Who is the Prophet Mohammed?

[IgnatianPhilo]

A false prophet who has spawned Islam and its offshoots be it bahai or Druze.

As for determining anything historically realiable about the man, good luck.

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

Sorry guys, so many postings and can’t keep up but i’ll try to answer. Again, cut and paste

Since you are interesting to know details about the verse, i provide the link on the explanation of the chapter.
englishtafsir.com/Quran/9/index.html

You can’t interpret one verse without knowing when and why it’s revealed. Same as when you quote one verse of Bible and then straight away use it without knowing the whole chapter. E.g. the following verse (forgive me if it’s not correct, i just got from the internet :

Kill People Who Don’t Listen to Priests?
Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the judge or of the priest who represents the LORD your God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged from Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT)

Kill Nonbelievers?
2 Chronicles 15:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 All who would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman.
biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Chronicles+15%3A12%2C2+Chronicles+15%3A13&version=NIV

Regarding the treatment of Christian during Muhammad life:
"In 628 AD, a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St. Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt. Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery. It possess a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1400 years under Muslim protection.

The Promise to St. Catherine:
"This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."

ijtihad.org/Prophet%20Muhammed’s%20Promise.htm

The problem of course with those quotes is that they were only for israel, and to apply them in a general universal sense is wrong. As for muhammad’s supposed dealings with the monks of Saint Catherines (btw the quran falsely accuses Christians of putting monks besides god, so why is Muhammad going to respect or protect monks whom he considers as probably misleading Christians), there doesnt seem to be anyway to verify it. But what is unquestionable is the islamic opinion of the quran as to teh state of Christians.

Christians are worse than animals in the quran, the worst of all creatures, as opposed to the best of all creatures (ie Muslims). No doubt you will acusse me of taking this out of context (Sura 98), to which I will tell you, no i have not. The entire chapter deals with the unbelievers starting with verse 1.

098:001 Pickthal Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters could not have left off (erring) till the clear proof came unto them,

It then goes on to describe the revelation of muhammad, then draws back to the revelation given to the old believers (jews and Chrsitians) that they should worship only allah. Then because Christians and Jews have totally rejected Muhammad they are the worst of all creatures.

 

[MartinJordan]

As for muhammad’s supposed dealings with the monks of Saint Catherines (btw the quran falsely accuses Christians of putting monks besides god, so why is Muhammad going to respect or protect monks whom he considers as probably misleading Christians), there doesnt seem to be anyway to verify it.

I wish to comment on this particularly which also didn’t make sense to me. I have a Muslim friend also who told me about Mohammed protecting the monks here.

IgnatianPhilo as you are an Orthodox you will likely know more about this than I (since this Monastery has a massive library of Christian writings and controlled by the Orthodox authorities) but it also makes me wonder why would Mohammed protect them if they are teaching “blasphemy”

MJ

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

I wish to comment on this particularly which also didn’t make sense to me. I have a Muslim friend also who told me about Mohammed protecting the monks here.

IgnatianPhilo as you are an Orthodox you will likely know more about this than I (since this Monastery has a massive library of Christian writings and controlled by the Orthodox authorities) but it also makes me wonder why would Mohammed protect them if they are teaching “blasphemy”

MJ

Im no expert and my opinion is worth less than salt, but as far as I know its authenticity, the document in question is unsettled and questionable.

 

[Reuben_J]

I wish to comment on this particularly which also didn’t make sense to me. I have a Muslim friend also who told me about Mohammed protecting the monks here.

IgnatianPhilo as you are an Orthodox you will likely know more about this than I (since this Monastery has a massive library of Christian writings and controlled by the Orthodox authorities) but it also makes me wonder why would Mohammed protect them if they are teaching “blasphemy”

MJ

From a Muslim’s perspective, it makes lots of sense. How else can you demonstrate that Mohammad is magnanimous, fair and merciful? The lines in the Quran that say for the Muslims to kill the infidels are taken out of context and here is the proof – that the fair and merciful Mohammad even protected his enemies, those whom he considered blaspheming. And the Hadiths have scientific proof and therefore such stories, no matter how hard they are to be believed, is always authentic.

