MUHAMMAD AND THE DEMONS

PART 1      MUHAMMAD'S EXPERIENCES WITH SPIRITS

[NOTE:  My comments in the source material are in [  ] type brackets.  Source author's / translator's quotes are in (  ) type brackets.]

1)         An experience Muhammad had as a child.

            When Muhammad was a child he was nursed by a Bedouin woman.  During this time he had an experience with "two men in white raiment".  Here is W. M. Watt's translation of Ibn Ishaq's biography of Muhammad, page 36:

            "...two men in white clothes came to me with a golden basin full of snow.  They took me and split open my body, then they took my heart and split it open and took out from it a black clot which they flung away.  Then they washed my heart and my body with that snow until they made them pure."  [1]

            This event deeply disturbed the Bedouins and they returned Muhammad to his mother.  Here is the story told by Muhammad's wet-nurse, related in Guillaume's translation of Ibn Ishaq, page 72:

            "His [Muhammad's friend's] father said to me, "I am afraid that this child has had a stroke, so take him back to his family before the result appears. .....   She [Muhammad's mother] asked me what happened and gave me no peace until I told her.  When she asked if I feared a demon had possessed him, I replied that I did."  [2]

            Note that Muhammad's wet-nurse believed he had been possessed by a demon.  One would expect some degree of attachment between the two, since she nursed him, so it is extraordinary that she would return him in those circumstances:  something very troubling actually occurred.

2)         Muhammad's experience in the cave - his call to "prophethood".

Quoting from the Hadith of Bukhari, 9.111:

Narrated 'Aisha:

The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah's Apostle was in the form of good righteous (true) dreams in his sleep. He never had a dream but that it came true like bright day light. He used to go in seclusion (the cave of) Hira where he used to worship(Allah Alone) continuously for many (days) nights. He used to take with him the journey food for that (stay) and then come back to (his wife) Khadija to take his food like-wise again for another period to stay, till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel came to him in it and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read." (The Prophet added), "The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, "I do not know how to read," whereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore.  He then released me and asked me again to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read (or, what shall I read?)." Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me and then released me and said, "Read: In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists). Has created man from a clot. Read and Your Lord is Most Generous...up to..... ..that which he knew not." (96.15)

Then Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration, his neck muscles twitching with terror till he entered upon Khadija and said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was over and then he said, "O Khadija, what is wrong with me?" Then he told her everything that had happened and said, 'I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija said, 'Never! But have the glad tidings, for by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good relations with your Kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guest generously and assist the deserving, calamity-afflicted ones."

... But after a few days Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration was also paused for a while and the Prophet became so sad as we have heard that he intended several times to throw himself from the tops of high mountains and every time he went up the top of a mountain in order to throw himself down, Gabriel would appear before him and say, "O Muhammad! You are indeed Allah's Apostle in truth" whereupon his heart would become quiet and he would calm down and would return home.  And whenever the period of the coming of the inspiration used to become long, he would do as before, but when he used to reach the top of a mountain, Gabriel would appear before him and say to him what he had said before. (Ibn 'Abbas said regarding the meaning of: 'He it is that Cleaves the daybreak (from the darkness)' (6.96) that Al-Asbah means the light of the sun during the day and the light of the moon at night).

            There are a number of slight variations to this story, related by different people, describing Muhammad's visitation by a spirit identifying himself as the angel Gabriel.  These stories do not always agree with each other in perfect detail, but on the whole a composite picture can be drawn of Muhammad's initial experience with the spirit and his subsequent reactions.

            Here are additional details from Guillaume's "The Life of Muhammad", page 106.

            So I [Muhammad] read it, and he [Gabriel] departed from me.  And I awoke from my sleep, and it was though these words were written on my heart.  (Tabari:  Now none of God's creatures was more hateful to me than an (ecstatic) poet or a man possessed:  I could not even look at them.  I thought, Woe is me poet or possessed - Never shall Quraysh say this of me!  I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest.  So I went forth to do so and then) when I was midway on the mountain, I heard a voice from heaven saying "O Muhammad! thou are the apostle of God and I am Gabriel."

