This response addresses concerns raised in this article by a Christian missionary, specifically focusing on the epileptic symptoms experienced by the Prophet Muhammad.
1. He experienced ringing in his ears, like bells
In their epileptic or psychotic fits which they interpreted as “prophetic” visions, Ezekiel heard “loud thundering noises” (Ezekiel 3:12f); Jeremiah heard the “sound of the trumpet” (Jeremiah 4:19); Isaiah heard loud and shrill voices like “someone crying in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3).
During what he believed to be his “prophetic” experience, all the “bones” of Jeremiah “shook” (Jeremiah 23:9) and he appeared to others like a “drunken man.”
Isaiah’s heart “panted” (i.e., beat heavily) in his “prophetic” experience according to Isaiah 21:4.
Compare this with those whom the Old Testament regards as Prophets : The Old Testament Prophets bruised and bled themselves (see : I Kings 20:35 – 43) under the influence of what they regarded as their “prophetic” experience.
Isaiah’s heart would falter and he would breathe heavily in what he believed to be his “prophetic” visions (Isaiah 21:4).
In Abraham’s psychotic vision, he “fell face down” on the ground (Genesis 17:3). In his visions, which he claimed to be “prophetic,” Ezekiel would fall on his face (Ezekiel 1:28 ; 43:1 – 5 ; 44:4). When Peter and the disciples of Jesus underwent a psychotic vision, they “fell flat on the ground.” (Matthew 17:6)
Old Testament Prophets covered themselves with rough and thick “garments of hair” and leather-girdles (Zechariah 13:4 ; II Kings 1:8).
Daniel fell unconscious on observing a vision, which he claimed to be a “prophetic” experience (Daniel 10:8, 9f).
Max Weber writes :
They [The Old Testament Prophets] screamed (karah) their prophecies aloud to the world, partly in indistinguishable words, partly in imprecations, threats, and benedictions with saliva running from their mouths (hittif “geifern” mean to prophecy), now murmuring or stammering.1
I had already indicated that Ezekiel suffered from paralysis of the limbs and of the tongue (Ezekiel 3:25f) — from which infirmities he is relieved only upon the pronouncement (which he believed to be “prophetic”) of the downfall of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24:27 ; 33 22).
The comment of the bigoted author of the original post itself stated that this was not (i.e., in his opinion) a symptom of epilepsy. Thus there isn’t any need to further investigate it because he/she did not raise any objection here.2
See response to point 2. The dumb Christian repeated this point twice.
The similarities between Muhammad’s experiences and those of Biblical prophets suggest a continuity within the prophetic tradition. The intense physical and auditory experiences described in both Islamic and Bbiblical narratives underscore a shared understanding of the prophetic encounter. This challenges the critique that seeks to pathologize these experiences, instead offering a perspective that recognizes the profound and often physically manifesting nature of prophetic revelation across traditions.
Now, I anxiously await the judgment of the Christian Zionists on the Old Testament Prophets since their prophetic experience turns out to be a mirror image of that of the Prophet Muhammad (P). For the Muslims, this in itself is the greatest proof of the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (P) represented the continuity of the Hebrew Prophetic tradition, which had been broken and contradicted by the false teachings of Christianity.
- Max Weber, Ancient Judaism (NY, 1952), p. 287[↩]
- In a research article published in the Oman Medical Journal, Al-Abri et al. explored the prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) among epilepsy patients. The findings indicate that snoring, reported by 41% of the epilepsy cohort, aligns with prevalence rates in the broader population, suggesting an association with OSAS rather than epilepsy per se. For further details, refer to : Al-Abri, M., et al. (2015). “Frequency of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Among Patients with Epilepsy Attending a Tertiary Neurology Clinic.” Oman Medical Journal, 30(1), pp. 31 – 35.[↩]
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