WHY BIBLE TRANSLATIONS MATTER

In this post I will be employing the Bible versions recommended by a unitarian heretic in an interview he did with anti-Christian Muhammadan polemicist Paul Williams for the express purpose of showing that Jesus is worshiped as Yahweh God Almighty in the flesh: The Trinitarian “bias” in Bible translations with Professor Sean Finnegan.

In one of his livestreams Finnegan recommended the following versions:  

• Jewish Publication Society Tanakh (JPS): dynamic equivalence from Jewish perspective
• English Standard Version (ESV): formal equivalence from evangelical perspective
• New English Translation (NET): dynamic equivalence from evangelical perspective
• New American Bible (NAB): dynamic equivalence from Roman Catholic perspective
• New Revised Standard Version (NRSV): formal equivalence from a mainline/liberal perspective (353 Bible 24 – Recommended Bible Translations)

I will be employing the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) for the most part due to its being a mainline liberal translation. I will signify whenever I quote from another one of the versions recommended by Finnegan.

FIRST EXAMPLE

According to Christ, the Father himself demands that every person give the Son the same exact honor that the Father receives:

“The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son JUST AS they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” John 5:22-23

Since the way individuals honor the Father is by worshiping him by the Holy Spirit’s empowerment in accord with the truth of his word,

“The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’” John 4:19-24

It, therefore, comes as no surprise to find John recording an instance where a person worships Jesus as the divine Son of Man:

“Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped him.” John 9:35-38

Elsewhere, Christ identifies himself as the Son of Man in connection with his being the I AM who came down from heaven to perfectly fulfill his Father’s will:

“… So Jesus said [to them], ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM (ego eimi), and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.’” John 8:23-24, 28-29  

m. 8:24, 28 I AM: an expression that late Jewish tradition understood as Yahweh’s own self-designation (Is 43:10); see note on Jn 4:26. Jesus is here placed on a par with Yahweh. New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)

As indicated by the NABRE’s fn., Jesus’ I AM statements echo the I AM declarations of YHWH, just as the following examples affirm:

“Behold, behold that I am (ego eimi), and there is no god beside me: I kill, and I will make to live: I will smite, and I will heal; and there is none who shall deliver out of my hands.” Deuteronomy 32:39 LXX

“Who has wrought and done these things? he has called it who called it from the generations of old; I God, the first and to [all] futurity, I AM (ego eimi).” Isaiah 41:4 LXX

“Be my witnesses, and I [too am] a witness, saith the Lord God, and my servant whom I have chosen: that you may know, and believe, and understand that I AM (ego eimi): before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none.” Isaiah 43:10 LXX 

“I AM (ego eimi), the One blotting out your transgressions for mine own sake, and your sins; and I will not remember [them].” Isaiah 43:25 LXX

“I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth: I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek vanity: I AM (ego eimi), I am the Lord, speaking righteousness, and proclaiming truth.” Isaiah 45:19 LXX

“I AM (ego eimi); and until you shall have grown old, I AM (ego eimi): I bear you, I have made, and I will relieve, I will take up and save you.” Isaiah 46:4 LXX

“I am [the] I AM (ego eimi ego eimi) that comforts you: consider who you are, that you were afraid of mortal man, and of the son of man, who are withering as grass.” Isaiah 51:12 LXX

“Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I AM (ego eimi), the One that speaks: I am present,” Isaiah 52:6 LXX

YHWH even condemned the Babylonians and Assyrians for describing themselves as the I AM:

“But now hear these words, you luxurious one, [who are] the one that sits [at ease], that is secure, that says in her heart, I am (ego eimi), and there is not another; I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement… for your trusting in wickedness: for you saying, I am (ego eimi), and there is not another: you know the understanding of these things and your harlotry shall be your shame; for you said in your heart, I am (ego eimi), and there is not another.” Isaiah 47:8, 10 LXX

“And he shall stretch forth his hand against the north and destroy the Assyrian, and make Nineve a dry wilderness, [even] as a desert… This is the scornful city that dwells securely, that says in her heart, I am (ego eimi), and there is no longer any after me: how is she become desolate, a habitation of wild beasts! every one that passes through her shall hiss, and shake his hands.” Zephaniah 2:13, 15 LXX

In light of the foregoing, could God have made it any clearer that I AM is employed as a divine self-designation?

In regards to Jesus’ referring to himself as the Son of Man, he did so again at his trial where he used this title to describe himself as coming on the clouds of heaven and being enthroned at God’s right hand. His assertion resulted in the council condemning him to death for blasphemy:

“Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?’ But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’Jesus said, ‘I am, and “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power” and “coming with the clouds of heaven.”’ Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, ‘Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?’ All of them condemned him as deserving death.” Mark 14:60-64

The reason for this charge is that the Lord was claiming to be that particular Son of Man whom Daniel foresaw ascend to God to begin ruling over all the nations, being that very same One whom the prophet stated would be worshiped by all peoples forever:

“As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man. When he reached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him, He received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14 NABRE

Since the Sanhedrin didn’t believe that Jesus is the Being whom Daniel foresaw, they viewed his words as blasphemous.

