Allah's FAILURE to even UNDERSTAND the 3 Questions by the Jews

Summary:

Please note:

• Not knowing the answers is one thing.
• Providing incorrect answers is even worse.
• However, not even comprehending the questions is the worst possible outcome.

Muhammad and his Allah made this critical error by failing to understand the original questions.

The Jews asked Muhammad the following 3 Questions from The Book of Denial (The Bible).

Details:

In the 2nd part of this series of "The Test", we saw how Muhammad (and his Allah) FAILED constantly to show even a single tinniest miracle in front of the pagan Meccans, despite repetitive demand from them. Please read this 2nd part here:

• Allah's FAILURE to pass his own TEST of showing any MIRACLE to the Pagans

The pagan Meccans, in an attempt to test Muhammad's claims further, sought assistance from the Jews. The Jews sent them three challenging questions, which should serve as a Test i.e. if Muhammad could answer those questions through revelation from Allah. 

When the Meccans presented these questions to Muhammad, he struggled to provide answers for a period of 15 days (as he was gathering information from people, instead of getting any information through revelation).

The actual situation was as under:

1. Muhammad neither knew the answers to the three questions nor was he in contact with any Allah or angel.
2. Consequently, Muhammad began enquiring about those questions from others (and the Quran (verse 18:22) is itself a witness of this action of Muhammad). It took him 15 days to gather some information about those 3 questions. 
3. Later Muhammad made an excuse that he was unable to answer the questions the next day, as he had forgotten to say Insha-Allah (if God wills). And he claimed that a puppy entering his house prevented Gabriel from delivering the answers.

However, those answers from Muhammad (which consisted of alleged divine revelation), were not only "incomplete", but Muhammad (and his Allah) were not even able to understand the original Jewish questions. 

Background of the 3 Jewish Questions:

(The following information is provided by Adam ElMasri in his video (Link), along with some additions made by us to make things more clear to our readers)

The First Question from the Book of Daniel:

Long before the advent of Islam, Christians and Jews spent a great deal of time compiling, classifying, and canonizing the books of the Bible. However, just a few decades before the rise of Islam, a fascinating dispute emerged between Christians and Jews. The Jewish Bible is divided into three parts:

1. Torah (The first five books, containing the Law)
2. Ketuvim (Meaning "The Writings")
3. Nevi'im (Meaning "The Prophets")

When it came time to classify the Book of Daniel, an intense disagreement broke out between certain Jewish Rabbis, other Jewish sects, and Christians regarding whether the Book of Daniel should be placed in the Nevi'im (the section of the Prophets) or included in the Ketuvim (The Writings).

In simple terms, the core debate was about whether Daniel was truly a prophet or not, as the Book of Daniel states that the Holy Spirit showed him "visions." According to the Bible, prophets were shown visions.

Ultimately, despite the visions, the Jews did not recognize Daniel as a prophet and included the Book of Daniel in the Ketuvim. The Christians, however, included it in the Nevi'im (the list of Prophets). This dispute continued for decades.

According to Jewish Rabbis, there is a clear distinction between visions seen in a dream and revelation (Wahi) received through the Holy Spirit (Ruach ha Kodesh). A prophet is only someone to whom the Holy Spirit gives a message through revelation, not someone who merely experiences visions in a dream.

In Jewish literature, the Holy Spirit is sometimes simply called "The Spirit" (Al Ruh). This was the very Spirit about which the Jews questioned Muhammad, but Muhammad (and his Allah) had no idea what they were actually asking about.

Thus, the prophethood of Daniel was a major controversial issue, and this dispute persisted until a few decades before Muhammad’s arrival. The Jews believed that if Muhammad were truly a prophet of Allah, he would be able to resolve this issue. Therefore, they put this question to him. However, Muhammad disappeared for 15 days, during which he tried to gather information from various people, but he could find no lead. Finally, he returned with this answer:

"They ask you about the Spirit. Say, 'The Spirit is by command of my Lord, and you have been given but little knowledge.'" (Quran 17:85)

In effect, instead of giving a clear answer to the question, Muhammad brushed the matter aside by claiming that humans have been given very little knowledge regarding the Spirit.

The 2nd Question from the Book of Daniel:

At that time, two famous but somewhat similar stories existed.

1. The first story was found in the Book of Daniel in the Bible, which mentioned three young, righteous, and pious Jews (Daniel 3:8-30).
2. The second story was known as "The Legend of the Sleepers of Ephesus" (referred to in Arabic as Ashab al-Kahf). This story spoke of seven righteous and pious Christian men, though some traditions mention eight. This legend was not part of the Bible. Jews did not believe in it and actually opposed it because it featured faithful Christians, whom Jews considered their adversaries.

The Jews questioned Muhammad about the first story, which was the account of the three devout Jewish youths in the Book of Daniel. However, Muhammad and his Allah became confused. They thought the question referred to the second story, the Christian legend of the "People of the Cave."

Muhammad fell into this confusion because there are strong similarities between the two stories.

