Azahari Hassim
📜 Haggai 2:7 and the Night Journey of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: An Islamic Reading
🌟 Introduction
Haggai 2:7 declares:
“And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.” (KJV)
From an Islamic perspective, this verse can be seen as an allusion to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ) to Jerusalem. The key lies in the Hebrew term חֶמְדָּה (ḥemdāh)—translated as “desire” or “delight”—which shares its root with the Arabic names Muhammad and Ahmad. ✨ Notably, the Hebrew word ḥemdāh is the feminine form of ḥemed, while the Arabic name Ahmad is another title of Muhammad ﷺ, prophesied by Jesus in Surah 61:6. This linguistic bridge offers a fascinating interfaith reflection on prophecy, sacred language, and divine promise.
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🔤 The Hebrew Root ח מ ד (ḥ-m-d)
The root ḥ-m-d in Hebrew conveys desirability, preciousness, and belovedness. Several Hebrew words derive from it:
• 📖 ḥāmed (חָמֵד): “desirable” or “coveted”
• 📖 ḥemdāh (חֶמְדָּה): “delight” or “precious object” (appearing in Haggai 2:7)
• 📖 neḥmād (נֶחְמָד): “pleasant” or “lovely”
• 📖 maḥmād (מַחְמָד): “delight” or “desirable thing”
All of these share the same root idea of something beloved or longed for 💖.
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🕌 “The Desire of All Nations Shall Come”
Haggai’s prophecy envisions a time when the house of God in Jerusalem will be filled with divine glory. For Muslims, this recalls the Prophet’s miraculous Night Journey (al-Isrāʾ), explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an:
“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām to al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” (Qur’an 17:1)
🌙 This verse establishes the link between the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Mecca, and Jerusalem. His presence at al-Masjid al-Aqṣā sanctified the site, bringing a moment of divine glory to the Temple Mount. Thus, Haggai’s vision of the “desire of all nations” entering God’s house can be interpreted as pointing to Muhammad ﷺ, whose Night Journey symbolically unites all prophets and all nations 🌍 in worship of the One God.
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🔗 A Linguistic and Theological Bridge
The connection becomes clearer when Hebrew and Arabic are read side by side:
• ✡️ Hebrew: ḥemdāh → “delight” / “precious object”
• ✡️ Related forms: ḥāmed → “desirable,” neḥmād → “pleasant,” maḥmād → “delight”
• ☪️ Arabic: ḥ-m-d → Names Muhammad (“the praised one”) and Ahmad (“the most praiseworthy”)
The Qur’an itself records Jesus ✝️ foretelling the coming of a messenger named Ahmad:
“And [remember] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.’” (Qur’an 61:6)
In both languages, the root carries the idea of something or someone deeply desired, beloved, praised, and precious. 🌹
Theologically, the prophecy of nations being “shaken” 🌍⚡ aligns with Islam’s transformative impact on world history. Within a generation of Muhammad’s Night Journey, the message of Islam spread across nations, fulfilling the vision of divine glory filling God’s house 🕋.
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⚖️ Limits and Interpretive Context
It is important to stress that this reading is an interpretive possibility rather than a universally held Islamic doctrine. Classical Muslim exegetes (mufassirūn) did not directly cite Haggai 2:7 as prophecy of the Night Journey. Rather, modern interfaith scholars and daʿwah perspectives highlight it as an example of linguistic and symbolic overlap between the Hebrew Bible and the Qurʾan.
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✅ Conclusion
From an Islamic perspective, Haggai 2:7 can be read as an anticipation of the Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey 🌙 to Jerusalem. The shared Semitic root ḥ-m-d links the Hebrew ḥemdāh (“desire, delight”) with the Arabic Muhammad (“praised one”) and Ahmad, while the verse’s imagery of nations shaken 🌍 and the house of God filled with glory ✨ aligns with Islam’s transformative impact on world history and resonates deeply with the Prophet’s presence at al-Masjid al-Aqṣā (Qur’an 17:1).
Coupled with Jesus’ announcement of Ahmad in Qur’an 61:6, this interpretation reflects the profound ways in which language, prophecy, and sacred history intertwine across the Abrahamic traditions ☪️✡️✝️.
Does the phrase “the night visions” in Daniel 7 refer to Muhammad’s Night Journey?
How do some argue that the phrase “the night visions” in Daniel 7, verse 13 refers to Muhammad’s Night Journey to the seventh heaven to meet God instead of Jesus, whose ascension did not occur at night?
Some argue that the phrase “the night visions” in Daniel 7, verse 13, refers to Muhammad’s Night ( الإسراء والمعراج) rather than Jesus’ ascension based on the following points:
1. The term “night visions” directly suggests an event that takes place at night. Muhammad’s Night Journey, which is said to have occurred during the night, aligns with this description. In contrast, Jesus’ ascension is generally not described as happening at night in Christian texts.
