The life story of Muhammad is generally not very well known outside the Muslim community. One fact that is almost universally known, however, is his claim to be a prophet. This is embedded in modern public consciousness to the extent that Western media outlets routinely refer to him as ‘The Prophet Muhammad’ (instead of ‘The Islamic Prophet Muhammad’) as if his prophetic claim is universally recognized!
How will we be able to determine whether someone is a true prophet? Most people would state that the basic test would have to be fulfilled prophecy. In other words, the prophet will have to be able predict certain events and this will then come to pass.
As it turns out, Muhammad did particularly badly in this area. He made several predictions that were spectacularly inaccurate. One incident will serve to illustrate this point. While exiled from Mecca (and resident in Medina), Muhammad tried to lead a large group of Muslims to Mecca to perform the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). Muhammad expected that the Meccans would strongly oppose any attempt by him and his followers to enter Mecca and used Qur’an 48:27 to reassure his followers: “Truly did Allah fulfill the vision for His Messenger. Ye shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, with minds secure, heads shaved, hair cut short, and without fear. For He knew what ye knew not, and He granted, besides this, a speedy victory."
The details of this prophecy cannot be clearer. Allah assures the Muslims, through his prophetic mouthpiece, that they will carry everything before them. They will win a ‘speedy victory’ and ‘enter the Sacred Mosque’ at the heart of Mecca. Is this what happened. Not quite.
On the way to Mecca, Muhammad’s party was met by a Meccan emissary who indicated that the forces of the Quraysh would resist any attempt by Muhammad and his followers to enter the city. Muhammad did not feel confident in forcing the Meccans to relent, so he had to mount a sudden climb-down. He agreed to sign a treaty with the Meccans (the Treaty of Hudabiya) and even took the extraordinary step of handing a Meccan convert to Islam back to the people of Mecca.
In addition to this, he was forced to change his title at the end of the treaty document from “Muhammad: Apostle of Allah” to “Muhammad: Son of Abdullah.” (The incident is related in Sahih Bukhari 3:50:891) So far from a victorious entry into Mecca, Muhammad had to return to Medina with the knowledge that his followers had just witnessed a spectacular failed prediction.
As so often happened in these cases Allah immediately sprang into action with a ‘convenient revelation’ to shore up Muhammad’s position. Despite the expedition being a dismal failure and defeat, Allah declares it to be a stunning victory: “Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory” (Qur'an 48:10) Muhammad’s followers must have wondered if they could afford many more ‘victories’ like that!
Ps. Coming soon a ‘collected works’ edition of ‘Questioning Islam’, ‘Nothing to do with Islam?’ and ‘The Mecca Mystery’
For an in-depth investigation of the truth-claims of Islam, please see my book ‘Questioning Islam - Tough Questions and Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion’
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