A Sinner Still - By Sam Shamoun

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A Sinner Still

Responding to a Muslim¶s Examination of Muhammad¶s Sins In Light of the Teachings

of the Quran and Hadiths

Sam Shamoun

Muslim missionary Omar Alhabeshi has written a critique (*) of James Arlandson¶s excellent

contrast between Jesus¶ sinlessness and Muhammad¶s sinfulness (*). (It can be accuratelystated that Alhabeshi is a missionary, since he works for and wants Islam to spread around

the globe.)

He breaks his response into two sections; the first where he seeks to disprove that

Muhammad committed any major sins with the second being his attempt of disproving Jesus¶

complete sinlessness.

Alhabeshi begins his first section by responding to Arlandson¶s detailed analysis of the

lexical meaning of dhanb. Alhabeshi suggests that this word doesn¶t necessarily prove that

Muhammad committed any major crime or sin, but a few minor faults (in other words, some

simple mistakes). He accuses Arlandson of trying to prove that Muhammad¶s sins "can never be different from the major sins committed by different unbelievers stated in the holy quran",

even though he has to admit that:

Then in the quran the word µdh-n-b¶ is MOSTLY USED FOR GREAT SINS don¶tnecessarily mean that it must be referring to a great sin in Mohammed¶s (Peace and blessing

be upon him) case too. (capital emphasis ours)

A Defective Islamic source

Yet instead of providing any data from the Quran to prove his case Alhabeshi chooses to turnto the hadith literature. Of all the hadiths Alhabeshi could have cited he chose to focus on the

narration where Abu Sufyan supposedly met with the emperor of the Byzantine Empire,

Heraclius, to discuss Muhammad. There are many problems with this narration whichdemonstrate that it is nothing more than a fabrication, a lie concocted by Muslims in order to

elevate Muhammad.

One such problem that calls into question the veracity of this report is the timing of themeeting. According to the story Abu Sufyan met Heraclius in Jerusalem when the former was

still a pagan. Moreover, the narration refers to a letter which Muhammad had sent to theEmperor:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:

Abu Sufyan bin Harb informed me that Heraclius had sent a messenger to him while he had

been accompanying a caravan from Quraish. They were merchants doing business in Sham

(Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan), at the time when Allah's Apostle had truce with AbuSufyan and Quraish infidels. So Abu Sufyan and his companions went to Heraclius at Ilya

(Jerusalem). Heraclius called them in the court and he had all the senior Roman dignitariesaround him. He called for his translator who, translating Heraclius's question said to them,

"Who amongst you is closely related to that man who claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan



replied, "I am the nearest relative to him (amongst the group)." « Heraclius then asked for

the letter addressed by Allah's Apostle which was delivered by Dihya to the Governor of

Busra, who forwarded it to Heraclius to read. The contents of the letter were as follows:"In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad the slave

of Allah and His Apostle to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantine. Peace be upon him, who

follows the right path. Furthermore I invite you to Islam, and if you become a Muslim you

will be safe, and Allah will double your reward, and if you reject this invitation of Islam youwill be committing a sin by misguiding your Arisiyin (peasants). (And I recite to you Allah's

Statement:)

'O people of the scripture! Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but

Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take

others as Lords beside Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims

(those who have surrendered to Allah).' (3:64).

Abu Sufyan then added, "When Heraclius had finished his speech and had read the letter,

there was a great hue and cry in the Royal Court. So we were turned out of the court. I told

my companions that the question of Ibn-Abi-Kabsha) (the Prophet Muhammad) has become

so prominent that even the King of Bani Al-Asfar (Byzantine) is afraid of him. Then Istarted to become sure that he (the Prophet) would be the conqueror in the near future

TILL I EMBRACED ISLAM (i.e. Allah guided me to it)." (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1,Book 1, Number 6)

Muslim sources date the sending of this letter at 628 AD:

In this year the Messenger of God sent out messengers. He sent out six persons in the month

of Dhu al-Hijjah, three of them setting out together: Hatib b. Abi Baltaµah of Lakhm, a

confederate of the Banu Asad b. µAbd al-µUzza, to al-Muqawqis; Shuja b. Wahb of the Banu

Asad b. Khuzayma, a confederate of Harb b. Umayyah and veteran of Badr, to al-Harith b.

Abi Shimr al-Ghassani;and Dihyah b. Khalifah al-Kalbi to Caesar

« (T he History of Al-T abari: T he Victory of Islam, translated by Michael Fishbein [State University of New York

Press (SUNY), Albany, 1997], Volume VIII, p. 100; bold and underline emphasis ours)

There is a note that approximates the date when Muhammad sent these men out:

421. Dhu al-Hijjah of A.H. 6 began on 12 April 628. (Ibid; underline emphasis ours)

The problem should be obvious to any student of Byzantine and Islamic history. Heraclius

only arrived to Jerusalem on March 20 or 21, 630 AD after having defeated the Persians. The

Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 5, says:

In 614 the Persians conquered Syria and Palestine, taking Jerusalem and what was believed to be Christ¶s Cross, and in 619 occupied Egypt and Libya«

In 622, clad as a penitent and bearing a sacred image of the Virgin, he left Constantinople, as

prayers rose from its many sanctuaries for victory over the Persian Zoroastrians, the recovery

of the Cross, and the reconquest of Jerusalem«

The next two years he devoted to campaigns in Armenia, the manpower of which was vital to

the empire, and to a devastating invasion of Persia. In 625 Heraclius retired to Anatolia. He



had encamped on the west bank of the Sarus River when the Persian forces appeared on theopposite bank. Many of his men rushed impetuously across the bridge and were ambushed

and annihilated by the enemy.

Emerging from his tent, Heraclius saw the triumphant Persians crossing the bridge. The fate

of the Empire hung in the balance. Seizing his sword, he ran to the bridge and struck down

the Persian leader. His soldiers closed rank behind him and beat back the foe.

In 626 the Persians advanced to the Bosporus, hoping to join the Avars in an assault on the

land walls of Constantinople. But the Romans sank the primitive Avar fleet that was to

transport Persian units across Bosporus and repelled the unsupported Avar assault. Heraclius

again invaded Persia and in December 627, after a march across the Armenian highlands into

the Tigris plain, met the Persians near the ruins of Nineveh. There, astride his renowned war-

horse, he killed three Persian generals in single combat, charged into enemy ranks at the head

of his troops, killed the Persian commander, and scattered the Persian host.

A month later, Heraclius entered Dastagird with its stupendous treasure. Khosrow was

overthrown by his son, with whom Heraclius made peace, demanding only the return of the

Cross, the captives, and conquered Roman territory. Returning to Constantinople in triumph,he was hailed as a Moses, an Alexander, a Scipio. IN 630 HE PERSONALLY RESTORED

THE CROSS TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE IN JERUSALEM.

(Bold and capital emphasis mine)

Michael Fishbein, one of the translators of T he History of Al-T abari series, writes in a

footnote:

436. "In 627 Heraclius invaded the Persian empire, and in December of that year won an

important victory near ancient Ninevah, but had to retreat shortly afterwards. In February

628, however, the Persian emperor was assassinated, and the son who succeeded him desired

peace. By about March 628 Heraclius could regard himself as victorious, but the negotiations

for the evacuation of the Byzantine empire by the Persians were not completed until June

629. In September 629 Heraclius entered Constantinople as victor, and in March 630

restored the Holy Rood to Jerusalem." (Watt, M uhammad at M edina, 113-114). See also

Ostrgorsky, History of the Byzantine S tate, 103-4. (T he History of Al-T abari: T he Victory of Islam, Volume VIII, pp. 100-101, fn. 436; bold and capital emphasis ours)

The year of Abu Sufyan¶s conversion

Before this time Abu Sufyan had already converted to Islam since he became Muslim right

when Muhammad conquered Mecca, which scholars say took place on January 630:

According to Ibn Humayd ± Salamah ± Muhammad b. Ishaq ± Muhammad b. Muslim b. al-Zuhri ± µUbaydallah b. µAbdallah b. µUtbah b. Mas¶ud ± Ibn µAbbas, who said: Then the

Messenger of God went on his journey and left Abu Ruhm Kulthum b. Husayn b. Khalaf al-

Ghifari in charge of Medina. He departed on the tenth day of the month of Ramadan «

[Continuing, al-µAbbas related:] So I set out. By God, while I was going through al-Arak

seeking what I had come out to find, I heard the voices of Abu Sufyan b. Harb, Hakim b.

Hizam, and Budayl b. Warqa, who had come out in search of information about the

Messenger of God« Finally, I passed the fire of µUmar b. al-Khattab, who said: "Abu

Sufyan! Praise be to God, who has delivered you up without treaty or covenant!" He ran



toward the Prophet, and I urged the mule, Abu Sufyan riding behind me, until I jumped off atthe door of the tent, having outdistanced µUmar by as much as a slow mount can outdistance

a slow man. µUmar went before the Messenger of God and said: "Messenger of God, here is

Abu Sufyan, the enemy of God. God has delivered him up without treaty or covenant.

