No doubt that authentic history tells us that the Jews disbelieved in what Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) and showed hatred and enmity towards him. They were envious of him — except a few of them — because he was not one of them, i.e. did not descend from the children of Israel.
In the beginning, when Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) started preaching Islam, the Jews were very upset and they wanted to test him to find out whether he was a true Prophet. So they prepared difficult questions to test his Prophethood.
Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says:
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ وَكَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ مَا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ فَلَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ o بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِهِ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَنْ يُنَزِّلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ فَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ [البقرة: 89-90]
“And when there came to them a Book from Allah, which confirms what was with them — while earlier, they used to seek help against those who disbelieved — yet when there came to them that which they did recognize, they denied it. So the curse of Allah is upon the disbelievers. Vile is that for which they have sold out their selves: that they should deny what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down some of His bounty to whomsoever He wills from among His servants. So, they came out with wrath upon wrath. And for the unbelievers, there is humiliating punishment.” (Al-Baqarah 2:89-90)
We do not know from authentic Ahaadeeth (Traditions) stating that how many questions prepared for the Prophet of Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) and asked him about them time to time. What is proved in the authentic sources is that they asked him seven questions.
Hadhrat Anas reported that when ‘Abdullah Ibne Salam, a Jew scholar then, heard about the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) from Makkah al Mukarramah to Madinah al Munawwarah, he came to him and asked him about some things saying:
إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاَثٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ نَبِيٌّ
"I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a prophet:
أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ
(i) what is the first sign of the Hour?
وَمَا أَوَّلُ طَعَامٍ يَأْكُلُهُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ
(ii) What is the first meal that the dwellers of Jannah (Paradise) eat?
وَمِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ يَنْزِعُ الْوَلَدُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ وَمِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ يَنْزِعُ إِلَى أَخْوَالِهِ
(iii) Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle?”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
خَبَّرَنِي بِهِنَّ آنِفًا جِبْرِيلُ
“(Angel) Jibreel (Gabriel) has just now told me of their answers.”
‘Abdullah Ibne Salaam said:
جِبْرِيلُ
"Gabriel?”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
نَعَمْ
"Yes.”
‘Abdullah Ibne Salaam said:
ذَاكَ عَدُوُّ الْيَهُودِ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ
"He, among the angels is the enemy of the Jews.”
On that the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) recited this Aayah (Verse) 97 of Soorah Al-Baqarah:
مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَى قَلْبِكَ
"Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (let him die in his fury!) for he has brought it (i.e. Qur’an) down to your heart by Allah’s permission.”
Then he added:
أَمَّا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ فَنَارٌ تَحْشُرُ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ، وَأَمَّا أَوَّلُ طَعَامِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَزِيَادَةُ كَبِدِ حُوتٍ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الرَّجُلِ مَاءَ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَ الْوَلَدَ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَتْ٠
"As for the first portent of the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to West. And as for the first meal of the people of Paradise, it will be the caudite (i.e. extra) lobe of the fish liver. And if a man’s discharge proceeded that of the woman, then the child resembles the father, and if the woman’s discharge proceeded that of the man, then the child resembles the mother.”
On hearing that, ’Abdullah Ibne Salaam said:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ قَوْمٌ بُهُتٌ، وَإِنَّهُمْ إِنْ يَعْلَمُوا بِإِسْلاَمِي قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُمْ يَبْهَتُونِي.
"I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that you are the Messenger of Allah.”
“O, Allah’s Messenger! The Jews are liars, and if they should come to know that I have embraced Islam, they would accuse me of being a liar.”
(In the meantime, some) Jews came and the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) asked them:
أَىُّ رَجُلٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فِيكُمْ
"What is `Abdullah’s status amongst you?”
They replied,
خَيْرُنَا وَابْنُ خَيْرِنَا، وَسَيِّدُنَا وَابْنُ سَيِّدِنَا
"He is the best amongst us and son of the best amongst us, and he is our chief and the son of our chief.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ
"What would you think if `Abdullah Ibne Salaam embraced Islam?”
They replied:
أَعَاذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ
"May Allah protect him from this!”
Then `Abdullah came out and said:
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ
"I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
The Jews then said:
شَرُّنَا وَابْنُ شَرِّنَا
"(Abdullah is) the worst of us and the son of the worst of us,”
And they disparaged him.
On that `Abdullah Ibne Salaam said:
فَهَذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُ أَخَافُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
"O Allah’s Messenger! This is what I was afraid of!” (Bukhari)
In another Hadeeth it is reported that Hadhrat ‘Abdullah Ibne Abbas said that a group of Jews came one day to the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) and said:
“O Abu Al-Qaasim! Tell us some things that only true messengers of Allah know.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said: "Ask me about whatever you wish, but promise me by the Name of Allah and by the covenant Prophet Ya’qoob (Jacob) took from his sons, that if I tell something that you know, then you will follow me and become Muslims.”
They said: "That’s for you.”
Thereupon, they said: "Tell us about the following four things:
(i) tell us about the meal that Israel forbade himself before the revelation of the Torah
(ii) tell us about the water (sperm) of the woman and the water of the man how is the male child formed from that?
(iii) tell us this illiterate Prophet during his sleep and who is his guardian from the angels.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said: "Do you accept by the covenant of Allah that you will follow me if I inform you?”
They gave him as much covenant and promise as he wished. Then the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said:
"I ask you by the One Who revealed the Torah to Moosaa do you know that Israel (Ya’qoob) fell badly sick and his sickness took a long time, then he made a vow to Allah that he would forbid on himself the food he liked most if Allah cures him, and the food he liked most was camel meat and the drink was camel milk.
They said: "Yes.”
He said: "O Allah! Testify against them.”
Then he said:
"I ask you by Allah, the One Who has no partners Who revealed the Torah to Moosaa do you know that the man’s water is white and thick and that the woman’s water is yellow and thin. Any of the two waters gets above the other gets the resemblance of the child in his sex (gender) and characters by the Will of Allah. If the water of the man gets over the woman it is a male by the Will of Allah and if the water of the woman gets above that of the man then it is a female by the Will of Allah.
They said: “By Allah what you said is true.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said: "O Allah! Testify against them.”
Then he said:
"I ask you by the One Who revealed Torah to Moosaa do you know that the eyes of this illiterate Prophet sleep but his heart does not.”
They said: ‘By Allah! That is true.’
He said:
"O Allah! Testify against them.”
They said: “You, now tell us about your guardian from the angels, we will stay with you or leave you according to that.”
He said: "My guardian is Jibreel and Allah never sent any Prophet but he was his guardian.”
The Jews said: “So, we will separate from you. Had your guardian been another angel not Jibreel, we would have followed you and believed in what you brought.”
The Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) said: "But what prevents you from believing in him?”
They said:
“He is our enemy.”
Then Allah revealed the following Aayah 97 of Soorah l-Baqarah (Chapter 2 of Quraan):
قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّۭا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُۥ نَزَّلَهُۥ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًۭى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“Say: If someone is an enemy to Jibra‘il (Gabriel) it is he who has brought it (the Quraan) down upon your heart by the permission of Allah, confirming what has been before it, and a guidance and good tidings to the believers.” (Ahmed)
Asking question from the Prophet of Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad, and then denying him and his religion, was a normal attribute of the Jews. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) Says:
وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ [البقرة: 101]
“And when a messenger from Allah came to them, confirming what was already with them, some from among the people of the Book threw the Book of Allah behind their backs, as if they did not know.” (Al-Baqarah 2:101)
So, Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) Says, as a matter of consequence:
فَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ [البقرة: 90]
“So, they came out with wrath upon wrath.” (Al-Baqarah 2:90)