The Jewish scholars and Christian monks spoke about the coming of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ before his prophethood. This was based on what they found in their scriptures regarding his description, the characteristics of his time, and the covenants of their prophets concerning him.
What Was Heard from the Jews:
Among the narrations from the Jews is the account of Salamah ibn Salamah ibn Waqsh, a companion who participated in the Battle of Badr. He said:
"We had a Jewish neighbor among the tribe of Banu Abd al-Ashhal. One day, he came out of his house and stood before the people of Banu Abd al-Ashhal. At that time, I was the youngest among them, lying in the courtyard of my family with a cloak over me. He began to speak about the Day of Resurrection, the Resurrection itself, judgment, the scale of deeds, Paradise, and Hell. He spoke these things to a group of idolaters who worshiped idols and denied the concept of life after death.
They said to him, 'Woe to you! Do you truly believe that this will happen? That people will be resurrected after their death into a place where there is Paradise and Hell, and they will be recompensed for their deeds?'
He replied, 'Yes, by the One whom one swears by. Indeed, for each person, there is a share in that Hell. It is as if it is the largest oven in your homes, and he will be cast into it and locked inside. However, tomorrow there will be a way to escape from this Hell.'
They asked, 'Woe to you! What is the sign of this?'
He said, 'A prophet will be sent from this region,' and he gestured with his hand toward Mecca and Yemen.
They asked, 'When do you think he will appear?'
He looked at me and said, 'If this boy lives to reach old age, he will see him.'
Salamah said: By Allah, it was not long before Allah sent Muhammad ﷺ as His Messenger, and he was among us. We believed in him, but the Jews did not believe in him out of envy and arrogance.
We said to the Jew, 'Woe to you! Aren’t you the one who told us about him and said what you said?'
He replied, 'Indeed, but it is not him.'"
This narration is reported by Ahmad, al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, and al-Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwah. Al-Albani authenticated it in Sahih al-Sirah.
Ibn Ishaq also narrates from Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatadah, from men of his people, who said:
"One of the reasons that motivated us to accept Islam, alongside Allah’s mercy and guidance, was what we used to hear from the Jews. We were idol worshippers and they were People of the Book who had knowledge we did not possess. There was ongoing enmity between us, and when we achieved something they disliked, they would say, 'The time has come for a prophet to be sent, and with him, we will kill you as the peoples of 'Ad and Iram were killed.'
We heard this often from them. When Allah sent His prophet ﷺ, we responded to his call to Allah, recognizing what they had warned us about. We preceded them in believing in him, but they disbelieved out of envy. It was regarding them and us that the verses in Surah al-Baqarah were revealed:
“Although they used to pray for victory ˹by means of the Prophet˺ over the polytheists, when there came to them a Book from Allah which they recognized, confirming the Scripture they had ˹in their hands˺, they rejected it. So may Allah’s condemnation be upon the disbelievers.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 89)."
This narration is reported by Ibn Hisham in Sirah and authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Sirah.
Another narration from Asim ibn Umar ibn Qatadah, from a man of Qurayzah, recounts the story of a Jewish man named Ibn al-Hayban. He came to Medina two years before the Prophet’s ﷺ mission. He was known for his righteousness, even though he did not prey five times a day. When rain was scarce, the people would ask him to prey for rain. He would insist on charity being given beforehand, which they would comply with. Then he would pray, and rain would fall.
Before his death, he gathered the people and said:
"Do you know why I left the land of abundance for this land of hardship? I came here in anticipation of the prophet whose time has come. This land will be his place of migration. Follow him when he appears, for he will shed blood and take captives from those who oppose him. Do not let this deter you from believing in him."
When the Prophet ﷺ besieged Qurayzah, three young men from his audience remembered his words, descended from the fortress, and accepted Islam. Their wealth and families were returned to them after the conquest.
This is narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Sunan al-Kubra and Ibn Hisham, and authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Sirah.
What Was Heard from the Monks:
Among the monks’ accounts is the story of Salman al-Farisi. He was a Zoroastrian who converted to Christianity and sought the truth. After being guided by successive Christian priests, he was directed to seek the Prophet ﷺ in Arabia. He was told:
"He does not eat charity, but he accepts gifts. He has a seal of prophethood on his shoulder. His time is near."
Salman eventually arrived in Medina, became a slave, and heard the people mentioning the Prophet ﷺ. He tested these signs and found them true, leading to his conversion to Islam.
This detailed story is also found in various authentic narrations.
