Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first human form of the Eternal Guru on earth through whom Sikhi was revealed as a clear and distinct path, is often misunderstood in relation to his beliefs. Some claim that he followed Islam, but this is a misconception. In fact, nowhere in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is Muhammad, the founder of Islam, described as a true prophet or messenger of God. Later, Guru Gobind Singh Ji in Bachitar Naatak explicitly identifies Muhammad not as a prophet, but as a king of Arabia:
ਮਹਾਦੀਨ ਤਬ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਉਪਰਾਜਾ ॥ ਅਰਬ ਦੇਸ ਕੋ ਕੀਨੋ ਰਾਜਾ ॥੨੬॥
Vaheguru created Muhammed, who was made the king of Arabia.
(Bachittar Naatak, Dasam Granth – p. 57)
This distinction is crucial: while Sikhi recognizes Muhammad as a historical leader, it does not affirm him as a divine messenger. Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings, preserved in Gurbani, make it clear that his only guide was the Divine, not any human authority. This alone sets him apart from other religious figures and traditions
According to Sahih al‑Bukhari, Muhammad married Aisha when she was six and consummated the marriage at nine, while he was in his fifties. He maintained multiple wives, including Zaynab, his first cousin and the former wife of his adopted son. The Qur’an (33:50) grants Muhammad unique marital privileges, allowing him to exceed the limits placed on other Muslims. These accounts raise serious ethical concerns, particularly regarding his marriage to Aisha, which by today’s moral standards reflects a troubling abuse of authority and highlights practices that cannot be reconciled with principles of justice and dignity.
Muhammad, as documented in sources such as 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 kept as a concubine. The Qur’an (e.g., 4:24) permits the ownership of slaves and sexual relations with them. Despite his influence, Muhammad did not abolish slavery, and accounts describe him engaging in its practice during conquests. These actions reflect a troubling acceptance of human exploitation and stand in sharp contrast to modern ethical principles, raising serious questions about his moral authority.
Muhammad, as both a political and military leader, expanded Islam through armed campaigns against non-believers, as recorded in Ibn Hisham’s biography and Sahih al‑Bukhari. He led battles such as Badr and Uhud, and ordered assaults on tribes including the Banu Qurayza, where men were executed and women enslaved. The Qur’an (8:41) legitimizes war booty, providing religious sanction for these campaigns. This reliance on warfare and plunder to spread Islam stands in sharp contrast to claims of peace, reflecting a troubling pattern of coercion and violence that raises serious questions about his moral authority.
Muhammad’s illiteracy, recorded in sources such as Ibn Hisham and Sahih al‑Bukhari, raises serious questions about his claim to be God’s chosen prophet. Entrusted with conveying what is presented as a perfect divine message, he lacked the ability to read or write, depending on others to preserve and transmit his revelations. Such reliance introduces human mediation into what is supposed to be a direct communication from the Divine. This limitation challenges the credibility of his prophetic authority and highlights a significant inconsistency in the claim of a flawless revelation.
Even the Qur’an acknowledges Muhammad’s imperfections. Surah Muhammad 47:19 instructs him to seek forgiveness for his sins, while other verses depict him as forgetful and fallible. A true prophet, chosen by an infallible God, would be expected to embody purity and consistency, not human weakness. These admissions within the Qur’an itself raise serious doubts about Muhammad’s prophetic authority, revealing him as a man subject to error and moral shortcomings. If the Qur’an concedes his flaws, it becomes difficult to sustain the claim that he was more than an ordinary figure rather than a divinely appointed messenger.