Christ’s Finished Work and the Misconception of Prophetic Finality in Islam: An Intertextual and Hermeneutical Analysis

 Christ’s Finished Work and the Misconception of Prophetic Finality in Islam: An Intertextual and Hermeneutical Analysis

Author: Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

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Abstract
This article examines the Islamic assertion that Muhammad is the final prophet (Khatam an-Nabiyyin) and that his mission perfects prior revelation. By integrating intertextual analysis of John 19:30 (tetelestai), classical Christian patristic sources, and Quranic exegesis (tafsir), the study highlights inconsistencies in Islamic claims regarding prophetic finality. It argues that Muhammad’s purported finality cannot reconcile with the completed salvific work of Christ or the Quran’s affirmation of the Torah and Gospel, exposing a hermeneutical tension in Islamic theology.

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Introduction
Islamic theology asserts that Muhammad’s prophetic mission is universal, eternal, and final, completing the divine plan initiated with Adam and transmitted through Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (Quran 33:40; 5:48)^[1][2]. Christianity, however, affirms that Jesus Christ’s redemptive work reached definitive completion with his crucifixion and resurrection, summarized in his final utterance: tetelestai (“It is finished”) (John 19:30)^[3]. Patristic scholars, including Augustine (Enchiridion) and John Chrysostom (Homilies on John), interpret this term as denoting the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the perfect completion of God’s salvific plan^[4][5]. This paper evaluates Islamic claims of prophetic finality against this theological framework, highlighting intertextual and hermeneutical inconsistencies.

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Jesus’ Declaration: Tetelestai as Fulfillment
The Greek term tetelestai conveys the perfection and completion of divine purpose. Patristic interpretations emphasize that Christ’s mission fully satisfied the law and fulfilled messianic prophecy^[6]. Augustine observes that Jesus’ death consummated redemption for all humanity, leaving no further prophetic intercession necessary^[7]. The declaration is universal, historical, and divinely ratified, affirming that any claim of subsequent prophetic necessity, such as that proposed by Islamic theology, misrepresents the nature of Jesus’ work.

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Islamic Conceptions of Finality in Classical Tafsir
Classical tafsir literature, including Ibn Kathir (Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim) and Al-Tabari (Jami’ al-bayan), underscores Muhammad’s finality as universal and eternal^[8][9]. The Quran itself affirms the authority of prior revelations: “And We sent down the Book in truth, confirming that which came before it” (Quran 3:3)^[10]. Other passages confirm the Torah and Gospel as guidance (Quran 5:46; 10:94)^[11][12]. Tafsir interpretations often assert human corruption of prior scriptures, yet these interpretations cannot negate the Quranic acknowledgment of divine preservation (tanzil) and the legitimacy of Jesus’ ministry^[13]. If Muhammad’s mission were to “perfect” prior revelation, it would imply incompleteness in both the Torah and the Gospel, which contradicts the Quran’s affirmation of their divine origin.

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Intertextual Analysis: Gospel Affirmation vs. Prophetic Finality
The Quran repeatedly positions Muhammad’s mission as confirming, not superseding, prior revelation. Classical Islamic commentators, including Al-Qurtubi, assert that Muhammad upholds the moral and legal principles of previous scriptures but introduces correction where human alteration allegedly occurred^[14]. However, this interpretive framework creates a paradox: affirming Jesus’ salvific work while claiming finality inherently contradicts the gospel’s universality and the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. Patristic commentators such as Cyril of Alexandria stressed that any attempt to “complete” Christ’s mission would undermine the divine plan, a principle incompatible with Islamic claims of finality^[15].

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Hermeneutical Implications
The Islamic assertion of finality reflects selective exegesis privileging Quranic authority over historical and textual consistency. Jesus’ tetelestai constitutes a universal, historically verified, and theologically complete declaration of redemption. Any reinterpretation implying incompleteness introduces a hermeneutical tension. Furthermore, the Quran’s recognition of prior scriptures amplifies this tension, demonstrating an internal inconsistency in Islamic theology regarding prophetic succession.

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Conclusion
This study concludes that Muhammad’s purported finality cannot reconcile with the completed salvific work of Christ. Jesus’ declaration tetelestai affirms the perfection of God’s plan, and the Quran’s acknowledgment of the Torah and Gospel confirms this completion. Islamic claims regarding Muhammad’s finality, therefore, present both theological and textual inconsistencies, revealing a misinterpretation of Christian doctrine and a selective hermeneutical approach to scripture.

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References

1. Quran 33:40.

2. Quran 5:48.

3. The Holy Bible, John 19:30, New International Version.

4. Augustine of Hippo. Enchiridion on Faith, Hope, and Love, Ch. 21.

5. Chrysostom, John. Homilies on John, Homily 86.

6. Origen. Commentary on John, Book 10.

7. Augustine, City of God, Book 22, Ch. 30.

8. Ibn Kathir. Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, Vol. 4.

9. Al-Tabari. Jami’ al-bayan fi tafsir al-Quran, Vol. 3.

10. Quran 3:3.

11. Quran 5:46.

12. Quran 10:94.

13. Al-Tabari, Vol. 3, Commentary on 5:48.

14. Al-Qurtubi. Tafsir al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Quran, Vol. 3.

15. Cyril of Alexandria. Commentary on John, Book 12.

16. Brown, Raymond E. The Death of the Messiah. Yale University Press, 1994.

17. Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology. Zondervan, 1994.

18. Lings, Martin. Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources. Inner Traditions, 1983.

19. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. Islamic Life and Thought. Routledge, 2001.