Exploring Islam, Part Three: The First 'Revelation'
Part Two introduced how poetry was recited in a songful manner in the pre-Islamic era.
This was the contextual backdrop of Arabic society Muhammad (b. 570 - d. 632) was born into.
The Sunni side of Islam is mostly cited in this series due to it being the predominant (most populated) group of the religion.
After reading sources mentioning the poetic evidence in the Quran, here is a Shia Hadith citation also affirming poetry as the cultural background of the Arabs:
Allah sent... Muhammad at a time when oratory and speech was very popular among the people – I think he said poetry.
- Kitab al-Kafi H 20, Ch. 1, h 20First Things First
A close methodological reading of sources may render a more precise and deeper understanding of any subject or topic.
Islam claims Muhammad to have been called to prophethood by the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
Islam claims Muhammad to be a part of a prophetic lineage that includes Moses and Yeshua the Messiah, and that Muhammad is the final prophet after these prior Hebrew prophets.
Islam claims that Muhammad had a certain experience (a revelation) in the year 610 A.D., with continued revelations until his death 22 years later in 632.
Here is an account reported from Aisha, a wife of Muhammad.
The commencement of... inspiration to [Muhammad] was in the form of good dreams... he used to go in seclusion in the cave... to worship... tak[ing food and com[ing] back to (his wife) till suddenly the truth descended upon him while... in the cave. The angel... asked him to read. Muhammad replied, “I do not know how to read... then the angel held me (forcibly) and pressed me so hard that I felt distressed.”
- Sahih al-Bukhari Book 65, Hadith 4953According to this report, the experiences began in the form of dreams.
The report of what happened to Muhammad in the dream:
Thereupon he held me for the third time and pressed me till I got distressed, and then he released me and said, “Read, in the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists), has created man out of a clot, Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not.”
... Muhammad returned with that experience [and] came upon Khadija (his wife) and said, “Cover me!” ... and when the state of fear was over, he said to Khadija... “What is wrong with me? I was afraid that something bad might happen to me.” Then he told her the story.
- Sahih al-Bukhari Book 65, Hadith 4953From here, the summary details are:
Muhammad has a dream in a cave and is asked by an angel to read, Muhammad confesses he is unable to read (illiterate), the angel repeatedly demands Muhammad to read and 'presses' Muhammad, causing him distress, Muhammad leaves the cave in fear and recounts the dream to his wife Khadija.
Looking Closer
According to most Islamic scholars, this dream is mentioned (and recorded) as the first recitation according to the chronological order of the Quran. [The History of the Qur'anic Text: From Revelation to Compilation. (2003), by M.M. Al-A'zami, pages 25, 47-48]
It is found in the Quran as the first five verses from the chapter entitled al-Alaq (the Clot):
Read in the name of thy Sustainer, who has created man out of a germ-cell. Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One who has taught [man] the use of the pen - taught man what he did not know!
- al-Alaq (96) 1-5 (M. Asad English translation - 16 other translations)Notable: the demand for an illiterate to 'read'. [some commentators argue the term is 'recite' with much written arguing in support of this definition]
Also notable: God has taught mankind to use the pen (write) and has taught things unknown.
Very notable: this verse does not contain the details of the dream (neither does the rest of the Quran).
Most notable: this verse does not mention 'who' is talking with Muhammad in the dream.
The details of the exchange and 'who' is talking with Muhammad in the dream is found only in the Hadith quoted from a sole source: Aisha.
Aisha (b. 613 - d. 678) was Muhammad's third wife, from 619 until his death.
A difficult issue: this dream occurred in 610 A.D., but Aisha was born at least three years later in 613 A.D..
Muhammad's lifetime was from 570 to 632.
A Desire To Believe
As mentioned in a previous part of this article series, this exploration of Islam aims to accept all the claims and their sources at face value.
According to Islamic sources, one has to assume it was likely Muhammad (or perhaps someone else) who narrated the dream story to Aisha.
This assumption is likely not a difficult issue since Aisha was Muhammad's wife and he may have mentioned this and many other stories to her throughout their times together.
The difficult issue is: no other witnesses (or Hadith report) is quoted forwarding this story.
The two other 'witnesses' to Muhammad's story, as mentioned in the Hadith, are Khadija (Muhammad's first wife) and Waraqa (a relative of both Muhammad and Khadija).
