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, 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."
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. One that involved him turning back to Medina. He and his followers would not ‘enter the sacred mosque’ after all!
He, furthermore, 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 the victorious entry into Mecca that was prophesied, 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!
For a much fuller discussion of Islam’s truth-claims, please see my book ‘Questioning Islam - Tough Question and Honest Answers About the Muslim Religion’
Kind regards,
Peter
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