Muhammad and the Violation of the Fifth Commandment: A Theological and Scholarly Critique

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

The Ten Commandments, as recorded in the book of Exodus, form the ethical bedrock of Judeo-Christian civilization. Among them, the Fifth Commandment stands as a cornerstone of social stability and divine expectation:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12, ESV)

This commandment is repeatedly emphasized throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2), highlighting the importance of honoring one’s parents with respect, kindness, and dignity. In contrast, the life and teachings of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, present a significant departure from this divine mandate.

Muhammad’s Disregard for Parental Honor

It is a well-established fact in Islamic tradition that Muhammad was orphaned at a young age, having lost both his mother, Amina, and his father, Abdullah. However, rather than honoring their memory, the hadith literature shockingly records Muhammad condemning both parents as unbelievers (kuffar), thus consigning them to hellfire.

Hadith Evidence: Muhammad Declares His Mother a Disbeliever

Sahih Muslim, one of the most authentic collections of hadith, records the following narration:

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "I asked my Lord's permission to pray for forgiveness for my mother, but He did not permit me. I asked His permission to visit her grave, and He permitted me." (Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Hadith 2130)

Classical Islamic exegesis, such as in ‘Awn al-Ma’bud, confirms the reason for this divine prohibition:

“His saying, ‘He did not permit me,’ means that she was a disbeliever and it is not allowed to ask forgiveness for a disbeliever.”
Thus, by Islamic sources, Muhammad’s own mother died as a “kafir”—an unbeliever—for whom even the Prophet was not permitted to pray.

The Fate of Muhammad’s Father

Similarly, Sahih Muslim also narrates:

Anas reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, where is my father?” He replied, “In the Fire.” When he turned away, he called him back and said, “My father and your father are in the Fire.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Hadith 0398)

Here, Muhammad unequivocally declares that his father, Abdullah, is in hellfire.

The Theological Implications

From a Judeo-Christian perspective, this attitude is a grave violation of the Fifth Commandment. While the Bible commands believers to honor their parents regardless of their faith, Muhammad’s testimony amounts to a posthumous curse, denying them even basic dignity or remembrance in prayer. Nowhere in the New Testament do we find Jesus ever dishonoring His mother Mary, despite the hardships He faced. In fact, Jesus on the cross ensured Mary’s care (John 19:26-27).

Critical Questions and Pagan Associations

1. Why does Muhammad explicitly state that both his parents are in hellfire?

2. Why is his father named ‘Abdullah’ (servant of Allah) if he was a pagan?

3. Does this not suggest that ‘Allah’ was worshipped in pre-Islamic pagan Arabia, even before Muhammad’s prophethood?

The etymology and usage of the name ‘Abdullah’ point toward the pre-Islamic veneration of Allah as a pagan deity, sometimes identified with the moon god ‘al-ilah’ or ‘Hubal,’ widely worshipped throughout the Middle East. This pre-Islamic use of “Allah” is akin to Hebrew names honoring Yahweh (Joshua, Hezekiah, etc.), but the context for Allah is demonstrably pagan.

Historical sources indicate that Abdul Muttalib, Muhammad’s grandfather, nearly sacrificed Abdullah to Allah, only to substitute him with a hundred camels—another clear example of pagan ritual practices (see Sirat Rasul Allah by Ibn Ishaq).

A Tragic Contrast: Jesus and Mary vs. Muhammad and His Parents

In the New Testament, the mother of Jesus, Mary, is presented as blessed and honored (Luke 1:48). No canonical Gospel or Christian teaching ever depicts Mary as dying in sin or being condemned by her son. By contrast, the Islamic texts assert that Muhammad’s own parents died as disbelievers—an indictment that not only tarnishes the memory of his family but directly violates the Fifth Commandment.

Conclusion

Muhammad’s explicit statements about his parents, recorded in authentic hadith literature, show a clear disregard for the biblical command to honor father and mother. Instead of upholding the dignity of his parents, he condemned them as kuffar, even declaring their punishment in the afterlife. This theological position not only separates Muhammad from the prophetic tradition of the Bible but exposes a fundamental divergence in the understanding of divine law and familial piety.

As Christian theologians, it is critical to assess these issues with both scholarly rigor and fidelity to biblical ethics. The evidence presented here demonstrates that Muhammad, by his own testimony and by Islamic sources, broke the Fifth Commandment, and thus cannot be upheld as a moral exemplar according to biblical standards.

References:

• The Holy Bible, Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:2

• Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Hadith 2130; Book 001, Hadith 0398

• ‘Awn al-Ma’bud, Commentary on Hadith

• Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah

• John 19:26-27; Luke 1:48

Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

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