THE HOLY TRINITY ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE AND THE QURAN

 

THE HOLY TRINITY ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE

First of all, it should be understood that Almighty God is very exalted, and we, as His creatures, find it difficult to comprehend Him as we wish. God is omnipotent; we cannot limit Him by saying He can do this and that He cannot do that. We cannot fully comprehend God until He fits into our understanding; we cannot know His limits and boundaries. The day a human being can fully understand God, He will cease to be God.

What we can understand is how He has revealed Himself to us through His Holy Scriptures. It would be strange to start denying how God wants us to understand Him through His Word. Therefore, it is my intention to present the Scriptures as God wants us to understand Him.

The Bible teaches that God is One but in Three Eternal Personalities.

In the Book of Genesis 1:1-3, we read:
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

We can say there is 1. God and 2. His Spirit. Then the scriptures continue to say:

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).

So, we see that according to these scriptures, there is God, His Spirit, and His Word.

These are living Personalities, each independently functioning according to God's will.

There is ample evidence in the Scriptures showing that these Persons of God have been active throughout human history.

For example, in Genesis 6:3, we read:
"Then the LORD said, 'My Spirit will not contend with humans forever…'." So, the Spirit of God can contend.

Isaiah 44:3:
“…I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring….”

The Spirit of God, as a living Person, can be grieved or offended by humans.

Matthew 12:31:
"And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven."

Ephesians 4:30:
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

The Holy Spirit preached the gospel in the Old Testament through the prophets.

The prophets spoke the Word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:11:
"They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven…."

2 Peter 1:21:
"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

In Romans 8:26, we see that:
“…the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

All these attributes of the Spirit tell us that the Holy Spirit of God is the living Person of God's operation. In other words, the Holy Spirit is God Himself.

Jesus Himself said:
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

Who is the Word of God in the Bible?

The Holy Scriptures (the Bible) tell us that God created the heavens and the earth by His Word. When you read Genesis 1:4-31, you will find that God spoke the Word of creation, and it came into being. Psalm 33:6 says:
"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth."

When we carefully examine the scriptures, we discover that the Word of God is alive and powerful (read Hebrews 4:12) and has the power to give life. In this sense, we can conclude that, just as the Spirit of God is a living Personality, so is the Word of God.

As we saw, the act of creation was carried out by the Word of God, the second Person of the Godhead. Throughout the Bible, there is evidence of this cooperation between God, His Word, and His Spirit in creation. The Word Himself says in Proverbs 8:22-30 about His participation in the work of creation:

"The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be…then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence."

The Bible is very clear that this Word who created the heavens and the earth is also God. This is because you cannot separate God from His Word and say God is God and His Word is not God but something different. God and His Word are One. We read in John 1:1-3 that:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

Throughout the Bible, we see the Word actively working and being given the attribute of a living Personality of God.

Now the time comes to fulfill another great work of redeeming fallen humanity. As always in God's work, the principal actor is “His Word.” So, God sent His Word to complete the work of redemption.

The Word became flesh to accomplish human redemption.

God's principle regarding redemption is that:
"Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22).

Thus, we see that:
“…since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).

Therefore, to redeem humanity:
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

This act of the Word agreeing to become flesh is what led to Him being called the "Son of God." As we saw in the above scripture, it is not in a physical sense as humans procreate. God Himself declared after the Word became flesh that:
“You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” And again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.” (Hebrews 1:5).

"And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased'" (Matthew 3:17).

By the Word becoming flesh, we then have the title of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. This is due to the fact that the act of the Word becoming flesh does not strip Him of His divinity. What we can see here is that the Word of God took on flesh, leading to a union of the Word (God) and flesh (Man). In Jesus, there is the fullness of God in His divinity and the fullness of humanity in His human body. The Word (Jesus) Himself says:
"...sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.'" (Hebrews 10:5-7).

We see that the Word was given a body, took on humanity, and we saw Him with all the attributes of humanity. But by His nature:
“…being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:6-7).

In this union, He was born of a woman, and the angel told Mary, who was to bear the Son, that:
"You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (that is, God)…The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:31-32, 35).

Later, the angel Gabriel told Joseph, Mary's fiancé, the same words he told Mary:
"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

What confuses many is when the Word became flesh and appeared in the form of a human. In that form, Jesus had all the human needs, such as hunger, thirst, sleep, circumcision on the eighth day, tears, fatigue, etc., like any other human being.

We need to understand that Jesus came to show us how to live a victorious life against sin by relying on God as human beings. The scriptures testify that He was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. He had no blemish throughout His life. The Holy Scriptures say:
"But we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth" (1 Peter 2:22).

In His human state, He relied on God for everything. This is why you will see that He prayed to God the Father, and you will also see that He made statements like:
"...do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'" (John 20:17).

In the state of divinity that was within Him (the Word of God), He said statements such as:
"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).

"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves" (John 14:11).

How was the Father in Jesus? By the Word that took on the human body; the Word of God was in the flesh, and the flesh was in the Word of God. That is Jesus.

In this state, it is not surprising to call Jesus God, and indeed, He is not only God but:
"...Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior" (Titus 2:13).

Thus, the concept of the Holy Trinity (one God in three Persons) is very evident within the Holy Scriptures, and there is no need for much argument, except to deny the scriptures. As I said earlier, we humans should not dictate to God how He should be and how He should not be. What we can do is to receive by faith how He has revealed Himself to us and what He has shown us. The scriptures say:
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever..." (Deuteronomy 29:29).

Up to this point, we have seen in the Bible that God is One but has revealed Himself to us in three Persons of His operation. In the Old Testament, these Persons are God, His Word, and His Spirit, and in the New Testament, after the Word became flesh, these Persons take on the title of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Now let us turn to the Noble Quran and see if, 600 years later, God would change His revelations and teach otherwise.

THE HOLY TRINITY ACCORDING TO THE NOBLE QURAN

Since in examining the Holy Trinity in the Bible, we started from the beginning during creation, we must follow the same approach for this subject.

The Holy Spirit according to the Noble Quran.

Just as in the Bible, the Noble Quran agrees that God created the heavens and the earth in six days.
"It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days—and His Throne was upon the water—that He might test you as to which of you is best in deed. But if you were to say, 'You are indeed to be raised up after death,' those who disbelieve would surely say, 'This is not but obvious magic'" (Surah 11:7, HUD).

Abdalla Farsy, a Swahili commentator of the Quran, explains in his commentary on this verse:
“And saying that the heavens and the earth were created in six days, God knows Himself, what exactly those six days are according to His own calculation. And that Throne of God we do not know nor do we know about the WATER upon which the Throne was” (Abdalla Farsy, Tafsiri ya Quran Tukufu, Surah 11:7).

It appears that the interpreters of the Quran fail to understand these words about God's creation. But they should not struggle; what they need to do is follow the advice given within the Noble Quran itself. In Surah 10:94, we read:
"So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you (the Jews and the Christians)" (Surah 10:94).

To understand those days of creation and how the Throne of God was upon the water at that time of creation, one needs to read the Bible as we saw earlier. The Bible states that the days consist of "evening and morning," making up a day (read Genesis 1). Morning and evening can only occur within a 24-hour period. Thus, those six days are days of 24 hours each. The Bible also says:
"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy" (Exodus 20:11).

"Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work" (Genesis 2:1-2).

The Quran also agrees with the Bible that God was upon the water during creation. According to the Bible, it was the Spirit of God that was hovering over the surface of the waters (Genesis 1:2).

Many verses in the Quran show that the Spirit of God is sent from God to strengthen His servants (Prophets), for example:
"He sends down the angels with the Spirit by His command upon whom He wills of His servants, (saying), 'Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me'" (Surah 16:2, An-Nahl).

"Exalted above (all) degrees, (He is) the Possessor of the Throne. He places the Spirit of His command upon whom He wills of His servants to warn of the Day of Meeting" (Surah 40:15, Al-Mu'min).

Many Quranic commentators like Abdalla Farsy interpret the word “spirit” (rooh) used in these verses of the Quran to mean Revelation or Message or Prophethood that God gives to His prophets. This verse of Surah 40:15 in Abdalla Farsy's commentary reads:
"He is the Exalted in ranks, the Possessor of the Throne. He sends down the Revelation of His command upon whom He wills of His servants to warn of the Day of Meeting" (Abdalla Farsy, Tafsiri ya Quran Tukufu, Surah 40:15).

Here, the Arabic word "rooh" (spirit) is interpreted as "wahyi" (revelation). Perhaps to avoid the direct understanding that God sends His Holy Spirit to the prophets and messengers to give the warning messages. However, this still agrees with the concept we saw in the Bible that prophets delivered their messages under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

Jesus Himself, after becoming flesh (in His humanity), both the Bible and the Quran testify that He was strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit to perform many miracles.
"And We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. But is it (not) that every time a messenger came to you (Israelites) with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party (of messengers) you denied and another party you killed" (Surah 2:87, Al-Baqara).

