11-18,92:7. 

Those that reject Resurrection and the Hereafter on the other hand live in mental torture as regards the higher meanings of all occurrences in this life 34:7-8. Contrary to those whose hearts are at peace and who walk firmly the path of this world, evil entities make the disbelievers' step "slippery" 3:155, an imagery employed in previous scriptures Jer23:12,Ps35:6 and sometimes attributed to God Ps73:18. This is because the righteous' way is enlightened while the one of the wicked is dark and crooked regardless of his perception of it, as here stated by Solomon 
Prov5:18-19"But the way of the righteous is like the light of dawn; it shines ever brighter until the day is perfect. The way of the wicked is like pitch darkness; they do not know on what they stumble". 

The notion of God guiding the righteous who walk in His way, making their steps firm by leveling and smoothing their path is expressed in the Hebrew Bible Isa26:7,Ps4:8,18:33,27:11,143:8,Jer31:8. David supplicated God for that 
Ps5:9"O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness; because of those who lie in wait for me, make Your way straight before me". 
The effect was that God
 Ps18:37"enlarged my step[s] beneath me, and my ankles have not slipped". 
Solomon depicted the one who attains spiritual and moral heights 
Prov3:23"Then you shall go securely on your way, and your foot shall not stumble". 
The prophet Habakkuk said concerning the uplifting nature of divine guidance 
Hab3:19"The Sovereign Lord is my strength, He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights".
The rightly guided ones are given a clear discernement of right and wrong during that process 
6:122,7:201,47:17,57:28"and make for you a light with which you will walk". 
It is God-consciousness that prevents man from being misled into the path of the spiritually unaware. Elsewhere the Quran is very appropriately referred to as al-Furqan/the Criterion, precisely for its endowing the believer with the correct insight to discriminate between right and wrong 
25:1,45:20"This (Quran) is visions for the people and guidance and mercy for a people who are certain"
 and answer the call of 
8:24"that which gives you life; and know that Allah intervenes between man and his heart". 
In a hadith, the prophet Muhammad quotes Allah 
"My servant continues to draw closer to Me with voluntary acts of worship until he becomes beloved to Me. And when I love him, I become the hearing with which he hears, and the seeing with which he sees". 
It is interesting to note that in the hereafter, this spiritual light will become physical light. Only those who possessed it in this life will be able to use it to find their way in the hereafter. That sharpness of spiritual insight endowed upon those God deems fit is such that faith and righteousness become the dearest of values while unbelief and transgression become hated 49:7-8. 

Love of Truth and aversion towards everything false and sinful is the natural outcome of the acceptance of the straight path. One becomes in a heightened state of spiritual awareness, constantly longing to be increased in divine knowledge and wisdom. It is however important to keep in view that the Quran here is not speaking of hatred towards the sinful person itself. There are countless verses encouraging rectitude and compassion indiscriminately even towards one's enemies, and regardless of the person's religion or lack thereof. Religious hatred is hatred for evil and evil deeds. This again, demonstrates the supreme pragmatism of the Quran; infatuated love and destructive hatred completely miss the mark. One hates for the sake of God and loves for the sake of God. One hates the evil deed because it harms the sinner, just as one loves the good deed because it brings one closer to guidance. 

The HB surely echoes the theme of religious hatred although it amalgamates hatred towards the individual itself as reflected in David's 
Psalms119:104-5,139:21-22"From Your precepts I shall gain understanding; therefore, I hate all ways of falsehood. Your words are a lamp for my foot, and light for my path...Did I not hate Your enemies, O Lord? With those who rise up against You, I quarrel. I hate them with utmost hatred; they have become my enemies". 

Solomon reflected that notion too Proverbs2:7-10,13:5. Again in 2Sam22, the prophet David speaks of God's guidance as the lamp by which one walks in darkness, levelling the obstacles along the path, 
making every step firm, a rock, forteress and shield of salvation. In his later days, he would state 
Ps19:9"the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes". 
It is obedience to God's commandements, meaning initial action and proof of submission to the divine will, that then causes one's inner self to be lit up. And just as transgression is hated by the upright, to turn away from it is just as hated by the spiritually dead Prov13:19.

The Quran, which repeatedly says it is a guidance for mankind, also says that its guidance is conditional on the internal disposition of the one who approaches it. That internal disposition is nurtured through deep reflection on the physical signs in the heavens and the earth, leading one to acknowledgement the unseen realities, such as a higher purpose of existence, the existence of a Creator and the inevitable return to Him. Finally one has to display sincerity in his thoughts and deeds, which characterizes itself through the person's readiness to put the revealed teachings into practice 2:1-4,45:1-6.

The same is stated by Jesus in his sermon Matt5 where he describes the bestowal of God's spiritual blessings as being contingent on righteousness and spiritual awareness. He says the same in the bags of gold parable where a master favors his servants with wealth proportionate to their abilities, like God favors his servants whom he graces with guidance depending on their degree of spiritual awareness. The more God-conscious in their faith and behavior, the more they are granted spiritual insight. The spiritually blind get nothing and are kept away from guidance as often stated by Jesus Mk4:10-12,Matt7:6,13:13-15.

