(47–48) “Likewise, We have sent down to you the Book. Those to whom We gave the Scripture believe in it, and among these people are some who believe in it. None deny Our signs except the unbelievers. Before it, you did not recite any Scripture, nor did you write one with your right hand; otherwise, those bent on falsehood would have had doubts.”

That is: “Likewise, We have sent down to you,” O Muhammad, this noble “Book,” which makes every momentous account clear, calls to every virtuous quality and every perfect command, confirms the previous Scriptures, and was foretold by the prophets of old.

“Those to whom We gave the Scripture”—and who therefore recognized it as it deserved to be recognized, untouched by envy or personal desire—“believe in it,” because they are certain of its truthfulness on account of its agreement with what they possess, the glad tidings found in their Scriptures, and their ability to distinguish good from evil and truth from falsehood.

“And among these” people now present “are some who believe in it” with faith founded upon insight, not motivated by hope or fear. “None deny Our signs except the unbelievers,” whose habitual practice is to deny the truth and stubbornly oppose it. This confines disbelief in it to such people: no one whose aim is to follow the truth will disbelieve in it. Rather, everyone of sound intent must inevitably believe in it because of the clear proofs it contains for anyone who possesses reason or listens attentively with a present heart.

Another proof of its truth is that it was brought by this trustworthy Prophet, whose people knew his truthfulness, trustworthiness, comings and goings, and all his circumstances. He neither wrote a line with his own hand nor read anything written. That he brought it in such a state is among the clearest and most decisive proofs—admitting no doubt—that it is from Allah, the Almighty, the Praiseworthy. Thus He says: “Before it, you did not recite”—that is, read—“any Scripture, nor did you write one with your right hand; otherwise,” had you been able to do so, “those bent on falsehood would have had doubts.” They would have said, “He learned it from the previous Scriptures,” or, “He copied it from them.” But since it was sent down upon your heart as a glorious Book with which you challenged the masters of eloquence and rhetoric—your bitterest enemies—to produce its like, or even a single surah like it, and they proved utterly incapable, indeed never even contemplated attempting to rival it, knowing its eloquence and expressive perfection and knowing that no human speech could rival it or follow its pattern—thus He says: