Is Umar Among the Prophets?

How Muhammad’s Companion Helped to Shape the Quran

Muhammad likened Umar ibn al-Khattab to a prophet, to a person who speaks with inspiration:

Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “Amongst the people preceding you there used to be ‘Muhaddithun’ (i.e. persons who can guess things that come true later on, as if those persons have been inspired by a divine power), and if there are any such persons amongst my followers, it is ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 675 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=56&translator=1&start=0&number=675)

And:

‘Ali: So what is stopping you from asking ‘Umar to make du’a for you? Do you know, Ibn Qurt, that his du’a is never rejected and always reaches Allah and that Rasulullah said in his regard: “Were there to be another prophet after me it would have been ‘Umar.” Is he not that man whose decisions corresponded to that of the Quran until Rasulullah said, “Were punishment to fall from the sky to Earth, none would escape it except ‘Umar bin al-Khattab.”

Do you not know that Allah revealed clear verses about him? Is he not ascetic, pious and always engaged in worship? Does he not greatly resemble the prophet Nuh? Should he offer du’a on your behalf it would be answered. (Al-Imam al-Waqidi, The Islamic Conquest of Syria, A Translation of Futuhusham: The Inspiring History of the Sahabah’s Conquest of Syria, translated by Mawlana Sulayman al-Kindi [Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd., London 2005], Part 3: Al-Yarmuk, pp. 287-288; bold and italic emphasis ours)

This explains why we find so many of Umar’s suggestions and very own words become part and parcel of the Quran itself. In fact, Umar even inspired Allah to inspire Muhammad!

Narrated Anas:

Umar said, “I agreed with Allah in three things,” or said, “My Lord agreed with me in three things. I said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Would that you took the station of Abraham as a place of prayer.’ I also said, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Good and bad persons visit you! Would that you ordered the Mothers of the believers to cover themselves with veils.’ So the Divine Verses of Al-Hijab (i.e. veiling of the women) were revealed. I came to know that the Prophet had blamed some of his wives so I entered upon them and said, ‘You should either stop (troubling the Prophet) or else Allah will give His Apostle better wives than you.’ When I came to one of his wives, she said to me, ‘O ‘Umar! Does Allah’s Apostle haven’t[sic] what he could advise his wives with, that you try to advise them?’” Thereupon Allah revealed:–

“It may be, if he divorced you (all) his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you Muslims (who submit to Allah)…” (66.5) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 10 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=60&translator=1&start=0&number=10)

The following source lists all the verses that were influenced by Umar’s suggestions or incorporate his verbatim statements and expressions:

The agreements (of the views of) ‘Umar (with subsequent confirmatory revelations of Qur’an)

Some of them make them amount to more than twenty.

Ibn Mardawayh narrated that Mujahid said: ‘Umar used to hold a view and the Qur’an would be revealed with (confirmation of) it.

Ibn ‘Asakir narrated that ‘Ali said: In the Qur’an THERE ARE SOME OF THE VIEWS OF ‘UMAR.

He narrated from Ibn ‘Umar as a marfu’ [hadith]: When people said one thing and ‘Umar said another, the Qur’an would be revealed with the like of what ‘Umar said.

The two Shaykhs narrated that ‘Umar said: I agreed with my Lord in three things; I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, if only we were to take the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer,’ and there was revealed ‘… and take the Station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.’ (Qur’a 2:125). I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, both good and bad people come to visit your wives; if only you would order them to wear hijabs,’ and the ayah of the hijab was revealed. The wives of the Prophet, united in jealousy, and so I said, ‘Perhaps his Lord, if he divorces you, will give him in exchange wives better than you, …’ and it was revealed just like that (WITH EXACTLY THE SAME WORDS, see Qur’an 66:5).

Muslims narrated that ‘Umar said, ‘I agreed with my Lord in three things: in the hijab, in the prisoners at Badr, and in the Station of Ibrahim.’ In this hadith is a fourth instance.

In at-Tahdhib of an-Nawawi, ‘The Qur’an was revealed in agreement with him on the prisoners at Badr, on the hijab, on the Station of Ibrahim and on the prohibition of wine.’ He added a fifth instance and its hadith is in the Sunan and the Mustadrak of al-Hakim that he said, ‘O Allah, make clear to us about wine with an explanation which relieves us from all doubt.’ Then Allah revealed its prohibition.

