There were contradictions in the revelation. The reason for this was that the revelation did not come from an All-Knowing and Wise Allah in the sky, but rather Muhammad himself would make up things and give them the name of revelation.
But Muhammad was a human, and humans make mistakes. Therefore, due to these human errors, contradictions arose in the Quran in many places.
One of these contradictions arose when, on one hand, Muhammad claimed in the Quran that only Allah has "Knowledge of the Unseen" regarding the future (Surah Al-Jinn 72:26-27), while on the other hand, in the same Quran (Surah Taha 20:49-50), while narrating the story of Moses, a contradictory statement was made that soothsayers had given Pharaoh knowledge of the future, informing him that a child would be born among the Children of Israel who would overthrow his throne.
Thus, to resolve this Quranic contradiction, Muhammad later had to create another story, according to which:
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The soothsayers would get knowledge of future events because Jinn (minor devils) would climb on each other's shoulders to reach the sky.
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There, these Jinn (devils) would secretly listen to the conversations of angels, and then pass them on to the soothsayers.
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But now, after the prophethood of Muhammad, this practice has ended, and if any devil tries to listen in on the sky, angels start throwing shooting stars (flames) at them.
The claim that Jinn climb on each other's shoulders like a ladder to reach the sky is in itself extremely bizarre.
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Prophet said, "When Allah decrees some order in the heaven, the angels flutter their wings indicating complete surrender to His saying which sounds like chains being dragged on rock. And when the state of fear disappears, they ask each other, "What has your Lord ordered? They say that He has said that which is true and just, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (34.23). Then the stealthy listeners (devils) hear this order, and these stealthy listeners are like this, one over the other [i.e. standing upon the shoulders of each other and making a ladder]." Sufyan, a sub-narrator demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating the fingers. A stealthy listener hears a word which he will convey to that which is below him and the second will convey it to that which is below him till the last of them will convey it to the wizard or foreteller. Sometimes a flame (fire) may strike the devil before he can convey it, and sometimes he may convey it before the flame (fire) strikes him, whereupon the wizard adds to that word a hundred lies. The people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So that magician is said to have told the truth because of the Statement which has been heard from the heavens."
This explanation itself presents an unbelievable notion, as the idea of Jinn climbing on each other to ascend to the sky seems like an ancient mythical element that does not align with a scientific or logical basis.
Iblis and all the minor devils are unaware of Muhammad's prophethood and people becoming Muslims for many years.
The problem was that as Muhammad continued to narrate these Islamic stories, the contradictions within them also increased, and questions upon questions kept arising.
For example:
- On one hand, Muhammad claimed that every human is accompanied by a devil (Jinn) who misleads them at all times.
- But on the other hand, Muhammad narrated a story according to which devils and even their leader Iblis were unaware of Muhammad's prophethood for a very long time.
- And not just Muhammad's prophethood, but Iblis and the other devils also remained unaware of other people converting to Islam and becoming Muslims.
Thus, the question arises: if every person has a devil present with them who misleads them at all times, how did Iblis and the Jinn remain unaware of such a great event (prophethood)? Especially when their fundamental job is to obstruct the last prophet and the last message. This implies that during the initial years of prophethood, there were no devils in Mecca, and the severe opposition of the Quraish (boycott, violence, denial) happened without any satanic instigation?
Please see the following narrations.
The first narration (A devil is present with every human):
Sahih Muslim 2815:
A'isha the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), reported that one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out of her (apartment) during the night and she felt jealous. Then he came and he saw me (in what agitated state of mind) I was. He said: A'isha, what has happened to you? Do you feel jealous? Thereupon she said: How can it be (that a woman like me) should not feel jealous in regard to a husband like you. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: It was your devil who had come to you, and she said: Allah's Messenger, is there along with me a devil? He said: Yes. I said: Is a devil attached to everyone? He said: Yes.
This narration declares the devil to be an essential part of human life, which is a cause of misguidance at every moment.
The second narration (Devils remain unaware of Muhammad's prophethood for years):
Sahih Muslim, Hadith 449:
Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) neither recited the Qur'an to the Jinn nor did he see them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out with some of his Companions with the intention of going to the bazaar of 'Ukaz And there had been (at that time) obstructions between satans and the news from the Heaven, and there were flung flames upon them. So satan went back to their people and they said: What has happened to you? They said: There have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. And there have been flung upon us flames. They said: It cannot happen but for some (important) event. So traverse the eastern parts of the earth and the western parts and find out why is it that there have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. So they went forth and traversed the easts of the earth and its wests. Some of them proceeded towards Tihama and that is a nakhl towards the bazaar of 'Ukaz and he (the Holy Prophet) was leading his Companions in the morning prayer. So when they heard the Qur'an. they listened to it attentively and said: It is this which has caused obstruction between us and news from the Heaven. They went back to their people and said: O our people, we have heard a strange Qur'an which directs us to the right path; so we affirm our faith in it and we would never associate anyone with our Lord.
The third narration (Iblis himself was directly unaware of Muhammad's prophethood and the presence of Muslims):
Ibn Abbas said: “The jinns used to ascent through the heavens, trying to listen about the Revelation. So when they heard a statement, they would add nine to it. The statement that they heard would be true, while what they added was false. So it was with the advent of the Messenger of Allah that they were prevented from their places. So they mentioned that to Iblis – and the stars were not shot at them before that. So Iblis said to them: ‘This is naught but an event that has occurred in the earth.’ So he sent out his armies, and they found the Messenger of Allah standing in Salat between two mountains” – I think he said “in Makkah” – “So they (returned) to meet with him (Iblis), and informed him. He said: ‘This is the event that has happened on the earth.’”
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
However, this story became extremely unbelievable, because it implies that:
- For many years, no minor devil was present in Mecca because none of them knew about Muhammad's prophethood, nor about people becoming Muslims.
- If the devils were unaware of this important event, how were the polytheists of Mecca opposing Muhammad's prophethood?
- During all this time, were the idolaters of Mecca free from any sin, as no devil or his follower was present in Mecca to mislead them?
Can any sane person believe such an unbelievable story? It is clear that when one tries to hide a lie, one often has to tell many more lies.
The results prove the same thing: there is no Allah present in the sky, and Muhammad was creating this entire religion himself. And since he was only a human, it was not possible for him not to make such human errors while narrating mythical stories.
Note:
The Bible of the Jews and Christians does not contain any concept of "Jinn," but Muhammad took this concept of Jinn from the Arab culture of the Age of Ignorance where Jinn were present (link).
Hassan Radwan