by Sujit Das
In September 629, Muhammad sent a strong force of three thousand Muslim warriors to Muta, a Christian border district of Syria. The Christian King clashed with Muhammad with greater military force and Muslims suffered severe losses. In February, 630, Muhammad sent another Muslim army to fight the Christian tribes of Oman. Under sword, some tribes were subdued to embrace Islam while others were forced to surrender half of their land and property in order to keep their Christian faith. In October 630, Muhammad again sent a large army of thirty thousand horses and foot soldiers to fight Byzantine frontier in Syria. However this massive army of Muslims retreated when spies arrived with the intelligence that a large Greek army had assembled at the border to confront the Muslim army (Khan, 2009, p. 64). In 632, Muhammad was preparing for another expedition against the Christians, but he suddenly fell terminally ill.
Muhammad’s hate for Christians and Jews continued well into his death bed. Just a few days before his death, this revengeful Narcissist cried out, “ Oh Lord, destroy the Jews and Christians. Let the Lord’s anger be kindled against them. Let there remain throughout Arabia no other religion except Islam .” The dying wish of the malignant Narcissist was carried out to conclusion by his immediate successors by expelling the Jews and Christians from Arabia. Towards the end of seventh century, Arab armies forcibly conquered the well-established and urbane Christian societies of Palestine, Syria, Egypt, North of Africa, Spain, and later Asia Minor and the Balkans. Tens of millions of Christians were either forcibly converted to Islam or slaughtered in a slow motion holocaust (Morse, 2010, p. 53). The idolaters were also condemned by Allah. Qur’an says,
O ye who believe! The idolaters only are unclean. So let them not come near the Inviolable Place of Worship after this their year. If ye fear poverty (from the loss of their merchandise) Allah shall preserve you of His bounty if He will. Lo! Allah is Knower, Wise. (Q: 9.28)
… woe unto the idolaters . (Q: 41.6)
… their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide. (Q: 9.17)
And an announcement from Allah and His Messenger to the people … that Allah and His Messenger are free from liability to the idolaters; (Q: 9.3)
… turn away from the idolaters… (Q: 6.106)
Wed not idolatresses till they believe; for lo! a believing bondwoman is better than an idolatress though she please you; and give not your daughters in marriage to idolaters till they believe, for lo! A believing slave is better than an idolater though he please you . (Q: 2.221)
It is not for the Prophet, and those who believe, to pray for the forgiveness of idolaters even though they may be near of kin (to them) after it hath become clear that they are people of hellfire . (Q: 9.113)
Muhammad was self-absorbed. He really did not understand the concept of others, much less love for them. He did not even know what normal human interaction is; he just tried to make an impression. In a normal healthy person, we can see a substantially genuine interest in others in addition to his interest in himself to hold up their hands. But the Narcissist does not want others to know them; it is his deepest, darkest secret. As Masterson (1990, p. 98) wrote, “ He has absolutely no interest in others for themselves. Narcissists are completely foreign to most of us in this regard. They do not realize or accept the fact that the world contains other human beings who are emotionally involved with each other and with their own legitimate needs and interests which are just as important as the Narcissist’s”. As Zayn & Dibble (2007, p. 80) wrote, “ The narcissists need to feel right at all times. When people disagree with them, they don’t see those disagreements as other opinions; they see them as direct attacks against their integrity. ”
But, are all Jews and Christians bad in the eyes of Muhammad? Yes, it is. This is how the Narcissist generalizes his enemies. A Narcissist does not react to people (or interact with them) as individuals. Rather, he generalizes and tends to treat people as symbols or “classes”.
The Prophet declared, ‘Kill any Jew who falls under your power’ . (Tabari: VII.97)
For Muhammad, anyone who is a Jew is an enemy of Islam. This is how he generalized people. He believed in “all or nothing” – either idealize or devalue people to the extreme. To the Narcissist, things and people are either entirely bad (evil) or entirely good. For this reason, a Muslim will go to paradise even if he is the worst criminal, and the Jews, Christians and Idolaters will go to hell only because they do not submit to Islam even if they are saints and pious people.
Being in a position of authority secures the uninterrupted flow of narcissistic supply. Fed by the awe, fear, subordination, admiration, adoration and obedience of his victims – the Narcissist thrives in such circumstances. He aspires to acquire authority by any means available to him. The more he gets the more he starves for. His thirst is never satisfied. In a particular moment, even God cannot escape him. He devalues God and shows to others that even God is powerless to him.
On several occasions, Muhammad disobeyed Allah outrageously by neglecting the Qur’anic injunctions as we have seen before. By neglecting Allah’s instruction, Muhammad’s narcissistic supply stock increased at the expense of God. He proved that even God is miserably helpless to him. Not to forget, there was another reason for Muhammad for not to follow Qur’an. A Narcissist is a show-off man. He always wants to give an impression that he belongs to his group and believes in equality but at the same time he is well aware of his superior position and consciously maintains his stance as an outsider. By neglecting Allah’s instruction Muhammad proved that those instructions were for common Muslims and not for a great man like him. This is how Allah indirectly became his dominant source of narcissistic supply. This is such a conspiracy which even God cannot escape. As Vaknin (1999, p. 148) wrote, “ God is subsumed in a larger picture, that of the Narcissist’s destiny and mission. God is to serve this cosmic plan by making it possible. Indirectly, therefore, God is perceived by the Narcissist to be at his service ”. Value is never absolute; it is always relative. By devaluing Allah, Muhammad put himself in a higher position. From his point of view when Allah’s stock goes down his stock equally goes up.
It is expected that a Prophet must uphold God over his own self and devote his life for the service of his God. But in Islam it is theoretical. In practice, Muhammad put himself in a position superior to Allah. Muslims fail to see that Muhammad had absolutely no respect or fear for Allah. Let me analyze the following ahadith.
Narrated Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu’alla: While I was praying in the Mosque, Allah’s Apostle called me but I did not respond to him. Later I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! I was praying.” He said, “Did not Allah say’ “Give your response to Allah (by obeying Him) and to His Apostle when he calls you.” (Q: 8.24) He then said to me, ‘I will teach you a Sura which is the greatest Sura in the Qur’an, before you leave the Mosque’ . (Bukhari: 6.60.1)
Narrated Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu’alla: While I was praying, Allah’s Apostle passed me and called me, but I did not go to him until I had finished the prayer. Then I went to him, and he said, “What prevented you from coming to me? Did not Allah say: “O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah (by obeying Him) and His Apostle when He calls you?” He then said, ‘I will inform you of the greatest Sura in the Qur’an before I leave (the mosque)’ . (Bukhari: 6.60.170)
What we can understand from the above ahadith is summarized below,
1. A Muslim was praying to Allah and thus neglected Muhammad’s call and continued praying (quickly), and once his prayer was finished he came to Muhammad.
2. His behavior made Muhammad angry. He asked him for a reason for not responding sooner. The Muslim gave an honest reply that he was praying to Allah. Hence he could not reply to Muhammad.
3. On hearing this, Muhammad quoted this verse from Qur’an, “ O you, who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” (Q: 8.24).
4. But the Muslim was busy in praying to Allah which frustrated Muhammad, though Allah said,
“Answer Allah (by obeying Him)…”
5. It means what Muhammad was frustrated because the Muslim did not obey him, even if he was praying to Allah.
The logical conclusion is, Muhammad was mightier than Allah. So desperately he needed attention that he could not bear even the simplest signs of him being neglected, even if it would mean placing him higher than his God. A Narcissist does not even leave the God to live peacefully. Muhammad could not tolerate to see that his Allah was getting more attention than him from a common Muslim. Once he realized that his false God Allah was revered more than himself, he came out with Qur’anic revelations demanding more respect. For a Narcissist, even God is his victim for narcissistic supplies. The only difference between God and Muhammad is that God does not believe that He is Muhammad. Qur’an says,
When they (nonbelievers) come to thee, they salute thee, not as Allah salutes thee, (but in crooked ways) … Enough for them is Hell: In it will they burn, and evil is that destination! ” (Q: 58.8)
The Narcissist tries to change his victims to a steady source of narcissistic supply. The victims obey his commands, pay attention to him, share his belief, admire his personality, applaud his personal traits, satisfy his needs and ultimately expected to be ready to die for him. The Narcissist does not change but his victims change themselves. Muhammad wanted to be superior to God and he had achieved his goal. In his lifetime, Muhammad literally became a “living God”. The Muslims used to worship him.
