Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

Claims that the Bible – both Old and New Testaments – contains references or prophecies about the Prophet Muhammad have been a point of discussion and debate for centuries. Islamic tradition, supported by certain Quranic verses, holds that Muhammad’s advent was foretold in earlier scriptures. Muslim scholars have pointed to passages such as Deuteronomy 18:18, Isaiah 42, Song of Songs 5:16, and the New Testament “Paraclete” sayings in John’s Gospel as evidence that the Bible foreshadows Muhammad’s mission. In contrast, Jewish and Christian scholars interpret these same passages within their original contexts or as prophecies of figures central to Judaism and Christianity (e.g. the Messiah or the Holy Spirit), not Muhammad. Modern academic scholarship generally approaches this topic by examining the linguistic, historical, and theological context of the verses in question, often concluding that connections to Muhammad are later interpretations rather than the intent of the biblical authors. This article provides a comprehensive and neutral analysis of the major verses cited in this debate – outlining traditional Islamic interpretations, the responses of Christian and Jewish scholarship, and the perspectives of contemporary academics – in order to illuminate how each tradition understands these texts. A balanced, evidence-based approach is used, citing scriptural text and scholarly commentary to explore arguments for and against identifying biblical verses with Prophet Muhammad. The article concludes with a thematic epilogue reflecting on the nature of interfaith scriptural interpretation.

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