False Stories About Prophet Muhammad - By Ehteshaam Gulam

False stories found in Ibn Ishaq, Al-Waqidi, Ibn Sa'd and Al-Tabari

 

There are many false stories in Ibn Ishaq and Al-Tabari (NOTE: Go here read about other false stories about Prophet Muhammad). To save time and space, I'll list some of the famous false stories of Ibn Ishaq about Prophet Muhammad-- and tell why they are false. I'll also include the Satanic Verses which is found in Al-Tabari.

 

1.) The alleged assassination of Asma

The first story that critics of Islam spread around is the assination of Asma of the tribe of Aus. She is said to have been a poetess who made fun of Prophet Muhammad saying that he killed many of their chiefs (not true). When Prophet Muhamamd heard this he allegedly asked a Muslim named Umair to kil her. He brutally murdered her and Prophet Muhammad praised him for this deed. The story of the killing of Asma' bint Marwan is mentioned by Ibn Sa'd in Kitab At-Tabaqat Al-Kabir[10] and by the author of Kinz-ul-'Ummal under number 44131 who attributes it to Ibn Sa'd, Ibn 'Adiyy and Ibn 'Asaker. What is interesting is that Ibn 'Adiyy mentions it in his book Al-Kamel on the authority of Ja'far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn As-Sabah on authority of Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Ash-Shami on authority of Muhammad Ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Lakhmi on authority of Mujalid on authority of Ash-Shu'abi on authority of Ibn 'Abbas, and added that

 

...this isnâd (chain of reporters) is not narrated on authority of Mujalid but by Muhammad Ibn Al-Hajjaj and they all (other reporters in the chain) accuse Muhammad Ibn Al-Hajjaj of forging it.[13]

 

It is also reported by Ibn al-Gawzi in Al-'Ilal[14] and is listed among other flawed reports.

 

So according to its isnâd (chain of transmitters), the report is forged - because one of its reporters is notorious for fabricating hadîth. Hence, such this story is rejected and 100% false. Moreover this story is never found in the hadith, Bukhari, Muslim, etc

 

2.) The alleged assassination of Abu Afak

 Abu Afak was allegedly an Old Jewish Poet who lived in Madinah during the Prophet's minstry. Abu Afak allegedly wrote a poem making fun of Prophet Muhammad and the Early Muslims. The Prophet heard of these verses and told someone to kill Abu Afak. Salim Ibn Umayr allegedly went forward and killed Abu Afak with a sword (Ibn Ishaq page 675).
 

the chain of reporters of the story from eye-witnesses of the event till Ibn Ishâq or Al-Waqîdî must be examined and verified. So, our legitimate question is: where is the isnâd (i.e., chain of reporters)? There is no isnad for this story.
 

Unfortunately, references of the Sîrah do not provide such information. Actually, we are told that this story has no isnâd at all; neither Ibn Ishâq (or his disciple Ibn Hîsham) nor Al-Waqîdî (or his disciple Ibn Sa'd) had provided such a thing! In this case, the story is rated by hadîth scholars as "...of no basis", indicating that it has reached the lowest degree of criticism regarding its isnâd. This is in fact a proper scientific position because we cannot accept such a problematic story without evidence.
 

In brief, we have no commitment to accept such a baseless story - according to scientific criteria of hadîth criticism - which strangely had appeared in the 2nd half of the 2nd century after Hijra. We are therefore obliged to reject the story of the killing of Abu 'Afak by Salîm Ibn 'Umaîr at the Prophet’s command. So again this story is 100% false and fictional. Again this story is never found in the hadith literature.

 

3.) The alleged torture of Kinnana for money

 The third story goes like this. A man named Kinnana knew where some money was. He refused to tell anyone. Prophet Muhammad had him burned with fire until he told where the money was. The story is quoted below:
 

Kinana al-Rabi, who had the custody of the treasure of Banu Nadir, was brought to the apostle who asked him about it. He denied that he knew where it was. A Jew came (Tabari says "was brought"), to the apostle and said that he had seen Kinana going round a certain ruin every morning early. When the apostle said to Kinana, "Do you know that if we find you have it I shall kill you?" He said "Yes". The apostle gave orders that the ruin was to be excavated and some of the treasure was found. When he asked him about the rest he refused to produce it, so the apostle gave orders to al-Zubayr Al-Awwam, "Torture him until you extract what he has." So he kindled a fire with flint and steel on his chest until he was nearly dead. Then the apostle delivered him to Muhammad b. Maslama and he struck off his head, in revenge for his brother Mahmud. (Ibn Ishaq page 515)
 

So is this story true? Did Prophet Muhamamd torture someone just for some money? No.
 

The source of this story is invalid. The story is false. This is because there is no source for this story:
 

" While describing the battle of Khaibar, the history writers have committed a serious blunder in reporting a totally baseless report, which has become a common place. It is said that the Prophet ( Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had granted amnesty to the Jews on condition that they would not hide anything. When Kinana Ibn Rabi' refused to give any clue to the hidden treasures, the Prophet ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered Zubair to adopt stern measures to force a disclosure. Zubair branded his chest with a hot flint again and again, till he was on the point of death. At last he ordered Kinana to be put to death and all the Jews were made slaves.
 

