are the Jewish and Christian revelations; so Jelalooddeen;
To strengthen the argument it is added:"Do they not perceive it to be
evidence of the truth of the Corân or the Mission of Mahomet (
that they recognized it by the aforesaid marks in their Scriptures."
We need not doubt the belief of Mahomet that he really was predicted in the
former Scriptures as a prophet about to arise; or that some learned Jews,
trusting to his earnest attestation and confirmation of their Scriptures, gave
their evidence in favour of his Revelation and Mission. Our business here is not
to seek the grounds of such belief or testimony, but rather to draw attention to
the manner in which the Jewish Scriptures are spoken of in the text as books
current amongst the Jews,books, the contents of which are alleged to be in
such close conformity with the Corân, that the coincidence is brought forward
in reasoning with the people of Mecca as a proof of the inspiration of the
Corân itself; and the argument is supported by the evidence of learned Jews who
were familiar with the books appealed to.
Such language could only be held of extant, genuine, authoritative books;
Scriptures acknowledged at least by Mahomet to be such: and regarding