You Will Be Shocked to Learn Mohammad's Real Identity! | We Now Know Who Mohammad Was...

Summary

In this thought-provoking discussion, Pastor James Cattis and Dr. J. Smith explore the historical origins of Islam, challenging traditional narratives about Muhammad. Drawing on coins, inscriptions, early manuscripts, and linguistic analysis, they argue that early Islamic figures, like Muya and Abdul Malik, were rooted in Christian contexts. The conversation highlights connections between the 'praised one' in early texts and Jesus Christ, the later transformation of Islamic identity, and the incorporation of Jewish and Christian traditions into Islamic scripture. This examination invites viewers to reconsider the foundations of Islam and its relationship to earlier Judeo-Christian teachings, sparking fresh questions about faith and history.

Takeaways

• 😀 Early Islamic history may have strong connections to Christianity, particularly in the 7th century.
• 😀 The name 'Muhammad' originally derives from the consonants M-M-D, meaning 'praised one', and was a title linked to Jesus Christ in earlier Judeo-Christian contexts.
• 😀 Early Arabic lacked vowels, making the pronunciation of 'Muhammad' in later Islamic tradition a post-facto development.
• 😀 Coins issued by Muya in 663 CE depicted crosses and his image, indicating he was a Trinitarian Christian rather than a Muslim.
• 😀 Abdul Malik, a later Umayyad leader, was an anti-trinitarian Christian who commissioned inscriptions challenging the divinity of Jesus.
• 😀 The Dome of the Rock (691 CE) contains inscriptions that were not originally dotted or vowelized, reflecting early anti-trinitarian Christian influence rather than Islamic tradition.
• 😀 Islam, as a structured religion with the concept of Muslims, did not exist during the early 7th century; these emerged later during the Abbasid period.
• 😀 Early Islamic texts borrowed heavily from Jewish and Christian stories, replacing names like Jesus with Islamic titles such as Nabi and Rasul.
• 😀 The biographies of Muhammad (Sira) and Hadith collections were compiled in the 9th century, decades after the events they describe, indicating retroactive construction.
• 😀 Historical, archaeological, and textual evidence suggest Islam may have been shaped from existing Judeo-Christian traditions rather than appearing as a wholly independent revelation.
• 😀 The title 'praised one' (Mahmud) was initially linked to Jesus, with later modifications creating the Islamic prophet Muhammad narrative.
• 😀 The video emphasizes the importance of examining evidence critically to understand the origins of Islam and its relationship with Christianity.

Q & A

What is the significance of the coins depicting Muya in the 7th century?

The coins depict Muya holding crosses with a cross above his head, indicating a trinitarian Christian identity rather than a Muslim one. The Greek inscriptions on the coins reinforce this Christian context.

Why do the speakers argue that the name 'Muhammad' has Christian roots?

They claim that the consonants M-H-M-D appear in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac texts, signifying 'the praised one' or the Messiah, predating Islam. The name originally referred to the awaited Messiah rather than the Islamic prophet.

What role does Abdul Malik play in the development of Islamic inscriptions?

Abdul Malik (r. 685–705 CE) introduced the shahada on coins and the Dome of the Rock, reframing 'Muhammad' as a prophet and creating inscriptions that challenged the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity.

How do the inscriptions in the Dome of the Rock relate to early Islam?

The inscriptions, created in 691 CE, lack vowels and dots and attack the divinity of Jesus, portraying an anti-trinitarian Christian perspective. They are argued to be part of a process that later shaped Islamic identity.

What evidence is cited to suggest that early Islamic texts borrowed from Christian and Jewish sources?

The transcript claims that stories in the Quran and related texts were adapted from Jewish fables, apocryphal writings, lectionaries, homilies, and hymns to Jesus Christ, with references to Jesus replaced by Islamic titles like Nabi and Rasul.

Why do the speakers question the historicity of Muhammad?

They argue that early historical records, coins, and inscriptions do not support the existence of Muhammad as traditionally described and that biographies (sira) and hadith compilations were written centuries later.

How do the vowels in the name 'Muhammad' affect its interpretation?

Originally, the consonants M-H-M-D existed without vowels. The addition of vowels later created the Islamic pronunciation 'Muhammad,' differentiating it from the earlier Christian/Jewish usage of the same consonants.

What is the connection between early Islam and Christian heresies according to the transcript?

The speakers argue that early Islam emerged from Christian heresies, particularly anti-trinitarian movements, using religious and political tools to challenge the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity.

How long did it take to create the backstory and biographies of Muhammad?

According to the transcript, it took approximately 70 years to construct Muhammad’s backstory, with the first biographies written in 833 CE and hadiths compiled several decades later.

What does the transcript suggest about the term 'jahilyah'?

Originally, 'jahilyah' referred to personal ignorance or a period of spiritual unawareness, not a specific people. It was later adapted to describe communities considered ignorant before the prophet Muhammad's reforms.

How does the transcript interpret the term 'Mahmud' in early inscriptions?

The term 'Mahmud' is seen as a precursor to Muhammad, meaning 'the praised one,' and appears in inscriptions before the Islamic use of 'Muhammad,' linking it to the awaited Messiah concept.

Why do the speakers argue that Islam should be considered a Christian heresy?

They claim Islam developed from Christian contexts, borrowing stories and concepts, opposing the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity, and creating a religious narrative to reshape Christian teachings for political and cultural purposes.