Is Muhammad Eternally Secure?

Muslims are commanded to pour praise and blessings on Muhammad.  The mere mention of the prophet’s name Muhammad is meant to be followed by “peace be upon him”. Blessings are promised for Muslims who pour blessings on his name.  It even says in the Hadith that, "Whoever does Salah upon me [Muhammad] once, Allah will Salah upon him ten (times)"!  But what actually is the benefit to Muhammad for doing this, when he is already in the grave?  Isn’t Muhammad going to heaven?  Why would Muslims need to bless Muhammad?  Is Muhammad’s fate not certain? 

 The truth is that Muhammad wasn't sure of his fate.  It is written:

Say (O Muhammad SAW):"I am not a new thing among the Messengers (of Allah) (i.e. I am not the first Messenger) nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am but a plain warner." Quran 46:9, Hilali-Khan

 Muhammad was to say he “didn’t know what would be done with him”.  What does this mean?

 According to Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir on Quran 46:9, this verse relates to a story regarding what would happen to Muhammad when he dies.  The verse was revealed because an Ansari woman was confident about the eternal destiny of a dying man.   She thought this man was very pious.  She was confident that he would be honored by Allah in the afterlife.  Muhammad corrected her.  Muhammad says regarding the dead man:

 “(As for him, certainly (death) has reached him from his Lord, and surely I wish well for him.  But by Allah, even though I am Allah’s Messenger, “I do not know what will happen to me (after death).)  I then said, `Never will I claim a person to be pious after this.' ”  Ibn Kathir's commentary on Quran 46:9

 This story is taught in the Hadith:

Narrated Kharija bin Zaid bin Thabit: 

Um Al-`Ala an Ansari woman who had given the Pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "`Uthman bin Maz'un came in our share when the Ansars drew lots to distribute the emigrants (to dwell) among themselves, He became sick and we looked after (nursed) him till he died. Then we shrouded him in his clothes. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us, I (addressing the dead body) said, "May Allah's Mercy be on you, O Aba As-Sa'ib! I testify that Allah has honored you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'How do you know that?' I replied, 'I do not know, by Allah.' He said, 'As for him, death has come to him and I wish him all good from Allah. By Allah, though I am Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), I NEITHER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME, NOR TO YOU.'" Um Al-`Ala said, "By Allah, I will never attest the righteousness of anybody after that." She added, "Later I saw in a dream, a flowing spring for `Uthman. So I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and mentioned that to him. He said, 'That is (the symbol of) his good deeds (the reward for) which is going on for him.' "  Sahih al-Bukhari 7018, Book 91, Hadith 35

Muhammad didn't know exactly what would happen to himself after he dies.  Muslim friends, do you really want to entrust your eternal security with the teachings of this man?  Jesus promised to provide a way you can be sure of making peace with God.

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.  John 5:24, ESV

Allah Prays for Muhammad

In a debate between Muhammad Hijab and David Wood, Hijab admitted, "Allah prays for Muhammad".

Prayer is defined as the act of communication with a higher power.  We pray to God, for worship, praise, confession, and supplication.  Muslims pray to Allah for similar such things.  Question, does it make sense for God to pray?

The word for prayers in Islam in Islam is “salat”.  Prayer is important for the Muslim.  Ritual prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam.  

Apparently, Allah sends prayers upon Muhammad:

“He it is Who sends salat (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive you)…"  Quran 33:43a, Hilali-Khan

The “He” in this verse is Allah.  The Arabic here is not actually “sends blessings” “yuṣallī” (يُصَلِّي) but it means “he prays”. 

He does it again later in the same surah.  Allah sends his salat on Muhammad, just as Muslims do their salat on him.  Allah prays:

“Allah sends his salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! send your salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad SAW), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e. AsSalamu 'Alaikum).” Quran 33:56, Hilali-Khan

Again, the Arabic word for the salat that Allah sends here is “yuṣallūna” (يُصَلُّونَ) means “they pray”.  The Arabic word for the “salat” that the Muslim sends, “ṣallū” (صَلُّوا) translates the same way.  So, the Muslim is asked to send salat on Muhammad, just as Allah sends salat on Muhammad.  The same root word is used for both acts.  Allah and His angels send their prayers of blessings on Muhammad.  

Even in the Sunnah does it say the same:

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever sends salah upon me once, Allah (SWT) will send salah upon him tenfold." “  Sunan an-Nasa'i 1296, Book 13, Hadith 118

In this hadith the same word “salah” (صَلَّى) is used twice, once for us, once for Allah.  Allah sends salah in the same way as the Muslim sends salah.

If salah means "pray", then Allah prays for Muhammad.  In the Patton 2009 book chapter, the literal translation “God prays for the Prophet” is the phrase's most obvious meaning. 

The big question is who is Allah praying to?  Is it another God?  Allah is asking another being of equal or greater authority, presumably another God, to bless Muhammad.  Either Allah is then blessing Muhammad through partners.  I.e. Allah commits shirk.  

Now in Surah 33:56 the Arabic is rendered "Allah and his angels" (literally "l-laha wamalāikatahu").  If one really insists that the phrase means "send blessings", then Allah and his angels work together to send blessings.  This puts Allah and his angels on the same level.  The angels then are partners with Allah.  

In either case, Allah is seen committing shirk.  Allah should not be praying blessings on someone.  Humans do this, God doesn't.  Allah should not be working together with angels to send blessings.  Is not Allah meant to be greater than the angels?  There should be no greater authority than God: 

...For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1b

Allah cannot be God, and the Quran cannot be the word of God.  Come back to the Torah, Zabur (Psalms) and Injeel (gospel).  To find God, come back to the Bible.