Shabir Ally Proves that Muhammad Was Unreasonable Pt. 1

Shabir Ally recently engaged Christian theologian and apologist Tony Costa Jr. in two debates for the Trinity channel on October 17 2016. Their first debate focused on whether Muhammad was a true prophet (Was Muhammad A Prophet of God? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMD4lcUDKDM).

In that debate Ally claimed that Muhammad made it reasonable to believe in Jesus by rejecting the unreasonable doctrines of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the need for blood atonement and Jesus’ vicarious death for forgiveness of sins.

In light of this assertion I am going to show how Muhammad himself taught doctrines similar to the ones that Ally deems unreasonable in order to show that, if he is consistent and honest, then he has no choice but to condemn Muhammad as a false prophet and antichrist (which he certainly was).

  1. The Doctrine of the Trinity

Contrary to Islamic belief, Allah is not the only divine being mentioned in the Quran since the Muslim scripture also identifies the Spirit of Allah or the Holy Spirit as being fully divine as well.

For instance, the Spirit is said to be a Divine Person and Messenger of Allah, who is also portrayed as the Creator and Life-giver:

And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East, And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art God-fearing. HE SAID: I am ONLY A MESSENGER of thy Lord, that I MAY BESTOW ON THEE a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? HE SAID: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. S. 19:16-21 Pickthall

Note here how the Spirit is said to have taken human form in order to announce to Mary, the blessed mother of our risen Lord, that he had been sent to give her a faultless son, showing that it is the Spirit who caused Mary to conceive a son. The next verse gives us an indication of how the Spirit did this:

And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her private parts, so We breathed into it of Our Spirit and she established as true the Words of her Lord and His Books and she had been among the ones who are morally obligated. S. 66:12 Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/66/st46.htm

Allah breathed his Spirit into Mary’s private parts for the obvious purpose of making her pregnant. This is similar to Allah breathing his Spirit into Adam’s lifeless body:

And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter’s clay of black mud altered, So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My Spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him. S. 15:28-29 Pickthall

This shows that the Spirit is the Creator and Agent of life through and by whom Allah gives life to his creatures.

The Spirit is further said to be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient:

And We gave to Moses the Book, and after him sent succeeding Messengers; and We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear signs, and confirmed him with the Holy Spirit; and whensoever there came to you a Messenger with that your souls had not desire for, did you become arrogant, and some cry lies to, and some slay? S. 2:87 Arberry

When God said, ‘Jesus Son of Mary, remember My blessing upon thee and upon thy mother, when I confirmed thee with the Holy Spirit, to speak to men in the cradle, and of age; and when I taught thee the Book, the Wisdom, the Torah, the Gospel; and when thou createst out of clay, by My leave, as the likeness of a bird, and thou breathest into it, and it is a bird, by My leave; and thou healest the blind and the leper by My leave, and thou bringest the dead forth by My leave; and when restrained from thee the Children of Israel when thou camest unto them with the clear signs, and the unbelievers among them said, “This is nothing but sorcery manifest.” S. 5:110 Arberry

Thou shalt not find any people who believe in God and the Last Day who are loving to anyone who opposes. God and His Messenger, not though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their clan. Those — He has written faith upon their hearts, and He has confirmed them with a Spirit from Himself; and He shall admit them into gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to dwell forever, God being well-pleased with them, and they well-pleased with Him. Those are God’s party; why, surely God’s party — they are the prosperers. S. 58:22 Arberry

The foregoing shows that it was/is the Holy Spirit who strengthened Jesus for ministry, and who continues to strengthen all believers in all places and at all times in order for the express purpose of keeping them from falling away from the truth. Now the only way that the Spirit could do all this is if he is all-powerful, ever-present and all-knowing, attributes that belong only to God.

