Ibn Taymiyyah In Jawab Al Sahih presents an abundant amount of testimonies to the Prophet’s trutfulness from the People Of Mecca, and if he was known as trustoworthy throughout his life, before and after revelation. There is no reason to deny his prophethood.
Testimonies
Even the fiercest enemies of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from Quraysh admitted he was honest and trustworthy. They had never known him to lie or be a poet, a soothsayer, or a sorcerer. He was called al-Amin (the Trustworthy) even before prophethood, and they accepted his judgment in disputes like the placement of the Black Stone.
Testimonies Under Pressure or in Secret
Several key enemies acknowledged his truthfulness privately or under pressure. Abu Sufyan admitted it before Heraclius. Ummayya ibn Khalaf’s wife said, “By Allah, Muhammad does not lie.” Ubayy ibn Khalaf panicked at the Prophet’s prophecy that he would kill him, even though the wound was slight.
Enemies Affected by the Qur’an
Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah was silenced and shaken after hearing the Qur’an and admitted it was not poetry, sorcery, or soothsaying. al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah described the Qur’an as uniquely powerful, saying, “It dominates and nothing dominates it,” but then succumbed to pressure and falsely accused the Prophet of sorcery.
Attempts to Refute Him Failed
The Quraysh gathered to agree on a single accusation against the Prophet but failed. al-Walid rejected every suggestion—soothsayer, madman, poet, sorcerer—and finally settled on calling him a “sorcerer who splits families,” which they knew was also false.
Testimony of Abu Dharr and Other Seekers of Truth
Abu Dharr and his brother, sincere seekers of the truth, investigated the Prophet’s claims and confirmed he was truthful, unlike what Quraysh accused him of. Abu Dharr embraced Islam after being convinced the Prophet’s words were unlike anything else.
Story of Dhmad The Revert
Dhmad, a healer, came intending to cure the Prophet of “madness” but embraced Islam after hearing the Prophet’s opening sermon. He declared: “I have heard the words of poets, sorcerers, and soothsayers—but I’ve never heard anything like this.”
The Prophet’s Courage, Constancy, and Patience
The Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke the truth openly despite threats, rejection, torture, and war. He refused bribes and never compromised. He said he would never abandon his message even if they placed the sun in his right hand and the moon in his left.
The Qur’an’s Knowledge of the Unseen
He revealed detailed unseen matters—like the story of the People of the Cave, Dhul-Qarnayn, the soul, and the history of past prophets—with full confidence that no one had taught him. Even his enemies never claimed he learned it from others, despite their efforts to find a way to discredit him.
The Questions The Prophet Recieved from the Jews
The Quraysh sent questions from Jewish rabbis to test him—on matters they believed only a true prophet could answer. The Prophet answered with detailed revelations from Allah, like in Surah al-Kahf and Surah Yusuf. Neither Jews nor Quraysh ever claimed he learned from anyone, proving that he received true revelation.
No Evidence The Prophet Learned from Anyone
If the Prophet had learned any of these things from a human, his enemies—who were closest to him and had every motive to discredit him—would have publicised it. Yet no one, from Quraysh or the People of the Book, ever claimed this.
Transmission of His Life and Message
His life was public, his story widely known, and every detail of his mission recorded. No secret learning could have happened without being exposed. The clarity and openness of his life, the trust of his people, and the depth of his knowledge all prove that his knowledge came from revelation, not from humans.
In all these ways, Ibn Taymiyyah shows that the Prophet’s truthfulness is proven by the agreement of his enemies and followers, the power of the Qur’an, the absence of any human source for his knowledge, and the extraordinary moral and intellectual clarity he maintained throughout his mission.
Translation: The Quraysh’s Recognition of the Prophet’s Truthfulness and the Early Signs
We have already mentioned that his people—who were his fiercest enemies—continued to admit that he (peace be upon him) was truthful, and that they had never experienced any lie from him. In fact, they acknowledged that what he brought was neither poetry nor fortune-telling, and that he was not a sorcerer. In the beginning, they would send word to other lands where the scholars of the People of the Book were, to ask them about him, because Mecca did not have such scholars.
Heraclius’ Interaction with Abu Sufyan
In the two Sahihs, from Ibn Abbas, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb said: I went to al-Sham during the truce that was between me and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). While I was there, a letter from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was brought to Heraclius. Dihyah al-Kalbi had brought it and given it to the governor of Busra, who then delivered it to Heraclius. Heraclius asked: Is there anyone here from the people of the man who claims to be a prophet? They said: Yes.
So I was summoned along with a group from Quraysh. We entered upon Heraclius, and he sat us in front of him. He asked: Who among you is closest in lineage to this man who claims to be a prophet? I said: I am. So they sat me in front and made my companions sit behind me. He then called his translator and said: Tell them, “I am going to ask this man about the one who claims to be a prophet. If he lies, then you must contradict him.”
Abu Sufyan said: By Allah, if I were not afraid that they would report a lie about me, I would have lied. Then he said to his translator: Ask him, “What is his status among you?” I said: He is of noble lineage among us. He asked: Was there any king among his ancestors? I said: No. He asked: Did you ever accuse him of lying before he made his claim? I said: No. (This hadith is in both Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Book of the Beginning of Revelation, under the chapter “What was reported about Heraclius”)
What Ummayya bin Khalaf’s Wife Said About the Prophet
In both Sahihs, from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, in the story of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh when he told Ummayya: “They will kill you” (referring to the Prophet and his companions). Ummayya became frightened and mentioned it to his wife, and she said: “By Allah, Muhammad does not lie.”
