The Gospel of the Hebrews, like other Jewish–Christian texts, emphasized obedience to divine law (Nomos). Waraqa’s faith reflected this seriousness about revelation. In this gospel, Jesus was portrayed primarily as a prophet rather than divine in the Pauline sense, which aligned with Waraqa’s understanding of prophecy within Jewish tradition. Jewish–Christian groups anticipated ongoing divine guidance, and Waraqa, steeped in this tradition, was prepared to recognize Muhammad’s experience as authentic prophecy.
When Muhammad received his first revelation in the cave of Hira, he was deeply shaken. Khadijah brought him to Waraqa, who immediately recognized the signs, declaring: “This is the Namūs (Law-Bearer, i.e., Gabriel) who came to Moses.” His knowledge of scripture possibly including texts such as the Gospel of the Hebrews enabled him to interpret Muhammad’s experience in continuity with earlier prophets. This gave Muhammad reassurance that his encounter was genuine and part of the Abrahamic tradition.
What Muhammad did not realize, however, was that Waraqa was drawing upon the gospel of a sect considered heretical by Byzantine orthodoxy. Yet for Waraqa, these texts provided a framework through which he could validate Muhammad’s prophetic call.
Did Muhammed meet Waraqa ibn Nawfal?
Islamic sources report that Muhammed briefly met Waraqa prior to his subsequent revelations. Waraqa was long dead before the rise of Islam. However, the hadiths reveal the piety of Muhammed prior to his first encounter in the cave.
Sahih al-Bukhari vol 1 book 1 Hadith 3 (Narrated by Aisha)
“The commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was in the form of good dreams which came true like bright daylight, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship (Allah alone) continuously for many days before his desire to see his family.”
According to the hadiths, Muhammed was a pious man who use to seclude himself in the caves to commune with Allah. This establishes the fact that, Muhammed was religious before his encounter in the cave. The fact that Kadijah took him to no other person but Waraqa after his initial revelations also implies that Waraqa was a respected religious figure at the time. The hadiths (Sahih Bukhari vol 1 book 1 hadith 3) also report that Muhammed maintained good relations with his relatives.
“…..Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and said, “Cover me! Cover me!” They covered him till his fear was over and after that he told her everything that had happened and said, “I fear that something may happen to me.” Khadija replied, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, ….”
This establishes the fact that Muhammed at some point met Waraqa and had an interaction. Muhammed who was religious may have chanced upon these heretical gospels in the possession of Waraqa since their conversations would be primarily religious. These gospels shaped the faith of Muhammed and his perception of the Christian doctrine which subsequently led to the parallels between these heretical sects and Islam.
PARALLELS BETWEEN HERETICAL SECTS AND ISLAM
| Aspect | Islam | Ebionites | Nazarenes | Similarities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View of Jesus | Prophet, not divine; messenger of God | Prophet, not divine; rejected Pauline Christology | Prophet, not divine; upheld Jewish law | All reject the divinity of Jesus and emphasize his prophetic role |
| Law & Practice | Emphasis on obedience to divine law (Sharia) | Strict adherence to Mosaic law | Observed Jewish law while following Jesus | Shared emphasis on law, ritual purity, and obedience to divine commandments |
| Scripture | Qur’an as final revelation; Torah seen as altered | Believed Torah had been corrupted; rejected later additions | Accepted Hebrew scriptures but with reinterpretation | Common belief that earlier scriptures were distorted or misused |
| Monotheism | Absolute monotheism (tawḥīd) | Monotheistic, rejecting Trinitarian doctrine | Monotheistic, rejecting Trinitarian doctrine | All uphold strict monotheism, rejecting the Trinity |
| Prophetic Continuity | Muhammad as final prophet in line of Abrahamic tradition | Jesus as prophet within Jewish tradition | Jesus as prophet within Jewish tradition | Shared belief in ongoing divine guidance through prophets |
| Rejection of Pauline Christianity | Qur’an critiques distortions of earlier Christian teachings | Rejected Paul’s theology and innovations |
Implications for Muslims Today
Muslims today follow in the footstep and teachings of Prophet Muhammed. In Christianity, the Apostle Paul admonished believers to follow him as he models after Christ. How was it known that he followed Christ? It was known because he bore fruits which were consistent with that of the Spirit of God. If Muslims follow in the footstep of Muhammed, then it is dire that they know who Muhammed worshipped. Muhammed’s perception of the Christian doctrine was shaped by heretical gospels and texts. He did not encounter the pure gospel, which reveals the nature of God, the true identity of Christ and His mission on earth. If Muslims today follow Muhammed who worshipped a distorted version of God, then it implies that they also worship a false god. Scriptures reveal the unchanging nature and character of God. God will therefore not lie to his people for over two thousand years only to reveal the truth with the advent of Islam. I entreat all Muslims to ask these questions.
- Why did a “Christian” (Waraqa) identify the prophet using a corrupted gospel if the injil was corrupted?
- How did Waraqa become a Christian when the canonized gospels emerged in Arabia (8th-9th century) after his death?
- Who taught Muhammed the doctrines of Christianity?
- Who taught Waraqa how to read and write in Hebraic?
- What does the Bible say about false prophets?
- If God’s word and character are unchanging as revealed in Christianity (which predated Islam), is it possible that Muhammed (progenitor of new revelation) was a false prophet according to the Bible?
Islam was built on ancient heresies discarded by the church long ago. Islam, without any shadow of doubt is a false religion built around mysticism, paganism and heresy. This should motivate any sincere Muslim to seek for the truth and ask the same questions I asked, which led me to investigate the foundations of Islam.