Proof of Prophet Muhammad's salla-Allahu 'Alayhi wa-Sallam arrival from...

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...Previous Nations

This is the last portion from the 'Signs of the Messengers' thread. I decided to create them separately for ease (and to place them in the appropriate sections).

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Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:

Is it not a sign to them that the learned scholars of the Children of Israel knew it (as true)?

(Qur'aan, 26: 197)

This aayah (verse) states that among the clear signs that pointed to the veracity of the Messenger Muhammad and the truth of the Message that he brought was the fact that the Children of Israel knew that. This fact was recorded and preserved, written in their books which were in circulation among them, as Allah says:

And verily, it [the Qur'an, and its revelation to Prophet Muhammad :saw: is [announced] in the Scriptures [i.e. the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)l of former people.

(Qur'aan 26: 196)

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...the coming of our Prophet Muhammad :saw:


The Qur'an which has come down to us from our Lord, the All-Knowing, All-Aware, tells us that mention of Muhammad :saw: and his nation is to be found in the previous divinely-revealed Books, and that the previous Prophets gave glad tidings of his coming. A number of mufassireen (exegetes) interpreted the aayaft (verse):

And [remember] when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: 'Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah understanding of the Laws of Allah, and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger [Muhammad :saw:] confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.'Allah said: 'Do you agree [to it] and will you take up My Covenant [which I conclude with you]?' They said: 'We agree.' He said: 'Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses [for this].'

(Qur'an 3:81)

- as meaning that Allah took the promise and covenant from every Prophet that if Muhammad was sent during his lifetime, he would believe in him and abandon his own laws in order to follow Muhammad's laws. Hence we learn that he was known to each of the earlier Prophets.

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It is narrated from Al-`Arbaad ibn Saariyah that the Messenger of Allah :saw: said:

"I was recorded with Allah as the Seal of the Prophets, when Adam was still clay. I shall inform you of the beginning of my affair: the supplication of (Prophet) Ibraaheem (Abraham), the glad tidings of (Prophet) 'Eesa (Jesus) and the vision of my mother which she saw when she gave birth to me. And there went out for her a light which illuminated the palaces of Syria."

- This has been narrated in Sharh as-Sunnah.

(Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh by At-Tabreezi, 3/127. Shaykh Naasiruddeen al-Albaani said: A saheeh hadith.)

Allah tells us that when the Close Friend of the Most Merciful, Prophet Ibraaheem, and his son Ismaa`eel were building the Ka`bah and praying, part of that supplication was that which is narrated to us in the 2nd chapter of the Qur'an - Soorah al-Baqarah:

And [remember] when Ibraaheem [Abraham] and [his son] Ismaa`eel [Ishmael] were raising the foundations of the House [the Ka`bah at Makkah], [saying], 'Our Lord! Accept [this service] from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manaasik [all the ceremonies of pilgrimage - Hajj and `Umrah], and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own [and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad], who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book [this Qur'an] and Al-Hikmah [full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood], and purify them. Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.'

(Qur'an 2: 127-129)

Allah answered the prayer of His Close Friend Ibraaheem and his son the Prophet of Allah Ismaa`eel. Muhammad :saw: was the outcome of that answer. The Tawraat (Torah) which is extant today - despite the fact that it has been distorted - still contains something of those glad tidings. We see in it that Allah answered Ibraaheem's prayer for Ismaa`eel. In the Bible, in the Book of Genesis, it says:

"And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation."

(Genesis 17:20 - NIV)

In the Samaritan Torah this verse is very similar. The literal translation of the Hebrew text is:

"And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will increase his numbers by means of ma 'ad ma 'ad ."

(Nubuwwat Muhammad min ash-Shakk ilal-Yaqeen, Pp. 250; Muhammad Nabi al-Islam, Pp. 3.)

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that in some ancient copies of the Torah the text was as quoted here.

This points to the coming of our Prophet Muhammad :saw: in several ways:

a) The nation that is great in the sight of Allah must be a Muslim nation, and this nation did not exist among the descendents of Ismaa'eel until after the Messenger had been sent and the Muslims spread east and west.

b) The Hebrew text "ma 'ad ma 'ad" is a clear reference to the name of the Messenger :saw:. The translators rendered it as "very very" or "much much", but the correct translation is Muhammad :saw:, because in Hebrew it is pronounced as me 'od me 'od, and the Hebrew pronunciation is close to the Arabic.

c) It says that twelve rulers will be born, and this is in accordance with the statement of the Messenger :saw: that this ummah would be ruled by twelve Khulafa (Caliphs), all of them from Quraysh.

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Definitive news came to the Children of Israel long ago of the unlettered Prophet, via the Prophet of Allah Moosa (Moses). He brought them the certain news of his mission, his attributes, the nature of his message and the characteristics of his nation. He would be an unlettered Prophet and he would enjoin his ummah to do good and forbid them to do evil. He would permit them all that was good and forbid them all that was evil. He would relieve those among the Children of Israel of the burdens and fetters that Allah knew would be imposed upon them because of their sin. The followers of this Prophet would fear their Lord, pay their zakah and believe in the signs of Allah. The certain news came to them that those who believed in this unlettered Prophet, venerated him, respected him, supported him, helped him and followed the light which had come down with him, would be those who would be successful. Allah, the All-Glorious, All-Powerful says:

... [As to] My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That [Mercy] I shall ordain for those who are the Muttagoon [the pious], and give Zakah; and those who believe in Our Aayaat [proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs and revelations, etc.];

Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write [i.e. Muhammad :saw:] whom they find written with them in the Tawraat [Torah] and the Injeel [Gospel] - he commands them for Al-Ma 'roof [i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained]; and forbids them from Al-Munkar [i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden]; he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibaat [i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods], and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba 'ith [i.e. all evil and unlawful as regard to things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods], he releases them from their heavy burdens [of Allah's Covenant with the children of Israel], and from the fetters that were upon them. So those who believe in him [Muhammad], honour him, help him, and follow the light [the Qur'an] which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.

[B](Qur'an 7: 156-157)

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There are some traces of this foretelling left in the Bible. In the Book of Deuteronomy God says to (Prophet) Moses:

"I will raise up for them (i.e., for the Children of Israel) a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account."

