Narration About Past Events: A Proof of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ Truthfulness

Introduction

In our ongoing journey to uncover the proofs of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ prophethood, we turn today to another fascinating aspect: the knowledge of past events. This remarkable avenue of evidence unveils historical truths, with the Prophet ﷺ recounting details about ancient peoples and events that predated him by centuries, or even millennia. How could an unlettered man, who neither read nor wrote, and who had no contact with historians, narrate such accurate details about the distant past?

Reflecting on these prophetic narrations provides another compelling proof of Muhammad’s ﷺ truthfulness. These accounts are not mere tales but verified historical facts revealed at a time when such knowledge could only have been accessed through divine revelation. From the great flood in Noah’s time to the life of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt and the missions of prophets before Islam, these stories weave a fabric of prophetic authenticity, affirming the truth of his message.

In this article, we will delve into these accounts, examining some of the most prominent examples of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ knowledge of past events. We will explore these occurrences in detail, demonstrating how each one stands as a testament to his truthfulness.

Let us embark on this enlightening journey with open minds and reliance on facts, to discover yet another dimension of the greatness of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the veracity of his prophethood.

The Evidence of Past Events as Proof of Muhammad’s ﷺ Prophethood

The knowledge of past events is compelling proof of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ truthfulness. The people of Arabia at the time were not known for their scholarly pursuits, nor did they possess written texts or significant literary works. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, like most of his people at that time, was unlettered, never having studied or acquired knowledge from the People of the Book. Yet, the Quran recounts numerous stories about past events and nations.

Remarkably, the Quranic accounts align with the sacred texts of the Jews and Christians in certain aspects but differ in others. This phenomenon is a true miracle, underscoring that the source of this knowledge is divine revelation rather than hearsay from the People of the Book. Let us examine some prominent examples of this evidence and analyze them in detail:

1. The Story of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)

The story of Jesus is mentioned in both the Quran and the four Gospels. However, there is a clear distinction between the two, particularly in the Quran’s affirmation of Jesus’ humanity, while most Christians believe in his divinity. This belief in Jesus’ divinity had already been widespread centuries before the arrival of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In the Quran, Allah states: “And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?' " He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.” [Al-Mā’idah: 116].

In more recent times, critical historians of the Bible have affirmed that the earliest historical sources on Jesus’ life indicate that the historical Jesus did not claim divinity or call for his worship. Instead, these ideas were later additions to his legacy. Bart Ehrman, a professor of early Christianity, presents definitive historical evidence for this in his book How Jesus Became God. However, these conclusions were only reached by historians after extensive critical studies of the Bible and its various manuscripts.

But how did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ come to know this? If we assume he acquired his knowledge of Jesus’ life from the Christians of his time, they firmly believed in Jesus’ divinity. Why then would he contradict them on this point, and why was he correct while they were not? This raises an important question about the source of this information. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had no access to the deep historical studies that only emerged centuries later, nor did he have contact with scholars or texts that could reveal such truths.

This fundamental difference between the Quran’s portrayal of Jesus and the prevailing Gospels of the time clearly indicates that the source of this information was divine revelation. This detail adds substantial evidence that what Prophet Muhammad ﷺ conveyed was not from himself but was revealed to him by Allah. It further solidifies the authenticity of his prophethood and the truthfulness of his message.

2. The Story of Joseph (Peace Be Upon Him)

The story of Joseph is one of the most prominent narratives in the Quran, offering a strong testament to Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ truthfulness. The Quran recounts intricate and compelling details of the story, and researchers comparing the Quranic version with the biblical account have identified over 50 significant differences. These differences can be summarized as follows:

• Variations in the details of the story.
• The Quran’s correction of inaccuracies in the biblical account.
• The Quran’s avoidance of inconsistencies found in the biblical version.
• The absence of contradictions in the Quranic narrative, in contrast to the biblical account.
• The Quranic emphasis on monotheism and prophetic infallibility, unlike the biblical version.
• The Quran’s alignment with logical narrative coherence, unlike the biblical account.
• The differences in the philosophical and moral lessons conveyed by the Quranic and biblical accounts.

These points make it highly improbable that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ obtained this story from the People of the Book. So where did he learn about it? The Quran provides a clear and direct answer: “That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.” [Yūsuf: 102].

This verse underscores that the details of Joseph’s story in the Quran are part of the unseen, meaning they were unknown to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his people. This knowledge could only have been given through divine revelation, serving as undeniable proof of his prophethood.

1. The Story of Moses and Pharaoh

In the Quran, Allah says in Surah Al-Qaṣaṣ: {And you were not on the western side when We revealed to Moses the command, nor were you among the witnesses.} [Surah Al-Qaṣaṣ: 44]. This verse discusses the story of Moses (peace be upon him) and his confrontation with Pharaoh, emphasizing that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was neither present during these events nor a witness to them. How then did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ know such precise details about the life of Moses, Pharaoh, and the circumstances surrounding the Children of Israel in Egypt?

Let us consider a key difference between the Quran and the Bible in recounting this story. The Bible mentions that the Children of Israel numbered 600,000 men during their exodus from Egypt, in addition to women and children—a staggering figure that makes it difficult to imagine such a massive group fleeing in a single night and escaping Pharaoh’s army. In contrast, the Quran states: “Indeed, those are but a small band.} [Al-Shu'ara: 54], indicating that their number was relatively small. Here arises the question: Which account is more reasonable? Is it plausible for 600,000 men with their families to flee in a single night, or does the Quran’s depiction of a smaller group fleeing seem more aligned with logic and reality? The Quranic account appears far more plausible.

When we consider these points, the only logical conclusion is that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ obtained this information through divine revelation. These narratives and historical truths cannot be attributed to conjecture or personal effort. They serve as clear evidence that the Quran is a divinely revealed book, and that Muhammad ﷺ is truly a messenger of Allah.

Conclusion

What we have explored in this article regarding the evidence of past unseen events serves as a significant part of the proofs of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ prophethood. We have seen how the Quran recounts precise details about the stories of past nations, such as the story of Jesus (peace be upon him), Joseph (peace be upon him), and Moses (peace be upon him) with Pharaoh. These details align with historical truths in many aspects and differ in others in ways that make it evident the source was not borrowed from the People of the Book but was instead divine revelation.

The story of Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Quran emphasizes his humanity, a notion later supported by critics and historians after thorough scholarly studies, while the story of Joseph in the Quran corrects errors in the biblical narrative and is free from contradictions. The account of Moses and Pharaoh in the Quran is marked by accuracy and detail that defy the human capacity of an unlettered prophet from a society unfamiliar with reading, writing, or sacred texts.

All these examples clearly demonstrate that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was not conveying information derived from human sources but was receiving divine revelation from Allah. This revelation enabled him to recount past unseen events with a precision that could only come from Allah. This detail and miraculous nature of the unseen events stand as compelling evidence of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ truthfulness, affirming that the Quran is the true Word of Allah, in which falsehood cannot come from before it nor behind it.