In another narration, he said: “By Allah, Muhammad does not lie,” and he resolved not to leave Mecca out of fear. He said: “By Allah, I will not leave Mecca,” intending to stay behind from Badr. But Abu Jahl said to him: “If people see you stay behind while you are the leader of this valley, they will also stay behind.” So Ummayya said: “If you’ve defeated me, then I will buy the best camel in Mecca to ride.” His wife reminded him of Sa‘d’s words, and he said: “I don’t want to be with them except briefly.” (This story is in Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Military Expeditions, under the chapter “Those whom the Prophet mentioned would be killed at Badr,” and also in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and the Musnad of al-Bazzar, whose narrators are all authentic according to al-Haythami, Majma‘ al-Zawa’id 6/72–73.)
Ubayy ibn Khalaf and the Prophet’s Prophecy
It is also reported by the scholars of Maghazi and others that Ubayy ibn Khalaf, when he heard that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I will kill him,” was then wounded by the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it was only a scratch. His companions tried to reassure him, saying, “It’s just a scratch, nothing serious.” But Ubayy said: “By Allah, if it had been done to all of Mudar, it would have killed them. Didn’t he say, ‘I will kill you’?” (Reported in Ibn Hisham’s Seerah 3/89, al-Waqidi’s Maghazi 1/252, and Ibn Kathir’s al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah 4/23, 32.)
The Black Stone Dispute and the Prophet’s Title as ‘The Trustworthy One’
It is also narrated from Mujahid that his master as-Sa’ib ibn Abi as-Sa’ib said: I was among those who rebuilt the Ka‘bah. The Quraysh disputed over the Black Stone, each tribe wanting the honour of placing it, and they were about to fight each other with swords. They said: “Make the first man who enters through the gate the judge between you.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) entered, and they used to call him in the pre-Islamic period, “The Trustworthy One.” (Ibn Hisham’s Seerah 1/209; al-Waqidi’s Maghazi 1/252; Ibn Kathir’s al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah 4/23)
They said: “O Muhammad, we are pleased with your judgment.” (Musnad Ahmad 3/425, al-Haythami said the narrators are reliable, except for Hilal ibn Khabbab, who is trustworthy but has some discussion around him. See Majma‘ al-Zawa’id 3/291–292.)
Abu Talib Defends the Prophet Against Quraysh
From ‘Aqil ibn Abi Talib: The Quraysh came to Abu Talib and said: “Your nephew is coming to our gatherings and in our sacred place, saying things that harm us. If you can stop him, please do.” Abu Talib said to me: “Go and find your cousin.” I brought him out of one of the dwellings in the valley of Abu Talib. He walked with me until he reached Abu Talib.
Abu Talib said: “My nephew, your people claim that you come to them in their gatherings and say things that offend them. Could you refrain from this?” The Prophet raised his gaze to the sky and said: “By Allah, I cannot abandon what I was sent with any more than one of you could take a spark of fire from the sun.” Abu Talib said: “By Allah, he has never lied. Go back, all of you.” (Reported by al-Bukhari in al-Tarikh al-Kabir 4/1/50–51; also reported by Abu Zur‘ah in ad-Dala’il and by Ibn Ishaq with similar wording. In that version, the Prophet says: “O uncle, if they placed the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I would not abandon this matter until Allah makes it victorious or I die trying.”)
The Story of Abu Dharr’s Search for Truth
In the two Sahihs, from Abdullah ibn Samit, Abu Dharr said: We left our tribe Ghifar—who used to deem the sacred months lawful. I left with my brother Anis and our mother. We stayed with our maternal uncle who treated us well, but his people became jealous. They said: “When you are away, Anis brings harm to your family.”
Our uncle scolded us based on what they said. I told him: “You’ve ruined the goodness of what you did in the past. We will not stay with you.” We packed up our things, loaded them on a dry she-camel, and left. Our uncle covered his face and wept. We arrived near Mecca. Anis had a poetry contest with someone over our she-camel and its match, and they went to a soothsayer, who judged in favour of Anis. Then Abu Dharr said: “I used to pray before I met the Prophet for three years.” I said: “To whom?” He said: “To Allah.” I said: “Where did you face?”
He said: “Wherever my Lord directed me.” I prayed in the evening until dawn. When the sun rose, I felt as though I was covered with a cloth. Anis then said: “I have a need in Mecca. Watch over our things.” He went and saw ‘Ali, then returned. I asked: “What did you do?” He said: “I met a man in Mecca who is on your religion and claims that Allah sent him.” I said: “What do the people say about him?” He said: “They say: poet, soothsayer, sorcerer.” Anis, who was a poet, said: “I’ve heard the speech of soothsayers—it’s not that. I compared his words to the poetry of the best poets, and it doesn’t match.
By Allah, he is truthful and they are liars.” I said: “Watch the things, I’m going.” I came to Mecca and asked someone, “Where is the one you call the Sabi?” The man pointed to me and said, “There he is.” Then all the people of the valley came at me with stones and bones until I passed out. (Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Virtues of the Ansar, under the chapter “The Islam of Abu Dharr”; and in Sahih Muslim, Book of the Virtues of the Companions.)
