Religion, islam, atheism

Is Muhammad The Best Example of All Time?

Let’s Analyze the Character of Muhammad In the Light of Quran and Hadith.

Hey, how’s it going? Hope you guys are doing well.

So, today i’m going to do something different. Instead of just pointing out contradictions in the Quran, i’m going to do a proper audit. A fact-check. A performance review, because Islam doesn’t just claim Muhammad was a good person, or a decent leader, or a product of his time. It claims something much bigger than that, which is:

That the Muhammad is the eternal, universal, perfect example for all of humanity. For all time. In every situation. In every culture. In every century.

That’s an extraordinary claim. And extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

So let’s look at the evidence.

Part 1. The Claim (In Allah’s Own Words):

Allah doesn’t hold back when it comes to complimenting Muhammad. Let’s set the bar exactly where Islam sets it.

Quran 33:21: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day.”

Notice the verse. Hes not a good pattern, not a decent pattern. Hes an excellent pattern for everyone, universally and timeless.

Quran 68:4: “And indeed, you are of a great moral character.”

Allah personally vouching for Muhammad’s character. Directly. In the eternal preserved text.

Quran 21:107: “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.”

Not mercy to Arabia. Not mercy to 7th century desert dwellers. Mercy to all the worlds, the “Rahmatulil Alameen”.

Quran 33:56: “Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him); O you who believe! Send your Salat on him and abundant salutations upon him”.

Allah himself, the creator of the universe, sends salutations upon Muhammad. His angels do the same. Muslims are commanded to join in.

Quran 33:40: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophets.”

Hes not just a regular prophet, Hes the final prophet, the last word. The ultimate example with no successor or correction coming after.

So the claim is clear:

• Perfect moral character, verified by Allah personally.

• Excellent eternal pattern, for all humans everywhere.

• Mercy for all worlds, universal, not regional.

• Sealed, final, no updates, no corrections.

Part 2. The Audit:

Now, let’s audit that claim against the actual historical record using Islamic sources.

A) The Aisha Problem:

This is the one Muslims hate discussing most. Which is exactly why we have to discuss it first.

According to authentic Islamic Hadith collection Sahih Bukhari 5133, 5134, and Sahih Muslim 1422, Aisha was six years old when she was married to Muhammad and He was 53. The marriage was consummated when she was nine years old.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5134

And remember, this is not a translation dispute, this is not a Western misunderstanding. This is narrated by Aisha herself, preserved in the most authenticated hadith collections in Islam, verified by generations of Islamic scholarship.

In Sahih Bukhari 6130 Aisha herself narrates that she used to play with dolls and her friends would run away when Muhammad entered, then return when he left because he indulged her play. She was still playing with dolls at the time of consummation.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6130

And to debunk the Muslim claim that women in 7th century used to mature early and that 7th century 9 year olds used to look like 18 year olds of today I’ve got hadiths. So during the IFK Incident, Aisha repeatedly told as mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari 4141, Sahih al-Bukhari 2661, that:

“The people who used to carry me on the camel, came to my Howdah and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that time, women were light in weight, and thin and lean, and did not use to eat much. So, those people did not feel the difference in the heaviness of the Howdah while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. At that time I was a young lady.”

Now the thing is, the Ifk Incident happened in 5–6 Hijri (almost 5–6 years after the migration to Medina) when Aisha was 12–13 years old and Muhammad married her in 2 Hijri when she was 9, but according to these reports, even after 3–4 years later of her marriage, she was still very light in weight and small in size that men carrying her didn’t even notice her absence, which proves that 7th century 9 year olds didn’t use to look like 18 year olds of today.

So a 53-year-old man who used to crack a child who played with dolls is the best example for all time. Let that sink in.

B) Thighing His Wives During Their Menstruation:

In Sahih al-Bukhari 299, 300, 301, 302, and 303, Muhammad’s wives (including Aisha and Maimuna) narrated that: “When ever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted to be intimate with one of his wives during their peroids (menses), he would order them to put on an Izar (a waistcloth)”

In Islamic legal and theology term, this act is called “mufakhatha” rubbing or engaging in intimate contact between the thighs of a spouse, without actual penetration for gratification.

Upon this act, since Muslims are commanded to follow the Sunnah of Muhammad, Ayatullah Khomeini wrote an exclusive statement approving thighing the young wives (who are not yet able to consummate the marriage) as Halal and allowed by Sharia in his Book. See the screenshot below:

Book: Tahrir al-Wasilah Volume 4 (Page #241, Issue #12)

The best example of all time couldn’t control his sexual desires despite having 11 wives :P

C) Camel Urine as Medicine:

In Sahih Bukhari 5686 and Sahih Muslim 1671, It is reported that a group of people came to Medina and fell ill. Muhammad prescribed drinking the urine of camels mixed with their milk as medicine. The narration is detailed, authenticated, and present in both Bukhari and Muslim, the two most authoritative hadith collections in Sunni Islam.

The same collections Muslims use to authenticate the Five Pillars. The same collections used in Islamic courts for legal rulings.

