Chapter 14: Before commissioning of the Prophethood and some of

the early signs (Part 2) More narrations that the Jews were aware that the Prophet’s advent was at hand: Ibn Is-haaq said: `Aasim Ibn `Umar Ibn Qataadah informed me that some of the men from his tribe said: Among the things which invited us to Islaam – by the Mercy of Allaah and His Guidance – is that we used to hear from the Jews, during those days when we were still Mushriks (polytheists), worshiping idols, and the people of the Book had knowledge (about the Prophet’s advent) which we did not. There used to be a constant quarrel between us and them, so whenever we received (an upper hand) over them which they used to dislike, they used to say to us: “The time has come near and soon a Prophet will be sent to us and we will join him in exterminating you like how `Aad and Iram were exterminated.” And we used to hear this a lot from them. So when Allaah تعاىل sent the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ, we responded to his call when he called us to (the worship) of Allaah (alone), and we realized that this is what they (the Jews) used to promise us with. So we preceded them in reaching him, and we believed in him while they disbelieved in him. So it is about these Jews that the following Aayah was revealed: ﴿و ل مَّا ج اء ه م ك ت اب مِّن ع ند اللَّـه م ص دِّق لِّم ا م ع ه م و ك ان وا م ن قـ ب ل ي س تـ ف ت ح ون ع ل ى الَّذ ي ن ك ف ر وا فـ ل مَّا ج اء ه م مَّا ع ر ف وا ك ف ر وا ب ه ۖ ﴾ فـ ل ع ن ة اللَّـه ع ل ى ال ك اف ر ين {And when there came to them (the Jews), a Book (this Qur’aan) from Allaah confirming what is with them [the Taurah and the Injeel], although aforetime they had invoked Allaah (for coming of Muhammad) in order to gain victory 88 over those who disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it.

So let the Curse of Allaah be on the disbelievers.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 89] 89 Ibn Is-haaq reported that Salamah Ibn Salaamah Ibn Waqsh – and he was from the people of Badr – said: We had a Jewish neighbor (living) with the tribe of Banee `Abd al88 I (Al-Albaanee) say: As for what has been mentioned in some of the books that the meaning of this is that they sought Allaah’s help through the Waseelah (means of) Muhammad ﷺ. There is no basis for this as it was not mentioned from authentic sources as Ibn Taymiyyah had mentioned in “التوسل والوسيلة”. 89 I (al-Albaanee) say: The chain of this narration is sahih. Ash-hal. He (Salamah) continued: One day he (the Jew) came out of his house and went to the tribe of Banee `Abd al-Ash-hal. Salamah continued: I was very young at that time, and I had a cloak over me.

He (the Jew) mentioned about the Day of Judgment, the Resurrection, the Judgment, the Scale, the Paradise and the Fire, and said that this is for the people who commit Shirk and worship idols, and who do not believe in the resurrection after death. They said to him: Woe to you! Do you believe that all this will happen, that people will be resurrected after their death and will be taken to the place where there will be Paradise and Fire and that they will be rewarded according to their deeds? He said: Yes, by the One in whom I swear! (The Jew) believed that he will have his share of that Fire, which will be like the greatest furnace in this world.

It will be heated up and he will be cast into it and the next day he will be delivered from it. They said: Woe to you! What is its’ the Sign? He said: A Prophet will be sent from this land, and he pointed (to the South) towards Makkah and Yemen. They said: When will we see it (the Sign or the Prophet)?

He looked at me, and I was the youngest among them, and then said: He will come when this youth will deplete his age. Salamah said: By Allaah! Days and nights had not passed by except that Allaah تعاىل sent Muhammad ﷺ as Messenger, and the Jew was still alive and living amongst us. We believed in him ﷺ while the Jew disbelieved out of grudge and envy. We said to him: Woe to you!