Similarly to "Allah yahdi man yasha", in 42:13 Allah says that 
"yahdi man yunib" 
meaning 
"he who turns". 
Just like "man yasha", "man yunib" must be referring to the people not to Allah, because they are doing the action of Inabah (turning to Allah) 
13:27"Surely Allah makes him who will go astray, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him)/man anaba". 
Therefore similarly "man yashaa", must mean those who already believe and who want to be guided by Allah 
22:54"and most surely Allah is the Guide (hadi) of those who believe, into a right path". 
That Quranic expression "Allah yahdi man yasha" or "Allah yahdi man yunib" is also used in other variants such as "Allah yahdi man yurid" and demonstrates again that principle of Allah guiding whom wills to be guided. For example in 6:104 Allah states that each one is free to follow the communications when they come to them and then through 22:16 Allah declares to have sent the Quran containing clear arguments, Allah guides through it "man yurid"/he who wills.
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Sam Shamoun "Allah and his Messenger Fail A Scientific Test"


There are several wordings of this hadith. 

It occurred when Umm Sulaim, a woman from the Ansar, boldly came to the prophet 
"Messenger of God, God is not ashamed of the truth. Is any washing necessary for a woman when she has a sexual dream?” 
The prophet tells her women, like men, should purify if they see the liquid discharge when they wake up. Umm Salama the prophet's wife, who was also present, felt ashamed about the topic of discussion, trying to pass off the notion of wet dreams for females as something she was unaware off 
"You have embarrassed the women. Do women experience wet dreams?". 
Aisha, who was also present, was equally embarrassed, telling the questionner 
"May your hand be covered with dust and injured". 
The prophet rebuked them both 
"Leave her alone. In what way does the child resemble her but for the fact that when her water/MAA' is dominant, the born child resembles his maternal uncles but if the water/MAA' of the man was dominant, the born child should resemble his paternal uncles". 
Water is a very general term that can mean several things in that context, including sperm, vaginal discharge, follicular fluid, and even genes. In other versions of the hadith, there is clarification of the discharge that is meant as being involved in genetics 
"Muslim added in the version of Umm Sulaim, "The man’s liquid is coarse and white, the woman’s fine and yellow, so the resemblance comes from the one which prevails or comes first". 
What transpires from this is the prophet's cool-headed response despite the awkwardness of the moment. He tells the woman what to do in her situation then follows by rhetorically rebuking his condescending wives; he confirms the notion of female wet dreams during which discharge may be emitted, then, further presses on the very topic of female discharge which his wives found embarrassing, by saying which type of liquid is involved in genetics. 

This idea of dominance as a factor that determines physical attributes in a future child is seen in a similar hadith that occurs on a different occasion 
"The water of the man is white and the water/MAA' of the woman is yellow. When they get together, if the sperm/MANNI of the man dominates the sperm/MANNI of the woman, the child is male, by the permission of Allah, and if the sperm of the woman dominates the sperm of the man, the child is a female by the permission of Allah". 
The Arabic "manni" never refers to female secretion, but only to the male's. For a woman it is maa', as in the first part of the hadith. Here again the idea of dominance is implied. Sperm carries male and female chromosomes. At some point, within one sperm cell, one of the chromosomes is inactivated in favour of another who then becomes dominant. The future child's gender is therefore determined, among other things, by whether a sperm with a dominant gender characteristic overcomes the sperm with the opposite dominant gender characteristic.

Interestingly the prophet mentioned that physical traits also go beyond the direct implication of the parents
“A man from Banu Fazarah came to the Messenger of Allah, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, my wife has given birth to a black boy! The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Do you have camels?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘What color are they?’ He said: ‘Red.’ He said: ‘Are there any grey ones among them?’ He said: ‘Yes, there are some grey ones among them.’ He said: ‘Where does that come from?’ He said: ‘Perhaps it is hereditary.’ He said: ‘Likewise, perhaps this is hereditary! “
In another narration, the prophet attributed a woman's impregnation/sowing to one partner, regardless of being "watered" by different men while pregnant 
"It is not lawful for a man who believes in God and the last day to water what another has sown with his water". 
It is an ethically, morally detestable thing to do even though physically, the most a sexual partner's semen can do in this case is to "water" what has already been sown. 
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Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Session on the Deification of Muhammad Pt. 2" (2)


