Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) in the Bible

The prophet claimed to have a messege from God and to be a prophet. For non-Muslims who were Jews or Christians, one only need to look at the bible (even the one we have today) to find criteria for a prophet (his characteristics), and what the central message would be.

Well, there were masses of Jews who rejected Paul and his teachings, and the Jews who did recognize Jesus died out. So in the end, Jews would have to look at the soundess of the claims presented by Paul and come to their own conclusion. There was no "absolute" proof available.

So you seem to be saying that the jews rejected Paul for sound reasons.  Are you saying then that it was out of sheer spite that they rejected the claims of Muhammad?  I don't know that there is any reason to suppose they were any less "careful" in inspecting his claims than they were in examining those of Paul 

In all of the writings we have, we know that the main contention of the Jews is that they wanted a prophet who was Jewish. There are sound narratives that reveal writings that the Jews had in their possesion which did point to a coming prophet (saw) in the region.

It is not known what these writings were.

???If these "sound narratives" are islamic, then that is hardly conclusive proof that the jews were expecting the rise of a prophet in the region

I agree. I cannot say that this silence is conclusive proof either way, but I will say that I believe it is evidence that the Jews of the region did have a belief and the claims of the Prophet (saw) were not contrary to that belief except that he claimed the line of Ishmael and not Isaac.

A highly recognized exegesis of the passage is most popularly agreed upon that it is about his attributes that one may find in the bible.

So, are you now saying that Muhammad is not, after all, personally mentioned in the Law and the Gospel?  That all we get is the general description of the characteristics of prophethood?  Bear in mind that the Quran refers to the "apostle, the unlettered/gentile apostle, whom they find mentioned in.....".  This, surely, must mean that Muhammad himself is specifically referred to, not just the characteristics of prophethood he claimed for himself

Well, we know for a fact that there is absolutely no record of the life of Jesus outside the Quran that can give any credible historical insight.

Well, it's not much of a record in the Quran, is it?  Can you give me one thing from the Quran that Jesus actually said? (maybe you can, I'm talking off the top of my head here) 

His claim is verified by todays standard bible.

I think you are subtly, or not so subtly, changing the nature of the claim that was made.  You are also, in effect, saying that muslims (for instance the poster sawtul in this thread) are wrong to go looking for personal mentions of Muhammad in the bible.

Please explain one of his attributes that is a point of contention for you that is in direct violation of the basic message of any known prophet.

No, you are saying that his claim is verified by the bible, so you verify it

No the above is wrong:

Yeshayahu - Chapter 21

The harsh prophecy of the western desert This prophecy refers to Babylonia, as is delineated therein. If you ask, Did he not already prophesy about it (supra 13): "On a tranquil mountain raise a banner," and the entire chapter? sometimes the prophecy comes into his mouth today in one manner, and later in another manner.

The harsh prophecy of the western desert Jonathan paraphrases: A harsh prophecy concerning the armies that come from the desert, as numerous as the waters of the sea.

like tempests in arid land, to pass Like a tempest that whirls in an arid land, that raises much dust.

to pass So will many camps pass to come upon Babylon.

from the desert they shall come to them (lit.. to her).

from an awesome land Jonathan renders: From a land where mighty deeds have been performed. It is also possible to explain that it is a place of snakes and scorpions, as it is said (Deut. 8:15): "The great and awesome desert."

A harsh prophecy The prophet says, "This harsh prophecy concerning Babylon was told to me."

the traitor shall be betrayed Jonathan renders: The robbers are robbed and the plunderers are plundered. The Hebrew wording, according to the Targum, is to be explained thus: The traitor another will come and betray him; and the plunderer another will come and plunder him. These are Persia and Media, who rob and plunder Babylon, who, until now plundered and robbed all the countries.

march, Elam and come upon them (lit., her).

besiege, O Media (������). I.e., besiege Babylon with a siege. Comp. (II Sam. 22:3) "God is my rock (������)." The accent is on the latter syllable, on the "resh," whereas, in this case, the accent is on the first syllable, like "rise (������)", "return (�������)."

all sighs have I brought to an end (���������). (This is) not (spelled with a) "Mappiq heh," (which would mean "her sigh") for this is like "all sighs in the world," and it is an expression denoting a great sigh of many people (sospiradic in O.F.). All sighs have I brought to an end, for the world was sighing because of the yoke of the kingdom of Babylon; now I have brought it to an end.

my loins are filled with trembling The prophet is merciful and sighs over the retribution meted out to the nations. This is the Midrash Aggadah (Tan., beginning of Balak). According to its simple meaning, however, the prophet is reciting the lamentation and the mourning as though this were Babylonia lamenting.

pangs (�������), an expression denoting trembling and pains. And our Rabbis said: A woman has doors and hinges (�������) on her womb just as the doors of a house have hinges (Bechoroth 45a).

