Islam, The Self-Perpetuating Tool of Arab Imperialism

Muhammad was not the only person in Arabia, who had claimed to be the Prophet of God. There was Taliha, chief of the Bani Asad, who was acknowledged to have power of divination. He was defeated by Khalid in a severe engagement. Museilima was another contender in this field. He worked miracles and claimed to have been sent by Allah to share the dignity of Prophethood with Muhammad. He went so far as to assert that Muhammad had recognised his claim. Eventually, he was killed in the battle of Al- Yemama, which could have proved disastrous to the survival of Islam. Al-Aswad, known as the Veiled Prophet of Yemen, was yet another claimant in this field. Though brave and a willing fighter, he was arrogant and thus, lacked popular appeal. He was brought to his end by a spate of intrigues skillfully conducted by the followers of Islam.

Existence of several Prophets at the same time in the same country shows that Prophethood has nothing to do with Allah; it is simply a contrivance to hypnotise people through supernatural ruses. God would not have sent so many Prophets to the Arabs at the same time. These men were, obviously, self-designated Prophets. Muhammad won because he adopted national approach, which appealed to the patriotic men of his age like Abu Bakr and Umar, whose combined efforts not only saved Islam from extinction but also substantially contributed towards its glory. The other contestants in this field lost owing to their parochial approach. On the contrary, Muhammad's design was not only nationalistic but also highly ambitious because it promised imperial dignity to the Arabs, who had known nothing except destitution, distress and degradation. This was the dream that only a man of Muhammad's stature could make come true. His success surely proves the evolutionary maxim: survival of the fittest. It had nothing to do with Allaah, who himself depended on Muhammad for glorifying Him. Let us look into his plan of the Arabian Imperialism:
He claimed that he was a Prophet of God, and there was nothing unusual about his claim because:

"Every nation has its Messenger; then
When their messenger comes, justly,
the issue is decided between them, and
they are not wronged." (Jonah, X: 45)


This theme is also repeated in 2: 148. Obviously, a Prophet comes to a people to settle all their issues justly with the purpose of uniting them into a vigorous nation. However, according to the Koran, the effective way of securing national unity is through the appointment of a Kibla i.e. the direction of worshipping God: when all faithful adore the acknowledged Deity facing in the same direction, they demonstrate their oneness. This is the reason that hadith no. 20 of Bokhari, Vol. 6, says that every nation has its Kibla. It is also confirmed by the Koran.

The Prophet had declared Jerusalem, the most sacred Jewish City, as the Kibla for the Arab Muslims, but after treating it as such for about sixteen months, he changed it for Kaaba, a sanctuary of Mecca, the Prophet's hometown. I shall discuss the implications of adopting Jerusalem as the Muslim Kibla in the next chapter, but here I may add that this change was dictated by the Prophet's urge to serve his national purpose. The Koran, states:

"The fools among the people will say,
'what has turned them from the direction
they were facing in their prayers aforetime?'
Say, To God belong the East and the West
He guides whomsoever He will
to a straight path."
We have seen thee (Muhammad) turning thy face
about in the heaven; now we surely turn thee to a
direction that shall satisfy Thee (Muhammad)
Turn thy face towards the Holy Mosque (Kaaba);
and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it."
(The Cow, II: 135-40)


From these verses, it is clear that the change of Kibla from Jerusalem to Kaaba was affected by Allah not of His own will but at the solicitations of Muhammad, who was seen by Allah "turning thy face about in the heavens (skies)." The hadith no. 5903 (Muslims) shows that it was originally suggested by Umar, the Second Caliph, who was murdered by a Persian slave because he thought of him (Umar) as a racist.

flag objectionable content