Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/359)

And He—exalted is He—says:
“When they hear what has been sent down to the Messenger you see their eyes overflow with tears at the truth they have recognised. They say, ‘Our Lord, we believe, so write us down among the witnesses.’” ⦗al-Maʾidah: 83⦘

He—exalted is He—also says:
“Yet those of them who are firmly grounded in knowledge, together with the believers, believe in what has been revealed to you.” ⦗al-Nisāʾ: 162⦘

He—exalted is He—further says:
“We sent none before you except men to whom We revealed; so ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know.” ⦗al-Anbiyāʾ: 7⦘

And He—exalted is He—says:
“Those to whom We gave the Scripture recognise him just as they recognise their own sons.” ⦗al-Baqarah: 146⦘

The aim, then, is to show that the People of the Scripture already possess evidence that confirms you in the very issues for which the unbelievers have denied you. This is established in several ways.

First: the earlier scriptures state plainly that Moses and the other prophets called to the worship of Allah alone and forbade idolatry. This stands as proof against anyone who imagines that polytheism is a religion.

Along the same lines is His—exalted is He—statement:
“And ask those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: did We ever appoint, apart from the All-Merciful, gods to be worshipped?” ⦗al-Zukhruf: 45⦘.

وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ} [المائدة: ٨٣] وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {لَكِنِ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ} [النساء: ١٦٢] وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ} [الأنبياء: ٧] وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ} [البقرة: ١٤٦] فَالْمَقْصُودُ بَيَانُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ عِنْدَهُمْ مَا يُصَدِّقُكَ فِيمَا كَذَّبَكَ فِيهِ الْكَافِرُونَ وَذَلِكَ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ. أَحَدُهَا: أَنَّ الْكُتُبَ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةَ تَنْطِقُ بِأَنَّ مُوسَى وَغَيْرَهُ دَعَوْا إِلَى عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الشِّرْكِ فَكَانَ فِي هَذَا حُجَّةٌ عَلَى مَنْ ظَنَّ أَنَّ الشِّرْكَ دِينٌ. وَمِثْلُ هَذَا قَوْلُهُ - تَعَالَى -:. {وَاسْأَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنَا أَجَعَلْنَا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمَنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ} [الزخرف: ٤٥] .