Let me cut off his head!" « So µUmar took Abu Sufyan back to his dwelling. In the

morning he brought him to the Messenger of God, who, when he saw him, said, "Alas, Abu

Sufyan, hasn¶t the time come for you to know that there is no god but God?" Abu Sufyansaid: "May my father and mother be your ransom! How concerned you are for your kin, how

forbearing, and how generous! By God, I think that if there were another god along with God,

he would have availed me somewhat." "Alas, Abu Sufyan," he said, "hasn¶t the time come for

you to know that I am the Messenger of God?" Abu Sufyan said: "May my father and mother

be your ransom! How concerned you are for your kin, how forbearing, and how generous! As

for this matter, there is something of it in my mind."

(Al-µAbbas continued his narrative, saying:) So I said to him: "Woe to you! Recite the

testimony of truth before, by God, your head is cut off!" And he recited the shahadah. (T he

History of Al-T abari, pp. 168, 171-173; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Al-Tabari placed Muhammad¶s departure to Mecca on the tenth of Ramadan in the year 8AH, which corresponds to January 1, 630 according to the translator:

698. 10 Ramadan of A.H. fell on 1 January 630. (Ibid, p. 168)

This is enough to call into question the accuracy and authenticity of this report, yet for a

detailed analysis of the various errors and mistakes of this hadith we highly recommend the

following discussions:

http://answering-islam.org/Muhammad/heraclius.html

http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/false_prophecies.htm

http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22220

Did Heraclius say Muhammad never lied?

Missionary Alhabeshi¶s main point for quoting this narration is to prove that Muhammad was

never accused of lying or breaking his promises since he says:

In this hadith it can easily be noted that no one had accused the prophet of lying or breaking a

promise. How can a man who was NEVER accused of lying and was nick named by Al¶amin

(the trustworthy) be accused of committing major sins? «

It is obvious that Alhabeshi hasn¶t read his own source carefully since the report doesn¶t say

that Muhammad NEVER lied or broke his promise:

Heraclius said, 'Have you ever accused him of telling lies BEFORE HIS CLAIM (to be a

Prophet)?'

I replied, 'No.'

Heraclius said, 'Does he break his promises?'

I replied, 'No. We are at truce with him BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HE WILL DO

IN IT.' I could not find opportunity to say anything against him except that« I further asked

whether he was ever accused of telling lies BEFORE HE SAID WHAT HE SAID, and



your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie aboutothers could ever tell a lie about Allah. (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 1, Number 6)

Heraclius was asking about Muhammad¶s life before his alleged prophetic career and Abu

Sufyan responded that from his recollection Muhammad was never accused of lying before

that time. He did not say that Muhammad NEVER LIED, but that he hadn't been accused of

lying BEFORE HE CLAIMED PROPHETHOOD. And when asked about the presentsituation, whether Muhammad had broken any promises to date, Abu Sufyan shows

uncertainty regarding his veracity since he wasn¶t sure whether the latter would remain

faithful to their truce. Please keep in mind Abu Sufyan¶s hesitance whether Muhammad

would prove faithful to the treaty since we will have something to say about that shortly.

Arlandson¶s evidence

Alhabeshi then says:

The missionary failed to address his readers a single major sin committed by Mohammed

(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him). Amazing! «

This is actually a distortion of the facts as anyone who has read Arlandson¶s excellent

materials can testify. Arlandson has documented from official Muslim sources some of

Muhammad¶s many heinous crimes and gross sins, the documentation to which can be read

here.

Here are some specific articles of his:

y This one says that Muhammad used sinful means to get rich and accumulate manywives and material possessions, even though Allah says in Sura 3:14 not to do this.

y This one says that he tortured people who resisted him or who spread corruption in

the land. It is one thing to execute a first-degree murderer, but mutilating him? Onehadith says that Allah rebuked his prophet for going too far, in mutilating living

persons.

y This one says that Muhammad hit his girl-bride in the chest, which caused her pain.

y This one says that Muhammad allowed sex with slave-girls and himself engaged in

this human rights violations.

y This one says that fruit trees may be destroyed in time of war. The article also reveals

that it is permitted in Islam to kill pagan women and children in a war at night.

Anyone whose mind has not been fogged by the groundless presupposition that Muhammad

committed no major sin will conclude that the atrocities described in each article are wrong

or unjust or sinful. What about missionary Muslims like Alhabeshi? It appears that his mind

is already convinced and locked up tight, so these atrocities are not really sins. Why not?Because Muhammad was sinless! And the circular reasoning keeps going round and round.

Evidence of major sins of Muhammad

Since Alhabeshi asked for specific and more elaborate documentation we will provide some

for him. He mentioned that Muhammad never lied or broke his promise, which in his opinion

constitute major sins. Here are a few narrations where Muhammad broke his promises, lied or

condoned the use of lying to kill those who opposed him.



(1) Treaty of Hudaibiyah

When a contingent of pagans prevented Muhammad from entering Mecca to perform thelesser pilgrimage (µU mra), he signed a treaty with them which contained the following

stipulations:

... So the Messenger of God said, "Write: This is that whereon Muhammad b. µAbdallah hasmade peace with Suhayl b. µAmr. The two have agreed on these terms: that warfare shall be

laid aside by the people for ten years, during which the people shall be safe and refrain from

[attacking] each other; that, WHOEVER shall come to the Messenger of God from Quraysh

WITHOUT THE PERMISSION of his guardian, [Muhammad] shall return him to them; that

WHOEVER shall come to Quraysh from those who are with the Messenger of God, they

shall not return him to [Muhammad] «" (T he History of Al-T abari: T he Victory of Islam,

Volume VIII, p. 86; capital emphasis ours)

This became known as the treaty of al-Hudaibiya, the very truce which Abu Sufyan madereference to in his supposed conversation with Heraclius. Note carefully that the wording of

the pact states that any person who defected to the Muslim camp from the Meccan side had to

be returned to the Meccans. Muhammad agreed to this stipulation since he signed it.

The problem is that Muhammad did not stick to his agreement as even Muslim sources admit.

Al-Tabari mentions a woman who defected to the Muslim camp whose brothers came to take

her back. Muhammad refused to return her to them in clear violation of the peace treaty:

Ibn Ishaq added in his account: Umm Kulthum bt. µUqbah b. Abi Muµayt emigrated to the

Messenger of God during that period. Her brothers, µUmarah and al-Walid b. µUqbah, went to

the Messenger of God to ask him to return her to them ACCORDING TO THE TREATY

BETWEEN HIM AND QURAYSH AT AL-HUDAYBIYAH, BUT HE DID NOT DO SO:

GOD HAD REJECTED IT. (Ibid., p. 92; capital emphasis ours)

Ibn Kathir provides further corroboration:

After Al-Hudaybiyyah, Emigrant Muslim Women may not be returned to the

Disbelievers

In S urat Al-Fath, we related the story of the treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah that was conducted

between the Messenger of Allah and the disbelievers of Quraysh. In that treaty, there were

these words, "Everyman (in another narration, EVERY PERSON) who reverts from our side

to your side, should be returned to us, even if he is a follower of your religion." This was said

by Ùrwah, Ad-Dahhak, Àbdur-Rahman bin Zayd, Az-Zuhri, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-

Suddi.

So according to this narration, this Ayah specifies and explains the S unnah. And this is the

best case of understanding. Yet according to another view of some of the Salaf, it abrogates

it.

Allah the Exalted and Most High ordered His faithful servants to test the faith of women who

emigrate to them. When they are sure that they are faithful, they should not send them back to

the disbelievers, for the disbelievers are not allowed for them and they are not allowed for the

disbelievers. In the biography of Àbdullah bin Abi Ahmad bin Jahsh in Al- M usnad Al-Kabir ,



we also mentioned that Àbdullah bin Abi Ahmad said, "Umm Kulthum bint Ùqbah bin AbiMuàyt emigrated and her brothers, Ùmarah and Al-Walid, went after her. They came to

Allah's Messenger and talked to him about Umm Kulthum and asked that she be returned tothem. ALLAH ABOLISHED THE PART OF THE TREATY BETWEEN THE PROPHET

AND THE IDOLATORS ABOUT THE WOMEN PARTICULARLY. So He forbade

returning Muslim women to the idolators and revealed the Ayah about testing them" «

<Likewise do not keep disbelieving women,>

Then Ùmar bin Al-Khattab divorced two of his wives, who were idolatresses, and one of

them got married to Muàwiyah bin Abi Sufyan, while the other got married to Safwan bin

Umayyah.

