Reason 4 of 10
Muhammad, as Islam's own sources record him
You do not need hostile sources to examine Muhammad. Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, the earliest biography and the Quran itself record his marriages, his wars, his executions and his law on apostasy. Set that record beside Jesus.
Sinless? The Quran says otherwise
The Quran commands Muhammad to ask forgiveness for his sin and promises to forgive his past and future sins. The Gospels present Jesus challenging his enemies to convict him of sin, and the apostles who lived with him for three years calling him sinless.
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ 19
19So know (O Muhammad) that there is no Allah save Allah, and ask forgiveness for thy sin and for believing men and believing women. Allah knoweth (both) your place of turmoil and your place of rest.
Quran 47:19 (Pickthall) · context
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا 1 لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُۥ عَلَيْكَ وَيَهْدِيَكَ صِرَٰطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا 2
1Lo! We have given thee (O Muhammad) a signal victory, 2That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and that which is to come, and may perfect His favour unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path,
Quran 48:1-2 (Pickthall) · context
46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
John 8:46 (WEB) · context
22who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
1 Peter 2:22 (WEB) · context
15For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15 (WEB) · context
Marriages
The Quran limits a man to four wives, then grants the Prophet a privilege for thee only. It also records that Muhammad married Zaynab after his adopted son Zayd divorced her, and gives that marriage as the reason the rule about adopted sons' wives changed.
Sahih al-Bukhari, the most trusted hadith collection in Sunni Islam, reports Aisha's age at marriage as six and at consummation as nine.
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟ 3
3And if ye fear that ye will not deal fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice (to so many) then one (only) or (the captives) that your right hands possess. Thus it is more likely that ye will not do injustice.
Quran 4:3 (Pickthall) · context
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَٰلَٰتِكَ ٱلَّٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا 50
50O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
Quran 33:50 (Pickthall) · context
وَإِذْ تَقُولُ لِلَّذِىٓ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسِكْ عَلَيْكَ زَوْجَكَ وَٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ وَتُخْفِى فِى نَفْسِكَ مَا ٱللَّهُ مُبْدِيهِ وَتَخْشَى ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَىٰهُ فَلَمَّا قَضَىٰ زَيْدٌ مِّنْهَا وَطَرًا زَوَّجْنَٰكَهَا لِكَىْ لَا يَكُونَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَرَجٌ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِ أَدْعِيَآئِهِمْ إِذَا قَضَوْا۟ مِنْهُنَّ وَطَرًا وَكَانَ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا 37
37And when thou saidst unto him on whom Allah hath conferred favour and thou hast conferred favour: Keep thy wife to thyself, and fear Allah. And thou didst hide in thy mind that which Allah was to bring to light, and thou didst fear mankind whereas Allah hath a better right that thou shouldst fear Him. So when Zeyd had performed that necessary formality (of divorce) from her, We gave her unto thee in marriage, so that (henceforth) there may be no sin for believers in respect of wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have performed the necessary formality (of release) from them. The commandment of Allah must be fulfilled.
Quran 33:37 (Pickthall) · context
Sahih al-Bukhari 5133 Summary, not a quotation
Aisha says the Prophet married her at six and consummated the marriage when she was nine.
Read the full text on sunnah.comViolence against critics and captives
Sahih al-Bukhari reports that Muhammad asked who would kill Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf, a Jewish poet who had attacked him in verse, and that Muhammad ibn Maslama volunteered and killed him by a ruse. After the siege of the Jewish tribe Banu Qurayza (AD 627), the men were executed on the judgment of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, which Muhammad approved; Ibn Ishaq's biography gives the number of men as 600 or 700, with some putting it as high as 800 or 900.
