Jibreel Illusion of Muhammad and His Prophethood

Reading the Qur’an with understanding is much more important than just reading for the sake of reading it. When we read the Qur’an and try to understand its meaning, search for the source of the verse, the historical context, or the reasons behind the revelation of the verse, then analyzing them reveals the usefulness of our own intellect, conscience, and thinking. And at the same time, we understand the factual exaggeration and unadulterated historical facts regarding the Qur’anic text. 

But in reality, it is hampered by the followers of our religious teachers who love the Arabic language and inconsistent rhetoric. They can’t imagine that no one will be overwhelmed by the information of all their bizarre, unbalanced, and strange theories. In this way, they freely express whatever they want in the unbridled religious teachings. If anyone doubts their statement, they immediately call him a Kafir or an “infidel” for self-satisfaction. Just as no one has the right to protest their falsehood, so, is there none who has the courage to resist their uncalled-for religious cries. That’s the way it is, which is still going on and may continue for some more time.

Illusion or Not?

A glance at history reveals that the history of Islam began to unfold in 610 AD when Muhammad was forty years old. He was born in 570 AD. It is said that one day he went to a cave in Mount Hira to meditate. He was known to go there from time to time. But one day, grieved with a sudden fear he ran to his wife Khadija and asked her to give him refuge with a hug. Khadija immediately wrapped him in a blanket and placed his head on her thigh and wanted to know the reason for his fear. Then, even in the middle of winter, his whole appearance was covered with sweat droplets. Muhammad was then forty years old and Khadija fifty-seven.

I have reasons to believe that it wasn’t Jebreel whom Muhammad met at Hira cave. It was Iblis (Satan) who appeared to confuse him. Why do I believe so?

First of all, Muhammad had no idea who Jebreel (Gabriel) is. His clan and all his relatives were idol worshippers. Secondly, he never read any scriptures or followed Abrahamic or Moses’ teachings ever. So, he was completely unaware of the angels or prophets. It is his first wife Khadija, who had little knowledge about the Holy books (Ahle Kitabs) just because she was a Christian. Thirdly, the strange in Hira never mentioned that he came from God with a message. It was the wife’s imagination and her idea which has no evidence of truth. Fourthly, he has no divine call ever, from above or whatever. Finally, the Almighty Allah can never make any historical mistake or alter his words. But if you look into the Quranic verses, you will find them in many places. How could Allah make such mistakes?

Meeting Jibreel or Iblis has no record in the Quran. This Arabian mythology only can be found in some Hadiths that had been recorded after two centuries. Most importantly, that incident did not take place day after day but one day only, according to their record. And on that particular day, Iblis did not hand him over the Quran which we now have in our hands. This is indeed a great fantasy of Arabian tale. Remember, there was no Quran during his lifetime. It came as a book after 21 years of his death. So, Muhammad’s Jibreel encounter is nothing but an illusion or fairy tale.   

According to his narration, Muhammad stated that he saw an evil spirit who told him to read a few Arabic sentences. In fact, even though he expressed his inability to read or write, the spirit asked him to read three times and later helped him to read: “Ikra Bismi Rabbikallaji Khalaka” meaning, “Read in the name of your Lord.” He fails to read it but later reveals it in the presence of an unwanted stranger.

The matter made Khadija think a little, but in the light of her own thoughts and experience, she said, ‘Gabriel has come to you’, to grant you prophethood. But Bibi Khadija’s words did not move Muhammad’s heart. He still could not understand the causes and types of the signs.

Bibi Khadija was not an idolator. She was a wealthy Christian noblewoman of the Quraish tribe. Based on her thoughts and experience, she comforted her husband with what she thought, saying, “Surely that man is Jebreel (Gabriel), and he has brought you the message of prophethood.” Muhammad couldn’t believe that he was called to be a prophet. So, Kadija finally took him to one of her reverent uncle –Waraqa bin Nawful,  who had a reputation because of his scholarly knowledge at the time. He was the first person to translate the New Testament into Arabic during his time. However, historical evidence suggests that Waraqa bin Nawful was expelled from the Christian community for an unknown reason. The possible crimes for being expelled from the Christian did not spread as much as his reputation through the translation of the New Testament into the Arabic language.