 

[DeSanto]

Who is the Prophet Mohammed to Christians and Jews? Is he mentioned in Sacred Scripture or in any Jewish writings? If so, where?

Might I suggest this website to help you find the scriptures Muslims most likely refer to as being prophecies of Mohammed. It will also help you understand how Christians believe them to be interpreted.

answering-islam.org/Authors/Wood/muhammad_in_bible.htm

 

[doormouse73]

@ DeSanto

love David Wood,

this man can debate about mohamed…

he definately knows his stuff.he coverted to Christianity (Catholic)from atheism.

good defender Christianity.

 

[MartinJordan]

From a Muslim’s perspective, it makes lots of sense. How else can you demonstrate that Mohammad is magnanimous, fair and merciful? The lines in the Quran that say for the Muslims to kill the infidels are taken out of context and here is the proof – that the fair and merciful Mohammad even protected his enemies, those whom he considered blaspheming. And the Hadiths have scientific proof and therefore such stories, no matter how hard they are to be believed, is always authentic.

Doesn’t compute.

How does this phenomena even be reasonable for a religion that has a stipulation at the dome of the rock where their prophet rose to Heaven “…It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son”.

It doesnt add up. Unless the St. Catherine Monastery protection story isn’t what it’s cracked upto be. As our brother IgnatianPhilo purports.

MJ

 

[Reuben_J]

Doesn’t compute.

How does this phenomena even be reasonable for a religion that has a stipulation at the dome of the rock where their prophet rose to Heaven “…It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son”.

It doesnt add up. Unless the St. Catherine Monastery protection story isn’t what it’s cracked upto be. As our brother IgnatianPhilo purports.

MJ

Your guess is as good as mine, bro.

Now, maybe next story. The Isra or “Night Journey” where Mohammad was carried by a mythological horse, Al-Buraq, from Mecca to Jerusalem and back. That was in the Quran.

And there goes Jerusalem as a given holy citadel for Islam of which later they claim this as their divine right. Their argument - Mohammad could not have known there exist Jerusalem at that time from his base in the desert of Arabia, and therefore this surely must be from Allah.

 

[DeSanto]

Regarding the treatment of Christian during Muhammad life:
"In 628 AD, a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection. He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which I reproduce below in its entirety. St. Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt. Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery. It possess a huge collection of Christian manuscripts, second only to the Vatican, and is a world heritage site. It also boasts the oldest collection of Christian icons. It is a treasure house of Christian history that has remained safe for 1400 years under Muslim protection.

The Promise to St. Catherine:
"This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.

No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.

No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.

No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world)."

ijtihad.org/Prophet%20Muhammed’s%20Promise.htm

I suppose this is just for the monestary, not referring to all Christians. Are we to ignore the persecution of Christians and the destruction of their churches by Islamic groups all over the world?

 

[MartinJordan]

Your guess is as good as mine, bro.

Now, maybe next story. The Isra or “Night Journey” where Mohammad was carried by a mythological horse, Al-Buraq, from Mecca to Jerusalem and back. That was in the Quran.

And there goes Jerusalem as a given holy citadel for Islam of which later they claim this as their divine right. Their argument - Mohammad could not have known there exist Jerusalem at that time from his base in the desert of Arabia, and therefore this surely must be from Allah.

Oh THAT one (where do I start?)

As a Christian looking in it doesn’t explain Love for God, fear of the Lord nor the historical analysis nor eye witness accounts of this supposed revelation.

