Some claim states Islam was originally a Christian sect

[Introvert98]

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lightgiver
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 The hidden origin of Islam

The standard histories of Muhammad and the early development of Islam are based on Islamic literature that dates to the ninth and tenth centuries--some two centuries or more after the death of Muhammad in 632. Islamic literary sources do not exist for the seventh and eighth centuries, when, according to tradition, Muhammad and his immediate followers lived. All that is preserved from this time period are a few commemorative building inscriptions and assorted coins.
Based on the premise that reliable history can only be written on the basis of sources that are contemporary with the events described, the contributors to this in-depth investigation present research that reveals the obscure origins of Islam in a completely new light. As the authors meticulously show, the name "Muhammad" first appears on coins in Syria bearing Christian iconography. In this context the name is used as an honorific meaning "revered" or "praiseworthy" and can only refer to Jesus Christ, as Christianity was the predominant religion of the area at this time. This same reference exists in the building inscription of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, built by the caliph `Abd al-Malik.

The implication of these and other findings here presented is that the early Arab rulers adhered to a sect of Christianity. Indeed, evidence from the Koran, finalized at a much later time, shows that its central theological tenets were influenced by a pre-Nicean, Syrian Christianity. Linguistic analysis also indicates that Aramaic, the common language throughout the Near East for many centuries and the language of Syrian Christianity, significantly influenced the Arabic script and vocabulary used in the Koran. Finally, it was not until the end of the eighth and ninth centuries that Islam formed as a separate religion, and the Koran underwent a period of historical development of at least 200 years.

[Introvert98]

Can anyone debunk this please

[AhmadFarooq]

"Based on the premise that reliable history can only be written on the basis of sources that are contemporary with the events described..."

If these claims were made by Christians, then it would be really ironic because the oldest extant complete Bible manuscript comes about 400 years after the death of Jesus.

In any case, let's move forward.

Extant Books

The oldest extant Hadith book comes from the first century A.H. named Sahifa Hamman B. Munabbih who was a student of the Prophet's companion, Abu Huraira.
https://discover-the-truth.com/2013/10/13/are-there-any-hadith-collections-from-early-islam/
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Hadith/hadith.html

"...Koran underwent a period of historical development of at least 200 years"

No evidence for it and on the contrary, the San'a manuscripts from 70 years after the Prophet's death and now the Birmingham manuscript contradict this extremely falicious conclusion.

For early Qur'an manuscripts:
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Mss/#1

These people look for any reason to prove Islam wrong. One such argument that I remember reading about, is that there was a particular anti-Islamist who used to criticize Islam and he used to argue that the Qur'an was written centuries later but when the Birmingham manuscripts were discovered he started arguing that the Qur'an predated Prophet Muhammad, essentially making the argument that the Qur'an can be either after or before Prophet Muhammad but not during his life.

Muhammad

I previously found an article written by Patricia Crone who was a professor of Islamic history at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton; it should be pointed out here that Patricia Crone is among those who have strongly criticised at-least a few of the long held Muslim beliefs.
She wrote,
“There is no doubt that Mohammed existed, occasional attempts to deny it notwithstanding. His neighbours in Byzantine Syria got to hear of him within two years of his death at the latest; a Greek text written during the Arab invasion of Syria between 632 and 634 mentions that "a false prophet has appeared among the Saracens" and dismisses him as an impostor on the ground that prophets do not come "with sword and chariot". It thus conveys the impression that he was actually leading the invasions.”
Also,
“… If such a revised date is accurate, the evidence of the Greek text would mean that Mohammed is the only founder of a world religion who is attested in a contemporary source. But in any case, this source gives us pretty irrefutable evidence that he was an historical figure. Moreover, an Armenian document probably written shortly after 661 identifies him by name and gives a recognisable account of his monotheist preaching.”
Source: https://www.opendemocracy.net/faith-europe_islam/mohammed_3866.jsp

Additionally, with regards to a Muslim’s research on this matter check out the article titled “Dated Texts Mentioning Prophet Muḥammad From 1-100 AH / 622-719 CE”.
Available at: http://www.islamic-awareness.org/History/Islam/Inscriptions/earlysaw.html
A shorter article: http://www.quransmessage.com/articles/non-muslim%20sources%20FM3.htm

Aramaic linguistic influence

Although Hamza Tzortzis is not a cholar but he gives some arguments on this topic:
http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/q-a/is-the-quran-a-manipulated-text-borrowed-from-syro-aramaic-christian-documents/

Luxenberg wrote the popular book from which this argument is derived. Following are the criticisms made on it:

Luxenberg's book has been reviewed by Blois (2003), Neuwirth (2003) and following the English translation by King (2009)  and Saleh (2011).