Human certification of Prophethood: Khadija and Nawful in Perspective

According to Islamic thinkers, after hearing from Muhammad, Waraqa bin Nawful gave his opinion by saying that it was Jebreel (Gabriel) who paid a visit to him in the cave of mountain with the message of his “Prophethood”. At the same time, he inspired the Prophet to respond to the Prophethood and to reveal himself as a Prophet.

Here a fact worth mentioning is that because some fraudulent Islamic preachers preach that Waraqa bin Nawful saw a mark on the back of the Prophet’s neck whereby he identified him as a Prophet. No one ever thought about how ridiculous this may sound. From then on, he followed the path to prophethood. A verse of the Qur’an is noteworthy here:

وَوَجَدَكَ ضَآلًّا فَهَدَىٰ 

It says: “Did He not find you lost and guide you? (Chapter 93:7, Abdul Haleem translation)

Lost means, unguided (the Clear Quran), wandering (Pikthal and Yusuf Ali) mean misguided or misled. Misguidance means going astray. Doesn’t the verse clearly prove his depravity? If not, then why does Allah say this to him?

Growing up with idol worship experience, Muhammad had no idea of the prophets in the past. He never followed Abrahamic religion or Moses’ laws. His whole clan was the follower of the idols.

Whatever may it be, only based on his own presumption and in Bibi Khadija’s conjecture it is said that the angel (Gabriel) came to teach the Qur’an to the Prophet in the cave of Mount Hira.

Due to his old age complexities and based on unverified information, Waraqa agrees that Gabriel brought the message of Prophethood to the Prophet. However, it has never been heard that the person who appeared to him in the cave identified himself as an angel, sent by Allah with the message of His prophethood. But even though the matter is based on complete human conjecture, no one has ever tried to unearth the truth behind it.

We know that in the guise of angels, evil spirits often deceive people to achieve their mischievous goals. Adam and Eve were deceived by the devil in the same way and therefore were expelled from the presence of God Almighty. We notice the same deceiving fervor among contemporary Islamic Sufi saints.   

They claim to acquire all the miraculous and supernatural powers in their dreams, or perhaps in the unintelligible reflection of a dreamlike state of the subconscious mind. These activities are largely dependent on the “evil spirit” which is nothing less than Satan’s various means of self-expression.   

Allah did not leave the world he created in the hands of Satan. Satan relies on the human conscience to spread his evil deeds. When a person voluntarily succumbs to Satan’s plan and considers it is agreeable, then Satan can manifest his power in the life of that person. After Adam’s sin, God expelled him from the Garden of Eden. Since his victory over Adam, Satan has been able to subdue humans through his evil spirits. That is why those who have turned away from the word of God and the way of the ancient prophets, Satan has been able to gain his supremacy in their lives. 

History tells us the fact that every time the angel of God has brought the heavenly message among the people, revealed the reasons for the message with its arrival by identifying itself.

But we do not see any such expression or sign in the secluded darkness of the cave of Mount Hira. Man has never gone to the forest or to the cave of the mountains to seek his Creator, but that glorious God has manifested himself in the heart of man with patience and great love. Thus, the Prophet’s meeting with Gabriel in the cave of Mount Hira was nothing but confronting and being deceived by Satan.

But the case of Prophet Moses was a little different. Because, out of curiosity, he climbed on Mount Sinai to see the fire in the bushes. There was a burning fire but nothing was being burned. Surprised by this site, he gradually became attracted to it and later heard the unseen voice of Allah.  Allah called him in an intimate call and gave him the status of prophethood. In the aftermath of that, many people have gone mad with the desire to become a prophet.