True faith must have precedence over anything and anyone that could cause one to deviate from the straight path 58:22,64:14. That is why Jesus stated he came to severe kinship ties Matt10:34,Lk14:26. See also Micah7:6,Matt30:21-36 for the severing of family ties when they become disbelievers and opponents of the faith. The following Quranic statement follows the same principle 
33:6"The Prophet has a greater claim on the faithful than they have on themselves, and his wives are (as) their mothers". 
It is the prophet that provides the perfect example to follow 
33:21"for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much". 
It is thus logical that love of God and the one representing His will must take precedence over any other emotional attachment 9:24. Loving God and His messenger of course does not entail loving them both equally. Muslims love their prophet because he is God's foremost representative. They love him because of their love for Allah 
3:31"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful". 
This is captured through the typical Quranic use of elliptical sentence structure in (word for word)
9:62"They swear by Allah to you to please you. And Allah and His Messenger has more right that they should please Him, if they are believers".
 Here the love for Allah eclipses the love for the messenger, which is implicit. The full rendition of the verse without the ellipsis would be
 9:62"They swear to you (plur.) by Allah that they might please you (plur.) and, Allah has a greater right that they should please Him, and His Messenger has a greater right too that they should please him, if they are believers". 
The essence of the religion of Islam is one where there is reciprocal love between Allah and His devoted servants 5:54. It is the driving force that pushes one to be compassionate towards one's fellow human being 76:27. Allah in fact is the source of love, whether it is the spiritual love among brethren in faith 19:96 or the instinctive, natural love between a man and a woman 30:21. 

There is no ambiguity that the object of worship is Allah, Who makes His will known through His prophet.

Among the major tenets that came with every prophet was unconditional obedience to them in the sphere of the religion. God's infaillible representatives, who selflessly spend every drop of their energy, night and day, for the purpose of causing spiritual awakening in their nation, are to be obeyed 
5:12,3:50,71:3,26:106-108,124-126,142-144,161-163,177-179,4:64"And We did not send any messenger but that he should be obeyed by Allah's permission". 
This obedience must be without hesitation 4:65 because their qualities of wisdom and authority were granted by God 
6:84-90"These are they whom Allah guided, therefore follow their guidance". 
The most glaring example of retribution and evil to befall a people who are hesitant to obey their prophet is that of the Israelites who were sent to wander 40 years in the desert and prevented entry to the promised land for having shown distrust in their prophet. Obeying the prophets in the sphere of religion and divine instructions is therefore tantamount to obeying the One who sent them 
3:31,4:80"Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah, and whoever turns back, so We have not sent you as a keeper over them". 
In that area, a prophet's will is one that stems from God's will 53:3-4. It is natural then that it overrules someone's own will whether public or private 33:6. We thus find that the closest followers of the prophets, the most sincere and devout, were ready to give up everything, including their lives as instructed by these messengers of God 
"Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah said, “The wealth of no one has benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr.” Abu Bakr wept and he said, “My life and my wealth are only for you, O Messenger of Allah."" 
These followers understood very well that the will of a prophet stems directly from Allah's will and thus sacrificing their lives as commanded by these prophets was synonymous to laying down their lives to the One that sent them 
6:162"Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds".
As Jesus said 
Jn14:6"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". 
This obedience to prophets is reflected in the Torah that lists among the 613 commandements revealed at Sinai, the obligation to obey the prophet's instructions, and not doubt or test his promises and warnings Deut6:16,18:15. Belief in God and His prophets are inseparable the fulfill the conditions of correct faith. Here in the words of the righteous king Jehoshaphat 
2Chr20:20"Hear me, O Judeans and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be believed; believe in His prophets, and you will prosper". 
Rejecting any of God's messengers is equal to rejecting God 
6:33,2:98,59:4"they acted in opposition to Allah and His Messenger, and whoever acts in opposition to Allah, then surely Allah is severe in retributing (evil)". 
See the Hebrew Bible in Ps2:12 speaking of accepting David with sincerity of heart as God's anointed or incur God's anger. Obedience is the one and only area in which God and His prophets are one in principle. It just is a practical reality, which is why we have many verses speaking in one breath of obedience to Allah and His messengers. Allah is the issuing Authority and the messenger is the means by which divine authority is implemented. There are no ambiguities between the role and position of each, just as no confusion exists when verses lump in one group God, the messenger and the believers
 63:8"And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know".
This required obedience is why prophets and messengers, even prior to their calling, had to be unique examples of moral qualities and worthiness, virtue among their nations 3:161,164,33:21,68:4,21:51,74-90 recognized as such and chosen for that 6:87. They already possess a heightened sensitivity to spirituality. During their mission, their high morality became a means by which their addressees were purified 
3:164"Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error". 
This is reflected in the rabbinical writings on Prov13:17 which they believe is in reference to Moses 
"A wicked messenger falls into evil, but a faithful emissary brings healing". 

Muhammad for example was notoriously known as al-amin (the trustworthy). He carried that principle so firmly in his life that later on during prophethood someone asked him, 
‘Is it possible that a Muslim may be a coward?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They asked, ‘Is it possible that a Muslim may commit adultery?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They asked him, ‘What is it that a Muslim cannot possibly do?’ He replied, ‘A Muslim cannot tell a lie". 
When the Meccan pagans were busy renovating the Kaaba, the black stone had to be removed from its socle and when the work was finished each tribe and clan wanted the exclusive privilege of placing it back on its socle. The verbal dispute almost turned to a civil war until Muhammad, prior to his prophetic call, intervened and was directly accepted as mediator and was unanimously given the much sought after responsibility to place the black stone in its place. His integrity was such that when he migrated from Mecca, and because even at that advanced stage of antagonism between him and the polytheists he was still trusted with his own persecutors’ belongings with him for safekeeping, he instructed Ali to stay behind in Mecca, in order to return all these people's trusts. Ali stayed back for three days and three nights to complete his task and then migrated in turn. 

