Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
SKETCHES OF MUI;IAMMAD
BY THE
PART II
MUHAMMAD AT MADINA
CHAPTER PAGE
I. SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION 57
II. THE PROCLAMATION OF JEHAD 71
111. MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE
JEWS 86
IV. MUHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS
WOMEN 96
V. THE DEATH OF MUHAMMAD 107
MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM
PART I
Muhammad at Mecca
CHAPTER I
incident which is said to have befallen Mul.'ammad when he was about to perform the Mi'raj or miracu-
during his stay with f:lalim{l. The story goes that lous ascent to heaven, two angels again appeared,
one day the child Mu~ammad was playing with the and after opening Mu~ammad's breast in a similar
other sons of f:lalima (though some reports declare manner washed it thoroughly with the famous Zem
that he was minding goats at the time) when Zem water of the Ka'ha. Be that as it may, it is
suddenly two angels appeared. These promptly related that f:lalima became thoroughly alarmed at
seized the child, and, throwing him on his back, the story brought her by Mu~ammad and his
opened his breast, and after washing it with pure companions; and when to this were added not
water, extracted therefrom a black object, saying as infrequent signs of epilepsy, she resolved to rid
they did so herself of so heavy a responsibility by returning tht::
• illl ~:'- '.,. 0-1.. l:.I~l b> l.i..l. child to his mother. I n the Sirat/l'r-Rasul it is
related that her husband also became concerned,
, This is Satan's portion from thee, 0, beloved of and addressing f:lalima said, ' 0 I:lalima, I fear the
God.' This done, they restored the child's breast child is possessed of Satan, therefore return him to
as before, and disappeared as suddenly as they had his mother ere the malady further appear: Amina
come !' This astounding story is gravely recorded listened to the story with interest, exclaiming as she
in the celebrated Mishkdtll'l-Ma$abih and other noticed the fear,; of the child's foster-parents,
Muslim works, and the exuberant fancy of Mu~am
madan writers has delighted to enlarge upon the * l:.I. ~l .«..k
.. I..::..-i_..;ill\
r--
incidents there narrated in order to show that thus 'On ye then fear he is possessed with Satan?'
early 1Ifu~ammad was being prepared by God for Rut the child was still young, and at last, yielding
his prophetic mission. Some affirm that M u~am to the entreaties of his mother, f:lallma consented to
mad's heart was thus cleansed, once for all, from all keep him still another year. At the expiry of that
taint of sin; but it would appear that either the period she finally, in Mu~an1mad's sixth year, brought
angels failed satisfactorily to accomplish their him to Mecca, and once more placed him in the care
unwonted task, or that Mu~ammad's personality of his mother.
\\'as so strong that he was able to over-ride the Soon after Mu~ammad's return to 1IIecca his
intentions of God, for in the Qi"aslt'l-Anbiyd it is mother took him with her on a visit to some rela-
recorded that on a second occasion some years later, tions at Madina. After some days spent pleasantly
]2 "'IUHA~IMAD IN ISLA:'.I THE BIRTH AND I'ARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD 13
there, they left on their return journey; but Amina widow named Khadija for a mercantile expedition
fell sick soon after setting out, and after a short to Syria. A few days later he departed on his busi-
illness expired, !ea\'ing the orphan ;\Iu!:lammad to ness, having joined a caravan which was journeying
face a cold world without the tender care of father thither on a similar errand; and with such ability
or mother. His upbringing now de\'olved upon his did he prosecute the business entrusted to him that,
aged grandfather 'Abdu·I·l\lu\!alib, \"ho with tender on his return, his mistress offered him her hand;
affection \latched over the young child's destinies. and a few days later the marriage was celebrated
But 'Abdu'I·!I[n\talib \\'as an old man of eighty, and with great rejoicings. Mu!:lammad's age at this
two years later he too passed to the great unknown time was about twenty-five years, whilst Khadija's
leaving the orphan child in charge of his son Abu was not less than forty; yet the match proved a
Talib. The latter was a good and generous guar- thoroughly happy one notwithstanding. Six chilo
dian and, until the day of his death many years dren were born to them, but nearly all of these died
later, carried out with faithfulness and solicitude the young. Other children of Khadija by her previous
responsibility imposed upon him by his aged father. marriage are mentioned, some if not all of whom
In his tenth year Mul~ammad accompanied his had died previously. Concerning these there is an
uncle Abu T{dib on a trading expedition to Syria, interesting tradition preserved in the lllishkdtll'[·
where he came into contact with the Christians of IlIa$dbih. One day, after MuJ:1ammad's assumption
that prosperous country. From that date until his of prophetship,
.
assumptiou of prophdship, thirty years later, there
is little o[ special interest to chronicle in the life of
~~ ~ ~ "~~;.,, -
,
.illl
$ ~ .. ~ .~ <. ~ c.. ~ ~_
.illl
,,~ .. .>L.~ _~~. ~L
and it is recorded that his upright behaviour gained 'Khadija asked the prophet concerning her two
for him the title of Al Am/II-the Faithful. children who had died in the time of ignorance
,.\b(1 Talih's circumstances, however, were not (i.e. before Islam). The prophet of God replied:
good, and partly upon his advice i\lu!:lammad was " They are both in the fire (of hell}." ,
tempted to seek an independent livelihood. The There is no doubt that both Khadija and Mu!:lam·
opportunity soon presented itself, and one day the mad were at one time idolaters. Early Muslim
young ~[cecan found himself engaged by a wealthy annals contain clear proof of this. In the MilS/IUd,
H ~IUHA~[:\[AD IN ISLA~1 THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD 15
for example (vol. iv, p, 222), it is recordcd lhat , Did he not find thee erring from the Divine law
they were hath in the hahit of worshipping idols (Shari'at) upon which thou art now (standing), and
before retiring to rest at night. Ibn Han!>al records guided thee to it?' One of the greatest Indian
the practice thus: authorities, Shah Abdul Aziz of Delhi, in his Persian
",,;WI ~ .til J-L.;> 1..::--'1 .i",J.~ )~ ,.;;~ Jl; commentary is even more explicit in his exposition
of the passage, He says the verse refers to that
...,.rJl, .::..>llJl .).~=1 ) .illl, 6:,,"..).> ....,1 .i:",!.J..:i>J Jfi:'. ,.-.t.e period of the prophet's spiritual history when' he,
....,j.JI J.-"'- ..::..>l!J1 J> ;<"'1.).> J.,u; J'j lJ.! I .l.:'= 1) .illl, on attaining to maturity of understanding and wis·
.. <:.1)",,,\:'''';'' r c),~1U ~jlS ~1 ,. .... i.c I..::-jl.E::, Jl; dam, discovered that the worship of idols and the
rites of darkness were mere trash , , , so he gave
"Abdu'lI:ih said, " J\ servant of Khadija, daughter of
up the worship of idols, and parted company with
Khualid, related to me that he heard the prophet
those evil rites, and was led to the knowledge of the
say to Khadija, 0, Khadija, by God I do not (now)
God of Abraham.' Again in Sllratu'!·Fat':1 (xlviii)
worship 'II Lat or al Ana, and by God, I ncver
2, we read:
will (in future) worship them. He said, Khadija L _ $ •• _.1 _ .. t. . . . . . (,. ~ .. '-. (,. u $
.. '-!~ )L.; ..0~" ~,t ~~. ..0~,:! ,.J1 commentator 'Abbas writes thus of the 'earlier'
sins referred to :
, Did he not lind thee (0 Mu':1ammadJ, an orphan,
and gave thee a home; and found thee erring, and .. ~,Jl ~ cl.;V'; cJ'" roW L..
guided thee?' The famous commentator Jalalu'd- 'That is, thy sins which preceded the descent of
din in his comment upon this passage says: inspiration.' 'Abbas makes it clear that the Qur'anic
passage quoted refers to those sins of Mul:tammad
'-!~ l,.':f.l' <:T" .)1 ~ ..:;..JI k )L.; ..0~, )1, committed in his youth and early manhood; in
.. 4:lJl ..01.,lA ...,1 other words to the sins committed prior to his claim
THE BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE OF MUHAMMAD 17
16 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM
kin, who associate other beings with God, after it
to prophetship, As a matter of fact Mul)ammad hath been made clear to them that they are to be
himself, in latcr ycars often referred to the sins of the inmates of hell.'
his youth, and his prayers for pardon are recorded Although Mul)ammad was in youth and early
at great length in the traditions of both Bukhari manhood an idolater, yet with the advance of middle
and Muslim, As an illustration the following prayer age he became gradually weaned from t~e poly-
of Mul)ammad recorded in the Mis!lkdt,,'I-:'rl<1~dbflt, theistic practices of his countrymen. The mfluence
in the KitdlJll'$-$aldt may be quoted:- of his Hanif relations, and his Christian foster-son
• _ , (,~ (,.._ • • , (, .. __ • .,J __ • l.. (, (.. s.~
Zaid, ~ot to speak of the Jews and Christians,
'....) t.:;.J;;-w 1 L." t.:;.J;> 1l... ; ...::.-J,j L. ",lJC I ~I gradually led him to the belief in one God, and pre-
_ • ,. (" _ c. ~ (, _ ,J _ _ • L.t.
pared him almost insensibly for the great message
* ~ ~_ ,.t= I I..::-i I \"') ~;rI \,,; I,,;;.....i!.: I
which, he was soon to persuade himself, God had
• 0 God, forgi\'e me the sins I 'ha\'e committed commissioncd him to preach.
before and after (the descent of inspiration), (for-
give me) those I have concealed, and those I have
proclaimed; those which I have committed in excess,
and those which thou knowest better than I.'
It is only natural to assume that Mul)ammad, like
his parents and guardians, took part in the idolatrous
practices of his people, His parents, we know for
certain, worshipped idols, and it is recorded in the
Qur'an that, for that reason, :-Iul)ammad' was pro-
hibited from praying for them after their decease.
In Suratu't-Tauba (ix) 114, we read:
<. <. (,.(, (.iC.~(,,_c._('._, .<,$. _S _ p _
...d i
• - .. p ,,- - .. P # .. - • - - ..
went on, ambition and the lust of power carried l~~ l,,5k lr..:>, ,-,~;.).j J ~ i.,,-~~ ...::...J.;'\.;
him away, and there can be no doubt that, later in .
