Deep realization that caused him to express sorrow

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, being a prophet of Allah and a chosen one could see what many could not see. Allah ﷻ had removed the veils from his heart, he was able to see the realities of the heavens, and the earth, which gave him a glimpse in to the affairs of what was in al-ghayb (unseen). Being at a level much higher and deeper than our limited minds can encompass, he knew and saw what others could not. Many, pious believers like the saints of Islam, are also able to catch glimpse of such realities and experiences referred in sufi terms as Kashf (unveiling of the divine). They are able to because they do not indulge in worldly pleasures as most of us do. Whoever attaches themselves more to Allah ﷻ, they will experience a realization of their own. Many companions of the Prophet ﷺ had certain level of realization of this life and hereafter which others around them could not experience and that was due to the exertion and efforts they input in the path of Allah ﷻ which made them reach a certain spiritual level and status. Such a realization reveals to them the reality of this worldly life, which gives them more sorrow of what is in it when compared with what is in the hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ once said: “Had Shaytaan not been able to roam the minds of men they could have seen the mysteries of the heavens and the earths.”[1] Keeping this in mind the Prophet ﷺ had visions of such realities which made him sorrow, not for himself, but for others, for humankind as he was not only a mercy for Muslims, he was sent as a Mercy for entire creation (Al Quran 21:107). Such visions made him worry about the future of humanity especially their accountability in the hereafter, as majority of us waste our precious life. The Prophet ﷺ  said: “Paradise and Hell were presented to me and I have never seen the good and evil as (I did) today. If you were to know, you would have wept more and laughed less." He (the narrator) said: "There was nothing more burdensome for the Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) than this. They covered their heads and the sound of weeping was heard from them.”[2]

At other times the Prophet ﷺ said that he sees Angels all around and how they worship Allah ﷻ  while majority humans, are devoid of Allah’s remembrance due to the veils of worldly attachments that surround our hearts. The Prophet ﷺ said: “I see what you do not see and I hear what you do not hear; heaven has squeaked, and it has right to do so. By Him, in Whose Hand my soul is, there is not a space of four fingers in which there is not an angel who is prostrating his forehead before Allah, the Exalted. By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little, weep much, and you would not enjoy women (your wives) in beds, but would go out to the open space beseeching Allah.”[3] At times when reciting the verses of the Quran he would constantly cry and be sorrowful, not because he was sad or because of his sins, but because he was able to understand the depth being expressed in a few words of Quran due to his own deep realization of Allah’s ﷻ  majestic glory and benevolence in the universe. 

Ayesha (r.a) once cried and informed people who inquired about him after his passing away which made her weep and she said “all his matters were amazing. One night, he came close to me until his skin touched my skin and said, ‘Let me worship my Lord.’ I said, ‘By Allah I love your being close to me. I also love that you worship your Lord.’ He used the water-skin and performed ablution, but did not use too much water. He then stood up in prayer and cried until his beard became wet. He prostrated and cried until he made the ground wet. He then laid down on his side and cried. When Bilal came to alert the Prophet for the dawn (fajr) prayer, he said, `O Messenger of Allah! What makes you cry, while Allah has forgiven our previous and latter sins' to which the Prophet replied 'How can I prevent myself from crying after the following Verse was revealed: “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.”[4] The Prophet (ﷺ) stood (in prayer at night) until his feet swelled up, and it was said to him: Allah has forgiven your past and future sins. He said: “Should I not be a thankful slave?'”[5]

References:
[1] Ihya Ulum id deen - Imam Ghazzali
[2] Sahih Muslim 2359 a – Sunnah.com
[3] Riyaad us Saliheen  Book 1, Hadith 406 – Sunnah.com
[4] Al Quran 3:190
[5] Kathir, Imam Ibn. 2003. Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) - Riyadh: Darussalam. Also available on www.qtafsir.com 

The Prophetic wisdom of not giving azaan (call to prayer).

