admonishing and warning him (1), or directing his attention to the gravity of what is being conveyed, or confirming it.

Thus His statements—“Has the story of Moses reached you?” (15) (2); “Has the news of the disputants reached you?” (3); “Has the account of the Overwhelming Event reached you?” (1) (4); and “Has the story of Abraham’s honored guests reached you?” (24) (5)—all serve to exalt these narratives, to alert the listener to reflect on them, and to understand the lessons they contain.

There is yet another dimension (6): the very arrival of this information to you is itself a sign of prophethood, for it belongs to the unseen that neither you nor your people knew. Did it reach you without Our disclosure, Our sending, and Our making it known, or did it come to you solely from Us?

Observe how this language appears in the form of a question, and meditate on the tremendous impact it carries in all its occurrences (7); it testifies that it occupies the highest pinnacle of eloquence.

His words, “Abraham’s honored guests” (24), contain praise for His close friend Abraham, for regarding the term “honored” there are two interpretations (8):