Proceeding on, Christ attests to being the preexistent Son that has been dwelling with the Father in the same glory from before the creation of the world, being the object of the Father’s infinite love:  

“So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed… Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:5, 24

This explains how Jesus could have personally beheld Abraham’s joyous reaction to having foreseen the coming of Christ,

“‘Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM (ego eimi).’ So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.” John 8:56-59 NABRE

Since he was already existing long before Abraham came into being.

Jesus even went as far as to make himself the object of prayers, assuring his followers that he himself will personally answer all the requests which are made directly to him:

“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask ME for anything, I will do it.” John 14:13-14

Christ elsewhere states the Father himself will answer the invocations made in the name of his beloved Son:

“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” John 15:16

“On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” John 16:23

This shows that the Father and Son are essentially coequal, since they both must be omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent in order to be able to perform all the miraculous deeds asked of them.  

It further proves that the Father and Son are equal in glory and honor, since they are both equal recipients of worship.

And seeing that the OT identifies YHWH as the Hearer of all prayers,

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed, O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.” Psalm 65:1-2

This again confirms that the Son, along with the Father, is the one true God of all creation, which brings me to my next example.

SECOND EXAMPLE

After beholding the risen Christ in his glorified, physical flesh body, Thomas breaks out in worshipful adoration:

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’ Thomas answered and said to HIM (eipen auto), ‘My Lord and my God (ho Kyrios mou kai ho Theos mou)!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.’” John 20:24-29 NABRE

Thomas worships Jesus by referring to him in a similar fashion to the way Jesus spoke of the Father:

“Jesus said to her, ‘Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (kai Theon mou kai theon hymon).”’” John 20:17 NABRE

What makes these verses all the more remarkable is that the Greek has the definite article before the word “God” (theos) when ascribed to Christ, but has no article when the Father is referred to as God!

This shows that the use or nonuse of the definite article does not impact the meaning of theos (“God”) when employed of Jesus, contrary to the assertions of specific cultists and heretics.

In fact, Thomas worships Jesus in the exact same way that the psalmist magnifies YHWH:

“Awake, be vigilant in my defense, in my cause, my God and my Lord (elohay w’adonay). Defend me because you are just, LORD; my God, do not let them rejoice over me.” Psalm 35:23-24 NABRE  

Now compare the Greek rendering of this text:

“Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord (ho Theos mou kai ho Kyrios mou).” Psalm 34:23 LXX

The phraseology of Psalm 34:23 and John 20:28 is virtually identical, with the only difference being that the words are reversed. I.e., “the God of me and the Lord of me,” versus “the Lord of me and the God of me”!

Since the Hebrew Bible is emphatic that the only Lord God an Israelite can ever confess and worship is YHWH (Cf. Exod. 20:1-3; 34:14; 2 Kngs. 17:35-39; Isa. 37:14-20; Jer. 10:10-12), this means that Thomas was confessing the risen Son to be YHWH Almighty in the flesh, Israel’s one true God who had become a man. And instead of rebuking him, Jesus approves of and accepts Thomas’ confession!

The following critical biblical scholar does an excellent job of summing up the preceding evidence from John’s Gospel, which clearly establishes that Jesus is equal to the Father in divinity, glory, honor and worship:

(1) Jesus as Ego Eimi

There are several texts in the third edition where the divine “I AM” appears (8:24, 28, 58; 13:1; 18:6, 8). It is these texts in which Jesus appropriates the designation for Yahweh in the LXX. This appropriation of the divine name is one of the distinct characteristics of the Fourth Gospel, and there is no title for Jesus that could more definitely attribute divinity in its fullest extent to Jesus. Yet for Jesus to appropriate the title “I AM” is not to claim identity with God the Father. Jesus remains the Son but completely reveals the Father that to see Jesus is to see “I AM.”

The fact that these appear in the third edition is an indication of the third author’s intention to make it clear for his readers the full extent of Jesus’ oneness with the Father. The author focuses his attention on the notion of “I AM” in chapter 8.

The statement of 8:24 is striking in its simplicity: “… if you do not believe that “I AM” you will die in your sins.” In 8:28, the third author combines the title “I AM” with that of “Son of Man,” and, at the same time, continues to affirm Jesus’ dependence upon the Father: “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and I do nothing of myself, but I speak these things just as the Father taught me.” As divine as Jesus is, his divinity is not independent of the Father. In 8:58, the author combines it with the notion of preexistence: “… before Abraham was I AM.” Then in 13:19, Jesus informs the disciples that his ability to foretell events happening to him will be evident that “I AM.” Finally, in the act of being arrested (18:6, 8), Jesus identifies himself as “I AM,” and the power inherent in the title causes the arresting party to fall to the ground.  

(2) Jesus Is to Be Honored Just as the Father Is

In 5:22-23, Jesus claims that all are to “honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.” In these verses that come from the author of the third edition, the essential equality of the Son and the Father IS CLEARLY STATED.

Related to this conception is the conviction that Jesus is to be “worshiped” as the Father is worshiped. That God is to be worshiped is clear from 4:19-24 and 12:20; but in 9:38, in an addition by the third author, once the man born blind recognizes Jesus as the Son of Man, he falls down and worships him, thus giving to Jesus the honor that is also due to the Father.