The whole truth in the story is that Kinana was put to death. But it was not for his refusal to give a clue to the hidden treasure. He was put to death because he had killed Mahmud Ibn Maslama (also Muslima). Tabari had reported it in unambiguous words: " Then the Holy Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave Kinana to Muhammad Ibn Maslama (Muslima), " and he put him to death in retaliation of the murder of his own brother, Mahmud Ibn Maslama (Muslima)."

 

In the rest of the report, both Tabari and Ibn Hisham have quoted it from Ibn Ishaq, but Ibn Ishaq does not name any narrator. Traditionalists, in books on Rijal (hadith evaluations), have explicitly stated that Ibn Ishaq used to borrow from the Jews stories concerning the battle of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). As Ibn Ishaq does not mention the name of any narrator whatsoever in this case, there is every likelihood of the story of having been passed on by the Jews.
 

That a man should be tortured with burns on his chest by the sparks of a flint is too heinous a deed for a Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who had earned for himself the title of Rahma'lil Alamin (Mercy for all the worlds). After all, did he not let the woman who had sought to poison him go scot free? Who would expect such a soul to order human body to be so burnt for the sake of a few coins.
 

As a matter of fact, Kinana Ibn Rabi Ibn al-Huquaiq had been granted his life on the condition that he would never break faith or make false statements. He had also given his word, according to one of the reports, that if he did anything to the contrary, he could be put to death. Kinana played false, and the immunity granted to him was withdrawn. He killed Mahmud Ibn Maslama (Muslima) and had, therefore to suffer for it, as we have already stated on the authority of Tabari." [15]

As we can see there is no evidence what so ever for this story of Kinana because there is no narration or source given. This story is false. Something being early doesn't mean much if we don't know that its source is reliable. 

 

4.) The Satanic Verses story

This story is only found in Al-Tabari and not in Ibn Ishaq. May I suggest Reading what Islamic-awareness.org has to say about this matter here.-- And yes the Satanic Vereses story is false:
 

"The story that Muhammad could have used the Satanic suggestion is rejected by almost all exegetes, but the fact that the story persists as a subject of exegetes' discussions is testimony to the reality of the temptation both for Muhammad and for later Muslims in their own struggles with such "Babylons" as London, New York, Paris, or Hamburg." [16]

 

5.) The killing of the Meccan Ten

Another false story being passed around by Anti-Islamic critics is Prophet Muhammad's alleged killing of ten Meccans (six men and four women) just for making fun of him. This story is not found in the hadith (the most reliable and authentic sources of the life of the Prophet). In fact according to the hadith there is no fighting allowed in Mecca:

Narrated Abu Huraira: "In the year of the Conquest of Mecca, the tribe of Khuza'a killed a man from the tribe of Bani Laith in revenge for a killed person, belonging to them. They informed the Prophet about it. So he rode his Rahila (she-camel for riding) and addressed the people saying, "Allah held back the killing from Mecca. (The sub-narrator is in doubt whether the Prophet said "elephant or killing," as the Arabic words standing for these words have great similarity in shape), but He (Allah) let His Apostle and the believers over power the infidels of Mecca. Beware! (Mecca is a sanctuary) Verily! Fighting in Mecca was not permitted for anyone before me nor will it be permitted for anyone after me. It (war) in it was made legal for me for few hours or so on that day. No doubt it is at this moment a sanctuary, it is not allowed to uproot its thorny shrubs or to uproot its trees or to pick up its Luqatt (fallen things) except by a person who will look for its owner (announce it publicly). And if somebody is killed, then his closest relative has the right to choose one of the two-- the blood money (Diyya) or retaliation having the killer killed. In the meantime a man from Yemen came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Get that written for me." The Prophet ordered his companions to write that for him. Then a man from Quraish said, "Except Al-Iqhkhir (a type of grass that has good smell) O Allah's Apostle, as we use it in our houses and graves." The Prophet said, "Except Al-Idhkhiri.e. Al-Idhkhir is allowed to be plucked."  ( Bukhari,  Volume 1, Book 3, Number 112)"

 

Back to the Meccan Ten, in fact this story is also found in the least authentic biography of Prophet Muhammad the "Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir" by Ibn Sa'd. We don't know where either Ibn Ishaq or Ibn Sa'd got this story of Prophet Muhammad ordering execution of the Meccan Ten from (who were their sources, who were their chain of transmitters (insnads), etc) -- therefore like the above stories, this story is 100%  false. As for Ibn Sa'd-- he wasn't a very trust worthy historian. Concerning the two historians, al-Waqidi and Ibn Sa'd, the contemporary scholar, Tarif Khalidi, says:

 

   For it is clear that Waqidi is in fact the senior partner. Ibn Sa'd, known of course as 'katib al-Waqidi', was a secretary-editor of his master and of the materials he had assembled and then amplified.[17]

 

In other words, neither al-Waqidi nor Ibn Sa'd were eye-witnesses to the killing of the Meccan Ten; they were simply the transmitters.