-
* 10))4
his career, he deliberately forged' revelations' in the
name of the Deity in order to further his own ends. , I went to Khadija and said, " Wrap me up ". There-
The traditionists speak of one outstanding sus- fore they wrapped me up, and poured cold water
pension of the' revelations' which lasted, according over me.' In the Misllkcitll'l-Ma$cibih, in the IWdb
to some, for three years. Others declare the period Fa(iciil Syedll'I.JI.lllrsaU" there is a tradition preser-
to be no longer than six months. Be that as it ved by 'Ubadah-binu '~-Samit that,
may, we are told by both Muslim and Bukhari that,
* ~, ~i ~.)J
- y;S ...,..-,JI ~ Jj1 1';1
for a period, Mu!:Jammad ce<lsed to receive his
angelic visitants. This circumstance so preyed • \Vhen inspiration descended upon him (Mul;1am-
upon his mind that, we are told, he seriously con- mad) he hecame anxious on account of it, and his
templated suicide and wished countenance became distressed.' It is clear from
the narratives that have come down to us that these
tits caused much anxiety to the prophet's followers.
22 ~l{j IUM~IAD IN ISLAM THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MESSAGE 23
Some, \l'e are told, feared that he was possessed 'Labidu'l-'Asam the Jew.' He again asked, • By
"'ith an evil spirit. Others said that he was be- what means?' He answered, ' By a comb and the
"'itched. ~Iul.lammad himself seemed to favour hairs which fall from it, and by the film of a male
the latter theory, though he was astute enough to date bud.' The first asked, '\Vhere is it?' He
use his affliction for his own interests; and he replied, 'In the wcll Dharwan.' Then the prophet
constantly associated his epileptic seizures with the went with some of his companions to the well and
visits of the angel Gabriel! Strange to say the said, 'This is the well which has been shown to me.'
traditions contain numerous and detailed references The water of the wcll was soaked in Hina, and its
to Mu~ammad's being be\l'itched, and Muslim date-trees were (reflected in the waters as if they)
writers seem to see no incongruity in a prophet of "'ere the heads of Satans. Then he (Muhammad)
God being hrought under the spell of sorcery. The brought the things out of the well. It is said that
fnllest accounts of this extraordinary matter have in the well was an image of Mu~ammad made of
been collected together in the lI1ishkdtll'l-lI1a~db(h wax with needles stuck into it, and a thread tied
in the chapter on miracles. One or t\l'O CJuotations upon it with eleven knots in it. Then Gabriel
must suffice here. The follO"'ing is recorded by brought the chapters imploring protection, every
both Muslim and Bukb{lri : \'Crse of \l'hich being repeated unloosed one of the
knots, and the prophet of God received relief from
rL~, ~: .ill I ~ .llJI J,~) r""'" ~r,; i ·1\.: d
every needle that was pulled out, until at length
* .dA.i \.. , .;.,.:.11 J..; .01 4,i-Jl L4~J .01 Jo- he was completely released from the enchantment! I
'It is related from 'Ayesha that she said, "The Bukhari (vol. iv. pp. 17-18) treats the matter at
apostle of God was be\l'itched, so much so that he length, and the whole episode shows how comple-
imagined he was doing a certain thing, but (in tely Mu~ammad shared with the people of his time
reality) he had not done it.'" Then 'Ayesha con- a belief in witchcraft. As a matter of fact, many
tinued that the prophet said, Two men came to me, pages could be written, drawn wholly from MuJ:tam-
one of "hom sat at my head and the other at my madan sources, showing the prophet's superstition
feet. After that one of them said to his companion, regarding the evil eye, omens and the like. It may
'What is the man's (\Iu~ammad's) illness)' The not he out of place here, by way of proof, to give
other replied, 'He has heen bewitched.' The first one or two illustrations of the latter. In the Mish-
asked, '\Vho has hewitched him'? He replied, Mtll'I-Ma$a/"'h, in the /{itabll'f-Tab-u'a-ar-Rllqqa
24 )IUHA)llIIAD IN ISLAM THE ANNOUNCDIENT OF THE MESSAGE 25
there is a tradition preserved by Muslim from Anas sitting, eating or drinking he W'as ever in the habit
to the effect that, of relying upon ejaculations and spells of various
~, ~ .i:!,jjl .j rl- ~ 41" .ill1 IoJ'w .ill\ J,...; ~) kinds for his protection from both genii and men.
Thus there is a tradition, recorded by both Muslim
* .iL...iJl, i...:.,Jl,
and I3ukha.ri to the effect that Mu~ammad on one
'The apostle of God allowed the use of charms in occasion addressing his followers said:
the case of the evil eye, the bite of scorpions and
boils.' There is also another tradition preserved .::.J) lyil"; &L;; <:.I'" .ill\ 1}W .if:u,JJl L '+c ~..... '~l
by Muslim, and quoted in the same chapter, to the
effect that U mm ~almah said:
<:.I~\ <:.I" .illl~ '~";)"ii ;~l ..r-~ rJ.,...... 1..il, I.SI...
* o:)~ y) ,ci\j r~)l
.j i.J)~ ~?" .j .. A r-"" d,!-L: .illl J-o ~1 <:.II , When you hear a cock crow, then ask God for his
* ~~1 lti <:.I\j t.J \;;_1 Jlii; ~j.c IoJ,w. w- ~,
favours, for verily it has seen an angel; but when
'Verily the prophet saw a slave-girl in her house, you hear an ass bray, then take !refuge with God
in whose face there was a yellow look. Then he from Satan the stoned, for verily it has seen Satan'!
said, "Use charms for her, for verily in her is the On another occasion the prophet prescribed spit-
evil eye.'" Another tradition, recorded in theld'IIl<1 ting thrice o,'er the left shoulder as a means of defeat-
Tirlllidid in the chapter on medicine, runs thus: ing the wiles of the great enemy of men! MnJ:1ammad's
~ JJ, 0:)1 .ill\ J,...;~. I,,;..oJ'i ....,..~ ...::.-J.i ~L......\ <:.11 belief in the existence of genii led him into a bond-
~.:. 0:)'6 j ,cilj r"; J\; r~ .J;~ljl ~\ r&\ tr age of fear which his followers have inherited to the
present day, and the charge was often levelled at him
* ~1 .w.,...J )J.R.ll ..ji\- by his enemies amongst the Quraish that he was
•Asma' bint 'U mais said, "0 apostle of God, the possessed by one of these demons. Indeed evidence
children of Ja'far are quickly affected by the evil is not wanting that, at one time in, his career, he
eye. Shall I therefore use charms (to protect them)?" himself had doubts as to the same thing.
He said, "Yes! for verily if there had been anything At first Muf:1ammad proceeded quietly and in
that could rival fate it had surely been the evil eye." , secret to propagate his doctrines; and his faithful
Mu~ammad's superstitious nature affected all the wife Khadija was the first to proclaim herself a con-
varied activities of his life, and whether walking or vert. Others soon followed, and in a few months
26 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM THE ANI\OUNCEMENT OF THE MESSAGE 27
'Ali, Abu Bakr, Zaid and several others were countcd enemies. H is heart, he assured the prophet, was
amongst the littlc band of believ~rs. In this way, right. To this the latter replied that dissimula-
during the course of two or three years, some forty tion under such circumstances was justified, and he
or fifty Meccans, men and women, had embraced the dismissed his delighted follower with the words,
new religion, This accession of strength brought
the prophet courage to proclaim in public the great
* ~I.i ~ r~ .,). . ; cll 1,.l1.c .)
dual message of the unity of God and his own 'If they pcrsecutc thee again, then do thou return
apostleship. At first the Quraish only mocked, but to them again and rcpcat what thou saidst before.'
when the new preacher bcgan to abuse their tribal This extraordinary pronounccment upon the part of
gods and cast scorn upon their most cherished beliefs, the prophct was so opposed to all standards of truth
active opposition bcgan to take the place of passive that a 'revelation' was thought necessary to justify
indifference, and soon the little hand of !vi uslims it; and so, for all time, the pages of the Qur'<in
found themselves the objects of a hitter and relent- stand stained with an injunction sanctioning dis-
less pcrsecution, ~ful.1ammad himself found in his simulation. This passage is found in Suratu'n-
uncle, 'Abu Talib, an all'powcrful protector from the Namal (xxvii) 104, and runs thus:
machinations of his enemies; but his followers were
not so fortunate, and the fury of the now thoroughly
angry populace was vented upon their defenceless
heads. At length Mu!:Jammad, unable to protect
. ..
them, and yet unwilling to lose them, hit upon an II _ f' _ _ t,,,._ -• -
expedient for staving off the anger of the mob. * ~ yl~ rtl, ~\ ~
It is recorded in the Tafsiru'[ Bai(l<itd (p. 3(7) that
a new convert named 'Vmar bin Yasar was so bit- '\\'hoso, after he hath believcd in God, denicth
terly persecuted by the Quraish that he finally Him; if he were forced to it, and if his heart
apostatized and signalized the reality of his declen- remain steadfast in thc faith (shall be guiltless);
sion by roundly abusing the prophet. \Vhen, but whoso openeth his hreast to infidelity, on such
however, he was later brought face to face with shall be wrath from God, and a severe punish.
Mu!:Jammad, he declared that his apostasy was only ment awaiteth them.' The abovc was not the
feigned with a ,'jew to escape the persecution of his only occasion upon \\'hich Mu!:Jammad allowcd his
28 MUHA~I~L\D IN ISLA;\1
:11
~ _ L
y:i-SJ\ J~:1
L(., •
~ p p
_(,.~_
r'
~_ _ __"..
"~,,
_ .,,_
Jh
_
Jlj
,_
'VITH the flight of his disciples the • revelations'
of the prophet gradually assumed a harsher tone.