This explains why the following Muslim scholar and Quran translator was forced to acknowledge that the Spirit is an incomprehensible divine being, since even he realized that only God has the ability to do all the things which the Muslim scripture ascribes to the Holy Spirit:

… Cf. ii 87 and 253, where it is said that God strengthened the Prophet Jesus with the holy spirit. Here we learn that all good and righteous men are strengthened by God with the holy spirit. If anything, the phrase used here is stronger, ‘a spirit from Himself’. Whenever any one offers his heart in faith and purity to God, God accepts it, engraves that faith on the seeker’s heart, and further fortifies him with the Divine Spirit, which we can no more define adequately than we can define in human language the nature of God. (Ali, The Meaning of the Holy Quran, p. 1518, fn. 5365; bold emphasis ours)

Yusuf Ali wasn’t the only Muhammadan to admit that the Spirit is divine since the late Ahmadiyya scholar and Quranic translator Maulana Muhammad Ali said something similar in his comments to Q. 15:29:

29a. This shows that man is made complete when the Divine spirit is breathed into him. It should be noted that the Divine spirit (Ar. ruh) does not mean here the animal soul in man, but the Spirit of Allah, that gives him perfection. (The Holy Quran: Arabic Text with English Translation, Commentary and comprehensive Introduction, p. 528 http://www.muslim.org/english-quran/ch015.pdf; bold and underline emphasis ours)

And Q. 32:9:

9a. This verse shows that the spirit of God is breathed into every man. This points to a mystical relation between human nature and Divine nature. The word ruh does not here mean the animal soul, because the animal soul is common to man and the animal kingdom. It is something that distinguishes man from the animal world. It is due to the spirit Divine that he rules creation and its due to the same Divine spirit in him that he receives a new life after death – a life which he lives in God and with God – the meeting with God or liqa Allah, as it is called in v. 10. (Ibid., pp. 818-819 http://www.muslim.org/english-quran/ch032.pdf; bold and underline emphasis ours)

That’s not all. Orthodox Islam upholds the view that the Quran is the uncreated speech of Allah, which is not the same as the Muslim god even though it is not other than him. This brings me to my next point.

  1. The Doctrine of Incarnation.

Although Muslims argue that their religion rejects the doctrine of the Incarnation it does, however, affirm a teaching known as Inlibration.

Instead of God’s eternal Word becoming a man, Islam proclaims that the uncreated speech of Allah became a book instead!

This is the official position of all Sunni Muslims, just as the following Islamic creed attests:

The Creed of al-Ash’ari is representative of the fully-developed creeds of later Islam:

The substance of that on which the Followers of the True Way take their stand is the confession of God [Allah], His Angels, His Script [the Revealed Books], His Apostles [the Messengers sent by God], the Revelation of God and the Tradition [Sunnah] of the trustworthy related on the authority of God’s Apostle; none of these they reject.

God is One, Single, Eternal. There is no other god. Muhammad is His Servant and Apostle.

Paradise is a Fact; and Hell is a Fact. There is no doubt of the Coming Hour [the Day of Judgement]; and God will raise the Dead from their graves. God’s place is upon His Throne, as He has said.

God has two Hands, as He has said – we do not question: in what sense? God has two Eyes, as He has said – we do not question: in what sense? God has a Face, as He has said.

It is not to be said that God’s Names or Attributes are anything other than Himself. The Followers of the True Way confess that God has Knowledge as He has said. They assert the existence of His Hearing and His Sight.

They believe that there is no good and no evil on earth except by the Will of God, and that all things are by the Will of God. They confess that there is no creator save God, and that God creates the works of men, and that they are incapable of creating anything.

God gives True Believers Grace to be obedient to Him; He forsakes Unbelievers. He is well able to act for the salvation of Unbelievers; nevertheless He wills not so to act, nor so to grace them that they Believe. He rather wills them to be Unbelievers in accordance with His knowledge, forsaking and misguiding them and sealing up their hearts.

Good and evil depend on the general and particular Decrees of God. The followers of the Way believe in His Decrees both general and particular, in His good and His evil, His sweet and His bitter.