MJ

 

[jeffrey_erwin]

Who is the Prophet Mohammed?
Genesis 21: Abraham sends Ishmael away but YHWH promises to “…make him into a great nation.” Ishmael’s decendants live “…east of Egypt.” Subsequently, Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, receives both the blessing and birthright. His decendants become the 12 tribes of Israel, the “chosen people.” In about 1300 BCE YHWH sends Moses to give them His Law, while the other nations fathered by Abraham are not so favored. But, 2000 years after Moses, YHWH sends Mohammed to give Abraham’s other nations the “crumbs that have fallen from the table.” So Islam was founded, a mixture of Judaism and Christianity.
My opinion: Mohammed is the “Moses” that YHWH sent to the Arab nations in order that they might also receive His Law. Was Mohammed a real prophet? Of course, but perhaps not of the same stature as Moses. Interestingly, about 2000 years after the appearance of the Jewish Messiah, Islam receives its own expected (and rejected) Messiah, Baha’Ullah. And while he may not be of the same stature as the great Rabbi Yehoshua ben Yosef, his message is nonetheless of great importance to all peoples: “The worship of freedom leads to sedition, the only true freedom is obedience to YHWH’s Laws.” “National patriotism must give way to international brotherhood.”

 

[Reuben_J]

Here is what Christianity says about the lineage of Isaac, born of Sarah, a freewoman and Ishmael, born of Hagar, a slave woman.

Gal 4
22 Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave girl and one by the freewoman.
23 The son of the slave girl came to be born in the way of human nature; but the son of the freewoman came to be born through a promise.
24 There is an allegory here: these women stand for the two covenants. The one given on Mount Sinai – that is Hagar, whose children are born into slavery.
28 Now you, brothers, are like Isaac, children of the promise;
29 just as at that time, the child born in the way of human nature persecuted the child born through the Spirit, so now.
30 But what is it that scripture says? Drive away that slave girl and her son; the slave girl’s son is not to share the inheritance with the son of the freewoman.
31 So, brothers, we are the children not of the slave girl but of the freewoman.

 

[XiWang717]

I suppose this is just for the monestary, not referring to all Christians. Are we to ignore the persecution of Christians and the destruction of their churches by Islamic groups all over the world?

No, we should not. However, it is always unfair to blame all people in a group for the actions of a considerably smaller group within.

What is Mohammad to me, personally? My own beliefs have shifted considerably in the last few weeks. It is difficult to say. I recognize that he was a truly important man whose decisions and actions greatly impacted and shaped the political and spiritual development of the Middle East. Some of these actions were good, and some of them were not so.

Many Christians are biased against Mohammad, and perhaps rightly so. The Islamic world and the Judeo-Christian culture of the West are hardly compatible. However, we should evaluate both from an unbiased and objective perspective.

But consider this: the Arabs and other peoples in the Middle East, even after the birth of Christianity, were still paganistic and many worshiped idols freely. Mohammad’s coming changed all that. The Arabs were united with new purpose and new clarity, and despite their disparate cultures, they suddenly had at least one common ground. I think Mohammad was sent in an attempt to guide and instruct the Arabs in the ways of following the one true God of love after they had largely rejected the monotheism of Abraham and the teachings of Christ.

However, I must say, it is implausible to believe that Islam has developed in the way that God intended it to. I am not saying that this new teaching was meant to replace Judaism or Christianity (in fact, it may have been intended exclusively for the Arabs), nor am I implying that Mohammad even truly succeeded in his mission to its deepest extent, but I do believe that it is possible that Mohammad was indeed a true prophet of God.

 

[matkereta]

Here is what Christianity says about the lineage of Isaac, born of Sarah, a freewoman and Ishmael, born of Hagar, a slave woman.

Gal 4
22 Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave girl and one by the freewoman.
23 The son of the slave girl came to be born in the way of human nature; but the son of the freewoman came to be born through a promise.
24 There is an allegory here: these women stand for the two covenants. The one given on Mount Sinai – that is Hagar, whose children are born into slavery.
28 Now you, brothers, are like Isaac, children of the promise;
29 just as at that time, the child born in the way of human nature persecuted the child born through the Spirit, so now.
30 But what is it that scripture says? Drive away that slave girl and her son; the slave girl’s son is not to share the inheritance with the son of the freewoman.
31 So, brothers, we are the children not of the slave girl but of the freewoman.

