WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM)
THE PROPHET OF
ISLAM
A lecture by Ahmed Deedat
SAY:
"DO YOU SEE ? WHETHER THIS MESSAGE BE FROM ALLAH (God Almighty),
AND YET YOU REJECT IT,
AND A WITNESS FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BORE WITNESS OF ONE LIKE HIM......."
(Holy Qur'an 46:10). (see note 1)
Mr.Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The subject of this evening's talk - "What the BIBLE says about MUHAMMAD"
- will no doubt come as a surprise to many of you because the speaker is a Muslim. How
does it come about that a Muslim happens to be expounding prophecies from the Jewish and
Christian Scriptures ?
As a young man, about 30 years ago, I attended a series of religious lectures by a
Chriatian theologian, a certain Rev. Hiten, at the "Theatre Royal", Durban in
South Africa.
Pope or Kissinger? This Reverend gentleman was expounding Biblical
prophecies. He went on to prove that the Christian Bible foretold the rise of Soviet
Russia, and the Last Days. At one stage he went to the extent of proving that his Holy
Book did not leave even the Pope out of its predictions. He expatiated vigo rously in
order to convince his audience that the "Beast 666" mentioned in the Book of
Revelation the last book of the New Testament was the POPE, who was the Vicar of Christ on
earth. It is not befitting for us Muslims to enter into this controversy between the Roman
Catholics and the Protestants. By the way, the latest Christia exposition of the
"Beast 666" of the Christian Bible is Dr.Henry Kissinger(2). Christian scholars
are ingenious and indefatigable in their efforts to prove their case.
Rev. Hiten's lectures led me to ask that if the Bible foretold so many things - not
even excluding the "Pope" and "Israel" - then surely it must have
something to say about the greatest benefactor of mankind(3) , the Holy Prophet Muhammed
(may the peace of Allah be upon him).
As a youngster I set out to search for an answer. I met priest
after priest, attended lectures, and read everything that I could lay my hands relating to
the fields of Bible prophecies. Tonight I am going to narrate to you one of these
interviews with a dominee(4) of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Lucky Thirteen
I was invited to the Transvaal(5) to deliver a talk on the occasion of
Birthday celebration of the Holy Prophet Muhammed. Knowing that in that province of the
Republic, the Afrikaans language is widely spoken, even by my own people, I felt that I
ought to acquire a smattering of this language so a s to feel a little "at home"
with the people. I opened the telephone directory and began phoning the Afrikaans-speaking
Churches. I indicated my purpose to the priests that I was interested in having a dialogue
with them, but they all refused my request with "Plausible" excuses. No.13 was
my lucky number. The thirteenth call brought me pleasure and relief. A dominee Van Heerden
agreed to meet me at his home on the Saturday afternoon that I was to leave for Transvaal.
He received me on his verandah with a friendly welcome. He said if I did not
mind, he would like his father-in-law from the Free State (a 70 year old man) to join us
in the discussion. I did not mind. The three of us settled down in the dominee's library.
Why nothing? I posed the question: "What does the Bible say about
Muhummed?" Without hesitation he answered, "Nothing!" I asked: "Why
nothing? According to your interpretation the Bible have so many things to say about the
rise of Soviet Russia and about the Last Days and even about the Pope of the Roman Ca
tholics?" He said, "Yes, but there was nothing about Muhummed!" I asked
again, "Why nothing? Surely this man Muhummed who had been responsible for the
bringing into being a world-wide community of millions of Believers who, on his authority,
believe in:
(1) the miraculous birth of Jesus,
(2) that Jesus is the Messiah,(note 6)
(3) that he gave life to the dead by God's permission, and that he healed those born blind
and the lepers by God's permission.
Surely this book (the Bible) must have something to say about this great Leader
of men who spoke so well of Jesus and his mother Mary?"
The old man from the Free State replied. "My son, I have been reading the
Bible for the past 50 years, and if there was any mention of him, I would have known
it."
Not One by name! I enquired: "According to you, are there not
hundreds of prophecies regarding the coming of Jesus in the Old Testament." The
dominee interjected: "Not hundreds, but thousands!" I said, "I am not going
to dispute the 'thousand and one' prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the coming of
Jesu s Christ, because the whole Muslim-world has already accepted him without the
testimony of any Biblical prophecy. We Muslims have accepted the de facto Jesus on the
authority of Muhummed alone, and there are in the world today no less than 900,000,000
followers of Muhummed who love, respect and rev ere Jesus Christ as a great Messenger of
God without having the Christians to convince them by means of their Biblical dialectics.
Out of the 'thousands' of prophecies referred to, can you please give me just one single
prophecy where Jesus is mentioned by name? The term 'Messiah', translated as 'C hrist', is
not a name but a title. Is there a single Prophecy where it says that the name of the
Messiah will be JESUS, and that his mother's name will be MARY, that his supposed father
will be JOSEPH THE CARPENTER; that he will be born in the reign of HEROD THE KING, etc.
etc.? No! There are no su ch details! Then how can you conclude that those 'thousand'
Prophecies refer to Jesus (Peace be upon him)?"
