This page was written by my dear friend Qais Ali (may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him).  I have modified some of it, but most of it is from his work.  You can also find the combined articles of this page at  http://members.aol.com/IslamTeam/ac.htm.   The Gospel of Barnabas was passed on to me by my dear friend Omar Qayum (may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him).

Isaiah's vision: He foretold the story of "Al-alak" that is in the Noble Quran about Muhammad:

"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which [men] deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I cannot; for it [is] sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, [I pray thee]: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, [even] a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise [men] shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? [Is] it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness."  (Isaiah 29:11-18)

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate. His entire life he never learned to read nor write. The exact circumstances of this first revelation were as follows: It was the habit of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to frequently remove himself from the midst of his fellow Arabs and their heathenistic actions and spend many days secluded in the cave of "Hiraa" in the mountains of Makkah where he would pray to God according to the religion of Abraham (peace be upon him). After many years of this, and having reached the age of forty (610AD), the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared before him and ordered him to "Iqra!" (read, recite, repeat, proclaim). Muhammad (peace be upon him), in his terror thought he was being asked to read, so he stammered: "I am unlettered." The angel Gabriel again ordered him to "Iqra!" Muhammad (peace be upon him) again replied: "I am unlettered." The angel Gabriel now took a firm hold of him and commanded him "Iqraa in the name of Allah who created!". Now Muhammad (peace be upon him) began to understand that he was not being asked to read, but to recite, to repeat. He began to repeat after him, and Gabriel revealed to him the first verses of the Qur'an, those at the beginning of the chapter of Al-Alak(96):

"Read(Iqraa): In the name of your Lord who created, Created man from a clot. Read(Iqraa): And your Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not." (The noble Qur'an, Al-Alak(96):1-5)

As mentioned above, the actual word angel Gabriel used to address Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the Arabic word "Iqra." It is derived from the Arabic root word "qara". However, if we were to go back to the original Hebrew form of the verses of Isaiah 29:11, we would find that the actual word which is translated into English as "Read this [I pray thee]" is the Hebrew word qara', {kaw-raw'}. Is it not an amazing coincidence that the Hebrew text used not only a word with the same meaning, but the exact same word itself ?

Verse 11 of Isaiah tells us that the final book (the Qur'an) was revealed to previous prophets, however, they could not read it. It was "sealed" for them because it was meant for the last prophet, and until the last prophet's time came, the people would not yet be able to "bear" this message (John 16:13). It was also sealed for them because it was revealed in Arabic.

"A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Qur'an in Arabic for people who have knowledge" (The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):3)

"Had We made this as a Qur'an (in a language) other than Arabic, they would have said: 'Why are not its verses explained in detail? What! An Arab and non Arabic?' Say: 'It is a Guide and a Healing for those who believe; and for those who disbelieve, there is a heaviness (deafness) in their ears, and it is a blindness upon them: They are as those who are called from a place far distant (so they neither hear nor understand)'"  (The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):44)

Indeed, the Qur'an was revealed to a man who could neither read nor write so that it might be apparent to mankind that he could not have received it from the writings of man, but only from God Almighty.

"Neither did you (O Muhammad) read any book before it, nor did you write any book with your right [hand]. In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted Nay, it is but clear signs in the breasts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our signs." (The noble Qur'an, Al-Ankaboot(29):48-49).

As we see in the above verses of Isaiah, by the time Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received this book from God, mankind will have been reduced to worshipping God in words alone, while their hearts shall be far removed from true belief. They will have forsaken the true belief in God in favor of "the precept of men" (the laws of men).  Verse 14 now goes on to explain how when mankind accepts this situation, then the wisdom of the wise men shall perish and all that shall be left is mankind's corruption.

This is indeed the same situation described by Muhammad (peace be upon him) in one of his sayings. In Sahih Al-Bukhari we read that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-'As said:  "I heard Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) saying, 'Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of them remain, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray.'"

In verse 15, we are told that there will remain among those corrupt individuals those who shall know the truth but shall strive to hide it from becoming known. Once again, we have seen this in chapters, one, and two. Once again, when the Qur'an was revealed, it confirmed this situation, we read:

"Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this prophet) as they recognize their sons. But lo! a party of them conceal the truth which they themselves know."  (The noble Qur'an, Al-Baqara(2):14)

"And whether you hide your word or publish it, He certainly has (full) knowledge, of the secrets of (all) hearts." (The noble Qur'an, Al-Mulk(67):13)

Verses 16 goes on to tell us how this treachery, concealment of the truth, and "overturning" of verses, laws, and obligations shall be exposed, and the wicked shall be held accountable for their deeds. Yet again, in the Qur'an we read:

"That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths. But their hands will speak to us, and their feet bear witness, to all that they used to do" (The noble Qur'an, Ya-seen(36):65)

"And (remember) the day that the enemies of Allah shall be gathered to the Fire so that they will (all) be collected there. Till, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do. And they will say to their skins 'Why did you testify against us?' They will say: 'Allah has caused us to speak, [for He is] the One who caused all things [which He willed] to speak, and He created you the first time, and unto Him you are returned"  (The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):19-21).

"O People of the Scripture! Now has Our messenger come unto you, revealing to you much of that which you used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now has come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture," (The noble Qur'an, Al-Maidah(5):15)

"They did not estimate Allah with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did God send down to man [by way of revelation]" Say: "Who then sent down the Book which Moses brought?- a light and guidance to man: But you make it into [separate] sheets for show, while you conceal much [of its contents]: and [by which] you were taught that which you knew not yourselves nor [did] your fathers [know it]?." Say: 'Allah [sent it down]': Then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling." (The noble Qur'an, Al-An'am(6):91)