Twelve Proofs that Muhammad is a True Prophet

[daylight]

My brothers and sisters everywhere! With this essay, I am not singling out the adherents of Islam - to which I ascribe - but rather I am writing this essay to every man and woman throughout the whole world.

I ask Allah that He facilitates that this essay reaches every ear, falls under the sight of every eye, and is understood by every heart...

Muhammad the son of `Abdullah is Allah's Prophet and the Final Messenger Sent by Allah to the Inhabitants of Earth.

My brothers and sisters everywhere! You should know that the Messenger, Muhammad the son of `Abdullah (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) is Allah's Messenger in reality and truth. The evidences that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel, who out of arrogance alone, could deny these signs.

Among these proofs:

1. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Koran that we now have between our hands. This Koran mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were able to belie him regarding anything that he said.

2. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.

3. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) also brought an Arabic Koran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Koran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Koran. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Koran.

Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace, beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Koran.

4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of Allah.

5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him.

Till today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and love him. Anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see him, even if but once.

6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential human in history.

Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.

7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him.

Those who believe in Muhammad, sleep in the manner he slept; purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and clothe themselves.

Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad adhere to the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life.

During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this Noble Prophet have fully adhered to his teachings. With some, this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet's way in his personal matters regarding which Allah has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the Messenger liked.

Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad repeat those praises of Allah, special prayers, and invocations that he would say during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc.

Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad fully perform-even to the minute detail-every act of worship-like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage-as this Noble Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed.

All of this allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in all aspects with this Noble Messenger as their example, as if he was standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.

8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters-small and large alike-as has this Noble Prophet.

9. Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every period, this Noble Prophet has been followed by individuals from all races, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They chose to follow this Noble Prophet after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.

Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (may Allah's blessings peace be upon him), chose to follow him during the time when Islam was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed this Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) have done so not to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of following this Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution, this did not turn them back from his religion.

My brethren! All of this clearly indicates to anyone possessing any sense, that this Prophet was truly and really Allah's messenger and that he was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about Allah without knowledge.

10. With all this, Muhammad came with a great religion in its credal and legal make-up.

Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection. Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe Allah like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability, knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued the creation; Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large; and Who possesses such perfect mercy.

Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.

11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom,, morals, good manners, nobleness of characters as what this honorable Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought.

In a full and complete manner, Muhammad spread a teaching regarding character and manners toward one' parents, relatives, fiends, family, humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching.

All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring an) of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.

12. The legal and credal make-up of the religion that the Messenger, Muhammad, (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who sent down this great law and upright religion.

The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like Allah's law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him).

Source: www.islaam.com

http://discover.islamway.com/

[Pazuzu bin Hanbi]

I intend to smash these purported ‘proofs’ (most of them propositions and not proofs as such) as thoroughly as I can. I cannot dedicate all my waking time to this, however, so I shall have to do so in a piecemeal fashion.

Let me preface this with a pertinent point: the onus probandi (burden of proof) in an argument falls upon the participant making the various claims. To give a small example: you claim in Point 2 that Muhammad predicted various things, and yet provide no actual proof that he did. Please cite your sources for these, since they seem to have gone missing somewhere!

The evidences that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel, who out of arrogance alone, could deny these signs.

(my emphases)

Logical Fallacy #1: ‘Poisoning the Well’. To quote from President of the Adam Smith Institute, Madsen Pirie, on this subject: “The fallacy consists in making unpleasant remarks about anyone who might disagree with a chosen position… The whole discussion is fallacious because it invites acceptance or rejection of the proposition on the basis of evidence which has nothing to do with it… It discourages opposition.”

So having established that you have opened your argument with a spurious logical fallacy, I shall go ahead and tackle the various ‘proofs’ you present as soon as I can dedicate some time to refute them thoroughly, citing and documenting my sources and evidences.

[Pazuzu bin Hanbi]

1. Muhammad … was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Koran that we now have between our hands. This Koran mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were able to belie him regarding anything that he said.

You have raised quite a number of points there, but most of them centre upon one theme: the accuracy of Muhammad’s ‘revelations’ in the face of his illiteracy and a priori lack of knowledge of any other religion. A simple survey of the Qur’an itself compared to the Tanakh (the Jewish Bible, and referred to as the Old Testament by Christians) or New Testament, however, dismantles this proposition.

Take as a single example the story of the sacrifice of Abraham’s son. The Tanakh account of this occurs over the entirety of Bereshith (known in English as ‘Genesis’) Chapter 22. Verse 2 purports to log the actual voice of God, and in this he states: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori’ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

Verse 9 describes Abraham binding him: “Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son.”

In all this it should sit clear that the Tanakh names Isaac as the son Abraham intends on sacrificing at God’s own insistence.

The Qur’anic retelling of this tale, however, does not name any particular son. Please refer to Norman Calder’s “From Midrash to Scripture: the Sacrifice of Abraham in the Early Islamic Tradition” from his book Interpretation and Jurisprudence in Medieval Islam for how the identity of this son turned into a great debate in Islam. The context of the Islamic verses which takes place in Surah 37:102–9, however, suggests that Abraham planned to sacrifice Ishmael. This we can see clearly because, after the story concludes, ayat 112 goes on to say “We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac — a prophet and a righteous man” as though introducing a totally new character.

To quote from Andrew Rippin’s book Muslims: Their religious beliefs and practices on this matter:

The reading of Ishmael as the intended victim gained further standing through the later ideology of the muslim community which argued that the Jews had changed the biblical account to reflect well on their own heritage traced through Isaac; the Jews had done this rather than enhance the status of the Arabs and their descent through Ishmael (as related in the Bible, although that genealogy is nowhere echoed in the Qur’an).

To summarise: the Tanakh states that Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice, the Qur’an implies Ishmael, something later Islamic doctrine makes explicit. This contradicts your proposition that the Qur’anic revelations “came precisely as they were found in the Torah”, rendering it null and void.

 
As for Jews unable to ‘belie him’ regarding what Muhammad said I shall quote Paul Grieve’s book A Brief Guide to Islam — History, Faith and Politics: the Complete Introduction on this:

[In Medina] the Jews rejected Muhammad’s prophethood and criticized the Qur’an as being inconsistent with the older Jewish scriptures. Response was made to the effect that the Jewish traditions were in error, not the word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

In other words, Jews did take Muhammad to task for ‘revelations’ at odds with what they lived by, in fact what had remained in final and canonical form for hundreds of years (Karen Armstrong in her book The Bible The Biography states that the final fixing of the canon of Scriptures took place around the year 135 CE (common era) or shortly thereafter). Unable to account for this, Muhammad simply stated that the Jews had gotten their own Scriptures wrong!

Coming soon… The supposed ‘illiteracy’ of Muhammad.

[carolineislands]

Among these proofs:

1. Muhammad ... Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any previously sent Message.

Muhammad grew up in Mecca, the site of the Ka`aba, and among the decendants of Abraham, Ishmael, Jacob, etc.. He knew of Christians and Jews etc. The supposition that he knew nothing of religion is highly suspect under these conditions. How could he have grown up in that culture and not known anything of the religions of the day? Not likely.

2. Muhammad also foretold of everything

So did Nostradamus.

3. Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) also brought an Arabic Koran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Koran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Koran. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Koran.

This is a matter of opinion and could easily have been atributed to the people who wrote the message down for him.

4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters,

He approved of female genital mutilation, not just participated in but STARTED the stoning to death of an adulterer, and said apostates should be executed.

5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him.

This could also be said of Jim Jones, Hitler, or any number of people throughout history.

6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential human in history.

This is a typical Muslim viewpoint, because Muhammad is idolized in Islam, and to the exclusion of all other people who ever lived throughout the history of humanity, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, Noah, King David, Jacob, Mary, Jesus, Ghandi... every individual who has ever lived, including scientists and humanitarians and world leaders... Muhammad is the supreme idol in Islam.

Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.

You forget that, even though Islam is one of the largest religions in the world, it still has about half the number as Christianity which is older and whose practitioners all over the world are still saying things like, "Jesus, JESUS, Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noontime, Jesus JESUS, Jesus when the sun goes down." And, "Woke up this morning with my mind just stayed on Jesus..." etc.

7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him.
Those who believe in Muhammad, sleep in the manner he slept; purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and clothe themselves.

Which is clear proof that the religion you call Islam today should really be called Muhammadism because the key figure is not Allah as proclaimed.

8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters-small and large alike-as has this Noble Prophet.

see number 6

9. Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every period, this Noble Prophet has been followed by individuals from all races, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They chose to follow this Noble Prophet after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.

True of other religions and religious leaders

10. Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection. Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe Allah like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability, knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued the creation; Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large; and Who possesses such perfect mercy.

Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.

Clearly you have never read the Bible or heard of Judaism, Christianity. Your supposition is pretty erroneous. Ever heard of The Law? God? Elohim? The Creator of Heaven and Earth? The one God? Jehovah Jireh (sp?) etc??? Islam is not the first religion that recognized the deity of our Creator.

11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom,, morals, good manners, nobleness of characters as what this honorable Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought.

Gandhi did it without a sword or genital mutilation of children or execution of apostates, or cutting off of hands of theives. And he wasn't even a prophet OR a messiah. Just a human being with wisdom, morals, good manners, nobleness of character and more.

All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring an) of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.

I respectfully disagree.

12. The legal and credal make-up of the religion that the Messenger, Muhammad, (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who sent down this great law and upright religion.

The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like Allah's law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him).

My brother, pardon me for saying this. I know you love Muhammad and I do not mean to offend you but your views are clouded by your adoration of him and your singleness of mind concerning your religion. Muhammad's laws were NOT perfect (as I have pointed out a few times already). He had faults and supported things that are still being practied to this day that are no less than barbaric -- like female genital mutilation, dismemberment, stoning to death, execution of apostates, etc. I realize he was a help at the time he came to the world and he did lead the people of that are away from idolatry. But the sad truth is that the followers of this very prophet whose main message was to discontinue idolatry have set him up as their idol and now worship him as the early Meccans did over 300 gods they were bowing down to at the Ka`aba.

This is common in other religions as well. So I am not singling out Islam. I am however replying to your supposition that Islam is the only truth and that you have proven Muhammad to be the true prophet of God. You haven't. Your suppositions are very weak, if not fallacious.

But I am glad you have found peace in the religion you embrace. Peace be unto you.

[Pazuzu bin Hanbi]

Thanks for your detailed and illumintaing analysis, Caroline, I really appreciate it. I don’t know if daylight had such a response in mind when he pasted his article!

As for the matter of Muhammad’s Illiteracy:

Numerous sources attest to Muhammad’s early career as a merchant, a trader. He dealt, inter alia, with weights and gained a reputation as a scrupulously honest businessman who didn’t give short measures to people. Obviously this involved dealing in numbers, especially when it came to money. Now, Islamic sources have Muhammad’s date of birth down as around the year 570 CE (common era) and his death at 632 CE (though contemporary scholarship disputes the date of birth as influenced by legend).

But what do I see here?

All Arabic numbers we use today are ideograms created by Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (c.778 - c.850)

and

The numeral system came to be known to both the Persian mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, whose book On the Calculation with Hindu Numerals written about 825, and the Arab mathematician Al-Kindi, who wrote four volumes, "On the Use of the Indian Numerals" (Ketab fi Isti'mal al-'Adad al-Hindi) about 830, are principally responsible for the diffusion of the Indian system of numeration in the Middle-East.

and

In the Arab World - until modern times - the Arabic numeral system was used only by mathematicians. Muslim scientists used the Babylonian numeral system, and merchants used the Abjad numerals.

and more on ‘Arabic letters in place of numbers prior to Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Musa al–Khwarizmi’s representation of numbers through ideograms:

The alphabet then had 28 letters, and so could be used to write the numbers 1 to 10, then 20 to 100, then 200 to 900, then 1000 (see Abjad numerals). In this numerical order, the new letters were put at the end of the alphabet. This produced this order: alif (1), b (2), j (3), d (4), h (5), w (6), z (7), H (8), T (9), y (10), k (20), l (30), m (40), n (50), s (60), ayn (70), f (80), S (90), q (100), r (200), sh (300), t (400), sh (500), kh (600), dh (700), D (800), Z (900), gh (1000).

