Did Muhammad self-serve himself in the Noble Quran?
The sections of this article are:
1- Did Muhammad self-serve himself in the Noble Quran?
2- Conclusion.
As far as every believing Muslim is concerned, the Noble Quran was revealed by Allah Almighty to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him through the Angel Gabriel peace be upon him. No where in the Noble Quran did Prophet Muhammad or anyone else fabricate any false verse. Every Word or even Letter that exists in the Noble Quran is Allah Almighty's Holy Word.
Anti-Islamics claim that the following Noble Verses are self-serving to Prophet Muhammad:
"1. O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
2. God has already ordained for you, (O men), the dissolution of your oaths (in some cases): and God is your Protector, and He is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.
3. When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and God made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, 'Who told thee this? 'He said, 'He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things).'
4. If ye two turn in repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; But if ye back up each other against him, truly God is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe,- and furthermore, the angels - will back (him) up.
5. It may be, if he divorced you (all), that God will give him in exchange consorts better than you,- who submit (their wills), who believe, who are devout, who turn to God in repentance, who worship (in humility), who travel (for Faith) and fast,- previously married or virgins. (The Noble Quran, 66:1-5)"
There is nothing self-serving for our beloved Prophet peace be upon him. I will paste what Minister Abdullah Yusuf Ali (may Allah Almighty rest his soul) wrote from foot notes regarding the above 5 Noble Verses:
Important Note: The colored paragraph in dark green below explains why Allah Almighty commanded Prophet Muhammad to not make to himself unlawful that which Allah Almighty made lawful.
"The Prophet's household was not like other households. The Consorts of Purity were expected to hold a higher standard in behaviour and reticence than ordinary women, as they had higher work to perform. See note 3706 to (Noble Verse) 33:28. But they were human beings after all, and were subject to the weaknesses of their sex, and they sometimes failed. The imprudence of Aisha (see note 2962 to (Noble Verse) 24:11) once caused serious difficulties: the Holy Prophet's mind was sore distressed, and he renounced the society of his wives for some time. This renunciation seems to be referred to here. The situation was none the less difficult for him because she was a daughter of Abu Bakr, one of the truest and most intimate of his Companions and lieutenants. The commentators usually cite the following incident in connection with the revelation of these verses. It is narrated from Aisha, the wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) by al Bukhari, Muslim, al Nasai, Abu Dawud and others that the Holy Prophet usually visited his wives daily after Asr Prayer. Once it so happened that he stayed longer than usual at the quarters of Zaynab bint Jahsh, for she had received from somewhere some honey which the Holy Prophet liked very much. 'At this', says Aisha, 'I felt jealous, and I, Hafsah, Sawda and Safiyah agreed among ourselves that when he visits us each of us would tell him that a peculiar odour came from his mouth as a result of what he had eaten, for we knew that he was particularly sensitive to offensive smells". So when his wives hinted at it, he vowed that he would never again use honey. Thereupon these verses were revealed reminding him that he should not declare to himself unlawful that which Allah had made lawful to him. The important point to bear in mind is that he was at once rectified by revelation, which reinforces the fact that the prophets are always under divine protection, and even the slightest lapse on their part is never left uncorrected. (R)." [2]
"The tender words of admonition addressed to the Consorts in (Noble Verses) 33:28-34 explain the situation far better than any comments can express. If the Holy Prophet had been a mere husband in the ordinary sense of the term, he could not have held the balance even between his private feelings and his public duties. But he was not an ordinary husband, and he abandoned his renunciation on his realisation of the higher duties with which he was charged, and which required conciliation with firmness." [3]
"Cf. (Noble Verse) 2:224. If your vows prevent you from doing good, or acting rightly, or making peace between persons, you should expiate the vow, but not refrain from your good deed." [4]
"Who these two consorts were, and what was the matter in confidence which was disclosed, we are not expressly told, but the facts mentioned in note 5529 above will help us to understand this passage. The sacred words imply that the matter was of great importance to the principle involved, but that the details were not of sufficient importance for permanent record. For the lessons to be drawn, see the notes following." [5]
"The moral we have to draw is manifold. (1) If anything is told to us in confidence, especially by one at the head of affairs, we must not divulge it to our closest friend. (2) If such divulgence is made in the most secret whispers, Allah's Plan is such that it will come to light and expose those guilty of breach of confidence. (3) When the whispered version is compared with the true version and the actual facts, it will be found that whispered version is in great part untrue, due to the misunderstanding and exaggeration inevitable in the circumstances. (4) The breach of confidence must inevitably redound to the shame of the guilty party, whose surprise only covers a sense of humiliation. See next note." [6]
"There are further lessons. (5) Both the party betraying confidence and that encouraging the betrayal must purge their conduct by repentance. (6) Frank repentance would be what their hearts and conscience themselves would dictate and they must not resist such amends on account of selfish obstinacy. (7) If they were to resist frank repentance and amends, they are only abetting each other's wrong, and they cannot prevail against all the spiritual forces which will be ranged on the side of the right." [7]
"Do not forget dual meaning: immediate, in application to the Holy Prophet, and general, being the lesson which we ought all to learn. The Holy Prophet could not be injured by any persons doing anything against him even though they might unconsciously put him in greater jeopardy: for Allah, the Angel Gabriel, (who was the Messenger to him), and the whole Community, would protect him, -- to say nothing of the army of angels or hidden spiritual forces that always guarded him. Cf. (Noble Verse) 33:56. The general lesson for us is that the good man's protection is that of the spiritual forces around him; it is divine protection, against which human weakness or folly will have no power." [8]
"From the case of two in verse 66:4, we now come to the case of all Consorts generally, in verse 66:5. Cf. (Noble Verses) 33:28-30. Their duties and responsibilities were higher than those of other women, and therefore their failure would also be more serious. This is only hypothetical, in order to show us the virtues expected of them: faith and devotion, worship and service, readiness for travel or hijrah, whether they were young or old, new to married life or otherwise. From them again the more general application follows -- to all women in Islam." [9]
"Sa-ihat: literally, those who travel about for the Faith, renouncing hearth and home: hence those who go on pilgrimage, who fast, who deny themselves the ordinary pleasure of life. Note that the spiritual virtues are named, in the descending order: submitting their wills (Islam), faith and devotion, turning ever to worship and faith, and performing other rites, or perhaps being content with asceticism. And this applies to all women, maiden girls or women of mature experience who were widows or separated from previous husbands by divorce." [10]
Conclusion:
The point from this article is to refute the anti-Islamics point about Muhammad making "anything lawful" for himself and self-serving himself. As clearly shown above, the Noble Verses above were revealed because Prophet Muhammad took a vow upon himself to never eat honey again, because his deceiving wives wanted to trick him due to their jealousy from one of his wives, Zaynab. Allah Almighty told him then that he should not make unlawful what Allah Almighty made lawful:
"O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which God has made lawful to thee? Thou seekest to please thy consorts. But God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (The Noble Quran, 66:1)"
Therefore, there is absolutely nothing self-serving for Prophet Muhammad about the Noble Verses above.
Bibliography:
1- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an.
Author: Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
Published by: Amana Publications, 10710 Tucker Street, Suite B, Beltsville, Maryland
20705-2223 USA.
Telephone: (301) 595-5777.
Fax: (301) 595-5888.
ISBN: 0-91597-59-0 (HC).
2- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5529, page 1490.
3- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5530, page 1490.
4- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5531, page 1490.
5- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5532, page 1491.
6- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5533, page 1491.
7- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5534, page 1491.
8- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5535, page 1491.
9- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5536, page 1492.
10- The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an [1], foot note #5537, page 1492.
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