Thus He stated that, before it, he had been among those unaware. And He said:

“Thus We have revealed to you a spirit by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was; but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants.”

Sahīh al-Bukhārī records, in Umar’s address when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, died, a statement to this effect: “Allah guided your Prophet through this Quran, so hold fast to it, for you . . .” (1) (*).

The Quran frequently establishes the proof through the messengers, as in His saying:

“So that people would have no argument against Allah after the messengers.”

And His saying:

“We would never punish until We had sent a messenger.”

And His saying:

“Had We destroyed them with a punishment before it, they would have said, ‘Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger, so that we might have followed Your signs?’”—to the end of the verse (2).

And His saying:

“Your Lord would not destroy the towns until He had sent a messenger to their principal town”—to the end of the verse.

And His saying:

“Whenever a group is cast into it, its keepers ask them, ‘Did no warner come to you?’”

And His saying:

“Those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach it