Page 84 - Communication and Argument in the Qur'an

82 COMMUNICATION AND ARGUMENT IN THE QUR’AN

I am innocent of the crimes that you commit.” (Surah
Hud: 35)

This specific accusation is based on another accusa-
tion:

You are nothing but a human being like ourselves. We
think you are a liar. (Surat ash-Shu‘ara’: 186)

Then these accusations increase:
(They said:) “Has the Reminder been given to him of all
of us? No indeed! He is an impudent liar.” (Surat al-
Qamar: 25)

This is one of the unbelievers’ major questions: “Why
him and no one else?” But even if it was someone else,
they would still ask the same question, because they can-
not endure the existence of a messenger or a prophet who
relays Allah’s religion. There is no such person in their
“ancestral religion.” And even if there were, he would be
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only a person of whom they could approve. They ask: :
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circles would disparage any prophet or messenger who
did not meet their expectations and who introduced a reli-
gion that did not agree with their ancestral religion:
The ruling circle of his people said: “We see [that] you
[are] in flagrant error.” (Surat al-A‘raf: 60)
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They also accused Salih of being ill-starred: “...We see
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“ “Am I not better than this man, who is contemptible and
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