Myth: Muhammad Would Never Approve of Murder

TheReligionofPeace

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Myths of Muhammad

The Myth:

Muhammad Would
Never Approve of Murder

"Our Prophet (peace be upon him) is not known to have murdered anyone, nor given any order to kill."

The Truth:

According to the Hadith, Muhammad ordered the murder of homosexuals (Abu Dawud 4448 & 4447), adults having consensual sex (Sahih Bukhari 60:79 & Sahih Muslim 17:4196 ), and anyone following their conscience by leaving Islam for another religion (Sahih Bukhari 83:17 & 84:64).

The apologists may not call that murder. The civilized world does.

Then there are others:

“Kill any Jew that falls into your power!”

This was the order Muhammad issued following his tribe's killing of another Jew named Ka’b al-Ashraf. From the nighttime assassination of Asma bint Marwan (a poet and mother of five) to the Christians killed at Tabuk, this is but one of many examples from the Sira that refute the silly idea that the prophet of Islam never approved of murder.

The successful and gory assassination of al-Ashraf convinced Muhammad that the time was right to assert his dominance in Medina. He wanted to instill terror into the hearts of the local Jewish population, many of whom were having second thoughts about allowing the Muslim immigrants into their community. Muhammad had already begun killing and evicting them only eighteen months after arriving.

The intimidation campaign was particularly targeted at the the last two surviving Jewish tribes (the Nadir and Qurayza). Gleeful over the successful assassination of the Nadir leader, al-Ashraf, the prophet of Islam immediately exhorted his men to a random murder spree that would further narrow down any opposition via terror and conversion.

Following Muhammad’s mandate to kill "any Jew that falls into your power," a Muslim follower stabbed his Jewish business partner to death. The Muslim's brother was initially horrified by the crime, since they were not only on friendly terms with the victim, but the merchant was integral to their own livelihood:

The apostle said, “Kill any Jew that falls into your power.” Thereupon Muhayyisa leapt upon Ibn Sunayna, a Jewish merchant with whom they had social and business relations, and killed him. Huwayyisa was not a Muslim at the time, though he was the elder brother. When Muhayyisa killed [the Jew] Huwayyisa began to beat him, saying, “You enemy of God, did you kill him when much of the fat on your belly comes from his wealth?” Muhayyisa answered, “Had the one who ordered me to kill him ordered me to kill you I would have cut your head off.” This was the beginning of Huwayyisa’s acceptance of Islam… [Huwayyisa] replied exclaimed, “By God, a religion which can bring you to this is marvelous!” and he became a Muslim. (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 554)

Some might call this "breaking the social contract," but the unbelieving brother is quite impressed with Muhammad’s ability to influence the killing even of one's own family. As such, he accepts the “Religion of Peace” on the spot (assuming his conversion was not out of self-preservation).

The principle being taught is that the truth of a religion can be proven by how violent its followers can be in its defense. This is why alleged "blasphemers" are routinely lynched by mobs in the Islamic world - and virtually nowhere else.

Another example of Muhammad clearly approving of murder occurred following a botched attempt to assassinate a rival in Mecca. Muhammad's hand-picked assassins were discovered before they could carry out their mission and had to hide in a cave. An innocent man grazing his horse soon came their way:

While we were in the cave, up came Thuman bin Malik bin Ubaydullah al-Taymi cutting grass for a horse of his. He kept coming nearer until he was at the very entrance of the cave... I went out and stabbed him under the breast with the dagger. He shrieked so loud that the Meccans heard him. (al-Tabari 1439)

After this, the killers later found themselves in another cave, into which a one-eyed shepherd haplessly entered while taking a break:

When he asked who I was I told him that I was one of the [Muslims]. Then he laid down beside me and lifting up his voice began to sing: "I won't be a Muslim as long as I live, nor heed to their religion give."

I said (to myself) 'you will soon know' and as soon as the badu was asleep and snoring I got up and killed him in a more horrible way than any man has been killed. I put the end of my bow in his sound eye, then I bore down on it until I it out at the back of his neck. (al-Tabari 1440)

Amazingly, the murder spree was not yet finished. The Muslims killed a third Meccan on the way back and took another prisoner. Muhammad was told about the various murders, including that of the sleeping shepherd whose only "crime" was to say that he would never be Muslim. His reaction:

[Muhammad] laughed so that one could see his back teeth. He asked me the news and when I told him what had happened, he blessed me. (Tabari 1441)

None of these people were guilty of a capital crime, but they were not Muslim. Since murder is defined in Islam as a person killing another member of their own class (see the Law of Inequality, Quran 2:178), becoming a Muslim was the only way to ensure that one wasn’t murdered by Muhammad’s men at the time.

TheReligionofPeace

Jihad Report Nov 16, 2024 - Nov 22, 2024

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The Myth:

Muhammad Would Never Approve of Murder

The Truth:

Further Reading:

Jihad Report
Nov 16, 2024 -
Nov 22, 2024

Jihad Report
October, 2024

Muhammad Would
Never Approve of Murder