Contrast this behavior with the supposed divine order to the Israelites, according to the Biblical narrative, to take all of their previous masters' belongings in their escape.
The prophet Muhammad had a pattern of high conduct which he maintained throughout his life, especially in regards to trusts. When he was asked about the picking up of a "Luqata" (fallen lost thing) he replied,
 "Recognize and remember its tying material and its container, and make public announcement (about it) for one year, then utilize it but give it to its owner if he comes".
 The Quran, which the messenger embodied, stresses the importance of maintaining justice indiscriminately, upholding covenants and trusts, respecting one's word.


Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Session on the Deification of Muhammad Pt. 2"
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Sam Shamoun "Session on the Deification of Muhammad Pt. 2" (1)



Humans, like every creation, are a manifestation of God's attributes. They in turn are encouraged to try and emulate some of those attributes as best as possible, such as generosity, mercy and forgiveness. So they are in a sense in "God's image". Similarily, Man has the ability to create, like the Creator of all things does, but in reality he is only reshaping what God previously created. He can judge, be good, show mercy but not and never in an equal manner to God 
2:115"so whichever way you turn, there is the Face of Allah". 
So clearly one can see God's face in all of creation, because all things reflect His attributes to some degree. Humans, and more particularily their face, reflects God's image just as the rest of creation does
 “Do not say ‘May Allaah deform your face’, for the son of Adam was created in the image of the Most Merciful". 
The similitude does not pertain to physical resemblence but in the way the divine attributes manifests. The face contains the foremost elements that allow perception, relfexion and action. The Eyes for instance allow the brain to perceive and process the surrounding signs, shaping our thoughts that are then expressed with speech. Only God however is able to manifest these shared attributes, like the aforementionned sight and speech, to infinite perfection. The manner, the "how" in which this is done is unfathomable to our minds 
42:11"nothing like a likeness of Him". 
Just as the human face reflects God's image, the prophet said 
“The first group to enter Paradise will be in the image of the moon”. 
The intent is obviously that they will manifest some of the moon's attributes like radiance and glorious appearance, as the Quran describes them beaming with light. They will however retain their specific human form, which is completely different than that of the moon. The prophet even described the righteous as being the embodiement of Allah 
"Allah Almighty said: My servant continues to grow closer to me with extra good works until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks". 
The senses and limbs remain that of a human being but due to his righteousness and the ensuing divine guidance, each perception, expression and action is done with a level of spiritual awareness so high that it reflects God's attributes and will.
 
Similar principles are stated in the Hebrew Bible by the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah Jer10:6,Isa40:18. Being in God's image simply means in the HB to reflect God's attributes in some way. The HB states that when man "became like one of us" he had gained knowledge of good and evil (after eating from the tree). This means that humans being "like God" or in His image is about knowledge, which the Quran explicitly states was mercifully ingrained in man from the beginning, not hidden from him in a forbidden tree. As the "serpent" says in Genesis 
"For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil".
What humans "create" (the verb is used for humans too 29:17) is nothing more than the combination and reshaping of what Allah has already created. That is why He is the best of creators 37:125,23:14. 
He is 
2:117"badeeu/Innovator and initiator of the heavens and the earth" 
meaning that in His case, contrary to all creative endeavours, He creates without any blueprint, preexisting inspiration, experience, simply through His word
"and if HE decreed an order done, He only says be and it is". 
In an absolute, pure sense the capacity to create thus belongs to God alone and this is the underlying notion behind other statements like God being the best of those who show mercy 2:163,23:109,118,59:22 despite others being merciful too 9:128,57:27. Virtue can be assigned to humans, such as the dwellers of heaven 76:5 but the truly virtuous is Allah 52:58. He is the best of the forgivers although others might and should forgive 2:263,7:155, the best of the providers 5:114,34:39 the best of judges 10:109 because he is 11:45,95:8"the most just/wisest of judges". In contrast to the limits of worldly helpers 61:14,3:52,47:13 He is the best of helpers 3:150 being the Almighty that can never be defeated. Again, Allah is the all mighty and all strong 42:19 but obviously many among His creatures also possess strength and might in varying degrees, the angel Gabriel being one of the strongest 53:5. Some think they have glory and sometimes they do but in reality all glory is Allah's 35:5. In the same vein, although all creatures have life and can be termed as "living", the true, ultimate life belongs to God only. He is the ever-living/al hayy 2:255,40:65. The prophet Daniel states in the Aramaic in which the text was recorded 
Dan6:26"elaha hayya qayyam". 
The words carry several implications, including the pervasive pattern throughout the Quran of God being the sole self-sufficient, uncreated, independant entity. He relies on none other than Himself to subsit and will perdure even when all things perish 55:26-7,28:88. Al hayy/the ever living is also a description meant at distinguishing Allah from false deities, as is done in the HB Joshua3:10,1Sam17:26,1Sam17:36,Jer10:9-10,etc., whether they be inanimate entities or living creatures that made themselves or were made into objects of worship 16:20-1. They are neither alive nor are able to keep others alive, they do not exist of their own accord nor can keep others into existence. Their existence depends at all times on the self-sustaining source of all life, Allah. These appellations therefore when used in their absolute sense, can only be meant for God 
7:180,20:8"to Him belong the most perfect names".

