Sunday, May 11, 2014

Muhammad in Isaiah 29:12?

Since the Qur’an claims that the Bible contains clear prophecies about Muhammad (see 7:157 and 61:6), Muslims have been trying to locate these prophecies for nearly fourteen centuries. Some of Islam’s most popular apologists, such as Ahmed Deedat and Zakir Naik, have attempted to show that the Bible refers to Muhammad in Isaiah 29:12. Zakir Naik writes:
Muhammad (pbuh) is prophesised in the book of Isaiah:

It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12:

"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."

When Archangel Gabrail commanded Muhammad (pbuh) by saying Iqra - "Read", he replied, "I am not learned".
So Muhammad is supposedly the illiterate man who receives a book in Isaiah 29.

But Isaiah 29:12 isn’t about a prophet; it’s about people who rejects God’s prophets! At this point, we can only wonder why Muslims who respect Muhammad don’t accuse Zakir Naik and Ahmed Deedat of heresy or apostasy when they apply this verse to Muhammad.

In the first ten verses of Isaiah 29, God announces that he’s going to punish Israel and Israel’s enemies. He’s going to punish Israel for sinning against him, and he’s going to punish Israel’s enemies for attacking Israel. God sends the prophet Isaiah to announce these punishments, but God tells Isaiah that people won’t listen to the message. He says in verses 11 and 12:
The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed book, which when they give it to the one who is literate, saying, “Please read this,” he will say, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.
Notice what happens here. Isaiah has been given a revelation. But God tells him that people will reject the revelation. The message is like a sealed book. If it’s given to someone who can read, he will say, “I can’t read it, because it’s sealed.” If it’s given to someone who can’t read, he will say, “I don’t know how to read.” Either way, people refuse to heed God’s warning.

Interestingly, in the very next verse (Isaiah 29:13), God says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Jesus quotes this very passage in the Gospels to condemn people for their disobedience to God (see Matthew 15:7-9).

So when Muslims like Zakir Naik and Ahmed Deedat say that Isaiah 29:12 refers to Muhammad, they’re telling us that Muhammad was spiritually blind, that his heart was far from God, that he rejected God’s revelation, and that Jesus would have condemned him just as he condemned the Pharisees.

Of course, if our Muslim friends want to convince us that this verse about people rejecting God’s revelations is actually about Muhammad, we have no reason to object. We can only pray that they won’t follow Muhammad down the path of rebellion against God.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you for your investigation into this!!!! Hopefully people will listen & believe the TRUTH & NOT the Muslim teachings!!!!

Dacritic said...

Again, it's "context". Dr Naik, context. Weren't you arguing your heart and soul for it? I love the part on verse 13, "These people honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." Isn't this what Muslims do with Jesus, following the example of their "prophet"? And then there's the "Comforter" verse. Let them come. They think one verse in the Bible glorify Muhammad and then the context slams the door right in their faces.

Aletheya said...

In addition the same Isaiah prophesied the Deity of Jesus (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6) and His death (Isaiah 53). Or those are corrupted ones? LOL
Wow...

Nakdimon said...

Well the first interesting questions that I would like to ask Muslims appealing to either Isaiah or Habakuk is, were they real prophets and how do Muslims know that?

Dacritic said...

Sometimes I wonder, how did we let Islam get this far? Is the human race so deficient that we cannot read properly what it says in the Quran and the other Islamic sources? How can we take this to another level, educating more people? This blog has amazed me, has enlightened me no end. I can only pray that your efforts continue, that more people be reached.

Unknown said...

Its funny that Muslims would refer this to the Quran ? Actually it makes me think of the other way around. Mohammed took this or remembered this (he had a bad memory) and
tried to formulate his recollection of this passage in his own words. Behold, we get READ READ I do not know how to read.

Mary said...

Why don't you go on YouTube and answer all the contradictions that are listed by dr zakir that William Campbell could not answer. Furthermore dr zakir nailed it when he said "u show me one verse in the Bible that's not uncertain where Jesus himself says I am god worship me if you can and surely you can not then I will accept Christianity today!"

Unknown said...

The warning about people who reject prophets is very clear...and you have so clearly confirmed further what Muslims are saying!
The above verse also relates to Deut 18:18-19 ( pay attention to the fire warning in verse 19) ; John1 :19-25 ( note at time of christ 3 prophets were being expected and of interest is the prophet without name simply referred to as " that prophet ");
Isaiah 28:10 also refers to the manner of Revelation...precept upon precept.... Revelations having been given at piece meals!
Many other verses relates to this prophet without name.

Unknown said...

But if you refer to Isaiah 29:10 it did mention about prophet so please begin your summation from Isaiah 29:10 and who is this illiterate person refers to?

Unknown said...

 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.A)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26739A" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,B)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26740B" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> comes, he will guide you into all the truth.C)" data-cr="#cen-NIV-26740C" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;"> He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ...explain this one ...and I have more but to think we base our religion on one verse is ridiculous

Unknown said...

Muhammad was not a true prophet if we supposed that this verse for a muhammad.