The Incredulous and Absurd Teachings of Muhammad Pt. 2
We continue with our analysis of the Hadith literature.
RUNNING STONES AND TALKING TREES
Muhammad erroneously believed that inanimate objects could actually speak and feel, and do other things like humans do:
“Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Allah’s messenger said, ‘You (i.e. Muslims) will fight against the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, ‘O Abdallah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.’ In another quotation: ‘The hour will not come until you fight against Jews.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 52, No. 176
“Narrated Abdullah bin Masúd that he was asked, ‘As to who informed the prophet about the Jinns at night when they heard the Quran?’ He said that a tree informed the prophet about them.” Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 199
“Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: The prophet used to stand by a stem of a date-palm tree (while delivering a Khutba). When the pulpit was placed for him we heard that stem crying like a pregnant she-camel till the prophet got down from the pulpit and place his hand over it.” Vol. 2, Bk. 13, No. 41
“Narrated (Abu Huraira): The prophet said, ‘The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. Prophet Musa (Moses) used to take bath alone. They said, ‘By Allah! Nothing prevents Musa (Moses) from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal Hernia.’ So once Musa (Moses) went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Musa (Moses) followed that stone saying, ‘My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone!’ till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, ‘By Allah, Musa (Moses) has got no defect in his body.’ Musa (Moses) took his clothes and began to beat the stone.’ Abu Huraira added, ‘By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating.’” Vol. 1, Bk. 5, No. 277
GAS AND GARLIC
Muhammad and his deity really disliked farting or passing wind:
“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s messenger said, ‘The Salat (prayer) of a person who does Hadath (passes urine, stool or wind) is not accepted till he performs (repeats) the ablution.’ A person from Hadramout asked Abu Huraira, ‘What is Hadath?’ Abu Huraira replied, ‘Hadath means the passing of wind from the anus.’” Vol. 1, Bk. 4, No. 137
“Narrated Abdullah bin Yazid Al-Ansari: He asked Allah’s messenger about a person who imagined to have passed wind during the Salat (prayer). Allah’s messenger replied: ‘He should not leave his Salat (prayer) unless he hears sound or smells something.’” Vol. 1, Bk. 4, No. 139
According to Muhammad, when angels pray they say,
“O Allah! Forgive him, as long as he keeps on sitting at his praying place and does not pass wind.” Vol. 1, Bk. 8, No. 466
He also prohibited people coming to the mosque after eating garlic:
“(Narrated ‘Ata): I heard Jabir bin Abdullah saying, ‘The prophet said, ‘Whoever eats (from) this plant (he meant garlic), should keep away from our mosque.’ I said, ‘What does he mean by that?’ He replied, ‘I think he means only raw garlic.’” Vol. 1, No. 813 – see also No. 814
WHAT DO JINNS EAT?
Muhammad claimed that Jinns (spirits) eat bones and animal dung! Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 200
BLACKS AND SLAVES IN ISLAM
We find Muhammad making racist comments in regard to people with black skin:
“Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah’s messenger said, ‘You should listen to and obey your Imam (Muslim ruler), even if he was an Ethiopian (black) slave whose head looks like a raisin.’” Vol. 9, Bk. 89, No. 256 and Vol. 1, Bk. 11, No. 662
Dreaming of a black woman can be a sign of disease:
“Narrated Ibn Umar: The prophet said, ‘I saw (in a dream) a black woman with unkempt hair going out of Al-Madina and settling at Mahya’a, i.e. Al-Juhfa. I interpreted that as a symbol of epidemic of Al-Madina being transferred to that place (Al-Juhfa).’” Vol. 9, No. 161
In fact, it will be a black man who will steal stones from the Ka’bah!