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Monday, December 21, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Exposing More of Islam’s Scientific Blunders and Fairytales"


When speaking of the formation and shaping of the sama' (all that is above the earth; atmosphere and beyond) as we know it today, we read in 79:27-33 that it was done before the earth was made hospitable for the humans with water, plants, and animals. 

This process of accommodating earth to human life took 4 ayyam 41:10, while the prior shaping of the earth itself took 2 ayyam 41:9. This shaping of the earth initiated together with the universe 41:11. God in this verse tells both entities to come forth from their primordial state, not towards eachother but each on their own, to which they submitted. For the heaven, this resulted in its layering and filling with the celestial bodies in 2 ayyam 42:12 and for the earth, as already stated a few verses earlier in 41:9, it resulted in its finalization just prior to accommodating it for human life 41:10. 

Although a superficial reading results in a total of 8 ayyam of creation, yet a closer look reveals otherwise. 

41:9-10 is sequential, totalizing 6 ayyam of creation (2 to shape the earth followed by 4 to make it suitable for human life). As already stated, the universe as we known it was formed prior to earth's accommodation for life 79:27-33 meaning 42:12 giving 2 ayyam for the universe's formation cannot have occurred after the 6 ayyam cited earlier for shaping earth and making it habitable. 

41:9-10 and 41:11-12 are therefore not sequentially connected, hence the use of thumma/moreover to link both passages. Both these passages contain reference to an overlapping timeline; the 2 ayyam to shape the earth in 41:9 is simultaneous to the 2 ayyam to form the sama' (all that is above the earth; atmosphere and beyond) 41:12, after which came the 4 ayyam to make the earth habitable, thus totalizing 6 ayyam of creation. 

The fact that 41:9-10 and 41:11-12 are not sequential is further seen from 41:9-10; although the earth has already been formed and adapted for life, the following passage goes back in time when both heaven and earth were in their primordial state. The heaven is named while still unformed just like its earth counterpart is named while still unformed 
41:11"Moreover, He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth: Come both, willingly or compelled. They both said: We have come willingly". 
It then goes on to broadly speak of the universe's development but not the earth's. Its shaping, the stage just prior to making it suitable for human life was already stated a few verses earlier in 41:9.

This type of literary construction is common in the Quran. In 2:29 the timeline of events is not sequential, hence the use again of thumma/moreover. Attention is first directed to the near and tangible provisions of life before switching man's focus to the great encompassing entity above. 

The Quran here isnt trying to convey scientific knowledge but to instil spiritual awareness in connection with the observable nature, by emphasizing different aspects, with each aspect having its own sequence. It first attracts attention to God's blessings close at hand and its gradual development 41:9-10 then directs the eye to the distant surrounding greatness and its gradual development 41:11-12, without the 2 being connected sequentially. 

The Quran uses many times this literary device, when it wants to switch emphasis from one aspect to another, although both may exist simultaneously. It states for example in 
68:13"Oppressive, moreover/thumma of bad character"
 or in 90:17 after enumerating some of the benevolent and righteous acts a believer should perform it says 
"Moreover/thumma he is of those who believe"
 again this does not denote a sequence rather is focusing on each aspects independently, then laying more stress on correct faith. Same in 
81:21"One (to be) obeyed, moreover/thumma faithful in trust".
As to the word yawm, there is ample evidence from the language, the Quran, and ahadith that it conveys the concept of "completion of a task". When speaking of the length of the day of resurrection, although it is referred to as a "Day", it should be noted that it will not be anything like the space and time experienced before, due to the changes in the order of the universe. In the hadith, speaking of the dajjal, the prophet stated 
"We said: Allah's Messenger, how long would he stay on the earth? He said: For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days". 
In the Quran too, the concept of day/yawm is used for any period of time 22:47,16:77 from a moment 55:29 to fifty thousand years 70:4 and is dependent on the completion of a specific task. So although the Day of judgement is called yawm, the expiration of that day will depend on the completion of the task of judging mankind, even if that task might go on for many current earthly days. That is why the prophet in certain ahadith compares the single day of resurrection to fifty thousand earthly years.
The same notion applies for the ayyam of creation. Ibn Kathir reports an opinion attributed to ibn Abbas where he recites 22:47"And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count" then says that this relativity of time started when heavens and earth were completed. Obviously, counting time on earth prior was not possible, and hence one could not compare human time relatively to God. But this does not mean that time with God could not be relative to other processes in the universe, as is stated in 70:4.

