red the reproach by the following verse, sent for the purpose. "The
infidels say, 'unless the Quran be sent down to him all at once'--but in
this way we establish thy heart in it, _in parcels have we parcelled it out
to thee_" (Sura xxv. 34). The revelation thus given is entirely objective;
it came to the ear of the Prophet through the teaching of Gabriel. "Yet it
is a glorious Quran, _written on the preserved Table_." (Sura lxxxv. 22).
Gabriel addresses the Prophet thus: "When we have _recited_ it then follow
thou the _recital_." (Sura lxxv. 18). The external mode in which it came is
referred to in the verse: "We have _sent down_ to thee an Arabic Quran."
(Sura xx. 112). The fragmentary way in which the Quran was given[48] was
not without its difficulties. Some passages contradicted others, some were
difficult to understand. To the Prophet alone was the solution known. The
knowledge he communicated to his immediate followers, the Companions, as
they are called, thus: "To thee have we sent down this book of monitions,
that _thou mayest make clear to men_ what hath been sent down to them."
(Sura xvi. 46).

Ibn Khaldoun says: "The Prophet unfolded the meaning, distinguished between
abrogated and abrogating verses, {47} and communicated this knowledge to
his Companions. It was from his mouth that they knew the meaning of the
verses and the circumstances which led to each distinct revelation being
made."[49] The Companions thus instructed became perfectly familiar with
the whole revelation. This knowledge they handed down by word of mouth to
their followers, the Taba'in, who in their turn passed it on to their
followers the Taba-i-Taba'in. The art of writing then became common, and
the business of the commentator henceforth was to collect together the
sayings of the Companions thus handed down. Criticism of a passage in the
Quran was not his duty, criticism of a comment made on it by a Companion
was beyond his province: the first was too sacred to be touched, the second
must be accepted if only the chain of narrators of the statement were
perfect. Thus early in the history of Islam were the principles of exegesis
fixed and settled. Every word, every sentence, has now its place and class.
The commentator has now only to reproduce what was written before,[50]
though he may in elucidation of the point, bring forth some Tradition
hitherto unnoticed, which would, however, be a difficult thing to do. It
will thus be seen that anyth