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Articles
- The Foretelling of Mohammed's Coming
- Mohammed's Acceptance Among His People
Was Jesus Christ Just Another Prophet? by Abdul-Maseeh
Possibly the greatest debate among Christians and Muslims is that of the identity of Jesus Christ. Is he God's son? Was he really crucified? Is he in essence God? Did he come to save his people? Or, was he just another prophet?
For Christians, all of the above questions can be answered with an emphatic 'yes', with the exception of the last - the only one that Muslims would affirm.
In this paper, a critical look will be taken into the concept of Christ the Messiah, a belief held by both Christians and Muslims. Also, the Christian belief of Christ the Savior will be considered. Finally, Jesus Christ's relationship to God will be observed as taught in Christianity and Islam. The main sources for each topic will be the Qur'an as well as the Bible.
Jesus, the son of Mary, is recognized as the Messiah in both Islam and Christianity. Such a common thread would seem sufficient to unify the two religions as to the true nature of Jesus, but that is certainly not the case. In fact, this tremendous commonality between the two has, for the most part, been ignored by both sides. Certainly, if Muslims and Christians fully understood what it is that they agree upon, then many of the walls that divide these two groups of people would come down.
History of the Concept. The term "messiah" is derived from the Hebrew mashiach ("anoint") and denotes a person with a special mission from God. The word mashiach meant the "Lord's Anointed" and referred to the ultimate redeemer, the expected king of the Davidic line who would deliver Israel from foreign bondage and restore the glories of its golden age.1
Furthermore, the term Messiah has become descriptive of all the streams of prophecy in the Old Testament of the Bible which speak of one who was to come from God to fulfill the promises of deliverance and of a new state of divine blessing.
The concept of a coming Messiah was such a popular one that Messiahs of several sorts with a variety of descriptive names were expected by those who adhered to differing conceptions in both intertestamental and New Testament times, as well as in the whole Christian era.
The coming Messiah could be seen in other prophetic figures in the Old Testament as well, such as Moses' Prophet "like unto me" (Deuteronomy 18:18), Isaiah's suffering Servant (Isaiah 52:13-53:12), Jeremiah's Branch (Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15), Daniel's Son of Man (Daniel 7:13), and other figures, including the coming of the Lord himself as the deliverer of his people. 2
Finally, it should be mentioned that the Jews reject Jesus as the Anointed of God and still wait for the coming of the Messiah. He will be a hero and heir to the greatest kings and prophets of old but greater than they. He will put an end to all evils on the earth and will initiate an era of joy. According to Jews this Messiah will rule in perfect justice and peace. 3
Thus the true origins of the concept of Messiah reveal that this would be no ordinary individual. Indeed, he would bring revolutionary change to the entire world, not only for an era, but forever. With this understanding as a foundation, the concept will be further investigated as understood in the Qur'an and the Bible.
In the Qur'an. Though the Qur'an does not present a detailed life-story of Jesus, it highlights some significant aspects of his birth, his mission, his ascension to heaven, and his coming judgment on the Christian beliefs concerning him. 4
In these Qur'anic accounts of the life of Jesus, in the English translations, he is explicitly called Christ, which is the English derivative of the Greek christos, meaning "anointed one", coming from the Hebrew, messiah. In the original Arabic, the word used is Maseeh, also coming from the Hebrew messiah.
In Abdullah Yusuf Ali's English translation, the Qur'an states:
That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah"; - but they did not kill him, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them. Sura An-Nisaa 4:157 [Emphasis mine],
and:
Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. Sura An-Nisaa 4:171 [Emphasis mine]
Thus, the Qur'an makes no objections whatsoever to the Christian belief in Jesus Christ as the true Messiah (Christ) of God. Strangely enough, though, the concept seems foreign to most Muslims. Jesus is ascribed the name "Messiah" throughout the Qur'an, but it seems that Mohammed understood it to be nothing more than his last name.
The Bible, on the other hand gives detailed information as to where the Messiah would be born, how he would be born, from which line he would come, what he would accomplish, and hundreds of prophecies that would be fulfilled throughout his life on earth.
In the Bible. In the Bible, God declared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that their descendants would inherit a land of their own. The Bible foretells of a future redemption that would be brought about through an anointed agent of the Lord. This figure would be a descendant of David, and his throne would be secure forever. The eighth century prophets such as Amos and Hosea predicted the destruction of the nation of Israel because of its sin, yet in accordance with the divine promise, there would also come an ingathering of the exiles and the dominance of the Israelites over surrounding nations. Such suffering was to serve as a means of moral reform: Israel would endure devastation before such redemption could take place. This message of destruction and restoration continued in the ministries of later pre-exilic prophets, such as Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah. They proclaimed a new redemption, which would bring about a new spiritual life. The theme of a future redemption was echoed in the Psalms. There, too, the promise of a future king became a predominant theme. Finally, the Book of Daniel predicts the coming of a divinely appointed deliverer - the Son of Man would be given dominion over all the earth. 5
In Micah, the Bible tells of the birthplace of the Messiah:
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Micah 5:2
In Isaiah 7:14, the Bible states:
"The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Further in Isaiah 9:6-7, it states:
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."
