Thursday 23 June 2016

Reexamining Islam’s Divine Insurance Scam Pt. 2‎

Sam Shamoun

We continue with our refutation to Zawadi’s “reply.”

This is what Zawadi has to say about the hadith where the man who murdered 100 people was forgiven.

First of all, justice does not necessarily denote punishment. If a person is genuinely sincere (something God could only judge, for humans cannot only rely on outward actions) and the victims were to be recompensed in the afterlife and possibly even forgive their murderer, then why can't we say that justice has been served?

This is where Zawadi tries to wax eloquent in order to impress the readers without actually addressing anything. In the first place, justice wasn’t met in any sense whatsoever since there was no retaliation, no recompense demanded from the guilty party, nor reparation made to the victims’ families.

Secondly, it is the Quran that prescribes either death as the just punishment for the unlawful murdering of individuals or a sum payment to the victim’s family:

O you who believe! Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives, etc.) of the killed against blood money, then adhering to it with fairness and payment of the blood money, to the heir should be made in fairness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord.
So after this whoever transgresses the limits (i.e. kills the killer after taking the blood money), he shall have a painful torment. S. 2:178 Hilali-Khan

It is not for a believer to kill a believer except (that it be) by mistake, and whosoever kills a believer by mistake, (it is ordained that) he must set free a believing slave and a compensation (blood money, i.e. Diya) be given to the deceased's family, unless they remit it. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you and he was a believer; the freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed), and if he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation (blood money - Diya) must be paid to his family, and a believing slave must be freed. And whoso finds this (the penance of freeing a slave) beyond his means, he must fast for two consecutive months in order to seek repentance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. S. 4:92 Hilali-Khan

Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord hath made a sacred duty for you: That ye ascribe no thing as partner unto Him and that ye do good to parents, and that ye slay not your children because of penury - We provide for you and for them - and that ye draw not nigh to lewd things whether open or concealed. And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath command you, in order that ye may discern. S. 6:151 Pickthall

And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way. And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right.Whoso is slain wrongfully, We have given power unto his heir, but let him not commit excess in slaying. Lo! he will be helped. S. 17:32-33

However, leaving aside for the moment whether some of those requirements are actually just – specifically the difference in payment for the death of a man or woman, free or slave, or whether a Muslim can be killed in recompense for killing an infidel woman etc.
Allah simply forgave the man without demanding any satisfaction whatsoever to the victims’ families thereby violating his own requirements of justice.

Now Zawadi may argue that these Quranic injunctions were not in force when the man committed these murderous acts and therefore cannot come under the punishment prescribed by Islamic law.

The problem here is that death has been the prescribed punishment for murder from the very beginning and is found in the ordinances and legislation which God gave to previous prophets such as Noah and Moses:

But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each man, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of his fellow man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.’” Genesis 9:4-6

Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death.”
Exodus 21:12
Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death.” Leviticus 24:17

Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” Numbers 35:31-33

Verily, We did send down the Taurat (Torah) [to Musa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's Will, judged the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged the Jews by the Taurat (Torah) after those Prophets] for to them was entrusted the protection of Allah's Book, and they were witnesses thereto. Therefore fear not men but fear Me (O Jews) and sell not My Verses for a miserable price. And whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the Kafirun (i.e. disbelievers - of a lesser degree as they do not act on Allah's Laws). And We ordained therein for them: "Life for life eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear, tooth for tooth, and wounds equal for equal." But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it shall be for him an expiation. And whosoever does not judge by that which Allah has revealed, such are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers - of a lesser degree).
S. 5:44-45

And since the man in the story was said to be an Israelite he was to be put to death according to the Law that God gave to Moses.

Zawadi continues:

Shamoun and Katz say that the outward actions of the man illustrate that his repentance wasn't sincere, since he killed someone who made him lose hope in God's mercy.
Well, firstly we can't always judge something to be sincere or not strictly based on one's outward actions. For all we know the man was so eager and sincere to repent that he probably temporarily "flipped" and killed the guy who made him lose hope in God's mercy since he felt like there was no more purpose to living and that he was already doomed. However, once he realized that there was hope for repentance he struggled the best he could with sincerity to repent to God.

First, assuming that Zawadi’s explanation is correct the problem still remains that losing one’s temper because he despaired of Allah’s mercy is not a valid reason to unlawfully kill anyone and we thereby challenge Zawadi to quote a Quranic verse to support his rather desperate attempt of justifying these immoral and unethical actions.

Secondly, Zawadi misses the entire point of the hadith which is to show how Allah’s mercy extends to even the most heinous of criminals. It is apparent that Muhammad wanted to convey the notion that Allah is willing to forgive the most evil and wicked sinners imaginable, even individuals who commit premeditated murders, despite the fact that they had done nothing good or made no reparation for their heinous crimes. To therefore say that the person “flipped” out is to lessen the impact of the story and undermines the point that it seeks to make. It shows that the person really wasn’t as evil as Muhammad made him out to be since he was not in control of his actions and therefore not really accountable for his crimes.

Moreover, Zawadi is rather clever in a cunning and deceptive way since he clearly sees the problem with Muhammad’s focus on the mercy of Allah at the expense of his justice but still seeks to justify (pun intended) it nonetheless. Muhammad’s view of mercy basically sabotages the justice and holiness of his god. In the story Allah’s mercy pretty much trumps his holiness and righteousness. Muhammad’s tale basically turns Allah into a rather unjust and unholy deity who is willing to pervert his own demands of justice in order to show mercy.

To put it another way so that Zawadi starts to finally get it, Muhammad’s fable essentially means that his deity is not completely holy or just since he is willing to forgive the most evil acts without demanding justice. This inevitably turns Allah into an imperfect and capricious being who is indirectly responsible for and complicit in all such evil acts because he is willing to simply overlook these heinous offenses.

I may identify with Shamoun and Katz on the fact that outwardly this man's repentance could possibly be viewed as insincere, but at the end of the day we must read all Islamic literature together. Once we read a verse like Surah 66:8, which states that repentance must be sincere, we automatically understand by reading the hadith on the murderer of one hundred people that Allah understood this man's repentance to be sincere.

The problem with this skewed interpretation is that the Quran itself insists that righteous deeds and obedience are the necessary signs of sincere repentance and faith:

Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent AND DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed).
THESE, I WILL ACCEPT THEIR REPENTANCE. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. S. 2:159-160 Hilali-Khan

Truly those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, they will have their reward with their Lord.
On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. S. 2:277 Hilali-Khan

Allah has promised those who believe AND DO DEEDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, that for them there is forgiveness and a great reward. S. 5:9

Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female, as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allah. And Allah is All-Powerful, All-Wise. But whosoever repents after his crime AND DOES RIGHTEOUS GOOD DEEDS (by obeying Allah), then verily, Allah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. S. 5:38-39 Hilali-Khan

But those who believed, and worked righteousness - We tax not any person beyond his scope, such are the dwellers of Paradise. They will abide therein. S. 7:42

Those who turn to ALLAH in repentance, who worship HIM, who praise HIM, who go about in the land serving HIM, who bow down to HIM, who prostrate themselves in Prayer, who enjoin good and forbid evil, and who observe the limits set by ALLAH. And give glad tidings to those who believe. S. 9:112 Sher Ali

Verily! As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, certainly! We shall not suffer to be lost the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner. S. 18:30

Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts.
So they will be thrown in Hell. Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad), AND WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught. (They will enter) 'Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which the Most Beneficent (Allah) has promised to His slaves in the unseen: Verily! His Promise must come to pass. S. 19:59-61 Hilali-Khan

The doom will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein disdained for ever; Save him who repenteth and believeth AND DOTH RIGHTEOUS WORK; as for such, Allah will change their evil deeds to good deeds. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful. And whosoever repenteth AND DOETH GOOD, he verily repenteth toward Allah with true repentance - And those who will not witness vanity, but when they pass near senseless play, pass by with dignity. And those who, when they are reminded of the revelations of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat. And who say: Our Lord! Vouchsafe us comfort of our wives and of our offspring, and make us patterns for (all) those who ward off (evil). They will be awarded the high place forasmuch as they were steadfast, and they will meet therein with welcome and the ward of peace, Abiding there for ever. Happy is it as abode and station! S. 25:69-76 Pickthall

This is similar to what the Holy Bible teaches:

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Matthew 3:8

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” Acts 26:19-20

The Quran further says that Allah will only accept the repentance of a person who has committed evil in ignorance and foolishness:

Allah accepts ONLY the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards
; it is they to whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise. And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil deeds until death faces one of them and he says: "Now I repent;" nor of those who die while they are disbelievers.
For them We have prepared a painful torment. S. 4:17-18

When those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) come to you, say: "Salamun 'Alaikum" (peace be on you); your Lord has written Mercy for Himself, so that, if any of you does evil IN IGNORANCE, and thereafter repents AND DOES RIGHTEOUS GOOD DEEDS (by obeying Allah), then surely, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. S. 6:54 Hilali-Khan

Since the man in Muhammad’s story was neither ignorant nor foolish, but was very calculated and knew exactly what he was doing, and continued to do evil by murdering his 100th victim even after seeking repentance, this means that his repentance should have been unacceptable to Allah.

What makes this rather ironic is that Zawadi quotes a particular hadith which further confirms that this man’s repentance was unacceptable according to Islam and therefore the indvidual should have been thrown into the fire!

