yet they never once heard a single one of them, at any time, say, “He has claimed that our scriptures contain such-and-such, but he is lying.” On the contrary, they acknowledged the truth of what he said while stubbornly refusing to follow him. This, by itself, is among the strongest proofs of the veracity of what he reported, even if it were known only through his own statement.

Seventh: He proclaimed this to his enemies among the idolaters, who possessed no scripture; to his enemies among the People of the Book; and to his own followers. Had the claim been false and devoid of any truth, it would simply have empowered the idolaters to consult the People of the Book—who would then have denied it; it would have empowered the People of the Book themselves to voice that denial; and it would have empowered his followers to abandon him and accuse him of falsehood after once believing in him. Such an outcome would completely defeat the very purpose of his declaration. It would be like a man advancing a statement that plainly testifies to his own mendacity and then presenting that very statement as evidence of his truthfulness—something no sane person, indeed not even a madman, would do.

These considerations suffice to establish the truth of what he reported, even if no external corroboration existed apart from his own word. How much more compelling, then, when the reality of what he reported is actually confirmed!

Eighth: Even if we were to suppose that they were unaware of the glad tidings and the descriptions of him given by the earlier prophets, this would not prove that those prophets never mentioned him, foretold him, or proclaimed his future prophethood. Not everything the earlier prophets said reached later generations or became fully known to them⦗1⦘—a fact that is self-evident. How many statements did Moses and Jesus make that the Jews⦗2⦘ and the Christians no longer know? Therefore, when someone whose truthfulness has been established by decisive proof informs us of such sayings, their ignorance of them is no justification for rejecting or denying his report.