Rushdie Haunted by his unholy Ghosts — Page 96
96 Mohamed Arshad Ahmedi hinted at the ordinary human frailties of Muhammad(sa) which he equates to other prophets before him. DR. NA Z I R ALI Dr. Ali, the first Asian Diocese Bishop in England, has also used the same line in falsely attributing satanic thoughts to Prophet Muhammad(sa) in his book Islam, A Christian Perspective. Dr. Ali hints at the assumption that Muhammad(sa) made compromises in order that his message would be accepted by the local inhabitants: ‘In the end one may have to conclude that although Muhammad desired continuity with the Judaeo-Christian tradition, he desired continuity with traditional Arab religion and culture as well (This may account for his original acceptance of the goddesses Lat, Manat and ‘Uzza as intercessors with Allah. He said later that this verse had been inspired by Satan, and changed it!)’ (pp. 24-25). MON TGOM E RY WAT T Though Watt dispels the view that Muhammad(sa) forged the Qur’an, he nevertheless casts doubt on some of the verses which he believes have been abrogated to suit the situation. For example, in Muhammad at Medina, he writes of the so-called ‘revised’ pas- sages : ‘The revision, if it may be so called, consists in the addition or omission of words, phrases, and longer passages. Muhammad may be presumed to have regarded these changes as emendations communicated to him by God to meet fresh circumstances. A certain amount of revision is admitted by Muslim orthodoxy in its doctrine that some verses have been abrogated. ’ (p 326). Montgomery Watt has been one of the most ardent critics of the Holy Prophet(sa), and Watt’s dubious style has always left a bitter after-taste in the mouth. Note the conniving way that he uses