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Who is
the Awaited Prophet in the Bible?
God
will Put His Words in the Mouth of that Prophet:
Generally speaking, this description may apply to any
messenger of God who is communicating God’s message to
mankind. While that message may come in “written
tablets” as is believed to have been the case with
Moses, the specific wording of the above verses is a vivid
description of the type of revelation received by
Muhammad. Angel Gabriel used to come and dictate to him
specific portions of the Qur’an which were then repeated
by Prophet Muhammad exactly as he has heard them.
Mohammed’s own thinking or authorship were not involved
in any way in what he uttered. The words of God (The
Qur’an) were “put into his mouth”. As the Qur’an
itself described:
“He (Muhammad) does not speak of his
own desire, it is no less than a revelation sent down to
him.” (The Qur’an53: 3-4)
Numerous passages in the Qur’an command Muhammad in such
terms as Qul (say), Thakkir (remind), Nabbi’ (inform).
Other passages in the Qur’an start with such expressions
as waqala Rabbokum (and your Lord said..) Still in other
passages it reads wa yas’aloonaka... qul... (and
they ask you (O Muhammad) … say…).
The above analysis fits not only Deuteronomy 18:18, but is
also consistent with the subsequent verses. For example
Deuteronomy 18:19 reads:
“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.”
It is interesting to note that 113 out the 114 Surahs
(chapters) of the Qur’an starts with
Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem (in the name of Allah (God),
Most Gracious, Most Merciful). The very first passage of
the Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad read:
“ Read in the name of your Lord who
created…” (The Qur’an 96:1)
Following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, there is
no other community of believers who starts almost every
action in their daily lives with this formula “In the
name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”. It should
be noted here that the Arabic term “Allah” is not only
the Arabic equivalent of “God”, but it is also the
personal name of God. To say “in the Name of Allah” is
a far clearer fulfillment of the prophecy”.. He shall
speak in My name: (Deuteronomy 18:19), than other common
expressions such as: In the name of God” or “In the
name of the Father”.
A fair question at this point is this: Since virtually
anyone can presume to speak “in the name of God”, what
criterion should be used to distinguish between a genuine
prophet and messenger of God and other false prophets who
may also presume to speak in the name of God?
The answer to this question was clearly given in the
concluding verses of Chapter 18 of the Book of
Deuteronomy.
“And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the
word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet
speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not
nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath
not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously;
thou shall not be afraid of him”(Deuteronomy 18:21-22)
It is a fact that not a single prophecy made by Prophet
Muhammad proved to be inaccurate in the least degree.
Every prophecy he made about the near future at his time
did come to pass. Examples of these are:
The prophecy that Muslims were to conquer the two
“superpowers” of their time; the Persian and Byzantine
empires. This prophecy was made when Muslims were so few
and weak that to prophecy their mere physical survival
would have sounded too hopeful!
A prophecy that Suraqah (a man who was about to kill
Prophet Muhammad during the later’s journey to Madinah
(Medina) after the pagans plotted to kill him) would
become a Muslim, participate in the Muslim army conquering
the Persian Empire and would actually have access to the
Emperor’s crown and place it over his head! Nor only did
this prophecy appear to be a virtual impossibility when it
was made, but its fulfillment was so perfect and complete
as if the Prophet was looking eye-to-eye at the scene
which took place years after his death. The fact that
Suraqah did become a Muslim, lived long enough to
participate in the conquest of Persia, that the Muslims
came out victorious, that Suraqah had access to the
Emperor’s crown and actually wore it, can hardly be
regarded as a coincidence or a self fulfilling prophecy.
Surely the chances are nil that numerous such prophecies,
all in the minutest detail described by Prophet Muhammad,
happened by accident! Nor can such 100% accuracy every
time and at all times emanate from any other than a true
and genuine prophet using the criterion stipulated in
Deuteronomy (18:21-22).
Other Characteristics of “That
Prophet”:
An equally interesting and most revealing profile of
Prophet Muhammad is found in the 42nd chapter of the Book
of Isaiah. Let us examine some of these characteristics:
The One in Whom God’s soul delights is called the
servant of God (V.1), His elect (V.1) and His Messenger
(V.19).
Translated into Arabic these titles read “Abduhu
warasooluhu al-Mustapha”. Surely all prophets were
indeed servants, messengers and elects of God. Yet no
prophet in history is as universally called by these
specific titles as is Muhammad. The testimony of faith by
which the person enters into the fold of Islam reads:
“I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and I
bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and
messenger”.
Virtually the same formula is repeated five times a day
during the call to prayers, five times a day immediately
before the beginning of prayers (iqamah), nine times a day
during the minimum mandatory prayers, several more times
if the Muslim performs additional recommended prayers
(sunnah). The most common title of Prophet Muhammad since
his mission until today is Rasoolullah (the messenger of
God). The Qur’an gives him this title. During his
lifetime he was addressed as such by his followers. The
voluminous collections of hadith (Prophet Mohammed’s
sayings) are narrated typically in these forms: “I heard
the Messenger of Allah say..: “The Messenger of Allah
said or replied..”.
He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set
judgement in the earth (V.4), he shall prevail against his
enemies (V.13) and shall bring judgment to the Gentiles
(v.1).
In comparing the lives and missions of Jesus and Muhammad,
it becomes readily clear that in the case of Jesus he
expressed on more than one occasion how disappointed he
was in the Israelites’ rejection of him. Nor did Jesus
live long enough to prevail over his enemies (beyond the
moral victory, which is a common victory for all
prophets).
