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70 THE CORÂN.

is still possible that some minor discrepancies may be found in the order here observed, but this will not affect the value of the collection; because the passages extend over every stage of the Prophet's mission, and give evidence of an unchanging opinion regarding the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, throughout the whole period.

A considerable portion of the Corân is occupied with narratives of events recorded also in the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians. Such narratives show very frequently a close correspondence, sometimes even in the words and the cast and turn of expression, with corresponding passages in the Bible. Many instances of this similarity will be found in the accounts of the fall of Adam and Eve; in the narratives of Noah and the Deluge; of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac; of Lot, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; in the histories of Moses and of Joseph; of Zacharias, and of John the Baptist; and of Jesus Christ, including his annunciation, his conception by the Virgin Mary, and his birth. From such correspondence an argument might have been drawn to show at how many points the Bible is supported by the Corân. But this subject has not been touched upon. The argument is complete without any reference to these coincidences, which the thoughtful Mussulman will no doubt follow out for himself, by a careful comparison of the Corân with the Holy Scriptures.

There is another class of passages which, though falling directly within the object of this compilation, it is not necessary to quote in detail, but only to

TESTIMONY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 71

refer to generally here. The Jews and Christians are ordinarily styled in the Corân—

أهل الكتاب — " الذين أتيناهم الكتاب — الذين أوتوا الكتاب — أهل إنجيل
— or, —
أهل ذكر — الذين أتيناهم نصيباً من الكتاب
—that is to say, the People of, or possessing, the Book, Scripture, or Gospel: the People possessing the Admonition or Revelation; those to whom the Book, or Scripture hath been given: those to whom We1 have given the Book, or a portion of the Book. These expressions are scattered throughout the Corân occurring about fifty times. So notorious and patent was the fact of the Jews and Christians possessing an extant and divinely inspired Scripture, that it furnishes in the Corân their commonest designation. The phrases are so familiar to every reader of the Corân and are met with so frequently, that it would be superfluous and inconvenient to introduce at length into this collection the various verses which contain them.

Of the remaining passages, it may be thought by the reader that some have only a remote connection with the subject. But it was deemed expedient rather to incur this objection, than to give any colour to the suspicion that the selection was not complete, or that such passages only had been chosen as were favourable to the Christian argument. Therefore, every passage which, upon a careful and repeated perusal of the entire Corân appeared to contain the least allusion to the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, has been entered in the collection.


1 That is, God.
           

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