In the name of Allāh,
the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Peace and Blessings of Allāh on Mohammad.
DEDICATED TO
Allāh–the Glorious and the High,
Lord of the worlds
AND TO
Mohammad–who brought the world
to our feet and eternity to our arms.
*
UMM QIRFA & MOHAMMAD
Wafa Sultan wrote in her book A GOD WHO HATES : “Umm Qirfa was a woman who, most Muslim historians agree, was over a hundred years old when Muhammad’s followers, at his request, because she had written a poem against him, tied her legs to two camels and drove them in opposite directions until she was torn limb from limb.” (p. 210).
(Whereas critics quote conflicting accounts by Ibn Ishaq as proof of the manner in which Umm Qirfa was killed to vilify Mohammad. Sahih Muslim (Vol. 3, #4345) which critics reference, does not name Umm Qirfa, referring to her only as “a woman from Banu Fazara”; it does not detail this killing either. And, seemingly, for good reason, this killing was said to be reported by Waqidi whose “trustworthiness” was unreliable, he was even known as a “fabricator of reports” (shown shortly)
Contrary to the claim that Umm Qirfa was killed because “she had written a poem against” the Prophet. According to the above Hadith (Sahih Muslim Vol. 3, #4345), the Fazara tribe was engaged in warfare against Muslims. Umm Qirfa and her daughter, and other women and children, were taken captives of war.
The Prophet was not present on this expedition which was under the command of Abu Bakr. There is no mention in the Hadith about the Prophet ordering the killing of Umm Qirfa, She must have been killed and then news brought to the Prophet.
According to the Hadith, Abu Bakr gave Qirfa’s daughter to Salama, as a “prize”. Upon his arrival at Madina with his “prize”, the Prophet exhorted Salama to give him the girl, whereupon: “The Messenger of Allah (may peace upon him) sent her to the people of Mecca, and surrendered her as ransom for a number of Muslims who had been kept as prisoners at Mecca.” (The Bible designates female prisoners as mates of their captors–Deuteronomy 20:12-14).
The manner in which Umm Qirfa was killed was the method used, seemingly, by her own people. Muhammad Ali (commenting on Qur’an 16:106, speaking about Muslims accepting Islam and being tortured to recant) notes:
“Yasir and Sumayyah, husband and wife, suffered death at the hands of the disbelievers because they would not recant, the latter being put to death most cruelly, her legs being tied to two camels which were made to run in opposite directions. Their son ‘Ammar, however, was not so resolute. The cruellest persecutions were inflicted on those slaves who had become converts to Islam. Muir says:
“These were seized and imprisoned, or they were exposed upon the scorching gravel of the valley to the intense glare of the midday sun. The torment was enhanced by intolerable thirst, until the wretched sufferers hardly knew what they said.” Yet even under these trying circumstances, which would have maddened even the most resolute man, there were those among these slave-converts who were as firm as a mountain; as in the case of Bilal, of whom it is recorded that “in the depth of his anguish the persecutors could force from him but one expression, Ahad! Ahad! (One! One! God)”(Muir).”
This story about the killing of Umm Qirfa was reported by Waqidi. And Muhammad Ali notes about Waqidi: “As regards Waqidi, all competent authorities entertain a very low opinion of his trustworthiness. The Mizan al-I‘tidal, a critical work on the lives and characters of the reporters of hadith, speaks of Waqidi as unreliable and even as a fabricator of reports”–(comm. 2382, to Qur’an 53:21).
Though the manner by which Umm Qirfa is alleged to be killed (and Sumayyah was killed) was way beyond barbaric, this killing of Umm Qirfa who was all bent on killing Mohammad could hardly be attributed to Mohammad. Or be a blot on him.
The Prophet forgave his most horrid enemies of twenty years upon his triumph over them at Makkah. That the Prophet would kill an innocent, peaceful, honorable woman –or have a guilty woman split apart– is absolute rubbish!
(Christians who use this alleged incident to vilify Mohammad/Islam need to read their Bible to know about torture and mutilation. And as they say that Jesus is God then Jesus is responsible for all the slaughter and torture and mutilation in the Bible).
Regarding lampooning. From the beginning of his ministry the Prophet Mohammad was a target of annihilation attempts. By intriguing against his life and openly reviling the Prophet these opponents identified themselves as “enemy combatants” and were subjected to reprisals.
Even today and in “civilized” society during times of tension “free speech,” which may even express the truth, may be viewed as an incitement to unrest against the State, and be subjected to reprisals. People are targeted for opposing authority. People who are mere suspects are routed and even tortured or killed.
-We have the notorious Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons in Iraq and Cuba, respectively.
-Muslims are profiled and restricted from flying and some are held without charge; Canada spent some one billion dollars to host the June 2010 G20 summit, some of it to keep protesters away from the site of the meeting; a political cartoonist, Shahid Mahmood, is on a “no-fly list,” and in his own country.*
-Palestinian poets and intellectuals are victims of so-called Israel’s “death squad” (see Internet).
Unlike rogue leaders, the Prophet Mohammad was no tyrant, no occupier no usurper no oppressor no exploiter and no aggressor. Whatever measures Mohammad took to protect himself and followers from extirpation Mohammad was fully justified. No honest writer or critic or historian would state otherwise.
(Muhammad Ali has refuted charges against Islam. No Muslim home should be without a copy of his translation of the Qur’an, and no Muslim student’s computer should be without an electronic copy. His translation of the Qur’an with text, notes, and commentaries can be viewed online: www.muslim.org).
*(Toronto Star, Friday, July 16, 2010, p. A18).