Saheeh Muslim Book 032, Number 6251: Abu Huraira. reported Allah's Messenger as saying: Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, brought calumny against others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others AND SHED THE BLOOD OF OTHERS and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds FALL SHORT TO CLEAR THE ACCOUNT, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.

According to this specific narrative the murderer in Muhammad’s fairy-tale should have been thrown into hell since he shed the blood of others and didn’t have any good deeds to efface all the evil he had done. And even if he had performed any virtuous acts they would not have been reckoned to him but credited to his victims’ account who suffered at his hands.

However, since Allah is a capricious god who can choose to act deceptively and pervert his own justice it is not surprising that Muhammad taught that he actually accepted the man’s insincere repentance.

Zawadi proceeds to attack a straw man by raising the following false comparison.

Shamoun and Katz after presenting hadiths showing that a man was forgiven for his fear of Allah stated:

Again, this man did not even show any signs of repentance. He merely was afraid of Allah, but he did not say he regretted his actions or tried to repent and restitute anything to those whom he had harmed. Without even being asked for forgiveness, Allah simply forgives him?
Is that Islam's superior justice when compared with the biblical concept?

It's ironic that Shamoun and Katz are saying what they are saying. They are objecting to someone being forgiven for a sin that he did not repent for, yet they as Protestants believe the same exact thing regarding their faith. Shamoun and Katz don't believe that a Christian is required to repent for every single sin that he commits in order to avoid hell. Rather, the Protestant Christian is to believe and accept Jesus's sacrificial death and he is pretty much Scot free! Yes sure, the Christian from time to time is said to repent in order to "restore his relationship back with God continuously" (whatever that means), however Protestant Christians don't believe that if a Christian committed a sin and didn't repent for it then he would go to hell for it or be punished for it, since Jesus already took care of that for them according to them. For them they think that it is justice.

Talk about attacking a straw man and chasing red herrings! As anyone reading what we actually wrote can testify, our point wasn’t that a person must necessarily repent and ask forgiveness for every single sin s/he has committed otherwise s/he will not be forgiven. Our point in context was that here was a man who clearly knew he had sinned and instead of showing genuine signs of repentance and asking for forgiveness he chose to be cremated so as to escape Allah’s judgment! The man actually thought that by being cremated he would manage to avoid punishment for his sins.

This, again, is hardly the signs of a genuine believer since the Quran says that a person must turn to Allah and seek his forgiveness as opposed to running away from him in order to avoid him:

Will they not rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him? For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. S. 5:74

The man’s actions showed that he didn’t truly believe that Allah was merciful enough to forgive his wickedness. This individual despaired of the mercy of Allah:

Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful. S. 39:53

However, only the wicked despair of Allah’s mercy:

He said: And who despaireth of the mercy of his Lord save those who are astray? S. 15:56

Therefore, this person was of those who stray and deserving of hell. That was our point which Zawadi obviously didn’t understand or comprehend.

The fact is that we all commit innumerable sins each day, sometimes without even realizing that we have done so. We believe and trust that God in his mercy will wipe away these sins that we have failed to repent and ask forgiveness for or were unaware of because of the perfect righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ and his vicarious sacrifice.

Moreover, Biblical Christianity commands that those who have turned to Christ in faith seeking his forgiveness must strive to live holy lives to the best of their ability. They cannot continue in willful sin:

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:1-23

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:19

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:11-14

It is actually the teachings of Muhammad and his false god that justifies all sorts of evil, vile acts and immoral behavior.

Zawadi raises more red herrings and strawman arguments by referencing scholars to prove that when the hadiths say that the man didn’t perform any good deeds whatsoever it doesn’t mean that. It really means something else, i.e. he didn’t do them perfectly or completely! This, however, IS NOT WHAT THE HADITHS SAY! Zawadi is simply reading into the narratives his own interpretation since he cannot accept the implications of the plain and literal reading of the texts. These hadiths prove that Zawadi’s god is a wicked and unjust being who has no problems whatsoever in perverting justice.

However, it seems that Zawadi himself doesn’t buy his own explanation since he quotes a Shaykh who offers a different explanation:

Shaykh Safar Al Hawali states regarding this hadith…

This person has not done any good, even though he used to pray and worship, however he had no good deeds on his account. Why did he not do any good? That is because his good deeds went away with the accumulation of the bad deeds and the marks of prostration remained with him. (Source)

What Shaykh Safar is saying is that this hadith shows a man who as an end result has done no good because of the outweighing bad deeds he has done, nevertheless he still actually did do some good deeds in his life.

Notice that the Shaykh does not say that the man’s good deeds were imperfect or incomplete. Rather, the Shaykh interprets the phrase to mean that his good deeds were nullified by his bad deeds which obviously means that the bad greatly outnumbered all the good he had done.

Again, not only is this NOT the plain reading of the hadiths but this explanation actually provides further evidence that Allah is unjust and wicked because he should have sent the man to hell according to the following Quranic verses: 

The balance that day will be true
(to a nicety): those whose scale (of good) will be heavy, will prosper: Those whose scale will be light, will find their souls in perdition, for that they wrongfully treated Our Signs. S. 7:8-9

We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment
, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account. S. 21:47

Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more relationships between them that Day, nor will one ask after another! Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy,- they will be successful: But those whose balance is light, will be those who have lost their souls, in Hell will they abide. S. 23:101-103

According to these verses Allah will weigh a person’s good and bad deeds on scales and if his/her good deeds are light, meaning less than his/her bad actions, then s/he will end up in hell.

Since the man’s good deeds in Muhammad’s story were outweighed by his bad actions this means that Allah was obligated to send him to hell, that is if he were truly just and consistent with his own "revelation." However, seeing that Allah is an unjust deceiver it doesn’t surprise us that he again contradicted his statements in the Quran and acted unjustly.

Zawadi thinks that William Lane Craig’s court analogy somehow refutes our assertion that no Christian would claim that a murderer or a defrauder who genuinely repents and accepts Jesus as his Savior from sin and Lord over his life should not be punished (here on earth) because s/he has been forgiven by God. Here is what Craig said:

The more accurate analogy is that the murderer in the story has genuinely repented of his crime and that you, having once been in his place yourself, want the judge to forgive him.
But the judge is obligated to see that justice's demands are met. So the judge himself volunteers to have the responsibility of the crime imputed to him, so that he will die in the murderer's place. I think you'll agree that if such imputation is possible, then justice will be served, even if vengeance is not wrought. The real issue, therefore, is imputation.

This only provides further evidence that Zawadi doesn’t understand the objections and statements of those whom he seeks to refute. Craig said absolutely nothing about the courts letting a murderer or defrauder go on the grounds that s/he received forgiveness for his/her sins by turning to Christ in repentance and faith. Craig was using the analogy of a human judge volunteering to take the punishment of a criminal in order to demonstrate that the Christian understanding of Divine forgiveness and imputation is thoroughly just.

What makes all of this rather amazing and ironic is that Zawadi has the audacity to attack the Christian doctrine of God volunteering to take the punishment of sinners upon himself in order to satisfy his perfect justice and righteousness while also demonstrating perfect love and mercy to all who would turn to him in faith and repentance. And yet he has absolutely no shame justifying and even defending the perverted and corrupt justice of his god and false prophet!

Zawadi has the temerity to think that there are no problems with Muhammad’s teaching that Allah simply forgives anyone who says the shahadah, despite the fact that these individuals have done no good or have lived very evil, perverted, and outright immoral lives! He truly believes that there is absolutely nothing unjust with Allah ransoming vile, wicked Muslims by punishing Jews and Christians in hell for the sins committed by Muhammad’s umma!

Islamic Concept of god
This wicked and capricious god fails to hold people accountable for their sins. Allah has absolutely no shame in perverting justice and contradicting his own commandments in the book which he supposedly sent down to his messenger.
Allah’s decision to forgive is not based on justice or righteousness but upon his own arbitrary desires and whims. These individuals could have wronged others, murdered people, raped young girls and women, and enslaved young boys and it wouldn’t matter in the least. All they would have to do is profess the shahadah and Allah could choose to forgive them without demanding justice for their wicked crimes or for their victims. Clearly, Muhammad’s god resembles Satan more than he does the all-holy, all-just, all-merciful and all-loving God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Protestant Christian Concept of God
The true God of the Holy Bible doesn’t simply wink at sin or arbitrarily forgives whomever he wills like Muhammad’s false god. Rather, the true God demands that all sins be justly punished and that righteousness be observed. However, seeing that God is perfectly loving and merciful he also desires to forgive all those who truly repent and seek his forgiveness. This is why God chose to take the punishment that sinners deserved in order to maintain his perfect justice and righteousness while also exhibiting the greatest display of love and affection that mankind has ever seen. God then sends his Holy Spirit upon all true believers in order to transform them so as to live holy and godly lives, turning away from their wickedness and sin. This is unlike Muhammad’s deity who allows his followers to commit sexual immorality, rape, adultery, murder and theft as long as they profess that he is god and that Muhammad is his messenger!

