In this episode I shall attempt to draw more similarities and touch on two main and indeed major aspects of the prophecy which make Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the right candidate perfectly fitting into the Bible’s prophecy of the concluding Prophet.
Assalamu alikum Brothers and Sisters,
In the previous episode of this series I tackled the common characteristics and similarities between Prophet Moses and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them), which make the Bible’s Prophecy of a concluding Prophet more befitting Prophet Muhammad than Prophet Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him).
While I rely heavily in this series of articles on scholarly input by the renown Muslim scholar and debater Sheikh Ahmed Dedat, I also refer to researches by the prominent Egyptian born Muslim Canadian scholar Dr. Jamal Badawi, the former professor who lecured at a number of schools including the Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he taught in the Departments of Religious Studies and Management.
With regards to the subject “Muhammad in the Bible”, Dr. Jamal is credited for pointing out and thoroughly analyzing entire passages of the Bible which, according to his research, he sees as prophecying the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Let me proceed with pinpointing to two striking similarities between Prophet Moses and Prophet Muhammad (pbut) that cut through the heart of the argument of this subject matter.
Reading through the Bible, Deuteronomy, Chapter 18, verse 18, it asserts that the prophecied Prophet will speak words of the Divine poured into his mouth.
“ And I will put my words into His Mouth…”
We all know that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate. It was on that night in Ramadan, when he was in a state of deep contemplation over the splendor creation of Almighty Allah that the Quran was revealed unto him through Archangel Gabriel, asking him to “recite”…
“Recite in the name of your Lord who created – Created man from a clinging substance.- Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught man that which he knew not.”—Quran 96:1-5
So Prophet Muhammad was asked to recite words that he did not know, he was asked to read when he was illiterate, so he heard and truly grasped words that were actually poured into his mouth by Allah through Gabriel.
Same concept is elaborated in another instance in the Holy Quran, also describing Prophet Muhammad’s speaking words revealed unto him from His Lord, Almighty Allah.
“Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed, Taught to him by one intense in strength.” – Quran 53: 3-5
It’s the same as someone is asked to repeat words said in some foreign language by repeating after someone, thereby having the words put into his mouth. Looking at the Bible’s prophecy of the coming of a prophet, unto whose mouth God will pour His words, it makes the prophecy most befitting Prophet Muhammad, in Sheikh Ahmed Dedat’s own words, “like a glove”.
Prophet Muhammad was repeating words revealed by Allah unto him through Gabriel, helplessly. Before that incident he had not learned, heard or uttered those words. He was simply repeating what Gabriel was dictating him, words of God.
Same words, same verses, same phrases have been documented, recited and memorized, since over 1400 years till date, as revealed through Gabriel unto Prophet Muhammad and as first read by the noble Prophet, without a single bit of change to the contents.
So as supported by logic, historical facts, and examples from the two sources, the Quran and the Bible, Qur’an is nothing but the words ‘put in the mouth’ of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which perfectly proves the foremost argument herein, that the prophecy refers to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and not Prophet Jesus.
The second key similarity I’m bringing up here, which relates very much to the first point elaborated above, is what Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verse 19, says about the prophecied prophet, and the fact that he’d be speaking in the name of God.
“… My words which he shall speak in my name.” (Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verse 19)
In whose name does Muhammad speak? Actually in whose name do Muslims speak when they read the Quran or start any lawful act, even eating? It’s in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful…
Except for Chapter 9 of the Holy Quran, that is Surah Al Tawbah, where Muslims, for some divine wisdom do not start with the recitation of “In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Muslims recite the same before each and every Surah (chapter) of the whole 114 chapters of the Quran. Whereas Christians, upon beginning any recitation of the Bible or any lawful act, recite “ in the name of the father, son and the holy ghost.”
Deuteronomy’s prophecy just befits Muhammad to the letter- don’t you think?
The reason I spared Part II of this series for discussing only those two major points about the Prophecy is because they sort of summarise and comprise one major and efficient reason why the prophecy befits Prophet Muhammad, to the letter, besides the fact that these two elements are at the heart of debates leading any Muslim-Christian dialogue, touching on the monotheistic nature of the Islamic creed, and correcting one crucial misconception, or rather claim, about Islam, miistakenly attributing the Quran to words and phrases produced by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
So I found the matter worthy of being spared one whole session to have its share of elaboration and needed attention.
I have to reiterate the moral of presenting this series of “Muhammad in the Bible Series”, being a common ground for well-needed Muslim Christian interreligious dialogue, rather than an attempt to sow dissension between followers of the two faiths, God forbids, or offend our Christian brothers.
Muslims believe in all prophets sent by Almighty Allah, love Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), revere him, and accept him as a noble prophet sent by Allah (SWT) to mankind as a source of light and guidance.
Check Part I of What the Bible Says about Muhammad Here
Wassalaam,
Maha Youssuf
maha@muslimtribune.org
Posted on: August 28, 2011
