ABSTRACT
THIS chapter seems to be a sort of philippic denunciatory of the conduct of those unbelievers at Makkah who charged him with being an impostor. The words " Woe be on that day unto those who accused the prophets of imposture" are repeated as a kind of refrain, and occur no less than ten times in the course of the chapter. It is the Prophet's cry of "Woe! woe!" to the unbelievers of Makkah. May not this characteristic have given rise to the opinion expressed by Jal3.luddin al Syuti, that this chapter was revealed while Muhammad and Abu Baqr were hidden in the cave during thp. flight from Makkah to Madina 1
Probable Date of the Revelations. The general style and language of this chapter prove it to be of
early Millan origin. Muhammad appears as a "warner" crying "Woe! woe!" to the idolaters who have rej ected him as an impostor. Ver. 39 would seem to indicate that this opposition was more than passive, and now ready to take an active form. These circumstances justify the date assigned by Noeldeke and also by Muir, which is about the fourth year of the ministry.
