It is important to note that the description of Mahmad in the Umayyad Quran is nothing like a Jewish Ma'amed. However the description of the Ahl of the Nabi given in the Quran as well as the descriptions concerning the Arab Leadership given by the likes of Sebeos, John of Nikiu and especially the exact spelling used by John of Damascus are all consistent with the idea that these Proto-Karaites continued their own version of a Jewish Ma'amed leadership. This may be the which was called Mahmud mentioned in the Quranonce in contrast to the 4 mentions of Mahmad.

It is certain that the Abbasids merged these two ideas to create the Islamic legend of Muhammad.