Muhammad & The Prophet Like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19) - Part 2

Overview

In ‘Part 1’ it was shown that Deuteronomy 18:15-19 cannot be referring to Muhammad because Muhammad was an Ishmaelite rather than an Israelite. In other words, Deuteronomy 18:15-19 describes the coming of a prophet like Moses who will be an Israelite like Moses, and Muhammad does not fit this description due to his non-Israelite lineage.

Further to this, Muhammad can also be excluded from fulfilling Deuteronomy 18:15-19 because Muhammad's theology disagrees with the theology of Moses. It stands to reason that the prophet like Moses should possess the same theology as Moses, and in this regard Muhammad falls short. This is because at times Muhammad’s teachings either explicitly deny or are completely silent on issues that are central to the teachings and theological beliefs of Moses. Muhammad and Moses are therefore in conflict and cannot belong to the same religion or worship the same God. The following is an example that relates to the 'Fatherhood of God'.

The Fatherhood of God

According to Deuteronomy (14:1-2, 32:6 & 32:18-19), the Israelites are God’s spiritual children and God is a spiritual Father to the Israelites. This is especially seen in Exodus (4:21-23) when God describes the nation of Israel as His firstborn son.

(1) You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, (2) for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession. (Deuteronomy 14:1-2)

(6) Is this the way you repay the LORD, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? (Deuteronomy 32:6)

(18) You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. (19) The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. (Deuteronomy 32:18-19)

(21) The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. (22) Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, (23) and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” (Exodus 4:21-23)

These references to Moses' belief in the Fatherhood of God are significant when considered in contrast to the Islamic understanding of Allah. In Islam, and especially in the Quran, it is highly inappropriate to associate Allah with Fatherhood or to suggest that Allah has children in any sense (4:171, 6:100-101, 9:30, 17:110-111, 19:88-95, 21:25-28, 39:4, 72:1-5 & 112:1-4), and this is explicitly denied when applied to the relationship between Allah and the Jews (5:18).

The teachings of Moses as contained in the Torah and the teachings of Muhammad as contained in the Quran are therefore in conflict. If Moses is correct and God is a Father, then Muhammad is wrong. However, if Muhammad is correct and God is not a Father, then Moses is wrong. As such, the teachings of Moses and Muhammad cannot co-exist on the Fatherhood of God, which proves that Muhammad is not the prophet described in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.

Further Considerations: Father & Son

It is important to note that God has selected the nation of Israel to uniquely know Him and represent Him to the rest of humanity, hence the metaphor of 'Father' (God) and 'Son' (Israel). This means that despite what some Muslims claim, the language of 'Father' and ‘Son’ in no way suggests that God has or ever will procreate with a spouse or sexual partner. This belief would be anathema to both Judaism and Christianity and has never been believed by either Jews or Christians. On the contrary, Jews and Christians have always understood the language of ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ to be metaphorical and figurative. Put another way, they are terms that are used 'relationally' rather than 'biologically'.

Quran Passages

The Quran 4:171 (Abdul Haleem)

(171) People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion, and do not say anything about God except the truth: the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was nothing more than a messenger of God, His word, directed to Mary, a spirit from Him. So believe in God and His messengers and do not speak of a ‘Trinity’ - stop [this], that is better for you - God is only one God, He is far above having a son, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him and He is the best one to trust.

The Quran 5:18 (Abdul Haleem)

(18) The Jews and the Christians say, “We are the children of God and His beloved ones.” Say, “Then why does He punish you for your sins? You are merely human beings, part of His creation: He forgives whoever He will and punishes whoever He will. Control of the heavens and earth and all that is between them belongs to Him: all journeys lead to Him.”

The Quran 6:100-101 (Abdul Haleem)

(100) Yet they made the jinn partners with God, though He created them, and without any true knowledge they attribute sons and daughters to Him. Glory be to Him! He is far higher than what they ascribe to Him, (101) the Creator of the heavens and earth! How could He have children when He has no spouse, when He created all things, and has full knowledge of all things?

The Quran 9:30 (Abdul Haleem)

(30) The Jews said, ‘Ezra is the son of God,’ and the Christians said, ‘The Messiah is the son of God’: they said this with their own mouths, repeating what earlier disbelievers had said. May God confound them! How far astray they have been led!

The Quran 17:110-111 (Abdul Haleem)

(110) Say [to them], ‘Call on God, or on the Lord of Mercy - whatever names you call Him, the best names belong to Him.’ [Prophet], do not be too loud in your prayer, or too quiet, but seek a middle way (111) and say, ‘Praise belongs to God, who has no child nor partner in His rule. He is not so weak as to need a protector. Proclaim His limitless greatness!’

The Quran 19:88-95 (Abdul Haleem)

(88) The disbelievers say, “The Lord of Mercy has offspring.” (89) How terrible is this thing you assert: (90) it almost causes the heavens to be torn apart, the earth to split asunder, the mountains to crumble to pieces, (91) that they attribute offspring to the Lord of Mercy. (92) It does not befit the Lord of Mercy [to have offspring]: (93) there is no one in the heavens or earth who will not come to the Lord of Mercy as a servant - (94) He has counted them all: He has numbered them exactly - (95) and they will each return to Him on the Day of Resurrection all alone.

The Quran 21:25-28 (Abdul Haleem)

(25) We never sent any messenger before you [Muhammad] without revealing to him: ‘There is no god but Me, so serve Me.’ (26) And they say, ‘The Lord of Mercy has taken offspring for Himself.’ May He be exalted! No! They are only His honoured servants: (27) they do not speak before He speaks and they act by His command. (28) He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede without His permission - indeed they themselves stand in awe of Him.

The Quran 39:4 (Abdul Haleem)

(4) God could have chosen any of His creation He willed for offspring, but He is far above this! He is the One, the Almighty.

The Quran 72:1-5 (Abdul Haleem)

(1) Say [Prophet], ‘It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn once listened in and said, “We have heard a wondrous Quran, (2) that gives guidance to the right path, and we have come to believe it - We shall never set up partners with our Lord - (3) and that He - exalted be the glory of our Lord! - has neither spouse nor child. (4) Outrageous things have been said about God by the foolish among us, (5) although we had thought that no man or jinn would [dare to] tell a lie about Him.

The Quran 112:1-4 (Abdul Haleem)

(1) Say, ‘He is God the One, (2) God the eternal. (3) He begot no one nor was He begotten. (4) No one is comparable to Him.