Islam for Christians: Recent Episodes
Makal Nasrani
This is a podcast about Islam from a Christian perspective. Presented by a Christian seminary graduate, you will learn about Muhammad, the Quran and 1400 years of fascinating stories you may have never heard. This is a resource for learning, thinking and spiritual development. This show can be reached at makalnasrani@gmail.com.
Patreon.com/IslamForChristians
Narrated
`Amr bin Maimun:
During the
pre-lslamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of
monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual
intercourse. I too, stoned it along with them.
The Day of Al-Raji... where Muslim martyrs die in a somewhat Christian style. A woman beats a Jewish man to death... and shames the man who did not do it.
Part 2 of Al-Muddaththir - The Cloaked One. The focus will be on line 31... that long paragraph and talks about Jews and Christians. We also go over what the Quran says about those who are "mindful of it."
A look at the two epistles of Peter... the authorship, the content and its implications for Islamic thinking.
The Prophet said, "I looked at Paradise and found poor people forming the majority of its inhabitants; and I looked at Hell and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women."
A few stories from the Medina period I haven't shared yet.
- A poem from a convert that may be relevant to Christians.
- The original Jewish expulsion - the Banu Qaynuqa.
- The violent story of Muhayyisa and Huwayyisa... a moral minefield if there ever was one.
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O you covered up in your clothes!
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Arise and warn all.
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Revere your Lord alone.
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Purify your garments.
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Continue to shun idols.
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Do not do a favour expecting more in return.
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And persevere for the sake of your Lord.
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For when the Trumpet will be sounded,
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that will truly be a difficult Day—
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far from easy for the disbelievers.
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And leave to me O Prophet the one I created all by Myself,
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and granted him abundant wealth,
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and children always by his side,
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and made life very easy for him.
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Yet he is hungry for more.
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But no! For he has been truly stubborn with Our revelations.
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I will make his fate unbearable,
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for he contemplated and determined a degrading label for the Quran.
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May he be condemned! How evil was what he determined!
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May he be condemned even more! How evil was what he determined!
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Then he re-contemplated in frustration,
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then frowned and scowled,
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then turned his back on the truth and acted arrogantly,
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saying, “This Quran is nothing but magic from the ancients.
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This is no more than the word of a man.”
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Soon I will burn him in Hell!
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And what will make you realize what Hell is?
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It does not let anyone live or die,
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scorching the skin.
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It is overseen by nineteen keepers.
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We have appointed only stern angels as wardens of the Fire. And We have made their number only as a test for the disbelievers, so that the People of the Book will be certain, and the believers will increase in faith, and neither the People of the Book nor the believers will have any doubts, and so that those hypocrites with sickness in their hearts and the disbelievers will argue, “What does Allah mean by such a number?” In this way Allah leaves whoever He wills to stray and guides whoever He wills. And none knows the forces of your Lord except He. And this description of Hell is only a reminder to humanity.
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But no! By the moon,
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and the night as it retreats,
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and the day as it breaks!
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Surely Hell is one of the mightiest catastrophes—
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a warning to humankind,
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to whichever of you chooses to take the lead or lag behind.
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Every soul will be detained for what it has done,
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except the people of the right,
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who will be in Gardens, asking one another
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about the wicked who will then be asked:
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“What has landed you in Hell?”
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They will reply, “We were not of those who prayed,
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nor did we feed the poor.
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We used to indulge in falsehood along with others,
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and deny the Day of Judgment,
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until the inevitable came to us.
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So the pleas of intercessors will be of no benefit to them.
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Now, what is the matter with them that they are turning away from the reminder,
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as if they were spooked zebras
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fleeing from a lion?
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In fact, each one of them wishes to be given a personal letter from Allah for all to read.
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But no! In fact, they do not fear the Hereafter.
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Enough! Surely this Quran is a reminder.
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So let whoever wills be mindful of it.
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But they cannot do so unless Allah wills. He alone is worthy to be feared and entitled to forgive.
Examining Peter in the Gospels and Acts... and the issues these passages present for Islam. Jesus is presented as divine in every Gospel... often by Peter himself. How to reconcile these accounts with a Quran who claims Peter as a righteous man?
The companions of Allah's Messenger used to practice manual labor, so their
sweat used to smell, and they were advised to take a bath.
Evaluating the moral aspects of the second trench... massacre or justified act in different times? This was, is, and will be a major theme of Jewish history, and how you think of this can vary greatly on the lens you look through and what you believe. Jews, Christians, Muslims and the non-religious all see this differently, and we go over why in this episode.
I do swear by the Day of Judgment!
And I do swear by the self-reproaching soul!
Do people think We cannot reassemble their bones?
Yes ˹indeed˺! We are ˹most˺ capable of restoring ˹even˺
their very fingertips.
Still people want to deny what is yet to come,
asking ˹mockingly˺, “When is this Day of Judgment?”
But when the sight is stunned,
and the moon is dimmed,
and the sun and the moon are brought together,
on that Day one will cry, “Where is the escape?”
But no! There will be no refuge.
On that Day all will end up before your Lord.
All will then be informed of what they have sent forth and
left behind.
In fact, people will testify against their own souls,
despite the excuses they come up with.
Do not rush your tongue trying to memorize ˹a revelation of˺
the Quran.
It is certainly upon Us to ˹make you˺ memorize and recite
it.
So once We have recited a revelation ˹through Gabriel˺,
follow its recitation ˹closely˺.
Then it is surely upon Us to make it clear ˹to you˺.
But no! In fact, you love this fleeting world,
and neglect the Hereafter.
On that Day ˹some˺ faces will be bright,
looking at their Lord.
And ˹other˺ faces will be gloomy,
anticipating something devastating to befall them.
But no! ˹Beware of the day˺ when the soul reaches the collar
bone ˹as it leaves˺,
and it will be said, “Is there any healer ˹who can save this
life˺?”
And the dying person realizes it is ˹their˺ time to depart,
and ˹then˺ their feet are tied together ˹in a shroud˺.
On that day they will be driven to your Lord ˹alone˺.
This denier neither believed nor prayed,
but persisted in denial and turned away,
then went to their own people, walking boastfully.
Woe to you, and more woe!
Again, woe to you, and even more woe!
Do people think they will be left without purpose?
Were they not ˹once˺ a sperm-drop emitted?
Then they became a clinging clot,1 then He developed and
perfected their form,
producing from it both sexes, male and female.
Is such ˹a Creator˺ unable to bring the dead back to life?
Paul and Muhammad discuss angels, Satan, revelation, heaven and the re-writing of sacred texts. They compare their visions of the afterlife in this second installment of Paul and Muhammad.
It is not permissible to take the life of a Muslim who bears testimony (to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah, but in one of the three cases: the married adulterer, a life for life, and the deserter of his Din (Islam), abandoning the community.
The Muslim army turns from north to south... besieging a Jewish tribe of questionable loyalty. The aftermath remains one of the most controversial chapters in Muslim history.
- Is there not a period of time when each human is nothing
yet worth mentioning?
- ˹For˺ indeed, We ˹alone˺ created humans from a drop of
mixed fluids, ˹in order˺ to test them, so We made them hear and see.
- We already showed them the Way, whether they ˹choose to˺
be grateful or ungrateful.
- Indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers chains,
shackles, and a blazing Fire.
- Indeed, the virtuous will have a drink ˹of pure
wine˺—flavoured with camphor—
- ˹from˺ a spring where Allah’s servants will drink,
flowing at their will.
- They ˹are those who˺ fulfil ˹their˺ vows and fear a Day
of sweeping horror,
- and give food—despite their desire for it—to the poor,
the orphan, and the captive,
- ˹saying to themselves,˺ “We feed you only for the sake of
Allah, seeking neither reward nor thanks from you.
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We fear from our Lord a horribly distressful Day.”