Once again we want to praise the Triune God that we are not Muslims and do not follow a deceptive, unjust, amoral god or his murdering, lying, immoral prophet. We are truly grateful and eternally thankfully that we worship, serve, and love the infinitely just, holy, righteous, merciful, gracious and loving God of the Holy Bible, namely Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Source: http://answering-islam.org/authors/shamoun/rebuttals/zawadi/perverted_justice2.html

IHS

Reexamining Islam’s Divine Insurance Scam Pt. 1‎ ‎

Sam Shamoun

As promised we continue with our refutation of Bassam Zawadi’s rather weak defense of Islam’s gross perversion of Divine justice and mercy.

Here is what Zawadi had to say in response to the hadiths we cited to prove that Muslims will enter hell despite what they do:

Shamoun and Katz then cite hadiths that state that Muslims will enter paradise regardless of what happens.
Yes this is true; the Muslim will eventually enter paradise. However, that in no way means that they can guarantee for themselves an escape from punishment. There are Muslims who could enter into hell for their sins just as this hadith illustrates:

Saheeh Bukhari Volume 9, Book 93, Number 542: Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, "Some people who will be scorched by Hell (Fire) as a punishment for sins they have committed, and then Allah will admit them into Paradise by the grant of His Mercy. These people will be called, 'Al-JahannamiyyLin' (the people of Hell)."

So justice will still prevail. Muslims would get punished for their heinous unforgiving sins, yet due to their belief in Allah they wouldn't deserve eternal punishment just like the disbelievers. There are also other hadith which state that Muslims who have committed sins will be 'cleansed' by having a more painful death experience or having a punishment in the grave and therefore not go to hell, but the point is that they will be punished for sins they weren't forgiven for and justice would prevail.

Zawadi then writes:

Shamoun and Katz then argue that Allah rewards people for committing sins. Actually, this is not the case. The hadith actually shows that they were punished for their sins:

Abu Dharr narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: "I know that the last of the people of the Fire depart from the Fire and the last of the people of Paradise to enter Paradise. A man will be brought forth and He will say: 'Ask about his small sins and hide his large sins.' So it will be said to him: 'Did you do this and that on such and such a day, did you do this and that on such-and-such a day?'" He said: "Then it will be said to him: 'for each of your sins you shall have a reward.' He said: "So he will say: 'O Lord! I have done things that I do not see here.'" He (Abu Dharr) said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah laugh until his molars were visible."

The hadith is stating that AFTER the person leaves hell for the sins he committed, he would be rewarded with paradise (i.e. for his faith) and Allah out of His mercy would convert each sin (which the man was already punished for) into a good deed and then Allah will reward him accordingly for the good deeds he has.

Zawadi conveniently ignores the fact that the hadith clearly says that Allah will reward EVERY SPECIFIC SIN that the Muslims have committed.

He said: "Then it will be said to him: 'for each of your sins you shall have a reward.'…

To say that this is a gross perversion of God’s holiness and justice would be a wild understatement!

Apart from his desperate attempt to brush aside this gross perversion of justice Zawadi failed to see how his response introduces a whole host of additional problems for his views.

For instance, as we had mentioned in our initial rebuttal there are specific narratives which say that Allah will save or ransom Muslims from hell by sending Jews and Christians there to suffer in their place:

Chapter 8: THROWING OF NON-BELIEVERS IN HELL-FIRE FOR BELIEVERS AS DIVINE GRACE AND MERCY

Abu Musa' reported that Allah's Messenger said: When it will be the Day of Resurrection Allah would deliver to every Muslim a Jew or a Christian and say: That is your RESCUE from Hell-Fire. (Sahih Muslim, Book 037, Number 6665)

Abu Burda reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle said: No Muslim would die but Allah would admit IN HIS STEAD a Jew or a Christian in Hell-Fire. 'Umar b. Abd al-'Aziz took an oath: By One besides Whom there is no god but He, thrice that his father had narrated that to him from Allah's Messenger. (Sahih Muslim, Book 037, Number 6666)

Abu Burda reported Allah's Messenger as saying: There would come people amongst the Muslims on the Day of Resurrection with AS HEAVY SINS AS A MOUNTAIN, and Allah would FORGIVE THEM and He would PLACE IN THEIR STEAD the Jews and the Christians. (As far as I think), Abu Raub said: I do not know as to who is in doubt. Abu Burda said: I narrated it to 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz, whereupon he said: Was it your father who narrated it to you from Allah's Apostle? I said: Yes. (Sahih Muslim, Book 037, Number 6668)

432. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "On the Day of Rising, Allah will hand over a Jew or a Christian to every Muslim and say, ‘Here is your redemption from the Fire’." [Muslim]

In another variant from him is that the Prophet said, "Some of the Muslims will be brought on the Day of Rising with sins the size of mountains and Allah will forgive them." (Al-Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi, Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous), 51. Chapter: On Hope; emphasis ours)

If these Jews and Christians are being punished for the sins committed by the Muslims then why were the Muslims suffering in hell? What kind of ransom can this be if Muslims are still required to undergo torment in hell for their crimes and evil deeds?

Secondly, the Quran clearly says that no person will bear the sins of another:

Say: 'Shall I seek after a Lord other than God, who is the Lord of all things?' Every soul earns only to its own account, no soul laden bears the load of another. Then to your Lord shall you return, and He will tell you of that whereon you were at variance. S. 6:164 Arberry

And every man's work have WE fasten to his neck; and on the Day of Resurrection WE shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open. It will be said to him, ‘Read thy book.
Sufficient is thy own soul as a reckoner against thee this day.’ He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul; and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another. And WE shall never punish until WE have sent a Messenger. S. 17:13-15 Sher Ali

That no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another
, And that man will have nothing but what he strives for; And that the result of his striving shall soon be known; Then will he be rewarded for it with the fullest reward; And that with thy Lord is the final judgment; S. 53:38-42 Sher Ali

With that being the case why will the Jews and Christians go to hell in order to bear the burden of the sins of the Muslims? Where is the justice in that?

But it gets worse for Zawadi. Recall the hadith from al-Bukhari that Zawadi referenced to show that Muslims will be punished in hell for their sins before they are allowed to enter paradise. This isn’t an isolated report since this is repeated throughout the hadith literature:

Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet said, "Some people will come out of the Fire after they have received a touch of the Fire, changing their color, and they will enter Paradise, and the people of Paradise will name them 'Al-Jahannamiyin' the (Hell) Fire people." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 564)

Abu Huraira reported: The people said to the Messenger of Allah: Messenger of Allah, shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? The Messenger of Allah said … They would say: Thou art our Lord. And they would follow Him, and a bridge would be set over the Hell; and I (the Holy Prophet) and my Ummah would be the first to pass over it; and none but the messengers would speak on that day, and the prayer of the messengers on that day would be: O Allah! Grant safety, grant safety. In Hell, there would be long spits like the thorns of Sa'dan. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Have you seen Sa'dan? They replied: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He said: Verily those (hooks) would be like the thorns of Sa'dan, but no one knows their size except Allah. These would seize people for their misdeeds. Some of them would escape for their (good) deeds, and some would be rewarded for their deeds till they get salvation. When Allah would finish judging His bondsmen and because of His mercy decide to take out of Hell such people as He pleases. He would command the angels to bring out those who had not associated anything with Allah; to whom Allah decided to show mercy, those who would say: There is no god but Allah. They (the angels) would recognise them in the Fire by the marks of prostration, for Hell-fire will devour everything (limb) of the sons of Adam except the marks of prostration. Allah has forbidden the Fire to consume the marks of prostration. They will be taken out of the Fire HAVING BEEN BURNT, and the water of life would be poured over them, and they will sprout as seed does in the silt carried by flood.

Then Allah would finish judging amongst His bondsmen; but a man who will be the last to enter Paradise will remain facing Hell and will say: O my Lord I turn my face away from Hell, for its air has poisoned me and its blaze has burnt me
He would then say: O my Lord, admit me to Paradise. Allah. Blessed and Exalted, would say: Did you not give covenants and agreements that you would not ask for anything more than what I had granted you? Woe to you! son of Adam, how treacherous you are! And he would say: O my Lord, I do not wish to be the most miserable of Thy creatures. He would continue calling upon Allah till Allah, Blessed and Exalted, would laugh. When Allah would laugh at him, He would say: Enter the Paradise… (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0349)

These narratives clearly affirm that some of the Muslims will only leave hell after being burned and harmed by its fire.

However, this contradicts other particular narratives which claim that Allah will not allow any Muslim who sincerely proclaims the shahadah to enter hell!

Zawadi himself is aware of these reports since this is what he writes later on:

… As for believers "merely proclaiming the Shahada", well this just exposes the ignorance of Shamoun and Katz.
It is not a "mere" proclamation; it must be a sincere one:

Saheeh Bukhari
Volume 1, Book 3, Number 130: Narrated Anas bin Malik: "Once Mu'adh was along with Allah's Apostle as a companion rider.
Allah's Apostle said, "O Mu'adh bin Jabal." Mu'adh replied, "Labbaik and Sa'daik. O Allah's Apostle!" Again the Prophet said, "O Mu'adh!" Mu'adh said thrice, "Labbaik and Sa'daik, O Allah's Apostle!" Allah's Apostle said, "There is none who testifies sincerely that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is his Apostle, except that Allah, will save him from the Hell-fire." Mu'adh said, "O Allah's Apostle ! Should I not inform the people about it so that they may have glad tidings?" He replied, "When the people hear about it, they will solely depend on it." Then Mu'adh narrated the above-mentioned Hadith just before his death, being afraid of committing sin (by not telling the knowledge).

