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.       THE  LI^PARY 
BRIGHA  '  .  AC-  L  ,\ i  VERSITY 

*  mOVO.  UTAH 


^y-\ 


*^ 


KORAN, 

COMMONI^CALLED 

THE   ALCORAN    OF    MOHAMMED: 


TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    ORIGINAL    ARABlT. 


WITH 

EXPLANATORY  NOTES, 

TAKEN   FROM  THE  MOST  APPROVED  COMMENTATORS. 

TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED, 

A  PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 


BY 


GEORGE  SALE 


Nulla  falsa  doctrina  est,  quae  non  aliquid  veri  permisceat. 

Augustin,  QucBsUEvang.  1.  ii.  c.  40. 


A  NEW  EDITION, 

IN  WHICH  THE  SURATS,  OR  VERSES,  ARE,  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME,  MARKED. 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES^ 

VOL.  1 


LONDON: 

PRINTED  FOR  LONGMAN,  REES,  &  CO.;  R.  SCHOLEY ;  BALDWIN  &  CRADOCK ; 
J.  BOOKER;  HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  &  CO.;  WHITTAKER  &  CO.;  J.  DUNCAN;  W. 
MASON;  E.  HODGSON;  J.  WICKSTEED ;    J.  MAYNARD;  AND  W.  H.  ALLEN  &  CO. 

1836. 


LONDON: 

GILBERT    AND    RIVINGTON,   PRINTERS, 

ST.   JOHN'S   SQUARE. 


AL 

KORAN. 


CHAPTER  I, 


INTITLED,    THE    PREFACE,    OR    INTRODUCTION  ;     REVEALED 

AT   MECCA. 

^In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Praise  be  to  God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures ;  ^  the 
most  merciful,  ^  the  king  of  the  day  of  judgment.  ^  Thee 
do  we  worship,  and  of  thee  do  we  beg  assistance.  ^  Direct 
us  in  the  right  j^a^in^^aj^^ 

1  The  Preface,  &c.]  In  Arabic  al  Fa- 
tihat.  This  chapter  is  a  prayer,  and  held 
in  great  veneration  by  the  Mohammed- 
ans, who  give  it  several  other  honourable 
titles  ;  as,  the  chapter  of  prayer,  of  praise, 
of  thanksgiving,  of  treasure,  &c.  They 
esteem  it  as  the  quintessence  of  the  whole 
Koran,  and  often  repeat  it  in  their  devo- 
tions, both  public  and  private,  as  the 
Christians  do  the  Lord's  Prayer  *. 

2  Lord  of  all  creatures.^  The  original 
words  are.  Rabbi  ^Idlamina,  which  lite- 
rally signify  Lord  of  the  worlds  ;  but  ala- 
mina,  in  this  and  other  places  of  the  Ko- 
ran, properly  means  the  three  species  of 
rational  creatures,  Men,  Genii,  and  An- 
gels. Father  Marracci  has  endeavoured 
to  prove  from  this  passage,  that  Moham- 
med believed  a  plurality  of  worlds,  which 
he  calls  the  error  of  the  Manichees,  &c.  ^: 
but  this  imputation  the  learned  Reland 
has  shown  to  be  entirely  groundless  ^, 


6  Direct  us  in  the  right  way,  &c.]  This 
last  sentence  contains  a  petition  that  God 
would  lead  the  supplicants  into  the  true 
religion,  by  which  is  meant  the  Moham- 
medan, in  the  Koran  often  called  The 
right  way ;  in  this  place  more  particu- 
larly defined  to  be.  The  way  of  those  to 
whom  God  hath  been  gracious,  that  is,  of 
the  prophets  and  faithful  who  preceded 
Mohammed  ;  under  which  appellations 
are  also  comprehended  the  Jews  and 
Christians,  such  as  they  were  in  the  times 
of  their  primitive  purity,  before  they  had 
deviated  from  their  respective  institutions  ; 
not  the  way  of  the  modern  Jews,  whose 
signal  calamities  are  marks  of  the  just 
anger  of  God  against  them  for  their  ob- 
stinacy and  disobedience  ;  nor  of  the 
Christians  of  this  age,  who  have  departed 
from  the  true  doctrine  of  Jesus,  and  are 
bewildered  in  a  labyrinth  of  error  *. 

This  is  the  common  exposition  of  the 


^  V.  JBobovium  de  precib.   Mohammed,   p.  3.  &  seq.  ^  j^  prodromo  ad  refut. 

Alcorani,  part.  iv.  p.  76.  &  in  Notis  ad  Ale.  cap.  I.       ^  De  religion.  Mohammed,  p.  262. 
*  Jallalo'ddiny  Al  Beidawi,  &c. 

•VOL.  I. 


B 


3  ALKORAN.  [chap. 

hast  been  gracious ;  not  of  those  against  whom  thou  art 
inQgiised,  nor  of  those  who  go  astrajr--*'''^'^^'^ 

passage  ;     though   al    Zamakhshari,    and  hast  been  gracious,  against  whom  thou  art 

some  others,  by  a  different  application  of  not   incensed,   and   who  have    not  erred, 

the  negatives,  refers  the  whole  to  the  true  Which  translation  the  original  will  very 

believers  ;    and  then  the  sense  will  run  well  bear, 
thus :   The  way  of  those   to  whom  thou 


CHAPTER  II. 

INTITLED,  THE  COW  ;  REVEALED  PARTLY  AT  MECCA,  AND 

PARTLY  AT  MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  A.  L.  M.  ^  There  is  no  doubt  in  this  book ;  it  is  a 
direction  to  the  pious,  ^  who  believe  in  the  mysteries  of 
faith,  who  observe  the  appointed  times  of  prayer,  and  dis- 
,  tribute  alms  out  of  what  we  have  bestowed  on  them: 
I  ^and  who  believe  in  that  revelation,  which  hath  been  . 
sent  down  unto  thee,  and  that  which  hath  been  sent 
down  unto  the  prophets  before  thee,  and  have  firm  assur- 
ance in  the  life  to.  come :  ^  these  are  directed  by  their 
Lord,  and  they  shall  prosper.  ^  As  jpr  the  unbelievers, 
it  will  be  equal  to  them  whether  thou  admonish  them, 
or  do  not  admonish  them  ;^  they  will  n^FTeTieve:  ^  God 
hath  sealed  up  their  hearts  and  Ihieir  hearing;  a  dimness 

Title.']     This  title  was   occasioned   by  phets^;   though  they  acknowledge  none 

the  story  of  the  red  heifer,  mentioned  p.  of  those  which  preceded  the  Koran  to  be 

12.  now    extant,   except    the    Pentateuch   of 

1  A.   L.    M.~\     As  to  the  meaning  of  Moses,  the  Psalms  of  David,  and  the  Gos- 

these  letters,   see    the   Preliminary    Dis-  pel  of  Jesus ;    which  yet  they  say  were 

course,  Sect.  3.  even    before    Mohammed's   time   altered 

3  Mysteries.]  The  Arabic  word  is  and  corrupted  by  the  Jews  and  Christians  ; 
gheibf  which  properly  signifies  a  thing  and  therefore  will  not  allow  our  present 
that  is  absentf  at  a  great  distance,  or  invi-  copies  to  be  genuine. 

sible,  such  as  the  resurrection,  paradise,  —  The  life  to  come.]  The  original  word 

and  hell.     And  this  is  agreeable  to  the  al-dkherat  properly  signifies  the  latter  part 

language     of    scripture,    which     defines  of  any  thitigy  and,   by  way  of  excellence, 

faith  to   be  the   evidence    of   things    not  the   next  life,    the    latter  or  future  state 

seen^.  after  death;  and  is  opposed  to  al-donva, 

4  The  prophets  before  thee.]  The  Mo-  this  world ;  and  aloula,  the  former ,  or  pre- 
hammedans  believe  that  God  gave  writ-  sent  life.  The  Hebrew  word  ahharith, 
ten  revelations  not  only  to  Moses,  Jesus,  from  the  same  root,  is  used  by  Moses  in 
and  Mohammed,  but  to  several  other  pro-  this  sense,  and  is  translated  latter  end^. 

1  Heb.  xi.  1.  See  also  Kom.  xxiv.  25.  2  Corinth,  iv.  18.  &  v.  7.  2  y.  Reland.  de 
relig.  Moham.  p.  34.  &  Dissert,  de  !Samaritanis,  p.  34.  &c.  ^  Num.  xxiv.  20.  Deut.  viii.l6. 

THE  LIBRARY 

brigiia::  y.uag  lniversity 

=, — -^ PRQVO     ri^*^^__  ^J 


II.]  AL     KORAN,  3 

covereth   their   sight,  and   they    shall    suffer  a  grievous 
punishment.     ^  There  are  some  who  say,  We  believe  in 
God,  and  the  last  day;  but  are  not  really  believers  :  Hhey 
seek  to  deceive  God,  and  those  who  do  believe,  but  they 
deceive  themselves  only,  and   are   not  sensible   thereof. 
^^  There  is  an  infirmity  in  their  hearts,  and  God  hath  in- 
creased  that   infirmity ;   and   they   shall   suffer   a   most 
painful    punishment,     because     they    have    disbelieved. 
^^  When  one  saith  unto  them.  Act  not  corruptly  in  the 
earth ;  they  reply.  Verily  we  are  men  of  integrity.    ^^  Are 
•    not  they  themselves  corrupt  doers  ?  but  they  are  not  sen- 
sible thereof.     ^^  And  when  one  saith  unto  them.  Believe 
p     ye  as  others  believe;  they  answer.   Shall   we  believe  as 
>E     fools  believe  ?     Are  not  they  themselves  fools  ?  but  they 
r^     know  it  not.      ^*  When  they  meet  those  who    believe, 
^      they  say.  We  do  believe :  but  when  they  retire  privately 
to  their  devils,  they  say.  We  really  hold  with  you,  and 
only  mock  at  those  people.     ^^  God  shall  mock  at  them, 
and  continue  them  in  their  impiety ;  they  shall  wander 
in  confusion.     ^^  These  are  the  men  who  have  purchased 
error  at  the  price  of  true  direction:  but  their  traffic  hath 
not  been  gainful,  neither  have  they  been  rightly  directed. 
^^  They  are  like  unto  one  who  kindleth  a  fire,  and  when 
it  hath  enlightened  all  around  him ;  God  taketh  away 
their  light,  and  leaveth  them  in  darkness,  they  shall  not 

10  Mohammed  here,  and  elsewhere  fre-  bestows  this  name  on  the  Jewish  rabbins 
quently,  imitates  the  truly  inspired  writ-  and  Christian  priests  ;  though  he  seems 
ers,  in  making  God,  by  operation  on  the  chiefly  to  mean  the  former,  against  whom 
minds  of  reprobates,  to  prevent  their  con-  he  had  by  much  the  greater  spleen, 
version.  This  fatality  or  predestination,  17  In  this  passage  Mohammed  com- 
as believed  by  the  Mohammedans,  hath  pares  those  who  believed  not  on  him,  to  a 
been  sufficiently  treated  of  in  the  Preli-  man  who  wants  to  kindle  a  fire,  but  as 
minary  Discourse.  soon  as  it  burns  up,  and  the  flames  give  a 

11  Act  not  corruptly.^  Literally  cor-  light,  shuts  his  eyes,  lest  he  should  see. 
rupt  not  in  the  earth,  by  which  some  expo-  As  if  he  had  said :  You,  O  Arabians,  have 
sitors  understand  the  sowing  of  false  doc-  long  desired  a  prophet  of  your  own  na- 
trine,^  and  corrupting  people's  principles.  tion,  and  now  I  am  sent  unto   you,   and 

—  Men  of  integrity. ~\  According  to  the  have  plainly  proved  my  mission  by   the 

explication    in   the   preceding   note,    this  excellence  of  my  doctrine  and  revelation, 

word  must  be   translated  reformers,  who  you  resist  conviction,  and  refuse  to  believe 

promote  true  piety  by  their  doctrine  and  in  me  ;  therefore  shall  God  leave  you  in 

^    example..  your  ignorance. 

13  Others.']  The  first  companions  and  — Around  him.']  The  sense  seems  to 
followers  of  Mohammed  ^  be  here  imperfect,  and  may  be  completed, 

14  Devils,]  The  prophet,  making  use  by  adding  the  words,  he  turns  from  it, 
of  the   liberty  zealots  of  all  religions  have  shuts  his  eyes,  or  the  like. 

by  prescription,    of  giving   ill   language,         —  Their  light.]     This  is  of  the  unbe- 

^  Jallalo'ddin, 

B  2 


4  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

see ;  ^^  they  are  deaf,  dumb,  and  blind,  therefore  will  they 
not  repent.  ^^  Or  like  a  stormy  cloud  from  heaven, 
fraught  with  darkness,  thunder,  and  lightning,  they  put 
their  fingers  in  their  ears,  because  of  the  noise  of  the 
thunder,  for  fear  of  death ;  God  encompasseth  the  in- 
fidels :  ^^  the  lightning  wanteth  but  little  of  taking  away 
their  sight :  so  often  as  it  enlighteneth  them,  they  walk 
therein,  but  when  darkness  cometh  on  them,  they  stand 
still ;  and  if  God  so  pleased,  he  would  certainly  deprive 
them  of  their  hearing  and  their  sight,  for  God  is 
almighty.  ^^  O  men  of  Mecca,  serve  your  Lord  who 
hath  created  you,  and  those  who  have  been  before  you : 
perad venture  ye  will  fear  him  ;  ^^  who  hath  spread  the 
earth  as  a  bed  for  you,  and  the  heaven  as  a  covering,  and 
hath  caused  water  to  descend  from  heaven,  and  thereby 
produced  fruits  for  your  sustenance.  Set  not  up  there- 
fore any  equals  unto  God,  against  your  own  knowledge. 
-^^  If  ye  be  in  doubt  concerning  that  revelation  which  we 
have  sent  down  unto  our  servant,  produce  a  chapter  like 
unto  it,  and  call  upon  your  witnesses,  besides  God,  if  ye 
say  truth.  ^*  But  if  ye  do  it  not,  nor  shall  ever  be  able 
to  do  it ;  justly  fear  the  fire  whose  fuel  is  men  and  stones, 
prepared  for  the  unbelievers.  ^^But  bear  good  tidings 
r,/Unio_jJiose.^^ho^^^^b^^  do  goo3°^orks,  that  they 

^'^  shall  have  gardens  watered  by  rivers;  so  often  as  they 
^^>  eat  of  the  fruit  thereof  for  sustenance  they  shall  say.  This 
c^  is^what  we  have  formerly  eaten  of;  and  they  shall  be 
C  supplied  with  several  sorts  of  fruit  having  a  mutual  resem- 
H    blance  to  one  another.    There  shall  they  enjoy  wives  sub- 

lievers,  to   whom  the  word  their,  being  willing  to   hear   truths   so  disagreeable  : 

in  the   plural,   seems  to  refer  ;  though  it  when  the  promises  are  read  to  them,  they 

is  not  unusual  for  Mohammed,  in  affecta-  attend  with  pleasure ;  but  when  any  thing 

tion   of  the  prophetic  style,   suddenly  to  mysterious  or    difficult   of  belief  occurs, 

change  the   number,  against  all  rules  of  they  stand  stock  still,  and  will  not  submit 

grammar.  to  be  directed. 

19  Here  he  compares  the  unbelieving         23  Your  witnesses  besides  God.]   i.  e. 

Arabs  to  people  caught  in  a  violent  storm.  Your  false  gods  and  idols. 
To  perceive  the  beauty  of  this  compari-         25  Sorts  of  fruit.  ~\     Some  Commenta- 

son,  it  must  be  observed,  that  the  Moham-  tors  ^    approve   of  this   sense,    supposing 

medan  doctors  say,  this  tempest  is  a  type  the  fruits  of  paradise,  though  of  various 

or  image  of  the  Koran  itself :  the  thunder  tastes,   are  alike  in  colour   and  outward 

signifying  the  threats  therein  contained  ;  appearance  :  but  others  2  think  the  mean- 

the  lightning,  the  promises;  and  the  dark-  ingto  be,  that  the  inhabitants  of  that  place 

ness,  the  mysteries.       The  terror  of  the  will  find  there  fruits  of  the  same,  or  the  like, 

threats  makes  them  stop  their  ears,  un-  kinds  as  they  used  to  eat  while  on  earth. 

*  Jallalo'ddin.  2  ^/  ^amakhsharu 


II.]  AL    KORAN.  5 

ject  to  no  impurity,  and  there  shall  they  continue  for 
ever.  ^^  Moreover  God  will  not  be  ashamed  to  propound 
in  a  parable  a  gnat,  or  even  a  more  despicable  thing :  for 
they  who  believe  will  know  it  to  be  the  truth  from  their 
Lord  ;  but  the  unbelievers  will  say,  What  meaneth  God 
by  this  parable  ?  he  will  thereby  mislead  many,  and  will 
direct"  many  thereby  ;  but  he  will  not  mislead  any 
thereby,  except  the  transgressors,  ^^  who  make  void  the 
covenant  of  God  after  the  establishing  thereof,  and  cut 
in  sunder  that  which  God  hath  commanded  to  be  joined, 
and  act  corruptly  in  the  earth;  they  shall  perish.  ^^  How 
is  it  that  ye  believe  not  in  God  ?  Since  ye  were  dead, 
and  he  gave  you  life  ;  he  will  hereafter  cause  you  to  die, 
and  will  again  restore  you  to  life ;  then  shall  ye  return 
unto  him.  -^  It  is  he  who  hath  created  for  you  whatso- 
ever is  on  earth,  and  then  set  his  mind  to  the  creation  of 
heaven,  and  formed  it  into  seven  heavens ;  he  knoweth 
all  things.  ^^  When  thy  Lord  said  unto  the  angels,  I  am 
going  to  place  a  substitute  on  earth ;  they  said,  Wilt  thou 
place  there  one  who  will  do  evil  therein,  and  shed  blood  ? 
but  we  celebrate  thy  praise,  and  sanctify  thee.     God  an- 

26  Despicable  thing.']  This  was  revealed  mand  ;  whereupon  he  sent  Azrail  on  the 

to  take  off  an  objection  made  to  the  Koran  same  errand,  who  executed  his  commis- 

by  the  infidels,  for  condescending  to  speak  sion   without  remorse  ;    for  which  reason 

of  such  insignificant  insects,  as  the  spider,  God  appointed  that  angel  to  separate  the 

the  pismire,  the  bee  ^,  &c.  souls   from    the   bodies,   being    therefore 

28   Ye  were  dead,  and  he  gave  you  life,  called  the  angel  of  death.     The  earth  he 

&c.]    i.  e.  Ye  were  dead  while  in  the  loins  had  taken  was  carried  into  Arabia,   to  a 

of  your  fathers,  and  he  gave  you  life  in  place  between   Mecca  and   Tayef,  where 

your  mother's  womb  ;  and  after  death  ye  being  first  kneaded  by  the  angels,  it  was 

shall  be  again  raised  at  the  resurrection  2.  afterwards  fashioned  by  God  himself  into 

30  Angels.]    Concerning  the  creation  of  a  human  form,   and  left  to  dry  *  for  the 

Adam,  here  intimated,  the  Mohammedans  space  of  forty  days,  or,  as  others  say,  as 

have    several    peculiar  traditions.     They  many  years;  the  angels  in  the  mean  time 

say  the  Angels,  Gabriel,  Michael,  and   Is-  often  visiting  it,  and   Eblis   (then  one   of     | 

rafil,  were  sent  by  God,  one  after  another,  the  angels  who  are  nearest  to  God's  pre-      [ 

to  fetch  for  that  purpose  seven  handfuls  of  sence,   afterwards    the   devil)    among  the 

earth  from  different  depths,  and  of  differ-  rest ;  but  he,  not  contented  with  looking 

ent  colours  (whence  some  account  for  the  on  it,  kicked  it  with  his  foot  till  it  rung  ; 

various   complexion    of  mankind  3);    but  and  knowing  God  designed  that  creature 

the  earth  being  apprehensive  of  the  con-  to  be  his  superior,  took  a  secret  resolution 

sequence,  and  desiring  them  to  represent  never  to  acknowledge  him  as  such.     After 

her  fear  to  God,  that  the  creature  he  de-  this,    God  animated   the   figure   of  clay, 

signed  to  form  would  rebel   against  him,  and  indued  it  with  an  intelligent  soul,  and 

and  draw  down  his  curse  upon  her,  they  when   he    had   placed   him    in    paradise, 

returned  without  performing  God's  com-  formed  Eve  out  of  his  left  side  ^ 

^  Yahya.  2  JallaWddin,  ^  Al  Termedi,  from  a  tradition  of  Ahu  Musa  at  Ashari, 
*  Koran,  c.  55.  ^  Khond  amir.  Jallalo'ddin,  Comment,  in  Koran,  &c.  V.  D'Herbeht, 
Biblioth.  Orient,   p.  55. 


fv. 


6  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

swered,  Verily  I  know  that  which  ye  know  not ;  ^^  and 
he  taught  Adam  the  names  of  all  things,  and  then  pro- 
posed them  to  the  angels,  and  said,  Declare  unto  me  the 
names  of  these  things  if  ye  say  truth.     ^^  They  answered, 
T>   Praise   be  unto  thee,  we  have  no  knowledge  but  what 
"^^     thou  teachest  us,  for  thou  art  knowing  and  wise.     ^^  God 
V     said,  O  Adam,  tell  them  their  names.    And,  when  he  had 
I      told  them  their  names,  God  said,  Did  I  not  tell  you  that 
.r*     I  know  the  secrets  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  know  that 
.,  which  ye  discover,  and  that  which  ye  conceal?     ^^And 
-^when  we  said  unto  the  angels.  Worship  Adam  ;  they  all 
worshipped   him   except    Eblis,    who   refused,   and   was 
puffed  up  with  pride,  and  became  of  the  number  of  un- 
believers.    ^^  And  we  said,  O  Adam,  dwell  thou  and  thy 
wife  in  the  garden,  and  eat  of  the  fruit  thereof  plentifully 
wherever  ye  will ;  but  approach  not  this  tree,  lest  ye  be- 
come of  the  number  of  the  transgressors.     ^^  But  Satan 
caused  them  to  forfeit  paradise,  and  turned  them  out  of 
the  state  of  happiness  wherein  they  had  been ;  whereupon 

33  Ye  conceal.']  This  story  Mohammed  to  create  man  after  his  own  image,  and  to 
borrowed  from  the  Jewish  traditions,  dignify  human  nature  by  Christ's  assum- 
which  say,  that  the  angels  having  spoken  ing  it,  some  of  them  thinking  their  glory 
of  man  with  some  contempt,  when  God  to  be  eclipsed  thereby,  envied  man's  hap- 
consulted  them  about  his  creation,   God  piness,  and  so  revolted. 

made  answer,  that  the  man  was  wiser  than         35  Garden.]     Mohammed,  as  appears 

they  ;    and    to    convince   them    of  it,    he  by  what  presently  follows,  does  not  place 

brought  all  kinds  of  animals  to  them  ;  and  this  garden  or  paradise  on  earth,  but  in 

asked  them  their  names  ;  which  they  not  the  seventh  heaven  ^, 
being  able  to  tell,  he  put  the  same  ques-         —  Tree.]     Concerning  this  tree,  or  the 

tion  to  the  man,   who  named   them  one  forbidden   fruit,     the    Mohammedans,   as 

after  another  ;  and  being  asked  his  own  well  as  the  Christians,  have  various  opi- 

name,  and  God's  name,  he  answered  very  nions.     Some  say  it  was  an  ear  of  wheat ; 

justly,  and  gave  God  the  name  of  Jeho-  some  will  have  it  to  have  been  a  fig-tree, 

VAH  1.     The  angels'  adoring  of  Adam  is  and  others  a  vine  ^.     The  story  of  the  fall 

also  mentioned  in  the  Talmud  -.  is  told,  with  some  further  circumstances, 

34  Worship.]    The  original  word  signi-  in  the  beginning  of  the  ^i\\  chapter. 

fies  properly  to  prostrate  one's  self,  till  the  36  Satan  caused  them  to  forfeit  para- 

forehead  touches  the  ground  ;    which  is  dise.]       They  have  a  tradition  that  the 

the   humblest  posture   of  adoration,    and  devil  offering  to  get  into  paradise  to  tempt 

strictly  due  to  God  only  ;  but  it  is  some-  Adam,  was  not  admitted  by  the  guard  : 

times,  as  in  this  place,  used  to  express  that  whereupon  he  begged  of  the  animals,  one 

civil   worship  or  homage,  which  may  be  after  another,   to   carry   him  in,  that  he 

paid  to  creatures  ^,  might  speak  to  Adam  and  his  wife ;  but 

—  Unbelievers.]     This  occasion  of  the  they  all  refused  him,  except  the  serpent, 

devil's  fall  has  some  affinity  with  an  opi-  who  took  him  between  two  of  his  teeth, 

nion   which  has  been  pretty  much  enter-  and  so  introduced  him.     They  add,  that 

tained  among  Christians  *,  viz.,  that  the  the  serpent  was  then  of  a  beautiful  form, 

angels  being  informed  of  God's  intention  and  not  in  the  shape  he  now  bears  ''. 

^  V.  Rivin.  Serpent,  seduct.  p.  56.  ^  ji^  Moses  Haddarshan,  in  Bereshit  rabbah. 
^  Jallalo'ddin.  *  frencBus,  Lad.  Greg.  Nyssen.  &c.  •''  Vid.  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  24. 
^  V.  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  22.       '   Marracc.  \n  Aic.  p,  22. 


II.]  AL    KORAN.  7 

we  said,  Get  ye  down,  the  one  of  you  an  enemy  unto 
the  other ;  and  there  shall  be  a  dwelling-place  for  you  on 
earth,  and  a  provision  for  a  season.  ^^  And  Adam  learned 
words  of  prayer  from  his  Lord,  and  God  turned  unto  him, 
for  he  is  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and  merciful.  ^^  We  said, 
Get  ye  all  down  from  hence ;  hereafter  shall  there  come 
unto  you  a  direction  from  me,  and  whoever  shall  follow 
my  direction,  on  them  shall  no  fear  come,  neither  shall 
they  be  grieved ;  ^^  but  they,  who  shall  be  unbelievers, 
and  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  they  shall  be  the  com- 
panions of  hell-fire,  therein  shall  they  remain  for  ever. 
'^^  O  children  of  Israel,  remember  my  favour  wherewith  I 
have  favoured  you ;  and  perform  your  covenant  with  me, 
and  I  will  perform  my  covenant  with  you ;  and  revere 
me:  '^^  and  believe  in  the  revelation  which  I  have  sent 
down,  confirming  that  which  is  with  you,  and  be  not  the 
first  who  believe  not  therein,  neither  exchange  my  signs 
for  a  small  price  ;  and  fear  rne.     ^^  Clothe  not  the  truth 

36  Get  ye  down.~\     The  Mohammedans  on  two  others  in  the  plain,  about  two  mus- 

say,  that  when  they  were  cast  down  from  ket  shots  asunder  ^, 

paradise,  Adam  fell  on  the  isle  of  Ceylon,  38  A  direction  from  me,']  God  here 
or  Serendib,  and  Eve  near  Joddah  (the  promises  Adam  that  his  will  should  be  re- 
port of  Mecca)  in  Arabia ;  and  that  after  vealed  to  him  and  his  posterity ;  which 
a  separation  of  200  years,  Adam  was,  on  promise  the  Mohammedans  believe  was 
his  repentance,  conducted  by  the  angel  fulfilled  at  several  times  by  the  ministry 
Gabriel  to  a  mountain  near  Mecca,  where  of  several  prophets,  from  Adam  himself, 
he  found  and  knew  his  wife,  the  mount-  who  was  the  first,  to  Mohammed,  who  was 
ain  being  thence  named  Arafat^  i.  e.  the  the  last.  The  number  of  books  revealed 
separation ;  and  that  he  afterwards  retired  unto  Adam  they  say  was  ten  ^. 
with  her  to  Ceylon,  where  they  continued  39  SignsJ]  This  word  has  various  sig- 
to  propagate  their  species  ^  nifications  in  the  Koran  ;  sometimes,  as  in 

It  may  not  be  improper  here  to  mention  this  passage,  it  signifies  divine  revelation, 
another  tradition,  concerning  the  gigantic  or  scripture  in  general ;  sometimes  the 
stature  of  our  first  parents.  Their  prophet,  verses  of  the  Koran  in  particular  ;  and  at 
they  say,  affirmed  Adam  to  have  been  as  other  times  visible  miracles.  But  the 
tall  as  a  high  palm-tree  2 ;  but  this  would  sense  is  easily  distinguished  by  the  con- 
be  too  much,  in  proportion,  if  that  were  text. 

really  the  print  of  his  foot,  which  is  pre-  40  O  children  of  Israel]  The  Jews 
tended  to  be  such,  on  the  top  of  a  mount-  are  here  called  upon  to  receive  the  Ko- 
ain  in  the  isle  of  Ceylon,  thence  named  ran,  as  verifying  and  confirming  the  Pen- 
Pico  de  Adam,  and  by  the  Arab  writers  tateuch,  particularly  with  respect  to  the 
Rahun,  being  somewhat  above  two  spans  unity  of  God,  and  the  mission  of  Moham- 
long3;  though  others  say  it  is  seventy  med  ^.  And  they  are  exhorted  not  to 
cubits  long,  and  that  when  Adam  set  one  conceal  the  passages  of  their  law,  which 
foot  here,  he  had  the  other  in  the  sea  * ;  bear  witness  to  those  truths,  nor  to  cor- 
and  too  little,  if  Eve  were  of  so  enormous  rupt  them  by  publishing  false  copies  of  the 
a  size,  as  is  said,  that  when  her  head  lay  Pentateuch,  for  which  the  writers  were  but 
on  one  hill  near  Mecca,  her  knees  rested  poorly  paid  ^. 

^  D'Herhelot,  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  55.  2  Yahya,  ^  Moncony's  Voyage,  Part  I.  p.  372, 
&c.     See  Knox's  Account  of  Ceylon.  *  Anciennes  relations  des  Indes,  &c.  p.  3. 

^  Monconyy  ubi^sup.  ^  y^  Hottinger,  Hist.  Orient,  p.  11.     Reland.  de  relig. 

Mohammed,  p.  21,         ^  Yalnja.  ^  Jallaloddin, 


8  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

with  vanity,  neither  conceal  the  truth  against  your  own 
knowledge ;  ^^  observe  the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and 
pay  your  legal  alms,  and  bow  down  yourselves  with  those 
who  bow  down.  ^*  Will  ye  command  men  to  do  justice, 
and  forget  your  own  souls  ?  yet  ye  read  the  book  of  the 
law  :  do  ye  not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  Ask  help  with 
'  perseverance  and  prayer :  this  indeed  is  grievous,  unless 
to  the  humble,  ^®  who  seriously  think  they  shall  meet 
their  Lord,  and  that  to  him  they  shall  return.  ^'^  O  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  remember  my  favour  w^herewith  I  have 
favoured  you,  and  that  I  have  preferred  you  above  all 
nations ;  *^  dread  the  day  wherein  one  soul  shall  not  make 
satisfaction  for  another  soul,  neither  shall  any  intercession 
be  accepted  from  them,  nor  shall  any  compensation  be 
received,  neither  shall  they  be  helped.  ^^  Remember 
when  we  delivered  you  from  the  people  of  Pharaoh,  who 
grievously  oppressed  you ;  they  slew  your  male  children, 
and  let  your  females  live :  therein  was  a  great  trial  from 
your  Lord.  ^^  And  when  we  divided  the  sea  for  you,  and 
delivered  you,  and  drowned  Pharaoh's  people  while  ye 
looked  on.  ^^And  when  we  treated  with  Moses  forty 
nights ;  then  ye  took  the  calf  for  your  God,  and  did  evil ; 
^^yet  afterwards  we  forgave  you,  that  peradventure  ye 
might  give  thanks.  ^^  And  when  we  gave  Moses  the 
book  of  the  law,  and  the  distinction  between  good  and 
evil,  that  peradventure  ye  might  be  directed.  ^*And 
when  Moses  said  unto  his  people,  O  my  people,  verily  ye 
have  injured  your  own  souls,  by  your  taking  the  calf  for 

50  Looked  on,']  See  the  story  of  Moses  keep  them  together  till  the  return  of  Mo- 
and  Pharaoh  more  particularly  related,  ses  ;  al  Sameri,  understanding  the  found- 
chap,  vii.  &  XX.  &c.  er's  art,  put  them  all  together  into  a  fur- 

51  The  calf,']  The  person  who  cast  this  nace,  to  melt  them  down  into  one  mass, 
calf,  the  Mohammedans  say,  was  (not  which  came  out  in  the  form  of  a  calf  3. 
Aaron,  but)  al  Sameri,  one  of  the  princi-  The  Israelites,  accustomed  to  the  i^gypt- 
pal  men  among  the  children  of  Israel,  ian  idolatry,  paying  a  religious  worship 
some  of  whose  descendants,  it  is  pretend-  to  this  image,  al  Sameri  went  farther,  and 
ed,  still  inhabit  an  island  of  that  name  in  took  some  dust  from  the  footsteps  of  the 
the  Arabian  gulf  ^  It  was  made  of  the  horse  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  who  marched 
rings  2  and  bracelets  of  gold,  silver,  and  at  the  head  of  the  people,  and  threw  it 
other  materials,  which  the  Israelites  had  into  the  mouth  of  the  calf,  which  imme- 
borrowed  of  the  Egyptians  ;  for  Aaron,  diately  began  to  low,  and  became  ani- 
who  commanded  in  his  brother's  absence,  mated  * ;  for  such  was  the  virtue  of  that 
having  ordered  al  Sameri  to  collect  those  dust  ^  One  writer  says  that  all  the 
ornaments  from  the  people,  who  carried  Israelites  adored  this  calf,  except  only 
on  a  wicked  commerce  with  them,  and  to  12,000  ^. 

*  Geogr.  Nubiens.  p.  45.  ^  Koran,  c.  7.  ^  See  Exod.  xxxii.  24.  *  ^  Koran,  c.  7- 
5  Jallalo'ddin,     Vid.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  650.      «  AbiClfeda, 


II.]  AL     KORAN.  9 

your  God  ;  therefore  be  turned  unto  your  Creator,  and 
slay  those  among  you  who  have  been  guilty  of  that  crime; 
this  will  be  better  for  you  in  the  sight  of  your  Creator : 
and  thereupon  he  turned  unto  you,  for  he  is  easy  to  be 
reconciled  and  merciful.  ^^  And  when  ye  said,  O  Moses, 
we  will  not  believe  thee,  until  we  see  God  manifestly ; 
therefore  a  punishment  came  upon  you,  while  ye  looked 
on;  ^Hhen  we  raised  you  to  life  after  ye  had  been  dead, 
that  peradventure  ye  might  give  thanks.  ^^  And  we 
caused  clouds  to  overshadow  you,  and  manna  and  quails 
to  descend  upon  you,  saying,  Eat  of  the  good  things  which 
we  have  given  you  for  food :  and  they  injured  not  us,  but 
injured  their  own  souls.  ^^  And  when  we  said,  Enter  into 
this  city,  and  eat  of  the  provisions  thereof  plentifully  as 
ye  will ;  and  enter  the  gate  worshipping,  and  say.  For- 
giveness !  we  will  pardon  you  your  sins,  and  give  increase 
unto  the  well-doers.  ^^  But  the  ungodly  changed  the  ex- 
pression into  another,  different  from  what  had  been 
spoken  unto  them ;  and  we  sent  down  upon  the  ungodly 
indignation  from  heaven,  because  they  had  transgressed. 
^^  And  when  Moses  asked  drink  for  his  people,  we  said, 
Strike  the  rock  with  thy  rod  ;  and  there  gushed  thereout 

54  And  slay  the  guilty.']     In  this  parti-  camp   in   the   desert  ^,      The  Arabs   call 

cular   the   narration  agrees  with  that  of  these  birds  Salwd,  which  is  plainly  the 

Moses,  who  ordered  the   Levites   to  slay  same  with  the  Hebrew  Salwinif  and  say 

every  man  his  brother  ^  :  but  the  scrip-  they    have    no    bones,     but    are     eaten 

ture  says,  there  fell  of  the  people  that  day  whole  ^. 

about  3,000   (the   Vulgate   says   23,000)  58    This   city,]       Some   commentators 

men  ^  ;    whereas  the  commentators  of  the  suppose  it  to  be  Jericho ;  others,  Jerusa- 

Koran  make  the  number  of  the  slain  to  lem. 

amount  to  70,000  ;    and  add,  that   God  —  Forgiveness.]     The  Arabic  word  is 

sent  a  dark  cloud,  which  hindered  them  Hittaton,  which  some  take  to  signify  that 

from   seeing   one   another,  lest  the  sight  profession    of  the  unity   of  God,   so  fre- 

should  move  those  who  executed  the  sen-  quently  used  by  the  Mohammedans,  La 

tence  to  compassion  3.  ildha  ilia    *llahOf    There   is    no    god   but 

56  Dead.]     The  persons  here  meant,  God. 

are  said  to  have  been  seventy  men  who  59  Changed  the  expression  into  another.] 

were  made  choice  of  by  Moses,  and  heard  According  to  Jallalo'ddin,  instead  of  Hit- 

the  voice  of  God  talking  with  him.     But,  taton^  they  cried  Hahhat  fi  shairatj   i.  e.  a 

not   being   satisfied  with   that,   they    de-  grain  in  an  ear  of  barley  ;  and  in  ridicule 

manded   to    see    God  ;    whereupon    they  of  the  divine  command  to  enter  the  city  in 

were  all  struck  dead  by  lightning,  and,  on  a  humble  posture,  they  indecently  crept  in 

Moses's  intercession,  restored  to  life  '*.  upon  their  breech. 

57  Quails.]  The  eastern  writers  say,  —  Indignation  from  heaven.]  A  pesti- 
these  quails  were  of  a  peculiar  kind,  to  lence  which  carried  off  nearly  70,000  of 
be  found  no   where  but  in    Yaman,  from  them  ^. 

whence   they    were  brought   by  a   south         60   The  rock.]     The  commentators  say 
wind  in  great  numbers  to  the   Israelites*     this  was   a   stone   which  Moses    brought 

*  Exod.  xxxii.  26,  27-  *  Ibid.  28.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.  *  Ismael  Ebnali.  »  Seg 
Psalm  Ixxviii.  26.     «  V.  D'Herhcloty  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  477-      ^  Jallalo'ddin, 


10 


AL    KORAN, 


[chap. 


twelve  fountains,  according  to  the  number  of  the  tribes, 
and  all  men  knew  their  respective  drinking-place.  Eat 
and  drink  of  the  bounty  of  God,  and  commit  not  evil  in 
the  earth,  acting  unjustly.  ^^  And  when  ye  said,  O 
Moses,  we  will  by  no  means  be  satisfied  with  one  kind 
of  food ;  pray  unto  thy  Lord  therefore  for  us,  that  he 
would  produce  for  us  of  that  which  the  earth  bringeth 
forth,  herbs,  and  cucumbers,  and  garlic,  and  lentils,  and 
onions ;  Moses  answered.  Will  ye  exchange  that  which 
is  better  for  that  which  is  worse  ?  Get  ye  down  into 
Egypt,  for  there  shall  ye  find  what  ye  desire :  and  they 
were  smitten  with  vileness  and  misery,  and  drew  on 
themselves  indignation  from  God.  This  they  suffered, 
because  they  believed  not  in  the  signs  of  God,  and  killed 
the  prophets  unjustly ;  this,  because  they  rebelled  and 
5  transgressed.  ^^  Surely  those  who  believe,  and  those  who 
Judaize,  and  Christians,  and  Sabians,  whoever  believeth 
in  God,  and  the  last  day,  and  doth  that  which  is  right, 


from  mount  Sinai,  and  the  same  that  fled 
away  with  his  garments  w^hich  he  laid 
upon  it  one  day  while  he  washed :  they 
add,  that  Moses  ran  after  the  stone  naked, 
till  he  found  himself,  ere  he  was  aware,  in 
the  midst  of  the  people,  who,  on  this  acci- 
dent, were  convinced  of  the  falsehood  of  a 
report,  which  had  been  raised  of  their 
prophet,  that  he  was  bursten,or,  as  others 
write,  an  hermaphrodite  ^ 

They  describe  it  to  be  a  square  piece  of 
white  marble,  shaped  like  a  man's  head  ; 
wherein  they  differ  not  much  from  the 
accounts  of  European  travellers,  who  say 
this  rock  stands  among  several  lesser  ones, 
about  100  paces  from  mount  Horeb,  and 
appears  to  have  been  loosened  from  the 
neighbouring  mountains,  having  no  cohe- 
rence with  the  others ;  that  it  is  a  huge 
mass  of  red  granite,  almost  round  on  one 
side,  and  flat  on  the  other;  12  feet  high, 
and  as  many  thick,  but  broader  than  it 
is  high,  and  about  50  feet  in  circumfe- 
rence 2. 

60  Twelve  fountains.']  Marracci  thinks 
this  circumstance  looks  like  a  Rabbinical 
fiction,  or  else  that  Mohammed  confounds 
the  water  of  the  rock  at  Horeb  with  the 
twelve  wells  at  Elim  ^ ;  for  he  says,  several 
who  have  been  on  the  spot,  affirm  there 
are  but  three  orifices  whence  the  water 


issued  *.  But  it  is  to  be  presumed,  that 
Mohammed  had  better  means  of  informa- 
tion in  this  respect,  than  to  fall  into  such 
a  mistake  ;  for  the  rock  stands  within  the 
borders  of  Arabia,  and  some  of  his  coun- 
trymen must  needs  have  seen  it,  if  he 
himself  did  not,  as  it  is  most  probable  he 
did.  And,  in  effect,  he  seems  to  be  in  the 
right.  For  one,  who  went  into  those 
parts  in  the  end  of  the  15th  century,  tells 
us  expressly,  that  the  water  issued  from 
twelve  places  of  the  rock,  according  to  the 
number  of  the  tribes  of  Israel:  egressae 
sunt  aquae  largissimse  in  duodecim  locis 
petrse,  juxta,  numerum  duodecim  tribuum 
Israel  ^.  A  late  curious  traveller  ^  observes 
that  there  are  24  holes  in  the  stone,  which 
may  be  easily  counted ;  that  is  to  say, 
twelve  on  the  flat  side,  and  as  many  on 
the  opposite  round  side,  every  one  being  a 
foot  deep,  and  an  inch  wide  ;  and  he  adds, 
that  the  holes  on  one  side  do  not  commu- 
nicate with  those  on  the  other ;  which  a 
less  accurate  spectator  not  perceiving  (for 
they  are  placed  horizontally,  within  two 
feet  of  the  top  of  the  rock)  might  conclude 
they  pierce  quite  through  the  stone,  and 
so  reckon  them  to  be  but  twelve. 

61  Onions.']     See  Numb.  xi.  5,  &c. 

62  Jews,  Christians,  and  Sabians,  who- 
ever  believeth,  &c.]     From  these  words, 


1  Jallalo' ddiny  Yahya.  ^  Breydenbach,  Itinerar.  charta  m.  p.  1.  Sicard,  dans  les 
Memoires  des  Missions,  torn.  7-  p.  14.  ^  Exod.  xv.  27.  Numb,  xxxiii.  .9.  *  Marracc, 
Prodr.  part.  iv.  p.  80.     ^  Breydenbach,  ubi  sup.     ^  Sicard,  ubi  sup. 


II.] 


AL    KORAN. 


11 


they  shall  have  their  reward  with  their  Lord,  there  shall 
come  no  fear  on  them,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved. 
^^  Call  to  mind  also  when  we  accepted  your  covenant, 
and  lifted  up  the  mountain  of  Sinai  over  you,  saying, 
Receive  the  law  which  we  have  given  you,  with  a  reso- 
lution to  keep  it,  and  remember  that  which  is  contained 
therein,  that  ye  may  beware.  ^*  After  this  ye  again 
turned  back,  so  that,  if  it  had  not  been  for  God's  indul- 
gence and  mercy  towards  you,  ye  had  certainly  been 
destroyed.  ^^  Moreover,  ye  know  what  befel  those  of 
your  nation  who  transgressed  on  the  sabbath-day ;  We 
said  unto  them,  Be  ye  changed  into  apes,   driven  away 


which  are  repeated  in  the  5th  chapter, 
several  writers  ^  have  wrongly  concluded, 
that  the  Mohammedans  hold  it  to  be  the 
doctrine  of  their  prophet,  that  every  man 
may  be  saved  in  his  own  religion,  provided 
he  be  sincere,  and  lead  a  good  life.  It  is 
true,  some  of  their  doctors  do  agree  this  to 
be  the  purport  of  the  words  ^;  but  then 
they  say  the  latitude  hereby  granted  was 
soon  revoked,  for  that  this  passage  is  abro- 
gated by  several  others  in  the  Koran,  which 
expressly  declare,  that  none  can  be  saved 
who  is  not  of  the  Mohammedan  faith  ;  and 
particularly  by  those  words  of  the  3d  chap- 
ter. Whoever  followeth  any  other  religion 
than  Islam  (i.  e.  Mohammedan),  it  shall 
not  be  accepted  of  him,  and  at  the  last 
day  he  shall  be  of  those  who  perish  ^. 
However,  others  are  of  opinion  that  this 
passage  is  not  abrogated,  but  interpret  it 
differently  ;  taking  the  meaning  of  it  to  be, 
that  no  man,  whether  he  be  a  Jew,  a 
Christian,  or  a  Sabian,  shall  be  excluded 
from  salvation,  provided  he  quit  his  erro- 
neous religion,  and  become  a  Moslem, 
which  they  say  is  intended  by  the  follow- 
ing words,  Whoever  believeth  in  God  and 
the  last  day,  and  doth  that  which  is  right. 
And  this  interpretation  is  approved  by  Mr. 
Reland,  who  thinks  the  words  here  import 
no  more  than  those  of  the  apostle.  In  every 
nation  he  that  feareth  God,  and  worketh 
righteousness  is  accepted  with  him  *  ;  from 
which  it  must  not  be  inferred,  that  the 
religion  of  nature,  or  any  other,  is  sufficient 
to  save,  without  faith  in  Christ  ^. 

6*3   When  we  lifted  up  mount  Sinai  over 
?/ow.]    The  Mohammedan  tradition  is,  that 


the  Israelites  refusing  to  receive  the  law 
of  Moses,  God  tore  up  the  mountain  by 
the  roots,  and  shook  it  over  their  heads, 
to  terrify  them  into  compliance  ^. 

65  Those  who  transgressed  on  the  sab- 
bath-day, &c.]  The  story  to  which  this 
passage  refers,  is  as  follows.  In  the  days 
of  David  some  Israelites  dwelt  at  Ailah,  or 
Elath,  on  the  Red  sea,  where  on  the  night 
of  the  sabbath  the  fish  used  to  come  in 
great  numbers  to  the  shore,  and  stay  there 
all  the  sabbath,  to  tempt  them ;  but  the 
night  following  they  returned  into  the  sea 
again.  At  length,  some  of  the  inhabitants, 
neglecting  God's  command,  catched  fish 
on  the  sabbath,  and  dressed  and  ate  them ; 
and  afterwards  cut  canals  from  the  sea, 
for  the  fish  to  enter,  with  sluices,  which 
they  shut  on  the  sabbath,  to  prevent  their 
return  to  the  sea.  The  other  part  of  the 
inhabitants,  who  strictly  observed  the  sab- 
bath, used  both  persuasion  and  force  to 
stop  this  impiety,  but  to  no  purpose,  the 
offenders  growing  only  more  and  more  ob- 
stinate ;  whereupon  David  cursed  the  sab- 
bath-breakers, and  God  transformed  them 
into  apes.  It  is  said,  that  one  going  to 
see  a  friend  of  his  that  was  among  them, 
found  him  in  the  shape  of  an  ape,  moving 
his  eyes  about  wildly ;  and,  asking  him 
whether  he  was  not  such  a  one  ?  the  ape 
made  a  sign  with  his  head,  that  it  was  he  : 
whereupon  the  friend  said  to  him,  Did  not 
I  advise  you  to  desist?  at  which  the  ape 
wept.  They  add,  that  these  unhappy 
people  remained  three  days  in  this  condi- 
tion, and  were  afterwards  destroyed  by 
a  wind  which  swept  them  all  into  the  sea  '^, 


^  Selden.  de  Jure  nat.  &  gentium  sec.  Hebr.  I.  c.  12.  Angel,  a  S,  Joseph.  Gazo- 
phylac.  Persic,  p.  365.  Nic.  Cusanus  in  Cribratione  Alcorani,  1.  3.  c.  2,  &c.  ^  ^qq 
Chardin's  Voyages,  Vol.  ii,  p.  326.  331.  ^  Abu'lkasem  Hebatallah  de  abrpgrante  et 
abrogato.       ^  Acts  x.  35.      ^  V.  Reland.   de  rel.  Moham.  p,  128,  &c.       ^  Jallalo'ddin* 

7  Ahunfcda. 


12 


AL     KORAN. 


[chap. 


from  the  society  of  men.  ^®  And  we  made  them  an 
example  unto  those  who  were  contemporary  with  them, 
and  unto  those  who  came  after  them,  and  a  warning  to 
the  pious.  ^^  And  when  Moses  said  unto  his  people, 
Verily  God  commandeth  you  to  sacrifice  a  cow ;  ^^  they 
answered,  Dost  thou  make  a  jest  of  us  ?  Moses  said, 
God  forbid  that  I  should  be  one  of  the  foolish.  ^^  They 
said,  Pray  for  us  unto  thy  Lord,  that  he  would  show  us 
what  cow  it  is.  Moses  answered.  He  saith,  She  is  nei- 
ther an  old  cow,  nor  a  young  heifer,  but  of  a  middle  age, 
between  both ;  do  ye  therefore  that  which  ye  are  com- 
manded. They  said.  Pray  for  us  unto  thy  Lord,  that 
he  would  show  us  what  colour  she  is  of  Moses  an- 
swered. He  saith.  She  is  a  red  cow,  intensely  red,  her 
colour  rejoiceth  the  beholders.  ^^  They  said.  Pray  for  us 
unto  thy  Lord,  that  he  would  further  show  us  what  cow 
it  is,  for  several  cows  with  us  are  like  one  another,  and 
we,  if  God  please,  will  be  directed.  ^^  Moses  answered. 
He  saith.  She  is  a  cow  not  broken  to  plough  the  earth, 
or  water  the  field,  a  sound  one,  there  is  no  blemish  in 


67  God  commandeth  you  to  sacrifice  a 
coWf  &c.]  The  occasion  of  this  sacrifice 
is  thus  related.  A  certain  man  at  bis 
death  left  his  son,  then  a  child,  a  cow- 
calf,  wlrich  wandered  in  the  desert  till  he 
came  to  age  ;  at  which  time  his  mother 
told  him  the  heifer  was  his,  and  bid  him 
fetch  her,  and  sell  her  for  three  pieces  of 
gold.  When  the  young  man  came  to  the 
market  with  his  heifer,  an  angel  in  the 
shape  of  a  man  accosted  him,  and  bid  him 
six  pieces  of  gold  for  her ;  but  he  would 
not  take  the  money,  till  he  had  asked  his 
mother's  consent ;  which  when  he  had 
obtained,  he  returned  to  the  market-place, 
and  met  the  angel,  who  now  offered  him 
twice  as  much  for  the  heifer,  provided  he 
would  say  nothing  of  it  to  his  mother ; 
but  the  young  man  refusing,  went  and 
acquainted  her  with  the  additional  offer. 
The  woman,  perceiving  it  was  an  angel, 
bid  her  son  go  back,  and  ask  him  what 
must  be  done  with  the  heifer  ;  whereupon 
the  angel  told  the  young  man,  that  in  a 
little  time  the  children  of  Israel  would 
buy  that  heifer  of  him  at  any  price.  And 
soon  after  it  happened  that  an  Israelite, 
named  Hammiel,  was  killed  by  a  relation 
of  his,  who,  to  prevent  discovery,  convey- 
ed the  body  to  a  place  considerably  dis- 


tant from  that  where  the  fact  was  com- 
mitted. The  friends  of  the  slain  man  ac- 
cused some  other  persons  of  the  murder 
before  Moses ;  but  they  denying  the  fact, 
and  there  being  no  evidence  to  convict 
them,  God  commanded  a  cow,  of  such  and 
such  particular  marks,  to  be  killed :  but 
there  being  no  other  which  answered  the 
description,  except  the  orphan's  heifer, 
they  were  obliged  to  buy  her  for  as  much 
gold  as  her  hide  would  hold ;  according  to 
some,  for  her  full  weight  in  gold,  and,  as 
others  say,  for  ten  times  as  much.  This 
heifer  they  sacrificed ;  and  the  dead  body 
being,  by  divine  direction,  struck  with  a 
part  of  it,  revived,  and,  standing  up, 
named  the  person  who  had  killed  him  ; 
after  which  it  immediately  fell  down  dead 
again  ^.  The  whole  story  seems  to  be 
borrowed  from  the  red  heifer,  which  was 
ordered  by  the  Jewish  law  to  be  burnt, 
and  the  ashes  kept  for  purifying  those  who 
happened  to  touch  a  dead  corpse  ^  ; — and 
from  the  heifer  directed  to  be  slain,  for 
the  expiation  of  uncertain  murder.  See 
Deut.  xxii.  1 — 9. 

69  A  red  cowJ]  The  epithet  in  the 
original  is  yellow ;  but  this  word  we 
do  not  use  in  speaking  of  the  colour  of 
cattle. 


Abu'lfeda.         ^  Numb.  xix. 


II.]  AL     KORAN.  13 

her.  They  said,  Now  hast  thou  brought  the  truth.  Then 
they  sacrificed  her ;  yet  they  wanted  but  little  of  leaving 
it  undone.  ^"^  And  when  ye  slew  a  man,  and  contended 
among  yourselves  concerning  him,  God  brought  forth 
to  light  that  which  he  concealed.  ^^  For  we  said,  Strike 
the  dead  body  with  part  of  the  sacrificed  cow :  so  God 
raised  the  dead  to  life,  and  showeth  you  his  signs,  that 
perad venture  ye  may  understand.  ''^  Then  were  your 
hearts  hardened  after  this,  even  as  stones,  or  exceeding 
them  in  hardness :  for  from  some  stones  have  rivers 
bursted  forth,  others  have  been  rent  in  sunder,  and  water 
hath  issued  from  them,  and  others  have  fallen  down  for 
fear  of  God.  But  God  is  not  regardless  of  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^  Do  ye  therefore  desire  that  the  Jews  should  be- 
lieve you  ?  yet  a  part  of  them  heard  the  word  of  God,  and 
then  perverted  it,  after  they  had  understood  it,  against 
their  own  conscience.  ^^  And  when  they  meet  the  true 
believers,  they  say.  We  believe  :  but  when  they  are  pri- 
vately assembled  together,  they  say,  Will  ye  acquaint  them 
with  what  God  hath  revealed  unto  you,  that  they  may  dis- 
pute with  you  concerning  it  in  the  presence  of  your  Lord? 
Do  ye  not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  Do  not  they  know 
that  God  knoweth  that  which  they  conceal  as  well  as 
that  which  they  publish  ?  ^^  But  there  are  illiterate  men 
among  them,  who  know  not  the  book  of  the  law,  but  only 
lying  stories,  although  they  think  otherwise.  ^^  And  woe 
unto  them  who  transcribe  corruptly  the  book  of  the  law 
with  their  hands,  and  then  say,  This  is  from  God  ;  that 
they  may  sell  it  for  a  small  price.  Therefore  woe  unto 
them  because  of  that  which  their  hands  have  written ; 
and  woe  unto  them  for  that  which  they  have  gained. 
^^  They  say,  The  fire  of  hell  shall  not  touch  us,  but  for  a 
certain  number  of  days.     Answer,  Have  ye  received  any 

71  Yet  they  wanted  but  little  of  leaving  for  a  certain  number  of  days.'] — That  is, 

it   undone.]     Because    of    the   exorbitant  says  Jallalo'ddin,  forty;  being  the   num- 

price  which  they  were  obliged  to  pay  for  her   of  days   that  their  forefathers   wor- 

the  heifer.  shipped  the  golden  calf;  after  which  they 

73   With  part   of  the  cow.]    i.  e.    Her  gave   out   that   their   punishment  should 

tongue,  or  the  end  of  her  tail  1.  cease.     It   is   a  received   opinion   among 

79  Of  the  law.]  Mohammed  again  ac-  the  Jews  at  present,  that  no  person,  be  he 
cuses  the  Jews  of  corrupting  their  scrip-  ever  so  wicked,  or  of  whatever  sect,  shall 
ture.  remain  in  hell  above  eleven  months,  or  at 

80  The  fire  of  hell  shall  not  touch  us,  hut  most  a  year  ;  except  Dathan  and  Abiram, 

*  Jallalo'ddin. 


14  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

promise  from  God  to  that  purpose  ?  for  God  will  not  act 
contrary  to  his  promise :  or  do  ye  speak  concerning  God 
that  which  ye  know  not  ?     ^^  Verily  whoso   doeth  evil, 
and  is  encompassed  by  his  iniquity,  they  shall  be  the  com- 
panions of  hell-fire,  they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever : 
^^  but  they  who  believe  and  do  good  works,  they  shall  be 
the  companions  of  paradise,  they  shall  continue  therein 
for  ever.     ^^  Remember,  also,  when  we  accepted  the  cove- 
nant of  the  children  of  Israel,  saying.  Ye  shall  not  wor- 
ship any  other  except  God,  and  ye  shall  show  kindness 
to  your  parents  and  kindred,  and  to  orphans,  and  to  the 
poor,  and   speak  that  which  is  good  unto  men,  and  be 
constant  at  prayer,  and  give  alms.     Afterwards  ye  turned 
back,  except  a  few  of  you,  and  retired  afar  off.     ^*  And 
when  we  accepted  your  covenant,  saying.   Ye  shall  not 
shed  your  brother's  blood,  nor  dispossess  one  another  of 
your  habitations  ;  then  ye   confirmed  it,  and  were  wit- 
nesses  thereto.     ^^  Afterwards  ye  were  they  who   slew 
one  another,  and  turned  several  of  your  brethren  out  of 
their  houses,  mutually  assisting  each  other  against  them 
with  injustice  and  enmity;    but  if  they  come  captives 
unto  you,  ye  redeem  them  :  yet  it  is  equally  unlawful  for 
you  to  dispossess  them.     Do  ye  therefore  believe  in  part  i  ^ 
of  the  book  of  the  law,  and  reject  other  part  thereof? 
But  whoso   among  you  doth  this,   shall  have  no   oihefi^' 
reward  than  shame  in  this  life,  and  on  the  day  of  resur- 
rection they  shall  be  sent  to  a  most  grievous  punishment ; 
for  God  is  not  regardless  of  that  which  ye  do.     ^^  These 
are  they  who  have  purchased  this  present  life  at  the  price 
of  that  which  is  to  come;  wherefore  their  punishment 

and  atheists,  who  will  be  tormented  there  sage  was  revealed  on  occasion  of  some 

to  all  eternity  ^.  quarrels  which  arose  between  the  Jews 

81  Whoso  doeth  evil,  &c.'J  By  evil  in  of  the  tribes  of  Koreidha,  and  those  of  al 
this  place  the  commentators  generally  un-  Aws,  al  Nadhir,  and  al  Khazraj,  and  came 
derstand  polytheism,  or  idolatry ;  which  to  that  height  that  they  took  arms,  and 
sin  the  Mohammedans  believe,  unless  re-  destroyed  one  another's  habitations,  and 
pented  of  in  this  life,  is  unpardonable,  and  turned  one  another  out  of  their  houses  ; 
will  be  punished  by  eternal  damnation  ;  but,  when  any  were  taken  captives,  they 
but  all  other  sins,  they  hold,  will  at  length  redeemed  them.  When  they  were  asked 
be  forgiven.  This  therefore  is  that  irre-  the  reason  of  their  acting  in  this  manner, 
missible  impiety,  in  their  opinion,  which  they  answered.  That  they  were  command- 
in  the  New  Testament  is  called  the  sin  ed  by  their  law  to  redeem  the  captives, 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  but  that  they  fought  out  of  shame,  lest 

85  Ye  slew  one  another,  &c.]  This  pas-  their  chiefs  should  be  despised  2. 

*  V.  Bartoloccii  Biblioth.  Rabbinic,  torn.  ii.  p.  128.  &  torn.  iii.  p.  421.      ^  Jallalo' ddin. 


II.]  AL     KORAN.  15 

shall  not  be  mitigated,  neither  shall  they  be  helped. 
^^  We  formerly  delivered  the  book  of  the  law  unto  Moses, 
and  caused  apostles  to  succeed  him,  and  gave  evident 
miracles  to  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary,  and  strengthened 
him  with  the  holy  spirit.  Do  ye,  therefore,  whenever 
an  apostle  cometh  unto  you  with  that  which  your  souls 
desire  not,  proudly  reject  him,  and  accuse  some  of  impos- 
ture, and  slay  others  ?  ^^  The  Jews  say,  Our  hearts  are 
uncircumcised :  but  God  hath  cursed  them  with  their 
infidelity,  therefore  few  shall  believe.  ^^  And  when  a 
book  came  unto  them  from  God,  confirming  the  scrip- 
tures which  were  with  them,  although  they  had  before 
prayed  for  assistance  against  those  who  believed  not,  yet 
when  that  came  unto  them  which  they  knew  to  be  from 
God,  they  would  not  believe  therein  :  therefore  the  curse 
of  God  shall  be  on  the  infidels.  ^^  For  a  vile  price  have 
they  sold  their  souls,  that  they  should  not  believe  in  that 
which  God  hath  sent  down;  out  of  envy,  because  God 
sendeth  down  his  favours  to  such  of  his  servants  as  he 
pleaseth :  therefore  they  brought  on  themselves  indigna- 
tion on  indignation ;  and  the  unbelievers  shall  suffer  an 
ignominious  punishment.  ^^  When  one  saith  unto  them, 
Believe  in  that  which  God  hath  sent  down  ;  they  answer, 
WeJbelieve  in  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  us : 
and  they  reject  what  hath  been  revealed  since,  although 
it  be  the  truth,  confirming  that  which  is  with  them.  Say, 
Why,  therefore,  have  ye  slain  the  prophets  of  God  in 
times  past,  if  ye  be  true  believers  ?  ^'^  Moses  formerly 
came  unto  you  with  evident  signs,  but  ye  afterwards  took 
the  calf  for  your  god,  and  did  wickedly.  ^^  And  when  we 
accepted  your  covenant,  and  lifted  the  mountain  of  Sinai 
over  you,  saying.  Receive  the  law  which  we  have  given 
you,  with  a  resolution  to  perform  it,  and  hear ;  they  said, 
We  have  heard,  and  have  rebelled  :  and  they  were  made 

87  The  Holy  Spirit.']  We  must  not  ima-  Mohammed,  (according  to  the  tradition  of 

gine   Mohammed  here   means   the    Holy  his  followers,)  used  this  prayer ;  O  God, 

Ghost,  in  the  Christian  acceptation.     The  help  us    against  the  unbelievers   by  the  I    v^ 

commentators    say,    this    spirit   was    the  prophet,  who  is  to  be  sent  in  the  last  times*.   \ 
angel  Gabriel,  who  sanctified  Jesus,  and         90  Sent  down,~\     The  Koran.  — ) 

constantly  attended  on  him  K  91    Unto  us.]     The  Pentateuch. 

89  Although  they  had  before  prayed,  &c.]         93  Over  you.]     See  before,  p.  12. 
The  Jews,  in  expectation  of  the  coming  of        —  They  were  made  to  drink  down  the 


Jallalo'ddin,         2  [bid. 


16  A  L    KORAN.  [chap, 

to  drink  dowu  the  calf  into  their  hearts  for  their  unbe- 
lief. Say,  A  grievous  thing  hath  your  faith  commanded 
you,  if  ye  be  true  believers.  ^*  Say,  If  the  future  man- 
sion with  God  be  prepared  peculiarly  for  you,  exclusive 
of  the  rest  of  mankind,  wish  for  death,  if  ye  say  truth : 
^^  but  they  will  never  wish  for  it,  because  of  that  which 
their  hands  have  sent  before  them;  God  knoweth  the 
wicked  doers ;  ^^  and  thou  shalt  surely  find  them  of  all 
men  the  most  covetous  of  life,  even  more  than  the  ido- 
laters :  one  of  them  would  desire  his  life  to  be  prolonged 
a  thousand  years;  but  none  shall  reprieve  himself  from 
punishment,  that  his  life  may  be  prolonged :  God  seeth 
that  which  they  do.  ^^  Say,  Whoever  is  an  enemy  to 
Gabriel,  (for  he  hath  caused  the  Koran  to  descend  on  thy 
heart,  by  the  permission  of  God,  confirming  that  which 
was  before  revealed,  a  direction,  and  good  tidings  to  the 
faithful) ;  ^^  whosoever  is  an  enemy  to  God,  or  his  angels, 
or  his  apostles,  or  to  Gabriel,  or  Michael,  verily  God 
is  an  enemy  to  the  unbelievers.  ^^And  now  we  have 
sent  down  unto  thee  evident  signs,  and  none  will  disbe- 
lieve them  but  the  evil  doers.  ^^^  Whenever  they  make 
a  covenant,  will  some  of  them  reject  it  ?  yea,  the  greater 
part  of  them  do  not  believe.     ^^^  And  when  there  came 

unto  them  an  apo>st1e  from  God,  confirming  that  scrip- 
ts o,av/  (^y^  ^-2iOC=pn 

calf,  &c.]      Moses   took   the   calf  which  The   commentators    say,    that    the   Jews 

they  had  made,  and  burnt  it  in  the  lire,  asked,  what  angel  it  was  that  brought  the 

and  ground  it  to  powder,  and  strewed  it  divine   revelations    to    Mohammed  ;    and 

upon  the   water   (of  the  brook  that   de-  being  told  that  it  was  Gabriel,  they  re- 

scended  from  the  mount),  and  made  the  plied,  that  he  was  their  enemy,  and  the 

children  of  Israel  drink  of  it  ^  messenger  of  wrath  and  punishment ;  but 

94  A  grievous  things  &c."|  Mohammed  if  it  had  been  Michael,  they  would  have 
here  infers,  from  their  forefathers'  disobe-  believed  on  him,  because  that  angel  was 
dience  in  worshipping  the  calf,  at  the  their  friend,  and  the  messenger  of  peace 
same  time  that  they  pretended  to  believe  and  plenty.  And  on  this  occasion,  they 
in  the  law  of  Moses,  that  the  faith  of  the  say,  this  passage  was  revealed  *. 

Jews  in  his  time  was  as  vain  and  hypo-         That  Michael  was  really  the  protector 

critical,  since  they  rejected  him,  who  was  or  guardian  angel  of  the  Jews,  we  know 

foretold  therein,  as  an  impostor  2.  from  Scripture  ^  ;  and  it  seems  that  Ga- 

95  Which  their  hands  have  sent  before  briel  was,  as  the  Persians  call  him,  the 
them.']  That  is,  by  reason  of  the  wicked  angel  of  revelations,  being  frequently  sent 
forgeries  which  they  have  been  guilty  of  on  messages  of  that  kind  ^  ;  for  which 
in  respect  to  the  scriptures.  An  expres-  reason,  it  is  probable,  Mohammed  pre- 
sion  much  like  that  of  St.  Paul,  where  he  tended  he  was  the  angel  from  whom  he 
says,  That  some  men's  sins  are  open  be-  received  the  Koran. 

fore-hand,  going  before  to  judgment  *.  99  Evident  signs.]  i.e.  the  revelations 

97  Whoever  is  an  enemy  to  Gahriel,  &c.]     of  this  book. 

1  Exod.  xxxii.  20.  Deut.  ix.  21.  ^  Jallalo' ddin,  Yahya,Al  Beidawi,  ^  1  Tim.  v.  24. 
*  JallaW ddin,  al  Zamakh.  Yahya.  ^  Dan.  xii.  1.  ^  Ibid.  ch.  viii.  16.  and  ix.  21. 
Luke  i.  19,  26.     See  Hyde  de  rel.  vet.  Persar.  p.  263. 


II.] 


AL   KORAN. 


17 


ture  which  was  with  them,  some  of  those  to  whom  the 
scriptures  were  given,  cast  the  book  of  God  behind  their 
backs,  as  if  they  knew  it  not ;  ^^^  and  they  followed  the 
device  which  the  devils  devised  against  the  kingdom  of 
Solomon  ;  and  Solomon  was  not  an  unbeliever ;  but  the 
devils  believed  not :  they  taught  men  sorcery,  and  that 
which  was  sent  down  to  the  two  angels  at  Babel,  Harut, 
and  Marut  :  yet  those  two  taught  no  man  until  they  had 
said.  Verily  we  are  a  temptation,  therefore  be  not  an 
unbeliever.  So  men  learned  from  those  two  a  charm  by 
which  they  might  cause  a  division  between  a  man  and 
his  wife;  but  they  hurt  none  thereby,  unless  by  God's 
permission;  and  they  learned  that  which  would  hurt 
them,  and  not  profit  them ;  and  yet  they  knew  that  he 
who  bought  that  art  should  have  no  part  in  the  life  to 
come :  and  woeful  is  the  price  for  which  they  have  sold 
their  souls,  if  they  knew  it.     ^^^  But  if  they  had  believed, 


102  They  followed  the  device  of  the 
devils  against  Solomon j  &c.]  The  devils 
having,  by  God's  permission,  tempted 
Solomon  without  success,  they  made  use 
of  a  trick  to  blast  his  character.  For  they 
wrote  several  books  of  magic,  and  hid 
them  under  that  prince's  throne,  and,  after 
his  death,  told  the  chief  men,  that  if  they 
wanted  to  know  by  what  means  Solomon 
had  obtained  his  absolute  power  over  men, 
genii,  and  the  winds,  they  should  dig  under 
his  throne  ;  which  having  done,  they  found 
the  aforesaid  books,  which  contained  im- 
pious superstitions.  The  better  sort  refused 
to  learn  the  evil  arts  therein  delivered,  but 
the  common  people  did  ;  and  the  priests 
published  this  scandalous  story  of  Solo- 
mon, which  obtained  credit  among  the 
Jews,  till  God,  say  the  Mohammedans, 
cleared  that  king  by  the  mouth  of  their 
prophet,  declaring  that  Solomon  was  no 
idolater  '. 

—  The  devils  taught  sorcery,  and  that 
which  was  sent  down  to  Harut  and  Marut, 
&c.]  Some  say  only  that  these  were  two 
magicians,  or  angels  sent  by  God  to  teach 
men  magic,  and  to  tempt  them  2.  But 
others  tell  a  longer  fable ;  that  the  angels 
expressing  their  surprise  at  the  wickedness 
of  the  sons  of  Adam,  after  prophets  had 
been  sent  to  them  with  divine  commis- 
sions, God  bid  them  choose  two  out  of 
their  own  number  to  be  sent  down  to  be 


judges  on  earth.  Whereupon  they  pitched 
upon  Harut  and  Marut,  who  executed 
their  office  with  integrity  for  some  time, 
till  Zohara,  or  the  planet  Venus,  descended, 
and  appeared  before  them  in  the  shape  of 
a  beautiful  woman,  bringing  a  complaint 
against  her  husband  (though  others  say 
she  was  a  real  woman).  As  soon  as  they 
saw  her,  they  fell  in  love  with  her,  and 
endeavoured  to  prevail  on  her  to  satisfy 
their  desires  ;  but  she  flew  up  again  to 
heaven,  whither  the  two  angels  also  re- 
turned, but  were  not  admitted.  However, 
on  the  intercession  of  a  certain  pious  man, 
they  were  allowed  to  choose  whether  they 
would  be  punished  in  this  life,  or  in  the 
other ;  whereupon  they  chose  the  former, 
and  now  suffer  punishment  accordingly  in 
Babel,  where  they  are  to  remain  till  the 
day  of  judgment.  They  add,  that  if  a 
man  has  a  fancy  to  learn  magic,  he  may 
go  to  them,  and  hear  their  voice,  but  can- 
not see  them  ^. 

This  story  Mohammed  took  directly 
from  the  Persian  Magi,  who  mention  two 
rebellious  angels  of  the  same  names,  now 
hung  up  by  the  feet,  with  their  heads 
downwards,  in  the  territory  of  Babel  *. 
And  the  Jews  have  something  like  this, 
of  the  angel  Shamhozai,  who,  having  de- 
bauched himself  with  women,  repented, 
and,  by  way  of  penance,  hung  himself  up 
between  heaven  and  earth  ^ 


Yahya,  Jallalo'ddin.       ^  Jallalo' ddin.       ^    Yahya.       ^  V.  Hydei  ubi  sup.  cap.  12. 

^  Bereshit  rabbah,  in  Genes,  vi.  2. 
VOL.   I.  C 


18  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

and  feared  God,  verily  the  reward  they  would  have  had 
from  God  would  have  been  better,  if  they  had  known  it. 
^^*  O  true  believers,  say  not  to  our  apostle,  Raina  ;  but 
say,  Ondhorna  ;  and  hearken  :  the  infidels  shall  suffer  a 
grievous  punishment.  ^^^  It  is  not  the  desire  of  the  unbe- 
lievers, either  among  those  unto  whom  the  scriptures 
have  been  given,  or  among  the  idolaters,  that  any  good 
should  be  sent  down  unto  you  from  your  Lord  :  but  God 
will  appropriate  his  mercy  unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  for 
God  is  exceeding  beneficent.  ^^^  Whatever  verse  we  shall 
abrogate,  or  cause  thee  to  forget,  we  will  bring  a  better 
than  it,  or  one  like  unto  it.  Dost  thou  not  know  that 
God  is  almighty  ?  ^^^  Dost  thou  not  know  that  unto  God 
belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth  ?  neither  have 
ye  any  protector  or  helper  except  God.  ^^^  Will  ye 
require  of  your  apostle  according  to  that  which  was 
formerly  required  of  Moses  ?  but  he  that  hath  exchanged 
faith  for  infidelity,  hath  already  erred  from  the  strait  way. 
^^^  Many  of  those  unto  whom  the  scriptures  have  been 
given,  desire  to  render  you  again  unbelievers,  after  ye 
have  believed ;  out  of  envy  from  their  souls,  even  after 
the  truth  is  become  manifest  unto  them;  but  forgive 
them,  and  avoid  them,  till  God  shall  send  his  command ; 
for  God  is  omnipotent.  ^^^Be  constant  in  prayer,  and 
give  alms  ;  and  what  good  ye  have  sent  before  for  your 
souls,  ye  shall  find  it  with  God;  surely  God  seeth  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^^  They  say,  Verily  none  shall  enter  para- 
dise, except  they  who  are  Jews  or  Christians :  this  is  their 
wish.  Say,  Produce  your  proof  of  this,  if  ye  speak  truth. 
^^^  Nay,  but  he  who  resigneth  himself  to  God,  and  doth 
that  which  is  right,  he  shall  have  his  reward  with  his 
Lord  ;  there  shall  come  no  fear  on  them,  neither  shall 

104   Say  not  unto  our   apostle^   Raina,  111   None  shall  enter  paradise^  except 

but  Ondhorna.']     Those  two  Arabic  words  Jews  or    Christians.']      This  passage  \yas 

have    both     the    same    signification,    viz.  revealed  on  occasion  of  a  dispute  which 

Look  on  us  ;  and  are  a  kind  of  salutation.  Mohammed  had  with  the  Jews  of  Medina, 

Mohammed  had  a  great  aversion  to  the  and  the  Christians  of  Naj ran,  each  of  them 

first,  because  the  Jews  frequently  used  it  asserting,  that  those  of  their  religion  only 

in  derision,  it  being  a  word  of  reproach  in  should  be  saved  ^. 

their  tongue  i.      They   alluded,  it  seems,  112  Resigneth  himself ,  &c.]     Literally, 

to  the  Hebrew  verb  J?1"i  rua,  which  signi-  resigneth  his  face,  &c. 

fies  to  be  bad  or  mischievous.  —  ^nd  doth  that  which  is  right,  &c.] 

108     What   was  formerly   required   of  That  is,  asserteth  the  unity  of  God*. 

Moses.]    Namely,  to  see  God  manifestly  ^.  

*  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  See  before,  p.  9.  ^  Jallalo'ddin.  *  Idem. 


ri.]  AL  KORAN.  19 

they  be  grieved.  ^^^The  Jews  say.  The  Christians  are 
grounded  on  nothing ;  and  the  Christians  say,  The  Jews 
are  grounded  on  nothing :  yet  they  both  read  the  scrip- 
tures. So  likewise  say  they  who  know  not  the  scripture, 
according  to  their  saying.  But  God  shall  judge  between 
them  on  the  day  of  the  resurrection,  concerning  that 
about  which  they  now  disagree.  ^^^  Who  is  more  unjust 
than  he  who  prohibiteth  the  temples  of  God  ;  that  his 
name  should  be  remembered  therein,  and  who  hasteth  to 
destroy  them  ?  Those  men  cannot  enter  therein,  but  with 
fear :  ^^^  they  shall  have  shame  in  this  world,  and  in  the 
next  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^^  To  God  belongeth  the 
east  and  the  west ;  therefore,  whithersoever  ye  turn  your- 
selves to  pray,  there  is  the  face  of  God  ;  for  God  is 
omnipresent  and  omniscient.  ^^^  They  say,  God  hath 
begotten  children :  God  forbid  !  To  him  belongeth  what- 
ever is  in  heaven,  and  on  earth ;  ^^^  all  is  possessed  by 
him,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth;  and,  when  he 
decreeth  a  thing,  he  only  saith  unto  it,  Be,  and  it  is. 
^^^And  they  who  know  not  the  scriptures,  say.  Unless 
God  speak  unto  us,  or  thou  shew  us  a  sign,  we  will  not  ""^^ 
believe.  So  said  those  before  them,  according  to  their 
saying :  their  hearts  resemble  each  other.  We  have 
already  shewn  manifest  signs  unto  people  who  firmly 
believe ;  ^^^  we  have  sent  thee  in  truth,  a  bearer  of  good 
tidings,  and  a  preacher  ;  and  thou  shalt  not  be  questioned 
concerning  the  companions  of  hell.  ^^^  But  the  Jews  will 
not  be  pleased  with  thee,  neither  the  Christians,  until 
thou  follow  their  religion ;  say.  The  direction  of  God  is 
the  true  direction.  And  verily  if  thou  follow  their 
desires,  after  the  knowledge  which  hath  been  given  thee, 

113  The  Jews   say,   The  Christians  are  Romans  had  spoiled  the  temple  of  Jeru- 

grounded  on  nothing,  &c.]     The  Jews  and  salem  ;  or  else  when  the  idolatrous  Arabs 

Christians  are    here  accused   of  denying  obstructed  Mohammed's  visiting  the  temple 

the  truth  of  each  other's  religion,  notwith-  of  Mecca,  in  the   expedition  of  al  Hodei- 

standing  they  read  the  scriptures.   Whereas  biya,  which  happened  in  the  6th  year  of 

the  Pentateuch  bears  testimony  to  Jesus,  the  Hejra  2. 

and  the  Gospel  bears   testimony  to  Mo-  118  They  say y  God  hath  begotten  child- 

ses  ^.  ren.']     This   is    spoken    not   only    of  the 

J 14    Who  prohibiteth  the  temples  of  God,  Christians,   and  of  the  Jews  (for  they  are 

&c.]     Or  hindereth  men  from  paying  their  accused  of  holding  Ozair,  or    Ezra,  to  be 

adorations  to  God  in  those  sacred  places,  the  son  of  God),  but  also  the  pagan  Arabs, 

This  passage,   says  Jallalo'ddin,   was  re-  who  imagined  the  angels  to  be  daughters 

vealed  on  news  being  brought,  that  the  of  God. 

^Jallalo'ddin,  2  y.  Abidfedce  vit.  Moham,  p.  84,  &c. 

C  2 


20  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

thou  shall  find  no  patron  or  protector  against  God. 
^^^  They  to  whom  we  have  given  the  bool^  of  the  Koran, 
and  who  read  it  with  its  true  reading,  they  believe  therein ; 
and  whoever  believeth  not  therein,  they  shall  perish. 
^^^  O  children  of  Israel,  remember  my  favour  wherewith 
I  have  favoured  you,  and  that  I  have  preferred  you  before 
all  nations  ;  ^^*  and  dread  the  day  wherein  one  soul  shall 
not  make  satisfaction  for  another  soul,  neither  shall  any 
compensation  be  accepted  from  them,  nor  shall  any  inter- 
cession avail,  neither  shall  they  be  helped.  ^^^  Remember 
when  the  Lord  tried  Abraham  by  certain  words,  which 
he  fulfilled  ;    God  said.  Verily  I  will   constitute  thee  a 

,co    ^  model  of  religion  unto  mankind:    he  answered.  And  also 
of  my  posterity :   God  said.  My  covenant  doth  not  com- 

;^  prehend  the  ungodly.     ^^^  And  when  we  appointed  the 

holy  house  of  Mecca  to  be  a  place  of  resort  for  mankind, 
and  a  place  of  security ;  and  said.  Take  the  station  of 
Abraham  for  a  place  of  prayer ;  and  we  covenanted  with 
Abraham  and  Ismael,  that  they  should  cleanse  my  house 
for  those  who  should  compass  it,  and  those  who  should 
be  devoutly  assiduous  there,  and  those  who  should  bow 
down  and  worship.  ^^^  And  when  Abraham  said.  Lord, 
make  this  a  territory  of  security,  and  bounteously  bestow 
fruits  on  its  inhabitants,  such  of  them  as  believe  in  God 
and  the  last  day ;  God  answered.  And  whoever  believeth 
not,  I  will  bestow  on  him  little  ;  afterwards  I  will  drive 
him  to  the  punishment  of  hell-fire ;  an  ill  journey  shall  it 
be !  ^^^  And  when  Abraham  and  Ismael  raised  the  foun- 
dations of  the  house,  saying.  Lord,  accept  it  from  us,  for 
thou  art  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth :  ^^^  Lord,  make  a/ 
us  also  resigned  unto  thee,  and  of__Dur  posterity  a  people  ^ 

125   When    the  Lord   tried   Abraham,  begin  the  prayers  in  their  mosques,  and 

&c.]     God  tried  Abraham  chiefly  by  com-  whom  all  the  congregation  follow, 
manding  him  to  leave  his  native  country,  126  The  holy  house,  &c.]     That  is,  the 

and  to  offer  his  son.     But  the  commenta-  Caaba,  which  is  usually  called,  by  way  of 

tors  suppose  the  trial  here  meant  related  eminence,  the  House.     Of  the  sanctity  of 

only  to  some  particular  ceremonies,  such  this  building,  and  other  particulars  relat- 

as  circumcision,  pilgrimage  to  the  Caaba,  ing  to  it,  see  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 
several  rites  of  purification,  and  the  like'.  —    The  station  of  Abraham,  &c.]      A 

—  A  model  of  religion.']     I  have  rather  place  so  called  within  the  inner  inclosure 

expressed  the  meaning,  than  truly  trans-  of  the  Caaba,  where  they  pretend  to  shew 

lated  the  Arabic  word  Imdm,    which  an-  the  print  of  his  foot  in  a  stone  2. 
swers  to  the  Latin  ^wiis/e^.     This  title  the  129   Resigned.]    The    Arabic   word   is 

Mohammedans  give   to  their  priests,  who  MoslemUna/m  the  singular,  Moslem,  which 

1  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iV. 


n.]  AL  KQRAN.  C> 

resigned  unto  thee,  and  shew  us  pur  holy  ceremonies,  and 
be  turned  unto  us,  for  thou  art  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and 
merciful ;    ^^^  Lord,  send  them  likewise  an  apostle  froniTA^^^^-^ 
among  them,  who  may  declare  thy  signs  unto  them,  and  'f^^^^ 
teach  them  the  book  of  the  Koran  and  wisdom,  and  may  )^4k^ 
purify  them ;  for  thou  art  mighty  and  wise.     ^^^  Who  will   ^.:^^. 
be  averse  to  the  religion  of  Abraham,  but  he  whose  mind 
is  infatuated  ?  Surely  we  have  chosen  him  in  this  world, 
and  in  that  which  is  to   come  he  shall  be  one  of  the 
righteous.      ^^^  When  his  Lord   said  unto  him.   Resign 
thyself  unto  me ;    he  answered,  I  have  resigned  myself 
unto  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.     ^J^A.nd  Abraham  be- 
queathed this  religion  to  his  children,  and  Jacob;  did  the 
same,  saying.  My  children,  verily  God  hath  chosen  this 
religion    for  you,   therefore   die  not,   unless    ye   also  be 
resigned.     ^^^  Were  ye  present  when  Jacob  was  at  the 
point  of  death  ?  when  he  said  to  his  sons.  Whom  will  ye 
worship  after  me  ?    They  answered.  We  will  worship  thy 
God,  and  the  God  of  thy  fathers  Abraham,  and  Ismael, 
and  Isaac,  one  God,  and  to  him  will  we  be  resigned. 
^^^  That  people  are  now  passed  away,  they  have  what  they 
have  gained,   and  ye  shall  have  what  ye  gain;   and  ye 
shall  not  be  questioned  concerning  that  which  they  have 
done.     \^LThey  say.  Become  Jews  or  Christians,  that  ye 
may  be  directed.     Say,  Nay,   we  follow  the  religion  of 
Abraham  the  orthodox,  who  was  no  idolater,     ^l^  Say, 
We  believe  in  God,    and   that  which   hath  been  sent 
down  unto    us,  and   that    which   hath  been    sent   down 
unto  Abraham,  and  Ismael,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
the  tribes;    and  that  which  was  delivered  unto  Moses, 
and  Jesus,  and  that  whic  h  was  delivered  unto  the  pro- 
phets from  their  Lord  :    we  make  no  distinction  between 
any  of  them,  and  to  God  are  we  resigned.     ^^^  Now,  if 
they  believe  according  to  what  ye  believe,  they  are  surely 
directed;    but,  if  they  turn  back,    they  are  in   schism. 
God  shall  support  thee  against  them,  for  he  is  the  hearer, 
the  wise.     ^^^  The  baptism  of  God  have  we  received,  and 

the  Mohammedans  take  as  a  title  peculiar  which  they  call  gain,  or  acquisition,  issuffi- 

to  themselves.     The  Europeans  generally  ciently  explained  in  the  Prelim.  Disc, 
write  and  pronounce  it  Musulman.  139   The  baptism  of  God.']     By  baptism 

]35   What  they  have  gained.']     Or  de-  is   to    be    understood   the  religion  which 

served.     The  Mohammedan  notion,  as  to  God  instituted  in  the  beginning;  because 

the  imputation   of  moral  actions   to  man,  the  signs  of  it  appear  in   the  person  who 


23  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

who  is  better  than  God  to  baptize  ?  him  do  we  worship. 

*^^  Say,  Will  ye  dispute  with  us  concerning  God,  who  is 

our  Lord,  and  your  Lord  ?  we  have  our  works,  and  ye 

have  your  works,  and  unto  him  are  we  sincerely  devoted. 

lii^Will  ye  say,  Truly  Abraham,  and  Ismael,  and  Isaac, 

and  Jacob,    and  the   tribes,   were  Jews   or  Christians  ? 

Say,  Are  ye  wiser,  or  God  ?  And  who  is  more  unjust  than 

he  who  hideth  the  testimony  which   he   hath  received 

from  God  ?    But  God  is  not  regardless  of  that  which  ye 

do.     ^^^That  people  are  passed    away,   they  have   what 

they  have  gained,  and  ye  shall  have  what  ye  gain,  nor 

shall  ye  be  questioned  concerning  that  which  they  have 

done.     [*II.]  ^^^The  foolish  men  will    say.  What  hath 

turned  them  from  their   Keblah,    towards   which    they 

formerly  prayed  ?    Say,  Unto  God  belongeth  the  east  and 

the  west :   he  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into  the  right 

way.     ^^^  Thus  have  we  placed   you,    O  Arabians,    an 

intermediate  nation,  that  ye  may  be  witnesses  against  the 

rest  of  mankind,  and  that  the  apostle  may  be  a  witness 

against  you.      ^^^  We   appointed    the   Keblah   towards 

which  thou  didst  formerly  pray,  only  that  we  might  know 

him  who  followeth  the  apostle,    from  him  who  turneth 

back  on  his  heels;   though  this  change  seem  a  greater 

matter,  unless  unto  those  whom  God  hath  directed.    But 

God  will  not  render  your  faith  of  none  effect ;  for  God  is 

professes  it,  as  the  signs  of  water  appear  in  turn   towards    the    temple    of  Jerusalem, 

the  clothes  of  him  that  is  baptized  ^  (probably  to  ingratiate  himself  with  the 

140  fVill  ye  dispute  with  us  concertiing  Jews,)  which  continued  to  be  their  Keb- 
God  ?]  These  words  were  revealed,  be-  lah  for  six  or  seven  months ;  but  either 
cause  the  Jews  insisted,  that  they  first  finding  the  Jews  too  intractable,  or  despair- 
received  the  scriptures,  that  their  Keblah  ing  otherwise  to  gain  the  pagan  Arabs, 
was  more  ancient,  and  that  no  prophets  who  could  not  forget  their  respect  to  the 
could  arise  among  the  Arabs  !  and  there-  temple  of  Mecca,  he  ordered  that  prayers 
fore,  if  Mohammed  w^as  a  prophet,  he  must  for  the  future  should  be  towards  the  last, 
have  been  of  their  nation  ^.  This  change  was  made  in  the  second  year 

141  Who  hideth  the  testimony,  Sicl  The  of  the  Hejra*,  and  occasioned  many  to 
Jews  are  again  accused  of  corrupting  and  fall  from  him,  taking  offence  at  his  incon- 
suppressing  the  prophecies  in  the  Penta-     stancy'. 

teuch  relating  to  Mohammed.  144  An  intermediate  nation,  Sic.']   This 

143   What  hath  turned  them  from  their  seems  to  be  the  sense  of  the  words  ;  though 

Keblah,  &c.]     At  first  Mohammed  and  his  the  commentators  ^  will  have  the  meaning 

followers   observed   no   particular   rite  in  to  be,  that  the  Arabians  are  here  declared 

turning   their  faces   towards  any  certain  to  be  a  most  just  and  good  nation, 

place,  or  quarter  of  the  world,  when  they  145   Who   turneth    back   on    his   heels.~\ 

prayed;  it  being  declared  to  be  perfectly  i.  e.  returneth  to  Judaism, 

indifferent  3.     Afterwards,  when  the  pro-  — -  God  will  not  retider   your  faith  of 

phet  fled  to  Medina,  he  directed  them  to  none  effect.]     Or  will  not  suffer  it  to  go 

1  Jallah'ddin.         ^  Idem.         3  ggg  before,  p.  19        ^  V.  Abulf.  vit.  Moham.  p.  oi. 

^  Jalhlo'ddifi.  ^   Jdeni,  Yahya,  (Vc. 

1 


II.]  AL  KORAN.  23 

gracious  and  merciful  unto  man.     ^^^  We  have  seen  thee 
turn  about  thy  face  towards  heaven  with  uncertainty,  but 
we  will  cause  thee  to  turn  thyself  towards  a  Keblah  that 
will  please  thee.     Turn  therefore  thy  face   towards  the 
holy  temple  of  Mecca  ;  and,  wherever  ye  be,  turn  your 
faces  towards  that  place.     They  to  whom  the  scripture 
hath  been  given,  know  this  to  be  truth  from  their  Lord. 
God  is  not  regardless  of  that  which  ye  do.     ^^'^  Verily, 
although  thou  shouldest  shew  unto  those,  to  whom  the 
scripture  hath  been  given,  all  kinds  of  signs,  yet  they 
will  not  follow  thy  Keblah,  neither  shalt  thou  follow 
their  Keblah;    nor  will   one  part  of  them  follow  the 
Keblah  of  the  other.     And,  if  thou  follow  their  de- 
sires, after  the  knowledge  which  hath  been  given  thee, 
verily  thou  wilt  become  one  of  the  ungodly.     ^^^  They  to 
whom  we  have   given  the  scripture,  know  our  apostle, 
even  as  they  know  their  own  children :  but  some  of  them 
hide  the  truth  against  their  own  knowledge.     ^^^  Truth  is 
from  thy  Lord,  therefore  thou  shalt  not  doubt.     ^^^  Every 
sect  hath  a  certain  tract  of  heaven  to  which  they  turn 
themselves  in  prayer ;  but  do  ye  strive  to  run  after  good 
things :  wherever  ye  be,  God  will  bring  you  all  back  at 
the  resurrection,  for  God    is  almighty.      ^^^  And,  from 
what  place    soever   thou    comest    forth,    turn    thy  face 
towards  the    holy   temple ;    for  this    is    truth  from   thy 
Lord  ;  neither  is  God  regardless  of  that  which  ye  do. 
*^^  From  what  place  soever  thou  comest  forth,  turn  thy 
face   towards   the   holy  temple  ;    and   wherever  ye   be, 
thitherward  turn  your  faces,  lest   men   have   matter  of 
dispute  against  you :  but  as  for  those  among  them  who 
are  unjust  doers,  fear  them  not,  but  fear  me,  that  I  may 
accomplish  my  grace   upon  you,   and    that   ye    may  be 
directed.     ^^^  As  we  have  sent  unto  you  an  apostle  from 
among  you,  to  rehearse  our  signs  unto  you,  and  to  purify 
you,   and   to  teach   you   the  book    of  the  Koran  and 
wisdom,   and   to  teach   you   that  which  ye   knew  not: 
^^^  therefore  remember  me,  and  I    will  remember  you, 
and  give  thanks  unto  me,  and  be  not  unbelievers.     ^^^  O 
true  believers,  beg  assistance  with  patience  and  prayer, 

without  its  reward,  while  ye  pray  towards  153  Jn  Apostle  from  among  you.']  That 

Jerusalem.  is,  of  your  own  nation. 


24r  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

for  God  is  with  the  patient.  ^^^  And  say  not  of  thosel^^^ 
who  are  slain  in  fight  for  the  religion  of  God,  that  they  |^ 
are  dead  :  yea,  they  are  living ;  but  ye  do  not  understand  J 
^^^  We  will  surely  prove  you  by  afflicting  you  in  some 
measure  with  fear,  and  hunger,  and  decrease  of  wealth, 
and  loss  of  lives,  and  scarcity  of  fruits  :  but  bear  good 
tidings  unto  the  patient ;  who,  when  a  misfortune  befalleth 
them,  ^^^  say.  We  are  God's,  and  unto  him  shall  we  surely 
return.  ^^^  Upon  them  shall  be  blessings  from  their  Lord 
and  mercy,  and  they  are  the  rightly  directed.  ^^^  More- 
over Safa  and  Merwah  are  two  of  the  monuments  of 
God  :  whoever  therefore  goeth  on  pilgrimage  to  the 
temple  of  Mecca,  or  visiteth  it,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in 
him  if  he  compass  them  both.  And  as  for  him  who 
voluntarily  performeth  a  good  work :  verily  God  is  grate- 
ful and  knowing.  ^^^  They  who  conceal  any  of  the  evident 
signs,  or  the  direction  which  we  have  sent  down,  after 
what  we  have  manifested  unto  men  in  the  scripture,  God 
shall  curse  them :  and  they  who  curse  shall  curse  them. 
^^^  But  as  for  those  who  repent  and  amend,  and  make 
known  what  they  concealed,  I  will  be  turned  unto  them, 
for  I  am  easy  to  be  reconciled  and  merciful.  ^^^  Surely 
they  who  believe  not,  and  die  in  their  unbelief,  upon  them 

]  56   Who  are  slain  in  fight  for  the  reli-  sage  was  revealed  because  the  followers  of 

gion  of  004.1      The  original    words  are  Mohammed  made  a  scruple  of  going  round 

literally,  Who  are  slain  in  the  way  of  God  ;  these  mountains,  as  the  idolaters  did.    But 

by  which  expression,  frequently  occurring  the  true  reason  of  his  allowing  this  relic  of 

in  the  Koran,  is  always  meant  war  under-  ancient  superstition,  seems  to  be  the  difR- 

taken  against  unbelievers  for  the  propaga-  culty  he  found  in  preventing  it.     Abu'l 

tion  of  the  Mohammedan  faith.  Kasem  Hebato'llah  thinks  these  last  words 

—  They  are  living.']  The  souls  of  mar-  are  abrogated  by  those  other,  Who  will 
tyrs  (for  such  they  esteem  those  who  die  reject  the  religion  of  Abraham,  except  he 
in  battle  against  infidels)  says  Jallalo'ddin,  who  hath  infatuated  his  soul  2  ?  So  that  he 
are  in  the  crops  of  green  birds,  which  will  have  the  meaning  to  be  quite  con- 
have  liberty  to  fly  wherever  they  please  trary  to  the  letter,  as  if  it  had  been,  It 
in  paradise,  and  feed  on  the  fruits  thereof,  shall  be  no  crime  in  him  if  he  do  not  com- 

158   We  are  God's^  and  unto  him  shall  pass  them.     However  the  expositors  are 

we  surely   return.']      An  expression    fre-  all  against  him 3,    and  the   ceremony  of 

quently  in  the  mouths  of  the  Mohamme-  running  between    these  two  hills  is  still 

dans,  when  under  any  great  affliction,  or  observed  at  the  pilgrimage  ^. 

in  any  imminent  danger.  161   They  who  curse  shall  curse  them.] 

160   Whoever   goeth   on  pilgrimage    to  That  is,  the  angels,  the  believers,  and  all 

Mecca,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  him  if  he  things  in  general  ^.    But  Yahya  interprets 

compass  them   both.]     Safa  and    Merwah  it  of  the  curses  which  will  be  given  to  the 

are  two  mountains  near  Mecca,  whereon  wicked,  when  they  cry  out  because  of  the 

were  anciently  two    idols,    to  which    the  punishment  of  the  sepulchre  6,  by  all  who 

pagan  Arabs  used  to  pay  a  superstitious  hear  them  ;  that  is,  by  all  creatures,  except 

veneration  ^     Jallalo'ddin   says  this  pas-  men  and  genii. 


1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  34.  2  gee  before,  p.  21.  ^  y.  Marracc.  in  Ak. 

p.  60,  Src.     *  See  the  Prelim.  Di^c.  §  iv.     ^  Jalalloddin,  ^  fSee  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


II.]  AL  KORAN.  25 

shall  be  the  curse  of  God,  and  of  the  angels,  and   of  all 
men  ;  ^^^  they  shall  remain  under  it  for  ever,  their  punish- 
ment   shall    not   be    alleviated,     neither    shall    they   be 
regarded.     ^^^  Your  God  is  one  God  ;  there  is  no  God 
but  He,  the  most  merciful.     ^^^  Now  in  the  creation  of 
heaven  and  earth,  and  the  vicissitude  of  night  and  day, 
and  in  the  ship  which  saileth  in    the  sea,   loaden  with 
what   is  profitable  for  mankind,    and  in  the  rain-water 
which   God    sendeth    from  heaven,  quickening   thereby 
the  dead    earth,    and    replenishing    the    same    with    all 
sorts   of  cattle,  and    in  the  change  of  winds,    and  the 
clouds  that  are  compelled  to  do  service  between  heaven 
and  earth,   are  signs  to  people  of  understanding :    ^^^  j^ 
some  men  take  idols  beside  God,  and  love  them  as  with 
the  love  due  to  God  ;  but  the  true  believers  are  more  fer- 
vent in  love  towards  God.     Oh  that  they  who  act  unjustly 
did  perceive,  when  they  behold  their  punishment,  that 
all  power  belongeth  unto  God,  and  that  he  is  severe  in 
punishing !       ^^^  When  those  who  have   been  followed, 
slmll  separate  themselves  from  their  followers,  and  shall 
see  the  punishment,  and  the  cords  of  relation  between 
them  shall  be  cut  in  sunder ;  ^^^  the  followers  shall  say. 
If  we  could  return  to  life,  we  would  separate  ourselves 
from  them,  as  they  have  now  separated  themselves  from 
us.     So  God  will  show  them  their  works ;  they  shall  sigh 
grievously,  and  shall  not  come  forth  from  the  fire  of  hell. 
170  Q  -j^QYi,  eat  of  that  which  is  lawful  and  good  on  the 
earth  ;  and  tread  not  in  the  steps  of  the  devil,  for  he  is 
your   open   enemy.     ^^^  Verily  he  commandeth  you  evil 
and  wickedness,  and  that  ye  should  say  that  of  God  which 

164    Regarded']      Or,    as  Jallalo'ddin  Although   the  ungodly  will   perceive,  &c. 

expounds  it,   God  will  not  wait  for  their  But  some  copies,  instead  of  yara,  in  the 

repentance.  third  person,    read  tara,  in  the   second; 

166  Compelled.']  The  original  word  and  then  it  must  be  rendered,  Oh,  if  thou 
signifies  properly,  That  are  pressed  or  didst  see  when  the  ungodly  behold  their 
compelled  to  do  personal  service  without  punishment,  &c. 

hire;  which  kind  of  service  is  often   ex-         168    When  those  who  have  been  followed^ 

acted  by  the  eastern  princes  of  their  sub-  shall  separate  themselves  from  their  followers, 

jects,  and  is  called,  by  the  Greek  and  Latin  &c.]  That  is,  when  the  broachers  or  heads 

writers,    Angaria.        The   scripture    often  of  new  sects  shall  at  the  last  day  forsake  or 

mentions  this  sort  of  compulsion  or  force  '.  wash  their  hands  of  their  disciples,  as  if 

167  Oh  that  they  who  act  unjustly  did  they  were  not  accomplices  in  their  super- 
perceive,  &c.]     Or  it  may  be  translated,  stitions. 

»  Matt.  V.  41.  xxvii.  32,  &c. 


26  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

ye  know  not.  ^^^And  when  it  is  said  unto  them  who 
believe  not,  Follow  that  which  God  hath  sent  down ; 
they  answer.  Nay,  but  we  will  follow  that  which  we  found 
our  fathers  practise.  What  ?  though  their  fathers  knew 
nothing,  and  were  not  rightly  directed  ?  ^^^  The  unbe- 
lievers are  like  unto  one  who  crieth  aloud  to  that  which 
heareth  not  so  much  as  his  calling,  or  the  sound  of  his 
voice.  They  are  deaf,  dumb,  and  blind,  therefore  do  they 
not  understand.  ^^*0  true  believers,  eat  of  the  good 
things  which  we  have  bestowed  on  you  for  food,  and 
return  thanks  unto  God,  if  ye  serve  him.  ^^^  Verily  he 
hath  forbidden  you  to  eat  that  which  dieth  of  itself,  and 
blood  and  swine's  flesh,  and  that  on  which  any  other  name 
but  God's  hath  been  invocated.  But  he  who  is  forced  by 
necessity,  not  lusting,  nor  returning  to  transgress,  it  shall 
be  no  crime  in  him  if  he  eat  of  those  things,  for  God  is 
gracious  and  merciful.  ^^^  Moreover,  they  who  conceal 
any  part  of  the  scripture  which  God  hath  sent  down  unto 
them,  and  sell  it  for  a  small  price,  they  shall  swallow 
into  their  bellies  nothing  but  fire ;  God  shall  not  speak 
unto  them  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  neither  shall  he 
purify  them,  and  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment. 
^^^  These  are  they  who  have  sold  direction  for  error,  and 
pardon  for  punishment :  but  how  great  will  their  suffering 
be  in  the  fire!  This  they  shall  endure,  because  God  sent 
down  the  book  of  the  Koran  with  truth  :  and  they  who 
disagree  concerning  that  book  are  certainly  in  a  wide 
mistake.  ^^^It  is  not  righteousness  that  ye  turn  your 
faces  in  prayer  towards  the  east  and  the  west,  but 
righteousness  is  of  him  who  believeth  in  God  and  the 
last  day,  and  the  angels,  and  the  scriptures,  and  the 
prophets  ;  who  giveth  money  for  God's  sake  unto  his 
kindred,  and  unto  orphans,  and  the  needy,  and  the 
stranger,  and  those  who  ask,  and  for  redemption  of  cap- 
tives; who  is  constant  at  prayer,  and  giveth  alms;  and 
of  those  who  perform  their  covenant,  when  they  have 
covenanted,  and  who  behave  themselves  patiently  in 
adversity,  and  hardships,  and  in  time  of  violence :  these 

175  Invocated.]  For  this  reason,  when-  the  name  of  God;  which  if  it  be  ne- 
ever  the  Mohammedans  kill  any  animal  glected,  they  think  it  not  lawful  to  eat 
for  food,  they  alw^ays  say  Bismi'llah,  or.  In     of  it. 


II.]  AL    KORAN.  27 

are  they  who  are  true,  and  these  are  they  who  fear  God. 
^^^  O  true  believers,  the  law  of  retaliation  is  ordained  you 
for  the  slain  :  the  free  shall  die  for  the  free,  and  the  ser- 
vant for  the  servant,  and  a  woman  for  a  woman :  but  he 
whom  his  brother  shall  forgive,  may  be  prosecuted,  and 
obliged  to  make  satisfaction  according  to  what  is  just,  and 
a  fine  shall  be  set  on  him  with  humanity.  This  is  indul- 
gence from  your  Lord,  and  mercy.  And  he  who  shall 
transgress  after  this,  by  killing  the  murtherer,  shall  suffer 
a  grievous  punishment.  ^^^  And  in  this  law  of  retaliation 
ye  have  life,  O  ye  of  understanding  !  that  peradventure  ye 
may  fear.  ^^^  It  is  ordained  you,  when  any  of  you  is  at  the 
point  of  death,  if  he  leave  any  goods,  that  he  bequeath 
a  legacy  to  his  parents,  and  kindred,  according  to  what 
shall  be  reasonable.  This  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  those 
who  fear  God.  ^^^But  he  who  shall  change  the  legacy, 
after  he  hath  heard  it  bequeathed  by  the  dying  person, 
surely  the  sin  thereof  shall  be  on  those  who  change  it,  for 
God  is  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  Howbeit  he 
who  apprehendeth  from  the  testator  any  mistake  or  injus- 
tice, and  shall  compose  the  matter  between  them,  that 
shall  be  no  crime  in  him,  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful. 
^^^0  true  believers,  a  fast  is  ordained  you,  as  it  was 
ordained  unto  those  before  you,  that  ye  may  fear  God. 
^^^  A  certain  number  of  days  shall  ye  fast :  but  he  among 
you  who  shall  be  sick,  or  on  a  journey,  shall  fast  an  equal 
number  of  other  days:  and  those  who  can  keep  it,  and  do 

179  A  woman  for  a  woman.']     This  is  181   That  he  bequeath  a  legacy  to  his. 

not  to  be  strictly  taken ;  for,  according  to  parents  and   kindred^   according   to   what 

the  Sonna,  a  man  also  is  to  be  put  to  death  shall   he   reasonable,    &c.]     That   is,   the 

for  the  murder   of  a  woman.     Regard  is  legacy  was  not  to  exceed  a  third  part  of 

also  to  be  had  to  difference  in  religion ;  so  the  testator's  substance,  nor  to  be  given 

that  a   Mohammedan,  though  a  slave,  is  where  there  was  no  necessity :  but  this  in- 

not  to  be  put  to  death  for  an  Infidel,  though  junction  is  abrogated  by  the  law  concern- 

a  freeman  1.     But  the  civil  magistrates  do  ing  inheritances. 

not  think    themselves    always   obliged  to         185   Those  who  can  keep  it,  and  do  not, 

conform  to  this  last  determination  of  the  &c.]     The   expositors  differ  much   about 

Sonna.  the  meaning  of  this  passage,  thinking  it 

—  J  fine.]    This  is  the  common  prac-  very  improbable  that  people  should  be  left 

tice  in  Mohammedan  countries,  particu-  entirely  at  liberty  either  to  fast  or  not,  on 

larly  in  Persia 2;  where   the  relations  of  compounding  for  it  in  this  manner.     Jal- 

the  deceased  may  take  their  choice,  either  lalo'ddin,  therefore,  supposes  the  negative 

to  have  the  murderer  put  into  their  hands,  particle  not  to  he  understood,  and  that  this 

to  be  put  to  death  ;  or  else  to  accept  of  a  is  allowed  only  to  those  who  are  notable  to 

pecuniary  satisfaction.  fast,  by  reason  of  age  or  dangerous  sickness: 


Jallalo'ddiiu  ^  V.  Chardin,  Voyage  de  Perse,  torn.  ii.  p.  299,  &c. 


28  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

not,  must  redeem  their  neglect  by  maintaining  of  a  poor 
man.  And  he  who  voluntarily  dealeth  better  with  the 
poor  man  than  he  is  obliged,  this  shall  be  better  for 
him.  But  if  ye  fast  it  will  be  better  for  you,  if  ye  knew 
it.  ^^^The  month  of  Ramadan  shall  ye  fast,  in  which  the 
Koran  was  sent  down  from  heaven,  a  direction  unto  men, 
and  declarations  of  direction,  and  the  distinction  between 
good  and  evil.  Therefore  let  him  among  you  who  shall 
be  present  in  this  month,  fast  the  same  month  :  but  he 
who  shall  be  sick,  or  on  a  journey,  shall  fast  the  like 
number  of  other  days.  God  would  make  this  an  ease 
unto  you,  and  would  not  make  it  a  difficulty  unto  you ; 
that  ye  may  fulfil  the  number  of  days,  and  glorify  God, 
for  that  he  hath  directed  you,  and  that  ye  may  give 
thanks.  ^^^When  my  servants  ask  thee  concerning  me, 
verily  I  am  near;  I  will  hear  the  prayer  of  him  that 
prayeth,  when  he  prayetli  unto  me:  but  let  them  hearken 
unto  me,  and  believe  in  me,  that  they  may  be  rightly 
directed.  ^^^  It  is  lawful  for  you  on  the  night  of  the  fast 
to  go  in  unto  your  wives ;  they  are  a  garment  unto  you, 
and  ye  are  a  garment  unto  them.  God  knoweth  that  ye 
defraud  yourselves  therein,  wherefore  he  turneth  unto 
you,  and  forgiveth  you.  Now  therefore  go  in  unto  them, 
and  earnestly  desire  that  which  God  ordaineth  you ;  and 
eat  and  drink,  until  ye  can  plainly  distinguish  a  white 
thread  from  a  black  thread  by  the  day-break :  then  keep 

but  afterwards  he  says,  that,  in  the  begin-  legal  excuse  to  break  it,  must  redeem  it, 

ning    of  Mohammedism,  it   was  free   for  &c. 

them  to   choose  whether  they  would  fast  185  By   maintaining  of  a  poor  man.'] 

or  maintain   a  poor   man ;  which  liberty  According  to  the  usual  quantity  which  a 

was  soon  after  taken  away,  and  this  pas-  man  eats  in  a  day,  and  the  custom  of  the 

sage  abrogated  by  the  following  :   There-  country  ^. 

fore  let  him  who  shall  be  present  in  this  186  Koran.]    See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii. 

month,    fast  the  same  month.     Yet  this  —  Who  shall  he  present.]    i.  e.  at  home, 

abrogation,  he   says,  does  not  extend  to  and  not  in  a  strange  country,  where  the 

women  with  child,  or  that  give  suck,  lest  fast  cannot  be  performed,  or  on  a  journey, 

the  infant  suffer.  188  It  is  lawful  for  you  on  the  fast  to  go 

Al  Zamakhshari,  having  first  given  an  in  unto  your  wives  by  night.]    In  the  begin- 

explanation    of    Ebn    Abbas,  who,    by   a  ning  of  Mohammedism,   during    the   fast, 

different  interpretation  of  the  Arabic  word  they  neither  lay  with  their  wives,  nor  ate 

Yotikunaho,which  signifies.  Can  or  are  able  nor  drank   after  supper.     But   both    are 

to   fast,  renders  it.  Those  who  find  great  permitted  by  this  passage  2. 

difficulty  therein,  &c.,  adds  an  exposition  —  They   are  a  garment  unto  you,  &c.] 

of  his  own,  by  supposing  something  to  be  A  metaphorical  expression,  to  signify  the 

understood  ;  according  to  which  the  sense  mutual  comfort  a  man  and  his  wife  find  in 

will  be,  Those  who  can  fast,  and  yet  have  a  each  other. 

1  JallaWddin.  ^  ibid.  ~~" 


II.]  AL   KORAN.  29 

the  fast  until  niglit,  and  go  not  in  unto  them,  but  be  con- 
stantly present  in  the  places  of  worship.  These  are  the 
prescribed  bounds  of  God,  therefore  draw  not  near  them 
to  transgress  them.  Thus  God  declareth  his  signs  unto 
men,  that  they  may  fear  him.  ^^^  Consume  not  your 
wealth  among  yourselves  in  vain ;  nor  present  it  unto 
judges,  that  ye  may  devour  part  of  men's  substance  un- 
justly, against  your  own  consciences.  ^^^  They  will  ask 
thee  concerning  the  phases  of  the  moon  ;  answer,  They 
are  times  appointed  unto  men,  and  to  show  the  season  of 
the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca.  It  is  not  righteousness  that  ye 
enter  your  houses  by  the  back  parts  thereof,  but  righte- 
ousness is  of  him  who  feareth  God.  Therefore  enter 
your  houses  by  their  doors ;  and  fear  God,  that  ye  may 
be  happy.     ^^^  And  Jight  for  the  rel^  of  God  against 

those  who  fight  against  you  ;  but  transgress  not  by  attack- 
ing them  first,  for  God  loveth  not  the  transgressors. 
^^^  And  kill  them  wherever  ye  find  them,  and  turn  them 
out  of  that  whereof  they  have  dispossessed  you;  for 
temptation  to  idolatry  is  more  grievous  than  slaughter : 
yet  fight  not  against  them  in  the  holy  temple,  until  they 
attack  you  therein;  but  if  they  attack  you,  slay  them 
there.  This  shall  be  the  reward  of  the  infidels.  ^^^  But 
if  they  desist,  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^^  Fight 
therefore  against  them,  until  there  be  no  temptation  to 
idolatry,  and  the  religion  be  God's,  but  if  they  desist,  then 
let  there  be  no  hostility,  except  against  the  ungodly.  ^^^  A 
sacred  month  for  a  sacred  month,  and  the  holy  limits  of 
Mecca,  if  they  attack  you  therein,  do  ye  also  attack  them 
therein  in  retaliation ;  and  whoever  transgresseth  against 
you  by  so  doing,  do  ye  transgress  against  him  in  like 
manner  as  he  hath  transgressed  against  you,  and  fear 
God,  and  know  that  God  is  with  those  who  fear  him. 
^^^  Contribute  out  of  your  substance  toward  the  defence 
of  the  religion  of  God,  and  throw  not  yourselves  with 
your  own  hands  into  perdition  ;  and  do  good,  for  God 

190  Back  parts.']     Some  of  the  Arabs  months,  wherein  it  was  unlawful  for  the 

had  a  superstitious  custom  after  they  had  ancient  Arabs  to  attack  one  another,  see 

been  at  Mecca  (in  pilgrimage,  as  it  seems),  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  vii. 
on  their   return  home,  not  to  enter  their         196    And  throw   not  yourselves   awatft 

house  by    the  old  door,  but  to    make  a  8rc.]     i.  e.   Be  not  accessary  to  your  own 

hole  through  the  back  part  for  a  passage,  destruction,  by  neglecting  your  contribu- 

which  practice  is  here  reprehended.  tions  towards  the  wars  against  infidels,  and 

195  Sacred  month.]    As  to  these  sacred  thereby  suffering  them  to  gather  strength. 


30  A  L   K  O  R  A  N.  [chap. 

loveth  those  who  do  good.  ^^^  Perform  the  pilgrimage  of 
Mecca,  and  the  visitation  of  God  ;  and,  if  ye  be  besieged 
send  that  offering  which  shall  be  the  easiest :  and  shave 
not  your  heads,  until  your  offering  reacheth  the  place  of 
sacrifice.  But,  whoever  among  you  is  sick,  or  is  troubled 
with  any  distemper  of  the  head,  must  redeem  the  shaving 
his  head  by  fasting,  or  alms,  or  some  offering.  When  ye 
are  secure  from  enemies,  he  who  tarrieth  in  the  visitation 
of  the  temple  of  Mecca,  until  the  pilgrimage,  shall 
bring  that  offering  which  shall  be  the  easiest.  But  he 
who  findeth  not  any  thing  to  offer,  shall  fast  three  days 
in  the  pilgrimage,  and  seven  when  ye  are  returned :  they 
shall  be  ten  days  complete.  This  is  incumbent  on  him, 
whose  family  shall  not  be  present  at  the  holy  temple. 
And  fear  God,  and  know  that  God  is  severe  in  punishing. 
^^^  The  pilgrimage  must  be  performed  in  the  known 
months :  whosoever,  therefore,  purposes  to  go  on  pilgrim- 
age therein,  let  him  not  know  a  woman,  nor  transgress, 
nor  quarrel  in  the  pilgrimage.  The  good  which  ye  do, 
God  knoweth  it.  Make  provision  for  your  journey ;  but 
the  best  provision  is  piety ;  and  fear  me,  O  ye  of  under- 
standing. ^^^  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  if  ye  seek  an 
increase  from  your  Lord,  by  trading  during  the  pil- 
grimage. And  when  ye  go  in  procession  from  Arafat, 
remember  God  near  the  holy  monument ;  and  remember 

197  Shave  not  your  heads,   &c.]      For  original  word  signifies   To   rush  forward 
this  was  a  sign  they  had  completed  their  impetuously ;    as    the   pilgrims    do    when 
vow,  and  performed  all  the  ceremonies  of  they  proceed  from  Arafat  to  Mozdalifa. 
the  pilgrimage  ^  —  Arafat.']     A  mountain  near  Mecca, 

—  Must  redeem  the  shaving  his  head  so  called  because  Adam  there  tnet  and 
hy  fasting,  82:0.]  That  is,  either  by  fast-  knew  his  wife,  after  a  long  separation  2. 
ing  three  days,  or  feeding  six  poor  people,  Yet  others  say  that  Gabriel,  after  he  had 
or  sacrificing  a  sheep.  instructed  Abraham  in  all  the  sacred  cere- 

—  He  who  tarrieth,  8z;c.]  This  pas-  monies,  coming  to  Arafat,  there  asked  him 
sage  is  somewhat  obscure.  Yahya  inter-  if  he  knew  the  ceremonies  which  had 
prets  it  of  him  who  marries  a  wife  during  been  shown  him  ;  to  which  Abraham  an- 
tlie  visitation,  and  performs  the  pilgrimage  swering  in  the  affirmative,  the  mountain 
the  year  following.     But  Jallalo'ddin  ex-  had  thence  its  name  ^. 

pounds  it   of  him  who  stays  within  the  —  The   holy  monument.']      In    Arabic, 

sacred  enclosures,  in  order  to  complete  the  al  Masher  al  hardm.     It  is  a  mountain  in 

ceremonies,  which  (as  it  should  seem)  he  the  farther  part  of  Mozdalifa,  where  it  is 

had  not  been  able  to  do  within  the  pre-  said  Mohammed  stood  praying  and  prais- 

scribed  time.  ing  God,  till  his  face  became  extremely 

198  The  known  months.]  i.  e.  Shawal,  shining  *.  Bobovius  calls  it  Farkh  ^,  but 
Dhu'lkaada,  and  Dhu'lhajja.  See  Prelim,  the  true  name  seems  to  be  Kazah ;  the 
Disc.  sect.  iv.  variation   being   occasioned  only   by  the 

199  When  ye  go  in  procession.]     The     different  pointing  of  the  Arabic  letters. 

*  Jallalo'ddin,  ^  See  before,  page  7*  note  36.  '  Al  Hasan.  "*  Jallalo'ddin. 

