Muhammad and Christianity

This article discusses the Islamic prophet Muhammad's attitude towards Christianity as well as his interactions with Christians.

Interactions

Muhammad's nature towards Jews and Christians started to become a conflict. They did not accept Muhammad for his religion and spiritual path. When Muhammad encountered contradiction, ridicule and rejection from the Christian scholars in Medina, he came to adopt a radically more negative view of the People of the Book who had received earlier scriptures. This attitude was already evolving in the third Meccan period as the Prophet became more aware of the antipathy between Jews and Christians and the disagreements and strife of him amongst members of those religions. The tension felt by Muhammad and some of his contemporaries was doubtless due ultimately to this contrast between men's conscious attitude and the economic basis of their life. [ William Montgomery Watt, "Muhammad at Mecca", p.19-20] [ Gerhard Endress, "Islam", Columbia University Press, p.29 ]

Pre-Islamic

Before Muhammad started preaching Islam, many Jews and Christians did not accept Muhammad's religion and refused his preaching. At the age of forty, he had few interactions with Christians. One important contact was with the Nestorian monk Bahira in Bosra modern Syria who foretold to the adolescent Muhammad his future prophetic career.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal was a Nestorian monk [Al-Jibouri (2007)] , Mecca's priest or preacher according to some sources.

Meccan period

Waraqah is said to have believed in Muhammad as a prophet, but died as a Christian.After the early Muslim community faced intense persecution, Muhammad sent 90 of his followers to Abyssinia. There the Muslims were received by the Christian king Ashama ibn Abjar.

Medinian period

In 630 AD Muhammad received a Christian delegation from Najran in Medina. Debate with Christians ensued some days. Finally the Christians asked Muhammad for peace and he accepted. Muhammad extended the hand of friendship towards them, a treaty was signed and both parties left on friendly terms.Another Christian delegation this time from Iraq by Jesujab II was heading to Medina but Muhammad died before it arrived.

Byzantines

According to traditional Islamic sources, in 628 Muhammad sent a letter to Heraclius inviting him to Islam. The Byzantine emperor received it while on a pilgrimage in Jerusalem and called upon a person who belonged to Muhammad's tribe Quraysh. According to Sunni tradition, Abu Sufyan came forwards and a discussion between them took place. [ Siddiqui (2007) ] At the end of the discussion the emperor said,

If what you say should be true, he will very soon occupy the earth under my feet, and if I knew that I would reach him definitely, I would go immediately to meet Him; and were I with him, then I would certainly wash his feet.” [bukhari|4|52|191]

In 629, Muhammad sent a force of 3,000 men to fight 100,000 Byzantines near Al-Karak. The battle ended when both sides retreated.

ee also

*Islamic Christianity studies

*Christianity and Islam

Notes

References

*Al-Jibouri, Yasin T. "Khadija Daughter of Khuwaylid", [http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/khadija.htm] (accessed January 8, 2007)
* Siddiqui, Muzammil. "Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a Political Leader" [http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/mohamed/1424/kharitah/article16.shtml] (accessed January 8, 2007)