Ibn Thawr narrated that Ma`mar said that Az-Zuhri said, "This Ayah was revealed to Allah'sMessenger while he was in the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, after making peace. He agreed that

WHOEVER COMES from the Quraysh to his side, WILL BE RETURNED TO MAKKAH.When some women came, this Ayah was revealed. Allah commanded that the dowery that

was paid to these women be returned to their husbands. Allah also ordered that if some

Muslim women revert to the side of the idolators, the idolators should return their dowery totheir Muslim husbands ... (T afsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Volume 9 ( S urat Al-Jathiyah to the

end of S urat Al- M unafiqun), pp. 599-600, 602; capital and underline emphasis ours)

We see that Abu Sufyan had good reasons for suspecting whether Muhammad would prove

faithful to the covenant!

For more on the treaty of Hudaibiya we recommend the following articles:

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/hudaybiyya.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Muhammad/hudaybiyya.html http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Vol1/1b.html

http://answering-islam.org/Muhammad/treaties.html

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/levine_truce.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_hudaybiyya.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_hudaybiyya2.htm

http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/SherKhan60114.htm

(2) Deception permitted for assassination

Muhammad also permitted his Muslim assassins to use deception and lies in order to be able

to kill individuals who contradicted and challenged their prophet¶s authority. One such victim

was Kab ibn al-Ashraf:

Narrated Jabir:

The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Ashraf (i.e. a Jew)?" Muhammad bin

Maslama replied, "Do you like me to kill him?" The Prophet replied in the affirmative.

Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then allow me to say what I like." The Prophet replied, "I

do (i.e. allow you)." (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 271)

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:

Allah's Apostle said, "Who is willing to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has hurt Allah and His



Apostle?" Thereupon Muhammad bin Maslama got up saying, "O Allah's Apostle! Wouldyou like that I kill him?" The Prophet said, "Yes," Muhammad bin Maslama said, "Then

allow me to say a (false) thing (i.e. to deceive Kab)." The Prophet said, "You may say it."« So Muhammad bin Maslama went in together with two men, and said to them, "When

Ka'b comes, I will touch his hair and smell it, and when you see that I have got hold of his

head, strip him. I will let you smell his head." Kab bin Al-Ashraf came down to them

wrapped in his clothes, and diffusing perfume. Muhammad bin Maslama said, "I have never smelt a better scent than this." Ka'b replied. "I have got the best µArab women who know how

to use the high class of perfume." Muhammad bin Maslama requested Ka'b, "Will you allow

me to smell your head?" Ka¶b said, "Yes." Muhammad smelt it and made his companions

smell it as well. Then he requested Ka'b again, "Will you let me (smell your head)?" Ka'b

said, "Yes." When Muhammad got a strong hold of him, he said (to his companions), "Get at

him!" So they killed him and went to the Prophet and informed him. (Abu Rafi) was killed

after Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf." (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 5, Book 59, Number 369)

For more on this issue, and related topics, please consult the following materials:

http://answering-islam.org/Muhammad/Enemies/index.html

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/ashraf.htm http://answering-islam.org/Silas/asma.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/abu-afak.htm http://answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/mockers.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/dead_poets.htm http://answering-islam.org/Silas/theo_van_gogh.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Green/assassins.htm

(3) Oath-breaking in the Quran

Muhammad also justified the breaking of his oaths, and did so in the name of his god:

O Prophet! Why do you ban (for yourself) that which Allah has made lawful to you, seeking

to please your wives? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Allah has alreadyordained for you (O men), the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your Maula (Lord, or

Master, or Protector, etc.) and He is the All-Knower, the All-Wise. S. 66:1-2 Hilali-Khan

And according to the so-called sound hadiths Muhammad allegedly made the following

assertion:

Narrated Zahdam:

Once we were in the house of Abu Musa who presented a meal containing cooked chicken. A

man from the tribe of Bani Taim Allah with red complexion as if he were from the Byzantine

war prisoners, was present. Abu Musa invited him to share the meal but he (apologised)saying. "I saw chickens eating dirty things and so I have had a strong aversion to eating them,and have taken an oath that I will not eat chickens." Abu Musa said, "Come along, I will tell

you about this matter (i.e. how to cancel one's oath). I went to the Prophet in the company of a group of Al-Ashariyin, asked him to provide us with means of conveyance. He said, µBy

Allah, I will not provide you with any means of conveyance and I have nothing to make youride on.¶ Then some camels as booty were brought to Allah's Apostle and he asked for us

saying. µWhere are the group of Al-Ash'ariyun?¶ Then he ordered that we should be givenfive camels with white humps. When we set out we said, µWhat have we done? We will never



be blessed (with what we have been given).¶ So, we returned to the Prophet and said, µWeasked you to provide us with means of conveyance, but you took an oath that you would not

provide us with any means of conveyance. Did you forget (your oath when you gave us thecamels)?¶ He replied. µI have not provided you with means of conveyance but Allah has

provided you with it, and by Allah, Allah willing, if ever I take an oath to do something,

and later on I find that it is more beneficial to do something different, I will do the thing

which is better, and give expiation for my oath.¶ (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Number 361)

This is a heinous sin according to God¶s true Word, the Holy Bible:

"Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, "This is what the

LORD has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself

by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his

mouth." Numbers 30:1-2

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to

offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with

your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven andyou are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business,

and a fool's voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for

he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that

you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the

messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the

work of your hands?" Ecclesiastes 5:1-6

Hence, Muhammad was a grave sinner in light of Alhabeshi¶s own criteria for what

constitutes for major sins!

Muhammad needed his sins (dh-n-b) forgiven according to the Quran

Missionary Alhabeshi also responds to Arlandson¶s appeal to the hadiths which speak of

Muhammad asking for forgiveness more than seventy times a day. He explains this on the

basis that Muhammad was sent to teach by example how other Muslims should pray and live

their lives. He then quotes a narration which says that all of Muhammad¶s sins have been

forgiven. It seems that Alhabeshi really doesn¶t know what he wants to argue, since he wants

to say that Muhammad seeking forgiveness was to set an example for others but then quotes a

hadith which says that he had sins which Allah allegedly forgave! If Allah had to forgive all

of Muhammad¶s sins then this means that Muhammad wasn¶t perfect, and definitely wasn¶t

sinless! If Muhammad were completely holy and pure then there would be no need for Allah

to forgive anything since there would be nothing for him to forgive!

Putting it simply, the fact that Allah supposedly told Muhammad that all of his past andfuture sins were forgiven implies that Muhammad was a sinner who would sin quite often,

which required his need for forgiveness.

More importantly, the claim that Allah forgave all of Muhammad¶s sins contradicts the plain

teach of the Quran which instructs Muhammad to ask for forgiveness:



Surely, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad SAW) the Book (this Qur'an) in truth thatyou might judge between men by that which Allah has shown you (i.e. has taught you

through Divine Inspiration), so be not a pleader for the treacherous. And SEEK the

Forgiveness of Allah, certainly, Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful. And argue not

on behalf of those who deceive themselves. Verily, Allah does not like anyone who is a

betrayer of his trust, and indulges in crime. S. 4:105-107 Hilali-Khan

Then have patience (O Muhammad). Lo! the promise of Allah is true. And A SK forgiveness

of thy sin, and hymn the praise of thy Lord at fall of night and in the early hours. S. 40:55

Pickthall

So know (O Muhammad SAW) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped

but Allah) and A SK forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and

believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest (in your

homes). S. 47:19 Hilali-Khan

Why would Muhammad need to ask for forgiveness if Allah had already told him that all his

sins had already been pardoned?

It gets even worse:

When comes the Help of Allah (to you, O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) against your

enemies) and the conquest (of Makkah), And you see that the people enter Allah's religion

(Islam) in crowds, So glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for His Forgiveness. Verily,

He is the One Who accepts the repentance and forgives. S. 110:1-3 Hilali-Khan

According to Muslim scholars this was one of the last suras which was composed:

Period of Revelation

Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas states that this is the last Surah of the Quran to be revealed, i.e.

no complete Surah was sent down to the Holy Prophet after it. (Muslim Nasai, Tabarani, Ibn

Abi Shaibah, Ibn Marduyah). According to Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar, this Surah was sentdown on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage in the middle of the T ashriq Days at Mina,

and after it the Holy Prophet rode his she camel and gave his well known Sermon. (Tirmidhi,Bazzar, Baihaqi, Ibn Abi Shaibah, Abd bin Humaid, Abn Yala, Ibn Marduyah). Baihaqi in

Kitab al- Hajj has related from the tradition of Hadrat Sarra bint-Nabhan the Sermon whichthe Holy Prophet gave on this occasion« If both these traditions are read together, it appears

that there was an interval of three months and some days between the revelation of Surah An- Nasr and the Holy Prophet's death, for historically the same was the interval between the

Farewell Pilgrimage and the passing away of the Holy Prophet.

