The Prophet Muhammad Sallahualihewasalam mentioned in the Bible
abu marthad al ghanawiyy
in and between it. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of
worship except him and him alone and that Muhammad son of Abdullah from
the descendents of Ishmael is his final servant and messenger to all of
mankind who has been predicted in the Bible. Allah mentioned in chapter
7:157 in the glorious Qur’an: “Those who follow the unlettered
Prophet (Muhammad) who is found written in the Old and New
Testaments…”
However many Christians in this day and time categorically deny that
the Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) is mentioned in the
Bible hence denying him altogether. However since Allah has made the
bold and audacious statement that he is found in these books, it is the
duty of Muslims to uncover the verses which depict Prophet Muhammad
(Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) and his followers. Hence for the sake of
brevity few verses will be mentioned which will leave the unbiased,
open minded reader no option but to believe in Prophet Muhammad
(Salallahu alaihi wa sallam), obey him and follow his message.
So Where is he found?
>From the Old Testament it is mentioned in Deutoronomy 18:18: “I will
raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and
will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I
shall command him.” In this passage God spoke to Prophet Moses
(alaihis salaam) telling him that a Prophet will come from the brethren
of the Children of Israel (the Children of Ishmael) who is similar to
him.
Many Christians believe that this prediction pertains to Jesus (alaihi
salaam). However if one was to analyze the aforementioned text one
would see that this is a prediction about the Prophet Muhammad
(Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) rather than Jesus. Bearing in mind that
Jesus had only two shared characteristics with Moses as both were
Prophets and from the children of Israel. In addition to this the
Christian belief is that Jesus is God or the Son of God and not a
Prophet.
Therefore this verse looks at three characteristics one has to look out
for in this Prophet.
Firstly he will be raised from their own brethren meaning the brothers
of the children of Israel (descendants of Jacob son of Isaac). And the
brothers of the Children of Israel are the Arabs who are the
descendants of Ishmael. And from the descendants of Ishmael is the
Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam).
Secondly he has to be just like Moses. And no doubt the Prophet
Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa salam) fits this description. They were
both born of natural birth, they were both appointed as Prophets at the
age of forty. They both fled from the oppression of tyrants (in the
case of Moses from Pharaoh and in the case of Muhammad (Salallahu
alaihi wa sallam) from the Quraish.) They both came with a new system
of laws (Shari’ah) for the people and they were both given victory
over their enemies (in the case of Moses Pharoah and in the case of
Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) the Quriash). And none of these
striking similarities are found between Jesus and Moses.
Thirdly Allah’s words will be put in his mouth and he will say all he
commands him. And this is clearly displayed in Chapter 53:3, 4 in the
Qur’an where Allah said about Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam):
“He does not speak from his desire. It is only a revelation unto
him.”
In Deutoronomy 33:2 it is mentioned: “And he said, The LORD came from
Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, he shined forth from mount
Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand
went a fiery law for them” Paran is what is nowadays known as Mecca
which is in Saudi Arabia. And Mecca in itself is a valley surrounded by
numerous mountains. Secondly we must carefully look at the prediction
“he came from the ten thousands of holy ones.” In the biography of
the Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) it is mentioned
that when Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) conquered Mecca (Paran)
without bloodshed, with him were 10,000 of his companions the exact
number predicted in this biblical verse.
In Isiah 29:12 it is mentioned: “And the book is delivered to him
that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee, and he saith, I am
not learned.” This is the exact description of what occurred when the
first revelation descended upon Muhammad (salallahu alaihi wa sallam).
It is reported in the most authentic book of Prophetic Traditions
called Saheeh Al Bukhari that when the angel Gabriel came to him in the
mount of Hira in Mecca he (Muhammad) was asked to read and he said.
“I am not learned.” Meaning that he did not have the ability to
read or write, yet he was given a book that has delivered and continues
to deliver Allah’s divine message to mankind and this book (the
Qur’an) has remained preserved in its original form ( letter by
letter , verse number by verse number) up to this day. This further
proves that Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) did not speak
from his own desire, as no man who does not have the ability to read
and write can ever produce a work of such clarity and literary
magnificence such as the Qur’an.
>From the New Testament it is mentioned in John 1:19 to 21: “And this
is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not,
but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then? Art
thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he
answered, No.”
In this passage it is observed that John the Baptist was asked three
questions. He was asked if he was the Christ (pertaining to Jesus) and
he categorically denied this accusation. He was then asked if he was
Elijah whom he also denied. Then he was asked if he was that Prophet
which he also categorically denied this. Hence from this passage it is
known that there were three people the Jews were searching for. The
Christ, Elijah and ‘that Prophet’ hence the question is asked: Who
is ‘that Prophet’?
It is known that before the Prophet Muhammad’s advent many of the
Jews settled in a town called Yathrib (Madinah) which is north of Mecca
waiting on the coming of a Prophet predicted to them. They even used to
boast to the tribes in the area (who were the Aus and Khazraj) that
when that Prophet comes he will protect the Jews and annihilate
everyone else. This obviously shows that the Jews, from reading their
books, believed that a Prophet was going to come in the Arabian
Peninsula hence their reason for settling there. And this Prophet is
none other than Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa sallam)
Also it is reported in John 14:16: “And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give you another comforter (Periclytos), that he may abide
with you forever.” Many believe that this Comforter (Periclytos) is
the Holy Spirit. However this is an incorrect interpretation because
the word ‘Periclytos’ in the Greek language (the language of the
original scripts from which the bible was translated from) does not
refer to a spirit which is of neutral gender, rather the word
‘Periclytos’ refers to a person, as the word for spirit in the
Greek language is ‘pneu’ma. Also the word Periclytos in itself does
not mean comforter rather it means one who is praised and this is the
exact statement which Jesus said when predicting the advent of Muhammad
(Salallahu alaihi wa sallam) Allah said in Chapter 61:6.of the
Qur’an: “And remember when Jesus son of Mary said to the Children
of Israel! I am A Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Old
Testament before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come
after me, whose name shall be Ahmad (the word Ahmad meaning praised,
glorious or illustrious)”
Hence it is upon the unbiased, open-minded Christian to look at these
clear evidences which are present within the Bible and submit to these
evidences by declaring that there is nothing worthy of worship except
Allah (the one true God) and that Prophet Muhammad (Salallahu alaihi wa
sallam) is his final servant and messenger۩
Footnotes
Salallahu alaihi wa sallam – May Allah send prayers and
salutations upon him
Alaihi salaam- Peace be unto him
Readers should be informed that Jesus spoke the Aramaic language.
The word Periclytos was translated from the Aramaic word ‘Hemida’
which means the praised one.