5  Bobov.  de  Peregr.  Meccana,  p.  15. 


II.]  AL    KORAN.  31 

him  foi'  that  he  hath  directed  you,  although  ye  were 
before  this  of  the  number  of  those  who  go  astray. 
200  Therefore  go  in  procession  from  whence  the  people  go 
in  procession,  and  ask  pardon  of  God,  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.  ^^^  And  when  ye  have  finished  your  holy 
ceremonies,  remember  God  according  as  ye  remember 
your  fathers,  or  wdth  a  more  reverend  commemoration. 
There  are  some  men  who  say,  O  Lord,  give  us  our  por- 
tion in  this  world ;  but  such  shall  have  no  portion  in  the 
next  life :  ^^^  and  there  are  others  who  say,  O  Lord,  give 
us  good  in  this  world,  and  also  good  in  the  next  world, 
and  deliver  us  from  the  torment  of  hell-fire.  They  shall 
have  a  portion  of  that  which  they  have  gained :  God  is 
swift  in  taking  an  account.  ^^^  Remember  God  the  ap- 
pointed number  of  days :  but  if  any  haste  to  depart  from 
the  valley  of  Mina  in  two  days,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in 
him.  And  if  any  tarry  longer  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  him, 
in  him  who  feareth  God.  Therefore  fear  God,  and  know 
that  unto  him  ye  shall  be  gathered.  ^^^  There  is  a  man 
who  causeth  thee  to  marvel  by  his  speech  concerning 
this  present  life,  and  calleth  God  to  witness  that  which 
is  in  his  heart,  yet  he  is  most  intent  in  opposing  thee ; 
^^^  and,  when  he  turneth  away  from  thee,  he  hasteth  to 
act  corruptly  in  the  earth,  and  to  destroy  that  which  is 
sown,  and  springeth  up :  but  God  loveth  not  corrupt 
doing.  ^^^  And  if  one  say  unto  him.  Fear  God  ;  pride 
seizeth  him,  together  with  wickedness  ;  but  hell  shall  be 
his  reward,  and  an  unhappy  couch  shall  it  be.  ^^^  There 
is  also  a  man  who  selleth  his  soul  for  the  sake  of  those 
things  which  are  pleasing  unto  God  ;  and  God  is  gra- 
cious unto  his  servants.  ^^^  O  true  believers,  enter  into 
the    true  religion  wholly,   and  follow  not  the  steps   of 

202  God  is  swift  in  taking  an  account.l     God  here   reveals  to  the  prophet  his  hy- 
For  he  will  judge  all  creatures,  says  Jal-     pocrisy  and  wickedness  ^. 

lalo'ddin,  in  the  space  of  half  a  day.  205  He  hasteth  to  act    corruptly,  and 

203  The  appointed  number  of  days.'\  i.e,  to  destroy  that  which  is  sown,  &c.]     Set- 
Three  days  after  slaying  the  sacrifices.  ting  fire  to  his  neighbour's  corn,  and  kil- 

204  There  is  a  man  who  causeth  thee  to  ling  his  asses  by  night  2. 

marvel,  &c.]     This  person  was  al  Akhnas         207   There  is  also  a  man  who  selleth  his 

Ebn   Shoraik,   a  fair-spoken    dissembler,  soul,  &c.]     The   person  here  meant  was 

who   swore  that  he  believed  in  Moham-  one  Soheib,  who,  being  persecuted  by  the 

med,    and   pretended   to    be   one    of  his  idolaters  of  Mecca,  forsook  all  he  had,  and 

friends,  and  to  contemn  this  world.     But  fled  to  Medina  ^. 

*   Jallalo* ddin.  ^  Idem.  '  Idem. 


32  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

Satan,  for  he  is  your  open  enemy.     ^^^  If  ye  have  slipped 
after  the  declarations  of  our  will  have  come  unto  you, 
know  that  God  is  mighty  and  wise.     ^^^  Do  the  infidels 
expect  less  than  that  God  should  come  down  to  them 
overshadowed  with  clouds,  and  the  angels  also  ?  but  the 
thing  is  decreed,   and  to    God   shall  all   things  return. 
^^^  Ask  the  children  of  Israel  how  many  evident  signs 
we  have  shewed  them;  and  whoever  shall  change  the 
grace  of  God,  after  it  shall  have  come  unto  him,  verily 
God  will  be  severe  in  punishing  him.     ^^^The  present 
life  was   ordained  for  those  who  believe  not,  and  they 
laugh  the  faithful  to  scorn ;  but  they  who  fear  God  shall 
be  above  them,   on  the  day  of  the  resurrection  :  for  God 
is  bountiful  unto   whom  he  pleaseth  without  measure. 
^^^  Mankind   was   of  one   faith,   and  God   sent  prophets 
bearing  good  tidings,  and  denouncing  threats,  and  sent 
down  with  them  the   scripture  in  truth,  that  it  might 
judge  between  men  of  that  concerning  which  they  dis- 
agreed :  and  none  disagreed  concerning  it,  except  those 
to   whom  the  same  scriptures  were  delivered,  after  the 
declarations  of  God's  will  had  come  unto  them  out  of 
envy  among  themselves.     And  God  directed  those  who 
believed,  to  that  truth  concerning  which  they  disagreed, 
by  his  will :  for  God  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into  the 
right  way.     ^^^  Did  ye  think  ye  should  enter   paradise, 
when  as  yet  no  such  thing  had  happened  unto  you,  as 
hath  happened  unto  those  who  have  been  before  you  ? 
They  suffered  calamity,  and  tribulation,  and  were  afflict- 
ed ;  so  that  the  apostle,  and  they  who  believed  with  him, 
said,  When  will  the  help  of  God  come?     Is  not  the 
^^      help  of  God  nigh?     ^^^They  will  ask  thee  what  they 
3\i:^    shall  bestow  in  alms:  Answer,  The  good  which  ye  be- 
C  J      stow,  let  it  be  given  to  parents  and  kindred,  and  orphans, 
^^'      and  the  poor,  and  the  stranger.     Whatsoever  good  ye  do, 
God  knoweth  it.     ^^^War  is  enjoined  you  against  the 
infidels  ;  but  this  is  hateful  unto  you :  yet  perchance  ye 
hate  a  thing  which  is  better  for  you,  and  perchance  ye 
love  a  thing  which  is  worse  for  you :  but  God  knoweth, 
and  ye  know  not.     ^^^  They  will  ask  thee  concerning  the 
sacred  month,  whether  they  may  war  therein :  Answer, 
To  war  therein  is  grievous ;  but  to  obstruct  the  way  of 


n.]  AL   KORAN.  33 

God,  and  infidelity  towards  him,  and  to  keep  men  from 
the  holy  temple,  and  to  drive  out  his  people  from  thence, 
is  more  grievous  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  the  temptation 
to  idolatry  is  more  grievous,  than  to  kill  in  the  sacred 
months.     They  will  not  cease  to  war  against  you,  until 
they  turn  you  from  your  religion,  if  they  be  able :  but 
whoever  among  you  shall  turn  back  from  his  religion,lLnJ 
die  airinfidel,  their  works  shall  be  vain  in  this  world,  aniT" 
the  next;  they  shall  be  the  companions  of  hell-fire,  they  ^^ 
shall  remain  therein  for  ever^^^^^^^^But  they  who  believe, 
and  who  fly  for  the  sake  of  religion,  and  fight  in  God's 
cause,  they  shall  hope  for  the  mercy  of  God  ;  for  God  is 
gracious  and  merciful.     ^^^  They  will  ask  thee  concerning 
wine  and  lots  :  Answer,  In  both  there  is  great  sin,  and 
also  some  thingfs  of  use  unto  men :  but  their  sinfulness  is 
greater  than  their  use.     They  will  ask  thee   also  what 
they  shall  bestow  in  alms :  ^^^  Answer,  What  ye  have  to 
spare.     Thus  God  sheweth  his  signs  unto  you,  that  per- 
adventure  ye  might  seriously  think  of  this  present  world, 
and  of  the  next.     ^^^  They  wdll  also  ask  thee  concerning 
orphans  :  Answer,  To  deal  righteously  with  them  is  best ; 
and  if  ye  intermeddle  with  the  management  of  what  be- 
longs to  them,  do  them  no  wrong ;  they  are  your  bre- 
thren :  God  knoweth  the  corrupt  dealer  from  the  righ- 
teous ;  and  if  God  please,  he  will  surely  distress  you,  for 
God  is  mighty  and  wise.     ^^^  Marry  not  women  who  are^~^ 
idolaters,  until  they  believe ;  verily  a  maid-servant  who   )  ^4^^ 
believeth,  is  better  than  an  idolatress,  although  she  please  /  /i^  J 
you  more.    And  give  not  women  who  believe  in  marriage  (  %^ 
to  the  idolaters,  until  they  believe  ;  for  verily  a  servant,  j  ^m^^ 


% 


219  Wine.']   Under  the  name  of  wine  all  hibited^.       And    the     moderate    use    of 

sorts  of  strong  and  inebriating  liquors  are  wine  they  also  think  is  allowed  by  these 

comprehended  ^.  words  of  the   16th  chapter  :    And  of  the 

—  Lots.']  The  original  word,  al  MeiseVf  fruits  of  palm-trees  and  grapes  ye  obtain 
properly  signifies  a  particular  game  per-  inebriating  drink,  and  also  good  nourish- 
formed  with  arrows,  and  much  in  use  with  ment.  But  the  more  received  opinion  is, 
the  Pagan  Arabs.  But  by  lots  we  are  here  that  both  drinking  wine  or  other  strong 
to  understand  all  games  whatsoever,  which  liquors  in  any  quantity,  and  playing  at 
are  subject  to  chance  or  hazard,  as  dice,  any  game  of  chance,  are  absolutely  forbid- 
cards,  &c.  ^  den  *. 

—  In  both  there  is  great  sin,  and  also  221  God  will  surely  distress  you.]  viz. 
some  things  of  use.~\  From  these  words  By  his  curse,  which  will  certainly  bring 
some  suppose  that  only  drinking  to  ex-  to  nothing  what  ye  shall  wrong  the  or- 
cess  and  too    frequent   gaming   are   pro-  phans  of. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  2  ggg  jbid. 

^  V.  Jallald'ddin  and  al  Zamakhshari.  *  See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  ubi  sup» 

VOL.  I.  D 


1 


34  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

who  is  a  true  believer,  is  better  than  an  idolater,  though 
he  please  you  more.  They  invite  unto  hell-fire ;  but  God 
inviteth  unto  paradise  and  pardon  through  his  will,  and 
declareth  his  signs  unto  men,  that  they  may  remember. 
^^^They  will  ask  thee  also  concerning  the  courses  of 
women  :  Answer,  They  are  a  pollution :  therefore  sepa- 
rate yourselves  from  women  in  their  courses,  and  go  not 
near  them  until  they  be  cleansed.  But  when  they  are 
cleansed,  go  in  unto  them  as  God  hath  commanded  you, 
for  God  lovetli  those  who  repent,  and  loveth  those  who 
are  clean.  ^^'*  Your  wives  are  your  tillage ;  go  in  there- 
fore unto  your  tillage  in  what  manner  soever  ye  will :  and 
do  first  some  act  that  may  be  profitable  unto  your  souls  ; 
and  fear  God,  and  know  that  ye  must  meet  him ;  and 
bear  good  tidings  unto  the  faithful.  ^^^  Make  not  God 
the  object  of  your  oaths,  that  ye  will  deal  justly,  and 
be  devout,  and  make  peace  among  men ;  for  God  is  he 
who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  God  will  not  punish  you 
for  an  inconsiderate  word  in  your  oaths;  but  he  will 
punish  you  for  that  which  your  hearts  have  assented 
unto  :  God  is  merciful  and  gracious.  ^^^  They  who  vow 
to  abstain  from  their  wives,  are  allowed  to  wait  four 
months ;  but  if  they  go  back  from  their  vow,  verily  God 

223  As  God  hath  commmided  you.l    But  Some  commentators  *  expound  this  nega- 

not  while  they  have  their  courses,  nor  by  tively.     That  ye  will  not  deal  justly,  nor 

using  preposterous  venery  ^  be  devout,    &c.     For  such  wicked  oaths, 

224.  In  what  manner  soever  ye  wilLl  they  say,  were  customary  among  the  idol- 

That  is,  in  any  posture  ;  either  standing,  atrous  inhabitants  of  Mecca  ;  which  gave 

sitting,    lying,    forwards,   or  backwards,  occasion  to  the  following  saying  of  Mo- 

And  this  passage,   it  is  said,  was  revealed  hammed  :   When  you  swear  to  do  a  thing, 

to  answer  the  Jews,  wVio  pretended  that  and  afterwards  find  it  better  to  do  other- 

if  a  man  lay  with  his  wife  backwards,  he  wise,  do  that  which  is  better,  and  make 

would  get  a  more  witty  child  ^.     It  has  void  your  oath. 

been  imagined  that  these  words  allow  that  226  An  i7iconsiderate  word.~\     When  a 

preposterous  lust,  which  the   commenta-  man   swears   inadvertently,    and  without 

tors  say  is  forbidden  by  the  preceding  ;  design. 

but  I  question  whether  this  can  be  proved.  227  They  who  vow  to  abstain  from  their 

—  Do  first  some  act  that  may  profit  wives,  are  allowed  to  wait  four  months.^ 
your  soul.'\  i.  e.  perform  some  act  of  de-  That  is,  they  may  take  so  much  time  to 
votion  or  charity.  consider  ;  and  shall  not,  by  a  rash  oath, 

225  Make  not   God  the  object  of  your  be  obliged  actually  to  divorce  them. 
oaths.^     i.e.  So  as  to  swear  frequently  by         —  ^  they  go  back  from  their  vow,  &c.] 

him.     The  word   translated   object,   pro-  i.  e.  If  they  be  reconciled   to   their  wives 

perly  signifies  a   butt   to    shoot  at  with  within  four  months,  or  after,    they    may 

arrows^.  retain  them;  and  God  will  dispense  with 

—  That    ye    will    deal  justly,    &c.]  their  oath. 

1  Ebn  Abbas,  Jallaloddin.  2  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya,   Al  Zamakhsharl.     Vid. 

Lucret.  de  rer,  nat.  1.  iv.  1258,  &c.  ^  JallaWddin.  *  Idem,  Yahya, 


II.]  AL   KORAN.  35 

is  gracious  and  merciful ;  ^^^  and  if  they  resolve  on  a 
divorce,  God  is  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  The 
women  who  are  divorced  shall  wait  concerning  themselves 
until  they  have  their  courses  thrice,  and  it  shall  not  be 
lawful  for  them  to  conceal  that  which  God  hath  created 
in  their  wombs,  if  they  believe  in  God  and  the  last  day ; 
and  their  husbands  will  act  more  justly  to  bring  them 
back  at  this  time,  if  they  desire  a  reconciliation.  The 
women  ought  also  to  behave  towards  their  husbands  in 
like  manner  as  their  husbands  should  behave  towards 
them,  according  to  what  is  just :  but  the  men  ought  to 
have  a  superiority  over  them.  God  is  mighty  and  wise. 
230  Ye  may  divorce  your  wives  twice ;  and  then  either 
retain  them  with  humanity,  or  dismiss  them  with  kind- 
ness. But  it  is  not  lawful  for  you  to  take  away  any  thing 
of  what  ye  have  given  them,  unless  both  fear  that  they 
cannot  observe  the  ordinances  of  God.  And  if  ye  fear 
that  they  cannot  observe  the  ordinances  of  God,  it  shall 
be  no  crime  in  either  of  them  on  account  of  that  for 
which  the  wife  shall  redeem  herself.  These  are  the 
ordinances  of  God  ;  therefore  transgress  them  not ;  for 
whoever  transgresseth  the  ordinances  of  God,  they  are 
unjust  doers.  ^^^  But  if  the  husband  divorce  her  a  third 
time,  she  shall  not  be  lawful  for  him  again,  until  she 
marry  another  husband.  But  if  he  also  divorce  her,  it 
shall  be  no  crime  in  them,  if  they  return  to  each  other, 
if  they  think  they  can  observe  the  ordinances  of  God  ; 
and  these  are  the  ordinances  of  God,  he  declareth  them 

229  Thrice.']  This  is  to  be  understood  before  the  term  be  accomplished  :  lest  the 
of  those  only  with  whom  the  marriage  has  first  husband's  child  should,  by  that  means, 
been  consummated ;  for  as  to  the  others  go  to  the  second  ;  or  the  wife,  in  case  of 
there  is  no  lime  limited.  Those  who  are  the  first  husband's  death,  should  set  up 
not  quite  past  childbearing,  (which  a  her  child  as  his  heir,  or  demand  her  main- 
woman  is  reckoned  to  be  after  her  courses  tenance  during  the  time  she  went  with 
cease,  and  she  is  fifty-five  lunar  years,  or  such  child,  and  the  expenses  of  her  lying- 
about  fifty-three  solar  years,  old),  and  in,  under  pretence  that  she  waited  not  her 
those  who  are  too  young  to  have  children,  full  prescribed  time  ^. 
are  allowed  three  months  only  ;  but  they  230  Unless  both  fear  they  cannot  observe 
who  are  with  child  must  wait  till  they  be  the  ordinances  of  God."]  For  if  there  be  a 
delivered  ^  settled  aversion  on  either  side,  their  con- 

—   Thet/  shall  not  conceal  what   God  tinning  together  may  have  very  ill,   and 

hath  created  in  their   wombs.]     That  is,  perhaps  fatal,  consequences, 
they    shall   tell  the   real    truth,   whether         —  It  shall  be  no  crime  if  she  redeem 

they  have  their  courses,  or  be  with  child,  herself]     i.  e.  If  she  prevail  on  her  hus- 

or  not ;  and  shall  not,  by  deceiving  their  band  to  dismiss  her,  by  releasing  part  of 

husband,    obtain    a   separation  from  him  her  dowry. 


Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Yahya. 

d2 


36  A L  KORAN.  [chap. 

to  people  of  understanding.  ^^^  But  when  ye  divorce 
women,  and  they  have  fulfilled  their  prescribed  time, 
either  retain  them  with  humanity,  or  dismiss  them  with 
kindness ;  and  retain  them  not  by  violence,  so  that  ye 
transgress ;  for  he  who  doth  this,  surely  injureth  his  own 
soul.  And  make  not  the  signs  of  God  a  jest;  but 
remember  God's  favour  towards  you/  aSfflliKat  he  hath 
sent  down  unto  you  the  book  of  the  Koran,  and  wisdom, 
admonishing  you  thereby ;  and  fear  God,  and  know  that 
God  is  omniscient.  ^^^  But  when  ye  have  divorced  your 
wives,  and  they  have  fulfilled  their  prescribed  time, 
hinder  them  not  from  marrying  their  husbands,  when 
they  have  agreed  among  themselves  according  to  what  is 
honourable.  This  is  given  in  admonition  unto  him  among 
you  who  believeth  in  God,  and  the  last  day.  This  is 
most  righteous  for  you,  and  most  pure.  God  knoweth, 
but  ye  know  not.  ^^*  Mothers,  after  they  are  divorced, 
shall  give  suck  unto  their  children  two  full  years,  to  him 
who  desireth  the  time  of  giving  suck  to  be  completed ; 
and  the  father  shall  be  obliged  to  maintain  them  and 
clothe  them  in  the  mean  time,  according  to  that  which 
shall  be  reasonable.  No  person  shall  be  obliged  beyond 
his  ability,  A  mother  shall  not  be  compelled  to  what 
is  unreasonable  on  account  of  her  child,  nor  a  father  on 
account  of  his  child.  And  the  heir  of  the  father  shall  be 
obliged  to  do  in  like  manner.  But  if  they  choose  to 
wean  the  child  before  the  end  of  two  years,  by  common 
consent,  and  on  mutual  consideration,  it  shall  be  no 
crime  in  them.  And  if  ye  have  a  mind  to  provide  a 
nurse  for  your  children,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  in 
case  ye  fully  pay  what  ye  offfer  her,  according  to  that 
which  is  just.  And  fear  God,  and  know  that  God  seeth 
whatsoever  ye  do.  ^^^  Such  of  you  as  die,  and  leave 
wives,  their  wives  must  wait  concerning  themselves  four 
months  and  ten  days ;  and  when  they  shall  have  fulfilled 
their  term,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  for  that  which 
they  shall   do   with   themselves,   according   to   what   is 

232  And  retain  them  not  by  force^  so  say,  before  they  marry  again ;  and  this  is 

that  ye  transgress,]  Viz.  by  obliging  them  not  only  for  decency's  sake,  but  that  it 

to  purchase  their  liberty  with  part  of  their  may  be  known  whether  they  be  with  child 

dowry.  by  the  deceased  or  not. 

235   The  wives  of  such  as  die  must  wait  —  For  that  which  they  shall  do  with 

fourmontha   and  ten  days.]     That  is  to  themselves.]     That  is,   if  they  leave    off 


II.]  AL   KORAN.  m 

reasonable.  God  well  knoweth  that  which  ye  do.  ^^^  And 
it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  whether  ye  make  public 
overtures  of  marriage  unto  such  women,  within  the  said 
four  months  and  ten  days,  or  whether  ye  conceal  such 
your  designs  in  your  minds :  God  knoweth  that  ye  will 
remember  them.  But  make  no  promise  unto  them  pri- 
vately, unless  ye  speak  honourable  words;  and  resolve 
not  on  the  knot  of  marriage,  until  the  prescribed  time 
be  accomplished;  and  know  that  God  knoweth  that 
which  is  in  your  minds,  therefore  beware  of  him,  and 
know  that  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^'^  It  shall  be 
no  crime  in  you,  if  ye  divorce  your  wives,  so  long  as  ye 
have  not  touched  them,  nor  settled  any  dowry  on  them. 
And  provide  for  them  (he  who  is  at  his  ease  must  provide 
according  to  his  circumstances,  and  he  who  is  straitened 
according  to  his  circumstances)  necessaries,  according  to 
what  shall  be  reasonable.  This  is  a  duty  incumbent  on 
the  righteous.  ^^^  But  if  ye  divorce  them  before  ye  have 
touched  them,  and  have  already  settled  a  dowry  on  them, 
ye  shall  give  them  half  of  what  ye  have  settled,  unless 
they  release  any  part,  or  he  release  part  in  whose  hand 
the  knot  of  marriage  is ;  and  if  ye  release  the  whole,  it 
will  approach  nearer  unto  piety.  And  forget  not  libera- 
lity among  you,  for  God  seeth  that  which  ye  do. 
^^^  Carefully  observe  the  appointed  prayers,  and  the 
middle  prayer,  and  be  assiduous  therein,  with  devotion 
towards  God.  ^^^  But  if  ye  fear  any  danger,  pray  on  foot 
or  on  horseback ;  and  when  you  are  safe,  remember  God, 
how  he  hath  taught  you  what  as  yet  ye  knew^  not. 
^^^  And  such  of  you  as  shall  die  and  leave  wives,  ought 
to  bequeath  their  wives  a  year's  maintenance,  without 
putting  them  out  of  their  houses :  but  if  they  go  out 
voluntarily,  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  for  that  which 
they  shall  do  with  themselves,  according  to  what  shall  be 
reasonable  :  God  is  mighty  and  wise.     ^^^  And  unto  those 

their  mourning  weeds,  and  look  out  for  239  The  middle  prayer.']  Yahya  inter- 
new  husbands.  prets  this  from  a  tradition  of  Mohammed, 
238  Unless  they  or  he  in  whose  hand  the  who,  being  asked  which  was  the  middle 
knot  of  marriage  is,  release  it,  &c.]  i.  e.  Un-  prayer,  answered.  The  evening  prayer 
less  the  wife  agree  to  take  less  than  half  her  which  was  instituted  by  the  prophet  Solo- 
dowry,  or  unless  the  husband  be  so  gene-  mon.  But  Jallalo'ddin  allows  a  greater 
rous  as  to  give  her  more  than  half,  or  the  latitude,  and  supposes  it  may  be  the  after~ 
whole  ;  which  is  here  approved  of  as  most  noon  prayer,  the  morning  prayer,  the  noon 
commendable.  prayer,  or  any  other. 

1 


38  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

who  are  divorced,  a  reasonable  provision  is  also  due ; 
this  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  those  who  fear  God.  ^^^  Thus 
God  declareth  his  signs  unto  you,  that  ye  may  under- 
stand. ^^^  Hast  thou  not  considered  those  who  left  their 
habitations  (^nd  they  were  thousands)  for  fear  of  death  ? 
And  God  said  unto  them,  Die :  then  he  restored  them  to 
life,  for  God  is  gracious  towards  mankind  ;  but  the  greater 
part  of  men  do  not  give  thanks.  ^^^  ^ight  for  the  religion 
of  God,  and  know  that  God  is  he  who  heareth  and 
knoweth.  ^^^  Who  is  he  that  will  lend  unto  God  on 
good  usury  ?  verily  he  will  double  it  unto  him  manifold ; 
for  God  contracteth  and  extendeth  his  hand  as  he 
pleaseth,  and  to  him  shall  ye  return.  ^^'^  Hast  thou  not 
considered  the  assembly  of  the  children  of  Israel,  after 
the  time  of  Moses  ;  when  they  said  unto  their  prophet 
Samuel,  Set  a  king  over  us,  that  we  may  fight  for  the 
religion  of  God  ?  ^^^  The  prophet  answered.  If  ye  are 
enjoined  to  go  to  war,  will  ye  be  near  refusing  to  fight  ? 
They  answered.  And  what  should  ail  us  that  we  should 
not  fight  for  the  religion  of  God,  seeing  we  are  dispos- 
sessed of  our  habitations,  and  deprived  of  our  children  ? 
But  when  they  were  enjoined  to  go  to  war,  they  turned 
back,  except  a  few  of  them  :  and  God  knew  the  ungodly. 
And  their  prophet  said  unto  them.  Verily  God  hath  set 
Talut  king  over  you :  they  answered,  How  shall  he 
reign  over  us,  seeing  we  are  more  worthy  of  the  kingdom 

244    Hast  thou  not  considered  those  who  terity  ^.       As    to   the    number   of    these 

left  their  habitations  for  fear  of  death  ?  &c.]  Israelites,  the  commentators  are  not  agreed ; 

These  were  some  of  the  children  of  Israel,  they  who  reckon  least  say  they  were  3000, 

who  abandoned  their  dwellings,  because  and  they  who  reckon  most,  70,000.     This 

of  a  pestilence  ;  or,  as  others  say,  to  avoid  story  seems   to    have   been    taken    from 

serving  in  a  religious  war:    but  as  they  Ezekiel's  vision  of  the  resurrection  of  dry 

fled,  God  struck  them  all  dead  in  a  cer-  bones  ^. 

tain  valley.     About  eight  days  or  more  Some  of  the  Mohammedan  writers  will 

after,  when  their  bodies  were  corrupted,  have  Ezekiel   to    have  been   one   of  the 

the   prophet   Ezekiel,    the   son   of  Buzi,  judges  of  Israel,  and   to  have   succeeded 

happening  to  pass  that  way,  at  the  sight  Othniel,    the    son  of  Caleb.     They    also 

of  their  bones,  wept ;  whereupon  God  said  call  this  prophet  Ebn  al  ajUz,  or,  The  son 

to  him,   Call  to  them,  O  Ezekiel,  and  I  of  the  old  woman ;  because  they  say  his 

will  restore  them  to  life.    And  accordingly  mother   obtained  him  by  her  prayers  in 

on  the  prophet's  call  they  all  arose,  and  her  old  age  3. 

lived    several   years   after  ;    but  they  re-  246   Who  will  lend  unto  God  on  good 

tained  the  colour  and  stench  of  dead  corpses  usury  ?^  Viz.  By  contributing  towards  the 

as  long  as  they  lived,  and  the  clothes  they  establishment  of  his  true  religion, 

v/ore   changed   as  black  as  pitch;  which  248    Tdlut.]      So   the    Mohammedans 

qualities    they  transmitted   to  their  pos-  name  Saul. 

»  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya,  Abidfeda,  &c.  ^   Eze^.  xxxvii.  1—10.  '  Al  Thalahi, 

Aba  Ishakf  &c. 


II.]  AL   KORAN.  3^ 

than  he,  neither  is  he  possessed  of  great  riches  ?  Samuel 
said,  Verily  God  hath  chosen  him  before  you,  and  hath 
caused  him  to  increase  in  knowledge  and  stature,  for 
God  giveth  his  kingdom  unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  God 
is  bounteous  and  wise.  ^*^  And  their  prophet  said  unto 
them,  Verily  the  sign  of  his  kingdom  shall  be,  that  the 
ark  shall  come  unto  you:  therein  shall  be  tranquillity 
from  your  Lord,  and  the  relics  which  have  been  left  by 
the  family  of  Moses,  and  the  family  of  Aaron;  the 
angels  shall  bring  it.  Verily  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto 
you,  if  ye  believe.  ^^^  And  when  Talut  departed  with  his 
soldiers,  he  said,  Verily  God  will  prove  you  by  the  river : 
for  he  who  drinketh  thereof  shall  not  be  on  my  side  (but 
he  who  shall  not  taste  thereof,  he  shall  be  on  my  side,) 
except  he  who  drinketh  a  draught  out  of  his  hand.  And 
they  drank  thereof,  except  a  few  of  them.  And  when 
they  had  passed  the  river,  he  and  those  who  believed  with 
him,  they  said.  We  have  no  strength  to-day,  against 
Jalut  and  his  forces.  But  they  who  considered  that 
they  should  meet  God  at  the  resurrection,  said.  How 
often  hath  a  small  -army  discomfited  a  great  army,  by 
the  will  of  God  ?  and  God  is  with  those  who  patiently 
persevere.  ^^^  And  wh^n  they  went  forth  to  battle 
against  Jalut  and  his  forces,  they  said,  O  Lord, 
pour  on  us  patience,  antl  confirm  our  feet,  and  help  us 

249  The  ark  shall  come  unto  you,  &c.]  Arabic  word  ^SaAriwaif,  which  signifies  iJ/a«- 

This  ark,  says  Jallalo'ddin,  contained  the  quillity   or   security   of  mind,    and   is    so 

images  of  the  prophets,  and  was  sent  down  understood  by  the  commentators,  may  not 

from  heaven  to  x\dam,  and  at  length  came  improbably  mean  the  divine  presence  or 

to  the  Israelites,  who  put  great  confidence  glory,  which  used  to  appear  on  the   ark, 

therein,  and  continually  carried  it  in  the  and  which  the  Jews  express  by  the  same 

front  of  their  army ;  till  it  was  taken  by  word  Shechinah. 

the  Amalekites.  But  on  this  occasion  the  —  The  relics,  &c.]  These  were  the 
angels  brought  it  back,  in  the  sight  of  all  shoes  and  rod  of  Moses,  the  mitre  of 
the  people,  and  placed  it  at  the  feet  of  Aaron,  a  pot  of  manna,  and  (he  broken 
Talut,  who  was  thereupon  unanimously  pieces  of  the  two  tables  of  the  law  2. 
acknowledged  for  their  king.  250  And  they  drank  thereof,  except  a 
This  relation  seems  to  have  arisen  few,  &c.]  The  number  of  those  who 
from  some  imperfect  tradition  of  the  tak-  drank  out  of  their  hands  were  about  31 3  3, 
ing  and  sending  back  the  ark  by  the  It  seems  that  Mohammed  has  here  con- 
Philistines  ^  founded   Saul  with  Gideon,  who,  by  the 

—   Therein   shall  he   tranquillity  from  divine   direction,  took  with  him  against 

your  Lord,~\    That  is,  because  of  the  great  the  Midianites   such  of  his  army  only  as 

confidence  the  Israelites  placed  in  it,  hav-  lapped  water  out   of  their   hands,  which 

ing  won  several  battles  by  its  miraculous  were  300  men  *. 

assistance.     I  imagine,  however,  that  the  —  Jalut.']     Or  Goliath. 

^  1  Sam.  iv.  v.  and  vi.  2  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Idem,  Yahya.  ^  Judges  vii. 


40  ALKORAN.  [chap. 

against  the  unbelieving  people.     ^^^  Therefore  they  dis- 
comfited   them,  by  the  will   of  God,  and  David  slew 
Jalut.     And  God  gave  him  the  kingdom  and  wisdom, 
and  tauglit  him  his  will ;  and  if  God  had  not  prevented 
men,  the  one   by  the  other,  verily  the  earth  had  been 
corrupted  :  but  God  is  beneficent  towards  his  creatures. 
^^^  These  are  the  signs  of  God  :  we  rehearse  them  unto 
thee  with  truth,  and  thou  art  surely  one  of  those  who 
have  been  sent  by  God.    [*III.]  ^^^  These  are  the  apostles; 
we  have  preferred  some  of  them  before  others :  some  of 
them  hath  God  spoken  unto,  and  hath  exalted  the  degree 
of  others  of  them.     And  we  gave  unto  Jesus  the  son  of 
Mary  manifest  aigns,  and  strengthened  him  with  the  Holy 
Spirit.     And  if  God  had  pleased,   they  who  came  after 
those  apostles  would  not  have  contended  among  them- 
selves, after  manifest  signs  had  been  shown  unto  them. 
But  they  fell  to  variance;  therefore  some  of  them  believed, 
and  some  of  them  believed  not;  and  if  God  had  so  pleased, 
they  would  not  have  contended  among  themselves,  but 
God  doth  what  he  will.     ^^^PO  true  believers,  give  alms  of 
that  which  we  have  bestowed  on  you,  before  the   day 
Cometh  wherein    there  shall  be    no  merchandising,  nor 
friendship,  nor  intercession.!    The  infidels  are  unjust  doers. 
^^^  God  !  there  is  no  God  but  he ;  the  living,  the  self-sub- 
sisting ;  neither  slumber  nor  sleep  seizeth  him  ;  to  him 
belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven,  and  on  earth.     Who  is 
he  that  can  intercede  with  him,  but  through  his  good 
pleasure?     He  knoweth  that  which   is   past,  and  that 
which  is  to  come  unto  them,  and  they  shall  not  compre- 
hend any  thing  of  his  knowledge,  but  so  far  as  he  pleaseth. 
His  throne  is  extended  over  heaven  and  earth,  and  the 
preservation  of  both  is  no  burthen  unto  him.     He  is  the 

252  His  will.']     Or  what  he  pleased  to  nificent  description  of  the  divine  majesty 

teach  him.     Yahya  most  rationally  under-  and  providence;  but  it  mustnotbesupposed 

stands  hereby  the  divine  revelations  which  the  translation  comes  up  to  the  dignity  of 

David  received  from  God;  but  Jallalo'ddin,  the  original.     This  passage  is  justly  ad- 

the  art  of  making  coats  of  mail  (which  the  mired  by  the  Mohammedans,  who  recite  it 

Mohammedans  believe  was  that  prophet's  in  their  prayers ;  and  some  of  them  wear 

peculiar  trade),  and  the  knowledge  of  the  it  about  them,  engraved  on  an  agate,  or 

language  of  birds.  other  precious  stone  ^ 

254  Holy  Spirit,]     See   before,   p.   15,         —  His  throne  is  extended  over  heaven 

note  87.  and   earth,  &c.]     This  throne,  in  Arabic 

256  God!  there  is  no  God  but  ?ie,   &c.]  called    Corsi,   is,    by  the  Mohammedans, 

The   following  seven  lines  contain  a  mag-  supposed  to  be  God's  tribunal,  or  seat  of 

1  V.  Bobov,  de  prec.  Moham.  p.  5.  and  Reland,  Dissert,  de  gcmmis  Arab.  p.  235. 239. 


II,]  AL    KORAN.  41 

high,  the  mighty.  ^^^  Let^there  be  no  violence  in  religion. 
Now  is  right  direction  manifestly  distinguished  from  de- 
ceit :  whoever  therefore  shall  deny  Tagut,  and  believe  in 
God,  he  shall  surely  take  hold  on  a  strong  handle,  which 
shall  not  be  broken ;  God  is  he  who  heareth  and  seeth. 
^^^  God  is  the  patron  of  those  who  believe ;  he  shall  lead 
them  out  of  darkness  into  light :  but  as  to  those  who 
believe  not,  their  patrons  are  Tagut;  they  shall  lead 
them  from  the  light  into  darkness;  they  shall  be  the 
companions  of  hell-fire,  they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever. 
^^^  Hast  thou  not  considered  him  who  disputed  with 
Abraham  concerning  his  Lord,  because  God  had  given 
him  the  kingdom  ?  When  Abraham  said.  My  Lord  is 
he  who  giveth  life,  and  killeth :  he  answered,  I  give  life, 
and  I  kill.  Abraham  said.  Verily  God  bringeth  the  sun 
from  the  east,  now  do  thou  bring  it  from  the  west. 
Whereupon  the  infidel  was  confounded ;  for  God  directeth 
not  the  ungodly  people.  ^^^  Or  hast  thou  not  considered 
how  he  behaved  who  passed  by  a  city  which  had.  been 
destroyed,  even  to  her  foundations  ?  He  said.  How  shall 
God  quicken  this  city,  after  she  hath  been  dead  ?  And 
God  caused  him  to  die  for  an  hundred  years,  and  after- 
wards  raised  him  to  life.  And  God  said.  How  long  hast 
thou  tarried  here  ?  He  answered,  a  day,  or  part  of  a 
day.  God  said.  Nay,  thou  hast  tarried  here  an  hundred 
years.  Now  look  on  thy  food  and  thy  drink,  they  are 
not  yet  corrupted ;  and  look  on  thine  ass :  and  this  have 

justice  ;    being  placed    under  that   other  caused  two  men  to  be  brought  before  him 

called  a^^r5^,  which  they  say  is  his  imperial  at  the  same   time,  one  of  whom  he  slew, 

throne.     The  Corsi)  allegorically,  signifies  and   saved    the  other   alive.     As    to    this 

the  divine  providence,  which  sustains  and  tyrant's  persecution  of  Abraham,  see  chap, 

governs  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and  is  21,  and  the  notes  thereon, 
infinitely  above  human  comprehension  ^  260  Hast  thou  not  considered  him  who 

257  Let  there  be  no  violence  in  religion.~\  passed  by  a  city  which  had  been  destroyed f 

This  passage  was  particularly  directed  to  &c.'\     The  person  here  meant  was  Ozair, 

some  of  Mohammed's  first  proselytes,  who  or  Ezra,  who,  riding  on  an  ass  by  the  ruins 

having  sons  that  had  been  brought  up  in  of  Jerusalem,  after  it  had  been  destroyed 

idolatry,  or  Judaism,  would  oblige  them  to  by  the  Chaldeans,  doubted  in  his  mind  by 

embrace  Mohammedism  by  force'.  what  means  God  could  raise  the  city  and 

—  Tdgut.']     This  word  properly    sig-  its    inhabitants    again ;   whereupon    Gorx 

nifies  an  idol,  or  whatever  is  worshipped  caused  him   to  die,  and  he  remained  in 

besides    God  ;  particularly  the   two  idols  that  condition  100  years  ;  at  the  end  of 

of  the  Meccans,  Alldt  and  al  Vzza ;  and  which  God  restored  him   to  life  ;  and   he 

also  the  devil,  or  any  seducer.  found  a  basket  of  figs  and  a  cruse  of  wine, 

259'  Him  tvho  disputed  with  Abraham,  he  had  with  him,  not  in  the  least  spoiled 

&c.]      This    was    Nimrod;    who,    as    the  or   corrupted:  but   his  ass  was  dead,    the 

commentators  say,  to  prove   his  power  of  bones  only  remaining  ;  and  these,   while 

life    and    death   by  ocular  demonstration,  the  prophet    looked  on,  were  raised  and 

*  Vid.  D'Herbeloty  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Corsi.  ^  Jallalo'ddin, 


4^  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

we  done  that  we  might  make  thee  a  sign  unto  men. 
And  look  on  the  bones  of  thine  ass,  how  we  raise  them, 
and  afterwards  clothe  them  with  flesh.  And  when  this 
was  shown  unto  him,  he  said,  I  know  that  God  is  able  to 
do  all  things.  ^^'  And  when  Abraham  said,  O  Lord, 
shew  me  how  thou  wilt  raise  the  dead;  God  said.  Dost 
thou  not  yet  believe?  He  answered.  Yea;  but  I  ask 
this  that  my  heart  may  rest  at  ease.  God  said.  Take 
therefore  four  birds,  and  divide  them ;  then  lay  a  part  of 
them  on  every  mountain  ;  then  call  them,  and  they  shall 
come  swiftly  unto  thee :  and  know  that  God  is  mighty 
and  wise.  ^^^  The  similitude  of  those  who  lay  out  their 
substance  for  advancing  the  religion  of  God,  is  as  a  grain 
of  corn  which  produceth  seven  ears,  and  in  every  ear  an 
hundred  grains  ;  for  God  giveth  two-fold  unto  whom  he 
pleaseth :  God  is  bounteous  and  wise.  ^^^  They  who  lay 
out  their  substance  for  the  religion  of  God,  and  afterwards 
follow  not  what  they  have  so  laid  out  by  reproaches  or 
mischief,  they  shall  have  their  reward  with  their  Lord  ; 
upon  them  shall  no  fear  come,  neither  shall  they  be 
grieved.  ^^*  A  fair  speech,  and  to  forgive,  is  better  than 
alms  followed  by  mischief.  God  is  rich  and  merciful. 
^^^  O  true  believers,  make  not  your  alms  of  none  effect 
by  reproaching,  or  mischief,  as  he  who  layeth  out  what 
he  hath,  to  appear  unto  men  to  give  alms,  and  believeth 
not  in  God  and  the  last  day.  ^^^  The  likeness  of  such  a 
one  is  as  a  flint  covered  with  earth,  on  which  a  violent 

clothed  with  flesh,  becoming  an  ass  again,  Abraham  cut  to  pieces,  and  mingled  their 

which  being  inspired  with  life,  began  im-  flesh  and  feathers  together,  or,  as  some  tell 

mediately  to  bray  ^.  us,  pounded  all  in  a  mortar,  and  dividing 

This  apocryphal  story  may  perhaps  have  the  mass  into  four  parts,  laid  them  on  so 

taken  its  rise  from  Nehemiah's  viewing  of  many   mountains,    but    kept    the   heads, 

the  ruins  of  Jerusalem  2.  which  he  had  preserved  whole,  in  his  hand. 

261    When  Abraham  said,  Lord,  show  Then  he  called  them  each  by  their  name, 

me  how   thou  wilt  raise  the  dead.']     The  and  immediately  one  partflew  to  the  other, 

occasion  of  this  request  of  Abraham  is  said  till  they  all   recovered  their   first  shape, 

to  have  been  on  a  doubt  proposed  to  him  and   then  came    to  be  joined  to  their  re- 

by  the  devil,  in  human  form,  how  it  was  spective  heads  ^ 

possible  for  the  several  parts  of  the  corpse         This  seems  to  be  taken  from  Abraham's 

of  a  man  which  lay  on  the  sea-shore,  and  sacrifice   of  birds   mentioned  by  Moses  ^, 

had  been  partly  devoured  by  the  wild  beasts,  with  some  additional  circumstances, 
the  birds,  and  the  fish,  to  be   brought  to-  263  And  follow  not  alms  by  reproaches 

gether  at  the  resurrection  ^  or  mischief,  &c.]  i.  e.  Either  by  reproach- 

—   Take  four  birds,  and  divide  them.']  ing  the  peison  whom   they  have  relieved, 

These   birds,  according    to  the    commen-  with    what    they    have    done    for    them, 

tators,  were  an  eagle,  (a  dove,  say  others,)  or  by  exposing  his   poverty  to  his  preju- 

a    peacock,  a    raven,  and  a  cock  ;   which  dice  ^. 

1  JalMo'ddin,  Yahtja,  &c.  See  D'Herbcl.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Ozair.  2  Nehem.  ii. 

12,  &c.  ^  See  D'Herbelot,  p.  13.  ^  Jallalo'ddin.     See  D'Herbelot,  ubi  supra. 

5  Gen.  XV,  ^  Jallalo'ddin. 


II.]  AL    KORAN.  4S 

rain  falleth,  and  leaveth  it  hard.     They  cannot  prosper  in 
any  thing  which  they  have  gained,  for  God  directeth  not 
the  unbelieving  people.     And  the  likeness  of  those  who 
lay  out  their  substance  from  a  desire  to  please  God,  and 
for  an  establishment  for  their  souls,  is  as  a  garden  on  a 
hill,  on  which  a  violent  rain  falleth,  and  it  bringeth  forth 
its  fruits  two-fold ;  and,  if  a  violent  rain  falleth  not  on  it, 
yet  the  dew  falleth  thereon :  and  God   seeth  that  which 
ye  do.     ^^^  Doth  any  of  you  desire  to  have  a  garden  of 
palm-trees  and  vines,  through  which  rivers  flow,  wherein 
he  may  have  all  kinds  of  fruits,  and  that  he  may  attain 
to  old  age,  and  have  a  weak  offspring;  then  a  violent 
fiery  wind  shall  strike  it,  so  that  it  shall  be  burned.    Thus 
God    declareth    his    signs   unto    you  that   ye  may  con- 
sider.    ^^^  O    true   believers,    bestow  alms   of  the   good 
things    which   ye  have   gained,  and    of  that  which    we 
have    produced   for  you   out    of  the   earth,    and    choose 
not  the  bad  thereof,  to  give  it  in  alms,  such  as  ye  would 
not  accept  yourselves,  otherwise  than  by  connivance :  and 
know  that  God  is  rich,  and  worthy  to  be  praised.     ^^^  The 
devil  threateneth  you  with  poverty,  and  commandeth  you 
filthy  covetousness :  but  God  promiseth  you  pardon  from 
himself  and  abundance :    God   is   bounteous   and   wise. 
^^^  He  giveth  wisdom  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  he 
unto  whom  wisdom  is  given,  hath  received  much  good : 
but  none  will  consider,  except  the  wise  of  heart.     ^^^  And 
whatever  alms  ye  shall  give,  or  whatever  vow  ye  shall  vow, 
verily  God  knoweth  it ;  but  the  ungodly  shall  have  none 
to  help  them.     ^^^  If  ye  make  your  alms  to  appear,  it  is 
well;  but  if  ye  conceal   them,  and  give  them  unto  the 
poor,  this  will   be  better  for  you,  and  will  atone  for  your 
sins  :  and  God  is   well  informed   of  that  which  ye  do. 
^^^  The  direction  of  them  belongeth  not  unto  thee ;  but 
God  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth.     The  good  that  ye  shall 
give  in  alms  shall  redound  unto  yoursehes;  and  ye  shall 
not  give  unless  out  of  desire  of  seeing  the  face  of  God. 

267  Doihany  of  you  desire  a  garden,  ^c]  some  amends  made  by  the  seller  of  such 
This  garden  is  an  emblem  of  alms  given  goods,  either  by  abatement  of  the  price, 
out  of  hypocrisy,  or  attended  with  re-  or  giving  something  else  to  the  buyer  to 
proaches,  which  perish,  and  will  be  of  no  make  up  the  value. 

service  hereafter  to  the  giver  ^  273   Out    of  desire   of  seeing   the  face 

268  f^y  connivance.']     That  is,  on  having     of  God.]  i.  le.   For  the   sake   of  a  revvard 


JallaUi  ddln. 


44  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

And  what  good  thing  ye  shall  give  in  alms,  it  shall  be 
repaid  you,  and  ye  shall  not  be  treated  unjustly ;  ^^^  unto 
the  poor  who  are  wholly  employed  in  fighting  for  the 
religion  of  God,  and  cannot  go  to  and  fro  in  the  earth ; 
whom  the  ignorant  man  thinketh  rich,  because  of  their 
modesty :  thou  shalt  know  them  by  this  mark,  they  ask 
not  men  with  importunity ;  and  what  good  ye  shall  give 
in  alms,  verily  God  knoweth  it.  ^^^  They  who  distribute 
alms  of  their  substance  night  and  day,  in  private  and  in 
public,  shall  have  their  reward  with  their  Lord  ;  on  them 
shall  no  fear  come,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^^  They 
who  devour  usury  shall  not  arise  from,  the  dead,  but  as 
he  ariseth  whom  Satan  hath  infected  by  a  touch  :  this 
shall  happen  to  them  because  they  say.  Truly  selling  is 
but  as  usury :  and  yet  God  hath  permitted  selling  and 
forbidden  usury.  He  therefore  who,  when  there  cometh 
unto  him  an  admonition  from  his  Lord,  abstaineth  from 
usury  for  the  future,  shall  have  what  is  past  forgiven  him, 
and  his  affair  belongeth  unto  God.  But  whoever  re- 
turneth  to  usury,  they  shall  be  the  companions  of  hell- 
fire,  they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever.  ^^'^  God  shall 
take  his  blessing  from  usury,  and  shall  increase  alms : 
for  God  loveth  no  infidel,  or  ungodly  person.  ^^^But 
they  who  believe,  and  do  that  which  is  right,  and  observe 
the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and  pay  their  legal  alms,  they 
shall  have  their  reward  with  their  Lord  :  there  shall  come 
no  fear  on  them,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^^O 
true  believers,  fear  God,  and  remit  that  which  remaineth 
of  usury,  if  ye  really  believe ;  ^^^  but  if  ye  do  it  not, 
hearken  unto  war,  which  is  declared  against  you  from 
God  and  his  apostle :  yet  if  ye  repent,  ye  shall  have  the 
capital  of  your  money.  Deal  not  unjustly  with  others, 
and  ye  shall  not  be  dealt  with  unjustly.  ^^\  If  there  be 
any  debtor  under  a  difficulty  of  paying  his  debt,  let  his 
creditor  wait  till  it  be  easy  for  him  to  do  it;  but  if 
ye   remit   it  as  alms,  it  will  be    better  for   you,  if  ye 

hereafter,  and  not  for  any  worldly  consi-  279  Remit  what  remaineth  of  usury,'] 
deration  ^  Or  the  interest  due  before  usury  was  pro- 
276  As  he  whom  Satan  hath  infected^  hibited.  For  this  some  of  Mohammed's 
&c.]  viz.  Like  demoniacs  or  possessed  per-  followers  exacted  of  their  debtors,  sup- 
sons,  that  is,  in  great  horror  and  distraction  posing  they  lawfully  might  2. 
of  mind,  and  convulsive  agitation  of  body. 

*  JallaWddin.  ^  Idem. 


IT.]  A  L  K  O  R  A  N.  45 

knew  it.  ^^^And  fear  the  day  wherein  ye  shall  return 
unto  God  ;  then  shall  every  soul  be  paid  what  it  hath 
gained,  and  they  shall  not  be  treated  unjustly.  ^*^  O  true 
believers,  when  ye  bind  yourselves  one  to  the  other  in  a 
debt  for  a  certain  time,  write  it  down ;  and  let  a  writer 
write  between  you  according  to  justice ;  and  let  not  the 
writer  refuse  writing  according  to  what  God  hath  taught 
him ;  but  let  him  write,  and  let  him  who  oweth  the  debt 
dictate,  and  let  him  fear  God  his  Lord,  and  not  diminish 
aught  thereof.  But  if  he  who  oweth  the  debt  "be  foolish, 
or  w^eak,  or  be  not  able  to  dictate  himself,  let  his  agent 
dictate  according  to  equity ;  and  call  to  witness  two  wit- 
nesses of  your  neighbouring  men :  but  if  there  be  not 
two  men,  let  there  be  a  man  and  two  women  of  those 
whom  ye  shall  choose  for  witnesses  :  if  one  of  those  wo- 
men should  mistake,  the  other  of  them  will  cause  her  to 
recollect.  And  the  witnesses  shall  not  refuse,  whenso- 
ever they  shall  be  called.  And  disdain  not  to  write  it 
down,  be  it  a  large  debt,  or  be  it  a  small  one,  until  its 
time  of  payment :  this  will  be  more  just  in  the  sight  of 
God,  and  more  right  for  bearing  witness,  and  more  easy, 
that  ye  may  not  doubt.  But  if  it  be  a  present  bargain, 
which  ye  transact  between  yourselves,  it  shall  be  no  crime 
in  you,  if  ye  write  it  not  down.  And  take  witnesses 
when  ye  sell  one  to  the  other,  and  let  no  harm  be  done 
to  the  writer,  nor  to  the  witness ;  which  if  ye  do,  it  will 
surely  be  injustice  in  you  :  and  fear  God,  and  God  will 
instruct  you,  for  God  knoweth  all  things.  ^^*  And  if  ye 
be  on  a  journey,  and  find  no  writer,  let  pledges  be  taken  : 
but  if  one  of  you  trust  the  other,  let  him  who  is  trusted 
return  what  he  is  trusted  with,  and  fear  God  his  Lord. 
And  conceal  not  the  testimony,  for  he  who  concealeth  it, 
hath  surely  a  wicked  heart :  God  knoweth  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  God's  : 
and  whether  ye  manifest  that  which  is  in  your  minds,  or 
conceal  it,  God  will  call  you  to  account  for  it,  and  will 
forgive  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  will  punish  whom  he 
pleaseth ;  for  God  is  almighty.     ^^^  The  apostle  belie veth 

283  His  agent.l  Whoever  manages  his  affairs,  whether  his  father,  heir,  guardian, 
or  interpreter  ^ 

^  Jallalo'ddin. 


46  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

in  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  him  from  his 
Lord,  and  the  faithful  also.  Every  one  of  them  believeth 
in  God,  and  his  angels,  and  his  scriptures,  and  his  apos- 
tles :  we  make  no  distinction  at  all  between  his  apostles. 
And  they  say.  We  have  heard,  and  do  obey  :  we  implore 
thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  for  unto  thee  must  we  return.  ^^^God 
will  not  force  any  soul  beyond  its  capacity :  it  shall  have 
the  good  which  it  gaineth,  and  it  shall  suffer  the  evil 
which  it  gaineth.  O  Lord,  punish  us  not,  if  we  forget, 
or  act  sinfully :  O  Lord,  lay  not  on  us  a  burthen  like  that 
which  thou  hast  laid  on  those  who  have  been  before  us ; 
neither  make  us,  O  Lord,  to  bear  what  we  have  not 
strength  to  bear,  but  be  favourable  unto  us,  and  spare  us, 
and  be  merciful  unto  us.  Thou  art  our  patron,  help  us 
therefore  against  the  unbelieving  nations. 

286  We  make  no  distinction  between  his  the  commentators  tell  us,  were  ordered  to 
apostles.']  But  this,  say  the  Mohamrae-  kill  a  lamb  by  way  of  atonement,  to  give 
dans,  the  Jews  do,  who  receive  Moses,  one-fourth  of  their  substance  in  alms,  and 
but  reject  Jesus;  and  the  Christians,  who  to  cut  off  an  unclean  ulcerous  part 2,  and 
receive  both  those  prophets,  but  reject  were  forbidden  to  eat  fat,  or  animals  that 
Mohammed  K  divided  not  the  hoof,  and  were  obliged  to 

287  Lay  not  on  us  such  a  burthen,  as  observe  the  sabbath,  and  other  particulars 
fhou  didst  lay  on  those  who  have  been  be-  wherein    the    Mohammedans    are    at    li- 

fore  usJ]     That  is,   on  the  Jews,  who,  as     berty^. 

^  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Idem.  ^    Yahya. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

INTITLED,  THE  FAMILY  OF  IMRAN ;  REVEALED  AT  MEDINA. 

In  the  nanne  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  ^  There  is  no  God  but  God,  the  living,  the 
self-subsisting :  ^  He  hath  sent  down  unto  thee  the  book 
oF  the  Koran  with  truth,  confirming  that  which  was  re- 
vealed before  it ;  for  he  had  formerly  sent  down  the  law, 
and  the  gospel,  a  direction  unto  men  ;  and  he  had  also 
sent  down  the  distinction  between  good  and  eviL  ^Verily 
those  who  believe  not  the  signs  of  God,  shall  suffer  a 
grievous  punishment ;  ^  for  God  is  mighty,  able  to  re- 
venge.    ^  Surely  nothing  is  hidden  from  God,   of  that 

Title — Imrdn.]     This  name    is    given  1.  A.  L.  M.]    For  the  meaning  of  these 

in  the  Koran  to  the  father  of  the  Virgin  letters,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Pre- 
Mary.     See  below,  p.  50.  lim.  Disc.  §  iii. 


III.]  AL   KORAN.  '  47 

which  is  on  earth,  or  in  heaven :  it  is  he  who  formeth 
you  in  the  wombs,  as  he  pleaseth ;  there  is  no  God  but 
he,  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  sent  down 
unto  thee  the  book,  wherein  are  some  verses  clear  to  be 
understood ;  they  are  the  foundation  of  the  book ;  and 
others  are  parabolical.  But  they  whose  hearts  are  per- 
verse will  follow  that  which  is  parabolical  therein,  out  of 
love  of  schism,  and  a  desire  of  the  interpretation  thereof ; 
yet  none  knoweth  the  interpretation  thereof,  except  God. 
But  they  who  are  well  grounded  in  knowledge  say.  We 
believe  therein,  the  whole  is  from  our  Lord  ;  and  none 
will  consider  except  the  prudent.  ^  O  Lord,  cause  not 
our  hearts  to  swerve  from  truth,  after  thou  hast  directed 
us :  and  give  us  from  thee  mercy,  for  thou  art  he  who 
giveth.  ^O  Lord,  thou  shalt  surely  gather  mankind  to- 
gether, unto  a  day  of  resurrection :  there  is  no  doubt  of 
it,  for  God  will  not  be  contrary  to  the  promise.  ^®  As 
for  the  Infidels,  their  wealth  shall  not  profit  them  any 
thing,  nor  their  children,  against  God  :  they  shall  be  the 
fuel  of  hell-fire.  ^^  According  to  the  wont  of  the  people 
of  Pharaoh,  and  of  those  who  went  before  them,  they 
charged  our  signs  with  a  lie ;  but  God  caught  them  in 
their  wickedness,  and  God  is  severe  in  punishing.  ^^  Say 
unto  those  who  believe  not.  Ye  shall  be  overcome,  and 
thrown  together  into  hell ;  an  unhappy  couch  shall  it  be. 
^^  Ye  have  already  had  a  miracle  shewn  you  in  two  armies 
which  attacked  each  other  :  one  army  fought  for  God's 

7   Wherein  are  some  verses  clear  to   he  13     Ye    have    already    had   a    miracle 

understood,   and   others    are  parabolical.~\  shewn  you  in  two  armies,  &c.]     The  sign 

This    passage    is  translated   according  to  or  miracle   here   meant,  was  the   victory 

the  exposition  of  al  Zamakhshari  and  al  gained  by  Mohammed  in  the  second  year 

Beidawi,  which  seems  to  be  the  truest.  of  the  Hejra,  over  the  idolatrous  Meccans, 

The    contents    of  the   Koran   are  here  headed   by  Abu  Sofian,   in   the  valley  of 

distinguished  into  such  passages  as  are  to  Bedr,  which   is  situate   near  the  sea  be- 

be  taken  in  the  literal  sense,  and  such  as  tween  Mecca  and  Medina.     Mohammed's 

require  a  figurative  acceptation.     The  for-  forces    consisted  of  no  more    than   three 

mer  being  plain  and  obvious  to  be  under-  hundred  and  nineteen  men,   but  the  ene- 

stood,  composed  the  fundamental  part,  or,  my's  army  of  near  a   thousand  ;  notwith- 

as  the  original  expresses  it,  the  mother  of  standing  which  odds  he  put  them  to  flight, 

the  book,  and  contain  the  principal  doc-  having  killed  seventy  of  the  principal  Ko- 

trines    and    precepts;  agreeably   to,    and  reish,  and  taken  as  many  prisoners,  with 

consistently   with,  which,   those  passages  the  loss  of  only  fourteen  of  his  own  men  2. 

which   are  wrapt  up  in  metaphors,    and  This  was  the  first  victory  obtained  by  the 

delivered   in    an   enigmatical,    allegorical  prophet ;  and  though  it  may  seem  no  very 

style,  are  always  to  be  interpreted  ^.  considerable   action,   yet  it  was   of  great 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  '  See  Elmacin.  p.  5.     Hottinger.    Hist   Orient. 

1.  2.  c  iv.     Ahulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  66,  &c.     Prideaux^s  Life  of  Moham.  p.  71)  &c. 


48  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

true  religion,  but  the  other  were  infidels ;  they  saw  the 
faithful  twice  as  many  as  themselves  in  their  eye-sight ; 
for  God  strengtheneth  with  his  help  whom  he  pleaseth. 
Surely  herein  was  an  example  unto  men  of  understanding. 
'*  The  love  and  eager  desire  of  wives,  and  children,  and 
sums  heaped  up  of  gold  and  silver,  and  excellent  horses, 
and  cattle,  and  land,  is  prepared  for  men :  this  is  the  pro- 
vision of  the  present  life ;  but  unto  God  shall  be  the  most 
excellent  return.  ^^  Say,  Shall  I  declare  unto  you  better 
things  than  this  ?  For  those  who  are  devout  are  prepar- 
ed, with  their  Lord,  gardens  through  which  rivers  flow ; 
therein  shall  they  continue  for  ever :  and  they  shall  enjoy 
wives  free  from  impurity,  and  the  favour  of  God  ;  for  God 
regardeth  his  servants;  ^^who  say,  O  Lord,  we  do  sin- 
cerely believe;  forgive  us  therefore  our  sins,  and  deliver 
us  from  the  pain  of  hell-fire:  ^^the  patient,  and  the 
lovers  of  truth,  and  the  devout,  and  the  almsgivers,  and 
those  who  ask  pardon  early  in  the  morning.  ^^  God  hath 
borne  witness  that  there  is  no  God  but  he ;  and  the 
angels,  and  those  who  are  endowed  with  wisdom,  profess 
the  same  ;  who  executeth  righteousness ;  there  is  no  God 
but  he ;  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^^  Verily  the  true^^li- 
gion,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  Islam  ;^'^iTTB^y  wS  had 
received  the  scriptures  Hissehted  not  thereironir^until 
after  the  knowledge  of  God's  unity  had  come  unto  tEem, 
out  of  envy  among  themselves  :  but  whosoever  believeth 
not  in  the  signs  of  God,  verily  God  will  be  swift  in 
bringing  him  to  account.     ^^  If  they  dispute  with  thee, 

advantage  to  him,  and  the  foundation  of  dan  troops  seemed  to   the  infidels  to  be 

all   his   future  power  and  success.     For  twice  as  many  in  number  as  themselves, 

which  reason  it  is  famous  in  the  Arabian  which   greatly  discouraged   them.     And, 

history,  and  more  than  once  vaunted  in  3.  God  sent  down  to  their  assistance,  first 

the  Koran  *,   as  an   effect  of  the  divine  a  thousand,  and  afterwards    three  thou- 

assistance.     The  miracle,  it  is  said,  con-  sand  angels,  led  by  Gabriel,  mounted  on 

sisted  in  three  things :   1 .  Mohammed,  by  his  horse  Hiazum ;  and,  according  to  the 

the  direction  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  took  a  Koran  ^  these   celestial  auxiliaries  really 

handful  of  gravel,    and  threw  it  towards  did    all  the   execution,    though    Moham- 

the    enemy  in    the  attack,    saying,    May  med's   men   imagined  themselves    did  it, 

their   faces   be  confounded  ;    whereupon,  and  fought  stoutly  at  the  same  time, 
they  immediately  turned  their  backs  and  19  Isldm~\     The  proper    name  of  the 

fled.     But,  though  the  prophet  seemingly  Mohammedan  religion,  which  signifies  the 

threw  the  gravel  himself,  yet  he  is  told  in  resigning  or  devoting  one's  self  entirely  to 

the  Koran  ^  that  it  was  not  he  but  God  God  and  his  service.     This,  they  say,  is  the 

who  threw  it ;  that  is  to  say,  by  the  mi-  religion  which  all  the  prophets  were  sent  to 

nistry  of  his  angel.     2.  The    Mohamme-  teach,  being  founded  on  the  unity  of  God*. 

1  See  this  chap,  below,  and  chap.  8,  and  32.  ^  Chap.  8,  not  far  from  the   be- 

ginning. ^  Ibid.  *  Jallalo*ddinj  al  Beidawi. 


III.] 


AL    KORAN. 


49 


say,  I  have  resigned  myself  unto  God,  and  he  who  fol- 
loweth  me  doth  the  same :  and  say  unto  them  who  have 
received  the  scriptures,  and  to  the  ignorant,  Do  ye  pro- 
fess the  religion  of  Islam  ?  Now,  if  they  embrace  Islam, 
they  are  surely  directed  ;  but  if  they  turn  their  backs, 
verily  unto  thee  belongeth  preaching  only ;  for  God  re- 
gardeth  his  servants.  ^^  And  unto  those  who  believe  not 
in  the  signs  of  God,  and  slay  the  prophets  without  a 
cause,  and  put  those  men  to  death  who  teach  justice ; 
denounce  unto  them  a  painful  punishment.  ^^  These  are 
they  whose  works  perish  in  this  world,  and  in  that  which 
is  to  come;  and  they  shall  have  none  to  help  them. 
^^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  unto  whom  part  of  the 
scripture  was  given  ?  They  were  called  unto  the  book  of 
God,  that  it  might  judge  between  them ;  then  some  of 
them  turned  their  backs,  and  retired  afar  off.  ^^This 
they  did  because  they  said.  The  fire  of  hell  shall  by  no 
means  touch  us,  but  for  a  certain  number  of  days :  and 


20  The  ignorant.']  i.  e.  The  pagan 
Arabs,  who  had  no  knowledge  of  the  scrip- 
tures ^. 

23  Those  unto  whom  part  of  the  scrip- 
ture was  given.]     That  is,  the  Jews. 

—  They  zvere  called  unto  the  book  of 
God,  &c.]  This  passage  was  revealed  on 
occasion  of  a  dispute  Mohammed  had  with 
some  Jews,  which  is  differently  related  by 
the  commentators. 

Al  Beidawi  says,  that,  Mohammed  going 
one  day  into  a  Jewish  synagogue,  Nairn 
Ebn  Amru  an  Al  Hareth  Ebn  Zeid  asked 
him'what  religion  he  was  of?  To  which 
he  answering,  Of  the  religion  of  Abra- 
ham ;  they  replied,  Abraham  was  a  Jew  ; 
but,  on  Mohammed's  proposing  that  the 
Pentateuch  might  decide  the  question, 
they  would  by  no  means  agree  to  it. 

But  Jallalo'ddin  tells  us,  that  two  per- 
sons of  the  Jewish  religion  having  com- 
mitted adultery,  their  punishment  was 
referred  to  Mohammed,  who  gave  sen- 
tence that  they  should  be  stoned,  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  Moses.  This  the  Jews 
refused  to  submit  to,  alleging  there  was 
no  such  command  in  the  Pentateuch  ;  but, 
on  Mohammed's  appealing  to  the  book, 
the  said  law  was  found  therein.  Where- 
upon the  criminals  were  stoned,  to  the 
great  mortification  of  the  Jews. 


It  is  very  remarkable  that  this  law  of 
Moses  concerning  the  stoning  of  adul- 
terers is  mentioned  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment 2,  (though  I  know  some  dispute  the 
authenticity  of  that  whole  passage,)  but  it 
is  not  now  to  be  found,  either  in  the  He- 
brew or  Samaritan  Pentateuch,  or  in  the 
Septuagint;  it  being  only  said  that  such 
shall  be  put  to  death  ^.  This  omission  is 
insisted  on  by  the  Mohammedans  as  one 
instance  of  the  corruption  of  the  law  of 
Moses  by  the  Jews. 

It  is  also  observable  that  there  was  a 
verse  once  extant  in  the  Koran,  command- 
ing adulterers  to  be  stoned;  and  the  com- 
mentators say  the  words  only  are  abro- 
gated, the  sense  or  law  still  remaining  in 
force  *. 

24  A  certain  number  of  days,]  i.  e. 
Forty,  the  time  their  forefathers  wor- 
shipped the  calf  ^  A\  Beidawi  adds,  that 
some  of  them  pretended  their  punishment 
was  to  last  but  seven  days,  that  is,  a  day 
for  every  thousand  years  which  they  sup- 
posed the  world  was  to  endure ;  and  that 
they  imagined  they  were  to  be  so  mildly 
dealt  with,  either  by  reason  of  the  inter- 
cession of  their  fathers  the  prophets,  or 
because  God  had  promised  Jacob,  that 
his  offspring  should  be  punished  but 
slightly. 


^  Jallalo'ddin,  al  Beidawi,  ^  John  viii.  5.  ^  Lev.  xx.  10. 

Essay  towards  restoring  the  true  Text  of  the  Old  Test.  p.  99,  100. 
Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  «  ggg  before,  p.  13,  Note  80. 

VOL,  I.  E 


See  Whisto7i's 
*  See  the 


^0  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

that  which  they  had  falsely  devised,  hath  deceived  them 
in  their  religion.     ^^  How  then  will  it  be  with  them,  when 
we  shall  gather  them  together  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
of  which  there  is  no  doubt ;  and  every  soul  shall  be  paid 
that  which  it  hath  gained,  neither  shall  they  be  treated 
unjustly  ?     ^^  Say,  O  God,  who  possessest  the  kingdom  ; 
thou  givest  the  kingdom  unto  whom  thou  wilt,  and  thou 
takest  away  the  kingdom  from  whom  thou  wilt :  Thou 
exaltest  whom  thou  wilt,  and  thou  humblest  whom  thou 
wilt.     In  thy  hand  is  good,  for  thou  art  almighty.     ^^  Thou 
makest  the  night  to  succeed  the  day :  thou  bringest  forth 
the  living  out  of  the  dead,  and  thou  bringest  forth  the 
dead  out  of  the  living ;  and  providest  food  for  whom  thou 
wilt,  without  measure.     ^^  Let  not  the  faithful  take  the 
infidels  for  their  protectors,  rather  than  the  faithful :  he 
who  doth  this,  shall  not  be  protected  of  God  at  all ;  un- 
less you  fear  any  danger  from  them  ;  but  God  warneth 
you  to  beware  of  himself;  for  unto  God  must  ye  return. 
^^  Say,  Whether  ye  conceal  that  which  is  in  your  breasts, 
or  whether  ye  declare  it,  God  knoweth  it;  for  he  knoweth 
whatever  is  in  heaven,  and  whatever  is  on  earth ;  God  is 
almighty.     ^^  On  the   last  day  every  soul  shall  find  the 
good  which  it  hath  wrought,  present ;  and  the  evil  which 
it  hath  wrought,  it  shall  wish  that  between  itself  and  that 
were  a  wide  distance :  but  God  warneth  you  to  beware  of 
himself;   for  God  is  gracious  unto  his  servants.     ^^  Say,  if 
ye  love  God,  follow  me :  then  God   shall  love  you,  and 
forgive  you  your  sins ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful. 
^^  Say,   Obey  God,  and  his  apostle:  but  if  ye  go  back, 
verily  God    loveth    not    the    unbelievers.      ^^God    hath 
surely  chosen  Adam  and  Noah,  and  the  family  of  Abra- 
ham, and  the  family  of  Imran,    above  the  rest  of  the 

25  How  will  it  he  with  them,  &c.]  The  33  Imrdn,^^  or  Amran,  is  the  name  of 
Mohammedans  have  a  tradition,  that  the  two  several  persons,  according  to  the  Mo- 
first  banner  of  the  infidels  that  shall  be  hammedan  tradition.  One  was  the  father 
set  up,  on  the  day  of  judgment,  will  be  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  and  the  other  was 
that  of  the  Jews  ;  and  that  God  will  first  the  father  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ^  ;  but  he  is 
reproach  them  with  their  wickedness,  called,  by  some  Christian  writers,  Joachim, 
over  the  heads  of  those  who  are  present,  The  commentators  suppose  the  first,  or 
and  then  order  them  to  hell  ^  rather  both  of  them,  to  be  meant  in   this 

27   Thou  bringest  forth    the   living  out  place ;  however,  the    person    intended    in 

of  the  dead,  and  the  dead  out  of  the  living.']  the    next  passage,    it    is    agreed   was   the 

As  a  man  from  seed,  and  a  bird  from  an  latter ;  who,  besides  Mary,  the  mother  of 

G^^  ;  and  vice  versa  2.  Jesus,  had  also  a  son,  named  Aaron  *,  and 

^  Al  Beiddwi,         ^  Jallalo'ddin.         ^  Al  Zamakhshari,  al  Beiddwi,         *  Koran,  c.  19. 


III.] 


AL     KORAN. 


51 


world;  ^*a  race  descending  the  one  from  the  other: 
God  is  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^  Remember 
when  the  wife  of  Imran  said.  Lord,  verily  I  have  vowed 
unto  thee  that  which  is  in  my  womb,  to  be  dedicated 
to  thy  service:  accept  it  therefore  of  me;  for  thou  art 
he  who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^And  when  she  was 
delivered  of  it,  she  said.  Lord,  verily  I  have  brought 
forth  a  female,  (and  God  well  knew  what  she  had  brought 
forth,)  and  a  male  is  not  as  a  female:  I  have  called 
her  Mary  ;  and  I  commend  her  to  thy  protection,  and 
also  her  issue,  against  Satan  driven  away  with  stones. 


a  sister,  named  Isha,  (or  Elizabeth,)  who 
married  Zacharias,  and  was  the  mother  of 
John  the  Baptist :  whence  that  prophet 
and  Jesus  are  usually  called  by  the  Mo- 
hammedans, The  two  sons  of  the  aunt, 
or  the  cousin-germans. 

From  the  identity  of  names,  it  has  been 
generally  imagined  by  Christian  writers  ^ 
that  the  Koran  here  confounds  Mary,  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  with  Mary,  or  Miriam,  the 
sister  of  Moses  and  Aaron,  which  intolerable 
anachronism,  if  it  were  certain,  is  sufficient 
of  itself  to  destroy  the  pretended  authority 
of  this  book.  But  though  Mohammed  may 
be  supposed  to  have  been  ignorant  enough 
in  ancient  history  and  chronology,  to  have 
committed  so  gross  a  blunder  ;  yet  I  do 
not  see  how  it  can  be  made  out  from  the 
words  of  the  Koran.  For  it  does  not  fol- 
low, because  two  persons  have  the  same 
name,  and  have  each  a  father  and  brother 
who  bear  the  same  names,  that  they  must 
therefore  necessarily  be  the  same  person  : 
besides,  such  a  mistake  is  inconsistent  with 
a  number  of  other  places  in  the  Koran, 
whereby  it  manifestly  appears,  that  Mo- 
bammed  well  knew,  and  asserted,  that 
Moses  preceded  Jesus  several  ages.  And 
the  commentators  accordingly  fail  not  to 
tell  us,  that  there  had  passed  about  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  years  between 
Amran,  the  father  of  Moses,  and  Amran, 
the  father  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  They  also 
make  them  the  sons  of  different  persons  : 
the  first,  they  say,  was  the  son  of  Yeshar, 
or  Izhar,  (though  he  was  really  his  bro- 
ther 2,)  the  son  of  Kahath,  the  son  of 
Levi ;  and  the  other  was  the  son  of  Ma- 
than  3,  whose  genealogy  they  trace,  but  in 


a  very  corrupt  and  imperfect  manner,  up 
to  David,  and  thence  to  Adam*. 

It  must  be  observed,  that  though  the 
Virgin  Mary  is  called,  in  the  Koran  ^,  the 
sister  of  Aaron,  yet  she  is  nowhere  called 
the  sister  of  Moses  :  however  some  Mo- 
hammedan writers  have  imagined,  that 
the  same  individual  Mary,  the  sister  of 
Moses,  was  miraculously  preserved  alive 
from  his  time  till  that  of  Jesus  Christ, 
purposely  to  become  the  mother  of  the 
latter  ^. 

35  The  wife  of  Imrdn.~\  The  Imran 
here  mentioned,  was  the  father  of  the 
Virgin  Mary ;  and  his  wife's  name  was 
Hannah,  or  Ann,  the  daughter  of  Fakudh. 
This  woman,  say  the  commentators,  being 
aged  and  barren,  on  seeing  a  bird  feed  her 
young  ones,  became  very  desirous  of  issue, 
and  begged  a  child  of  God,  promising  to 
consecrate  it  to  his  service  in  the  temple  : 
whereupon  she  had  a  child,  but  it  proved 
a  daughter  7. 

—  Dedicated  to  thy  service.']  The  Arabic 
word  is,  literally,  free,  but  here  signifies 
particularly  one  that  is  free  or  detached 
from  all  worldly  desires  and  occupations, 
and  wholly  devoted  to  God's  service  ^. 

36  A  male  is  not  as  a  female.]  Because 
a  fem.ale  could  not  minister  in  the  temple, 
as  a  male  could  ^. 

—  Satan  driven  away  with  stones,]  This 
expression  alludes  to  a  tradition,  that 
Abraham,  when  the  deyil  tempted  him  to 
disobey  God  in  not  sacrificing  his  son, 
drove  the  fiend  away  by  throwing  stones 
at  him  ;  in  memory  of  which  the  Moham- 
medans, at  the  pilgrimage  of  Mecca,  throw 
a  certain  number  of  stones   at  the  devil. 


1  V.  Reland.  de  rel.  Moham.  p.  211.  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  115,  &c.  Prideaux,  Letter 
to  the  Deists,  p.  185.  2  Exod.  vi.  18.  ^  ji  Zamakh.  al  BeiddwL  *  V.  Reland. 
ubi  sup.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  583.  &  chap.  19.  ^  V.  Guadagnol.  Apolog. 
pro  rel.  Christ,  contra  Ahmed  Ebn  Zein  al  Abedin.  p.  279.  '  Al  Beiddwi,  al  Thalabi, 
^  Jallalo*ddin,  al  Zamakhshari.         ^  Jallalo'ddin. 

E  2  • 


52 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


^'^  Therefore  the  Lord  accepted  her  with  a  gracious 
acceptance,  and  caused  her  to  bear  an  excellent  off- 
spring. And  Zacharias  took  care  of  the  child.  When- 
ever Zacharias  went  into  the  chamber  to  her,  he 
found  provisions  with  her:  and  he  said,  O  Mary,  whence 
hadst  thou  this?  She  answered,  This  is  from  God: 
for  God  provideth  for  whom  he  pleaseth  without  mea- 
sure. ^^  There  Zacharias  called  on  his  Lord,  and  said, 
Lord,  give  me  from  thee  a  good  offspring,  for  thou  art  the 
hearer  of  prayer.  ^^  And  the  angels  called  to  him,  while 
he  stood  praying  in  the  chamber,  saying.  Verily  God  pro- 
miseth  thee  a  son  named  John,  who  shall  bear  witness  to 
the  Word  which  cometh  from  God  ;  an  honourable  person, 
chaste,  and  one  of  the  righteous  prophets.  ^^  He  an- 
swered. Lord,  how  shall  I  have  a  son,  when  old  age  hath 
overtaken  me,  and  my  wife  is  barren  ?     The  angel  said, 


with  certain  ceremonies,  in  the  valley  of 
Mina  ^ 

It  is  not  improbable  that  the  pretended 
immaculate  conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
is  intimated  in  this  passage.  For,  accord- 
ing to  a  tradition  of  Mohammed,  every 
person  that  comes  into  the  world,  is 
touched  at  his  birth  by  the  devil,  and 
therefore  cries  out,  Mary  and  her  son  only 
excepted ;  between  whom  and  the  evil 
spirit,  God  placed  a  veil,  so  that  his  touch 
did  not  reach  them  ^.  And  for  this  rea- 
son they  say,  neither  of  them  were  guilty 
of  any  sin,  like  the  rest  of  the  children  of 
Adam  ^ ;  which  peculiar  grace  they  ob- 
tained by  virtue  of  this  recommendation 
of  them  by  Hannah  to  God's  protection. 

37  The  Lord  accepted  her,  &c.]  Though 
the  child  happened  not  to  be  a  male,  yet 
her  mother  presented  her  to  the  priests 
who  had  the  care  of  the  temple,  as  one 
dedicated  to  God  ;  and,  they  having  re- 
ceived her,  she  was  committed  to  the  care 
of  Zacharias,  as  will  be  observed  by-and- 
by,  and  he  built  her  an  apartment  in  the 
temple,  and  supplied  her  with  necessa- 
ries *. 

—  Whenever  Zacharias  wetit  into  the 
chamber,  he  found  provisions  with  her,  &c.] 
The  commentators  say  that  none  went 
into  Mary's  apartment  but  Zacharias  him- 
self, and  that  he  locked  seven  doors  upon 
her  ;  yet  he  found  she  had  always  winter- 


fruits   in   summer,  and  summer-fruits  in 
winter  ^. 

—  Without  measure,']  There  is  a  story 
of  Fatima,  Mohammed's  daughter,  that 
she  once  brought  two  loaves  and  a  piece 
of  flesh  to  her  father,  who  returned  them 
to  her,  and  having  called  for  her  again, 
when  she  uncovered  the  dish,  it  was  full  of 
bread  and  meat;  and,  on  Mohammed's 
asking  her  whence  she  had  it?  she  an- 
swered in  the  words  of  this  passage.  This 
is  from  God  ;  for  God  provideth  for  whom 
he  pleaseth  without  measure.  Whereupon 
he  blessed  God,  who  thus  favoured  her,  as 
he  had  the  most  excellent  of  the  daughters 
of  Israel^. 

39  The  angels."]  Though  the  word  be  in 
the  plural,  yet  the  commentators  say,  it  was 
the  angel  Gabriel  only.  The  same  is  to  be 
understood  where  it  occurs  in  the  following 
passages. 

—  The  Word.]  That  is,  Jesus  ;  who, 
al  Beidawi  says,  is  so  called,  because  he 
was  conceived  by  the  word  or  command 
of  God,  without  a  father. 

—  Chaste.]  The  original  word  signi- 
fies one  who  refrains  not  only  from  women, 
but  from  all  other  worldly  delights  and 
desires.  Al  Beidawi  mentions  a  tradition, 
that,  during  his  childhood,  some  boys  in- 
vited him  to  play,  but  he  refused,  saying, 
that  he  was  not  created  to  play. 

40  When  old  age  hath  overtaken  me,  &c.] 


*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  J allalo' ddin,  al  Beidawi.  ^  Kitada.  ^  Jallalo'ddin, 
al  Beiddwi.  V.  Lud.  de  Dieu,  in  not.  ad  Hist.  Christi  Xaverii,  p.  642.  *  /ll  Beiddwi. 
y.  de  Bieuy  ubi  sup.  p.  548.         ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


in.]  AL     KORAN.  53 

So  God  doth  that  which  he  pleaseth.  *^  Zacharias  an- 
swered, Lord,  give  me  a  sign.  The  angel  said,  Thy  sign 
shall  be,  that  thou  shalt  speak  unto  no  man  for  three 
days,  otherwise  than  by  gesture  :  remember  thy  Lord 
often,  and  praise  him  evening  and  morning.  ^^  And  then 
the  angels  said,  O  Mary,  verily  God  hath  chosen  thee, 
and  hath  purified  thee,  and  hath  chosen  thee  above  all 
the  women  of  the  world  :  ^^  O  Mary,  be  devout  towards 
thy  Lord,  and  worship,  and  bow  down  with  those  who 
bow  down.  ^*  This  is  a  secret  history :  we  reveal  it  unto 
thee,  although  thou  wast  not  present  with  them  when 
they  threw  in  their  rods  to  cast  lots  which  of  them  should 
have  the  education  of  Mary;  neither  wast  thou  with 
them,  when  they  strove  among  themselves.  ^^  When 
the  angels  said,  O  Mary,  verily  God  sendeth  thee  g;og^ 
tidings,  that  thou  shalt  bear  the  Word,  proceeding  from 
himself;  his  name  shall  beGHRiCT  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary, 
honourable  in  this  world  and  in  the  world  to  come,  and 
one  of  those  who  approach  near  to  the  presence  of  GoDj'^ 
*^  and  he  shall  speak  unto  men  in  the  cradle,  and  when  he 

Zacharias  was  then  ninety-nine  years  old,  eipate,  a  Mohammedan  writer,  of  no  very 

and  his  wife  eighty-nine  ^  great  credit  indeed,  tells  two  stories,  one 

41    Thou  shalt   speak  unto  no  man  for  of  Jesus's  speaking  while  in  his  mother's 

three  days.']     Though  he  could  not  speak  womb,  to   reprove  her   cousin  Joseph  for 

to  any   body  else,  yet  his  tongue  was  at  his  unjust  suspicions  of  her  *,  and  another 

liberty  to  praise  God;  as  he  is  directed  to  of  his  giving  an  answer  to  the  same  person 

do  by  the  following  words.  soon  after  he  was  born.     For  Joseph  being 

44   When  they  threw  in  their  rods,   &c.]  sent  by  Zacharias  to  seek  Mary,  (who  had 

When  Mary  was  first  brought  to  the  tern-  gone   out  of  the   city  by  night  to  conceal 

pie,  the  priests,  because  she  was  the  daugh  •  her  delivery,)  and  having  found  her,  be- 

ter  of  one  of  their  chiefs,  disputed  among  gan  to  expostulate  with  her,  but  she  made 

themselves  who  should  have  the  education  no  reply,  whereupon  the  child  spoke  these 

of  her.     Zacharias  insisted  that  he  ought  words:  Rejoice,  O  Joseph,  and  be  of  good 

to  be  preferred,  because  he  had  married  cheer ;  for   God    hath    brought  me   forth 

her  aunt ;  but,   the  others  not  consenting  from   the  darkness    of  the    womb  to  the 

that  it  should  be  so,  they  agreed  to  decide  light  of  the  world  ;  and  I  shall  go  to  the 

the  matter  by  casting  of  lots  :  whereupon  children  of  Israel,  and  invite  them  to  the 

twenty-seven  of  them  went   to  the  river  obedience  of  God  ^. 

Jordan,  and  threw  in  their  rods,  (or  arrows  These  seem  all  to  have  been  taken  from 

without  heads   or   feathers,   such   as    the  some   fabulous    traditions   of   the  eastern 

Arabs    used   for  the    same   purpose,)    on  Christians,  one   of  which  is  preserved  to 

which   they  had  written  some  passages  of  us  in  the  spurious  gospel  of  the  Infancy  of 

the  law  ;  but  they  all  sunk,  except  that  of  Christ  ;  where  we  read  that  Jesus  spoke 

Zacharias,  which  floated    on   the  water  ;  while   yet  in  the  cradle,  and  said  to  his 

and  he  had  thereupon  the  care  of  the  child  mother,  Verily  I   am  Jesus    the   Son   of 

committed  to  him  2.  God,   the  Word  which  thou  hast  brought 

46  He  shall  speak  unto  men  in  the  cradle."]  forth,  as  the  angel  Gabriel  did  declare  unto 

Besides  an   instance  of  this  given  in  the  thee  ;  and  my  Father  hath  sent  me  to  save 

Koran  itself  3,  which  I  shall  not  here  anti-  the  world  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem,  Jallalo'' ddin^  &c.  ^  Chap.  19.  *  V.  Sikii  notas  in 

Evang.  Infant,  p.  5.         ^  Al  Kessai,  apud  eundem.         ^  Evang.  Infant,  p.  5, 


54  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

is  grown  up ;  and  he  shall  be  one  of  the  righteous  ;  ^^  she 
answered.  Lord,  how  shall  I  have  a  son,  since  a  man  hath 
not  touched  me  ?  The  angel  said,  So  God  createth  that 
which  he  pleaseth :  when  he  decreeth  a  thing,  he  only 
saith  unto  it.  Be,  and  it  is :  ^^  God  shall  teach  him  the 
scripture  and  wisdom,  and  the  law  and  the  gospel ;  and 
shall  appoint  him  his  apostle  to  the  children  of  Israel  ; 
and  he  shall  say,  Verily  I  come  unto  you  with  a  sign  from 
your  Lord  ;  for  I  will  make  before  you,  of  clay,  as  it 
were  the  figure  of  a  bird;  then  I  will  breathe  thereon,  and 
it  shall  become  a  bird,  by  the  permission  of  God  :  and  I 
will  heal  him  that  hath  been  blind  from  his  birth ;  and  the 
leper;  and  I  will  raise  the  dead  by  the  permission  of 
God:  and  I  will  prophesy  unto  you  what  ye  eat,  and 
what  ye  lay  up  for  store  in  your  houses.  Verily  herein 
will  be  a  sign  unto  you,  if  ye  believe.  ^^  And  I  come  to 
confirm  the  Law  which  was  revealed  before  me,  and  to 
allow  unto  you,  as  lawful,  part  of  that  which  hath  been 
forbidden  you :  and  I  come  unto  you  with  a  sign  from  your 

—  And  when  he  is  grown  upJ]     The  Jesus,    whom    they    held    to    be   a   sor- 

Arabic  word  properly  signifies  a   man  in  cerer*. 

full  age,  that  is,  between  thirty  or  thirty-  —  By   the  permission    of  God.']      The 

four  and  fifty-one  ;  and  the  passage  may  commentators  observe  that  these  words  are 

relate  to  Christ's  preaching  here  on  earth,  added  here,  and  in  the  next  sentence,  lest 

But,  as   he  had  scarce  attained  this  age  it  should  be  thought  Jesus  did  these  mira- 

when  he  was  taken  up  into  heaven,  the  cles  by  his  own  power,  or  was  GoD^ 

commentators  choose  to   understand  it  of  —  I  will  raise  the  dead,   &c.]     Jalla- 

his  second  coming ^  lo'ddin    mentions    three    persons    whom 

48  I  will  make  the  figure  of  a  bird,  8ic.~\  Christ  restored   to    life,  and  who    lived 

Some  say  it  was  a  bat 2,  though  others  sup-  several  years  after,  and  had  children  ;  viz. 

pose  Jesus  made  several  birds  of  different  Lazarus,  the  widow's  son,   and  the  publi- 

sorts^.  can's  (I  suppose  he  means  the  ruler  of  the 

This  circumstance  is  also  taken  from  the  synagogue's)  daughter.     He  addsj  that  he 

following  fabulous  tradition,  which  may  be  also  raised   Shem,  the  son  of  Noah,  who, 

found  in   the  spurious  gospel  above-men-  as  another  writes  ^,  thinking  he  had  been 

tioned.     Jesus  being  seven  years  old,  and  called  to  judgment,  came  out  of  his  grave 

at  play  with  several  children  of  his  age,  with  his  head  half  grey,  whereas  men  did 

they   made   several  figures   of  birds   and  not  grow  grey  in  his  days  ;  after  which  he 

beasts,   for  their  diversion,  of  clay  ;  and,  immediately  died  again, 

each    preferring   his    own    workmanship,  49  And  to  allow  you  part  of  that  which 

Jesus  told  them,  that  he  would  make  his  hath    been  forbidden  you.]     Such  as   the 

walk  and  leap ;  which  accordingly,  at  his  eating  of  fish  that  have  neither  fins  nor 

command,  they  did.     He  made  also  several  scales,  the   caul  and   fat  of  animals,  and 

figures  of  sparrows,  and  other  birds,  which  camel's  flesh,  and  to  work  on  the  sabbath, 

flew  about  or  stood  on  his  hands  as  he  These  things,  say  the  commentators,  being 

ordered  them,  and  also  ate  and  drank  when  arbitrary  institutions  in  the  law  of  Moses, 

he    offered   them  meat  and   drink.     The  were  abrogated  by  Jesus  ;  as  several  of 

children    telling    this    to    their    parents,  the   same   kind  instituted  by  the  latter, 

were  forbidden  to  play   any   more   with  have  been  since  abrogated  by  Mohammed*^. 

*  Jallalo' ddifi ,  al  Beiddwi.  ^  JaUalo'' ddin.  ^  Al  Thalabi.         *  Evang.  Infant, 

p.  Ill,  &c.  Jl  Beiddwi,  &c.         ^  ji  Thalabi.         ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


III.] 


AL     KORAN, 


55 


Lord  ;  therefore  fear  God,  and  obey  me :  ^^  Verily  God 
is  my  Lord,  and  your  Lord  :  therefore  serve  him.  This 
is  the  right  way.  ^^  But  when  Jesus  perceived  their  un- 
belief, he  said,  Who  will  be  my  helpers  towards  God  ? 
The  apostles  answered,  We  will  be  the  helpers  of  God  ; 
we  believe  in  God,  and  do  thou  bear  witness  that  we  are 
true  believers.  ^^  O  Lord,  we  believe  in  that  which  thou 
hast  sent  down,  and  we  have  followed  thy  apostle  ;  write 
us  down  therefore  with  those  who  bear  witness  of  him. 
^^  And  the  Jews  devised  a  stratagem  against  him ;  but 
God   devised  a  stratagem  against  them ;  and  God  is  the 


51  The  apostles^  In  Arabic,  al  Ha- 
wdriyiin  ;  which  word  they  derive  from 
Hdra,  to  he  wJiite^  and  suppose  the  apos- 
tles were  so  called,  either  from  the  can- 
dour and  sincerity  of  their  minds,  or  be- 
cause they  were  princes,  and  wore  white 
garments,  or  else  because  they  w^ere  by 
trade  fullers  ^  According  to  which  last 
opinion,  their  vocation  is  thus  related : 
That,  as  Jesus  passed  by  the  sea-side,  he 
saw  some  fullers  at  work,  and  accosting 
them,  said.  Ye  cleanse  these  clothes,  but 
cleanse  not  your  hearts ;  upon  which  they 
believed  on  him.  But  the  true  etymology 
seems  to  be  from  the  Ethiopic  verb 
Hawyra,  to  go;  whence  Hawdiya  sig- 
nifies one  that  is  sentf  a  messenger  or  apos- 
tle 2. 

53  The  Jews  devised  a  stratagem  against 
him.']  i.  e.  They  laid  a  design  to  take 
away  his  life. 

—  But  God  devised  a  stratagem  against 
them.]  This  stratagem  of  God's  was  the 
taking  of  Jesus  up  into  heaven,  and 
stamping  his  likeness  on  another  person, 
who  was  apprehended  and  crucified  in  his 
stead.  For  it  is  the  constant  doctrine  of 
the  Mohammedans,  that  it  was  not  Jesus 
himself  who  underwent  that  ignominious 
death,  but  somebody  else  in  his  shape  and 
resemblance  ^.  The  person  crucified  some 
will  have  to  be  a  spy  that  was  sent  to 
entrap  him  ;  others  that  it  was  one  Titian, 
who,  by  the  direction  of  Judas,  entered 
in  at  a  window  of  the  house  where  Jesus 
was,  to  kill  him ;  and  others  that  it  was 
Judas  himself,  who  agreed  with  the  rulers 
of  the  Jews  to  betray  him  for  thirty  pieces 


of  silver,  and  led  those  who  were  sent  to 
take  him. 

They  add,  that  Jesus,  after  his  cruci- 
fixion in  effigy,  was  sent  down  again  to 
the  earth,  to  comfort  his  mother  and  dis- 
ciples, and  acquaint  them  how  the  Jews 
were  deceived ;  and  was  then  taken  up  a 
second  time  into  heaven  *. 

It  is  supposed  by  several  that  this  story 
was  an  original  invention  of  Mohammed's  ; 
but  they  are  certainly  mistaken  ;  for  seve- 
ral sectaries  held  the  same  opinion  long 
before  his  time.  The  Basilidians  ^,  in  the 
very  beginning  of  Christianity,  denied 
that  Christ  himself  suffered,  but  that 
Simon  the  Cyrenean  was  crucified  in  his 
place.  The  Cerinthians  before  them,  and 
the  Carpocratians  next,  (to  name  no  more 
of  those  who  affirmed  Jesus  to  have  been 
a  mere  man,)  did  believe  the  same  thing ; 
that  it  was  not  himself,  but  one  of  his 
followers,  very  like  him,  that  was  cruci- 
fied. Photius  tells  us,  that  he  read  a 
book,  entitled  the  Journeys  of  the  Apos- 
tles, relating  the  acts  of  Peter,  John,  An- 
drew, Thomas,  and  Paul;  and,  among 
other  things  contained  therein,  this  was 
one,  that  Christ  was  not  crucified,  but 
another  in  his  stead,  and  that  therefore 
he  laughed  at  his  crucifiers  ^,  or  those  who 
thought  they  had  crucified  him  ^. 

I  have  in  another  place  ^  mentioned  an 
apocryphal  gospel  of  Barnabas,  a  forgery 
originally  of  some  nominal  Christians,  but 
interpolated  since  by  Mohammedans,  which 
gives  this  part  of  the  history  of  Jesus 
with  circumstances  too  curious  to  be  omit- 
ted.    It  is  therein  related,   that  the  mo- 


*  Jl  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  y.  Ludolfi  Lexic.  ^Ethiop.  col.  40.  et  Golii  notas 

ad  cap.  61.  Korani,  c.  14.  ^  gee  Koran,  c.  4.  *  V.  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  113, 

&c.  et  in  Prodr.  part.  3.  p.  63,  &c.  ^  Ireficeus,  1.  1.  c.  23,  &c.     Epiphan.  Haeres. 

24.  num.  3.  ^  Photius,  Bibl.  Cod.  114.  col.  291.  "^   Toland's  Nazarenus, 

p.  17,  &c.  8  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  88. 


56 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


best  deviser  of  stratagems.     ^^  When  God  said,  O  Jesus, 
verilj^I  wil^  thee  to  die,  and  I  will  take  thee  lipr 

unto  me,  and  I  will  deliver  thee  from  the  unbelievers  f 
and  I  will  place  those  who  follow  thee  above  the  unbe- 
lievers until  the  day  of  resurrection :  then  unto  me  shall 
ye  return,  and  I  will  judge  between  you  of  that  con cera- 
ihg  which  ye  disagree.  ^^  Moreover  as  for  the  infidels,  I 
will   punish  them  with  a  grievous  punishment    in    this 


ment  the  Jews  were  going  to  apprehend 
Jesus  in  the  garden,  he  was  snatched  up 
into  the  third  heaven,  by  the  ministry  of 
four  angels,  Gabriel,  Michael,  Raphael, 
and  Uriel ;  that  he  will  not  die  till  the 
end  of  the  world  ;  and  that  it  was  Judas 
who  was  crucified  in  his  stead  ;  God  hav- 
ing permitted  that  traitor  to  appear  so 
like  his  master,  in  the  eyes  of  the  Jews, 
that  they  took  and  delivered  him  to  Pi- 
late. That  this  resemblance  was  so  great, 
that  it  deceived  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the 
apostles  themselves;  butthat  Jesus  Christ 
afterwards  obtained  leave  of  God  to  go 
and  comfort  them.  That  Barnabas  hav- 
ing then  asked  him,  why  the  divine  good- 
ness had  suffered  the  mother  and  disciples 
of  so  holy  a  prophet  to  believe  even  for 
one  moment  that  he  had  died  in  so  igno- 
minious a  manner?  Jesus  returned  the 
following  answer  :  *'  O  Barnabas,  believe 
me  that  every  sin,  how  small  soever,  is 
punished  by  God  with  great  torment,  be- 
cause God  is  offended  with  sin.  My 
mother,  therefore,  and  faithful  disciples, 
having  loved  me  with  a  mixture  of  earthly 
love,  the  just  God  has  been  pleased  to 
punish  this  love  with  their  present  grief, 
that  they  might  not  be  punished  for  it 
hereafter  in  the  flames  of  hell.  And  as 
for  me,  though  1  have  myself  been  blame- 
less in  the  world,  yet  other  men  having 
called  me  God,  and  the  son  of  God; 
therefore  God,  that  I  might  not  be  mocked 
by  the  devils  at  the  day  of  judgment,  has 
been  pleased  that  in  this  world  I  should 
be  mocked  by  men  with  the  death  of 
Judas,  making  every  body  believe  that  I 
died  upon  the  cross.  And  hence  it  is  that 
this  mocking  is  still  to  continue  till  the 
coming  of  Mohammed,  the  messenger  of 
God  ;  who,  coming  into  the  world,  will 
undeceive  every  one  who  shall  believe  in 
thelaw  of  God,  from  this  mistake  ^ 
\5^  I  will  cause   thee  to  die^   &c.]     It 


is  the  opinion  of  a  great  many  Moham- 
medans, that  Jesus  was  taken  up  into 
heaven  without  dying ;  which  opinion  is 
consonant  to  what  is  delivered  in  the  spu- 
rious gospel  above  mentioned.  Vv^here- 
fore  several  of  the  commentators  say,  that 
there  is  a  hysteron  proteron  in  these 
words,  I  will  cause  thee  to  die,  and  1  will 
take  thee  up  unto  me ;  and  that  the  co- 
pulative does  not  import  order,  or  that  he 
died  before  his  assumption  ;  the  meaning 
being  this,  viz.  that  God  would  first  take 
Jesus  up  to  heaven,  and  deliver  him  from 
the  infidels,  and  afterwards  cause  him  to 
die ;  which  they  suppose  is  to  happen 
when  he  shall  return  into  the  world  again 
before  the  last  day  2.  Some,  thinking  the 
order  of  the  words  is  not  to  be  changed, 
interpret  them  figuratively,  and  suppose 
their  signification  to  be,  that  Jesus  was 
lifted  up  while  he  was  asleep,  or  that 
God  caused  him  to  die  a  spiritual  death 
to  all  worldly  desires.  But  others  ac- 
knowledge that  he  actually  died  a  natural 
death,  and  continued  in  that  state  three 
hours,  or,  according  to  another  tradition, 
seven  hours  ;  after  which  he  was  restored 
to  life,  and  then  taken  up  to  heaven  3. 

—  And  I  will  take  thee  up  unto  me.] 
Some  Mohammedans  say  this  was  done 
by  the  ministry  of  Gabriel  ;  but  others 
that  a  strong  whirlwind  took  him  up  from 
mount  Olivet*. 

—  /  will  place  those  who  follow  thee 
above  the  unbelievers,  until  the  day  of  re- 
surrection.] That  is,  they  who  believe 
in  Jesus  (among  whom  the  Mohamme- 
dans reckon  themselves)  shall  be  for  ever 
superior  to  the  Jews,  both  in  arguments 
and  in  arms.  And  accordingly,  says  al 
Beidawi,  to  this  very  day  the  Jews  have 
never  prevailed  either  against  the  Chris- 
tians or  Moslems,  nor  have  they  any  king- 
dom or  established  government  of  their 
own. 


^  See  the  Menagiana,  torn.  iv.  p.  326,  &c.  ^  Sgg  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  95. 

3  Jl  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Thalahi.     See  2  Kings  ii.  1.  U. 


III.]  AL     KORAN.  57 

world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come ;  and  there  shall  be 
none  to  help  them.  ^^But  they  who  believe,  and  do  that 
which  is  right,  he  shall  give  them  their  reward ;  for  God 
loveth  not  the  wicked  doers.  ^^  These  signs  and  this 
prudent  admonition  do  we  rehearse  unto  thee.  ^^  Verily 
the  likeness  of  Jesus,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  as  the  like- 
ness of  Adam  :  he  created  him  out  of  the  dust,  and  then 
said  unto  him,  Be  :  and  he  was.  ^^  This  is  the  truth  from 
thy  Lord  ;  be  not  therefore  one  of  those  who  doubt : 
^^  and  whoever  shall  dispute  with  thee  concerning  Him, 
after  the  knowledge  which  hath  been  given  thee,  say 
unto  them.  Come,  let  us  call  together  our  sons,  and  your 
sons,  and  our  wives,  and  your  wives,  and  ourselves  and 
yourselves :  then  let  us  make  imprecations,  and  lay  the 
curse  of  God  on  those  who  lie.  ^^  Verily  this  is  a  true 
history:  and  there  is  no  God,  but  God  ;  and  God  is  most 
mighty  and  wise.  ^^  If  they  turn  back,  God  well  knoweth 
the  evil-doers.  ^^  Say,  O  ye  who  have  received  the  scri^-^ 
ture,  come  to  a  just  determination  between  us  and  you ; 
that  we  worship  not  any  except  God,  and  associate  no 
creature  with  him  ;  and  that  the  one  of  us  take  not  the 
other  for  lords,  beside  God.  But,  if  they  turn  back,  say, 
Bear  witness  that  we  are  true  believers.  ^^  O  ye  to  whom 
the  scriptures  have  been  given,  why  do  ye  dispute  concern- 
ing Abraham,  since  the  Law  and  the  Gospel  were  not  sent 
down  until  after  him?     Do  ye  not  therefore  understand? 

58  Jesus  in  the  sight  of  God  is  as  his  prayers.  But,  when  they  saw  him 
Adam,  &c.]  He  was  like  to  Adam  in  kneel  down,  their  resolution  failed  them, 
respect  of  his  miraculous  production  by  and  they  durst  not  venture  to  curse  him, 
the  immediate  power  of  God  ^  but  submitted  to  pay  him  tribute  '^. 

59  Him.']     Namely,  Jesus.  63  Let  us  come  to  a  just  determination 

60  Let  us  call  together  our  sons,    &c.  between  us  and  you,  &c.]    That  is,  to  such 
and  imprecate  the  curse  of  God  on  those  terms    of  agreement    as  are   indisputably 
who    lie.]     To   explain    this   passage  the  consonant  to  the  doctrine  of  all  the  pro 
commentators   tell    the    following    story  :  phets  and  scriptures,  and  therefore  cannot 
That  some    Christians,  with  their  bishop,  be  reasonably  rejected  3. 

named  Abu   Hareth,  coming  to  Moham-         —  Jnd  that  the  one  of  us  take  not  the 

med  as  ambassadors  from  the  inhabitants  other  for  lords,  &c.]   Besides  other  charges 

of  Najran,   and    entering  into  some  dis-  of  idolatry  on   the  Jews  and   Christians, 

putes  with  him  touching  religion  and  the  Mohammed  accused  them  of  paying  too 

history  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  agreed  the  implicit  an  obedience  to  their  priests  and 

next  morning  to  abide  the  trial  here  men-  monks,  who  took  upon  them  to  pronounce 

tioned,  as  a  quick  way  of  deciding  which  wliat  things  were  lawful,  and  what  un- 

of  them  were  in  the  wrong.     Mohammed  lawful,  and  to  dispense  with  the  laws  of 

met  them  accordingly,  accompanied  by  his  God  *. 

daughter  Fatima,  his  son-in-law  AH,  and         64   Why  do  ye  dispute  concerning  J bra- 

his  two   grandsons,    Hasan   and   Hosein,  ham.]     Viz.   By  pretending  him   to  have 

and  desired  them  to  wait  till  he  had  said  been  of  your  religion. 


Jallafoddin,  &c.  2  Jallalo'ddin,  at  BiidduL  ^  Idem,         *  Jallah'ddin. 


58  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  Behold  ye  are  they  who  dispute  concerning  that  which  ye 
have  some  knowledge  in ;  why  therefore  do  ye  dispute  con- 
cerning that  which  ye  have  no  knowledge  of?  God  knoweth, 
but  ye  know  not.  ^^  Abraham  was  neither  a  Jew,  nor  a 
Christian;  but  he  was  of  the  true  religion,  one  resigned 
unto  God,  and  was  not  of  the  number  of  the  idolaters. 
^^  Verily  the  men  who  are  the  nearest  of  kin  unto  Abra- 
ham, are  they  who  follow  him ;  and  this  prophet,  and 
they  who  believe  on  him :  God  is  the  patron  of  the  faith- 
ful. ^^  Some  of  those  who  have  received  the  scriptures 
desire  to  seduce  you ;  but  they  seduce  themselves  only, 
and  they  perceive  it  not.  ^^  O  ye  who  have  received  tlie^ 
scriptures,  why  do  ye  not  believe  in  the  signs  of  God, 
since  ye  are  witnesses  of  them  ?  ^^  O  ye  who  have  re-^ 
ceived  the  scriptures,  why  do  ye  clothe  truth  with  vanity, 
and  knowingly  hide  the  truth  ?^  ^^  And  some  of  those  to 
whom  the  scriptures  were  given,  say.  Believe  in  that 
which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  those  who  believe,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  day;  and  deny  it  in  the  end  thereof; 
that  they  may  go  back  from  their  faith  :  ^^  and  believe 
him  only  who  foUoweth  your  religion.  Say,  Verily  the 
true  direction  is  the  direction  of  God,  that  there  may  be 
given  unto  some  other  a  revelation  like  unto  what  hath 
been  given  unto  you.     Will  they  dispute  with  you  before 

65     Ye  dispute   concerning   that  which  to   explain  this   passage,  say,   that  Caab 

ye  have  some  knowledge  in ;  why  therefore  Ebn   al    Ashraf  and    Malec   Ebn  al  Seif 

do  ye   dispute  concerning  that   which   ye  (two  Jews  of  Medina)  advised  their  com- 

have    no    knowledge   off]     i.e.  Ye    per-  panions,  when  the  Keblah  was  changed '% 

versely    dispute    even    concerning    those  to  make   as  if  they  believed  it  was  done 

things  which  ye  find  in  the  Law  and  the  by  the  divine  direction,  and  to  pray  to- 

Gospel,   whereby   it    appears,    that    they  wards    the   Caaba  in  the  morning ;    but 

were   both   sent  down   long  after    Abra-  that  in  the  evening  they  should  pray,  as 

ham's  time  ;  why   then  will    ye  offer  to  formerly,   towards  the  temple  of  Jerusa- 

dispute  concerning  such  points  of  Abra-  lem  ;    that    Mohammed's    followers,  ima- 

ham's  religion,  of  which  your  scriptures  gining    the    Jews   were    better  judges  of 

say  nothing,  and  of  which  ye  consequently  this  matter  than  themselves,  might  imi- 

can  have  no  knowledge  ^  tate  their  example.     But  others  say,  these 

68  Some  of  those  to  whom  the  scriptures  were  certain  Jewish  priests  of  Khaibar, 

were  given  seek  to  seduce  you,  &c.]     This  who  directed  some  of  their  people  to  pre- 

passage  was  revealed  when  the   Jews  en-  tend  in  the  morning  that  they  had  em- 

deavoured   to  pervert  Hodheifa,  Ammar,  braced   Mohammedism  ;  but,  in  the  close 

and  Moadh,  to  their  religion  ^.  of  the  day,  to  say,  that  they  had  looked 

70  Why  do  ye  clothe  truth  with  vanity,  into  their  books  of  scripture,  and  con- 
and  knowingly  hide  the  truth  ?~\  The  Jews  suited  their  Rabbins,  and  could  not  find 
and  Christians  are  again  accused  of  cor-  that  Mohammed  was  the  person  described 
rupting  the  scriptures,  and  stifling  the  and  intended  in  the  law;  by  which  trick 
prophecies  concerning  Mohammed.  they  hoped  to  raise  doubts  in  the  minds 

71  Go  back,  &c.~\     The  commentators,  of  the  Mohammedans  "*. 

1  Al  Bciddwi,  ^  Idem.  ^  ^ce  before,  c.  ii.  p.  22.  *  Jl  Beiddwi. 


III.]  AL     KORAN.  59 

your  Lord  ?  Say,  Surely  excellence  is  in  the  hand  of 
God  ;  he  giveth  it  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  God  is  boun- 
teous and  wise ;  ^^  he  will  confer  peculiar  mercy  on  whom 
he  pleaseth ;  for  God  is  endued  with  great  beneficence. 
^^  There  is  of  those  who  have  received  the  scriptures, 
unto  whom  if  thou  trust  a  talent,  he  will  restore  it  unto 
thee  ;  and  there  is  also  of  them,  unto  whom  if  thou  trust 
a  dinar,  he  will  not  restore  it  unto  thee,  unless  thou  stand 
over  him  continually  with  great  urgency.  This  they  do, 
because  they  say.  We  are  not  obliged  to  observe  justice 
with  the  Heathen :  but  they  utter  a  lie  against  God 
knowingly.  ^^  Yea,  whoso  keepeth  his  covenant,  and 
feareth  God,  God  surely  loveth  those  who  fear  him.  ^^But 
they  who  make  merchandise  of  God's  covenant,  and  of 
their  oaths,  for  a  small  price,  shall  have  no  portion  in  the 
next  life ;  neither  shall  God  speak  to  them,  or  regard 
them,  on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  nor  shall  he  cleanse 
them  ;  but  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment.  ^'^And 
there  are  certainly  some  of  them  who  read  the  scriptures 
perversely,  that  ye  may  think  what  they  read  to  be  really 
in  the  scriptures,  yet  it  is  not  in  the  scripture ;  and  they 

74  There  is  of  those  who  have  received  slain  in  that  battle,  and  reflecting  very 
the  scriptures,  unto  whom  if  thou  trust  a  severely  on  Mohammed  ;  and  he  after- 
talent,  he  will  restore  z7.]  As  an  instance  wards  returned  to  Medina,  and  had  the 
of  this,  the  commentators  bring  Abd'allah  boldness  to  repeat  them  publicly  there 
Ebn  Salam,  a  Jew,  very  intimate  with  also  ;  at  which  Mohammed  was  so  ex- 
Mohammed  *,  to  whom  one  of  the  Koreish  ceedingly  provoked,  that  he  proscribed 
lent  1200  ounces  of  gold,  which  he  very  him  ;  and  sent  a  party  of  men  to  kill  him, 
punctually  repaid  at  the  time  appoint-  and  he  was  circumvented  and  slain  by 
ed  2.  Mohammed    Ebn    Moslema   in  the  third 

—  There  is  also  of  them  unto  whom  if  year  of  the   Hejra^.     Dr.  Prideaux  *  has 

thou  trust  a  dinar,  he  will  not  restore  it,  confounded  the  Caab  we  are  now  speaking 

&c.]      Al   Beidawi   produces  an  example  of,  with  another  very  different  person  of 

of  such  a  piece  of  injustice  in  one  Phineas  the  same  name,  and  a  famous  poet,  but 

Ebn  Azura,  a  Jew,  who  borrowed  a  dinar,  who  was  the  son  of  Zohair,  and  no  Jew  ; 

which  is  a  gold  coin  worth  about  ten  shil-  as  a  learned  gentleman  has  already  ob- 

lings,  of  a  Koreishite,  and  afterwards  had  served  ^.     In  consequence  of  which   mis- 

the  conscience  to  deny  it.  take,  the  doctor  attributes  what  the  Ara- 

But  the  person  more  directly  struck  at  bian   historians  write  of  the  latter  to  the 

in  this  passage,  was  the  above  mentioned  former,  and  wrongly  affirms  that  he  was 

Caab    Ebn  al   Ashraf,  a  most  inveterate  not  put  to  death  by  Mohammed, 
enemy  of  Mohammed,  and  his  religion,  of         Some   of  the   commentators,    however, 

whom  Jallalo'ddin  relates  the  same  story  suppose  that,   in  the  former  part  of  this 

as  al  Beidawi  does  of  Phineas.  This  Caab,  passage,  the  Christians  are  intended,  who, 

after  the  battle  of  Bedr,  went  to  Mecca,  they  say,    are  generally  people    of  some 

and  there,   to  excite  the   Koreish  to    re-  honour  and  justice  ;  and,  in  the  latter  part, 

venge  themselves,  made  and  recited  verses,  the  Jews,  who,  they  think,  are  more  given 

lamenting  the  death  of  those   who  were  to  cheating  and  dishonesty  ^. 


*  See  Prideaux's  Life  of  Moham.  p.  33.  2  ji  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  ^  J I 

Jannabi,  Elmacin.  ^  Life  of  Moham.  p.  78,  &c.  ^   y,  Qagnier,  in  Not.  ad  AbuU 

fed,  Vit.  Moh.  p.  64  and  122.  6  ^/  Beiddwi. 


60  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

say,  This  is  from  God  ;  but  it  is  not  from  God  :  and  they 
speak  that  which  is  false  concerning  God,  against  their 
own  knowledge.  ^^  It  is  not  fit  for  a  man,  that  God 
should  give  him  a  book  of  revelations,  and  wisdom,  and 
prophecy  ;  and  then  he  should  say  unto  men.  Be  ye  wor- 
shippers of  me,  besides  God  :  but  he  ought  to  say,  Be  ye 
perfect  in  knowledge,  and  in  works,  since  ye  know  the 
scriptures,  and  exercise  yourselves  therein.  ^^  God  hath 
not  commanded  you  to  take  the  angels  and  the  prophets 
for  your  Lords :  Will  he  command  you  to  become  infi- 
dels, after  ye  have  been  true  believers  ?  ^^  And  remem- 
ber when  God  accepted  the  covenant  of  the  prophets, 
saying.  This  verily  is  the  scripture  and  the  wisdom  which 
I  have  given  you :  hereafter  shall  an  apostle  come  unto 
you,  confirming  the  truth  of  that  scripture  which  is  with 
you ;  ye  shall  surely  believe  on  him,  and  ye  shall  assist 
him.  God  said.  Are  ye  firmly  resolved,  and  do  ye  accept 
my  covenant  on  this  condition?  They  answered.  We 
are  firmly  resolved.  God  said.  Be  ye  therefore  wit- 
nesses ;  and  I  also  bear  witness  with  you :  ^^  and  whoso- 
ever turneth  back  after  this,  they  are  surely  the  trans- 
gressors. ^^  Do  they  therefore  seek  any  other  religion 
but  God's?  since  to  him  is  resigned  whosoever  is  in 
heaven  or  on  earth,  voluntarily,  or  of  force :  and  to  him 
shall  they  return.  ®^  Say,  We  believe  in  God,  and  that 
which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  us,  and  that  which  was 
sent  down  unto  Abraham,  and  Ismael,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  the  tribes,  and  that  which  was  delivered  to 
Moses,  and  Jesus,  and  the  prophets,  from  their  Lord  ; 
we  make  no  distinction  between  any  of  them ;  and  to  him 
are  we  resigned.  ^*  Whoever  followeth  any  other  reli- 
gion than  Islam,  it  shall  not  Be  accepted  of  him :  and  in 

78  It  is  7iot  fit  for  a  marii  &c.]     This  the  prophets,    &c.]     Some   commentators 

passage  was  revealed,   say  the  commenta-  interpret   this  of  the   children    of  Israel 

tors,  in  answer  to  the  Christians,  who  in-  themselves,  of  whose  race    the  prophets 

sisted  that  Jesus  had  commanded  them  to  were.     But  others  say,  the  souls  of  all  the 

worship  him  as  God.     A1   Beidawi  adds,  prophets,  even  of  those  who  were  not  then 

that  two  Christians,   named  Abu  Rafe  al  born,  were  present  on  Mount  Sinai  when 

Koradhi  and  al  Seyid  al  Najrani,  offered  God  gave  the  law  to  Moses,  and  that  they 

to  acknowledge  Mohammed  for  their  Lord  entered  into  the  covenant  here  mentioned 

and    to  worship   him  ;  to    which    he  an-  with  him.     A  story  borrowed  by  Moham  • 

swered,  God   forbid  that  we  should  wor-  med   from  the  Talmudists,  and  therefore 

ship  any  besides  God.  most  probably   his  true  meaning  in  this 

80   When  God  accepted  the  covenant  of  place. 


III.]  A  L     KORAN.  61 

the  next  life  he  shall  be  of  those  who  perish,  ^^  How 
shall  God  dir^  who  have   become  infidels  after 

they  had  believed,  and  borne  witness  that  the  apostle  was 
true,  and  manifest  declarations  of  the  divine  will  had 
come  unto  them?  for  God  directeth  not  the  ungodly 
people.  ^^  Their  reward  shall  be,  that  on  them  shall  fall 
the  curse  of  God,  and  of  angels,  and  of  all  mankind : 
^^  they  shall  remain  under  the  same  for  ever  :  their  tor- 
ment shall  not  be  mitigated,  neither  shall  they  be  re- 
garded ;  ^^  except  those  who  repent  after  this,  and  amend ; 
for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  Moreover  they  who 
become  infidels  after  they  have  believed,  and  yet  increase 
in  infidelity,  their  repentance  shall  in  no  wise  be  ac- 
cepted ;  and  they  are  those  who  go  astray.  ^^  Verily 
they  who  believe  not,  and  die  in  their  unbelief,  the  w^orld 
full  of  gold  shall  in  no  wise  be  accepted  from  any  of 
them,  even  though  he  should  give  it  for  his  ransom :  they 
shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment,  ^^  and  they  shall  have 
none  to  help  them.  [*IV.]  ^^  Ye  will  never  attain  unto 
righteousness,  until  ye  give  in  alms  of  that  which  ye 
love:  and  whatever  ye  give,  God  knoweth  it.  ^^All 
food  was  permitted  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  except 
what  Israel  forbade  unto  himself,  before  the  Pentateuch 
was  sent  down.  Say  unto  the  Jews,  Bring  hither  the 
Pentateuch,  and  read  it,  if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^  Whoever 
therefore  contriveth  a  lie  against  God  after  this,  they  will 
be  evil-doers.     ^^  Say,  God  is  true;  follow  ye  therefore 

84  Those  who  perish.']  See  before,  ch.  ii.  with  the  sciatica,   that,  if  he  were  cured, 

p.  10  and  IL  Note  62.  he  would  eat  no  more  of  that  meat  which 

93    All  food   was  permitted   unto    the  he  liked  best ;  and  that  was  camel's  flesh  : 

children  of  Israel,  except  what  Israel  for-  but  others  supposed  he  abstained  from  it 

lade   unto  himself]      This   passage    was  by  the  advice  of  physicians  only  2. 

revealed  on  the  Jews    reproaching    Mo-  This  exposition  seems  to  be  taken  from 

hammed    and    his    followers    with    their  the  children  of  Israel's  not  eating  of  the 

eating  of  the  flesh  and  milk  of  camels  ^  sinew  on  the  hollow  of  the  thigh,  because 

which  they  said  was  forbidden  Abraham,  the  angel  with  whom  Jacob  wrestled  at 

whose  religion  Mohammed  pretended  to  Peniel,  touched  the  hollow  of  his  thigh  in 

follow.    In  answer  to  vi^hich  he  tells  them,  the  sinew  that  shrank  3. 

that  God  ordained  no  distinction  of  meats  —  Before    the    Pentateuch    was    sent 

before  he  gave  the  law  to  Moses,  though  down."]      Wherein  the  Israelites,  because 

Jacob  voluntarily  abstained  from  the  flesh  of   their    wickedness     and    perverseness, 

and  milk  of  camels;  which  some  commen-  were    forbidden    to    eat    certain    animals 

tators  say,  was  the  consequence  of  a  vow  which    had    been    allowed    their    prede- 

made   by  that   Patriarch,   when   afflicted  cessors  *. 


