Archangel Raphael

The name Raphael comes from the Hebrew Rafa’el, meaning “God has healed” or “Medicine of God.”

He’s not mentioned in the Tanakh/Old Testament or the New Testament; he’s definitely in the Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is a deuterocanonical work recognized by Catholic & Orthodox churches. He’s also mentioned in 1 Enoch, both books date from around the 3rd & 2nd centuries BC.

In later Jewish tradition(s), he became identified as 1 of the 3 heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham at the Oak of Mamre. While the Bible doesn’t name him, Midrashic tradition identifies Raphael as 1 sent to heal Abraham’s pain after his circumcision.

Later Christian tradition(s) identified him with healing & as the angel who stirred the waters at the Pool of Bethesda in John 5:2-4. But he isn’t specifically named in this passage.

In Islam, his name is Israfil. He’s understood to be the unnamed angel of Quran 6:73. In this passage, he’s standing with a trumpet to his lips eternally, ready to announce the Day of Judgment.

In Gnostic tradition(s), Raphael is represented on the Ophite Diagram. This diagram is/are a ritual & esoteric diagram used by the Ophite sect of Gnosticism.

In the Book of Tobit, Raphael takes the human form of a man named Azarias. He serves as a protector for young Tobias on a perilous journey to Media. Azarias instructs Tobias on how to use the heart, liver, & gall of a giant fish to create medicinal ointments. These are used to drive away a demon (Asmodeus) & to cure the blindness of Tobias’ dad, Tobit.

Because Raphael safely guided Tobias across vast distances, he became the patron saint of travelers, pilgrims, & even modern-day hitchhikers.

His name comes from the Hebrew meaning “to heal,” & can be translated as “God has healed.” In Tobit, he goes by the name Azariah while in disguise as a man. In the book, he acts like a doctor/physician & expels, uses an extraordinary fish to heal Tobit’s eyes, & binds the demon Asmodeus. While in 1 Enoch, he’s “set over all disease & every wound of the children of the people.” He also binds the armies of Azazel & throws them into the valley of fire.

According to the Babylonian Talmud, Raphael was 1 of 3 angels who appeared to Abraham in the Oak Grove (Oak wood/trees have been used for millennia in spiritual traditions) of Mamre, in the Hebron region.

Michael walked in the middle because he was the “greatest,” with Gabriel on his right & Raphael on his left. Each had a specific mission they were commanded to carry out: Gabriel’s was to destroy Sodom; Michael’s was to tell Sarah that she was going to have Isaac; & Raphael’s was to heal Abraham from his recent circumcision & to save Lot. Now, the healing of the circumcision is HUGE in this context. Because Abraham was the 1st Hebrew/Jew to get a circumcision. AND he was a grown old man when he got it. He wasn’t a baby who’d “forget” the pain & healed up in a couple of days.

In the Midrash Konen, it’s revealed that Raphael was originally named Libbiel (“God is my heart”). In the Midrash, God takes counsel with His angels before He creates Adam, the 1st man. The angels weren’t all of 1 opinion, with differing views & reasons.

The Angel of Love & Angel of Justice both were in favor of Man’s creation as he (humans) would be affectionate & loving, alongside practicing Justice. The Angel of Truth & the Angel of Peace opposed Man’s creation, as he (humans) would be full of lies & be quarrelsome.

To invalidate his protest, God cast the Angel of Truth down from Heaven to Earth. When the others cried out against the treatment of their companion, He said, “Truth will spring back out of the earth.” Before their objections, God had only told the Angels of the good that would be among the humans. But didn’t tell them of the evil, either.

Despite not knowing the whole truth, the angels were nevertheless prompted to cry out: “What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?” God replied: “The fowl of the air & the fish of the sea, what were they created for? Of what avail a larder full of appetizing dainties, & no guest to enjoy them?” The angels couldn’t but exclaim: “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the Earth! Do as is pleasing in Thy sight.” For not a few of the angels, their opposition bore fatal consequences.

When God summoned the band under the Archangel Michael & asked their opinion on the creation of man, they answered scornfully: “What in man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visited him?” God stretched out his little finger, & all were consumed by fire except their Chief Michael. And the same fate befell under the leadership of the archangel Gabriel; he alone of all was saved from destruction.

The 3rd band consulted by the Archangel Libbiel. He learned from his predecessors’ horrible fate, so he warned his troops. “You’ve seen what misfortune overtook the angels who said, ‘What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Let us have care not to do likewise, lest we suffer the same dire punishment. Gor God will not refrain from doing in the end what He has planned. Therefore, we should yield to His wishes.”

