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74 THE CORÂN.

Verily it is an admonition,—
And he that desireth remembereth the same;
In pages honourable,
Exalted, pure,
(Written) by the hands of scribes, honoured and just.

This verse appears to relate to the Corân; but as it is, by some Commentators of note, understood to mean, "The Books of the former Prophets, with which the Corân agrees," it has, for the sake of completeness, been introduced.

SURA XXXII., V. 24[23-25].

سورة السجدة

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ فَلَا تَكُن فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَائِهِ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ

And verily We gave Moses the book: wherefore be not in doubt as to the reception thereof, and We made it a direction to the Israelites.
And We made from among them leaders who should direct according to Our command, when they were steadfast, and believed in Our signs.
Verily thy Lord, he will judge between them on the day of resurrection as to that concerning which they disagree.

The Book referred to is the Pentateuch, which was revealed by God as a "direction" to the Israelites. Mahomet is here commanded not to be in doubt as

TESTIMONY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 75

to the reception of this Revelation, and the acknowledgment of it as divine.

Some construe the words as signifying that Mahomet is not to be in doubt as to the reception of the Corân, or as to his meeting with Moses, or as to the reception by Moses of the Pentateuch;

من لقائك الكتاب أو من لقاء موسى الكتاب أو من لقائك موسي
Baidhâwi. These interpretations do not however affect the testimony in the text to the Book of Moses.

The passage implies, farther, the continuance of the Old Testament among the Israelites. God gave them "Leaders," or Instructors, who directed them according to His commands; that is, according to the commands conveyed in the Revelation above mentioned;

يهدون الناس الى ما فيه من الحكم والحكام بأمرنا أيهم أو بتوفيقنا له 
Baidhâwi. The Jewish people, at these times, persevered in the Faith, and were constant in the right belief of the Revelation;— يوقنون لإمعانهم فيها النظر    Ibid. But they fell to variance in after-ages either among themselves, or with the Christians, as to the meaning of their Scriptures; wherefore it is added, "Thy Lord will judge between them as to that in which they disagree."

The text thus implies that the Scriptures were preserved and handed down in purity among the Jews, although in their interpretation, and in the doctrines derived therefrom, error and differences had crept in.

           

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