Mohammed ibn Abdallah
People unfamiliar with the Koran sometimes assume Mohammed struck out on
his own from the start; that it was always his intention to found a new
religion. Yet the story recorded in the Koran is quite different. Mohammed
insists he is confirming prior revelation:
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“O children of Israel! remember my favor wherewith I showed favor upon you, and
be true to your covenant with me; I will be true to my covenant with you; me therefore, revere me! and believe in what I have
sent down confirming your Scriptures, and be not the first to disbelieve it, neither for a mean price barter my signs: me
therefore, fear ye me!” (Koran Sura 2:38).
"And when a Book had come to them from God, confirming that which
they had received already...And when it is said to them, 'Believe in what
God hath sent down,' they say, 'In that which hath been sent down to us
we believe:' but what hath since been sent down they disbelieve, although
it be the truth confirmatory of their own Scriptures. [...] SAY: Whoso
is the enemy of Gabriel -- For he it is who by God's leave hath caused
the Koran to descend on they heart, the confirmation of previous revelations,
and guidance, and good tidings to the faithful..." (Sura 2:83-91)
"And that which we have revealed to thee of the Book is the very Truth,
confirmatory of previous Scriptures: for God knoweth and beholdeth his
servants." (Sura 35:28).
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Mohammed insists at first that the people of the Book know and recognize
him, though in time it would become painfully clear they were his most
determined foes:
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“They to whom we have given the Scriptures know him -- the apostle -- even
as they know their own children: but truly a part of them do conceal the
truth, though acquainted with it.” (Koran Sura 2:141).
"And when they hear that which hath been sent down to the Apostle,
thou seest their eyes overflow with tears at the truth they recognize therein,
saying, 'O our Lord! we believe; write us down therefore with those who
bear witness to it.'" (Sura 5:86).
"And now have we caused our word to come unto them, that they may be warned: They
to whom we gave the Scriptures before it, do in it believe. And when it is recited to them they say, 'We believe in it, for it is
the truth from our Lord. We were Muslims before it came.'" (Sura 28:51-53)
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Mohammed began by urging his listeners to verify the information he is
telling them by inquiring of the people of the Book!:
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"And if thou art in doubt as to what we have sent down to thee, inquire
at those who have read the Scriptures before thee." (Sura 10:94).
"And we sent none, previous to thee, but men to whom we had revealed
ourselves. Ask ye the people who are warned by Scriptures, if ye know it
not." (Sura 21:7).
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The people of the Book, Jews and Christians, would become an insoluble
problem for Islam. They are supposed to confirm the truth of the Koran,
but are in practice notoriously reluctant to do so. They would ultimately
require considerable prodding from the police power of the Islamic state
to keep their opinions to themselves.
Mohammed shares our disgust with those contentious believers who cause divisions:
"'And truly this your religion is the one religion; and I am your
Lord: therefore fear me.' But men have rent their great concern, one among
another, into sects; every party rejoicing in that which is their own;
wherefore leave them till a certain time, in the depths of error."
(Sura 23:54-56).
"Of a truth, this, your religion, is the one Religion, and I your
Lord; therefore serve me: but they have rent asunder this their great concern
among themselves into sects. All of them shall return to us." (Sura 21:93).
"And be ye not like those who have formed divisions, and fallen to
variance after the clear proofs have come to them. These! a terrible chastisement
doth await them on the day when faces shall turn white, and faces shall
turn black!" (Sura 3:101-102)
...without displaying the slightest awareness that he, founder of a new
sect, is himself of this number.
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Joseph Smith
The resemblance of this nineteenth century American seer's career to that of Mohammed ibn Abdallah is so strong as
to suggest conscious patterning. Perhaps young Joseph enjoyed Washington Irving's lively biography
of the prophet; certainly that would explain the prevalence
of 'cimiters=scimitars' in the armory of America's aboriginal inhabitants.
The pagans used to tell the tale of the 'Ring of Gyges,' which made its wearer invisible, posing the conundrum: if
you could do anything and get away with it, what would you do? Joseph and Mohammed found themselves in a like circumstance: when
they spoke, those around them thought they heard the voice of God. So what did they do? They accumulated wives and political power.
When God spoke, He vented against Mohammed's wives for complaining about Mary the Christian slave girl, or about Mohammed's acquisition
of his adoptive son's wife. But perhaps God was not speaking at all.
Both these men and their followers experienced persecution, to which they
retaliated with a tit-for-tat alacrity that rose to the level of actual
pre-emption. In Mohammed's case, his readiness to take up arms plunged
the world into war for the next millenium. Both men began their prophetic
venture troubled in conscience by the multiplicity of sects, and ended
by founding their own religions.
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Alexander Campbell
This Irish immigrant came to America bearing a novel interpretation of
John 3:5,-- though it was not really novel, it was the traditional Roman
Catholic reading of that verse. His followers do not describe themselves
as this man's followers, even when they repeat his views verbatim, nor
do they describe their fellowships as 'denominations,' thus keeping clear
of the sin of denominationalism. But what's in a name?
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