CONTEMPORARIES RESPONSE TO MUHAMMAD'S RHETORIC
A Sample Of Muhammad’s Rhetoric
Sura 6
19 Say (O Muhammad): What thing is of most weight in testimony? Say: Allah is Witness between me and you. And this Qur'an hath been inspired in me, that I may warn therewith you and whomsoever it may reach. Do ye in sooth bear witness that there are gods beside Allah? Say: I bear no such witness. Say: He is only One God. Lo! I am innocent of that which ye associate (with Him). 20 Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this revelation) as they recognize their sons. Those who ruin their own souls will not believe. 21 Who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie against Allah or denieth His revelations ? Lo! the wrongdoers will not be successful. 22 And on the day We gather them together We shall say unto those who ascribed partners (unto Allah): Where are (now) those partners of your make-believe? 23 Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters. 24 See how they lie against themselves, and (how) the thing which they devised hath failed them!
Contemporaries Response
They knew that he was lying.
25 Of them are some who listen unto thee, but We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness. If they saw every token they would not believe therein; to the point that, when they come unto thee to argue with thee, the disbelievers say: This is naught else than fables of the men of old. 26 And they forbid (men) from it and avoid it, and they ruin none save themselves, though they perceive not.
Sura 8
31 And when Our revelations are recited unto them they say: We have heard. If we wish we can speak the like of this. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.
Sura 16
24 And when it is said unto them: What hath your Lord revealed ? they say: (Mere) fables of the men of old,
Allah is guilty of causing unbelief.
Sura 18
54 And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all manner of similitudes, but man is more than anything contentious. 55 And naught hindereth mankind from believing when the guidance cometh unto them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord unless (it be that they wish) that the judgment of the men of old should come upon them or (that) they should be confronted with the Doom. 56 We send not the messengers save as bearers of good news and warners. Those who disbelieve contend with falsehood in order to refute the Truth thereby. And they take Our revelations and that wherewith they are threatened as a jest. 57 And who doth greater wrong than he who hath been reminded of the revelations of his Lord, yet turneth away from them and forgetteth what his hands send forward (to the Judgment)? Lo! on their hearts We have placed coverings so that they understand not, and in their ears a deafness. And though thou call them to the guidance, in that case they can never be led aright.
Sura 23
81 Nay, but they say the like of that which said the men of old; 82 They say: When we are dead and have become (mere) dust and bones, shall we then, forsooth, be raised again? 83 We were already promised this, we and our forefathers. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.
More than one author of the Quran
Sura 25
4 Those who disbelieve say: This is naught but a lie that he hath invented, and other folk have helped him with it, so that they have produced a slander and a lie. 5 And they say: Fables of the men of old which he hath had written down so that they are dictated to him morn and evening.
Sura 26
136 They said: It is all one to us whether thou preachest or art not of those who preach; 137 This is but a fable of the men of old, 138 And we shall not be doomed.
Sura 27
67 Yet those who disbelieve say: When we have become dust like our fathers, shall we verily be brought forth (again)? 68 We were promised this, forsooth, we and our fathers. (All) this is naught but fables of the men of old.
Sura 31
6 And of mankind is he who payeth for mere pastime of discourse, that he may mislead from Allah's way without knowledge, and maketh it the butt of mockery. For such there is a shameful doom.
Sura 35
42 And they swore by Allah, their most binding oath, that if a warner came unto them they would be more tractable than any of the nations; yet, when a warner came unto them it aroused in them naught save repugnance, 43 (Shown in their) behaving arrogantly in the land and plotting evil; and the evil plot encloseth but the men who make it. Then, can they expect aught save the treatment of the folk of old? Thou wilt not find for Allah's way of treatment any substitute, nor wilt thou find for Allah's way of treatment aught of power to change.
Sura 46
17 And whoso saith unto his parents: Fie upon you both! Do ye threaten me that I shall be brought forth (again) when generations before me have passed away ? And they twain cry unto Allah for help (and say): Woe unto thee! Believe! Lo! the promise of Allah is true. But he saith: This is naught save fables of the men of old:
Sura 68
7 Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright. 8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters 9 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise. 10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger, 11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders, 12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor 13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive. 14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children 15 That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
Muhammad could read and write. The Quran contradicts itself in that it says he couldn't.
Surah 83
9 A written record. 10 Woe unto the repudiators on that day! 11 Those who deny the Day of Judgment 12 Which none denieth save each criminal transgressor,
13 Who, when thou readest unto him Our revelations, saith: (Mere) fables of the men of old. 14 Nay, but that which they have earned is rust upon their hearts.
15 Nay, but surely on that day they will be covered from (the mercy of) their Lord. 16 Then lo! they verily will burn in hell, 17 And it will be said (unto them): This is that which ye used to deny.