However, neither of these two individuals are mentioned in the Quran.
Neither do we find testimonies quoting their words in Hadith or Tafsir besides Aisha's testimony of what they said.
So again, who told Aisha the story of a dream that occurred three years before her birth?
What Does The Quran Say About Witnesses?
According to Islamic jurisprudence, for an important matter to be determined there must be at least two witnesses.
This jurisprudence has been developed from the Quran.
Regarding a business transaction, verse al-Baqara (2) 223 says at least two witnesses must be present.
For a divorce, also at least two witnesses (al-Talaq (65) 2) must be present.
This two-witness demand is also found in ancient Israel and sourced in the Bible, besides being found in surrounding peoples and cultures.
There seems to be a logical departure surrounding Aisha's testimony of the dream and the details when held to the scrutiny of the two-witness demand.
There is a rudimentary method in Islamic tradition regarding accepting and qualifying certain Hadith to determine authenticity, truth, and reliability. [classification of Hadith]
Looking at how oral traditions are the backdrop to the Arabic culture, testimonies in Hadith that are attested by a reliable chain of narrators are concluded to have been accurately memorized and later correctly written down.
The content is assumed to be true based on the evidence of consensus and accurate transmission.
In other words; because a broad consensus of oral accounts are found to be similar and emanating from a single source (Muhammad), the testimony is also considered to be accurate because the chain and consensus is accurate.
For example: if 100 people alive during the time of Muhammad have all claimed to have heard Muhammad say “I had a dream!”, by the fact that 100 have testified to that saying, the consensus of witnesses is considered adequate (more than two witnesses) to support the validity of the saying having been said.
The idea that 100 people conspired to make up something Muhammad said is deemed unreasonable.
The issue isn't so much the inaccuracy of oral traditions being passed down through several generations and then being written down over a century later.
The issue is: witness testimony and using one's rationality in reading information objectively.
The issue of whether what Muhammad said was true, reasonable or acceptable, is also a secondary matter considering witnesses in this particular case.
Why?
Aisha Is Not A Witness
Looking at the Hadith we are reading from, this Hadith is only quoting a single person (Aisha).
It is Aisha that is being quoted, not Muhammad.
Secondly, the story narrative is from someone who was not alive when the dream supposedly occurred.
Her testimony is actually hearsay, or a retelling of a story told to her.
There is no other witness (Khadija nor Waraqa) found to have supported Aisha's story.
The issue of whether or not Aisha's testimony was accurately memorized by a 100 Muslims and a century later correctly written down is, again, not the issue.
The caveat is that Aisha is quoting a story that was told to her... and that story happened before she was born.
One has to assume it was Muhammad who told Aisha about his dream.
Khadija'a And Waraqa's Witness Testimonies Are Missing
However, Aisha does not mention either Khadija, nor Waraqa, nor Muhammad being the person(s) who told her the story.
If assuming Muhammad was the one who told her, then Muhammad had acted as his own witness to his dream.
Muhammad also acted as his own witness regarding the exchange between himself and Khadija and Waraqa since we find no Hadith quoting their direct words.
Someone reading this may be bound to argue 'as God as my witness' regarding Muhammad's claim.
However, that argument would reveal a lapse in logic.
Notice how the Quran itself demands more than one witness regarding matters of prophetic claim or of receiving divine inspiration:
Interesting how this verse assumes the claim of divine inspiration.
Notice the verse demands a witness besides whomever is delivering a poetic verse to support the poet.
Do we have such evidence regarding Muhammad and his claims?
No.
However, the claim of Islamic prophethood asks people to believe despite the lack of two witnesses.
Muhammad, according to Islamic methodology and Islamic record, acted as his own witness.
The Litmus Test Made Obvious
Muhammad's hearers asked for a miracle as a sign of his claims, since merely claiming to be a prophet was insufficient on its own, no matter how pretty or highly regarded the verses were recited or one's popularity or influence over others.
The prophetic background that Islam claims Muhammad to have followed was that of the Hebrews and their God.
The Bible will now be quoted because Muhammad's religious contemporaries (Jews and Christians) were beholden to the Bible as their roadmap to life.
The Bible is quoted because Muhammad / Islam claims to follow in the steps of the Jews and Christians regarding their belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
A Desire To Believe
As mentioned in a previous part of this article series, this exploration of Islam aims to accept all the claims and their sources at face value.
