Was Muhammad A Prophet?

by Micky Galloway

Some claim that Islam is the “fastest growing religion in America.” To say the least, Islam is a religion which will affect all of us throughout the foreseeable future. It behooves us to know something about Islam. To be informed about any religion, we must know something about its founder. Who was Muhammad and how does he compare with Jesus?

Muhammad (AD 570-632) was the founder of the religion of Islam and accepted by Muslims throughout the world as the last prophet of God. He was born in Mecca, Arabia and claimed visions of an angel as the basis of his new name Muhammad (“highly praised” or “glorified one”) and as the medium of new revelations given to him orally. (Please note he could not read or write mg). His sayings were collected after his death and written as the Qur’an or Koran. Muhammad called his new religion “Islam” (“to submit,” i.e., to God) and followers Muslim (“one who submits”). The key pillar of this new religion is the confession, “There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.”

Muhammad led his followers in spreading their religion with the sword, raiding caravans and waging war until Mecca surrendered to him in 630. Following the example of Muhammad and the instruction of the Qur’an, Muslims spread their religion by both persuasion and force westward into Europe and southward into Africa, until they were stopped at the Battle of Tours in France in 732. Likewise, Islam spread eastward into southern Asia and on to the islands of the southwest Pacific Ocean. Is it no wonder that today, some Muslims still follow the original ideas exemplified by their founder and the Qur’an in utilizing weapons of war. The best way I know to determine what this self proclaimed prophet believes is to look at what he has done and what he teaches.

What is a prophet? A prophet is a spokesman for God. In Exodus 7:1, Aaron was called the prophet of Moses. In Exodus 4:16 we read concerning Aaron, “And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.” In the Old Testament, God spoke in different ways and amounts. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets” (NKJV Hebrews 1:1). God spoke by visions (Isaiah 1:1-2; Numbers 12:6) and signs (Jeremiah 10:1-2). He spoke to Samuel while he slept (I Samuel 3:3-4) and to Elijah by a still, small voice (I Kings 19:10-12). By way of contrast the Hebrew writer said that God “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (NKJV Hebrews 1:2). Jesus was that prophet!

Was Muhammad a prophet of God? Muhammad used violence, including assassination, to defeat and convert those who opposed Islam. “Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush … Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low … Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew” (Qur’an 9; cf. 2:191, 194). Jesus converted people by teaching, persuasion, and example. Jesus taught, “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when (men) shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12, cf. 38ff). He never used force, nor would He allow His disciples to use force, not even when His enemies attacked Him. “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priest and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: take him. And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, (do) that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And behold, one of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? How then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?” (Matthew 26:47-54). Jesus commanded the disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations …” (KJV Matthew 28:19).

ALL the promises and prophecies of a Savior revealed in the Scripture were fulfilled by Jesus. Jesus said to the apostles, “These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me” (Luke 24:44). Jesus could read the Scriptures and declare their fulfillment. “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:17-21). Twelve times in the book of Matthew alone, Jesus declared “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying …” Muhammad could NOT read the Scriptures or authenticate that he fulfilled anything! The claims of Christ were confirmed by His miracles, Muhammad claimed no miracles! Christ promised a complete revelation of “all truth” through His Apostles in the first century (John 16:13). They warned against pretended revelations by angels (Galatians 1:8). Muhammad claimed additional revelations by an angel. Christ promised to die as the perfect sacrifice “for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Muhammad denied the atoning death of Christ but offered no alternative basis of pardon.

Jesus is the final prophet and savior. God made His identity known by giving an abundance of evidence. He seeks the salvation of all men (cf. I Timothy 2:4), whether they are Jew, Gentile, Arabians, Africans, Asians, or Americans (etc.). The voice of God still says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5).