Muhammad: Meccan Opposition
The remainder of sura 52 (vv. 21, 29-49)sura 52 (vv. 21, 29-49)sura 52 (vv. 21, 29-49)sura 52 (vv. 21, 29-49) may have been composed in
about this time period. Not only was Muhammad accused of having been a
soothsayer or being possessed, but the charge of being a poet has been
added (vv. 29-30). The v. 31 contains one of the earliest usages of the
phrase "−£" = "say," and this shows that Muhammad felt he had begun
receiving direct answers to immediate problems or questions by way of
revelation. The v. 39 is similar to 53:21 and v. 43 is a statement against
polytheism. One early Qur'an codex is said to have contained an extra verse
near 52:43. The vv. 48f show the original two daily prayer tim^12 es and may
also refer to vigils.^13
One Western Qur'an scholar places sura 68sura 68sura 68sura 68 just after Qur'an 54, and^14
although the whole sura may not have been composed so late (i.e. vv. 1, 17-
33), many of the verses in this sura (vv. 2-16, 34fvv. 2-16, 34fvv. 2-16, 34fvv. 2-16, 34f) have much more in
common with the suras of this period than with earlier sections of the
Qur'an. Qur'an 68:45 is similar to 52: 42, 46; the vv. 68:46-47 a^15 re the
same as 52:40-41.
The first verses of Qur'an 37Qur'an 37Qur'an 37Qur'an 37 present a spiritual interpretation of the
celestial and combine elements in defense of the Resurrecti^16 on (vv. 12f;
51) with narratives warning of the Judgment and proclaiming Monotheism
(vv. 70f). That these themes (i.e. the Resurrection, the Judgment and
Monotheism) presented major problems for the Meccans is also made
manifest in several sections of this sura. Of special note is the alleged reply
to a statement of Monotheism, in which the Meccans rhetorically asked if
they should give up their gods on the account of a "possessed poet" (vv.
34f). Paradise is described in vv. 39f, and Hell is depicted in vv. 59f. The
influence of Jewish or Christian ideas can be found in the doctrine of the
gathering in for the Judgment (vv. 22f), reward according to w^17 orks (v.
38), the oath "by Allah" (v. 54) and the implication of a second^1819 death
(vv. 56f). The greetings given in the narratives of this sura (^20 vv. 77, 109,
120, etc.) may also have come from similar sources. The story of^21 Noah
(vv. 73f) is based on the account of Qur'an 54:9f, and that of A^22 braham
(vv. 81f) appears to have been based on Jewish traditions, at least
ultimately. The description of Abraham's attempt to sacrif^23 ice his son is
also related to Jewish and Christian sources ; nevertheless^24 the ambiguity of
this Qur'anic passage has led both Islamic and Western scholars to
speculate as to whether Isaac or Ishmael was actually meant.^25 In
v. 112 Isaac is introduced as having been a prophet, and this is probably