The Common Muslim Practice of Proof-Texting Biblical Passages
Muslims frequently quote isolated verses from the Old Testament (and sometimes the New) to claim that the Bible predicts the coming of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad, or the superiority of Arabic and Islamic practices. This approach often involves lifting a phrase out of its immediate literary, historical, and theological context, imposing a later Islamic interpretation onto ancient Hebrew prophecy, and ignoring how the passage fits into the broader message of Scripture. Zephaniah 3:9 is a classic example of this method.
This is a rebuttal to the claims made by the website Calling Christians To The Truth of Islam. The Muslim post presents two translations—one “Christian” (NIV) and one “Jewish” (Rabbi Rosenberg)—then breaks the verse into parts (9a, 9b, 9c) to argue that it points unmistakably to Islam: a “pure language” (Arabic), calling on the name of God as “Allah,” and worship “shoulder to shoulder” in congregational salah (prayer) led by an imam.
This is a textbook case of eisegesis (reading foreign ideas into the text) rather than exegesis (drawing meaning out of the text). Zephaniah 3:9 belongs to a prophecy of judgment and restoration centered on Israel and the nations in the context of God’s covenant with His people. It has nothing to do with Arabic, the Qur’an, or Islamic rituals.
We will refute each claim point-by-point, quoting the original post verbatim and responding with evidence from the Hebrew text, grammar, and biblical theology. We begin with the context of Zephaniah 3:9, which is crucial for understanding the arguments that follow.
The Text
“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
Zephaniah 3:9 (NIV)
The Context of Zephaniah Chapter 3
Zephaniah 3:9 cannot be properly understood in isolation. It forms part of a tightly structured prophetic oracle within the broader message of the book of Zephaniah, which emphasizes the “Day of the LORD”—a time of divine judgment on sin followed by restoration for a faithful remnant and the inclusion of the nations in true worship of YHWH (the LORD).
Historical and Literary Background of the Book
Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah of Judah (640–609 BC), likely in the earlier part of his rule (around 630–620 BC), before or around the time of Josiah’s reforms prompted by the discovery of the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22–23; 2 Chronicles 34–35). The northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC. Judah faced threats from Assyria, Babylon, and internal corruption, including widespread idolatry, injustice, and syncretism (mixing worship of YHWH with pagan gods). Zephaniah’s genealogy traces back to King Hezekiah, linking him to royal reform traditions.
The book follows a clear three-part structure:
Chapters 1–2:3: Universal judgment on creation, Judah, and a call to repentance (“Seek the LORD… perhaps you may be hidden,” Zeph. 2:3).
Chapter 2:4–3:7: Judgment on surrounding nations (Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush/Ethiopia, Assyria) and a renewed indictment of Jerusalem.
Chapter 3:8–20: Climactic judgment on the nations and Jerusalem, followed by promises of purification, a humble remnant, inclusion of the Gentiles, and joyful restoration.
The overall theme is God’s righteous jealousy against sin (idolatry, oppression, pride) and His commitment to redeem a purified people who will worship Him sincerely.
Immediate Context of Zephaniah 3:1–8 (Indictment and Judgment)
Chapter 3 opens with a woe oracle against Jerusalem (called the “oppressing city,” “rebellious and polluted”):
- She has not obeyed God’s voice, accepted correction, trusted in the LORD, or drawn near to Him (v. 2).
- Her leaders (princes, judges, prophets, priests) are corrupt: roaring lions, evening wolves, treacherous, profaning the sanctuary (vv. 3–4).
- Yet God remains righteous in her midst, executing justice every morning, but the unrighteous know no shame (v. 5).
God has already judged other nations as a warning (v. 6–7), but Jerusalem refused to learn: “Surely you will fear me; you will accept correction.” Instead, they rose early to corrupt their deeds.
Verse 8 shifts to a universal summons: “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD, “until the day I rise up for plunder. My determination is to gather the nations, to assemble the kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation… All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.” This echoes the “Day of the LORD” described earlier (Zeph. 1:14–18)—a time of cosmic judgment like a consuming fire, targeting sin everywhere.
This judgment is not vindictive but preparatory. It clears the way for restoration.
