Muhammad's universe does not differ radically from those of other monotheist faiths. What comment it requires will accordingly depend on whether the reader is himself from a monotheist background. If he is, it will be enough to identify the more significant points of comparison. If he is not, he may legitimately find the entire conception puzzling, and this is perhaps where we should begin. Historically, monotheism is descendent from the polytheism of the ancient Near East. Near Eastern gods were often human beings writ large: they had bodies of human shape, quarrelled, behaved irresponsibly when drunk, and so forth. The God of the Old Testament was not given to such undignified behaviour, but He retains considerable traces from his past. The Bible speaks of Him as creating man in His own image, and it treats in detail of the manner in which the Deity is to be housed and supplied with food, The tendency in monotheism has, however, been away from such a human conception of God, and towards a more transcendent one. Muhammad's God in some respects illustrates this trend. Admittedly the Koran still speaks freely of God's "hand", and refers to Him settling into His throne; but it strongly denies that He found the work of creation tiring, and Islam does not accept the notion that God created man in His own image.
Casalino Pierluigi, on October, 12, 2014
Casalino Pierluigi, on October, 12, 2014