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated in his tafsir that Anas said: ‘Umar said, ‘I was in agreement with my Lord in four things: this ayah was revealed, “And certainly We have created man from an extraction of clay,” (Qur’an 23:12) and when it was revealed I said, “So blessed be Allah the best of creators,” and then it was revealed, “So blessed be Allah the best of creators.”‘ (Qur’an 95:8). Here he mentioned a sixth instance. The hadith has another chain of transmission from Ibn ‘Abbas which I have narrated in at-Tafsir al-Musnad.

Then I saw in the book Fada’il al-Imamayn of Abu ‘Abdullah ash-Shaybani that he said, ”Umar agreed with his Lord in TWENTY-ONE SITUATIONS,’ and he mentioned these six (aforementioned). He augmented as a seventh the story of ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. He said, ‘When ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy died, the Messenger of Allah was invited to perform the funeral prayer over him so he stood up for that. I rose up until I stood up close to his chest and said, “Messenger of Allah, is it over the enemy of Allah, Ibn Ubayy, who said one day such-and-such?” Then, by Allah, it wasn’t very long until it was revealed, “And do not pray over one of them ever …” (Qur’an 9:84) to the conclusion of the ayah.’

8. ‘They ask you about wine …’ (Qur’an 2:219) to the end of the ayah.

9. ‘O you who believe, do not approach prayer …’ (Qur’an 4:43) to the end of the ayah. I say that the two of them, along with the ayah from Al-Ma’idah, are one instance, and the three are in the preceding hadith.

10. When the Messenger of Allah increased in seeking forgiveness for a people, ‘Umar said, ‘It is equal to them.’ Then Allah revealed, ‘It is equal to them whether you seek forgiveness for them …’ (Qur’an 63:2) to the end of the ayah. I say that this hadith has been narrated by at-Tabarani from Ibn ‘Abbas.

11. When he sought the advice of the Companions about the expedition to Badr, ‘Umar was in favour of the expedition and so it was revealed, ‘Just as your Lord brought you out of your house by the truth …’ (Qur’an 8:5) to the end of the ayah.

12. When he sought the advice of the Companions with respect to the story of the slander (of ‘A’isha) ‘Umar said, ‘Who married you to her, Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘Allah.’ He said, ‘Do you think that your Lord would conceal a defect of hers from you? Glory be to You, this is huge slander!‘ (Qur’an 24:16). Then the revelation came down just like that.

13. His story in the fast when he made love to his wife after waking from sleep (before the pre-dawn meal) – and that was forbidden in the beginning of Islam – and so it was revealed, ‘It is permitted to you on the night of the fast …’ (Qur’an 2:187) to the end of the ayah. I say that Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad.

14. His words, Exalted is He, ‘Whoever is an enemy to Jibril …’ (Qur’an 2:97) to the end of the ayah. I say that Ibn Jarir and others narrated it from many different narrators the best of which is from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Layla that: A Jew met ‘Umar and said, ‘Jibril, whom your companion mentions, is an enemy to us.’ So ‘Umar said, ‘Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Jibril, Mika’il, then truly Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.’ SO IT WAS REVEALED ON THE TONGUE OF ‘UMAR

15. His words, Exalted is He, ‘Then no! By your Lord, they do not believe …’ (Qur’an 4:65) to the end of the ayah. I say that its story has been narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Mardawayh from Abu’l-Aswad. He said: Two men brought a dispute to the Prophet and he gave judgment between them. The One who had judgment given against him said, ‘Let us go to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab,’ and so the two of them went to him. The man said. ‘The Messenger of Allah gave judgment in my favour against this man and he said, “Let us go to ‘Umar.” ‘Umar said, ‘Is it like that?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ So ‘Umar said, ‘Stay where you are until I come out to you.’ Then he came out to them wrapping his sword in his garment and struck the one who had said, ‘Let us go to ‘Umar,’ and killed him. The other returned and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, ‘Umar killed–by Allah!–my companion.’ So he said, ‘I wouldn’t have thought that ‘Umar would have ventured to kill a believer.’ Then Allah revealed, ‘Then no! By your Lord they do not believe …’ to the end of the ayah. He declared, there was to be no retaliation or compensation for the blood of the man and declared ‘Umar free from any wrong in his killing. There is another connected text that supports this story which I have related in at-Tafsir al-Musnad.

16. Seeking permission to enter. That was because his servant entered his room when he was sleeping and he said, ‘O Allah, forbid entrance.’ Then the ayah of seeking permission to enter was revealed.

17. His saying about the Jews, ‘They are confounded people.’

18. His words, exalted is He, ‘Many of the first ones and many of the latter ones.’ (Qur’an 56:39-40). I say that Ibn ‘Asakir narrated it in his Tarikh from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah and that it is in the Asbab an-Nuzul.