(Deuteronomy 18:18-19 - NIV)

The fact that this refers to our Messenger :saw: is quite clear, because he is from among the children of Ismaa'eel, who are the brothers of the Children of Israel. Their grandfather was Ishaaq (Isaac), and Ismaa' eel (Ishmael) and Ishaaq were brothers. Muhammad :saw: is from among the Arabs and is from the best family among them. The phrase "like you" means one who brings a law like Moosa. Muhammad :saw: is the one in whose mouth Allah put His words, for he was unlettered and did not read from the scriptures, but Allah revealed to him His words, and he memorised them and recited them. He was the Messenger who was sent to all of mankind, and the Children of Israel are required to follow him and to give up their laws and follow his laws. Whoever does not do that, Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) will punish him:

"If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account."

(Deuteronomy 18:19 - NIV)

What this tells us is that this is a remnant of the great glad tidings which Allah revealed to Prophet Moosa (Moses) and of which the Qur'an tells us, is the fact that this was narrated in a particular context, where Moosa chose seventy men from among his people to meet Allah, and they were seized with the violent earthquake. That was because they had demanded to see Allah. So Moosa (Moses) prayed to his Lord and beseeched Him, then Allah brought them back to life after they had died. Allah said after Moosa had beseeched and prayed:

...[As to] My punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That [Mercy] I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqoon [the pious]...

(Qur'an 7: 157).

If you look at the Bible, at the Book of Exodus, you will find that these glad tidings [of the coming of Muhammad :saw:] were revealed to Prophet Moosa (Moses) after he had gone to meet Allah. The Bible speaks of something similar to the earthquake:

"When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance..."

(Exodus 20:18 - NIV).

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Allah tells us that Prophet 'Eesa (Jesus) (aalayhis-salaam) foretold the coming of our Messenger Muhammad :saw::

And [remember] when 'Eesa [Jesus], son of Maryam [Mary], said: 'O' Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he [Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad] came to them with clear proofs, they said: 'This is plain magic.’

(Qur'an 37: 6)

Ahmad is one of the names of our Prophet Muhammad :saw:, as was proven in Saheeh al-Bukhari, where it is narrated that Jubayr ibn Mut`im said: I heard the Messenger of Allah :saw: say,

"I have (several) names. I am Muhammad; I am Ahmad; I am Al-Maahi by means of whom Allah eliminates kufr; I am Al-Haashir at whose feet (i.e., behind whom) the people will be gathered (on the Day of Resurrection); and I am Al-‘Aaqib (i.e. the one who succeeds the other prophets in bringing about good)."

- Muslim also narrated something similar.

(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 6/646)

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Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) cited two likenesses of the Tawraat and Injeel for our Messenger Muhammad :saw: and his Companions:

Muhammad :saw: is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate [in prayer], seeking Bounty from Allah and [His] Good Pleasure. The mark of them [i.e. of their Faith] is on their faces [foreheads] from the traces of prostration [during prayers]. This is their description in the Tawraat [Torah]. But their description in the Injeel [Gospel] is like a [sown] seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes thick and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the sowers, that He may enrage the disbelievers with them. Allah has promised those among them who believe [i.e. all those who follow Islamic Monotheism, the religion of Prophet Muhammad till the Day of Resurrection] and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness and a mighty reward [i.e. Paradise].

(Qur'an 48: 29)

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The Old Testament which is in circulation nowadays has been distorted and altered. This is indicated by the contradictions which we find concerning many issues. There are three versions of the Old Testament: Hebrew, Greek and Samaritan. Each of these peoples claims that their version is the correct one. There are clear differences between the editions and translations of the Bible. This distortion led to many of the foretellings being lost or obscured. Nevertheless, traces are left of many of these foretellings, and they are not hidden to one who ponders the matter and compares them to the life of the Messenger of Allah :saw:, keeping away from the influence of whims and desires.

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Some of these glad tidings clearly mention the name of Muhammad :saw:. Some Muslim scholars discovered these texts, but the ongoing distortion of this book led to the subsequent elimination of these texts. An example of that is what is mentioned in the Book of Isaiah:

(Al-Jawaab-as-Saheeh, 3/326)

"I have made you praiseworthy (Muhammad), O' Muhammad, the one who is held in high esteem by the Lord, your name existed from eternity."

The statement that the name of Muhammad existed from eternity is in accordance with the words of the Messenger :saw::

"I was a Prophet even when Adam was still clay."

(Muhammad Nabi al-Islam, Pp. 18).

In the Hebrew Bible it says in the third chapter of the book of Habakkuk (Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh, 3/313):

"The earth was filled with the praise of Ahmad, and his right hand held sway over the nations."

In the edition published in London in 1848 CE, and the other published in Beirut in 1884 CE and in the ancient scripts, it is stated even more clearly:

"The heavens are illuminated with the glory of Muhammad and the earth is filled with his praise... your voice is in the rivers and in the seas, O' Muhammad come nigh, the mountains saw you and are filled with awe."

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In some places the location where his mission began is mentioned. In chapter thirty-three of the Book of Deuteronomy it says:

"The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran."

(Deuteronomy 33:2 - NIV)

Sinai is the place where Allah spoke to Prophet Moosa (Moses); Saa`eer (Seir) is the place where Allah sent Revelation to Prophet ‘Eesa; and Faraan (Paran) means the mountain of Makkah, where Allah sent Revelation to Muhammad :saw:. The fact that Mount Paran refers to Makkah is indicated by the texts of the Bible.

Allah mentioned these holy places together in the aayah:

By the fig, and the olive. By Mount Sinai. By this city of security [Makkah].

(Qur'an 95: 1-3)

The Bible mentions the place where revelation would come down to Muhammad :saw:. In the Book of Isaiah it says:

"Revelation from the direction of the land of the Arabs in rugged terrain."

(Isaiah 21)

And the beginning of Revelation in the land of the Arabs came in the rugged terrain of the cave of Hiraa'.

This passage also mentions the hijrah of the Messenger :saw: and refers to the place to which he would migrate:

"Bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives. They flee from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow and from the heat of battle."

(Isaiah 21:14-15 - NIV)

Teemaa' (Tema) lies on the outskirts of Madeenah, and if you examine the text you will clearly see that it is speaking of the Hijrah (migration) of the Messenger :saw:. The concluding text says:

"This is what the Lord says to me: 'Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the pomp of Kedar will come to an end. The survivors of the bowmen, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.' The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken."