The most detailed scholarly review is King (2009). King, a Syriacist at the University of Cardiff endorses some of Luxenberg's emendations and readings, and cites other scholars who have done the same, but concludes that

"Luxenberg's meta theory of Qur'ānic origins is not proved by the evidence he sets forth in this book. That certain of the Qur'ān's expressions and words (as well as broader ideas and themes) are of Christian origin is well founded, and should in general be sufficient to explain the data presented here without needing recourse to either of the two more radical theories he espouses, namely that the Qur’ān was in origin no more than a Christian lectionary, and that the language which it is written is an 'Aramaic Arabic hybrid'."
The conclusion of King's article summarizes the most prominent reviews of Luxenberg's work that have been published by other scholars.

The Quran is "the translation of a Syriac text," is how Angelika Neuwirth describes Luxenberg's thesis – "The general thesis underlying his entire book thus is that the Quran is a corpus of translations and paraphrases of original Syriac texts recited in church services as elements of a lectionary." She considers it as "an extremely pretentious hypothesis which is unfortunately relying on rather modest foundations." Neuwirth points out that Luxenberg doesn't consider the previous work in Quran studies, but "limits himself to a very mechanistic, positivist linguistic method without caring for theoretical considerations developed in modern linguistics."

Blois (2003) is particularly scathing, describing the book as "not a work of scholarship but of dilettantism" and concluding that Luxenburg's "grasp of Syriac is limited to knowledge of dictionaries and in his Arabic he makes mistakes that are typical for the Arabs of the Middle East."

Saleh (2011) describes Luxenberg's method as "so idiosyncratic, so inconsistent, that it is simply impossible to keep his line of argument straight." He adds that according to Luxenberg, for the last two hundred years, Western scholars "have totally misread the Qur'ān" and that, ad hominem, no one can understand the Qur'an as "Only he can fret out for us the Syrian skeleton of this text." Summing up his assessment of Luxenberg's method, he states:

The first fundamental premise of his approach, that the Qur'ān is a Syriac text, is the easiest to refute on linguistic evidence. Nothing in the Qur'ān is Syriac, even the Syriac borrowed terms are Arabic, in so far as they now Arabized and used inside an Arabic linguistic medium. Luxenberg is pushing the etymological fallacy to its natural conclusion. The Qur'ān not only is borrowing words according to Luxenberg, it is speaking a gibberish language.

Saleh further attests that Luxenberg does not follow his own proposed rules.

Richard Kroes in a review on Livius.org[year needed] describes him as "unaware of much of the other literature on the subject" and that "quite a few of his theories are doubtful and motivated too much by a Christian apologetic agenda."

Patricia Crone, professor of Islamic history at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, in a 2008 article at opendemocracy.net refers to Luxenberg's work as "open to so many scholarly objections" and "notably amateurism".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Syro-Aramaic_Reading_of_the_Koran

It is to be noted that Patricia Crone is one of those orientalists who have very strongly, during her career, pushed forth revisionist views. If I remember correctly, they had to do with the idea that Islam evolved due to the efforts of later Caliphs.

[AhmadFarooq]

Another much more detailed and pretty lengthy response to Luxenberg's book:

http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Text/Mss/vowel.html

[Saudi Salafi]

 The world's oldest Quran (not really the "oldest" but the oldest one found yet) was found in Birmingham and it is unchanged.
http://www.muslimworldjournal.com/2015/07/oldest-quran-found-in-birmingham/

And it doesn't predate Muhammad according to an expert

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fragments-of-worlds-oldest-koran-unlikely-to-pre-date-prophet-mohamed-says-expert-10481728.html

[Saudi Salafi]

This video proves that the Bible is corrupt:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY-fa-IjJoE

 The Bible has been changed many times. Kings sometimes changed the Bible secretly so people would obey them. There are hundreds of different versions of the Bible and Christian scholars have had troubles choosing the best one, but Muslims only read one quran (of course there are English translations, but they are only few and we don't read them only the Arabic).  I was once scrolling down on a YT comment section and I found 2 Christians having a conversation. The first Christian asked the other one about what kind of bible he reads. He said the NIV and then the first Christian told him, "don't read that version because this is Not the true Bible . Only KJV is!". Hilarious! So only 1 Bible out of the hundreds of different versions of the Bible is the TRUE one.



