Islam in Bhavishya Purana

Popular Indian Islamic preachers and apologists such as Dr. Zakir Naik often make the claim that the Hindu scriptures, the Bhavishya Purana in particular, predict the mission and life of Muhammad and that this constitutes a miracle. This claim is a relatively recent invention and is not often made outside of India to non-Hindus. There do appear to be passages in the Bhavishya Purana that that describe Muhammad, but some of these are hostile and appear to paint him as a mlecha, a dastardly foreigner, or even as a demon. Rather than being an actual example of a prophecy, most scholars view these references as an example of Vaticinium ex eventu, a prophecy being placed in the mouth of a prophet by a writer composing after the fact, in order to attribute divine prophecy to his character.

The Bhavishya Purana (Sanskrit:भविष्य पुराण, literally “the future Purana”) is one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas. It is written in Sanskrit and attributed to Rishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas. The title Bhavishya Purana signifies a work that contains prophecies regarding the future or a “history of the future.” The full text of the Purana itself was put to writing at a relatively late date, and much of the material in it is are likely later accretions to the original core text.

Prophet Mohammed: Is He Really Predicted in The Bhavishya Purana?

Islam in Bhavishya Purana: The Bhavishya Purana has a reference regarding someone named Mahamada, which some people are very eager to make the claim that it means Prophet Mohammed, thus saying that the Prophet is predicted in the Vedic literature. But before we come to that conclusion, with additional research, let us take a closer look to see what the full reference to Mahamada really says.

It is explained in the Bhavishya Purana (Parva 3, Khand 3, Adhya 3, verses 5-6) that “An illiterate mleccha [foreigner] teacher will appear, Mahamada is his name, and he will give religion to his fifth-class companions.” This does not describe much in regard to his life, but it does mention someone by the name of Mahamada, and what he was expected to do, which was to give his own form of religion to the lower classes of his region. Some people suggest this person be Prophet Mohammed, and are, thus, most willing to accept that Prophet Mohammed was predicted in the Bhavishya Purana. Some Muslims then suggest that if he was predicted in this way by a Vedic text, then Hindus should all accept Mohammed and become Muslims. However, on the other hand, it would seem odd that Muslims would accept a Vedic text to try to convince Hindus to become Muslims. But if we look at the full translation of this story, they may not want to jump to the conclusion that this story represents Prophet Mohammed.

Christianity, Islam in Bhavishya Purana

Shri Suta Gosvami said: In the dynasty of king Shalivahana, there were ten kings who went to the heavenly planet after ruling for over 500 years. Then gradually the morality declined on the earth. At that time Bhojaraja was the tenth of the kings on the earth. When he saw that the moral law of conduct was declining he went to conquer all the directions of his country with ten thousand soldiers commanded by Kalidasa. He crossed the river Sindhu and conquered over the Gandharvas, mlecchas, shakas, Kashmiris, naravas, and sathas. He punished them and collected a large amount of wealth. Then the king went along with Mahamada (Muhammad), the preceptor of mleccha-dharma, and his followers to the great god, Lord Shiva, situated in the desert. He bathed Lord Shiva with Ganges water and worshipped him in his mind with pancagavya (milk, ghee, yogurt, cow dung, and cow urine) and sandalwood paste, etc. After he offered some prayers and pleased him.

Suta Goswami said: After hearing the king’s prayers, Lord Shiva said: O king Bhojaraja, you should go to the place called Mahakakshvara, that land is called Vahika and now is being contaminated by the mlecchas. In that terrible country there no longer exists dharma. There was a mystic demon named Tripura(Tripurasura), whom I have already burnt to ashes, he has come again by the order of Bali. He has no origin but he achieved a benediction from me. His name is Mahamada(Muhammad) and his deeds are like that of a ghost. Therefore, O king, you should not go to this land of the evil ghost. By my mercy, your intelligence will be purified. Hearing this the king came back to his country and Mahamada(Muhammad) came with them to the bank of the river Sindhu. He was an expert in expanding illusion, so he said to the king very pleasingly: O great king, your god has become my servant. Just see, as he eats my remnants, so I will show you. The king became surprised when he saw this just before them. Then in anger Kalidasa rebuked Mahamada(Muhammad) “O rascal, you have created an illusion to bewilder the king, I will kill you, you are the lowest…”

That city is known as their site of pilgrimage, a place which was Madina or free from intoxication. Having a form of a ghost (Bhuta), the expert illusionist Mahamada(Muhammad) appeared at night in front of king Bhojaraja and said: O king, your religion is of course known as the best religion among all. Still, I am going to establish a terrible and demoniac religion by the order of the Lord. The symptoms of my followers will be that the first all will cut their genitals have no Shikha, but having a beard, be wicked, make noise loudly and eat everything. They should eat animals without performing any rituals. This is my opinion. They will perform a purificatory act with the musala or a pestle as you purify your things with kusha. Therefore, they will be known as musalman, the corrupters of religion. Thus the demoniac religion will be founded by me. After having heard all this the king came back to his palace and that ghost(Muhammad) went back to his place.

The intelligent king, Bhojaraj established the language of Sanskrit in three varnas – the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas – and for the Shudras, he established prakrita-bhasha, the ordinary language spoken by common men. After ruling his kingdom for 50 years, he went to the heavenly planet. The moral laws established by him were honored even by the demigods. The arya-Varta, the pious land is situated between Vindhyacala and Himacala or the mountains known as Vindhya and Himalaya. The Aryans reside there, but varna-sankaras reside on the lower part of Vindhya. The musalman people were kept on the other side of the river Sindhu.

On the island of Barbara, Tusha, and many others also the followers of Isamsiha were also situated as they were managed by a king or demigods.

Islam in Bhavishya Purana Is It Really Predicted in Bhavishya Purana? Here are the answers I found…

World Religions

Sources: 1, 2, 3,4

Islam in Bhavishya Purana | Is It Really Predicted in Bhavishya Purana?