muhammad: a christian apologetic

8/9/2019 Muhammad: A Christian Apologetic

1/32

MUHAMMAD

(ACHRISTIANAPOLOGETIC)(JaySmith)

INTRODUCTION

[I]ISMUHAMMADAPROPHET?.[A]THEMUSLIMPOSITION:

[1]SupernaturalwitnesspointstoMuhammad'sProphethood

[2]ProphesyingpointstohisProphethood

[3]MiraclespointtohisProphethood

[4]IlliterateCreatoroftheQur'anpointstohisProphethood

[B]THECHRISTIANPOSITION:

[1]WhoQualifiesasatrueProphetofGod?

(a)AProphetmustbeborninthePropheticRace

(b)AProphet'sMessagemustConformtopreviousRevelation

(c)AProphet'sPredictionsmustbeVerifiable

(d)AProphetmustSpeakintheNameofGod(=YAHWEHorJEHOVAH)

[2]WhichoftheseBiblicalQualificationsdoesMuhammadDemonstrate?

(a)WasheborninthelineoftheProphets?

(b)DidMuhammad'srevelationconformtothemessagewhichhadprecededhim?

(c)WereanyofMuhammad'spredictionsverifiablewithinhislifetime?

(d)Didhespeakinthenameof"theeternal,"YAHWEH?

[II]QUESTIONSCONCERNINGMUHAMMAD'SPROPHETHOOD .

[A]WASMUHAMMADASPECIFICORUNIVERSALPROPHET?

[B]WASMUHAMMADAPROPHETOFTHEJEWS?

[C]WASMUHAMMADAPROPHETTOTHECHRISTIANS?

[D]WASMUHAMMADTHESEALOFTHEPROPHETS?

[1]WhataboutJesus?

[2]WhatabouttheOtherProphets?

[3]WhataboutMuhammad?

(a)Muhammad'sConcessionstoPeople:.

(b)Muhammad'sSexuality:

(c)Muhammad'selevation:

(d)Muhammad'sSin:

[III]WERETHEREPROPHECIESCONCERNINGMUHAMMAD?

[A]ISTHEREAPREDICTIONOFMUHAMMADINDEUTERONOMY18?

[1]Comparison:WhoistheprophetlikeMoses?


2/32

[2]Contrast:ThisprophetcannotbeMuhammad

[3]Consideration:ThisprophetmustbeJesus

[4]Conclusion:WithoutapredictionwhereisMuhammad'sauthority?.

[B]ARETHEREOTHERPREDICTIONSOFMUHAMMADINTHEOLDTESTAMENT?

[1]DowefindMuhammadintheOldTestament?[2]MuslimsfindMuhammadintheOldTestament.

[3]NameswhichpointtoMuhammad

[4]SongofSolomon

[5]TheProblemwiththisexercise

[C]ISTHEREAPROPHECYOFMUHAMMADINTHEINJIL?

[1]ParakletosorPeriklytos?

[2]Greeklanguageconfirmsparakletos.

[3]Greekmanuscriptsconfirmparakletos

[4]ThereforeMuhammadcouldnotbetheparakletos

[5]Sowhoistheparakletos?

[6]TheansweristheHolySpirit,whoarrived50dayslater

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION:

AllofushavehaddiscussionswithMuslimsconcerningourdifferentbeliefs.Ifyourexperience

hasbeenlikemine,inordertodialogueconvincinglywithaMuslim,youhavehadtobringupthethorny

questionconcerningthefoundationforhisorherbeliefs.Andinordertospeaktothosefoundations,you

havehadtospeaktotheissueconcerningthefounder(asfarastheMuslim-worldisconcerned)forthose

beliefs.

AccordingtoMuslimTradition(asopposedtohistoricalandscientificevidence)Islamwas

createdbyAllah,butthefinalandtruestrevelationsofIslamwere"passeddown"( Nazil)tohumanityviatheangelJibril(Gabriel),toMuhammad.Muhammad,thereforeisthefinalauthorityforAllah's

revelationhereonearth.

Consequently,ifwearetodialoguewithaMuslimitisimperativethatwebeginwiththe

expounderfortheirbeliefs,Muhammad.Itishewhotakesonthemantleofthe"sealoftheprophets,"the

finalandgreatestspokesmanforGod.

Butwhereistheproofforsuchatitle?Howisheanydifferentfromanyothermanorthinkeror

statesmanwhocamebefore;orafter,forthatmatter?InIsaiah41:21-23wefindachallengetothose

whoclaimtocomeinthenameoftheLord.Isaiahwrites:

"Presentyourcase,"saystheLord."Setforthyourarguments,"saysJacob'sKing."Bringin

your[proofs]totelluswhatisgoingtohappen.Telluswhattheformerthingswere,so

thatwemayconsiderthem,andknowtheirfinaloutcome.Ordeclaretousthethingsto

come,telluswhatthefutureholds,sothatwemayknowyouaregods."

LikeIsaiahinhisday,wemakethesamechallengetoday,askingMuslimstoprovideuswith

proofforMuhammad'sprophethood.Letusthenseethecasefortheirargument.


3/32

[I]ISMUHAMMADAPROPHET?

Muslimspointtonotjustoneproofbuttoanumberofareas,whichtheyfeel,substantiatetheir

claimtoMuhammad'sprophethood.Itwouldbehelpfultolookattheseareas,andcometosome

conclusionastowhethertheyarelegitimateclaimsforhisprophethood.

[A]THEMUSLIMPOSITION:

ThenameMuhammad,likeAhmed,means"thePraisedOne."Itismorethanlikelythatthiswas

nothisinitialname,butwasthenameattributedtohimlateroninlifeoncehebecametherecognized

prophettotheArabs.Scholarsbelievethathischildhoodnamewas"Amin,"namedafterhismother

"Amina"whodiedwhenhewas6yearsold.

Hisfatherwascalled"Abdullah,"butMuhammadneverknewhimashediedbeforehewasborn.

AfterthedeathofhismotherMuhammadwasbroughtupbyhisgrandfather,andfollowinghisdeathby

hisuncle,AbuTalib.InhisyouthMuhammadtravelledwidelywithcameltradingcaravans.Itisatthis

point,accordingtoMuslimTradition,thatcertainthingshappenedtohimwhichwereindicatorsofhis

specialstatusamongmen.

[1]ASupernaturalWitnesspointstoMuhammad'sProphethood

Whenhewasthreeyearsold,twoangelscameandtookouthisheartfromhischest,cleanedit

withicewater,putitbackandleft.Indoingsotheysupposedlypreparedhimforhismissiononearth.

AnotherstorywhichcomesviaMuslimTraditionmentionsthatafterthedeathofhisgrandfather

Abdu-Mutalib,MuhammadwenttovisitaCatholicmonkwithhisuncleAbu-Talib.Itisreportedthatthe

monksawacloudspecificallyprotectMuhammadfromthesun.Itwasthenthatheknewthathewould

besomeonespecial.

Attheageoftwenty-fivehemarriedKhadijah,awidowfifteenyearshissenior,whowasalsohis

employer.Themarriagewasahappyone,andtwoboysandfourgirlswereborntothem,thoughthetwo

boysdidnotlivetoamatureage.Khadijadiedaftertwenty-fiveyearsofmarriagetoMuhammad.During

thattimeMuhammadnevertookanotherwife.

In612C.E.MuhammadbecamewithdrawnandfrequentlywentformeditationtoMt.Hira,whichissituatedclosetoMecca.Here,accordingtotraditionhehadhisfirstrevelation.

IntheMishkat-ul-Massabih,vol.IV,pp.356-357wereadaboutthisfirstrevelationasreportedby

Aisha,Muhammad'sfavoritewife:

ThefirstrevelationwhichbegantoberevealedtotheApostleofAllahwasacorrectdream

insleep.Hedidnotseeadreambutitcamelikethemorningdawn.Thereafterloneliness

becamedeartohimandheusedtosecludehimselftothecaveofHiraandengagedtherein

indeepdevotion(anditisdivineservice)formanynightsbeforehewenttohishouseand

providedhimselfwithfoodtherefor.ThenhewouldreturntoKhadijaandtakeprovision

forthelikeofthem(nights)untilthetruthcameuntohimwhilehewasinthecaveofHira.

Theangelappearedbeforehimandsaid,"Read."Hesaid,"Icannotread."Henarrated:

Thenhetookmeandpressedmehardtilltherecamegreatexhaustiononme;thereafter

heletmeoffandsaid,"Read."Ireplied,"Icannotread."Thenhetookmeandpressedmehardforthesecondtimeuntilthereappearedagreatexhaustiononme;thereafterhelet

meoff.Hesaid,"Read."Isaid,"Icannotread."Thenhetookmeandpressedmeathird

timetillthereappearedagreatexhaustiononme;thereafterheletmeoff.Hesaid,"Read

inthenameofyourLordwhocreated,createdmanfromaclot.ReadandyourLordisthe

MostGenerous,whotaughtwiththepen,taughtmanwhatheknewnot."Thenthe

prophetreturnedtherewith,hisheartwastremblingandhewenttoKhadijahandsaid,

"Wrapmeup,wrapmeup."Thentheywrappedhimuntilthedreadwentawayfromhim.


4/32

Likeanyonewhohadbeengrabbedbyanangel(sometraditionssayhewasgrabbedbythe

throat),hebecamefrightenedandranhometohiswife,whohadherownratherinterestingmeansof

delineatingwhetherhewastellingthetruthornot.Whileseatedherself,shehadhimsitoneitherleg

wheresheaskedhimifhestillsawtheangel,towhichhesaidyes.Thenshedisrobedinfrontofhimand

askedhimagain,andwhenhesaidno,shethenbelievedhewasreceivingauthenticrevelations.

KhadijathentookhimtoaNestorianmonkinMecca,namedWaraqaibnNofal(therearesome

traditionswhichsayhewashercousin).HewasintheprocessoftranslatingthebookofMatthewintoArabicatthetime.He,uponquestioninghim,confirmedthatMuhammadwasindeedaprophet.

UnfortunatelythismonkmustnothavetranslatedMatthew24:24bythistime.Hadhedoneso,

Muhammadmayneverhavetakentherouteofprophethood.

Theseaboveaccounts,accordingtoMuslimTradition,arehowMuhammadobtainedhis

authoritytobeginhisministry,andhowhereceivedcredibilityasaprophetofGod,andmorethanthat,

astheultimateprophetofGod,the"sealofalltheprophets"(accordingtoSura33:40).

Thereareotheralleged"proofs"whichMuslimspointtowhichsubstantiateshisclaimto

prophethood:

[2]ProphesyingpointstohisProphethood

Anotherproofofhisprophethood,accordingtoMuslims,stemsfromthefactthatMuhammad

prophesiedeventsinthefuture,whichthencametopasslateron.OnlyaprophetofGodcouldknow

whatwasgoingtohappeninthefuture,andthereforeMuhammadmustbeaprophet.Yet,theonly real'

prophecyrecorded,whichMuslimsattributetoMuhammadisthatfoundinSura30:1-4,whereitis

written:

A.L.M.TheRomanEmpirehasbeendefeated.Inalandcloseby;butthey(even)after

(this)defeatoftheirs,willsoonbevictorious.Withinafewyears.WithAllahisthe

decision,inthepastandinthefuture:onthatdayshalltheBelieversrejoice.

ThispassagereferstothedefeatoftheByzantinesinSyriabythePersiansunderKhusranParvis

(inA.D.615),sixyearsbeforethe Hijra.

ThedefeatofthePersiansshouldtakeplacesoon-"inasmallnumberofyears."Inlightofthis

prediction,Abu-BakrundertookabetwithUbai-ibn-Khalafthatthispredictionwouldbefulfilledwithinthreeyears.ButhewascorrectedbyMuhammad,whostatedthatthe"smallnumber"isbetweenthree

andnineyears(Al-Baizawi).

MuslimstellusthattheByzantinesovercametheirenemieswithinsevenyears.However,the

factisthattheByzantinesdefeatedPersiainAD628(Al-Baizawi'scommentary).Thatwastwelveyears

afterthepredictionofMuhammad.Consequently,thispassagedoesnotqualifyasaprophecy,

particularlyasthetimebetweentheprophecyandfulfilmentwasfartooshort,andinadditiontheevent

waseasilypredictable.Theoddswereonly50/50.

Theother`prophecies'whichMuslimspointtorefertoMuhammad'svictoriesandthoserelating

totheQur'anitself.Itisnearlyimpossibletoestablishwhetherthesepropheciesweresaidbeforetheir

fulfilment.Besides,likethepreviousexample,theywereeithereasilypredictable,orjustwar-

propaganda.InthiseventGeorgeBushmightbecalledaprophettoo,forhepredictedthattheGulf-

coalitionwouldwinthewarwithIraq.

[3]MiraclespointtohisProphethood

MuslimsalsoclaimthatMuhammadperformedmiracles,andthisisfurtherproofthathewasa

prophet.Interestingly,despitethisclaimbyMuslims,theQur'an,whoseauthoritytheyreferto,denies

thatMuhammadperformedanymiracles.


5/32

TakeforinstanceSura17:90-93.HereMuhammadischallengedtoperformmiraclestoprove

hiscredibility,andherespondsbyadmittingthatheisonlyaman,anapostle.Thereareothersimilar

Suraswhichspeakaboutthechallengeforasignbyunbelievers,followedbyMuhammad'sangryretort

thathewasmerelya"warner,"a"guide,"anda"bearerofgladtidings."(refertoSuras2:118-119;6:37

and124;13:7;and17:59).