*   See  Lev.  xi.  4.     Deut.  xiv.  7-         ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.      ^  Gen.  xxxii.  32. 
*  Kordn,  c.  4.     See  the  notes  there. 


62 


AL     KORAN. 


[chap. 


the  religion  of  Abraham  the  orthodox ;  for  he  was  no 
idolater.  ^®  Verily  the  first  house  appointed  unto  men  to 
worship  in  was  that  which  is  in  Becca  ;  blessed,  and  a 
direction  to  all  creatures.  ^^  Therein  are  manifest  signs  : 
the  place  where  Abraham  stood  ;  and  whoever  entereth 
therein,  shall  be  safe.  And  it  is  a  duty  towards  God, 
incumbent  on  those  who  are  able  to  go  thither,  to  visit 
this  house  :  but  whosoever  disbelieveth,  verily  God  need- 
eth  not  the  service  of  any  creature.  ^^  Say,  O  ye  who 
have  received  the  scriptures,  why  do  ye  not  believe  in  the 
signs  of  God  ?  ^^  Say,  O  ye  who  have  received  the  scrip- 
tures, why  do  ye  keep  back,  from  the  way  of  God,  him 
who  believeth  ?  Ye  seek  to  make  it  crooked,  and  yet 
are  witnesses  that  it  is  the  right :  but  God  will  not  be 
unmindful  of  what  ye  do.  ^^°  O  true  believers,  if  ye  obey 
some  of  those  who  have  received  the  scripture,  they  will 


96  The  first  house  appointed  unto  men, 
was  that  which  is  in  BeccaJ]  Mohammed 
received  this  passage,  when  the  Jews  said 
that  their  Keblah,  or  the  temple  of  Jeru- 
salem, was  more  ancient  than  that  of  the 
Mohammedans,  or  the  Caaba  ^  Becca  is 
another  name  of  Mecca  2.  Al  Beidawi 
observes  that  the  Arabs  used  the  M  and  B 
promiscuously  in  several  words. 

—  A  direction  to  all  creatures.']  i.  e.  the 
Keblah,  towards  which  they  are  to  turn 
their  faces  in  prayer. 

97  Therein  are  manifest  signs.]  Such 
as  the  stone  wherein  they  show  the  print 
of  Abraham's  feet,  and  the  inviolable 
security  of  the  place,  immediately  men- 
tioned ;  that  the  birds  light  not  on  the 
roof  of  the  Caaba,  and  wild  beasts  put  off 
their  fierceness  there  ;  that  none  who  came 
against  it  in  a  hostile  manner  ever  pros- 
pered 3,  as  appeared  particularly  in  the 
unfortunate  expedition  of  Abraha  al  Ash- 
ram *  ;  and  other  fables  of  the  same  stamp, 
which  the  Mohammedans  are  taught  to 
believe. 

—  Those  who  are  able  to  go  thither.] 
According  to  an  exposition  of  this  passage, 
attributed  to  Mohammed,  he  is  supposed 
to  be  able  to  perform  the  pilgrimage  who 
can  supply  himself  with  provisions  for  the 
journey,  and  a  beast  to  ride  upon.  Al 
Shafei  has  decided  that  those  who  have 
money  enough,  if  they  cannot  go  them- 
selves, must  hire  some  other  to  go  in  their 
room.     Malec  Ebn  Ans  thinks  he  is  to  be 


reckoned  able,  who  is  strong  and  healthy, 
and  can  bear  the  fatigue  of  the  journey  on 
foot,  if  he  has  no  beast  to  ride,  and  can 
also  earn  his  living  by  the  way.  But 
Abu  Hanifa  is  of  opinion,  that  both  money 
sufficient,  and  health  of  body,  are  requisite 
to  make  the  pilgrimage  a  duty  ^. 

100  If  ye  obey  some  of  those  who  have 
received  the  scripture,  &c.]  This  passage 
was  revealed  on  occasion  of  a  quarrel 
excited  between  the  tribes  of  al  Aws  and 
al  Khazraj,  by  one  Shas  Ebn  Kais,  a 
Jew ;  who  passing  by  some  of  both  tribes 
as  they  were  sitting  and  discoursing  fami- 
liarly together,  and  being  inwardly  vexed 
at  the  friendship  and  harmony  which 
reigned  among  them  on  their  embracing 
Mohammedism,  whereas  they  had  been, 
for  120  years  before,  most  inveterate  and 
mortal  enemies,  though  descendants  of  two 
brothers ;  in  order  to  set  them  at  variance, 
sent  a  young  man  to  sit  down  by  them, 
directing  him  to  relate  the  story  of  the 
battle  of  Boath  (a  place  near  Medina,) 
wherein,  after  a  bloody  fight,  al  Aws  had 
the  better  of  al  Khazraj,  and  to  repeat 
some  verses  on  that  subject.  The  young 
man  executed  his  orders;  whereupon  those* 
of  each  tribe  began  to  magnify  them- 
selves, and  to  reflect  on  and  irritate  the 
other,  till,  at  length,  they  called  to  arms : 
and,  great  numbers  getting  together  on 
each  side,  a  dangerous  battle  had  ensued, 
if  Mohammed  had  not  stepped  in  and 
reconciled  them;  by  representing  to  them 


^  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo' ddin.  2  gge  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  4.  ^  Jallalo'ddin, 

A I  Beidawi.  *  Seethe  Koran,  c.  105.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

1 


III.]  A  L     KORAN.  63 

render  you  infidels,  after  ye  have  believed  :  ^^^  and  how 
can  ye  be  infidels,  when  the  signs  of  God  are  read  unto 
you,  and  his  apostle  is  among  you  ?  But  he  who  cleav- 
eth  firmly  unto  God,  is  already  directed  into  the  right 
way.  ^^^  O  believers,  fear  God  with  his  true  fear ;  and 
die  not,  unless  ye  also  be  true  believers.  ^^^  And  cleave 
all  of  you  unto  the  covenant  of  God,  and  depart  not 
from  it ;  and  remember  the  favour  of  God  towards  you : 
since  ye  were  enemies,  and  he  reconciled  your  hearts,  and 
ye  became  companions  and  brethren  by  his  favour :  and 
ye  were  on  the  brink  of  a  pit  of  fire,  and  he  delivered 
you  thence.  Thus  God  declareth  unto  you  his  signs,  that 
ye  may  be  directed.  ^^*  Let  there  be  people  among  you, 
who  invite  to  the  best  religion ;  and  command  that  which 
is  just,  and  forbid  that  which  is  evil ;  and  they  shall  be 
happy.  ^^^And  be  not  as  they  who  are  divided,  and 
disagree  in  matters  of  religion,  after  manifest  proofs  have 
been  brought  unto  them  :  they  shall  suffer  a  great  tor- 
ment. ^^^  On  the  day  of  resurrection  some  faces  shall  be- 
come white,  and  other  faces  shall  become  black.  And  unto 
them  whose  faces  shall  become  black,  God  will  say.  Have 
ye  returned  unto  your  unbelief,  after  ye  had  believed? 
therefore  taste  the  punishment,  for  that  ye  have  been 
unbelievers :  ^^^  but  they  whose  faces  shall  become  white, 
shall  be  in  the  mercy  of  God  ;  therein  shall  they  remain 
for  ever.  ^^^  These  are  the  signs  of  God  :  we  recite  them 
unto  thee  with  truth.  God  will  not  deal  unjustly  with 
his  creatures.  ^^^  And  to  God  belongeth  whatever  is 
in  heaven  and  on  earth;  and  to  God  shall  all  things 
return.  "^  Ye  are  the  best  nation  that  hath  been  raised 
up  unto  mankmHTj^comn^^^^ 

how  much  they  would  be  to  blame,  if  they  as  holding  by  a  rope  is  to  prevent  one's 

returned  to  Paganism,  and  revived  those  falling    into   a  well,  or    other  like  place, 

animosities  which    Islam   had  composed,  It    is    said     that     Mohammed   used,    for 

and   telling   them,    that    what   had   hap-  the  same  reason,   to  call  the  Koran  Habl 

pened  was  a  trick  of  the  devil,  to  disturb  Allah    al  mating    i.  e.     The   sure   cord  of 

their  present  tranquillity  ^  God  2. 

103  Cleave  unto  the  covenant   of  God,         105  And  he  not  as  those  who  are  di^ 

&c.]     Literally,  Hold  fast  by  the  cord  of  vided,  &c.]    i.  e.  As  the  Jews  and  Christ- 

God.     That  is,  Secure  yourselves  by  ad-  ians,  who  dispute  concerning  the  unity  of 

hering   to   Islam,   which    is    here   meta-  God,  the  future  state,  &c.3 
phorically  expressed  by  a   cord,  because  106  On  the  daij  of  resurrection,  the  faces 

it  is   as   sure   a   means   of    saving  those  of  some  shall  become  white,  &c.]     Seethe 

who  profess  it  from  perishing  hereafter,  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  j^jeni.  »   Idem. 


64  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

ye  forbid  that  which^is^  unjust,  and  ye  believe  in j3rod. 
And,  if  they  who  have  received  the  scriptures  had 
believed,  it  had  surely  been  the  better  for  them  :  there 
are  believers  among  them,  but  the  greater  part  of  them 
are  transgressors.  ^^^  They  shall  not  hurt  you,  unless 
vrith  a  slight  hurt ;  and,  if  they  fight  against  you,  they 
shall  turn  their  backs  to  you  ;  and  they  shall  not  be 
helped.  ^^^  They  are  smitten  with  vileness,  wheresoever 
they  are  found,  unless  they  obtain  security  by  entering 
into  a  treaty  with  God,  and  a  treaty  with  men :  and  they 
draw  on  themselves  indignation  from  God,  and  they  are 
afflicted  with  poverty.  This  they  suffer,  because  they 
disbelieved  the  signs  of  God,  and  slew  the  prophets 
unjustly ;  this,  because  they  were  rebellious,  and  trans- 
gressed. ^^^  Yet  they  are  not  all  alike  :  there  are  of  those 
who  have  received  the  scriptures,  upright  people ;  they 
meditate  on  the  signs  of  God  in  the  night  season,  and 
worship  ;  ^^*  they  believe  in  God,  and  the  last  day  ;  and 
command  that  which  is  just,  and  forbid  that  which  is 
unjust,  and  zealously  strive  to  excel  in  good  works  :  these 
are  of  the  righteous.  ^^^  And  ye  shall  not  be  denied  the 
reward  of  the  good  which  ye  do ;  for  God  knoweth  the 
pious.  ^^^  As  for  the  unbelievers,  their  wealth  shall  not 
profit  them  at  all,  neither  their  children,  against  God  ; 
they  shall  be  the  companions  of  hell-fire  ;  they  shall 
continue  therein  for  ever.  ^^'^  The  likeness  of  that  which 
they  lay  out  in  this  present  life,  is  as  a  wind  wherein 
there  is  a  scorching  cold :  it  falleth,  on  the  standing  corn 
of  those  men  who  have  injured  their  own  souls,  and 
destroyeth  it.     And  God  dealeth  not  unjustly  with  them ; 

110  There  are  believers  among  them.~\  tering  into  a  treaty  with  God,  and  a  treaty 
As  Abd'allah  Ebn  Salam  and  his  com-  with  men.]  i.  e.  Unless  they  either  profess 
panions  ^,  and  those  of  the  tribes  of  al  the  Mohammedan  religion,  or  submit  to 
Aws  and  al  Khazraj,  who  had  embraced  pay  tribute. 

Mohammedism.  113  I'here  are,  of  those  who  have  re- 

111  And  they  shall  not  be  helped.]  This  ceived  the  scriptures,  upright  people,'\ 
verse,  al  Beidawi  says,  is  one  of  those  Those,  namely,  who  have  embraced 
whose  meaning  is  mysterious,  and  relates  Islam. 

to   something  future,  intimating  the  low  —   The  signs  of  God.]     That  is,    the 

condition   to  which   the  Jewish   tribes   of  Koran. 

Koreidha,  Nadir,  Banu  Kainoka,  and  those  115   Ye  shall  not  be  denied,  &c.]  Some 

who  dwelt  at  Kaibar,  were  afterwards  re-  copies   have   a    different    reading   in   this 

duced  by  Mohammed.  passage,  which  they  express  in  the  third 

112  Unless  they  obtain  security  by  en-  person:    They  shall  not  be  denied,  &c. 


J I  Beiddwi, 


III.]  AL    KORAN.  .  65 

but  they  injure  their  own  souls.  ^^*  O  true  believers, 
contract  not  an  intimate  friendship  with  any  besides 
yourselves  :  they  will  not  fail  to  corrupt  you.  They 
wish  for  that  which  may  cause  you  to  perish :  their 
hatred  hath  already  appeared  from  out  of  their  mouths ; 
but  what  their  breasts  conceal  is  yet  more  inveterate. 
We  have  already  shewn  you  signs  of  their  ill-will  towards 
you,  if  ye  understand.  ^^^  Behold,  ye  love  them,  and 
they  do  not  love  you :  ye  believe  in  all  the  scriptures ; 
and  when  they  meet  you,  they  say.  We  believe ;  but, 
when  they  assemble  privately  together,  they  bite  their 
fingers'  ends  out  of  wrath  against  you.  Say  unto  them. 
Die  in  your  wrath :  verily  God  knoweth  the  innermost 
part  of  your  breasts.  ^^^  If  good  happen  unto  you,  it 
grieveth  them ;  and  if  evil  befal  you,  they  rejoice  at  it. 
But  if  ye  be  patient,  and  fear  God,  their  subtlety  shall 
not  hurt  you  at  all;  for  God  comprehendeth  whatever 
they  do.  ^^^  Call  to  mind  when  thou  wentest  forth  early 
from  thy  family,  that  thou  mightest  prepare  the  faithful 
a  camp  for  war ;  and  God  heard  and  knew  it ;  ^^^  when 
two  companies  of  you  were  anxiously  thoughtful,  so  that 

118  Besides  yourselves,']    i.e.   Ofadif-  rounded,  he  placed  fifty    archers   in  the 

ferent  religion.  rear,  with  strict  orders  not   to  quit  their 

121    When  thou  wentest  forth  to  prepare  post.     When  they  came  to  engage,   Mo- 

a  campy  &c.]     This  was  at  the  battle  of  hammed  had  the  better  at  first ;  but  after- 

Ohod,  a  mountain  about  four  miles  to  the  wards  by  the  fault  of  his  archers,  who  left 

north  of  Medina.     The   Koreish,   to  re-  their  ranks  for  the  sake  of  the  plunder, 

venge  their  loss  at  Bedr  i,  the  next  year,  and  suffered  the  enemy's  horse  to  encom- 

being  the  third  of  the  Hejra,  got  together  pass  the  Mohammedans,  and  attack  them 

an  army  of  3000  men,  among  whom  there  in  the  rear,  he  lost  the  day,  and  was  very 

were  200   horses,  and    700    armed   with  near  losing  his  life  ;  being  struck  down  by 

coats    of    mail.      These    forces   marched  a  shower  of  stones,  and  wounded  in  the 

under  the  conduct  of  Abu  Sofian,  and  sat  face  with  two  arrows,  on  pulling  out  of 

down  at  Dhu'lholeifa,  a  village  about  six  which    his  two   fore-teeth    dropped    out. 

miles  from   Medina.     Mohammed,  being  Of  the  Moslems  70  men  were  slain,  and 

much  inferior  to  his  enemies  in  number,  among  them  Hamza,  the  uncle  of  Moham- 

at  first  determined  to  keep  hims^elf  within  med  ;  and  of  the  infidels  22  2.     To  excuse 

the  town,   and  receive  them  there  ;  but  the  ill  success  of  this  battle,  and  to  raise 

afterwards,  the  advice  of  some  of  his  com-  the  drooping  courage  of  his  followers,  is 

panions  prevailing,  he  marched  out  against  Mohammed's  drift  in  the  remaining  part 

them  at  the  head  of  1000  men,  (some  say  of  this  chapter. 

he  had  1050  men,  and  others  but  900,)  of  122   When  two  companies  of  you  were 

whom    100  were    armed   with    coats    of  anxiously  thoughtful,  &c.]       These   were 

mail ;  but  he  had  no  more  than  one  horse,  some  of  the  families  of  Banu  Salma,  of  the 

besides  his    own,    in    his   whole    army,  tribe  of  al  Khazraj,  and  Banu'l  Hareth,  of 

With  these  forces  he  formed  a  camp  in  a  the  tribe  of  al  Aws,  who  composed  the  two 

village  near  Ohod,   which    mountain    he  wings  of  Mohammed's  army.     Some  ill 

contrived  to  have  on  his  back;  and,  the  impression  had  been  made  on  them  by 

better  to  secure  his  men  from  being  sur-  Abd'allah  Ebn  Obba  Solul,  then  an  infidel, 

^  See  before  p.  47,  48.  2  ^htdfeda,  i«   vita  Moham.  p.  64,  &c.    Elmacin,  \.  L 

Prideaux's  Life  of  Moham.  p.  80. 

VOL.   L  F 


66  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

ye  became  faint-hearted ;  but  God  was  the  supporter  of 
them  both ;  and  in  God  let  the  faithful  trust.  ^^^  And 
God  had  already  given  you  the  victory  at  Bedr,  when  ye 
were  inferior  in  number ;  therefore  fear  God  that  ye  may 
be  thankful.  ^^*  When  thou  saidst  unto  the  faithful,  Is  it 
not  enough  for  you,  that  your  Lord  should  assist  you 
with  three  thousand  angels,  sent  down  from  heaven? 
125  Yerily  if  ye  persevere,  and  fear  God,  and  your  enemies 
come  upon  you  suddenly,  your  Lord  will  assist  you  with 
five  thousand  angels,  distinguished  by  their  horses  and 
attire.  ^^^  And  this  God  designed  only  as  good  tidings 
for  you,  that  your  hearts  might  rest  secure :  for  victory  is 
from  God  alone,  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^^^  That  he  should 
cut  off  the  uttermost  part  of  the  unbelievers,  or  cast  them 
down,  or  that  they  should  be  overthrown  and  unsuccess- 
ful, is  nothing  to  thee.  ^^^  It  is  no  business  of  thine, 
whether  God  be  turned  unto  them,  or  whether  he  punish 
them ;  they  are  surely  unjust  doers.  ^^^  To  God  belongeth 
whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth ;  he  spareth  whom 
he  pleaseth,  and  he  punisheth  whom  he  pleaseth;  for 
God  is  merciful.  ^^^  O  true  believers,  devour  not  usury, 
doubling  it  two-fold ;  but  fear  God,  that  ye  may  prosper ; 
'^^  and  fear  the  fire  which  is  prepared  for  the  unbelievers ; 
^^^and  obey  God,  and  his  apostle,  that  ye  may  obtain 
mercy.  ^^^  And  run  with  emulation  to  obtain  remission 
from  your  Lord,  and  paradise,  whose  breadth  equaleth 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  is  prepared  for  the 
godly;  ^^*  who  give  alms  in  prosperity  and  adversity; 
who  bridle  their  anger,  and  forgive  men :  for  God  loveth 

who,  having  drawn  ofFSOO  men,  told  them  God  be  turned  unto  them,  &c.]  This  pas- 
that  they  were  going  to  certain  death,  and  sage  was  revealed  when  Mohammed  re- 
advised  them  to  return  back  with  him ;  ceived  the  wounds  above-mentioned  at 
but  he  could  prevail  on  but  a  few,  the  the  battle  of  Ohod,  and  cried  out.  How 
others  being  kept  firm  by  the  divine  in-  shall  that  people  prosper  who  have  stained 
fluence,  as  the  following  words  intimate  '.  their  prophet's  face  with  blood,  while  he 
123  Bedr.']     See  before,  p.  47,  48.  called  them   to  their  Lord  ?    The  person 

125  Distinguished,    &c.]      The   angels  who  wounded  him  was  Otba,  the  son  of 
who  assisted  the  Mohammedans  at  Bedr,  Abu  Wakkas  2. 

rode,  say  the  commentators,  on  black  and  134    Forgive  men.']     It   is   related   of 

white  horses,  and  had  on  their  heads  white  Hasan,  the  son  of  Ali,  that  a  slave,  having 

and  yellow  sashes,  the  ends  of  which  hung  once  thrown  a  dish  on  him  boiling  hot,  as 

down  between  their  shoulders.  he  sat  at  table,  and  fearing  his  master's 

126  As  good  tidings  for  you.]    i.  e.  As  resentment,  fell  immediately  on  his  knees, 
an  earnest  of  future  success.  and  repeated  these  words,  Paradise  is  for 

128  It  is  no  business  of  thine  whether     those  who  bridle  their  anger.     Hasan  an- 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.     Abulfed.  ubi  supra. 


III.]  AL   KORAN.  67 

the  beneficent.  ^^^  And  who,  after  they  have  committed 
a  crime,  or  dealt  unjustly  with  their  own  souls,  remember 
God,  and  ask  pardon  for  their  sins,  (for  who  forgiveth  sins 
except  God?)  and  persevere  notMn  what  they  have  done 
knowingly:  ^^^ their  reward  shall  be  pardon  from  their 
Lord,  and  gardens  wherein  rivers  flow,  they  shall  remain 
therein  for  ever :  and  how  excellent  is  the  reward  of  those 
who  labour !  ^^^  There  have  already  been  before  you 
examples  of  punishment  of  infidels,  therefore  go  through 
the  earth,  and  behold  what  hath  been  the  end  of  those 
who  accuse  God's  apostles  of  imposture.  ^^^  This  book  is 
a  declaration  unto  men,  and  a  direction,  and  an  admoni- 
tion to  the  pious.  ^^^  And  be  not  dismayed,  neither  be 
ye  grieved  ;  for  ye  shall  be  superior  to  the  unbelievers, 
if  ye  believe.  ^^^  If  a  wound  hath  happened  unto  you  in 
war,  a  like  wound  hath  already  happened  unto  the  un- 
believing people:  and  we  cause  these  days  of  different 
success  interchangeably  to  succeed  each  other  among 
men ;  that  God  may  know  those  who  believe,  and  may 
have  martyrs  from  among  you ;  (God  loveth  not  the 
workers  of  iniquity ;)  ^'^^  and  that  God  might  prove  those 
who  believe,  and  destroy  the  infidels.  ^^^  Did  ye  imagine 
that  ye  should  enter  paradise,  when  as  yet  God  knew  not 
those  among  you  who  fought  strenuously  in  his  cause  :  nor 
knew  those  who  persevered  with  patience  ?  ^^^  Moreover 
ye  did  sometime  wish  for  death  before  that  ye  met  it ; 
but  ye  have  now  seen  it,  and  ye  looked  on,  but  retreated 
from  it.     ^^*  Mohammed  is  no  more  than  an  apostle :  the 

swered,  I  am  not  angry.  The  slave  pro-  which  was  so  ordered  by  God  for  a  reason 
ceeded,  And  for  those  who  forgive  men.  to  be  given  elsewhere  2. 
I  forgive  you,  said  Hasan.  The  slave,  143  Ye  wished  for  death,  &c.]  Several 
however,  finished  the  verse,  adding,  For  of  Mohammed's  followers,  who  were  not 
God  loveth  the  beneficent.  Since  it  is  so,  present  at  Bedr,  wished  for  an  opportunity 
replied  Hasan,  I  give  you  your  liberty,  of  obtaining,  in  another  action,  the  like 
and  four  hundred  pieces  of  silver*.  A  honour  as  those  had  gained  who  fell  mar- 
noble  instance  of  moderation  and  gene-  tyrs  in  that  battle  ;  yet  were  discouraged 
rcsity.  on   seeing   the   superior    numbers    of  the 

140  If  a  wound  hath  happened  unto  you  idolaters  in  the  expedition  of  Ohod.     On 

in  war.~\     That  is,  by  your  being  worsted  which  occasion  this  passage  was  revealed  ^. 

at  Ohod.  144  Mohammed  is  no  more  than  an  apos- 

—  /^  like  wound  hath  happened  to  the  tie,  &c.]   These  words  were  revealed  when 

infidels.'}     When  they   were   defeated  at  it  was  reported  in  the  battle  of  Ohod,  that 

Bedr.      It  is  observable,  that  the  number  Mohammed    was   slain  ;     whereupon    the 

of  Mohammedans  slain  at  Ohod,  was  equal  idolaters  cried  out  to  his  followers,  Since 

to   that  of  the   idolaters    slain   at  Bedr ;  your  prophet  is  slain,  return  to  your  an- 

1  V.  D'Herheloty  Bibl.  Orient,  Art.  Hasan.       2  j^  not.  ad  cap.  8.     ^  At  Beiddwi, 

F  2 


68  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

other  apostles  have  already  deceased  before  him :  if  he 
die  therefore,  or  be  slain,  will  ye  turn  back  on  your 
heels?  But  he  who  turneth  back  on  his  heels,  will  not 
hurt  God  at  all ;  and  God  will  surely  reward  the  thank- 
ful. ^^^  No  soul  can  die  unless  by  the  permission  of  God, 
according  to  what  is  written  in  the  book  containing  the 
determinations  of  things.  And  whoso  chooseth  the  re- 
ward of  this  world,  we  will  give  him  thereof:  but  whoso 
chooseth  the  reward  of  the  world  to  come,  we  will  give 
him  thereof;  and  we  will  surely  reward  the  thankful. 
^^^  How  many  prophets  have  encountered  those  who  had 
many  myriads  of  troops  !  and  yet  they  desponded  not  in 
their  mind  for  what  had  befallen  them  in  fighting  for  the 
religion  of  God  ;  and  were  not  weakened,  neither  behaved 
themselves  in  an  abject  manner :  God  loveth  those  who 
persevere  patiently.  ^*^  And  their  speech  was  no  other 
than  that  they  said.  Our  Lord,  forgive  us  our  offences, 
and  our  transgressions  in  our  business ;  and  confirm  our 
feet,  and  help  us  against  the  unbelieving  people.  ^^^  And 
God  gave  them  the  reward  of  this  world,  and  a  glorious 
reward  in  the  life  to  come ;  for  God  loveth  the  well- 
doers. ^^^  O  ye  who  believe,  if  ye  obey  the  infidels,  they 
will  cause  you  to  turn  back  on  your  heels,  and  ye  will  be 
turned  back  and  perish:  ^^^  but  God  is  your  Lord;  and 
he  is  the  best  helper.  ^^^  We  will  surely  cast  a  dread 
into  the  hearts   of  the   unbelievers,   because  they  have 

dent   religion,  and    to    your   friends ;    if  and   pre-determined    by    God,    and  that 

Mohammed  had  been   a  prophet,  he  had  those  who  fell  in  the  battle,  could  not  have 

not  been  slain.     It  is  related  that  a  Mos-  avoidedtheir  fate,  had  they  stayed  at  home; 

lem,  named  Ans  Ebn  al  Nadar,  uncle  to  whereas  they  had  now  obtained  the  glo- 

Ans  Ebn  Malec,  hearing  these  words,  said  rious  advantage  of  dying  martyrs  for  the 

aloud   to    his    companions.    My    friends,  faith.     Of  the   Mohammedan  doctrine  of 

though    Mohammed    be    slain,    certainly  absolute  predestination  I  have  spoken  in 

Mohammed's  Lord  liveth,  and  dieth  not;  another  place  2. 

therefore  value  not  your  lives,   since  the  149  If  ye  obey    the  infidels,  they  will 

prophet  is  dead,  but  fight  for  the  cause  for  cause  you  to  turn  hacky  &c.]     This  passage 

which  he  fought.     Then  he  cried  out,  O  was  also  occasioned  by  the  endeavours  of 

God,  I  am  excused  before  thee,  and  ac-  the  Koreish  to  seduce  the  Mohammedans 

quitted  in  thy  sight  of  what  they  say  ;  and  to  their  old  idolatry,  as  they  fled  in  the 

drawing  his  sword,  fought  valiantly  till  he  battle  of  Ohod. 

was  killed  '.  151    We  will  surely  cast  a  dread  into  the 

145  No  soul  can  die  unless  by  the  per-  hearts  of  the  unbelievers,    &c.]     To   this 

mission  of  God,  &c.]  Mohammed,  the  more  Mohammed  attributed  the  sudden  retreat 

effectually  to  still  the  murmurs  of  his  party  of  Abu  Sofian    and   his    troops,    without 

on  their  defeat,  represents  to  them,  that  making  any   farther   advantage   of  their 

the  lime  of  every  man's  death  is  decreed  success  ;  only  giving  Mohammed  a  chal- 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


III.]  AL   KORAN.  69 

associated  with  God  that  concerning  which  he  sent  them 
down  no  power  :  their  dwelling  shall  be  the  fire  of  hell ; 
and  the  receptacle  of  the  wicked  shall  be  miserable. 
^^2  God  had  already  made  good  unto  you  his  promise, 
when  ye  destroyed  them  by  his  permission,  until  ye 
became  faint-hearted,  and  disputed  concerning  the  com- 
mand of  the  apostle,  and  were  rebellious ;  after  God  had 
shewn  you  what  ye  desired.  ^^^  Some  of  you  chose  this 
present  world,  and  others  of  you  chose  the  world  to  come. 
Then  he  turned  you  to  flight  from  before  them,  that  he 
might  make  trial  of  you;  (but  he  hath  now  pardoned 
you ;  for  God  is  indued  with  beneficence  towards  the 
faithful ;)  ^^*  when  ye  went  up  as  ye  fled,  and  looked  not 
back  on  any ;  while  the  apostle  called  you,  in  the  utter- 
most part  of  you.  ^^^  Therefore  God  rewarded  you  with 
affliction  on  affliction,  that  ye  be  not  grieved  hereafter 
for  the  spoils  which  ye  fail  of,  nor  for  that  which  befalleth 
you ;  for  God  is  well  acquainted  with  whatever  ye  do. 
Then  he  sent  down  upon  you,  after  affliction,  security ; 
a  soft  sleep,  which  fell  on  some  part  of  you :  but  other 

lenge  to  meet  them  next  year  at  Bedr,  163  Some  of  you  chose  this  present  world, 

which  he  accepted.     Others  say,  that  as  and  others  of  you  chose  the  world  to  come.^ 

they  were  on  their  march  home,  they  re-  The  former  were  they,  who,  tempted  by 

pented  they  had  not  utterly  extirpated  the  the  spoil,  quitted  their  post ;    and  the  lat- 

Mohammedans,    and   began    to    think    of  ter,  they  who  stood  firm  by  their  leader, 
going  back  to  Medina  for  that  purpose;  154  ^nd   the  apostle  called  you^  &c.] 

but   were   prevented   by   a   sudden    con-  Crying  aloud.  Come  hither  to  me,  O  ser- 

sternation,  or   panic   fear,  which  fell  on  vants  of  God  :    I  am  the  apostle  of  God  ; 

them  from  God  ^.  he  who  returneth  back  shall  enter  para- 

152    God  had  already  made  good  unto  dise.     But,    notwithstanding    all   his   en- 

you  his  promise^  &c.]  i.  e.    In  the  begin-  deavours  to  rally  his  men,  he  could  not 

ning  of  the  battle,  when  the  Moslems  had  get  above  thirty  of  them  about  him. 
the    advantage,  putting   the   idolaters    to  155   Therefore  God  rewarded  you  with 

flight,  and  killing  several  of  them.  affliction,  &c.]   i.  e.    God  punished  your 

—  Till   ye    became  faint-hearted,    and  avarice  and  disobedience,  by  suffering  you 

disputed  the  command  of  the  apostle,  &c.]  to  be  beaten  by  your  enemies,  and  to  be 

That  is,  till  the  bow-men,  who  were  placed  discouraged   by  the  report  of  your  pro- 

behind  to  prevent  their  being  surrounded,  phet's  death;   that  ye  might  be  inured  to 

seeing  the  enemy  fly,  quitted  their  post,  patience   under  adverse  fortune,  and  not 

contrary  to  Mohammed's  express  orders,  repine  at  any  loss  or  disappointment  for 

and   dispersed    themselves    to    seize  the  the  future. 

plunder  ;  whereupon  Khaled  Ebn  al  —  Then  he  sent  down  upon  you  a  soft 
Walid,  perceiving  their  disorder,  fell  on  sleep,  &c.]  After  the  action,  those  who 
their  rear  with  the  horse  which  he  com-  had  stood  firm  in  the  battle  were  refreshed, 
manded,  and  turned  the  fortune  of  the  as  they  lay  in  the  field,  by  falling  into  an 
day.  It  is  related,  that  though  Abda'llah  agreeable  sleep,  so  that  the  swords  fell  out 
Ebn  Jobair,  their  captain,  did  all  he  could  of  their  hands  ;  but  those  who  had  be- 
to  make  them  keep  their  ranks,  he  had  haved  themselves  ill  were  troubled  in  their 
not  ten  that  stayed  with  him  out  of  the  minds,  imagining  they  were  now  given 
whole  fifty  2.  over  to  destruction  3. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem,  V.  Abulfed.  vit.  Moh.  p.  65,  66,  and  not.  ib. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalnddiu. 


70  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

part  were  troubled  by  their  own  souls ;  falsely  thinking 
of  God  a  foolish  imagination,  saying,  Will  any  thing  of 
the  matter  happen  unto  us  ?  Say,  Verily  the  matter 
belongeth  wholly  unto  God.  They  concealed  in  their 
minds  what  they  declared  not  unto  thee ;  saying,  If  any 
thing  of  the  matter  had  happened  unto  us,  we  had  not 
been  slain  here.  Answer,  If  ye  had  been  in  your  houses, 
verily  they  would  have  gone  forth  to  fight,  whose 
slaughter  was  decreed,  to  the  places  where  they  died : 
and  this  came  to  pass,  that  God  might  try  what  was 
in  your  breasts,  and  might  discern  what  was  in  your 
hearts;  for  God  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  the 
breasts  of  men.  ^^^  Verily  they  among  you  who  turned 
their  backs  on  the  day  whereon  the  two  armies  met  each 
other  at  Ohod,  Satan  caused  them  to  slip,  for  some 
crime  which  they  had  committed  :  but  now  hath  God 
forgiven  them ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  '^^  O 
true  believers,  be  not  as  they  who  believed  not,  and  said 
of  their  brethren,  when  they  had  journeyed  in  the  land, 
or  had  been  at  war.  If  they  had  been  with  us,  those  had 
not  died,  nor  had  these  been  slain  :  whereas  what  befel 
them  was  so  ordained  that  God  might  make  it  matter  of 
sighing  in  their  hearts,  God  giveth  life,  and  causeth  to 
die :  and  God  seeth  that  which  ye  do.  ^^^  Moreover,  if 
ye  be  slain,  or  die  in  defence  of  the  religion  of  God  ; 
verily  pardon  from  God,  and  mercy,  is  better  than  what 
they  heap  together  of  worldly  riches.  ^^^  And  if  ye  die, 
or  be  slain,  verily  unto  God  shall  ye  be  gathered.  /^^  And 
as  to  the  mercy  granted  unto  the  disobedient  from  God, 
thou,  O  Mohammed  !  hast  been  mild  towards  them ;  but 
if  thou  hadst  been  severe,  and  hard-hearted,  they  had 
surely  separated  themselves  from  about  thee.  Therefore 
forgive  them,  and  ask  pardon  for  them  :  and  consult  them 
in  the  affair  of  war ;   and,  after  thou  hast  deliberated, 

155   Will  any  tJdng  of  the  matter  happen  us  according  to  his  promise  ;  or,  as  others 

unto  us  ?']     That  is,  Is  there  any  appear-  interpret  the  words,  if  we  had  taken  the 

ance  of  success,   or  of  the  divine  favour  advice  of  Abdallah  Ebn  Obba  Solul,  and 

and  assistance,  which  we  have  been  pro-  had  kept  within  the  town  of  Medina,  our 

mised  ^  ?  companions  had  not  lost  their  lives  2. 

—  Sayingf&c.']    i.e.  To  themselves  or         156    For  some   crime   which    they  had 
to  one  another  in  private.  committed.']     viz.     For     their    covetous- 

—  If  any  thing  of  the  matter  had  hap-  ness  in    quitting  their  post   to  seize  the 
pened  unto  us,  &c.]     If  God  had  assisted  plunder. 


*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  Idem. 


III.]  A  L    K  O  R  A  N.  71 

trust  in  God  ;  for  God  loveth  those  who  trust  in  him. 
^^^  If  God  help  you,  none  shall  conquer  you;  but  if  he 
desert  you,  who  is  it  that  will  help  you  after  him  ? 
Therefore  in  God  let  the  faithful  trust.  ^^^  It  is  not  the 
part  of  a  prophet  to  defraud;  for  he  who  defraudeth, 
shall  bring  with  him  what  he  hath  defrauded  any  one  of 
on  the  day  of  the  resurrection.  Then  shall  every  soul  be 
paid  what  he  hath  gained  :  and  they  shall  not  be  treated 
unjustly.  ^^^  Shall  he  therefore  who  followeth  that  which 
is  well-pleasing  unto  God,  be  as  he  who  bringeth  on 
himself  wrath  from  God,  and  whose  receptacle  is  hell  ? 
an  evil  journey  shall  it  be  thither.  ^^^  There  shall  be 
degrees  of  rewards  and  punishments  with  God,  for  God 
seeth  what  they  do.  ^^^  Now  hath  God  been  gracious 
unto  the  believers  when  he  raised  up  among  them  an 
apostle  of  their  own  nation,  who  should  recite  his  signs 
unto  them,  and  purify  them,  and  teach  them  the  book  of 
the  Koran  and  wisdom ;  whereas  they  were  before  in 
manifest  error.  ^^^  After  a  misfortune  hath  befallen  you 
at  Ohod,  (ye  had  already  obtained  two  equal  advantages,) 
do  ye  say.  Whence  cometh  this  ?  Answer,  This  is  from 
yourselves :  for  God  is  Almighty.  ^^^  And  what  happened 
unto  you,  on  the  day  whereon  the  two  armies  met,  was 
certainly  by  the  permission  of  God  ;  ^^^  and  that  he  might 
know  the  faithful,  and  that  he  might  know  the  ungodly. 

162  It  is  not  the  part  of  a  prophet  to  tradition  of  Mohammed,  whoever  cheateth 

defraud,  &c.]    This  passage  was  revealed,  another,  will  on  the  day  of  judgment  carry 

as  some  say,  on  the  division  of  the  spoil  his   fraudulent   purchase   publicly  on  his 

at  Bedr ;  when  some  of  the  soldiers  sus-  neck. 

pected    Mohammed   of    having   privately  165  Of  their  own  nation.']    Some  copies, 

taken  a  scarlet  carpet,  made  of  all  silk,  instead  of  min  anfosihim,  i.  e.  Of  them- 

and    very    rich,    which    was    missing  i.  selves,   read  min   anfasihim,    i.  e.  Of  the 

Others   suppose    the   archers,   who   occa-  noblest  among  them  ;    for  such  was  the 

sioned  the  loss  of  the  battle  of  Ohod,  left  tribe  of  Koreish,  of  which  Mohammed  was 

their  station  because  they  imagined  Mo-  descended  3. 

hammed  would  not  give  them  their  share  —  ^nd  wisdom.]    i.  e.   The  Sonna*. 

of  the  plunder  ;  because,  as  it  is  related,  166   Ye  had  already  obtained  two  equal 

he  once  sent  out  a  party,  as  an  advanced  advantages.]    viz.  In  the  battle  of  Bedr, 

guard,   and  in   the  mean  time,  attacking  where   ye    slew    seventy    of  the    enemy, 

the  enemy,  took   some   spoils,  which  he  equalling  the  number  of  those   who  lost 

divided  among  those  who  were  with  him  their  lives  at  Ohod,  and  also  took  as  many 

in  the  action,    and   gave  nothing  to  the  prisoners  5. 

party  who  was  absent  on  duty  ^.  —  This  is  from    yourselves.]     It  was 

—  He  who  defraudeth  shall  bring  with  the  consequence   of  your  disobeying  the 

him  what  he  hath  defrauded  any  one  of  on  orders  of  the  prophet,    and  abandoning 

the  day  of  resurrection.]     According  to  a  your  post  for  the  sake  of  plunder. 

^  Al  Beiddtvi,  Jallalo'ddin.     2  ji  Beiddwi.     ^  Idem.     *  Idem.     «  See  before,  47,  48. 


n  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

It  was  said  unto  them,  Come,  fight  for  the  religion  of 
God,  or  drive  back  the  enemy :  they  answered,  If  we  had 
known  ye  went  out  to  fight,  we  had  certainly  followed 
you.  They  were  on  that  day  nearer  unto  unbelief,  than 
they  were  to  faith ;  they  spake  with  their  mouths,  what 
was  not  in  their  hearts :  but  God  perfectly  knew  what 
they  concealed ;  ^^^  who  said  of  their  brethren,  while 
themselves  stayed  at  home,  If  they  had  obeyed  us,  they 
had  not  been  slain.  Say,  Then  keep  back  death  from 
yourselves,  if  ye  say  truth.  ^^^Thou  shalt  in  no  wise 
reckon  those  who  have  been  slain  At  Ohod  in  the  cause 
of  God,  dead ;  nay,  they  are  sustained  alive  with  their 
Lord,  ^^^  rejoicing  for  what  God  of  his  favour  hath  granted 
them  ;  and  being  glad  for  those,  who,  coming  after  them, 
have  not  as  yet  overtaken  them ;  because  there  shall  no  1 
fear  come  on  them,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^^  Theyw 
are  filled  with  joy  for  the  favour  which  they  have  re-p- 
ceived  from  God,  and  his  bounty ;  and  for  that  God  suf-| 
fereth  not  the  reward  of  the  faithful  to  perish.  ^^^  They 
who  hearkened  unto  God  and  his  apostle,  after  a 
wound  had  befallen  them  at  Ohod,  such  of  them  as  do 
good  works,  and  fear  God,  shall  have  a  great  reward ; 

^  68  If  we  had  know}i  ye  went  out  to  fight  f  Honiara  al  Asad,  about  eight  miles  from 
&c.]  That  is,  if  we  had  conceived  the  that  town,  notwithstanding  several  of  his 
least  hopes  of  success  when  ye  marched  men  were  so  ill  of  their  wounds  that  they 
out  of  Medina  to  encounter  the  infidels,  were  forced  to  be  carried  ;  but  a  panic 
and  had  not  known  that  ye  went  rather  fear  having  seized  the  army  of  the  Ko- 
to certain  destruction,  than  to  battle,  we  reish,  they  changed  their  resolution,  and 
had  gone  with  you.  But  this  Mohammed  continued  their  march  home  ;  of  which 
here  tells  them  was  only  a  feigned  excuse  ;  Mohammed  having  received  intelligence, 
the  true  reason  of  their  staying  behind  he  also  went  back  to  Medina  :  and,  ac- 
being  their  want  of  faith  and  firmness  in  cording  to  some  commentators,  the  Koran 
their  religion  ^,  here   approves    the   faith   and   courage  of 

170  Alive.l     See  before,  p.  24.  those  who  attended  the  prophet   on  this 

171  Being  glad  for  those,  who,  coming  occasion.  Others  say,  the  persons  in- 
after  them,  have  not  as  yet  overtaken  tended  in  this  passage  were  those  who 
them.']  i.  e.  Rejoicing  also  for  their  sakes,  went  with  Mohammed  the  next  year,  to 
who  are  destined  to  suffer  martyrdom,  but  meet  Abu  Sofian  and  the  Koreish,  accord- 
have  not  as  yet  attained  it  2.  ing  to   their  challenge  at  Bedr^,  where 

173   They   who  hearkened  to    God  and  they  waited  some  time  for  the  enemy,  and 

his  apostle,  &c.]    The  commentators  differ  then   returned    home  ;    for    the    Koreish, 

a  little  as  to  the  occasion  of  this  passage,  though  they  set  out  from  Mecca,  yet  never 

When   news  was  brought  to  Mohammed,  came  so  far  as  the  place  of  appointment, 

after  the  battle  of  Ohod,  that  the  enemy,  their  hearts  failing  them  on  their  march  ; 

repenting  of  their  retreat,  were  returning  which  Mohammed  attributed  to  their  be- 

towards  Medina,  he  called  about  him  those  ing  struck  with  a  terror  from  God  *.  This 

who  had  stood  by  him  in  the  battle,  and  expedition  the  Arabian  historians  call  the 

marched  out  to  meet  the  enemy  as  far  as  second  or  lesser  expedition  of  Bedr. 

»  Al  BeiddwL  2  y.  Revel,  vi.  11.  3  See  before,  p.  68,  note  151.  *  Al 

Beiddwi, 


III.]  AL    KORAN.  73 

*^^  unto  whom  certain  men  said,  Verily  the  men  of  Mecca 
have  already  gathered  forces  against  yon,  be  ye  therefore 
afraid  of  them  ;  but  this  increased  their  faith,  and  they 
said,  God  is  our  support,  and  the  most  excellent  patron. 
175  Wherefore  they  returned  with  favour  from  God,  and 
advantage ;  no  evil  befel  them  :  and  they  followed  what 
was  well  pleasing  unto  God  ;  for  God  is  endowed  with 
great  liberality.  ^^^  Verily  that  devil  would  cause  you  to 
fear  his  friends  :  but  be  ye  not  afraid  of  them ;  but  fear 
me,  if  ye  be  true  believers.  ^^'^  They  shall  not  grieve  thee, 
who  emulously  hasten  unto  infidelity  ;  for  they  shall  never 
hurt  God  at  all.  God  will  not  give  them  a  part  in  the 
next  life,  and  they  shall  suflfer  a  great  punishment. 
*^^  Surely  those  who  purchase  infidelity  with  faith,  shall 
by  no  means  hurt  God  at  all,  but  they  shall  suffer  a 
grievous  punishment.  ^^^And  let  not  the  unbelievers 
think,  because  we  grant  them  lives  long  and  prosperous, 
that  it  is  better  for  their  souls :  we  grant  them  long  and 
prosperous  lives  only  that  their  iniquity  may  be  increased ; 
and  they  shall  suffer  an  ignominious  punishment.  *^^GoD 
is  not  disposed  to  leave  the  faithful  in  the  condition 
which  ye  are  now  in,  until  he  sever  the  wicked  from  the 
good  ;  nor  is  God  disposed  to  make  you  acquainted  with 
what  is  a  hidden  secret ;  but  God  chooseth  such  of  his 
apostles  as  he  pleaseth,  to  reveal  his  mind  unto ;  believe 

174  Unto  whom  certain  men  said,  Verily  them  went  with   him.     And   accordingly 

those  of  Mecca  have  already  gathered  forces  he  set  out  with  seventy  horsemen,  every 

against  you,  &c.]     The  persons  who  thus  one  of  them  crying  out,   Hashna  Allah, 

endeavoured  to   discourage  the    Moham-  i.e.  God  is  our  support^. 

medans,  were,  according  to  one  tradition,  175   Wherefore  they  returned  with   ad- 

some  of  the  tribe  of  Abd  Kais,  who,  going  vantage.']    While  they  stayed  at  Bedr,  ex- 

to   Medina,    were   bribed   by  Abu    Sofian  pecting  the  enemy,  they  opened  a  kind  of 

with  a  camel's  load   of  dry  raisins ;   and,  fair  there,  and  traded  to  very  considerable 

according    to    another    tradition,    it    was  profit  2. 

Noaim   Ebn   Masud  al   Ashjai,    who  was  176   T/m^6?em7.]  Meaning  either  Noaim 

also  bribed  with  a  she-camel   ten  months  or  Abu  Sofian  himself, 

gone  with   young  (a   valuable  present  in  180   God  will  not   leave  the  faithful  in 

Arabia).      This   Noaim,  they  say,  finding  the  condition  ye  are  now  in,  &c.]     That 

Mohammed  and  his  men  preparing  for  the  is,  he  will  not  suffer  the  good  and  sincere 

expedition,  told  them  that  Abu  Sofian,  to  among  you,  to   continue  indiscriminately 

spare  them  the  pains  of  coming  so  far  as  mixed  with  the  wicked  and  hypocritical. 

Bedr,    would    seek    them    in    their    own  —    Nor  is    God   disposed   to   acquaint 

houses,  and  that  none  of  them  could  pos-  you  with  what  is  a  hidden  secret,  but  God 

sibly    escape,    otherwise   than   by    timely  chooseth  such  of  his  apostles  as  he  pleaseth.] 

flight.     Upon  which    Mohammed,   seeing  This  passage  was  revealed  on  the   rebel- 

his  followers  a  little  dispirited,  swore  that  lious  and  disobedient  Mohammedans  tell- 

he   would  go  himself,  though   not  one  of  ing    Mohammed,    that   if  he   was   a  true 

^  J I  Beiddivi,  Jallalo'ddin,  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


74  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

therefore  in  God,  and  his  apostles  :  and  if  ye  believe,  and 
fear  God,  ye  shall  receive  a  great  reward.  ^^^  And  let 
not  those  who  are  covetous  of  what  God  of  his  bounty 
hath  granted  them,  imagine  that  their  avarice  is  better 
for  them  :  nay,  rather  it  is  worse  for  them.  That  which 
they  have  covetously  reserved  shall  be  bound  as  a  collar 
about  their  neck,  on  the  day  of  the  resurrection  :  unto 
God  belongeth  the  inheritance  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and 
God  is  well  acquainted  with  what  ye  do.  ^^^  God  hath 
already  heard  the  saying  of  those  who  said,  Verily  God 
is  poor,  and  we  are  rich :  we  will  surely  write  down  what 
they  have  said,  and  the  slaughter  which  they  have  made 
of  the  prophets  without  a  cause ;  and  we  will  say  unto 
them.  Taste  ye  the  pain  of  burning.  ^^^  This  shall  they 
suffer  for  the  evil  which  their  hands  have  sent  before 
them,  and  because  God  is  not  unjust  towards  mankind : 
^^^  w^ho  also  say.  Surely  God  hath  commanded  us,  that 
we  should  not  give  credit  to  any  apostle,  until  one  should 
come  unto  us  with  a  sacrifice,  which  should  be  consumed 

prophet,  he  could  easily  distinguish  those  peculiar  proof  of  the  mission  of  all   the 

who  sincerely  believed  from  the  dissem-  prophets  sent   to  them,   that  they  could, 

biers  ^  by   their  prayers,   bring   down   fire    from 

181  That  which  they  have  covetously  heaven  to  consume  the  sacrifice,  and  there- 
reserved  shall  be  bound  as  a  collar  about  fore  they  expected  Mohammed  should  do 
their  neck,  &c.]  Mohammed  is  said  to  the  like.  And  some  Mohammedan  doc- 
have  declared,  that  whoever  pays  not  his  tors  agree  that  God  appointed  this  miracle 
legal  contribution  of  alms  duly,  shall  have  as  the  test  of  all  their  prophets,  except 
a  serpent  twisted  about  his  neck  at  the  only  Jesus  and  Mohammed  ^ ;  though 
resurrection  2.  others  say  any  other  miracle  was  a  proof 

182  God  hath  heard  the  saying  of  those  full  as  sufficient  as  the  bringing  down  fire 
who  said f    God  is  poor,  and  we  are  rich. ~\  from  heaven  ^. 

It  is  related  that   Mohammed,  writing  to  The  Arabian  Jews  seem  to  have  drawn 

the  Jews  of  the  tribe  of  Kainoka  to  invite  a  general  consequence  from  some  pauicu- 

them  to  Islam,  and  exhorting  them,  among  lar  instances  of  this  miracle  in   the  Old 

other  things,  in  the  words  of  the  Koran  3,  Testament  7.     And  the  Jews,  at  this  day, 

to  knd  unto  God  on  good  usury  :  Phineas  say,   that   first,  the   fire  which  fell  from 

Ebn   Azura  on   hearing   that  expression,  heaven  on  the  altar  of  the  tabernacle  8, 

said,  Surely  God  is  poor,  since  they  ask  after  the  consecration  of  Aaron  and  his 

to  borrow  for  him.   Whereupon  Abu  Beer,  sons,  and  afterwards  that  which  descended 

who  was  the  bearer  of  that  letter,  struck  on  the  altar  of  Solomon's  temple,  at  the 

him  on  the  face,  and  told   him,  that  if  it  dedication  of  that  structure  ^,  was  fed  and 

had  not  been  for  the  truce  between  them,  constantly  maintained  there  by  the  priests 

he  would  have  struck  off  his  head  ;  and  on  both   day  and  night,  without  being  suf- 

Phineas's   complaining  to    Mohammed  of  fered   once   to  go  out ;  till  it  was  extin- 

Abu  Beer's  ill  usage,  this  passage  was  re-  guished,  as   some  think,  in  the  reign  of 

vealed  *.  Manasses^^;  but  according  to   the   more 

184   Consiimed  by  fire.l     The  Jews,  say  received   opinion,   when   the  temple  was 

the  commentators,   insisted  that  it  was  a  destroyed    by   the    Chaldeans.      Several 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin.  »  ch.  ii.  p.  43.  *  At  Beiddwi. 

«  JallaWddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  ^   Lev.  ix.  24.    1  Chron.  xxi.  26.    2  Chron. 

vii.  1.     1  Kings  xviii.  38.         »  Levit.  ix.  24.  »  2  Chron.  vii.  1.         10  Talmud. 

Zebachim,  c,  6. 


III.]  AL    KORAN.  75 

by  fire.  Say,  Apostles  have  already  come  unto  you  be- 
fore me,  with  plain  proofs,  and  with  the  miracle  which  ye 
mention :  why  therefore  have  ye  slain  them,  if  ye  speak 
truth  ?  ^^^  If  they  accuse  thee  of  imposture,  the  apostles 
before  thee  have  also  been  accounted  impostors,  who 
brought  evident  demonstrations,  and  the  scriptures,  and 
the  book  which  enlighteneth  the  understanding.  ^^^  Every 
soul  shall  taste  of  death,  and  ye  shall  have  your  rewards 
on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  and  he  who  shall  be  far  re- 
moved from  hell-fire,  and  shall  be  admitted  into  paradise, 
shall  be  happy :  but  the  present  life  is  only  a  deceitful 
provision.  ^^^  Ye  shall  surely  be  proved  in  your  posses- 
sions, and  in  your  persons ;  and  ye  shall  hear  from  those 
unto  whom  the  scripture  was  delivered  before  you,  and 
from  the  idolaters,  much  hurt :  but  if  ye  be  patient,  and 
fear  God,  this  is  a  matter  that  is  absolutely  determined. 
^^^  And  when  God  accepted  the  covenant  of  those  to  whom 
the  book  of  the  law  was  given,  saying.  Ye  shall  surely  pub- 
lish it  unto  mankind,  ye  shall  not  hide  it :  yet  they  threw 
it  behind  their  backs,  and  sold  it  for  a  small  price ;  but 
w^oeful  is  the  price  for  which  they  have  sold  it.  ^^^  Think 
not  that  they  who  rejoice  at  what  they  have  done,  and  ex- 
pect to  be  praised  for  what  they  have  not  done  ;  ^^^  think 
not,  O  prophet,  that  they  shall  escape  from  punishment, 
for  they  shall  suffer  a  painful  punishment ;  ^^^  and  unto 
God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth  :  God 
is  almighty.    ^^^  Now  in  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth, 

Christians  ^  have  given  credit  to  this  as-  bridle  of    fire    on  the    day   of  resurrec- 

sertion  of  the   Jews,  with  what  reason  I  tion. 

shall  not  here  inquire  ;  and  the  Jews,  in  189   fVho  rejoice  at  what\they  have  done, 

consequence    of  this    notion,    might  pro-  and  expect    to  be  praised  for  what  they 

bably  expect,  that  a  prophet,  who  came  to  have  not  done.~\    i.  e.  Who  think  they  have 

restore  God's  true  religion,  should  rekin-  done  a  commendable  deed  in  concealing 

die  for  them  this  heavenly  fire,  which  they  and    dissembling   the   testimonies  in    the 

have   not   been   favoured   with   since    the  Pentateuch    concerning  Mohammed,   and 

Babylonish  captivity.  in  disobeying  God's  commands  to  the  con- 

184    Apostles    have  already   come  unto  trary.      It  is  said,  that  Mohammed,  once 

you  before  me.~\     Among  these  the  com-  asking  some   Jews   concerning  a  passage 

mentators  reckon  Zacharias  and  John  the  in   their  law,   they  gave  him  an  answer 

Baptist.  very  different  from  the   truth,   and  were 

188   Woeful  is  the  price  for  which  they  mightily  pleased  that  they  had,   as  they 

have  sold  it. '\    i.e.  Dearly  shall  they  pay  thought,  deceived  him.    Others,  however, 

hereafter   for  taking  bribes    to   stifle  the  think   this   passage    relates   to  some  pre- 

truth.     Whoever   concealeth    the    know-  tended    Mohammedans,    who    rejoiced  in 

ledge   which    God   has  given   him,   says  their  hypocrisy,  and  expected   to  be  com- 

Mohammed,    God    shall    put    on   him    a  mended  for  their  wickedness  2, 

^  See  Prideauxs  Connect,  part  i.  book  iii.  p.  158.  '  Al  Beiddwi. 


76  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

and  the  vicissitude  of  night  and  day,  are  signs  unto  those 
who  are  indued  with  understanding ;  who  remember  God 
standing,  and  sitting,  and  lying  on  their  sides  :  and  medi- 
tate on  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth,  saying,  O  Lord, 
thou  hast  not  created  this  in  vain  ;  far  be  it  from  thee : 
therefore  deliver  us  from  the  torment  of  hell-fire.  ^^^  O 
Lord,  surely  whom  thou  shalt  throw  into  the  fire,  thou 
wilt  also  cover  with  shame  :  nor  shall  the  ungodly  have 
any  to  help  them.  '^*  O  Lord,  we  have  heard  a  preacher 
inviting  us  to  the  faith,  and  saying.  Believe  in  your 
Lord  :  and  we  believed.  O  Lord,  forgive  us  therefore 
our  sins,  and  expiate  our  evil  deeds  from  us,  and  make 
us  to  die  with  the  righteous.  ^^^  O  Lord,  give  us  also  the 
reward  which  thou  hast  promised  by  thy  apostles  ;  and 
cover  us  not  with  shame  on  the  day  of  resurrection  ;  for 
thou  art  not  contrary  to  the  promise.  ^^^  Their  Lord 
therefore  answereth  them,  saying,  I  will  not  suffer  the 
work  of  him  among  you  who  worketh  to  be  lost,  whether 
he  be  male  or  female :  the  one  of  you  is  from  the  other. 
They  therefore  who  have  left  their  country,  and  have 
been  turned  out  of  their  houses,  and  have  suffered  for  my 
sake,  and  have  been  slain  in  battle  ;  verily  I  will  expiate 
their  evil  deeds  from  them,  and  I  will  surely  bring  them 
into  gardens  watered  by  rivers  ;  a  reward  from  God  :  and 
with  God  is  the  most  excellent  reward.  ^^^  Let  not  the 
prosperous  dealing  of  the  unbelievers  in  the  land  deceive 
thee  :  it  is  but  a  slender  provision ;  and  then  their  recep- 
tacle shall  be  hell :  an  unhappy  couch  shall  it  be.  ^^^  But 
they  who  fear  their  Lord  shall  have  gardens  through 
which  rivers  flow,  they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever: 

192   }Vho  remember  God  standings  and  often  made  mention  of  the  men  who  fled 

sitting,  and  lying  on  their  sides.^     viz.   At  their  country  for  the  sake  of  their  faith, 

all  times  and  in  all  postures.     Al  Beidawi  but  took  no  notice  of  the  women  *. 
mentions  a  saying  of  Mohammed  to  one  197  Let  not  the  prosperous  dealing,  Sicl 

Imran  Ebn  Hosein,  to  this  purpose  ;  Pray  The  original  word  properly  signifies,  suc- 

standing,  if  thou  art  able  ;  if  not,  sitting  ;  cess  in  the  affairs  of  life,  and  particularly 

and,  if  thou  canst  not  sit  up,  then  as  thou  in  trade.     It  is  said  that  some  of  Moham- 

liest    along.     Al   Shafe'i    directs   that  the  med's  followers,  observing  the  prosperity 

sick  should  pray  lying  on  their  right  side,  the  idolaters  enjoyed,  expressed  their  re- 

194    We  have  heard  a  preacher,  &c.]  gret  that  those  enemies  of  God  should  live 

viz.  Mohammed  with  the  Koran.  in  such  ease  and  plenty,  while  themselves 

196    Whether   he    be   male  or  female.^  were    perishing   for    hunger  and   fatigue; 

These  words  were  added,  as  some  relate,  whereupon  this  passage  was  revealed  -. 
on  0mm  Salma,  one  of  the  prophet's  wives,  —  A  slender  provision.^        Because   of 

telling  him    that  she    had  observed   God  its  sliort  continuance. 

^  Al  Beidawi.  2  Jdem. 


IV.]  AL   KORAN.  77 

this  is  the  gift  of  God,  for  what  is  with  God  shall  be 
better  for  the  righteous  than  short-lived  worldly  pros- 
perity. ^^^  There  are  some  of  those  who  have  received 
the  scriptures,  who  believe  in  God,  and  that  which  hath 
been  sent  down  unto  you,  and  that  which  hath  been 
sent  down  to  them,  submitting  themselves  unto  God  ; 
they  sell  not  the  signs  of  God  for  a  small  price:  these 
shall  have  their  reward  with  their  Lord  ;  for  God  is 
swift  in  taking  an  account.  ^^^  O  true  believers,  be 
patient,  and  strive  to  excel  in  patience,  and  be  constant- 
minded,  and  fear  God,  that  ye  may  be  happy. 

199  There  are  some  of  tJiose  who  have  him  the   news  of  the  death   of  Ashama, 

received  the  scriptures,  who  believe  in  God,  king  of  Ethiopia,  who  had  embraced  the 

&c.]      The  persons  here  meant,  some  will  Mohammedan  religion  some  years  before  *, 

have  to  be  Abdallah  Ebn  Salam  ^  and  his  prayed   for  the  soul  of  the  departed  ;  at 

companions  ;    others   suppose   they   were  which  some  of  his  hypocritical  followers 

forty  Arabs  of  Najran,  or  thirty-two  Ethio-  were    displeased,   and  wondered    that   he 

pians,    or   else   eight    Greeks,    who  were  should  pray  for  a  Christian  proselyte  whom 

converted    from   Christianity   to  Moham-  he  had  never  seen  ^. 

medism  ;  and  others  say  this  passage  was  —  God  is  swift  in  taking  an  account.'] 

revealed  in  the  ninth  year  of  the  Hejra,  See  before,  p.  31,  and  the  Prelim.    Disc, 

when  Mohammed,   on  Gabriel's  bringing  §  iv. 

1  See  before,  p.  59.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  53.  ^  ji  Beiddwi. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

INTITLED,    women;     REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  MEN !  fear  your  Lord,  who  hath  created  you  out  of 
one  man,  and  out  of  him  created  his  wife,  and  from  them 
two  hath  multiplied  many  men,  and  women  :  and  fear 
God  by  whom  ye  beseech  one  another ;  and  respect 
women  who  have  borne  you,  for  God  is  watching  over 
you.  ^  And  give  the  orphans,  when  they  come  to  age, 
their  substance;  and  render  them  not  in  exchange  bad 
for  good :  and  devour  not  their  substance  by  adding  it  to 

Title,   Women.']      This  title  was   given  - —   Women.]     Literally,  the  wombs. 

to  this  chapter,  because  it  chiefly  treats  of  2    Render   them   not   in   exchange    bad 

matters  relating  to  women  ;  as  marriages,  for  good.]      That    is,   take  not   what    ye 

divorces,  dower,  prohibited  degrees,  &c.  find   of  value  among  their  effects  to  your 

1    By  whom  ye  beseech  one  another.]  own    use,    and    give    them    worse    in    its 

Saying,  I  beseech  thee,  for  God's  sake  *.  stead. 

^  '   /ll  Beiddwi. 


78  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

your  own  substance :  for  this  is  a  great  sin.  ^  And  if  ye 
fear  that  ye  shall  not  act  with  equity  towards  orphans  of 
the  female  sex,  take  in  marriage  of  such  other  women 
as  |3lease  you,  two,  or  three,  or  four,  and  not  more.  Bui 
if  ye  fear  that  ye  cannot  act  equitably  towards  so  many7 
marry  one  only,  or  the  slaves  which  ye  shall  have  ac- 
quired. This  will  be  easier,  that  ye  swerve  not  from 
righteousness.  And  give  women  their  dowry  freely :  but 
if  they  voluntarily  remit  unto  you  any  part  of  it,  enjoy  it 
with  satisfaction  and  advantage.  ^  And  give  not  unto 
those  who  are  weak  of  understanding,  the  substance  which 
God  hath  appointed  you  to  preserve  for  them ;  but  main- 
tain them,  thereout,  and  clothe  them,  and  speak  kindly 
unto  them.  ^  And  examine  the  orphans  until  they  attain 
the  age  of  marriage :  but  if  ye  perceive  they  are  able  to 
manaofe  their  affairs  well,  deliver  their  substance  unto 
them :  and  waste  it  not  extravagantly,  or  hastily,  because 
they  grow  up.  Let  him  who  is  rich  abstain  entirely  from 
the  orphans'  estates ;  and  let  him  who  is  poor  take  thereof 
according  to   what   shall  be  reasonable.     And  when  ye 

3  And  if  ye  fear  that  ye  cannot  act  with  cation  was  a  crime  as  well  as  wronging  of 

equity  towards  orphans  of  the  female  sex,  orphans,  they  ought  to  avoid  that  also,  by 

&c.]     The  commentators  understand  this  marrying  according  to  their  abilities  2. 
passage   differently.       The   true  meaning         —  Or   the   slaves  which  ye   shall  have 

seems    to   be,    as    it    is   here   translated ;  acquired.']      For  slaves  requiring   not  so 

Mohammed  advising  his  followers,  that  if  large  a  dower,  nor  so  good  and  plentiful  a 

they  found  they  should  wrong  the  female  maintenance  as  free  women,  a  man  might 

orphans  under  their  care,  either  by  marry-  keep  several  of  the  former  as  easily  as  one 

ing  them   against  their  inclinations,    for  of  the  latter. 

the  sake  of  their  riches  or  beauty,  or  by         5  Examine  the  orphans,  &c.]    i.  e.  Try 

not  using  or  maintaining  them  so  well  as  whether  they  be    well   grounded    in    the 

they  ought,  by  reason  of  their  having  al-  principles  of  religion,  and  have  sufficient 

ready  several  wives,   they  should  rather  prudence   for   the    management    of  their 

choose  to  marry  other  women,  to  avoid  all  affairs.     Under    this    expression    is    also 

occasion  of  sin^.     Others  say,  that  when  comprehended  the  duty  of  a  curator's  in- 

this  passage   was    revealed,  many  of  the  structiug  his  pupils  in  those  respects. 
Arabians,  fearing  trouble  and  temptation,         —    Until  they  attain  the    age   of  mar- 

refused  to  take  upon  them  the  charge  of  riageJ]      Or   age    of  maturity,   which    is 

orphans,   and  yet    multiplied  wives    to  a  generally  reckoned  to  be  fifteen,  a  decision 

great  excess,    and    used   them  ill  ;    or,  as  supported  by  a  tradition  of  their  prophet ; 

others  write,  gave  themselves  up  to  forni-  though  Abu  Hanifah  thinks  eighteen  the 

cation  ;    which    occasioned    the    passage,  proper  age  ^. 

And,  according  to  these,  its  meaning  must         —  Because  they  grow  up,]  i.  e.  Because 

be  either,  that  if  they  feared  they  could  they  will  shortly   be   of  age,   to    receive 

not  act  justly  towards  orphans,  they  had  as  what  belongs  to  them, 
great  reason  to  apprehend  they  could  not         —  According  to  what  shall  he  reasona- 

deal  equitably  with  so  many  wives,  and  ble.]    That  is,    no  more  than  what  shall 

therefore  are  commanded  to  marry  but  a  make  sufficient  recompense  for  the  trouble 

certain  number  ;  or  else,  that,  since  forni-  of  their  education. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem,  JallaWddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


IV.]  AL    KORAN.  79 

deliver  their  substance  unto  them,  call  witnesses  thereof, 
in  their  presence :  God  taketh  sufficient  account  of  your 
actions.  ^  Men  ought  to  have  a  part  of  what  their  parents 
and  kindred  leave  behind  them  when  they  die :  and 
women  also  ought  to  have  a  part  of  what  their  parents 
and  kindred  leave,  whether  it  be  little,  or  whether  it  be 
much ;  a  determinate  part  is  due  to  them.  ^  And  when 
they  who  are  of  kin  are  present  at  the  dividing  of  what  is 
left,  and  also  the  orphans  and  the  poor ;  distribute  unto 
them  some  part  thereof;  and  if  the  estate  be  too  small, 
at  least  speak  comfortably  unto  them.  ^  And  let  those 
fear  to  abuse  orphans,  who,  if  they  leave  behind  them  a 
weak  offspring,  are  solicitous  for  them :  let  them  there- 
fore fear  God,  and  speak  that  which  is  convenient. 
^  Surely  they  who  devour  the  possessions  of  orphans 
unjustly,  shall  swallow  down  nothing  but  fire  into  their 
bellies,  and  shall  broil  in  raging  flames.  ^^  God  hath  thus 
commanded  you  concerning  your  children.  A  male  shall 
have  as  much  as  the  share  of  two  females  :  but  if  they  be 
females  only,  and  above  two  in  number,  they  shall  have 
two-third  parts  of  what  the  deceased  shall  leave ;  and  if 
there  be  but  one,  she  shall  have  the  half  And  the 
parents  of  the  deceased  shall  have  each  of  them  a  sixth 
part  of  what  he  shall  leave,  if  he  have  a  child  :  but  if  he 
have  no  child,  and  his  parents  be  his  heirs,  then  his 
mother   shall   have   the   third   part.      And   if  he  have 

6   Women  ought  to  have  a  part  of  what  there  be  two,  and  no  more,  they  will  have 

their  parents  and  kindred  leave.~\      This  the  same  share.     And  the  remaining  third 

law  was  given  to  abolish  a  custom  of  the  part,  or  the  remaining  moiety  of  the  es- 

pagan  Arabs,  who  suffered  not  women  or  tate,  which  is  not  here  expressly  disposed 

children  to  have  any  part  of  their  bus-  of,   if  the  deceased  leaves  behind  him  no 

band's  or  father's  inheritance;  on  pretence  son,  nor  a  father,  goes  to  the  public  trea- 

that  they  only   should  inherit  who  were  sury.    It  must  be  observed  that  Mr.  Selden 

able  to  go  to  war  K  is  certainly  mistaken,  when,  in  explaining 

8  Let  them  speak  that  which  is  conve-  this  passage  of  the  Koran,  he  says,  that, 

nient.'\\\z.  Either  to  comfort  the  children,  where  there  is  a  son  and  an  only  daugh- 

or  to  assure  the  dying  father  they  shall  be  ter,  each  of  them  will  have  a  moiety  ^  ;  for 

justly  dealt  by  2.  the  daughter  can  have  a  moiety  but  in  one 

10  A  male  shall  have  as  much  as  the  case  only,  that  is,  where  there  is  no  son  ; 

share  of  two  females.]     This  is  the  general  for  if  there  be  a  son,  she  can  have  but  a 

rule  to  be  followed  in  the  distribution  of  third,  according  to  the   above-mentioned 

the  estate  of  the  deceased,  as  may  be  ob-  rule, 
served  in  the  following  cases  ^.  —  His  mother  shall  have  the  third  part.] 

—  If  there  be  above  two  in  number^  they  And    his   father    consequently   the   other 

shall  have  two-third  pai'ts,    &c.]      Or   if  two-thirds  ^, 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  V.  Prelim.  Disc.  §  vi.  *  Selden^  de  Success, 

ad  leges  Ebraeor.  1.  i.  c.  i.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


80  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

brethren,  his  mother  shall  have  a  sixth  part,  after  the 
legacies  which  he  shall  bequeath,  and  his  debts  be  paid. 
Ye  know  not  whether  your  parents  or  your  children  be 
of  greater  use  unto  you.  This  is  an  ordinance  from  God, 
and  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  Moreover  you  may 
claim  half  of  what  your  wives  shall  leave,  if  they  have  no 
issue  ;  but  if  they  have  issue,  then  ye  shall  have  the 
fourth  part  of  what  they  shall  leave,  after  the  legacies 
which  they  shall  bequeath,  and  the  debts  be  paid.  They 
also  shall  have  the  fourth  part  of  what  ye  shall  leave,  in 
case  ye  have  no  issue ;  but  if  ye  have  issue,  then  they 
shall  have  the  eighth  part  of  what  ye  shall  leave,  after 
the  legacies  which  ye  shall  bequeath,  and  your  debts  be 
paid.  And  if  a  man  or  woman's  substance  be  inherited 
by  a  distant  relation,  and  he  or  she  have  a  brother  or 
sister :  each  of  them  two  shall  have  a  sixth  part  of  the 
estate.  But  if  there  be  more  than  this  number,  they 
shall  be  equal  sharers  in  a  third  part,  after  payment  of 
the  legacies  which  shall  be  bequeathed,  and  the  debts 
without  prejudice  to  the  heirs.  This  is  an  ordinance 
from  God  ;  and  God  is  knowing  and  gracious.  ^^  These 
are  the  statutes  of  God.  And  whoso  obeyeth  God  and 
his  apostle,  God  shall  lead  him  into  gardens  wherein 
rivers  flow,  they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever ;  and  this 
shall  be  great  happiness.  ^^  But  whoso  disobeyeth  God, 
and  his  apostle,  and  transgresseth  his  statutes,  God  shall 
cast  him  into  hell-fire ;  he  shall  remain  therein  for  ever, 
and  he  shall  suffer  a  shameful  punishment.  ^*  If  any  of 
your  women  be  guilty  of  whoredom,  produce  four  wit- 
nesses from  among  you  against  them,  and  if  they  bear 
witness  against  them,  imprison  them  in  separate  apart- 
ments until  death  release  them,  or  God  affordeth  them  a 

10  The  legacies.']  By  legacies  in  this  &c.]  Here,  and  in  the  next  case,  the  brother 
and  the  following  passages  are  chiefly  and  sister  are  made  equal  sharers,  which 
meant  those  bequeathed  to  pious  uses ;  for  is  an  exception  to  the  general  rule,  of 
the  Mohammedans  approve  not  of  a  per-  giving  a  male  twice  as  much  as  a  female  ; 
son's  giving  away  his  substance  from  his  and  the  reason  is  said  to  be,  because  of  the 
family  and  near  relations  on  any  other  smallness  of  the  portions,  which  deserves 
account.  not  such  exactness  of  distribution  ;  for,  in 

11  RelationJ]     For  this  may  happen  by  other  cases,  the  rule  holds  between  brother 
contract,  or  on  some  other  special  occa  -  and  sister,  as  well  as  other  relations  ^ 
^ion.  14    Whoredom.']      Either  adultery    or 

—  Each  of  them  shall  have  a  sixth  part,     fornication. 


'   See  this  chap,  near  the  end. 
1 


IV.] 


AL   KORAN, 


81 


way  to  escape.  ^^  And  if  two  of  you  commit  the  like 
wickedness,  punish  them  both  :  but  if  they  repent 
and  amend,  let  them  both  alone  :  for  God  is  easy  to 
be  reconciled  and  merciful.  ^^  Verily  repentance  will 
be  accepted  with  God,  from  those  who  do  evil  igno- 
rantly,  and  then  repent  speedily  ;  unto  them  will 
God  be  turned  :  for  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  But 
no  repentance  shall  be  accef)ted  from  those  who  do  evil 
until  the  time  when  death  presenteth  itself  unto  one  of 
them,  and  he  saith,  Verily  I  repent  now  ;  nor  unto  those 
who  die  unbelievers  :  for  them  have  we  prepared  a  griev- 
ous punishment.  ^^  O  true  believers,  it  is  not  lawful  for 
you  to  be  heirs  of  women  against  their  will,  nor  to  hinde?^^ 
t'B^^^frpm.  marrying  others,  that  ye  may  take  away  part 
oTwfiat  ye  have  given^them  in  dqwry ;  unless  they  have 
been  guilty  of  a  manifest  crime:  but  converse  kindly 
And,  IT  ye  hate  them,  it  may  happen  that 


wUgJnem 

—  Imprison  them  —  till  death  release 
them,  &c.]  Their  punishment  in  the  be- 
ginning of  Mohammedisro,  was  to  be 
inimured  till  they  died;  but  afterwards 
this  cruel  doom  was  mitigated,  and  they 
might  avoid  it  by  undergoing  the  punish- 
ment ordained  in  its  stead  by  the  Sonna  ; 
according  to  which  the  maidens  are  to  be 
scourged  with  a  hundred  stripes,  and  to 
be  banished  for  a  full  year ;  and  the  mar- 
ried women  to  be  stoned  ^ 

15  And  if  two  of  you  commit  the  like 
wickedness,  &c.]  The  commentators  are 
not  agreed  whether  the  text  speaks  of 
fornication  or  sodomy.  Al  Zamakhshari, 
and  from  him,  al  Beidawi,  suppose  the 
former  is  here  meant :  but  Jallalo'ddin  is 
of  opinion  that  the  crime  intended  in  this 
passage  must  be  committed  between  two 
men,  and  not  between  a  man  and  a  wo- 
man ;  not  only  because  the  pronouns  are 
in  the  masculine  gender,  but  because  both 
are  ordered  to  suffer  the  same  slight 
punishment,  and  are  both  allowed  the 
same  repentance  and  indulgence ;  and 
especially,  for  that  a  different  and  much 
severer  punishment  is  appointed  for  the 
women  in  the  preceding  words.  Abu'l 
Kasem  Hebatallah  takes  simple  fornication 
to  be  the  crime  intended,  and  that  this 
passage  is  abrogated  by  that  of  the  24th 
chapter,  where  the  man  and  the  woman, 
who    shall   be  guilty   of  fornication,    are 


ordered  to  be  scourged  with  a  hundred 
stripes  each. 

—  Punish  them  both.']  The  original  is. 
Do  them  some  hurt  or  damage  :  by  which 
some  understand  that  they  are  only  to 
reproach  them  in  public  2,  or  strike  them 
on  the  head  with  their  slippers  ^  (a  great 
indignity  in  the  east)  ;  though  some  ima- 
gine they  may  be  scourged*. 

}8  It  is  not  lawful  for  you  to  be  heirs 
of  women  against  their  will.l  It  was  cus- 
tomary among  the  pagan  Arabs,  when  a 
man  died,  for  one  of  his  relations  to  claim 
a  right  to  his  widow,  which  he  asserted  by 
throwing  his  garment  over  her ;  and  then 
he  either  married  her  himself,  if  he  thought 
fit,  on  assigning  her  the  same  dower  that 
her  former  husband  had  done,  or  kept  her 
dower  and  married  her  to  another ;  or 
else  refused  to  let  her  marry,  unless  she 
redeemed  herself  by  quitting  what  she 
might  claim  of  her  husband's  goods  ^  This 
unjust  custom  is  abolished  by  this  passage. 

—  Nor  to  hinder  them  from  marrying 
others,]  Some  say  these  words  are  di- 
rected to  husbands  who  used  to  imprison 
their  wives  without  any  just  cause,  and 
out  of  covetousness,  merely  to  make  them 
relinquish  their  dower  or  their  inherit- 
ance^. 

—  A  manifest  crime.]  Such  as  dis- 
obedience, ill  behaviour,  immodesty,  and 
the  like  7. 


^  Jallalo'ddin. 
3  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi. 
"^  Idem. 


Idem.      Yahya,  AbuH  Kdsem  Hebatallah,  Al  Beiddwi. 
*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^   Idem. 


VOL.  L 


G 


82  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

ye  may  hate  a  thing  wherein  God  hath  placed  much  good. 
If  ye  be  desirous  to  exchange  a  wife  for  another  wife,  and 
ye  have  already  given  one  of  them  a  talent,  take  not  away 
any  thing  therefrom :  will  ye  take  it  by  slandering  her, 
and  doing  her  manifest  injustice?  ^^And  how  can  ye 
take  it,  since  the  one  of  you  hath  gone  in  unto  the  other, 
and  they  have  received  from  you  a  firm  covenant? 
^^  Marry  not  women  whom  your  fathers  have  had  to  wife ; 
(except  what  is  already  past ;)  for  this  is  uncleanness,  and 
an  abomination,  and  an  evil  way.  ^^  Ye  are  forbidden  to 
marry  your  mothers,  and  your  daughters,  and  your  sisters, 
and  your  aunts,  both  on  the  father's  and  on  the  mother's 
side,  and  your  brother's  daughters,  and  your  sister's  daugh- 
ters, and  your  mother's  who  have  given  you  suck,  and 
your  foster-sisters,  and  your  wives'  mothers,  and  your 
daughters-in-law  which  are  under  your  tuition,  born  of 
your  wives  unto  whom  ye  have  gone  in,  (but,  if  ye  have 
not  gone  in  unto  them,  it  shall  be  no  sin  in  you  to  marry 
them,)  and  the  wives  of  your  sons  who  proceed  out  of 
your  loins,  and  ye  are  also  forbidden  to  take  to  wife  two 
sisters,  except  what  is  already  past :  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.  [^V.]  ^^  Ye  are  also  forbidden  to  take  to 
wife  free  women  who  are  married,  except  those  women 
whom  your  right  hand  shall  possess  as  slaves.  This  is 
ordained  you  from  God.  Whatever  is  beside  this,  is 
allowed  you ;  that  ye  may,  with  your  substance  provide 
wives  for  yourselves,  acting  that  which  is  right  and  avoid- 
ing whoredom.  ^^  And,  for  the  advantage  which  ye  re- 
ceive from  them,  give  them  their  reward,  according  to 
what  is  ordained :  but  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you  to  make 
any  other  agreement  among  yourselves,  after  the  ordi- 

18  If  ye  he  desirous  to  exchange  a  wife  less  she  be  legally  parted  from  her  hus- 

for  another  wife,   &c.]     That  is,   by  di-  band  by  divorce  ;  but  it  is  lawful  to  marry 

vorcing  one,  and  marrying  another.  those  who  are    slaves  or   taken  in   war, 

—  A  talent.']  i.  e.  Ever  so  large  a  dower,  after  they  shall   have  gone  through  the 

See  also  c.  2.  proper  purifications,  though  their  husbands 

21  Ye  are  forbidden  to  take  to  wife  two  be  living.  Yet,  according  to  the  decision 
sisters.']  The  same  was  also  prohibited  of  Abu  Hanifah,  it  is  not  lawful  to  marry 
by  the  Levitical  law  ^  such  whose  husbands  shall  be  taken,  or 

22  Ye  are  forbidden  to  take  to  wife  free  in  actual  slavery  with  them  2. 

women  who  are  married,  except  those  wo-  23  Give  them  their  reward.'^     That  is, 

men  whom  ye  shall  possess  as  slaves.]     Ac-  assign  them  their  dower, 

cording  to  this  passage,  it  is  not  lawful  to  —  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  you  to  make 

marry  a  free  woman  that  is  already  mar-  any  other  agreement  among  yourselves,  &c.] 

ried,  be  she  a  Mohammedan  or  not,  un-  That  is,  either  to  increase   the  dower,  or 

1  Levit.  xviii.  18,  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


o 


IV.]  AL    KORAN.  8( 

nance  shall  be  complied  with ;  for  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^*  Whoso  among  you  hath  not  means  sufficient 
that  he  may  marry  free  women,  who  are  believers,  let 
him  marry  with  such  of  your  maid-servants  whom  your 
right  hands  possess  as  are  true  believers ;  for  God  w^ell 
knoweth  your  faith.  Ye  are  the  one  from  the  other  : 
therefore  marry  them  with  the  consent  of  their  masters  ; 
and  give  them  their  dower  according  to  justice  ;  such  as 
are  modest,  not  guilty  of  whoredom,  nor  entertaining 
lovers.  And,  when  they  are  married,  if  they  be  guilty  of 
adultery,  they  shall  suffer  half  the  punishment  which  is 
appointed  for  the  free  women.  This  is  allowed  unto  him 
among  you,  who  feareth  to  sin  by  marrying  free  women ; 
but,  if  ye  abstain  from  marrying  slaves,  it  will  be  better 
for  you  :  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  God  is  willing 
to  declare  these  things  unto  you,  and  to  direct  you  ac- 
cording to  the  ordinances  of  those  who  have  gone  before 
you,  and  to  be  merciful  unto  you.  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^^  God  desireth  to  be  gracious  unto  you  ;  but  they 
who  follow  their  lusts,  desire  that  ye  should  turn  aside 
from  the  truth  with  great  deviation.  ^'^  Gojoja  minded  to 
maJke^JuB^  for  man  was  created 

weak.     ^^  O    true  believers !  consume    not    your  wealth 
among  yourselves  in  vanity;  unless  there  be  merchan- 
dising among  you  by  mutual  consent :  nehhe£  sl^a^^^^ 
selves;  for  God  is  merciful  towards  you :  ^^  and  whoever 

to  abate  some  part,  or    even   the  whole  Magians,  who   formerly  were   frequently 

of  it.  guilty  of  incestuous  marriages,  their  pro- 

24  Ye  are  one  from  the  other,']  Being  phet  Zerdusht  having  allowed  them  to 
alike  descended  from  Adam,  and  of  the  take  their  mothers  and  sisters  to  wife  ;  and 
same  faiths  also    to    the    Jews,   who   likewise   might 

—  The  slaves f  if  guilty  of  adultery  f  shall  marry  within  some   of  the   degrees  here 

suffer  half  the  punishment  of  the  free  wo-  prohibited  *. 

men.']    The  reason  of  this  is,  because  they  27  For  man  was  created  weak.]     Being 

are  not  presumed  to  have  had  so  good  unable   to  refrain  from  women,  and  too 

education.     A   slave,    therefore,    in    such  subject  to  be  led  away  by  carnal  appe- 

case,  is  to   have  fifty  stripes,   and  to  be  tites  ^ 

banished   for  half  a  year ;  but  she  shall  28  Consume  not  your  wealth  in  vanity.] 

not  be  stoned,  because  it  is  a  punishment  That  is,  employ  it  not  in  things  prohibited 

which  cannot  be  inflicted  by  halves  ^.  by  God  ;  such  as  usury,  extortion,  rapine, 

25  Of  those  who  have  been  before  you.]  gaming,  and  the  like  ^. 

viz.  Of  the  prophets,  and  other  holy  and  —  Neither  slay  yourselves.]     Literally, 

prudent  men  of  former  ages^  slay  not  your  souls;  i.  e.  says  Jallalo'ddin, 

26  They  who  follow  their  lustSy  &c.]  by  committing  mortal  sins,  or  such  crimes 
Some  commentators  suppose  that  these  as  will  destroy  them.  Others,  however, 
words    have  a  particular   regard   to    the  are   of  opinion,    that  self-murder,   which 

'  Al  Beiddwi.  2  Idem.  ^  Jallalo' ddin,  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  Idem. 

G  2 


84 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap, 


doth  this  maliciously  and  wickedly,  he  will  surely  cast  him 
to  be  broiled  in  hell-fire ;  and  this  is  easy  with  God.  ^^  If 
ye  turn  aside  from  the  grievous  sins  of  those  which  ye  are 
forbidden  to  commit,  we  will  cleanse  you  from  your 
smaller  faults  ;  and  will  introduce  you  into  paradise  with 
an  honourable  entry.  ^^  Covet  not  that  which  God  hath 
bestowed  on  some  of  you  preferably  to  others.  Unto  the 
men  shall  be  given  a  portion  of  what  they  shall  have 
gained ;  and  unto  the  women  shall  be  given  a  portion  of 
what  they  shall  have  gained :  therefore  ask  God  of  his 
bounty ;  for  God  is  omniscient.  ^^  We  have  appointed 
unto  every  one  kindred,  to  inherit  part  of  what  their 
parents  and  relations  shall  leave  at  their  deaths.  And 
unto  those  with  whom  your  right  hands  have  made  an 
alliance,  give  their  part  of  the  inheritance ;  for  God  is 
witness  of  all  things.  ^^  Men  shall  have  the  pre-emi- 
nence above  women,  because  of  those  advantages  wherein 
God  hath  caused  the  one  of  them  to  excel  the  other,  and 


the  Gentile  Indians  did,  and  still  do,  often 
practise  in  honour  of  their  idols,  or  else 
the  taking  away  the  life  of  any  true  be- 
liever, is  hereby  forbidden  ^. 

29  Maliciously.']  See  Wisdom  xvi.  14. 
in  the  vulgate. 

30  Grievous  sins.'\  These  sins  al  Bei- 
dawi,  from  a  tradition  of  Mohammed, 
reckons  to  be  seven,  (equalling  in  number 
the  sins  called  deadly  by  Christians;)  that 
is  to  say,  idolatry,  murder,  falsely  accusing 
modest  women  of  adultery,  wasting  the 
substance  of  orphans,  taking  of  usury,  de- 
sertion in  a  religious  expedition,  and  dis- 
obedience to  parents.  But  Ebn  Abbas 
says,  they  amount  to  near  seven  hundred; 
and  others  suppose  that  idolatry  only,  of 
different  kinds,  in  worshipping  idols,  or 
any  creature,  either  in  opposition  to,  or 
jointly  with,  the  true  God,  is  here  in- 
tended ;  that  sin  being  generally  esteemed 
by  Mohammedans,  and,  in  a  few  lines 
after  declared  by  the  Koran  itself,  to  be 
the  only  one  which  God  will  not  par- 
don 2. 

31  Covet  not  that  which  God  hath  he- 
stowed  on  some  of  you  preferably  to  others.~\ 
Such  as  honour,  power,  riches,  and  other 
worldly  advantages.  Some,  however,  un- 
derstand this  of  the  distribution  of  inhe- 
ritances according  to  the  preceding  deter- 


minations, whereby  some   have   a  larger 
share  than  others  ^. 

—  Unto  the  men  shall  he  given  a  por- 
tion of  what  they  shall  have  gained^  &c.] 
That  is,  they  shall  be  blessed  according  to 
their  deserts ;  and  ought,  therefore,  in- 
stead of  displeasing  God,  by  envying  of 
others,  to  endeavour  to  merit  his  favour 
by  good  works,  and  to  apply  to  him  by 
prayer. 

32  Unto  those  with  whom  ye  have  made 
an  alliance,  give  their  part,  &c.]  A  pre- 
cept conformable  to  an  old  custom  of  the 
Arabs,  that,  where  persons  mutually  en- 
tered into  a  strict  friendship  or  confe- 
deracy, the  surviving  friend  should  have 
a  sixth  part  of  the  deceased's  estate.  But 
this  was  afterwards  abrogated,  according 
to  Jallalo'ddin  and  al  Zamakhshari,  at 
least  as  to  infidels.  The  passage  may 
likewise  be  understood  of  a  private  con- 
tract, whereby  the  survivor  is  to  inherit  a 
certain  part  of  the  substance  of  him  that 
dies  first*. 

33  Because  of  those  advantages  where- 
in God  hath  caused  the  one  to  excel  the 
other.~\  Such  as  superior  understanding 
and  strength,  and  the  other  privileges  of 
the  male  sex,  which  enjoys  the  dignities 
in  church  and  state,  goes  to  war  in  de- 
fence of  God's  true  religion,  and  claims  a 


*  A I  Beiddwi, 
*  V.  Al  Beiddwi. 


2  Idem.     See  before,  chap,  2. 


3  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin. 


IV.]  AL    KORAN.  85 

for  that  which  they  expend  of  their  substance  in  main- 
taining their  wives.  The  honest  women  are  obedient, 
careful  in  the  absence  of  their  husbands,  for  that  God 
preserveth  them,  by  committing  them  to  the  care  and 
protection  of  the  men.  But  those  whose  perverseness  ye 
shall  be  apprehensive  of,  rebuke ;  and  remove  them  into 
separate  apartments,  and  chastise  them.  But,  if  they 
shall  be  obedient  unto  you,  seek  not  an  occasion  of  quar- 
rel against  them  ;  for  God  is  high  and  great.  ^^  And,  if 
ye  fear  a  breach  between  the  husband  and  wife,  send  a 
judge  out  of  his  family,  and  a  judge  out  of  her  family :  if 
they  shall  desire  a  reconciliation,  God  will  cause  them  to 
agree ;  for  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  Serve  God,  and^ 
associate  no  creature  with  hhnj^ 

parent^j^3IIxe]^tions,  and  orphans,  anJ  the  poor^  and 
your  neighbour  jwho  is  of  kin  to  you,  and  also  your  neisE- 
bouf  who  is  a  stranger,  and  to  your  familiar  companion, 
and  the  traveller,  and  the  captives  whom  your  rigHt  hands 
s^all   p^  not  the  proud  or  vam- 

glorious,  ^^who  are  covetous,  and  recommend  covetous- 
ness  unto  men,  and  conceal  that  which  God  of  his  bounty 
hath  given  them ;  (we  have  prepared  a  shameful  punish- 
ment for  the  unbelievers ;)  ^^  and  who  bestow  their  wealth 
in  charity  to  be  observed  of  men,  and  believe  not  in  God, 
nor  in  the  last  day :  and  whoever  hath  Satan  for  a  com- 
panion, an  evil  companion  hath  he  !  ^^  And  what  harm 
would  befal  them  if  they  should  believe  in  God,  and  the 
last  day,  and  give  alms  out  of  that  which  God  hath  be- 
stowed on  them  ?  since  God  knoweth  them  who  do  this. 
^^  Verily  God  will  not  wrong  any  one,  even  the  weight 
of  an  ant :  and,  if  it  be  a  good  action,  he  will  double  it, 

double  share  of  their  deceased  ancestor's         34  Send   a  judge,   &c.]     i.  e.  Let  the 

estates  ^  magistrate    first  send   two  arbitrators  or 

—  Careful  in  the  absence  of  their  hus-  mediators,  one  on  each  side,   to  compose 
bands.]      Both  to  preserve  their  husbands'  the  difference,  and  prevent,  if  possible,  the 
substance  from  loss  or  waste,   and  them-  ill  consequences  of  an  open  rupture, 
selves  from  all  degrees  of  immodesty  ^.  35   Your   neighbour  who   is   of   kin    to 

—  Remove   them   into   separate   apart-  you.]     Either  of  your  own  nation  or  re- 
ments.]     That  is,  banish  them  from  your  ligion. 

hed.  36  And  conceal  that  which  God  of  his 

—  And  chastise  them.]     By  this  pas-  bounty  hath  given  them.]      Whether  it  be 
sage    the    Mohammedans    are,    in  plain  wealth,  knowledge,    or  any  other  talent, 
terms,  allowed  to  beat  their  wives,  in  case  whereby  they  may  help  their  neighbour, 
of  stubborn   disobedience;  but   not   in   a  39  God  will  not  wrong  any  one  the  weight 
violent  or  dangerous  manner  ^,  of  an  ant.]     Either  by  diminishing  the 

^  V.  At  Beiddwi.  2  ^i  BeiddivL  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


86  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

and  will  recompense  it  in  his  sight  with  a  great  reward. 
^^  How  will  it  be  with  the  unbelievers,  when  we  shall 
bring  a  witness  out  of  each  nation  against  itself,  and  shall 
bring  thee,  O  Mohammed  !  a  witness  against  these  peo- 
ple ?  ^^  In  that  day  they  who  have  not  believed,  and  have 
rebelled  against  the  apostle  of  God,  shall  wish  the  earth 
was  levelled  with  them ;  and  they  shall  not  be  able  to 
hide  any  matter  from  God.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  come 
not  to  prayers  when  ye  are  drunk,  until  ye  understand 
what  ye  say ;  nor  when  ye  are  polluted  by  emission  of 
seed,  unless  ye  be  travelling  on  the  road,  until  ye  wash 
yourselves.  But,  if  ye  be  sick,  or  on  a  journey,  or  any 
of  you  come  from  easing  nature,  or  have  touched  women, 
and  find  no  water,  take  fine  clean  sand,  and  rub  your 
faces  and  your  hands  therewith ;  for  God  is  merciful,  and 
inclined  to  forgive.  ^^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  unto 
whom  part  of  the  scripture  was  delivered  ?  they  sell  error, 
and  desire  that  ye  may  wander  from  the  right  way  ;  but 
God  well  knoweth  your  enemies.  God  is  a  sufficient 
patron,  and  God  is  a  suflScient  helper.  ^^Of  the  Jews 
there  are  sonie  who  peryert  wprds^^fr^  places^J^sSSI 

say^  We  have  heard,  and  have  disobeyed ;  and  do  thou 
Kear  without  understanding  our  meaning,  and  look  upon 

recompense    due  to  his  good  actions,  or  to  pray  ;  but,  being  overcome  with  liquor, 

too  severely  punishing  his  sins.     On  the  made  a  shameful  blunder,   in  reciting  a 

contrary,    he  will   reward  the   former  in  passage    of  the    Koran ;    whereupon,    to 

the  next  life,  far  above  their  deserts.     The  prevent   the   danger  of   any    such   inde- 

Arabic  word  Dharra,  which  is  translated  cency  for  the  future,  this  passage  was  re- 

an  ant,  signifies  a  very  small  sort  of  that  vealed  ^. 

insect,  and  is  used  to  denote  a  thing  that  —   Take  sand,  and  rub  your  faces  and 

is  exceeding  small,  as  a  mite.  yo?ir  hands   therewith.']     See  the  Prelim. 

40   When  we  shall  bring  a  witness  out  Disc.  §  iv. 

of  each  nation,  &c.]     When   the  prophet,  43  Those  unto  whom  part  of  the  scrip- 

who  was  sent  to  each  nation  in  particular,  tare  was  delivered.]     Meaning  the  Jews, 

shall,  on  the  last  day,  be  produced  to  give  and  particularly  their  Rabbins, 

evidence  against  such  of  them  as  refused  44   Who  pervert  ivords  from  their  places.] 

to   believe  on  him,  or  observed   not  the  That  is,  (according  to  the  commentators,) 

laws  which  he  brought.  who  change  the  true  sense  of  the  Penta- 

—  J  gainst  these  people.]     That  is,  the  teuch,  by  dislocating  passages,  or  by  wrest- 

Arabians,  to  whom  Mohammed   was,  as  ing    the   words    according    to    their   own 

he  pretended,  more  peculiarly  sent  ^.  fancies  and  lusts  ^   But  Mohammed  seems 

42  Come   not   to  prayers  when   ye  are  chiefly  to  intend  here  the  Jews  bantering 

drunk,  &c.]     It  is  related,  that,  before  the  of  him  in  their  addresses,  by  making  use 

prohibition  of  wine,    Abd'alrahman  Ebn  of  equivocal  words,  seeming  to  bear  a  gbod 

Awf  made  an  entertainment,  to  which  he  sense  in   Arabic,  but  spoken  by  them  in 

invited   several   of  the    apostle's    compa-  derision  according  to  their  acceptation  in 

nions ;  and  after  they  had  eat  and  drank  Hebrew;  an  instance  of  which  he  gives 

plentifully,    the    hour  of  evening   prayer  in  the  following  words, 

being  come,  one  of  the  company  rose  up  —   Without  understanding.]     Literally, 

1  See  before,  c.  2.  p.  "^  Al  Beiddwi.  '  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


IV.} 


AL    KORAN, 


87 


us :  perplexing  with  their  tongues,  and  reviling  the  true 
religion.  But  if  they  had  said,  We  have  heard,  and  do 
obey ;  and  do  thou  hear,  and  regard  us  :  certainly  it  were 
better  for  them,  and  more  right.  But  God  hath  cursed 
them  hj  reason  of  their  j^jBidieliiy: 

tEem'^only  shffl  ^^  O  ye  to  whom  the  scriptures 

Iffave  been  ofiven  [believe  in  the  revelation  which  we  have 
sent  down,  confirming  that  which  is  with  you  ;  before  we 
deface  your  countenances,  and  render  them  as  the  back 
parts  thereof;  or  curse  them,  as  we  cursed  those  who 
transgressed  on  the  sabbath-day,  and  the  command  of 
God  was  fulfilled.  ^^  Surely  God  will  not  pardon  the 
giving  him  an  equal ;  but  will  pardon  any  other  sin,  ex- 
cept that,  to  whom  he  pleaseth  :^and  whoso  giveth  a 
companion  unto  God,  hath  devised  a  great  wickedness. 
^^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  who  justify  themselves  ? 
But  God  justifieth  whomsoever  he  pleaseth,  nor  shall 
they  be  wronged  a  hair.  ^^  Behold,  how  they  imagine  a 
lie  against  God  ;  and  therein  is  iniquity  sufficiently  mani- 
fest. ^^  ^SLSt  thou  not  considered  those  to  wjigmpartjotf 
tibe  scripUire^  giveiiT    They  1^  f^ls& 

gods  aSd  idc^s^^Sffj^lOfeS^.,^^  These 


without  being  made  to  hear  or  apprehend 
what  we  say. 

—  Look  upon  us.l  The  original  word 
is  Rama)  which  being  a  terra  of  reproach 
in  Hebrew,  Mohammed  forbad  their  using 
it  to  him  1. 

—  And  regard  W5.]  In  Arabic,  Ond- 
horna ;  which,  having  no  ill  equivocal 
meaning,  the  prophet  ordered  them  to  use 
instead  of  the  former. 

•  45  And  render  them  as  the  back  parts 
thereof. '\  That  is,  perfectly  plain,  with- 
out eyes,  nose  or  mouth.  The  original, 
however,  may  also  be  translated,  and  turn 
them  behind,  by  wringing  their  necks 
backward. 

—  Those  who  transgressed  on  the  sah- 
hath-day.~\  And  were  therefore  changed 
into  apes  2. 

46  The  giving  him  an  equal.^  That  is, 
idolatry  of  all  kinds. 

—  To  whom  he  pleaseth.^  Viz.  To  those 
who  repent  3. 

47  2'hose  who  justify  themselves,^  i.  e. 
The    Christians    and    Jews,    who    called 


themselves  the  children  of  God,  and  his 
beloved  people  *. 

—  A  hair.']  The  original  word  sig- 
nifies a  little  skin  in  the  cleft  of  a  date- 
stone,  and  is  used  to  express  a  thing  of 
no  value. 

49  In  false  gods  and  idols.]  The  Ara- 
bic is,  in  Jibt  and  Taghut.  The  former 
is  supposed  to  have  been  the  proper  name 
of  some  idol ;  but  it  seems  rather  to  sig- 
nify any  false  deity  in  general.  The  lat- 
ter we  have  explained  already  ^. 

It  is  said,  that  this  passage  was  revealed 
on  the  following  occasion  :  Hoyai  Ebn 
Akhtab  and  Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf^  two 
chief  men  among  the  Jews,  with  several 
others  of  that  religion,  went  to  Mecca, 
and  offered  to  enter  into  a  confederacy 
with  the  Koreish,  and  to  join  their  forces 
against  Mohammed.  But  the  Koreish, 
entertaining  some  jealousy  of  them,  told 
them,  that  the  Jews  pretended  to  have  a 
written  revelation  from  heaven,  as  well  as 
Mohammed,  and  their  doctrines  and  wor- 
ship approached  much  nearer  to  what  he 


1   See  before,  c.  2.  ^  Idem. 

Jallalo'ddin.  See  c.  5,  not  far  from  the  beginning, 
before,  p.  58,  note  71' 


3  A I  Beiddwi. 
5  See  p.  41,  note  25?. 


*   Idem, 
6  See 


88  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

are  more  rightly  directed  in  the  way  of  truth,  than  they 
who  believe  on  Mohammed.,  ^^  Those  are  the  men  whom 
God  hath  cursed  ;  and  unto  him  whom  God  shall  curse, 
thou  shalt  surely  find  no  helper.  ^^  Shall  they  have  a 
part  of  the  kingdom,  since  even  then  they  would  not 
bestow  the  smallest  matter  on  men  ?  ^^  Do  they  envy 
other  men  that  which  God,  of  his  bounty,  hath  given 
them  ?  We  formerly  gave  unto  the  family  of  Abraham 
a  book  of  revelations  and  wisdom ;  and  we  gave  them  a 
great  kingdom.  ^^  There  is  of  them  who  believeth  on 
him;  and  there  is  of  them  who  turneth  aside  from  him: 
but  the  raging  fire  of  hell  is  a  sufficient  punishment. 
^^  Verily  those  who  disbelieve  our  signs,  we  will  surely 
cast  to  be  broiled  in  hell-fire;  so  often  j,st^ 
shall  be  well  burned,  we  will  giive  them  other  skins  in 
exchange,  that  they  may  taste  tKe  sharper  torment ;  for 
God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^^  But  those  who  believe,  and 
do  that  which  is  right,  we  will  bring  into  gardens  watered 
by  rivers,  therein  shall  they  remain  for  ever,  and  there 
shall  they  enjoy  wives  free  from  all  impurity ;  and  we 
will  lead  them  into  perpetual  shades.  ^^  Moreover,  God 
commandeth  you  to  restore  what  ye  are  trusted  with  to 
the  owners ;  and  when  ye  judge  between  men,  that  ye 
judge  according  to  equity :  and  surely  an  excellent  virtue 

taught,  than   the   religion  of  their  tribe  ;  —    We  gave  them   a  great   kingdom^ 

Wherefore,  said   they,  if  you  will  satisfy  Wherefore  God  will  doubtless  shew  equal 

us  that  you  are  sincere  in  the  matter,  do  favour  to  this  prophet  (a  descendant  also 

as  we  do,  and  worship  our  gods.     Which  of  Abraham),  and  those  who  believe  on 

proposal,  if  the  story  be  true,  these  Jews  him  ^. 

complied   with,    out   of    their    inveterate  53   Who  believeth  on  him.'}    Namely,  on 

hatred  to  Mohammed  ^,  Mohammed. 

51  Shall  they  have  a  pari  of  the  king-  56  God  commandeth  you  to  return  what 
dom,  &c.]  For  the  Jews  gave  out  that  ye  are  intrusted  with  to  the  owners.}  This 
they  should  be  restored  to  their  ancient  passage,  it  is  said,  was  revealed  on  the 
power  and  grandeur  2  ;  depending,  it  is  to  day  of  the  taking  of  Mecca,  the  primary 
be  presumed,  on  the  victorious  Messiah  design  of  it  being  to  direct  Mohammed  to 
whom  they  expected.  return  the  keys  of  the  Caaba  to  Othman 

—  The  smallest  matter.}     The  original  Ebn  Telha  Ebn  Abdaldar,  who  had  then 

word  properly  signifies  a  small  dent  on  the  the    honour   to   be   keeper  of  that   holy 

back  of  a  date-stone ;  and  is    commonly  place  *,  and   not  to   deliver   them  to  his 

used  to  express  a  thing  of  little    or  no  uncle  al  Abbas,  who,  having  already  the 

value.  custody  of  the  well  Zemzem,  would  fain 

52  Do  they  envy  other  men  that  which  have  had  also  that  of  the  Caaba.  The 
Godf  of  his  bounty^  hath  given  them  ?}  prophet  obeying  the  divine  order,  Othman 
Viz.  The  spiritual  gifts  of  prophecy,  and  was  so  affected  with  the  justice  of  the 
divine  revelations  ;  and  the  temporal  bless-  action,  notwithstanding  he  had,  at  first, 
ings  of  victory  and  success,  bestowed  on  refused  him  entrance,  that  he  immediately 
Mohammed  and  his  followers.  embraced  Mohammedism;  whereupon  the 

1  Al  Beiddwi.         ^  Idem,         ^  Idem.         *  See  P;7(:?t;a?<a'5  Life  of  Mahom.  p.  2. 


IV.]  A  L    KORAN.  89 

it  is  to  which  God  exhorteth  you ;  for  God  both  heareth 
and  seeth.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  obey  God,  and  obey  the 
apostle,  and  those  who  are  in  authority  among  you;  and 
if  ye  differ  in  any  thing,  refer  it  unto  God  and  the  apos- 
tle, if  ye  believe  in  God,  and  the  last  4ay :  this  is  better, 
and  a  fairer  method  of  determination.  ^^  Hast  thou  not 
observed  those  who  pretend  they  believe  in  what  hath 
been  revealed  unto  thee,  and  what  hath  been  revealed 
before  thee  ?  They  desire  to  go  to  judgment  before 
Taghut,  although  they  have  been  commanded  not  to 
believe  in  him ;  and  Satan  desireth  to  seduce  them  into 
a  wide  error.  ^^  And,  when  it  is  said  unto  them,  Come 
unto  the  book  which  God  hath  sent  down,  and  to  the 
apostle ;  thou  seest  the  ungodly  turn  aside  from  thee 
with  great  aversion.  ^^  But  how  will  they  behave  when 
a  misfortune  shall  befal  them,  for  that  which  their  hands 
have  sent  before  them  ?  Then  will  they  come  unto  thee, 
and  swear  by  God,  saying.  If  we  intended  any  other, 
than  to  do  good,  and  to  reconcile  the  parties.  ^^  God 
knoweth  what  is  in  the  hearts  of  these  men  ;  therefore 
let  them  alone,  and  admonish  them,  and  speak  unto  them 
a  word  which  may  affect  their  souls.  ^^  We  have  not 
sent  any  apostle,  but  that  he  might  be  obeyed  by  the  per- 
mission of  God  :  but   if  they,   after  they  have  injured 

guardianship  of  the  Caaba  was  confirmed  Mohammedan  confessing   this  to  be  true, 

to  this  Othman  and  his  heirs  for  ever*.  Omar  bid  them  stay  a  little,  and,  fetching 

57  Unto  God.']  i.  e.  To  the  decision  his  sword,  struck  off  the  obstinate  Mos- 
of  the  Koran.  lem's  head,  saying  aloud.  This  is  the  re- 

58  They  desire  to  go  to  judgment  before  ward  of  him  who  refuseth  to  submit  to 
Taghiit.~\  That  is,  before  the  tribunals  of  the  judgment  of  God  and  his  apostle, 
infidels.  This  passage  was  occasioned  by  And,  from  this  action,  Omar  had  the  sur- 
the  following  remarkable  accident.  A  name  of  al  Faruk,  which  alludes  both  to 
certain  Jew  having  a  dispute  with  a  his  separating  that  knave's  head  from  his 
wicked  Mohammedan,  the  latter  appealed  body,  and  to  his  distinguishing  between 
to  the  judgment  of  Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf,  truth  and  falsehood  2.  The  name  of  Tag- 
a  principal  Jew,  and  the  former  to  Mo-  hut  ^,  therefore,  in  this  place,  seems  to  be 
hammed.     But,  at  length,  they  agreed  to  given  to  Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf. 

refer  the  matter  to  the  prophet  singly,  60  Thet/  will  swear  they  intended  no 
who  giving  it  in  favour  of  the  Jew,  the  other  than  to  do  good,  &c.]  For  this 
Mohammedan  refused  to  acquiesce  in  his  was  the  excuse  of  the  friends  of  the  Mo- 
sentence,  but  would  needs  have  it  reheard  hammedan  whom  Omar  slew,  when  they 
by  Omar,  afterwards  Khalif.  When  they  came  to  demand  satisfaction  for  his 
came  to  him,  the  Jew  told  him  that  Mo-  blood  ^. 

hammed  had  already  decided  the  affair  in  62  After   they  have  injured  their  own 

his  favour;  but  that  the  other  would  not  souls.]     Viz.  By  acting  wickedly,  and  ap- 

submit   to    his    determination;     and    the  pealing  to  the  judgment  of  infidels. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.     See  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  220,  221.  2  Jallalo' ddin,     Al 

BeiddwL  See  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  688.  and  Ochley's  Hist,  of  the  Sarac.  v.  U 
p.  365.  3  See  before,  p.  41,  note  257.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


90  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

their  own  souls,  come  unto  thee,  and  ask  pardon  of  God, 
and  the  apostle  ask  pardon  for  them,  they  shall  surely 
find  God  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and  merciful.     ^^  And  by 
thy  Lord  they  will  not  perfectly  believe,  until  they  make 
thee  judge   of  their   controversies;  and  shall  not  after- 
wards find  in  their  own  minds  any  hardship  in  what  thou 
shalt  determine ;  but  shall  acquiesce  therein  with  entire 
submission.     ^^  And,  if  we  had  commanded  them,  saying, 
Slay  yourselves,  or.  Depart  from  your  houses  ;  they  would 
not  have  done  it,  except  a  few  of  them.     And,  if  they 
had  done  what  they  were  admonished,  it  would  certainly 
have  been  better  for  them,  and  more  efficacious  for  con- 
firming their  faith  ;  ^^  and  we  should  then  have   surely 
given  them  in  our  sight  an  exceeding  great  reward,  ^^  and 
we  should  have  directed  them  in  the  right  way.    ^^  Who- 
ever obeyeth  God  and  the  apostle,  they  shall   be  with 
those  unto  whom  God  hath  been  gracious,  of  the  pro- 
phets, and  the  sincere,  and   the  martyrs,  and  the  righ- 
teous ;  and  these  are  the  most  excellent  company.  ^^  This 
is  bounty  from  God  :  and  God  is   suflSciently  knowing. 
^^  O  true  believers  !  take  your  necessary  precaution  against 
your  enemies,   and  either  go   forth  to  war  in   separate 
parties,  or  go  forth  all  together  in  a  body.     ^^  There  is  of 
you  who  tarrieth  behind ;  and,  if  a  misfortune  befal  you, 
he  saith.  Verily  God  hath  been  gracious  unto  me,  that  I 
was  not  present  with  them :  ^^  but,  if  success  attend  you 
from  God,  he  will  say,  (as  if  there  was  no  friendship  be- 
tween you  and  him,)  Would  to  God  I  had  been  with 
them,  for  I   should  have    acquired  great  merit.     ^^  Let 
them  therefore  fight  for  the  religion  of  God,  who  part 

64  Slay  yourselves,  or.  Depart  from  your         71  ^s  if  there  was   no  friendship  be^ 

houses.^    Some  understand  these  words  of  tween  you  and  him.']     i.  e.   As  one  who 

their  venturing  their  lives  in  a  religious  attendeth  not  to  the  public,  but  his  own 

expedition ;   and   others,  of  their  under-  private  interest.     Or  else    these   may  be 

going  the  same   punishments  which   the  the  words  of  the  hypocritical  Mohamme- 

Israelites  did,   for  their  idolatry  in  wor-  dan  himself,  insinuating  that  he   stayed 

shipping  the  golden  calf*.  not  behind  the  rest  of  the  army  by  his 

69  Take  your  precaution.]  i.  e.  Be  own  fault,  but  was  left  by  Mohammed, 
vigilant,  and  provide  yourselves  with  arms  who  chose  to  let  the  others  share  in  his 
and  necessaries.  good  fortune,  preferably  to  him  2. 

70  Who  tarrieth  behind^  &c.]  Mo-  72  Who  part  with  the  present  life  in  ex- 
haramed  here  upbraids  the  hypocritical  change  for  that  which  is  to  come.]  By 
Moslems,  who,  for  want  of  faith  and  con-  venturing  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  de- 
stancy  in  their  religion,  were  backward  fence  of  the  faith. 

in  going  to  war  for  its  defence. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.     See  before,  p.  8,  note  51.  ^  idem. 


IV.]  AL    KORAN.  91 

with  the  present  life  in  exchange  for  that  which  is  to 
come;  for  whosoever  fighteth  for  the  religion  of  God, 
whether  he  be  slain,  or  be  victorious,  we  will  surely  give 
him  a  great  reward.  ^^  And  what  ails  you,  that  you  fight 
not  for  God's  true  religion,  and  in  defence  of  the  weak 
among  men,  women,  and  children  ?  who  say,  O  Lord  ! 
bring  us  forth  from  this  city,  whose  inhabitants  are 
wicked  ;  grant  us  from  before  thee  a  protector,  and  grant 
us  from  before  thee  a  defender.  ^^  Thgj  who  beliey 
fight  for  the  religion  of  Godj  bu 

figlit  for  the  religion  of  Taghut.  Fight  therefore  against 
fEe  friends  of  Satan,  for  the  stratagem  of  Satan  is  weak. 
^^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  unto  whom  it  was  said, 
Withhold  your  hands  from  war,  and  be  constant  at  prayers, 
and  pay  the  legal  alms  ?  But,  when  war  is  commanded 
them,  behold,  a  part  of  them  fear  men  as  they  should  fear 
God,  or  with  a  greater  fear,  and  say,  O  Lord  !  wherefore 
hast  thou  commanded  us  to  go  to  war,  and  hast  not  suf- 
fered us  to  wait  our  approaching  end  ?  ^^  Say  unto 
them,  The  provision  of  this  life  is  but  small;  but  the 
future  shall  be  better  for  him  who  feareth  God  ;  and  ye 
shall  not  be  in  the  least  injured  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
^^  Wheresoever  ye  be,  death  will  overtake  you,  although 
ye  be  in  lofty  towers.     If^ood^beMlhei^^^^  say.  This 

^1«JI^£LJGpQ^  befal  thenij  they  sayr-  This  i^... 

^mthee^^O  Mohammed  !  say.  All  is  from  God;  and 

—  Whether  he  he  slain,  or  be  victorious.']  Ebn  Osaid,  governor  of  the  city  :  and, 
For  no  man  ought  to  quit  the  field,  till  he  under  his  care  and  protection,  those  who 
either  fall  a  martyr,  or  gain  some  advan-  had  suffered  for  their  religion,  became  the 
tage  for  the  cause  *.  most  considerable  men  in  the  place. 

73  In  defence  of  the  weak,  &c.]  Viz.  74  Taghut.~\  See  before,  p.  41. 
Those  believers  who  staid  behind  at  Mecca,  7«^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  unto 
being  detained  there  either  forcibly  by  the  whom  it  was  said.  Withhold  your  hands 
idolaters,  or  for  want  of  means  to  fly  for  from  war,  &c.]  These  were  some  of  Mo- 
refuge  to  Medina.  Al  Beidawi  observes,  hammed's  followers,  who  readily  per- 
that  children  are  mentioned  here,  to  shew  formed  the  duties  of  their  religion,  so  long 
the  inhumanity  of  the  Koreish,  who  perse-  as  they  were  commanded  nothing  that 
cuted  even  that  tender  age.  might  endanger  their  lives. 

—  0  Lord !  bring  us  forth  from  this  —  Our  approaching  end.]  That  is,  a 
city,   and  grant  us  from  thee  a  protector,  natural  death. 

&c.]    This  petition,  the  commentators  say,  77  If  evil  befal  them,  they  say.  This  is 

was  heard.     For  God  afforded  several  of  from  thee.]     As  the  Jews,   in  particular, 

them    an    opportunity   and   means  of  es-  who  pretended  that  their  land  was  grown 

caping,  and  delivered  the  rest  at  the  taking  barren,  and  provisions  scarce,  since  Mo- 

of  Mecca  by  Mohammed,  who  left  Otab  hammed  came  to  Medina  ^. 

^  Al  Beidawi.  -  Idem. 