“Narrated Ibn Abbas: The prophet said, ‘As if I am looking at him, a black person with thin legs plucking the stones of the Ka’bah one after the other.’” Vol. 2, Bk. 26, No. 665
Muhammad also owned black slaves. For instance, Umar b. Al-Khattab came to Muhammad’s house and found that, “A black slave of Allah’s Apostle was sitting on the first step.” Vol. 6, Bk. 60, No. 435
Here is another example:
"Narrated Anas bin Malik: Allah's apostle was on a journey and he had a black slave called Anjasha, and he was driving the camels (very fast, and there were women riding on those camels). Allah's apostle said, 'Waihaka (May Allah be merciful to you), O Anjasha! Drive slowly (the camels) with the glass vessels (women)!'" Vol. 8, Bk. 73, No. 182
Muhammad not only owned slaves, but also sold black slaves for profit or exchanged them for others:
Jabir reported: There came a slave and pledged allegiance to Allah's apostle on 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 said: Sell him to me. And he bought him for two black slaves, and he did not afterwards take allegiance from anyone until he had asked him whether he was a slave (or a free man). (Sahih Muslim, Book 010, Number 3901)
These next hadiths show that Muhammad was anything but a mercy to all creatures:
“Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah: A man decided that a slave of his would be manumitted after his death and later on he was in need of money, so the prophet took the slave and said, ‘Who will buy this slave from me?’ Nu’amin bin Abdullah bought him for such and such price and the prophet gave him the slave.’” Vol. 3, Bk. 34, No. 351
“Narrated 'Urwa on the authority of 'Aisha: On the days of Mina, (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and the prophet was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded them and the prophet uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr, ‘Leave them, for these days are the days of 'Id and the days of Mina.’ 'Aisha further said, ‘Once the prophet was screening me and I was watching the display of black slaves in the Mosque and ('Umar) scolded them. The prophet said, ‘Leave them. O Bani Arfida! (carry on), you are safe (protected)’.” Vol. 2, Bk. 15, No. 103
One wonders why the selling of a slave was needed to cover his master’s debt, when the slave was to be freed following the death of his owner? Could Muhammad not have simply sold a piece of property or asked the creditor to cancel his debt for the sake of Allah? And why would he allow black slaves to be paraded around in his mosque? Was Muhammad running a slave trading business in the mosque, which is supposed to be a place where Allah, whom the Quran labels as the most merciful and most compassionate, is worshiped?
HOLY SPITTLE AND SACRED CLEANSING
That the obsession of Muhammad’s followers with their prophet bordered on the fanatical can readily be seen from the following narrations:
“By Allah, whenever Allah’s apostle spat, the spittle would fall in the hand of one of them [i.e. the prophet’s companions] who would rub it on his face and skin.” Vol. 3, Bk. 50, No. 891
“Narrated Jabir: The prophet came to (the grave of) Abdullah bin Ubai after his body was buried. The body was brought out and then the prophet put his saliva over the body and clothed it in his shirt.” Vol. 2, No. 360
“Narrated Abu Musa: Then the prophet asked for a drinking bowl containing water and washed his hands and face in it, and then took a mouthful of water and threw it therein saying (to us), ‘Drink (some of it) and pour (some) over your faces and chests and be happy at the good tidings.’” Vol. 5, Bk. 59, No. 617
“Narrated Abu Juhaifa: Allah’s messenger came to us at noon and water for ablution was brought to him. After he had performed ablution, the remaining water was taken by the people and they started smearing their bodies with it (as a blessed thing).” Vol. 1, Bk. 4, No. 187 and 188
Can anyone deny that such devotion to Muhammad is not only bizarre or outright filthy and disgusting, but also idolatrous?
ADAM THE NOT SO JOLLY GIANT
“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘Allah created Adam, and his height was 60 cubits.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 543
That makes Adam 90 feet tall! Presumably, Adam’s children would also be as tall as their father, a fact affirmed in this Hadith:
“Narrated Abu Huraira: The prophet said, ‘Allah created Adam in his image sixty cubits (about 30 meters) in height… Since then the creation of Adam’s (offspring) (i.e., stature of human beings) is being diminished continuously up to the present time.’” Vol. 8, Bk. 74, No. 246
To make matters worse, Muhammad actually believed that in paradise people would again become 90 feet tall!
“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's apostle said, ‘The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk… Their wives will be houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in statute), sixty cubits tall.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 544
There is no evidence whatsoever, either from ancient records or the fossil beds, which would indicate that human beings were as tall as 90 feet, or that mankind has been shrinking in height since Adam’s time. This is a serious scientific error.
ANGEL GABRIEL – THE WINGED WONDER
“Narrated Ibn Masûd: He (Ibn Masûd) said that the prophet had seen Jibrael (Gabriel) having 600 wings.” Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 455
MUHAMMAD AND AISHA
Muhammad was in his early fifties when he decided to make Aisha his wife. The only thing that makes this shocking is Aisha’s age:
“Narrate Aisha: ‘My marriage (wedding) contract with the prophet was written when I was a girl of six (years)… Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Umm Rûmân, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my friends… unexpectedly Allah’s messenger came to me in the afternoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age.’” Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 234 – see also Vol. 7, No. 64
It seems that this was the reason that Aisha’s father, Abu Bakr, initially objected to this marriage:
“Narrated Aisha: The prophet asked Abu Bakr for [Aisha’s] hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said, ‘But I am your brother.’ The prophet said, ‘You are my brother in Allah’s religion and his Book, but she (Aisha) is lawful for me to marry.’” Vol. 7, Bk. 62, No. 18
Even more disturbing is this next Hadith:
“Narrated Umm Khalid bint Khalid: When I came from Ethiopia (to Al-Madina), I was a young girl. Allah’s messenger made me wear a sheet with marks on it. Allah’s messenger was rubbing those marks with his hands saying, ‘Sanah! Sanah!’ (i.e. good, good).” Vol. 5, Bk. 58, No. 214
No further comment is necessary.