"When Allah will say, 'O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay (what was) like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from (killing) you when you came to them with clear proofs, and those who disbelieved among them said, 'This is nothing but obvious magic'" (Surah 5:110, Al-Ma'ida).

These words are also found in the Bible, that Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free" (Luke 4:18).

The lack of detailed explanations about the Holy Spirit and His work in the Quran does not mean that there is no Person of God called the Holy Spirit. This absence might be because the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself was revealed to:
"And they ask you, (O Muhammad), about the Spirit. Say, 'The Spirit is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind has not been given of knowledge except a little'" (Surah 17:85, Al-Israa).

According to this verse, Allah (SWT) says that Muhammad was given only a little knowledge about the matters concerning the Holy Spirit. However, even this little knowledge, when read in the light of the Holy Bible, we can see the consistent chain of teaching about the Holy Spirit.

After seeing the presence of the Holy Spirit from God within the Noble Quran, let us now look at the "Word of God" and His work within the Quran.

The Word from Almighty God according to the Noble Quran

In the Bible, we saw that the Word of God created the heavens and the earth. Is there any difference in the Quran? No, we read in Surah 2:117:
"The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (Surah 2:117, Al-Baqara).

These words completely align with the words in the Holy Bible that:
"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth ... For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm" (Psalm 33:6,9).

Thus, we see that both the Bible and the Quran agree that the heavens and the earth were created by the Word of God. In the Bible, we saw that this Word became flesh and lived among us. Can we find evidence in the Quran that the Word became flesh?

The Word that became flesh according to the Noble Quran

In Surah 3:45, we read:
"(Remember) when the angels said, 'O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near (to Allah)."

In this verse, we are told that Prophet Jesus (Isa) is a Word from God, and He has honor in this world and the Hereafter. As He Himself said in Matthew 28:19, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

Throughout the Quran, Prophet Jesus (Isa) is described as the Word from God.

Why then do Muslims deny the divinity of Jesus or the Holy Trinity, despite the abundant evidence within the Quran?

To be truthful, there are no scriptures within the Quran that directly deny that Jesus or Prophet Isa is not God, or that reject the concept of the Holy Trinity, i.e., One God in three Persons (note that when the Quran says that God is One, it does not mean denying the Holy Trinity. The Bible also teaches that God is One, but this oneness is in three Persons as we saw in this study).

Many explanations within the Quranic interpretations that deny the divinity of Jesus are enhanced by the explanations or teachings of the interpreters of the Quran. It is evident that these explanations by the interpreters contradict the Quran itself.

Here, I will provide an example of a verse within the Quran that is often used to deny the divinity of Jesus or the Holy Trinity. I will present four (4) Swahili translations of this verse to show how Islamic scholars struggle to conceal the divinity of Jesus. The verse is Surah 4:171.

Translation by Aliy Muhsin Barwaani (Sunni):
"O People of the Scripture! Do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and His Word which He directed to Mary and a soul (created at a command) from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist—it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs."

The Holy Quran (Along with Translation and Commentary in Swahili) (Ahmadiyya):
(O here it is made verse 172)
"O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and His Word which He directed to Mary and a soul (created at a command) from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist—it is better for you: for Allah is only one God. Far exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Disposer of affairs."

Translation by Ali bin Jumaa bin Mayunga (Shia):
"O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and His Word which He directed to Mary and a soul (created at a command) from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist—it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is only one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and Allah is sufficient as a Disposer of affairs."

Translation by Abdallah Farsy (Sunni):
"O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and (a creature created by) His command (of Allah) which He directed to Mary, and a soul (created at a command) from Him (Allah like any other soul). So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist (from that belief); it will be better for you. For Allah is only one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and Allah is sufficient as a Disposer of affairs."

Analysis of These Translations:

I have brought this verse in different translations of the Quran to illustrate the intended meaning of this verse. When you carefully read the translation by Sheikh Balwaniy, you will find that this verse informs us of three attributes of Prophet Jesus (Isa), namely:

1. Prophet Jesus is a Messenger of Allah (meaning he was sent by God).

2. Prophet Jesus is the Word from Allah directed to Mary.

3. Prophet Jesus is a soul from Allah.

The attribute of being sent by God the Father.
The attribute that Jesus is the Word from God the Father.
The attribute that Jesus is the Spirit of God.

These three attributes of Jesus are not denied by the Holy Bible as follows:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

It is impossible to separate God from His Spirit and His Word. If God is Spirit, then it is correct to say that the Word is also Spirit.

All three translations of the Quran I presented here—Sheikh Balwaniy, Ahmadiyya, and Mayunga—agree in the explanation of this verse. These three translators have translated word for word from Arabic in this Surah 4:171. Now let's also examine the translation of Sheikh Abdallah Farsy.

"O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and (a creature created by) His command (of Allah) which He directed to Mary, and a soul (created at a command) from Him (Allah like any other soul). So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, 'Three'; desist (from that belief); it will be better for you. For Allah is only one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and Allah is sufficient as a Disposer of affairs."

At first glance, when you analyze this translation, you will find that Sheikh Abdallah Farsy plays a word game. All the words he placed in parentheses ( ) are his additions to guide the reader to understand what he wants it to be. You will find that this translation is intentionally made to protect the Islamic belief that Allah is one, He neither begets nor is He begotten.

"(Saying: 'He is Allah, [who is] One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent')" (Surah 112:1-4, Al-Ikhlas).

This Surah is the most important Surah in the Quran for Muslims. It seems that from childhood, they are required to memorize this Surah. The first pillar in Islam is the Shahada, which is to testify that "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger."
It seems that the entire Islamic system is built on denying the concept of the Holy Trinity.

Unfortunately, Muslims oppose this without having a thorough understanding of this concept of the Holy Trinity. Sometimes they have created a belief that does not even exist among Christians themselves and implanted it in their followers, making Christians appear as they are not, i.e., that Christians believe in three gods.

As we have seen in this study, this belief is entirely contrary to Christianity; Christians do not believe in three gods, and this teaching is not from the Bible, but Christians believe in one God who exists in Three Living Persons, and this is what we call the HOLY TRINITY.

Let's return to the translation of Abdallah Farsy. Let's look at these words he placed in parentheses ( ).

"The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and (a creature created by) His command (of Allah) which He directed to Mary."

Abdallah Farsy here is creating his own sentence by mixing the words of the Noble Quran to call them the Words of Allah. These words mean something completely different from the words of the Quran, which are:
"The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a Messenger of Allah and His Word which He directed to Mary, and a soul from Him."

He continues to add his words to distort the translation by saying:
"And a soul from Him (Allah like any other soul)."

Abdallah Farsy wants us to understand here that there are other souls that have come from Allah, so it is not surprising for Prophet Isa. In other words, this Sheikh wants to teach us that God has a “store” or warehouse of human souls which He releases and implants in humans. These words he placed in parentheses are not in the Arabic language in that verse, which is why you will find that the Sheikhs who translated word for word did not include those words.

As in the Bible, the word itself, the Holy Trinity, does not appear in the entire Quran, but by carefully examining the Bible and the Quran, we can see that this concept of the Holy Trinity is a teaching of the Holy Books. Both books agree that there is One Unique God who has no partner in all His works, and He exists in Three Living Persons of His operation: God, the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit of God. When it came time to redeem humanity, the Word became flesh, and thus we receive the titles of these Three Persons of God, namely, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Shalom,

Dr. Max Shimba

Muhammad was a False Prophet and Not from Allah

Muhammad S.A.W, the Prophet of Islam, has never been, is not, and will never be a True Prophet and Messenger of Allah

I have read on the community forums blog and seen Muslims persuading others to believe that Muhammad is among the prophets and messengers of the living God, which is not true. Follow along...

KNOW THE FALSE PROPHETS
By Teacher Daniel Mwankemwa

INTRODUCTION:
The issue of identifying false prophets has been a significant challenge for many people because these false prophets come claiming, "We have been sent by Allah to deliver His message, and thus people must accept, believe, and follow it." When a prophet comes in this manner and meets people who cannot discern prophets and messengers based on God's Word, that is when deception occurs, and various groups of false beliefs emerge.

Here in Tanzania, when you read the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, Article 19 (i-iii), you will find explanations that a follower of any religion has the freedom to change their initial religion and join another religion they deem suitable for them. However, despite that freedom, not every religion (path) is suitable; some lead to eternal death.
Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." (See also Proverbs 16:25).

Among the individuals called prophets and messengers is a man named Muhammad s.a.w ibn Abdullah, ibn Abdu Muttalib, who is a prophet and messenger in the Islamic religion.

You, the reader of this lesson, might wonder how we, who are not Muslims but Christians, begin to question the matters of Muhammad s.a.w, the prophet of Muslims. The answer is that the Quran, used by Muslims, mentions us Christians 62 times, urging us to accept, believe, and eventually follow Muhammad's message, claiming that he is the final prophet and messenger even to us Christians, sent by God.