In the beginning, Muhammad neither envisioned that his newfound religion would be so successful to spread well outside Mecca or in greater sense, outside the confines of Arabia nor ever thought that his religion could have been suitable for anyone other than Arabs. He was motivated by the success of the contemporary small-scale self-proclaimed Prophets in Mecca. Initially he wanted to be one like them and live a parasitic life by fooling a number of people at and near Mecca. The early verses confirm that Qur’an was written for to attract the Meccans.
And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed, confirming that which (was revealed) before it, that thou may warn the Mother of Villages and those around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe herein, and they are careful of their worship . (Q: 6.92).
And thus We have inspired in thee a Lecture in Arabic, that thou may warn the mother-town and those around it, and may warn of a day of assembling whereof there is no doubt. A host will be in the garden, and a host of them in the flame . (Q: 42.7).
Or do they say: He has forged it? Nay! it is the truth from your Lord that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, that they may follow the right direction. (Q: 32.3).
And thou was not beside the Mount when We did call; but (the knowledge of it is) a mercy from thy Lord that thou may warn a folk unto whom no warner came before thee, that haply they may give heed . (Q: 28.46).
It is not for the townsfolk of Al-Madinah and for those around them of the wandering Arabs so stay behind the messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his life . (Q: 9.120).
And We have made (this Scripture) easy in thy language only that they may heed . (Q: 44.58).
Surely We have made it an Arabic Quran that you may understand. (Q: 43.3).
From the above verses we can see that Allah spoke to Muhammad in Arabic which was used only in one particular geographic location and spoken by a certain group of people and its significance is for people in and around Mecca. If Islam is a universal religion, then why could not Allah create one universal language for all of humankind so that all people could benefit from that equally? Arabic Qur’an is certainly beneficial for the Arabs only. It means Islam is not a universal religion. Tabari recorded Muhammad’s words on behalf of Allah giving importance to Mecca as a holy place.
I shall have one of those houses singled out for my generosity and distinguish it from all others by my name and call it my House. I shall have it proclaim my greatness, and it is upon it that I have placed my majesty . (Tabari: I.301)
In reality, Muhammad had hardly any respect for Mecca. He never hesitated to lead dozens of armed raids against the Meccans for control of the Allah’s House. Muhammad’s Islam was all about control of power, politics and money. Malignant narcissism worsens with time. As he grew in power his need for narcissistic supplies continued to increase. Now he is determined to conquer not only Mecca but the central Arabia also.
I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, ‘From my followers there will be a crowd of 70,000 in number who will enter Paradise whose faces will glitter as the moon.’ (Bukhari: 8.76.550)
Verily! 70,000 of my followers will enter Paradise altogether; so that the first and the last amongst them will enter at the same time . (Bukhari: 4.54.410)
Allah’s Apostle said, ‘70,000 of my followers shall enter Paradise like the full moon’. (Ishaq: 306)
At this point of his divine mission, Muhammad’s vision was no greater than the conquest of Mecca and central Arabia. He needed to brainwash 70,000 people to fight for him (and if necessary die for him) which he thought to be sufficient to conquer the central Arabia. That is why he said, 70,000 of his people would enter paradise and their faces would “glitter as the moon”. We should not fail to see how the malignant Narcissist was manipulating the Arabs for his selfish needs. Also another point needs to be noted. By “followers” Muhammad meant the Arabs, because at that time, the only followers that he had, were the Arabs. It means, the non-Arab Muslims have absolutely no chance to enter paradise.
But, little did he know that his religious deception would live on, infecting billions, and sending millions to their death. After conquering what he desired, Muhammad moves on. Now his Allah declares that Islam is a universal religion – it means the whole world is to be conquered for Allah. More correctly, Muhammad’s narcissistic thirst for praise, respect, devotion, authorization and attention could never be quenched. Like an alcohol addict, the more he got, the more he needed. Allah revealed the following verses.