92  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

what  aileth  these  people,  that  they  are  so  far  from  under- 
standing what  is  said  unto  them?  ^^  Whatever  good 
befalleth  thee,  O  jqgian !  it .  is  from  God  :  and  J  whatever 
evil  befalleth  thee,  it  is  from  thyself.  We  have  sent  thee 
an;;  apostle  unto  men,  and„  ^GpD .  i^  a  sufficient  witneSs^ 
thereof.  ^^  Whoever  obeyeth  the  apostle,  obeyeth  God  ; 
and  whoever  turneth  back,  we  have  not  sent  thee  to  be^ 
keeper  over  them,  ^^  They  say,  Obedience  ;  yet,  when 
they  go  forth  from  thee,  part  of  them  meditate  by  night 
a  matter  different  from  what  thou  speakest ;  but  God 
shall  write  down  what  they  meditate  by  night:  therefore 
let  them  alone,  and  trust  in  God,  for  God  is  a  sufficient 
protector.  ^^  Do  they  ^otattentiyely  consider  the  Koran  ? 
iOt  had  been,  f^^  any  besides  God,  they  would  certainly 
have  found  therein  many  contradictions.  _  ^^  When  any 
news  cometh  unto  them,  either  of  security  or  fear,  they 
immediately  divulge  it ;  but  if  they  told  it  to  the  apostle, 
and  to  those  who  are  in  authority  among  them,  such  of 
them  would  understand  the  truth  of  the  matter,  as  inform 
themselves  thereof  from  the  apostle  and  his  chiefs.  And, 
if  the  favour  of  God,  and  his  mercy,  had  not  been  upon 
you,  ye  had  followed  the  devil,  except  a  few  of  you. 
83  Fight  therefore  for  the  religion  of  God,  and  oblige  not 
any  to  what  is  difficult  except  thyself;  however,  excite 
the  faithful  to  war ;  perhaps  God  will  restrain  the  courage 
of  the  unbelievers  ;  for  God  is  stronger  than  they,  and 

78  Whatever   evil  hefalleth    thee,  it  is     for   example,   as    Zeid    Ebn    Amru    Ebn 
from  thyself.']     These  words  are  not  to  be     Nofail  i,    and   Warakah    Ebn    Nawfal  2, 

understood   as   contradictory  to  the   pre-  who  left  idols,  and  acknowledged  but  one 

ceding,  That  all  proceeds  from  God  ;  since  God,    before    the    mission    of    Moham- 

the    evil    which   befals   mankind,  though  med  ^ 

ordered  by  God,  is  yet  the  consequence  of         83  Oblige  not  any  to  what  is  difficult, 

their  own  wicked  actions.  except  thyself]     It  is  said  this  passage  was 

79  We  have  not  sent  thee  to  he  a  keeper  revealed  when  the  Mohammedans  refused 
over  them.]  Or  to  take  an  account  of  their  to  follow  their  prophet  to  the  lesser  expe- 
actions  ;  for  this  is  God's  part.  dition   of  Bedr,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to 

^2  If  God' s  mercy  had  not  been  upon  you,  set    out   with    no  more  than  70*.     Some 

ye  had  followed  the  devil,  except  a  few  of  copies  vary  in  this  place,   and,  instead  of 

you.]     That  is,  if  God  had  not  sent  his  La  tokallafo,  in  the  second  person  singular, 

apostle  with  the   Koran  to  instruct  you  in  read  La  nokallafo,  in  the  first  person  plu- 

your  duty,  ye  had  continued  in  idolatry,  ral.  We  do  not  oblige,  &c.     The  meaning 

and    been    doomed    to    destruction  ;    ex-  being,  that  the  prophet  only  was  under  an 

cept  only  those,   who,   by  God's  favour,  indispensable  necessity  of  obeying  God's 

and  their  superior  understanding,  should  commands,   however  difficult,   but  others 

have  true   notions  of  the  divinity ;  such,  might  choose,  though  at  their  peril. 

1  V.  Millium,  de  Mohammedismo  ante  Moham.  p.  31L  ^  ggg  tj^g  Pielim.  Disc, 

p.  60.  ^  Al  Beiddivi,  *  See  before,  ch.  3. 


IV.]  A  L     KORAN.  93 

more  able  to  punish.  ^^  He  who  intercedeth  between 
men,  with  a  good  intercession,  shall  have  a  portion 
thereof;  and  he  who  intercedeth  with  an  evil  intercession, 
shall  have  a  portion  thereof ;  for*  God  overlooketh  all 
things.  ^^  When  ye  are  saluted  with  a  salutation,  salute 
the  person  with  a  better  salutation,  or  at  least,  return 
the  same ;  for  God  taketh  an  account  of  all  things. 
*^  God  !  there  is  no  God  but  he  :  he  will  surely  gather 
you  together  on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  there  is  no  doubt 
of  it :  and  who  is  more  true  than  God  in  what  he  saith  ? 
^^  Why  are  ye  divided  concerning  the  ungodly  into  two 
parties ;  since  God  hath  overturned  them  for  what  they 
have  committed  ?  Will  ye  direct  him  whom  God  hath 
led  astray ;  since  for  him  whom  God  shall  lead  astray 
thou  shalt  find  no  true  path  ?  ^^  They  desire  that  ye 
should  become  infidels,  as  they  are  infidels,  and  that  ye 
should  be  equally  wicked  with  themselves.  Therefore 
take  not  friends  from  among  them,  until  they  fly  their 
country  for  the  religion  of  God  ;  and  if  they  turn  back 
from  the  faith,  take  them,  and  kill  them  wherever  ye  find 
them ;  ^^  and  take  no  friend  from  among  them,  nor  any 
helper,  except  those  who  go  unto  a  people  who  are  in 
alliance  with  you,  or  those  who  come  unto  you,  their 
hearts  forbidding  them  either  to  fight  against  you,  or  to 
fight  against  their  own  people.  And,  if  God  pleased,  he 
would  have  permitted  them  to  have  prevailed  against  you, 
and  they  would  have  fought  against  you.  But,  if  they 
depart  from  you,  and  fight  not  against  you,  and  offer  you 

84  With  a  good  intercession.^  i.  e.  To  sion  of  some  deserters  at  the  battle  of 
maintain  the  right  of  a  believer,  or  to  pre-  Ohod  ;  concerning  whom  the  Moslems 
vent  his  being  wronged.  were   divided    in    opinion,    whether  they 

85  Salute  the  person  with  a  better  salu-  should  be  slain,  as  infidels  or  not. 
tation.']  By  adding  something  farther.  As,  89  A  people  who  are  in  alliance  with 
when  one  salutes  another  by  this  form,  yow.]  The  people  here  meant,  say  some, 
Peace  be  upon  thee,  he  ought  not  only  to  were  the  tribe  of  Khozaah  ;  or,  according 
return  the  salutation,  but  to  add,  A7id  the  to  others,  the  Aslamians,  whose  chief, 
mercy  of  God,  and  his  blessing.  named  Helal  Ebn  Owaimar,   agreed  with 

87   Why  are  ye  divided  concerning  the  Mohammed,    when   he    set    out    against 

ungodly  into  two  parties  ?'\     This  passage  Mecca,   to   stand    neuter  ;    or,   as    others 

was  revealed,   according    to    some,  when  rather  think,  Banu  Beer  Ebn  Zeid  ^. 

certain  of  Mohammed's  followers,  pretend-  —  Whoseheartsforbid  them  to  fight  either 

ing  not  to  like  Medina,  desired  leave  to  against  you,  or  their  own  people.']     These, 

go  elsewhere  ;    and   having   obtained   it,  it  is  said,   were  the  tribe  of  Modlaj,  who 

went  farther  and  farther,  till  they  joined  came  in  to  Mohammed,  but  would  not  be 

the  idolaters  ;  or,  as  others  say,  on  occa-  obliged  to  assist  him  in  war. 


Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


\ 


94  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

peace,  God  doth  not  allow  you  to  take  or  kill  them. 
^^  Ye  shall  find  others  who  are  desirous  to  enter  into  a 
confidence  with  you,  and  at  the  same  time  to  preserve  a 
confidence  with  their  own  people  :  so  often  as  they  re- 
turn to  sedition,  they  shall  be  subverted  therein ;  and,  if 
they  depart  not  from  you,  and  offer  you  peace,  and  restrain 
their  hands  from  warring  against  you,  take  them  and 
kill  them  wheresoever  ye  find  them ;  over  these  have  we 
granted  you  a  manifest  power.  ^^  It  is  not  lawful  for  a 
believer  to  kill  a  believer,  unless  it  happen  by  mistake  ; 
and  whoso  killeth  a  believer  by  mistake,  the  penalty  shall 
be  the  freeing  of  a  believer  from  slavery,  and  a  fine  to  be 
paid  to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  unless  they  remit  it 
as  alms  :  and,  if  the  slain  person  be  of  a  people  at  enmity 
with  you,  and  be  a  true  believer,  the  penalty  shall  be  the 
freeing  of  a  believer ;  but  if  he  be  of  a  people  in  confe- 
deracy with  you,  a  fine  to  be  paid  to  his  family,  and  the 
freeing  of  a  believer.  And  he  who  findeth  not  where- 
with to  do  this,  shall  fast  two  months  consecutively,  as  a 
penance  enjoined  from  God  ;  and  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^^  But  whoso  killeth  a  believer,  designedly,  his 
reward  shall  be  hell :  he  shall  remain  therein  for  ever; 
and  God  shall  be  angry  with  him,  and  shall  curse  him, 
and  shall  prepare  for  him  a  great  punishment.  ^^  O  true 
believers !  when  ye  are  on  a  march  in  defence  of  the  true 
religion,  justly  discern  such  as  ye  shall  happen  to  meet, 
and  say  not  unto  him  who  saluteth  you.  Thou  art  not  a 

90  Who  desire  to  enter  into  a  confidence  buted  according  to  the  laws  of  inheritances, 
with  you,  &c.]  The  persons  hinted  at  given  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter -^ 
here,  were  the  tribes  of  Asad  and  Ghaftan,  —  The  freeing  of  a  true  believer,']  And 
or,  as  some  say,  Banu  Abdaldar,  who  came  no  fine  shall  be  paid,  because,  in  such  case, 
to  Medina,  and  pretended  to  embrace  Mo-  his  relations,  being  infidels,  and  at  open 
hammedism,  that  they  might  be  trusted  by  war  with  the  Moslems,  have  no  right  to  in- 
the   Moslems;   but,  when    they  returned,  herit  what  he  leaves  *. 

fell  back  to  their  old  idolatry  ^  92  He    shall  remain  therein  for  everJ] 

91  Unless  it  be  by  mistake.]  That  is.  That  is,  unless  he  repent.  Others,  how- 
by  accident,  and  without  design.  This  ever,  understand  not  here  an  eternity  of 
passage  was  revealed  to  decide  the  case  of  damnation,  (for  it  is  the  general  doctrine 
Ayash  Abn  Abi  Rabia,  the  brother  by  the  of  the  Mohammedans,  that  none  who  pro- 
mother's  side,  of  Abu  Jahl,  who  meeting  fess  that  faith  shall  continue  in  hell  for 
Hareth  Ebn  Zeid  on  the  road,  and  not  ever,)  but  only  a  long  space  of  time  5. 
knowing  that  he  had  embraced  Moham-  93  Say  not  unto  him  who  saluteth  you^ 
medism,  slew  him 2.  Thou  art  not  a  true  believer,]     On  pre- 

—  And  a  fine  to  be  paid  to  the  family  of    tence  that  he  only  feigns  to  be  a  Moslem, 
the  deceased.]     Which  fine  is  to  be  distri-     that  he  might  escape  from  you.    The  com- 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  l^Qixi,  ^  i^em.  ^  Idem.  Mdem. 


IV.]  AL     KORAN.  95 

true  believer  ;  seeking  the  accidental  goods  of  the  present 
life  ;  for  with  God  is  much  spoil.  Such  have  ye  formerly 
been  ;  but  God  hath  been  gracious  unto  you ;  therefore 
make  a  just  discernment,  for  God  is  well  acquainted  with 
that  which  ye  do.  ^^  Those  believers  who  sit  still  at  home, 
not  having  any  hurt,  and  those  who  employ  their  fortunes, 
and  their  persons,  for  the  religion  of  God,  shall  not  be 
held  equal.  God  hath  preferred  those  who  employ  their 
fortunes,  and  their  persons,  in  that  cause,  to  a  degree  of 
honour  above  those  who  sit  at  home.  God  hath  indeed 
promised  every  one  paradise,  but  God  hath  preferred 
those  who  fight  for  the  faith  before  those  who  sit  still, 
by  adding  unto  them  a  great  reward,  ^^  by  degrees  of 
honour  conferred  on  them  from  him,  and  by  granting 
them  forgiveness  and  mercy;  for  God  is  indulgent  and 
merciful.  ^^  Moreover,  unto  those  whom  the  angels  put 
to  death,  having  injured  their  own  souls,  the  angels  said. 
Of  what  religion  were  ye  ?  They  answered,  We  were  weak 
in  the  earth.  The  angels  replied.  Was  not  God's  earth 
wide  enough,  that  ye  might  fly  therein  to  a  place  of 
refuge  ?  Therefore  their  habitation  shall  be  hell ;  and  an 
evil  journey  shall  it  be  thither/.  ^^  except  the  weak  among 
men,  and  women,  and  children,  who  were  not  able  to  find 
means,  and  were  not  directed  in  the  way :  ^^  these,  perad- 
venture,  God  will  pardon,   for  God  is  ready  to  forgive, 

mentators  mention  more  instances  than  it  repeated,  to  object,  And  what  though  I 
one  of  persons  slain  and  plundered  by  be  blind?  Whereupon  Mohammed,  fall- 
Mohammed's  men  under  this  pretext,  not-  ing  into  a  kind  of  trance,  which  was  suc- 
withstanding  they  declared  themselves  ceeded  by  strong  agitations,  pretended  he 
Moslems  by  repeating  the  usual  form  of  had  received  the  divine  direction  to  add 
words,  and  saluting  them  ;  for  which  rea-  these  words  to  the  text  ^. 
son  this  passage  was  revealed,  to  prevent  96  Those  whom  the  angels  put  to  death, 
such  rash  judgments  for  the  future.  &c.]     These  were  certain  inhabitants  of 

—  Seeking  the  accidental  goods  of  this  Mecca,  who  held  with  the  hare  and  ran 
life.]  That  is,  being  willing  to  judge  him  with  the  hounds;  for,  though  they  em- 
an  infidel,  only  that  ye  may  kill  and  plun-  braced  Mohammedism,  yet  they  would  not 
der  him.  leave  that  city  to  join  the  prophet,  as  the 

—  Such  ivere  ye  formerly,  &c.]  Viz.  At  rest  of  the  Moslems  did  ;  but.  on  the  con- 
your  first  profession  of  Islamism,  before  ye  trary,  went  out  with  the  idolaters,  and 
had  given  any  demonstrations  of  your  were  therefore  slain  with  them  at  the  bat- 
sincerity  and  zeal  therein.  tie  of  Bedr^. 

^  94  Not  having  any  hurt.]  i.  e.  Not  being         —   We  were  weak  in  the  earth."]    Being 

disabled  from  going  to  war  by  sickness,  or  unable  to  fly,  and  compelled  to  follow  the 

other  just  impediment.     It  is  said  that,  infidels  to  war. 

when  the  passage  was  first  revealed,  there         —  Was  not  God's  earth  wide  enough,  that 

was  no  such  exception  therein,  which  occa-  ye  might  fly  to  a  place  of  refuge  ?]  As  they 

sioned  Ebu  0mm  Mactum,  on  his  hearing  did  who  fled  to  Ethiopia,  and  to  Medina. 


Al  Beiddwi.  2  ^/  Beiddwi,  JaUalo'ddin. 


96  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

and  gracious.     ®^  Whosoever  flieth  from  his  country  for 
the  sake  of  God's  true  religion,  shall  find  in  the  earth 
many  forced  to  do  the  same,  and  plenty  of  provisions. 
And  whoever  departeth  from  his  house,  and  flieth  unto 
God  and  his  apostle,  if  death  overtake  him  in  the  way, 
God  will  be  obliged  to  reward  him ;  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.      ^^^  When  ye  march  to  war  in  the  earth,  it 
shall  be  no  crime  in  you  if  ye  shorten  your  prayers,  in 
case  ye  fear  the  infidels  may  attack  you ;    for  the  infidels 
are  your  open   enemy.     ^^^  But  when  thou,  O  prophet ! 
shalt  be  among  them,  and  slialt  pray  with  them,   let  a 
party  of  them  arise  to  prayer  with  thee,  and  let  them 
take  their  arms ;  and,  when  they  shall  have  worshipped, 
let  them  stand  behind  you ;   and  let  another  party  come 
that  hath  not  prayed,  and  let  them  pray  with  thee,  and 
let  them  be  cautious,  and  take  their  arms.     The  unbe- 
lievers would  that  ye  should  neglect  your  arms,  and  your 
baggage,  while  ye  pray,  that  they  might  turn  upon  you  at 
once.     It  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  if  ye  be  incommoded 
by  rain,  or  be  sick,  that  ye  lay  down  your  arms ;  but 
take  your  necessary  precaution :    God  hath  prepared  for 
the  unbelievers    an   ignominious   punishment.      ^^^  And 
when  ye  shall  have  ended  your  prayer,  remember  God, 
standing,  and  sitting,  and  lying  on  your  sides.     But,  w^hen 
ye  are  secure   from  danger,  complete  your  prayers  ;  for 
prayer  is  commanded  the  faithful,  and  appointed  to  be 
said  at  the  stated  times.     ^^^  Be  not  negligent  in  seeking 
out  the  unbelieving  people,  though  ye  suffer  some  incon- 
venience ;    for  they  also  shall  suffer,  as  ye  suffer ;  and  ye 
hope  for  a  reward  from  God  which  they  cannot  hope  for ; 
and  God  is  knowing  and  wise.     ^^*We  have  sent  down 

99  If  death  overtake  him  in  the  way,']  —  Take   your   necessary  precaution.'] 

This  passage  was  revealed,  says  al  Beid-  By  keeping  strict  guard, 

awi,   on  account  of  Jondob  Ebn  Damra.  102  Standing,  and  sitting,  and  lying  on 

This  person  being  sick,  was,  in  his  flight,  your  sides.]     That  is,  in  such  posture  as 

carried  by  his  sons  on  a  couch,  and,  be-  ye  shall  be  able  ^ 

fore  he  arrived  at  Medina,  perceiving  his  103  Be  not  negligent  in  seeking  out 
end  approached,  he  clapped  his  right  hand  the  unbelievers,  &c.]  This  verse  was 
on  his  left,  and  solemnly  plighting  his  revealed  on  occasion  of  the  unwilling- 
faith  to  God  and  his  apostle,  died,  ness  of  Mohammed's  men  to  accom- 
101  And  let  them  stand  behind  you.]  pany  him  in  the  lesser  expedition  of 
To  defend  those  who  are  at  prayers,  and  Bedr  2. 
to  face  the  enemy. 


See  before,  c.  3.  ^  Jl  Beiddivi. 


IV.]  AL     KORAN.  97 

unto  thee  the  book  of  the  Koran  with  truth,  that  thou 
mayest  judge  between  men  through  that  wisdom  which 
God  sheweth  thee  therein ;    and  be  not  an  advocate  for 
the  fraudulent ;    ^^'  but  ask  pardon  of  God  for  thy  wrong 
intention,  since  God  is  indulgent  and  merciful.     ^^^  Dis- 
pute not  for  those  who  deceive   one   another,   for  God 
loveth   not  him  who   is   a  deceiver   or  unjust.     ^^^  Such 
conceal  themselves  from  men,  but  they  conceal  not  them- 
selves from  God  ;  for  he  is  with  them  when  they  imagine 
by  night  a  saying  which  pleaseth  him  not,  and  God  com- 
prehendeth  what  they  do.     ^^^  Behold,   ye  are  they  who 
have  disputed  for  them  in  this  present  life ;  but  who  shall 
dispute  with  God  for  them  on  the  day  of  resurrection, 
or  who  will  become  their  patron  ?  ^^^  yet  he  who  doth  evil, 
or  injureth  his  own  soul,  and  afterwards  asketh  pardon  of 
God,  shall  find  God  gracious  and  merciful.     "^  Whoso 
committeth   wickedness,   committeth  it  against  his  own 
soul :    God  is  knowing  and  wise.      ^^^  And-  whoso  com- 
mitteth a  sin  or  iniquity,  and  afterwards  layeth  it  on  the 
innocent,  he  shall  surely  bear  the  guilt  of  calumny  and 
manifest  injustice.     ^^^  If  the   indulgence  and  mercy  of 
God  had  not  been  upon  thee,  surely  a  part  of  them  had 
studied  to  seduce  thee ;  but  they  shall  seduce  themselves 
only,  and  shall  not  hurt  thee  at  all.     God  hath  sent  down 

104  And  he  not   an   advocate  for   the  intention,  and  commanding  him  to  judge, 

fraudulent,  &c.]     Tima  Ebn  Obeirak,  of  not  according  to  his  own   prejudice   and 

the  sons  of  Dhafar,  one  of  Mohammed's  opinion,  but  according  to  the  merit  of  the 

companions,  stole  a  coat  of  mail  from  his  case  ^. 

neighbour  Kitada  Ebn  al  Noman,  in  a  bag         106  For  God  loveth  not  a  deceiver  or 

of  meal ;  and  hid   it  at  a  Jew's,   named  unjust  person,~\  Al  Beidawi,^  as  an  instance 

Zeid    Ebn  al   Samin.      Tima  being  sus-  of  the  divine  justice,  adds,  that  Tima,  after 

pected,  the  coat  of  mail  was  demanded  of  the  fact  above-mentioned,  fled  to  Mecca, 

him  ;  but  he  denying  he  knew  any  thing  and  returned  to  idolatry  ;  and  there  under- 

of  it,  they  followed  the  track  of  the  meal,  mining  the  wall  of  a  house,   in  order  to 

which  had  run  out  through  a  hole  in  the  commit  a  robbery,  the  wall  fell  in   upon 

bag,  to  the  Jew's  house,  and  there  seized  him,  and  crushed  him  to  death, 
it,  accusing  him  of  the  theft;  but  he  pro-         107   When  they  imagine  by  night  a  say- 

ducing  witnesses  of  his  own  religion,  that  ing   which  pleaseth  him  not.']       That   is, 

he  had  it    of  Tima,   the  sons   of  Dhafar  when   they   secretly   contrive  means,    by 

came  to  Mohammed,  and  desired  him  to  false  evidence  or   otherwise,  to  lay  their 

defend    his   companion's    reputation,   and  crimes  on  innocent  persons, 
condemn  the  Jew  ;  which  he  having  some  112     A    part   of    them    had    studied 

thoughts  of  doing,  this  passage   was  re-  to   seduce    thee."]     Meaning    the    sons    of 

vealed,    reprehending   him    for    his    rash  Dhafar. 


'   Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya. 
VOL.  I.  H 


98  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

unto  thee  the  book  of  the  Koran  and  wisdom,  and  hath 
taught  thee  that  which  thou  knewest  not ;  for  the  favour 
of  God  hath  been  great  towards  thee.  "^  There  is  no 
good  in  the  multitude  of  their  private  discourses,  unless 
in  the  discourse  of  him  who  recommendeth  alms,  or  that 
which  is  right,  or  agreement  amongst  men :  whoever 
doth  this  out  of  a  desire  to  please  God,  we  will  surely 
give  him  a  great  reward.  ^^^  But  whoso  separateth  him- 
self from  the  apostle,  after  true  direction  hath  been 
manifested  unto  him,  and  followeth  any  other  way  than 
that  of  the  true  believers,  we  will  cause  him  to  obtain 
that  to  which  he  is  inclined,  and  will  cast  him  to  be 
burned  in  hell ;  and  an  unhappy  journey  shall  it  be 
thither.  "^  Verily  God  will  not  pardon  the  giving  him  a 
companion,  but  he  will  pardon  any  crime  besides  that, 
unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  he  who  giveth  a  companion 
unto  God,  is  surely  led  aside  into  a  wide  mistake.  ^^^  The 
infidels  invoke,  beside  him,  only  female  deities ;  and  only 
invoke  rebellious  Satan.  ^^^  God  cursed  him ;  and  he 
said.  Verily  I  will  take  of  thy  servants  a  part  cut  off  from 
the  rest ;  ^^^  and  I  will  seduce  them,  and  will  insinuate 
vain  desires  into  them,  and  I  will  command  them,  and 
they  shall  cut  off  the  ears  of  cattle ;  and  I  will  command 
them,  and  they  shall  change  God's  creature.  But  who- 
ever taketh  Satan  for  his  patron,  besides  God,  shall 
surely  perish  with  a  manifest  destruction.     ^^^  He  maketh 

112  And  hath  taught  thee  that  which  thou  of  this  custom  in   the   notes    to   the   5th 

knewest  not.~\     By  instructing  thee  in  the  chapter. 

knowledge  of  right  and  wrong,  and  the         —  Jnd  they  shall  change  God's  crea- 

rules  of  justice.  tureJ]     Either  by  maiming  it,  or  putting 

114   We  will  cause  him  to  obtain  that  it  to  uses  not  designed  by  the  Creator. 

towards  which  he  is  inclined.^     Viz,  Error  Al  Beidawi  supposes  the  text  to  intend, 

and  false  notions  of  religion.  not  only  the  superstitious  amputations  of 

116  The  infidels  invoke,  beside  him,  only  the  ears,  and  other  parts  of  cattle,  but  the 
female  deities.']  Namely,  Allat,  al  Uzza,  castration  of  slaves,  the  marking  their 
and  Menat,  the  idols  of  the  Meccans  ;  or  bodies  with  figures,  by  pricking  and  dye- 
the  angels,  whom  they  call  the  daughters  ing  them  with  woad  or  indigo,  (as  the 
of  God  ^  Arabs  did  and  still  do,)  the  sharpening 

117  A  part  cut  off  from  the  rest.]  Or,  their  teeth  by  filing;  also  sodomy;  and 
as  the  original  may  be  translated,  J  part  the  unnatural  amours  between  those  of 
destined  or  predetermined  to  be  seduced  the  female  sex ;  the  worship  of  the  sun, 
Ify  me.  moon,  and  other  parts  of  nature,  and  the 

118  And  they  shall  cut  off  the  ears  of  like. 

cattle.]     Which  was  done  out  of  super-         — ^^52*^^5  6ro^.]  i.e.  By  leaving  the  ser- 
stition  by  the  old  Pagan  Arabs.     See  more     vice  of  God,  &  doing  the  works  of  the  devil. 


»  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  20,  &c. 

1 


IV.]  A  L    KORAN.  99 

them  promises,  and  insinuateth  into  them  vain  desires  ; 
yet  Satan  maketh  them  only  deceitful  promises.  ^^^  The 
receptacle  of  these  shall  be  hell :  they  shall  find  no  refuge 
from  it.  ^^^  But  they  who  believe,  and  do  good  v^orks,  we 
will  surely  lead  them  into  gardens,  through  which  rivers 
flow ;  they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever,  according  to 
the  true  promise  of  God  ;  and  who  is  more  true  than 
God  in  what  he  saith  ?  ^^^  It  shall  not  be  according  to 
your  desires,  nor  according  to  the  desires  of  those  who 
have  received  the  scriptures.  Whoso  doth  evil,  shall  be 
rewarded  for  it ;  and  shall  not  find  any  patron  or  helper, 
beside  God  :  ^^^  but  whoso  doth  good  works,  whether  he 
be  male  or  female,  and  is  a  true  believer ;  they  shall  be 
admitted  into  paradise,  and  shall  not,  in  the  least,  be 
unjustly  dealt  with.  ^^^  Who  is  better  in  point  of 
religion  than  he  who  resigneth  himself  unto  God,  and 
is  a  worker  of  righteousness,  and  foUoweth  the  law  of 
Abraham  the  orthodox  ?  since  God  took  Abraham 
for  his  friend  ;  ^^^  and  to  God  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in 
heaven  and  on  earth;  God  comprehendeth  all  things. 
^^^  They  will  consult  thee  concerning  women ;    answer, 

122  It  shall  not  he  according  to  your  to  entertain  his  guests,  and  give  away  to 

desires,  nor  according  to  the  desires  of  those  the  poor,  according  to  his  usual  hospitality. 

who  have  received  the  scriptures.~\     That  is,  The  servants  whom  Abraham  had  sent  on 

the  promises  of  God  are  not  to  be  gained  this   message,    being   ashamed   to   return 

by  acting  after  your  own  fancies,  nor  yet  empty,  to  conceal  the  matter  from  their 

after  the  fancies  of  the  Jews  or  Christians,  neighbours,    filled    their   sacks  with  fine 

but  by  obeying  the   commands  of  God.  white   sand,    which,   in   the    east,   pretty 

This  passage,  they  say,  was  revealed  on  a  much   resembles    meal.     Abraham   being 

dispute  which  arose  between  those  of  the  informed  by  his  servants,  on  their  return, 

three  religions,  each  preferring  his  own,  of  their  ill  success,  the  concern   he  was 

and  condemning  the  others.     Some,  how-  under  threw  him  into  a  sleep ;  and  in  the 

ever,  suppose  the  persons  here  spoken  to  mean  time,    Sarah,    knowing   nothing  of 

in  the  second  person,  were  not  the  Mo-  what  had  happened,  opening  one   of  the 

hammedans,  but  the  idolaters  ^.  sacks,  found  good  flour  in  it,  and  imme- 

124  Since   God   took  Abraham  for    his  diately  set  about  making  of  bread.     Abra- 

friendJ]      Therefore    the    Mohammedans  ham  awaking,  and  smelling  the  new  bread, 

usually  call  that  patriarch,  as  the  scripture  asked  her  whence  she  had  the  flour?  Why, 

also  does,  Khalil  Allah,  i.  e.  The  friend  of  says  she,  from  your  friend  in  Egypt.  Nay, 

God,  and  simply  al  Khalil ;  and  they  tell  replied  thePatriarch,it  must  have  come  from 

the  following  story:    That  Abraham,  in  a  no  other  than  my  friend,  God  Almighty  2. 
time  of  dearth,  sent  to  a  friend  of  his  in         126  They  will  consult  thee  concerning 

Egypt  for  a  supply  of  corn  ;  but  the  friend  women.']  i.  e.  As  to  the  share  they  are  to 

denied  him,  saying,  in  his  excuse,  That,  have  in  the  distribution  of  the  inheritances 

though  there  was  a  famine  in  their  coun-  of  their  deceased  relations ;  for  it  seems 

try  also,  yet,  had  it  been  for  Abraham's  the  Arabs  were  not  satisfied  with  Moham- 

own  family,  he  would  have  sent  what  he  med's  decision  in   this  point  against  the 

desired  ;  but  he  knew  he  wanted  it  only  old  customs. 

I  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya.  2  ^i  Beiddwi.     See  D'Herbel.  Bibl. 

Orient,  p.  14.  and  Morgans  Mahometism  explained.  V.  1.  p.  132. 

H   2 


100  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

God  instructeth  you  concerning  them ;  and  that  which  is 
read  unto  you  in  the  book  of  the  Koran  concerning 
female  orphans,  to  whom  ye  give  not  that  which  is 
ordained  them,  neither  will  ye  marry  them,  and  con- 
cerning weak  infants ;  and  that  ye  observe  justice  towards 
orphans :  whatever  good  ye  do,  God  knoweth  it.  ^^^  If  a 
woman  fear  ill  usage,  or  aversion  from  her  husband,  it 
shall  be  no  crime  in  them  if  they  agree  the  matter  amica- 
bly between  themselves ;  for  a  reconciliation  is  better 
than  a  separation.  Men's  souls  are  naturally  inclined  to 
covetousness  :  but,  if  ye  be  kind  towards  women,  and 
fear  to  wrong  them,  God  is  well  acquainted  with  what  ye 
do.  ^^^  Ye  can,  by  no  means,  carry  yourselves  equally 
between  women  in  all  respects,  although  ye  study  to  do 
it :  therefore  turn  not  from  a  wife  with  all  manner  of 
aversion,  nor  leave  her  like  one  in  suspense :  if  ye  agree, 
and  fear  to  abuse  your  wives,  God  is  gracious  and  merci- 
ful ;  ^^^  but,  if  they  separate,  God  will  satisfy  them  both 
of  his  abundance ;  for  God  is  extensive  and  wise,  ^^^  and 
unto  God  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on 
earth.  We  have  already  commanded  those  unto  whom 
the  scriptures  were  given  before  you,  and  we  command 
you  also,  saying.  Fear  God  ;  but,  if  ye  disbelieve,  unto 
God  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and 

\2Q  God  instructeth  you  concerning  them^  to  covetousness.']  So  that  the  woman,  on 
&c.]  i.  e.  He  hath  already  made  his  will  the  one  side,  is  unwilling  to  part  with  any- 
known  unto  you,  by  revealing  the  passages  of  her  right;  and  the  husband,  on  the 
concerning  inheritances  in  the  beginning  other,  cares  not  to  retain  one  he  has  no 
of  this  chapter.  affection  for ;  or,  if  he  should  retain  her, 

—  Neither  will  ye  marry  with  thetn.']  she  can  scarce  expect  he  will  use  her  in 
Or  the  words  may   be  rendered   in    the  all  respects  as  he  ought  ^. 

affirmative,  And  whom  ye  desire  to  marry.  128   Turn  not  from  a  wife  with  all  man- 

For  the  Pagan  Arabs  used  to  wrong  their  ner  of  aversion.']    i.  e.  Though  you  cannot 

female  orphans  in  both  instances  :  obliging  use  her  equally  well  with  a  beloved  wife, 

them  to  marry  against  their  inclinations,  yet  observe   some  measure  of  justice  to- 

if  they  were  beautiful  or  rich  ;  or  else  not  wards  her  ;  for,  if  a  man  is  not  able  per- 

suffering  them  to  marry  at  all,  that  they  fectly    to    perform    his    duty,    he    ought 

might  keep  what  belonged  to  them  K  not,  for  that  reason,  entirely   to  neglect 

—  And  concerning  weak  infants.]     That  it*. 

is,  male  children  of  tender  years,  to  whom         —  Nor  leave  her  like  one  in  suspense.] 

the  Arabs,  in  the  time  of  Paganism,  used  Or,  like  one  that  neither  has  a  husband; 

to  allow  no  share  in  the  distribution  of  nor  is  divorced,  and  at  liberty  to  marry 

their  parents'  estate  2.  elsewhere. 

127  Jf  they  agree  the  matter  between  129  God  will  satisfy  them  both,  &c.] 
themselves.]  Viz.  By  the  wife's  remitting  That  is,  either  will  bless  them  with  a  bet- 
part  of  her  dower,  or  other  dues.  ter  and  more  advantageous  match,  or  with 

—  Men's  souls   are    naturally  inclined  peace  and  tranquillity  of  mind  ^. 

^  M  Beiddwi.        ^  See  before,  p.  79,  note  6.         ^  ji  Beiddwi.         *  Idem.         ^  mg^^^ 


IV.]  AL     KORAN.  101 

God  is  self-sufficient,  and  to  be  praised ;  ^^^  for  unto  God 
belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and 
God  is  a  sufficient  protector.  ^^^  If  he  pleaseth,  he  will 
take  you  away,  O  men  !  and  will  produce  others  in  your 
stead  ;  for  God  is  able  to  do  this.  ^^^  Whoso  desireth 
the  reward  of  this  world,  verily  with  God  is  the  reward 
of  this  world,  and  also  of  that  which  is  to  come  ;  God  both 
heareth  and  seeth.  ^^^  O  true  believers  !  observe  justice 
when  ye  bear  witness  before  God,  although  it  be  against 
yourselves,  or  your  parents,  or  relations ;  whether  the 
party  be  rich,  or  whether  he  be  poor ;  for  Gos  is  more 
worthy  than  them  both ;  therefore  follow  n6t  your  own 
lust  in  bearing  testimony,  so  that  ye  swerve  from  justice. 
And  whether  ye  wrest  your  evidence,  or  decline  giving  it, 
God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do.  ^^^  O  true 
believers  !  believe  in  God  and  his  apostle,  and  the  book 
which  he  hath  caused  to  descend  unto  his  apostle,  and 
the  book  which  he  hath  formerly  sent  down.  And  who- 
soever believeth  not  in  God,  and  his  angels,  and  his  scrip- 
tures, and  his  apostles,  and  the  last  day,  he  surely  erreth 
in  a  wide  mistake.  ^^^  Moreover,  they  who  believed,  and 
afterwards  became  infidels,  and  then  believed  again,  and, 
after  that,  disbelieved,  and  increased  in  infidelity,  God 
will  by  no  means  forgive  them,  nor  direct  them  into  the 
right  way.  ^^^  Declare  unto  the  ungodly  that  they  shall 
suffer  a  painful  punishment.  ^^^  They  who  take  the  unbe- 
lievers for  their  protectors,  besides  the  faithful,  do  they 
seek  for  power  with  them  ?  since  all  power  belongeth 
under  God.      ^^^  And    he    hath    already    revealed   unto 

130  God   is   self-sufficient.']      Wanting  became  infidels;  and  then  believed  again, 

the  service  of  no  creature.  and  after  that  disbelieved,  and  again  in- 

132  And  will  produce  others,  &C.1  i.  e.  creased  in    infidelity.]      These    were    the 

Either  another  race  of  men,  or  a  different  Jews,   who    first  believed  in    Moses,  and 

species  of  creatures.  afterwards  fell  into  idolatry  by  worshipping 

135  Believe  in  God  and  his  apostle,  &c.]  the  golden  calf;  and,  though  they  repented 
It  is  said,  that  Abdallah  Ebn  Salam  and  of  that,  yet,  in  after  ages,  rejected  the  pro- 
his  companions  told  Mohammed,  that  they  phets  who  were  sent  to  them,  and  particu- 
believed  in  him,  and  his  Koran,  and  in  larly  Jesus,  the  son  of  Mary,  and  now 
Moses,  and  the  Pentateuch,  and  in  Ezra,  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  unbelief  by 
but  no  farther;  whereupon  this  passage  rejecting  of  Mohammed 2. 

was  revealed  ;  declaring  that  a  partial  faith  137  Declare  unto  the  ungodly,  &c.]  Mo- 
is  little  better  than  none  at  all  ;  and  that  a  hammed  here  means  those  who  hypocriti- 
true  believer  must  believe  in  all  God's  pro-  cally  pretended  to  believe  in  him,  but 
phets  and  revelations  without  exception  1.  really  did  not ;  and,    by  their    treachery, 

136  They  who  believed,  and  afterwards  did  great  mischief  to  his  party  ^. 


^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem.  ^  Jdem. 


102  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

yoii,  in  the  book  of  the  Koran,  the  following  passage : 
When  ye  shall  hear  the  signs  of  God,  they  shall  not  be 
believed,  but  they  shall  be  laughed  to  scorn.  Therefore 
sit  not  with  them  who  believe  not,  until  they  engage  in 
different  discourse ;  for,  if  ye  do,  ye  will  certainly  become 
like  unto  them.  God  will  surely  gather  the  ungodly  and 
the  unbelievers  together  in  hell.  ^^^  They  who  wait  to 
observe  what  befalleth  you,  if  victory  be  granted  you  from 
God,  say.  Were  we  not  with  you  ?  But,  if  any  advantage 
happen  to  the  infidels,  they  say  unto  them.  Were  we  not 
superior  to  you,  and  have  we  not  defended  you  against 
the  believers  ?  God  shall  judge  between  you  on  the  day 
of  resurrection  ;  and  God  will  not  grant  the  unbelievers 
means  to  prevail  over  the  faithful.  ^^^  The  hypocrites  act 
deceitfully  with  God,  but  he  will  deceive  them :  and, 
when  they  stand  up  to  pray,  they  stand  carelessly,  affect- 
ing to  be  seen  of  men,  and  remember  not  God,  unless  a 
little,  ^^^  wavering  between  faith  and  infidelity,  and  ad- 
hering neither  unto  these,  nor  unto  those  :  and,  for  him 
whom  God  shall  lead  astray,  thou  shalt  find  no  true  path. 
^^^  O  true  believers  !  take  not  the  unbelievers  for  your 
protectors,  besides  the  faithful.  Will  ye  furnish  God 
with  an  evident  argument  of  impiety  against  you? 
^^*  Moreover  the  hypocrites  shall  be  in  the  lowest  bottom 
of  hell-fire,  and  thou  shalt  not  find  any  to  help  them 
thence.  ^^^  But  they  who  repent  and  amend,  and  adhere 
firmly  unto  God,  and  approve  the  sincerity  of  their  reli- 
gion to  God,  they  shall  be  numbered  with  the  faithful ; 
and  God  will  surely  give  the  faithful  a  great  reward. 
'^^  And  how  should  God  go  about  to  punish  you,  if  ye 
be  thankful  and  believe  ?  for  God  is  grateful  and  wise. 
[*VI.]  '^^  God  loveth  not  the  speaking  ill  of  any  one  in 
public,  unless  he  who  is  injured  call  for  assistance  ;  and 
God  heareth  and  knoweth :  ^^^  whether  he  publish  a  good 
action,  or  conceal  it,  or  forgive  evil,  verily  God  is  gracious 

139  In  the  Kordn.']     Chap.  6.  141    Unless  a  little.]     That  is,  with  the 

140  Were  we  not  with  you  ?]    i.  e.    Did     tongue,  and  not  with  the  heart. 

we  not  assist  you  ?     Therefore  give  us  of  142    Adhering  neither  unto   these,   nor 

a  part  of  the  spoil  ^.  unto  those,]   Halting  between  two  opinions, 

—   Were    we    not    superior    to    you  ?]  and  being  staunch  friends  neither  to  the 

Would  not  our  army  have  cut  you  off,  if  it  Moslems,  nor  the  infidels, 

had  not  been  for  our  faint  assistance,  or  144   I'he  hypocrites  shall  be  in  the  lowest 

rather  desertion,  of  the  Moslems,  and  our  bottom  of  hell-fire.]     See  the  Preliminary 

disheartening  them  ^  ?  Discourse,  §  iv.  p.  109. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem. 


IV.]  AL  KORAN.  103 

and  powerful.  ^^^  They  who  believe  not  in  Goo,  and  his 
apostles,  and  would  make  a  distinction  between  God  and 
his  apostles,  and  say,  We  believe  in  some  of  the  prophets, 
and  reject  others  of  them,  and  seek  to  take  a  middle 
way  in  this  matter ;  ^^^  these  are  really  unbelievers  :  and 
we  have  prepared  for  the  unbelievers  an  ignominious 
punishment.  ^^^  But  they  who  believe  in  God  and  his 
apostles,  and  make  no  distinction  between  any  of  them, 
unto  those  will  we  surely  give  their  reward ;  and  God  is 
gracious  and  merciful.  ^^^  They  who  have  received  the 
scriptures  will  demand  of  thee,  that  thou  cause  a  book  to 
descend  unto  them  from  heaven  :  they  formerly  asked  of 
Moses  a  greater  thing  than  this ;  for  they  said.  Shew  us 
God  visibly.  Wherefore  a  storm  of  fire  from  heaven 
destroyed  them,  because  of  their  iniquity.  They  then 
took  the  calf  for  their  God,  after  that  evident  proofs  of 
the  divine  unity  had  come  unto  them ;  but  we  forgave 
them  that,  and  gave  Moses  a  manifest  power  to  punish 
them.  ^^^  And  we  lifted  the  mountain  of  Sinai  over 
them,  when  we  exacted  from  them  their  covenant ;  and 
said  unto  them.  Enter  the  gate  of  the  city  worshipping. 
^^*  We  also  said  unto  them,  Transgress  not  on  the  sabbath- 
day.  And  we  received  from  them  a  firm  covenant,  that 
they  would  observe  these  things.  Therefore  for  that  they 
have  made  void  their  covenant,  and  have  not  believed  in 
the  signs  of  God,  and  have  slain  the  prophets  unjustly, 
and  have  said.  Our  hearts  are  uncircumcised ;  (but  God 
hath  sealed  them  up,  because  of  their  unbelief;  therefore 
they  shall  not  believe,  except  a  few  of  them  :)  ^^^  and,  for 
that  they  have  not  believed  on  Jesus,  and  have  spoken 

149  Apostle.']    Seech,  ii.  —  Calf.]     See  chap.  ii. 

152   They  who  have  received  the  sorip-          —  Punish.]     See  ibid.  note. 
tures,  &c.]     That  is,  the  Jews ;  who  de-  153    Mountain    of    Sinai,]      See    ibid, 

manded  of  Mohammed,  as  a  proof  of  his  p.  10. 

mission,  that  they  might  see  a  book  of  reve-         —  Gate  of  the  city.]     See  ibid, 
lations  descend  to  him  from  heaven ;  or,  that         154  Therefore  for  that,  &c.]  There  being 
he  would  produce  one  written  in  a  celestial  nothing  in  the  following  words  of  this  sen- 
character,  like  the  two  tables  of  Moses.  tence,  to  answer  to  the  causal,  "  for  that,'* 

—  Shew   us    God    visibly ,    &c.]     See  Jallalo'ddin  supposes  something  to  be  un- 

chap.  ii.     This  story  seems  to  be  an  ad-  derstood  to  complete  the  sense,  as,  There- 

dition  to  what  Moses  says  of  the  seventy  fore  we  have  cursed  them,  or  the  like, 
elders,  who  w^ent  up  to  the  mountain  with  155  And  have  spoken  agaiiist  Mary  a 

him,  and  with  Aaron,  Nadab,  and  Abihu,  grievous  calumny.]     By  accusing  her  of 

and  saw  the  God  of  Israel^.  fornication  2. 


^  Exod.  xxiv.  9,  10,  11.  ^  ggg  ^i^g  Kor.  chap.  xix.  and  that  virulent  book, 

entitled,  Toldoth  Jesu, 


104  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

against  Mary  a  grievous  calumny ;  '^^  and  have  said, 
Verily  we  have  slain  Christ  Jesus,  the  son  of  Mary,  the 
apostle  of  God  ;  yet  they  slew  him  not,  neither  crucified 
him,  but  he  was  represented  by  one  in  his  likeness ;  and 
verily  they  who  disagreed  concerning  him  were  in  a  doubt 
as  to  this  matter,  and  had  no  sure  knowledge  thereof,  but 
followed  only  an  uncertain  opinion.  ^'^^^  They  did  not 
really  kill  him  ;  but  God  took  him  up  unto  himself :  and 
God  is  mighty  and  wise.^  ^^^  And  there  shall  not  be  one 
of  those  who  have  received  the  scriptures,  who  shall  not 
believe  in  him,  before  his  death  ;  and,  on  the  day  of  resur- 
rection, he  shall  be  a  witness  against  them.  ^^^  Because 
of  the  iniquity  of  those  who  judaize,  we  have  forbidden 
them  good  things,  which  had  been  formerly  allowed  them ; 
and  because  they  shut  out  many  from  the  way  of  God, 
^^^  and  have  taken  usury,  which  was  forbidden  them  by 
the  law,  and  devoured  men's  substance  vainly ;  we  have 
prepared  for  such  of  them  as  are  unbelievers  a  painful 
punishment.  ^^^  But  those  among  them  who  are  well 
grounded  in  knowledge,  and  the  faithful,  who  believe  in 

156   Yet  they  slew  him  not,  &c.]     See  thou  enemy  of  God!  Jesus  was  sent  as  a 

chap.  iii.  and  the  notes  there.  prophet  unto  thee,  and  thou  didst  not  be- 

—    Who  disagreed  concerning  him.'\   For  lieve  on  hinri ;  to  which  he  will  answer,  I 

some  maintained  that  he  was  justly  and  now  believe  him  to  be  the  servant  of  God. 

really  crucified.    Some  insisted  that  it  was  And  to  a  dying  Christian  they  will  say, 

not  Jesus  who  suffered,  but  another  who  Jesus  was  sent  as  a  prophet  unto  thee,  and 

resembled  him  in  the  face,  pretending  the  thou  hast  imagined  him  to  be  God,  or  the 

other  parts  of  his  body,  by  their  unlike-  Son  of  God  ;  whereupon  he  will  believe 

ness,    plainly    discovered    the  imposition,  him  to  be  the  servant  of  God  only,   and 

Some  said,  he  was  taken  up  into  heaven  ;  his  apostle. 

and  others,   that  his  manhood  only  suf-  Others,    taking    the    above-mentioned 

fered,  and  that  his  godhead  ascended  into  relative  to  refer  to  Jesus,  suppose  the  in- 

heaveni.  tent  of  the  passage  to  be,  that  all  Jews 

158  There  shall  not  he  one  of  those  who  and  Christians,  in  general,  shall  have  a 

have  received  the  scriptures,  who  shall  not  right    faith    in    that    prophet   before    his 

believe  in  him  before  his  death.~\     This  pas-  death;  that   is,   when   he   descends   from 

sage  is  expounded  two  ways.  heaven,  and  returns  into  the  world,  where 

Some,  referring  the  relative  his,  to  the  he  is   to  kill  Antichrist,  and  to  establish 

first  antecedent,  take  the  meaning  to  be,  the    Mohammedan  religion,  and   a   most 

that  no  Jew  or  Christian  shall  die   before  perfect  tranquillity  and  security  on  earth  2. 

he  believes  in   Jesus:  for  they  say,  that  —  He  shall  be  a  witness  against  them.'] 

when   one  of  either  of  those   religions  is  i.  e.  Against  the  Jews,  for  rejecting  him ; 

ready   to   breathe  his  last,   and    sees   the  and  against  the  Christians,  for  calling  him 

angel  of  death  before  him,  he  shall  then  God,  and  the  Son  of  God  ^. 

believe  in  that  prophet  as  he  ought,  though  160   Usury.']     See    chap.    iii.   and    the 

his    faith    will  not  then  be  of  any  avail,  notes  there. 

According  to  a  tradition  of  Hejaj,  when  a  161   Those  among   them  who   are   well 

Jew  is  expiring,  the  angels  will  strike  him  grounded  in  knowledge.]  As  Abdallah  Ebn 

on  the  back  and  face,  and  say  to  him,  O  Salam,  and  his  companions  K 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahija,  Al  Zamakhshari,  and  Al  Beiddwi.     See 

the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddtvi.  *  Idem. 


IV.]  AL    KORAN.  105 

that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee,  and  that  which 
hath  been  sent  down  unto  the  prophets  before  thee,  and 
who  observe  the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and  give  alms, 
and  believe  in  God  and  the  last  day  ;  unto  these  will 
we  give  a  great  reward.  ^C^^^ily  we  have  revealed  our 
will  unto  thee,  as  we  have  revealed  it  unto  Noah,  and 
the  prophets  who  succeeded  him ;  and  as  we  revealed 
it  unto  Abraham,  and  Ismael,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
and  the  tribes,  and  unto  Jesus,  and  Job,  and  Jonas, 
and  Aaron,  and  Solomon  ;  and  we  have  given  thee  the 
Koran,  as  we  gave  the  psalms  unto  David  :^^^  some 
apostles  have  we  sent,  whom  we  have  formerly  mentioned  7 
unto  thee,  and  other  apostles  have  we  sent,  whom  we  I 
have  not  mentioned  unto  thee ;  and  God  spake  unto 
MosES,  discoursing  with  him ;  ^^*  apostles  declaring  good 
tidings,  and  denouncing  threats,  lest  men  should  have  an 
argument  of  excuse  against  God,  after  the  apostles  had 
been  sent  unto  them  :  God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^^  God 
is  witness  of  that  revelation  which  he  hath  sent  down 
unto  thee ;  he  sent  it  down  with  his  special  knowledge  : 
the  angels  also  are  witnesses  thereof;  bvit  God  is  a  suffi- 
cient witness.  ^^^  They  who  believe  not,  and  turn  aside 
others  from  the  way  of  God,  have  erred  in  a  wide  mis- 
take. ^^^  Verily  those  who  believe  not,  and  act  unjustly, 
God  will  by  no  means  forgive,  neither  will  he  direct  them 
into  any  other  way  than  the  way  of  hell ;  they  shall  re- 
main therein  for  ever  :  and  this  is  easy  with  God.  ^^^  O  . 
men  !  now  is  the  apostle  come  unto  you,  with  truth  from 
your  Lord  ;  believe  therefore,  it  will  be  better  for  you. 
But,  if  ye  disbelieve,  verily  unto  God  belongeth  what- 
soever is  in  heaven  and  on  earth ;  and  God  is  knowing 
and  wise,  ^fo  ye,  who  have  received  the  scriptures ! 
exceed  not  tne  just  bounds  in  your  religion,  neither  say 
of  God  any  other  than  the  truth.  Verily,  Christ  Jesus, 
the  son  of  Mary,  is  the  apostle  of  God,  and  his  word 
which  he  conveyed  into  Mary,  and  a  spirit  proceeding 
from  him.  Believe,  therefore,  in  God  and  his  apostles, 
and  say  not.  There  are  three  Gods  :  forbear  this ;  it  Avill 

169  Eaceed  not  the  just  boimds  in  your     raising  him    to  an   equality  with  God,  as 
religion.']     Either  by  rejecting  and   con-     do  the  Christians  ^ 
temning   of  Jesus,   as   the    Jews    do ;    or         —    Say    not,    There    are   three    Gods.] 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


106  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

be  better  for  you.  God  is  but  one  God.  Far  be  it  from 
him  that  he  should  have  a  son ;  unto  him  belongeth  what- 
soever is  in  heaven  and  on  earth ;  and  God  is  a  sufficient 
protecto^  ^^^  Christ  doth  not  proudly  disdain  to  be  a 
servant  unto  God  ;  neither  the  angels  who  approach  near 
to  his  presence :  and  whoso  disdaineth  his  service,  and  is 
puffed  up  with  pride,  God  will  gather  them  all  to  himself 
on  the  last  day.  ^^^  Unto  those  who  believe,  and  do  that 
which  is  right,  he  shall  give  their  rewards,  and  shall 
superabundantly  add  unto  them  of  his  liberality :  but 
those  who  are  disdainful  and  proud,  he  will  punish  with  a 
grievous  punishment ;  ^^^  and  they  shall  not  find  any  to 
protect  or  to  help  them,  besides  God.  ^^^O  men  !  now  is 
an  evident  proof  come  unto  you  from  your  Lord,  and  we 
have  sent  down  unto  you  manifest  light.  ^^^  They  who 
believe  in  God,  and  firmly  adhere  to  him,  he  will  lead 
them  into  mercy  from  him,  and  abundance ;  and  he  will 
direct  them  in  the  right  way  to  himself.  ^^^  They  will 
consult  thee  for  thy  decision  in  certain  cases  :  say  unto 
them,  God  giveth  you  these  determinations,  concerning 
the  more  remote  degrees  of  kindred.  If  a  man  die  with- 
out issue,  and  have  a  sister,  she  shall  have  the  half  of 
what  he  shall  leave :  and  he  shall  be  heir  to  her,  in  case 
she  have  no  issue.  But,  if  there  be  two  sisters,  they  shall 
have,  between  them,  two  third  parts  of  what  he  shall 
leave ;  and,  if  there  be  several,  both  brothers  and  sisters, 
a  male  shall  have  as  much  as  the  portion  of  two  females. 
God  declareth  unto  you  these  precepts,  lest  ye  err :  and 
God  knoweth  all  things. 

Namely,    God,   Jesus,  and  Mary  ^.     For         1 73    An   evident    proof y   and    manifest 

the   eastern   writers   mention    a   sect    of  light.']      That   is,    Mohammed,    and    his 

Christians,  which  held  the  Trinity  to  be  Koran. 

composed  of  those  three  2;  but  it  is  al-  174  J71  the   right  way  to   him."]     Viz. 

lowed  that  this  heresy  has  been  long  since  Into  the  religion  of  Islam,  in  this  world, 

extinct^.  The  passage,  however,  is  equally  and  the  way  to  paradise  in  the  next*. 

levelled  against  the  Holy  Trinity,  accord-  175  Kindred.]     See  the   beginning  of 

ing  to  the  doctrine  of  the  orthodox  Chris-  this  chapter,  p.  79,  80. 

tians,  who,  as  Al  Beidawi  acknowledges,         —  She  shall  have  the  half  of  what  he 

believe    the   divine   nature    to    consist  of  shall  leave.]     And  the  other  half  will  go 

three   persons,   the  Father,  the  Son,  and  to  the  public  treasury. 

the  Holy  Ghost:  by  the  Father  understand-         —  And  he  shall  be  heir  to  her,]     That 

ing  God's  essence  ;  by  the  Son,  his  know-  is,  he  shall  inherit  her  whole  substance. 

ledge ;  and,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  his  life. 

1  Al  Beiddwiy  JallaWddin^  Yahya.  ^  Elmacin^  p.  227-     Eutych,  p.  120.     See 

the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  p.  41.  '  Ahmed  Ebn  Abd'al  Halim.  *  Al  Beidawi. 


v.]  AL  KORAN.  107 

CHAPTER   V. 

INTITLED,    THE    TABLE;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  O  TRUE  believers  !  perform  your  contracts.  ^  Ye  are 
allowed  to  eat  the  brute  cattle,  other  than  what  ye  are 
commanded  to  abstain  from ;  except  the  game  which  ye 
are  allowed  at  other  times,  but  not  while  ye  are  on  pil- 
grimage to  Mecca  ;  God  ordaineth  that  which  he  pleas- 
eth.  ^  O  true  believers !  violate  not  the  holy  rites  of 
God,  nor  the  sacred  month;  nor  the  offering,  nor  the 
ornaments  hung  thereon,  nor  those  who  are  travelling  to 
the  holy  house,  seeking  favour  from  their  Lord,  and  to 
please  him.  But  when  ye  shall  have  finished  your  pil- 
grimage then  hant.  And  let  not  the  malice  of  some,  in 
that  they  hindered  you  from  entering  the  sacred  temple, 
provoke  you  to  transgress,  by  taking  revenge  on  them  in 
the  sacred  months.  Assist  one  another,  according  to 
justice  and  piety,  but  assist  not  one  another  in  injustice 
and  malice :  therefore  fear  God  ;  for  God  is  severe  in 
punishing.  ^  Ye  are  forbidden  to  eat  that  which  dieth  of 
itself,  and  blood,  and  swine's  flesh,  and  that  on  which  the 
name  of  any  besides  God  hath  been  invocated ;  and  that 
which  hath  been  strangled,  or  killed  by  a  blow,  or  by  a 

Title — Table.~\       This    title    is    taken         —  Nor  the  offering,  nor  the  ornaments 

from  the  Table,  which,   towards  the   end  hung  thereon.^     The  offering  here  nneant, 

of  the  chapter,  is  fabled  to  have  been  let  is  the   sheep  led   to  Mecca,   to  be  there 

down  from  heaven  to  Jesus.     It  is  some-  sacrificed  ;  about  the  neck  of  which  they 

times   also    called    the    chapter    of  Con-  used  to  hang  garlands,  green  boughs,  or 

tracts,   which    word    occurs   in    the    first  some  other  ornament,  that  it  may  be  dis- 

verse.  tinguished  as  a  thing  sacred  ^. 

2  The  brute  cattle,  &c.]  As  camels,  —  In  that  they  hindered  you  from  en- 
oxen,  and  sheep  ;  and  also  wild  cows,  teritig  the  sacred  temple.']  In  the  expe- 
antelopes,  &c.  ^;  but  not  swine,  nor^what  dition  of  Al  Hodeibiya^. 

is  taken  in  hunting  during  the  pilgrimage.  4   On   which    the    name   of  any   besides 

3  The  holy  rites  of  God.~\  i.  e.  The  God  hath  been  invocated.']  For  the  ido- 
ceremonies  used  in  the  pilgrimage  of  latrous  Arabs  used,  in  killing  any  animal 
Mecca.  for  food,   to  consecrate   it,  as   it  v^ere,  to 

—  Sacred  month.]  See  the  Prelim,  their  idols,  by  saying,  in  the  name  of 
Disc.  §  vii.  AUat,  or  al  Uzza  *. 

*  Jallalo'ddin,  al  Beiddtvi.  -  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  3  Idem,  §  ii. 

*  See  ch.  ii. 


108  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

fall,  or  by  the  horns  of  another  beast ;  and  that  which 
hath  been  eaten  by  a  wild  beast ;  except  what  ye  shall 
kill  yourselves ;  and  that  which  hath  been  sacrificed  unto 
idols.  It  is  likewise  unlawful  for  you  to  make  division 
by  casting  lots  with  arrows.  This  is  an  impiety.  On  this 
day,  woe  be  unto  those  who  have  apostatized  from  their 
religion  ;  therefore  fear  not  them,  but  fear  me.  This  day 
have  I  perfected  your  religion  for  you,  and  have  com- 
pleted my  mercy  upon  you,  and  I  have  chosen  for  you 
Islam,  to  be  your  religion.  But  whosoever  shall  be  driven 
by  necessity,  through  hunger,  to  eat  of  what  we  have 
forbidden,  not  designing  to  sin,  surely  God  will  be  in- 
dulgent and  merciful  unto  him.  ^  They  will  ask  thee 
what  is  allowed  them  as  lawful  to  eat  ?  Answer,  such 
things  as  are  good  are  allowed  you ;  and  what  ye  shall 
teach  animals  of  prey  to  catch,  training  them  up  for 
hunting,  after  the  manner  of  dogs,  and  teaching  them 
according  to  the  skill  which  God  hath  taught  you.  Eat 
therefore  of  that  which  they  shall  catch  for  you ;  and 
commemorate  the  name  of  God  thereon ;  and  fear  God, 
for  God  is  swift  in  taking  an  account.  ^  This  day  are  ye 
allowed  to  eat  such  things  as  are  good,  and  the  food  of 
those  to  whom  the  scriptures  were  given  is  also  allowed 
as  lawful  unto  you ;  and  your  food  is  allowed  as  lawful 
unto  them.  And  ye  are  also  allowed  to  marry  free  women 
that  are  believers,  and  also  free  women  of  those  who  have 

4    Which  hath  been   eaten    by  a  wild         —    This    day   have    I  perfected   your 

beast.^     Or  by  a  creature   trained  up  to  religion  for    you,~\       And    therefore    the 

hunting  1.  commentators   say,  that,  after  this  time, 

—  Except  what  ye  shall  kill  your  selves. ']  no  positive  or  negative  precept  was 
That  is,  unless  ye  come  up  time  enough  given  *. 

to  find  life  in  the  animal,  and  to  cut  its         —  And  have  completed  my  mercy  upon 

throat.  you.']     By  having  given  you  a  true  and 

—  Idols.]  The  word  also  signifies  cer-  perfect  religion  ;  or,  by  the  taking  of 
tain  stones,  which   the  Pagan  Arabs  used  Mecca,  and  the  destruction  of  idolatry. 

to  set  up  near  their  houses,  and  on  which  5  Such  things  as  are  good.]     Not  such 

they  superstitiously  slew  animals,  in  ho-  as  are  filthy  or  unwholesome. 

nour  of  their  gods  2.  —  Animals  of  prey.]     Whether  beasts 

—  Arrows.]     See  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  or  birds. 

—  On  this  day,  &c.]  This  passage,  it  —  And  commemorate  the  name  of  God 
is  said,  was  revealed  on  Friday  evening,  thereon,]  Either  when  ye  let  go  the 
being  the  day  of  the  pilgrim's  visiting  hound,  hawk,  or  other  animal,  after  the 
Mount  Arafat,  the   last   time    Mohammed  game  ;  or  when  ye  kill  it. 

visited    the    temple    of  Mecca,    therefore         6  Scriptures   were  give?i.]     Viz.    Slain 
called  the  Pilgrimage  of  valediction 3.  or  dressed  by  Jews  or  Christians. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  jdem.  «  Idem.     See  Prid.  Life  of  Moham.  p.  99. 

*  V.  Abulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  131. 


v.]  AL   KORAN.  109 

received  the  scriptures  before  you,  when  ye  shall  have 
assigned  them  their  dower;  living  chastely  with  them, 
neither  committing  fornication,  nor  taking  them  for  con- 
cubines. Whoever  shall  renounce  the  faith,  his  work 
shall  be  vain,  and  in  the  next  life  he  shall  be  of  those 
who  perish.  ^  O  true  believers  !  when  ye  prepare  your- 
selves to  pray,  wash  your  faces,  and  your  hands  unto  the 
elbows ;  and  rub  your  heads,  and  your  feet  unto  the 
ancles  ;  and  if  ye  be  polluted  by  having  lain  with  a  wo- 
man, wash  yourselves  all  over.  But  if  ye  be  sick,  or  on 
a  journey,  or  any  of  you  cometh  from  the  privy,  or  if  ye 
have  touched  women,  and  ye  find  no  water,  take  fine 
clean  sand,  and  rub  your  faces  and  your  hands  therewith : 
God  would  not  put  a  difficulty  upon  you  ;  but  he  desireth 
to  purify  you,  and  to  complete  his  favour  upon  you,  that 
ye  may  give  thanks.  ^Remember  the  favour  of  God 
towards  you,  and  his  covenant  which  he  hath  made  with 
you,  when  ye  said.  We  have  heard  and  will  obey.  There- 
fore fear  God,  for  God  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of 
the  breasts  of  men.  ^  O  true  believers  !  observe  justice 
when  ye  appear  as  witnesses  before  God,  and  let  not 
hatred  towards  any  induce  you  to  do  wrong:  but  act 
justly ;  this  will  approach  nearer  unto  piety ;  and  fear 
God,  for  God  is  fully  acquainted  with  what  ye  do.  ^^  God 
hath  promised  unto  those  who  believe,  and  do  that  which 
is  right,  that  they  shall  receive  pardon  and  a  great  re- 
ward. ^^  But  they  who  believe  not,  and  accuse  our  signs 
of  falsehood,  they  shall  be  the  companions  of  hell.  ^^  O 
true  believers  !  remember  God's  favour  towards  you,  w^hen 
certain  men  designed  to  stretch  forth  their  hands  against 
you,  but  he  restrained  their  hands  from  hurting  you ; 

8  We  have  heard,  and  will  ooey.'\  These  tions,  a  company  of  idolaters,  who  were  in 
words  are  the  form  used  at  the  inaugura-  view,  repented  they  had  not  taken  that 
tion  of  a  prince;  and  Mohammed  here  opportunity  of  attacking  them ;  and  there- 
intends  the  oath  of  fidelity  which  his  fol-  fore  waited  till  the  hour  of  evening  prayer, 
lowers  had  taken  to  him  at  al  Akaba  ^  intending  to    fall    upon   them  then  :  but 

12  When  ce7'tain  men  designed  to  stretch  God  defeated  their  design,  by  revealing 

forth  their  hands  against  you,  but  he  re-  the  verse  of  fear.     Another  relates,  that 

strained  them.']      The   commentators  tell  the  prophet  going  to  the  tribe  of  Koreidha, 

several  stories  as  the  occasion  of  this  pas-  (who  were  Jews,)  to   levy   a  fine   for  the 

sage.      One  says,   that  Mohammed,   and  blood    of  two    Moslems,    who    had   been 

some  of  his  followers,  being  at  Osfan,  (a  killed  by  mistake,  by  Amru  Ebn  Ommeya 

place  not  far  from  Mecca,  in  the  way  to  al  Dimri,  they  desired  him  to  sit   down 

Medina,)  and  performing  their  noon  devo-  and  eat  with  them,  and  they  would  pay 

^  V.  Ahulfed  vit.  Moham.  p.  43.  and  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.p.  56,  57. 


no  AL     KORAN.  '      [chap. 

therefore  fear  God,  and  in  God  let  the  faithful  trust.  ^^God 
formerly  accepted  the  covenant  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
and  we  appointed  out  of  them  twelve  leaders :  and  God 
said,  Verily  I  am  with  you:  if  ye  observe  prayer,  and  give 
alms,  and  believe  in  my  apostles,  and  assist  them,  and  lend 
unto  God  on  good  usury,  I  will  surely  expiate  your  evil 
deeds  from  you,  and  I  will  lead  you  into  gardens  wherein 
rivers  flow  :  but  he  among  you  who  disbelieveth  after  this, 
erreth  from  the  straight  path.  ^*  Wherefore  because  they 
have  broken  their  covenant,  we  have  cursed  them,  and 
hardened  their  hearts :  they  dislocate  the  words  of  the 
pentateuch  from  their  places,  and  have  forgotten  part  of 
what  they  were  admonished ;  and  thou  wilt  not  cease  to 
discover  deceitful  practices  among  them,  except  a  few  of 
them.  But  forgive  them,  and  pardon  them,  for  God 
loveth  the  beneficent.  ^^  And  from  those  who  say.  We 
are  Christians,  we  have  received  their  covenant ;  but  they 
have  forgotten  part  of  what  they  were  admonished; 
wherefore  we  have  raised  up  enmity  and  hatred  among 
them,  till  the  day  of  resurrection ;  and  God  will  then 
surely  declare  unto  them  what  they  have  been  doing. 
^^O  ye  who  have  received  the   scriptures!    now  is  our 

the  fine.  Mohammed  complying  with  After  the  Israelites  had  escaped  from 
their  request,  while  he  was  sitting,  they  Pharaoh,  God  ordered  them  to  go  against 
laid  a  design  against  his  life,  one  Amru  Jericho,  which  was  then  inhabited  by 
Ebn  Jahash  undertaking  to  throw  a  mill-  giants,  of  the  race  of  the  Canaanites,  pro- 
stone  upon  him;  but  God  withheld  his  mising  to  give  it  into  their  hands;  and 
hand  ;  and  Gabriel  immediately  descended  Moses,  by  the  divine  direction,  appointed 
to  acquaint  the  prophet  with  their  treach-  a  prince  or  captain  over  each  tribe,  to 
ery,  upon  which  he  rose  up,  and  went  his  lead  them  in  that  expedition  3,  and,  when 
way.  A  third  story  is,  thit  Mohammed,  they  came  to  the  borders  of  the  land  of 
having  hung  up  his  arms  on  a  tree,  under  Canaan,  sent  the  captives  as  spies  to  get 
which  he  was  resting  himself,  and  his  information  of  the  state  of  the  country, 
companions  being  dispersed  some  distance  enjoining  them  secrecy  ;  but  they  being 
from  him,  an  Arab  of  the  desert  came  up  terrified  at  the  prodigious  size  and  strength 
to  him,  and  drew  his  sword,  saying.  Who  of  the  inhabitants,  disheartened  the  people, 
hindereth  me  from  killing  thee  ?  To  which  by  publicly  telling  what  they  had  seen, 
Mohammed  answered,  God  :  and  Gabriel  except  only  Caleb,  the  son  of  Yufanna, 
beating  the  sword  out  of  the  Arab's  hand,  ( Jephunneh,)  and  Joshua,  the  son  of 
Mohammed  took  it   up,   and  asked  him  Nun  \ 

the  same  question.  Who  hinders  me  from  —  And  lend  unto  God  on  good  usury.l 

killing  thee  ?  The  Arab  replied,  Nobody ;  By  contributing  towards  this  holy  war. 

and    immediately   professed    Mohamme-  14  Forgive   them,    and   pardon   them.^ 

dism^.     Abulfeda  2  tells  the  same  story.  That   is,  if  they  repent   and  believe,  or 

with  some  variation  of  circumstances.  submit   to  pay  tribute.     Some,  however, 

13  God  appointed  them  twelve  leaders ,  think  these  words  are  abrogated  by  the 

and  said,    Verily   I    am   with   you,    &c.]  verse  of  the  sword  ^. 

>  Al  Beiddivi.  ^  vit.  Moham.  p.  73.  ^  See  Numb.  i.  4,  5. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,     See  Numb.  xiii.  and  xiv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


v.]  AL    KORAN.  Ill 

apostle  come  unto  you,  to  make  manifest  unto  you  many 
things  which  ye  concealed  in  the  scriptures ;  and  to  pass 
over  many  things.  ^^  Now  is  light  and  a  perspicuous 
book  of  revelations  come  unto  you  from  God.  ^^  Thereby 
will  God  direct  him  who  shall  follow  his  good  pleasure, 
into  the  paths  of  peace ;  and  shall  lead  them  out  of  dark- 
ness into  light,  by  his  will,  and  shall  direct  them  in  the 
right  way.  ^^  They  are  infidels,  who  say,  Verily  God  is 
Christ,  the  son  of  Mary.  ^^  Say  unto  them,  And  who 
could  obtain  any  thing  from  God  to  the  contrary,  if  he 
pleased  to  destroy  Christ,  the  son  of  Mary,  and  his 
mother,  and  all  those  who  are  on  the  earth?  For  unto 
God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
whatsoever  is  contained  between  them  ;  he  createth  what 
he  pleaseth,  and  God  is  almighty.  ^^  The  Jews  and  the 
Christians  say.  We  are  the  children  of  God,  and  his  be- 
loved. Answer,  Why  therefore  doth  he  punish  you  for  your 
sins  ?  Nay,  but  ye  are  men,  of  those  whom  he  hath  created. 
He  forgiveth  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  punisheth  whom  he 
pleaseth ;  and  unto  God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
and  earth,  and  of  what  is  contained  between  them  both ; 
and  unto  him  shall  all  things  return.  ^^  O  ye  w^ho  have 
received  the  scriptures  !  now  is  our  apostle  come  unto 
you,  declaring  unto  you  the  true  religion,  during  the 
cessation  of  apostles,  lest  ye  should  say.  There  came  unto 
us  no  bearer  of  good  tidings,  nor  any  warner :  ^^  but  now 
is  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  warner,  come  unto  you ; 
and  God  is  almighty.  ^^  Call  to  mind  when  Moses  said 
unto  his  people,  O  my  people !  remember  the  favour  of 
God   towards   you,    since   he   hath   appointed   prophets 

16    To  make  manifest  unto   you  many  phets,  during  which  no  new  revelation,  or 

things  which  ye  concealed^  in    the  scrip-  dispensation,  was  given ;  as   the  interval 

tares.']      Such    as    the    verse   of   stoning  between  Moses  and  Jesus,  and  between 

adulterers  i,   the   description   of  Moham-  Jesus  and  Mohammed ;  at  the  expiration 

med,  and  Christ's  prophecy  of  him  by  the  of  which  last,  Mohammed  pretended  to 

name  of  Ahmed  2.  be  sent. 

—  Jnd    to  pass   over    many    things.]         24  And  constituted  you  kings.]     This 

i.  e.  Those  which  it  was   not   necessary  was  fulfilled,  either  by  God's  giving  them 

to  restore.  a  kingdom,  and  a  long  series  of  princes  ; 

22   During  the   cessation   of  apostles. "i  or,  by  his   having   made  them  kings  or 

The  Arabic  word  al  Fatra  signifies   the  masters  of  themselves,  by  delivering  them 

intermediate  space  of  time  between  two  pro-  from  the  Egyptian  bondage. 

*  See  chap.  3.  p.  49,  note  23.  2  ^/  Beiddwi. 


112  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

among  you,  and  constituted  you  kings,  and  bestowed  on 
you  wliat  he  hath  given  to  no  other  nation  in  the  world. 
^^  O  my  people  !  enter  the  holy  land,  which  God  hath 
decreed  you,  and  turn  not  your  backs,  lest  ye  be  subverted 
and  perish.  ^^  They  answered,  O  Moses  !  verily  there 
are  a  gigantic  people  in  the  land ;  '^^  and  we  will  by  no 
means  enter  it,  until  they  depart  thence  ;  but  if  they 
depart  thence,  then  will  we  enter  therein.  ^^  And  two 
men  of  those  who  feared  God,  unto  whom  God  had  been 
gracious,  said.  Enter  ye  upon  them  suddenly  by  the  gate 
of  the  city ;  and  when  ye  shall  have  entered  the  same,  ye 
shall  surely  be  victorious :  ^^  therefore  trust  in  God,  if  ye 
are  true  believers.  ^^  They  replied,  O  Moses  !  we  will 
never  enter  the  land,  while  they  remain  therein  :  go 
therefore  thou,  and  thy  Lord,  and  fight ;  for  we  will  sit 
here.  ^^  Moses  said,  O  Lord  !  surely  I  am  not  master  of 
any  except  myself,  and  my  brother;  therefore  make  a 
distinction  between  us  and  the  ungodly  people.  ^^  God 
answered.  Verily  the  land  shall  be  forbidden  them  forty 
years  :  during  which  time  they  shall  wander  like  men 
astonished  in  the  earth  :  therefore  be  not  thou  solicitous 
for  the  ungodly  people.  ^^  Relate  also  unto  them  the 
history  of  the  two  sons  of  Adam,  with  truth.     When  they 

24  And   bestowed  on  you  what  he  hath  from  morning  to  night,  yet  they  constantly 

given  to  no  other  nation.^     Having  divided  found  themselves,   the   next  day,  at  the 

the  Red  Sea  for  you,  and  guided  you  by  place  from  whence  they  set  out  ^. 

a   cloud,    and   fed   you    with    quails   and  33  The  two  sons  of  Adam.']    Viz.  Cain 

manna,  &c.  ^  and   Abel,  whom  the  Mohammedans  call 

26  A  gigantic  people.']     The  largest  of  Kdhil  and  HdbiL 

these  giants,  the  commentators  say,  was  —   When  they   offered   their  offering.] 

Og,  the  son  of  Anak  ;  concerning  whose  The  occasion  of  their  making  this  offering 

enormous  stature,  his  escaping  the  flood,  is  thus  rel  ited,  according  to  the  common 

and    the   manner  of  his   being    slain  by  tradition   in  the   east  *.      Each    of  them 

Moses,   the  Mohammedans  relate  several  being  born  with  a  twin- sister,  when  they 

absurd  fables  2.  were  grown  up,  Adam,  by  God's  direction, 

28    Two  men.]      Namely,    Caleb   and  ordered  Cain  to  marry  Abel's  twin- sister; 

Joshua.  and  that  Abel  should  marry  Cain's ;  (for 

32   The    land   shall   he  forbidden   them  it  being  the   common  opinion  that  mar- 

forty  years,  during  which  they  shall  wander  riages  ought  not  to  be  had  in  tihe  nearest 

in  the  earth  like  men  astonished.]     The  degrees  of  consanguinity,  since  they  must 

commentators  pretend  that  the  Israelites,  necessarily  marry  their  sisters,  it  seemed 

while  they  thus  wandered  in  the  desert,  reasonable  to  suppose  they  ought  to  take 

were  kept   within  the  compass   of  about  those   of  the  remoter   degree;)    but  this 

eighteen  (or,  as  some  say,  twenty-seven)  Cain  refusing  to  agree  to,  because  his  own 

miles :    and  that,    though   they  travelled  sister  was  the  handsomest,  Adam  ordered 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  V.  Marracc.  in  Alcor.  p.  231 ,  &c.    D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient. 

p.  336.  3  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  *   V.  Ahu'lfarag.  p.  6,  7.  Eutych, 

annal.  p.  15,  16,  and  D'Herhelot,  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Cabil, 


v.]  AL     KORAN.  113 

offered  their  offering,  and  it  was  accepted  from  one  of 
them,  and  was  not  accepted  from  the  other,  Cain  said  to 
his  brother,  I  will  certainl)^  kill  thee.  Abel  answered, 
God  only  accepteth  the  offering  of  the  pious :  ^^  if  thou 
stretchest  forth  thy  hand  against  me,  to  slay  me,  I  will 
not  stretch  forth  my  hand  against  thee,  to  slay  thee ;  for 
I  fear  God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  I  choose  that 
thou  shouldest  bear  my  iniquity,  and  thine  own  iniquity ; 
and  that  thou  become  a  companion  of  hell-fire ;  for  that 
is  the  reward  of  the  unjust.  ^^  But  his  soul  suffered  him 
to  slay  his  brother,  and  he  slew  him  ;  wherefore  he 
became  of  the  number  of  those  who  perish.  ^^  And  God 
sent  a  raven,  which  scratched  the  earth,  to  shew  him  how 
he  should  hide  the  shame  of  his  brother ;  and  he  said, 
Woe  is  me !  am  I  unable  to  be  like  this  raven,  that  I 
may  hide  my  brother's  shame  ?  and  he  became  one  of 
those  who  repent.  ^^  Wherefore  we  commanded  the 
children  of  Israel,  that  he  who  slayeth  a  soul,  without 
having  slain  a  soul,  or  committed  wickedness  in  the  earth, 
shall  be  as  if  he  had  slain  all  mankind:  but  he  who 
saveth  a  soul  alive,  shall  be  as  if  he  had  saved  the  lives 

them   to    make  their    offerings  to   God,  shape,  and  shewed  him  how  to  do  it,  by 

thereby  referring  the  dispute  to  his  deter-  crushing  the  head  of  a  bird  between  two 

mination  ^.   The  commentators  say,  Cain's  stones  *. 

offering  was  a  sheaf  of  the  very  worst  of         37  God  sent  a  raven  which  scratched  the 

his  corn  ;    but  Abel's  a  fat  lamb,  of  the  earth,  and  shewed  him  how  to  hide  his  hro- 

best  of  his  flock.  ther's  shame.^   i.  e.  His  dead  corpse.  For 

—   ^nd  it  was  accepted  from    one    of  Cain,  having  committed  this  fratricide,  be- 

them.']     Namely,  from  Abel ;  whose  sacri-  came  exceedingly  troubled  in  his  mind, and 

fice  God  declared  his  acceptance  of  in  a  carried  the  dead  body  about  on  his  shoul- 

visible  manner,  by  causing  fire  to  descend  ders  for  a  considerable  time,  not  knowing 

from  heaven,   and    consume    it,    without  where  to  conceal  it,  till  it  stank  horridly ; 

touching  that  of  Cain  2.  and  then  God  taught  him  to  bury  it  by  the 

34  /  will  not  stretch  forth  my  hand  example  of  a  raven,  who,  having  killed  ano- 
against  thee.^  To  enhance  Abel's  pa-  ther  raven  in  his  presence,  dug  a  pit  with 
tience,  al  Beidawi  tells  us,  that  he  was  the  his  claws  and  beak,  and  buried  him  there- 
stronger  of  the  two,  and  could  easily  have  in  5.  For  this  circumstance  of  the  raven, 
prevailed  against  his  brother.  Mohammed  was  beholden  to  the  Jews,  who 

35  The  conversation  between  the  two  tell  the  same  story ;  except  only  that  they 
brothers  is  related  somewhat  to  the  same  make  the  raven  to  appear  to  Adam,  and 
purpose  in  the    Jerusalem  Targum,  and  that  he  thereupon  buried  his  son  ^. 

that  of  Jonathan  ben  Uzziel.  38    Without  committing  wickedness  on 

36  Jnd  he  slew  him,'\  Some  say  he  the  earth.~\  Such  as  idolatry,  or  robbing 
knocked  out  his  brains  with   a    stone  ^ ;     on  the  highway  ^. 

and  pretend,  that  as  Cain  was  considering  —  Shall  he  as  if  he  had  slain  all  man- 

which  way  he  should  effect  the  murder,     kindJ]     Having  broken  the  commandment 
the  devil  appeared    to  him    in  a  human     which  forbids  the  shedding  of  blood. 


^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin,  3  y^  Eutych.  ubi  supra. 

*  V.  D'Herhel.  ubi  supra.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  V.  R.  Eliezer. 

Pirke.  c.  20.  ?  Al  Beiddwi, 


VOL.  I, 


114  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

of  all  mankindc  Our  apostles  formerly  came  unto  them, 
with  evident  miracles ;  then  were  many  of  them,  after 
this,  transgressors  on  the  earth.  ^^  But  the  recompence 
of  those  who  fight  against  God  and  his  apostle,  and  study 
to  act  corruptly  in  the  earth,  shall  be,  that  they  shall  be 
slain  or  crucified,  or  have  their  hands  and  their  feet  cut 
off  on  the  opposite  sides,  or  be  banished  the  land.  This 
shall  be  their  disgrace  in  this  world ;  and  in  the  next 
world  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment ;  ^^  except 
those  who  shall  repent,  before  ye  prevail  against  them ; 
for  know  that  God  is  inclined  to  forgive,  and  merciful. 
^^  O  true  believers !  fear  God,  and  earnestly  desire  a  near 
conjunction  with  him,  and  fight  for  his  religion,  that  ye 
may  be  happy.  ^^  Moreover,  they  who  believe  not,  al- 
though they  had  whatever  is  in  the  earth,  and  as  much 
more  withal,  that  they  might  therewith  redeem  them- 
selves from  punishment  on  the  day  of  resurrection;  it 
shall  not  be  accepted  from  them,  but  they  shall  suffer  a 
painful  punishment.  ^^  They  shall  desire  to  go  forth 
from  the  fire,  but  they  shall  not  go  forth  from  it,  and 
their  punishment  shall  be  permanent.  ^^  If  a  man  or  a 
woman  steal,  cut  off  their  hands,  in  retribution  for  that 
which  they  have  committed  :  this  is  an  exemplary  punish- 
ment appointed  by  God  ;  and  God  is  mighty  and  wise. 
^^  But  whoever  shall  repent  after  his  iniquity,  and  amend, 
verily  God  will  be  turned  unto  him,  for  God  is  inclined 
to  forgive,  and  merciful.     ^^  Dost  thou  not  know  that  the 

39  Banished.'}  The  lawyers  are  not  about  forty  shillings.  For  the  first  offence, 
agreed  as  to  the  applying  of  these  punish-  the  criminal  is  to  lose  his  right  hand, 
ments.  But  the  commentators  suppose,  which  is  to  be  cut  off  at  the  wrist ;  for  the 
that  they  who  commit  murder  only,  are  second  offence,  his  left  foot,  at  the  ancle  ; 
to  be  put  to  death  in  the  ordinary  way  ;  for  the  third,  his  left  hand  ;  for  the  fourth, 
those  who  murder  and  rob  too,  to  be  cruci-  his  right  foot;  and,  if  he  continue  to 
fied  ;  those  who  rob,  without  committing  offend,  he  shall  be  scourged  at  the  dis- 
murder,  to  have  their  right  hand,  and  their  cretion  of  the  judge  ^. 
left  foot,  cut  off ;  and  they  who  assault  45  But  whoever  shall  repent  and  ame7id, 
persons,  and  put  them  in  fear,  to  be  ba-  God  will  he  turned  unto  him^  &c.]  That 
nished  ^  It  is  also  a  doubt  whether  they  is,  God  will  not  punish  him  for  it  here- 
who  are  to  be  crucified  shall  be  crucified  after ;  but  his  repentance  does  not  super- 
alive,  or  be  first  put  to  death ;  or  whether  sede  the  execution  of  the  law  here,  nor 
they  shall  hang  on  the  cross  till  they  die  2.  excuse  him  from  making  restitution.     Yet, 

44  Cut    off    their    hands.}       But    this  according  to  al   Shafei,   he  shall  not  be 

punishment,  according  to  the  Sonna,  is  not  punished,    if  the   party   wronged    forgive 

to   be   inflicted,    unless  the  value  of  the  him  before  he  be  carried  before  a  magis- 

thing  stolen   amount   to   four  dinars,   or  trate*. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,        ^  Al  Beiddwi,       ^  Jallalo* ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,       *  lidem. 


v.] 


AL   KORAN, 


115 


kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth  is  God's  ?  He  punisheth 
whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  he  pardoneth  whom  he  pleaseth  ; 
for  God  is  almighty.  ^^  O  apostle !  let  not  them  grieve 
thee,  who  hasten  to  infidelity ;  either  of  those  who  say.  We 
believe,  with  their  mouths,  but  whose  hearts  believe  not ; 
or  of  the  Jews,  who  hearken  to  a  lie,  and  hearken  to 
other  people  ;  ^^  who  come  not  unto  thee :  they  pervert 
the  words  of  the  law  from  their  true  places,  and  say.  If 
this  be  brought  unto  you,  receive  it;  but  if  it  be  not 
brought  unto  you,  beware  of  receiving  aught  else ;  and, 
in  behalf  of  him  whom  God  shall  resolve  to  seduce,  thou 
slialt  not  prevail  with  God  at  all.  They  whose  hearts 
God  shall  not  please  to  cleanse,  shall  suffer  shame  in  this 
world,  and  a  grievous  punishment  in  the  next :  ^^  who 
hearken  to  a  lie,  and  eat  that  which  is  forbidden.  But 
if  they  come  unto  thee  for  judgment,  either  judge  between 
them,  or  leave  them ;  and  if  thou  leave  them,  they  shall 
not  hurt  thee  at  all.  But  if  thou  undertake  to  judge, 
judge  between  them  with  equity ;   for  God  loveth  those 


47  Who  hasten  to  infidelity.^  i.  e.  Who 
take  the  first  opportunity  to  throw  off  the 
mask,  and  to  join  the  unbehevers. 

—  Who  say.  We  believe,  with  their 
mouths,  &c.]  viz.  The  hypocritical  Mo- 
hammedans. 

—  Who  hearken  to  a  lie,  and  hearken  to 
other  people.']  These  words  are  capable 
of  two  senses ;  and  may  either  mean  that 
they  attended  to  the  lies  and  forgeries  of 
their  Rabbins,  neglecting  the  remonstrances 
of  Mohammed  ;  or  else,  that  they  came  to 
hear  Mohammed  as  spies  only,  that  they 
might  report  what  he  said  to  their  compa- 
nions, and  represent  him  as  a  liar  1. 

48  Pervert. '\     See  chap.  iv.  note. 

—  If  this  he  brought  unto  you,  receive 
it ;  but  if  it  be  not  brought  unto  you,  be- 
ware of  receiving  aught  else.']  That  is,  if 
what  Mohammed  tells  you,  agrees  with 
scripture,  as  corrupted  and  dislocated  by 
us,  then  you  may  accept  it  as  the  word  of 
God  ;  but  if  not,  reject  it.  These  words,  it 
is  said,  relate  to  the  sentence  pronounced 
by  that  prophet  on  an  adulterer  and  an 
adulteress  ^,  both  persons  of  some  figure 
among  the  Jews.  For  they,  it  seems, 
though  they  referred  the  matter  to  Mo- 
hammed,   yet   directed  the   persons    who 


carried  the  criminals  before  him,  that,  if 
he  ordered  them  to  be  scourged,  and  to 
have  their  faces  blackened  (by  way  of 
ignominy),  they  should  acquiesce  in  his 
determination ;  but,  in  case  he  condemned 
them  to  be  stoned,  they  should  not.  And 
Mohammed  pronouncing  the  latter  sen- 
tence against  them,  they  refused  to  exe- 
cute it,  till  Ebn  Suriya  (a  Jew),  who  was 
called  upon  to  decide  the  matter,  acknow- 
ledged the  law  to  be  so.  Whereupon 
they  were  stoned  at  the  door  of  the 
mosque  ^. 

49  And  eat  that  which  is  forbidden,] 
Some  understand  this  of  unlawful  meats ; 
but  others,  of  taking^  or  devouring,  as  it  is 
expressed,  of  usury  and  bribes  *. 

—  Either  judge  between  them,  or  leave 
them.]  i.  e.  Take  thy  choice,  whether  thou 
wilt  determine  their  differences  or  not. 
Hence  al  Shafei  was  of  opinion  that  a 
judge  was  not  obliged  to  decide  causes  be- 
tween Jews  or  Christians  ;  though,  if  one 
or  both  of  them  be  tributaries,  or  under 
the  protection  of  the  Mohammedans,  they 
are  obliged  :  this  verse  not  regarding  them. 
Abu  Hanifa,  however,  thought  that  the 
magistrates  were  obliged  to  judge  all  cases 
which  were  submitted  to  them  ^. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 


*  Idem. 


2  See  chap.  3.  note 

i2 


^  Al  Beiddwi, 


^  Idem. 


116  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

who  observe  justice.  ^^  And  how  will  they  submit  to  thy 
decision,  since  they  have  the  law,  containing  the  judgment 
of  God  ?  Then  will  they  turn  their  backs,  after  this  ;  but 
those  are  not  true  believers.  ^^  We  have  surely  sent 
down  the  law,  containing  direction,  and  light;  thereby 
did  the  prophets,  who  professed  the  true  religion,  judge 
those  who  judaized;  and  the  doctors  and  priests  also 
judged  by  the  book  of  God,  which  had  been  committed 
to  their  custody ;  and  they  were  witnesses  thereof. 
Therefore  fear  not  men,  but  fear  me;  neither  sell  my 
signs  for  a  small  price.  ^^  And  whoso  judgeth  not  accord- 
ing to  what  God  hath  revealed,  they  are  infidels.  ^^  We 
have  therein  commanded  them,  that  they  should  give 
life  for  life,  and  eye  for  eye,  and  nose  for  nose,  and  ear 
for  ear,  and  tooth  for  tooth ;  and  that  wounds  should  also 
be  punished  by  retaliation :  but  whoever  should  remit  it 
as  alms,  it  should  be  accepted  as  an  atonement  for  him. 
And  whoso  judgeth  not  according  to  what  God  hath 
revealed,  they  are  unjust.  ^^  We  also  caused  Jesus,  the 
son  of  Mary,  to  follow  the  footsteps  of  the  prophets, 
confirming  the  law  which  was  sent  down  before  him ;  and 
we  gave  him  the  gospel,  containing  direction  and  light ; 
confirming  also  the  law  which  was  given  before  it,  and  a 
direction  and  admonition  unto  those  who  fear  God  : 
^^  that  they  who  have  received  the  gospel,  might  judge 
according  to  what  God  hath  revealed  therein :  And 
whoso  judgeth  not  according  to  what  God  hath  revealed, 
they  are  transgressors.  ^^  We  have  also  sent  down  unto 
thee  the  book  of  the  Koran  with  truth,  confirming  that 

50  And  how  will  they  submit  to  thy  de-  both,  which  had  been  too  remissly  ob- 
cision,  since  they  have  the  law,  &c.]  In  served,  or  rather  neglected,  by  the  latter 
the  following  passage  Mohammed  endea-  professors  of  those  religions, 
voiirs  to  answer  the  objections  of  the  Jews  —  Then  will  they  turn  their  hacks  after 
and  Christians,  who  insisted  that  they  this.']  That  is,  notwithstanding  their  out- 
ought  to  be  judged,  the  former  by  the  law  ward  submission,  they  will  not  abide  by 
of  Moses,  and  the  latter  by  the  gospel,  the  sentence,  though  conformable  to  the 
He  allows  that  the  law  was  the  proper  rule  law,  if  it  contradict  their  own  false  and 
of  judging  till  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ;  loose  decisions. 

after  which  the  gospel  was  the  rule;  but         —  Those  are  not   true    believers.']     As 

pretends,  that  both  are  set  aside  by  the  gainsaying  the  doctrine  of  the  books  which 

revelation    of  the  Koran,  which  is  so  far  they  acknowledge  for  scripture, 
from  being  contradictory  to  either  of  the         51  And  they  were   witnesses   thereof.] 

former,  that  it  is  more  full  and  explicit ;  That  is,  vigilant  to  prevent  any  corrup- 

declaring  several  points  which  had  been  tions  therein. 

stifled,  or  corrupted  herein,  and  requiring         53  Life.]     The  original  word  is  soul. 
a  rigorous   execution   of  the  precepts   in         —  Retaliation.]  See  Exod.  xxi.  24,  &c. 


v.]  AL    KORAN.  117 

scripture  which  was  revealed  before  it;  and  preserving 
the  same  safe  from  corruption.  ^^  Judge,  therefore,  between 
them  according  to  that  which  God  hath  revealed;  and 
follow  not  their  desires,  by  swerving  from  the  truth,  which 
hath  come  unto  thee.  Unto  every  of  you  have  we  given 
a  law,  and  an  open  path ;  and,  if  God  had  pleased, 
he  had  surely  made  you  one  people  ;  but  he  hath  thought 
fit  to  give  you  different  laws,  that  he  might  try  you  in  that 
which  he  hath  given  you  respectively.  Therefore,  strive 
to  excel  each  other  in  good  works :  unto  God  shall  ye  all 
return,  and  then  will  he  declare  unto  you  that  concerning 
which  ye  have  disagreed.  Wherefore,  do  thou,  O  pro- 
phet !  judge  between  them  according  to  that  which  God 
hath  revealed,  and  follow  not  their  desires ;  but,  beware  of 
them,  lest  they  cause  thee  to  err  from  part  of  those 
precepts  which  God  hath  sent  down  unto  thee ;  and,  if 
they  turn  back,  know  that  God  is  pleased  to  punish  them 
for  some  of  their  crimes ;  for  a  great  number  of  men  are 
transgressors.  ^^  Do  they,  therefore,  desire  the  judgment 
of  the  time  of  ignorance  ?  but,  who  is  better  than  God, 
to  judge  between  people  who  reason  aright  ?  ^^  O  true 
believers  !  take  not  the  Jews,  or  Christians,  for  your 
friends ;  they  are  friends  the  one  to  the  other ;  but 
whoso  among  you  taketh  them  for  his  friends,  he  is  surely 
one  of  them :  verily,  God  directeth  not  unjust  people. 
^^  Thou  shalt  see  those  in  whose  hearts  there  is  an  infir- 
mity, to  hasten  unto  them,  saying,  We  fear  lest  some 
adversity  befal  us  ;  but  it  is  easy  for  God  to  give  victory, 

57  He  had  made  you  one  people,']  i.  e.  moment,  which  they  pretended  to  have 
He  liad  given  you  the  same  laws,  which  with  their  own  people,  and  which  was 
should  have  continued  in  force  through  agreed  to  be  referred  to  his  decision,  they 
all  ages,  without  being  abolished  or  changed  would  believe  on  him:  but  this  Mo- 
by new  dispensations :  or,  he  could  have  hammed  absolutely  refused  to  comply 
forced  you  all  to  embrace  the  Mohamme-  with  2. 
dan  religion  1.  —  If  they  turn  haclc.']     Or  refuse  to  be 

—  And  follow  not  their  desires;  hut  judged  by  the  Koran. 
beware  of  them,  lest  they  cause  thee  to  err,  58  The  judgment  of  the  time  of  igno- 
re.'] It  is  related,  that  certain  of  the  ranee.]  That  is,  to  be  judged  according 
Jewish  priests  came  to  Mohammed  with  a  to  the  customs  of  Paganism,  which  indulge 
design  to  entrap  him;  and,  having  first  the  passions  and  vicious  appetites  of  man- 
represented  to  him,  that,  if  they  acknow-  kind  :  for  this,  it  seems,  was  demanded  by 
ledged  him  for  a  prophet,  the  rest  of  the  the  Jewish  tribes  of  Koreidha  and  al 
Jews  would  certainly  follow  their  example,  Nadir  ^. 

made  this  proposal,  that,  if  he  would  give  60    We  fear  lest  some  adversity  befal  us.] 

judgment   for    them   in    a   controversy  of  These  were  the  words  of  Ebn  Obba,  who, 

*  Al  Dciddwi.  '^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


118 


AL  KORAN, 


[chap. 


or  a  command  from  him,  that  they  may  repent  of  that 
which  they  concealed  in  their  minds.  ^^  And  they  who 
believe,  will  say,  Are  these  the  men  who  have  sworn  by 
God,  with  a  most  -  firm  oath,  that  they  surely  held  with 
you  ?  their  works  are  become  vain,  and  they  are  of  those 
who  perish.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  whoever  of  you  aposta- 
tizeth  from  his  religion,  God  will  certainly  bring  other 
people  to  supply  his  place,  whom  he  will  love,  and  who 
will  love  him;  who  shall  be  humble  towards  the  be- 
lievers, but  severe  to  the  unbelievers  :  ^^  they  shall  fight 
for  the  religion  of  God,  and  shall  not  fear  the  obloquy  of 
the  detractor.  This  is  the  bounty  of  God,  he  bestoweth 
it  on  whom  he  pleaseth :  God  is  extensive  and  wise. 
^^  Verily,  your  protector  is  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  those 
who  believe,  who  observe  the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and 


when  Obadah  Ebn  al  Samat  publicly  re- 
nounced the  friendship  of  the  infidels,  and 
professed,  that  he  took  God  and  his  apostle 
for  his  patrons,  said,  that  he  was  a  man  ap- 
prehensive of  the  fickleness  of  fortune, 
and,  therefore,  would  not  throw  off  his 
old  friends,  who  might  be  of  service  to  him 
hereafter  ^ 

60  A  command  from  MmJ\  To  extir- 
pate and  banish  the  Jews ;  or,  to  detect 
and  punish  the  hypocrites. 

61  Are  these  the  men  who  have  sworn, 
&c.]  These  words  may  be  spoken  by  the 
Mohammedans,  either  to  one  another,  or 
to  the  Jews,  since  these  hypocrites  had 
given  their  oaths  to  both  ^. 

62  Whoever  of  you  apostatizeth  from  his 
religion,  God  will  certainly  bring  others  to 
supply  his  place,  &c.]  This  is  one  of  those 
accidents,  which,  it  is  pretended,  were 
foretold  by  the  Koran  long  before  they 
came  to  pass.  For,  in  the  latter  days  of 
Mohammed,  and  after  his  death,  consider- 
able numbers  of  the  Arabs  quitted  his 
religion,  and  returned  to  Paganism,  Ju- 
daism, or  Christianity.  Al  Beidawi  reckons 
them  up  in  the  following  order.  1.  Three 
companies  of  Banu  Modlaj,  seduced  by 
Dhu'lhamar  al  Aswad  al  Ansi,  who  set  up 
for  a  prophet  in  Yaman,  and  grew  very 
powerful  there  ^.  2.  Banu  Honeifa,  who 
followed  the  famous  false  prophet  Mosei- 
lama  *.  3.  Banu  Asad,  who  acknowledged 
Toleiha  Ebn  Khowailed,  another  pretender 
to  divine  revelation  ^,    for  their  prophet. 


All  these  fell  off  in  Mohammed's  lifetime. 
The  following,  except  only  the  last,  apos- 
tatized in  the  reign  of  Abu  Beer.  4.  Cer- 
tain of  the  tribe  of  Fezarah,  headed  by 
Oyeyma  Ebn  Hosein.  5.  Some  of  the 
tribe  of  Ghatfan,  whose  leader  was  Kor- 
rah  Ebn  Salma.  6.  Banu  Soleim,  who 
followed  al  Fajaah  Ebn  Abd  Yalil.  7-  Ba- 
nu Yarbu,  whose  captain  was  Malec  Ebn 
Noweirah  Ebn  Kais.  8.  Part  of  the  tribe 
of  Tamim,  the  proselytes  of  Sajaj,  the 
daughter  of  al  Mondhar,  who  gave  herself 
out  for  a  prophetess^.  9.  The  tribe  of 
Kendah,  led  by  al  Ashath  Ebn  Kais.  IQ. 
Banu  Beer  Ebn  al  Wayel,  in  the  province 
of  Bahrein,  headed  by  al  Horam  Ebn  Zeid. 
And  11.  Some  of  the  tribe  of  Ghassan, 
who,  with  their  prince,  Jabalah  Ebn  al 
Ayham,  renounced  Mohammedism  in  the 
time  of  Omar,  and  returned  to  their  former 
profession  of  Christianity  ^. 

But,  as  to  the  persons  who  fulfilled  the 
other  part  of  this  prophecy,  by  supplying 
the  loss  of  so  many  renegades,  the  com^ 
mentators  are  not  agreed.  Some  will  have 
them  to  be  the  inhabitants  of  Yaman,  and 
others,  the  Persians  ;  the  authority  of  Mo- 
hammed himself  being  vouched  for  both 
opinions.  Others,  however,  suppose  them 
to  be  2000  of  the  tribe  of  Al  Nakha  (who 
dwelt  in  Yaman),  5000  of  those  of  Kendah 
and  Bajilah,  and  3000  of  unknown  descent, 
who  were  present  at  the  famous  battle  of  Ka- 
desia  *,  fought  in  the  Khalifat  of  Omar,  and 
which  put  an  end  to  the  Persian  empire^. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 
5  See  ib.  ^  See  ib. 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


2  Idem.  3  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  viii.  ^  See  ib. 

7  See  ib.  §  i.  p.  13.  ^  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  226. 


v.]  AL   KORAN.  119 

give  alms,  and  who  bow  down  to  worship.  ^^  And  whoso 
taketh  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  the  believers,  for  his 
friends,  they  are  the  party  of  God,  and  they  shall  be 
victorious.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  take  not  such  of  those  to 
whom  the  scriptures  were  delivered  before  you,  or  of  the 
infidels,  for  your  friends,  who  make  a  laughing-stock  and 
a  jest  of  your  religion  ;  but  fear  God,  if  ye  be  true 
believers ;  ^^  nor  those  who,  when  ye  call  to  prayer,  make 
a  laughing-stock  and  a  jest  of  it :  this  they  do,  because 
they  are  people  who  do  not  understand.  ^^  Say,  O  ye  who 
have  received  the  scriptures  !  do  ye  reject  us  for  any 
other  reason  than  because  we  believe  in  God,  and  that 
revelation  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  us,  and  that 
which  was  formerly  sent  down,  and  for  that  the  greater 
part  of  you  are  transgressors?  ^^  Say,  Shall  I  denounce 
unto  you  a  worse  thing  than  this,  as  to  the  reward 
which  ye  are  to  expect  with  God?  He  whom  God 
hath  cursed,  and  with  whom  he  hath  been  angry,  hav- 
ing changed  some  of  them  into  apes  and  swine,  and 
who  worship  Taghut,  they  are  in  the  worse  condi- 
tion, and  err  more  widely  from  the  straitness  of  the 
path.  ^^  When  they  came  unto  you,  they  said.  We 
believe :  yet  they  entered  into  your  company  with  infi- 
delity, and  went  forth  from  you  with  the  same ;  but 
God  well  knew  what  they  concealed.  ^^Thou  shalt  see 
many  of  them  hastening  unto  iniquity  and  malice,  and 
to  eat  things  forbidden ;  and  woe  unto  them  for   what 

66  Take  not  those  for  your  friends,  who  burn  the  liar:  but,  a  few  nights  after,  his 

make  a   laughing-stock   of  your  religion.~\  own  house  was  accidentally  set  on  fire  by 

This   passage  was   primarily  intended  to  a  servant,  and  himself  and  his  family   pe- 

forbid  the  Moslems  entering  into  a  friend-  rished  in  the  flames  ^ 

ship  with  two  hypocrites,  named  Rafaa,  69  Havi^ig  changed  some  of  them  into 

Ebn   Zeid,  and  Soweid   Ebn  al  Hareth,  apes  and  swine.^     The  former  were  the 

who,    though    they    had    embraced    Mo-  Jews  of  Ailah,  who  broke  the  sabbath 2; 

hammedism,   yet  ridiculed  it  on  all  occa-  and  the  latter,  those  who  believed  not  in 

sions,  and  were,  notwithstanding,  greatly  the   miracle  of  the  Table,  which  was  let 

beloved  among  the  prophet's  followers.  down    from   heaven   to    Jesus  ^.      Some, 

6^  Nor  those  who,  when  ye  call  to  prayer,  however,  imagine  that  the  Jews  of  Ailah 

make  a  jest   of  it.']     These   words   were  only  are  meant  in  this  place,  pretending, 

added  on  occasion  of  a  certain  Christian,  that  the  young  men  among  them   were 

who  hearing  the  Muadhdhin,  or  crier,  in  metamorphosed  into  apes,  and  the  old  men 

calling  to  prayers,  repeat  this  part  of  the  into  swine*, 

usual  form,  I  profess  that  Mohammed  is  —   Taghut.]     See  chap.  ii. 

the  apostle  of  God,  said  aloud.  May  God  71  Forbidden.]     See  before,  p.  107. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap.  ii.  ^  See  towards  the  end  of  this  chapter 

*  Al  Beiddwi, 


120  AL    KORAN.  [chap, 

they  have  done.  ^^  Unless  their  doctors  and  priests  for- 
bid them  uttering  wickedness,  and  eating  things  for- 
bidden ;  woe  unto  them  for  what  they  shall  have  com- 
mitted. ^^  The  Jews  say,  The  hand  of  God  is  tied  up. 
Their  hands  shall  be  tied  up,  and  they  shall  be  cursed 
for  that  which  they  have  said.  Nay,  his  hands  are  both 
stretched  forth :  he  bestoweth  as  he  pleaseth :  that  which 
hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee  from  thy  Lord  shall  in- 
crease the  transgression  and  infidelity  of  many  of  them ; 
and  we  have  put  enmity  and  hatred  between  them,  until 
the  day  of  resurrection.  So  often  as  they  shall  kindle  a 
fire  for  war,  God  shall  extinguish  it ;  and  they  shall  set 
their  minds  to  act  corruptly  in  the  earth,  but  God  loveth 
not  the  corrupt  doers.  ^^  Moreover,  if  they,  who  have 
received  the  scriptures,  believe,  and  fear  God,  we  will 
surely  expiate  their  sins  from  them,  and  we  will  lead 
them  into  gardens  of  pleasure ;  ^^  and  if  they  observe  the 
law,  and  the  gospel,  and  the  other  scriptures,  which  have 
been  sent  down  unto  them  from  their  Lord,  they  shall 
surely  eat  of  good  things  both  from  above  them,  and  from 
under  their  feet.  Among  them  there  are  people  who 
act  uprightly ;  but  how  evil  is  that  which  many  of  them 
do  work  !  ^^  O  apostle  !  publish  the  whole  of  that  which 
hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee  from  thy  Lord  :  for  if 
thou  do  not,  thou  dost  not,  in  effect,  publish  any  part 

73  God's  hand  is  tied  up.  ~\   That  is,  he  is  feuds  and  quarrels  among  themselves,  or 

become  niggardly  and  close-fisted.    These  by  granting  the  victory  to  the   Moslems, 

were  the  words  of  Phineas  Ebn  Azura ;  Al  Beidawi  adds,  that,  on  the  Jews  neg- 

another  indecent  expression  of  whom,  al-  lecting  the  true  observance  of  their  law, 

most  to  the  same  purpose,  is  mentioned  and  corrupting   their   religion,   God   has 

elsewhere  ^,  when   the   Jews  were   much  successively  delivered  them  into  the  hands, 

impoverished  by  a  dearth,  which  the  com-  first,  of  Bakht  Nasr,  or  Nebuchadnezzar  ; 

mentators  will  have  to  be  a  judgment  on  then  of  Titus  the  Roman  ;  and  afterwards 

them  for  their  rejecting  of  Mohammed ;  of  the  Persians ;  and  has  now,    at  last, 

and  the  other  Jews,  who  heard  him,  in-  subjected  them  to  the  Mohammedans, 

stead  of  reproving  him,   expressed  their  7^  They  shall  eat  0/ the  good  things  both 

approbation  of  what  he  had  said  2.  from   above  them  and  from   under    their 

—  Their  hands  shall  be  tied  up.~\     i.e.  feet.'\     That  is,  they  shall  enjoy  the  bless- 
They   shall   be  punished  with  want  and  ings  both  of  heaven  and  earth. 

avarice.  The  words  may  also  allude  to  ^6  If  thou  publish  not  the  whole,  thou 
the  manner  wherein  the  reprobates  shall  dost  not,  in  effect,  publish  any  part  thereof^ 
appear  at  the  last  day,  having  their  right  That  is,  if  thou  do  not  complete  the  pub- 
hands  tied  up  to  their  necks  ^  ;  which  is  lication  of  all  thy  revelations,  without  ex- 
the  proper  signification  of  the  Arabic  word,  ception,  thou  dost  not  answer  the  end  for 

—  Sent  down.~\     Viz.  The  Koran.  which  they  were  revealed ;  because,  the 

—  So  often  as  they  kindle  fire  for  war,  concealing  of  any  part  renders  the  system 
God  shall  extinguish  i/.]    Either  by  raising  of  religion,  which  God  has  thought  fit  to 

1  Chap.  iii.  2  ji  Beidawi,  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  105. 


v.]  AL    KORAN.  121 

thereof;  and  God  will  defend  thee  against  wicked  men; 
for  God  directeth  not  the  unbelieving  people.  ^^  Say,  O 
ye  who  have  received  the  scriptures,  ye  are  not  grounded 
on  any  thing,  until  ye  observe  the  law  and  the  gospel, 
and  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  you  from  your 
Lord.  That  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee  from 
thy  Lord,  shall  surely  increase  the  transgression  and  in- 
fidelity of  many  of  them  :  but  be  not  thou  solicitous  for 
the  unbelieving  people.  ^^  Verily,  they  who  believe,  and 
those  who  judaize,  and  the  Sabians,  and  the  Christians, 
whoever  of  them  believeth  in  God  and  the  last  day,  and 
doth  that  which  is  right,  there  shall  come  no  fear  on 
them,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^  We  formerly  ac- 
cepted the  covenant  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  sent 
apostles  unto  them.  So  often  as  an  apostle  came  unto 
them  with  that  which  their  souls  desired  not,  they  accused 
some  of  them  of  imposture,  and  some  of  them  they  killed  : 
^^  and  they  imagined  that  there  should  be  no  punishment 
for  those  crimes,  and  they  became  blind,  and  deaf  Then 
was  God  turned  unto  them :  afterwards  many  of  them 
again  became  blind  and  deaf;  but  God  saw  what  they 
did.  ^^  They  are  surely  infidels,  who  say.  Verily,  God  is 
Christ,  the  son  of  Mary  ;  since  Christ  said,  O  children 
of  Israel  !  serve  God,  my  Lord  and  your  Lord  :  who- 
ever shall  give  a  companion  unto  God,  God  shall  exclude 
him  from  paradise,  and  his  habitation  shall  be  hell-fire  ; 
and  the  ungodly  shall  have  none  to  help  them.  ^^  They 
are  certainly  infidels,  who  say,  God  is  the  third  of  three  : 
for  there  is  no  God,  besides  one  God  :  and  if  they  refrain 
not  from  what  they  say,  a  painful  torment  shall  surely  be 
inflicted  on  such  of  them  as  are  unbelievers.  ^^Will 
they  not,  therefore,  be  turned  unto  God,  and  ask  pardon 
of  him  ?  since  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  Christ, 
the    son  of  Mary,  is  no  more  than  an  apostle;  other 

publish  to  mankind  by  thy  ministry,  lame  78  Grieved.']     See  chap.  ii. 

and  imperfect  ^  80  Jnd  they  became   Wind  and  deafJ] 

—  God  will   defend  thee^   &c.]     Until  Shutting  their  eyes  and  ears  against  con- 

this  verse  was   revealed,   Mohammed  en-  viction,  and  the  remonstrances  of  the  law; 

tertained  a  guard  of  armed  men  for  his  as  when  they  worshipped  the  calf, 

security  ;    but,    on  his   receiving  this   as-  —   Then  was    God  turned  unto  them.'] 

surance  of  God's   protection,   he   imme-  i.  e.  Upon  their  repentance, 

diately  dismissed  them  2.  82   Three.]      See  chap.  iv. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo^ddin.  2  [i(Jem. 


122  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

apostles  have  preceded  him ;  and  his  mother  was  a  woman 
of  veracity  ;  they  both  ate  food.  Behold,  how  we  declare 
unto  them  the  signs  of  God's  unity ;  and  then  behold  how 
they  turn  aside  from  the  truth.  ^^  Say  unto  them,  -  Will 
ye  worship,  besides  God,  that  which  can  cause  you  nei- 
ther harm  nor  profit  ?  God  is  he  who  heareth  and  seeth. 
^^  Say,  O  ye  who  have  received  the  scriptures !  exceed 
not  the  just  bounds  in  your  religion,  by  speaking  beside 
the  truth ;  neither  follow  the  desires  of  people  who  have 
heretofore  erred,  and  who  have  seduced  many,  and  have 
gone  astray  from  the  strait  path.  ^^  Those  among  the 
children  of  Israel  who  believed  not,  were  cursed  by  the 
tongue  of  David,  and  of  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary.  This 
befel  them  because  they  were  rebellious  and  transgressed : 
^^  they  forbade  not  one  another  the  wickedness  which 
they  committed ;  and  woe  unto  them  for  what  they  com- 
mitted. ^^  Thou  shalt  see  many  of  them  take  for  their 
friends,  those  who  believe  not.  Woe  imto  them  for  what 
their  souls  have  sent  before  them,  for  that  God  is  in- 
censed against  them,  and  they  shall  remain  in  torment 
for  ever.  ^^  But,  if  they  had  believed  in  God,  and  the 
prophet,  and  that  which  hath  been  revealed  unto  him, 
they  had  not  taken  them  for  their  friends ;  but  many  of 
them  are  evil-doers.  ^^  Thou  shalt  surely  find  the  most 
violent  of  all  men  in  enmity  against  the  true  believers, 
to  be  the  Jews,  and  the  idolaters  ;  and  thou  shalt  surely 
find  those  among  them  to  be  the  most  inclinable  to 
entertain  friendship  for  the  true  believers,  who  say,  We 
are  Christians.  This  cometh  to  pass,  because  there  are 
priests  and  monks  among  them ;  and  because  they  are 
not  elated  with  pride:   [*VII.]  ^^And  when  they  hear 

^4.  His  mother  was  a  woman  of  veracity. ~\  of  their  prelates  and   predecessors,   who 

Never  pretending  to  partake  of  the  divine  erred  in  ascribing  divinity  to  Christ,  be- 

nature,  or  to  be  the  mother  of  God  ^.  fore  the  mission  of  Mohammed  ^. 

—  They  both  ate  food.']     Being  obliged  87  Mary.]    See  before,  p.  119,  note  69. 
to  support  their  lives  by  the  same  means,  89  Before  them.]     See  chap.  ii.  note, 
and  being  subject  to  the  same  necessities  91    And   are    not  elated    with  pride.] 
and  infirmities  as  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  Having    not   that   high   conceit  of  them- 
therefore  no  Gods  ^.  selves  as  the  Jews  have ;  but  being  hum- 

86  Just  hounds.]     See  chap.  iv.  ble,  and  well  disposed  to  receive  the  truth; 

But   here  the   words  are   principally  di-  qualities,   says   al  Beidawi,  which  are  to 

rected  to  the  Christians.  be  commended  even  in  infidels. 

—  Neither  follow  the  desires  of  people         92  And  when  they  hear  that  which  hath 
who  have  heretofore  erred^  &c.]      That  is,  been  sent   down  to  the  apostle  read  unto 

*  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Idem,  al  Beidawi.  ^  lidem. 


v.]  AL  KORAN.  123 

that  which  hath  been  sent  down  to  the  apostle  read  unto 
them,  thou  shalt  see  their  eyes  overflow  with  tears,  be- 
cause of  the  truth  which  they  perceive  therein ;  saying, 
O  Lord  !  we  believe ;  write  us  down,  therefore,  with 
those  who  bear  witness  to  the  truth :  ^^  and  what  should 
hinder  us  from  believing  in  God,  and  the  truth  which 
hath  come  unto  us,  and  from  earnestly  desiring  that  our 
Lord  would  introduce  us  into  paradise  with  the  righteous 
people  ?  ^^  Therefore  hath  God  rewarded  them,  for  what 
they  have  said,  with  gardens  through  which  rivers  flow ; 
they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever ;  and  this  is  the  re- 
ward of  the  righteous.  ^^  But,  they  who  believe  not,  and 
accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  they  shall  be  the  com- 
panions of  hell.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  forbid  not  the  good 
fhings  w^hich  God  hath  allowed  you ;  but  transgress  not, 
for  God  loveth  not  the  transgressors.  ^^  And  eat  of  what 
God  hath  given  you  for  food,  that  which  is  lawful  and 
good :  and  fear  God,  in  whom  ye  believe.  ^^  God  will 
not  punish  you  for  an  inconsiderate  word  in  your  oaths ; 
but  he  will  punish  you  for  what  ye  solemnly  swear  with 
deliberation.  And  the  expiation  of  such  an  oath  shall 
be  the  feeding  of  ten  poor  men  with  such  moderate  food 
as  ye  feed  your  own  families  withal ;  or  to  clothe  them ; 
or  to  free  the  neck  of  a  true  believer  from  captivity :  but 
he  who  shall  not  find  wherewith  to  perform  one  of  these 

therriy  their  eyes  overflow  with  tears,  &c.]  like  is  this  to  that  which  was  revealed  unto 

The  persons  directly  intended  in  this  pas-  Jesus  !  and  immediately  professed  them- 

sage  were,  either  Ashama,  king  of  Ethio-  selves  Moslems  ^, 

pia,  and  several  bishops  and  priests,  who,  96  Forbid  not   the    good    things  which 

being  assembled  for  that   purpose,  heard  God  hath  allowed  you.']   These  words  were 

Jaafar  Ebn  Abi  Taleb,  who  fled  to  that  revealed,  when    certain    of  Mohammed's 

country   in   the  first  flight^,  read  the  29th  companions   agreed    to  oblige  themselves 

and   30th,  and   afterwards   the   18th  and  to  continual  fasting  and  watching,  and  to 

19th  chapters  of  the   Koran  ;  on  hearing  abstain  from  women,  eating  flesh,  sleeping 

of  which  the    king,  and  the  rest  of  the  on  beds,  and  other  lawful  enjoyments  of 

company,  burst  into  tears,   and  confessed  life,    in    imitation  of  some    self-denying 

what  was  delivered  therein  to  be  conform-  Christians  ;    but  this   the   prophet  disap- 

able  to  truth ;  that  prince,  himself,  in  par-  proved,  declaring,  that  he  would  have  no 

ticular,   becoming  a  proselyte  to  Moham-  monks  in  his  religion  *. 

medism  ^  ;   or   else,   thirty,    or,  as    others  98   Oaths.]     See  cliap.  ii. 

say,  seventy  persons,  sent  ambassadors  to  —  Clothe.]     The  commentators  give  us 

Mohammed,  by  the  same  king  of  Ethiopia,  the   different  opinions    of  the   doctors,  as 

to  whom    the   prophet   himself  read  the  to  the  quantity  of  food  and  clothes  to  be 

thirty-sixth  chapter,  entitled  Y.  S.  where-  given  in   this   case,  which   J  think  scarce 

upon  they  began  to  weep  ;  saying.   How  worth  transcribing. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  52,  53.  ^  ji  Beiddwi.     Jl  Thalabi.     V.  Jbulfed.  vit. 

Moh.  p.  25,  &c.     Marracc.  Prodr.  ad  refut.  Alcor.  part  1.  p.  45.  3  ji  Beiddwiy 

Jallalo'ddin.     V.  Marracc.  ubi  sup.  *  Jallalo' ddin,  al  Beiddwi. 


