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.
*
MOHAMMAD–NARCISSIST OR REASON FOR CREATION?
ALI SINA notes a number of verses of the Qur’an and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad that he charges show that the Prophet was a “narcissist.”
In support of this claim, Ali Sina quotes Qur’an 33:56, 48:9, 68:4, and 33:46 in which Allāh and His Angels praise and send blessings on the Prophet; for Muslims to honor and assist the Prophet; that the Prophet is of exalted character; and is a light-giving sun, respectively.
Response: If David confers praise on Marcus, Marcus could hardly be label a “narcissist.” God says that Jesus is the Messiah; if Jesus tells people he is the Messiah Jesus could hardly be branded a “narcissist.” God said to Nathan: “Go and tell my servant David….I will be his father, and he shall be my son”–(2 Samuel 7:4, 5, 14). If David told people he is “son of God” this wouldn’t make David a “narcissist.”
That Muslims are to honor and assist Mohammad. If the king or president of a country assigned Robert to oversee the land and instructed his subjects to honor and assist Robert and Robert refreshed his people of the king’s/president’s instructions this does not make Robert a narcissist.
That Mohammad is of “exalted character” (best exemplar). Mohammad liberated man from the degradation and futility of idolatry, the irrationality of polytheism, and the phantasm of superstition; took the stars from the grasp of the astrologer and sat them firmly into the laps of the astronomer; freed the slave, liberated woman and gave her rights that left her nothing for which to strive; ennobled the orphan; brought man from drunkenness to sobriety, from profligacy to chastity, from tribalism into brotherhood, from savagery into scholars of learning, and from camel drivers into “thrones of Caesars” (while the world was yet running around with flint tools and torches); and after twenty years of monumental and grotesque persecution and war on him he forgave his most rabid enemies upon his triumph at Makkah–no inquisition; no incrimination; no confession; no rancor; only lofty words of benevolence and nobility -"No reproof be against you this day"!
If Mohammad is not deserving of the title “exalted character” then no one can ever be. (SeeISLAM-RELIGION OF THE SWORD).
Ali Sina continues: “Ibn Sa’d reports Muhammad saying: “Among all the people of the world God chose the Arabs. From among the Arabs he chose the Kinana. From Kinana he chose the Quraish (the tribe of Muhammad). From the Quraish he chose Bani Hashim (his clan). And from Bani Hashim he chose me.”
Response: Among all women Allāh chose Mary to give birth to Jesus, the Messiah. Should Mary had said that from among all the women of the world Allāh chose the people of Jacob, and among all the people of Jacob he chose Judah and among all the people of Judah he chose me; Mary could hardly have been labeled a “narcissist.”
Ali Sina notes further, the Prophet Mohammad as saying: “The very first thing that Allâh Almighty ever created was my soul. First of all things, the Lord created my mind; I am from Allâh, and the believers are from me; Just as Allâh created me noble, he also gave me noble characters; Were it not for you, [O Muhammad] I would not have created the universe. Compare that to the words of Jesus, who when someone called him “good master,” he objected and said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good—except God alone.” Only a pathological narcissist can be so cut off from reality to claim the universe was created because of him.”
Response: A woman who is crowned beauty queen of the world, if she tells people she is the most beautiful woman in the world, this does make her a “narcissist.” She is only expressing the title that was conferred onto her.
A person who is knighted by the Queen of England, if he expresses that he is chosen by the Queen to be “sir,” this does not make him a” narcissist” –“pathological” or other.
Barack Obama expressing to the world that he is President of America does not make him a “narcissist.”
Mohammad said there is no fasting superior to that of Prophet David–(Bokhari Vol. 8, # 294). Again, Mohammad said that the most beloved pray and fast to Allah are those of David –(Bokhari Vol. 2, #231). If Mohammad was a “narcissist” he would not praise David above himself.
Mohammad saying that he was the first “soul” and “mind.” How do you know that he was not? –you will have to ask Allāh when you meet him on the other side.
That Mohammad was the first soul created. It is said that the first thing a novelist knows or ascertains is the ending of his novel, and works towards the ending. A builder of a house would know before-hand the size of his house, the number of windows, etc. Reason would dictate that Allāh knowing how many prophets he would be sending also knew their names and in what order he would be sending them. Thus in order that each people would know about the prophet in succession Allāh would have first created the prophet that He would send last. Thus, Mohammad being the last and final prophet from God, Mohammad was correct in stating that Allāh created his soul first. In fact, it may be stated that in the matter of creation and finality of prophethood, Mohammad was/is, respectively, the First and the Last –Alpha and Omega.