TheHadith,ontheotherhand,reportsanumberofmiracleswhichMuslimsarequicktopointto

asfurtherproofforMuhammad'sauthority.InMishkatIVpage411weread:

Theprophetwaslookingwhileridinguponhismulelikeoneeagerlylongingtokillthem.

Hesaid:`Thiswaswhenthebloodboiledinveins.'Thereafterhetooksomepebblesand

threwthematthefacesoftheinfidelsandthensaid:`Berouted,bytheLordMuhammad.'

AndinMishkatIVpages419-420weread:

Anasreported:AmanwrotetotheprophetthatheturnedanapostatefromIslamandjoinedtheinfidels.

Theprophetsaid:`Verilytheearthwillnotaccepthim.'AbuTalhahinformedmethathehadcometothe

landwhereinhedied.Hefoundhimthrownoutside.Hesaid:`Whatisthematterwithhim?'Theysaid:

`Theyburiedhimseveraltimesbuttheearthdidnotaccepthim.'

Butprobablythemostpopularmiraclewhichhasbeenpasseddownbythehadithandfomented

byMuslimseventoday,isthesplittingofthemoonbyMuhammad.ItisrecordedinSahihMuslimIV,

pg.1467:

Thishadithhasbeentransmittedontheauthorityof`Abdullahb.Mas'ud(whosaid):Wewerealongwith

Allah'sMessenger(maypeacebeuponhim)atMinathatmoonwassplitupintotwo.Oneofitspartswas

behindthemountainandtheotheronewasonthissideofthemountain.Allah'sMessenger(maypeacebe

uponhim)saidtous:`Bearwitnesstothis.'

ThesplittingupofthemoonisnotsimplyafablefromtheHadith,butisalludedtointheQur'an

aswell.Sura54,whichistitled"TheMoon,"beginsbysaying,"Thehour(ofjudgment)isnigh,andthe

mooniscleftasunder..."Fromthecontextitisobviousthatthiswasmeanttobeasign,butpeople

rejecteditassuchandintheirdesiretocreatesomesupernaturalprooffortheirfaithinterpretedit

word-for-word.EventodayyouwillhearMuslimsclaimthattheAmericanastronauts,uponlandingon

themoontookpicturesofalargecrack,orfissureonthemoon'ssurface,whichiswhatremainsfrom

Muhammad'ssplit.

Thesereports,forChristians,soundverymuchlikethelegendarystoriesoftheNewTestament

Apocrypha.Thoughtheyarewell-meaningreports,theyareoftenveryfancifulincharacter.However,

theylackonesimpleingredient:authenticity.

TheApocryphaprimarilydatesfromthe2ndcenturyC.E.(i.e.70-170yearsafterthedeathof

Jesus).TheHadith,ontheotherhand,wascompiledapproximately250-300yearsaftertheHijra.

Beforethattimeallmaterialandstorieswerepasseddownfromgenerationtogenerationbyoral

tradition.Isitnowonder,then,thatwitheachpassinggenerationmorewasaddedtothestoryinorder

toenhancetheimageandcharacteroftheprophet?

[4]TheIlliterateCreatoroftheQur'anpointstohisProphethood

MuslimsclaimthatMuhammadwasilliterate.Theyreason:"HowcananilliteratemancomposeabookliketheQur'an?"BythistheyimplythattheauthorshipfortheQur'ancouldnothavebeendone

byonewhocouldnotread,soconsequentlyitscompositionisamiracle,sinceitmusthavecomefrom

Allah.Theyconclude,therefore,thatthemiracleoftheQur'anaffordsMuhammadtherighttoclaim

prophethood,andalsoanswersthedilemmaaboveconcerningtheneedforamiracletogivehim

authority.

Tobetterunderstandthisargument,weneedtorefertothepassagewhichspeaksofhis

illiteracy.InSura7:157weread:


6/32

ThosewhofollowtheApostle,theunletteredprophet,whomtheyfindmentionedintheir

own(Scriptures);intheLawandtheGospel;forhecommandsthemwhatisjustand

forbidsthemwhatisevil:heallowsthemaslawfulwhatisgood.

Inordertounderstandwhatthewordsùnletteredprophet'reallymean,wehavetotakealook

attheArabictext.IntheArabicitsays, an-nabiyyal-ummi.Nabiiseasytotranslate.Itmeansprophet.

Thatisprettyclear.Theword` ummi,'however,isnotsoclear.Todiscernitsmeaningweneedtorefer

toanotherverseintheQur'anwhichusesit.WefinditusedinSura62:2,whichsays:

ItisHewhohassentamongstthe Unletteredanapostlefromamongthemselves,to

rehearsetothemHissigns,tosanctifythem,andtoinstructtheminScriptureandWisdom.

Whoaretheùnlettered'inthistext?YusufAli'scommentarymakesitquiteclearwhothese

unletteredare.Hesaysinfootnoteno.5451,"TheUnlettered;asappliedtoapeople, itreferstotheArabs,incomparisonwiththePeopleoftheBook,whohadalongertraditionoflearning,butwhose

failureisreferredtoinverse5below.Asappliedtoindividuals,itmeansthatAllah'sRevelationisforthe

benefitofallmen,whethertheyhaveworldlylearningornot."Theword ummiyyunusedinSura62:2isthepluralformofummifoundinSura7:157.Thereforewhatwefindisthatthewordummiwasused

forpeoplewhodidnothavethescriptures,incontrasttotheJewsandChristians.Toputitsimply,they

were"unscriptured."Muhammadconsideredhimselftobetheprophettotheunscriptured,aprophetto

thosewhohadnoBook,norevelation;inotherwords,totheArabs.ThereforeSura7:157cannotbeused

asproofthatMuhammadwasilliterate.

WhatwecansayisthatmorethanlikelyMuhammadwasliterate.Hewasresponsiblefor

Khadija'scaravans,hadtravelledwidely,andmusthavekeptrecordsofhistransactions.

TheHadithofIbnSa'dalludestothefactthathewrote.IbnSa'dstates,

Theprophet,mayAllahblesshim,fellillonThursday.Thereuponhe,i.e.,IbnÀbbasbegan

toweepandsay:`WoebetothisThursday!WhataThursday.'Theillnessoftheprophet,

mayAllahblesshim,becamesevere:hesaid:`Bringanink-potandsomething[paperor

papyrusoranymaterialusedforwriting]towriteon.Ishall[writeforyou]adocument

andyouwillneverbemisguided. (IbnSa'd,p.302)

Thisentireargument,however,israthermootifoneconsidersthattheQur'anwhichisinour

possessiontodayisnottheoriginalrevelationwhichwasrevealedviaMuhammadtohisfollowers.In

fact,accordingtotradition,itistheworkofMuhammad'ssecretaryZaidibnThabit,whofinallycompiledit14yearsafterMuhammad'sdeath,duringthereignofUthman.Where,then,isthemiracleinthat?

Fromanhistoricalperspectivetheargumentfallsevenfurtherintodisrepute,asmanyhistorians

believethatverylittleoftheQur'anwasactuallywrittenbyMuhammad,butwasrathertheresultofan

evolvingsetofpolemicalwritingswhichbecamecanonizedinthe9th-10thcentury,200-300yearsafter

thelifeofMuhammad.Canweclaimthisamiracle?

Thefurtheroneuncoversthefacts,thefurtheritbecomesclearthattheQur'anisnotthemiracle

whichMuslimsliketopointtoasproofforMuhammad'scredibilityasaprophet.

----------

Canwe,therefore,saythatthesefourproofsputforwardbytheMuslimsgivevalidityto

Muhammad'sclaimasatrueprophet?Ithinknot.Yet,accordingtoMuslimTraditionthesestoriesare

allthatareneededtogiveMuhammadthetitle"Rasu-ul-Allah."

Idaretodiffer.Fromourdiscussionaboveitisclearthattheearlysupernaturalwitnessesare

probablyapocryphaladditionsfromlaterMuslimTraditions,whiletheclaimforMuhammad'silliteracy,

thoughdebatable,consideringhisbackgroundandvocation,missesthepointentirely,since(accordingto

thenewresearchcomingoutofSOAS)theQur'anwasneverwrittenbyhimanyway.Hisclaimof

prophesying,furthermore,isasvalidaclaimaseitheryouorIcouldgive,consideringheneverwent

beyonda50/50odds.Andthemiraclesattributedtohimaresoincredulousthattheyspeakmoretothe

timesofthelatertenthcenturypolemicaltraditionsthenthoseoftheseventhcenturyArabicisolation.


7/32

ObviouslytheMuslimswillneedtocomeupwithbetterdefencesthentheseforsubstantiating

Muhammad'sprophethood.Yetthatisnotall,forweasChristiansarealsointerestedinthequestionof

prophethood.Itisandalwayshasbeeninourbestinteresttodelineatewhoexactlyisatrueprophet,for

wehavebeenwarnedtobewatchfulforfalseprophetswhowillcomeourway(Matthew24:24).Let's

thenlookatsomeofthecriteriawhichourscripturesgiveusfordescribingatrueprophet.

[B]THECHRISTIANPOSITION:

Letmebeginbyaskingyouaquestion.Howwouldyoudefineaprophet?Betteryet,howwould

youknowoneifyousawhim,orher?Wouldheorshebesomeonewhoislearned,perhapswearinga

beard(ifamale),perhapsdressedinawhiterobe,andcarryingastaff,withfieryeyesandboomingvoice,

speakingwith"thees"and"thous"?ThatishowHollywoodhasportrayedaprophet.Butisthisthe

criteriaGodhasgivenforaprophet?IsthisthetypeofmanGodhaschosentorepresentHimonearth,to

carryHismessagetotheworld?

WhatIwouldliketodonowistrytoanswerthequestionofwho,accordingtothescriptures,

exactlyqualifiestobecalledaprophet?Surely,ifGodhadsentindividualstobeHisrepresentativeson

earth,Hewouldhavegivenuscriteriabywhichwecouldrecognizethem,ameansbywhichwecould

knowwhotrulywasHisandwhotrulywasnot.Let'sthengotothescriptures,Hisrevelationtous,to

findwhoGoddelineatesasatrueprophet.

[1]WhoQualifiesasatrueProphetofGod?

(Amos3:7)SurelytheSovereignLorddoesnothingwithoutrevealingHisplanto

Hisservantstheprophets.

BothMuslimsandChristianswouldagreewiththisversefromAmos.Godusesprophetstofulfill

Hispurposesonearth.Attimesindividualsareusedtoprophecyspecificevents(suchasMiriam,

Balaam,andSaulintheOldTestament,andAnnaintheNewTestament-Luke2:36).Theofficeofa

prophet,however,isaspecifictaskgiventoonlycertainchosenmen.Manyofusknowthenamesofthe

morefamousprophets,suchas:Moses,Abraham,Isaiah,Ezekiel,Yahya(JohntheBaptist)andsoon...

Muslimswouldaddtoourlistofprophetsanothername,thatofMuhammad,whomtheybelieveisthe

finalandgreatestofallprophets.AccordingtotheQur'an,weread,(SuraAlAhzab33:40)Muhammadisnotthefatherofanyofyourmen,but(heis)theMessengerofAllah,andtheSealoftheProphets.

Todayweneedtoaskhowitisthatthesemenhavecometohavetheofficeofprophet?What

givesthemtheauthorityforcallingthemselvesprophet?WhenwegotothescriptureswefindthatGod

delineatedasqualificationsfortheofficeofprophetfourcategories:

1)APROPHETMUSTBEBORNINTHEPROPHETICRACE ,

2)HISMESSAGEMUSTCONFORMTOTHEMESSAGEWHICHHASGONEBEFORE ,

4)THEREMUSTBEVERIFIABLEACCOMPLISHMENTSTOTHEPROPHET 'SPREDICTIONS,AND

2)HEMUSTSPEAKINTHENAMEOFGOD. Let'sgothrougheachofthesefourcategoriesone-at-

a-time.

(a)APROPHETMUSTBEBORNINTHEPROPHETICRACE

Tobeginwith,aprophetmustbebornwithinthelineorraceoftheprophets.TheBiblespeaks

specificallywhatthislineis.InGenesis12:1-3,weseethatthisreferstothefamilyofAbraham(seealso

Galatians3:8),andthencarriesonthroughhissonIsaac(Genesis 17:2,7-8,15-21;21:10-12;22:2).TheQur'an,inSuraAl`Ankabut29:27,alsospeaksspecificallyofthispropheticline,saying:"andwe


8/32

bestowedonhimIsaacandJacob,andWeestablishtheProphethoodandtheScriptureamonghisseed"

(alsoSuraAlJathiyah45:16).

AswecontinueoninGenesis25:23,31-33;26:1-2wefindthatthealliancepassestoJacob,who

issubsequentlynamedIsrael(alsoGenesis28:13-15;32:28).Furtheron,inGenesis49:1-4,8-10,this

alliancepassesontoJudah.Infact,aswecontinuethroughouttheOldTestamentwefindthatGod's

workonearthrunsuniquelythroughthelineofIsaacandJacob.ItistheirlineagealonethatGodusesfor

Hisworkonearth.EvenintheDeuteronomy18whereMosespromisesaprophetlikeuntohim,itsaysspecificallythattheprophetwouldcome"fromamongyourownbrothers,"anIsraeliteofthelineof

Jacob.

Continuingthisthemefurtherwereadin2Samuel7:4-16andPsalms89:35-38thatGod's

alliancewithhumanitypassestoDavid,andisfinallyfulfilledinJesusChrist1,000yearslater(see

Matthew22:42).

Nowhereinanyofthosepassagesdowefindanyotherlinementionedoracknowledgedasbeing

chosenfortheofficeofprophethood.

(b)APROPHET'SMESSAGEMUSTCONFORMTOPREVIOUSREVELATION

Athirdqualificationofaprophetconcernshismessage.Aprophet'smessage,inordertobecrediblemustconformtotherevelationwhichGodhadrevealedbefore.God'swordmustremain

consistent,inotherwordsunchanging,otherwiseitbecomesuseless,atoolinthehandsofcorruptrulers

andwould-beprophets,bendingandswayingwiththewhimofsucceedinggenerations.

TheunchangeabilityofGod'swordisoftenrepeatedinthescriptures.InDeuteronomy4:1-2;

Isaiah8:20;Matthew5:17-18;24:35;andRevelation22:18-20wefindwarningsnottochangeordelete

God'sWord.God'sWordmustremainconstant.InPsalms89:35wereadthatGodcannotcontradictHis

word.

TheQur'an,aswell,agreeswiththisdirectiveinSurasAlAn'am6:34andYunus10:64.InSura

Qaf50:28-29Allahisquotedassaying:"Ihadalreadyinadvancesentyouwarning;theWordchanges

not."Infact,theQur'anclaimsthatitwassenttoguardtheformerrevelations(AlMa'idah5:47-51).

Thus,thatwhichtheprophetsrevealedcannotbecontradictory.Ifitis,itmustnotbetrusted.

Thereare,however,manyQur'anicstorieswhichcontradicttheBiblicalaccount(therevelationwhichcamebefore).Wedon'thavetimetogointoallofthemhere,butperhapsitwouldbehelpfulto

justrelateafewofthemorerelevantones:

1)Manycontradictions arefoundconcerningAbraham:

a)Abraham'sfatheriswronglycalledAzar,insteadofTerah(AlAn'am6:74vs.Genesis11:26).

b)HedidnotraisehisdescendantsinthevalleyofMecca,butinHebron(Genesis13:14-18).

c)HishometownwasnotcalledMeccabutUrinChaldea.Eventhesecular-EblatabletsfoundinSyria

recentlygiveproofforthis(seeGenesis11:31).

d)HewanderedthroughHaran,notArabia,andhewenttoCanaan,nottoMecca'svalley.TheEbla

tabletsprovethisaswell(Genesis11:31&12:5)

e)HewaswillingtosacrificehissonIsaac,andnotIshmael,astheLordwastomakeHiscovenantwith

theSonbroughtaboutbyHismaking,andnotthesonoftheEgyptianslave,Hagar(seeGenesis17:18-21

&22:2).

f)ThereisnorecordthatheandIshmaelwenttoArabiaandbuilttheKa'bainMecca,thoughhedid

spendsometimeinEgypt(Genesis12:10).

2)MuslimsassumethattheArabsareIshmael'sdescendants.


9/32

a)Yet,accordingtothebesthistoricalrecords,thefirstfatheroftheArabswas QahtanorJoktan.

SomeofhissonsnamesarestillfoundingeographicallocationsinArabiatoday,namessuchasSheba,

Hazarmaveth,Ophir,andHavilah.

b)Furthermore,Abraham'snephewLotisanotherancestoroftheArabs;asisJacob'stwinbrotherEsau,thefatheroftheEdomitesandtheMoabites.

c)Finally,Keturah,Abraham'sthirdwife,hadsixsonswhoallbecameforefathersofArabs(i.e.ShebaandDedan,locatedinYemen)(Genesis25).

3)OthererrorsarefoundintheQur'anwhichcontradicttheBiblicalaccount:

a)IntheQur'anMaryisrecordedasthesisterofAaronandthedaughterofImran,aswellasthe

motherofJesus(SuraMaryam19:28).Yet,theMaryoftheQur'andepictedasthemotherofJesusis1,570yearsremovedfromtheMary,thesisterofAaron(alsoreferredtoMiriamintheBible).

b)Haman,whichisnotanEgyptiannamebutBabylonian,ismentionedasthe WazirofthePharaohin

Suras28:5;29:38:40:25,38,yetthebookofEsthercorrectlylistshimasanofficialofkingXerxes,in

Babylon.

c)TheQur'anpresentsaconfusedandoftencontradictoryviewoftheHolySpirit.ItiscalledGod'sown

breath(15:29),theangelGabriel(19:17),andthedivineinspiration(16:2).

Theseareonlysomeoftheexampleswecouldgive,buttheydopointoutthatthereareveryrealproblemsconcerningtheconformityofGod'srevelationrelatingtothesetwoscriptures.

(c)APROPHET'SPREDICTIONSMUSTBEVERIFIABLE

Thefinalqualificationofaprophetdealswiththeveracityoftheprophet'smessage,whether

whathesayscanbeverified.Aprophetshowshisauthenticitybypredictingeventswhichcanbeverified

bywitnesses.Thosepredictionswhichcoverthelongestdurationarethemostrelevantandvaluablefor

us,andthereforewetendtofocusonthem.Yet,accordingtotheprinciplewhichisannouncedin

Deuteronomy18:21-22;Isaiah43:9;andJohn13:18-21,itisimportantthatthereareotherpredictions

whichareshort-term,whichcanbeverifiedbycontemporary'softheprophet.Thesepredictionsserve

toidentifyhimimmediatelyasaprophet,andsogivecredibilitytothelonger,futurepredictions.

WhenwetaketheexampleofMoses,wefindthathispredictionofthedeathanddefeatoftheEgyptianarmywasimmediatelyfulfilled(Exodus14:13-14,27-28).Thesamecanbesaidoftheprophet

Isaiah,whoprophesiedthatGodwouldholdbackthesunfortensteps(orhours)topermitHezekiahto

defeathisAssyrianenemy.Itwasfulfilledthesameday(Isaiah38:5-8).AnotherprophecybyIsaiah,

concerningtheroutof185,000ofSennacherib'ssoldierscametopassthenextmorning(inIsaiah37:21-

38).

ImagineifyouhadbeenwithMosesorIsaiahatthetimetheseprophecieswerefulfilled.How

wouldyouhavefelt?I'msureyourestimationforthesetwomenwouldhaveincreaseddramatically.

Thatwasoneofthereasonsfortheseprophecies.Itgaveimmediatecredibilitytohimwhowasmaking

theprophecy.

Someonecouldsaythatitissimpletopredictavictoryordefeatofanenemy;asonehasa50%

chanceofbeingcorrect.Thereforeotherpredictionswererequiredtosubstantiatetheclaimofthe

prophet,especiallyforlatergenerationswhodidnothavetheabilitytoknowtheprophetfirst-hand.InDeuteronomy28:1,15,64-66,and30:1,4-5,MosesoffersaprophecyconcerningGod'sblessingsand

cursesfortheChildrenofIsrael,dependingonwhethertheyobeyedornot.Thesecurseswerefulfilled

farintothefuture,centurieslaterandconsequentlydidnotbenefitthosewhoinitiallyheardthe

prophecy.

AprophecybyIsaiahtoHezekiah,concerningthecaptivityandenslavementofhisdescendants

bytherulersofBabylonwasfulfilled150yearslater,in606B.C.(Isaiah39:6-7).


10/32

EventheprophecyconcerningthefallofBabylonwasfulfilled200yearslater.Infactsome

believeitsfulfilmentcontinuesonuntiltoday(readIsaiah13:1,19-20).

Babylonwasdestroyedin539B.C.,200yearsaftertheprophecywasmadebyIsaiah.

Interestingly,however,upuntilnow,2,500yearslater,no-onehasevertriedtolivethere.TheArabs

evenrefusetostayovernight,yettheyknownothingofthispredictionsinceitdoesnotexistinthe

Qur'an.

Finallywecometoanotherprophecywhichsomebelieveisbeingfulfilledinourlifetime(see

Isaiah11:11-12).ThispredictionwasgivenbyIsaiahin750B.C.,over140yearsbeforethefirst

dispersionwhichoccurredin606B.C.Weknowfromhistoricalrecords,andthescripturesthatthefirst

returnwasin536B.C.Historyalsotellsusthattheseconddispersionwasin70C.E.,while,accordingto

some,thesecondreturnbegantowardsthebeginningofthiscentury,in1900,andcontinuestilltoday.

Thesepropheciesareespeciallyhelpfulforustoday,thousandsofyearslater,aswe,inhindsight

canseetheauthenticityofMoses'sandIsaiah'scalling.Duetothefactthatwhattheysaidsolongagohas

beenfulfilledandareevennowbeingfulfilled,whattheysayonothermattersthentakesonadded

credibility,becauseweknowthattheyaretrulymenofGod,whoarebeingusedbyHim.

SinceGod'sfingerprintcanbeevidencedinthosefulfilledprophecies,Hisfingerprintcanthenbe

ascribedtotheotherclaimswhichthesemenofGodassert.

Aninterestingpointneedstobeinterjectedhere;whyweretheresomanyverificationsgivenbyGodforIsaiah?Thereasonmustbethathehasauniqueplaceamongalltheprophets,becauseitishe

whopredicts,morethananyotherprophet:

1)thecomingofJesus(prophesiedinIsaiah7:14&9:6,andfulfilledinMatthew1:22).

2)ItisIsaiahwhopredictsJesus'sdeath(prophesiedinIsaiah35:4-5&53:1-12,andfulfilledin

Luke7:18-22,24-27).

3)Andfinally,itisIsaiahwhopredictsJesus'sresurrection(prophesiedinIsaiah53:11,and

fulfilledinLuke18:33;24:6-7).

TherewasnodoubtthattheseweretrulyprophetsofGod,astheyspokeofthingswhichonly

Godcouldhaveknown,bothimmediatelysothatthepeopleoftheirtimecouldidentifythemasprophets,

andinthelongtermsothatwetodaycanacknowledgethehandofGodintheirlivesandministry.

(d)APROPHETMUSTSPEAKINTHENAMEOFGOD

(=YAHWEHorJEHOVAH)

Secondly,aprophetofGodmustspeakinthenameofGod,theuniquenamewhichHegaveHis

creationtouse.Whatexactlyisthatname?Traditionallyitwasknownasthe"Tetragrammaton"

(YHWH).TodaywespellitYahwehorJehovahdependingonwhichvowelsareused.Thisisthe

HebrewnameforGodrevealedtoMosesonMountSinai(inExodus3),consistingofthefourconsonants

YHWH.Wedon'tknowwhatvowelswereusedasitwasneverspokenaudibly,duetothefactthatitwas

regardedbytheJewsastoosacredanametobepronounced.

InExodus3:1-6,13-15,whereGodtalkstoMosesattheburningbush,wefindGodreferringto

Himselfas"Iam"whichinHebrewmeans"YAHWEH,"orinEnglishTheOneWhoIs.Thisisverysignificant.WhatGodissayinghereisthatthisnamesignifiesHiscompleteself-existence,thatHehasno

dependenceuponanyother.Beingself-existent,Hecannotbutbeself-sufficient,andtherefore,all-

sufficient.No-onecanclaimtobeself-existentbutGod,andthusno-onecanclaimthisname.Itis

uniquelyHis.

Godcontinuesbysayingthat"thisismynameforever,"signifyingthatitisHiseternalname,the

namewhichonlyGodcantakeforHimself,andthenamebywhichtheJewsinEgyptwouldrecognize

Him(seealsoPs.72:17-19andRev.1:8,17).


11/32

OnecannowseewhytheJewsinPalestineweresoangrywhenJesusmadethesameclaim,

callingHimselfthe"Iam"inJohn8:24,58.TheynaturallypickedupstonestokillHim,asHehaddaredto

takethisnameofGodforHimself,andthiswasblasphemous,asinwhichdeservedthepunishmentof

deathbystoning.

Muslimsarenotfamiliarwiththehistoricalcontextofthisname,northesignificanceofits

meaning,thereforetheylaughwhentheyhearJesusreferringtoHimselfas"Iam"inJohn8.Itwouldbe

helpfultotakethembacktotheExodus3passageoftheburningbush,sinceitisastorywhichexistsintheQur'anaswell.

IfweweretotakeasurveyofthenamesforGodfoundintheBibleandtheQur'an,wewouldfind

aratherinterestingcontrast.TheGeneralnameforGodinHebrewis Elohim,whichismentioned2,550times.InArabicitisAllah.TheDescriptivenameforGodinHebrewisAdonai,meaningLord,andismentionedonly340times.InArabictheequivalentis Rabb.ButtheSpecificandPersonalnameforGod

inHebrew,thenamewhichGodHimselfaskedMosestousewhenreferringtoHim,isYahweh,which

means"theOnewhoIs."Thisnameisrepeated6,823timesintheOldTestamentalone!Lookitupforyourself.

(note:inourEnglishtranslation,Yahwehcanbeidentifiedeasily.Everytimetheword"LORD"is

capitalized,thatsignifiesYahweh).ThusalloftheancientBiblicalprophetsspeakofGodusingthisname.