Abu Dharr Sends His Brother to Investigate
In another hadith in al-Bukhari, from Ibn Abbas, Abu Dharr sent his brother and said: “Find out the truth about this man who claims that news comes to him from the sky. Listen to what he says, then come back to me.” His brother went to Mecca, heard what the Prophet said, then returned and said: “I saw him commanding noble character and saying words that are not poetry.” Abu Dharr said: “You haven’t satisfied me.” He packed his water skin and went to Mecca. (al-Bukhari, Book of Virtues of the Ansar)
Utbah’s Attempt to Bargain with the Prophet
From Jabir ibn Abdullah: The chiefs and Abu Jahl said: “We’ve been defeated by Muhammad. Let’s find someone who knows poetry, soothsaying, and sorcery to go to him and talk with him, and return with an explanation.” Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah said: “I’ve heard poetry, soothsaying, and sorcery, and I know them well. Let me go.” He went to the Prophet and said: “Are you better than Hashim? Are you better than Abd al-Muttalib?
Are you better than your father Abdullah? Why do you insult our gods and declare our fathers misguided? If you want leadership, we’ll give it to you. If it’s desire for women, we’ll marry you to the best of Quraysh. If it’s wealth, we’ll give you so much that you and your descendants won’t need anything.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remained silent.
When Utbah finished, the Prophet recited: “In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Ha Mim. A revelation from the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Qur’an for a people who know…” (Fussilat: 1–13)
Until he reached: “So say: I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of ‘Aad and Thamud…” (Fussilat: 13)
Utbah put his hand over the Prophet’s mouth and begged him by the ties of kinship to stop. He returned to his people and did not come out to them. Abu Jahl said: “Utbah has become inclined to Muhammad. He liked his food.
He must be in need.” They came to him and said that. Utbah swore not to speak to Muhammad again and said: “You know I am among the wealthiest of Quraysh. But I went to him and told him what you asked. He answered me with something that, by Allah, is not poetry, soothsaying, or sorcery.”
He recited again: “A revelation from the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate…”
Until he reached: “…a thunderbolt like that of ‘Aad and Thamud.” (Surat Fussilat: 13)
He said: “I feared that punishment might come upon you.” (This narration was reported by Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Mardawayh in his tafsir from Muhammad ibn Fudayl, from al-Ajlah, from adh-Dhiyal ibn Hurmulah, and also by Yahya ibn Ma‘in, Abu Ya‘la in his Musnad, and ‘Abd ibn Humayd from the teacher of Ibn Abi Shaybah, all reliable transmitters.)
In another version, they said: “If you say these people are better than you, they worshipped idols. And if you say you’re better than them, then speak and let us hear.” Ibn Ishaq also narrated that Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah—who was a noble and patient leader—after listening, told the Quraysh: “O people of Quraysh, I heard words today like I have never heard before. It is not poetry, sorcery, or soothsaying.
Let me advise you: leave this man alone. If he is harmed by the Arabs, you are spared. If he wins over them, his victory is your victory and his honour is your honour. They said: ‘By Allah, Abu al-Walid, he has bewitched you with his words!’ He said: ‘This is my opinion—do what you want.’” Then Abu Talib praised Utbah in poetry for what he said.
The Story of Dhmad and His Embrace of Islam
In Sahih Muslim, from Ibn Abbas: Dhmad (1) arrived in Mecca. He was a man from the tribe of Azd Shanu’ah, and he used to treat people who were afflicted by “the wind” (2). He heard the foolish people of Mecca saying that Muhammad was mad. So he said: “If I meet this man, perhaps Allah will cure him through me.” He then met Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said: “I treat people from this kind of madness, and Allah cures whom He wills through me—so come forward.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Praise belongs to Allah, we praise Him and seek His help. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomever He misguides, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone with no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. To proceed…”
He said: “Repeat those words of yours to me again.” So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) repeated them three times. Dhmad said: “By Allah, I have heard the words of fortune-tellers, sorcerers, and poets—and I have never heard words like yours. They have reached the depths of the sea.” (Dhmad ibn Tha‘labah al-Azdi, an early companion who used to treat the sick and seek knowledge. See Usud al-Ghabah 2/438. 2. “The wind” refers to madness caused by jinn. In other narrations: “he used to treat people from spirits,” meaning jinn, who are unseen like the wind or soul. See: Sharh al-Nawawi on Muslim 6/157.)
He then said: “Give me your hand so I can pledge allegiance to you on Islam.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave him his hand, and he pledged allegiance. Then Dhmad said: “And on behalf of my people?” He said: “And on behalf of your people.” (Muslim, Book of Jumu‘ah, chapter on shortening the sermon and prayer 2/593–594, hadith 868.)
The Reaction of al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah to the Quran
From Ibn Abbas: al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah (1) came to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he recited to him the verse: “Indeed, Allah commands justice, kindness, and giving to relatives, and He forbids immorality, evil, and transgression. He instructs you so that you may remember.” (an-Nahl: 90)
He said: “Repeat it.” So the Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated it, and al-Walid said: “By Allah, it has sweetness, and upon it is grace. Its upper part bears fruit and its lower part flows abundantly. This is not the speech of any human.” (Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah, a famous judge and leader of Quraysh, known for his wealth and intellect. He lived to 95 and died three months after the Hijrah. See: al-A‘lam by al-Zarkali 8/122.)
Al-Walid Is Pressured to Oppose the Prophet
In another version: al-Walid became affected by what he heard. News of this reached Abu Jahl, who came to him and said: “O uncle, your people want to gather money for you.” He said: “Why?” Abu Jahl said: “So they can give it to you since you went to Muhammad seeking a reward.” He replied: “Quraysh knows I’m among the wealthiest of them.” Abu Jahl said: “Then say something against him, so your people know you oppose him.”
Al-Walid replied: “What can I say? There is no one among you more knowledgeable of poetry, meter, rhyme than me—and by Allah, what he says is nothing like any of this. It has sweetness, beauty, fruitfulness above and richness below. It dominates and nothing dominates it. It crushes whatever is beneath it.” (al-Rajaz is a poetic meter used in improvisation; qaṣīd refers to structured long poems. See: Tartīb al-Qāmūs 2/306, 3/629. “Yaḥṭim” (crushes) is from “khaṭm,” meaning to break. See: Tartīb al-Qāmūs 1/666.)
But Abu Jahl insisted: “Your people will not be pleased with you until you say something.” He said: “Let me think about it.” After thinking, he said: “This is inherited sorcery—passed down from others.” Then Allah revealed: “Leave Me with the one I created alone…” (al-Muddaththir: 11) (Reported by ‘Abd al-Razzaq from Ma‘mar from Ayyub from ‘Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas. ‘Abd al-Razzaq was a trustworthy hafidh, died in 211 AH. See Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ 9/563–580. Ma‘mar ibn Rashid, reliable, died in 154 AH. Ayyub ibn Abi Tamimah al-Sakhtiyani, a trustworthy legal scholar, died 131 AH. See Taqrib al-Tahdhib.)
The Quraysh Conspire on What to Call the Prophet
In another report: al-Walid and a group of Quraysh gathered during the pilgrimage season. He said: “The Arab delegations will come and hear of your man. Agree on one opinion about him so you don’t contradict yourselves.” They said: “You decide, Abu ‘Abd Shams.” He said: “No—you speak, and I’ll listen.” They said: “We’ll say he’s a soothsayer.” He replied: “He’s not. I’ve seen them—it’s not the murmur of the soothsayers.”
They said: “He’s mad.” He said: “He’s not mad—we know madness, and he doesn’t have its spasms or confusion.” They said: “He’s a poet.” He said: “No. We know poetry in all its forms—short, long, rhythmic, and free-flowing. This is not poetry.” They said: “He’s a sorcerer.” He said: “He’s not—we know sorcery and their knots and incantations.” (Sorcerers used to blow and tie knots while reciting magical spells. See al-Baḥr al-Muḥīṭ 8/531.)
Then they asked: “What should we say, Abu ‘Abd Shams?” He said: “By Allah, his speech is sweet. Its origin is abundant, and its branches bear fruit.” (“Ghadaq” means lush, and “junā” refers to fresh fruit. See al-Miṣbāḥ al-Munīr p. 112.) “You won’t say anything about it except people will know it’s false.
The closest you can say is: He is a sorcerer who splits families apart—between a man and his father, brother, wife, and tribe.” So they sat in the pilgrimage roads warning people about him. Then Allah revealed regarding al-Walid: “Leave Me with the one I created alone… I will burn him in Saqar.” (al-Muddaththir: 11–26)
And He revealed about the group who were with him: “Those who divided the Quran into parts…” (al-Ḥijr: 91) (Meaning they called some of it magic, some poetry, some soothsaying. See: Lisān al-‘Arab 15/68 under the word ‘aḍa.)
The Testimony of al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith
Ibn Ishaq narrated from a shaykh in Egypt, from ‘Ikrimah from Ibn Abbas, that al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith said: “O Quraysh, you’ve been afflicted by something unprecedented. Muhammad was once the best of you in youth, the most truthful in speech, and the most trustworthy. Then when grey appeared in his hair and he brought you something new, you said: Sorcerer! But we’ve seen sorcerers. You said: Soothsayer! But we’ve heard their rhymes. You said: Poet! But we know all forms of poetry. You said: Madman! But we know madness. He has none of it. O Quraysh, reflect—for something great has happened to you.” (Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah 1/320–321. al-Naḍr was a staunch enemy of the Prophet. He was captured at Badr and executed by command of the Prophet, killed by ‘Ali.)
The Night Listening of Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan, and al-Akhnas
Ibn Ishaq narrated from az-Zuhri that Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan, and al-Akhnas ibn Shurayq once went at night to secretly listen to the Prophet (peace be upon him) recite Quran in his home. Each man sat in his own place, unaware of the others. They remained listening until dawn, then as they walked home, they ran into each other. They rebuked one another and agreed not to return. But on the second and third night, they did the same. Finally, they pledged not to return again.
In the morning, al-Akhnas went to Abu Sufyan and asked: “What do you think of what you heard from Muhammad?” He replied: “I heard things I recognise and things I don’t.” al-Akhnas said: “So did I.” He then visited Abu Jahl and asked the same. Abu Jahl said: “What did I hear? We and Banu ‘Abd Manaf competed in honour—if they fed, we fed; if they gave, we gave—until now they say they have a prophet who receives revelation. How can we compete with that? By Allah, we will never believe in him or follow him.” (Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah 1/337; al-Bayhaqi, Dalā’il an-Nubuwwah 2/206)
The Mission to the Jews of Yathrib
Quraysh would send people to ask the scholars of the People of the Book. Ibn Ishaq said: A shaykh from Egypt told me, from ‘Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, that Quraysh sent al-Naḍr ibn al-Ḥārith and ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt to the Jewish rabbis in Yathrib to ask about the Prophet (peace be upon him). They said: “You are people of the Torah—tell us about our companion.”