Daniel also speaks of the Messiah with similar regard:
"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens." Daniel 9:25
The above passages are widely recognized as Messianic prophecies by both Christians and Jews, and they clearly identify the Messiah as having divine characteristics and reigning on a throne that will endure forever. In the passage from Daniel, the Messiah ('Anointed One') is even referred to as a ruler. Furthermore, the Messiah spoken of in these passages could not reasonably be regarded as just another prophet.
Many would claim that the Scriptures have been altered to fit Christian doctrine about Jesus, but one has to ask: Why would Jews, who reject Jesus as the Messiah, alter their Scriptures in such a way as to point to him as their true Messiah?
Now with this understanding of what the Qur'an and the Bible say about Jesus the Messiah, another topic will be discussed.
On this topic, Muslims and Christians are not quite as unified. For Christians, Jesus Christ is the central figure of faith. Without him, there would be no salvation. Therefore the role of Jesus Christ as Savior must be discussed in order to understand more fully the Christian belief in Jesus Christ as more than just a prophet.
In the Qur'an. Mohammed no doubt came into contact with many individuals who were quite familiar with Christianity. From them he received certain knowledge and suggestions about the Christian faith. With this basic knowledge, Mohammed included in the pages of the Qur'an certain aspects of Jesus the Messiah's life, and though the belief is not held by followers of Islam, in the pages of the Qur'an exist certain hints of Jesus Christ the Savior.
In Sura Maryam the Virgin Mary is speaking with the angel of the Lord:
"He said, 'Nay, I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a holy son.' She said: 'How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?' He said: 'So (it will be): your Lord says, 'That is easy for me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign to men and a Mercy from us': it is a matter (so) decreed.'" Sura 19:19-21
Further, Sura Al-'Imran states:
"Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.'" Sura Al-'Imran 3:45
The Muslim commentator Al Jalalan observed:
Illustrious in the world by the ministry of prophecy and in the hereafter by intercession and position and being one of those brought near unto Allah. 6
Also in the Qur'an, miraculous powers are ascribed to Jesus that are not possessed by any other prophet, not even Mohammed himself:
"I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave." Sura 3:49.
In the Qur'an, Mohammed even makes references to the death and resurrection of the Messiah, though Muslims do not believe this ever could have happened:
"(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto me, and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve." Sura 3:55.
Jesus is recorded as saying:
"And (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and then I shall be raised alive! Such was Jesus, son of Mary, (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt." Sura 19:32-33.
Additionally, almost all Muslim scholars are agreed that Jesus will return to the earth and defeat the anti-Christ. 7 After this victory, many Muslims believe that Islam will pass into the hands of Jesus, who will reign on earth for forty years, bringing peace to all the lands. At the end of this period Jesus will die a natural death and be buried in Medina between the tombs of Mohammed and Abu Bakr. 8
Therefore, Islam explicitly teaches that Jesus the Messiah was of a miraculous birth, had the power to give sight to the blind, cleanse lepers, raise the dead, and perform various miracles, was gathered unto God (where not even the best of Muslims may go), and will return to defeat the Anti-Christ and bring freedom and restoration to the entire world. Even through the eyes of Islam, this man was much more than just a prophet.
With this understanding of how the Qur'an depicts Jesus in regard to his soteriological purposes, the belief will be observed as recorded in its original source, the Bible.
In the Bible. Though Jesus is not fully revealed in the Bible until the New Testament, the prophecies concerning him as the Messiah in the Old Testament are overwhelming and clearly present him as a Savior.
A prime example of this can be found in the prophecy of Isaiah, which states:
"The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'" Isaiah 62:11
The Hebrew word for Savior is yeshua, and it literally means, "he will save". 9 The Greek translation of this word is iesous, which, in English becomes "Jesus". Therefore, the literal meaning of the name Jesus Christ is "Anointed Savior".
The salvation that was to come through the Messiah would come through hardships, according to the prophet Isaiah. In fact, the entire chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah portrays the Messiah as a suffering servant. It is clear from 52:13 that he will eventually be highly exalted, but in order to achieve this position, he must first be disfigured beyond recognition (52:14). He would encounter many sorrows and would be despised (53:3). He would carry the sicknesses, sins and wounds of the entire world (53:4-6), and he would finally be killed and would not even open his mouth in objection (53:7). He would be buried among the wicked of the world, though he had committed no sin (53:9). But, he would live again to justify many and would receive a portion among the great (53:10-12).
The prophecy of Jeremiah also speaks of this Savior:
"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness." Jeremiah 23:5-6
From this passage, it is evident that the Messiah would bring salvation to his people in the sense that he would deliver them from their enemies, but also in a spiritual sense in his being called "The Lord Our Righteousness". This fact will serve as a tie between the Old Testament record of the Anointed One and that of the New Testament.
