The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page 624
being manifestly baseless and absurd. Either the Jews themselves knew the answer to the question which they are reported to have asked the Holy Prophet about the human soul or they did not. If they knew it, how could the truth of the Prophet be proved on the basis of an answer which they themselves knew? If they did not know it then how could they know that the one given by the Prophet was correct? All these facts taken together unmistakably show that the above- mentioned reports about the Holy Prophet having been asked the three questions were the product of some inventive genius and were later passed on as true and genuine traditions. After having demonstrated the falsity of the above-mentioned reports, it is necessary to add a few words to show the connection of this chapter with the preceding Surah. In chapter An-Nahl, the prophecy had been dealt with at some length that the Holy Prophet would meet with severe opposition from Jews and Christians. This subject was further elaborated in Sūrah Banī Isrā'il in which it was stated that he would be taken to regions where he would live among Jews and would establish new contacts with them and later meet with opposition from both Jews and Christians and in the end would conquer them. Surah Bani Isrā'il also mentioned a vision of the Prophet which embodied a prophecy that he would conquer the promised Holy Land of the Jews and alluded to two revolts of the Jews foretold in the book of Deuteronomy. The first revolt took place after the time of David, as a consequence of which the Jews were expelled from their native land. They repented of their sins and their homeland was restored to them. But they relapsed into iniquity and defied God's commandments and revolted for the second time in the time of Jesus. This second defiance of a Prophet of God brought upon them severer punishment. Their holy places were destroyed and they were exiled from their beloved land of promise. These prophecies had also mentioned the conditions and circumstances through which the first part of the Israelites—the Jews— had to pass. A description of their condition, however, gave rise to an obvious question, viz. when Christians who form the second part of the Mosaic Dispensation have been spared the punishment with which the Jews who were its first part were afflicted, does it not follow that Christians are the inheritors of the Divine blessings and favours promised to the Jews? This question having been dispensed with, there remained one more question to be answered, viz. why are Muslims warned to be on their guard lest they incur Divine displeasure by following in the footsteps of the Jews, and what does this warning portend and what has the future in store for them? These two very natural and pertinent questions have been answered in the present chapter and some light has also been shed on the vicissitudes through which 1832