Prophet Muhammed is a fictional character reports the Wall Street Journal
By coffeechat
@coffeechat (1961)
New Zealand
November 17, 2008 2:37am CST
Muhammad Sven Kalisch, a Muslim and Germany's first professor of Islamic theology, fasts during the Muslim holy month, doesn't like to shake hands with Muslim women and has spent years studying Islamic scripture. Islam, he says, guides his life.
So it came as something of a surprise when Prof. Kalisch announced the fruit of his theological research. His conclusion: The Prophet Muhammad probably never existed.
This Wall Street Journal report provides full details: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122669909279629451.html
For a devout muslim it must have been hugely painful to arrive at this conclusion. What do you think?
3 people like this
7 responses
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
17 Nov 08
This will receive exactly as much support from devout Muslims as do any of the dozens of refutations of the existence of Jesus from devout Christians - which is to say, none. Very liberal Muslims may take the view, as do very liberal Christians, that the actual existence of the prophet is irrelevant, that the IDEA of the existence is the important thing, but that sort of approach only flies in rarified academic type circles. It wouldn't surprise me, however, if some fundamentalist ayatollah doesn't pronounce fatwah on the good professor.
Lash
2 people like this
@coffeechat (1961)
• New Zealand
17 Nov 08
Well said.
Since he is Shia, I suspect the matter will end up with an ayatollah to pronounce a fatwa.
How predictable can people get!
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
17 Nov 08
I look forward to the man's book with the further explanation of his thoughts being published. I've always assumed that Mohammad was an actual person due to his existence having been in the late 600's. This seemed close enough in time that history could at least have correct the fact of the man's existence. We shall see when the book comes out.
I have to add that I would not be surprised if he is correct.
1 person likes this
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
20 Nov 08
I am not a muslim so it does not affect me at all. however I would take such studies with a pinch of salt. What if someone would say that Jesus did not exist?
@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
22 Nov 08
This is completely akin to some of the discussions that we have here in MyLot about GOD and Jesus and how these religions have manipulated and been used against the people that are in need. The poor and the workers that are like slaves to the elite that flaunt their wealth while taking from others.
I left a comment on the same discussion that was started by our friend Gnosisquest it appears that his discussion has been deleted.
@tulipstrader (1467)
• India
18 Nov 08
that is pretty interesting thing happening. more than anything, the behaviour of the muslims are always predictable. nobody is thinking about if they should be thinking about anything on their faith and all that is associated with it are true or not. so far i have not come across any discussions about this in our local media here.
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
18 Nov 08
Yep, the predictable behaviour of the Muslims, as opposed to the predictable behaviour of Christians who refuse to accept historical evidence of errors in their Bible? They're told by their ayatollahs and imans that they must not question the Koran, but that's different from Christians who are told they must not question their Bible, is that what you're saying?
Sorry, the sarcasm there is probably too subtle. They're all the same - only the books change.
Lash
@coffeechat (1961)
• New Zealand
18 Nov 08
There are holy book huggers in all religions Grandpa Lash. No doubt bigots too.
However the interesting thing about all the flavours of Christianity is that there have been periodic reforms and break away groups that have in effect held up different aspects of the Bible and for that matter different versions as well.
That allows for the development of a mosaic of beliefs which is all well and good. With the exception of the theory of "Divine Right of Kings" and the Pope brokered Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 elements of Christianity have influenced governance. Since the French Revolution, the sanctity of separation of Church and state has been fiercely guarded in erstwhile Christian countries.
Tulipstrader, as you surely know, there is an old Indian story about the blind men and the elephant.
Buddha tells the story of a raja who had six blind men gathered together to examine the elephant.
"When the blind men had felt the elephant, the raja went to each of them and said to each, 'Well, blind man, have you seen the elephant? Tell me, what sort of thing is an elephant?'
They assert the elephant is like a pot (head), winnowing basket (ear), ploughshare (tusk), plough (trunk), granary (body), pillar (foot), mortar (back), pestle (tail), or brush (tip of the tail).
The men come to blows, which delights the raja. The raja says:
O how they cling and wrangle, some who claim
For preacher and monk the honored name!
For, quarreling, each to his view they cling.
Such folk see only one side of a thing.
Both Hindus and Buddhists have this philosophy deeply ingrained in their psyche. This probably explains why India is still largely quite a tolerant country.
@grandpa_lash (5225)
• Australia
18 Nov 08
Well yes, coffee, I agree, but I was merely taking a sarcastic swipe at his inarticulate swipe at Islam.
Lash
@PrarieStyle (2486)
• United States
18 Nov 08
"doesn't like to shake hands with Muslim women"? No wonder in all his years of studying Islam he never came to the conclusion that Muhammad was a child molester.
Thanks for sharing this.
@coffeechat (1961)
• New Zealand
19 Nov 08
Priariestyle - does it follow that what was good for the fictional prophet is good for his followers?
Cheers.
1 person likes this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
19 Nov 08
OOOOOH boy, I hope the Wall Street journal has tightened security at it's offices and it's presonal have hired body guards. This is probably the MOTHER of all blasphemey for muslums. And the fact that Kalisch is a muslum only makes the things 10 fold worse. This is definately going to be something to watch, I'm suprised we haven't seen the out cry from the muslum community in the news yet. Wow, this guy is BRAVE, or stupid.
