₦airaland Forum

ibinaboonline:
Guys, please any idea what this is? It looks harmless enough but I don't take any chances. Please what is it and what can be done? I have applied FunBact on it today.

She got that from sucking your gbola

Unbiased1:
The health minister came all the way from Abuja to commission a maternity ward? A ward is just one small section of a hospital. Even from the pictures above you can see how small the ward is. Must we commission everything in Nigeria no matter how small it is? Is this not the same state where 1 MRI machine was also commissioned? I hope we don't start commissioning tables and chairs in the future.

Mr. Mumuni of Mumu land.
Read here... https://www.nairaland.com/8146322/ekiti-agog-fg-eksg-sign

jmoore:
Hush that bla bla bla. Which people? Hired supporters.

Rest with that propaganda of yours.

Majority of Abia residents despise Orji Uzor Kalu.

If majority despise him, who then voted him in? Hired supporters? Just curious 🧐

Mrtaye:
I get your point but the reality is majority channel their waste water into the gutter as it's not everyone that will afford to build soakaway for faeces and also budget another soakaway for waste water too except the person is extremely rich

Well, on the contrary, it's not for the extremely rich. This soak away is neither deep nor wide. An 8 year old can stand inside and get out without help. Anyone who could dig the big one for fecal waste should be able to dig this. I think it bothers on enlightenment and effective housing regulations.

The US has reached an agreement with Niger to withdraw its military forces from the African nation by September 15, according to the US Defense Department and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense.

The newly agreed deadline gives the US four months to drawdown fewer than 1,000 troops who remain in the country, as well as their equipment, which includes MQ-9 Reaper drones and other assets.

But even as the deadline looms, US officials see potential for a relationship with Niger. “They want to maintain a relationship with us,” a senior defense official said, “and that relationship is certainly informed by where we’ve been with them.”

Niger’s military government announced in March that it had ended an accord with the US that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in the country.

The US delegation met with Niger’s ruling military junta last week to try to reach an agreement that would allow for the secure withdrawal of US forces and for clearances for military flights. The flight clearances had been a sticking point in the sensitive negotiations needed to withdraw US forces. Until now, US troops who have left Niger took commercial flights, including as recently as last week, according to US officials. The remaining troops on the ground are tasked with drawing down US personnel and equipment still in Niger.

The Defense Department has worked with the Nigerien military for more than a decade, focusing its efforts on counterterrorism in West Africa. The US previously operated out of two base – Agadez and Niamey – that allowed the Pentagon to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance missions with drones. Now, US forces are limited to the base in the capital of Niamey, where Russian forces have already begun operating.

“Niger has been really an anchor for our counterterrorism efforts over a decade,” said the defense official, who said conversations on future cooperation are ongoing.

But what that coordination looks like is an open question, especially as the US has already begun removing some of the 1,100 military personnel operating in the country. Defense officials painted an optimistic picture of a potential future relationship with Niger given the military junta’s demand that the US withdraws its forces from the country.

The Nigerien military “did not see this as the closing of the relationship,” said a senior military official. The senior defense official and senior military official briefed reporters Sunday afternoon, following a series of meetings between US and Nigerien officials about the withdrawal.

The US delegation was led by Chris Meier, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict. The Nigerien delegation was led by Col.-Maj. Mamane Sani Kiaou, the chief of staff of the Nigerian army.

“Both delegations confirmed the guarantees of protection and security to the American forces during their withdrawal. The delegations also established procedures to facilitate the entry and exit of U.S. personnel, including overflight and landing clearances for military flights,” the joint statement said.

The US is still evaluating what military equipment will be left in Niger. “Obviously sensitive equipment, lethal equipment, hazardous equipment – these kinds of things will be removed,” the defense official said.

Much of what the US anticipates leaving behind will not be “terribly mobile,” the official said, describing it as housing equipment and other kinds of life support.

While Russian forces have been operating at the same base from which US forces are withdrawing, the US officials said they consider it unlikely that American equipment might fall into Russian hands.

