The Present Demise of Islam Historically

A Critique of Islam’s 7th century Origins Dr. Jay Smith 2021 VI areas we will investigate… [I] The Problem with Sources [II] The Revisionist School [III] Islam’s Origins - pre 7th century [IV] Islam’s Origins - 7th century [V] Islam’s Origins - The Qur’an [VI] Islam’s Origins - Putting it all together What the Muslims Claim about Islam Whether they are radical – nominal – or liberal Their Claims For the last 1400 years… Muhammad has been the last and greatest prophet The Qur’an was his revelation, sent down only to him; and is the final and greatest revelation Islam is the final religion, based on Muhammad’s life and sayings (Sunnah), and on the Qur’an’s teachings CONCLUSION? Thus, Islam is completely dependent on:  THE QUR’AN = ‘The Book’  MUHAMMAD = ‘The Man’  MECCA = ‘The Place’  So, we should investigate both the Qur’an, Muhammad, and Mecca to see if indeed the Muslims are correct…let’s start with the problem of sources… [I] The Problem with Sources Everything is Too late and Too distant THE CLASSICAL ‘TRADITIONAL’ ACCOUNT Important Dates:  570 Muhammad’s birth  610 Met ‘Jibril’ in Hira Cave  610-622 ‘Meccan Revelations’  621 ‘Mi’raj’ to 7 heavens (5 prayers)  622 ‘Hijra’ from Mecca to Medina  622-632 ‘Medinan Revelations’  630 Conquered Mecca  632 Died (poisoning?) (no written Qur’an)  632-634 Abu Bakr  634-644 Umar  644-656 Uthman  656-661 Ali…… Islam’s Emergence, according to the ‘Islamic Traditions’ (“SIN”) Abu Bakr 632 - 634 Umar 634 - 644 Ali 656 - 661 Uthman 644 - 656 Muhammad dies 632 Muhammad is born 570 570 576 The Qur’an is first revealed 610 582 588 594 600 606 Muhammad’s life Qur’an compiled 652 Mecca Hijra Mi’raj 622 630 621 612 618 624 630 636 642 648 654 660 Dates of the Classical Account Who wrote them, and when: 765 Ibn Ishaq (Siratul Rasu’allah) (no extant manuscript) 833 Ibn Hisham (Siratul Rasu’allah) 870 Al Bukhari (Hadith) [Sahih Muslim, Tirmidhi…) 923 Al Tabari (Tafsir, Ta’rikh) [Baidawi, Zamakshari…) THE LATE DATES for the ‘ISLAMIC TRADITIONS’ (“SIN”) Sira = Biography of Muhammad Hadith = Sayings of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq (d. 765 AD) Ibn Hisham (d.833 AD) Tafsir = Commentaries on the Qur’an Tarikh = Histories of Mankind Al Waqidi (d.835 AD) Al Bukhari (d.870 AD) Sahih Muslim (d.875 AD) At-Tirmidhi (d.884 AD) Ibn Majah (d.887 AD) Abu Dawud (d.899 AD) An-Nisa’i (d.915 AD) Muhammad dies 632 AD 141 YEARS 201 YEARS Abbasids Al Tabari (749 AD) (d. 923 AD) 84 YEARS 632 652 670 690 710 730 750 770 790 810 830 850 870 890 910 930 The problem of Distance & Direction The Islamic Traditions say everything happened in Mecca and Medina (in the Hejaz) Bukhara Yet, all of the writers of the Traditions worked in Baghdad, which is 1,800 km too far north Baghdad Ibn Hisham (The Sira) is from Basra But he grew up in Cairo Cairo – Mecca = 1,600 km Basra – Mecca = 1,800 km Tabaristan Cairo Basra Medina Mecca Al Bukhari (The Hadith) is from Bukhara Bukhara – Mecca = 4,200 km Al Tabari (The Tafsir & Takhrikh) is from Tabaristan Tabaristan - Mecca = 2,800 km 632 652 670 690 710 730 750 770 790 810 830 850 870 890 910 Conclusion: None of the Traditional writers lived or worked in Mecca or Medina, They were too far to the north of Mecca, and came from the West and East of Baghdad NOTE: All of these northern areas are where the Abbasids originated from 930 The problem of a Northern Hegemony Bukhara The Islamic Traditions say everything happened in Mecca and Medina (the Hejaz) Yet, all of the writers of the Traditions worked in Baghdad, which is 1,800 km too far north Tabaristan Baghdad Cairo NOTE: All of these northern areas are where the Abbasids originated from Basra Medina Mecca Furthermore, all of the writers of the Traditions worked in the 9th and 10th centuries CONCLUSION: They all wrote their material hundreds of miles too far away, and hundreds of years too late! 632 652 670 690 710 730 750 770 790 810 830 850 870 890 Al Tabari 201 YEARS Muhammad dies 632 AD 910 Al Bukhari (d.870 AD) Ibn Hisham (d.833 AD) (d. 923 AD) 930 Comparing Christianity vs Islam When were the earliest biographies and sayings for both faiths written?  Christianity 15 – 60 years later, written by those from the same area  Islam 200 – 300 years later, hundreds of miles too far north • Which would you guess is more authoritative? As a comparison: If we had to depend on sources for Jesus, comparable to those Muslims have for Muhammad, Jesus would not begin to appear until the 3rd century! Christianity’s Emergence, according to our “Traditions” Note: Most scholars would put the dates for the books of the New Testament in this timeline much earlier. We are using the latest possible dates, to make our point clearer Paul’s letters (Tafsir) 48 – 65 AD (15 – 34 years Book of Acts (Tahrikh) 52 – 62 AD (20 – 30 years) Jesus Dies 33 AD 33 AD 37 Mark (Sira & Hadith) 70 AD (37 years) Matthew & Luke (Sira & Hadith) 80 AD (47 years) John (Sira & Hadith) 90 AD (57 years) 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 72 76 80 84 Within 29 – 57 years of Christ’s death for the whole N.T. Note: All of the New Testament writers lived in the same place Jesus lived, and they either knew him personally, or they got their material from others who saw what he did, and heard what he said 88 92 21st Century Scholar’s Criticisms Concerning Islam’s late dates… • “Islam, as we know it, did not exist in the 7th century, but evolved over a period of 200-300 years” (Humphreys 1991:71,83-89) • “The Qur’an probably was not revealed to one man in 22 years, but likely evolved over a period of 50-100 years” (Rippin 1985:155;1990:3,25,60; Lester 99:44-45; Wansbrough 1977:160-163) Conclusion: The history of Islam, at least from the time of the caliph Abd al-Malik (685-705 AD) and before, is a later fabrication (Cook 1983:65, Robinson 1996:47) The Scholar’s Concerns If so much of Islam’s history was created so late, then: • Why did it take so long to write it all down? • Were these people not literate? - They controlled Basra, Baghdad, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo by 642 AD, and then from Spain to India by 685 AD. • Where did the 9th c. biographers get their material from? • Can it be trusted, if it is so late (200-300 years later)? • Shouldn’t we go to the period these events took place? • Shouldn’t we go to the 7th century, and see what we find? • What then are they finding? • That is what this course is all about… Note: we are only interested in the 7th – 8th centuries, not the 9th – 10th c. Islam’s Expansion by 661 AD, according to the Traditions Note: the area in brown was under their control by Muhammad’s demise Our remit • We are no longer interested in the 9th – 10th centuries • They are just too late and too far away to be trusted • The Traditions were all constructed by the Abbasids, post 749 AD, and they definitely had an agenda • We are only interested in the 7th – 8th centuries • Where it all began, and thus where we need to be [II] The Revisionist School The Few and the Brave who dared to think “outside the box” The Primary Revisionists Ignaz Goldziher (d. 1921) Dr Andrew Rippin (d. 2016) Theodore Nöldeke (d. 1930) Arthur Jefferey (d. 1959) Dr Robert Hoyland Dr Yehuda Nevo (d. 1992) Joseph Schacht (d. 1969) Dr Norman Calder (d. 1998) The New Revisionists Dr Bernie Power Dr Dan Brubaker (VariantQuran) Dr Jay Smith (Pfanderfilms) Hatun Tash (DCCI) John