"';J~I '-! y~!, 4J~r-'! .6~1 ~j1 y+S ~~ The unity of God, His power and wisdom in
$._.L".L creation, together with the certainty of the resurrec-
* ~lill c.JJ.! ~ ..,..,~,SJl, tion and judgement, which were the great themes of
the earlier chapters of the Qur'an, now gave place
• The apostle of God said, "Falsehood is not
to stern denunciations of the unbelieving Arabs.
allowed except under three conditions: the false-
The severity of their future punishment in a grossly
hood of a man to his wife in order to please her;
material hell is painted in lurid colours, and varioug
falsehood in war; and falsehood for the purpose of
prominent men from amongst his persecutors are
establishing concord between men.'"
singled out for bitter imprecations and curses. One
Even under the new conditions allowed by
or two specimens of the diatribes to which the un-
~Iul.lammad, the persecuted Muslims obtained little
believing Quraish were compelled to listen will go
respite; and the anger and hatred of the Quraish
far to explain the bitterness of their opposition to
grew more bitter each day, until at last, some five
Muhammad and his teaching. In the 5uratu'l-
years after the first proclamation of Islam, MuJ:tam-
Haj'j, (xxii) portions at least of which were probably
mad was constrained to advise the drastic expedient
revealed a short time previous to the flight to
of Hight to Abyssinia, Thither, therefore, a small
Madina, the unbelieving Quraish are addressed in
band of some fifteen Muslims, who were later joined
these terms: • For those who have disbelieved
by others, proceeded and found in the hospitable
garments of fire shall be cut out; the boiling wat~r
kingdom of a Christian king an asylum from the
shall be poured down upon their heads. All that IS
vengeance of their enemies.
in their bowels, and their skins, shall be dissolved;
and there are maces of iron for them. So oft as
30 ;'IUH'\~BL\D IN ISLA~I DISPUTATIONS WITH THE QURAISH 31
they, for very anguish, would fain come forth apostleship. The Qur'an, too, is again and again
thence, back shall they be turned into it; and- put forward as the word of God revealed from
.. Taste ye the torment of the burning.'" Suratu'l- he~ven for the guidance of men; but to every such
Lahab (cxi) is undoubtedly earlier, and refers entirely claIm the unbelieving Quraish had but one answer.
to an uncle of the prophet of that name, whose • He, hath composed it himself', • It is nothing but
opposition was marked by much bitterness and stones of the ancients', were the replies Rung at the
contumely. The prophet, howe\'er, was no whit eager preacher. Ibn Hisham, in his Siratll'r-Ras/il
behind his relative in the use of abusive language, has related an incident of this period which throw;
as will be seen from the quotation given below from a clear light upon the attitude of the unbelieving
that chapter, which, let it be remembered, all good Arabs. One day, the story goes, Nazir bin Harlth
Muslims arc bound to believe was written ages stood up before the Quraish and recited to the~
before the creation upon the tablets of heaven. certain stories of the Persian kings, and then
The passage is as follo''<'s: • Let the hands of Abu continued,
Lahab perish, and let himself perish! His wealth ,r--bl...l ~I ~~~ L., .,;.-. Lu.~> ~>I-! ~. L.. .dJl)
and his gains shall avail him not. Burned shall he
be at the fiery flame, and his wife laden with fire- * ~Sl w:. ~l ~,~1
wood-on her neck a rope of palm fibre.' • By God! the stories of Mul)ammad are no better
It is not surprising that when the prophet at- than my own. They are simply tales of the ancients
tacked his enemies by name in this way, anger deep which he hath written out as I have written mine.'
and bitter should have stirred them to revenge; and Again when Mul)ammad announced himself as a
plots were soon on foot to bring the new propaganda prophet who had been foretold in the Jewish and
to an end, There can be no doubt that it was solely Christian scriptures the Quraish replied,
owing to the loyal help and protection of his uncle
Abu Talib, and to fear of the consequences which
J,r-J' cl.ic \..ilL.. .MJ ~ It
<:)1 IJ 4.Cj ...,s}..".lll,
would follow any shedding of the prophet's blood cl!1 clJ .).y~, I:J'" u).i iioR.... I,.f=>..i rlb.Mc clJ ~
that the latter was not summarily assassinated.
*.ill1 JJ"'J
On the other hand, opposition but seemed to
encourage the prophet in his denunciations of • 0 Mul)ammad, we have already asked the Jews and
idolatry and in the reiteration of his claims to Christians concerning thee, but they have asserted
32 !lIUH:\~I~fAD IN ISLAM DISPUTATIONS WITH THE QURAISH 33
and me." The sublimity of these words have been * Jli l...S I..::-Jj .uJ ~.i \.::,
hardly recognized even to the present day. Dis- 'Abdu'llah bin Sa'ud bin Abi Sari!:l was an aman-
claiming every power of wonder-working Muf:!ammad uensis of the prophet. And when the words descend-
rests the truth of his divine commission entirely ed, "\Ve created mall of fine clay", and when the
upon his teachings.' words were finished" then brought we forth him by
MIlf:!ammad not only recited his Qur'an to the another creation ", 'Ahdu'llah exclaimed... Blessed
people as a revelation from God, but he was also therefore. be God, the most excellent of creators.
wont to claim for it a superiority over all other literary He has created man in a wonderful manner." Upon
productions of the human mind. In short, the this (MuJ:tammad) said. "\Vrite those words down,
42 MUHA~IMt\D IN ISLAM DISPUTATIONS WITH THE QURAISH 43
for so has it descended." But Abdu'llah doubted Abraham's place, (it would be better). Then a re-
and said, .. If Mu!)ammad speak truth, then on me velation came down, .. Take the place of Abraham
also has inspiration descended, as upon him; and jf for the place of prayer." (The second is that) I
Mu!)ammad speak falsely, then verily I but spake as said, 0 prophet of God, good and bad people come
he did.'" From the story as related by BaiQawi jt to your house; if you shut up your women, it will
is clear that Mu!)ammad was so pleased with the be better. Then came down the verse of the veil
beauty of the expression used by his disciple that he upon the prophet. (The third is that) the wives of
immediately decided to give it the place in his the prophet were quarrelling, and I said to them.
Qur'an which it still occupies to the present day. It may be that the Lord will divorce you, and give
In an authentic tradition handed down by Bukhari the prophet better wives than you in exchange.
the source of several other parts oCthe Qur'an has Then came down a rcvelation like I had spoken.'
been traced, making it abundantly clear that others The three verses suggested by 'U mar are still to be
there were amongst the contemporaries of !'o1 uJ:tam- found in the Qur'an to-day, and differ in no respect
mad whose beauty of expression and purity of style from the rest of the Qur'an.
were no whit behind those of the prophet. The Another argument used by MuJ:tammad to prove
tradition is as follows: the divine origin of the Qur'an was based upon its
alleged indestructibility. God, MuJ:tammad affirmed
I..::.-Li ~ll; oJ. ,-,.jJ ~I, .'-J\b "". . J ~...." JL;
again and again, was its Protector from all change
1,~I, -.::,....'J-U ~ r--lll~1 ("lA. ~..ol.i.i.:;,;I}.ill1 Jr; 4 and corruption, either by addition or subtraction.
d't-j <:J' .ill I J,--)~. ~, J-<>..o ("~1;! rlA... ~ Thus, the Quraish were assured, the Qur'an would
remain for all time exactly as it was first dictated
~l ~I -.::,....!.;li ~~~ ~fjf" <:JI.; )~WI,jl ~ J;..J.J. to the prophet by the angel Gabriel. There is even
~ ~W '.r--AJ' .j I,W .illI J,...) J'=- ~ 1, yt~"",lI a saying of the prophet recorded to the effect that
~ji ~ ~ 4-- ,) .«l~ <:Jl ~c...,.l\, <:JI ~) J.,~
' • clJl.is
• 'Umar bin Kha\lab said, .. In three things I agreed • If the Qur'an be bound in leather and then cast
with my Lord (that is with the Quc'an). I said, 0 into the fire, it will not be burned.' 'Ne have
prophet of God, if we were to say our prayers in no space here to show how seriously the text of
44 MUH'\,I~JAD IN ISLAM DISPl;TATIONS WITH THE QURAISH 45
the Qur'an has been corrupted since the time of
Mul.lammad. Suffice it to say, that the standard
~.is , ~ .J:' t,jb \..,,'. r ~ ~}I l~ ~I;
commentaries on the Qur'an report innumerable *~j
various readings as well as mention many omissions • The Jews said to the Quraish, .. Do ye question him
from and additions to the original text. The curious <the prophet) concerning the spirit, the companions
reader may find these dealt with at some length in of the cave, and Alexander the Creat." Then they
the book entitled TI,e Qllr'all ill Islam published asked him; but he said, .. Return ye to me to-
by the Christian Literature Society for India. morrow and I will answer you." But he neglected
The enemies of the pro phd, though unable to do to mention a condition (i.e. if Cod will). Conse-
him personal injury, continually assailed him with quently inspiration delayed to come upon him
their tongues. Now it was to denounce him as an for the space of some ten days, until the matter
impostor, and now to ply him with disconcerting became grievous to him, and the Quraish called him
questions. At other times ridicule and abuse a liar.' •Abbas and Ibn Hisham (vol. i, p. 27 J)
were heaped upon him by those who had rejected also relate the incident which, we are told, was the
his claims; and it is clear from the narratives that result of a plan concerted by the Jews for testing
have come down to us, that the prophet's lot was whether Mui)ammad was really a prophet or not_
far from a happy one. One of these incidents as Little wonder that his unsatisfied questioners at last
recorded by Baigawi may he mentioned by way of withdrew in disgust, declaring Mul.l<1.mmad to be an
illustration. I t is said that the Quraish one day impostor and a liar.
came to the prophet with three questions; but he, Another matter concerning which the enemiei of
not being able to answer them, bade them return Mui)ammad were constantly taunting him was the'
again on the morrow. The next day found the contradictions which were so palpably evident
prophet still unprepared, and, tinally, his interlocu- between various passages of the Qur'an. If that
tors were dismissed with a request to return some book be studied with attention it will be found to
days later. The story as told by Baigawi is as contain a large number of such contradictions; and
follows: it is not to be wondered at that the unbelieving Arabs
were quick to seize upon them in order to challenge
....i.p\ y~l, ~,)1 d ai- ~jil .)~l I..:;...lli
r'
.".0........'. rSf.~\ 1J.= J;il J\A; 1,lJ-; l:J";jJl y..i ,
the divine origin of the book in which they were
found. Thus, at the first, when Mui)ammad was a
.46 :\It; HA~DIAD I:-l ISLA~I DISPUTATIONS WITH THE QURAISH 47
defenceless man at i\lecca, dependent upon the good- demands for a miracle Mul:Jammad had replied that
will of the people for his very existence, we find he was only a preacher. Their questions, brought
him inculcating principles of toleration and mild- with a view to apply a second test of MU!:Jammad's
ness, but, later on, when at Madina he found apostleship, were equally futile of results, and so
himself surrounded by a band of warlike Arabs, he they turned from the preacher in disgust, resolved
changed his tone, and J el:Jad was consistently more than ever not to tolerate in their midst one
preached. Again, when Mu1.lammad tirst reached who, to their mind, was obviously an impostor and
Madina, after his flight from Mecca, he sought to a fool.
win the goodwill of the many influential Jews
resident there by making Jerusalem his Qibla, or
place towards which prayer was to be offered.
Later on, however, when these hopes failed, he
again turned towards the sacred Ka'ba or temple
of Mecca, when prostrating himself in prayer, in
order to conciliate the Arabs who looked upon that
ancient temple in the light of a national sanctuary.