Many of the contemporaries of Jesus in the New Testament were expecting a savior who would overthrow the Romans and establish a new earthly government. Indeed, as was mentioned before, this expectation of a great leader made way for the notion of many different Messiahs. Not until Jesus of Nazareth led these different streams of ideas into one could anyone find it possible to link all the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament to one Messiah.
He occasionally made statements that served to unite what were to the people of his time scattered concepts of the Messiah, such as in the Gospel of Matthew:
"For the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28
In this passage, Jesus ties the Prophet Daniel's concept of the son of man with the prophecy of Isaiah, mentioned above, concerning the suffering servant.10
During his lifetime, Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah. In Zechariah, the Bible states:
"Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" Zechariah 9:9
In the Gospel of Mark, we find Jesus fulfilling this prophecy:
"They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it." Mark ll:4-7
Also, in the Psalms, we read:
"They divided my garments among themselves and cast lots for my clothing." Psalm 22:18
Jesus also fulfilled this prophecy:
"When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." John 19:23-24
Also, the Old Testament states:
"Not one of his bones will be broken." Exodus 12:46
"They will look on the one they have pierced." Zechariah 12:10.
Both of these prophecies were fulfilled at the crucifixion of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John:
"But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." John 19:33-34
The purpose of the death of the Messiah is very clearly outlined in the Gospels:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Thus, from a brief overview of the prophecies of the Old Testament and each subsequent fulfillment, it is clear that the Messiah was sent from God to save not only the nation of Israel, but also the entire world.
With a general understanding of the ways in which the Qur'an and the Bible present Jesus regarding his being the Messiah and Savior, one final topic will be discussed which will serve to shed additional light on the inquiry of whether or not Jesus was more than just a prophet.
At this point, it is obvious that Christians and Muslims have two extremely different views concerning the nature of Jesus. The Qur'an and the Bible portray him in ways that are similar in many aspects, but entirely different in others. One such aspect is that of Jesus' relationship to God. More specifically, Muslims believe Jesus to be no more than a prophet, while Christians claim that he is the Son of God. This topic will be discussed further as it is taught in the Qur'an and in the Bible.
In the Qur'an. Concerning the divinity of Jesus, the opinion of the Qur'an is that this is blasphemy and unbelief. This idea is spoken against in many verses of the Qur'an, such as the following: 11
"They have disbelieved who say 'Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary'. Who can do anything against Allah, if he had willed to destroy the Messiah, Son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone on earth?" Sura 5:17
However, also in the Qur'an can be found a strikingly unique relationship between Jesus and God. For instance, concerning titles, no one in the entire Qur'an was spoken of quite as highly as Jesus. It records that he was the Word of God and his Spirit:
"The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that he committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him." Sura 4:171
It should be noted that in the Qur'an, no other individual is recognized as both the Word of God and a Spirit from Him. Some Muslim commentators have observed that Jesus was called the "Word of God" because he was called into being by a word without a father; therefore, he is referred to as the Word. However, according to Islam, Adam was called into being exactly the same way, but is never called the Word of God or of his Spirit.
Also, Jesus was given quite a unique capability while on earth, according to the Qur'an: the ability to create. This is recorded in The House of Imran:
"I will create for you out of clay as the likeness of a bird; then I will breathe into it, and it will be a bird, by the leave of God." Sura 3:49
According to Islam, God has allowed certain individuals to share in several of his attributes and has even given to some the ability to perform miracles. However, he has reserved for himself certain things, which he will not share with anyone. One of these things is the ability to create and bring a soul into being. No other prophet in the Qur'an has ever been given the ability to create a living thing, even by the permission of God.
Another verse in the Qur'an which serves to further illustrate the unique relationship between Jesus and God can be found in House of Imran:
"Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honored shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God." Sura 3:45
Thus, Jesus has been given eminence in this world and the next. Al-Kashaf has stated that eminence in this world means prophecy and precedence over men and in the next intercession and exaltation of position in paradise. Again, from a study of the Qur'an, no one has ever been described as being eminent in this world and the next other than Jesus. 12
This is what the Qur'an says and what Muslims believe about Jesus. Still, they hold tenaciously to the belief that he was no more than a prophet. The Bible, on the other hand, takes quite a different stand concerning Jesus' relationship to God, as will be seen in the following discussion.
In the Bible. According to Islam, the New Testament of the Bible has been thoroughly corrupted. However, Muslims generally put more confidence in the Old Testament, and many of their own understandings stem from its teachings. This being the case, Jesus' relationship to God as taught in the Bible will be based strictly on the prophecies of the coming Messiah in the Old Testament.
In Isaiah 9:6 (quoted above), the Messiah is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace". Also in Isaiah 7:14, he is to be given the name "Immanuel", which, in Hebrew means "God with us". 13
From these two passages, it is quite clear that the Messiah to come would be none other than God himself. In light of the failure of men to reconcile the world back to God, as recorded throughout the entire Old Testament, it should come as no surprise that the only solution was for God to come and be His own Mediator. This is precisely what the Messianic prophecies teach.