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So Allah will deliver them from the horror of that Day,
and grant them radiance and joy,
- and reward them for their perseverance with a Garden ˹in
Paradise˺ and ˹garments of˺ silk.
- There they will be reclining on ˹canopied˺ couches,
never seeing scorching heat or bitter cold.
- The Garden’s shade will be right above them, and its
fruit will be made very easy to reach.
- They will be waited on with silver vessels and cups of
crystal—
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crystalline silver, filled precisely as desired.
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And they will be given a drink ˹of pure wine˺ flavoured
with ginger
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from a spring there, called Salsabîl.
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They will be waited on by eternal youths. If you saw
them, you would think they were scattered pearls.
- And if you looked around, you would see ˹indescribable˺
bliss and a vast kingdom.
- The virtuous will be ˹dressed˺ in garments of fine green
silk and rich brocade, and adorned with bracelets of silver, and their Lord
will give them a purifying drink.
- ˹And they will be told,˺ “All this is surely a reward
for you. Your striving has been appreciated.”
- Indeed, it is We Who have revealed the Quran to you ˹O
Prophet˺ in stages.
- So be patient with your Lord’s decree, and do not yield
to any evildoer or ˹staunch˺ disbeliever from among them.
- ˹Always˺ remember the Name of your Lord morning and
evening,
- and prostrate before Him during part of the night, and
glorify Him long at night.
- Surely those ˹pagans˺ love this fleeting world,
˹totally˺ neglecting a weighty Day ahead of them.
- It is We Who created them and perfected their ˹physical˺
form. But if We will, We can easily replace them with others.
- Surely this is a reminder. So let whoever wills take the
˹Right˺ Way to their Lord.
- But you cannot will ˹to do so˺ unless Allah wills.
Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
- He admits whoever He wills into His mercy. As for the
wrongdoers, He has prepared for them a painful punishment.
Examining the similarities between Paul and Muhammad... their styles, their reactions to revelation... their place within their respective communities...
I heard Allah's Messenger saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray."
The clock keeps ticking on the viability of the allied army, and the Banu Qurayza begins its indecisive ride toward disaster.
By those winds sent forth successively,
and those blowing violently,
and those scattering rainclouds widely!
And by those angels fully distinguishing truth from falsehood,
and those delivering revelation,
ending excuses and giving warnings.
Surely, what you are promised will come to pass.
So when the stars are put out,
and the sky is torn apart,
and the mountains are blown away,
and the messengers’ time to testify comes up—
for which Day has all this been set?
For the Day of Final Decision!
And what will make you realize what the Day of Decision is?
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Did We not destroy earlier disbelievers?
And We will make the later disbelievers follow them.
This is how We deal with the wicked.
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Did We not create you from a humble fluid,
placing it in a secure place
until an appointed time?
We perfectly ordained its development. How excellent are We in doing so!
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Have We not made the earth a lodging
for the living and the dead,
and placed upon it towering, firm mountains, and given you fresh water to drink?
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
The disbelievers will be told, “Proceed into that Fire which you used to deny!
Proceed into the shade of smoke which rises in three columns,
providing neither coolness nor shelter from the flames.
Indeed, it hurls sparks as big as huge castles,
and as dark as black camels.”
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
On that Day they will not be in a position to speak,
nor will they be permitted to offer excuses.
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
They will be told by Allah, “This is the Day of Final Decision: We have gathered you along with earlier disbelievers for punishment.
So if you have a scheme to save yourselves, then use it against Me.”
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
Indeed, the righteous will be amid cool shade and springs
and any fruit they desire.
They will be told, “Eat and drink happily for what you used to do.”
Surely this is how We reward the good-doers.
But woe on that Day to the deniers!
“Eat and enjoy yourselves for a little while, for you are truly wicked.”
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
When it is said to them, “Bow down before Allah,” they do not bow.
Woe on that Day to the deniers!
So what message after this Quran would they believe in?
Looking at the Islamic historical arguments for why the Quran is right and the Gospels are wrong... assessing the ideas and their plausibility.
"A man from Banu Fazarah came to the Prophet and said: 'My wife has given birth to a black boy' -and he wanted to disown him. He said: 'Do you have camels?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'What color are they?' He said: 'Red.' He said: 'Are there any gray ones among them?' He said: 'There are some gray camels among them.' He said: 'Why is that do you think?' He said: 'Perhaps it is hereditary.' He said: 'Perhaps this is hereditary.' And he did not permit him to disown him."
The Muslims learn of the large army, and its 600 horses, that are marching toward Medina. This situation looks awful for the Muslims, but an outside convert comes up with a new idea to even up the odds. And Abu Sufyan's army... uninspired as ever... has to deal with a major surprise.
What are they asking one another about?
About the momentous news,
over which they disagree.
But no! They will come to know.
Again, no! They will come to know.
Have We not smoothed out the earth ˹like a bed˺,
and ˹made˺ the mountains as ˹its˺ pegs,
and created you in pairs,
and made your sleep for rest,
and made the night as a cover,
and made the day for livelihood,
and built above you seven mighty ˹heavens˺,
and placed ˹in them˺ a shining lamp,
and sent down from rainclouds pouring water,
producing by it grain and ˹various˺ plants,
and dense orchards?
Indeed, the Day of ˹Final˺ Decision is an appointed time—
˹it is˺ the Day the Trumpet will be blown, and you will ˹all˺ come forth in crowds.
The sky will be ˹split˺ open, becoming ˹many˺ gates,
and the mountains will be blown away, becoming ˹like˺ a mirage.
Indeed, Hell is lying in ambush
as a home for the transgressors,
where they will remain for ˹endless˺ ages.
There they will not taste any coolness or drink,
except boiling water and ˹oozing˺ pus—
a fitting reward.
For they never expected any reckoning,
and totally rejected Our signs.
And We have everything recorded precisely.
˹So the deniers will be told,˺ “Taste ˹the punishment˺, for all you will get from Us is more torment.”
Indeed, the righteous will have salvation—
Gardens, vineyards,
and full-bosomed maidens of equal age,
and full cups ˹of pure wine˺,
never to hear any idle talk or lying therein—
a ˹fitting˺ reward as a generous gift from your Lord,
the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between, the Most Compassionate. No one will dare speak to Him
on the Day the ˹holy˺ spirit1 and the angels will stand in ranks. None will talk, except those granted permission by the Most Compassionate and whose words are true.
That Day is the ˹ultimate˺ truth. So let whoever wills take the path leading back to their Lord.
Indeed, We have warned you of an imminent punishment—the Day every person will see ˹the consequences of˺ what their hands have done, and the disbelievers will cry, “I wish I were dust.”
The Quran clearly paints the apostles as righteous and honest men. What does that mean for the difference between the Christian and the Muslim versions of these men?
Three persons set out on a journey. They were overtaken by rain and they had to find protection in a mountain cave where at its mouth there fell a rock of that mountain and thus blocked them altogether. One of them said to the others: Look to your good deeds that you performed for the sake of Allah and then supplicate Allah, the Exalted, that He might rescue you (from this trouble). One of them said: 0 Allah, I had my parents who were old and my wife and my small children also. I tended the flock and when I came back to them in the evening, I milked them (the sheep, goats, cows, etc.) and first served that milk to my parents. One day I was obliged to go out to a distant place in search of fodder and I could not come back before evening and found them (the parents) asleep. I milked the animals as I used to milk and brought milk to them and stood by their heads avoiding to disturb them from sleep and I did not deem it advisable to serve milk to my children before serving them. My children wept near my feet. I remained there in that very state and my parents too until it was morning. And (0 Allah) if Thou art aware that I did this in order to seek Thine pleasure, grant us riddance from this trouble. (The rock slipped a bit) that they could see the sky.