            The visitations from the spirit continued.  Then they stopped for a time believed to have been 6 months to 3 years.  When this happened, Tabari, volume 6 page 76, records:

            "The inspiration ceased to come to the messenger of God for a while, and he was deeply grieved.  He began to go to the tops of mountain crags, in order to fling himself from them; but every time he reached the summit of a mountain, Gabriel appeared to him and said to him, "You are the Prophet of God."  Thereupon his anxiety would subside and he would come back to himself.  [4]

            Also, from Tabari Vol. 9, page 167, note 1151 says:

            "The pre-Islamic Arabs believed in the demon of poetry, and they thought that a great poet was directly inspired by demons...."

            This explains why Muhammad thought he was demon possessed, or influenced by demons; the Quran in many places reads like poetry.

            In "Muhammad at Mecca", page 40, 41, there are also references that document Muhammad's suicidal thoughts.  Watt quotes from az-Zuhri's material.

            "He (Muhammad) said, I had been meditating throwing myself from a mountain crag, but while I was so meditating, he appeared to me and said, "O Muhammad, I am Gabriel, and thou are the Messenger of God."....

            Az-Zuhri said:  "There was a gap for a time in the revelation to the Messenger of God and he was very sorrowful.  He started going early to the tops of the mountains to throw himself down from them.  But whenever he reached the summit of a mountain, Gabriel would appear to him and say, "Thou are the Prophet of God." 

            However you view this event, it is undeniable that something extraordinary happened to Muhammad in the cave, and he was deeply distressed by it.

OTHER REFERENCES TO MUHAMMAD AND THE DEMONS

            Even in the Quran, there are references that people believed that Muhammad was possessed or influenced by demons.

Sura 81:22-25 says, "No, your compatriot [Muhammad] is not mad.  He saw him [Gabriel] on the clear horizon.  He does not grudge the secrets of the unseen, nor is this the utterance of an accursed devil."

Sura 69:41, 42 say, "It [the Quran] is no poet's speech:  scant is your faith!  It is no soothsayer's divination:  how little you reflect!  It is revelation from the Lord of the Universe.

            Here Muhammad is saying to his critics that he really saw an angel, and his words are not from a devil, or from his own imagination.  No doubt the people living at that time thought he was inspired by a devil, so Muhammad spoke these words, in the Quran, in self defense.

            What are the possibilities of who and what these experiences can be attributed?  The things that come to mind are that:

1)         Muhammad did indeed have a visit from the angel Gabriel - thus validating his prophethood.

2)         Muhammad was visited by a demon, or Satan himself.

3)         Muhammad experienced some type of delusion.

4)         Muhammad suffered from some type of epilepsy or other mental problem.

5)         A combination of #s 2, 3, and / or 4.

Let's recap.

            From his youth, some people thought he was demon possessed.   Muhammad's encounter with "Gabriel" deeply disturbs him, and he thinks he is demon possessed.  He decides to commit suicide, but is stopped when the spirit appears and says he is an apostle.  Later, when these visitations become infrequent, he again goes and tries to commit suicide.  Each time the spirit intervenes.  As time went on, people continued to think Muhammad was demon inspired.

            SOME COMMENTS AND CONCERNS

            Isn't it bizarre that following this experience Muhammad became suicidal?  Not only that, but as time goes on, he continues to be suicidal.  All the while he wonders, deep down, if he is demon possessed.  Does this follow from a real experience with God?

PART 2)     PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE WHO HAD EXPERIENCES WITH GOD

            Let's compare Muhammad's experience with Biblical stories of men who had experiences with God.

            Adam - Gen. 3 & 4,                 Noah - Gen. 6.

            Abraham - Gen. 12 - 18.          Moses - Ex. 3 - 34

            David                                       Isaiah - Isaiah 6

            Mary - Luke 2.                         Paul - Acts 9

            As I read the stories about people in the bible who have an experience with God I do not find anything that resembles Muhammad's experience.  These people were filled with a reverent fear, but never became depressed as a result of their experience. These people fellowshipped with God.  Some walked with Him, to other's He revealed Himself.  None of them ever contemplated suicide.  But several times Muhammad tried to commit suicide, and each time this "spirit" stopped him.  What plans did this spirit have in store for him?

PART 3 - MUHAMMAD'S OTHER EXPERIENCES WITH EVIL SPIRITUAL POWERS

3.1       Muhammad being bewitched by magic and it's effects.

            From the Hadith of Bukhari, Volume 7, # 660.