1. Faith and Divine Protection:

• In the Book of Daniel, the three Jewish youths (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were cast into a blazing furnace for refusing to worship a golden idol made by King Nebuchadnezzar.
• The People of the Cave Christian legend (not part of the Bible) describes seven or eight young Christians who hid in a cave to protect their faith.

Miraculous Preservation:

• The three Jewish youths survived despite being thrown into the fire.
• The People of the Cave slept for several centuries and woke up without any physical changes.

Because Muhammad was asking others for the answers to these questions, he became deeply confused after hearing both types of stories from his informants. As a result, he mixed the two stories together and stated the number of people in the Quran as being anywhere from three to eight.

"Some will say they were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and some will say they were five, the sixth of them being their dog, guessing at the unseen. And some will say they were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog. Say, 'My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few.' So do not argue about them except with a superficial argument and do not inquire about them from any of them." (Quran 18:22)

This raises several important questions:

1. Why only a "superficial" discussion?
Why is Allah telling his prophet not to engage in any debate or discussion except a superficial one?

2. Why was Muhammad questioning others?
This is the most fundamental question. If an angel was truly bringing answers from Allah, why did Muhammad need to spend 15 days questioning people? People began to mock the situation, noticing that Muhammad was asking various people for information while claiming the eventual answer was from Allah. When people started ridiculing Muhammad’s Allah, Muhammad took the blame upon himself to protect Allah from criticism, suggesting he was the one inquiring, while Allah later forbade him from doing so.

3. If Allah knew the exact number, why did he not state it clearly?

On one hand, Muhammad says that Allah knows the correct number, but on the other hand, Allah avoided stating that number. The question is: if Allah knew the truth, why not clarify it? What catastrophe would have occurred if Allah had simply stated the correct number?

4. Where did the count of three to eight come from?

• The Book of Daniel mentioned three youths.
• The legend of the People of the Cave mentioned seven (or in some versions, eight) individuals.
• Muhammad combined both stories and gave a range of three to eight.

5. If this legend was not part of the Bible and Jews did not believe in it, how could they have asked about it?

This is another major flaw. The story of the People of the Cave was an unauthenticated Christian tradition. It was not in the Bible. Despite this, Muhammad presented it as an answer to a Jewish question, even though Jews did not believe in it. To Jews, this story was unauthentic and unacceptable because it glorified faithful Christians. Jews regarded Jesus as a false prophet and his followers as misguided. To expect Jews to use a Christian legend to verify a prophet would be like Muslims in the future asking a prophet about a miracle story involving Mirza Ghulam Ahmad to verify his prophethood. Is that even plausible?

The 3rd Question from the Book of Daniel:

Then the Jews questioned Muhammad and his Allah about the vision of the two-horned ram found in the Book of Daniel (Bible). However, Muhammad and his Allah once again fell into confusion, assuming the question was about Alexander the Great, who was known in history as the "two-horned one."

The Jews asked Muhammad about a vision mentioned in the Book of Daniel that featured a ram with two horns.

1. The Ram Seen in the Vision:

The Book of Daniel, in verses 3 and 4, describes the ram seen in this vision:

"I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great."

2. The Interpretation of the Vision:

The interpretation of this vision is clearly stated later in the same Book of Daniel, in verse 20:

"The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia... (further explanation followed, stating that) In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power."

Because Muhammad was unlettered (and there was no such thing as an All-Knowing Allah), he mistook this for the story of Alexander the Great because, historically, Alexander was called "the two-horned one."

In Greek culture, Alexander the Great was depicted with horns, which were considered symbols of divinity and power. For instance, coins from Alexander's era show him with the horns of a ram, which were associated with the Egyptian god Ammon. When Alexander reached the Siwa Oasis, he was declared the son of Ammon, and this "horned" symbol was used to represent the divinity of his rule.

The Quranic Arabic term "Dhul-Qarnayn" itself literally means "The Two-Horned One."

Muhammad then recounted the entire story of Dhul-Qarnayn, in which "The Two-Horned One" first travels toward the west, and no one can stand before him. Then he travels toward the east, and still, no one can oppose him. After that, he travels toward the north, and there too, no one has the strength to stand against him.

The story of Dhul-Qarnayn is detailed in Surah Al-Kahf (Chapter 18), verses 83 to 101.

In the Quran, Dhul-Qarnayn is presented as a righteous and powerful king who acts with divine wisdom and justice during his expeditions.

During his final and most famous expedition to the north, Dhul-Qarnayn arrives at a valley situated between two mountains. There, he meets a people who ask for his help against Gog and Magog (Ya’juj wa Ma’juj) because these tribes were spreading corruption and destruction across the land. Dhul-Qarnayn agrees to help them and builds a massive wall made of iron and molten copper, which imprisons Gog and Magog between the mountains. Dhul-Qarnayn then declares that this wall will stand until the Day of Judgment, and when the command of Allah comes, the wall will collapse (implying that, according to the Quran, Dhul-Qarnayn was a firm believer).

However, Muhammad (and his Allah) failed to provide a clear answer regarding the true identity of Dhul-Qarnayn, leading to a state of perpetual confusion among Muslims.