The rabbis said: “Ask him about three things. If he answers, he is a prophet. If not, he is making it up. Ask about a group of young men who vanished long ago—they have a strange story. Ask about a great traveller who reached the east and west. Ask about the soul—what it is. If he answers, he is a prophet. If not, he is a liar.”
They returned and told Quraysh, and Quraysh asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) those questions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I will tell you,” and then Jibril came with Surat al-Kahf, which includes the story of the youths (ashab al-kahf), the great traveller (Dhul-Qarnayn), and the verse: “They ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is of the command of my Lord, and you have not been given of knowledge except a little.” (al-Isra: 85) (1. ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayṭ, a fierce opponent of the Prophet, was captured at Badr and executed. See: Ibn Hisham’s as-Sirah 2/365–366.)
The Beginning of Surah al-Kahf and the Significance of its Revelation
Ibn Ishaq said: It reached me that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began the surah by saying: “Praise belongs to Allah, who sent down the Book upon His servant” (al-Kahf: 1).
Meaning: upon Muhammad, as a confirmation that you are My Messenger regarding what they asked you about to prove your prophethood. “And did not make in it any crookedness. Straight” (al-Kahf: 1–2). That is, He sent it down upright, balanced, and without any contradiction. (This is reported by al-Tabari in Jāmiʿ al-Bayān 15/191–192 with this chain.)
He then explained the interpretation of the surah until the verse: “Or did you think that the companions of the cave and the inscription were among Our wondrous signs?” (al-Kahf: 9). Meaning: they did not realise the greatness of My power and what I have done with creation and the evidences I placed upon My servants; what is greater than that exists. (Reported by Ibn Jarīr in Jāmiʿ al-Bayān 15/197: Ibn Humayd narrated to us, saying: Salamah narrated from Ibn Ishaq, and he mentioned it similarly.)
Not the Most Wondrous Sign
Mujahid said: They are not the most wondrous of Our signs; rather, there are signs more wondrous than them. (This wording is found in manuscripts K and Ṭ with the addition of the words “Our signs” before “more wondrous”.) (See Ibn Hishām’s Sīrah 1/321–324; some parts appear with similar meaning. Ibn Kathīr also mentions some of this in his Tafsīr 5/132–134. Al-Bayhaqī narrated it in Dalāʾil al-Nubuwwah 2/269–271. )
In the tafsir of al-ʿAwfī from Ibn ʿAbbās: What I gave you of knowledge, the Sunnah, and the Book is better than the story of the companions of the cave. (Reported by al-Tabarī in Jāmiʿ al-Bayān 15/198. Al-ʿAwfī is ʿAṭiyyah ibn Saʿd ibn Janādah al-Judali al-Kūfī, Abū al-Ḥasan, a known Tabiʿī, weak and often mistaken, a Shīʿī and a third-tier mudallis. He died in 111 AH. See Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb 2/142 and Mizān al-Iʿtidāl 3/79.) (Reported by Ibn Jarīr: Muḥammad ibn Saʿd narrated to us, saying: my father narrated to me, saying: my uncle narrated to me, saying: my father narrated to me from his father from Ibn ʿAbbās, and he mentioned it.)
Proofs of Resurrection and Prophethood in Their Story
I said: The matter is as the Salaf mentioned. The story of the companions of the cave is among the signs of Allah, for their staying asleep without dying for three hundred years is a sign showing the power and will of Allah, that He creates what He wills—not as the atheists claim.
It is also a sign for the resurrection of bodies, as Allah says: “And thus We made them known so that they would know that the promise of Allah is true and that the Hour—there is no doubt about it” (al-Kahf: 21). People in their time had differed: do souls return without the bodies?
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) informing of their story without being taught by any person is a sign of his prophethood. So their story is a sign affirming the three foundations of faith: belief in Allah, belief in the Last Day, and belief in His Messenger. Despite all this, they are not the most wondrous of the signs of Allah, but among His signs are others more wondrous than that.
Allah’s Response to the Disbelievers’ Questions
Allah mentioned their questioning him about the signs to know whether he was a truthful prophet or a liar. So He said: “And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn…” (al-Kahf: 83),
and He said about the story of Yusuf: “Indeed in Joseph and his brothers are signs for those who ask… This is from the unseen news which We reveal to you; and you were not with them when they agreed on their matter” (Yusuf: 7–102).
Then He said: “And how many a sign in the heavens and the earth they pass by, yet they turn away from it. And most of them do not believe in Allah except while associating others with Him” (Yusuf: 105–106)
until His saying: “Have they not travelled through the land and observed how was the end of those before them?
And the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. Do you not understand? Until when the messengers despaired and thought they had been denied, Our help came to them… Indeed in their stories is a lesson for those of reason.
Never was it a narration invented, but a confirmation of what was before it and a detailed explanation of everything and a guidance and mercy for a people who believe” (Yusuf: 109–111).
The Uniqueness of the Qur’an’s Knowledge
And when He mentioned the story of the companions of the cave which they asked him about, He said: “And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say: I will recite to you about him a report” (al-Kahf: 83). Meaning: they ask you about that and this.