(3) Jesus Is Addressed as “My Lord and My God”

One of the most universally recognized statements of “high” Christology in the New Testament is that of Thomas to Jesus in John 20:28. Here, in material of the third edition, after seeing the wounds of Jesus, Thomas declares: “My Lord and my God!” The words of Thomas are simply unambiguous. He and the Johannine community patently apply titles otherwise reserved for God the Father to Jesus. This happens nowhere else in the Gospels with such clarity. (Urban C. von Wahlde, The Gospel and Letters of John (The Eerdmans Critical Commentary) [William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI/ Cambridge, U.K. 2010], Volume 1: Introduction, Analysis, and Reference, pp. 425-426; bold and capital emphasis mine)

THIRD EXAMPLE

I now turn to Matthew’s Gospel:

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, ‘See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” Matthew 8:1-4

Here our Lord receives worship in the context of cleansing a man of leprosy, which is a miracle that the Hebrew Bible attributes to God alone:

 “Then the king of Syria said, ‘Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, ‘Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.’ And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.’” 2 Kings 5:5-7

Christ is further worshiped in relation to his raising the dead,

“While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.’ So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour. When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, ‘Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.’ And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.” Matthew 9:18-26

And casting out a demon from a great distance without having to be physically present to do so:

“Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ But He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.’ And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” Matthew 15:21-28

This shows that Christ is omniscient and omnipresent since he can perform miraculous acts in faraway areas without needing to be there to do so.

Jesus also receives worship in respect to his sovereign power over natural elements, such as his authority to command the winds, waves and the seas:

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you afraid, you of little faith?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?’” Matthew 8:23-27

“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I (ego eimi); do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” Matthew 14:22-33

The reason why the disciples were shocked, in fact perplexed, is because they knew from the Hebrew Bible that YHWH alone commands the winds and the waves:

“who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the Sea;” Job 9:8

“By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.” Psalm 65:5-8

“Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Psalm 77:19-20

In fact, the disciples’ crying out to Jesus to save them from perishing echoes what the proceeding Psalm states in respect to YHWH coming to the aid of those who travel through the seas:

“And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy. Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters; they saw the deeds of the LORD, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity; they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.” Psalm 107:22-32

The foregoing is the reason why biblical scholars believe that these specific miraculous deeds that Christ performed in the sea are meant to be theophanies, signs intended to unveil Jesus’ divine identity.

For instance, note what the late liberal Catholic NT scholar Raymond E. Brown wrote in regards to Jesus’ walking on the waters:

“Against this background the absolute use of ‘I AM’ by the Johannine Jesus becomes quite intelligible; he was speaking in the same manner in which Yahweh speaks in Deutero-Isaiah. For instance, in John 8:28 Jesus promises that when the Son of Man is lifted up (in return to the Father), ‘then you will know ego eimi’; in Isaiah 43:10 Yahweh has chosen Israel, ‘that you may know and believe me and understand ego eimi.’ The absolute Johannine use of ‘I AM’ has the effect of portraying Jesus as divine with (pre)existence as his identity, even as the Greek OT understood the God of Israel.

John did not invent this usage, for there are examples that verge on the absolute use of ego eimi in the Synoptics even though one can argue that a predicate is assumed. For instance, in Matt 14:27 (Mark 6:50): As Jesus comes walking across the water, he says to the disciples in the boat, ‘Ego eimi; do not be afraid.’ This is the same use we saw in John 6:20 (footnote 202). That in this scene Matthew intends more than a simple ‘It is I’ is suggested by the profession of faith elicited by the disciples (Matt 14:33), ‘Truly you are God’s Son!’ Or again, when speaking of the signs of the last days Jesus warns, ‘Many will come in my name, saying ego eimi’ (Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8). The context does not clearly suggest a predicate (even though Matt’s 24:5: ‘I am the Messiah’); and the juxtaposition of ego eimi and ‘my name’ brings us close to Johannine usage…” (Brown, Introduction to New Testament Christology [Paulist Press; Mahwah, NJ 1994], p. 139; bold and underline emphasis mine)

And this is what Brown stated in a fn. in relation to two other “I AM” statements which impact the interpretation of Matthew 14:27:

“I would include two other texts. The first is 6:20 where the disciples in the boat are frightened because they see someone coming to them on the water, and Jesus assures them, ‘I AM; do not be afraid.’ The second is 18:5: The soldiers and police who have come to the garden across the Kidron to arrest Jesus announce that they are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, and he answers, ‘I AM.’ Some would tell us that the first means simply, ‘It is I, i.e. someone whom you know and not a supernatural being or ghost.’ And they would tell us that the second means simply, ‘I am he, i.e. the one you are looking for.’ A better solution is to recognize a play on the expression ‘I AM’ as having a twofold meaning: While it has a simpler story-line import (as just exemplified), it also has a higher connotation. In the first example, the sacral comes from the context that involved Jesus’ walking on the water and a dangerous storm from which they are immediately brought to land: in the second example it comes from those who, hearing Jesus’ response, fall back to the ground. Both, then, would be instances of a theophany or divine appearance of one who, like the God of Israel, is master of storms and the sea and at the mention of whose name every knee must bend.” (Ibid., p. 137, fn. 202; bold emphasis mine)

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, which is another rather liberal, critical reference, concurs with Brown.

