and “the second” identifies them as the Jews and Christians; this was Qatāda’s view. “The third” identifies them as Quraysh; this was al-Suddī’s view. “The fourth” identifies them as Banū Umayya and Banū al-Mughīra. He said: “That is, Abū Talha ibn ʿAbd al-ʿUzzā.” This was Muqātil’s view.

This verse requires that the pronoun in His words, “Whoever disbelieves in it,” refer to the Quran. Likewise, in “Those believe in it,” the reference is to the Quran. The evidence is His statement, Exalted is He:

“So be in no doubt about it: it is the truth from your Lord.”

This undoubtedly refers to the Quran. It has also been said that it refers to the preceding statement concerning “whoever among the factions disbelieves in it.” But this too is part of the Quran. Thus, by their agreement, what is meant is belief or disbelief in the Quran. Anyone who said that “those” refers to people other than those who believe in Muhammad did not grasp what he was saying.

Two interpretations of His words, “And before it was the Book of Moses,” have already been discussed: is this the coordination of a clause or of a single constituent? Most hold that it is a single constituent.

Al-Zajjāj explained the meaning as follows: Before this there was the Book of Moses, evidence of Muhammad’s mission. Thus, “they recite the Book of Moses” is coordinated with His words, “and a witness from Him recites it”—that is, “and he recites the Book of Moses”—because Moses and Jesus foretold Muhammad in the Torah and the Gospel. The word imāman (“as a guide”) is in the accusative as a circumstantial qualifier.