124  AL   KORAN^  [chap. 

three  things,  shall  fast  three  days.  This  is  the  expiation 
of  your  oaths,  when  ye  swear  inadvertently.  Therefore, 
keep  your  oaths.  Thus  God  declareth  unto  you  his  signs, 
that  ye  may  give  thanks.  ^^  O  true  believers !  surely 
wine  and  lots,  and  images,  and  divining  arrows,  are  an 
abomination  of  the  work  of  Satan  ;  therefore  avoid 
them,  that  ye  may  prosper.  ^^^  Satan  seeketh  to  sow 
dissension  and  hatred  among  you,  by  means  of  wine 
and  lots,  and  to  divert  you  from  remembering  God, 
and  from  prayer :  will  ye  not,  therefore,  abstain  from 
them  ?  ^^^  Obey  God,  and  obey  the  apostle,  and  take 
heed  to  yourselves;  but,  if  ye  turn  back,  know,  that 
the  duty  of  our  apostle  is  only  to  preach  publicly. 
^^^  In  those  who  believe  and  do  good  works,  it  is  no  sin 
that  they  have  tasted  wine  or  gaming  before  they  were 
forbidden ;  if  they  fear  God  and  believe,  and  do  good 
works,  and  shall,  for  the  future,  fear  God,  and  believe, 
and  shall  persevere  to  fear  him,  and  to  do  good ;  for  God 
loveth  those  who  do  good.  ^^^  O  true  believers !  God 
will  surely  prove  you,  in  offering  you  plenty  of  game, 
which  ye  may  take  with  your  hands  or  your  lances,  that 
God  may  know  who  feareth  him  in  secret ;  but,  whoever 
transgresseth  after  this,  shall  suifer  a  grievous  punishment. 
^^^  O  true  believers  !  kill  no  game  while  ye  are  on  pilgri- 

98  Shall  fast  three  days.'}  That  is,  102  To  do  good.}  The  commentators 
three  days  together,  says  Abu  Hanifa.  endeavour  to  excuse  the  tautology  of  this 
But  this  is  not  observed  in  practice,  being  passage,  by  supposing  the  threefold  repe- 
neither  explicitly  commanded  in  the  Ko-  tition  of  fearing  and  believing,  refers 
ran,  nor  ordered  in  the  Sonna '.  either  to   the    three  parts   of  time,    past, 

99  Wine  and  lots.}  This  is,  all  inebri-  present,  and  future,  or  to  the  threefold 
ating  liquors,  and  games  of  chance.  See  duty  of  man,  towards  God,  himself,  and 
the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  and  chap.  ii.  his  neighbour,  &c.  ^. 

—  Images.}  Al  Beidawi,  and  some  103  God  will  prove  you,  in  offering  you 
other  commentators,  expound  this  of  idols  ;  plenty  of  game,  &c.]  This  temptation,  or 
but  others,  with  more  probability,  of  the  trial,  was  at  al  Hodeibiya,  where  Moham- 
carved  pieces,  or  men,  with  which  the  med's  men,  who  had  attended  him  thither, 
Pagan  Arabs  played  at  chess,  being  little  with  an  intent  to  perform  a  pilgrimage  to 
figures  of  men,  elephants,  horses,  and  the  Caaba,  and  had  initiated  themselves 
dromedaries  ;  and  this  is  supposed  to  be  with  the  usual  rites,  were  surrounded  by 
the  only  thing  which  Mohammed  disliked  so  great  a  number  of  birds  and  beasts, 
in  that  game :  for  which  reason,  the  Son-  that  they  impeded  their  march;  from 
nites  play  with  plain  pieces  of  wood  or  which  unusual  accident,  some  of  them 
ivory  ;  but  the  Persians  and  Indians,  who  concluded,  that  God  had  allowed  them  to 
are  not  so  scrupulous,  still  make  use  of  be  taken,  but  this  passage  was  to  con- 
the  carved  ones  ^.  vince  them  of  the  contrary  *. 

—  Arrows.}    Seethe  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  104   While  ye  are  07i  pilgrimage.}     Li- 
101  Topreach.}   See  ibid.  §  ii.  p.  57,  &c.     teially,   while    ye   are   Mohrims,   or  have 

*  Al  Beidawi,  ^  V.  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  ^  ji  Beidawi.  ^  Idem? 

Jallalo'  ddin. 


v.]  AL     KORAN.  125 

mage;  whosoever  among  you  shall  kill  any  designedly, 
shall  restore  the  like  of  what  he  shall  have  killed  in 
domestic  animals,  according  to  the  determination  of  two 
just  persons  among  you,  to  be  brought  as  an  offering  to 
the  Caaba  ;  or,  in  atonement  thereof,  shall  feed  the  poor ; 
or,  instead  thereof,  shall  fast,  that  he  may  taste  the  hein- 
ousness  of  his  deed.  God  hath  forgiven  what  is  past ; 
but,  whoever  returneth  to  transgress,  God  will  take  ven- 
geance on  him ;  for  God  is  mighty,  and  able  to  avenge. 
^^^  It  is  lawful  for  you  to  fish  in  the  sea,  and  to  eat  what 
ye  shall  catch,  as  a  provision  for  you,  and  for  those  who 
travel ;  but  it  is  unlawful  for  you  to  hunt  by  land,  while 
ye  are  performing  the  rites  of  pilgrimage ;  therefore  fear 
God,  before  whom  ye  shall  be  assembled  at  the  last  day. 
^^^  God  hath  appointed  the  Caaba,  the  holy  house,  an 
establishment  for  mankind  ;  and  hath  ordained  the  sacred 
month,  and  the  offering,  and  the  ornaments  hung  thereon. 
This  hath  he  done,  that  ye  might  know  that  God 
knoweth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  that 
God  is  omniscient.  ^^^  Know  that  God  is  severe  in 
punishing,  and  that  God  is  also  ready  to  forgive,  and 
merciful.  ^^^  The  duty  of  our  apostle  is  to  preach  only ; 
and  God  know^eth  that  which  ye  discover,  and  that  which 
ye  conceal.  ^^^  Say,  Evil  and  good  shall  not  be  equally 
esteemed  of,  though  the  abundance  of  evil  pleaseth  thee ; 

actually  initiated  yourselves  as  pilgrims,  live    in   the    sea,    and    on    land   both,   as 

by  putting   on  the  garment  worn  at  that  crabs,  &c.      The  Turks  who  are  Hanifites 

solemnity.       Hunting    and    fowling    are  never  eat  this  sort  of  fish  ;  but  the  sect  of 

hereby  absolutely  forbidden  to  persons  in  Malec  Ebn  Ans,  and  perhaps  some  others, 

this  state  ;  though  they  are  allowed  to  kill  make  no  scruple  of  it. 

certain  kinds  of  noxious  animals  ^.  — Pilgrimage.^  See  above,  note  on  v.  J  04. 

—  Shall  restore   the   like  in    domestic  106  An  establishment.']      That  is,    the 

animals^  &c.]     That  is,  he  shall  bring  an  place  where  the  practice  of  their  religious 

offering  to    the   temple   of  Mecca,    to  be  ceremonies   is  chiefly  established  ;  where 

slain    there,   and    distributed    among  the  those  who  are  under  any  apprehension  of 

poor,  of  some   domestic  or   tame  animal,  danger  may  find  a  sure  asylum,  and  the 

equal   in   value    to    what    he   shall  have  merchant  certain  gain,  &c.  ^ 

killed :  as  a  sheep,  for  example,  in  lieu  of  —    The  sacred  month.]      Al    Beidawi 

an  antelope,  a  pigeon  for  a  partridge,  &c.  understands  this  of  the  month  of  DhuH- 

And  of  this    value  two   prudent  persons  hajja,  wherein  the  ceremonies  of  the  pil- 

were   to  be  judges.     If  the  offender  was  grimage  are  performed;    but  Jallalo'ddin 

not  able  to   do    this,    he   was   to  give   a  supposes  all  the  four  sacred  months   are 

certain  quantity  of  food  to  one  or  more  here  intended  *. 

poor  men  ;  or,  if  he  could  not  afford  that,  —  Ornaments.]     See  before,  p.  107. 

to  fast  a  proportionable  number  of  days  2.  108    To  preach.]       See    the    Prelim. 

105    To  fish.]     This,  says  Jallalo'ddin,  Disc.  §  ii.  p.  57. 

is  to  be  understood  of  fish  that  live  altoge-  109  Evil  and  good  shall  not  he  equally 

ther   in  the    sea,   and   not  of  those   that  esteemed^    though    the    abundance  of  evil 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  2  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  lidem. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  §  vii. 


V26  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

therefore,  fear  God,  O  ye  of  understanding !  that  ye  may 
be  happy.  "^  O  true  believers !  inquire  not  concerning 
things,  which,  if  they  be  declared  unto  you,  may  give  you 
pain  ;  but,  if  ye  ask  concerning  them,  when  the  Koran 
is  sent  down,  they  will  be  declared  unto  you :  God  par- 
doneth  you  as  to  these  matters  ;  for  God  is  ready  to 
forgive,  and  gracious.  ^^^  People,  who  have  been  before 
you,  formerly  inquired  concerning  them ;  and  afterwards 
disbelieved  therein.  ^^^  God  hath  not  ordained  any  thing 
concerning  Bahira,  nor  Saiba,  nor  Wasila,  nor  Hami  ; 
but  the  unbelievers  have  invented  a  lie  against  God  :  and 
the  greater  part  of  them  do  not  understand.  ^^^  And 
when  it  was  said  unto  them.  Come  unto  that  which  God 
hath  revealed,  and  to  the  apostle ;  they  answered.  That 
religion  which  we  found  our  fathers  to  follow  is  sufficient 
for  us.  What  though  their  fathers  knew  nothing,  and 
were  not  rightly  directed?  ^^^  O  true  believers  !  take  care 
of  your  souls.  He  who  erreth  shall  not  hurt  you,  while 
ye  are  rightly  directed :  unto  God  shall  ye  all  return, 
and  he  will  tell  you  that  which  ye  have  done.  ^^^  O  true 
believers !  let  witnesses  be  taken  between  you,  when 
death  approaches  any  of  you,  at  the  time  of  making  the 
testament ;  let  there  be  two  witnesses,  just  men,  from 
among  you,  or  two  others,   of  a  different  tribe  or  faith 

pleaseth  thee.']      For  judgment   is    to  be  wherein  I  give  you  none  :  whereupon  this 

made  of  things,  not  from  their  plenty  or  passage  was  revealed, 
scarcity,  but  from  their  intrinsic  good  or  112   God  hath  not   ordained  any  thing 

bad  qualities  ^.  concerning  Bahira,  nor  Sdiba,  nor  Wasila, 

\\{}  Inquire  not  concerning  things  which,  nor   Hdmi,  &c.]     These  were  the  names 

if  they  he  declared  unto  you,  may  give  you  given    by    the    Pagan     Arabs    to    certain 

pain,   &c.]     The  Arabs  continually  teaz-  camels  or  sheep,  which  were  turned  loose 

ing  their  prophet  with  questions,   which  to  feed,  and  exempted  from  common  ser- 

probably  he  was  not  always   prepared  to  vices,  in    some    particular  eases  ;    having 

answer,  they  are  here  ordered  to  wait  till  their  ears  slit,   or  some  other  mark,  that 

God  should  think  fit  to  declare  his  plea-  they  might  be  known  ;  and  this  they  did  in 

sure  by  some  farther  revelation:  and,  to  honour  of  their  gods  2.  Which  superstitions 

abate  their  curiosity,  they  are  told,  at  the  are  here  declared  to  be  no  ordinances  of 

same  time,  that,  very  likely,  the  answers  God,  but  the  inventions  of  foolish  men. 
would  not  be  agreeable  to  their  inclina-  114  He  who  erreth  shall  not  hurt  you, 

lions.     Al  Beidawi  says,  that,  when  the  &c.]     This  was  revealed  when  the  infidels 

pilgrimage  was  first  commanded,  Soraka  reproached  those  who  embraced  Moham- 

Ebn  Malec  asked   Mohammed,  Whether  medism,  and  renounced  their  old  idolatry, 

they   were   obliged    to   perform   it  every  that,  by  so  doing,  they  arraigned  the  wis- 

year  ?    To  this  question,  the  prophet  at  dom  of  their  forefathers  ^. 
first  turned  a  deaf  ear ;  but,  being  ask  ed  115   Two  just  men  from  among  you.'] 

it  a  second,  and  a  third  time,  he,  at  iast  That  is,  of  your  kindred,  or  religion, 
said.  No :  but,  if  I  had  said  yes,  it  would         —  Or  two  others  of  a   different   tribe 

have  become   a   duty,    and,    if  it  were  a  or  faith.]   They  who  interpret  these  words 

duty,  ye  would  not  be  able  to  perform  it;  of  persons  of  another  religion,  say,  they 

therefore,  give  me  no  trouble  as  to  things  are  abrogated,  and  that  the  testimony  of 

^  Al  Beiddivi.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v.  ^  Al  Beidawi, 


v.] 


AL  KORAN. 


127 


from  yourselves,  if  ye  be  journeying  in  the  earth,  and  the 
accident  of  death  befal  you.  Ye  shall  shut  them  both  up, 
after  the  afternoon  prayer ;  and  they  shall  swear  by  God, 
if  ye  doubt  them,  and  they  shall  say.  We  will  not  sell  our 
evidence  for  a  bribe,  although  the  person  concerned  be 
one  who  is  related  to  us,  neither  will  we  conceal  the 
testimony  of  God,  for  then  should  we  certainly  be  of  the 
number  of  the  wicked.  ^^^  But  if  it  appear  that  both 
have  been  guilty  of  iniquity,  two  others  shall  stand  up  in 
their  place,  of  those  who  have  convicted  them  of  false- 
hood, the  two  nearest  in  blood,  and  they  shall  swear  by 
God,  saying.  Verily  our  testimony  is  more  true  than  the 
testimony  of  these  two,  neither  have  we  prevaricated  ; 
for  then  should  we  become  of  the  number  of  the  unjust. 
^^^  This  will  be  easier,  that  men  may  give  testimony 
according  to  the  plain  intention  thereof,  or  fear  lest  a 
different  oath  be  given  after  their  oath.  Therefore  fear 
God,  and  hearken ;  for  God  directeth  not  the  unjust 
people.     ^^^  On  a  certain   day  shall   God    assemble   the 


such  ought  not  to  be  received  against  a 
Moslem  ^ 

—  Ye  shall  shut  them  both  up  after  the 
afternoon  prayer,  &c.]  In  case  there  was 
any  doubt,  the  witnesses  were  to  be  kept 
apart  from  company,  lest  they  should  be 
corrupted,  till  they  gave  their  evidence, 
which  they  generally  did  when  the  after- 
noon prayer  was  over ;  because  that  was 
the  time  of  people's  assembling  in  public ; 
or,  say  some,  because  the  guardian  angels 
then  relieve  each  other  ;  so  that  there 
would  be  four  angels  to  witness  against 
them,  if  they  gave  false  evidence.  But 
others  suppose  they  might  be  examined 
after  the  hour  of  any  other  prayer,  when 
there  was  a  sufficient  assembly  2. 

117  Unjust  people.']  The  occasion  of 
the  preceding  passage  is  said  to  have  been 
this  ;  Tamim  al  Dari  and  Addi  Ebn 
Yazid,  both  Christians,  took  a  journey 
into  Syria  to  trade,  in  company  with 
Bodeil,  the  freedman  of  Amru  Ebn  al 
As,  who  was  a  Moslem.  When  they  came 
10  Damascus,  Bodeil  fell  sick,  and  died  ; 
having  first  wrote  down  a  list  of  his  effects 
on  a  piece  of  paper,  which  he  hid  in  his 
baggage,  without  acquainting  his  compa- 
nions with  it,  and  desired  them  only  to 
dehver  what  he  had  to  his  friends  of  the 
tribe  of  Sahm.     The  survivors,  however. 


searching  among  his  goods,  found  a  vessel 
of  silver  of  considerable  weight,  and  inlaid 
with  gold,  which  they  concealed  ;  and,  on 
their  return,  delivered  the  rest  to  the  de- 
ceased's relations  ;  who,  finding  the  list 
of  Bodeil's  writing,  demanded  the  vessel 
of  silver  of  them,  but  they  denied  it;  and 
the  affair  being  brought  before  Moham- 
med, these  words,  viz.  O  true  believers ! 
take  witnesses,  &c.  were  revealed  ;  and 
he  ordered  them  to  be  sworn  at  the  pulpit 
in  the  mosque,  just  as  afternoon  prayer 
was  over  ;  and  on  their  making  oath,  that 
they  knew  nothing  of  the  plate  demanded, 
dismissed  them.  But,  afterwards,  the 
vessel  being  found  in  their  hands,  the 
Sahmites,  suspecting  it  was  Bodeil's, 
charged  them  with  it  ;  and  they  confessed 
it  was  his,  but  insisted  that  they  had 
bought  it  of  him  ;  and  that  they  had  not 
produced  it,  because  they  had  no  proof  of 
the  bargain.  Upon  this  they  went  again 
before  Mohammed,  to  whom  these  words, 
And  if  it  appear,  &c.  were  revealed  ;  and 
thereupon  Amru  Ebn  al  As,  and  al  Mo- 
talleb  Ebn  Abi  Refaa,  both  of  the  tribe 
of  Sahm,  stood  up,  and  were  sworn  against 
them  ;  and  judgment  was  given  accord- 
ingly ^. 

118   On  a  certain  day.]     That  is,   on 
the  day  of  judgment. 


1  Al  Beiddwu 


2  Idem. 


3  Id 


em. 


128  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

apostles,  and  shall  say   unto   them,   What  answer  was 
returned  you,  when  ye  preached  unto  the  people  to  whom 
ye  were  sent  ?  They  shall  answer,  We  have  no  knowledge, 
but  thou  art  the  knower  of  secrets.     ^^^  When  God  shall 
say,  O  Jesus,  son  of  Mary !  remember  my  favour  towards 
thee,  and  towards  thy  mother ;  when  I  strengthened  thee 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  thou  shouldest  speak  unto  men 
in  the  cradle,  and  when  thou  wast  grown  up  ;  and  when 
I  taught  thee  the  scripture,  and  wisdom,  and  the  law,  and 
the  gospel;  and  when  thou  didst  create  of  clay,  as  it  were, 
the  figure  of  a  bird,  by  my  permission,  and  didst  breathe 
thereon,   and  it  became   a  bird  by  my  permission ;  and 
thou  didst  heal  one  blind  from  his  birth,  and  the  leper, 
by  my  permission  ;   and  when  thou  didst  bring  forth  the 
dead  from  their  graves,  by  my  permission ;  and  when  I 
withheld  the  children  of  Israel  from  killing  thee,  when 
thou  hadst  come  unto  them  with  evident  miracles  ;  and 
such  of  them  as  believed  not,  said.  This  is  nothing  but 
manifest  sorcery.     ^^^  And  when  I  commanded  the  apos- 
tles of  Jesus,  saying.  Believe  in  me,  and  in  my  messenger ; 
they  answered.  We  do  believe  ;  and  do  thou  bear  witness 
that  we  are  resigned  unto  thee.      ^^^  Remember,  when  the 
apostles  said,  O  Jesus,  son  of  Mary  !  is  thy  Lord  able  to 
cause  a  table  to  descend   unto   us   from  heaven  ?    He 

118  We  have  no  knowledge,  &c.]  That  wherein  the  expositors  are  not  agreed, 
is,  We  are  ignorant  whether  our  proselytes  One  will  have  them  to  be  nine  cakes  of 
were  sincere,  or  whether  they  apostatized  bread,  and  nine  fishes  ;  another,  bread, 
after  our  deaths ;  but  thou  well  knowest,  and  flesh ;  another,  all  sorts  of  food, 
not  only  what  answer  they  gave  us,  but  except  flesh  ;  another,  all  sorts  of  food, 
the  secrets  of  their  hearts  ;  and  whether  except  bread  and  flesh;  another,  all,  ex- 
they  have  since  continued  firm  in  their  cept  bread  and  fish  ;  another,  one  fish, 
religion,  or  not.  which  had  the  taste  of  all  manner  of  food ; 

119  Holy  Spirit.']     See  chap.  ii.  and  another,   fruits  of  paradise  :  but  the 

—  Grown  up.]     See  chap.  iii.  most  received  tradition  is,  that,  when  the 

—  Permission.]     See  p.  54.  table  was  uncovered,  there  appeared  a  fish 

—  Killing  thee.]     See  p.  55.  ready  dressed,  without  scales  or  prickly 
121   Is  thy  Lord  able  to  cause  a  table     fins,  dropping  with  fat,  having  salt  placed 

to  descend  unto  us  from  heaven,  &c.]    This  at  its  head,  and  vinegar  at  its  tail,  and 

miracle  is  thus  related  by  the  commenta-  round  it  all  sorts  of  herbs,  except  leeks ; 

tors  :   Jesus  having,  at  the  request  of  his  and  five  loaves  of  bread,  on  one  of  which 

followers,   asked   it  of  God,  a  red  table  there  were  olives ;  on  the  second,  honey ; 

immediately   descended,     in    their   sight,  on  the  third,  butter ;  on  the  fourth,  cheese  ; 

between   two  clouds,  and  was  set  before  and  on  the  fifth,  dried  flesh.     They  add, 

them ;  whereupon  he  rose  up,  and  having  that  Jesus,  at  the  request  of  the  apostles, 

made  the  ablution,  prayed,  and  then  took  shewed  them  another  miracle,  by  restoring 

off  the  cloth  which  covered  the  table,  say-  the  fish  to  life,  and  causing  its  scales  and 

ing,  In  the  name  of  God,  the  best  provider  fins  to  return  to  it;  at  which  the  standers- 

of  food.     What  the  provisions  were,  with  by  being  affrighted,  he  caused  it  to  be- 

which  this  table  was  furnished,  is  a  matter  come  as  it  was  before  :  that  one  thousand 


v.]  AL   KORAN.  129 

answered,  Fear  God,   if  ye  be  true  believers.     ^^^  They 
said,    We   desire    to    eat    thereof,    and   that    our  hearts 
may  rest  at  ease;    and   that   we   may  know  that   thou 
hast  told  us  the  truth ;    and  that  we  may  be  witnesses 
thereof.     ^^^  Jesus,  the  son  of  Mary,  said,   O  God,   our 
Lord  !  cause  a  table  to  descend  unto  us  from  heaven, 
that  the  day  of  its  descent  may  become  a  festival-day 
unto    us,   unto    the  first    of  us,    and    unto    the    last    of 
us;  and   a  sign  from   thee;   and   do  thou  provide  food 
for  us,   for   thou    art  the  best  provider.      ^^^  God  said, 
Verily  I  will  cause  it  to  descend  unto  you ;  but,  whoever 
among   you  shall    disbelieve   hereafter,   ^^^I    will   surely 
punish   him   with  a   punishment  wherewith    I  will    not 
punish  any  other  creature.     And  when  God  shall  say 
unto  Jesus,  at  the  last  day,  O  Jesus,  son  of  Mary  !  hast 
thou  said  unto  men.  Take  me,  and  my  mother,  for  two 
gods,  beside  God  ?     He    shall  answer,  Praise   be  unto 
thee !  it  is  not  for  me  to  say  that  which  I  ought  not ;  if 
1  had  said  so,  thou  wouldest  surely  have  known  it :  thou 
knowest  what  is  in  me,  but  I  know  not  what  is  in  thee ; 
for  thou  art  the  knower  of  secrets.     ^^^  I  have  not  spoken 
to  them  any  other  than  what  thou  didst  command  me ; 
namely.  Worship  God,  my  Lord  and  your  Lord  :  and  I 
was  a  witness  of  their  actions  while  1  stayed  among  them  ; 
but  since  thou  hast  taken  me  to  thyself,  thou  hast  been 

three  hundred  men  and  women,  all  afflicted  Several  other   fabulous  circumstances  are 

with  bodily  infirmities,  or  poverty,  ate  of  also   told,   which  are  scarce   worth   tran- 

these  provisions,  and  were  satisfied;  the  scribing 2; 

fish  remaining  whole  as  it  was   at  first:  123  A  festival- day. ^      Some   say,    the 

that  then  the  table  flew  up  to  heaven  in  table  descended  on  a  Sunday,  which  was 

the  sight  of  all ;  and  every  one  who  had  the  reason  of  the  Christians  observing  that 

partaken  of  this  food,  were  delivered  from  day  as  sacred.     Others  pretend,  this  day 

their  infirmities  and  misfortunes :  and  that  is  still  kept  among  them  as  a  very  great 

it   continued   to    descend  for   forty   days  festival ;  and  it  seems  as  if  the  story  had 

together,  at  dinner-time,  and  stood  on  the  its  rise  from  an  imperfect  notion  of  Christ's 

ground  till  the  sun  declined,  and  was  then  last  supper,    and    the    institution   of  the 

taken  up  into  the  clouds.     Some  of  the  Eucharist. 

Mohammedan  writers  are  of  opinion  that  126  Since  thou  hast  taken  me  to  thy- 

this  table  did  not  really  descend,  but  that  self.']     Or,  since  thou  hast  caused  me  to 

it  was  only  a  parable ;  but  most  think  the  die  :  but,  as  it  is  a  disputed  point,  among 

words  of  the  Koran  are  plain  to  the  con-  the  Mohammedans,    whether   Christ    ac- 

trary.     A  further  tradition  is,  that  several  tually  died,  or  not,  before  his  assumption  ^^ 

men  were  changed  into  swine,  for  disbe-  and  the  original  is  susceptible  of  transla- 

lieving  this  miracle,  and  attributing  it  to  tion  either  way,  I  have  chosen  the  former 

magic  art :  or,  as  others  pretend,  for  steal-  expression,  which  leaves  the  matter  unde- 

ihg  some    of    the    victuals    from    off  it  i.  cided. 

^  Jl  Beiddwiy  al  Thalahi.  ^  V.  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  238,  &c. 

^  See  chap.  iii. 

VOL.  I.  K 


130  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  watcher  over  them  ;  for  thou  art  witness  of  all  things. 
^^^  If  thou  punish  them,  they  are  surely  thy  servants ;  and, 
if  thou  forgive  them,  thou  art  mighty  and  wise.  ^^^  God 
will  say,  This  day  shall  their  veracity  be  of  advantage 
unto  those  who  speak  truth ;  they  shall  have  gardens 
wherein  rivers  flow ;  they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever : 
God  hath  been  well  pleased  in  them,  and  they  have  been 
well  pleased  in  him.  This  shall  be  great  felicity.  ^^^  Unto 
God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  of  earth,  and 
of  whatever  therein  is ;  and  he  is  almighty.  V 


CHAPTER  VI. 

intitled,  cattle;    revealed  at  mecca. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  created  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  and  hath  ordained  the  darkness  and  the  light ; 
nevertheless,  they  who  believe  not  in  the  Lord,  equalize 
other  gods  with  him.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  created  you  of 
clay ;  and  then  decreed  the  term  of  your  lives  ;  and  the 
prefixed  term  is  with  him:  yet  do  ye  doubt  thereof. 
^  He  is  God  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  he  knoweth  what 
ye  keep  secret,  and  what  ye  publish ;  and  knoweth  what 
ye  deserve.  *  There  came  not  unto  them  any  sign,  of  the 
signs  of  their  Lord,  but  they  retired  from  the  same ; 
^  and  they  have  gainsayed  the  truth,  after  that  it  hath 
come  unto  them :  but  a  message  shall  come  unto  them, 

Title — Cattle,']     This  chapter  is  so  in-  that  by  the  first  term  is   intended,   the 

titled,  because  some  superstitious  customs  space  between  creation  and  death  ;  and, 

of  the  Meccans,  as   to  certain  cattle,  are  by  the  latter,  that  between  death  and  the 

therein  incidentally  mentioned.  resurrection. 

Title — Mecca.']  Except  only  six  verses;         5  A  message  shall  come  unto  themi  &c.] 

or,    say   others,   three  verses,   which  are  That  is,  they  shall  be  convinced  of  the 

taken  notice  of  in  the  notes.  truth   which  they  have  made  a  jest  of, 

2.  And  then  decreed  the  term  of  your  when    they    see    the   punishment    which* 

lives ;  and  the  prefixed  term  is  with  him]  they  shall  suffer  for  so  doing,  both  in  this 

By  the   last  term,   some  understand  the  world,  and  the  next ;  or,  when  they  shall 

time  of  the  resurrection.     Others  think,  see  the  glorious  success  of  Mohammedism. 


VI.]  AL  KORAN.  131 

concerning  that  which  they  have  mocked  at.     ^  Do  they 
not  consider  how  many  generations  we  have   destroyed 
before  them  ?     We  had  established  them  in  the  earth  in 
a  manner  wherein  we  have  not  established  you ;  we  sent 
the  heaven  to  rain  abundantly  upon  them,  and  we  gave 
them  rivers  which  flowed  under  their  feet :  yet  we  de- 
stroyed them  in  their  sins,  and  raised  up  other  generations 
after  them.     ^  Although  we  had  caused  to  descend  unto 
thee  a  book  written  on  paper,  and  they  had  handled  it 
with  their  hands,  the  unbelievers  had  surely  said,  This  is 
no  other  than  manifest  sorcery.     ^They  said,  unless  an 
angel  be  sent  down  unto  him,  we  will  not  believe.     But 
if  he  had  sent  down  an  angel,  verily  the  matter  had  been 
decreed,  and  they  should  not  have  been  borne  with,  by 
having  time  granted  them  to  repent.     ^  And  if  we  had 
appointed  an  angel  for  our  messenger,  w^e  should  have 
sent  him  in  the   form  of  a  man,  and  have  clothed  him 
before  them,  as  they  are  clothed.     ^^  Other  apostles  have 
been  laughed  to  scorn,  before  thee;  but  the  judgment 
which  they  made  a  jest  of,  encompassed  those  who  laughed 
them  to  scorn.     ^^  Say,  go  through  the  earth,  and  behold 
what  hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  accused  our  pro- 
phets of  imposture.     ^^  Say,  Unto  whom  belongeth  what- 
soever is  in  heaven  and  earth  ?     Say  unto  God,  He  hath 
prescribed  unto  himself  mercy.     He  will  surely  gather 
you  together  on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  there  is  no  doubt 
of  it.     They  who  destroy  their  own  souls  hre  those  who 
will  not  believe.     ^^  Unto  him  is  owing  whatsoever  hap- 
peneth  by  night,  or  by  day ;  it  is  he  who  heareth  and 
knoweth.     ^^  Say,  Shall  I  take  any  other  protector  than 
God,  the  creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  who  feedeth  all, 
and  is  not  fed  by  any?     Say,  verily  I  am  commanded  to 

6   We  had  established  them  in  the  earthf  shewn  his  mercy  in  not  complying  with 

as  we  have  not  established  you,  &c.]     i.  e.  their  demands  ;  for  if  he  had,  they  would 

We  had  blessed  them  with  greater  power,  have    suffered  immediate    condemnation, 

and  length  of  prosperity,   than  we  have  and  would  have  been  allowed  no  time  for 

granted  you,    O  men  of  Mecca  ^      Mo-  repentance. 

hammed  seems  here  to  mean  the  ancient         9    We  should  have  sent  him  in  the  form 

and   potent    tribes  of  Ad,  and  Thamud,  of  a  man.']      As   Gabriel   generally    ap- 

&c.  2  peared  to  Mohammed,  who,  though  a  pro- 

8   Verily  the  matter  had  been  decreed,  phet,  was  not  able   to  bear  the  sight  of 

&c.]     That  is  to  say,  as  they  would  not  him,  when    he    appeared    in  his  proper 

have  believed,  even  if  an  angel  had  de-  form,  much  less  would  others  be  able  to 

scended  to  them   from  heaven,  God  has  support  it. 

^   AlBeiddwi.  2  ggg  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  6,  &c. 

K    2 


132  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

be  the  first  who  professeth  Islam  ;  and  it  was  said  unto 
me.  Thou  shalt  by  no  means  be  one   of  the  idolaters. 
^^  Say,  Verily  I  fear,  if  I  should  rebel  against  my  Lord, 
the  punishment  of  the  great  day :  ^^  from  whomsoever  it 
shall  be  averted  on  that  day,  God  will  have  been  merciful 
unto  him  ;  this  will  be  manifest  salvation.    ^^  If  God  afflict 
thee  with  any  hurt,  there  is  none  who  can  take  it  off  from 
thee,  except  himself;  but,  if  he  cause  good  to  befal  thee, 
he  is  almighty;  ^^he  is  the  supreme  Lord  over  his  ser- 
vants ;  and  he  is  wise  and  knowing.     ^^  Say,  What  thing 
is  the  strongest  in  bearing  testimony?     Say,  God!  he  is 
witness  between  me  and  you.     And  this  Koran  was 
revealed  unto  me,  that  I  should  admonish  you  thereby, 
and  also  those  unto  whom  it  shall  reach.     Do  ye  really 
profess  that   there  are  other  gods  together  with  God  ? 
Say,  I  do  not  profess  this.     Say,  Verily  he  is  one  God  ; 
and  I  am  guiltless  of  what  ye  associate  with  him.    ^^  They 
unto  whom  we  have  given  the  scripture,  know  our  apos- 
tle, even  as  they  know  their  own  children  ;  but  they  who 
destroy  their  own  souls,  will  not  believe.     ^^  Who  is  more 
unjust   than   he   who  inventeth  a  lie    against    God,   or 
chargeth  his  signs  with   imposture?     Surely  the  unjust 
shall  not  prosper.     ^^  And,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  we 
will  assemble  them  all :  then  will  we  say  unto  those  who 
associated  others  with  God,  Where  are  your  companions, 
whom  ye  imagined  to  be  those  of  God  ?     But  they  shall 
have  no  other  excuse  than  that  they  shall  say.  By  God 
our  Lord,  we  have  not  been  idolaters.     ^^  Behold,  how 
they  lie  against  themselves ;  and  what  they  have  blas- 
phemously imagined  to  be  the  companion  of  God,  flieth 
from  them.     ^^  There  is  of  them  who  hearkeneth  unto 
thee  when  thou  readest  the  Koran  ;  but  we  have  cast 

14    The  first   who    professeth    Islam.']  21    Who  inventeth  a  lie  against   God,"] 

That  is,  the  first  of  my  nation  ^.  Saying  the  angels   are  the  daughters  of 

19  What  thing  is  the  strongest  in  hear-  God,    and  intercessors   for  us   with  him, 
ing  testimony,  he.']     This  passage  was  re-  &c.3 

vealed  when  the  Koreish  told  Mohammed,  22   Your  companions.']     i.  e.  Your  idols 

that  they  had  asked  the  Jews  and   Chris-  and'  false  gods. 

tians  concerning  him,  who  assured  them,  23  And  what  they  have   blasphemously 

they  found  no  mention  or  description  of  imagined,  flieth  from  them.]    That  is,  their 

him  in  their  books  of  scripture.     There-  imaginary  deities   prove    to   be  nothing, 

fore,  said  they,  who  bears  witness  to  thee,  and   disappear  like   vain   phantoms   and 

that  thou  art  the  apostle  of  God  ^  ?  chimeras. 

20  Know    our  apostle.]     See  chap.  ii.  24    Who  hearkeneth  unto  thee.]      The 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  At  Beiddwi. 


VI.]  AL   KORAN.  133 

veils  over  their  hearts,  that  they  should  not  understand 
it,  and  a  deafness  in  their  ears :  and  though  they  should 
see  all  kinds  of  signs,  they  will  not  believe  therein ;  and 
their  infidelity  will  arrive  to  that  height,  that  they  will 
even  come  unto  thee,  to  dispute  with  thee.     The  unbe- 
lievers will  say,  This  is  nothing  but  silly  fables  of  ancient 
times.     ^^And   they   will  forbid    others   from  believing 
therein,  and  will  retire  afar   off  from  it ;  but  they  will 
destroy  their  own  souls  only ;  and  they  are  not  sensible 
thereof.     ^^  If  thou  didst  see,  when  they  shall  be  set  over 
the  fire  of  hell !  and  they  shall  say.  Would  to  God  we 
might  be  sent  back  into  the  world ;  we  would  not  charge 
the   signs  of  our   Lord  with  imposture,  and  we  would 
become  true  believers  :  ^^  nay,  but  that  is  become  mani- 
fest  unto    them    which    they  formerly  concealed ;    and, 
though   they  should  be  sent  back  into  the  world,  they 
would  surely  return  to  that  which  was  forbidden  them ; 
and  they  are  surely  liars.     ^^  And  they  said,  There  is  no 
other  life  than  our  present  life ;  neither  shall  we  be  raised 
again.     ^^  But,  if  thou  couldest  see  when  they  shall  be 
set  before  their  Lord.     He  shall  say  unto  them,  Is  not 
this  in  truth  come  to  pass  ?     They  shall  answer,  Yea,  by 
our  Lord.     God  shall  say,  Taste  therefore  the  punish- 
ment due  unto  you,  for  that  ye  have  disbelieved.    ^^  They 
are  lost  who  reject  as  a  falsehood  the  meeting  of  God  in 
the  next  life,  until  the  hour  cometh  suddenly  upon  them. 
Then  will  they  say,  Ala^s  !  for  that  we  have  behaved  our- 
selves negligently  in  our  life-time :  and  they  shall  carry 
their  burdens  on  their  backs ;  will  it  not  be  evil  which 

persons  here   meant  were  Abu  Sofian,  al  29    When  they  shall  he  set  before  their 

Walid,    al   Nodar,   Otha,  Abu  Jahl,   and  Zorrf,  &c.]     Viz.  in  order  for  judgment, 
their   comrades,   who  went  to  hear  Mo-         30   The   hour,^     The   last  day  is  here 

hammed  repeat  some  of  the   Koran  ;  and  called  the  Hour,  as  it  is  in  scripture  ^  ;  and 

Nodar,    being    asked  what  he  said,    an-  the  preceding  expression  of  meeting  God 

swered,  with  an  oath,  that  he  knew  not,  on  that  day  is  also  agreeable  to  the  same  *. 
only  that  he  moved  his  tongue,  and  told  —   They   shall  carry   their   burdens  on 

a  parcel  of  foolish  stories,  as  he  had  done  their  backs,  &c.]     When  an  infidel  comes 

to  them  ^.  forth  from  his  grave,  says  Jallalo'ddin,  his 

27   That  is  become  manifest  unto   them  works  shall  be  represented  to  him  under 

which  they  formerly  concealed,']  Viz.  Their  the  ugliest  form  that  ever  he  beheld,  hav- 

hypocrisy  and  vile  actions  :  nor  does  their  ing  a  most  deformed  countenance,  a  filthy 

promise  proceed  from  any  sincere  inten-  smell,   and  a   disagreeable  voice ;  so  that 

tion  of  amendment,  but  from  the  anguish  he    shall  cry  out,  God  defend   me  from 

and  misery  of  their  condition  2.  thee!  what  art  thou?     I  never   saw  any 


Al  Beiddwi,  2  idem.  ^  1  John  v.  25,  &c.  *  1  Thess.  iv.  I7. 


134  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

they  shall  be  loaden  with  ?  ^^  This  present  life  is  no 
other  than  a  play,  and  a  vain  amusement;  but  surely  the 
future  mansion  shall  be  better  for  those  who  fear  God: 
will  they  not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  Now  we  know, 
that  what  they  speak  grieveth  thee:  yet  they  do  not 
accuse  thee  of  falsehood ;  but  the  ungodly  contradict  the 
signs  of  God.  ^^And  apostles  before  thee  have  been 
accounted  liars :  but  they  patiently  bore  their  being  ac- 
counted liars,  and  their  being  vexed,  until  our  help  came 
unto  them  ;  for  there  is  none  who  can  change  the  words 
of  God  :  and  thou  hast  received  some  information  con- 
cerning those  who  have  been  formerly  sent  from  him. 
^*  If  their  aversion  to  thy  admonitions  be  grievous  unto 
thee,  if  thou  canst  seek  out  a  den  whereby  thou  mayest 
penetrate  into  the  inward  parts  of  the  earth,  or  a  ladder  by 
which  thou  mayest  ascend  into  heaven,  that  thou  mayest 
shew  them  a  sign,  do  so,  but  thy  search  will  be  fruitless ; 
for  if  God  pleased,  he  would  bring  them  all  to  the  true 
direction :  be  not  therefore  one  of  the  ignorant.  ^^  He 
will  give  a  favourable  answer  unto  those  only  who  shall 
hearken  with  attention :  and  God  will  raise  the  dead  ; 
then  unto  him  shall  they  return.  ^^The  infidels  say, 
Unless  some  sign  be  sent  down  unto  him  from  his  Lord, 
we  will  not  believe :  answer.  Verily  God  is  able  to  send 
down  a  sign :  but  the  greater  part  of  them  know  it  not. 

thing  more  detestable.  To  which  the  believe  the  revelations  which  he  brought 
figure  will  answer,  Why  dost  thou  wonder  them  ;  which  occasioned  this  passage  *. 
at  my  ugliness?  I  am  thy  evil  works  ^ ;  33  And  thou  hast  received  some  infor^ 
thou  didst  ride  upon  me  while  thou  wast  mation  concerning  those  who  have  been 
in  the  world,  but  now  will  I  ride  upon  formerly  sent  from  him.']  i.e.  Thou  hast 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  carry  me.  And  im-  been  acquainted  with  the  stories  of  several 
mediately  it  shall  get  upon  him  ;  and  of  the  preceding  prophets ;  what  persecu- 
whatever  he  shall  meet  shall  terrify  him,  tions  they  suffered  from  those  to  whom 
and  say,  Hail,  thou  enemy  of  God,  thou  they  were  sent,  and  in  what  manner  God 
art  he  who  was  meant  by  (these  words  of  supported  them,  and  punished  their  ene- 
the  Koran)  And  they  shall  carry  their  mies,  according  to  his  unalterable  pro- 
burdens,  &c.  ^  mise^. 

32  They  do  not  accuse  thee  of  falsehood,  34    Ignorant.']      In  this   passage    Mo- 

hut    the   ungodly  contradict    the  signs  of  hammed  is  reproved  for  his  impatience, 

God.]     That  is,  It  is  not  thou,  but  God,  in  not  bearing  with   the  obstinacy  of  his 

whom  they  injure  by  their  impious  gain-  countrymen,  and  for  his  indiscreet  desire 

saying  of  what  has  been  revealed  to  thee,  of  effecting  what  God  hath  not  decreed, 

It  is  said,  that  Abu  Jahl  once  told  Mo-  namely,  the  conversion  and  salvation  of 

hammed,  that  they  did  not  accuse  him  of  all  men  ^ 

falsehood,  because  he  was  known  to  be  a  36  The  greater  part  of  them  know  it 

man  of  veracity,  but  only  they  did  not  not.]     Being  both  ignorant  of  God's  aU 

1  See  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  book  ii.  v.  737,  &c.  ^  ^ee  also  oh.  ill. 

3  At  BeiddwL  *  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


VI.]  AL   KORAN.  135 

^^  There  is  no  kind  of  beast  on  earth,  nor  fowl  which 
flieth  with  its  wings,  but  the  same  is  a  people  like  unto 
you ;  we  have  not  omitted  any  thing  in  the  book  of  our 
decrees ;  then  unto  their  Lord  shall  they  return.  ^^  They 
who  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  are  deaf  and  dumb, 
walking  in  darkness :  God  will  lead  into  error  whom  ha. 
pleaseth,  and  whom  he  pleaseth  he  will  put  in  the  right 
way.  ^^  Say,  What  think  ye  ?  if  the  punishment  of  God 
come  upon  you,  or  the  hour  of  the  resurrection  come 
upon  you,  will  ye  call  upon  any  other  than  God,  if  ye 
speak  truth  ?  ^^  yea,  him  shall  ye  call  upon,  and  he  shall 
free  you  from  that  which  ye  shall  ask  him  to  deliver  you 
from,  if  he  pleaseth ;  and  ye  shall  forget  that  which  ye 
associated  with  him.  ^^  We  have  already  sent  messen- 
gers unto  sundry  nations  before  thee,  and  we  afflicted 
them  with  trouble  and  adversity,  that  they  might  humble 
themselves :  ^^  yet,  when  the  affliction  which  we  sent  came 
upon  them,  they  did  not  humble  themselves ;  but  their 
hearts  became  hardened,  and  Satan  prepared  for  them 
that  which  they  committed.  ^^  And  when  they  had  for- 
gotten that  concerning  which  they  had  been  admonished, 
we  opened  unto  them  the  gates  of  all  things  ;  until,  while 
they  were  rejoicing  for  that  which  had  been  given  them, 
we  suddenly  laid  hold  on  them ;  and,  behold,  they  were 
seized  with  despair ;  ^  and  the  utmost  part  of  the  people 
which  had  acted  wickedly,  was  cut  off:  praise  be  unto 
God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  !  ^^  Say,  What  think  ye  ? 
if  God  should  take  away  your  hearing,  and  your  sight, 

mighty  power,  and  of  the  consequence  of  injuries   they  did    one  another   while  in 

what  they  ask,  which  might  prove  their  this  world  2, 

utter  destruction.  40   Ye  shall  forget  that  which  ye  asso- 

37    A  people    like    unto   you.'\     Being  dated  with  him,^     That  is,  Ye  shall  then 

created  and  preserved  by  the  same  omni-  forsake  your  false  gods,  when  ye  shall  be 

potence  and  providence  as  ye  are.  effectually  convinced  that    God  alone  is 

—  fVe  have  not  omitted  any  thing  in  the  able  to  deliver  you  from  eternal  punish - 
hook^  &c.]  That  is,  in  the  preserved  table ;  ment.  But  others  rather  think,  that  this 
wherein  God's  decrees  are  written,  and  forgetting  will  be  the  effect  of  the  dis- 
all  things  which  come  to  pass  in  the  world,  tress  and  terror  which  they  will  then  be 
as  well  the  most  minute  as  the  more  mo-  in  3. 

mentous,  are  exactly  registered  ^.  43   We  opened  unto  them  the  gates  of 

—  Then  unto  their  Lord  shall  they  re-  all  things.']  That  is,  we  gave  them  all 
turn.']  For,  according  to  the  Mohamme-  manner  of  plenty  ;  that  since  they  took 
dan  belief,  the  irrational  animals  will  also  no  warning  by  their  aflBictions,  their  pros- 
be  restored  to  life  at  the  resurrection,  that  perity  might  become  a  snare  to  them,  and 
they  may  be  brought  to  judgment,  and  they  might  bring  down  upon  themselves 
have  vengeance  taken   on   them    for  the  swifter  destruction. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  122.  2  i^\q^^^^  p.  iqI,  102.  ^  ji  Beiddwi, 

1 


136  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

and  should  seal  up  your  hearts ;  What  god,  besides  God, 
will  restore  them  unto  you  ?  See  how  variously  we  shew 
forth  the  signs  of  God's  unity ;  yet  do  they  turn  aside 
from  them.  ^^  Say  unto  them,  What  think  ye  ?  if  the 
punishment  of  God  come  upon  you  suddenly,  or  in  open 
view,  will  any  perish,  except  the  ungodly  people  ?  ^^  We 
send  not  our  messengers  otherwise  than  bearing  good 
tidings,  and  denouncing  threats.  Whoso,  therefore,  shall 
believe,  and  amend,  on  them  shall  no  fear  come,  neither 
shall  they  be  grieved  :  ^^  but  whoso  shall  accuse  our  signs 
of  falsehood,  a  punishment  shall  fall  on  them,  because 
they  have  done  wickedly.  ^^  Say,  I  say  not  unto  you, 
The  treasures  of  God  are  in  my  power  :  neither  do  I  say, 
I  know  the  secrets  of  God  :  neither  do  I  say  unto  you, 
Verily,  I  am  an  angel :  I  follow  only  that  which  is  re- 
vealed unto  me.  Say,  Shall  the  blind,  and  the  seeing,  be 
held  equal  ?  do  ye  not  therefore  consider  ?  ^^  Preach  it 
unto  those  who  fear,  that  they  shall  be  assembled  before 
their  Lord  :  they  shall  have  no  patron  nor  intercessor, 
except  him ;  that,  peradventure,  they  may  take  heed  to 
themselves.  ^^  Drive  not  away  those  who  call  upon  their 
Lord,  morning  and  evening,  desiring  to  see  his  face  ;  it 
belongeth  not  unto  thee  to  pass  any  judgment  on  them, 
nor  doth  it  belong  unto  them  to  pass  any  judgment  on 
thee :  therefore,  if  thou  drive  them  away,  thou  wilt  be- 
come one  of  the  unjust.  ^^  Thus  have  we  proved  some 
part  of  them  by  other  part,  that  they  may  say.  Are  these 

45  How  variously  we  shew  forth  the  he  agreed  to  do.  Others  say,  that  the 
signs,  &c.]  Laying  them  before  you  in  chief  men  of  Mecca  expelled  all  the  poor 
different  views,  and  making  use  of  argu-  out  of  their  city,  bidding  them  go  to  Mo- 
ments and  motives  drawn  from  various  hammed ;  which  they  did,  and  offered  to 
considerations.  embrace  his  religion  ;  but  he  made  some 

46  Suddenly,  or  in  open  view,"]  That  is,  difficulty  to  receive  them,  suspecting  their 
says  al  Beidawi,  either  without  any  pre-  motive  to  be  necessity,  and  not  real  con- 
vious  notice,  or  after  some  warning  given,  viction  ' ;  whereupon  this  passage  was  re- 

51  Drive  not  away  those  who  call  upon  vealed. 
their  Lord,  &c.]  These  words  were  oc-  —  It  belongeth  not  unto  thee  to  pass 
casioned  when  the  Koreish  desired  Mo-  any  judgment  on  them,  &c.]  i.  e.  Rashly 
hammed  not  to  admit  the  poor,  or  more  to  decide  whether  their  intentions  be  sin- 
inferior  people,  such  as  Ammar,  Soheib,  cere  or  not;  since  thou  canst  not  know 
Khobbab,  and  Salman,  into  his  company,  their  heart,  and  their  faith  may  possibly 
pretending  that  then  they  would  come  be  more  firm  than  that  of  those  who  would 
and  discourse  with  him ;  but  he  refusing  persuade  thee  to  discard  them. 
to  turn  away  any  believers,  they  insisted,  52  Thus  have  we  proved  some  part  of 
at  least,  that  he  should  order  them  to  rise  them  by  other  part,  &c.]  That  is  to  say, 
up,  and  withdraw,"  when  they  came,  which  the  noble  by  those  of  mean  extraction,  and 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


VI.]  AL    KORAN.  137 

the  people  among  us  unto  whom  God  hath  been  gra- 
cious ?     Doth  not  God  most  truly  know  those  who  are 
thankful  ?     ^^  And  when  they  who  believe  in  our  signs 
shall  come  unto  thee,   say,  Peace  be  upon  you.     Your 
Lord  hath  prescribed  unto  himself  mercy ;  so  that  who- 
ever among   you  w^orketh    evil  through  ignorance,  and 
afterwards  repenteth,  and  amendeth  ;  unto  him  will  he 
surely  be  gracious  and  merciful.     ^^  Thus  have  we  dis- 
tinctly propounded  our  signs,  that  the  path  of  the  wicked 
might  be  made  known.     ^^  Say,  Verily  I  am  forbidden  to 
worship  the  false  deities  which  ye  invoke,  besides  God. 
Say,  I  will  not  follow  your  desires  ;  for  then  should  I  err ; 
neither  should  I  be  one  of  those  who  are  rightly  directed. 
^^  Say,  I  behave  according  to  the  plain  declaration  which 
I  have  received  from  my  Lord  ;  but  ye  have  forged  lies 
concerning  him.  That  which  ye  desire  should  be  hastened, 
is  not  in  my  power :  judgment  belongeth  only  unto  God  ; 
he  will  determine  the  truth ;  and  he  is  the  best  discerner. 
^^  Say,  If  what  ye  desire  should  be  hastened  were  in  my 
power,  the  matter  had  been  determined  between  me  and 
you :  but  God  well  knoweth  the  unjust.     ^^  With  him  are 
the  keys  of  the  secret  things ;  none  knoweth  them  besides 
himself:  he  knoweth  that  which  is  on  the  dry  land,  and 
in  the  sea ;  there  falleth  no  leaf,  but  he  knoweth  it ; 
neither  is  there  a  single  grain  in  the  dark  parts  of  the 
earth,  neither  a  green   thing,  nor  a  dry  thing,  but  it  is 
written  in  the  perspicuous  book.     ^^  It  is  he  who  causeth 
you  to  sleep  by  night,  and  knoweth  what  ye  merit  by  day; 
he  also   awaketh  you  therein,  that  the  prefixed  term  of 
your  lives  may  be  fulfilled ;  then  unto  him  shall  ye  return, 
and  he  shall  declare  unto  you  that  which  ye  have  wrought. 
^^  He  is   supreme    over   his    servants,    and    sendeth  the 

the  rich  by  the  poor ;  in  that  God  chose  or  some    other   sudden    and    miraculous 

to  call  the  latter  to  the  faith   before  the  punishment,  to  destroy  them  ^. 

former  ^  57    The   ivatter   had   been  determined.'] 

56    That   which    ye    desire    should    he  For  I  should  ere  now  have  destroyed  you, 

hastened^  is  not  in  my  power,  &c.J      This  out  of  zeal  for  God's  honour,  had  it  been 

passage   is   an    answer    to    the   audacious  in  my  power  ^. 

defiances   of  the   infidels,  who  bade  Mo-  58  In  the  perspicuous  book  ]  i.  e.   The 

hammed,   if  he  were   a  true  prophet,  to  preserved    table,    or    registrar    of    God's 

call  for  a  shower  of  stones  from   heaven,  decrees. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo^ ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi*  ^  Idem. 


138  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

guardian  angels  to  watch  over  you,  until,  when  death  over- 
taketh  one  of  you,  our  messengers  cause  him  to  die ;  and 
they  will  not  neglect  our  commands.  ^^  Afterwards  shall 
they  return  unto  God,  their  true  Lord  :  doth  not  judg- 
ment belong  unto  him  ?  he  is  the  most  quick  in  taking 
an  account.  ^^  Say,  Who  delivereth  you  from  the  dark- 
ness of  the  land,  and  of  the  sea,  when  ye  call  upon  him 
humbly,  and  in  private,  saying.  Verily  if  thou  deliver  us 
from  these  dangers,  we  will  surely  be  thankful  ?  ^^  Say, 
God  delivereth  you  from  them,  and  from  every  grief  of 
mind  ;  yet  afterwards  ye  give  him  companions.  ^^  Say, 
He  is  able  to  send  on  you  a  punishment  from  above  you, 
or  from  under  your  feet,  or  to  engage  you  in  dissension, 
and  to  make  some  of  you  taste  the  violence  of  others. 
Observe  how  variously  we  shew  forth  our  signs,  that,  per- 
adventure,  they  may  understand.  ^^  This  people  hath 
accused  the  revelation  which  thou  hast  brought  of  false- 
hood, although  it  be  the  truth.  Say,  I  am  not  a  guardian 
over  you :  ^^  every  prophecy  hath  its  fixed  time  of  accom- 
plishment ;  and  ye  will  hereafter  know  it.  ^^  When  thou 
seest  those  who  are  engaged  in  cavilling  at,  or  ridiculing 
our  signs,  depart  from  them,  until  they  be  engaged  in 
some  other  discourse :  and  if  Satan  cause  thee  to  forget 
this  precept,  do  not  sit  with  the  ungodly  people,  after 
recollection.  ^^  They  who  fear  God  are  not  at  all  account- 
able for  them ;  but  their  duty  is  to  remember,  that  they 

6*0  Guardian  angels.']    See  the  Prelim.  —  Or  from  under  your  feet.]     Either 

Disc.  §  iv.  p.  84.  by  drowning  you,  as  he  did  Pharaoh  and 

—  Our  messengers.]  That  is,  the  angel  his  host;  or  causing  the  earth  to  open, 
of  death,  and  his  assistants  ^.  and    swallow   you   up,    as    happened    to 

61  An  account.]  See  ihe  Prelim.  Disc.  Korah,  or  (as  the  Mohammedans  name 
§  iv.  p.  105.  him)  Karun^. 

62  The  darkness.]  That  is,  the  dangers  68  Those  who  fear  God  are  not  account- 
and  distresses.  able  for  them^  &c.]     And  therefore  need 

—  If  thou  deliver  us.]  The  Cufic  not  be  troubled  at  the  indecent  and  im- 
copies  read  it  in  the  third  person,  if  he  pious  talk  of  the  infidels  ;  provided  they 
deliver  us,  &c.  take   care   not   to  be    infected    by   them. 

63  Yet  afterwards  ye  give  him  com-  When  the  preceding  passage  was  re- 
panions.]  Returning  to  your  old  idolatry.  vealed,   the  Moslems   told   their  prophet, 

64  A  punishment  from  above  you.]  That  that  if  they  were  obliged  to  rise  up  when- 
is,  by  storms  from  heaven,  as  he  destroyed  ever  the  idolaters  spoke  irreverently  of 
the  unbelieving  people  of  Noah,  and  of  the  Koran,  they  could  never  sit  quietly  in 
Lot,  and  the  army  of  Abraha,  the  lord  of  the  temple,  nor  perform  their  devotions 
the  elephant  ^.  there ;  whereupon  these  words  are  added  *. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  85.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  JallaW ddin. 


VI.]  AL   KORAN.  139 

may  take  heed  to  themselves.  ^^  Abandon  those  who 
make  their  religion  a  sport  and  a  jest ;  and  whom  the 
present  life  hath  deceived :  and  admonish  them  by  the 
Koran,  that  a  soul  becometh  liable  to  destruction  for  that 
which  it  committeth :  it  shall  have  no  patron  nor  inter- 
cessor besides  God  ;  ^^  and  if  it  could  pay  the  utmost 
price  of  redemption,  it  would  not  be  accepted  for  it. 
They  who  are  delivered  over  to  perdition  for  that  which 
they  have  committed,  shall  have  boiling  water  to  drink, 
and  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment,  because  they  have 
disbelieved.  ^^  Say,  Shall  we  call  upon  that,  besides  God, 
which  can  neither  profit  us,  nor  hurt  us?  and  shall  we 
turn  back  on  our  heels,  after  that  God  hath  directed  us ; 
like  him  whom  the  devils  have  infatuated,  wandering 
amazedly  in  the  earth,  and  yet  having  companions  who 
call  him  to  the  true  direction,  saying.  Come  unto  us? 
Say,  The  direction  of  God  is  the  true  direction :  we  are 
commanded  to  resign  ourselves  unto  the  Lord  of  all 
creatures  ;  ^^  and  it  is  also  commanded  us,  saying.  Observe 
the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and  fear  him ;  for  it  is  he 
before  whom  ye  shall  be  assembled.  '^^  It  is  he  who  hath 
created  the  heavens,  and  the  earth,  in  truth ;  and  when- 
ever he  saith  unto  a  thing.  Be,  it  is.  ^^  His  word  is  the 
truth ;  and  his  will  be  the  kingdom  on  the  day  whereon 
the  trumpet  shall  be  sounded  :  he  knoweth  whatever  is 
secret,  and  whatever  is  public:  he  is  the  wise,  the  knowing. 
^^Call  to  mind  when  Abraham  said  unto  his  father  Azer, 

74  The  trumpet.']  See  the  Prelim,  true  of  all ;  for  several  Arab  and  Turkish 
Disc.  §  iv.  p.  85  and  97)  &c.  writers  expressly  make  Azer  and  Terah 

75  Jzer.~\  This  is  the  name  which  the  the  same  person  ^,  Azer  in  ancient  times 
Mohammedans  give  to  Abraham's  father,  was  the  name  of  the  planet  Mars ;  and 
named  in  scripture  Terah.  However,  the  month  of  March  was  so  called  by  the 
some  of  their  writers  pretend,  that  Azer  most  ancient  Persians ;  for  the  word  ori- 
was  the  son  of  Terah  i;  and  D'Herbelot  ginally  signifying  fire  (as  it  still  does),  it 
says,  that  the  Arabs  always  distinguish  was  therefore  given  by  them  and  the 
them  in  their  genealogies  as  different  per-  Chaldeans  to  that  planet  *,  which  partak- 
sons  ;  but  that,  because  Abraham  was  the  ing,  as  was  supposed,  of  a  fiery  nature,  was 
son  of  Terah,  according  to  Moses,  it  is  acknowledged  by  the  Chaldeans  and  As- 
therefore  supposed  [by  European  writers]  Syrians  as  a  god,  or  planetary  deity,  whom, 
that  Terah  is  the  same  with  the  Azer  of  in  old  times,  they  worshipped  under  the 
the  Arabs  2.  How  true  this  observation  form  of  a  pillar  ;  whence  Azer  became  a 
may  be  in  relation  to  some  authors,  I  name  among  the  nobility,  who  esteemed 
cannot  say,   but  I  am  sure  it  cannot  be  it    honourable    to    be   denominated  from 

»  Tarikh  Montakhab,  apud  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  12.  2  D'HerbeL  ibid. 

^  Al  Beiddiviy  Jallalo'ddin.,  Yayhay  Ebn  Shohnah,  Mirat  Kaivat,  &c.  V.  etiam  Pharhang 
Jehanghiri,  apud  Hyde  de  rel,  vet.  Persar.  p.  68.  *  Hydcy  ibid.  p.  63. 


140 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


Dost  thou  take  images  for  gods  ?  Verily  I  perceive 
that  thou  and  thy  people  are  in  a  manifest  error. 
^^  And  thus  did  we  shew  unto  Abraham  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  and  earthy  that  he  might  become  one  of  those  who 
firmly  believe.  ^^  And  when  the  night  overshadowed 
him,  he  saw  a  star,  and  he  said.  This  is  my  Lord  ;  but 


their  gods  \  and  is  found  in  the  composi- 
tion of  several  Babylonish  names.  For 
these  reasons,  a  learned  author  supposes 
Azer  to  have  been  the  heathen  name  of 
Terah  ;  and  that  the  other  was  given  him 
on  his  conversion  2.  Al  Beidawi  confirms 
this  conjecture,  saying,  that  Azer  was  the 
name  of  the  idol  which  he  worshipped.  It 
may  be  observed,  that  Abraham's  father 
is  also  called  Zarah  in  the  Talmud,  and 
Athar  by  Eusebius. 

75  Dost  thou  take  images  for  gods  .^] 
That  Azer,  or  Terah,  was  an  idolater,  is 
allowed  on  all  hands  ;  nor  can  it  be  denied, 
since  he  is  expressly  said  in  scripture  to 
have  served  strange  gods  ^.  The  eastern 
authors  unanimously  agree,  that  he  v^^as  a 
statuary,  or  carver  of  idols  ;  and  he  is 
represented  as  the  first  who  made  images 
of  clay,  pictures  only  having  been  in  use 
before  *,  and  taught  that  they  were  to  be 
adored  as  gods  ^.  However,  v^^e  are  told 
his  employment  was  a  very  honourable 
one  ^  and  that  he  was  a  great  lord,  and  in 
high  favour  with  Nimrod,  whose  son-in- 
law  he  was  7,  because  he  made  his  idols  for 
him,  and  was  excellent  in  his  art.  Some 
of  the  Rabbins  say,  Terah  was  a  priest, 
and  chief  of  the  order  ^. 

76  Jnd  thus  we  shewed  Abraham  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth,  &c.]  That 
is,  we  gave  him  a  right  apprehension  of 
the  government  of  the  world,  and  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  that  he  might  know  them 
all  to  be  ruled  by  God,  by  putting  him  on 
making  the  following  reflection. 

77  He  saw  a  star,  and  he  said,  This  is 
my  Lord,  &c.]  Since  Abraham's  parents 
were  idolaters,  it  seems  to  be  a  necessary 
consequence  that  himself  was  one  also  in 
his  younger  years ;  the  scripture,  not  ob- 
scurely, intimates  as  much  ^ ;   and  the  Jews 


themselves  acknowledge  it  ^^,  At  what  age 
he  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God,  and  left  idolatry,  opinions  are  va- 
rious. Some  Jewish  writers  tell  us  he 
was  then  but  three  years  old  ^^  ;  and  the 
Mohammedans  likewise  suppose  him  very 
young,  and  that  he  asked  his  father  and 
mother  several  shrewd  questions  when  a 
child  '2.  Others,  however,  allow  him  to 
have  been  a  middle-aged  man  at  that 
time  ^^.  Maimonidcs,  in  particular,  and  R, 
Abraham  Zacuth,  think  him  to  have  been 
forty  years  old  ;  which  age  is  also  men- 
tioned in  the  Koran.  But  the  general 
opinion  of  the  Mohammedans  is,  that  he 
was  about  fifteen  or  sixteen  ^'K  As  the 
religion  wherein  Abraham  was  educated 
was  the  Sabian,  which  consisted  chiefly 
in  the  worship  of  the  heavenly  bodies  ^^, 
he  is  introduced  examining  their  nature 
and  properties,  to  see  whether  they  had  a 
right  to  the  worship  which  was  paid  them, 
or  not;  and  the  first  which  he  observed 
was  the  planet  Venus,  or,  as  others  will 
have  it,  Jupiter  ^^.  This  method  of  Abra- 
ham's attaining  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
Supreme  Creator  of  all  things,  is  conform- 
able to  what  Josephus  writes,  viz.  That  he 
drew  his  notions  from  the  changes  which 
he  had  observed  in  the  earth  and  the  sea, 
and  in  the  sun  and  the  moon,  and  the  rest 
of  the  celestial  bodies;  concluding  that 
they  were  subject  to  the  command  of  a 
superior  power,  to  whom  alone  all  honour 
and  thanks  are  due  ^^  The  story  itself 
is  certainly  taken  from  the  Talmud  '^. 
Some  of  the  commentators,  however,  sup- 
pose this  reasoning  of  Abraham  with  him- 
self was  not  the  first  means  of  his  conver- 
sion ;  but  that  he  used  it  only  by  way  of 
argument,  to  convince  the  idolaters  among 
whom  he  then  lived. 


1  Hyde,  ibid.  p.  64.  -  Idem,  ibid.  p.  62.  ^  Josh.  xxiv.  2.  14* 

*  Epiphan.  adv.  Hesr.  1.  1.  p.  7,  8.  ^  Suidasin  Lexico,  voce  Slfipovx-  ^  V. 

Hyde,  ubi  supra,  p.  63.  ^  D'JIerhel.  ubi  sup.  *  Shalshel.  hakkab.  p.  94. 

9  V.  Josh.  xxiv.  2.  14,  and  Hyde,  ubi  sup.  p.  59.  ^^  Joseph.  Ant.  1.  1.  c.  7. 

Maimon.  More  Nev.  part  3.  c.  29.  &  Yad  Hazzak.  de  Id.  c.  1.  &c.  ^^  Tanchuma, 

Talmud.  Nedarim,  32,  1.  &  apud  Maimon.     Yad  Hazz.  ubi  sup.  ^^  y^  D' Herbel, 

Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Abraham.  ^^  Maimon.  ubi  sup.     R.  Ahr,  Zacuth  in  Sefer 

Juchasin,  Shalshel.  hakkab,  &c.  1*  V.  Hyde,  ubi  sup.  p.  60,  61,  &  Hotting, 

Smegma  Orient,  p.  290,  &c.   Genebr.  in  Chron.  ^^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  I7. 

16  Al  Beiddwi.  ^^  Joseph.  Ant.  1.  1.  c.  7«  ^^  R-  Bechai,  in  Midrash, 

V.  Bartolocc.  Bibl.  Rabb.  part  I.  p.  640. 


VI.]  AL  KORAN.  141 

when  it  set,  he  said,  I  like  not  gods  which  set.     ^^  And 
when  he  saw  the  moon  rising,  he  said,  This  is  my  Lord  ; 
but  when  he  saw  it  set,  he  said.  Verily  if  my  Lord  direct 
me  not,  I  shall  become  one  of  the  people  who  go  astray. 
^^  And  when  he  saw  the  sun  rising,  he  said.  This  is  my 
Lord,  this  is  the  greatest ;  but  when  it  set,  he  said,  O  my 
people !  verily  I  am  clear  of  that  which  ye  associate  with 
God.     ^^  I  direct  my  face  unto  him  who  hath  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  ;  I  am  orthodox,  and  am  not  one 
of  the  idolaters.     ^^  And  his  people  disputed  with  him  : 
and  he  said.  Will  ye  dispute  with  me  concerning  God  ? 
since   he  hath   now  directed   me ;  and   I   fear  not   that 
which  ye  associate  with  him,  unless  that  my  Lord  willeth 
a  thing ;  for  my  Lord  comprehendeth  all  things  by  his 
knowledge:  will  ye  not  therefore  consider?     ^^  And  how 
should  I  fear  that  which  ye  associate  with  God,  since  ye 
fear  not   to  have  associated  with  God  that  concerning 
which  he  hath  sent  down  unto  you  no  authority  ?  which, 
therefore,  of  the  two  parties  is  the  more  safe,  if  ye  under- 
stand aright  ?     ^^  They  who  believe,  and  clothe  not  their 
faith  with  injustice,   they  shall  enjoy  security,  and   they 
are  rightly   directed.     ^^  And   this  is  our  argument   (to 
prove  the  divine  unity)  wherewith  we  furnished  Abra- 
ham, that  he  might  make  use  of  it  against  his  people  : 
we  exalt  unto  degrees  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  whom 
we  please  ;  for  thy  Lord  is  wise  and  knowing.     ^^  And 
we  gave  unto  him  Isaac  and  Jacob  ;  we  directed  them 
both :  and  Noah  had  we  before  directed,  and  of  his  pos- 
terity David   and  Solomon  ;  and  Job,  and  Joseph,  and 
Moses,  and  Aaron  :  thus  do  we  reward  tlie  righteous : 

81  I  fear  not   what   ye   associate  with  spoken  of  in  this  passage  ;  some  to  Noah, 

him ;  unless  that  my  Lord  willeth  a  thing,  the   next  antecedent,  because  Jonas  and 

&c.]     That  is,   I  am  not  afraid  of  your  Lot   were  not    (say   they)    of  Abraham's 

false  gods,  which  cannot  hurt  me,  except  seed  :    and    others    suppose    the   persons 

God  permitteth  it,  or  is  pleased  to  afflict  named  in  this  and   the   next  verse  are  to 

me  himself.  be  understood  as  the  descendants  of  Abra- 

83    Injustice.']      By    injustice,    in    this  ham,  and  those  in  the  following  verse,  as 

place,  the  commentators  understand  idol-  those  of  Noah  ^. 

atry,  or  open  rebellion  against  God.  —  Joh.']     The  Mohammedans   say  he 

85  Of  his  posterity,]     Some  refer  the  was  of  the  race  of  Esau.     See  chap.  xxi. 

relative  his,  to  Abraham,  the  person  chiefly  and  xxxviii. 


At  Beiddwi. 


142  AL  KORAN.  [chap, 

^^  and  Zacharias,  and  John,  and  Jesus,  and  Elias  ;  all 
of  them  were  upright  men :  ^  and  Ismael,  and  Elisha, 
and  Jonas,  and  Lot  ;  all  these  have  we  favoured  above 
the  rest  of  the  world  ;  ^^  and  also  divers  of  their  fathers, 
and  their  issue,  and  their  brethren  ;  and  we  chose  them, 
and  directed  them  into  the  right  way.  ^^  This  is  the 
direction  of  God  ;  he  directeth  thereby  such  of  his  ser- 
vants as  he  pleaseth  ;  but,  if  they  had  been  guilty  of 
idolatry,  that  which  they  wrought  would  have  become 
utterly  fruitless  unto  them.  ^^  Those  were  the  persons 
unto  whom  we  gave  the  scripture,  and  wisdom,  and  pro- 
phecy ;  but  if  these  believe  not  therein,  we  will  commit 
the  care  of  them  to  a  people  who  shall  not  disbelieve  the 
same.  ^^  Those  were  the  persons  whom  God  hath  di- 
rected, therefore  follow  their  direction.  Say  unto  the 
inhabitants  of  Mecca,  I  ask  of  you  no  recompense  for 
preaching  the  Koran  ;  it  is  no  other  than  an  admonition 
unto  all  creatures.  ^^  They  make  not  a  due  estimation  of 
God,  when  they  say,  God  hath  not  sent  down  unto  man 
any  thing  at  all :  Say,  Who  sent  down  the  book  which 
Moses  brought,  a  light  and  a  direction  unto  men ;  which 
ye  transcribe  on  papers,  whereof  ye  publish  some  part, 
and  great  part  whereof  ye  conceal?  and  ye  have  been 
taught  by  Mohammed  what  ye  knew  not,  neither  your 
fathers.  Say,  God  sent  it  down :  then  leave  them  to 
amuse  themselves  with  their  vain  discourse.  ^^  This  book, 
which  we  have  sent  down,  is  blessed;  confirming  that 

86  Elias.l     See  chap,  xxxvii.  —  God  hath  not  sent  down   unto   man 

87  Elisha.']  This  prophet  was  the  sue-  any  thing,  &c.]  By  these  words,  the  Jews 
cessor  of  Elias,  and,  as  the  commentators  (if  they  were  the  persons  meant)  chiefly 
will  have  it,  the  son  of  Okhtub  ;  though  the  intended  to  deny  the  Koran  to  be  of 
scripture  makes  him  the  son  of  Shaphat.  divine  revelation  ;  though  they  might,  in 

—  Jonas.]  See  chap.  x.  xxi.  and  xxxvii.  strictness,  insist  that  God  never  revealed, 

—  Lot.]  See  chap.  vii.  &c.  or  sent  down,  as  the  Koran  expresses  it, 
90  These.]  That  is,  the  Koreish  ^.  any  real  composition,  or  material  writing, 
92  They  make  not  a  due  estimation  of  from  heaven,  in  the  manner  that  Moham- 

Godf  &c.]     That  is,  they  know  him  not  med  pretended  his  revelations  were  deli- 

truly,  nor  have  just  notions  of  his  good-  vered  3,     if  we    except    only    the   deca- 

ness  and  mercy  towards  man.      The  per-  logue  ;  God  having   left  to  the  inspired 

sons  here  meant,  according  to  some  com-  penmen,    not    only    the  labour   of   writ- 

mentators,   are  the  Jews ;  and,  according  ing,    but    the  liberty,   in    a    great   mea- 

to  others,  the  idolaters  2.     This  verse  and  sure   at  least,  of  putting   the  truths  into 

the  two  next,  as  Jallalo'ddin  thinks,  were  their  own  words,  and  manner  of  expres- 

revealed  at  Medina.  sion. 

1  AlBeiddwi,  ^  Idem.  ^  gee  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  p.  75,  &c. 


VI.]  AL  KORAN.  143 

• 

which  was  revealed  before  it;  and  is  delivered  unto  thee, 
that  thou  mayest  preach  it  unto  the  metropolis  of  Mecca, 
and  to  those  who  are  round  about  it.  And  they  who 
believe  in  the  next  life,  will  believe  therein,  and  they  will 
diligently  observe  their  times  of  prayer.  ^^  Who  is  more 
wicked  than  he  who  forgeth  a  lie  concerning  God;  or 
saith,  This  was  revealed  unto  me ;  when  nothing  hath 
been  revealed  unto  him  ?  and  who  saith,  I  will  produce  a 
revelation  like  unto  that  which  God  hath  sent  down  ?  If 
thou  didst  see  when  the  ungodly  are  in  the  pangs  of 
death,  and  the  angels  reach  out  their  hands,  saying,  Cast 
forth  your  souls ;  this  day  shall  ye  receive  an  ignominious 
punishment  for  that  which  ye  have  falsely  spoken  con- 
cerning God  ;  and  because  ye  have  proudly  rejected  his 
signs.  ^^  And  now  are  ye  come  unto  us  alone,  as  we 
created  you  at  first,  and  ye  have  left  that  which  we  had 
bestowed  on  you  behind  your  backs  ;  neither  do  we  see 
with  you  your  intercessors,  whom  ye  thought  to  have  been 
partners  with  God  among  you :  now  is  the  relation  be- 
tween you  cut  off;  and  what  ye  imagined  hath  deceived 
you.  ^^  God  causeth  the  grain,  and  the  date-stone,  to 
put  forth :  he  bringeth  forth  the  living  from  the  dead, 
and  he  bringeth  forth  the  dead  from  the  living.  This  is 
God.  Why,  therefore,  are  ye  turned  away  from  him? 
^^  He  causeth  the  morning  to  appear ;    and  hath  ordained 

94   Who  is   more  wicked  than   he  who  proscribed  at  the  taking  of  Mecca  ^,  and 

forgeth  a  lie  concerning  God,  &c.  ?]  Falsely  narrowly  escaped  with  life  on  his  recan- 

pretending  to   have    received    revelations  tation,   by  the    interposition    of  Othman 

from  him  ;    as  did  Moseilama,  al  Aswad,  Ebn  Affan,  whose  foster-brother  he  was*, 

al  Ansi,  and  others.  —  And  who  saith,  I  will  produce  a  reve- 

—  Or  saithy  This  was  revealed  unto  me,  lation,   &c.]     For  some  Arabs,  it  seems, 

when  nothing  hath  been  revealed  unto  him.']  had  the  vanity  to  imagine,   and  gave  out, 

As  did  Abda'llah    Ebn    Saad    Ebn    Abi  that,  if  they  pleased,  they  could  write  a 

Sarah,  who  for  some  time   was  the  pro-  book  nothing  inferior  to  the  Koran, 

phet's  amanuensis  ;  and  when  these  words  —  Angels.']  See  before,  p.  138,  note  60, 

were  dictated  to  him  as  revealed,  viz.  We  db  Alone.]   That  is,  without  your  wealth, 

created  man  of  a  purer  kind  of  clay,  &c.  ^  your  children,  or  your  friencls,  which  ye 

cried  out,  by  way  of  admiration,  Blessed  so  much  depended  on  in  your  life-time, 

be  God,  the  best  Creator!  and  being  or-  —  As  we  created  you   at  first.]    i.e. 

dered  by  Mohammed  to  write  these  words  Naked  and  helpless, 

down  also,  as  part  of  the  inspired  passage,  —   Your  intercessors.]     Or  false  gods, 

began  to  think  himself  as  great  a  prophet  —   What  ye  imagined,  8zc.]  Concerning 

as  his  master  2.    Whereupon  he  took  upon  the  intercession  of  your  idols,  or  the  dis- 

himself  to   corrupt  and  alter  the  Koran  belief  of  future  rewards  and  punishments, 

according  to  his  own  fancy,  and,  at  length,  96    The   living   from  the  dead.]      See 

apostatizing,  was  one  of  the  ten  who  were  chap.  iii. 


1  Koran,  chap,  xxiii.  2  ^i  Beiddwi.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  65. 

*  V.  Ahulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  109. 


144  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

the  night  for  rest,  and  the  sun  and  the  moon  for  the  com- 
puting of  time.  This  is  the  disposition  of  the  mighty, 
the  wise  God.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath  ordained  the  stars 
for  you,  that  ye  may  be  directed  thereby  in  the  darkness 
of  the  land,  and  of  the  sea.  We  have  clearly  shewn 
forth  pur  signs  unto  people  who  understand.  ^^  It  is  he 
who  hath  produced  you  from  one  soul ;  and  hath  provided 
for  you  a  sure  receptacle,  and  a  repository.  We  have 
clearly  shewn  forth  our  signs  unto  people  who  are  wise. 
^^^  It  is  he  who  sendeth  down  water  from  heaven;  and 
we  have  thereby  produced  the  springing  buds  of  all  things, 
and  have  thereout  produced  the  green  thing,  from  which 
we  produce  the  grain  growing  in  rows,  and  palm-trees, 
from  whose  branches  proceed  clusters  of  dates  hanging 
close  together ;  and  gardens  of  grapes,  and  olives,  and 
pomegranates,  both  like  and  unlike  to  one  another. 
Look  on  their  fruits,  when  they  bear  fruit,  and  their 
growing  to  maturity.  Verily  herein  are  signs  unto 
people  who  believe.  ^^^  Yet  they  have  set  up  the  genii 
as  partners  with  God,  although  he  created  them  :  and 
they  have  falsely  attributed  unto  him  sons  and  daughters, 
without  knowledge.  Praise  be  unto  him ;  and  far  be 
that  from  him  which  they  attribute  unto  him !  He  is  the 
maker  of  heaven  and  earth :  how  should  he  have  issue, 
since  he  hath  no  consort  ?  he  hath  created  all  things,  and 
he  is  omniscient.  ^^^  This  is  God  your  Lord  ;  there  is  no 
God  but  he,  the  creator  of  all  things :  therefore  serve 
him ;  for  he  taketh  care  of  all  things.  ^^^  The  sight  com- 
prehendeth  him  not,  but  he  comprehendeth  the  sight ;  he 
is  the  gracious,  the  wise.  ^^^  Now  have  evident  demon- 
strations come  unto  you  from  your  Lord  ;  whoso  seeth 
them,   the  advantage  thereof  will    redound  to  his  own 

99  A  sure  receptacle,  and  a  repository ."]  their  servants,  by  adoring  idols  at  their 

Namely,  in  the  loins  of  your  fathers,  and  instigation,   or  else  because,  according  to 

the  wombs  of  your  mothers  ^  the  Magian  system,    they  looked  on  the 

101   Genii.~\     This  word  signifies  pro-  devil  as  a  sort  of  creator,  making  him  the 

perly    the    genus    of    rational,    invisible  author  and  principle  of  all  evil,  and  God 

beings,   whether    angels,    devils,   or    that  the  author  of  good  only  2. 

intermediate   species  usually  called  genii.  —  Sons  and  daughters.^  See  the  Prelim. 

Some  of  the  commentators,  therefore,  in  Disc.  p.  20.  and  46. 

this   place,  understand  the  angels  whom  103  The  gracious.^     Or,   as  the  word 

the  Pagan  Arabs  worshipped ;    and  others  may   be  translated,    the    incomprehensi- 

the   devils,   either   because    they   became  ble  ^ 

1  Jl  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


VI.]  AL   KORAN.  145 

soul :  and  whoso  is  wilfully  blind,  the  consequence  will 
be  to  himself.  I  am  not  a  keeper  over  you.  ^^^  Thus  do 
we  variously  explain  our  signs :  that  they  may  say,  Thou 
hast  studied  diligently ;  and  that  we  may  declare  them 
unto  people  of  understanding.  ^^^  Follow  that  which  hath 
been  revealed  unto  thee  from  thy  Lord  ;  there  is  no 
God  but  he :  retire,  therefore,  from  the  idolaters.  ^^^  If 
God  had  so  pleased,  they  had  not  been  guilty  of  idolatry. 
We  have  not  appointed  thee  a  keeper  over  them  ;  neither 
art  thou  a  guardian  over  them.  ^^^  Revile  not  the  idols 
which  they  invoke  besides  God,  lest  they  maliciously 
revile  God,  without  knowledge.  Thus  have  we  prepared 
for  every  nation  their  works :  hereafter  unto  God  shall 
they  return,  and  he  shall  declare  unto  them  that  which 
they  have  done.  ^^^  They  have  sworn  by  God,  by  the 
most  solemn  oath,  that  if  a  sign  came  unto  them,  they 
would  certainly  believe  therein :  Say,  Verily  signs  are  in 
the  power  of  God  alone ;  and  he  permitteth  you  not  to 
understand  that  when  they  come  they  will  not  believe. 
^^^  And  we  will  turn  aside  their  hearts,  and  their  sight, 
from  the  truth,  as  they  believed  not  therein  the  first 
time  ;  and  we  will  leave  them  to  wander  in  their  error. 
[*VIII.]  ^^^  And  though  we  had  sent  down  angels  unto 
them,  and  the  dead  had  spoken  unto  them,  and  w^e  had 
gathered  together  before  them  all  things  in  one  view; 
they  would  not  have  believed,  unless  God  had  so  pleased  : 
^^^  but  the  greater  part  of  them  know  it  not.  ^^^  Thus  have 
we  appointed  unto  every  prophet  an  enemy ;  the  devils 
of  men,  and  of  genii ;   who  privately  suggest  the  one  to 

105    That   they   may   say,    Thou   hast  that  God  did  not  think  fit  to  comply  with 

studied  diligently.']     That  is,  Thou  hast  their    desires  ;    and   that,    if   he  had   so 

been  instructed  by  the  Jews  and  Christ-  thought  fit,  yet  it  had  been  in  vain,  be- 

ians  in  these  matters,  and  only  retailest  cause,  if  they  were  not  convinced  by  the 

to  us   what  thou  hast  learned  of  them.  Koran,  they  would  not  be  convinced  by 

For  this  the  infidels  objected  to  Moham-  the  greatest  miracle  ^ 
med,   thinking  it   impossible  for  him    to  110  Therein.']  i.  e.  In  the  Koran, 

discourse  on  subjects  of  so  high  a  nature,         111  And   though   we    had    sent    down 

and  in  so  clear  and  pertinent  a  manner,  angels  unto  them,  &c.]     For  the  Meccans 

without  being  well  versed  in  the  doctrines  required  that   Mohammed   should   either 

and  sacred  writings  of  those  people.  shew   them    an    angel    descending    from 

109  Signs  are  in   the  power   of  God.]  heaven  in  their  sight ;  or  raise  their  dead 

In  this  passage  Mohammed  endeavours  to  fathers,   that  they  might    discourse  with 

excuse  his  inability  of  working  a  miracle,  them  ;  or  prevail  on  God,  and  his  angels, 

as  had  been  demanded  of  him  ;  declaring  to  appear  to  them  in  a  body. 

^  Confer  Luke  xvi.  31. 
VOL.  I.  L  ^ 


146  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  other  specious  discourses  to  deceive ;  but  if  thy  Lord 
pleased,  they  would  not  have  done  it.  Therefore  leave 
them,  and  that  which  they  have  falsely  imagined  ;  and 
let  the  hearts  of  those  be  inclined  thereto,  who  believe 
not  in  the  life  to  come  ;  and  let  them  please  themselves 
therein,  and  let  them  gain  that  which  they  are  gaining. 
^^*  Shall  I  seek  after  any  other  judge  besides  God  to 
judge  between  us  ?  It  is  he  who  hath  sent  down  unto  you 
the  book  of  the  Koran,  distinguishing  between  good  and 
evil ;  and  they  to  whom  we  gave  the  scripture,  know  that 
it  is  sent  down  from  thy  Lord,  with  truth.  Be  not 
therefore  one  of  those  who  doubt  thereof.  ^^^  The  words 
of  thy  Lord  are  perfect,  in  truth  and  justice  ;  there  is 
none  who  can  change  his  words:  he  both  heareth  and 
knoweth.  ^^^  But  if  thou  obey  the  greater  part  of  them 
who  are  in  the  earth,  they  will  lead  thee  aside  from  the 
path  of  God  :  they  follow  an  uncertain  opinion  only,  and 
speak  nothing  but  lies :  ^^^  verily  thy  Lord  well  knoweth 
those  who  go  astray  from  his  path,  and  well  knoweth 
those  who  are  rightly  directed.  ^^^  Eat  of  that  whereon 
the  name  of  God  hath  been  commemorated,  if  ye  believe 
in  his  signs :  ^^^  and  why  do  ye  not  eat  of  that  whereon 
the  name  of  God  hath  been  commemorated  ?  since  he 
hath  plainly  declared  unto  you  what  he  hath  forbidden 
you ;  except  that  which  ye  be  compelled  to  eat  of  by 
necessity.  Many  lead  others  into  error,  because  of  their 
appetites,  being  void  of  knowledge ;  but  thy  Lord  well 
knoweth  who  are  the  transgressors.  ^^^  Leave  both  the 
outside  of  iniquity,  and  the  inside  thereof:  for  they  who 
commit  iniquity  shall  receive  the  reward  of  that  which 
they  shall  have  gained.  ^^^  Eat  not,  therefore,  of  that 
whereon  the  name  of  God  hath  not  been  commemorated ; 

115  There  is  none  who  can  change  his  no  other  prophet,  law,  or  dispensation,  to 

words.^     Some  interpret  this  of  the  im-  be  expected  after  it. 

mutability  of  God's  decree,  and  the  cer-         116  They  follow  an   uncertain   opinion 

tainty  of  his  threats  and  promises  ;  others,  ow/z/.]     Imagining  that  the  true  religion 

of  his  particular  promise  to   preserve  the  was  that  which  their  idolatrous  ancestors 

Koran  from  any  such  alterations,  or  cor-  professed. 

ruptions,  as  they  imagine  to  have  happened         118  The  name  of  God.'}    See  chap.  ii. 

to  the  Pentateuch  and  the  Gospel  *  ;  and  and  chap.  v. 

others  of  the  unalterable  duration  of  the         120  Leave  the  outside  of  iniquity ,  and 

Mohammedan  law,  which  they  hold   is  to  the  inside   thereof}     That  is,  both  open 

last  till  the  end  of  the  world,  there  being  and  secret  sins. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  88.  and  Kor.  c.  xv. 


VI.]  AL    KORAN.  147 

for  this  is  certainly  wickedness :  but  the  devils  will 
suggest  unto  their  friends,  that  they  dispute  with  you 
concerning  this  precept ;  but  if  ye  obey  them,  ye  are 
surely  idolaters.  ^^^  Shall  he  who  hath  been  dead,  and 
whom  we  have  restored  unto  life,  and  unto  whom  we 
have  ordained  a  light,  whereby  he  may  walk  among  men, 
be  as  he  whose  similitude  is  in  darkness,  from  whence  he 
shall  not  come  forth.  Thus  was  that  which  the  infidels 
are  doing  prepared  for  them.  ^^^  And  thus  have  we 
placed  in  every  city  chief  leaders  of  the  wicked  men 
thereof,  that  they  may  act  deceitfully  therein ;  but  they 
shall  act  deceitfully  against  their  own  souls  only;  and 
they  know  it  not.  ^^^  And  when  a  sign  cometli  unto 
them,  they  say.  We  will,  by  no  means,  believe,  until  a 
revelation  be  brought  unto  us,  like  unto  that  which  hath 
been  delivered  unto  the  messengers  of  God.  God  best 
knoweth  whom  he  will  appoint  for  his  messenger.  Vile- 
ness,  in  the  sight  of  God,  shall  fall  upon  those  who  deal 
wickedly,  and  a  grievous  punishment,  for  that  they  have 
dealt  deceitfully.  ^^^And  whomsoever  God  shall  please 
to  direct,  he  will  open  his  breast  to  receive  the  faith  of 
Islam  :  but,  whomsoever  he  shall  please  to  lead  into 
error,  he  will  render  his  breast  strait  and  narrow,  as 
though  he  were  climbing  up  to  heaven.  Thus  doth  God 
inflict  a  terrible  punishment  on  those  who  believe  not. 
^^^  This  is  the  right  way  of  thy  Lord.  Now  have  we 
plainly  declared  our  signs  unto  those  people  who  will 
consider.  ^^^  They  shall  have  a  dwelling  of  peace  with 
their  Lord,  and  he  shall  be  their  patron,  because  of  that 
which  they  have  wrought.     ^^^  Think  on  the  day  whereon 

122    Not    come  forth.']     The  persons  being    God's   messenger    than    Moham- 

primarily  intended  in  this  passage,  were  med. 

Hamza,    Mohammed's    uncle,    and    Abu  —  God  best  knoweth  whom  he  will  ap- 

Jahl  ;    others,    instead  of  Hamza,   name  point  for  his  messenger.]  Literally,  Where 

Omar,  or  Ammar.  he  will  place  his  commission.     God,  says 

323  And  thus  have  we  placed  in  every  al  Beidawi,  bestows  not  the  gift  of  pro- 

city^  chief  leaders  of  the  wicked  men  thereof]  phecy  on  any  one  on  account  of  his  nobi- 

In  the  same  manner  as  we  have  done  in  lity  or  riches,  but  for  their  spiritual  quali- 

Mecca.  fications  ;  making  choice    of  such   of  his 

124  A  sign.]  i.  e.  Any  verse  or  passage  servants  as  he  pleases,  and  who  he  knows 

of  the  Koran.  will  execute  their  commissions  faithfully. 

■ —   We   will  not  believe  until   a   reve-  125  As  though  he  were  climbing  up  to 

lation    be  brought  unto   us,   &c.]     These  heaven.]     Or  had    undertaken    the  most 

were    the    words    of   the     Koreish,    who  impossible   thing  in  the  world.     In  like 

thought  there  were  persons  among  them-  manner  shall  the  heart  of  such  a  man  be 

selves    more  worthy   of    the    honour    of  incapable  of  receiving  the  truth. 

l2 


148  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

God  shall  gather  them  all  together,  and  shall  say,  O  com- 
pany of  genii !  ye  have  been  much  concerned  with 
mankind  ;  and  their  friends  from  among  mankind  shall 
say,  O  Lord  !  the  one  of  us  hath  received  advantage 
from  the  other,  and  we  are  arrived  at  our  limited  term 
which  thou  hast  appointed  us.  God  will  say,  Hell-fire 
shall  be  your  habitation,  therein  shall  ye  remain  for  ever ; 
unless  as  God  shall  please  to  mitigate  your  pains,  for  thy 
Lord  is  wise  and  knowing.  ^^^  Thus  do  we  set  some  of 
the  unjust  over  others  of  them,  because  of  that  which 
they  have  deserved.  ^^^  O  company  of  genii  and  men ! 
did  not  messengers  from  among  yourselves  come  unto 
you,  rehearsing  my  signs  unto  you,  and  forewarning  you 
of  the  meeting  of  this  your  day?  They  shall  answer, 
We  bear  witness  against  ourselves :  the  present  life 
deceived  them  :  and  they  shall  bear  witness  against 
themselves,  that  they  were  unbelievers.  ^^^  This  hath 
been  the  method  of  God's  dealing  with  his  creatures, 
because  thy  Lord  would  not  destroy  the  cities  in 
their  iniquity,  while  their  inhabitants  were  careless. 
^^^  Every  one  shall  have  degrees  of  recompense  of  that 
which  they  shall  do  ;  for  thy  Lord  is  not  regardless  of 
that  which  they  do :  ^^^  and  thy  Lord  is  self-sufficient, 
and  endued  with  mercy.      If  he  pleaseth,  he  can   de- 

128  0  company  ofgenii!^  i.  e.  Of  devils  ^  respite  which  God  will  grant  to  spme  be- 

—  Ye  have  been  much  concerned  with  fore  they  are  thrown  into  hell  is  here  in- 
manMnd.l  In  tempting  and  seducing  them  tended  *.  According  to  the  exposition  of 
to  sin.  Ebn  Abbas,  these  words  may  be  rendered, 

—  The  one  of  us  hath  received  advantage  Unless  him  whom  God  shall  please  to  de- 
from  the  other.']  The  advantage  which  men  liver  thence^. 

received  from  the  evil  spirits,  was,  their         130    Did  not   messengers  from  among 

raising  and  satisfying  their  lusts  and  appe-  yourselves  come  unto  you,  &c.]     It  is  the 

tites  ;  and  that  which  the  latter  received  Mohammedan  belief,   that  apostles   were 

in  return,  was  the  obedience  paid  them  by  sent  by  God  for  the   conversion  both  of 

the  former,  &c.  ^  genii  and  of  men,  being  generally  of  hu- 

—  Our  limited  term,  &c.]  Viz.  The  man  race,  (as  Mohammed  in  particular, 
day  of  resurrection,  which  we  believed  not  who  pretended  to  have  a  commission  to 
in  the  other  world.  preach  to  both  kinds) ;  according  to  this 

—  Unless  as  God  shall  please  to  miti-  passage,  it  seems,  there  must  have  been 
gate  your  pains.]  The  commentators  tell  prophets  of  the  race  of  genii  also,  though 
us,   that  this  alleviajtion  of  the  pains  of  their  mission  be  a  secret  to  us. 

the  damned  will  be  when  they  shall  be  131  While  their  inhabitants  were  care- 
token  out  of  the  fire  to  drink  the  boiling  less.]  Or  considered  not  their  danger  ; 
water  ^,  or  to  suffer  the  extreme  cold,  but  God  first  sent  some  prophet  to  them, 
called  Zamharir,  which  is  to  be  one  part  to  warn  them  of  it,  and  to  invite  them  to 
of  their  punishment ;  but  others  think,  the  repentance. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Jallald' ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

5  See  the  Prelim,  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  108,  109. 


VI.]  AL    KORAN.  149 

stroy  you,  and  cause  such  as  he  pleaseth  to  succeed 
you,  in  like  manner  as  he  produced  you  from  the 
posterity  of  other  people.  ^^*  Verily  that  which  is  threat- 
ened you,  shall  surely  come  to  pass ;  neither  shall  ye 
cause  it  to  fail.  ^^^  Say  unto  those  of  Mecca,  O  my 
people !  act  according  to  your  power :  verily  I  will  act 
according  to  my  duty  :  and  hereafter  shall  ye  know  whose 
will  be  the  reward  of  paradise.  The  ungodly  shall  not 
prosper.  ^^^  Those  of  Mecca  set  apart  unto  God  a  por- 
tion of  that  which  he  hath  produced  of  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  and  of  cattle ;  and  say.  This  belongeth  unto  God, 
(according  to  their  imagination,)  and  this  unto  our  com- 
panions. And  that  which  is  destined  for  their  companions 
Cometh  not  unto  God  ;  yet  that  which  is  set  apart  unto 
God  cometh  unto  their  companions.  How  ill  do  they 
judge  !  ^^^  In  like  manner  have  their  companions  induced 
many  of  the  idolaters  to  slay  their  children,  that  they 
might  bring  them  to  perdition,  and  that  they  might  ren- 
der their  religion  obscure  and  confused  unto  them.  But 
if  God  had  pleased,  they  had  not  done  this ;  therefore 
leave  them,  and  that  which  they  falsely  imagine.  ^^^  They 
also  say.  These  cattle  and  fruits  of  the  earth  are  sacred ; 
none  shall  eat  thereof  but  who  we  please,  (according  to 
their  imagination ;)  and  there  are  cattle  whose  backs  are 
forbidden  to  be  rode  on,  or  loaden  with  burdens;  and 

135  Jet  according  to  your  power ;  and  among  those  of  Kendah,  and  some  other 
/  will  act  according  to  my  duty.~\  That  tribes,  of  burying  their  daughters  alive,  as 
is,  ye  may  proceed  in  your  rebellion  against  soon  as  they  were  born,  if  they  appre- 
GoD,  and  your  malice  towards  me,  and  bended  they  could  not  maintain  them  ^  ; 
be  confirmed  in  your  infidelity ;  but  I  or  else  by  offering  them  to  their  idols,  at 
will  persevere  to  bear  your  insults  with  the  instigation  of  those  who  had  the  cus- 
patience,  and  to  publish  those  revelations  tody  of  their  temples  *. 

which  God  has  commanded  me  ^,  —  And  render  their  religion  obscure  and 

136  Our  companions,']  i.  e.  Our  idols,  confused^  &c.]  By  corrupting,  with  horrid 
In  which  sense  this  word  is  to  be  taken  superstitions,  that  religion  which  Ismael 
through  the  whole  passage.  had  left  to  his  posterity  ^ 

—  Set  apart   unto  God.]     As  to   this  138  But   who    we  please,]       That    is, 

custom  of  the  Pagan  Arabs,  see  the  Pre-  Those  who  serve  our  idols,  and  are  of  the 

lim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  19.     To  what  is  there  male  sex  ;  for  the  women  were   not  al- 

said  we  may  add,  that  the  share  set  apart  lowed  to  eat  of  them  ^. 

for  God  was  employed  chiefly  in  relieving  —  And  there  are  cattle  whose  hacks  are 

the  poor,  and  strangers  ;  and  the  share  of  forbidden  to  he  rode  on,  &c.]     Which  they 

the   idols,   for  paying  their   priests,   and  superstitiously  exempted  from  such  ser- 

providing  sacrifices  for  them  2.  vices,  in  some  particular  cases  ;  as  they 

137  To  slay  their  children.]  Either  by  did  the  Bahira,  the  Sai'ba,  and  the  Ha- 
that    inhuman    custom,    which    prevailed  mi  ^. 

^   Al  Beiddwi.          2  idem,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  See  chap.  Ixxxi.  *  dl  Beiddwi, 

5  Idem.  6  Idem.  ^  See  chap.  v.  and  Prelim.  Disc.  §  v. 


150  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

there  are  cattle  on  which  they  commemorate  not  the 
name  of  God  when  they  slay  them,  devising  a  lie  against 
him ;  God  shall  reward  them  for  that  which  they  falsely 
devise.  ^^^  And  they  say,  That  which  is  in  the  bellies  of 
these  cattle  is  allowed  our  males  to  eat,  and  is  forbidden 
to  our  wives  :  but  if  it  prove  abortive,  then  they  are  both 
partakers  thereof.  God  shall  give  them  the  reward  of 
their  attributing  these  things  to  him :  he  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^^^  They  are  utterly  lost  who  have  slain  their  chil- 
dren foolishly,  without  knowledge;  and  have  forbidden 
that  which  God  hath  given  them  for  food,  devising  a  lie 
against  God.  They  have  erred,  and  were  not  rightly 
directed.  ^^^  He  it  is  who  produceth  gardens  of  vines, 
both  those  which  are  supported  on  trails  of  w^ood,  and 
those  which  are  not  supported,  and  palm-trees,  and  the 
corn  affording  various  food,  and  olives,  and  pomegranates, 
alike  and  unlike  unto  one  another.  Eat  of  their  fruit, 
when  they  bear  fruit,  and  pay  the  due  thereof  on  the  day 
whereon  ye  shall  gather  it ;  but  be  not  profuse,  for  God 
loveth  not  those  who  are  too  profuse.  ^^^  And  God  hath 
given  you  some  cattle  fit  for  bearing  of  burdens,  and  some 
fit  for  slaughter  only.  Eat  of  what  God  hath  given  you 
for  food ;  and  follow  not  the  steps  of  Satan,  for  he  is 
your  declared  enemy.  ^^^  Four  pair  of  cattle  hath  God 
given  you  ;  of  sheep  one  pair,  and  of  goats  one  pair.  Say 
unto  them.  Hath  God  forbidden  the  two  males,  of  sheep 
and  of  goats,  or  the  two  females;  or  that  which  the 
wombs  of  the  two  females  contain  ?  Tell  me  with  cer- 
tainty, if  ye  speak  truth.     ^^^And  of  camels  hath  God 

138  The  name  of  God.']     See   chap.  v.  —  And  pay  the  due  thereof  &c.]    That 

139  That  which  is  in  the  bellies  of  these  is,  give  alms  thereof  to  the  poor.  And 
cattle.~\  That  is,  the  foetus,  or  embryos  these  alms,  as  al  Beidawi  observes,  were 
of  the  Bahira  and  the  Saiba,  which  shall  what  they  used  to  give  before  the  Zacat, 
be  brought  forth  alive.  or  legal  alms,  was  instituted  ;  which  was 

—  But  if  it  prove  abortive,  they  both  done  after  Mohammed  had  retired  from 
partake  thereof]  For  if  those  cattle  cast  Mecca,  where  this  verse  was  revealed, 
their  young,  the  women  might  eat  thereof  Yet  some  are  of  another  opinion,  and,  for 
as  well  as  the  men.  this  very  reason,  will  have  the  verse  to 

140  Slain  their  children.]  See  note  137.  have  been  revealed  at  Medina. 

—  Without  knowledge.]  Not  having  a  —  Be  not  profuse.]  i.  e.  Give  not  so 
due  sense  of  God's  providence.  much  thereof  in  alms,  as  to  leave  your 

141  Supported  on  trails  of  wood,  and  own  families  in  want ;  for  charity  begins 
not  supported.]     Or,  as  some  choose  to  in-  at  home. 

terpret  the  words,   trees  or  plants  which  143  Four  pair.]     Or,    literally,    eight 

are  planted  by  the  labour  of  man,   and  males  and  females  paired  together ;  that 

those  which  grow  naturally  in  the  deserts  is,  four  of  each  sex,  and  two  of  every  dis- 

and  on  mountains.  tinct  kind. 

1 


VI.]  AL    KORAN.  151 

given  you  one  pair,  and  of  oxen  one  pair  ?  Say,  hath  he 
forbidden  the  two  males  of  these,  or  the  two  females ;  or 
that  which  the  wombs  of  the  two  females  contain  ?  Were 
ye  present  when  God  commanded  you  this  ?  And  who 
is  more  unjust  than  he  who  deviseth  a  lie  against  God, 
that  he  may  seduce  men  without  understanding  ?  Verily 
God  directeth  not  unjust  people.  ^^^  Say,  I  find  not  in 
that  which  hath  been  revealed  unto  me,  any  thing  for- 
bidden unto  the  eater,  that  he  eat  it  not,  except  it  be 
that  which  dieth  of  itself,  or  blood  poured  forth,  or  swine's 
flesh ;  for  this  is  an  abomination :  or  that  which  is  pro- 
fane, having  been  slain  in  the  name  of  some  other  than 
God.  But  whoso  shall  be  compelled  by  necessity  to  eat 
of  these  things,  not  lusting,  nor  wilfully  transgressing, 
verily  thy  Lord  will  be  gracious  unto  him  and  merciful. 
^^^  Unto  the  Jews  did  we  forbid  every  beast  having  an 
undivided  hoof;  and  of  bullocks  and  sheep,  we  forbade 
them  the  fat  of  both  ;  except  that  which  should  be  on 
their  backs,  or  their  inwards,  or  which  should  be  inter- 
mixed with  the  bone.  This  have  we  rewarded  them  with, 
because  of  their  iniquity ;  and  we  are  surely  speakers  of 
truth.  ^^^  If  they  accuse  thee  of  imposture,  say.  Your 
Lord  is  endued  with  extensive  mercy ;  but  his  severity 
shall  not  be  averted  from  wicked  people.  ^^^  The  idola- 
ters will  say,  If  God  had  pleased,  we  had  not  been  guilty 
of  idolatry,  neither  our  fathers  ;  and  pretend  that  we  have 
not  forbidden  them  any  thing.  Thus  did  they  who  were 
before  them  accuse  the  prophets  of  imposture,  until  they 
tasted  our  severe  punishment.  ^^^  Say,  Is  there  with  you 
any  certain  knowledge  of  what  ye  allege,  that  ye  may 

144  Females.']      In   this  passage    Mo-  145  Blood  poured  forth.']     That  is,  fluid 

hammed  endeavours  to  convince  the  Arabs  blood  :  in   opposition   to  what  the   Arabs 

of  their  superstitious  folly,  in  making  it  un-  suppose  to  be  also  blood,  but  not  fluid  ;  as 

lawful,  one  while,  to  eat  the  males  of  these  the  liver  and  the  spleen  3. 

four  kinds  of  cattle;  another  while,  the  fe-  146   We  forbade  them  the  fat,  &c.]   See 

males  ;  and  at  another  time,  their  young  *.  Levit.  vii.  23,  and  iii.  16. 

—  Who  is  more  unjust  than  he  who  de-  —  Or  that  which  is  intermixed  with  the 

viseth  a  lie  against   God,  &c.]     The  per-  bone.~]     Viz.  the  fat  of  the  rumps  or  tails 

son  particularly  intended  here,   some  say,  of  sheep,  which  are   very  large    in    the 

was  Amru  Ebn  Lohai,  king  of  Hajaz,  a  east;  a  small  one  weighing  ten  or  twelve 

great  introducer  of  idolatry  and  supersti-  pounds,  and   some    no  less    than    three- 

tion  among  the  Arabs 2.  score. 

^  At  Beiddwi.  ^  idem.      See  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  23.  and  Pocock,  Spec.   p.  80. 

'^  Al  Beiddwi,  JallaWddin. 


152  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

produce  it  unto  us?  Ye  follow  only  a  false  imagination; 
and  ye  only  utter  lies.  Say,  Therefore  unto  God  be- 
longeth  the  most  evident  demonstration  ;  for  if  he  had 
pleased,  he  had  directed  you  all.  ^^^  Say,  Produce  your 
witnesses,  who  can  bear  testimony  that  God  hath  for- 
bidden this.  But  if  they  bear  testimony  of  this,  do  not 
thou  bear  testimony  with  them,  nor  do  thou  follow  the 
desires  of  those  who  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  and 
who  believe  not  in  the  life  to  come,  and  equalize  idols 
with  their  Lord.  ^^^Say,  Come;  I  will  rehearse  that 
which  your  Lord  hath  forbidden  you ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
ye  be  not  guilty  of  idolatry,  and  that  ye  shew  kindness  to 
your  parents,  and  that  ye  murder  not  your  children,  for 
fear  lest  ye  be  reduced  to  poverty :  we  will  provide  for 
you  and  them ;  and  draw  not  near  unto  heinous  crimes, 
neither  openly,  nor  in  secret ;  and  slay  not  the  soul  which, 
God  hath  forbidden  you  to  slay,  unless  for  a  just  cause. 
This  hath  he  enjoined  you  that  ye  may  understand. 
^^^And  meddle  not  with  the  substance  of  the  orphan, 
otherwise  than  for  the  improving  thereof,  until  he  attain 
his  age  of  strength  ;  and  use  a  full  measure,  and  a  just 
balance.  We  will  not  impose  a  task  on  any  soul  beyond 
its  ability.  And  when  ye  pronounce  judgment  observe 
justice,  although  it  be  for  or  against  one  who  is  near  of 
kin ;  and  fulfil  the  covenant  of  God.  ^^^  This  hath  God 
commanded  you,  that  ye  may  be  admonished ;  and  that 
ye  may  know  that  this  is  my  right  way  :  therefore  follow 
it,  and  follow  not  the  paths  of  others,  lest  ye  be  scattered 
from  the  path  of  God.  This  hath  he  commanded  you 
that  ye  may  take  heed.  ^^^  We  gave  also  unto  Moses 
the  book  of  the  Law  ;  a  perfect  rule  unto  him  who  should 
do  right,  and  a  determination  concerning  all  things  need- 
ful, and  a  direction,  and  mercy ;  that  the  children  of 
Israel  might  believe  the  meeting  of  their  Lord.  ^^^  And 
this  book  which  we  have  now  sent  down  is  blessed ;  there- 
fore follow  it,  and  fear  God,  that  ye  may  obtain  mercy. 

151    A^az/,  &c.]  This  and  the  two  follow-  signifies   peculiarly  fornication   and  ava- 

ing  verses    Jallalo'ddin  supposes  to  have  rice, 

been  revealed  at  Medina.  —   Unless  for   a  just   cause.^     As  for 

—  Heinous  crimes,'}    The  original  word  murder,  apostacy,  or  adultery  *. 

*  Jl  Beiddwi, 


VI.]  AL   KORAN.  153 

^^^  Lest  je  should  say.  The  scriptures  were  only  sent  clown 
unto  two  people  before  us ;  and  we  neglected  to  peruse 
them  with  attention.  ^^^  Or  lest  ye  should  say.  If  a  book 
of  divine  revelations  had  been  sent  down  unto  us,  we 
would  surely  have  been  better  directed  than  they.  And 
now  hath  a  manifest  declaration  come  unto  you  from  your 
Lord,  and  a  direction  and  mercy :  and  who  is  more  un- 
just than  he  who  deviseth  lies  against  the  signs  of  God, 
and  turneth  aside  from  them?  We  will  reward  those 
who  turn  aside  from  our  signs  with  a  grievous  punish- 
ment, because  they  have  turned  aside.  ^^^  Do  they  wait 
for  any  other  than  that  the  angels  should  come  unto 
them,  to  part  their  souls  from  their  bodies ;  or  that  thy 
Lord  should  come  to  punish  them  ;  or  that  some  of  the 
signs  of  thy  Lord  should  come  to  pass,  shewing  the 
day  of  judgment  to  be  at  hand  ?  On  the  day  whereon 
some  of  thy  Lord's  signs  shall  come  to  pass,  its  faith 
shall  not  profit  a  soul  which  believed  not  before,  or 
wrought  not  good  in  its  faith.  Say,  Wait  ye  for  this 
day  ;  we  surely  do  wait  for  it.  ^^^  They  who  make  a  divi- 
sion in  their  religion,  and  become  sectaries,  have  thou 
nothing  to  do  with  them ;  their  affair  belongeth  only  unto 
God.  Hereafter  shall  he  declare  unto  them  that  which 
they  have  done.  ^^^  He  who  shall  appear  with  good 
works,  shall  receive  a  ten-fold  recompense  for  the  same ; 
but  he  who  shall  appear  with  evil  works,  shall  receive 
only  an  equal  punishment  for  the  same ;  and  they  shall 

156  Unto  two  people.'}  That  is,  the  pearance  of  Antichrist,  the  sun's  rising  in 
Jews  and  the  Christians.  the  west,  the  eruption  of  Gog  and  Magog, 

—  And  we  neglected  to  peruse  them,  8zc.~\  the  descent  of  Jesus  on    earth,   and  fire 

Either  because  we  knew  nothing  of  them,  which  shall  break  forth  from  Aden  2. 
or  did  not  understand  the  language  where-  —  Its  faith  shall  not  profit  a  soul  which 

in  they  were  written.  believed  not,  &c.]     For  faith  in  the  next 

157  We  would  surely  have  been  better  life  will  be  of  no  advantage  to  those  who 
directed  than  they.}  Because  of  the  acute-  have  not  believed  in  this  ;  nor  yet  faith  in 
ness  of  our  wit,  the  clearness  of  our  un-  this  life,  without  good  works, 
derstanding,  and  our  facility  of  learning  159  They  who  make  a  division  in  their 
sciences  ;  as  appears  from  our  excelling  in  religioii.']  That  is,  who  believe  in  part  of 
history,  poetry,  and  oratory,  notwithstand-  it,  and  disbelieve  other  part  of  it;  or  who 
ing  we  are  an  illiterate  people  1.  form   schisms  therein.     Mohammed  is  re- 

158  At  hand.'}  Al  Beidawi,  from  a  ported  to  have  declared,  that  the  Jews 
tradition  of  Mohammed,  says,  that  ten  were  divided  into  seventy-one  sects,  and 
signs  will  precede  the  last  day  ;  viz.  the  the  Christians  into  seventy- two;  and  that 
smoke,  the  beast  of  the  earth,  an  eclipse  his  own  follov/ers  would  be  split  into 
in  the  east,  another  in  the  west,  and  a  seventy-three  sects  ;  and  that  all  of  them 
third  in  the  peninsula  of  Arabia,   the  ap-  would  be  damned, except  only  one  of  each  s. 

1  Jl  Bciddwi.  2  ^qq  ^he  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  94,  95,  9G,  &c.  3  ji  Beidawi. 


154  A L  KORAN.  [chap. 

not  be  treated  unjustly.  ^^^  Say,  Verily  my  Lord  hath 
directed  me  into  a  right  way ; — ^^^  a  true  religion,  the 
sect  of  Abraham  the  orthodox ;  and  he  was  no  idolater. 
^^^  Say,  Verily,  my  prayers,  and  my  worship,  and  my  life, 
and  my  death,  are  dedicated  unto  God,  the  Lord  of  all 
creatures. — ^^^  He  hath  no  companion.  This  have  I  been 
commanded  :  I  am  the  first  Moslem.  ^^^  Say,  shall  1 
desire  any  other  Lord  besides  God  ?  since  he  is  the  Lord 
of  all  things ;  and  no  soul  shall  acquire  any  merits  or 
demerits  but  for  itself:  and  no  burdened  soul  shall  bear 
the  burden  of  another.  Moreover  unto  your  Lord  shall 
ye  return  ;  and  he  shall  declare  unto  you  that  concerning 
which  ye  now  dispute.  ^^^  It  is  he  who  hath  appointed 
you  to  succeed  your  predecessors  in  the  earth,  and  hath 
raised  some  of  you  above  others,  by  various  degrees  of 
worldly  advantages,  that  he  might  prove  you  by  that 
which  he  hath  bestowed  on  you.  Thy  Lord  is  swift  in 
punishing :  and  he  is  also  gracious  and  merciful. 

164  Moslem.']     See  before,  page   132,  answer   to   the  pressing  instances   of  the 
133.  idolaters,  who  offered  to  take  the  crime 

165  No   burdened  soul  shall   bear   the  upon    themselves,    if   Mohammed   would 
burden  of  another.]     This  was  revealed  in  conform  to  their  worship  '. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

INTITLED,  AL  ARAF  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  S.  ^  A  book  hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee ; 
and  therefore  let  there  be  no  doubt  in  thy  breast  concern- 
ing it :  that  thou  mayest  preach  the  same,  and  that  it 
may  be  an  admonition  unto  the  faithful.     ^  Follow  that 

Title.] — ^/  /^ra/ signifies  the  partition         1  A.  L.  M.  S.]      The    signification    of 

between  paradise  and  hell,  which  is  men-  these  letters,  the   more  sober  Mohamme- 

tioned  in  this  chapter  ^.  dans  confess,  God  alone  knows.     Some, 

Title — At  Mecca.]    Some,  however,  ex-  however,    imagine    they    stand    for,    Al- 

cept  five  or  eight  verses,  and  begin  at  these  lah,  Gabriel,    Mohammed,   on   whom   be 

words,And  ask  them  concerning  the  city,&c.  peace. 

1  Seethe  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  1J2. 


VII.]  AL   KORAN.  155 

which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  you  from  your  Lord  ; 
and  follow  no  guides  beside  him :  how  little  will  ye  be 
warned  !  ^  How  many  cities  have  we  destroyed,  which 
our  vengeance  overtook  by  night,  or  while  they  were 
reposing  themselves  at  noon-day !  ^  And  their  supplica- 
tion, when  our  punishment  came  upon  them,  was  no  other 
than  that  they  said.  Verily  we  have  been  unjust.  ^  We 
will  surely  call  those  to  an  account,  unto  whom  a  prophet 
hath  been  sent ;  and  we  will  also  call  those  to  account 
who  have  been  sent  unto  them.  ^  And  we  will  declare 
their  actions  unto  them  with  knowledge ;  for  we  are  not 
absent  from  them.  ^  The  weighing  of  men's  actions  on 
that  day  shall  be  just;  and  they  whose  balances,  laden 
with  their  good  works,  shall  be  heavy,  are  those  who  shall 
be  happy ;  ^  but  they  whose  balances  shall  be  light,  are 
those  who  have  lost  their  souls,  because  they  injured  our 
signs.  ^^  And  now  have  we  placed  you  on  the  earth,  and 
have  provided  you  food  therein  :  but  how  little  are  ye 
thankful !  ^^  We  created  you,  and  afterwards  formed  you; 
and  then  said  unto  the  angels.  Worship  Adam  ;  and  they 
all  worshipped  him,  except  Eblis,  who  was  not  one  of 
those  who  worshipped.  ^^  God  said  unto  him,  What 
hindered  thee  from  worshipping  Adam,  since  I  had  com- 
manded thee  ?  He  answered,  I  am  more  excellent  than 
he :  thou  hast  created  me  of  fire,  and  hast  created  him  of 
clay.  ^^  God  said.  Get  thee  down  therefore  from  para- 
dise ;  for  it  is  not  fit  that  thou  behave  thyself  proudly 
therein ;  get  thee  hence  ;  thou  shalt  be  one  of  the  con- 
temptible. ^^  He  answered.  Give  me  respite  until  the 
day  of  resurrection.  ^^  God  said,  Verily  thou  shalt  be 
one  of  those  who  are  respited.  ^^  The  devil  said.  Because 
thou  hast  depraved  me,  I  will  lay  wait  for  men  in  thy 

4     Which   our   vengeance    overtook    by         11  Eblis.^     See  chap.  ii. 
night.^  As  it  did  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom         15   Verily  thou  shalt  be  one  of  those  who 

and  Gomorrah,  to  whom  Lot  was  sent.  are  respited.]     As  the  time  till  which  the 

—  Or  while  they  were  reposing  them-  devil  is  reprieved  is   not  particularly  ex- 

selves  at  noon.']     As  happened  to  the  Mi-  pressed,  the  commentators  suppose  his  re- 

dianites  to  whom  Shoaib  preached.  quest  was  not  wholly  granted ;  but  agree 

8   The  weighing.]   See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  that  he  shall  die,  as  well  as  other  creatures, 

§  iv.  p.  105,  106.  at  the  second  sound  of  the  trumpet  *. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.    See  the   Prelim.  Disc.  sect.  iv.  p.  08,  and  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient. 
Art.  Eblis. 