Here is what it states in reference to the Markan version of this miraculous story:

(b) WALKING ON THE WATERS (6:45-52). The approach to this story as an epiphany/theophany is most consistent with Mark’s presentation. The twin focus is Jesus and the disciples: (1) The divine identity of Jesus is suggested by his walking on the waters, his passing by them, and his words, “It is I” … The OT portrays walking on water as a divine function (see Job 9:8; 38:16). The representation of Jesus as walking on water thus carries an implicit claim about his divinity. he wanted to pass by them: The implicit christological claim is strengthened by the use of the vb. parelthein, which was linked with the theophany tradition in the LXX (see Exod 33:19,22; 34:6; 1 Kgs 19:11). Its appearance in the LXX of Amos 7:8; 8:2 also suggests that Jesus desired to help his disciples in their difficulty… I am He: In the context of self-disclosure and theophany, this phrase must allude to the OT revelation formula (Exod 3:14; Deut 32:39; Isa 41:4; 43:10) applied to Yahweh, thus contributing to the implicit christological message of the text. The formula ego eimi is prominent in John… (NJBC, eds. Raymond E. Brown, SS, Joseph A Fitzmyer, S.J., Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm [Prentice Hall; Englewood Cliffs, NJ], p. 611); bold emphasis mine)

Further notice the comments of the following English version of the Holy Bible:

w. 6:50 It is I, do not be afraid!: literally, “I am.” This may reflect the divine revelatory formula of Ex 3:14; Is 41:4, 10, 14; 43:1–3, 10, 13. Mark implies the hidden identity of Jesus as Son of God. (NABRE)

This concludes the first segment. Lord willing, I shall have more examples in the subsequent parts in this series.

The Islamic sources indicate that a group of Muslims migrated to the Christian land of Abyssinia for safe haven when the pagans in Mecca opposed Muhammad and his followers. Muhammad sent them there because he had heard that the Christian king (Najashi [Negus]) was a just and pious ruler who cared for his subjects.

What the readers may not be aware of is that one of Muhammad’s companions ended up becoming a Christian because he saw through the farce of Muhammad and came to the realization that Christianity is the true faith.

That man was Ubaydallah b. Jash, whose widow Muhammad later married:   

Waraqa attached himself to Christianity and studied its scriptures until he had thoroughly mastered them. `Ubaydullah went on searching until Islam came; then he migrated with the Muslims to Abyssinia taking with him his wife who was a Muslim, Umm Habiba, d. Abu Sufyan. When he arrived there he adopted Christianity, parted from Islam, and died a Christian in Abyssinia.

Muhammad b. Ja`far b. al-Zubayr told me that when he had become a Christian `Ubaydullah as he passed the prophet’s companions who were there used to say: ‘We see clearly, but your eyes are only half open,’ i.e. ‘We see, but you are only trying to see and cannot see yet.’ He used the word sa’sa’ because when a puppy tries to open its eyes to see, it only half sees. The other faqqaha means to open the eyes. After his death the apostle married his widow Umm Habiba.…

‘Uthman b. Huwayrith went to the Byzantine emperor and became a Christian. He was given high office there (142). (The Life of Muhammad, A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Karachi Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth Impression 1995], p. 99; bold emphasis mine)

And:

Then the Messenger of God married Umm Habibah⁸⁹³ bt. Abi Sufyan b. Harb. She was [previously] married to ‘Ubaydallah b. Jahsh b. Ri’ab b. Ya’mur b. Sabirah b. Murrah b. Kabir b. Ghanm b. Dadin b. Asad. Both she and her husband were among the emigrants to Abyssinia. Her husband embraced Christianity and tried to make her follow him, but she refused and maintained her religion. He died as a Christian, so the Messenger of God sent [his marriage proposal] to the Negus. The Negus said to [her husband’s] companions, “Who is more entitled [to take care] of her?” They said, ” Khalid b. Said b. al-‘As.” The Negus said [to Khalid], “Marry her to your Prophet.” He did so and the Negus gave her four hundred dinars as dowry (maher). It is, however, said that the Messenger of God asked ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan for her hand in marriage, and after he allowed [the Prophet] to marry her, the Messenger of God sent to the Negus for her. The latter gave her dowry on behalf of the Messenger of God and sent her back to him.⁸⁹⁴ (The History of al-Tabari: The Last years of the Prophet, translated and annotated by Ismail K. Poonawala [State University of New Your Press [SUNY], Albany, NY 1990], Volume IX (9), pp. 133-134; bold emphasis mine)

Suffice it to say, later Muslim expositors were not happy about Ubaydallah’s conversion to the truth:

Al-Bayhaqi then recounted through Ibn Lahi’a, from Abu al-Aswad, from Urwa, that Ubayd Allah b. Jash died a Christian in Abyssinia. The next to marry Umm Habiba was the Messenger of God; it was Uthman b. ‘Affan who arranged her marriage to him.