Wansbrough (d. 2002) Al Fadi (CIRA Int.) Dr Gerd Puin Mel (Sneaker’s Corner) Dr Gerald R. Hawting Dr Heinz Ohlig Odon Lafontaine (France) Sarah Lumgair Dr Patricia Crone (d. 2015) Ibn Warraq Murad (Sneaker’s Corner) Robert Spencer Paul (London) [III] Islam’s Origins – pre 7th century (What then really happened?) Origins (as of May 2021) Where we plan to go… • We need to first go back in history • Prior to the 7th century • To the periods leading up to the emergence of Islam • Let’s begin with the land of Arabia, including Mecca • This is where SIN suggests it all began 1) The importance of Mecca Mecca is all through the SIN! What Muslims Claim MECCA is the oldest and best-known city in history • Mecca is where Adam and Eve were thrown down to, from the Garden of Eden (Surah 7:24) • Mecca is where Abraham lived when he destroyed the idols within the Ka’aba (Surah 21:51-71) • Mecca is the center of trade North, South, East and West (Montgomery Watt’s ‘Trade Route Theory’) So, it should be one of the best known and best documented places in history! Inferences to ‘Mecca’ in the Qur’an Mecca is the center of Islam, and the center of history (Note: none of the verses below use the word “Mecca“. It‘s only implied) •“The first sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Mecca)”? (Sura 3:96) •Mecca is the “mother of all settlements.” (Sura 6:92 & 42:7) •Mecca was where Adam & Eve were thrown down to (Sura 7:24) •Mecca was where Abraham lived in 1900 BC (Sura 21:51-71) •Mecca was where Muhammad was born and lived until 622 •Mecca became the center for the Qibla in 624 (Sura 2:149-150) Yet, the only reference to ‘Mecca’ in the Qur’an is in Sura 48:24…Why, if it is so important? Yet it has little vegetation! According to the Qur’an and the Traditions: Mecca is referred to as `The Place of the Prophet’ • • • • • In a valley, & parallel valley (Ibn Hisham; Al Bukhari 2:645, 2:685, 3:891, 2:815, 2:820, 4:227) With a stream (Al Bukhari 2:685) Outside is the ruins, and a pillar of ‘salt’ (Surah 37:133-138) With fields (Al Bukhari 9:337) Has Trees (Sahih al-Tirmidhi 1535), Grass (al Bukhari 9:337), fruit (Al Bukhari 4:281), Clay and Loam (Al Tabari VI 1079 p.6) • Has ‘Olive Trees’ (Surah 6:141; Surah 16; Surah 80) • With Mountains overlooking the Kaa’ba (Ibn Hisham; Al Bukhari 2:645, 2:685, 3:891, 2:815, 2:820, 4:227) Yet, Mecca is not in a valley, and has none of these listed above, because it is too arid and dry 2) Maps don’t show Mecca Mecca doesn’t seem to be anywhere Ptolemy’s 2nd century Map (Created by Lienhart Holle - 1482) Mecca doesn’t exist 2nd Century Map of Arabia ? Where’s Mecca? Ptolemy’s 2nd century Map (Created by Laurent Fries – 1541 AD) Mecca doesn’t exist at all!! 2nd century Map of Arabia ? Where’s Mecca? Ptolemy’s 2nd century Map (Created by Sebastian Munster - 1571) Mecca doesn’t exist 2nd Century Map of Arabia ? Where’s Mecca? 7th century Map Mecca…still missing 7th Century Map of Arabia ? Where’s Mecca? 7th century Map Mecca…just non-existent! 7th Century Map of Arabia ? Where’s Mecca? 3) The land Trade Route wasn’t through Mecca Montgomery Watt’s Trade-Route Theory ’Trade Route Theory’ (Montgomery Watt) (Debunked) BYZANTINE Gaza SASANIAN Petra X Adulis HOLD ON!! We’ve just learned something new concerning the Red Sea Trade Route! 4) The Red Sea Trade never went via Arabia either! No one bothered to look at the history or the Topography of the Red Sea…until now 9th – 10th c. Islamic Traditional view of Arabia Bahrain Yanbu Yathrib Jeddah Mecca Aden • Yathrib, Yanbu, Mecca & Jeddah were all thriving towns • Trade was not only by land • It also went by sea…through the Red Sea, via Jeddah & Yanbu, following the Arabian coast • Alexander the Great (328 BC) also went to Mecca, via Jeddah • And then he sent 3 expeditions to Arabia • The 1st to Bahrain • The 2nd to the Gulf of Oman • The 3rd around Arabia, and up the Red Sea, to Egypt • But it came back, as there was no port to get supplies • No place for Supplies??? On the Arabian coast? Why? • Here’s why… They were going up the WRONG COAST of the RED SEA! Yanbu Yathrib Jeddah Mecca Aden • To understand the problem, we must use a Topographical map, to see the Water ways in the Red Sea (Chiara Zazzaro - 2013) • In the center of the Red Sea is a deep-water channel (Red arrows), which accommodates large modern ships today • To the West of this central channel are two shallower water channels (Golden arrows), where smaller ships can go, and stay close to the Western shore, for provisions • Unlike the Eastern Arabian shore which was arid, with no fresh water, and thus few people, the Western African shore had plenty of fresh water, and had larger populations • What’s more, the West coast had easily accessible ports! • We know their names… Ports along the WESTERN COAST of the RED SEA = AFRICA! • • • • • Safaga (282 BC) Yanbu Berenice (275 BC) • The 5 coastal cities along the Red Sea’s Western coast: Yathrib Jeddah ISLAM? Mecca X Suakin (170 AD) Adulis (79 AD) Assab (246 BC) Assab Eritrea (246 BC) Adulis, Eritrea (79 AD) Suaken, Sudan (170 AD) Berenice, Egypt (275 BC) Safaga, Egypt (282 BC) • Their dates all predate Islam • All 5 are a day’s distance • On the Red Sea’s Eastern Arabian coast, only Yanbu is known, as Yathrib’s port city • What about Jeddah, as a port for Mecca? • We have no history for either Jeddah or Mecca until the 8th century AD • Why? Because neither had water, nor a population large enough to accommodate early trade • Without Mecca, what then happens to 7th c. Islam? Note what has happened since March 13… A Wikipedia editor changed the Wiki article on Jeddah on March 14! 5) Debunking Muslim’s claims for an early Mecca What the Historical Record tells us 1) Agatharchides in the 2nd c. BC Gulf of Aqaba Wadi Ainounah 90 km Tiran Island • Agatharchides, the 2nd century BC historian, referred to a “Temple for all Arabs” • He located this “temple” 90 km from Tiran Island, which is at the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba. So, what is 90 km away? • Wadi Ainounah is 90 km away, and thus is the location Agatharchides was referring to, as it had a large temple • Yet, how far is Wadi Ainounah from Mecca? Agatharchides in the 2nd c. BC Wadi Ainounah m 2k 96 • Wadi Ainounah is 962 km from Mecca! • Thus, it could not be the Kabah in Mecca that Agatharchides was referring to in the 2nd c. BC Mecca Agatharchides in the 2nd c. BC • What about the phrase, “..Highly revered by ALL the Arabs”? • As late as 125 AD, there simply weren’t any Arabs further south than Arabia Petraea (note the red rectangle at left, which is the area considered by the Romans as the homeland of all Arabs). Further south was simply uninhabitable • Thus, Agatharchides’s “temple for all the Arabs” was Wadi Ainounah, and not Mecca Wadi Ainounah 2) Pliny the Elder’s “Dabanegoris regio”: 79 AD Charax (Khaybar today) Mecca • Pliny the Elder quoted Juba II, a Mauritanian scholar living in Rome, who wrote about the Arabian peninsula. • One of the places in Juba’s description is the reference to Dabanegoris Regio. • In 1970 Hermann von Wissmann, a geographer, proposed that this was the territory belonging to the Quraysh, as well as Mecca and its environs. • But Pliny, citing Juba II, refers to the Arabian coast below Charax, down the Persian Gulf, around Oman, dropping the name Dabanegoris Regio along the way. • Thus, Dabanegoris Regio cannot be Mecca, as it is on the eastern coast of Arabia, and not the western coast. 