Muhammad in The Bible 2: the prophet from Mount Paran? Deuteronomy 33:2and Habakkuk 3:3


Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. It speaks of God (i.e. God's revelation) coming from Sinai, rising from Seir (probably the village of Sa'ir near Jerusalem) and shining forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca). (1)

This is another common argument used to support the claim, that as mentioned in the Qur'an, Mohammed was foretold in the Bible. I would like to use soft words as much as possible, but this argument requires using mental gymnastics. I have two main issues with the argument:

1. Does Seir really refer to Jerusalem? The argument works if it makes reference to 3 major prophets of Islam. Moses,Jesus and Muhammad. Peace be upon them. However with all due respect, why attributing Seir (in the land of Moab) to Sa'ir? 

In Deuteronomy 33:2 it's written מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ (miś·śê·‘îr, from Seir). As for the town near Jerusalem, it's spelled ציער as explained on the Wikipedia entry about the history of this town:

According to the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ), Sa'ir "was established on the town of Saeer (صعير) or Saiour (صعيور)", and during the Roman era the town was known as "Sior".[2] The Book of Joshua (15:54) mentions a town in this area called Tsi`or (ציער, also transliterated Sior or Zior). The Hebrew name is related to a root meaning "small". (2)


2. Does mount Paran refer to Arabia, and more specifically to Mecca? Sincere evaluation of this claim, for this verse shows that the answer is No. The two main reasons are:

A) Context: the book of Deuteronomy is a reminder of the Law given to Moses. The people of Israel for disbelieving in God had been wandering in the desert from almost 40 years. A generation had grown and many had not seen the signs and wonders that God did when they came out of Egypt. They were not present when The Law was given in mount Sinai. Deuteronomy 1:1 gives us an introduction to the scenery in which this book was given:

1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab. (3)

Deuteronomy 33 is a promise of a blessing to the people of Israel who did not hear God speak in Mount Sinai. In Deuteronomy 32 they had just heard a prophecy of how they would be unfaithful to God and be taken again to captivity. Thus it is necessary to start chapter 33 with a reminder that proof of this blessing being true is reminding that God spoke to Moses and the congregation in Sinai. Moses is saying therefore that he is not inventing this blessing. Proof of it is that God spoke to him in Sinai and their fathers could attest for it. So Deuteronomy 33:2 does not refer to any places where Moses did not visit, such as Mecca. But to the place where the law was revealed in the peninsula of Sinai.

B) Mount Paran, not the region of Paran, is only mentioned twice in the Bible, and it does not refer to the Arabian Peninsula. The first one in Deuteronomy 33:2, and the second in Habbakuk 3:3. In Habbakuk 3:3 there are tow special notes that tells us what is Mount Paran. First Habbakuk 3:2 tells us that Habbakuk was thinking of the great signs from God. This would include the exodus from Israel and the giving of the Law. Then Habakkuk makes connection between mount Paran and a land called Teman. Teman was part of the land of Edom (5). As seen in the map(6), it encompasses part of the peninsula of Sinai. Therefore Mount Paran makes reference to the place where the Law was given to Moses, not to Mecca or the Arabian peninsula.







__________________________________________________________________________
Footnotes:
(1) http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0404-2296
(2) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ir
(3) Deuteronomy 1:1 (HCSB)
(4) http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/11/What-Do-Mt-Horeb2c-The-Mountain-of-God2c-Mt-Paran-and-Mt-Seir-Have-to-Do-with-Mt-Sinai.aspx
(5) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teman_(Edom)
(6) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edom




Comments