I comment that the conversion to Christianity of ‘Ubayd Allah b. Jahsh has been described above. That occurred after he had migrated to Abyssinia with the Muslims. There Satan subverted him and made Christianity seem attractive to him, and he therefore embraced it until he died. May God curse him! He used to mock the Muslims by telling them, “We see clearly; your eyes are still half closed!” Reference to this is made above relating to the migration to Abyssinia.” (Ibn Kathir, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya, translated by Professor Trevor Le Gassick, Reviewed by Dr. Muneer Fareed [Garnet Publishing Court, 8 Southern Court, South Street Reading, RGI 4QS 2000], Volume III, pp. 194-195; bold emphasis mine)

It is apparent why Ibn Kathir would hurl maledictions upon a man who had been dead for roughly 700 years.

Ubaydallah’s conversion is a huge embarrassment for Muslims since he was a man who knew Muhammad personally, and was one of the first converts to Islam. And yet once he came to learn of Christianity, he soon realized that Muhammad was a false prophet and that his new found faith was not a revelation from the one true God.

Ubaydallah wasn’t the only Christian that exposed the fraud of Muhammad and his religion:

3421. It is related that Anas said, “There was a Christian man who became Muslim and recited al-Baqara and Ali ‘Imran. He used to act as a scribe for the Prophet. Then he reverted to being a Christian and he used to say, ‘Muhammad only knows what I wrote for him.’ Allah made him die and they buried him. In the morning, the earth had thrown him up. They said, ‘This is the work of Muhammad and his Companions since he fled from them. They dug our companion up and threw him out.’ So they dug a very deep grave and in the morning the earth had thrown him up. They said, ‘This is the work of Muhammad and his Companions since he fled from them. They threw him out.’ So they dug a grave for him as deep as they could and in the morning the earth had thrown him up. So they knew that it was not done by people so they left him [there].” (Aisha Bewley, Sahih Collection of al-Bukhari, Chapter 65. Book of Virtues)

Here’s another version:

Narrated Anas:

There was a Christian who embraced Islam and read Surat-al-Baqara and Al-`Imran, and he used to write (the revelations) for the Prophet. Later on he returned to Christianity again and he used to say: “Muhammad knows nothing but what I have written for him.” Then Allah caused him to die, and the people buried him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, “This is the act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and took his body out of it because he had run away from them.” They again dug the grave deeply for him, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, “This is an act of Muhammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and threw his body outside it, for he had run away from them.” They dug the grave for him as deep as they could, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. So they believed that what had befallen him was not done by human beings and had to leave him thrown (on the ground). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 814 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3617)

Apart from the legendary and fanciful details employed for the purpose of damage control, the fact that another Christian apostatized not long after becoming Muslim simply reinforces the point that even during Muhammad’s lifetime there were folks back then who came to see that Islam is nothing more than a hodgepodge of Arab pagan superstitions mixed with heretical forms of Judaism and Christianity.

In this post I will cite Jesus’ statements where he affirms that he and the Father are one to show that he meant that they were one in power, and therefore one in essence and nature.

Here are the words of our Lord:

“‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are (esmen – lit. “we are”) one.’ The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.’” John 10:27-33

The verb esmen is plural, thereby showing that the Father and the Son are not the same Person. Therefore, their unity is grounded in something other than Personhood.

The following chart will help the readers see that Jesus was claiming to be one with the Father in essence, and therefore the same God as the Father is even though they are not the same Person.

JESUS

YHWH

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28   “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will… Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself… Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” John 5:21, 25-26, 28-29     “‘All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.’ The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, ‘I am the bread which came down from heaven.’ They said, ‘Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, “I have come down from heaven”?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day… he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:37-44, 54   “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.’… Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me.’ When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Laz′arus, come out.’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” John 11:23-27, 39-44   “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.’” John 14:6

“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.” Deuteronomy 32:39   “Hannah also prayed and said, ‘My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides thee; there is no rock like our God… The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.’” 1 Samuel 2:1-2, 6   “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would hearken to his voice!” Psalm 95:6-7   “‘You are my witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,’ says the Lord. ‘I am God, and also henceforth I am He; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work and who can hinder it?’” Isaiah 43:10-13

It is clear that Christ ascribed to himself the very unique roles and characteristics which the Hebrew Bible attributes to YHWH God alone. This explains why the Jews correctly understood that Jesus was a man making himself out to be God, even though he wasn’t claiming to be the Father. Where they were mistaken was in assuming that Christ was blaspheming for doing so.

FURTHER READING

“I Say: Ye Are Gods” — An Examination of Jesus’ Use of Psalm 82:6 in Defense of his Deity

Is Jesus God? 

John 10:30 Responses: [2]

Jesus In The Qur’an and The Bible II 

Jesus and the Father are two Separate Beings RESPONSE

Bible Verses Explained : Some Misunderstood Verses of the Bible: Response: [Part 1], [Part 2]

Jesus as the Great I AM

In this post I will revisit Muhammad’s shameful mistreatment and disrespect of women, by showing how he and his deity relegated females to the status of sex objects to be misused for the pleasure of men.  

