Prophecies of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the Bible (A Detailed Study from the Old & New Testaments with Quranic Parallels)
Introduction
The Bible—comprising the Torah (Old Testament) and the Injīl (New Testament)—contains numerous passages that Muslim scholars have long identified as foretelling the advent of the Final Prophet, Muhammad ﷺ. Through linguistic, historical, and theological analysis, this article explores these prophecies in light of Quranic revelation, demonstrating consistency with Islamic tradition and a message of continuity between the Abrahamic faiths.
Proof and hints: The Lineage of the Last Prophet
Kedar, Paran, and the Quraysh Tribe
- Genesis 21:21 → Ishmael lived in Paran = Makkah
- Genesis 21:21 “He lived in the Desert of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.” refers to Ishmael living in the Desert of Paran, which is traditionally linked to Makkah, where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born. This connects the Prophet ﷺ to Ishmael’s descendants.
- Isaiah 42:11 → “Let the people of Kedar rejoice.”
- Isaiah 42:11 speaks of the people of Kedar, descendants of Ishmael, rejoicing. This is interpreted as a prophecy of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who belonged to the Quraish tribe, descended from Kedar.
- Ezekiel 27:21 → “Arabia and the princes of Kedar…”
- Ezekiel 27:21 mentions Arabia and the princes of Kedar, referring to the Arab tribes, especially those descended from Ishmael. This foreshadows a great figure emerging from Arabia, seen as Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
PART 1: Old Testament Prophecies (Tanakh/Torah)
- Genesis 17:20 – Ishmael’s Blessed Nation
“As for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him… I will make him into a great nation.”
Contextual Insight:
- Ishmael (Ismā‘īl عليه السلام), son of Abraham and Hagar, was the forefather of the Arabs.
- The term “great nation” refers to Arabs and Muslim community.
Islamic Perspective:
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, as a direct descendant of Ishmael through Kedar, fulfilled this promise.
Quranic Support: The supplication of our master Abraham, peace be upon him, for his wife and his son, Ishmael
رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِى زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ ٱلْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجْعَلْ أَفْـِٔدَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهْوِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ وَٱرْزُقْهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley, near Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may establish prayer. So make the hearts of ˹believing˺ people incline towards them and provide them with fruits, so perhaps they will be thankful.
(Qur’an 14:37 )
2. Deuteronomy 18:18 – A Prophet Like Unto Moses
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren; and I will put My words in his mouth…”
Linguistic Note:
- “Brethren” of the Israelites = Ishmaelites (Genesis 16:12).
- Hebrew: ‘āḥîm (אַחִים) = brothers or close kin.
Comparison with Moses “prophet like you”:
Moses | Muhammad ﷺ |
Lawgiver (Torah) | Lawgiver (Qur’an) |
Political & spiritual leader | Same |
Confronted opposition | Same |
Migration (Exodus) | Hijrah (to Madinah) |
Quranic Support:
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺
(Surah An-Najm 53:3–4)
وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُنذِرِينَ بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُّبِينٍ
“And indeed, it is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down upon your heart (O Prophet), so that you may be of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue.”
(Surah Ash-Shu‘ara 26:192–195)
3. Deuteronomy 33:2 – Revelation from Paran
“The LORD came from Sinai, rose from Seir, and shone forth from Mount Paran…”
Deuteronomy 33:2 (The Bible – Old Testament)
“The LORD came from Sinai,
and dawned upon them from Seir;
He shone forth from Mount Paran,
and came with ten thousand saints…”
This verse traces a timeline of prophethood:
- Sinai → The land of Prophet Moses (Musa عليه السلام)
- Seir → The region of Palestine, linked to Prophet Jesus (‘Isa عليه السلام)
- Paran → The area of Makkah, the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Surah At-Tīn (The Qur’an 95:1–3)
وَٱلتِّينِ وَٱلزَّيْتُونِ وَطُورِ سِينِينَ وَهَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ ٱلْأَمِينِ
“By the fig and the olive ˹of Jerusalem˺, And [by] Mount Sinai, And [by] this secure city [i.e., Makkah], (Surah At-Tīn 95:1-3)
According to classical tafsīr (commentary), these symbols represent:
Qur’anic Phrase | Symbolic Meaning | Prophet & Place |
“The Fig & The Olive” | Land of olives → Palestine | ‘Isa (Jesus) عليه السلام |
“Mount Sinai” | The mountain of revelation | Musa (Moses) عليه السلام |
“This Secure City” | Makkah, the city of safety | Muhammad ﷺ |
Perfect Parallel Between Bible & Qur’an
Sequence | Bible (Deuteronomy 33:2) | Qur’an (Surah At-Tīn) | Prophet |
1 | “Came from Sinai” | “By Mount Sinai” | Musa (Moses) عليه السلام |
2 | “Dawned from Seir (Palestine region)” | “By the olive” | ‘Isa (Jesus) عليه السلام |
3 | “Shone from Mount Paran” | “This secure city (Makkah)” | Muhammad ﷺ |
4. Psalms 84:6 – The Valley of Baca
“As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs…”
Linguistic Note:
- “Baca” in Hebrew = “Bakkah” in Arabic
- Root בָּכָא (bākā) and بَكَّة
Historical Relevance:
- Bakkah is explicitly named in the Qur’an as the site of the Ka‘bah.
