Muhammad, the Qur'an and Islam
One of the distinguishing features of the Qur'an for this (second or middle)
Meccan period, is the extensive use of the term "al-Rahman" ("the
Compassionate") for Allah. The identification of "Rahman"^109 with God
probably came from Jewish or Christian sources, and since it^110 was related
to the Arabic »°ny other Arabs had a fair idea of what it meant.^111
However, it appears that this designation also caused some confusion
among the Meccans, and may have led them to think Muhammad was
referring to two gods. In any event, the term "al-Rahman" gene^112 rally
disappears from the texts of the suras in the third Meccan period.^113
The suras of this period rather openly show that two daily prayers were the
only regular ritual up to this point and that the earlier vigils were slowly
becoming a nightly prayer (cf. 52:48f; 76:25f; 50:38f). Several verses of
this period also contain phrases very similar to those used in Qur'an 1 (cf.
26:46, & passim; 37:182; 20:135).
The doctrine of the Last Judgment, which appeared so frequently in the
earliest suras of the Qur'an, has been extended to include a specific
judgment against the Meccans in this period (cf. 51:52f; 54:43f; 26:208f;
15:2f; etc.). This development seems to have been facilitated by prophet
narratives and punishment stories, which tell about localized and temporary
judgments on various peoples. Muhammad's primary interest in the Biblical
and legendary prophet histories appears to have limited itself to "judgment
stories." In the progression of the Qur'anic narratives Muhammad gradually
becomes the messenger of each story; as the plots are changed to conform
to his own circumstances. In the suras 51 (vv. 24f), 54 and 37,
Muhammad's character is increasingly intertwined with those of the other
messengers. In sura 37 it appears that Muhammad discovered the
usefulness of Monotheistic narratives; Abraham (vv. 81f) and Elijah (vv.
123f); and from Qur'an 71 through suras 44 and 20 to Qur'an 26, all of the
messengers become advocates of Monotheism. Muhammad apparently had
no reservations about altering the narratives he had learned; nor does he
seem to have appreciated the need for a proper chronology. I^114 t is obvious
that Muhammad received the original plots for the Biblical narratives from
Jews and Christians, and the fact that he was being instructed by others was
also known to the Meccans (cf. 44:13). Muhammad was accused by the