Muhammad in The Bible 5: the prophet Ahmad foretold by Jesus

The most used book to claim the description of Mohammad within the New Testament is the gospel of John. Surah 61:6 claims that Jesus foretold the advent of a Prophet named Ahmad. Since Ahmad and Muhammad share the same root and are interrelated, people claim that both names are virtually the same.

John 14:16 foretells the advent of a person, a Counselor which would come after Jesus. This is who is claimed to be Ahmad. Paraclete (Gr. παράκλητος, Lat. paracletus) means advocate or helper.

Many Muslim writers have argued that “another Paraclete” (John 14:16)—the first being Jesus—refers to Muhammad. The earliest scholar is probably Ibn Ishaq (died 767), who Islamic tradition states was the grandson of a Christian. Others who interpreted the paraclete as a reference to Muhammad include Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurtubi, Rahmatullah Kairanawi (1818-1891), and contemporary Muslim scholars such as Martin Lings.^[18][19] A few Muslim commentators, such as David Benjamin Keldani (1928), have argued that the original Greek word used was periklytos, meaning famed, illustrious, or praiseworthy, rendered in Arabic as Ahmad, and that this was substituted by Christians with parakletos. (1) 

In the two Sections below, I present an analysis of the descriptions related to The Vounselor. Section 1 is limited to those passages about The Counselor in the Gospel according to John, and the second section in the Book of Acts, which also speaks about and describes The same person, The Counselor, The Spirit of Truth. You'll see below each verse talking about The Counselor the following signs:

+ a plus signs indicating descriptions which positively match the description and/or claims of Prophet Muhammad

? a question mark indicating descriptions that are not perfectly clear describing Muhammad

- a negative sign indicating descriptions which do not match prophet Muhammad.

Though there may be descriptions that positively match to Prophet Muhammad, there may be negative. The purpose of this analysis is to determine in what extent do it positive matches occur. 100% matches would indicate absolute certainty that Muhammad is the one described. If the percentage of positive matches decrease, it would be less and less certain that Muhammad is the person described. The goal is to determine whether Mohammad is clearly described without contradiction or shade of doubt.

Part 1 - In the book of John

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

+ The Qur'an says Jesus spoke of a prophet named Ahmad.

? There is no manuscript backing up the theory that the original word was not parakletos but peritonitis, which is connected to the name Ahmad (praised for one).

- the promised counselor was to be with all believers starting with the first followers of Jesus forever. Even if assumed that he was with them in the hearts of people, the separation of 6 centuries is a point against the prophet of Islam.

John 14:17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn't see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you.

+ Mohammad claimed to speak the truth and the hadith says people knew him as trustworthy.

- The counselor was a spiritual being only.

? It could be argued that Muhammad wasn't seen or known at the time of this revelation.

- The counselor was already with the apostles

- the counselor was promised to be in (not among) the apostles

John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit -- the Father will send Him in My name -- will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

- The Counselor is The Holy Spirit. In Christianity, he is claimed to be God. In Islam, He is claimed to be Angel Gabriel. In either case, not claimed to be Prophet Muhammad.

- Prophet Mohammad did not claim to come in the name of Jesus but in the name of God.

+ Prophet Mohammad did claim to teach things from God, and claim to remind the teachings of Jesus and all of the prophets.

?  Prophet Mohammad did not teach all the things Jesus taught in the book of John. 

John 15:26 "When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father -- the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father -- He will testify about Me.

- The Counselor would be sent by Jesus. According to Islam only God send his prophets. 

- proceeding (ekporeuomai) from the Father means sharing the same nature with Him. The Greek word means brought forth from, flows from The Father.

+ Mohammad did testify about Jesus and the prophets, regardless if some his teachings contradicted the Gospel of John.

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don't go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send Him to you.

+ Mohammad post dates Jesus

- Mohammad did not claim being sent by Jesus

John 16:8-11 When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see Me;11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

+ Mohammad's teaching did ask people to lean on God and to stay away from sin.

? sin is defined as not believing in who Jesus is. Though prophet Mohammad spoke of Jesus, he said he was different that who was described in John. The question mark is because the book used to check if Mohammad is described (John) differs on the views of who Jesus is.

- The Counselor would convict people of righteousness because Jesus went to the father. This is related to the theological believe in substitution. The righteousness of Jesus who was sinless is given to those who believe in Jesus, because Jesus mediates between the sinner and the Father. Islam does not teach this.

John 16:12-13 "I still have many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

+ Mohammad claimed to be speaking to guide people towards the truth.

+ Mohammad claimed to speak only what he heard from Angel Gabriel,

+ Mohammad did claim to speak of future events

John 16:14-15 He will glorify Me, because He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you.15 Everything the Father has is Mine. This is why I told you that He takes from what is Mine and will declare it to you.

- Mohammad did not claim to be giving glory to Jesus, because he claimed Jesus was only a man. He was Giving glory to God only.

- Mohammad did not declare that Jesus was co-owner of all things with the Father.

- Mohammad did not claim to speak any words from Jesus but from God

John 20:21-22 Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 After saying this, He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 

- the Counselor was received by athe Apostles after the Resurrection. Mohammad did not claim that Jesus died and was resurrected.

Part 2 - outside the book of John, but related to the story of the Counselor Spirit of truth

Acts 1:2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.

- Jesus gave orders to the Apostles through the Counselor until the day he was taken up. I. This case the Counselor could not have been Mohammad.

Acts 1:5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

- the apostles were Baptized with the Counselor not many days after the ascension of Jesus 

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

- the Apostles and the followers of Christ would witness of Him after receiving the power of the Counselor, The Spirit of Truth. People witnessed about Christ since almost 6 centuries before the prophet Mohammad.

Acts 1:16 "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David spoke in advance about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

- the Counselor spoke to David about Judas. That means the counselor predates Mohammad almost 1600 years 

Acts 2:4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech.

- The Counselor below was who gave the Believers to speak in tongues on the day of Pentecost. Prophet Mohammad post dated Pentecost and did not claim to have Power to make people to speak in foreign tongues.

Acts 2:17 (HCSB) 17 And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.18 I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and female slaves in those days, and they will prophesy.

- The pouring of the counselor is what made some people prophesy. Mohammed did not claim to have power to reveal unknown things to other people so that they could prophesy.

Acts 2:33 Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear.

- The Counselor was received by Jesus when Jesus ascended. Six centuries before prophet Muhammad 

Acts 2:38 "Repent," Peter said to them, "and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

- The Counselor was given upon new believers when they were Baptized in the name of Jesus at the time of Peter as a minimum, 6 centuries before prophet Muhammad

Acts 4:8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders:

- the Counselor was within Peter, this discards a Human being.

- The Counselor was within Peter 6 centuries before Mohammad lived.

Acts 4:25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David Your servant: Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot futile things?

- People in the first century spoke through the Counselor, that is almost 6 centuries before Muhammad

Acts 4:31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness.

- The Counselor made people speak with boldness

- this happened almost 6 centuries before Mohammad lived

SUMMARY:

Book of John - 27 possible matches

+ 9 positive matches - 33%

? 4 questionable matches - 15%

- 14 negative matches - 52%

Book of Acts - 13 possible matches

+ 0 positive matches - 0%

? 0 questionable matches - 0%

- 13 negative matches - 100%

Combined - 40 possible matches

+ 9 positive matches - 22.5%

? 4 questionable matches - 10%

- 27 negative matches - 67.5%

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Footnotes

- All Bible quotations come from the HSCB translation to English of The Bible

(1) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraclete#In_Islam