Zephaniah 3:9–13 (Purification and the Remnant)
Verse 9 directly follows the judgment in v. 8 with “For then” (Hebrew ki-’az), marking a turning point after divine wrath:
Hebrew Text (Zephaniah 3:9):
כִּי־אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל־עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד׃
(Ki-’az ’ehpokh ‘el-‘ammim saphah berurah liqro’ kullam beshem YHWH le’ovdo shekhem ’echad.)
“Then I will turn/give/restore to the peoples a pure lip/speech” (’ehpokh ’el-’ammim saphah berurah): The verb haphak (“turn” or “change/restore”) often implies reversal or transformation. Saphah means “lip” (organ of speech) and by extension “speech” or “language” (cf. Genesis 11:1, 6–9, Tower of Babel, where God confused the saphah). Berurah (from barar, “to purify, cleanse, make bright”) carries moral/spiritual weight—cleansing from defilement caused by idolatry, lies, and false oaths (see Zeph. 1:4–6; 3:1–4; Isaiah 6:5, where unclean lips symbolize guilt). It is not primarily about instituting a single sacred liturgical language (like Arabic or revived Hebrew as some claim) but purifying corrupted speech so people can worship honestly, without hypocrisy or invoking false gods.
“That all of them may call on the name of the LORD” (liqro’ kullam beshem YHWH): This echoes Joel 2:32 (quoted in Romans 10:13) and points to sincere prayer and trust in YHWH alone. The name is explicitly the covenant name of Israel’s God, not a generic term.
“To serve Him with one shoulder/accord” (le’ovdo shekhem ’echad): ’Avad (Strong’s 5647) broadly means “to serve, work, worship.” Shekhem ’echad is an idiom for unity—like oxen yoked together pulling with one shoulder (cf. similar imagery in agricultural or labor contexts). It pictures harmonious, collective service without division, not the specific formation of prayer rows in later Islamic tradition.
Verses 10–13 expand this:
Worshipers will come “from beyond the rivers of Cush” (Ethiopia/Africa), bringing offerings—the inclusion of distant nations (fulfilling Abrahamic promises, Genesis 12:3).
God will remove the proud and haughty from Jerusalem; a meek, humble remnant will remain, trusting in YHWH.
This remnant “shall do no unrighteousness… nor a deceitful tongue” (echoing the purified speech of v. 9), living securely like sheep without fear.
The judgment purifies both Israel (a faithful remnant) and the nations, reversing Babel’s division through unified worship of YHWH.
This restoration is both near-term hope (post-exile return) and far-term eschatological (pointing to the Messianic age and new creation).
Broader Biblical Connections
Babel Reversed—The purified speech and unified service contrast Genesis 11’s confusion of languages and scattering due to pride. Pentecost (Acts 2) partially fulfills this as people from many nations hear the wonders of God in their own tongues and call on the Lord.
Gentile Inclusion—Echoes Isaiah 2:2–4; 19:18–25; Zechariah 8:20–23; 14:16—nations streaming to worship YHWH.
New Testament Fulfillment—The humble remnant trusting YHWH finds ultimate expression in the church, composed of Jews and Gentiles united in Christ (Ephesians 2:11–22; Revelation 7:9–10—“a great multitude… from every nation… crying out… Salvation belongs to our God”). Jesus purifies speech and hearts through the gospel (Matthew 12:34–37; James 3:2–12).
The Day of the LORD—Fulfilled partially in Judah’s fall to Babylon (586 BC) and ultimately in final judgment and new creation.
Having established the context, we shall proceed to the Muslim argument and respond to each individual claim.
Analyzing 9a: “Then I will purify the lips of the peoples” (Christian) / “For then I will convert the peoples to a pure language” (Jewish)
Muslim Claim
“The message being conveyed here seems to be that God will convert or change this ‘pious nation’ such that they adopt a pure language. This immediately rules out the options of Christianity and Judaism as neither faith in the present day rely on one ‘pure’ language as the basis for worshiping God. The Qur’an therefore teaches: ‘We know indeed that they say, “It is a man that teaches him.” The tongue of him they wickedly point to is notably foreign, while this is Arabic, pure and clear.’ – Qur’an 16:103 (Yusuf Ali). A point to keep in mind is that all Muslims read the Qur’an in Arabic for Salaah (daily worship).”
Response
The Hebrew text of Zephaniah 3:9 reads: כִּי־אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל־עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה (ki-’az ’ehpokh ’el-’ammim saphah berurah).