What is Prophecy? The dominee replies: "You see, prophecies are
word-pictures of something that is going to happen in the future. When that thing actually
comes to pass, we see vividly in these prophecies the fulfilment of what had been
predicted in the past." I said: "What you actually do is that you deduce, yo u
reason, you put two and two together." He said: "Yes." I said: "If
this is what you have to do with a 'thousand' prophecies to justify your claim with
regards to the genuineness of Jesus, why should we not adopt the very same system for
Muhummed?" The dominee agreed that it was a fair proposition , a reasonable way of
dealing with the problem.
I asked him to open up Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verse 18, which he did. I read
from memory the verse in Afrikaans, because this was my purpose in having a little
practice with the language of the ruling race in South Africa. (8)
'N PROFEET SAL EK VIR HULLE VERWEK UIT DIE MIDDE VAN HULLE BROERS, SOOS JY IS, EN
EK SAL MY WOORDE IN SY MOND LE, EN HY SY SAL AAN HULLE SE ALLE WAT EK HOM BEVEEL. Deut.18:
18.
The English translation reads as follows:-
"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." Deut.18:18.
Prophet Like Moses
Having recited the verse in Afrikaans, I apologised for my uncertain pronunciation, The
dominee assured me that I was doing fine. I enquired: "To whom does this prophecy
refer?" Without the slightest hesitation he answered: "JESUS!" I asked:
"Why Jesus?... his name is not mentioned here." The domin ee replied:
"Since prophecies are word-pictures of something that is going to happen in the
future, we find that the wordings of this verse adequately describe him. You see the most
important words of this prophecy are 'SOOS JY IS' (like unto thee), - LIKE YOU - like
Moses, and Jesus is like Moses. " I questioned: "In which way is Jesus like
Moses?" The answer was: "In the first place Moses was a JEW and Jesus was also a
JEW; secondly, Moses was a PROPHET and Jesus was also a PROPHET - therefore Jesus is like
Moses and that is exactly what God had foretold Moses - "SOOS JY IS". "Can
you think of any other similarities between Moses and Jesus?" I asked. The dominee
said that he could not think of any. I replied: "If these are the only two criteria
for discovering a candidate for this prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:18, then in that case the
criteria could fit any one of the following Biblica l personages after Moses:- Solomon,
Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist etc., because they were
also ALL Jews as well as Prophets. Why should we not apply this prophency to any one of
these prophets, and why only to Jesus? Why should we make fish of one and fowl of anoth
er?" The dominee had no reply. I continued: "You see, my conclusions are that
Jesus is most unlike Moses, and if I am wrong I would like you to correct me."
Three Unlikes
So staying, I reasoned with him: "In the FIRST place Jesus is not like Moses,
because, according to you - 'JESUS IS A GOD', but Moses is not God. Is this true?" He
said: "Yes." I said: "Therefore, Jesus is not like Moses! SECONDLY,
according to you - 'JESUS DIED FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD', but Mose s did not have to die
for the sins of the world. Is this true?" He again said: "Yes." I said:
"Therefore Jesus is not like Moses! THIRDLY, according to you - 'JESUS WENT TO HELL
FOR THREE DAYS', but Moses did not have to go there. Is this true?" He answered
meekly: "Y-e-s." I concluded: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses!"
"But dominee," I continued: "these are not hard facts, solid facts, they
are mere matters of belief over which the little ones can stumble and fall. Let us discuss
something very simple, very easy that if your little ones are called in to hear the
discussion, would have no difficulty in following it, shall we?" The dominee was
quiet happy at the suggestion.
Father and Mother
(1) "Moses had a father and a mother. Muhummed also had a father and a mother. But
Jesus had only a mother, and no human father. Is this true?" He said:
"Yes." I said: "DAAROM IS JESUS NIE SOOS MOSES NIE, MAAR MUHUMMED IS SOOS
MOSES!" Meaning: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhummed is lik e
Moses!" (By now the reader will realise that I was using the Afrikaans language only
for practice purposes. I shall discontinue its use in this narration).
Miraculous Birth
(2) "Moses and Muhummed were born in the normal, natural course, i.e. the physical
association of man and woman; but Jesus was created by a special miracle. You will recall
that we are told in the Gospel of St.Matthew 1:18".....BEFORE THEY CAME
TOGETHER,(Joseph the Carpenter and Mary) SHE WAS FOUND WITH CHILD BY THE HOLY GHOST.' And
St.Luke tells us that when the good news of the birth of a holy son was announded to her,
Mary reasoned:'.......HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN? AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED
AND SAID UNTO HER, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL
OVERSHADOW THEE:......'(Luke 1:35). The Holy Qur'an confirms the miraculous birth of
Jesus, in nobler and sublimer terms. In answer to her logical question:
" O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH TOUCHED ME? "
The angel says in reply:
"EVEN SO:
ALLAH CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH:
WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN,
HE BUT SAITH TO IT "BE,"
AND IT IS " (9) (HOLY QUR'AN, 3:47).
