an address to everyone, whether His words,

“Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous,”

are addressed to humanity in general—with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, being the first to hear this address, or one of those it addresses—or specifically to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as has been suggested regarding comparable passages. For example, His words,

“Whatever good comes to you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself,”

have been understood as addressed either to him or to humanity generally. There are other such examples. Even if the address is understood as directed to him, it is established that commands and prohibitions addressed to him also address his community, unless there is evidence that they apply exclusively to him.

This makes clear that the words of Allah Most High,

“So if you are in doubt about what We have revealed to you, ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you,”

also encompass others besides him. Indeed, many commentators have said: “The address is directed to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, but others are intended.” That is, they are the ones intended to ask because of their doubts, whereas he was not intended to ask, since he had no doubt.

There is no question that this does not preclude his being addressed and intended by the address. Indeed, this is what the wording explicitly states, so it is not permissible to say that the address did not include him. Moreover, the address does not command him to ask unconditionally; rather, he is commanded to do so if he has any doubt. This does not entail that he had any doubt, nor that he was commanded to ask