138The mark of Allahu ta’ālā (sibghata'llāhi: a verbal noun reaffirming the earlier āmannā, and it is in the accusative, because of the verbal construction implied, that is to say, sabaghanā'llāhu, 'Allahu ta’ālā has marked us'): this denotes His religion, the one towards which He made human beings naturally inclined, as it leaves its mark on a person, in the same way that a dye leaves its mark on a garment; and who has, that is, none [has], a better mark (sibghatan, 'marking', is for specification) than Allahu ta’ālā? And Him we worship: the Jews said to the Muslims, 'We are the people of the first Book and our direction of prayer (qibla) is more ancient, and prophets were never sent from among the Arabs; if Muhammad "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" were a prophet, he would have been one of us'. Thus, the following was revealed: |
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