The Quran makes captives taken in war lawful to their captors, and orders war against the People of the Scripture until they pay tribute and are brought low.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَٰلَٰتِكَ ٱلَّٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا 50
50O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war, and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
Quran 33:50 (Pickthall) · context
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ كِتَٰبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَآءَ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَٰفِحِينَ فَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَٰضَيْتُم بِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْفَرِيضَةِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا 24
24And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess. It is a decree of Allah for you. Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned, so that ye seek them with your wealth in honest wedlock, not debauchery. And those of whom ye seek content (by marrying them), give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do by mutual agreement after the duty (hath been done). Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Wise.
Quran 4:24 (Pickthall) · context
قَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا بِٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ ٱلْحَقِّ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ حَتَّىٰ يُعْطُوا۟ ٱلْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَٰغِرُونَ 29
29Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.
Quran 9:29 (Pickthall) · context
Sahih al-Bukhari 4037 Summary, not a quotation
Muhammad asks who will kill Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf; Muhammad ibn Maslama volunteers and kills him.
Read the full text on sunnah.comSahih al-Bukhari 3043 Summary, not a quotation
Sa'd ibn Mu'adh judges that the fighting men of Banu Qurayza be killed and their families taken captive; the Prophet approves the judgment.
Read the full text on sunnah.comApostasy and the law on wives
Sahih al-Bukhari reports the command that whoever changes his religion is to be killed; all four Sunni schools and the main Shia school made death the penalty for an adult male apostate. The Quran itself tells husbands who fear rebellion from their wives to admonish them, banish them to separate beds and scourge them.
ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًا إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا 34
34Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.
Quran 4:34 (Pickthall) · context
Sahih al-Bukhari 6922 Summary, not a quotation
Ibn Abbas reports the Prophet's words: whoever changes his religion, kill him.
Read the full text on sunnah.comThe example the Quran points to, and the one we point to
The Quran calls Muhammad a good example and says obeying the messenger is obeying God. We ask you to put his recorded life beside the life of Jesus, who never took a wife, a slave or a sword, who healed the ear of a man arresting him, and who prayed for the men nailing him to the cross.
لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا 21
21Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.
Quran 33:21 (Pickthall) · context
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا 80
80Whoso obeyeth the messenger hath obeyed Allah, and whoso turneth away: We have not sent thee as a warder over them.
Quran 4:80 (Pickthall) · context
50A certain one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51But Jesus answered, “Let me at least do this”—and he touched his ear and healed him.
Luke 22:50-51 (WEB) · context
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
Luke 23:34 (WEB) · context
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
Matthew 5:43-45 (WEB) · context
What Muslims answer
Muslim writers answer that marriage at a young age was normal in seventh-century Arabia; some modern writers argue Aisha was older (citing other reports), though the Bukhari and Muslim reports are classed as sahih. They say Ka'b and Banu Qurayza were wartime traitors, and that the apostasy hadith refers to treason against the community.
Why that answer fails
The question is not whether these acts were normal for seventh-century Arabia, but whether they belong to the final and perfect example for all people in all ages, which is what the Quran claims for Muhammad. Jesus also lived in a violent age; he chose the cross, not the sword.
The classical schools of law, not modern critics, read the apostasy hadith as a death penalty for leaving Islam, and in several countries today it is still the law or the practice.
Where scholars disagree
- Aisha's age: the sahih reports say six and nine; a minority of modern Muslim writers argue for an older age from other reports.
- The Banu Qurayza numbers come from Ibn Ishaq's Sira, written more than a century later; some modern Muslim and Western scholars question the scale of the event.
Sources
- Earliest source The Quran, Pickthall translation: 4:3, 4:24, 4:34, 9:29, 33:21, 33:37, 33:50, 47:19, 48:2.
- Sahih al-Bukhari (compiled by al-Bukhari, died AD 870): 3043, 4037, 5133, 6922 (numbering as on sunnah.com).
- Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah (died about AD 767), as edited by Ibn Hisham; English: A. Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad (Oxford University Press, 1955), Banu Qurayza account.
- Rudolph Peters and Gert J. J. De Vries, "Apostasy in Islam", Die Welt des Islams 17 (1976-77) 1-25, on the classical schools' rulings.