Ibn Abbas says that when this Surah was revealed, the Holy Prophet said that he had been

informed of his death and his time had approached. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-

Mundhir, Ibn Marduyah). In the other traditions related from Hadrat Abdullah bin Abbas, it

has been stated that at the revelation of this Surah the Holy Prophet understood that he had

been informed of his departure from the world. (Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir, Tabarani, Nasai,

Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah).



Mother of the Believers, Hadrat Umm Habibah, says that when this Surah was revealed theHoly Prophet said that he would leave the world that year. Hearing this Hadrat Fatimah wept.

Thereat he said: "From among my family you will be the first to join me." Hearing this shelaughed. (Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah). A tradition containing almost the same theme has

been related by Baihaqi from Ibn Abbas. (S yed Abu-Ala' M aududi's Chapter Introductions to

the Qur'an; source; underline emphasis ours)

The renowned Sunni commentators al-Jalalayn note:

then glorify with praise of your Lord, that is, continuously praising Him, and seek

forgiveness from Him; for verily He is ever ready to relent. The Prophet (s), after this sura

had been revealed, would frequently repeat the words subhana'Llahi wa bi-hamdihi ,

'Glory and praise be to God', and astaghfiru'Llaha wa-atubu ilayhi , 'I seek forgiveness

from God and I repent to Him'; with [the revelation of] this [final sura] he realised that his

end was near. The victory over Mecca was in Ramadan of year 8; the Prophet (s) passed

away in Rabi' I of the year 10. (T afsir al-Jalalayn; source; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Again, if Muhammad had been promised that all his sins were already forgiven than why is

Allah commanding him to seek for forgiveness shortly before the time of his death? Doesn¶tthis portray Allah as an inconsistent and double-minded deity who commands Muhammad to

ask for forgiveness for sins which Allah said he had already forgiven him of?

Muhammad¶s fear of the antichrist

To offset the hadith which Arlandson quoted where Muhammad prayed to Allah for

protection from his sins, the punishment of the grave and the trials of the antichrist, the

Muslim missionary cites another hadith where Muhammad is reported to have said that if the

antichrist arrived he would protect his followers from him. It is truly amazing that Alhabeshi

somehow thinks that this refutes the point made by Arlandson.

Once again, these hadiths show Muhammad seeking refuge from the dajjal. Seeking such

refuge indicates Muhammad¶s fears:

'A'isha reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) seeking refuge

from the trial of Dajjal (Antichrist) in prayer. (S ahih M uslim, Book 004, Number 1216)

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) used to teach them

this supplication (in the same spirit) with which he used to teach them a surah of the Qur'an.

He would thus instruct us:" Say, O Allah I we seek refuge with Thee from the torment of

Hell, and I seek refuge with Thee from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge with Thee

from the trial of Masih al-Dajjal. and I seek refuge with Thee from the trial of life and death."

(S ahih M uslim, Book 004, Number 1225; a parallel hadith is found in S ahih M uslim, Book 035, Number 6534)

So how is Muhammad going to protect people against the dajjal? By teaching them how to

cower, seeking refuge, cringing?



Muhammad¶s fear of the grave

In the first place, citing a narration which says Muhammad would contend with the Dajjal (or antichrist) doesn¶t clarify things, but simply demonstrates that either Muhammad faltered and

wavered in his faith or that the narrations are contradicting one another. Furthermore,

Alhabeshi conveniently cites a narration which focuses on the antichrist but doesn¶t bother to

inform his readers that there are other narrations where Muhammad was extremely troubled by the punishment of the grave:

Narrated Masruq:

µAisha said that a Jewess came to her and mentioned the punishment in the grave, saying to

her, "May Allah protect you from the punishment of the grave." µAisha then asked Allah¶s

Apostle about the punishment of the grave. He said, "Yes, (there is) punishment in the

grave." µAisha added, "After that I never saw Allah¶s Apostle but seeking refuge with

Allah from the punishment in the grave in every prayer he prayed." (S ahih al-Bukhari,

Volume 2, Book 23, Number 454)

Graves weren¶t the only things which scared Muhammad:

Narrated 'Amra bint 'AbdurRahman:

A Jewess came to 'Aisha to ask her about something and then she said, "May Allah give you

refuge from the punishment of the grave." So 'Aisha asked Allah's Apostle, "Would the

people be punished in their graves?" Allah's Apostle asked Allah's refuge from the

punishment of the grave (indicating an affirmative reply) . Then one day Allah's Apostle

rode (to leave for some place) but the sun eclipsed. He returned on the forenoon and passed

through the rear of the dwellings (of his wives) and stood up and started offering the (eclipse)

prayer and the people stood behind him. He stood for a long period and then performed a

long bowing and then stood straight for a long period which was shorter than that of the first

standing, then he performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than the first bowing,

then he raised his head and prostrated for a long time and then stood up (for the second Raka)for a long while, but the standing was shorter than the standing of the first Raka. Then he

performed a prolonged bowing which was shorter than that of the first one. He then stood upfor a long time but shorter than the first, then again performed a long bowing which was

shorter than the first and then prostrated for a shorter while than that of the first prostration.Then he finished the prayer and delivered the sermon and said what Allah wished; and

ordered the people to seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of the grave . (S ahihal-Bukhari , Volume 2, Book 18, Number 164)

Narrated Abu Musa:

The sun eclipsed and the Prophet got up, being afraid that it might be the Hour (i.e. Day of

Judgment). He went to the Mosque and offered the prayer with the longest Qiyam, bowing

and prostration that I had ever seen him doing. Then he said, "These signs which Allah sendsdo not occur because of the life or death of somebody, but Allah makes His worshipers afraid

by them. So when you see anything thereof, proceed to remember Allah, invoke Him and ask

for His forgiveness." (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 18, Number 167)

Narrated Anas:Whenever a strong wind blew, anxiety appeared on the face of the Prophet (fearing that

wind might be a sign of Allah's wrath). (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 17, Number 144)



Narrated Ata:'Aisha said, "If the Prophet saw a cloud in the sky, he would walk to and fro in agitation,

go out and come in, and the color of his face would change , and if it rained, he would feelrelaxed." So 'Aisha knew that state of his. So the Prophet said, "I don't know (am afraid), it

may be similar to what happened to some people referred to in the Holy Quran in the

following Verse: -- µThen when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys,

they said, "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Nay, but, it is that (torment) which you wereasking to be hastened a wind wherein is severe torment.¶ (46.24)" (S ahih al-Bukhari, Volume

4, Book 54, Number 428)

Muhammad¶s fear of the afterlife

Muhammad¶s anxiety seemed to have stemmed from his being uncertain about what Allah

would do with him:

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I am not a new thing among the Messengers (of Allah) (i.e. I amnot the first Messenger) nor do I know what will be done with me or with you . I only

follow that which is revealed to me, and I am but a plain warner." S. 46:9 Hilali-Khan

Narrated 'Um al-'Ala:

An Ansari woman who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet that the Ansar drew lots

concerning the dwelling of the Emigrants. 'Uthman bin Maz'un decided to dwell with them

(i.e. Um al-'Ala's family), 'Uthman fell ill and I nursed him till he died, and we covered him

with his clothes. Then the Prophet came to us and I (addressing the dead body) said, "O Abu

As-Sa'ib, may Allah's Mercy be on you! I bear witness that Allah has honored you." On that

the Prophet said, "How do you know that Allah has honored him?" I replied, "I do not know.

May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle! But who else is

worthy of it (if not 'Uthman)?" He said, "As to him, by Allah, death has overtaken him, and I

hope the best for him. By Allah, though I am the Apostle of Allah, yet I do not know what

Allah will do to me." By Allah, I will never assert the piety of anyone after him. That made

me sad, and when I slept I saw in a dream a flowing stream for 'Uthman bin Maz'un. I went to

Allah's Apostle and told him of it. He remarked, "That symbolizes his (good) deeds." (S ahihal-Bukhari , Volume 5, Book 58, Number 266)

This introduces another contradiction. Why would Muhammad be uncertain about his fate if

Allah had promised him that all his sins had been forgiven? Why fear judgment when Allahsupposedly guaranteed his salvation?

We now move to the next phase of our rebuttal where we examine Alhabeshi¶s attempt of

trying to disprove the absolute purity of the Lord Jesus.

Acknowledgement: I want to thank James Arlandson for a number of additions to this paper.



Sinless Still

Examining Jesus¶ Absolute Holiness In Light of one Muslim¶s Denial

Sam Shamoun

We continue with our response to Muslim missionary Omar Alhabeshi¶s article W ere Jesus

and M uhammad S inless? In his second section dealing with the issue of whether Christ mademistakes or not, Alhabeshi writes:

First according to the Islamic sources Jesus (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) was

not a sinless man at all. One authentic hadith of the prophet (peace and blessing of Allah beupon him) reads as follows:

Every son of Adam is a sinner, and the best of sinners are those who repent constantly. - Ibn

Majah, Tirmizi, Darimi

He repeats this in his conclusion:

So far it¶s proven that from the two religion¶s sources that no son of Adam is with out sin«

He further says:

Some missionaries argue

"Show us where in the quran does it say µJesus sinned¶ or show us a single sin committed by

Jesus (of source from the Quran)?"