(Isaiah 21:16-17 - NIV)

This text speaks of the battle of Badr, for it came one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, after the Hijrah. All the pomp of Kedar came to an end, for Kedar (in Arabic, Qeedaar) was one of the children of Ismaa`eel, and his descendents were the people of Makkah, and the bowmen of Kedar were few after the battle of Badr.

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Some Biblical texts refer to the place to which the Messenger :saw: would migrate. In the Book of Isaiah it says:

"Let the desert and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise..."

(Isaiah 42:11-12 NIV)

Kedar was one of the sons of Ismaa'eel, as is stated in Genesis 25:13.

Saali` (Sela) is the mountain of Sala' in Madeenah.

The shouting and proclaiming mentioned here is the adhaan (call for prayer) which still echoes five times a day, that magnification and praise on the `Eids and at all times during the day and the night, was called out by the pure mouths of the people of Madeenah beside the mountain of Sala'.

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The texts mention the spread of his call and some of the things that happened to the Messenger :saw:. In the third chapter of the Book of Habakkuk it says:

"God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran, Sela. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendour was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.

Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps. He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed."

(Habakkuk 3:3-6 - NIV)

This is a foretelling of the great victory which the Messenger :saw: and his followers attained, and of how his call would spread throughout the earth. The ancient mountains - meaning the powerful nations of ancient glory - would crumble and the age-old hills - meaning the lesser nations - would collapse. All of that came to pass. This also refers to two other matters which will be understood by those who have knowledge of the Prophet's biography: rays like light from his hand and plague going before him and pestilence following his steps.

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The text says,

"His splendour was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden."

Then it says:

"He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble."

It seems to me that this is speaking of a specific incident. This is what happened to the Prophet :saw:, when the Sahaabah were unable to break up a rock whilst they were digging the trench. The Messenger :saw: came and struck it a mighty blow, and one-third of it came away and there came from it a light. His Companions said,

"Allaahu Akbar!"

Then he struck it a second and a third time. The Messenger :saw: said that by the first light he saw the palaces of Syria, by the second light he saw the palaces of Persia and by the third light he saw the gates of San'aa'.

Nasaa'i and Ahmad narrated with a hasan isnad that Al-Baraa' ibn `Aazib said:

"The Messenger of Allah :saw: commanded us to dig the ditch. In one part of the ditch we were faced with a rock in which none of our pick-axes were able to make a dent. We complained about that to the Prophet :saw:. He came and took the pick-axe, then he said,

‘Bismillaah,'

- and stuck the rock. One third of it came away. Then he said,

‘Allaahu Akbar, I have been given the keys of Syria. By Allah, I can see its red palaces right now.'

Then he struck it a second time and the second third came away; he said,

‘Allaahu Akbar, I have been given the keys of Persia. By Allah I can see the white palace of Al-Madaa'in.'

Then he struck it a third time, and said,

‘Bismillaah.'

Then he broke up the rest of the rock, and said,

‘Allaahu Akbar. I have been given the keys of the Yemen. By Allah I can see the gates of San'aa' from where I am right now."'

(Fath al-Baari, 7/397)

According to a report by Tabaraani:

"He struck the rock and lightning blazed forth from it. He said,

‘Allaahu Akbar! As did the Muslims...

[The Prophet :saw:) said:]

'The first flash of lightning illuminated the palaces of Syria, and Jibreel told me that my ummah would prevail over them..."'

(Ibid)

Look again at the text that we quoted above:

"His splendour was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. He stood, and shook the earth..."

Then think about the ahaadeeth that we have quoted here. Is this not the event which fulfils this prophecy?

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This prophecy says:

"Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps."

This - by Allah - is a clear prophecy that is not open to any other interpretation. Before the Messenger :saw: came to it, Madeenah was known for the fever.

According to a hadith narrated by Ibn 'Abbaas,

"When the Messenger :saw: and his Companions came to Makkah to perform `Umrah - the `Umrah which is known as `Umrat al-Qadaa' (the fulfilled pilgrimage) - the mushrikeen said:

"There has come to you a group which has been weakened by the fever of Yathrib."

- This has been narrated by Bukhari.

(Fath al-Baari, 3/469).

This fever affected the Companions of the Messenger :saw: when they first came to Madeenah, and the Messenger of Allah :saw: prayed to his Lord to take away the fever.

It is narrated that `Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

"When the Messenger of Allah :saw: came to Madeenah, Abu Bakr (radhiyAllaahu anh) and Bilaal (radhiyAllaahu anh) became ill.

I met them and said,

'O' my father, how do you feel? O' Bilaal, how do you feel?' When Abu Bakr fell ill he would recite a couplet:

"Every man wakes up among his family,
but death is closer than his shoelace."

When the sickness would leave Bilaal (radhiyAllaahu anh), he would recite the couplets:

"I wonder whether I will spend night

In the valley (of Makkah) with idhkhir and jaleel (kinds of grass) around me?

Will I one day drink the water of Mijannah?

Will I be able to see (the hills of) Shaamah and Tafeel?"

Bukhari narrated from the mother of the believers, `Aa'ishah, who said:

"I came to the Messenger of Allah :saw: and told him, and he said,

'O' Allah, make Madeenah as dear to us as Makkah, or more so, and make it healthy. Bless its weights and measures for us, and take its fever away to Al-Juhfah."'

(Fath al-Baari, 7/262).

At the end of Kitaab al-Hajj Bukhari added:

"Then Bilaal said:

'O' Allah, curse 'Utbah ibn Rabee`ah, Shaybah ibn Rabee`ah and Umayyah ibn Khalaf, as they have expelled us to the land of pestilence.’”

(Ibid, 7/263)

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...hardly anyone could enter it without being afflicted

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) answered His Messenger's prayer, and took the fever away from it, and made it healthy. And He prevented the plague from entering Madeenah. According to the hadith narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad from Abu `Usayb, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah :saw:: The Messenger of Allah said:

"Jibreel (Gabriel) (aalayhis-salaam) came to me with the fever and the plague. I kept the fever in Madeenah and sent the plague to Syria."

(Musnad by Ahmad, 5/81).

Perhaps the fever was kept in Madeenah at the beginning, then it was sent to Al-Juhfah, or perhaps what is meant is that it was kept in the region where Madeenah is, because Al-Juhfah is close to Madeenah. Whatever the case, the prophecy came to pass as foretold in the Bible.

