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Prophecies in the Old and New Testament
regarding the advent of Prophet Muhammad
The evidence that the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, bore good tidings of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him
Among the proofs that the preceding Prophets bore good tidings of their Seal, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and that he is mentioned in their books are the following:
Many scholars, old and modern, found out many of these and wrote many books on the subject. I am going to cite some of them, analyze them, and discuss that at some length.
These good tidings are among the strongest arguments with the People of the Book, because whoever knows and contemplates them, and studies the Sirah (Biography) of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and knows about his line of descent and his life, has no doubt about his being the one meant by the good tidings since they do not apply to anyone but him.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, publicly told the People of the Book, Jews and Christians, that he and his attributes are mentioned in their books and repeatedly called upon them to accredit him and to believe in him. He told both his disbelieving opponents and his believing followers of this. He called upon the scholars of the People of the Book to bear witness to it and argued with them about it, thus making it among the greatest evidences of his truthfulness and the authenticity of his prophethood.
Allah Almighty says, “And the ones who have disbelieved say, “You are not an Emissary.'' Say, “Allah suffices as an Ever-present Witness between me and you, and whosoever has in his presence knowledge of the book" - (Ar-Raad: 43).
Anyone, believer or disbeliever, who has studied the life of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, knows without any trace of doubt that he was one of the wisest and most knowledgeable persons of what constitutes evidence for his prophethood. Had this matter been non- existent to them, he would have been nullifying his claim, because in doing so, he would be urging disbelievers to ask the People of the Book about something which they would deny. It would also tempt the People of the Book to proclaim he was untruthful and to make for the dispersal of his followers from around him. It is unlikely that they would abstain from attacking him and refuting his claim. It is obviously known that he would not do so unless he was wholly confident about his being mentioned and the bearing of good tidings about him.
A number of Jewish scholars, such as Abdullah Ibn Salam and Mukhayriq, bore witness to this and believed in him, and told about his attributes as mentioned in their books. Allah Almighty says, “The ones to whom We have brought the Book recognize it (just) as they recognize their sons. The ones who lost their (own) selves, (so they) do not believer" (A1-Anaam: 20)
The most that a disbelieving person would say is: This description is true, but it is not you who are meant by it; this speaks of another prophet whom we are waiting for.
Muhammadu-Bnu-Ishaq, the servant of Abdullah-lbn Muti, related that abu Hurayrah to said, “The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to the House of AlMidras (The place where the Jews assembled to study the Torah) and said, “Bring forth the one who is the most knowledgeable among you." They said, Abdullah Ibn Surya. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, held private conference with him, and adjured him by his religion and the blessings Allah conferred upon them, and the quails and manna He fed them, and the mists which kept them from heat, and then said, “Do you know that I am the Messenger of Allah?''
Alfaltanu Ibn Asim, may Allah be pleased with him said, “The Prophet was sitting with his companions, and cast an eye on a man passing by. He called him, “O so and so"
The Jews and Christians admit that their Books have borne good tidings of a great Prophet whose advent is late in time, and whose attributes and line of descent, together with his nation's attributes are mentioned.
All this came down to the People of the Book who are knowledgeable of their books. They knew beforehand those who embraced Islam or those who did not, and that they were waiting for him.
Some distinguished Jews lived in Alhijaz especially Almadinah (yathrib) despite its excessive heat, left the Levant, despite its prosperity, only because they were waiting for this Prophet. Likewise Christians were waiting for him and were eager to hear news about him. Such were Hiraql, Al-Muqawqis, An-Nagashi and the Christians of Najran and others who came to Makkah to hear from him.
As for the Jews, their scholars knew for sure that he was Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, the Prophet. Some believed him, and others refused to follow him. When the disbelievers could not deny or change all the good tidings of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they resorted to distorting the words both in form and meaning. They also resorted to slandering and backbiting, thus denying that it was he whom the good tidings spoke of. They said to the common Jews, “He has not appeared yet."
As for the Christians, they claimed that the good tidings in the Torah and the subsequent Books of the prophets are intended for Almasih (Jesus). There is no doubt that some of these tidings clearly meant Almasih, but others cannot mean him. Yet others do clearly mean him, since the great variety of Almasih's good tidings of Muhammad could not be concealed.
They claimed that most of these tidings point to Alhawariyyin (The Disciples). Whenever they came across something that could not possibly point to them, they either distorted it or ignored it. They even took some tidings to apply to what they called Ruhu-Lqudus (The Holy Ghost). Thus they distorted the good tidings and twisted their meaning away from the only one really intended.