They believe that they are not their own masters for weal or for woe, save as God wills, for He has said so. Committing their affairs to God, they declare their dependence on Him in all circumstances, their need of Him at all times.

They believe that the Koran is God’s Uncreated Eternal Word.

They believe that God will be seen with sight on the Day of the Raising of the Dead; as the moon is seen on the night of her full shall the Believers see Him; but Unbelievers shall not see Him because they will be veiled from God.

They do not brand any Muslim an Unbeliever for any grave sin he may commit, for fornication or theft or any such grave sin; but hold that such men are Believers inasmuch as they have Faith, grievous though their sins may be. Islam is the testifying that there is no God but God and that Muhammad is God’s Apostle, in accordance with Tradition; and Islam, they hold, is not the same thing as Faith [iman].

They confess the Intercession of God’s Apostle, and believe that it is for the grave sins of his people and against the Punishment of the Tomb. They confess that the Pool [where the Prophet will meet his Companions in the afterlife] of the Hereafter is Fact, and the bridge [over which the dead will cross] is Fact, that God’s reckoning with men is Fact, and that the Standing in the Presence of God is Fact.

They discountenance argument and disputation concerning Islam. They do not inquire: in what sense? or: Why? because such inquiry is Innovation in Islam.

They believe that God does not command evil, but forbids it; that He commands good, and has no pleasure in evil, though He wills it.

They acknowledge the Elders elect of God to be Companions of His Apostle as Fact; they cherish their virtues and eschew discrimination among them, giving priority to Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, then ‘Ali, and believing that they are the rightly guided Caliphs, the best of all men after the Prophet.

They approve the Feast and the Friday Congregation and all gatherings for Prayer under the leadership of any Imam, be he pious or be he wicked. They believe in the precept of Holy War against polytheists. They approve Prayer for the welfare of all Imams of the Muslims and agree that they ought not to rebel against them with the sword, nor fight in any civil commotion. (The New Encyclopedia of Islam, edited by Cyril Glasse [Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Fourth edition 2013], Creed (Ar. ‘aqidah), pp. 125-126; bold and underline emphasis ours)

What all this shows is that Islam has its own warped version of the Trinity and Incarnation, teachings that Ally said were unreasonable!

  1. The Doctrine of Blood Atonement and the Sacrifice of Jesus for Sins.

Ally’s woes are far from over since both the Quran and sunna attest that the Islamic deity has prescribed blood sacrifices for forgiveness of sins:

Rites of Sacrifice have been prescribed FOR EVERY NATION IN THE WORLD

Allah tells us that sacrifice AND SHEDDING BLOOD in the Name of Allah has been prescribed for all nations. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said…

(And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies,) “Festivals.” `Ikrimah said, “Sacrifices.”…

(And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies,) Zayd bin Aslam said, “This means Makkah; Allah did not appoint religious ceremonies anywhere else for any nation.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 22:34 http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2503&Itemid=77; capital and underline emphasis ours)

And:

Sunan Ibn Majah

The Chapters on Sacrifices

It was narrated from ’Aishah that the Prophet said: “The son of Adam does not do any deed on the Day of Sacrifice that is dearer to Allah THAN SHEDDING BLOOD. It will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns and cloven hoofs and hair. Its blood is accepted by Allah before it reaches the ground. So be content when you do it.”