The second one said: 0 Allah, I had a female cousin whom I loved more than the men love the women. I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her; she refused but on the condition of getting one hundred dinirs. It was with very great difficulty that I could collect one hundred dinirs and then paid them to her and when I was going to have a sexual intercourse with her, that she said: Servant of Allah, fear Allah and do not break the seal (of chastity) but by lawful means. I got up. 0 Allah, if Thou art aware that I did this in order to seek Thine pleasure, rid us from this trouble. The situation was somewhat eased for them.
The third one said: Allah, I employed a workman for a measure of rice. After he had finished his work I gave him his dues (in the form of) a measure of rice, but he did not accept them. I used these rice as seeds, and that gave a bumper crop and I became rich enough to have cows and flocks (in my possession). He came to me and said: Fear Allah, and commit no crueltv upon me in regard to my dues. I said to him: Takeaway this flock of cows and sheep. He said: Fear Allah and do not make a fun of me. I said: I am not making a fun of you. You take the cows and the flocks. So he took them. 0 Allah, if Thou art aware that I did it for Thine pleasure, case the situation for us. And Allah relieved them from the rest of the trouble.
The preamble to the Battle of the Trench... or the Siege of Medina. Same thing. Setting the table with some historical parallels, and also looking at the reasons for the battle and the strengths of the combatants. Muhammad has a week to prepare for an alliance of Arab tribes coming right at Medina -- that's the good news. The bad news? They have 600 horses. He has none.
By those angels stripping out evil souls harshly,
and those pulling out good souls gently,
and those gliding through heavens swiftly,
and those taking the lead vigorously,
and those conducting affairs obediently!
Consider the Day when the quaking Blast will come to pass,
followed by a second Blast.
The deniers’ hearts on that Day will be trembling in horror,
with their eyes downcast.
But now they ask mockingly, “Will we really be restored to our former state,
even after we have been reduced to decayed bones?”
Adding, “Then such a return would be a total loss for us!”
But indeed, it will take only one mighty Blast,
and at once they will be above ground.
Has the story of Moses reached you O Prophet?
His Lord called him in the sacred valley of Ṭuwa,
commanding, “Go to Pharaoh, for he has truly transgressed all bounds.
And say, Would you be willing to purify yourself,
and let me guide you to your Lord so that you will be in awe of Him?’”
Then Moses showed him the great sign,
but he denied and disobeyed Allah,
then turned his back, striving against the truth.
Then he summoned his people and called out,
saying, “I am your lord, the most high!”
So Allah overtook him, making him an example in this life and the next.
Surely in this is a lesson for whoever stands in awe of Allah.
Which is harder to create: you or the sky? He built it,
raising it high and forming it flawlessly.
He dimmed its night, and brought forth its daylight.
As for the earth, He spread it out as well,
bringing forth its water and pastures
and setting the mountains firmly upon it—
all as a means of sustenance for you and your animals.
But, when the Supreme Disaster comes to pass—
the Day every person will remember all their striving,
and the Hellfire will be displayed for all to see—
then as for those who transgressed
and preferred the fleeting life of this world,
the Hellfire will certainly be their home.
And as for those who were in awe of standing before their Lord and restrained themselves from evil desires,
Paradise will certainly be their home.
They ask you O Prophet regarding the Hour, “When will it be?”
But it is not for you to tell its time.
That knowledge rests with your Lord alone.
Your duty is only to warn whoever is in awe of it.
On the Day they see it, it will be as if they had stayed in the world no more than one evening or its morning.
A review of the Jesus portion of the series.... emphasizing key concepts and being brutally honest of the possibility of Christian-Muslim dialogue about Jesus.
Muhammad, like an overwhelmed parent, tires of the constant questions... particularly those asked in bad faith.
Muhammad marries Zaynab, and we discuss the legacy of this action from several different perspectives.
He frowned and turned his attention away,
simply because the blind man came to him interrupting
You never know O Prophet, perhaps he may be purified,
or he may be mindful, benefitting from the reminder.
As for the one who was indifferent,
you gave him your undivided attention,
even though you are not to blame if he would not be purified.
But as for the one who came to you, eager to learn,
being in awe of Allah,
you were inattentive to him.
But no! This revelation is truly a reminder.
So let whoever wills be mindful of it.
It is written on pages held in honour—
highly esteemed, purified—
by the hands of angel-scribes,
honourable and virtuous.
Condemned are disbelieving humans! How ungrateful they are to Allah!
From what substance did He create them?
He created them from a sperm-drop, and ordained their development.
Then He makes the way easy for them,
then causes them to die and be buried.
Then when He wills, He will resurrect them.
But no! They have failed to comply with what He ordered.
Let people then consider their food:
how We pour down rain in abundance
and meticulously split the earth open for sprouts,
causing grain to grow in it,
as well as grapes and greens,
and olives and palm trees,
and dense orchards,
and fruit and fodder—
all as a means of sustenance for you and your animals.
Then, when the Deafening Blast comes to pass—
on that Day every person will flee from their own siblings,
and even their mother and father,
and even their spouse and children.
For then everyone will have enough concern of their own.
On that Day some faces will be bright,
laughing and rejoicing,
while other faces will be dusty,
cast in gloom—
those are the disbelievers, the wicked sinners.
Allah's Messenger said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."
Muhammad marries his son's ex-wife and the community erupts in scandal. This is his fifth wife and a major break from Arab tradition -- some in the community call it incest. This is what we know about how this situation came to be.
When the sun is overthrown,
And when the stars fall,
And when the hills are moved,
And when the camels big with young are abandoned,
And when the wild beasts are herded together,
And when the seas rise,
And when souls are reunited,
And when the girl-child that was buried alive is asked
For what sin she was slain,
And when the pages are laid open,
And when the sky is torn away,
And when hell is lighted,
And when the Garden is brought nigh,
(Then) every soul will know what it hath made ready.
Oh, but I call to witness the planets,
The stars which rise and set,
And the close of night,
And the breath of morning
That this is in truth the word of an honoured messenger,
Mighty, established in the presence of the Lord of the Throne,
(One) to be obeyed, and trustworthy;
And your comrade is not mad.
Surely he beheld Him on the clear horizon.
And he is not avid of the Unseen.
Nor is this the utterance of a devil worthy to be stoned.
Whither then go ye ?
This is naught else than a reminder unto creation,
Unto whomsoever of you willeth to walk straight.
And ye will not, unless (it be) that Allah willeth, the Lord of Creation.
The Mahdi is a figure from the hadith... a man from Muhammad's family who will come before Jesus comes... again. The Mahdi is a curiosity for some Muslims, dogma for others, and the source of religious imagination for those who dream of a world beyond Islamic orthodoxy.
For two years after Uhud, both sides avoid major battles and fight on the outskirts of Arabia. A second Battle of Badr is planned but never happens, but it becomes obvious that these sides will fight, and only one can be master of the peninsula.
When the sky splits open,
and when the stars fall away,
and when the seas burst forth,
and when the graves spill out,
then each soul will know what it has sent forth or left behind.
O humanity! What has emboldened you against your Lord, the Most Generous,
Who created you, fashioned you, and perfected your design,
moulding you in whatever form He willed?
But no! In fact, you deny the ˹final˺ Judgment,
while you are certainly observed by vigilant,
honourable angels, recording ˹everything.
They know whatever you do.
Indeed, the virtuous will be in bliss,
and the wicked will be in Hell,
burning in it on Judgment Day,
and they will have no escape from it.
What will make you realize what Judgment Day is?
Again, what will make you realize what Judgment Day is?
˹It is˺ the Day no soul will be of ˹any˺ benefit to another whatsoever, for all authority on that Day belongs to Allah entirely.
He who gets back his charity is like a dog which vomits, and then returns to that and eats it.