According to Islamic sources, one has to assume it was likely Muhammad (or perhaps someone else) who narrated the dream story to Aisha.
This assumption is likely not a difficult issue since Aisha was Muhammad's wife and he may have mentioned this and many other stories to her throughout their times together.
The difficult issue is: no other witnesses (or Hadith report) is quoted forwarding this story.
The two other 'witnesses' to Muhammad's story, as mentioned in the Hadith, are Khadija (Muhammad's first wife) and Waraqa (a relative of both Muhammad and Khadija).
However, neither of these two individuals are mentioned in the Quran.
Neither do we find testimonies quoting their words in Hadith or Tafsir besides Aisha's testimony of what they said.
So again, who told Aisha the story of a dream that occurred three years before her birth?
What Does The Quran Say About Witnesses?
According to Islamic jurisprudence, for an important matter to be determined there must be at least two witnesses.
This jurisprudence has been developed from the Quran.
Regarding a business transaction, verse al-Baqara (2) 223 says at least two witnesses must be present.
For a divorce, also at least two witnesses (al-Talaq (65) 2) must be present.
This two-witness demand is also found in ancient Israel and sourced in the Bible, besides being found in surrounding peoples and cultures.
There seems to be a logical departure surrounding Aisha's testimony of the dream and the details when held to the scrutiny of the two-witness demand.
There is a rudimentary method in Islamic tradition regarding accepting and qualifying certain Hadith to determine authenticity, truth, and reliability. [classification of Hadith]
Looking at how oral traditions are the backdrop to the Arabic culture, testimonies in Hadith that are attested by a reliable chain of narrators are concluded to have been accurately memorized and later correctly written down.
The content is assumed to be true based on the evidence of consensus and accurate transmission.
In other words; because a broad consensus of oral accounts are found to be similar and emanating from a single source (Muhammad), the testimony is also considered to be accurate because the chain and consensus is accurate.
For example: if 100 people alive during the time of Muhammad have all claimed to have heard Muhammad say “I had a dream!”, by the fact that 100 have testified to that saying, the consensus of witnesses is considered adequate (more than two witnesses) to support the validity of the saying having been said.
The idea that 100 people conspired to make up something Muhammad said is deemed unreasonable.
The issue isn't so much the inaccuracy of oral traditions being passed down through several generations and then being written down over a century later.
The issue is: witness testimony and using one's rationality in reading information objectively.
The issue of whether what Muhammad said was true, reasonable or acceptable, is also a secondary matter considering witnesses in this particular case.
Why?
Aisha Is Not A Witness
Looking at the Hadith we are reading from, this Hadith is only quoting a single person (Aisha).
It is Aisha that is being quoted, not Muhammad.
Secondly, the story narrative is from someone who was not alive when the dream supposedly occurred.
Her testimony is actually hearsay, or a retelling of a story told to her.
There is no other witness (Khadija nor Waraqa) found to have supported Aisha's story.
The issue of whether or not Aisha's testimony was accurately memorized by a 100 Muslims and a century later correctly written down is, again, not the issue.
The caveat is that Aisha is quoting a story that was told to her... and that story happened before she was born.
One has to assume it was Muhammad who told Aisha about his dream.
Khadija'a And Waraqa's Witness Testimonies Are Missing
However, Aisha does not mention either Khadija, nor Waraqa, nor Muhammad being the person(s) who told her the story.
If assuming Muhammad was the one who told her, then Muhammad had acted as his own witness to his dream.
Muhammad also acted as his own witness regarding the exchange between himself and Khadija and Waraqa since we find no Hadith quoting their direct words.
Someone reading this may be bound to argue 'as God as my witness' regarding Muhammad's claim.
However, that argument would reveal a lapse in logic.
Notice how the Quran itself demands more than one witness regarding matters of prophetic claim or of receiving divine inspiration:
And if you doubt any part of what We have, bestowed from on high, step by step, upon Our servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah of similar merit, and call upon any other than God to bear witness for you - if what you say is true!
- al-Baqara (2) 23A 'surah' is a chapter or compilation of verses.
Interesting how this verse assumes the claim of divine inspiration.
Notice the verse demands a witness besides whomever is delivering a poetic verse to support the poet.
Do we have such evidence regarding Muhammad and his claims?