I became confused This is a malady known as ������, convulsions, in the language of the Sages.

fright (����������). fright.

the evening of my desire The night that I longed for, for rejoicing and for a banquet. In the Book of Josipon we find that he was happy since his troops had defeated the army of Persia. (Book 1, ch. 5) That night He made for me into trembling, as it is said (Dan. 5:1): "King Belshazzar made a great feast� They drank wine�(verse 4). On that very night, King Belshazzar was slain�(verse 30)." (6:1) "And Darius the Mede received the kingdom."

setting up the lamp (���������), Set up the lamp. In Gen. Rabbah (63:14) we learn that people call a lamp ��������.

eating, drinking And in the midst of the eating and the drinking, they cried, "Arise, princes!"

anoint a shield They were shields of boiled leather, and they would anoint them with oil so that the weapons would glide off. The same is mentioned concerning Saul (II Sam. 1:21): "For there the shield of the mighty was rejected." It rejected its anointing and did not absorb it, and Saul�s shield became as though it was not anointed with oil.

Go set up the lookout One of your disciples is destined to complain about My attribute, concerning the long prosperity of Babylon, and that was Habakkuk who made a circle and stood inside it, and said (Habakkuk 2:1), "On my watch will I stand, and I will look out to see what He will speak within me." Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "Put up that lookout and promise him in My Name that he will stand on his watch and what he sees in the downfall of Babylon he will tell."

And he shall see a chariot and I will show him there a sort of chariot with a pair of riders, one riding a donkey and one riding a camel, and that is a sign of Persia and Media.

and he shall listen attentively And there he shall hear in his prophecy a representation of the mighty rumbling and stirring of armies.

And the lion called That is Habakkuk. ������� (lion) has the same numerical value as Habakkuk. Isaiah prophesied that Habakkuk was destined to pray for this and say the following.

on the watchtower, O Lord O Lord, my God, I always stand on the watchtower to inform me about this.

And behold this is coming When he prays concerning this, he will see sort of a chariot of men, etc.

Babylon has fallen, yea, it has fallen Jonathan renders: Has fallen and is also destined to fall. This denotes two downfalls in two consecutive years, first through Media and Persia, and in the second year, through Heaven, as it is stated (supra 13:19): "And Babylon, the beauty of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldees, shall be like God�s overturning of Sodom�" And so we find in Seder Olam (ch. 28): And in that year the news came concerning Darius, and after him, in the year, the news, "And Babylon, the beauty of the kingdoms� shall be like the overturning, etc." (supra 13:19).

My threshed grain and the product of my threshing floor My hallowed grain, the stack of wheat which I was commanded by the Holy Spirit to rectify you and lead you on the straight path, like a man who threshes and winnows his grain on the threshing floor.

What I heard from Him I have related to you.

The harsh prophecy of Dumah That is Edom, and so does Scripture say (Ezekiel 27:32): "Who is like Tyre, like Dumah in the midst of the sea?"

To Me one calls from Seir Said the Holy One, blessed be He: "To Me the prophet or the angel calls from the yoke of the kingdom of Seir."

Watchman, what will be of the night? Watcher of Israel, what will be of this night and this darkness?

Said the watchman The Holy One, blessed be He.

Morning has come I have the ability to make the morning shine for you.

and also night is prepared for the wicked at the time of the end.

if you will request, request If you make your request to hasten the end of the exile.

return and come in repentance.

The harsh prophecy concerning Arabia About the Arabs.

In the forest in Arabia did you lodge I saw what you did when Assyria exiled my people, and they begged their captors to lead them through your land, since you are the descendants of their uncles, perhaps you would have mercy on them, and you were going out and lodging in the forest, the road where the caravans pass.

the roads of your cousins the children of your uncle.

Toward the thirsty it is customary to bring water, but you, the inhabitants of the land of Tema, did not do so, but with his bread they came before the wanderer; they brought them sorts of salty foods and blown up flasks full of air, and he would eat and ask to drink, and he would put the opening of the flask into his mouth, and the air would go into his innards, and he would die. Another explanation of "Toward the thirsty they bring water," is as follows: I did not do so to your forefather, Ishmael; when he was thirsty, I revealed to him a well of water.

Since because of the swords they wandered (I.e.,) my people (wandered).

the outstretched sword (���������) , spread over the surface of the earth, as (I Sam. 30:16) "And behold, they were scattered (����������) over the entire landscape," (II Sam. 5:18) "And spread out (��������������) in the Valley of Rephaim." Another explanation is that ��������� is like ���������, sharp. All letters whose sources are close to being from one place, (i.e., from one speech organ,) are interchangeable with one another, the �nun� with the �lamed,� as in the case stated (in Nehemiah 13:7): "To make him a chamber (���������)," like ���������.

like the year of a hireling I will be exact with them to limit the time like a hireling, hired by years, who is exact with the time of the completion of his year.

And the rest the remnant.

the bows of the heroes of the children of Kedar Archers, for they are like their forefather, (Ishmael,) about whom it is stated (Gen. 21: 2): "And he was an archer."