The testimony has to be sincere. This would save him from abiding in the hellfire for eternity. Just merely saying the testimony and not meaning it does not save someone from the hellfire. Even the hypocrites used to say the Shahadah and not mean it:

Surah 63:1 When the hypocrites come to you, they say: We bear witness that you are most surely Allah's Apostle; and Allah knows that you are most surely His Apostle, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are surely liars.

What this actually does is expose not our ignorance but Zawadi’s and further documents his gross inability to carefully follow and understand the hadiths which he quotes to prove his position.

For instance, we are expressly told in what Zawadi quotes above that Allah will save any Muslim who sincerely proclaims the shahadah from hell-fire. In fact, both the Quran and certain hadiths explain this to mean that Allah will not allow any sincere Muslim to suffer torment in hell:

Surely you (O mushrikin) and your deities that you worship besides Allah shall be the fuel of hell; therein you shall all enter. If those deities would have been true gods, they would not have gotten there; but there they shall abide forever. In there, sobbing will be their lot, and they will not be able to hear anything else. Certainly those for whom the good reward from Us has preceded them will be kept far away from it. They shall not hear even its slightest sound, and they shall dwell forever in the midst of whatever their souls desire. The time of Great Terror (Day of Judgement) will not grieve them, and the angels will receive them with greetings: "This is your Day that you were promised." S. 21:98-103 F. Malik

Narrated 'Utban bin Malik Al-Ansari: who was one of the men of the tribe of Bani Salim: Allah's Apostle came to me and said, "If anybody comes on the Day of Resurrection who has said: La ilaha illallah, sincerely, with the intention to win Allah's Pleasure, Allah will make the Hell-Fire forbidden for him." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 431)

It is narrated on the authority of Sunabihi that he went to Ubada b. Samit when he was about to die.
I burst into tears. Upon this he said to me: Allow me some time (so that I may talk with you). Why do you weep? By Allah, if I am asked to bear witness, I would certainly testify for you (that you are a believer). Should I be asked to intercede, I would certainly intercede for you, and if I have the power, I would certainly do good to you, and then observed: By Allah, never did I hear anything from the Messenger of Allah which could have been a source of benefit to you and then not conveyed it to you except this single hadith that I intend to narrate to you today, since I am going to breathe my last. I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: He who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, Allah would prohibit the fire of Hell for him. (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0045)

Note carefully what is being said. Hell-fire is strictly forbidden for every Muslim who dies affirming the Islamic confession of faith sincerely which contradicts the hadiths that expressly say that Allah will actually take out of hell specific Muslims who will be burning in the fire!

So Zawadi is now confronted with some major problems and contradictions. Certain hadiths promise that Muslims who profess genuine faith in Islamic monotheism will not be touched by fire since Allah has forbidden hell for them. Other narrations contradict this claim by asserting that a host of Muslims will end up in hell, and even experience torment while there, despite the fact that they genuinely believed that there is no god besides Muhammad’s deity.

But this introduces another problem. The fact that these Muslims ended up in the fire suggests that their profession of faith was not genuine since if it were then they would have never gone to hell in the first place. This means that these Muslims must have been hypocrites, otherwise why did they end up in hell if they were sincere?

However, this contradicts the following Quranic verses which say that such hypocrites will never be taken out from hell since Allah will not accept anyone’s help or intercession on their behalf!

And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Qur'an) that when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell, Those (hypocrites) who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allah, they say: "Were we not with you," but if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers?" Allah will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers. Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little. (They are) swaying between this and that, belonging neither to these nor to those, and he whom Allah sends astray, you will not find for him a way (to the truth - Islam). O you who believe! Take not for Auliya' (protectors or helpers or friends) disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the Fire; NO HELPER WILL YOU FIND FOR THEM. S. 4:140-145 Hilali-Khan

And they swear by Allah that they are in truth of you, when they are not of you, but they are folk who are afraid
.
Had they but found a refuge, or caverns, or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither swift as runaways… And of them is he who defameth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold! they are enraged. (How much more seemly) had they been content with that which Allah and His messenger had given them and had said: Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also) His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants. And of them are those who vex the Prophet and say: He is only a hearer. Say: A hearer of good for you, who believeth in Allah and is true to the believers, and a mercy for such of you as believe. Those who vex the messenger of Allah, for them there is a painful doom. They swear by Allah to you (Muslims) to please you, but Allah, with His messenger, hath more right that they should please Him if they are believers. Know they not that whoso opposeth Allah and His messenger, his verily is fire of hell, to abide therein? That is the extreme abasement. The hypocrites fear lest a surah should be revealed concerning them, proclaiming what is in their hearts. Say: Scoff (your fill)! Lo! Allah is disclosing what ye fear. And if thou ask them (O Muhammad) they will say: We did but talk and jest. Say: Was it at Allah and His revelations and His messenger that ye did scoff? Make no excuse. Ye have disbelieved after your (confession of) belief. If We forgive a party of you, a party of you We shall punish because they have been guilty. The hypocrites, both men and women, proceed one from another. They enjoin the wrong, and they forbid the right, and they withhold their hands (from spending for the cause of Allah). They forget Allah, so He hath forgotten them. Lo! the hypocrites, they are the transgressors. Allah promiseth the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers fire of hell for their abode. It will suffice them. Allah curseth them, and theirs is lasting torment. S. 9:56-59, 61-68 Pickthall

O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers AND THE HYPOCRITES! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. They swear by Allah that they said nothing (wrong), yet they did say the word of disbelief, and did disbelieve after their Surrender (to Allah)
. And they purposed that which they could not attain, and they sought revenge only that Allah by His messenger should enrich them of His bounty. If they repent it will be better for them; and if they turn away, Allah will afflict them with a painful doom in the world and the Hereafter, and they have no protecting friend nor helper in the earth. And of them is he who made a covenant with Allah (saying): If He give us of His bounty we will give alms and become of the righteous. Yet when He gave them of His bounty, they hoarded it and turned away, averse; So He hath made the consequence (to be) hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied. Know they not that Allah knoweth both their secret and the thought that they confide, and that Allah is the Knower of Things Hidden? Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom. Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Go not forth in the heat! Say: The fire of hell is more intense of heat, if they but understood. Then let them laugh a little: they will weep much, as the reward of what they used to earn. If Allah bring thee back (from the campaign) unto a party of them and they ask of thee leave to go out (to fight), then say unto them: Ye shall never more go out with me nor fight with me against a foe. Ye were content with sitting still the first time. So sit still, with the useless. And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dieth, nor stand by his grave. Lo! they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and they died while they were evil-doers. Let not their wealth nor their children please thee! Allah purposeth only to punish them thereby in the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. And when a surah is revealed (which saith): Believe in Allah and strive along with His messenger, the men of wealth among them still ask leave of thee and say: Suffer us to be with those who sit (at home). They are content that they should be with the useless and their hearts are sealed, so that they apprehend not. And those among the wandering Arabs who had an excuse came in order that permission might be granted them. And those who lied to Allah and His messenger sat at home.A painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. The road (of blame) is only against those who ask for leave of thee (to stay at home) when they are rich. They are content to be with the useless. Allah hath sealed their hearts so that they know not. They will make excuse to you (Muslims) when ye return unto them. Say: Make no excuse, for we shall not believe you. Allah hath told us tidings of you. Allah and His messenger will see your conduct, and then ye will be brought back unto Him Who knoweth the Invisible as well as the Visible, and He will tell you what ye used to do. They will swear by Allah unto you, when ye return unto them, that ye may let them be. Let them be, for lo! they are unclean, and their abode is hell as the reward for what they used to earn. They swear unto you, that ye may accept them. Though ye accept them. Allah verily accepteth not wrongdoing folk. The wandering Arabs are more hard in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be ignorant of the limits which Allah hath revealed unto His messenger. And Allah is Knower, Wise. And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah (there are some who) persist in hypocrisy whom thou (O Muhammad) knowest not. We, We know them, and We shall chastise them twice; then they will be relegated to a painful doom. S. 9:73-101 Pickthall

And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah (there are some who) persist in hypocrisy whom thou (O Muhammad) knowest not. We, We know them, and We shall chastise them twice; then they will be relegated to a painful doom
. And as for those who chose a place of worship out of opposition and disbelief, and in order to cause dissent among the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His messenger aforetime, they will surely swear: We purposed naught save good. Allah beareth witness that they verily are liars. Never stand (to pray) there. A place of worship which was found upon duty (to Allah) from the first day is more worthy that thou shouldst stand (to pray) therein, wherein are men who love to purify themselves. Allah loveth the purifiers. Is he who founded his building upon duty to Allah and His good pleasure better; or he who founded his building on the brink of a crumbling, overhanging precipice so that it toppled with him into the fire of hell? Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. The building which they built will never cease to be a misgiving in their hearts unless their hearts be torn to pieces. Allah is Knower, Wise. S. 9:101-110 Pickthall

These passages are clear and unambiguous. The hypocrites are those who profess faith in Allah and Muhammad but whose actions testify that their belief is nothing more than lip service. It is these individuals that the Quran says will be punished in hell with no one to help them. The true Muslims, on the other hand, will never be tormented in hell.

In light of this, how could the hadiths say that Muhammad will deliver Muslims from hell when sincere Muslims will never suffer the pain and torment of hell-fire? Does this mean that Muhammad is actually delivering the hypocrites from the punishment of the fire even though the Quran says that such individuals will have absolutely no one to save or help them?

And if he is in fact saving the hypocrites then this contradicts the following Quranic passage which says that Muhammad’s prayer for them is of no use:

When the hypocrites come unto thee (O Muhammad), they say: We bear witness that thou art indeed Allah's messenger. And Allah knoweth that thou art indeed His messenger, and Allah beareth witness that the hypocrites indeed are speaking falsely. They make their faith a pretext so that they may turn (men) from the way of Allah. Verily evil is that which they are wont to do, That is because they believed, then disbelieved, therefore their hearts are sealed so that they understand not. And when thou seest them their figures please thee; and if they speak thou givest ear unto their speech. (They are) as though they were blocks of wood in striped cloaks. They deem every shout to be against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. Allah confound them! How they are perverted! And when it is said unto them: Come! The messenger of Allah will ask forgiveness for you! they avert their faces and thou seest them turning away, disdainful. Whether thou ask forgiveness for them or ask not forgiveness for them is all one for them; Allah will not forgive them. Lo! Allah guideth not the evil-living folk. They it is who say: Spend not on behalf of those (who dwell) with Allah's messenger that they may disperse (and go away from you); when Allah's are the treasures of the heavens and the earth; but the hypocrites comprehend not. They say: Surely, if we return to Al-Madinah the mightier will soon drive out the weaker; when might belongeth to Allah and to His messenger and to the believers; but the hypocrites know not. S. 63:1-8 Pickthall

The Quran further claims that Muhammad cannot save any individual from hell:

Is, then one against whom the Word of punishment justified (equal to the one who avoids evil). Will you (O Muhammad) rescue him who is in the Fire? S. 39:19 Hilali-Khan

How, then, can the so-called sound hadiths claim that Muhammad will save individuals from hell when Allah has destined them to suffer there?

To make matters worse, the Quran clearly says that a person can only merit good or evil for himself:

Say: 'Shall I seek after a Lord other than God, who is the Lord of all things?' Every soul earns only to its own account, no soul laden bears the load of another. Then to your Lord shall you return, and He will tell you of that whereon you were at variance. S. 6:164 Arberry

In light of this, how can Muhammad intercede for anyone at all when his actions can only benefit him and not another?

More importantly, since Muhammad is said to save Muslims by his intercession why then does Allah send Jews and Christians into hell in the place of Muslims? Why ransom Muslims from hell by sending Jews and Christians in their place if Muhammad’s intercession is sufficient to save his followers from punishment and judgement? Does this make any sense at all?

Finally, does Zawadi really want us to believe that this perversion and mass confusion make more sense and are a lot more just and merciful than the Christian view of salvation?

In conclusion here is a summary of all the massive problems with Islam’s perverted system of justice:

- Allah will punish Muslims in hell for their sins for a period of time.
- Allah will then ransom Muslims from hell by sending Jews and Christians there to suffer for the sins which these Muslims have committed.
- This is clearly a perversion of justice since Allah is not only punishing Muslims for their personal sins but he is also punishing Jews and Christians for transgressions which they have not committed.
- To make matters worse, the Jews and Christians will also be punished for their own evil deeds and disbelief!
- Thus, Allah is going to punish Muslims, Jews and Christians for the wicked acts that these Muslims have committed and then punish the Jews and Christians for their own transgressions!
- Punishing Jews and Christians for the crimes of others contradicts the Quran which says that no person will bear another’s burden or sins.
- Muslims entering hell to suffer for a period of time also contradicts the express teaching of the Quran along with certain hadiths that say that Allah will not allow any sincere Muslim to be harmed by the fires of hell.
- According to the Quran only the hypocrites or those who professed faith in Allah and Muhammad but did not truly obey their teachings will enter hell to suffer.
- This seems to suggest that the ahadith may actually be referring to these so-called Muslims, e.g. Allah will save these hypocritical Muslims from hell since true believers will not be allowed to enter there.
- However, this leads to more problems since the Quran clearly says that the hypocrites will remain in hell and have no helper to save or intercede for them.
- The Quran further says that Muhammad’s intercession for the hypocrites is of no use since Allah will not forgive them no matter how many times Muhammad prays for him.
- Moreover, according to the Muslim scripture a person’s deeds can only benefit the individual and not someone else.
- However, the ahadith claim that Muhammad will be able to save Muslims from hell by his intercession thereby contradicting the Islamic scripture.
- But this then leads to another contradiction. If Muhammad’s intercession can actually save anyone then why does Allah need to punish Jews and Christians in order to save Muslims from hell?

Hence, instead of clarifying the issues Zawadi’s reply actually created a bigger mess by giving us the opportunity to highlight some of the major problems and gross contradictions with his god’s perverted system of justice!

There are other problems that we could have mentioned but which will have to wait for the second part of our rebuttal.

Related Articles

http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/qi029.html
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/muslims_in_hell2.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/muslims_in_hell_ahadith.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/suffer_for_sin.html
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/consequences_of_sin.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/astray.html
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/karim_in_hell.htm

Source: http://answering-islam.org/authors/shamoun/rebuttals/zawadi/perverted_justice1.html

IHS

Muhammad and His Prophethood. Part II

Reexamining Some of the Reasons; Why He cannot be a true Prophet of God - Part 2‎

Sam Shamoun

We continue with our replies to Sami Zaatari’s attempt of addressing my reasons why Muhammad is a false prophet.

In this particular article we will be addressing Zaatari’s
reply to my first proposition which stated that Muhammad is a false prophet since he claimed to confirm the Holy Bible while contradicting its core doctrines.

Exposing Zaatari’s Logical Fallacies

Throughout his debates and articles Zaatari’s modus operandi in either attacking the Christian view or defending his Islamic position is to engage in reasoning that is utterly fallacious, such as begging the question.
His series of “rebuttals” are no different.

For instance, Zaatari quotes specific verses to show that the Quran confirms the previous Scriptures such as the Torah of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus, but then claims that these are not the same as the Scriptures which we currently possess. Zaatari goes on to say,

So therefore if Shamoun finds something from his Bible which seems to contradict Islam this is not an argument AGAINST the prophet Muhammad, because we are not going to be held ransom [sic] to a corrupt book, rather what we Muslims shall accept from the Bible are the parts which go hand in hand with the Quran…

Later on he writes,
 
‘Well Shamoun you have committed several errors, the Quran indeed does claim that Muhammad is consistent with the former prophets and their scriptures, yet these scriptures are not the Bible you currently hold.
Number two the Quran tells us your current Bible is corrupt, and it also tells us that what agrees with Islam in your Bible is true and what contradicts Islam is false. Hence when you show contradictions between the two books you only show the corrupted parts of your Bible.'

Apart from begging the question Zaatari’s assertion simply confirms my point. Even though Muhammad claimed to follow in the footsteps of the prophets and assumed that his message was consistent with the previous Scriptures the fact of the matter is that the prophetic writings actually expose and condemn him as a false prophet. This is why Zaatari and his ilk must deny that Muhammad confirmed the authority and veracity of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures and assert that the Bible we currently possess is not the inspired Book which the Quran confirms.

The problem with this “response” is that it flies in the face of the verses I had cited as well as contradicting the following Quranic passages which emphatically testify that Muhammad came to confirm the very Scriptures in the possession of the Jews and Christians of his day:

Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, 'We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered.'
S. 29:46

Here both Muhammad and his followers were commanded to believe in the revelation sent down to the Jews and Christians. Notice that this passage doesn’t qualify its meaning, e.g. Muslims were required to only affirm the original revelation given to the Jews and Christians but not the Scriptures which they possessed at Muhammad’s time since these writings were corrupted.

In this next reference mention is made of the Torah and the Gospel that were with the Jews and Christians:

They measured not Allah with His true measure when they said, 'Allah has not sent down aught on any mortal.' Say: 'Who sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and a guidance to men? You put it into parchments, revealing them, and hiding much; and you were taught that you knew not, you and your fathers.' Say: 'Allah.' Then leave them alone, playing their game of plunging. This is a Book We have sent down, blessed and confirming that which is between his/its hands (musaddiqu allathee bayna yadayhi), and for thee to warn the Mother of Cities and those about her; and those who believe in the world to come believe in it, and watch over their prayers. S. 6:91-92

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the Ummi whom they find written down in the Torah and the Gospel WHICH ARE WITH THEM
Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth... We broke them up into sections on this earth. There are among them some that are the righteous, and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with both prosperity and adversity: In order that they might turn (to Us). After them succeeded an (evil) generation: They inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world, saying (for excuse): "(Everything) will be forgiven us." (Even so), if similar vanities came their way, they would (again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them, that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? AND THEY STUDY WHAT IS IN THE BOOK. But best for the righteous is the Home in the Hereafter. Will ye not understand? As to those who hold fast by THE BOOK and establish regular prayer,- never shall We suffer the reward of the righteous to perish. S. 7:157, 159, 168-170

These references claim that the Jews and Christians of Muhammad’s time possessed the Torah and the Gospel, that the Jews would write down the Book of Moses on sheets, and that they held fast to and studied the Book. Yet not a single word is said about the texts of these Scriptures being corrupted!

Historically, the only revelation which the Jews and Christians had, the only Torah and Gospel that these communities possessed were the Old and New Testaments respectively. This means that according to these verses Muhammad confirmed the authority and authenticity of the Old and New Testaments!

