But if he believed that he had received REAL revelations, even just once, wouldn't the fear of Allah smiting him or at least of hellfire be enough to keep him from lying about fake, convenient revelations?
I don't think it could be both, either he had mental problems that made him actually believe he was a divine messenger (not just in the form of epilepsy, but for example interpreting his own thoughts as coming from a divine source)... or he made everything up with his own evil intentions.
Personally, I think the mental problems hypothesis is more likely. Else, why would he for example stay up all night praying? Why would he become suicidal when he went too long without "revelations"?
I do agree that if he believed that he'd received
Real revelations even once, then the fear of Hellfire would ensure that he didn't fake revelations, half the Quran is about the threat of Hellfire,( the other half about ways to kill & suppress unbelievers!) any true believer would fear Hell!
But then verses like these make me very suspicious:
Quran 033.050
YUSUFALI: O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee;
and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large);This verse seems manufactured to satisfy Mo's lust!
Quran 033.053
YUSUFALI: O ye who believe! Enter not the Prophet's houses,- until leave is given you,- for a meal, (and then) not (so early as) to wait for its preparation: but when ye are invited, enter; and when ye have taken your meal, disperse, without seeking familiar talk.
Such (behaviour) annoys the Prophet: he is ashamed to dismiss you, but Allah is not ashamed (to tell you) the truth. And when ye ask (his ladies) for anything ye want, ask them from before a screen: that makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs. Nor is it right for you that ye should annoy Allah's Messenger, or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's sight an enormity.
This one seems to make his life comfortable, he was finding it difficult to shoo believers off his house, but Allah spoke up for him!
Why would Allah, supposedly the Maker of the Universe with a lot on His hands, make such verses which take care of not only Mo's sexual appetite, but also make believers enter & leave Mo's house as per Mo's wishes?
On the other hand, he did pray for hours at a stretch, & even became suicidal! If he was lying, he'd have to be a truly gifted liar!
Maybe Mo did both, he received and he made up revelations. As AlmostAisha pointed out that made-up revelations would be illogical if he actually believed he was the messenger but there could be the possibility that he convinced himself that these made-up ones were real too.
Yep, I think thats' the most convincing explanation for Mo's erratic behaviour!
Today, maybe a little Prozac would've cured Mo!
Topic: Was Muhammad epileptic?