Short answer
Yes. Isaiah 42 foretells the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). It speaks of God's (﷾) chosen servant, who will not fail until he has set justice in the earth. Then God (﷾) calls for a new song, and calls on the villages of Kedar to lift their voice. Kedar was a son of Ishmael, and the tribe of the Prophet (ﷺ), Quraysh, descends from Ishmael. The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, and it is recited aloud all over the world. The chapter goes on to say that those who trust in idols will be put to shame. The Prophet (ﷺ) struck the 360 idols around the Ka'ba and had the idols inside it carried out. Matthew applies the opening verses to Jesus, but his wording has no law for the isles. The servant who brought that law, from Kedar's kin, was the Prophet (ﷺ).
Full explanation
The servant who does not fail
Isaiah 42 speaks of God's (﷾) chosen servant. He "shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth", and "the isles shall wait for his law". The isles are the far-off coastlands. The Prophet (ﷺ) brought a law that the nations took up, and the idols of Arabia fell in his lifetime. He took no wealth from his success. When he died, ruler of most of Arabia, his armour was pledged to a Jewish man for barley. A Companion, a man who knew the Prophet (ﷺ), described him in words close to these opening verses. This was Abdullah ibn Amr, who knew the Torah, the scripture given to Moses. He said the Prophet (ﷺ) was not harsh, not loud in the markets, and one through whom blind eyes are opened.
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
Aisha reports that when the Prophet (ﷺ) died, his armour was held by a Jewish man as security for thirty measures of barley.
Abdullah ibn Amr said the Prophet (ﷺ) is described in the Torah as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner: not harsh or rough, not one who shouts in the markets, who does not repay evil with evil but pardons, and whom God would not take until through him He had set a crooked people straight, opening blind eyes, deaf ears and closed hearts.
Who Kedar was
The Bible names only one Kedar: the second son of Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar. God (﷾) promised that Ishmael too would become a nation. The Bible itself places Kedar's people in Arabia. Ezekiel, a prophet of Israel, names "Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar" together. Arab genealogists, who record family lines, trace the Prophet (ﷺ) back to Ishmael. Many of them trace the line through Kedar.
“And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,”
“And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.”
“Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.”
A new song in the villages of Kedar
Isaiah calls for a new song, praise from the ends of the earth, and a shout from the tops of the mountains. Among those called to lift their voice he names one people: Kedar, the son of Ishmael. The Qur'an was sent down in Arabic, the Arabs' own language. It was first revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the cave of Hira, on a mountain near Mecca. It is not poetry, but it is recited in every one of the five daily prayers, from one end of the earth to the other. Every year at the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat. They call out God's (﷾) praise aloud, as Isaiah calls for. Isaiah names Kedar again at God's (﷾) altar. The flocks of Kedar and the rams of Nebaioth, Ishmael's first two sons, come up with acceptance (Isaiah 60:7). Genesis spells Nebaioth as Nebajoth.
“Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.”
“We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an, in order that ye may learn wisdom.”
“We have not instructed the (Prophet) in Poetry, nor is it meet for him: this is no less than a Message and a Qur'an making things clear:”
“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.”
“And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,”
God (﷾) breaks His long silence
In verse 14 God (﷾) speaks in His own voice. He has held His peace a long time, and now He will cry out like a woman in labour. The prophets before Muhammad (ﷺ) each called people to worship God (﷾) alone. Yet after them, the sharing of God's (﷾) glory with others kept coming back. Through the Prophet (ﷺ), from among Kedar's kin, it was swept out of Arabia. The idols of Mecca were destroyed in his own lifetime. Within a few years the worship of idols had ended across Arabia.
“I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.”
“I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
Abdullah (ibn Mas'ud) reports that when the Prophet (ﷺ) entered Mecca on the day of the conquest, 360 idols stood around the Ka'ba. He struck them with a stick in his hand, saying that truth had come and falsehood would neither begin again nor return.
Darkness made light and the idols shamed
Isaiah says God (﷾) will lead the blind by paths they did not know. He says those who call molten images their gods will be greatly ashamed. The Qur'an says the Prophet (ﷺ) was sent to a people to whom no warner had come. On the day Mecca was taken, he struck the 360 idols around the Ka'ba with a stick. The Ka'ba is the House of God (﷾) in Mecca. He recited that truth had come and falsehood had perished, and he had the idols inside the Ka'ba carried out. God's (﷾) glory is not given to graven images.
“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.”
“Or do they say, "He has forged it"? Nay, it is the Truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest admonish a people to whom no warner has come before thee: in order that they may receive guidance.”
“In order that thou mayest admonish a people, whose fathers had received no admonition, and who therefore remain heedless (of the Signs of Allah).”
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud reports that when the Prophet (ﷺ) entered Mecca in the year of the conquest, 360 idols stood around the Ka'ba. He struck them with a stick in his hand, reciting Qur'an 17:81, that truth has come and falsehood has perished, and then 34:49, that truth has come and falsehood can neither begin anything nor bring it back.
Ibn Abbas reports that when the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Mecca he would not enter the Ka'ba while there were idols in it, and he ordered them to be taken out. Only then did he go in and proclaim God's greatness in every direction.
“And say: "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."”
