Muhammad the Obvious

I recently viewed the DVD, "Islam: What the West Needs To Know." The experts presenting their opinions are among the most revered and active critics of Islam. As excited as I was to see the presentation, I was sadly disappointed that one major fact the West Needs To Know was curiously omitted.

Yes, they included the fact that Islam's founder, Muhammad, was personally responsible for the slaughter -- beheading -- of hundreds of men and youths from one Jewish tribe alone.

Yes, they mentioned that Muhammad ordered the assassination of his political rivals.

Yes, they mentioned the fact that Muhammad's youngest wife was married to him at six years of age. I don't remember if they mentioned that he waited patiently until she was nine years old to consummate the marriage.

Yes, they skirted around the obvious. Perhaps it is only obvious to me.
For the sake of argument, let us say that we are not discussing the behavior of an alleged holy man and founder of a presumed religion.

Suppose, rather, that we are talking about the behavior of, oh, say... any man. At any time in history. Under any circumstances. How, then, would we judge this man?
How would we judge any man for brutally and wantonly murdering (by beheading) between 600 - 900 men and young boys (any youth with pubic hair)? Would we regard him as a holy man, a prophet, doing the Lord's work, or would we call him a homicidal maniac?

Would we describe any man who ordered the assassination of his rivals as a just man of peace - a holy man - or would we tend to lump him together with members of the elite class of organized criminals, thugs, petty dictators, authoritarian autocrats and the like?

Finally, how would we regard any man who married a six year old and began having sex with her at age nine? Benevolent ruler? Wiseman? Child molester? Pedophile rapist? Monster?

Wouldn't we want to make sure that his profile was no longer available on myspace.com? And by the way, when I say 'began having sex with her' I mean actually engaged in penetration. The Hadiths give account of Muhammad instructing his men in the art of 'thighing' immature females, too young for penetration. Perhaps we should regard him as the Larry Flynt (of Penthouse notoriety) 'any man' of his time.

Perhaps it is no longer obvious just to me. Maybe it is obvious that Muhammad was, as I say through a character in my upcoming book, The Scrolls of Tora Bora: Hafsah's Recension, a "murderous, thieving monster."

So, in my mind, this begs the question of why these outspoken critics of Islam don't come outright and say that Muhammad was anything but a holy man. Anything but a prophet. The manner in which they present their opinions gives credence to the idea that Islam is an authentic religion, when it so obviously is not.

So, then, what is Islam? I believe there are two possibilities which I will cover in my next posting.

Demi Kaeffer