Analysis
Muhammad’s contemporaries considered his rhetoric "mere fables of the men of old". What changed their mind ? How did Islam spread ? The answer is found close within the proximity of the verses quoted above: Fear and violence and manipulation.
Sura 6
25 Of them are some who listen unto thee, but We have placed upon their hearts veils, lest they should understand, and in their ears a deafness. If they saw every token they would not believe therein; to the point that, when they come unto thee to argue with thee, the disbelievers say: This is naught else than fables of the men of old.
27 If thou couldst see when they are set before the Fire and say: Oh, would that we might return! Then would we not deny the revelations of our Lord but we would be of the believers! 28 Nay, but that hath become clear unto them which before they used to hide. And if they were sent back they would return unto that which they are forbidden. Lo! they are liars. 29 And they say: There is naught save our life of the world, and we shall not be raised (again). 30 If thou couldst see when they are set before their Lord! He will say: Is not this real? They will say: Yea, verily, by our Lord! He will say: Taste now the retribution for that ye used to disbelieve.
Sura 8
32 And when they said: O Allah! If this be indeed the truth from Thee, then rain down stones on us or bring on us some painful doom! 33 But Allah would not punish them while thou wast with them, nor will He punish them while they seek forgiveness.
34 What (plea) have they that Allah should not punish them, when they debar (His servants) from the Inviolable Place of Worship, though they are not its fitting guardians. Its fitting guardians are those only who keep their duty to Allah. But most of them know not. 35 And their worship at the (holy) House is naught but whistling and hand- clapping. Therefore (it is said unto them): Taste of the doom because ye disbelieve.
Sura 16
25 That they may bear their burdens undiminished on the Day of Resurrection, with somewhat of the burdens of those whom they mislead without knowledge. Ah! evil is that which they bear! 26 Those before them plotted, so Allah struck at the foundations of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the doom came on them whence they knew not; 27 Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and will say: Where are My partners, for whose sake ye opposed (My guidance) ? Those who have been given knowledge will say: Disgrace this day and evil are upon the disbelievers, 28 Whom the angels cause to die while they are wronging themselves. Then will they make full submission (saying): We used not to do any wrong. Nay! Surely Allah is Knower of what ye used to do. 29 So enter the gates of hell, to dwell therein for ever. Woeful indeed will be the lodging of the arrogant.
Sura 18. Manipulation
57 And who doth greater wrong than he who hath been reminded of the revelations of his Lord, yet turneth away from them and forgetteth what his hands send forward (to the Judgment) ? Lo! on their hearts We have placed coverings so that they understand not, and in their ears a deafness. And though thou call them to the guidance, in that case they can never be led aright.
Sura 23
75 Though We had mercy on them and relieved them of the harm afflicting them, they still would wander blindly on in their contumacy. 76 Already have We grasped them with punishment, but they humble not themselves unto their Lord, nor do they pray, 77 Until, when We open for them the gate of extreme punishment, behold! they are aghast thereat.
Sura 25
11 Nay, but they deny (the coming of) the Hour, and for those who deny (the coming of) the Hour We have prepared a flame. 12 When it seeth them from afar, they hear the crackling and the roar thereof. 13 And when they are flung into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they pray for destruction there. 14 Pray not that day for one destruction, but pray for many destructions!
Sura 26
139 And they denied him; therefore We destroyed them. Lo! herein is indeed a portent, yet most of them are not believers.
Sura 27
69 Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Travel in the land and see the nature of the sequel for the guilty!
Sura 31.Manipulation
7 And when Our revelations are recited unto him he turneth away in pride as if he heard them not, as if there were a deafness in his ears. So give him tidings of a painful doom.
Sura 35. Manipulation
44 Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them, and they were mightier than these in power ? Allah is not such that aught in the heavens or in the earth escapeth Him. Lo! He is the Wise, the Mighty. 45 If Allah took mankind to task by that which they deserve, He would not leave a living creature on the surface of the earth; but He reprieveth them unto an appointed term, and when their term cometh - then verily (they will know that) Allah is ever Seer of His
slaves.
Sura 46
18 Such are those on whom the Word concerning nations of the jinn and mankind which have passed away before them hath effect. Lo! they are the losers. 19 And for all there will be ranks from what they do, that He may pay them for their deeds; and they will not be wronged. 20 And on the day when those who disbelieve are exposed to the Fire (it will be said): Ye squandered your good things in the life of the world and sought comfort therein. Now this day ye are rewarded with the doom of ignominy because ye were disdainful in the land without a right, and because ye used to transgress.
Sura 68
16 We shall brand him on the nose.
Sura 83
15 Nay, but surely on that day they will be covered from (the mercy of) their Lord. 16 Then lo! they verily will burn in hell, 17 And it will be said (unto them): This is that which ye used to deny.
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