Is he (Muhammad) not the one about whom you spoke? He said: Indeed (I said what I said)! But he is not the one. 90 Imaam Ahmad also reported it in his Musnad from the route of Yaqoob, from his father on the authority of Ibn Is-haaq. 91 Al-Baihaqee reported from the route of al-Haakim. 92 Abu Is-haaq said 93: `Aasim Ibn `Umar Ibn Qataadah informed us that a Shaikh (an elderly man) from Banee Quraidhah (a Jewish tribe) said to him: Do you know what led to the acceptance of Islaam by Tha`labah Ibn Sa`yah, Usaid Ibn Sa`yah, and Asad Ibn 90 I (al-Albaanee) say: The chain of this narration is “sahih”. And it is in “al-Seerah” of Ibn Hishaam (1/225-226), and from his route, Abu Nu`aim reported it in “Dalaail al-Nubuwwah” and he added, “the Jews name was Yoosha`u”. [TN: Some corrections have been made from “Dalaail al-Nubuwwah” of al-Baihaqee] 91 Musnad Ahmad (15841) 92 “Dalaail al-Nubuwwah” of al-Baihaqee (2/78-79) and al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (5764, 5765) and said it is as per the conditions of Imaam Muslim, and al-Dhahabee agreed with him. 93 Abu Is-haaq in his “al-Seerah” (226-227) and from him Abu Nu`aim in “al-Dalaail” (1/19) `Ubaid – who were from the tribe of Banee Hadl, and they were the brethren of the tribe of Banee Quraidhah. They (these three) were together in their days of ignorance and they were the foremost in Islaam. `Aasim replied: No, By Allaah!

(I do not know)! He (the elderly man) continued: Years before Islaam, a Jewish man, whose name was Ibn Haybaan, from the land of Syria, had come to us and settles amongst us. By Allaah! We had never seen a man like him, no one prayed five times (a day) better than him. So he lived amongst us.

Whenever there was drought due to lack of rainfall, we said to him: O Ibn Haybaan! Come out and pray for rain for us. He used to say: No, by Allaah! Till you send me some of your produce as charity. We asked him: How Much?

He said: Saa` of dates or two Mudds of barley. 94 `Aasim said: We used to give it to him and he would come out with us and he would beseech Allaah for rain for us. By Allaah! We would not disperse from the gathering except that clouds would gather and it would rain. He did that not once, or twice, or thrice, (but many times). (The elderly man) continued: Then death approached him while he was still living amongst us.

When he realized that he is going to die, he (gathered everyone) and said: O group of Jews! Do you not see what made me leave the land of wine and fermented bread and come to this land of deprivation and hunger? We said: You know better! He said: I came to this land, waiting for the (promised) Prophet to come. The time for his emergence is near, and this is the land where he would migrate to.

I had hoped that when he comes I would follow him. But the time of his emergence has dawned upon you, so do not lag behind! O group of Jews! When he comes, he will shed blood of those who will oppose him and will take their women and children as captives. This should not prevent you from (believing) in him.

(The elderly man) continued: When the Prophet ﷺ emerged and when he besieged (the fortress of) Banee Quraidhah, these (three) youths, who were very young at that time, said: O Banee Quriadhah! By Allaah! He is the awaited Prophet about whom Ibn Haybaan took a solemn oath from you (that you will follow him). They said: He is not the one. They (the youths) said: Indeed!

By Allaah! He is the one as described (by Ibn Haybaan). So they came down the fortress and accepted Islaam. So they were able to safeguard their own blood, wealth and families. 95 94 [TN: One Saa` is approx. 3 liters; and one Mudd is approx. 0.75 liters (or 75ml). A Prophetic Saa` (صاع) is not a weight measurement.

It was and still is a measurement of volume, similar to the size of a large salad bowl. It is made up of four Mudds, and a Mudd (مد) is a smaller container, close to the size of a small salad bowl.] 95 I (al-Albaanee) say: The chain of this narration is “sahih”