Chapter 1 - General Questions From the Noble Quran

  

  

The Jews knew about the Prophet whom Allah the Almighty was going to send, so Quraish sent men to the Jews in Madina to ask them about Muhammad PBUH. They told them to ask him about three things which, if he answers correctly, then he is indeed a Prophet but if he doesn’t then he is not a prophet. What were the three questions they told them to ask him to confirm that he was the last Prophet? بعثت قريش النضْر بن الـحارث، وعُقبة بن أبـي معيط إلـى أحبـار يهود بـالـمدينة فسألوا أحبـار يهودَ عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقالت لهم أحبـار يهود: “سلوه عن ثلاث نأمركم بهنّ، فإن أخبركم بهنّ فهو نبـيّ مرسل، وإن لـم يفعل فـالرجل متقوّل. ما هي الأمور الثلاث التي سألوه عنها؟

148 views 0 February 19, 2023 Updated on March 1, 2026

What were the three questions the Jews asked the Prophet to confirm his Prophethood?

ما هي الأمور الثلاث التي سأل اليهود عنها النبي ﷺ للتأكد من نبوته؟

To test the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), Quraish sent men to the Jewish scholars in Medina. They were instructed to ask about three things: the People of the Cave: the great traveler Dhul-Qarnayn: and the nature of the Soul (Ar-Ruh). Correct answers to these would serve as proof of his divine mission.
لاختبار نبوة محمد ﷺ، بعثت قريش رجالاً إلى أحبار اليهود بالمدينة؛ فأمروهم أن يسألوه عن ثلاثة أمور: أصحاب الكهف: والرجل الطواف ذي القرنين: وعن ماهية الروح. وكانت الإجابة الصحيحة على هذه الأسئلة بمثابة دليل على صدق رسالته.

The Quraish sent An-Nadr bin al-Harith and Uqba bin Abi Mu’ayt to Medina to consult with Jewish rabbis about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The rabbis said: "Ask him about three things which we command you; if he tells you about them: then he is a Prophet sent by Allah: but if he does not: then the man is a pretender." This historical inquiry led to the revelation of profound verses in the Holy Quran.

بعثت قريش النضر بن الحارث وعقبة بن أبي معيط إلى أحبار يهود بالمدينة ليسألوا عن رسول الله ﷺ. فقالت لهم أحبار يهود: "سلوه عن ثلاث نأمركم بهن؛ فإن أخبركم بهن فهو نبي مرسل: وإن لم يفعل فالرجل متقول." لقد أدى هذا الاستفسار التاريخي إلى نزول آيات عظيمة في القرآن الكريم توضح هذه المسائل الغامضة.

The Three Questions | الأسئلة الثلاثة

1. Who were the Sleepers of the cave and what was their story?
Al-Kahf 18:9: (Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription [the news or the names of the people of the Cave] were a wonder among Our Signs?)
1. عن فتية ذهبوا في الدهر الأوّل، ما كان من أمرهم فإنه قد كان لهم حديث عجيب؟
الكهف 18: 9: (أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا)

2. Who was Dhul Qarnain?
Al-Kahf 18:83: (And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story.")
2. وسألوه عن رجل طَوّاف، بلغ مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، ما كان نبؤه؟
الكهف 18: 83: (وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَن ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا)

3. What he (Muhammad) knows about the Ruh?
Al-Isra'a 17:85: (And they ask you [O Muhammad] concerning the Ruh [the Spirit]; Say: "The Ruh [the Spirit]: it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you [mankind] have been given only a little.)
3. وسألوه عن الروح ما هو؟
الإسراء 17: 85: (وَيَسألُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أمْرِ رَبّـي وَما أُوتِـيُتـمْ مِنَ العِلْـمِ إلاَّ قَلِـيلاً)

Scholarly Insight: These questions were specifically chosen by the Jewish scholars because they involved obscure historical accounts and metaphysical knowledge that were not part of the Arab oral tradition at the time. The Holy Quran's detailed response in Surah Al-Kahf regarding the youth in the cave and Dhul-Qarnayn: along with the concise answer about the Soul in Surah Al-Israa: served as a decisive proof for those seeking the truth. Scholars of Tafsir note that while the first two questions were answered with stories: the third was answered by affirming that some knowledge belongs exclusively to the Divine: highlighting the limitations of human understanding.

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