Muhammad’s god states that women are a field which men own and can plow into however and whenever they like:

Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear God. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe. S. 2:223 Y. Ali

Allah also made men superior to women, which is why husbands are allowed to beat their wives whom they fear will be rebellious:

Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great. S. 4:34 Shakir

The Islamic deity even permits his jihadists to not only murder in his cause, but also to take single and married women captive and essentially rape them:

Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those (captives and slaves) whom your right hands possess. Thus has Allah ordained for you. All others are lawful, provided you seek (them in marriage) with Mahr (bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) from your property, desiring chastity, not committing illegal sexual intercourse, so with those of whom you have enjoyed sexual relations, give them their Mahr as prescribed; but if after a Mahr is prescribed, you agree mutually (to give more), there is no sin on you. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. S. 4:24 Hilali-Khan

Here is how the sunni expositors interpreted the aforementioned verse:

Abu Said al-Khudri said: The apostle of Allah sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of the Apostle of Allah were reluctant to have intercourse with the female captives in the presence of their husbands who were unbelievers. So Allah, the Exalted, sent down the Quranic verse, ‘And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess’. That is to say, they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period.

Grade: SAHIH (Al-Albani) (Sunan Abu Dawud, Volume 2, Number 2150 https://sunnah.com/abudawud/12/110; emphasis mine)

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri that he said: We got female captives from Awtas who had husbands. It seemed that some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah felt it difficult upon themselves to have sexual relations with them on account of their husbands are from the infidels. We asked The Messenger of Allah about that thereupon Aallah revealed (what means): {Also (forbidden for marriage) are the married women, except those whom your right hand possess}. By this, they became lawful for us (once the term of their ‘iddah elapsed). [Abu Dawud; At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i]

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: When it was the day of Hunayn (battle) and Allah Almighty helped the Muslims conquer Hunayn, the Muslims got female captives from the people of the Scripture. If a man liked to have sexual intercourse with any woman (of them whom his right hand possessed) SHE WOULD SAY TO HIM: “I HAVE A HUSBAND”. The Messenger of Allah was asked about that, thereupon Allah revealed this Qur’anic Verse. [Al-Tabarani] (Jalal Al-Din Al-Suyuti, Reasons and Occasions of Revelation of the Holy Qur’an (Lubab An-Nuqul Fi Asbab An-Nuzul), translated by Dr. Muhammad Mahdi Al-Sharif [Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut 2015], pp. 101-102; emphasis mine)

And forbidden to you are wedded women those with spouses that you should marry them before they have left their spouses be they Muslim free women or not; save what your right hands own of captured slave girls whom you may have sexual intercourse with even if they should have spouses among the enemy camp but only after they have been absolved of the possibility of pregnancy after the completion of one menstrual cycle… (Tafsir al-Jalalayn https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=24&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold emphasis mine)

(And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess…) [4:24]. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Bunani informed us> Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Hamdan> Abu Ya‘la> ‘Amr al-Naqid> Abu Ahmad al-Zubayri> Sufyan> ‘Uthman al-Batti> Abu’l-Khalil> Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri who said: “We had captured female prisoners of war on the day of Awtas and because they were already married we disliked having any physical relationship with them. Then we asked the Prophet about them. And the verse (And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess) was then revealed, as a result of which we consider it lawful to have a physical relationship with them”. Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Harith informed us> ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Ja‘far> Abu Yahya> Sahl ibn ‘Uthman> ‘Abd al-Rahim> Ash‘ath ibn Sawwar> ‘Uthman al-Batti> Abu’l-Khalil> Abu Sa‘id who said: “When the Messenger of Allah captured the people of Awtas as prisoners of war we said: ‘O Prophet of Allah! How can we possibly have physical relationships with women whose lineage and husband we know very well?’ And so this verse was revealed (And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess)”.

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Farisi informed us> Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Amrawayh> Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Sufyan> Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj> ‘Ubayd Allah ibn ‘Umar al-Qawariri> Yazid ibn Zuray‘> Sa‘id ibn Abi ‘Arubah> Qatadah> Abu Salih Abu Khalil> Abu ‘Alqamah al-Hashimi> Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri who reported that on the day of Hunayn the Messenger of Allah sent an army to Awtas. This army met the enemy in a battle, defeated them and captured many female prisoners from them. But some of the Companions of the Messenger were uncomfortable about having physical relations with these prisoners because they had husbands who were idolaters, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed about this (And all married women (are forbidden unto you) save those (captives) whom your right hands possess). (Al-Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=86&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=24&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine)

Forbidding Women Already Married, EXCEPT FOR FEMALE SLAVES

Allah said…

(Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess.) The Ayah means, you are prohibited from marrying women who are already married…

(except those whom your right hands possess) except those whom you acquire through war, for you are allowed such women after making sure they are not pregnant. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said, “We captured some women from the area of Awtas who were already married, and we disliked having sexual relations with them because they already had husbands. So, we asked the Prophet about this matter, and this Ayah was revealed…

(Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess). Consequently, we had sexual relations with these women.” This is the wording collected by At-Tirmidhi An-Nasa’i, Ibn Jarir and Muslim in his Sahih. Allah’s statement…