THE EDIBLE MOUSE AND THE FLYING CURE
“Narrated Maimuna: Allah’s messenger was asked regarding ghee (cooking butter) in which a mouse had fallen. He said, ‘Take out the mouse and throw away the ghee around it and use the rest.’” Vol. 1, Bk. 4, No. 236
“Narrated (Abu Huraira): The prophet said, ‘If a housefly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 537
If one were to do this there might be a possible outbreak of typhoid and cholera.1
DISEASE PREVENTION
In Vol. 7, Bk. 71, No. 591 we are told “that she (Aisha) heard the Prophet saying, ‘This black cumin is healing for all diseases except As-Sam.’ Aisha said, ‘what is As-Sam?’ He said ‘death.’”
We must ask, can it cure cancer, aids, or even the common cold, if it is healing for all diseases? What do we do with this medicinal error and how does it reflect on Muhammad’s prophethood?
What about the statement where Muhammad said that there are no contagious diseases?
5380. Sa'id ibn Mina' said, "I heard Abu Hurayra say that the Messenger of Allah said, 'THERE IS NO CONTAGION and no omen nor hama nor bad luck in the month of Safar. One should run from a leper as one runs from a lion." …
(Sidenote: This Hadith makes no sense. Why should one run from a leper if leprosy is not contagious? That is inconsistent. But coming from Muhammad this doesn’t surprise us.)
LIII. THERE IS NO CONTAGION
5438. Salim ibn 'Abdullah and Hamza reported that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said, "THERE IS NO CONTAGION and no bad omens. Bad luck may be in three: horses, women and houses."…
5440. Qatada related from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet said, "THERE IS NO CONTAGION nor bad omens. I like the good sign." They said, "What is the good sign?" He said, "A good word." (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 79. The Book of Medicine; *; capital emphasis ours)
What do we say then about the Ebola virus or the other fast spreading diseases which we hear about on a consistent basis? These Ahadith pose a major stumbling block for those who embrace their authority.
GENETICS
Muhammad declared,
“As for the resemblance of the child to its parents; if a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and gets a discharge first, the child will resemble the father, and if the woman gets her discharge first, the child will resemble her.” Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 546
Scientists tell us that it is genetics, not “discharges”, that affect a child’s physical characteristics.
To avoid this obvious and gross scientific error, certain Muslims have been forced to give new meanings to the Arabic text of this Hadith, forcing it to fit in with modern scientific understanding.2
This of course is an attempt to compel the Hadith to say something which it does not say. Keep in mind that Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan who translated this hadith is a devout Muslim that has studied the Arabic meticulously and would therefore do his best to provide the most accurate translation possible. Moreover, Khan would have had other Muslim scholars analyze his collection before sending it to be published. In fact, here is how another Muslim scholar translates this same hadith:
3151. It is related that Anas said, "When 'Abdullah ibn Salam heard of the arrival of the Messenger of Allah in Madina, he went to him and said, 'I will ask you about three things which only a Prophet knows. What is the first sign of the Hour? What is the first food that the people of the Garden will eat? And for what reason does a child resemble his father and for what reason does he resemble his maternal uncles?' The Messenger of Allah said, 'Jibril has just informed me about them.'" He said that 'Abdullah said, "That is the enemy of the Jews among the angels."
The Messenger of Allah said, "The first sign of the Hour will be a fire which will gather people from the east to the west. The first food that the people of the Garden will eat will be the extra bit of the liver of the fish. As for the child's resemblance, when the man has intercourse with the woman and his discharge is first, it will resemble him. If she has a discharge first, then it will resemble her." He said, "I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.” … (Bewley, The Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 64. Book of the Prophets, II: The words of Allah Almighty, "When your Lord said to the angels: 'I am putting a khalif on the earth." (2:30); *; bold and italic emphasis ours)
This sounds the death knell to any Muslim attempt to translate the Hadith in any other way. That some Muslims mistranslate the Arabic in order to give new meanings to established Arabic words only reinforces the fact that both the Quran and Ahadith contain gross scientific and historical blunders.
To solidify the case that Muhammad believed that sexual climaxes influenced physical characteristics we quote this tradition:
“Narrated Zainab bint Um Salama: Um Sulaim ‘O Allah’s apostle! Verily Allah is not shy of (telling you) the truth. Is it essential for a woman to take a bath after she had a wet dream (nocturnal sexual discharges)?’ He said, ‘Yes, if she notices discharge. On that Um Salama laughed and said, ‘Does a woman get a (nocturnal sexual) discharge?’ He said, ‘How then does (here) son resemble her (his mother)?’” Vol. 8, Bk. 73, No. 113
Obviously, the thing that a woman discharges during a wet dream is not chromosomes. It clearly refers to sexual orgasm, affirming that in Muhammad’s mind a child’s looks were influenced by whomever climaxed first.
