Read Journeys, chapter 5

Read Dialogue, chapters 6, 7, 18, 19

8.1: The Quran and Jesus

8.2: The Quran and Muhammad

8.3: Is Muhammad a seal of the prophets?

Introduction

All Muslims and all Christians agree!

• That God speaks through prophets
• That Jesus is the Messiah (Christ)

However, the meaning of prophets and Messiah is different.

Muslims believe that Muhammad is the seal of the prophets.

Christians do not believe that Muhammad is the seal of the prophets.

Christians believe that Jesus the Messiah is Lord and Savior.

Muslims do not believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior.

1. The Messiah is a mystery for Muslims.

1.1. The name of Jesus in the Quran is Isa, not Yesu (Jesus). The name Isa has no meaning in the name itself, although the Quran provides meanings for Isa and his mission. Jesus means Yahweh (the covenant God) saves.

1.2. According to the Quran, the following is true about Jesus the Messiah:

• Messiah (3:45)
• Good news (3:45)
• Born of a virgin (19:16-35)
• The Word of God (4:171)
• The Spirit of God (4:41)
• Miracle worker (3:49)
• The sinless one (19-19)
• Established the former Scriptures (5:49)
• Brought the gospel (5:49)
• Predicted the coming of Muhammad (61:6)
• Not the Son of God (9:30)
• Limited mission (13:38)
• Rescued from death on the cross (4:157)
• Taken to heaven without dying (3:55-58)
• Returning at the end of history to get the world ready for the final judgment (43:61)

2. According to the Quran, Muslim theology embraces some remarkable qualities of Jesus and there are hints of the gospel within the Quran. Nevertheless Islamic theology has turned away from the core of the gospel:

2.1 The Incarnation: God does not meet us.

2.2 The Crucifixion: We do not need an atoning sacrifice for our sin.

2.3 The Resurrection: Jesus is not our resurrected Lord; we do not need an intercessor.

3. The Quran and Muhammad

3.1 Muhammad is the seal of the Prophets.

• Muslims say that they respect all prophets equally.
• However, Muhammad is the final prophet and the seal of all the prophets.
• Jesus is a wonderful mystery, but other prophets are really more significant than Jesus.

3.2 Three exceedingly significant prophets are:

• Adam: the first prophet
• Abraham: the middle prophet
• Muhammad: the final prophet

Muslims believe that these three prophets each established or reestablished the faith of Islam at the Ka’bah in Mecca.

3.3 The final scriptures, the Quran, came through Muhammad

• All Muslims should seek to pattern their lives after Muhammad.
  • The Sunnah (Way) of Muhammed is the way for all Muslims.
  • The Traditions (Hadith) describe the Sunnah.
• Muslims give Muhammad great authority and honor. He supersedes all other prophets.
• Muhammad is the “first" among all Muslims.
• Muhammad is the perfect example.

4. Jesus and Muhammad

4.1 Muslims believe that Jesus prophesied that Muhammad would come.

• Muslims believe that promise is found in John 14:16, 26; and 16:7 where we read that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (Paracleitos).
• Muslim scholars say that the original word in the Greek was not “Paracleitos” but rather “periplutos” (the Praised One or Muhammad).

4.2 Take note: this is not correct. All the ancient New Testament manuscripts use Paracleitos.

Conclusion

Muslims ask Christians: “What do you think about Muhammad?”

Jesus asks: “Who do you say that I am?”

Question: What do you think about Muhammad?

Question: Are there any truths about Jesus contained in the Quran? If you answer “yes," what are those truths?

Question: In what ways does the Quran deny the Jesus of biblical revelation? In what ways does the Quran affirm the Jesus of biblical revelation?

Question: Can we use the Quran as a point of connection in regard to Jesus but invite Muslims then to see what the gospel reveals about Jesus? It is in the gospel and in the Bible and in the total apostolic witness concerning Jesus that we meet the full revelation of Jesus.

Question: If you answered “yes” to the previous question, give an example of a helpful way to use the Quran as a starting point in sharing the biblical revelation concerning Jesus.