2. According to Islamic tradition, during the Isra, Muhammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem and then ascended through the heavens in the Mi’raj. He is described as having profound spiritual experiences, meeting past prophets, and ultimately coming into the presence of God.
In Daniel 7, verses 13 to 14, “one like a son of man” is seen coming with the clouds of heaven and approaching the “Ancient of Days” (interpreted by scholars as God). This imagery of traveling through the heavens and meeting a divine figure has parallels with Muhammad’s Night Journey.
3. The mention of the “clouds of heaven” could be metaphorically linked to the ethereal and divine nature of Muhammad’s ascent through the heavens, which is a central element in the Night Journey narrative.
4. Some Muslim scholars see Daniel’s vision as prophetic, foretelling not just events relevant to Jewish history but also later significant religious events. They interpret the “one like a son of man” as a reference to a future prophet who would establish a new era, which Muhammad is believed to have done in Islam.
5. In the vision, the figure receives authority, glory, and sovereign power, and all nations serve him. Supporters of this interpretation argue that Muhammad’s establishment of Islam fits this prophecy as he united tribes and established a widespread religious and political community.
While these arguments are compelling within an Islamic interpretive framework, this interpretation is not widely accepted in Christian and Jewish traditions.
However, it’s important to note that these interpretations are not mainstream and are often viewed within the context of interfaith dialogue or polemics.
Traditional Jewish and Christian interpretations generally identify the “one like a son of man” as a messianic figure, often associated with Jesus in Christian theology, while in Jewish thought, it can be seen as a representation of Israel or the Messiah.
The Prophecy of Daniel: Constantine the Great and Muhammad the Prophet
Some believe that Daniel 7, verse 25 alludes to Constantine the Great, who presided over the council of Nicaea, while Daniel 7, verse 13, points to Muhammad’s Night Journey. How is this argument explained?
This is a very controversial argument that is not widely accepted by most biblical scholars and Christians, who believe that Daniel 7, verse 25, and Daniel 7, verse 13, refer to the Antichrist and the Messiah, respectively. However, some people who support this argument explain it in the following way:
They claim that Constantine the Great, who was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and who convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, was the little horn of Daniel 7, verse 25, who spoke pompous words against the Most High and tried to change the times and the laws.
They argue that Constantine corrupted the original teachings of Jesus and imposed his own doctrines and creeds on the Christian church, such as the doctrine of the Trinity, the observance of Sunday instead of Saturday as the Sabbath, and the celebration of Easter instead of Passover.
They also accuse Constantine of persecuting and oppressing those who did not conform to his version of Christianity, such as the followers of Arianism, who denied the divinity of Jesus.
Arianism sparked significant debates within the Church, particularly during the early Ecumenical Councils. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD condemned Arianism, affirming the doctrine of the Trinity and the full divinity of Christ. The Nicene Creed established the belief that the Son is “begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father.”
Islamic scholars claim that Muhammad, who was the prophet of Islam and who claimed to have a miraculous Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and then to heaven in 621 AD, was the Son of Man of Daniel 7, verse 13, who came with the clouds of heaven and was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom by the Ancient of Days, that is God.
The term “night visions” directly suggests an event that takes place at night. Muhammad’s Night Journey, which is said to have occurred during the night, aligns with this description. In contrast, Jesus’ ascension is generally not described as happening at night in Christian texts.
They argue that Muhammad was a true prophet of God who restored the pure monotheism that was lost by Constantine and his followers. They also assert that Muhammad’s kingdom is an everlasting kingdom that will never be destroyed, and that all nations and peoples of every language will serve him or submit to his law.
In summary, these are a few points made by Islamic scholars to back the notion that Daniel 7, verse 25, and 7, verse 13, refer to Constantine as the little horn who established the Trinity at the Council of Nicea, and Muhammad as the Son of Man who encountered God on his Night Journey to the seventh heaven.
📋 “Muhammad” as a Title for Jesus?
A Full Explanation of Jay Smith’s Argument
Introduction
In recent years, Christian polemicist and historian Jay Smith—a prominent figure in London’s Hyde Park debates—has advanced a controversial re-reading of early Islamic origins. One of his most provocative claims is that the term “Muhammad” (MHMD), as it appears in early Arabic inscriptions and coinage, did not originally refer to a historical Arabian prophet, but rather functioned as a title for Jesus used by Syriac-speaking Christian communities in the 6th–7th centuries.
This reinterpretation forms part of Smith’s broader revisionist model that challenges the traditional narrative of Islam’s emergence in 7th-century Arabia.
This article explains Smith’s reasoning, the linguistic and historical evidence he proposes, and the Christian tradition he believes produced this title.
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- Syriac Christianity as the Alleged Source of “Muhammad”
According to Jay Smith, the key to understanding the early appearances of the name MHMD is the influence of Syriac-speaking Christian sects.