Further in the Old Testament, Daniel also speaks of the Messiah in a way that clearly displays his divinity:
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed." Daniel 7:13-14
Here the Messiah is called a son of man, yet at the same time, is worshipped by all peoples and nations. The primary command given by God, both in the Bible and the Qur'an is that no other god is to be worshipped. Hence, the "Son of Man" spoken of here must be none other than God incarnate, Immanuel.
The evidence presented from the Bible thus far will suffice to support the claim that the Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament was not just an ordinary man, but was divine and, indeed, God Himself.
The Qur'an, as well as the Bible, have much to say about the person of Jesus, far more than was presented in this paper. However, the key passages have been quoted in an attempt to shed light on the topic of whether or not Jesus was just another prophet. Based on the evidence given from both sources, one would have to conclude that Jesus Christ was much more than just another prophet. If he was truly more than a prophet, then one would be forced to take a further step and deduce that he was divine, and if at all divine, then God.
1 Gruenwald, et al., pg. 1, 1992.
2 Pfeiffer et al., pg. 1109, 1998.
3 Ellwood, pp. 279-291, 1999.
4 "Jesus in the Qur'an"
5 Cohn-Sherbok, pp.1-2, 1997.
6 Shorrosh, pg. 93, 1988.
7 Ibid. pp. 95-100, 1988.
8 Walker, pg. 202, 1998.
9 Strong, pg. 69, 1890.
10 Pfeiffer et al., pg. 1110, 1998.
11 Al-Fadi, pg. 31, 1970.
12 Ghabril, pg. 100-105, 1980.
13 Strong, pg. 118, 1890.
Al-Fadi, Abd. The Person of Christ: In the Gospel and the Koran. Switzerland: The Good Way, 1970.
Cohn-Sherbock, Dan. The Jewish Messiah. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1997.
Ellwood, Robert S. and Barbara A. McGraw. Many Peoples, Many Faiths, 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.
Ghabril, Nicola Y. Themes for the Diligent. Switzerland: The Good Way, 1980.
Gruenwald, Ithamar, et al. Messiah and Christos. Tubingen: J.C.B.Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1992.
"Jesus in the Qur'an". J.D.C. Series on Islam, No. 4. Jeddah D'Awah Center: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Pfeiffer, Charles F. Wycliffe Bible Dictionary. Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1998.
Shorrosh, Anis A. Islam Revealed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988.
Strong, James. A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Hebrew Bible. Madison, NJ: James Strong, 1890.
Walker, Benjamin. Foundations of Islam: The Making of a World Faith. London: Peter Owen, 1998.
Muhammed's Journey Into Prophethood by Abdul-Maseeh
The institution of Mohammed as the prophet of Islam may be viewed by many as a punctiliar event in history, possibly achieved upon his capture of Mecca in 630 A.D. However, in the minds of Muslims, the prophet's life was more of a process of events than a culmination. Indeed, according to Islam, the divine position was ordained of God from ancient times.
Mohammed's journey into prophethood can be seen in three major phases: prophetic announcements and foreknowledge of his coming, his own recognition of prophethood, and his acceptance among the people of his time. Each of these phases will be discussed further in this article.
The Foretelling of Mohammed's Coming
In Sura 2:129 of the Qur'an, upon the completion of the Ka'ba, Abraham and Ishmael are recorded as praying: "Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Your Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom."
It is possible that Mohammed's journey into prophethood began with this prayer of Abraham and Ishmael. At least, this is the earliest recorded mention of the coming of a messenger of God from among the Arabs.
Muslim scholars have offered a variety of claims that the advent of the Prophet Mohammed was clearly foretold. Among the sources of such a foretelling, they include the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Gospel of Barnabas. These claims will be outlined further as they are presented in each source.
In the Bible. The basis for the alleged foretelling of Mohammed in the Bible stems from two passages of the Qur'an:
"Those who follow the Messenger.whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures), - in the Law and the Gospel." (Q 7:157)
"And remember, Jesus.said: 'O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah.giving Glad Tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad" (Q 61:6).
Among the many purported references to Mohammed in the Bible is Deuteronomy 18:15,18:
"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him." "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him."
Many Muslims claim that this prophet to be raised up after Moses and to be like Moses is Mohammed. The phrase "from among their brothers" is referring to the descendants of Ishmael, who were the Israelites' cousins. Therefore, this prophet "like Moses" must refer to Mohammed, since he was the only great prophet that descended from Ishmael. He was like Moses in that he instituted the Law of God and performed miracles.1
Additionally, where the context seems to fit, the Hebrew word mahmad, meaning 'goodly', 'beloved', or 'lovely', that occurs more than a dozen times in the Old Testament - as in Song of Solomon 5:16 - is held by some Muslim scholars to refer to Mohammed.2
Muslims use these and many other passages from the Old Testament to build upon the premise that the Prophet Mohammed was foretold in the Bible.
In the New Testament, passages in which Jesus refers to the coming Comforter are also ascribed to Mohammed. These passages are stated as follows, in the Gospel of John:
"And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever." (John 14:16.