(Even Jesus, the Christian’s son of God and even their “God” alludes that Mohammad was the Alpha and Omega. Jesus says: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he (Jesus) that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven” –(John 3:13).
If Jesus is the “Son of God” who came down from heaven and the son of man was yet in heaven (to come), who is this son of man? Prof. Abdul Ahad Dawud –“the former Reverend David Benjamin Keldani, B.D., a Roman Catholic priest of the Uniate-Chaldean sect”– has shown in his book Muhammad In The Bible that “Son of Man” is the Prophet Mohammad. See JESUS-SON OF MAN).
Mohammad saying he is from Allāh –and Jesus also claimed he “proceedeth forth and came from God”–(John 8:42– and Muslims are from him does not make Mohammad a “narcissist.” In fact, all Divine prophets are from Allāh. And as followers of Moses, Jesus, and Krishna are from Moses and Jesus and Krishna, respectively –each group stemming from its leader– Muslims are from Mohammad.
Comparing Jesus’ saying that only God is good to Mohammad’s sayings. Mohammad never claimed that he is/was good; he represented himself only as a servant and Messenger of Allāh. However, Jesus preached that God gave him power to lay down his life and take it up again–(John 10:17-18); which can be said to be ultimate in “narcissism.” (Incidentally, it is rather strange that Jesus had power to lay down his life and take it up again yet he was afraid of the Jews and rebuked them for trying to kill him, and refrained from walking openly amongst them; and he even prayed to great drops of sweat to avoid laying down his “life” See JESUS-INHERITED SIN TO ASCENSION).
That Mohammad said Allāh said: “Were it not for you, [O Muhammad] I would not have created the universe.” (And how do you know Allāh did not say this to Mohammad? You can verify it when you meet Him).
The Prophet is reported as saying: “I have been sent with the SHORTEST expressions bearing the WIDEST meanings”–(Bokhari Vol 4, #220; Vol. 9, #141, 378).
(Perhaps an example of this “shortest” expression with a “widest” meaning can be gleaned from the poet who wrote, because of the bee the butterfly will die. When elaborated, it is known that the bee makes wax, the wax is made into candles, the candle is lit into a flame, the moth is attracted to flame and flies into it and is burned/ killed).
Regarding this saying: “Were it not for you, [O Muhammad] I would not have created the universe.” As noted in ISLAM, Allāh said He created man because He loved to be known. Allah created us to serve Him–(Qur’an 51:56), to have mercy on us–(Qur’an 11:119); and He created life and death as a trial, as to which of us in best in deeds–(Qur’an 67:2). To let us know His purpose for creating us, Allāh raised prophets among all people; and gave them one common message: There is no God but Me; So serve Me–(Qur’an 21:25; 10:47. Thus, God is known by a name according to the language of the people).
The prophets before Mohammad were tribal prophets and their laws were restricted to their respective people and for a limited time. The Prophet Mohammad was sent to the Arabs, who were yet to receive a prophet, and to the world to unite all mankind under one Divine Law which is applicable to the Resurrection. Through the Prophet Mohammad Allāh has “completed” His favor to man and “perfected” man’s religion–Qur’an 5:3).
As Allāh’s purpose was to create, guide, have mercy on and to try man, and as His purpose was fulfilled through the Prophet Mohammad it is reasonable to conclude that but for Allāh wishing to be known and His completing His favor to man and perfecting man’s religion through Mohammad, Allāh would not have created the “universe.” And as Mohammad was the end to this Divine purpose (the last of the Prophets and Unifier of mankind under one Divine Law) then Allāh created the universe because of Mohammad.
(As Mumtaz Mahal might have related that her husband, Shah Jahnan, said to her: “Were it not for you, [O Mumtaz] I would not have” built the Taj Mahal.”
Or as someone might have jested that the stone-cutter said: “Were it not for you [O majesty] I would not have chiseled the Kohinoor diamond from India”).
Thus, far from being “a pathological narcissist” “cut off from reality to claim the universe was created because of him,” Mohammad spoke the truth. What needs to be done is to meditate and expand on his statements.