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In some cases, the prophecies are general and mention the attributes of the Messenger :saw: and the Revelation that Allah would send to him, and news of his ummah, and the help that would come down to him and how the angels would support them, and some of the things that Allah would bestow upon His Messenger, such as his ascent to heaven (Al-Mi`raaj) and so on. An example of that is the prophecy of Daniel.

Daniel –

(Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh, 3/331, 4/3).

- said, warning the Jews and describing to them the ummah of Muhammad :saw::

"God will cause them to prevail over you; He will send among them a Prophet and reveal to them a Book. Your necks will be under their control, and they will subdue you and humiliate you with the truth. The men of Kedar will emerge among the nations, accompanied by angels on white horses. They will encompass you and your end will be the Fire. We seek refuge with God from the Fire."

Kedar was the son of Ismaa'eel (Ishmael). They spread throughout the land and seized control of Syria, Arabia, Egypt and 'Iraq. Many reports state that the angels used to come down on white horses, as they came down on the day of Badr and the day of Al-Ahzaab. Daniel said, clearly stating the name of Muhammad :saw:: "Many arrows will be shot from your bows, and arrows will be drenched with blood by your command, O' Muhammad."

Daniel also said: "I asked God and beseeched Him to show me what would happen to the Children of Israel and whether He would forgive them and restore to them the kingdom and send Prophets among them, or would that be given to others? The angel appeared to me in the form of a young man with a handsome face, and said,

'Peace be upon you, O' Daniel.

God says:

'The Children of Israel have angered Me and rebelled against Me. They have worshipped other gods instead of Me. They have gone from knowledge to ignorance, from truth to falsehood. So I sent Nebuchadnezzar (Bakht Nasr) against them, and he killed their men and enslaved their women and children, destroyed their places of worship and burned their books. Those who came after him did likewise to them. I am displeased with them and I will not help them when they face adversity. They will remain subject to My wrath until I send the Messiah (Jesus), son of the virgin, and I will conclude the matter with curses and wrath.

They will remain cursed and humiliated, until I send the Prophet from among the children of Ishmael, of whom I sent glad tidings to Hagar, when I sent my angels to her with glad tidings. I will send revelation to that Prophet, and teach him the names. I will adorn him with piety and make his way the way of kindness and piety. I will make his speech true and his nature loyal and fair and wise. I will bestow upon him a Book which will confirm the Books that came before him, abrogating some of that which they contain. I will bring him to Me on a journey by night, and bring him up from one heaven to another, ascending until I bring him close to Me and greet him with peace, and bestow revelation upon him. Then I will send him back to My slaves with joy and happiness, taking care of that which is entrusted to him, learning by heart that which I tell him. He will call people to worship Me alone with gentle speech and beautiful preaching, with no harshness or yelling in the marketplaces. He will be kind to his friends and merciful towards his enemies, calling his people to worship Me and Me alone telling them what he has seen of My signs. But they will reject him and persecute him."

Ibn Taymiyah said:

"Then Daniel mentioned the story of the Messenger of Allah :saw: as he heard it from the angel, ending with the Trumpet blast and the end of this world."

He then said:

"This prophecy is still extant among the Jews and Christians. They read it but they say that this person has not yet appeared."

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In the Gospel of Matthew it says:

"And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear."

(Matthew 11:14-15 - NIV)

The Messenger :saw: told us that there was no Prophet between him and Eesa (Jesus). So the "Elijah" of whom Eesa spoke has to be Muhammad :saw:. From the context it seems that the "Elijah" whom the Jews loved is equal to Muhammad.

In the Gospel of John it says:

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever."

(John 14: 1 5-16 - NIV)

In other languages, it says,

"And he will give you paracletos to be with you forever."

The literal meaning of the Greek word paracletos is Ahmad, which is one of the names of the Messenger :saw:.

(Muhammad Nabi al-Islam, Pp. 36).

In the Gospel of John it says:

"When the Counsellor comes, whom I send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me."

(John 15:26 - NIV)

"He will testify about me" because the Prophet Muhammad :saw: bore witness that the Messiah (Jesus) was a Prophet and a Messenger. The spirit of truth is a metaphor for the Messenger Muhammad @saw@. The meaning indicated in this modern translation is not precise, because the original Greek - the language from which these Gospels were translated - says paracletos. In the Arabic translation published in 1821, 1831 and 1844 CE in London, it says "faraqleet," which is closest to the Greek word referred to.

(Ibid)

But the translation of this word in modern translations as al-mu`azzi (counselor) is the kind of distortion for which Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) condemned the People of the Book. In the words of the Qur'an:

...Some who displace words from [their] right places...

(Qur'an 4: 46)

It should also be noted that there is a missing sentence before the sentence mentioned in verse 26 of this chapter of the Bible, which is omitted in modern translations but which is clearly stated in older editions of the Gospel. This sentence says:

"If the munahmana whom God sent comes to you."

The literal meaning of munahmana in Syriac is Muhammad :saw:.

(op.cit., Pp. 39. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah quoted all the reports in which Prophet Eesa (Jesus) foretold the coming of the Prophet :saw: and highlighted the evidence contained therein. See Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh, 4/6).

[ditta]

(Nubuwwat Muhammad min ash-Shakk ilal-Yaqeen, Pp. 297)

In the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew it says:

"Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone (or cornerstone); the Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes'?

Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."'

(Matthew 21:42-44 - NIV)

This stone is our Prophet Muhammad :saw:. Both Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah and Jaabir ibn `Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah :saw: said:

"The likeness of me and the Prophets who came before me is that of a man who built a house and made it beautiful, apart from the place of one brick in the corner. The people started walking around it and admiring it, saying,

'Why did you not put this brick here?'

I am that brick and I am the Seal of the Prophets."

Ibn al-Qayyim (Hidaayah al-Hayaaraa, 381-382) said:

"Think about what the Messiah (Jesus) said in another prophecy:

'The stone the builders left (delayed?) has become the capstone (or cornerstone).'

How this is in accordance with the words of the Prophet :saw::

`The likeness of me and the Prophets who came before me is that of a man who built a house and made it beautiful, apart from the place of one brick in the corner. The people started walking around it and admiring it, saying,

'Why did you not put this brick here?'

I am that brick.'

Think about what the Messiah (Jesus) said in this prophecy: "and it is marvellous in our eyes," and "the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people..."