To top it off, Muhammad ordered the Jews to judge by the Torah in their possession!

Yet how will they make thee their judge seeing THEY HAVE the Torah, wherein is God's judgment, then thereafter turn their backs? They are not believers. Surely we sent down the Torah, wherein is guidance and light; thereby the Prophets who had surrendered themselves gave judgment for those of Jewry, as did the masters and the rabbis, following such portion of God's Book as they were given to keep and were witnesses to. So fear not men, but fear you me; and sell not my signs for a little price. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down - they are the unbelievers. And therein we prescribed for them: 'A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation'; but whosoever forgoes it as a freewill offering, that shall be for him an expiation. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down -- they are the evildoers. S. 5:43-45

Muhammad warns the Jews that if they failed to judge in accord with the Torah then they are evildoers and unbelievers. He even quotes the Torah, specifically the following OT command:

“If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”
Exodus 21:22-25 – cf. Lev. 24:17-20; Deut. 19:15-21

Muhammad reasoned that if the Torah was good enough for the prophets then it should be good enough for the Jews of his time to rule by. This presupposes that these Jews possessed the very same Torah which the prophets confirmed and had access to!

Noted Muslim commentator Ibn Kathir mentions an interesting hadith in relation to Q. 5:41 which helps us to see more clearly Muhammad’s attitude towards the Torah:

“… Abu Dawud recorded that Ibn `Umar said, “Some Jews came to the Messenger of Allah and invited him to go to the Quff area.
So he went to the house of Al-Midras and they said, `O Abu Al-Qasim! A man from us committed adultery with a woman, so decide on their matter.’ They arranged a pillow for the Messenger of Allah and he sat on it and said…

<> He was brought the Tawrah and he removed the pillow from under him and placed the Tawrah on it, saying

<>He then said…

<> So he was brought a young man… and then he mentioned the rest of the story that Malik narrated from Nafi`… These Hadiths state that the Messenger of Allah issued a decision that conforms with the ruling in the Tawrah, not to honor the Jews in what they believe in, for the Jews were commanded to follow the Law of Muhammad only. Rather, the Prophet did this because Allah commanded him to do so. He asked them about the ruling of stoning in the Tawrah to make them admit to what the Tawrah contains and what they collaborated to hide, deny and exclude from implementing for all that time. They had to admit to what they did, although they did it while having knowledge of the correct ruling…” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 5:41; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Here was a golden opportunity for Muhammad to say that he didn’t believe that the Torah that he held was completely reliable. And yet instead of attacking the textual veracity of the Torah Muhammad claimed to fully trust it.

This wasn’t the only time that Muhammad appealed to and praised the Torah which the Jews possessed:

The apostle entered a Jewish school where there was a number of Jews and called them to God. Al-Nu'man b. 'Amr and al-Harith b. Zayd said to him: ‘What is your religion, Muhammad?’ ‘The religion of Abraham.’ ‘But Abraham was a Jew.’ ‘Then let the Torah judge between us.’ They refused, and so God sent down concerning them: ‘Hast thou not seen how those who have received a portion of scripture when invited to God's book that it may judge between them, a party of them turn their backs in opposition. That is because they say, The fire will not touch us except for a limited time. What they were inventing has deceived them in their religion.’ (The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth impression 1995], p. 260; bold emphasis ours)

And:

Rafi b. Haritha and Sallam b. Mishkam and Malik b. al-Sayf and Rafi b. Huraymila came to him [Muhammad] and said: ‘Do you not allege that you follow the religion of Abraham and believe in the Torah WHICH WE HAVE and testify that it is the truth from God?’ He replied,CERTAINLY, but you have sinned and broken the covenant CONTAINED THEREIN and concealed what you were ordered to make plain to men, and I dissociate myself from your sin.’ They said, ‘We hold by WHAT WE HAVE. We live according to the guidance and the truth and we do not believe in you and we will not follow you.’ So God sent down concerning them: ‘Say, O Scripture folk, you have no standing until you observe the Torah and the Gospel and what has been sent down from your Lord. What has been sent down to thee from they Lord will assuredly increase many of them in error and unbelief. But be not sad because of the unbelieving people.’ (Ibid., p. 268; bold and capital emphasis ours)

The Quran further says that Jesus was sent with the Gospel to confirm the Torah in his possession and that the Christians of Muhammad’s time still had access to this Gospel:

And we sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Torah that is between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrat) and We gave to him the Gospel, wherein IS guidance and light, and confirming the Torah  hat is between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrat), as a guidance and an admonition unto the godfearing. So let the People of the Gospel judge according to what God has sent down therein. Whosoever judges not according to what God has sent down -- they are the ungodly. S. 5:46-47


This passage introduces additional problems for Zaatari. First, the manuscript evidence such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint etc., points to the fact that the Torah that Jesus confirmed is essentially the same Old Testament which we currently possess. Thus, if what the Quran says concerning Jesus is correct then the Old Testament must be the original revelation which God gave to the prophets such as Moses.

Secondly, Q. 5:46-47 commands the Christians at the time of Muhammad to judge by the Gospel which was given to Jesus and if any failed to do so then they were the ungodly. This presupposes that the Christians still had access to and were actually reading the uncorrupt Gospel which God revealed to Christ. Otherwise, how could the Quran instruct Christians to judge by a Gospel which no longer existed?

In light of this one must inquire as to the Gospel which the Christians at that time were reading. The answer to this question is not hard to discover since long before Muhammad’s birth the Christian Church started referring to the four canonical Gospels as THE Gospel (singular). The Church didn’t view them as four separate Gospels but as four distinct witnesses to the one Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the late NT scholar F. F. Bruce explained:

At a very early date it appears that the four Gospels were united in one collection.
They must have been brought together very soon after the writing of the Gospel according to John. This fourfold collection was known originally as ‘The Gospel’ singular, not ‘The Gospels’ in the plural; there was only one Gospel, narrated in four records, distinguished as ‘according to Matthew’, ‘according to Mark’, and so on. About A.D. 115 Ignatius, bishop, of Antioch, refers to ‘The Gospel’ as an authoritative writing, and as he knew more than one of the four ‘Gospels’ it may well be that by ‘The Gospel’ sans phrase he means the fourfold collection which went by that name.” (Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? [Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove Il.; Sixth edition, 1981], Chapter 3. The Canon of the New Testament, p. 18; bold emphasis ours)

Bruce further wrote that:

“By the time of Irenaeus, who, though a native of Asia Minor, was bishop of Lyons in Gaul about AD 180, the idea of a fourfold Gospel had become so axiomatic in the Church at large that he can refer to it as an established and recognized fact as obvious as the four cardinal points or the four winds:
 
For as there are four quarters of the world in which we live, and four universal winds, and as the Church is dispersed over all the earth, and the gospel is the pillar and base of the Church and the breath of life, so it is natural that it should have four pillars, breathing immortality from every quarter and kindling the life of men anew. Whence it is manifest that the Word, the architect of all things, who sits upon the cherubim and holds all things together, having been made manifested to men, have given us the gospel in fourfold form, but held together by one Spirit.5

5. Adv. Haer. iii.11, 8 (Ibid., p. 19; bold emphasis ours)

In light of the preceding factors it is obvious that Muhammad’s Christian contemporaries would have assumed that the Quran must be referring to the canonical Gospels whenever it mentioned the Gospel of Jesus.
And since there is nothing in the Quran to suggest otherwise they would have been correct.

In fact, one of Islam’s earliest biographers identifies the Gospel of John as the written record of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

“Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary stated in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted FROM WHAT JOHN THE APOSTLE SET DOWN FOR THEM WHEN HE WROTE THE GOSPEL FOR THEM FROM THE TESTAMENT OF JESUS SON OF MARY: 'He that hateth me hateth the Lord. And if I had not done in their presence works which none other before me did, they had not sin: but from now they are puffed up with pride and think that they will overcome me and also the Lord. But the word that is in the law must be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a cause' (i.e. without reason). But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord's presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone forth from the Lord's presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken unto you about this that ye should not be in doubt. The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad; in Greek he is the paraclete.” (Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad, pp. 103-104; bold emphasis ours)

Hence, this provides further substantiation that the Gospel which the Quran mentions is that which the Christians have always possessed, namely the Gospels of the NT.