The vague answer provided by the Quran and Muhammad sparked a never-ending debate of uncertainty. A prominent manifestation of this confusion is the various contradictory statements that emerged from time to time.

The First Contradiction:
Muslim commentators initially claimed that Dhul-Qarnayn was actually Alexander the Great. But later, a problem arose: historical and archaeological evidence proved that Alexander the Great was not a pious believer like the Dhul-Qarnayn of the Quranic story. Instead, contrary to the Quran, he was a polytheist who considered himself the son of Greek and Egyptian gods.

The Second Contradiction:
When the polytheism of Alexander the Great became indefensible for Muslim commentators, they attempted to shift the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn from Alexander to Cyrus the Great of Persia.

But this claim was also devoid of solid evidence and contained several fundamental flaws. On the contrary, clear evidence suggests that this story was actually taken from a Syriac legendary tradition of Alexander the Great known as the Legend of Alexander. Indeed, in this Christian mythological tale, Alexander was first portrayed as a pious believer who was not a polytheist but had complete faith in Allah. By Muhammad’s time, this Christian myth had spread widely, so Muhammad simply recounted what he had heard from people.

Furthermore, Cyrus the Great of Persia cannot be the Quranic Dhul-Qarnayn because, like Alexander, he was a believer in various gods and goddesses. He not only tolerated non-Islamic religions but actually patronized them.

Consequently, for centuries, Muslims have been victims of these contradictions and uncertainties (and even today, they still do not know who Dhul-Qarnayn really was).

Islamist Objection: "How Can You Be Sure That the Jews Asked Questions from the Book of Daniel?"

The Islamist apologists raise the following objection here:

"But how do you know that they were asking about the Book of Daniel? It seems as though you yourself have simply claimed that these questions were asked by the Jews from the Book of Daniel."

Our Response:

Using basic human common sense is sufficient for anyone to understand the truth.

Muslims did not preserve any Jewish or pagan oral traditions for future generations, which could have clarified their perspective. Therefore, we are left with only the Quran and Islamic traditions. However, as human beings we possess reason, and we can draw conclusions from circumstantial evidence using common sense.

Please consider the following questions:

1. Why would the Jews ask about an unauthentic Christian Legend when they had their own original scripture (the Torah) available to them?
2. Christian stories were unacceptable to the Jews, because they considered Christians to be neither righteous nor people of true faith.
3. Why did Muhammad and his Allah become confused about the number of people?
4. Why does the Quran mention exactly those same numbers (3 to 8) that appear differently across the stories of Daniel and the "People of the Cave"?
5. What harm would have come if Allah had simply stated the correct number?
6. Why would the Jews take any interest in an "infidel" Alexander the Great and his conquests, and why would they ask about him? Alexander the Great was not a sacred figure for the Jews but rather a polytheist ruler who worshipped Greek gods and goddesses and considered himself their son.
7. No figure exists anywhere in all of human history who resembles the Quranic Dhulqarnain, being both a true believer and a conqueror of the entire world.
8. And what interest could the Jews possibly have had in asking about the "Human Spirit"? In reality, the question of far greater importance to them was whether the "Spirit of God" (i.e. the visions/revelations sent by God) constitutes proof of a person's prophethood or not.

When we look at all these contradictions in light of the Book of Daniel, every single one of them instantly disappears, and all the questions begin to make perfect logical sense.

How Many Polytheists or Jews Accepted Islam upon Considering Muhammad's 3 Answers as a Miracle?

The answer is: None whatsoever.

Whether it was the polytheists of Mecca or the Jews of Medina who came later, they continued to demand miracles from Muhammad, and the Quran itself bears witness to this.

The Quran also bears witness to the fact that neither Muhammad nor his Allah showed even a single miracle to the people of Mecca or to the Jews of Medina. In fact, within the Quran itself, Allah keeps making various excuses for why Muhammad and Allah are not showing any miracle, such as claiming that the ancestors of these people had witnessed miracles yet still refused to believe, and so on.

Therefore, if these 3 answers had genuinely contained miraculous information (which would have been impossible to obtain without divine revelation), then Muhammad himself would have presented these answers as proof of a miracle before the people of Mecca and the Jews. Yet he never once did so.

At this point, all readers are strongly encouraged to read this article so that the issue of "miracles" becomes even clearer:

• Allah's FAILURE to pass his own TEST of showing a Miracle

If Muhammad had miraculously provided answers to these three questions through divine revelation, it would logically be expected that a large number of the people of Mecca and the Jews of Medina would have accepted Islam, because such a miracle would have proven that Muhammad was indeed a prophet sent by Allah.

Was There Any Miraculous Information in the Three Answers Given by Muhammad?

