wont start checkin for spark, etc

i have a 98 xj and i was driving the other day and it cut off while i was on a hill as i was stopping. i went to crank it back up and it made a weird noise kind of a metal on metal scrapin or maybe what it sounds like when a record is pulled backwards(hard to explain) but it wouldnt cut back on. it wants to start real bad, it sounds fine when cranking so i dont think its the starter, then i went to check to see if it was getting fuel and it was so i checked for spark on a spark plug and there was no spark, so then i checked the coil wire for spark and still no spark. seein if anyone knows anything else it may be, bc my friend has a tj and same thing happened to him almost no spark and fuel but it ended up being the crankshaft position sensor. so if you have this problem befire or know what it is so i dotn go pullin spark plugs and shit, thankss

As for the "metal on metal" sound, not sure, first I would check to makesure that the engine is still in time, usually do this by removing the cap, and turn the crankshaft till the rotor is at #1 position on the cap, also check to see if the crank markings correspond. I would check your Crank sensor and Cam sensor, both can be read out with a digital multi meter. I beleive the Haynes manuel has the particulars.

ill check on that, so you dont think that it is anything to do with the coil or anything in that nature? or somethin in there that is tellin the ignition not to spark(i.e. the crankshaft sensor)?

if you dont have spark out of the coil wire, take off the wire and check for spark directly at the coil. if still no spark, check for power and ground at the coil. if power and ground, check for signal. if no signal, check for injector pulse. if no injector pulse, suspect crankshaft sensor or pcm.