The key phrase is שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה (saphah berurah). Saphah (שָׂפָה) primarily means “lip” (as the organ of speech) and can idiomatically refer to speech or language (as in Genesis 11:1, the Tower of Babel, where God “confused the lip” of humanity). It does not mean a specific ethnic or liturgical language like Arabic. The adjective berurah (בְרוּרָה) comes from the root barar (בָּרַר), meaning “to purify, cleanse, select, or make bright/clear.” It often carries moral or spiritual connotations of cleansing from defilement, not linguistic “purity” in the sense of grammatical clarity or a “clear” tongue like the Qur’an claims for Arabic.
Translations like “purify the lips” (NIV, NASB) or “pure speech” capture this better than “pure language.” Commentators note that “lips” here symbolize speech corrupted by idolatry, lies, and false worship (see the preceding context in Zephaniah 3:1-8, where Jerusalem is condemned for rebellion, injustice, and corrupt leaders). God promises to cleanse this speech so people can honestly call on Him. It is not about mandating one sacred language for worship.
Contextually, this follows Zephaniah 3:8, where God declares He will pour out His indignation on the nations (“gather the kingdoms” to pour out anger). Verse 9 then shifts to restoration: after judgment, God will turn even the peoples (’ammim, plural, referring to Gentile nations) toward purified worship of the true God (YHWH, the LORD). This echoes promises like Zechariah 8:20-23 and 14:16, where nations come to Jerusalem to worship the LORD. It points forward to the Messianic age and the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s people through faith (fulfilled in the New Testament church, where people from every nation call on the Lord in their own languages—see Acts 2, Revelation 7:9-10).
Neither Judaism nor Christianity requires a single “pure” liturgical language because the Bible never mandates one. Hebrew was the language of the Old Testament, but even there, prayers and worship occurred in various contexts. In the New Testament, the gospel spreads in Aramaic, Greek, and local languages. The idea that God demands Arabic for valid worship contradicts the universal scope of biblical revelation (e.g., Psalm 117; Romans 10:12-13—“everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”).
The Qur’anic claim in 16:103 is irrelevant here; it defends the Qur’an against accusations of human authorship by contrasting it with a “foreign” (supposedly non-Arabic) tongue. It does not connect to Zephaniah. Forcing Arabic into this verse is anachronistic—Zephaniah prophesied in the 7th century BC, centuries before Arabic rose as a major liturgical language.
This part of the verse describes moral/spiritual purification of speech from idolatry and deceit, not the adoption of Qur’anic Arabic.
Analyzing 9b: “that all of them may call on the name of the Lord” (Christian) / “that all of them call in the name of the Lord” (Jewish)
Muslim Claim
“Of the major religions of Christianity and Judaism, neither use a single and pure language to call upon the name of God. Rather, if we were to go into any Masjid, anywhere in the world, they would all use the name Allah (the Arabic name of God in Islam). If I were to go to an Arab Christian he may say Yasu’, yet if I went to a European or North American Christian they may call God by the name of Jesus, both of which are not of the same language nor of a language that specifically describes itself as pure and clear. Indeed there is no one language that neither the Christian community nor the Jewish community would agree on presently for which they can use to refer to God together. The Qur’an teaches: ‘Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.’ – Qur’an 13:28 (Dr. Khattab). A point to keep in mind is that the Imam begins the Salaah with the Takbir (Allahu akbar…).”
Response
The Hebrew continues: לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה (liqro’ kullam beshem YHWH)—“that all of them may call upon the name of YHWH.”
The name is explicitly YHWH (Yahweh, the covenant name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses in Exodus 3). It is not “Allah.” The biblical text specifies the personal name YHWH, which is tied to Israel’s history, the Exodus, and the covenants. Allah and YHWH are not one and the same God; to equate the two is to commit the equivocation fallacy. Furthermore, Islamic theology distinguishes Allah from the biblical portrayal of God—specifically regarding the Trinity and the Incarnation of the Son. Equating them ignores these fundamental differences.
“Call upon the name” in the Old Testament means invoking YHWH in prayer, trust, and worship (e.g., Genesis 4:26; Joel 2:32). In context, after purifying speech, the nations will turn from idols to the true God. This is fulfilled when Gentiles enter the people of God through faith in the Messiah (Jesus), not through conversion to a new religion centered on a different name and practices. The New Testament repeatedly applies this: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [Jesus] shall be saved” (Romans 10:13, quoting Joel 2:32; see also Acts 4:12).
