An Egyptian journalist, Ibrahim Issa, has put his life on the line to speak what he believes to be the truth about Muhammad’s Miraj, or “Night Journey.” He has publicly claimed that Muhammad never made that trip to Heaven on his fabulous wingèd steed Al-Buraq. Robert Spencer wrote about this here, and another report on this act of intellectual derring-do is here: “Egypt probes journalist for ridiculing story of Mohammed’s journey to Jerusalem,” AFP, February 23, 2022:
Egypt’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into a journalist well-known for his campaigns against Islamists, after he questioned a miracle that clerics say was carried out by the Prophet Mohammed.
Ibrahim Issa — an ardent critic of the Muslim Brotherhood group, outlawed by the regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi — made the comments on Friday during a show he presents on a private television channel.
Ibrahim Issa, a freethinker, has always aligned himself with those opposed to the fanatics of the Muslim Brotherhood, and he continued to state such views publicly even when the MB’s Mohamed Morsi was President of Egypt from June 2012 to July 2013.
Ibrahim Issa is used to living dangerously.
Issa claimed that the “Israa and Miraj”the mystical night journey of the Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to Jerusalem, from where he ascended to the heavens, was “a completely delusional story.
He said Muslim preachers who only cite books that confirm the event — and ignore others that deny it happened — as having “Salafist views,” and that he claimed failed to offer a wider understanding of Islam.
Issa knows that there is a rich tradition of Islamic scholars who did not accept the physicality of the “miraj,” such as Ibn Sīnā, who viewed the miʿrāj as a spiritual event in his Mirāj-nāma. Issa is uncompromising, even dismissive, of those who believe in what he calls “a completely delusional story.” He claims that those who deliberately ignore the scholarship of those Muslims who deny that the miʿrāj took place – “only citing books that confirm the event” – are exhibiting troglodytic Salafist views.”
Egypt’s highest theological authority, Dar al-Ifta, issued a seven-point response Saturday [Feb. 20] stating the Israa and Miraj journey “definitely happened, and cannot be denied in any way.”
And how do we know that the Isra (Journey) and Miraj (ascension) happened? For those who lay down the law at Dar al-Ifta, no evidence is necessary. It was a miracle. An argument from authority: the Night Journey is in the most trusted collections of Hadith. Why are they the “most trusted”? Because other authorities said so long ago, that’s why. A good Muslim will set aside all doubts. Ibrahim Issa has shown to the good doctors of Dar al-Ifta that he is not a good Muslim. Some might call his statement blasphemy. And we all know what happens to blasphemers.
On Saturday, Egypt’s public prosecutor ordered “investigation measures” into Issa.
The public prosecutor had to do something about this extraordinary act of lèse-majesté. Issa’s remarks, which he made during the program he presents on a small satellite television station, Al Kahera Wal Nas, have caused an uproar.
More on the response to Ibrahim Issa can be found here: “Egypt media personality causes uproar after ridiculing Prophet’s night journey,” 5 Pillars UK, February 22, 2022:
…[Issa’s] comments caused a social media uproar and 60 MPs (about 10% of the parliament) approved the draft law [about banning ‘non-specialists’ from discussing religion in the mass media] in an attempt to prevent what they described as “chaos in the society.”
A number of lawyers as well as the Salafist Nour party have filed complaints against Issa and the prosecution general has ordered an investigation into alleged accusations of “blasphemy.”
Several religious institutions and public figures have further decried Issa’s statements as transgressions against sanctities.
The Al-Azhar Global Center for Electronic Fatwas said in a statement: “The miracle of the Night Journey and the Miraj is one of the uninterrupted miracles of Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of God, may God’s blessings and peace be upon him, which are confirmed by the text of the Holy Quran in the two surahs Al-Isra and An-Najm, and by the hadiths of the pure Prophetic Sunnah in all eras, leaving no room for staunch scepticism.”
Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation also said it will prepare a report “to take legal action in case of violation” of its codes.
Issa’s comments sparked wide controversy on social media, with both critics and supporters of Issa passionately weighing in. Some made dramatic gestures to show their disapproval. A well-known Egyptian actor, Mostafa Darwish, quit filming a movie for which Issa had written the script, called “The Atheist.” He declared on Facebook: ”I will never be a tool for war against my religion.” Apparently Issa’s calling into question the Miraj story that celebrated Muslim scholars, such as Ibn Sina, had done before him, for Darwish constituted a “war on Islam.”
Issa made fun of the fanatics; they worry him, those deeply devout Muslims who regard the Qur’an as the font of all wisdom and the Compleat Guide to Life. He wants a pharmacist to read the latest pharmacopeia at work instead of the Qur’an.
Issa wasn’t afraid of criticizing the Mubarak regime for so many years, and he’s clearly not afraid of taking on devout Muslims, for he has dared to ridicule one of their most cherished beliefs.
What now for Ibrahim Issa? I suspect that most members of Egypt’s Parliament will vote for the draft law that has just been proposed, the law that bans “non-specialists” from discussing religion in the mass media. We know which “non-specialist” they have in mind. That could finally keep him quiet. But should he dare to continue to discuss any aspect of Islam, no matter how inoffensive such discussion may be, he very likely will find himself off the air and, to satisfy the critics, in prison. He’s a skeptic who encourages skepticism in others, and he’s also extraordinarily brave: in Egypt, as in the rest of dar al-Islam, that makes him a very dangerous man.
BTeboe says
The more people know about science, the less Islam seems real. Muhammed claimed that Allah made people 6 different ways. Don’t you think Allah would know exactly how he created humans.