However,thisnameforGodisnotusedevenonceintheQur'an,andhasnoequivalentintheArabic

language,thelanguageMuslimsclaimGodspeaks.

[2]WhichoftheseBiblicalQualificationsdoesMuhammadDemonstrate?

Thequestionthenmustbeasked:whichofthesefourBiblicalqualificationsdoesMuhammad

demonstrate?Washeborninthepropheticrace,didhespeakinthenameofGod,didhismessage

conformtothemessagewhichhadgonebefore,andwasthereanyverifiableaccomplishmentstothe

prophet'spredictions?

(a)WasheborninthelineoftheProphets?

Tobeginwith,wemustaskthequestionwhetherhewasborninthelineoftheprophets?Sura

29:27mentionsthatprophethoodandthescripturescameuniquelythroughtheseedofIsaacandJacob

(Sura45:16concurswithSura29).TherearenoMuslims,thatIamawareof,whobelieveMuhammadwasadescendantofIsaac.

WhilethereisanongoingdiscussionconcerningtheveracityoftheclaimforMuhammad'sdescendence

throughIshmael,thisviewis,nonetheless,widelyheldbyMuslimstoday.Yet,thisisamootpoint,since

accordingtoboththeBibleandtheQur'an,alltheprophetscameinthelineofIsaac,fulfillingthepromise

toAbrahaminGenesis17:20-21,thatonlythroughIsaac,andnotIshmaelwouldthealliancewiththe

Lordbefulfilled.

(b)DidMuhammad'srevelationconformtothemessagewhichhadprecededhim?

Thirdly,didMuhammad'srevelationconformtothemessagewhichhadprecededhimviathe

formerprophets?WehaveseenthattherearemanycontradictionsbetweentheQur'anandtheBible,

themostdamagingofwhichconcernwhoJesusis,andthereasonforHismissiononearth.BoththeBibleandtheQur'anagreethatGod'swordcannotchange,andcertainlymustnot

contradictthatwhichhasgonebefore.Whythendowefindallthesecontradictions?

IfMuhammadisresponsibleforreceivingthesecontradictoryrevelationsfromGod,doesitnot

putsuspiciononhisveracityasatrueprophet?Certainlyitdoes.IfGodhadgotthestoryrightthrough

thethousandsofgenerationsfromAbrahamtoJesus,witheachsuccessiveprophetagreeingwithand

verifyingthatwhichhadprecededhim,thenwhyallofasuddendidGodgetitsowronglessthen700

yearslaterwiththeprophetMuhammad?


12/32

NeitherMuslimsnorChristianswouldblameGodforthecontradictions.Theblamemustbe

placedonthemessenger.Eitherallthepreviousprophetsgotitwrong,ortheonewhocameattheend

did.ItbeggarsbelieftothinkthatforthousandsofyearstheJewishprophetswereconsistentlyrevealing

corruptedstorieswhichallagreedincontent,withnotevenoncetryingtocorrecttheseemingerrors;

yet,finally,thelastprophetgotitright,andbroughtthemessagebacktowhatGodhadintendedallalong.

Itremindsmeofthemother,whowatchinghersoninaparadewhispersovertoherfriend,"Ohlook,

everyone'soutofstepbutmyJohnnyboy!" Ifaprophet'smessagegoesagainstpreviouspredictions,hethencannolongerqualifyasatrue

prophet.

(c)WereanyofMuhammad'spredictionsverifiablewithinhislifetime?

redictedthevictoryofIslaminthebattleswhichwerefoughtinArabia,therearenoother

precisepredictionswhichweknowofwhichdemonstratethathisauthoritycamefromGod(thevictory

ofabattlehasa50-50chanceofbeingcorrect,ornot).Infact,thiswasacauseforconcernevenfor

Muhammad,who,numeroustimesintheQur'anmentionsthedistrustbyothersofhisinabilityto

produceamiraculoussignwhichwouldsubstantiatehisauthority(seeSuras10:21,13:7&13:27).

(d)Didhespeakinthenameof"theeternal,"YAHWEH?

Secondly,didMuhammadspeakinthenameofGod,usingthatnamewhichGodgaveasa

signatureforHisauthority,thenameYahweh?ThoughthetermYHWHwasused6,823timesintheBible,itisnotusedonceintheQur'an,andperhapswasnotevenknownbyMuhammad,sinceifhewas

supposedlyilliterateinhisownlanguage,Arabic,itishardlylikelythathewouldhavebeenabletoread

Hebrew.

Yet,isitnotcuriousthatMuhammad,the"sealoftheprophets,"hewhowascommissionedto

bringthe`finalrevelation'didnotevenknowthenameoftheGodbywhomhewascommissioned?Isit

notalsocuriousthattheGodofAbraham,Isaac,MosesandDavidwouldgotothetroubleofrevealingHis

uniquenameintheHebrewlanguage,whichwasthenpasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration,upto

thepresentday,yetsomehowthisnamewasforgottenorneverrevealedinthelanguagewhich

MuhammadclaimedwasGod'sspeciallanguage,Arabic?

MosescouldspeaktotheIsraelitesinEgyptwithcredibilitybecausehespokeinthenameof

God.WhythendidMuhammadpresumethatthedescendantsofthoseIsraeliteslivinginMedinawould

accepthimastheirprophetifhedidn'tevenknowthetruenameofGod?

WouldyouacceptmyauthorityasateacherofChristianapologetic,ifIneveroncementionedthe

nameofGod,norevenknewthatthenameexisted?Ofcoursenot!

Aprophet,bydefinitionisonewhocomeswithamessagewhichisnothisown(theArabicword

forprophet,Rasulmeans"thesentone").Consequently,inordertogivemeaningtothemessage,there

needstobeasender,apersonwhocreatedthemessage,whosesignaturegoesalongwiththemessageto

identifyitascomingfromHim.IfIdidnotknowwhoitwaswhosentme,mymessagewouldcertainly

loseitscredibility.IfIspokeasaChristianyetdidnotknowthenameofJesusChrist,Iwouldbeapretty

miserablecreature,andnotworthyofmyvocation.

InmuchthesamewayMuhammad'smessagecompletelylosesitscredibilitysincehewasnever

evenawareofthenameofthesender,Yahweh,theOneWhoIs.

Consequently,ifMuhammaddidnotevenknowthenameofGod,norwasGod'struenameevenusedinthelanguageofMuhammad,thenhowcouldheclaimtobetrulyfromGod?

ThereislittleevidencefromourscriptureswhichshowthatMuhammadhadauthoritytoclaim

prophethood.HewasnotbornintothelineofJacob,nordidhespeakinthenameofYahweh,nordidhis

revelationsconformtothemessagewhichprecededhim,andhispredictionswerenotverifiable.

What,then,mustbeourconclusion?InMatthew24:24-25weread"...falseprophetswillappear

andperformgreatsignsandmiraclestodeceiveeventheelect...SeeIhavetoldyouaheadoftime."In

Deuteronomy18:19-22wefindanevenstrongerwarning:


13/32

Ifanyonedoesnotlistentomywordsthattheprophetspeaksinmyname,Imyselfwillcall

himtoaccount.ButaprophetwhopresumestospeakinmynameanythingIhavenot

commandedhimtosay,oraprophetwhospeaksinthenameofothergods,mustbeputto

death.Youmaysaytoyourselves,`Howcanweknowwhenamessagehasnotbeenspoken

bytheLord?'IfwhataprophetproclaimsinthenameoftheLorddoesnottakeplaceor

cometrue,thatisamessagetheLordhasnotspoken.Thatprophethasspoken

presumptuously.Donotbeafraidofhim.

[II]QUESTIONSCONCERNINGMUHAMMAD'SPROPHETHOOD

InthispaperwehavebeenaskingthequestionofwhetherMuhammadcouldqualifyasatrue

prophetofGod.WeposedtheMuslimpositionsthathecould:becauseofthesupernaturalwitnesstohis

prophethoodduringhisearlychildhood,becauseofthefactthathedeliveredtheQur'anthoughhewas

illiterate,andbecausebothhisprophesiesandmiraclespointedtohisprophethood.

Afterpresentingrebuttalstoallfourofthesepositionswefollowedupwithfourcriteriaofour

own,takenfromscripture,toascertainwhatGodconsidersthequalitiesoftheofficeofaprophetare.

Thesewerethathemustbeborninthepropheticrace,thathemustspeakinthenameofYahweh,that

hismessagemustconformtopreviousrevelations,andthathispredictionsmustbeverifiable.We

concludedthatMuhammadcouldnotqualifyinanyfourofthesecategories.Nowwetakethatsameargumentfurther,andasksomedisturbingquestionsastowhether

MuhammadcouldqualifytobeatrueprophetofGod,notjustfortheArabs,butfortheworldasawhole.

Webegin,then,withthatverypoint.WasMuhammadcalledtobeaprophetforthewholeworld,orwas

hiscallingonlylimitedtothatofArabia?

[A]WASMUHAMMADASPECIFICORUNIVERSALPROPHET?

WhenwereadtheQur'anwefindthatMuhammadunderstoodhimselfatfirsttobeawarnerto

ArabiainthesuccessionoftheBiblicalprophets.ItisevidentfromthesepassagesintheQur'anthathe

consideredhisdutywasthatofbringingthesamemessagewhichcanbefoundintheBible,butnow

withintheArabiclanguage.TheTauratwasabookfortheJews,theInjilabookfortheChristians,and

nowtheQur'anwasabookfortheArabs.Thiswashisinitialunderstanding.LetuslookatsomeoftheearliersuraswhichseemtopointoutthatMuhammad'sspecifictask

wassimplytowarn,andatthesametimerevealAllah'swordinnotjustanylanguage,butspecificallythe

Arabiclanguage:

Sura2:119="Verily,Wehavesenttheeintruthasabearerofgladtidingsandawarner:butoftheenoquestionshallbeaskedofCompanionsoftheBlazingFire."

Sura14:4="Wesentanapostleexcept(toteach)inthelanguageofhis(own)people,inordertomake

(things)cleartothem."

Sura17:93="Say:`GlorytomyLord!amIaughtbutaman,anApostle?"

Sura26:195,196="IntheperspicuousArabictongue.Withoutdoubtitis(announced)inthe mystic

Booksofformerpeoples."

Sura27:91="Forme,IhavebeencommandedtoservetheLordofthisCity,HimWhohassanctifieditand

toWhom(belong)allthings:andIamcommandedtobeofthosewhobowinIslamtoAllah'sWill,"

Sura42:7="ThushaveWesentbyinspirationtotheeanArabicQur'an:thatthoumayestwarntheMotherofCitiesandallaroundher,"

Sura43:3="WehavemadeitaQur'aninArabic,thatyemaybeabletounderstand(andlearnwisdom)."

Sura46:12="Andbeforethis,wastheBookofMosesasaguideandamercy;andthisBookconfirms(it)in

theArabictongue;toadmonishtheunjust,andasGladTidingstothosewhodoright."


14/32

AswecontinueonthroughtheQur'anwefindthatthispositionchanges.Hebecomesnotjusta

prophetfortheArabs,withsimplyanArabicQur'an,butenlargesonthisideatonowbecomethe

universalandthefinalprophetforallpeople.

Sura33:40="Muhammadisnotthefatherofanyofyourmen,but(heis)theApostleofAllah,andtheSealoftheProphets,andAllahhasfullknowledgeofallthings."

Sura34:28="Wehavenotsenttheebutasauniversal(Messenger)tomen ,givingthemgladtidings,andwarningthem(againstsin),butmostmenunderstandnot."

WhileinMecca,atleast,wheretheformerSurasquotedabovewerewritten,Muhammad

consideredhimselfasawarnertotheArabpeoples.ThispositioncontradictstheclaimbyMuslims

todaythatMuhammadwasalwaysauniversalmessengerforallpeoplesinalltimes.

Theterm"ArabicQur'an"(inSuras42:7;43:3and46:12-above)seemstopresupposethatthere

wasatleastoneotherQur'an.ThismorethanlikelyisreferringtotheHebrewandpossiblytheGreek

"Qur'an"(whicharetheOldandNewTestament).Muslimswouldnotsaythattheyareinvalidatedby

theArabicQur'an,butareratherconfirmedbyit.

Thereisaproblem,however.AnArabicQur'anwasnotannouncedin"themysticbooksofthe

formerpeoples"(Sura26:196).Tosaytheleast,thereisnosuchbookavailabletodaywhichspeaksof

this"ArabicQur'an,"incontrasttotheformer"Qur'ans."Neitherwasitknownatthetimeof

Muhammad,aswehavemanymanuscriptsinourpossessionwithwhichtoverifyifsuchanannouncementhadbeenmade.

So,initiallyMuhammadwasonlyamessengerfortheArabpeople.Hesawthepolytheismwhich

werepervasiveinArabia,andsoughttoeradicateitwiththe messages'hewasreceivingviatheangel

Gabriel.

Whythen,didhegouniversal?Therearethosewhobelievethisprobablycameaboutduetohis

successesonthebattle-field.Ashisprominencegrew,sodidhisauthorityoverpeoplewhowerenot

necessarilyArab.Inotherwords,hissupernaturalmonotheisticmessage,hadtokeeppacewiththe

naturalpolytheisticrealityontheground.Suras33:40and34:28providedhimwiththeauthoritytodo

so.

