Saturday, June 16, 2018

Lazarus, a Rich Man and Muhammad

Those familiar with the bible have surely read the illustration Jesus gave of a rich man in hell (Hades) who begged for cool water for his tongue.  It speaks of a great chasm between the believers in paradise and those in hell. (Luke 16:19-31)
Muhammad came up with a similar story but takes it a few steps further, "And the dwellers of Paradise will call out to the dwellers of the Fire; 'We have indeed found true what our Lord had promised us... Then the crier will proclaim between them: 'The curse of Allah is on the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers)." (Surah 7:44)
"And the dwellers of the Fire will call to the dwellers of Paradise: ' Pour on us some water or anything that Allah has provided you with.'  They will say, "Both (water and provision) Allah has forbidden to the disbelievers." (Surah 7:50)
"Certainly, We have brought to them a Book (the Quran) which We have explained in detail with knowledge..." (Surah 7:52)
Winning through intimidation
Muhammad's method was to wage war against all unbelievers then threaten them with hell and taxes to keep them in line.
"And whosoever doe not believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) then verily, We have prepared for the disbelievers a blazing fire. (Surah 48:13)  "Say (O, Muhammad) to the bedouins who lagged behind: 'You shall be called to fight against a people given to great warfare, then you shall fight them, or they shall surrender.  Then if you obey, Allah will give you a fair reward; but it you turn away as you did turn away before, He will punish you with a painful torment.'" (Surah 48:16)
"And abundant spoils that they will capture.  And Allah is Ever All-Mighty, All-Wise." (Surah 48:19)
Muhammad's Tree of Hell
Muhammad's hell has a special tree that springs up out of the bottom of Hell-fire.  The shoots of its fruit stalks are like the heads of devils; sinners will eat thereof and fill their bellies therewith.  Then on top of that they will be given boiling water to drink so that it becomes a mixture in their bellies.  Then thereafter, verily, their return is to the flaming fire of Hell.  (Surah 37:62-68)  In Surah 88:6 hell is described as having food from a poisonous thorny plant.   Muhammad had a wild imagination.

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