To My Fellow Muslims with Love: Revealing Real Muhammad and Islam 5G - Fasting the Third Pillar of Islam: Fasting Sprit—Jesus vs. Muhammad

In this article, I will discuss how vigorously Muhammad tried to project himself as someone similar to Jesus by pretending to fast continuously like did Jesus, and how ‘Allah’ fed him during his continuous fasting. Muhammad’s inability to fast while traveling for Jihad expeditions and the reason for his abolishing fasting while traveling in two steps will also be discussed.

QURAN—A MESSED-UP VERSION OF OTHER SCRIPTURES & TRADITIONS

Dear Muslim brothers! Since childhood, I read our holy Quran numerous times in Arabic without understanding its meaning. I read it in English for the first time when I was 29, and was shocked to realize that many of the things in the Quran were copied from the Old and New Testaments. Because I went to a Christian Missionary school, I had to study the Bible as part of my curriculum and I always scored well in that subject and even got medals. What I want to say is that I have good knowledge in the Christian Bible, which most of my Muslim brothers are deprived of. As Muslims, we are discouraged from keeping or reading the Bible or holy books of other religions; and Muslims generally have no interest in reading them, although this tradition goes against Allah’s advice on consulting the Christian and Jewish scriptures, where the Quran fails. For example, Allah says: “If you have any doubt about Our Revelation, then ask the Jews, ask the Christians and verify the previous Scriptures” (Quran 10:94). Thus, Muhammad went against Allah and advised Muslims not to read previous Scriptures as narrated in the following hadith:

MUSLIMS SHOULD NOT READ THE HOLY BOOKS OF OTHERS

Narrated by abir ibn Abdullah: Umar ibn al-Khattah brought to Allah’s Messenger a copy of the Torah and said: Allah’s Messenger, this is a copy of the Torah. He (Allah’s Messenger) kept quiet and he (Umar) began to read it. The [color of the] face of Allah’s? Messenger underwent a change, whereupon Abu Bakr said: Would that your mother mourns you, don’t you see the face of Allah’s Messenger? Umar saw the face of Allah’s Messenger and said: I seek refuge with Allah from the wrath of Allah and the wrath of His Messenger. We are well pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet. Whereupon Allah’s Messenger said: By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, even if Moses were to appear before you and you were to follow him, leaving me aside, you would certainly stray into error: for if (Moses) were alive, and he found my prophetical ministry he would have definitely followed me” (Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 194)

Muhammad did not want his followers to learn about Scriptures of the Jews and Christians for two reasons. First, they may find the messages of those scriptures superior and more appealing; second, he did not want his disciples get to know the secret of his plagiarizing of those scriptures. As a result, he got wild when learned that his followers, such as Umar, were keeping the Bible. This dictate of Muhammad is implemented in Saudi Arabia to this today. No non-Muslim can enter Saudi Arabia, declaring that they were carrying their Holy Book. If customs officers happened to see someone carrying non-Muslim holy books, they tear into pieces in-front of their very eyes, give them scolding and throw it into the trash-bin.

On the other hand, Muhammad referred the same Biblical scriptures, whenever he wanted to punish the Jews by killing them according to the un-used ancient norms recorded in their Scriptures.

ONLY MUHAMMAD IS ALLOWED TO REFER AND PLAGIARIZE NON-MUSLIM HOLY BOOKS, NOT OTHER MUSLIMS

Narrated Abdullah Ibn Umar: A group of Jews came and invited the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) to Quff. So he visited them in their school. They said: Abul Qasim, one of our men has committed fornication with a woman; so pronounce judgment upon them. They placed a cushion for the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) who sat on it and said: Bring the Torah. It was then brought. He then withdrew the cushion from beneath him and placed the Torah on it saying: I believed in thee and in Him Who revealed thee…. (Sunan Abu Dawood/ Book 38/ Number 4434)
Narrated Ibn 'Umar: A Jew and a Jewess were brought to Allah's Apostle on a charge of committing an illegal sexual intercourse. The Prophet asked them. "What is the legal punishment (for this sin) in your Book (Torah)?" They replied, "Our priests have innovated the punishment of blackening the faces with charcoal and Tajbiya." 'Abdullah bin Salam said, "O Allah's Apostle, tell them to bring the Torah." The Torah was brought, and then one of the Jews put his hand over the Divine Verse of the Rajam (stoning to death) and started reading what preceded and what followed it. On that, Ibn Salam said to the Jew, "Lift up your hand." Behold! The Divine Verse of the Rajam was under his hand. So Allah's Apostle ordered that the two (sinners) be stoned to death, and so they were stoned. Ibn 'Umar added: So both of them were stoned at the Balat and I saw the Jew sheltering the Jewess. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 8:809)
Similar hadith proves that Muhammad referred the Jewish Scripture ‘Torah’ to kill the Jews. (Sahih Muslim 4214)