​One of the Imams gave the simple answer to that but definitely the most important reason for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not giving the azaan is because if Muslims would not appear in masjid for salaah after hearing it from the Prophet ﷺ, they would get more sin as compared to someone else’s call. Rejecting the call of the Prophet ﷺ has greater implications for individuals as compared to rejecting anyone else’s. Apart from this great wisdom there are other reasons why he did not. The call to Islam was the actual call that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  was busy with every moment of his life. The responsibilities included within the call to Islam are extensive therefore he focused on them and assigned the azaan to his companions. Secondly during the azaan there are certain words that are required to be uttered simultaneously with the muezzin’s (caller’s) wording and also there are duas (invocations) need to be recited after the completion of azaan. These needed to be taught to people who constantly observed and watched the Prophet ﷺ for the sake of learning so that they could teach others. Thirdly, the Prophet ﷺ ​had a soft and humble voice and in order for the voice of azaan to reach far and wide, a companion like Bilal, the Abyssinian, was the best choice whose voice was deep and echoing. That is why we have a prophetic hadith from him that: “Azaan is among the Ethiopians (Abyssinians).”[1] Obviously now we have loud speakers that do that job but in the past a person with a heavy voice was certainly preferred and would still be preferred in the absence of such technology. Fourthly, in masjids the role of muezzin (the caller) is separate from the pesh Imam (prayer leaders). Just as how the Prophet ﷺ led the prayers himself and not give azaan so to distinguish for us the position between the two. Fifthly, it is not all true that he never gave any sort of azaan. At the birth of a Muslim child an azaan is to be given in the child’s ear but in a very low voice. The Prophet ﷺ gave azaan in Imam Hassan’s[2] ear when he was born. 

References:
[1] Jami Tirmidhi - Vol. 1, Book 46, Hadith 3936 – Sunnah.com
[2] The eldest and first born son of Prophet’s daughter Fatima (r.a) from her only marriage with Ali (r.a), prophet’s dearest cousin and son in law. 

​Did the Prophet ﷺ know how to read & write?

​The answer to the question is clearly mentioned in the Quran where Allah ﷻ said that Prophet did not know how to read and write: “for, [O Muhammad,] you have never been able to recite any divine book before this one [was revealed], nor did you ever transcribe one with your own hand - or else, they who try to disprove the truth [of your revelation] might indeed have had cause to doubt [it].”[1] This is one of the greatest proof of Quran’s miraculous origin that the Prophet ﷺ could not have authored it. In fact, this was a challenging statement for the opponents of his times, and those of contemporary times, that if he was unlettered then how he managed to write a book that made such a global impact and brought one of the greatest revolutions of modern history. In another verse of the Quran, Allah ﷻ explicitly called him the unlettered prophet: “…Believe, then, in God and His Messenger - the unlettered Prophet who believes in God and His words - and follow him, so that you might find guidance!”[2] The term ummi is translated in this verse as ‘unlettered’ in English which is a correct and more civilized translation instead of ‘illiterate’ which sounds more negative. Many translations have translated this word as ‘illiterate’, which is incorrect because even though he did not know how to read and write yet there was no human ever to walk on the face of the earth who was more educated and knowledgeable than he was! Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi, a famous Sufi wrote in his masterpiece Mathnavi: “How could the one who wrote over the moon when he cut it in two, be illiterate?”[3] An authentic hadith describes the major incident of his first revelation of the Quran. It tells us of his conversation with Archangel Gabriel (alaihi salaam) which confirms his inability to read or write:

“One night, the Angel of Revelation suddenly appeared to him and said, "Read!" Muhammad at first thought that he was expected to read actual script, which, being unlettered, he was unable to do; and so he answered, "I cannot read" - whereupon, in his own words, the angel "seized me and pressed me to himself until all strength went out of me; then he released me and said, 'Read!' I answered, 'I cannot read....' Then he seized me again and pressed me to himself until all strength went out of me; then he released me and said, 'Read!' - to which I [again] answered, 'I cannot read....' Then he seized me and pressed me to himself a third time; then he released me and said, 'Read in the name of your Sustainer, who has created - created man out of a germ-cell! Read - for your Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One...'": and so Muhammad understood, in sudden illumination, that he was called upon to "read", that is, to receive and understand, God's message to man. The above excerpts are quoted from the third Tradition of the section Bad al- Wahy, which forms the introductory chapter of Bukhari's Sahih; almost identical versions of this Tradition are found in two other places in Bukhari as well as in Muslim, Nasa'i and Tirmidhi.” (Message of the Quran - English commentary of the Quran by Muhammad Asad).

Why did the Prophet ﷺ remained unlettered even after the revelation?

