Muhammed in the Bible

Shouldn't the Bible mention Muhammad?

ذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلآئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهاً فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ


"Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him: his name will be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter. And (he) will be among the nearest to God." [Qur'an 3:45]

Over a billion people in the world today believe in the content of the verse above simply because they are Muslim. These same individuals have unconditional love for Jesus (peace be upon him). If these adherents of Islam were to say a single word against Prophet Jesus, it would be synonymous to rejecting Muhammed (peace be upon him) and his message. The question waiting to be asked is: shouldn't there be mention in the Bible of this mass movement of people who hold nothing but love for Jesus in their hearts? Should there not be mention of Islam or Prophet Muhammed?

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَى نِسَاء الْعَالَمِينَ


"The angles said: 'O Mary! God has chosen you and purified you -- chosen you above all the women of the world.'" [Qur'an 3:42]

In this verse, the Qur'an points out the great status of Mary (peace be upon her) in the eyes of God. It is noteworthy to mention that the Qur'an continuously honors Jesus and Mary throughout its pages. In fact Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran! Is it not then expected that Jesus would mention the coming of a personality who would spread love and respect for himself and his mother across the world? It
is known that the Bible has in it many prophecies. The question I pose is: What about the religion which is the second largest in the world with over 1.5 Billion followers?

A prophecy of the Awaited Prophet?

Foremost, it is necessary to understand the methodology of Bible prophecy. Prophecies tell what will happen in the future; they are usually not explicit, but rather you are required to put two-and-two together to arrive at
an indication of what is to come. In fact, even the word Jesus has not been mentioned once in the Old Testament and it is only through indirect means that one can deduce the prophecy of the advent of Jesus, the Messiah. With this nature of prophecies in mind, let us look to the Old Testament to see whether there is any verse regarding the coming of a prophet in the future.

"I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto you, and I will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him" [Deuteronomy 18:18]

It can be argued that this passage refers to Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, but this is not apparent in the
verse. Does Jesus best fit the description given above or does this verse refer to someone else? First of all, it must be clarified that the individual being addressed in this verse is Moses (peace be upon him). Let us, then, proceed to break down the description given in the verse into two parts. The first part of the verse mentions "a prophet from among their brethren". Since God is talking to Moses, we have to conclude that the term "brethren" refers to the brothers of the Children of Israel. If God had said "I will raise them up a prophet from among THEM", there was a chance this verse could be referring to Jesus (peace be upon him), because Jesus was from a Jewish background.

It is known that the brothers of the Jewish race are the Arabs. It is for this reason that Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam are often called the Abrahamic faiths. Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had two children and these two brothers were known as Isaac and Ishmael. From the progeny of Isaac came Moses and Jesus, whereas from the progeny of Ishmael came Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). In this light one can see that the whole of the Jews are brothers of the whole of the Arabs given their common ancestry. Since Prophet Muhammed was Arab and brother to the Jews, he is a shining candidate for the fulfilment of this
prophecy.

Nonetheless, this interpretation can be challenged by questioning the meaning of 'brethren' in the phrase "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren". One may pose that brotherhood can be understood to transcend ethnicity or ancestry. This is also a plausible understanding of the verse; however, even if we take the meaning of brotherhood or brethren to be wider than that of blood relations, this verse can still be adequately taken to mean what we initially inferred: that the prophet being mentioned here is Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). This is the case because brotherhood can be based on faith and commonality in world-views and perspectives. This nature of spiritual brotherhood holds very true for Muhammed and Moses. Both believed in the Oneness of God, in sacred scriptures, in the angels, and in previous prophets (May God shower His blessings on them). Furthermore, both claimed to be speaking
on behalf of God, as His representative and claimed no credit of the message for themselves. This analysis is sufficient to show that these great personalities were indeed very similar in spirit and therefore can be easily regarded as brethren of one another.


The second part of the description advances that the Prophet will be "like unto you", or in other words he will be like Moses. The most rational way to go about this is to examine whether Jesus, according to Christian beliefs, is more like Moses or Muhammed is more like Moses. Jesus and Moses both had a Jewish background. They were also both Prophets of God. On the other hand, Jesus had a miraculous birth whereas Moses had a natural birth. Jesus is considered the son of God, where as Moses is but a Prophet of God. Jesus is believed to have came to die for all of mankind's sins whereas this wasn't the case with Moses. Jesus was apparently resurrected whereas Moses was not. Thus, it seems that Jesus and Moses have more differences than they do similarities. Let us now turn to the similarities between Muhammed and Moses. Both Muhammed and Moses had a natural birth. They were both given a new set of laws (shariah), whereas Jesus came only to fulfill the law before him. Jesus testifies in the Bible, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled [Matthew 5:17-18]. Muhammed and Moses established a state and ran it and defended it in war, whereas Jesus' mission was peaceful and he was not meant to have a worldly kingdom: "My Kingdom is not of this world..." [John 18:36]. Furthermore, Muhammed and Moses married, whereas Jesus remained a bachelor. Lastly, Muhammed and Moses were not resurrected, whereas Jesus was according to Christians. It can now be concluded that indeed, Muhammed is much more like Moses than Jesus. The second part of the description also proves to be a perfect match with Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). Given these evidences we come to realize that this verse in the Bible can refer to none other than our beloved Muhammed, the final messenger of God.


Yet another excerpt from the Bible points to an awaited Prophet, other than Jesus (peace be upon him).

...when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him (John the Baptist (PBUH)), Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he
answered, No. [John 1:21]

It is made clear from the verses quoted above that the Jews were awaiting three personalities. One being
the messiah or Christ, the other being Elijah, and third being "that prophet". To further solidify that there were indeed three awaited individuals, let's look further in John. "And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" [John 1:25]. We are now forced to ask ourselves, who is this third prophet that the Jews had knowledge of and whose arrival they were anticipating? Which prophet has fulfilled this prophecy? Many bible commentaries provide a cross reference to the part of this verse mentioning "that prophet" to the prophecy in Deuteronomy which we
mentioned in the first part of our analysis, but evidently they are wrong. Thus, the prophet mentioned here is
clearly Muhammed (peace be upon him).

Who or what is the Paraclete?

"Jesus said: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever." [John 14:15-16]

My Christian brothers usually interpret Paraclete to mean the Holy Spirit. The word Paraclete is often translated as "comforter" in many versions and translations of the Bible. In that case the verse would read "and
He will give you another comforter". Jesus (peace be upon him) is saying that He will pray to the Father,
that He provide another comforter. The word "another" implies that the disciples are currently familiar with a comforter, i.e. Jesus. The question which must be raised is how did Jesus (peace be upon him) serve as a
comforter to the Children of Israel? It is clear that he preached righteousness, forbade evil, provided explicit guidance and instruction for humanity, and taught through his example. Since these are the functions and roles
which make Jesus a comforter, we need to look for these same attributes in the future comforter who Jesus promises us. It is obvious that the Holy Spirit doesn't possess the capability to teach through example, because a spirit is invisible. Also, the Holy Spirit cannot provide any explicit guidance and instruction because the Holy Spirit does not speak or make sounds.Therefore this description is most unfitting for the Holy Spirit. What is most in line reason is that comforter refers to another human like Jesus, who will provide those same services to mankind.


At this point one may wonder that if the comforter refers to a human being why does the verse describe him as 'abiding for ever'? Humans are mortals, are they not? This is indeed a valid argument but only if we take the verse literally. There is an alternative understanding that can sufficiently explain the verse. It is true that humans are mortal and must leave this world, but what remains of them is their message and teachings. The Qur'an describes Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) as the Seal of the Prophets, or in other words the
last man that will receive revelation. It follows then that the message of Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) is the final set of teachings for all of humanity until the end of time. If we re-examine the above verse with our newfound understanding, we can clearly see how the comforter can refer to a human who brings an everlasting divine message and serves or comforts humanity just as Jesus did.

"But the Paraclete (comforter), the holy ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" [John 14:26].

Isn't it common sense, that this can only refer to a human being who has the ability to remind people what Jesus spoke of? "...he will teach you all things". Exactly how is the Holy Spirit teaching us all things? Isn't
this something only a person can do? Again, reason testifies that this can only be referring to a particular
individual rather than a spirit. Further in John 15:26, Jesus says "...he will testify to me". From this verse it is clear that only a human can testify to Jesus and his ministry. "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Paraclete (comforter), will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement"
[John 16:7-8].

From the above verse, it becomes apparent that the arrival of the comforter is dependent on Jesus (peace be upon him) leaving. Another verse reads "...and the holy ghost was upon him (Simeon)" [Luke 2:26]. The
problem this last verse raises is that if the Holy Spirit is the comforter, how could could it be present during the life time of Jesus? Jesus clearly states that only when he leaves can the comforter come. Therefore, the comforter cannot be a reference to the Holy Spirit.



If there is any doubt left about this issue perhaps the following verse will make it clear:

"...as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you (the disciples of Jesus), And when he said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, receive ye the holy ghost" [John 20:21-22]

Again, it is shown that the Holy Ghost was present during the ministry of Jesus. How, then, is this compatible with the description Jesus gives us of the comforter? The comforter and the Holy Ghost are two different things, and clearly the comforter is the Prophet Muhammed.

The last proof I present will be from the linguistic perspective. The New Testament was originally written in Aramaic and Greek, even though the original language of the New Testament was Aramaic. Thus, the words of Jesus have undergone two transformations, one from his native language, Aramaic, to Greek and later from Greek to English as most of us find it today. The word Paraclete in Greek reads Paracletos. If we were to
translate the name Muhammed (The Praised One) into Greek, the word would read Periclytos! Is it a mere coincidence that these two words bear such a close resemblance? Could it perhaps be that at one point in time the word Paracletos was Periclytos? In light of the supporting evidence, one cannot help but admit that the Bible has been impatiently awaiting the arrival of a beautiful man known as Muhammed (may peace be upon him and his family).

Conclusion

I finish with a message of comfort to my Christian brethren. The Quran teaches us that the Christians are the 'People of the book'. This is indeed a worthy and honorable title that God has chosen and is indicative of common beliefs that exist between Muslims and Christians. Many bridges have been build throughout history and still continue to be built to this very day. Through this effort, I have not attempted to burn these bridges but rather to fill in certain gaps of misunderstanding and ignorance. For one, I have intended to show that the Biblical scriptures contradict the notions that Jesus is God or the son of God. Furthermore, it is hoped that the Christian has come to understand why Islam does not uphold the belief in the deity of Christ. Nonetheless,
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) enjoys a special status within Islam and is cherished by all who believe in the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). I pray that a better understanding of the relationship between God and His beloved Prophet, Jesus (peace be upon him), has been reached. This article is not meant to be an attack on the religion of Christianity but solely as an invitation to the clear path of God. Thank you for reading and may God bless you.


Sources


http://www.jamaat.net/muh-christ/intro.html


http://www.jamaat.net/muhinbible/muhinbible.html


http://www.al-islam.org/short/closerlook/


http://www.al-islam.org/inquiries/


The Holy Bible (King James Version)