Who is Muhammad?

Muhammad, the unlettered man, is the last and final messenger send by Almighty God to all of humanity, after Prophet Jesus. Muhammad was a living example of Islam. He explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islam through his example. He was the greatest of all prophets mainly because his mission brought more people into the pure belief in to the Oneness of Almighty God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, “God Incarnate” or the “Son of God”. All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, Prophet Muhammad always emphasized that he was only a human being tasked with the preaching of Almighty God’s message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”.

To Muslims, Muhammad is the best of examples for all people – he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbor, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don’t need to have “faith” that he existed and that his teachings are preserved – they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had been sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten Almighty God’s messages, Almighty God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad (i.e. Al-Qur’aan). This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of Almighty God’s messengers have preached the message of Islam (i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone), Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islam, not the first.

Prophet Muhammad is Prophesized in some of the old scriptures:

Almighty God speaks to Moses in Book of Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 18:

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”

The Christians say that this prophecy refers to Jesus (pbuh) because Jesus (pbuh) was like Moses (pbuh). Moses (pbuh) was a Jew, as well as Jesus (pbuh) was a Jew. Moses (pbuh) was a Prophet, and Jesus (pbuh) was also a Prophet.

If these two are the only criteria for this prophecy to be fulfilled, then all the Prophets of the Bible who came after Moses (pbuh) such as Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist, etc. (pbut) will fulfill this prophecy since all were Jews as well as prophets.

However, it is Prophet Muhammad who is like Moses:

• Both had a father and a mother, while Jesus (pbuh) was born miraculously without any male intervention. [Mathew 1:18 and Luke 1:35 and also Al-Qur’aan 3:42-47]
• Both were married and had children. Jesus (pbuh), according to the Bible, did not marry nor have children.
• Both died natural deaths. Jesus (pbuh) has been raised up alive. (4:157-158)
• Muhammad (pbuh) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh). Arabs are the brethren of Jews. Abraham (pbuh) had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac (pbut). The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail (pbuh) and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac (pbuh).Words in the mouth:
• Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from Almighty God he repeated them verbatim.
• “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” [Deuteronomy 18:18]
• Both, besides being Prophets, were also kings, i.e., they could inflict capital punishment. Jesus (pbuh) said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36).
• Both were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime, but Jesus (pbuh) was rejected by his people. John chapter 1 verse 11 states, “He came unto his own, but his own received him not.”
• Both brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Jesus (pbuh), according to the Bible, did not bring any new laws. (Mathew 5:17-18).

It is mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 18:19: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not harken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

Muhammad (pbuh) is prophesised in the book of Isaiah, chapter 29, verse 12:

“And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.”

When Archangel Gabriel commanded Muhammad by saying IQRA – “Read”, he replied, “I am not learned”.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse 16:

“Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem.”

“His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.” In the Hebrew language im is added for respect. Similarly, it is added after the name of the Prophet Muhammad to make it Muhammadim.

In English translation, they have even translated the name of the Prophet Muhammad as “altogether lovely”, but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of the Prophet Muhammad is still present.

“And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.’ But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, ‘This is evident sorcery!'” [Al-Qur’aan 61:6]

All the prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament regarding Prophet Muhammad, besides applying to the Jews, also hold good for the Christians.

1.      John chapter 14 verse 16: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.”

2.     Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which
proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”

3.     Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 7: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”.

“Ahmed” or “Muhammad,” meaning “the one who praises” or “the praised one” is almost the translation of the Greek word Periclytos. In the Gospel of John 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7, the word ‘Comforter’ is used in the English translation for the Greek word Paracletos, which means advocate or a kind friend rather than a comforter. Paracletos is the warped reading for Periclytos. Jesus actually prophesied Ahmed by name. Even the Greek word Paraclete refers to the Prophet who is a mercy for all creatures.

Some Christians say that the Comforter mentioned in these prophecies refers to the Holy Spirit. They fail to realize that the prophecy clearly says that only if Jesus (pbuh) departs will the Comforter come. The Bible states that the Holy Spirit was already present on earth before and during the time of Jesus, in the womb of Elizabeth, and again when Jesus (pbuh) was being baptized, etc. Hence this prophecy refers to none other than Prophet Muhammad.

• Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 12-14: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me”. The Spirit of Truth, spoken about in this prophecy, refers to none other than the Prophet Muhammad.

Furthermore, Muhammad is also prophesied in many other religious texts (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism etc., like in the Bhavishya Purana, the Hindu scripture:

According to Bhavishya Purana in the Prati Sarag Parv III Khand 3 Adhay 3 Shloka 5 to 8:

“A malecha (belonging to a foreign country and speaking a foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear with his companions. His name will be Mohammad. Raja (Bhoj), after giving this Maha Dev Arab (of angelic disposition) a bath in the Panchgavya and the Ganga water (i.e., purifying him of all sins), offered him the present of his sincere devotion and showing him all reverence, said, “I make obeisance to thee. O ye! The pride of mankind, the dweller in Arabia, Ye have collected a great force to kill the Devi, and you yourself have been protected from the malecha opponents.”

reference: www.irf.net