There is another prophecy that we find in another book of the Pseudepigrapha, which is the book The Testament of Moses.

This book tells about Moses giving his follower Joshua bin Nun a book before his death, which foretells what will happen to the Jews in the coming ages.

Then God returns them to the Promised Land at the hands of a king who will be merciful to them, and the temple is rebuilt and God provides them with sons and a mobilization.

But the Israelites return to disobeying God, so He sends a king from the West to destroy the Holy House a second time and burns part of the Holy Temple.

This second destruction is more severe than the first destruction.

Then some events pass, and the awaited prophet and his divine kingdom appear 250 weeks after the death of Moses, peace be upon him.

Its manuscript dates back to the sixth century AD, meaning that it remained unknown to its owners for more than thirteen centuries.

So far, only this manuscript of this book has been found.

It was written in Latin from a Hebrew or Aramaic original written in the first century AD.

Scholars believe that it belonged to the Essenes Jewish sect.

This is quoted from the introduction to this book in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha.

It is also impossible that he read it in its language, or that it was read to him, and that he discovered this amazing coincidence and the terrible sign at the time of the emergence of this prophet according to the People of the Book, then claimed prophethood and informed the Jews and Christians that this was written with them.

This prophecy contains many discussions.

The first discussion, before delving into any details of glad tidings, is that this prophecy strongly reminds us of the beginning of Surah Al-Isra.

So when the promise of the first of the two came, We sent against you servants of Ours, possessed of great might, and they penetrated into the dwellings, and it was a promise fulfilled.

Then We gave you back the upper hand over them, and We reinforced you with wealth and children, and made you more numerous in manpower.

If you do good, you do good for yourselves, and if you do evil, it is to yourselves.

But when the threat of the Hereafter comes, they may disfigure your faces and enter the mosque as they entered it the first time, and destroy what they had taken over with total destruction.

Perhaps your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return, We will return, and We have made Hell for the disbelievers a prison.”

One group interpreted them as future events, meaning that the Muslims are the servants of God who entered the mosque, meaning Jerusalem, the first time and will enter it again near the Hereafter.

Another group interpreted them as past events, but they differed regarding the victorious groups over the Jews.

The first destruction that occurred at the hands of a king from the East would be no more than the destruction of the northern Israelite kingdom at the hands of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser, as in 2 Kings 17, or the destruction of the southern kingdom of Judah at the hands of the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar, as in 2 Kings 21.

Both kings were from the East, east of Palestine.

However, the most likely intended king is the Babylonian king, because that incident is greater and more famous, and it is the one in which the temple was destroyed, as mentioned in the prophecy.

The captivity occurred to the tribe of Judah, and this supports that the Babylonian king is the one meant.

They are kings from the West, as mentioned in the prophecy.

They destroyed the temple again, as the prophecy also mentions.

See the historical table in the introduction to the Holy Book, Dar Al-Sharq edition.

We have seen that the Torah and history books say that the first destruction was caused by the Babylonians and the second was caused by the Romans.

This supports the interpretation that says the two destructions mentioned in Surah Al-Isra were past events: the first by the Babylonians, and the second by the Romans.

Some Muslim commentators argued that the phrase “servants of Ours” must refer to Muslims, because the expression “servants of God” or “servants of the Most Merciful” is only used for those who submit in obedience to God.

This is consistent with the Qur’anic description of the first victors over the Jews:

“servants of Ours, possessed of great might.”

“Therefore thus says the Lord Almighty: Because you have disobeyed My words, behold, I will mobilize all the tribes of the north under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar My servant.”

Therefore, what prevents Nebuchadnezzar from going out to war against the Jews by God’s command, even though he was an unbeliever, in order to discipline the Jews?

In that sense, it is valid to call the members of his army “servants of God” in the context of carrying out divine punishment.

The Qur’an also uses this expression for unbelievers in the Hereafter, since they will have no choice but to obey God at that time.

“And on the Day when He will gather them and what they worship besides God, He will say, ‘Did you lead these My servants astray, or did they go astray from the way?’”

The strange thing in the Qur’anic passage is that it mentions that the Jews, after their first victory over their conquerors, became more mobilized, meaning more helpful and numerous.

The Torah mentions that the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity with the help of the Persian king Cyrus.

This is also supported by the Almighty’s saying after narrating that story:

“Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you. But if you return, We will return, and We have made Hell a prison for the disbelievers.”

Meaning: God Almighty may return with a new destruction for them other than the two mentioned destructions.

“Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you…”

Perhaps the meaning is that if they do not believe in the awaited prophet written among them, who will emerge after the destructions as mentioned in The Testament of Moses, God will return to torment them.