This is in accordance with the words of Allah:

And indeed We have written in Az-Zaboor [i.e. all the revealed Holy Books the Tawraat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Psalms, the Qur'aan] after [We have already written in] Al-Lawh al-Mahfooz [the Book that is in the heaven with Allah] that My righteous slaves shall inherit the land.

(Qur'aan 21: 105)

And:

Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to [the present rulers] in the land...

(Qur'aan 24: 55)."

A similar text appears in the eighth chapter of the Book of Matthew:

"I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

(Matthew 8:11 - NIV)

This prophecy refers to the victory of the ummah of Islam, which comes from the east and the west, and which will earn the pleasure of Allah along with those whom Allah has blessed, namely the Prophets, the siddeeqoon (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them), the martyrs and the righteous -and how excellent these companions are! (Qur'an 4: 69)

It says in Al-Faariq:

"O' Christians, if you are fair-minded you will accept that those who come from the east and from the west are the ummah of Muhammad. You were present there and you were addressed when the Messiah, peace be upon him, spoke of a people who would come in the future and excluded you when he said, 'But the people of Divine' ..."

(Al-Faariq, 54)

Another passage occurs in the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John:

"Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship [God] neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem."

(John 4:20-24 - NIV)

This text points to the emergence of a new religion, whose centre would move from Jerusalem, and it indicates that the direction of worship would shift from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to the Ka`bah, the direction of worship of the followers of the new religion. This is confirmed in the aayah (verse) in which Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

Verily, We have seen the turning of your [Muhammad's :saw:] face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah [prayer direction] that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid al-Haraam [at Makkah]. And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces [in prayer] in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scripture [i.e. Jews and the Christians] know well that, that [your turning towards the direction of the Ka`bah at Makkah in prayers] is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

(Qur'an 2: 144)

In the beginning the Muslims used to face Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) when they prayed, then this aayah was revealed, commanding them to turn towards the sacred House of Allah in Makkah.

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The author of Al-Injeel was-Saleeb -

(Nubuwwat Muhammad min ash-Shakk ilal-Yaqeen, Pp. 300)

- tells us that it says in the Gospel of Luke:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Islam and to mankind Ahmad"

(Luke 2:14)

But the translators of the Gospel rendered it as follows:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests."

(Luke 2:14 - NIV)

The author of this book thinks that the correct translation is that which he mentioned.

The author states that there are two words mentioned in the original language of which no one knows what the exact meaning is. So these two words were not translated as they should have been in the old translation from Syriac.

These two words are: Eiriny, which they translated as peace, and eudokia, which they translated as favour (KJV good will).

The first of these two words, eiriny, has been translated as peace (salaam), but the author believes that the correct translation is Islam. On page 40 he says:

"It is well known that the word Islam covers a very broad range of meanings which includes the meanings of words such as peace, reconciliation, cessation of fighting, security, tranquility, and it includes another meaning which is greater, more general, more comprehensive and stronger in meaning. The words of the angels, "and on earth peace", cannot mean general reconciliation and cessation of fighting, because everything that exists, especially living beings, and especially humankind that lives on this small planet Earth is subject to natural and social laws which dictate that there will be events and disasters such as disputes and wars and confrontations... It is impossible for people to live on earth in reconciliation and for fighting to cease."

"Then he quotes the words of the Messiah (Jesus):

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword."

(Matthew 10:34 - NIV)

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!...Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."

(Luke 12:49, 51 - NIV)

So the translation does not fit with the words and mission of the Messiah. The correct meaning, therefore, is "and on earth Islam".

He also thinks that eudokia means Ahmad and not happiness or good will, as it is translated by the bishops. That is because the Greeks do not say eudokia for good will, rather they say euthelyma.

He states that the word doxazo has the meaning of praise, longing, desire, love and expressing one's thoughts. Hence the adjective derived from this word, doxa, means praise, praised, praiseworthy, precious, desired, wanted and glorious.

He quotes many examples of that in Greek. And he says that they translated the word mahamadaytu in Isaiah 64:11 (we treasured) as endoxa heimon, and they translated the adjectives derived from it -praiseworthy, illustrious, glorious, praised, modest, victorious – as endoxos.

Thus, he concluded that the correct translation of what Luke mentioned is
Ahmad or Muhammad, not happiness or good will. So the correct translation of the angels' words is:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Islam and to mankind Ahmad."

(See Al-Injeel was-Saleeb by Al-Abb 'Abdul-Abad Dawood, 34-53)

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This Gospel is filled with clear prophecies of the Chosen Messenger. For example, it says:

"God said, Be patient O' Muhammad... :saw:"

"His blessed name is Muhammad...:saw:"

"O' God, send us Your Messenger, O' Muhammad :saw:, come quickly to save the world."

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No doubt this Gospel is one of the Gospels which were known in ancient times. It is mentioned in books from the second and third centuries CE, but it is not mentioned thereafter, until a copy of it was discovered at the beginning of the eighteenth century. This copy is still in the "Palace Library" in Vienna.

When this book was published, it caused a great stir - at that time - in Europe, among the academic and religious societies. The Arabic translation of this book has been published twice, the second edition produced by Daar al-Qalam in Kuwait.

I have read this book and examined it carefully, and I noticed something to which I discovered no one else has drawn attention. Even though this book is authentic to some extent, it has undoubtedly been tampered with by Muslim hands, who have inserted in it things that do not belong to it. What made me reach this conclusion is not the comments in Arabic which are to be found in the margins of the original copy in Vienna, rather it is the exaggerated terms in which the Gospel describes the Messenger :saw:.

We believe that the Gospel foretells the coming of the Messenger :saw:, but we believe that it is extremely unlikely that there would be widespread among the People of the Book the myths which became widespread among the Muslims after the coming of the Messenger :saw: and which were attributed to him. In this Gospel we read that Allah gave His Messenger Muhammad :saw: all things, that He created all things for his sake, that He created him before all things. In one passage it narrates that the Messenger :saw: says,

"O' Lord, I remember that when You created me, You wanted to create the universe, Paradise, the angels and mankind out of love for me, so that they might glorify You through me. And I am Your slave."

Elsewhere it says,

"Be patient, O' Muhammad. For your sake I want to create Paradise and the universe, and a great number of people whom I will give to you..."

And:

"This is the one for whose sake Allah created all things."

And:

"Hence before all other things, Allah created His Messenger."

These words are undoubtedly incorrect, and they contradict the truth which we know. Allah created mankind, the angels and the jinn to worship Him:

And I [Allah] created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me [Alone].