As for the reason why the Prophet ﷺ remained unlettered even after his prophethood is due to divine wisdom in the Quran where Allah ﷻ says: “VERILY, in the Messenger of God you have a best example for everyone who looks forward (with hope and fear] to God.”[4] Since the Quran refers to him as the best teacher and model for all humanity, hence if he had a teacher, that would make that teacher the best and not the Prophet thus contradicting the Quranic advice to follow his model. Therefore, divine wisdom decreed that he remain unlettered so that it is known that the best personality to ever walk on the face of this earth had only one teacher and that was Allah ﷻ Himself.

References:
[1] Al Quran 29:48
[2] Al Quran 7:158
[3] The word Ummi by Shaykh Gibril Haddad – As-Sunnah Foundation of America
[4] Al Quran 33:21

Prophetic responsibilities are greater

In order to answer this question we need to understand the status and position of a prophet in Islam. The rules in Islam for a prophet are different from those given to a believer in the sense that they have more responsibilities and that is due to their ability and capacity to do more. For instance the question why Allah ﷻ allows only four wives to a believer? The permission to marry up to four wives for a believer is more of a responsibility rather than pleasures and this is confirmed by the fact that Allah ﷻ has burdened him with financial responsibilities and has exempted women from such. Also while keeping those two or three or four together, a believer has to make sure to dispense equal justice and treatment which is not very easy. Therefore while Allah ﷻ allows a believer to marry up to four He does remind him: “if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then (marry) only one.”[1] What is necessary to understand about a Prophet is that they have capacity to treat them all justly and therefore the mission given to them allows them to carry responsibilities in relation to their capacity. In one of his answers to the same question, one of the modern leading scholars Sheikh Gibril Haddad mentions that there are certain rules permissible for the Prophet ﷺ only and the scholars of Islam have referred to them under Khasa'is al- Nabawiyya (الخصائص النبوية) or "Exclusive Prophetic characteristics."[2] Great Imams such as Jalaaluddin Suyuti[3] and Qadi Iyad[4] have mentioned them in their books. Some of those fall in the category of wajib (obligatory); others in the mustahabb (recommended); others in the mubah (permissible); others in the makruh (dislike); and others in the haram (forbidden). (S. G. Haddad 2003). I have listed these characteristics from the Sheikh’s article with sources from Quran and prophetic hadith to explain each.
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Tahajjud (Late Night Prayer)

An example of a Prophetic wajib is tahajjud or late night praying for most of the night. This was made obligatory for him, he never missed it. This same prayer is a Sunnah for the remaining believers i.e. non-obligatory and not wajib (obligatory).

Eating garlic and onions

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Whoever eats from offensive plant let him stay away from the mosque, for the angels are harmed by the same things that harm people.”[5] In this, he merely informed them to be away from masjid in case on consumption but did not made it haraam (forbidden) for us. For himself it was Haram (forbidden) and he never consumed it.

Zakat (Obligatory Charity)

Another example of the Prophetic haram (forbidden) is the acceptance of zakat (obligatory charity), one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat on Prophets is haram and in fact, it is haraam on his true descendants, the Syeds. On the other hand, Zakat is mubah (permitted) for the entire Ummah.

No Property Inheritance

Another example is that it is haraam (forbidden) for Prophets to leave any inheritance other than sadaqa (charity) for poor. While anything any Muslim leaves is obligatorily inheritance and their property is distributed to the heirs as specified in Islamic Law i.e. Shariah. This is obviously due to Prophetic hadith that: “Indeed the scholars are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets do not leave behind Dinar or Dirham. The only legacy of the scholars is knowledge, so whoever takes from it, then he has indeed taken the most able share.”[6]

More than four Wives

An example of the Prophetic mubah (permissible) is his having more than four wives while it is haram (forbidden) for the ummah (his nation) to have more than four. Another example is that he could marry any man's widow while it is haram for the entire Umma to marry any of his widows after him because they are literally like our mothers, and some said, because his life in the barzakh is literal. (Please read for more info my post Dearer Than Our Own Parents)

Drinking or urinating while standing

Certain acts were mubah (permissible) for the Prophet such as sitting or standing while drinking water or urinating. It is makruh (disliked) for the believers.

Congregational tarawih (night prayers during holy month of Ramadaan) and itikaaf (seclusion in Ramadaan)

These acts are sunnah and not wajib (obligatory) for the ummah but they were to be strictly observed by the Prophet of Allah ﷺ  as he himself said: “I saw what you were doing and the only thing that prevented me from coming out to you was that I feared that it would become obligatory (fard) for you.”[7] These were obligatory on him only.