3) Ptolemy’s “Macoraba”: 2nd century AD • • Yathrib Mecca (today) Macoraba • • • • Ptolemy’s map above was created by Lienhart Holle (1482 AD) Claudius Ptolemy was a Greek writer and geographer from Alexandria, in Egypt who wrote A Guide to Geography, in which he designated many cities within Arabia. In 1482 Lienhart Holle drew a map of where he thought Ptolemy’s cities were located in the Arabian peninsula, from the descriptions in his “guide” (at the left) In it he gave co-ordinates for a place called 'Macoraba' as 73ᴼ 20ᴼ 22ᴼ. Yet, this puts Macoraba southeast of Yathrib. While the present-day Mecca is southwest of Yathrib, placing Mecca too far to the east. So, why do people think Macoraba is a reference to Mecca? Dan Gibson’s solution • • Mecca (today) Macoraba Ptolemy’s map above was created by Lienhart Holle (1482 AD) Gibson matched the towns and cities with the rivers (which still exist today) and overlayed them on a map (at left). Unfortunately, this put some of the cities into the Arabian sea, which would not be exactly healthy for the inhabitants. Dan Gibson’s solution • • • Mecca (today) • Macoraba = Mahabishah Ptolemy’s map above was created by Lienhart Holle (1482 AD) • Gibson matched Ptolemy’s Rivers to the location of the rivers today, to obtain a correct map of Arabia (see the map on the left). In doing so it became apparent to Gibson that Ptolemy (and subsequently Holle) were not aware of the vastness of the deserts in Arabia’s interior, with the result that they had plotted the locations in Yemen too far north. By shrinking Ptolemy’s map southward, to accommodate the desert, Gibson found that many of his locations suddenly fit. Macoraba became present day AlMahabishah Macoraba was not only an interior settlement of Arabia, but it turned out to be only a small hamlet situated in the Hadrawmat area of Arabia (present day Yemen), proving it was not Mecca after all. 6) The 7 c. Qibla’s were not facing Mecca th Dan Gibson’s research on the 4 Qiblas Qibla #1 = Petra Most of the Qiblas face towards Petra for the 1st century (624 AD – 772 AD) Qibla #2 = Between The Qiblas then point between Petra and Mecca from 706 AD – 772 AD Qibla #3 = Mecca The Qiblas only begin facing Mecca from 727 AD – 876 AD, over 100 years too late! Qibla #4 = Parallel Yet, there are Qiblas which face Parallel to Petra & Mecca from 732 AD – 866 AD Note: There were 4 Qiblas • ALL the Qiblas were facing towards PETRA until 706 AD • There was a confusion for the next 100+ years • 17 face Petra – 8 are between – 10 face Mecca - 6 are Parallel • The Qibla was not finalized towards MECCA until 876 AD • Almost 250 years too late! 7) The 5 Stages of the Hajj Gibson has found that they were previously in Petra! The 5 Stages of the Hajj The Ka’aba in Mecca Saafa and Marwa in Petra The Hill of Ararat in Mecca The Ka’aba in Petra The Hill of Ararat in Petra Saafa and Marwa in Mecca Saafa and Marwa in Jerusalem The Ka’aba in Jerusalem The ZamZam well in Mecca The Jamaraats in Mecca The Jamaraat in Petra The ZamZam well in Petra The ‘Black Stone’? CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING MECCA Crone couldn’t find any Maps with Mecca until 900 AD Gibson introduced all Qiblas facing Petra (2011-2017) Crone Debunked the land-based trade via Mecca (1983) Conclusion: Though Mecca has existed since Adam and Eve (Surah 7:24), there is no evidence of it anywhere until 741 AD, and everything we now find in Mecca, we could previously find in Petra…and soon in Jerusalem! I Debunked the sea-based trade via Mecca (2021) Gibson noted that all 5 stages of the Hajj could be found in Petra (2011-2017) [IV] Islam’s Origins –7th century (Where was Islam in the 7th century?) 1) Debunking Muhammad Confronting Muslim’s claims The Ashtiname Letter (an Overview*) The Ashtiname letter (on the right) is a letter supposedly written by Muhammad (or Ali) to the monks in St. Catherine’s Monastery, promising them protection, and other privileges. Problems: It has many Historical Anachronisms: • • • • Dated 625 AD, yet the Traditions say no letters were sent until 628 AD, and only to Medina 47 writings listed by Ibn Sa’d (845 AD), but Ashtiname isn’t mentioned Minaret is pictured, which were created in the 9th c., but not used until the 11th c. Sultan is referred to, but wasn’t used until Mahmudof Ghazna (998–1030), 350 years later • Mosques mentioned, yet not in Egypt until 641 AD, & Jizyah rates weren’t decided by Christians • ‘Malak Muqarrah’ (Angel of Proximity), 1st in Sufi writings (Mutannabi = 965 AD), 340 yrs. Later • Christian, Egyptian, and Medieval Arabic, not used by any Arabs in the Hejaz • Dhimmi Laws, begun centuries later are referred to (repairing Churches, forced marriages) Conclusion: In short, the monks at St. Catherine's Monastery in the 16th c. needed protection from the marauding Muslims all around then, so they forged this letter, and then added Muhammad's name, and his hand, to give it authority in order to safeguard their Monastery. Thus, it’s an 800-year-old fraud, and cannot prove Muhammad’s existence! The Constitution of Medina (an Overview*) Constitutions of Medina: A document between the 3 major groups supposedly created by Muhammad when he moved to Medina, between 622 – 624 AD; a “model for mankind”. Problems: • • • • • It’s pro-Jewish, yet there’s no Jewish record of it No archaeological evidence of Jews in Medina It contradicts the Sira and the Hadith’s treatment of Jews, which is much more cruel Isnads for the Constitution are confused, with different versions, & why do they need them? The Qur’an doesn’t refer to any Constitution in Medina • No Jew would sign a treaty which gave Muhammad the authority between man and God • 1st appears in the Sira of Ibn Hisham in 833 AD, so much too late to be authentic • Muslims shouldn’t accept the treaty, as it contradicts so much of the Qur’an’s view of Jews Conclusion: The Historians (Hoyland, Andrews) consider it a fraud because there were no Jews that far south, and the only source for it comes from 9th century Muslim Traditions (too late and too far away), thus it is ‘legendary’. The ‘Constitution’ therefore, cannot support any notion that Muhammad existed in the 7 th century. The ‘Doctrina Iacobi’ (an Overview*) The Doctrina Iacobi: A Greek Christian polemical tract, from Carthage (Tunis), but written in Palestine, by a Christian apologist. It refers to a ‘Saracen’ prophet, with a sword, who has the ‘Keys of Paradise’ Problems: • Saracen prophet can’t say ‘the Christ who was to come’, Surah 33:40 = Muhammad is the last prophet • It assumes ‘Muhammad’ is alive in 634, but the Traditions say he died in 632 AD • This prophet ‘has the keys of paradise’ which confronts the Islamic Traditions • This prophet fits a Judeo-Christian Monotheist background • (This is ‘Christ’ = ‘Christos’ in Greek = ‘Mashiah’ in Hebrew). Who was to come, not Muhammad • He has the ‘Keys of Paradise’ (from Matthew 16:19 – referring to Peter’s papal authority in the Catholic Church) • Spoke Aramaic, not Arabic (Jews wouldn’t know Arabic, and Muhammad wouldn’t have known Aramaic) Conclusion: There is no reference to the name Muhammad, no reference to this prophet being a Muslim, or belonging to the religion Islam, nor any reference to the city of Mecca, nor of his book the Qur’an. He could be anybody! He sounds more like an Arab/Christian brigand, employing