It is not necessary for God to plant a seed in man or animal. He merely wills it
and it comes into being. This is the Muslim conception of the of birth of Jesus. (When I
compared the Qur'an and the Biblical versions of the birth of Jesus to the head of the
Bible Society in our largest City, and when I enquired: "Which version would you
prefer to give your daughter, the QUR'ANIC version or the BIBLICAL version?" The man
bowed his head and answered: "The Qur'anic.") In short, I said to the dominee:
"Is it true that Jesus was born miraculously as against the natural birth of Moses
and Muhummed?"He replied proudly:"Yes!" I said:"Therefore Jesus is not
like Moses, but Muhummed is like Moses. And God says to Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy
18:18 "LIKE UNTO THEE" (Like You, Like Moses) and Muhummed is like Moses."
Marriage Ties
(3) "Moses and Muhummed married and begat children, but Jesus remained a bachelor all
his life. Is this true?" The dominee said: "Yes." I said: "Therefore
Jesus is not like Moses, but Muhummed is like Moses."
Jesus Rejected by his People
(3) "Moses and Muhummed were accepted as prophets by their people in their very
lifetime. No doubt the Jews gave endless trouble to Moses and they murmured in the
wilderness, but as a nation, they acknowledged that Moses was a Messenger of God sent to
them. The Arabs too made Muhummed's life imposs ible. He suffered very badly at their
hands. After 13 years of preaching in Mecca, he had to emigrate from the city of his
birth. But before his demise, the Arab nation as a whole accepted him as the Messenger of
Allah. But according to the Bible: 'He (Jesus) CAME UNTO HIS OWN, BUT HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM
NOT.' (John 1:11). And even today, ofter two thousand years, his people- the Jews, as a
whole, have rejeted him. Is this true?" The dominee said: "Yes." I said:
"THEREFORE JESUS IS NOT LIKE MOSES, BUT MUHUMMED IS LIKE MOSES."
"Other-Wordly" Kingdom
(5) "Moses and Muhummed were prophets as well as kings. A prophet means a man who
receives Divine Revelation for the Guidance of Man and this Guidance he conveys to God's
creatures as received without any addition or deletion. A king is a person who has the
power of life and death over his people. It is immaterial whether the person wears a crown
or not, or whether he was ever addressed as king or monarch: if the man has the
prerogative of inflicting capital punishment - HE IS A KING. Moses possessed such a power.
Do you remember the Israelite who was found picking up firewood on Sabbath Day , and Moses
had him stoned to death? (Numbers- 15:13). There are other crimes also mentioned in the
Bible for which capital punishment was inflicted on the Jews at the behest of Moses.
Muhummed too, had the power of life and death over his people. There are instances in the
Bible of persons who wer e given gift of prophecy only, but they were not in a position to
implement their directives. Some of these holy men of God who were helpless in the face of
stubborn rejection of their mesage, were the prophets lot, Jonah, Daniel, Ezra, and John
the Baptist. They could only deliver the message, but could not enforce the Law. The Holy
Prophet Jesus (Peace b.u.h) also belonged to this category. The Christian Gospel clearly
confirms this: when Jesus was dragged before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, Charged
for sedition, Jesus made a convincing point in his defence to refute the false charg e:
JESUS ANSWERED, "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD': IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD,
THEN WOULD MY SERVANTS FIGHT, THAT I SHOULD NOT BE DELIVERED TO THE JEWS; BUT NOW IS MY
KINGDOM NOT FROM HENCE"(John 18:36) This convinced Pilate (A Pagan) that
though Jesus might not be in full possessio n of his mental faculty, he did not strike him
as being a danger to his rule. Jesus claimed a spiritual Kingdom only; in other words he
only claimed to be a Prophet. Is this true?" The dominee answered:"Yes." I
said:"Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses."
No New Laws
(6) "Moses and Muhummed brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Moses
not only gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, but a very comprehensive ceremonial
law for the guidance of his people. Muhummed comes to a people steeped in barbarism and
ignorance. They married their step-m others; they buried their daughters alive;
drunkenness, adultery, idolatry, and gambling were the order of the day. Gibbon describe
the Arabs before Islam in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", THE HUMAN
BRUTE, ALMOST WITHOUT SENSE, IS POORLY DISTINGUISHED FROM THE REST OF THE ANIMAL CREATI
ON.' There was hardly anything to distinguish between the "man" and the
"animal" of the time; they were animals in human form.
"From this abject barbarism, Muhummed elevated them, in the words of Thomas
Carlysle, 'into torch-bearers of light and learning.' 'TO THE ARAB NATION IT WAS AS A
BIRTH FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT. ARABIA FIRST BECAME ALIVE BY MEANS OF IT. A POOR SHEPHERD
PEOPLE, ROAMING UNNOTICED IN ITS DESERTS SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. SEE, THE
UNNOTICED BECOMES WORLD NOTABLE, THE SMALL HAS GROWN WORLD-GREAT. WITHIN ONE CENTURY
AFTERWARDS ARABIA WAS AT GRANADA ON ONE HAND AND AT DELHI ON THE OTHER. GLANCING IN VALOUR
AND SPLENDOUR, AND THE LIGHT OF GENIUS, ARABIA SHINES OVER A GREA SECTION OF THE WORLD.
