some of their own elite, let alone the general populace; it is also quite possible that the prophecy was once recorded in certain manuscripts but was later erased and altered, after which copies were taken from those amended texts until they alone became widespread and nothing else was known, while the existence of the original copies was deliberately concealed. All of this is conceivable—especially from a community that had already conspired to tamper with the religion and law of its prophet. And again, this whole discussion rests on the supposition that no announcement of him can be found in any of their scriptures at all.

In reality, however, we have cited from their very books such unmistakable glad tidings of him that no one among them with even the slightest learning can deny or brazenly reject them, though they may still try to mislead their common folk and the uneducated by twisting the texts.

Second Argument: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Salām confronted the Jews and placed them (1) before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, establishing that his name, description, and identifying traits are in their scriptures and that they know full well he is Allah’s Messenger. They themselves attested that he was the most learned among them, the son of the most learned, the best of them, and the son of their best. Their later claim that he was the worst of them, the son of their worst, and the most ignorant among them (and the son of their most ignorant) (2) is of no consequence—just as when a witness testifies before a judge, is questioned about the defendant and declares, “He is upright, trustworthy, speaks only the truth, and his testimony is admissible against me,” yet after delivering the testimony says, “He is a liar, a false witness.” Obviously such a retraction does not undermine the testimony already given.

As for Kaʿb al-Aḥbār, he filled the world with reports from the earlier scriptures that announce the Prophet’s coming, proclaiming them openly among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, broadcasting them before assembled crowds. The Muslims from among the People of the Book confirmed the truth of what he related and endorsed him (3) concerning