Awe-stricken by the fact the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) remains unparalleled in his achievements in all the fields of human interest or in the words of Michael H. Hart ‘the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels’, the Rivals of the Truth did not find any other way but to somehow neglect the rational rule given in their own book ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits’ and to turn their focus to what the Prophet (PBUH) experienced at the time of revelation in a bid to create confusions exaggerating the simple things.
The lies and myths we shall try to put off today are;
1- Some evil spirit
or the devil himself visited him.
2- The Prophet
suffered from epilepsy.
All these ideas are
said to be based on the narrations giving the accounts of the physical
experiences Prophet (PBUH) had at the time of revelation. So firstly we shall
discuss those narrations in detail and then comment on the above mentioned
baseless assertions.
Prophet’s (PBUH)
physical experiences at the time of revelation:
The physical
conditions the Prophet (PBUH) underwent at the time of revelation were not
always the same and the reason is that the modes of revelations also varied
from time to time. Sometimes the Angel appeared in his original form, sometimes
like a man et cetera et cetera.
In a Hadith 'Aisha
(RA) says; ‘Verily I saw the Prophet being inspired
Divinely on a very cold day and noticed the Sweat dropping from his
forehead.’ (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2)
According to
another narration; ‘The Prophet's face was red and he kept on
breathing heavily for a while and then he was relieved …’
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 4602)
Why the Prophet
(PBUH) had such experiences?
What was the reason
for all this? To understand consider the following;
1- Allah says in
the Qur'an;
“We are going to
send down to you a weighty discourse.” (Qur'an 73:5)
‘The Qur'an has
been called a weighty Word also for the reason that acting on its commands,
demonstrating its teaching practically, extending its invitation in the face of
the whole world, and bringing about a revolution in the entire system of belief
and thought, morals and manners, civilization and social life, according to it,
is indeed the weightiest task any human being ever has been charged with: It
has been called a weighty Word also because bearing the burden of its
revelation was a difficult and heavy duty.’ (Tafhim al-Qur'an)
2- Experience of
revelation was obviously Prophet’s interaction with the angelic, superhuman
domain and all the physical affects were only due to this extra-ordinary
communication. Ibn Khaldun, a classical philosopher historian explains the
point in detail. Discussing the phenomenon of inspiration various types of
human beings who have supernatural perception either through natural
disposition or through exercise he writes;
“A (third) kind (of
soul) is by nature suited to exchange humanity altogether, both corporeal and
spiritual humanity, for angelicality of the highest stage, so that it may
actually become an angel in the flash of a moment, glimpse the highest group
within their own stage, and listen to essential speech and divine address
during that moment. (Individuals possessing this kind of soul) are prophets.
God implanted and formed in them the natural ability to slough off humanity in
that moment which is the state of revelation.”
And then discussing
the verse; ‘We are going to send down to you a weighty discourse’ and
the narrations about the tough physical conditions that the Prophet (PBUH) had
to face at the time of revelation he continues;
“The reason, as we
have established, is that revelation means leaving one's humanity, in order to
attain angelic perceptions and to hear the speech of the soul. This causes
pain, since it means that an essence leaves its own essence and exchanges its
own stage for the ultimate stage (of the angels). This is the meaning of the
choking feeling which Muhammad referred to in connection with the beginning of
revelation in his statement: "And he (Gabriel) choked me until it became
too much for me; then he released me. Then he said, 'Read,' and I replied, 'I
cannot read.' He did this a second and a third time, as the tradition
tells.” (Muqaddimah Book 1, Chapter 6. Translated by Franz Rosenthal)
Different modes of
Revelation and the Prophet’s physical experiences:
Having known that
the tough physical conditions that Prophet (PBUH) had to undergo were a result
of his interaction with a super-human world let us see some of the Ahadith
about different modes of revelation (i.e. contact with the super-human angelic
world) and the various conditions corresponding to those modes. Here we shall
discuss two of them only which will be enough to prove that the physical
experiences varied with modes of revelation.
1- Ringing of the bells:
In Sahih Bukhari we
have the statement of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) describing the phenomenon of
revelation;
"Sometimes it
is like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the hardest of all
and then this state passes ' off after I have retained what is inspired.” (Sahih Bukhari,
Hadith 2)
What is the
significance of relating revelation to the idea of ringing of a bell? This is
not mentioned in any Hadith but some scholars have given quite plausible
explanations.
