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Muhammad's words, and saying, "O man, if thou art in doubt regarding what We have sent down
to thee of guidance by Muhammad's tongue, then ask the People of the Book, that they may prove to
thee the truth of his position as a Prophet." This brings Ar Razi to the question, How could
God refer people to the Scriptures of the Jews and the Christians if these books were really
corrupted
(مُحَرّقَةْ) or altered
(مُغَيْرَةْ)? His reply is not a very satisfactory one, for all he can say is
that, if any passages still remained to bear testimony to Muhammad, their evidence would be all the
clearer. Ar Razi's1 personal opinion is that the verse was a command addressed to
Muhammad himself, providing for the possibility of doubt as to his prophetic office arising in his
own mind. But in any case the verse proves that the Jews and Christians were then in the habit of
reading their Scriptures, and had been doing so before Muhammad's time. This was evidently Baizawi's
opinion, for he thus paraphrases the latter part of the verse: "For 2 verily it is
firmly believed among them, established in their books, according as We have imparted it to
thee." And he adds: "The significance is the confirmation thereof" (i.e. of
the revelation made to Muhammad) and an appeal for evidence to what is in the Holy Scriptures, and
that the Qur'an confirms what is in them. The two Jalals
(الجلالان) paraphrase the verse thus: 3
"And if thou art in doubt, O Muhammad, as to what We have sent down to thee,of stories, for
instance,then ask those who are reading the Torah previous to thee, for verily it is established
among them: they will inform thee of its truth."
In Surah vii. (Al A'raf), ver. 168, it is said regarding the Jews: "They have inherited the
Book ....Was there not taken upon them the covenant of the
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Book, that they should not say concerning God anything but the truth? And they have
studied what is in it." On this passage Baizawi's1 comment is: "They have
inherited the Book, i.e. the Torah, from their predecessors: they read it, and they are aware
of what is in it."
In Surah iii. (Al 'Imran), ver. 22, it is thus written: "Hast thou not looked at those who
were brought a portion of the Book? They are invited to the Book of God, that it may judge between
them. Then a section of them turn back, and they prevent." Baizawi explains "a portion of
the Book" as "The Torah,2 or the Heavenly Books in general", and says
"The inviter was Muhammad, and the Book of God the Qur'an or the Torah. For it is related that
he entered their school: then said to him Na'im ibn 'Amr and Al Harith ibn Zaid, 'To what
religion dost thou belong?' Then he said, 'To the Religion of Abraham.' Accordingly they both said
to him, 'Verily Abraham was a Jew.' Then said he, 'Come ye to the Torah: verily it is between us and
you.' Then they both declined. Accordingly the verse was sent down." Here again we perceive
that the Jews in Muhammad's time possessed the Torah, and that Muhammad appealed to it with
confidence to decide whatever matter was that day in dispute between himself and them, regarding
which subject of dispute there is a difference of opinion among commentators.
In Surah iii. (Al 'Imran), ver. 87, it is said: "All food was lawful to the Children of
Israel, except what Israel forbade unto himself, before that the Torah was sent down. Say thou:
'Then bring ye the Torah: then read it aloud, if ye are truthful.'" Baizawi's 3
comment on the final clause is: "A command for them to defend their cause with their Book, and
a reproach to them from what was in it, through the fact that what had not been [originally]
forbidden had been forbidden to them because of their wrong-doing. It is related
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