Reflect on this yourself:

• If Muhammad responded to the question about the Spirit in the Quran with this vague and hollow answer: "The Spirit is from my Lord, and you have been given very little knowledge about it," then what information did he actually provide that could be considered miraculous?
• And in response to the question about the ram with two horns, Muhammad narrated in the Quran the story of a believing Dhulqarnain whom no one in the entire world, including Jews and Christians, has ever been able to identify to this day. So what miraculous information was contained in that?
• Similarly, the story of the People of the Cave (Ashab-e-Kahf) was already well known among people, as was the story of the 3 young Jewish men. So if after 15 days Muhammad mixed both of these stories together in the Quran and stated their number as anywhere from 3 to 8, what miraculous information was present in that?

Please ask yourself this question: would it not have been entirely possible for any person making a false claim of prophethood to gather such superficial (non-miraculous) information from others over the course of 15 days?

Evidence That Muhammad Was Inquiring from People and Engaging in Discussion:

Rather than relying on divine revelation, Muhammad spent those 15 days going from person to person, asking questions and "gathering information." This evidence is found in the latter part of verse 18:22 of Surah Al-Kahf.

Some will say they were three, the fourth being their dog; and some will say they were five, the sixth being their dog, guessing at the unseen; and some will say they were seven, and the eighth was their dog. Say: My Lord knows best their number. None knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with a clear argument, and do not inquire about them from anyone among them. (Quran 18:22)

This verse is itself a witness that during those 15 days Muhammad was going around asking people questions and collecting information. But when he was unable to gather "reliable" information even from people, and became "confused" about the number of individuals due to the conflicting stories he was hearing, Muhammad then fabricated an excuse within the Quranic verse to escape this confusion. He instructed that one should not "ask" anyone about the "number" of the People of the Cave, and should only engage in "passing" conversation about their number, and move on by saying that only Allah knows their number, and that Allah does not wish to reveal that number to people.

After all of this, can any doubt remain that there is no "All-Knowing and All-Aware" Allah up in the heavens, and that it was Muhammad himself who was fabricating the "revelation"?

Credit:

All credit goes to Adam ElMasri for his video on this subject. This whole article is based on his video (with some additions from us for clarity and better understanding). Please watch his video here (link):

Islamic Apologist: The Meccan Polytheist didn't ask any 3 Questions, and no DELAY of 15 day occurred in any incident

An Islamic apologist argued:

The narration you referenced (from Al-Suyuti regarding the three questions by the Meccans) is classified as weak, as noted by the Islam Q&A website.

Additionally, only one question—regarding Ruh—was asked of the Prophet, and it was not by the Quraysh in Mecca but later by the Jews in Medina.

Sahih al-Bukhari 4721: Narrated `Abdullah: While I was in the company of the Prophet (ﷺ) on a farm and he was reclining on a palm leave stalk, some Jews passed by. Some of them said to the others. "Ask him (the Prophet (ﷺ) about the spirit." Some of them said, "What urges you to ask him about it" Others said, "(Don't) lest he should give you a reply which you dislike." But they said, "Ask him." So they asked him about the Spirit. The Prophet (ﷺ) kept quiet and did not give them any answer. I knew that he was being divinely inspired so I stayed at my place. When the divine inspiration had been revealed, the Prophet (ﷺ) said. "They ask you (O, Muhammad) concerning the Spirit, Say: "The spirit," its knowledge is with my Lord; and of knowledge you (mankind) have been given only a Little. (Verse 17.85)"

Furthermore, there was no 15-day delay in revelation in any incident. The Prophet immediately responded with the answer regarding the Ruh.

Here is our response:

1. Muslims narrators used to FABRICATE Ahadith:

It's important to recognize that Hadiths were exclusively compiled by Muslims, who had complete freedom to fabricate them in order to defend their religion from criticism.

There was no external verification process to independently authenticate any Hadith.

However, in some cases, fabricated Hadiths were exposed due to severe internal contradictions or contradictions with the Quran. On our website, we have documented examples of such cases:

• Contradictory Ahadith on the Sacrificed Son:
  Our article highlights how 131 Hadiths claimed that Isaac was the son who was to be sacrificed, but later 133 Hadiths were fabricated to assert that Ishmael was the one. This resulted in a total of 133 contradictory Hadiths, revealing their fabrication through internal inconsistency.

• The Myth of the Moon Splitting:
  Another article on our site presents overwhelming evidence that Hadiths cannot be trusted. Numerous so-called "Sahih" Hadiths—including those in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim—claim that Muhammad performed the miracle of splitting the moon for the Meccan pagans. However, these claims are debunked by their direct contradiction with the Quran.

These examples demonstrate that Hadiths, even those labeled as "authentic," are prone to fabrication and inconsistencies.

2. Surah 17 revealed in Mecca and not in Medina

Here is the verse:

Quran 17:85:

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little."

However, according to Muslim Scholars, Surah 17 (Bani Israel) was revealed in Mecca and not in Medina (link).

3. Another Sahih Hadith claims verse 17:85 was revealed in Mecca

The following Sahih Hadith from Jami' Tirmidhi claims that it were not the Jews in Medina, but the Quraish in Mecca who asked Muhammad about Ruh. 