Whether among the commentators or the companions, we find different opinions on the general sequence of creation; if earth came prior to heaven or vice versa, or even simultaneously. The verses in question are open to interpretation and are not crucial matters of salvation for the prophet to have insisted on a definite view. Ibn Kathir, although favouring the position that earth was created before the heavens, attests to earlier views 
"It is said that "Then'' in the Ayah (2:29) relates only to the order of reciting the information being given, it does not relate to the order that the events being mentioned took place, this was reported from Ibn `Abbas by `Ali bin Abi Talhah". 
This is the view according to which heaven and earth were simultaneously created. Al Qurtubi, prior to ibn Kathir also cites this view, while adopting the position of heaven preexisting the earth. His conclusion is based on Qataadah's statement that the heavenly smoke was created before the earth 41:11"Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke.."

As to the hadith in Muslim describing 7 literal days of creation, it was rejected by the scholars of the field, including those more authoritative than Muslim such as Bukhari, for both the matn/content and isnad/narrator chain. The hadith is narrated differently in an-Nasa'i 
"Verily Allah created heavens and the earths and whatever is between them in six days. Then he ascended to the Throne on the seventh day. He created the clay on Saturday and He created the mountains on Sunday and He created the trees on Monday and He created al makruh on Tuesday and created nur on Wednesday and He caused the animals to spread on Thursday and created Adam (peace be upon him) after 'Asr on Friday; the last creation at the last hour of the hours of Friday, i. e. between afternoon and night". 
Here it begins with the creation of the heavens and the earth in 6 ayyam, before mentioning the weekdays corresponding to each arrangement. This means the ayyam of creation and arrangement are different, just as in the Quran. The mention of weekdays does not indicate which came first, just the specific day on which each arrangement was completed. In Quranic terminology, creation, even through God's creative word "Be" does not entail instantaneous apparition. Most of the time it includes a process. For example trees created on Monday means it started at any given time in the past, then finished on a Monday. Similarily, ibn al Jawzi narrates a majority opinion in regards to Adam's creation 
"the time that came upon him was forty years when was shaped out from clay yet the spirit was not breathed into him". 
This understanding is in congruence with the Quranic notion of process in the act of creation. The 2 hadith read together imply that Adam's creation initiated at an undetermined time then ended 40 years later on a friday. Another thing to note is that the things listed for every weekday is obviously not exhaustive. The arrangement of the earth doesnt consist of simply clay, mountains, trees etc. The hadith is deliberately selecting things that were created on different days, including Saturday. The point being, as noted by several early authorities, that God's power and implication in the universe and the life of man never ceased or diminished at any moment, as implied with the Biblical notion of the Sabbath which ended God's week of work. The selection of saturday where clay, the elemental origin of humanity was created, as the first day to be cited instead of the last, is highly symbolic from that perspective. As a final point to note, the hadith is focused on the creation of things on the earth. It is unconcerned with the heavens and what they contain. The nur spoken of means light but also entails something positive. It is placed in the hadith opposite to makruh, meaning something disliked.

Finally, one might ask the reason for this gradual process of creation and accommodation of the earth. The answer is that our material world is subjected to the effects of time, which was itself created at the start of the universe. Since then, a chain of processes precedes every occurrence and every thing is contingent on another. This in itself is proof for God's existence as a necessary being who is beyond contingency and infinite regress.

Space and time in our universe evidently came into being with the creation of this universe. The same could have occurred beyond our universe. Stephen Hawking once wrote: 
“Events before the Big Bang are simply not defined, because there’s no way one could measure what happened at them. Since events before the Big Bang have no observational consequences, one may as well cut them out of the theory and say that time began at the Big Bang"
Space and time ultimately came into being at a certain point, since God, the necessary being precedes all things 
"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Where was our Lord before He created His creation?' He said: 'He was in ama' (word evoking nothingness) - no air was under him, no air was above him, and He created His Throne upon the water". 
Even though the creation of the liquid matter/maa' isnt stated, the first part of the prophet's speech implies it is a creation, and it could not have existed from eternity past
 "Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water". 
We see here that time must have somehow preexisted our universe, as is the case for spatial dimension that contained a liquid entity/maa'. Nobody except Allah knows the reality and function of that primordial fluid/liquid. It can be inferred that it has a potential that is subdued to His will, as conveyed through the image of the throne above it. When the command is issued, the potential that is in the water begins to be realized 
21:30"and made from water every living thing". 
The prophet equally stated in a discussion "I said: O Messenger of Allah, when I see you I feel happy and content, tell me about everything.'' He said "Everything was created from water".

As to the throne, an entity sustained by Allah 9:129,23:116 and whose reality and function are only known to Him, it must have also needed space. 

We also notice the existence of realms beyond our created universe. And just as we read in the Quran and ahadith of a sequence in the ayyam of creation in the context of this universe, when we read of something created first in a realm beyond our universe, we must have a holistic grasp of all ahadith on the matter so as to establish an overall sequence of creation across all realms. 

