Gibbon observes that in the Arabian book par excellence, in the Koran, there are no camels; I believe if there were any doubt as to the authenticity of the Koran, this absence of camels would be sufficient to prove it is an Arabian work.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Borges notes the Koran's lack of camels as proof of its Arabian origin, suggesting authenticity lies in contextual absence.
- In plain terms
- The Koran's missing camels show it comes from Arabia.
- What can you take from it?
- Absence can be evidence of origin.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What does a text omit and why?
- How do we verify origins through absence?
Another view
Absence alone may not prove authenticity without other evidence.
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