One day, a group of Jewish scholars approached the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, and said, “O Umar! You are the successor to Muhammad, and we wish to ask you some questions. If you can answer them, it will prove that Islam is the true religion and Muhammad was indeed a messenger of God. However, if you fail to answer, it will mean that Islam is false and Muhammad was not a prophet.”
Umar replied, “Ask whatever you wish.”
The Jewish scholars then said:
- Tell us, what are the locks of the heavens?
- What is the key to the heavens?
- What was the grave that carried its inhabitant around?
- Who was the one who warned their people, yet was neither human nor jinn?
- What are the five beings that walked on the earth but were not born from a womb?
Umar, unable to answer their questions, lowered his head in shame.
The Jews, pleased, declared, “We testify that Muhammad was not a prophet and Islam is false.”
At this moment, Salman al-Farsi, who was present at the gathering, addressed the Jewish scholars: “Wait a moment. I will bring someone who can answer all your questions.”
Salman then hurried to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and said, “O Abu al-Hasan! Come to the aid of Islam.”
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) asked, “What has happened?” Salman explained the situation in detail. Ali (peace be upon him), wearing the robe of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), entered the mosque. When Umar saw him, he exclaimed joyfully, “O Abu al-Hasan! Truly, only you can answer these Jews’ questions.”
Ali (peace be upon him) then turned to the scholars and said, “Ask whatever you wish, on the condition that if I answer all your questions, you will accept Islam and believe.”
The Jewish scholars agreed, and after repeating their questions, the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) began to answer:(1)
“The locks of the heavens are polytheism, for when a person associates partners with God, their deeds do not ascend.
The key to the heavens is the testimony of the oneness of God and the prophethood of His messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The grave that carried its inhabitant was the whale that swallowed the Prophet Jonah (peace be upon him) and carried him through the seven seas.(2)
The one who warned its people but was neither human nor jinn was the ant during the time of Solomon (peace be upon him), which said, ‘O ants, enter your dwellings so that Solomon and his soldiers do not crush you while they are unaware.’ (3)
The five beings that walked on the earth but were not born from a womb are Adam, Eve, the she-camel of Salih (4), the ram of Abraham (5), and the staff of Moses, which turned into a great serpent. (6)”
At this, two of the Jewish scholars embraced Islam, testifying to the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). However, the third scholar said, “If you answer this question of mine, I too will embrace Islam.”
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) replied, “Ask whatever you wish.”
The jew asked, “Tell me about a people who were alive, then died, and after 309 years, God brought them back to life.”
Ali (peace be upon him) replied, “This is the story of the People of the Cave (Ashab al-Kahf).” He then narrated the details of the story.
Afterward, Ali (peace be upon him) asked the scholar, “O Jew, does the account I have narrated align with what is written in the Torah?”
The jew replied, “Yes, not a word more or less. O Abu al-Hasan! Do not call me a Jew any longer, for I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and messenger, and that you are the most knowledgeable of this nation.”(7)
Adapted from the book “Al-Ghadir fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah wa al-Adab” (8)by Allama Amini (may Allah have mercy on him), with minor additions and summarization.
Islamic – Shia Platform – Roshd
Footnotes:
1. Shawahid al-Tanzil li Qawaid al-Tafdhil, by Hakim al-Hasakani, Vol. 1, pp. 104, 105, 107, 377, and 432; Ruh al-Ma’ani fi Tafsir al-Qur’an al-Azim, by Alusi, Vol. 16, p. 90.
2. Surah al-Saffat, verses 139–144.
3. Surah al-Naml, verse 18.
4. Surah al-Qamar, verse 27.
5. Surah al-Saffat, verse 107.
6. Surah Taha, verse 20.
7. Al-‘Ara’is, by Abu Ishaq al-Thalabi, pp. 239–232.
8. Al-Ghadir, Vol. 11, p. 295.