AmorelikelyscenarioisthatthelaterredactorsoftheQur'animposedthisuniversalapplicationonMuhammad,oncethebordersofIslamhadreachedbeyondtheHijaz(Arabia).WithouteradicatingtheSuraswhichspeakofhisspecificArabicmission,theysimplyimposedthisnewcategorywhile

applyingthelawofabrogationtotheformerSuras.

[B]WASMUHAMMADAPROPHETOFTHEJEWS?

ThesecondquestionweaskiswhetherMuhammadwasaprophettotheJews?InMedinawere

anumberofJewishgroupscalledtheKahinan.TheywerethewealthiestinhabitantsofMedina,andlivedinfortifiedfortssurroundingthecity.TherewerethreeprincipletribeslivinginMedina(according

toMuslimTradition):theKaynuka,theal-Nadir,andtheKurayza.Theyallhadgoodrelationswiththe

Jewsofthenorth(especiallyinKhaybar).

DuringhisfirstyearinMedinaMuhammaddevotedconsiderableattentiontotheJewish

inhabitantsthere,describinghimselfastheirprophet,whocouldbeplacedinthelonglineofprophets.

Toappeasethem,headoptedmanyoftheirreligiousobservances.Someofthesewere:1)

keepingthe10thofMuharramasafastday,muchliketheYomKippurfast,2)performingthe3-daily

prayerrituals(versusthetwo SalatskeptbyMuhammadbeforetheHijra,whilestillinMecca),3)the

weeklycommunityworshipservicesintheearlyafternoonsonfridays(followingtheJewishSabbathday

ofpreparation).Note:thisalsomadecommon-sensesincefridaywasthemarketday,thedaywhenthe


15/32

largestnumberofpeoplewouldhavebeeninMedina.Andfinally,4)Muhammadalsoadoptedthenorth-

facingQibla,thepracticeoffacingJerusalemwhenpraying.

Itsoonbecameclear,however,thattheJewsinMedinawerenotgoingtoacceptMuhammad's

claimtoprophethood.Thesewereforanumberofreasons,whichwecanfindinSura17:90-93.The

JewswouldnotacceptanArabicspeakingprophet.TheyhadneveracceptedJesusasaprophet,andhe

wasanAramaicspeakingJew!Sowhyshouldtheychangenow?Theirprinciplerequests,aswecan

derivefromSura17,wasthatMuhammadpresentthemwithafew"superfluous"miracles.

InSura3:183and184theJewsaskforasignsimilartothatofElijahforproofofhis

prophethood.Muhammadretortsthatthishasalwaysbeenthewaywithpreviousprophets.InSuras

2:118-119;6:37,124;13:7;17:59theJewsalsoaskforasign,towhichMuhammadrespondsthatevenif

asignweregiven,likethoseoftheearlierprophets,theywouldnotbelieveit.

SinceMuhammaddidnotprofferthemwithasign,theJewsrefusedtoaccepthimastheir

prophet.TheoppositionoftheJewsofMedinatoMuhammadappearstohavehadasignificantimpacton

theshapingofIslam,foritwaspreciselyatthattimeandapparentlyindirectresponsetotheJews'

rejectionofhimthatthenascentMuslimcommunitytookonapronouncednationalcharacterthrough

theadoptionofvariouselementsfromancientArabianworship.Thisoccurredinthe2ndyearofthe

Hijra,andwassignaledbythechangeofdirectionforthe Qibla.InsteadoffacingJerusalem,theprayerswerenowtobecarriedoutfacingMecca.HerewefindabreakwithMuhammad'sJewishroots,anda

symbolicstatementthatIslamwasnowventuringonanArabiccourse.

ThisnationalizationofIslamgaveMuhammadacertainlegitimacyandbroadenedhisauthority

intheeyesoftheArabworld.Insteadofworshippingoradoptingaforeigngod,whichhadbeenthecase

formostoftheirpre-Islamichistory,Muhammadcouldnowofferauniversallyacceptedgod,whowas

uniquelyadaptedtotheindigenouscommunity.ThisnotonlyelevatedthestatusoftheArabpeople,

whoseallegianceMuhammadneededtocontinuehismilitarycampaigns,butitelevatedthestatusof

MuhammadasthemouthpieceofthetrueGod.ItalsoenhancedMuhammad'svisiontointroducehis

heightenedconceptofgodforthewholecivilizedworld.

MuhammadsteppedforwardastherestorerofthereligionofAbrahamthathadbeendistorted

bytheJewsandChristians.AbrahamnowbecamethegreatHanifandnotaJeworaChristian.Henow

tookthehonourasthe`firstMuslim,'"apersonfullysurrenderedtotheonetrueGod,"accordingtoSuras

2:135;3:67,95;6:161;and16:123.

AbrahamandhissonIshmael,whotherestoftheworldregardedashavingcomefromUrofthe

Chaldeas,werenowperceivedtobetheArab'sdirectancestors,andwerenowconsideredtohave

foundedtheMeccansanctuaryandtheritescelebratedthere.

Muhammad'stask,therefore,wastorestoretheancientritestotheiroriginalmonotheisticstate,

astheyhadbeencorruptedbytheinterveningpolytheists.

note:itishighlyunlikelythatMuhammadwasacquaintedwiththeideaoftheconnection

betweenAbrahamandtheKa'babeforetheHijrasincethisrelationshipoccursnowhereinthenumerousMeccanpassagesthattreatthesignificanceoftheKa'ba.ThisapparentevolutioninMuhammad'stheologyseemstohavebeencreatedbyhisrelationshipwiththeJews.

Whatthen,oftheJewswhoremainedunderMuhammad'sjurisdiction?They,needlesstosay,

didnotacceptmanyofthesenewrevelationsconcerningtheirownGod.Whatwastobedonewith

them?Let'sseewhatMuslimTraditiontellsus.

In624C.E.,Muhammadroutedagroupof900Meccanswithonlyaforceof300atthebattleof

Badr.ThisbattlebecameoftheutmostsignificanceforthehistoryofIslam.Muhammadsawinthe

victoryapowerfulconfirmationofhisbeliefintheonetrueGod(Suras3:123;8:17,65),andinhisown

call.

WordgotaroundtotheoutlyingareasofthisdefeatoftheMeccans.UponhisreturntoMedina,

MuhammadbegantobesiegetheoutlyingJewishtribeoftheKaynuka(Sura59:14).Somesaythathe


16/32

didsobecausetheyhadnotsupportedhimwhenhedecidedtofacetheMeccans.TheJewswereforced

toabandontheirfortandmovenorthtootherJewishsettlementsleavingtheirpossessionsbehind.

In625C.E.,theMeccanssentaforceof3,000anddefeatedMuhammadatthebattleofUhud,woundingMuhammad.Butwithhiseloquence,heendeavoredtoraisethemoraleofhisfollowersby

exhortationsandcensurealike(Sura3:118ff).Hisauthoritywasinevitablyhurt,andhetookoutmuchof

hisangerontheJewishtribeof Banu`l-Nadir.Theycouldnotwithstandhiswrath,andhebanished

themtoKhaybartothenorth,leavingbehindtheirweapons,gold,andsilverwhichwasreservedforMuhammadalone(Sura59:7ff).

In627C.E.Muhammadmanagedtokeepanarmyof10,000Meccansatbaybybuildingatrench

aroundMedina(referredtoasthe"BattleoftheTrench").OncethefrustratedMeccansfinallyleft,

MuhammaddeclaredwaronthelastJewishtribeinMedina,theKurayza.UnliketheotherJewishfamiliesbeforethem,theyweregivennoclemency.AccordingtoIbnHisham,allthemen,numbering

between600-900werebeheadedandtheirpropertywasdividedamongtheMuslims,whilethewomen

andchildrenweretakenascaptives(forfurtherreading,refertoChristiansAskMuslimsbyGerhard

Nehls).

TheexpulsionoreliminationofthesethreeJewishtribesbroughtMuhammadclosertohisgoal

oforganizinganummastrictlyonareligiousbasis.ManyMuslimstodaycontendthattheKurayza

broughtuponthemselvestheirowndestruction,astheyweretreacheroustowardsMuhammadand

refusedtoaccepthisauthority.AccordingtotheQur'an,however,theironlysinwasthatthey"defiedGodandhismessenger"(Sura59:4).Theywereeliminated,itseems,simplybecausetheyremained

neutral.

note:ifwetaketheannihilationoftheKurayzatribeasaprecedent,consideringitwasgiven

authoritybyMuhammadhimself,isitnowonderthatsomanynon-Muslimsintheworldtodayshudder

withapprehensionatthethoughtofaMuslimdominationoftheirstate?Muslimswillspeakoftenofthe

rightsofthenon-believerswithinaMuslimKhilafa,yet,whenobservingtheaboveexamples,one

wonderswherethoserightsbeginandthe`rightsforself-expression'end?Isthiswhypropagationof

one'sbeliefisillegalinmanyMuslimlandstoday?Willblasphemyalsobeprohibited,andpunishableby

death?

ThequestionwhichweaskedwaswhetherMuhammadwasaprophetoftheJews?Weseethat

initiallyheattemptedtobetheirprophet,incorporatingmanyoftheirreligiouspracticesintothoseofhis

own.Wewouldexpectaprophettodothis.

Theydemandedthatheprovehisprophethoodwithsigns.TheQur'ancontendsthatthesewere

ofamiraculousnature.Wehavenowayofknowingifthiswasallthattheyasked.Itislikelythatthe

Jewswouldhavewantedtoknowwhetherhispropheciescorroboratedwiththoseoftheirown.

Itisobviousfromthehistoricalaccount,aswellastheQur'anicaccountthatMuhammadwasnot

abletoprovideeitherofthetwo,andconsequentlyhewasrejectedbytheJews.

Insteadofchanginghisbeliefs,MuhammaddecidedtofightagainsttheJews.Thisweseevividly

throughhisexpulsionsandexecutionsofthethreemajortribesofMedina,usingthemasascapegoatfor

thedefeatofUhud.Whatismoresignificant,however,isthatalltheirrichesweretakenbyhimselfand

hisfollowers.ThesewerethewealthiestinhabitantsofMedina,therefore,bytakingtheirpossessions

theynotonlyenrichedMuhammad,butenhancedhisimageamongsttheotherArabs.

Becauseofhisactions,itisquitelikelythatMuhammadwouldnotbeacknowledgedasaprophetoftheJews,boththeninMedina,andcurrentlytodayinthe20thcentury.Italsonowhelpsusto

understandthegreatgulfwhichexistsbetweenJewsandMuslimscurrently.

[C]WASMUHAMMADAPROPHETTOTHECHRISTIANS?

WenowcometotheChristians.WasMuhammadaprophettotheChristians?Initially,

accordingtoMuslimTradition,theChristianscarriedfavourwithMuhammad.Wecanseethisattitudein

Sura5:82-86.


17/32

InthispassageMuhammadmentionsthattheJewsandpaganswerethefurthestfromthe

believers,whiletheChristianswere"thenearestamongtheminlove..."This,accordingtoSura5,was

becausetheyweremenoflearningwhohadrenouncedtheworldandwerenotarrogant(possibly

referringtotheMonkswhomMuhammadhadcontactwithearlierinhislife).Hegoesontosaythat

whentheChristiansheardhismessagetheyaccepteditwithtears,andimmediatelycountedthemselves

amongstthebelievers.

Obviously,wewouldhaveaproblemwiththisdefinitionofaChristian.WhatMuhammadisspeakingofherearenotChristians,asweknowthem,butindividualswhohaveeitherconcededtohim

outoffearfortheirlives,orhaveconvertedoutofChristianityandbecomeMuslims.Itwouldbedifficult

tobelievethatChristianscouldmakesuchstatementsabouttheirbeliefstowardsMuhammadandstill

callthemselvesChristian.Theseindividualshavetrulyrejectedtheirearlierfaith.

ThesupposedaffinitywithChristianswas,nonetheless,short-lived.TheQur'angivesthe

impressionthattherewasagradualdeteriorationintheMuslimsrelationshiptowardstheChristians,in

Sura57:27.ThosewhofollowedJesusthesonofMaryhadbeencalledon"toseekfortheGoodpleasure

ofAllah,"but,accordingtothisSura,theysoonbecamerebellioustransgressors.

IfweweretoreadotherSuraswhichpertainedtoJewsandChristians,itsoonbecomesevident

thatboththeJewsandChristianswereconsideredlittlemorethanenemiesoftheunbelievers.They

wereonlyacceptabletoMuhammadoncetheyhadacknowledgedhimasaprophet(Sura5:86).Infact

therearespecificSuraswhichwarnthebelieversnottoacquaintthemselveswiththeChristiansandJews,warningthattheChristiansareonlyinterestedinconvertingthebelieverstotheirownbeliefs.

Considerthese:

Sura2:120="NeverwilltheJewsortheChristiansbesatisfiedwiththeeunlessthoufollow

theirformofreligion.Say:`TheGuidanceofAllah,thatisthe(only)Guidance.'Wertthou

tofollowtheirdesiresaftertheknowledgewhichhathreachedthee,thenwouldstthoufind

neitherProtectornorHelperagainstAllah."

Sura3:28="LetnottheBelieverstakeforfriendsorhelpersunbelieversratherthanbelievers;ifanydothat,innothingwilltherebehelpfromAllah;exceptbywayof

precaution,thatyemayguardyourselvesfromthem.ButAllahcautionsyou(to

remember)Himself;forthefinalgoalistoAllah."

