“We certainly gave Moses the Scripture and sent a succession of messengers after him. We gave Jesus, son of Mary, the clear proofs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. So is it that whenever a messenger brought you something your souls did not fancy, you grew arrogant—some of them you denied, and others you killed? And they said, ‘Our hearts are wrapped.’ Rather, Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; how little they believe! When a Book from Allah came to them, confirming what they already had—and formerly they used to seek victory over the disbelievers by means of it—yet when there came to them what they recognized, they rejected it. So may the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers. How wretched is that for which they sold themselves: that they should disbelieve in what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should bestow His grace upon whom He wills of His servants. Thus they have incurred wrath upon wrath, and for the disbelievers there is a humiliating punishment. And when it is said to them, ‘Believe in what Allah has sent down,’ they reply, ‘We believe in what was sent down to us,’ and they disbelieve in what came afterward—while it is the truth, confirming what is with them. Say, ‘Why, then, did you kill the prophets of Allah before, if you were [truly] believers?’” (Quran 2:87–91).

Thus the Exalted has informed us that the People of the Book used to invoke victory over the Arabs through Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—before he was ever sent; that is, they sought help by means of him. The People of the Book and the Arabs were engaged in warfare, and the Arabs would often prevail over them. So they would say, “A prophet who is unlettered, descended from Ishmael, will soon be raised; we shall follow him, and together we shall slay you in the worst of massacres.”