for I have lived among you a whole lifetime before it. Will you not use your reason? (16) So who could be more unjust than one who forges a lie against Allah or denies His signs? Surely the wicked will never prosper. [Yūnus: 15–17]
He is telling them: I am incapable of altering any part of this on my own initiative. It is Allah Who effaces what He wills and establishes what He wills, while I am only conveying His message. You know my truthfulness in what I have brought you, for I was raised among you—you know my lineage, my honesty, and my trustworthiness. I have never in my life lied to any one of you, so how could I possibly lie about Allah, the Possessor of harm and benefit, the One Who is All-Powerful over everything and All-Knowing of everything? What sin could be greater with Him than to lie about Him and attribute to Him what is not from Him?
As the Exalted says:
‘Had he dared to fabricate any sayings against Us, We would have seized him by the right hand, then severed his aorta, and none of you could have shielded him.’ [Al-Ḥāqqah: 44–47]
That is: had he lied against Us, We would have taken the severest vengeance upon him, and none of the people of the earth could have protected him from Us or prevented Us from doing so.
He, the Most High, also says:
‘Who is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie against Allah, or says, “It has been revealed to me,” while nothing has been revealed to him, and one who says, “I will send down the like of what Allah has sent down”? If only you could see the wrongdoers in the throes of death, while the angels stretch forth their hands: “Hand over your souls! Today you will be repaid with the torment of humiliation for what you used to say against Allah without right and because you were arrogant toward His signs.”’ [Al-Anʿām: 93]
And He says:
‘Say, “What thing is greatest in testimony?” Say, “Allah is witness between me and you. This Qur’an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you thereby, and whoever it reaches.”’ [Al-Anʿām: 19]
These words affirm that Allah is Witness over everything, that He is the greatest of witnesses, and that He sees both me and you regarding what I have brought on His behalf. The force of the statement includes an implicit oath by Him that He has indeed sent me to mankind to warn them with this Qur’an; thus whoever hears of it has been given due warning, as He, the Exalted, says:
‘Whoever from the confederates disbelieves in it—the Fire shall be his appointed place. So do not be in doubt about it; it is the truth from your Lord, though most people do not believe.’ [Hūd: 17]
In this Qur’an are truthful reports about Allah, His angels, His Throne, and His upper and lower creations—the heavens, the earths, and all that lies between and within them. It contains many tremendous matters, supported by definitive proofs that guide sound reason to certain knowledge.
Allah, the Most High, says:
‘We have indeed diversified for people in this Qur’an every kind of parable, yet most people refuse anything but disbelief.’ [Al-Isrāʾ: 88]
And He says:
‘Such are the parables We set forth for mankind, but none comprehend them except those endowed with knowledge.’ [Al-ʿAnkabūt: 43]
And He says:
‘We have certainly set forth for mankind in this Qur’an every kind of parable so that they might take heed—an Arabic Qur’an with no crookedness—so that they may be mindful.’ [Az-Zumar: 27–28]
The Glorious Qur’an also recounts past events exactly as they occurred, and its verification lies in what is found in the scriptures of the People of the Book concerning that