Did Mohammad make mistakes that have affected how people view Islam?

Question

A question for muslims or anyone who has a deep understanding of Islam...

Since the Koran is considered as the word of God, Mohammad, was after all, as human as the rest of us. Being a prophet aside for a moment, do any Muslims believe that Mohammad made mistakes that have caused people to not understand Islam correctly in our current time?

i.e. People always cite his marriage to Aisha as an area of concern (though back in the day, people did all kinds of things like this, regardless of religion), and also, there is much talk of how Islam was spread by the sword. If Mohammad had made different decisions in the beginning, do muslims believe that people would be less critical of Islam today? Or did Mohammad do what was needed?

I know Christianity & other religions have similar question marks over its bloody past, but these acts happened after Jesus, as opposed to Jesus being the person who carried them out.

No daft answers from people stirring trouble, thanks.

With Aisha, I have never ever read that she was 19, they married when she was 9 and that they consumated the marriage when she was 13 (and lets face it, a lot of girls aged 13 sleep around these days).

... so although it might be weird to us today for a 13 year old to go with a far older man, back then, it might have been common.

Answer 1

Unfortunately for prophet mohammed, after his death his sahaba and followers used hadith(the prophets sayings) as a way to live life and practice islam without the prophet actually being there to guide them. these hadith have become almost more powerful than the Quran in some parts of the muslim world. so much so that there are many that contradict the Quran and yet muslims follow them and believe in them just because the prophet was supposed to have said them.

There is no way to prove that he did or didnt say any of those things and anyway, if its not beneficial to Islam why have them at all? Obviously they are not beneficial because it is through hadith that so many of the controversial actions that muslims take are grounded....such as the mistreatment of women, jihad, stoning for adultery etc.

prophet mohammed was an ordinary man with an extrordinary mission....to teach the uncivilized people of arabia that God existed and that salvation was possible....but only if they changed some very bad habits and beliefs that they had. He did his job exceptionally well and proved himself time and again as an intelligent, fair, trustworthy, God fearing muslim at all times. Even his own enemies and the enemies of Islam could not find something negative to say about his character...they just didnt want preaching about Islam. The only actions in which God actually had any cause to rebuke him were things that affected him alone and maybe his own family....nothing he did was cause for harm or considered mistakes to the community at large.

Also, unfortunately for our prophet, many many muslims around the world since his death until now have nearly turned him into something worthy of worship the same way Christians have done Jesus....that is something God and the prophet criticized the people for time and again...so you have muslims that almost worship mohammed rioting and causing destruction just because someone says something negative about him, or draws cartoons of him, or critisizes Islam in anyway...all of that is very unmuslim like and unislamic like behavoir and the prophet has no blame for what other muslims do as each of us has our own burdens to carry.

the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword can be dismissed with one fact....asia(malaysia, china etc) has had no conquering horde of muslims weilding the sword of Islam and threatening the masses with conversion or death and yet today those countries have some of the largest populations of muslims in the world....where is the sword that converted them?

All the misconceptions concerning Islam can be attributed to two things....muslims who have distorted the true teachings of the Quran and the prophet....and non muslims who would rather believe those distortions to be true then find the truth themselves.

Answer 2

The Quran is the Word of God and it is Perfect, Mohammad had the duty to declare it and preach it and the wisdom in it. As a human he made mistakes ... absolutely. He was admonished in a few places in the Quran specifically the Surah Abasa ..... is a clear example of that.

His mistakes were obviously very small compared to what the rest of us do these days, but for God they were not and he was admonished.

To be a true believer, we must struggle to understand the truth in the Quran ... not read the interpretation of mere humans over the last 1000 plus years. The Quran is the Truth from God and it cannot be falsified except by the people who have uncertain faith in God. Read the words of the Quran and you will see the light.

They have invented sayings of the Prophet which have no bearing on the Quran and have overridden much of what the Quran says clearly. It was told to the Prophet that if he invented any sayings over the Quran he would be killed ... this is also in the Quran, and he was not killed (he died peacefully) and he accomplished his mission that God chose him for and God completed His favor on Mohammad and thus we have the Quran today to guide us onto the path to the Almighty.

The Quran is The Book, The Wisdom, The Guide and Mercy to the Universe and the source of Healing for the Believers.

Answer 3

No the Prophet (pbuh) never made any mistakes, Aisha (ra) reached puberty when the marraige was consummated. This is a far better indicator as to when a person should marry as they have reached sexual maturity, than prescribing an age. Just look at all the teenage preganancies in the West as an indicator to this problem.

As for the Sword, had the Pagans not tried to assissinate and drive out the Prophet (pbuh) and Muslims and taken all their assets and wealth. There would never been any battles between the two, what most people don't realise is that the Prophet (pbuh) preached for 13 years before any battle. Where the Pagans didn't give him an easy time. No one forced to convert at the point of the sword:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-Q0sBz7lU

So to put it simply the Prophet (pbuh) was fighting opression not waging war to convert or gain riches as the Meccan Muslims were all pretty well off in the first place, including the Prophet (pbuh).

Answer 4

There are many incidents when the prophet made mistakes, but soon after, the angel Gabriel was sent to warn him of his mistakes.

The reason God chose to send a human with a potential to make mistakes, is so that he would make mistakes, and God would show him the right way of doing things.

So the next generations to come, would look at this mans life, and relate to it in the best possible way.

As for Aysha, a 'lot of talk' does not in any way constitute fact.

Any well educated person who takes the time to read up on her life, would know better than to assume all the rubbish people assume about her.

The historical and sociological problems facing Prophet Muhammad were very different than the ones Jesus had faced.

For one, Jesus was not given the responsibility of uniting feudal warring tribes like Muhammad was.

Even tho the prophet had been a most tolerant man, war was inevitable. Because those who opposed him, decided to kill him and those who believed in him as a last resort, because they refused to worship man made statues. i.e. the religion of their forefathers.

After the passing away of the prophet and the last caliphs, Islamic leaders chose to do what they thought was right. i.e. to conquer foreign lands in the hopes of making Islam heard, long and wide.

Conquering lands was never an agenda or a motive for the prophet. But it was for those who came after him.

As a side note, I have not met a single person who has fully read and researched the prophets life, and still had ambigious and ill thoughts about him. Infact, they have developed a sense of respect for the man who has singlehandedly affected 1.3 billion in the world today.

Answer 5

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) has never committed a mistake. We are responsible for this mistake. We don't understand what the Quran and Islam says. I therefore request to the people of the world to read this holy book at least once and find what are the facts. By the grace of the Allah the whole of the world will be benefited. Amin

Answer 6

Moral values changes over time since human tends to bend the rules God gave them. For example, I believe there is a teaching for Jews, Christians, and Moslems not to commit pornification with a severe punishment for those who did that. Look at nowadays facts that such action is considered okay for some countries. Human tends to made up rules for themselves, including setting up 17 or 21 years old as a standard of someone being an adult, eligible to do this and that.

Islam considered first menstruation or first ejaculation as the beginning of physical maturity of someone. So I think it's not fair to bend a moral code and blame that 'considered old' moral code.

As for Mohammad PBUH, i truly believe that every action He made were guided by Allah The Almighty, even things that looks like a mistake. Those 'guided mistakes' were set by Allah The Almighty as examples for us humans.

As for talks of how Islam was spread by the sword, does the people who speak such word realized how christianity was spread by cannons and gunpowders ?

Answer 7

Are you sure you were not fed! and You view Islam with your own study...?

Marriages of Muhammad were accepted and approved by all Muslims and non-muslims living in Mecca Medina. They did not raised such questions because the marriages were according to their traditions. Some scholars say she was 9 or 13 when engaged but all scholars are agreed she was between 18-19 years when married with Muhammad.We have no problem in this aspect.

Such odd Q&A session was started and spread over the Christian world by the Crussaders specially the defeated and injured Knight Templers who had some special links with Holy Pope and church!! They could not win the Holywar on the front but they created hatred against Islam and Muhammad. What else they could do...

What you are talking here are the same odds but without any source or authority.

Muslim scholars spent their whole life to collect each and every aspect (movement) of the life of prophet Muhammad. By the grace of God! Now we have full view of the life of our beloved prophet. Whoever like to know Muhammad he must reach to these sources! Otherwise he is liar!

Yours is a repeat odd question. Seen many time but none could ever give the correct reference or Hadith number where he found this fake story. Some say 6 year. Some say 9 or 13 years? Why don't you give the name of your source? and increase our knowledge too!

Holy Pope Bandict XVi started the issue last year 15/9 - about the Sword of Islam but he could not go ahead to few word of a frightend Roman King (1391)
The Pope has plenty of time now and he can still give some proof about Swords of Islam!

Which Muslim army went to Far East, Indonesia and Malyasia to spread Islam?

Muslims rulled India for about 1000 Yeas but we did not forced Hindus to convert or die! India still a majority of 80% Hindus,15% Muslim and 5% Rest living peacefully.

14 Million Coptic Christians and Jews still living in Middle East and they were never forced to convert

On the contrary when we see 13th Crntury SPAIN !!
Muslim rulled Spain for 700 yeas and none was forced to convert but when Christians got power they eleminated Muslims by force! and of course, under the deadly shadow of Church!

Why you always forget these facts?

We always ask proof of such things but it is your habit and general tendency to quote such odds without proof and references.

Pls. do some home-work on your issues and come back with evidances. We always welcome the authority.

God Bless you all!

Answer 8

Salaam

There are mistakes that the prophet made and it is mentioned in the Holy Quran. If any muslim disagree then i ask you to read the quran agen, trust me. However the mistakes that the prophet made were not major mistakes. Soon after his mistakes the angel Gabriel was sent to him with a message warning him.

regarding interpreting Islam, i dont think that he made mistakes. Since God tells him that if he teach anything other then what was revealed then he will be punished severely.

Unfortunately many people have come up with stories about the prophet to suit their own needs.

hope that helps.

Answer 9

I am a Muslim and want to tell you that prophet Muhammad was not an ordinary person like you and me who could make mistakes.As you have said that Islam is not understood clearly by the people is true .But after Prophet Muhammad and his ancestors ,many kings and common people came who tried to change the religion of Islam and made changes in the books written by those people.Islam wasn't spread by sword.Each and every war fought by Prophet Muhammad was for his own defense and not for the sake of annexing land and establishing an empire.He led a very simple life indeed and even after being the Prophet he used to live in rags.Please try to know about the religion as much as you can and then you will realize that the motto Islam is teaching.

Answer 10

No Prophet Mohammad, never made a mistake thats caused people to not understand Islam correctly. Marraige the Hazarth Aisha, was normal, she is The mother of belivers, shes the one who even brought about Islam, after the Prophet passed away. and remeber every marraige of his and a motive behind, he marraid her because she could carry on the message of islam after him, look after the community,etc,etc.