The Arabs, however, only mocked, and to Mul:Jam-
mad's assurance that God was the author of the
changes, replied that
(wrong) desirc. But Gud shall bring to nought when Muf:1ammad saw that his people retired from
that which Satan had suggested' [Suratu'I-l:lajj him and opposed him, and rejected that IQur'an)
("xiii 51]. The inference intendcd to be conveyed which he had brought them from God, he wished
by these words was that Satan had, in like man- in his heart that such word would come to him
ner, placed the praises of the Meccan idols upon from God by which friendship might be established
the lips of ~I ul)ammad. between him and his people, and an inducement
The incident related above is such a grave one, held out to them to believe. And it came to pass
and casts such an indeliblc stain .upon the charac- that one day he was in the temple of the Quraish
ter of ~I ul.lammad that we 'luote at some length when God sent down Suratu'n-Najm. Then the
in order to show that its historicity is vouched for prophet recited it, and when he arrived at the
by the highest authority. \Ve 'luote, therefore, words, .. Do ye see al·Lat and al- Uzza and Manat
below, the account of the incident given by the third (idol) besides?" Satan placed upon his
l\Iu'alim : lips what he had longed for in his heart: .. These
are the exalted females, and verily their intercession
L.Jl.;:!,i:, I,,5kjll I.,.--cS dol ~, U"'~.c ""II J'j
, is to be hoped for." And whcn the Quraish heard
4~ ~ , .l.iL: M,; Ji .illl J,~) "A W d;-A..ll ",," this they rejoiced at it.'
~ Another form of the story is gIven in the
~ .j l,,5l..j .ill! ",,'" of.! ("v\.;-- L..~ ("~J.ct.;..... ",,'" ~~ \.., Mawcihiblt'l-Lttdl//liyyah as follows:
~
¥)'~ J'..:; .illl Jj'j "fJ} ~ .. .j ('J', ",,\Sj ("ti\...,.1 cit .tiW ~ .,;\b~l ~I yj-JI ~Ull i;,..i.., ..sri;
~
"Ij.J~ .::.>lJl (":l,>ljl .Ii,; ~ ~ , .ill I J,W) I""Y'; (""..ill .,;,.s~1 JW ~)J ("iAc\L~ .,;1) Jall .y.J1jI1
""ts ~ .tiW 1,,5lr. .,;'h:! ,"11 ~l c.,rJ>~1 ii!Ull iLi.., ~~11~ ~;; ,)~, J..,>..~ ry.-ll ~ ~ LUfI j j L.
~c~ .,;') .."sWI J~~AlI cit z~, ol-A; of.! ~~ J.fll ~ l.i' ~I ~~) Jr-; ",,'" ~ ",,'" LiL~) L.)
* "-! ',...j 0J.i ~j ~........ W; """,,';} • "ii..u.....'
-
.• Uu.:J I
'=' "" -
'It is related by Ibn 'Abbas and Mul.Jammad bin • Thc prophet was reading Sllratu'n-Najm in Mecca,
I\a'bu'I-Qarzi, and other commentators besides, that and when he came to the \Yords, .. Do ye see al·Ut
52 lIWHAlIIMAD IN ISLAM THE FLIGHT FROM MECCA 53
and al-Uzza and l\Ianat the third (idol) besides?" mies relented, and once more resumed business
Satan east upon his lips the words" these arc the relations with Mu~ammad's party.
exalted females, and "erily their intercession is to be Mu~ammad now redoubled his efforts to win the
hoped for." And the idolaters said, "he hath spo- Quraish to an acceptance of his message. He
ken well of our goddesses." And he \\'orshipped and particularly aimed, it would seem, at the conversion
they worshipped; and then was sent down this of their leaders, and a story has come down to us
\'erse, "\Ve have not sent any apostle or prophet of his persistency in preaching which throws a flood
before thee, but when he recited Satan injected of light upon his character. The story as told by
some (\\TOng) desire.'" BaieJawi gives substantially BaieJawl (p. 784) is as follows. One day I\lu~ammad
the same story on page 447 of his commentary, was seated before a group of the leaders of the
and there is no reason whatever for doubting its Quraish earnestly pressing upon them the claims of
genuineness. Ibn Athir, one of the early biographers the new Faith, when a poor blind man named
of the prophet, tells us that it was owing to a 'Abdu'llAh bin Umm-Maktum drew near, exclaiming
Tumour that the Quraish had embraced Islam which as he did so,
reached the Muslim refugees in Abyssinia, which
.. .ill! ~ L..... ~ .ill! Jr; L.
led to their early return to Mecca. But if Mu~am·
mad's association with Allah of the Meccan deities '0 apostle of God, do thou teach me something
pleased the Quraish, his subsequent repudiation of of that which God has taught thee.' But the
that act goaded them to madness, and they now prophet, intent upon gaining the ears of the Quraish
resolved. at all costs, to crush the new cult ere it leaders, and vexed at the interrllption, frowned and
could do them further injury. To effect this they turned away. Later on, heing reprehended by God
resolved to excommunicate the Muslim community for his impatience, so the story goes, the prophet
and refuse all dealings with them. Not only did repented of his action and, seeking out the blind
this ban of excommunication apply to Mu~ammad supplicant, loaded him with honours, and even,
and his immediate follo\\'ers, but the whole clan of later on, made him governor of Madlna! The his-
the Bani Hisham was included. These latter now torian further relates that such was the prophet's
withdrew to a secluded quarter of the city, and for sorrow for his sin that whenever he met 'Abdu'llah
a period of from two to three years suffered the he \Va 5 won t to say,
severest privations. At length, however, their ene- . . . .J
..... j
.w
..
.y...wl.<:
. b
",,4l. • r
54 THE FLIGHT FROM MECCA 55
'\Velcome to the man for whose sake my Lord those of Mecca; consequently after some ten days
hath reprimanded me.' This event was of sufftcient of futile endeavour to gain a hearing in Ta'if the
importance to claim notice in the Qur'an, where prophet, insulted and wounded, was compelled to
it is alluded to in these words, ' He frowned and once again turn his weary steps towards his native
turned his back, because the blind man came to city. We pass over the fabulous story of his preach-
him 1 But what assured thee that he would not be ing to and converting some genii on the way.
cleansed (by the faith) or be warned and the warn- merely remarking in passing that Sir Syed A!)mad
ing" profit him? As to him who is wealthy, to Khan merely describes them as a band of uncivilized
him thou wast all attention, Yet it is not thy Arabs.
concern if he is not cleansed. But as to him who Mu!)ammad soon consoled himself for the loss of
cometh to thee in earnest and full of fears, him dost his first wife by marrying, a little later, Sauda the
thou neglect' [Suratu'l-'Abasa (lxxx) 1-8]. widow of one of the Abyssinian refugees. This
Somc\\'here ahout this time i,,!u!:tammad's \\'ife marriage was soon followed by another, the bride
Khadija died. This occasioned the prophet great this time being the seven-year-old daughter of Abu
grief, and, until the day of his death, he ceascd Bakr named 'Ayesha. Meanwhile opposition to
not to speak of her de\'otion and faithfulness. the prophet increased, and Mu!)ammad found him-
Misfortunes now followed one another in quick self obliged to restrict his preaching very largely to
succession, for following shortly upon the death of the strangers from other parts of Arabia who made
his wife came the decease of his faithful protector the annual pilgrimage to Mecca or attended the
and g11ardian Abu T,ilib, This was a se\'cre blow numerous fairs which ,,\'ere held from time to time
to the prophet, who was not slow to perceive that in various parts of the country. Several of these
without the powerful protection of his uncle a fur- strangers from Madina eventually accepted the pro-
ther stay in ~!ecca would be attended with the phet's teaching, and these, upon their return to
utmost difficulty and danger. \Veighed down by Madina, so successfully propagated the new faith
these losses, and hopeless of further success in there that, two years later, a band of over seventy
Mecca itself, flf ul,lamrnad now resolved to preach persons made their way to Mecca and there pledge\l
his doctrines in the town of Ta'if situated some themselves to support the prophet's cause. This
se\'enty miles to the cast of Mecca. But the people success soon suggested to Mu!)ammad the wisdom
of Ta'if were as strongly devoted to their idols as of a change of sphere, and a little later we find him
56 ~lt;HAMMAD IN ISLA~I
soon came when the utter expulsion of 'the People Mecca, but now, at Mul.lammad's command, and
of the Book', as the Jews were called, was consid- for some considerable time after, the Muslim
ered by the prophet a political necessity. prayers were made facing north instead of south.
One of the first acts of ~Iu~ammad after his At length, however, finding the Jews obdurate, and
arrival in ~Iadlna was to call his disciples together seeing no prospect of winniug them to his side,
and urge upon them the construction of a mosque Mu~ammad determined once more to woo the
for public worship. He himself, it is said, laboured favour of the Arabs by making the national sanc-
with the rest in this work, and soon a substantial tuaryat Mecca again his Qibfa. Thus one day the
building of brick with a roof supported by the prophet, to the astonishment of the assembled
trunks of palm trees stood as a monument to the worshippers, suddenly turned from north to south
religious zeal of the illuslims. Adjoining the temple and once more said his prayers in the direction of
thus built, a row of humble dwellings gradually the Kfl'ba at Mecca. Such a drastic change de-
arose for the accommodation of the prophet and his manded divine sanction, and so a ' revelation' was
WI ves. produced to satisfy the qualms of his bewildered
It has already been remarked that l\Iu~ammad disciples. It runs thus:
at first strove to win the allegiance of the Jews j _' (..~ .~" • $ ~._ ... $ _ (" __ fI __ ,_ Co.
and, for this purpose, he addressed them as the 4-..ii ~~ ~,ili ~Ul ~ ~, ~w '-il .J.i
'People of the Book', and treated them with 4 ... (,.~L. _ •• _ ._Co L_L.C. _ .. _L_ .. _-
studied respect. In fact, it is clear from the records 1,1'; ~ 1.A ~~, f".\~1 ~-.Jl}~ I.:J.p, J"
... ,,_ c. .. _c. ....
that have come down to us that he adopted not a
few of their religious practices and incorporated • 1;0:. ~~,
them into his system. One of the principal means • \Ve have seen thee (0 Mu~ammad) turning thy
adopted by the prophet for winning the favour of face towards every part of heaven; but we will
the Jews was the adoption of Jerusalem as his Qibla, have thee turn to a Qibla which shall please thee.
or place towards which prayer was to be made. Turn, then, thy face towards the sacred mosque (of
This, it need scarcely he remarked, was a practice Mecca), and wherever ye be, turn your faces toward
already observed by the Jews. The r.luslims, we that part' [Suratu'l-Baqara (ii) 145-7]' Candid
are told, had been in the habit of praying with Muslim scholars have freely acknowledged this
their faces turned towards the sacred temple at change of policy on the part of M u~ammad. Thus
62 MUHAMMAD IN ISLA~I SOCIAL AND I~ELIGIOUS LEGISLATION 63
jaJalu'd.Din, in his comments on the ahove passage, down to liS. From this mass of tradition we learn
clearly states that ~ltJl.lammad, that the followers of MuQammad, themselves most
punctilious in the performance of all the necessary
U"'.l.A.Jl t.;;....:!-J JI.:W-'~ ;,,1 J>IJll Wi ty,:JI .}o <,;)ts
* J.f"" r 'fi~ r ~ ,\ i.L.. ~l J"'; "}t~ \Al\;
ablutions and minute forms of ritual laid down by
him, were at times scandalized by his own violation
of the very rules he had himself laid down. MuQam·
'used to pray towards it (i.e., the Ka'ba), but
after the flight (to Madina) he ordered (his follow. mad had, for example, told them that
ers) to turn towards the temple at jernsalem in * ),tlo pi-! -=.J ll.c J;'A,> ~ ,ull .,;1
order that he might conciliate the jews. So he
'Verily, God accepts not prayer without ablution.'