It is strange that the Qur’an says:

“And We decreed to the Children of Israel in the Book”

and then we read in The Testament of Moses that this prophecy was left by Moses to Joshua written in a book.

This Qur’anic paragraph, verses 4-8 of Surah Al-Isra, almost matches the bookThe Testament of Moses, which was not found until the nineteenth century.

As for mentioning the time of the emergence of the awaited prophet — and this is our topic —The Testament of Moses first mentions that the awaited prophet will not emerge before the second destruction, meaning after the year 135 AD.

the first by a king from the East,

and the second by a king from the West.

Moses says to Joshua that the prophet of the end of time will not appear before 250 weeks have passed since his death.

A week in the books of Jewish prophecies means seven years.

Therefore:

250 × 7 = 1750 years

This means that the prophet of the end of time would be born in the 251st week, during the period:

1750-1757 years after the death of Moses, peace be upon him.

However, I found a key to calculating it, which is the date of the death of Pharaoh Ramses II.

Christian and Jewish historians hardly differ that Ramses II was the Pharaoh of Moses.

See, for example, the historical table in the introduction to the Holy Bible, Dar Al-Mashreq edition.

Moses must have died at least forty years after that, meaning after the period of wandering, as mentioned in the Qur’an and the Torah.

The Qur’an mentions the wandering in Surah Al-Ma’idah.

The Book of Numbers also mentions the forty-year wandering.

Therefore, Moses, peace be upon him, died in 1183 BC, or a little after that.

If we calculate the date of birth of the awaited prophet from the birth of Jesus Christ, we subtract the date of Moses’ death from the period mentioned in the prophecy.

1757 - 1183 = 574 AD

567 AD and 574 AD

It is known that the Prophet of Islam ﷺ was born in 570 AD.

That is, he was born exactly within that period.

They will offer their sons to foreign holy gods and they will set up idols in the temple… (chapter 2:8)…

In those days a king against them from the east and his cavalry will overrun their land. And with fire he will burn their city with the temple of the Lord and he will carry off all the holy vessels. And he will exile all the people and will lead them to his own land, yea the two tribes he will take with him. (chapter 3:1-3)

During the time of their captivity (chapter 4:5-9).

And when the times of exposure come near and punishment arises through kings who, though sharing their crimes, yet punish them… consequently the word was fulfilled that they will avoid justice and approach iniquity (chapter 5:1-3).

And a powerful king of the west shall come, who shall conquer them, and he shall take them captives, and a part of their temple he will burn with fire. He will crucify some of them around their colony. (chapter 6:8-9)

And there shall come upon them a second visitation and wrath. He will stir up against them the king of the kings of the west. (chapter 8:1-2)

Behold a second punishment has befallen the people, exceeding the former one. (chapter 9:2)

Then his kingdom will appear throughout his whole creation, then evil will have an end… (chapter 10:1)

For from my death and burial until his coming there will pass 250 times, i.e. 250 year weeks, or 1750 years. (chapter 10:11, pp. 422-423).”

Take this book so that you may remember later how to keep the books that I have given you. (Chapter 1:10, 16)

They will sacrifice their children to strange gods and will set up idols in the temple. (Chapter 2:8)

In these days a king from the East will rise up against them and his armies will sweep over their land.

He will burn their city with fire and the holy temple of the Lord.

He will carry away the holy vessels.

He will take all the people into exile and lead them to his own land.

The two tribes he will take with him. (Chapter 3:1-3)

Then the Lord will remember them because of His covenant with their fathers.

In these days the Lord will inspire a king to be kind to them and restore them to their land.

But the ten tribes will grow and spread among the nations during the time of the captivity. (Chapter 4:5-9)

And an army will approach the time of abandonment and punishment will increase through kings who will share in their crimes.

In turn the word will be fulfilled that they will shun justice and come to injustice. (Chapter 5:1-3)

And a powerful king will come from the West, and will invade them and take them captive, and will burn part of their temple.

Some of them will be crucified before their tribes. (Chapter 6:8-9)

Then a second visitation and divine wrath will come upon them.

He will stir up against them the King of kings of the earth. (Chapter 8:1-2)

Behold, a second punishment will befall the people, exceeding the first punishment. (Chapter 9:2)

Then his kingdom, the kingdom of God, will appear in every place of his creation.

Then evil will come to an end. (Chapter 10:1)

For from my burial, meaning the burial of Moses, until his coming, meaning the coming of the prophet of the end of time, will pass two hundred and fifty times, meaning 250 weeks of years, i.e. 1750 years, according to the commentary from the same book of Charles. (Chapter 10:11, pp. 422-423)

In the Dead Sea Scrolls, a copy of this book, The Testament of Moses, was found.