Even more fascinating is the fact that the previous Hadith, when read in context, incriminates Muhammad of plagiarizing information that was known prior to and contemporary with his times:
“Narrated Anas: When ‘Abdullah bin Salam heard of the arrival of the Prophet at Al-Madina, he came to him and said, ‘I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a Prophet:
- What is the first portent of the Hour?
- What will be the first meal taken by the people of Paradise?
- Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle?’
Allah’s Messenger said, ‘Jibrael (Gabriel) has just now told me of their answers...’”
After answering all three questions, Salam states, “I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.”
Two questions arise:
1) If as Ibn Salam indicates, only a true Prophet would be capable of answering these questions, how did Ibn Salam know Muhammad had answered correctly? This would make Ibn Salam a Prophet as well.
2) That Ibn Salam knew these answers already, strongly indicates that the information pertaining to acquired physical characteristics was nothing new, since Ibn Salam had known this information beforehand. This suggests that the embryological details contained in both the Quran and Hadith, although grossly in error, were something which Muhammad had borrowed from already existing sources circulating at that time.
Hence, there is nothing miraculous about this Hadith, contrary to what Muslims would have us believe.2
THE RISING AND SETTING OF THE SUN
“Narrated Abu Dharr: The prophet asked me at sunset, ‘Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?’ I replied, ‘Allah and his messenger know better.’ He said, ‘It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates itself underneath the throne, and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course, but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the West. And that is the interpretation of the statement of Allah: ‘And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). This is the decree of (Allah) the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 54, No. 421
Here we have the sun traveling, bowing, speaking and rising from the West, instead of the East. Even the translator is at a loss for words in trying to reconcile these obvious scientific errors and tries to give an explanation in his footnote:
“The procedure of the sun mentioned in this Hadith and similar other things mentioned in the Quran like the prostration of the trees, herbs, and stars, etc. (v. 55:6) are beyond our limited knowledge of this universe. It is interpreted that these are mentioned so because of our limited understanding of the people at that time about the matters of the universe.” (Italic emphasis ours)
It might be argued that the rising from the West is something that takes place at the Last Day as one of God’s signs. The problem is not with the sun rising from the West but rather with it traveling in a circuit since the sun only travels in relation with the galaxy. Hence, the entire galaxy makes a circuit, not just the sun itself, as this Hadith seems to imply. Hence, Muhammad’s assertion would entail that the entire galaxy prostrates under Allah’s throne as well!
But it gets worse. Muhammad taught that the sun literally, physically sets in a spring of water!
One of the major signs of the Hour
91. Abu Dharr narrated, “Once I was with the Prophet (riding) a donkey on which there was a saddle or a (piece of) velvet. That was at sunset. He said to me, ‘O Abu Dharr, do you know where this (sun) sets?’ I said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know better.’ He said, ‘It sets in a spring of murky water, (then) it goes and prostrates before its Lord, the Exalted in Might and the Ever-Majestic, under the Throne. And when it is time to go out, Allah allows it to go out and thus it rises. But, when He wants to make it rise where it sets, He locks it up. The sun will then say, “O my Lord, I have a long distance to run.” Allah will say, “Rise where you have set.” That (will take place) when no (disbelieving) soul will get any good by believing then.’” (Ahmad) (The Translation of: The Meaning of the Fifty Hadith of Jame Al-uloom Wal-Hakim (“A Compilation of Knowledge and Wisdom”), compilation by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (736 H-795 H), translated and spotlights by Yaseen Ibrahim al-Sheikh (Vol. 1), A Selection of Authentic Qudsi (Sacred) Hadiths, translated by Muhammad M. ‘Abdul-Fattah, edited by Reima Youssif Shakeir (Vol. 2) [Dar Al-Manarrah for Translation, Publishing & Distribution], pp. 319-320)
And:
(3991) Abu Dharr said: I was sitting behind the apostle of Allah who was riding a donkey while the sun was setting. He asked: Do you know where this sets? I replied: Allah and his apostle know best. He said: IT SETS IN A SPRING OF WARM WATER (hamiyah).3408 (Prof. Ahmad Hasan, Sunan Abu Dawud – English Translation With Explanatory Notes [Sh. Muhammad Ashraf, Publishers, Lahore, 1984], Volume III. Chapters 1338-1890, XXV. Kitab Al-Ahruf Wa Al-Qira’at [Book of Dialects and Readings Of The Qur’an], Chapter 1498, p. 1120; bold and capital emphasis ours)
3408. Qur’an, xviii. 86. The word hami’ah in this verse has two readings. Abu Ja‘far, Abu ‘Amir, Hamzah, al-Kisa’i and Abu Bakr read it hamiyah with long vowel a. Hamiyah means warm water. The others read it hami’ah meaning musky water. (Ibid.)