We read this in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow), 2:62:
"Indeed, those who believed and those who were Jews or Christians or Sabeans - those [among them] who believed in Allah (as Muhammad says now) and the Last Day and did righteousness - will have their reward with their Lord, and no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve."

For us as Christians, although we are mentioned in this verse, a question arises about Muhammad's prophethood and messengership: "WHAT DID ALLAH FORGET IN HIS COMPLETE WORK OF REDEEMING HUMANITY FROM SIN THAT HE HAD TO SEND MUHAMMAD S.A.W?"

What is a prophet?
A prophet is a person officially chosen by divine criteria to deliver God's message to people. In other words, a prophet is a spokesperson for God's mysteries.
A prophet is a person who is a mouthpiece of God. He stands between God and humans, with the duty of delivering God's message to people. When a prophet is a spokesperson for God, he is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and his message is without error. The prophet restrains his own will, self, and thoughts when delivering God's prophetic message. Sometimes God Himself puts His words in their mouths (Deut 18:18, Jer 1:9). A prophet is a servant of God (Zech 1:6) and a messenger of God (2 Chron 36:15). Their prophecies are divided into three categories: prophecies concerning the fate of Israel, prophecies related to the coming of the Messiah, and eschatological prophecies (prophecies about future events). Therefore, the Law and the Prophets relate to the Pentateuch, i.e., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The prophets are all other books besides the Pentateuch.

The book of the prophet Amos 3:7 "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." The word prophet originates from the Hebrew language and means seer. 1 Sam 9:9 "Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, 'Come, let us go to the seer,' because the prophet of today used to be called a seer."
This verse shows that true prophets of God must have their revelation or message originating from Allah Himself (the Holy Spirit), or dreams from Him, or visions from Him (Num 12:6), or through holy angels (Dan 8:15-21). Otherwise, they are false prophets.

Warning from Lord Jesus:
When Lord Jesus was here on earth, He warned us about recognizing false prophets and messengers before Muhammad was born (he was born in 570 AD), before Islam was established by Muhammad in 610 AD, and before the existence of a book called the Quran. We read these warnings from Lord Jesus in:

Matthew 7:15-16 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit, you will recognize them."

Matthew 24:11-13 "And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."

The apostles of Lord Jesus emphasized and reinforced Jesus' warning about recognizing false prophets and apostles.
1 John 4:1-3, 15 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God."

These criteria given by the Holy Bible to identify false prophets and messengers are very important for us to examine in the lives of those who call themselves prophets or messengers.

A true prophet receives revelation through the Holy Spirit:
2 Peter 1:20-21 "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

1 Peter 1:10-11 "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow."

Revelation 19:10 "At this, I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.'"

Thus, the prophets spoke within them being led by the Spirit of Christ Himself, even before He came to the world in the flesh. Is Muhammad s.a.w among them for us to believe his message?

Muhammad did not know how to read or write
Quran 7:157
"Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet (who can neither read nor write) whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel..."

Another evidence can be found in the book "Life of Prophet Muhammad" page 8 written by Sheikh Abdallah Saleh Al-Farsy. We read as follows in the learning segment:

“There was no reading or writing in the Hijaz region, so the Prophet grew up like other Quraysh without knowing how to read or write. Their education was to learn matters concerning their Bedouin life, such as wars, composing poems to boast their bravery, and giving speeches that could stir people to fight without thinking.”

Thus, Muhammad in his life did not know how to read or write, and that is how he lived his entire life.

Did Jesus know how to read and write? Luke 4:16-17. Muslims claim in John 7:14 that people in Jerusalem were surprised by Jesus's knowledge, wondering how He learned without studying. The truth is that Jerusalem was not where Jesus grew up. He grew up in Nazareth, where people knew He could read, which is why He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read.

How Muhammad (S.A.W) Received His Prophethood and Revelation

The revelation Muhammad received as the prophet of Muslims is very different from all the prophets before him mentioned in the Holy Bible. The difference is that all the prophets and apostles mentioned in the Holy Bible, written by various authors numbering about 40 over a long period, nearly 1500 years, have a unified revelation (it has conformity). The prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament. This is because the source of the revelation is one, the Holy Spirit.

But for Muhammad s.a.w, the source of his revelation and eventually his prophethood is very controversial, and even followers of that religion do not know the exact truth.

Let's briefly examine this controversy.

When Muhammad s.a.w reached the age of 38, he moved from his home to caves near the city of Mecca. When he reached 40, one day, he encountered a being that Muslims today call the Angel Jibril.

The revelation Muhammad received came with the sound of bells, a red face, and sweating. In Bukhari, Hadith 2, Volume 1, Al-Lu’lu Book 3, Page 874 Hadith 1505:
“Hadith of Aisha r.a mother of the believers, said that Al Harith ibn Hisham r.a asked the Prophet of Allah s.a.w, 'O Messenger of Allah, how does the revelation come to you?' The Prophet of Allah s.a.w replied, 'Sometimes it comes like the ringing of a bell, and this is the hardest on me. When it leaves, I have understood what it said. Other times, the angel comes to me in the form of a man, and he speaks to me, and I grasp what he says.' Aisha r.a said, 'And indeed, I saw it coming upon him on a very cold day, and when it left, his forehead was dripping with sweat.'”

Quran 53:2-6 Suratul Najm (The Star) "Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred, nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed, taught to him by one intense in strength - one of soundness."

Muslims claim that this Angel Jibril is the same as the Holy Spirit who revealed the Quran to Muhammad. When we read the explanation of Surah 2:87 in the Quran, it says:
"For Muslims, the Holy Spirit is Angel Jibril, not the one Christians claim as part of the Trinity."

One thing I want you to know is that all Muslims were not given knowledge about the Spirit. This includes their prophet Muhammad. We read this in Quran 3:7:
"He is the one who sent down to you the Book; in it, there are definite verses (clear in meaning) that are the essence of the Book, and others are allegorical. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow the part of it which is allegorical, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation. And no one knows its interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, 'We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.' And no one will be reminded except those of understanding."

Quran 17:85 Suratul Ban Israil (The Children of Israel):
"And they ask you about the soul. Say, 'The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And you have not been given of knowledge except a little.'"

Thus, in Islam, they lack the knowledge of the Spirit according to the Quran. This is why they often focus more on external matters than spiritual ones, such as washing and rinsing the nose with water, believing they have expelled Satan who was in the nose. In the book "Al-Lu'lu' wal-Marjan," Volume 1, Hadith 183, Page 96, it reads:
"Narrated by Abu Huraira (r.a), the Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'When one of you wakes up from sleep, let him wash his nose by sniffing water and blowing it out three times because Satan spends the night in the upper part of his nose.' (Bukhari, Hadith No. 516, Volume 4)"

Having understood how Muslims lack the knowledge of the Spirit, we now question who this angel called Jibril is. Is he an angel of the true God YEHOVA?

The Holy Bible explains about angels who rebelled in heaven and were cast down. 1 Peter 2:4 "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;"

These teachings of the Bible show that there is a group of angels that rebelled and were cast out and are now awaiting judgment. This group today is called Satan, Jinn, or unclean spirits.

But when we read the Quran, a book that came much later in the 7th century (610 AD), after the Bible, we get different information about angels.

Quran 32:13 Suratul As-Sajdah (Prostration):
"If We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word from Me will come into effect [that] 'I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together.'"

The explanation of this verse in the Quran reads:
"If Allah had willed, He would have created humans like angels who cannot do evil, their nature being to do only good; therefore, they would not be rewarded for their good deeds because they do them effortlessly. But humans are created capable of both, and their joy is more in doing evil."

This verse and its explanation state that all angels of Muhammad's Allah are good; none has sinned, and among those angels, one appeared to Muhammad and gave him prophethood and the revelation of the Quran. Now let’s examine the cave where Muhammad was when he received his prophethood. We will be guided by Islamic religious books.

In the book "Life of Prophet Muhammad" page 16-17 written by Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Farsy, we read as follows:
"Then one day - in the month of Ramadan on the 17th, Monday in the year of his 40th ½ age - the Prophet saw a person standing before him without seeing where he came from. The person said to him, 'Read.' The Prophet replied, 'I do not know how to read for I have not learned to read.' The person came and held him, squeezed him, and said again, 'Read,' and the Prophet gave the same answer. For the third time, the person said, 'Read - Iqraa Bismi Rabbik.' He recited that part of Surah 96 to him. Then the Prophet read it as it was recited to him. This was the first Surah to be revealed in the Quran, although it was not placed at the beginning.