I say

"If according to your faith Jesus is the only sinless man, so according to your logic show mewhere in the Quran and the BIBLE too is said that John the Baptist sinned or is a sinner?"

Islamic sources on the sinlessness of Christ and the sinfulness of Muhammad

Recall that in our first rebuttal we spoke about Alhabeshi citing narrations which he thought proved his case, when in reality they simply provided evidence that the Islamic sources

clearly contradict each other. He has provided another example of them contradicting andcanceling out one another.

For instance, the Muslim scholar Mahmoud M. Ayoub cites al-Tabari who quoted Qatadah as

saying:

"Jesus and his mother did not commit any of the sins which the rest of the children of Adamcommit." (Mahmoud M. Ayoub, T he Quran and Its Interpreters: T he House of Imran [State

University of New York Press (SUNY), 1992], Volume II, p. 94)



The rest of the children of Adam naturally include John the Baptist (a true messenger of God)and Muhammad (a false messenger). Moreover, other so-called sound narrations confirm

Qatadah¶s statements:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Some (cooked) meat was brought to Allah Apostle and the meat of a forearm was presented

to him as he used to like it. He ate a morsel of it and said, "I will be the chief of all the peopleon the Day of Resurrection. Do you know the reason for it? Allah will gather all the human

being of early generations as well as late generation on one plain so that the announcer will

be able to make them all-hear his voice and the watcher will be able to see all of them. The

sun will come so close to the people that they will suffer such distress and trouble as they will

not be able to bear or stand. Then the people will say, 'Don't you see to what state you have

reached? Won't you look for someone who can intercede for you with your Lord' Some

people will say to some others, 'Go to Adam.' So they will go to Adam and say to him. 'You

are the father of mankind; Allah created you with His Own Hand, and breathed into you of

His Spirit (meaning the spirit which he created for you); and ordered the angels to prostrate

before you; so (please) intercede for us with your Lord. Don't you see in what state we are?Don't you see what condition we have reached?' Adam will say, 'Today my Lord has become

angry as He has never become before, nor will ever become thereafter. He forbade me (to eatof the fruit of) the tree, but I disobeyed Him. Myself! Myself! Myself! (has more need for

intercession). Go to someone else; go to Noah.' So they will go to Noah and say (to him), 'O Noah! You are the first (of Allah's Messengers) to the people of the earth, and Allah has

named you a thankful slave; please intercede for us with your Lord. Don't you see in whatstate we are?' He will say.' Today my Lord has become angry as He has never become nor

will ever become thereafter. I had (in the world) the right to make one definitely accepted

invocation, and I made it against my nation. Myself! Myself! Myself! Go to someone else; go

to Abraham.' They will go to Abraham and say, 'O Abraham! You are Allah's Apostle and

His Khalil from among the people of the earth; so please intercede for us with your Lord.

Don't you see in what state we are?' He will say to them, 'My Lord has today become angry

as He has never become before, nor will ever become thereafter. I had told three lies (Abu

Haiyan (the sub-narrator) mentioned them in the Hadith) Myself! Myself! Myself! Go to

someone else; go to Moses.' The people will then go to Moses and say, 'O Moses! You art

Allah's Apostle and Allah gave you superiority above the others with this message and with

His direct Talk to you; (please) intercede for us with your Lord Don't you see in what state

we are?' Moses will say, 'My Lord has today become angry as He has never become before,

nor will become thereafter, I killed a person whom I had not been ordered to kill. Myself!

Myself! Myself! Go to someone else; go to Jesus.' So they will go to Jesus and say, 'O Jesus!You are Allah's Apostle and His Word which He sent to Mary, and a superior soul created by

Him, and you talked to the people while still young in the cradle. Please intercede for us withyour Lord. Don't you see in what state we are?' Jesus will say. 'My Lord has today become

angry as He has never become before nor will ever become thereafter. JESUS WILL NOT

MENTION ANY SIN, but will say, 'Myself! Myself! Myself! Go to someone else; go toMuhammad.' So they will come to me and say, 'O Muhammad ! You are Allah's Apostle andthe last of the prophets, AND ALLAH FORGAVE YOUR EARLY AND LATE SINS.

(Please) intercede for us with your Lord. Don't you see in what state we are?" The Prophet

added, "Then I will go beneath Allah's Throne and fall in prostration before my Lord. And

then Allah will guide me to such praises and glorification to Him as He has never guided

anybody else before me. Then it will be said, 'O Muhammad Raise your head. Ask, and it will

be granted. Intercede It (your intercession) will be accepted.' So I will raise my head and Say,

'My followers, O my Lord! My followers, O my Lord'. It will be said, 'O Muhammad! Let



those of your followers who have no accounts, enter through such a gate of the gates of Paradise as lies on the right; and they will share the other gates with the people." The Prophet

further said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the distance between every two gate-postsof Paradise is like the distance between Mecca and Busra (in Sham)." (S ahih Al-Bukhari,

Volume 6, Book 60, Number 236)

« They would come to Jesus and would say: O Jesus, thou art the messenger of Allah andthou conversed with people in the cradle, (thou art) His Word which He sent down upon

Mary, and (thou art) the Spirit from Him; so intercede for us with thy Lord. Don't you see

(the trouble) in which we are? Don't you see (the misfortune) that has overtaken us? Jesus

(peace be upon him) would say: Verily, my Lord is angry today as He had never been angry

before or would ever be angry afterwards. HE MENTIONED NO SIN OF HIS. (He simply

said:) I am concerned with myself, I am concerned with myself; you go to someone else:

better go to Muhammad (may peace be upon him).

They would come to me and say: O Muhammad, thou art the messenger of Allah and the last

of the apostles. Allah HAS PARDONED THEE ALL THY PREVIOUS AND LATER SINS

... (S ahih M uslim, Book 001, Number 0378)

Jesus, unlike the rest of the prophets and especially Muhammad, mentions no sin which he

ever committed since he never committed any!

In contrast, about Muhammad it is said explicitly, again, that Allah forgave him all his earlier

and later sins, which proves he had sins that needed to be forgiven. Moreover, the explicit

statements "your early and late sins" and "previous and later sins" are conclusive evidence

that there were not only sins from the time before Muhammad was called as a prophet, but

later sins committed during his prophetic career are in view here as well.

Thus, here are several Muslim sources which soundly refute and contradict the narration

provided by Alhabeshi that every son of Adam is a sinner!

Z akiyya and Jesus and Muhammad

Missionary Alhabeshi then quotes verses where the word zakiyya that is applied to Jesus in

Sura 19:19 is also used for others:

Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a

Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the

Qur'an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in)

the Book (the Qur'an) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the S unnah of the Prophet SAW (i.e.

his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest

error. S. 3:164 Hilali-Khan

He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among

themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and

polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur'an, Islamic laws and Islamic

jurisprudence) and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of

Prophet Muhammad SAW). And verily, they had been before in manifest error; S. 62:2

Hilali-Khan



It is amazing that Alhabeshi actually thinks that these Suras refute the sinlessness of Christwhen it only proves it, or that they somehow provide a parallel to show that Muhammad must

have also been sinless. After all, isn¶t it the purpose of the Quran to provide the message of forgiveness whereby sinners can be purified from their sins? In other words, isn¶t it the goal

of the Quran to show Muslims the way to follow so that Allah can cleanse them of their

impurities? And once they are cleansed and made pure are they considered sinners anymore?

Furthermore, Alhabeshi draws the wrong conclusion from these references since he assumes

that Muhammad reciting the message which purifies the unlettered folk implies that he

himself must be exempt from impurities. This is a non-sequitur since Muhammad¶s recitation

has no relevance on his moral and spiritual condition, especially when this same message

expressly says that Muhammad was a sinner who needed to receive forgiveness from his god!

The fact is that God can use sinful vessels to convey his perfect message since their

imperfections do not impact or affect the nature of God¶s Words (not that we believe that

Muhammad was a messenger of the true God since he wasn¶t). To put it simply, Muhammad

isn¶t the one who made people pure, as Alhabeshi erroneously assumes; rather it is the

message which Muhammad recited that supposedly purifies people, including himself.