No.
However, the claim of Islamic prophethood asks people to believe despite the lack of two witnesses.
Muhammad, according to Islamic methodology and Islamic record, acted as his own witness.
The Litmus Test Made Obvious
Muhammad's hearers asked for a miracle as a sign of his claims, since merely claiming to be a prophet was insufficient on its own, no matter how pretty or highly regarded the verses were recited or one's popularity or influence over others.
The prophetic background that Islam claims Muhammad to have followed was that of the Hebrews and their God.
The Bible will now be quoted because Muhammad's religious contemporaries (Jews and Christians) were beholden to the Bible as their roadmap to life.
The Bible is quoted because Muhammad / Islam claims to follow in the steps of the Jews and Christians regarding their belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.
It was through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob that God had revealed Himself and developed a body of Law now found in the Old Testament / Jewish Bible.
What is found in the Jewish Bible regarding prophetic claims?
A sign could have been a prediction.
We find that request here in the Quran:
In contrast, although John the Baptist offered no miracle he was attested to having spoken truthfully of all things realized in Yeshua the Messiah.
Similarly, Yeshua was asked for a sign and the Sign of Jonah was offered.
This request was after many signs and miracles had already been witnessed at the command of Yeshua.
Yeshua was heard predicting events and performing various miracles,.
Although certain people did not believe in Yeshua as Messiah, they did witness the miracles done by Messiah.
All of this is a continuation of what the Bible requests of hearers regarding those claiming to be prophets of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Yeshua the Messiah.
Another example showing the sentiment towards Muhammad's claims without proof or witnesses is the following.
Notice how even if there is a sign or purported miracle, when the message contradicts or goes astray from previous teachings, there is warning:
The Bible is full of God revealing Himself in a variety of ways, throughout the centuries, and reaffirming previous testimonies and fulfilling His promises (and judgments).
There is the claim that the Quran itself is the 'sign' and 'miracle', arguing that such a work would not be possible to come from an illiterate.
Let us consider this for a moment.
Such a claim is unfounded in the Bible.
The Hebrew prophets did not argue their inspirations to be their proof on their own, but only if what they predicted came to pass, or if their miracle(s) accompanied sound revelations in accordance with previous prophecies.
Does the inability of writing or reading mean that someone cannot speak?
Does illiteracy mean a person is mute, or unable to make sense in speech, or unable to learn how to speak?
No and no.
As we've learned in Part Two, the vast majority of pre-Islamic Arabia was illiterate yet repeated poetry and storytelling.
Who Then Determined An Angel Spoke In A Dream
As we've read, the Quran disqualifies Aisha's testimony since there is no other person besides herself having mirrored her testimony about Muhammad's dream.
Instead we have a retelling of the story of the dream, and we are led to assume it was Muhammad.
If this is the case, Muhammad acted as his own witness in telling the story to Aisha since she was born three years after the dream supposedly occurred.
Islamic accounts do not have a narrative from Khadiha, Muhammad's wife at the time of the supposed first dream / revelation (neither does any Hadith or testimony from Khadija exist).
These issues are cause for concern regarding the rudimentary principles of historical methodology (within and without Islamic culture) and the manner Islam has traditionally qualified narratives it has claimed to be authentic or true.
Returning once again to the Hadith (narrative), we find more interesting and revealing details:
What is found in the Jewish Bible regarding prophetic claims?
You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the Name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.
- Deuteronomy 18: 21-22According to the Quran, certain witnesses to Muhammad's claims asked him about a miracle, or a sign, according to this reminder in Deuteronomy.
A sign could have been a prediction.
We find that request here in the Quran:
“Nay,” they say, “[Muhammad propounds] the most involved and confusing of dreams!” “Nay, but he has invented [all] this!” - “Nay, but he is [only] a poet!” - [and,] “Let him, then, come unto us with a miracle, just as those [prophets] of old were sent [with miracles].”
- al Anbiya (21) 5 (M. Asad translation – read 16 other translations)Following this verse are reminders of past punishments and a litany of chastisements for not believing Muhammad or his recitations, yet no miracle or sign or prediction is offered.
In contrast, although John the Baptist offered no miracle he was attested to having spoken truthfully of all things realized in Yeshua the Messiah.
Similarly, Yeshua was asked for a sign and the Sign of Jonah was offered.
