Section: Demonstrating the unsoundness of their claim concerning the interpretation of the verse in Surat al-Baqarah: “Then Allah raised up the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as warners.”

It has already become clear from what we have presented that their view is invalid with respect to the interpretation of this verse in al-Baqarah, for they say:

“He has said in Surat al-Baqarah: ‘Then Allah raised up the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as warners, and He sent down with them the Scripture in truth so that it might judge between people regarding whatever they differed about’ (al-Baqarah 213).

“So, what I understand from His words ‘His prophets who were bearers of glad tidings and His messengers’ is that He thereby means the al-ḥawāriyyūn (disciples), who travelled through the seven climes of the world and proclaimed the glad tidings of the book that is the pure Injil (Gospel). For had He intended Abraham, Moses, David, and Muhammad, He would have said ‘and with them the books,’ because each of them came with a distinct book of his own. Yet He mentioned only a single book, for no group ever came preaching one and the same book except the disciples, who were given the pure Gospel.”

It may be said to them in reply: Some points have already been advanced that show the invalidity of this interpretation. Moreover, the Exalted has said: “Mankind was one community” (al-Baqarah 213)—that is, they subsequently differed—“so Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and as warners” (al-Baqarah 213).

The al-ḥawāriyyūn (disciples) are not among the prophets, even though the Messiah sent them out, for being dispatched by him does not automatically make them prophets—just as those whom Moses, Muhammad, or others sent were not made prophets thereby. This is why the majority of Christians call them “apostles” and do not call them “prophets.”