Having been warned, the angels spoke: “Lord of the world (Not the universe? Huh.), it’s well that Thou hast thought of creating man. Do Thou create him according to Thy will. And as for us, we’ll be his attendants & his minsters, & reveal unto him all our secrets.”

Thereupon, God changed Archangel Libbiel’s name to Raphael, the Rescuer, because his Host of Angels had been rescued by his sage advice. He was appointed the Angelic Prince of Healing, who has in his safekeeping all the celestial remedies, the types of medical remedies used on Earth.

In the Midrash Tanhuma (a.k.a. Yelammedenu, this is the name given to a homiletic Midrash on the ENTIRE Torah), Satan became envious of the righteous. R. Matthew bar Heresh, after seeing him sitting occupied in Torah study, without looking at anyone’s wife or any other woman.

Believing it to be impossible for a righteous man to exist in the world without sin, Satan asks God how He sees Rabbi Matthew; He sees him as completely righteous. Satan then asks for permission to test Rabbi Matthew (Is this starting to sound like the Job story to anyone else?), which God grants again.

So Satan transforms himself into a beautiful woman upon finding the rabbi studying the Torah. After seeing that Satan would continue to truly & tempt him from all sides. He (the Rabbi) used hot pins to blind himself, so his evil inclination prevailed. Satan trembles in dismay & goes back to report to God.

When God gets the report, He calls Raphael, Prince of the Healing Arts, commanding Raphael to go heal the rabbi’s eyes. When Raphael goes to the rabbi to heal him, Raphael reveals his identity & mission. Rabbi Matthew tells Raphael that he doesn’t want to be healed.

Raphael returns to God & tells God what the rabbi said. When hearing this, God commands Raphael to tell the rabbi not to fear, because his evil inclination will not prevail. When the rabbi heard this from Raphael’s mouth, the rabbi accepted the healing & wasn’t afraid.

In Rabbeinu Bahya, a commentary on the Torah written by Rabbi Bahya ben Asher (1255-1340), the Camp of Ephraim (situated to the west of the Tabernacle (Numbers 2:18)), corresponded to the celestial camp headed by the archangel Raphael, supported by the angels Zavdiel & Achziel.

It’s also said that this is the camp that Moses alluded to when he prayed that Miriam be asked from her tzaraath by saying “please God heal her” (Numbers 12:13). He appealed to the attribute represented by Raphael.

In the Beginning of Wisdom, an introduction to Kabbalistic thought composed by Rabbi Aharon Meir Altshuler (1835-1905) in Warsaw between 1887 and 1893. Raphael is said to be the Sephirah of Tiphereth (Beauty). He’s said to act as an intermediate conduit between Chesed (Kindness) corresponding to Michael, & Din (Judgment) corresponding to Gabriel. Uriel (a.k.a. Nuriel) is also said to act as an intermediate conductor alongside Raphael.

It’s explained that when he inclines to Chesed, he’s called Uriel. But when he inclines Din, he’s called Nuriel. In the same context, the Sefer Ha Bahir calls Raphael, the “Prince of Peace” (“Sar Salom”). The text states that the reconciliation between Michael (the prince of God’s right) & Gabriel (the prince of God’s left) is the meaning of the verse, “He imposes peace in His heights” (Job 23:2). With Raphael being the Archangel of Air that establishes peace between fire & water.

In Kabbalistic astrology, Raphael is most commonly associated with the Sun (alongside Michael) & Mercury (the planet). The Zohar associates him with the image of man in the tetramorph (A symbolic arrangement of 4 differing elements, or the combination of 4 disparate elements in 1 unit) of the Four Holy Living Creatures (these are a class of heavenly beings in Judaism, described in the 1st & 10th chapters of the Book of Ezekiel), alongside the zodiac sign of Aquarius, & in ration to the image of man; the Sephriah of Malkhuth (Kingdom) & the Earth.

As well as Tiphereth & Malkhuth, the Zohar also has Raphael corresponding to the Sephirah of Hod (Majesty), the Euphrates river, the left leg of the body, & the Israelite tribe of Ephraim.

It’s also customary in Judaism to invoke Raphael as 1 of the Four Archangels after 1 recites the Shema (This is a Jewish prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the Jewish morning & evening prayer services.) before going to bed; with Michael by your right side, Gabriel by your left side, Uriel before you, & Raphael behind you.