(Qur'aan 51: 56)

The first thing to be created was the Pen, as it says in the hadith:

"The first thing that Allah created was the Pen."

These exaggerated opinions became widespread among the Muslims, who put them in the form of ahaadeeth which they attributed to the Messenger.

Among these da’eef (weak) and mawdoo (fabricated) ahaadeeth are the following:

"Were it not for you, I would not have created the stars."


(Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da’eefah wal-Mawdoo`ah, hadith no. 282)

"I was a Prophet when Adam was still between the water and the clay."

(Hadith no. 302, 303)

"I was the first of the Prophets to be created and the last to be sent."

(Al-Fawaa'id al-Majmoo ah by Shawkaani, Pp. 326)

"I have created the world and its inhabitants so that they might know how dear you are to Me and how great your status is before Me. Were it not for you, O' Muhammad, I would not have created this world."

(Tanzeeh ash-Sharee`ah al-Marfoo`ah 'an al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da’eefah wal-Mawdoo`ah, Pp. 325)

"Allah created me from His light and He created Abu Bakr from my light."

(Ibid., Pp. 337)

If you compare these weak and fabricated ahaadeeth with what is narrated in the Gospel of Barnabas, you will realise that the one who inserted these descriptions into it was of the same type as the one whose mind was infested with these kind of false ahaadeeth.

There are also other things which are falsely attributed to the Messenger :saw:, which go against the truth that we know. For example, it says,
"Hell will tremble because of the presence of the Messenger, peace be upon him, and the Fire will cease to cause suffering for the duration of the Messenger of Allah's stay to see Hell."

This goes against the clear statement of the Qur'an:

[The torment] will not be lightened for them, and they will be plunged into destruction with deep regrets, sorrows and in despair therein.)

(Qur'an 43: 75)

This book also describes ‘Eesa (Jesus) as saying:

"I am not fit to untie the shoe laces of the Messenger of Allah."
Such a comment does not befit one of the Messengers of strong will. [cf. Qur'an 46:35]

Moreover, this book describes the Messenger :saw: in terms which imply disrespect. For example, it says that he will be like a crazy man, and it says that on the Day of Resurrection Allah will take away his memory.

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Mawlana `Abdul-Haqq Qadyaarti wrote a book in English entitled Mohammed in World Scriptures, in which he was able to compare and contrast the texts, based on his knowledge of Farsi (Persian), Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic and some European languages. He did not Iimit himself to the Torah and Gospel; he broadened his study to include the books of Persia, India and ancient Babylon. He was successful in some of his discoveries, and his work matches the best of similar studies on the same topic.

Mawlana `Abdul-Haqq states that the name of the Arab Messenger, Ahmad, appears in its Arabic form in the Samavida, one of the books of the Brahmins. It is narrated in the sixth and eighth chapters of the second part, where it says that,

"Ahmad received the law from his Lord and it is filled with wisdom, and light is derived from it as light is derived from the sun..."

The author believes that the Prophet Muhammad is mentioned in many places in the books of the Brahmins, described in a manner that refers to much praise and a far-reaching reputation. Among the descriptive names that he is given is Sushrava which is mentioned in the book Atharpha vida. He also examined the books of Zaraadasht

(Zoroaster/Zarathustra)which are widely known as the books of the Magians (Zoroastrians).

In the book of Zend Avesta he found a prophecy foretelling a Messenger who is described as a mercy to the worlds (soeshyant), who would be confronted by an enemy who is called, in ancient Persian, Angra Mainyu or the Father of Flame (Abu Lahab). He would call people to one God, to Whom there is none co-equal or comparable; He has no beginning and no end, no equal, no peer, no partner, no father, no mother, no wife, no child, no son, no dwelling, no body, no form, no colour, no scent.

These are some of the attributes with which Allah is described in Islam: the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, to Whom there is none co-equal or comparable, Who has no wife and no child.

In addition to that he quotes prophecies from the books of the Zaraadasht (Zoroaster) which speak of the call to truth which will be brought by the promised Prophet. In these prophecies there is mention of the Arabian desert. He has translated some of them into English without altering anything:

"When the nation of Zaraadasht (Zoroaster) neglects its religion, it will become weakened and there will emerge a man in the land of the Arabs whose followers will conquer Persia and subjugate the arrogant Persians. After having worshipped fire in their temples, they will turn their faces towards the Ka`bah of Ibraaheem (Abraham) which will be cleansed of idols. On that day they, the followers of the Prophet who is a mercy to the worlds, will become the masters of Persia, Midyan, Toos and Balkh, which are places that are sacred to the Zaraadashtis (Zoroastrians) and the neighbouring people. Their Prophet will be eloquent and will speak of miracles."

(Mohammed in World Scriptures, Pp. 47, quoting from Matla` an-Noor by Prof. `Abbaas Mahmood al-`Aqqaad, 14-17).

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These prophecies were widely known before the Prophet :saw: came. The People of the Book did not conceal them at that time, rather they propagated them and claimed that they would follow him when he came. The Muslims have preserved some of these prophecies for us. The Ansaar of Madeenah have transmitted some of the things that the Jews said about these prophecies before the coming of the Prophet. Some of the People of the Book recognized the Messenger :saw: when he was a child, and some of the People of the Book benefited from these prophecies and became believers.

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Bukhari narrated from `Ataa' ibn Yasaar that he said:

"I met Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn al-`Aas, and said,

'Tell me about the description of the Messenger of Allah in the Tawraat.'

He said,

`Certainly, by Allah, he is described in some of the same terms as he is described in the Qur'an:O' Prophet [Muhammad]! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner. (Qur'an 33: 45); a guide for the unlettered; you are My slave and Messenger. I have named you Al-Mutawakkil (the one who puts his trust in Allah), without being harsh or rough, not shouting in the market-place, and not repelling evil with evil, rather overlooking and forgiving. Allah will not take his soul until He has set right the crooked way of the people through him so that they may say, there is no god but Allah. Through him, He will open blind eyes, deaf ears and heedless minds."'

(Bukhari. Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/125).

Daarimi narrated something similar from `Ataa' ibn Salaam (Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/125) and from Ka’b, who was one of the scholars of the Jews who believed in the Prophet :saw:.