Prophetic Fasting

Another example of the Prophetic mustahabb (recommended) was fasting without breaking fast for longer than one day and night. Fasting so rigorously was the habit of our Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. While such type of continuous fasting is Haraam (forbidden) or Makruh (disliked) for the Ummah. It is recorded that the Prophet fasted for days continuously; the people also did the same but it was difficult for them. Therefore, the Prophet forbade them (to fast continuously for more than one day). They said: “But you fast without break (no food was taken in the evening or in the morning).” The Prophet replied, “I am not like you, for I am provided with food and drink (by Allah).”[8] This was mustahab (recommended) for the Prophet because he used to receive spiritual sustenance from unseen, something not every other believer can access except in the case of some saints and sufis in Islam.

Battle on a Mule

There are other rulings that only the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wassallam), did such as going into battle on a mule when no one had the courage to use a mule but used either a horse or a camel. For other believers its mustahabb (recommended) to use camel or horse and not a mule. It is also a fact that companions would sometimes hide behind the Prophet during battle due to fact that he was divinely assisted.

Enjoyments of life

Eating delicious foods and living luxuriously is mubah (permissible) for the ummah but haraam and makruh (disliked) for the Prophet ﷺ. It is due to this reason he was always the poorest among all his followers and would go without food for days while he was someone who held such a great status that with one ishara (sign) the companions were ready to sacrifice themselves for him. It was such hardships and difficulties that the Prophet including his eleven wives went through that Allah ﷻ reminded them of their status: “O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire this world's life and its adornment, then come, I will give you a provision and allow you to depart a goodly departing. And if you desire Allah and His Apostle and the latter abode (hereafter), then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a mighty reward.”[9]

Allah ﷻ gave all his eleven wives the option to leave or stay but they chose to stay! Thus, the exclusive characteristics of the Prophet in Islam are many and differ from those given to other believers and this is due to the status the Prophet had with Allah ﷻ and His nearness. Therefore, this needs to be kept in mind when understanding why he married eleven wives while others were not burdened as much.

References:
[1] Al Quran 4:3
[2] Haddad, Sheikh Gibril. 2003. "Sex with slaves and women's rights." Living Islam Islamic Tradition. 06 02. Accessed 02 26, 2019. https://www.abc.se/home/m9783/ir/f/Sex_w.slaves.a.women.html.
[3] Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti 1445–1505 AD – one of the greatest Islamic scholars during Middle Age period. He was adherent of the Shafii Madhhab.
[4] Iyad ibn Musa (1083-1149 CE) – A famous Qadi in Emirate of Granada and author of well-known Ash-Shifa.
[5] Sunan ibn Majah - Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1016 – Sunnah.com
[6] Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2682 – Sunnah.com
[7] Muwatta Malik - Book 6, Hadith 1 – Sunnah.com
[8] Sahih al-Bukhari 1922 – Sunnah.com
[9]Al Quran 33:28–29

 
Was Prophet Muhammad ﷺ unique in his claim of prophethood? 

During Prophet Muhammad's time there were other claimants to Prophethood and in Islamic history we Muslims call them kazzaab (liars) or false prophets. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had even prophesied that there would appear thirty false prophets from his ummah (nation) and two of them appeared during his own lifetime i.e. Al Ansi Al Aswad and Musaylima. The end result of their false claims proved for all that Prophet Muhammad’s claim was unique. Before their false declarations, these individuals had actually accepted Islam but during the Prophet’s last days and especially after his death, abandoned Islam gathered their supporters and rebelled against the Islamic authority. After their revolt they declared themselves to be prophets but eventually failed the test of prophethood and were either killed by the Muslim army or repented and re-entered Islam. What is important to note is that they recited poetry which was evident to those around them that it could not match the Quran and in many cases they even borrowed from the Quran and mixed their own verses to make them sound more heavenly. Some of them sounded outright nonsensical such as in the case of Musaylimah Al Kazzaab (The Liar) who recited some verses to impress Amr ibn Al Aas (r.a), who was an idol worshiper at that time but failed to impress. Imam ibn Kathir records this incident in his famous tafsir:

