A Critical Exposition of the Popular 'Jihád'

23. In conclusion, Sir W. Muir remarks:--

"Our only matter of wonder is that the Revelations of Mahomet continued after this to be regarded by his people as inspired communications from the Almighty, when they were so palpably formed to secure his own objects, and pander even to his evil desires. We hear of no doubts or questionings, and we can only attribute the confiding and credulous spirit of his followers to the absolute ascendency of his powerful mind over all who came within its influence."[375]

The verses 37 and 38 of the thirty-third Sura had not in any way "secured the objects of Mohammad, much less pandered to his evil desire." As his marriage with Zeinab had taken place long before they were published, they could not be said to confer any exceptional privilege upon him.

[Sidenote: The false story traced to Mukatil.]

24. The story copied by commentators that Mohammad had accidentally seen Zeinab and admired her is traced to Mukatil,[376] a commentator of the Koran in the second century, who died at Basra 150 A.H. "The doctors (in traditions)," writes Ibn Khallikan in his Biographical Dictionary, translated by Slane, "differ in opinion respecting Mukatil: some declare that, as a traditionist, he was worthy of confidence, and others accused him of falsehood."

... Ahmed bin Saiyar says:--

"Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman, a native of Balkh, went to Marw, whence he proceeded to Irak. His veracity is suspected; his Traditions should be left aside and declarations should be rejected. Speaking of the divine attributes, he said things which it would be sinful to repeat." Ibrahim Ibn Yakub-al-Juz-Jani called Mukatil an audacious liar. Abu Abd ar-Rahman an Nasai said:--"Liars notorious for forging Traditions and passing them off as coming from the Prophet were four in number: Ibn Abi Yahya, at Medina; Al-Wakidi, at Baghdad; Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman, in Khorasan; and Muhammad Ibn Said, surnamed Al-Maslub, in Syria." Waki Ibn al-Jarrah said of Mukatil that he was a confirmed liar. Abu Bakr al-Ajurri said: "I asked Abu Dawud Sulaiman Ibn al Ashath concerning Mukatil, and he answered:--'All Traditions given by him should be rejected.' According to Omar Ibn al-Ghallas, Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman was a liar, and his traditions were to be rejected." "As for Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman," said Al-Bukhari, "pass him over in silence." In another place, he says of him: "He is just nothing at all." Yahya Ibn Moin declared that Mukatil's traditions were of no value; and Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said: "As for Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman, the author of the Commentary, I should not like to cite anything on his authority." "His Traditions are to be rejected," said Abu Hatim ar-Razi. According to Zakariya Ibn Yahya as-Saji, people said of Mukatil Ibn Sulaiman, the native of Khorasan, "that he was a liar, and that his traditions should be rejected."[377]

[Sidenote: Ikrama.]

Ikrama (died 107 A.H.), another liar, had only surmised before Mukatil that Mohammad might have admired Zeinab. His words, as related by the traditionists, Abd bin Hamid and Ibn-al-Munzar, are "as if she had fallen deep in his mind."[378] But Mukatil has converted this hazardous conjecture into a fact.

Abd Allah Ibn al-Harith relates as follows:--

"I went to visit Ali, the son of Abd Allah Ibu Abbas, and I saw Ikrama tied up at the door of a privy, on which I said: 'Is it thus that you treat your slave?' To which he replied. 'Know that that fellow has told lies of my father.'"[379]

[Sidenote: Mohammad bin Yahya.]

Mohammad bin Yahya bin Habban[380] (died 121 A.H.) has also given the tradition of Mohammad's admiring Zeinab at Zeid's house, but does not give his authority. He was not a contemporary narrator, therefore his narration is apocryphal and technically Mursal.

[Sidenote: Katada's conjectural interpretation not warranted.]