Religion is the bane of mankind
Part 6 More on Muhammad's violent nature and show of compassion
In February 2006 Ahmed Bedier, the director of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Tampa, took issue with the drawings of the Prophet Muhammad that depicted him as a saber-wielding warrior. He stated: "Muhammad was never a violent person." He referred to the drawings as "depicting the historical figure, the founder of the faith, as a terrorist" (Orlando Sentinel, 2/16/2006, "Islamic group raises profile, to open office" by Victor Manuel Ramos, Sentinel Staff Writer).
I Evidence of the violent nature of Muhammad in war
This editor's personal reading of the text of A.Guillaume's The Life of Muhammad has produced a summary of Muhammad's war on his neighbors' caravans; the apostle fought in nine engagements: Badr; Uhud; al-Khandaq; Qurayza; al-Mustaliq; Khaybar; the occupation (of Mecca); Hunayn; al-Ta'if. (A. Guillaume, op. cit, pp. 659f.)
[Note on abbreviations used in Guillaume's work: b. = son of; B. = sons of (or tribe of); d.= daughter of.]
[ Incidents of Muhammad's violent nature and bent toward raiding and looting the possessions of others are printed in red below:]
1 The great expedition of Badr.The apostle heard that Abu Sufyan b. Harb was coming from Syria with a large caravan of Quraysh, containing their money and merchandise, accompanied by some 30 or 40 men...
The apostle said," Go out to attack it, perhaps God will give it as a prey." (p.289) Abu Sufyan learned of Muhammad's plan, he summoned help from Quraysh in Mecca. Abu Sufyan had a meeting with Abu Jahl...(pp.295-6)2 After the battle of Badr,
the apostle ordered that Abu Jahl should be looked for among the slain (and not allowed to escape). He was found and killed by Mu'adh...(p.304)3 The raid on B. Sulaym in al-Kudr. No fighting. Muhammad
accepted the ransom of most of the Quraysh prisoners. (p.360)4 Abu Sufyan raided al-Sawiq in Dhu'l-Hijja Muhammad went in pursuit but Abu Sufayn eluded him.
The Muslims asked, "Do you hope that this will count (with God) in our favor as a raid? Muhammad answered "Yes." (p. 361)5 The affair of brothers Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa (not yet a Muslim).
The apostle said, "Kill any Jew that falls into your power." Thereupon Muhayyisa leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with whom they had social and business relations, and killed him. His brother asked why he had killed him. Reply: "If Muhammad asked me to kill you (brother), I would cut off your head." He was so affected he exclaimed, "By God, a religion which can bring you to this is marvellous!" And he became a Muslim! (pp.369-70)6 The Battle of Uhud. (p.370 ff.) The Quraysh lamented those killed at Badr. They spoke to Abu Sufyan about helping them fight Muhammad. When Muhammad learned of this he was advised and dissuaded from leaving Medina with his smaller force to fight the Quraysh. But due to an omen of a sword unsheathed by a moving horse, he decided to do battle. Muhammad wore two coats of mail and went into battle. But the Muslims were forced to flee and the enemy slew many of them.
Muhammad was struck with a stone, fell on his side, suffered a broken tooth, his face was bloodied and his lip was injured. As he wiped away the blood on his face, he asked how a people could prosper who have stained their prophet's face with blood while he summoned them to their Lord. Later when offered water to drink, he refused it and used it to cleanse his bloodied face saying, "The wrath of God is fierce against him who bloodied the face of His prophet." (ibid., p. 382)
7 Rodwell makes reference to a
punishment said by early traditionists to have been administered by Muhammad against a woman who was guilty of theft said to have occurred en route to Mecca previous to its capture. (Cf. Note 19, pp. 442f, Rodwell, The Koran.) The manner of punishment (cutting off the hands of the thief) is described in The Koran, Sura 5:42 (paraphrased):“Regarding the thief, whether man or woman, cut off their hands as a penalty for their act of thievery. This is a penalty by way of warning from God himself. And God is Mighty, Wise.”
The question must be posed: Would a God who is "mighty and wise" actually levy such a penalty on one of his creatures who committed a theft? Would a God endowed with wisdom be so cruel as to make it very difficult for a repentant thief to make restitution for their crime and be saved as a believer? Or was this a penalty imposed by Muhammad as a means of control of his followers? If the latter is true, it raises the issue of who actually conceived the verses of the Koran, God or Muhammad? More on this question will be taken up in Koranlore Chapter 7, Allah, God of Islam.
II Show of compassion by Muhammad in confrontation with foes:
To be fair and balanced, Muhammad did at times reveal some compassion toward his enemies. Following are a few examples:
Note the gesture of Muhammad
after the killing of his uncle Hamza in battle by Jubayr, a slave who became a Muslim, and so was pardoned for his deed but was asked by Muhammad never to show his face again! (ibid., pp.375f.)Muhammad vowed to avenge mutilation of uncle Hamza's corpse still on battlefield by mutilating 30 of the Quraysh if victorious in future.
Later he changed his mind with the "coming down" of Sura 16:127. Wherever he went he enjoined people to give alms and forbade mutilation. (p.387) Muhammad pardoned them and was patient and forbade mutilation. Humayd told narrator, "The apostle never stopped in a place and left without enjoining on us almsgiving and forbidding mutilation." (p.388)When Muhammad had rested, Zaynab....wife of Sallam...prepared for him a roast lamb. See details, p.516. She poisoned his portion (a shoulder) and the whole lamb. He took a bite but did not swallow it. Bishr who was with him took a bite as Muhammad had done but swallowed it. Muhammad spat out his morsel and said, "This bone tells me it is poisoned." He questioned the woman, she confessed. He asked her why she did it. She answered, "You know what you have done to my people. I said to myself, 'If he is king, I shall ease myself of him and if he is a prophet, he will be informed (of what I have done).'"
So Muhammad let her off. Bishr died from what he had eaten. (p.516)So how would you answer the question: "Was Muhammad a violent or a peaceful person?" The evidence provided here from The Life of Muhammad leaves one answer. One might excuse Muhammad for his often violent behavior on the time in which he lived, when Arab would pillage and kill a rival Arab for possession of whatever goods were available, when raiding parties were the norm to eke out a living in a forbidding environment of hot desert with few oases and wells to gain relief from the unbearable heat of the day.
However the fact remains that the Arab apostle of God could be a violent person who justified his actions through his God who "sent down" orders and decisions that in reality appear to have been Muhammad's own.
Index.htm