The New Testament only names 2 archangels (Michael & Gabriel, respectfully). But because of Raphael’s association with healing, he became identified with the unnamed angel of John 5:1-4, who periodically stirred up the Pool of Bethesda.

Because of his actions in the Book of Tobit & the Gospel of John, Raphael is considered a protector & healer. Thus, the patron of travelers, the blind, happy meetings, nurses, physicians, medical workers, matchmakers, Christian marriage, & Catholic studies.

He’s perhaps most seen in depictions of Tobias & the Angel, from the Book of Tobit, showing him walking with Tobias & his dog through a landscape. The subject became very popular in Italy from about 1450 for a century, as devotion to Raphael increased, at least partly through confraternities dedicated to him. A confraternity is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, & approved by the Church hierarchy.

In altarpieces & the like, Tobias, his fish, & his dog may be used as identifying attributes of Raphael.

Raphael is said to guard pilgrims on their journey, & when depicted as a single figure, is often depicted holding a staff. Also, he’s often pictured holding or standing on a fish, which alludes to his healing of Tobit with the fish’s gall. Early mosaics often show him & other archangels in the clothing of a Byzantine courtier.

The feast day of Raphael was included for the 1st time in the General Roman Calendar in 1921, on October 24. With the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the feast was transferred to September 29 for celebration together with the archangels Saints Michael & Gabriel.

Pope Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum permitted, within certain limits for public use, the General Roman Calendar of 1960, which has October 24 as Raphael’s feast day. He’s commemorated in some Spanish dioceses on the old date & with a procession on May 7 in Cordoba, Spain.

In the Diocese of Warsaw-Praga, he’s commemorated on October 3 (with Michael & Gabriel). The feast was transferred from September 29 (Devotion of St. Florian’s Cathedral).

The archangel Raphael is commemorated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on November 8 in the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael & the Other Bodiless Powers.

In the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the dedication of the church of St. Raphael on the back of a whale is commemorated on August 26 (or 3 Pagumen, this is an intercalary month of the ancient Egyptian, Coptic, & Ethiopean calendars are a period of 5 days in common years & 6 days in leap years in addition to those calendars’ 12 standard months, sometimes reconned as their 13th month.).

The Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates Raphael’s feast on Kouji Nabot 3 & Koiak 13.

In the Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate, St. Raphael the Archangel is commemorated on October 24.

The Archangel Raphael is said to have appeared in Cordoba, Spain, during the 16th century. In response to the city’s appeal, Pope Innocent X allowed the local celebration of a feast in the Archangel’s honor on May 7, the date of the principal apparition.

St. John of God (founder of the Hospital order that bears his name) is also said to have received visitations from Saint Raphael, who encouraged & instructed him.

In tribute to this, many of the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God’s facilities are called “Raphael Centers” to this day. The 18th-century Neapolitan nun, St. Maria Francesca of the 5 Wounds, is also said to have seen apparitions of St. Raphael.

In the Mormon tradition, Doctrine & Covenants 128:21 (this is part of a letter dated Sept. 7, 1842) refers to an appearance or manifestation of Raphael to Joseph Smith as 1 of several angels who had appeared to him either together or separately.

Raphael is a venerated archangel, according to Islamic tradition. In Islam, he’s called Israfil. Israfil will blow the trumpet from a holy rock in Jerusalem to announce the Day of Judgment (Yawn al-Qiyamah). The trumpet is constantly poised at his lips, ready to go at Allah’s orders.

Certain Islamic sources indicate that, created at the beginning of time, Israfil has 4 wings, & is so tall as to be able to reach from the earth to the pillars of Heaven. A beautiful angel who is a master of music, Israfil sings praises to God in 1,000 different languages, the breath of which is used to inject life into hosts of angels who add to the songs themselves.

Further, he’s probably the highest angel, since he also mediates between God & other archangels, reading on the Preserved Tablet (al-lawh al-mahfooz) to transmit the commands of God. Although disputed, some reports assert he visited Muhammad prior to the archangel Gabriel.

According to Sufi traditions reported by Imam Rafa’il, the Ghawth or Qutb (‘perfect human being’) is someone who has a heart that resembles that of the archangel Israfil, signifying the loftiness of this angel. The next in are the saints who are known as the Umdah or Awtad, amongst whom the highest ones have their hearts resembling that of the archangel Mikhail (Michael), & the rest of the lower-ranking saints having the heart of Jibrail (Gabriel), & that of the previous prophets before the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The earth is believed to always have 1 of the Qutb.