Moreover, these passages actually establish the sinlessness of Jesus since they show that theword zakiyya refers to purification from sin, that whoever is made pure is free from sins and

defects. This also shows that if the Quran wanted to convey the idea that Muhammad wassinless then it could have done so by using the same language it does of Christ and speak of

him as having been born pure. The Quran clearly doesn¶t use this language for Muhammad but expressly speaks of him being a sinner who needed to be forgiven and made holy:

We narrate unto thee (Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this

Qur'an, though aforetime thou wast of the heedless. S. 12:3 Pickthall

Did He not find thee erring (dallan), and guide thee? S. 93:7 Arberry

The word dallan is used in reference to persons who are not following the true religion and/or

who are steeped in idolatry:

O you who believe! Believe in Allah, and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), and the Book

(the Qur'an) which He has sent down to His Messenger, and the Scripture which He sent

down to those before (him), and whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His

Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away (faqad dalla dalalan

baAAeedan). S. 4:136 Hilali-Khan

When he saw the moon rising up, he said: "This is my lord." But when it set, he said: "Unless

my Lord guides me, I shall surely be among the erring people (addaallen)." S. 6:77 Hilali-

Khan

This means that Allah found Muhammad steeped in spiritual error and darkness!

Thus, Jesus is unlike Muhammad and other Muslims since he didn¶t need to hear and follow

the guidance of the Quran to be made pure, whereas they certainly did. The Quran gives the

reason why Jesus didn¶t need to be purified like them, because he was actually born pure!



The birth of Jesus was pure and protected from Satan

Alhabeshi says regarding Arlandson¶s appeal to the hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari that Jesus andMary were the only two whom Satan could not touch when they were born:

Jesus (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is a sinless man. I don¶t know where in the

hadith does it mention Jesus¶ (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) alleged sinlessness?The hadith simply states that Jesus (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) and his mother

weren¶t touched by Satan at the time their mothers gave them birth. This doesn¶t necessarily

mean that they never sinned through out their life.

Here is the narration so that the readers can better appreciate why Alhabeshi isn¶t adequatelyaddressing the issues:

Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab:

Abu Huraira said, "I heard Allah¶s Apostle saying, "There is none born among the off-springof Adam, but Satan touches it. A child therefore, cries loudly at the time of birth because of

the touch of Satan, EXCEPT MARY AND HER CHILD." Then Abu Huraira recited: "And I

seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from the outcast Satan" (3.36) (S ahih Al- Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 641; see also Volume 4, Book 54, Number 506)

And here is the Sura which Abu Huraira recited:

When the wife of Imran said, µLord, I have vowed to Thee, in dedication, what is within my

womb. Receive Thou this from me; Thou hearest, and knowest.¶ And when she gave birth toher she said, µLord, I have given birth to her, a female.¶ (And God knew very well what she

had given birth to; the male is not as the female.) µ And I have named her M ary, and commend her to T hee with her seed, to protect them from the accursed S atan.' S. 3:35-36 Arberry

Allah protected Mary and Jesus from Satan in answer to the request of Mary¶s mother. TheSura goes on to say about Mary:

And when the angels said, 'Mary, God has chosen thee, and purified thee; He has chosen

thee above all women. S. 3:42 Arberry

Allah purified Mary, which implies that she was made sinless just as the following Muslimsource claims:

(And when the angels) i.e. Gabriel (said: O Mary! Lo! Allah hath chosen thee) with Islam and

worship (and made thee pure) from disbelief, the association of partners with Allah and

blemishes; it is also said this means: He has saved you from being killed, (and hath preferred

you above (all) the women of creation) of your time by the birth of Jesus. (T anwîr al- M iqbâsmin T afsîr Ibn µ Abbâs; online source; bold and underline emphasis ours)

When we interpret the above text in light of Sura 3:36 and the hadiths then the conclusion is

that Allah purified Mary and Jesus from the moment of their conceptions, which explains

why Satan couldn¶t touch them. This also means that they were born sinless.



The birth of Muhammad was impure and unprotected from Satan

This is unlike Muhammad and his household who had to be made pure and who came under the influence of Satan:

And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance,

and perform As-S alat ( Iqamat as-S alat ), and give Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger.Allah wishes only to remove ArRijs (evil deeds and sins, etc.) from you, O members of the

family (of the Prophet SAW), and to purify you with a thorough purification. S. 33:33

Hilali-Khan

Never did We send a Messenger or a Prophet before you, but; when he did recite therevelation or narrated or spoke, S haitan (Satan) threw (some falsehood) in it. But Allah

abolishes that which S haitan (Satan) throws in. Then Allah establishes His Revelations. AndAllah is All-Knower, All-Wise: That He (Allah) may make what is thrown in by S haitan

(Satan) a trial for those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy and disbelief) and whosehearts are hardened. And certainly, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.) are in an

opposition far-off (from the truth against Allah's Messenger and the believers). S. 22:52-53

Hilali-Khan

According the two Jalals, this last passage was "revealed" concerning Muhammad reciting

verses from Satan:

And We did not send before you any messenger (rasul ) - this is a prophet who has been

commanded to deliver a Message - or prophet (nabi) - one who has not been commanded to

deliver anything - but that when he recited [the scripture] Satan cast into his recitation, what

is not from the Qur'an, but which those to whom he [the prophet] had been sent would find

pleasing. The Prophet (s) had, during an assembly of the [men of] Quraysh, after reciting the

[following verses from] surat al-Najm, Have you considered Lat and ' U zza? And M anat , the

third one? [53:19-20]added, as a result of Satan casting them onto his tongue without his[the Prophet's] being aware of it, [the following words]: 'those are the high-flying cranes

(al-gharaniq al-'ula) and indeed their intercession is to be hoped for', and so they [the men of Quraysh] were thereby delighted. Gabriel, however, later informed him [the Prophet] of this

that Satan had cast onto his tongue and he was grieved by it; but was [subsequently]comforted with this following verse that he might be reassured [of God's pleasure]: thereat

God abrogates, nullifies, whatever Satan had cast, then God confirms His revelations. AndGod is Knower, of Satan's casting of that which has been mentioned, Wise, in His enabling

him [Satan] to do such things, for He does whatever He wishes. (T afsir al-Jalalayn; onlinesource; bold emphasis ours)

That He may make what Satan has cast a trial, a test, for those in whose hearts is a sickness,

dissension and hypocrisy, and those whose hearts are hardened, namely, the idolaters,[hardened] against acceptance of the truth. For truly the evildoers, the disbelievers, are[steeped] in extreme defiance, [in] a protracted feud with the Prophet (s) and the believers,

for his tongue uttered mention of their gods in a way that pleased them, and yet this waslater nullified. (Source; bold emphasis ours)

More on Muhammad being influenced by Satan later.



What the New Testament really says about Jesus

Alhabeshi claims:

According to the Christian doctrine of original sin if we all the sons of Adam have to shareoriginal sin Jesus too must share that sin of Adam too! Its amazing to get the Christian

doctrine of the original sin putting EVERY son of Adam under the sin committed by Adamwhile leaving Jesus to be innocent from it although it¶s claimed under the Christian doctrine

that Jesus is a FULY MAN! Yet interestingly Paul indirectly put Jesus to be from among the

cursed ones. Paul said

Galatians 4:4

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under thelaw"

And he had to say in Galatians 3:10

"All who rely on the law are under a curse , for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does

not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.""

As its well know from the Christian doctrine that the source of the curse which all sons of

Adam must share unless being set free by Christ¶s blood is Adam¶s sin. So just by combiningthe above two verses we can easily understand that Jesus¶ being made under the law makes

him under a curse thus making him blamed for that original sin. Additionally 1 john 1:8informs us that if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not

in us. So if Jesus is said to be a full man how can he get escaped from at least original sin (if every son of Adam is blamed for that sin)?

He will also say in his conclusion that:

« As for those who still argue Jesus to be sinless to prove his divinity 1 John 3:9 which

reads:

"No one born of God will continue to sin, because God¶s seed remains in him; he cannot go

on sinning, because he has been born of God."

is enough. According to this verse every born again Christian is sinless and those whom the bible witnesses to have been filled with Holy Spirit since birth (Luke 1:15 says, "For he (John

the Baptist) will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermenteddrink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth ") too are sinless thus

many gods will be available. So we can conclude that the bible it self refutes the idea thataccuses all prophets of sinning while leaving Jesus to be a sinless man.

Amazingly, missionary Alhabeshi has distorted the meaning of every one of these texts by

wrenching them out of their immediate and greater contexts. We deal with his last points first

since this will lead into a discussion of 1 John 3:9. Regarding John¶s claim that those born of

God do not continue to sin his point, in context, is rather clear; the life of a true believer is not

characterized by habitual sinning but a sincere effort of trying to live in complete conformityto the will of God. Yet John is aware that Christians will stumble and sin since he also wrote:



"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and

the blood of Jesus his S on cleanses us from all sin . If we say we have no sin, we deceive

ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive

us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we

make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:7-10

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyonedoes sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the

propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world ." 1

John 2:1-2

John expressly stated that if we say we are without sin then we are not true believers, but if

we confess our sins to God then we will be washed in the blood of Jesus who offered himself

as a sacrifice to appease and satisfy God¶s perfect justice. Notice that John says that is

because of Christ¶s shed blood and his work as intercessor that believers can receive

forgiveness of sins. This presupposes that Christ is completely pure and holy which separates

him from born again believers who had to be made righteous and pure, precisely what John

himself wrote in the context of 1 John 3:

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God;

and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God¶s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know

that when H E APP E AR S we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is . And

everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself A S H E I S PUR E . Everyone who makes a

practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared

to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no

one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one

deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, A S H E I S RIGHT EOU S .