The seeds for 1400 years of Jewish-Muslim enmity are planted as Muhammad takes action against a tribe he sees as disloyal and dangerous. This was a first in Muslim history, but for the Jews it was just another in a countless number of expulsions through out time. From Assyria to Babylon to Rome to Spain to Russia to Uganda... this is a familiar pattern - with an ironic twist from the conflict in modern Israel.
If the Christian story is wrong... then what exactly is right? If Jesus did not suffer, die, get buried and rise from the dead on the third day -- then what is the Islamic story? There are many theories but little certainty.
The Messenger of Allah said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one from whom the people's lives and wealth are safe."
Wrapping up the Battle of Uhud. Who won? The Quran gives one answer, and also downgrades the expected strength of a Muslim warrior.
Woe unto the defrauders:
Those who when they take the measure from mankind demand it full,
But if they measure unto them or weight for them, they cause them loss.
Do such (men) not consider that they will be raised again
Unto an Awful Day,
The day when (all) mankind stand before the Lord of the Worlds?
Nay, but the record of the vile is in Sijjin
Ah! what will convey unto thee what Sijjin is!
A written record.
Woe unto the repudiators on that day!
Those who deny the Day of Judgment
Which none denieth save each criminal transgressor,
Who, when thou readest unto him Our revelations, saith: (Mere) fables of the men of old.
Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon their hearts.
Nay, but surely on that day they will be covered from (the mercy of) their Lord.
Then lo! they verily will burn in hell,
And it will be said (unto them): This is that which ye used to deny.
Nay, but the record of the righteous is in 'Illiyin
Ah, what will convey unto thee what 'Illiyin is!
A written record,
Attested by those who are brought near (unto their Lord).
Lo! the righteous verily are in delight,
On couches, gazing,
Thou wilt know in their faces the radiance of delight.
They are given to drink of a pure wine, sealed,
Whose seal is musk - for this let (all) those strive who strive for bliss –
And mixed with water of Tasnim,
A spring whence those brought near (to Allah) drink.
Lo! the guilty used to laugh at those who believed,
And wink one to another when they passed them;
And when they returned to their own folk, they returned jesting;
And when they saw them they said: Lo! these have gone astray.
Yet they were not sent as guardians over them.
This day it is those who believe who have the laugh of disbelievers,
On high couches, gazing.
Are not the disbelievers paid for what they used to do?
The difficulty of the cross has spouted different non-Christian interpretations throughout the years... including a very old heresy called Docetism. Muslims, as believers in the holiness of Jesus, need a much more detailed accounting for Jesus and the cross than Jews.... however, the Quran has little to say on the subject.
"I heard Anas bin Malik narrating that the Prophet said: 'There are three things, whoever attains them will find therein a sweetness of faith: When he loves a person, and only loves him for the sake of Allah; when Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than all else; and when he would prefer to be thrown into the fire rather to go back to the disbelief from which Allah has saved him.'"
Hamza's body is mutilated.... Quryashi allies recoil at the battlefield mutilation... the battlefield victors leave for Mecca... why they left... an alternate theory on what happened at Uhud.
When the heaven is split asunder
And attentive to her Lord in fear,
And when the earth is spread out
And hath cast out all that was in her, and is empty
And attentive to her Lord in fear!
Thou, verily, O man, art working toward thy Lord a work which thou wilt meet (in His presence).
Then whoso is given his account in his right hand
He truly will receive an easy reckoning
And will return unto his folk in joy.
But whoso is given his account behind his back,
He surely will invoke destruction
And be thrown to scorching fire.
He verily lived joyous with his folk,
He verily deemed that he would never return (unto Allah).
Nay, but lo! his Lord is ever looking on him!
Oh, I swear by the afterglow of sunset,
And by the night and all that it enshroudeth,
And by the moon when she is at the full,
That ye shall journey on from plane to plane.
What aileth them, then, that they believe not
And, when the Qur'an is recited unto them, worship not (Allah)?
Nay, but those who disbelieve will deny;
And Allah knoweth best what they are hiding.
So give them tidings of a painful doom,
Save those who believe and do good works, for theirs is a reward unfailing.
Jesus as the Word of God. What does that mean anyway? And what does it mean in Islam? Well... it's complicated.
We witnessed along with Allah's Messenger the Khaibar (campaign). Allah's Messenger told his companions about a man who claimed to be a Muslim, "This man is from the people of the Fire." When the battle started, the man fought very bravely and received a great number of wounds and got crippled. On that, a man from among the companions of the Prophet came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you know what the man you described as of the people of the Fire has done? He has fought very bravely for Allah's Cause and he has received many wounds." The Prophet said, "But he is indeed one of the people of the Fire." Some of the Muslims were about to have some doubt about that statement. So while the man was in that state, the pain caused by the wounds troubled him so much that he put his hand into his quiver and took out an arrow and committed suicide with it. Off went some men from among the Muslims to Allah's Messenger and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Allah has made your statement true. So-and-so has committed suicide." Allah's Messenger said, "O Bilal! Get up and announce in public: None will enter Paradise but a believer, and Allah may support this religion (Islam) with a wicked man."
The Muslim army begins to win the battle... then suffers an unlikely setback. Muhammad give his archers a clear directive: “Whether we are winning or losing you stay where you are. If you see us plundering a defeated army and wish to have a share of it… stay where you are. If you see us dying and want to help us… stay where you are.” Some listen, some don't, and the battle takes a chaotic turn. Muhammad is wounded, but escapes alive.
By the sky full of constellations,
and the promised Day of Judgment
and the witness and what is witnessed!
Condemned are the makers of the ditch—
the fire pit, filled with fuel—
when they sat around it,
watching what they had ˹ordered to be˺ done to the believers,
who they resented for no reason other than belief in Allah—the Almighty, the Praiseworthy—
the One to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and earth. And Allah is a Witness over all things.
Those who persecute the believing men and women and then do not repent will certainly suffer the punishment of Hell and the torment of burning.
Surely those who believe and do good will have Gardens under which rivers flow. That is the greatest triumph.
Indeed, the crushing grip of your Lord is severe.
For He is certainly the One Who originates and resurrects all.
And He is the All-Forgiving, All-Loving—
Lord of the Throne, the All-Glorious,
Doer of whatever He wills.
Has the story of the destroyed forces reached you O Prophet—
the forces of˺ Pharaoh and Thamud?
Yet the disbelievers still persist in denial.
But Allah encompasses them from all sides.
In fact, this is a glorious Quran,
recorded in a Preserved Tablet.
Jesus as the Son of God. What is a son, anyway? How would it have been seen in Muhammad's world? And what is the function of Jesus -- a special prophet born of a virgin -- within Islam? If Jesus is not the Son of God... then what is He?
Sunan an-Nasa'i 5013
It was narrated from Qatadah that:
He heard Anas say: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'None of you has believed until I am dearer to him than his son, his father and all the people.'"
The armies line up at the foot of Mount Uhud, and the Muslims find yet another great position to fight. The armies fight while 50 key archers protect the flanks, rendering the Meccan cavalry useless. Hamza falls in the battle, basically assassinated by a well-paid slave. And the moment of truth arrives for the 50 archers who could make or break the Muslim army.
God gives solace to Muhammad... and hints at the nature of why evil appears to thrive.
Lo! they plot a plot (against thee, O Muhammad)
And I plot a plot (against them).
So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal thou gently with them for a while.
Giving a broad take on Jesus' role in Islam, and his importance (or lack thereof) in Islamic theology. A preview of the rest of the Jesus episodes.
The Prophet said: "There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time."
The Meccans come to conquer the Muslims on the outskirts on their own city, and once again, the Muslims are facing towering odds. Muhammad and his companions work out a strategy and head out to face the enemy at the foot of Mount Uhud.
Introducing the concept of abrogation, which is first seen -- classically speaking -- in this surah. The main question in this surah is, "who is the Quran speaking to?" The answer depends on who you ask and their opinion on abrogation.