CHARLATAN MUHAMMAD’S PRETENTION TO FAST ‘CONTINUOUSLY’ IMITATING JESUS

Muhammad founded Islam by plagiarizing 100% from already existing scriptures and traditions of various peoples. And our ‘prophet’, in order to project himself as someone similar to Jesus, tried his best to imitate him. There are many hadiths that reveals how Muhammad tried to imitate Jesus. According to the Bible, Jesus supposedly fasted for 40 days continuously in the desert, when the Satan tried to tempt him. This is commonly known as the Temptation of Christ. Here are the few verses from Bible on fasting that influenced Muhammad to imitate Jesus:

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered man.(New Testament, Matthew 4:2: )
Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungry. (New Testament, Luke 4:2)

These two verses were part of Muhammad’s motivation to announce the 30-day fasting in the month of Ramadan in Islam, in place of only one day of fasting previously – first, on the Pagan Ashura (10^th of Muharram), and then on Jewish Yom Kippur. The observance of the 30-day fasting in Ramadan was also copied directly from the star-worshipping Sabians, who used to observe month-long fasting in Ramadan. Muhammad simply Islamized this Sabian practice.

The above two Biblical verses claim that Jesus had fasted, continuously, for 40 days. In order to project himself as someone of Jesus’ caliber, Muhammad pretended to fast continuously. As such, Muhammad could not fast, nor had any intention of fasting, sincerely even for a single day. Proofs to this claim is scattered in the hadiths, which will be discussed at the end of this article. Since Muhammad’s mosque was separated from his house only by a curtain, it was very easy for him to lie that he was fasting continuously.

‘CLEAVER’ SAHAABAS’ ATTEMPT TO PROPHETHOOD BY FASTING CONTINUOUSLY

By knowing about our prophet’s continuous fasting, some of his ‘clever’ followers, who wished to elevate themselves in politics like Muhammad or get special attention, also started imitating him. Muhammad could not tolerate this. He did not want others to imitate him or Jesus, lest they would later claim themselves to be prophets. So, he forbade them against fasting continuously. When they asked for reason, Muhammad said that he was special and that he was specially fed by his Allah ‘during the night’.

Narrated 'Abdullah: The Prophet fasted for days continuously; the people also did the same but it was difficult for them. So, the Prophet forbade them (to fast continuously for more than one day). They said, "But you fast without break (no food was taken in the evening or in the morning)." The Prophet replied, "I am not like you, for I am provided with food and drink (by Allah)." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:145, 182-183)

'Narrated Abu Sa'id: That he had heard the Prophet saying, "Do not fast continuously (practise Al-Wisal), and if you intend to lengthen your fast, then carry it on only till the Suhur (before the following dawn)." The people said to him, "But you practice (Al-Wisal), O Allah's Apostle!" He replied, "I am not similar to you, for during my sleep I have One Who makes me eat and drink." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:184-188)

From the above hadiths, one can easily come to a conclusion about ‘who’ could have possibly fed Muhammad during the nights? Surely, that ‘Allah’ was none other than Aisha.

Some of his politically motivated adamant Sahaaba, who knew the secrets of charlatan Muhammad and tried to elevate themselves to his level, had fasted continuously (in the ‘same way’ as their master). So, Muhammad got wild learning about it, and advised them not to do so, and when they refused to stop, he threatened o punish them for disobedience as narrated in the following hadiths:

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle forbade Al-Wisal in fasting. So, one of the Muslims said to him, "But you practice Al-Wisal. O Allah's Apostle!" The Prophet replied, "Who amongst you is similar to me? I am given food and drink during my sleep by my Lord." So, when the people refused to stop Al-Wisal (fasting continuously), the Prophet fasted day and night continuously along with them for a day and then another day and then they saw the crescent moon (of the month of Shawwal). The Prophet said to them (angrily), "If It (the crescent) had not appeared, I would have made you fast for a longer period." That was as a punishment for them when they refused to stop (practicing Al-Wisal). (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:186)
Narrated Sahl bin Sad: Allah's Apostle said, "The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast." (Sahih Bukhari 3:178)

DON’T FAST THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Some of our Prophet’s companions showed their devotion to Islam as much as or even more than his, which made our beloved prophet angry (fearing that his companions may topple him from his position?). So, he immediately ordered them not to fast and pray day and night throughout the year.

Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr: The news of my daily fasting and praying every night throughout the night reached the Prophet. So he sent for me or I met him, and he said, "I have been informed that you fast everyday and pray every night (all the night). Fast (for some days) and give up fasting (for some days); …So, the Prophet said twice: "Whoever fasts daily throughout his life is just as the one who does not fast at all." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:198)

MUHAMMAD’S TWICE-A-WEEK FASTING—ANOTHER INSTANCE OF IMITATING THE BIBLE

Here is one more incident, out of numerous, of copying the Christian Bible by Muhammad. It was about Jesus said parable to his gathering about two persons. One of them said, “I fast twice in the week.”

“I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” (New Testament, Luke 18:12)

In imitation of the above mention of fasting in the Bible (Muhammad thought it was Jesus who fasted twice a week), he pretended to fast the same.

It was narrated that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was keen to fast on Mondays and Thursdays. Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 745; al-Nasaa’i, 2361; Ibn Maajah, 1739; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1044.

Muhammad probably could even pretend to fast continuously the whole year round, because he had straight access to Aisha’s kitchen just behind his mosque. However, to keep his Sunna of twice-a-week fasting alive, many of our brothers have been observing this fast for the past 1400 years. Even today, some devout Muslims follow this Sunna, an absolute lie as usual. Please read chapter 18 of Luke to know that Jesus only said a parable to his gathering on this two days of weekly fasting. Reading this chapter may motivate my Muslims brothers to complete the whole Bible to understand the authenticity and reliability of our Quran. Even today, many of our ignorant brothers are starving (fasting on Monday and Thursday) twice a week based on the parable said by Jesus, which was not a command to fast. It is really a pitiable situation.

On the other hand, there is evidence that shows Muhammad had difficulty keeping the fast for one full day of prescribed time. The following few hadiths supports my claim that Muhammad faced difficulty completing the normal day-long fasting as per his own fasting norms:

MUHAMMAD WAS UNABLE TO FAST WHILE HE WAS AWAY FROM HOME

We have seen above that Muhammad loved to fast continuously to imitate Jesus, when he stayed at home. He didn’t take food or water in-between for many days, because Allah used to fed him while he was in sleep. The following hadiths testify that our beloved prophet did not have the capacity to fast properly even for a single day, while he was away from home with Sahaabas. So, he broke his fast when Sahaabas could see the sun still up in the sky, thus breaking his self-declared fasting norms.

Narrated Ibn Abi Aufa: We were in the company of Allah's Apostle on a journey. He said to a man, "Get down and mix Sawiq (powdered barley) with water for me." The man said, "The sun (has not set yet), O Allah's Apostle." The Prophet again said to him, "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for me." The man again said, "O Allah's Apostle! The sun!" The Prophet said to him (for the third time) "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for me." The man dismounted and mixed Sawiq with water for him. The Prophet drank it and then beckoned with his hand (towards the East) and said, "When you see the night falling from this side, then a fasting person should break his fast." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:162)

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Abi Aufa" We were traveling with Allah's Apostle and he was fasting, and when the sun set, he said to (someone), "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for us." He replied, "O Allah's Apostle! (Will you wait) till it is evening?" The Prophet again said, "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for us." He replied, "O Allah's Apostle! It is still day time." The Prophet said again, "Get down and mix Sawiq with water for us." So, he got down and carried out that order. The Prophet then said, "When you see night falling from this side, the fasting person should break his fast," and he beckoned with his finger towards the east. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:176-179)

These two hadiths should give enough clues to the secrets of how our prophet could fast continuously for many days, when he used to stay at his mosque next to his child-wife Aisha’s kitchen. If Allah truly fed him miraculously making him able to fast for many days continuously like did Jesus, Allah could surely also feed his beloved prophet magically when he was surrounded by his companions away from home, thus allowing him to complete the normal day-long fasting properly.

MUHAMMAD UNABLE TO FAST WHILE ON THE ROAD; SO HE PARTIALLY ABOLISHED FASTING DURING TRAVEL

When Muhammad found it hard to fast while out on the road for Jihad expeditions, through which his community earned their livelihood, he had to get rid of its burden at any cost. Especially when the prophet chose the holy month of Ramadan as the time of most important Jihad expeditions, he was certainly worried about the impact of fasting on the health of his companions and how it could affect the outcome of his Jihad raids of looting, plundering and acquiring dominion. At the same time, he felt embarrassed to abolish his own doctrine of fasting completely, which will degrade his status and put his religion into doubt. So, he made the observance of fasting optional during traveling:

Narrated 'Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) Hamza bin 'Amr Al-Aslami asked the Prophet, "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet replied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish." (Sahih Al-bukhari 3:164)

Note that Allah never mentioned anything about making fasting optional while traveling. In other words, Allah ordained fasting for Muslims during Ramadan, and Muhammad made it “optional”. Even after Muhammad made fasting optional while traveling, some of his companions—either with an eye on Muhammad’s thrown or to avoid risking their life in Jihad battles—continued observing fast while traveling. Unable to abolish fasting completely, Muhammad, the evil genius, willy-nilly tolerated their persistence on fasting for some time, though it might have affected his conquering and looting activities.

