prophethood, because these are matters reported by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, or matters that attest to his prophethood.

This view too is weak, for it may be objected that commands and prohibitions are also part of what the Prophet brought, just as he brought promises and warnings.

It may also be said that the narratives attest to commands and prohibitions just as they attest to prophethood. They show that Allah honors those who obey Him and punishes those who disobey Him, thereby reinforcing commands and prohibitions, as explained earlier. Moreover, the purpose of prophethood is to convey what Allah has commanded and what He has made known. Whatever in the narratives establishes prophethood also establishes the truth of what the Prophet brought; and whatever establishes the truth of what the Prophet brought establishes the commands and prohibitions he brought. The two are thus inseparably connected.

Furthermore, matters concerning Allah are also part of what the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought. He explained the rational proofs for what can be known through reason and reported matters of the unseen wholly beyond the reach of reason. There is therefore no reason to include the narratives under prophethood but not matters concerning Allah. If what is meant is that the narratives attest to his prophethood, they do so because he reported them, just as he reported other matters of the unseen. Among his reports concerning Allah and future events are those that serve this purpose just as effectively as the narratives, and even more powerfully. If, however, what is meant is that the punishment of those who rejected the messengers attests to prophethood, then these narratives attest to prophethood in general and to