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Muhammad in the Bible? If this question sounds strange to you as a Christian, then I should ask where you have been all these while. Because the question, or better put, the matter of Mohammad being in the Bible is a big issue among Muslims, which they never fail to brandish like an irrefutable proof of the legitimacy of their prophet. And, it is not a recent issue.
For centuries, Muslims have claimed that the coming of their prophet, Muhammad, was foretold in the Bible—both the Old and New Testaments. This belief stems from verses in the Qur’an such as Surah Al-Saff 61:6, where Jesus is quoted as predicting a messenger after him whose name is Ahmad—another name for Muhammad.
“And ˹remember˺ when Jesus, son of Mary, said, “O children of Israel! I am truly Allah’s messenger to you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving good news of a messenger after me whose name will be Aḥmad.”1 Yet when the Prophet came to them with clear proofs, they said, “This is pure magic.” (Quran 61:6)
To support this idea, Muslim apologists often cite passages from the Bible, which they claim are prophecies about their prophet—Mohammad, despite their heavy accusation that the Bible has been corrupted and altered.
As Christians, we must respond intellectually and biblically to this claim, as 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us, to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear”. The issue here is not whether Muhammad is important in Islam—he certainly is—but whether the Bible itself testifies of him.
In this article, I want to examine 6 major texts Muslims use, and presents the Christian interpretation based on context, linguistic analysis, and New Testament fulfillment. By the end, it will become clear that the Bible consistently points not to Muhammad, but to Jesus Christ as God’s final and ultimate revelation.
Why Do Muslims Look for Muhammad in the Bible?
Muslims are taught that Islam is the continuation and completion of the faith of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Therefore, they expect the earlier Scriptures to contain prophecies about Muhammad, who they claim is the “seal of the prophets.” They even argue that Jews and Christians altered their Scriptures to hide these predictions.
The main biblical passages Muslims refer to include:
- Deuteronomy 18:15–18: “A prophet like Moses”.
- Song of Solomon 5:16: The Hebrew word machmadim (“altogether lovely”).
- John 14–16: The Comforter or Paraclete.
- Isaiah 42:1–13: The Servant of the Lord and Kedar.
- Isaiah 29:12: The illiterate reader.
- Habakkuk 3:3 – God coming from Teman and Mount Paran
Let us now examine each text carefully.
You should also read: THE GOD OF THE BIBLE: NOT A JEWISH GOD, BUT THE ONE TRUE GOD OF ALL THE EARTH
Muhammad: A Prophet Like Moses?
Deuteronomy 18 verses 15 says:
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.”
And verses 18 says:
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”
Muslim Claim
Muslims believe the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18 verses 15 and 18 points to Muhammad.
1. They claim that Muhammad was a lawgiver, political leader, and nation builder—all of what Moses was among the Israelites.
2. Muslims also take the phrase “from among your brothers” to refer to the Ishmaelites—Israel’s cousins, from among whom Mohammad came.
3. The prophecy emphasizes a prophet who speaks God’s words without error, which they believe applies to Muhammad.
Examining the Claim
1. Context matters to reading and understanding the Bible! Moses was addressing the Israelites, and had started from Deuteronomy 17. The phrase “from among your brothers” had first appeared in Deuteronomy 17:15:
“You shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.”
Setting a king over them from among their brethren clearly refers to fellow Israelites. Thus, the prophet from among their brethren would arise from Israel, not Ishmael’s line. Jesus, like Moses, was a Jew in the flesh.
2. The New Testament confirms this truth. Both Peter in Acts 3:22–23, and Stephen in Acts 7:37, explicitly declared that the prophecy has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This is a decisive biblical interpretation.
3. The ultimate similitude of Moses and Jesus lies in redemption. God used Moses to redeem Israel from slavery in Egypt, while God used Jesus to redeem all humanity from sin. And, Moses mediated a covenant—the old covenant, and Jesus also mediated the new and better covenant (Hebrews 8:6).
4. Fulfillment pattern: The New Testament consistently presents Jesus as the ultimate prophet, priest, and king—the final Word from God (Hebrews 1:1–2).
Thus, Deuteronomy 18:15 and 28 points to Jesus, not Muhammad.
Muhammad: The “Altogether Lovely”?
Song of Solomon 5:16
“His mouth is most sweet, Yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, And this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem!”
Muslim Claim
The phrase “altogether lovely” is translated from the Hebrew word machmâdim (מַחֲמַדִּים), which Muslims claim sounds like the name of their prophet—Muhammad. Therefore, they argue it is a concealed reference to him.