There is some additional evidence that the early Muslims used the word Gospel in respect to the entire NT writings in the same way that they employed the term Torah for all the Scriptures in the possession of the Jews:

There is some evidence that the term Gospel was also sometimes used in the early Islamic period to indicate the whole New Testament, in the same way that the name of the Torah was used not only for the Pentateuch, but for all the books of the Jewish scriptures… (Encyclopedia of the Qur’an, Volume 2. E-I, Gospel, p. 343)

The following Muslim writing provides further corroboration that the term Gospel was in fact used for the entire NT collection:

“Remarks about the GOSPEL of the Christians, the Names of Their Books, Their Scholars, and Their Authors
“I asked Yunus the priest, who was an excellent man, about the books translated into the Arabic language which they expound and according to which they act. He replied, "Among them is the book Al-Surah (The Form) which is divided into two parts, the ‘Old Form’ and the ‘New Form.’" He also said that the "Old [Form]" was the ancient basis for the Jewish sect and the "New [Form]" for the sect of the Christians. He also said that the "Old [Form]" depends upon a number of books, the first of which is the Torah, WHICH IS FIVE SACRED WRITINGS. [Then follows] a compilation comprising a number of books, among which are:

“Joshua, the Son of Nun; The Tribes, which is the book of Judges; Samuel and the Judgment of David; Traditions of the Children of Israel; Ecclesiastes [Qoheleth]; The Song of Songs; The Wisdom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach [Ecclesiasticus]. The Prophets, composed of four books; Isaiah the prophet, for whom be peace; Jeremiah the prophet, for whom be peace; The Twelve Prophets, for whom be peace; Ezekiel. The New Form which is comprised of four Gospels: The Gospel of Matthew; The Gospel of Mark; The Gospel of Luke; The Gospel of John, The Disciples, known as Fraksis [Acts]; PAUL THE APOSTLE, twenty four epistles. (Abu'l-Faraj Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Nadim, The Fihrist - A 10th Century AD Survey of Islamic Culture, edited and translated by Bayard Dodge [Great Books of the Islamic World, Inc., Columbia University Press, 1970], p. 45; bold and capital emphasis ours)

This particular citation demonstrates that Muhammad’s Christian contemporaries would have clearly understood from the Quran’s repeated appeal to the Gospel that Muhammad was referring to their NT writings, especially their canonical Gospels. There is simply no way around this fact.

And lest Zaatari misses the point or tries to distort it we will state this in another way so as to help him see more clearly the dilemma that Muhammad placed his followers in.

- Muhammad emphatically confirmed the veracity of the Scriptures in the possession of the Jews and Christians of his day.
- The manuscript tradition proves beyond any reasonable doubt that these writings would have been the same as what we find in the Old and New Testaments of today.
- Muhammad, therefore, confirmed the very Holy Bible which Jews and Christians currently possess.

In light of this does Zaatari really expect us to believe that Muhammad wasn’t referring to the Holy Bible? Does he somehow think that he knows more than his own prophet did when it comes to the Torah and Gospel that the Quran mentions? It seems so.

However, Zaatari does quote the following verses to “prove” that the Quran acknowledges that the Scriptures in our possession are not the original revelations: 2:79; 3:78; 4:46, 157; 5:13.

The problem with Zaatari’s list is that none of these verses suggest that the Judeo-Christian Scriptures have been corrupted. The most that these passages prove is that a specific group of Jews living in a certain area during a specific time had tampered with their Scriptures.

However, the same Quran testifies that there were other Jews, as well as Christians, who did not and would not allow their Scriptures to be falsified:

Yet they are not all alike; some of the People of the Book are a nation upstanding, that recite God's verses/signs in the watches of the night
, bowing themselves, believing in God and in the Last Day, bidding to honour and forbidding dishonour, vying one with the other in good works; those are of the righteous. S. 3:113-114

And some there are of the People of the Book who believe in God, and what has been sent down unto you, and what has been sent down unto them, men humble to God, not selling the verses/signs of God for a small price; those -- their wage is with their Lord; God is swift at the reckoning. S. 3:199

Moreover, one of the references accuses a party (not all) of believers of distorting the Book WITH THEIR TONGUES:

And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book WITH THEIR TONGUES (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: “This is from Allah,” but it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie against Allah while they know it. S. 3:78 Hilali-Khan

It is clear that this is referring to the misinterpretation of specific passages as opposed to the corruption of the text itself. This is similar to the hadiths that Zaatari cited to prove that Muhammad didn’t trust the Scriptures of the Jews:

The Apostle of Allah said: Whatever the people of the Book [Jews and Christians] tell you, do not verify them, nor falsify them, but say: We believe in Allah and His Apostle. If it is false, do not confirm it, and if it is right, do not falsify it. (Translation of Sunan Abu-Dawud, Knowledge (Kitab Al-Ilm), Book 25, Number
3637)

Narrated Abu Huraira: The people of the Book used to read the Torah IN HEBREW AND THEN EXPLAIN IT IN ARABIC to the Muslims. Allah's Apostle said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, ‘We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.’" (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Holding Fast to the Qur'an and Sunnah, Volume 9, Book 92, Number
460)

It is evident from the context that Muhammad wasn’t rejecting the Torah or questioning its authority. Muhammad was merely cautioning his followers from accepting the explanation or interpretation of the Jews since what they said in Arabic may not have accurately reflected what was actually written in the Hebrew text of the Torah.

More importantly, here is what Ibn Kathir wrote concerning Q. 3:78:

Mujahid, Ash-Sha'bi, Al-Hassan, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi' bin Anas said that …



means, “They alter (Allah's Words).”

Al-Bukhari reported that Ibn 'Abbas said that the Ayah means they alter and add although none among Allah's creation CAN REMOVE THE WORDS OF ALLAH FROM HIS BOOKS, THEY ALTER AND DISTORT THEIR APPARENT MEANINGS. Wahb bin Munabbih said, “The Tawrah and Injil REMAIN AS ALLAH REVEALED THEM, AND NO LETTER IN THEM WAS REMOVED. However, the people misguide others by addition and false interpretation, relying on books that they wrote themselves.” Then …



As for Allah's books, THEY ARE STILL PRESERVED AND CANNOT BE CHANGED.” … Ibn Abi Hatim recorded this statement ... (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 3:78; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Hence, both Ibn Abbas and Wahb bin Munabbih believed that none of the Books of God could be corrupted and that the Torah and the Gospel remain as God revealed them. What makes this rather ironic is that Zaatari quotes a hadith where Ibn Abbas supposedly calls into question the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians! (We say supposedly since a careful analysis of the narrative in light of some of the other reported statements of Ibn Abbas proves otherwise. For the details please read the following article.)


Nor was Ibn Kathir the only scholar who quoted this report from al-Bukhari. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, in his Ighathat Al Lahfan, Volume 2, p. 351, refers to this same tradition along with the narrative from Abu Dawud where Muhammad praised the Torah which the Jews possessed at that time:

On the other side, another party of hadith and fiqh scholars said: these changes took place during its interpretation and not during the process of its revelation. This is the view of Abi Abdullah Muhammad bin Ishmael Al-Bukhari who said in his hadith collection:

No one can corrupt the text by removing any of Allah’s words from his Books, but they corrupted it by misinterpreting it.”

Al-Razi also agrees with this opinion. In his commentary he said:

There is a difference of opinions regarding this matter among some of the respectable scholars. Some of these scholars said: the manuscript copies of the Torah were distributed everywhere and no one knows the exact number of these copies except Allah. It is impossible to have a conspiracy to change or alter the word of God in all of these copies without missing any copy. Such a conspiracy will not be logical or possible. And when Allah told his messenger (Muhammad) to ask the Jews to bring their Torah and read it concerning the stoning command they were not able to change this command from their copies, that is why they covered up the stoning verse while they were reading it to the prophet.
It was then when Abdullah Ibn Salam requested that they remove their hand so that the verse became clear. If they have changed or altered the Torah then this verse would have been one of the important verses to be altered by the Jews.

Also, whenever the prophet would ask them (the Jews) concerning the prophecies about him in the Torah they were not able to remove them either, and they would respond by stating that they are not about him and they are still waiting for the prophet in their Torah.

Abu Dawood narrated in his collection that Ibn Umar said:
A group of Jewish people invited the messenger of Allah to a house.
When he came, they asked him: O Abu Qassim, one of our men committed adultery with a woman, what is your judgment against him? So they placed a pillow and asked the messenger of Allah to set on it. Then the messenger of Allah proceeded to say: bring me the Torah. When they brought it, he removed the pillow from underneath him and placed the Torah on it and said: I BELIEVE IN YOU AND IN THE ONE WHO REVEALED YOU, then said: bring me one of you who have the most knowledge. So they brought him a young man who told him the story of the stoning.

The scholars said: if the Torah was corrupted he would not have placed it on the pillow and he would not have said: I believe in you and in the one who revealed you. This group of scholars also said: Allah said:

"And the word of your Lord has been accomplished truly and justly; there is none who can change His words, and He is the Hearing, the Knowing."

And the Torah is Allah’s word. (Bold and capital emphasis ours)

It is interesting that Muslim scholars cited Q. 6:115 to prove that the Torah could not be corrupted since this verse equally applies to all of the inspired Scriptures. Notice what it says:

And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice. None can change His Words. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

Here is how another renowned Muslim expositor interpreted this text:

The word of God meant in this verse is the Quran. This word is complete in truth and justice. Nothing can change Allah’s word which he revealed in his BOOKS. The liars cannot add or delete from Allah’s BOOKS. This is referring without a doubt to the Jews and Christians because they are the people of the books which were revealed to their prophets. Allah is revealing that the words they (the people of the book) are corrupting were not revealed by Allah, but Allah’s word cannot be changed or substituted. (Tafsir al-Tabari, Q. 6:115; bold and capital emphasis ours)

This isn’t the only place where the Quran says this:

Recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord; no man can change His words. Apart from Him, thou wilt find no refuge. S. 18:27

Thus, the logic of the Quran goes something like this:

- None can change the words of Allah.
- The Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel are the words of Allah.
- Therefore, no one is able to change the Torah, the Psalms or the Gospel.


How much more clearer must the Quran be that Muhammad did not think that the previous Scriptures were corrupted but that they had been preserved by God and were in the possession of the Jews and Christians of his time?

