Understanding Islam (1)

Dr Joseph Fava, in his articles "Understanding Islam" (The Sunday Times, February 26 and April 2), has been making the point that at Mecca, Muhammad was primarily a man of God, while in Medina he was primarily a politician and statesman.

This has implications for the Koran since a part of it was supposed to have been revealed at Medina. Since Muslims are a 'people of the Book', and not of Muhammad, and since the transmitter of a revelation from God must always use his own words (because God does not have a language), then one may put into question the authenticity and religious value of parts of the Koran.

Regarding the dates of the Golden Age of Islam, 750-1000 AD would be the best, it seems, the time when Islam took its present form more or less, a time when the Koran assumed the form it has today, as some would say.

As regards the assertion that Muhammad embraced and accepted all of Christ's dispensation: the Christ of the Koran is a mere shadow of and a negation of the real Christ of the New Testament, and this in spite of Koran 3:3.

And how about reading into Muslim historical sources about Muhammad to see how much he embraced the love of Jesus?

And what is the meaning of this assertion: "One can go on about these fascinating things for a long time and also find reasons for and against the divinity of the prophets, Christ as well as Mohammed"?