Ka`b said,

"We find written in the Tawraat: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, My Chosen slave. He is not harsh or rough, and he does not shout in the market-places. He does not repay evil with evil, rather he overlooks and forgives. His place of birth will be Makkah and his place of migration will be Teebah (Madeenah). And his dominion will reach Syria. His ummah will be those who give praise, they will praise Allah in good times and bad, praising Allah in every place, glorifying Him in the high places. They will pay attention to the movements of the sun and will pray when the time for prayer comes. They will wear garments that reach their calves and they will wash their limbs (before prayer). Their proclaimer will proclaim in the open. Their rank in fighting and in prayer will be the same, and they will make an indistinct sound at night like the humming of bees."

(Ibid, 3/129)

At-Tabreezi said: this is the version narrated in Al-Masaabeeh; a slightly amended version is narrated by Daarimi.

[ditta]

This prophecy is not to be found in the Torah that is extant nowadays among the Jews and Christians. If what we mean by Torah is that which is specifically known as Torah, then this prophecy is one the things that have been concealed by the Jews; they may be among the things that are hidden by them and are known only to their rabbis.

(It seems to us that until the time of the Messenger :saw: there existed copies of the Tawraat and Injeel that had not been distorted, because Allah says:

Let the people of the Injeel [Gospel] judge by what Allah has revealed therein.)

(Qur'aan 4: 47)

But how do they come to you for decision while they have the Tawraat [Torah], in which is the [plain] Decision of Allah.

(Qur'aan 5: 43)

O' people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]! You have nothing [as regards guidance] till you act according to the Tawraat [Torah], the Injeel [Gospel], and what has [now] been sent down to you from your Lord [the
Qur'aan].

(Qur'aan 5: 68)

There were many distorted copies and some copies which had not been distorted, but the Jews used to conceal them. Perhaps some of these copies are still extant nowadays, concealed by some of the Jewish and Christian scholars.

The author of Muhammad Nabi al-Islam (Pp. 46) says, quoting from the British Economist magazine that the first task required of the candidate for the position of Curia, i.e., the Central Administration of the Catholic church, is to swear a sacred vow to conceal everything that he comes to know or see, especially information concerning the treasures of the church and its income, in addition to the artistic treasures owned by the Vatican which are regarded as being among the most precious treasures in the world.

Undoubtedly the phrase "artistic treasures" includes the huge Vatican library with its store of books on Christian religion which, if they were made available for free academic research, would shed much light on the early, dark centuries of Christian history of which little is known.

But the word Tawraat (Torah) may refer to something other than the Tawraat of Prophet Moosa (Moses). It may refer to any book that was revealed from Allah, just as the word Qur'an may apply to any book which has been revealed from Allah, as in the hadith,

"The 'Qur'aan' was made easy for Prophet Dawood (David); between saddling his beast and mounting it he could recite the 'Qur'aan'."

What is referred to is his 'Qur'aan' i.e., the Zaboor (Psalms or Scripture of Dawood).

In some prophecies concerning this ummah it says that,

"Their Gospel (Injeel) is in their hearts"

- i.e., the Qur'aan is described as a "Gospel".

On this basis, we may say that, this prophecy existed in the Book of Isaiah, where it said:

"My servant with whom I am pleased; I send down to him My revelation. He will cause My justice to prevail among the nations and will enjoin the commandments upon them. He will not laugh, his voice will not be heard in the market places. He will open blind eyes and deaf ears, and he will revive empty hearts.

What I will give to him I will not give to anyone else. He will praise God very much; he will come from the farthest reaches of the earth. The earth and its inhabitants will rejoice; they will proclaim the oneness of God from every high place and they will glorify Him on every hill.

He will never be weak or defeated, and he will not be influenced by whims and desires. He will not humiliate the righteous who are weak; rather he will support the believers of truth. He will be the support of the humble. He is the light of God which will never be extinguished and the mark of his authority will be on his shoulders."

(Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh by Ibn Taymiyah, 3/281)

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One of the stories that the books of Sunnah have narrated to us from the Jewish scholars before Islam tells us that a Jew called Ibn al-Haybaan, came to Madeenah and settled among the Jews of Bani Qurayzah, two years before Islam. The narrator of the story said:

"We have never seen a man who does not pray the five daily prayers was better than him. He settled amongst us and whenever we were faced with a drought we would say to him,

`Go out, 'O Ibn al-Haybaan, and pray for rain for us.'

He would say,

`No by Allah, not until you give charity before we go out.'

We would ask him,

'How much?'

He would say,

'A s'aa` of dates' or 'Two madd of barley.'

We would give that, then he would go out to the fields and pray for rain for us. By Allah, he would hardly leave that place when clouds would come and rain would fall. This happened more than once, more than two or three times.

Then he lay on his deathbed, and when he realised that he was dying, he said,

'O' Jews, what do you think brought me here from a land of plenty to a land of poverty and hunger?'

We said,

'Allah knows best.'

He said,

'I only came to this land expecting and hoping to see the emergence of a Prophet whose time has come. This is the land to which he will emigrate. I had hoped that Allah would send him so I could follow him. His time is near so do not let anyone beat you to following him, O' Jews, for he will be sent with the shedding of blood and capturing of women and children of those who oppose him. Nothing should prevent you (from following him).

Some of the Jewish youth of Bani Qurayzah benefitted from the advice of Ibn al-Haybaan, namely Thalabah ibn Sa`yah, Usayd ibn Sa`yah and Asad ibn `Ubayd.

When the Messenger :saw: besieged Bani Qurayzah, these young men said,

'O' Bani Qurayzah, by Allah, he is the Prophet about whom Ibn al-Haybaan told you.'

They said,

'No he isn't.'

They said,

'Yes he is, he has the attributes (of that Prophet).'

Then they went out and embraced Islam, thus saving their blood, wealth and property.”

(Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah, 1/310).

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Abu Na'eem narrated in Dalaa'il an-Nubuwwah with his isnad that Muhammad ibn Salamah said:

"There was only one Jew among Bani Abd al-Ashhal. His name was Yoosha'.

I heard him saying –

When I was a young boy wearing only a lower garment –

'The time is approaching when a Prophet will be sent from the direction of that house,'

- and he pointed towards the House of Allah (the Ka`bah).

'Whoever lives to meet him, let him believe in him.'

Then the Messenger of Allah was sent and we became Muslim whilst he (that Jew) was among us, but he did not become Muslim out of envy and hatred. "'

(Ibid, 2/309).