Musaylimah after hearing Surah Asr[1] of the Quran said "Indeed something similar has also been revealed to me.'' Amr asked him, "What is it'' He replied, "O Wabr (a small, furry mammal; hyrax), O Wabr! You are only two ears and a chest, and the rest of you is digging and burrowing.'' Then he said, "What do you think, O Amr'' So Amr said to him, "By Allah! Verily, you know that I know you are lying.'' Imam Ibn Kathir said “Wabr is a small animal that resembles a cat, and the largest thing on it is its ears and its torso, while the rest of it is ugly. Musaylimah intended by the composition of these nonsensical verses to produce something which would oppose the Qur'an. Yet, it was not even convincing to the idol worshipper of that time.”[2] Please note that all these false claimants were part of the apostasy movement[3] , when various tribes in the outskirts of Arabian Peninsula gathered around these pretenders for the sake of gaining power and land, as became evident from their rebellion. The following are a few well known who declared themselves as prophets:

Thalayhah ibn Khuwaylid Al-Asadi

After accepting Islam he declared himself to be a prophet during the final days of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Thalayhah and his tribe abandoned Islam and then rebelled against the authority in Madinah, capital of the Islamic state. The Prophet’s successor Abu Bakr (r.a) sent an army against this imposter. Thalayhah declared that the death of the Prophet ﷺ was a sign corroborative of his own prophethood. Many other tribes acknowledged Thalayhah as the prophet, and the argument that weighed with them was that while Muhammad ﷺ was dead, Thalayhah was alive, and a living prophet was to be preferred to the prophet who was dead. When the Muslim army met the army of this imposter, he pretended to be receiving revelation and withdrew while his army under the command of a man named Uyaynah initiated the fight with Muslims. While waiting for Thalayhah’s so called revelation, Uyaynah realizing that this man was faking decided to withdraw from battle. Thalayhah escaped with his wife to Syria and when Syria was conquered by the Muslims he repented and was allowed to re-enter Islam. After his repentance he fought in the battles of Qadisiyya and Nahvand as a Muslim against Persian Sassanid Empire.

Al Aswad Al Ansi

This liar arose in Yemen after the death of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ . He was called the ‘veiled prophet’ because it is said he veiled his face from people due to ugliness. He revolted and killed Shahr, a Persian Muslim appointed by Madinah to rule Yemen. After his declaration of so called prophet hood through deceit many Arabs in Yemen supported his cause against a Persian ruler, an outsider, due to which he was successful in overthrowing the latter’s rule. Those who remained faithful to Islam rallied behind Feroz, another Persian Muslim and a minister of Shahr. Soon this liar was poisoned by those who were faithful to Islam and his followers were defeated by the Muslims in a battle. Feroz then replaced him as a ruler of Yemen.

Sajjah bint Al Haarith Al Taghlibiyyah & Musaylimah Al Kazzab (The Liar)

Sajjah was a female claimant to prophet hood, belonged to the Christian tribe of Banu Taghlib of Iraq who gathered supporters around her to rebel against the state of Madinah. She joined hands with another Arab tribal leader named Malik bin Nuwera and revolted against the authority in Madinah. They received some successes but for some reason they did not get along with each other and Sajjah decided to move to Yamamah (Southern Saudi Arabia) and join Musaylimah. After their meeting they both inspired each other to the point where he agreed to her being prophetess and she agreed to him being a prophet and both married. Later Sajjah realized that she had accepted her defeat by joining Musaylima which made him strong. After her realization she left and went back to her tribe in Iraq. When Muslims conquered Iraq she repented and returned to Islam. As for Musaylimah he gathered a large army and fought the considerably small Muslim army at the battle of Yamama where he was defeated and killed. He belonged to the tribe of Banu Hanifa. The people of Banu Hanifa accepted Islam during Prophets lifetime but apostatized due to Musaylima’s deceit. After Musaylima they repented and reentered Islam. Abu Bakr (r.a) forgave those who repented.[4]

One very important thing to note is that these false contemporaries strengthened the claim of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This can be noticed from the fact that the tribes that gathered around these false claimants were latest converts with very weak faith and conviction in Islam. When the Prophet ﷺ was close to passing away and after his death they somehow became sure that Islam was going to be over and subsequently fell for the deceit of such individuals coupled with their own desire to gain power. This caused them to be tested, as a result many failed and others who continued to hold on to Islam became stronger in their conviction as events unfolded. Many of those who failed to realize their error held on to their disbelief and died with it while others who faltered, repented after realizing their errors and then became stronger in their Islamic faith. From a wider perspective these liars and their eventual end actually assisted in clearing the minds of those who had been deceived in to thinking that there was not much of a difference between them and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Additionally, and historically speaking, these events clarify any doubts usually spread by unfriendly, modern critics of Islam, that Prophet Muhammad succeeded in that environment only because there was no contemporary claimants to prophethood. 