Sura5:54="Oyewhobelieve!TakenottheJewsandtheChristiansforyourfriendsandprotectors;theyarebutfriendsandprotectorstoeachother.Andheamongstyouthat

turnstothem(forfriendship)isofthem.VerilyAllahguidethnotapeopleunjust."

Withquotesliketheabove,isitpossibleforustocontendthatMuhammadwastheprophetof

theChristians?Itishighlydoubtful.ItseemsthatMuhammad,andthosewhofollowhimcanonlyaccept

JewsandChristiansiftheyfirstrenouncetheirbeliefsandfollowMuhammadasthefinalprophet.Thisis

notanaccommodationatallbutratherathreat,andfinallyadenunciationofallthattheJewsand

Christianscherishdearly.

[D]WASMUHAMMADTHESEALOFTHEPROPHETS?:

WenowcometothequestionofwhetherMuhammadhadtherighttoclaimtobethegreatestof

alltheprophets,thefinalrevelationofGod,bywhomallotherprophetsweretobemeasured.FormostChristianstheveryquestionissparkedwithcontroversy,asitassumesthat

Muhammadcanbedeemedalegitimateprophet.TherearefewChristianswhowouldmakethisclaim.

Forargument'ssake,however,let'sassumethatMuhammaddidhavetherighttoclaimprophethood.

Couldhebethesealoftheprophets;thatisthegreatestofalltheprophets?Doeshehavethecharacter

tomakesuchaclaim?

TheQur'anisveryclearthathedoes.InSura33:40weread,"Muhammadisnotthefatherofanyofyourmen,but(heis)theMessengerofAllah,andthe SealoftheProphets,andAllahhasfull

knowledgeofallthings."


18/32

[1]WhataboutJesus?

How,asChristiansarewetoanswerthatclaim?WhattheQur'anissaying,inessence,isthat

MuhammadhasastandingwithGodwhichissuperiortothatofevenJesus.WeknowthattheQur'an

doesnotattributedivinitytoJesus,butconsidershimmerelyasaprophet.Yet,inthepagesofboththe

Qur'anandtheBibleJesusenjoysauniquenessthatelevatesHimaboveallotherprophets.TheQur'anisrepletewithattributesofJesuswhichareabsentinallotherprophets:

1)Hewasbornofavirgin(Suras19:16-34;21:91)

2)Hewasuniquelyholy,pureorfaultless,accordingtoSura19:19.

(note:inYusufAli'stranslationJesusisreferredtoas"holy;"inArberry'stranslationHeisreferredtoas"pure,"andinPickthall'sHeisreferredtoas"faultless").

[2]WhatabouttheotherProphets?

Contrastthisclaimwiththeexamplesoftheotherprophets.WeknowthatintheBibleallofthe

prophetswereweakandsinful.NotonecouldstanduptothesamestandardwhichJesusfulfilled.The

Qur'analsorecountsmanysinsoftheprophets.Notethefollowing:Adam:inSura20:119disobeyedhisLordandsosinned.InSura2:33wefindthatAdam

violatedtheprohibitiontorefrainfromeatingofthetree.Theblameaccordingtothefollowingverse

(34)isplacedonSatan,butnonethelessAdamischargedwiththesin.Thenfinally,inSura7:23Adam

andEveaskforforgivenessfortheirwrongdoing.

Noah:inSura71:24-28wefindNoahcursingtheinfidels,askingGodtoannihilatethemall,and

thenasksforforgivenessforhisrequest.NoahinSura11:47-49requeststhatGodforgivehisillegitimate

sonCanaan,andisrebukedbyGodforrequestingit,implyingareprimandandthreattoNoah.Noah's

subsequentrequestforpardonisproofofhisguilt.

Abraham:isascribedanumberofsinsintheQur'an,suchasidolatry(Sura6:77),doubting

(2:263),deceit(Sura37:39),anddivination(Sura37:86).TheseSurasshowthatAbrahamworshipedthe

planets,questionedthemightofGod,liedseveraltimes,andconsultedthestars.

Lot:ischargedwithfailingtorelyupontheLordinSura22:82,whenthepeopleofSodom

refusedthegiftofhistwodaughtersinsteadoftheangels.

Aaron:ischargedwithgoing-alongwiththeIsraelitesinbuildingthegoldencalf,andthereforehavingdoneevilinMoses'sabsence(Suras7:146-151and20:86-96).

Moses:waschargedwithorderingtwogoldencherubimtobefashionedinSura2:248.Heischargedwithmurder,andtheneedforforgivenessinSura28:14-15.Heallowssorcererstopractice

theirmagicinSura26:42,andHeasksforgivenessfromGodforhisangerinSura7:147-150.

David:asksforgivenessfromtheLordforhissin(whichalludestohistakingofUriah'swife,

Bathsheba)inSura38:20-24.

Solomon:asksforforgivenessforlettinghorsescloudouthisdevotiontohisLordinSura38:30-

34.WecanthereforesaythateventheQur'anshowscategoricallythattheprophetshaveallsinned,

provingthat,unlikeJesus,theywerefallible.Itistruethatwehavetolookhardtofindthesesins(i.e,the

Qur'anonlyalludestoDavid'ssin,ratherthenemphaticallypronouncingwhatthesinwasinSura38),

buttheQur'anicaccountsdoadmitthatGod'sholyemissarieswerelessthenperfect.Jesusalonestands

apartas"faultless."

(Note:itisimportanttorememberthattheirsinsareallintherealmofpersonalweaknesses,

whiletheirinfallibilitycomesaboutwhenconveyingdivinerevelations.Insuchinstancestheymakeno


19/32

mistakes.ItisthisfactorwhichseemstoconfusesomanyMuslims,possiblybecauseoftheirviewof

NazilrevelationattributedtotheQur'an.)

Jesusistheonlyonewhoisbothinfallibleduringhislife,andwhenconveyingdivinerevelations.

ThereisnorecordedevidenceintheBibleortheQur'anofJesussinning,bothprivatelyorpublicly.

[3]WhataboutMuhammad?

ButwhataboutMuhammad?IfheistheSealoftheprophets,heshouldhaveabetterrecord

thanthosewhicharementionedabove.Asthegreatestofallprophetshislifeshouldbeexemplary.But

isit?Let'sfindout:

(a) Muhammad'sConcessionstoPeople:

GodsentHisprophetstonationswhichcommittedmanysins.Althoughtheseprophetswere

alsosinners,theynevercompromisedwiththosetowhomtheyweresent.ProphetslikeElijahand

Micah,thoughtheywerefacedwithformidableodds(i.e.400falseprophets,theirkingandpeople)they

nevershiftedfromtheirposition,nordidanyseektopresentamessagetosatisfytheexpectationsof

theiraudience.

Muhammadwasaltogetherdifferent.IbnAbbasbrokewiththerestrictionofhavingsexwithhis

wifewhenhefirstawoke,whichwasalawinstigatedbyMuhammad,andtherefore,askedforgivenessfromMuhammad,who,receivingSura2:183suddenlyallowsmentonowdothatwhichbeforewas

prohibited.

MuhammadlegalizedMutamarriages(marriagesofpleasure)forhisfollowersduringthebattle

ofKhaybarandFath(Al-Bukhari's"al-Jami'al-Sahih,pg.423).Hethenprohibitsitduringthebattleof

Wadaa,becausehebelieveditnowresembledfornication(ImamMuslim's"al-Jami'al-Sahih"pg.130-

131).

TheSatanicVersesfoundinSura53:19-20whichspeakaboutthegoddessesAllat,ManatandAlUzzawererecognizedbyMuhammadduringadispiritingtimeinMecca.Whenhementionedthem,theMeccansrejoicedandjoinedhiminprayer.Then,supposedlyGabrieltoldhimlatertochangethis

revelation.

(b) Muhammad'sSexuality:ThesexualityofMuhammadisarathercontentiousareaformostMuslimswhobelievethatthe

sexualrulespractisedbyMuhammadandhisfollowersweresimplyafactofthosedaysinwhichhelived,

andwemustseehimwithinthatcontext.

TheargumentbyMuslimsisthatduringthe"HolyWars"whenmanymenwerekilled,polygamy,

forinstance,wasajustifiableprovisionforthewidows.Yet,accordingtonotesin"SahihMuslim"III,

pg.941,inallthe82hostilitiesduringthelifetimeofMuhammad,only259Muslimslosttheirlives.

MuhammadmovedtoMeccawith10,000men.Howmanyofthemwouldhavehadachanceofmarrying

evenonewidow?2%!(currentfiguresshowanover-abundanceofmalesduetoamnio-centesistests,

becauseofthegirlswhoareabortedasaresultofthefindings:i.e.20millionextraboysinChina)

SowhatmustwesayaboutPolygamy?:

WeareremindedofthewordsofJesuswhosaid,"Hewhomarriesawomandivorcedfromherhusbandcommitsadultery"(Luke16:18).

Becausepolygamyexcludesdevotedlove,forlovebetweenthesexesisexclusive,itisdegraded

inessencetomeresexualfulfilment.Nowomanwholovesherhusbandandwishestobefullylovedin

return,cantolerateapartner(whyelsewasHafsasoupsetwithMuhammadwhenhetooktheCoptMary

toherbed?).

TakeforinstanceareportfromAisha,Muhammad'sfavouritewife(recordedinMishkat1,

pg.210,andnotedintheHadithscollectedbyal-BukhariandMuslim).Thisreportquotesherassaying:

"Iusedtobackbitethose(females)whoofferedthemselvesfortheMessengerofAllah.SoIasked:Doesa


20/32

womanofferherself?ThentheAlmightyAllahrevealed:you(Muhammad)mayputoffwhomyouplease

ofthem,youmaytaketoyouwhomyouwish,andifyoudesireanywhomyouhaveseparated,noblame

attachestoyou(fromSura33:51).ItseemstomethatyourLordhastenstosatisfyyourdesire."

Thereisafurtheraspect:monogamygivesrecognition,statusandintegritytoawoman.Itis

simplistictoarguethatapolygamoussocietymakesprostitutionunnecessary.Whataboutsexual

fulfilmentforthewomanwhohastoshareherhusbandwithotherwives?Andwhataboutthemenwho

surelyhavetogowithoutwives,becausesomeoneelse(usuallyanolderandthusricherman)hasmorethanone?

WhenwelookatthelifeofMuhammadwefindanevenlargeremphasisonsex,andthe

fulfilmentofcarnaldesires.Considerthefollowingexamples:

(1)13Wives:AMuslimmanispermittedtomarryuptofourwives(excludingconcubines)accordingtoSura4:3.Muhammadhadlived25yearsmarriedtohisfirstwifeKhadija.After

herdeath,whichroughlycoincidedwiththeHijratoMedina,hemarriedaboutthirteenwives(theexact

numberisstilldebated).AllexceptAishawerewidowsordivorcees.

ItisrecordedinSura33:50,"OProphet!Wehavemadelawfultotheethywivestowhomthou

hastpaidtheirdowers,andthosewhomthyrighthandpossessesoutoftheprisonersofwarwhomAllah

hasassignedtothee;anddaughtersofthypaternalunclesandaunts,anddaughtersofthymaternal

unclesandaunts,whomigrated(fromMecca)withthee;andanybelievingwoman,whodedicateshersoultotheProphet,andiftheProphetwishestowedher-thisonlyforthee,andnotforthebelievers(at

large)..."

ThisSuragivesMuhammadanunlimitednumberofwomenwholivedinandaroundhim,yetset

strictrestrictionsontheotherbelievers.

(2)Zainab:wasthewifeofhisadoptedsonZaid.WhenZaidrealizedthatMuhammadwantedherhedivorcedhersothatMuhammadcouldhaveher.Sura33:36-38speaksofthisaffair

(read).

(3)Preference:InSura33:51weread,"Thoumayestputoffwhomthouwiltofthem,

andwhomthouwiltthoumayesttaketothee;andifthouseekestanythouhastsetasidethereisnofault

inthee.Soitislikeliertheywillbecomforted,andnotsorrow,andeveryoneofthemwillbewell-

pleasedwithwhatthougivesther."

AccordingtoAl-Hasan,thisphrasemeans"thattheLord(mayHebepraisedandexalted)

allowedMuhammadtoabandonortosleepwithanyofhiswomen,accordingtohiswish."Muhammad

bestowedhisloveonAisha,Hafsa,UmSalamaandZainabconstantlyandequally,anddeferredtheturn

offiveofhiswomen(UmmuHabiba,Maymuna,Sawda,Juwayrid,andSafiyya).Thesehewouldvisit

accordingtowhim(al-Zamakhshari'scommentaryontheverse).

(4)Mary:Accordingtotradition,Muhammadwouldtakearotawithhiswives,sleepingwitheachintheirturn.Onenight,duringHafsa'sturn,sheaskedtovisitherfather,andMuhammad

grantedherrequest.Whileshewasgone,however,MuhammadtookMarytheCopticslave-girlandslept

withherinHafsa'sbed.Hafsareturned,wasenraged,andconfrontedMuhammad.Hepromised(on

oath)nottotouchMaryagainifshewouldkeepthisasecret,andthenpromisedthatherfatherUmar

wouldbehissuccessorafterAbuBakr(accordingtoal-Siraal-Halabiyya,vol.2).

Hafsah,however,toldAishaoftheincident,andforafullmonthMuhammadhadnodealingswithanyofhiswives,livingwithMaryalone.AishaberatedMuhammadforhisdeceit,whereupon

MuhammadwasfinallygiventhevisionrecordedinSura66:1,inordertodefendhimself(Mizanu'lHaqq,

pg.330andMishkatII,pgs.680-681)(readAli'sversionof66:1,plusfootnotes).

ThisSurasays,"Oprophet,whyforbiddestthouwhatGodhasmadelawfultothee,seekingthe

goodpleasureofthywives...?"BasedonthisayyaitseemsthatGodisinthebusinessofnotonlygetting

Muhammadoutofhis`jams',butthatGodjustifiesunfaithfulnessanddeceitaswell.


21/32

(5)Aisha:AccordingtoSahihMuslim(pg.716)AishareportedthatMuhammadmarried

herwhenshewassevenyearsold,andshewastakentohishouseasabridewhenshewasnine,along

withherdolls.WhenMuhammaddiedshewasonlyeighteen.

(6)Zealousness:TherearemanyaccountsofMuhammad'sprowesswithwomen.Thetraditionsmaintainthathismarriageswereprimarilyanactofcompassiontowardsthewidowswhom

hemarried.Theevidenceseemstosaydifferently.

AccordingtoAl-Bukhari(1pg.165)"theprophetusedtovisitallhiswivesinaround,duringthe

dayandnightandtheywereeleveninnumber.IaskedAnas,`Hadtheprophetthestrengthforit?'Anas

replied,`Weusedtosaythattheprophetwasgiventhestrengthofthirty(men).AndSa'idsaidonthe

authorityofQatadathatAnashadtoldhimaboutninewivesonly(noteleven)."

IbnSa'dbacksthisupaswellwherehestates(1pg.438)"TheapostleofAllah,mayAllahbless

him,said:GabrielbroughtakettlefromwhichIateandIwasgiventhepowerofsexualintercourse

[equal]tofortymen."

ItisoddthatGodwouldallowoneofHisprophets,therecipientofrevelations,toindulgeinlust

andrevelwithwomenathispleasure.Muhammadembracedthosewhocaptivatedhismindandheart

withtheirbeauty,suchasAishaandZainab,andtreatedtherestpoorly.

OutsideofSolomon(whomanydonotconsidertobeaprophet),dowefindanyoftheother

prophetssoobviouslycontrolledbysex,orevenengagedinthissortoflifestyle?Ofcoursenot!Wewouldbeappalledifaprophetwouldallowhiscarnaldesirestosocompletelycontrolhimthathewould

evenusetheWordofGodtoescapefromdifficultcircumstances(suchaswenotedwithZainaborthe

incidentwithHafsaandAisha).

(c) Muhammad'selevation:

Lookingatthe"revelations"oftheQur'anandtheHadithTraditions,wecannotfailtoseethata

numberofstatementsdealwithpersonaladvantagesandgiveMuhammadaparticularstatuswhichisfar

beyondanyotherprophet's.

Wearetoldthatallbelieversweretofollowhisexample.Malek-b-Anasreportedadefective

traditionwhereMuhammadispurportedtosay,"Ileavewithyoutwothings;aslongasyouholdfastby

themboth,youwillneverbemisguided;thebookofAllahandtheSunnahofhismessenger(thecopying

ofthelifestyleofMuhammad)"(fromMishkat1,pg.159)AbuHu'airahreportedthatthemessengerofAllahsaid,"Everyoneofmyfollowerswillenter

Paradiseexcepthewhorefused."Hewasquestioned,"Andwhohasrefused(truth)?"Hesaid,"Whoever

obeysmeshallenterparadise,andwhoeverdisobeysmehasrefused"(fromMishkat1,Pg.173).Nownot

onlymustweobeyGod,butitisrequisitethatweobeyMuhammadinordertoenterparadise!

TheQur'analsoassumesahighregardforMuhammadasthesupremeexampleinSura33:21,

saying,"YehaveindeedintheApostleofAllahabeautifulpatternof(conduct)foranyonewhosehopeis

inAllahandtheFinalDay,andwhoengagesmuchinthepraiseofAllah."Later,inayya36areprimandis

givenforanywhoquestiontheprophet'sauthority,equatinghisauthoritywiththatofAllah,"Itisnot

fittingforabeliever,manorwoman,whenamatterhasbeendecidedbyAllahandHisApostle,tohave

anyoptionabouttheirdecision.IfanyonedisobeysAllahandHisApostle,heisindeedonaclearlywrong

Path."

(d) Muhammad'sSin:

OurfinalcategoryaskswhetherMuhammad,unlikeJesus(Sura19:19),eversinned.Canthe

samebesaidofMuhammadthatwassaidofJesus?Ibelievenot!

TheQur'anadmitsthatthesinsofMuhammadweremanyandthattheyweighedheavilyonhim.

Sura94:1-3speaksofthiswhenitsays:"HaveWenotexpandedtheethybreast?Andremovedfromthee

thyburden,thatwhichdidgallthyback?"TheseversesindicatethatAllahhadtoremoveMuhammad's

burdens(sins?)fromhisback.Muslimscontendthattheseburdenswerecommittedbeforehebecamea

prophet(before610).WeneedonlyrefertoSura48:2whichsaysinreferencetoMuhammad,"Allahmay


22/32

forgivetheethyfaultsofthepastandthosetofollow..."indicatingthatevenaftertheSurawasdelivered

Allahexpectedhimtosin.

InSuras40:55andSura47:19wefindwritten,"...andaskforgivenessforthyfault..."Thisseems

straightforward,untilyoureadYusufAli'snoteatthebottom(4428),whichexplainsthatduetothe

prophet'sresponsibilitiesheasksforgivenessina representativecapacity.LeavingYusufAli's

"eisegesis"asideitseemsevidentthatMuhammad,aweakandsinfulman,palesincomparisontoJesus,

thesinlessandperfectincarnateGodHimself.

Asanoutsideobserver,wefinditincredulousthatMuhammadispermittedtoliveoutsideofthe

veryruleswhichhehasordainedforthebelievers(i.e.permittedtomarrymorethanfourwives,or

permittedtomarrythewifeofhisadoptedson,orpermittedtoconsummateamarriagetoagirlofonly

nine).

Yet,accordingtoIslam,heis,atthesametime,theabsoluteexampleofwhichallbelieversareto

model.Oneisleftwithasetofcontradictions:Howarewetofollowthemodelofaprophetwhohimself

abrogatestheveryparameterswhichhehassetforustoliveby?Tofollowhisexamplewould

contravenehislaws.Ifapersonisaskedtofollowacertainleader,theywouldweighupthe`prosand

cons'beforereachingadecision.Butwhentruthandeternallifeareinvolved,expediencyontemporal

issuesnolongerapplies.Sowhenwearetoldtofollowinthefootstepsofaspiritualleader,our

confidencemustnotbeemotionalalone;ourconfidencemustberational.

Thatpresupposesasdeepastudyofthequalityofthelifeoftheexampleaspossible.Oneshould

notgiveadeafeartonegativereports,providedtheyaresubstantiated.Alsooneshouldnotexplain

awaypossibleflaws.Butmostofallonemusthaveafixedstandardbywhichtomeasurerightand

wrong,goodandevil.AsChristiansweusethestandardthatisfoundintheBible.Ultimately,our

conceptofwhatismoralandwhatisimmoralwillfinditsrootthere.

Wearedeeplyinterestedinthequestionoftrueprophethood.Itisandalwayshasbeeninour

bestinteresttodelineatewhoexactlyisatrueprophet,forwehavebeenwarnedtobewatchfulforfalse

prophetswhowillcomeourway(Matthew24:24).

InlightofthatweaskwhetherMuhammadfollowsthestandardsbywhichhehassetforhimself;

andwefindhimtobewanting.ThehistoricalrecordshowsusthatheabrogatedhiscalltotheJews

whenheexiledthemfromMedinaandexecutedthemalesoftheKurayzatribe.HisclaimtobetheSealof

theprophetsringshollowinlightofhiscarnalinadequacies,especiallyincomparisonwiththeotherprophetswhoprecededhim.

FinallyweaskwhetherMuhammadfitsthepatternofaprophetwhichwefindinourown

scriptures.ThatisthetruetestforusasChristians.Fromourstudyitiseasytoascertainthat

Muhammadfailedinthiscategoryaswell.Whatremainsistodealwithonelastarea,theclaimby

MuslimsthatMuhammadwaspromisedbytheprophetswhoprecededhim,andthattheseprophecies

canbefoundintheirwritings.Itisthatareawhichwewilltakeupnextinordertoconcludethisstudy.

[III]WERETHEREPROPHECIESCONCERNINGMUHAMMAD?

Wenowcometothisthirdandfinalcategoryinourpaperwhereweaskthequestionofwhether

theformerprophetseverspokeaboutMuhammad?Tobeginwith,let'saskthatquestionofMoses,and

seewhetherMuhammadisspokenofintheTaurat? ----------

Let'sbeginwithahypotheticalsituation.Forinstance,whatwouldyousayifIweretostandup

andclaimthatIwasthefinalprophet,inalonglineofprophets;thatwhateverIsaidcamestraightfrom

God,andthereforewastobebelievedasauthoritative?Youwouldobviouslyquestionmycredentialsas

aspokesmanfromGod;asaprophet.WithanamelikeJosephSmith,thesamenameasthefounderof

Mormonism,Iwouldn'tbethefirsttomakethisclaim.Andlikehim,allIwouldhavetodoiswriteabook

whichprescribedanewwayoflife,anewrevelationforhumanity,andthenlookaroundforsome

discipleswhowouldbelievemewillingly.


23/32

Thereisanotherprophetwhomadesuchaclaim,onewhocameafewhundredyearsbeforemy

namesake;youallknowhimasMuhammad,bornin570C.E.

AttheonsethereceivedvisionsviatheangelGabrielintheHiracave,outsideMecca,whenhe

was40yearsold.Interestingly,itwashisNestorianChristianunclewhofirsttoldhimthathisvisions

wereauthoritative.Yetinitiallytherewerefewpeoplewhotookhimseriously,orbelievedinhimasa

prophet.Infact,whenhefinallyfledtoMedina8yearslater,in622C.E.(knownasthe Hijra),hehadless

then100followerswithhim(notevenagood-sizedchurchbytoday'sstandards).

Itwasonlywhenheattainedpoliticalpower,whichaffordedhimeconomicalmightandcontrol,

thathewastakenseriously,fromareligiousstandpoint.Thiswasespeciallysofollowingthebattleof

Badr,whenheturnedagainsttheJewsinMedina,withwhomhehadearliermadesecurityalliances.

Onemightsay,then,thathisreligiouscredibilitywasindirectproportiontohispolitical

ascendancy,culminatinginhistriumphalentryintoMecca8yearslater,afterwhichatruetheocracywas

instilled,whichbyitsverynatureneutralizedanycriticismorsuspicionofhisreligiouscredibility.

Becauseofhispower-baseinMedinaandMecca,Muhammad'sauthoritywasinnodoubt1,400

yearsago,butitisindoubttoday.TherearemanywhoarenowaskingwhereexactlyMuhammad

receivedhisauthorityasaprophet?Previousprophetswereauthoritativefirstofallbecausethey

belongedtothelineofprophets(theIsraelitetribe),andsecondly,becausewhattheyrevealedcoincided

withthatwhichhadbeenrevealedbefore;andindeed,continuedthesametheme,whichwas:thepromiseofaMessiahwhowouldcometosavetheworldfromsin,andtherebybringGod'schildrenback

inrelationshipwithHim.

Yet,whenwelookattherevelationswhichMuhammadgavetheworld,wefindmany

contradictionswiththescriptureswhichprecededhim.Someofthemorecommononesyouknowquite

well:1)theclaimthat IshmaelinsteadofIsaacwasthesonwhowastobesacrificedbyAbraham,andthe

twoofthemthenbuildingtheKa'bainMecca;2)theerroneousburialaccountofAbelbyCain;3)theratherhumorousaccountofking SolomonmeetingthequeenofShebabytalkingtoaHoopoobird;4)

themiraculousbirthofJesus,whichaccordingtotheQur'antookplaceundera palmtree,5)andeventhestoryofJesusspeakingasababy,6)andlaterbreathinglifeinto birdsofclay.Butprobablythe

mostdamagingcontradictionsintheQur'anis7)itsrefusaltoacceptnotonlythedoctrineofthe Trinity,

buttorejectthedivinityofJesusaswellashiscrucifixionandresurrection.TheseareabsolutelycentraltotheBiblicaltestimony.

Becausesomuchofthatwhichisimportantisatavariancewiththatwhichcamebeforeonehas

toaskforproofofhisauthorityinmakingsuchclaims.Andthisisbeingdonetoday.Itisforthisreason

thatMuslimsareattemptingtocomeupwithareadydefence.

Initially,MuslimsheldtheviewthatthedifferencesbetweentheBibleandtheQur'ancouldbe

blamedontheJewsandChristians,who,theybelieved,conspiredtocorrupttheirscripturesinorderto

rejecttheclaimsoftheprophetofIslam.OnemustaskhowtheJewsandChristianswouldhaveknown

whattochangeconsideringtheywouldhavehadtodotheirworkhundredsofyearsbeforethearrivalof

theQur'an,aswehavethousandsofmanuscriptswhichpredatetheQur'aninourpossessiontoday,allof

whichremaintruetothescripturewhichwe"holdinourhands."

