One of the criteria the Bible itself provides for distinguishing a true prophet from a false one is whether their prophecies come true. In Deuteronomy 18:22, we read that if a prediction does not come to pass, then the prophet has spoken presumptuously. When we apply this test to the prophecies of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the results are remarkable — prediction after prediction has been fulfilled with precision that no human guesswork could achieve.
How Prophecy Differs From Fortune-Telling
Islam draws a sharp line between prophetic revelation and soothsaying. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whoever believes a fortune teller has disbelieved in what Allah revealed. Fortune tellers may occasionally get predictions right — through guesswork or, as Islamic sources explain, through jinn who eavesdrop on the angels — but their accuracy deteriorates rapidly over time. A true prophet’s words, by contrast, stand the test of centuries because their source is the All-Knowing Creator Himself.
“Whoever visits a fortune teller, even out of curiosity, their prayers will not be accepted for forty days.” — Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Fulfilled Prophecies of Muhammad
- Sectarian divisions — The Prophet predicted specific groups would arise, including those who would declare true believers to be disbelievers (the Khawarij) and those who would exaggerate in their love of Ali to the point of deifying him
- Denial of divine decree — He foretold a group that would deny qadr (destiny), calling them “the Magians of this ummah”
- The Khawarij identified by tribe — The Prophet pointed out a specific individual from whose tribe these extremists would emerge — and it happened exactly as predicted
- Signs of the Last Day — From the competition in building tall buildings to the spread of interest-based economies, dozens of prophecies continue to unfold
The Biblical Criterion Applied
“If the thing followeth not nor come to pass, then that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.” — Deuteronomy 18:22
When we apply the Bible’s own standard for testing prophets, Muhammad (peace be upon him) passes with extraordinary distinction. His prophecies about events within his lifetime, in the centuries that followed, and in our present day have proven accurate in ways that defy coincidence. No soothsayer, no fortune teller, no human being without divine revelation could achieve this record. The evidence compels us to accept what the Quran declares: Muhammad does not speak from his own desires — it is nothing except revelation that is revealed.