As was previously seen, first there was Allah, then the throne was created above the water. Sequentially, we thus have Allah, in a realm beyond comprehension, where He always was and always will be, then water then throne, in a realm of their own. We also read that Allah first created the pen 
“Verily the first of what Allah created was the Pen. He said to it: “Write.” So it wrote what will be forever.’” 
The pen would thus have been created first in its own realm, beyond that of the primordial water and the throne, and prior to our own realm
 "O Allah's Messenger (ï·º)! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, His throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." 
It is understood here that Allah preceded all things, including the entities spoken of prior to the creation of heavens and earth. In another version 
"Then the Prophet (ï·º) started taking about the beginning of creation and the Throne”. 
Both creation (of heavens and earth) and the throne had a beginning. 

As a side note, all ahadith speaking of the prophet going beyond the farthest limits of creation, the Lot Tree (Sidrat Al-Muntaha), during his ascension to heaven, and that he saw God's throne on which was written on one of its pillars his own name, are weak reports. Similarly, the story that Adam saw Muhammad’s name written on Allah’s throne has been unequivocally disproved as forged or weak by scholars of hadith, including ibn Taymiyyah, and al-Albani.


Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Exposing More of Islam’s Scientific Blunders and Fairytales"

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Sam Shamoun "The prophet of Plagiarism proves that Jesus is God in the Flesh!"


The Quran leaves no room to the kind of conjecture trinitarians are known for when approaching their Bible, let alone the Quran. Christians feel comforted whenever they superficially approach the Quran and find their cherished Christological themes. They are sometimes bold enough to assume the Quran is confirming their doctrines. After all, none other than Jesus is referred to as God's word, His messiah or a RUH from Allah. But by doing so Christians are missing the consistent Quranic approach of taking up the major trinitarian themes and labels associated to Jesus, then recasts them in a monotheistic, unitarian perspective. It is the case with the kalima, just as with the RUH/spirit or the name "messiah". Jesus is not the literal nor metaphorical "son of God" but simply, the son of Mary as Christians themselves cannot deny. Similarly, Jesus is stripped from any intrinsic power as regards his ascension and ability to perform miracles. The same goes for Jesus' ascension or his ability to perform miracles. 

Being the muhaymin/guardian of the previous scriptures and traditions, the Quran could not leave those themes unaddressed. And it does so in an impactful way, using them just as is done in Christian scriptures, while redifining them so as to deny their Christological background. 

That corrective function goes beyond these aforementioned pillars of Christology. In the Gospels' eschatology, the trinitarian godhead is at the forefront and Jesus is given the leading role of judgement by his "father" Matt25,26. In the Quran, no possible ambiguity exists as to Allah's supremacy on that day, whether in terms of glory, authority or judgement.

Further reading


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Sunday, December 20, 2020

Sam Shamoun "Revealing the God Whom Allah Worships and Prays To!"


Allah is upon the straight path because it is the path that leads to Him 11:56,4:175. It is His path
 6:126,153,14:1,42:53"the path of God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and earth: truly everything will return to God". 
He guides unto it those that hold fast by Him 3:101,43:43. He alone shows humanity the straight path and without His will none can achieve it 48:2,6:39 as taught in sura fatiha 
"guides us to the straight path". 
Jesus whom some see as the destination of their spiritual path, contrary to Allah, testifies that none other than the way of God, Who is a different Entity than himself, is the straight path 
19:36"And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this (alone] is a straight way."
Obeying the prophet, who is on the straight path 43:43 is following the way of Allah. "The way" of the prophet Jesus Jn14:6 is none other than the straight way of God, as outlined in Lk10:25-28 where he commands observance of the laws of the Torah. In that passage from Luke he is asked about the conditions of salvation and the questioner quotes from Lev19 which details certain laws like the observance of the sabbath and admonishes to 
"Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD". 
The 2nd passage quoted by the questioner is Deut6 which speaks of loving the One God and obeying His comandements 
"keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight..obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness". 
One is justified before God, not by faith alone but by deeds too. Consequently the Nazarenes, Jesus' early group of small band of followers, observed all Jewish customs outlined in the Torah but differed from Jews in that they recognized Jesus as the Messiah. The Nazarenes grew among the Israelites but persecutions forced them to go into hiding, with Paul playing a central role in their persecution prior to his conversion. After joining their ranks, he influenced the group leaders, namely Peter and James, to reach out to the Gentiles. With more non-Jews entering the fold, Jewish laws binding on the community were abandoned Acts15:1-29 and so was Jesus' "way". 

The Nazarenes who were centered in Jerusalem gradually became isolated. The main Christian movement started looking up to Paul for leadership, instead of Jesus' brother James, a strict observer of Jewish Law, considered to be Jesus' successor in non-canonical Gospels. With the establishment of Christianity as a state religion in Rome by Constantine in the 4th century, they definitely fled Jerusalem, into the surrounding deserts. They managed to survive outside Palestine as they are mentioned by Jerome upto 380AD to have lived in the Syrian desert. Among them the Ebionites (who claimed to descend from the original Jewish disciples led by James) and Elchasites who rejected Paul as a charlatan and his teachings as falsehood, as well as the Zadokites, Essenes, Rechabites, Sabeans, Mandaeans etc. They had their own writing which they considered scripture, composed of an oral tradition attributed to Jesus, and some HB books. 