Being expelled from heaven, Satan can do nothing but divert people from their faith. Since Muhammad was still not a believer in monotheism, therefore it was very easy for him to be confused. Because even then he was still included among the idolaters. His paternal uncle Abu Taleb and others, including his grandfather Abdul Muttalib, worshiped idols.  

Only Bibi Khadija was a follower of the People of the Book, although she failed to sustain the ideals of them in her heart and soul. However, it is true that Bibi Khadija was aware of the ancient prophets by virtue of being a former Christian and sometimes told their story to her husband Muhammad. Muhammad would listen to it attentively and would get beguiled. It is said that Muhammad listened to it with great interest from Bibi Khadija and also from his slave named Zayd. Later, he also listened from, Maria Kibtiya, a mistress of Muhammad, about which he did not gain wisdom by reading the book himself.

Thus, his idea of ​​Gabriel or angels was extremely inadequate. Only in Khadija’s words did he become a prophet from then on. And Satan became the angel Gabriel. Sometimes, in English, making a small mistake in a short sentence can be fatal and may create a huge gap between a speaker and a listener.: If someone misspells the word Unite, and write Untie instead, it means two different things. Unite means to unite and Untie means to deviate. A little mistake and misspell can cause a huge problem.

As Muhammad became a prophet in Bibi Khadija’s prescriptive words, she had taught him how to behave like the ancient prophets with a little effort. Khadija’s respect was undisputed among the Quraish tribe for her wealth and social position. However, there were still many rumors about her, as well. Because, in the meantime, she has been married twice and at the age of forty-two she married twenty-five-year-old Muhammad for the third time marriage, and so on and so forth.

However, soon after the Prophet’s prophethood, he informed his best friend Abu Bakr about it and at the same time initiated him into Islam. He then freed the slave Zayd whom Khadija had given him and initiated him with the message of Islam. These three, Bibi Khadija, Abu Bakr, and Zayd are the first, second, and third persons and soldiers of Islam.

In view of the situation, it is natural to raise some questions: Firstly: on which verse is of holy Quran Bibi Khadija’s marriage with Muhammad based? That is, who performed their marriage on the basis of either any shariah law or belief, or why has it not been revealed to the public yet? And if it was not done based on the Islamic idea of marriage, would it still be considered halal or acceptable? Because we know that they were married long before Muhammad’s prophethood. But how did it take place? Was it done according to Khadija’s wishes, according to Christianity, or according to the mantras of the Prophet’s pagan family faith? To this day, no Islamic preacher has ever preached in this regard. But why?

Secondly: what did the Prophet do to meditate on in the cave of Mount Hira? He was not yet considered a Muslim then. He did not follow the People of the Book by marrying Bibi Khadija. Then it must be assumed that he was astray at that time. Did he go to the cave of Mount Hira to search for an invisible deity when the so-called Gabriel stood before him? Here is a notable verse:

ألم يجدك يتيما فاوى 

“Did He not find you an orphan, and give you shelter?” (Surah Ad-Doha, 93: 7).

Thirdly, why should we accept the comment of “Waraqa-bin-Nawful” when his life was in turmoil? Why did the Christian community then expel him from the church? The eligibility of such a person to comment on Muhammad’s prophethood is questionable.

Fourthly, how did the great Creator send his great message to such a man who denied His existence through the worship of man-made idols? Moreover, did God not know that the person could not read or understand His Word because of his ignorance? Then, should we suggest that Allah was unaware of the fact? God forbids! 

Fifthly: How can a person who is unable to read or write in his own language remember the divine messages? How can the person remember all the messages exactly when they were not recorded yet? I know that it is useless to expect a good answer even if I throw question after question in my mind. However, I only suggest that this matter demands in-depth analysis. If one becomes a saint merely for a dream, if one claims to be a prophet under the influence of an evil spirit, then Satan’s advantage is a hundredfold bigger.  

