The Religion of Peace, TROP: "The Myths of Muhammad: Muhammad Would Never Do Harm to a Child"

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The Myth:

Muhammad Would Never
 Do Harm to a Child

"Our Prophet (peace be upon him) was a great man who would never order any measure that might do harm to an innocent child." 

The Truth:

It is probably fair to say that Muhammad did not approve of killing children intentionally.  A verse from the Quran laments the pre-Islamic Arab practice of infanticide against baby girls, for example.  Other evidence from the Hadith suggests that he instructed his men not to kill children in battle if it could be avoided, but to capture them for slavery.  

He also gave children a reprieve, when telling his people to "kill those who disbelieve in Allah":

[Muhammad said] “Fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who disbelieve in Allah.  Do not be deceitful with the spoils; do not be treacherous, nor mutilate nor kill children.” (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 992)

But Muhammad’s definition of a child was not the same as contemporary understanding.  Following the surrender of the Qurayza stronghold, he ordered the execution of every male child who had reached puberty.  His men had the boys drop their pants so that that anyone with pubic hair could be beheaded (Abu Dawud 4390).

Keep in mind that many Muslims also insist that Aisha reached puberty at age nine, since that is the age that Muhammad began having sex with her.  If so, then he might have considered the age for “manhood” among boys to be around twelve.

Muhammad also played a bit loose with the lives of women and children during wartime.  As recorded in both Bukhari and Sahih Muslim:

It is reported on the authority of Sa'b b. Jaththama that the Prophet of Allah (may peace be upon him), when asked about the women and children of the polytheists being killed during the night raid, said: “They are from them.” (Sahih Muslim 4322, see also Bukhari 52:256)

This does not justify the targeted killing of women and children per se, but it does prove that collateral damage is entirely acceptable if it accomplishes the military goal of spreading Islamic rule.  The Quran, in verse 9:36, states that unbelievers should be fought "altogether" or "collectively."

Muhammad used a catapult against the city of Taif - a catapult kills indiscriminately.  The only crime those citizens were guilty of was rejecting his claims of being a prophet and evicting him.

Muhammad drew a distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim children and implied that it would be permissible to kill a child who has no prospect of accepting Islam:

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used not to kill the children, so thou shouldst not kill them unless you could know what Khadir had known about the child he killed, or you could distinguish between a child who would grow up to he a believer (and a child who would grow up to be a non-believer), so that you killed the (prospective) non-believer and left the (prospective) believer aside. (Sahih Muslim 4457)

After capturing Mecca, the prophet of Islam also ordered the execution of two “singing girls” who had mocked him in verse:

“…two singing-girls Fartana and her friend who used to sing satirical songs about the apostle, so he ordered that they should be killed…” (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 819, Ibn Kathir v.3 p.403)

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Myths of Muhammad

Muslims often complain of "misconceptions" about their religion, yet few seem to know all that much about the true history of Islam and its founder, Muhammad.  As a result, the biggest misconceptions about Islam are often those propagated by Muslims themselves.

Here, we refute the contemporary mythology of Muhammad by referring to the earliest and most reliable Muslim historians, who based their writings on those who actually knew their revered prophet. 

The historical compilations of Ibn Ishaq (compiled by Ibn Hisham), al-Tabari, Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are greatly respected in the Muslim academic community as a priceless source of biographical information and the details of Islam's origin and rise to power.  These writings also provide the context for the Quran. 

The Hadith (traditions), Sira (biography of Muhammad) and the Quran provide the true Islamic counterpart to the Christian Bible and Jewish Torah.  The Quran is simply the purported words of Allah arranged in no particular order.  It makes little sense outside of the context provided by the other two sources.

Articles posted here will occasionally be revised, and new ones will be added.  Readers not familiar with the life of Muhammad may want to approach these myths through our brief article on the history of his life: The Life of Muhammad: An Inconvenient Truth.  It has been updated to include most of the links found below, and it will help place these debunked myths into historical context - as it was written from the Muslim point of view.

Muhammad in Mecca

MYTH: Muhammad was Persecuted for Preaching Islam

MYTH: Muhammad was Tortured by the Meccans

MYTH: The Muslims Suffered Many Deaths at the Hands of Meccan Persecutors

MYTH: The Meccans were the First to Draw Blood in the Conflict with Muslims

MYTH: Muhammad Traveled to Jerusalem

MYTH: Persecution Forced Muhammad and the Muslims to Flee Mecca for Medina



Muhammad in Medina

MYTH: Muhammad was under Persecution by the Meccans in Medina

MYTH: Muhammad Raided Meccan Caravans to Retrieve Stolen Property

MYTH: Muhammad Fought the Battle of Badr in Self-Defense

MYTH: Muhammad was a Brave Warrior who Trusted Allah to Protect Him (Uhud)

MYTH: Muhammad Lived at Peace with the Jews (Part 1 - the Banu Qaynuqa)

MYTH: Muhammad Lived at Peace with the Jews (Part 2 - the Banu Nadir)

MYTH: Muhammad Lived at Peace with the Jews (Part 3 - the Banu Qurayza)



Muhammad the Conqueror

MYTH: Muhammad Only Waged War in Self-Defense

MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Rape

MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Children

MYTH: The Meccans were the First to Break the Treaty of Hudaibiya

MYTH: Muhammad Always Chose Peace over War

MYTH: Muhammad Would Never Harbor a War Criminal

MYTH: Islam Made Mecca a More Tolerant City

MYTH: Muhammad was Attacked by a Byzantine (Christian) Army 



Muhammad the Moralist

MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Murder

MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Captives

MYTH: Muhammad Condemned Pedophilia

MYTH: Muhammad took Multiple Wives as a Favor to Them

MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Dishonesty

MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Women

MYTH: Muhammad was an Abolitionist

MYTH: Islam Did Away with Superstition

MYTH: Muhammad Never Took Revenge

MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Torture

MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed the Elderly

MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Forcing Conversions to Islam

MYTH: Muhammad was a Forgiving Man

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TheReligionofPeace.com (TROP) is a pluralistic, non-partisan site concerned with Islam's political and religious teachings according to its own texts. The purpose is to counter whitewashing and explain the threat that Islam truly poses to human dignity and freedom, as well as the violence and dysfunction that ensues as a direct consequence of this religion's supremacist ideology. 

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