Hence, not only do we have a gross scientific error, we also have a clear example that proves that Quran contains variant readings!
The following is an alternate translation of this particular report:
4002. It was narrated that Abu Dharr said: “I was riding behind the messenger of Allah while he was on a donkey, and the sun was setting. He said: ‘Do you know where this (sun) sets?’ I said: ‘Allah and his messenger know best.’ He said: ‘IT SETS IN A SPRING OF WATER (fa innaha taghrubu fi ‘ainin hamiyah).’” (SAHIH) (English Translation of Sunan Abu Dawud, Compiled by Imam Hafiz Abu Dawud Sulaiman bin Ash‘ath – From Hadith no. 3242 to 4350, ahadith edited and referenced by Hafiz Abu Tahir Zubair ‘Ali Za’i, translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab (Canada), final review by Abu Khaliyl (USA) [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, First Edition: July, 2008], Volume 4, 29. The Book Of The Recitations And Readings Of The Qur’an, p. 375; capital emphasis ours)
Muhammad was simply repeating the gross mistake of the Quran in regard to Alexander the Great traveling so far east till he found the literal setting place of the sun:
They will question thee concerning Dhool Karnain. Say: 'I will recite to you a mention of him. We established him in the land, and We gave him a way to everything; and he followed a way until, WHEN HE REACHED THE SETTING OF THE SUN, HE FOUND IT SETTING IN A MUDDY SPRING, and he found nearby a people. We said, 'O Dhool Karnain, either thou shalt chastise them, or thou shalt take towards them a way of kindness.' He said, 'As for the evildoer, him we shall chastise, then he shall be returned to his Lord and He shall chastise him with a horrible chastisement. But as for him who believes, and does righteousness, he shall receive as recompense the reward most fair, and we shall speak to him, of our command, easiness.' Then he followed a way until, when he reached the rising of the sun, he found it rising upon a people for whom We had not appointed any veil to shade them from it. S. 18:83-90 Arberry
The noted Muslim translator, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, stated in his Quran translation that,
2430. This is the first of the three episodes here mentioned, his expedition to the west. "Reaching the setting of the sun" does not mean the extreme west, for there is no such thing. West and East are relative terms.
It means a western expedition terminated by a “spring of murky water.” This has puzzled Commentators, and they have understood this to mean the dark, tempestuous sea.
If Dhul al Qarnayn is Alexander the Great, the reference is easily understood to be to Lychnitis (now Ochrida), west of Macedonia. It is fed entirely by underground springs in a limestone region, where the water is never very clear. (*; bold emphasis ours)
Saying that this verse where Muhammad has the sun setting in a muddy spring has puzzled Muslim commentators is putting it mildly.
INTESTINAL DIGESTION
Muhammad taught that Muslims had seven intestines in contrast to non-Muslims who only had one!
Chapter 32: A BELIEVER EATS IN ONE INTESTINE WHEREAS A NON-BELIEVER EATS IN SEVEN INTESTINES
Ibn Umar reported Allah’s messenger as saying that a non-Muslim eats in seven intestines whereas a Muslim eats in one intestine. (Sahih Muslim, No. 5113)
To say that this is a strange or weird would be a wild understatement!
THE ART OF CHESS
Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah’s apostle said: “He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.” (Sahih Muslim, Bk. 28, No. 5612)
Hence, to play chess in Islam is a serious offense. To avoid the irony of this Hadith, Muslim polemicists such as Dr. Jamal Badawi* try to interpret it to mean that playing chess is only prohibited in so far as the parties have the intent of gambling. This seems to be a weak explanation since the statement is clearly referring to chess in general without any qualification. Furthermore, the Hadith is supposed to be Muhammad’s interpretation and application of the Quran, and as such is the source by which Muslims understand the Quran. Yet the Hadith seems to be insufficient in accomplishing its intended task since it also needs interpretation by fallible men. Hence, we have an interpretation of Muhammad’s interpretation of the Quran and how to implement its rulings!
Moreover, chess is about as far away from gambling as you can get. Gambling is about chance/luck, whereas chess is about skilled planning and superior reasoning and calculating. Claiming that chess is a form of gambling, or could be used to gamble, can only come from somebody who knows nothing about chess.