"But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you." (John 14:26)
"But when the Comforter comes.he will bear witness to me." (John 15:26)
"If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you." (John 16:7)
Muslims generally believe that the Greek word paracletos (above translated 'Comforter') has been changed from the original. They claim that Jesus actually spoke of Mohammed by name in these passages and that the actual translation of his name into Greek is periklutos, that is, the "praised one".3 Since the names Ahmad (Arabic for 'praised one') and Mohammed are derived from the same root, Mohammed claimed to be the Paraclete.4
Most Muslim authorities, however, have dismissed the claim that the passage has been altered, since research shows that the early manuscripts of the Bible dating after the time of Mohammed are the same as those prior to the time of Mohammed. However, they continue to claim that even though Mohammed's name is not explicitly mentioned, still certain passages in the Bible clearly point to him.5
In the Qur'an. Though the Qur'an came through the Prophet Mohammed, God is believed by Muslims to be the true author. This being the case, certain passages in the Qur'an tend to confirm or verify the validity of Mohammed as God's messenger. Also, some of the stories mentioned therein, if accurate, would serve to foretell of his coming, such as the prayer of Abraham and Ishmael and Jesus' reference to Ahmad mentioned above. Since, however, Mohammed was already on the scene at the time of these writings, a prediction of his coming would have been totally unnecessary. Such information, if accepted, would have simply served to confirm or verify his validity and to show that some knowledge of a coming prophet existed prior to the arrival of Mohammed.
Since the current purpose is to discover ways in which the coming of Mohammed was foretold, these passages in the Qur'an will be investigated from such a perspective. One such passage, which, incidentally, could be added to those that imply reference to Mohammed in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures is Sura 3:81:
"Behold! Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: 'I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to you a Messenger, confirming what is with you."
Also, in response to the prayer of Abraham and Ishmael, mentioned above, Salahi remarks:
"Allah also answered Abraham's and Ishmael's prayer to send among their offspring a messenger to instruct them in the pure faith based on total submission to Allah. That messenger was Mohammed, the last of all Prophets."6
Again, the Qur'an explicitly states:
"Mohammed is...the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets." (Q. 33:40)
From these few examples, one can see that the Qur'an, when viewed as a credible historical record, quite naturally tends to foretell of the coming of the Prophet Mohammed.
In the Gospel of Barnabas. An apocryphal work entitled The Gospel of Barnabas will be mentioned at this point, since some Muslims hold it to be credible as foretelling the advent of Mohammed. The pseudo-gospel was actually written centuries after Mohammed's death by a Jewish or Christian convert to Islam. In this book, Mohammed, by name, is mentioned as the Paraclete. The book is also in agreement with the belief of some Muslims that Judas was crucified in the place of Jesus.7
However, the Gospel of Barnabas contradicts the Qur'an in several crucial aspects as well. For instance, in the book, Jesus denies being the Messiah. Instead, Muhammad is called the Messiah, and Jesus becomes more of a Yahya (John the Baptist) -type forerunner.8
Thus, one finds it quite difficult to ascribe credibility to such a source, since it proves inaccurate when measured up against the Bible, as well as the Qur'an. For this reason, most Muslims disregard the record in the Gospel of Barnabas.
Furthermore, in light of the scarcity of sound evidence, it can hardly be said that the coming of Mohammed was at all foretold, be it in the Bible, in the Qur'an, or in the Gospel of Barnabas. Indeed, even if such foreknowledge has ever existed, it was never manifested until after Mohammed claimed himself to be the Prophet of Islam.9
Hassan ibn Thabit once relayed a story to the tribesmen of Salih ibn Ibrahim that when he was 7 or 8 years old, he heard a Jew calling out in a loud voice from the top of a fort in Yathrib: "O company of Jews", until all of them came running to find out what was the matter. The Jew continued, "Tonight has risen a star under which Ahmad is to be born."10
After the birth of Muhammad, his mother sent to tell his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib of the news. When he arrived she told him what she had seen and what was said to her and what she was ordered to call him. Abd al-Muttalib then took the boy before Hubal in the Ka'aba, where he stood and thanked Allah for this gift.11
Differing views exist concerning whether or not divine signs accompanied the birth of Mohammed alluding to his prophethood. Many miracles have been recounted concerning the infancy of Mohammed. Yet, others doubt these accounts, since the Prophet himself later admitted that he could not work miracles.12 Still, these accounts do exist and are considered reliable by many Muslims. Therefore, they will be discussed further.
From Childhood. According to some popular stories, Amina, the mother of Mohammed, used to say during her time of pregnancy that a voice said to her, "You are pregnant with the lord of this people, and when he is born, say: 'I put him in the care of the One from the evil of every envier'; then call him Mohammed." As she was pregnant with him, she saw a light come forth from her by which she could see the castles of Bostra in Syria.13
It is said that Amina had no great trouble with her pregnancy. Everything went quite well for her. During this time, it had become a Meccan custom to put children out to nurse with the desert tribes. Twice a year the Bedouin women, who were strong and healthy, came to the city to offer their services to rich mothers of Mecca. However, Amina was not rich, and Mohammed's father had died only months before his birth. Naturally, these Bedouin women were not in the habit of giving their milk for charity. Fortunately, though, Amina found the wife of a shepherd of the Sa'adite nomads called Halima, who agreed to look after Mohammed. From this time, Mohammed would become a wanderer of the desert.14
Many miraculous occurrences are said to have taken place during Mohammed's time with Halima and the Bedouins. It is reported that she had been unable to produce quite enough milk to satisfy her own son. However, as soon as she put Mohammed to her breast, she felt that both were completely full. In fact, they thought it would be wise to attempt to milk their camel, which had also been having problems producing milk. Much to their surprise, the camel also had full breasts. It was the family's best night for a long while.
