Muhammad in
the Bible 7. The Prophet Like unto Moses God addressed Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18): "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee [Moses], and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." 1. Brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac) are Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael). Jesus is here excluded, as he is an Israelite. Otherwise it should be written "a prophet from among yourselves." 2. Is Muhammad not like unto Moses? If not accepted, this promise has yet to be fulfilled. The table below, taken from Al-lttihad (January-March 1982), page 41, is self-explanatory: Following is a comparison between a few crucial characteristics of Moses, Muhammad, and Jesus which may clarify the identity of "that prophet" who was to come after Moses:
3. "Put my words in his mouth". So God's revelation came through Gabriel, and Prophet Muhammad's own thinking was not involved. But this applies to all divine revelation. Perhaps here mentioned specifically to compare with the revelation to Moses, which is came in "written tablets", as believed. (Deuteronomy 18:19): "And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." In the Holy Qur’an, 113 of the 114 surahs start with: "In the name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful." Also in their daily work, the Muslims start with this saying. Not in the name of God, but "in my name", His personal name which is “Allah”. As it is a personal name, it is not subject to gender like God or Goddess, or to plurality like Gods or Gods. Christians start with "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." It is to be noted that those who will not hear him, or who deny him, will be punished. This corresponds with passages in the Holy Qur’an: Surah 3:19 (English meaning): “Truly the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam”. Surah 3:85 (English meaning): “And whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”. Muhammad in the Bible |