Proof of the Prophet’s Mission from Torah, Gospel, and Quran
Imam al-Hafiz Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah states in his book Guidance for the Confused in Responseto Jews and Christians (هداية الحيارى في أجوبة اليهود والنصارى)
that the glad tidings of the Prophet’s mission are found in the texts of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran.
1. Proof from the Torah
In Deuteronomy 33:2, it is written:
“The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned upon them from Seir; He shone forth
from Mount Paran, and came with ten thousand holy ones; from His right hand
came a fiery law for them.”
— Deuteronomy 33:2
This verse contains three prophecies:
- Sinai refers to the mountain where God
spoke to Moses, indicating his prophethood.
- Seir is a known village near
Jerusalem, symbolizing the emergence of Jesus.
- Paran refers to Mecca, where Muhammad ibn Abdullah
appeared.
God likened Moses’s prophethood to the coming of dawn, Jesus’s to the
rising light, and Muhammad’s to the full radiance of the sun — meaning the
spread of light across the horizons. The reality unfolded exactly as foretold:
Moses’s prophethood broke the night of disbelief, Jesus’s added brilliance, and
Muhammad’s completed the illumination, spreading across the earth.
2. The Three Prophets in the Quran
These three prophecies are echoed in
{By the fig and the olive, and Mount Sinai, and this secure
city.}
— [ At-Tin 95:1–3]
- {The fig and the
olive} refer to the sacred land — the place of Jesus’s mission.
- {Mount Sinai} is where God spoke to Moses.
- {This secure city} is Mecca, the place of Muhammad’s
mission.
3. Refuting the Jewish Claim about Paran
Some Jews claim that Paran refers to the Levant, not the Hijaz. But this
is a distortion. The Torah itself states in Genesis 21:21:
“And Ishmael dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took for
him a wife from Egypt.”
Scholars of the People of the Book agree that Paran was inhabited by the
descendants of Ishmael. Thus, the Torah contains a prophecy
of a prophet arising from Paran, whose followers would spread across plains and
mountains — a clear reference to Muhammad (PBUH), the noblest descendant of
Ishmael, whose light filled the earth and whose followers spread far and wide.
4. What Jesus Said to His Disciples
Ibn al-Qayyim also quotes Jesus’s words to his disciples:
“I will go, and the Paraclete will come to you — the Spirit of Truth. He
will not speak of himself but will speak as he is told. He will testify of me,
and you will testify of me, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
“The Paraclete will not come unless I go. When he comes, he will convict
the world of sin. He will not speak on his own, but will speak what he hears,
and will guide you in truth, and tell you what is to come.”
In another passage:
“The Son of Man is going, and the Paraclete will come after him with
secrets, and will explain everything. He will testify of me as I testified of
him. I speak to you in parables; he will come with interpretation.”
In John 14:26:
“The Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, whom the Father will send in my
name, will teach you all things.”
Abu Muhammad ibn Qutaybah said these statements, though varied, are
consistent — differing only because multiple disciples transmitted them.
The word Paraclete in their language is a term of praise —
interpreted as Ahmad, Muhammad, Mahmud, or Hamed.
In the Ethiopian Gospel, it is Barna’atīs.
Another passage says:
“If you love me, keep my commandments. I will ask the Father to send you
another Paraclete to remain with you forever — the Spirit of Truth, whom the
world cannot accept because it does not know him. I will not leave you as
orphans; I will come to you soon.”
Elsewhere:
“I have much to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. When the Spirit
of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own,
but will speak what he hears, and will tell you what is to come.”
“Paraclete” is also interpreted as the Savior. Christians call Jesus the
Savior — a Syriac word meaning “the one who saves.” In Syriac, “Fāraq” means
“he who separates,” and “līt” is a particle meaning “he is.” In Greek, it means
“the Comforter.”
The Paraclete is described as one who comes after Jesus, not during his
lifetime. Jesus said:
“Another Paraclete” — meaning a second one, not present during Jesus’s life, but coming
after his departure.
He also said:
“He will remain with you forever” — indicating that the second one, the Chosen One,
brings a law that will never be abrogated. This applies only to Muhammad (PBUH).
5. The Gospel of Barnabas Explicitly Mentions Muhammad
In Chapter 54 of the Gospel of Barnabas, it states:
“God will raise the four archangels who seek the Messenger of God. When
they find him, they will stand at the four corners of the place as guards. Then
God will revive all the angels who will surround the Messenger like bees. Then
God will revive all the prophets who will come, all following Adam, and they
will kiss the hand of the Messenger and place themselves under his protection.
Then God will revive all the elect who will cry: ‘Remember us, O Muhammad!’
Mercy will stir in the Messenger for their cries, and he will consider what
must be done out of fear for their sincerity.”
In Chapter 72:
“Jesus answered: Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. I did not
create you — God who created you will protect you. As for me, I came to prepare
the way for the Messenger of God who will bring salvation to the world. But
beware of being deceived, for many false prophets will come, corrupting my
words and defiling my Gospel.”
When asked for a sign to recognize him, Jesus replied:
“He will not come in your time, but after many years, when my Gospel is
nearly extinct and only thirty believers remain. Then God will have mercy on
the world and send His Messenger, upon whose head a white cloud will rest. One
of God’s chosen will recognize him and reveal him to the world. He will come
with great power against the wicked, destroy idolatry, and glorify God through
him. He will reveal my truth and avenge those who claim I am more than a man.”
This passage explicitly names Muhammad (PBUH) and describes his
attributes in detail.
6. What the Quran Says About These Prophecies
God Almighty says:
{Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet,
whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them
what is right and forbids them what is wrong, and makes lawful for them the
good things and prohibits for them the evil, and relieves them of their burden
and the shackles which were upon them. So those who have believed in him, honored
him, supported him, and followed the light which was sent down with him — it is
they who will be successful.}
— [Al-A‘raf 7:157]
That is: those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet —
Muhammad (PBUH) — whom they find
mentioned by name and description in the Torah and the Gospel. He commands them
to do good, forbids them from evil, makes lawful for them the pure things, and
prohibits for them the impure — such as carrion and usury. He lifts from them their burdens —
meaning the severe obligations imposed upon them in the Torah, such as cutting
out the part of a garment touched by impurity, or the strict prohibition of
work on the Sabbath. He also removes the chains and hardships they were bound
with — the punishments and restrictions they endured.
So those who believe in him, revere him, support him against his enemies,
protect him from harm, and follow the light sent down with him — the Quran — they
are the ones who will prosper.
By: Muhammad Atiyyah al-Ibrashi
Egyptian thinker and philosopher