Possible Biblical sources in the Quran, and its role in the religious free-for-all in Arabia.
The Prophet said, "Your life in comparison to the lifetime of the past nations is like the period between the time of Asr prayer and sunset. Your example and the example of the Jews and Christians is that of person who employed laborers and said to them, "Who will work for me till the middle of the day for one Qirat (a special weight)?' The Jews did. He then said, "Who will work for me from the middle of the day till theAsr prayer for one Qirat each?" The Christians worked accordingly. Then you (Muslims) are working from the `Asr prayer till the Maghrib prayer for two Qirats each. They (the Jews and the Christians) said, 'We did more labor but took less wages.' He (Allah) said, 'Have I wronged you in your rights?' They replied, 'No.' Then He said, 'This is My Blessing which I give to whom I wish."
Medina waits for the inevitable attack, the Muslims remove a potential traitor to the south, and Muhammad's family undergoes some major changes.
Has the news of the Overwhelming Event reached you ˹O Prophet˺?
On that Day ˹some˺ faces will be downcast,
˹totally˺ overburdened, exhausted,
burning in a scorching Fire,
left to drink from a scalding spring.
They will have no food except a foul, thorny shrub,
neither nourishing nor satisfying hunger.
On that Day ˹other˺ faces will be glowing with bliss,
˹fully˺ pleased with their striving,
in an elevated Garden,
where no idle talk will be heard.
In it will be a running spring,
along with thrones raised high,
and cups set at hand,
and ˹fine˺ cushions lined up,
and ˹splendid˺ carpets spread out.
Do they not ever reflect on camels—how they were ˹masterfully˺ created;1
and the sky—how it was raised ˹high˺;
and the mountains—how they were firmly set up;
and the earth—how it was levelled out?
So, ˹continue to˺ remind ˹all, O Prophet˺, for your duty is only to remind.
You are not ˹there˺ to compel them ˹to believe˺.
But whoever turns away, persisting in disbelief,
then Allah will inflict upon them the major punishment.1
Surely to Us is their return,
then surely with Us is their reckoning.
Jesus speaks from the cradle in the Arabic infancy Gospel, and perhaps -- maybe -- part of that makes its way into the Quran. Or, is it the other way around? The final episode regarding the apocryphal Gospels and how they relate to the Quran.
The Prophet said, "Allah will not accept the excuse of any person whose instant of death is delayed till he is sixty years of age."
Abu Sufyan, more powerful than ever, picks up the pieces in Mecca. He's raising an army for a move on Muhammad.
A warning about destruction, examples from history, and an invitation to join God in his hidden garden.
The Gospel of Pseudo Matthew picks up with the holy family's flight to Egypt.... a story that came about 600 years after Jesus was born. Dragons and miracles and dead children -- this imaginative tale is one unfamiliar to Christians and Muslims alike. Well... most of it.
Certainly, the time of prayer shall come and then Jesus (peace be upon him) son of Mary would descend and would lead them. When the enemy of Allah would see him, it would (disappear) just as the salt dissolves itself in water and if he (Jesus) were not to confront them at all, even then it would dissolve completely, but Allah would kill them by his hand and he would show them their blood on his lance (the lance of Jesus Christ).
Cleaning up after the battle... and deciding who lives and who dies. The captives are brought back to Mecca.
I do swear by this land
This land where you are free to dwell
And by the parents and their children
We have created man into a life of pain and distress and toil and trial
Yet he thinks nothing can overpower him
He boasts: I have wasted great wealth
Does he think no one sees him?
Did we not give him two eyes
And a tongue? And two lips?
And guided him to the parting of two paths.
But he has not taken the uphill and challenging path
And how will you understand the value of the uphill and challenging path?
It is the freeing of a slave
Or giving food in a time of hunger
To a family member
Or to any person in need
Then, being among those believers who heed the warning -- and advise others toward patience and toward compassion
These are the people of the right hand
But for those who disbelieve… they will be the people of the left hand
With a seal of fire closing in on them.
The Protoevangelium of James tells us about Mary in the temple.... how she came to be with Joseph and a wildly graphic story about confirming the virgin birth.
Allah's Messenger said, "The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts).
The duals heat up with Muhammad's family facing another prominent family... the Muslim army displays its fervor... the result is a bloody rout... Bilal gets his revenge... one of history's most consequential military upsets is complete.
Some nature metaphors and an introduction to Thamud:
By the sun and his brightness,
And the moon when she followeth him,
And the day when it revealeth him,
And the night when it enshroudeth him,
And the heaven and Him Who built it,
And the earth and Him Who spread it,
And a soul and Him Who perfected it
And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.
He is indeed successful who causeth it to grow,
And he is indeed a failure who stunteth it.
(The tribe of) Thamud denied (the truth) in their rebellious pride,
When the basest of them broke forth
And the messenger of Allah said: It is the she-camel of Allah, so let her drink!
But they denied him, and they hamstrung her, so Allah doomed them for their sin and razed (their dwellings).
He dreadeth not the sequel (of events).
Introduction to the aporyphal gospels that may have contributed to the Quranic Jesus. The second part goes over one of those gospels -- The Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Also... an introduction to the general concept of literary criticism in religious texts.
The Prophet said, "Allah said, 'I will be an opponent to three types of people on the Day of Resurrection: -1. One who makes a covenant in My Name, but proves treacherous; -2. One who sells a free person and eats his price; and -3. One who employs a laborer and takes full work from him but does not pay him for his labor.' "
The two sides prepare for the battle. Meccans debate whether to fight, but Muhammad hhas no doubts. A man tries to drink from the contested well. The first duel begins.
By the night when it covers,
and the day when it shines!
By (the mystery of) the creation of male and female;-
Surely the ends you strive for are diverse.
As for the one who is charitable, mindful ˹of Allah˺,
and ˹firmly˺ believes in the finest reward,
We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss.
But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient,
And gives the lie to the best,-
We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery;
Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit).
It is certainly upon Us ˹alone˺ to show ˹the way to˺ guidance.
And surely to Us ˹alone˺ belong this life and the next.
Therefore do I warn you of a Fire blazing fiercely;
in which none will burn except the most wretched—
Who give the lie to Truth and turn their backs.
But those most devoted to Allah shall be removed far from it,-
Those who spend their wealth for increase in self-purification,
And have in their minds no favour from anyone for which a reward is expected in return,
but seeking the pleasure of their Lord, the Most High.
And soon will they attain (complete) satisfaction.
A look at Jesus' both in the Quran and Islamic Mariology... and why Joseph is not only unnecessary but an impossible character.
There was an eclipse of the sun, and the Messenger of Allah got up in a rush, fearing that it might be the Hour. He went to the masjid, where he stood and prayed, standing, bowing and prostrating for the longest time that I ever saw him do in prayer. Then he said: 'These signs that Allah sends do not occur for the death or birth of anyone, but Allah sends them to strike fear into His slaves. If you see any of these things, then hasten to remember Him, call upon Him supplicate and ask for His forgiveness.
The newly militarized Muslims target a Meccan caravan. Mecca scrambles an army. The stage is set for the first clash in what will be the years-long war between the Muslims and the Quraysh of Mecca.
God talks to Muhammad once again... after a long, long absence.
By the morning sunlight,
and the night when it falls still!
Your Lord ˹O Prophet˺ has not abandoned you, nor has He become hateful ˹of you˺.
And the next life is certainly far better for you than this one.
And ˹surely˺ your Lord will give so much to you that you will be pleased.
Did He not find you as an orphan then sheltered you?
Did He not find you unguided then guided you?
And did He not find you needy then satisfied your needs?
So do not oppress the orphan,
nor repulse the beggar.
And proclaim the blessings of your Lord.
Learn about Mary... the ascetic Islamic figure who was not only a virgin -- she had no husband, either. And a very, very small nativity scene.