Narrated Aisha:

Magic was worked on Allah's Apostle so that he used to think that he had sexual relations with his wives while he actually had not (Sufyan said:  That is the hardest kind of magic as it has such an effect).  Then one day he said, "O 'Aisha do you know that Allah has instructed me concerning the matter I asked Him about?  Two men came to me and one of them sat near my head and the other sat near my feet.  The one near my head asked the other, "What is wrong with this man?"  The latter replied the is under the effect of magic.  The first one asked, "Who has worked magic on him?"  The other replied, "Labid bin Al-A'sam, a man from Bani Zuraiq who was an ally of the Jews and was a hypocrite."  The first one asked, "What material did he use)?"  The other replied, 'A comb and the hair stuck to it.'  The first one asked, 'Where (is that)?'  The other replied, 'In a skin of pollen of a male date palm tree kept under a stone in the well of Dharwan'''  So the Prophet went to that well and took out those things and said, "That was the well which was shown to me (in a dream).  Its water looked like the infusion of Henna leaves and its date-palm trees looked like the heads of devils."  The Prophet added, "Then that thing was taken out' I said (to the Prophet ), "Why do you not treat yourself with Nashra?"  He said, "Allah has cured me; I dislike to let evil spread among my people."

This Tradition is also found in Bukhari 4.490, 7.658, 7.660, 7.661, 8.89, 8.400.

            While the complete story is not found in Ibn Hisham, a reference is made to it.  Citing from "The Life of Muhammad", page 240:

            "From B. Zurayq:  Labib b. A'sam, who bewitched the apostle of God so that he could not come at his wives."

            Guillaume notes that a Muslim scholar says that the spell lasted for a year!  In other words, for one year, Muhammad thought that he was having sexual relations with his wives when he wasn't.  Obviously he was really lost.

          Pause and think for a minute.   Muhammad is supposed to be God’s greatest and last prophet.  Muhammad is supposed to be receiving revelations from Allah.  Yet Muhammad was so bewitched and befuddled that for one year he thought he was having sexual relations with his wives, when he actually was not!  Imagine what were his wives thinking?   Do you really think he was a prophet?

            Additional details on this event are provided in Ibn Sa'd's "Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir" (Book of the Major Classes), volume 2, pages 244 to 248.  Here is a relevant quote.

            "The apostle of Allah fell ill.  He was bewitched about women and food. ...There were eleven knots [in the hair from the comb].  The two Surahs no. 113, and 114 were revealed to him.  No sooner did the apostle of Allah recited a verse than a knot loosened.  When all of them were loosened, he regained his urge for food and women."

3.2       Muhammad and the Satanic Verses.

            At one point in time, Muhammad admitted that Satan put words in his mouth to compromise with idol worship.  Later Muhammad said that God showed him he was wrong, and the Quranic recital was changed.  Here is the quote from "The Life of Muhammad".

            Tabari.  Now the apostle was anxious for the welfare of his people, wishing to attract them as far as he could.  It has been mentioned that he longed for a way to attract them and the method he adopted is ..... "When the apostle saw that his people turned their backs on him and he was pained by their estrangement from what he brought them from God he longed that there should come to him from God a message that would reconcile his people to him.  Because of his love for his people and his anxiety over them it would delight him if the obstacle that made his task to difficult could be removed; so that he meditated on the project and longed for it and it was dear to him.  The God sent down, "By the star when it sets your comrade errs not and is not deceived, he speaks not from his own desire, " and when he reached His words, "Have you thought of al-Lat and al-Uzza and Manat the third, the other", Satan, when he was meditating upon it, and desiring to bring it (reconciliation) to his people put upon his tongue, "these are the exalted Gharaniq whose intercession is approved."  [Gharaniq is a bird that flies very high].

            When Quraysh heard that they were delighted and greatly pleased at the way in which he spoke of their gods and they listened to him; while the believers were holding that what their prophet brought them from their Lord was true, not suspecting a mistake or a vain desire or a slip, and when he reached the prostration and the end of the Sura in which he prostrated himself the Muslims prostrated themselves when their prophet prostrated confirming what he brought and obeying his command, and the polytheists of Quraysh and other who were in the mosque prostrated when they heard the mention of their gods, so that everyone in the mosque believer and unbeliever prostrated.... Then the people dispersed and Quraysh went out, delighted at what had been said about their gods, saying "Muhammad has spoken of our gods in splendid fashion.  He alleged in what he read that they are the exalted Gharaniq who's intercession is approved."