prayed towards it for a year or seventeen months;
Yet in the Mishkdtll'l-Ma$dbih in the !litdbll'I.Atdma
after which he changed it again.' Ahdu'l-Qadir,
there is a tradition from 'Amr bin Umaya to the
in his Ta!sirrt'l·,uadd'ihil Qllr'<!l1 (p, 22) says, effect that,
,... ~,T ,J-> ~ ~y. }..j u~ l. ~ as ~-tj ~~" _ C. rill _ c.. _ _.-: _ _ _ .. !. a: _ $:$ _ _ ...._
i
4J....:, Jo,>l':' as & ~" ¥~ l.) ~ u~ l. .,;t........ T
~s <:J:" ..J-~
_ fI_ c.. _ ,.; _ _
rL.., ~ .ill I l.,?Lc ~ll.j) £il
__ .'- _ I rill _ _ I. _ _
"J'>)' jl.j u~ l. ~ IS ~,~ ,J-> \tt.i~ l.,?~1 ~\, \J,1Jil\j 9...Jl Jl v:~ ~~ .J ~l.:.
l
r' ~...; r
.. $ , __ "'__ ;l ..
'He (~[uQammad) wished that he might receive a
command to pray towards the 1\a'ba, and for this * \..;~ ("u
reason he kept his gaze fixed towards the heavens if, 'Verily he saw the prophet cutting a shoulder of
perchance, an angel might appear with a command mutton which was in his hand. Then he was
to pray towards the Ka'ba.' It is not strange that, called to prayer; so he cast it down together with
under such circumstances, the prophet soon found a the knife with which he was cutting it, and then
means of gratifying his wish, and that a ' revelation' stood up to prayer, and he did not perform his
forth with appeared to sanction the change. ablutions.'
A vcry large amount of space is devoted, in the Tirmidhi relates that when the prophet entered
traditions, to the prayers of MUQammad; and the the mosque he used to say,
most minute particulars as to the time and manner
in which prayer should be offered havc bcen handed
64 MUHAM~IAD IN ISLAM SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION 65
'0 my Lord, forgive me my sins; and open for me daily life, that he found the burden of ritual which
the gates of thy mcrcy,' Then, on lcaving, he used he had imposed upon his followers greater than he
to say, himself could bear; and again and again his violation
~ c. _ ~ .t. ~ (,. c..(,. ~ ~ (, •• (, (.. (, ~ _ of those ritual observances is mentioned by the his-
*~ y\)!1 .j ~i;l, t.,?!:I::' .J.;c I ?) torians. Thus there is a tradition handed down by
'0 my Lord, forgive me my sins; and open for me Ibn Mas'lid, one of the companions of the prophet,
the gates of thy favour,' Bukhari further relates that one day MuJ:1ammad
with refcrence to the prophet's prayers that he used
to remain silent at thc time of uttering the tahbr'r
and during the recital of the Qur'an. At length the -- .-_.--. - .". (,.-'------ .,,- -" .. - ..
J\; ~1,~ ' ,.;.... L., ~ ~~ .l..,'\.'-; L......;.. , .. -.,-1 .. 1;J1J
prophet's fricnd and disciple Abu H uraira addressing
.. c. _ (, .. _L .. c.. _ _ '''. c.... .." tlJ _ _ _ _ ..
him asked, . 0 prophet of God, what sayest thou in ~-.ill.i~ ",,-li L..s ~1 r-~ ~ U1 wI
thy heart when thou remainest silent at the time of Co.... _..
the takblr and at)he recital of the Qur'an ?' The * ~,h'~
prophet replied:
- (". - C. - _ - _ _ . . . . (,. • (. (,. (, _ 11.'- ~ ,J"
'performed the mid.day prayer in five raq'ats (or
.,r.! .::J~!,! \...s •./~l~';" ~! J ..i~ ~4 ttlJ 1JJ'l series of prostrations). Therefore it was said to
. ~ ". _.. - - - - - (, -. $#;' (, ." _ c.. .. "
him, "Have the prostrations been increased (from
yJJJI t.,?~ l...s l/I::.. .,..Jl ~ I.}~ ttlJ 1 ,":,j..J1J J;...Jl four to five)?" He said, " \Vhat do you mean?"
.. -. They replied, "You made five series of prostra-
L.Co. l.CC. to C. ... ~ SI C. .. (,L
tions," Then after the salam he made two prostra-
* ~.tll, (-'l1, ~W: ...,r'.,>\h.> ~ I ttlJ 1 ~')']11:.J-: ~jl
tions and said, "Verily I am only a man like you.
, I say, "0 my God, remove from me my sins as I forget as you do. Therefore when I forget,
thou hast removed the east from the west. 0 my do ye remind me'" (lIIishkdtll'I-Ma$dbill, Kitdbll'$-
God, cleanse me from my sins as a white cloth is SaW).
cleansed from impurity. 0 my God, wash my sins Not only did Mu!)ammad lay down minute litur-
with water and snow and hail,'" (Mislrkdtn'l- gical rules for guiding the devotions of his followers;
Ma$cibilr, J{itJbll\~·$alcit.) It is evident from a peru- but in the new mosque at Madina he also constituted
sal of the many traditions relating to the prophet's himself the great law-giver for all time, and founded
5
66 ~1(jHAMMAD 1:-1 ISI.A~I SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION 67
a system of laws which "'ere designed to govern (,~ • • p ~ (". (.~ 'I~c.. (0 ".$.(,,<.. (, ..
tions thus laid down were a vast improvement upon ~~I,i 1,;J~)1 ,.~ <:J~ ~)' <..:::,..l; , ~ ~~\ ~
<. ..... _L. (, .... _ .. oJ ..
the conditions which ruled throughout Arabia pre-
vious to the promulgation of Islam; but by giving
• ,.s.i\4!.1 ~S1A \.. , I
these laws a religious ,anction Mul)ammad gave them • If ye are apprehensive that ye shall not deal fairly
a permanent and abiding character, so that, for all with orphans, then of the women who seem good in
time, Muslims are tied down to the legislation which your eyes marry two or three or four. And if ye
governed the scventh century of our era. There can, fear that ye shall not act equitably, then one only or
under such circumstances, be no progress towards the slaves whom ye have acquired' [Suratu'n-Nisa'
higher ideals. Slavery and polygamy, because sanc- (iv) 3].
tioned by the prophet in the scventh century, is the (, .. 1lf _ .. _ (, .. I .. c.. ..(.. (, • (,.... C. _ ...
law for !lluslims~for all time. ~(L., L, )1 ~'-:U' ~ -..::..--i .. ~..Jl ~~.r
Before the advent of Mul)ammad an unrestricted
system of polygamy prevailed amongst the Arahs, .~~j
carrying with it abuses better imagined than • Forbidden to you . . . are married women, ex-
described. !II ul)ammad, not being strong enough to cept those who are in your hands as slaves' [Suratu'n-
destroy the system root and branch, attempted to Nisa' (iv) 24].
modify its evils hy restricting his followers to four The history of the great wars of conquest which
wives. This reform, howevcr, though good in itself, followed the decease of Mul)ammad throws a lurid
was quite nullified by Mul)ammad's permission of an light upon the legislation quoted above; and even at
unlimited concubinage. He placed no restriction the present day every Turkish massacre of helpless
upon the carnal knowledge of female slaves or of Armenians is accompanied by the rape and abduction
women taken in war, even though the latter were to l\I uslim homes of hundreds of young girls and
married, and has thus perpetuated an evil which newly made widows.
would not be tolerated in any civilized society to-day. Another great evil of Mul)ammad's day, which he
Amongst the passages of the Qur'an sanctioning these tried in vain to reform, was the practice of slavery.
shameful practices may be mentioned the following: To his credit, be it said, he taught his followers to
68 MUHAMMAD 1:-1 ISLAM
SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION 69
he kind to their slaves, and even went so far as to
teach that the emancipation of a slave was an act clusters of fruit. At this the disconcerted Muslims
pleasing to God. But the simple fact rcmains that repaired to MuJ:1ammad and informed him of their
hc allowcd the buying and selling of human bcings state. The prophet is recorded as making the
as slaves; and Muslims, all down the centuries following reply:
which havc passed since his day, have carried on
this inhuman traffic under the full sanction of their
',~ r ~.., r'" I:!AO ~ ~r' 1.>1 ~ \;1 L..il
prophet. * r \;1 L..ili ~~.."... ~~ rSir'I.>I J I.!
The Muslim refugees in Madina at first experienced • I am only a man. \Vhen, therefore, I command
very great privations. Many of them were penniless. you anything concerning your religion, then accept
MuJ:1ammad himself, more than once, endured the it; but when I command you anything as a matter
pangs of hunger. Tirmidhi tells us that many were of my own opinion, then-verily I am only a man'
reduced to a diet of dates and barley. A foolish and (MishMtlt'l-Ma$dbih, Kitdbll'Z-lmall). Needless to
mistaken pronouncement on the part of MuJ:1ammad, say, the prophet's reply did little to fill the hungry
made at this time, added not a little to the pri- mouths of his disconcerted disciples or to avert the
\'ations of the ~I uslims, who were largely dependent rtlin which was staring them in the face.
upon the bounty of the believers of Madina for their In the next chapter we will endeavour to show
daily food. We have already remarked that many the reader how MuJ:1ammad solved the problem, and
of thc inhabitants of Madina and its suburbs were changed the poverty of his followers into wealth.
engaged in the cultivation of the date-palm: an
occupation at which they had acquired considerablc
skill. Artificial fertilization was generally practised,
and many had become prosperous in consequence.
But in the ltlislzkdtlt'l-Ma$dbth it is recorded that
when MuJ:1ammad arrived in Madina he forbade this
practice. The result was that when the time of the
date harvest came round the disappointed Muslims
found their own trees bare, whilst those of their
non-Muslim neighbours were loaded with beautiful
CHAPTER II
THE I'ROCLAMATION OF JEHAD
The primary motive for these expeditions was The reason that (it is now made lawful) is that God
plunder for the purpose of relieving the pecu- has looked upon our weakness and helplessness.
niary wants of the refugees in Madina. Later on Therefore He has made it proper for us'" (Illishkdt-
the religious motive of proselytism made its influence 11'1-Ma$dblh, JWablt'l-]ehdd). These words of
felt, and wars were undertaken, not merely for the prophet are clear, and leave no doubt that
plunder, but for the spread of Islam. The refer- Mu!:Jammad intended to plunder and to claim divine
ences to these expeditions of I\I u!:Jammad found in sanction for so doing.