The claim about uniformity in masjids versus diversity in churches misses the point. Biblical worship emphasizes the heart and truth over a single sacred language or formula (John 4:23-24—“in spirit and truth”). The early church worshiped in multiple languages from the start (Acts 2). Requiring Arabic for valid prayer would exclude most of the world’s Christians and contradict the gospel’s accessibility to all nations.
Qur’an 13:28 is a general statement about remembrance bringing comfort; it does not link to Zephaniah or prove that “Allah” is the name in this verse.
The verse prophesies universal worship of YHWH, not a monolingual invocation of “Allah” in Arabic.
to shoulder” (Christian) / “to worship Him of one accord” (Jewish)
Muslim Claim:
“This passage is most interesting because of the fact that Muslims stand shoulder to shoulder in Salaah… [Hadiths about straightening rows, shoulder to shoulder, following the imam]. In fact, the word used in Zephaniah 3:9c for worship and serving is the Hebrew equivalent to ‘Ibadah (عبادة) which is the term for worship (prayer) in Arabic. The Hebrew word used in this case is Ibadow (לְעָבְד֖וֹ), Strong’s #5647. [Conclusion: the passage demonstrates the truth of Islam with absolute clarity.]”
Response
The Hebrew ends: לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד (le’ovdo shekhem ’echad)—“to serve Him with one shoulder” (or “one accord/consent”).
“עָבַד” (’abad, Strong’s 5647)is a common Hebrew verb meaning “to work, serve, till, or worship” in a broad sense (e.g., serving a king, tilling ground, or worshiping God). It is not a direct equivalent to Arabic ’ibadah in the narrow Islamic sense of ritual prayer (salah). ’Abad appears hundreds of times in the Old Testament for general service or cultic worship, not specifically congregational prayer rows. Linking it etymologically or conceptually to ’ibadah as proof of Islam is a linguistic stretch with no historical or contextual support. Many Semitic roots overlap without implying prophecy.
שְׁכֶם אֶחָד (shekhem ’echad, “one shoulder”) is an idiom for unity, harmony, or concerted effort—like oxen yoked together pulling in the same direction (not literally “shoulder to shoulder” as in standing in prayer lines). It pictures unified, collective service to God without division, not the specific Islamic practice of lining up in rows behind an imam. The hadiths cited describe later Islamic prayer etiquette, not a fulfillment of ancient Hebrew prophecy.
In context (Zephaniah 3:9-13), this unity follows judgment and leads to a meek, humble remnant of Israel that “does no unrighteousness… nor a deceitful tongue” (v. 13). Verses 10-20 emphasize Israel’s restoration, gathering from dispersion, and God’s rejoicing over them—not global Islamic salah. The “peoples” join Israel in worshiping YHWH.
Islamic prayer requires following the imam strictly, with specific Arabic phrases. Biblical worship in the restored community (and the New Testament church) stresses unity in the Spirit, love, and truth, not ritual uniformity or a single leader’s recitation.
This clause describes unified, sincere service to YHWH after purification—not Islamic congregational prayer.
Conclusion
Zephaniah 3:9, read in context, promises that after divine judgment on sin and idolatry, God will purify the speech of the nations so they can truly call on YHWH and serve Him together in unity. It fits the prophetic pattern of Israel’s restoration and the ingathering of Gentiles into covenant blessing—ultimately pointing to the Messiah and the new covenant community (the church). It has no connection to Arabic, the Qur’an, “Allah,” or Muslim prayer practices. The Muslim interpretation requires ignoring the Hebrew grammar (saphah berurah, shem YHWH, ’abad with shekhem ’echad), the immediate context of judgment/restoration for Israel, and the broader biblical trajectory toward Christ.
Such proof-texting abuses Scripture by treating it as a puzzle of isolated clues leading to Muhammad rather than a coherent revelation of God’s redemptive plan. Christians should respond by patiently explaining the actual text, context, and fulfillment in Jesus, who makes true worship possible for all peoples (John 4:23-24; Ephesians 2:11-22). As Zephaniah 3:17 beautifully concludes the chapter: “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
For further study, read the full chapter of Zephaniah alongside commentaries that respect the Hebrew and historical setting. The God of the Bible invites all to call on His name through the one Mediator, Jesus Christ—not through a later prophet or allegedly a mandated sacred language.
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