the status of a prophet to gain himself more credibility and authority. There’s just nothing Muslim about him! So, the ‘Doctrina’ cannot support Muhammad in the 7 th century either! The Qur’an (an Overview*) Muhammad isn’t in the Qur’an Murad, a researcher from the Middle East, and a native Arabic speaker • There are only four references to Muhammad found in the Qur’an • Surahs 3:144 “And ‘the blessed one’ is no more than a Messenger” • 33:40 “’The Blessed one’ is not the father of any of your men, but he is the messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets” • 47:2 “and believe in that which is sent down to ‘the blessed one’…” • 48:29 “’The blessed one’ is the Messenger of Allah” • None of them refer to a person called Muhammad at all! • They most likely refer instead to 'the blessed one’ (note: that is what the word ‘Muhammad’ means), who could very well be Jesus • Conclusion: If this is not a man at all, then Muslims cannot use the Qur'an to support Muhammad's existence in the 7th century, and one of the foundational pillars of Islam begins to fall The ‘Dome of the Rock’ (an Overview*) Muhammad isn’t in the ‘Dome of the Rock’ • We've always assumed that the inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock, built in 691 referred to Muhammad, the man, and that it was here that the 'Shahada' was first introduced by Abd al-Malik • Shahada: ‘la illaha illa-llah Muhammadun rasul allah’ (“There is no god but God alone, & ‘the blessed one’ is his messenger”) • Much like Muhamad’s name in the Qur’an, these inscriptions don't refer to a prophet named Muhammad at all, but to 'the blessed one', who could very well be Jesus, or Abd-al Malik • The Qur'anic verses in these inscriptions are not the same as that which we have in the Qur'an today, and are thus possibly precursors to the Qur'anic verses which were written later Conclusion: If correct, then Muslims cannot use the Dome of the Rock to support Muhammad's existence in the 7th century either, and once again, we find a foundational pillar of Islam beginning to collapse! CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING ‘PROOFS’ FOR MUHAMMAD The Constitution of Medina (9 th century) The Ashtiname Letter (16th Century) The Doctrina Iacobi (7 th century, but not Muhammad) Conclusion: Not one of these 5 supposed references to Muhammad support him in the 7th century! ‘The Praised One’ could be Jesus or abd al-Malik (691 AD) The 4 references to ‘The Praised one’ could be Jesus! (8 th – 9th c.) 2) 7 - 8 century Coins th th Coins tell a story Why Coins are important • The Lydians introduced coins around 600 BC • Coins were used for more than just commerce… • Coins created and maintained a ruler’s identity • They didn’t have TV, or the Internet, or newspapers, radio, etc… • So, coins were used to introduce a new ruler • Since everyone had to use them, a ruler new that the best way to introduce himself was to mint new coins What was on a coin? • They bore the images of: • The ruler – To introduce his reign widely, to those he governed • The religion – To create a religious identity • They often employed dates • Often beginning with their rule, or that of their empire • They also referred to where they were minted • Permitting us to follow their chronology and places of origin What problems do the Numatists note? • • • • Everyone of those doing the research are great Numismatists But few of them are necessarily great 7th century historians They look at the coins, and describe them correctly But they then try to explain what they are finding into a 9th – 10th century Traditional narrative • They have no choice, because that is all they know • There is only one narrative, unfortunately • Why not simply dispense with the Islamic Traditions, and start from the 7th c.? • Isn’t that the task of any historian, numismatists as well? • They lament that there doesn’t seem to be any coins in the Hejaz… Note where the Mints are situated in relation to Mecca & Medina The Western Mints were all situated in Modern day Syria, Lebanon, & Israel Tartus Hims Ba’albak Tebariya Baysan Yubna Dimashq Abila Jerash Amman Susa Illya Note: All of these mints would have been under the authority of any Arab leader, or Caliph in the 7th century, including any Muslim Caliph Dasht Arrajan Bishapur Tanbuk Istakhr Kazerun Darabjird Ardashir Khurra Kavad Khurra Medina Mecca The Eastern Mints were all situated in Modern day Iran Conclusion: None of these mints were in the Hejaz. Instead, they were all situated too far North What then should we do? • Since the Islamic Traditions assume that there is a well-established Muslim empire, by the time of Muhammad’s demise • Since they also assume that during the reign of the ‘rightly guided caliphs’ (624 – 661 AD) that empire expanded from Tripoli in the West to Afghanistan in the East • There should be some evidence in that vast swath of land for this empire • There should be at least coins which were minted by the Caliphs • People under their authority needed coins to do commerce • The Caliphs also needed to announce their authority • Let’s then look at the coins in the 7th century and see what we find… COINS TELL A STORY – 7TH CENTURY NUMISMATICS …632 Muhammad Dies, but no ‘Islamic’ coins exist during his time, nor during the entire Rashidun period (624 – 661 AD) 651 Sassanian Empire Ceases, yet the Arab coins are Christian, up to 661 AD, and all the coins are minted too far north 661 - 680 Mu’awiyah The first Caliph of the Umayyad Empire, mints coins with Christian crosses in the West, & Zoroastrian fire altars in the East, up to 680 AD, still nothing Islamic 692 Abd al-Malik Mints (possibly) the 1st Islamic Coin! It includes the ‘Shahada’, and is widely used, though it causes a war 693 Abd al-Malik Mints a coin with his image & a sword, & that he is the ‘servant of Allah’ 696 Abd al-Malik Mints a coin with no image, with references attacking Christianity Coins in the 7th Century (an Overview*) All early coins show a clear Christian identity on both sides of the coin in the West & Zoroastrian in the East • 624 – 660 AD: Early Islamic coins just don’t exist. Why, since they controlled so much land & mints in Syria & Iran (North)? • 640 – 660 AD: Some Arab Proxy states seem to be Christian, & others seem to want no religious symbols • 661 – 680 AD: Mu’awiya = Christian symbols (West), Zoroastrian (East), to 680 AD, adds ‘Allah’s name, but not Muhammad’s • 692 – 693 AD: abd al-Malik (& Zubayr) introduce Muhammad (Shahada) - 1st Islamic coin (or ‘blessed one’ as Messianic) • 693 – 696 AD: Justinian II attacks abd al-Malik, who adds his image, with the Shahada, either to confront, or claim Messiah-ship • 696 – 705 AD: Arab script: Shahada with ‘no associates’, attacks Jesus’ divinity, John 3:16, & Islam’s superiority • While Allah’s name is introduced early (it’s Nabataean), Muhammad’s is not (he’s uniquely Islamic) • Doesn’t the numismatic evidence support the archaeological and documentary evidence? • Doesn’t this suggest, therefore, that Islam was not introduced by Muhammad, but by Abd al-Malik? • These 7th c. Coins confront the traditional 9th-10th c. Islamic Narrative …632 651 661 - 680 692 693 696 3) 7 - 8 century Inscriptions th th Rock Inscriptions tell a story Why are Rock Inscriptions important? • Rock Inscriptions are one of the best ways to know of a period in history because they are durable and plentiful. • If the classical accounts concerning the emergence of Islam were true, than there should be a lot written on the inscriptions about Muhammad, Mecca, Islam, Muslims and the Qur’an, because according to the Islamic Traditions Muhammad and Islam were very big in that area of the world, and during that time. • Yet, we don’t find anything at all for these 5 areas, especially on the Rock Inscriptions from that century. • There are 3 ways to date Rock Inscriptions: • The inscribers, who were hired to write them, put on dates themselves so that similarly written inscriptions could be dated in a group. • They are dated by the evolution of theological ideas within them (i.e. earlier ones have little to no theology, while later ones will have more and better developed theology). • The evolution of the script within them is also used to date them. (Taken from Dr Yehuda Nevo’s book, and from Dr Ahmad al-Jalad in an on-line interview) Many Rock inscriptions, but all north, and in the wrong language • 30,000 Rock inscriptions were catalogued and surveyed across Arabia, the Negev, the Trans-Jordan, and Syria, with possibly another 70,000 more yet to do. • One would expect Muhammad’s name on the inscriptions along the Haj routes, yet we don’t find one inscription with Muhammad’s name on it until 690 AD. • South of Medina the script is Sabaic, originating in Yemen, created in 600 BC, and continuing for 1200 years Nabataean-Aramaic Script = Qur’anic script Sabaic Script • Yet, it contained all the needed vowels & consonants required for a religious text, unlike 7th century Arabic, • The Arabic script we find on these inscriptions are Nabataean-Aramaic, which are only found in the North, and are similar to the Qur’anic text.* (Taken from Dr Yehuda Nevo’s book, and from Dr Ahmad al-Jalad in an on-line interview) (an Overview*) Ilkka Lindstedt’s 100 dated Rock Inscriptions 640 - 740 690 690 – 710 [Prophet Muhammad appears] 690 [Pre-690 710 – 720 [Muslim rites appear] Pious Formulae] [Pilgrimage, Prayer, Fast] • Lindstedt looked at 100 Rock Inscriptions from 640 – 740 AD • Prior to 690 there was no evidence of anything Islamic on the Inscriptions • Except for formulae, everything comes after 690 720 - 730 [The names ‘Muslim’ & ‘Islam refer to a specific group, in contradistinction to Christianity] Conclusion: It was only in the 730s onward that there is evidence of a popular devotion to Muhammad as a prophet and messenger, and an emerging model of Islam as we now know it, which makes the Islamic Traditions incredibly awkward, since they insist this would have been completely formed by 632 AD. 570 585 600 615 630 620 630 645 660 675 690 715 730 745 760 Furthermore: Since there is a 100-year silence of Islam as we now know it in the rock inscriptions prior to 730 AD, this would indicate that Islam did not exist as a distinct religion until long after the time of Muhammad, which casts doubt on whether he had any part in Islam’s origins. [Ilkka Lindstedt, “Who is in, who is out? Early Muslim Identity through Epigraphy and Theory”, 2019] 775 4) The Rightly Guided Caliphs Who and where are they? We can’t find Muhammad, what abut the Caliphs? • Let’s start with the term Caliph? • • There are no rock inscriptions in the 7th century which uses the term (‫ )ل خليفة‬Caliph. • The term which was used was 'Amir Al Mu'minin' (commander of the faithful) which doesn't denote a successor. • The later term 'Caliph' was a shortening of Khalīfat Rasūl Allāh and meant "successor of the messenger of God“. What about any references to the first 4 Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali? • The historicity of the first 4 caliphs is seriously in doubt • Attempts at getting their story straight have failed • Abu Bakr wasn’t a caliph as numerous leaders in Tashkastan called themselves ‘Abu Bakr’ (father of the Bakr Tribe) • Umar may be the Sadducee Jewish leader from Iraq, who conquered Jerusalem & became a Christian • Uthman can’t be found anywhere. • Ali of the 7th century was never a caliph and he died 3 years before his reign was meant to have ended. [V] Islam’s Origins – The Qur’an (What do we know of the 7th century Qur’ans?) 1) Islam Claims Perfect Preservation “Not one word, not one letter changed” What Muslims claim: 1) The Qur’an is uncreated and exists eternally on clay tablets in heaven (S.85:22) 2) The Qur’an was sent down to Muhammad between 610 – 632 AD, though not written down fully (Al Bukhari 6:509) 3) The Qur’an was completed by Uthman in 652 AD (Al Bukhari 6:510) 4) The Qur’an is unchanged in the last 1400 years (Surahs 10:15; 18:27) 5) The Qur’an is guarded by Allah (Surah 15:9) 6) The Qur’an was finally canonized in 1924 AD, and made official in 1985 • We can’t confront numbers 1 & 2, but we certainly must confront numbers 3 – 6 • Let’s begin with how the Qur’an was canonized* 2) Canonization of the Qur’an How the Qur’an was created Dr Shady Nasser 5 stages of Canonization 5 periods of the Qur’an’s creation Canon 1: Uthman = Quraishi Codex (652 AD) Canon 2: Ibn Mujahid = 7 Readings (d.936 AD) Canon 3: Al Shatibi = 14 Transmitters (d.1194 AD) Canon 4: Al Jazari = 3 Readings & 6 Transmitters (d.1429 AD) Canon 5: Hafs = Final Canon (1924 AD) (Shady Hekmat Nasser, “The Transmission of the Variant Readings of the Qur’an”, Leiden: Brill, 2012, pg. 146-150) Canon #1a: Abu Bakr’s Qur’an Sahih Bukhari Vol. 6:509 632-634 AD (Abu Bakr & Umar) • Abu Bakr & Umar call Zaid Ibn Thabit (Muhammad’s secretary) to collect the Qur’an, because of all those killed at Yamama who had memorized it • He at first refuses, saying the prophet hadn’t even done this (i.e. written down the Qur’an), but then relents • He collects it from palm leaves, white stones, and from men’s memories • One verse (S. 9:128-129) he found with only one man (Abi Khuzaima Al Ansari) • This first recension is given to Hafsah, Muhammad’s wife, and the daughter of Umar, and she put it under her bed for 20 years Canon #1b: Uthman’s Qur’an Sahih Bukhari Vol. 6:510 652 AD (Uthman) • Hudaifa, at the battle of Azerbaijan, hears Iraqi & Syrian dialects of the Qur’an, and demands there be one Qur’an • Uthman calls Zaid ibn Thabit (Muhammad’s secretary) to rewrite the Qur’an, given to Hafsah; so, a 2nd Qur’anic recension • Three others to help him: Az-Zubair, Al-As, ibn Hisham (Uthman’s son-in-laws, thus not scholars) • They are to write it only in the ‘Quraishi’ dialect • They then send this final copy to every province (5 of them) • All of the other manuscripts which disagreed (i.e. they used Iraq or Syrian dialects), partial and full, were then burned! • One verse (S.33:23) was found with one man (Khuzaima bin Thabit al-Ansari) 3) 30 Different Qur’ans The Qira’at Conundrum 26 QUR’ANS AT SPEAKER’S CORNER - 2016 Holding up Hatun’s 26 Qur’ans Muslims trying to grab our hand-outs Mohammed Hijab calling the Muslims to him, asking them not look at what we were showing, nor listen to what we were saying. It was obvious that he didn’t know how to engage with us, and probably went through a ‘Crisis of faith’ on that day. Mohammed Hijab & Dr Yasir Qadhi Quotes by Dr Qadhi from the Interview of June 8, 2020: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) The Ahruf & Qira’at are the most difficult topics for scholars You don’t tell the new converts to Islam about the Qira’at Only with the more advanced do you do a “deep dive” on the issue Scholars for the past 1,000 years have not solved the Qira’at problem Muslims have a “respect” for the Qur’an. We put a ‘red-line’ beyond which we do not go; unlike here in the West, where there are no red lines “The Standard Narrative has Holes in it” Western academics have jumped ‘leaps and bounds’ on this issue They look at the rest of us like an ‘emperor with no clothes’ “I’ve never lectured on this subject, nor ever will, except in my class” This subject should never be brought up in Public Don’t ask me to say what should be written on the ‘blank Mushaf’ Which of the Qira’ats is the Qur’an? They are ALL the Qur’an! CANON 1: 7th CENTURY CANON Muhammad was given 1 Qur’an Then we had 7 Qur’ans Ubai Ibn Ka’b = 116 Back to 1 Qur’an Ibn Mas’ud = 111 Ibn Musa = 114 Jibril’s 7 ‘readings’? 