Adam

The following describes a comparison between Muhammad (PBUH - Peace Be Upon Him) and Jesus from the Quran and the Bible.

Muhammad

In the Quran, Muhammad is mentioned 4 times by name as opposed to Jesus being mentioned by name 25 times directly and 95 times in total as second or third person. Many verses in the Quran indirectly or directly refer to Muhammad regarding “how to” or “what to do” and some are actually in response to allegations on him from the followers or accusers around him.

For example, the whole Sura Al-Kawthar (ie. Chapter 108) was a response from Allah to Muhammad giving answer to the question why can he not give birth to a son even though he has multiple wives and right hand possessed women (slave women).

Getting back, We have to admit that these 4 verses in the Quran in which Muhammad is named should have considerable importance. Let’s see what Allah is describing about Muhammad. The 4 locations are:

• Chapter 3:144
• Chapter 33:40
• Chapter 47:2
• Chapter 48:29

Is it about…
How was he born?
How miraculous he was?
Him telling his followers the way to salvation?

After reading all of these verses, one will realize the Quran tells only about the confirmation that he is a prophet. He is father of no man. He has no son. Just believe in him and his followers will get great rewards.

The verses 29 of Chapter 48 seems promising towards salvation. However, when one reads Quran chapter 46:9, it is actually referring to Muhammad without citing his name.

Say, I am not something new among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am not but a clear warner. (Quran 46:9)

Basically, Allah is saying that Muhammad does not know what is going to happen to him in this life or even the life after. Chapter 72 verse 21 would answer the question more clearly

“Say, Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction.” (Quran 72:21)

According to Tafsir (the commentary) of Tanwîr Al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, “O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (Lo! I control not hurt) I cannot drive away from you harm, foresakenness or chastisement (nor benefit for you) nor can I give you benefit and guidance.”

And according to Tafsir Al-Jalalayn, “Say ‘I truly have no power to bring you any harm to lead you astray or any guidance’ any good.”

When we look at Muhammad’s life and his miracles, we have many verses that clarifies he was not given any miracles as well. When the people asked Muhammad about his miracles (because all the other previous prophets had miracles), he could not give any proof or demonstration of a miracle. He simply replied to them with verses from Quran stating that he is only a warner:

And those who disbelieved say, “Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?” You are only a warner, and for every people is a guide. (Quran 13:7)

And they say, "We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring. Or [until] you have a garden of palm trees and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force [and abundance]. Or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring Allah and the angels before [us]. Or you have a house of gold or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read." Say, "Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?" (Quran 17:90-93)

And they say, "Why is a sign not sent down to him from his Lord?" So say, "The unseen is only for Allah [to administer], so wait; indeed, I am with you among those who wait." (Quran 10:20)

And they say, "When is this promise, if you should be truthful?" Say, "The knowledge is only with Allah, and I am only a clear warner." (Quran 67:25-26)

And those who disbelieved say, "Why has a sign not been sent down to him from his Lord?" You are only a warner, and for every people is a guide. (Quran 13:7)

But they say, "Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a clear warner." (Quran 29:50)

But they say, "[The revelation is but] a mixture of false dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign just as the previous [messengers] were sent [with miracles]." (Quran 21:5)

And they swear by Allah their strongest oaths that if a sign came to them, they would surely believe in it. Say, "The signs are only with Allah ." And what will make you perceive that even if a sign came, they would not believe. (Quran 6:109)

So, when we hear about Muhammad’s miraculous life, they are simply stories. The Quran clearly contradicts this belief and clarify that none of the miracles were associated with Muhammad.

Consider this: Muhammad was given no authority from Allah to save his followers; nor was he able to perform any miracle. His birth was not mentioned in Quran; nor is there any verse which can describe his lineage or prophecy about him. Muhammad is portrayed as only a person/prophet giving a warning.

Jesus

In contrast, let’s see how clear the verses are in Quran about Jesus and what they tell us about him:

Miraculous Birth: And the one who guarded her chastity, so We blew into her through Our angel, and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds. (Quran 21:91)

The Truth: Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among the witnesses [to truth]." (Quran 3:53)

Honor of Jesus: Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ. (Quran 3:55)

Word of God: when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near. (Quran 3:45)

Speaking in cradle: He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous." (Quran 3:46)

Creator of life, curer of illness, resurrection of life: And a messenger to the Children of Israel, 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah . And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah . And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. (Quran 3:49)

So looking at the above verses we conclude the following about Jesus:

• His birth was a miracle.
• He is the straight path and the truth.
• He has been honored by Allah that he will raise him to himself and glorify him.
• He is the word of Allah.
• He spoke even when he was an infant.
• He breathes life into clay and they became birds (permitted by Allah).
• He cured the blind and lepers.
• He raised the dead (permitted by Allah).
• He knows what you eat or drink in your home.
• He knows the hidden.

The status of Jesus was so high, at the time of Muhammad in the 7th century Arabia, that he could not have put him aside. One should read the above chapter 3, verse 49 very carefully. It doesn’t say Allah blew spirit into clay birds, or Allah raised the dead. Rather, it says Jesus did all of that but “by the permission of Allah.” This means Jesus had the power to do that. For example, it is exactly like when your child has the power to do something but doesn’t have the permission from his father to do it. Some of the verses are exaggerated and far out there because they are taken from the “Infancy Gospel of Thomas” which was believed to have been written in the late second century. Even the early Christians regarded the infancy gospel as inauthentic and heretical. But Quran held Christ in such a high regard even though according to Christians these miracles were not true, Muslims hold them true.

I would now like to move towards Bible and see how clear it is with reference of Quranic verses. Read the following verse from the Bible

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6)

This is a clear distinction. The way of the truth and the life. So if you follow Him, you will reach the father. There is no other way as he is the truth and Quran acknowledges it. If you know Christ, you know the Father as well.

The birth of Christ was called the good news in Quran announced by an angel (known to be Gabriel) to the mother of Christ, which is also mentioned in Matthew and Luke in the Bible. The good news was that a Most High was coming. What is mentioned about the birth of Muhammad in Quran? Nothing….literally nothing. Ask yourself, is it not worth writing about the birth of the prophet who is supposed to be the LAST prophet and not for one area but for ALL mankind?

Jesus came to fulfill the laws of the previous scriptures.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew5:17)

When someone has already fulfilled the laws of the prophets before him, how can another one come and claim to fulfill the same laws? Also it is clearly stated in the bible to be aware of false prophets.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

This is just one verse. There are many locations where the biblical scriptures warn people of false teachers. (e.g. Ezekiel 13:9, Jeremiah 23:16, Luke 6:26, Matthew 24:24, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Acts 20:28-30, 2 Peter 3:14-18).

The question we should be asking ourselves is how to figure out the truth?

This is the first step in making a short comparison between the two very distinctive figures, Muhammad and Jesus. This should make you start to think that we should critically analyze both personalities very carefully because our life is short and it will end. However, before it ends, we need to find the right path of salvation.