If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion.
The Muslims unite as a fighting force as they increase their will to fight and their total military force. The Quran would prove a very useful recruiting tool, urging Muslims to take up arms. This period would mold the new warrior spirit that would change both Islam and the Arabian peninsula during the run up to The Battle of Badr in 624.
Have We not uplifted your heart for you ˹O Prophet˺,
relieved you of the burden
which weighed so heavily on your back,
and elevated your renown for you?1
So, surely with hardship comes ease.
Surely with ˹that˺ hardship comes ˹more˺ ease.1
So once you have fulfilled ˹your duty˺, strive ˹in devotion˺,
turning to your Lord ˹alone˺ with hope.
John the Baptist's role in Islam. Yahya, as Muslims call him, is a Quran-affirmed prophet, although his actual role in the Islamic story is vague.
The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful and he made it complete but for one brick in one of its corners. People began to walk round it, and the building pleased them and they would say: But for this brick your building would have been perfect. Muhammad said: And I am that final brick.
The Emigrants from Mecca turn from refugees to raiders, and this becomes the preamble to the Battle of Badr. Smaller raids from the Emigrants give way to larger operations as religious commitment and Quranic revelations foster a more militant atmosphere. God Himself changes the rules of warfare in Arabia.
By the fig and the olive,
By Mount Sinai,
And by this land made safe;
Surely We created man of the best stature
Then we reduced him to the lowest of the low,
Save those who believe and do good works, and theirs is a reward unfailing.
So who henceforth will give the lie to thee about the judgment?
Is not Allah the most conclusive of all judges?
The stories about the parents of Mart and John the Baptist: Zechariah and Imran -- and the wives of Zechariah and Imran... the wives did not get their names in the Quran. The stories should sound mostly familiar, except the Quran gives Zechariah a much larger role in the lives of both John the Baptist and Mary.
The Prophet said, "Whoever has (the following) four characters will be a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy until he gives it up. These are: (1 ) Whenever he talks, he tells a lie; (2) whenever he makes a promise, he breaks it; (3) whenever he makes a covenant he proves treacherous; (4) and whenever he quarrels, he behaves impudently in an evil insulting manner."
There were 5 factions in Medina in 622. Then 3. Then 2. This is their story, and also a vital foundation for understanding what will come. Wars, rivalries, massacres... this episode is meant to help make sense of it all -- on both a human and religious level.
Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created—
created humans from a clinging clot.
Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
Who taught by the pen—
taught humanity what they knew not.
Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds
once they think they are self-sufficient.
˹But˺ surely to your Lord is the return ˹of all˺.
Have you seen the man who prevents
a servant ˹of Ours˺ from praying?1
What if this ˹servant˺ is ˹rightly˺ guided,
or encourages righteousness?
What if that ˹man˺ persists in denial and turns away?
Does he not know that Allah sees ˹all˺?
But no! If he does not desist, We will certainly drag him by the forelock—
a lying, sinful forelock.
So let him call his associates.
We will call the wardens of Hell.
Again, no! Never obey him ˹O Prophet˺! Rather, ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺.
Job makes a delated appearance in our series... and some golden locusts gall from the sky.
The Prophet said: If anyone acquires knowledge that should be sought seeking the Face of Allah, but he acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the arf, i.e. the fragrance, of Paradise.
Muhammad enters phase two of the escape from Mecca, gets some help from nature and perhaps a miracle or two, and finally makes it to his new home.
We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:
Peace!... This until the rise of morn!
Ezra is an overlooked Biblical figure, but was not entirely overlooked in Islam. He is mentioned at most twice in the Quran, but also represents the spirit of Ezra in the Bible -- returning and rebuilding the faith.
It was narrated from abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said:
"No one who commits Zina (an immoral sexual act) is a believer at the moment when he is committing Zina; no one who steals is a believer at the moment when he is stealing; no one who drinks wine is a believer at the moment when he is drinking it; and no robber is a believer at the moment when he is robbing and the people are looking on.
Muhammad remains a human shield in Mecca until he escapes in the night, foiling an assassination plot with the help of the Angel Gabriel.
Those who disbelieve among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters could not have stopped (erring) till the clear proof came unto them,
A messenger from Allah, reading purified pages
Containing correct scriptures.
Nor were the People of the Scripture divided until after the clear proof came unto them.
And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion.
Lo! those who disbelieve, among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings.
(And) lo! those who believe and do good works are the best of created beings.
Their reward is with their Lord: Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they dwell for ever. Allah hath pleasure in them and they have pleasure in Him. This is (in store) for him who feareth his Lord.
Mysterious figures that may or may not be related to Ezekiel -- Dhu al-kifl, Dhu-al-Qarnayn and Yajuj and Majuj. The Quran mentions only one of the major prophets -- maybe -- but does offer a very different version of Gog and Magog. And, perhaps, a reference to Alexander the Great.
Sahih Muslim 2284
A person lit a fire and when the atmosphere was aglow, moths and insects began to fall into the fire, but I am there to hold them back, but they are plunging into it despite my efforts, and he further added: That is your example and mine. I am there to hold you back from fire and to save you from it, but you are plunging into it despite my efforts.
Part 2 of the historical notebook:
Muhammad Wrestles Mecca’s Strongest Man… and Moves a Tree
Gabriel Goes on a Killing Spree
IYAS… a young sage with Old Fools
The Idol in the Cesspool
Al Tufayl came to the Kaaba.
Muhammad converts 20 Christians
When Earth is shaken with her (final) earthquake
And Earth yieldeth up her burdens,
And man saith: What aileth her?
That day she will relate her chronicles,
Because thy Lord inspireth her.
That day mankind will issue forth in scattered groups to be shown their deeds.
And whoso doeth good an atom's weight will see it then,
And whoso doeth ill an atom's weight will see it then.
A look at Jonah, the not so minor prophet. He has a surah in the Quran named after him, and his story casts an outsized shadow on Islam as it does Judaism and Christianity. We'll look at the differences in the characters, including Jonah's motivation and who he was actually running from when he found himself inside a whale.
The Prophet said, "Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, "Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring." So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation.
A selection of stories from Islamic History: The Muslims draw first blood An attempted bribe… and the ultimate in cynical politics An Islamic lesson in how miracles work
By the galloping, panting horses, striking sparks of fire ˹with their hoofs˺, launching raids at dawn, stirring up ˹clouds of˺ dust, and penetrating into the heart of enemy lines! Surely humankind is ungrateful to their Lord— and they certainly attest to this— and they are truly extreme in their love of ˹worldly˺ gains. Do they not know that when the contents of the graves will be spilled out, and the secrets of the hearts will be laid bare— surely their Lord is All-Aware of them on that Day.
Elijah's role in Islam, and his role in the religious imagination in general. Elijah as John the Baptist, Jesus, Muhammad... and maybe just some random guy on the street.
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for."
Muhammad finds some converts from Yathrib... and they pledge not only their hearts to God -- but will put Muhammad in charge of their city. An Islamic missionary goes ahead of Muhammad with tremendous success, setting up the Hijra, or Islamic migration, in 622.
The Calamity! What is the Calamity? Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Calamity is! A day wherein mankind will be as thickly-scattered moths And the mountains will become as carded wool. Then, as for him whose scales are heavy (with good works), He will live a pleasant life. But as for him whose scales are light, A bereft and Hungry One will be his mother, Ah, what will convey unto thee what she is! – Raging Fire.
All the stories of Solomon more familiar to Biblical readers, such as the baby, the Queen of Sheba, Solomon's great works and his controversial later life.
Allah's Messenger said, "When the people of Paradise have entered Paradise, and the people of the Fire have entered the Fire, Allah will say. 'Take out (of the Fire) whoever has got faith equal to a mustard seed in his heart.' They will come out, and by that time they would have burnt and became like coal, and then they will be thrown into the river of Al-Hayyat (life) and they will spring up just as a seed grows on the bank of a rainwater stream." The Prophet said, "Don't you see that the germinating seed comes out yellow and twisted?"
Muhammad's marriage to two women. A solid and ordinary woman named Sawdah, and Abu Bakr's six-year-old daughter -- Aisha. This will explain how that happened and the controversy surrounding Aisha.
Rivalry in worldly increase distracteth you Until ye come to the graves. Nay, but ye will come to know! Nay, but ye will come to know! Nay, would that ye knew (now) with a sure knowledge! For ye will behold hell-fire. Aye, ye will behold it with sure vision. Then, on that day, ye will be asked concerning pleasure.
The Islamic Solomon shows up David with his wisdom, learns quick lessons, tends to his animals and commands his jinn -- even after he is dead.
The Prophet said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophets and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)"
There and back again -- Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem, including visions of heaven, hell, Jesus and even a slight glimpse of God. This was hugely consequential for the Muslims at the time, and would be just as consequential for us in the 20th Century.
Our limited time on earth... and the specter of eternity. By the declining day, Lo! man is in a state of loss, Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
David brings down the Psalms, is a holy blacksmith, and may or may not have committed adultery. The Islamic David comes off as a better individual than the Biblical David, but is not as flawless as you may think.
“A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, show me a deed which, if I do it, Allah will love me and people will love me. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Be indifferent towards this world, and Allah will love you. Be indifferent to what is in people’s hands, and they will love you.”
The year of sorrow comes to a merciful end, but he is unable to find a new home. Muhammad re-enters Mecca with an unlikely ally, and is on the cusp of receiving a tremendous gift.
Woe unto every slandering traducer, Who hath gathered wealth (of this world) and arranged it. He thinketh that his wealth will render him immortal. Nay, but verily he will be flung to the Consuming One. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Consuming One is! (It is) the fire of Allah, kindled, Which leapeth up over the hearts (of men). Lo! it is closed in on them In outstretched columns.
Details on the Islamic versions of Joshua, Saul, and a Saul-like archetype named Talut. And a brief cameo from David and Goliath. The Islamic version pretty much skips the conquest of the Promised Land, and God grants Israel a king.
I said, "O Allah's Messenger! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He said, "Al- Masjid-ul-,Haram (in Mecca)." I said, "Which was built next?" He replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem) ." I said, "What was the period of construction between the two?" He said, "Forty years." He added, "Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e. to offer the prayers in time).
The worst year of Muhammad's life begins with the loss of Khadija and Abu Talib. A breakdown of what may have killed them and the impact of Muhammad, Islam, and the political situation in Mecca.
Hast thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? Did He not bring their stratagem to naught, And send against them swarms of flying creatures, Which pelted them with stones of baked clay, And made them like green crops devoured (by cattle)?
The story of Moses... from the river to the burning bush to the edge of the Promised Land. The Islamic Moses skips the most famous plague of the Bible, gives the surah of the cow its name, hits an angel -- and then takes a mysterious journey with a man in green.
The Prophet said, "Allah has appointed an angel in the womb, and the angel says, 'O Lord! A drop of discharge (i.e. of semen), O Lord! a clot, O Lord! a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete the child's creation, the angel will say. 'O Lord! A male or a female? O Lord! wretched or blessed (in religion)? What will his livelihood be? What will his age be?' The angel writes all this while the child is in the womb of its mother."
The Quraysh take their best shot at annihilating Mecca's Muslims - and their tribesman - in a three-year boycott. The boycotted take refuge on the outskirts of Mecca as the rest of the city tries to starve them into submission. The siege is broken, at last, when it is revealed the other Meccans simply so not have the will to maintain the blockade.
For the taming of Qureysh. For their taming (We cause) the caravans to set forth in winter and summer. So let them worship the Lord of this House, Who hath fed them against hunger and hath made them safe from fear.
Joseph is kidnapped, ends up in Egypt, has some problems with a eunuch and resists some epic temptation. The story of Joseph is told in surah 12, which is actually named Yusuf - the Arabic word for Joseph. The story of Joseph was always special to Muhammad, and this episodes details why.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allah said: "Part of the perfection of one's Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him."
The controversial story of the Satanic Verses -- where the story came from, why it matters (or doesn't matter) and how believable the story actually is. Did Satan really try to sneak an extra verse past Muhammad? Or is it just an apocryphal legend? And what are the theological implications of this?
Hast thou observed him who belieth religion? That is he who repelleth the orphan, And urgeth not the feeding of the needy. Ah, woe unto worshippers Who are heedless of their prayer; Who would be seen (at worship) Yet refuse small kindnesses!
Noah asks God to destroy the world. Abraham survives the fire, heads to Mecca, and nearly kills Ishmael.
This month’s hadith is from the Abu Dawud collection --- On the authority of Abu Najeeh al-’Irbaad ibn Saariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave us a sermon by which our hearts were filled with fear and tears came to our eyes. So we said, “O Messenger of Allah! It is as though this is a farewell sermon, so counsel us.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “I counsel you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah, and to listen and obey [your leader], even if a slave were to become your ameer. Verily he among you who lives long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Khulafa ar-Rashideen (the rightly guided caliphs), those who guide to the right way. Cling to it stubbornly [literally: with your molar teeth]. Beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for verily every bidah (innovation) is misguidance.”
The story of the Ethiopian king who took in the first Muslim refugees. A Christian ruler called the Negus hosts a debate between the Muslims and the Meccans, cementing his legend in Islamic lore.
Lo! We have given thee Abundance; So pray unto thy Lord, and sacrifice. Lo! it is thy insulter (and not thou) who is without posterity. The translations of this in English are wildly different, so I’ll give two more translations in addition to the Pickthall translation heard above: Yusuf Ali To thee have We granted the Fount (of Abundance). Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice. For he who hateth thee, he will be cut off (from Future Hope).
And now for something completely different – here’s the Sahih International version: Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muḥammad], al-Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice [to Him alone]. Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off. - From all good in this world and the Hereafter.
The Beginning of a series on Biblical figures in Islam. This episode is about Adam in the beginning, how the devil was created from a rogue jinn, and what it all means for Islamic verses Christian theology.
This month’s hadith is from Sahih Muslim, number 55: It is narrated on the authority of Tamim ad-Dari that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The Religion is sincerity." We said, "To whom?" He said "To Allah, to His Book, To His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their masses."
The Muslims face persecution, but also add some muscle. This episode includes: The first Islamic martyr. The freeing of Bilal. A big loss for Abu Jahl. The addition of Hamza and Umar.
Say: O disbelievers! I worship not that which ye worship;
Nor worship ye that which I worship.
And I shall not worship that which ye worship.
Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion.
Second and final part of the Heretics episodes. Featuring the Druze, the Ahmadiyya, the Nation of Islam and others.
The Prophet said, "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights."
Muhammad was going public with his ministry. This was around the year 613. So who would listen? When Muhammad went public the backlash was not immediate from most Meccans – he received plenty of mockery, but no outright violence. That would soon change.
When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh And thou seest mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops, Then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.
On the shores of Lake Michigan, in the near north suburbs of Chicago, sits a large white temple that is so impressive it was named one of the seven wonders of Illinois. Keep in mind Illinois contains all the eye-popping, history-making architecture of Chicago, so yeah, it’s a pretty amazing structure – even next to the Sears Tower, Trump Tower, Hancock Building and all the other Chicago marvels. It is the North American headquarters of the Bahai Faith, whose founder – Baha-ullah -- was once a Muslim.
The Prophet said: Allah will raise for this community at the end of every hundred years the one who will renovate its religion for it. In Arabic, this person is called the Mujaddid, or one who brings renewal.