The Qur’an is full of information about past unseen matters, which no human knows except through the prophets to whom Allah revealed them. This is not what the atheist philosophers claim. These specific and detailed unseen matters cannot be known except from a prophet like Musa or Muhammad. No one who claims “kashf” (unveiling) whether among Allah’s awliya or others can report such things. ( Kashf is the unveiling of something hidden to the understanding, so the servant sees it as if by direct vision. See: Ḥayāt al-Qulūb by ʿImād al-Dīn al-Umawī, at the margin of Qūt al-Qulūb 2/273. )
Thus, this is among the signs of the prophets, and among their unique traits that no one else shares.
Only Prophets Can Know Such Unseen Matters By Allah’s Will
People of all religions agree—according to sound intellect—that such knowledge of the unseen can only come through a prophet. So if Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported the same matters that Musa and other prophets reported, and conveyed what they knew—things that cannot be known except by learning from them—yet it is known that Muhammad did not learn this from any human, then that is a clear proof and decisive sign of his prophethood.
Knowing that Muhammad did not learn this from any human was known during his lifetime. As for his people who were close to him and knew his state well, they knew he never learned it from anyone. This became a proof against them. As for those who only heard about him, they could know it in several ways:
How Others Could Know He Didn’t Learn It from Humans
One way is the widely reported transmission of his life story, how it unfolded from his birth to his death. It became well-known and famous, with so many reports that it is more firmly established than the biographies of Musa and Isa.
Muhammad’s matter became more visible and his news more widespread and reliably transmitted than any other human being. So if the lesser details of his life were not hidden from people, how could such a major detail be hidden?
Another way is that he informed in the Qur’an of things not found among the People of the Book, like the stories of Hud, Salih, Shuʿayb, and details of the stories of Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa, such as Isa speaking in the cradle, and the descent of the table (al-Ma’ida), which are not known among the People of the Book.
Also the faith of Pharaoh’s wife and other such matters. So it is impossible to claim he learned these from the People of the Book. His people also did not know them.
Rather, he showed his people and others the remains of those who were warned—whom Allah punished for rejecting the messengers, like the people of ʿAd and Thamud. People draw lessons from these ruins as proofs for the truthfulness of the messengers and Allah’s punishment for those who reject them. His people and others also found proof in the agreement between what he reported and what the People of the Book confirmed, despite knowing that he did not learn it from them.
No One Claimed He Learned from the Jews or Christians
Moreover, most of his people were the fiercest in opposing him and the most eager to discredit him. They constantly searched for any opportunity to accuse him. If he had learned these reports from anyone, they would have known it and would have used it against him and made it public. And that would have become more well-known than anything else.
Since this never happened, it shows they did not know any such thing, nor could they use it against him—despite their full knowledge of his circumstances and their strong desire to attack him. When there is full motivation and full ability, then the result must follow. So since they were fully motivated but could not discredit him this way, it proves their inability.
If It Had Happened, It Would Have Been Publicised
It could also be said: if something like this had happened, it would have been among the things that people care most about publicising. His followers, if they had known it, would not have concealed it—they would have spread it widely. So how could his enemies, the disbelievers, conceal it? Dispersed people who don’t coordinate cannot all agree on fabricating a lie or concealing such a huge matter.
Even kings and leaders try to hide things about their rule and swear their close followers to secrecy with promises and threats—yet eventually their secrets become known. The Qaramita Batinis of Bahrain (the followers of ʿUbayd Allah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah) are an example. (The Qaramita were a sect of the Ismaʿilis who appeared in the 4th century AH. “Qarmat” was a village in Wasit where the founder lived. He and his followers promoted esoteric doctrines and believed in permissiveness and the hidden imam. See: al-Tuḥfa al-Ithnā ʿAshariyyah, p. 17.)
And the Nusayris have a secret doctrine which they whisper to their followers—even though most people do not know its full content. (The Nusayris were extreme Shiʿa who deified ʿAli and claimed he appeared in the clouds. They believed in esoteric doctrines, including reincarnation and extreme permissiveness, and held secret teachings. See: Dirāsāt fī al-Firaq by Dr Ṣābir Ṭuʿaymah, pp. 38–46.)
The Example of the Early Believers and Their Sacrifices
Especially since those who first believed in him from the Muhājirūn had faith in him both inwardly and outwardly. They left their homes, families, and wealth for his sake and endured all kinds of hardship and harm.
A large group even migrated to Abyssinia with their religion when they were tortured in Makkah to force them to abandon their religion. Some were killed, others dragged to the desert and tortured under rocks, others starved and stripped of their livelihood. (Among them were ʿUthman ibn ʿAffan and his wife Ruqayya, the daughter of the Prophet, and al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām and Muṣʿab ibn ʿUmayr. See: Ibn Hishām’s Sīrah 1/344.)
Then they left the most beloved city to them—Makkah, the mother of towns—for a city where they were in need of others. They left behind their wealth. Allah said: “For the poor migrants who were expelled from their homes and wealth, seeking bounty from Allah and His pleasure, and helping Allah and His Messenger—those are the truthful” (Al-Hashr: 8).
And He said: “Permission is given to those who are fought because they were wronged. And Allah is capable of giving them victory. Those who were expelled from their homes without right, only because they said: Our Lord is Allah” (Al-Ḥajj: 39–40).
And He said: “Those who migrated, and were expelled from their homes, and were harmed in My way, and fought and were killed—I will surely forgive their sins and admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, as a reward from Allah. And with Allah is the best reward” (Al ʿImrān: 195).
And His saying: “They expel the Messenger and you because you believe in Allah your Lord” (al-Mumtaḥanah: 1).
