The Alleged Divine Call of Muhammad: An Objective Examination of the Historical and Theological Claims

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The central claim of Islam is that Muhammad of Mecca, born in 570 C.E., was the final prophet of God, the so-called “Seal of the Prophets” as stated in the Qur’an (33:40). This claim asserts that God revealed His final and complete message through Muhammad, superseding previous revelations given to Moses, Jesus, and other biblical prophets. Islamic theology contends that Muhammad’s call was marked by divine interaction and that this appointment validates Islam as the one true faith.

However, upon a thorough investigation of the historical details surrounding Muhammad’s alleged call, particularly as recorded in early Islamic traditions and commentaries, several problematic elements arise. These elements include the nature of the encounter Muhammad claimed to have experienced, his own serious doubts about the source of that experience, the prolonged periods of divine silence and depression, the so-called “Satanic Verses” episode, and the evident human origins of many Qur’anic teachings. When carefully examined, these factors undermine the assertion of a genuine divine calling.

This analysis proceeds systematically through these major concerns in order to evaluate the credibility of Muhammad’s claim to prophethood.

The Nature of Muhammad’s Alleged Call: A Coercive Encounter

The first reported experience of Muhammad’s alleged call to prophethood is universally recognized by Muslim tradition as having occurred in the Cave of Hira when Muhammad was approximately 40 years old, around 610 C.E. During this event, an entity identified as the angel Jibril (Gabriel) commanded him to “Recite” (Arabic: Iqra). Muhammad, by his own account, resisted, stating that he could not read.

The narrative details that the angel physically seized Muhammad, pressing him so forcefully that he feared for his life, repeating this aggressive act three times before releasing the initial words of revelation. This form of communication stands in stark contrast to all known biblical accounts of divine calls. The callings of Moses (Exodus 3:1-12), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4-10), and others are marked by voluntary engagement, clarity of message, and an absence of coercion or violence. In contrast, the alleged choking or pressing of Muhammad suggests a coercive experience inconsistent with the nature of a gracious and merciful God.

A divine being, consistent with the scriptural depiction of Jehovah, does not impose His will upon prophets through compulsion or terror but calls with words of clarity, patience, and purpose. Therefore, this initial aggressive encounter calls into serious question whether the experience could genuinely be from God.

Muhammad’s Own Doubts: Fear of Demonic Deception

Perhaps the most telling issue with Muhammad’s alleged call is Muhammad’s personal reaction to the event. According to Islamic tradition, immediately following the cave experience, Muhammad did not interpret the encounter as a divine call. Rather, he feared he had been possessed by a jinn, a spirit being common in Arabian pagan beliefs. In great distress, he fled from the cave, seeking comfort and reassurance from his wife Khadijah.

This self-doubt is not a minor feature of the narrative. Muhammad’s fear that he had been deceived by an evil spirit demonstrates an internal recognition that the nature of the experience was unlike any expected divine communication. If the call had been characterized by the peaceful, unmistakable voice of God as portrayed in biblical history, there would have been no reasonable basis for such fear.

The subsequent assurance given by Khadijah and her cousin Waraqah—rather than direct divine confirmation—formed the primary human support for Muhammad’s acceptance of the experience as prophetic. This heavy reliance on human persuasion, rather than divine affirmation, adds further skepticism to the claim.

Period of Silence and Despair: Psychological Turmoil and Suicidal Ideation

After the initial encounter, the Islamic historical record describes a significant period during which no further revelations were received. Reports vary on the length of this interval, with some claiming it lasted several months, while others suggest as long as three years. During this time, Muhammad is said to have suffered from deep depression and despair, so severe that he contemplated throwing himself from the cliffs of Mecca.

This prolonged silence following an alleged divine call does not align with the pattern of biblical prophecy. Prophets of the Bible received either immediate continued communication from God or, in cases of silence, were directly informed by God about the reasons for that silence. Importantly, these silences did not provoke suicidal despair in the prophets. For example, though Jeremiah lamented deeply, he did so in prayerful communication with Jehovah, not in isolated desperation.