References:
[1] Chapter 103 of the Quran.
[2] Kathir, Imam Ibn. 2003. Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) Vol 10. Riyadh: Darussalam.
[3] A movement comprising of various tribes who accepted Islam then rejected after Prophet’s death. Also known as ridda wars which were series of military campaigns launched against the rebellious tribes of the peninsula by Prophet’s successor Abu Bakr (r.a).
[4] Masud-ul-Hasan, Professor. 1982. "Khalifa Abu Bakr - Apostacy Campaign Against Musailma." Alim - The world's most useful Islamic software. Accessed 03 05, 2019. http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/10/1.

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​Some non-Muslims, in particular the Christian missionaries or critics quote Al Quran 10:94 and claim that Allah ﷻ has commanded Muslims to confirm Prophet Muhammad's claim from Jews and Christians, as though his claim is only contingent on their confirmation, meaning if they reject him then Muslims should also not accept him. Unfortunately, this is a misinterpretation of the ayah:

(Al Quran 10:94) So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the scriptures before you. The Truth has come to you from your Lord, so be in no doubt and do not deny God’s signs-

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sent to the people of Makkah, the main recipients of his revelation were mainly non-Jewish and non-Christian people. These people had never received a revelation like Gospel or Torah before the Quran and neither had they experienced a long succession of Prophets to guide them such as the case of Children of Israel. Therefore when verses similar to Al Quran 10:94 were revealed, the first addressees were advised to seek confirmation of his prophethood from those who were revealed scriptures before the Quran. Such people, closest to them were naturally those in the surrounding region, namely Jews & Christians. This advise was actually given to make the conviction stronger in Islam of its followers after its acceptance, not that they were doubtful.

Having said that there is much historical evidence that several Jews & Christians, even the prominent ones among them who lived during Prophet’s time, confirmed that there were references in their holy books about him. In fact even those who did not accept Islam found it hard to deny this claim. Following is a list of few prominent ones:

Heraclius - The Christian Byzantine Ruler (610 CE to 641 CE)

Heraclius the Byzantine ruler at that time who ruled the regions of Greater Syria (Shaam) when heard about Abu Sufyan trading in his lands, who was the chief of Quraish and an opponent of Muslims at that time, invited him for questioning about the claims of Prophet. After hearing the qualities described he had no doubt about these claims. The below excerpt of this question answer session is recorded in the most authentic book on traditions, Sahih Al Bukhari:

Narrated Abdullah bin Abbas (r.a) who learned this from Abu Sufyan who told him that after getting all answers Heraclius said the following:

…..I asked you about his family and your reply was that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody else amongst you claimed such a thing (prophethood), your reply was in the negative. If the answer had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man was following the previous man's statement. Then I asked you whether anyone of his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in the affirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I further asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he said, and your reply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others could ever tell a lie about Allah. I, then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. You replied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Apostle have been followed by this very class of people. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in all respects. I further asked you whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, became displeased and discarded his religion. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faith, when its delight enters the hearts and mixes with them completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed. You replied in the negative and likewise the Apostles never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship any thing along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the truth and to be chaste. If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy this place underneath my feet and I knew it (from the scriptures i.e. Bible) that he was going to appear but I did not know that he would be from you (i.e. Arabs of Makkah)…..” (Source: Sahih Al Bukhari - Book of Revelations - Hadith 7 - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم))

Al-Muqawqis - Chief of the Christian Copts, Governor of Egypt (Misr)

Since Prophet ﷺ was entrusted to invite all people towards Islam and not only the people of Makkah, he had sent his letters of invitation to all regional rulers. A letter was also sent to Al-Muqawqis, the Byzantine governor of Egypt through one of his companions named Hatib ibn Balta. After reading the invitation to Islam Al-Muqawqis put the Prophet’s letter in a box made of ivory and sealed it. He called in someone who could write Arabic from among his people and wrote this reply:

“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent. To Muhammad ibn Abdullah from Al-Muqawqis. Peace, I have read your letter and understood its contents and what you have called on me to do. I certainly know that one more Prophet is to be sent, but I thought that he would appear in Syria. I have extended my hospitality to your messenger and I am sending you two maids who enjoy great respect among the Copts, and I am presenting you with clothes and a mule for you to ride. Peace be to you.” (Source A gift from the ruler of Egypt - Adil Salahi | Arab News)

Though Al-Muqawqis did not accept Islam, he described to Hatib certain features which he knew to be applicable to the last Prophet and which Hatib confirmed were true of Muhammad ﷺ.