ETHNIC CLEANSING
There are strong anti-Semitic feelings that run through the Hadith. For instance, according to Muhammad, the angel Gabriel, “from among all the angels, is the enemy of the Jews.” Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 546
And,
“Narrated Abu Ayub: Once the prophet went out after sunset and heard a (dreadful) voice, and said, ‘The Jews are being punished in their graves.’” Vol. 2, Bk. 23, No. 457
In fact, Muhammad ordered his followers to “expel al-mushrikun (pagans, idolaters and non-believes in the Oneness of Allah and in his messenger Muhammad) from the Arabian Peninsula…” Vol. 4, Bk. 52, No. 288
The following narrations indicate that this command to expel the pagans/idolators also includes Jews and Christians, since they too are considered disbelievers and mushrikun, or of those who associate partners with Allah:
“Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were in the Mosque, the prophet came out and said, ‘Let us go to the Jews.’ We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to them, ‘If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that the earth belongs to Allah and His apostle, and I want to expel you from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs to Allah and His apostle.’” Vol. 4, Bk. 53, No. 392
“Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Umar bin Al-Khattab expelled all the Jews and Christians from the land of Hijaz. Allah's apostle after conquering Khaibar, thought of expelling the Jews from the land which, after he conquered it belonged to Allah, Allah's apostle and the Muslims. But the Jews requested Allah's apostle to leave them there on the condition that they would do the labor and get half of the fruits (the land would yield). Allah's apostle said, ‘We shall keep you on these terms as long as we wish.’ Thus they stayed till the time of 'Umar's Caliphate when he expelled them to Taima and Ariha.” Vol. 4, Bk. 53, No. 380
To make matters worse, Muhammad taught that the end would not come until the Muslims fought the Jews, and that even inanimate objects such as stones and trees would join them in killing the Jews!
“Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's apostle said, ‘The Hour will not be established until you fight with the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so kill him.”’” Vol. 4, Bk. 52, No. 177
BON APPETIT!
The hadiths teach that Muhammad’s food would praise Allah right before being consumed by Muhammad! Muhammad even caused water to flow from his fingers!
“Narrated 'Abdullah: We used to consider miracles as Allah's Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah's apostle on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said, ‘Bring the water remaining with you.’ The people brought a utensil containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said, ‘Come to the blessed water, and the Blessing is from Allah.’ I saw the water flowing from among the fingers of Allah's apostle, and no doubt, we heard the meal glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him). Vol. 4, Bk. 56, No. 779
This reminds us of a scene from the Three Stooges where Curly’s sandwich kept biting him in his face every time he tried to eat it. In fact, it may be that the reason why Curly’s sandwich kept giving him such a hard time is because he was a disbelieving Jew whereas the sandwich was a Muslim!
FINGER LICKING GOOD
Muhammad forbade his followers from wiping their hands after eating until and unless they or someone else licks them clean!
“Narrated Ibn Abbas: The prophet said, ‘When you eat, do not wipe your hand till you have licked it, or had it licked by somebody else.’” Vol. 7, Bk., No. 366
FALSE MESSIAH
Muhammad told his followers about Ad-Dajjal (false Messiah) by saying, ‘You should understand that he is a one-eyed man and Allah is not one-eyed.” Vol. 4, Bk. 52, No. 290
Also of interest in regard to the False Messiah is that he was believed to have appeared during Muhammad’s time:
“Narrated (Muhammad bin Al-Munkadir): I saw Jabir bin Abdullah swearing by Allah that Ibn Saiyad was the Dajjal. I said (to Jabir), ‘How can you swear by Allah?’ Jabir said, “I have heard Umar swearing by Allah regarding this matter in the presence of the Prophet and the Prophet did not disapprove of it.’” Vol. 9, Bk. 92, No. 453
Muhammad here affirms the false belief that Ibn Saiyad was the antichrist, a clear mistake. Had he been the antichrist, we would have expected Jesus to descend shortly after that, seeing that Muhammad claimed that Christ would return when the Dajjal appeared in order to kill him, an event that obviously did not occur. The fact that Muhammad believed that Christ was to come very soon, even in the lifetime of his followers, is obvious from the following traditions:
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will SHORTLY DESCEND AMONGST YOU people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the Cross and kill the pig and abolish the Jizya (a tax taken from the non-Muslims, who are in the protection, of the Muslim government). Then there will be abundance of money and no-body will accept charitable gifts. Vol. 3, Bk. 34, No. 425
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will SOON DESCEND AMONGST YOU and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims)… Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 657
“Abu Huraira relates that the Prophet said: ‘I swear by God, IT IS NEAR when Jesus son of Mary, will descend from the heavens upon your people, a just king, and he will break the cross, and will kill the swine, and will remove the poll tax from the unenfranchised; and there will be great wealth in his time, so much that nobody will accept of it; and in that time, one prostration in prayer will be better than the world and everything in it.’” (T. P. Hughes, Dictionary of Islam, p. 234)
Again, to avoid these false prophecies Muslims state that Ibn Saiyad is just one of many Dajjals prophesied to come, and the statement regarding the coming of Jesus being near simply means that there is no conception of time with God, as even fifty thousand years are but a day in his eyes.