It was because of this that Allah reproached all the People of the Book, saying, “O population of The Book, why do you confound the truth with the untruth and keep back the truth, and you know (that)?" (Al Imran: 71)
It came down to us that Al-Ansar used to hear from their Jewish neighbors about the mission of a great prophet they were waiting for, and that his character and attributes are mentioned in their Books. It was this that primarily urged them to believe the Prophet when he met them in Al-Aqabah twice.
Ibnu-Ishaq said, “A simu Ibn ‘Umara Ibn Qata dah Al-Ansari related to me quoting some old men of his people saying: “What prompted us to embrace Islam, in addition to the mercy and guidance of Allah, is what we heard from some Jewish people."
We were polytheists and pagans, and they were the People of the Book. They had knowledge we did not have. There were still between us and the Jews some hostility. Whenever we inflicted harm on them, they said to us, “The time is getting near for a Prophet who will be sent here and whom we will follow. Then we, with him, will kill you as the people of Ad and Iram were killed. We often heard that from them. So when the Messenger of Allah was sent, we responded to him when he called us to Islam.
We knew what they were threatening us with, so we outstripped them to it. We believed but they disbelieved. It was about us and them that verses of Surat Al-Baqarah were revealed: “And as soon as a Book came to them from the Providence of Allah, (Sincerely) verifying what was with them-and they aforetime prayed for an opening (victory, conquest) over the ones who disbelieved - yet, as soon as there came to them what they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah is on the disbelievers." (A1 - Baqarah: 89)
They also informed them of the appearance of the False Masih (Antichrist) and warned them against his deceptive ways even though his life on earth is short. It is very unlikely that no one told them about the coming of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, because his appearance and the promulgation of his religion East and West is among the greatest incidents on Earth. It could even be said that it is the greatest event, since no other religion was known to spread as widely and as permanently as Islam.
Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, achieved victory over the Jews and evicted them. He also fought the Christians and made agreements with some of them. He achieved victory over most of the Arabian Peninsula, and his nation, after his death, achieved victory over Jews and Christians in the best and most cherished land to them, viz. the Levant, especially Jerusalem. Muhammad's nation also won Persia and Egypt and other lands, thus destroying the Persian emperors.
His religion will go on spreading until Allah inherits the earth and all those living on it. In his nation appeared millions of inspired scholars, diligent sagas, and great monarchs. Can it stand to reason then that the prophets told about the minor incidents, and neglected this great incident? It is taken for granted, then, that the prophets told about him as expected, and that he was mentioned in the heavenly Books whether he was truthful or untruthful.
If he is truthful, then the bearing of good tidings about him with the aim of believing in him is among the foremost things that the prophets foretell later generations.
If he were an untruthful falsifier, then his deception would be greater than that of the False Masih (Antichrist) because those who followed him far outnumbered those who will follow the False Masih. Therefore, warning against him should be given precedence over warning against the False Masih whom all prophets warned against. Merely warning generally against those who claim prophethood would not have been sufficient. He as well as the incidents which occurred in his life-time and after his death would have been mentioned.
No book has been reported to include an attack on Muhammed, peace and blessings be upon him, or accusing him of lying, or warning against him, as is the case with the False Masih. The majority of the People of the Book either say, “There is no mention of him in our books'' or say, “He is mentioned with praise and laudation." Had there been any news about the prophets' attacking him or warning against him, this would have constituted the greatest evidence against him during his life - time, and against his nation after his death. Those who did not embrace Islam would have also held it as evidence against those who did. They harbored such grudge and enmity for him, and keenness on nullifying his mission, that they forged things against him that were totally untrue.
He said, “By Allah, yes. Surely the (Jewish) people know what I know, and your character and attributes are manifest in the Torah, but they have envied you."
He (The Prophet) said, “What is it that prevents you?" (i.e. from believing).
He said, “I hate to dissent from my kinsfolk. I hope they may follow you and become Muslims, and then I will become a Muslim, too."
He said, “Yes, Messenger of Allah" Every time he addressed him he would say 'messenger of Allah'
The Prophet asked, “Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?
He said, “No".
He said, “Do you read the Torah?"
He said, “Yes".
The Prophet said, “And the Bible?"
He said “Yes."
He then said, “And the Quran?''
He said, “By Him Who holds my soul, if I wished, I would read it"
The Prophet adjured him, “Do you find me in the Torah and the Bible?"
He said, “We find someone like you, and like your line of descent, and similar to your resemblance. We hoped that he would be one of us; but when you appeared, we feared lest it should be you. We looked and found that it was not you".
He said “Why not?"
He said “He has seventy thousand of his nation who will not be questioned or tortured but you have only a few people".
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Allah, who holds my soul, I am indeed he, and they are indeed my nation, and they are indeed more than seventy thousand and seventy thousand". Related by Albazzar in his Musnad. In Majma Az-zawa'id added, “And his men are trustworthy."
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