The Quran

Preface

وَإِذا قيلَ لَهُم آمِنوا بِما أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ قالوا نُؤمِنُ بِما أُنزِلَ عَلَينا وَيَكفُرونَ بِما وَراءَهُ وَهُوَ الحَقُّ مُصَدِّقًا لِما مَعَهُم ۗ قُل فَلِمَ تَقتُلونَ أَنبِياءَ اللَّهِ مِن قَبلُ إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ

Yusuf Ali

When it is said to them, “Believe in what God Hath sent down, “they say, “We believe in what was sent down to us:” yet they reject all besides, even if it be Truth confirming what is with them. Say: “Why then have ye slain the prophets of God in times gone by, if ye did indeed believe¹?”

Even the race argument is often a flimsy and hollow pretext. Did not the Jews reject Prophets of their own race who told them unpleasant truths? And do not other nations do likewise? The real trouble is selfishness, narrowness, a mean dislike of anything which runs counter to habits, customs or inclinations.