The Gospel's Herald of Prophet Muhammad (saw)

The Qur'an states that it is written in the Torah and the Gospel that Muhammad (saw) will be sent as a prophet: “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel.”(A'raf, 7/157) Prophet Isa also spoke to his ummah: “O children of Israel! Indeed I am the messenger of Allah (swt) to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” (Saf, 61/6) 

 Islamic scholars stated that these tidings was present in the Gospel revealed to Prophet Isa, but it was later removed from the Gospel texts as a result of falsification. However, they stated that there are good tidings about Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the existing Gospels. Some of the passages in the Gospels that heralds the coming of Prophet Muhammad (saw) are as follows: Matthew, 4/17; 6/10; 10/7; 13/31-32; 21/43; Luke, 9/2; 10/9; John, 1/15; 15/26-27 16/7, 13-14. 

Among the good tidings about the Prophet Muhammad (saw), the word "Paraclete", which is translated as "The Comforter", in the Gospel of John, is particularly remarkable. The passages about the Paraclete, in which Prophet Isa heralded his coming, are as follows: 

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter to help you and 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” (John, 14/15-17)

“But the Comforter, 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.” (John, 14/26)

“When the Comforter 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.” (John, 15/26)

“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Comforter will not come to you but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John, 16/7-8)

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John, 16/12)

The origin of the word "Paracletus" in the Gospel of John, translated as "The Comforter" in the examples above, is Greek. Paracletus means “consolator, the one who are called for help, defender, intercessor” According to Christian scholars, what is meant by this word is the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit was sent as a consolation to the apostles who were grieving for the absence of Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ). 

Islamic scholars, on the other hand, stated that what is meant by this word is Prophet Muhammad (saw). The word Paracletus cannot be interpreted as the Holy Spirit. Because it is not necessary for Prophet Isa "to go away"  (John, 16/ 7-8) for the Holy Spirit to come. Because according to Christians, the Holy Spirit is with the believers before and after Prophet Isa. 

The statement in the John, “...he will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John, 16/12) is not suitable for the Holy Spirit. Because according to Christianity, the Holy Spirit is God Himself. As such, He speaks by Himself, it is out of question for Him to say it by hearing from God. 

Concrete verbs such as "hear" and "speak" (John, 16/13 et al.) are attributed to this word in the Gospels. This can only be the case for a being with hearing and speech organs. It is not right to attribute these qualities to the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is the angel of revelation and inspiration. These organs are not needed for inspiration.

For these and other reasons, it is not correct to interpret the word Paracletus as the Holy Spirit. It is understood that Paracletus is a human like Prophet Isa, and the phrase "Holy Spirit" is an addition which is made subsequently. In addition, Islamic scholars investigated the equivalent of this word in Aramaic, the language spoken by Prophet Isa, and concluded that this word coincides with the word Ahmad. (Mehmet Aydın, “Faraklit”, DİA, XII, 165-166) 

Finally, it is understood from the following statements that the Jews believed that another prophet would come after the Messiah and Prophet Ilyas (Elijah): 

“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah? He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ (John, 1/19-23)