The emotional and psychological state Muhammad exhibited is more consistent with trauma than with spiritual enlightenment, raising serious questions about the divine authenticity of the experience.

The Satanic Verses Incident: Confusion in Revelation

One of the most damaging episodes to Muhammad’s prophetic credibility is the so-called “Satanic Verses” incident. According to early Islamic narratives, at one point Muhammad recited verses acknowledging the intercession of three Meccan goddesses—al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat—deities of pre-Islamic Arabian religion. These verses were later renounced by Muhammad, who claimed that Satan had deceived him into delivering them as if they were divine revelation.

The incident illustrates a critical vulnerability in Muhammad’s claim to prophethood: if Satan was capable of inserting false content into what Muhammad believed was divine revelation, it calls into question the entire process by which Muhammad claimed to receive messages from God. In biblical revelation, the true prophets of God are explicitly commanded to distinguish between the holy and the profane (Ezekiel 44:23). The prophetic message is delivered with absolute certainty as from Jehovah, and there is no room for satanic manipulation of the divine word.

By admitting to being deceived, Muhammad effectively undermined his own credibility as the recipient of infallible revelation.

Contact with the Dead and Occult Associations

The historical accounts of Muhammad’s life also include episodes in which he claimed to speak to the dead. On at least one occasion, he reportedly addressed corpses in a graveyard, declaring that they could hear him, though they were unable to respond. Such activities bear a resemblance to spiritistic practices explicitly condemned in the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 18:9–14). God’s Word categorically forbids any contact with the dead, necromancy, or consultation with spirits.

Muhammad’s involvement in such activities further disqualifies the claim of a biblical-style prophetic mission, as these actions are irreconcilable with the character and commands of the God of the Bible.

Human Influences and Sources for Qur’anic Content

Upon examination, many narratives, theological themes, and legal rulings found in the Qur’an show striking parallels with pre-existing Jewish, Christian, and pagan traditions. Stories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus are present but often differ in details from the canonical biblical accounts, aligning instead with apocryphal and rabbinic writings available during Muhammad’s lifetime.

In particular, oral traditions circulating among the Jewish communities of Arabia, along with Nestorian Christian teachings, appear to have contributed significantly to the material found in the Qur’an. Rather than offering new divine insights, Muhammad’s revelations often repeat these well-known narratives with local adaptations. The presence of these sources suggests human borrowing rather than direct divine disclosure.

The heavy reliance on cultural and religious content familiar in Muhammad’s environment undermines the uniqueness that one would expect of a true revelation from the sovereign Creator of the universe.

Absence of Confirmatory Miracles

Unlike biblical prophets, whose divine authority was confirmed by unmistakable miracles, Muhammad offered no verifiable supernatural acts as evidence of his call. While later Islamic traditions claim various miracles, the Qur’an itself repeatedly dismisses requests for signs, emphasizing instead that the Qur’an itself is the only sign necessary.

Biblical prophets such as Moses performed undeniable miracles, including parting the Red Sea and bringing water from rock, as direct evidence of their calling by Jehovah (Exodus 14:21–31; 17:6). Jesus Christ authenticated His mission through numerous healings, control over nature, and ultimately His resurrection. In contrast, the absence of public, verifiable miracles in Muhammad’s case weakens the claim of divine endorsement.

Final Assessment of Character and Message

The integrity of the messenger is crucial in evaluating any prophetic claim. In biblical history, prophets demonstrated lives of remarkable holiness, humility, and submission to Jehovah. Their messages aligned consistently with God’s revealed character—holy, just, merciful, and true.

By contrast, the life of Muhammad, including instances of polygamy, military aggression, and episodes of personal conduct inconsistent with biblical prophetic standards, does not support the portrait of a man called by the holy God of Scripture. Moreover, certain Qur’anic revelations appear opportunistically timed to justify Muhammad’s personal desires, rather than reflecting the objective moral guidance of an unchanging divine source.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).