19. The lifting (abrogation) of the recitation of, ‘The older man and the older woman when they commit adultery …’ to the end of the ayah.

20. His words on the Day of Uhud when Abu Sufyan said, ‘Is so-and-so among the people?’ (‘Umar said) “We will not answer him,’ and the Prophet agreed with him. I say that Ahmad narrated its story in his Musnad.

He said: And one joins to this what ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id ad-Darimi narrated in his book ar-Radd ‘ala’l-Jahmiyyah by way of Ibn Shihab from Salim ibn ‘Abdullah that Ka’b al-Ahbar said, ‘Woe to the king of the earth from the King of heaven.’ Then ‘Umar said, ‘Except for whoever takes himself to account.’ Ka’b said, ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul it is in the Tawrah. You have carried it on (the words of the verse) consecutively.’ Then ‘Umar fell prostrate.

Then I have seen in al-Kamil of Ibn ‘Adi by the route of ‘Abdullah ibn Nafi’–and he is weak–from his father from ‘Umar that Bilal used to say, when he called the adhan, ‘I witness that there is no god but Allah. Come to prayer.’ Then ‘Umar said to him, ‘Say after it, “I witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”’ The Prophet said, ‘Say as ‘Umar said.’ (The History of the Khalifahs who took the right way: A Translation of the Chapters on al-Khulafa’ ar-Rashidun from Tarikh al-Khulafa’ of Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti, translated by Abdassamad Clarke [Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd., London, UK: 3^rd revised edition, 1995], pp. 123-127 http://ia600303.us.archive.org/0/items/TheHistoryOfTheKhalifahsWhoTookTheRightWayByJalaluddinAs-suyuti/TheHistoryOfTheKhalifahs.pdf; capital and underline emphasis ours)

Now this raises some uncomfortable questions for Muslims.

1. How can Umar’s suggestions and words be included within the Islamic scripture seeing that he wasn’t a messenger or prophet, and therefore wasn’t a recipient of divine revelation or inspiration?

2. Does this mean that the Quran is not 100% divine in origin since it actually contains the uninspired statements of a fallible human being? Which Muslim will accept that the Quran is not entirely composed of the eternal words of Allah?

3. This brings me to my next point. How can the words of an uninspired person be a part of the Quran when it is supposed to be the uncreated speech of Allah?

4. This either means that Umar was predestined to say all of the things found in the Quran, which implies that he must have been inspired to utter these words or make all of these suggestions. If so then this proves that Umar must have been a prophet/messenger, thereby contradicting Muhammad’s assertion that there are no more prophets/messengers after him.

5. Or we have to accept the fact that Allah incorporated the fallible comments and suggestions of someone who wasn’t a prophet or messenger since he foreknew that Umar was going to say all these things.

6. If so then this means that Allah’s uncreated speech not only incorporates the words of imperfect, uninspired human beings, but actually depends on them and is even shaped by these individuals.

7. This in turn means that Allah needed these beings to exist, and therefore had no choice but to create them, which means that he isn’t truly free to create whomever he wants. Allah had to create Umar, otherwise a portion of his speech would be falsified or never become a reality since Umar wouldn’t have been around to make those comments or suggestions contained within the Quran.

So much for the Quran being the uncreated, perfect revelation of an all-wise God who is free from all wants and needs.

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/is-umar-among-the-prophets/ 

IHS

Allah and Satan: Who Misleads Whom?

A Further Example of the Quran’s Incoherent Structure 

There is a specific passage in the Quran which at first glance seems to be a record of the statements made by Satan to Allah; at least this is how many of the Quranic translators have understood it. Yet upon closer inspection the words may not be Satan’s, but may just as well be Allah’s words directed at Satan.

Here is the citation in question:

They invoke in HIS stead only females; they pray to none else than Satan, a rebel Whom Allah cursed, and HE said (wa qala): Surely I will take of Thy bondmen an appointed portion, And surely I will lead them astray, and surely I will arouse desires in them, and surely I will command them and they will cut the cattle’ ears, and surely I will command them and they will change Allah’s creation. Whoso chooseth Satan for a patron (alsh-shaytana waliyyan) instead of Allah is verily a loser and his loss is manifest. He promiseth them and stirreth up desires in them, and Satan promiseth them only to beguile. S. 4:117-120

Calling this a rather baffling passage would be putting it mildly.