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3140:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: "The Quraish said to the Jews: 'Give us something that we can ask this man about.' So he said: 'Ask him about the Ruh.' So they (i.e. Quraish of Mecca) asked him about the Ruh. So Allah Most High, revealed: They ask you concerning the Ruh. Say: The Ruh is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you have been given only a little (17:85).

Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)

4. There are 3 Traditions about this Incident:

It is not a singular tradition, but Imam Syuti recorded 3 traditions about this incident. 

The 1s Tradition is from Ibn Abbas. Imam Syuti recorded in his Tafsir Dure al-Manthur, vol. 5, page 357: 

وَأخرج ابْن إِسْحَق وَابْن جرير وَابْن الْمُنْذر وَأَبُو نعيم وَالْبَيْهَقِيّ كِلَاهُمَا فِي الدَّلَائِل عَن ابْن عَبَّاس قَالَ: بعثت قُرَيْش النَّضر بن الْحَارِث وَعقبَة بن أبي معيط إِلَى أَحْبَار يهود بِالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالُوا: سلوهم عَن مُحَمَّد وصفوا لَهُم صفته وأخبروهم بقوله فَإِنَّهُم أهل الْكتاب الأول وَعِنْدهم علم مَا لَيْسَ عندنَا من علم الْأَنْبِيَاء فَخَرَجَا حَتَّى أَتَيَا الْمَدِينَة فسألا أَحْبَار يهود عَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم ووصفا لَهُم أمره وَبَعض قَوْله وَقَالا: إِنَّكُم أهل التَّوْرَاة وَقد جئناكم لتخبرونا عَن صاحبنا هَذَا
فَقَالُوا لَهما: سلوه عَن ثَلَاث فَإِن أخْبركُم بِهن فَهُوَ نَبِي مُرْسل وَإِن لم يفعل فالرجل متقول
فروا فِيهِ رَأْيكُمْ
سلوه عَن فتية ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْر الأول مَا كَانَ من أَمرهم فَإِنَّهُ قد كَانَ لَهُم حَدِيث عَجِيب
وَسَلُوهُ عَن رجل طواف بلغ مَشَارِق الأَرْض وَمَغَارِبهَا مَا كَانَ نبؤه وَسَلُوهُ عَن الرّوح مَا هُوَ فَإِن أخْبركُم بذلك فَإِنَّهُ نَبِي فَاتَّبعُوهُ وَإِلَّا فَهُوَ متقول
فَأقبل النَّضر وَعقبَة حَتَّى قدما قُرَيْش فَقَالَا: يَا معشر قُرَيْش قد جئناكم بفصل مَا بَيْنكُم وَبَين مُحَمَّد قد أمرنَا أَحْبَار يهود أَن نَسْأَلهُ عَن أُمُور - فأخبراهم بهَا - فجاؤوا رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّد أخبرنَا - فَسَأَلُوهُ عَمَّا أمروهم بِهِ - فَقَالَ لَهُم رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: أخْبركُم غَدا بِمَا سَأَلْتُم عَنهُ - وَلم يسْتَثْن - فانصرفوا عَنهُ وَمكث رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم خمس عشرَة لَيْلَة لَا يحدث الله إِلَيْهِ فِي ذَلِك وَحيا وَلَا يَأْتِيهِ جِبْرِيل حَتَّى أرجف أهل مَكَّة وأحزن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم مكث الْوَحْي عَنهُ وشق عَلَيْهِ مَا يتَكَلَّم بِهِ أهل مَكَّة ثمَّ جَاءَ جِبْرِيل من الله عز وَجل بِسُورَة أَصْحَاب الْكَهْف فِيهَا مُعَاتَبَته إِيَّاه على حزنه عَلَيْهِم وَخبر مَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنهُ من أَمر الْفتية وَالرجل الطّواف وَقَول الله: (ويسألونك عَن الرّوح) (الْإِسْرَاء الْآيَة ٨٥) الْآيَة

Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Abu Nu‘aym, and al-Bayhaqi (both in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah) narrated from Ibn Abbas who said:

The Quraysh sent al-Nadr ibn al-Harith and ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt to the Jewish rabbis in Medina and said to them:
"Ask them about Muhammad, describe him to them, and inform them about his words. Since they are the people of the first scripture (the Torah), they have knowledge that we do not possess about the prophets."

So the two men set out and reached Medina, where they asked the Jewish rabbis about the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They described his affairs and some of his sayings and said:
"You are the people of the Torah, and we have come to ask you about this man."

The rabbis responded:
"Ask him about three things. If he answers them, he is indeed a true prophet, and if he does not, then he is an imposter—judge him as you see fit."

1. Ask him about a group of young men who lived in ancient times—what happened to them? Their story is remarkable.
2. Ask him about a great traveler who journeyed to the east and west—what is his story?
3. Ask him about the nature of the spirit (ruh)—what is it?

If he gives you the answers, then he is a prophet, so follow him. But if he does not, then he is merely making things up.

So al-Nadr and ‘Uqbah returned to the Quraysh and said:
"O people of Quraysh! We have brought you decisive proof concerning Muhammad. The Jewish rabbis instructed us to ask him about certain matters."