The best example for all time prescribed camel urine for illness.

D) Ordering To Execute The Fornicators:

In Sahih Muslim 2771, Anas narrated that Muhammad ordered Ali to “Go and strike his neck. So Ali went to him and found him in a well, cooling himself. Ali said to him, ‘Come out.’ He gave him his hand, and Ali pulled him out. He found that the man was castrated and had no sexual organ. So Ali refrained from killing him and then went to the Prophet and said, “O Messenger of God, he is castrated and has no penis.”

Now, this hadith disproves two things. First, Muhammad wasn’t very kind and merciful for everyone. And secondly, He wasn’t all-knowing as claimed by Sunni Muslims that Muhammad had knowledge of unseen. Because He didn’t know that the man he’s ordering to be killed has no sexual organ then how can he commit fornication.

Here are some more sources (now I’m just being generous :):

• Sahih Muslim 1690a: Muhammad is reported as saying that an unmarried offender receives 100 lashes and banishment, while a married offender receives 100 lashes and stoning.

• Sahih Muslim 1691c: A married man confesses repeatedly, and Muhammad orders that he be taken and stoned.

• Sahih al-Bukhari 6815,6816: The same confession episode is reported, ending with the instruction to stone him.

• Sahih Muslim 1691a: Umar reports that Muhammad applied stoning as the punishment for married adulterers.

E) Cursing Companions, Women, and Children:

In Sahih Muslim 2600, Muhammad himself acknowledged that he was a human who cursed people in anger and asked Allah to make those curses a source of mercy instead. He was admitting his own anger-driven cursing required divine cleanup.

In Sahih Bukhari 6361 and Sahih Muslim 2601, Muhammad cursed people in anger. Specific narrations document him cursing individuals including companions.

In Sahih Muslim 2603 and other multiple narrations Muhammad cursed a young orphan girl in a moment of anger. Then asked Allah to reverse the curse. The “best example” required divine intervention to undo his own anger-driven words against a child.

In Sahih Bukhari 304 and Sahih Muslim 79, Muhammad said: “I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than women.”

The mercy for all worlds considered half of humanity deficient in intelligence and religion. This became the theological and legal foundation for women’s testimony being worth half of a man’s in Islamic law.

F) The Marriage to Zaynab, His Daughter-in-Law:

Recorded in Quran 33:37 and Sahih Bukhari 4787, Muhammad saw Zaynab bint Jahsh, the wife of his adopted son Zayd and was attracted to her. Zayd, sensing this, offered to divorce her. Muhammad initially told him to keep her. Then conveniently received a divine revelation permitting him to marry her after the divorce.

Allah, the creator of the universe, personally intervened to arrange a marriage for Muhammad with his daughter-in-law. The same revelation also abolished the Islamic concept of adopted sons having the same legal status as biological sons permanently for all Muslims just because Muhammad wanted to marry someone.

Quran 33:37 even acknowledges Muhammad was hiding his desire out of fear of public opinion and Allah rebukes him for it, then grants him what he wanted anyway.

G) His Wives After Death, Permanent Imprisonment:

Quran 33:53: “And it is not lawful for you to harm the messenger of Allah or to ever marry his wives after him.”

After the revelation of this verse Muhammad’s wives were permanently banned from remarrying after his death. They became the “Mothers of Believers” a title that sounds honorable but functionally meant they could never have a family of their own again.

Aisha was approximately 18 when Muhammad died. She lived until her mid-60s. Forty plus years of widowhood with no possibility of remarriage by divine decree.

H) Assassination of Critics and Poets:

The best example for all time had poets and critics killed for writing satirical verses:

• Asma bint Marwan, killed for poetry mocking Muhammad. Ibn Ishaq documents the assassination was carried out at night while she was nursing her infant.

• Abu Afak, an elderly man, over 100 years old according to some accounts, killed for satirical poetry.

• Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf, assassinated through deception, his killers gaining his trust before killing him.

These are documented in Ibn Ishaq’s Sirah, the earliest and most comprehensive biography of Muhammad, written by a Muslim scholar.

The mercy for all worlds had elderly men and nursing mothers killed for writing poems :)

I) Slavery and Concubines:

Muhammad owned slaves. He took concubines from among war captives. He distributed captured women among his companions as war spoils.

Quran 33:50: “O Prophet, We have made lawful for you your wives…and those whom your right hand possesses from what Allah has granted you as spoils…” (interpretation of the verse).

Having concubines/slave girls is allowed in Islam as per Quranic laws. They are mentioned as “what your right hands possess” (ma malakat aimaanukum) in more 10 verses:

• Quran 4:03: “…then marry those that please you of women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then marry one, or those whom your right hands possess.”

• Quran 4:24: “And [also prohibited to you are] married women, except those whom your right hands possess…”

• Quran 23:5,6: “And those who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those whom their right hands possess..”

I wont add all of them so, here are the more sources:

Quran 16:71, Quran 24:32, Quran 24:33, Quran 30:28,Quran 33:52, Quran 70:29, Quran 70:30.