SOURCE
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/19/politics/us-niger-troop-withdrawal-agreement/index.html

Your inbox is overflowing, tasks remain unfinished, and ideas abound, yet you persistently opt for a more leisurely activity - indulging in humorous animal videos and scrolling through Netflix options. If this scenario resonates with you, and you find yourself habitually procrastinating instead of being productive, then please continue reading. By the end of this article, you will discover four practical strategies to help you overcome procrastination and regain momentum, starting today.

Procrastination is a universal experience, affecting even the most accomplished and inspirational individuals. Notable examples include the Dalai Lama, Mozart, and Leonardo da Vinci. Let us take Da Vinci as a case in point. While we marvel at the masterpiece that is the Mona Lisa, it is worth noting that it took him 16 years to complete. Da Vinci's propensity for procrastination was so renowned that one of his benefactors threatened to cut off his funding in order to prompt him to finish a commissioned work. You are, therefore, in good company. Even the most successful individuals struggle with procrastination.

I, too, am guilty of this habit, having delayed writing this very piece. I knew I needed to produce it, yet I found myself staring blankly at a wall, doing nothing. The irony of procrastinating on a post about procrastination is not lost on me.

This led me to investigate and explore the different types of procrastinators. According to UPMC, there are three primary categories:

1. Thrill Seekers: individuals who derive a sense of excitement from racing against deadlines and, therefore, procrastinate to intensify this experience.

2. Avoiders: those who delay tasks due to fear of judgment, regardless of whether their work is successful or unsuccessful.

3. Indecisive: procrastinators who postpone tasks to avoid accountability for subpar outcomes.

Upon reflection, I identify as a Thrill Seeker, as I often delay tasks until the last minute, despite knowing I have the time and resources to complete them earlier. However, this approach leads to increased stress levels, which could be mitigated by tackling tasks promptly.

This introspection led me to wonder: what drives procrastination? Research suggests that stress plays a significant role, as our brains are wired to prioritize relaxation. The limbic system and prefrontal cortex are in constant conflict, with the former controlling emotional and behavioral responses and the latter governing planning and decision-making. As the limbic system is more developed, our emotional and behavioral inclinations often take precedence, leading us to seek escape from stressful tasks[/color]. For instance, an overwhelming workload, coupled with personal worries, may prompt us to procrastinate, seeking temporary reprieve from our responsibilities.

Upon recognizing the signs of procrastination, I have found the following four strategies to be effective in overcoming it:

1. [color=#006600] Reflection : When you catch yourself procrastinating, take a moment to reflect on the underlying reasons. Are you worried about something else? Identifying the root cause enables you to address it and get back on track. Writing down your concerns can help you confront and manage them.

2. Task segmentation: Instead of viewing a task as a whole, break it down into smaller, manageable parts. Focus on starting with the bare minimum, and schedule a small amount of time for the task. This approach can help you build momentum and increase productivity.

3. Mindful reminders: Contrary to the phrase "out of sight, out of mind," keep your tasks visible and top of mind. Use reminders and break down large tasks into smaller, actionable steps. Ask yourself, "What is the bare minimum I can do to get started?" For instance, I prioritize reading 25 minutes daily for self-improvement. To ensure I follow through, I keep the book next to my nightstand as a constant reminder.

4. Strategic breaks: If you find yourself procrastinating, acknowledge it and take a break. Allow yourself 15 minutes to relax and recharge. During this time, you may find yourself thinking about the task ahead and feeling more motivated to start.


I hope these strategies help you overcome procrastination and achieve your goals.

Mrtaye:
Bathroom water is not same as faeces water naw don't get it twisted....no one is saying they should flush water closet into gutter naw

Yeah! I said bath water. Bathwater smells as a result of the soaps we use in bathing. Technically, the soaps make the bathwater smell.

So, Imagine 10 households on a street using all kinds of soaps to bath, how do you think their drainage system will smell like? Bro, it all be inhabitable.

Mrtaye:
Bathroom water should be channeled to the drainage and not soakaway.... he's right

Haba bros, small small naw. Which drainage? You want make everywhere dey smell? You sef reason am, imagine everyone on your street channels their bath water to the drainage, how pleasant do you think it'll be?

2Radii:
same with my house and its understandable..

