The orientalists, The seerah and the qur’an-5

Jassim Ibn Da’yan
D. JUDEO-CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE


D.1 Influence of Judeo/Christian Societies at the time of Prophet (pbuh)
The orientalists allege that the Prophet (pbuh) was subject to the Judeo/Christian influence of his time and that the Qur’an reflects this influence. It was suggested that Muhammad (pbuh) had two big problems if he were to embrace Judaism or Christianity:
If he becomes a Christian, he would be bringing in the Christian Byzantine regime to Mecca which will not be tolerated by his people in Mecca; and,
He could not pretend that he knew more than the older members and priests of those two religions - Judaism and Christianity.
Thus, in both instances, he cannot take the leadership. So the orientalists suggest that Muhammad (pbuh) decided to reproduce the role of Musa or Jesus, because he could see that “they were men, and what they had done, he could do.”
The orientalists alleged that the monotheistic influence was due to Christian and Jewish influence which were present in Makkah and also suggested that there was a monotheist informant from one of those religions. However at a different stage, they also suggested that, what the Prophet (pbuh) received from his informants was “would be factual knowledge” but the “meaning and interpretation of the facts” came to him “by the usual process of revelation”.
They suggested that the gradual growth in accuracy of the Qur’an’s narration pertinent to biblical stories is evidence that Muhammad got these stories from some informant.
They alleged that the Qur’an reproduced contemporary errors that were originally found in the Judeo/Christian scriptures.
IMPORTANT FACTORS
It is a known historical fact that there was no Arabic version of the Old or New Testament previous to the time of Muhammad. The earliest Arabic version of the Old Testament of which we have any knowledge is that of R. Saadias Gaon A.D.900 (which was 300 years after the death of Muhammad pbuh). The oldest Arabic version of the New Testament is that published by Erpenius in A.D.1616 (which was 1000 years after the departure of Muhammad pbuh).
There were also Christians living in Najran, in Yemen (south of Makkah) and to the north there lived some Jews in Yathrib which was later known as Madinah. There was no record whatsoever that Muhammad (pbuh) had ever traveled to Najran before or after his Prophethood. Muhammad (pbuh) has gone to Madinah before his Prophethood only thrice. When he was six years old, he accompanied his mother to visit a relative, Banu Najjar and to let Muhammad (pbuh) visit the grave of his father who had died while Muhammad was in the womb of his mother. It is too wild a speculation to imagine that at the age of six and within a day or two he could have learned all the 66 or 73 books of the Bible. At any rate, the distance between Makkah and Madinah is hundreds of kilometers and the only means of transportation at that time was camel, and it took several weeks. Muhammad (pbuh) could not have shuttled between the two cities unnoticed by his contemporaries. As such it would clearly seem that the existence of such communities could not be the source of the Qur’an.
Replies:
The Prophet (pbuh) was only 12 years old when he met Baheera for a very short period of time on the way to Syria with his uncle Abu Talib. This very brief meeting is not sufficient to discuss religious doctrines. Again it is stupid to assume that the young boy can learn all the 66 or 73 books of the Bible, discuss religious doctrines and scriptural prophecy about the coming of the Messenger etc, at this tender age.
The orientalists accept a part of this meeting only, but they fail to acknowledge the other, which speak about:
Baheera’s knowledge concerning the prophecy in the Scriptures regarding the coming of the new prophet;
Baheera recognizing the sign of Prophethood in Muhammad (pbuh); and,
Baheera asking Abu Talib to take the boy home.
When confronted with the above information, Muir even tries to explain it as a mistake or as a forgery by a designing monk. In order to downplay the importance of Baheera’s recognition of the sign of Prophethood, Muir writes a footnote saying that the report is full of absurdities, but later realizing his folly, omits the footnote in subsequent editions without altering the main text.
It is common knowledge that a trade caravan traveling in the harsh desert would concentrate their trade in populated areas only and avoid wandering into deserted habitations, ruined townships or empty church assemblies for the sight seeing pleasure of a young boy. Yet Muir suggests that the caravan passed near Petra, Jerash, Ammon and other ruined cities and that these sights influenced the young Muhammad (pbuh).
In Makkah there were only a few Christians of humble social and intellectual status, being either slaves or petty retailers and mostly immigrants. Only one or two original inhabitants of Makkah such as Uthman ibn al Huwairith and Waraqah ibn Nawfal had turned Christians, the former out of personal or political considerations, and the latter as a result of his search for better faith. Waraqa had met the Prophet (pbuh) only twice , and he died three years after the first revelation, but the revelation to the Prophet (pbuh) continued for 20 more years after his death.
The question is, would a person of Mohammed’s (pbuh) stature, knowledge and intelligence, as suggested by the orientalists, proceed to propound a new religion and challenge the credibility of both the prevailing systems of Judaism and Christianity merely on the basis of hearsay and superficial knowledge of them?
The orientalists are not consistent in their allegation when they say that:
the Prophet (pbuh) was ambitious and therefore careful enough to avoid the political implications of embracing either Judaism or Christianity; but,
He was careless enough to institute a new religion based on information picked up from bazaar gossips and Jewish storytellers at wine shops.