Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
The polemic connected with the Abraham legend (2:136; 3:58f) was
apparently directed against both Jews and Christians, whereas the
accusations about selling God's Word (2:38, 73, 169f; 3:184, 198), hiding
the truth (2:39, 141, 154f, 169f; 3:184) and killing the prophets (2:58, 81,
85; 3:20f, 177; cf. 4:156) were probably levelled at the Jews. For their part,
the Jews seem to have continued asking Muhammad for miracles to prove
his prophethood (3:179f; 4:152f).
Muhammad's revelations also seem to have been quite susceptible to the
direct influence of others. Canonical traditions state that God agreed with
Umar in the matter of the "maqam of Abraham" (2:119), anothe^294 r speaks of inspiration andUmar. Still other Islamic traditions cl^295 aim that the
verses of the Qur'an were more similar to Umar's words than Muhammad's, and that the Qur'an was often revealed in accordance with Umar's opinion. Muhammad is said to have originally wanted^296 to kill the
prisoners from Badr (8:68f), but it was Umar who moved him to let them be ransomed. Similarly, Muhammad is reported to have wanted t^297 o kill the Banu Qaynuqa, who had surrendered (also cf. 8:68f), but it wasAbdullah
b. Ubayy who influenced him to let them be exiled instead. The^298 question
of a blind Muslim reportedly contributed to the final form of Qur'an 4:97,^299
and al-Hubab persuaded Muhammad to use another battle plan at Badr.^300
Other problems with respect to Muhammad's revelations were that he
apparently wanted to have the qibla changed in the first place (2:139), he
was unable to intercept either the Meccan caravans or an alleged enemy on
some raids he led personally, and he is even said to have rece^301 ived a false
vision from Allah (8:45).
The "punishment" of Allah for the Meccans, which was often referred to in
earlier suras, is now said to have been delayed because Muhammad was in
Mecca at the time (8:32), and one verse even seems to indicate^302 that
Muhammad's raids on the Meccans were in effect Allah's punishment of
that town (16:112). Some (perhaps Meccans) are said to have had plans to
capture, murder or exile Muhammad (8:30f).