...' The fact is that Muhummed gave his people a Law and Order they never had before.
"As regards Jesus, when the Jews felt suspicious of him that he might be an
imposter with designs to pervert their teachings, Jesus took pains to assure them that he
had not come with a new religion - no new laws and no new regulations. I quote his own
words: 'THINK NOT THAT IAM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW, OR THE PROPHETS: IAM NOT COME TO
DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL. FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS, ONE JOT OR
ONE TITLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED.'(Mathew 5:17-18).
In other words he had not come with any new laws or regulation he came only to fulfil the
old law. This what he gave the Jews to understand- unless he was speaking with the tongue
in his cheek trying to bluff the Jews into accepting him as a man of God and by subterfuge
trying to ram a new religion down their throats. No! This Messenger of God would never
resort to such fo ul means to subvert the Religion of God. He himself fulfilled the laws.
He observed the commandments of Moses, and he respected the Sabbath. At no time did a
single Jew point a finger at him to say, 'why don't you fast' or 'why don't you wash your
hands before you break bread',which charges they al wasy levied against his disciples, but
never against Jesus. This is because as a good Jew he honoured the laws of the prophets
who preceded him. In short, he had created no new religion and had brought no new law like
Moses and Muhummed. Is this true?" I asked the dominee, and he answered:
"Yes." I said:"Therefore, Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like
Moses."
How they Departed
(7) "Both Moses and Muhummed died natural deaths, but according to Christianity,
Jesus was violently killed on the cross.(10) Is this true?" The dominee said:
"Yes." I averred: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like
Moses."
Heavenly Abode
(8) "Moses and Muhummed both lie buried in earth, but according to you, Jesus in
heaven. Is this true?" The dominee agreed. I said: "Therefore Jesus is not like
Moses but Muhummed is like Moses."
Ishmael The First Born
Since the dominee was helplessly agreeing with every point, I said, "Dominee, so far
what I have done is to prove only one point out of the whole prophecy- that is proving the
phrase 'LIKE UNTO THEE' - 'Like You' 'Like Moses'. The Prophecy is much more than this
single phrase which reads as follows : "I WILL RAISE THEM UP A PROPHET FROM AMONG
THEIR BRETHREN LIKE UNTO THEE......." The emphasis is on the words- "From among
their brethren." Moses and his people, the Jews, are here addressed as a racial
entity, and as such their 'brethren' would undoubtedly be the arabs. You see, the Holy
Bible s peaks of Abraham as the "Friend of God". Abraham had two wives - Sarah
and Hagar. Hagar bore Abraham a son - HIS FIRST-BORN- '......And Abraham(11) called HIS
SON'S name, which Hagar bare Ishmael.' (Genesis 16:15). 'And Abraham took Ishmael
HIS SON......" (Genesis 17:23). 'And Ishmael HIS SON was thirteen years old,
when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.'(Genesis 17:25). Up to the
age of THIRTEEN Ishmael was the ONLY son and sed of Abraham, when the covenant was
ratified between God and Abraham. God grants Abraham another son through Sarah, named
Isaac, wh o was very much the junior to his brother Ishmael.
Arabs and Jews
If Ishmael and Isaac are the sons of the same father Abraham, then they are brothers. And
so the children of the one are the BRETHREN of the children of the other. The children of
Isaac are the Jews and the Children of Ishmael are the Arabs - so they are BRETHREN to one
another. The Bible affirms, 'AND HE (ISHMAEL) SHALL DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS
BRETHREN.' (Genesis 16:12). 'AND HE (ISHMAEL) DIED IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS
BRETHREN.(Genesis 25:18). The children of Isaac are the brethren of the
Ishmaelites. In like manner Muhummed is from among the brethren of the Israeli tes beause
he was a descendant of Ishamel the son of Abraham. This exactly as the prophecy has it-
'FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN'.(Deut.18:18). There the prophecy distinctly mentions
that the coming prophet who would be like Moses, must arise NOT from the 'children of
Israel' or from 'among the mselves', but from among their brethren. MUHUMMED THEREFORE WAS
FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN!
Words in the Mouth
"The prophecy proceeds further:'.......AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS INTO HIS MOUTH.......'
What does it mean when it is said 'I will put my words in your mouth'? You see, when I
asked you (the dominee) to open Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18, at the beginning, and if
I had asked you to read, and if you had read: would I be putting my words into your
mouth?" The dominee answered: "No." "But," I continued: "If
I were to teach you a language like Arabic about which you have no knowledge, and if I
asked you to read or repeat after me what I utter i.e.:
"SAY: HE IS ALLAH THE ONE AND ONLY;
ALLAH, THE ETERNAL ABSOLUTE;
HE BEGETTETH NOT, NOR IS HE BEGOTTEN:
AND THERE IS NONE LIKE UNTO HIM.