In another account, Rafa’il is mentioned by name in the Islamic tradition narrated by Ath-Tha’labi from Ali. He’s said to have met Dhu al-Qarnayn, who’s mentioned in the last part of Sura 18 of the Quran, al-Kahf (“The Cave”). Dhu al-Qarnayn (The 2 Horned One) is believed by some to be Alexander the Great.

The angel told Dhu al-Qarnayn about the Water of Life (Ayn al-Hayat). Hearing that there was such a spring, Dhu al-Qarnayn wanted to drink the Water of Life. But the only 1 who had succeeded in drinking it was his cousin, Khidir. In Islamic tradition, Khidr is the mystical guide popularly quoted, especially in Sufi traditions, who has attained a long life & appears to have selected Islamic saints throughout the times.

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Apologetics: Flippin’ Fatwa Friday – The Bible vs. The Quran: Surah al-Baqarah Verses 156-158.

Last time on Flippin’ Fatwa Friday, we covered three issues, talking about good works, the Ka’ba, and jihad. Today, we’re sort-of back to talking about the Ka’ba, though we’ll more specifically be looking at another big part of the Hajj. Let’s take a look at this:

156. Who, when a calamity befalls them, say, ‘Surely, we belong to Allah and to him, of course, we return (and in his will is our peace).’ 157. It is they upon whom descend the benedictions from their Lord and his mercy, and it is they who are guided aright. 158. The Safa and Marwah (- the two eminences near Ka’ba) are certainly (two) of the symbols of Allah, so he who is on Pilgrimage to the house or performs ‘Umrah (- a visit to Ka’ba), there is no blame on him to perform Tawaf (- to run between) the two (eminences), and he who remains thoroughly dutiful and chooses to do good deeds spontaneously, the surely (he will find) Allah is Appreciative and rewards ever good deed done. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing.

I’ve already talked about the pagan origins of the Ka’ba and the Black Stone, but one of the things I sadly forgot to mention was how the Hajj also includes running between two small hills, the Safa and Marwa, seven times. This verse is the only time where this practice is mentioned, and it isn’t really elaborated on in the Quran.

The pagan origins of this practice aren’t something that can only be found through spending hours flipping through history books or scrolling on Google. It’s readily admitted in the hadiths that this practice stems from Arabian pagans. For example, Sahih Bukhari 4496 says:

Narrated `Asim bin Sulaiman:
I asked Anas bin Malik about Safa and Marwa. Anas replied, “We used to consider (i.e. going around) them a custom of the Pre-islamic period of Ignorance, so when Islam came, we gave up going around them. Then Allah revealed: “Verily, Safa and Marwa (i.e. two mountains at Mecca) are among the Symbols of Allah. So it is not harmful of those who perform the Hajj of the House (of Allah) or perform the Umra to ambulate (Tawaf) between them.” 

Stange how pagan customs were never absorbed into Judaism or Christianity by God. Why would Allah make a pagan custom something that is mandatory in Islam?

The reason for this has much to do with what I’ve mentioned in previous posts about the Hajj. It was all to gain a following. Muhammad knew that these customs were important to the people groups he knew. It wasn’t something they would give up easily. Thus, he simply absorbed them into Islam to make it more palatable for them.

Until next time,

M.J.

Apologetics: Flippin’ Fatwa Friday – No. Muhammad Isn’t in The Bible.

One of the impromptu series of shorts that I’m doing on my YouTube channel is one addressing the claim that the Bible prophesies the coming of Muhammad. Now, for any of us who have read the Bible, the claim that the Bible prophesies Muhammad’s coming is absurd. The closest the Bible comes to saying anything about Muhammad (or really any other “prophet”) is in the numerous verses and passages warning about false teachers. However, the Muslims keep pushing on with this utter lie, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular scriptures that they take out of context.

#1: Deut 18:18

Deuteronomy 18:18 is one of the passages that is constantly taken out of context by Muslims. This passage says:

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses] from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.

According to Muslims, Muhammad fits the bill. They claim that Muhammad was like Moses in that he spoke to God, led people, and established a sort of new covenant. As for the part about the person needed to be an Israelite, that’s irrelevant! After all, some translations of this verse say, “from among their brethren” instead of the vastly more specific “fellow Israelites.” Thus, since Ishmael, the father of the Arab people was Issac’s half-brother, it’s close enough, right?

Except it’s not.

The main issue here is that “from among their brethren” would have been understood by the Israelites as God specifying that the one to come must be an Israelite. Muhammad, however, was Arab, which, at best, made him a distant cousin of the Israelites through Ishmael. Because of that alone, he can’t be the one being spoken about, especially since nowhere in the Bible are the Ishmaelites considered brethren in any way.

