Medieval Christians explained revelation as epilepsy while Islam read it as divine

Evidence

Three of the four texts make Muhammad an epileptic, following the lead of Theophanes, who claimed that Muhammad invented his visions of Gabriel to explain his epileptic fits. Gautier, Guibert, and Embrico all tell a similar story, having the hermit reassure the doubtful wife that Muhammad’s visions are indeed genuine. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 752 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

The only vestige of an equally authentic account in Ricoldo’s work is a passing reference to Muhammad’s having said that revelation seemed like bells, which Ricoldo, whether recognising the supposed medical significance, or accidentally, associated with the alleged epilepsy (Disp. xi). — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1883 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Mark of Toledo related the violence of the seizures ( ‘like’ epilepsy and ‘like’ demoniac possession) to the ‘confused style’ of the Qur’an which he thought an important defect. He pictured Muhammad himself as having stressed the angelic violence: cogzt me angelus. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 173 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Medieval polemicists pathologized Muhammad’s visions as epileptic delusion — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 752; Mark of Toledo linked Qur’anic style to purported epileptic seizures — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 173; Ricoldo linked Muhammad’s bell-like revelation description to his alleged epilepsy. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1883 (+1 more)

Related

• Medieval polemicists pathologized Muhammad’s visions as epileptic delusion (similarity 0.90)
• Ricoldo linked Muhammad’s bell-like revelation description to his alleged epilepsy. (similarity 0.88)
• Mark of Toledo linked Qur’anic style to purported epileptic seizures (similarity 0.87)
• Hadîth portray Muhammad physically convulsing during divine revelation (similarity 0.83)
• Byzantine polemic reduced Muhammad’s revelation to epilepsy seconded by a heretical monk (similarity 0.83)
• Medieval polemicists traced the Qur’an’s style to Muhammad’s suspected seizures. (similarity 0.81)
• The epilepsy charge against Muhammad began with the Byzantine chronicler Theophanes (similarity 0.79)
• Christianity and Islam differ fundamentally over how revelation unfolds (similarity 0.79)
• Medieval polemicists framed their textual findings as personal divine revelations (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Medieval polemicists pathologized Muhammad’s visions as epileptic delusion #exemplifies (0.95) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 752
• Mark of Toledo linked Qur’anic style to purported epileptic seizures #exemplifies (0.92) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 173
• Ricoldo linked Muhammad’s bell-like revelation description to his alleged epilepsy. #exemplifies (0.92) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1883
• Hadîth portray Muhammad physically convulsing during divine revelation #corroborates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 180