Moses not to harm them.

Accordingly, the mention of the three mountains is authentic: Mount Hira, the highest peak in the vicinity of Mecca, from which the first revelation descended upon the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and around it rise many other mountains; indeed, it has even been said that Mecca contains twelve thousand mountains. That region is still called Faran to this very day, and it was there that the Quranic revelation began.

The wilderness stretching between Mecca and Mount Sinai is known as the Wilderness of Faran, and no one can plausibly claim that—after the Messiah—any book was revealed in that land or any prophet was sent. It is therefore clear that the phrase “He manifested Himself from the mountains of Faran” can refer only to the mission of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Allah—glorified be He—mentioned this in the Torah in chronological order: first the descent of the Torah, then the Gospel, and finally the Quran; these scriptures are Allah’s light and guidance. Concerning the first He said, “He came,” or “He appeared”; concerning the second, “He shone forth”; and concerning the third, “He became manifest.”

The coming of the Torah was like the break of dawn—or even clearer than that—while the descent of the Gospel was like the sunrise, by which the light and guidance grew ever brighter.