There is, of course, no historical evidence for Muhammad’s journey, and the story of it dates from the ninth century, two hundred years after he is supposed to have lived. However, because the story has Muhammad ascending to paradise from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (although Jerusalem is not mentioned in the barebones, elliptical allusion to the story in Qur’an 17:1), it is the basis for the Islamic claim to Jerusalem as one of the holy cities of the religion. That may be one reason for the fury directed at Ibrahim Eissa. In any case, the prosecution is noteworthy, as it demonstrates the continuing power of Sharia in Egypt.
“Egypt: A journalist questions a miracle of the Prophet Muhammad, an investigation opened against him,” Prophet Muhammad, an investigation opened against him,” Paris Beacon News, February 21, 2022:
The Egyptian prosecution opened this weekend an investigation against Ibrahim Eissa, known for his crusade against religious extremists. The journalist is accused of having questioned on television a miracle attributed by Muslim tradition to the Prophet Muhammad.
The man, who has written several books denouncing the bigots – and in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, pet peeves of the regime of Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi – caused an outcry in the overwhelmingly Muslim country, for having said Friday evening not to believe that the Prophet Muhammad had soared to seventh heaven on a winged mount. Immediately, the very zealous MP Moustafa Bakri raised the issue in Parliament and filed a complaint, while the official Media Commission said it was trying to establish whether there was cause for sanctions.
On Saturday evening, the Attorney General’s office announced “opening an investigation after the filing of several complaints” against the author, in particular of Mawlana, a bestseller that has become a film exposing the failings of Muslim televangelists….
On Friday, he therefore took a new step: “There was no trip to seventh heaven, it’s a pure invention”, he said before adding that “the imams only make you learn to interfere in people’s lives. “The trip to seventh heaven took place, no one can question it,” immediately replied the official Islamic Council….
Walter Sieruk says
Let’s be glad that in America , we Americans still do have the right to freedom of speech , in spite of Biden and those extreme leftists who uphold him in power.
As for this journalist of Egypt , him being prosecuted for what he said not only really means there’s no real freedom of speech in Egypt but this also that he is persecuted for saying the truth. Something that many Muslims don’t want to hear.
In addition ,regarding that Islamic/ religious story of Muhammad flying up to paradise on the back of a winged horse . The Bible does clearly warn against giving “heed to fables…”
First Timothy 1:4. [K.J.V.]
bill says
Really? The bible is full, of fables and myths. In fact it is just a collection of stories written by men based on the knowledge of their environment. If it was written by an omniscient being it would contain more sense.
bill says
The ‘midnight ride’ is the most ridiculous story ever told in religion, leaving aside the biological fact that horses (nor people) cannot have wings. Only insect have legs and wings. Moham. is described as the only ‘prophet’ who went to heaven and bargained with ‘god’. Even the other ‘prophets’ including Jesus are reduced to gate keepers. The story is obviously created to increase the prestige of Moham. as a great ‘prophet’. Everybody should read it is is quite a laugh
Michael Copeland says
The average speed of the flight would have needed to be 400mph.
The rider would have had serious hypothermia.
revereridesagain says
Can we swap out the freeloaders, cartel fentanyl smugglers, sex traffickers, MS-13 gangbangers, and other “migrants” slithering across the river for people like this Egyptian journalist who needs protection from ignorant Islamic thought police?
Also, let us all observe a moment of silent appreciation for the Enlightenment because our society is so far away from pernicious nonsense such as that. Muslims are constantly reminding us what a hell life could be like for anyone who doesn’t grant lip service to any bit of nonsense that comes under the heading of “faith”.
And warnings about not giving “heed to fables” did not apply to the observation that the earth revolves around the sun, did it?
Or those idiotic tv ads with the talking giraffes and the “ark”.
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0usGwIN_PhE
Westman says
It seems that Muhammad was prone to seizures so his brain might have manufactured visions that he believed to be true. What makes it suspicious is that all of the objects, like the steed, were familiar, and just given magical properties. Certainly it never happened in reality and so few Egyptian minds are trained in scientific and logical thinking that they don’t see the logical inconsistencies.
However, when life is based on some manufactured system, separation from it is stressful as all the answers to the purpose of life now become questions. And if the entire society is based on that mythology, any question of its legitimacy frightens believers who cannot face the unknown. The questioner becomes the “Fly In The Beehive”. We don’t know for certain that Muhammad existed yet he is at the core of a belief system!
Muslims make fun of the failed mythological god systems of the past but never wonder if they are in one.
abu taleb says
Muslims also should prosecute those who say Muhammad did not have sex with a 9 years old girl and Islam does not allow marry with prepubescent girl.
Aussie Infidel says
Ibrahim Eissa must be one of the few sane people in Egypt. It beggars belief that adult human beings could believe such bullshit about flying horses. But it serves once again to demonstrate the power of religious indoctrination. When people are subjected to this sort of nonsense (no matter how stupid it is),over and over again throughout their lives, their minds become ‘saturated’ with that belief, and they are virtually incapable of believing anything different.
Of course the only reason this cock and bull story exists, is that it allows the Muslims to claim Jerusalem as one of their ‘holy cities’ – even though Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran. Apparently, Mo ascended to heaven from the “far mosque” – usually taken to be either the Al Aqsa mosque, or the Dome of the Rock. How convenient for the Palestinians!
Al-Sisi’s more moderate regime doesn’t seem as if it’s having much success damping down Muhammad’s fantasies. The mullahs at Al Azhar still wield a bigger stick over the people.
PS: When I was young, I had a horse with wheels – but as much as I tried, I couldn’t quite make it fly! And it’s name was Trigger not Baraq. But then my idol was Roy Rogers not Muhammad.
gravenimage says
I’lll take the brave and decent Roy Rogers over the foul “Prophet” Muhammed any day. 🙂
Aussie Infidel says
Touche GI. I liked Dale Evans too.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
Makes me think of Toby Keith’s 1993 release:
“I should’ve been a cowboy
I should’ve learned to rope and ride
Wearing my six-shooter riding my pony on a cattle drive
Stealing the young girls’ hearts
Just like Gene and Roy
Singing those campfire songs
I should’ve been a cowboy”
gravenimage says
Egypt: Journalist to be prosecuted for saying Muhammad didn’t fly to paradise on a winged horse
There is, of course, no historical evidence for Muhammad’s journey, and the story of it dates from the ninth century, two hundred years after he is supposed to have lived.
…………..
Not only that, but Aisha herself is recorded as saying that Muhammad never lef the bed he was sleeping in–so at most this was a dream.
But that doesn’t matter in supposedly moderate Egypt.
OLD GUY says
Dictatorships always silence the truth. Islam is nothing more than a power trip by men who want to rule over everyone else. Questioning if Muhammad flu to paradise on a horse is like questioning aliens coming to earth from outer space.
Holger Kruger says
The myth was not a horse, but a donkey with long ear. Maybe it was the ear there was the wing.
Hahaha.