Intentions are in the heart, and only Allaah can judge this. We say if your intentions are bad then may Allaah rid us of you. And if your intentions are good, then may Allaah guide you to the truth.
I am not a learned Muslim, I don't pretend to be. I might be able to shed some light however based on my limited knowledge to some questions you ask.
1 Why is Mohammed called a Prophet when he has apparently not prophesised anything?
Prophet is a translation of the Arabic word "Nabi". The best translation of the word nabi that I can think of is: warner. Someone who is warning of something, or informing of something that is about to happen or that will happen. Muhammad
was more than a nabi, he
was a messenger. A messenger is one who is entrusted with a message, and he
was entrusted with the most important message of all: the message of Islam.
The word Prophecy has two meanings: predicting things that will come or divine revelation. Just to clear this fact up and not a point of discussion.
The Messenger
had divine revelation, and at the same time he prophecised many things. The two most obvious are Heaven and Hell. It was revealed to him that there is only one path to eternal salvation. He also prophecised of the punishment in the grave, of the day of Judgment. Those are major prophecies, there were many others as well. There are prophecies he spoke of that we are witnessing today. Others that were witnessed in the past. And the future still holds many prophecies until the day of Judgment.
2 Why is the quran such a small book after 23 years of so called revelation?
Why does it have to be big? Allaah willed for it to be so many words and letters. If He wished He could have made it a million pages.
Allaah does as He pleases so I won't pretend to explain His actions. Over the 23 year period the Quran was revealed based on events and situations that took place. It was and still is a practical guide on how a Muslim should live. It has from every example imaginable, it tells the best of stories, it contains powerful words of wisdom and knowledge for those who understand it.
3 Why is the quran so incredibly repetitive?
Again it is not for me or any one else to question Allaah's will in anything He does. The purpose of the Quran is to be a source of light and guidance for the believers and non-believers. A timeless book beneficial to every man, woman, and child. Even those who don't understand arabic find it brings comfort and tranquility to their hearts upon its recitation.
Allaah says, the translation of the meaning of the verses:
It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.
The Quran is laid out exactly as Allaah spoke it to His angels. Some of it is repeated as a reminder, sometimes out of importance, sometimes for reasons we do not comprehend. The Quran is the most complex and incredible piece of arabic literature ever witnessed. There are lessons in it for every author.
4 What miracles did Mohammed actually perform?
There were many miracles granted to Mohammed
. The Quran was the single greatest miracle given to any prophet. After this there were other minor ones. Allaah caused water to gush from his hands and all his companions drank from it. He
was blessed and anything and everything to do with him was blessed. He
was made invisible to some who came to kill him once. He
traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem and then to the seventh heaven and back again to Jerusalam and Mecca in a very short time period. He
was granted almost everything he requested of Allaah. He
was also given great beauty, a beautiful voice, a perfect figure, perfect character, great wisdom, and great physical strength. He was as close to the perfect human being as one could imagine: Allaah declared him the best of creation. He
also had "jami-ul kalam" meaning he would speak very little, and whatever little he spoke carried much purpose and many meanings. Allaah
caused the moon to split for Muhammad
while everyone was observing. During his birth, a powerful light was emitted from the womb of his mother.
Anyways, I missed a lot and the list is not in chronological order but he
was given miracles just like every prophet is.
5 WHY, do muslims think they need to pray to mecca when God is everywhere and actually the earliest doscovered mosques were directed towards Palestine?
Initially Allaah wanted the Muslims to face Jerusalem, and once the Jews increased their attacks on the Muslims and started using this as an argument Allaah revealed to Muhammad that he should face the Kabaa in his prayers. And from that day on, that's the direction Muslims face. It's a well documented event in the Quran.
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
The wisdom behind this is with Allaah, but it was a test for the hypocrites: would they follow Muhammad or would they follow their desires? As Allaah says, the meanings of the translation of the verses:
And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful
6 Why do Muslims and many other religious people think the enemy is other people?
This is a blanket statement that is unfocused and ambiguous. Generally, if I follow a set of beliefs I only follow them because I deem them to be correct. Meaning, every other set of beliefs that contradicts with what I believe in is false. I cannot make the choice to believe in Islam, and Judaism, and Chrisitianity and be taken seriously. The hereafter is not a joke, and if you ask me will non-Muslims go to heaven I will tell you what Allaah said, the translation of the meanings:
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
We are all equals on this world except in our beliefs.
7 What NEW Wisdom (no scientific knowledge is not the same as wisdom so) is in the quran that was not already in the Holy Bible?
The Bible, and Christianity in general, was revealed to the Sons of Israel. That group of people who left Egypt with Moses 'alaihi as-salaam. Everything about that religion was for that nation alone and anyone else who wished to follow it.
The Quran and Islam and Muhammad
were sent to all of humanity. A single message to unit the world, lead them to peace, and guide them to ultimate success in the hereafter.
We believe in the Bible, and the Torah and all the Prophets sent by Allaah (Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and all the others). In fact, no person could claim to be Muslim if they disbelieved in any of these. However, we do not follow what is in the Bible because we have that which is similar, but many times better. The Bible was not preserved neither in content nor in language. It was translated from hebrew into latin then many other times after that. During its compilation things were added and things were removed as influential religious figures saw fit. Up to this day they continue to make modifications to the bibles.
We follow the Quran. If there is anything in the other scriptures that matches what is found in the Quran we accept it. Anything else, we reject as either something that was added or not applicable to us.
I never read the Bible, so I am not aware of what it's missing that is found in the Quran. Dr Zakir Naik is the one to respond to this
8 WHY is the koran supposed to be only beautiful in Arabic?
The Arabic language is superior to many other languages in many different aspects. Allaah chose Arabic as the language of revelation, and the Quran is in the best form of Arabic. The Quran was revealed in a time when Arabic was at it's prime in the way it was spoken and the way it was written. It came as a challenge to them, if they truly believed it was not revelation then let them come forth with something equal or better. Of course they failed and the challenge still stands for anyone who doubts the Quran.
The most read book in the world? That should tell us something.
9 WHY IS mohammed not in the line from Noah down through Solomon to Jesus not from the Same line as any other prophet?
Noah is the father of all humans alive today. In Islam, we know that everyone who was alive in the world and who was a non-believer drowned in the great flood. Only Noah and the believers survived, but Noah was the only man given the honour of having offspring. Hence, all the prophets are descendants of Noah.
Ibrahim (Abraham) is known as the father of the prophets because many of his sons, grand sons, great grand sons, great great grand sons and so on all were prophets. Muhammad
, just like Jesus and Moses (although from different branches), is a descendant of Ibrahim alaiyhi as-salaam.
10 WHY, when the Bible is apparently a complete Book about this eternity and this universe and the whole history of life did we even need an extra book?
This was answered in a few of the answers to the previous questions.
And Allaah knows best.
