عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ لَقِيتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قُلْتُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ صِفَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ قَالَ أَجَلْ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَمَوْصُوفٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ بِبَعْضِ صِفَتِهِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَحِرْزًا لِلْأُمِّيِّينَ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَرَسُولِي سَمَّيْتُكَ المتَوَكِّلَ لَيْسَ بِفَظٍّ وَلَا غَلِيظٍ وَلَا سَخَّابٍ فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ وَلَا يَدْفَعُ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَلَكِنْ يَعْفُو وَيَغْفِرُ وَلَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى يُقِيمَ بِهِ الْمِلَّةَ الْعَوْجَاءَ بِأَنْ يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَيَفْتَحُ بِهَا أَعْيُنًا عُمْيًا وَآذَانًا صُمًّا وَقُلُوبًا غُلْفًا تَابَعَهُ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ هِلَالٍ وَقَالَ سَعِيدٌ عَنْ هِلَالٍ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ ابْنِ سَلَامٍ غُلْفٌ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ فِي غِلَافٍ سَيْفٌ أَغْلَفُ وَقَوْسٌ غَلْفَاءُ وَرَجُلٌ أَغْلَفُ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مَخْتُونًا (البخاري)
From Atta ibn Yasaar, I met Abdullah bin Arm ibn Al-'Aas (ra) and said, "Tell me about the description of Allah's Messenger (sas) in the Taurat." He said, "Yes, by Allah. He is described in the Taurat with some of the attributes with which he is described in the Qur'an. [O prophet, we have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good news, a warner and a protection for the illiterate folk. You are my slave and my messenger. I have named you "Al-Mutawakkil" (he who relies [on Allah]). Not rough or harsh or loud-voiced in the marketplaces. He does not repel a bad deed with another bad deed. Rather, he overlooks and forgives. Allah will not take him until he puts aright a nation lost by their saying 'There is not god but Allah'. He will open therewith eyes which had been blind and ears which had been deaf and hearts closed tight. Abdul-Aziz ibn Abi Salama followed hyim in this harration from Hallaal and it was said from Said from Hallaal from Ataa from ibn Salaam: "Ghulf" (closed tight) of anything is that which is in a covering like a sword in its scabbard (aghlaf) or an arrow in its quiver (ghalfaa) or a man who is "aghlaf" if he has not been circumcized.
Atta asked Abdullah ibn Amr this question because he was known for his extensive study of the previous books.
Much of what is reported here from the Taurat is also found in the Qur'an:
"O prophet, we have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good news, a warner..."
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا (45)
{O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good news and a warner}
A witness to the oneness of Allah and over the people on Qiyama regarding his warnings and their deeds. A bringer of the good news of Allah's infinite mercy and justice. And, a warner against the dangers of displeasing Allah through disobedience or shirk.
"and a protection for the illiterate folk"
هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ (2)
And the Prophet (sas) said: "We are an illiterate folk, we neither write nor calculate."
Arabs were referred to in this way because literacy was rare among them.
"You are my slave and my messenger. I have named you "Al-Mutawakkil" (he who relies [on Allah])."
وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ (6)
" Not rough or harsh or loud-voiced in the marketplaces"
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ (159)
This about the nature of Allah's Messenger (sas). It does not contradict Allah's ORDER for harshness where appropriate such as:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ (73)
As this was a case of necessity, of survival, self-defense and the preservation of the Muslim Ummah.
"He does not repel a bad deed with another bad deed. Rather, he overlooks and forgives."
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُونَ (96) وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ (97) وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ (98)
"Allah will not take him until he puts aright a nation lost by their saying 'There is not god but Allah'. He will open therewith eyes which had been blind and ears which had been deaf and hearts closed tight."
i.e., the nation of Ibrahim - the Arabs. Allah did not take Muhammad until the Ummah of Ibrahim was returned to tauhid.