(Thus has Allah ordained for you) means, this prohibition was ordained for you by Allah. Therefore, adhere to Allah’s Book, do not transgress His set limits, and adhere to His legislation and decrees. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/4/24; emphasis mine)

This next source claims that Q. 4:24 was “sent down” to also justify temporary marriage called zawaj al-muta, which is nothing more than prostitution:

(And all married women (are forbidden unto you save those (captives) whom your right hands possess) of captives, even if they have husbands in the Abode of War, after ascertaining that they are not pregnant, by waiting for the lapse of one period of menstruation. (It is a decree of Allah for you) that which I have mentioned to you is unlawful in Allah’s Book. (Lawful unto you are all beyond those mentioned) as unlawful, (so that ye seek them) marry (with your wealth) up to four wives; it is also said that this means: so that you buy with your wealth captives; and it is also said that this means: so that you should seek with your money marrying women for an agreed period of time (zawaj al-mut’ah) but the lawfulness of this practice was later abrogated… (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn ‘Abbas https://www.altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=4&tAyahNo=24&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; emphasis mine) 

If this weren’t bad enough, Muhammad’s idol contradicts himself in that he allows his followers to marry up to four wives (with no limit to how many sex slaves they can have) only if they are able to be just with all of them:

And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice. S. 4:3 Hilali-Khan

And yet realizing that no husband can deal fairly with multiple spouses, Allah goes ahead and permits them to marry more than one woman anyway:

And if a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband’s part, there is no sin on them both if they make terms of peace between themselves; and making peace is better. And human inner-selves are swayed by greed. But if you do good and keep away from evil, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, so do not incline too much to one of them (by giving her more of your time and provision) so as to leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married). And if you do justice, and do all that is right and fear Allah by keeping away from all that is wrong, then Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. But if they separate (by divorce), Allah will provide abundance for everyone of them from His Bounty. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for His creatures’ need, All-Wise. S. 4:128-4130 Hilali-Khan

What the readers may not realize is that the foregoing passage was “sent down” to justify the abuse and neglect of women by their husbands.

For instance, the Muslim expositors admit that Allah “revealed” these verses in the context of Sawdah bint Zam’ah, one of Muhammad’s wives, whom Muhammad wanted to divorce because she had gotten old and was therefore no longer attracted to her. In order to avoid being divorced, Sawdah made a deal with her husband to keep her as a spouse while giving the day assigned to her over to his child-bride Aisha.

In other words, Sawdah agreed to forego her conjugal rights so as to remain Muhammad’s spouse, a deal that Allah and his messenger were all too eager to accept!

Adding insult to injury, the commentators unashamedly admit that this injunction also permits men to prefer and spend more time with younger and more attractive women over against their older and less desirable spouses:

… Most recite ‘an yassaliha’ and the Kufans recite ‘an yusliha’. Al-Jahdari and ‘Uthman al-Batti recite ‘an yussliha’. It means to agree between themselves, and there is idgham.

The ayah was revealed about Sawdah bint Zam’ah. At-Tirmidhi reported from Ibn ‘Abbas: ‘Sawdah FEARED that the Messenger of Allah would divorce her and said, “Do not divorce me. Keep me and I will give my day with you to ‘A’ishah.” She did that and this was revealed.’ If they are reconciled on the basis of something, it is allowed. This is a hasan gharib hadith. Ibn ‘Uyaynah related from az-Zuhri that Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab reported that Rafi’ and Khadij was married to Khawlah bint Muhammad ibn Maslamah. He disliked something about her, EITHER AGE or something else, and wanted to divorce her. She said, ‘Do not divorce me and allow me what you wish.’ So this was revealed. Al-Bukhari reported from ‘A’ishah that it was about a man who was married to a woman who he DID NOT CARE FOR MUCH AND WANTED TO LEAVE. She said, ‘I put you in the lawful in regard to me,’ and this was revealed.

In fiqh, this question refutes foolish, ignorant people who think that when a man takes a young woman and she becomes old, he may not replace her. Ibn Abi Mulaykah said, ‘When Sawdah bint Zam’ah BECAME OLD, the Prophet wanted to divorce her but she preferred to remain with him and said, “Keep me and I will give my day to ‘A’ishah.” The Prophet did so and she died as one of his wives.’

That is what the daughter of Muhammad ibn Maslamah did. Malik related from Ibn Shihab that Rafi’ ibn Khadij married Khawlah bint Muhammad ibn Maslamah and she was married to him UNTIL SHE WAS OLD and then he married a young woman with her. He PREFERRED THE YOUNG WOMAN TO HER and she asked for a divorce. He divorced her once her and then took her back. Again HE PREFERRED THE YOUNG WOMAN and she asked for a divorce and he said, ‘There is one left. If you wish, you can agree TO THE PREFERENCE YOU SEE, or, if you wish, I will divorce you.’ She agreed to that and he kept her on that basis. Rafi’ did not think he incurred a wrong action when she remained with him on that basis…

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah mentioned from Abu-l-Ahwas from Simak ibn Harb from Khalid ibn ‘Ar’arah that a man asked ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib about this ayah and he said, ‘It is about a man who is married to a woman and his eyes turn away from her BECAUSE OF HER UGLINESS, POVERTY, OLD AGE or bad character, but he does not want to divorce her. If she gives him any of her dower, he is allowed to take it. If she gives him some of her days, there is no harm.’ Ad-Dahhak said, ‘There is nothing wrong in lessening her due WHEN HE MARRIES A YOUNGER AND MORE ATTRACTIVE WOMAN THAN HER.’ Muqatil ibn Hayyan said that it refers to a man who is married to AN OLD WOMAN and then marries a young woman. He says to the old woman, ‘I will give you some of my wealth if you let me allot more time TO THIS YOUNG WOMAN than I give to you in the night and day.’ If she accepts, they are reconciled. If she does not accept that, then he must be fair in the division.      