Ibn Suriya - Jewish Scholar of Madinah

It is recorded in another authentic tradition that a case of adultery was referred by the Jews to the Prophet ﷺ ​when in Madinah to which he was informed through revelation that punishment for the crime is stoning. He himself could not read nor write. When he told the Jews, they denied and ibn Suriya, one of them confirmed it by reading Torah:
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Narrated Ikrimah (r.a) The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said to Ibn Suriya: “I remind you by Allah Who saved you from the people of Pharaoh, made you cover the sea, gave you the shade of clouds, sent down to you manna and quails, sent down you Torah to Moses, do you find stoning (for adultery) in your Book?” He said “You have reminded me by the Great. It is not possible for me to belie you.” He then transmitted the rest of the tradition. (Source: Sunan Abu Dawud - Kitab Al Aqdiya - Hadith 3626 - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم))

Huyayy ibn Akhtab - Chief of Banu Nadir, a Jewish tribe of Madinah

Safiyyah bint Huyayy, was the daughter of ibn Akhtab, a Jewish chief learned in the scriptures. After Safiyya’s conversion to Islam and becoming wife of the Prophet ﷺ she narrated an incident from her father’s lifetime where he and her brother recognized him as the Prophet ﷺ but decided to oppose:

I heard Abu Yasir ask my father, “Is it him?” He replied: “Yes, it is.” Abu Yasir asked: “Do you recognize him? Can you confirm it?” He answered: “Yes, I recognize him only too well.” Abu Yasir asked: “What do you feel towards him?” He replied: “Enmity, enmity as long as I live.” (Source: Huyayy ibn Akhtab - Wikipedia)

Abdullah ibn Salaam - Jewish scholar of Madinah and prominent Companion of the Prophet ﷺ 

Abdullah ibn Salaam (r.a) used to read Judaic scriptures, taught the Jews in Madinah. He gave details of his journey to Islam:

"When I heard of the appearance of the Messenger of God, peace be on him, I began to make enquiries about his name, his genealogy, his characteristics, his time and place and I began to compare this information with what is contained in our books (i.e. Bible). From these enquiries, I became convinced about the authenticity of his prophethood and I affirmed the truth of his mission. However, I concealed my conclusions from the Jews. I held my tongue...” Source: MSA West

Mukhayriq - Jewish Rabbi of Madinah

One of the top three Rabbis of Madinah. Ibn Ishaq one of the earliest biographers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentions that Mukhayriq recognized the Prophet ﷺ  by his description and by what he found in his scholarship. However, he was accustomed to his own religion, and this held him back, until the Battle of Uhud (625 CE) which fell upon the Sabbath. Its recorded that this Rabbi, though did not accept Islam, was martyred in the Battle of Uhud fighting on the Muslim side.

Ka’ab Al-Ahbar - A learned Yemeni Jew

The term ahbar relates to the meaning of ink, writing and learning. It indicates learning and Ka’ab Al-Ahbar was an expert in Torah and Judaic scriptures. He was very learned and after hearing the Quran while visiting Madinah accepted Islam and confirmed that it was the word of Allah ﷻ and that Jewish scriptures confirm it.

Thalaba ibn Saya, Usaid ibn Saya and Asad ibn Ubaid - Jews of Madinah

Sheikh Al Nursi Bediuzzaman relates an incident about Ibn Hayaban who once visited the Banu Nadir, Jewish tribe of Madinah before Prophet’s proclamation, and predicted the arrival of the final Prophet as per their scriptures and that he would come to Madinah. When Banu Nadir fought the Muslims three Jews, Thalaba ibn Saya, Usaid ibn Saya and Asad ibn Ubaid, reminded them about Ibn Hayaban’s news and accepted Islam.

Such confirmations for Muslims from those who were ‘reading scriptures before’ were source of strength in their conviction of Islamic faith.

References:

Heraclius
https://sunnah.com/abudawud/25/56 
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/1/7 
Al-Muqawqis
A gift from the ruler of Egypt
Huyayy ibn Akhtab
Abdullah ibn Salam
Mukhayriq
Ka’b al-Ahbar
https://web.archive.org/web/20090528032434/http://www.msawest.com/islam/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.ABDULLAH_IBN_SAILM.html