156  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

strait  way ;  ^^  then  will  I  come  upon  them  from  before, 
and  from  behind,  and  from  their  right  hands,  and  from 
their  left :  and  thou  shalt  not  find  the  greater  part  of 
them  thankful.  ^^  God  said  unto  him,  Get  thee  hence, 
despised,  and  driven  far  away : — ^^  verily  whoever  of  them 
shall  follow  thee,  I  will  surely  fill  hell  with  you  all : — 
^^  but  as  for  thee,  O  Adam  !  dwell  thou  and  thy  wife  in 
paradise ;  and  eat  of  the  fruit  thereof  wherever  ye  will ; 
but  approach  not  this  tree,  lest  ye  become  of  the  number 
of  the  unjust.  ^^  And  Satan  suggested  unto  them  both, 
that  he  would  discover  unto  them  their  nakedness,  which 
was  hidden  from  them  ;  and  he  said.  Your  Lord  hath  not 
forbidden  you  this  tree,  for  any  other  reason  but  lest  ye 
should  become  angels,  or  lest  ye  become  immortaL  ^^  And 
he  sware  unto  them  saying,  Verily  I  am  one  of  those  who 
counsel  you  aright.  ^^  And  he  caused  them  to  fall  through 
deceit.  And  when  they  had  tasted  of  the  tree,  their 
nakedness  appeared  unto  them ;  and  they  began  to  join 
together  the  leaves  of  paradise,  to  cover  themselves. 
And  their  Lord  called  to  them,  saying.  Did  I  not  forbid 
you  this  tree,  and  did  I  not  say  unto  you.  Verily  Satan 
is  your  declared  enemy  ?  ^^  They  answered,  O  Lord  ! 
we  have  dealt  unjustly  with  our  own  souls ;  and  if  thou 
forgive  us  not,   and  be  not  merciful   unto  us,  we  shall 

17  I  will  come  upon  them  from  before f  llamo  \_Dios'\  a  la  serpientet  y  a  Michael, 

and  from    behind,    and  from    their    right  aquel  que  tiene  la  espada  de  Dios,  y  le  dixo; 

hands,  and  from  their  left,  &c.]    i.  e.  I  will  Aquesta  sierpe  es  acelerada,  echala  la  pri- 

attack  them  on  every  side  that  I  shall  be  mera  del  parayso,  y  cortale  las  piernas,  y 

able.  The  other  two  ways,  viz.  from  above  si  quisiere  caminar,  arrastrara  la  vida  por 

and  from  under   their   feet,  are   omitted,  tierra.      Y  llamo   a   Satanas,  el   qual  vino 

say  the  commentators,  to   shew  that  the  riendo,   y  dixole  ;  Porque  tu  reprobo  has 

devil's  power  is  limited  ^.  eganado  a  aquestos,  y  los  has  hecho  im^ 

23  Deceit.^  The  Mohammedan  gospel  mundos  ?  Yo  quiero  que  ioda  Immun- 
ol Barnabas  tells  us,  that  the  sentence  dicia  suya,  y  de  todos  sus  hijos,  en  saliendo 
which  God  pronounced  on  the  serpent  for  de  sus  cuerpos  entre  por  tu  boca,  porque  en 
introducing  the  devil  into  paradise  ^,  was,  verdad  ellos  haran  penitencia,  y  tu  quedaras 
that  he   should  not  only  be  turned  out  of  harto  de  immundicia. 

paradise,  but   that  he  should  have  his  legs         —  Their  nakedness  appeared  unto  themJ] 

cut   off  by  the   angel    Michael,  with  the  Which    they  had    not  perceived    before  ; 

sword  of  God  ;  and  that  the  devil  himself,  being  clothed,  as  some  say,  with  light,  or 

since    he   had    rendered  our  first  parents  garmentsof  paradise,  which  fell  from  them 

unclean,  was  condemned  to  eat  the  excre-  on  their   disobedience.     Yahya  imagines 

ments    of  them   and    all  their   posterity ;  their    nakedness    was    hidden    by   their 

which  two  last  circumstances  I  do  not  re-  hair. 

member  to    have    read    elsewhere.      The         —  The  leaves  of  paradise  J]     Which  it 

words  of  the   manuscript   are    these:     Y  is  said  were  fig-leaves 3. 

^  Al  Beiddivi.  ^  See  the  notes  to  chap.  ii.  ^  See  the  notes  to  chap.  ii. 


VII.]  A  L     KORAN.  157 

surely  be  of  those  who  perish.  ^^  God  said,  Get  ye  down, 
the  one  of  you  an  enemy  unto  the  other ;  and  ye  shall 
have  a  dwelling-place  upon  earth,  and  a  provision  for  a 
season.  ^^  He  said.  Therein  shall  ye  live,  and  therein 
shall  ye  die,  and  from  thence  shall  ye  be  taken  forth  at 
the  resurrection.  ^^  O  children  of  Adam,  we  have  sent 
down  unto  you  apparel,  to  conceal  your  nakedness,  and 
fair  garments ;  but  the  clothing  of  piety  is  better.  This 
is  one  of  the  signs  of  God  ;  that,  peradventure,  ye  may 
consider.  ^^  O  children  of  Adam  !  let  not  Satan  seduce 
you,  as  he  expelled  your  parents  out  of  paradise,  by  strip- 
ping them  of  their  clothing,  that  he  might  shew  them 
their  nakedness  :  verily  he  seeth  you,  both  he  and  his 
companions,  whereas  ye  see  not  them.  We  have  ap- 
pointed the  devils  to  be  the  patrons  of  those  who  believe 
not :  ^^  and  when  they  commit  a  filthy  action  they  say, 
We  found  our  fathers  practising  the  same ;  and  God  hath 
commanded  us  to  do  it.  ^^  Say,  Verily  God  commandeth 
not  filthy  actions.  Do  ye  speak  concerning  God  that 
which  ye  know  not  ?  Say,  my  Lord  hath  commanded 
me  to  observe  justice ;  therefore  set  your  faces  to  pray 
at  every  place  of  worship,  and  call  upon  him,  approving 
unto  him  the  sincerity  of  your  religion.  As  he  produced 
you  at  first,  so  unto  him  shall  ye  return.  ^^  A  part  of 
mankind  hath  he  directed  ;  and  a  part  hath  been  justly 
led  into  error,  because  they  have  taken  the  devils  for 
their  patrons  besides  God,  and  imagine  that  they  are 
rightly  directed.  ^^  O  children  of  Adam  !  take  your  de- 
cent apparel  at  every  place  of  worship,  and  eat  and  drink, 

27  We  have  sent  down  unto  you  apparel.^  put  on  his  better  apparel,  out  of  respect  to 
Not  only  proper  materials,  but  also  inge-  the  divine  niajesty  before  whom  he  is  to 
nuity  of  mind,  and  dexterity  of  hand,  to  appear.  But  as  the  Mohammedans  think 
make  use  of  them  ^  it  indecent,  on  the  one  hand,  to  come  into 

28  Whereas  ye  see  not  them.']  Because  God's  presence  in  a  slovenly  manner,  so 
of  the  subtilty  of  their  bodies,  and  their  they  imagine,  on  the  other,  that  they  ought 
being  void  of  all  colour  2.  not  to  appear  before  him  in  habits  too  rich 

32  Take   your  decent  apparel  at  every  or  sumptuous,   and  particularly  in  clothes 

place  of  worship^  &c.]     This  passage  v^as  adorned   with   gold   or   silver,    lest    they 

revealed  to  reprove  the  immodest  custom  should  seem  proud. 

of  the  Pagan  Arabs,  who  used  to  encom-         —  And  eat  and  drink.']     The   sons  of 

pass   the  Caaba   naked,   because    clothes,  Amer,  it  is  said,  when  they  performed  the 

they  said,  were  the  signs  of  their  disobe-  pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  used  to  eat  no  more 

dience  to  God  ^.     The   Sonna  orders  that  than  was   absolutely  necessary,  and  that 

when   a  man  goes  to  prayers,  he  should  not   of   the    more  delicious   sort  of   food 

1  3ee  the  notes  to  chap.  ii.  2  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  JaUaWddin,  ul  BeiddwL 


158  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

but  be  not  guilty  of  excess ;  for  he  loveth  not  those  who 
are  guilty  of  excess.  ^^  Say,  Who  hath  forbidden  the 
decent  apparel  of  God,  which  he  hath  produced  for  his 
servants,  and  the  good  things  w^hich  he  hath  provided  for 
food  ?  Say,  These  things  are  for  those  who  believe  in  this 
present  life,  but  peculiarly  on  the  day  of  resurrection. 
Thus  do  we  distinctly  explain  our  signs  unto  people  who 
understand.  ^^  Say,  Verily  my  Lord  hath  forbidden  filthy 
actions,  both  that  which  is  discovered  thereof,  and  that 
which  is  concealed,  and  also  iniquity,  and  unjust  violence; 
and  hath  forbidden  you  to  associate  with  God  that  con- 
cerning which  he  hath  sent  you  down  no  authority,  or  to 
speak  of  God  that  which  ye  know  not.  ^^  Unto  every 
nation  there  is  a  prefixed  term;  therefore  when  their 
term  is  expired,  they  shall  not  have  respite  for  an  hour, 
neither  shall  they  be  anticipated.  ^^  O  children  of  Adam  ! 
verily  apostles  from  among  you  shall  come  unto  you,  who 
shall  expound  my  signs  unto  you  :  whosoever,  therefore, 
shall  fear  God,  and  amend,  there  shall  come  no  fear  on 
them,  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^  But  they  who 
shall  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  and  shall  proudly 
reject  them,  they  shall  be  the  companions  of  hell-fire ; 
they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever.  ^^  And  who  is  more 
unjust  than  he  who  deviseth  a  lie  concerning  God,  or 
accuseth  his  signs  of  imposture?  Unto  these  shall  be 
given  their  portion  of  worldly  happiness,  according  to 
what  is  written  in  the  book  of  God's  decrees,  until  our 
messengers  come  unto  them,  and  shall  cause  them  to  die ; 
saying.  Where  are  the  idols  which  ye  called  upon,  besides 
God  ?  They  shall  answer.  They  have  disappeared  from 
us.  And  they  shall  bear  witness  against  themselves,  that 
they  were  unbelievers.  ^^  God  shall  say  unto  them  at 
the  resurrection.  Enter  ye  with  the  nations  which  have 
preceded  you,  of  genii  and  of  men,  into  hell-fire :  so  often 
as  one  nation  shall  enter,  it  shall  curse  its  sister,  until 

neither :    which    abstinence  they   looked  38  Our  messengers.']     Viz.   The  angel 

upon  as  a  piece  of  merit,  but  they  are  here  of  death,  and  his  assistants. 

told  the  contrary  ^.  39  It  shall  curse  its  sister.]     That  is, 

33  But  peculiarly  on  the  day  of  resur-  the  nation  whose  example  betrayed  them 

rection,]     Because  then  the  wicked,  who  into   their  idolatry,    and    other   wicked- 

also  partook  of  the  blessings  of  this  life,  will  ness. 
have  no  share  in  the  enjoyments  of  the  next. 

*  Jallalo'ddiyij  al  Belddwi. 


VII.]  AL     KORAN.  159 

they  shall  all  have  successively  entered  therem.  The 
latter  of  them  shall  say  of  the  former  of  them,  O  Lord  ! 
these  have  seduced  us ;  therefore  inflict  on  them  a  double 
punishment  of  the  fire  of  hell.  God  shall  answer,  It 
shall  be  doubled  unto  all ;  but  ye  know  it  not.  ^^  And 
the  former  of  them  shall  say  unto  the  latter  of  them,  Ye 
have  not  therefore  any  favour  above  us  ;  taste  the  punish- 
ment for  that  which  ye  have  gained.  ^^  Verily  they  who 
shall  charge  our  signs  with  falsehood,  and  shall  proudly 
reject  them,  the  gates  of  heaven  shall  not  be  opened  unto 
them,  neither  shall  they  enter  into  paradise,  until  a  camel 
pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle ;  and  thus  will  we  reward 
the  wicked  doers.  ^^  Their  couch  shall  be  in  hell,  and 
over  them  shall  be  coverings  of  fire ;  and  thus  will  we 
reward  the  unjust.  '^^  But  they  who  believe,  and  do  that 
which  is  right,  (we  will  not  load  any  soul  but  according 
to  its  ability,)  they  shall  be  the  companions  of  paradise ; 
they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever.  ^*  And  we  will  re- 
move all  grudges  from  their  minds  ;  rivers  shall  run  at 
their  feet,  and  they  shall  say.  Praised  be  God,  who  hath 
directed  us  unto  this  felicity  !  for  we  should  not  have  been 
rightly  directed,  if  God  had  not  directed  us :  now  are  we 
convinced,  by  demonstration,  that  the  apostles  of  our 
Lord  came  unto  us  with  truth.  And  it  shall  be  pro- 
claimed unto  them.  This  is  paradise,  whereof  ye  are  made 
heirs,  as  a  reward  for  that  which  ye  have  wrought.  ^^  And 
the  inhabitants  of  paradise  shall  call  out  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  hell-fire,  saying,  Now  have  we  found  that  which 
our  Lord  promised  us  to  be  true :  have  ye  also  found 

—  It  is  doubled  unto  you  all.~\  Unto  those  sion  was  probably  taken  from  onr  Saviour's 
who  set  the  example,  because  they  not  words  in  the  gospeP;  though  it  be  pro- 
only  transgressed   themselves,    but   were     verbial  in  the  east. 

also  the  occasion  of  the  others'  transgress-         44  And  we  will  remove  all  grudges  from 

ing;  and    unto  those  who  followed  them,  their  minds, ~\  So  that  whatever  differences, 

because  of  their  own  infidelity,  and  their  or  animosities,  there   had  been   between 

imitating  an  ill  example  ^  them  in  their  life-time,  they  shall  now  be 

41   The    gates   of  heaven  shall  not   he  forgotten,  and  give  place  to  sincere  love 

opened  unto  them.']     That  is,  when  their  and    amity.     This   Ali    is    said    to    have 

souls  shall,  after  death,  ascend  to  heaven,  hoped  would  prove  true  to  himself  and  his 

they  shall  not  be  admitted,  but  shall  be  inveterate  enemies,  Othman,   Telha,  and 

thrown  down  into  the  dungeon  under  the  Al  Zobeir  *. 
seventh  earth  2.  45   The    inhabitants.]      Literally,    the 

—  The  eye  of  a  needle.]     This  expres-  companions. 

'  Jallalo' ddin^  al  Beiddwi.  2  Jallaldddin.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  ubi  sup. 

p.  92.  3  Matth.  xix.  24.  ^  ^i  Beiddwi. 


160  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

that  which  your  Lord  promised  you  to  be  true  ?  They 
shall  answer,  Yea.  And  a  crier  shall  proclaim  between 
them,  The  curse  of  God  shall  be  on  the  wicked  ; — ^^  who 
turn  men  aside  from  the  way  of  God,  and  seek  to  render 
it  crooked,  and  who  deny  the  life  to  come.  ^^  And  be- 
tween the  blessed  and  the  damned  there  shall  be  a  veil ; 
and  men  shall  stand  on  Al  Araf,  who  shall  know  every 
one  of  them  by  their  marks,  and  shall  call  unto  the  in- 
habitants of  paradise,  saying.  Peace  be  upon  you  :  yet 
they  shall  not  enter  therein,  although  they  earnestly  de- 
sire it.  ^^  And  when  they  shall  turn  their  eyes  towards 
the  companions  of  hell-fire,  they  shall  say,  O  Lord,  place 
us  not  with  the  ungodly  people !  ^^  And  those  who  stand 
on  Al  Araf  shall  call  unto  certain  men,  whom  they  shall 
know  by  their  marks,  and  shall  say.  What  hath  your 
gathering  of  riches  availed  you,  and  that  ye  were  puffed 
up  with  pride  ?  ^^  Are  these  the  men  on  whom  ye  sware 
that  God  would  not  bestow  mercy  ?  Enter  ye  into  para- 
dise ;  there  shall  come  no  fear  on  you,  neither  shall  ye 
be  grieved.  ^^  And  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire  shall  call 
unto  the  inhabitants  of  paradise,  saying.  Pour  upon  us 
some  water,  or  of  those  refreshments  which  God  hath 
bestowed  on  you.     They  shall  answer,  Verily  God  hath 

45  The  crier.']     Some  say  he  will   be  talized  here,  for  a  certain   time,  with   a 

the  angel  Israfil.  bare  view  of  the  felicity  of  that  place. 

47  And  men  shall  stand  on  Al  Araf.]  49  Certain  men.]     That  is,  the  chiefs 

Al  Araf  is  the  name  of  the  wall,  or  parti-  and  ringleaders  of  the  infidels  *. 

tion,  which,  as    Mohammed  taught,    will  50  On  whom  ye  sware  that  God  would 

separate  paradise  from  hell  *.     But,  as  to  not  bestow  mercy.]     These  were  the  infe- 

the  persons  who  are  to  be  placed  thereon,  rior  and  poorer  among  the  believers,  whom 

the  commentators  differ,  as  has  been  else-  they    despised   in   their  life  time,  as  un- 

where  observed  2.  worthy  of  God's  favour. 

—  fVho  shall  know  every  one  of  them  by  —  Enter  ye  into  paradise,  &c.]  These 
their  marks.]  i.  e.  Who  shall  distinguish  words  are  directed,  by  an  apostrophe,  to 
the  blessed  from  the  damned,  by  their  the  poor  and  despised  believers  above- 
proper  characteristics  ;  such  as  the  white-  mentioned.  Some  commentators,  however, 
ness  and  splendour  of  the  faces  of  the  imagine  that  these,  and  the  next  preceding 
former,  and  the  blackness  of  those  of  the  words,  are  to  be  understood  of  those  who 
latter^.  will  be  confined  in  Al  Araf;  and  that  the 

—  Yet  they  shall  not  enter  therein,  al-  damned  will,  in  return  for  their  reproach- 
though  they  earnestly  desire  it.]  From  ful  speech,  swear  that  they  shall  never 
this  circumstance,  it  seems,  that  their  enter  paradise  themselves ;  whereupon 
opinion  is  the  most  probable,  who  make  God,  of  his  mercy,  shall  order  them  to  be 
this  intermediate  partition  a  sort  of  pur-  admitted  by  these  words  ^ 

gatory  for  those,  who,   though  they  de-         51   Or  of  that  which  God  hath  bestowed 

serve  not  to  be  sent  to  hell,  yet  have  not  on   you.]     i.  e.  Of  the    other   liquors   or 

merits  sufficient  to  gain  them  immediate  fruits  of  paradise.     Compare  this  passage 

admittance  into  paradise,  and  will  be  tan-  with  the  parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus. 

'  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  112.  2  gee  ibid.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

*  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


VII.]  AL  KORAN.  161 

forbidden  them  unto  the  unbelievers ; — '^^  who  made  a 
laughing-stock,  and  a  sport,  of  their  religion,  and  whom 
the  life  of  the  world  hath  deceived  :  therefore  this  day 
will  we  forget  them,  as  they  did  forget  the  meeting  of 
this  day,  and  for  that  they  denied  our  signs  to  be  from 
God.  ^^  And  now  have  we  brought  unto  those  of  Mecca 
a  book  of  divine  revelations ;  we  have  explained  it  with 
knowledge ;  a  direction  and  mercy  unto  people  who  shall 
believe.  ^^  Do  they  wait  for  any  other  than  the  interpre- 
tation thereof?  On  the  day  whereon  the  intepretation 
thereof  shall  come,  they  who  had  forgotten  the  same  be- 
fore, shall  say,  Now  are  we  convinced,  by  demonstration, 
that  the  messengers  of  our  Lord  came  unto  us  with 
truth :  shall  we  therefore  have  any  intercessors,  who  will 
intercede  for  us  ?  or  shall  we  be  sent  back  into  the  world, 
that  we  may  do  other  works  than  what  we  did  in  our  life- 
time ?  But  now  have  they  lost  their  souls  ;  and  that 
which  they  impiously  imagined,  hath  fled  from  them. 
55  Yepiiy  jQur  Lord  is  God,  who  created  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  in  six  days ;  and  then  ascended  his  throne :  he 
causeth  the  night  to  cover  the  day ;  it  succeedeth  the 
same  swiftly  :  he  alsp  created  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and 
the  stars,  which  are  absolutely  subject  unto  his  com- 
mand. Is  not  the  w^hole  creation,  and  the  empire  thereof, 
his  ?  Blessed  be  God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  !  ^^  Call 
upon  your  Lord  humbly,  and  in  secret,  for  he  loveth 
not  those  who  transgress.  ^^  And  act  not  corruptly 
in  the  earth,  after  its  reformation  ;  and  call  upon  him 
with  fear  and  desire :  for  the  mercy  of  God  is  near 
unto  the  righteous.  ^^  It  is  he  who  sendeth  the  winds, 
spread    abroad    before    his   mercy,  until   they   bring   a 

54  The  interpretation  thereof.']    That  is,  58  Spread  abroad.']     Or  ranging  over  a 

the  event   of  the   promises  and  menaces  large   extent   of  land.     Some   copies,  in- 

therein.  stead  of  Noshran,  which  is  the  reading  I 

—  Fled  from    them.]     See    chap.    vi.  have  here  followed,  have  Boshran^  which 

p.  138,  note  60.  signifies  good  tidings;  the   rising  of  the 

56  Who  transgress.]  Behaving  them-  wind  in  such  a  manner  being  the  forerun- 
selves   arrogantly   while    they    pray ;    or  ner  of  rain. 

praying  with  an  obstreperous   voice,  or  a  —  Before   his  mercy.]     That  is,  rain, 

multitude  of  words,  and  vain  repetitions  ^.  For  the  east  wind,  says  Al  Beidawi,  raises 

57  After  its  reformation.]  i.  e.  After  the  clouds^  the  north  wind  drives  them 
that  God  had  sent  his  prophets,  and  re-  together,  the  south  wind  agitates  them 
vealed  his  laws,  for  the  reformation  and  so  as  to  make  the  rain  fall,  and  the  south 
amendment  of  mankind.  wind  disperses  them  again  2. 

1  Al  Beldam..  ^   Idem. 

VOL.  I.  M 


162  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

cloud  heavy  with  rain,  which  we  drive  into  a  dead 
country ;  and  we  cause  water  to  descend  thereon,  by 
which  we  cause  all  sorts  of  fruits  to  spring  forth. 
Thus  will  we  bring  forth  the  dead  from  their  graves  ; 
that,  peradventure,  ye  may  consider.  ^^  From  a  good 
country  shall  its  fruit  spring  forth  abundantly,  by  the 
permission  of  its  Lord  ;  but  from  the  land  which  is  bad, 
it  shall  not  spring  forth  otherwise  than  scarcely.  Thus 
do  we  explain  the  signs  of  divine  providence  unto  people 
who  are  thankful.  ^^  We  formerly  sent  Noah  unto  his 
people :  and  he  said,  O  my  people  !  worship  God  :  ye 
have  no  other  God  than  him.  Verily  I  fear  for  you  the 
punishment  of  the  great  day.  ^^  The  chiefs  of  his  people 
answered  him,  We  surely  perceive  thee  to  be  in  a  mani- 
fest error.  ^^  He  replied,  O  my  people  !  there  is  no  error 
in  me ;  but  I  am  a  messenger  from  the  Lord  of  all  crea- 
tures. ^^  I  bring  unto  you  the  messages  of  my  Lord  ; 
and  I  counsel  you  aright :  for  I  know  from  God,  that 
which  ye  know  not.  ^^  Do  ye  wonder  that  an  admonition 
hath  come  unto  you  from  your  Lord  by  a  man  from 

58  A  dead  country.']      Or   a  dry    and  to  call  together   the  workmen  who  were 

parched  land.  building  the  ark,  but  to  give  him  an  op- 

—  From  their  graves.]   See  the  Prelim,  portunity  of  daily  admonishing  his  people 

Disc.  §  iv.  p.  93,  98,  &c.  of  the  impending   danger  of  the  deluge, 

60  Noah.]     Noah,  the  son  of  Lamech,  which   would    certainly    destroy    them   if 

according  to    the    Mohammedan   writers,  they  did  not  repent  ^. 
was  one  of  the   six   principal  prophets  ^,         Some   Mohammedan   authors    pretend, 

though  he   had  no  written  revelations  de-  Noah  was  sent  to  convert  Zohak,  one  of 

livered   to   him  2,  and   the  first  who  ap-  the  Persian  kings    of  the  first  race,  who 

peared  after   his  great  grandfather  Edris,  refused  to  hearken  to  him;  and  that  he  after- 

or    Enoch.      They  also   say,  he   was   by  wards  preached  God's  unity  publicly  ^. 
trade  a  carpenter,  which  they  infer  from         —   Worship  God :  ye  have  no  other  God 

his  building  the  ark ;  and  that  the  year  of  hut  him.]     From   these  words,  and  other 

his  mission  was  the  fiftieth,   or,   as  others  passages    of    the    Koran,    where    Noah's 

say,  the  fortieth,  of  his  age  ^.  preaching   is  mentioned,  it  appears  that, 

That  Noah  was  a  preacher  of  righteous-  according  to  Mohammed's  opinion,  a  prin- 

ness  unto  the  wicked  antediluvians,  is  tes-  cipal  crime  of  the  antediluvians  was   ido- 

tified  by  scripture  *.     The  eastern   Chris-  latry  ^ 

tians   say,  that  when   God  ordered  Noah         —  The  great  day.]     Viz.    Either   the 

to  build  the  ark,  he   also  directed  him  to  day  of  resurrection,  or  that  whereon  the 

make  an  instrument  of  wood,  such  as  they  flood  was  to  begin. 

make  use   of  at  this  day,  in  the  east,  in-         64  By  a  man.]     For,  said  they,  if  God 

stead  of  bells,  to  call  the  people  to  church,  had  pleased,  he  would  have  sent  an  angel, 

and  named  in  Arabic,  NdkuSf  and  in  mo-  and  not   a  man  ;  since  we  never  heard  of 

dern  Greek,  Semandra;  on  which  he  was  such    an    instance   in    the  times    of    our 

to  strike  three  times  every  day,  not  only  fathers  ^ 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  89.  ^  y.  Reland,  de  relig.  Moh.  p.  34.  ^  Al  Za- 

makhshari.  *  2  Pet.  ii.  5.  ^  Eutych.  Annal.  p.  37-  ^  V.  D' Herb  el. 

Bibl.  Orient,  p.  675.  '  See  chap.  Ixxi.  and  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  22. 
^  Al  Beiddwi. 


VII.]  AL    KORAN.  163 

among  you,  to  warn  you,  that  ye  may  take  heed  to  your- 
selves, and  that,  peradventure,  ye  may  obtain  mercy? 
^^  And  they  accused  him  of  imposture  :  but  we  delivered 
him,  and  those  who  were  with  him  in  the  ark,  and  Ave 
drowned  those  who  charged  our  signs  with  falsehood ; 
for  they  were  a  blind  people.  ^^  And  unto  the  tribe  of 
Ad  we  sent  their  brother  Hud.  He  said,  O  my  people ! 
worship  God  :  ye  have  no  other  God  than  him ;  will  ye 
not  fear  him  ?  ^^  The  chiefs  of  those  among  his  people 
who  believed  not,  answ^ered.  Verily  we  perceive  that  thou 
art  guided  by  folly ;  and  we  certainly  esteem  thee  to  be 
one  of  the  liars.  ^^  He  replied,  O  my  people  !  I  am  not 
guided  by  folly ;  but  I  am  a  messenger  unto  you  from 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures  : — ^^  I  bring  unto  you  the  mes- 
sages of  my  Lord  ;  and  I  am  a  faithful  counsellor  unto 
you.  ^^  Do  ye  wonder  that  an  admonition  hath  come 
unto  you  from  your  Lord,  by  a  man  from  among  you, 
that  he  may  warn  you  ?  Call  to  mind  how  he  hath  ap- 
pointed you  successors  unto  the  people  of  Noah,  and 
hath  added  unto  you  in  stature  largely.  Remember  the 
benefits  of  God,  that  ye  may  prosper.  '^  They  said.  Art 
thou  come  unto  us,  that  we  should  worship  God  alone, 

65  And  those  who  were  with  him  in  the  fourth    restoring    them    to    health    when 

ark.']      That   is,  those   who    believed   on  afflicted  with  sickness  ^;  according  to  the 

him,  and    entered    into    that  vessel   with  signification  of  the  several  names, 
him.     Though  there  be  a  tradition  among         —  Hud.]     Generally   supposed    to   be 

the  Mohammedans,  said  to  have  been  re-  the  same  person  with  Heber  ^  ;  but  others 

ceived  from  the  prophet  himself,  and  con-  say,  he  was  the  son  of  Abda'llah,  the  son 

formable  to  the  scripture,   that  eight  per-  of  Ribah,  the  son  of  Kholud,  the   son  of 

sons,  and  no  more,  were  saved  in  the  ark ;  Ad,    the  son    of  Aws   or   Uz,   the  son  of 

yet,  some  of  them  report  the  number  va-  Aram,  the  son  of  Sem  ^ 
riously.     One  says  they  were  but  six,  ano-         67   Who    believed  not.]      These    words 

ther  ten,  another  twelve,  another  seventy-  were  added,  because  some  of  the  principal 

eight,   and  another  four-score,  half  men  men   among  them  believed  on  Hud,  one 

and  half  women  ^  ;  and  that  one   of  them  of  whoin  was  Morthed  Ebn  Saad  ^, 
was  the  elder  Jorham  2,  the  preserver,  as         70  The  successors  of  the  people  of  Noah.] 

some  pretend,  of  the  Arabian  language^.  Dwelling  in  the  habitations  of  the  antedi- 

i^Q  Ad.]  Ad  was  an  ancient  and  potent  luvians,  who  preceded  them  not  many  cen- 
tribe  of  Arabs  %  and  zealous  idolaters^,  turies ;  or  having  the  chief  sway  in  the 
They  chiefly  worshipped  four  deities,  Sa-  earth  after  them.  For  the  kingdom  of 
kia,  Hafedha,  Razeka,  and  Salema  ;  the  Shedad,  the  son  of  Ad,  is  said  to  have  ex- 
first,  as  they  imagined,  supplying  them  tended  from  the  sands  of  Alaj,  to  the  trees 
with   rain,    the    second   preserving    them  of  Oman  '^^. 

from   all   dangers   abroad,  the  third  pro-         —  Stature.]     See     the    Prelim.     Disc. 

viding  food  for  their  sustenance,  and   the  p.  8. 

^  Al  Zamakhshari,  Jallalo' ddin^  Ebn  Shohnah.  ^  Idem.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 

§  i.  p.  9.  3  y^  Pocock.  Orat.  prsefix.  Carm.  Tograi.  *  See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 

§  i.  p.  6,  7,  «.  ^  Abulfeda.  ^  V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Houd. 

7  See  the  Prel.  Disc.  p.  7.  »  ji  Beiddivi.  ^  Idem.  10  Idem. 

M   2 


164 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


and  leave  the  deities  which  our  fathers  worshipped  ? 
Now  bring  down  that  judgment  upon  us,  with  which 
thou  threatenest  us,  if  thou  speakest  truth.  ^^  Hud  an- 
swered, Now  shall  there  suddenly  fall  upon  you,  from 
your  Lord,  vengeance  and  indignation.  Will  ye  dispute 
with  me  concerning  the  names  which  ye  have  named, 
and  your  fathers ;  as  to  which  God  hath  not  revealed 
unto  you  any  authority  ?  Do  ye  wait,  therefore,  and  I  will 
be  one  of  those  who  wait  with  you.  ^^  And  we  delivered 
him,  and  them  who  believed  with  him,  by  our  mercy ; 
and  we  cut  off  the  uttermost  part  of  those  who  charged 
our  signs  with  falsehood,  and  were  not  believers.  ^*  And 
unto  the  tribe  of  Thamud  we  sent  their  brother  Saleh. 
He  said,  O  my  people !  worship  God  ;  ye  have  no  God 
besides  him.  Now  hath  a  manifest  proof  come  unto  you 
from  your  Lord.  This  she-camel  of  God  is  a  sign  unto 
you ;  therefore  dismiss  her  freely,  that  she  may  feed  in 


72  Concerning  the  names  which  ye  have 
namedf  &c.]  That  is,  concerning  the  idols, 
and  imaginary  objects  of  your  worship,  to 
which  ye  wickedly  give  the  names,  attri- 
butes, and  honour,  due  to  the  only  true 
God. 

73  And  we  cut  off^  &c.]  The  dreadful 
destruction  of  the  Adites  we  have  men- 
tioned in  another  place  ^,  and  shall  only 
add  here  some  further  circumstances  of 
that  calamity,  and  which  differ  a  little 
from  what  is  there  said;  for  the  Arab 
writers  acknowledge  many  inconsistencies 
in  the  histories  of  these  ancient  tribes  2, 

The  tribe  of  Ad  having  been,  for  their 
incredulity,  previously  chastised  with  a 
three  years'  drought,  sent  Kail  Ebn  Ithar 
and  Morthed  Ebn  Saad,  with  seventy 
other  principal  men,  to  the  temple  of 
Mecca  to  obtain  rain.  Mecca  was  then  in 
the  hands  of  the  tribe  of  Amalek,  whose 
prince  was  Moawiyah  Ebn  Beer  ;  and  he 
being  without  the  city  when  the  ambas- 
sadors arrived,  entertained  them  there  for 
a  month  in  so  hospitable  a  manner,  that 
they  had  forgotten  the  business  they  came 
about,  had  not  the  king  reminded  them  of 
it;  not  as  from  himself,  lest  they  should 
think  he  wanted  to  be  rid  of  them ;  but 
by  some  verses  which  he  put  into  the 
mouth  of  a  singing  woman.  At  which, 
being  roused  from  their  lethargy,  Morthed 
told  them,  the  only  way  they  had  to  obtain 


what  they  wanted,  would  be  to  repent, 
and  obey  their  prophet :  but  this  displeas- 
ing the  rest,  they  desired  Moawiyah  to 
imprison  him,  lest  he  should  go  with  them  ; 
which  being  done.  Kail,  with  the  rest, 
entering  Mecca,  begged  of  God  that  he 
would  send  rain  to  the  people  of  Ad. 
Whereupon  three  clouds  appeared,  a  white 
one,  a  red  one,  and  a  black  one  ;  and  a 
voice  from  heaven  ordered  Kail  to  choose 
which  he  would.  Kail  failed  not  to  make 
choice  of  the  last,  thinking  it  to  be  loaden 
with  the  most  rain ;  but  when  this  cloud 
came  over  them,  it  proved  to  be  fraught 
with  the  divine  vengeance,  and  a  tempest 
broke  forth  from  it  which  destroyed  them 
all  3. 

74  Thamud.~\  Thamud  was  another 
tribe  of  the  ancient  Arabs  who  fell  into 
idolatry.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  8. 

—  Sdleh.']  Al  Beidawi  deduces  his 
genealogy  thus.  Saleh,  the  son  of  Obeid, 
the  son  of  Asaf,  the  son  of  Masekh,  the 
son  of  Obeid,  the  son  of  Hadher,  the  son 
of  Thamud  K 

—  This  shC'Camel  of  God  is  a  sign  unto 
youJ]  The  Thamudites  insisting  on  a 
miracle,  proposed  to  Saleh,  that  he  should 
go  with  them  to  their  festival,  and  that 
they  should  call  on  their  gods,  and  he  on 
his,  promising  to  follow  that  deity  which 
should  answer.  But  after  they  had  called 
on  their  idols  a  long  time  to  no  purpose. 


1  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  7-  ^  Al  Beidawi.    V.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Houd. 

3  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  7,  8.  *  Ahulfeda,  Al  Zamakhshari.     V.  D'HerheL 


Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Saleh. 


VII.] 


AL   KORAN, 


165 


God's  earth ;  and  do  her  no  hurt,  lest  a  painful  punish- 
ment seize  you.  ^^  And  call  to  mind  how  he  hath 
appointed  you  successors  unto  the  tribe  of  Ad,  and  hath 
given  you  a  habitation  on  earth ;  ye  build  yourselves 
castles  on  the  plains  thereof,  and  cut  out  the  mountains 
into  houses.  Remember  therefore  the  benefits  of  God, 
and  commit  not  violence  in  the  earth,  acting  corruptly. 
^^  The  chiefs  among  his  people,  who  were  puffed  up  with 
pride,  said  unto  those  who  were  esteemed  weak,  namely, 
unto  those  who  believed  among  them,  Do  ye  know  that 
Saleh  hath  been  sent  from  his  Lord  ?  They  answered , 
We  do  surely  believe  in  that  wherewith  he  hath  been 
sent.  ^^  Those  who  were  elated  with  pride,  replied.  Verily 
we  believe  not  in  that  wherein  ye  believe.  ^^  And  they 
cut  off  the  feet  of  the  camel,  and  insolently  transgressed 
the  command  of  their  Lord,  and  said,  O  Saleh,  cause 
that  to  come  upon  us,  with  which  thou  hast  threatened 


Jonda  Ebn  Amru,  their  prince,  pointing 
to  a  rock,  standing  by  itself,  bid  Saleh 
cause  a  she- camel,  big  with  young,  to  come 
forth  from  it,  solemnly  engaging,  that,  if 
he  did,  he  would  believe :  and  his  people 
promised  the  same.  Whereupon  Saleh 
asked  it  of  God,  and  presently  the  rock, 
after  several  throes,  as  if  in  labour,  was 
delivered  of  a  she-camel,  answering  the 
description  of  Jonda,  which  immediately 
brought  forth  a  young  one  ready  weaned, 
and,  as  some  say,  as  big  as  herself.  Jonda, 
seeing  this  miracle,  believed  on  the  pro- 
phet, and  some  few  with  him ;  but  the 
greater  part  of  the  Thamudites  remained, 
notwithstanding,  incredulous.  Of  this 
camel  the  commentators  tell  several  very 
absurd  stories  ;  as  that  when  she  went  to 
drink,  she  never  raised  her  head  from  the 
well,  or  river,  till  she  had  drunk  up  all 
the  water  in  it,  and  then  she  offered  her- 
self to  be  milked,  the  people  drawing  from 
her  as  much  milk  as  they  pleased  ;  and 
some  say,  that  she  went  about  the  town 
crying  aloud.  If  any  wants  milk,  let  him 
come  forth  *. 

75  Mountains  into  houses.']  The  tribe  of 
Thamud  dwelt  first  in  the  country  of  the 
Adites,  but  their  numbers  increasing,  they 
removed  to  the  territory  of  Hejr  for  the 
sake  of  the  mountains,  where  they  cut  for 
themselves  habitations  in  the  rocks,  to  be 
seen  at  this  day. 


78  And  they  cut  off  the  feet  of  the 
camel.]  This  extraordinary  camel  fright- 
ening the  other  cattle  from  their  pasture, 
a  certain  rich  woman,  named  OneizaOmm 
Ganem,  having  four  daughters,  dressed 
them  out,  and  offered  one  Kedar  his  choice 
of  them,  if  he  would  kill  the  camel. 
Whereupon  he  chose  one,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  eight  other  men,  hamstrung 
and  killed  the  dam,  and  pursuing  the 
young  one,  which  fled  to  the  mountain, 
killed  that  also,  and  divided  his  flesh 
among  them  2.  Others  tell  the  story  some- 
what differently,  adding  Sadaka  Bint  al 
Mokhtar  as  a  joint  conspiratress  with 
Oneiza,  and  pretending  that  the  young 
one  was  not  killed  :  for  they  say,  that 
having  fled  to  a  certain  mountain,  named 
Kara,  he  there  cried  three  times,  and  Saleh 
bid  them  catch  him  if  they  could,  for 
then  there  might  be  hopes  of  their  avoid- 
ing the  divine  vengeance  ;  but  this  they 
were  not  able  to  do,  the  rock  opening 
after  he  had  cried,  and  receiving  him 
within  it^. 

—  A7id  insolently  transgressed  the  com^ 
mand  of  their  Lord,  &c.]  Defying  the 
vengeance  with  which  they  were  threat- 
ened ;  because  they  trusted  in  their  strong 
dwellings,  hewn  in  the  rocks  ;  saying, 
that  the  tribe  of  Ad  perished  only  because 
their  houses  were  not  built  with  sufficient 
strength  ^. 


1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  8.  2  Ahulfeda, 

ubi  supra.  *  Al  Kessai. 


3  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  D'HerbeL 


166 


AL     KORAN. 


[chap 


us,  if  thou  art  one  of  those  who  have  been  sent  by  God. 
^^  Whereupon  a  terrible  noise  from  heaven  assailed  them ; 
and  in  the  morning  they  were  found  in  their  dwellings 
prostrate  on  their  breasts  and  dead.  ^^  And  Saleh  de- 
parted from  them,  and  said,  O  my  people !  now  have  I 
delivered  unto  you  the  message  of  my  Lord  ;  and  I 
advised  you  well,  but  ye  love  not  those  who  advise  you 
well.  ^^  And  remember  Lot,  when  he  said  unto  his 
people.  Do  ye  commit  a  wickedness,  wherein  no  creature 
hath  set  you  an  example  ?  ^^  Do  ye  approach  lustfully 
unto  men,  leaving  the  women?  Certainly  ye  are  people 
who  transgress  all  modesty.  ^^  But  the  answer  of  his 
people  was  no  other  than  that  they  said,  the  one  to  the 
other.  Expel  them  your  city  ;  for  they  are  men  who  pre- 
serve themselves  pure  from  the  crimes  which  ye  commit. 
^^  Therefore  we  delivered  him  and  his  family,  except  his 
wife  ;  she  was  one  of  those  who  staid  behind :  ^^  and  we 
rained  a  shower  of  stones  upon  them.     Behold,  therefore. 


79  A  terrible  noise  from  heaven.^  Like 
violent  and  repeated  claps  of  thunder  ; 
which,  some  say,  was  no  other  than  the 
voice  of  the  angel  Gabriel  1,  and  which 
rent  their  hearts  2.  It  is  said,  that  after 
they  had  killed  the  camel,  Saleh  told  them, 
that  on  the  morrow  their  faces  should  be- 
come yellow,  the  next  day  red,  and  the 
third  day  black,  and  that  on  the  fourth 
God's  vengeance  should  light  on  them  ; 
and  that  the  first  three  signs  happening 
accordingly,  they  sought  to  put  him  to 
death,  but  God  delivered  him,  by  sending 
him  into  Palestine  3. 

—  Dead^  Mohammed,  in  the  expe- 
dition of  Tabuc,  which  he  undertook 
against  the  Greeks  in  the  ninth  year  of 
the  Hejra,  passing  by  Hejr,  where  this 
ancient  tribe  had  dwelt,  forbade  his  army, 
though  much  distressed  with  heat  and 
thirst,  to  draw  any  water  there,  but  ordered 
them,  if  they  had  drunk  of  that  water,  to 
bring  it  up  again  ;  or  if  they  had  kneaded 
any  meal  with  it,  to  give  it  their  camels*  ; 
and  wrapping  up  his  face  in  his  garment, 
he  set  spurs  to  his  mule,  crying  out.  Enter 
not  the  houses  of  those  wicked  men,  but 
rather  weep,  lest  that  happen  unto  you 
which  befel  them  ;  and  having  so  said,  he 
continued  galloping  full  speed,  with  his  face 
muffled  up,  till  he  had  passed  the  valley  ^ 


80  And  said,  &c.]  Whether  this  speech 
was  made  by  Saleh  to  them  at  parting,  as 
seems  most  probable,  or  after  the  judg- 
ment had  fallen  on  them,  the  commenta- 
tors are  not  agreed. 

81  Lot.^  The  commentators  say,  con- 
formably to  the  scripture,  that  Lot  was 
the  son  of  Haran,  the  son  of  Azer  or 
Terah,  and,  consequently,  Abraham's  ne- 
phew, who  brought  him  with  him  from 
Chaldea  into  Palestine,  where,  they  say, 
he  was  sent  by  God  to  reclaim  the  inha- 
bitants of  Sodom,  and  the  other  neigh- 
bouring cities,  which  were  overthrown 
with  it,  from  the  unnatural  vice  to  which 
they  were  addicted  ^.  And  this  Moham- 
medan tradition  seems  to  be  countenanced 
by  the  words  of  the  apostle,  That  this 
righteous  man  dwelling  among  them,  in 
seeing  and  hearing,  vexed  his  righteous 
soul  from  day  to  day  with  their  unlawful 
deeds  ^ ;  whence  it  is  probable  that  he 
omitted  no  opportunity  of  endeavouring 
their  reformation.  The  story  of  Lot  is 
told  with  further  circumstances  in  the 
eleventh  chapter. 

83  Expel  them,  &c.]  Viz.  Lot,  and 
those  who  believe  on  him. 

84  His  wife.~\     See  chap.  xi. 

85  Stones,~\     See  ibid. 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  8. 
*  Abulfeda,  Vit.  Moh.  p.  124. 
Orient.  Art.  Loth. 


2  Ahulfeda,  al  Beiddwi. 
5  Al  Bokkari, 
7  2  Pet.  ii.  8. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 
V.  D'Herhlot,  Bibl. 


VII.] 


AL    KORAN, 


167 


what  was  the  end  of  the  wicked.  ^^  And  unto  Madian 
we  sent  their  brother  Shoaib.  He  said  unto  them,  O  my 
people  !  worship  God  ;  ye  have  no  God  besides  him. 
Now  hath  an  evident  demonstration  come  unto  you  from 
your  Lord.  Therefore,  give  full  measure  and  just  weight, 
and  diminish  not  unto  men  aught  of  their  matters ; 
neither  act  corruptly  in  the  earth,  after  its  reformation. 
This  will  be  better  for  you,  if  ye  believe.  ^^  And  beset 
not  every  way,  threatening  the  passenger ;  and  turning 
aside  from  the  path  of  God  him  who  believeth  in  him,  and 
seeking  to  make  it  crooked.  And  remember,  when  ye 
were  few,  and  God  multiplied  you  :  and  behold  what 
hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  acted  corruptly.  ^^  And 
if  part  of  you  believe  in  that  wherewith  I  am  sent,  and 
part  believe  not,  wait  patiently  until  God  judge  between 
us  ;    for   he   is    the   best  judge.     [*IX.]    ^^  The  chiefs 


86  Madian,~\  or  Midian,  was  a  city  of 
Hejaz,  and  the  habitation  of  a  tribe  of  the 
same  name,  the  descendants  of  Midian, 
the  son  of  Abraham  by  Keturah  *,  who 
afterwards  coalesced  with  the  Ismaelites, 
as  it  seems  ;  Moses  naming  the  same  mer- 
chants who  sold  Joseph  to  Potiphar,  in 
one  place  Ismaelites  ^,  and  in  another 
Midianites^. 

This  city  was  situated  on  the  Red  Sea, 
south-east  of  Mount  Sinai,  and  is  doubt- 
less the  same  with  the  Modiana  of  Ptolemy. 
What  was  remaining  of  it  in  Mohammed's 
time  was  soon  after  demolished  in  the  suc- 
ceeding wars  *,  and  it  remains  desolate  to 
this  day.  The  people  of  the  country 
pretend  to  shew  the  well  whence  Moses 
watered  Jethro's  flocks  ^. 

—  Shoaib.']  Some  Mohammedan  writ- 
ers make  him  the  son  of  Mikai'l,  the  son 
of  Yashjar,  the  son  of  Madian  ^  ;  and  they 
generally  suppose  him  to  be  the  same 
person  with  the  father-in-law  of  Moses, 
who  is  named,  in  scripture,  Reuel  or 
Raguel,  and  Jethro  ^  But  Ahmed  Ebn 
Abd'alhalim  charges  those  who  enter- 
tain this  opinion  with  ignorance.  Al 
Kessai  says,  that  his  father's  name  was 
Sanun,  and  that  he  was  first  called  Boyun, 
and  afterwards  Shoaib  ;  and  adds,  that  he 
was  a  comely  person,  but  spare  and  lean, 


very  thoughtful,  and  of  few  words.  Dr. 
Prideaux  writes  this  name,  after  the  French 
translation,  Chaib  ^. 

—  An  evident  demonstration.]  This 
demonstration  the  commentators  suppose 
to  have  been  a  power  of  working  mira- 
cles, though  the  Koran  mentions  none  in 
particular.  However,  they  say  (after  the 
Jews)  that  he  gave  his  son-in-law  that 
wonder-working  rod  ^,  with  which  he  per- 
formed all  those  miracles  in  Egypt  and 
the  desert,  and  also  excellent  advice  and 
instructions  ^^  ;  whence  he  had  the  sur- 
name of  Khattb  al  Anhiyd,  or  The  preacher 
to  the  prophets  ^i. 

—  Give  full  measure  and  just  weighty 
&c.]  For  one  of  the  great  crimes  which 
the  Midianites  were  guilty  of,  was  the 
using  of  divers  measures  and  weights,  a 
great  and  a  small,  buying  by  one  and  sell- 
ing by  another  ^2. 

—  Reformation.]  See  before,  p.  161, 
note  57. 

87  Beset  not  every  way,  threatening  the 
passenger.]  Robbing  on  the  highway,  it 
seems,  was  another  crying  sin  frequent 
among  these  people.  But  some  of  the 
commentators  interpret  this  passage  figu- 
ratively, of  their  besetting  the  way  of 
truth,  and  threatening  those  who  gave  ear 
to  the  remonstrances  of  Shoaib  ^^, 


1  Gen.  XXV.  2.  2  (jgn.  xxxix.  1.  3  q^jj.  xxxvii.  36.  *  V.  Golii 

not.  in  Alfrag.  p.  143.  ^  Abulfeda  Descr.  Arab.  p.  42.     Georgr.  Nub.  p.  109. 

6  Jl  Beiddwi,  Tarikh  Montakhab.  7  Exod.  ii.  18.  iii.  1.  8  Life  of 

Mahom.  p.  24.  9  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  Shalshel.  hakkab.  p.  12.  10  Exod. 

xviii.  13,  &c.  11  V.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Schoaib.  12  y.  ib. 

Al  Beiddwi.     See  Deut.  xxv.  13,  14.  i3  j^^^^^ 


168  AL   KO  RAN.  [chap. 

of  his  people,   who   were  elated   with    pride,  answered, 
We  will    surely  cast  thee,    O   Shoaib,   and    those  who 
believe  with  thee,  out  of  our  city;   or  else  thou  shalt 
certainly   return    unto    our   religion.       He    said.    What 
though     we    be    averse    thereto  ?     ^^  We    shall    surely 
imagine    a   lie  against    God,    if  we   return   unto    your 
religion,    after   that    God    hath    delivered   us   from   the 
same  :    and   we    have    no    reason    to    return    unto    it, 
unless  God  our  Lord  shall  please  to  abandon  us.     Our 
Lord    comprehendeth    every    thing    by    his    knowledge. 
In  God  do  we  put  our  trust.     O  Lord  !  do  thou  judge 
between  us  and  our  nation  with  truth ;  for  thou  art  the 
best  judge.     ^^  And  the  chiefs  of  his  people,  who  believed 
not,   said.  If  ye   follow  Shoaib,   ye   shall  surely  perish. 
^^  Therefore  a  storm  from  heaven  assailed  them,  and  in 
the  morning  they  were  found  in  their  dwellings  dead  and 
prostrate.     ^^  They  who  accused  Shoaib  of  imposture  be- 
came as  though  they  had  never  dwelt  therein ;  they  who 
accused  Shoaib  of  imposture  perished  themselves.  ^^And 
he  departed  from  them,  and  said,  O  my  people  !  now  have 
I  performed  unto  you  the  messages  of  my  Lord  ;  and  I 
advised  you  aright :  but  why  should  I  be  grieved  for  an 
unbelieving  people  ?     ^^  We  have  never  sent  any  prophet 
unto  a  city,  but  we  afflicted  the  inhabitants  thereof  with 
calamity  and  adversity,  that   they  might  humble  them- 
selves.    ^^  Then  we  gave  them  in  exchange  good  in  lieu 
of  evil,   until    they  abounded,  and    said.  Adversity  and 
prosperity  formerly  happened  unto  our  fathers  as  unto  us. 
Therefore  we  took  vengeance  on  them  suddenly,  and  they 
perceived  it  not  beforehand.     ^^  But  if  the  inhabitants  of 
those  cities  had  believed  and  feared  God,  we  would  surely 
have  opened  to  them  blessings  both  from  heaven  and 
earth.     But  they  charged  our  apostles  with  falsehood: 
wherefore  we  took  vengeance   on  them  for  that  which 
they  had  been  guilty  of.     ^^  Were  the  inhabitants,  there- 
fore, of  those  cities  secure,  that  our  punishment  should 
not  fall  on  them  by  night,  while  they  slept  ?     ^^  Or  were 
the  inhabitants  of  those  cities  secure  that  our  punish- 

92  A  storm  from  heaven.']     Like  that  both  ;  and  both  these  dreadful  calamities 

which  destroyed  the  Thamudites.     Some  may  well  be  supposed  to  have  jointly  exe- 

suppose  it  to  have  been  an  earthquake,  cuted  the  divine  vengeance, 
for  the   original  word  signifies  either,  or 


VII.]  AL     KORAN.  169 

ment  should  not  fall  on  them  by  day,  while  they  sported  ? 
100  "WTere  they,  therefore,  secure  from  the  stratagem  of 
God  ?  But  none  will  think  himself  secure  from  the 
stratagem  of  God,  except  the  people  who  perish.  ^^^  And 
hath  it  not  manifestly  appeared  unto  those  who  have  in- 
herited the  earth  after  the  former  inhabitants  thereof, 
that,  if  we  please,  we  can  afflict  them  for  their  sins  ?  But 
we  will  seal  up  their  hearts ;  and  they  shall  not  hearken. 
102  ^^Q  ^[\i  relate  unto  thee  some  stories  of  these 
cities.  Their  apostles  had  come  unto  them  with  evident 
miracles,  but  they  were  not  disposed  to  believe  in  that 
which  they  had  before  gainsaid.  Thus  will  God  seal  up 
the  hearts  of  the  unbelievers.  ^^^  And  we  found  not  in 
the  greater  part  of  them  any  observance  of  their  cove- 
nant ;  but  we  found  the  greater  part  of  them  wicked 
doers.  ^^^  Then  we  sent  after  the  above-named  apostles, 
Moses  with  our  signs  unto  Pharaoh  and  his  princes, 
who  treated  them  unjustly :  but  behold  what  was  the  end 
of  the  corrupt  doers.  ^^^  And  Moses  said,  O  Pharaoh  ! 
verily  I  am  an  apostle  sent  from  the  Lord  of  all  crea- 
tures. ^^^  It  is  just  that  I  should  not  speak  of  God  other 
than  the  truth.  Now  am  I  come  unto  you  with  an  evi- 
dent sign  from  your  Lord  :  send,  therefore,  the  children 
of  Israel  away  with  me.  Pharaoh  answered,  if  thou 
comest  with  a  sign,  produce  it,  if  thou  speakest  truth. 

100  The  stratagem  of  God.']     Hereby  Masab,  the  son  of  Riyan,  the  son  of  Wa- 

is  figuratively   expressed  the    manner  of  lid  ^  the  Amalekite  ^.     There  are  histo- 

God's  dealing  with  proud  and  ungrateful  rians,  however,  who  suppose  Kabus,  the 

men,  by  suffering  them  to  fill  up  the  mea-  brother  and  predecessor  of  al  Walid,  was 

sure  of  their  iniquity,  without  vouchsafing  the  prince  we  are  speaking  of;  and  pre- 

to   bring    them  to  a  sense  of  their  con-  tend    he   lived   six    hundred  and   twenty 

dition,   by   chastisements  and    afflictions,  years,  and  reigned  four  hundred.     Which 

till  they  find  themselves  utterly  lost,  when  is  more  reasonable,  at  least,  than  the  opi- 

they  least  expect  it  ^  nion    of  those  who    imagined  it  was  his 

104  Pharaoh.']  This  was  the  common  father  Masab,  or  grandfather  Riyan  *, 
title,  or  name,  of  the  kings  of  Egypt,  Abulfeda  says,  that  Masab,  being  one 
(signifying  king  in  the  Coptic  tongue,)  as  hundred  and  seventy  years  old,  and  hav- 
Ptolemy  was  in  after  times  :  and  as  Caesar  ing  no  child,  while  he  kept  the  herds,  saw 
was  that  of  the  Roman  Emperors  ;  and  a  cow  calve,  and  heard  her  say,  at  the 
Koshru,  that  of  the  kings  of  Persia.  But  same  time,  O  Masab  !  be  not  grieved,  for 
which  of  the  kings  of  Egypt,  this  Pha-  thou  shalt  have  a  wicked  son,  who  will  be 
raoh  of  Moses  was,  is  uncertain.  Not  to  at  length  cast  into  hell.  And  he  accord- 
mention  the  opinions  of  the  European  ingly  had  this  Walid,  who  afterwards 
writers,  those  of  the  east  generally  sup-  coming  to  be  king  of  Egypt,  proved  an 
pose  him  to  have  been  al  Walid,  who,  ac-  impious  tyrant. 

cording  to  some,  was  an  Arab  of  the  tribe  —   Who  treated  them  unjustly.]  By  not 

of  Ad,  or,  according  to  others,  the  son  of  believing  therein. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  gee  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  9,  10.  ^  Abulfeda^  &c. 

^Kitab  tafsir  lebab,  &  al  Keshaf. 


170  AL     KORAN.  -  [chap. 

107  Wherefore  he  cast  down  his  rod :  and  behold,  it  be- 
came a  visible  serpent.  ^^^  And  he  drew  forth  his  hand 
out  of  his  bosom  ;  and  behold,  it  appeared  white  unto  the 
spectators.  ^^^  The  chiefs  of  the  people  of  Pharaoh  said, 
This  man  is  certainly  an  expert  magician.  ^^^  He  seeketh 
to  dispossess  you  of  your  land  ;  what,  therefore,  do  ye 
direct  ?  ^^^  They  answered.  Put  off  him  and  his  brother 
by  fair  promises  for  some  time,  and,  in  the  meanwhile, 
send  unto  the  cities  persons  who  may  assemble — ^^^and 
bring  unto  thee  every  expert  magician.  ^^^  So  the  ma- 
gicians came  unto  Pharaoh  ;  ^^^  and  they  said,  Shall  we 
surely  receive  a  reward,  if  we  do  overcome  ?  ^^^  He  an- 
swered. Yea;  and  ye  shall  certainly  be  of  those  who 
approach  near  unto  my  throne.  ^^^  They  said,  O  Moses  ! 
either  do  thou  cast  down  thy  rod  first,  or  we  will  cast  down 
ours.  "^  Moses  answered,  Do  ye  cast  down  your  rods 
first.  And  when  they  had  cast  them  down,  they  en- 
chanted the  eyes  of  the  men  who  were  present,  and  ter- 
rified them ;  and  they  performed  a  great  enchantment. 
^^^  And  we  spake  by  revelation  unto  Moses,  saying.  Throw 

107  A  visible  serpent.']  The  Arab  wri-  white  and  splendid,  surpassing  the  bright- 
ters  tell  enormous  fables  of  this  serpent,  ness  of  the  sun  2.  Marracci  ^  says,  we  do 
or  dragon.  For  they  say,  that  he  was  not  read  in  scripture,  that  Moses  shewed 
hairy,  and  of  so  prodigious  a  size,  that,  this  sign  before  Pharaoh.  It  is  true,  the 
when  he  opened  his  mouth,  his  jaws  were  scripture  does  not  expressly  say  so,  but 
fourscore  cubits  asunder ;  and  when  he  it  seems  to  be  no  more  than  a  necessary 
laid  his  lower  jaw  on  the  ground,  his  inference  from  that  passage,  where  God 
upper  reached  to  the  top  of  the  palace  ;  tells  Moses,  that  if  they  will  not  hearken 
that  Pharaoh,  seeing  this  monster  make  to  the  first  sign,  they  will  believe  the  lat- 
towards  him,  fled  from  it,  and  was  so  ter-  ter  sign;  and  if  they  will  not  believe 
ribly  frightened,  that  he  befouled  himself,  these  two  signs,  then  directs  him  to  turn 
and  that  the  whole  assembly  also  betaking  the  water  into  blood  *. 

themselves    to    their  heels,   no   less  than  113  The  magicians.]    The  Arabian  wri- 

twenty-five  thousand  of  them    lost  their  ters  name  several  of  these  magicians,  be- 

lives  in  the  press.     They  add,  that  Pha-  side  their  chief  priest  Simeon,  viz.  Sadur, 

raoh,  upon  this,  adjured   Moses,  by  God,  and   Ghadur,   Jaath,  and   Mosfa,    Waran, 

who  had  sent  him,   to  take  away  the  ser-  and  Zaman,  each  of  whom  came  attended 

pent,  and  promised  he  would  believe  on  with   their  disciples,   amounting  in  all  to 

him,  and  let  the    Israelites  go  ;  but  when  several  thousands  ^. 

Moses  had   done   what    he  requested,  he  117  A'nd  they  performed   a  great  en- 

relapsed,    and  grew   as  hardened    as  be-  chantmeyit.]      They    provided   themselves 

fore  ^.  with  a  great  number  of  thick  ropes  and 

108  He  drew  forth  his  hand,  and  it  he^  long  pieces  of  wood,  which  they  contrived, 
came  white.]  There  is  a  tradition  that  by  some  means,  to  move,  and  make  them 
Moses  was  a  very  swarthy  man  ;  and  that,  twist  themselves  one  over  the  other  ;  and 
when  he  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom,  and  so  imposed  on  the  beholders,  who  at  adis- 
drew  it  out  again,   it  became   extremely  tance  took  them  to  be  true  serpents^. 

1   At  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^   j,-,  aIc.  p.  284.  *  Exod.  iv.  8,  9. 

5  V.  D'Herhelot,  Bibl.  Orient,  art.  Mousa,  p.  643,  &c.     Al  Kessai.  ^  At  Beiddwi. 

v.  IfHerbeloi,  ubi  sup.  and  Koran,  c.  20. 


VII.] 


AL  KORAN. 


171 


down  thy  rod.  And  behold,  it  swallowed  up  the  rods 
which  they  had  caused  falsely  to  appear  changed  into 
serpents.  ^^^  Wherefore  the  truth  was  confirmed,  and 
that  which  they  had  wrought  vanished.  ^^^  And  Pharaoh 
and  his  magicians  were  overcome  there,  and  were  ren- 
dered contemptible.  ^^^  And  the  magicians  prostrated 
themselves,  worshipping  ;  ^^^  and  they  said.  We  believe  in 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures, — ^^^  the  Lord  of  Moses  and 
Aaron  ;  ^^^  Pharaoh  said.  Have  ye  believed  on  him  be- 
fore I  have  given  you  permission  ?  Verily  this  is  a  plot 
which  ye  have  contrived  in  the  city,  that  ye  might  cast 
forth  from  thence  the  inhabitants  thereof  But  ye  shall 
surely  know  that  I  am  your  master ;  for  ^^^  I  will  cause 
your  hands  *  and  your  feet  to  be  cut  off  on  the  opposite 
sides ;  then  will  I  cause  you  all  to  be  crucified.  ^^^  The 
magicians  answered.  We  shall  certainly  return  unto  our 
Lord,  in  the  next  life ;  ^^^  for  thou  takest  vengeance  on 
us  only  because  we  have  believed  in  the  signs  of  our 
Lord,  when  they  have  come  unto  us.  O  Lord  !  pour  on 
us  patience ;  and  cause  us  to  die  Moslems.     ^^^  And  the 


118  Behold i  it  swallowed  up  the  rods, 
&c.]  The  expositors  add,  that  when  this 
serpent  had  swallowed  up  all  the  rods  and 
cords,  he  made  directly  towards  the  as- 
sembly, and  put  them  into  so  great  a  ter- 
ror, that  they  fled,  and  a  considerable 
number  were  killed  in  the  crowd  :  then 
Moses  took  it  up,  and  it  became  a  rod  in 
his  hand  as  before.  Whereupon  the  ma- 
gicians declared,  that  it  could  be  no  en- 
chantment ;  because  in  such  case,  their 
rods  and  cords  would  not  have  disap- 
peared ^ 

121  j:4nd  the  magicians  pro.strated  them- 
selves, worshipping,  &c.]  It  seems  pro- 
bable that  all  the  magicians  were  not 
converted  by  this  miracle,  for  some  wri- 
ters introduce  Sadur  and  Ghadur  only, 
acknowledging  Moses's  miracle  to  be 
wrought  by  the  power  of  God.  These 
two,  they  say,  were  brothers,  and  the  sons 
of  a  famous  magician,  then  dead  ;  but,  on 
their  being  sent  for  to  court  on  this  occa- 
sion, their  mother  persuaded  them  to  go 
to  their  father's  tomb,  to  ask  his  advice. 
Being  come  to  the  tomb  the  father  an- 
swered their  call,  and,  when  they  had 
acquainted  him  with  the  affair,  he  told 
them,  that  they  should  inform  themselves, 
whether  the  rod,  of  which  they  spoke,  be- 


came a  serpent  while  its  masters  slept,  or 
only  when  they  were  awake  ;  for,  said  he, 
enchantments  have  no  effect  while  the 
enchanter  is  asleep  ;  and,  therefore,  if  it 
be  otherwise  in  this  case,  you  may  be 
assured  that  they  act  by  a  divine  power. 
These  two  magicians  then,  arriving  at  the 
capital  of  Egypt,  on  inquiry,  found,  to 
their  great  astonishment,  that,  when  Moses 
and  Aaron  went  to  rest,  their  rod  became 
a  serpent,  and  guarded  them  while  they 
slept  2.  And  this  was  the  first  step  to- 
wards their  conversion. 

124  This  is  a  plot  which  ye  have  con- 
trived, &c.]  i.  e.  This  is  a  confederacy 
between  you  and  Moses,  entered  into  be- 
fore ye  left  the  city,  to  go  to  the  place  of 
appointment,  to  turn  out  the  Copts,  or 
native  Egyptians,  and  establish  the  Israel- 
ites in  their  stead  ^. 

125  On  the  opposite  sides.']  That  is, 
your  right  hands  and  your  left  feet. 

— ■  And  I  will  cause  you  all  to  he  cru- 
cified.'] Some  say,  Pharaoh  was  the  first 
inventor  of  this  ignominious  and  painful 
punishment. 

127  Moslems.]  Some  think  these  con- 
verted magicians  were  executed  accord- 
ingly :  but  others  deny  it,  and  say,  that 
the   king  was    not  able   to   put    them  to 


^  Al  Beiddwi, 


V.  D'Herhel.  ubi  sup. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 


172  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

chiefs  of  Pharaoh's  people  said.  Wilt  thou  let  Moses 
and  his  people  go,  that  they  may  act  corruptly  in  the 
earth,  and  leave  thee  and  thy  gods  ?  Pharaoh  answered, 
We  will  cause  their  male  children  to  be  slain,  and  we 
will  suffer  their  females  to  live ;  and  by  that  means  we 
shall  prevail  over  them.  ^^^  Moses  said  unto  his  people, 
ask  assistance  of  God,  and  suffer  patiently  :  for  the  earth 
is  God's,  he  giveth  it  for  an  inheritance  unto  such  of  his 
servants  as  he  pleaseth ;  and  the  prosperous  end  shall  be 
unto  those  who  fear  him.  ^^^  They  answered.  We  have 
been  afflicted  by  having  our  male  children  slain,  before 
thou  camest  unto  us,  and  also  since  thou  hast  come  unto 
us.  Moses  said,  Peradventure  it  may  happen  that  your 
Lord  will  destroy  your  enemy,  and  will  cause  you  to  suc- 
ceed him  in  the  earth,  that  he  may  see  how  ye  will  act 
therein.  ^^^  And  we  formerly  punished  the  people  of 
Pharaoh  with  dearth  and  scarcity  of  fruits,  that  they 
might  be  warned.  ^^^  Yet,  when  good  happened  unto 
them,  they  said.  This  is  owing  unto  us  :  but  if  evil  befel 
them,  they  attributed  the  same  to  the  ill  luck  of  Moses, 
and  those  who  were  with  him.  Was  not  their  ill  luck 
with  God  ?  but  most  of  them  knew  it  not.  ^^^  And  they 
said  unto  Moses,  Whatever  sign  thou  shew  unto  us,  to 
enchant  us  therewith,  we  will  not  believe  on  thee. 
134  Wherefore  we  sent  upon  them  a  flood,  and  locusts,  and 

death:  insisting   on    these  words  of  the  132    To    the   ill   luck    of  Moses^    &c.] 

Koran  ^,  You  two,  and  they  who  follow  Looking  on  him  and   his  followers  as  the 

you,  shall  overcome.  occasion  of  those  calamities.    The  original 

128  Thy  gods.~\    Which  were  the  stars,  word  properly  signifies  to  take  an  ominous 

or  other  idols.     But  some  of  the  commen«  and  sinister  presage  of  any  future  event, 

tators,  from  certain  impious  expressions  of  from  the  flight  of  birds,  or  the  like, 

this  prince  recorded  in  the  Koran  2,  where-  —   Was  not  their  ill  luck  with  God  ?'\ 

by  he  sets  up  himself  as  the  only  god  of  By  whose  will  and  decree   they  were   so 

his  subjects,  suppose  that  he  was  the  ob-  afflicted  as  a  punishment  for  their  wicked- 

ject  of  their  worship,  and,  therefore,  in-  ness. 

stead  of  Alihataca,  Thy  gods,  read,  Ilaha-  134  A  flood.'\     This   inundation,  they 

tica,  Thy  worship  ^.  say,  was    occasioned    by   unusual    rains, 

—   We  will  cause  their  male  children  to  which  continued  eight  days  together,  and 

he  slain,  &c.]     That  is.  We  will  continue  the  overflowing  of  the  Nile ;  and  not  only 

to  make  use  of  the  same  cruel  policy  to  covered   their  lands,  but  came  into  their 

keep  the  Israelites  in  subjection,  as  we  houses,  and   rose  as  high  as  their  backs 

have  hitherto  done.     The  commentators  and  necks  :  but  the  children  of  Israel  had 

say,  that  Pharaoh  came  to  this  resolution,  no  rain  in  their  quarters  ^.     As  there  is  no 

because  he   had  either  been   admonished  mention  of  any  such  miraculous  inunda- 

in  a  dream,  or   by  the  astrologers,  or  di-  tion  in    the   Mosaic  writings,  some    have 

viners,  that  one  of  that  nation  should  sub-  imagined  this   plague  to  have  been  either 

vert  his  kingdom  *.  a  pestilence,  or  the  small  pox,  or  some 

1  Chap,  xxviii.  ^  [\y\^\^  and  chap.  xxvi.  &c.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem, 

Jallalo'ddin.  ^  lidem,  Abulfed. 


VII.]  A  L     KORAN.  173 

lice,  and  frogs,  and  blood ;  distinct  miracles :  but  they 
behaved  proudly,  and  became  a  wicked  people.  ^^^  And 
when  the  plague  fell  on  them,  they  said,  O  Moses  !  en- 
treat thy  Lord  for  us,  according  to  that  which  he  hath 
covenanted  with  thee:  Verily  if  thou  take  the  plague 
from  off  us,  we  will  surely  believe  thee,  and  we  will  let 
the  children  of  Israel  go  with  thee.  But  when  we  had 
taken  the  plague  from  off  them,  until  the  term  which  God 
had  granted  them  was  expired,  behold,  they  broke  their 
promise.  ^^^  Wherefore  we  took  vengeance  on  them,  and 
drowned  them  in  the  Red  Sea;  because  they  charged  our 
signs  with  falsehood,  and  neglected  them.  ^^^  And  we 
caused  the  people,  who  had  been  rendered  weak,  to  in- 
herit the  eastern  parts  of  the  earth,  and  the  western  parts 
thereof,  which  we  blessed  with  fertility ;  and  the  gracious 
word  of  thy  Lord  was  fulfilled  on  the  children  of  Israel, 
for  that  they  had  endured  with  patience  :  and  we  de- 
stroyed the  structures  which  Pharaoh  and  his  people  had 
made,  and  that  which  they  had  erected.  ^^^  And  we 
caused  the  children  of  Israel  to  pass  through  the  sea, 
and  they  came  unto  a  people  who  gave  themselves  up  to 
the  worship  of  their  idols,  and  they  said,  O  Moses  !  make 
us  a  god,  in  like  manner  as  these  people  have  gods. 
Moses  answered,  Verily  ye  are  an  ignorant  people :  ^^^  for 
the  religion  which  these  follow  will  be  destroyed,  and 
that  which  they  do  is  vain.  ^^^  He  said.  Shall  I  seek  for 
you  any  other  god  than  God  ;  since  he  hath  preferred 

other    epidemical    distemper  ^     For    the  land   of  Syria ;  of  which  the  eastern  geo- 

word  Tiifdn,  which  is  used  in  this  place,  graphers  reckon    Palestine   a   part,    and 

and  is  generally  rendered  a  Deluge,  may  wherein  the  commentators  say,  the  chil- 

also  signify  any  other  universal  destruction  dren    of  Israel    succeeded    the    kings    of 

or  mortality.  Egypt  and  the  Amalekites^. 

—  Lice,^     Some  will  have  these  insects         —  And  we    destroyed    the    structures 

to  have  been  a  larger  sort  of  tick  ;  others,  which  Pharaoh   and  his  people  had  made, 

the    young     locusts     before     they    have  &c.]     Particularly  the   lofty  tower  which 

wings  2.  Pharaoh  caused  to  be  built,  that  he  might 

135  The  plague.']     Viz.  Any  of  the  ca-  attack  the  God  of  Moses  *. 

lamities  already  mentioned,  or  the  pesti-         138  And  they  came  unto  a  people  who 

lence  which  God  sent  upon  them  after-  worshipped  idols.]    These  people  some  will 

wards.  have  to  be  of  the  tribe  of  Amalek,  whom 

136  Red  Sea.]  See  this  wonderful  Moses  was  commanded  to  destroy;  and 
event  more  particularly  described  in  the  others,  of  the  tribe  of  Lakhm.  Their 
tenth  and  twentieth  chapters.  idols,  it   is   said,  were    images    of   oxen, 

137  The  eastern  parts  of  the  earth,  and  which  gave  the  first  hint  to  the  making  of 
the   western  parts  thereof.]     That  is,  the  the  golden  calf  s. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem.  *  V.  Kor.  chap,  xxviii.  and  xl, 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


174  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

you  to  the  rest  of  the  world  ?  ^^^  And  remember  when 
we  delivered  you  from  the  people  of  Pharaoh,  who  griev- 
ously oppressed  you ;  they  slew  your  male  children,  and 
let  your  females  live :  therein  was  a  great  trial  from  your 
Lord.  ^^^  And  we  appointed  unto  Moses  a  fast  of  thirty 
nights  before  we  gave  him  the  law,  and  we  completed 
them  by  adding  of  ten  more ;  and  the  stated  time  of  his 
Lord  w^as  fulfilled  in  forty  nights.  And  Moses  said  unto 
his  brother  Aaron,  Be  thou  my  deputy  among  my  people 
during  my  absence ;  and  behave  uprightly,  and  follow  not 
the  way  of  the  corrupt  doers.  ^^^  And  when  Moses  came 
at  our  appointed  time,  and  his  Lord  spake  unto  him,  he 
said,  O  Lord  !  shew  me  thy  glory,  that  I  may  behold 
thee.  God  answered.  Thou  shalt  in  no  wise  behold  me  : 
but  look  towards  the  mountain,  and  if  it  stand  firm  in  its 
place,  then  shalt  thou  see  me.  But  when  his  Lord  ap- 
peared with  glory  in  the  mount,  he  reduced  it  to  dust. 
And  Moses  fell  down  in  a  swoon.  And  when  he  came  to 
himself,  he  said.  Praise  be  unto  thee !  I  turn  unto  thee 
with  repentance,  and  I  am  the  first  of  true  believers : 
^^^  God  said  unto  him,  O  Moses  !  I  have  chosen  thee 
above  all  men,  by  honouring  thee  with  my  commissions, 
and  by  my  speaking  unto  thee  :  receive,  therefore,  that 
which  I  have  brought  thee,  and  be  one  of  those  who  give 
thanks :   ^^^  And   we   wrote    for   him    on    the   tables    an 

142  We  appointed  unto  Moses  a  fast  of  143  And  Ms  Lord  spake  unto  him.'] 
thirtij  nights,  and  we  completed  them  hy  Without  the  mediation  of  any  other,  and 
adding  of  ten  more,  &c.]  The  commen-  face  to  face,  as  he  speaks  unto  the  angels^, 
tators  say,  that  God,  having  promised  —  The  mountain.']  This  mountain  the 
Moses  to  give  him  the  law,  directed  him  Mohammedans  name,  al  Zabir. 
to  prepare  himself  for  the  high  favour  of  —  When  his  Lord  appeared  with  glory 
speaking  with  God  in  person,  by  a  fast  of  in  the  mount.]  Or,  as  it  is  literally,  unto 
thirty  days;  and  that  Moses  accordingly  the  mount.  For  some  of  the  expositors 
fasted  the  whole  month  of  Dhu'lkaada  ;  pretend  that  God  endued  the  mountain 
but,  not  liking  the  savour  of  his  breath,  with  life  and  the  sense  of  seeing, 
he  rubbed  his  teeth  with  a  dentifrice,  upon  —  I  am  the  first  of  true  believers.']  This 
which  the  angels  told  him,  that  his  breath  is  not  to  be  taken  strictly.  See  the  like 
before  had  the  odour  of  musk  ^,  but  that  expression  in  chap.  vi. 
his  rubbing  his  teeth  had  taken  it  away.  The  Mohammedans  have  a  tradition, 
Wherefore,  God  ordered  him  to  fast  ten  that  Moses  asked  to  see  God  on  the  day  of 
days  more,  which  he  did  ;  and  these  were  Arafat,  and  that  he  received  the  law  on 
the  first  ten  days  of  the  succeeding  month  the  day  they  slay  the  victims  at  the  pil- 
Dhu'lhajja.  Others,  however,  suppose  grimage  of  Mecca,  which  days  are  the 
that  Moses  was  commanded  to  fast  and  ninth  and  tenth  of  Dhu'lhajja. 
pray  thirty  days  only,  and  that  during  the  145  The  tables.]  These  tables,  accord- 
other  ten  God  discoursed  with  him  2.  ing  to  some,  were  seven  in  number,  and, 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  132,  133.  2  ji  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 

3  Al  Beid.     V.  D'Herb.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  650. 


VII.]  AL  KORAN.  175 

admonition  concerning  every  matter,  and  a  decision  in 
every  case,  and  said,  Receive  this  with  reverence;  and  com- 
mand thy  people  that  they  live  according  to  the  most 
excellent  precepts  thereof.  I  will  shew  you  the  dwelling 
of  the  wicked.  ^^^  I  will  turn  aside  from  my  signs  those 
who  behave  themselves  proudly  in  the  earth,  without  jus- 
tice :  and  although  they  see  every  sign,  yet  they  shall  not 
believe  therein ;  and  although  they  see  the  way  of  righte- 
ousness, yet  they  shall  not  take  that  way ;  but  if  they  see 
the  way  of  error,  they  shall  take  that  way.  This  shall 
come  to  pass,  because  they  accuse  our  signs  of  imposture, 
and  neglect  the  same.  ^^^  But  as  for  them  who  deny  the 
truth  of  our  signs,  and  the  meeting  of  the  life  to  come, 
their  works  shall  be  vain :  shall  they  be  rewarded  other- 
wise than  according  to  what  they  shall  have  wrought  ? 
^^^  And  the  people  of  Moses,  after  his  departure,  took  a 
corporeal  calf,  made  of  their  ornaments,  which  lowed. 
Did  they  not  see  that  it  spake  not  unto  them,  neither 
directed  them  in  the  way?  yet  they  took  it  for  their  god, 
and  acted  wickedly.  ^^^  But  when  they  repented  with 
sorrow,  and  saw  that  they  had  gone  astray,  they  said, 
Verily  if  our  Lord  have  not  mercy  upon  us,  and  forgive 
us  not,  we  shall  certainly  become  of  the  number  of  those 
who  perish.  ^''^  And  when  Moses  returned  unto  his 
people,  full  of  wrath  and  indignation,  he  said.  An  evil 
thing  is   it  that  ye  have  committed  after  my  departure ; 

according   to    others,  ten.      Nor    are  the  wicked.~\     Viz.  The  desolate  habitations  of 

commentators  agreed,  whether  they  were  the    Egyptians,    or  those   of  the  impious 

cut  out  of  a  kind  of  lote-tree,  in  paradise,  tribes   of  Ad  and   Thamud  ;  or,  perhaps, 

called  Sedra ;  or  whether  they  were  chry-  hell,  the    dwelling   of  the   ungodly  in  the 

solites,  emeralds,  rubies,  or  common  stone  ^.  other  world. 

But  they  say,  that  they  were  each  ten  or         148  A  corporeal  calf.]    That  is,  as  some 

twelve  cubits  long ;  for  they  suppose,  that  understand    it,    consisting    of   flesh    and 

not  only  the   ten    commandments,  but  the  blood ;  or,  as  others,   being  a  mere  body, 

whole  law,  was  written  thereon  :  and  some  or  mass  of  metal,  without  a  soul  ^. 
add,    that    the    letters    were    cut    quite         —  Of  their  ornaments.]     Such  as  their 

through  the  tables,  so  that  they  might  be  rings  and  bracelets  of  gold  and  silver  1 
read  on  both  sides  2 ;  which  is  a  fable  of         —   Which  lowed.]     See   chap.  xx.  and 

the  Jews.  the  notes  to  chap.  ii. 

—  An  admonition  concerning  every  mat-  149  With  sorrow.]  Father  Marracci 
ter^  and  a  decision  in  every  case,]  That  seems  not  to  have  understood  the  meaning 
is,  a  perfect  law,  comprehending  all  neces-  of  this  phrase,  having  literally  translated 
sary  instructions,  as  well  in  regard  to  reli-  the  Arabic  words,  Wa  lamma  soMta  fi 
gious  and  moral  duties,  as  the  administra-  eidihim,  without  any  manner  of  sense, 
tion  of  justice.  Et  cum  cadere  factus  fuisset  in  manibus 

—  /  will  shew  you  the  dwelling  of  the  eorum» 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  y.  D'Herbel.  ubi  supra.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.     See  chap.  xx. 

and  the  notes  to  chap.  ii.  *  V.  ibid. 


176  AL   KORAN.  [chap, 

have  ye  hastened  the  command  of  your  Lord  ?  And  he 
threw  down  the  tables,  and  took  his  brother  by  the  hair 
of  the  head,  and  dragged  him  unto  him.  And  Aaron 
said  unto  him,  Son  of  my  mother,  verily  the  people  pre- 
vailed against  me,  and  it  wanted  little  but  they  had  slain 
me  :  make  not  my  enemies  therefore  to  rejoice  over  me, 
neither  place  me  with  the  wicked  people.  ^^^  Moses  said, 
O  Lord  !  forgive  me  and  my  brother,  and  receive  us  into 
thy  mercy ;  for  thou  art  the  most  merciful  of  those  who 
exercise  mercy.  ^^^  Verily  as  for  them  who  took  the  calf 
for  their  god,  indignation  shall  overtake  them  from  their 
Lord,  and  ignominy  in  this  life :  thus  will  we  reward 
those  who  imagine  falsehood.  ^^^  But  unto  them  who  do 
evil,  and  afterwards  repent,  and  believe  in  God,  verily  thy 
Lord  will  thereafter  be  clement  and  merciful.  ^^*  And 
when  the  anger  of  Moses  was  appeased,  he  took  the 
tables ;  and  in  what  was  written  thereon  was  a  direction 
and  mercy,  unto  those  who  feared  their  Lord.  ^^^  And 
Moses  chose  out  of  his  people  seventy  men,  to  go  up  with 
him  to  the  mountain  at  the  time  appointed  by  us„:  and 
when  a  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning  had  taken 
them  away,  he  said,  O  Lord  !  if  thou  hadst  pleased, 
thou  hadst  destroyed  them  before,  and  me  also ;  wilt 
thou  destroy  us  for  that  which  the  foolish  men  among 
us  have  committed?  This  is  only  thy  trial;  thou  wilt 
thereby  lead  into  error  whom  thou  pleasest,  and  thou 
wilt  direct  whom  thou  pleasest.  Thou  art  our  protector, 
therefore  forgive  us,  and  be  merciful  unto  us ;  for  thou 
art  the  best  of  those  who  forgive.  '^^  And  write  down 
for  us  good  in  this  world,  and  in  the  life  to  come ;  for 
unto  thee  are  we  directed.  God  answered,  I  will  inflict 
my  punishment  on  whom  I  please ;  and  my  mercy  ex- 
tend eth  over  all  things :  and  I  will  write  down  good  unto 
those  who  shall  fear  me, — ^^^  and  give  alms,  and  who  shall 

150  Have  ye  hastened  the  command  of  —  Prevailed   against  me.']      Literally, 

t/owriorc??]  By  neglecting  his  precepts,  and  rendered  me  weak, 

bringing  down  his  swift  vengeance  on  you.  152  Indig7iation.~\     See  chap.  ii. 

—  And    he    threw  down    the    tables,]  154  The  tables.]     Or,  the  fragments  of 

Which  were  all  broken,  and  taken  up  to  that  which  was  left. 

heaven,  except  one  only;  and  this,  they  155  A  storm,   &c.]     See  chap.   ii.  and 

say,  contained  the  threats  and  judicial  ordi-  chap.  iv. 
nances,  and  was  afterwards  put  into  the  ark^. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  D'Herbel.  ubi  sup.  p.  649. 


VII.]  AL    KORAN.  177 

believe  in  our  signs; — ^^^  who  shall  follow  the  apostle,  the 
illiterate  prophet,  whom  they  shall  find  written  down  with 
them  in  the  law  and  in  the  gospel :  he  will  command  them 
that  which  is  just,  and  will  forbid  them  that  which  is  evil ; 
and  will  allow  unto  them  as  lawful  the  good  things  which 
were  before  forbidden,  and  will  prohibit  those  which  are 
bad :  and  he  will  ease  them  of  their  heavy  burden,  and 
of  the  yokes  which  were  upon  them.  And  those  who 
believe  on  him,  and  honour  him,  and  assist  him,  and 
follow  the  light,  which  hath  been  sent  down  with  him, 
shall  be  happy.  ^^^  Say,  O  men !  verily  I  am  the  mes- 
senger of  God  unto  you  all ;  unto  him  belongeth  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  there  is  no  God  but  he ; 
he  giveth  life,  and  he  causeth  to  die.  Believe,  therefore, 
in  God  and  his  apostle,  the  illiterate  prophet,  who  be- 
lieveth  in  God  and  his  word  ;  and  follow  him  that  ye  may 
be  rightly  directed.  ^^^  Of  the  people  of  Moses  there  is  a 
party  who  direct  others  with  truth,  and  act  justly  accord- 
ing to  the  same.  ^^^  And  we  divided  them  into  twelve 
tribes,  as  into  so  many  nations.  And  we  spake  by  reve- 
lation unto  Moses,  when  his  people  asked  drink  of  him, 
and  we  said,  strike  the  rock  with  thy  rod ;  and  there 
gushed  thereout  twelve  fountains,  and  men  knew  their 
respective  drinking-place.  And  we  caused  clouds  to  over- 
shadow them,  and  manna  and  quails  to  descend  upon 
them,  saying.  Eat  of  the  good  things  which  we  have 
given  you  for  food :  and  they  injured  not  us,  but  they 

168  The  illiterate  prophet.']     That  is,  imagine  they  were  a  Jewish  nation,  dwell- 

Mohammed.  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §ii.p.49.  ing  somewhere  beyond  China,  which  Mo- 

—  Written  down,]  i.  e.  Both  foretold  hammed  saw  the  night  he  made  his  journey 
by  name  and  certain  description.  to  heaven,  and  who  believed  on  him  ^ 

—  Before  for  hidden  J\    See  ch.  iii.  161  And  there  gushed  thereout  tivelve 

—  And  will  prohibit  those    which   are  fountains,  &c.]      See  chap.  ii. 

had.]  As  the  eating  of  blood  and  swine's  To  what  is  said  in  the  notes  there,  we 
flesh,  and  the  taking  of  usury,  &c.  may  add,  that,  according  to  a  certain  tra- 

—  Yokes,  &c.]     See  ch.  ii.  dition,  the  stone,  on  which  this  miracle 

159  Unto  you  all.]  That  is,  to  all  man-  was  wrought,  was  thrown  down  from  pa- 
kind  in  general,  and  not  to  one  parti-  radise  by  Adam,  and  came  into  the  pos- 
cular  nation,  as  the  former  prophets  were  session  of  Shoaib,  who  gave  it  with  the 
sent.  rod  to  Moses  ;  and  that,  according  to  ano- 

160  Of  the  people  of  Moses  there  is  a  ther,  the  water  issued  thence  by  three 
party  who  direct  others  with  truth,  &c.]  orifices  on  each  of  the  four  sides  of  the 
Viz.  Those  Jews  who  seemed  better  dis-  stone,  making  twelve  in  all,  and  that  it 
posed  than  the  rest  of  their  brethren  to  ran,  in  so  many  rivulets,  to  the  quarter  of 
receive  Mohammed'slaw  ;  or,  perhaps,  such  each  tribe  in  the  camp  2. 

of  them  as  had  actually  received  it.    Some         —  Quails.]     See  chap.  ii. 

^   A I  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem. 

VOL,  I.  N 


178  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

injured  their  own  souls.  ^^^  And  call  to  mind  when  it 
was  said  unto  them,  Dwell  in  this  city,  and  eat  of  the 
provisions  thereof  wherever  ye  will,  and  say,  For- 
giveness !  and  enter  the  gate  worshipping  :  we  will 
pardon  you  your  sins,  and  will  give  increase  unto  the 
well-doers.  ^^^  But  they  who  were  ungodly  among  them 
changed  the  expression  into  another,  which  had  not 
been  spoken  unto  them.  Wherefore  we  sent  down  upon 
them  indignation  from  heaven,  because  they  had  trans- 
gressed. ^^^And  ask  them  concerning  the  city,  which 
was  situate  on  the  sea,  when  they  transgressed  on  the 
sabbath-day ;  when  their  fish  came  unto  them  on  their 
sabbath-day,  appearing  openly  on  the  water ;  but  on  the 
day  whereon  they  celebrated  no  sabbath,  they  came  not 
unto  them.  Thus  did  we  prove  them,  because  they  were 
wicked  doers.  ^^^  And  when  a  party  of  them  said  unto 
the  others.  Why  do  ye  warn  a  people  whom  God  will 
destroy,  or  will  punish  with  a  grievous  punishment  ?  They 
answered.  This  is  an  excuse  for  us  unto  your  Lord  ;  and 
perad venture  they  will  beware.  '^^But  when  they  had 
forgotten  the  admonitions  which  had  been  given  them, 
we  delivered  those  who  forbade  them  to  do  evil :  and  we 
inflicted  on  those  who  had  transgressed,  a  severe  punish- 
ment, because  they  had  acted  wickedly.  ^^^  And  when 
they  proudly  refused  to  desist  from  what  had  been  for- 
bidden them,  we  said  unto  them.  Be  ye  transformed  into 
apes,  driven  away  from  the  society  of  men.  ^^^  And  re- 
member when  thy  Lord  declared  that  he  would  surely 

162  Dwell  in  this  cityr\  See  this  pas-  the  Red  Sea ;  though  some  pretend  it  was 
sage  explained,  chap.  ii.  Midian,  and  others,  Tiberias.     The  whole 

163  Changed  the  expression  into  ano-  story  is  already  given  in  the  notes  to 
ther^  &c.]  Professor  Sike  says,  that,  being  chap.  ii.  Some  suppose  the  following 
prone  to  leave  spiritual  for  worldly  mat-  five  or  eight  verses  to  have  been  revealed 
ters,  instead  of  Hittaton,  they  said  Hin-  at  Medina. 

fa^ow,  which  signifies  Wheat  ^^  and  comes  165  ^  party  of  them.']  Viz.  the  re- 
much  nearer  the  true  word  than  the  ex-  ligious  persons  among  them,  who  strictly 
pression  I  have,  in  the  place  last  quoted,  observed  the  sabbath,  and  endeavoured  to 
set  down  from  Jallalo'ddin.  Whether  he  reclaim  the  others  till  they  despaired  of 
took  this  from  the  same  commentator  or  success.  But  some  think  these  words 
not,  does  not  certainly  appear,  though  he  were  spoken  by  the  offenders,  in  answer 
mentions  him  just  before;  but  if  he  did,  to  the  admonitions  of  the  others, 
his  copy  must  differ  from  that  which  I  —  An  excuse  for  us,  &c.]  That  we 
have  followed.  have  done  our  duty  in  dissuading  them 

164  And  ask  them  concerning  the  city,  from  their  wickedness. 
&c.]     This  city  was  Ailah,  or  Elath,  on 

1  Sike,  in  not.  ad  Evang.  Infant,  p.  71. 


vil]  AL   KORAN.  179 

send  against  the  Jews,  until  the  clay  of  resurrection,  some 
nation  who  should  afflict  them  with  a  grievous  oppres- 
sion :  for  thy  Lord  is  swift  in  punishing,  and  he  is  also 
ready  to  forgive,  and  merciful.  ^^^  And  we  dispersed 
them  among  the  nations  in  the  earth.  Some  of  them  are 
upright  persons,  and  some  of  them  are  otherwise.  And 
we  proved  them  with  prosperity,  and  with  adversity,  that 
they  might  return  from  their  disobedience  ; — ^^^  and  a 
succession  of  their  posterity  hath  succeeded  after  them, 
who  have  inherited  the  book  of  the  law,  who  receive  the 
temporal  goods  of  this  world,  and  say,  It  will  surely  be 
forgiven  us ;  and  if  a  temporal  advantage,  like  the  former, 
be  offered  them,  they  accept  it  also.  Is  not  the  covenant 
of  the  book  of  the  law  established  with  them,  that  they 
should  not  speak  of  God  aught  but  the  truth  ?  Yet  they 
diligently  read  that  which  is  therein.  But  the  enjoyment 
of  the  next  life  will  be  better  for  those  who  fear  God 
than  the  wicked  gains  of  these  people ;  Do  ye  not  there- 
fore understand?  ^^^  And  eternal  felicity  is  for  those  who 
hold  fast  the  book  of  the  law,  and  are  constant  at  prayer : 
for  we  will  by  no  means  suffer  the  reward  of  the  righteous 
to  perish.  ^^^  And  when  we  shook  the  mountain  of  Sinai 
over  them,  as  though  it  had  been  a  covering,  and  they 
imagined  that  it  was  falling  upon  them  ;  and  we  said. 
Receive  the  law  which  we  have  brought  you  with  rever- 
ence; and  remember  that  which  is  contained  therein, 
that  ye  may  take  heed.  ^^^  And  when  thy  Lord  drew 
forth  their  posterity  from  the  loins  of  the  sons  of  Adam, 

168  A  grievous  oppression.l     See  ch.  v.  in  a  valley  near  Mecca.     The  commenta- 

note.  tors   tell    us,   that   God    stroked   Adam's 

170   And  received  the  temporal  goods  of  back,    and    extracted   from  his   loins  his 

this  world.^     By  accepting  of  bribes  for  whole  posterity,  which  should  come  into 

wresting  judgment,  and  for  corrupting  the  the  world  until  the  resurrection,  one  ge- 

copies  of  the  Pentateuch  ;  and  by  extorting  neration    after  another  ;    that   these  men 

of  usury,  &c.  ^  were  actually  assembled   all  together  in 

—  That  they  should  not  speak  of  God  the  shape  of  small  ants,  w^hich  were  en- 

aught  but  the  truth."]    Particularly  by  giv-  dued  with   understanding ;   and  that  after 

ing  out  that  God  will  forgive  their  cor-  they  had,  in  the  presence  of  the  angels, 

ruption   without  sincere  repentance   and  confessed  their  dependence  on  God,  they 

amendment.  were  again  caused  to  return  into  the  loins 

172  Sinai.']     See  chap.  ii.  note.  of  their  great  ancestor  2.    From  this  fiction 

173  And  when  thy  Lord  drew  forth  it  appears  that  the  doctrine  of  pre-exist- 
their  posterity  from  the  loins  of  the  sons  of  ence  is  not  unknown  to  the  Mohamme- 
Adam,  &c.]  This  was  done  in  the  plain  dans  ;  and  there  is  some  little  conformity 
of  Dahia,  in  India,  or,  as  others  imagine,  between  it  and  the  modern  theory  of  ge- 

I  Al  Beiddwi.  2    i^em,   Jallalo'ddin,    Yahya.     V.  D'Herhelot,   Bibl. 

Orient,  p.  54. 

N    2 


180  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

and  took  them  to  witness  against  themselves,  saying,  Am 
not  I  your  Lord  ?  they  answered,  Yea ;  we  do  bear  wit- 
ness. This  was  done  lest  ye  should  say,  at  the  day  of 
resurrection.  Verily  we  were  negligent  as  to  this  matter, 
because  we  were  not  apprised  thereof.  ^^^  Or  lest  ye 
should  say,  Verily  our  fathers  were  formerly  guilty  of 
idolatry,  and  we  are  their  posterity  who  have  succeeded 
them ;  wilt  thou,  therefore,  destroy  us  for  that  which  vain 
men  have  committed  ?  ^^^  Thus  do  we  explain  our  signs, 
that  they  may  return  from  their  vanities.  ^[^  And  relate 
unto  the  Jews  the  history  of  him  unto  whom  we  brought 
our  signs,  and  he  departed  from  them  ;  wherefore  Satan 
followed  him,  and  he  became  one  of  those  who  were 
seduced.  ^^^  And  if  we  had  pleased,  we  had  surely  raised 
him  thereby  unto  wisdom ;  but  he  inclined  unto  the  earth, 
and  followed  his  own  desire.  Wherefore  his  likeness  is 
as  the  likeness  of  a  dog,  which  if  thou  drive  him  away, 
putteth  forth  his  tongue ;  or,  if  thou  let  him  alone,  putteth 
forth  his  tongue  also.  This  is  the  likeness  of  the  people 
who  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood.  Rehearse,  therefore, 
this  history  unto  them,  that  they  may  consider.  ^^^  Evil 
is  the  similitude  of  those  people  who  accuse  our  signs  of 
falsehood,  and  injure  their  own  souls.  ^^^  Whomsoever 
God  shall  direct,  he  will  be  rightly  directed ;  and  whom- 
soever he  shall  lead  astray,  they  shall  perish.  ^^^  More- 
over we  have  created  for  hell  many  of  the  genii  and  of 
men ;  they  have  hearts  by  which  they  understand  not, 
and  they  have  eyes  by  which  they  see  not,  and  they  have 
ears  by  which  they  hear  not.     These  are  like  the  brute 

neration  ex   animalculis    in    semine  ma-  part,  at  least,  of  the  scripture,  having  even 

rium.  been  favoured  v^rith  some  revelations  from 

176  And  relate  unto  the  Jews  the  his-  God  ;  who  being  requested  by  his  nation 

tory  of  him   unto  whom  we    brought  our  to  curse  Moses  and  the  children  of  Israel, 

signSf   &c.]      Some    suppose    the    person  refused  it  at  first,  saying.  How  can  I  curse 

here  intended  to  be  a  Jewish  rabbi,  or  one  those  who  are  protected  by  the  angels  ? 

Ommeya    Ebn    Abi'lsalt,   who    read   the  But  afterwards  he  was  prevailed  on  by 

scriptures,  and  found  thereby  that  God  gifts ;    and    he  had    no   sooner    done    it, 

would  send  a  prophet  about   that  time,  than  he  began  to  put  out  his  tongue  like 

and  was  in  hopes  that  he   might   be  the  a    dog,    and    it    hung    down    upon    his 

man  :  but,  when  Mohammed  declared  his  breast  ^. 

mission,  believed  not  on  him  through  envy.  177  ^ut  he  inclined  unto  the  earthy  and 

But,  according  to  the  more  general  opi-  followed  his  own  desire."]   Loving  the  wages 

nion,  it  was  Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor,  of  of  unrighteousness,  and  running  greedily 

the  Canaanitish  race,  well  acquainted  with  after  error  for  reward  2. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin-f  al  Zamakhshari.     V.  D'Herbelot,    Bibl.    Orient.    Art. 
Balaam.  2  2  Pet.  ii.  15.     Jude  11. 


vir.]  AL    KORAN.  181 

beasts ;  yea   they  go  more   astray ;  these   are   the   neg- 
ligent.    ^^^  God  hath  most  excellent  names :  therefore, 
call  on  him  by  the  same ;  and  withdraw  from  those  who 
use   his  names  perversely :  they  shall  be   rewarded  for 
that  which  they  shall  have  wrought.     ^^^  And  of  those, 
whom  we  have  created,  there  are  a  people  who   direct 
others    with    truth,    and    act   justly   according   thereto. 
^^^  But  those  who  devise  lies  against  our  signs,  we  will 
suffer  them  to  fall  gradually  into  ruin,  by  a  method  which 
they  know  not.     ^^*  And  I  will  grant  them  to  enjoy  a 
long  and  prosperous  life  ;  for  my  stratagem  is  effectual. 
^^^  Do  they  not  consider  that  there  is  no  devil  in  their 
companion  ?     He  is  no  other  than  a  public  preacher.     Or 
do  they  not  contemplate  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  the  things  which  God  hath  created ;  and  consider 
that  peradventure  it  may  be  that  their  end  draweth  nigh  ? 
And  in  what  new  declaration  will  they  believe  after  this  ? 
*^^  He  whom  God  shall  cause  to  err,  shall  have  no  direc- 
tor ;  and  he  shall  leave  them  in  their  impiety,  wandering 
in  confusion.     ^^^  They  will  ask  thee  concerning  the  last 
hour ;  at  what  time  its  coming  is  fixed  ?     Answer,  Verily 
the  knowledge  thereof  is  with  my  Lord  ;  none  shall  de- 
clare the  fixed  time  thereof,  except  he.     The  expectation 
thereof  is  grievous  in  heaven  and  on  earth  :  it  shall  come 

181    God  hath  most   excellent    names,']  that  God  hath   created  many  to  eternal 

Expressing   his   glorious  attributes.       Of  misery,  so  here  he  is  said  to  have  created 

these    the   Mohammedan    Arabs  have  no  others  to  eternal  happiness  *. 
less  than  ninety-nine  which  are  reckoned  183  We  will  suffer  them  to  fall  gradually 

up   by  Marracci  ^  and  in   the   History  of  into  ruin,   &c.]      By  flattering  them  with 

Mohammedanism,  published  by  the  society  prosperity  in  this  life,  and  permitting  them 

for  promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  These  to  sin  in  an    uninterrupted  security,   till 

names  form  the  Mussulman  Rosary.  they  find  themselves  unexpectedly  ruined  ^ 

—   Who  use  his  names  perversely.']     As  185  Do  they  not  consider  that  there  is 

did  Walid  Ebn  al  Mogheira,  who  hearing  710    devil  in   their    companion  ?]     Viz.  in 

Mohammed  give  God  the  title  of  al  Rab-  Mohammed  ;  whom  they  gave  out  to  be 

man,  or  the  Merciful,  laughed  aloud,  say-  possessed  when  he  went  up  to  mount  Safa, 

ing,  that  he  knew  none  of  that  name,  ex-  and  from  thence  called  to  the  several  fami- 

cept  a  certain  man  who  dwelt  in  Yama-  lies  of  each  respective  tribe,  in  order  to 

ma  2  :  or,  as  the  idolatrous  Meccans  did,  warn   them  of  God's   vengeance,  if  they 

who   deduced    the   names  of  their   idols  continued  in  their  idolatry  ^. 
from  those  of  the  true  God  :  deriving,  for         —  Jfter   this.]     i.  e.  After  they  have 

example,  Allat  from  Allah  :  al  Uzza  from  rejected  the  Koran.     For  what  more  evl- 

al  Aziz,  the  Mighty  ;  and  Manat  from  al  dent   revelation    can    they  hereafter    ex- 

Mannan,  the  Bountiful  ^.  pect  '^  1 

182   Of  those  whom   we  have   created,  187   The  expectation  thereof  is  grievous, 

there  are  a  people  who  direct   others  with  in  heaven  and  on  earth.]    Not  only  to  men 

truth,  &c.]     As  it  is  said  a  little  above,  and  genii,  but  to  the  angels  also. 

1  In  Ale.  p.  414.         2  Marracc.  vit.  Mah.  p.  19.        ^  M  Beiddwi,  JallaW ddin.   See 
the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  20.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


183  AL    KORAN,  [chap. 

upon  you  no  otherwise  than  suddenly.  They  will  ask 
thee,  as  though  thou  wast  well  acquainted  therewith. 
Answer,  Verily  the  knowledge  thereof  is  with  God  alone : 
but  the  greater  part  of  men  know  it  not.  ^^^  Say,  I  am 
able  neither  to  procure  advantage  imto  myself,  nor  to 
avert  mischief  from  me,  but  as  God  pleaseth.  If  I  knew 
the  secrets  of  God,  I  should  surely  enjoy  abundance  of 
good,  neither  should  evil  befal  me.  Verily,  I  am  no  other 
than  a  denouncer  of  threats,  and  a  messenger  of  good 
tidings  unto  people  who  believe.  ^^^  It  is  he  who  hath 
created  you  from  one  person,  and  out  of  him  produced 
his  wife,  that  he  might  dwell  with  her  ;  and  when  he  had 
known  her,  she  carried  a  light  burden  for  a  time,  where- 
fore she  walked  easily  therewith.  But  when  it  became 
more  heavy,  they  called  upon  God,  their  Lord,  saying, 
If  thou  give  us  a  child  rightly  shaped,  we  will  surely  be 
thankful.  ^^^  Yet  when  he  had  given  them  a  child  rightly 
shaped,  they  attributed  companions  unto  him,  for  that 
which  he  had  given  them.  But  far  be  that  from  God, 
which  they  associated  with  him  !  ^^^  Will  they  associate 
with  him  false  gods,  which  create  nothing,  but  are  them- 
selves created  ;  and  can  neither  give  them  assistance,  nor 

189  But  when  it  became  more  heavy,  servant  of  God,  as  Adam  had  designed. 
&c.]  That  is,  when  the  child  grew  bigger  This  proposal  was  agreed  to  ;  and  accord- 
in  her  womb.  ingly>  when  the  child  was  born,  they  gave 

190  They  attributed  compardoyis  unto  it  that  name  ;  upon  which  it  immediately 
him^^LC.']  For  the  explaining  of  this  whole  died  i.  And  with  this»  Adam  and  Eve 
passage,  the  commentators  tell  the  follow-  are  hereby  taxed  as  an  act  of  idolatry, 
ing  story.  The  story  looks  like  a  rabbinical  fiction, 

They  say,  that  when  Eve  was  big  with  and  seems   to  have  no  other  foundation 

her  first  child,  the  devil  came  to  her,  and  than  Cain's  being  called  by  Moses,  Obed 

asked  her,  whether  she  knew  what  she  Adamah,  that  is,  A  tiller  of  the  ground, 

carried  within  her,   and  which  way   she  which  might  be  translated  into  Arabic  by 

should  be  delivered  of  it;  suggesting,  that  Abd'alhareth. 

possibly  it  might  be  a  beast.  She,  being  But  al  Beidawi,  thinking  it  unlikely 
unable  to  give  an  answer  to  this  question,  that  a  prophet  (as  Adam  is  by  the  Mo- 
went  in  a  fright  to  Adam,  and  acquainted  hammedans  supposed  to  have  been)  should 
him  with  the  matter,  who,  not  knowing  be  guilty  of  such  an  action,  imagines  the 
what  to  think  of  it,  grew  sad  and  pensive.  Koran  in  this  place  means  Kosai,  one  of 
Whereupon  the  devil  appeared  to  her  Mohammed's  ancestors,  and  his  wife,  who 
again  (or,  as  others  say,  to  Adam),  and  begged  issue  of  God,  and  having  four 
pretended  that  he,  by  his  prayers,  would  sons  granted  them,  called  their  names  Abd 
obtain  of  God  that  she  might  be  safely  de-  Menaf,  Abd  Shams,  Abd'al  Uzza,  and 
livered  of  a  son  in  Adam's  likeness,  pro-  Abd'al  Dar,  after  the  names  of  the  four 
vided  they  would  promise  to  name  him  principal  idols  of  the  Koreish.  And  the 
Abdo'lhareth,  or.  The  servant  of  al  Ha-  following  words  also  he  supposes  to  re- 
reth  (which  was  the  devil's  name  among  late  to  their  idolatrous  posterity, 
the  angels),  instead  of  Abd'allah,  or.  The 

1  Al  Beidawi,  Yahya.  V.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  438,  &  Selden,  De  Jure  Nat. 
Sec.  Hebr.  lib.  v.  c.  8. 


VII.]  AL     KORAN.  183 

help  themselves  ?  ^^^  And  if  ye  invite  them  to  the  true 
direction,  they  will  not  follow  you ;  it  will  be  equal  unto 
you,  whether  ye  invite  them  or  whether  ye  hold  your 
peace.  ^^^  Verily,  the  false  deities,  whom  ye  invoke  be- 
sides God,  are  servants  like  unto  you.  Call  therefore 
upon  them,  and  let  them  give  you  an  answer,  if  ye  speak 
truth.  ^^^  Have  they  feet,  to  walk  with  ?  Or  have  they 
hands,  to  lay  hold  with  ?  Or  have  they  eyes,  to  see  with  ? 
Or  have  they  ears,  to  hear  with  ?  Say,  call  upon  your 
companions,  and  then  lay  a  snare  for  me,  and  defer  it 
not ;  ^^^  for  God  is  my  protector,  who  sent  down  the  book 
of  the  Koran  ;  and  he  protecteth  the  righteous.  ^^^  But 
they  whom  ye  invoke  besides  him,  cannot  assist  you; 
neither  do  they  help  themselves ;  ^^^  and  if  ye  call  on 
them  to  direct  you,  they  will  not  hear.  Thou  seest  them 
look  towards  thee,  but  they  see  not.  ^^^  Use  indulgence, 
and  command  that  which  is  just,  and  withdraw  far  from 
the  ignorant.  ^^^  And  if  an  evil  suggestion  from  Satan 
be  suggested  unto  thee  to  divert  thee  from  thy  duty, 
have  recourse  unto  God;  for  he  heareth  and  knoweth. 
200  Yerily^  they  who  fear  God,  when  a  temptation  from 
Satan  assaileth  them,  remember  the  divine  commands, 
and  behold,  they  clearly  see  the  danger  of  sin,  and  the 
wiles  of  the  devil.  ^^^  But  as  for  the  brethren  of  the 
devils,  they  shall  continue  them  in  error ;  and  afterwards 
they  shall  not  preserve  themselves  therefrom.  ^^^  And 
when  thou  bringest  not  a  verse  of  the  Koran  unto  them, 
they  say.  Hast  thou  not  put  it  together  ?  Answer,  I  follow 
that  only  which  is  revealed  unto  me  from  my  Lord. 
This  book  containeth  evident  proofs  from  your  Lord,  and 
is  a  direction  and  mercy  unto  people  who  believe.  ^^^  And 
when  the  Koran  is  read,  attend  thereto,  and  keep 
silence  ;  that  ye  may  obtain  mercy.  ^^*  And  meditate  on 
thy  Lord  in  thine  own  mind,  with  humility  and  fear, 

193  Are  servants  like  unto  you,']  Being  from  the  people  as  they  could  spare.    But 

subject  to  the  absolute  command  of  God.  the  passage,  taken  in  this  sense,  was  abro- 

For  the  chief  idols  of  the  Arabs  were  the  gated  by  the  precept  of  legal  alms,  which 

sun,  moon,  and  stars  ^.  was  given  at  Medina. 

198   Use  indulgence.]    Or,  as  the  words  202    Hast   thou  not  put   it   together  ?] 

may  also  be  translated.   Take  the  super-  i.  e.   Hast  thou  not  yet  contrived  what  to 

abundant  overplus :  meaning  that  Moham-  say ;  or,  canst  thou  obtain  no  revelation 

med  should  accept  such  voluntary   alms  from  God  ? 

1  See  the  Prelimi  Disc.  p.  18. 


184 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


and  without  loud  speaking,  evening  and  morning;  and 
be  not  one  of  the  negligent.  ^^^  Moreover  the  angels 
who  are  with  my  Lord,  do  not  proudly  disdain  his  service, 
but  they  celebrate  his  praise,  and  worship  him. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    SPOILS;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  They  will  ask  thee  concerning  the  spoils :  Answer, 
The  division  of  the  spoils  belongeth  unto  God  and  the 
apostle.  Therefore  fear  God,  and  compose  the  matter 
amicably  among  you ;  and  obey  God  and  his  apostle,  if 
ye  are  true  believers.  ^  Verily  the  true  believers  are 
those  whose  hearts  fear  when  God  is  mentioned,  and 
whose  faith  increaseth  when  his  signs  are  rehearsed  unto 
them,  and  who  trust  in  their  Lord  ;  ^  who  observe  the 
stated  times  of  prayer,  and  give  alms  out  of  that  which 
we  have  bestowed  on  them.  ^  These  are  really  believers  : 
they  shall  have  superior  degrees  of  felicity  with  their 
Lord,  and  forgiveness,  and  an  honourable  provision. 
^  As  thy  Lord  brought  thee  forth  from  thy  house,  with 


TitUi  Spoils,']  This  chapter  was  occa- 
sioned by  the  high  disputes  which  happened 
about  the  division  of  the  spoils  taken  at 
the  battle  of  Bedr  ^,  between  the  young 
men  who  had  fought,  and  the  old  nnen 
who  had  staid  under  the  ensigns;  the 
former  insisting  they  ought  to  have  the 
whole,  and^the  latter  that  they  deserved 
a  share  2.  To  end  the  contention,  Mo- 
hammed pretended  to  have  received  orders 
from  heaven  to  divide  the  booty  among 
them  equally,  having  first  taken  thereout 
a  fifth  part  for  the  purposes  which  will  be 
mentioned  hereafter. 

Title i  Medina.']  Except  seven  verses, 
beginning  at  these  words,  And  call  to 
mind  when  the  unbelievers  plotted  against 
thee,  &c.  Which  some  think  were  re- 
vealed at  Mecca. 

1  The  division  of  the  spoils  belongeth 
unto  God  and  the  apostle,]     It  is  related, 


that  Saad  Ebn  Abi  Wakkas,  one  of  the 
companions,  whose  brother  Omair  was 
slain  in  this  battle,  having  killed  Said  Ebn 
al  As,  took  his  sword,  and  carrying  it  to 
Mohammed,  desired  that  he  might  be 
permitted  to  keep  it ;  but  the  prophet  told 
him,  that  it  was  not  his  to  give  away,  and 
ordered  him  to  lay  it  with  the  other  spoils. 
At  this  repulse,  and  the  loss  of  his  brother, 
Saad  was  greatly  disturbed ;  but  in  a  very 
little  while  this  chapter  was  revealed,  and 
thereupon  Mohammed  gave  him  the  sword, 
saying.  You  asked  this  sword  of  me  when 
I  had  no  power  to  dispose  of  it ;  but  now 
I  have  received  authority  from  God  to 
distribute  the  spoils,  you  may  take  it  ^. 

5  As  thy  Lord  brought  thee  forth  from 
thy  house.]  i.  e.  From  Medina.  The  parti- 
cle, aSf  having  nothing  in  the  following 
words  to  answer  it,  Al  Beidawi  supposes 
the  connexion  to  be,  that  the  division  of 


See  chap.  iii. 


2  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallaloddin, 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 


vni.] 


AL    KORAN. 


185 


truth  ;  and  part  of  the  believers  were  averse  to  thy 
directions  :  ^  they  disputed  with  thee  concerning  the 
truth,  after  it  had  been  made  known  unto  them;  no 
otherwise  than  as  if  they  had  been  led  forth  to  death,  and 
had  seen  it  with  their  eyes.  ^  And  call  to  mind  when 
God  promised  you  one  of  the  two  parties,  that  it  should 
be  delivered  unto  you ;  and  ye  desired  that  the  party 
which  was  not  furnished  with  arms  should  be  delivered 


the  spoils  belonged  to  the  prophet,  not- 
withstanding his  followers  were  averse  to 
it,  as  they  had  been  averse  to  the  expedi- 
tion itself. 

—  And  part  of  the  believers  were  averse 
to  thy  directions. ~\  For  the  better  under- 
standing of  this  passage,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  mention  some  farther  particulars 
relating  to  the  expedition  of  Bedr. 

Mohammed  having  received  private 
information  (for  which  he  pretended  he 
was  obliged  to  the  angel  Gabriel)  of  the 
approach  of  a  caravan  belonging  to  the 
Koreish,  which  was  on  its  return  from 
Syria,  with  a  large  quantity  of  valuable 
merchandise,  and  was  guarded  by  no  more 
than  thirty,  or,  as  others  say,  forty  men, 
set  out  with  a  party  to  intercept  it.  Abu 
Sofian,  who  commanded  the  little  convoy, 
having  notice  of  Mohammed's  motions, 
sent  to  Mecca  for  succours  ;  upon  which 
Abu  Jahl,  and  all  the  principal  men  of 
the  city,  except  only  Abu  Laheb,  marched 
to  his  assistance,  with  a  body  of  nine 
hundred  and  fifty  men.  Mohammed  had 
no  sooner  received  advice  of  this,  than 
Gabriel  descended  with  a  promise  that  he 
should  either  take  the  caravan,  or  beat 
the  succours ;  whereupon  he  consulted  with 
his  companions  which  of  the  two  he  should 
attack.  Some  of  them  were  for  setting 
upon  the  caravan,  saying,  that  they  were 
not  prepared  to  fight  such  a  body  of 
troops  as  were  coming  with  Abu  Jahl ; 
but  this  proposal  Mohammed  rejected, 
telling  them,  that  the  caravan  was  at  a 
considerable  distance  by  the  sea-side, 
whereas  Abu  Jahl  was  just  upon  them. 
The  others,  however,  insisted  so  obsti- 
nately on  pursuing  the  first  design  of 
falling  on  the  caravan,  that  the  prophet 
grew  angry,  but,  by  the  interposition  of 
Abu  Beer,  Omar,  Saad  Ebn  Obadah,  and 
Mokdad  Ebn  Amru,  they,  at  length,  ac- 
quiesced to  his  opinion.  Mokdad,  in  par- 
ticular, assured  him  they  were  all  ready 
to  obey  his  orders,  and  would  not  say  to 
him,  as  the  children  of  Israel  did  to  Moses, 


Go  thou  and  thy  Lord  to  fight,  for  we 
will  sit  here  ^ ;  but,  Go  thou  and  thy  Lord 
to  fight,  and  we  will  fight  with  you.  At 
this  Mohammed  smiled,  and  again  sat 
down  to  consult  with  them,  applying  him- 
self chiefly  to  the  Ansars,  or  helpers ; 
because  they  were  the  greater  part  of  his 
forces,  and  he  had  some  apprehension  lest 
they  should  not  think  themselves  obliged 
by  the  oath  they  had  taken  to  him  at 
al  Akaba  2,  to  assist  him  against  any  other 
than  such  as  should  attack  him  in  Medina. 
But  Saad  Ebn  Moadh,  in  the  name  of  the 
rest,  told  him  that  they  had  received  him 
as  the  apostle  of  God,  and  had  promised 
him  obedience,  and  were,  therefore,  all  to 
a  man,  ready  to  follow  him  where  he 
pleased,  though  it  were  into  the  sea.  Upon 
which  the  prophet  ordered  them,  in  God's 
name,  to  attack  the  succours,  assuring 
them  of  the  victory  ^. 

6  They  disputed  with  thee  concerning 
the  truth,  8z:c.]  That  is,  concerning  their 
success  against  Abu  Jahl  and  the  Koreish  ; 
notwithstanding  they  had  God's  promise 
to  encourage  them. 

—  As  if  they  had  been  led  forth  to 
death,  &c.]  The  reason  of  this  great 
backwardness  was,  the  smallness  of  their 
number,  in  comparison  of  the  enemy,  and 
their  being  unprepared ;  for  they  were  all 
foot,  having  but  two  horses  among  them, 
whereas  the  Koreish  had  no  less  than  a 
hundred  horse*. 

7  When  God  promised  you  one  of  the 
two  parties.^  That  is,  either  the  caravan, 
or  the  succours  from  Mecca.  Father 
Marracci,  mistaking  al  ir  and  al  Nafir^ 
which  are  appellatives,  and  signify  the 
caravan  and  the  troop,  or  body  of  succours, 
for  proper  names,  has  thence  coined  two  fa- 
milies of  the  Koreish  never  heard  of  before, 
which  he  calls  Arienses  and  Naphirenses  ^ 

—  The  party  which  ivas  not  furnished 
with  arms.~\  Viz.  The  caravan,  which 
was  guarded  by  no  more  than  forty  horse  ; 
whereas  the  other  party  was  strong  and 
well  appointed. 


1  Koran,  chap.  v.  2  ggg  ^j^g  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  56,  57-  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

*  Idem.    V.  Abulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  56.  5  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  297. 


