Islam in Bible
Background knowledge: It is important to have some background knowledge about Prophet Ibrahim (as) to have better understanding of our articles.
Prophet Ibrahim is the grandfather of most of the Prophets. He is well respected personality of the three main religions (Jews, Christians and Muslims) of the world.
Prophet Ibrahim had two wives Sarah (mother of Prophet Ishaq-Isaac) and Hajir (mother of Prophet Ismail). Prophet Isaac had a son whose name was Ya,aqoob- Jacob. Prophet Jacob whose name of Israel, he was the dad of Prophet Yusuf-Joseph and many other sons. The almighty God revealed many Prophets among Israelites including Prophet Moses and Jesus.
Prophet Ibrahim left his second wife Hajir and son Ismail in Mecca while his first wife Sarah and her son Isaac lived in Jordon area. Prophet Ibrahim built the house of Allah (Ka,aba) in Mecca along with his son Ismail. They invited people to perform Hajj in Mecca. We can also see the proof Hajj in the bible verses that people used to go in the valley Bakkah (Mecca) to perform Hajj. Bakkah is the old name Mecca. In Holy Quran word Bakkah is also used for Mecca.
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) who is the last Prophet is from the decedents of Prophet Ismail. Now we can easily know from the above background knowledge that the decedents of Prophet Ismail are cousin-brothers of Israelites. Because their grandfather is (The friend of almighty God) Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh)
First Topic
No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Genesis 17:5-7
This verse God said to Ibrahim that He will make the prophet as father of many nations, we can see that the 3 major religions in the world (Jews, Christian and Muslims) belong to lineage of prophet Ibrahim.
The Prophet has 2 sons Isaac and Ismael, Jews and Christians are the lineage of Prophet Isaac while Muslims are from the lineage of Prophet Ismael.
This verse also tells that kings shall come from the bloodline of prophet Ibrahim, and we know that Christians and Muslims are waiting for Jesus when Jesus will come the kingdom of God will be establish in the world and there will be peace and justice all over the world before the day of Resurrection.
Muslim have concept that Jesus will come along with Imam Mahdi, the Caliph of Prophet Muhammad and Descendant of Prophet Ibrahim. Jesus will help the Imam to establish the kingdom of God. And Imam Mahdi will be the only ruler all over the world. We can see the proof in the bible new testament…
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. - John 14:30
In this verse of John we can clearly understand that Jesus was introducing the ruler which is another personality than Jesus himself.
We can find the similar verse in Quran 2:124
And (remember) when his Lord tried Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He said: Lo! I have appointed thee a leader for mankind. (Abraham) said: And of my offspring (will there be leaders)? He said: My covenant include not wrong-doers.
-Quran 2:124
Second Topic
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. – Genesis 17:20
First I should give a small introduction about Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). He is a descendant of Prophet Ibrahim as we know that Prop Ibrahim has 2 wives, he lives with Zahra in palestine area while the other wife Hajar the prophet brought her in the valley of Mecca with Ishmael, when Prop Ibrahim was about to leave his son and wife he was so sad and worried about baby Ishmael and the verse of bible says then that God sent angel or God promise with Prop Ibrahim not to worry because God will bless him so much with prophethood, great nation, 12 pinces etc.
Then Prophet Ibrahim got satisfied because of the promise of God. We can see that God’s promise was fulfilled He made Ibrahim as prophet and keep this prophethood to his descendant.
And Prop Muhammad, the prominent prophet who came at the end, he is from prophet Ibrahim’s lineage and also we can see that the Muslim is a great nation, we can see that Islam is the fastest growing religion.
Another promise is the 12 Princes, and those princes are after the designation of Prophethood, those are the 12 Imams. One more interesting thing that God promised with Prop Ibrahim is that from Ishmael he will multiply his descendant. We can still see the descendants of Prophet Ishmael exist in this world prophet Muhammad’s descendants are the Sayyids.
There was a time that the ruler of the world wanted to kill all the descendants of Prop Muhammad but they could not do so and we can see Allah kept his promise that the bloodline of Prophet Ibrahim will continue to multiply.
Third Topic
KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ISRAELITES WILL BE GIVEN TO ISMAELITES
Matthew 21:43 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
***Jesus was talking to Israelites…this verse corresponded to Gen 17:20
Genesis 17:20 New King James Version (NKJV)
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Fourth Topic
I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
- Deuteronomy 18:18-19
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) is from the lineage of Prophet Isaac(peace be upon him) and same lineage where Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) came from.
And Prophet Ismael (peace be upon him) wherein the lineage of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) came from was a BROTHER of Prophet Isaac(peace be upon him).
Same thing what Prophet Moses said, God will put His word the mouth of the coming prophet, he won’t speak on his own Jesus also told same attribute to the coming prophet after him that he will not speak of his own.
We can find same thing in the Holy Quran about Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) that he does not speak of his own, he only speaks whatever was revealed to him (surah najm) this is also confirm that that prophet would not be from Israelites he would be from their brother, we know that Jesus cannot be that prophet because Jesus is from Israelites and has no resemblance with Prophet Moses.
He does not speak out of his own desires. – Quran 53:3
ABOUT HAJJ
Paran in the Bible is Mecca today
Abraham peace be upon him sent Hagar and Ishmael to Paran:
Let us look at the following Verses:
"Then God opened her [Hagar] eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do. (From the NIV Bible, Genesis 21:19-22)"
Hagar was an Arab. Abraham peace be upon him had Ishmael from her, who was 13 years older than Issac. After Sarah, Abraham's wife gave birth to Issac, Abraham decided to let Hagar and her son Ishmael go. He sent to the desert of Arabia in the region of Paran.