Additionally, Muhammad fails to be a prophet like Moses in other ways. While he claimed to speak to Allah directly during the Night Journey, the vast majority of his revelations were received from Gabriel. Meanwhile, Moses never had any intermediary to give him messages from God. He spoke directly to Him. This means that Muhammad fails on two other accounts; he didn’t speak the words God directly put in his mouth, and it’s – at best – questionable if he ever spoke to God (or what he thought was God) face to face.

Even more damning is that while Moses performed miracles and signs and wonders, Muhammad did not. In fact, numerous times throughout the Quran, it denies that he ever performed any miracles. (On the off chance that it does say he performed a miracle such as the splitting of the moon, that’s yet another contradiction in the Quran.)

The final bit of evidence that Muhammad couldn’t be the prophet spoken about is the fact that in the same chapter of Deuteronomy, we find it saying this in verse 19-22:

19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

By this standard, Muhammad fails miserably, as according to numerous Islamic scholars, Muhammad recited the “Satanic Verses,” in which he told the people of Mecca that it was totally fine to pray to three goddesses already worshipped there for intercession with Allah. Later, when questioned about it, Muhammad replied that Satan had given him those verses. That’s also not even mentioning the various prophecies he made that never came true.

#2: John 14:16-17

Of all the worst places to try to arbitrarily shove Muhammad, the Gospel of John is easily the worst, as it’s the most overtly theological of all the Gospels.

According to Muslims, when Jesus talks about sending an advocate, that this advocate/”Spirit of Truth” is Muhammad. However, Jesus makes it very clear in John 14:26 that the advocate/”Spirit of Truth” is the Holy Spirit.

Because of this, the Muslims switch gears and say that the Holy Spirit is just another term for Gabriel. However, the issue with that is the Quran never supports this understanding. For example, in Surah 15:28-29 when Allah is creating Man, he says that he will breathe into it his spirit. If this spirit is to be understood as the Holy Spirit as found in the Bible, then it would seem that the Quran affirms the existence of the Holy Spirit (though it seems extremely disjointed in its understanding of it.) If this is Gabriel, however, then the question must be asked why Allah had a finite being help in creation.

Moreover, we can also look at how the Quran records Mary’s conception of Jesus. Once again, we see that Allah’s Spirit breathed into Mary to create Jesus. However, al-Tabari clarifies that this spirit was none other than Gabriel. Thus, if only Allah is capable of creation, then if his spirit is Gabriel, then Gabriel is Allah as he is an active participant in creating everything. Either the Spirit is Allah and not Gabriel, or the spirit is Gabriel, meaning that either Allah is Gabriel or there are multiple gods.

Even more damning is that the idea of Allah’s spirit doesn’t line up well with the Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit. The Biblical understanding is that the Holy Spirit is God (as in the third person of the Trinity), and is referred to as personal, is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, is a person, is the author of regeneration, is creator, is Israel’s redeemer, etc. In the Bible whenever an angel appears, they never identify themselves with the Holy Spirit. The authors of the Old and New Testaments certainly didn’t consider the angels to be the Holy Spirit, as they always clarify that the being is an angel of God. Thus, this arguments falls flat on its face.

#3: John 16:7

See #2, as John 16:7 is part of the Farewell/Upper Room Discourse that Jesus gave during the Last Supper, which spans chapters 13-17 of the Gospel of John.

#4: Daniel 7:13

This is a less commonly used passage, but some Muslims will say that this is referring to the Night Journey. However, unless they think that you should worship Muhammad (as it’s said that the one prophesied will be worshipped by “all nations and peoples of every language,”) then this isn’t referring to Muhammad’s coming. This is clearly talking about Jesus and was why He called Himself the “Son of Man.”

#5: Isaiah 42:1-11

To say that this passage refers to Muhammad is not only an example of isogesis, but is simply bad hermeneutics. Isaiah 42:1-11 is part of the four Servant Songs and when all of them are taken into consideration, they paint a startlingly clear picture of the life and death of Jesus. Because of that, to use this passage to support the idea that Muhammad was prophesied in the Bible is a painfully dishonest argument, as it ignores the broader context of the chapter.

Until next time,

M.J.

