Did Jesus and Isaiah
PROPHESY the coming of MUHAMMAD?
Note: The following is written in a language that is intended as an
`Invitation' (Daw'ah) to Christians, who have confused the
concept of "Spirit of Truth" (a Paraclete) with "Holy Spirit".
Moses and Isaiah PROPHESIED the coming of JESUS.
Did Jesus and Isaiah PROPHESY the coming of MUHAMMAD?
To understand the prophecies made by
Jesus on the subject, one has to begin with the First
Epistle of John, Chapter 2, Verse 1. Here, Jesus Christ is
called a "Paraclete" (Parakletos, Advocate,
Comforter, Helper) by apostle John. The same term
"Paraclete" is used by the apostle in his
Gospel, in connection with a portentous prophecy made by
Jesus Christ, before the end of his ministry upon this
earth, for the coming of "another Paraclete".
Prophet Moses also made a similar prophecy, before the end
of his ministry, for the coming of his successor. Jesus
Christ declared;
"And I will pray the Father, and He
will give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with
you into the age (to come)."
John 14:16
Note: We often read the verse ending as;
"with you for ever". However; "into the
age" is the literal translation of the Greek phrase;
`eis ton aiona', used by John.
These two verses by John clearly
demonstrate that Jesus Christ, while speaking of
"another Paraclete", was speaking of the coming
of "another male figure" like himself, some time
in the future, after his departure. The passage quoted
below also confirms that the original concept among the
noted Christian scholars and populace, for the
"Paraclete" was for the coming of a "male
figure", but that concept was later confused with the
"Holy Spirit". Here is an extract from the world
renowned and distinguished Anchor Bible Volume 29A:
"The word parakletos is peculiar in
the NT to the Johnannine literature. In 1John ii1 Jesus is
a parakletos (not a title), serving as a heavenly
intercessor with the Father. ...Christian tradition has
identified this figure (Paraclete) as the Holy Spirit, but
scholars like Spitta, Delafosse, Windisch, Sasse, Butlmann
and Betz have doubted whether this identification is true
to the original picture and have suggested that the
Paraclete was once an independent salvific figure, later
confused with the Holy Spirit." (page 1135).
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ,
besides being a "Messiah" was also a prophet
like Moses, by his own admission. Please see John 5:46 and
9:17. Hence to say that the coming of "another
Paraclete" was similar to the coming of "another
Prophet" like Jesus and Moses, would not be
inaccurate. OTOH, the concept of "Holy Spirit"
is unequivocally negated by the following verse:
"But I tell you the truth, it is to
your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away,
the Paraclete shall not come to you; but if I go, I will
send him to you." John 16:7
This verse clearly tells us that the
coming of the Paraclete was subject to the departure of
Jesus. Whereas, the "Holy Spirit" was already
present. It was in existence since the day of the Creation
and was hovering upon the surface of the earth (Genesis
1:2). It was also present with the prophets of the Old
Testament. The "Holy Spirit" happened to be
present at River Jordan when Jesus Christ was being
Baptised by John the Baptist, in the early part of his
ministry. So, how could Jesus say; "but if I go, I
will send Holy Spirit"?
"When the Paraclete comes, whom I
will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of
Truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness
of me." John 15:26
This above verse clears the confusion.
The Paraclete is called the "Spirit of Truth"
and not the "Holy Spirit". These are two
separate terms and two independent entities. The first
takes the pronoun "he" being a male figure,
whereas, the second one takes the pronoun "it".
"But the Paraclete, the Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you
all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said
to you." John 14:26
Note: 1. In the older MSS, Codex
Syriacus discovered in 1812 on Mount Sinai by Mrs.Agnes S.
Lewis (and Mrs. Bensley), the text of 14:26 reads;
"Paraclete, the Spirit"; and not
"Paraclete, the Holy Spirit". "The
Spirit" is a reference to "the Spirit of
Truth" as in 15:26.
2. The word spirit, Greek. `pneu'ma', is
of neutral gender and takes pronoun "it".
Whereas, in almost all the verses referring to Paraclete
quoted above and below, the pronoun used is
"he".
3. In 1 John 4:6, the terms "the
spirit of truth" and "the spirit of error"
are used for the human beings.
4. History records that prophet Muhammad
was known for his Truth and Honesty, long before he
received the Revelations.
Jesus Christ did indicate what the
Paraclete to come will do in his time. Did prophet
Muhammad do those things? Let's examine;
1. "But when he, the Spirit of
Truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he
will not speak on his own initiative, but whatever he
hears, he will speak..." Jn.16:13
Note: The Quran is a compilation of the
"Divine Revelations" that were received by
prophet Muhammad, over a period of 23 years, through the
arch angel Gabriel. The prophet used to recite whatever he
used to hear. Prophet's companions used to write down
whatever was recited. The Quran does not contain the
writings or teachings of or by Muhammad, as often
mentioned by some misinformed authors.
2. "He shall glorify me." John
16:14
Note: The Quran glorifies the birth of
Jesus through Virgin Mary. The Quran also confirms, Jesus
was a Messiah; a Messenger of God; the Spirit from God;
the Word of God and the Righteous Prophet.
