Jesus and
Muhammad Compared
By William J. Federer
What motivates fundamental Muslims to violence?
Much effort has gone into trying to answer this question. 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. Let’s
compare Jesus and Muhammad.
Primary Resources
The Quran
is a collection of private revelations Muhammad received between A.D. 610 and 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 reveals the
following:
Leadership
·
Jesus
was a religious leader.
·
Muhammad
was a religious leader and a military leader.
Killing
·
Jesus
never killed anyone.
·
Muhammad
killed an estimated 3,000 people, including beheading 700 Jews of the Banu
Qurayza tribe in Medina, A.D. 627:
“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)
Slavery
·
Jesus
never owned slaves.
·
Muhammad
received a fifth of the prisoners taken in battle as slaves, including women. (Sura 8:41):
“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 [Muhammad] 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)
Marriage
·
Jesus
never married.
·
Muhammad
had many wives:
“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 Biblical command for Jews to subdue the world.
Forced Belief
·
Jesus
never forced followers to continue believing. After Jesus made a difficult
saying, “many of his disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Then
Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Will ye also go away?’ Then Simon Peter answered Him,
‘Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.’” (John 6:31-69)
·
Muhammad
forced followers to continue believing, “Whoever changed his Islamic religion,
then kill him.” (Hadith al-Bukhari,
Vol. 9, Bk. 84, No. 57)
Teachings
·
Jesus
taught God was our Father. (Matthew
6:10)
·
Muhammad
taught it was blasphemy to call Allah your father. (Sura 5:18)
·
Jesus
taught man was made in God’s image. (Matthew
22:20, ref. Gen. 1:26-27, 9:6)
·
Muhammad
taught Allah has no image. (Sura
42:11, Sura 112:4)
·
Jesus
taught “forgive those who trespass against you.” (Matthew 6:10-15)
·
Muhammad
taught to avenge trespasses against your honor, family or religion:
“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)
Retaliation
·
Jesus
did not retaliate when violence was committed against him, saying “Father,
forgive them.” (Luke 23:34)
·
Muhammad
retaliated when violence was committed against him, ordering the death of his
enemies:
“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)
Following the Prophet
·
Following
Jesus was voluntary, from the inside out.
·
Following
Muhammad could be coerced, from the outside in:
“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)
Martyrdom
·
A
martyr in Christian and Jewish thought is one who dies for his faith.
·
A
martyr in Islamic thought is one who dies for his faith while killing infidels:
“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)
Personal Relationships & Forgiveness
·
Christianity
teaches God wants a personal relationship with each individual.
·
Islam
teaches individuals cannot have a personal relationship with Allah, as he is
transcendent and unknowable.
·
Jesus’
religion is known for forgiveness and love.
·
Muhammad’s
religion is known for obedience and fear.
Armed Conquest
·
Jesus,
nor any of His Apostles led armies.
A village did not receive Jesus “and when
his disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, wilt thou that we
command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, even as Elias did?’ But
he turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are
of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’”
(Luke 9:52-56)
In the first 300 years of Christianity,
there were 10 major Roman persecutions, and Christians were fed to lions in the
Colosseum. Never did Christians lead an armed resistance against those who
attacked them.
·
All
of the caliphs who followed Muhammad led armies. (Caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar,
Uthman, Ali, Muawiyya, the Umayyads, the Abbasids, etc.)
In the first 300 years of Islam, Muslim
armies conquered Arabia, Persia, the Holy Land, North Africa, Spain, Southern
France, Central Africa, and invaded vast areas of Asia and Asia Minor. Fighting
is inconsistent with Jesus’ example but not Muhammad’s, as the Sirat Rasul Allah records, Muhammad
personally led 27 raids.
Treatment of Enemies
·
Jesus’s
teaching on how to treat enemies:
Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you (Matthew 5:44). Resist not evil (Matthew 5:39). If someone strikes you on
one cheek, turn to them the other (Matthew
5:39). If someone takes your coat, give them your shirt (Matthew 5:40). If someone make you carry
something one mile, carry it two (Matthew
5:41). Forgive and you shall be forgiven (Matthew
6:14). Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1). Blessed are the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy
(Matthew 5:7). Ye have heard that it
was said, Thou shalt not kill, but I say who ever is angry with his brother is
in danger of the judgment (Matthew 5:21-22).
Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Luke 6:27-36). Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick,
whatever you do to the very least you have done unto Me (Matthew 25:40).
·
Muhammad’s
teaching on how to treat enemies:
Infidels are your sworn enemies (Sura 4:101). Be ruthless to the infidels
(Sura 48:29). Make war on the
infidels who dwell around you (Sura 9:123,
66:9). Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day (Sura 9:29). Strike off the heads of
infidels in battle (Sura 47:4). If
someone stops believing in Allah, kill him (al-Bukhari
9:84:57). Take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends (Sura 5:51, 60:13). Never be a helper to
the disbelievers (Sura 28:86). Kill
the disbelievers wherever we find them (Sura
2:191). No Muslim should be killed for killing an infidel (al-Bukhari 1:3:111). The only reward of
those who make war upon Allah and His messenger will be that they will be
killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off,
or will be expelled out of the land (Sura
5:33).
Conclusion
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.
William J. Federer is a nationally-known speaker
and best-selling author. His latest book is What
Every American Needs to Know about the Qur’an-A History of Islam & the
United States. To order the book or
learn more about William Federer visit his website at www.AmericanMinute.com
or call 1-888-USA-WORD (1-888-872-9673). Mr.
Federer is also available for speaking engagements.
