12/7/2016 JesusandMuhammadContrasted

JesusandMuhammad
Words,Actions,Teachings
Contrasted
ByWilliamJ.Federer

WhatmotivatesfundamentalMuslimstoviolence?

Muchefforthasgoneintoansweringthis.MuslimapologistsarequicktopointoutChristianshavealso
committedviolence.SecularistssuggestanybodywhobelievesinGodispronetoviolence,conveniently
ignoringtheatheistickillingsoftheFrenchRevolution,Stalin'spurgesandMaoTsetung'sCultural
Revolution.

Inanattempttouncovermotivations,foundersoftheworld'stwolargestreligionscanbecompared.
Accordingtothehttp://www.CIA.govWorldFactbook,theworld's6.5billionpeopleare33.32percent
Christianand21.01percentMuslim.

Ifacomputeractsup,thetechnicianresetsittothedefaultsettingsithadwhenitleftthefactory.Iffollowers
ofareligionactup,oneshouldexaminethedefaultsettingsthereligionhadwhenitleftitsfounder.

OnecanexaminethelifeofJesusfromthefourGospels.

OnecanexaminethelifeofMuhammadfromtheQuran,HadithandsourcesliketheSiratRasulAllah.

TheQuranisacollectionofprivaterevelationsMuhammadreceivedbetweenA.D.610632.Conflicting
versionswerepasseddownorallyuntilCaliphUthmanstandardizedthemaroundA.D.650.

TheHaditharestoriesaboutMuhammadpasseddownorallyuntilCaliphUmarIIbegancollectingthem
aroundA.D.717720.

TheSiratRasulAllah,or"TheLifeoftheProphetofAllah,"waswrittenbyIbnIshaqbetweenA.D.707
773andpreservedincopiesbyIbnHisham(d.833)andalTabari(838923).In1861,SirWilliamMuir
publishedanEnglishtranslation,"TheLifeofMahomet."EdwardRehatsek'stranslation,editedbyMichael
Edwardes,waspresentedtotheRoyalAsiaticSocietyofLondonin1898.OxfordUniversitypublished
AlfredGuillaume'stranslationin1955.

Areviewoftheseresourcesreveal:

*Jesuswasareligiousleader.
*Muhammadwasareligiousleaderandamilitaryleader.

*Jesusneverkilledanyone.
*Muhammadkilledanestimated3,000people,includingbeheading700JewsoftheBanuQurayza
tribeinMedina,A.D.627:

"TheJewssurrenderedandtheapostleconfinedtheminMedina.Thentheapostlewentouttothemarketand
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dugtrenchesinit.Thenhesentforthemandstruckofftheirheadsinthosetrenchesastheywerebroughtout
tohiminbatches....Therewere600or700inall,thoughsomeputthefigureashighas800or900.Asthey
werebeingtakenoutinbatchestotheapostletheyaskedKa'bwhathethoughtwouldbedonewiththem.He
replied,'Willyouneverunderstand?Don'tyouseethatthesummonerneverstopsandthosewhoaretaken
awaydonotreturn?ByAllahitisdeath!'Thiswentonuntiltheapostlemadeanendofthem."(SiratRasul
Allah)

*Jesusneverownedslaves.

*Muhammadreceivedafifthoftheprisonerstakeninbattle,includingwomen.(Sura8:41)

"Muhammadgavecommandandtheheadsofthetwochiefswereseveredfromtheirbodies.Thesceneof
tortureandbloodshedwashardlyendedwhenMuhammadsentBilaltofetchthewifeofKinana....Hecast
hismantlearoundherintokenthatshewastobehisown."(ConquestofKhaybar,A.D.628,SiratRasul
Allah)

"TheapostleoccupiedtheJewishfortstakingprisonersashewent.AmongthesewereSafiya,thewifeof
Kinana.TheapostlechoseSafiyaforhimself.TheotherprisonersweredistributedamongtheMuslims."
(SiratRasulAllah)

"Marriedwomenareforbiddenuntoyou,exceptthosewhomyourrighthandspossess(takeninbattle.)"
(Sura4:24)

*Jesusnevermarried.
*Muhammadhadmanywives.

"Anassaid,'Theprophetusedtovisitallhiswivesinanhourround,duringthedayandnightandtheywere
11innumber.'IaskedAnas,'Hadtheprophetthestrengthforit?'Anasreplied,'Weusedtosaythatthe
prophetwasgiventhestrengthof30(men).'"(HadithSahihalBukhari,Vol.1,Bk.5,No.268)

"Muhammadsaid:'Womancanbemarriedforreligion,herfortune,orherbeauty.Somarryoneforthe
religion.'"(AbuIssaalTarmidi,SunanalTarmidi,Medinan.d.,p.275,B:4,H:1092)

"Prophet,wehavemadelawfultoyoutheslavegirlswhomAllahhasgivenyouasbooty."(Sura33:50)

WhenMuhammad'sbehaviorisreviewed,MuslimscholarspointoutthatKingDavidwasalsoaprophetyet
hekilledpeople,ownedslavesandhadmanywives.