            ...Then Gabriel came to the apostle and said, "What have you done, Muhammad?  You have read to these people something I did not bring you from God and you have said what He did not say to you.  The apostle was bitterly grieved and was greatly in fear of God.  So God sent down  (a revelation), for He was merciful to him, comforting him and making light of the affair and telling him that every prophet and apostle before him desired as he desired and wanted what he wanted and Satan interjected something into his desires as he had on his tongue.

            Also, Ibn Sa'd also records the compromise.  The quote is in volume 1, page 237.

            The point is this, Muhammad admitted to being deceived by Satan to engage in idol worship.  Although Muhammad later realized the ramifications of what he had done, and changed his mind, this does not mitigate the fact that he was indeed tricked by Satan, and could not distinguish between words from God and words from Satan.

PART 4               RELEVANT REFERENCES FROM THE BIBLE

            An interesting Biblical reference that bares on Muhammad is Jeremiah 23:15, and 23:34.  In these verses God reveals His judgment upon false prophets.  Here is the quote:

23:15   Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:  "I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem un-godliness has spread throughout the land."

23:34   If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, "This is the oracle of the Lord", I will punish that man and his household"

            These verses reflect upon events in Muhammad's life.  Muhammad died from poisoning, and all of his male children died when they were very young.

2 Corinthians 11:14:  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades an angel of light.

Galatian 1:8:  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one  we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

            Note here that an angel appeared to the false prophet of Mormonism - Joseph Smith, and gave him a different gospel.  I find the parallel between Smith and Muhammad strong.  Just as Smith was directed by an angel, with a different message, so too Muhammad was directed by an angel with a different message.

PART 5      WHO WAS THIS SPIRIT THAT CALLED HIMSELF "GABRIEL"?

            Muhammad had many encounters with a spirit that identified himself as "Gabriel".  In some of these encounters odd things came out about its nature.  Here are a number of references that show the circumstances surrounding him are indeed bizarre.  Most of these are from the Hadith of Bukhari which is the 2nd most important book in Sunni Islam.  I will not provide the quotes in full because some are too long.  However, anyone on AOL can download Bukhari's Hadith for free, from the Islamic Resource Library, if they want to verify my quotes and the context of the Hadith.

1)         Non-Muslims called "Gabriel" Satan.

Bukhari 2.225:

...Gabriel did not come to the Prophet (for some time) and so one of the Quraish women said, "His Satan has deserted him." ...

2)         "Gabriel" is the "Holy Spirit" ?

Bukhari 8.173

Narrated Abu Salama bin 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf:

... "O Abu- Huraira! I beseech you by Allah (to tell me). Did you hear Allah's Apostle saying' 'O Hassan ! Reply on behalf of Allah's Apostle. O Allah ! Support him (Hassan) with the Holy Spirit (Gabriel).'?" Abu Huraira said, "Yes."

3)         Aisha could not see Gabriel.

Bukhari 4.440

'Aisha said that the Prophet said to her "O 'Aisha' This is Gabriel and he sends his (greetings) salutations to you." 'Aisha said, "Salutations ... and addressing the Prophet she said, "You see what I don't see."

4)         "Gabriel" won't go into a house with a dog or a picture.

Bukhari 4.450

Once Gabriel promised the Prophet (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."

5)         "Gabriel" doesn't know genetics.

Bukhari 4.546

When 'Abdullah bin Salam heard the arrival of the Prophet at Medina, he came to him and said, "I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a prophet: What is the first portent of the Hour? What will be the first meal taken by the people of Paradise? Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle" Allah's Apostle said, "Gabriel has just now told me of their answers."

......As for the resemblance of the child to its parents: If a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and gets discharge first, the child will resemble the father, and if the woman gets discharge first, the child will resemble her. ...."

6)         Other people recognize "Gabriel" as a person they knew.

