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؟

53 views 0 November 15, 2021 Updated on February 22, 2026

What were the three things the Jews asked the Prophet to test his Prophethood?

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

The three questions posed by the Jews to test Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) truthfulness were about: The Sleepers of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf), Dhul-Qarnain (the great traveler), and the nature of the Spirit (Al-Ruh). Correct answers to these specific mysteries were considered proof of a true Messenger.
الأسئلة الثلاثة التي وجهها اليهود لاختبار صدق النبي ﷺ هي: خبر فتية أصحاب الكهف، ونبأ ذي القرنين الذي طاف الأرض، وحقيقة الروح. وكان الإخبار بهذه الغيبيات دليلاً قاطعاً على نبوته.

Quraish sent Al-Nadr bin Al-Harith and Uqbah bin Abi Mu'ayt to the Jewish rabbis in Madina to verify the Prophet's message. The rabbis instructed them to ask three questions. If he answered, he was indeed a Prophet; otherwise, he was a pretender. The answers were revealed in Surah Al-Kahf and Surah Al-Isra'a, covering the historical mysteries of the young men in the cave, the King who reached the ends of the earth, and the spiritual mystery of the Soul.

بعثت قريش النضر بن الحارث وعقبة بن أبي معيط إلى أحبار يهود بالمدينة ليسألوهم عن رسول الله ﷺ، فقالت لهم الأحبار: "سلوه عن ثلاث، فإن أخبركم بهن فهو نبي مرسل، وإن لم يفعل فالرجل متقول". فسألوه عن فتية ذهبوا في الدهر الأول (أصحاب الكهف)، وعن رجل طواف بلغ مشارق الأرض ومغاربها (ذو القرنين)، وعن الروح ما هي.

[Image depicting the Cave, a traveler reaching the horizon, and a spiritual symbol representing the Soul]

The Three Answers | الإجابات الثلاثة

1. The People of the Cave | أصحاب الكهف

(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?)

(أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَالرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا مِنْ آيَاتِنَا عَجَبًا) [سورة الكهف: آية ٩]

2. Dhul Qarnain | ذو القرنين

(And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story.")

(وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَن ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُم مِّنْهُ ذِكْرًا) [سورة الكهف: آية ٨٣]

3. The Spirit (Al-Ruh) | الروح

(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.)

(وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا) [سورة الإسراء: آية ٨٥]

Scholarly Insight: Scholars of Tafsir note that the Jews were satisfied with these answers because they aligned with their scriptures. Specifically, the fact that the Prophet (PBUH) did not claim to know the nature of the Spirit, but referred it back to Allah's knowledge, was a sign of a true Prophet who does not speak from his own desires.

Was this helpful?

 

Didn't find your answer? Contact Us