The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mentioned in the old Testament

 

Isaiah chapter 42 is an interesting prophecy telling about Muhammad ﷺ. This prophecy was told in the Hadiths, there is a lot of variation between it and what is said in Isaiah, but textual variants are present much in the Bible, and there are many inaccurate quotes of the Old Testament made by writers of the New Testament.

Characters of the Prophet foretold

Let’s examine the Biblical prophecy:

Isaiah 42:1  Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
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But Jesus clearly told to his followers:
Matthew 15:24 I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

If the spirit of Isaiah 42:1 is a manifestation of God Himself, as Christians put it, then how are there four manifestations of God standing in the presence of God, and then going out from His presence? So the Book of Zechariah clearly indicates that spirits are entities other than God.
(Zechariah 6:5) (Psalm 104:3) and (Quran 42:52) also testified that.

Isaiah 42:2- He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
Characteristic:
This Hadith prove Isaiah 42 2
Anas Ibn Malik reported:
I served the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) for ten years, and, by Allah, he never said to me any harsh word, and he never said to me about a thing as to why I had done that and as to why I had not done that. (Al Bukhari)
3- A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.
Explanation:
This description is very characteristic of Prophet Muhammad’s gentle nature which the Qur’an bears testament to: (Quran 3:159)
4- He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.
Explanation:
The first part of this verse mentioned Prophet struggle, The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was offered by the non believers every worldly gain imaginable to try and persuade him to stop preaching the message of Islam but the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) refused all their demands and never stopped preaching. Although,  The Prophet face a large number of difficulties but did not rest until the just rule of Islam was firmly established within his lifetime.
Second part of this verse informs us that this special person will bring forth a new law. The word translated as “teaching” is the Hebrew “Torah” which means instruction or law. This verse states that the islands will put their hope in his law, implying he will bring forth something new, something different, as the Law of Moses already existed at the time Isaiah made this prophecy. But the Qur’an given to Prophet Muhammad fits this description perfectly as it was a new book.
5- This is what God the Lord says—...............
6- I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
Explanation:
“I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you…”
The righteous mission of establishing justice on earth will require special help from God, which is conveyed by the figurative words “And will hold Your hand”. Once “God holds the hand of anyone”, it is impossible to defeat that person. God uses that person as an instrument to wipe out evil and manifest His judgement on evil doers. Let us see how the Qur’an confirms this in the battle of Badr when around 300 ill-armed Muslims faced a thousand strong army of the pagans.
“…make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles”
Gentiles means non Jews. Here this verse emphasises the universal mission of the coming person. (Qur’an 34:28) confirms that Prophet Muhammad was sent to the whole of mankind, Jews and Gentiles alike.

7- to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Explanation:
History witness that before Islam slavery was on rise but Islam motivated it's followers to free the captives and grant great reward in heaven. By doing that Islam Finished slavery in the world.
Quran also testified that the the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed the light to the people and put them from the darkness:
A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light –........(Quran 14:1)

8- I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
9- See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.
This verse makes it clear that Isaiah 42 is a prophecy about the future.
10- Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.
 The statement “a new song” means a new way of worship. This is exactly what Islam represents.

Arabia shall Rejoice by His coming

Moving to Isaiah 42:11, we see that prophecy gives 2 special places; Kedar and Sela:

Isaiah 42:11  Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Kedar is the second son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13), Sela is a mountain in Medina, and it was mentioned in some hadiths. You may say that the Bible’s dictionary tells that Sela is Petra. However, it happens in the Bible that there is more than a place with the same name as the case of Seir for example:

Formed like H8163; rough; Seir, a mountain of Idumaea and its aboriginal occupants, also one in Palestine:
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It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12:
"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."

When Archangel Gabrail commanded Muhammad (pbuh) by saying Iqra - "Read", he replied, "I am not learned".
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“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and darkness engross the people: but the lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and i will glorify the house of my glory. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the lord thy God, and to the holy one of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.” (Isaiah 60:1-9)
Explanation:
A description of Makkah and Ka’ba at the time of hajj cannot be more exact than the above description mentioned by Isaiah in 701 b.c. it is a description that fits Makkah since creation and until the Day of Judgment. It is the site that emanates light through the surrounding darkness and all people there are equal in praising Allah.
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“Sing, o barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. for thy maker is thine husband; the lord of hosts is his name; and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel ; the God of the whole earth shall he be called . . . O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. and all thy children shall be taught of the lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:1-17)

Explanation:
The barren mentioned in the prophecy that did not give birth before is Makkah. It is thus described because it did not have a prophet from the time of Isma’il. The offspring of Isma’il (PBUH) are the Adnans, the sons of the desolate woman, Sarah (R.A) with whom Ibrahim (PBUH) remained and who is the grandmother of the Israelites. The prophecy said that Makkah would reach right and left, that is, the new religion would prevail East and West .   
“Thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name” means that the creator of Makkah is Allah whom the Jews used to call “Lord of hosts” in order to distinguish him from the other people's Gods. “the God of the whole earth shall he be called” means that the new call shall not be limited to one nation; rather, it would be for all people. Islam, unlike Judaism, is really for the entire world.
The prophecy refers to Ka'ba, its rebuilding, and the coming of the believers to it in crowds. Believers are described as the sons of Allah. This is really the case of Hajjis . The prophecy also indicates that no enemy shall conquer Makkah. Remember Abraha the Abyssinian who tried to destroy Ka'ba but Allah destroyed him and his army . 
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“The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, o ye traveling companies of dedanim. the inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. For thus hath the Lord said unto me, within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall and the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 21:13-17) 

Explanation:
In his prophecy, Isaiah described Al-Muhajireen as people who fled their homeland to protect their religion and souls against the injustice of their enemies. It also promised that they would prevail at the end and that their enemies shall perish. The sons of Kedar are not other than Quraysh who descended from Kedar Bin Banayutanayut bin Isma’il (PBUH). The above prophecy indicates the reduction in the number of the unbelievers’ cavalry after one or more years from hijrah represented by the years of an hireling who feels the length of time because of the hardships he encounters. This reduction was really materialized when many of the unbelievers of Makkah embraced Islam and joined the Prophet  (PBUH)  in Madinah. As to the expression the Lord God of Israel it can be explained based on the fact that at the time of this prophesy , the religion of Moses was the only religion , while the unbelievers used to worship idols .
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“For thus hath the Lord said unto me, go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: and he cried, a lion: my Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and i am set in my ward whole nights: and, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her Gods he hath broken unto the ground.” (Isaiah 21:6-9 ) 

The above text includes two prophecies of the coming of two prophets , one of whom enters his city riding an ass and the other entering his city riding a camel. Isa (AS) entered Jerusalem on an ass. This prophesy confirms in (Mathew 21:1-5).