Muslim history are so full that it is easy to arrive At first the Muslims were unsuccessful, and more
at definite conclusions regarding them. Thus the than one band returned without any spoil. Such
Mishkdtl/'l·Ma~"fbfh has a long chapter devoted an expedition is recorded by one •Abdu'llah bin
entirely to the subject of ]ehdd, and deals at length l;Iawalah, who said,
with the division of the spoils and other matters
relating to such religious warfare. Statements of
Mu!:Jammad are there recorded which make it clear
that he not only initiated plundering expeditions
against the Quraish and other tribes, but gave those
thieving expeditions, which were not infre'luently • The apostle of God sent us to plunder on foot;
accompanied by murder, divine sanction by pretend- but we returned without having looted anything'
ing that they had been authorized by God Himself! (Mishkdtu'l-IIla$abih, Kitdbu'l·Fitlin). At first
Thus there is a tradition preserved by Bukhari to Mu!:Jammad did not personally accompany these
the effect that, expeditions, but at length, being wearied of the ill-
success of his followers, and realizing that something
was needed to stir their enthusiasm, he placed him-
self at the head of a large band and sallied forth in
search of prey. The historian \Vaqidi mentions no
_ __:11_ _ _ ,_ c. __
less than nineteen such expeditions which were led
* LiJ. 4:<~ lij~'" , by the prophet in person .
• Abu H uraira records that the apostle of God said, The first occasion on which the Muslims were
" Plunder was not made lawful for any before us. successful was connected with a small expedition at
74 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM THE PROCLAMATION OF ]EHAD 75
which MUQammad was not present. From ancient Some time after the events narrated above
times it had been a custom of the Arabs to observe MUQammad received information that a large cara-
the month of the annual pilgrimage as sacred. In van belonging to the Quraish under the leadership
it all war was considered unlawful, and the lives and of a man named Abu Sufyan was returning from
properly of all were safe from one end of Arabia to Syria richly laden with merchandise. The oppor-
the other. This same custom had given MUQam- tunity was not to be lost, and MUQammad placed
mad, when a persecuted and discredited man in himself without delay at the head of a large band
Mecca, full liberty and opportunity to preach his of followers and proceeded to intercept the cara-
doctrines to the crowds of pilgrims who were in the van. Bukhari says very distinctly that the Muslims
habit of visiting Mecca at the time of the great went out for the express purpose of plundering
annual festivals. It is recorded however that on a Abu Sufyan's caravan. The latter, however, was
certain occasion MuQammad despatched a small wide awake, and learning of the intended attack
band of armed Muslims to a place called Nakla in despatched a messenger on a swift camel to Mecca
order to intercept and loot a small caravan of the for help, and himself led his caravan by a different
Quraish of whose movements he had information. route than that intended, and escaped safely out
This band of 1It uslims drew near the Quraish en- of MUQammad's hands. In the meantime a large
campment during the sacred month, and by shaving party from Mecca proceeded in search of the cara-
their heads and feigning themselves pilgrims disarm- van, and at a place named Bedr were confronted
ed the suspicions of the latter. Then suddenly, with- by the followers of MuQammad. Here a sangui-
out warning, the treacherous Muslims threw aside nary conflict took place, and, though largely out-
their disguise and fell upon the unsuspecting travel- numbered, the latter proved the victors and carried
lers. These they either killed or drove away, after off many prisoners and much booty. Many of the
which they pillaged the caravan and returned laden prisoners taken by the Muslims, were, in spite of
with the spoil to Madina. This is said by the their entreaties for mercy, cruelly put to death,
Muslim historians to have been the first spoil taken and their bodies thrown into a well. This shocking
by the followers of MuQammad, and, needless to outrage is thus related in the Mishkdt, in the chapter
say, it roused them to redoubled efforts to intercept on Jehdd:
and despoil the rich caravans which continually
travelled to Syria and other lands.
THE PllOCLAMATIOr-; OF JI!HAD 77
76 MUHA:llMAD IN ISLA~I
that followed it go to show that violent dissen-
sions at once broke out amongst the Muslims as to
the division of the spoil. These hecame so serious
that Mu!.Jammad was constrained to call in the
help of a • revelation' in order to quell the tumult;
'It is related from Qatada that he said, "Anas and so the following passage lias recited as coming
the son of Malik related to us from Abu Tal!.Ja that from God Himself:
verily the prophet of God on the day of Bedr gave
command (for the death of) twenty-four of the
leaders of the Quraish, and they were thrown into
one of the wells of I3edr.'" Amongst the men 'They will question thee ahout the spoils. Say,
thus murdered was a man named 'Uqba bin Abu .. The spoils are God's and the Apostle·s.'"
~Iu·ait. Ibn i\las'ud, who was himself present at Those apologists for Islam who would have us
the battle of Badr, has related a tradition with believe that the early Muslims only fought in self-
regard to him which has been collected in the defence ignore the testimony of both the Qur'an
Mishkdtll'l-Ma$dbz'h in the chapter on Jehdd. It and the traditions. The plain fact is, the word
runs as follows: , plunder' is writ large over the whole literature
dealing with that period, and the Hiddyah, the
Mjshkdtll'l·Ma~dbih and other lI'orks are full of
were revealed at this time and later are full of the 1}J1 I.:I.~' ,£ ~'1:1'.~ <:J,.u.~), .tin' .illI r;> L.
same subject, and the faithful are again and again .. c.... .. c...... • c. .. I __ C. " to. ".. ... .. ..,
exhorted to fight until Islam be established as the * <.:.I,jlc ("" J '!'!. d ~~Jl I~ I.,?b ...,...i:=-"
one and only faith. Thus we read: • Make war upon such of those to whom the Scrip-
.. (, _ .. c. (, ... .. .. (..... .... (, .... C. _(, __ _ tures have been given as believe not in God, or in
~
., ~
<.:.I- r--
.1o-S~~lll\~;\; ._11
r'" 0-- r- c..L.."jll.)\j
_. _ '~l
the last day, and who forbid not that which God
.. c... ... "'.... .. .. c. _ c. .. c. .... c. .. c. .... .. _ .. c. .. (0" ,,_ .. and His apostle have forbidden, and who profess
~r Js ,.~ ~.wl , (""J"""'" J (""J ~ J ""'-";~J not the profession of the truth, until they pay
~ • ",_".. ~ .. _ .. I • "'_ .. .. I ~ .. .... .... L_
tribute out of hand, and they be humbled.'
.ill1 <.:.11 ~ I~ li,,=»1',,;\' J i;...JI '"...1,;1 " I"il; <.:.I~ Jehdd, the prophet declared, was an eternal
obligation, for, said he :
• c. • K, ....
- .
* IfL. ~
'Cut off their hands and feet, and put out their eyes.
Afterwards he did not staunch the blood until they
died.' Another tradition describing this terrible
atrocity records that hot irons were driven into
their eyes, after which they were cast out upon the
stony plain in the burning sun. And when they
begged for water it was not given them until finally
they died.
In the face of what has been quoted in this
chapter from purely Muslim sources, and these
sources of the very highest authority, it is futile for
MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS 87
MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS • That (advice) appeared pleasing to him; so he set
out and went a day's journey.' After which the
IT has already been remarked that at the time of the
inevitable' revelation' caused him to return.
flight from Mecca numerous and powerful tribes of
With the object of gaining the good-will of the
Jews were settled in and around Madina. At first
Jews MuQammad made constant laudatory refer-
Muhammad made repeated attempts to win them to
ences to their ancient Scriptures. They were' the
his ~ide. He not unnaturally hoped that as he came
word of God', and' a light and guidance for men'
preaching the unity of God the monotheistic Je~s
which the Qur'an was but sent down to confirm.
would receive him with open arms, and welcome him
But the Jews would have none of MUQammad or his
as an ally in the fight against idolatry. But to all his
Qur'an; rather they ridiculed and lampooned the
advances the Jews had one reply. No prophet, they
prophet upon every possible occasion. Thus when
said, could arise out of Israel. Syria and Palestine
Muhammad approached them with questions con-
were the home of the prophets, and Mecca could
cer~ing their ancient Scriptures they hid the matter
never produce a true successor to Abraham and
from him and told him instead some legendary tales
Moses and David. Indeed in the Tafsiru'I·Bai<Jdwi,
from their traditions. Muslim has preserved for us
(p. 381) it is recorded that the Jews ridiculed the
a striking utterance of Ibn' Abbas with reference to
prophet in these words:
this practice of the Jews. He says:
b I . ~_I\j l..ui
Yo..:r-- -' .~ is ...,-.
.. ,Ij w.;~1 JLL. jL.:.J1
~
J,-I <:Jo'O c,':' d t.l..o ~1 JLw W; V~ ""I J\;
* cl! ~,; Joi '"", I,) Joi ~~ Ifl"i 1,;:<>1, 14.1 IriS; yus.n
• Syria is the home of the prophets. Therefore if
thou art indeed a prophet, repair thither that we
, * .ue t~L.. ~ .,r
may believe on thee.' For once MUQammad's • Ibn 'Abbas said that, when the prophet asked any
natural astuteness seems to have deserted him. He question of the People of the Book, they suppressed
88 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS 89
the matter, and in place of it told him something he was held up to ridicule. When this reached the
else, and went away letting him think that they had ears of the latter he was filled with rage and ex-
told him what he asked.' claimed, • Shall I not exact satisfaction for myself
Moreover it is difficult not to believe that MuJ:tam- from the daughter of Merwan?' A Muslim named
mad's egregious mistakes regarding Bible history 'Umair bin 'Udai heard the words of Muhammad,
afforded a constant butt for the ridicule of the Jews. and, rightly interpreting them as a desire for the
\Ve have no space to refer at length here to these death of 'Asma entered her house at night and bru-
anomalies, but if the reader of this book will take tally murdered her. On the following day he ac-
the Bible and the Qur'an and compare the histories quainted the prophet with the accomplishment of
of any of the Patriarchs as recorded in those books, his purpose. The latter on hearing of the death of
he will quickly see how very far the Qur'an is from 'Asma exclaimed, 'Thou hast helped God and his
'confirming' the words of the former. One who apostle, 0 'Umair,'
was so ignorant of Bible history as to confuse Mary Another murder carried out about this time at
the mother of Jesus with Miriam the sister of Moses the direct instigation of MUQammad was that of a
and Aaron, could scarcely expect much respect from man named Kab-binu'I-Ashraf. This is fully de-
an intelligent and educated community such as the tailed in the Siratu'r·RastU (vol. ii, p. 73-4). Briefly
Jews of Madina were-and he received none. The ·the story is as follows: becoming annoyed with
latter at length began to lampoon the prophet in Kab, the prophet one day exclaimed, 'Who is for
verse, and this so stirred his anger that he renounced me in the matter of Ibnu'I-Ashraf?' A disciple of
for ever all hopes of winning them to his side, and, the prophet immediately exclaimed, ' I am for thee
instead, embarked upon a campaign of murder and in his affair, 0 apostle of God; I shall kill him.'
oppression which only ended with the complete ex- Then, after consulting with MUQammad, and taking
pulsion of the Jews from the city and its neighbour- with him several companions, the murderer stole
hood. forth to the house of Kab, and having enticed him
In the Siratu'r·RastU there is preserved to us the outside on the pretence of pawning some arms,
story of a Jewess named 'Asm ibint Marwan which foully murdered him in cold blood.
illustrates the new policy that was adopted by the Another Jew killed by the direct orders of MUQam-
prophet. This woman had incurred the displeasure mad was an old man named Abu Rafi. His story
of MuJ:tammad by composing some verses in which as related by Bukhari is as follows:
90 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS 91
which called for reprisals on the part of the Muslims. , he who amongst them estimates the number high.
