I.) Muhammed has vision of gabriel.
a. Brings God's message to the people
b. Thinks that he is possessed at first.
c. tries to commit suicide
d. Muhammed went into seizares and then had revelations (visions) then he told his disciples and they wrote it down-hence the quoran.
II. The quoran
a. the "We" or "i" is Allah( almost 90% of the time).
b. God is refreshing Muhammed w. OT stories, etc...
c. First person from God's point of view is how the Quoran is written.
d. Say: God telling Muhammad what to say to the people.

III. Character of Muhammed: this is taken from the Hadith, which is a huge book (s) on Muhammed's life written by family, wives, and friends.
a. Positive note: he had a lot of charisma, diplomatic skills, and he ws looked to as a problem solver. very persuasive.
b. from the Hadith we get Muhammed's character"
1. He had a temper: his face turned red.
2. He didn't like contentious questions.
3. He killed those who angered him some times.
4. He ordered Assinations of enemies, even if they were praying.
5. He cut off peoples arms, legs, he was a master of torture.
6. Muhammed built his empire by looting caravans, killing men, selling women, conquered people w/a required tribute, etc...

III. people associated Islam w/power and converted to escape death. Islam was spread by the Sword!
a. Jew's and Xians were forced to accept muslim rule and pay taxes because they were kindred not like the pagans.
IV. Muhammed and his superstitions.
a. he believed in the curse of the evil eye.
-he thought you cuould fortell good or bad events by sighns of animals.
-afraid of storms
-green palms helped the dead
-excrements are not good
-he could hear people torture in Hell
-left hand is fro excrement washing only. you don't eat with that hand!
-Adam was 60 cubits tall-90ft.
Gabriel had 6,000 wings.
-inhaled water through nose to clean out bad spirits.
b. His sexual appetie: 16 wives, +slaves and concubines.
-saynab-his adopted sons wife was beutiful so he presssure his son to divorce her, and he took her for himself. shortly after ward, Allah gave him justification.
c. story of Aesha-married at 5or 6, but he waited until she was 8 before consemating the marriege. -people were discusted, this was too young even back then.
d. He claime to have sex w/ all his wives before his mornign prayers.
-he had a low view of women but he did improve their rights, at the time.
-he outlawed female infanticide.
-he logitated that womens testimonies were worth 1/2 of a mans.

quoran, sura 4:34-men have authority over women and beating is permisible.

comparison of Jesus and Muhammed.

Jesus-was not a prophet, he claimed to be son of God.
-recommended celebesy
-was a passifist
-never married
-threatend those who hurt children
-Jesus didn't combine pagan stuff or seem to be racist.

Muhammed claimed to be a prophet
-was married to too many women even when the quoran say's only two wives.
-was a warrior
-his favorite wife was 5 when he maried her.
-he combined superstitions to Islam.