In Sahih Bukhari 2542, Ibn Muhairiz narrated that during the expedition against Banu al-Mustaliq, the companions wanted to have intimacy with Arab captives without leaving their seeds in them but Muhammad said, “No soul, (that which Allah has) destined to exist, up to the Day of Resurrection, but will definitely come, into existence.” i.e, told them to ejaculate in them.

In Sahih Muslim 1602, Jabir reported that a (white) male came to Muhammad for allegiance, he didn’t know that he was a slave until his master came and demanded him back, so Muhammad told his master “sell him to me” and bought him for two black slaves.

Moreover, there was a woman named Maria al-Qibtiyya. She was a Coptic Christian slave gifted to Muhammad. She became his concubine and bore him a son, Ibrahim, who died in infancy. This created domestic conflict with his wives which is documented in Quran 66:1–5, where Allah intervenes in Muhammad’s household politics over Maria :D

J) Death for Apostasy and Blasphemy:

There are more thousand hadiths repeating same narrations, But I cant post all of them here, so I’m gonna add some of them here.

Sunan an-Nasai 4067

In Sahih Bukhari 6922 and in thousands of others, it is explicitly written “Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him.”

Here are some more references:

• Sahih al-Bukhari 3017.

• Sahih al-Bukhari 6922.

• Sunan Abi Dawud 4351.

• Sunan Ibn Majah 2535.

• Jami at-Tirmidhi 1458.

• Sunan al-Nasai 4064,4067.

• Musnad Ahmad 1871.

• Sahih Ibn Hibban 4476, 5606,

• Musnad al-Humaydi 543.

The formula “whoever changes his religion, kill him” appears repeatedly as I said above more than 1000 times across the canonical and early hadith collections, including Sahih al-Bukhari 3017/6922, Sunan Abi Dawud 4351, Ibn Majah 2535, al-Tirmidhi 1458, al-Nasai 4064,4067, and Musnad Ahmad 1871.

So, As Established:

Leaving Islam is equals death sentence. Not metaphorically but Literally. And this became enshrined in classical Islamic jurisprudence across all four major Sunni schools of law.

The best example for all time prescribed execution for changing your mind about religion.

Part 3. Best Example For Who Exactly?

Muslim apologists have a standard defense for everything above: “You have to understand the historical and cultural context of 7th century Arabia.”

Fine. Let’s accept that completely for a moment.

If Muhammad was a product of his time and culture then he was a 7th century Arabian tribal leader behaving like 7th century Arabian tribal leaders behaved. That’s historically understandable.

But that’s precisely the problem.

Because Islam doesn’t present Muhammad as a contextually understandable 7th century figure. It presents him as the eternal universal template for all humans in all times in all cultures.

Quran 33:21 doesn’t say “excellent pattern for 7th century Arabs.” Quran 21:107 doesn’t say “mercy for the Arabian peninsula.” Quran 68:4 doesn’t say “great character by the standards of his era.”

The claim is Universal. Eternal. Sealed.

Which means one of two things must be true:

Option A: Muhammad’s behavior, i.e child marriage, slave ownership, assassinating critics, camel urine medicine, beheading and stoning fornicators, thighing his wives during their menstruation, banning his widows from remarrying, cursing women and children is the eternal perfect template for all humans everywhere.

Which means a man in 2026 should be able to marry a 6-year-old, own slaves, and prescribe urine as medicine and be following the best example for all time.

Option B: Muhammad was a product of his time and should be understood contextually.

Which means he’s not the eternal universal perfect example but then the Quranic claims will collapse.

There is no Option C. You cannot have a contextually relative prophet AND a universally eternal template simultaneously. Pick one.

So, In the End Let’s Summarize What the Islamic Sources Themselves tell us about Rahmatulil Alameen:

• Married a child and consummated when she still played with dolls.

• Prescribed drinking camel urine for illness.

• Cursed people including children in anger requiring divine cleanup.

• Called women deficient in intelligence and religion.

• Had poets and nursing mothers assassinated for satire.

• Arranged his own marriage to his daughter-in-law via divine revelation.

• Permanently banned his widows from remarrying after his death.

• Ordered to kill, stone and behead the fornicators.

• Thighed his wives during their periods.

• Owned slaves and took war captives as concubines.

• Ordered death for leaving Islam.

• Built the financial model of his religion on war raiding and loot percentages.

Every single point above comes from Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Ibn Ishaq’s Sirah, or the Quran itself. Not from critics. Not from Islamophobes. From the most authenticated sources in Islamic scholarship.

This is the man Allah called:

• Of great moral character.

• An excellent pattern for all humanity.

• Mercy for all the worlds.

The gap between that claim and this record isn’t a misunderstanding. It isn’t cultural bias. It’s a 1400-year-old branding problem that no amount of scholarly gymnastics has ever cleanly resolved.

You can conclude that he was a powerful, politically shrewd 7th century tribal leader who built something that lasted. That’s historically defensible. But Rahmatulil Alameen? the Mercy for all worlds? That title requires a totally different record entirely.