Examining the Claim
1. The word machmâd is a common Hebrew noun meaning “lovely, desirable thing, delightful, pleasant thing.” It also appears in 1 Kings 20:6, 2 Chronicles 36:9, Isaiah 64:11, Lamentations 1:10, 11, and 2:4, Ezekiel 24:16, 21, and 25, Hosea 9:6 and 16, and Joel 3:5— but not as a personal name.
2. Grammatically, the suffix (ending) “-im” is a plural of intensity— describing the degree of the loveliness. Thus, machmâdim means “exceedingly lovely,” not a proper noun.
3. Again, context matters greatly in understanding the Bible. Song of Solomon is a poetic literature, not a prophetic literature. The text under consideration is a love poem in which a bride was describing the beauty of her groom.
4. Finally, proper Bible interpretation doesn’t permit using a singular occurrence to establish a doctrine. There has to be a consistency. So, if machmâdim in Songs of Solomon 5:16 were about Muhammad, why is the same word used elsewhere for “precious things” or “delightful objects”? Clearly, it’s not a name prophecy.
Conclusion: The connection is based purely on wishful thinking, not meaning or context. Muslims want to find Muhammad in the Bible so badly that they flout Bible interpretation rules.
Muhammad: The Paraklētos?
Muslims also cite John 14:16 and John 16:7 to push their narrative of Muhammad being mentioned in the Bible.
John 14:16:
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”
John 16:7:
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”
Muslim Claim
Muslims claim that the Helper—Greek paraklētos that Jesus spoke of is Muhammad, not the Holy Spirit as Christians claim. Some of them argue that the original word was periklutos, a Greek word meaning “praised one”, corresponding to Ahmad in Arabic, but Christians changed it to paraklētos.
Examining the Claim
1. There is no shred of textual evidence in support of this theory. None of the thousands of Greek manuscripts of John which predated Islam has the word periklutos. All of them have paraklētos. There is no textual basis for periklutos.
2. Jesus’s description of the paraklētos doesn’t fit the profile of Muhammad.
- Sent by the Father in Jesus’ name (John 14:26). Muslims deny that Allah is a Father.
- Dwells with and in believers forever (John 14:16). Muhammad didn’t dwell with or in believers, and he didn’t live forever. He is dead.
- Teaches and reminds of Jesus’ words (John 14:26). Muhammad didn’t teach or remind people of his time Jesus’s words. He taught his own ideas, which were opposed to Jesus’s teachings.
- Glorifies Jesus (John 16:14). Muhammad didn’t glorify Jesus. Instead, he made himself greater than Jesus, and commanded his followers to kill and persecute Jesus’s followers.
3. Jesus said the Helper would come soon after His ascension. Acts 1:5, “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”” This was fulfilled 10 days after His ascension (Acts 2), meanwhile Muhammad came 600 years after Christ.
4. The Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Christ, and direct people to Him, not to redirect people away from Him, which was what Muhammad did.
So, the paraklētos refers to the Holy Spirit, not Muhammad.
Muhammad: God’s Servant from Kedar?
Again, Muslims cite Isaiah 42:1–13 to support their claim that the Bible spoke of Muhammad. See verses 1:
““Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”
Then, verses 11:
“Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout from the top of the mountains.”
Muslim Claim
Muslims argue that the Servant mentioned of in verses 1 cannot be Jesus, because in Jesus’s own words, He was sent only to the Jews (Matthew 15:4; Matthew 10:6), whereas Muhammad was sent to Gentiles—non-Jews.
The mention of Kedar, an Arabian tribe, indicates that the Servant would come from Arabia—which Muhammad fulfilled.
Examining the Claim
1. Isaiah 42 is the first of four Servant Songs, which describe the ministry, suffering, and exaltation of the Messiah—others are Isaiah 49, 50, and 52. Matthew’s Gospel portrays Isaiah 42 as having been fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:17–21).
2. Isaiah 42 describes the Servant’s nature and role. He is gentle— He wouldn’t break a bruised reed (v.3), and is a light to the nations (v.6–7). This aligns with Jesus’ ministry of grace and salvation, not with Muhammad’s political mission.
3. The prophecy didn’t say that the Servant would come from Kedar, but that even far-off tribes like Kedar will rejoice at the Servant’s coming.
4. The Servant being filled with God’s Spirit fits Jesus at His baptism (Matthew 3:16–17).
So, even Isaiah 42 is about Christ—it foretold His global mission and influence, not Muhammad’s rise in Arabia.
Muhammad: The Illiterate Prophet?
