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When Islam’s defenders challenge Christianity and other faiths, their dialogue is based upon their assumption that Muhammad was the ‘Seal of the Prophets.’ According to them, this would give him the authority to supersede and refute the teachings in the Bible with his writings in the Koran.
In order for Muhammad to qualify to be the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:18, it will become necessary for him to satisfy the unique attributes that belonged to Moses which were previously mentioned in chapter 1. The following seven categories will provide the necessary proof that not only is he to be considered ‘ineligible’ as the Prophet like Moses, but declared as a false prophet and teacher:
| 1) | During the time of Moses' birth, Exodus 1:22 reveals that the Pharaoh of Egypt had made a decree that all newly born male children of Israel would be killed. When Muhammad was born, a decree of this nature and magnitude was never made. |
| 2) | In order to rescue the newborn Moses from Pharaoh's decree, Exodus 2:2-6, 10 reveals that his mother sent him into Egypt when he was three months of age. It was there where he was kept safe. This never happened to Muhammad! |
| 3) | Moses was a descendent of the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was renamed Israel. Unlike Moses, though Muhammad’s genealogy is not mentioned in the Koran, he is said to be a descendent of Ishmael, NOT Israel. |
This fact may not seem important, but it is! According to Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses told the children of Israel that God would raise up a Prophet who will be like him ‘of thy brethren.’ Therefore, he must be a descendent of Abraham’s promised son Jacob, not Ishmael:
According to the Koran, Muhammad was not a prophet since there are no proven prophecies that are recorded. Many Muslims are taught that Sura 30:2-4 is the ‘Great Prophecy of Muhammad.’ It states:
“The Romans are vanquished, In a near land, and they, after being vanquished, shall overcome, Within a few years. Allah’s is the command before and after; and on that day the believers shall rejoice.”
During Muhammad’s lifetime the Romans, who were also called the Byzantines, were at war with the Persians. As Muhammad predicted, they eventually became victorious over the Persians who had first defeated them. Does this citation in the Koran prove that Muhammad was a Prophet like Moses? What is a near land? Where is it? Is it near Mecca, Medina, or Jerusalem? How many years are a few years? Seemingly, this quote from the Koran lacks detail and is extremely vague!
It is also important to remember that, considering that God is all knowing, providing a precise time frame should be expected. For God to be unspecific that the Romans would become victorious within “a few years” is inconsistent with His profile and the notion that He is an Omniscient Being who knows all things.
Unlike Muhammad, when the prophets of the Bible provide their prophecies, there are times when the exact number of years that a specific event would take place is recorded. As an example, in Genesis 15:13 God told Abraham exactly how long the children of Israel would be in captivity in Egypt, four hundred years. Also, according to Jeremiah 25:11, the prophet successfully foretells that the children of Israel would be captive in Babylon for seventy years. To the exact year, this happened! The applicable verses follow:
Since Sura 30:2-4 is quite vague, accepting it as the ‘Great Prophecy of Muhammad’ could result in a serious mistake. It may be more appropriate to consider it not a prophecy at all. Therefore, since Muhammad was not a descendent of Jacob like Moses, and the Koran fails to uncover any fulfilled prophecies, he cannot be the Prophet like Moses that was prophesied in Deuteronomy 18:18.
| 4) | As we have seen, the LORD advised Aaron and Miriam that Moses was allowed to see His appearance. The proof that Moses actually saw God can be found in Exodus 34:29-30, 35. This passage testifies that after Moses saw God on Mount Sinai, and he returned to the children of Israel with the Ten Commandments, his face glowed from being in God’s presence. |
Unlike Moses, the Koran teaches that Muhammad did not get his revelation directly from God Himself, he received it from the angel Gabriel:
“Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel – for he brings down the [revelation] to thy heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe.” Sura 2:97
Therefore, unlike Moses, Muhammad was never in God’s presence. His face never shined with God’s glory. Therefore, with respect to this requirement, Muhammad must be disqualified!
| 5) | According to Deuteronomy 9:10-11, Moses introduced a covenant relationship between God and the children of Israel when he brought the Ten Commandments down from the mount. Exodus 24:4-8 reveals that his covenant was sealed by blood. |
Since the Scriptures teach that the children of Israel broke this covenant that was made, a new and better covenant was required. This was established through Jesus Christ when He shed His blood at the crucifixion at Calvary.
Not only did Muhammad fail to establish any type of a covenant between Allah and his people, he taught against such beliefs. In the Koran, Sura 4:157 states:
“And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa [Jesus] son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so.”
According to this Sura, Muhammad taught that Jesus was never crucified. However, the Bible teaches that He was. John 19:16-20 states:
In order for the Islamic faith to be true, that Muhammad is the ‘Seal of the Prophets,’ there must be some type of evidence that a prophecy that is written in the Koran was fulfilled. However, there is not! The best illustration of a prophecy that the Muslims can provide is located in Sura 30:2-4. This has already been addressed.
Since there is no prophecy in the Koran, Muhammad had absolutely no authority to challenge and supersede the writings and teachings of Moses and the prophets. Furthermore, he had no authority to refute the crucifixion that is clearly taught in the New Testament Scriptures. Islam’s defenders use the teachings in the Koran and the so-called authority of Muhammad to justify their beliefs. However, it must be noted that many Muslims are innocent and unaware of the fact that Muhammad himself failed to establish his own credibility as a prophet of God. As a result, everything that is written in the Koran must stand on its own merits and should not be seriously considered unless it is supported by other sources that have credibility.
| 6) | Through Moses, the LORD God of the Bible displayed miraculous signs and wonders. The Koran reports no signs and wonders that Allah demonstrated through his prophet Muhammad. |
| 7) | As we have seen, Moses offered himself to God to be slain so that his people could live. He also made intercession for the people. Likewise, so did Jesus! By giving Himself up as the final sacrifice for sin so that all can obtain everlasting life, Jesus satisfied all seven requirements to be the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15, 18. |
Muhammad failed to meet this final requirement, and all other qualifications to be the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.