 

It is also worthwhile to mention that:

   ... Waqidi was attacked for loose isnad usage by strict practitioners of Hadith...[18]

 

Another thing about Al Waqidi is he has been frequently criticized by Muslim writers, who say that he is unreliable. [19]
 

Even Imam Shafi, a Muslim jurist and great scholar says that "the books written by Al-Waqidi are nothing but heaps of lies". So who am I to disagree?

Claiming that the issue of so-called 'Killing of the Meccan Ten" incident is true just because Ibn Ishaqor Ibn Sa'd mentioned them amounts to a deliberate distortion of the facts.

6.) The Killing  of Sara a Freed Slave
 

Another fake story is the Prophet ordering the killing of a woman who used to make fun of him, a freed slave named Sara. Prophet Muhammad allegedly commanded his men to kill her wherever they find her. She was eventually found and trampled to death by a mounted soldier. (This is found in Ibn Ishaq page 551)  This story is false. This story is never found in the Hadith literature such as Bukahri, Muslim, etc. Moreover Prophet Muhammad ordered that women and children should not be killed in a hadith found here:

 

Narrated 'Abdullah:  During some of the Ghazawat of the Prophet a woman was found killed. Allah's Apostle disapproved the killing of women and children. (Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 257)

 

7.) The Killing of al-Huwayrith

 

In this story found only in Ibn Ishaq, Al-Huwayrith insults and makes fun of Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad allegedly orders that Huwayrith and allegedly Ali kills Huwayrith. (Ibn Ishaq page From Ibn Ishaq, p. 551) Again this story is not found in the most reliable source on Prophet Muhammad, Bukhari or any of the other Hadith collections such as Muslim, Abu Dawud, etc. However this story is found in Al-Tabari's Tarikh al-Tabari: Tarikh al-Umam wal-Muluk. However as we'll see Al-Tabari's book The History of Al-Tabari contains several weak and false narrations as we'll see and this story is one of the false narrations found in Al-Tabari's

 

8.) The Killing of Abdullah bin Khatal and His Two Singing Girls

The story goes like this. Abdullah bin Khatal was a convert to Islam. He then apostatizes and his two singing girls start singing songs making fun of Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet doesn't like it and allegedly orders all three of them to be killed. Abdullah is allegedly killed by Two Muslims. One of his girls are also allegedly killed however one of them gets away. (Ibn Ishaq page 551)

 

Again the problem is that this story is only found in Ibn Ishaq. It's never found in the hadith. And the Hadith are considered to be the most reliable source of Prophet Muhammad's life by Muslims. Thus we can safely say that this story like the rest is false. And we've already seen that Prophet Muhammad did not order the killing of women from the above quoted hadith. This story was most likely made up from Jews of Madinah and Ibn Ishaq probably got this tall tale from them. Also the isnad (chain of transmissions) for this story is broken and very weak.
 

9.) The Killing of Sallam Ibn Abu’l-Huqayq
 

According to Ibn Ishaq, the Prophet allegedly wanted Sallam ibn Abul Huqayq killed. So a bunch of Muslims broke into his house, pushed his wife away and killed Sallam Ibn Abul Huqayq. ( See Ibn Ishaq page p. 482-483 ) Now is this story true? No. This story like the rest is 100% fiction since it doesn't appear in the hadith collections. Moreover the isnad is not from trustworthy sources (again its possible Jews made this story up).

 

10.) The Killing of an Anonymous One-Eyed Shepherd

 

According to only Ibn Ishaq, a one eyed Shepherd made fun of Prophet Muhammad and Islam by making up a poem. Amr (a Muslim) heard his poem making fun of Islam and Amr killed the one eyed Shepherd while he was sleeping. Amr later tells Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Muhamamd allegedly praises Amr for his work. However again this story is false. It is never found in the hadith, there are no chains of tranmissions (isnads) to this story, etc. So like the rest, this story is false.

 

11.) The Killing of A woman named Bunanah
 

A woman named Bunanah was beheaded because she had dropped a millstone on one of Muhammad’s men. This is found in Al-Tabari Volume 8 page 41. However again this story is false. Al-Tabrai admits there are several false stories in his collection and since this story isn't found in the hadith, Muslims deem to be authetnic, this story is rejected as false.

Of course there are many other false stories in Ibn Ishaq's sirat Rasol Allah-- but time and space won't allow me to document all of the false stories.

 

Excerpted from Answering Christian Claims:

http://www.answering-christian-claims.com/The-Problems-With-Ibn-Ishaq.html

 

Are Muslims Allowed to Rape Slave Women? No. Anti Muslim Propaganda Destroyed!

Does Sharia Allow Terrorism? No. Anti Muslim Propganda Destroyed!

 Christians having dreams and converting to Islam:
http://thefactsaboutislam.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/christians-are-having-dreams-and.html

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