Christianity
16 items across 2 content types
Questions (8)
Does the Bible contain contradictions — and what does this mean for its authority?
Yes — the Bible contains hundreds of internal contradictions involving dates, numbers, genealogies, historical events, and theological doctrines. These are acknowledged by many Christian scholars (who attribute them to scribal errors or theological editing) and catalogued by biblical critics. For Muslims, this is not surprising — the Quran's doctrine of *tahrif* (alteration of previous scriptures) predicts exactly this. The contradictions do not negate the original divine inspiration behind the Torah and Gospel but demonstrate that what exists today is not the original preserved revelation.
Does the Bible actually predict the coming of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
Muslims present three key categories of biblical evidence that point to Muhammad ﷺ: (1) Deuteronomy 18:18 — a prophet 'like Moses' from among the brothers of the Israelites; (2) John 14–16 — the Paraclete (Comforter/Advocate) described with attributes matching a prophet, not a spirit; (3) the Song of Solomon 5:16 — where the Hebrew word *machmaddim* (חמדים) is a direct cognate of the name Muhammad. Christian scholars dispute these interpretations. The Muslim case rests on textual analysis and the internal logic of prophecy.
Has the Bible been preserved or corrupted — what does Islam teach about this?
Islam teaches that the original revelations to Moses ﷺ (the Torah) and Jesus ﷺ (the Gospel/Injeel) were divine. However, the Quran also teaches that over time, these scriptures underwent *tahrif* — deliberate alteration and textual corruption. This is confirmed by mainstream biblical scholarship, which documents thousands of manuscript variants, editorial additions, and inconsistencies across biblical manuscripts. The Bible we have today is not the original preserved revelation — it is a compiled collection of texts that has been copied, translated, and edited across centuries.
In what ways was Prophet Muhammad ﷺ similar to Moses, as Deuteronomy 18 prophesied?
Deuteronomy 18:18 prophesies a prophet 'like Moses from among their brethren.' When tested against six key biographical criteria, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ matches all six — natural birth, marriage with children, natural death, bringing a new law, worldly leadership, and acceptance by his own people. Jesus (peace be upon him) matches none of the six criteria, making Muhammad ﷺ the unique and precise fulfillment of this prophecy.
What are the main objections critics raise against Muhammad ﷺ being in the Bible, and how do Muslims respond?
Critics raise four primary objections: (1) Deuteronomy 18 requires the prophet to come from among the Israelites, not Arabs; (2) John 14's Paraclete refers to the Holy Spirit, not a human prophet; (3) Song of Solomon's 'machmedim' is romantic poetry, not a prophecy; (4) 'Paran' in Deuteronomy 33 is Sinai, not Arabia. A fifth meta-objection is the 'awkward silence' — no pre-Islamic Jewish or Christian scholar documented these texts as pointing to Muhammad ﷺ. Each objection has a substantive Muslim response.
What do the Bible and the Qur'an agree on?
Far more than most people realise. The Bible and the Qur'an both declare that God is absolutely one (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29; Qur'an 112:1), both command sincere private prayer (Matthew 6:5-6; Qur'an 2:45), both record fasting as an act of worship (Matthew 4:2; Joel 2:12; Qur'an 2:183), both prohibit pork (Leviticus 11:7-8; Qur'an 2:173) and intoxicants (Proverbs 20:1; Qur'an 5:90), both call for modesty in dress (1 Timothy 2:9; Qur'an 24:31), and both foreground care for orphans and the poor as markers of authentic faith (James 1:27; Qur'an 2:177). Even Jesus' posture in prayer — falling on his face (Matthew 26:39) — is the same prostration performed by every Muslim five times daily.
What is Original Sin, and does Islam reject it?
Original Sin is the Christian doctrine — most fully developed by Augustine in the 4th century CE — that Adam's transgression in the Garden of Eden passed a state of inherited guilt and moral corruption to every human being, requiring Christ's atoning sacrifice for redemption. Islam firmly rejects this, teaching instead that every human is born in a state of pure fitrah (natural purity), that no soul can bear the sin of another, and that God forgives through sincere repentance alone — without any blood sacrifice. The Hebrew Bible's own prophets — Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Micah — all explicitly affirm individual accountability and deny that children bear the guilt of their parents.
What is the Paraclete in John 14–16 and does it refer to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
The Paraclete (Greek: παράκλητος, *parakletos*) is a figure promised by Jesus ﷺ in his farewell discourse (John 14–16), described as one who will guide into all truth, speak only what he hears, and whose coming requires Jesus's departure. Christian theology identifies this as the Holy Spirit. Muslim scholars argue the description matches a human prophet — specifically Muhammad ﷺ — pointing to the attributes of external speech, future foretelling, and a contested manuscript variant (*periklutos* = the praised one = Muhammad).
Articles (8)
Biblical Prophecies on the Advent of Muhammad ﷺ, the Prophet of Islam
Evidence from the Bible pointing to the coming of the final Prophet
Islamic Research Foundation
The Biblical prophecies on the advent of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ are evidence of the truth of Islam for people who believe in the Bible. This article examines prophecies from Deuteronomy, Isaiah, John, and Genesis that point to a prophet like Moses — from among the Ishmaelites — into whose mouth God would put His words.
