102 THE CORÂN.

Commentary,—"Recognize him; that is, Mahomet, by the description of him in their book,"أي محمد بنعته في كتابهم Jelalooddeen, "Recognize him; that is, recognize the prophet of God by the description of him mentioned in the Tourât and the Gospel.  As they recognize their own sons, that is, by their individual marks. They who have destroyed their own souls, that is, from amongst the people of the book and the idolaters, they do not believe.

يعرفونه يعرفون رسول الله بحليته المذكورة في التوراة والأنجيل كما يعرفون أبناءهم بحلالهم الذين خسروا أنفسهم من أهل الكتاب والمشركين فهم لا يؤمنون
—Baidhâwi.

See the notes on previous Articles VII. and XIII., where a similar recognition is spoken of. It is quite evident that Mahomet thus repeatedly refers to the Jewish and Christian Scriptures,—through their possessors, the Jews and Christians of his day,—as containing evidence in favour of his claim and doctrines; and that such reference is uniformly made as to authentic and uncorrupted writings, without any hint or suspicion of their having been tampered with.

 XXXVI.-SURA VI., V. 90[89].

سورة الأنعام

أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحُكْمَ وَالنُّبُوَّةَ فَإِن يَكْفُرْ بِهَا هَـؤُلاء فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنَا بِهَا قَوْمًا لَّيْسُواْ بِهَا بِكَافِرِينَ
أُوْلَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ فَبِهُدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ قُل لاَّ أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِنْ هُوَ إِلاَّ ذِكْرَى لِلْعَالَمِينَ

TESTIMONY TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 103

These are they to whom We have given the book, and wisdom, and prophecy, and if these (the Coreish) disbelieve the same, verily We have given it in trust unto a people who are not disbelievers therein. 
These are they whom God hath guided; wherefore persevere in the guidance of them.

The people referred to in the opening Words are the Jews and Christians. The preceding verses contain an enumeration of the chief patriarchs of the Israelites and Christians, from Abraham to Jesus, including "David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Zacharias, John," &c., With "their fathers, offspring, and brethren." The text proceeds:—"These are they to whom We have given the Book, and Wisdom, and Prophecy; and if these (the people of Mecca, Jelalooddeen; the Coreish, Baidhâwi,) reject the same, verily We have made (or shall make) it over to a people who will not be disbelievers therein.

"The Book, meaning the Scripture generally," الكتاب يريد به الجنس We have made it over, that is, its guardianship or care," وكلنا بها أي بمراعتها   Baidhâwi; "we have committed the custodianship over it," وكلنا بها أرصدنا لها —Jelalooddeen.

The persons thus constituted the guardians of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, are variously supposed to be the followers of the Jewish and Christian prophets before specified, or the followers of Mahomet;—"and these are the prophets aforesaid and those that are their followers; or, as others say, the followers or companions of Mahomet; or all that