Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
himself in the role of the Biblical prophets and then modified their
histories.^124 The vv. 6f seem to follow another work of Ephraem the
Syrian,^125 and one pre-`Uthmanic codex contained an extra verse between
vv. 5-6.^126 Sura 77 also begins with oaths and contains parallels to the
Biblical signs of the Judgment.^127 A peculiar feature of this sura is that it
gives series of short verses on the Judgment, the Resurrection and an early
description of Paradise, which are each followed by a sort of chorus: "Woe
on that day to those who cry it lies." Clearly the Meccans must have already
begun to reject Muhammad's message about the Resurrection when these
suras were first composed, and some Sira traditions reveal the problems the
Meccans had with this doctrine.^128 The usage of the term "sinner" in vv. 18,
46 is no doubt based on a Biblical source.
The surassurassurassuras 78, 88, 89, 7578, 88, 89, 7578, 88, 89, 7578, 88, 89, 75 and 83 8383 83 not only continue the theme of the
Resurrection, but also generally relate something about Paradise. Qur'an 78
is one of the first suras (v. 21) to mention "jahannam," which word for hell
Muhammad seems to have gotten from Ethiopic.^129 The description of a
trumpet being sounded before the coming of a host (v. 18) is from the Bible
(cf. Mt. 24: 31), and some of the details of the sensual Paradise (vv. 31f)
appear to be based on a misuderstanding of a text of Ephraem the Syrian.^130
Some Western scholars place the vv. 37f in the second Meccan period
"because of their style,"^131 and no doubt also because v. 37 contains the
word "Rahman." Nevertheless, certain Sira traditions also show that the
Meccans also had their reservations about this word fairly early on.^132 In
sura 88 Muhammad has again received a story (v. 1), Hell (vv. 2f) and
Paradise (vv. 8f) are contrasted, and the wisdom and power of God in
Creation are alluded to (vv. 17f). Qur'an 89 begins with oaths, one of
which (v. 1) may be a reference to the first 10 days of the pagan Hajj.^133
The `Ad is mentioned (v. 5) along with Iram (v. 6).^134 A peculiar
description of the Thamud is given (v. 8), in which Wadi al-Qura may be
meant,^135 and the brief narration about Pharaoh (vv. 9f) shows that
Muhammad was relatively unacquainted with the Biblical history of Moses
up to that point in time.^136 The vv. 13f contain a warning of Judgment and
an instruction to help orphans and the poor. The v. 23 is reminiscent of Mt.
25:31, and vv. 27-30 run somewhat parallel to Mt. 25:21,23. Sura 7 5
begins with an oath by the Day of Resurrection and an oath by the
self-accusing soul. The vv. 3-4 show again that Muhammad's message
regarding the Resurrection was being rejected. The vv. 13-14 reiterate the