A mysterious force grabbed hold of him, and he could not move. The force ordered him to recite, and soon came the words of the first Islamic revelation: Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth, Createthman from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teacheth by the pen, Teachethman that which he knew not.
In one sense, this surah is pretty self explanatory. Abu Lahab is not a fictional person – he was an actual early enemy of Islam. This explains what will ultimately happen to Abu Lahab, and to his wife, and to others like him who rail against Islam. There is also a larger metaphor at play here.
Sufis are Muslims who seek a direct experience of the divine. They can be Sunni or Shia or any other kind of Muslim, and trace their lineage directly to Muhammad. Sufis have always been small in number but great in influence, something they certainly have in common with their Christian counterparts.
O Allah's Messenger! How is the Divine Inspiration revealed to you?" Allah's Messenger replied, "Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of a bell, this form of Inspiration is the hardest of all and then this state passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the Angel comes in the form of a man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says." 'Aisha added: Verily I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) being inspired divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dropping from his forehead (as the Inspiration was over).
Muhammad didn’t receive his first revelation until he was 40, starting an action packed 12 years of ministry until his death. But what came before that? There is little on Muhammad’s first 40 years, not dissimilar to the pre-ministry days of Jesus. And what is there, it really is impossible to tell legend from fact from hagiography. Regardless of what you want to call it, there are a few good stories about Muhammad before his ministry. Here are my top 5:
Muhammad once called this surah “equivalent to one-third of the whole Quran.” The emphasis is on the oneness of God, the essential nature of God and the impossibility of comparing God to anything in his creation.
So… the Shia. What makes them different from their Sunni counterparts? The textbook explanation for the difference between Sunni and Shia is almost always the succession of Muhammad after his death and whom each side supported. It’s correct, but it’s really just a starting point. I start this episode talking about the commemoration of Husayn’s martyrdom at Karbala – because that’s really the birth of the divide – when Shia became an actual thing.
None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself. The implications of this – this Muslim version of the golden rule -- are far-reaching. It means that when Muhammad talks about being a believer, it’s way beyond smashing idols and proclaiming there is only one God. This is surface belief, performative belief. To truly believe you must internalize the message and live it. When a Muslim proclaims that there is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God – it also means a pledge of altruism.
Islamic history dates back to Abraham… well, Adam, really, and there are some stories that are critical to understanding Islam that predate Muhammad. This includes most of the Old Testament, but I’m not going to rehash stories you already know. Abraham is a big deal Islam, as is the story of him sacrificing Isaac. It’s so big, actually, it’s a Muslim holiday. But again, you know that story. So what I did was pick out five stories of Pre-Muhammad lore to share with you.
This is an early Meccan surah, and combined with surah 114, it’s as much a prayer as it is a surah. The combined prayer of 113 and 114 is often called Al-Mu'awwid hatan – and according to the hadith Muhammad would say this prayer every night.
The Sunni story begins in 632, when Muhammad died without a clear heir. This was particularly important because, by this time, Muhammad wasn’t just the leader of his small group of Muslims. Pretty much the entire Arabian Peninsula had flocked to his banner, united under Muhammad’s religion. Obviously, this was no small feat, but without Muhammad, would the tribes remain united? Some thought the new leader should obviously be Ali, Muhammad’s son-in-law and cousin, a great warrior and a surefire leader who would be respected. But the Sunnis has other ideas, shying away from what they thought could turn into a hereditary monarchy. The Sunnis won out, choosing the bland and boring Abu Bakr as the new leader of the faithful. He was Muhammad’s best friend, not his blood relative.
The Hadith is a collection of the sayings and deeds of the prophet Muhammad, particularly important in creating Islamic law and giving context to elements of the Quran. In Islamic fashion, this is more of a history exercise than a literary one, so there is no overarching narrative of the reports. In fact, many reports are found in multiple hadith collections. A standard hadith has two parts: 1. The first is the isnad, or chain of reporters. It’s critical that the chain custody, so to speak, go back to a companion of the prophet. Like the canonization of the Gospels, this became necessary as people began to make things up to support a political or theological position. All hadith are now classified as sahih, hasan, or da’if. In English that’s sound, good and weak. 2. The second part is the story itself, which is usually not too long.
Why on earth would anyone support the murderous tyrant Bashar Al-Assad? Especially confessed Christians? Once we dive into the religious and sectarian situation in Syria, and the history of the last couple centuries, it will start to make sense. For Christians in the Middle East, political preferences aren’t really preferences. We, and by that I mean people in democracies, support a candidate for comparatively trivial reasons like taxes, the culture wars or even personality. Syrian Christians and other minorities support a candidate who will keep them alive. Alawites and Christians, for example, have many sound reasons for supporting the dictator and his regime, and they’re not really that selfish once you consider the history. And Russia’s bizarre desire to be involved in this mess may make a bit more sense, too.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The King of mankind, The god of mankind, From the evil of the sneaking whisperer, Who whispereth in the hearts of mankind, Of the jinn and of mankind.
This episode is an acknowledgment that for many Westerners, and that includes Christians, most of what is known about Islam is filtered through the lens of terrorism and extremism. I don’t like it, and I know Muslims freaking hate it, but I don’t think ignoring that perception is helpful, either. As you learn more about Islam, violent extremism will creep further and further into obscurity. But at the beginning? When someone is first introduced to Islam? It’s right there front and center. You don’t have to like it, but it’s a reality.
The Quran is not the Bible. I went into detail on this in an earlier episode, but it’s hard overemphasize this point – the Quran is not the Bible. It’s a book about similar people, and it’s about the God of Abraham, and it’s a critical cog of a major religion, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. The archetype of the Christian Bible is the novel. It has a beginning, an end, characters, protagonists, antagonists and all the hallmarks of classic literature. The closest Christian equivalent would be the Psalms. But the Psalms were the poetry of a man – the Quran, for Muslims, is the poetry of God.
When talking about Islam, some Arabic is essential. It’s not necessary to be a Muslim – the vast majority of Muslims do not understand Arabic – but Arabic is the language of the Quran and the early Muslims and therefore essential for anyone attempting to study Islam.
This is the commentary for The Messiah (2007). This should not be confused with the short-lived Netflix series. The Messiah is a movie out of Iran that tells the story of Jesus from an Islamic perspective. Type – The Messiah 2007 full movie – into YouTube and it should be easy to find. Look for a movie that’s about an hour 23. It’s obviously not in English, but there are subtitles.
Welcome to the Islam for Christians companion to Empire of Faith. Go to YouTube or something similar and type in Islam: Empire of Faith. You should see three parts of about 50+ minutes. We’ll go through all three here. If the narrator sounds like Ben Kingsley, you have the right one.
The films I’ll be focusing on are the following: 1. The Message. It’s a 1976 film centered on the life of Muhammad and his message, thus the title. It's available to rent on Amazon… 2. Islam: Empire of Faith. This is a PBS documentary. Last I checked it was on YouTube, so you don’t need to pay for it. 3. The Messiah (2007). This should not be confused with the short-lived Netflix series. The Messiah is a movie out of Iran that tells the story of Jesus from an Islamic perspective. Type – The Messiah 2007 full movie – into YouTube and it should be easy to find. Look for a movie that’s about an hour 22. It’s obviously not in English, but there are subtitles.
Learn 1,400 years of Islam in under 30 minutes! 1. Before the first revelation – before 610. 2. The Mecca period – 610-622. 3. The Medina period – 622-632 4. Rightly guided caliphs – 632-661 5. Umayyad (spell) Caliphate – 661-750 6. Abbasid (spell) Caliphate 750-1258 7. Mongol Era 1258-1503 8. The Gunpowder Empires – Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals 1503 until about 1800 9. Decline and colonization – 1800s to 1918 10. The modern century – 1918 to present
Introduction to Islam for Christians. Brief introduction of the author, the purpose of this podcast and what to expect.