Women of Worth / Muḥammad's Bio 4 / Relational Revolution / Why Aren't Christians More Like Jesus?

Author

Douglas Jacoby
March 05, 2025

Hello from sunny Atlanta!

In today’s issue, Vicki introduces a new segment in her podcast series “Women of Worth.” We continue our review of the official biography of Muḥammad, focusing on the miraculous in Islam. Also featured are two stimulating books. Hopefully you’ll find something that touches your heart, makes you think, or enhances your faith in Jesus Christ.

WOMEN OF WORTH

Women of Worth is not only a fresh look at scores of interesting biblical characters, but also a source of inspiration for daily Christian living.

The next few podcasts focus on Esther. For the stimulating introduction to this mini-series, please click HERE.

TWO MORE GREAT READS

Like many of you reading this newsletter, I’m always looking for books that make me think. Below are two. They’re both short—easy reads in one sense, though far from short on content. Yet both are well worth the short investment of time it will take to read them.

Many wholesome thoughts and much to consider! The range of the book is broad, and in some ways Clemens’ work is more a manifesto than a targeted exploration of the topic. Still, nearly everything resonated with me. Order HERE.

I enjoyed meeting author Kent Smith in Abilene.

Are you done with church as merely a program, a preacher, a building or a system to follow? Longing for healthy community that transforms character? Wondering what your next step is? A short but powerful work. Links to related websites / ministries. Order HERE.

MUḤAMMAD’S BIOGRAPHY, IV:
The Miraculous?

Whereas reports of the miraculous seem to be wholly lacking in the Qur‘an, they abound in the Hadith and the Sīrat. Following is a sampling of the sorts of supernatural phenomena noted in the Sīrat.

Quranic inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which marks the spot where Muḥammad is believed by Muslims to have ascended to heaven.

  • When [Āmina] was pregnant with [Muḥammad] she saw a light come forth from her by which she could see the castles of Bușrā in Syria (102). Note: Muḥammad was born in Saudi Arabia. This is a distance of 793.18 mi = 1,276.50 km!

  • The infant Muḥammad speaks in the cradle (403)—as does Jesus in the NT Apocrypha. Further infancy miracles (104-106)—likely in competition with the legendary miracles of the infant / boy Jesus in the NT Apocrypha.

  • A prophet summons a tree and it stands before him. Then he orders it to return to its place, and it does so (xxiii).

  • The hand of a man trying to kill Muḥammad with a stone withers (190). See 1 Kings 13.

  • Miraculous feeding: leg of mutton and one cup of milk feed 40 men (166).

  • At the Battle of the Trench: the miracle of the multiplication of dates (672) and several more wartime miracles (671, 673, 742, 36).

  • The Night Journey (263). If this important legend is unfamiliar to you, please click HERE.

    • Details of night journey (268-271), e.g. meeting various prophets, discerning different punishments of hell and levels of heaven, and much more.

    • “I have never seen a man more like myself than Abraham. Moses was a ruddy faced man, tall, thinly fleshed, curly haired with a hooked nose… Jesus, Son of Mary, was a reddish man of medium height with lank hair and many freckles on his face as though he had just come from a bath” (266).

    • Note: while Muslims accept the Mi‘raj (Night Journey—whether literally or in a dream), many do not accept the miracles mentioned in the Sīrat and the Hadith. It is not uncommon to hear them say that Muḥammad’s only miracle was his gift of the Qur‘an to humankind.

  • Assorted

    • The heel of Gabriel creates well of Zamzam (95) = site of the well of Ishmael in Mecca (71).

    • The Legend of the Sleepers in the Cave 300 years (194-197). If the legend is unfamiliar to you, please click on Seven Sleepers.

    • God sends a bubonic plague on an enemy’s neck, and a thunderbolt on another man and his camel (ṭ. 1747).

    • Muḥammad conceded that Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and created birds from clay [this NT Apocryphal miracle is often mentioned in Islam]… (406). But only God creates life by the breath of his mouth (Gen 2:7).

Next week: Warfare. Then, the following unit will be on Violence & Compulsion.

For previous weeks: please peruse the Newsletter list.

About the gentleman at the right: a respected Arabian skeikh. (Or at least an uncanny resemblance?)

Q1 ENGAGEMENTS

Jan: Image Bearers Conference (online): The Dangers of Christian Nationalism
Jan-Sept: Zoom series: Jesus in the Apocalypse
Jan: Athens Institute (online), 8x in 2025
Jan: York, UK: Fellowship visit
Feb: Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian University: fellowship visit
Feb: Teleios Conference at Abilene Christian University
Feb-Mar: Atlanta Braves Senior Staff (26 Feb and 26 Mar)
Mar: AIM UK-Ireland (also June, Sep, Dec)
Mar-Jan: Resiliency Training
Mar: Cambridge, UK: Women’s Day
Mar: Manila, Philippines (online): Genesis 1-11
Mar: AIM UK-Ireland (also June, Sep, Dec)

TILL NEXT WEEK…

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For years of previous newsletters, click here. For the audiovisual version of the newsletter (YouTube, about 3 minutes, read by Chase Mackintosh), click here. This is usually available the day after the newsletter is posted. To reach our website, click here.