Is there a resemblance between Manichaeism and Islam, and did the Prophet (peace be upon him) adopt beliefs from Manichaeism, and did Mani claim to be the Seal of the Prophets, and what is the truth about Manichaeism?

All praise is due to Allah.

The claim that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took his message from some man contradicts established facts. He lived for forty years as an honest, trustworthy, unlettered man, unable to read or write, and his only language was Arabic. Then he came with a book containing news of the past and the future.

Allah Almighty says: ﴿And you did not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe it with your right hand. Otherwise, the falsifiers would have had [cause for] doubt.﴾ [Al-Ankabut/48]

And Allah Almighty says: ﴿Say, "If Allah had willed, I would not have recited it to you, nor would He have made it known to you. For I had remained among you a lifetime before it. Then will you not reason?"﴾ [Yunus/16]

Thus, the Prophet's (peace be upon him) message was a decisive argument against the people of disbelief in his time and continues to be so until today.

Manichaeism is a religion founded by "Mani" in Persia after the time of Christ (peace be upon him). He mixed Zoroastrianism and Christianity within it. This religion contradicts Islam in its fundamental principles:

1. Monotheism: Islam calls for the oneness of Allah Almighty in His Lordship, divinity, names, and attributes, while Manichaeism believes in the existence of two gods (Light and Darkness). 2. Resurrection: Islam believes in resurrection after death and the bliss of both soul and body, while Manichaeism calls for the soul's separation from and liberation from the body, and encourages abstaining from marriage to bring about the annihilation of humanity. 3. Food: Mani advocated for abstaining from animal foods, while Islam permitted wholesome meats and legislated drawing closer to Allah through sacrifices. 4. Prophethood: Mani did not believe in the prophethood of all prophets, and did not affirm the prophethood of Moses (peace be upon him). 5. Art: Mani was fond of drawing and adorned his books with it, while Islam prohibits the depiction of living beings and calls for keeping places of prayer free from distracting images.

Mani's claims about revelation, the corruption of scriptures, and the crucifixion of Christ were not his invention; rather, they were prevalent and known matters among Christians:

1. Revelation through an angel: This is proof of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), as Waraqah ibn Nawfal knew this, as mentioned in Aishah's hadith (definition) about the beginning of revelation. 2. Corruption of scriptures and the crucifixion of Christ: These issues were points of contention between Jews and Christians, and the Holy Qur'an came to clarify the truth regarding them, as Allah Almighty says: ﴿Indeed, this Qur'an relates to the Children of Israel most of that over which they disagree.﴾ [An-Naml/76] 3. Claim of being the seal of the prophets: This claim, if true about Mani, might have resulted from his knowledge that Jesus (peace be upon him) had announced a great prophet who would come after him and seal the prophethood. However, Allah Almighty exposed Mani's falsehood, and honored Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the sealing of prophethood, so the blessing of his message continues until the Day of Judgment.