[ditta]

Abdullah ibn Salaam was the leader of the Jews and the most knowledgeable of them, the son of the leader of the Jews and the most knowledgeable of them.

He said:

"When I heard about the Messenger of Allah and I learned about his attributes, his name, his appearance and his time, which we were waiting for, I was in Quba', and I was keeping quiet about him. When the Messenger of Allah :saw: came to Madeenah, he stopped at Quba', among Bani 'Amr ibn `Awf. A man came and told us of his arrival. I was at the top of a date-palm tree of mine, working on it, and my maternal aunt Khaalidah bint al-Haarith was beneath me. When I heard the news that the Prophet :saw: had come, I said

‘Allaahu Akbar!'

When she heard me say Allaahu Akbar!', my aunt said,

'If you heard of Moosa ibn `Imraan [Prophet Moosa (Moses)] you would not have said more.'

I said to her,

'O' aunt, by Allah he is the brother of Moosa ibn 'Imraan, and he has been sent with the same religion and the same message.'

She said,

'O' son of my brother, is this the one who we have been told will be sent with the approach of the Hour?'

I said,

'Yes.'

She said,

`Then this is the one."'

(Ibn Ishaaq, As-Seerah (Al-Bidaayah, 3/211).

Bukhari narrated the story of how 'Abdullah ibn Salaam came to the Messenger :saw: and embraced Islam, and how he asked the Messenger :saw: to send for the Jews and ask them about him before they found out that he had become Muslim. When they came, the Messenger :saw: said,

"O' Jews, woe to you! Fear Allah, for by Allah, besides Whom there is no other god, you know that I am indeed the Messenger of Allah and that I have come to you with the truth, so become Muslim.'

They said,

'We do not know that.'

He said,

'What kind of man is 'Abdullah ibn Salaam among you?'

They said,

'He is our leader and the son of our leader, the most knowledgeable among us and the son of the most knowledgeable among us.'

He said,

'What do you think, if he became a Muslim?'

They said,

'Impossible! He would never become a Muslim.'

He said,

'O' Ibn Salaam, come out to them.'

So he came out and said,

'O' Jews, fear Allah besides Whom there is no other god, for you know that he is the Messenger of Allah and that he has come with the truth.'

They said,

`You are lying.'

So the Messenger of Allah :saw: asked them to leave."

(Al-Bidaayah, 3/211).

[ditta]

Anas ibn Maalik (radhiyAllaahu anh) narrated that there was a Jewish boy who used to serve the Prophet :saw:. He fell sick and the Messenger of Allah :saw: came to visit him, and found his father sitting by his head, reading the Tawraat (Torah). The Messenger of Allah :saw: said,

"O' Jew, I abjure you by Allah Who revealed the Tawraat to Moosa, do you find any description of me and any reference to my coming in the Tawraat?"

He said,

"No."

The child said,

"On the contrary, by Allah, O' Messenger of Allah, we find reference to your description and your coming in the Tawraat. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah."

- This is narrated by Bayhaqi with a saheeh isnad.

(Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh, 3/287).

[ditta]

One of the monks recognised the Messenger when he was still young, when he travelled on business with his paternal uncle Abu Taalib to Syria. Abu Moosa narrated that Abu Taalib went to Syria, and the Prophet :saw: went with him, along with some of the elders of Quraysh. When they came near where the monk was, they dismounted and loosened their saddles. The monk came out to meet them. They had passed that way before and he had never come out to meet them. So they loosened their saddles, and the monk started to go about among them, until he came and took the hand of the Messenger of Allah :saw: and said,

"This is the leader of the worlds, this is the Messenger of the Lord of the Worlds. Allah will send him as a mercy to the worlds."

The elders of Quraysh said to him,

"How do you know?"

He said,

"When you came over the hill not a tree or a stone failed to bow in prostration, and they prostrate themselves only before a Prophet. I recognize him by the seal of prophecy, like an apple, below the end of his shoulder-blade."

He then went and prepared food for them, and when he brought it to them the Prophet :saw: was looking after the camels, so he told them to send for him. He came with a cloud above him shading him and when he came to the people he found they had gone before him into the shade of a tree. Then when he sat down the shade of the tree inclined over him, and the monk said,

"Look how the shade of the tree has inclined over him."

(This hadith is narrated by Tirmidhi who said, it is a hasan ghareeb hadith. See Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 3/187. Shaykh Naasiruddeen al-Albaani said in his commentary on the hadith in Al-Mishkaat: Its men are thiqaat and the hadith is saheeh as I have explained in an article published in Majallah at-Tamaddun al-Islami).

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When the time of the emergence of the Chosen Prophet :saw: drew nigh, the People of the Book knew of that from the signs that they knew. Abu Zar`ah narrated with a saheeh isnad from Usaamah ibn Zayd from his father Zayd ibn Haarithah that the Messenger :saw: met Zayd ibn `Amr ibn Nufayl before his mission.

"Among the things that Zayd told the Messenger :saw: was that he had travelled in search of the true religion, the religion of Tawheed, and a monk in Syria had told him,

'You are asking about a religion of which we know no one who worships Allah according to this religion except a shaykh in Arabia.'

He said:

'So I went out, and came to him (i.e., the shaykh in Arabia), and I told him why I had come out to him.'

He said,

'Everyone you see is following misguidance. Who do you belong to?'

I said,

'I am from the people of the House of Allah, the people of thorns and desert trees.'

He said,

'There has emerged in your land a Prophet, or he will emerge, for his star has appeared. So go back and believe in him, and follow him.' So I went back but I have not seen anything yet."

(Al-Jawaab as-Saheeh, 3/285).

Zayd was speaking to this Messenger :saw:, before he was sent. He did not know that the one who was speaking to him was the Messenger whose star had already appeared. Zayd died several years before the Prophet's mission began.

We have mentioned above the story of Ibn al-Haybaan, who left Syria and went to Madeenah. When he was dying he told the Jews:

"The only thing that brought me here was the expectation of a Prophet whose time has come, and this is the land to which he will migrate."

In Bukhari it is narrated that Heraclius used to observe the stars. He looked and said that the king of the circumcised has appeared.

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As-salaamu'Alaykum,

This completes this small portion relating to the Prophet Muhammad :saw2: in previous scriptures (I found it a very interesting read). Insha'Allaah I will try to add some more related thread's in this section in the future although Alhamdu'lillaah there are other good thread's you can check.