186  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

unto  you :  but  God  purposed  to  make  known  the  truth 
in  his  words,  and  to  cut  off  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
unbelievers  ;  ^  that  he  might  verify  the  truth,  and  destroy 
falsehood,  although  the  wicked  were  averse  thereto. 
^  When  ye  asked  assistance  of  your  Lord,  and  he  an- 
swered you.  Verily  I  will  assist  you  with  a  thousand 
angels,  following  one  another  in  order.  ^^  And  this  God 
designed  only  as  good  tidings  for  you,  and  that  your 
hearts  might  thereby  rest  secure :  for  victory  is  from  God 
alone ,  and  God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^  When  a  sleep 
fell  on  you  as  a  security  from  him,  and  he  sent  down 
upon  you  water  from  heaven,  that  he  might  thereby 
purify  you,  and  take  from  you  the  abomination  of  Satan, 
and  that  he  might  confirm  your  hearts,  and  establish  your 
feet  thereby.  ^^  Also  when  thy  Lord  spake  unto  the 
angels,  saying.  Verily,  I  am  with  you ;  wherefore  confirm 
those  who  believe.  I  will  cast  a  dread  into  the  hearts  of 
the  unbelievers.  Therefore  strike  off  their  heads,  and 
strike  off  all  the  ends  of  their  fingers.  This  shall  they 
suffer,  because  they  have  resisted  God  and  his  apostle : 
and  whosoever  shall  oppose  God  and  his  apostle, 
verily  God  will  be  severe  in  punishing  him.  ^^  This  shall 
be  your  punishment ;   taste  it  therefore  :   and  the  infidels 

7    But    God  would    make    known    the  sand,  into  which  their  feet  sunk  as  they 

truthf  &c.]     As  if  he  had  said,  Your  view  walked,   the  enemy  having  the  command 

was  only  to  gain  the  spoils  of  the  caravan,  of  the    water  ;    and    that   having    fallen 

and  to  avoid   danger  ;   but  God  designed  asleep,  the  greater  part  of  them  were  dis- 

to  exalt  his  true  religion  by  extirpating  turbed   with  dreams,   wherein    the   devil 

its  adversaries  ^.  suggested   to  them,  that  they  could  never 

9  When  ye  asked  assistance  of  your  expect  God's  assistance  in  the  battle,  since 
Lordy  &c.]  When  Mohammed's  men  saw  they  were  cut  off  from  the  water,  and, 
they  could  not  avoid  fighting,  they  recom-  besides  suffering  the  inconvenience  of 
mended  themselves  to  God's  protection  ;  thirst,  must  be  obliged  to  pray  without 
and  their  prophet  prayed  with  great  earn-  washing,  though  they  imagined  themselves 
estness,  crying  out,  O  God  !  fulfil  that  to  be  the  favourites  of  God,  and  that  they 
which  thou  hast  promised  me  :  O  God  !  had  his  apostle  among  them.  But  in  the 
if  this  party  be  cut  off,  thou  wilt  be  no  night  rain  fell  so  plentifully,  that  it  formed 
more  worshipped  on  earth.  And  he  con-  a  little  brook;  and  not  only  supplied  them 
tinned  to  repeat  these  words  till  his  cloak  with  water  for  all  their  uses,  but  made  the 
fell  from  off  his  back  2.  sand  between  them  and  the  infidel  army 

—  A  thousand   angels.^     Which  were  firm  enough  to  bear  them  ;  whereupon  the 

afterwards  reinforced  with  three  thousand  diabolical  suggestion  ceased*, 

more^.     Wherefore  some  copies,  instead  12  Therefore  strike  off  their  heads,  &c.^ 

of  a  thousand  read  thousands,  in  the  plural.  This  is  the  punishment  expressly  assigned 

10  Good  tidings.~\    See  chap.  iii.  the  enemies  of  the  Mohammedan  religion ; 

11  When  a  sleep  fell  on  you,  &c.]  It  though  the  Moslems  did  not  inflict  it  on 
is  related,  that  the  spot  where  Moham-  the  prisoners  they  took  at  Bedr,  for  which 
med's  little  army  lay,  was  a  dry  and  deep     they  are  reprehended  in  this  chapter. 

*   Al  Beiddivi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  Ahulfed,  vit.  Moham.  p.  58.  ^  gge 

chap.  iii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


VIII.]  AL    KORAN.  187 

shall  also  suffer  the  torment  of  hell-fire.  ^*  O  true 
believers  !  when  ye  meet  the  unbelievers  marching  in 
great  numbers  against  you,  turn  not  your  backs  imto 
them  :  ^^  for  whoso  shall  turn  his  back  unto  them  on  that 
day,  unless  he  turneth  aside  to  fight,  or  retreateth  to 
another  party  of  the  faithful,  shall  draw  on  himself  the 
indignation  of  God,  and  his  abode  shall  be  hell ;  an  ill 
journey  shall  it  be  thither  !  ^^  And  ye  slew  not  those 
who  were  slain  at  Bedr  yourselves,  but  God  slew  them. 
Neither  didst  thou,  O  Mohammed  !  cast  the  gravel  into 
their  eyes,  when  thou  didst  seem  to  cast  it ;  but  God  cast 
it,  that  he  might  prove  the  true  believers  by  a  gracious 
trial  from  himself;  for  God  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^This 
was  done  that  God  might  also  weaken  the  crafty  devices 
of  the  unbelievers.  ^^  If  ye  desire  a  decision  of  the  mat- 
ter between  us,  now  hath  a  decision  come  unto  you :  and 
if  ye  desist  from  opposing  the  apostle,  it  will  be  better 
for  you.  But  if  ye  return  to  attack  him,  we  will  also 
return  to  his  assistance ;  and  your  forces  shall  not  be  of 
advantage  unto  you  at  all,  although  they  be  numerous  : 
for  God  is  with  the  faithful.  ^^  O  true  believers !  obey 
God  and  his  apostle,  and  turn  not  back  from  him,  since 
ye  hear  the  admonitions  of  the  Koran.  ^^  And  be  not 
as  those  who  say.  We  hear,  when  they  do  not  hear. 
^\  Verily  the  worst  sort  of  beasts  in  the  sight  of  God,  are 
the  deaf  and  the  dumb,  who  understand  not.  ^^  If  God, 
had  known  any  good  in  them,  he  would  certainly  have 
caused  them  to  hear :  And  if  he  had  caused  them  to  hear, 
they  would  surely  have  turned  back,  and  have  retired 
afar  off.     ^^  O  true  believers  !  answer  God  and  his  apos- 

15  Unless  he  turneth  aside  to  fight,  or  from  Mecca,  took  hold  of  the  curtains  of 
retreateth  to  another  party,  &c.]  That  is,  the  Caaba,  saying,  O  God!  grant  the  vic- 
if  it  be  not  downright  running  away,  but  tory  to  the  superior  army,  the  party  that 
done  either  with  design  to  rally,  and  at-  is  most  rightly  directed,  and  the  most 
tack  the  enemy  again,  or  by  way  of  feint  honourable  2.  ^ 
or  stratagem,  or  to  succour  a  party  which  22  To  hearJ]  That  is,  to  hearken  to 
is  hard  pressed,  &c.  ^  the  remonstrance   of  the  Koran.      Some 

16  God  slew   them.']      See    chap.    iii.  say,   that  the  infidels  demanded   of  Mo- 
note,  hammed  that  he  should  raise  Kosai,  one 

—  Gravel.]     See  ibid.  of  his  ancestors,  to  life,  to  bear  witness  to 

18  If  ye  desire  a  decision,  &c.]     These  the  truth  of  his  mission,  saying,  he  was  a 

words  are  directed  to  the  people  of  Mecca,  man    of  honour  and    veracity,    and  they 

whom    Mohammed    derides,   because  the  would  believe  his  testimony  :  but  they  are 

Koreish,  when  they  were  ready  to  set  out  here  told  that  it  would  have  been  in  vain  ^ 

1  Jl  Beiddwi.  2  idem.  3  idem.     See  chap.  vi. 


188 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


tie,  when  he  iiiviteth  you  unto  that  which  giveth  you 
life ;  and  know  that  God  goeth  between  a  man  and  his 
heart,  and  that  before  him  ye  shall  be  assembled.  ^^  Be- 
ware of  sedition ;  it  will  not  affect  those  who  are  ungodly 
among  you  particularly,  but  all  of  you  in  general ;  and 
know  that  God  is  severe  in  punishing.  ^^  And  remember 
when  ye  w^ere  few,  and  reputed  weak  in  the  land :  ye 
feared  lest  men  should  snatch  you  away ;  but  God  pro- 
vided you  a  place  of  refuge,  and  he  strengthened  you  with 
his  assistance,  and  bestowed  on  you  good  things,  that  ye 
might  give  thanks.  ^^  O  true  believers  !  deceive  not  God 
and  his  apostle ;  neither  violate  your  faith,  against  your 
own  knowledge.  ^^  And  know  that  your  wealth,  and  your 
children,  are  a  temptation  unto  you ;  and  that  with  God 
is  a  great  reward.  ^^  O  true  believers !  if  ye  fear  God, 
he  will  grant  you  a  distinction,  and  will  expiate  your  sins 
from  you,  and  will  forgive  you ;  for  God  is  indued  with 
great  liberality.  ^^And  call  to  mind  when  the  unbe- 
lievers plotted  against  thee,  that  they  might  either  detain 


23  God  goeth  between  a  man  and  his 
heart.~\  Not  only  knowing  the  innermost 
secrets  of  his  heart,  but  overruling  a  man's 
designs,  and  disposing  him  either  to  be- 
lief or  infidelity. 

24  Sedition.']  The  original  word  sig- 
nifies any  epidemical  crime,  which  involves 
a  number  of  people  in  its  guilt ;  and  the 
commentators  are  divided  as  to  its  par- 
ticular meaning  in  this  place. 

25  In  the  land.']  Viz.  at  Mecca.  The 
persons  here  spoken  to  are  the  Mohdjerin, 
or  refugees,  who  fled  from  thence  to  Me- 
dina. 

26  Deceive  not  God  and  his  apostle,  &c.] 
Al  Beidawi  mentions  an  instance  of  such 
treacherous  dealing  in  Abu  Lobaba,  who 
was  sent  by  Mohammed  to  the  tribe  of 
Koreidha,  then  besieged  by  that  prophet 
for  having  broken  their  league  with  him, 
and  perfidiously  gone  over  to  the  enemies 
at  the  war  of  the  ditch  ^,  to  persuade  them 
to  surrender  at  the  discretion  of  Saad  Ebn 
Moadh,  prince  of  the  tribe  of  Aws,  their 
confederates,  which  proposal  they  had  re- 
fused. But  Abu  Lobaba's  family  and 
effects  being  in  the  hands  of  those  of  Ko- 
reidha, he  acted  directly  contrary  to  his 
commission,  and,  instead  of  persuading 
them  to  accept  Saad  as  their  judge,  when 
they  asked  his  advice  about  it,  drew  his 


hand  across  his  throat,  signifying  that  he 
would  put  them  all  to  death.  However, 
he  had  no  sooner  done  this,  than  he  was 
sensible  of  his  crime,  and  going  into  a 
mosque,  tied  himself  to  a  pillar,  and  re- 
mained there  seven  days  without  meat  or 
drink,  till  Mohammed  forgave  him. 

27  Your  wealth  and  your  children  are 
a  temptation  unto  you.]  As  they  were  to 
Abu  Lobaba. 

28  Distinction.]  i.  e.  A  direction  that 
you  may  distinguish  between  truth  and 
falsehood;  or  success  in  battle,  to  distin- 
guish the  believers  from  the  infidels  ;  or 
the  like. 

29  And  call  to  mind  when  the  unbe- 
lievers plotted  against  thee,  &c.]  When 
the  Meccans  heard  of  the  league  entered 
into  by  Mohammed  with  those  of  Medina, 
being  apprehensive  of  the  consequence, 
they  held  a  council,  whereat,  they  say, 
the  devil  assisted  in  the  likeness  of  an  old 
man  of  Najd.  The  point  under  consider- 
ation being  what  they  should  do  with  Mo- 
hammed, Abu'lbakhtari  was  of  opinion 
that  he  should  be  imprisoned,  and  the 
room  walled  up,  except  a  little  hole, 
through  which  he  should  have  necessaries 
given  him,  till  he  died.  This  the  devil 
opposed,  saying,  that  he  might  probably 
be   released  by   some   of  his  own    party 


^  See  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  85.  Ahiilf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  76,  and  the  notes  to  chap,  xxxiii. 


viii.]  A  L     KORAN.  189 

thee  in  bonds,  or  put  thee  to  death,  or  expel  thee  the 
city ;  and  they  plotted  against  thee  :  but  God  laid  a  plot 
against  them  :  and  God  is  the  best  layer  of  plots.  ^^  And 
when  our  signs  are  repeated  unto  them,  they  say,  We 
have  heard ;  if  we  pleased  we  could  certainly  pronounce  a 
composition  like  unto  this ;  this  is  nothing  but  the  fables 
of  the  ancients.  ^^  And  when  they  said,  O  God  !  if  this 
be  the  truth  from  thee,  rain  down  stones  upon  us  from 
heaven,  or  inflict  on  us  some  other  grievous  punishment. 
^^  But  God  was  not  disposed  to  punish  them  while  thou 
wast  with  them,  nor  was  God  disposed  to  punish  them 
when  they  asked  pardon.  ^^  But  they  have  nothing  to 
offer  in  excuse  why  God  should  not  punish  them,  since 
they  hindered  the  believers  from  visiting  the  holy  temple, 
although  they  are  not  the  guardians  thereof.  The  guar- 
dians thereof  are  those  only  who  fear  God  ; — ^^  but  the 
greater  part  of  them  know  it  not.  ^^  And  their  prayer 
at  the  house  of  God  is  no  other  than  whistling  and  clap- 
ping of  the  hands.  Taste,  therefore,  the  punishment,  for 
that  ye  have  been  unbelievers.  ^^  They  who  believe  not, 
expend  their  wealth  to  obstruct  the  way  of  God  :  they 

Hesham    Ebn    Amru   was    for   banishing  temple,    in    the   expedition  of  al  Hodei- 

him :    but  his  advice    also  the    devil  re-  biya*. 

jected,  insisting  that  Mohammed  might  —  Although  they  are  7iot  the  guardians 
engage  some  other  tribes  in  his  interest,  thereof.^  Because  of  their  idolatry,  and 
and  make  war  on  them.  At  length  Abu  indecent  deportment  there.  For  other- 
Jahl  gave  his  opinion  for  putting  him  to  wise  the  Koreish  had  a  right  to  the  guar- 
death,  and  proposed  the  manner  ;  which  dianship  of  the  Caaba,  and  it  was  con- 
was  unanimously  approved  i.  tinned   in   their  tribe,   and    in    the  same 

—  But   God  laid  a  plot  against  them.'\  family,  even  after  the  taking  of  Mecca  ^. 

Revealing  their  conspiracy  to  Mohammed,  35   Their  prayer  at  the  house  of  God  is 

and  miraculously  assisting  him  to  deceive  no  other  than  whistling  and  clapping  of  the 

them,  and  make  his  escape  2,  and  after-  hands.]     It  is  said  that  they  used  to  go 

wards  drawing  them  to  the  battle  of  Bedr.  round  the  Caaba  naked  ^,  both   men  and 

30  Fables.']     See  chap.  vi.  women,  whistling  at  the  same  time  through 

31  Jnd  when  they  said,  Sic]  This  was  their  fingers,  and  clapping  their  hands, 
the  speech  of  Al  Nodar  Ebn  al  Hareth  3.  Or,  as  others  say,  they  made  this  noise  on 

32  When  they  asked  pardon.]  Saying,  purpose  to  disturb  Mohammed  when  at 
God  forgive  us  !  Some  of  the  commen-  his  prayers,  pretending  to  be  at  prayers 
tators,  however,  suppose  the  persons  who  also  themselves  ^ 

asked  pardon  were  certain  believers,  who  36  They  who  believe  not,  expend  their 

staid  among  the  infidels :  and  others  think  wealth  to  obstruct  the  way  of  God,  &c.] 

the  meaning  to  be,  that  God  would  not  The   persons  particularly  meant   in   this 

punish  them,  provided  they  asked  pardon,  passage  were  twelve  of  the  Koreish,  who 

33  Since  they  hindered  the  believers  gave  each  of  them  ten  camels  every  day  to 
from  visiting   the  holy  temple.]     Obliging  be  killed  for  provisions  for  their  army  in 

them  to  fly  from  Mecca,  and  not  permit-  the  expedition  of  Bedr ;  or,  according  to 
ting    them    so   much  as   to   approach  the     others,  the  owners  of  the  effects  brought 

^  Al  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  59.  2  gee  ibid.  ^  ji  Beiddwi. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  62.  5  ^qq  ^h.  iv.  note.  6  ggg  ^\^^^  y\\^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


190  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

shall  expend  it,  but  afterwards  it  shall  become  matter  of 
sighing  and  regret  unto  them,  and  at  length  they  shall 
be  overcome ; — ^^  and  the  unbelievers  shall  be  gathered  to- 
gether into  hell ; — ^^  that  God  may  distinguish  the  wicked 
from  the  good,  and  may  throw  the  wicked  one  upon  the 
other,  and  may  gather  them  all  in  a  heap,  and  cast  them 
into  hell.  These  are  they  who  shall  perish.  ^^  Say  unto 
the  unbelievers,  that  if  they  desist  from  opposing  thee, 
what  is  already  past  shall  be  forgiven  them ;  but  if  they 
return  to  attack  thee,  the  exemplary  punishment  of  the 
former  opposers  of  the  prophets  is  already  past,  and  the 
like  shall  be  inflicted  on  them.  Therefore  fight  against 
them  until  there  be  no  opposition  in  favour  of  idolatry, 
and  the  religion  be  wholly  God's.  If  they  desist,  verily 
God  seeth  that  which  they  do.  ^^  But  if  they  turn  back, 
know  that  God  is  your  patron  :  he  is  the  best  patron,  and 
the  best  helper.  [*X.]  ^^And  know  that  whenever  ye 
gain  any  spoils,  a  fifth  part  thereof  belongeth  unto  God, 
and  to  the  apostle,  and  his  kindred,  and  the  orphans,  and 
the  poor,  and  the  traveller  :  if  ye  believe  in  God,  and  that 
which  we  have  sent  down  unto  our  servant  on  the  day  of 
distinction,  on  the  day  whereon  the  two  armies  met :  and 
God  is  almighty.  ^^When  ye  were  encamped  on  the 
hithermost  side  of  the  valley,  and  they  were  encamped 
on  the  further  side,  and  the  caravan  was  below  you ;  and 
if  ye  had  mutually  appointed  to  come  to  a  battle,  ye 
would  certainly  have  declined  the  appointment ;  ^^  but  ye 

by   the  caravan,  who  gave  great  part  of  some  v^rho  suppose  it  was  revealed  in  the 

them  to  the  support  of  the  succours  from  expedition    against  the    Jewish   tribe    of 

Mecca.     It  is  also  said,   that  Abu  Sofian,  Kainoka,  which  happened  a  little  above  a 

in  the  expedition  of  Ohod,  hired  two  thou-  month  after  ^. 

sand  Arabs,  who  cost  him  a  considerable  —  The  day  of  distinction,']    i.  e    Of  the 

sum,  besides  the  auxiliaries  which  he  had  battle  of  Bedr;  which  is  so  called  because 

obtained  gratis  ^.  it  distinguished  the  true  believers  from  the 

41  A  fifth  part  of  the  spoils  belongeth  infidels. 

unto  God  and  his  apostle,  &c.]     According  42  On  the  hithermost  side.]    Which  was 

to  this  law,  a  fifth  part  of  the  spoils  is  ap-  much  more  inconvenient  than  the  other, 

propriated  to  the  particular  uses  here  men-  because    of  the    deep   sand    and   want  of 

tioned,  and  the  other  four-fifths  are  to  be  water. 

equally  divided   among   those  who  were  —  And   the  caravan  was   below   you.'] 

present  at  the  action  ;  but  in  what  man-  viz.  By  the  sea- side,  making  the  best  of 

ner,  or  to  whom,  the  first  fifth  is  to  be  their  way  to  Mecca. 

distributed,  the  Mohammedan  doctors  dif-  —  Ye  would  have  declined  the  appoint- 

fer,    as    we    have    elsewhere    observed  ^.  mentJ]     Because  of  the  great  superiority 

Though  it  be  the  general  opinion  that  this  of  the  enemy,  and  the   disadvantages  ye 

verse  was  revealed  at  Bedr,  yet  there  are  lay  under. 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  vi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

1 


VIII.]  AL  KORAN.  191 

were  brought  to  an  engagement  without  any  previous 
appointment,  that  God  might  accomplish  the  thing  which 
was  decreed  to  be  done ;  ^^  that  he  who  perisheth  here- 
after may  perish  after  demonstrative  evidence  ;  and  that 
he  who  liveth  may  live  by  the  same  evidence.  God  both 
heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^  When  thy  Lord  caused  the 
enemy  to  appear  unto  thee  in  thy  sleep,  few  in  number ; 
and  if  he  had  caused  them  to  appear  numerous  unto  thee, 
ye  would  have  been  disheartened,  and  would  have  dis- 
puted concerning  the  matter:  but  God  preserved  you 
from  this;  for  he  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  the 
breasts  of  men.  '^^  And  when  he  caused  them  to  appear 
unto  you,  when  ye  met,  to  be  few  in  your  eyes  ;  and 
diminished  your  numbers  in  their  eyes ;  that  God  might 
accomplish  the  thing  which  was  decreed  to  be  done  ;  and 
unto  God  shall  all  things  return.  ^^  O  true  believers  ! 
when  ye  meet  a  party  of  the  infidels,  stand  firm,  and  re- 
member God  frequently,  that  ye  may  prosper.  ^^And 
obey  God  and  his  apostle,  and  be  not  refractory,  lest  ye 
be  discouraged,  and  your  success  depart  from  you ;  but 
persevere  with  patience,  for  God  is  with  those  who  per- 
severe. ^^  And  be  not  as  those  who  went  out  of  their 
houses  in  an  insolent  manner,  and  to  appear  with  osten- 
tation unto  men,  and  turned  aside  from  the  way  of  God  : 

43    That    God   might  fulfil   the    thing  ing  us,  that,  just  before  the  battle  began, 

which  was  decreed^  &c.]     By  granting  a  the    prophet's   party   seemed   fewer    than 

miraculous    victory    to    the    faithful,    and  they  really  were,   to  draw   the  enemy  to 

overthrowing  their  enemies ;   for  the  con-  an  engagement ;  but  that   so  soon  as  the 

viction  of  the  latter,  and  the  confirmation  armies  were  fully  engaged,  they  appeared 

of  the  former  ^  superior,  to  terrify  and  dismay  their  ad- 

45  In  thy  sleep,  &c.]  With  which  vision  versaries.  It  is  related,  that  Abu  Jahl, 
Mohammed  acquainted  his  companions  for  at  first,  thought  them  so  inconsiderable  a 
their  encouragement.  handful,  that  he  said  one  camel  would  be 

—  And  would  have  disputed,"]  Whether     as  much  as  they  could  all  eat  *. 

ye  should  attack  the  enemy,  or  fly.  49   Who  went  out  of  their  hotises  with 

46  A7id  when  he  caused  them  to  appear  insolence  and  ostentation^  &c.]  These  were 
few  in  your  eyes.]     It  is  said,  that  Ebn     the  Meccans,  who,  marching  to  the  assist- 

Masud  asked  the  man  who  was  next  him,  ance  of  the  caravan,  and   being  come  as 

whether  he  did   not  see  them  to  be  about  far  as  Johfa,  were  there  met  by  a  messen- 

seventy ;  to  which  he  replied,  that  he  took  ger  from  Abu  Sofian,  to   acquaint  them, 

them  to  be  an  hundred  2.  that    he  thought   himself  out  of  danger, 

—  And  diminished  your  numbers  in  and  therefore  they  might  return  home : 
their  eyes.]  This  seeming  a  contradiction  upon  which  Abu  Jahl,  to  give  the  greater 
to  a  passage  in  the  third  chapter  3,  where  opinion  of  the  courage  of  himself,  and  his 
it  is  said  that  the  Moslems  appeared  to  the  comrades,  and  of  their  readiness  to  assist 
infidels  to  be  twice  their  own  number,  the  their  friends,  swore  that  they  would  not 
commentators  reconcile  the  matter,  by  tell-  return  till  they  had  been  at  Bedr,  and  had 

1   Al  Beiddwi.  2   ideni.  3  p^gg  4g.  4  ji  Beiddtvi,  Jal- 

laJo'ddin,  Yahyn. 


192 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


for  God  comprehendeth  that  which  they  do.  ^^  And  re- 
member when  Satan  prepared  their  works  for  them,  and 
said,  No  man  shall  prevail  against  you  to-day ;  and  I  will 
surely  be  near  to  assist  you.  But  when  the  two  armies 
appeared  in  sight  of  each  other,  he  turned  back  on  his 
heels,  and  said.  Verily  I  am  clear  of  you :  I  certainly  see 
that  which  ye  see  not.  ^^  I  fear  God,  for  God  is  severe 
in  punishing.  ^^  When  the  hypocrites,  and  those  in  whose 
hearts  there  was  an  infirmity,  said,  their  religion  hath 
deceived  these  men ;  but  whosoever  confideth  in  God 
cannot  be  deceived ;  for  God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^  And 
if  thou  didst  behold  when  the  angels  cause  the  unbe- 
lievers to  die  :  they  strike  their  faces  and  their  backs, 
and  say  unto  them.  Taste  ye  the  pain  of  burning.  ^^  This 
shall  ye  suffer  for  that  which  your  hands  have  sent  before 
you;  and  because  God  is  not  unjust  towards  his  servants. 
^^  These  have  acted  according  to  the  want  of  the  people 
of  Pharaoh,  and  of  those  before  them,  who  disbelieved 
in  the  signs  of  God  :  therefore  God  took  them  away  in 


there  drunk  wine,  and  entertained  those 
who  should  be  present,  and  diverted  them- 
selves with  singing  women '.  The  event 
of  which  bravado  was  very  fatal,  several 
of  the  principal  Koreish,  and  Abu  Jahl  in 
particular,  losing  their  lives  in  the  expe- 
dition. 

50  When  Satan  prepared  their  works  for 
them.']  By  inciting  them  to  oppose  the 
prophet. 

Some  understand  this  passage  figura- 
tively, of  the  private  instigation  of  the 
devil,  and  of  the  defeating  of  his, designs, 
and  the  hopes  with  which  he  had  inspired 
the  idolaters.  But  others  take  the  whole 
literally,  and  tell  us,  that  when  the  Ko- 
reish, on  their  march,  bethought  them- 
selves of  the  enmity  between  them  and 
the  tribe  of  Kenana,  who  were  masters  of 
the  country  about  Bedr,  that  consideration 
would  have  prevailed  on  them  to  return, 
had  not  the  devil  appeared  in  the  likeness 
of  Soraka  Ebn  Malec,  a  principal  person 
of  that  tribe,  and  promised  them  that  they 
should  not  be  molested  ;  and  that  himself 
would  go  with  them.  But  when  they 
came  to  join  battle,  and  the  devil  saw  the 
angels  descending  to  the  assistance  of  the 
Moslems,  he  retired  ;  and  al  Hareth  Ebn 
Hesham,  who  had  him  then  by  the  hand, 


asked  him  whither  he  was  going,  and  if 
he  intended  to  betray  them  at  such  a  junc^ 
ture  ;  he  answered  in  the  words  of  this 
passage,  I  am  clear  of  you,  for  I  see  that 
which  ye  see  not ;  meaning  the  celestial 
succours.  They  say  further,  that  when 
the  Koreish,  on  their  return,  laid  the 
blame  of  their  overthrow  on  Soraka,  he 
swore  he  did  not  so  much  as  know  of 
their  march  till  he  heard  they  were  routed: 
and  afterwards,  when  they  embraced  Mo- 
hammedism,  they  were  satisfied  it  was  the 
devil  2. 

52  Their  religion  hath  deceived  these 
men.]  In  tempting  them  to  so  great  a 
piece  of  folly,  as  to  attack  so  large  a  body 
of  men  with  such  a  handful. 

53  When  the  angels  cause  the  unbe- 
lievers to  die,  &c.]  This  passage  is  gene- 
rally understood  of  the  angels  who  slew 
the  infidels  at  Bedr,  and  who  fought  (as 
the  commentators  pretend)  with  iron 
maces,  which  shot  forth  flames  of  fire  at 
every  stroke  ^.  Some,  however,  imagine, 
that  the  words  hint,  at  least,  at  the  exami- 
nation of  the  sepulchre,  which  the  Mo- 
hammedans believe  every  man  must  un- 
dergo after  death,  and  will  be  very  terrible 
to  the  unbelievers  *. 

54  Sent  before  you,]     See  chap.  ii. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 
§  iv.  p.  90,  &c. 


Idem,  JallaW ddin. 


3  lidem. 


*  See  Prelim.  Disc. 


VIII.]  AL    KORAN.  193 

their  iniquity ;  for  God  is  mighty  and  severe  in  punishing. 
^^  This  hath  come  to  pass  because  God  change th  not  his 
grace,  wherewith  he  hath  favoured  any  people,  until  they 
change  that  which  is  in  their  souls ;  and  for  that  God 
both  heareth  and  seeth.  ^^  According  to  the  want  of  the 
people  of  Pharaoh,  and  of  those  before  them,  who 
charged  the  signs  of  their  Lord  with  imposture,  have 
they  acted :  wherefore  we  destroyed  them  in  their  sins, 
and  we  drowned  the  people  of  Pharaoh  ;  for  they  Avere 
all  unjust  persons.  ^^  Verily  the  worst  cattle  in  the  sight 
of  God  are  those  who  are  obstinate  infidels,  and  will  not 
believe.  ^^  As  to  those  who  enter  into  a  league  with 
thee,  and  afterwards  violate  their  league  at  every  conve- 
nient opportunity,  they  fear  not  God.  ^^  If  *  thou  take 
them  in  war,  disperse,  by  making  them  an  example,  those 
who  shall  come  after  them,  that  they  may  be  w^arned, 
^^  Or,  if  thou  apprehend  treachery  from  any  people,  throw 
back  their  league  unto  them,  with  like  treatment ;  for 
God  loveth  not  the  treacherous.  ^^  And  think  not  that 
the  unbelievers  have  escaped  God's  vengeance,  for  they 
shall  not  weaken  the  power  of  God.  ^^  Therefore  pre- 
pare against  them  what  force  ye  are  able,  and  troops  of 
horse,  whereby  ye  may  strike  a  terror  into  the  enemy  of 
God,  and  your  enemy,  and  into  other  infidels  besides  them 
whom  ye  know  not,  but  God  knoweth  them.  And  what- 
soever ye  shall  expend  in  the  defence  of  the  religion  of 
God,  it  shall  be  repaid  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  not  be 
treatly  unjustly.  ^*  And  if  they  incline  unto  peace,  do 
thou  also  incline  thereto ;  and  put  thy  confidence  in  God, 
for  it  is  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^  But  if  they 
seek  to  deceive  thee,  verily  God  will  be  thy  support.  It 
is  he  who  hath  strengthened  thee  with  his  help,  and  with 
that  of  the  faithful.  ^^  He  hath  united  their  hearts.  If 
thou  hadst  expended  whatever  riches  are  in  the  earth,  thou 
couldest  not  have  united  their  hearts,  but  God  united 

59   Who  enter  into  a  league  with  thee^  —  That   the   unbelievers   have  escaped 

and  afterwards  violate  their  league,  &c>]  God' s  vengeance .']     Viz.  Those  who  made 

As  did  the  tribe  of  Koreidha  ^,  their  escape  from  Bedr. 

62  Think  not,  &c.]     Some   copies  read  66  Thou  couldest  not  have  united  their 

it  in  the  third  person,  Let  not  the  unbe-  hearts.'}     Because    of  the  inveterate  en- 

lievers  think,  &c.  mity    which    reigned    among    many    of 


'  See  before,  p.  188,  and  chap,  xxxiii. 
VOL.  I.  O 


194 


AL  KORAN. 


[chap, 


them  ;  for  he  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^  O  prophet !  God  is 
thy  support,  and  such  of  the  true  believers  who  follow 
thee.  ^^  O  prophet !  stir  up  the  faithful  to  war :  if  twenty 
of  you  persevere  with  constancy,  they  shall  overcome  two 
hundred ;  and  if  there  be  one  hundred  of  you,  they  shall 
overcome  a  thousand  of  those  who  believe  not ;  because 
they  are  a  people  which  do  not  understand.  ^^  Now  hath 
God  eased  you,  for  he  knew  that  ye  were  weak.  If  there 
be  an  hundred  of  you  who  persevere  with  constancy,  they 
shall  overcome  two  hundred ;  and  if  there  be  a  thousand 
of  you,  they  shall  overcome  two  thousand,  by  the  permis- 
sion of  God  ;  for  God  is  with  those  who  persevere.  ^^  It 
hath  not  been  granted  unto  any  prophet,  that  he  should 
possess  captives,  until  he  had  made  a  great  slaughter  of 
the  infidels  in  the  earth.  Ye  seek  the  accidental  goods 
of  this  world,  but  God  regardeth  the  life  to  come ;  and 
God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^  Unless  a  revelation  had  been 
previously  delivered  from  God,  verily  a  severe  punish- 
ment had  been  inflicted  on  you,  for  the  ransom  which  ye 


the  Arab  tribes:  and  therefore  this  re- 
conciliation is  reckoned  by  the  com- 
mentators as  no  inconsiderable  miracle, 
and  a  strong  proof  of  their  prophet's  mis- 
sion. 

67  Follow  thee.']  This  passage,  as  some 
say,  was  revealed  in  a  plain  called  al  Beida, 
between  Mecca  and  Medina,  during  the 
expedition  of  Bedr  ;  and,  as  others  say, 
in  the  sixth  year  of  the  prophet's  mission, 
on  the  occasion  of  Omar's  embracing  Mo- 
hammedism. 

69  Two  thousand,']  See  Levit.  xxvi.  8. 
Josh,  xxiii.  10. 

70  Until  he  had  made  a  great  slaughter 
of  infidels^  &c.]  Because  severity  ought 
to  be  used  where  circumstances  require 
it,  though  clemency  be  more  preferable 
where  it  may  be  exercised  with  safety. 
While  the  Mohammedans,  therefore,  were 
weak,  and  their  religion  in  its  infancy, 
God's  pleasure  was,  that  the  opposers 
of  it  should  be  cut  off,  as  is  particularly 
directed  in  this  chapter.  For  which  rea- 
son they  are  here  upbraided  with  their 
preferring  the  lucre  of  the  ransom  to  their 
duty. 

71  Unless  a  revelation  had  previously 
been  delivered^  a  great  punishment  had  been 
inflicted  on  you  for  the  ransom  which  ye 
tooki  &c.]  That  is,  had  not  the  ransom 
been,  in  strictness,  lawful  for  you  to  ac- 


cept by  God's  having,  in  general  terms, 
allowed  you  the  spoil,  and  the  captives,  ye 
had  been  severely  punished. 

Among  the  seventy  prisoners  which  the 
Moslems  took  in  this  battle,  were  al  Abbas, 
one  of  Mohammed's  uncles,  and  Okail, 
the  son  of  Abu  Taleb,  and  brother  of  Ali. 
When  they  were  brought  before  Moham- 
med, he  asked  the  advice  of  his  companions 
what  should  be  done  with  them.  Abu 
Beer  was  for  releasing  them,  on  their  pay- 
ing of  ransom,  saying,  that  they  were 
near  relations  to  the  prophet,  and  God 
might  possibly  forgive  them  on  their  re- 
pentance; but  Omar  was  for  striking  off 
their  heads,  as  professed  patrons  of  infi- 
delity. Mohammed  did  not  approve  of 
the  latter  advice,  but  observed  that  Abu 
Beer  resembled  Abraham,  who  interceded 
for  offenders  ;  and  that  Omar  was  like 
Noah,  who  prayed  for  the  utter  extirpa- 
tion of  the  wicked  antediluvians  ;  and 
thereupon  it  was  agreed  to  accept  a  ran- 
som from  them,  and  their  fellow-captives. 
Soon  after  which,  Omar,  going  into  the 
prophet's  tent,  found  him  and  Abu  Beer 
weeping,  and  asking  them  the  reason  of 
their  tears,  Mohammed  acquainted  him, 
that  this  verse  had  been  revealed,  con- 
demning their  ill-timed  lenity  towards 
their  prisoners,  and  that  they  had  narrowly 
escaped  the  divine  vengeance  for  it;  add- 


VIII.] 


AL    KORAK 


195 


took  from  the  captives  at  Bedr.  ^^  Eat,  therefore,  of 
vrhat  ye  have  acquired,  that  which  is  lawful  and  good  ; 
for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  O  prophet !  say 
unto  the  captives  who  are  in  your  hands,  If  God  shall 
know  any  good  to  be  in  your  hearts,  he  will  give  you 
better  than  what  hath  been  taken  from  you  ;  and  he  will 
forgive  you,  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^*  But  if 
they  seek  to  deceive  thee,  verily  they  have  deceived  God 
before  ;  wherefore  he  hath  given  thee  power  over  them : 
and  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  Moreover,  they  who 
have  believed,  and  have  fled  their  country,  and  employed 
their  substance,  and  their  persons  in  fighting  for  the  reli- 
gion of  God,  and  they  who  have  given  the  prophet  a 
refuge  among  them,  and  have  assisted  him,  these  shall  be 
deemed  the  one  nearest  of  kin  to  the  other.  But  they 
who  have  believed,  but  have  not  fled  their  country,  shall 
have  no  right  of  kindred  at  all  with  you,  until  they  also 


ing,  that  if  God  had  not  passed  the  matter 
over,  they  had  certainly  been  destroyed  to 
a  man,  excepting  only  Omar,  and  Saad 
Ebn  Moadh,  a  person  of  as  great  severity, 
and  who  was  also  for  putting  the  prisoners 
to  death  ^.  Yet  did  not  this  crime  go  ab- 
solutely unpunished  neither  :  for  in  the 
battle  of  Ohod,  the  Moslems  lost  seventy 
men,  equal  to  the  number  of  prisoners 
taken  at  Bedr  ^  ;  which  was  so  ordered  by 
God,  as  a  retaliation  or  atonement  for  the 
same. 

72  Of  what  ye  have  acquired.^  i.  e.  Of 
the  ransom  which  ye  have  received  of  your 
prisoners.  For,  it  seems,  on  this  rebuke, 
they  had  some  scruple  of  conscience  whe- 
ther they  might  convert  it  to  their  own 
use  or  not^. 

73  If  God  shall  know  any  good  to  be  in 
your  hearts,  he  will  give  you  better  than 
what  hath  been  taken  from  you.']  That  is. 
If  ye  repent  and  believe,  God  will  make 
you  abundant  retribution  for  the  ransom 
ye  have  now  paid.  It  is  said  that  this 
passage  was  revealed  on  the  particular 
account  of  al  Abbas,  who,  being  obliged 
by  Mohammed,  though  his  uncle,  to  ran- 
som both  himself  and  his  two  nephews, 
Okail  and  Nawfal  Ebn  al  Hareth,  com- 
plained that  he  should  be  reduced  to  beg 
alms  of  the  Koreish  as  long  as  he  lived. 
Whereupon  Mohammed  asked  him  what 


was  to  become  of  the  gold  which  he  deli- 
vered to  0mm  al  Fadl  when  he  left  Mecca, 
telling  her,  that  he  knew  not  what  might 
befal  him  in  the  expedition ;  and  therefore 
if  he  lost  his  life,  she  might  keep  it  her- 
self for  the  use  of  her  and  her  children  ? 
Al  Abbas  demanded  who  told  him  this ; 
to  which  Mohammed  replied,  that  God 
had  revealed  it  to  him.  And  upon  this  al 
Abbas  immediately  professed  Islamism, 
declaring  that  none  could  know  of  that 
affair  except  God,  because  he  gave  her 
the  money  at  midnight.  Some  years  after, 
al  Abbas,  reflecting  on  this  passage,  con- 
fessed it  to  be  fulfilled;  for  he  was  then 
not  only  possessed  of  a  large  substance, 
but  had  the  custody  of  the  well  Zemzem, 
which,  he  said,  he  preferred  to  all  the 
riches  of  Mecca  *. 

74  To  deceive  thee.]  By  not  paying  the 
ransom  agreed  on. 

75  They  shall  be  deemed  the  nearest  of 
kin  to  each  other,]  And  shall  consequently 
inherit  one  another's  substance  preferably 
to  their  relations  by  blood.  And  this, 
they  say,  was  practised  for  some  time,  the 
Mohajerun  and  Ansars  being  judged  heirs 
to  one  another,  exclusive  of  the  deceased's 
other  kindred,  till  this  passage  was  abro- 
gated by  the  following  :  Those  who  are 
related  by  blood  shall  be  deemed  the  nearest 
of  kin  to  each  other. 


^  See  before,  p.  188,  &  chap,  xxiii.  -  See  chap.  iii. 

*  Idem.     V.  D'Herbel  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Abbas. 


3  Al  BeiddwL 


o2 


196  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

fly.  Yet,  if  they  ask  assistance  of  you  on  account  of  reli- 
gion, it  belongeth  unto  you  to  give  them  assistance ; 
except  against  a  people  between  whom  and  yourselves 
there  shall  be  a  league  subsisting :  and  God  seeth  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^  And  as  to  the  infidels,  let  them  be 
deemed  of  kin  the  one  to  the  other.  Unless  ye  do  this, 
there  will  be  a  sedition  in  the  earth,  and  grievous  corrup- 
tion. ^^  But  as  for  them  who  have  believed,  and  left 
their  country,  and  have  fought  for  God's  true  religion, 
and  who  have  allowed  the  prophet  a  retreat  among  them, 
and  have  assisted  him,  these  are  really  believers ;  they 
shall  receive  mercy,  and  an  honourable  provision.  ^^  And 
they  who  have  believed  since,  and  have  fled  their  country, 
and  have  fought  with  you,  these  also  are  of  you.  And 
those  who  are  related  by  consanguinity  shall  be  deemed 
the  nearest  of  kin  to  each  other,  preferably  to  strangers, 
according  to  the  book  of  God  ;  God  knoweth  all  things. 


CHAPTER     IX. 

INTITLED,    THE    DECLARATION    OF    IMMUNITY  ;    REVEALED 

AT    MEDINA. 

^  A  DECLARATION  of  immunity  from  God  and  his  apostle 
unto    the    idolaters  with   whom   ye   have    entered   into 

Title — Immunity,']  The  reason  why  the  ment  of  this  chapter  bearing  a  near  re- 
chapter  had  this  title  appears  from  the  first  semblance  to  that  of  the  preceding,  his 
verse.  Some,  however,  give  it  other  titles  ;  companions  differed  about  it ;  some  saying, 
and  particularly  that  of  Repentance,  which  that  both  chapters  were  but  one,  and,  to- 
is  mentioned  immediately  after.  gether,  made  the  seventh  of  the  seven  long 

It  is  observable,  that  this  chapter  alone  ones  ;  and  others,  that  they  were  two  dis- 

has  not  the  auspicatory  form,  In  the  name  tinct  chapters ;  whereupon,  to  accommodate 

of  the  most  merciful  God,  prefixed  to  it;  the    dispute,    they    left  a  space  between 

the    reason   of  which   omission,  as  some  them,  but  did  not  interpose  the  distinction 

think,  was,  because  these  words  imply  a  of  the  Bismillah  ^ 

concession    of  security,   which   is   utterly         It  is  agreed,  that  this  chapter  was  the 

taken  away  by  this  chapter,  after  a  fixed  last  which  was   revealed ;   and  the  only 

time  ;  wherefore   some  have  called  it  the  one,  as  Mohammed  declared,  which  was 

chapter  of  Punishment.     Others  say,  that  revealed  entire,  and  at  once,  except  the 

Mohammed  (who  died  soon  after  he  had  re-  hundred  and  tenth. 

ceived  this  chapter)  having  given  no  direc-         Some  will  have  the  two  last  verses  to 

tion  where  it  should  be  placed,  nor  for  the  have  been  revealed  at  Mecca, 
prefixing  the  Bismillah  to  it,  as  had  been  1   A  declaration  of  immunity  from  God 

done  to  the  other  chapters,  and  the  argu-  and  his  apostle,   &c.]      Some   understand 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,   Yahya^  &c. 


IX.] 


AL   KORAN. 


197 


league.  ^  Go  to  and  fro  in  the  earth  securely  four 
months :  and  know  that  ye  shall  not  weaken  God,  and 
that  God  will  disgrace  the  unbelievers.  ^  And  a  decla- 
ration from  God,  and  his  apostle,  unto  the  people,  on 
the  day  of  the  greater  pilgrimage,  that  God  is  clear  of 
the  idolaters — "^  and  his  apostle  also.  Wherefore,  if  ye 
repent,  this  will  be  better  for  you  ;  but  if  ye  turn  back, 
know  that  ye  shall  not  weaken  God  :  and  denounce  unto 
those  who  believe  not,  a  painful  punishment.  ^  Except 
such  of  the  idolaters  with  whom  ye  shall  have  entered 
into  a  league,  and  who,  afterwards,  shall  not  fail  you  in 
any  instance,  nor  assist  any  other  against  you.  Where- 
fore, perform  the  covenant  which  ye  shall  have  made  with 
them,  until  their  time  shall  be  elapsed ;  for  God  loveth 
those  who  fear  him.  ^  And  when  the  months  wherein  ye 
are  not  allowed  to  attack  them  shall  be  passed,  kill  the 
idolaters  wheresoever  ye  shall  find  them,  and  take  them 


this  sentence  of  the  immunity  or  security 
therein  granted  to  the  infidels,  for  the 
space  of  four  months  ;  but  others  think, 
that  the  words  properly  signify,  that  Mo- 
hammed is  here  declared  by  God,  to  be 
absolutely  free,  and  discharged  from  all 
truce  or  league  with  them,  after  the  expi- 
ration of  that  time  ^ :  and  this  last  seems 
to  be  the  truest  interpretation. 

Mohammed's  thus  renouncing  all  league 
with  those  who  would  not  receive  him  as 
the  apostle  of  God,  or  submit  to  become 
tributary,  was  the  consequence  of  the 
great  power  to  which  he  was  now  arrived. 
But  the  pretext  he  made  use  of,  was  the 
treachery  he  had  met  with  among  the 
Jewish  and  idolatrous  Arabs ;  scarce  any 
keeping  faith  with  him,  except  Banu 
Damra,  Banu  Kenana,  and  a  few  others  ^, 

2  Go  to  and  fro  in  the  earth  securely 
fourmotiths.^  These  months  were  Shawdl, 
Dhu'lkaada,  Dhu'lhajja,  aLndMohari'am ;  the 
chapter  being  revealed  in  Shawdl.  Yet 
others  compute  them  from  the  tenth  of 
Dhu'lhajj a fWhen  the  chapter  was  published 
at  Mecca,  and  consequently  make  them 
expire  on  the  tenth  of  the  former  Rahi^. 

3  On  the  day  of  the  greater  pilgrimage.^ 
Viz.  The  tenth  of  Dhu'lhajjaf  when  they 
slay  the  victims  at  Medina ;  which  day  is 
their  great  feast,  and  completes  the  cere- 
monies of  the  pilgrimage.  Some  suppose 
the  adjective  greater  is  added  here,  to 
distinguish   the  pilgrimage    made   at  the 


appointed  time  from  lesser  pilgrimages,  as 
they  may  be  called,  or  visitations  of  the 
Caaba,  which  may  be  performed  at  any 
time  of  the  year  ;  or  else,  because  the 
concourse  at  the  pilgrimage  this  year  was 
greater  than  ordinary,  both  Moslems  and 
idolaters  being  present  at  it. 

The  promulgation  of  this  chapter  was 
committed  by  Mohammed  to  Ali,  who 
rode  for  that  purpose  on  the  prophet's 
slit-eared  camel  from  Medina  to  Mecca, 
and  on  the  day  above-mentioned,  standing 
up  before  the  whole  assembly  at  al  Akaba, 
told  them,  that  he  was  the  messenger  of 
the  apostle  of  God  unto  them ;  where- 
upon, they  asking  him  what  was  his 
errand,  he  read  twenty  or  thirty  verses  of 
the  chapter  to  them,  and  then  said,  I  am 
commanded  to  acquaint  you  with  four 
things  :  1.  That  no  idolater  is  to  come 
near  the  temple  of  Mecca  after  this  year; 
2.  That  no  man  presume  to  compass  the 
Caaba  naked  for  the  future  *  ;  3.  That 
none  but  true  believers  shall  enter  para- 
dise ;  and,  4.  That  public  faith  is  to  be 
kept^. 

5  Except  such  of  the  idolaters  who  shall 
not  fail  you,  &c.]  So  that  notwithstand- 
ing Mohammed  renounces  all  league  ivith 
those  who  had  deceived  him,  he  decWes 
himself  ready  to  perform  his  engagements 
to  such  as  had  been  true  to  him. 

6    Wherever   ye  find    them,']      Either 
within  or  without  the  sacred  territory. 


^  Al  Beiddwi, 
before,  chap,  vii. 


Idem.  ^  Idem,  Al  Zamaksh.  Jallalo' ddin.  *  See 

5  Al  Beiddwi,     V.  Ahulfed,  vit.  Moh.  p.  127,  &c. 


198  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

prisoners,  and  besiege  them,  and  lay  wait  for  them  in 
every  convenient  place.  But  if  they  shall  repent,  and 
observe  the  appointed  times  of  prayer,  and  pay  the  legal 
alms,  dismiss  them  freely ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  merci- 
ful. ^  And  if  any  of  the  idolaters  shall  demand  pro- 
tection of  thee,  grant  him  protection,  that  he  may  hear 
the  word  of  God  ;  and  afterwards  let  him  reach  the  place 
of  his  security.  This  shalt  thou  do,  because  they  are 
people  which  know  not  the  excellency  of  the  religion 
thou  preachest.  ^  How  shall  the  idolaters  be  admitted 
into  a  league  with  God,  and  with  his  apostle;  except 
those  with  whom  ye  entered  into  a  league  at  the  holy 
temple?  So  long  as  they  behave  with  fidelity  towards 
you,  do  ye  also  behave  with  fidelity  towards  them ;  for 
God  loveth  those  who  fear  him.  ^How  can  they  be 
admitted  into  a  league  with  you,  since,  if  they  prevail 
against  you,  they  will  not  regard  in  you  either  consan- 
guinity or  faith  ?  They  will  please  you  with  their  mouths, 
but  their  hearts  will  be  averse  from  you ;  for  the  greater 
part  of  them  are  wicked  doers.  ^^  They  sell  the  signs  of 
God  for  a  small  price,  and  obstruct  his  way  ;  it  is  certainly 
evil  which  they  do.  ^^  They  regard  not  in  a  believer 
either  consanguinity  or  faith ;  and  these  are  the  trans- 
gressors. ^^  Yet,  if  they  repent,  and  observe  the  appointed 
times  of  prayer,  and  give  alms,  they  shall  be  deemed 
your  brethren  in  religion.  We  distinctly  propound  our 
signs  unto  people  who  understand.  ^^  But  if  they  violate 
their  oaths,  after  their  league,  and  revile  your  religion, 
oppose  the  leaders  of  infidelity  (for  there  is  no  trust  in 
them),  that  they  may  desist  from  their  treachery.  ^^  Will 
ye  not  fight  against  people  who  have  violated  their  oaths, 
and  conspired  to  expel  the  apostle  of  God  ;  and  who,  of 
their  own  accord,  assaulted  you  the  first  time  ?    Will  ye 

7  And  afterwards  let  him  reach  the  place  have  violated  their  oaths,  &c.~\  As  did  the 
of  his  security.']  That  is,  you  shall  give  Koreish  in  assisting  the  tribe  of  Beer 
him  a  safe-conduct,  that  he  may  return  against  those  of  Khozaah  *,  and  laying  a 
home  again  securely,  in  case  he  shall  not  design  to  ruin  Mohammed,  without  any 
think  fit  to  embrace  Mohammedism.  just  provocation  ;    and  as   several  of  the 

8  Except  those  ivith  whom  ye  entered  Jewish  tribes  did,  by  aiding  the  enemy ; 
into  a  league ySzcJ]  These  are  the  persons  and  endeavouring  to  oblige  the  prophet  to 
before  excepted.  leave  Medina,  as  he  had  been  obliged  to 

1 4    Will  ye  not  fight  against  people  who    leave  Mecca  2. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  p.  64.  2  ^/  Beiddwi. 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  199 

fear  them  ?  But  it  is  more  just  that  ye  should  fear  God, 
if  ye  are  true  believers.  ^^  Attack  them,  therefore ;  God 
shall  punish  them  by  your  hands,  and  will  cover  them 
with  shame,  and  will  give  you  the  victory  over  them ; 
and  he  will  heal  the  breasts  of  the  people  who  believe. 
^^  And  He  will  take  away  the  indignation  of  their  hearts : 
for  God  will  be  turned  unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  God 
is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  Did  ye  imagine  that  ye  should 
be  abandoned,  whereas  God  did  not  yet  know  those 
among  you  who  fought  for  his  religion,  and  took  not  any 
besides  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  the  faithful,  for  their 
friends  ?  God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do. 
^^  It  is  not  fitting  that  the  idolaters  should  visit  the 
temples  of  God,  being  witnesses  against  their  own  souls 
of  their  infidelity.  The  works  of  these  men  are  vain ; 
and  they  shall  remain  in  hell-fire  for  ever.  ^^  But  he 
only  shall  visit  the  temples  of  God,  who  believeth  in 
God  and  the  last  day,  and  is  constant  at  prayer,  and 
payeth  the  legal  alms,  and  feareth  God  alone.  These, 
perhaps,  may  become  of  the  number  of  those  who  are 
rightly  directed.  ^^  Do  ye  reckon  the  giving  drink  to  the 
pilgrims,  and  the  visiting  of  the  holy  temple,  to  be 
actions  as  meritorious  as  those  performed  by  him  who 
believeth  in  God  and  the  last  day,  and  fighteth  for  the 
religion  of  God  ?  They  shall  not  be  held  equal  with  God  : 
for  God  directeth  not  the  unrighteous  people.  ^^  They 
who  have  believed,  and  fled  their  country,  and  employed 
their  substance,  and  their  persons,  in  the  defence  of 
God's  true  religion,    shall  be  in  the  highest  degree  of 

15  And  he  will  heal  the   breasts  of  the  unbelievers;  for   if  the  faithful  will    but 

people  who    believe,   &c.]     Viz.  Those  of  perhaps   be    saved,   what  can   the  others 

Khozaah  ;    or,  as  others  say,  certain  fami-  hope  for^  ? 

lies    of    Yaman  and  Saba,  who   went  to  20  Do  ye  reckon  the  giving  drink  to  the 

Mecca;    and   there  professed   Mohamme-  pilgrimSihc.^     This  passage  was  revealed 

dism,  but  were  very  injuriously  treated  by  on  occasion  of  some  words  of  al  Abbas, 

the    inhabitants ;    whereupon   they   com-  Mohammed's  uncle  ;  who,  when  he  was 

plained  to   Mohammed,  who  bade   them  taken  prisoner,  being  bitterly  reproached 

take  comfort,  for  that  joy  was  approach-  by  the  Moslems,   and  particularly  by  his 

ing  1.  nephew  Ali,  answered.  You  rip  up  our  ill 

19   These,  perhaps,  may  become  of  the  actions,  but  take  no  notice  of  our  good 

number  of  those  who  are  rightly  directed.^  ones:  we  visit  the  temple  of  Mecca,  and 

These   words    are   to   warn    the  believers  adorn  the  Caaba  with  hangings,  and  give 

from  having  too  great  a  confidence  in  their  drink  to  the  pilgrims  (of  Zemzem  water, 

own    merits,    and    likewise    to    deter  the  I  suppose,)  and  free  captives^. 

^  Al  BeiddwL  2  idem.  ^  Idem. 


200  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

honour  with  God  ;  and  these  are  they  who  shall  be  happy. 
^^  Their  Lord  sendeth  them  good  tidings  of  mercy  from 
him,  and  good  will,  and  of  gardens  wherein  they  shall 
enjoy  lasting  pleasure :  ^^  they  shall  continue  therein  for 
ever :  for  with  God  is  a  great  reward.  ^*  O  true  be- 
lievers !  take  not  your  fathers,  or  your  brethren,  for 
friends,  if  they  love  infidelity  above  faith  ;  and  whosoever 
among  you  shall  take  them  for  his  friends,  they  will  be 
unjust  doers.  ^^  Say,  If  your  fathers,  and  your  sons,  and 
your  brethren,  and  your  wives,  and  your  relations,  and 
your  substance  which  ye  have  acquired,  and  your  mer- 
chandise which  ye  apprehend  may  not  be  sold  off,  and 
your  dwellings  wherein  ye  delight,  be  more  dear  unto 
you  than  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  the  advancement  of 
his  religion  ;  wait,  until  God  shall  send  his  command ; 
for  God  directeth  not  the  ungodly  people.  ^^  Now  hath 
God  assisted  you  in  many  engagements,  and  particularly 
at  the  battle  of  Honein  ;  when  ye  pleased  yourselves  in 
your  multitude,  but  it  was  no  manner  of  advantage  unto 
you,  and  the  earth  became  too  strait  for  you,  notwith- 
standing it  was  spacious ;  then  did  ye  retreat,  and  turn 
your  backs.     ^^  Afterwards  God  sent  down  his  security 

25  Till  God  shall  send  his  com-  courage  was  go  great,  that  his  uncle,  al 
mand,~\  Or  shall  punish  you.  Some  sup-  Abbas,  and  his  cousin,  Abu  Sofian  Ebn  al 
pose  the  taking  of  Mecca  to  be  here  in-  Hareth,  had  much  ado  to  prevent  his  spur- 
tended  ^  ring  his  mule  into  the  midst  of  the  enemy, 

26  The  battle  of  Honein.']  This  battle  by  laying  hold  of  the  bridle  and  stirrup, 
was  fought  in  the  eighth  year  of  the  Then  he  ordered  al  Abbas,  who  had  the 
Hejra,  in  the  valley  of  Honein,  which  lies  voice  of  a  Stentor,  to  recall  his  flying 
about  three  miles  from  Mecca  towards  troops  ;  upon  which  they  rallied,  and  the 
Tayef,  beween  Mohammed,  who  had  an  prophet  throwing  a  handful  of  dust  against 
army  of  twelve  thousand  men,  and  the  the  enemy,  they  attacked  them  a  second 
tribes  of  Hawazen  and  Thakif,  whose  time,  and,  by  the  divine  assistance,  gained 
forces  did  not  exceed  four  thousand.    The  the  victory  ^ 

Mohammedans,  seeing  themselves  so  great-         —  Jnd  the  earth  became  too  strait  for 

ly  superior  to  their  enemies,  made  sure  of  you.]      For  the  valley  being  very  deep, 

the  victory ;  a  certain  person,  whom  some  and  encompassed    by  craggy   mountains, 

suppose  to  have  been  the  prophet  himself,  the  enemy  placed  themselves  in  ambush 

crying  out,  These  can  never  be  overcome  on  every  side,  attacking  them  in  the  straits 

by  so  few.     But  God  was  so  highly  dis-  and  narrow  passages,  and  from  behind  the 

pleased  with  this  confidence,  that,  in  the  rocks,  with  great  advantage  *. 
first  encounter,  the  Moslems  were  put  to         27  His  security.]    The  original  word  is 

flight  2,  some  of  them  running  away  quite  Sakinatf  which  the  commentators  interpret 

to  Mecca  ;  so  that  none  stood  their  ground  in  this  sense  ;  but  it  seems  rather  to  sig- 

except  Mohammed  himself,  and  some  few  nify   the  divine   presence^    or   Shechinah, 

of  his  family  ;  and  they  say  the  prophet's  appearing  to  aid  the  Moslems  ' 


5 


1  Al  Beiddwl  ^  See  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  96,  &c.     Hotting.  Hist.  Orient, 

p.  271,  &c.     D'Herbel,  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  601.  ^  Al  Beiddwi^  Jallalo'ddin,  Abulfed, 

vit.  Mob.  p.  112,  &c.  *  Ebn  hhak.  ^  See  chap.  ii.  noie. 


IX.] 


AL  KORAN. 


201 


upon  his  apostle,  and  upon  the  faithful,  and  sent  down 
troops  of  angels  which  ye  saw  not ;  and  he  punished 
those  who  disbelieved  ;  and  this  was  the  reward  of  the 
unbelievers.  ^^  Nevertheless,  God  will  hereafter  be  turned 
unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  merci- 
ful. ^^  O  true  believers  !  verily  the  idolaters  are  unclean ; 
let  them  not  therefore  come  near  unto  the  holy  temple 
after  this  year.  And  if  ye  fear  want,  by  the  cutting  off 
trade  and  communication  with  them,  God  will  enrich 
you  of  his  abundance,  if  he  pleaseth ;  for  God  is  knowing 
and  wise.  ^^  Fight  against  them  w^ho  believe  not  in  God, 
nor  in  the  last  day,  and  forbid  not  that  which  God,  and 
his  apostle,  have  forbidden,  and  profess  not  the  true 
religion  of  those  unto  whom  the  scriptures  have  been 
delivered,  until  they  pay  tribute  by  right  of  subjection. 


' —  Troops  of  angels.']  As  to  the  num- 
ber of  these  celestial  auxiliaries,  the  com- 
mentators differ  :  some  say  they  were  five 
thousand  ;  some,  eight  thousand  ;  and 
others,  sixteen  thousand  ^ 

28  Nevertheless  God  will  hereafter  turn 
unto  whom  he  pleaseth.'^  Besides  a  great 
number  of  proselytes,  who  were  gained  by 
this  battle,  Mohammed,  on  their  request, 
was  so  generous  as  to  restore  the  captives 
(which  were  no  less  than  six  thousand)  to 
their  friends,  and  offered  to  make  amends 
himself  to  any  of  his  men  who  should  not 
be  willing  to  part  with  his  prisoners  ;  but 
they  all  consented  to  it  2. 

29  After  this  year.]  Which  was  the 
ninth  year  of  the  Hejra.  In  consequence 
of  this  prohibition,  neither  Jews,  nor 
Christians,  nor  those  of  any  other  religion, 
are  suffered  to  come  near  Mecca  to  this 
day. 

—  God  will  enrich  you  of  his  ahundance.'\ 
This  promise,  says  al  Beidawi,  was  ful- 
filled by  God's  sending  plenty  of  rain, 
and  disposing  the  inhabitants  of  Tebala 
and  Jorash,  two  towns  in  Yaman,  to  em- 
brace Islam,  who  thereupon  brought  suffi- 
cient provisions  to  Mohammed's  men ; 
and  also  by  the  subsequent  coming  in  of 
the  Arabs  from  all  quarters  to  him. 

30  Who  believe  not  in  God,  nor  in  the 
last  day.]  That  is,  who  have  not  a  just 
and  true  faith  in  these  matters ;  but  either 
believe  a  plurality  of  gods,  or  deny  the 
eternity  of  hell-torments  ^,  or  the  delights 
of  paradise  as  described  in  the  Koran. 
For,  as  it  appears,  by  the  following  words. 


the  Jews  and  Christians  are  the  persons 
here  chiefly  meant. 

—  By  right  of  subjection.]  This  I 
think  the  true  meaning  of  the  words  An 
yadin,  which  literally  signify.  By  or  out  of 
hand,  and  are  variously  interpreted  ;  some 
supposing  they  mean  that  the  tribute  is  to 
be  paid  readily,  or  by  their  own  hands, 
and  not  by  another ;  or  that  tribute  is  to 
be  exacted  of  the  rich  only,  or  those  who 
are  able  to  pay  it,  and  not  of  the  poor  ;  or 
else,  that  it  is  to  be  taken  as  a  favour,  that 
the  Mohammedans  are  satisfied  with  so 
small  an  imposition,  &c.  ^. 

That  the  Jews  and  Christians  are,  ac- 
cording to  this  law,  to  be  admitted  to 
protection,  on  payment  of  tribute,  there  is 
no  doubt;  though  the  Mohammedan  doc- 
tors differ  as  to  those  of  other  religions. 
It  is  said  that  Omar  at  first  refused  to 
accept  tribute  from  a  Magian,  till  Abda'l- 
rahman  Ebn  Awf  assured  him,  that  Mo- 
hammed himself  had  granted  protection 
to  a  Magian,  and  ordered  that  the  profes- 
sors of  that  religion  should  be  included 
among  the  people  of  the  book,  or  those 
who  found  their  religion  on  some  book 
which  they  suppose  to  be  of  divine  ori- 
ginal. And  it  is  the  more  received  opinion, 
that  these  three  religions  only  ought  to  be 
tolerated  on  the  condition  of  paying  tri- 
bute :  others,  however,  admit  the  Sabians 
also.  Abu  Hanifa  supposed  people  of  any 
religion  might  be  suffered,  except  the  idol- 
atrous Arabs ;  and  Malec  excepted  only 
apostates  from  Mohammedism. 

The  least  tribute    that    can    be    taken 


Al  Beidawi. 


2  Idem 


^  See  chap  ii.  and  chap  iii. 


Al  Beidawi. 


202 


AL  KORAN. 


[chap. 


and  they  be  reduced  low.  ^^  The  Jews  say,  Ezra  is  the 
son  of  God  :  and  the  Christians  say,  Christ  is  the  son  of 
God.  This  is  their  saying  in  their  mouths :  they  imitate 
the  saying  of  those  who  were  unbelievers  in  former  times. 
May  God  resist  them.  How  are  they  infatuated  !  ^^  These 
(the  Jews)  take  their  priests  and  those  (the  Christians) 
their  monks  for  their  lords,  besides  God,  and  Christ  the 
son  of  Mary  ;  although  they  are  commanded  to  worship 
one  God  only ;  there  is  no  God  but  he ;  far  be  that  from 
him,  which  they  associate  with  him !  ^^  They  seek  to 
extinguish  the  light  of  God  with  their  mouths  ;  but  God 
willeth  no  other  than  to  perfect  his  light,  although  the 
infidels  be  averse  thereto.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath  sent  his 
apostle  with  the  direction,  and  true  religion :  that  he  may 


from  every  such  person,  is  generally  agreed 
to  be  a  dinar,  or  about  ten  shillings  a  year  ; 
nor  can  he  be  obliged  to  pay  more,  unless 
he  consent  to  it ;  and  this,  they  say,  ought 
to  be  laid  as  well  on  the  poor  as  on  the 
rich  ^  But  Abu  Hanifa  decided  that  the 
rich  should  pay  forty-eight  dirhems  (twen- 
ty, and  sometimes  twenty-five,  of  which 
made  a  dinar)  a-year  ;  one  in  middling 
circumstances  half  that  sum  ;  and  a  poor 
man,  who  was  able  to  get  his  living,  a 
quarter  of  it :  but  that  he  who  was  not  able 
to  support  himself  should  pay  nothing  2. 

31  The  Jews  say^  Ezra  is  the  son  of 
GodJ]  This  grievous  charge  against  the 
Jews,  the  commentators  endeavour  to  sup- 
port, by  telling  us  that  it  is  meant  of  some 
ancient  heterodox  Jews,  or  else  of  some 
Jews  of  Medina ;  who  said  so  for  no  other 
reason,  than  for  that  the  law  being  utterly 
lost,  and  forgotten,  during  the  Babylonish 
captivity,  Ezra  having  been  raised  to  life, 
after  he  had  been  dead  one  hundred  years  3, 
dictated  the  whole  anew  to  the  scribes, 
out  of  his  own  memory  ;  at  which  they 
greatly  marvelled,  and  declared  that  he 
could  not  have  done  it,  unless  he  were  the 
son  of  God  *.  Al  Beidawi  adds,  that  the 
imputation  must  be  true,  because  this  verse 
was  read  to  the  Jews,  and  they  did  not 
contradict  it  ;  which  they  were  ready 
enough  to  do  in  other  instances. 


That  Ezra  did  thus  restore,  not  only  the 
Pentateuch,  but  also  the  other  books  of  the 
Old  Testament,  by  divine  revelation,  was 
the  opinion  of  several  of  the  Christian  fa- 
thers, who  are  quoted  by  Dr.  Prideaux  ^, 
and  of  some  other  writers  ^  ;  which  they 
seem  to  have  first  borrowed  from  a  passage 
in  that  very  ancient  apocryphal  book, 
called  (in  our  English  Bible)  the  second 
book  of  Esdras  ^.  Dr.  Prideaux  ^  tells  us, 
that  herein  the  fathers  attributed  more  to 
Ezra  than  the  Jews  themselves,  who  sup- 
pose that  he  only  collected,  and  set  forth  a 
correct  edition  of  the  scriptures,  which  he 
laboured  much  in,  and  went  a  great  way 
in  the  perfecting  of  it.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble, however,  that  the  fiction  came  origi- 
nally from  the  Jews,  though  they  be  now 
of  another  opinion  ;  and  I  cannot  fix  it 
upon  them  by  any  direct  proof.  For,  not 
to  insist  on  the  testimony  of  the  Moham- 
medans, (which,  yet,  I  cannot  but  think 
of  some  little  weight  in  a  point  of  this 
nature,)  it  is  allowed  by  the  most  saga- 
cious critics,  that  the  second  book  of  Ezra 
was  written  by  a  Christian  indeed  9;  but 
yet  one  who  had  been  bred  a  Jew,  and 
was  intimately  acquainted  with  the  fables 
of  the  Rabbins  ^^ ;  and  the  story  itself  is 
perfectly  in  the  taste  and  way  of  thinking 
of  those  men. 

32  For  their  lords.']  See  chap.  iii.  note. 


1  V.  Reland,  de  jure  militari  Mohammedanor.  p.  17  &  50.  ^  ji  Beiddwi. 

3  See  chap  ii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Al  Zamakshari,  &c.  ^  Connect,  part  i. 

1.  v.  p.  329.  *         ^  A thanasius  junior f  in  Synopsi  S.  Script,  t.  ii.  p.  86.     Leontius 

Byzantin.  de  sectis,  p.  428.  ^  ch.  xiv.  20,  &c.  ^  Loco  citat.  »  See 

2  Esdras  ii.  43—47.  and  vii.  28,  &c.  ^^^  V.  Dodwelli  Dissert.  Cyprian.  Dissert, 

iv.  §  ii.      Whiston's  Essay  on  the  Apostolical  Constit.  p.  34, 76,  and  304,  &c.     Fabricii 
Codic.  Apocryph.  Novi  Test,  part  ii.  p.  936,  &c. 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  203 

cause  it  to  appear  superior  to  every  other  religion, 
although  the  idolaters  be  averse  thereto.  ^^  O  true 
believers  !  verily  many  of  the  priests,  and  monks,  devour 
the  substance  of  men  in  vanity,  and  obstruct  the  way  of 
God.  But  unto  those  who  treasure  up  gold  and  silver, 
and  employ  it  not  for  the  advancement  of  God's  true 
religion,  denounce  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^  On  the 
day  of  judgment  their  treasures  shall  be  intensely  heated 
in  the  fire  of  hell,  and  their  foreheads,  and  their  sides, 
and  their  backs,  shall  be  stigmatized  therewith ;  and  their 
tormentors  shall  say.  This  is  what  ye  have  treasured  up 
for  your  souls ;  taste,  therefore,  that  which  ye  have  trea- 
sured up.  ^^  Moreover,  the  complete  number  of  months 
with  God,  is  twelve  months,  which  were  ordained  in  the 
book  of  God,  on  the  day  whereon  he  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  :  of  these,  four  are  sacred.  This  is  the 
right  religion :  therefore  deal  not  unjustly  with  yourselves 
therein.  But  attack  the  idolaters  in  all  the  months  as 
they  attack  you  in  all ;  and  know  that  God  is  with  those 
who  fear  him.  ^^  Verily  the  transferring  of  a  sacred 
month  to  another  month,  is  an  additional  infidelity.  The 
unbelievers  are  led  into  an  error  thereby :  they  allow  a 
month  to  be  violated  one  year,  and  declare  it  sacred 
another  year,  that  they  may  agree   in  the  number  of 

35  The  priests  and  monks  devour   the  reasonable    that  you    should  observe  the 

substance   of  men^   &c.]      By    taking    of  sacred  months  with  regard  to  those  who 

bribes,  says  al  Beidawi ;  meaning,  proba-  do  not  acknowledge  them  to  be  sacred,  but 

bly,  the  money  they  took  for  dispensing  make  war  against  you  therein  2. 

with  the  commands  of  God,  and  by  way  38   Verily  the  transferring  of  a  sacred 

of  commutation.  month  to  another  month  is  an  additional 

37  The  number  of  months  with  God  is  infidelity.']      This   was    an    invention,    or 

twelve  months.']  According  to  this  passage,  innovation,  of  the  idolatrous  Arabs,  where- 

the  intercalation  of  a  month  every  third  Or  by  they  avoided  keeping  a  sacred  month, 

second  year,  which  the  Arabs  had  learned  when  it  suited  not  their  conveniency,  by 

of  the  Jews,  in  order  to  reduce  their  lunar  keeping  a   profane   month   in  its  stead  ; 

years  to  solar  years,  is  absolutely  unlaw-  transferring,  for  example,  the  observance 

ful.     For  by   this  means,  they   fixed  the  of  Moharram,    to  the  succeeding  month 

time  of  the  pilgrimage,  and  of  the  fast  of  Safar.     The    first  man  who   put  this   in 

Ramadan,   to  certain  seasons  of  the  year  practice,  they  say,  was  Jonada  Ebn  Awf, 

which  ought  to  be  ambulatory  ^  of  the  tribe  of  Kenana^. 

—  In  the  booJc  of  God.]  viz.  The  pre-  These  ordinances  relating  to  the  months 
served  table.  were  promulgated  by  Mohammed  himself, 

—  Four  are  sacred.]     See  the  Prelim,  at  the  pilgrimage  of  valediction*. 

Disc.  §  vii.  —  They  allow  a  month  to   be  violated 

—  Attack  the  idolaters  in  all  the  months^     one  year,  and   declare  it  sacred  another 
as  they  attack  you  in  all.]      For  it  is  not     year.]     As  did  Jonada,  who  made  public 

*  See  Prid.  Life  of  Mahom,  p.  65,  &c.  and  the  Prelim. Disc.  §  iv.  and  vii.  2  ggg 

chap.  ii.  3  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo' ddin.   V.  Poc.  Spec.  p.  323,  and  the  Prelim.  Disc. 

§  vii.  *  Abulfed*  vit.  Moham.  p.  132. 


204  A  L   KORAN,  [chap. 

months  which  God  hath  commanded  to  be  kept  sacred ; 
and  they  allow  that  which  God  hath  forbidden.     The  evil 
of  their  actions  hath  been  prepared  for  them  :  for  God 
directeth  not  the  unbelieving  people.    ^^  O  true  believers  ! 
what  ailed  you,  that,  when  it  was  said  unto  you.  Go  forth 
to  fight    for   the   religion    of  God,    ye  inclined  heavily 
towards  the  earth  ?   Do  ye  prefer  the  present  life  to  that 
which  is   to  come  ?    But  the   provision   of  this   life,   in 
respect  of  that  which  is  to  come,  is  but  slender.     ^^  Un- 
less ye  go  forth  when  ye  are  summoned  to  war,  God  will 
punish  you  with  a  grievous  punishment.     *^  And  he  will 
place  another  people  in  your  stead,  and  ye  shall  not  hurt 
him  at  all ;  for  God  is  almighty.     ^^  If  ye  assist  not  the 
prophet,  verily  God  will  assist  him,  as  he  assisted  him 
formerly,  when  the  unbelievers  drove  him  out  of  Mecca, 
the  second  of  two  :  when  they  were  both  in  the  cave ; 
when  he  said  unto  his  companion.  Be  not  grieved,  for 
God  is  with  us.     And  God  sent  down  his  security  upon 
him,  and  strengthened  him  with  armies  of  angels,  whom 
ye  saw  not.    And  he  made  the  word  of  those  who  believed 
not,  to  be  abased,  and  the  word  of  God  was  exalted ;  for 
God   is  mighty  and  wise.     ^^  Go  forth  to  battle,   both 
light  and  heavy,  and  employ  your  substance,  and  your 
persons^  for  the  advancement  of  God's  religion.     This  will 

proclamation  at  the  assembly  of  pilgrims,  just  ripe,  and  they  had  much  rather  have 

that  their  gods  had  allowed  Moharram  to  staid  to  have  gathered  them  2. 

be  profane  ;   whereupon  they   observed  it  41    Another  people.^     See  chap.  v. 

not ;  but  the  next  year  he  told  them  that  42   The  second  of  two.']    That  is,  having 

the    gods   had     ordered    it    to    be    kept  only  Abu  Beer  with  him. 

sacred  1.  —  God  is  with  us.]      See  Prelim.  Disc. 

39    When  it  was  said  unto  you,  Go  forth  §  ii.  p.  60. 

to  fight  for  the  religion  of  God,  ye  inclined  —    Security.]     See  before,   page    200, 

heavily  towards  the  earth,  &c.]   viz.  In  the  note  27. 

expedition  of  Tabuc,  a  town  situate  about  —  And  he  strengthened  him  with  armies 
half-way  between  Medina  and  Damascus,  of  angels,  &c.]  Who,  as  some  imagine, 
which  Mohammed  undertook  against  the  guarded  him  in  the  cave.  Or  the  words 
Greeks,  with  an  army  of  thirty  thousand  may  relate  to  the  succours  from  heaven 
men,  in  the  ninth  year  of  the  Hejra.  On  which  Mohammed  pretended  to  have  re- 
this  expedition  the  Moslems  set  out  with  ceived  in  several  encounters;  as  at Bedr,  the 
great  unwillingness,  because  it  was  under-  war  of  the  ditch,  and  the  battle  of  Honein. 
taken  in  the  midst  of  the  summer  heats,  43  Both  light  and  heavy.]  i.  e.  Whether 
and  at  a  time  of  great  drought  and  scar-  the  expedition  be  agreeable  or  not ;  or 
city  ;  whereby  the  soldiers  suffered  so  whether  ye  have  sufficient  arms  and  pro- 
much,  that  this  army  was  called  the  dis-  visions,  or  not ;  or  whether  ye  be  on  horse- 
tressed  army :    besides,   their  fruits  were  back  or  on  foot,  &c. 

*  *  Al  Beiddwi.  ^    Al   Belddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.       V.  Abulfed,    vit.   Moham, 

p.  123. 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  205 

be  better  for  you  ;  if  ye  know  it.  ^^  If  it  had  been  a 
near  advantage  and  a  moderate  journey,  they  had  surely 
followed  thee ;  but  the  way  seemed  tedious  unto  them  : 
and  yet  they  will  swear  by  God,  saying,  If  we  had  been 
able,  we  had  surely  gone  forth  with  you.  They  destroy 
their  own  souls  ;  for  God  knoweth  that  they  are  liars. 
*^  God  forgive  thee  !  why  didst  thou  give  them  leave  to 
stay  at  home,  until  they  who  speak  the  truth,  when  they 
excuse  themselves,  had  become  manifested  unto  thee, 
and  thou  hadst  know^n  the  liars  ?  ^^  They  who  believe  in 
God,  and  the  last  day,  will  not  ask  leave  of  thee,  to  be 
excused  from  employing  their  substance,  and  their  per- 
sons, for  the  advancement  of  God's  true  religion  ;  and 
God  knoweth  those  who  fear  him.  ^^  Verily  they  only 
will  ask  leave  of  thee  to  stay  behind,  who  believe  not  in 
God,  and  the  last  day,  and  whose  hearts  doubt  concern- 
ing the  faith  :  wherefore  they  are  tossed  to  and  fro  in 
their  doubting.  ^^  If  they  had  been  willing  to  go  forth 
with  thee,  they  had  certainly  prepared  for  that  purpose  a 
provision  of  arms  and  necessaries :  but  God  was  averse 
to  their  going  forth ;  wherefore  he  rendered  them  sloth- 
ful ;  and  it  was  said  unto  them.  Sit  ye  still  with  those 
who  sit  still.  ^^  If  they  had  gone  forth  with  you,  they 
had  only  been  a  burden  unto  you,  and  had  run  to  and  fro 
between  you,  stirring  you  up  to  sedition  ;  and  there 
would  have  been  some  among  you,  who  would  have  given 
ear  unto  them  ;  and  God  knoweth  the  wicked.  ^^  They 
formerly  sought  to  raise  a  sedition,  and  they  disturbed 
thy  affairs,  until  the  truth  came,  and  the  decree  of  God 
was  made  manifest ;  although  they  were  averse  thereto. 
^^  There  is  of  them  who  saith  unto  thee.  Give  me  leave 
to  stay  behind,  and  expose  me  not  to  temptation.     Have 

44  If  it  had  been  a  near  advantage  and  lah  Ebn  Obba,  and  his  hypocritical  adhe- 
a  moderate  journey,  &c.]  That  is,  had  rents,  and  also  three  of  the  Ansars  ;  for 
there  been  no  difficulties  to  surmount  in     which  he  is  here  reprehended. 

the  expedition  of  Tabuc,  and  the  march         48   With  those  who  sit  still.^   i.  e.  With 

thither  had  been  short  and   easy,  so  that  the  women  and  children,  and  other  impo- 

the  plunder  might  have  cost  them  little  or  tent  people. 

no  trouble,  they  w^ould  not  have  been  so         50    They  formerly   sought    to    raise   a 

backward.  sedition,  &c.]     As  they  did  at  the  battle 

45  Why  didst  thou  give  them  leave  to  of  Ohod  *. 

stay  at  home,  &c.]  For  Mohammed  ex-  51  Expose  me  not  to  temptation.!^  By 
cused  several  of  his  men,  on  their  request,  obliging  me  to  go,  against  my  will,  on  an 
from  going  on  this  expedition  ;  as  Abda'l-     expedition,  the   hardships  of  which  may 

^  See  chap.  iii. 


206  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

they  not  fallen  into  temptation  at  home  ?  But  hell  will 
surely  encompass  the  unbelievers.  ^^  If  good  happen 
unto  thee,  it  grieveth  them;  but  if  a  misfortune  befal 
thee,  they  say.  We  ordered  our  business  before ;  and  they 
turn  their  backs,  and  rejoice  at  thy  mishap.  ^^  Say, 
Nothing  shall  befal  us,  but  what  God  hath  decreed  for 
us  ;  he  is  our  patron ;  and  on  God  let  the  faithful  trust. 
^^  Say,  Do  ye  expect  any  other  should  befal  us,  than  one 
of  the  two  most  excellent  things :  either  victory  or  mar- 
tyrdom ?  But  we  expect  concerning  you,  that  God  inflict 
a  punishment  on  you,  either  from  himself,  or  by  our 
hands.  Wait  therefore  to  see  what  will  be  the  end  of  both ; 
for  we  will  wait  with  you.  ^^  Say,  Expend  your  money 
in  pious  uses,  either  voluntarily,  or  by  constraint,  it  shall 
not  be  accepted  of  with  you:  because  ye  are  wicked  people. 
^^  And  nothing  hindereth  their  contributions  from  being 
accepted  of  them,  but  that  they  believe  not  in  God,  and 
his  apostle,  and  perform  not  the  duty  of  prayer,  otherwise 
than  sluggishly ;  and  expend  not  their  money  for  God's 
service,  otherwise  than  unwillingly.  ^^  Let  not,  therefore, 
their  riches,  or  their  children,  cause  thee  to  marvel. 
Verily  God  intendeth  only  to  punish  them  by  these  things 
in  this  world  ;  and  that  their  souls  may  depart  while  they 
are  unbelievers.  ^^  They  swear  by  God  that  they  are  of 
you ;  yet  they  are  not  of  you,  but  are  people  who  stand 
in  fear.  ^^  If  they  find  a  place  of  refuge,  or  caves,  or  a 
retreating-hole,  they  surely  turn  towards  the  same,  and, 
in  a  headstrong  manner,  haste  thereto.  ^^  There  is  of 
them  also  who  spreadeth  ill  reports  of  thee,  in  relation  to 
thy  distribution  of  the  alms ;  yet,  if  they  receive  part 

tempt   me   to  rebel,  or  to   desert.     It  is  i.  e.  Either  by  some  signal  judgment  from 

related,  that  one  Jadd  Ebn  Kais  said,  that  heaven,  or  by  remitting  their  punishment 

the  Ansars  well  knew  he  was  much  given  to  the  true  believers. 

to  women,  and  he  dared  not  trust  himself        58  That  they  are  of  you,']  Viz.  Staunch 

with  the  Greek  girls  ;  wherefore  he  desired  Moslems. 

he  might  be  left  behind,   and   he  would         —   Who  stand  in  fear,]     Hypocritically 

assist  them  with  his  purse  ^  concealing  their  infidelity,  lest  ye  should 

51  Have  they  not  fallen  into  temptation  chastise  them,  as  ye  have  done  the  pro- 
at  home  ?]  Discovering  their  hypocrisy  fessed  infidels  and  apostates ;  and  yet 
by  their  backwardness  to  go  to  war  for  the  ready  to  avow  their  infidelity,  when  they 
promotion  of  the  true  religion.  think  they  may  do  it  with  safety. 

52  We  ordered  our  business  before.]  60  There  is  also  of  them  who  spreadeth 
That  is,  we  took  care  to  keep  out  of  harm's  ill  reports  of  thee  in  relation  to  thy  distri- 
way,  by  staying  at  home.  button  of  the  alms^  &c.]      This  person  was 

b  A  Either  from  himself,  or  by  our  hands.]     Abu'l  Jowadh    the   hypocrite,   who    said 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


IX.]  AL  KORAN.  207 

thereof,  they  are  well  pleased ;  but  if  they  receive  not  a 
part  thereof,  behold,  they  are  angry.  ^^  But  if  they  had 
been  pleased  with  that  which  God  and  his  apostle  had 
given  them,  and  had  said,  God  is  our  support ;  God  will 
give  unto  us  of  his  abundance,  and  his  prophet  also; 
verily  unto  God  do  we  make  our  supplications  :  it  would 
have  been  more  decent.  ^^  Alms  are  to  be  distributed 
only  unto  the  poor,  and  the  needy,  and  those  who  are 
employed  in  collecting  and  distributing  the  same,  and  unto 
those  whose  hearts  are  reconciled,  and  for  the  redemption 
of  captives,  and  unto  those  who  are  in  debt,  and  insolvent, 
and  for  the  advancement  of  God's  religion,  and  unto  the 
traveller.  This  is  an  ordinance,  from  God  :  and  God  is 
knowing  and  wise.  ^^  There  are  some  of  them  who  injure 
the  prophet,  and  say.  He  is  an  ear.  Answer,  He  is  an 
ear  of  good  unto  you ;  he  believeth  in  God,  and  giveth. 
credit  to  the  faithful,  and  is  a  mercy  unto  such  of  you 
who  believe.  But  they  who  injure  the  apostle  of  God, 
shall  suffer  a  painful  punishment.  ^*  They  swear  unto 
you  by  God,  that  they  may  please  you ;  but  it  is  more 
just  that  they  should  please  God,  and  his  apostle,  if  they 
are  true  believers.  ^^  Do  they  not  know  that  he  who 
opposeth  God,  and  his  apostle,  shall,  without  doubt, 
be  punished  with  the  fire  of  hell  ;  and  shall  remain 
therein  for  ever  ?  This  will  be  great  ignominy.  ^^  The 
hypocrites  are  apprehensive  lest  a  Sura  should  be  revealed 

Mohammed  gave  them  away  among  the  —     Whose    hearts     are     reconciled.^ 

keepers  of  sheep  only  ;  or,  as  others  sup-  That  is,     who  were    lately    enemies    to 

pose,    Ebn   Dhi'lkhowaifara,   who  found  the    faithful,     but    have    now   embraced 

fault  with  the  prophet's  distribution  of  the  Mohammedism,  and    entered   into  amity 

spoils  taken  at  Honein,  because  he  gave  with    them.      For  Mohammed,    to    gain 

them  all  among  the  Meccans,  to  reconcile  their    hearts,    and    confirm  them    in   his 

and  gain  them  over  to  his  religion  and  religion,     made    large    presents    to     the 

interest  ^  chief  of  the  Koreish,  out  of  the  spoils  at 

62  AlmSi  &c.]     See  what  is  said  as  to  Honein,  as  has  been  just  now  mentioned  2. 

this  point  in  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  But  this  law,  they  say,  became  of  no  ob- 

—    The  poor,  and  the   needy,']      The  ligation  when  the  Mohammedan  faith  was 

commentators  make  a  distinction  between  established,  and  stood  not  in  need  of  such 

these  two  words  in  the  original.  Fakir  and  methods  for  its  support. 

MesHn  :  one,  they  say,  signifies  him  who  63  He  is  an  ear.]     i.  e.  He  hears  every 

is   utterly  destitute   both    of  money  and  thing  that  we  say ;  and  gives  credit  to  all 

means  of  livelihood  ;  the  other,  one  who  the  stories  that  are  carried  to  him. 

is  in  want  indeed,  but  is  able  to  get  some-  —    He  is  an   ear  of  good   unto   you.] 

thing  towards  his  own  support.     But  to  Giving  credit  to  nothing  that  may  do  you 

which  of  the  two  words  either  of  these  hurt. 

different   significations   properly  belongs,  66  A   Sura.]      So  the   Mohammedans 

the  critics  differ.  call  a  chapter  of  the  Koran  3. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  Ahulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  118,  119.  2  Ahulfed.  vit.  Moham. 

p.  118, 119.  3  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  p.  67. 


^08  A  L     KORAN.  [ciiap. 

concerning  them,  to  declare  unto  them  that  which  is  in 
their  hearts.     Say  unto  them.  Scoff  ye ;  but   God  will 
surely  bring  to  light  that  which  ye  fear  should  be  dis- 
covered.    ^^And   if  thou  ask  them  the  reason   of  this 
scoffing,  they  say.  Verily  we  were  only  engaged  in  dis- 
course, and  jesting  among  ourselves.     Say,  Do  ye  scoff*  at 
God  and  his  signs,  and  at  his  apostle  ?     ^^  Offer  not  an 
excuse  ;  now  are  ye  become  infidels,  after  your  faith.     If 
we  forgive  a  part  of  you,  we  will  punish  a  part,  for  that 
they  have  been  wicked  doers.     ^^  Hypocritical  men  and 
women  are  the  one  of  them  or  the  other :  they  command 
that  which  is  evil,  and  forbid  that  which  is  just,  and  shut 
their  hands  from  giving  alms.    They  have  forgotten  God  ; 
wherefore  he  hath  forgotten  them :  verily  the  hypocrites 
are  those  who  act  wickedly.     ^^  God  denounceth  unto  the 
hypocrites,  both  men  and  women,  and  to  the  unbelievers, 
the  fire  of  hell ;  they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever :  this 
will  be  their  sufficient  reward ;  God  hath  cursed  them, 
and  they  shall  endure  a  lasting  torment.     ^^  As  they  who 
have  been  before  you,  so  are  ye.     They  were  superior  to 
you  in  strength,  and  had  more  abundance  of  wealth,  and 
of  children ;  and  they  enjoyed  their  portion  in  this  world ; 
and  ye  also  enjoy  your  portion  here,  as  they  who  have 
preceded  you   enjoyed   their   portion.     And    ye   engage 
yourselves   in  vain  discourses,   like  unto  those  wherein 
they  engaged  themselves.     The  works  of  these  are  vain 
both  in  this  world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come ;  and 
these  are  they  who  perish.     ^^  Have  they  not  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  those  who  have  been  before 
them ;  of  the  people  of  Noah,  and  of  Ad,  and  of  Tha- 
MUD,  and  of  the  people  of  Abraham,   and  of  the  inha- 
bitants of  Madian,  and  of  the  cities  which  were  over- 
thrown?    Their  apostles  came  unto  them  with  evident 

67  They  say^    We  were  only  engaged  in  of  what  related  to  him,  or  his  companions, 

discourse,  &c.]     It  is  related  that,  in  the  but  were   only  diverting  themselves  with 

expedition  of  Tabuc,  a  company  of  hypo-  indifferent  discourse,  to  beguile  the  tedi- 

crites,  passing  near  Mohammed,  said  to  ousnessofthe  way'. 

one  another,  Behold  that  man ;  he  would         72  The  cities  which  were  overthrown.'] 

take    the    strongholds    of    Syria :    away !  Namely,   Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the 

away !  which  being  told  the  prophet,  he  other  cities  which  shared  their  fate,  and 

called  them  to  him,  and  asked  them  why  are   thence  called   al   MotaMfdt,   or    The 

they  had   said  so  :  whereto  they  replied,  Subverted  ^. 
with  an  oath,  that  they  were  not  talking 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap.  xi. 


IX  ]  A  L    KORAN.  209 

» 

demonstrations :  and  God  was  not  disposed  to  treat  them 
unjustly ;  but  they  dealt  unjustly  with  their  own  souls. 
^^And  the  faithful  men,  and  the  faithful  women,  are 
friends  one  to  another  :  they  command  that  which  is  just, 
and  they  forbid  that  which  is  evil ;  and  they  are  constant 
at  prayer,  and  pay  their  appointed  alms ;  and  they  obey 
God  and  his  apostle :  unto  these  will  God  be  merciful ; 
for  he  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^  God  promiseth  unto  the 
true  believers,  both  men  and  women,  gardens  through 
which  rivers  flow,  wherein  they  shall  remain  for  ever  ; 
and  delicious  dwellings  in  gardens  of  perpetual  abode  : 
but  good-will  from  God  shall  be  their  most  excellent 
reward.  This  will  be  great  felicity.  ^^  O  prophet !  wage 
war  against  the  unbelievers  and  the  hypocrites,  and  be 
severe  unto  them  :  for  their  dwelling  shall  be  hell :  an 
unhappy  journey  shall  it  be  thither  !  ^^  They  swear  by 
God  that  they  said  not  what  they  are  charged  with  :  yet 
they  spake  the  word  of  infidelity,  and  became  unbelievers, 
after  they  had  embraced  Islam.  And  they  designed  that 
which  they  could  not  effect ;  and  they  did  not  disapprove 
of  the  design  for  any  other  reason,  than  because  God, 
and  his  apostle,  had  enriched  them,  of  his  bounty.  If 
they  repent,  it  wiJl  be  better  for  them ;  but,  if  they  re- 
lapse, God  will  punish  them  with  a  grievous  torment, — 

74  Gardens  of  perpetual  abode.]     Lite-  rode  by  night  over  the  highest  part  of  al 

Y8i\\y,  gardens  of  Eden  ;  but  the  commen-  Akaba.     But   when   they   were    going  to 

tators  do  not  take  the  word  Eden  in  the  execute  their  design.  Hodheifa,  who  fol- 

sense  which  it  bears  in   Hebrew,  as  has  lowed,    and    drove    the    prophet's    camel, 

been  elsewhere  observed  ^.  which  was   led   by   Ammar   Ebn    Yaser, 

76  They  swear  by  God  that  they  said  hearing  the  tread  of  camels,  and  the  clash- 
not  what  they  are  charged  with,  &c.]  It  ing  of  arms,  gave  the  alarm,  upon  which 
is  related,  that  al  Jallas  Ebn  Soweid,  hear-  they  fled.  Some,  however,  suppose  the 
ing  some  passages  of  this  chapter,  which  design  here  meant,  was  a  plot  to  expel 
sharply  reprehend  those  who  refused  to  Mohammed  from  Medina  3. 
go  on  the  above-mentioned  expedition  of  —  Because  God,  and  his  apostle,  had 
Tabuc,  declared,  that  if  what  Mohammed  enriched  them.^  For  Mohammed's  re  • 
said  of  his  brethren  was  true,  they  were  siding  at  Medina  was  of  great  advantage 
worse  than  asses.  Which  coming  to  the  to  the  place,  the  inhabitants  being  gene- 
prophet's  ear,  he  sent  for  him,  and  denied  rally  poor,  and  in  want  of  most  conve- 
the  words  upon  oath.  But,  on  the  imme-  niences  of  life  ;  but,  on  the  prophet's 
diate  revelation  W  this  passage,  he  con-  coming  among  them,  they  became  pos- 
fessed  his  fault,  and  his  repentance  was  sessed  of  large  herds  of  cattle,  and  money 
accepted  2.  also.     Al  Beidawi  says,  that  the  above- 

—  They  designed  what  they  could  not  named  al  Jallas,  in  particular,  having  a 

effect,   &c.~\      The  commentators   tell  us,  servant  killed,  received,  by  Mohammed's 

that  fifteen  men  conspired  to  kill  Moham-  order,  no  less  than  ten  thousand  dirhems, 

med  in  his  return  from  Tabuc,  by  pushing  or  about  three  hundred  pounds,  as  a  fine 

him  from  his  camel  into  a  precipice,  as  he  for  the  redemption  of  his  blood. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  114.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 

VOL,  I.  P 


210 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


^^  in  this  world  and  in  the  next ;  and  they  shall  have  no 
patron  on  earth,  nor  any  protector.  ^^  There  are  some  of 
them  who  made  a  covenant  with  God,  saying,  Verily  if 
he  give  us  of  his  abundance,  we  will  give  alms,  and  be- 
come righteous  people.  Yet,  when  he  had  given  unto 
them  of  his  abundance,  they  became  covetous  thereof, 
and  turned  back,  and  retired  afar  off.  ^^  Wherefore  he 
hath  caused  hypocrisy  to  succeed  in  their  hearts,  until 
the  day  whereon  they  shall  meet  him ;  for  that  they 
failed  to  perform  unto  God  that  which  they  had  promised 
him,  and  for  that  they  prevaricated.  ^^  Do  they  not  know 
that  God  knoweth  whatever  they  conceal,  and  their  pri- 
vate discourses  ;  and  that  God  is  the  knower  of  secrets  ? 
^^  They  who  traduce  such  of  the  believers  as  are  liberal 
in  giving  alms  beyond  what  they  are  obliged,  and  those 
who  find  nothing  to  give,  but  what  they  gain  by  their 
industry :  and  therefore  scoff  at  them  :  God  shall  scoff  at 
them,  and  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^  Ask 
forgiveness  for  them,  or  do  not  ask  forgiveness  for  them ; 

are  liberalf  &c.]  Al  Beidawi  relates  that, 
Mohammed  exhorting  his  followers  to  vo- 
luntary alms,  among  others,  Abda'lrah- 
raan  Ebn  Awf  gave  four  thousand  dirhems, 
which  was  one  half  of  what  he  had  ;  Asem 


78  There  are  some  of  them  who  made  a 
covenant  with  God,  &c.]  An  instance  of 
this  is  given  in  Thalaba  Ebn  Hateb,  who 
came  to  Mohammed,  and  desired  him  to 
beg  of  God,  that  he  would  bestow  riches 
on  him.  The  prophet,  at  first,  advised 
him  rather  to  be  thankful  for  the  little 
he  had,  than  to  covet  more,  which  might 
become  a  temptation  to  him  ;  but  on  Tha- 
laba's  repeated  request,  and  solemn  pro- 
mise that  he  would  make  a  good  use  of 
his  riches,  he  was,  at  length,  prevailed  on, 
and  preferred  the  petition  to  God.  Tha- 
laba, in  a  short  time,  grew  vastly  rich, 
which  Mohammed  being  acquainted  with, 
sent  two  collectors  to  gather  the  alms. 
Other  people  readily  paid  them,  but  when 
they  came  to  Thalaba,  and  read  the  in- 
junction to  him  out  of  the  Koran,  he  told 
them,  that  it  was  not  alms,  but  tribute,  or 
next  kin  to  tribute  ;  and  bade  them  go 
back  till  he  had  better  considered  of  it. 
Upon  which  this  passage  was  revealed ; 
and  when  Thalaba  came  afterwards,  and 
brought  his  alms,  Mohammed  told  him, 
that  God  had  commanded  him  not  to 
accept  it,  and  threw  dust  upon  his  head, 
saying,  This  is  what  thou  hast  deserved. 
He  then  offered  his  alms  to  Abu  Beer, 
who  refused  to  accept  them ;  as  did  Omar 
some  years  after,  when  he  was  Khalifa 

81    Who  traduce  such  of  the  believers  as 


Ebn  Adda  gave  an  hundred  beasts'-loads 
of  dates  ;  and  Abu  Okail,  a  saa,  which  is 
no  more  than  a  sixtieth  part  of  a  load  of 
the  same  fruit,  but  was  the  half  of  what 
he  had  earned  by  a  night's  hard  work. 
This  Mohammed  accepted ;  whereupon 
the  hypocrites  said,  that  Abda'lrahman 
and  Asem  gave  what  they  did  out  of  os- 
tentation, and  that  God  and  his  apostle 
might  well  have  excused  Abu  Okail's 
mite ;  which  occasioned  this  passage. 

I  suppose  this  collection  was  made  to 
defray  the  charge  of  the  expedition  of 
Tabuc ;  towards  which,  as  another  writer 
tells  us,  Abu  Beer  contributed  all  that  he 
had,  and  Othman  very  largely,  viz.  as  it 
is  said,  three  hundred  camels  for  slaugh- 
ter, and  a  thousand  dinars  of  gold  ^. 

82  Ask  forgiveness  for  them,  &c.]  In 
the  last  sickness  of  Abda'llah  Ebn  Obba, 
the  hypocrite  (who  died  in  the  ninth  year 
of  the  Hejra,)  his  son,  named  also  Ab- 
da'llah, came  and  asked  Mohammed  to 
beg  pardon  of  God  for  him  ;  which  he  did, 
and  thereupon  the  former  part  of  this 
verse  was  revealed.  But  the  prophet,  not 
taking  that  for  a  repulse,  said,  he  would 


1  Al  Beiddwi. 


2  Abulfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  123. 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  J211 

it  will  be  equal.  If  thou  ask  forgiveness  for  them  seventy 
times,  God  will  by  no  means  forgive  them.  This  is  the 
divine  pleasure,  for  that  they  believe  not  in  God,  and  his 
apostle ;  and  God  directeth  not  the  ungodly  people. 
^^  They  who  were  left  at  home  in  the  expedition  of  Tabuc, 
were  glad  of  their  staying  behind  the  apostle  of  God,  and 
were  unwilling  to  employ  their  substance,  and  their  per- 
sons, for  the  advancement  of  God's  true  religion :  and 
they  said.  Go  not  forth  in  the  heat.  Say,  The  fire  of 
hell  will  be  hotter ;  if  they  understood  this.  ^*  Where- 
fore let  them  laugh  little,  and  weep  much,  as  a  reward 
for  that  which  they  have  done.  ^^If  God  bring  thee 
back  unto  some  of  them,  and  they  ask  thee  leave  to  go 
forth  to  war  with  thee,  say.  Ye  shall  not  go  forth  with 
me  for  the  future,  neither  shall  ye  fight  an  enemy  with 
me  :  ye  were  pleased  with  sitting  at  home  the  first  time : 
sit  ye  at  home,  therefore,  with  those  who  stay  behind. 
^^  Neither  do  thou  ever  pray  over  any  of  them  who  shall 
die,  neither  stand  at  his  grave  ;  for  that  they  believed  not 
in  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  die  in  their  wickedness. 
^^  Let  not  their  riches,  or  their  children,  cause  thee  to 
marvel :  for  God  intendeth  only  to  punish  them  there- 
with in  this  world ;  and  that  their  souls  may  depart,  while 
they  are  infidels.  ^^  When  a  Sura  is  sent  down,  wherein 
it  is  said.  Believe  in  God,  and  go  forth  to  war  with  his 

pray  seventy  times  for  him;   upon  which  86  Neither  do  thou  ever  pray  over  any 

the  latter  part  of  the  verse  was  revealed,  of  them  who  shall  die.^     This  passage  was 

declaring  it  would  be  absolutely  in  vain,  also  revealed  on  account  of  Abda'llah  Ebn 

It   may  be  observed,    that   the    numbers  Obba.      In  his  last  illness  he  desired  to 

seven  and  seventy,   and  seven  hundred,  see  Mohammed,  and  when  he  was  come, 

are  frequently  used  by  the  eastern  writers,  asked  him  to  beg  forgiveness  of  God  for 

to  signify,  not  so  many  precisely,  but  only  him,  and  requested  that  his  corpse  might 

an   indefinite    number,   either  greater  or  be  wrapped  up  in  the  garment  that  was 

lesser  ^ ;  several  examples  of  which  are  to  next   his   body,   (which  might   have   the 

be  met  with  in  the  scripture  2.  same  efficacy  with  the  habit  of  a  Francis- 

83   Go  not  forth  in  the  heat.']    This  they  can,)  and  that  he  would  pray  over  him 

spoke  in  a  scoffing  manner  to  one  ano-  when  dead.     Accordingly,  when  he  was 

ther ;  because,  as  has  been  observed,  the  dead,  the  prophet  sent  his  shirt,  or  inner 

expedition  of  Tabuc  was  undertaken  in  a  vestment,  to  shroud  the  corpse,  and  was 

very  hot  and  dry  season.  going  to  pray  over  it,  but  was  forbidden 

85  If  God  bring  thee  hack  unto  some  of  by  these  words.     Some  say  they  were  not 

them^   &c.]     That   is,  if  thou    return    in  revealed  till   he  had  actually  prayed  for 

safety  to  Medina,  to  the  hypocrites,  who  him*. 

are  here  called  some  of  them  who  stayed  —  Neither  stand  at  his  grave.]     Either 

behind,  because  they  were   not  all  hypo-  by  assisting  at  his  funeral,  or  visiting  his 

crites.     The  whole  number  is  said  to  have  sepulchre, 

been  twelve  3.  88  Sura.]     See  before,  p.  207,  note  66. 

1  Al  BeiddivL  2  Matth.  xviii.  22.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 

p  2 


212  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

apostle ;  those  who  are  in  plentiful  circumstances  among 
them  ask  leave  of  thee  to  stay  behind,  and  say,  Suffer  us 
to  be  of  the  number  of  those  who  sit  at  home.     ^^  They 
are  well  pleased  to  be  with  those  who  stay  behind,  and 
their  hearts  are  sealed  up :  wherefore  they  do  not  under- 
stand.    ^^  But  the  apostle,  and  those  who  have  believed 
with  him,  expose  their  fortunes  and  their  lives  for  God's 
service ;  they  shall  enjoy  the  good  things  of  either  life, 
and  they  shall  be  happy.     ^^  God  hath  prepared  for  them 
gardens  through  which  rivers    flow;   they  shall   remain 
therein  for  ever.     This  will  be  great  felicity.     ^^  And  cer- 
tain Arabs  of  the  desert  came  to  excuse  themselves; 
praying  that  they  might  be  permitted  to  stay  behind : 
and  they  sat  at  home  who  had  renounced  God,  and  his 
apostle.     But  a  painful  punishment  shall  be  inflicted  on 
such  of  them  as  believe  not.     ^^  In  those  who  are  weak, 
or  are  afflicted  With   sickness,  or  in  those  who  find  not 
wherewith  to  contribute  to  the  war,  it  shall  be  no  crime 
if  they  stay  at  home ;  provided  they  behave  themselves 
faithfully  towards  God,   and  his  apostle.     There  is  no 
room  to  lay  blame  on  the  righteous ;  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.     ^^  Nor   on  those,  unto  whom,  when  they 
came  unto   thee,   requesting  that  thou  wouldest  supply 
them  with  necessaries  for  travelling,  thou  didst  answer,  I 
find  not  wherewith  to  supply  you,  returned ;  their  eyes 
shedding  tears  for  grief,  that  they  found  not  wherewith  to 
contribute  to  the  expedition.     ^^  But  there  is  reason  to 
blame  those  who  ask  leave  of  thee  to  sit  at  home,  when 
they  are  rich.     They  are  pleased  to  be  with  those  who 
stay  behind,  and  God  hath  sealed  up  their  hearts :  where- 

92  Certain  Arabs  of  the  desert  came  to     verty  ;  as  those  of  Joheina,  Mozeina,  and 
excuse  themselves,  &c.]     These  were  the     Banu  Odhra  2. 

tribes  of  Asad  and  Ghatfan,  who  excused  94   Who  requested  thee  to  supply  them 

themselves  on  account  of  the  necessities  with  7iecessaries  for  traveU'mg,  &€.]     The 

of  their  fVimilies,  which  their  industry  only  persons  here  intended  were  seven  men  of 

maintained.     But  some  write,   they  were  the  Ansars,  who  came  to  Mohammed,  and 

the  family  of  Amer  Ebn  al  Tofail,  who  begged  he  would  give  them  some  patched 

said,   that  if  they   went  with    the   army,  boots  and  soled  shoes,  it  being  impossible 

the    tribe    of   Tay   would    take     advan-  for  them  to  march  so  barefoot,  in  such  a 

tage    of   their    absence,    and    fall    upon  season ;    but  he   told  them   he  could  not 

their  wives  and  children,  and  their  cat-  supply  them :  whereupon  they  went  away 

tie  1.  weeping.   Some,  however,  say,  these  were 

93  Who  find  not  wherewith  to  contri-  the  Banu  Mokren  ;  and  others,  Abu  Musa, 

bute.^     By  reason  of  their  extreme  po-     and  his  companions  3. 

•• „_______—_ 

^  J I  BcidiuvL  '  idem.  ^  Idem. 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  213 

fore  they  do  not  understand.  [^XI.]  '^^  They  will  excuse 
themselves  unto  you,  when  ye  are  returned  unto  them. 
Say,  Excuse  not  yourselves ;  we  will  by  no  means  believe 
you  :  God  hath  acquainted  us  with  your  behaviour  ;  and 
God  will  observe  your  actions,  and  his  apostle  also  :  and 
hereafter  shall  ye  be  brought  before  him  who  knoweth 
that  which  is  hidden,  and  that  which  is  manifest ;  and  he 
will  declare  unto  you  that  which  ye  have  done.  ^^  They 
will  swear  unto  you  by  God,  when  ye  are  returned  unto 
them,  that  ye  may  let  them  alone.  Let  them  alone, 
therefore,  for  they  are  an  abomination ;  and  their  dwelling 
shall  be  hell;  a  reward  for  that  which  they  have  de- 
served. ^^  They  will  swear  unto  you,  that  ye  may  be  well 
pleased  with  them  ;  but  if  ye  be  well  pleased  with  them, 
verily  God  will  not  be  well  pleased  with  people  who  pre- 
varicate. ^^  The  Arabs  of  the  desert  are  more  obstinate 
in  their  unbelief  and  hypocrisy ;  and  it  is  easier  for  them 
to  be  ignorant  of  the  ordinances  of  that  which  God  hath 
sent  down  unto  his  apostle:  and  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^^^  Of  the  Arabs  of  the  desert  there  is  who  reckon- 
eth  that  which  he  expendeth  for  the  service  of  God,  to 
be  as  tribute  ;  and  waiteth  that  some  change  of  fortune 
may  befal  you.  A  change  for  evil  shall  happen  unto 
them :  for  God  both  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  And  of 
the  Arabs  of  the  desert  there  is  who  believeth  in  God, 
and  in  the  last  day ;  and  esteemeth  that  which  he  layeth 
out  for  the  service  of  God  to  be  the  means  of  bringing 
him  near  unto  God,  and  the  prayers  of  the  apostle.  Is  it 
not  unto  them  the  means  of  a  near  approach  ?  God  shall 
lead  them  into  his  mercy ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful. ^^^  As  for  the  leaders,  and  the  first  of  the  Moha- 
JERiN,  and  the   Ansars,   and  those  who   have  followed 

97   That  ye  may  let  them  alone.^     And  fortune  may  befal  you.']  Hoping  that  some 

not  chastise  them.  reverse    may   afford  a   convenient  oppor- 

99  The  Arabs  of  the  desert  are  more  tunity  of  throwing  off  the  burden. 
obstiriate,  &C.']  Because  of  their  wild  way  101  J7id  of  the  Arabs.']  The  Arabs 
of  life,  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  their  meant,  in  the  former  of  these  two  pas- 
not  frequenting  people  of  knowfedge,  and  sages,  are  said  to  have  been  the  tribes  of 
the  few  opportunities  they  have  of  being  Asad,  Ghatfan,  and  Banu  Tamim  ;  and 
instructed  ^.  those   intended    in    the    latter,    Abdallah, 

100  As    tribute.]      Or  a    contribution     surnamed  Dhu'lbajadin,  and  his  people  2. 
exacted  by  force,  the  payment  of  which  he  102    The   leaders,    and   the  first  of  the 
can  in  no  wise  avoid.                                            Mohdjerm,   and    the  Ansars.]     The    Mo- 

—    And  waifclh,   that   some  change   of    hajerin,  or  refugees,  were  those  of  Mecca, 

^  Al  Beiddm.     Sec  the  Prelim.  Disc,  p,  29  and  36.  2  ji  Beiddw'u 


214 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


them  in  well  doing ;  God  is  well  pleased  with  them,  and 
they  are  well  pleased  in  him :  and  he  hath  prepared  for 
them  gardens  watered  by  rivers  ;  they  shall  remain  therein 
for  ever.  This  shall  be  great  felicity.  ^^^  And  of  the 
Arabs  of  the  desert  who  dwell  round  about  you,  there 
are  hypocritical  persons :  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Me- 
dina there  are  some  who  are  obstinate  in  hypocrisy. 
Thou  knowest  them  not,  O  prophet !  but  we  know  them  : 
we  will  surely  punish  them  twice ;  afterwards  shall  they 
be  sent  to  a  grievous  torment.  ^^^  And  others  have 
acknowledged  their  crimes.  They  have  mixed  a  good 
action  with  another  which  is  bad :  peradventure  God  will 
be  turned  unto  them ;  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful. 
^^^  Take  alms  of  their  substance,  that  thou  mavest  cleanse 
them,  and  purify  them  thereby ;  and  pray  for  them  ;  for 
thy  prayers  shall  be  a  security  of  mind  unto  them ;  and 
God  both  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  Do  they  not  know 
that  God  accepteth  repentance  from  his  servants,  and 
accej)teth  alms ;  and  that  God  is  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and 
merciful  ?     ^^^  Say  unto  them.  Work  as  ye  will ;  but  God 


who  fled  thence  on  account  of  their  re- 
ligion. And  the  Ansars,  or  Helpers,  were 
those  of  Medina,  who  received  Moham- 
med, and  his  followers,  into  their  protec- 
tion, and  assisted  them  against  their  ene- 
mies. By  the  leaders  of  the  Mohajerin 
are  meant  those  who  believed  on  Moham- 
med before  the  Hejra,  or  early  enough  to 
pray  towards  Jerusalem,  from  which  the 
Kebla  was  changed  to  the  temple  of  Mecca, 
in  the  second  year  of  the  Hejra;  or  else 
such  of  them  as  were  present  at  the  battle 
of  Bedr.  The  leaders  of  the  Ansars  were 
those  who  took  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  him 
at  al  Akaba,  either  the  first  or  the  second 
time  ^. 

103  Of  the  Arabs  of  the  desert  who 
dwell  round  about  you^  &c.]  i.  e.  In  the 
neighbourhood  of  Medina.  These  were 
the  tribes  of  Joheina,  Mozeina,  Aslam, 
Ashja  and  Ghifar  2. 

—  We  will  punish  them  twice.'}  Ei- 
ther by  exposing  them  to  public  shame, 
and  putting  them  to  death  ;  or  by  either 
of  those  punishments  and  the  torment  of 
the  sepulchre  ;  or  else  by  exacting  alms 
of  them  by  way  of  fine,  and  giving  them 
corporeal  punishment  ^. 

104  Others    have    acknowledged    their 


crimes.']  Making  no  hypocritical  excuses 
for  them.  These  were  certain  men,  who 
having  stayed  at  home,  instead  of  accom- 
panying Mohammed  to  Tabuc,  as  soon  as 
they  heard  the  severe  reprehensions  and 
threats  of  this  chapter  against  those  who 
had  stayed  behind,  bound  themselves  to  the 
pillars  of  the  mosque,  and  swore  they 
would  not  loose  themselves,  till  they  were 
loosed  by  the  prophet.  But  when  he  en- 
tered the  mosque  to  pray,  and  was  informed 
of  the  matter,  he  also  swore  that  he  would 
not  loose  them  without  a  particular  com- 
mand from  God  ;  whereupon  this  passage 
was  revealed,  and  they  were  accordingly 
dismissed*. 

—  They  have  mixed  a  good  action  with  a 
bad.']  Though  they  were  backward  in 
going  to  war,  and  held  with  the  hypocrites, 
yet  they  confessed  their  crime  and  repented. 

105  Take  alms  of  their  substance,  &c.] 
When  these  persons  were  loosed,  they 
prayed  Mohammed  to  take  their  substance, 
for  the  sake  of  which  they  had  stayed  at 
home,  as  alms,  to  cleanse  them  from  their 
transgression ;  but  he  told  them  he  had  no 
orders  to  accept  any  thing  from  them  : 
upon  which  this  verse  was  sent  down,  al- 
lowing him  to  take  their  alms^ 


1  Al£cid(h 


^  Idem. 


Idem. 


Idem. 


Idem, 


IX.] 


AL    KORAN. 


215 


will  behold  your  work,  and  his  apostle  also,  and  the  true 
believers:  and  ye  shall  be  brought  before  him  who  knoweth 
that  which  is  kept  secret,  and  that  which  is  made  public ; 
and  he  will  declare  unto  you  whatever  ye  have  done. 
^^^  And  there  are  others  who  wait  with  suspense  the  de- 
cree of  God  ;  whether  he  will  punish  them,  or  whether 
he  will  be  turned  unto  them  :  but  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  '^^  There  are  some  who  have  built  a  temple  to  hurt 
the  faithful,  and  to  propagate  infidelity,  and  to  foment 
division  among  the  true  believers,  and  for  a  lurking-place 
for  him  who  hath  fought  against  God,  and  his  apostle,  in 
time  past ;  and  they  swear,  saying.  Verily  we  intended  no 
other  than  to  do  for  the  best :  but  God  is  witness  that 
they  do  certainly  lie.  ^^^  Stand  not  up  to  pray  therein  for 
ever.  There  is  a  temple  founded  on  piety,  from  the  first 
day  of  its  building.  It  is  more  just  that  thou  stand  up 
to  pray  therein :  therein  are  men  who  love  to  be  purified, 


108  There  are  others  who  wait,  &c.] 
The  persons  here  intended  were  the  three 
Ansars,  whose  pardon  is  granted  a  little 
below. 

109  There  are  some  who  have  built  a 
temple  to  hurt  the  faithful,  &c.]  When 
Banu  Amru  Ebn  Awf  had  built  the  temple 
or  mosque  of  Koba,  which  will  be  men- 
tioned by-and-by,  they  asked  Mohammed 
to  come  and  pray  in  it,  and  he  complied 
with  their  request.  This  exciting  the  envy 
of  their  brethren,  Banu  Gamen  Ebn  Awf, 
they  also  built  a  mosque,  intending  that 
the  Imam,  or  priest,  who  should  officiate 
there,  should  be  Abu  Amer,  a  Christian 
monk;  but  he  dying  in  Syria,  they  came 
to  Mohammed,  and  desired  he  would  con- 
secrate, as  it  were,  their  mosque,  by  pray- 
ing in  it.  The  prophet  accordingly  pre- 
pared himself  to  go  with  them,  but  was 
forbidden  by  the  immediate  revelation  of 
this  passage,  discovering  their  hypocrisy 
and  ill  design  ;  whereupon  he  sent  Malec 
Ebn  al  Dokhshom,  Maan  Ebn  Addi,  Amer 
Ebn  al  Sacan,  and  al  Wahsha,  the  Ethio- 
pian, to  demolish  and  burn  it ;  which  they 
performed,  and  made  it  a  dunghill.  Ac- 
cording to  another  account,  this  mosque 
was  built  a  little  before  the  expedition  of 
Tabuc,  with  a  design  to  hinder  Moham- 
med's men  from  engaging  therein ;  and 
when  he  was  asked  to  pray  there,  he  an- 
swered,  that  he  was  just  setting  out  on  a 


journey  ;  but  when  he  came  back,  with 
God's  leave,  he  would  do  what  they  de- 
sired ;  but  when  they  applied  to  him 
again,  on  his  return,  this  passage  was  re- 
vealed ^ 

—  For  a  lurking-place  for  him  who  hath 
fought  against  God,  and  his  apostle,  in  time 
past.~\  That  is,  Abu  Amer,  the  monk, 
who  was  a  declared  enemy  to  Mohammed, 
having  threatened  him  at  Ohod,  that  no 
party  should  appear  in  the  field  against 
him,  but  he  would  make  one  of  them  ; 
and,  to  be  as  good  as  his  word,  he  con- 
tinued to  oppose  him  till  the  battle  of 
Honein,  at  which  he  was  present;  and 
being  put  to  flight  with  those  of  Howazen, 
he  retreated  into  Syria,  designing  to  obtain 
a  supply  of  troops  from  the  Grecian  em- 
peror, to  renew  the  war ;  but  he  died  at 
Kinnisrin.  Others  say,  that  this  monk 
w^as  a  confederate  at  the  war  of  the  ditch, 
and  that  he  fled  thence  into  Syria  2. 

110  There  is  a  temple  founded  on  piety, 
&c.]  Viz.  That  of  Koba,  a  place  about 
two  miles  from  Medina,  where  Mohammed 
rested  four  days  before  he  entered  that 
city,  in  his  flight  from  Mecca,  and  where 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  mosque  ^, 
which  was  afterwards  built  by  Banu  Amru 
Ebn  Awf.  But  according  to  a  different 
tradition,  the  mosque  here  meant,  was 
that  which  Mohammed  built  at  Medina. 