If he can control the brains of humans, then man will become insane in the midst of magic, sorcery, and numerous unfounded speculations. This is a pattern of misguidance. That is why Satan’s magical works aplenty behind the scenes of Islamic practice, today. At the same time, behind the cover of the head, there is the desire of the scattered lust of the evil spirit. This is what we sometimes call worship.

One more unanswered question always revolves in my heart. And that is – why the first revealed sentences of the revelation of the Qur’an were not included at the beginning of the Qur’an? Why the positions of these primary sentences at the very end of the Qur’an, in verses 1-5 of Surah Al-Alaq, number 96? If this is the case, then the first surah of the Qur’anic Arabic, that is, the Prophet’s journey to Islam began with this word. Why does it not find a place at the beginning of the Qur’an? This is how the verses begin.

 ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ (1) خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (2) ٱقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ (3) ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِٱلْقَلَمِ (4) عَلَّمَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (5)

Read, ˹O Prophet,˺ in the Name of your Lord Who created—created humans from a clinging clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen—taught humanity what they knew not. (Al-Alaqq, 96: 1-5).

In this regard, it has been said, ‘Arishah (R) narrates that the revealed to Muhammad in the form of a true dream. Then the angel came to him and said, ‘Read in the name of your Lord. Who created you from a clot of congealed blood. Read, and honor your Lord. Who taught through the pen. ” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Modern Publications, Volume 4, Page 613, Hadith No. 4587). It has been said here that revelation comes to the Messenger of Allah in the form of true dreams. Just as dreams can never be true, so the truth cannot be like dreams. But did he imagine the likely form of Gabriel and the conversation between him and the figure?

Allah Almighty knows best about this. He is omniscient. Not anyone else. Surrounded by mystery, Waraqa bin Nawful regarded Muhammad as a prophet in his scholarly explanation. But he was not found anywhere after the first migration of the Prophet. No one gives an account of his death. Regarding his sudden disappearance, some people even think that he had been silently removed by a gesture of an invisible hand. As for Waraqa, he himself was not a prophet for giving approval to someone’s prophethood. Moreover, even though he supported Muhammad as a prophet, he never accepted Islam or followed the rules of Islam. But why?

Interestingly, according to Muhammad, he was the only witness to the fact that the supernatural man appeared and said to him in the cave of Mount Hira, “O Muhammad, recite in the name of your Lord.” There were no other witnesses in this matter. Taken aback, he is the only one who had told his wife Bibi Khadija about this experience. Gabriel himself did not reveal his identity to her. On the contrary, Khadija reassured him when he ran to her, wildly, engulfed with fear. The Prophet might have thought that the supernatural spirit was none other than an evil spirit.

Although the nightmare he had had in the cave of Mount Hira was considered a sign of the prophethood by Bibi Khadija, Nawful, Abu Bakr was still ridiculed by the closest people of Muhammad. They considered him nothing but a lunatic. All his close relatives, including his grandfather Abdul Muttalib, were disappointed by his behaviour.

As we talk about the angel Jebreel (Gabriel), so must we analyze his characteristics, as well as the devil or the fallen angels or evil spirits. If we look at the pages of history, we will see that all the prophets of God (major or minor) came from the nation of Israel. Not from any other race or clan. In this regard, the Qur’an also mentions that “Allah has chosen Adam, Noah, the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Imran for the worlds” (Al-Imran, 3:33).

 ۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 

The verse mentions only two clans that were chosen by Allah and the descendants of Abraham, meaning the community of Israelites and the family of Imran. Nowhere in the Qur’an did he mention the descendants of the Quraish or any other tribes or races. Surely Allah does not change His words to our liking! So, we can say without any doubt that God did not send Gabriel to the cave of Mount Hira with his divine message. Second, why would God go against his own word and send his angel six hundred years later to someone who is not one of those chosen descendants?

Moreover, why would God send his message to a person who does not really know how to read or write? Why would God break his own promise! May God forgive us! God cannot do such a thing.

