PART 2

8- Holy 'Black Stone' or idolatry?

The Quran says:

O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, stone altars and arrows of chance are afflictions that are the work of the devil; you shall stay away from him so that you may succeed. 5:90

All throughout the Quran God commands believers to stay away from stone idols and altars, for they have no power to benefit or harm any one. The story of Abraham and how he destroyed the stone idols of his people is a clear reminder. However, during the visit to the Kaaba, at one of its corners, Muslims from all over the world push and shove their way ferociously to get to what is called the 'Black Stone' in order to touch it and kiss it. In addition, when they are doing 'tawaf' (going around) the Kaaba, every time they pass the Black Stone they say Allah Akbar! If saying Allah Akbar to a stone is not an act of idolatry, what is? What is quite extraordinary is that if you were to ask any of them: why are you kissing this stone? They would say: Because the Prophet kissed it! If you then ask why did he kiss it? You will not get any rational answer! However, could there be a rational answer as to why any believer should kiss and cherish a stone that can neither harm nor benefit any one? Undoubtedly, they would not be pushing and shoving to touch that stone unless they thought that there is some blessing in doing so! In addition, could a genuine Prophet of God ever disregard God's instructions and instead kiss a stone in a flagrant act of idolatry?

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

This idolatrous ritual has no reference or authorisation in the Quran whatsoever, but originates from a number of fabricated hadith which state that the Black Stone had descended from Heaven since the time of Abraham and is thus sacred! The hadith further states that the Prophet used to kiss it! When one reads these hadith and then sees the millions believing it and committing such gross acts of idolatry by idolising such a stone, one cannot help wonder, have these people not read the Quran? The Quran informs us that Abraham destroyed all the stone idols that his people were worshipping and said:

Do you worship beside God what does not benefit you in any way nor harm you? 21:66

The ones who kiss and idolise the Black Stone will readily say: We do not worship the stone, we only kiss it because the Prophet kissed it, so it must be holy/sacred!

This reply exposes their idolatry. The fact that they regard a piece of stone sacred in any way, is in itself, an act of idolatry, if they only knew.

They prefer to believe a dubious hadith which is in total violation of the Quran, rather than believe God when God declares that no stone can ever harm or benefit the human being.

The following are some of the hadith that glorify the Black Stone:

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26, Number 667:

Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia:

Umar came near the Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you.

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26, Number 673:

Narrated Salim that his father said:

I saw Allah's Apostle arriving at Mecca; he kissed the Black Stone Corner first while doing Tawaf and did ramal in the first three rounds of the seven rounds (of Tawaf).

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 26, Number 682:

Narrated Ibn Abbas

The Prophet performed Tawaf of the Ka'ba riding a camel, and every time he came in front of the Corner (having the Black Stone), he pointed towards it with something he had with him and said Takbir.

9- Laws not authorised by God that oppress women

Women cannot travel without a 'mihrim'

The Arabic word 'mihrim' means a person who is prohibited in marriage. For a woman, her father, brother, son, etc are 'mihrim'.

One of the innovations that stem from hadith which have no authorisation in the Quran, is connected to the issue of the 'mihrim'. This innovation, largely a product of male dominated cultures, dictates that a woman is prohibited from travelling for more than one day unless she is accompanied by a 'mihrim'. One of the implications of this innovation is that women are forbidden from observing their Hajj unless in the company of a 'mihrim'. Needless to say, none of these restrictions are found in the Quran.

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 20, Number 192:

Narrated Ibn 'Umar:

The Prophet said, "A woman should not travel for more than three days except with a Dhi-Mahram (i.e. a male with whom she cannot marry, e.g. her brother, father, grandfather)."

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 20, Number 194:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel for one day and night except with a Mahram."

10- The Prophet does not have personal miracles

Throughout the Quran it is made clear that Prophet Muhammad did not have any personal miracles such as the miracles given to Moses and Jesus.

The Quran says:

They say, "If only a miracle was brought down to him from his Lord!" Say, "The unseen belongs to God; so wait, I am one of those waiting along with you." 10:20

Those who disbelieved say, "If only a miracle were brought down to him from his Lord (we would then believe)." You are simply a warner and for every people there is a guide. 13:7 also see 6:37 and 7:203.

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

Nevertheless, we read in the hadith collections various miracles performed by Prophet Muhammad!

Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 170:

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

He saw Allah's Apostle when the 'Asr prayer was due and the people searched for water to perform ablution but they could not find it. Later on (a pot full of) water for ablution was brought to Allah's Apostle. He put his hand in that pot and ordered the people to perform ablution from it. I saw the water springing out from underneath his fingers till all of them performed the ablution (it was one of the miracles of the Prophet).

Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 779:

Narrated 'Abdullah:

We used to consider miracles as Allah's Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah's Apostle on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said, "Bring the water remaining with you." The people brought a utensil containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said, "Come to the blessed water, and the Blessing is from Allah." I saw the water flowing from among the fingers of Allah's Apostle, and no doubt, we heard the meal glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him).

Muslim , Book 039, Number 6728:

Anas reported that the people of Mecca demanded from Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) that he should show them (some) signs (miracles) and he showed them the splitting of the moon. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

11- Pictures

The Quran says:

All prohibitions in the Quran are outlined clearly and un-ambiguously. Nowhere in the Quran do we read pictures or art being prohibited. It is also made clear in the Quran (as outlined previously) that the Prophet may not prohibit what is not prohibited by God in the Quran (66:1).

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

Various hadith state that the Prophet considered all pictures to be unrighteous and are to be prohibited!

Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 449:

Narrated Busr bin Said:

That Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani narrated to him something in the presence of Said bin 'Ubaidullah Al-Khaulani who was brought up in the house of Maimuna the wife of the Prophet. Zaid narrated to them that Abu Talha said that the Prophet said, "The Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a picture."

Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 450:

Narrated Salim's father:

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."

12- Prohibition of Silk and Gold

The Quran says:

All prohibitions in the Quran are outlined clearly and un-ambiguously. Nowhere in the Quran do we read any prohibition against wearing silk and gold, neither for men nor for women. It is also made clear in the Quran (as outlined previously) that the Prophet may not prohibit what is not prohibited by God in the Quran (66:1).

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

As per the previous example, many hadith claim that the Prophet prohibited men against wearing silk even though it is not prohibited in the Quran!

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 69:

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Umar:

Umar bought a silk cloak from the market, took it to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Take it and adorn yourself with it during the 'Id and when the delegations visit you." Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) replied, "This dress is for those who have no share (in the Hereafter)." After a long period Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) sent to Umar a cloak of silk brocade. Umar came to Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) with the cloak and said, "O Allah's Apostle! You said that this dress was for those who had no share (in the Hereafter); yet you have sent me this cloak." Allah's Apostle said to him, "Sell it and fulfil your needs by it."

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 331:

Narrated Al-Bara' bin 'Azib:

Allah's Apostle ordered us to do seven things and forbade us to do other seven. He ordered us: to follow the funeral procession. To visit the sick, to accept invitations, to help the oppressed, to fulfil the oaths, to return the greeting and to reply to the sneezer: (saying, "May Allah be merciful on you," provided the sneezer says, "All the praises are for Allah,"). He forbade us to use silver utensils and dishes and to wear golden rings, silk (clothes), Dibaj (pure silk cloth), Qissi and Istabraq (two kinds of silk cloths).

In the above hadith we see a wholesale collection of prohibitions, none of them prohibited by God in the Quran.

Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 171:

Narrated Anas:

The Prophet allowed 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam to wear silk.

This last hadith is one of numerous contradictions that exist, not only between hadith and Quran, but also between hadith and hadith. If wearing silk is prohibited for men, then why would the Prophet allow some men to wear it?

13- Only God knows the future (ghaib)

The Quran states categorically that no one in the heavens or the earth knows the ghayb (all matters unseen and the future) except God.

The Quran says:

No one in the heavens and the earth knows the 'ghayb' except God. 27:65

We also read in the Quran that God commanded Prophet Muhammad specifically to proclaim to the people that he does not know the future:

Say (O Muhammad), "I do not say to you that the treasures of God are in my possession, nor do I know the 'ghayb', nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind and the seer the same? Do you not reflect?" 6:50

Say (O Muhammad), "I possess no power to benefit nor to harm myself other than what God wills. If I knew the 'ghayb', I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am no more than a warner, and a bearer of news for people who believe." 7:188

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

Despite the Quranic evidence above, we find numerous hadith which claim that the Prophet prophesied numerous future events! Since the Quran account regarding this issue is clearly the opposite to that of the hadith, it is not possible to believe both accounts! The Prophet was an honourable man and an obedient servant of God, which points us to the conclusion that the bulk of these future-telling hadith are all lies against the Prophet. Here are some of them:

Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 470:

Narrated Sahl bin Sad:

The Prophet said, "Verily! 70,000 or 700,000 of my followers will enter Paradise altogether; so that the first and the last amongst them will enter at the same time, and their faces will be glittering like the bright full moon."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 185:

Narrated Abu Musa:

The Prophet said, "Near the establishment of the Hour there will be days during which (religious) knowledge will be taken away (vanish) and general ignorance will spread, and there will be Al-Harj in abundance, and Al-Harj means killing."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 231:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "The Hour will not be established till a man passes by a grave of somebody and says, 'Would that I were in his place."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 233:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established till a man from Qahtan appears, driving the people with his stick."

Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 88, Number 234:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established till a fire will come out of the land of Hijaz, and it will throw light on the necks of the camels at Busra."

In yet another hadith, it is said that Prophet Muhammad told 10 of his followers that they are promised Paradise. Among the 10 were the 4 Khalifa's (Abu Bakr, Omar, Utham and Ali).
Once again, this hadith clearly contradicts Quranic words in which Muhammad is commanded to proclaim to the people that he has no idea what would happen to him or to them:

14- A 'new' criteria for entering Heaven?

Throughout the Quran, it is ascertained that belief in God and working righteousness are the requirements for entering Heaven. It is also stated that every soul will receive its fair judgement according to these two requirements and nothing else.

The Quran says:

Give news to those who believe and do good deeds that they shall have Gardens with rivers flowing beneath. 2:25

Hadith attributed to the Prophet:

In one of the most bizarre hadith, it is claimed that the Prophet said that a certain man will enter Heaven for the most bizarre reason:

Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 4, Number 174:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "A man saw a dog eating mud from (the severity of) thirst. So, that man took a shoe (and filled it) with water and kept on pouring the water for the dog till it quenched its thirst. So Allah approved of his deed and made him to enter Paradise." And narrated Hamza bin 'Abdullah: My father said. "During the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, the dogs used to urinate, and pass through the mosques (come and go), nevertheless they never used to sprinkle water on it (urine of the dog)."

Not only does this hadith violate the Quranic requirements for entering Heaven, and replace them with the act of giving water to a dog, but it also violates the Quranic confirmation that the Prophet does not know the future.

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