Has anyone (other than Jesus) done more than Joseph Smith in less time?
Yes. His name was Muhammad. Born 570-580 and died June 8, 632. In just 10 years from the time he left Mecca in 622 to travel to Yatreb (renamed Medina - the City of the Prophet) until his death in 632 he accomplished much more than Joseph Smith did in the 14 years from 1830 to 1844. Comparing the first 150 years of the movements began by each man, Muhammad had a much greater impact than Joseph Smith. Within 150 years of Muhammad's death, Islam had expanded from Arabia to cover an area from Spain to Persia including North Africa. Today adherents of Islam number nearly 1 billion.There are many similarities between Joseph Smith and Muhammad:
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Both claimed to be God's prophet.
- Both left behind a collection of revelations from God, the Qur'an from the words of Muhammad, and the Doctrine
and Covenants from Joseph Smith.
- Both sometimes received revelations (translations in the case of Joseph Smith) by hiding their eyes and heads from the light.
Muhammad hid his eyes and head beneath a veil*, and Joseph Smith hid his eyes using a hat.
- Both died without establishing procedures for the transmission of authority*.
- Both practiced polygamy, and although a limit was set at four wives in the Moslem community, no limit
was set on the number of concubines a man might have. After the death of his first wife Khadija, Muhammad was
"divinely delivered to the passing joys of an enormous harem, which the first Moslems have described in detail and not without pride."*
The Qur'an like the Book of Mormon also claims to be another witness for the Bible.
(5:48, 10:37,
12:111)
The Qur'an defends itself much as supporters of the Book of Mormon do: "If they say, 'Why, he has forged it', Say: 'Then produce a sura like it, and call on whom you can, apart from God, if you speak truly'. " ( 10:38)
*Henri Daniel-Rops, The Church in the Dark Ages, Vol II, Doubleday/Image, 1962, pp.29-37.
How can Mormons explain Joseph Smith and Muhammad, each producing an inspired work that claims to give support to the scriptures that have come before. How can Mormons reconcile the totally different views as to the divinity and sonship of Jesus and his relationship with the Father? Why have Mormons been so quick to accept the Book of Mormon and reject or at least disregard the Qur'an?Muhammad accomplished so much more than Joseph Smith did. In the 100 years after the death of Muhammad his followers had conquered the hearts and souls of many and the land from Spain in the West to Syria in the East including the Holy Land, Egypt and North Africa. They finally conquered that last remanant of the Roman Empire in 1453 with the fall of Constantinople. They didn't force their religion on people, but taxed those who did not convert. They allowed other religions to operate as "Nations" within the Islamic Empire but did not allow private ownership or physical control of territory. Much more liberal than the theocracy establish by Brigham Young that resulted in the murders of non-LDS pioneers from Arkansas who appeared to be making plans to stay in Utah rather than continuing on to California. Current LDS strategy seems to be to "buy" the world through the use of modern economic warfare, not conquer it through old fashion military action.
Mormonism and Islam are most alike in both being Christian heresies.
The one great difference between Islam and Mormonism is understanding who Jesus is to both groups. While both groups are wrong, to Mormons, Jesus is the son of God the Father who is father of both the premortal spirit of Jesus and the father of his earthly body; Jesus a perfect man who progressed from being a man to godhood showing that all can becoming gods. The Qur'an tells us that God has no need for a son. And although the Qur'an tells us that Jesus was born of a virgin this does not mean that he is the son of God. Jesus according to the Qur'an pointed the way to God's prophet, Muhammad. Makes me think of the time that Joseph Smith boasted that he had performed a greater work than Jesus did in keeping a church together...
Bottom line, Mormonism is in doctrine the Islam of the West using the world-wide organizational structures of the Roman Catholic Church (pope/prophet, curia/GAs) and the city/local governance structures of Calvinist city-states (Ordinances, Wards, Councils, etc.)