5 copies, sent to 5 cities Muhammad dies 632 Uthman’s ‘Quraishi’ = Zaid ibn Thabit = 114 Qur’an 652 632 652 670 690 710 730 750 770 790 810 830 850 870 Conclusion: from 1 Qur’an, to 7, and then back to 1 ‘Quraishi’ Qur’an (but sent to 5 cities!) Hold on! Then 3 new Qur’ans appear! Note: They are all in the north, and from the very cities whose Qur’ans were burned by Uthman earlier! 890 910 930 Nafi’ al-Madani (Medina d. 785 AD) CANONS 2-5: 736 AD – 1924 AD Qalun (d. 835) Warsh (d. 812 AD) Following the 30, Muhammad b. Ali al-Husayni al-Haddad reduced it to Just 1 Qira’at Qur’an in 1924!! Today = 1 official ‘Hafs’ Qur’an!! Ibn Kathir al Makki (Mecca d. 738 AD) Al-Bazzi (d. 864) Qunbul (d. 904) Abu ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Ala’ (Basra d. 770 AD) Al-Duri (d. 860) Al-Susi (d. 874) Ibn Amir ad-Dimashqi (Damascus d. 736 AD) Hisham (d. 859) (Ibn Mujahid d. 936) Ibn Dhakwan (d. 857) Aasim ibn Abi al-Najud (Kufa d. 745 AD) Muhammad dies 632 Shu’bah (d. 840) Hafs (d. 796) Hamzah az-Zalyyat (Kufa d. 772 AD) Uthman’s ‘Quraishi’ Qur’an 652 (Al-Shatibi d. 1194) Khalaf (d. 844) Khallad (d. 835) Al-Kisa’i (Kufa 737-805 AD) Al-Layth (d. 854) Al Duri (d. 860) Abu Ja’far (Medina - d. 748 AD) ‘Isa ibn Wardan (d. 777) Ibn Jummaz (d. 787) Ya’qub al-Yamani (Basra - d. 821 AD) Ruways (d. 853) Rawh (d. 849) Khalaf (Kufa - d. 844 AD) 652 670 690 710 730 Ishaq (d. 899) Idris (d. 905) (Muhammad b. Ali al-Husayni al-Haddad (1924) 1292 YEARS!! 632 (Al-Jazari d. 1429) 750 770 790 810 830 850 870 890 910 930 4) The Qur’an’s Northern Orientation Where was the Qur’an created The Northern Dominance Mecca = 3 Qira’ats Medina = 5 Qira’ats Cairo = 1 Qira’at Damascus = 3 Qira’ats Basra = 6 Qira’ats Kufa = 12 Qira’ats! Cairo = 1 Damascus = 3 Kufa = 12 Basra = 6 Medina = 5 Mecca = 3 Out of the 30 ‘Official Qira’ats’ Hejaz = 8 Iraq + Syria + Egypt = 22 Conclusion: A minority of the Qur’ans originated in Mecca or Medina, While the majority were too far to the north, and 12 in Kufa! NOTE: All of these northern areas (except Cairo) are where the Abbasids originated from Where was Hafs from again? Kufa, in Iraq • Let’s remind ourselves where Kufa is exactly… Kufa • Note how far north Kufa is from the Hejaz, where Mecca and Medina are situated • The Islamic Traditions stipulate that Muhammad’s Qur’an, and that of Uthman were written in the Quraishi dialect, which is the dialect of the Hejaz • Yet, the final canonized Qur’an is not from there at all, but from much further north!* Hejaz (including Mecca & Medina) Conclusions concerning the Canons 1) Shady Nasser’s 5 stages of Canonization are a good model to use when ascertaining the Qur’anic Canon 2) Canon 1: Uthman’s 652 AD Canon is located too far south, & the real manuscripts were all further north 3) Canon 2: Ibn Mujahid’s 936 AD Canon of 7 is made up of 2 in the Hejaz, and 5 up north 4) Canon 3: Al-Shatibi’s Canon of 14 is made up of 3 in the Hejaz, and 11 up north 5) Canon 4: Al-Jaziri’s Canon of 9 is made up of 3 in the Hejaz, and 6 up north 6) Canon 5: Muhammad b. Ali Al-Husayni al Haddad’s Canon of 1 is singularly up north 7) Thus, of the 30 ‘official’ Qira’at Qur’ans in use today, only 8 are from the Hejaz, and 22 are from the North • These areas up north were all in the areas the Abbasids resided and ruled • Are we beginning to see a pattern here? 5) The Qur’anic Arabic They used the wrong script (an Overview*) Qur’anic Arabic – Is from the North, not the South Note: The 4 Arabic grammatical borrowings are all from the north, around Jordan • i’rab: ‘Unstressed inflectional short final Vowels’, marked with Diacritics, known as i’rab because they were characteristic of Bedouin dialects • Ta’ Marbuta: “The addition of two superimposed dots…to give ‫( ة‬ta’ marbuta) … indicating that the letter ha’ is to be pronounced as /t/” • Alif Maqsurah: “The word-final dotless ‘ya’” (‫)ى‬, placed at the end of the word, where an alif cannot occur, goes back to an earlier ‘-ay’ • Definite Article ‘al’: “Introduced to following coronal consonants” Sabaic Arabic: South of Medina the script was Sabaic, originating in Yemen, from 600 BC, yet it contained all the vowels & consonants needed for the Qur’an Conclusion: Qur’anic Arabic (Nabataean Aramaic) existed 600 miles further north, while the 7th c. Arabic of the Hejaz (Sabaic) would have accommodated the text of the Qur’an, had it been used, eradicating the Qira’at problems later on! [Dr Mark Durie, ‘The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes, Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion’, Lexington Books, 2018, pg. 15-17] (Sabaic: taken from Dr Yehuda Nevo’s ‘Crossroads to Islam’, and from Dr Ahmad al-Jalad in an on-line interview) Southern Levant a) (including Nabatean Petra) d in e M a& c c e gM n i lud in c ( z a Hej Sabaic Arabic (From Medina to Yemen) [VI] Islam’s Origins – Putting it all together (What then really happened?) 1) Petra vs Iraq Is there a conflict? Let’s remind ourselves of Petra (Jordan) vs Iraq? Are we getting two conflicting, or two complementary & sequential scenarios? • Iraq concerns Politics, the Qur’an, and the theological debates • Petra (Jordan) concerns really only the Qiblas (direction of prayer) and mosques • Iraq both precedes Petra and returns following Petra • Iraq is important between 577 AD – 636 AD (Quest for Muhammad) • Petra is important from 626 AD – 727 AD (Qiblas) • Iraq then becomes important again from 736 AD onwards (Qur’ans & Qira’ats) • So, let’s look at Petra vs Mecca, the one preceding the other The need for a ‘Place’ was already in place Petra has all the stations of the pilgrimage which are now in Mecca • A Square center (Ka’aba) with the exact dimensions mentioned by Azraki, which don’t fit the present-day Ka’aba • Safah & Marwah mountains, to commemorate Hagar looking for water, are in Petra, with places for idols on the top, and not little rocks, as we find in Mecca • The washing of water, with cisterns and waterways, are only in Petra, not in Mecca, which only has one well, the ZamZam well • The plain of Muzdalifah, a slippery sloped mountain, with a mosque and church at the top, and where 5,000 people could pray is again only found in Petra • The Jamaraat platform with the pillar to throw the 49 or 72 rocks at is also found in Petra, not the 3 platforms in Mecca, suggesting 3 devils Notice where Petra is • Petra is the ancient sanctuary city of tombs and temples. • It is on the trade routes, East and West, and North (red arrows) • Mecca isn’t on any international trade route, because of the Red Sea, to its West (green arrows) • Petra is where the Nabataean Aramaic was spoken and written, which later gave birth to Qur’anic