Apologetics: Flippin’ Fatwa Friday – A Comparison of Claims About the Insanity of Jesus and the Insanity of Muhammad. (Part 3)

Over the last two Flippin’ Fatwa Friday posts, I’ve discussed the possibility that Muhammad and Jesus were either epileptic or insane. Jesus repeatedly proved Himself to be of sound mind and didn’t show any sign of epilepsy. Muhammad didn’t pass so cleanly, with the theory that he had epilepsy or a personality disorder still standing. However, if neither man were epileptic or insane, this leaves what’s possibly the oldest and most serious accusation against either of them: demon possession. 

Demonic possession manifests itself in different ways and can look like psychological dysfunction. (15) According to the instances of demon possession recorded in the Bible, demon possessed people can’t control themselves, exhibit new personalities and abilities, (Matt 8:29, 9:33, 12:22, Mark 1:23-24) speak in a different voice or make them mute, (Mark 5:9, Luke 11:14) have supernatural knowledge (Acts 16:16-18), and tend to be suicidal. (Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43, 17:6) (3, 15)  

In the Bible, Jesus was accused of being demon possessed numerous times. In Luke 11:15, after Jesus had driven out a demon that made a person mute, some of the members of the crowd said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” Similar accusations are found in Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:21-22, John 7:20, 8:48, 8:52, and 10:20. (3) 

 However, Jesus’ responses consistently disproved these claims. (Matthew 12:22-32, Mark 2:12, 3:22-30, 5:1-20, Luke 4:33-37, 11:14-23, and John 10:21) (3) At one point, he said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last. If Satan forces Satan out, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom last? If I force demons out of people with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That’s why they will be your judges. But if I force demons out with the help of God’s Spirit, then the kingdom of God has come to you.” (Matthew 12:25-28) (3) 

In Muhammad’s case, he cannot effectively fend off this accusation. In fact, the charge that he was possessed has perhaps the best evidence to support it. Throughout Muhammad’s life, he experienced periods of great spiritual oppression or delusion. (22) Ibn Saad records that during Muhammad’s childhood, Halima would see a cloud shadowing him during severe heat. (10) This so greatly scared her that it prompted her to send him back to Aaminah. (7, 10) In Guillaume’s translation of Ibn Ishaw, page 72: “His [Muhammad’s friends] father said to me, ‘I am afraid that this child has had a stroke, so take him back to his family before the result appears. … She [Muhammad’s mother] asked me what happened and gave me no peace until I told her. When she asked if I feared a demon had possessed him, I replied that I did.” (paragraph 5) (13) 

Various accounts of Muhammad’s first revelation are also damning. According to Karen Armstrong, ““Muhammad was torn from his sleep in his mountain cave and felt himself overwhelmed by a devastating divine presence. Later he explained this ineffable experience by saying that an angel had enveloped him in a terrifying embrace so that it felt as though the breath was being forced from his body.” (paragraph 5, sentence 1-2) (22) Sahih Muslim 160a writes, ““Then the Prophet returned therewith, his heart was trembling, and he went to Khadija and said: Wrap me up, wrap me up! So, they wrapped him till the fear had left him. He then said to Khadija: O Khadija! What has happened to me? And he informed her of the happening, saying: I fear for myself.” (1) Sahih Bukhari 4951 also says, “Then Allah’s Messenger returned with that experience; and the muscles between his neck and shoulders were trembling till he came upon Khadija (his wife) and said, ‘Cover me!’ They covered him, and when the state of fear was over, he said to Khadija, ‘O Khadija! What is wrong with me? I was afraid that something bad might happen to me.” (1)  

Ibn Ishaq and many of Muhammad’s contemporaries also agreed that he believed himself to be possessed and became suicidal afterwards. (22)  Islamic scholar al-Tabari, records that when the revelations ceased for a period of six months to three years, Muhammad became depressed and repeatedly attempted to jump off cliffs and mountain crags. (13) Guillaume’s The Life of Muhammad, page 106 contains Tabari’s record of what Muhammad said: “Now none of God’s creatures was more hateful to me than an (ecstatic) poet or a man possessed: I could not even look at them. I thought, Woe is me poet or possessed – Never shall Quraysh say this of me! I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself and gain rest.” (Paragraph 13-paragraph 14, sentence 1-5) (13)  

When compared to the accounts of angelic encounters in the Bible, Muhammad’s initial encounter with Gabriel sounds more akin to the cases of demon possession found in the Bible. Whenever people in the Bible meet an angel, the angel always comforts them with the phrase, “Do not be afraid.” (Gen 15:1, 26:24, 46: 3; Dan 8:15-29, 10:12, 19; Matt 28:5, 10; Luke 1:13, 26-31, 2:10; Rev. 1:17) (3, 22) Then, after the visit from the angel or God Himself, while the people are understandably shaken and filled with reverent fear, they never experienced depression, much less suicidality. (13) In fact, many who were visited by God in the Bible were blessed with the opportunity to fellowship with Him. (Gen 3-4, 6, 12-18, Exodus 3-34, Isaiah 6, Luke 2, Acts 9) (13) With Muhammad’s encounter with Gabriel, none of that is present. 