Our scholars say that this means that all sorts of reconciliation are permitted in this case. It is permitted that reconciliation be based on the wife being patient, her allowing preference of another wife, or preferring and keeping the tie of marriage, or there is reconciliation based on patience and preference without a gift. All of this is permitted. It is permitted for reconciliation to be based in her giving her day to another, as the wives of the Prophet did. That was when the Messenger of Allah was angry with Safiyyah and she told ‘A’ishah, ‘Reconcile me with the Messenger of Allah and I will give my day to you.’ Ibn Khuzayzimandad mentioned it from ‘A’ishah in al-Ahkam. She said, ‘the Messenger of Allah was cross with Safiyyah about something and Safiyyah said to me, “Can you make the Messenger of Allah pleased with me and then you can have my day?” I put on a long head covering which was dyed with saffron and sprinkled it. Then I went and sat down beside the Messenger of Allah and he said to me, “Move away from me. It is not your day.” I said, “That is Allah’s favour which He gives to whomever he wishes.” She told him about it and he was pleased with her.’ This story contains the permission to NOT BE EQUAL BETWEEN WIVES AND PREFER SOME OVER OTHERS when it is with the consent of the one LESS FAVOURED.

The Kufans recite ‘yusilaha’ while MOST recite ‘yassalaha’. Al-Jahdari recited ‘yassalaha’. If someone recites ‘yassalaha’, its form is that it is known in Arabic that when there is a dispute between people, one says tasalaha for the people reconciling and not aslaha. If it had been aslaha, the verbal noun would be islah. If someone recites ‘yusilaha’, the like is used in 2:182 where aslaha is used. ‘Sulh’ is in the accusative in this reading as the object. It is a noun, like ‘ata from a’ta. So you say, ‘aslahtu sulhan’ (I made peace) as you say, ‘aslahtu amran’ (I put a matter right). It is also the object according to the reading of ‘yassalaha’ because Form VI can be transitive. It is possible that it is a verbal noun whose augments have been elided. If someone recites ‘yassalaha’, its root is yasliha which has become yastaliha and then the ta’ changed into a sad and the sad is elided into it. The sad is not changed into a ta’ because of the extension of exhalation in it… Ibn Zayd said, ‘Greed here exists in both him and in her,’ and Ibn ‘Atiyyah said, ‘This is better. Generally a woman is greedy for her share from her husband and a husband is greedy for his portion with the young woman.’… (Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr ibn Farh al-Ansari al-Khazraji al-Andalusi al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi: The General Judgments of the Qur’an and Clarification of What it Contains of the Sunnah and Ayahs of Discrimination, translated by Aisha Bewley [Diwan Press Ltd., 2020], Volume 5. Surat an-Nisa’ 23-176, pp. 288-291)    

To call this treatment of females, specifically older women, reprehensible and despicable would be putting it mildly.

After all, what kind of merciful and compassionate God would permit women to be mistreated and dishonored in this manner, where older wives allow themselves to be placed in a situation to forego their marital rights and conjugal needs so that their husbands can spend more time with their younger and more attractive spouses?

Contrast Allah’s disgusting and cruel approach towards older women with what the true God of the Holy Bible teaches concerning the responsibilities that husbands have to their wives:

“May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob, for the man who does this, any to witness or answer, or to bring an offering to the Lord of hosts! And this again you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand.You ask, ‘Why does he not?’ Because the Lord was witness to the covenant between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.Has not the one God made and sustained for us the spirit of life? And what does he desire? Godly offspring. So take heed to yourselves, and let none be faithless to the wife of his youth. ‘For I hate divorce,’ says the Lord the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.’” Malachi 2:12-16 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote. It is well for a man not to touch a woman. But because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not rule over his own body, but the wife does. Do not refuse one another except perhaps by agreement for a season, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, lest Satan tempt you through lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 RSV

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church; however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:25-33 RSV

“Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” Colossians 3:19 RSV

So much for Muhammad and his deity being merciful and loving towards women.

FURTHER READING

Muhammad’s Treatment of Sauda Bint Zamah

Sauda bin Zam’ah

Did You Know That Muhammad Was A Misogynist?

Muhammad’s Multiple Marriages

Never Shall He Be Satisfied

Muhammad’s Marriage to Safiyyah: A Case Study in Allah’s Mercy and Round 2, and Round 3 (Part 1, Part 2)

The Dissatisfaction of Muhammad’s Wives: Being a Response to Zawadi’s Challenge, Round 2