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the

beginning. The reason the S on of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil . Noone born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot

keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of

God, nor is the one who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:1-10

John claims that the reason that believers do not have to live in habitual or continual sin is because Jesus, God¶s Son, came to destroy the works of Satan thereby granting Christians the

ability to overcome the evil one and live righteously:

" E veryone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God , and everyone who

loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the

children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God,that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyonewho has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the

world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus

is the S on of God? « If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater,

for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his S on. Whoever believes inthe S on of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him

a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his S on. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his S on. Whoever



has the S on has life; whoever does not have the S on of God does not have life. I write these

things to you who believe in the name of the S on of God that you may know that you have

eternal life« " 1 John 5:1-5, 9-13, 18

John also states that Jesus is pure, righteous and has no sin whereas believers need to strive to

become pure and live righteously so as to be like Christ. Clearly, John did not believe that

Jesus was a sinner or that believers were also sinless like him.

As far as John the Baptist being filled with the Holy Spirit is concerned, this doesn¶t mean

that he was sinless since the Scriptures show that he had a lapse of faith:

"The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciplesto him, sent them to the Lord, saying, µAre you the one who is to come, or shall we look for

another?¶ And when the men had come to him, they said, µJohn the Baptist has sent us to you,saying, " Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? "¶ In that hour he

healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, µGo and tell John what you have seen and heard: the

blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are

raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.¶" Luke 7:18-23

Now regarding what Paul believed about Jesus¶ sinlessness here is what Alhabeshi

conveniently failed to quote:

"For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, µCursed be everyone

who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.¶ Now it is

evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for µThe righteous shall live by faith.¶

But the law is not of faith, rather µThe one who does them shall live by them.¶ Christ

redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, µCursed

is everyone who is hanged on a tree¶-- so thatin Christ Jesus

the blessing of Abraham might

come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." Galatians

3:10-14

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under

the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, µAbba!

Father!¶ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

Galatians 4:4-7

Paul did not say that being under the Law was a curse, but that breaking the Law resulted in a

person being cursed by God. The reason why Paul wrote Jesus became a curse is because

Christ came to take the penalty of death which came as a result of sinners breaking the Law.And by paying the price for sins Jesus provided the ransom which procured the redemption,the salvation, of those whom God appointed to be his children. In other words, Paul¶s view

was that individuals are adopted into the family of God as result of Christ dying on the crossfor them, thereby removing the curse that was/is upon them:

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself

for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and

Father," Galatians 1:3-4



"yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus

Christ , so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and

not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." Galatians 2:16

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And

the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave

himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Paul clearly taught and affirmed the absolute sinlessness of Christ and believed that he came

to take our sins and die on our behalf:

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become therighteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

This was also the same view held by the Apostle Peter:

"knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not

with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that

of a lamb without blemish or spot ." 1 Peter 1:18-19

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an

example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit

found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, hedid not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore

OUR S IN S in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness . By hiswounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:21-24

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring

us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," 1 Peter 3:18

And the inspired writer of Hebrews confirmed this position:

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one

who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

"For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained,

separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens." Hebrews 7:26

"how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself

without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God."Hebrews 9:14

Alhabeshi was aware of some of these citations affirming Christ¶s absolutely purity since he

tries to discount them:

The problem with these verses is just neither of them is spoken on the authority of Jesus. The

authority of these verses cannot be passed from Peter, John and Paul who are said to have

written them«



Correcting Alhabeshi¶s interpretations

Several responses are necessary to correct Alhabeshi¶s convoluted reasoning. First, noteAlhabeshi¶s glaring inconsistency for discounting the testimony of these writers when just

earlier he was appealing to these same authors to prove his points!

Second, who better to serve as a witness to Christ¶s absolute purity than those who walkedand lived with him, or knew those that did? The Apostles and their immediate followers were

far more qualified than either Alhabeshi or Muhammad to speak in reference to the Person

and works of Jesus since these men were eyewitnesses of his life and ministry:

"That which was from the beginning, which WE HAVE HEARD, which WE HAVE SEENWITH OUR EYES, which WE LOOKED UPON AND HAVE TOUCHED WITH OUR

HANDS, concerning the word of life-- the life was made manifest, and WE HAVE SEEN IT,and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made

MANIFEST TO US-- that which WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD we proclaim also to you,so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and

with his Son Jesus Christ." 1 John 1:1-3

Fourth, these men had been given Christ¶s authority to speak and act on his behalf:

"W hoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me."

Matthew 10:40

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." John 13:20

"He said to them, µBut who do you say that I am?¶ Simon Peter replied, µYou are the Christ,

the Son of the living God.¶ And Jesus answered him, µBlessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For

flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you,you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail

against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on

earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in

heaven.¶" Matthew 16:15-19

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever

you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on

earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where

two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." Matthew 18:18-20

"And Jesus came and said to them, µAll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to

me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded

you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.¶" Matthew 28:18-20

"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth,

who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear

witness, because you have been with me from the beginning ." John 15:26-27



"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority,

but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come ."John 16:12-13

"Jesus said to them again, µPeace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am

sending you.¶ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, µ Receivethe Holy S pirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold

forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld .¶" John 20:21-23

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my

witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and S amaria, and to the end of the earth ." Acts 1:8

"since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, butis powerful among you« For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that

when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given

me for building up and not for tearing down ." 2 Corinthians 13:3, 10

This means that the Apostles and their companions could and did speak with the authority of the risen Lord and that their instructions had to be followed as coming from God himself:

"If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I

am writing to you are a command of the Lord . If anyone does not recognize this, he is not

recognized." 1 Corinthians 14:37-38

"And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which

you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word

of God , which is at work in you believers." 1 Thessalonians 2:13

"For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 4:2

"This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring

up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the

holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and S avior through your apostles ," 2

Peter 3:1-2

Fifth, it isn¶t simply the NT writers which testify to Christ¶s absolute perfection since even

the OT prophets confirmed that the Messiah is completely holy. The prophet Isaiah said inreference to God¶s suffering Servant, the Messiah, that:

"Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been

revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; hehad no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire

him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and

as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he

has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God,

and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All

we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD

has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened



not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearersis dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as

for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken

for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a

rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his

mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he

makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; thewill of the LORD shall prosper in his hand; he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and

be satisfied; by his knowledge shall THE RIGHTEOUS ONE, MY SERVANT, MAKE

MANY TO BE ACCOUNTED RIGHTEOUS; AND HE SHALL BEAR THEIR

INIQUITIES. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the

spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the

transgressors; YET HE BORE THE SIN OF MANY, and made intercession for the

transgressors." Isaiah 53:1-12

Alhabeshi also claims that:

« If we thoroughly search the bible we get a single verse, which is said to had been spoken

by Jesus himself, claiming that he was never guilty of sin.

Alhabeshi quotes John 8:45-46 along with verses 12-44 to try to prove that Jesus was simply

denying that he was lying, no more no less. In his haste Alhabeshi forgot to pay attention to

the following citation:

"And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, FOR I ALWAYS DO THE

THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING TO HIM." John 8:29

Jesus can say that he always does what pleases the Father, with the Father himself bearing

witness to this fact:

"And a voice came from heaven, µYou are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased .¶"

Mark 1:11

A creature, no matter how righteous, can never say that he or she always does what pleases

God. Even Alhabeshi was forced to admit that his prophet made mistakes which shows that

not even Alhabeshi can claim that his prophet always pleased Allah.

