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Allah, the Exalted said,
"And when Allah made a covenant through the prophets: Certainly what
I have given you of Book and wisdom - then an apostle comes to you
verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must
aid him. He said: Do you affirm and accept My compact in
this (matter)? They said: We do affirm. He said: Then bear witness, and
I (too) am of the bearers of witness with you. (3/81).
Imam Ali said, "Allah
take the covenant from all the prophets, that were sent before Mohammad,
that they should tell their people of his mission, providing them with a
description of him, giving them the glad tidings of his coming and order
them to believe in him." (1).
Imam as-Sadiq has been
reported as saying, "This verse was revealed concerning the Jews and
Christians (Those whom We have given the Book recognize him),
meaning the Messenger of God, (as they recognize their sons),
because God revealed to them in the Torah, the Bible, and the Psalms the
description of Mohammad and those of his companions, his mission, and
his flight to Medina, thus, (Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and
those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate
among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves,
seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces
because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the
Torah and their description in the Bible). This is the description
of the Messenger of God and that of his companions in the Torah and the
Bible. When he was sent, the People of the Book recognized him; this is
how the Quran has recoded it, (And when there came to them a Book
from Allah verifying that which they have).
Before the mission of the
Prophet, the Jews used to say to the Arabs: This is the time for the
sending of a prophet, in Mecca, who would then migrate to Medina; and
that he would be the last of the prophets and the best among them; there
is redness (2) in h is eyes; he would carry his sword over his shoulder
and would not worry about the foe he would fight, his power would
prevail far and wide. O Arabs! Because of him, we would kill you like
the killing of the people of Aad. When God sent His Prophet, bearing
these descriptions, they felt envious and disbelieved in him; and this
is how the Quran puts it, (and beforetime they used to pray for
victory against those who disbelieve, but when there came them (Prophet)
that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved in him). (3).
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