(Holy Qur'an 112:1-4)( I read them in Arabic )
Would I not be putting these unheard words of a foreign tongue which you utter,
into your mouth?" The dominee agreed that it was indeed so. In an identical manner, I
said, the words of the Holy Qur'an, the Revelation vouchsafed by the Almighty God to
Muhummed, were revealed.
History tells us that Muhummed was forty years of age. He was in a cave some
three miles north of the City of Mecca. It was the 27th night of the Muslim month of
Ramadaan. In the cave the Archangel Gabriel commands him in his mother tongue:'IQRA' which
means READ! or PROCLAIM! or RECITE! Muhummed w as terrified and in his bewilderment
replied that he was not NOT LEARNED! The angel commands him a second time with the same
result. For the third time the angel continues.
Now Muhummed, grasps, that what was required of him was to repeat! to rehearse!
And he repeats the words as they were put into his mouth:
"READ! IN THE NAME OF THE LORD AND CHERISHER, WHO CREATED-
CREATED MAN, FROM A (MERE) CLOT OF CONGEALED BLOOD:
READ! AND THY LORD IS MOST BOUNTIFUL,-
HE WHO TAUGHT (THE USE OF) THE PEN,
TAUGHT MAN THAT WHICH HE KNEW NOT". (Holy Qur'an 96:1-5)
These are the first five verses which were revealed to Muhummed which now occupy
the beginning of the 96th chapter of the Holy Qur'an.
The Faithful Witness
Immediately the angel had departed, Muhummed rushed to his home. Terrified and sweating
all over he asked his beloved wife Khadija to 'cover him up!' He lay down, and she watched
by him. When he had regained his composure, he explained to her what he had seen and
heard. She assured him of her faith in him and that Allah would not allow any terrible
thing to happen to him. Are these the confessions of an imposter? Would imposters confess
that when an angel of the Lord confronts them with a Message from on High, they get
fear-stricken, terrified, and sweating all over, run home to their wives? Any critic can
see that his reactions and confessions are that of an honest, sincere man, the man of
Truth- 'AL-AMIN' - THE Honest, the Upright, the Truthful. During the next twenty-three
years of his prophetic life, words were 'Put into his mouth', and he uttered them. They
made an indeliable imp ression on his heart and mind: and as the volume of the Sacred
Scripture (Holy Qur'an) grew, they were recorded on palm-leaf libre, on skins and on the
shoulder-blades of animals; and in the hearts of his devoted disciples. Before his demise
these words were arranged according to his instructions i n the order in which we find
them to-day in the Holy Qurann.
The words (revelation) were actually put into his mouth, exactly as foretold in
the prophecy under discusiion: 'AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH.'(Deut. 18:18).
Un-lettered Prophet
Muhummed's experience in the cave of Hira, later to be known as Jabal-un Noor - The
Mountain of Light, and his response to that first Revelation is the exact fulfilment of
another Biblical Prophecy. In the Book of Isaish. Chapter 29, verse 12, we read: "AND
THE BOOK" (al-Kitaab,al-Quran the 'Readin g', the 'Recitation') "IS DELIVERED TO
HIM THAT IS NOT LEARNED," (Isaiah 29:12) "THE UNLETTERED PROPHET " (Holy
Qur'an 7:158) and the biblical verse continues : "SAYING, READ THIS, I PRAY
THEE:" (the words "I pray thee", are not in the Hebrew manuscripts; compare
with the Roman Cathol ics' "Douay Version and also with the "Revised Standard
Versions") "AND HE SAITH, I AM NOT LEARNED." ("I am not learned."
is the exact translation of the Arabic words which Muhummed uttered twice to the Holy
Ghose - the Archangel Gabriel, when he was commanded : "READ!").
Let me quote the verse in full without a break as found in the "King James
Version," or the "Authorised version" as it is more popularly know
"AND THE BOOK IS DELIVERED TO HIM THAT IS NOT LEARNED, SAYING, READ THIS I PRAY THEE:
AND HE SAITH, I AM NOT LEARNED." (Isaiah 29:12).
Important note :
It may be noted that there were no Arabic Bibles(12) in existence in the 6th Century of
the Christian Era when Muhummed lived and preachedl Besides, he was absolutely unlettered
and unlearned. No human had ever taught him a word. His teacher was his Creator:
"HE DOES NOT SPEAK (AUGHT), OF (HIS OWN) DESIRE:
IT IS NO LESS THAN INSPIRATION SENT DOWN TO HIM:
HE WAS TAUGHT BY ONE MIGHTY IN POWER," (Holy Qur'an 53:3-5).
Without any human learning, 'he put to shame the wisdom of the learned'.
Grave Warning
"See!" I told the dominee, "how the prophecies fit Muhummed like a glove.
We do not have to stretch prophecies to justify their fulfilment in Muhummed."
The dominee replied, "All your expositions sound very well, but they are of
no real consequence, because we Christians have Jesus Christ the "incarnate"
God, who has redeemed us from the Bondage of Sin!"