What does this all mean? It means that the ‘Arabic numerals we see today, the ideograms that represent numbers, did not come into existence until Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Musa al–Khwarizmi introduced them almost two hundred years after the death of Muhammad! As the sources above clearly display, merchants used Abjad numerals, which consisted of using ‘Arabi letters in place of numbers — something which Muhammad would have had great skill in during the course of his career as a merchant. That doesn’t prove he could write (or perhaps even read), but could certainly identify the ‘Arabi alphabet enough to work out simple and complex sums. So you can’t call him completely ‘unlettered’!

Moreover, multiple different — but all Sahih — ahadith attest to Muhammad writing or about to write. A few select examples, all drawn from Sahih Bukhari:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 189:
Narrated Anas:

When the Prophet intended to write a letter to the ruler of the Byzantines, he was told that those people did not read any letter unless it was stamped with a seal. So, the Prophet got a silver ring-- as if I were just looking at its white glitter on his hand ---- and stamped on it the expression "Muhammad, Apostle of Allah".

Volume 7, Book 72, Number 763:
Narrated Anas:

The Prophet got a ring made for himself and said, "I have got a ring made (for myself) and engraved a certain engraving on it so none of you should get such an engraving on his ring." I saw the glitter of the ring on his little finger.

These two ahadith show that Muhammad could write and that he did write. On this occasion he intended to write to the Byzantine (Christian) ruler. His followers told him that the ruler did not accept any letter not officially stamped with a seal. Accordingly Muhammad made a ring and engraved it (himself!) with the words ‘Muhammadur Rasulullah’.

Not convinced yet? Trip off this one:

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 191:
Narrated Abdullah bin Abbas:

Allah's Apostle wrote to Caesar and invited him to Islam and sent him his letter with Dihya Al-Kalbi whom Allah's Apostle ordered to hand it over to the Governor of Busra who would forward it to Caesar. Caesar as a sign of gratitude to Allah, had walked from Hims to Ilya (i.e. Jerusalem) when Allah had granted Him victory over the Persian forces. So, when the letter of Allah's Apostle reached Caesar, he said after reading it, 'Seek for me any one of his people! (Arabs of Quraish tribe) if present here, in order to ask him about Allah's Apostle…

Here the hadith clearly states that Muhammad wrote a letter asking a major leader to convert to Islam!

Or how about this rather convoluted one (but from which I have highlighted the salient points)?

Volume 4, Book 53, Number 408:
Narrated Al-Bara:

When the Prophet intended to perform the 'Umra he sent a person to the people of Mecca asking their permission to enter Mecca. They stipulated that he would not stay for more than three days and would not enter it except with sheathed arms and would not preach (Islam) to any of them. So Ali bin Abi-Talib started writing the treaty between them. He wrote, "This is what Muhammad, Apostle of Allah has agreed to." The (Meccans) said, "If we knew that you (Muhammad) are the Apostle of Allah, then we would not have prevented you and would have followed you. But write, 'This is what Muhammad bin 'Abdullah has agreed to..' " On that Allah's Apostle said, "By Allah, I am Muhammad bin 'Abdullah, and, by Allah, I am Apostle of 'Allah." Allah's Apostle used not to write; so he asked 'Ali to erase the expression of Apostle of Allah. On that 'Ali said, "By Allah I will never erase it." Allah's Apostle said (to 'Ali), "Let me see the paper." When 'Ali showed him the paper, the Prophet erased the expression with his own hand. When Allah's Apostle had entered Mecca and three days had elapsed, the Meccans came to 'Ali and said, "Let your friend (i.e. the Prophet) quit Mecca." Ali informed Allah's Apostle about it and Allah's Apostle said, "Yes," and then he departed.

Muhammad ‘used not to write’. Note the wording. This does not mean he cannot write, but simply that he didn’t generally write at that time. ‘Ali wrote out the Treaty with the Makkans for Muhammad. At their behest, Muhammad decided to change his appellation in the treaty from ‘Apostle of God’ to his actual family name (bin ‘Abdullah). ‘Ali refused to erase that section, so Muhammad asks to see the paper. Note that the hadith does not mention anywhere that Muhammad asked ‘Ali where he had written the words Apostle of Allah, he simply erases the phrase with his own hand! How did he recognise it if he couldn’t read it?

And now the killer. Please forgive me for my extravagant use of multiple quoted ahadith on a single event in Muhammad’s life, but I believe this bears repeating simply to show multiple attestation (2 narrators stating the same tale at different times, but both making the same point — that Muhammad could certainly write):

Volume 7, Book 70, Number 573:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

When Allah's Apostle was on his death-bed and in the house there were some people among whom was 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, the Prophet said, "Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will not go astray." 'Umar said, "The Prophet is seriously ill and you have the Qur'an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us." The people present in the house differed and quarrelled. Some said "Go near so that the Prophet may write for you a statement after which you will not go astray," while the others said as Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah's Apostle said, "Go away!" Narrated 'Ubaidullah: Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "It was very unfortunate that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for them because of their disagreement and noise."

and

Volume 5, Book 59, Number 717:
Narrated Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah:

Ibn Abbas said, "When Allah's Apostle was on his deathbed and there were some men in the house, he said, 'Come near, I will write for you something after which you will not go astray.' Some of them ( i.e. his companions) said, 'Allah's Apostle is seriously ill and you have the (Holy) Quran. Allah's Book is sufficient for us.' So the people in the house differed and started disputing. Some of them said, 'Give him writing material so that he may write for you something after which you will not go astray.' while the others said the other way round. So when their talk and differences increased, Allah's Apostle said, "Get up." Ibn Abbas used to say, "No doubt, it was very unfortunate (a great disaster) that Allah's Apostle was prevented from writing for them that writing because of their differences and noise."

and

Volume 9, Book 92, Number 468:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

When the time of the death of the Prophet approached while there were some men in the house, and among them was 'Umar bin Al-Khatttab, the Prophet said, "Come near let me write for you a writing after which you will never go astray." 'Umar said, "The Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Quran, so Allah's Book is sufficient for us." The people in the house differed and disputed. Some of them said, "Come near so that Allah's Apostle may write for you a writing after which you will not go astray," while some of them said what 'Umar said. When they made much noise and differed greatly before the Prophet, he said to them, "Go away and leave me." Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "It was a great disaster that their difference and noise prevented Allah's Apostle from writing that writing for them.

The story here looks clear–cut to me: before his demise, Muhammad had some guests at his house. He says in no uncertain terms to them that if they approach him he will write words of wisdom for them. Such words that they will never go astray! This causes them to start arguing. Note that not a single one of them says: “Hey, you can’t actually write!” No, the subject of the clamour involves their firm belief that they have the Qur’an, and therefore do not need any other words to live by, especially when writing would cause undue stress on one as ill as Muhammad! He, however, finally grows weary of their din and sends them away.

I believe the evidence incontrovertible: Muhammad could read & write, and did so on numerous occasions. The stories in the Qur’an about his illiteracy came due to his (or the final redactors’) rightly or wrongly held belief that if people knew he could read and write, it would automatically follow that he had composed the Qur’anic revelations himself. From this follows the fact that they didn’t come to him as divine truths from God. Whether or not people would say this, I submit, remains irrelevant: his perception that they would drove him to claim illiteracy, OR drove his later followers to claim him an illiterate (I believe this 2nd possibility more viable since the ahadith above feature him declaring in public that he had written things, such as the engraving on his ring).