“I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
| Isaiah 42 | The Prophet (ﷺ) |
|---|---|
| He will not fail till he sets judgment in the earth | He brought a law the nations took up, and the idols of Arabia fell in his lifetime |
| Not harsh, not loud in the streets | A Companion who knew the Torah described him in words close to these |
| The villages of Kedar lift their voice | He came from Ishmael's line, and the Qur'an is recited aloud the world over |
| Those who trust in idols are shamed | He struck the 360 idols around the Ka'ba |
The servant Christians see here
Matthew, a writer of the New Testament, quotes the opening of Isaiah 42 and says Jesus fulfilled it. Christians read the gentle servant who does not cry out in the street as Jesus. Matthew's quotation covers verses 1 to 4, in his own wording. It does not include "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth". It also has no law. Where Isaiah says "the isles shall wait for his law", Matthew has "in his name shall the Gentiles trust".
“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
Why it does not fit Jesus
The Qur'an says Jesus was sent as a messenger to the Children of Israel, confirming the Law of Moses. He only made lawful to them part of what had been forbidden. Isaiah's servant brings a law that the far-off isles wait for. Islam teaches that Jesus will return as a just ruler. But the servant who set judgment in the earth, and brought a law the nations took up, was the Prophet (ﷺ).
“"And (appoint him) a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): "'I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe;”
“"'(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.”
“And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.”
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) swore that the son of Mary will soon descend among the Muslims as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine and end the jizya, and wealth will be so plentiful that no one will accept it. Abu Huraira then recited Qur'an 4:159: none of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death.
Verse by verse
Matthew 12:18-21 — Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12, verses 18-21
“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”
Cited for
Matthew, writing by inspiration, identifies the servant of Isaiah 42 as Jesus, so the question is settled.
The response
Matthew quotes only verses 1 to 4, in his own wording. For "the isles shall wait for his law" he has "in his name shall the Gentiles trust". He never reaches the song of Kedar or the shaming of idol-worshippers. A Companion who knew the Torah described the Prophet (ﷺ) as gentle and not loud in the markets. He said blind eyes would be opened through him. The gentle servant of the opening verses fits him too.
Where it lands — Matthew's use covers only the opening of the chapter, and its wording has no law for the isles. The rest names Kedar and shames the idol-worshippers, and it fits the Prophet (ﷺ).
Isaiah 41:8 — Nevi'im, Yeshayahu, chapter 41, verse 8
“But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.”
Cited for
Isaiah calls Israel "my servant" by name (41:8), so the servant of chapter 42 is the nation of Israel.
The response
Later in chapter 42 the servant Israel is blind and deaf (verse 19), and would not walk in God's (﷾) ways (verse 24). The chosen servant of verses 1 to 7 is sent to open blind eyes, and he does not fail. They are two different figures. Only the second has God's (﷾) spirit upon him and brings a law for which the isles wait.
Where it lands — The blind servant of verse 19 is not the chosen servant who opens blind eyes.
Perspectives
Christian reading
The servant of Isaiah 42 is Jesus, as Matthew says. He is gentle and quiet, and he brings justice to the nations.
Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1-4 and says that Jesus fulfilled it.
Rebuttal
Matthew does quote the opening verses, but his wording has no law. Where Isaiah's isles wait for the servant's law, Matthew has the Gentiles trusting in his name. The chapter then calls for a new song in the villages of Kedar, Ishmael's son. Muhammad (ﷺ) brought a law the nations took up, and his people descend from Ishmael.
The servant's gentle manner, not breaking a bruised reed, fits the healing ministry of Jesus.
Rebuttal
Islam agrees that Jesus was kind and not overbearing (Qur'an 19:32). But the same servant sets judgment in the earth, brings a law for the isles, and is joined to the villages of Kedar. A Companion who knew the Torah described the Prophet (ﷺ) as gentle too.
Jewish: the servant is Israel
Jewish tradition reads the servant of Isaiah as Israel. In the chapters around chapter 42, Isaiah calls Israel God's servant again and again.
Isaiah names the servant as Israel more than once: "But thou, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen."
Rebuttal
Isaiah does call Israel God's (﷾) servant. And in the same chapter he says of that servant: "Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent?" The servant of 42:1-4 is not blind, and does not fail. He does not fail until he has set judgment in the earth, and the isles wait for his law. And Isaiah ties that new song to the villages of Kedar, a son of Ishmael.
The Islamic perspective
The chapter points to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). He is a servant from the land of Kedar who brought a new scripture in Arabic and set a law in the earth. He also cleared the idols from the Ka'ba.
Kedar is a son of Ishmael, and the Bible promises a nation from Ishmael as well as from Isaac.
Isaiah ties the new song of praise to the villages of Kedar. And the Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, the Arabs' own language.
The servant is not to fail until he has set judgment in the earth. And the isles, the far-off lands, wait for his law.
The Qur'an says Jesus was sent to the Children of Israel. But Isaiah's servant brings a law for the far-off isles.
When Mecca was taken, the Prophet (ﷺ) struck the 360 idols around the Ka'ba with a stick. He had the idols inside it carried out.
In Isaiah 42:14, God (﷾) breaks a long silence with a sudden cry. That fits the sudden end of idol worship in Arabia.
The clearing of the idols from the Ka'ba matches Isaiah's shame on those who trust in graven images.
The Qur'an says the Prophet (ﷺ) was sent to warn a people who had received no warner before him.