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154 The CORÂN

"knowing to be the truth from their Lord," is (according to Jelalooddeen) the divine authority for the change of the Kibla to Mecca; or (which is more likely) the revelation and mission of Mahomet generally,—the verse confirms the purport of former passages; namely, that the Scriptures are constantly referred to by Mahomet as containing evidence in favour of himself and his mission, which the Jews, though aware of, refused to admit.

LXXXIV.—SURA II., v. 148[146].

سورة البقرة

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

Those to whom We have given the Scripture recognize him (or it) as they recognize their own sons; but verily a portion of them hide the truth, although they know it.

"Him, i.e. Mahomet; or it, i.e. the Corân."—Baidhâwi.

The reference is, as before, to the supposed recognition of Mahomet and the Corân by the Jews in pursuance of prophetic intimations in their Scriptures; which, however, out of grudge and malice, the Jews would not acknowledge.

LXXXV.—SURA II., v. 161[159-160].

سورة البقرة

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِن بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَـئِكَ يَلعَنُهُمُ اللّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّاعِنُونَ
إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُواْ وَأَصْلَحُواْ وَبَيَّنُواْ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ أَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنَا التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

TESTIMONY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES 155

Verily they that conceal the clear demonstration and guidance which We have sent down, after that We have manifested the same to mankind in the Scripture, God shall curse them, and the cursers shall curse them;—
excepting such as repent and amend, and make manifest (the Truth); as to such I will forgive them; for I am forgiving and merciful.

The occasion of this passage being revealed, is, according to Ibn Ishâc (as quoted by Ibn Hishâm in his biography of the Prophet), as follows:—

كتمانهم ما في التورية من الحق وسال معاد ابن جبل اخو بني سلمه وسعد ابن معذ أخو بني عبد الأشل وخارجة بن زيد نفر من أحبار يهود عن بعض ما في التورية فكتموه أياهم وأبوأ أن يخبروهم عنه بأنزل الله التورية فكتموه أياهم وأبوا أن يخبروهم عنه فانزل الله عز وجل أن الذين يكتمون ما أنزلنا من البينات والهدي الآية
"Concealment by the Jews of the truth contained in the Tourât;—Muâdz, Sâd, and Khârija inquired of a party of the Jewish doctors regarding some matter in the Pentateuch, and they concealed it from them, and refused to tell it unto them. Wherefore the great and glorious God revealed the verse,—verily they that conceal the clear demonstration and guidance, &c." [1]

The Jews are again impugned (not for any tampering


[1] [Page 259. Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, Translated by A. Guillaume, Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, (Re-issued in Karachi, Pakistan, 1967, 13th impression, 1998) 1955, pp.815.]
           

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