In fact, Muhammad behaved ignorantly in his unwelcome experience. And to cover that, Khadija had to say that the Prophet had received prophethood. It is also an event that adapts the character of an Arabic novel. Seeing and hearing, it seems that Allah is like the plaything of children.

The angel Gabriel is not a jinn or a ghost that he should suddenly appear wherever he is to prophesy. Rather, he carries the specific message of Allah and conveys the special message to the special person only according to the will of Allah and also explains the specific reason for it. His presence frightens people for a moment, but his assurance gives people peace. This is exactly what happened when prophet Zakariya suddenly saw Gabriel during his worship.

Gabriel introduced himself as he appeared before prophet Zachariah and said that he stands by the side of Allah, and now he has brought Allah’s command for him (Zachariah), which bears a wonderful sign for the human race. He brought the news of the birth of his unborn son John.

Similarly, when Gabriel later brought the message of God’s infinite blessings to Mary, she was also terrified for a moment. Immediately the angel Gabriel comforted her and told her that he had brought good news for mankind from Allah. And in the same way, he introduced himself to the virgin Mary, saying that the great mercy of Allah has been bestowed upon you. You will give birth to a holy son (The Gospel of Luke 1: 26-31).

Muhammad is a plain Warner, not a Prophet

And in Quran it says in Sura Mary and verses 19-21, He said: I am only a Messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless Son. 20 She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 21 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 (Marmaduke Pickthal translation).

Mary was shocked by the incredible words and asked how it was possible. Then the angel Gabriel revealed to her the plan of God which had soothed Mary with the compassion of an inevitable peace.

Two things are clear here. Firstly, Gabriel brought his message from God’s throne, and secondly, he clearly identified himself and stated the reason for his arrival. There is no scientific explanation for Gabriel’s arrival and message, but there is spiritual significance. There is no element of this nonsensical drama in it that may confuse people.

For good reason, it is clearly understandable that instead of Gabriel, Satan came to visit Muhammad at the cave of Mount Hira. Disobeying the command of Allah is the main objective of Satan. From the very beginning of human creation, he has been constantly deceiving the children of Adam and inspiring them to go against God. And at his instigation, the mistaken servants of God have become confused and engaged in incoherent works and have been imprisoned in wickedness. We cannot expect from the Prophet of Allah to engage with only war, lust for women, murder, and trading of slaves. In all this, no greatness of Allah is to be revealed. What is revealed is a perverted expression of evil and greed and unbridled desire. For good reason, it can be firmly stated that Muhammad saw Satan in the cave of Mount Hira, which led him astray and led him astray from the truth to the extremes of darkness. 

To this end, I would like to draw your attention to the fact, where Muhammad has confessed that he was not a prophet and had no idea what would happen to him at the end. Let’s look into verse 9 of Sura Al Ahkaf.

 (9)قُلْ مَا كُنتُ بِدْعًا مِّنَ ٱلرُّسُلِ وَمَآ أَدْرِى مَا يُفْعَلُ بِى وَلَا بِكُمْ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ

It says like this: “Say: I am no new thing among the messengers (of Allah), nor know I what will be done with me or with you. I do but follow that which is inspired in me, and I am but a plain warner (Pickthal translation).

I want you to look at 3 things here. 1) He didn’t claim here that he was a prophet or last prophet. 2) He clearly confessed that he doesn’t know what will be done with him and with us. This is a terrible expression of uncertain fear. 3) And he said, he was but a plain warner. I repeat – not a prophet but a plain warner.

Take note that, no prophet has fear of uncertainty about their destiny. Hope you catch this right.

Ultimately, it is undeniable that the Qur’an should be read with a clear understanding of what is in it, rather than being read with a fine-tuning in order to merely make good to hear. And at the same time, one should invent the inevitable aspect of truth in the range of one’s own knowledge and conscience.

Are you a brave truth seeker? Are you exploring the truth? If not, then let it begin with us today, right now.