3. "He shall take mine and shall
disclose it to you." Jn.16:14
Note: Muhammad did declare himself a
Messenger of God like Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
4. "He will teach you all
things." John 14:26
Note: The Quran teaches a way of life.
It guides mankind, how to live a pious life socially,
politically and spiritually.
5. "He will bring to your
remembrance all that I said to you." Jn.14:26
Note: The Quran speaks about the
teaching of the righteous Jesus and even quotes him.
6. "He will bear witness of
me" John 15:26
Note: The Quran attests the miracles
performed by Jesus the Messiah. It also mentions one
astonishing miracle performed by Jesus that the Gospel
writers have not recorded. The Quran acknowledges that
these miracles and signs were performed with the leave of
Allah, by His righteous Servant and Messiah Jesus. The
same is also attested in the Book of Acts 2:22; 3:13
(NASB).
Prophet Isaiah is considered to be one
of the major prophets of the Old Testament. In the Book of
Isaiah there are several prophecies about the coming of
the Messiah. In chapter 42, Isaiah begins with a prophecy
for the coming of prophet Jesus. After verse number nine,
God declares through Isaiah, the "new things"
that are to "spring forth" in the Land of Kedar.
In the Bible there is only one
personality called Kedar. He was the grandson of prophet
Abraham, through his son Ishmael (see Gen.25:13). Kedar's
descendants had settled in Paran (Syno-Arabian dessert).
In the Rabbinic literature Arabia is called the "Land
of Kedar". Prophet Muhammad was a descendant of
Kedar.
God declares through Isaiah;
"Behold, the former things are come
to pass, and the new things do I declare: before they
spring forth I tell you of them. `Sing unto the Lord a new
song, and his praise from the end of the earth'. Let the
wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voices,
the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants
of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the
mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare
His praise in the inlands." Chapter 42, Verses 9-12.
God did reveal in the Land of Kedar,
through prophet Muhammad - a direct descendant of Kedar, a
"New Song" - The Qur'an (Koran). This happens to
be the only Scripture to be revealed in the language of
the Kedarites. The verses of the Qur'an are recited like a
poem. Nearly 1.2 billion Muslims, residing all over the
world, recite this "new song" and Glorify Allah,
in their daily prayers, five times in a day. The initial
Revelation came to prophet Muhammad in a cave of Mount
Hira near the city of Mecca. There are several mountains
near Mecca. During the annual Islamic Pilgrimage called
"Hajj", Muslims from all over the world,
assemble in Mecca and shout Glory to the Lord from the top
of Mount Arafat. The pilgrims continuously give Glory to
Allah on their ways, to and from Mecca.
"The Lord shall go forth as a
mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war:
he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his
enemies." Verse 13.
In the Old Testament the God often
speaks "I" will do this, or "I" have
done this; whereas, He has chosen human beings like us, to
do these jobs. (see 2 Samuel 12:7-12). Muhammad did go
forth as a mighty prophet of Allah, did stir up jealousy
among the most influential and dominating tribe of the
pagan Arabs in Arabia. Finally with a war cry and roar,
Muhammad did prevail upon the enemies of Lord - the
idolaters, fulfilling the above prophecy.
"I have long time holden my peace;
I have been still, and refrained myself, now will I cry
like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at
once." Verse 14.
The prophets that came before Muhammad
had all tried with peaceful missions. But, the concept of
sharing God's Glory continued to surface again and again,
in one way or other. It was with the war cry, through the
descendants of Kedar (Arabs), these sinful practices were
destroyed and devoured, inside and outside of Arabia. The
spread of Islam was swift, wide spread and at once.
"And I will bring the blind by a
way they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they
have not known; I will make darkness light before them,
and crooked things straight. These things I will do unto
them, and not forsake them." Verse 16.
It is an undeniable fact that before the
advent of Islam, the pagan Arabs were like the blinds.
Their religious and social concepts were crooked. The
revelation of this "new song" brought them out
of that darkness. Earlier, God had not sent any prophet to
these people. By sending Muhammad, God fulfilled His above
promise and also the following promise to Abraham;
"And also of the son of the
bondwoman I will make a nation, because he is thy
seed." Genesis 21:13.
Please note the word "also" in
above promise. The nations of Judaism and Christianity
came out from the descendants of Abraham and Sarah. The
nation of Islam came out from the descendants of Abraham
and Hagar. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are three
children of Abraham by God's Covenants with Abraham.
This also fulfils the following prophecy
by Jesus;
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he
shall not speak of himself; but what soever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will show you thing to
come." John 16:13
For further details about "the
Paraclete" and "the Spirit of Truth" please
see Section 1 of this article.
"They shall be turned back, they
shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images;
they say to the molten images, `Ye are our gods.'"
Isaiah 42 Verse 17.
History records that Prophet Muhammad
did put the pagan idolaters to great shame when he
demolished before them, their 365 idols that were
installed in Ka'bah (Mecca), the most respected place of
pilgrimage in the whole of Arabia. Today, Ka'bah is the
Grand Mosque of Islam. Muslims from all over the world
face towards Ka'bah while reciting their daily ritual
prayers.
Akbarally Meherally
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