of the truth. Thus we find no break in the continuity of the subject, and the change, whenever necessary, is introduced quite naturally.
Connection with the preceding Chapter.
There is a clear connection between this chapter and the last one. There in the concluding words is a prayer for being guided on the right path (1:5), while here that guidance is afforded in the opening words: “This book, there is no doubt in it, is a guide” (v. 2), Again, that prayer seeks to establish us in the path of those who have received Divine favours (1:6), and here we are told in v. 5 who are they on the right direction and who shall be successful. Similarly, while that prayer creates in us the yearning to avoid the path of those upon whom wrath has been brought down and those who go astray (1:7), this one hastens to point out that those who do not care for the Prophet's warning, neither reflecting upon it nor lending ear to it (v. 6), have ultimately their very hearts and ears closed against the truth, this grievous punishment being the form in which wrath is brought down upon them (v.7), and that those who consider faith to be only a lip-profession are really they who go astray, because they buy error at the price of right direction (v. 16). Any one who has read the Holy Qur-án will easily see that no other chapter could have so fittingly followed the Fátiḥah, and as in the beginning, so in the end, there is a clear connection with the opening chapter.
But though this chapter follows the Fátiḥah it is really the first chapter, because the Fátiḥah is placed at the head, being the essence of the whole of the Qur-án. This affords very clear evidence of the wisdom displayed in the arrangement of the chapters of the Holy Book. For this chapter fittingly opens with a prelude as to the object which is aimed at in the revelation of the Holy Qur-án, and contains in its very opening verses the fundamental principles of the Islamic religion, which are also in fact the fundamental principles which can form the basis of the natural religion of man. These principles are five in number, three of them containing theoretical ordinances or articles of belief and two containing practical ordinances or principles of action. The theoretical ordinances are a belief in the Unseen, i.e. Allah, in Divine revelation to the Holy Prophet as well as to the prophets before him, and in the life to come, while on the practical side is mentioned prayer, the outpouring of the human heart before the Great Divine Mind, which is the source from which springs true Divine love, and charity in its broadest sense. The result of the acceptance of these fundamental principles is mentioned in v. 5, being guidance in the right direction and success. Similarly, it is with a reiteration of the broad principles of the Islamic faith and with a prayer for the triumph of the truth that the chapter ends, and the whole of the chapter is really an illustration of the truth of the principles enunciated in its beginning. If this chapter were removed from its place, there is not a single other chapter in the whole of the Qur-án that could take its place and serve the purpose of a prelude to the Holy Book.
Date of Revelation.
There is little doubt that this chapter was revealed at Medina, and belongs to the earliest Medinian revelations. Doubt has been entertained as to vv. 21-39 and 164-172, but the reasons given are very poor. That all those verses in which the words “O men” occur belong to the Meccan revelation, and those in which the words “O you who believe” occur belong to Medinian revelation, is the unwarranted generalization of some exegetists; and European students of the Holy Qur-án have taken it from the Itqán, without caring to see that even the Itqán does not rely on this test, and without giving any consideration to facts. For the 4th chapter, the Women, undoubtedly belongs wholly to the Medinian revelation, and if opens with the words “O men.” Similarly, the 22nd chapter, which is unanimously accepted as belonging to the Meccan period, begins with the words “O you who believe.” Hence the criterion on which vv. 21-39 are regarded as belonging to Meccan revelation fails altogether. As regards the testimony of the subject matter in these verses, as well as in 164-172 and 256-258, doubt being also entertained as to the Medinian origin of the latter, it seems to me to be a mere fancy of the critics, for no hard-
