A Surah of the Koran declares that Jesus announced the coming of Muhammad:
“And when Jesus the son of Mary said, ‘O Children of Israel, I am truly a messenger of God to you, confirming what is before me by the Torah, and announcing a messenger to come after me, whose name will be Ahmad (the Most Glorious) ‘”(Quran 61: 6).
Because of this Muslim scholars have carefully sought in the Gospels all the announcements made by Jesus. One of them has attracted particular attention: “and I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Comforter.” (Injil, John 14:15).
Some then declared that “the Comforter” is Mohammed, the prophet of Islam. They claim that the Greek term “parakletos”, translated as “consoler”, should have been written “paraklutos” meaning “the highly praised” one of the titles of Muhammad. They conclude that this is how the biblical text was changed, which then misled the Christians.
Such an assertion is astonishing, since none of the many Greek New Testament manuscripts dating from before Muhammad refer to the term “paraklutos”, all have “parakletos”. “Paraklutos” appears nowhere else in the New Testament. And do not forget, any questioning of the text of the Injil did not start until 400 years after Mohammed lived.
But let us see the context: the announcement of the Comforter is in the last discourse of Jesus to his disciples. Jesus knows that he will be betrayed and condemned and announces his immediate departure and his replacement by “the Comforter”.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Injil, John 14: 3-6)
Then Jesus continues:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (Injil, John 14: 16-20)
For those who look more closely at the specific details of the coming and the identity of this paracletos, “Helper” or “Comforter”, he will conclude very quickly that it cannot in any case be applied to the person of Mohammed. Let us examine these details about the coming and the identity of this paracletos or “Comforter” and see if they correspond to the profile of Mohammed:
1) He will give you another Comforter
Even if Muslims claim the word in the original was Paraklutos, the verse would read as follows: “He will give you another highly praised,” which would have no rationale, (given the context), and would be completely off topic . Jesus was rather saying this here: “I was your consoler, your help and your comfort. I still have many things to teach you, I am going away and for this reason I will send you another comforter like me. ”
2) He will give you another Comforter, the Spirit of truth
The most evident fact evoked here is that this helper, consoler is none other than the Holy Spirit. Has Mohammed ever been called “Spirit of truth”?
3) He will abide with you forever
At no time was Mohammed with the disciples of Jesus, still less permanently with them. Mohammed wasn’t even born for hundreds of years, in the 7th century after Christ. He lived 62 years and then died. Did he live forever and live with his disciples? No. His body is buried in Medina. But Jesus said that the promised Comforter, would abide with His disciples forever. It is impossible that the one of which Jesus spoke is Mohammed.
4) The Spirit of truth, which the world can not receive
According to this prophecy, the world can not receive this Comforter because it cannot see Him. Thousands of people saw and touched Muhammed during his lifetime as he was visible. The invisible Comforter can not be Mohammed.
5) You know Him, for he abides with you
Jesus speaks clearly of someone with whom the disciples were very familiar. Did they know Mohammed? Of course not ! He came into the world five centuries later.
6) And He will be in you
The Comforter was going to be in the disciples. How is it possible that it is Mohammed? Mohammed was flesh and blood and is no longer of this world. Mohammed was never and will never be in the hearts of the disciples of Jesus.
What to conclude?
This description can not concern the man Mohammed who lived about 62 years between 570 and 632, and who lived without Jesus Christ as his foundation. Did Mohammed live at the time of the apostles of Jesus? No. Has he ever been called by the name of “Spirit of truth”? No. Has he ever lived with the disciples? No. Did he dwell in the hearts of the apostles? No. This prophecy simply does not concern the person of Muhammad.
When did the prophecy about the Comforter take place? Obviously, it was not long before the prophecy of the Comforter was fulfilled. Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples received the Comforter at Pentecost. Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high.
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.(Acts 2: 1-4).
This is how the Holy Spirit Has come to inhabit the hearts of the disciples who have become like “orphans” without Christ, and this is what he still does when a man believes in Jesus and awaits his return.
If the Christian believer is inhabited by the Spirit of God who has come in the place of Jesus Christ until his return, he is not waiting for another prophet; therefore the Apostle Paul exclaims, “You have everything in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 3: 2). He who truly believes in Jesus Christ is a man filled with the Holy Spirit, possessing salvation; he lacks nothing.