In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful,
There is a video making rounds amongst Christians that is enthusiastically forwarded to their Muslim family members, friends, colleagues, etc., and even presented in interfaith debate gatherings. In the video, the Christian lady made comparisons between the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and Jesus of the Bible in what is a glaring fallacy of False Analogy. In shaa Allah, we will explain this later in this response.
Watch and share the video of this article:
In the said video, the woman compared Qur’an 46:9, Qur’an 72:21, and some Hadith with Matthew 28:18, John 14:6, John 14:13, John 10:28, and some other Biblical verses.
Before going into analyzing the verses, let us make a quick summary of her argument. The premise of the argument is that if Prophet Muhammad was to be followed, he must have knowledge of or be able to do some things which Jesus could according to the Biblical verses. Her argument has created some instances and for her to be logical or for us to solve the analogical fallacy, we need to explore these instances:
- That Prophet Muhammad is a Prophet versus Jesus is a Prophet
- That Prophet Muhammad is a Prophet versus Jesus is God
- That Prophet Muhammad is God versus Jesus is a Prophet
- That Prophet Muhammad is God and Jesus is God
The Qur’an Verses
She quoted;
قُلۡ مَا كُنۡتُ بِدۡعًا مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ وَمَاۤ اَدۡرِىۡ مَا يُفۡعَلُ بِىۡ وَلَا بِكُمۡؕ اِنۡ اَتَّبِعُ اِلَّا مَا يُوۡحٰٓى اِلَىَّ وَمَاۤ اَنَا اِلَّا نَذِيۡرٌ مُّبِيۡنٌ”
Say, “I am not something original among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner.” – Qur’an 46:9
She also quoted;
قُلۡ اِنِّىۡ لَاۤ اَمۡلِكُ لَـكُمۡ ضَرًّا وَّلَا رَشَدًا”
Say: “Verily, it is not in my power to cause you harm or to endow you with consciousness of what is right.” – Qur’an 72:21
The Hadith she cited also suggest the same thing; that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has limitations.
Muslims, unlike Christians, unanimously agree on the fact that Prophet Muhammad was no more than a messenger of Allah and that only Allah has absolute power. It is also agreed that the knowledge of the unseen and unknown only belongs to Allah except to those He reveals it to as said in the Qur’an,
عَـٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيْبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا ٢٦ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرْتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسْلُكُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ رَصَدًۭا
He is the˺ Knower of the unseen, disclosing none of it to anyone
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرْتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسْلُكُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ رَصَدًۭا
except messengers of His choice. Then He appoints angel-guards before and behind them – Qur’an 72:26-27
The argument could have been logical if she had compared Jesus with Allah and provided verses that say ALlah is limited since she was arguing for Jesus the God against Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as a Prophet. Muslims do not worship the Prophet, we do not consider him to be absolute which contradicts a Trinitarian idea of Jesus. However, when we view Jesus as a Prophet from even the lenses of the Bible, the truth becomes more obvious.
The Right Comparison: Let The Bible Speak
We read from the Bible
“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” – John 5:30
Now, it could have been perfect if she compared this verse with the Qur’anic verses. Here, Jesus also attested to his limitations just as the Prophet Muhammad was commanded by Allah to proclaim. We read something interesting from the Bible again when Jesus was talking about the last day,
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” – Matthew 24:36
Here again, another limitation of Jesus is shown. Like Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), he also only had knowledge of what God revealed to him. Who would imagine that Jesus whom Christians call God does not know the hour?
Explaining The Qur’an Verses
It is important to know that the Qur’an which was revealed and the process of its compilation is different from that of the Bible that cannot be said to be revealed as a whole but with some added words of Kings, Poets, Historians, and many more.
Prophet Muhammad was obligated to reveal what was revealed to him. Thus, in Qur’an 47:9 where Allah says, “Say, “I am not something original among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner.”, it was simply what he was commanded to say at that time.
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn Abbas that he said,
“It (this Ayah) was followed in revelation by,
لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ
(That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future). (48:2)
Similarly, Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah all said that this Ayah was abrogated by the Ayah;
لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ
(That Allah may forgive for you your sins of the past and future). (48:2)
They said that when the latter Ayah was revealed, one of the Muslims said to Allah’s Messenger, “Allah has declared what He will do for you. But what will He do for us?’ Then Allah revealed;
لِيُدْخِلَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَالْمُوْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الاَْنْهَارُ
(That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow). (48:5) This is what they said. That which has been confirmed in the Sahih is that the believers said, “May you enjoy that, O Allah’s Messenger! But what do we get” So Allah revealed this Ayah.
Several verses of the Qur’an also give a guarantee of paradise to the believing men and women; those who obey Allah and the His Messenger, those who die on Islam, even, those who follow the teachings of the Prophet. We read,
“Verily, The Muttaqun (pious), will be in the midst of Gardens and Rivers (Paradise). In a seat of truth (i.e. Paradise), near the Omnipotent King (Allah, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honour). Holy Quran, 54:54-55
Gardens of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring. Angels shall enter from every gate (with the salutation): “Peace be with you, that you persevered in patience! Now how excellent is the final home!” Holy Quran, 13:23–24
Allah hath promised to Believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. Holy Quran, 9:72
In a lofty Paradise, where they shall neither hear harmful speech nor falsehood. Therein will be a running spring. Therein will be thrones raised high, and cups set at hand. And cushions set in rows, and rich carpets (all) spread out. Holy Quran, 88:10–16″
In fact, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was very sure about the destination of those who accept his message and those who do not as we read;
Narrated Abu Hurairah [radhi-yAllahu ‘anhu]: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “By Him (Allah) in Whose Hand Muhammad’s soul is, there is none from amongst the Jews and the Christians (of these present nations) who hears about me and then dies without believing in the Message with which I have been sent (i.e. Islamic Monotheism), but he will be from the dwellers of the (Hell) Fire.” [Sahih Muslim, the Book of Faith, Vol.1, Hadith No. 240
Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to his Companions): “Jibrail (Gabriel) [‘alayhis-salam] came to teach you your religion.” So the Prophet (ﷺ) regarded all that as a religion. And all that which the Prophet (ﷺ) explained to the delegation of ‘Abdul-Qais was a part of Faith. (See Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 50 and 87)
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him.” – Qur’an 3:85
Conclusion:
As shown in the refutation, many verses of the Bible attest to the fact that Jesus himself had the same limitations the lady in the video was criticizing Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) for and in the event of a miracle or knowledge of the unseen or guidance, only God permits it. However, we will never seek to make a comparison between Jesus and the Prophet within the lens of lies in the Bible that seek to make Jesus God. The shreds of evidence that expose the limitations of Jesus in the Bible also bring to light the fraudulent Bible manipulations, lies, and concoctions that attempt to make God of Jesus.
Indeed, Guidance belongs to God alone, and whoever embraces Islam, obeying Allah and His Messenger is assured of Paradise.
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