I asked, "Not important?" God didn't think so! He went to a great deal
of trouble to have His warnings recorded. God knew that there would be people like you who
will flippantly, light-heartedly discount his words, so he followed up Deuteronomy 18:18
with a dire warning: "AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, " (it is going to happen)
"THAT WHOSOEVER WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO MY WORDS WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME, I
WILL REQUIRE IT OF HIM. (in the Catholic Bible the ending words are - "I will be the
revenger", I will take vengeance from him - I will take revenge!) "Does not this
terrify you? God Almighty is threathening revenge! We shake in our pants if some hoodlum
threathens us, yet you have no fear of God's warning?"
"Miracle of Miracles! in the verse 19 of Deuteronomy chapter 18, we have a
further fulfilment of the prophecy in Muhummed! Note the words-'.....MY WORDS WHICH HE
SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME," In whose name is Muhummed speaking?" I opened Yusuf
Ali's translation of the Holy Qur'an, at chapter 114- 'Sura Nas', or Mankind - the last
chapter, and showed him the formula at the head of the charpter: and the meaning: "IN
THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL." And the heading of chapter 113: and
the meaning: "IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL". And every
chapter downwards 112 , 111, 110.......was the same formula and the same meaning on every
page, because the end SURAS (chapters) are short and take about a page each.
"And what did the prophecy demand?' ......WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME
and in whose name does Muhummed speak?'IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS MOST MERCIFUL.'
The Prophecy is being fulfilled in Muhummed to the letter "Every chapter of the Holy
Qur'an except the 9th begin with the formula: IN TH E NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST
MERCIFUL.' The Muslim begins his every lawful act with the Holy formula. But the Christian
begins: "In the name of the Father, son and holy ghost.'"(13)
Concerning Deuteronomy chapter eighteen, I have given you more than 15 reasons as
to how this prophecy refers to Muhummed and NOT to Jesus.
Baptist Contradicts Jesus
In New Testament times, we find that the Jews were still expecting the fulfilment of the
prophecy of 'ONE LIKE MOSES', refer John 1:19-25. When Jesus claimed to be the Messiah of
the Jews,the Jews began to enquire as to where was Elias? The Jews had a parallel prophecy
that before the coming of the Messiah, Elias must come first in his second coming. Jesus
confirms this Jewish belief:
".......ELIAS TRULY SHALL FIRST COME, AND RESTORE ALL THINGS. BUT I SAY UNTO
YOU, THAT ELIAS IS COME ALREADY, AND THEY KNEW HIM NOT,...THEN THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD
THAT HE SPAKE UNTO THEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST."(Matthew 17:11-13). According to
the New Testament the Jews were not the ones to s wallow the words of any would-be
Messiah. In their investigations they underwent intense difficulties in order to find
their true Messiah. And this the Gospel of John confirms: "AND THIS IS THE RECORD OF
JOHN,"(the Baptist) "WHEN THE JEWS SENT PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM TO
ASK HIM, WHO ART THOU? AND HE CONFESSED AND DENIED NOT; BUT CONFESSED, I AM NOT THE
CHRIST." (This was only natural because there can't be two Messiahs (14) at the same
time. If Jesus was the Christ then John couldn't be the Christ!) "AND THEY ASKED HIM,
WHAT THEN? ART THOU ELIAS? AND HE SAITH, I AM NOT." (Here Joh n the Baptist
contradicts Jesus! Jesus says that John is "Elias" and John denies that he is
what Jesus ascribes him to be. One of the TWO (Jesus or John), God forbid!, is difinitely
not speaking the TRUTH! On the testimony of Jesus himself, John the Baptist was the
greatest of the Israelite prophet s:"VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, AMOUNG THEM THAT ARE BORN
OF WOMEN THERE HAS NOT RISENA GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST:... (Matthew 11:11).
We Muslims know John the Baptist as Hazrut YAHYAA Alai-his-salaam (peace be upon
him). We revere him as a true prophet of Allah. The Holy Prophet Jesus known to us as
Hazrut ISAA Alai-his-salaam (peace be upon him), is also esteemed as one of the mightiest
messenger of the Almighty. How can we Musl ims impute lies to either of them? We leave
this problem between Jesus and John for the Christians to solve, for their "sacred
scriptures abound in discrepancies which they have been glossing over as the "dark
sayings of Jesus"(15). We Muslims are really interested in the last questions posed
to Jo hn the Baptist by the Jewish elite- "ART THOU THAT PROPHET? AND HE ANSWERED,
NO."(John 1:21)
Three Questions!
Please note that three different and distinct questions were posed to John the Baptist and
to which he gave three emphatic "NO'S" as answers. To recapitulate:-
1) ART THOU THE CHRIST?
2) ART THOU ELIAS?
3) ART THOU THAT PROPHET?
But the learned men of Christendom somehow only see two questions implied here.
