Jesus and Muhammad compared

By William J. Federer*

What motivates fundamental Muslims to violence? Much effort has gone into answering this. Muslim apologists are quick to point out Christians have also committed violence. Secularists suggest anybody who believes in God is prone to violence, conveniently ignoring the atheistic killings of the French Revolution, Stalin’s purges and Mao Tse-tung’s Cultural Revolution.

In an attempt to uncover motivations, founders of the world’s two largest religions can be compared. According to the www.CIA.gov World Factbook, the world’s 6.5 billion people are 33.32 percent Christian and 21.01 percent Muslim.

If a computer acts up, the technician resets it to the default settings it had when it left the factory. If followers of a religion act up, one should examine the default settings the religion had when it left its founder.

One can examine the life of Jesus from the four Gospels.

One can examine the life of Muhammad from the Quran, Hadith and sources like the Sirat Rasul Allah.

The Quran is a collection of private revelations Muhammad received between A.D. 610-632. Conflicting versions were passed down orally until Caliph Uthman standardized them around A.D. 650.

The Hadith are stories about Muhammad passed down orally until Caliph Umar II began collecting them around A.D. 717-720.

The Sirat Rasul Allah, or “The Life of the Prophet of Allah,” was written by Ibn Ishaq between A.D. 707-773 and preserved in copies by Ibn Hisham (d. 833) and al-Tabari (838-923). In 1861, Sir William Muir published an English translation, “The Life of Mahomet.” Edward Rehatsek’s translation, edited by Michael Edwardes, was presented to the Royal Asiatic Society of London in 1898. Oxford University published Alfred Guillaume’s translation in 1955.

A review of these resources reveal:

“The Jews surrendered and the apostle confined them in Medina. … Then the apostle went out to the market … and dug trenches in it. Then he sent for them and struck off their heads in those trenches as they were brought out to him in batches. … There were 600 or 700 in all, though some put the figure as high as 800 or 900. As they were being taken out in batches to the apostle they asked Ka’b what he thought would be done with them. He replied, ‘Will you never understand? Don’t you see that the summoner never stops and those who are taken away do not return? By Allah it is death!’ This went on until the apostle made an end of them.” (Sirat Rasul Allah)

“Muhammad gave command and the heads of the two chiefs were severed from their bodies. The scene of torture and bloodshed was hardly ended when Muhammad sent Bilal to fetch the wife of Kinana. … He cast his mantle around her in token that she was to be his own.” (Conquest of Khaybar, A.D. 628, Sirat Rasul Allah)

“The apostle occupied the Jewish forts … taking prisoners as he went. Among these were Safiya, the wife of Kinana. … The apostle chose Safiya for himself. The other prisoners were distributed among the Muslims.” (Sirat Rasul Allah)

“Married women are forbidden unto you, except those whom your right hands possess (taken in battle.)” (Sura 4:24)

“Anas said, ‘The prophet used to visit all his wives in an hour round, during the day and night and they were 11 in number.’ I asked Anas, ‘Had the prophet the strength for it?’ Anas replied, ‘We used to say that the prophet was given the strength of 30 (men).’” (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Bk. 5, No. 268)

“Muhammad said: ‘Woman can be married for religion, her fortune, or her beauty. So marry one for the religion.’” (Abu Issa al-Tarmidi, Sunan al-Tarmidi, Medina n.d., p.275, B: 4, H:1092)

“Prophet, we have made lawful to you … the slave girls whom Allah has given you as booty.” (Sura 33:50)

When Muhammad’s behavior is reviewed, Muslim scholars point out that King David was also a prophet yet he killed people, owned slaves and had many wives.

The response is still that Jesus never killed anyone, never owned slaves and never married. David only wanted a small piece of land – there is no Bible command for Jews to subdue the world.

“Narrated Anas bin Malik: ‘On the day of the Conquest, the Prophet entered Mecca, wearing a helmet on his head. When he took it off, a man came and said, “Ibn Khatal is clinging to the curtain of the Ka’ba.” The Prophet said, “Kill him.”‘” (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari Vol. 5, Book 59, No. 582)

“Ibn Khatal … had two slave girls who used to sing for him and for his companions songs full of abuse of the Prophet. The Prophet’s instructions specified that the two slave girls should also be killed. … Another (to be killed) was al-Huwayrith Nuqaydh Wahb Qusayy, one of those who used to insult him in Mecca.” (Sirat Rasul Allah)

“Muhammad sent Abdullah to use diplomacy to gain an opportunity to assassinate Sofyan. Abdullah went forth, pretending to be on his Sofyan’s side, and when the moment was right, cut off his head. He carried it to Muhammad, who was in the Mosque in Medina. Muhammad was so gratified, he gave the assassin his staff, saying: ‘This shall be a token betwixt you and me on the day of resurrection. Verily, few on that day shall have anything to lean upon.’” (Sirat Rasul Allah).

“Ibn Sa’d Tabaqat reported: ‘The apostle of Allah entered through Adhakhir into Mecca. … He ordered six men and four women to be killed.” (Kitab al-Tabaqat, written by Ibn Sa’d (A.D. 745-845), Vol. 2, p. 168.)

“Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (Sura 9:29)

“Narrated Abu Huraira: ‘The Prophet said, “The person who participates in (holy battles) in Allah’s cause and nothing compels him to do so except belief in Allah and His Apostles, will be recompensed by Allah either with a reward or booty (if he survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as a martyr).”‘” (Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, Bk. 2, No. 35)

Fighting is inconsistent with Jesus’ example but not Muhammad’s, as the Sirat Rasul Allah records Muhammad personally led 27 raids.

Jesus’ teaching on how to treat enemies:

Muhammad’s teaching on how to treat enemies:

What motivates fundamental Muslims to violence? Where Jesus was a religious leader, Muhammad was a religious leader and a military leader, thus the effort to separate the militant aspect of Islam from the religious aspect is an attempt to split Muhammad.

The closer one follows the example of Jesus, the more peaceful is one’s motivation.

The closer one follows example of Muhammad, the more militant is one’s motivation.

Published: 29.02.2008

*William J. Federer is a best-selling author. His latest book is “What Every American Needs to Know about the Quran: A History of Islam and the United States.”

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