 FUN FACT: The last time the Bible got edited was from about 45 years ago! https://skepticalteacher.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/the-embarrassing-truth-about-the-bible-its-still-being-edited/

[Idris]

This video proves that the Bible is corrupt:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XY-fa-IjJoE

 The Bible has been changed many times. Kings sometimes changed the Bible secretly so people would obey them. There are hundreds of different versions of the Bible and Christian scholars have had troubles choosing the best one, but Muslims only read one quran (of course there are English translations, but they are only few and we don't read them only the Arabic).  I was once scrolling down on a YT comment section and I found 2 Christians having a conversation. The first Christian asked the other one about what kind of bible he reads. He said the NIV and then the first Christian told him, "don't read that version because this is Not the true Bible . Only KJV is!". Hilarious! So only 1 Bible out of the hundreds of different versions of the Bible is the TRUE one.


 FUN FACT: The last time the Bible got edited was from about 45 years ago! https://skepticalteacher.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/the-embarrassing-truth-about-the-bible-its-still-being-edited/

As-Salamu aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraketuh,

Below, two nice videos that shows the exact places in the most ancient manuscripts where the particular verses are missing! Notice that those verses are to be found only in the modern Bible version:

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZXmjR4Of9I
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxPjIDeIoJo

Take care, and salam
Ahmed (Poland, Warsaw)

[submit]

for skeptic , the claim should be Islam was originally the original Jewish followers of Jesus's sect. If Islam was originally of Pauline Christian sect, then Jews would not be mixing themselves with Muslims in Arabia.

Christianity is based on belief of the content of letters/books written by Paul abolishing Israelite practices. All of the other Greek books with stories about Jesus being divine /having divine  origin were later penned down only after being convinced by the claim of Paul meeting Jesus whom later began spreading the story about resurrection and as such having couple godly figures instead of just one God.

[Shabeer1]

ISLAM ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM JEWS/CHRISTIANS:

About Jew/Christ not real belivers:

5: 41. O Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Let not those who hurry to fall into disbelief grieve you, of such who say: "We believe" with their mouths but their hearts have no faith. And of the Jews are men who listen much and eagerly to lies - listen to others who have not come to you. They change the words from their places; they say, "If you are given this, take it, but if you are not given this, then beware!" And whomsoever Allâh wants to put in Al¬Fitnah [error, because of his rejecting the Faith], you can do nothing for him against Allâh. Those are the ones whose hearts Allâh does not want to purify (from disbelief and hypocrisy); for them there is a disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a great torment.
9:31. They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allâh (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allâh), and (they also took as their Lord) Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary), while they (Jews and Christians) were commanded [in the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)) to worship none but One Ilâh (God - Allâh) Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Praise and glory be to Him, (far above is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)."
3: 78. And verily, among them is a party who distort the Book with their tongues (as they read), so that you may think it is from the Book, but it is not from the Book, and they say: "This is from Allâh," but it is not from Allâh; and they speak a lie against Allâh while they know it.
5: 64. The Jews say: "Allâh's Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty)." Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills. Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from Allâh increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allâh extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make mischief on earth. And Allâh does not like the Mufsidûn (mischief-makers).
65. And if only the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) had believed (in Muhammad SAW) and warded off evil (sin, ascribing partners to Allâh) and had become Al¬Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2) We would indeed have blotted out their sins and admitted them to Gardens of pleasure (in Paradise).
2: 79. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allâh," to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby.
15: 9. Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).
18: 102. Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves [i.e., the angels, Allâh's Messengers, 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), etc.] as Auliyâ' (lords, gods, protectors, etc.) besides Me? Verily, We have prepared Hell as an entertainment for the disbelievers (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism).
103. Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds?
62: 5. The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurât (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practice its legal laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example (or the likeness) of people who deny the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh. And Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.).
6. Say (O Muhammad SAW): "O you Jews! If you pretend that you are friends of Allâh, to the exclusion of (all) other mankind, then long for death if you are truthful."
7. But they will never long for it (death), because of what (deeds) their hands have sent before them! And Allâh knows well the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers, etc.).
8. Say (to them): "Verily, the death from which you flee will surely meet you, then you will be sent back to (Allâh), the All-Knower of the unseen and the scene, and He will tell you what you used to do."[Advice]
98: 1. Those who disbelieve from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and among Al-Mushrikûn, were not going to leave (their disbelief) until there came to them clear evidence.
2. A Messenger (Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) from Allâh, reciting (the Qur'ân) purified pages [purified from Al-Bâtil (falsehood, etc.)].
3. Containing correct and straight laws from Allâh.
5. And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allâh, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and give Zakât: and that is the right religion.
6. Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islâm, the Qur'ân and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikûn will abide in the Fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures.
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 56 :: Hadith 829
Bukhari :: Book 1 :: Volume 8 :: Hadith 427,428
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "May Allah's curse be on the Jews for they built the places of worship at the graves of their Prophets."
Bukhari :: Book 6 :: Volume 60 :: Hadith 157
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "May Allah curse the Jews! When Allah forbade them to eat the fat of animals, they melted it and sold it, and utilized its price! "
Following Jew/Christ way prohibited:
42: 15. So unto this (religion of Islâm, alone and this Qur'ân) then invite (people) (O Muhammad SAW), and Istaqim [(i.e. stand firm and straight on Islâmic Monotheism by performing all that is ordained by Allâh (good deeds, etc.), and by abstaining from all that is forbidden by Allâh (sins and evil deeds, etc.)], as you are commanded, and follow not their desires but say: "I believe in whatsoever Allâh has sent down of the Book [all the holy Books, this Qur'ân and the Books of the old from the Taurât (Torah), or the Injeel (Gospel) or the Pages of Ibrâhim (Abraham)]
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 36 :: Hadith 468 , 469,471
Muslim :: Book 34 : Hadith 6448
Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 92 :: Hadith 422, 421,460
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The people of the Book used to read the Torah in Hebrew and then explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. Allah's Apostle said (to the Muslims). "Do not believe the people of the Book, nor disbelieve them, but say, 'We believe in Allah and whatever is revealed to us, and whatever is revealed to you.' "
Jew /Christ make their prophet place of worship:
Bukhari :: Book 5 :: Volume 59 :: Hadith 725
Narrated Urwa bin Az-Zubair:
'Aisha said, "The Prophet said during his fatal illness, "Allah cursed the Jews for they took the graves of their prophets as places for worship." 'Aisha added, "Had it not been for that (statement of the Prophet ) his grave would have been made conspicuous. But he was afraid that it might be taken as a place for worship."
Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 23 :: Hadith 472
Narrated 'Aisha:
Allah's Apostle in his fatal illness said, "Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians, for they built the places of worship at the graves of their prophets." And if that had not been the case, then the Prophet's grave would have been made prominent before the people. So (the Prophet ) was afraid, or the people were afraid that his grave might be taken as a place for worship.
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 56 :: Hadith 660
Bukhari :: Book 2 :: Volume 23 :: Hadith 414
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 56 :: Hadith 662
Muslim :: Book 4 : Hadith 1079
Jew /Christ change their scripture, Quran only being divine:
Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 92 :: Hadith 461
Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 48 :: Hadith 850
People of scripture avoid one part of the scripture:
Bukhari :: Book 5 :: Volume 58 :: Hadith 281
graves of their prophets not as places of worship
Bukhari :: Book 7 :: Volume 72 :: Hadith 706
Jesus/isa(A) prophecy for prophet muhammed[sa]
61: 6. And (remember) when 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allâh unto you confirming the Taurât [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed . But when he (Ahmed i.e. Muhammad SAW) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic."
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 55 :: Hadith 652
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one."
A Muslim is better than the jew/Christi:
Bukhari :: Book 9 :: Volume 93 :: Hadith 624
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:
Allah's Apostle said, "Your stay (in this world) in comparison to the stay of the nations preceding you, is like the period between 'Asr prayer and the sun set (in comparison to a whole day). The people of the Torah were given the Torah and they acted on it till midday and then they were unable to carry on. And they were given (a reward equal to) one Qirat each. Then the people of the Gospel were given the Gospel and they acted on it till 'Asr Prayer and then they were unable to carry on, so they were given la reward equal to) one Qirat each. Then you were given the Qur'an and you acted on it till sunset, therefore you were given (a reward equal to) two Qirats each. On that, the people of the Scriptures said, 'These people (Muslims) did less work than we but they took a bigger reward.' Allah said (to them). 'Have I done any oppression to you as regards your rights?' They said, "No." Then Allah said, 'That is My Blessing which I grant to whomsoever I will.' "
Prophet muhammed(sa) the real follower of jesus(a):
Muslim :: Book 30 : Hadith 5835
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: I am most akin to Jesus Christ among the whole of mankind, and all the Prophets are of different mothers but belong to one religion and no Prophet was raised between me and Jesus.
Bukhari :: Book 6 :: Volume 60 :: Hadith 149,264
Bukhari :: Book 8 :: Volume 76 :: Hadith 533
Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 55 :: Hadith 645