are the Jewish and Christian revelations; so Jelalooddeen;— كالتوراة والإنجيل

To strengthen the argument it is added:—"Do they not perceive it to be evidence of the truth of the Corân or the Mission of Mahomet ( القرآن او نبوة محمد على حجة —Baidhâwi,) that those of the children of Israel learned in the Scriptures, recognized and acknowledged the Corân to be divine, because of its similarity to their own Scriptures?" Thus Baidhâwi;— أن يعرفوه بنعته المذكورة في كتبهم —that they recognized it by the aforesaid marks in their Scriptures."

We need not doubt the belief of Mahomet that he really was predicted in the former Scriptures as a prophet about to arise; or that some learned Jews, trusting to his earnest attestation and confirmation of their Scriptures, gave their evidence in favour of his Revelation and Mission. Our business here is not to seek the grounds of such belief or testimony, but rather to draw attention to the manner in which the Jewish Scriptures are spoken of in the text as books current amongst the Jews,—books, the contents of which are alleged to be in such close conformity with the Corân, that the coincidence is brought forward in reasoning with the people of Mecca as a proof of the inspiration of the Corân itself; and the argument is supported by the evidence of learned Jews who were familiar with the books appealed to.

Such language could only be held of extant, genuine, authoritative books; Scriptures acknowledged at least by Mahomet to be such: and regarding

which there was no suspicion of corruption or interpolation.

Mahomet here challanges the Coreish to produce any inspired book, or remnant of divine knowledge or revelation, (علم ), in support of their doctrine that idolatry was permitted by God, or that idols are a means of approach to him; for this was pleaded by them against the Prophet's denunciation of idolatry.

The Jewish and Christian Scriptures are not directly mentioned. But Mahomet could not have made this virtual appeal to them, had he suspected that they contained anything, either originally or by interpolation, favouring else but the pure worship of the One only God. It is as much as to say,—"You may search through the whole previous Scriptures, but you will not find in them one word in support of your position."