the fire, therein to abide for ever—Sura Al-Baqarah (ii) 71-5.
In other ways the Jews gave offence. Baidawi says that Abu Bakr asked a Jew
for a loan, saying 'Who will lend God a good loan? 'The Jew said, 'If God wants
a loan, then He must be poor.' Abu Bakr struck him and the Jew forthwith
complained to the Prophet, but got no redress. Then this verse came:—
Now hath God heard the saying of those who said, 'Aye, God is poor and we
are rich.' We will surely write down their sayings and their unjust slaughter
of the prophets and we will say, ' Taste ye the torment of the burning.' Sura
Al-'Imran (iii) 177.
The demand of the Jews for a prophetic sign is referred to in the following
verse:—
To those who say, 'Verily God hath enjoined us that we are not to credit an
apostle until he presents us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall
devour.' Al-'Imran (iii) 179.
The Jews said that the fire which descended from heaven on the altar of the
Tabernacle (Leviticus ix. 24) and afterwards on the altar at the dedication of
Solomon's Temple (2 Chronicles vii. 1) was constantly kept alive until the
Chaldeans destroyed the Temple. They seemed to expect that a true prophet would
re-kindle it.
Muhammad at once in the next verse replied to their demand thus:—
Say, already have apostles before me come to you with miracles and with
that of which ye speak, Wherefore slew ye them? Sura Al-'Imran (iii) 180.