Arabic. • Petra is where all the mosques, up to 706 AD, are facing; even as far away as Canton in China, and Cherman, in India. Petra (the Nabatean city of tombs and temples) Mecca Conclusion: Petra seems to have been the original ‘Sanctuary’ (later copied in Mecca) NOTE: Petra is much too far north to support the later Traditions…once again 2) The 7 century scenario th What does history tell us? 3 great Empires in the 7th century • • • To understand what happened in the 7th century, we must begin with with the two great empires of that time, the Byzantines and the Sassanid Empires In 622 AD, however, the Byzantine Empire conquered the Sassanians, and small city-states then filled the vacuum left behind Ironically, we have no historical references for any Muslim Caliphate at all from 622 – 661 AD (i.e. on the Coins, documents, & Rock Inscriptions) 3 great Empires in the 7th century • • Damascus • • Petra • • In 661 AD Muawiya becomes the Caliph and inaugurates the Umayyad Caliphate, with his political capital in Damascus. If he was a Muslim, as the Traditions claim, then why was his capital not in the Hejaz, or in Medina, where the Traditions state the 4 previous caliphs lived and reigned? The Umayyad sanctuary, according to the Qiblas, was in Petra Note how little land the Umayyads at first controlled, not much more than the Romans before them. How, then, did Mecca become important? To answer that we need to move to 30 years later…to the caliph Abd al-Malik, and his governor Ibn Zubayr… 3) Abdullah Ibn Zubayr Why is he important? Who is Ibn Zubayr, and why is he important? • Abdullah ibn Zubayr was the governor of Petra under Abd al-Malik, the Umayyad caliph from 685 – 705 AD • Zubayr rebelled in 686 AD, against the Umayyad power in Damascus • Why were they not in Medina, or Mecca? • Zubayr destroys the Ka’aba in Petra, then takes the black stone from there, and flees to the Hejaz (perhaps to Mecca?) • The Abbasids, who are in control in Hirah (today Kufa), join the rebellion, and support Zubayr, due to their hatred of the Umayyads Ibn Zubayr’s rebellion • • • Damascus Hirah Petra • • Mecca • • In 680 AD Ibn Marwan supplants the Sufyani family in Damascus (dull red area) His son, Abd al-Malik becomes the caliph in 685 AD, also in Damascus In 686 AD Ibn Zubayr, governor of Petra, rebels against Abd al-Malik, destroys much of Petra, takes the black stone with him, and flees to the south, possibly to the Hejaz, maybe even Mecca (dark blue area) He needs allies, and so looks towards the Abbasids, who are headquartered in Hirah (which is today, Kufa) Note: the political capital for the Umayyads is Damascus, for the Abbasids it is Hirah The sanctuary for the Umayyads is Petra, for the Abbasids it is Mecca As the Abbasids become more powerful, Mecca becomes more important 4) An Arab Identity Why is it important? The need for an Arab Identity The Arabs had been in power since the Mid 7th century, but they had no religious identity • Abd al Malik, ruled politically from 685 – 705 AD, in Damascus • The Umayyads had now controlled that part of the world since 661 AD • After 30 years with little identity, they needed their own Arab Identity • Unlike their cousins (through Abraham) the Christians and the Jews, they had no prophetic line, nor any scripture • Yet, for that 30-year period they were dependent on Jews & Christians to run the cities in their growing empire • Mawla (s.), or Mawalis (p.) = non-Arab converts who lived in cities • There was a jealousy of the Jews and Christians because they had their own prophetic line and their own revelations, giving them an identity, which the Arabs didn’t have • This desire for an Arab identity was then created and introduced by Abd al-Malik • Let’s see how he created that identity… Abd Al Malik is known as the great Arab Reformer: He builds the Dome of the Rock in 691 AD The largest Arab structure & higher than the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre DOME OF THE ROCK (691 AD) CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE AL AQSA MOSQUE (709 AD) Significance of the Dome of the Rock Note where it is situated, and in which city? • It employs the same Byzantine architecture • But much larger and more prominent • And it sits above the Church of the Holy Sepulchre • It is situated in the holiest city for Jews & Christians • Why not in Damascus or Mecca? • Muslims say this is because of the ‘Mi’raj’ (night journey)…but is it? • Let’s look at the Inscriptions & see if this is true INNER & OUTER AMBULATORY AMBULATORY ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS Inner Ambulatory (some inscriptions) Outer Ambulatory (many inscriptions) Upper Dome (with Inscriptions) The Inscriptions are against Jesus, in contrast to Muhammad Notice the references are all ‘Qur’anic’, yet they all attack the trinity, and Jesus’ divinity • “O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not “Three”. Cease! (it is) better for you! Allah is only One God. Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that he should have a son.” (Sura 4:171) • “‘Praise be to God, Who hath not taken unto Himself a son, and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty, nor hath He any protecting friend through dependence” (Sura 17:111) • “There is no god but God. He is One. He has no associate. Say: He is God, the One! God, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him. Muhammad is the Messenger of God” [or “Praised be the servant of god”] (Sura 112) The Caliphal Protocols Yehuda Nevo: “Crossroads to Islam” • Beginning with the Sufyani Period (661 – 680 AD) - The Protocols do not mention: • Islam • Muslims • Muhammad • Qur’an • The Marwanid Protocols are similar • But, during Abdul al Malik’s reign, and in 691 AD - The Bismillah and Muhammad are introduced overnight! - And this continues from then on! Abd al Malik (692 AD), the great Arab Reformer, creates the first ‘Muslim’ coins, introducing Islam He makes Arabic the International language, and introduces the first Islamic COINS Byzantine Dinar [mid 7th century] Abd al-Malik’s Coins [685-692] (Emperor, Retainers, & Byzantine Cross) (Image of Abd alMalik, with the ‘Shahada’) Sufyani Dirham [post Abd al-Malik’s Coins 661] [696 -> ] (Caliph Mu’awiyya holding a cross) (No images, and the ‘Shahada’, with Qur’anic verses) The need for a ‘Man’ Abd al-Malik introduces here his Arab Identity, in the guise of an Arab prophet • Beginning with the Dome of the Rock (691 AD) - It’s larger than any other non-Arab structure - It’s facing the Arab sanctuary (Petra) - It incorporates inscriptions against Byzantine Christianity - It introduces their faith: ‘Islam’ - It introduces their people: ‘Muslim’ - It introduces their prophet: ‘Muhammad’ • The Caliphal Protocols change over night in 691 AD, introducing Muhammad there as well • Then he mints new Coins in 692-696 AD - Replaces his image, and introduces Muhammad - Announces the ‘Shahada’ on these coins, as well as Qur’anic verses attacking Jesus & Christianity The need for a ‘Book’ Once Abd al Malik introduces Muhammad, he then needs an Arab Revelation • The earliest Qur’anic texts are on the ‘Dome of the Rock’ (691 AD) • The earliest Qur’anic Manuscripts begin to appear during his reign (i.e. the lower text of the Sana’a Manuscript = late 7th century) • The Qur’anic manuscripts begin to proliferate during the reign of his son Al Walid (705 – 715 AD) • None of the manuscripts