Muslims also often point to Isaiah 29:12 as a prophecy that points to Muhammad.
“Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate.””
Muslim Claim
Muslims say that Muhammad was an illiterate. He is described in the Qur’an as “al-Ummi”—the unlettered prophet. In Islamic tradition, when Gabriel first appeared to Muhammad in the cave of Hira and commanded him to “Read” (or “Recite”), Muhammad replied: “I cannot read.” (Sahih al-Bukhari).
This is seen to match Isaiah 29:12, where a person is told to read a book, but responds, “I am not literate.” Muslims argue that “the book” mentioned is the Qur’an, which was revealed to Muhammad, the unlettered prophet. This is seen as too close to be a coincidence. Therefore, Muslims believe this is a biblical prophecy foretelling Muhammad’s prophethood.
Examining the Claim
1. The context of Isaiah 29 God’s judgment of spiritual dullness or blindness on Judah for their disobedience. In verses 9–13, the people were rebuked for honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. The “sealed book” or unreadable scroll is a metaphor for Israel’s inability to understand God’s message because of their spiritual dullness, not a prophecy of a future prophet.
2. The illiterate person in verse 12 is a metaphor. Note that is verses 11, a literate person had first been given the book, but he couldn’t read it. So, whether literate or not, the people are spiritually blind and cannot understand God’s word. It is not a prediction of a specific future individual.
3. Jewish and Christian scholars throughout history have never linked this passage to the Messiah, let alone to Muhammad.
You should also read: THE EARLY DATING OF THE GOSPELS: HISTORICAL EVIDENCE FOR THEIR RELIABILITY
Muhammad: God Coming from Teman and Paran?
Habakkuk 3:3 is another Bible’s text that Muslims cite to support the narrative of Muhammad’s prophecy in the Bible.
“God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.”
Muslim Claim
Muslims claim that Paran refers to Arabia, the region of Ishmael’s descendants. Thus, Habakkuk predicted Muhammad’s appearance.
Examining the Claim
1. Habakkuk 3 was a vision of God’s past and future mighty acts; it is a recollection of God’s glory at Sinai.
Deuteronomy 33:1-2:
1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said: “The Lord came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them.
2. As against the Muslims’ claim, Paran is geographically associated with Sinai (Deuteronomy 33:2), not Mecca. Teman is associated with Edom.
3. The passage describes God Himself appearing in glory, not a human prophet.
4. The surrounding verses describe cosmic disturbances and divine judgment—attributes of God’s presence, not Muhammad’s life.
So, Habakkuk 3 exalts God’s majesty, not Muhammad’s mission.
Muslims look for Muhammad in the Bible because of their Qur’anic expectation. But when Scripture is examined in its original context, the evidence consistently points to Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promises. The Bible closes the door on further prophets by declaring in Hebrews 1:1–2:
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, 2 whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.”
Jesus is not just the final prophet but also the eternal Son of God, the Savior who died and rose again. He alone is the fulfillment of all that is written in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:44). Therefore, the Christian response is clear: Muhammad is not foretold in the Bible. Christ alone is the promised Redeemer and God’s ultimate Word to mankind.
All the Bible passages Muslims often cite do not predict Muhammad. Instead, they consistently reveal Jesus Christ, God’s promised Savior. At the end of the day, the Bible’s central message is not about Muhammad—it is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to save the world. The real question is: have you received Him as your Lord and Savior? Today is an opportunity for you to receive Him.
Additional Sources to Help You:
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Does the Bible prophesy the coming of Muhammad? — GotQuestions.org — A clear treatment of the passages Muslims often cite (Deut 18, Song of Solomon, John 16, etc.), concluding the Bible does not specifically prophesy Muhammad. GotQuestions.org
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Does Habakkuk 3:3 predict the coming of Muhammad? — CARM — An evangelical-apologetic refutation of the claim that Habakkuk 3:3 refers to Muhammad, with arguments based on context, grammar, and theology. carm.org
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Is the arrival of Muhammad predicted in Deuteronomy 33:2? — CARM — Examines Deut 33:2 and shows that it does not prophesy Muhammad, but rather speaks of the LORD’s coming. carm.org
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Is Muhammad Prophesied in the Bible? — Redemption of Humanity — Looks at eight commonly claimed biblical passages and evaluates them from a Christian perspective; concludes none properly predict Muhammad. Redemption of Humanity
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Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) Not foretold in the Bible — Christianity Explained — Short article summarizing why the biblical evidence is insufficient to assert prophecy of Muhammad. Christianity Explained