To make doubly clear that the Jews definitely had T-H-R-E-E separate prophecies in their
minds when they were interogating John the Baptist, let us read the remonstrance of the
Jews in the verses following:
"AND THEY ASKED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHEY BAPTIZEST THOU THEN, IF THOU BE
a) NOT THAT CHRIST,
b) NOR ELIAS,
c) NEITHER THAT PROPHET?" (John 1:25)
The Jews were waiting for the fulfilment of THREE distinct prophecies: One, the
coming of CHRIST. Two the coming of ELIAS, and Three, the coming of THAT PROPHET.
"That Prophet"
If we look up any Bible which has a concordance or cross-references, the we will find in
the marginal note where the words "the Prophet", or "that Prophet"
occur in John 1:25, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18.
And that 'that prophet' - 'the prophet like Moses' - "L IKE UNTO THEE", we have
proved through overwhelming evidence that he was MUHUMMED and not Jesus!
We Muslims are not denying that Jesus was the "Messiah", which word is
translated as "Christ".(16) We are not contesting the "thousand and one
prophecies" which the Christians claim abound in the Old Testament foretelling the
coming of the Messiah. What we say is that Deuteronomy 18:18 does NOT ref er to Jesus
Christ but it is an explicit prophecy about the Holy Prophet MUHUMMED!"
The dominee, very politely parted with me by saying that it was a very
interesting discussion and he would like me very much to come one day and address his
congregation on the subject. A decade and half has passed since then but I am still
awaiting that privilege.
I believe the dominee was sincere when he made the offer, but prejudices die hard
and who would like to loose his sheep?
The Acid Test
To the lambs of Christ I say, why not apply that acid test which the Master himself wanted
you to apply to any would be claimant to prophethood? He had said: "BY THEIR FRUITS
YE SHALL KNOW THEM. DO MEN GATHER GRAPES FROM THE THORNS, OR FIGS FROM THE THISTLES? EVERY
GOOD TREE WILL BEAR GOOD FRUIT AN D EVERY EVIL TREE WILL BEAR EVIL FRUIT....BY THEIR
FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM. (Matthew 7:16-20).
Why are you afraid to apply this test to the teachings of Muhummed? You will find
in the Last Testament of God - the Holy Qur'an - the true fulfilment of the teachings of
Moses and Jesus which will bring to the world the much-needed peace and happiness.
"IF A MAN LIKE MOHAMED WERE TO ASSUME THE DIC TATORSHIP OF THE MODERN WORLD, HE WOULD
SUCCEED IN SOLVING ITS PROBLEMS THAT WOULD BRING IT THE MUCH NEEDED PEACE AND
HAPPINESS."(George Bernard Shaw)
The Greatest!
The Weekly Newsmagazine "TIME" dated July 15, 1974, carried a selection of
opinions by various historians, writers, military men, businessmen and others on the
subject: "Who Were History's Great Leaders?" Some said that it was Hitler;
others said-Gandhi, Buddha, Lincoln and the like. But Jules Mass erman, a United States
psychoanalyst put the standards straight by giving the correct criteria wherewith to
judge. He said: "LEADERS MUST FULFIL THREE FUNCTIONS:-
(1) Provide for the well-being of the led,
(2) Provide a social organization in which people feel relatively secure
and
(3) Provide them with one set of beliefs."
With the above three criteria he searches history and analyses - Hitler, Pasteur,
Gaesar, Moses, Confucius and the lot, and ultimately concludes:
"PEOPLE LIKE PASTEUR AND SALK ARE LEADERS IN THE FIRST SENSE. PEOPLE LIKE
GANDHI AND CONFUCIUS, ON ONE HAND, AND ALEXANDER, CAESAR AND HITLER ON THE OTHER, ARE
LEADERS IN THE SECOND AND PERHAPS THE THIRD SENSE. JESUS AND BUDDHA BELONG IN THE THIRD
CATEGORY ALONE. PERHAPS THE GREATEST LEADER OF ALL TIMES WAS MOHAMMED, WHO COMBINED ALL
THREE FUNCTIONS. To a lesser degree, MOSES DID THE SAME."
According to the objective standards set by the Professor of the Chicago
University, whome I believe to be Jewish, - JESUS and BUDDHA are now - here in the picture
of the "Great Leaders of Mankind", but by a queer coincidence groups Moses and
Muhummed together thus adding further weight to the argu ment that JESUS is not like
MOSES, but MUHUMMED is like MOSES: Deut.18:18 "LIKE UNTO THEE" - Like MOSES!
In conclusion, I end with a quotation of a Christian Reverend the commentator of
the Bible, followed by that of his Master:
"THE ULTIMATE CRITERION OF A TRUE PROPHET IS THE MORAL CHARACTER OF HIS
TEACHING."(Prof.Dummelow.)
"BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM." (Jesus Christ)
A concluding suggestion : Come let us reason together !
SAY:"O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK!
COME TO COMMON TERMS AS BETWEEN US AND YOU:
THAT WE WORSHIP NONE BUT GOD;
THAT WE ASSOCIATE NO PARTNERS WITH HIM;
THAT WE ERECT NOT, FROM AMONG OURSELVES,
LORDS AND PATRONS OTHER THAN GOD."