Suddenly, that person (the Angel) disappeared from his sight - he could not see where he went. And the Prophet returned home, fear had gripped him. When he reached home, Lady Khadija thought he had a fever, covered him with clothes, and sat in front of him listening to him groan. When the fever subsided, he explained everything that had happened to Lady Khadija, and she comforted him, assuring him that nothing bad would happen to him. Immediately, she went to her relative - Mr. Waraqa bin Naufal - and gave him the full story. He instructed her to bring Muhammad to him. And the Prophet went and told him the whole story. Mr. Waraqa told him, 'That is Jibril who came to Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa. So be glad that you are the Prophet of this nation, and I wish I were alive to see you standing to reform your people; InshaAllah, I will be your right hand.' They returned home, and all the fear left him."

He was played with by Satan in the cave:
In the book titled "Great Prophets and Their Wives" written by Sheikh Abdullah Saleh Al-Farsy, page 12, we read:
"Then the Prophet was frightened and returned to his wife, told her the story, and immediately got a high fever, asking to be covered with clothes. Suddenly he began shaking and groaning, saying, 'I fear that Satan has played with me and driven me mad and deceived me.' Lady Khadija immediately replied, 'Stop that; it will not happen. You cannot be played with by demons. Satan cannot play with a person of your character. You take good care of your relatives, carry the burdens of even those who are not yours, and show people your good qualities that no one else has. You do this and that. Be glad, my brother. Calm your heart, by Allah! I see that you have become a prophet."

In this incident that happened to Muhammad while in the cave, Muslims worldwide say that this is where Muhammad s.a.w received revelation and was given prophethood. But when you reflect on that message, you see that even he did not know what had happened to him in the cave. That is why we read that when he reached home, his wife, Lady Khadija, covered him with clothes thinking he had a fever. Muhammad told his wife what had happened, saying it was "Satan," not mentioning any angel as Muslims want us to believe today. Because if it were an angel as we read in the Bible, he would not have hesitated to identify himself to Muhammad. This is the first point.

The second point is that we see a man named Waraqah ibn Naufal, the cousin of Muhammad's wife Lady Khadija. He tells Muhammad that the being that appeared to him was Angel Jibril. He then says, "Be glad that you are the Prophet of this nation!" Was he present in the cave when Muhammad was approached by an unknown being?

The third point is that even his wife, Lady Khadija, tells her husband about this prophethood. Was she in the cave? If not, who told her that it was Angel Jibril, given that Muhammad himself, who encountered the being, said he was approached by Satan? Reflect on this.

In the book titled "Tafsir Al-Kashif," by Muhammad Jawad Mughniyyah, page 74, paragraph 7, it reads:
"There is no way to know Iblis, Satan, and Jinn except through revelation (revelation)."

Quran Suratul Sad 38:69 Muhammad is quoted saying:
"I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly of angels..."

Because Muhammad s.a.w did not know angels, he says when you see a donkey bray, it has seen Satan. In the book "The Truthful Trustworthy," Volume 3-4, Hadith 789, page 38, "The Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'If a donkey brays, it has seen Satan.'"

This matter is different from how the Holy Bible explains about donkeys. God can even use a donkey to speak to humans to inform them of His message. In the book of Numbers 22:22-31, we read about Balaam and how God used a donkey to tell Balaam not to continue his journey after the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing before them with a drawn sword blocking their way. The donkey spoke to Balaam in verse 30-31:
"The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?' 'No,' he said. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown."

It appears that in this incident with Balaam, God opened his eyes to see the angel. But for Muhammad, what he sees is Satan. That is why he says when a donkey brays, it has seen Satan.

Therefore, if Muhammad's revelation begins with Satan as explained in the authentic Islamic books, according to the explanation in the book "Tafsir Al-Kashif," it shows that Muhammad's revelation, prophethood, and even apostleship have a significant flaw compared to the message of the prophets and apostles mentioned in the Holy Bible.

In the Bible, Satan is mentioned as being able to disguise himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

When Muhammad was in Medina, he was asked by the Jews if his revelation came from the true God, by being asked to provide the characteristics of prophets. In response, Muhammad said:
"The Truthful Trustworthy," Volume 3-4, Page 63, Hadith No. 880:
"The Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'There are four qualities of the prophets: modesty, using perfume, marrying (wives), and using the tooth-stick.'"

These are not divine characteristics for a prophet and apostle but merely human ones.

Prophets and various people in the Bible did not feel shame.
Read Isaiah 50:7 "Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame."
Psalm 34:5 "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."
Psalm 119:46 "I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame."
Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."
1 Peter 4:16 "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

Moreover, we see that Muhammad was bewitched. Being bewitched is the state of being affected by dark powers, i.e., witchcraft. Can a prophet or messenger of the true God be bewitched?

In Quran Suratul Ban-Israel, 17:47 "We know very well why they listen when they listen to you, and when they conspire in secret, when the wrongdoers say, 'You follow none but a bewitched man.'"
Also, in Suratul Falaq, 113:1-5 "Say, 'I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn, from the evil of what He has created, and from the evil of darkness when it settles, and from the evil of those who blow on knots (those who practice witchcraft), and from the evil of an envier when he envies.'"

We read this incident in its explanation in the Quran, 8th edition, page 977, explaining Surahs 113-114:
"The impact of witchcraft on the Prophet (s.a.w). The second question that arises regarding these two surahs is that according to the hadith, witchcraft was performed against the Prophet (s.a.w) and he became ill, and to remove the impact of witchcraft, Jibril (a.s) came and gave him instructions to recite these two surahs. Many researchers, past and present, have opposed this matter, saying that if these hadith are accepted, then the entire system of sharia will be questionable because if the Prophet (s.a.w) could be affected by witchcraft and indeed showed its effects according to these hadith, then we cannot deny or dispute to what extent the enemies were able to make the Prophet (s.a.w) say and do things under the influence of witchcraft, and in his teachings, how much came from Allah and how much resulted from the impact of witchcraft on him. Not only that, but they also say these hadith contradict the Quran, as stated in the Quran, that the false claim of the disbelievers was that the Prophet (s.a.w) was bewitched, and he was affected by witchcraft: 'When the wrongdoers say, 'You follow none but a bewitched man.'' (17:47), but these hadith affirm the claims of the disbelievers that he was indeed affected and guided by witchcraft...According to the hadith narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, 'Abdur Razzaq, Humaid, Baihaqi, Tabarani, Ibn Sa'd, Ibn Marduyah, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Hakim, Abd bin Humaid, and other Muhaddithin from Aisha (r.a), Zaid bin Arqam, Ibn 'Abbas through numerous chains of narration, it shows that the matter itself has reached the state of complete continuity, except that each hadith is a complete report."

This is another substantial evidence showing that Muhammad's prophethood has issues. If Muslims themselves, according to these hadith, do not know how many of Muhammad's statements came from Allah and how many were influenced by sorcerers, can his revelation and prophethood be from the true God? Reflect on this!

In the Holy Bible, there is no bewitchment of God's people.
Numbers 23:23 "There is no divination against Jacob, no evil omens against Israel. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!'"

According to the Holy Bible, true prophets and messengers of God come from the nation of Israel.
The book of Ezekiel 13:9 "My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD."

Also, according to the Quran, prophets and messengers must come from Jacob, who is the son of Isaac, who is the son of Abraham.
Quran Suratul Al-Ankabut (The Spider), 29:27 "And We gave [to him] Isaac and Jacob, and We placed in his descendants prophethood and [revelation of] the Book, and We gave him his reward in this world, and indeed, he is in the Hereafter among the righteous."

This verse continues to emphasize that prophethood and the Book come through the descendants of Jacob. Unfortunately, Muhammad ibn Abdullah does not come from that lineage or even from Ishmael as Muslims claim. Because Ishmael is a Hebrew like his father, Abraham, who is also a Hebrew (Genesis 14:13), and Muhammad is an Arab from the Quraysh tribe. Recognizing this, we see Muhammad warning others to stay away from his tribe.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Hadith No. 801, and Al-Lu'lu Book 3, Page 1089, Hadith No. 1846:
"The hadith of Abu Huraira (r.a) states, 'The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) said, 'This Quraysh tribe will destroy people.' They asked, 'What do you advise us?' He said, 'I advise people to separate from it.'"

Dipping a fly in a drink
Bukhari Volume 4 Hadith 537: "Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said: If a house fly falls into the drink of any one of you, he should dip it (in the drink) because one of its wings has a disease, and the other has the cure for the disease."

The Apostles of Jesus in the Holy Bible warned us about such filth. In 2 Corinthians 7:1:
"Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

Among the teachings of Muhammad is that there are ten things that complete Islam, and we read about them in the book "The Truthful Trustworthy," written by Sheikh Said Moosa Al-Kindy of Muscat, Volume 3-4, Page 63, Hadith No. 880:
"The Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'There are ten things that complete Islam: trimming the mustache, letting the beard grow (not shaving it), using the tooth-stick, cleaning inside the nose with water, cutting the nails, washing the hands between the fingers, plucking (or shaving) the armpit hair, shaving the pubic hair, and conserving water. The tenth one, the narrator of the hadith said, I forgot, but he said it must be 'circumcision.'"

According to the Bible, prophets and messengers are confirmed through miracles.
Exodus 14:21 "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land."

Acts 19:11-12 "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured, and the evil spirits left them." See also Acts 16:16-18, 20:7-12, and Acts 13:6-12.

The Quran also confirms that prophets and messengers must perform miracles.
Quran 40:78 Suratul Al-Mumin (The Believer):
"And We certainly sent messengers before you. Among them are those [whose stories] We have related to you, and among them are those [whose stories] We have not related to you. And it was not for any messenger to bring a sign except by permission of Allah."

Muhammad was not given any miracle to confirm his claims of prophethood and messengership.
Quran 29:50 Suratul Al-Ankabut (The Spider):
"And they say, 'Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?' Say, 'The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a clear warner.'"

In the Quran, there is a verse that we should all reflect on together. In Suratul An-Nisaa (Women), 4:79, "Whatever of good reaches you is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you is from yourself. And We have sent you to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as a witness."

This verse shows that Muhammad, the prophet of Muslims, was sent to people as a messenger, with Allah being just a witness. A witness is never the doer but merely the observer of the deed. Our question is, who are the people who sent Muhammad to the people? Because we saw earlier that after Muhammad left the cave, his wife Lady Khadija told him about the prophethood, and Mr. Waraqah ibn Naufal said to Muhammad, "So be glad that you are the prophet of this nation" before the Quran. Are these not the ones referred to as "We have sent you" mentioned in the verse above? Reflect on this!

Muslims claim that Muhammad was sent by their Allah, who is the King of Kings. But when we read the Holy Bible in Revelation 17:14, "They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers."

In Revelation 19:11-16, "I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice, He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh, He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords."

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords. But when we read the authentic Islamic hadith, they explain that the greatest enemy of Allah (s.w) the God whom Muslims worship is the one called the King of Kings.
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith No. 225, Al-Lu’lu wal-Marjan, Volume 3, Hadith No. 1385:
"The hadith of Abu Huraira (r.a) states, 'The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) said, 'The most disgraceful and wicked name before Allah is a person calling himself Malikul-Amlak (King of Kings).'"

Therefore, the revelation Muhammad received, which he wants us Christians to believe, did not come from the God we believe in, Jesus Christ. Instead, according to the authentic Islamic books, it originated from being played with by Satan. Therefore, to us, he becomes a false prophet and messenger.

The Holy Bible has warned us to test the apostles and prophets. In Revelation 2:1-2, "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false."

According to these verses, Muhammad s.a.w does not deserve to be called a prophet and messenger of the true God, but he falls into the category of false prophets and apostles. He is not suitable for us.

Contact us for questions, comments, or to seek advice:Shalom,

Max Shimba, a servant of Jesus Christ, the Almighty God. Titus 2:13

JIBRIL IN THE QURAN IS NOT GABRIEL IN THE BIBLE

Dear Reader,

Since the establishment of Islam, Muslims worldwide have believed and taught that the angel called 'Gabriel' as mentioned in the Holy Bible is the same as the angel 'Jibril' as narrated in the Quran.

An important question is whether the angel "Gabriel" is really "Jibril". I urge you to follow this lesson to find out the truth...

REASONS MUSLIMS BELIEVE THAT ANGEL GABRIEL IS JIBRIL

Muslims compare verses from the Quran and the Bible and say that Angel Gabriel is Jibril. They read these verses:

QURAN 19:16-17 SURAT MARYAM
16. And mention Mary in the Book when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
17. And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Spirit, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.

LUKE 1:26-28
26. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27. to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

In addition to reading these verses, they also refer to the book on the life of Prophet Muhammad written by the former Chief Kadhi of Kenya, the late Sheikh Abdallah Saleh Al-Farsy, in which it states on page 17 section (A):

HOW THE REVELATION WAS DELIVERED

Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of Allah, as well as the Torah of Prophet Musa, the Gospel of Prophet Isa, and the Psalms of Prophet Dawud. All are considered books containing the word of Allah. But Allah is unseen and not in any specific place. So how did these prophets receive these words? The answer is that they received them through the angel Jibril, the greatest of all Allah's angels.

QURAN 53:2-6 SURATUL NAJM (THE STAR)
2. Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred,
3. Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.
4. It is not but a revelation revealed,
5. Taught to him by one intense in strength -
6. One of soundness. And he rose to [his] true form.

By reading these verses, Muslims believe that Angel Gabriel is Jibril. However, these verses show a difference since the angel Jibril was sent by Allah, who is not Jehovah, to Mary, who was in the mosque, and the Quran does not mention the city or country where Jibril went. But we see the Bible teaching that the angel Gabriel entered Mary's house, and again, the Bible teaches that the revelation of prophecy was brought under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21) and not by the angel Jibril as the Quran narrates.

WHAT KIND OF BEINGS ARE ANGELS?

HEBREWS 1:13-14
13. To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"?
14. Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

It is clear that angels are spirit beings who can appear to people in human form, as seen in Genesis 18:1-19:12 when they visited Abraham and Lot. An angel appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush that was not consumed (Exodus 3:1-5).

ARE ALL ANGELS GOOD AND DO THEY NOT DISOBEY GOD?

When we read the Quran, we see that Allah, who is worshipped by Muslims, describes angels as beings with the following attributes:

QURAN 16:93 SURATUL AN-NAHL (THE BEE)
Had Allah willed, He could have made you [all] one community [united in religion], but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills, and you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.

QURAN 32:13 SURAT AS-SAJDAH (THE PROSTRATION)
And if We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but the word from Me will come into effect [that] "I will surely fill Hell with jinn and men all together."

EXPLANATION OF QURAN 32:13
If Allah had willed, He could have created humans like angels who cannot do evil; their nature is only to do good. Therefore, they are not rewarded for their good deeds because they do not struggle to do them. But humans are created with the ability to do both good and evil equally, and they find pleasure more in doing evil.

According to these verses, Allah, worshipped by Muslims, says that angels are good and cannot do evil and are one group that always obeys Allah. But when we refer to the Bible, we see our God Jehovah revealing to His prophets that angels are like this:

2 PETER 2:4
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment.

These fallen angels are under the devil, but apart from these fallen ones, there are also angels of this kind:

MATTHEW 25:31
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

According to these verses, it is clear that our God teaches about two groups of angels, the good (holy) and the bad (fallen). This teaching, which Allah does not provide, since he says angels are only good, shows that Allah is not Jehovah.

MEANING OF THE NAME GABRIEL

The name "Gabriel" originates from the Hebrew language and means "Messenger of God." In the Bible, the name Gabriel is mentioned four times (see Daniel 8:16, 9:21, Luke 1:19, and 1:26). Regarding Angel Gabriel, the Bible often shows that God sends him to bring good news concerning human salvation and to offer words of comfort to those he appears to by saying "do not be afraid." In the Bible, the term "Angel of the Lord" is mentioned 65 times across 61 verses. If all these instances refer to Gabriel, then he is mentioned many times.

HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN GABRIEL AND JIBRIL

1 TIMOTHY 4:1
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

(See also Matthew 7:15-20)
1 JOHN 4:1, 3, 15

1. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2. But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

3. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

The important thing is to test whether Jibril or Gabriel acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God. If their teachings are the same, then they may not be two different angels but one. If they differ, they are two completely different angels.

IS THE RANK OF ANGEL GABRIEL THE SAME AS JIBRIL?

GABRIEL, THE ANGEL SENT BY JEHOVAH GOD, SAYS THIS:
Luke 1:19 - The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news."

According to this verse, Angel Gabriel explains that he stands in the presence of God, thus his rank is a messenger who stands before God. Is the rank of Jibril, sent by Allah, the same as Gabriel's?

QURAN 81:19-21 SURATUL AT-TAKWIR (THE FOLDING UP)
19. Indeed, the Quran is a word conveyed by a noble messenger (Jibril)
20. Who is possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
21. Obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.

EXPLANATION OF QURAN 81:19-21
The noble and obedient messenger in the heavens is "Jibril," who is the "Chief of all Angels."

WHO IS THE CHIEF ANGEL OF JEHOVAH?
JUDE 1:9
But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

According to this verse, it is clear that the chief angel of Jehovah, whom we Christians worship, is Michael, while the chief angel of Allah, worshipped by Muslims, is Jibril. Therefore, Jibril is not Gabriel. Returning to the chief angel "Michael," this name has Hebrew origins and means "Who is like God." This is because he led the other angels in defeating Satan and expelling him from heaven when he exalted himself and wanted to be like God (See Revelation 12:7-12 and Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:2).

THEIR TEACHINGS ABOUT THE SONSHIP OF GOD

(A) GABRIEL, THE ANGEL OF JEHOVAH, TAUGHT THIS:

LUKE 1:26-35 (Quoting only verse 35)
The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."