They then went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked him the questions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied:
"I will tell you the answers tomorrow."
However, he did not say ‘if Allah wills’ (In sha' Allah).

They left him, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained for fifteen nights without receiving any revelation from Allah regarding these matters. Jibreel (Gabriel) did not come to him, and the people of Mecca began to spread rumors and doubt, causing the Prophet great distress.

Then, Jibreel finally came down with the revelation of Surah Al-Kahf, which contained:

• Allah's reproach to the Prophet for his sadness over them.
• The story of the young men (the People of the Cave).
• The story of the great traveler (Dhul-Qarnayn).
• The verse regarding the question about the spirit (ruh): "And they ask you about the spirit..." (Surah Al-Isra, 17:85).

The 2nd tradition is again from Ibn Abbas. Imam Syuti records in his Tafsir Dure al-Manthur, vol 5, page 358:

وَأخرج أَبُو نعيم فِي الدَّلَائِل من طَرِيق السّديّ الصَّغِير عَن الْكَلْبِيّ عَن أبي صَالح عَن ابْن عَبَّاس: أَن قُريْشًا بعثوا خَمْسَة رَهْط - مِنْهُم عقبَة بن أبي معيط وَالنضْر بن الْحَارِث - يسْأَلُون الْيَهُود عَن رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم ووصفوا لَهُم صفته فَقَالُوا لَهُم: نجد نَعته وَصفته ومبعثه فِي التَّوْرَاة فَإِن كَانَ كَمَا وصفتم لنا فَهُوَ نَبِي مُرْسل وَأمره حق فَاتبعهُ وَلَكِن سلوه عَن ثَلَاث خِصَال فَإِنَّهُ يُخْبِركُمْ بخصلتين وَلَا يُخْبِركُمْ بالثالثة
ان كَانَ نَبيا فَإنَّا قد سَأَلنَا مُسَيْلمَة الْكذَّاب عَن هَؤُلَاءِ الثَّلَاث فَلم يدر مَا هِيَ
فَرَجَعت الرُّسُل إِلَى قُرَيْش بِهَذَا الْخَبَر من الْيَهُود فَأتوا رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّد أخبرنَا عَن ذِي القرنين الَّذِي بلغ الْمشرق وَالْمغْرب وَأخْبرنَا عَن الرّوح وَأخْبرنَا عَن أَصْحَاب الْكَهْف
فَقَالَ: أخْبركُم بذلك غَدا
وَلم يقل إِن شَاءَ الله
فَأَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِ جِبْرِيل خَمْسَة عشر يَوْمًا فَلم يَأْته لترك الِاسْتِثْنَاء فشق ذَلِك على رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم ثمَّ أَتَاهُ جِبْرِيل عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام بِمَا سَأَلُوهُ فَقَالَ: يَا جِبْرِيل أَبْطَأت عَليّ
فَقَالَ: بتركك الِاسْتِثْنَاء أَلا تَقول: إِن شَاءَ الله قَالَ: (وَلَا تقولن لشَيْء إِنِّي فَاعل ذَلِك غَدا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاء الله) (الْكَهْف آيَة ٢٣) ثمَّ أخبرهُ عَن حَدِيث ذِي القرنين وَخبر الرّوح وَأَصْحَاب الْكَهْف ثمَّ أرسل إِلَى قُرَيْش فَأتوهُ فَأخْبرهُم عَن حَدِيث ذِي القرنين وَقَالَ لَهُم: الرّوح من أَمر رَبِّي يَقُول: من علم رَبِّي لَا علم لي بِهِ فَلَمَّا وَافق قَول الْيَهُود أَنه لَا يُخْبِركُمْ بالثالث (قَالُوا: سحران تظاهرا) (الْقَصَص آيَة ٤٨) تعاونا - يَعْنِي التَّوْرَاة وَالْفرْقَان - (وَقَالُوا: إِنَّا بِكُل كافرون) (الْقَصَص آيَة ٤٨) وَحَدَّثَهُمْ بِحَدِيث أَصْحَاب الْكَهْف

Abu Nu‘aym narrated in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah through al-Suddi al-Saghir, from al-Kalbi, from Abu Salih, from Ibn Abbas:

The Quraysh sent five men, including ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt and al-Nadr ibn al-Harith, to ask the Jews about the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and to describe him to them.

The Jewish rabbis said:
"We find his description, attributes, and prophethood mentioned in the Torah. If he is as you have described, then he is a true prophet, and his message is genuine—so follow him. However, ask him about three matters: he will inform you about two of them but will not answer the third."

"If he is truly a prophet, he will be able to answer, because we asked Musaylima the Liar the same three questions, and he had no knowledge of them."

The messengers returned to Quraysh with this information from the Jews. Then, they went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked:

1. Tell us about Dhul-Qarnayn, the man who traveled to the east and the west.
2. Tell us about the spirit (ruh).
3. Tell us about the People of the Cave.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"I will tell you tomorrow."

However, he did not say, ‘If Allah wills’ (In sha' Allah).