The Bible clearly says that Paran is south of Sinai in Egypt; "He said: 'The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.' (From the NIV Bible, Deuteronomy 33:2)"
Kedar came from Ishmael; "These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. Kedar and Ancient Arabs (From the NIV Bible, Genesis 25:13)" The Arabian Desert region was named after Kedar.
The Ishmaelites were Arabs and not Egyptians. They came from the Arabian desert; "As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravanof Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. (From the NIV Bible, Genesis 37:25)"
Mecca, Bacca and Paran:
Verses from the Bible and the Noble Quran:
"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools”. (From the NIV Bible, Psalms 84:5-6)
"The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings: In it are signs manifest; (for example) the Station of Abraham; whoever enters it attains security; pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith Allah stands not in need of any of his creatures.” (The Noble Quran, 3:96-97)
Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout from the top of the mountains.” (Isaiah 42:11 New King James Version)
Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. (Psalm 84:5-6 New King James Version)
This verse talks about the hajj(pilgrims) in the valley of Bacca and it talks about the fountain of water. We know that in mecca is the new name of bacca .
The holy place(ka’ba) was built by Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismael and people started their pilgrim going to becca until now muslim go there in the valley of becca and pay respect to this holy place and perform their pilgrim.
We know that the spring of water ZAMZAM is there in Mecca. This is also a miracle of God that everyday people coming from different parts of the world go to mecca and in the gathering millions of people are present and people take water from this spring of water zamzam and bring it to their home but until now this spring does not run out of water.
Jesus clearly mentioned about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
The Holy Spirit
John 7:39
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 9:5
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” What happened after Jesus was descend? Who is now the light of the world?
John 14:16-17
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 15:26
But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 16:7-9
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
John 16:12-14
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
In these above verses of John we can clearly understand that Jesus(pbuh) was talking about another personality who will come from God after Jesus. Who will glorify Jesus and also convict the world of sin, and of righteousness. It clearly means that the next prophet will bring God’s Law and that personality will not speak on his own he will only speak by what will be revealed to him by God.
Jesus also said that there are many things that he want to tell but the people by that time are not into that level to understand those things.
We know that God waited for the right time to send his last prophet, the time when the humanity reach its certain level of maturity then God finally revealed his last messenger and his last messages.
We can also understand from this verses that Jesus said It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you this verse clearly means that the coming personality is human being and higher in status than Jesus that’s why Jesus said it’s for the humanity’s benefit that he must go then that personality will come.
We can understand this verse with this example that in a seminar once the presenter of the event says that it is for your benefit that I should stop my speech when I will stop then you will get benefit from the main speaker he will deliver more knowledgeable speech than me.
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JESUS WAS SENT SPECIALLY FOR ISRAELITES
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)
God will give (Jesus) wisdom and teach him the Book, the Torah, and the Gospel.
And (make him) a messenger to the children of Israel: That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah's permission and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses; most surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers. (Quran3:48-49)
JESUS IS A PROPHET
Matthew 21:11 New King James Version (NKJV)
11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Luke 24:19 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
John 6:14 New King James Version (NKJV)
14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
John 9:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
GOD IS ONE
Mark 12:29 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Luke 18:19 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
John 17:3 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
We know that the basic fundamental of Islam is Oneness of God, there is only One creator and One lord of the whole Universe, He created universe and send down His messengers, Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) is His last messenger.
***** Islamic practices in Bible ******
EATING PORK NOT ALLOWED IN THE BIBLE:
Leviticus 11:7-8 New King James Version (NKJV)
7 and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. 8 Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you.
This verse of the Bible clearly stopped the human being from eating pork. There is no verse in the bible that can abolish or abrogate this ruling. In Islamic Rule is forbidden to eat.
ABOUT PRAYING POSITION
Genesis 17:3-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
Nehemiah 8:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.
Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Numbers 20:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
Joshua 5:14 New King James Version (NKJV)
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
2 Chronicles 7:2-3 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying:
“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever.”
Psalm 95:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Matthew 26:39 New King James Version (NKJV)
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Mark 14:35 New King James Version (NKJV)
35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.
We can find from the above verses the same way of Muslim prayer.
ABOUT FASTING
Psalm 35:13
But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.
Psalm 69:10
When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.
Daniel 9:3
Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
Joel 2:12
[ A Call to Repentance ] “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Matthew 17:20-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
GREETING SALAM (PEACE)
Luke 10:5
But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’
Luke 24:36 New King James Version (NKJV)
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”
John 20:19
[The Apostles Commissioned ] Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
John 20:21 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
John 20:26
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
Luke 7:50
Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
The whole world knows about the Muslim greetings, when they see someone or enter into the gathering they say Salam with means “Peace on you” and when the Muslim about to leave each other they Salam “Go in Peace/Peace on you”
TAKING OFF SHOES BEFORE ENTERING HOLY PLACES
Acts 7:33 New King James Version (NKJV)
33 ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
Exodus 3:5 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
We can see in Muslim practice that before they enter into holy place like mosque they take off their shoes.
ABLUTION OR PURIFYING/CLEANING OURSELF BEFORE PRAYER
Exodus 40:31-32 New King James Version (NKJV)
31 and Moses, Aaron, and his sons would wash their hands and their feet with water from it.32 Whenever they went into the tabernacle of meeting, and when they came near the altar, they washed, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
John 13:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
We know that this is a Muslim practice that before prayer or going to holy places they have to perform ablution first.