(B) JIBRIL, THE ANGEL OF ALLAH, SAYS THIS:

QURAN 18:4-5 SURATUL AL-KAHF (THE CAVE)
4. And to warn those who say, "Allah has taken a son."
5. They have no knowledge of it, nor do their forefathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie.

These words taught by Jibril (QURAN 53:5-6) blaspheme our God Jehovah (See Exodus 4:22) where God says, "Israel is My son, My firstborn," and His angel Gabriel taught the sonship of God.

THEIR TEACHINGS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

LUKE 1:34-35 (Gabriel says to Mary)
34. Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
35. The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God."

The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) and not an angel, hence the angel said He will come upon you.

QURAN 16:102 SURATUL AN-NAHL (THE BEE)
Say, "The Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth to make firm those who believe..."

QURAN 2:87 SURATUL AL-BAQARAH (THE COW)
And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Holy Spirit.

EXPLANATION OF QURAN 2:87
For Muslims, the Holy Spirit is "Angel Jibril" and not the one Christians claim to be part of the Trinity. Here we see that Gabriel does not say he is the Holy Spirit anywhere, but Jibril claims he is the Holy Spirit—thus, Gabriel is not Jibril.

DID ANGEL JIBRIL DELIVER PROPHECY TO THE JEWS?
QURAN 2:97 SURATUL AL-BAQARAH (THE COW)
Say, "Whoever is an enemy to Jibril—it is [none but] he who has brought the Quran down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], by permission of Allah..."

EXPLANATION OF QURAN 2:97
The Jews, in their schemes to reject Prophet Muhammad, asked him, "Which angel brings you revelation?" The Prophet said, "Jibril." They said, "Oh! HE IS OUR ENEMY, WE DO NOT WANT HIM. If another angel brought you revelation (i.e., inspiration), we would follow you." Jibril did not bring prophecy to the Jews; moreover, this angel Jibril teaches about the Jews like this:

QURAN 5:82 SURATUL AL-MAIDAH (THE TABLE SPREAD)
You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah.

Here we see Jibril teaching Muslims that their greatest enemies are the Jews. Being an enemy of the Jews is being an enemy of salvation since Lord Jesus teaches us this...

JOHN 4:19-22 (Quoting only verse 22)
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Furthermore, all prophets are Jews, from Moses, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Micah, Malachi, John the Baptist, and even Jesus.

IS THE WAY ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARS TO PEOPLE THE SAME AS JIBRIL?

(A) JIBRIL

QURAN 19:16-26
16. And mention Mary in the Book when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
17. And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Spirit, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.
18. She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah."
19. He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy."
20. She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"
21. He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'"
22. So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten."
24. But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.
25. And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
26. So eat and drink and be contented...

HOW JIBRIL ACTED WHEN HE APPEARED TO MUHAMMAD:
One day—in the month of Ramadan, on the 17th, on a Monday in the 40th year and a half of his life—the Prophet saw a man standing before him without seeing where he came from. The man said to him, "Read." The Prophet replied, "I cannot read, for I have not learned to read." The man came closer, grabbed him, and said again, "Read." The Prophet replied with the same answer. The third time the man said, "Read—in the name of your Lord." He recited the beginning of Surah 96 until the middle. The Prophet then repeated it as it was recited to him. This was the first Surah revealed in the Quran, although it is not placed at the beginning. Suddenly, the man (angel) disappeared from his sight. The Prophet returned home, trembling with fear. When he reached home, Lady Khadija thought he had a fever, covered him with blankets, and sat by him, listening to his feverish murmuring. When the fever subsided, he narrated to Lady Khadija what had happened, and she comforted him and assured him that nothing bad would happen to him. Lady Khadija then went to her relative, Mr. Waraka bin Naufal, and told him everything that had happened to her husband. Mr. Waraka asked to see Muhammad, and the Prophet went and narrated his experience. Mr. Waraka said to him, "That was Jibril who appeared to Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa. So be glad that you are the Prophet of this nation. I wish I could live to see you stand up to reform your people. InshaAllah, I will be your right-hand man." They returned home, and the fear left him.

This account is found in the book "The Life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)" written by Sheikh Abdulla Saleh Farsy, who was the Chief Kadhi of Zanzibar and later the Chief Kadhi of Kenya, on pages 16-17.

(B) HOW ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARED TO PEOPLE:

LUKE 1:19 Gabriel introduced himself by saying, "I am Gabriel."
DANIEL 8:15-16 Or the person to whom he appeared was informed first.
DANIEL 8:17-21
LUKE 1:13, 30

Gabriel reassures the person when they are afraid and says, "Do not be afraid." Gabriel's nature is compassionate and gentle in informing the person, while Jibril of Allah grabs and squeezes people, causing Muhammad to experience fever. The question is, who is this Jibril?

WHAT KIND OF BEINGS DOES ALLAH SEND?
QURAN 19:83 SURATUL MARYAM
Do you not see that We have sent the devils upon the disbelievers, inciting them to [evil] with [constant] incitement?

QURAN 6:112 SURATUL AL-AN’AM
And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy—devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorated speech in delusion...

Satan has the ability to transform into this form:
2 CORINTHIANS 11:10-15 (Quoting only verse 14)
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

**Everyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in them and they in God (1 John 4:1-3, 15). Angel Gabriel acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, but Jibril did not acknowledge this (Luke 1:35; Quran 9:30). So, who is Jibril?

WHAT IS THE FATE OF THE BEINGS ALLAH SENDS?

Allah sends devils. The Holy Scriptures of the Bible teach us the fate of these beings as follows:

MATTHEW 25:41 (Jesus will command them)
Then he will say to those on his left, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Dear beloved, I hope in our Lord Jesus Christ that you have come to clearly understand that Angel Gabriel of our God Jehovah is not the same as Jibril of Allah worshipped by Muslims.

May the Lord bless you greatly as you spread this message to the nations so they may turn to the Lord Jesus and be saved.
Amen!

Today we have learned that Jibril in the Quran is not Gabriel in the Bible.

Narrated by Max Shimba Ministries Org

Dr. Max Shimba

CONTROVERSIES AND DOUBTS IN THE HADITH OF MUHAMMAD

The Hadith of Bukhari

Hundreds of thousands of hadiths (narratives) claim to describe the teachings and actions of Muhammad and his close followers. Early Muslims scrutinized these hadiths to determine which among them were genuine. There are six collections of hadiths considered "sahih" or authentic and authoritative by Sunnis. These hadiths are regarded as nearly as important as the Quran itself. The longest collection is Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains nine volumes and 7,275 hadiths. The following points are particularly noteworthy for both Muslim and non-Muslim readers from the hadiths of the Bukhari collection. These excerpts are taken from the book "The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih Al-Bukhari" by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan of the Islamic University of Madinah Al-Munawwara, Saudi Arabia.

Muhammad Is Not Worshipped
"After that, Abu Bakr said the Tashah-hud (i.e., none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger)... Abu Bakr said, 'Whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead, but whoever worships Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Allah said: 'Muhammad is no more than a Messenger...'" Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23 (Funerals), Chapter 3, No. 333, p.188-189.

However, Muslims greatly revere Muhammad. "By Allah, whenever the Prophet of Allah spat, it would fall into the hand of one of (i.e., the companions of the Prophet) who would rub it on his face and skin; when he ordered them, they carried out his orders immediately; when he performed ablution, they almost fought for the remaining water; and when they spoke to him, they would lower their voices and would not look at him directly out of respect." Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 50 (Conditions), Chapter 13, No. 891, p.564-565.

Prohibition of Intoxicants
"Aisha [the wife of Muhammad] narrated that the Prophet said, 'Every intoxicant is prohibited to drink.'" Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4 (Ablution), Chapter 75, No. 243, p.153.

"Abu Huraira narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'An adulterer, at the time he is committing illegal sexual intercourse, is not a believer; and a person, at the time of drinking an alcoholic drink, is not a believer; and a thief, at the time of stealing, is not a believer.'" Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 69 (Drinks), Chapter 1, No. 484, p.339.

Muslims are also forbidden from selling wine, idols, and pork. Sahih Muslim, Volume 3, Book 9 (Business Transactions), Chapter 621-622, No. 3835-3840, p.828-830. They are not allowed to buy, sell, or carry wine. Ibn Majah, Volume 4, Book 30 (Drinks), No. 3380-3381, p.493-494; Volume 4, Book 30, No. 3382, p.494. The selling of wine is forbidden in Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8 (Prayer), Chapter 73, No. 449, p.267.

Did Muhammad See the Moon Split in Two?
"The pagans asked the Prophet to show them a miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon. 'Abdullah bin Masud narrated: 'During the lifetime of the Prophet, the moon was split into two parts and on that the Prophet said, 'Bear witness (to this).'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56 (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and His Companions), Chapter 26, No. 830, p. 533.

