Did Allah Sever Prophet Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم aorta. Debunking the Claim on Surah 69 Verses 45-46 The Misinterpretation of Christian Missionaries.
Written By Jamal Dookhy
Doha Qatar July 2023
Introduction:
Many attempts have been made to discredit the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and it is not something new it started from the revelation itself, where the enemies of Islam made up stories against the prophet to discredit him and his message. The Christians of today and earlier centuries do the same as the Pharisees were doing to the prophet Jesus (Isa a.s) who claimed he was a blasphemer, a madman, a sorcerer and so on just to deny his message. The orientalist of the 19th century and 20th century like A Sprenger, William Muir, Theodor Noldeke, Ignaz Goldziher, W. Wellhausen, Leone Caetani and David S. Margoliouth.and replicated by the 21century"revisionists" like. Wansborough, Patricia Crone, Michael Cook and Yahuda De Nevo claimed that The prophet Muhammad had an agenda saying “The Makkan unbelievers, the immediate audience of the Qur'anic revelations, made exactly the same allegation, saying that these were only a man's utterances, 1that their trustworthy but unlettered young man Muhammad peace and blessings of Allah be on him had turned a poet or a sorcerer or someone else had composed the passages of the Qur'an which he memorized in the morning and the evening and gave out as Allah's revelations or that these were mere ancient fables”[1]. .and regurgitated today by the as amateur social media Christian missionaries who think they have something and take it and run as if they have discovered America on the map.
These claims have been debunked time and time again from the time it started. One of the claims to be debunked is Surah 69, verses 45-46 of the Quran have been misinterpreted by Christian missionaries to cast doubt on the authenticity and credibility of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These verses, when examined in their proper context and in light of other Islamic teachings, do not support the missionaries' claim. It is essential to delve into the accurate translation of the Quran, the understanding of Hadith, scientific evidence, the historical context, and the consistency of Islamic teachings in order to refute this claim. First, we need to go back a few verses 40-46[1] The Qur'an and the Orientalists, an examination of their main theories and assumptions by Muhammad Mohar Ali page 1 introduction
1. The Sahih International Translation of Surah 69 verses 45-46:
Let us begin by examining the Sahih International translation of the Quran 69 40:
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍۢ كَرِيمٍۢ
Indeed, this ˹Quran˺ is the recitation of a noble Messenger.
وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَاعِرٍۢ ۚ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تُؤْمِنُونَ 41
It is not the prose of a poet ˹as you claim˺, ˹yet˺ you hardly have any faith
وَلَا بِقَوْلِ كَاهِنٍۢ ۚ قَلِيلًۭا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ 42.
Nor is it the mumbling of a fortune-teller, ˹yet˺ you are hardly mindful.
تَنزِيلٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ 43
˹It is˺ a revelation from the Lord of all worlds.
وَلَوْ تَقَوَّلَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْضَ ٱلْأَقَاوِيلِ 44
Had the Messenger made up something in Our Name,
لَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ بِٱلْيَمِينِ 45
We would have certainly seized him by his right hand,
ثُمَّ لَقَطَعْنَا مِنْهُ ٱلْوَتِينَ 46
Then We would have cut from him the aorta,
2. Refutation and Explanation:
The Point that the missionaries do not realise is that the verse prior to 46 have already exonerated the prophet (pbuh) by mentioning “Indeed, this ˹Quran˺ is the recitation of a noble Messenger”.so if he was an honorable messenger then Allah has already freed him from any blame by giving him that honorable title. So, in no way can he make up anything in Allah’s name. So even before they discovered America on the map and took it and run Allah has already debunked and glorified the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and also the key point to debunk the claim made by Christian missionaries lies in the understanding of Surah 4:135, where Allah confirms that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not speak from himself but only conveys what he hears from Allah. This verse emphasizes that the Prophet Muhammad's words are not his own, but they are divine revelations from Allah. So how can Allah put words in his mouth then seize him and cut off his aorta. You cannot make this up. So from the Get go the Ignoramus Christian missionaries get busted. Verse 44 makes it clear that after glorifying him as an honourable prophet who does of speak of his own but only what Allah conveyed to him “Had the Messenger made up something in Our Name” not saying that he did so thus he was killed but after all the praises to him had he done so then “45 We would have certainly seized him by his right hand, 46 Then We would have cut from him the aorta. But he did not we will see why.Christian missionaries may refer to a specific Hadith about Muhammad, where it is claimed that his aorta burst due to a prolonged illness. However, it is important to note that the word " al wateen" ٱلْوَتِينَ (aorta) used in the Quran and the term used in the Hadith do not refer to the same location in the body. The hadith is crucial for context it is to mention it.
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: Ibn Shihab said: Jabir ibn Abdullah used to say that a Jewess from the inhabitants of Khaybar poisoned a roasted sheep and presented it to the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) who took its foreleg and ate from it. A group of his companions also ate with him. The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then said: Take your hands away (from the food). The Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) then sent someone to the Jewess and he called her. He said to her: Have you poisoned this sheep? The Jewess replied: Who has informed you? He said: This foreleg which I have in my hand has informed me. She said: Yes. He said: What did you intend by it? She said: I thought if you were a prophet, it would not harm you; if you were not a prophet, we should rid ourselves of him (i.e. the Prophet). The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) then forgave her, and did not punish her. But some of his companions who ate it, died. The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) had himself cupped on his shoulder on account of that which he had eaten from the sheep. Abu Hind cupped him with the horn and knife. He was a client of Banu Bayadah from the Ansar[1].
3.The Motive Behind the Poisoning Attempt:
Some missionaries may bring up the poisoning attempt on the Prophet Muhammad and imply that it reflects negatively on his character or prophethood. It is important to understand the historical context behind this event. The Jewish women who attempted to poison the Prophet Mohammad’s assessment of Muhammad's prophethood as mentioned in the hadith failed miserably. She was acting according to her Book in the torah
4.Clarifying the Bible Verse on False Prophets:
Missionaries may selectively quote from the Bible verse suggesting that false prophets should be put to death (Deuteronomy 13:5). However, this verse cannot be used to undermine Muhammad's prophethood as he lived well beyond the time of the poisoning attempt and continued to participate in battles. His survival, achievements, and the spread of Islam serve as evidence against this argument.
5. Does it Mention of Aorta in the Hadith?
In another hadith about the same event it mentions that the part that was affected was not the aorta
5a. The Inconsistency of Allah Severing the Aorta:
The claim that Allah would sever the aorta of the Prophet Muhammad contradicts the fact that an angel was sent through the animal itself that was offered to the prophet to warn him about poisonedmeat. This incident, supported by authentic Hadith, clearly demonstrates Allah's protection and care for the Prophet's well-being, debunking the belief that Allah intended to sever his aorta.
In another hadith Anas reported that a Jewess came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with poisoned mutton and he took of that what had been brought to him (Allah's Messenger). (When the effect of this poison was felt by him) he called for her and asked her about that, whereupon she said:
I had determined to kill you. Thereupon he said: Allah will never give you the power to do it. He (the narrator) said that they (the Companion's of the Holy Prophet) said: Should we not kill her? Thereupon he said: No. He (Anas) said: I felt (the effects of this poison) on the uvula of Allah's Messenger.[1]
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ، بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، يَهُودِيَّةً أَتَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَاةٍ مَسْمُومَةٍ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهَا فَجِيءَ بِهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَهَا عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَتْ أَرَدْتُ لأَقْتُلَكَ . قَالَ " مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُسَلِّطَكِ عَلَى ذَاكِ " . قَالَ أَوْ قَالَ " عَلَىَّ " . قَالَ قَالُوا أَلاَ نَقْتُلُهَا قَالَ " لاَ " . قَالَ فَمَا زِلْتُ أَعْرِفُهَا فِي لَهَوَاتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
As we can see it was the “lahawaat the uvula in the throat that was affected not the Aorta that the Christian missionaries want to make you think. The Uvula is in the throat and the meat was not swallowed by the prophet as soon as he learnt of it from the miracle that Allah performed to save his honourable prophet.
In modern medical understanding, the term "aorta" strictly refers to the main artery from the heart, supplying oxygenated blood to the entire body. The Hadith, on the other hand, describes a different location in the body associated with an illness the Prophet Muhammad experienced the “lahawaat the uvula in the throat that was affected not the Aorta. Therefore, these two references are not synonymous and cannot be used interchangeably.
Scientific Evidence and Interpretation:
Scientific evidence supports the fact that the aorta cannot be severed while a person is alive without causing immediate death due to massive hemorrhage. This further supports the notion that the reference in Surah 69 verses 45-46 is metaphorical rather than literal.
It is crucial to rely on scientific knowledge that aligns with the context of the verses in order to avoid misinterpretation. Islam encourages the pursuit of scientific knowledge and recognizes its compatibility with religious teachings.
Conclusion: Exposing Ignorance and Misinterpretation
In conclusion, the claim made by certain Christian missionaries regarding Surah 69 verses 45-46 is debunked using sound reasoning, accurate translations, scientific evidence, historical context, and an understanding of Islamic teachings. By analyzing Surah 4:135, the distinction between the Quran and Hadith, the inconsistency of severing the aorta, the poisoning attempt's motive, and the Bible's verse on false prophets, it is evident that the missionaries lack proper understanding and knowledge on the topic. It is crucial to approach such claims with a comprehensive understanding to avoid misinterpretation and foster mutual respect amongst different faiths.
When considering this context, it is clear that these verses cannot be implying a physical severance of the Prophet Muhammad's aorta. Rather, it symbolizes the response to those who rejected his message, suggesting that if Allah had chosen to sever the aorta of the Prophet's opponents, no one could have prevented it. This is not a threat to Muhammad's life but rather a demonstration of the consequences that would befall those who rejected his message. The prophet Mohammad Pbuh went to live for a few more years fought in battles, went and performed his last pilgrimage after he knew his mission was complete and Allah had revealed the chapter 5 verse 3 “Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and have completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as Dīn (religion and a way of life) for you:
Mission accomplished. He died not because of the poison but many years after due to its effect after all he was a human being. Proving he was a true Prophet and Allah honoured and glorified him
Nice try Christians
Muslim Apologist blogger, Author.