[carolineislands]

And the fact that he was a merchant/trader pretty much puts to rest the claim that he had no prior knowledge of other religions or the most common religions of the time.

Not that I blame Muslims for believing in Muhammad. That's a person's own choice. But the arguments given as "proof" that he was God's Messenger don't stand up at ALL.

[Catharsis]

Mohammed was from the tribe of Koreish, and descendant of Ishmail, son of Hagar the Egyptian, slave of Sarah, spouse of Abraham. He was an Arab nomad and camel driver. In his trips, he came to Jerusalem where he had been welcomed by a Christian Nestorian, called Buheira. When he asked Mohammed about his religion, he found him to be one of the pagans. Those were the sons of Ishmail. They worshipped an idol called AL-AKBAR (the greatest). They used to put around him poems containing desire and love written on tablets which they suspended over that idol. They served for prayers and had been called the seven "usudallakat" (suspended). When he (Buheira) knew that he (Mohammed) was from that tribe, he got sympathy for him, due to the similarity of languages, the friendship, and the desire of knowledge. Then he read to him some chapters from the Gospels, the Bible and the Psalms. When he returned home, he said to his friends, "Woe unto you! You are in flagrant error and your worship is null and unprofitable". They told him, "What is your problem, Mohammed?" He answered, "I found the true God." They asked, "What is his name?" He replied, "His name is ALLAH. He created the heaven and the earth and all creatures in it. He sent me to you as a light and a sign of his compassion." They said, "Could you show him to us to know where he is?" He said, "He resides in the heaven and sees all, but he is invisible." They told him, "We have a deity which we worship and honor. We inherited this worship from our ancestors who gave us the liberty to satisfy our desires with everything we own." Then Mohammed told them, "That one who sent me to you told me that he grants you what is better and greater than what you say." They asked, "What is it?" He said, "It is a paradise where he transfers you after your death. It contains food, drinks, and women." They asked, "What is the form of the food, drink, and women" He replied, "Rivers of honey, milk and wine, with beautiful women; there you will be not thirsty nor full of tears." they said, "Are you the Messenger of God?" He replied, " Yes." They said, "We fear our god AL-AKBAR." He said, "worship God and honor AL-AKBAR." Some of them said, "We believe in God, you said the truth," Then he passed through another group from koreish, Muhammed's tribe. He, later met another group. Those people allowed their members to marry their daughters and sisters. Those were their customs, before they knew God. Mohammed wrote to Buheira all what happened to him. Buheira prohibited those customs and with big efforts, he succeeded to draw them to the first cousins. When he got enough adherents from Arabs and their aristocracy, some remained reticent. Then he desired the monarchy (sovereignty) for himself and formed an armed detachment to fight his contradictors and said, "Those who enter the Islam, will be safe;" and said, "The inhabitants of the heaven and the earth entered the Islam by their will and (some) by force." Then, he attacked a group convinced another group with adorned words and arguments. His target was to rule them and rush them in order to reach the rest of women, because he was very avid of them. He desired them at a high degree. In confirmation of that, he was not satisfied with his numerous women, but desired Zeid's wife when he saw her and took her from him by force, pretending that God gave her to him as a wife, instead of Zeid. He spoke to his followers in this concern saying, "After Zeid had accomplished his desires from her, We (God) gave her to you as a wife, Mohammed." He pretended that God inspired him to do so. But his followers said, "Messenger of God, what God granted you is not permitted to anyone else."

[carolineislands]

Thank you for your post... can you provide a source please?

[Pazuzu bin Hanbi]

Thank you for your post... can you provide a source please?

At the risk of stealing his thunder… The excellent website found here:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/c ... ebate.html

[Catharsis]

Yes Pazuzu, thank you. I posted that link earlier, and started a new thread on it a couple of months ago. It didn't generate a lot of interest though, and I can't find it now.