In Surah 7:155-157, the Quran says that Allah spoke to Moses about the Jews who will find mention about Muhammad in the Inji. (Gospel). But the Injil has not even been revealed yet. Muslims believe that the Injil was revealed to Jesus who is born more than 1,000 years after Moses.
Surah 7:155. And Moses chose seventy of his people for Our place of meeting: when they were seized with violent quaking, he prayed: “O my Lord! if it had been Thy will Thou couldst have destroyed, long before, both them and me: wouldst Thou destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us? this is no more than Thy trial: by it Thou causest whom Thou wilt to stray, and Thou leadest whom Thou wilt into the right path. Thou art our Protector: so forgive us and give us Thy mercy; for Thou art the best of those who forgive.
156. “And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the Hereafter: for we have turned unto Thee.” He said: “With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extendeth to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and practise regular charity, and those who believe in Our signs;-
157. “Those who follow the apostle, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures),- in the law and the Gospel;- for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honour him, help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him,- it is they who will prosper.”
158. day: “O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He That giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided.”
159. Of the people of Moses there is a section who guide and do justice in the light of truth.
160. We divided them into twelve tribes or nations. We directed Moses by inspiration, when his (thirsty) people asked him for water: “Strike the rock with thy staff”: out of it there gushed forth twelve springs: Each group knew its own place for water. We gave them the shade of clouds, and sent down to them manna and quails, (saying): “Eat of the good things We have provided for you”: (but they rebelled); to Us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls.
First Muslim response : In 7:156 one topic has been concluded, and in 7:157 a new one has begun. They are speaking about two different time periods. The new topic has moved from the time of prophet Moses (pbuh) to the time of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and is describing those who “follow the unlettered prophet (Muhammad, pbuh) whom they find written in the Torah and the injeel that is with them.” Neither is God speaking to Moses in this verse nor is it even addressed to those who lived in that age. If so, then how can they be expected to “follow” prophet Muhammad (pbuh) if he has not even been born yet? I suppose that according to this logic that it shall be acceptable to claim that Deut. 18:18-19 is commanding prophet Moses (pbuh) and the Jews that are with him to follow a new prophet who is present in their time?
Christian response : It is difficult to see how the topic has shifted from Moses’ time to Muhammad’s time when verses 159 and 160 is still talking about Moses and his people. It is also not possible to argue that Moses could not be talking about Muhammad since Muhammad was not yet born because Muslims believe that Moses foretold the coming of Muhammad. If Moses foretold Muhammad’s coming, it would have to be foretold before Muhammad was born. Therefore it is possible for verse 157 to mean that Moses was foretelling the the coming of Muhammad to his people. What is incorrect is the Quran making Moses say that the prophet will be the one mentioned in their Gospel.
Let’s look at what Deut 18:18-19 has to say. “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”
No one says that Deut 18:18-19 talks about a prophet who is present at that time. The verse says God will do something in the future (“I will raise”). Likewise, no one is saying that Moses talks about Muhammad being present at his time. Christians are only saying that Muhammad was the one God spoke to in verse 157 that God will raise up a Prophet in some future time. This is in itself not a problem but the problem is with the Quran making Allah say that this prophet is found in the Injil that the people already has (“which they find mentioned”), which cannot be true.
Second Muslim response : We should realize that this is God telling Moses(pbuh) that Muhammad(pbuh) will be found in the Tawrah (Torah) and Injil (Gospel). If the past tense seems confusing, it shouldn’t. Arabic and Hebrew both used past tense when prophecies were mentioned.
Christian response : This interpretation runs into difficulty because the word Gospel is used to describe the revelations given to Jesus.
Surah 57:27. Then, in their wake, We followed them up with (others of) Our apostles: We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel.
It is a specific word that would not be known to Moses or the people of his time. Neither would the word make any sense to the people. Therefore Moses could not have used that word which the Quran would have us believe he did.