Grade: Da’if (Darussalam)

English reference: Vol. 4, Book 26, Hadith 3126

Arabic reference: Book 26, Hadith 3246 (Sunnah.com http://sunnah.com/urn/1272290; capital, italicized and underline emphasis ours)

In fact, the Quran often speaks of Allah making atonement for the transgressions of Muslims:

Their Lord therefore answereed them, “I will not suffer the work of him among you who works to be lost, whether he be male, or female: The one of you is from the other. They therefore who have left their country, and have been turned out of their houses, and have suffered for my sake, and have been slain in battle; verily I will MAKE ATONEMENT (laokaffiranna) for their evil deeds, and I will surely bring them into gardens watered by rivers: a reward from Allah: And with Allah is the most excellent reward.” S. 3:195

If you avoid the great sins that are forbidden you, We will MAKE ATONEMENT (nukaffir) for your evil deeds, and admit you by the gate of honour. S. 4:31

O believers, if you fear Allah, he will grant you a distinction, and will MAKE ATONEMENT (wayukaffir) for your sins, and will forgive you; for Allah is indued with great liberality. S. 8:29

This [is] the command of Allah, which he has sent down unto you. And whoever fears Allah, he will MAKE ATONEMENT (yukaffir) for his evil deeds, and will increase his reward. S. 65:5

The ahadith give us an idea of how Allah plans to make atonement for all the crimes and wicked acts that Muhammad and his followers have committed over the centuries:

Superiority of the believers in the Oneness of Allah and the punishment of the Jews and Christians

8) Narrated Abu Musa: Allah’s Messenger said: On the Day of Resurrection, my Ummah (nation) will be gathered into three groups. One sort will enter Paradise without rendering an account (of their deeds). Another sort will be reckoned an easy account and admitted into Paradise. Yet another sort will come bearing on their backs heaps of sins like great mountains. Allah will ask the angels though He knows best about them: Who are these people? They will reply: They are humble slaves of yours. He will say: UNLOAD the sins from them AND PUT THE SAME OVER the Jews and Christians: then let the humble slaves get into Paradise by virtue of My Mercy.

(This Hadith IS SOUND and mentioned in Mustadrak of Hakim). (110 Hadith Qudsi (Sacred Hadith), translated by Syed Masood-ul-Hasan, revision and commentaries by Ibrahim m. Kunna [Darussalam Publishers and Distributors], pp. 19-20; capital and underline emphasis ours)

And:

  1. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “On the Day of Rising, Allah will hand over a Jew or a Christian to every Muslim and say, ‘HERE IS YOUR REDEMPTION FROM THE FIRE.” [Muslim]

In another variant from him is that the Prophet said, “Some of the Muslims will be brought on the Day of Rising WITH SINS THE SIZE OF MOUNTAINS and Allah will forgive them.” (Al-Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf An-Nawawi Ad-Dimashqi, Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous), 51. Chapter: On Hope; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Here is one from the hadith collection of Imam Muslim:

(20) CHAPTER. Disbelievers are sent to Hell as SACRIFICE to the Muslims

1937. Abu Musa narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “When it is the Day of Resurrection, Allah will deliver every Muslim a Jew or Christian and say: ‘THAT IS YOUR SACRIFICE FROM HELL-FIRE.’” (The Translation of the Meanings of Summarized Sahih Muslim (Arabic–English), Compiled by Al-Hafiz Zakiuddin Abdul-Azim Al-Mundhiri [Darussalam Publishers & Distributors, First Edition: February 2000], Volume 2, 62– The Book Of Repentance And Allah’s Great Mercy, pp. 1033-1034; bold and capital emphasis ours)

Allah plans to make atonement by unloading all the evil deeds, wicked acts and crimes of the Muslims upon the Jews and Christians in order to torture them in hell forever as a vicarious sacrifice for Muhammad and his followers! Talk about a travesty and gross perversion of justice and the biblical concept of atonement!

Since these are the doctrines that Ally claimed were unreasonable he therefore has no choice but to condemn Muhammad as a false prophet and antichrist (which he certainly was) for promoting such irrational and morally grotesque doctrines. If Ally refuses to do so then he will only be exposing himself for being the dishonest and deceptive charlatan that he truly is.

We are not through with Ally just yet, so please check out the next part of my response https://islamunmasked.com/2016/10/24/shabir-ally-proves-that-muhammad-was-unreasonable-pt-2/.