Michael Copeland says
In Iran a man who held Koran study groups put forward his suggestion that the story of Jonah and the whale be taken figuratively. He was hanged.
mortimer says
Reply to MC: The Iranian man ‘MENTIONED SOMETHING IMPERMISSIBLE’ about Islam.
What is ‘impermissible’ is determined by the mullahs. Any comment that slights the ‘IMAGE’, ‘REPUTATION’, ‘PRESTIGE’ or ‘HONOR’ of Islam is ‘IMPERMISSIBLE’.
Islam is an ‘HONOR/SHAME’ culture, so ‘HONOR’ is more important than truth.
ISLAM’S ‘HONOR’ MAY BE DEFENDED WITH LIES.
gravenimage says
Yes, Michael and Mortimer. Here is that horrible story:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trust-iran-it-just-hanged-a-man-who-doubted-jonah-and-the-whale
mortimer says
What is the actual GOAL of the ‘Islamophobia’ campaign of Muslim authorities? Here is the CLUE we need to prove our thesis that ‘ISLAMOPHOBIA’ means in reality that only the MULLAHS may speak in public about Islam.
Quoted from 5 Pillars UK, February 22, 2022:
“…[Issa’s] comments caused a social media uproar and 60 MPs (about 10% of the parliament) approved the draft law [about banning ‘non-specialists’ from discussing religion in the mass media] in an attempt to prevent what they described as “chaos in the society.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Here it is … they admit that only ‘ISLAMIC SCHOLARS’ are ‘PERMITTED’ to speak about Islam.
Sharia law makes that clear:
From Sharia manual Reliance of the Traveller’ Chapter ‘O’ 11.10.05:
“The (DHIMMI) agreement is also violated if the state has stipulated that any of the following things break it, and one of the subjects does so anyway, though if the state has not stipulated that these break the agreement, then they do not; namely, if one of the subject people:
-5- mentions something impermissible about Allah, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), or Islam.”
Sharia permits the murder of anyone who verbally opposes Islam, since they are at war with Islam:
“There is no indemnity obligatory for killing a non-Muslim (harbi) at war with Muslims.” -Reliance of the Traveller, o4.17, p.593
…………………………………………………………………………………………
In other words, Sharia law defends the MONOPOLY of the mullahs to speak about Islam. The MULLAHS want to be the dictators of the world.
PRCS says
“Egypt’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into a journalist well-known for his campaigns against Islamists, after he questioned a miracle that clerics say was carried out by the Prophet Mohammed.”
Note that this is an AFP article.
Do their writers/editors ever refer to the Prophet Jesus?
mortimer says
Western journalists are very seldom well-informed about religion. It truly takes a specialist, if not a PhD to speak accurately about religion, but when they do, people’s eyes glaze over. Boring.
Popularizing religious knowledge for the masses is something that few people are capable of doing, such as C.S. Lewis. Islamic popularizers are generally two-faced like Tariq Ramadan
or devious conmen like Dr Zakir Naik, whom even Muslims find comical.
Muslim religious popularizers generally leave out the nasty bits in Islam that are unacceptable to modern audiences. When people discover these nasty bits (such as Islam’s hatred of dogs), they don’t want to learn anymore about Islam.
PRCS says
They could liven up the narrative with: Muhammad, the guy behind the curtain.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, I don’t believe that it takes a PhD in religion to speak knowledgeably about it. Any intelligent person can learn about such matters–it’s just that few bother to do so.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
You are correct.
The truth about islam can be found by any clear thinking person – regardless of formal higher education college/university degrees.
In my opinion, this is what is needed:
1. An open mind.
2. Factual source material free from islamic propaganda.
3. The use of factual, evidence-based logic during analysis.
John Allan says
‘Egypt’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into a journalist … after he questioned a miracle that clerics say was carried out by the Prophet Mohammed.’
I thought public prosecutors were paid to deal in facts … not fiction!
gravenimage says
Only in the civilized world, John–not in Dar-al-Islam.
tim gallagher says
He must be a very brave person. Some maniac is likely to murder him for insulting that load of crap islam. It does seem a bit strange for the public prosecutor to bother with this issue, but I suppose that’s life in a backward Muslim country. Along with many other people, I don’t think that Muhammad even existed, so all the fanciful stories the creatures who made up Muhammad included in his legendary life are complete bullshit anyway. I hope this journalist stays safe and keeps on demolishing the nonsense that Islam is so full of. Maybe he can influence some Muslims there to wake up and leave islam.
gregbeetham says
I think it’s a possibility that the whole thing started out as an outline for a story in the 1001 Arabian Nights and somewhere along the line some Caliphs or Mullahs or Sheikhs or Sultans or whoever was mostly in charge at the time thought, what if we promote this horse manure as an actual religion? Could we get the retards to believe in it if we murder a few when they refuse?
I think we know the answer to that one.
gravenimage says
Too true, Tim.
gravenimage says
Egyptian Journalist Risks His Life By Denying Muhammad’s Night Journey
…………….
Ibrahim Issa is a brave man–but he might do better fleeing the country.
OLD GUY says
Odds are he could be correct. It’s more likely that Muhammads night journey to heaven was on a six year old girl or a camel.
Islam’s Prophet Muhammad didn’t lead a vary righteous and loving life. He was brutal, greedy, and a predator of the weak and defenseless. Sharia laws is more about MAN’s control over others than what it means to lead a good life and not do harm to others.
Islam is NOT a religion it is an ideology of man’s greed and power over others period.