The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 118
CH. 11 HŪD holding hope of a future reformer and a future Message. The evidence of such prophecies is also useful, for it keeps the minds of men prepared for the acceptance of the Message, although naturally only those people benefit by it in whose time the expected Message actually makes its appearance. This kind of evidence is hinted at in the words, and who was preceded by the Book of Moses, a guide and a mercy. All these three kinds of evidence have been adduced in this verse in support of the Holy Prophet and the Quranic Message. The Quran possesses strong internal evidence of its Divine origin; the Scriptures that preceded it bear clear witness to its truth; and it was also to bear fruit in the future in a way that nobody could have any reasonable ground to reject it. Similarly, the Holy Prophet who brought this Message also possesses this triple evidence which clearly proves him to be a true Messenger of God. appearance PT. 12 Messenger was needed only at a time when there should arise about the Quran the question whether it was still worthy of being acted upon. It is well known that such a question never arose about the Quran during the last 1350 years, and it is only in the present time that doubts have begun to be expressed about this claim of the Quran with persistence from all quarters. There is a section of Muslims themselves who hold the view that some teachings of the Quran, particularly with regard to the five daily Prayers, the amputation of the hands of a thief, polygamy, purdah, usury, etc. , need alteration or amendment. Then there followers are the of claimants like Bahā'ullāh, who believe that the Law of Islam has become abrogated and they seek to introduce a new Law in its place. Last of all, the so-called higher critics of the west question the authenticity of some historical facts mentioned in the Quran as well as the practicability of some of its teachings. Such a state of affairs never existed before the present age and therefore, truly speaking, no "witness" was needed before now. was The words, a witness from Him (God) shall follow him (the Holy Prophet), also point to the of a great Reformer in the Latter Days who was to come as "a witness" The words (from Him) in the to bear testimony to the truth of the expression, a witness from Him, Holy Prophet. It is worth noting that clearly show that the promised the person who was to appear after witness to be a heavenly the Holy Prophet to bear testimony to Messenger. This heavenly Messenger his truth has been called a (a is Aḥmad, the Promised Messiah, witness) and it is evident that a Founder of the Aḥmadiyya Movement, witness is needed only when the who appeared at a time when the continued practicability and teachings of Islam had begun openly usefulness of a Message is called in be declared unpractical and question. It is evident, therefore, that impracticable and the object of whose after the advent of the Holy Prophet a advent was to bear witness to the 1326 to