The structure of the sentence is such that one is hard pressed to tell whether the “HE said” (wa qala) refers to Allah, who has just been mentioned, and his subsequent response to Satan who led people to invoke others besides Allah, or whether Satan is meant by these words.

The author(s) of the Quran wrote this passage in such a way that one can make a case that it is actually Allah addressing Satan, telling the adversary that he will mislead his servants, stir up wicked desires in them, command them to change his creation, and that he will make promises to them much like Satan makes promises.

For instance, notice this part of the sentence once again:

Allah cursed him AND SAID (LaAAanahu Allahu WA qala), “I will take an appointed portion of your slaves.” S. 4:118

In this verse we have a conjunction which ties two verbs together. The structure of the Arabic shows that the words “AND SAID” refer to Allah since he is the one who also “cursed.” Therefore, seeing that the wa is used to connect the words which immediately precede it with what follows right afterwards it is difficult to argue that the first verb in the statement, “Allah cursed him AND said,” refers to Allah whereas the second verb refers to Satan.

Hence, it is quite awkward and difficult to maintain that there are two persons in view when the grammar clearly ascribes the action of both verbs to one and the same entity that has already been mentioned, namely Allah.

If, however, some other word(s) was/were used besides the wa qala then it would be possible to say that Satan may be speaking. For example, the author(s) could have written the passage in the following manner if s/he/they wanted to clearly express the fact that the words that immediately follow after “and said” (wa qala) were spoken by Satan instead of Allah:

“Allah cursed him since he said. . .”

LaAAanahu Allahu Iz qala

S/he/they could have also written it this way,

 “Allah cursed him because he said. . .”

LaAAanahu Allahu Li annahu qala

But sadly for the Muslims, this is not what the author(s) wrote.

There is additional evidence from the context that Allah is actually speaking to Satan, and not the other way around:

“And most certainly I will lead them astray and excite in them vain desires, and bid them so that they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter Allah’s creation; and whoever takes the Shaitan for a guardian rather than Allah he indeed shall suffer a manifest loss. He gives them promises and excites vain desires in them; and the Shaitan does not promise them but to deceive.” S. 4:119-120 Hilali-Khan

Notice the words in bold carefully. Are we to actually believe that Satan is supposed to be speaking here and is actually referring to himself in the third person much like Allah does? And doesn’t v. 120 make the case that Allah is the one talking all throughout the context since it is clearly Allah who is warning the people that Satan’s promises are false? Does it make any sense to assume that it is actually Satan who is telling people that his promises are lies?

There is also the problem of Satan already knowing in advance that Allah has appointed a portion of mankind to him:

Allah has cursed him; and he said: Most certainly I will take of Thy servants an appointed portion: S. 4:118 Shakir

How did Satan know that Allah has allotted a certain number of human beings to him when Allah never told him anything about this? Does this mean that Satan is also omniscient?

For these reasons it seems that it is Allah, rather than Satan, that is speaking throughout the entire context of Q. 4:117-120.

A Muslim may wish to argue that Satan must be speaking here on the grounds that Allah doesn’t mislead or arouse sinful desires in people, or that Allah doesn’t deceive anyone.

The problem with this assertion is that, according to the Quran, Allah does in fact mislead and cause people to act wickedly:

What aileth you that ye are become two parties regarding the hypocrites, when Allah cast them back (to disbelief) because of what they earned? Seek ye to guide him whom Allah hath sent astray? He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him thou (O Muhammad) canst not find a road. S. 4:88

Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides God, lest they out of spite revile God in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did. S. 6:108 Y. Ali

And We never sent a messenger save with the language of his folk, that he might make (the message) clear for them. Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise. S. 14:4

And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation. S. 17:16

Lo! as for those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have made their works fairseeming unto them so that they are all astray. S. 27:4

The Quran further says that Allah also deceives people:

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. S. 4:142 Hilali-Khan

It even asserts that Allah actually breathes wickedness into the soul of a person:

By a Soul and Him who balanced it, And BREATHED INTO IT ITS WICKEDNESS and its piety, S. 91:7-8 Rodwell

Here is how Muhammad explained the above verses according to the hadith:

Abu al-Aswad reported that ‘Imran b Husain asked him: What is your view, what the people do today in the world, and strive for, is it something decreed for them or preordained for them or will their fate in the Hereafter be determined by the fact that their Prophets brought them teaching which they did not act upon? I said: Of course, it is something which is predetermined for them and preordained for them. He (further) said: Then, would it not be an injustice (to punish them)? I felt greatly disturbed because of that, and said: Everything is created by Allah and lies in His Power. He would not be questioned as to what He does, but they would be questioned; thereupon he said to me: May Allah have mercy upon you, I did not mean to ask you but for testing your intelligence. Two men of the tribe of Muzaina came to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Allah’s Messenger, what is your opinion that the people do in the world and strive for, is something decreed for them; something preordained for them and will their fate in the Hereafter be determined by the fact that their Prophets brought them teachings which they did not act upon, and thus they became deserving of punishment? Thereupon, he said: Of course, it happens as it is decreed by destiny and preordained for them, and this view is confirmed by this verse of the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious: “Consider the soul and Him Who made it perfect, THEN BREATHED INTO ITS SIN and its piety” (xci. 8). (Sahih Muslim, Book 033, Number 6406)

The following narratives provide further substantiation that Allah is personally responsible for causing people to have evil desires and for carrying out their wicked intentions:

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:
I did not see anything so resembling minor sins as what Abu Huraira said from the Prophet, who said, “Allah has written for the son of Adam his inevitable share of adultery whether he is aware of it or not: The adultery of the eye is the looking (at something which is sinful to look at), and the adultery of the tongue is to utter (what it is unlawful to utter), and the innerself wishes and longs for (adultery) and the private parts turn that into reality or refrain from submitting to the temptation.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 77, Number 609)

Verily Allah has fixed the very portion of adultery which a man will indulge in, and which he OF NECESSITY MUST COMMIT (or there would be no escape from it). (Sahih Muslim, Book 033, Number 6421; see also Number 6422)

The Muslim may further reason that the citation cannot be quoting Allah since it mentions him in the third person and speaks of “Thy bondmen”, an obvious reference to the slaves of Allah.

Neither one of these points proves helpful in establishing the Muslim case since the Quran often has Allah speaking in the third person:

And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers. (And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein ye used to differ. S. 3:54-55

And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knewest it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower of Things Hidden? S. 5:116

Moreover, the Quran implies that Satan also has servants since it refers to his hosts, his followers, his friends etc.

Those who believe do battle for the cause of Allah; and those who disbelieve do battle for the cause of idols. So fight the minions of the devil (awliyaa alsh-shaytani). Lo! the devil’s strategy is ever weak. S. 4:76 – cf. 18:50

He said: Go forth from hence, degraded, banished. As for such of them as follow thee, surely I will fill hell with all of you. S. 7:18 – cf. 17:63; 38:85

And the hosts of Iblis, together. S. 26:95

The devil hath engrossed them and so hath caused them to forget remembrance of Allah. They are the devil’s party. Lo! is it not the devil’s party who will be the losers? S. 58:19 – cf. 35:6

What the above examples demonstrate is that there is absolutely nothing within the context of Q. 4:117-120 which rules out the fact that Allah is the one that is actually speaking at this point. (We obviously don’t believe that Muhammad’s Allah is god or that the Quran is God’s word. We are simply assuming this for argument’s sake). In fact, all of the grammatical and contextual evidence strongly supports that it is indeed Allah who is talking all throughout the passage rather than Satan.

At the very least, one must accept that Q. 4:117-120 is ambiguous since the text could refer back to either Allah or Satan. The Quran doesn’t help clarify this issue since it portrays Allah as having various characteristics in common with Satan, making it possible that it is Allah talking in this specific passage.

This leaves the Muslims in one of two predicaments:

· A Muslim must believe and accept that Allah is a deceiver, a liar, who produces evil in the hearts of people and causes them to sin.

· Or a Muslim must admit that the Quran is far from being eloquent and a literary masterpiece since the author(s) of the Quran failed to communicate his/her/their point clearly and eloquently. S/he/they wanted to say one thing but ended up saying something completely different since the author(s) intended to quote Satan at this point but ended up placing these words into the mouth of Allah, and in so doing s/he/they made Allah look and sound like Satan!

Unless noted otherwise all quotations taken from the M. M. Pickthall version of the Quran.

Further Reading

Allah as a Deceiver http://answeringislam.net/Shamoun/allah_deceiver.htm

Does Allah or Satan Entice People to Sin? http://answeringislam.net/Quran/Contra/alluring_to_sin.html

Does Allah Command Evil and Abomination or Doesn’t He? http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/command_evil.htm

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mutee’a Al Fadi (http://answeringislam.net/authors/alfadi.htm) for his valuable insights and suggestions which were extremely helpful in making our argument much more forceful than what it initially was.

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/allah-and-satan-who-misleads-whom/ 

IHS