Three Questions by a Christian and their Answers — Page 15
15 the unbelievers demanded signs of death and destruction, they were first of all told that they have in their midst the Quran, which is a life-giving sign, and which has been sent, not to destroy them, but to grant them everlasting life. And if a sign of punishment were to come, it would surely de- stroy them. Why then do you wish to die? If you want nothing but chastisement, then you will surely have what you ask for, and you shall have it very soon. Thus, in these verses, God promises a sign of chastisement, and, at the same time, draws attention to the signs of Divine mercy inherent in the Holy Quran, which bring about a mi- raculous change in people’s hearts. The critic’s assumption that this verse implies a negation of all miracles, without any exception, only betrays his ignorance of the rules of Arabic grammar. It should be remembered that the scope of negation is always limited to the intent of the speaker, whether indicated in words or by implication. If someone says, 'Cold weather has passed', it is obvious that this state- ment reflects the condition of the speaker’s own town, although he may not even have mentioned it by name. Who would ever think that such a statement could apply to all the cold countries, and that warm sunshine had replaced cold weather everywhere. It would obviously be wrong to argue that since this negation pertains to a class as a whole, it, therefore, applies to the whole world? It is well known that the vanquished idolaters of Mecca fi- nally believed in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet sa and accepted his miracles as true miracles. And even as unbeliev-