Finally, in his haste to prove that the Muslim scripture accuses the Jews and Christians of corrupting their Books Zaatari cited Q. 4:46 without realizing how this text actually backfires against him.

According to the immediate context this passage refers to a party of the Jews distorting the words of Muhammad!

Seest thou not those unto whom a portion of the Scripture hath been given, how they purchase error, and seek to make you (Muslims) err from the right way? Allah knoweth best (who are) your enemies. Allah is sufficient as a Guardian, and Allah is sufficient as a Supporter.Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: ‘We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not’ and ‘Listen to us!’ distorting with their tongues and slandering religion.
If they had said: ‘We hear and we obey: hear thou, and look at us’ it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save a few. S. 4:44-46

The late Abdullah Yusuf Ali helps us understand the historical context of this particular citation:

“… A trick of the Jews was to twist words and expressions, so as to ridicule the most solemn teachings of the Faith. Where they should have said, 'We hear and we obey,' they said aloud, ‘We hear,’ and whispered, ‘We disobey.’ Where they should have said respectfully, 'We hear,' they added in a whisper, ‘What is not heard,’ by way of ridicule. Where they claimed the attention of the Teacher, they used an ambiguous word apparently harmless, but their intention disrespectful.” (Ali, The Holy Qur'an, p. 194, fn. 565; bold emphasis ours)

And,

“… ‘Ra'ina' if used respectfully in the Arabic way, would have meant ‘Please attend to us.’ With the twist of their tongue, they suggested an insulting meaning, such as ‘O thou that takest us to pasture!', or in Hebrew, 'Our bad one!' (Ibid, fn. 566; bold emphasis ours)

In light of this Zaatari must apply his own method of exegesis consistently and conclude that the Jews corrupted the text of the Quran according to Q. 4:46 since they changed Muhammad’s words around. After all, it was Zaatari who quoted Q. 4:46 to prove that the Jews and Christians corrupted their inspired Books. He must therefore remain consistent and accept the fact that this verse actually establishes that the Jews corrupted the Muslim scripture as well!

Zaatari will obvious reject such an explanation and rightly conclude that this passage refers to the Jews distorting the words of Muhammad by their tongues, not that they actually changed the text of his scripture. By the same token why doesn’t Zaatari see that the Quran doesn’t accuse the Jews (or even the Christians for that matter) of changing the text of their Scriptures but of misinterpreting or concealing what their inspired writings teach? The answer is obvious.

What makes this all the more ironic is that the verse immediately right after Q. 4:46 actually testifies that Muhammad came to confirm the very Scriptures that the Jews possessed!

O ye unto whom the Scripture hath been given! Believe in what We have revealed confirming that WHICH YE POSSESS, before We destroy countenances so as to confound them, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers (of old time). The commandment of Allah is always executed. S. 4:47

Note that this verse does not say “confirming that which ye once possessed” in the past tense as if it is now lost, but “confirming that which ye possess” in the present tense.

Did Zaatari not bother reading this text which serves to refute his gross distortion of what his own scripture says regarding the authenticity and authority of the previously revealed Books? Apparently not!

To make matters worse Zaatari proceeds to quote Q. 5:48 and erroneously concludes that,

So the Quran allows us to establish what is false and true in the Bible, that which is in line with Islam we take as truth, and that which contradicts Islam is the corrupted part.

Once again Zaatari has to misread the text by ignoring the very context in which it is found. Here is the immediate context in order to help the reader see the point Muhammad was making:

Yet how will they make thee their judge seeing they have the Torah, wherein is God's judgment, then thereafter turn their backs? They are not believers. Surely We sent down the Torah, wherein IS GUIDANCE AND LIGHT; thereby the Prophets who had surrendered themselves gave judgment for those of Jewry, as did the masters and the rabbis, following such portion of God's Book as they were given to keep and were witnesses to. So fear not men, but fear you Me; and sell not My signs for a little price. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down - they are the unbelievers. And therein We prescribed for them: 'A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation'; but whosoever forgoes it as a freewill offering, that shall be for him an expiation. Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down -- they are the evildoers. And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus son of Mary, confirming the Torah that is between his hands (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrati) and We gave to him the Gospel, wherein is guidance and light, and confirming the Torah that is between his hands(wa-musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-tawrati), as a guidance and an admonition unto the godfearing. So let the People of the Gospel judge according to what God has sent down THEREIN. Whosoever judges not according to what God has sent down -- they are the ungodly. And we have revealed unto you the Book confirming the Book that is between his hands, and assuring it (musaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi mina al-kitabi wa-muhayminan alayhi). So judge between them according to what God has sent down, and do not follow their caprices, to forsake the truth that has come to thee.
To every one of you We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If God had willed, He would have made you one nation; but that He may try you in what has come to you. So be you forward in good works; unto God shall you return, all together; and He will tell you of that whereon you were at variance. S. 5:43-48

Compare this with how the following Muslim translates Q. 5:48:

To you We revealed the Book with the Truth, confirming previous Scripture AND WITNESSING TO THEIR VERACITY. So judge between them as God revealed and do not follow their whims, to turn you away from the truth revealed to you.
For every community We decreed a law and a way of life. Had God willed, He could have made you a single community – but in order to test you in what He revealed to you. So vie with one another in virtue. To God is your homecoming, all of you, and He will then acquaint you with that over which you differed. S. 5:48 (The Qur’an – A New Translation, by Tarif Khalidi [Viking Adult Publishers, October 16, 2008], p. 89; bold, capital and italic emphasis ours)

In context Muhammad had just finished explaining to the Jews and Christians that they must judge in accord with their Scriptures since they are fully reliable and authoritative, and further asserted that his very own book was “sent down” to testify to their veracity.

In light of this Muhammad’s point wasn’t that the previous Scriptures are corrupt, but that he was commanded to judge according to the dictates of the Quran. And in the Quran Muhammad was ordered to inform the Jews and Christians that they were expected, in fact required, to judge by the Torah and Gospel respectively.

In other words, the Quran told Muhammad not to judge the Jews and Christians according to his law or sharia but in respect to the commandments found in their own Scriptures.
Muslims, on the other hand, were to be judged according to the dictates of the Quran. That is all that the passage is saying.

Now why in the world would Allah command Jews and Christian to judge by Scriptures that had been changed and were therefore unreliable? Why not order them to abandon their corrupted Books and follow Muhammad’s laws? The answer is obvious to any honest seeker of truth. Muhammad did not think that the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians were unreliable. He actually believed that they were the true revelations that God had given them through his prophets and messengers.

This means that my first proposition has been fully established and my argument against Muhammad’s prophethood therefore remains uncontested. Muhammad confirmed that the Holy Bible which the Jews and Christians of his time possessed was the uncorrupt revelation which God sent down through his prophets and messengers. Muhammad believed that his scripture was in perfect agreement with those inspired Books. However, he was grossly mistaken since his teachings contradict(ed) the essential doctrines that were/are taught within the Holy Bible. As such Muhammad is one of those false prophets and antichrists that the Holy Bible warned against (cf. Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Matthew 7:15-20; 24:23-25; 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 13-15; 1 John 2:18, 22-23).

For more information on what the early Islamic sources actually teach concerning the preservation of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures and to read our rebuttals to Muslims who deny that their scripture affirms the authority of the Holy Bible please consult all of the materials which can be found here.

With that said we now come to the conclusion of this part of our rebuttal.
Lord willing, there will be more rebuttals to Zaatari’s “replies” which will appear shortly.

CHALLENGE TO ZAATARI

SINCE THE QURAN MENTIONS THAT BOTH JESUS AND MUHAMMAD CONFIRMED THE TORAH IN THEIR POSSESSIONS WE CHALLENGE YOU TO SHOW US WHAT THAT TORAH WAS. WE INVITE YOU TO PROVIDE SOME TEXTUAL, HISTORICAL, AND/OR ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA DEMONSTRATING THAT THE TORAH WHICH BOTH JESUS AND MUHAMMAD CONFIRMED WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE OT WRITINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY POSSESS.

SIMILARLY, SINCE THE QURAN ALSO CLAIMS THAT THE CHRISTIANS OF MUHAMMAD'S TIME HAD ACCESS TO AND WERE ACTUALLY READING FROM THE VERY GOSPEL WHICH GOD REVEALED TO CHRIST WE AGAIN CHALLENGE YOU TO SHOW US WHAT THAT GOSPEL WAS. WE INVITE YOU TO ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE SOME TEXTUAL, HISTORICAL, AND/OR ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA PROVING THAT THE GOSPEL WHICH THESE CHRISTIANS WERE READING WAS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE CANONICAL GOSPELS WHICH WE CURRENTLY POSSESS.

WE FURTHER REQUEST THAT YOU PROVIDE SOME EVIDENCE FOR THE REPEATED MUSLIM ASSERTION THAT MUHAMMAD DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE NT DOCUMENTS WHICH THE CHRISTIANS OF HIS DAY READ AS THE INSPIRED WRITTEN ACCOUNTS OF THE VERY GOSPEL WHICH JESUS REVEALED TO HIS FOLLOWERS. MAKE SURE TO ALSO PROVIDE SOME DATA TO ESTABLISH THAT THE NT WHICH THE CHRISTIANS OF MUHAMMAD'S TIME WERE READING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR POSSESSION TODAY.

Source: http://answering-islam.org/authors/shamoun/rebuttals/zaatari/mo-false2.html

IHS