On the other hand, we find no trace of Prophet
Muhammad’s discouragement even in the most critical
moments of his mission. In one year his beloved and
supporting wife Khadijah died following 25 years of
successful marriage; his uncle Abu-Talib, who was
instrumental in protecting him from the fury of the pagan
Arabs also died. These two tragedies were combined with
the fact that his followers constituted only a small
persecuted and tortured group. Under such trying
circumstances, Muhammad went to the city of at-Taif to
invite people to Islam and seek their support in his
struggle against paganism. He was rejected, mocked at and
stoned to the point of bleeding. In spite of all this he
was never “discouraged” to use Isaiah’s term (V.4);
“O Allah! Forgive my people for they do not know what
they’re doing” was his utterance. When Angel Gabriel
offered him the chance to retaliate by destroying their
city, he refused in the hope that out of the descendants
of these wicked people would come those who would worship
God, and come they did!
After this bitter struggle, Muhammad “prevailed against
his enemies” established a strong community of believers
who indeed “brought judgment to the Gentiles”,
especially in the Persian and Byzantine Empires. Many such
Gentiles were guided to Islam while others suffered
defeats. As such he was truly “a light of the
Gentiles” of the whole world.
“He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to
be heard in the street” (V.2)
Not only was this a distinct characteristic and mark of
decency of Muhammad’s, it was indeed the embodiment of
the revelation given to him. In the words of the Qur’an:
“Be modest in thy bearing and subdue
thy voice. Lo! The harshet of all voices is the voice of
the ass.” (The Qur’an 31:19)
“Allah loveth not the utterqance of
harsh speech save by one who has been wronged.”
(The Qur’an 4:148)
“ The Isles shall wait for his law”. The only prophet
who came, after this prophecy was made (Isaiah’s time)
with a complete and comprehensive code of law was Prophet
Muhammad. The law revealed to him spread to all corners of
the earth, even in many remote isles and to the farthest
deserts. He will be sent “ to open the bind eyes, to
bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit
in darkness out of the prison house” (V.7).
Many of those who were opposed to the truth and bitterly
fought Muhammad ended up among the most devout believers.
Their blindness to truth was cured. Those who lived in the
darkness of an unholy life came to the light of truth
completed through the mission of Muhammad.
No wonder the Qur’an describes itself as
“Noram-mubeena” or light manifest. Describing the
Qru’an, God addresses Prophet Muhammad:
“ A book which we revealed unto you,
in order that you may lead mankind out of the depths of
darkness unto light by the leave of their Lord to the way
of Him, the exalted in power, worthy of all praise.”
(The Qur’an 14:1 )
“God’s glory will not be given to another.” (V.8).
The greatest glory a person receives from God is to be
entrusted as His messenger to mankind and receive His
glorious revelation. Not only did this apply to Prophet
Muhammad, but it uniquely applied to him as the last
messenger and prophet of God. Truly God’s glory
(revelation of scriptures) was not given and will not be
given to another prophet after Muhammad, as he is the
“seal” of all prophets. It is already about 1400 years
since Muhammad was sent and the Qur’an was revealed to
him. Yet we hear of no genuine prophet of the magnitude
and influence on humanity to be compared with such figures
as Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Nor do we hear
about another post- Qur’anic (glory) or holy book that
has influenced mankind to such a degree.
“Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise from the
end of the earth…” (V.10). A new song may be a
reference to a new scripture in a language other that the
language of the Israelite scriptures. This interpretation
seems consistent with amore explicit mention of someone
who will be speaking to people (including the Israelites)
in “another tongue” (Isaiah 28:11).
This explanation seems to fit closely with the second half
of he same verse (Isaiah 42:16) which speaks of the praise
of God “from the ends of the earth”. Only in the case
of Islam do we find this prophecy realized in amazing
accuracy. In all ends of the earth, five times every day
the praise of God and of His last messenger, Muhammad, is
chanted from the minarets of hundreds of thousands,
perhaps millions, of mosques around the world.
Additionally, frequent praise of God and Muhammad by
millions of devout Muslims is made on daily basis. It is
even a part of the required five daily prayers to include
the praise of Abraham and his descendants and of Muhammad
and his descendants. This is known as
“As-Salatul-Ibrahimiyyah”. This person to come is
connected with the Arabs, and specifically with the
descendants of ishmael (who settled in Makkah and its
environs). Verse 11 to the 42nd chapter of Isaiah leaves
absolutely no doubt the identity of “that prophet”.
“Let the wilderness of and the cities thereof lift up
their voice, the villages that Ke’dar does inhabit: let
the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the
top of the mountains.” (Isaiah 42:11). According to the
Book of Genesis, Ke’dar was the second son of Ismail
(Gen.25: 13). The best prophet who came from Ismael’s
descendants is Muhammad. His enemies (who were of his own
clan!), who were misled by their leaders or mighty men (as
described in Isaiah 21:17) ultimately embraced Islam and
were embraced by it. Indeed they had reason to “lift up
their voice”, to “sing” praise of God, and “shout
from the top of the mountains”. Is that possibly a
reference to the shouting of:
“Here I came (for your service) O Allah. Here I come.
Here I come. There is nor a partner with you. Here I come.
Verily yours is the Praise, the blessings and sovereignty.
There is no partner besides you”. This “shouting” is
chanted annually by multitudes of Muslims from all over
the world from Mount ‘Arafat as part of the annual rites
of hajj (pilgrimage).
The 42nd chapter of Isaiah is indeed a fascinating one. It
is not a casual or ambiguous reference to that servant and
messenger of God who was to come centuries later. It is
rather a comprehensive profile, which not only fits
Prophet Muhammad but fits no one else. After all, the
chapter relates this profile to Ke’dar son of Ismail and
no other descendants of Islamil fits these descriptions
but Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
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