“Dispute ye not, unless in kindliest sort, with the people of the Book; save with such of them as have dealt wrongfully (with you): and say ye, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and hath been sent down to you. Our God and your God is one, and to Him are we self-surrendered.’ (xxix. 45.) “But if they turn aside from thee, yet We have not sent thee to be guardian over them. ’Tis thine but to preach. (xlii. 47.) “But if thy Lord had pleased, verily all who are in the world would have believed together. Wilt thou then compel men to become believers? (x. 99.) “And we have not sent thee otherwise than to mankind at large, to announce and to warn.” (xxxiv. 27.) Such precepts are not confined to the Meccan Sūrahs, but are found in abundance also in those delivered at Medina, as follows:— “Let there be no compulsion in religion. (ii. 257.) “Obey God and obey the apostle; but if ye turn away, yet is our apostle only charged with plain-spoken preaching. (lxiv. 12.) “Obey God and obey the apostle: but if ye turn back, still the burden of his duty is on him only, and the burden of your duty rests on you. And if ye obey him, ye shall have guidance: but plain preaching is all that devolves upon the apostle. (xxiv. 53.) “Say: O men! I am only your plain-spoken (open) warner. (xxii. 48.) “Verily We have sent thee to be a witness and a herald of good and a warner, “That ye may believe on God and on His apostle; and may assist Him and honour Him, and praise Him morning and evening. (xlviii. 8–9.) “Thou wilt not cease to discover the treacherous ones among them, except a few of them. But forgive them and pass it over. Verily, God loveth those who act generously.” (v. 16.)