Hosea 11:1, Surah 5:18, and the Contradictions of Muhammad’s Message: A Critical Theological Examination

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

The central claim of Islam is that Muhammad is the final prophet of God, Allah is the God of Abraham, and the Qur’an is the uncorrupted revelation completing the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel. However, when one compares the Qur’an with the Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures, a pattern of dissonance emerges. One stark contradiction lies between Hosea 11:1—where God declares Israel to be His child—and Surah 5:18, where Muhammad, speaking in the name of Allah, rebukes Jews and Christians for claiming to be God’s children. This raises a profound theological question: If Allah is the same God as Yahweh, why would He contradict His own revealed Word? This inconsistency calls into question the reliability of Muhammad’s message, the identity of Allah, and the Qur’an’s claim to divine authorship.

God as Father in the Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew Bible presents Yahweh’s covenantal relationship with Israel in parental terms. Hosea 11:1 states: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” The metaphor of fatherhood conveys divine intimacy, covenantal care, and enduring love. Other Old Testament passages echo this truth:

“Is not he your father, who created you, who made you and established you?” (Deuteronomy 32:6).
“You are the children of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1).
“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?” (Malachi 2:10).

The fatherhood of God is not merely symbolic but covenantal—establishing Israel’s identity as God’s people. Yahweh Himself uses the language of family, calling Israel “My son, my firstborn” (Exodus 4:22).

Muhammad’s Rebuke of God’s Fatherhood

The Qur’an, however, directly repudiates this concept. Surah 5:18 records:

“But the Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are the children of Allah and His beloved.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins? Rather, you are humans from among those He created.’”

This rebuke dismisses divine fatherhood as illegitimate, reducing God’s relationship with humanity to one of master and servant. Furthermore, the Qur’an categorically denies that God has children in any sense:

“It is not befitting for Allah to take a son.” (Surah 19:35).
“They say: ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ Exalted is He! Rather, they are honored servants.” (Surah 21:26).

By rejecting divine fatherhood, Muhammad’s Allah presents a radically different theology from the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus Christ.

Theological Implications: Is Allah the God of the Bible?

If Allah were truly Yahweh, He would not contradict His own revelation. God’s Word is eternal and unchanging:

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8).
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.” (Numbers 23:19).

Thus, the contradiction between Hosea 11:1 and Surah 5:18 indicates that Allah is not Yahweh. Instead, Allah emerges as a false deity fabricated within Muhammad’s seventh-century Arabian context. Muhammad, therefore, cannot be regarded as a prophet of the biblical God, since his message fundamentally undermines the covenantal truths revealed in Scripture.

Muhammad as a False Prophet

The Bible provides clear criteria for identifying false prophets:

Contradiction with Previous Revelation – “If a prophet… says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ … you shall not listen” (Deuteronomy 13:1–3).
- Muhammad directed followers toward a god whose nature contradicted Yahweh’s self-revelation.
False Testimony of Christ – “Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).
- The Qur’an denies Jesus’ Sonship (Surah 112:3) and crucifixion (Surah 4:157).
Self-Glorification – Muhammad claimed to be the “seal of the prophets” (Surah 33:40), elevating himself above all others.

These elements identify Muhammad not as a prophet of God, but as a deceiver who distorted biblical truths.

The Falsehood of Islam’s Claim: “All Prophets Were Muslims”

Islam asserts that Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus were all Muslims who submitted to Allah. Yet, the scriptural evidence contradicts this:

Abraham worshiped Yahweh, not Allah (Genesis 12:7–8).
Moses addressed Yahweh as Israel’s Father (Deut. 32:6).
David wrote of God as Father and King (Psalm 103:13).
Jesus called God Abba, Father (Mark 14:36), affirming divine fatherhood explicitly.

To claim all prophets were Muslims is a historical and theological distortion, designed to appropriate Jewish and Christian heritage while erasing its substance.

Conclusion

The contradiction between Hosea 11:1 and Surah 5:18 exposes the theological fault line between the God of Israel and Allah of the Qur’an. Yahweh revealed Himself as Father, yet Muhammad’s Allah denied divine fatherhood. This reveals that Muhammad was not a prophet of the God of Abraham, but a false prophet who misled his followers. Therefore, the Qur’an cannot be trusted as divine revelation, and Islam’s claim that all prophets were Muslims collapses under the weight of biblical truth.

The world must recognize that Muhammad’s message stands in opposition to God’s eternal Word, and that salvation is found not in submission to Allah, but in relationship with the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:12; John 14:6).

References

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV).
Al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:18; Surah Maryam 19:35; Surah Al-Anbiya 21:26; Surah An-Nisa 4:157; Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40; Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:3.
Kaiser, Walter C. Toward an Old Testament Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978.
Wenham, Gordon. The Book of Leviticus. NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979.
Bruce, F. F. The Canon of Scripture. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1988.
Geisler, Norman, and Abdul Saleeb. Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002.
Stott, John R. W. The Cross of Christ. Downers Grove: IVP, 1986.

Sunday, September 14, 2025