These miraculous occurrences continued regularly for nearly four years. Then one day, while Mohammed was playing with the other children, the Angel Gabriel came and took him by the hand. He laid Mohammed down and opened his chest. He then took out his heart and removed from it a black clot, which he threw away. He said, "This is what Satan has in you." He then washed the heart in a gold bowl full of snow and returned it to its place.
At this, Halima's other son ran to his mother to report what had happened. Halima became quite terrified and decided it best to return the boy to his mother.15
During his years among Bani Sa'd it is believed that Mohammed's speech was formed upon one of the purest models of the Arabic language. This would certainly play a key role in his later communication of the Qur'an to his companions.16
Now by the time Mohammed was 8 years old, his father, mother, and grandfather had died, leaving him to the care of his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Talib was a merchant, and at the age of 12, Mohammed accompanied him on a journey to Syria.
On their way back to Mecca, they stopped at Bostra, in Syria. There they met a Christian monk named Bahira, who was said to have perceived an aura of greatness about Mohammed, which he confirmed from a mark between Mohammed's shoulder blades. Bahira spent some time with the boy and predicted that he would be the prophet of the Arabs, lead them from idolatry, and clean up the temple of the Ka'ba.17
As a Youth. Abu Talib continued to look after Mohammed until he became a man. During this time also, there were signs that Allah's blessings were associated with the presence of Mohammed. There always seemed to be plenty when Mohammed was there. If dinner was served and Mohammed was not there, his uncle would order his children to wait for him. He had noticed that when Mohammed was there to eat with them, the food seemed never to run out. However, when he wasn't present, the food was never sufficient, and everyone asked for more.
Mohammed was also very proud of having spent some of his youth as a shepherd. He used to say, "Allah sent no prophet who was not a shepherd. Moses was a shepherd, David was also a shepherd." According to Muslims, the reason for this is that Allah wanted his messengers to have experience of life as a shepherd, to help deal with human beings with rare patience while preaching Allah's message.18
During this time, Mohammed is believed to have been specially safeguarded by divine grace. Once, while attending his flock, he decided to go into Mecca to amuse himself there as the other youths were in the custom of doing at night. However, as soon as he arrived into the city, he fell asleep. This happened once again on his way to the city. Thus he escaped temptation and decided not to take another chance of this sort.19
Thus respected and honored, Mohammed lived a quiet and humble life in the family of Abu Talib. Was Mohammed aware at this point in his life, that he would become the Prophet of Islam? It is unclear. However, the next stage of his life would serve to assure him of his divine role among the Arabs.
Into Adulthood. After Mohammed was married to Khadijah at the age of 25, an accidental fire followed by a flood had done severe damage to the Ka'ba. However, sufficient resources were not available for its repair until some years later when a Greek ship carrying timber was wrecked on the Red Sea. The Quraish realized that it was certainly time to rebuild the Ka'ba. The whole body of the Quraish cooperated in the work, until the structure rose to about four feet above the foundations.
The time came to replace the sacred Black Stone. Each of the four main families of the Quraish felt it their duty to replace the stone. Such a disagreement was sure to lead to bloodshed. However, Mohammed, who was helping out with the operation, saw this danger and came up with a quick resolution. Whoever would be the first to enter the Ka'ba through a certain gate on a certain day would make the decision.
Mohammed happened to be that person! When they saw him, they all exclaimed, "Here comes Al-Amin ('The Trustworthy'); we are content to abide by his decision." Mohammed spread his mantle on the ground and placed the black stone on it. He instructed one from each family to take one corner and together to carry the stone to its place in the Ka'ba.20
This event certainly served to establish Mohammed as a sort of umpire, or judge, among the Quraish at the time of their disputes and crises.
Mohammed was the type of person who loved to think and meditate. He had begun a habit of retreating in solitude to a cave, Hira, in Mount Nur. There he would meditate and sink into deep thoughts about the mysteries of nature.
Mohammed is believed to have passed the month of Ramadan, at times, in this cave. It is during this month, on the 27th night, now called "The Night of Power", that he received his first revelation from Allah.21
It is believed that while meditating, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. "Read", said the angel. "I am not a reader", replied Mohammed. The angel squeezed him until he could hardly breathe and repeated the command to read. Several other strange happenings occurred that night, until all that the angel had purposed was accomplished.
Mohammed returned home, quite shaken by the experience. He discussed with Khadijah what had happened, and after some testing to see whether the spirit was good or evil, she said to him, "Be of good cheer. Truly, by the Lord in whose hand lies the soul of Khadijah, I hope you will be the prophet of his people."
Afterwards, Khadijah went to see her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal. He was quite an experienced man, and a Christian. When he heard the story of what had happened to Mohammed, he replied, "If you have been given a true account of what has occurred, then, O Khadijah, there has come to Mohammed the spirit of the Namus ('Law') which appeared to Moses, and Mohammed will be the prophet of his people. Bid him therefore be of good heart."
Later, Mohammed went to Waraqa himself, and was greatly encouraged by him, to such a degree that he became completely assured of the validity of his newly discovered role as God's messenger.22
These revelations continued over the next twenty-three years of Mohammed's life. His message was new to most people of his time, and he would soon encounter extreme reactions from believers, as well as unbelievers.
Mohammed's Acceptance Among His People
In the first stage of his mission, Mohammed worked silently. He didn't feel it necessary to disrupt the whole of Meccan society with his message. However, he did manage to make an impact on a small group of individuals who embraced Islam fully.
Early Converts. The first to believe was his wife, Khadijah, who accepted his message without any hesitation. Ali, who was only ten years of age, and Zaid bin Haritha, were both members of his family. They also accepted Islam immediately. Outside his family, Hazrat Abu Bakr, his closest friend, believed in Mohammed's message as well.23
Abu Bakr was quite an important figure in the early mission of Mohammed. He was a wealthy merchant who would later become the first caliph. He convinced Othman ibn Affan, a Quraishi of the powerful Omayyad clan, to become a Muslim as well. Othman would become the third caliph.
The group was growing quite rapidly, but they were forced to practice the new religion with caution, in order not to ruffle the religious feathers of the Quraish. They especially had to keep their prayers confined to more secluded places, since the ritual act of prostration gave way to much ridicule from the pagans of that time.
Despite opposition, though, Mohammed also experienced his share of victories. One such victory involved Omar ibn al-Khattab, who was regarded as 'a man of blood and iron' and a bitter opponent of the new faith. When he found out that his sister and brother-in-law had become Muslims, he went at once to their home and struck his sister on the face. Omar, later overcome with remorse, was persuaded by the slave, Khabab, to become a Muslim himself.
The group had grown to about forty, mostly of the lower social scale of either Abyssinian or Byzantine origin. A number of Mohammed's closest associates in Mecca were Christians or came from a Christian background, and some of them also became followers of Islam.24
Over the course of about three years, Mohammed had established a small community of faithful followers. However, a message such as his would not be contained for long, and he soon felt it necessary to take a more deliberate stance in the propagation of Islam.
A more Determined Approach. During the next phase of his life, Mohammed would come to regard himself as a 'warner' to the people of Mecca. He brought to light the 'grievous suffering' they had inflicted on the innocent people among them, and instructed them strongly to disregard all other deities, save Allah.25
These warnings brought with them not a small amount of opposition from the Quraish, who thrived upon the religious attitudes of the people. The Muslims were fiercely persecuted, but Mohammed, for the most part, was protected due to the influence of his uncle. Still, Islam was claiming converts, even among the leaders of Mecca. Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib and the before-mentioned Omar ibn al-Khattab were among the Quraish who came to follow Islam.
Eventually, the Muslims were excluded in an attempt, so it seems, to starve Mohammed and his followers into submission. Soon, Khadijah and Abu Talib would die leaving Mohammed defenseless against the Meccans. All seemed quite grim for the band of believers and their divinely appointed leader.26
However, Mohammed had been making earnest pleas to the surrounding Arab tribes for protection against his opposers. These pleas were heard by some visitors from Yathrib of the Khazraj and Aus tribes. There in Akaba Mohammed expounded to them some of the beliefs of Islam and recited the Qur'an to them.
As a result of their meeting, some of them took Mohammed to be the Prophet that the Jews were expecting and embraced his presence among them. They saw him as possibly having the ability to bring some peace to the civil strife at Yathrib. They took an oath not to worship idols, or lie, or commit adultery, or kill their infant daughters, and to obey Mohammed. Thus many Jews and other Medinans became Muslims, and Mohammed was reestablished as the holy prophet of Islam.27
The Final Conquest. Mohammed would make Medina his headquarters and live there the rest of his days. From there he would establish himself, not only as Prophet, but also as a political and military leader.
In 623 A.D., just months after the Hijra to Medina, Mohammed inaugurated his military career with a raid on a Meccan caravan. A year later, Mohammed planned an ambush on a Meccan caravan resulting in the Battle at Badr. A strategic plan of attack was utilized involving the destruction of wells, which was a serious crime in a desert community. Abu Sofyan, the leader of the Meccan caravan, received word of the ambush and was able to bring his caravan safely home. In the meantime, the Meccans assembled a force and confronted the raiders at Badr.
According to traditions, the 700 Meccans fought against 350 Muslims, but the Muslims went away victorious. This victory gave way to several more in the next months, but in March 625, the Meccans decided to return the gesture. They invaded Medina and engaged in battle against Mohammed and his followers. This time, however, the Meccans were victorious, leaving Mohammed himself nearly dead.