Christ also said:

"The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks theglory of him who sent him is true, AND IN HIM THERE IS NO FALSEHOOD." John

7:18

"I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim

on me," John 14:30

Jesus says that Satan had no hold on him and that he was completely free from any falsehood,claims that demonstrate his absolute purity and holiness. This conclusively sets Christ apart

from the rest of humanity since, according to the Holy Bible, men are taken captive by Satanand must be set freed by God through the Son:



"Jesus answered them, µTruly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. S o IF the S on sets

you free, you will be free indeed . John 8:34-36

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the

course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at

work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of

wrath, like the rest of mankind . But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with

which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with

Christ --by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in

the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the

immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:1-7

"And the Lord¶s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach,

patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant

them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of

the devil, after being captured by him to do his will ." 2 Timothy 2:24-26

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the

same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that

is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." Hebrews 2:14-15

This also sets Jesus apart from Muhammad since the latter, according to Islamic sources,

succumbed to Satan on more than one occasion and even had the devil circulating within him

as blood:

Narrated Aisha:

Magic was worked on Allah's Apostle SO THAT HE USED TO THINK THAT HEHAD SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH HIS WIVES WHILE HE ACTUALLY HAD

NOT. (Sufyan said: That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect). Then one dayhe said, "O µAisha do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked

Him about? Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet. The one near my head asked the other. What is wrong with this man?¶ The latter

replied he is under the effect of magic. The first one asked, µWho has worked magic onhim?¶ The other replied Labid bin Al-A¶sam, a man from Bani Zuraiq who was an ally of the

Jews and was a hypocrite.¶ The first one asked, What material did he use)?¶ The other replied, µA comb and the hair stuck to it.¶ The first one asked, µWhere (is that)?¶ The other

replied. 'In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of

Dharwan¶." So the Prophet went to that well and took out those things and said, "That was

the well which was shown to me (in a dream) Its water looked like the infusion of Hennaleaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils." The Prophet added, "Then thatthing was taken out." I said (to the Prophet) "Why do you not treat yourself with Nashra?" He

said, "Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people." (S ahih al-Bukhari,Volume 7, Book 71, Number 660)

Narrated Aisha:

Aisha said: One day Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) went out of her (Aisha's apartment)during the night and she felt jealous. Then he came and he saw me (in what agitated state of



mind) I was. He said: Aisha, what has happened to you? Do you feel jealous? Thereupon shesaid: How can it be (that a woman like me) should not feel jealous in regard to a husband like

you? Thereupon Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: It was your devil who had cometo you, and she said: Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) is there along with me a devil? He

said: Yes. I said: Is devil attached to everyone? He said: Yes. I (Aisha) again said: Allah's

Apostle (peace be upon him) is it with you also? He said: Yes, but my Lord has helped me

against him as such I am absolutely safe from his mischief . (S ahih M uslim, Book 039, Number 6759)

It is therefore clear from the foregoing that when Jesus made the following challenge to his

opponents:

"Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?" John

8:46

He didn¶t simply have lies in view, i.e. that they couldn¶t accuse him of lying, but any andevery sin in mind, i.e. that none of his opponents could prove that Jesus committed any

transgression because he is absolutely holy since he is absolutely God!

The uniqueness of Christ

Now as far as Jesus being a sinner due to his being full man and a Son of Adam is concerned,

Alhabeshi fails to take into consideration that Jesus is completely unique for at least two

reasons. First, according to the NT Jesus is the unique Son of God who existed with the

Father before he became man:

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sentme." John 6:38

"And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you beforethe world existed." John 17:5

This by itself distinguishes him from all other men. Second, Jesus was protected from

inheriting a sinful nature through the virgin birth:

"And the angel said to her, µDo not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the S on of the Most High. And the Lord God will give tohim the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of

his kingdom there will be no end.¶ And Mary said to the angel, µHow will this be, since I ama virgin?¶ And the angel answered her, µThe Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power

of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born WILL B E CALL ED H O LY--the S on of God .¶" Luke 1:30-35

The above texts show that the Holy Spirit caused Mary to conceive Christ¶s physical body

without the touch of a man in order that Jesus could preserve his holiness and sinlessness.

This is why we consistently find Jesus called the Holy and Righteous One:

"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know whoyou are--the Holy One of God ." Mark 1:24



"Simon Peter answered him, µLord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God .¶" John

6:68-69

"But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to

you," Acts 3:14

"Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced

beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,"

Acts 7:52

"And he said, µThe God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous

One and to hear a voice from his mouth;¶" Acts 22:14

Did Jesus speak a false prophecy?

As if the foregoing biblical distortions weren¶t bad enough, Alhabeshi quotes Matthew 19:28

in order to accuse Jesus of making a false prophecy. Jesus, in that passage, addresses the

twelve and tells them that in the age to come they will sit on twelve thrones judging the

twelve tribes of Israel. The problem with this claim (or so Alhabeshi thinks) is that one of the

twelve happened to be Judas who later betrayed Christ, thus falsifying what Jesus promised.

The problem does not lie with Jesus, but with the author¶s ability to read carefully. We

highlight the one specific part that the author apparently failed to see:

"Then Peter said in reply, µLo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall wehave?¶ Jesus said to them, µTruly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall

sit on his glorious throne, YOU WHO HAVE FOLLOWED ME will also sit on twelve

thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.¶" Matthew 19:27-28 RSV

Christ¶s promise was conditioned on the apostles¶ faithfulness in following him. Judasdisqualified himself since he failed to follow Jesus faithfully. This becomes clearer from a

similar promise Jesus made which is found in Luke:

"And likewise the cup after supper, saying, µThis cup which is poured out for you is the new

covenant in my blood. But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the

table. For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he

is betrayed!¶ And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do

this. A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And

he said to them, µThe kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority

over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you

become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For which is the greater, one who

sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as onewho serves. You are those who have continued with me in my trials ; and I assign to you, as

my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in mykingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel .¶" Luke 22:20-30 RSV

Christ promised that only those who continue with him in his trials would sit on thrones to

judge Israel. That this promise did not include Judas specifically can be seen by what Jesus

had just said regarding one of them betraying him. This means that since Judas was going to

betray Christ Jesus was not including him in the promise.



Later on the Lord Jesus chose Matthias to replace Judas thereby insuring that Christ¶s promise that there would be twelve disciples sitting on twelve thrones did not fail:

"In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and

twenty) and said, µBrothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long

ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who

arrested Jesus- he was one of our number and shared in this ministry. (With the reward he gotfor his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all

his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in

their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) For,¶ said Peter, µit is written in the book of

Psalms, "May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it," and, "May another

take his place of leadership." Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have

been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John's

baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a

witness with us of his resurrection.¶ So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas

(also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, µLord, you know everyone's heart.

Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, whichJudas left to go where he belongs.¶ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was

added to the eleven apostles." Acts 1:15-26

These are the twelve who form the foundation of heavenly Jerusalem:

"One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and

said to me, µCome, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.¶ And he carried me

away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was

like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with

twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of

the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on

the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them

were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb ." Revelation 21:9-14

The foregoing demonstrates that Christ¶s promise was based on the condition that his

followers had to remain faithful till the end; otherwise they would lose the promised blessing.

And if uttering a false prophecy is an indication of being a sinner then Muhammad was oneof the greatest sinners:

Say (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) to these M ushrikun and Kafirun): "O Al-Kafirun

(disbelievers in Allah, in His Oneness, in His Angels, in His Books, in His Messengers, in the

Day of Resurrection, and in Al-Qadar , etc.)! I worship not that which you worship, Nor will

you worship that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping.Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your religion, and to me my religion(Islamic Monotheism)." S. 109:1-6 Hilali-Khan

This Sura is telling Muhammad¶s contemporaries at Mecca that they will not worship what

Muhammad worships. As Islamic records attest, Muhammad turned out to be wrong since allthe Meccans became Muslims! For more on this point see the following:



http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/what_i_worship.html http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/what_i_worship3.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/what_i_worship2.html

Concluding Remarks

As we come to the conclusion of our discussion we want to highlight one last intriguingcomponent to the Muslim missionary¶s "refutation." What makes Alhabeshi¶s rebuttal so

bizarre is that he tried to go out of his way to disprove that Muhammad was a sinner, despite

there being plenty of Quranic verses to support that he was, and yet wanted to show that Jesus

wasn¶t sinless even though both the Holy Bible and Islamic sources expressly teach that he

is! Note the irony in of all this: One (Muhammad) is expressly identified as a sinner whereas

the other (Jesus) is clearly presented as being absolutely pure, and yet Alhabeshi wants to flip

things around so as to convince his readers that the sinner was actually sinless, even though

he was only guilty of making a few mistakes, whereas the sinless one was actually the sinner!

Yet we hope that we were able to show that according to the records themselves Jesus is

completely holy, pure, undefiled, and perfect, whereas Muhammad was a sinner who

committed gross transgressions. The fact of the matter is that Muhammad needed Jesus tosave him from his sins, but unfortunately he rejected the true Christ of history who is the

risen Lord of the New Testament for a satanic counterfeit named Isa who can save no one,

not even himself:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only S on, that whoever believes in him should

not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his S on into the world to condemn the

world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is

not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not

believed in the name of the only S on of God ." John 3:16-18

"I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure

virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your

thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devo tion to Christ . For if someone comesand proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit

from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough." 2 Corinthians 11:2-4

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the

world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." 1 Timothy 1:15

Save, O risen and immortal Lord Jesus, and redeem us sinners from the wrath to come.

Amen.

Recommended Reading

http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Sharing/11unique.html

http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Challenge/chap3.html

http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/sinless_jesus.htm

http://answering-islam.org/Gilchrist/Vol1/7b.html

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/mo-sinner.htm

A Sinner Still - By Sam Shamoun

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