Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
After a Meccan attempt to murder Muhammad failed, Muhammad s^102 ent
out two Muslims to murder Abu Sufyan b. Harb. This attempt also failed,
but three other polytheists were killed, and one was captured.^103
Qur'an 22Qur'an 22Qur'an 22Qur'an 22 is composed of many passages which are thought to have been
Meccan. The vv. 1f speak of the Judgment, and the vv. 5f are about t^104 he
Resurrection. The 11f describe "weak" believers, who call on pagan gods,
and v. 14 says that those who believe and perform good (works) will be
sent to Paradise. The v. 17, which states that God will judge between the
Jews, Sabians, Christians, Magians and polytheists, is thought to have been
a later addition, and v. 18 says that all nature bows down to God. The vv.
20f show that unbelievers will be sent to Hell, but that believers will go to
Paradise. The vv. 25-38 are thought to date from 6 or 7 AH. The vv. 2^105 5f
say that those who lead astray from Allah's way and the Kaba will be punished, v. 27 speaks about Abraham and the Kaba, in which an alleged
command of God was given to him, and the v. 28 speaks of the Hajj. The
vv. 31f are about honoring God's commandments and rituals, but shunning
polytheism, and the vv. 34f deal with sacrifice. In v. 37 camels are claimed
to have been given as sacrificial animals by God (which is contrary to the
Jewish Law), and v. 39 maintains that God protects the believers but does
not love unblievers. The v. 40 allows the fighting of those who were fought
against, and v. 41 compares those who were driven from their homes with
those whose places of worship were destroyed; this verse says that God
used a people to defend them, and that God helps those who help Him. The
v. 42 describes some as performing the prayer, giving alms, commanding
the right and forbidding the wrong, and the vv. 43f speak of the punish-
ments of previous peoples, in which the peoples of Noah, the`Ad, the
Thamud, Abraham, Lot, Midian and Moses are referred to. The v. 48 claims
that Muhammad was just a warner, and v. 51, which is often alluded to in
the traditions about the Satanic inspiration, differentia^106 tes between
messengers and prophets. The v. 52 refers to the hypocrites, v^107. 53 deals
with the Jews and v. 54 speaks of unbelievers and "the hour." The v. 55
says that those who believe and perform good (works) will go to Paradise,
and v. 56 shows that those who do not believe God's signs will go to Hell.
The vv. 57f speak of martyrs and Paradise, v. 60 says that God regulates
day and night, and v. 61 states that God is truth and that pagan deities are
lies. The vv. 62f speak about the witness of God in Creation and the
Resurrection, and v. 66 says that each religion was given its (own) rituals.