Interestingly, the accusations from Muhammad’s contemporaries that he was possessed aren’t just found in the hadiths. Record of these accusations can also be found in the Quran in verses and passages such as surah 15:6, (2) 44:14, and 37:36, (2, 22), 81:22-25, 69:41-42. (2, 13) The reason for these accusations, according to Tabari, could be rooted in a superstition from the pre-Islamic Arabs who believed in the demon of poetry. (13) The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that great poets were directly inspired by demons, which, combined with the fact that early Quranic revelations were poetic in nature, may explain why Muhammad’s contemporaries and Muhammad himself believed him to be demon possessed. (13, 22) So great was this belief that Muhammad was possessed that there are numerous verses dedicated to rebutting these claims, such as surah 7:184, 23:70, 34:36 52:29, 68:2, 81:22. (2) Further evidence that Muhammad had strange experiences with spiritual entities is found in Sahih Bukhari 3421, which records that he was attacked by jinn during prayer. (1) 

Other accounts that support the claim that Muhammad was possessed is the infamous story of the Satanic Verses, which make up surah 53:19-23. (2, 11) According to accounts from Ibn Sa’d and al-Tabari in The Life of Muhammad, when Muhammad’s following was still small in Mecca, he revealed verses that pleased the Meccan leaders because it declared the existence of and endorsed the worship of three goddesses who were worshipped there. (11) When later questioned about it, Muhammad retracted it, (11) and claimed that Satan put those verses in his mouth. (13)  

Additionally, various hadiths (i.e. Sahih Bukhari 4.490, 7.660, 7.661, 7.658, 8.89, 8.400) record an incident in which Muhammad was bewitched for a year, believing that he was having sexual relations with his wives when he wasn’t (13, 22) and was also referenced by Ibn Hisham in The Life of Muhammad. (13) Aisha narrates in Sahih Bukhari 3175, “Once the Prophet was bewitched so that he began to imagine that he had done a thing which in fact he had not done.” (1) Sahih Bukhari 6391, also records this and said, “[…] Allah’s Messenger was affected by magic, so much that he used to think that he had done something which in fact, he did not do, and he invoke his Lord (for a remedy). Then (one day) he said, ‘O Aisha! Do you know that Allah has advised me as to the problem I consulted him about?’ Aisha said, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What’s that?’ He said, ‘Two mean came to me and one of them sat at my head and the other at my feet, and one of them asked his companion, ‘What is wrong with this man?’ The later replied, ‘He is under the effect of magic.’” (1)  It continues, saying, “Allah’s Messenger went to that well and returned to Aisha, saying, ‘By Allah, the water (of the well) was as red as the infusion of Hinna, and the date-palm trees look like the heads of devils.’” (1)  

People’s reaction to Gabriel were also telling, with as non-Muslims called Gabriel “Satan.” (Sahih Bukhari 2.225) (13) Aisha also couldn’t see Gabriel, (Sahih Bukhari 4.440) Muslims and non-Muslims thought Gabriel was a man named Dihya al-Kalbi (Sahih Bukhari 4.827), and Khadija couldn’t see him. (Life of Muhammad) (13) Gabriel also exhibited behavior that was inconsistent with a real angel of God, such as refusing to go into a house with a dog or picture, (Sahih Bukhari 4.450) didn’t understand genetics, (Sahih Bukhari 4.546), was unable to heal Muhammad when he prayed for him, and was responsible for the massacre of a Jewish tribe of Bani Qurayza. (Sahih Bukhari 5.448) (13) 

Finally, as compared to biblical prophets – specifically those who the Apostle Peter describes – Muhammad’s revelations were closer to those of a spiritist or channeler. (22) John Gilchrist, a South African Christian author and well-known authority on Islam compares Muhammad’s revelations to the epileptic boy in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9 who was demon possessed. (22) His conclusion was that it’s possible that Muhammad could’ve been such a case, with occultic influences causing epilepsy-like symptoms without amnesia, which has been recorded as happening to oriental ecstatics and mystics by missionaries and others. (22) Even more damning that Muhammad was a false prophet who may have been demon possessed is that not only did Muhammad die of poisoning at the hands of a Jewish woman after the conquest of Khaybar, (11, 13) but all of his male children died when they were very young. (13) Why this is important is because in Jeremiah 23:15, 34, God says that He will punish false prophets via “bitter food” and “poisoned water,” and that He would “punish that man and his household.” (13)  

