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MARCH, 1908.)
ORIGIN OF THE QORAN.
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sceptical of the verity of God's Word, the blame of the erroneous reading of the verse was impated to Satan.
Súra 22, 51. We never sent tbeo an apostle or Prophet, but in whose thought, as he meditated, Satan infused something. But God erases what is traceable to Satan and produces a communication in its true shape.
If this quotation proves alterations in the oral teachings, we can cite another which establishes the same of verses out of the written Súras with tolerable certainty.
Súra 16, 103. When we change one communication (verse) for another - and God must know best what He sends down - they say "Thou art an impostor. But most of them do not understand Anything of it."
At Medina, in view of the numerous innovations in the domain of religion which Muhammad inaugurated, the necessity to modify earlier injunctions was urgent, but much more difficult was it to justify it, for the critical eyes of the Jews were directed towards all the Prophet's doings. He could no longer own that he annulled his former principles, because they were wrong (wrong through Satan's insidious suggestions) - bat he pleaded that God, Who was beyond control, bad elected to exchange one beneficent gift for another, equally good or superior.
Sara 2, 100. When we (God) cancel written revelation or forget (an oral one) we bring instead a better or its like. Knowest thou not that God can do everything.
Thus he gave himself the warrant to insert as much new and improved matter into the old Súras as he wished, and, unless we are greatly deceived, about this time there aroge the class of mixed Sáras, semi-Meccan, semi-Medinian, whose genesis has long been attributed to what is called the first redaction of the Qordn. We may mention some examples which betray obvious marks of later emendations. Such are all the verses treating of Abraham's relations with Mecon and Qa'aba; such also are all passages relating to the explanation and defence of the strange phrase "Nineteen are set over the fire of Holl."
Smailer addenda are recognizable by the circumscribing particle illa, except, which is prefixed to them. These supplementary postscripts are joined on to wbat, without them, were too sweeping assertions. To give an illustration or two.
Súra 81, 27-29. This is only an exhortation to the worlds, to him who would conduct himself aright - but your wish will avail you nothing, except when Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, 80 wills it.
Sára 76, 29-31. This is an admonition. Let him hold on who will to the path leading to his Lord, but your wish will avail you nothing, except when Allah so wills it. He the knowing, He leads into His meroy whom He pleases, and for the miscreants an agonizing chastisement has He prepared.
The additions tagged on to these two passages were, as will be pointed out further on, the outcome of the dootrine of pre-destination preached subsequent to the original verses.
Sara 87, 6-7. We will cause thee to read so that thou wilt forget nothing - ezoept what God wills, for He knows the apparent and the bidden.
Here the reservation must have been supplied at the same time with verse 100 of Sara 2.
Sára 26, 224-228. It is the poets whom the erring follow. Dost thou not see them roaming about every valley and speaking things which they practise not themselves - Save those who believe, perform righteous deeds, and oft remember God; they are succoured when they have unjustly suffered. But they who treat them unjustly shall know how ill it will fare with them.
M. Klamroth: 50 Alterte Suren, 1.
