By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
The Ten Commandments represent the moral and theological foundation of the Judeo-Christian tradition, given by God to the Israelites shortly after their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21). These commandments summarize the 613 mitzvot of the Old Testament Law and are divided into two categories: duties to God (the first four) and duties to fellow humans (the remaining six). Of paramount importance is the First Commandment, which declares:
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3, NKJV)
This commandment rejects all forms of idolatry and syncretism, affirming the uniqueness and exclusivity of the God of Israel—YHWH or Jehovah—as the only true God.
In examining Muhammad’s teachings and claims as found in the Quran, one encounters profound theological divergences that directly contradict the biblical commandments. This paper will focus on Muhammad’s breaking of the First Commandment, thereby challenging his prophetic authenticity from a biblical perspective.
The First Commandment and the Identity of God
The God of the Bible repeatedly reveals Himself by name:
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“I am the LORD (YHWH); that is My name!” (Isaiah 42:8)
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“They will know that My name is Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 16:21)
The personal name of God, YHWH, is central to biblical revelation and distinguishes Him from all false deities. Nowhere in the Torah, Psalms, or Gospel does God identify Himself as “Allah.” The assertion that the God of Israel, the Father of Jesus Christ, is the same as Allah in the Quran is theologically and historically unsupported by primary scriptural evidence.
Muhammad’s Violation of the First Commandment
Quranic Syncretism and the Denial of Jehovah
In Surah Al-Ankabut 29:46, the Quran states:
“And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best... and say, ‘We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. Our God and your God is One; and to Him we are Muslims.’”
Here, Muhammad proclaims that Allah is the same as the God worshipped by Jews and Christians. However, this equivalence is unsubstantiated:
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The Quran never refers to God as YHWH or Jehovah.
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The biblical texts (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) never declare “Allah” as God’s name.
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Jesus consistently refers to “the Father” and uses the divine name “I AM” (John 8:58), never “Allah.”
This Quranic claim constitutes a syncretism that blends distinct theological identities, directly contradicting the exclusivity demanded by the First Commandment.
Theological Inconsistency and the Nature of Allah
The Quran describes paradise in terms that contradict both Old and New Testament morality. For example, Surah Muhammad 47:15 describes rivers of wine in paradise:
“A description of the Paradise promised to the righteous: in it are rivers of unaltered water, rivers of milk, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink...”
Yet, Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:90 says:
“O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling... are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.”
If wine is the “work of Satan” in one verse, why does Allah reward believers with rivers of wine in another? Such internal contradiction undermines the consistency and moral holiness attributed to the God of the Bible (cf. Isaiah 5:11, Galatians 5:19-21). The God of Scripture condemns drunkenness and promises no such sensual rewards in the afterlife.
The Problem of the Divine Name
Is “Allah” the Biblical God?
Scholarly and intertextual evidence demonstrates that YHWH is never rendered as “Allah” in the Hebrew or Greek scriptures. The name “Allah” is linguistically linked to the pre-Islamic Arabian pantheon, where it designated a high god among many, rather than the exclusive, covenantal God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
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Nowhere in the Torah (Pentateuch) does God say, “My name is Allah.”
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Nowhere in the Psalms or Prophets is God addressed as “Allah.”
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Nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus call God “Allah.” Instead, He uses “Father” (Greek: Pater; Aramaic: Abba).
This distinction is not semantic but theological—indicating a fundamentally different understanding of God’s identity, character, and revelation.
Critical Analysis and Theological Implications
Given these facts, the following questions arise for Muslim apologists:
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Where in the Torah, Psalms, or Gospel does God declare His name as “Allah”?
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Why does the Quran reject the name Jehovah/YHWH, if it claims to be a continuation of the Abrahamic faith?
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How can Allah permit what he elsewhere forbids (wine), whereas the biblical God is consistently holy and morally unchanging (Malachi 3:6)?
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If Muhammad taught a different God and broke the First Commandment by denying the exclusive revelation of YHWH, how can he be considered a true prophet by biblical standards?
Conclusion: Muhammad as a False Prophet
By breaking the First Commandment—teaching a different deity, promoting syncretism, and contradicting biblical revelation—Muhammad stands in opposition to the commandments of God as given in Scripture. According to the biblical test of a prophet (Deuteronomy 13:1-5), anyone who leads people to worship a god other than YHWH is to be rejected, regardless of signs or wonders.
As such, Muhammad’s prophetic claims are theologically invalid from a biblical perspective. He neither upholds the First Commandment nor affirms the exclusive identity of the God of Israel. Christians and Jews, therefore, are compelled by their scriptures to regard him as a false prophet.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)
Shalom,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Servant of Jesus Christ, our Great God (Titus 2:13),
Shimba Theological Institute
References:
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV)
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The Quran (Sahih International Translation)
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Ismail, A., The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity (2015)
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Peters, F.E., The Children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam (1982)
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Anderson, N., Islam in Comparative Religion (1965)
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Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21, Isaiah 42:8, Jeremiah 16:21, John 8:58, Malachi 3:6
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