But why would you?? U want to fill the soakaway before its due??

Why won't you? Are you telling me that if you live in a comfortable 3 bedroom flat, you'll wash outside? Or you have a washing machine, will you carry it outside ni abi what is it you're saying sef? Or if you live on the third floor,you'll carry your laundry down to wash? Abeg, landlords should do the needful and not stress the hel out of their tenants.

In building construction, only the toilet waste goes into the sceptic tank. Other wastes like kitchen and bathroom goes into a smaller tank. But in Nigeria, landlords will just build rubbish and make all waters go into the same sceptic tank.

Mariangeles:
Just so you know, Ola also means jewel in Igbo language. 💎

Hmmmm.

Here they come. Intimidated already? Always shasimg shadows. Ola meant something as grand as jewel and no Igbo name carries it?


Gimme an Igbo name that carries OLA

In a jaw-dropping interview on Channels Television, senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in the National Assembly made a stunning admission that has left Nigerians reeling in disbelief. The senator brazenly declared that corruption among politicians is merely a tiny fraction compared to other sectors, and that their brand of corruption is "people-driven" - meaning they steal public funds and share it with the people to curry favor and secure re-election.

This candid confession has sparked a firestorm of outrage and condemnation on social media, with many expressing frustration and disappointment at the blatant acknowledgment of corrupt practices by a government official. The senator's startling revelation has shed light on the systemic issues plaguing governance in Nigeria, and raises questions about the integrity of those entrusted with power.

"Steal and Share" Culture: A Recipe for Disaster

The senator's admission that politicians "steal and share with the people" is a damning indictment of the corrupt culture that pervades Nigerian politics. It suggests a systemic failure of governance, where public funds are seen as a personal slush fund for politicians to plunder and share with their cronies. This "steal and share" culture is a recipe for disaster, and has contributed to the country's stunted development and widespread poverty.

Nigerians Demand Accountability

The senator's confession has sparked a chorus of demands for accountability and transparency in governance. Nigerians are calling for an end to the corrupt culture that has held the country hostage for decades, and are demanding that politicians be held accountable for their actions.

Will this bombshell revelation mark a turning point in the fight against corruption in Nigeria? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain - Nigerians will no longer tolerate a system that perpetuates corruption and impunity. The time for change is now.

https://mega.nz/file/UoBkyTqb#OmanSnsG0baPun7qBAS7mhVlv2-i87B7eJOgEOdFTrI

SocialJustice:
Stop this rubbish, some of you are just insane and need psychiatric help.

😆

SpartaOfLagos:
Ibadan is one of the worst state in South west after Ogun state. But it's good that the governor is beginning to do something that will benefit the people there

Olodo, Ibadan is NOT a state.

This is EKSU naw.

AbuTwins:
That's your own theory as an ignorant Christian! Allah mentions Abraham, Moses, the disciples of Jesus, Solomon, David, etc as Muslims in the Qur'an!

I won't argue this much cus it is believed the Quran was not divinely inspired. Do you know that Mohammed himself opened that Satan wrote some verses of the Quran?

AbuTwins:
In fact, all Prophets from Adam, Noah, Jacob, Jonah,......, Elijah, Elisha, Joseph, Zechariah, John the baptist, etc are Muslims!

How can a book that's written years after these events happened document them? It's only copy and paste from the Bible. And that's why there is no one single complete story in the Quran except for the story of Joseph. Ok wait! Who's a Muslim? Answer this fess.

AbuTwins:
That was the pre-islamic Arabia. They did believe in the supreme diety and creator but associate idols in worship with Him.

And this supreme deity is Allah?

AbuTwins:
How is abrogation the problem of any Christian?

Don't you have old covenant and New covenant in your Bible?

Some people no Sabi think o!

Wow! Just Wow!!

Did you listen to yourself at all?
Your line of reasoning doesn't align. In the Bible, there were old and new covenants. And these two were well documented. None was removed, nothing covered. However, in the parchment you carry, there were verses that were no longer recited because Allah was alleg d to have given Mohammed new covenants. So, they stop reciting the old ones. And these old ones are not in the Quran when it was finally written.