\Vhen, therefore, Mul]ammad obtained the necessary est says they were between eight hundred, and nine
92 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS 93
hundred.' Then, proceeds the same biographer of force under the leadership of the prophet himself
the prophet, was soon on its way to attack the unsuspecting
~j ..}>. JI,...1 t-' r' ~ A!J 'J'" A!JI J,...; 1:)' Jews. The latter were overcome, and were com·
pelled to hand over enormous booty to the con·
* ~.l ....ll Jc
~-~1, tll>-W, querors. The latter allowed the Jews to remain
• The apostle of God divided the property of the in possession of their lands on the condition that
Bani Quraiza and their wives and their children one-half of the produce should be regularly reo
amongst the Muslims.' mitted to Madina! The importance of this raid
The inhuman massacre narrated above, which may be judged from the fact that Ibn Hisham
has cast an indelible stain upon the character of devotes no less than eighteen pages to his account
M u~ammad, is referred to thus in the Qur'an: of the expedition and the events connected with
• And He caused those of the people of the Book it. One of the latter is of special interest, and
who had aided (the confederates) to come down may be mentioned here. It is related that the
from their fortresses, and He cast dismay into their widow of one of the Jewish slain, named Zainab
hearts. Some ye slew. Others ye took prisoners. bint i:Iarith, resolving to avenge herself upon Mu~am
And he gave you their land and their dwellings and mad, cooked some mutton and having poisoned
their wealth for an heri tage-even a land on which it' placed it before him. Mu~ammad, as well as
ye had never set foot' (Suratu'I-Al;1zab xxxiii. 26). some of his companions, ate of the poisoned meat,
Amongst the share of the plunder claimed by M u~am and one of the latter died in consequence. Mu~am·
mad was a beautiful woman named Raif:1ana, whose mad himself escaped death, though he su ffered severe
husband had just been murdered by the orders of pains; and he was wont to declare that until the
her captor. day of his death he felt the effects of the poison
Another Jewish tribe to feel, later on, the heavy he had taken. \Vhen the woman Zainab was brought
hand of Mul.lammad was that inhabiting the fertile before Muhammad, the latter asked the reason for
oasis of Khaibar, situated about a hundred miles to the attempt upon his life, and was met by the
the north of Madina. These Jews had done nothing following reply:
to incur the resentment of the Muslims, but their ~ 1:)'6 1:)1, ,u,. ~;-'1 I£:J... 1:)'6 1:)1 ~Lij
wealth and prosperity were wen known to the free-
booters who now ruled over Madina, and a strong .~
94 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD'S RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS 9S
• I said (to myself) .. If he is (only) a king, we on the other hand, when he found himself a power-
shall be rid of him; but if he is a prophet, then ful chieftain surrounded by warlike Arabs, he ad-
he will be informed (regarding the poison).'" dressed his followers thus, • Make war upon such
Another event indicating the hostility of MuJ:!am- of those to whom the Scriptures have been given
mad and his party to the J (oWS is that relating to as believe not in God, or in the last day, and who
a Muslim named Tima bin Ibriq, who, so the story forbid not that which God and His Apostle have
goes, stole a coat of mail from a neighbour and forbidden, and who profess not the profession of
hid it in a bag of flour. Timau being suspected, the truth, until they pay tribute out of hand, and
he in conjunction with some others, endeavoured they be humbled' (Suratu't-Tauba ix. 30).
to cast the blame upon an innocent Jew named
Zaid·binu's-Samin. ilIuJ:!ammad himself, we are
told, not wishing to punish his disciple, determined
to make a scapegoat of the Jew by inflicting upon
him the legal punishment for theft, namely, ampu-
tation of the hand. He was, however, miraculously
restrained from carrying out his unjust intention
and was ordered, instead, to ask pardon from God
for his momentary weakness (Tafslrll'Z-Bairj.dwi
on Suratu'n-Nisa iv. 106).
MuJ:!ammad's latest utterances regarding the Jews
and Christians were characterised by the deepest
enmity and hostility. \Vhen he was a helpless and
persecuted man at Mecca he could say, • Dispute
not, unless in kindly sort, with the People of the
Book, save with such of them as have dealt wrong-
fully with you, and say ye, .. \Ve believe in what
hath been sent down to us, and what hath been
sent down to you. Our God and your God is one,
and to him are we self-surrendered.'" At Madina,
MUHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN 97
.."
• rL..hJ1
CHAPTER IV
'It is related from 'Ayesha that she said, .. Three
MUHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN things of the world pleased the prophet: food and
women and perfumes. He obtained two of them,
A STUDY of the life of Mu1:lammad makes it clear but did not obtain the third. He obtained women
that he had a special weakness for women; and a and perfumes, but he did not obtain food.'" In the
very large part of the traditions, and no smalI part same chapter there is recorded a tradition from Anas
of the Qur'an, is occupied with the record of what that,
the prophet of Islam said and did in connexion
with the other sex. From a perusal of these records
certain outstanding facts emerge. These are so
obvious that we propose in this chapter to content
. --
.~~I
- }
ourselves very largely with quoting the Muslim
, The apostle of God said, .. Perfumes and women
authorities dealing with the subject and letting the are beloved by me." ,
reader make his own deductions.
Again, in the Mishkdt, in the chapter on Jehdd,
The traditions relating to Mu1:lammad's love of
there is another tradition from Anas to the effect
women are considerable in number; but we content that,
ourselves in these pages with quoting two or three , ,
by way of illustration. One of the best known is
that related by 'Ayesha, the wife of the prophet, and
- .. - . .
.dJll.,?k ~l
c.... .. ..
J,...; Jl ~I .:so:. ~
"" ... ".. c....
r
.. ".. ....
Jti ~:ji d-
..
_II....
c.
r' ~
c. c. .... .." ..
quoted in the 'Mishkdtll'Z-I1Ia$abih in the Kitdbu'l- C.
l:!~ t:Jf;r L4..... ;,1 l:!:'t .l} "'::-y! Ll{; ~. 4S ~ she was a girl of seven years of age. And she was
taken to him as a bride when she was nine years of
* \j~ J\,;l> \{ c,)'f;'c P f J~ ~~ ~ }I ~ J~" age; and her play-things were with her.'
'Certain Jews taunted his majesty saying, .. This Another incident mentioned in both Qur'an and
person contracts numerous marriages, and is con- traditions relates to a woman named Zainab bint
tinually engaged with women. If he had been a ]a!:Jsh, and shows even more clearly the absurdity
prophet, he would not have given thought to of t~e contention that l\!uf:!ammad's polygamy was
women." , InspIred only by motives of generosity and kindness.
Some modern apologists for MuJ:1ammad pretend Zainab was the wife of Zaid, the adopted son of
that his many marriages were only a practical form Mu!:Jammad. The latter was known as • Zaid the
of charity designed to make provision for the elderly son of Mu!:Jammad '. One day, the Muslim chro-
widows of his deceased followers! Mu1:lammadan nicler informs us, Mu!:Jammad suddenly visited the
history shows that this defence is worthless and house of Zaid and beheld his daughter-in-law in a
untrue. Mu1:lammad's wives were not all widows, costume which ill concealed her beauty. The
neither were they all old. Some were young passions of the prophet were excited, and he cried
virgins, others were the unfortunate widows of those ou t in an ecstasy
he had slain. Moreover it is an historical fact, . yIAJI ~
'-' . .. .ill! I:!~
I .
attcsted by Mu1:lammadan writers, that, in addition • Praise be to God Who turneth the hearts (of men).'
to his more than a dozen wives, MuJ:1ammad kept Zamab overheard the remark, and forthwith
MUHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN 101
100 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM
1shl.m in a most unlovely light, and gives the lie to
acquainted her husband with the fact. The latter
those who affirm that his marriages were only a
divorced Zainab, who was then married by the
form of benevolence intended for the benefit of
prophet. The latter, to still the murmurs of his
indigent widows.
astonished disciples, immediately produced a 'revela-
Another matter, referred to in the Qur'an, which
tion . sanctioning this extraordinary procedure; and
throws a lurid light upon the character of Mul:lam-
for all time the pages of the Qur'an stand disfigured
mad, is that mentioned in the first two verses of
with this parody of inspiration:
Suratu't-Tal:Jrim (1xvi), where we read,
_~." .. _~ (" • •• I(,,~_ .. ~ __ " ~(,_ 1. _
~ ""p.:1 ?
.... _ .... (, _ _ _
L,c..,i~,j
Co _ (, _
1)=, ~ ~j ...,.;;; l...L;
.Co _ 0 _ _ _ to (. ..
