Myth 8: “The Prophets of Islam Are the Same as in the Bible”

📉 The Reality: Islam Rewrites, Reframes, and Replaces Biblical Prophets to Fit Its Theological Agenda

One of Islam’s common claims is that it honors the same prophets as Judaism and Christianity. Superficially, this sounds inclusive. In reality, Islamic theology systematically redefines the key figures of the Bible, erasing their core teachings and reassigning them roles that support Islamic doctrines.

This isn’t respectful continuity — it’s ideological appropriation.

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✝️ I. Jesus (Isa) in Islam: Not the Same Person

What the Bible Says:

• Jesus is God in the flesh (John 1:1, 1:14).

• He is the Son of God, the sacrificial Lamb, crucified and resurrected for the sins of humanity.

• Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

What the Qur’an Says:

• Jesus is only a prophet, not divine:

  • Qur’an 4:171 –
    “Say not ‘Three’… Jesus is no more than a Messenger of Allah.”

• Jesus was not crucified:

  • Qur’an 4:157 –
    “They did not kill him, nor crucify him, but it appeared so to them.”

• Denies the atonement and resurrection, which are central to Christian faith.

Why It’s a Total Rewrite:

Islam keeps Jesus in name but guts his identity, mission, and message. The Jesus of the Qur’an denies the Gospel itself.

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🧔 II. Abraham (Ibrahim) in Islam: Father of Ishmael, Not Isaac

What the Bible Says:

• Abraham was promised a son through Sarah, and the covenant passes through Isaac, not Ishmael (Genesis 17:19, 21).

• The near-sacrifice narrative involves Isaac (Genesis 22).

What the Qur’an Says:

• Leaves the son unnamed, but Islamic tradition insists it was Ishmael, not Isaac:

  • Qur’an 37:99–113 – Story of the near-sacrifice without naming the child, but Islamic tafsir and hadith identify him as Ishmael.

• Ishmael becomes the forefather of Muhammad, supplanting the Jewish lineage.

Why It’s Revisionist:

This shift is theological, not historical. It’s meant to legitimize Arab religious primacy over the Jewish claim — making Mecca, not Jerusalem, the spiritual center.

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🧑‍🦯 III. Moses (Musa) in Islam: Prophetic Echo, Not Continuity

What the Bible Says:

• Moses leads Israel out of Egypt, delivers the Ten Commandments, and sets the foundation for Jewish law and worship.

What the Qur’an Says:

• Uses Moses to validate Muhammad’s mission:

  • Pharaoh becomes a recurring tyrant archetype.

  • Moses is shown doing what Muhammad does: calling people to submit, facing resistance, and being victorious by Allah’s help.

• Emphasizes the plagues and confrontation with Pharaoh, but omits covenantal context and deeper theological content.

Distortion Pattern:

Islam selectively borrows Moses' biography to reinforce its own prophet model — stripping Jewish covenant theology and turning it into a prototype for Muhammad’s political struggle.

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📚 IV. Systemic Pattern: Substitution, Not Continuity

This isn’t an accident. Islam re-engineers all major biblical prophets to:

• Affirm Muhammad’s legitimacy by creating a “prophetic lineage” leading to him.

• Erase Jewish and Christian theological claims by recasting their prophets in Islamic terms.

• Promote Islam as the “final” and “corrected” version of all previous revelations.

Qur’an 3:85 –
“Whoever desires a religion other than Islam—it will never be accepted of him.”

This isn’t respect. It’s religious supersessionism wrapped in borrowed names.

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🛑 V. Theological Consequences

Prophet	Biblical Role	Islamic Recasting
Jesus	Son of God, Savior via crucifixion	Prophet, denies divinity, never crucified
Abraham	Covenant through Isaac	Covenant through Ishmael
Moses	Lawgiver of Israel	Forerunner of Muhammad's prophetic template
David	King and Psalmist, messianic ancestor	Prophet-King, stripped of messianic lineage
Solomon	Wise king with moral failures	Prophet-saint with miraculous powers
Noah	Preacher of righteousness and faith	Prophet of warning, less focus on righteousness

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🧠 Final Analysis:

Islam does not affirm the biblical prophets — it overwrites them.

The Qur’anic versions:

• Contradict the original messages

• Deny foundational Christian and Jewish doctrines

• Use the same names but preach a different religion

This is not continuity. It’s religious colonization. If you believe in the integrity of the Bible, you cannot say the Qur’an “honors” its prophets — it appropriates and erases them.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------About the Author

Mauao Man is a blog created by a New Zealand writer who believes in following the evidence wherever it leads. From history and religion to culture and society, Mauao Man takes a clear, critical, and honest approach — challenging ideas without attacking people. Whether exploring the history of Islam in New Zealand, the complexities of faith, or the contradictions in belief systems, this blog is about asking the hard questions and uncovering the truth.