an argument that points to him in person, for people stand at different levels in their acknowledgement of prophethood.

Some merely need to recognise the very concept of prophethood; once they know that such a category exists, they affirm the class of human messengers in general and do not deny the possibility itself—as did those who rejected among the people of Noah, ʿĀd, Thamūd, and others.

For this reason the Exalted One says:
“The people of Noah denied the messengers” (Qur’an 26:105),
“ʿĀd denied the messengers” (26:123),
“Thamūd denied the messengers” (26:141),

because their denial was not directed at a single individual; rather, they repudiated the entire class of messengers.

Such people are addressed in the Meccan surahs, as in His statement:
“They did not appraise Allah with the appraisal due to Him when they said, ‘Allah has not sent down anything to any human being.’ Say: Who then sent down the Book that Moses brought as a light and guidance for the people?” (6:91).

He cites the revelation of Moses’ Book because the manifold, widely transmitted reports of its dazzling signs attest to his truthfulness, and the Gospel is subsidiary to the Torah.

Then He says:
“And this is a blessed Book that We have sent down, confirming what is before it” (6:92).