Maybe you do not even know what abrogation meant in the first place.
Are you even a true Muslim? When last did you drink Camel's urine? 😂
Remind me, Who are the daughters of the Moon god, Allah? Anyway, that's just ona lighter note.

Guy, let's meet on Twitter space naw. Let me tutor you.

AbuTwins:
This is foolish sir. Are Christian groups too not fighting since the time of Paul, James and Peter after Jesus left? Go and read your history!

You can even talk about the crusade of Martin Luther!

Who told you Iraq and Iran fight is mainly religious?

You wey no dey do politics no fit Sabi politics!
You go just dey spread falsehood!

It is evident you didn't know the history of the Crusaders. Crusades were purely reactionary.

MaxInDHouse:
Shi'ites and Sunnis are Muslims groups they fought for many years against one another and blood kept flowing.
Iraq and Iran were Muslim nations they fought for many years and blood kept flowing.

Can you tell me which of these groups failed to MEMORIZE your Quran effectively?

NO!

That shows the memorization is worthless!

That thing called Quran is inherently flawed which has never stood the scrutiny of any independent observer in history. Only if they knew how many verses were abrogated....

AbuTwins:
The salvation of the Muslims during Jesus's time and in those 570 years does not depend on Jesus's death or resurrection!
Even if they believed Jesus died or not it doesn't matter!

There were no Muslims before Mohammed.

AbuTwins:
What matters is their belief in God as one and the worship of the one God alone in truth!
So anyone who believes in God and submits wholly to Him alone through any of the Prophets is always a Muslim at any point in time!

Polytheism was the practice of the day. Before Mohammed, they never believed in any ONE God.

AbuTwins:
Nothing of course!

Jesus will fight when he gets the opportunity and his military!

He had a lot of opportunities. But you know what? He's not like the other guy who slaughters people like chicken. Read Luke 22:50-51

Ok! Let me school you a bit. Arabic writing was far from perfected during the time of Muhammad, which is why there was no such thing as a written Arabic book (Any reference to an Arabic kitab, the word for “book,” was actually an oral text that was handed down through poets and reciters. It was not a written book). When initially writing the text of the Quran, letters and vowel markings were still being standardized, which led to confusion. For these reasons, what the scribes wrote were memory aids for the oral text. This is actually a fairly uncontroversial fact even among Muslim Quran scholars.

The text of the Quran was fluid during the time of Muhammad. He would recite the same verse multiple ways, saying he could do so up to seven ways. If at any point a text needed to be canceled, it could simply be abrogated and replaced with another text.

Since the text of the Quran was not seen as a written text, this caused little problem: All that was required was to stop reciting certain verses and to “forget” what had been revealed.

Explore2xmore:
Why will you make blatantly false claims?

In the year 661, Sahl ibn Abī Ḥathma, Abdullah ibn Abbas, and Saʿīd ibn Saʿd ibn ʿUbāda al-Khazrajī wrote about Muhammad in various historical texts. These three writers were contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad and played significant roles in documenting his life and teachings.

Does 661-632 =140 years? Please what form of maths is this?

AbuTwins:
This is a lie!

Not all of us have it.


Back to the discussion. Read the passage you quoted from verse 12. Jesus was telling a parable. So, he wasn't the one sanctioning that.

Note that he's not a violent man. He's a not a rapist, he does not keep women for sex, he nebyer killed. Even if he had lived a 100 years, he could never have done any of the abominable things your prophet did.

So explain the parable. I have read the exegesis already it is war!
Even if Jesus didn't kill.
His father did!
Shebi they are one and together in Trinity?

You just said you have read the exegesis. Hat else do you want me to explain to you?

AbuTwins:
Na you write am?

When Christians copy works of orientalists and other bigots there's no need wasting too much time on them.



Jesus didn't have time! Na just three years he used and he wasn't militarized like the Biblical Moses, Joshua, Saul, Samson, etc!

However, he still proposed war and death to his enemies!
And these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them, bring them here and slay them in front of me.’” Luke 19:27

😂
You know what? Almost every Muslim has a Bible. Why? With the sole aim of critiquing it. All your Imams have this Holy Book.

Back to the discussion. Read the passage you quoted from verse 12. Jesus was telling a parable. So, he wasn't the one sanctioning that.

Note that he's not a violent man. He's a not a rapist, he does not keep women for sex, he nebyer killed. Even if he had lived a 100 years, he could never have done any of the abominable things your prophet did.

AbuTwins:
At least Saudi Arabia is still an Islamic country! Close to 96% are Muslims. That's a legacy!
They don't require any response!
What you copied and pasted looks like a journal so the response to it should also be academic as well.

And i don't have such time!


Are we talking about the historicity or there's a diversion to another topic?

I can also divert to the assassinations, enslavements, rape, etc in the Bible.
I have the records plenty!
And mind you no one should mention context here!

Well, I'm an academician so I write like one.
Why are you scared of context? You can't just read a verse and understand it's meaning, read a chapter before and a chapter after to understand what's being said.

So, bring it on. I mean, where Jesus commanded all of these things? I dey with you.
However, respond to the footnotes fess

AbuTwins:
Confusion is when you have several translations of the Book called Bible through the ages!
Many people have died believing the falsehood discovered now!

Jehovah had to keep people in error right?

Why do you talk as if the book called Quran is one? The book was made from oral traditions, which means those who wrote the book must have brought in their own ideas. Different people have their own versions of the Quran.

AbuTwins:


Na wetin you say make i come read be this?


The life story of Muhammad is clear to us and the fabrications are also clear!
No be Christians and orientalists go come dey tell us what we know!

How come Saudi Arabia still retain at least a little of the legacy of Islam from Muhammad as we read from the same texts you criticize but none of Jesus's so-called Christian legacies exists in Israel?

Abeg!

Name those legacies for me, then we can start from there. As you can see from my post, I have conversed with Muslim scholars from different countries and read widely on both sides of the divide. It's so pitiful that you could not even respond to footnotes 3-10. How could someone who claimed to be inspired of God order people to be assassinatiom, enslaved, raped, etc.? Is that who Allah is? The name 'Mohammed' was not even mentioned in the Quran you're holding. SMH

Before you start with the Bible, why not start here: https://www.nairaland.com/8080732/accounts-mohammeds-life#129762057

AbuTwins:
Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness"

1 Samuel 13:1
1.NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.

2. ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION
Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel.

3. KING JAMES BIBLE
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel

4. NET BIBLE
Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty] years.

5. NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE 1977
Saul was forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-two years over Israel.

6. JPS TANAKH 1917
Saul was --years old when he began to reign; and two years he reigned over Israel.

7. AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION
Saul was forty years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel

8. YOUNG'S LITERAL VERSION
A son of a year is Saul in his reigning, yea, two years he hath reigned over Israel

Questions
1. How old was Saul when he became King?
2. How long did he reign over Israel?

Emusan
Aemmyjah
MaxInDHouse

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people".

REFERENCES

1. Found in Ibn Hisham’s notes. The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq’s Sirat Rasul Allah, trans. Alfred Guillaume (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2002), 691.

2. We can be sure the disgraceful material and distressing facts are related to Muhammad, since Ibn Hisham had already discussed excising material that was not related to Muhammad earlier in his list of omissions.

3. The Life of Muhammad, 494.

4. Ibid., 675.

5. Ibid., 675–76, with supplemental details from Ibn Sa’d: “Umayr Ibn Adi came to her in the night and entered her house. Her children were sleeping around her. There was one whom she was suckling. He searched her with his hand because he was blind, and separated the child from her.
He thrust his sword in her chest till it pierced up to her back. Then he offered the morning prayers with the prophet.” Muhammad Ibn Sa’d, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, trans. S. Moinul Haq, vol. 2 (Karachi:
Pakistan Historical Society, 1972), 30–31.

6. The Life of Muhammad, 515.

7. Ibid., 308.

8. Andrew Higgins, “Professor Hired for Outreach to Muslims Delivers a Jolt,” Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2008, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122669909279629451.

