Christian polemicists measured Muhammad against Hebrew prophecy criteria he was not claiming to meet
Evidence
The Christian monk then explains “the signs of prophecy which oblige one to recognize the title of prophet and of apostle to him who shows them.” The Muslim notion of rasûl differs from Christian and Jewish notions of “prophet.” The Christian author does not acknowledge this, again suggesting that his real audience is fellow Christians and not his fictitious Muslim correspondent. The two signs of prophecy are revelation of things unknown (past and future) and performance of miracles. Muhammad foretold nothing, whereas the Hebrew prophets, Christ, and the apostles did. Muhammad produced no miracles, as the Koran expressly states; the miracles attributed to him are false. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 394 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
The author thought it important to be able to cite the very ‘books of Muhammad’. In this, and in other ways, the reprobatio, though more concise in scope and method, has qualities in common with that of San Pedro. Part is certainly devoted to proving the humanity of the Prophet; the author will have known that Muslims claimed not otherwise, but he may have felt it useful to insist, against popular Muslim devotion, on Muhammad’s very ordinary humanity. Of the death in the arms of ‘A’ishah he remarked: ‘from this it is clear that the death or end of Muhammad was vile, unclean and abominable, and such a death by no means suits a Prophet or Messenger of God’. The weakness of humanity, even when no sin was involved, was a major offence in a recipient of a divine mission. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1326 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: The fourfold prophecy tests were deliberately tailored to condemn Muhammad; Ancient criteria of prophecy were applied selectively to predetermine Muhammad’s failure; Christian polemicists explained Muhammad’s prophethood as a fraudulent bid for kingship (+20 more)
Broader Connections
- Medieval Christians judged Muhammad by criteria his own theology did not claim
#corroborates(1.00) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 394 - Medieval Christian polemicists judged Muhammad by Christian criteria for prophecy
#complicates(0.95) - Medieval Christian polemicists investigated Muhammad’s claims carefully rather than dismissing them
#qualifies(0.95) - Medieval Christian polemicists counted Muhammad’s ordinary humanity as grounds for disqualification
#corroborates(0.95) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1326 - Christian polemic demanded Muhammad’s character be shown incompatible with Revelation
#complicates(0.90) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1369 - Christian polemicists attacked Muhammad’s ordinary humanity as disqualifying him as prophet
#complicates(0.90) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1326 - Medieval Christian polemic schematized prophecy tests to reject Muhammad empirically, not by definition
#complicates(0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 402 - Christian polemics against Muhammad aimed to reassure Christians, not convert Muslims
#complicates(0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1426 - Christian polemicists used Muslim sources to prove Muhammad was a soothsayer
#complicates(0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 180 - Christian polemic framed Muhammad’s lack of miracles as itself miraculous but perverse
#complicates(0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 429 - Medieval polemicists tested Muhammad as a prophet against falsifiability-style criteria
#complicates(0.80) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 804 - Polemicists attacked unsupported miracle claims to deny Muhammad prophethood
#complicates(0.80) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1201 - Medieval Christian polemicists refused Muslim sources on Muhammad’s life on principle
#complicates(0.80) - Christian scholars argued Muhammad could not be the Paraclete foretold by Jesus
#complicates(0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 309 - Muhammad’s alleged false prophecy legitimized Christian political rule over Muslims
#complicates(0.75) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 996