robert spencer-did muhammad exist__ an inquiry into islams obscure origins-intercollegiate studies institute (2012) (1)

einforced the point that Muhammad had no sons of any kind, and thus the prophetic line ended with his
death.
Zayd's Death and the Battle of Muta
Similarly, what we know of Zayd bin Haritha, formerly known as Zayd bin Muhammad, depends entirely
on much later accounts. There are no contemporary records of the Battle of Muta that Islamic tradition
tells us took the life of Zayd in 629. The first known reference to the battle in a non-Muslim source is
found nearly two centuries later in the writings of a Byzantine chronicler, Theophanes the Confessor
(760–818). Theophanes places the battle after Muhammad's death: “Mouamed, who had died earlier, had
appointed four emirs to fight those members of the Arab nation who were Christian.” According to
Theophanes, the local Byzantine ruler, “on learning this from a certain Koraishite called Koutabas, who
was in his pay, gathered all the soldiers of the desert guard and, after ascertaining from the Saracens the
day and hour when they were intending to attack, himself attacked them at a village called Mothous, and
killed three emirs and the bulk of their army.” 24
Muslim historians such as Ibn Ishaq and al-Waqidi (748–822) also write of this battle but tell a much
different story. According to Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad was still alive and sent out the expedition personally
with specific instructions about who was to be in command: “The apostle sent his expedition to Muta in
Jumada'l-Ula in the year 8 [629] and put Zayd b. Haritha in command; if Zayd were slain then Jafar b. Abi
Talib was to take command, and if he were killed then Abdullah b. Rawaha.” 25 Sure enough, the men
were slain in exactly that order: “When fighting began Zayd b. Haritha fought holding the apostle's
standard, until he died from loss of blood among the spears of the enemy. Then Jafar took it and fought
with it until when the battle hemmed him in he jumped off his roan and hamstrung her and fought till he
was killed.” And finally Abdullah “seized his sword and died fighting.” 26
Waqidi offers additional detail about the battle. Powers explains just how different his account is from
that of Theophanes: “Waqidi and Theophanes disagree about…the casus belli, the identity of the
Byzantine military commander, the size of the opposing armies, the reason for the Muslim defeat, and the
number of Muslims who were killed. The discrepancies are so striking that one is justified in asking if
these two historians are talking about the same battle.” 27
Waqidi's account is also encrusted with legend. He recounts that during the battle, Muhammad, who
was back in Medina in the mosque, received visions of what was happening and relayed the news to other
Muslims. The accuracy of these visions of course provided yet more indication that he was indeed a
prophet of Allah. Muhammad reported to the assembled Muslims that before the battle, Satan tried to
tempt Zayd with worldly pleasures, but that Zayd responded contemptuously: “Now that belief has been
firmly established in the hearts of the Believers, you are enticing me with the pleasures of this world!” 28
When Zayd was killed, Muhammad told the people in the mosque to ask Allah to forgive him, “for he has
entered the garden, running.” According to al-Waqidi, Muhammad then reported that Satan tried to tempt
Jafar as well, and that Jafar gave him the same pious answer as Zayd had. When Jafar was killed, he
sprouted wings and entered the garden flying. Abdullah then took up the standard and was killed.
Muhammad said that he entered the garden stumbling—which puzzled Muhammad's audience, until the
prophet of Islam explained that Abdullah could not enter the garden as gracefully or enthusiastically