9. Some may respond by objecting that Ahmad is a title for Muhammad, but that is begging the question.

10. For more on Western scholastic approaches to studying early Islam, read F. M. Donner, Narratives of Islamic Origins: The Beginnings of Islamic Historical Writing (Princeton: Darwin Press, 1998). For a more popular-level, engaging read, consider Tom Holland’s In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire (New York: Random House, 2012).

As Muslims know that it was a long time after Muhammad died before anything substantial was written about his life, but people did not cease talking about him.

For over two hundred years, stories about the Islamic 'prophet' were passed orally from person to person, and among the true accounts proliferated many fabrications. By the time a systematic effort was made to sort through them, over five hundred thousand (500,000) accounts of Muhammad’s life were in popular circulation, and it is commonly estimated that the vast majority of them were false.

HOW CAN WE KNOW WHICH ACCOUNTS OF MUHAMMAD’S LIFE ARE TRUSTWORTHY?

Let's assume the classical Islamic method for assessing the authenticity of hadith. In the field of uloom al-hadith, translated “the science of Muhammad’s sayings,” Muslim scholars grade individual accounts of Muhammad’s life based on criteria such as how well-known an account was and who the people relaying it were. The most trustworthy hadith are ultimately graded sahih, which means “true” or “authentic,” whereas the weakest hadith are labelled daeef (“weak”) or even maudu (“fabricated”).

Imam Bukhari and his student Imam Muslim were two highly respected scholars in the third century after Muhammad, and they collected only those hadith which they considered sahih and beyond dispute. Most Muslims consider their collections above reproach. In using only the hadith that they approved, Muslims were deluded to see Muhammad was the noble and peaceful man that they've always been taught, and that there were no problematic accounts in his life.
But this isn't the case. Problematic accounts existed even amid the sahih collections.

If you ask imams to resolve these problematic accounts found in the sahih, and also search online, you'll see how other Muslims responded to the criticisms. What I learned was that many were willing to accuse even the sahih collections of containing fabricated accounts, finding ways to dismiss those accounts that were considered authentic by the great Muslim scholars of old.

It was then I realized they were essentially finding ways to pick and choose from the ancient records which accounts were reliable and which were not, creating a Muhammad that they felt comfortable with.

If you want to know who Muhammad really was and whether you should follow him as your prophet, not to create a Muhammad in your mind that was worth following. I suggest you reconsider your approach and study Muhammad using the historical method instead of uloom al-hadith.

THE HISTORICAL METHOD

What were the earliest accounts written about Muhammad, and how soon were they written?

Here, you'll discover some shocking facts about early Islam. First, people were not writing books in Arabic during Muhammad’s time. The first Arabic book to have been written was the Quran, and even that was turned into a written book only after Muhammad died. There was no such thing as written Arabic literature, only oral. This is because, second, people were still figuring out how to write Arabic. Arabic script was far from standardized, having been invented only a century or two before Muhammad’s time. For these reasons and others, third, no one wrote a biography of Muhammad’s life until about 140 years after Muhammad died. By that time, there were certainly no eyewitnesses of Muhammad’s life, and people were generations removed from the events they discussed. Could we trust such an account to be an unfiltered and accurate depiction of Muhammad?

The first biography, Sirat Rasul Allah, was written by a man named Ibn Ishaq, but the book itself has actually been lost. Ibn Ishaq taught a man named al-Bakkai, who made his own edition of Ibn Ishaq’s book, and al-Bakkai taught a man named Ibn Hisham, who edited al-Bakkai’s edition, and it is this edition that we have today. Why did these men each make their own editions? Ibn Hisham tells us in his introductory remarks: “Things which it is disgraceful to discuss, matters which would distress certain people, and such reports as al-Bakkai told me he could not accept as trustworthy—all these things I have omitted.”¹ In other words, the earliest biography of Muhammad’s life was reputed to contain fabrications, disgraceful material, and distressing facts.² What we have today has been filtered many times, both for fabrications and for difficult truths.

It is because of such intentional editing that historians do not consider late accounts as trustworthy as early accounts, all else being equal. The earlier accounts have not been as filtered, and therefore are more likely to be true. Also, people are more prone to forget information over time, especially information that does not fit with the narrative at large. When it comes to the records of Muhammad’s life, we simply do not have such early or unfiltered data. Everything has been filtered through multiple generations.

