My opinion on the man is that he never existed in the first place. Just like Jesus. Those characters were probably based on real people, but the people that we know them to be now aren't who they actually were.
I've heard that a lot recently, but what are the arguments behind such a claim?
There are plenty of tell tail signs in Quran., Hadith, and Islamic history Such person
"Muhammad"described in "Islam" DID NOT EXIST Cornflower. To start with it appears initial alleged verses of Quran were scribbled for entirely different purpose, and that is "To QUESTION
JESUS IS SON OF GOD" And this must have started by some Jewish sect of Arabian peninsula,
Quran says in innumerable verses questioning that New testament story. That is how it started And later it appears it went in different direction with some Bedouin feudal along with smart rascals adding more and more nonsense for politician/personal/loot/booty ulterior motives. Islam is like AMRIKA
HAND BALL GAME(they call it as foot ball)
Some one starts running with ball and some one else steals the ball to score against the guy who had the ball in the first place.
So present Muhammad of Islam is NOT one personalty but "Multiple personalities". it could be even different persons. It is clear Muhammad did NOT write Quran., it is put together 20 or 30 years after alleged death of Prophet of Islam. This is what we have from early Islam
Alleged life of Muhammad .. Prophet of Islam
571: Birth of the Holy Prophet. Year of the Elephant. Invasion of Makkah by Abraha the Viceroy of Yemen, his retreat.
577: The Holy Prophet visits Madina with his mother. Death of his mother.
580: Death of Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet.
583: The Holy Prophet's journey to Syria in the company of his uncle Abu Talib. His meeting with the monk Bahira at Bisra who foretells of his prophethood.
586: The Holy Prophet participates in the war of Fijar.
591: The Holy Prophet becomes an active member of "Hilful Fudul", a league for the relief of the distressed.
594: The Holy Prophet becomes the Manager of the business of Lady Khadija, and leads her trade caravan to Syria and back.
595: The Holy Prophet marries Hadrat Khadija.
605: The Holy Prophet arbitrates in a dispute among the Quraish about the placing of the Black Stone in the Kaaba.
610: The first revelation in the cave at Mt. Hira. The Holy Prophet is commissioned as the Messenger of God.
613: Declaration at Mt. Sara inviting the general public to Islam.
614: Invitation to the Hashimites to accept Islam.
615: Persecution of the Muslims by the Quraish. A party of Muslims leaves for Abyssinia.
616: Second Hijrah to Abysinnia.
617: Social boycott of the Hashimites and the Holy Prophet by the Quraish. The Hashimites are shut up in a glen outside Makkah.
619: Lifting of the boycott. Deaths of Abu Talib and Hadrat Khadija. Year of sorrow.
620: Journey to Taif. Ascension to the heavens.
621: First pledge at Aqaba.
622: Second pledge at Aqaba. The Holy Prophet and the Muslims migrate to Yathrib.
623: Nakhla expedition.
624: Battle of Badr. Expulsion of the Bani Qainuqa Jews from Madina.
625: Battle of Uhud. Massacre of 70 Muslims at Bir Mauna. Expulsion of Banu Nadir Jews from Madina. Second expedition of Badr.
626: Expedition of Banu Mustaliq.
627: Battle of the Trench. Expulsion of Banu Quraiza Jews.
628: Truce of Hudaibiya. Expedition to Khyber. The Holy Prophet addresses letters to various heads of states.
629: The Holy Prophet performs the pilgrimage at Makkah. Expedition to Muta (Romans).
630: Conquest of Makkah. Battles of Hunsin, Auras, and Taif.
631: Expedition to Tabuk. Year of Deputations.
632: Farewell pilgrimage at Makkah.
632: Death of the Holy Prophet. Election of Hadrat Abu Bakr as the Caliph. Usamah leads expedition to Syria. Battles of Zu Qissa and Abraq. Battles of Buzakha, Zafar and Naqra. Campaigns against Bani Tamim and Musailima, the Liar.
633: Campaigns in Bahrain, Oman, Mahrah Yemen, and Hadramaut. Raids in Iraq. Battles of Kazima, Mazar, Walaja, Ulleis, Hirah, Anbar, Ein at tamr, Daumatul Jandal and Firaz.
634: Battles of Basra, Damascus and Ajnadin. Death of Hadrat Abu Bakr. Hadrat Umar Farooq becomes the Caliph. Battles of Namaraq and Saqatia.
635: Battle of Bridge. Battle of Buwaib. Conquest of Damascus. Battle of Fahl.
636: Battle of Yermuk. Battle of Qadsiyia. Conquest of Madain.
637: Conquest of Syria. Fall of Jerusalem. Battle of Jalula.
638: Conquest of Jazirah.
639: Conquest of Khuizistan. Advance into Egypt.
640: Capture of the post of Caesaria in Syria. Conquest of Shustar and Jande Sabur in Persia. Battle of Babylon in Egypt.
641: Battle of Nihawand. Conquest Of Alexandria in Egypt.
642: Battle of Rayy in Persia. Conquest of Egypt. Foundation of Fustat.
643: Conquest of Azarbaijan and Tabaristan (Russia).
644: Conquest of Fars, Kerman, Sistan, Mekran and Kharan.Martyrdom of Hadrat Umar. Hadrat Othman becomes the Caliph.
645: Campaigns in Fats.
646: Campaigns in Khurasan, Armeain and Asia Minor.
647: Campaigns in North Africa. Conquest of the island of Cypress.
648: Campaigns against the Byzantines.
651: Naval battle of the Masts against the Byzantines.
652: Discontentment and disaffection against the rule of Hadrat Othman.
656: Martyrdom of Hadrat Othman. Hadrat Ali becomes the Caliph. Battle of the Camel.
657: Hadrat Ali shifts the capital from Madina to Kufa. Battle of Siffin. Arbitration proceedings at Daumaut ul Jandal.
658: Battle of Nahrawan.
659: Conquest of Egypt by Mu'awiyah.
660: Hadrat Ali recaptures Hijaz and Yemen from Mu'awiyah. Mu'awiyah declares himself as the Caliph at Damascus.
661: Martyrdom of Hadrat Ali. Accession of Hadrat Hasan and his abdication. Mu'awiyah becomes the sole Caliph.
So briefly
Muhammad died in the year of 632, and rest of his father in-laws.. son-in-laws.. grand sons were killed by those Arabian pagans who allegedly converted in to Islam.
Abu Bakr, Father in-Law of Muhammad becomes
Caliph Abu Bakr Died in the year 634 Umar Farooq another Father in-law of Muhammad becomes caliph
Umar Farooq was killed in the year 644 Othman the Son in-law of Muhammad becomes the
Caliph Othman was killed in the year 656 Ali 2nd Son-In law of Muhammad becomes the
Caliph Ali was killed in the year 661 and
Mu'awiyah becomes the sole Caliph of Islamic Society..
That is the life of early Islam. And with in 100 years "Islam ran through across Arabian peninsula like a wild fire and destroyed anything any one any culture, any religion that questioned it. The only way to live there was by being Dhimmi and paying Jizya tax..
So what we have in early Islamic history is, what this guy Mu'awiyah and his clan collected stories. Now with that time line
Cornflower it is for you to inquire/collect historical material on
YEAR by YEAR history of Islam of that time from Muslims and Non-Muslim historians .. So I am going to wait to read your posts on that subject mean while let me have some fun with these tubes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UUQ7iLly8whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbQ36jJLP0YDawkins is stunned and stoned by that fool..