These scrolls were released in 1992.

The text is not much different from the manuscript found in the Ambrosian Library in Milan, Italy, which was mentioned earlier.

Now, by your grace, they will enter the land which He had decided and promised to give to their fathers.

And you will establish a kingdom for them.

And within four, they will work against the covenant of the Lord and profane the oath which the Lord had made with them.

They will sacrifice their children to foreign gods and set up idols in the tent and serve them.

And he will burn their colonies with the holy temple of the Lord, and he will plunder all the holy vessels.

And when the times of judgment will approach, they will be humiliated behind foreign gods.

And their lands will be invaded by the battalions of a powerful king from the West who will hate them and anger them in captivity and will burn part of their temple and crucify some around their colony.

For from my death and reception, until his coming, two hundred and fifty times will pass.

250 weeks of years, i.e. 1750 years.

Quoted from the book The Qumran - Dead Sea Scrolls, Part Two.

Copied.

These correspond strongly with the Babylonian destruction and the Roman destruction.

The Qur’an mentions the Children of Israel causing corruption twice and receiving punishment twice, which closely matches the pattern found in The Testament of Moses.

The book then mentions that after the death and burial of Moses, 250 weeks of years would pass until the coming of the awaited prophet.

Since 250 weeks of years equals 1750 years, and Moses’ death can be calculated around 1183 BC, the resulting period for the birth of the awaited prophet is between 567 AD and 574 AD.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born in 570 AD, exactly within that range.

The strength of this argument is that the relevant manuscript was discovered in Milan in 1861 AD and remained unknown for centuries, making it impossible for the Prophet ﷺ to have borrowed from it.

Therefore, this prophecy deserves careful attention as one of the remarkable signs pointing to the coming of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

It refers to those books that were attributed to the Old Testament, the Torah, and were not recognized after the Council of Jamnia in the late first century AD.

However, a large number of them before this date, and even after it, had a great impact and absolute sanctity among many sects.

In the aforementioned council, disputed books were adopted with great difficulty, such as Esther, Ezekiel, Song of Songs, and the Book of Daniel.

The authority of Daniel was recognized by the Jewish Pharisees, while the Jewish Sadducees did not recognize it without a doubt.

As for the books of the Torah among Christians, meaning the Old Testament, they did not accept the Council of Jamnia except the Protestants.

As for the Westerners among them and North Africa, they waited until the fourth century and approved what was in the Council of Carthage.

As for the Easterners among them, meaning the Greek-speaking Eastern churches, they did not have a legal organization throughout the ages until the present day.

On the other hand, there are books of great importance that were attributed to the Torah and were deleted from the canon, meaning the collection of approved books, although it is acknowledged that they have great importance for the edification of the believer.

These books include: The Book of Enoch, Jubilees, The Apocalypse of Baruch, The Covenants of the Tribes, The Testament of Abraham, The Testament of Moses, The Apocalypse of Abraham, and The Book of Adam and Eve.

They are books that are relied upon, even if they are not permitted to be used in worship.

No one has ever claimed that they were forged by the People of the Book from others.

We also find this numerical prophecy in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 97, and in the book 11:12,The Assumptions of Moses.

This is also the opinion of Dr. Ali Abdul Wahid Wafi in his book Judaism and the Jews. He sees that the first destruction that the Qur’an means is the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar and the second is the destruction of Hadrian, p. 11 and p. 117.

“Therefore thus says the Lord Almighty: Because you have disobeyed My words, behold, I will mobilize all the tribes of the north under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar My servant.” Jeremiah 25:9.

Jeremiah 27 is cited regarding the Prophet Jeremiah asking the Jews not to resist the Babylonian conqueror.

Surah Al-Furqan 63 is cited regarding the expression “servants of the Most Merciful.”

“And on the Day when He will gather them and what they worship besides God, He will say, ‘Did you lead these My servants astray, or did they go astray from the way?’”

The Torah, Second Chronicles 36:22-23, is cited regarding the return from Babylonian captivity through Cyrus.

This is consistent with the opinion of Dr. Ali Abdel Wahid Wafi in his book.

This is interpreted here as the awaited prophet in the Torah, although Christians interpret it as the second coming of Jesus Christ according to their belief.

This abomination of desolation was mentioned in the Torah, Daniel 9, in the context of speaking about the time of the coming of the awaited prophet.

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Charles, p. 423, interpretation of John Worsley.

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Charles.

The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Charles.