90 THE MADINA PERIOD

its truth, by which Muhammad meant allusions to himself which he asserted were contained therein.

It is not stated that the Scriptures themselves are so corrupted as to cease to be genuine. Indeed the evidence is all the other way:—

Verily we have sent down the Law (Torah) wherein are guidance and light. Sura Al-Ma'ida (v) 48.

It is said that this statement is exclusively for Jews and Christians and that for Muslims all other religions are abrogated by the verse:1 —

Whoso desireth any other religion than Islam, that religion shall not be accepted from him. Sura Al-'Imran (iii) 79.

In this way conservative Muslims excuse themselves from paying that attention to previous Scriptures which the Qur'an so clearly enjoins. Other statements in the Sura Al-Ma'ida (v) to this effect are:—

But, if the people of the Book believe and have the fear of God, we will surely put away their sins from them and will bring them into gardens of delight, and, if that they observe the Law and the Evangel and what hath been sent down to them from their Lord,2 they shall surely have their fill of good things from above them and from beneath their feet. 70.
1
مَن يَّبْتغِ غَيْرَ الاِسلاَم دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلُ مِنهُ
2 The general interpretation is that this refers to the Qur'an: if to other divine books, then it is said that, as they testify to the coming of Muhammad, the reader must necessarily become a Muslim. It is not held that Jews and Christians accepting only the Old and the New Testaments can be saved. Khalasatu't-Tafasir, vol. i, p. 549.
The point, however, to notice is that the Old and the New Testaments are here treated as co-ordinate with the Qur'an, and logically the Muslim should accept them all. Practically he does nothing of the kind. This verse is also of great importance, for being in the latest Sura it has run no risk of abrogation, and so stands as a permanent indictment against all Muslims who refuse to accept the teaching of the Bible.
THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS 91

Say, O people of the Book, ye have no ground to stand on, till ye observe the Law, the Injil and that which1 hath been sent down to you from your Lord. 72.

Here obedience to the Old and New Testaments, as well as to the Qur'an, is inculcated, which would not have been the case had the text of the former Books been tampered with. In. fact, no Books have been, according to Muhammad's own testimony as given in the Qur'an, so well safeguarded:—

And to thee have we sent down the Qur'an with truth, confirmatory of previous Scriptures and their safeguard.2 Sura Al-Ma'ida (v) 52.[48]

[To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety:.. Sura 5:48, Yusufali's translation, italics added]

It is clear from this that the Scriptures had not been corrupted before the time of Muhammad for the Qur'an confirms them; they cannot, from a Muslim standpoint, have been corrupted since for
1 The Qur'an.
وَ انْزَلنَا إلَيْكَ الْكِتَبَ بِالْحَقِ مُصَدِقَّا لّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْةِ مِنَ الْكتَبِ ومُهَيمِنًا عَلَيْهِ
The wordنكاهبان is translated by Husain asمُهَيمِنًا , 'a guard.'
Thus:—
مُهَيمِنًا عليةِ نكاهبانست بر كتب كة محافظت آن ميكند از تغير

'A guard over the Books which protects them from change.' Tafsir-i-Husaini, vol i, p. 148.
Baidawi says it is: 'a guardian over all the books'—

رقيبا على سائر الكتب
Another commentator says:—
إس آيت مين قران كى فضيلت تمام كتب آسمانى بر ثابت هى اس لئى كة اسى محافظ ـ أمين ـ شاهد ـ أمانت دار تمام كتابون كا قرار ديا بس قران جامع وشامل هى اور هدايت مين كامل
'In this verse the superiority of the Qur'an over all heavenly Books is proved, for to it is the appointment given that it should be their guard, trustee, witness and trusty keeper; but the Qur'an is the compendium comprehending all and in guidance perfect. Khalasatu't-Tafasir, vol. i, p. 529.
A Qadiani commentator says that the guardianship refers only to what is of permanent value and which has been preserved in the Qur'an and to nothing else. Other matters were corrupted. This is contrary to the view of accepted Muslim commentators, to whom, however, the leaders of the modern Qadiani sect pay no attention.