Muhammad’s birthplace was in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Most sources support the fact that he was born in approximately AD 570 and died in AD 632. As previously mentioned, though he is the acclaimed Prophet of the Islamic religion, the Koran does not contain any prophecy which was fulfilled that was written by him. However, contained within Islam is another sacred source, called the sunnah (what the Prophet Muhammad said, did or approved of). The sunnah is comprised of hadiths, which are considered to be reliably transmitted reports by Muhammad’s companions of what he said, did, or approved of during his lifetime. Belief in the sunnah is foundational within the Islamic faith. The hadiths were recorded approximately two centuries after Muhammad died. Since then, they have been used as a source of inspiration and guidance for Muslims throughout the world.
Many religions such as rabbinical Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism contain some wonderful teachings that are universally accepted by mankind in general. For example in the Bible, Exodus 20:13 states, “Thou shalt not kill.” This is a universal principle that is shared by all religions. Both Christians and Muslims believe in this same fundamental concept, that taking a human life compromises God’s word. According to God, it is against His law!
Christians and Jews refer to the teachings in the Bible as written by Moses and the prophets. Meanwhile, Muslims refer to the Koran. Though the Bible contains numerous proven and supported prophecies, the Koran does not contain any. Just like any other religion, many teachings that were written by Muhammad in the Koran may be noteworthy, while some may not. To investigate the possibility of Muhammad being a great teacher, it is necessary to refer to the hadiths and find out what some of Muhammad’s friends wrote about him, the things he said, and what he taught.
| 1) | In a certain hadith, Muhammad prescribes a remedy for those of a certain tribe who traveled to Medina. They became ill because the climate did not suit them: |
Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 4, Number 234
Narrated Abu Qilaba: Anas said, “Some people of ‘Ukl or ‘Uraina tribe came to Medina and its climate did not suit them. So the Prophet ordered them to go to the herd of [Milch] camels and to drink their milk and urine [as a medicine]. So they went as directed and after they became healthy, they killed the shepherd of the Prophet and drove away all the camels.”
Contrary to Muhammad’s prescription, those in today’s medical profession believe that the combination of camel milk and urine for consumption will not result in curing any sicknesses.
| 2) | In another hadith, Abdullah bin Salam asks Muhammad three questions. The third question is quite interesting. He asks Muhammad why a child resembles its father or its maternal uncle? This was Muhammad’s response: |
Sahih Al-Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 55, Number 546:
Narrated Anas: When ‘Abdullah bin Salam heard the arrival of the Prophet at Medina, he came to him and said, “I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a prophet: What is the first portent of the Hour? What will be the first meal taken by the people of Paradise? Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle” Allah’s apostle said, “Gabriel has just now told me of their answers.” ‘Abdullah said, “He [i.e. Gabriel], from amongst all the angels, is the enemy of the Jews.” Allah’s Apostle said, “The first portent of the Hour will be a fire that will bring together the people from the east to the west; the first meal of the people of Paradise will be Extra-lobe [caudate lobe] of fish-liver. As for the resemblance of the child to its parents: If a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and gets discharge first, the child will resemble the father, and if a woman gets discharge first, the child will resemble her.” On that ‘Abdullah bin Salaam said, “I testify that you are the Apostle of Allah.”
Contrary to Muhammad’s teachings of how a child resembles either parent, modern day Biology scholars disagree! According to them, the order in which the parent discharges during sexual intercourse is quite irrelevant.
In conclusion, using these two hadiths as illustrations, Muhammad must be considered a false teacher!
Muhammad allegedly claimed that the Antichrist, called the Dajjal, was to appear shortly after the Muslim conquest of Constantinople. The following traditions are taken from the Sunan Abu Dawud:
Book 37, Number 4281:
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal: The Prophet [peace_be_upon_him] said, "The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib [Medina] is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the great war comes, the outbreak of the great war will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when the Dajjal [Antichrist] comes forth." He [the Prophet] struck his thigh or his shoulder with his hand and said, "This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting.
Book 37, Number 4282:
Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal: The Prophet [peace_be_upon_him] said, "The greatest war, the conquest of Constantinople and the coming forth of the Dajjal [Antichrist] will take place within a period of seven months."
Accordingly, the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in AD 636 and Constantinople was taken over by the Muslims in May of AD 1453. Based on the preceding traditions, the antichrist should have manifested himself in December of AD 1453. This never happened! The only possible conclusion that can be made with respect to this matter is as follows: The prophecies regarding Yathrib (Medina) being in ruins and the Antichrist's arrival to take place seven months after the conquest of Constantinople never materialized. Therefore, Muhammad was a false prophet!
Consequently, the Holy Scriptures provide a warning to all people regarding those who prophesy falsely in the name of the LORD. Deuteronomy 18:22 states:
Regarding Muhammad, this was certainly the case as he prophesied falsely in the name of the LORD. Finally, assuming that Muhammad lived today and that the world submitted to the laws written in the Bible, Deuteronomy 18:20 decrees the death penalty upon Muhammad: