The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 5) — Page 8
CH. 46 AL-AḤQĀF PT. 26 Allah and you disbelieve among the Children of Israel قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ Say, Tell me, if this is from. 11 وَكَفَرْتُمْ بِهِ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ therein, and a witness from بَنِي إِسْرَاعِيْلَ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ فَأَمَنَ وَاسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يَهْدِى like him, and he الْقَوْمَ الظَّلِمِينَ bears witness to the advent of one believed, but you are too proud to believe, how should you fare? Verily, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people. 3766 "11:18; 61:7. before, and not after the similitude of vouchsafed the knowledge of the anything pre-existing. They say i. e. such a one is the first person to do this thing. E means, first; new; a first doer of a thing; novel; a thing existing for the first time; an innovator (Lane & Aqrab). See also 2:118. Commentary: The Holy Prophet is here enjoined to tell his people that his being raised as a Divine Messenger was not a new thing. He was no innovator. They were already conversant with the phenomenon of prophethood. God had been raising His Messengers during the ages when people forsook the path of righteousness. He had raised Prophets in their neighbourhood, and, now, He had selected them for the bestowal of this great gift. They should, therefore, judge the Holy Prophet by the criteria by which the former Prophets were judged. The Holy Prophet is further asked to tell them that though there was no doubt that ultimately his cause would triumph, he was not vicissitudes of circumstances through which he himself would have to pass during the intervening period, nor did he know how God would treat his opponents. His mission was confined to delivering the Divine Message to them and to warn them that if they did not behave they would come to grief. 3766. Commentary: The witness from among the Children of Israel is Moses. It is to his prophecy concerning the advent of the Holy Prophet that reference has been made in this verse. The prophecy is to this effect: 2904 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My name, I will require it of him (Deut. 18:18-19). See also 11:18. The reference in the words 'a witness from among the Children of