Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (5/382)

They said, “You are the people of the Torah, and we have come to you so that you might tell us about this companion of ours.”

He continued: The Jewish rabbis answered them, “Put three questions to him at our instruction. If he answers them, he is a messenger-prophet; if he does not, he is merely inventing—so judge him as you will.

Ask him about a group of young men who disappeared in ancient times: what became of them? Their story is truly astonishing.
Ask him about a great voyager who reached the farthest East and the farthest West: what is his tale?
Ask him about the Spirit: what is it?
If he informs you about these matters, he is a prophet—so follow him. But if he cannot, he is fabricating; deal with him as you see fit.”

Al-Naḍr and ʿUqbah then set off and, on reaching Mecca, went straight to Quraysh. They said, “People of Quraysh, we have brought you a decisive test between yourselves and Muḥammad. The Jewish rabbis have instructed us to question him about certain issues.” They explained the questions, and together they went to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saying, “Muḥammad, tell us…,” and they posed to him the very matters the rabbis had set.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied, “I will inform you.” Gabriel then came to him from Allah with Sūrat al-Kahf, which contains the account of the youths and of the great voyager, together with Allah’s words:

“They ask you about the Spirit. Say: ‘The Spirit is from the command of my Lord, and you have been given only a little knowledge.’” (Q 17:85).

وَقَالَا: إِنَّكُمْ أَهْلُ التَّوْرَاةِ، وَقَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ لِتُخْبِرُونَا عَنْ صَاحِبِنَا هَذَا، قَالَ: فَقَالَتْ لَهُمْ أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ: " سَلُوهُ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ نَأْمُرْكُمْ بِهِنَّ، فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِهِنَّ فَهُوَ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَفْعَلْ فَالرَّجُلُ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَرُوا فِيهِ رَأْيَكُمْ. سَلُوهُ عَنْ فِتْيَةٍ ذَهَبُوا فِي الدَّهْرِ الْأَوَّلِ، مَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ؟ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ لَهُمْ حَدِيثٌ عَجِيبٌ. وَسَلُوهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَوَّافٍ بَلَغَ مَشَارِقَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَغَارِبَهَا مَا كَانَ نَبَؤُهُ. وَسَلُوهُ عَنِ الرُّوحِ، مَا هُوَ؟ فَإِنْ أَخْبَرَكُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَإِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ، وَإِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يُخْبِرْكُمْ فَهُوَ رَجُلٌ مُتَقَوِّلٌ، فَاصْنَعُوا فِي أَمْرِهِ مَا بَدَا لَكُمْ. فَأَقْبَلَ النَّضْرُ وَعُقْبَةُ، حَتَّى قَدِمَا مَكَّةَ عَلَى قُرَيْشٍ، فَقَالَا: يَا مَعْشَرَ قُرَيْشٍ قَدْ جِئْنَاكُمْ بِفَصْلِ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَدْ أَمَرَنَا أَحْبَارُ يَهُودَ أَنْ نَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ أُمُورٍ، فَأَخْبَرُوهُمْ بِهَا فَجَاءُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، خَبِّرْنَا فَسَأَلُوهُ عَمَّا أَمَرُوهُمْ بِهِ. فَقَالَ: لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أُخْبِرُكُمْ، وَجَاءَهُ جِبْرِيلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ بِسُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ، فِيهَا خَبَرُ مَا سَأَلُوهُ عَنْهُ، مِنْ أَمْرِ الْفِتْيَةِ، وَالرَّجُلِ الطَّوَّافِ، وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ: {وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا} [الإسراء: ٨٥] .