Quran:
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَمِينَ
(Qur’an 3:96)
5. Isaiah 42:1–17 – The Servant from Kedar
“Here is My servant… He will establish justice… Let the settlements of Kedar rejoice…”
Contextual Analysis:
- Kedar = Second son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13)
- Settlements of Kedar = Central Arabia (including Makkah)
Hadith Support:
وَعَنْ وَاثِلَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى كِنَانَةَ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَاصْطَفَى قُرَيْشًا مِنْ كِنَانَةَ وَاصْطَفَى مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ بَنَى هَاشِمٍ وَاصْطَفَانِي مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
Wathila b. al-Asqa’ told that he heard God’s messenger (Muhammad peace be up on him) say, “God chose Kinana from the descendants of Ishmael, He chose Quraish from Kinana, from Quraish He chose the B. Hashim, and He chose me from the B. Hashim.”
6. Habakkuk 3:3 – The Holy One from Paran
“the Holy One from Mount Paran…”
Terminology:
- “Holy One” from Paran = Muhammad ﷺ as bearer of final revelation
Hebrew Parallel:
- Hebrew: Qedosh = Holy One
- Paralleled by Ahmad (Qur’an 61:6)
- Quranic Support:
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.”
7. Song of Songs 5:16 – The Name “Muhammad”
Hebrew: “…חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים…”
Transliteration: “…khikko mamtaqqim vekullo machmadim…”
Translation:
“His mouth is most sweet; yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
Linguistic Analysis:
- The Hebrew word “Machmadim” (מַחֲמַדִּים) comes from the root ḥ-m-d (חמד), which means “to desire” or “to praise.”
- “Machmadim” is the plural form of this root, used here in a way that emphasizes the high level of praise or desirability rather than indicating a literal plural. It intensifies the meaning, translating to “most praised” or “the one most desired.”
Quranic Support:
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah…
(Qur’an 48:29)
PART 2: New Testament (Injīl) Prophecies
8. John 14:16 – The “Another Comforter” (Paraclete)
“and He will give you another Comforter…”
Greek Word:
- “Paraklētos” (παράκλητος) = advocate, helper
- Some early Syriac and Greek texts hint at “Periklutos” (the Praised One = Ahmad)
Quranic Support:
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ
(Qur’an 61:6)
And [remember] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name will be Ahmad.
(Qur’an 61:6)
9. John 16:7–14 – The Spirit of Truth
“He will guide you into all truth… He will not speak on his own…”
Indicators of Prophethood:
- “Guide you into all truth” = Finality of the message
- “Speak not of himself” = Divine revelation
Quranic Support:
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ
Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is only a revelation sent down ˹to him˺
(Surah An-Najm 53:3–4)
10. Matthew 21:43 – The Kingdom Given to a New Nation
“The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing its fruit.”
Interpretation:
- New covenant not exclusive to Israel
- “Nation bearing fruit” = Muslim Ummah preserving tawḥīd (monotheism)
Quranic Support:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ ءَامَنَ أَهْلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُم ۚ مِّنْهُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allāh. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient.(Qur’an 3:110)
11. John 1:19–21 – The Awaited Prophet
He did not hesitate to confess, but rather declared, “I am not the Christ.” Then they asked him, “Who then are you? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he said, “No.”
Note:
- The question distinguishes between Elijah, Messiah, and “The Prophet”
- This third figure = the long-awaited Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:18)
Quranic Support:
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمًۭا
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.
( Qur’an 33:40):
Conclusion: A Unified Prophetic Message
From Genesis to the Gospels, there are signs, symbols, and statements pointing to a prophet who would emerge from Arabia, proclaim the truth of One God, and establish a community that would uphold divine law.
This prophet—described as “like Moses,” “the praised one,” and “the servant from Kedar”—can only be Muhammad ibn Abdullah ﷺ.
Quranic Closure:
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel
(Qur’an 7:157)
