Many people believe Muhammad was a true prophet sent by God. But when we look closely at his life and actions, a different picture appears. This article shares five strong reasons why Muhammad cannot be seen as a true messenger. We will talk about his troubling marriages, his role in supporting slavery, his violent conquests, his inability to read or write, and his own sins and mistakes. By understanding these facts, we can clearly see why Muhammad does not fit the image of a true prophet.
Muhammad married Aisha at 6 and consummated the marriage at 9, when he was 55, as per Sahih al-Bukhari. He had multiple wives, including Zaynab, his adopted son’s ex-wife and first cousin. Quran (33:50) shamelessly grants him special marriage rights, letting him hoard wives beyond Islamic limits. His predatory acts, especially with a child like Aisha, are indefensible by today’s moral standards, exposing a deeply troubling abuse of power.
Muhammad, as documented in historical records like Sahih al-Bukhari and Ibn Hisham’s biography, actively participated in slavery. He bought, sold, and owned slaves, including women like Maria al-Qibtiyya, whom he took as a concubine. The Quran (e.g., 4:24) permits owning slaves and sexual relations with them. Despite his influence, Muhammad never abolished slavery, profiting from it instead. His actions, such as trading slaves during conquests, clash with modern ethics, showing a troubling acceptance of human exploitation in his time. This stains his legacy as a moral leader.
Muhammad, as head of a state and military leader, spread Islam through violent conquests, as recorded in Ibn Hisham’s biography and Sahih al-Bukhari. He led battles like Badr and Uhud, and ordered attacks on tribes, including the Banu Qurayza, where men were executed and women enslaved. The Quran (8:41) endorses war booty, fueling his campaigns. His reliance on bloodshed and plunder to expand Islam contradicts claims of peace, revealing a ruthless drive for power that clashes with modern values and taints his legacy.
Muhammad’s illiteracy, noted in sources like Ibn Hisham and Sahih al-Bukhari, casts serious doubt on his role as God’s chosen prophet. Tasked with delivering a perfect divine message, he lacked the basic skill of reading or writing, relying on others to record his revelations. A true messenger of an all-powerful God would be equipped for the task, not left vulnerable and inadequate. His illiteracy reveals a glaring weakness, undermining his prophetic authority.
Even the Quran admits Muhammad wasn’t perfect. Surah Muhammad 47:19 commands him to seek forgiveness for his sins, and other verses paint him as forgetful and flawed. A true prophet, chosen by an infallible God, should be a beacon of purity, not a bumbling sinner. These confessions strip away any pretense of divine favor, revealing a man all too human—petty, lustful, and unreliable. If the Quran itself admits his mistakes, why should anyone believe he was more than just a fake Prophet?
