Does the Bible Mention the Prophet Mohammad?

It is written in the Qur’an Sura Al Saff 61:6: “And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the apostle of God (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ “

I have read in Ahmad Deedat’s book that Jesus spoke of the prophet Mohammad in the Bible.

Dear Friend, thank you for your question. John Chapter 14 verses 16 and 17 are the ones quoted most frequently to prove the above point. So let us discuss them. Let me clarify first for you, Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit in Christianity is not the Archan­gel Gabriel as Muslims use the term. The Holy Spirit of God is the spirit of God. He is God himself.

So let us understand the verses. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you an­other Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

In the second part of verse 16 you see the statement: “to be with you forever.” This speaks of the eternal Spirit of God. The world cannot see him because the Holy Spirit is invisible. The spirit of God is in us. As you see, these descriptions could not fit or match the claim.

In John 14 verses 25-26, you find Jesus saying that the Holy Spirit will testify for him and no one else. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” And in John 15 verse 26 we read: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” The Holy Spirit goes out of the Father. This is not created. The Holy Spirit is not created but he is the Spirit of God.

Acts chapter 2 verse 4: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts chapter 2 verses 31-33: “Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all wit­nesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. “

In the above passage, you find the followers of Jesus being filled with the Spirit. The events in the above verses show a timing that is immediately after Jesus has left. The prophecy has been fulfilled in the time just after Jesus and not 600 years later.

Another passage of the Scripture states that we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God instead of being filled with alcohol. “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to de­bauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. “ (Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18)

As Christians it is wrong to speak of the Holy Spirit as a created being or man or as an angel. As you read the Bible you will find that the acts performed and the attributes given to the Holy Spirit are the same as God.

One last issue to discuss is the Greek word for the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. If you study all the early manuscripts you will find none of these manuscripts mentions the Greek form of the “praised one.” But they mention the comforter, the defender.

As you have seen, the Holy Spirit in us helps us to live godly lives. He makes us aware of sins and how to avoid them. He also reminds us with the word of God so we may not sin against him. Our body is called the temple of the Holy Spirit. This carries responsibilities that we may not and should not abuse the body where the Spirit lives. So as you see, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and our defender against Satan. He is the ever-present Spirit of God guiding us to be godly everyday of our lives.

The Holy Spirit also helps us in praying: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans chapter 8 verse 26)

The Holy Spirit also gives different gifts to different believers. Here is what the Bible declares and pronounces:

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the com­mon good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another proph­ecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 4-11)

We can resolutely conclude from the passages above that the Holy Spirit does not mean a man, a prophet or an Angel. He is God Himself. Therefore the claim made above could not be substantiated chronologically, theologically or linguistically.

Thank you for your question.