This appears to be a forced interpretation since the Hadith indicates that Saiyad is the Dajjal, not simply a Dajjal. Due to this factor, we are forced to conclude that Muhammad believed that Jesus was to appear in the lifetime of his generation, shortly after his death to slay al-Dajjal, Ibn Saiyad.
OTHER FALSE PROPHECIES
The Hadith contains additional prophecies that failed to materialize:
“Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Once the Prophet led us in the Isha prayer during the last days of his life and after finishing it [the Salat (prayer) with Taslim] he said: ‘Do you realize the importance of this night? Nobody present on the surface of the earth will be living after the completion of one hundred years from this night.” Vol. 1, Bk. 3, No. 116 – see also Vol. 1, Bk. 10, No. 575
This passage can be interpreted in one of two ways, both of which result in a false prophecy. First, this passage indicates that the end of the world was to occur within precisely one hundred years from the night Muhammad spoke these words. Obviously this event has not taken place.Secondly, this narration means that the generation contemporary with and born at the time of the prophecy would die which again presents the reader with obvious difficulties since it is impossible to ascertain for a fact that every single person or baby born throughout the entire earth, dies exactly one hundred years from the night in question.
Second, we must know when exactly this prediction was revealed, since Muhammad clearly states that the entire generation would perish precisely on the hundredth anniversary of the day this Hadith was given. Obviously, the exact timing is of absolute pertinence here, since that is the one element needed in order to confirm the verity of Muhammad’s prophecy. After all, are we to assume that not even one single person on this earth lived to the ripe old age of one hundred and one? Third, for anyone to make the claim that his/her generation would not live beyond one hundred years is not really an amazing declaration at all. Noting the fact that only a relatively small number of people live beyond one hundred years, we observe that this Hadith is a very poor prophecy when compared with the Biblical prophecies made thousands of years prior to their fulfillment and still proving true even till now.
Another prophecy that failed may be found in vol. 4, bk. 53, no. 401:
“Narrated Auf bin Malik: I went to the Prophet during the Ghazwa of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, ‘Count six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will affect you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep, the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given one hundred Dinars, he will still not be satisfied, then an affliction which no Arab house will escape, and then a truce between you and Bani-Al-Asfar (i.e. the Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers.’”
We cannot count this prophecy as genuine since some of its parts did not occur, and others cannot possibly be verified and are too vague and general in nature. The Byzantine Empire, which ceased as such many centuries ago, never attacked the Arabs under the banner of eighty nations or flags and a total man-count of nine hundred and sixty thousand soldiers. Furthermore, although Jerusalem was conquered by Muslims, in the year 1948 A.D. it was retaken by the Jews. In fact, the re-possession of Jerusalem by the Jews is a major Biblical prophecy which has been fulfilled right before our own eyes!
LIZARDS
Muhammad believed that lizards were cursed, and should therefore be killed, because it was a lizard who blew fire on Abraham in order to kill him!
“Narrated Um Sharik: Allah's apostle ordered that the salamander should be killed and said, “It (i.e. the salamander) blew (the fire) on Abraham.” Vol. 4, Bk. 55, No. 579
The translator provides this interesting footnote:
“When Ibrahim (Abraham) was thrown into the fire, it is said all animals tried to extinguish the fire except the house lizard which blew it up.”
MARTYRS AS GREEN BIRDS
According to Sheikh Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hamid of the sacred Mosque of Mecca (Saudi Arabia),
“Allah’s Apostle said: The souls of the martyrs are in the bodies of green birds dwelling in paradise wherever they like.” Vol. 1, p. xxviii
This is confirmed by the following hadith:
It has been narrated on the authority of Masruq Who said: We asked 'Abdullah about the Qur'anic verse: “Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they are alive, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord” (iii. 169). He said: We asked the meaning of the verse (from the prophet) who said: The souls, of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in chandeliers hung from the throne of the Almighty. They eat the fruits of Paradise from wherever they like and then nestle in these chandeliers. Once their Lord cast a glance at them and said: Do ye want anything? They said: What more shall we desire? We eat the fruit of Paradise from wherever we like. Their Lord asked them the same question thrice. When they saw that they will continue to be asked and not left (without answering the question), they said: O Lord, we wish that Thou mayest return our souls to our bodies so that we may be slain in Thy way once again. When He (Allah) saw that they had no need, they were left (to their joy in heaven). (Sahih Muslim, Book 020, Number 4651)
THE SIZE OF A PROPHET’S GENERATIVE ORGAN
In what can only be described as tasteless and vulgar street language, the early Islamic commentators record a statement made by Muhammad in regard to John the Baptist’s body parts. This tradition is recorded in Mahmoud Ayoub’s The Quran and its Interpreters, vol. II: The House of Imran:
“... ‘Everyone of the sons of Adam shall come on the day of resurrection with a sin [of sexual impropriety], except Yahya (John the Baptist) b. Zechariah.’ Then, picking up a tiny straw, he continued, ‘This is because HIS GENERATIVE ORGAN WAS NO BIGGER THAN THIS STRAW.’” (Ibid, State University of New York Press (SUNY), Albany, 1992, p. 109; bold and capital emphasis ours)
For a prophet to speak of one’s private part being the size of a tiny straw, even to illustrate a point, is shocking and incredulous. Such language is unbefitting a man whom Muslims say was the greatest prophet and moral example who ever lived. Besides, what other prophet ever spoke of another’s body part in such a fashion?