* 1)=, -=1~ ''';;; \.;1 ~l~:Jl ~ ',) .,f ~.r -=1~.rll (, .. -"'• •1' _ c..o •• ~ __• ,,_ 0(, _ «. ... .. ~ _ _ _Co
that this vcrse (allowing him the dissolution of his cJ'<>, ,'~ I:!'" ~l
_ ,,
o..i'f .-',~ ,'~ ~ ~i
,, __ "' _ _ ,, __ c.
oaths) camc down.' 'Abbas, in his commcnt on the • ,.1.1. U- ll; ~I",.""",,~ ,;.ul
~'C. ';1:/.'--
same passage, says of J:Iaf?a,
• Thou mayest decline for the present whom thou
* ty.:. II .;c. , Y:H .,$ .:.J.J"; cJ,s \y,I.k ..r wilt of them, and thou mayest take to thy bed her
• The matter became gricvous to her from the fact whom thou wilt, and whomsoever thou shalt long
that it happened in her house, and on her bed,' for of those thou shalt have before neglected; and
and so 'to please his wives' Muhammad vowed this shall not be a crime in thee.'
abstinence from the embraces of the·slave.girl Mary. \Ve make no comment on the facts related above,
And for this the world is asked to believe that God but we ask the reader to ponder the comment of
addressed MuJ:tammad in the words quoted above, 'Ayesha, the favourite wife of the prophet, when
in which he is allowed the breaking of his oath and lirst this' revelation' was rehearsed to her. It is
the resumption of his illicit relations with a slave. recorded in the Mishkdtu'{·Ma$abih, in the Kitdbl~'n·
girl! ! Nikd!l, that she exclaimed
The Qur'an enacts that a man having more than
one wife must spend his time equally with each in * .;.ll,... .,$ C)I.-J. )1 ~) ..;} L.
turn, MuJ:tammad himself at lirst carried out this • I do not see thy Lord, except that He hastens in
enactment, and visited in regular succession the (the fulfilment) of thy amorous longings' ! !
104 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM MUHAMMAD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS WOMEN 105
That Mulpmmad's estimate of woman was of the Another tradition to the same effect, quoted by both
lowest description cannot he doubted. H is many Bukhari and Muslim, records that the prophet said,
utterances with regard to the weaker sex make it
1c...l ~l.'J' ~I
r- '-
W i\:'l~
r-- . ,II.E:::> I -J.j WI ..::..-)1
rr-- ') r) ..')
clear that he looked upon woman as a necessary
evil, and as a species of being far inferior to man. .~I~1
As is well-known, he gave the latter the right to
, I saw (in a vision) hell-fire; and I never saw, as I
beat their wives in these words,
__ Co C. til "(" .. ,, Co _ ~"(,.,, ~ :11 .. ~c. ".. _ c.. ~ _ •
saw to-day, such an absolutely repulsive sight. And
I saw that the majority of its inhabitants were
~~I ~ cJil>'r.--a.I, ~~ ~j~ cJ';~ ",,~I,
:11 .. (, .. C. _ women. '
* ~,,~l, The same recognised inferiority of the woman is
seen in the legislation which provides that the testi-
• But chide those (wives) for whose refractoriness
mony of a man is equal to that of two women.
ye have cause to fear; remove them into beds apart,
Thus in the Qur'an it is enacted that in the case of
and scourge them' (Suratu'n-Nisa' iv.341. \Vomen,
debt' Call two witnesses of your people; but if
we are told in the Mishlult, used in times of war to
there be not two men, let there be a man and two
both fight as well as administer help to the wounded;
women of those whom he shall judge fit for wit-
but it is recorded that MUQammad forbade them
nesses' (Suratu'I·Baqara ii. 181). The lllishkdt
receiving any share of the plunder. H is opinion of
also quotes the prophet as saying that
them may be gathered from the following description
of them recorded in the Mishkdt ..'l-Masdbih, in the
Kjtcibll'l-Riqaq, namely, that,
'The testimony of a woman is equal to half the
cJ\b~I\ ~ ~Wl
testimony of a man. '
• \Vomen arc the nets of Satan.' Bukhari records MuJ:1ammad not only legalised polygamy upon
a statement of the prophet to the effect that he said earth: he promised it in heaven. Many of the say-
ings on the subject, attributed to him in the tradi-
• ~WJI lyl~.> cJ< i....~ 'oJ\; )WI ",:-,4 J& ..::..-...; tions, arc so coarse and indecent that we dare not
, I will stand against the door of hell, and behold I quote them here. One of the less vulgar must
the majority of those who wiII enter will be women.' suffice as an illustration before we bring this
106 MUHAMMAD IN ISLAM
,
in these words,
* .illl ~" do .)....r<> ~\; \ ... 1~ ~ ..;c..,; Amidst these incessant campaigns the apostle still
found leisure to promulgate fresh laws; and' revela-
, The apostle of God took the writing, and though tions' covering every conceivable sphere of life con-
he did not write "'cll, wrote what he had ordered tinued to issue from his lips. Some of this teaching
('Ali), viz. ":-'Iul:tammad son of 'Abdu'lhih.'" This sounds strangely out of place in this twentieth cen-
story is interesting as affording a proof that Mulpm- tury; yet all good Muslims are bound to accept it as
mad, despite modern Muslim assertions to the con-
a revelation from the God of heaven. In the Qur'an,
110 ~lU HAM:'IAD IN ISLAM THE DEATH OF MUHAMMAD III
for example, it is recorded again and again that the • 0 Fatima, save thyself from the fire; for verily I
purpose of God in creating mountains was to pre- am not able to obtain anything from God for you.'
vent the earth from shaking! Meteors arc gravely de- The prophet not only confessed his inability to
scribed in the same book as darts thrown at the save others, he even declared his ignorance of his
devils by the angels, when the former attempt to own future. Thus Bukhiri has preserved a state-
listen by stealth to the converse of heaven! Long men t of his to the effect tha t,
and realistic descriptions of heaven and hell form a 4 ,
special feature of the prophet's teaching. Both * I"'~ )) vi ~ L. .ill I Jr; \.;1 , '-I)Jl ) .illl)
places are described as material. Heaven is a place • By God, although I am an apostle of God, I do
of shady trees and cooling streams, where the carnal not know what will be done to me or to you.' The
appetites run riot, and rivers of wine flow to satisfy same statement also occurs in the Qur'an, in the
the thirst of men. Hell is a place of physical agony 5Uratu'I-Ahqaf. In the Mishkdtu'l-Ma,~db{h, in the
which God, according to the express teaching of the Kitdbll'smu'Udh he is reported as saying that,
Qur'an,has sworn to fIll with men and genii. Indeed, ~ _ Co ~ ~ _ _ to. _ _ , _ " _ c., c. • __ _ to; c._
we are told in the same book, He has created men ~l Jr; 4 ~jl~) 1,Jli olL..c ~ .1.>1 ~ J
for the purpose. Even Muslims will not escape _(,. ,t. .. ~ ",_ .. _. _
a purgatorial punishment in the fires of hell; and * ~~.f. ~ .dJl .j.>..W .,)1 )1 UI ), Jli
there is a famous verse of the Qur'an which de-
... The works of none of you will ever save him."
clares that everyone will enter the place of torment.
(His disciples) said, .. Not even you, 0 apostle of
Far from MuQammad being, as some modern Mus-
God?" He said, .. Not even I, unless God cover
lims maintain, an intercessor for them at the throne
me with His mercy.'" So concerned indeed was the
of God, the Qur'an repeatedly declares that there will
prophet regarding his own future destiny that he
be no intercession whatever at the judgement day.
instructed his followers to pray for him in these
Even in the Traditions, which are admittedly contra-
words,
dictory on the subject, :-'fuf:1ammad is represented
as addressing his daughter Fatima in these words, ~ J~ J-c ~l ~l.i i"kll ~ ,.s.l.>1 ~.>I
I"'SJ clL.1 ~ .j'.; }-ill ~ ~ ., '-Ijj;j\ .i:...b'j G. Jr. J
, ~Lc L...s ~ Jl ,.>..-" r)) ~ Jl
* ~ .illl~ * ~~, JI Jr. J ~~I Jr. ~--;, 1.:.6)4 J
lIZ lIUHAM~IAD IN ISLAM
* ~~ 1~ J ~ rS! ~i=ll~
.. Come, I will write for you a writing (so that) after
INDEX
it you will never go astray." Then' Umr said, .. He
is certainly overcome with pain; and, moreover, you
have the Qur'an. The word of God is sufficient for
'Abdu'll~b bin Sa'ud. 41. !Q!adija, 5, 15, 25.
you." Then a division arose amongst those who 'Abdu'll~b, father of MUQam- !Q!aibar. 92.
were present in the room, and they began to mad. 11. Lying, allowed, 27.
'Ahdu·I-Mu\lJLlib,14. Meteors, 110.
wrangle. Some said, " Bring him pen and ink in Abu T~lib. 14, 26, 30. Mary, the Copt, 101.
order that the prophet of God may write for you ". Abu Bakr, 26, 112. Mi'r~j.35 If.
Abu Rol6, 89. Miracles, 33.
Others of them agreed with 'Umr. At length, when Abu'I·Ffda,3. Mountains, 110.
'All, 26. MUQammad, birth 0(, 11.
they made a great noise and confusion, the prophet of Amina,11. " his heart is clean-
Abyssinia, 28.
God said, " Leave me" '. A little later Mui)ammad
breathed his last in the room of 'Ayesha, and there,
Arabs. state of before Islam, 3.
Apostasy, punishment for, 83.
.. sed, 12, 13.
hisepJlepsy, 13,21.
visits Syria, .4.
'A~ma-bint#Marwan. 88. " marries Khadfja,
where he had died, the prophet of Arabia was buried 'Ayesha, her marriage, 99. 13.
to await the great day when every one shall give an Bcdr, battle of, 75. an idolater in early
Bani Quraiza, 90. " life. 15.
account of himself to God. Christians in Arabia, 6. 9. his inspiration, 19,
Thus passed away a great personality. The pur- Circumcision, 4. 21.
Children, fate of, 15. wished to commit
pose and limits of this little book forbid a fuller Filra.t 20.
I
suicide, 20.
God, pre-IsI~mic conception of, is bewitched, 22.
treatment of his life, Many interesting and impor- 4. " forbids artificial
tant facts have been omitted; but we have tried, l;Ia1fmol, It, 13. fertilisation, 68.
l;Ianffs. 5. his superstitions,
in what we have written, to remain true to the title l;Iaf~a, 102, 23.
l:IirA mount, 18. unable to w 0 r k
of the book, and give only what is found 'in Islam' Heaven, lOS. miracles, 33, 39.
itself. The picture which the Muslim chronicles Hell, 104. his ascen t to
l;Iudaibiya, treaty of, 109. " heaven, 35.
have given us is not an altogether lovely one, and Idolatry of Arabs, 4. prays towards
Jabar, 33.
we now leave the reader to judge whether, and in
what respect, Mui)ammad may be considered as
jehold, 72 fT.
Jews, in Arabia. 5.
. Jerusalem, 46.
his com promise
with idolatry, 46.
.. MUQammad's treatment his mistakes, 65
indeed a Prophet of God. of. 86. 68.
Kab-binu'1-Ashraf,89. his cruelty, 84
T"!DEX
.. 1CO.
released from his
oad)s, lIll.
42.
not incomparable, 4l.
. performs pil~ri-
ma~e to Mecca,
corruption oc. 43.
"contradictions in, 45 .
Slavery. 66, 67.