Chapter 5 -The predictions of Prophet Muhammad's coming by Soothsayers and Gnostics

 

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Second kind:

 The second kind of irhas includes the predictions of Prophet Muhammad's coming by soothsayers and Gnostics living in the period between Jesus and Muhammad's Prophethood. To a certain degree, they were considered the saints of their times. They predicted hiscoming in verse and entrusted them to later generations. There are numerous instances of this kind, but we mention only a few well-knownones that have been accepted and transmitted by historians and theProphet's biographers.

First example:

 Tubba, a Yemeni ruler, saw the Messenger's qualities inthe previous Scriptures, believed in him, wished to occupy the sameplace as 'Ali, and proclaimed his belief in the following couplet:I bear witness to Ahmad that he is a Messengerfrom God, the Creatorof humanity; Were I to live long enough to see him, I would be aminister and like acousin to him.

Second example: Quss ibn Sa'ida was the most famous and significantArab orator as well as an enlightened monotheist. Before Muhammadwas raised as a Prophet, he announced his Messengership  with these verses:

 "Among us (God) sent forth Ahmad as thebest Prophet ever raised, Upon him be God's blessings."

Third example:

Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy, one of the Messenger's ancestors, announced Muhammad's Prophethood through inspiration:

In the time of heedlessness, Muhammad will appear suddenly; He will give tidings that are all true.

Fourth example:

 The Yemeni ruler Sayf ibn Dhiyazan saw the Messenger's description in the previous Scriptures, believed in him, and loved him very much. When 'Abd al-Muttalib (the Messenger's grandfather) arrived in Yemen with a Qurayshi trade caravan, Sayf summoned them and said: "A child will be born in the Hijaz with a mark betweenhis shoulders that looks like a seal. He will be the leader of humanity." In private, he told 'Abd al-Muttalib: "You are his grandfather," thus miraculously pre-dicting Muhammad's Prophethood.

Fifth example:

God's Messenger was worried when the first Revelation came to him. His wife Khadija told Waraqa ibn Nawfal (her paternalcousin) what had happened, and he told her to send Muhammad to him. God's Messenger went to Waraqa. When he told him about the Revelation, Waraqa commented: "Good tidings to you, O Muhammad. I bearwitness that you are the expected Prophet, and that Jesus has given gladtidings about you."

Sixth example:

The Gnostic Askalan al-Himyeri always asked any Qurayshis he met: "Does someone among you claim Prophethood?" Thepeople always replied in the negative. After the Messenger declared hisProphethood, he asked them the same question. When they said thatsomeone was making such a claim, he responded: "This is the one forwhom the world has been waiting for so long."

Seventh example:

The renowned Christian scholar Ibn al-A'la predicted the Prophet before he declared Prophethood, and withoutseeing him. When he finally met the Prophet, he said: "By the One Whosent you with the truth, I found your description in the Gospel, and theVirgin Mary's son gave glad tidings about you."

Eighth example:

Abyssinia's Negus, cited earlier, said: "I wished I had been in his service rather than in possession of this kingdom."

In addition to those Gnostics who gave tidings of the future by basingtheir knowledge on Divine inspiration, those soothsayers who were allowed (until the Prophet's time) to obtain some tidings of the Unseenand the future through spirits and jinn also predicted his coming andProphethood. Out of many such instances, we cite only a few. These enjoy the certainty of tawatur in meaning and are recorded in many history books and biographies of the Prophet.

First example:

Shiqq, a famous soothsayer who looked like half a man with one eye, one hand, and one leg, repeatedly predicted Muhammad's Messengership. His reports are recorded in history books with the certainty of  tawatur  in meaning.

references:

256.Hakim, 2:388; al-Bidaya, 2:328; Shifa', 1:143.257.Ibn Hanbal, 4:304; Bukhari, 1:3.258.Shifa', 1:363.259.'Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa', 1:744.260.Shifa', 1:364; Bayhaqi, 2:285.

253.Hakim, 2:388; al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya, 2:166.254.Shifa', 1:363; al-Bidaya, 2:230; Bayhaqi, 2:101.255.Al-Bidaya, 2:244; Shifa', 1:364.