He argues that:
1.1. Syriac Christians used titles rather than personal names in liturgical texts
Smith points out that Syriac hymnography and homilies frequently use descriptive epithets for Jesus, including:
• Mshīḥā — “the Messiah”
• Mār(y)a — “the Lord”
• Raḥmānā — “the Merciful”
• Mḥīmmādā / Mḥamdā — “the Praised One”
This last term—rooted in the Semitic tri-consonantal cluster ḥ-m-d (to praise, to commend)—becomes the central pillar of his argument.
1.2. “Mḥmd” was allegedly a Christological title
Smith contends that in some Syriac poetic and liturgical traditions, Jesus was poetically described as mḥmd—“the praised one.”
Thus, the MHMD appearing in early inscriptions could, in his view, reasonably refer to Jesus Christ, not to a human founder of Islam.
1.3. Syriac Christians shaped early Arab religious vocabulary
Smith claims that Arab tribes living in the Levant, northern Arabia, and Mesopotamia—before Islam—were heavily influenced by:
• Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) Christians
• Nestorian Christians
• Aramaic-speaking monastics and missionaries
Thus, the earliest Arabic religious inscriptions may reflect Christian theological language, not Islamic identity.
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- Early Coins and Inscriptions: Reading MHMD as Jesus
Jay Smith frequently cites 7th-century archaeological data—coins, inscriptions, and manuscripts—to support his claim.
2.1. The earliest MHMD references do not resemble later Islamic theology
On coins from the late 7th century (especially during the reign of Abd al-Malik), the inscription:
• MHMD appears alongside Christian symbols, such as
• a cross
• Christological phrases
According to Smith, this demonstrates the following:
The earliest Muslims were still using Christian iconography and language; therefore, “Muhammad” must have been a title within this Christianized framework.
2.2. The absence of prophetic biography
Smith argues that inscriptions mentioning MHMD contain no indication of:
• a birthplace in Mecca
• a prophetic mission
• a Quran
• companions
• battles
• hadith
• prophetic sayings
Thus, he concludes that MHMD was not originally a historical prophet, but a venerated figure already known in Christian tradition.
2.3. MHMD in the Dome of the Rock inscription (691 CE)
The Dome of the Rock contains the phrase:
• “Muhammad is the servant of God and His Messenger.”
Smith argues that this phrase resembles Christian formulations about Jesus—particularly the biblical phrase “Jesus, the servant of God”—and therefore could originally have signified Jesus, before being reinterpreted as a reference to an Arabian prophet.
This is a highly contested claim, but central to his reasoning.
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- Which Christian Tradition Produced This Title?
Jay Smith’s position is clear:
He attributes the “Muhammad-as-Title-for-Jesus” interpretation to:
3.1. Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) Christianity
• Based in Syria and Mesopotamia
• Known for poetic, honorific titles for Christ
• Used Semitic linguistic roots like ḥ-m-d in Christological praise
3.2. Other Eastern Christian sects
Smith sometimes expands this to:
• Nestorian Arabs
• Syriac-speaking monastic communities
• Arabized Christian tribes
These groups, he argues, created an environment in which a title such as “the praised one” (mḥmd) could easily be applied to Jesus.
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- How, According to Smith, the Title Became a Personal Name
Jay Smith argues that early Arab rulers—particularly those forging a new political-religious identity after the fall of Byzantine influence—misappropriated or reinterpreted the Syriac epithet.
4.1. A title becomes a name
He claims that as Arabic replaced Syriac as the dominant liturgical and administrative language, the term:
• mḥmd → “Muhammad”
shifted from a title meaning “praised one”
to a personal name belonging to a newly constructed prophet-figure.
4.2. The creation of a prophetic biography
Smith asserts that the sīrah (prophetic biography) and hadith literature—compiled much later—retroactively built a life story around this name, transforming a Christological epithet into a new religious founder.
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- Scholarly Response
Most historians, linguists, and Islamic scholars—both Western and Muslim—reject Smith’s view, arguing that:
• “Muhammad” behaves grammatically as a proper name in early Arabic sentences
• Coins and inscriptions reflect a transitional Islamic theology, not Christian language
• Syriac texts using the root ḥ-m-d do not equate this term with a personal identity for Jesus
• Smith’s method selectively reads evidence
Nonetheless, his theory remains influential in certain polemical circles and continues to generate debate online.
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Conclusion
Jay Smith’s argument that “Muhammad” was originally a title for Jesus arises from his broader revisionist project that reexamines Islam’s earliest decades. He locates this idea in Syriac-speaking Christian traditions, particularly Jacobite Christianity, which he suggests used poetic praise terms such as mḥmd for Jesus.
From this foundation, he argues that early Arab rulers and later Islamic writers misinterpreted and transformed this epithet into the personal name “Muhammad,” eventually constructing a prophetic biography around it.
Though not supported by mainstream scholarship, Smith’s thesis represents a distinctive attempt to reinterpret early Islamic materials through the lens of late antique Syriac Christianity.
ABRAHAMIC THEOLOGY 