Common Ground: Bible Teachings That Align with the Qur'an and Islamic Practice
From monotheism to fasting, modesty to caring for orphans — the parallels between the Qur'an and the Bible are more extensive than most people realise.
TheOpenQuran Research
One of the most effective approaches in interfaith dialogue is to build on shared foundations. Muslims and Christians — and Muslims and Jews — share far more in common than their differences suggest. This article explores specific Bible verses that directly parallel Quranic teachings: the same insistence on one God, the same call to sincere private prayer, the same practice of fasting, the same prohibition of pork and alcohol, the same call to modesty, the same emphasis on caring for orphans and the poor. The Bible does not merely tolerate these Islamic practices — it commands them.
Did Jesus Die for Our Sins? A Biblical and Qur'anic Response
Examining the doctrine of atonement — what the Bible actually says about sin, sacrifice, and forgiveness
Sheikh Ahmad Deedat
The doctrine of atonement — that Jesus died to pay for humanity's inherited sin — is the cornerstone of mainstream Christianity. Yet the Bible itself, in its most direct prophetic statements, teaches the opposite: that sin is personal and non-transferable, that God does not require blood sacrifice to forgive, and that the path to salvation is repentance and righteous action. This article examines the doctrine of Original Sin and its foundation in the sacrifice narrative, the Islamic understanding of Jesus as 'Word of God' and 'Spirit from God,' and what Luke 24 reveals when Jesus himself corrects the misconception that he is a resurrected spiritual being.
How the Bible Was Changed: Verse-by-Verse Manuscript Evidence
What happens when you compare the King James Bible against the oldest surviving manuscripts of the New Testament?
TheOpenQuran Research
Every major modern Bible translation (NIV, ESV, NASB, RSV) contains footnotes where editors acknowledge that certain verses — including some of the most theologically significant — are 'absent from the earliest and most reliable manuscripts.' This article examines the most significant of those cases: specific verses where the text was demonstrably added, altered, or removed between the oldest surviving manuscripts and later copies. This is not a fringe Islamic claim — it is the consensus of mainstream Christian biblical scholarship, including conservative evangelical scholars like Bruce Metzger and F.F. Bruce. The Islamic concept of tahrif (textual alteration) is precisely what modern textual criticism confirms.
Jesus in His Own Words: Bible Verses That Challenge the Claim of Divinity
A systematic look at what the Bible records Jesus saying about himself, God, and the limits of his knowledge and power.
TheOpenQuran Research
Muslims, Christians, and Jews all hold Jesus in esteem — but they disagree profoundly about his nature. This article does not rely on the Qur'an alone. It examines what the Bible itself records Jesus saying about God, about his own limitations, about his need to pray, and about his role as a sent messenger. The evidence — drawn from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, and the epistles — presents a consistent portrait of a man who was subordinate to God, had limited knowledge, experienced human needs, and directed worship to the Father. This article presents that evidence systematically and acknowledges the Christian interpretive response at each point.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the Bible, Torah, and World Scriptures: The Complete Evidence
How the Torah, Gospels, Hindu Vedas, and Buddhist scriptures all prophesied the final Messenger of God
TheOpenQuran Research
Is Muhammad ﷺ mentioned in the Bible, Torah, and world scriptures? Yes — and this is the complete evidence. From Deuteronomy 18:18 and Isaiah 42 to Song of Solomon's 'Muhammadim' in Hebrew, the Gospel of John's Comforter, the Hindu Bhavishya Purana naming him explicitly, the Vedas' Narasansha, and the Buddhist six-criteria prophecy — every major tradition points to one man.
Is Muhammad ﷺ Really in the Bible? The Evidence, the Objections, and the Answers
A rigorous examination of the Quranic claim, the textual evidence, and every major scholarly challenge
TheOpenQuran Research
The Quran explicitly claims that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is described by name in the Torah and the Gospel, and that Jesus himself predicted him. Critics raise four major objections to the Muslim textual evidence. This article presents the strongest case for each objection — and then systematically answers each one using historical, linguistic, and logical analysis drawn from the work of Dr. Zakir Naik, comparative religion scholars, and the Quran itself.
Original Sin: What the Bible and Qur'an Actually Say
Does the Bible support the doctrine that all humans inherit Adam's guilt? The answer may surprise you.
TheOpenQuran Research
One of Christianity's most distinctive doctrines — Original Sin — holds that Adam's transgression in the Garden of Eden passed a state of inherent guilt and corruption to every human being, requiring Christ's sacrifice for redemption. This article examines that doctrine through two lenses: first, what the Qur'an teaches about human nature (fitrah and personal accountability); and second — crucially — what the Bible's own prophets say about inherited guilt, individual responsibility, and how God forgives. The biblical evidence against inherited sin is direct, extensive, and largely overlooked.