Muhammad: His Call[150] See n. 120, above. Nöldeke was of the opinion that Muhammad
invented the word "ghisilin" in 69:36; "Qur'an," p. 15.
[151] Nöldeke and Schwally, GQ, vol. 1, p. 105.
[152] Ibid.
[153] Cf. Qur'an 90:18-20. Among some Western scholars of the Qur'an
attempts have been made to show that at least some suras were written in
stanzas. Nöldeke and Schwally (GQ, vol. 1, pp. 43 f) mention the work of
D.H. Müller in this area, and hold that his theories regarding the "stanza-
construction" of the Qur'an best apply to the suras 56 and 26. In more
recent times, G. Lüling has also tried to show that suras were originally
constructed in stanzas, based on Christian hymns; see his dissertation:
Kritisch-exegetische Untersuchung des Qur'antextes, or its revision: Über
den Ur-Qur'an. These works have generally found little acceptance among
other Western Qur'an scholars.
[154] The codex of Talha b. Musarrif; see Jeffery, Materials, p. 264.
[155] The word was not originally Arabic; see Jeffery, Vocabulary,
pp. 140 f. Ibn Mas`ud is said to have begun a public recitation of this sura
before he was stopped by the Meccans; see p. 51, above.
[156] Nöldeke and Schwally, GQ, vol. 1, p. 107.
[157] Cf. Nöldeke and Schwally, GQ, vol. 1, p. 40.
[158] Guillaume, Muhammad, p. 118; Tabari, History, vol. 6, p. 93. Both
of these traditions, apparently from Ibn Ishaq, are qualified by the phrase
"as far as I know." See also n. 159, below.
[159] Ibn Sa`d, Classes, vol. 1, 1, pp. 230 f, contains this addition. Cf.
Qur'an 37:64-72, for example. Qur'anic evidence seems to indicate that the
rejection of and opposition to Muhammad's message began prior to
Muhammad's reviling the Meccan gods; see pp. 53 f, above.