Sura 68 ("The Pen") is still very early chronologically, but it is after Muhammad had been reciting his poems to the populace at large. Perhaps it was when he was reciting them in his wife's house, when she had gathered people to hear her husband.
Nevertheless, there is strong opposition against Muhammad. Some have called him mad or possessed by a demon. Allah defends Muhammad in this Sura. You can read it here.
He tells a story about a group of farmers. During harvest, they collect the fruit, but refuse to acknowledge God in the process. One morning, they awake and there is nothing to harvest-- all the fruit is gone. They believe that thieves are the cause of their sorrow but one among them says that it is because they have refused to give God what is His due. Their anger then transfers from thieves to the one among them who rebuked the others. Thus, says the Sura, the one will be rewarded while the unbelievers will be punished. In this life, it says, punishment is for a time, but eternally punishment is much more harsh.
I can't help but compare this to Jesus' experience and his parable of the tenant farmers.
Jesus also was declared "mad" and "possessed" by some around him. His very family wanted him locked away (in contrast, Muhammad's family was supportive). Jesus defended himself in many ways, but there are two that I find especially significant:
-He says that his miracles are "witnesses" to the truth of his teaching. These miracles could only happen by God's hand and they do God's work. Therefore, Jesus' speech must be from God. (John 5:36ff)
-Secondly, Jesus says that the miracles couldn't come from Satan, for they are directly attacking Satan's kingdom. Satan may have the power for the miracles, but he wouldn't purposely cause a civil war, would he? (Matthew 12:24-28)
It is interesting that Jesus' arguments are based on the miracles no one could deny. Muhammad's proof was his poetry itself. I am not denying the powerful proof of the exquisite beauty of the poem. However,unlike Keats, I have a hard time accepting beauty as proof of truth. Apart from that, we only have the word of the poem itself. Perhaps the message has such power that I can accept it for that. Certainly Muhammad's message was truth for idolaters-- there is one God and a day of judgment. But if it is proof for idolaters, should it not also be proof for Christians and Jews?
Muhammad's tale also has a similarity to Jesus' tale of the tenant farmers. In Jesus' story (Mark 12:1-11), the farmers were keeping the fruit themselves without giving any to the owner. The owner sent messengers (prophets) to collect the rent, but the renters refused, beating and killing the messengers. Finally the owner sent the heir, and the renters killed him as well. This caused the owner to take up arms and kill the renters.
Note the differences in the analogy. Muhammad is placed as one among the harvesters, who speaks wisdom about needing to show respect. Jesus puts himself as the Son, the Prince who will own the kingdom. Certainly Jesus makes a bolder claim about himself, and a bolder claim requires a bolder proof.
A miracle poem is sufficient proof that one must give God His rightful acknowledgement. To prove oneself as the proper king, when there has been no king for 600 years, demands a huge proof. Healings? Perhaps. Raising from the dead? That would be sufficient. The debate between Christians and Muslims is whether Jesus actually rose from the dead...
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