Bukhari 4.827

....Gabriel started talking (to the Prophet and then left. The Prophet said to Um Salama, "(Do you know) who it was?" (or a similar question). She said, "It was Dihya (a handsome person amongst the companions of the Prophet )." Later on Um Salama said, "By Allah! I thought he was none but Dihya, till I heard the Prophet talking about Gabriel in his sermon."  .....

7)         "Gabriel" was responsible for the massacre and enslavement of a Jewish tribe.

Gabriel urges Muhammad to go and attack the Jews of Bani Quraiza.  This action ended with about 800 prisoners of war being massacred, and thousands of Jewish women and children being enslaved by Muhammad.

Bukhari 5.448

... When the Prophet returned from the (battle) of Al-Khandaq (i.e. Trench) and laid down his arms and took a bath Gabriel came to him while he (i.e. Gabriel) was shaking the dust off his head, and said, "You have laid down the arms?"  By Allah, I have not laid them down.  Go out to them (to attack them)."  The Prophet said, "Where?"  Gabriel pointed towards Bani Quraiza.  So Allah's Apostle went to them (i.e. Banu Quraiza) (i.e. besieged them).  They then surrendered to the Prophet's judgment but he directed them to Sad to give his verdict concerning them.  Sad said, "I give my judgment that their warriors should be killed, their women and children should be taken as captives, and their properties distributed."

8)         Other Muslims also failed to recognize Gabriel.

Regarding the massacre of the Jews, here is the quote from "The Life of Muhammad", page 461.  Note here that these men also recognized this "Gabriel" as the same person Um Salama saw him as - "Dihya"!  Why did Gabriel take this merchant's form twice?

            "According to what al-Zuhri told me, at the time of the noon prayers Gabriel came to the apostle wearing an embroidered turban and riding on a mule with a saddle covered with a piece of brocade.  ..... The apostle passed by a number of his companions in al-Saurayn before he got to the B. Qurayza and asked if anyone had passed them.  They replied that Dihya b. Khalifa al-Kalbi had passed upon a white mule with a saddle covered with a piece of brocade.  He said, "That was Gabriel who has been sent to B. Qurayza to shake their castles and strike terror to their hearts."

           

9)         Khadija couldn't see Gabriel, but Muhammad could.

Ref. page 107 of "The Life of Muhammad".

10)       Gabriel prayed for Muhammad to be healed, but Muhammad wasn't healed.

From the Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, vol. 1, page 265

            The apostle of Allah fell ill and he i.e. Gabriel, chanted on him, saying, "In the name of Allah I chant on to ward off from you every thing that harms you and (to ward off you) against every envier and from every evil eye and Allah will heal you."

            Let's review.  Non-Muslims identified Gabriel as a "Satan".  Muhammad can see Gabriel, but others can't.  Gabriel makes scientific mistakes about genetics.  Gabriel is responsible for the massacre of 800 Jewish men and the enslavement of their women and children.  Gabriel prays to God for Muhammad to be healed, and Muhammad isn't healed.  When people do see Gabriel, he appears as a person they know, or so they're told, but not as an angel.

PART 6      SATAN AND THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS.

All quotes are from the NIV.

Revelation 12:7, 8, 17

And there was war in heaven.  Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough and they lost their place in heaven .  Then the dragon was enraged  at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

John 8:44        You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Matt 24:11     and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

John 16:2        in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.  They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.

            From the above we see that Satan is currently making war upon the saints.  He will use false prophets to mislead people.  Some of these false prophets will have doctrines to allow their followers to kill Christians.

PART 7      THE QURAN ON CHRISTIANITY

            There are many references in the Quran and Hadith that address Christianity.  What I want to focus on are the latest statements on Christianity made by Muhammad.  Initially, Muhammad had some good things to say about the Christians, but as time wore on, his attitude towards Christianity darkened.  Note that Suras 9 and 5 were some of the last Suras to be spoken by Muhammad.  Quotes are from Dawood's translation of the Quran.

Quran 5:51

            "Believers take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends."

Quran 9:28 - 30

            "Fight against such of those to whom the Scriptures were given as believe neither in God nor the last days, who do not forbid what God and His apostle have forbidden, and do not embrace the true Faith, until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued.  The Jews say Ezra is the son of God, while the Christians say the Messiah is the Son of God.  Such are their assertions by which they imitate the infidels of old.  God confound them!  How perverse they are!