They Believed Freely Before Any Command to Fight
All the Muhājirūn and Anṣār believed in him willingly and by choice, before there was any command to fight. He stayed in Makkah for over ten years without fighting anyone, and was not commanded to do so. No one was forced to enter Islam—as Allah said: “There is no compulsion in religion. The right path has become clear from the wrong” (al-Baqara: 256).
The Prophet Had No Wealth, No Power, No Force
He came to a large number of people with a religion that no one else supported, asking them to follow him, leave the religion of their forefathers, endure enmity and harm, and give up family, wealth, and homeland—for what?
He did not give anyone money. He had no wealth to give. He did not appoint anyone to power. He had no position to appoint them. He never forced anyone—not even with a pinch, let alone a whip or a sword. Yet he said about the unseen news he gave them: “Allah told me this. No human told me this.”
So if they had known he learned it from someone, they would have told each other. It is impossible—according to the nature and instincts of people—that so many would believe he was lying, that he learned this from another person, yet none of them ever reported it. They were too many to all hide such a thing. Nor did they have any motive to keep it secret.
They Could Not Deny the Obvious Truth
It is impossible that they would not know this—when they were his closest companions, fully aware of his circumstances, hearing the words of his enemies who also knew his life.
The Qur’an was revealed bit by bit—not all at once. They asked him about unseen matters, one after another. Those who believed in him and were close to him knew he had no access to such knowledge, yet he gave them answers. This happened in Makkah, where there was no one from the Jewish or Christian scholars.
Even the Jews Did Not Claim He Learned from Them
Then he migrated to Madinah, where there were many Jews—like the tribes of Qaynuqāʿ, al-Naḍīr, and Qurayẓah. They asked him about things no one knows except a prophet, and he gave them answers. He recited to them what the Quraysh had asked about, and said Allah informed him, not any human.
Some Jews believed in him. Others disbelieved. But neither group ever claimed that he learned these things from them or their scholars or from books. If he had, their scholars would be his teachers. And if they knew he had learned from them and was lying about it, they would never believe in him inwardly or outwardly. Their belief in the first Book and their knowledge that someone lying about a second Book had learned from them would have driven them to expose him.
Especially after he expelled, fought, and punished them.
If such learning had occurred, it would have been among the most widely reported events. Both supporters and opponents would have passed it down.
Since no one reported it—and yet the Prophet publicly stated that Allah revealed it to him, not a human—this is a clear, conclusive proof that this unseen knowledge, which only a prophet or someone who learns from a prophet can know, came to him from Allah. It was not taught to him by any person.
The Qur’an Confirms This
This is part of the unseen knowledge mentioned in the surah where the jinn listened to the Qur’an and warned their people about it:
“Say: It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened and said: We have heard a wondrous Qur’an. It guides to the right path, so we have believed in it and we will never associate anyone with our Lord… And when the servant of Allah stood to call upon Him, they nearly swarmed over him… Say: I only call upon my Lord and do not associate anyone with Him… Say: I do not possess for you harm or guidance… Say: None can protect me from Allah, and I will never find refuge besides Him—except to deliver the message of Allah… Until they see what they were promised… Say: I do not know if what you are promised is near or my Lord will delay it for a time” (al-Jinn: 1–25).
And He said: “Knower of the unseen—He reveals not His unseen to anyone, except to a messenger He is pleased with. Then He places guards before him and behind him… So that He may know that they have delivered the messages of their Lord. And He has encompassed what is with them and counted everything in numbers” (al-Jinn: 26–28).
This verse: “He reveals not His unseen to anyone” shows that it is His unseen—specific to Him—and no one knows it except through Him. It is not like something hidden from some people but known by others—that kind of thing can be passed from person to person.
Abu Dawud at-Tayalisi narrated: ʿAbd al-Hamid ibn Bahrām narrated to us from Shaher ibn Hawshab, from Ibn ʿAbbas, who said: A group of Jews once came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell us about some matters we will ask you about—only a prophet would know them.”
He said, “Ask me whatever you like, but give me the covenant of Allah and what Yaʿqub took from his sons: if I tell you something you know to be true, you will follow me in Islam.” They said, “We agree.” He said, “So ask me what you wish.”
They said, “Tell us four things: tell us about the food that Israel (Yaʿqub) made forbidden for himself before the Torah was revealed. And tell us about man’s fluid—how does it produce a male child, and how does it produce a female? And tell us how this Prophet sleeps. And who is your ally among the angels?”
He said, “Do you give me the covenant and promise of Allah that if I tell you, you will follow me?” They gave him the promise and covenant. He said, “I ask you by the One who revealed the Torah to Musa—do you know that Israel (Yaʿqub) fell severely ill, and he vowed to Allah that if He healed him, he would forbid on himself his favourite food and drink? His favourite drink was camel milk, and his favourite meat was camel meat.” They said, “Yes, by Allah.” So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “O Allah, bear witness against them.” (See footnote: “dhimmah” means a covenant or pact, cf. Tarteeb al-Qāmūs 2/268; the reference to Yaʿqub’s oath is related to what Allah says in the Qur’an: “I will not send him with you until you give me a firm covenant from Allah that you will bring him back unless you are surrounded…” (Yusuf: 66).)
Then he said, “I ask you by Allah, the One besides whom there is no god, the One who revealed the Torah to Musa: do you know that man’s fluid is thick and white, and woman’s fluid is thin and yellow, and whichever one overpowers the other, the child takes after it—by Allah’s permission?” They said, “Yes, by Allah.” So he said, “O Allah, bear witness against them.”
