The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page 113
PT. 1 AL-BAQARAH among the Israelites even after Moses as the Quran itself testifies (2:88), but the Prophet that was to be "like Moses", i. e. a Law-giving Prophet, was not raised from among them in accordance with the prophecy quoted above. CH. 2 "from among thy brethren" are God's own words (Deut. 18:18); and as the prophecy is based on God's revelation and not on Moses' interpretation, the former must be assumed to be more correct. Secondly, even if we take the words "from the midst of thee, of thy brethren," to be correctly based on God's revelation, then also these words may be taken to apply to the Holy Prophet of Islam, for he, having been sent to all nations, may truly be looked upon as having been raised amidst each and every people of the world. In this case the words "from the midst of thee, of thy brethren" would be interpreted to give a that the twofold meaning: (1) Promised Prophet would be raised for all the nations of the world, including the Israelites; and (2) that personally he would belong to the Ishmaelites. The prophecy clearly stated that the next Law-giving Prophet was to be from among the "brethren" of the Israelites. Now as the Ishmaelites are the "brethren" of the Israelites, it was from among them that the Holy Prophet of Islam appeared. This is quite in conformity with the promise which was first made to Abraham himself (2:130). It is wrong to say that the words "of thy brethren" may refer to Israelites themselves; for at the time of Moses all the tribes of Israel were living together, and if the Promised Prophet was to appear from among them, it could in no sense be right to say that the Lord would raise up a Prophet from among the "brethren" of the Israelites. Neither can the prophecy apply to Jesus who, besides not being a Law-giving Prophet (Matt. 5:17, 18), was an Israelite and not an Ishmaelite. The prophecy was clearly fulfilled in the Holy Prophet of Arabia, who was an Ishmaelite and, like Moses, a Law-giving Prophet. It has been objected that elsewhere the Bible speaking of this prophecy, uses the words "from the midst of thee, of thy brethren," which shows that the words apply to the Israelites themselves. But this inference is clearly wrong; for, firstly the words "from the midst of thee" are not God's words but only those of Moses (Deut. 18:15), whereas the words 113 the As the Jews repeatedly broke God's covenant, it was transferred to the Holy Prophet and his followers. Says God in the Quran: (Moses prayed to God, saying,) Ordain for us good in this world, as well as in the next; we have turned to Thee with repentance. God replied, I will inflict My punishment on whom I will; but My mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it for those who act righteously, and pay the Zakāh and those who believe in Our Signs― those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet, the immaculate one, whom they find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them (7:157, 158). The mention of the Holy Prophet in the Bible is to be found in Deut. 18 wherein the Israelites are exhorted to