Few topics in Islamic eschatology carry the weight of what Sheikh Muhammad Ashinawi unpacks in this episode of The Deen Show — a convergence of scriptural prophecy, historical testimony, and end-times revelation that cuts to the heart of why Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not merely a figure of the Arab world, but the final messenger sent as a mercy to all of mankind. From the Jewish tribes of ancient Medina who positioned themselves there specifically to await his arrival, to the prophesied defeat of the Dajjal (the Antichrist) near Tel Aviv, the evidence across traditions points in one undeniable direction: this is the prophet the world was warned about, and the one most of the world has yet to fully recognize.
The Jewish Tribes of Medina and Their Testimony to His Prophethood
Long before the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Mecca to Medina, three Jewish tribes — Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayza — had already settled there. Their reason was not coincidental. Their own scriptures described a land of palm trees between two lava fields, and Medina matched that description precisely. These tribes would use the coming of this awaited prophet as a threat against the pagan Arabs during disputes, saying: “Our prophet is coming, and when he arrives, we will finish you off.” Yet when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ finally arrived, the reaction was split by something far less spiritual than scripture — it was ethnicity and tribal pride. Two prominent rabbis, Huyayy ibn Akhtab and his brother, went to scout the prophet’s arrival. Their exchange, as Sheikh Ashinawi recounts it, is one of the most telling moments in early Islamic history:
“They recognized him the way they would recognize their own child. One confirmed: that’s him. Then the other asked: how do you feel about this? And he said: he is my enemy for as long as I live — I will never concede to someone not from my family tree, not from my tribe, not from my ethnicity.”
This stark admission — acknowledging truth and then rejecting it out of ethnic supremacy — shaped the early Muslim-Jewish dynamic in Medina. But not all followed this path. Chief Rabbi Abdullah ibn Salam, a sincere truth-seeker, accepted Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as a messenger and embraced Islam, even at the cost of being disowned by his community. The distinction Sheikh Ashinawi draws is critical: the insincere acknowledged the prophet but refused to accept him — while the sincere sought God’s guidance above tribal belonging. The Quran itself addressed this tension directly, when pagan Arabs went to Medina seeking ammunition to discredit the Prophet ﷺ and the Jewish scholars advised them to ask him about the Seven Sleepers in the Cave and the righteous king who roamed the earth. Allah responded with Surah Al-Kahf — the 18th chapter — not just answering both questions, but doing so with knowledge of the internal scholarly disputes the Jews held privately about those very accounts. Key takeaways from this section include:
- Jewish tribes deliberately settled in Medina based on scriptural descriptions of where the final prophet would appear
- Senior rabbis confirmed the Prophet ﷺ by sight — recognizing him as described in their own books — yet many rejected him purely on ethnic grounds
- Abdullah ibn Salam represents the model of the sincere seeker: a chief rabbi who followed the truth over tribal loyalty
- The Quran’s Surah Al-Kahf was revealed in direct response to challenge questions — answering them with insider knowledge that left opponents shaken
- Many Jewish rabbis today regard Muslims as monotheists and spiritually distinct from idol-worshipping traditions — a remarkable acknowledgment rooted in shared Abrahamic faith
The Dajjal, the Return of ‘Isa عليه السلام, and the Final Reckoning Near Tel Aviv
The eschatological dimension of this episode is equally striking. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described in detail the Dajjal — the false messiah — as a human being who will roam the earth, first claiming to be the messiah, then claiming divinity, assisted by jinn who will manipulate the world into accepting him as god. Islamic tradition holds that the Jews, having rejected both Jesus (‘Isa) عليه السلام and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, will accept the Dajjal as their awaited messiah — a tragic fulfillment of misplaced expectation. Sheikh Ashinawi points to hadith that describe the Dajjal marching from Asbahan until his army is intercepted by the Muslims and ‘Isa عليه السلام near Lud — a location that corresponds strikingly to modern-day Tel Aviv. Sheikh Ashinawi recounts visiting the area and noticing a highway exit reading “Lod Gate,” near the Tel Aviv airport — confirming the geographical proximity the hadith describe.
“The prophet Muhammad ﷺ told us that the antichrist will roam the earth — a man, a human being who will be the false messiah. He will essentially melt when he sees Jesus Christ, peace be upon him — but he will not die before Jesus Christ takes a spear and kills him.”
This shared eschatological narrative — Muslims and Christians alike awaiting the return of ‘Isa عليه السلام to defeat the Dajjal — is one of the most profound points of convergence in world religion. Islam does not merely acknowledge Jesus as a prophet; the Quran mentions Mary (Maryam) 34 times, dedicates an entire chapter in her name, and names Jesus more times than it names the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself. The Islamic tradition is unequivocally anti-Antichrist, upholding the sanctity of human life, rejecting idol-worship, and affirming that true guidance comes from the One God alone. For those sincere in their search — whether from a Jewish, Christian, or secular background — the convergence of prophetic knowledge, historical testimony, and Quranic revelation points toward a faith rooted not in tribal identity but in pure, undiluted tawheed: the oneness of God. The story of Safiyya bint Huyayy رضي الله عنها, who dreamed the moon descended into her lap before marrying the Prophet ﷺ, and the story of Jewish scholars who could not deny his prophethood yet framed it as “for the Arabs only,” serve as timeless reminders that truth is not bound by bloodline — and that divine guidance, when sincerely sought, finds those whose hearts are open to it.