are complete, nor do they parallel today’s Qur’an completely • They continue to be changed and corrected by later Caliphs (up to the 9th century AD) • The Qur’an is finally canonized, at Al Azhar University, in Cairo, Egypt, in 1924 (just 97 years ago)! • And over 4,000 corrections in the earliest Qur’anic manuscripts • And finally, there are still currently 30 official and different versions of the Arabic Qur’an The need for a ‘Place’ Two Empires compete to create an Arab sanctuary • The Umayyad (and earlier Nabataean) sanctuary in Petra was destroyed by an earthquake in 713 AD, thus a new place is needed…Mecca, 1st noted in 727 AD • Mecca was possibly chosen by the rebel Abdallah Ibn Zubayr & those from Baghdad and Kufa (the Abbasids), in defiance of the Umayyads, and Petra • The Abbasids, and Zubayr, with their sanctuary in Mecca, then demand allegiance to the surrounding tribes • With the black stone in Mecca, the pilgrims begin to come there, as it holds God’s presence • Mecca must now replicate the 5 stations of the Hajj first evidenced in Petra • Now we can see why we have 4 Qiblas… Why 4 Qiblas? Two Empires compete to create an Arab sanctuary 1) The earliest Qiblas which faced Petra had allegiance to the Umayyads in Damascus 2) All those Qiblas facing Mecca are those who allied themselves to the Abbasids 3) Al Hajjaj rebels against both in 706 AD, & it is his mosques which are then facing in between the two other sanctuaries, waiting to see who would finally win out 4) Those in No. Africa and Andalusia don’t show allegiance to either empire either, so they have their mosques facing parallel to each sanctuary • Thus, they are all groups who are waiting to see which side would gain control before giving their allegiance to either. In other words they are “hedging their bets” out of political expediency • When the Abbasids finally overpower the Umayyads in 749 AD, most of the Qiblas then begin to face Mecca, with a few holdouts, until by 822 AD, after which they all face Mecca…up to the present time • Thus, it’s clear that these Qiblas were chosen for political purposes, and not ineptitude, or for religious doctrines A POSSIBLE SCENARIO Here’s a ‘What if’ possibility Now, by the time of the Abbasids are in power (749 AD), the Muslims have: • A Prophet (Muhammad) • A Revelation (the Qur’an) • A Sanctuary (Mecca) They still, however, need a history to give authority to their prophet, their revelation, and their sanctuary (i.e. ‘the book, the man, and the place’) • The Sira is finally introduced, first by Ibn Ishaq in 765 AD, and then by Ibn Hisham in 833 AD • The Hadith are created, first by Al Bukhari in 870 AD (from 600,000 Akhbars to 7,397) • The Tafsir and the Tarikh are added, initially by Al Tabari in 923 AD So, by the 9th - 10th centuries, they then have the ‘Book’, the ‘Man’, the ‘Place’, and the ‘Story’… And a new religion is formed, and growing… Yet, not within a mere 22 years, but evolving over 200 - 300 years! FINAL CONCLUSIONS (When all is said and done) VI areas we investigated… [I] The Problem with Sources [II] The Revisionist School [III] Islam’s Origins – pre 7th century [IV] Islam’s Origins – 7th century [V] Islam’s Origins – The Qur’an [VI] Islam’s Origins - Putting it all together CONCLUSIONS • Our Remit was to investigate both the Qur’an, Muhammad, and Mecca • It is obvious that everything Muslims are dependent on for their ‘book, man and place’ are based on Standard Islamic Narratives (SIN) which are 200 – 300 years too late, and 100s of miles too far north • It was the Revisionists in Europe who were the first to sound the alarm, starting in the 19 th century • Mecca proves probably the biggest problem for Muslims • The SIN refer to a place which has too much vegetation and has existed since the time of Adam • None of the early maps show Mecca at all • Patricia Crone debunked Watt’s land based ‘Trade-Route Theory’ back in 1987 • The sea-based trade via the Red Sea was via Africa, not via Arabia at all • Every Muslim claim for early Mecca can be debunked by simply using maps • All of the 7th century Qiblas were facing Petra, not Mecca CONCLUSION • The supposed references to Muhammad in the 7th century are all frauds • The coins prove that the area under “Islam” was either Christian or Zoroastrian until 692 AD • The Rock Inscriptions prove that Islam as we know it didn’t appear until around 730 AD • The Islamic ‘caliphs’ didn’t exist, but a few ‘Muhammads’ in the 7th c. did; Yet, they cannot be Islam’s ‘Muhammad’, because were Christians, and from Iraq • The Qur’an was not around in the 7th century, and those which began in the 8th c. are problematic, with a total 30 authorized by the 15th century, then reduced to just one, the ‘Hafs’ in 1924 • When we look at the 7th – 8th centuries, we see that Islam grew out of a political conflict between two succeeding empires, and the need for a strong Arab identity • The Arabs needed a ‘book, a man, and a place’ in order to have their own identity, all of which was attained by creating the Qur’an, Muhammad and Mecca What about Muhammad? How should we critique him, considering this new information we now have about him? • Since much of what we now know about early Islam is in doubt historically • Since much of the Qur’an is also in doubt • Since nothing is known of Muhammad until the late 7th century, or Mecca until the mid 8th, or his story until the 9th and 10th centuries, 100’s of years later, and 100’s of miles away • Can we then conclude that Islam is nothing more than a later redaction, possibly begun by Abd al-Malik!? • Then continued by his descendants in the 8th – 10th centuries? • Proving Muhammad had nothing to do with the Qur’an, or with the origins of Islam! • So, who is he, and what is his purpose?! It looks like, the Muslims have the wrong man, at the wrong place, doing the wrong thing, at the wrong time! What about Jesus? How should we critique him, using the same historical criteria we used for Muhammad? • We know where Jesus was born (Bethlehem) • We know where Jesus grew up (Nazareth) • We know where Jesus died, and when (Jerusalem) • We know what Jesus did (the last 3 years) • We know this all from eye-witness accounts (Matthew & John) • We know this as well from hostile accounts (Thallus, Tacitus, Josephus) • We know when they were written (between 15-60 years later) • We know that few doubt his historicity THUS CHRISTIANS HAVE THE RIGHT MAN AT THE RIGHT PLACE DOING THE RIGHT THING AT THE RIGHT TIME!! Where to from here? Historians set the stage, we move it on. The questions they ask we research and expand upon • We must confront Islam’s historical foundations • We must challenge Muhammad, the Qur’an, and Mecca • We must demand the same of our Bible & Jesus Christ • We must bring both into the ‘Public Sphere’, and then let people come to their own conclusions Why? Because similar Historical questions have already all been asked of Christianity, and ANSWERED! • We need to bring our Muslim friends ‘home’ Yet, by Casting Doubt on Muhammad, the Qur’an and the origins of Islam Our Muslim Friends can Consider a Better Faith, based on Historically sound evidence… Christianity! Thank you for joining us! Please do not post these PowerPoint slides on any social media outlets, or forward to anyone outside of the Veritas International University (VIU). The content, however, you can use to inform the Church, or help to “bring Muslims home”