Even though the earliest biography went through layers of filtering, it still contains shocking material. Some of them are listed here:

Muhammad personally oversaw the beheadings of up to nine hundred men on a single day, digging trenches in the marketplaces so that their corpses could fall into mass graves upon being decapitated.³

He ordered the assassination of an old man who had composed poetry complaining about Muhammad.⁴

A woman lamented the old man’s death in poetry, so Muhammad ordered her assassination, and her blood splattered on her children as she breastfed.⁵

Muhammad ordered the torture of a city treasurer to extract the location of the money, so his men kindled a fire with flint and steel on the treasurer’s chest until he was nearly dead, ultimately beheading him;⁶

When Muhammad was about to execute a man, the man pleaded, “Who will look after my children?” to which Muhammad responded, “Hell!”⁷

Just by scratching the surface of the earliest biography we find many troubling accounts of Muhammad. By the time hadith were written under men like Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, many of these accounts were filtered out of Muhammad’s biography, just as Ibn Hisham and al-Bakkai had filtered the accounts that they received.

For this reason, selective filtration, the whole body of hadith is inherently flawed: They contain only those accounts that multiple generations of early Muslims each chose to save. As we have seen, even those that were kept are often considered flawed and fabricated.

WHAT CAN WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT MUHAMMAD?
For this reason, non-Muslim scholars of early Islam are very hesitant to trust the information about the life of Muhammad. Almost none accept the science of hadith criticism as it stands, most just hoping to extract historical kernels of truth from the hadith. Some scholars have even abandoned hope of that much success, saying virtually nothing can be known about Muhammad.
These scholars are from a variety of religious and nonreligious backgrounds. One Muslim scholar concluded that, given the nature of the evidence, Muhammad may not have even existed.

Muhammad Sven Kalisch completed his PhD in Islamic jurisprudence in 1997 and became Germany’s first professor to hold a chair in Islamic theology. When he arrived at Münster University in 2004, he struck some as too conservative on account of his zeal for sharia. But then, according to the Wall Street Journal, Kalisch “wanted to subject Islam to the same scrutiny as Christianity and Judaism.”⁸ At first he defended the historicity of Muhammad in print, but the more he studied, the more he realized there were significant problems with the record. The word Muhammad appears only four times in the Quran, and it is unclear whether it is a name or a title. Quran 61.6 appears to say that the Prophet’s name was Ahmad, not Muhammad.⁹ There is no other evidence of Muhammad’s existence until the turn of the eighth century, when coins bearing his name were produced. “The more I read, the historical person at the root of the whole thing became more and more improbable,” says Muhammad Kalisch.

Other scholars are coming to similar conclusions on account of the holes in the historical records. Their concerns are more than an argument from silence; if the traditional understanding of Islam is true, it is indeed very problematic that we do not find more about Muhammad in the earliest historical records. If Muhammad was the prophet of the Arabs, and if they were energized and motivated by his teachings, why is it that the Arab conquests of the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia never mention his name? These conquests occurred in the middle of the seventh century, immediately after Muhammad’s death, yet none of the contemporary records mention Muhammad. In fact, none mention a holy book or even the word Muslim. It is not that there are no records; considering the communications of the conquerors and the writings of the conquered, there are abundant records, yet Muhammad is never named, a holy book is never discussed, and the conquerors are never called Muslims.

Other evidence also has historians scratching their heads: Although Mecca is reputed to be a trade center, it never appears in any trade routes until the turn of the eighth century; none of the earliest mosques faced toward Mecca (all faced toward either Jerusalem or Petra until about the turn of the eighth century); Mecca is mentioned only once in the Quran; the descriptions of the land in the Quran sound very little like Mecca, much more like northern Arabia; and the list goes on.

For these reasons, not just one Muslim scholar but many scholars doubt the traditional origins of Islam and even the existence of Muhammad, at least as the early Islamic records describe him. According to them, the truth about the origins of Islam is unfortunately veiled. There is almost nothing we can know with certainty about the historical Muhammad.¹⁰

ukaface:
Make I talk true
Na my mama be that woman

You sef like better thing.