This request was after many signs and miracles had already been witnessed at the command of Yeshua.
Yeshua was heard predicting events and performing various miracles,.
Although certain people did not believe in Yeshua as Messiah, they did witness the miracles done by Messiah.
All of this is a continuation of what the Bible requests of hearers regarding those claiming to be prophets of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Yeshua the Messiah.
Another example showing the sentiment towards Muhammad's claims without proof or witnesses is the following.
Notice how even if there is a sign or purported miracle, when the message contradicts or goes astray from previous teachings, there is warning:
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
- Deuteronomy 13: 1-5Key is the description of gods you have not known.
The Bible is full of God revealing Himself in a variety of ways, throughout the centuries, and reaffirming previous testimonies and fulfilling His promises (and judgments).
There is the claim that the Quran itself is the 'sign' and 'miracle', arguing that such a work would not be possible to come from an illiterate.
Let us consider this for a moment.
Such a claim is unfounded in the Bible.
The Hebrew prophets did not argue their inspirations to be their proof on their own, but only if what they predicted came to pass, or if their miracle(s) accompanied sound revelations in accordance with previous prophecies.
Does the inability of writing or reading mean that someone cannot speak?
Does illiteracy mean a person is mute, or unable to make sense in speech, or unable to learn how to speak?
No and no.
As we've learned in Part Two, the vast majority of pre-Islamic Arabia was illiterate yet repeated poetry and storytelling.
Who Then Determined An Angel Spoke In A Dream
As we've read, the Quran disqualifies Aisha's testimony since there is no other person besides herself having mirrored her testimony about Muhammad's dream.
Instead we have a retelling of the story of the dream, and we are led to assume it was Muhammad.
If this is the case, Muhammad acted as his own witness in telling the story to Aisha since she was born three years after the dream supposedly occurred.
Islamic accounts do not have a narrative from Khadiha, Muhammad's wife at the time of the supposed first dream / revelation (neither does any Hadith or testimony from Khadija exist).
These issues are cause for concern regarding the rudimentary principles of historical methodology (within and without Islamic culture) and the manner Islam has traditionally qualified narratives it has claimed to be authentic or true.
Returning once again to the Hadith (narrative), we find more interesting and revealing details:
Khadija then took him to Waraqa bin Naufil, the son of Khadija's paternal uncle. Waraqa had been converted to Christianity in the Pre-lslamic period and used to write Arabic and write of the Gospel in Arabic as much as Allah wished him to write... Khadija said (to Waraqa)... Listen to what your nephew is going to say.”
Waraqa said... What have you seen?” [Muhammad] then described whatever he had seen. Waraqa said, “This is the same angel (Gabriel) who was sent to Moses... He added some other statement... a short while later Waraqa died and the divine inspiration was paused (stopped) for a while.
- Sahih al-Bukhari Book 65, Hadith 4953
The summary details are:
Khadija takes Muhammad to see a Christian relative, this relative suggests that it was an angel / the angel that was sent to Moses..
In reading the several narrations attributed to Aisha of this account, the 'angel' is actually never named, but only a suggestion that it may have been an angel.
The term and / or name of Gabriel is added in Hadith in parentheses according to later traditional accounts, and that interpolation is not from previous witness testimony.
Again, the Quran does not specify it was an angel that appeared to Muhammad in the dream.
Neither does the entity speaking to Muhammad introduce themselves, which is a consistent theme in the Bible when revelations occur.
The term and / or name of Gabriel is added in Hadith in parentheses according to later traditional accounts, and that interpolation is not from previous witness testimony.
Again, the Quran does not specify it was an angel that appeared to Muhammad in the dream.
Neither does the entity speaking to Muhammad introduce themselves, which is a consistent theme in the Bible when revelations occur.
According to the Arabic language, the name Gabriel is literally only found in these three verses: al-Baqara (2) 97, 98 and at-Tahrim (66) 4.
These verses, according to chronology, were memorized after the first five verses Muhammad claimed to have 'received' in a dream.
These verses, according to chronology, were memorized after the first five verses Muhammad claimed to have 'received' in a dream.
The suggestion that it was an angel (or specifically the angel named Gabriel), according to Islamic sources, was made by Waraqa the relative... and that story was sourced from Aisha, who never met Waraqa nor was alive when the supposed dream occurred.
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