Overall, while it’s almost impossible to give a concrete diagnosis of the mental, spiritual, or neurological state of Jesus or Muhammad, from what we know of their lives, we can see if there is at least the potential that they suffered from some sort of disorder or spiritual oppression. While Jesus Christ has been repeatedly accused of having epilepsy, various personality disorders, or being demon possessed, He has repeatedly proved Himself to be completely sane. He denied being possessed, never acted as one demon possessed, and showed no symptoms of epilepsy or any personality disorders.  Muhammad, however, when faced with similar accusations, is unable to give a satisfying rebuttal. From the accounts given by the hadiths and various Islamic scholars, the belief that Muhammad had epilepsy, a personality disorder, or was demonically possessed finds ground. There are strange accounts that support each theory, leading some to even speculate that he had a combination of all three. Either way, it’s clear that while Jesus was perfectly sane and was who He said He was, Muhammad was most likely a madman. 

Until next time,

M.J.

Azrael

Azrael means “God has helped,” or “Help of God.”

He’s the canonical Angel of Death in Islam. He appears centuries earlier in the apocryphal text Apocalypse of Peter.

He acts as a psychopomp responsible for transporting souls of the dead after their passing. In Islam, he’s said to hold a scroll regarding the fate of humans/mortals, recording & erasing their names at birth & death. He doesn’t decide when someone dies. Instead, he watches a celestial tree beneath God’s throne. When a leaf bearing a person’s name falls from this tree, it signals their death is due in 40 days. This role is similar to the role of the malakh ha-mavet (Angel of Death) in Judaism. He’s known as the Malak al-Mawt in the Quran. He’s also a resident of the 3rd Heaven.

In Islam, Azrael is 1 of the 4 major archangels. Alongside Jibra’il (Gabriel), Mika’il (Michael), & Israfil (Raphael).

Tradition holds that Azrael was the only angel brave, or obedient, enough to go down to Earth & gather the different colored clays needed for God to create Adam. For this, he was given authority over the separation of souls from bodies.

Surah 6:61 of the Quran mentions a buttload of angels of death interpreted as assistants of Azrael. When unbelievers in Hell cry out for help, an angel (identified as Azrael) will appear on the horizon & tell them that they have to remain.

The 8th Umayyad Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz once reported the commentary regarded Azrael I the Quran chapter As-Sajdah verse 11 (Quran 32:11), that taking many lives is VERY easy for the angel.

Traditional & mystical descriptions of Azrael are crazy pants: He’s described as being covered in eyes & tongues – 1 for every person currently living on Earth. When a person passes away, the corresponding eye on his body closes forever. Some texts claim he’s so massive that his feet rest in the lower heavens while his head reaches the throne of God.

He’s frequently pictured with 4,000 wings. In some Islamic commentaries, these wings are divided into “wings of Mercy” for the righteous & “wings for punishment” for the unfaithful. The wings of punishment are made from iron rods, hooks, & scissors. His body has a shape resembling a blue-colored ram. He has 70,000 limbs of foot & has 4 faces.

It’s reported that the Angel of Death was so huge that he dwarfed the Bearers of the Throne (Bearers of the Throne are a group of angels in Islam tasked with carrying the Throne of Allah (‘Arsh).). A group of angels which are known as the biggest among the angels.

Death & Azrael started off as 2 separate entities. But when God created death, God ordered the angels to look upon it. They swooned for 1,000 years. After the angels recovered, Death recognized that it must submit to Azrael.

Death will take on the form of a ram (the blue ram mentioned above). Death the ram is then placed Paradise & Hell. The ram (Death) is finally slaughtered by God Himself, causing Death to cease to exist. This is followed by God to declare to both people of Paradise & Hell that eternity has begun & their stated will never end.

A common belief holds that lesser angels are for us common folks. While saints, prophets, other important religious figures meet the archangel of death himself. Great prophets (like Moses & Muhammad) are invited politely by him. But saints are also said to meet Azrael in beautiful forms.

It’s said that when Rumi (a Sufi mystic) was about to die, he laid in his bed & met Azrael in human form. The belief that Azrael appears to saints before they die to prepare them for death is attested to buy the testament of Nasir Khusraw. In this testament he claims to have met Azrael during his sleep, informing him about his impending death.

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