Qur’anic argumentation begins by locating the actual claim. The interpreter then identifies the assumption behind it and the form of response: exposing an implication, citing a known historical precedent, or reasoning from God’s power and signs.
For example, the denial of resurrection is a claim about possibility and divine power; merely offering a synonym for a word does not answer it. An objection that a messenger is human can be addressed by the history of earlier human messengers.
Passages concerning polytheists, Jews, Christians, and hypocrites must be read with their historical audience, specific claim, and textual response distinguished. Criticism of a historical argument must not be generalized indiscriminately to every individual associated with a community.