"Anas narrated that the people of Makkah asked Allah's Messenger to show them a miracle, and so he showed them the moon split in two." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56 (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and His Companions), Chapter 26, No. 831, p.533.

"Ibn Abbas narrated: 'The moon was split into two parts during the lifetime of the Prophet.'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56 (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and His Companions), Chapter 26, No. 832, p.534.

Stars Should Strike the Devils?
"The creation of the stars was made for three purposes, i.e., as decorations of the sky, as missiles to hit the devils, and as signs to guide travelers. So, anyone who tries to find a different interpretation is mistaken and wastes his efforts..." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54 (Beginning of Creation), Chapter 3, Commentary by Translator before No. 421, p.282.

Memory of Abu Huraira
"Abu Huraira narrated: 'I said, 'O Allah's Messenger! I hear many narrations from you but I forget them.' He said, 'Spread your garment.' I did accordingly and then he moved his hands as if scooping something and emptied it in the garment and said, 'Wrap it.' I wrapped it around my body, and since then I have never forgotten a single Hadith." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56 (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and His Companions), Chapter 27, No. 841, p.538. Also, Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 92 (Holding Fast to the Quran and Sunnah), Chapter 22, No. 452, p.332; Volume 1, Book 3 (Knowledge), Chapter 43, No. 119, p.89.

Satan in Your Nose
"Abu Huraira narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice because Satan stays in the upper part of the nose all night.'" (1) Translator's note (1) says, "We should believe that Satan actually stays in the upper part of a person's nose, though we cannot perceive how, for this involves the unseen world about which we cannot know anything except what Allah tells us through His Messenger." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54 (Beginning of Creation), Chapter 10, No. 516, p.328.

Believing Muhammad Despite the Presence of Flies
"Abu Huraira narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'If a fly falls into the drink of any one of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for that disease.'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54 (Beginning of Creation), Chapter 16, No. 537, p.338. See also Abu Dawud, Volume 3, Book 21 (Food), No. 3835, p.1080.

"Abu Huraira narrated: 'The Prophet of Allah said, 'If a fly falls into the vessel of any one of you, let him dip it in the vessel and then throw it away, for in one of its wings there is disease and in the other there is healing (1) (antidote), i.e., treatment for that disease." Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 71 (Medicine), Chapter 58, No. 673, p.452-453.

Translator's note (1) says, "In the medical science, it is well known today that flies carry pathogens on some parts of their bodies as stated by the Prophet (nearly 1400 years ago when human knowledge of modern medical science was very limited.) Similarly, Allah has created microorganisms and their actions that can kill these pathogens, e.g., Penicillin Fungus can kill bacteria like Staphylococci and others. Recently, experiments have shown that flies carry both disease-causing pathogens and their antidotes. Normally, when a fly touches a liquid, it contaminates it with its pathogens, thus it must be dipped to release the antidotes to counteract the pathogens. Regarding this subject, I also wrote to my friend Dr. Muhammad M. El-SAMAHY, Head of the Hadith Department at Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, who wrote an article about this Hadith concerning medical science, stating that microbiologists have proven that there are longitudinal parasitic germs living as pathogens inside the fly's stomach, which these parasitic germs come out through the respiratory tracts of the fly, and if the fly is dipped into the liquid, these germs burst into the liquid and the substances within these germs are antidotes for the pathogens carried by the fly."

Most doctors, if not Muslim, ridicule the idea of deliberately dipping a fly into your drink.

Muhammad Had Sins
"Abu Huraira narrated: ... What do you say between the Takbir and the recitation? The Prophet said, ... O Lord! Keep me away from my sins as the East and West are apart from each other and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned from dirt (after thorough washing). O Lord! Wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail." Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 12 (Characteristics of Prayer), Chapter 8, No. 711, p.398. See also Surah 40:55; 48:1-2, and Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2 (Faith), Chapter 13, No. 19, p.23; Volume 1, Book 12 (Characteristics of Prayer), Chapter 57, No. 781, p.434; Volume 6, Book 60 (Prophetic Commentary on the Quran), Chapter 3, No. 3, p.4; Volume 8, Book 75 (Invocations), Chapter 3, No. 319, p.213.

Muhammad Was Bewitched (Under a Spell)

"‘Aisha narrated: The Prophet was bewitched so that he began to think that he was doing something which he was not doing. One day he invoked (Allah) for a long period and then said, 'I feel that Allah has inspired me as how to cure myself.'..." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54 (Beginning of Creation), Chapter 10, No. 490, p.317. See also Volume 4, Book 53 (Obligatory Charity Tax), Chapter 34, No. 400, p.267, Volume 8, Book 73 (Good Manners), Chapter 56, No. 89, p.56-57, Volume 8, Book 75 (Invocations), Chapter 59, No. 400, p.266-267. Volume 7, No. 658-660, p.441-443. Also see Sahih Muslim, Volume 2, Book 4 (Prayer), Chapter 309, No. 1888, p.411.

"‘Aisha narrated: The Prophet continued for such and such a period imagining that he had had sexual relations with his wives which in fact he had not. One day he said to me, 'O ‘Aisha! Allah has instructed me regarding the matter about which I asked Him. Two persons came to me (in a dream), one of them sat near my head and the other near my feet. The one near my head asked the other, pointing to me, 'What is wrong with this man?' The latter replied, 'He is under the effect of magic.' The first one asked, 'Who had worked magic on him?' The other replied, 'Lubaid bin A'sam.' The first one asked, '(Under what material) has it been done?' The other replied, 'Under a skin of the pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan.' Then the Prophet went to that well and said, 'This is the same well which was shown to me (in the dream). Its water looked like the infusion of henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils.' ... ‘Aisha added, '(The magician) Lubaid bin A'sam was one of Bani Zuraiq, an ally of the Jews.'" Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73 (Good Manners), Chapter 56, No. 89, p.57. See also Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 75 (Invocations), Chapter 59, No. 400, p.266.

The Daughters of Allah
In pre-Muhammad Arabia, Muhammad's tribe, the Quraysh, believed in a god named Allah (or Al'Ilah) who had three daughters called Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat.

"'Urwa said, ... regarding Ansar who used to consider Ihram while worshipping an idol called 'Manat' whom they used to worship at a place called Al-Mushallal..." Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26 (Pilgrimage), Chapter 78, No. 706, p.413.

"This verse was revealed concerning Ansar who used to consider Ihram for the idol Manat which was placed at a place called Qudaid..." Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 27 (Umra), Chapter 10, No. 18, p.11. Al-Lat, Al-Uzza are described in Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 74 (Asking Permission), Chapter 52, No. 314, p.209; Volume 5, No. 375, p.259.

Verses Removed from the Quran
"After that, Allah revealed a verse which was among those that were abrogated later." Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59 (Military Expeditions), Chapter 27, No. 416, p.288.

"Anas bin Malik narrated: ... Allah revealed verses for those who were killed at Bir-Ma'una, and we used to recite those verses, but they were later cancelled. The verses were: 'Inform our people that we have met our Lord. He is pleased with us, and we are pleased with Him.'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52 (Jihad), Chapter 19, No. 69, p.53. See also the History of al-Tabari, Volume 7, p.156.

Other mentions of abrogated verses are Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52 (Jihad), Chapter 8, No. 57, p.45, Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52 (Jihad), Chapter 184, No. 299, p.191, and Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59 (Military Expeditions), Chapter 27, No. 421, p.293, all recounting the same verse.

At one time, Muhammad agreed to say regarding the daughters of Allah in Surah 53:19, "their intercession is to be hoped for." Muhammad said we should rely on the help of these three idols.

Muhammad's followers were surprised that he said this. Later, Muhammad changed his position, saying that Satan had deceived him. These verses were abrogated or removed. Islamic scholars call these verses "the Satanic Verses." It is intriguing to read Islamic explanations of how a true prophet could say such things.

Unlike Jesus
One thing that Christians and many Muslims agree on is that Jesus was sinless. By comparison, read about the life of Jesus in the Gospels.

Muhammad and Selling Slaves
"Anas bin Malik narrated: The Prophet of Allah was on a journey, and he had a black slave named Anjasha, and he was driving the camels..." Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73 (Good Manners), Chapter 95, No. 182, p.117.

"Anas narrated: ... And Anjashah, the slave of the Prophet [Muhammad], was driving the camels..." Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73 (Good Manners), Chapter 111, No. 221, p.142.

"Jabir bin 'Abdullah narrated: A man among us declared that his slave would be freed after his death. The Prophet called that slave and sold him (1). That slave died that year." Footnote (1) says, "The master was in need of money, so the Prophet sold the slave on his behalf and allowed him to revoke his promise of freeing the slave after his death." Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 45 (Mortgaging in Places Occupied by Settled Population), Chapter 9, No. 711, p.427.

"Then a man named Rifa'a bin Zaid ... brought a slave named Mid'am to the Prophet of Allah" Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 78 (Oaths and Vows), Chapter 33, No. 698, p.455.