Then he said, “I ask you by Allah, the One besides whom there is no god, who revealed the Torah to Musa: do you know that this Prophet’s eyes sleep but his heart does not sleep?” They said, “Yes, by Allah.” So he said, “O Allah, bear witness against them.”
They said, “Now tell us: who is your ally from among the angels? For now we will either unite with you or part ways.” He said, “My ally is Jibril—peace be upon him—and Allah never sent a prophet except Jibril was his ally.” They said, “In that case, we part ways. If it had been someone else, we would have followed you and believed in you.” He said, “What is stopping you from believing?” They said, “He is our enemy among the angels.”
So Allah revealed: “Whoever is an enemy to Jibril—then indeed he has brought it down upon your heart by Allah’s permission…” to His saying: “…then indeed Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers.” (al-Baqara: 97–98).
(This narration is reported in the Musnad of Abu Dawud at-Tayalisi (no. 2731), printed in Hyderabad Deccan, India, in 1321 AH, and also published by Dar al-Kitab al-Lubnani and Dar al-Tawfiq, Beirut. The narrators in its chain are all trustworthy, as mentioned in their biographies.
Abu Dawud at-Tayalisi was Sulayman ibn Dawud ibn al-Jarud, the great memoriser and scholar of Basra, author of the Musnad. Praised by many imams, though some criticised that he narrated only from his written notes and made some errors in hadith.
Al-Bukhari quoted him in one place. He died in 204 AH after a long life. See: Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 9/378–384; Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb 1/323. ʿAbd al-Hamid ibn Bahrām was al-Fazari al-Madāʾini, a companion of Shaher ibn Hawshab. Trusted by Abu Dawud and Yahya ibn Maʿin. He died before 170 AH. See: Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 7/334–335; Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb 1/467. Shaher ibn Hawshab was Abū Saʿīd al-Ashʿari al-Shami, a freedman of the Sahabiyyah Asmāʾ bint Yazīd ibn al-Sakan. A senior Tabiʿi and reciter of the Qur’an from Ibn ʿAbbas. Trusted by Ahmad, al-ʿAjli, and Yahya ibn Maʿin. Died in 100 AH at the age of 80. See: Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 4/372; Tahdhīb al-Tahdhīb 4/369.)
The Purpose Behind These Questions
These narrations show that the scholars of the Jews—like ʿAbd Allah ibn Salam and others—used to ask the Prophet (peace be upon him) questions that they believed only a prophet could know. That is, or someone who learned it from a prophet. For those asking already knew the answers—as it was also said in another hadith: “No one knows this except a prophet or one or two men.”
So they were testing him with these questions to see: does he know them? If he did, then he must be a prophet. It is clear that their goal would only be achieved if they knew for certain that he had not learned these things from the People of the Book, or from someone who had learned from them.
Otherwise, it is known that some people did learn these matters—but they learned them from the prophets. So this shows that the ones questioning him from the People of the Book knew that no human had taught him what was in their scriptures.
If they thought he might have learned it from the People of the Book, their whole point in testing him—whether he was a prophet or not—would fall apart. Because if they accepted the possibility that he had learned things only a prophet would know from the People of the Book, then he would be just like one of them. His knowledge would not prove anything.
They Were Certain He Had Not Learned from Any Human
So these questioners must have been certain that he had not learned from the People of the Book. And this was in Madinah—after he had already lived in Makkah for over ten years, where his message had spread, his people denied him, and tried in every way to defeat his mission.
If there had been anyone in Makkah or Madinah from whom he could have learned, or if he had even met someone from the People of the Book on a journey and learned from them, that would have undermined the goal of the questioners.
So it was known among the People of the Book that he had not learned anything of the unseen from any human. Especially since, if he had learned it from them—and yet he opposed and fought them—they would have exposed that. It would have become widely known among the People of the Book.
Whenever he answered their questions, they would have said: “He learned this from so-and-so among us,” or “Someone from our religion taught him that.”
This is like when the Quraysh used to send messengers to the Jews in Madinah to ask them to test Muhammad with questions. They would say, “Ask him these things—if he answers correctly, he is a true prophet. Otherwise, he is a liar.” And they would say, “Ask him about matters that only a prophet would know.”
So both the people of Madinah and the Quraysh agreed: Muhammad had not learned these things from any human. If they had thought it possible, then their tests would be useless—and they would never have said, “Only a prophet knows this.”
It Had to Be From Revelation, Not Learning
They all knew that some among the People of the Book knew these answers—so the test was to see: would he answer as the prophets answered, or differently?
They knew that someone who had learned from the People of the Book would not be considered a prophet just by answering correctly. Just like someone today asking a Muslim about such matters of unseen knowledge—if he answered correctly, it would not mean he’s a prophet, since he learned it from the prophets.
So their meaning in saying, “Only a prophet knows this,” was: only someone who knows it directly, without learning from any human—only a prophet can do that.
It shows that both the idolaters and the People of the Book agreed that he had not learned this from any human. His story was widespread, his people knew his secrets, and if anything had occurred, it would have been obvious. And if they even suspected that he had secretly learned from someone, they would not have used these answers as proof of his prophethood.
This proves they were certain—absolutely—that he had not learned these matters from any human being, not openly nor secretly. And this is a clear and strong way to prove that he only received them through revelation, and not from any human learning—along with all the other proofs mentioned earlier.
Jawab Al Sahih (5/358-404)
