10- Rajam
Early in Muhammad's stay at
Medina
the rabbis had met to judge a married man who had committed adultery with
a Jewish woman who was also married. They said, 'Send this man and this
woman to Muhammad, ask him for a judgement of the case, and let him
prescribe the penalty. If he decides to condemn them to the tajbih ‑
when criminals are scourged with a rope of date‑fibres dipped in
resin, then have their faces blackened and are placed on two donkeys with
their faces turned towards the rump ‑ 'then obey him, for he is a
prince, and believe in him. But if he condemns them to be stoned, he is a
prophet; then be on your guard against him, lest he deprive you of what
you have.'
They had asked the apostle's judgement and he went to
where the priests sat, and said to them, 'Bring me your learned men!”
They brought him Abdullah b. Suriya, who was the most learned, though one
of the youngest, among them. The apostle talked alone with him and had him
confirm on oath that according to the Torah, Allah condemns to stoning the
man who commits
adultery after marriage'. Suriya added, 'They know
you are an inspired prophet, but they envy you!' Then the apostle went out
and ordered the culprits to be stoned in front of the mosque. When the man
felt the first stone he bent over his mistress to protect her from the
stones, until they were killed. This is what Allah did for His apostle, to
exact the penalty for adultery from these two persons.
The apostle asked the Jews what had induced them to
abandon of stoning for adultery, when it was prescribed in the Torah. They
said the penalty had been observed until a man of royal blood committed
adultery, and 'the king would not allow him to be stoned. When, after
this, another man committed adultery and the king desired that he be
stoned, they said, "Not unless you also permit the first man to be
stoned." Then all agreed to resort to scourging, and both the memory
and practice of stoning died out.' Then the apostle of Allah said, 'I was
the first to revive the command of Allah, His scripture, and obedience to
it.
On another occasion a company of Jews came to the
apostle 'Allah has created creation, but who created Allah?'
And the apostle became so angry that his colour
changed, and he lept up in zeal for his Lord. But Gabriel came and quieted
him, and said, “Calm thyself, Muhammad!” Gabriel brought a reply from
Allah to what they had asked him. 'Say "He is the one god! Allah is
self‑generating! He begetteth not, nor is begotten! And ther is none
equal."
After he had recited this to them, they said: 'Describe Him to us, o
Muhammad! What is His shape? His arm ‑ what is the strength of His
arm?' The apostle became even more wrathful and he leapt up once more; but
Gabriel again came and told him to be calm and brought a reply from Allah.
'They have not properly understood the power of Allah! He will grasp the
whole earth on the day of the resurrection, and the heavens will be rolled
up in His right hand! Praised be He, and exalted above all their idols’.
A deputation of Christians from Najran, consisting of
sixty riders, arrived on a visit to the apostle; among them were fourteen
of their most respected men, three of whom were entrusted with the
management of their affairs. The leader of the people, the chief
councillor whose advice they always followed, was Abdul‑Masih. Their
administrator was al‑Ayham. Their bishop, scholar, religious leader
and master of their schools, was Abu Haritha, who was respected among them
and a renowned student with an extensive knowledge of their religion; the
Christian princes of Byzantium
had honoured him with gifts of goods and servants, built churches for him,
and venerated him for his learning and religious zeal. On the way to visit
the apostle, Abu Haritha said to his brother, 'This is the prophet whom we
were expecting.' His brother rejoined, 'Then what hinders you from
acknowledging him?' Abu Haritha replied, 'Those who have paid us respect,
given us titles and shown us favours, are opposed to him; if I acknowledge
him, they will deprive us of all we enjoy.'
When the delegation arrived in
Medina
they entered the mosque while the apostle was holding his afternoon
prayers. When the time arrived for their own prayers they stood up in the
mosque of the apostle and made their devotions; and the apostle of Allah
said, 'It is permitted.' And they prayed with their faces towards the
east.
The three leaders, although Christians, differed
among themselves on some points. They said that He was God [or 'Allah'],
because He brought the dead to life, healed the sick, made known the
unknown, created a bird from clay, breathed on and gave it life; they said
that He was also the Son of God because He had no known father and spoke
in His cradle, which no other human had ever done before; and they said,
too, that He was the third of the Trinity, because the word of God was
always 'We have acted, We have commanded . . .'and if God
were but one, His word would be 'I have commanded, I have
created…’ Thus He is He, and He is Jesus and He is Mary.
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