IF THEN THEY TURN BACK,
SAY:"BEAR WITNESS THAT WE (AT LEAST)
ARE MUSLIMS (BOWING TO GOD'S WILL)." (Holy Qur'an 3:64)
"PEOPLE OF THE BOOK" is the respectful title given to the Jews and the
Christians in the Holy Qur'an. The Muslims is here commanded to invite - "O People of
the Book!" - O Learned People! O People who claim to be the recipients of Divine
Revelation, of a Holy Scripture; let us gather together onto a common platform -
"that we worship none but God", because none but God is worthy of worship, not
because "THE LORD THY GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON
THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME."(Exodus
20:25). But because He is ou r Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy
of all praise, prayer and devotion.
In the abstract the Jews and the Christians would agree to all the three
propositions contained in this Qur'anic verse. In practice they fail. Apart from doctrinal
lapses from the unity of the One True God, (ALLAH_ Subha-nahu wa ta-ala) there is the
question of a consecrated Priesthood (among the J ews it was hereditary also), as if a
mere human being - Cohe or Pope, or Priest, or Brahuman, - could claim superiority apart
from his learning and the purity of his life, or could stand between man and God in some
special sense. ISLAM DOES NOT RECOGNISE PRIESTHOOD!
The Creed of Islam is given to us here in a nutshell from Holy Qur'an:
Say ye: "We believe in Allah,
And the revelation given to us,
And to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes,
And that given to Moses and Jesus
And that given to (all)
Prophets from their Lord:
We make no difference
Between one and another of them:
And we bow to Allah (in Islam)." (Holy Qur'an 2:136).
The Muslim position is clear. The Muslim does not claim to have a religion
peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion. In its view all Religion
is one, for the Truth is one. IT WAS THE SAME RELIGION PREACHED BY ALL THE EARLIER
PROPHETS. (Holy Qur'an 42:13). It was the truth taug ht by all the inspired Books. In
essence it amounts to a consciousness of the Will and Plan of God and a joyful submission
to that Will and Plan. IF ANYONE WANTS A RELIGION OTHER THAN THAT, HE IS FALSE TO HIS OWN
NATURE, AS HE IS FALSE TO GOD'S WILL AND PLAN. Such a one cannot expect guidance, for he
has deliberately renounced guidance.
NOTES
(1) This refers to Moses. See Yusuf Ali's commentaries Nos. 4783/4 to this verse.
(2) Christian exegesists give progressive numerical values by sixes, to the
English alphabet and add up to get the total 666. i.e.A=6,B=12,C=18, D=24 and so on.
Progression by 6's because the number of the Beast in the Bible is "666". Try it
for Dr.Kissinger.
(3) The writer has just delivered another talk in the City Hall, Durban on the
10th December, 1975 on the subject "Muhummed the Greatest".
(4) "Dominee" is the Afrikaans equivalent of priest, parson and
predikant.
(5) One of the Provinces of the Republic of South Africa.
(6) The word "Messiah" comes from the Arabic and Hebrew word masaha
which means to rub, to massage, to annoint. The religious significance is "the one
who is anointed' - priests and kings were anointed in consecration to their offices.
Messiah translated Christ does not mean God. Even the heathen C yrus is called
"Christ" in the Bible, (Isaiah 45:1)
(7) Muhummed is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomn 5:16. The Hebrew word
used there is Muhammuddim. The end letters IM is plural of respect majesty and grandeur.
Minus "im" the name would be Muhamudd translated as "altogether
lovely" in the Authorised Version of the Bible or 'The Praised One' 'the one worthy
of Praise' i.e. MUHUMMED!
(8) If this lecture is translated into any language, please change the Afrikaans
words into the local dialect; and do not try a free hand translation of the Biblical
quotation. Obtain a Bible in the language in which translation is being made and
transcribe exactly as the words occur in that Bible.
(9) Please open the Holy Qur'an 3:42 and 19:16 where the birth of Jesus is spoken
about; read it with the commentry, note the high position which Jesus and his mother
occupy in Islam.
(10) Write for "Was Christ Crucified?" by the writer, free on request.
(11) According to the Bible Abraham's name was Abram before it was changed by God
to Abraham.
(12) There are today Arabic Bibles in Fourteen different scripts and dialects for
the Arabs alone. See "The Gospels in many tongues", obtainable from the Bible
Society.
(13) The Christian theologians are ignorant of even the "name of God.
Because "God" is not a name, and "Father" is also not a name. What's
his name? See "Muhummed-the Natural Successor to Christ", by the author,
available free.
(14) The Jews were expecting a single Messiah not two.
(15) See the "TIMES" Magazine December 30th, 1974, article "How
true is the Bible?" And write for your free copy of "50,000 Errors in the Bible?
a reproduction from the Christian Magazine "AWAKE!" September 8, 1957.
(15) How the word Messiah was transmuted to Christ? Write for booklet above,
reference 13.
END OF LECTURE
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