TheQur'anitself,inSuras5:47-51,6:34,and10:64saythatGodcannotchangehisword,and

thattheQur'anwassenttoguardtheformerrevelations.ThusmanyMuslimscholarshavebeenforced

todenythepossibilityofcorruptionintheWordofGodcontainedintheBible.Consequently,theyhaveturnedtheirendeavoursinotherdirections,lookingforpredictionsofMuhammadwithinthose

precedingscriptures.Anditisthisassertionwhichconcernsushere.

TheMuslimagenda

MuslimswillpointoutthatintheQur'antherearetwoayas(verses)whichspeakofaprediction

ofMuhammadintheTauratandtheInjil(theTorahandtheGospels).Theyare:

Sura7:157="Thosewhofollowthemessenger,theProphetwhocanneitherread

norwrite,whomtheywillfinddescribedintheTauratandtheInjil..."


24/32

Sura61:6="JesussonofMarysaid:OChildrenofIsrael!Lo!Iamthemessengerof

Allahuntoyou,confirmingthatwhichwas(revealed)beforemeintheTaurat,andbringinggoodtidingsofamessengerwhocomethafterme ,whosenameisAhmad

(thePraisedOne)."

ThesetwoayassayspecificallythatMuhammadwasreferredtoinboththeTauratandtheInjil(theTorahandtheGospel).Ourconcernhereistoascertainwhetherthisistrue,whetherthereareany

predictionsconcerningMuhammadoutsidetheQur'an?

Inotherwords,weareinterestedinfindingoutwhetherthereisanyevidencethattheprevious

JewishandChristianscripturesspokeabouthiscoming?

MostMuslimsbelievethatintheTaurat(specificallyinDeuteronomy18:18)thereisreferenceto

theprophecywhichtheQur'anspeaksofinSura7:157andSura61:6concerningMuhammad.Soitisto

thatpassagethatwewillfirstfocusourenquiry.

[A]ISTHEREAPREDICTIONOFMUHAMMADINDEUTERONOMY18?

InDeuteronomy18:18weread:

"I(theLORD)willraiseupforthemaProphetlikeyou(Moses)andhewilltellthem

everythingIcommandhim."

[1] Comparison:WhoistheprophetlikeMoses?

OurinquiryhereistoascertainwhatevidencesupportstheMuslimclaimthatitisMuhammad

whois"aProphetlikeyou[Moses]."Isithewhoisreferredtointheseverses?Ifitisthenthiswould

contradicttheclaimbyChristiansthattheversereferstotheprophetJesus,thepromisedMessiah.

Inordertosupporttheirclaim,Muslimapologistshavetriedtowritealistofcriteriapertaining

toMosesandMuhammad,sayingthat:bothweremarriedandhadchildren,bothledbattles,andboth

wereleaders,etc...Whattheyfailtotakeintoconsiderationisthatanyprophetcouldclaimmanyofthese

parallelsforhimself.AhandiertoolwouldbetoidentifythosecomparisonswhichMosesfulfilledwhichareuniqueto

hisministry,andwhichwould,therefore,beuniquetohimwhois:"aprophetlikeyou(Moses)."Inother

words,compareappleswithapples.

[2] Contrast:ThisprophetcannotbeMuhammad

Canwe,therefore,saythatMuhammadisthepromisedone,this"prophetlikeMoses?"From

whatwehavejustread,wefindthatMuhammadwasnotborninthepropheticlineofMoses,hadno

personalrelationshipwithGod,norwasheestablishedinauthoritybyGod,aswerebothMosesand

Jesus.

Moreimportantly,themissionofMuhammadwasnothinglikethatofMosesandJesus,foritwas

MosesandJesuswhoofferedthemselvesasasacrificeforthesinsoftheirpeople(Exodus32:30-32;Deuteronomy34:10-12;andMatthew26:28).

Mostsignificantly,however,isthefactthat,beginningwithMosesandconcludingwithJesus,the

meansofforgivenessandreconciliationwithGodwerebroughtabout(Leviticus4:2;6:24,25;14;13and

Hebrew19:22).Thisistherealcriteriafor"aprophetwhoislikeyou(Moses)."Manyprophetscanclaim

tobelikeMosesfromthestandpointofhumanreasoning.OnlyonecanclaimtobelikeMosesfromthe

standpointofGod'sreasoning.Hisdesiretosavemankind,whichMosesfirstbeganbybringingthe

ChildrenofIsraeloutofcaptivityfromEgypt,andwhichJesusfinallyaccomplishedbybringingall

believersoutofcaptivityfromsin2,000yearsago.


25/32

[3] Consideration:ThisprophetmustbeJesus:

MuhammadcanneverclaimtoparalleltheessentialanduniqueaspectsofMoses'ministryon

earth,asJesuscan.ThosewhoworkedalongsideJesus,andwhopredatedMuhammadbynearly700

yearscametothissameconclusion.ConsiderthefollowingwitnessesfromJohnandLuke:

John1:45"WehavefoundtheoneMoseswroteaboutintheLaw."

John5:46"IfyoubelievedMosesyouwouldbelieveme[Jesus],forhewroteaboutme."

John6:14"Surelythis[Jesus]istheprophetwhoistocomeintotheWorld."

Acts3:22"ForMosessaid,`TheLordyourGodwillraiseupforyouaprophetlikemefromamong

yourownpeople...'."(i.e.ownbrothers=sonsofIsrael.)

[4] Conclusion: Without a prediction where is Muhammad's authority?In order to

prove that Muhammad was a true prophet, the Qur'an stipulated that in the Taurat and the Injil

predictionsconcerninghimcouldbefound(RefertoSuras7:157and61:6above). Yetwefindnoneof

thesepropheciesineithertheTaurat,ortheInjil(i.e.John16:7whichwewilldealwithlater).Whatdoes

thissayfortheauthorityofMuhammad?Attheheartoftheargument,foraMuslim,isthedesiretofindanyexternalpredictionsforthe

comingofMuhammad in the Taurat and the Injil(asreferred toinSura7:157). Withoutit,theonly

criteriaforMuhammad'sauthorityistheQur'an;whiletheonlyauthorityfortheQur'anisMuhammad.

Thisiscircularreasoning,whichisnotavalidscholarlyargument.Sincetheevidenceforanyprediction

byMosesconcerningMuhammaddoesnotexistin theTaurat,thiscreatesaproblem forMuslimswho

mustproduceexternalcriteriafortheauthenticityoftheirprophet.

Withoutit,Muhammadhasno outsideevidenceto prove hisprophethood. Furthermore,the

Qur'anitselfclaims,inSura29:27,thatprophethoodbelongssolelytothelineofIsaacandJacob,towhich

Muhammadhasnopart.

Consequently,theauthorityforthebeliefsofoveronebillionMuslimsthenhangsonthesingle

testimonyofonefiniteman.(note:amanwhohimselfadmitshislackofpowerinSura[TaHa]20:49,

andhissinfulnessinSura[Ghafir]40:55,incontrastwiththeclaimbyJesustohaveallpowerinMatthew28:18,andtobewithoutsininIPeter2:22,whichwealsofindinSura19:19).

Aswe read these verses and considerwhathasbeenwritten, it iseasyto conclude thatthis

prophecybyMosesinDeuteronomy18canonlybelongtoJesustheChrist.ItisHewhowasborninthe

line of Moses, and it is He who had a relationship with God, as He was God. It was He who was

establishedinauthoritywithGod,anditwasHewho,likeMoses,offeredHimselfasasacrificeforthesins

ofothers(inHiscaseforallofhumanity). Itisthislastcriteriawhichsetsthesetwoofffromtherest.

OnlyMosesandJesushadtheuniquemission:tobringaboutarenewalofrelationshipwithGod;theone,

Moses,outofthecaptivityofslaveryinEgypt,andtheother,Jesus,outofthecaptivityofsininourhearts,

foreternity.

[B]ARETHEREOTHERPREDICTIONSOFMUHAMMADINTHEOLDTESTAMENT? WenowcometothequestionofwhetherthereareanyotherpredictionsofMuhammadinthe

OldTestament?AccordingtoMuslimsthereareanumberofotherinstanceswheretheirprophetcanbe

found.Weneedtoknowhowtoanswerthemontheseissuesaswell.

[1] DowefindMuhammadintheOldTestament?

WeknowthatSuras7and61maintainthatMuhammadissupposedlypredictedsomewherein

theformerscriptures,andthatconsequentlyMuslimshavetrieddesperatelytofindthesepredictionsfor

theirprophetinthosescriptureswhichprecededtheQur'an(theTaurat,ZabuurandtheInjil),buttono


26/32

avail. Yet we find it ironic thatMuslims are now compelled by theirown scripture to establish the

credibility of their prophet in the Old Testament, the very book which they claim elsewhere to be

corruptedandofnorealworth(thoughthisclaimisnevermadeintheQur'an).

Muslims and Christians alike agree that Christ's coming was predicted often in the Old

Testament. Yet, ifGodhad intendedtosendanotherprophetfargreater thanHe,weshouldnaturally

findpredictionsconcerninghimthereaswell.Yet,nonearetobefound.Therefore,withoutaprediction

thesolecriteriaforMuhammad'sauthority restsentirelyontheQur'an,whosesoleauthority restsonMuhammad,andforobviousreasonsthisisunworkable.

[2] MuslimsfindMuhammadintheOldTestament:

DuetothepredicamentwhichMuslimsfindthemselvesin,theyhave,afterahurriedperusalof

ourBible,come forwardwith a seriesoftwelvepassagesfrom theOld Testamentwhich they believe

pointtoMuhammad. OutsideoftheDeuteronomy18passage(dealtwithabove),allofthesepassages,

whichsupposedlyrefertoamessenger,fallsintofourgeneralcategories.

1)Thispersonissomeonewhousedthesword(Psalm45:2-5;149;Isaiah63).However,when

wereadfurther,thecontextinthesepassagesclearlypointsoutthatthesword-wielderisnotonlyGod,

buttheCreator,theLordofIsraelandtheLordofHosts.IknowoffewMuslimswhowouldbewillingto

equatethesetitleswithMuhammad.

2)Thispersonissomeonewhose life-styleparallelsthatofMuhammad'sday(i.eridesacamel,livesina desert)(Isaiah21:7and53). YetthecontextagainreferstobothamessengerfromBabylon,

andaservantwhowascrushed,pierced,andwoundedforothers,hardlyanalogoustoMuhammad'slife.

3) This person is someone whose geographical location coincides with that of Muhammad

(Deuteronomy33:2;Isaiah63;Habakkuk3:3).YettheMountParanwhichtheyclaimtobeinMeccais

ratherontheSinaiPeninsula,whileBozrahisnotBasrah,butmodern-dayAl-Busairah,situatedinEdom,

southoftheDeadSea.

InHabbakuk3:3weread,"GodcomesfromTeman."

MuslimsmaintainthatTeman refers toIslam. Tobe consistent theymust also adhere tothe

otherpropheciesconcerningTeman.InJeremiah49:7Godquestionswhetherthereisanywisdomin

Teman.Verse20saysthepeopleofTemanwillbeaghastattheirfate.Ezekiel25:13promisesthatGod

willlaywastethepeopleofTeman,andGodwillsendfireandconsumethem(Amos1:12),andtherewillbenosurvivors(Obadiah8-10).ThiswouldsuggestthatthereisnowisdominIslam,andthatthere

awaitsallMuslimsadestructionbyfirewhichwillconsumethem!

FortunatelyfortheMuslims,weknowthatthisfatehasnoplaceinreality.Forwhenwereferto

theBiblicalaccountwefindthatTemanisnotIslamatall,butatownclosetoJericho,intheterritoryof

Edom.

4)ThispersonissomeonewhosenamehasacommonroottothatofMuhammad.InGenesis

49:8-10itisJudah;intheSongofSolomon5:16itisAhmad;andinHaggai2:7itisHemdah.Thisfourth

categoryneedsfurtherdiscussionasitisadheredtomoreresolutelybytheMuslimsasrealprooffora

predictionthantheothers.

[3] NameswhichpointtoMuhammad:

Muslimsbelievethatallofthesethreepassagesusenameswhichcanbetranslatedas "praise"(Judah,Ahmad,andHemdah),andare semanticallysimilarto "Muhammad,"whichmeans"thepraised

one."However,inArabictheverb"Hamada"(topraise)istherootformanywords,yetonedoesnotfind

Muslimssubstituting"Muhammad"and"Hamada"interchangeably.

TakeforinstancetheveryfirstSuraoftheQur'an. Inthesecondayya(verse)we find,"Praise

(al-hamadi)betoAllah."DowedarechangethistoMuhammad?Ofcoursenot!Thatissacrilege!

InHaggai2:7Muslimsbelieve"Hemdah"(thedesireofnations)comesfromthesamerootasthe

word"Muhammad."YettheymustcertainlycringewhenthiswordisagainusedinDaniel11:37torefer

toaperson"desiredbywomen"whoisafalsegodoftheheathen.


27/32

[4] SongofSolomon5:16

Butperhaps thebestexampleto illustratethedifficulty inexchangingonewordforanotheris

foundintheSongofSolomon,chapter5,verse16. InthispassageMuslimsclaimthat theHebrewword"Machmad"(altogetherlovely)canbetranslated"praise"or"Ahmad

muhammad: a christian apologetic

Documents