TheresponseisstillthatJesusneverkilledanyone,neverownedslavesandnevermarried.Davidonly
wantedasmallpieceofland.ThereisnoBiblecommandforJewstosubduetheworld.

*Jesusneverforcedfollowerstocontinuebelieving.AfterJesusmadeadifficultsaying,"manyofhis
discipleswentbackandwalkednomorewithhim.ThenJesussaidtothetwelve,'Willyealsogoaway?'
ThenSimonPeteransweredhim,'Lord,towhomshallwego?Thouhastthewordsofeternallife.'"(John
6:3169)

*Muhammadforcedfollowerstocontinuebelieving,"WhoeverchangedhisIslamicreligion,thenkill
him."(HadithalBukhari,Vol.9,Bk.84,No.57)

*JesustaughtGodwasourFather(Matthew6:10).

*MuhammadtaughtitwasblasphemytocallAllahyourfather(Sura5:18)

*JesustaughtmanwasmadeinGod'simage.(Matthew22:20,ref.Gen.1:2627)
*MuhammadtaughtAllahhasnoimage.(Sura42:11,Sura112:4)

*Jesustaught"forgivethosewhotrespassagainstyou."(Matthew6:1015)
*Muhammadtaughttoavengetrespassesagainstyourhonor,familyorreligion.

"NarratedAnasbinMalik:'OnthedayoftheConquest,theProphetenteredMecca,wearingahelmetonhis
head.Whenhetookitoff,amancameandsaid,"IbnKhatalisclingingtothecurtainoftheKa'ba."The
Prophetsaid,"Killhim."'"(HadithSahihalBukhariVol.5,Book59,No.582)
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Prophetsaid,"Killhim."'"(HadithSahihalBukhariVol.5,Book59,No.582)

"IbnKhatal...hadtwoslavegirlswhousedtosingforhimandforhiscompanionssongsfullofabuseofthe
Prophet.TheProphet'sinstructionsspecifiedthatthetwoslavegirlsshouldalsobekilled.Another(tobe
kiilled)wasalHuwayrithNuqaydhWahbQusayy,oneofthosewhousedtoinsulthiminMecca."(Sirat
RasulAllah)

*Jesusnevertorturedanyone.

*MuhammadtorturedthechiefofaJewishtribe.

Kinanahadbeenguardianofthetribe'streasures,andhewasbroughtbeforetheapostle,whoaskedwhere
theywerehidden.ButKinanarefusedtodisclosetheplace.TheapostleofAllahhandedhimovertoal
Zubayr,saying,'Torturehimuntilhetellswhatheknows',andalZubayrkindledafireonhischestsothathe
almostexpiredthentheapostlegavehimtoMuhammadb.Maslama,whostruckoffhishead.(SiratRasul
Allah)

*Jesusdidnotretaliatewhenviolencewascommittedagainsthim,saying"Father,forgivethem."
(Luke23:34)
*Muhammadretaliatedwhenviolencewascommittedagainsthim,orderingthedeathofhisenemies.

"MuhammadsentAbdullahtousediplomacytogainanopportunitytoassassinateSofyan.Abdullahwent
forth,pretendingtobeonhisSofyan'sside,andwhenthemomentwasright,cutoffhishead.Hecarrieditto
Muhammad,whowasintheMosqueinMedina.Muhammadwassogratified,hegavetheassassinhisstaff,
saying:'Thisshallbeatokenbetwixtyouandmeonthedayofresurrection.Verily,fewonthatdayshall
haveanythingtoleanupon.'"(SiratRasulAllah).

"IbnSa'dTabaqatreported:'TheapostleofAllahenteredthroughAdhakhirintoMecca.Heorderedsixmen
andfourwomentobekilled."(KitabalTabaqat,writtenbyIbnSa'd(A.D.745845),Vol.2,p.168.)

*FollowingJesuswasvoluntary,fromtheinsideout.
*FollowingMuhammadcouldbecoerced,fromtheoutsidein.

"FightthosewhobelievenotinAllahnortheLastDay,norholdthatforbiddenwhichhathbeenforbidden
byAllahandHisMessenger,noracknowledgethereligionofTruth,(eveniftheyare)ofthePeopleofthe
Book,untiltheypaytheJizyawithwillingsubmissionandfeelthemselvessubdued."(Sura9:29)

*AmartyrinChristianandJewishthoughtisonewhodiesforhisfaith.
*AmartyrinIslamicthoughtisonewhodiesforhisfaithwhilekillinginfidels.

"NarratedAbuHuraira:'TheProphetsaid,"Thepersonwhoparticipatesin(holybattles)inAllah'scauseand
nothingcompelshimtodosoexceptbeliefinAllahandHisApostles,willberecompensedbyAllaheither
witharewardorbooty(ifhesurvives)orwillbeadmittedtoParadise(ifheiskilledinthebattleasa
martyr)."'"(HadithalBukhariVol1,Bk2,#35)

*ChristianityteachesGodwantsapersonalrelationshipwitheachindividual.
*IslamteachesindividualscannothaveapersonalrelationshipwithAllah,asheistranscendentand
unknowable.