More importantly, how did Muhammad know how small or large the Baptist’s genitalia were? Are we to assume that Muhammad received a special revelation for this otherwise unknown fact?
Conclusion
After examining the statements made by Muhammad, one can safely conclude that Muhammad was not a true prophet of God such as those who preceded him. All one has to do is read through the New Testament (the holy Injil) and compare the wonderful, loving words of the immortal and glorious Lord Jesus Christ with Muhammad’s statements and one will see that there is no comparison. Jesus Christ truly is Lord of lords and King of kings, the holy and pure Son of God.
All quotations from Sahih Muslim are taken from Abdul Hamid Siddiqui’s 4 volume translation (*; *).
Further Reading
Hadith vs. Qur’an (Version 2.0)
The “Wisdom of Muhammad” from the Hadith
Endnotes
1 In Dr. Khan’s footnote, he attempts to provide medical support for the fly-in-the-cup theory:
“Medically it is well-known now that a fly carries some pathogens on some parts of its body as mentioned by the Prophet (before 1400 years approx. When the humans knew very little of modern medicine.) Similarly Allah created organisms and other mechanisms which kill these pathogens e.g. Peninculan Fungus kills pathogenic organisms like Staphy Lococci and others etc. Recently experiments have been done under supervision which indicate that a fly carries the disease (pathogens) plus the antidote for those pathogenic organisms. Ordinarily when a fly touches a liquid food it infects the liquid with its pathogens, so it must be dipped in order to release also the antidote for those pathogens to act as a counter-balance to the pathogens.
“Regarding this subject I also wrote through a friend of mine Dr. Muhammad M. El-Samahy, chief of Hadith Dept. In Al-Azhar University Cairo (Egypt), who has written an article upon this Hadith and as regards medical aspects, he has mentioned that the microbiologists have proved that there are longitudinal yeast cells living as parasites inside the belly of the fly and these yeast cells in order to repeat their lifecycle protrude through respiratory tubules of the fly and if the fly is dipped in a liquid, these cells burst in the fluid and the content of those cells is an antidote for the pathogen which the fly carries.” (Pp. 656-657, ft. 3; bold emphasis ours)
Several points need to be made in light of these assertions:
1) No microbiologists’ names have been provided, nor the name of the place where the experiment occurred, which documents the results of this so-called study.
2) The compiler mentions no non-Muslims to give more credibility to his statements, citing only Muslims who naturally have an Islamic bias and would therefore want to prove that Muhammad was right.
3) Finally, the Imam admits that the disease and its cure are found in certain parts of the fly’s body, more specifically its belly, which actually proves that Muhammad was still in error. Muhammad clearly stated that the disease and the antidote are found in the wings of the fly, not it’s belly! This is a serious error for a God-inspired prophet to make since God would certainly know the exact spot on the insect’s body where the antidote can be found.
2 As was noted earlier, Muslims have attempted to make this Hadith fit in with modern genetic understanding. For instance, Muslim propagandist, Dr. Jamal Badawi*, proposes the following interpretation: When the Hadith states that it is either the man’s or woman’s discharge which influences the looks of a child, discharge is actually referring to the male sperm either discharging Y chromosome, which would make the child male, or X chromosome making it female, since the woman’s ovaries are always XX. Furthermore, the term “resemble” refers to gender i.e., that the child will either resemble the sex of the father or the mother.
Although this is more of a desperate explanation than a true translation as was already noted, this particular narration duly refutes Badawi’s interpretation. This is due to the fact that the questioner asked Muhammad as to why a child resembles either its father or its “maternal uncle,” implying that the term “resemble” refers to looks and not gender, since it is impossible for the male semen containing the X (female) chromosome to influence a child acquiring his maternal uncle’s gender!
Thus, no matter from what angle one examines this Hadith the gross scientific errors remain.
*Dr. Jamal Badawi - Dr. Robert Morey Debate, Is the Quran the Word of God?