u/Weird_Ad1448

I'm searching for truth, and as I'm exploring different religions, this is a question I have about Islam.

Please understand that I'm asking this respectfully and in good faith.

• Could a Muslim ever believe that Muhammad sincerely believed God was speaking to him, but was actually mistaken rather than lying?
• At the time, Arabia had a very strong oral culture in which poetry, speeches, and memorisation were highly valued.
• Muhammad was also an effective public speaker, preacher, and merchant who travelled and met many people from different cultures and religions.
• Makkah and later Madinah were connected to trade routes that brought together different tribes and ideas.
• Many Quranic verses appear to have been revealed in response to events or incidents that occurred during Muhammad's life.

Could someone argue that some of what he taught came from ideas he heard, his own reflections, or knowledge available at the time, with people later interpreting some verses to fit modern discoveries?

For example, some verses of Muhammad's teachings are difficult to reconcile with modern evolutionary biology, such as the Theory of Evolution.

I know this is not the traditional Islamic belief. I'm simply asking whether this view is possible within Islam, and if not, why. I'm interested in understanding the theological reasons

I'm asking this respectfully and in good faith.

Could a Muslim ever believe that Muhammad sincerely believed God was speaking to him, but was actually mistaken rather than lying?

At the time, Arabia had a very strong oral culture in which poetry, speeches, and memorization were highly valued.

Muhammad was also an effective public speaker, preacher, and merchant who traveled and met many people from different cultures and religions.

Makkah and later Madinah were connected to trade routes that brought together different tribes and ideas.

Many Quranic verses appear to have been revealed in response to events or incidents that occurred during Muhammad's life.

Could someone argue that some of what he taught came from ideas he heard, his own reflections, or knowledge available at the time, with people later interpreting some verses to fit modern discoveries?

For example, some verses of Muhammad's teachings are difficult to reconcile with modern evolutionary biology.

I know this is not the traditional Islamic belief. I'm simply asking whether this view is possible within Islam, and if not, why. I'm interested in understanding the theological reasons rather than debating or criticizing Islam.

I'm not presenting this as an assertion of fact.

One possible explanation for Muhammad's claims is that he sincerely believed God was speaking to him, but was mistaken rather than deliberately deceiving people.

At the time, Arabia had a strong oral culture in which poetry, speeches, and memorization were highly valued.

Muhammad was also an effective preacher and merchant who traveled and interacted with people from different cultures and religious traditions.

Makkah and later Madinah were connected to trade routes that exposed people to a variety of ideas.

Many Quranic verses also appear to have been revealed in response to specific events or incidents during Muhammad's life.

It is therefore possible to argue that some of what he taught reflected ideas he encountered, his own reflections, or his responses to contemporary events, with later readers interpreting certain verses as matching modern discoveries.

I recognize that orthodox Islam rejects this explanation because it holds that Muhammad received genuine revelation from God. My argument is simply that sincere error appears to be a plausible alternative explanation. If you disagree, what evidence or theological reasons rule out the possibility that Muhammad was sincerely mistaken?

I'm asking this respectfully.

Could a Muslim ever believe that Muhammad sincerely believed God was speaking to him, but was actually mistaken rather than lying?

At the time, Arabia had a very strong oral culture in which poetry, speeches, and memorisation were highly valued. Muhammad was also an effective public speaker, preacher, and merchant who travelled and met many people from different cultures and religions. Makkah and later Madinah were connected to trade routes that brought together different tribes and ideas.
Could someone argue that some of what he taught came from ideas he heard, his own reflections, or knowledge available at the time, with people later interpreting some verses to fit modern discoveries?

I know this is not the Islamic belief. I'm simply asking whether this view is possible within Islam, and if not, why.