In the Bible ‘Īsā, peace be upon him, told his people of the Paraclete, which has a similar meaning to the name Muhammad and Ahmad. This prophecy is affirmed by Allah Almighty in the blessed Quran in sūra aš-Šaff:

“And when ‘Isa son of Maryam said, ‘Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah that came before me and bringing good news of a Messenger to follow me whose name is Ahmad.”
[Blessed Quran – aš-Šaff – 61:6]

The Messiah described this Paraclete with words that only fit our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: ‘He will reprimand the world for its sin and teach them all the truth; for he does not speak on his own accord but only what is revealed.” This is also revealed in the blessed Quran:

“Nor does he speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed.”
[Blessed Quran – an-Najm – 53:3-4]

The Gospel of Barnabas – which has reappeared in the recent past after being foolishly abandoned – clearly states the name of the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

Whispers before Prophethood

This previous section will make it easier for you to understand the great excitement amongst the rabbis and the monks a little before prophethood. The Jews would seek the awaited messenger’s assistance against the Arabs. ‘Āšim bin ‘Amar bin Qatāda tells of men from his people who said: “What we used to hear from the Rabbis brought us to Islam – with the mercy of Allah Almighty. We were polytheists and idol-worshipers. They were people of the Book, with knowledge that we did not possess. There was continuous altercations between us. If we gained ground on them that they did not approve of, they would say to us that the time of a messenger is near. He would be sent imminently and we shall destroy you alongside him, like the tribes of ‘Ād and Iram were destroyed. We would often hear this from them. When Allah Almighty sent His Messenger, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, we answered the call to Allah. We recognised what they would promise us of, so we surpassed them to it by believing whilst they disbelieved.”

The Jews would say to them that ‘we will destroy you like the destruction of ‘Ād and Iram’ because one of his descriptions, peace and blessings be upon him, in their scriptures was that this prophet would subdue the non-believers with force. They didn’t anticipate that jealousy and rebellion will overpower their minds, cause them to forsake the true religion and become rightful for punishment in this world and the next.

Umayya bin Abī aš-Šalt, the Arab poet, would often remark: I find in scriptures descriptions of an anticipated prophet to our lands. Salmān the Persian, Allah Almighty be pleased with him, speaks of himself that he befriended a priest who would say to him: ‘O Salmān, it is close that Allah will send a prophet named Ahmad. He will be from the mountains of Tihāma. His sign will be that he accepts gifts but not charity.’ This conversation is a cause of Salmān’s acceptance of Islam.