"Selling of Mudabbar (i.e., a slave who was promised to be freed after the death of his master)." (433) Jabir narrated: "The Prophet sold a Mudabbar (on behalf of his master who was still alive and in need of money)." Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 34 (Sales and Trade), Chapter 112, Volume 433, before p.238.

"A man from the Ansar declared his slave Mudabbar, and he had no other property except him. When the Prophet heard of that, he said (to his companions), 'Who will buy (i.e., the slave) for me?' Nu'aim bin An-Nahham bought him for eight hundred Dirham." Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 79 (Expiation for Unfulfilled Oaths), Chapter 7, No. 707, p.464.

"'Ammar narrated: 'I saw the Prophet of Allah and there was no one with him except five slaves, two women, and Abu Bakr (i.e., these were the only people who had embraced Islam at that time)." Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 57 (Companions of the Prophet), Chapter 6, No. 12, p.8.

"[Ibn Az-Zubair] sent ['Aisha] ten slaves whom he freed as expiation for his oath. 'Aisha freed more slaves for the same purpose until she freed forty slaves. She said, 'Had I known I would specify what I would do if I failed to fulfill my vow when making it, so that I could fulfill it easily.'" (1)

Footnote (1) says, "'Aisha did not specify what she would do if she failed to fulfill her vow; hence, she freed many slaves to ensure the adequacy of her expiation." Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56 (Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and His Companions), Chapter 2, No. 708, p.465.

"And 'Ata did not like to look at the slave girls who were being sold in Makkah except when he wanted to buy." Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 74 (Asking Permission), Chapter 2, No. 246, p.162.

Sexual Relations with Slaves and Captives
"Can a person travel with a pregnant slave girl without knowing whether she is pregnant or not? Al-Hasan saw no harm in a man kissing or caressing a pregnant slave girl without having intercourse with her.

Ibn 'Umar said, 'If a slave girl fit for sexual relations was given as a gift to somebody, or was sold, or was set free, her master should not have sexual relations with her before she gets one menstrual period so as to be sure of the absence of pregnancy, and there is no such necessity for a virgin.'

'Atâ said, 'There is no harm in caressing a pregnant (1) slave girl without having sexual relations with her. Allah said: 'Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (in their case) they are free from blame." Footnote (1) says, "Pregnant by another, not her present master." Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 34 (Sales and Trade), Chapter 113 after No. 436, p.239-240. (Same section as 'Atâ as previously.)

"Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri narrated that while he was sitting with the Prophet of Allah, he said, 'O Allah's Messenger! We get female captives as our share of the war booty, and we are interested in their prices; what is your opinion about coitus interruptus?' The Prophet said, 'Do you really do that? It is better for you not to do it, for Allah has written whom He is going to create till the Day of Resurrection.'" Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 34 (Sales and Trade), Chapter 111, No. 432, p.237.

"Ibn Muhairiz narrated: 'I entered the mosque and saw Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri and sat beside him and asked him about Al-'Azl (i.e., coitus interruptus). Abu Sa'id said, 'We went out with Allah's Messenger for the Ghazwa [battle] of Banu Al-Mustaliq and we received captives from among the captives of the Arabs and we desired the women and the celibacy became hard on us, and we loved to do coitus interruptus. So when we intended to do coitus interruptus, we said, 'How can we do coitus interruptus before asking Allah's Messenger who is present among us?' We asked him about it and he said, 'It is better for you not to do it, for Allah has destined whom He is going to create till the Day of Resurrection.'" Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59 (Military Expeditions), Chapter 31, No. 459, p.317. This part says the same as Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 77 (The Book of al-Qadr), Chapter 3, No. 600, p.391. In other words, whatever is to be will be, so do not prevent it unnaturally. Muhammad never condemned the harassment of captives or slaves that one owns.

‘Aisha and Zainab bint Jahsh
"Hisham's father narrated: Khadija died three years before the Prophet departed to Madina. He stayed there for about two years and then he married ‘Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age, and he consummated that marriage when she was nine years old." Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 58 (Virtues of the Ansar), Chapter 43, No. 236, p.153. See Volume 5, Book 58 (Virtues of the Ansar), Chapter 43, No. 234, p.152.

Zainab bint Jahsh was married to Muhammad's adopted son until Muhammad declared a Surah that he should divorce his son and marry Muhammad. Zainab "used to boast to the other wives of the Prophet and used to say that Allah married her (to the Prophet) in the heavens." Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 93 (Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah), Chapter 22, No. 517, p.382; also see Book 93 (Oneness, Uniqueness of Allah), Chapter 22, No. 516, 518, p.381-383. In other words, the heavenly, uncreated, and eternal Quran mentioned Zainab's marriage.

Islam and Women
"'How does any one of you beat his wife as he beats the stallion camel and then embrace (sleep) with her?' And Hisham said, 'As he beats his slave.'" Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73 (Good Manners), Chapter 43, No. 68, p.42.

"Abu Huraira narrated: 'The Prophet of Allah said, 'Treat women nicely, for a woman is created from a rib, and the most crooked portion of the rib is its upper part; so, if you try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely.'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55 (Prophets), Chapter 1, No. 548, p.346.

"'Abdullah bin Qais Al-Ash'ari narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'In Paradise there is a pavilion made of a single hollow pearl thirty miles in height, in each corner of the pavilion, there are wives for the believer that cannot be seen by the others.'" Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54 (Beginning of Creation), Chapter 7, No. 466, p.306.

Women in Islamic Law
"Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'Is not the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?' The women said, 'Yes.' He said, 'This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind.'" Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 48 (Witnesses), Chapter 12, No. 826, p.502.

"Muhammad said, 'A nation which makes a woman their ruler will never be successful.'" Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88 (Afflictions and the End of the World), Chapter 18, No. 219, p.171.

Temporary Marriage (Mut’a)
"'Ali bin Abi Talib narrated: 'On the day of Khaibar, Allah's Messenger forbade the Mut’a (i.e., temporary marriage) and the eating of donkey flesh.'" Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59 (Military Expeditions), Chapter 37, No. 527, p.372. Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62 (Wedlock), Chapter 32, No. 50, 52, p.36, 37 also discuss this matter. Most Muslims except some Sunnis do not practice temporary marriage, while many Shias teach that it is permissible.

Race Relations and Muhammad's Ownership of African Slaves

"Anas narrated: 'The Prophet said, 'Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin is made your chief.'" Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11 (Call to Prayers), Chapter 54, No. 662, p.375 (also Ibn Majah, Volume 4, Book 24 (Jihad), Chapter 39, No. 2860, p.196). Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 11 (Call to Prayers), Chapter 55, No. 664, p.376, says similarly.

As stated earlier, Muhammad was a slave owner who had at least one African slave. (Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Chapter 316, No. 435, p.407, Volume 9, Book 91 (Witnesses), Chapter 3, No. 368, p.275). Muhammad sold his African slaves to free another slave who converted to Islam. Ibn Majah, Volume 4, Book 24 (Jihad), Chapter 41, No. 2869, p.202. Following are excerpts.

"Then I dressed and went to the house of the Prophet of Allah, and behold, he was staying in an upper room where his African slave was (staying) on the first step." (Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Chapter 316, No. 435, p.407)

"Umar narrated, 'I came and saw the Messenger of Allah living in the Mashroba (an attic room) and the African slave of the Messenger of Allah was on its steps.'" (Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 91, Chapter 3, No. 368, p.275)

This is interesting because Muhammad bought a slave who had converted to Islam (perhaps to free him.) Instead of paying the owner cash, Muhammad sold two of his African slaves. The ethnicity of the first slave is not mentioned, but for some reason, it was important to note that the two slaves Muhammad sold were African, and they had to be two to buy one.

"Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that there came a slave and pledged allegiance to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) for migration. He (the Prophet) did not know that he was a slave. Then there came his master and demanded him back, whereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: 'Sell him to me.' And he bought him for two black slaves, and he did not afterward take the oath of allegiance from anyone until he had asked whether he was a slave (or a free man)." (Ibn Majah, Volume 4, Book 24 (Jihad), Chapter 41, No. 2869, p.202)
The Hadith of Bukhari can be found online at the websites:
http://cwis.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/
and www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/

Comments for Christians

Although you may feel very blessed that you do not need to believe and do these things, do not boast. If it were not for the grace of God, you could be ensnared in such a bondage that would make you think you need to do these things to please God. Your Sunni Muslim friends may not know much about their own books and may not understand these things. Show them and ask if they really want to participate in these things.

God wants us to love Him; He wants our hearts and minds as well as our conduct and actions. He does not want us to believe in unsanitary remedies like using flies, or immoral acts with captives and slave girls. God wants us to follow what He has taught us in His Word, the Bible, and through Jesus, who was more than a prophet; Isaiah called Him Emmanuel (God with us).

Shalom

Dr. Max Shimba for Max Shimba Ministries Org