Shaykh Anwar Shah
Kashmiri has quoted from Shaykh Ibn Arabi the most subtle explanation;
‘He states that the
simile has been used in two respects;
a- Firstly it
pertains to the continuity of the sound,
b- And secondly in
so far as it is difficult to ascertain the direction of the sound of a bell
continuously ringing as it appears to be coming from all directions, His words
are heard from all directions.
The exact
perception of this state is not possible without actual observation but the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) used the simile of ringing bells to bring it as near to the
common understanding as possible,’ (An Approach to Qur’anic Sciences
p.40 cf. Faidh Al-Bari 1/19-20)
Karen Armstrong
makes a valid point when she says; “Revelation cannot be described
in a simple manner.” (Muhammad Prophet of Our Time, p.49 pub.
Harper Press 2006)
About this manner
of revelation the Prophet (PBUH) said; “It is the hardest of
all”. This was owing to the fact that there was no direct and
common way of interaction but rather a super-human one. This is what made it
the hardest of all the forms of revelation.
2- Angel coming in the human form:
Same Hadith also
mentions, “Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a
man and talks to me and I retain whatever he says.”
In another Hadith
about this form of revelation it is mentioned, the Prophet (PBUH) said;
“And this form is
the easiest for me.” (Al-Ittiqan 1/50 cf. Sahih Abu Awana)
3- Analysis and Conclusion:
Comparison of these
two forms of revelation supports the earlier explanation about the nature of
revelation that physical concomitants of revelation were due to the
communication with another –superhuman- world. The more unnatural the contact
more extreme were the concomitants. If the angel came in the human form it was
not an extraordinary burden on the Holy Prophet (PBUH). But if only the voice
of the angel or directly the words of Allah were heard it was an extraordinary
state and Holy Prophet (PBUH) had great burden upon him and faced trouble to
grasp what was told.
Was the Prophet
(PBUH) deceived by Satan regarding revelation?
Some of the master
liars allege that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was possessed / deceived by devil.
Nothing can be far from truth than this!
Let me briefly
respond to common baseless assertions;
1- Accusation by the wife of Abu Lahb:
Some refers to a
narration from Sahih Bukhari in which the words of the wife of Abu Lahb are
given that she said when Prophet (PBUH) was sick and could not offer late night
prayers; “O Muhammad! I think that your Satan has
forsaken you, for I have not seen him with you for two or three nights!".
But this proves
nothing. She was infidel and stubborn rejecter of truth. Qur’an Surah 111
testifies to this. If allegation of disbelievers proves something than what
would these people say about Jesus (PBUH) who was also accused of being possessed
by Beelzebub and the ‘prince of demons’ (See Mark 3:22).
2- Satan can disguise as angel:
Some use a passage
from Bible to assert that Satan can disguise as an angel (2 Corinthians
11:13-15)
Firstly even if
Satan can actually disguise as an angel it does not mean that no angel can ever
come by himself. If only because it is possible, the same was true in case of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) than what prove do Christians have Paul was not
deceived by Satan in his so-called vision on the road to Damascus?
Following account
as recorded in Sirat Ibn Hisham also belies the claim of the liars.
[Khadija] said to
the apostle of Allah, 'O son of my uncle, are you able to tell me about your
visitant, when he comes to you?' He replied that he could, and she asked him to
tell her when he came. So when Gabriel came to him, as he was wont, the apostle
said to Khadija, 'This is Gabriel who has just come to me.' 'Get up, O son of
my uncle,' she said, 'and sit by my left thigh'. The apostle did so, and she
said, 'Can you see him?' 'Yes.' he said. She said, ‘the turn round and sit on
my right thigh.' He did so, and she said, 'Can you see him?' When he said that
he could she asked him to move and sit on my right ' He did so, and she said,
'Can you see him? When he said that he could, she asked him to move and sit in
her lap. When he had done this she again asked if he could see him, and when he
said yes, she disclosed her form and cast aside her veil while the apostle was
sitting in her lap. Then she said, 'Can you see him?' And he replied, ‘No.’ She
said, 'O son of my uncle, rejoice and be of good heart, by Allah he is an angel
and not a Satan.' (Sirat Ibn Hisham p.94. Translated by Guillaume)
3- Bell, the instrument of Devil:
Some refer to the
Ahadith which say that “Bell is the instrument of Devil” and relating to the
Ahadith in which Prophet (PBUH) said that at the time of revelation he listens
to voice like ringing of the bell, they argue that it means the experience of
revelation had Satan’s rule in it.
