43وَما أَرسَلنا مِن قَبلِكَ إِلّا رِجالًا نوحي إِلَيهِم ۚ فَاسأَلوا أَهلَ الذِّكرِ إِن كُنتُم لا تَعلَمونَMuhammad AsadAND [even] before thy time, [O Muhammad,] We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired:1 and if you have not [yet] realized this, ask the followers of [earlier] revelation,2This passage has a double purport: firstly, it connects with the statement enunciated in verse 36 to the effect that God's apostles have appeared, at one time or another, within every civilization, and that, consequently, no substantial human groupment has ever been left without divine guidance; secondly, it answers the objection frequently raised by unbelievers that Muhammad could not be God's message-bearer since he was "a mere mortal man". (As regards the Qur'anic doctrine that no created being, not even a prophet, has ever been endowed with "supernatural" powers or qualities, see 6:50 and 7:188, as well as the notes relating to those verses; also note 94 on 6:109.)Lit., "reminder"- because every divine message is meant to remind one of the truth. The people to be asked for enlightenment in this respect are apparently the Jews and the Christians (Tabari, Zamakhshari).