Muhammad and his lap dancing with Khadija

Submitted by LACTANTIUS Jr. (United Kingdom), Sep 5, 2016 at 16:55

Submitted by Lactantius Jr. in response to "Inaccuracies

"http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/232199

To Teal

You are correct in saying, "lap dancing" was not a description of when Muhammad received revelation." I never said it was, but referred to how Khadija persuaded Muhammad that it was an angelic and not a satanic appearance he had experienced, by taking off her clothes and treating Muhammad to a spot of 'lap-dancing'

My initial reference to Muhammad's lap dancing with Khadija, was supported by reference to Ibn Ishaq's "Sirat Rasul Allah", The Life of Muhammad, translated by A. Guillaume, p. 107: and I quoted some of that reference in my initial posting "Is Muhammad prophesied in the Bible? No and Yes" posted at http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/156398

Ibn Ishaq's "Sirat Rasul Allah", The Life of Muhammad, translated by A. Guillaume, p. 107: "Isma'il b. Abu Hakim, a freedman of the family of al-Zubayr, told me on Khadija's authority that she said to the apostle of Allah, 'O son of my uncle, are you able to tell me about your visitant, when he comes to you ?' He replied that he could, and she asked him to tell her when he came. So when "Gabriel" came to him, as he was wont, the apostle said to Khadija, 'This is "Gabriel" who has just come to me.' 'Get up, O son of my uncle,' she said, 'and sit by my left thigh'. The apostle did so, and she said, 'Can you see him?' 'Yes,' he said. She said, 'Then turn round and sit on my right thigh.' He did so, and she said, 'Can you see him?' When he said that he could she asked him to move and sit in her lap. When he had done this she again asked if he could see him, and when he said yes, she dis¬closed her form and cast aside her veil while the apostle was sitting in her lap. Then she said, 'Can you see him?' And he replied, 'No.' She said, 'O son of my uncle, rejoice and be of good heart, by Allah he is an angel and not a satan.'"

My initial reference to Muhammad's lap dancing with Khadija, was supported by reference to Ibn Ishaq's "Sirat Rasul Allah", The Life of Muhammad, translated by A. Guillaume, p. 107: and I now quote that reference more fully.

Abed El Malak Bin Hisham wrote the biography of Muhammed and he mentions that when Muhammed was at the cave of Hira, outside of Mecca, he was alone, when a spirit came and squeezed him, and told him, "Read." He went to his wife scared. And he continued to be in doubt of what happened to him. And one day, his wife Khadijah said to him, "Muhammed, let us put that on a test. When the spirit being comes to you, tell me, and we will test if that spirit being is really 'Gabriel the angel,' or a bad spirit." He said OK.

One day, he was sitting with her, and he said, "Khadijah, the spirit came!" She said, "Come, and sit on my right side." So, he sat on her right side. She said, "Muhammed, do you see the spirit?" He said, "Yes." She said, "Then sit on my left side." So, he switched and he sat on her left side. "Do you see the spirit being? "Khadijah asked. "Yes," Muhammed answered. "Then sit on my lap." He sits on her lap. "Do you still see the spirit?" "Yes," Mohammed answered. Then she uncovered herself to show some of her feminine parts of body. And then she said, "Do you see the spirit?" He said, "No." She said, "That spirit is good because he doesn't want to see my feminine part. You are the prophet of Allah." And by that he came to be convinced that that spirit who was talking to him was "the angel Gabriel," and a good spirit, because when he saw his wife almost naked, he didn't stay to see.

I have not applied ideas and concepts not according to the written history and been misleading. In quoting Ibn Ishaq, (Muhammad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Yasar Ibn Khiyar, born 704 A.D. [85 A.H] in Medina and died d. 767 A.D.) He wrote the earliest, most comprehensive and most important biography of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam Sirat Rasullullah. What is available today is Ibn Hisham's recension, Ibn Hisham dying 60 years after Ibn Ishaq. Ibn Hisham said that he edited Ibn Ishaq's biography, omitting certain details he deemed too offensive to Muslims. Alfred Guillaume translated Ibn Hisham's recension into The Life of Muhammad and tried to reconstruct Ibn Ishaq's manuscript by using quotations from other Muslim scholars. This biography provides one of the most important sources of Muhammad's life.

Islam claims that Muhammad received Qur'anic revelations from "Jibril," (the archangel Gabriel) and these "angelic appearances" frightened him into believing that "Jibril" was a demonic being, frightening him so much that he intended committing suicide by throwing himself off a mountain, only being prevented from doing so by "Jibril" appearing to Muhammad again, saying he really was "Jibril" and Muhammad shouldn't kill himself.

The true identity of "Jibril" is a moot point, the Bible teaching that "Satan masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14 and that "even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse! Galatians 1:8&9

I object to your unwarranted assertion that I have "applied ideas and concepts not according to the written history and been misleading," and demand your apology for impugning my integrity.

With kind regards and best wishes

Lactantius Jr.

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