This untimely defeat for Mohammed and his supporters was a tremendous setback. However, within a year, they were back to the original habit of raiding Meccan caravans. In all, Mohammed had organized over 100 raiding expeditions. In addition, by 628, Mohammed had successfully eliminated every Jewish settlement and tribe in Medina. Subsequently, many tribes joined his clan due to such successes.
In 627, the Meccans again made advances against Medina. This time, they were prepared with an army of 7,000 men. Mohammed began to panic and was unclear as to what to do, so he turned to one of his companions, Salman the Persian. Salman was able to protect the city by having a Persian-type fortified trench dug around certain unprotected areas of Medina.28
In 628, Mohammed had made up his mind to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. He left from Medina with 1,400 men, along with animals to be used in the sacrifice. Mohammed's plan was to test the Quraish to see how strong their opposition was. The Quraish heard that Mohammed was on his way and resolved not to allow him into the city. Mohammed sent Othman ahead of the group to Mecca, who returned with a proposal for a treaty. Mohammed quickly dictated the terms of the treaty. According to the treaty, there would be ten years of peace, and the Muslims were allowed to return to Mecca the following year to observe the pilgrimage.
Battles continued among Muslims and their surrounding Arab tribes up through 630 A.D. In January of that year, following a stunning defeat at the Battle of Mota, hostilities broke out between the Muslims and some tribes that were allied to the Quraish. Mohammed regarded this as in infraction of the treaty of Hodebiya and so found and excuse to end the ten year treaty of peace made only two years earlier.
He set out against Mecca with an army of about ten thousand men. Mohammed's uncle Abbas, came out to meet him as did Abu Sofyan, who scheduled an interview for the following day. Arrangements were made for Mohammed to enter and obtain control of Mecca in January 11, 630 A.D., upon which he ordered all the idols in the Ka'ba to be destroyed, along with the pagan temples of the neighboring tribes. After a two-week stay in Mecca, with his greatest victory secured, Mohammed returned to Medina, where, after making a final pilgrimage to Mecca in 632, he died and was buried behind his mosque.29
Thus, after many conflicts with the Arabs of Mecca, Mohammed was accepted as a true prophet, even among his fiercest of enemies.
From this brief study one can see that the accomplishments of Mohammed granted him the right to become renown as The Holy Prophet of Islam. After his death, much investigation was made into his life and the work of the Qur'an, which led to the belief that his coming was preordained and pre-acknowledged in several sources. Furthermore, many testimonies of his childhood and early adulthood have been produced, which attest to signs of the divine roll of Mohammed. Finally, after adjusting his position to that of a military leader, he was successful in overcoming all who opposed his religion until Islam became instituted as the true religion of Allah, and Mohammed became accepted as his Messenger.
1 Morin, pp. 23. Cf. 23-25 and Gilchrist 6-25 for a strong refutation of these claims.
2 Walker, p. 201.
3 Gilchrist, pp. 26-27.
4 Walker, p. 201.
5 Morin p. 20.
6 Salahi, p. 7.
7 Walker, p. 201.
8 Morin, p. 69.
9 The Jews, on the other hand, were aware of the coming of a Messiah centuries before the birth of Christ.
10 Lammens, p. 242.
11 Ibn Ishaq pp. 69-70.
12 Glubb, p. 70.
13 Peters, p. 101.
14 Bodley, p. 27.
15 Salahi, pp. 24-26.
16 Khan, p. 13.
17 Walker, p. 88.
18 Sarwar, p. 87.
19 Khan, p. 17.
20 Ibid, p. 20.
21 Sarwar, p. 90.
22 Walker, p. 95.
23 Khan, pp. 26-27.
24 Walker, pp. 101-103.
25 Salahi, pp. 82-87.
26 Peters, pp. 173-182.
27 Walker, pp. 114-115.
28 Ibid, pp.119-122.
29 Ibid, pp. 130-141.
Bodley, R.V.C. The Messenger: The Life of Mohammed. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1946.
Gilchrist, John. Is Muhammad Foretold in the Bible? England: Roodepoort Mission Press, 1985.
Glubb, John B. The Life and Times of Muhammad. New York: Stein and Day, 1970.
Ibn Ishaq. The Life of Muhammad. A Translation of Ishaq's "Sirat Rasul Allah," with Introduction and Notes by Alfred Guillaume. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Pr., 1955.
Khan, Muhammad Z. Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1980.
Lammens, Henri. "L'Age de Mahomet et la chronologie de la sira." Journal Asiagique, 10th series, 17: 209-250, 1911.
Morrin, Harry. Responding to Muslims. Springfield, MO: CMM, 1996.
Peters, F.E. Muhammad and the Origins of Islam. New York: State of New York Press, 1994.
Salahi, M.A. Muhammad: Man and Prophet. Rockport, MA: Element Books, 1995.
Sarwar, Ghulam. Islam: Beliefs and Teachings. London: The Muslim Educational Trust, 1989.
Walker, Benjamin. Foundations of Islam: The Making of a World Faith. London: Peter Owen Publishers, 1998.