*Jesus'religionisknownforforgivenessandlove.
*Muhammad'sreligionisknownforobedienceandfear.

*NoneofJesus'Apostlesledarmies.AvillagedidnotreceiveJesus"andwhenhisdisciplesJamesand
Johnsawthis,theysaid,'Lord,wiltthouthatwecommandfiretocomedownfromheavenandconsume
them,evenasEliasdid?'Butheturnedandrebukedthem,andsaid,'Yeknownotwhatmannerofspiritye
areof.FortheSonofmanisnotcometodestroymen'slives,buttosavethem.'"(Luke9:5256)
*AllofthecaliphswhofollowedMuhammadledarmies.(CaliphsAbuBakr,Umar,Uthman,Ali,
Muawiyya,theUmayyads,theAbbasids,etc.)
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*Inthefirst300yearsofChristianity,therewere10majorRomanpersecutions,andChristianswere
fedtolionsintheColiseum.NeverdidChristiansleadanarmedresistanceagainstthosewhoattackedthem.
*Inthefirst300yearsofIslam,MuslimarmiesconqueredArabia,Persia,theHolyLand,NorthAfrica,
Spain,SouthernFrance,CentralAfrica,andinvadedvastareasofAsiaandAsiaMinor.

FightingisinconsistentwithJesus'examplebutnotMuhammad's,astheSiratRasulAllahrecords
Muhammadpersonallyled27raids,includingBattleofBadr,624ADBattleofUhudandexpulsionofBanu
Nadir,625ADAttackonBanuMustaliq,626ADBattleoftheTrenchandkillingBanuQurayza,627AD
BattleofKhaybar,628ADBattleofMutah,629ADConquestofMecca,BattleofHunayn,Battleof
AurasandSiegeofalTaif,whereMohammedusedacatapult,630ADBattleofTabouk,Subjugationof
BanuThaqif(Yemen)andsubjugationofGhassanids(ArabChristians),631AD.

Jesus'teachingonhowtotreatenemies:

*Loveyourenemies,blessthemthatcurseyou,dogoodtothemthathateyou,prayforthemwhich
despitefullyuseyou(Matthew5:44).
*Resistnotevil(Matthew5:39).
*Ifsomeonestrikesyouononecheek,turntothemtheother(Matthew5:39).
*Ifsomeonetakesyourcoat,givethemyourshirt(Matthew5:40).
*Ifsomeonemakeyoucarrysomethingonemile,carryittwo(Matthew5:41).
*Forgiveandyoushallbeforgiven(Matthew6:14).
*Judgenot,thatyebenotjudged(Matthew7:1).
*Blessedarethepeacemakers(Matthew5:9).
*Blessedarethemerciful,fortheyshallobtainmercy(Matthew5:7).
*Yehaveheardthatitwassaid,Thoushaltnotkill,butIsaywhoeverisangrywithhisbrotherisindanger
ofthejudgment(Matthew5:2122).
*Treatothersthesamewayyouwantthemtotreatyou(Luke6:2736).
*Feedthehungry,clothethenaked,visitthesick,whateveryoudototheveryleastyouhavedoneuntome
(Matthew25:40).

Muhammad'steachingonhowtotreatenemies:

*Infidelsareyourswornenemies(Sura4:101).
*Beruthlesstotheinfidels(Sura48:29).
*Makewarontheinfidelswhodwellaroundyou(Sura9:123,66:9).
*FightthosewhobelievenotinAllahnortheLastDay(Sura9:29).
*Strikeofftheheadsofinfidelsinbattle(Sura47:4).
*IfsomeonestopsbelievinginAllah,killhim(alBukhari9:84:57).
*TakeneithertheJewsnortheChristiansforyourfriends(Sura5:51,60:13).
*Neverbeahelpertothedisbelievers(Sura28:86).
*Killthedisbelieverswhereverwefindthem(Sura2:191).
*NoMuslimshouldbekilledforkillinganinfidel(alBukhari1:3:111).
*TheonlyrewardofthosewhomakewaruponAllahandHismessengerwillbethattheywillbekilledor
crucified,orhavetheirhandsandfeetonalternatesidescutoff,orwillbeexpelledoutoftheland(Sura
5:33).

WhatmotivatesfundamentalMuslimstoviolence?

WhereJesuswasareligiousleader,Muhammadwasareligiousleaderandamilitaryleader,thustheeffortto
separatethemilitantaspectofIslamfromthereligiousaspectisanattempttosplitMuhammad.

ThecloseronefollowstheexampleofJesus,themorepeacefulisone'smotivation.

ThecloseronefollowsexampleofMuhammad,themoremilitantisone'smotivation.

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