The Forty Questions: Prophet Muhammad’s Response To The Jews Of Medina

The beautiful and astonishing stories of The Forty Questions full of wisdom and spirituality are an enrichment of Islamic knowledge. They lead to a profound understanding of the power of Allâh Almighty, His will and compassion which He bestows upon His creation – a wisdom which generations of Muslims are proud of.

The tales, frequently corroborated by qur’anic verses, include various themes beginning with the creation of the world and ending with its destruction on the Last Day. They bring to light martyrs, saints and prophets, legendary peoples and ancient folk. Muslims highly esteem these stories and love them to be told at length, whereas Qur’an and prophetic traditions (ḥadîth) often only hint at the events related in them. 

The stories are embedded in a frame of those forty questions that the elders of the Jewish community of Medina had prepared and passed down through the generations to be asked of the long-awaited and expected Prophet when he came, in order to test his authenticity. The Holy Prophet answered all the questions to their satisfaction and herewith won the disbeliever’s confidence. (from the Publisher’ note)