As a result, Jibreel (Gabriel) did not come to him for fifteen days, delaying revelation because the Prophet did not say "if Allah wills." This caused the Prophet great distress.

Then, Jibreel finally came with the revelation containing the answers to their questions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"O Jibreel, why did you delay in coming to me?"

Jibreel replied:
"Because you did not say, ‘If Allah wills.’ Did you not hear Allah’s words?"

"And do not say about anything, ‘I will do that tomorrow,’ except by adding, ‘If Allah wills.’" (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:23)

Then, Jibreel informed him about:

• The story of Dhul-Qarnayn.
• The nature of the spirit (ruh), saying: "The spirit is from the command of my Lord, and I have no knowledge of it except what my Lord has revealed."
• The story of the People of the Cave.

The Prophet then sent for the Quraysh, and they came to him. He informed them about Dhul-Qarnayn and answered their questions.

However, when he told them that the spirit is from the knowledge of Allah and that he could not provide further details, the Quraysh repeated the claim of the Jews that he would not be able to answer the third question.

Then they said:

"These are two works of magic supporting each other." (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:48)

(They meant the Torah and the Qur'an were aiding each other.)

They also said:

"Indeed, we disbelieve in both." (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:48)

Then, the Prophet narrated to them the story of the People of the Cave.

And the 3rd tradition is from Mujahid. Imam Syuti recorded in his Tafsir Dure al-Manthur, vol. 5, page 377:

أخرج ابن المنذرعن مجاهد، أن قريشاً اجتمعت فقالوا: " يا محمد، قد رغبت عن ديننا ودين آبائنا، فما هذا الدين الذي جئت به؟ قال: هذا دين جئت به من الرحمن. فقالوا: إنا لا نعرف الرحمن، إلا رحمن اليمامة - يعنون مسيلمة الكذاب - ثم كاتبوا اليهود فقالوا: قد نبغ فينا رجل يزعم أنه نبي، وقد رغب عن ديننا ودين آبائنا، ويزعم أن الذي جاء به من الرحمن. قلنا: لا نعرف الرحمن إلا رحمن اليمامة، وهو أمين لا يخون.. وفيّ لا يغدر.. صدوق لا يكذب، وهو في حسب وثروة من قومه، فاكتبوا إلينا بأشياء نسأله عنها. فاجتمعت يهود فقالوا: إن هذا لوصفه وزمانه الذي يخرج فيه. فكتبوا إلى قريش: أن سلوه عن أمر أصحاب الكهف، وعن ذي القرنين، وعن الروح. فإن يكن الذي أتاكم به من الرحمن، فإن الرحمن هو الله عز وجل، وإن يكن من رحمن اليمامة فينقطع. فلما أتى ذلك قريشاً أتى الظفر في أنفسها فقالوا: يا محمد، قد رغبت عن ديننا ودين آبائك... فحدثنا عن أمر أصحاب الكهف وذي القرنين والروح. قال: ائتوني غداً. ولم يستثن، فمكث جبريل عنه ما شاء الله لا يأتيه، ثم أتاه فقال: سألوني عن أشياء لم يكن عندي بها علم فأجيب حتى شق ذلك عليّ. قال: ألم ترنا لا ندخل بيتاً فيه كلب ولا صورة؟ - وكان في البيت جرو كلب - ونزلت { ولا تقولن لشيء إني فاعل ذلك غداً إلا أن يشاء الله واذكر ربك إذا نسيت وقل عسى أن يهدين ربي لأقرب من هذا رشداً } من علم الذي سألتموني عنه أن يأتي قبل غد؟ ونزل ما ذكر من أصحاب الكهف ونزل{ ويسألونك عن الروح... } [الإسراء: 85] الآية ".

Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Mujahid that Quraysh gathered together and said:
"O Muhammad, you have turned away from our religion and the religion of our forefathers. What is this religion you have brought?"
He replied:
"This is the religion I have brought from the Most Merciful."
They said:
"We do not know the Most Merciful except for the Most Merciful of Yamamah," referring to Musaylimah the Liar.

Then, they wrote to the Jews saying:
"A man has emerged among us who claims to be a prophet, and he has turned away from our religion and the religion of our forefathers. He claims that what he has brought is from the Most Merciful. We say: we know of no Most Merciful except for the Most Merciful of Yamamah. He is honest and does not betray; he is loyal and never deceives; truthful and never lies, and he is from a respectable and wealthy tribe. Write to us asking him about some matters."

The Jews gathered and said:
"This description fits the time and circumstances in which he is emerging."

So, they wrote to Quraysh:
"Ask him about the People of the Cave, about Dhul-Qarnayn, and about the spirit. If what he brings is from the Most Merciful, then the Most Merciful is Allah, the Exalted. But if it is from the Most Merciful of Yamamah, it will end."

When this message came to Quraysh, they felt a sense of victory within themselves and said:
"O Muhammad, you have turned away from our religion and the religion of our forefathers... Now tell us about the People of the Cave, Dhul-Qarnayn, and the spirit."

He said:
"Come to me tomorrow."