THE HADITH ON CHRISTIANITY AND CONVERSION

Muhammad commanded that Muslims kill apostates from Islam.

Bukhari volume 9, #64

            Narrated Ali, "Whenever I tell you a narration from Allah's messenger, by Allah, I would rather fall down from the sky, then ascribe a false statement to him, but if I tell you something between me and you, (not a Hadith), then it was indeed a trick  (i.e., I may say things just to cheat my enemy).  No doubt I heard Allah's messenger saying, "During the last days there will appear some young foolish people, who will say the best words, but their faith will not go beyond their throats (i.e. they will leave the faith) and will go out from their religion as an arrow goes out of the game.  So, wherever you find them, kill them, for whoever kills them shall have reward on the Day of Resurrection."

Muhammad asks God to curse the Christians and the Jews.

Bukhari 1.427

Narrated 'Aisha and 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas:

When the last moment of the life of Allah's Apostle came he started putting his 'Khamisa' on his face and when he felt hot and short of breath he took it off his face and said, "May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets." The Prophet was warning (Muslims) of what those had done.

PART 8      MODERN PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

            How does Islam relate to Christianity today?  If one studies the situation for the Christians living under Islamic governments, we get a picture of oppression.  Here are some facts concerning Christians in Islamic lands.

PAKISTAN.    Pakistan has laws that forbid blaspheming Muhammad.  Recently a Christian was under the death sentence because of a trumped up charge of "blasphemy" of Muhammad.  Last year a mob of 30,000 Muslims attacked the only predominately Christian village in Pakistan, and destroyed churches, robbed and destroyed businesses, kidnapped and raped Christian girls, and destroyed many people's homes.

EGYPT:           Christian churches are frequently attacked and destroyed by the Muslims in Egypt.  Christians are targeted by Muslims and killed.  Last year about 70 Christians were murdered by the Muslims in Egypt.  Muslims are now attacking Christians in their churches and shooting them.

SAUDI ARABIA:        Recently, the Saudi's have arrested many Christians who meet in small house churches.  These people are jailed, tortured, and some are executed.  Saudi law dictates the death penalty for anyone converting to a faith other than Islam

INDONESIA:  Muslim mobs have destroyed over 50 churches in the last few years.  Several Christians have been killed in these attacks.

IRAN:  A number of Christians, including Pastors, have been murdered by Muslims in Iran.

            All of the above can be found documented in the Voice of the Martyrs magazines.  A free subscription can be obtained by calling 800-747-0085.  I encourage all Christians to support this ministry; they aid our brethren living under Islamic oppression worldwide.

PART 9               EPILOGUE

            It has been shown that Satan desires to make war upon the church.  Satan uses people as his agents.  From the earliest days of Muhammad's life, people thought he was possessed or affected by demons.  Muhammad's initial experience with the "angel" caused him to believe that he was demon possessed.  He became suicidal.  His inner doubts remained with him for a long time.  Even the Quran contains replies to people's comments about his demonic affiliation.  Further, this "angel's" knowledge and characteristics are questionable. 

            Satan used Muhammad as a pawn and Islam as a tool to attack the people of God.  As Muhammad grew in power, he used violence to subdue those that disagreed with him.  He denied the Sonship of Jesus, making him an anti-Christ, and denied other key doctrines of Christianity.  Muhammad eventually urged his followers to oppress Christians and instituted laws that deny people basic human rights.  Today in Muslim countries, Christians are victimized by those laws.  Many of them have murdered, executed, and or oppressed for their faith.  If a Muslim converts to Christianity, he is under a death sentence for apostatizing.  In his last few hours of life, Muhammad asked Allah to curse the Christians.  Real Islam is a weapon Satan uses to make war upon God and His people.

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PART 10         REFERENCES

[1]  "Muhammad at Mecca", by W.M. Watt, Pub. Oxford University Press.

[2]  "The Life of Muhammad", by A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press.

[3]  "Sahih al-Bukhari", translated by M. Khan, pub. by Kitab Bhavan, New Delhi.

[4]  "The History of al-Tabari", translated by W.M. Watt, pub. by SUNY.

[5]  "Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir", (Book of the Major Classes), translated by     Moinul Haq, pub. by Pakistan Historical Society.