Wednesday 20 February 2019

Stephen Atkin's unknown witnesses



Another red herring made by Stephen Atkins a Christian apologist. Stephen out of his desperation makes a statement which will only backfire on him.  Stephen made a Facebook post on Feb 13th which said the following:

“How many witnesses did Mohammed Pbuh have, when he had his encounter with the angel Gabriel AS?


Now was Stephen in a sane and sober mode when he made this statement? In order to answer Stephen, we’ll turn the tables round and ask him the same question, but before that lets answer his.

Prophet Muhammed Pbuh did have an encounter with Angel Gabriel Pbuh in Cave Hira. It is true Prophet Muhammed Pbuh was alone in the Cave, but does that make his encounter false due to not having any witness’s and the answer is no.

Prophet Muhammed Pbuh after his encounter and his very first Revelation of the Quran came down straight to his wife Khadijah Ra, who comforted Prophet Muhammed Pbuh. This can be found in Hadith, below is an excerpt from the full Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 3

…Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) returned with the Inspiration and with his heart beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija replied, "Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones." Khadija then accompanied him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza, who, during the pre-Islamic Period became a Christian and used to write the writing with Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was an old man and had lost his eyesight. Khadija said to Waraqa, "Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!" Waraqa asked, "O my nephew! What have you seen?" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses…(Sahih Bukhari Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 3)

Notice from the above Hadith Prophet Muhammed Pbuh told his wife Khadijah Ra “everything that had happened”.  Note this information was told the very same day, which tells us Khadijah Ra was the very forst witness to Prophet Muhammed Pbuh encounter with Angel Gabriel Pbuh.  The Hadith further tells us, Khadijah Ra took Prophet Muhammed Pbuh to het cousin Waraqa bin Naufal whom she informed on what happened. Here we have Prophet Muhammed Pbuh with her in from of her cousin, so everything said to Waraqa would have been heard by Prophet Muhammed Pbuh himself as a confirmation on the event which hapend to him.

Now here’s where Stephen’s entire post crumbles down.

Prophet Muhammed Pbuh was the first witness, he immediately comes down the mountain and tells his wife Khadijah Ra making her the 2nd witness, she Khadijah Ra takes Prophet Muhammed Pbuh to het cousin Waraqh bin Naufal making him the 3rd witness. Overall, we have 3 witness of the event without any dispute. This was also orally transmitted by Aisha Ra the wife of Prophet Muhammed Pbuh which has been transmitted and found in Sahih Hadith.


We have shown multiple witness’s for the encounter in the cave, so now our question for Stephen Atkins is as follows:

How were the witness for Moses of the Bible when he spoke to Yahweh near the burning bush?

Who witnessed Abraham of the Bible when he scarified his son Isaac? Can you confirm who saw Isaac being put on the alter?


Who witnessed Jesus of the Bible being tempted by Satan when he was all alone and when he was taken up the temple?

Who witnessed Jesus of the Bible strengthened by an angel when he was praying in the gardern of Gethsemane? Note your book say’s “all his disciples were sleeping from sorrow”, so who were the witnesses?


Who witnessed Mary Magdalene enter the tomb to find it empty? Who witnessed Mary Magdalene seeing Jesus of the Bible as a gardener, was she not alone when this happened, so who was her witness?


Those are just a few points on who witnessed them. since we’ve answered Stephen Atkins query it’s time he answered us. Remember we showed him a minimum of 3 witnesses, all Stephen has to do is show us the same


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