But he did not say, "If Allah wills."
Then, Jibreel delayed coming to him for as long as Allah wished. The Prophet felt troubled.

Then Jibreel came and said:
"They asked me about matters I had no knowledge of, and I was waiting for the revelation to respond to them, but it caused me great distress."

He continued:
"Did you not see that we do not enter a house that contains a dog or an image?" (The house had a puppy in it).

Then, the verse was revealed:

"And do not say about anything, ‘I will do that tomorrow,’ except by adding, ‘If Allah wills.’ And remember your Lord when you forget, and say, ‘Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this in guidance.’" (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:23)

He was informed about the People of the Cave and the story of Dhul-Qarnayn, and also the verse:

"And they ask you about the spirit..." (Surah Al-Isra, 17:85)

5. The Verses 18:23-24 "If Allah Wills" is itself a proof of DELAY

Islamic apologists have claimed that no delay occurred during any incident. However, the verses 18:23-24 provide clear evidence that a delay did indeed happen.

These verses are positioned between the verses about the People of the Cave, as seen below:

• Verse 18:22: They will say there were three, the fourth of them being their dog; and they will say there were five, the sixth of them being their dog - guessing at the unseen; and they will say there were seven, and the eighth of them was their dog. Say, [O Muhammad], "My Lord is most knowing of their number. None knows them except a few. So do not argue about them except with an obvious argument and do not inquire (arabic:  تَسۡتَفۡتِ) about them from anyone among them."
• Verse 18:23: And never say about anything that, “I will do this tomorrow.” (Arabic: وَلَا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَا۟ىْءٍ إِنِّى فَاعِلٌ ذَٰلِكَ غَدًا)
• Verse 18:24: Except [when adding], "If Allah wills." [Arabic: إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ] ...
• Verse 18:25: And they remained in their cave for three hundred years and exceeded by nine.

These verses demonstrate that a delay did occur in this incident. Specifically, Muhammad forgot to say "If Allah wills" when claiming he would provide the answer the next day, which is the very reason the verses were revealed. Thus, this is a direct acknowledgment of delay.

6. Rational Thinking Indicates that the Pagan Meccans Could Not Have Inquired About Ruh, Dhulqarnain, or the People of the Cave on Their Own

It is commonly accepted by Islamic scholars that Surah 17 (Bani Israel) and Surah 18 (Al-Kahf) were revealed in Mecca. When considering the nature of the Meccan society and their beliefs, it becomes clear that the pagan Meccans would not have independently come up with the three specific questions mentioned in these surahs. The only logical explanation for these inquiries is that the Meccans received these questions from the Jews of Medina. This further suggests that the historical accounts surrounding this incident are indeed accurate.

1. Ruh (Spirit):

The polytheists of Mecca had no interest in the concept of Ruh (the spirit) because it was not part of their belief system. Their focus was primarily on their idols and their polytheistic practices. They had little to no engagement with abstract spiritual matters or theological discussions like those found in other traditions. On the other hand, the Jews of Medina, who had a deep knowledge of religious texts and spiritual concepts, were quite familiar with the idea of the Ruh, as it was an essential part of Jewish theology.

The Meccans' sudden interest in asking about Ruh can only be explained by external influence. They did not naturally inquire about it on their own; instead, it is highly likely that they were prompted by the Jews of Medina, who had an established interest in such matters. This suggests that the two groups—Meccans and Jews—were in some form of communication, and the Meccans were guided by the Jews’ knowledge in raising these specific questions.

2. Dhulqarnain (The Two-Horned One):

The question about Dhulqarnain also doesn't fit with the worldview of the Meccan polytheists. Dhulqarnain is depicted as a righteous and God-fearing individual (a Momin), known for his acts of justice and his defense of faith. If the Meccans had truly believed in such a person, who undertook significant missions for the sake of God, they would have also believed in God Himself. 

In contrast, the Jews had a vested interest in asking about the Vision of the Two-Horned Ram, as was present in their Jewish Bible. Thus, the Jewish community was more likely to have posed this question as a test of Muhammad’s knowledge or as a way to challenge his claims.

3. The People of Cave/ The 3 believing Young Jewish men:

The Meccan polytheists, who were steeped in idol worship, would not have had any reason to ask about a group of believing young men who had supposedly hidden away in a cave. The idea of pious individuals, especially Christians, being involved in such a miraculous event would have been foreign to their beliefs. How could they have asked about the People of the Cave on their own, given their lack of interest in such matters?

Moreover, please ponder upon it:

• The original story in the Book of Daniel involved 3 young men.
• The Legend of the Sleepers of Ephesus involved 7 people (with some versions mentioning 8), who were sleeping in the cave.
• Thus, Muhammad mixed both of these stories and came to the figures of 3 to 8 in the Quran. 
• Please also ask this question, what potential harm would have arisen if Allah had revealed the precise numbers of the people in the cave? 

Once again, it is evident that the Meccans' inquiry originated from the Jews of Medina, who were actually referring to the story of three devout Jewish men who were miraculously saved from the fire.