Their writings are known, among others as Gospel of the Nazareans, Gospel of the Hebrews and Gospel of the Ebionites. They would later write that Paul was a false apostle who taught heresy based on the fact he was a failed convert who was disappointed with Judaism and therefore motivated to teach against its laws, all the laws that constituted Jesus' "way". 

Unfortunately the group that opposed them and their practices gained more converts, obviously as it appealed much more to non-Jews, more particularly the hellenized Romans and Greeks. The Nazarenes and similar groups were inevitably marginalized while the more and more dominant groups decided what the Church’s organizational structure would be, as well as its official creeds, or which books would be accepted as Scripture. The group that became "orthodox", further sealed its victory, by the pens of early writers like Iraeneus, Justin Martyr and Tertullian, claiming that their "way" had always been the majority opinion of Christianity, going back to Jesus and his apostles.

Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Revealing the God Whom Allah Worships and Prays To!":
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Sam Shamoun "Source of Muhammad’s Inspiration – Divine or Demonic?"(2)


Historically, the act of crucifixion didnt simply consist of nailing someone on a cross, but included binding or impaling a living victim or sometimes a dead person to a cross, stake or tree (as in the Quran) whether for executing the body or for exposing the corpse. 

The New Testament doesnt mention a cross. The Koine Greek, an interpretation and translation of Jesus and his disciples language, the words rendered "cross" in some english editions is either xylon or stauros. This refers to an upright stake or pole. The word however was later applied to other shapes to which individuals would be nailed, including a T an X or a +, in addition to the original upright beam. There is no indication as to which method was allegedly used for Jesus. What is sure however is that the cross, as a religion symbol is pagan and precedes Christianity by centuries. Many nations to whom Christianity spread already used it. Particularily the Romans and Greeks, but also the Egyptians and the Celts. The adoption of the cross shaped stauros for Jesus could have been a case of religious syncretism by those Christian converts, as one finds in many other cases including former pagan festivities later assimilated into Christianity.

It isnt even known how Jesus - or any other victim of this brutal Roman execution method - was affixed to the stauros. The earliest artistic depictions of Jesus’ death were made centuries after the fact, long after the Roman Empire had turned Christian and outlawed this punishment. Also, there are very few archaeological remains of crucifixion as a practice in general. In fact the only known solid piece of physical evidence is a 1st century C.E. heel-bone pierced by a nail, found in 1968 in a Jewish tomb in Jerusalem. The piercing doesnt even follow the image of crucifixion made famous in Christian iconography.

In the 2nd century, Christians had to defend themselves againt their pagan detractors who accused them of being cross worshippers. They recognized this familiar polytheistic symbol which was widely present in their culture, criticized Christians for integrating it in their religion while claiming to worship the true God. Countering the pagan mockers, whose writings only survive in Christian apologetics quotes and paraphrases, Marcus Minucius Felix defends himself 
"Crosses, moreover, we neither worship nor wish for. You, indeed, who consecrate gods of wood, adore wooden crosses perhaps as parts of your gods. For your very standards, as well as your banners; and flags of your camp, what else are they but crosses gilded and adorned? Your victorious trophies not only imitate the appearance of a simple cross, but also that of a man affixed to it". 
Even the "chi rho" one of Christianity's earliest symbols that preceded that of the Latin cross, pre-existed Christianity by centuries. There is a reason why the apocalyptic ahadith depict Jesus destroying this pagan symbol to which he was associated
 "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Ibn Mariam shall soon descend among you, judging justly. He shall break the cross.." 
And the prophet similarily never allowed anything resembling this symbol into his house.

The whole hadith states he will break the cross and kill the pig. Although some translations render "khinzir" in plural, the Arabic is singular. Obviously Jesus will not go around breaking every cross and killing every pig (although he did have a grudge against pigs. We read of some bizarre, unjust and violent incidents attributed to him such as causing the death by drowning of a herd of swine, in fact stealing them from their rightful owners, then allowing demons to purposely enter their bodies Matt8:32,Mk5:13,Lk8:33). 
Breaking the cross will be Jesus' symbolic dissociation from Christianity's pagan heritage and corruption. Killing the pig is a major blow to Paul's distortion of Jesus' message to strictly abide by Jewish law.
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Sam Shamoun "Source of Muhammad’s Inspiration – Divine or Demonic?"(1)


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 massive importance 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. We see here how the Quran consistently keeps its notions, although scattered all throughout the divine writings, connecting them together. 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. When he described it at times coming to him "like" the sound of a bell (meaning something similar but not the same) it was to convey to his addressees in terms they could relate to, what he was personally experiencing.

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 behavior 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.

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 intimately 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 environment 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 relinquish her prestigious status and successful 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.

Further reading answering Sam Shamoun "Source of Muhammad’s Inspiration – Divine or Demonic?"
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