Is Mohammed a deity?
In Islam, Muhammad is not considered a deity but rather the final prophet and messenger of Allah. The Qur'an explicitly emphasizes the oneness of Allah and rejects any notion of divinity attributed to Muhammad. In Surah An-Nisaa, it states: O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah...
4:171. This verse underscores the belief that Jesus, like Muhammad, is a messenger and not divine.
Furthermore, the Shia perspective highlights the importance of recognizing the oneness of God and the role of Muhammad without attributing divinity to him. In a narration from Al-Kafi, it is explained that those who worship God yet doubt Muhammad's status as the Messenger of God are misguided: They are people who affirmed the oneness of God and abandoned the worship of others besides God, and left polytheism, but did not recognize Muhammad as the Messenger of God. They worship God in doubt about Muhammad and what he conveyed...
Al-Kafi 1:1470. This indicates that true worship of Allah includes acknowledgment of Muhammad's prophetic role, which is distinct from any claim to divinity.
Muslims believe that attributing divinity to Muhammad contradicts the fundamental Islamic tenet of monotheism. Allah alone is the deity, and Muhammad is His servant and messenger, tasked with conveying Allah's message to humanity.
Sources
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4:171 · An-Nisaa
4:171 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا
O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One Allah. Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender.
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Al-Kafi 1:1470
Al-Kafi · Book 1, Hadith 1470 · Narrated by Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him)
I asked about the words of God Almighty, "And among the people is he who worships God on the edge." He said: They are people who affirmed the oneness of God and abandoned the worship of others besides God, and left polytheism, but did not recognize Muhammad as the Messenger of God. They worship God in doubt about Muhammad and what he conveyed. They came to the Messenger of God saying: We will see; if our wealth increases and we prosper in ourselves and our children, we will know that he is truthful and the Messenger of God. Otherwise, we will wait. God Almighty said: 'If good befalls him, he is content,' meaning well-being in this world. If trials afflict him, it turns him back to doubt and polytheism. He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the clear loss. He calls upon others besides God who neither harm nor benefit him. He turns back to polytheism, calling on others besides God and worshiping others besides Him. Among them, some recognize and enter into faith in their hearts, believe and accept, abandoning doubt to trust. Others remain firm in doubt, and some revert to polytheism. The same was narrated by Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn Isa from Yunus from a man from Zurara.
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