Narrated Anas bin Malik: We used to travel with the Prophet and neither did the fasting persons criticize those who were not fasting, nor did those who were not fasting criticize the fasting ones. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:168)

He tried his best to abolish the system of fast while traveling. (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:165,169)

To water down the importance of the fasting, Muhammad on his travel has broken his fast – before its prescribed time – when he reached the place of water. Subsequently his companions too did the same.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Allah's Apostle set out for Mecca in Ramadan and he fasted, and when he reached Al-Kadid, he broke his fast and the people (with him) broke their fast too. (Abu 'Abdullah said, "Al-Kadid is a land covered with water between Usfan and Qudaid.") (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:165)

DOUBLE REWARD FOR NON-FASTING MUSLIMS IN RAMADAN AND FINALLY FULLY ABOLISHING FASTING DURING TRAVEL

To emphasize his decision of abolishing the ritual of fast during traveling, he did not fast during the month Ramadan, while he traveled to Mecca from Medina by riding on his camel:

Narrated Tawus: Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah's Apostle set out from Medina to Mecca and he fasted till he reached 'Usfan, where he asked for water and raised his hand to let the people see him, and then broke the fast, and did not fast after that till he reached Mecca, and that happened in Ramadan." Ibn 'Abbas used to say, "Allah's Apostle (sometimes) fasted and (sometimes) did not fast during the journeys so whoever wished to fast could fast, and whoever wished not to fast, could do so." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:169)

Dear Muslim brothers..! How many days could it have taken for Muhammad to travel from Medina to Mecca, a distance of about 500 kilometers, riding his camel with others traveling on foot? It might have taken 10-15 days. So, our prophet did not fast for so many days during that Ramadan. Not only that, in order to degrade the importance of fasting for advancing Jihad, our prophet even promised “Double reward for the non-fasting Muslims in Ramadan.” See the following hadith:

Narrated Anas: We were with the Prophet (on a journey) and the only shade one could have was the shade made by one's own garment. Those who fasted did not do any work and those who did not fast served the camels and brought the water on them and treated the sick and (wounded). So, the Prophet said, "Today, those who were not fasting took (all) the reward." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 4:140)

We may ask: Why did our beloved prophet chose to travel unnecessarily during the sacred month Ramadan for his major Jihad expeditions, such as the battle of Badr and conquest of Mecca, which forced him to skip fasting and lose the rich rewards from Allah? The answer is very transparent. He wanted to take advantage of the innocence of the non-Muslims of Arabia, who were very respectful toward the sacred months and refrained from fighting during those months.

Hadiths mentioned above (Bukhari 3:162, 176-179) clearly show that our Prophet was unable to fast while traveling, and he broke it before sunset when he tried, although many of his followers had no problem with completing the fast properly during traveling. So, his claim of fasting continuously without breaking it for many days while at home—thanks to Allah’s (?) magically feeding him while he slept—is certainly a “sham”.

To rid the burden of fasting, Muhammad first made fasting optional for his companions while traveling. Still some of his ‘cleaver’ companions continued fasting while traveling with Muhammad, which helped them get additional importance from their co-travelers. With Muhammad himself not fasting while traveling, he could not swallow the insult that his fasting disciples were getting special respect and attention from other, which he wasn’t getting. So he ordered Muslims not to fast at all while traveling calling it unrighteous, as this hadith narrates:

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle was on a journey and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, "What is the matter?" They said, "He (the man) is fasting." The Prophet said, "It is not righteousness that you fast on a journey." (Sahih Al-Bukhari 3:167)

But even today, most of our ignorant Muslim brothers keep their fast while traveling. Had my fell Muslim brothers educated themselves by reading Islamic scriptures on their own than depending solely on our Mullahs and understood the real background of Muhammad’s establishment of fasting in Islam and the importance he gave to it, they will find little incentives to fast.

CONCLUSION

Dear fellow Muslim brothers! After reading these essays, if you sense any doubt about the reliability of Islam, please try to spend a part of your leisure time on studying the Quran and hadiths. No scholarly knowledge and mind is needed to understand these things simple literature, neither will you need to run to the Mullahs for clarification of any doubt. We are also fortunate today that these scriptures are available in our own language. The information presented in these articles is only a fragment of the whole found in our scriptures. So, if you spend time to read all the hadiths and Sira, you will learn a lot more and you will find Islamic rituals, such as fasting, even more laughable.