Lo! It is naught else than a Reminder for all people. (Q: 38.87)
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation . (Q: 68.52)
Arabs were the first victims upon whom Muhammad had designed, maliciously and intentionally, with evil intentions. The Narcissist manipulates because he has genuine problems. He knows that manipulating is a good way to get what he wants. The victim’s compliance rewards him. His motto is simple – “No pain, only gain at the expense of others”.
3.6.5.1: Why Muhammad became an Outlaw?
For a Narcissist, being notorious is second best to being famous and of course it is far preferable to being ignored. For him, there is nothing called “bad publicity” – what matters is to be in the public eye. He has hardly any choice and equally enjoys all types of attention and likes as much to be feared as to be loved. His only bad emotional stretches are during periods of lack of attention, publicity or exposure.
If necessary, the Narcissist will gamble away all his savings, just to become heavily indebted, so that he can get some attention to remain in public eyes. He does not mind being humiliated if this were to make him more unique. He can even take off his cloths in public to get some applause for it (Twenge & Campbell, 2010, p. 251). Some somatic female Narcissists dress seductively to gain attention. Some wealthy Narcissists often invite the local newspaper to “catch them” in charity acts. Some even pretend to “become ill” to show others that they are overstressed or they need special attention during their pretended illness. If a child falls ill in the family, there are chances that the Narcissist will be lying in bed with a heating pad or tissue box, because it is very stressful for him to lose the spotlight. Sometimes they play “martyr” (Zayn & Dibble, 2007, pp. 91-2). These are the narcissistic mind games which are cleverly disguised and they play all these games when the situation is going out of control. Some Narcissists even cry – but they cry exclusively for themselves and they do so noticeably and publicly – to attract attention.
In sum; without public attention, the N
arcissist crumbles, like the zombies or the “living dead” one sees in horror movies. It is terrifying and the Narcissist is ready to do anything to avoid it. But the problem begins when all these mind games fail. This is the time he wants to be notorious and feared because it is the only choice left to him to secure his supply sources. If he can secure attention by being the big bad wolf, he swiftly transforms himself into one. He shows no hesitation in eliminating men whom he had ceased to trust, either with or without the pretence of a fair trial. As Zayn & Dibble (2007, p. 34) wrote, “ Narcissists thrive on attention, whether it is positive or negative. It reminds them that they exist and that others notice them. When Narcissists are ignored, their very existence is threatened. Negative attention equals positive attention [supply] for a Narcissist .”
As he aged, Muhammad was in pursuit of an ever-increasing supply, an ever-larger dose of adoration, and an ever-bigger fix of attention. With this he gradually lost his moral constraints. The more authority he got, the more he thrived. When he could not get the Jews as converts to Islam, he warned them “O Jews, fear Allah and submit.” (Ishaq: 257). On several occasions Muhammad repeatedly instructed others to fear Allah.
Allah helped you at Badr when you were contemptible, so fear Allah. Fear Me , (Ishaq: 392).
Pronounce the Name of Allah, and fear Allah . (Q: 5.4)
What is the matter with you that you do not fear Allah? (Muslim: 71.13)
Fear Allah; Allah is Severe in Punishment . (Muslim: 59.6)
Fear Allah as much as you can; listen and obey . (Q: 64.16)
Obey Allah and His Messenger . (Muslim: 8.1, 8.20)
This particular instruction “Obey Allah and His Messenger” is repeated numerous times in the Islamic scriptures, as if Allah is in a constant panicky state that He might not be taken seriously by the Muslims. But why Allah needs to be feared? Who else benefited the most, except Muhammad, when Allah was feared? It was a mind game of Muhammad. Narcissists interpret fear as respect or love. Any kind of emotion proves his existence and reinforces his delusion of omnipotence (Zayn & Dibble, 2007, p. 108). The “fear” factor is a very important aspect of Islam. When Muslims are instructed to fear Allah they have to fear Muhammad also because Allah and Muhammad command together. With fear comes the obedience. This is how he had secured obedience from his followers. A bandit leader does not preach crime to his followers in a peaceful manner, rather he wants to be feared and obeyed by his followers to carry out his unlawful orders. He demands authority so that law of the jungle can be established in the civilized society. Qur’an says,