ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
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Mohammed is described as the most perfect of men
Actually in Islam there have only been two perfect men. Adam, as he was created before the fall, and Jesus as created by the Spirit/Word of God(Qur'an 66:12) who was born free of sin and remained so. This is one of the key beliefs that allowed for many early Christians in the ME to readily accept Islam.
Well actually, if we're getting technical "most perfect" is bad English isn't it? So bad me. I slap my hand and blush.
However if we are speaking within the accepted Islamic understanding of terms I'm going to propose the common reference of "al-Insān al-Kāmil" is most often identified with Mohammed and refers to "the perfect human".
He is also referred to as "uswa hasana (an excellent model of conduct)."
http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Uswa_HasanaIn fact check that link out. There's an interesting argument at the bottom on whether Surah 80 shows Mohammed to be imperfect.
Concerning 66:12 - As I understand that one it seems to suggest that in spite of Mary's virginity, God (or is it angel Gabriel through God?) blows the spirit of God into Mary impregnating her. Isa (Christ) is eventually born as
"a sign" or "a portent", or "a token" (depending on the translation). Does that mean perfection? I don't know. I'd have to see the argument.
What I do know is it's not just me who talks about the "perfection" of Mohammed or how his commands must be obeyed throughout time, and his behavior is to be emulated.
I think I like this description on where the term "perfect" fits best myself.
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The legend of Muhammad in the eyes of the masses of the Muslim peoples, however, is often far removed from the original. After his death simple stories about his life became embellished with folklore, projecting him as a great miracle-worker, as a sinless prophet who was a perfect model for all mankind, as a living person who could appear in dreams and bless pious Muslims, and as the first and foremost of all God's creatures whose light had been created before anything else. His image had been changed from that of a prophetic statesman and warrior to that of a saint and mystical philanthropist.
[snip]
Not only is the name of Muhammad revered throughout the Muslim world but his very personality is regarded as a perfect archetype of human conduct and behaviour. For centuries faithful Muslims have sought to emulate the sunnah of the Prophet, namely his way of life and example. A text of the Qur'an is taken as the basis of this express purpose to follow him in every aspect of his character and life:
~ You have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who engages much in the praise of Allah. Surah 33:2 ~1
http://www.answering-islam.org/authors/ ... pter5.htmlBut here's what Wikipedia has to say on Mohammed as Al-Insān al-Kāmil.
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In Islamic theology, al-Insān al-Kāmil (Arabic: الإنسان الكامل) also rendered as Insān-i Kāmil (Persian/Urdu: انسان کامل) and İnsan-ı Kâmil (Turkish), is a term used as an honorific title to describe Muhammad. The phrase means "the person who has reached perfection."[1] It is an important concept in Islamic culture of the prototype human being, pure consciousness, one's true identity, to be contrasted with the material human who is bound by one's senses and materialism. The term is particularly used by Alawis, Alevis and Sufis,[2] such as Ibn Arabi,[2] who based this on the Hadith.[3]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ins%C4 ... K%C4%81mil