whether you will be driven out with me, or left behind, or what will be done with you. And you (1), O deniers, I do not know whether you will be pelted with stones from heaven, swallowed up by the earth, or what punishment will be done to you from among those inflicted upon the deniers of earlier nations.

Then Allah, exalted is He, informed him that He would make His religion prevail over all other religions, saying:

“It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all religions.” (al-Saff 9)

And He said concerning his community:

“Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.” (al-Anfal 33)

Thus Allah informed him what would be done with him and with his community. This was the view of al-Suddi.

“I follow only what is revealed to me”: that is, I follow only the Quran and do not introduce anything of my own. “And I am no more than a clear warner.”

“Say, ‘Have you considered: if it is from Allah and you disbelieve in it, while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to the like thereof and believed, whereas you have acted arrogantly? Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.’” (10)

“Say, ‘Have you considered?’” means: Tell me, what do you say? “If it is”—that is, the Quran—“from Allah and you disbelieve in it,” O polytheists, “while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to the like thereof”: the word “like” is supplementary; that is, he testified concerning it, namely, that it is from Allah. “And believed”: that is, the witness believed. “Whereas you have acted arrogantly”: that is, you refused to believe in it.

The answer to the conditional statement, “if it is from Allah,” is omitted; it is understood to mean: Have you not committed wrongdoing? This omitted answer is indicated by His saying: “Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” Al-Hasan said that its answer is: Then who is more astray than you?—as He says in Surah al-Sajdah.

They differed concerning this witness. Qatadah and al-Dahhak said: He was Abd Allah ibn Salam. He testified to the prophethood of the Chosen Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, and believed in him, while the Jews acted arrogantly and did not believe.

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Na'imi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Ismail related to us; Abd Allah ibn Munir related to us that he heard Abd Allah ibn Bukayr, who said: Humayd related to us, from Anas, who said:

“Abd Allah ibn Salam heard of the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, while he was in a field gathering produce. He came to the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, and said, ‘I will ask you about three matters which none but a prophet knows: What is the first sign of the Hour? What is the first food eaten by the people of Paradise? And what causes a child to resemble his father or his mother?’

He said, ‘Gabriel has just informed me of them.’ He said, ‘Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is the angel whom the Jews regard as their enemy.’ Then he recited this verse: ‘Say, “Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel—it is he who has brought it down upon your heart by Allah’s permission.”’ (al-Baqarah 97)

‘As for the first sign of the Hour, it is a fire that will gather people from east to west. As for the first food that the people of Paradise will eat—’