Peace to you all,
I got this link if you are interested to know more on Islam & Muhammad…
youtube.com/watch?v=OsmYQl3xy_Y&feature=related
Please watch…

 

[DeSanto]

Peace to you all,
I got this link if you are interested to know more on Islam & Muhammad…
youtube.com/watch?v=OsmYQl3xy_Y&feature=related
Please watch…

This man is a deceiver. I turned it off the minute I saw him. If these are the types of clips you intend to plead the cause of islam with, you will not get far. Please, if you want to be sincere, do not attempt to deceive us with this propaganda. I would suggest, anyone who is truly seeking truth, stay away from YouTube. There is so much misinformation, it can only serve to confuse. Confusion is a tool of the evil one.

 

[DeSanto]

No, we should not. However, it is always unfair to blame all people in a group for the actions of a considerably smaller group within.

I did state “Islamic groups” and did not refer to all Muslims. Is it not true that mohammad taught deception is acceptable in order to further the cause of Islam? To pretend to be tolerant and peaceful until they become more dominant? They can say “see, we protect this monastery so those other persecutions do not apply”. Muslims are not immune to this deception, obviously.

If you believe Mohammad has failed his mission and that it is implausible to think that islam has developed the way God intended, then you are implying God made a mistake in choosing mohammad for his prophet. Christians and Jews were already worshiping the one true God, if the Arabs rejected it, do you really think God would change His Word in order to make it more acceptable to Arabs, or devise a separate truth for arabs? There cannot be two truths. Only one truth.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Eric_Hilbert]

Please refrain from using Muslim and Arab interchangably. Not all Arabs are Muslim, not all Muslims are Arabs.

 

[doormouse73]

Saint John is considered one of the great Fathers of the Church, and his writings hold a place of high honor in the Church. His critique of Islam, or “the heresy of the Ishmaelites,” is especially relevant for our times.

i found this link about what he has to say about mohamed…

very interesting indeed…

orthodoxinfo.com/general/stjohn_islam.aspx

 

[Richca]

I am 86 and a Marine Corps veteran of WWII, raised a Southern Baptist and converted to the Roman Catholic Church following my military service. I have a question concerning Islam. Maybe one of you intellectuals can set me straight… What is meant by the term “Judeo Christian Tradition”? I see very little in common between Judaism and Christianity, except for references to a few Old Testament Books. And Jesus spoke of a “new and everlasting covenant”. A few years ago I attended a “closed” lecture by a prominent rabbi who said that Jesus was “the bastard child of a Roman soldier and a teenage Jewish whore”. No where in Jewish literature do I find any reference to Jesus. The only thing I hear Jews say about Jesus is that he was a “teacher” from an extreme sect. On the other hand, in the Koran, Jesus is referred to numerous times as a “prophet” and the “Messiah” to the Jewish people. The Koran also teaches that Mary was a virgin who gave birth to Jesus, pretty much paraphrasing the Gospel of Luke. I find that the notion of “virgin birth” is ridiculed by my Jewish and Mormon friends. All in all, it seems to me that the Muslim religion is much more aligned with Christianity than the Jewish religion. So why don’t we talk about a “Christian Muslim Tradition”?

There are many things the Jews and Christians have in common. We both believe in the same God, we both believe that the Old Testament is the inspired word of God, we both believe that the ten commandments were given us by God through Moses, we both believe that God’s revelation was given to the Israelites.

Jesus said that salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). Jesus himself was a jew. What the Jews don’t believe and what the Christians do believe is that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and prophets as Jesus said. Christians also believe that Jesus is the Messiah foretold by the prophets as Jesus himself said. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. The Old Testament looks forward to Jesus Christ who by his life, crucifiction and death brought about the redemption of the human race.

God’s revelation to the human race ended with Jesus Christ who is the Word of God. God has revealed everything their is to reveal to us in his Word, i.e., Jesus. This is why we don’t talk about a Christian Muslim tradition. For Mohammed and the Muslim religion cannot add any new revelation to the Christian religion.