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96 THE CORÂN.

accessible to the Meccans: neither would he have made it, unless he had regarded those books as divine, authentic, and uncorrupted.

XXIX.—SURA XLIII., vv. 43[45]

سورة الزخرف

وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رُّسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِن دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ

And ask those of Our Apostles whom We have sent before thee, whether We have appointed any besides the Merciful, as a God whom they should worship.

"Ask those of Our Apostles whom we have sent before thee," that is, their people, those learned in their writings and doctrines; أي أممهم وعلماء دينهم Baidhâwi;—"the people from amongst those of the two Books," i.e. Jews and Christians,— أمم من أبي أهل الكتابين —Jelalooddeen. Mahomet is directed by God in this way to enquire of the former Apostles, and thus make sure of the fact that he has uniformly, in all previous revelations, forbidden idolatry. Referring to the previous Apostles, means, therefore, to consult their writings in the hands of the Jews and Christians. As shown by Jelalooddeen, the command of God that Mahomet should ask this question, is a mode of expression equivalent to assuring the idolatrous Meccans that none of the former prophets; or their inspired writings, countenanced the worship of any

TESTIMONY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 97
other besides the One true God:—
والمراد به الآشتهاد بأجماع الأنبياء على التوحيد
The passage thus speaks of extant and well-known Scriptures, to which, or to the people possessing them, Mahomet is referred by God for conclusive proof against idolatry. XXX.—SURA XII, v. 111.

سورة يوسف

لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِّأُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَـكِن تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

It is not a story fabricated, but an attestation of (the revelation) which is before it, and an explanation of every matter, a guide and a mercy to the people that believe.

The Corân is here spoken of:— هذا القرآن Jelalooddeen. Baidhâwi. And the argument is the same as in previous similar passages already explained. (See Art. XVI.)

XXXI.—SURA XI., vv. 17, 18.[16-17]

سورة هود

أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ إِلاَّ النَّارُ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُواْ فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَأَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ وَمِن قَبْلِهِ كِتَابُ مُوسَى إَمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً

           

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