This is over
simplification! We have in detail discussed the narration about revelation and
sound like ringing of the bell. The very fact that Prophet (PBUH) termed the
voice he heard LIKE the voice of ringing bells. The word ‘LIKE’ is significant
which proves the absurdity of the parallel drawn between different Ahadith.
Ringing of the bells is by no means so novel a phenomenon that Prophet (PBUH)
would fail to describe it with certainty instead of making it just an object of
simile.
Do the physical
concomitants of revelation prove the charge of epilepsy?
Some of the
orientalists and Christian missionaries say that physical concomitants of
revelation show that the Prophet (PBUH) suffered from epilepsy and all his
experience of revelation was merely the result of that disease. I reproduce
here the words of a certain orientalist who realized that such allegation were
absolutely. W. Montgomery Watt writes;
‘Opponents of Islam
have often asserted that Muhammad had epilepsy, and therefore his religious
experiences had no validity. As a matter of fact, the symptoms described are
not identical with those of epilepsy, since the disease leads of physical and
metal degeneration, whereas Muhammad was in the fullest possession of his
faculties to the very end. But even if the allegation were true, the argument
would be completely unsound and based on mere ignorance and prejudice; such
physical concomitants neither validate nor invalidate religious
experience.’ (Muhammad at Mecca p.57 pub. Oxford 1953)
A parallel from the
Biblical narratives:
We will often find
Christians referring to above discussed Ahadith and then comparing it with
Biblical accounts of prophets and holy men having visions etc. Some especially
like to ‘contrast’ it with the vision of Paul on the road to Damascus. My
response to this way of looking at things is two fold;
1- In case of
Biblical prophets we do not have detailed accounts. Even the most exhaustive
details about some prophet in the Bible do not make more than just a fraction
of the treasure of narrations about the life details of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH). So only because something is not mentioned does not prove that it never
happened. To argue such a thing will be a logical fallacy, known as argument
from ignorance (argumentum ad ignorantiam).
2- But you see,
even in the Biblical narratives we have something to put Christians to shame.
Here I quote a passage from the Book of Daniel;
“And I Daniel alone
saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great
quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. (8) Therefore I
was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in
me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no
strength. (9) Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of
his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the
ground. (10) And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my
knees and upon the palms of my hands. (11) And he said unto me, O
Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and
stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word
unto me, I stood trembling. (12) Then said he unto me,
Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to
understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I
am come for thy words. (13) But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood
me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to
help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. (14) Now I am come to
make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet
the vision is for many days. (15) And when he had spoken such words
unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. (16)
And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I
opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O
my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no
strength. (17) For how can the servant of this my lord talk with
this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in
me, neither is there breath left in me.” (Daniel 10: 7-17)
The underlined words
show the similarity between what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) experienced and what
happened to the Biblical prophets. Will Christians doubt Daniel’s prophethood
too or just resort to double standards?
Testimony of a
Christian scholar:
In his commentary
to the words, ‘and when he had spoken this word unto me, I
stood trembling’ (Dan. 10:11) John Gill writes;
‘he got up and
stood upon his feet, as the angel had bid him, but trembling and tottering, not
yet recovered from his fainting fit; like a man that has been ill, and got upon
his legs again, trembles and totters as he goes or stands: …the appearance
of such a divine messenger had such an effect upon him, as we find such
appearances used to have on good men.’ (ONLINE SOURCE)
Summary:
1- The physical
concomitants of revelation were due to extra-ordinary nature of the experience
in which the Prophet (PBUH) had to interact with a different world.
2- The severity of
physical experiences varied with the form of revelation. More extraordinary the
forms of revelation, more tough were the concomitants.
3- Prophet (PBUH)
used metaphorical language to describe the phenomenon as it as ‘revelation
cannot be described in simple words.’
4- All the
arguments about considering the supernatural agent coming to the Prophet (PBUH)
are unfounded and raise tough questions for Christians on similar accounts.
5- In the Book of
Daniel, we find a parallel between what the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) experienced
and what happened to Biblical prophets when they had visions from God.
6- Christian
scholars agree that supernatural experiences cause such affects on holy men.
Final word:
To conclude I quote
Thomas Carlyle from one of his lectures concerning Western view of the person
of Holy Prophet (PBUH);
“The lies, which
well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man, are disgraceful to ourselves
only.” (Heroes and Hero Worship, Lecture II, The Hero as Prophet,
Friday May 8th, 1840)
INDEED ALLAH KNOWS
THE BEST!