—  Therein  are  men  who  love  to  he  pu^ 


^  Al  Beiddivi,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  lidem,  ^  lid  em,  Ebn  Shonah.     V.  Ahulfed, 

vit.  Moham    p.  52.     Where  the  translator,   taking  this  passage  of  the  Koran,  which  is 
there  cited,  for  the  words  of  his  author,  has  missed  the  true  sense. 


216  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

for  God  loveth  the  clean.  ^^^  Whether,  therefore  is  he 
better,  who  hath  founded  his  building  on  the  fear  of  God, 
and  his  good  will ;  or  he  who  hath  founded  his  building 
on  the  brink  of  a  bank  of  earth,  which  is  washed  away 
by  waters,  so  that  it  falleth  with  him  into  the  fire  of  hell  ? 
God  directeth  not  the  ungodly  people.  "^  Their  building 
which  they  have  built,  will  not  cease  to  be  an  occasion  of 
doubting  in  their  hearts,  until  their  hearts  be  cut  in 
pieces,  and  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^^  Verily  God 
hath  purchased  of  the  true  believers  their  souls,  and  their 
substance,  promising  them  the  enjoyment  of  paradise ;  on 
condition  that  they  fight  for  the  cause  of  God  :  whether 
they  slay,  or  be  slain,  the  promise  for  the  same  is  assuredly 
due  by  the  law,  and  the  gospel,  and  the  Koran.  And 
who  performeth  his  contract  more  faithfully  than  God  ? 
Rejoice,  therefore,  in  the  contract  which  ye  have  made. 
This  shall  be  great  happiness.  ^^^  The  penitent,  and  those 
who  serve  God,  and  praise  him,  and  who  fast  and  bow 
down,  and  worship ;  and  who  command  that  which  is  just, 
and  forbid  that  which  is  evil,  and  keep  the  ordinances  of 
God,  shall  likewise  be  rewarded  with  paradise  :  wherefore 
bear  good  tidings  unto  the  faithful.  ^^^  It  is  not  allowed 
unto  the  prophet,  nor  those  who  are  true  believers,  that 

r'lfied.']     Al   Beidawi  says,  that   Moham-  standing ;  and  others,  of  the  punishment 

med,  walking  once  with  the  Mohajenn  to  they  are  to  expect,  either  of  death  in  this 

Koba,    found   the    Ansars    sitting  at   the  world,  or  of  the  rack  of  the  sepulchre,  or 

mosque-door,    and  asked   them    whether  the  pains  of  hell. 

they  were  believers;  and,  on  their  being         115  It  is  not  allowed   the  prophet — to 

silent,  repeated  the  question  :  whereupon  pray  for  idolater 3^810,.']     This  passage  was 

Omar  answered,  that  they  were  believers ;  revealed,  as  some  think,  on  account  of  Abu 

and  Mohammed  demanding  whether  they  Taleb,  Mohammed's  uncle  and  great  be- 

acquiesced    in    the  judgment    Omar    had  nefactor;  who,    on   his    death-bed,  being 

made  of  them,  they  said,  Yes.     He  then  pressed  by  his  nephew  to  speak  a  word, 

asked  them  whether  they  would  be  patient  which  might  enable  him  to  plead  his  cause 

in  adversity,  and  thankful  in  prosperity  ;  to  before  God,  that  is,  to  profess  Islam,  abso- 

which  they  answering  in  the  affirmative,  lutely  refused.    Mohammed,  however,  told 

he  swore  by  the  Lord  of  the  Caaba,  that  him,  that  he  would  not  cease  to  pray  for 

they  were  true  believers.     Afterwards  he  him,  till  he  should  be  forbidden  by  God  ; 

examined  them  as  to  their  manner  of  per-  which   he   was   by   these  words.     Others 

forming  the  legal  washings,  and  particu-  suppose  the  occasion  to  have  been  Moham- 

larly,   what  they  did  after  easing  them-  med's  visiting  his  mother  Amena*s  sepul- 

selves :  they  told  him  that  in  such  a  case  chre  at  al  Abwa,  soon  after  the  taking  of 

they   used   three    stones,    and   after  that  Mecca  ;  for  they  say,  that  while  he  stood 

washed   with    water ;  upon  which  he  re-  at  the  tomb  he  burst  into  tears,  and  said, 

peated  these  words  of  the  Koran  to  them.  I  asked  leave  of  God  to  visit  my  mother's 

112   Until  their  hearts  he  cut  in  pieces^]  tomb,  and  he  granted  it  me  ;  but  when  I 

Some  interpret  these  words  of  their  being  asked  leave  to  pray  for  her,  it  w^as  denied 

deprived    of  their  judgment   and    under-  me  ^ 

^  Al  Beidawi. 


IX.] 


AL     KORAN, 


217 


they  pray  for  idolaters,  although  they  be  of  kin,  after  it  is 
become  known  unto  them,  that  they  are  inhabitants  of 
hell.  ^^^  Neither  did  Abraham  ask  forgiveness  for  his 
father,  otherwise  than  in  pursuance  of  a  promise  which 
he  had  promised  unto  him  :  but  when  it  became  known 
unto  him,  that  he  was  an  enemy  unto  God,  he  declared 
himself  clear  of  him.  Verily  Abraham  was  pitiful  and 
compassionate.  ^^^  Nor  is  God  disposed  to  lead  people 
into  error,  after  that  he  hath  directed  them,  until  that 
which  they  ought  to  avoid  is  become  known  unto  them ; 
for  God  knoweth  all  things.  ^^^  Verily  unto  God  belongeth 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  of  earth  ;  he  giveth  life,  and 
he  causeth  to  die ;  and  ye  have  no  patron  or  helper  be- 
sides God.  ^^^  God  is  reconciled  unto  the  prophet,  and 
unto  the  Mohajerin,  and  the  Ansars,  who  followed  him 
in  the  hour  of  distress,  after  that  it  had  wanted  little  but 
that  the  hearts  of  a  part  of  them  had  swerved  from  their 
duty ;  afterwards  was  he  turned  unto  them ;  for  he  was 
compassionate  and  merciful  towards  them.  ^^^  And  he  is 
also  reconciled  unto  the  three  who  were  left  behind,  so 

115  After  it  is  become  known  unto  them, 
that  they  are  inhabitants  of  hell.  ~\  By  their 
dying  infidels.     For   otherwise  it  is    not 


only  lawful,  but  commendable,  to  pray  for 
unbelievers,  while  there  are  hopes  of  their 
conversion. 

116  In  pursuance  of  a  promise  which  he 
had  promised  him.']  Viz.  To  pray  that 
God  would  dispose  his  heart  to  repent- 
ance. Some  suppose  this  was  a  promise 
made  to  Abraham,  by  his  father,  that  he 
w^ould  believe  in  God.  For  the  words  may 
be  taken  either  way. 

—  When  he  knew  that  he  was  an  enemy 
of  God,  he  declared  himself  clear  of  him.] 
Desisting  to  pray  for  him,  when  he  was 
assured  by  inspiration  that  he  was  not  to 
be  converted  ;  or  after  he  actually  died  an 
infidel.     See  chap.  vi. 

117  ^0  leadj)eople  into  error.]  i.  e.  To 
consider,  or  punish  them  as  transgressors. 
This  passage  was  revealed  to  excuse  those 
who  had  prayed  for  such  of  their  friends  as 
had  died  idolaters,  before  it  was  forbidden; 
or  else,  to  excuse  certain  people  who  had 
ignorantly  prayed  towards  the  first  Kebla, 
and  drank  wine,  &c. 

119  God  is  reconciled  unto  the  prophet, 
&c.]  Having  forgiven  the  crime  they 
committed,  in  giving  the  hypocrites  leave 


to  be  absent  from  the  expedition  to  Tabuc ; 
or,  for  the  other  sins  which  they  might, 
through  inadvertence,  have  been  guilty  of. 
For  the  best  men  have  need  of  repent- 
ance ^. 

—  In  the  hour  of  distress,]  Viz.  In  the 
expedition  of  Tabuc  ;  wherein  Moham- 
med's men  were  driven  to  such  extremities, 
that  (besides  what  they  endured,  by  reason 
of  the  excessive  heat)  ten  men  were  obliged 
to  ride  by  turns  on  one  camel ;  and  provisions 
and  water  were  so  scarce,  that  two  men 
divided  a  date  between  them,  and  they 
were  obliged  to  drink  the  water  out  of  the 
camels*  stomachs  2. 

120  The  three  who  were  left  behind.] 
Or,  as  it  may  be  translated,  who  were  left 
in  suspense,  whether  they  should  be  par- 
doned, or  not^.  These  were  three  An- 
sars, named  Caab  Ebn  Malec,  Helal  Ebn 
Omeyya,  and  Merara  Ebn  Rabi,  who  went 
not  with  Mohammed  to  Tabuc,  and  were, 
therefore,  on  in  his  return,  secluded  from 
the  fellowship  of  the  other  Moslems ;  the 
prophet  forbidding  any  to  salute  them,  or 
to  hold  discourse  with  them.  Under  which 
interdiction  they  continued  fifty  days,  till, 
on  their  sincere  repentance,  they  were,  at 
length,  discharged  from  it,  by  the  revela- 
tion of  this  passage  ^ 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  Uem.  s  gge  before,  p.  215,  note  108. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  Ahidfed.  vit.  Moh.  p.  133,  136. 
VOL.  I,  Q 


218  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

that  the  earth  became  too  strait  for  them,  notwithstanding 
its  spaciousness,  and  their  souls  became  straitened  within 
them,  and  they  considered  that  there  was  no  refuge  from 
God,  otherwise  than  by  having  recourse  unto  him.  Then 
was  he  turned  unto  them,  that  they  might  repent:  for 
God  is  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and  merciful.  ^^^  O  true 
believers !  fear  God,  and  be  with  the  sincere.  ^^^  There 
was  no  reason  why  the  inhabitants  of  Medina,  and  the 
Arabs  of  the  desert,  who  dwell  around  them,  should  stay 
behind  the  apostle  of  God,  or  should  prefer  themselves 
before  him.  This  is  unreasonable  :  because  they  are  not 
distressed  either  by  thirst,  or  labour,  or  hunger,  for  the 
defence  of  God's  true  religion  !  neither  do  they  stir  a 
step,  which  may  irritate  the  unbelievers ;  neither  do  they 
receive  from  the  enemy  any  damage,  but  a  good  work  is 
written  down  unto  them  for  the  same;  for  God  sufFereth 
not  the  reward  of  the  righteous  to  perish.  ^^^  And  they 
contribute  not  any  sum,  either  small  or  great,  nor  do  they 
pass  a  valley,  but  it  is  written  down  unto  them,  that  God 
may  reward  them  with  a  recompense  exceeding  that  which 
they  have  wrought.  ^^^  The  believers  are  not  obliged  to 
go  forth  to  war  all  together ;  if  a  part  of  every  band  of 
them  go  not  forth,  it  is  that  they  may  diligently  instruct 
themselves  in  their  religion;  and  may  admonish  their 
people,  when  they  return  unto  them,  that  they  may  take 
heed  to  themselves.  ^^^  O  true  believers !  wage  war 
against  such  of  the  infidels  as  are  near  you ;  and  let  them 

122  Or  should  prefer  themselves  before  exact  knowledge  of  the  several  points  of 

Mm.]     By  not  caring  to  share  with  him  their  religion,  so  as  to  be  enabled  to  in- 

the  dangers  and  fatigues  of  war.     Al  Bei-  struct  such  as  by  reason  of  their  continual 

dawi  tells  us,  that  after  Mohammed  had  employment  in  the  wars,  have  no  other 

set  out  for  Tabuc,  one  Abu  Kahithama,  means    of  information.      They   say,    that 

sitting  in  his  garden,  where  his  wife,  a  after  the  preceding  passages  were  revealed, 

very  beautiful  woman,  had  spread  a  mat  reprehending  those  who  had  stayed  at  home 

for  him  in   the  shade,  and  had  set  new  during  the  expedition  of  Tabuc,  every  man 

dates  and  fresh  water  before  him,  after  a  went  to  war;  so  that  the  study  of  religion, 

little  reflection^  cried  out.  This  is  not  well,  which  is  rather  more  necessary  for  the  de- 

that  I  should  thus  take  my  ease  and  plea-  fence  and  propagation  of  the  faith,  than 

sure,  while  the  apostle  of  God  is  exposed  even  arms  themselves,  became  wholly  laid 

to  the  scorching  of  the  sun^beams,  and  the  aside  and   neglected  ;  to   prevent  which, 

inclemencies  of  the  air ;  and  immediately  for  the  future,  a  convenient  number  are 

mounting  his  camel,  took  his  sword  and  hereby  directed  to  be  left  behind,  that  they 

lance,  and  went  to  join  the  army.  may  have  leisure  to  prosecute  their  studies. 

124  7/"  a  part  of  every  hand  of  them  go  125  Such  of  the  infidels  as  are  near  you.~\ 

not  forth,  &c.]     That  is,  if  some  of  every  Either  of  your  kindred  or  neighbours;  for 

tribe  or   town,   be  left  behind,  the  end  of  these  claim  your  pity  and  care  in  the  first 

their  being  so  left,  is,  that  they  may  apply  place,  and  their  conversion  ought  first  to 

Ihemselves    to  study,  and  attain  a  more  be  endeavoured.    The  persons  particularly 


IX.]  AL   KORAN.  219 

find  severity  in  you :  and  know  that  God  is  with  those 
who  fear  him.  ^^^  Whenever  a  Sura  is  sent  down,  there 
are  some  of  them  who  say.  Which  of  you  hath  this  caused 
to  increase  in  faith  ?  It  will  increase  the  faith  of  those 
who  believe,  and  they  shall  rejoice.  ^^^  But  unto  those  in 
whose  hearts  there  is  an  infirmity,  it  will  add  farther 
doubt  unto  their  present  doubt ;  and  they  shall  die  in 
their  infidelity.  ^^^  Do  they  not  see  that  they  are  tried 
every  year  once  or  twice  ?  yet  they  repent  not,  neither 
are  they  warned.  And  whenever  a  Sura  is  sent  down, 
they  look  at  one  another,  saying.  Doth  any  one  see  you  ? 
then  do  they  turn  aside.  ^^^  God  shall  turn  aside  their 
hearts  from  the  truth ;  because  they  are  a  people  who  do 
not  understand.  ^^^  Now  hath  an  apostle  come  unto  you 
of  our  own  nation,  an  excellent  person :  it  is  grievous  unto 
him  that  ye  commit  wickedness  ;  he  is  careful  over  you, 
and  compassionate  and  merciful  towards  the  believers. 
^^^  If  they  turn  back,  say,  God  is  my  support :  there  is  no 
God  but  he.  On  him  do  I  trust ;  and  he  is  the  Lord  of 
the  magnificent  throne. 

meant    in   this  passage,  are    supposed  to  —  They  look  at  one  another,  &c.]    They 

have  been  the  Jews  of  the  tribes  of  Ko-  wink  at  one  another  to  rise,  and  leave  the 

reidha  and  Nadhir  and  those  of  Khaibar  ;  prophet's  presence,  if  they  think  they  can 

or  else  the  Greeks  of  Syria  ^  do  it   without  being  observed  ;  to   avoid 

—  Severity.']     Or  fierceness  in  war.  hearing  the  severe  and  deserved  reproofs 

128  They  are  tried  every  year  once  or  which  they  apprehend  in  every  new  reve- 

twice.']     i.  e-  By  various  kinds  of  trials ;  lation.     The    persons    intended    are    the 

or  by  being  called  forth  to  war,  and  by  hypocritical  Moslems, 

being  made  witnesses  of  God's  miraculous  130   Our  own   nation.]     See   chap.   iii. 

protection  of  the  faithful.  P-  71j  note  165. 

'  Al  Beiddwi, 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


Gilbert  &  Rivington,  Printers,  St.  John's  Square,  Clerkenwell. 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II. 


Chap.  Page 

10.  Intitled,  Jonas  ;  containing  108  Verses     1 

11.  Intitled,  Hud  ;  containing  123  Verses 13 

12.  Intitled,  Joseph  ;  containing  1 J 1  Verses 29 

1 3.  Intitled,  Thunder  ;  containing  45  Verses 46 

14.  Intitled,  Abraham  ;  containing  52  Verses  .  •  •  • 52 

15.  Intitled,  Al  Hejr  ;  containing  98  Verses 59 

16.  Intitled,  The  Bee ;  containing  128  Verses    65 

17.  Intitled,  The  Night- Journey ;  containing  110  Verses 81 

18.  Intitled,  The  Cave ;  containing  110  Verses 95 

19.  Intitled,  Mary  ;  containing  98  Verses 109 

20.  Intitled,  T.  H.  ;  containing  135  Verses 118 

21.  Intitled,  The  Prophets  ;  containing  112  Verses   130 

22.  Intitled,  The  Pilgrimage ;  containing  79  Verses 142 

23.  Intitled,  The  True  Believers ;  containing  120  Verses 152 

24.  Intitled,  Light ;  containing  65  Verses • 160 

25.  Intitled,  Al  Forkan  ;  containing  77  Verses    171 

26.  Intitled,  The  Poets ;  containing  227  Verses 179 

27.  Intitled,  The  Ant ;  containing  93  Verses 189 

28.  Intitled,  The  Story  ;  containing  87  Verses    199 

29.  Intitled,  The  Spider ;  containing  68  Verses 210 

30.  Intitled,  The  Greeks  ;  containing  60  Verses    217 

31.  Intitled,  Lokman  ;  containing  34  Verses 223 

32.  Intitled,  Adoration ;  containing  30  Verses 228 

33.  Intitled,  The  Confederates ;  containing  70  Verses    231 

34.  Intitled,  Saba  ;  containing  54  Verses   245 

35.  Intitled,  The  Creator  ;  containing  46  Verses 252 

36.  Intitled,  Y.  S. ;  containing  83  Verses 257 

37.  Intitled,  Those  who  rank  themselves  in  order;  containing  180  Verses    264 

38.  Intitled,  S. ;  containing  88  Verses 272 

39.  Intitled,  The  Troops  ;  containing  75  Verses 279 

40.  Intitled,  The  True  Believer ;  containing  86  Verses 287 

41.  Intitled,  Are  distinctly  explained  ;  containing  54  Verses 296 

42.  Intitled,  Consultation  ;  containing  53  Verses 302 

43.  Intitled,  The  Ornaments  of  Gold  ;  containing  ^^  Verses 307 

44.  Intitled,  Smoke  ;  containing  58  Verses 314 

,45.  Intitled,  The  Kneeling  ;  containing  37  Verses » • 317 

46.  Intitled,  Al  Ahkaf  ;  containing  35  Verses 320 

47.  Intitled,  Mohammed  ;  containing  38  Verses , 325 

48.  Intitled,  The  Victory ;  containing  29  Verses 330 

49.  Intitled,  The  Inner  Apartments  ;  containing  18  Verses 335 

50.  Intitled,  K. ;  containing  45  Verses 338 

51.  Intitled,  The  Dispersing ;  containing  60  Verses    342 

62.  Intitled,  The  Mountain  ;  containing  49  Verses 345 

53.  Intitled,  The  Star  ;  containing  62  Verses  . . , 347 

54.  Intitled,  The  Moon  ;  containing  55  Verses    351 

55.  Intitled,  The  Merciful ;  containing  78  Verses 354 

56.  Intitled,  The  Inevitahle ;  containing  96  Verses 358 

57.  Intitled,  Iron ;  containing  29  Verses 362 

58.  Intitled,  She  who  disputed  ;  containing  22  Verses 366 

59.  Intitled,  The  Emigration ;  containing  24  Verses 370 

60.  Intitled,  She  who  is  tried ;  containing  13  Verses 374 

61 .  Intitled,  Battle  Array  ;  containing  14  Verses    377 

62.  Intitled,  The  Assembly ;  containing  1 1  Verses 379 

63.  Intitled,  The  Hypocrites  ;  containing  11  Verses 380 


IV  CONTENTS. 

Chap.  Page 

64.  Intitled,  Mutual  Deceit ;  containing  18  Verses    382 

65.  Intitled,  Divorce  ;  containing  13  Verses 384 

Qiy.  Intitled,  Prohibition ;  containing  13  Verses. , 386 

67.  Intitled,  The  Kingdom  ;  containing  30  Verses    389 

68.  Intitled,  The  Pen  ;  containing  52  Verses 391 

69.  Intitled,  The  InfaUible  ;  containing  52  Verses    395 

70.  Intitled,  The  Steps  ;  containing  44  Verses , 397 

71.  Intitled,  Noah  ;  containing  29  Verses 399 

72.  Intitled,  The  Genii ;  containing  28  Verses 401 

73.  Intitled,  The  Wrapped  up ;  containing  22  Verses 403 

74.  Intitled,  The  Covered ;  containing  55  Verses 405 

75.  Intitled,  The  Resurrection ;  containing  40  Verses 408 

76.  Intitled,  Man  ;  containing  31  Verses , 410 

77-  Intitled,  Those  which  are  sent ;  containing  50  Verses 412 

78.  Intitled,  The  News  ;  containing  40  Verses •••••••..••••  414 

79.  Intitled,  Those  who  tear  forth ;  containing  46  Verses 415 

80.  Intitled,  He  frowned  ;  containing  42  Verses , 417 

81.  Intitled,  The  folding  up  ;  containing  28  Verses 419 

82.  Intitled,  The  Cleaving  in  sunder ;  containing  19  Verses 420 

83.  Intitled,  Those  who  give  short  Measure  or  Weight ;  containing  36  Verses  . .  421 

84.  Intitled,  The  Rending  in  sunder ;  containing  23  Verses* 423 

85.  Intitled,  The  Celestial  Signs ;  containing  21  Verses   424 

^6.  Intitled,  The  Star  which  appeared  by  Night;  containing  17  Verses 425 

87.  Intitled,  The  Most  High  ;  containing  19  Verses , 426 

88.  Intitled,  The  Overwhelming  ;  containing  26  Verses 427 

89.  Intitled,  The  Day-Break  ;  containing  30  Verses 428 

90.  Intitled,  The  Territory  ;  containing  20  Verses    431 

91.  Intitled,  The  Sun  ;  containing  15  Verses 432 

92.  Intitled,  The  Night ;  containing  21  Verses ib. 

93.  Intitled,  The  Brightness ;  containing  11  Verses 433 

94.  Intitled,  Have  we  not  opened  ;  containing  8  Verses 434 

95.  Intitled,  The  Fig ;  containing  6  Verses    435 

96.  Intitled,  Congealed  Blood  ;  containing  19  Verses 436 

97.  Intitled,  Al  Kadr  ;  containing  5  Verses 437 

98.  Intitled,  The  Evidence ;  containing  8  Verses 438 

99.  Intitled,  The  Earthquake ;  containing  8  Verses 439 

100.  Intitled,  The  War-Horses,  which  run  swiftly;  containing  11  Verses 440 

101.  Intitled,  The  Striking;  containing  10  Verses ib. 

102.  Intitled,  The  emulous  Desire  of  Multiplying;  containing  8  Verses. 441 

103.  Intitled,  The  Afternoon ;  containing  3  Verses 442 

104.  Intitled,  The  Slanderer ;  containing  8  Verses ib. 

105.  Intitled,  The  Elephant ;  containing  5  Verses 443 

106.  Intitled,  Koreish  ;  containing  4  Verses 445 

107.  Intitled,  Necessaries ;  containing  7  Verses 446 

108.  Intitled,  Al  Cawtiiar  ;  containing  3  Verses , ib. 

109.  Intitled,  The  Unbelievers  ;  containing  6  Verses 447 

110.  Intitled,  Assistance ;  containing  3  Verses 448 

111.  Intitled,  Abu  Laheb  ;  containing  5  Verses ib. 

112.  Intitled,  The  Declaration  of  God's  Unity  ;  containing  5  Verses 449 

113.  Intitled,  The  Day-Break ;  containing  5  Verses 450 

1 14.  Intitled,  Men  ;  containing  6  Verses 451 


AL 

KORAN. 


CHAPTER  X. 

INTITLED    JONAS  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  R.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  wise  book.  ^  It 
is  a  strange  thing  unto  the  men  of  Mecca,  that  we  have 
revealed  our  will  unto  a  man  from  among  them,  saying, 
Denounce  threats  unto  men  if  they  believe  not;  and 
bear  good  tidings  unto  those  who  believe,  that  on  the 
merit  of  their  sincerity  they  have  an  interest  with  their 
Lord.  The  unbelievers  say,  This  is  manifest  sorcery. 
^  Verily  your  Lord  is  God,  who  hath  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  in  six  days ;  and  then  ascended  his  throne, 
to  take  on  himself  the  government  of  all  things.  There 
is  no  intercessor,  but  by  his  permission.  This  is  God, 
your  Lord  ;  therefore  serve  him.  Will  ye  not  con- 
sider ?  ^  Unto  him  shall  ye  all  return,  according  to  the 
certain  promise  of  God  ;  for  he  produceth  a  creature,  and 
then  causeth  it  to  return  again;  that  he   may  reward 

Title.']     This  prophet  is  mentioned  to-  —  This  is  manifest  sorcery.']     Meaning 

wards  the  end  of  the  chapter.  the  Koran.     According  to  the  reading  of 

1  A.  L.   R.]      See   the  Prelim.    Disc,  some  copies,  the  words  may  be  rendered, 

§  iii.  This  man  (i.  e.  Mohammed)  is  no  other 

3  A  man  from  among  them.]     And  not  than  a  manifest  sorcerer, 

one    of  the  most   powerful    among  them  4  There  is  no  intercessor  but  hy  his  per- 

neither ;  so  that  the  Koreish  said  it  was  a  mission.]     These  words  were  revealed  to 

wonder  God  could  find  out  no  other  mes-  refute  the  foolish  opinion  of  the  idolatrous 

senger    than    the    orphan    pupil  of  Abu  Meccans,  who  imagined  their  idols  were 

Taleb  i.  intercessors  with  God  for  them. 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 
VOL.  II.  B 


2  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

those  who  believe,  and  do  that  which  is  right,  with  equity. 
But  as  for  the  unbelievers,  they  shall  drink  boiling  water, 
and  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment,  for  that  they 
have  disbelieved.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  ordained  the  sun 
to  shine  by  day,  and  the  moon  for  a  light  by  night ;  and 
hath  appointed  her  stations,  that  ye  might  know  the 
number  of  years,  and  the  computation  of  time.  God 
hath  not  created  this,  but  with  truth.  He  explaineth 
his  signs  unto  people  who  understand.  ^Moreover  in 
the  vicissitude  of  night  and  day,  and  whatever  God  hath 
created  in  heaven  and  earth,  are  surely  signs  unto  men 
who  fear  him.  ^  Verily  they  who  hope  not  to  meet  us 
at  the  last  day,  and  delight  in  this  present  life,  and  rest 
securely  in  the  same,  and  who  are  negligent  of  our  signs ; 
^  their  dwelling  shall  be  hell-fire,  for  that  which  they  have 
deserved.  ^^  But  as  to  those  who  believe,  and  work  righ- 
teousness, their  Lord  will  direct  them  because  of  their 
faith  ;  they  shall  have  rivers  flowing  through  gardens  of 
pleasure.  ^^  Their  prayer  therein  shall  be.  Praise  be  unto 
thee,  O  God  !  and  their  salutation  therein  shall  be.  Peace  ! 
and  the  end  of  their  prayer  shall  be.  Praise  be  unto  God, 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures  !  ^^  If  God  should  cause  evil 
to  hasten  unto  men,  according  to  their  desire  of  hasten- 
ing good,  verily  their  end  hath  been  decreed.  Wherefore 
we  suffer  those  who  hope  not  to  meet  us  at  the  resurrec- 
tion, to  wander  amazedly  in  their  error.  ^^When  evil 
befalleth  a  man,  he  prayeth  unto  us  lying  on  his  side,  or 
sitting,  or  standing :  but  when  we  deliver  him  from  his 
affliction,  he  continueth  his  former  course  of  life,  as  though 
he  had  not  called  upon  us  to  defend  him  against  the  evil 
which  had  befallen  him.  Thus  was  that  which  the  trans- 
gressors committed,  prepared  for  them.  ^^  We  have  for- 
merly destroyed  the  generations  who  were  before  you,  O 
men  of  Mecca,  when  they  had  acted  unjustly,  and  our 
apostles  had  come  unto  them  with  evident  miracles,  and 
they  would  not  believe.  Thus  do  we  reward  the  wicked 
people.  ^^  Afterwards  we  did  cause  you  to  succeed  them 
in  the  earth;  that   we   might  see    how   ye  would  act. 

II    Their  salutation.^     Either  the  mu-  13  Lyingy  or  sittings  or  standing.']    i.e. 

tual  salutation  of  the  blessed  to  one  ano-     in  all  postures,  and  at  all  times, 
ther,  or  that  of  the  angels  to  the  blessed. 


X.]  A  L     KORAN.  3 

^^  When  our  evident  signs  are  recited  unto  them,  they 
who  hope  not  to  meet  us  at  the  resurrection,  say.  Bring 
a  different  Koran  from  this ;  or  make  some  change  there- 
in. Answer,  It  is  not  fit  for  me,  that  I  should  change  it 
at  my  pleasure ;  I  follow  that  only  which  is  revealed  unto 
me.  Verily  I  fear,  if  I  should  be  disobedient  unto  my 
Lord,  the  punishment  of  the  great  day.  ^^  Say,  If  God 
had  so  pleased,  I  had  not  read  it  unto  you,  neither  had  I 
taught  you  the  same.  I  have  already  dwelt  among  you 
to  the  age  of  forty  years,  before  I  received  it.  Do  ye 
not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  And  who  is  more  unjust 
than  he  who  deviseth  a  lie  against  God,  or  accuseth  his 
signs  of  falsehood  ?  Surely  the  wicked  shall  not  prosper. 
^^  They  worship  besides  God,  that  which  can  neither  hurt 
them  nor  profit  them ;  and  they  say.  These  are  our  in- 
tercessors with  God.  Answer,  Will  ye  tell  God  that 
which  he  knoweth  not,  neither  in  heaven  nor  in  earth  ? 
Praise  be  unto  him !  and  far  be  that  from  him,  which 
they  associate  with  him  !  ^^  Men  were  professors  of  one 
religion  only,  but  they  dissented  therefrom;  and  if  a 
decree  had  not  previously  issued  from  thy  Lord,  deferring 
their  punishment,  verily  the  matter  had  been  decided 
between  them,  concerning  which  they  disagreed.  ^^  They 
say,  Unless  a  sign  be  sent  down  unto  him  from  his  Lord, 
we  will  not  believe.  Answer,  Verily  that  which  is  hidden 
is  known  only  unto  God  :  wait  therefore  the  pleasure  of 
God  ;  and  I  also  will  wait  with  you.  ^^  And  when  we 
caused  the  men  of  Mecca  to  taste  mercy,  after  an  afflic- 
tion which  had  befallen  them,  behold,  they  devised  a 

IT  To  the  age  of  forty  years."]  For  so  or  companions  either  in  heaven  or  on 
old  was  Mohammed  before  he  took  upon  earth,  since  he  acknowledgeth  none  ? 
him  to  be  a  prophet  ^ ;  during  which  time  20  Men  were  professors  of  one  religion 
his  fellow -citizens  well  knew  that  he  had  only,  &c.]  That  is  to  say,  the  true  reli- 
not  applied  himself  to  learning  of  any  gion,  or  Islam,  which  was  generally  pro- 
sort,  nor  frequented  learned  men,  nor  had  fessed,  as  some  say,  till  Abel  was  mur- 
ever  exercised  himself  in  composing  verses,  dered,  or,  as  others,  till  the  days  of  Noah, 
or  orations,  whereby  he  might  acquire  the  Some  suppose  the  first  ages  after  the  flood 
art  of  rhetoric,  or  elegance  of  speech  2.  A  are  here  intended  ;  others,  the  state  of 
flagrant  proof,  says  al  Beidawi,  that  this  religion  in  Arabia,  from  the  time  of  Abra- 
book  could  be  taught  him  by  none  but  God.  ham  to  that  of  Amru  Ebn  Lohai,  the  great 

19  Intercessors.']    See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  introducer  of  idolatry  into  that  country. 
§  i.  p.  17.  22  And  when  we  caused  those  of  Mecca 

—   Will  ye  tell  God  that  which  he  know-  to  taste  mercy  after  affliction,  &c.]     For  it 

eth  not,  &c.]     Viz.   That  he   hath  equals  is   said   that   they  were  afflicted   with   a 

^   See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  50.     Abulfed.  vit.  Moh.  c.  7-  ^  See  the  Prelim. 

Disc.  p.  32.  3  Al  Belddwi. 

B    2 


4  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

stratagem  against  our  signs.  Say  unto  them,  God  is 
more  swift  in  executing  a  stratagem  than  ye.  Verily 
our  messengers  write  down  that  which  ye  deceitfully  de- 
vise. ^^It  is  he  who  hath  given  you  conveniences  for 
travelling  by  land  and  by  sea ;  so  that  ye  be  in  ships, 
which  sail  with  them,  with  a  favourable  wind,  and  they 
rejoice  therein.  And  when  a  tempestuous  wind  over- 
taketh  them,  and  waves  come  upon  them  from  every 
side,  and  they  think  themselves  to  be  encompassed  with 
inevitable  dangers :  they  call  upon  God,  exhibiting  the 
pure  religion  unto  him,  and  saying.  Verily,  if  thou  deliver 
us  from  this  peril,  we  will  be  of  those  who  give  thanks. 
^^  But  when  he  hath  delivered  them,  behold,  they  behave 
themselves  insolently  in  the  earth,  without  justice.  O 
men,  verily  the  violence  which  ye  commit  against  your 
own  souls,  is  for  the  enjoyment  of  this  present  life  only ; 
afterwards  unto  us  shall  ye  return,  and  we  will  declare 
unto  you  that  which  ye  have  done.  ^^  Verily  the  likeness 
of  this  present  life  is  no  other  than  as  water,  which  we 
send  down  from  heaven,  and  wherewith  the  productions 
of  the  earth  are  mixed,  of  which  men  eat,  and  cattle  also, 
until  the  earth  receive  its  vesture,  and  be  adorned  with 
various  plants  :  the  inhabitants  thereof  imagine  that  they 
have  power  over  the  same ;  but  our  command  cometh 
unto  it  by  night,  or  by  day,  and  we  render  it  as  though 
it  had  been  mowen,  as  though  it  had  not  yesterday 
abounded  with  fruits.  Thus  do  we  explain  our  signs 
unto  people  who  consider.  ^^God  inviteth  unto  the 
dwelling  of  peace,  and  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into 
the  right  way.  ^^  They  who  do  right  shall  receive  a  most 
excellent  reward,  and  a  superabundant  addition ;  neither 
blackness  nor  shame  shall  cover  their  faces.  These  shall 
be  the  inhabitants  of  paradise,  they  shall  continue  therein 

dearth  for  seven  years,  so  that  they  were  fears    directing  them  in  such  an    extre- 

yery  near  perishing  ;  but  were  no  sooner  mity,  to  ask  help  of  him  only  who  could 

relieved  by  God's  sending   them  plenty,  give  it. 

than  they  began  again  to  charge  Moham-  26   Unto  the  dwelling  of  peace.']  viz.  Pa- 

med  with  imposture,  and  to  ridicule  his  radise. 

revelations^.  27  And  a  superabundant  addition.]   For 

22  Our   messengers.]     i.  e.   The  guar-  their  reward  will  vastly  exceed  the  merit 

dian  angels.  of  their  good  works.     Al  Ghazali  supposes 

33    Exhibiting  the   pure   religion  unto  this    additional   recompense   will   be    the 

him.]      That   is,  applying   themselves  to  beatific  vision  2. 

God  only,  and  neglecting  their  idols ;  their  —  Blackness.]  See  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  102. 

I  41  Beiddwi.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  118. 


X.]  AL    KORAN.  5 

for  ever.  But  they  who  commit  evil  shall  receive  the 
reward  of  evil,  equal  thereunto,  and  they  shall  be  covered 
with  shame  (for  they  shall  have  no  protector  against 
God),  as  though  their  faces  were  covered  with  the  pro- 
found darkness  of  the  night.  These  shall  be  the  inha- 
bitants of  hell-fire  ;  they  shall  remain  therein  for  ever. 
^^  On  the  day  of  the  resurrection  we  will  gather  them  all 
together :  then  will  we  say  unto  the  idolaters,  Get  ye  to 
your  place,  ye  and  your  companions :  and  we  will  sepa- 
rate them  from  one  another :  and  their  companions  shall 
say  unto  them,  Ye  did  not  worship  us,  ^^  and  God  is  a 
sufficient  witness  between  us  and  you ;  neither  did  we 
mind  your  worshipping  of  us.  ^^  There  shall  every  soul 
experience  that  which  it  shall  have  sent  before  it,  and 
they  shall  be  brought  before  God,  their  true  Lord  ;  and 
the  false  deities  which  they  vainly  imagined,  shall  disap- 
pear from  before  them.  ^^  Say,  Who  provideth  you  food 
from  heaven  and  earth  ?  or  who  hath  the  absolute  power 
over  the  hearing  and  the  sight  ?  and  who  bringeth  forth 
the  living  from  the  dead,  and  bringeth  forth  the  dead 
from  the  living  ?  and  who  governeth  all  things  ?  They 
will  surely  answer,  God.  Say,  Will  ye  not  therefore  fear 
him  ?  ^^  This  is  therefore  God,  your  true  Lord  :  and 
what  remaineth  there  after  truth,  except  error  ?  How 
therefore  are  ye  turned  aside  from  the  truth  ?  ^^  This  is 
the  word  of  the  Lord  verified  upon  them  who  do  wickedly; 
that  they  believe  not.  ^^  Say,  Is  there  any  of  your 
companions  who  produceth  a  creature,  and  then  causeth 
it  to  return  unto  himself?  Say,  God  produceth  a  crea- 
ture, and  then  causeth  it  to  return  unto  himself.  How 
therefore  are  ye  turned  aside  from  his  worship  ?  ^^  Say, 
Is  there  any  of  your  companions  who  directeth  unto 
the  truth  ?  Say,  God  directeth  unto  the  truth.  Whether 
is  he,   therefore,  who    directeth   unto   the   truth,   more 

—  Equal  tliereu7ito.]  i.  e.  Though  the  pretended,  that  God  will,  at  the  last  day, 
blessed  will  be  rewarded  beyond  their  de-  enable  the  idols  to  speak,  and  that  they 
serts,  yet  God  will  not  punish  any  beyond  will  thus  reproach  their  worshippers,  in- 
their  demerits,  but  treat  them  with  the  stead  of  interceding  for  them,  as  they 
exactest  justice.  hoped.      Some   suppose   the   angels,  who 

28  And   your   companions.^       That   is,  were  also   objects  of  the  worship  of  the 

your  idols,   or  the  companions  which  ye  Pagan  Arabs,  are  particularly  intended  in 

attributed  unto  God.  this  place. 

—  Ye  did  not  worship  us.'\  But  ye  30  Shall  experience'"]  Some  copies,  in- 
really  worshipped  your  own  lusts ;  and  stead  of  Tahluy  read  Tatlu,  i.  e.  shall  foU 
were  seduced  to  idolatry,  not  by  us,  but  low  or  meditate  upon. 

by  your  own  superstitious  fancies.     It  is         —  Before  it.']     See  chap.  ii.  note. 


6  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

worthy  to  be  followed ;  or  he  who  directeth  not,  unless 
he  be  directed  ?  What  aileth  you,  therefore,  that  ye 
judge  as  ye  do  ?  ^^  And  the  greater  part  of  them  follow 
an  uncertain  opinion  only ;  but  a  mere  opinion  attaineth 
not  unto  any  truth.  Verily  God  knoweth  that  which 
they  do.  ^^  This  Koran  could  not  have  been  composed 
by  any  except  God  ;  but  it  is  a  confirmation  of  that  which 
was  revealed  before  it,  and  an  explanation  of  the  scrip- 
ture;  there  is  no  doubt  thereof;  sent  down  from  the 
Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  Will  they  say,  Mohammed  hath 
forged  it  ?  Answer,  Bring  therefore  a  chapter  like  unto 
it ;  and  call  whom  ye  may  to  your  assistance,  besides  God, 
if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^  But  they  have  charged  that  with 
falsehood,  the  knowledge  whereof  they  do  not  compre- 
hend, neither  hath  the  interpretation  thereof  come  unto 
them.  In  the  same  manner  did  those  who  were  before 
them,  accuse  their  prophets  of  imposture ;  but  behold, 
what  was  the  end  of  the  unjust.  ^^  There  are  some  of 
them  who  believe  therein ;  and  there  are  some  of  them 
who  believe  not  therein  :  and  thy  Lord  well  knoweth  the 
corrupt  doers.  ^^  If  they  accuse  thee  of  imposture,  say  I 
have  my  work,  and  ye  have  your  work ;  ye  shall  be  clear 
of  that  which  I  do,  and  I  will  be  clear  of  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^  There  are  some  of  them  who  hearken  unto  thee ; 
but  wilt  thou  make  the  deaf  to  hear,  although  they  do 
not  understand  ?  *^  And  there  are  some  of  them  who 
look  at  thee  ;  but  wilt  thou  direct  the  blind,  although  they 
see  not  ?  ^^  Verily,  God  will  not  deal  unjustly  with  men 
in  any  respect :  but  men  deal  unjustly  with  their  own 
souls.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  he  will  gather  them  together, 
as  though  they  had  not  tarried  above  an  hour  of  a  day : 
they  shall  know  one  another.     Then  shall   they  perish 

40  There  are  some  of  them  who  believe  account  of  certain  Meccans,  who  seemed 

therein,  &c.]  i.  e.  There  are  some  of  them  to  attend  while  Mohammed  read  the  Ko- 

who   are    inwardly   well   satisfied    of  the  ran   to  them,  or  instructed  them  in  any 

truth  of  thy  doctrine,  though  they  are  so  point  of  religion,  but  yet  were  as  far  from 

wicked   as   to   oppose   it ;  and    there  are  being  convinced  or  edified,  as  if  they  had 

others  of  them  who  believe  it  not,  through  not  heard  him  at  all  2. 

prejudice  and  want  of  consideration.     Or  44   God  will  not  deal  unjustly  with  men  : 

the    passage  may  be   understood   in   the  but  they  deal  unjustly  with  their  own  souls.^ 

future  sense,  of  some  who  should  after-  For  God  deprives  them  not  of  their  senses, 

wards  believe,  and  repent,  and  of  others  or  understanding:  but  they  corrupt  and 

who  should  die  infidels  ^  make  an  ill  use  of  them. 

42  There  are  some  of  them  who  hearken  45  As   though    they  had   not   tarried,'} 

unto  thee  ;  but  wilt  thou  make  the  deaf  to  Either  in  the  world,  or  in  the  grave. 

heary  Sec]    These  words  were  revealed  on  —   They  shall  knoiv  one  another  J]     As 

1  At  Beiddivi,  ^  Idem.     See  chap.  5. 


X.]  AL     KORAN.  7 

who  have  denied   the   meeting  of  God  ;  and  were    not 
rightly  directed.     ^^  Whether  we  cause  thee  to  see  a  part 
of  the  punishment  wherewith  we  have  threatened  them, 
or  whether  we  cause  thee  to  die  before  thou  see  it ;  unto 
us  shall  they  return :  then  shall  God  be  witness  of  that 
which  they  do.     ^^  Unto   every  nation  hath  an  apostle 
been  sent :  and  when  their  apostle  came,  the  matter  was 
decided  between  them  with  equity  ;  and  they  were  not 
treated  unjustly.     ^^  The  unbelievers  say,  When  will  this 
threatening  be  made  good,  if  ye  speak  truth  ?     ^^  Answer, 
I  am  able  neither  to  procure  advantage  unto  myself,  nor 
to  avert  mischief  from  me,  but  as  God  pleaseth.     Unto 
every  nation  is  a  fixed  term   decreed ;  when  their  term 
therefore  is  expired,  they  shall  not  have  respite  for  an 
hour,  neither  shall  their  punishment  be  anticipated.  ^^  Say, 
Tell  me  ;  if  the  punishment  of  God  overtake  you  by  night, 
or  by  day,  what  part  thereof  will  the  ungodly  wish  to  be 
hastened  ?     ^^  When  it  falleth  on  you,  do  ye  then  believe 
it  ?     Now  do  ye  believe,  and  wish  it  far  from  you,  whereas 
ye  formerly  desired  it  should  be  hastened  ?     ^^  Then  shall 
it  be  said  unto  the  wicked.  Taste  ye  the  punishment  of 
eternity ;  would  ye  receive  other  than  the  reward  of  that 
which  ye  have  wrought  ?     ^^  They  will  desire  to  know  of 
thee,  w^hether  this  be  true.     Answer,  Yea,  by  my  Lord, 
it  is  certainly  true ;  neither  shall  ye  weaken  God's  power, 
so  as  to  escape  it.     ^^  Verily,  if  every  soul  which  hath 
acted  wickedly  had  whatever  is  on  the   earth,  it   would 
willingly  redeem  itself  therewith  at  the  last  day.     Yet 
they  will  conceal  their  repentance,  after  they  shall  have 
seen  the  punishment ;  and  the  matter  shall  be  decided 
between  them  with  equity ;  and  they  shall  not  be  unjustly 
treated.     ^^  Doth  not  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and    on 

if  it  were  but  a  little  while  since  they  54  They  will  conceal  their  repentance.^ 
parted.  But  this  will  happen  during  the  To  hide  their  shame  and  regret  ^  ;  or  be- 
first  moments  only  of  the  resurrection  ;  cause  their  surprise  and  astonishment  will 
for  afterwards  the  terror  of  the  day  will  deprive  them  of  the  use  of  speech  3.  Some, 
disturb  and  take  from  them  all  knowledge  however,  understand  the  verb  which  is 
of  one  another  i.  here  rendered  Will  conceal,  in  the  con- 
47  The  matter  was  decided  between  them  trary  signification,  which  it  sometimes 
with  equity.']  By  delivering  the  prophet,  bears ;  and  then  it  must  be  translated, 
and  those  who  believed  on  him,  and  de-  They  will  openly  declare  their  repent- 
stroying  the  obstinate  infidels.  ance,  &c. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,     See  chap.  6.  2  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


8  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

earth  belong  unto  God?  Is  not  the  promise  of  God 
true  ?  But  the  greater  part  of  them  know  it  not.  ^^  He 
giveth  life,  and  he  causeth  to  die ;  and  unto  him  shall  ye 
all  return.  ^^  O  men,  now  hath  an  admonition  come  unto 
you  from  your  Lord,  and  a  remedy  for  the  doubts  which 
are  in  your  breasts  ;  and  a  direction,  and  mercy  unto  the 
true  believers.  ^^  Say,  Through  the  grace  of  God,  and 
his  mercy :  therein  therefore  let  them  rejoice  :  this  will 
be  better  than  what  they  heap  together  of  worldly  riches. 
^^  Say,  Tell  me ;  of  that  which  God  hath  sent  down  unto 
you  for  food,  have  ye  declared  part  to  be  lawful,  and  other 
part  to  be  unlawful  ?  Say,  Hath  God  permitted  you  to 
make  this  distinction  ?  or  do  ye  devise  a  lie  concerning 
God  ?  ^^  But  what  will  be  the  opinion  of  those  who 
devise  a  lie  concerning  God,  on  the  day  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ?  Verily  God  is  endued  with  beneficence  towards 
mankind;  but  the  greater  part  of  them  do  not  give 
thanks.  ^^  Thou  shalt  be  engaged  in  no  business,  neither 
shalt  thou  be  employed  in  meditating  on  any  passage 
of  the  Koran,  nor  shall  ye  do  any  action,  but  we  will 
be  witnesses  over  you,  when  ye  are  employed  therein. 
Nor  is  so  much  as  the  weight  of  an  ant  hidden  from  thy 
Lord  in  earth  or  in  heaven :  neither  is  there  any  thing 
lesser  than  that,  or  greater,  but  it  is  written  in  the  per- 
spicuous book.  ^^  Are  not  the  friends  of  God,  the  per- 
sons on  whom  no  fear  shall  come,  and  who  shall  not  be 
grieved  ?  ^^  They  who  believe,  and  fear  God,  shall  receive 
good  tidings  in  this  life,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
There  is  no  change  in  the  words  of  God.  This  shall  be 
great  felicity.  ^^  Let  not  their  discourse  grieve  thee ;  for 
all  might  belongeth  unto  God;  he  both  heareth  and 
knoweth.  ^^  Is  not  whoever  dwelleth  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,  subject  unto  God  ?  What  therefore  do  they  follow, 
who  invoke  idols,  besides  God  ?  They  follow  nothing  but 
a  vain  opinion  ;  and  they  only  utter  lies.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
hath  ordained  the  night  for  you,  that  ye  may  take  your 
rest  therein,  and  the  clear  day  for  labour :  verily  herein 
are   signs  unto  people  who  hearken.     ^^  They  say,  God 

69   Unlawful.^     See  chap.  vi.  served  table,  wherein  God's  decrees  are 

61  An  antf  &c.]     See  chap.  iv.  recorded. 

—  The   perspicuous   book.]     The   pre-         64   Their  discourse.']     Viz.  The  impious 

and  rebellious  talk  of  the  infidels. 


X.]  AL   KORAN.  9 

hath  begotten  children :  God  forbid  !  He  is  self-sufficient. 
Unto  him  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on 
earth :  ye  have  no  demonstrative  proof  of  this.  Do  ye 
speak  of  God  that  which  ye  know  not  ?  ^^  Say,  Verily  they 
who  imagine  a  lie  concerning  God,  shall  not  prosper. 
^^  They  may  enjoy  a  provision  in  this  world ;  but  after- 
wards unto  us  shall  they  return,  and  we  will  then  cause 
them  to  taste  a  grievous  punishment,  for  that  they  were 
unbelievers.  ^^  Rehearse  unto  them  the  history  of  Noah  : 
when  he  said  unto  his  people,  O  my  people,  if  my  stand- 
ing forth  among  you,  and  my  warning  you  of  the  signs  of 
God,  be  grievous  unto  you ;  in  God,  do  I  put  my  trust. 
Therefore  lay  your  design  against  me,  and  assemble  your 
false  gods ;  but  let  not  your-  design  be  carried  on  by  you 
in  the  dark :  then  come  forth  against  me,  and  delay  not. 
'^^  And  if  ye  turn  aside  from  my  admonitions,  I  ask  not 
any  reward  of  you  for  the  same !  I  expect  my  reward 
from  God  alone,  and  I  am  commanded  to  be  one  of  those 
who  are  resigned  unto  him.  ^^  But  they  accused  him  of 
imposture;  wherefore  we  delivered  him,  and  those  that 
were  with  him  in  the  ark,  and  we  caused  them  to  survive 
the  flood,  but  we  drowned  those  who  charged  our  signs 
with  falsehood.  Behold,  therefore,  what  was  the  end  of 
those  who  were  warned  by  Noah.  ^^  Then  did  we  send, 
after  him,  apostles  unto  their  respective  people,  and  they 
came  unto  them  with  evident  demonstrations  :  yet  they 
were  not  disposed  to  believe  in  that  which  they  had  before 
rejected  as  false.  Thus  do  we  seal  up  the  hearts  of  the 
transgressors.  ^^  Then  did  we  send  after  them,  Moses  and 
Aaron  unto  Pharaoh,  and  his  princes,  with  our  signs  : 
but  they  behaved  proudly,  and  were  a  wicked  people. 
^^  And  when  the  truth  from  us  had  come  unto  them, 
they  said.  Verily  this  is  manifest  sorcery.  ^^  Moses 
said  unto  them.  Do  ye  speak  this  of  the  truth  after 
it  hath  come  unto  you?  Is  this  sorcery?  but  sorcerers 
shall  not  prosper.  ^^  They  said,  Art  thou  come  unto  us 
to  turn  us  aside  from  that  religion  which  we  found  our 

70  Noah.']     See  chap  vii.  their  respective  people,]     As  Hud,  Saleh, 

71  I  ask  not  any  reward,  &c.]  There-  Abraham,  Lot,  and  Shoaib,  to  those 
fore  ye  cannot  excuse  yourselves,  by  say-  of  Ad,  Thamiid,  Babel,  Sodom,  and  Mi- 
ing  that  I  am  burthensome  to  you.  dian. 

73    We    nent    after   him,    apostles  unto         74  Signs.']     See  chap.  vii. 


10  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

fathers  practise ;  and  that  ye  too  may  have  the  command 
in  the  land  ?  But  we  do  not  believe  you.  ^^  And  Pharaoh 
said,  Bring  unto  me  every  expert  magician.  ^^And 
when  the  magicians  were  come,  Moses  said  unto  them, 
Cast  down  that  which  ye  are  about  to  cast  down.  ^^  And 
when  they  had  cast  down  their  rods  and  cords,  Moses 
said  unto  them,  The  enchantment  which  ye  have  per- 
formed, shall  God  surely  render  vain :  for  God  prospereth 
not  the  work  of  the  wicked  doers.  ^^  And  God  will  verify 
the  truth  of  his  words,  although  the  wicked  be  averse 
thereto.  ^^  And  there  believed  not  any  on  Moses,  except 
a  generation  of  his  people,  for  fear  of  Pharaoh  and  of 
his  princes,  lest  he  should  afflict  them.  And  Pharaoh 
w^as  lifted  up  with  pride  in  the  earth,  and  was  surely  one 
of  the  transgressors.  ^^  And  Moses  said,  O  my  people, 
if  ye  believe  in  God,  put  your  trust  in  him,  if  ye  be 
resigned  to  his  will.  ^^  They  answered.  We  put  our  trust 
in  God  :  O  Lord,  suffer  us  not  to  be  afflicted  by  unjust 
people ;  ^^  but  deliver  us  through  thy  mercy,  from  the 
unbelieving  people.  ^^  And  w^e  spake  by  inspiration  unto 
Moses  and  his  brother,  saying.  Provide  habitations  for 
your  people  in  Egypt,  and  make  your  houses  a  place  of 
worship,  and  be  constant  at  prayer ;  and  bear  good  news 
unto  the  true  believers.  ^^  And  Moses  said,  O  Lord, 
verily  thou  hast  given  unto  Pharaoh  and  his  people, 
pompous  ornaments,  and  riches  in  this  present  life,  O 
Lord,  that  they  may  be  seduced  from  thy  way ;  O  Lord, 
bring  their  riches  to  nought,  and  harden  their  hearts ; 
that  they  may  not  believe,  until  they  see  their  grievous 
punishment.     ^^  God  said.  Your  petition  is  heard :  be  ye 

82  Except  a  generation  of  his  people.']  here  ordered  to  dispose  their  oratories  in 

For  when  he  first  began  to  preach,  a  few  such  a  manner,  that,  when  they  prayed, 

of  the  younger  Israelites  only  believed  on  their  faces  might  be  turned  tow  ards  Mecca ; 

him ;  the  others  not  giving  ear  to  him,  for  which  he  imagines  was  the  Kebla  of  Moses, 

fear  of  the  king.     But  some  suppose  the  as  it  is  that  of  the  Mohammedans.     The 

pronoun,  his^  refers  to  Pharaoh,   and  that  former  commentator  adds,  that  Pharaoh 

these  were  certain  Egyptians,  who,  together  had   forbidden   the  Israelites   to  pray   to 

with  his  wife  Asia,  believed  on  Moses  ^  God  ;  for  which  reason  they  were  obliged 

SQ  A  place  of  worship.']    So  Jallalo'ddin  to   perform   that  duty  privately  in  their 

expounds  the  original  word  Kebla,  which  houses. 

properly  signifies  that  place  or  quarter  to-         87  Ornaments.]  As  magnificent  apparel, 

wards  which  one  prays.     Wherefore  al  Za-  chariots,  and  the  like, 
makhshari  supposes,  that  the  Israelites  are         88   Your  petition  is  heard.]     The  pro- 


*  Jl  Beiddwi, 


X.]  AL     KORAN.  11 

upright  therefore,  and  follow  not  the  way  of  those  who 
are  io-norant.  ^^  And  we  caused  the  children  of  Israel 
to  pass  through  the  sea;  and  Pharaoh  and  his  army 
followed  them  in  a  violent  and  hostile  manner ;  until, 
when  he  was  drowning,  he  said,  I  believe  that  there  is  no 
God  but  he  on  whom  the  children  of  Israel  believe ;  and 
I  am  one  of  the  resigned.  ^^  Now  dost  thou  believe, 
when  thou  hast  been  hitherto  rebellious,  and  one  of  the 
wicked  doers  ?  ^^  This  day  will  we  raise  thy  body  from 
the  bottom  of  the  sea,  that  thou  mayest  be  a  sign  unto 
those  who  shall  be  after  thee ;  and  verily  a  great  number 
of  men  are  negligent  of  our  signs.  ^^  And  we  prepared  for 
the  children  of  Israel  an  established  dwelling  in  the 
land  of  Canaan,  and  we  provided  good  things  for  their 
sustenance :  and  they  differed  not  in  point  of  religion, 
until  knowledge  had  come  unto  them ;  verily  thy  Lord 
will  judge  between  them  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  con- 
cerning that  wherein  they  disagreed.  ^^  If  thou  art  in  a 
doubt  concerning  any  part  of  that  which  we  have  sent 
down  unto  thee,  ask  them  who  have  read  the  book  of  the 
law  before  thee.  Now  hath  the  truth  come  unto  thee 
from  thy  Lord;  be  not  therefore  one  of  those  who 
doubt :  ^"^  neither  be  thou  one  of  those  who  charge  the 
signs  of  God  with  falsehood,  lest  thou  become  one  of 
those  who  perish.  ^^  Verily  those  against  whom  the  word 
of  thy  Lord  is  decreed,  shall  not  believe ;  ^^  even,  though 

noun  is  in  the  dual  number  ;  the  antece-         91    We  will  raise  thy  dead  body,  &c.] 

dent  being  Moses  and  Aaron.     The  com-  Some    of  the  children  of  Israel  doubting 

mentators  say,  that  in  consequence  of  this  whether  Pharaoh  was  really  drowned,  Ga- 

prayer,   all   the  treasures  of  Egypt  were  briel,  by  God's  command,  caused  his  naked 

turned  into  stones  i.  corpse  to  swim   to  shore  that  they  might 

—  Be  ye  upright.']     Or,  as  al  Beidawi  see   it  2.     The  word  here  translated  Body, 

interprets  it,  Be  ye  constant  and  steady  signifying  also  a  coat  of  mail,  some  ima- 

in  preaching  to  the  people.     The  Moham-  gine  the  meaning  to  be,  that  his  corpse 

medans   pretend  that  Moses  continued  in  floated  armed  with  his  coat  of  mail,  which 

Egypt  no  less  than  forty  years,  after  he  they  tell  us  was  of  gold,  by  which  they  knew 

had    first   published   his   mission  ;   which  that  it  was  he. 
cannot  be  reconciled  to  scripture.  92  Until  after  knowledge  had  come  unto 

89  /  believe  that  there  is  no  God  but  he,  them.]   i.  e.   After  the  law  had  been  re- 

&c.]     These    words,  it  is   said,  Pharaoh  vealed,  and  published  by  Moses, 
repeated  often  in   his  extremity,   that  he         93  Concerning  that  which  we  have  sent 

might  be  heard.    But  his  repentance  came  down  unto  thee.]     That  is,  concerning  the 

too    late  ;  for    Gabriel    soon    stopped    his  truth    of    the    histories    which    are   here 

mouth   with   mud,  lest  he  should   obtain  related.     The  commentators  doubt  whe- 

mercy  ;  reproaching  him  at  the  same  time  ther  the  person  here  spoken  to,  be  Moham- 

in  the  words  which  follow.  med  himself,  or  his  auditor. 

»  JaUaJoddin.  2  -gee  Exod.  xiv.  30. 


12  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

there  come  unto  them  every  kind  of  miracle,  until  they 
see  the  grievous  punishment  prepared  for  them.  ^^  And 
if  it  were  not  so,  some  city,  among  the  many  which  have 
been  destroyed,  would  have  believed  ;  and  the  faith  of  its 
inhabitants  would  have  been  of  advantage  unto  them : 
but  none  of  them  believed,  before  the  execution  of  their 
sentence,  except  the  people  of  Jonas.  When  they  be- 
lieved, we  delivered  them  from  the  punishment  of  shame 
in  this  world,  and  suffered  them  to  enjoy  their  lives  and 
possessions  for  a  time.  ^^  But  if  thy  Lord  had  pleased, 
verily  all  who  are  in  the  earth  would  have  believed  in 
general.  Wilt  thou  therefore  forcibly  compel  men  to  be 
true  believers  ?  ^^  No  soul  can  believe,  but  by  the  per- 
mission of  God  :  and  he  shall  pour  out  his  indignation  on 
those  who  will  not  understand.  ^^^  Say,  Consider  what- 
ever is  in  heaven  and  on  earth :  but  signs  are  of  no  avail, 
neither  preachers,  unto  people  who  will  not  believe. 
^^^  Do  they  therefore  expect  any  other  than  some  terrible 
judgment,  like  unto  the  judgments  which  have  fallen  on 
those  who  have  gone  before  them  ?  ^^^  Say,  Wait  ye  the 
issue  ;  and  I  also  will  wait  with  you :  then  will  we  deliver 
our  apostles  and  those  who  believe.  Thus  is  it  a  justice 
due  from  us,  that  we  should  deliver  the  true  believers. 
^^^  Say,  O  men  of  Mecca,  if  ye  be  in  doubt  concerning 
my  religion,  verily  I  worship  not  the  idols  which  ye 
worship,  besides  God  ;  but  I  worship  God,  who  will  cause 
you  to  die :  and  I  am  commanded  to  be  one  of  the  true 
believers.  ^^^  And  it  was  said  unto  me.  Set  thy  face 
towards   the  true  religion,  and  be  orthodox ;  and  by  no 

97  The  people  of  Jonas.']  Viz.  The  in-  others  say,  within  forty  ^.  But  when  the 
habitants  of  Nineveh,  which  stood  on  or  time  drew  near,  and  they  saw  the  heavens 
near  the  place  where  al  Mawsel  now  overcast  with  a  black  cloud,  which  shot 
stands.  This  people  having  corrupted  them-  forth  fire,  and  filled  the  air  with  smoke, 
selves  with  idolatry,  Jonas,  the  son  of  and  hung  directly  over  their  city,  they 
Mattai  (or  Amittai,  which  the  Mohamme-  were  in  a  terrible  consternation,  and  get- 
dans  suppose  to  be  the  name  of  his  mo-  ting  into  the  fields  with  their  families 
ther),  an  Israelite  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  cattle,  they  put  on  sackcloth,  and 
was  sent  by  God  to  preach  to  and  reclaim  humbled  themselves  before  God,  calling 
them.  When  he  first  began  to  exhort  aloud  for  pardon,  and  sincerely  repenting 
them  to  repentance,  instead  of  hearkening  of  their  past  wickedness.  Whereupon 
to  him,  they  used  him  very  ill,  so  that  he  God  was  pleased  to  forgive  them,  and  the 
was  obliged  to  leave  the  city,  threatening  storm  blew  over  2, 

them,  at  his  departure,  that  they  should  —  For  a  time.']  i.  e.  Until  they  died  ac- 
he   destroyed   within    three    days,   or,  as  cording  to  the  ordinary  course  of  nature. 

^  See  Jonah  iii.  4.  *  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  Ahiilfed.    See  chap.  21  and  37- 


XI.]  AL     KORAN.  IS 

means  be  one  of  those  who  attribute  companions  unto 
God  ;  ^^^  neither  invoke,  besides  God,  that  which  can 
neither  profit  thee  nor  hurt  thee  :  for  if  thou  do,  thou  wilt 
then  certainly  become  one  of  the  unjust.  ^^^  If  God 
afflict  thee  with  hurt,  there  is  none  who  can  relieve  thee 
from  it,  except  he;  and  if  he  willeth  thee  any  good, 
there  is  none  who  can  keep  back  his  bounty ;  he  will 
confer  it  on  such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth ;  and  he 
is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^^  Say,  O  men,  now  hath  the 
truth  come  unto  you  from  your  Lord.  He  therefore 
who  shall  be  directed,  will  be  directed  to  the  advantage 
of  his  own  soul ;  but  he  who  shall  err,  will  err  only 
against  the  same.  I  am  no  guardian  over  you.  ^^^  Do 
thou,  O  prophet,  follow  that  which  is  revealed  unto  thee : 
and  persevere  with  patience,  until  God  shall  judge,  for 
he  is  the  best  judge. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

INTITLED,    hud;      REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  R.  ^  This  book,  the  verses  whereof  are  guarded 
against  corruption,  and  are  also  distinctly  explained,  is  a 
revelation  from  the  wise,  the  knowing  God  :  ^  that  ye 
serve  not   any  other  than  God  ;  verily  I  am  a  denouncer 

Title.']     The  story  of  which  prophet  is  in  a  clear  and  perspicuous  method,  or  con- 
repeated  in  this  chapter.  tain  evident  and  demonstrative  arguments  : 

1  A.  L.  R.\    See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  and   others,   that  they  comprise   judicial 

2  The  verses  whereof  are  guarded  against  declarations  to    regulate   both    faith   and 
corruption.}      According    to    the    various  practice  '^. 

senses   which    the  verb   Ohkimat,   in    the         —  And  are  also  distinctly  explained.'] 

original,  may  bear,  the  commentators  sug-  The    signification    of   the    verb    Fossilat, 

gest   as    many    different    interpretations,  which  is  here  used,  being  also  ambiguous, 

Some  suppose  the  meaning  to  be,  accord-  the  meaning  of  this  passage  is  supposed 

ing  to  our  version,  that  the  Koran  is  not  to  be,  either  that  the  verses  are  distinctly 

liable  to  be  corrupted  ^,  as  the  law  and  the  proposed,  or  expressed  in  a  clear  manner ; 

gospel  have  been,  in  the  opinion  of  the  or  that   the  subject  matter  of  the  whole 

Mohammedans :  others,  that  every  verse  may    be    distinguished    or   divided    into 

in  this  particular  chapter  is  in  full  force,  laws,  monitions,    and   examples;    or  else 

and  not  one  of  them  abrogated :  others,  that  the   verses   were    revealed   by   par- 

that  the  verses  of  the  Koran  are  disposed  eels  ^. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  87,  88.  ^  ^/  Beiddwi,  Jallald' ddin,  Al  Zamakhs- 

hariy  &c.  '  J  idem. 


14  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

of  threats,  and  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  unto  you  from 
him ;)  ^  and  that  ye  ask  pardon  of  your  Lord,  and  then 
be  turned  unto  him.  He  will  cause  you  to  enjoy  a  plen- 
tiful provision,  until  a  prefixed  time  :  and  unto  every  one 
that  hath  merit  by  good  works,  will  he  give  his  abundant 
reward.  But  if  ye  turn  back,  verily  I  fear  for  you  the 
punishment  of  the  great  day  :  ^  unto  God  shall  ye  return ; 
and  he  is  almighty.  ^  Do  they  not  double  the  folds  of 
their  breasts,  that  they  may  conceal  their  designs  from 
him  ?  When  they  cover  themselves  with  their  garments, 
doth  not  he  know  that  which  they  conceal,  and  that 
which  they  discover  ?  For  he  knoweth  the  innermost  parts 
of  the  breasts  of  men.  [*XII.]  ^  There  is  no  creature 
which  creepeth  on  the  earth,  but  God  provideth  its  food ; 
and  he  knoweth  the  place  of  its  retreat,  and  where  it  is 
laid  up.  The  whole  is  written  in  the  perspicuous  book  of 
his  decrees.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  created  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  in  six  days,  (but  his  throne  was  above  the 
waters  before  the  creation  thereof,)  that  he  might  prove 
you,  and  see  which  of  you  would  excel  in  works.  If  thou 
say.  Ye  shall  surely  be  raised  again,  after  death ;  the 
unbelievers  will  say.  This  is  nothing  but  manifest  sorcery. 
^  And  verily  if  we  defer  their  punishment  unto  a  deter- 
mined season,  they  will  say.  What  hindereth  it  from 
falling  on  us?  Will  it  not  come  upon  them  on  a  day, 
wherein  there  shall  be  none  to  avert  it  from  them ;  and 
that   which    they   scoffed    at    shall    encompass    them  ? 

6  Do  they  not  double  the  folds  of  their  Mohammedans  happened  not  till  after  the 

breasts?']     Or,   as  it  may  be  translated,  Hejra. 
Do  they  not  turn  away  their  breasts,  &c.  7  The  place  of  its  retreat,  and  where  it 

—  Innermost  part,  Sip.]     This  passage  is  laid  upJ]  i.  e.   Both  during  its  life,  and 

was  occasioned  by  the  words  of  certain  of  after  its  death  ;  or  the  repository  of  every 

the  idolaters,  who   said  to   one   another,  animal  before  its  birth,  in  the  loins  and 

When  we  let  down  our   curtains  (such  as  wombs  of  the  parents, 
the  women  use  in  the  east  to  screen  them-         8  But  his  throne  was  above  the  waters, 

selves  from  the   sight  of  the  men,  when  before  the  creation  thereof]     For  the  Mo- 

they  happen  to  be  in  the  room),  and  wrap  hammedans  suppose  this  throne,  and  the 

ourselves  up  in  our  garments,  and  fold  up  waters  whereon    it   stands,   which  waters 

our  breasts,  to  conceal  our  malice  against  they  imagine  are  supported  by  a  spirit  or 

Mohammed,  how  should  he   come  to  the  wind,  were,  with  some  other  things,  created 

knowledge  of  it?    Some  suppose  the  pas-  before  the  heavens  and  earth.     This  fancy 

sage  relates  to  certain   hypocritical    Mos-  they  borrowed  from   the  Jews,  who   also 

lems;  but  this  opinion  is  generally  rejected,  say,  that  the  throne  of  glory  then  stood  in 

because  the  verse  was  revealed  at  Mecca,  the  air,  and  was  borne  on  the  face  of  the 

and  the  birth   of  hypocrisy    among   the  waters  by  the  breath  of  God's  mouth  ^ 

1  Eashi,  ad  Genes,  i.  2.     V.  Reland,  de  relig,  Moh.  p.  50,  &c. 


XL.]  A L  KORAN.  15 

^^  Verily,  if  we  cause  man  to  taste  mercy  from  us,  and 
afterwards  take  it  away  from  him ;  he  will  surely  become 
desperate,  and  ungrateful.  ^^  And  if  we  cause  him  to 
taste  favour,  after  an  affliction  hath  befallen  him,  he  will 
surely  say.  The  evils  which  I  suffered  are  passed  from  me ; 
and  he  will  become  joyful  and  insolent:  ^^ except  those 
who  persevere  with  patience,  and  do  that  which  is 
right ;  they  shall  receive  pardon,  and  a  great  reward. 
^^  Perad venture  thou  wilt  omit  to  publish  part  of  that 
which  hath  been  revealed  unto  thee,  and  thy  breast  will 
become  straitened,  lest  they  say.  Unless  a  treasure  be  sent 
down  unto  him,  or  an  angel  come  with  him,  to  bear 
witness  unto  him,  we  will  not  believe.  Verily  thou  art  a 
preacher  only;  and  God  is  the  governor  of  all  things. 
^^  Will  they  say.  He  hath  forged  the  Koran  ?  Answer, 
Bring  therefore  ten  chapters  like  unto  it,  forged  by  your- 
selves ;  and  call  on  whomsoever  ye  may  to  assist  you, 
except  God,  if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^  But  if  they  whom  ye 
call  to  your  assistance  hear  you  not ;  know  that  this  book 
hath  been  revealed  by  the  knowledge  of  God  only,  and 
that  there  is  no  God  but  he.  Will  ye  therefore  become 
Moslems  ?  ^^  Whoso  chooseth  the  present  life,  and  the 
pomp  thereof,  unto  them  will  we  give  the  recompense  of 
their  works  therein,  and  the  same  shall  not  be  diminished 
unto  them.  ^^  These  are  they  for  whom  no  other  reward 
is  prepared  in  the  next  life,  except  the  fire  of  hell :  that 
which  they  have  done  in  this  life  shall  perish ;  and  that 
which  they  have  wrought  shall  be  vain.  ^^  Shall  he  there- 
fore be  compared  with  them,  who  followeth  the  evident 
declaration  of  his  Lord,  and  whom  a  witness  from  him 
attendeth,  preceded  by  the  book  of  Moses,  which  was 
revealed  for  a   guide,    and    out   of  mercy  to  mankind? 

10  Desperate.']    Casting  aside  all  hopes  15    By    the  knowledge    of  God   only.'] 

of  the  divine  favour,   for  want  of  patience  Or  containing  several   passages  wrapped 

and  trust  in  God.  up  in   dark  and  mysterious   expressions, 

14  Ten  chapters.]     This  was  the  num-  which    can   proceed    from,    and  are  per- 

ber  which    he   first  challenged    them   to  fectly  comprehended  by,  none  but  God  2. 
compose;  but  they  not  being  able  to  do  it,  18    A   witness  from   him.]      Viz.    The 

he  made  the  matter  still  easier,  challeng-  Koran  ;  or,   as  others  suppose,  the  angel 

ing  them  to  produce  a  single  chapter  only  1,  Gabriel. 

comparable  to  the  Koran  in  doctrine  and  —    Preceded   by    the  book  of  Moses.] 

eloquence.  Which  bears  testimony  thereto. 

^  See  chap.  ii.  and  chap.  x.  ^  See  chap.  iii. 


16  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

These  believe  in  the  Koran:  but  whosoever  of  the  con- 
federate infidels  belie veth  not  therein,  is  threatened  with 
the  fire  of  hell,  which  threat  shall  certainly  be  executed ; 
be  not  therefore  in  a  doubt  concerning  it ;  for  it  is  the 
truth  from  thy  Lord;  but  the  greater  part  of  men  will 
not  believe.  ^^  Who  is  more  unjust  than  he  who  imagineth 
a  lie  concerning  God?  They  shall  be  set  before  their 
Lord  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  witnesses  shall 
say,  These  are  they  who  devised  lies  against  their  Lord. 
Shall  not  the  curse  of  God  fall  on  the  unjust ;  ^^  who  turn 
men  aside  from  the  way  of  God,  and  seek  to  render  it 
crooked,  and  who  believe  not  in  the  life  to  come  ? 
^^  These  were  not  able  to  prevail  against  God  on  earth, 
so  as  to  escape  punishment;  neither  had  they  any  pro- 
tectors besides  God  :  their  punishment  shall  be  doubled 
unto  them.  They  could  not  hear,  neither  did  they  see. 
^^  These  are  they  who,  have  lost  their  souls  ;  and  the 
idols  which  they  falsely  imagined,  have  abandoned  them. 
^^  There  is  no  doubt  but  they  shall  be  most  miserable  in 
the  world  to  come.  ^^  But  as  for  those  who  believe,  and 
do  good  works,  and  humble  themselves  before  their  Lord, 
they  shall  be  the  inhabitants  of  paradise ;  they  shall 
remain  therein  for  ever.  ^^  The  similitude  of  the  two 
parties  is  as  the  blind  and  the  deaf,  and  as  he  who  seeth 
and  heareth  :  shall  they  be  compared  as  equal  ?  Will  ye 
not  therefore  consider  ?  ^^  We  formerly  sent  Noah  unto 
his  people ;  and  he  said.  Verily  I  am  a  public  preacher 
unto  you ;  that  ye  worship  God  alone :  ^^  verily  I  fear  for 
you  the  punishment  of  the  terrible  day.  ^^  But  the  chiefs 
of  his  people,  who  believed  not,  answered.  We  see  thee 
to  be  no  other  than  a  man  like  unto  us  ;  and  we  do  not 
see  that  any  follow  thee,  except  those  who  are  the  most 
abject  among  us,  who  have  believed  on  thee  by  a  rash 
judgment,  neither  do  we  perceive  any  excellence  in  you 
above  us :  but  we  esteem  you  to  be  liars.  ^^  Noah  said, 
O  my  people  tell  me  ;  if  I  have  received  an  evident 
declaration  from  my  Lord,  and  he  hath  bestowed  on  me 

19  ^^The    witnesses,']      That    is,     The  25  Of  the  two  parties.']  i.  e.   The  be- 

angels,  and  prophets,  and  their  own  mem-  lievers  and  the  infidels, 

bers.  26  Noah.]     See  chap.  7- 

21    Their  punishment  shall  be  doubled.]  28  By  a  rash  judgment.]     For  want  of 

For  they  shall  be  punished  both  in  this  mature  consideration,  and  moved  by  the 

life  and  in  the  next.  first  impulse  of  their  fancy. 


XI.]  AL   KORAN.  17 

mercy  from  himself,  which  is  hidden  from  you,  do  we  com- 
pel you  to  receive  the  same,  in  case  ye  be  averse  thereto  ? 
^^  O  my  people,  I  ask  not  of  you  any  riches,  for  my  preach- 
ing unto  you:  my  reward  is  with  God  alone.  I  will  not  drive 
away  those  who  have  believed :  verily  they  shall  meet  their 
Lord  at  the  resurrection ;  but  I  perceive  that  ye  are  igno- 
rant men.  ^^  O  my  people,  who  shall  assist  me  against  God, 
if  I  drive  them  away  ?  Will  ye  not  therefore  consider  ?  ^^  I 
say  not  unto  you,  The  treasures  of  God  are  in  my  power ; 
neither  do  I  say,  I  know  the  secrets  of  God;  neither  do  T 
say.  Verily  I  am  an  angel ;  neither  do  I  say  of  those  whom 
your  eyes  do  contemn,  God  will  by  no  means  bestow 
good  on  them;  (God  best  knoweth  that  which  is  in  their 
souls ;)  for  then  should  I  certainly  be  one  of  the  unjust. 
^^  They  answered,  O  Noah,  thou  hast  already  disputed 
with  us,  and  hast  multiplied  disputes  with  us ;  now  there- 
fore do  thou  bring  that  punishment  upon  us,  wherewith 
thou  hast  threatened  us,  if  thou  speakest  truth.  ^*  Noah 
said,  Verily  God  alone  shall  bring  it  upon  you,  if  he 
pleaseth :  and  ye  shall  not  prevail  against  him,  so  as  to 
escape  the  same.  ^^  Neither  shall  my  counsel  profit  you, 
although  I  endeavour  to  counsel  you  aright ;  if  God  shall 
please  to  lead  you  into  error.  He  is  your  Lord,  and 
unto  him  shall  ye  return.  ^^  Will  the  Meccans  say, 
Mohammed  hath  forged  the  Koran  ?  Answer,  If  I  have 
forged  it,  on  me  be  my  guilt ;  and  let  me  be  clear  of  that 
which  ye  are  guilty  of.  ^^  And  it  w^as  revealed  unto 
Noah,  saying.  Verily  none  of  thy  people  shall  believe, 
except  he  who  hath  already  believed :  be  not  therefore 
grieved  for  that  which  they  are  doing.  ^^  But  make  an 
ark  in  our  presence,  according  to  the  form  and  dimen- 
sions which  we  have  revealed  unto  thee ;  and  speak  not 
unto  me  in  behalf  of  those  who  have  acted  unjustly ;  for 
they  are  doomed  to  be  drowned.  ^^  And  he  built  the 
ark ;  and  so  often  as  a  company  of  his  people  passed  by 
him,  they  derided  him  :    but  he  said.  Though  ye  scofi:'  at 

30  /  will  not  drive  away  those  who  have  32  Angel.']  See  chap.  6. 
believed.']  For  this  they  asked  him  to  do,  39  They  derided  him.]  For  building  a 
because  they  were  poor  mean  people.  The  vessel  in  an  inland  country,  and  so  far 
same  thing  the  Koreish  demanded  of  from  the  sea ;  and  for  that  he  was  turned 
Mohammed,  but  he  was  forbidden  to  com-  carpenter,  after  he  had  set  up  for  a  pro- 
ply  with  their  request  ^  phet  2. 

^  See  chap.  C.  2  yu  BeiddwL 

VOL,  II.  C 


18 


AL   KORAN, 


[chap. 


us  now,  we  will  scoff  at  you  hereafter,  as  ye  scoff  at  us ; 
^^  and  ye  shall  surely  know  on  whom  a  punishment  shall 
be  inflicted,  which  shall  cover  him  with  shame,  and  on 
whom  a  lasting  punishment  shall  fall.  Thus  were  they 
employed  until  our  sentence  was  put  in  execution,  and 
the  oven  poured  forth  water.  And  we  said  unto  Noah, 
Carry  into  the  ark  of  every  species  of  animals  one  pair, 
and  thy  family,  (except  him  on  whom  a  previous  sentence 
of  destruction  hath  passed,)  and  those  who  believe.  But 
there  believed  not  with  him,  except  a  few.     ^^  And  Noah 


40  And  the  oven  poured  forth  water."] 
Or,  as  the  original  literally  signifies, 
boiled  over ;  which  is  consonant  to  what 
the  Rabbins  say,  that  the  waters  of  the 
deluge  were  boiling  hot. 

This  oven  was,  as  some  say,  at  Cufa^ 
in  a  spot  whereupon  a  mosque  now  stands ; 
or,  as  others  rather  think,  in  a  certain 
place  in  India,  or  else  at  Ain  Warda,  in 
Mesopotamia  ^  ;  and  its  exundation  was 
the  sign  by  which  Noah  knew  the  flood 
was  coming  2.  Some  pretend  that  it  was 
the  same  oven  which  Eve  made  use  of  to 
bake  her  bread  in,  being  of  a  form  different 
from  those  we  use,  having  the  mouth  in 
the  upper  part,  and  that  it  descended  from 
patriarch  to  patriarch,  till  it  came  to 
Noah^.  It  is  remarkable  that  Moham- 
med, in  all  probability,  borrowed  this  cir- 
cumstance from  the  Persian  Magi,  who 
also  fancied  that  the  first  waters  of  the 
deluge  gushed  out  of  the  oven  of  a  certain 
old  woman,  named  Zala  Cufa  *. 

But  the  word  Tannur^  which  is  here 
translated  Oven^  also  signifying  the  super- 
ficies of  the  earth,  or  a  place  whence  waters 
spring  forth,  or  where  they  are  collected, 
some  suppose  it  means  no  more  in  this 
passage,  than  the  spot  or  fissure  whence 
the  first  eruption  of  waters  brake  forth. 

—  One  pair.']  Or,  as  the  words  may 
also  be  rendered,  and  some  commentators 
think  they  ought,  two  pair,  that  is,  two 
males,  and  two  females^  of  each  species ; 
wherein  they  partly  agree  with  divers 
Jewish  and  Christian  writers  ^,  who,  from 
the  Hebrew  expression,  .seven  and  seven, 
and  two  and  two,  the  male  and  his  female  ^, 
suppose  there  went  into  the  ark  fourteen 


pair  of  every  clean,  and  two  pair  of  every 
unclean,  species.  There  is  a  tradition  that 
God  gathered  together  unto  Noah  all 
sorts  of  beasts,  birds,  and  other  animals, 
(it  being  indeed  difficult  to  conceive  how 
he  should  come  by  them  all,  without  some 
supernatural  assistance,)  and  that  as  he 
laid  hold  on  them,  his  right  hand  con- 
stantly fell  on  the  male,  and  his  left  on  the 
female  ^. 

—  Thy  family.]  Namely,  thy  wife; 
and  thy  sons,  and  their  wives  ^. 

—  Except  him  on  whom  a  previous  sen- 
tence of  destruction  hath  passed.]  This 
was  an  unbelieving  son  of  Noah  9,  named 
Canaan  ^^,  or  Yam  ^^  ;  though  others  say 
he  was  not  the  son  of  Noah,  but  his 
grandson  by  his  son  Ham,  or  his  wife's 
son  by  another  husband  :  nay,  some  pre- 
tend he  was  related  to  him  no  farther  than 
by  having  been  educated  and  brought  up 
in  his  house  ^^.  The  best  commentators 
add,  that  Noah's  wife,  named  Waila,  who 
was  an  infidel,  was  also  comprehended  in 
this  exception,  and  perished  with  her  son  ^^. 

—  And  those  who  believe.]  Noah's 
family  being  mentioned  before,  it  is  sup- 
posed that  by  these  words  are  intended 
the  other  believers,  who  were  his  prose- 
lytes, but  not  of  his  family :  whence  the 
common  opinion  among  the  Mohamme- 
dans, of  a  greater  number  than  eight  being 
saved  in  the  ark  seems  to  have  taken  its 
rise  1*. 

—  There  believed  not  with  him  except  a 
few.]  Viz.  his  other  wife,  who  was  a  true 
believer,  his  three  sons,  Shem,  Ham,  and 
Japhet,  and  their  wives,  and  seventy-two 
persons  more  ^^. 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo^ddin,  &c.  3  y.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Noah. 

^  V.  Hyde  de  rel.  vet.  Persar.  and  Lord's  account  of  the  relig.  of  the  Persees,  p.  9. 
5  Aben  Ezra,  Justin  Martyr,  Origen,  &c.  ^  Genes,  vii.  2.  7  Jallalo'ddin, 

8  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Yahya,  *«  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi.  ^^  Ebn  Shohnah, 

12  Al  Zamakhshariy  V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  676.  '^  JallaWddin,  Al  Zamakhs- 

hari,  Al  Beiddwi.  1*  See  chap.  vii.  ^^  ggg  ibid. 


XI] 


AL  KORAN. 


19 


said.  Embark  thereon,  in  the  name  of  God;  while  it 
moveth  forward,  and  while  it  standeth  still ;  for  my  Lord 
is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  And  the  ark  swam  with  them 
between  waves  like  mountains :  and  Noah  called  up  to 
his  son,  who  was  separated  from  him,  saying.  Embark 
with  us,  my  son,  and  stay  not  with  the  unbelievers. 
^^  He  answered,  1  will  get  on  a  mountain,  which  will 
secure  me  from  the  water.  Noah  replied,  There  is 
no  security  this  day  from  the  decree  of  God,  except 
for  him  on  whom  he  shall  have  mercy.  And  a  wave 
passed  between  them,  and  he  became  one  of  those 
who  were  drowned.  ^^  And  it  was  said,  O  earth, 
swallow  up  thy  waters;  and  thou,  O  heaven,  withhold 
thy  rain.  And  immediately  the  water  abated,  and 
the  decree  was  fulfilled,  and  the  ark  rested  on  the 
mountain   Al    Judi  ;     and    it    was    said.    Away    with 


41  Embark  thereon  in  the  name  of  God, 
while  it  moveth  forward^  and  while  it 
standeth  still.']  That  is,  omit  no  oppor- 
tunity of  getting  on  board.  According  to 
a  different  reading,  the  latter  words  may 
be  rendered,  Who  shall  cause  it  to  move 
forward,  and  to  stop,  as  there  shall  be 
occasion.  The  commentators  tell  us,  that 
the  ark  moved  forwards,  or  stood  still,  as 
Noah  would  have  it,  on  his  pronouncing 
only  the  words.  In  the  name  of  God  ^ 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  more 
judicious  commentators  make  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  ark  to  be  the  same  with  those 
assigned  by  Moses  ^  ;  notwithstanding 
others  have  enlarged  them  most  extrava- 
gantly ^,  as  some  Christian  writers  *  have 
also  done.  They  likewise  tell  us  that  Noah 
was  two  years  in  building  the  ark,  which 
was  framed  of  Indian  plane-tree  ^  ;  that  it 
was  divided  into  three  stories^  of  which 
the  lower  was  designed  for  the  beasts,  the 
middle  one  for  the  men  and  women,  and 
the  upper  for  the  birds  ®  ;  and  that  the 
men  were  separated  from  the  women  by 
the  body  of  Adam,  which  Noah  had  taken 
into  tTie  ark  7.  This  last  is  a  tradition  of 
the  eastern  Christians  ^,  some  of  whom 
pretended  that  the  matrimonial  duty  was 


superseded  and  suspended  during  the  time 
Noah  and  his  family  were  in  the  ark  ^  ; 
though  Ham  has  been  accused  of  not  ob- 
serving continency  on  that  occasion,  his 
wife,  it  seems,  bringing  forth  Canaan  in 
the  very  ark  ^^. 

42  Between  waves  like  mountains^]  The 
waters  prevailing  fifteen  cubits  above  the 
mountains  ^^ 

—  His  son.~\  See  above,  note  on  ver.  40. 

44  And  the  ark  rested  upon  the  moun- 
tain Al  Judi.]  This  mountain  is  one  of 
those  which  divide  Armenia,  on  the  south, 
from  Mesopotamia,  and  that  part  of  As- 
syria which  is  inhabited  by  the  Curds, 
from  whom  the  mountains  took  the  name 
of  Cardu,  or  Gardu,  by  the  Greeks  turned 
into  Gordyssi,  and  other  names  ^^.  Mount 
Al  Judi  (which  name  seems  to  be  a  cor- 
ruption, though  it  be  constantly  so  written 
by  the  Arabs,  for  Jordi,  or  Giordi)  is  also 
called  Thamanin  ^^,  probably  from  a  town 
at  the  foot  of  it  ^^  so  named  from  the  num- 
ber of  persons  saved  in  the  ark,  the  word 
Thamanin  signifying  eighty ,  and  overlooks 
the  country  of  Diyar  Rabiah,  near  the 
cities  of  Mawsel,  Forda,  and  Jazirat  Ebn 
Omar,  which  last  place  one  affirms  to  be 
but  four  miles  from  the   place  of  the  ark. 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.  ^  idem,  &c.  ^  Yahya.    V.  Marracc.  in  Alcor.  p.  340. 

*  Origen.  contr.  Cels.  1.  4.    V.  Kircher.  de  Area  Noe.  c.  8.         ^  A I  Beiddwi.   V.  D'Her- 
bel.  p.  675.  8z:  Eutych.  p.  34.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  V.  Eutych.  annal.  p.  34.  ^  Yahya, 

^  Jacob.  Edessenus,  apud  Barcepham  de  parad.  part  1.  c.  14.  Eutych.  ubi  sup.    V.  etiam 
Eliezer.  pirke  c.  23.  ^  Ambros.  de  Noa.  &  Area,  c.  21.  ^^  V.  Heidegger, 

Hist.  Patriarch,  v.  1.  p.  409.  ^^  Al  Beiddwi.  12  gge  Bochart.  Phaleg.  1.  I.  c.  3. 

»3  Geogr.  Nub.  p,  202.  i*  V.  D' Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  404  and  676,  &  Aga- 

thiam,  I.  14.  p.  135. 

c2 


go 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap 


the  ungodly  people  !  ^^  And  Noah  called  upon  his 
Lord,  and  said,  O  Lord,  verily  my  son  is  of  my  family ; 
and  thy  promise  is  true  :  for  thou  art  the  most  just 
of  those  who  exercise  judgment.  ^^  God  answered, 
O  Noah,  verily  he  is  not  of  thy  family:  this  interces- 
sion of  thine  for  him,  is  not  a  righteous  work.  Ask 
not  of  me  therefore  that  wherein  thou  hast  no  know- 
ledge :  I  admonish  tljee,  that  thou  become  not  one  of  the 
ignorant.  ^^  Noah  said,  O  Lord,  I  have  recourse  unto 
thee  for  the  assistance  of  thy  grace,  that  I  ask  not  of 
thee  that  wherein  I  have  no  knowledge  :  and  unless  thou 
forgive  me,  and  be  merciful  unto  me,  I  shall  be  one  of 
those  who  perish.  ^^  It  was  said  unto  him,  O  Noah,  come 
down  from  the  ark,  with  peace  from  us,  and  blessings 
upon  thee,  and  upon  a  part  of  those  who  are  with  thee : 
but  as  for  a  part  of  them,  we  will  suffer  them  to  enjoy 


and  says  that  a  Mohammedan  temple  was 
built  there  with  the  remains  of  that  vessel, 
by  the  Khalif  Omar  Ebn  Abd'alaziz,  whom 
he  by  mistake  calls  Omar  Ebn  al  K hat- 
tab  i. 

The  tradition  which  affirms  the  ark  to 
have  rested  on  these  mountains  must  have 
been  very  ancient,  since  it  is  the  tradition 
of  the  Chaldeans  themselves  2.  The  Chal- 
dee  paraphrasts  consent  to  their  opinion  ^, 
which  obtained  very  much  formerly,  espe- 
cially among  the  eastern  Christians  *.  To 
confirm  it,  we  are  told  that  the  remainders 
of  the  ark  were  to  be  seen  on  the  Gor- 
dyaean  mountains.  Berosus  and  Abydenus 
both  declare  there  was  such  a  report  in 
their  time^  ;  the  first  observing  that  seve- 
ral of  the  inhabitants  thereabouts  scraped 
the  pitch  off  the  planks  as  a  rarity,  and 
carried  it  about  them  for  an  amulet:  and 
the  latter  saying,  that  they  used  the  wood 
of  the  vessel  against  many  diseases  with 
wonderful  success.  The  relics  of  the  ark 
were  also  to  be  seen  here  in  the  time  of 
Epiphanius,  if  we  may  believe  him  ^.  And 
we  are  told  the  emperor  Heraclius  went 
from  the  town  of  Thamanin  up  to  the 
mountain  Al  Judi,  and  saw  the  place  of 
the  ark  ^  There  was  also  formerly  a  fa- 
mous monastery,  called  the  monastery  of 
the  ark,  upon  some  of  these  mountains, 
where  the  Nestorians  used  to  celebrate  a 


feast-day  on  the  spot  where  they  supposed 
the  ark  rested  :  but  in  the  year  of  Christ 
776,  that  monastery  was  destroyed  by 
lightning,  with  the  church,  and  a  numer- 
ous congregation  in  it  ^.  Since  which 
time  it  seems  the  credit  of  this  tradition 
hath  declined,  and  given  place  to  another, 
which  obtains  at  present,  and  according 
to  which  the  ark  rested  on  mount  Masis, 
in  Armenia,  called  by  the  Turks,  Aghir- 
dagh,  or  the  heavy  or  great  mountain,  and 
situate  about  twelve  leagues  south-east  of 
Erivan^. 

45  Thy  promise  is  true.']  Noah  here 
challenges  God's  promise,  that  he  would 
save  his  family. 

46  He  is  not  of  thy  family. ~\  Being  cut 
off  from  it  on  account  of  his  infidelity. 

—  Righteous  work.]  According  to  a 
different  reading,  this  passage  may  be  ren- 
dered. For  he  hath  acted  unrighteously. 

48  Come  down  from  the  ark,  &c.]  The 
Mohammedans  say  that  Noah  went  into 
the  ark  on  the  tenth  of  Rajeb,  and  came 
out  of  it  the  tenth  of  al  Moharram  ;  which 
therefore  became  a  fast.  So  that  the  whole 
time  of  Noah's  being  in  the  ark,  according 
to  them,  was  six  months  ^®. 

—  With  peace f  and  blessing  y  on  a  part 
of  them.]  viz.  Such  of  them  as  continued 
in  their  belief. 

—  But  as  for  a  part  of  them.]     That 


*  Benjamin.  Itiner.  p.  61.  ^  Berosus,  apud  Joseph.  Antiq.  1.  1.  c.  4.  ^   On- 

kelos  and  Jonathan,  in  Gen.  viii.  4.  *  V.  Eutych.  Annal.  p.  41.  ^  Berosus, 

apud  Joseph,  ubi  sup.     Abydenus,  apud  Euseb.  Praep.  Ev.  1.  9.  c.  4.  ^  Epiph. 

Haeres.  18.  ^  Elmacin,  1.  1.  c.  1.  ^  V.  Chronic.  Dionysii  patriarch.     Ja- 

cobitar.  apud  Asseman.  Bibl.  Orient,  t.  ii.  p.  113.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  '^^  Ibid. 

See  D'Herbel.  ubi.  sup. 


XI.]  AL    KORAN.  ^1 

the  provision  of  this  world ;  and  afterwards  shall  a  griev- 
ous punishment  from  us  be  inflicted  on  them,  in  the  life 
to  come.  ^^  This  is  a  secret  history,  which  we  reveal  unto 
thee :  thou  didst  not  know  it,  neither  did  thy  people  be- 
fore this.  Wherefore  persevere  with  patience  ;  for  the 
prosperous  issue  shall  attend  the  pious.  ^^  And  unto  the 
tribe  of  Ad  we  sent  their  brother  Hud.  He  said,  O  my 
people,  worship  God  ;  ye  have  no  God  besides  him :  ye 
only  imagine  falsehood,  in  setting  up  idols  and  interces- 
sors of  your  own  making.  ^^  O  my  people,  I  ask  not  of 
you,  for  this  my  preaching,  any  recompense  :  my  recom- 
pense do  I  expect  from  him  only,  who  hath  created  me. 
Will  ye  not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  O  my  people,  ask 
pardon  of  your  Lord  ;  and  be  turned  unto  him :  he  will 
send  the  heaven  to  pour  forth  rain  plentifully  upon  you ; 
and  he  will  increase  your  strength  by  giving  unto  you 
farther  strength  :  therefore  turn  not  aside  to  commit  evil. 
^^They  answered,  O  Hud,  thou  hast  brought  us  no  proof 
of  what  thou  sayest ;  therefore,  we  will  not  leave  our 
gods  for  thy  saying,  neither  do  we  believe  thee.  ^^  We 
say  no  other  than  that  some  of  our  gods  have  afflicted 
thee  with  evil.  He  replied.  Verily  I  call  God  to  witness, 
and  do  ye  also  bear  witness,  that  I  am  clear  of  that  which 
ye  associate  with  God,  besides  him.  ^^  Do  ye  all  there- 
fore join  to  devise  a  plot  against  me,  and  tarry  not ;  ^^  for 
I  put  my  confidence  in  God,  my  Lord  and  your  Lord. 
There  is  no  beast,  but  he  holdeth  it  by  its  forelock  :  verily 
my  Lord  proceedeth  in  the  right  way.  ^^  But  if  ye  turn 
back,  I  have  already  declared  unto  you  that  with  which 
I  was  sent  unto  you ;  and  my  Lord  shall  substitute  ano- 
ther nation  in  your  stead  ;  and  ye  shall  not  hurt  him  at 
all:  for  my  Lord  is  guardian  over  all  things.  ^^And 
when  our  sentence  came  to  be  put  in  execution,  we  de- 
ls, such  of  his  posterity  as  should  depart  the  time  of  the  drought,  as  well  as  their 
from    the    true    faith,    and   fall   into  ido-     lands  2. 

latr y .  54  Have  afflicted  thee  with  evil.']  Or  mad- 

50  Hud.']     See  chap.  vii.  ness  ;  having  deprived  thee  of  thy  reason 

52  He  will  send  you  rain  plentifully.]  for  the  indignities  thou  hast  offered  them. 
For  the  Adites  were  grievously  distressed  56  There  is  no  beast,  but  he  holdeth  it  by 

by  a  drought  for  three  years  ^  its  forelock.]      That  is,  he  exerciseth   an 

—  And  will  increase  your  strerigth.]  By  absolute  power  over  it ;  a  creature  held 
giving  you  children  ;  the  wombs  of  their  in  this  manner,  being  supposed  to  be  re- 
wives  being  also  rendered   barren,  during     duced  to  the  lowest  subjection. 

'  See  the  notes  to  chap.  vii.  *  Al  Beiddwi, 


22  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

livered  HuD,  and  those  who  had  believed  with  him, 
through  our  mercy ;  and  we  delivered  them  from  a  griev- 
ous punishment.  ^^  And  this  tribe  of  Ad  wittingly  re- 
jected the  signs  of  their  Lord,  and  were  disobedient  unto 
his  messengers,  and  they  followed  the  command  of  every 
rebellious  perverse  person.  ^^  Wherefore  they  were  fol- 
lowed in  this  world  by  a  curse,  and  they  shall  be  followed 
by  the  same  on  the  day  of  resurrection.  Did  not  Ad 
disbelieve  in  their  Lord  ?  Was  it  not  said.  Away  with 
Ad,  the  people  of  Hud  ?  ^^  And  unto  the  tribe  of  Tha- 
MUD  we  sent  their  brother  Saleh.  He  said  unto  them, 
O  my  people,  worship  God  ;  ye  have  no  God  besides  him. 
It  is  he  who  hath  produced  you  out  of  the  earth,  and 
hath  given  you  an  habitation  therein.  Ask  pardon  of 
him  therefore,  and  be  turned  unto  him  ;  for  my  Lord  is 
near,  and  ready  to  answer.  ^^  They  answered,  O  Saleh, 
thou  wast  a  person  on  whom  we  placed  our  hopes  before 
this.  Dost  thou  forbid  us  to  worship  that  which  our 
forefathers  worshipped  ?  But  we  are  certainly  in  doubt 
concerning  the  religion  to  which  thou  dost  invite  us,  as 
justly  to  be  suspected.  ^^  Saleh  said,  O  my  people,  tell 
me ;  if  I  have  received  an  evident  declaration  from  my 
Lord,  and  he  hath  bestowed  on  me  mercy  from  himself; 
who  will  protect  me  from  the  vengeance  of  God,  if  I  be 
disobedient  unto  him  ?  For  ye  shall  not  add  unto  me, 
other  than  loss.  ^^  And  he  said,  O  my  people,  this  she- 
camel  of  God  is  a  sign  unto  you ;  therefore  dismiss  her 
freely,  that  she  may  feed  in  God's  earth,  and  do  her  no 
harm,  lest  a  swift  punishment  seize  you.  ^^  Yet  they 
killed  her;  and  Saleh  said.  Enjoy  yourselves  in  your 
dwellings  for  three  days,  after  which  ye  shall  be  destroyed. 
This  is  an  infallible  prediction.  ^^  And  when  our  decree 
came  to  be  executed,  we  delivered  Saleh,  and  those  who 
believed  with  him,  through  our  mercy,  from  the  disgrace 
of  that  day ;  for  thy  Lord  is  the  strong,  the  mighty  God, 

58  And  those  who  believed  with  himJ]  prudence,  and  other  good  qualities,  which 

Who  were  in  number  four  thousand^.  we  observed   in  thee;  but  thy  dissenting 

61  Saleh.']     See  chap.  vii.  from  us  in  point  of  religious  worship  has 

62  We  had  placed  our  hopes   on   thee  frustrated  those  hopes  2. 

before  this,]  Designing  to  have  made  65  For  three  days.]  viz.  Wednesday, 
thee  our  prince,  because  of  the  singular     Thursday,  and  Friday  ^.     See  chap.  vii. 


1   At  BeiddwL  2  idem.  s  idem. 


XI.]  AL    KORAN.  2 


a 


^^  But  a  terrible  noise  from  heaven  assailed  those  who  had 
acted  unjustly ;  and  in  the  morning  they  were  found  in 
their  houses,  lying  dead  and  prostrate ;  ^^  as  though  they 
had  never  dwelt  therein.  Did  not  Thamud  disbelieve  in 
their  Lord  ?  Was  not  Thamud  cast  far  aw^ay  ?  ^^  Our 
messengers  also  came  formerly  unto  Abraham,  with  good 
tidings.  They  said.  Peace  be  upon  thee.  And  he  an- 
swered, And  on  you  be  peace !  and  he  tarried  not,  but 
brought  a  roasted  calf  ^^  And  when  he  saw  that  their 
hands  did  not  touch  the  meat,  he  misliked  them,  and 
entertained  a  fear  of  them.  But  they  said.  Fear  not : 
for  we  are  sent  unto  the  people  of  Lot.  ^^  And  his  wife 
Sarah  was  standing  by,  and  she  laughed ;  and  we  pro- 
mised her  Isaac,  and  after  Isaac,  Jacob.  ^^  She  said, 
Alas !  shall  I  bear  a  son,  who  am  old  ;  this  my  husband 
also  being  advanced  in  years?  Verily  this  would  be  a 
wonderful  thing.  ^^  The  angels  answered.  Dost  thou 
wonder  at  the  effect  of  the  command  of  God  ?  The 
mercy  of  God  and  his  blessings  be  upon  you,  the  family 
of  the  house :  for  he  is  praise- worthy,  and  to  be  glorified. 
^^  And  when  his  apprehension  had  departed  from  Abra- 
ham, and  the  good  tidings  of  Isaac's  birth  had  come  unto 
him,  he  disputed  with  us  concerning  the  people  of  Lot  : 

69  Our  messengers.~\  These  were  the  covering  themselves,  and  ridding  Abra- 
angels,  who  were  sent  to  acquaint  Abra-  ham  and  herself  of  their  apprehensions  ; 
ham  with  the  promise  of  Isaac,  and  to  and  another,  that  it  was  at  the  approach- 
destroy  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  Some  of  ing  destruction  of  the  Sodomites,  (a  very 
the  commentators  pretend  they  were  probable  motive  in  one  of  her  sex  !)  Some 
twelve,  or  nine,  or  ten,  in  number ;  but  however  interpret  the  original  word  dif- 
others,  agreeably  to  scripture,  say  they  ferently,  and  will  have  it  that  she  did  not 
were  but  three,  viz.  Gabriel,  Michael,  and  laugh,  but  that  her  courses,  which  had 
Israfil  ^  stopped  for  several  years,  came  upon  her 

70  He  entertained  a  fear  of  them.']  Ap-  at  this  time,  as  a  previous  sign  of  her 
prehending  they  had  some  ill  design  against  future  conception  ^. 

him,  because  they  would  not  eat  with  him,         72  Shall  I  bear  a  son  who  am  old,  my 

—  We  are  sent  unto  the  people  of  Lot]  husband  also  being  advanced  in  years?] 
Being  angels,  whose  nature  needs  not  the  Al  Beidawi  writes,  that  Sarah  was  then 
support  of  food  2.  ninety  or  ninety-nine  years  old,  and  Abra- 

71  Sarah  was  standing  by.]    Either  be-  ham  an  hundred  and  twenty. 

hind  the  curtain  or  door  of  the  tent;  or         73  The  family  of  the  house.]      Or  the 

else  waiting  upon  them.  stock  whence    all    the   prophets  were   to 

—  Jnd  she  laughed.]  The  commen-  proceed  for  the  future.  Or  the  expression 
tators  are  so  little  acquainted  with  scrip-  may  perhaps  refer  to  Abraham  and  Is- 
ture,  that,  not  knowing  the  true  occasion  mael's  building  the  Caaba,  which  is  often 
of  Sarah's  laughter,  they  strain  their  in-  called,  by  way  of  excellence,  The  house, 
ventions  to  give  some  reason  for  it.  One  74  He  disputed  with  us  concerning  the 
says,  that  she  laughed  at  the  angels  dis-  people   of  Lot.]     That  is,   he  interceded 

1  Idem.     Jallalo' ddin.     See  Gen.  xviii.  2  ^i  Beidawi,  ^  Idem. 

Jallalo'ddin^  Al  ZamaJchshari. 


24  AL   KORAN.  [chap, 

for  Abraham  was  a  pitiful,  compassionate,  and  devout 
person.  ^^  The  angels  said  unto  him,  O  Abraham,  abstain 
from  this ;  for  now  is  the  command  of  thy  Lord  come, 
to  put  their  sentence  in  execution,  and  an  inevitable 
punishment  is  ready  to  fall  upon  them.  ^^  And  when 
our  messengers  came  unto  Lot,  he  was  troubled  for  them, 
and  his  arm  was  straitened  concerning  them,  and  he  said. 
This  is  a  grievous  day.  ^^  And  his  people  came  unto  him, 
rushing  upon  him :  and  they  had  formerly  been  guilty  of 
wickedness.  Lot  said  unto  them,  O  my  people,  these 
my  daughters  are  more  lawful  for  you :  therefore  fear 
God,  and  put  me  not  to  shame  by  wronging  my  guests. 
Is  there  not  a  man  of  prudence  among  you?  ^^They 
answered,  Thou  knowest  that  we  have  no  need  of  thy 
daughters ;  and  thou  well  knowest  what  we  would  have. 
^^  He  said.  If  I  had  strength  sufficient  to  oppose  you,  or  I 
could  have  recourse  unto  a  powerful  support,  I  would 
certainly  do  it.  ^^  The  angels  said,  O  Lot,  verily  we  are 
the  messengers  of  thy  Lord  ;  they  shall  by  no  means 
come  in  unto  thee.  Go  forth  therefore  with  thy  family, 
in  some  part  of  the  night,  and  let  not  any  of  you  turn 
back  :  but  as  for  thy  wife,  that  shall  happen  unto  her 

with  us  for  them  ^.     JaDalo'ddin,   instead  seeing  his  distress,  struck  them  on  the  face 

of  the  numbers  mentioned  by  Moses,  says,  with  one  of  his  wings,  and  blinded  them :  so 

that   Abraham   first  asked  whether    God  that  they  moved  off,  crying  out  for  help,  and 

would  destroy  those  cities  if  three  hundred  saying  that  Lot  had  magicians  in  his  house, 

righteous  persons  were  found  therein,  and  —  But  as  for    thy    wife^    &c.]      This 

so  fell   successively  to  two  hundred,  forty,  seems  to  be  the  true  sense  of  the  passage; 

fourteen,  and   at    last  came   to   one:  but  but,  according  to  a  different  reading  of  the 

there  was  not  one  righteous  person   to   be  vowel,  some  interpret  it.  Except  thy  wife  ; 

found  among  them,  except  only  Lot  and  the  meaning  being,  that  Lot  is  here  com- 

his  family.  manded  to  take  his  family  with  him,  ex- 

76  He  was  troubled  for  them.^    Because  cept  his  wife.     Wherefore  the  commenta- 

they  appeared   in   the   shape   of  beautiful  tors  cannot  agree  whether  Lot's  wife  went 

young  men,  which  must  needs  tempt  those  forth  with  him  or  not ;  some  denying  it, 

of  Sodom  to  abuse  them  ^.  and  pretending  that   she  was  left  behind, 

—  His  arm    was  straitened   concerning  and  perished  in  the  common  destruction  ; 

them.~\     i.  e.   He  knew  himself  unable   to  and  others  affirming  it,  and  saying,  that 

protect    them    against    the   insults    of  his  when  she   heard   the  noise  of  the  storm, 

townsmen.  and  overthrow  of  the    cities,    she   turned 

80   The  angels  said,   0  Lot, — they  shall  back,  lamenting  their  fate,  and  was  imme- 

hy  no  means  come  in  unto  thee. ^   Al  Beidawi  diately  struck  down  and  killed  by  one   of 

says,  that  Lot  shut  his  door,  and  argued  the  stones  mentioned  a  little  lower  ^ ;  a 

the  matter  with  the  riotous  assembly  from  punishment  she  justly  merited  for  her  in- 

behind  it ;  but  at  length  they  endeavoured  fidelity,    and    disobedience   to    her    hus- 

to  get  over  the  wall:  whereupon  Gabriel,  band*. 


IV.  Gen.  xviii.  23,  &c.         ^  Jalkilo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwl.     V.  Joseph.  Ant.  1.  I.e.  H, 
^  lidem  interpretcs.  ^  See  chap.  Ixvi. 


XI.]  AL     KORAN.  25 

which  shall  liappen  unto  them.  Verily  the  prediction  of 
their  punishment  shall  be  fulfilled  in  the  morning :  is  not 
the  morning  near  ?  ^^  And  when  our  command  came, 
we  turned  those  cities  upside  down,  and  we  rained  upon 
them  stones  of  baked  clay,  one  following  another,  ^^  and 
being  marked,  from  thy  Lord  ;  and  they  are  not  far  dis- 
tant from  those  who  act  unjustly.  ^^  And  unto  Madian 
we  sent  their  brother  Shoaib:  he  said,  O  my  people, 
w  orship  God  ;  ye  have  no  God  but  him :  and  diminish 
not  measure  and  weight.  Verily  I  see  you  to  be  in  a 
happy  condition :  but  I  fear  for  you  the  punishment  of 
the  day  which  will  encompass  the  ungodly.  ^^  O  my 
people,  give  full  measure,  and  just  weight ;  and  diminish 
not  unto  men  aught  of  their  matters ;  neither  commit 
injustice  in  the  earth,  acting  corruptly.  ^^  The  residue 
which  shall  remain  unto  you  as  the  gift  of  God,  after  ye 
shall  have  done  justice  to  others,  will  be  better  for  you, 
than  wealth  gotten  by  fraud ;  if  ye  be  true  believers.  ^^  I 
am  no  guardian  over  you.  ^^  They  answered,  O  Shoaib, 
do  thy  prayers  enjoin  thee,  that  ^ve  should  leave  the  gods 
which  our  fathers  worshipped ;  or  that  we  should  not  do 
what  we  please  with  our  substance?  Thou  only,  it  seems, 
art  the  wise  person,  and  fit  to  direct.  ^^  He  said,  O  my 
people,  tell  me ;  If  I  have  received  an  evident  declara- 
tion from  my  Lord,  and  he  hath  bestowed  on  me  an 
excellent  provision,  and  I  will  not  consent  unto  you  in 
that  which  I  forbid  you ;  do  I  seek  any  other  than  your 

81  We  turned  those  cities  upside  down.~\  —  Arid  they  are  not  far  distant  from 
For  they  tell  us,  that  Gabriel  thrust  his  those  who  act  unjustly,']  This  is  a  kind  of 
wing  under  them,  and  lifted  them  up  so  threat  to  other  wicked  persons,  and  parti- 
high,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  lower  cularly  to  the  infidels  of  Mecca,  who  de- 
heaven  heard  the  barking  of  the  dogs,  and  served,  and  might  justly  apprehend,  the 
the  crowing  of  the  cocks  ;  and  then  invert-  same  punishment. 

ing  them,  threw  them  down  to  the  earth  i.  83  Shoaib.]     See  chap.  vii. 

—  Stones   of  baked   clay.]      The    kiln  —  I  see  you  to  be  in  a  happy  condition.] 

wherein  they  were  burned  some  imagine  That  is,  enjoying  plenty  of  all  things  ;  and 

to  have  been  hell.  therefore  having  the  less  occasion  to  de- 

82  And  being  marked.]  i.  e.  As  some  fraud  one  another,  and  being  the  more 
suppose,  streaked  with  white  and  red,  or  strongly  bound  to  be  thankful  and  obe- 
having  some  other  peculiar  mark  to  dis-  dient  unto  God. 

tinguish  them  from  ordinary  stones.     But  87   That  we  should  not  do  what  we  please 

the    common   opinion  is,  that  each  stone  with  our  substance.]    For  this  liberty  they 

had  the  name   of  the  person  who  was  to  imagined  was  taken   from    them,    by   his 

be    killed   by  it  written    thereon  2.     The  prohibition    of  false   weights    and    mea- 

army  of  Abraha  al   Ashram  was  also  de-  sures,  or  to  diminish  or  adulterate  their 

stroyed  by  the  same  kind  of  stones.  coin  ^. 

^  Jallalo' ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  lidem.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


26  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

reformation  to  the  utmost  of  my  power  ?  My  support  is 
from  God  alone ;  on  him  do  I  trust,  and  unto  him  do  I 
turn  me.  ^^  O  my  people,  let  not  your  opposing  of  me, 
draw  on  you  a  vengeance  like  unto  that  which  fell  on  the 
people  of  Noah,  or  the  people  of  Hud,  or  the  people  of 
Saleh  :  neither  was  the  people  of  Lot  far  distant  from 
you.  ^^  Ask  pardon  therefore  of  your  Lord  ;  and  be 
turned  unto  him  ;  for  my  Lord  is  merciful,  and  loving. 
^^  They  answ^ered,  O  Shoaib,  we  understand  not  much  of 
what  thou  sayest ;  and  we  see  thee  to  be  a  man  of  no 
power  among  us :  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  sake  of  thy 
family,  we  had  surely  stoned  thee,  neither  couldest  thou 
have  prevailed  against  us.  ^^  Shoaib  said,  O  my  peoj)le, 
is  my  family  more  worthy  in  your  opinion,  than  God  ?  and 
do  ye  cast  him  behind  you  with  neglect?  Verily  my 
Lord  comprehendeth  that  which  ye  do.  ^^  O  my  people, 
do  ye  work  according  to  your  condition  ;  I  will  surely 
work  according  to  my  duty.  ^^  And  ye  shall  certainly 
know  on  whom  will  be  inflicted  a  punishment  which  shall 
cover  him  with  shame,  and  who  is  a  liar.  Wait  therefore 
the  event ;  for  I  also  will  wait  it  with  you.  ^^  Wherefore 
when  our  decree  came  to  be  executed,  we  delivered 
Shoaib  and  those  who  believed  with  him,  through  our 
mercy :  and  a  terrible  noise  from  heaven  assailed  those  who 
had  acted  unjustly ;  and  in  the  morning  they  were  found 
in  their  houses  lying  dead  and  prostrate,  ^^  as  though  they 
had  never  dwelt  therein.  Was  not  Madian  removed  from 
off  the  earth,  as  Thamud  had  been  removed  ?  ^^  And  we 
formerly  sent  Moses  with  our  signs,  and  manifest  power, 
^^  unto  Pharaoh  and  his  princes :  but  they  followed  the 
command  of  Pharaoh  ;  although  the  command  of  Pha- 

89  Neither  was  the  people  of  Lot  far  which  disqualified  him  for  the  prophetic 

distant  from  you.  ]     For   Sodom  and  Go-  office. 

niorrah  were  situate  not  a  great  way  from  —  For  the  sake  of  thy  family.']  i.  e.  For 
you,  and  their  destruction  happened  not  the  respect  we  bear  to  thy  family  and  re- 
many  ages  ago  ;  neither  did  they  deserve  lations,  whom  we  honour  as  being  of  our 
it,  on  account  of  their  obstinacy  and  wick-  religion,  and  not  for  any  apprehension  we 
edness,  much  more  than  yourselves.  have  of  their  power  to  assist  you  against 

91   A  man  of  no  power.]     The  Arabic  us.     The  original   word,  here    translated 

word  Daif  Weak,  signifying  also,  in  the  Family,  signifies  any  number  from  three 

Hamyaritic  dialect.  Blind,  some  suppose  to  seven  or  ten,  but  not  more  ^ 

that  Shoaib  was  so,  and  that  the   Midian-  93  My  duty.]     See  chap.  vi. 

ites    objected    that    to    him,   as    a   defect  97  Moses.]     See  chap.  vii. 

*  Al  Beiddwi. 


XI.]  AL   KORAN.  27 

RAOH  did  not  direct  them  aright.  ^^  Pharaoh  shall  pre- 
cede his  people  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  and  he  shall 
lead  them  into  hell-fire:  an  unhappy  way  shall  it  be 
which  they  shall  be  led.  ^^^  They  were  followed  in  this 
life  by  a  curse,  and  on  the  day  of  resurrection  miserable 
shall  be  the  gift  which  shall  be  given  them.  ^^^  This  is 
a  part  of  the  histories  of  the  cities,  which  we  rehearse 
unto  thee.  Of  them  there  are  some  standing ;  and  others 
which  are  utterly  demolished.  ^^^  And  we  treated  them 
not  unjustly,  but  they  dealt  unjustly  with  their  own  souls: 
and  their  gods  which  they  invoked,  besides  God,  were  of 
no  advantage  unto  them  at  all,  when  the  decree  of  thy 
Lord  came  to  be  executed  on  them,  neither  were  they 
any  other  than  a  detriment  unto  them.  ^^^  And  thus  was 
the  punishment  of  thy  Lord  inflicted,  when  he  punished 
the  cities  which  were  unjust ;  for  his  punishment  is  griev- 
ous and  severe.  ^^*  Verily  herein  is  a  sign  unto  him  who 
feareth  the  punishment  of  the  last  day :  that  shall  be  a 
day  whereon  all  men  shall  be  assembled,  and  that  shall  be 
a  day  whereon  witness  shall  be  borne  :  ^^^  we  defer  it  not, 
but  to  a  determined  time.  ^^^  When  that  day  shall  come, 
no  soul  shall  speak  to  excuse  itself,  or  to  intercede  for 
another,  but  by  the  permission  of  God.  Of  them  one 
shall  be  miserable,  and  another  shall  be  happy.  ^^^  And 
they  who  shall  be  miserable,  shall  be  thrown  into  hell-fire  ; 
there  shall  they  wail  and  bemoan  themselves.  ^^^  They 
shall  remain  therein  so  long  as  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
shall  endure ;  except  what  thy  Lord  shall  please  to  remit 
of  their  sentence ;  for  thy  Lord  afFecteth  that  which  he 
pleaseth.  ^^^  But  they  who  shall  be  happy,  shall  be  ad- 
mitted into  paradise ;  they  shall  remain  therein  so  long  as 

101    Demolished.'}       Literally,     7nown  shall  endure.'\     This  is  not  to  be  strictly 

down :  the    sentence   presenting  the   dif-  understood,  as    if  either  the   punishment 

ferent    images  of  corn   standing   and  cut  of  the  damned  should  have  an  end,  or  the 

down,  which  is  also  often  used  by  the  sacred  heavens  and  the  earth  should  endure  for 

writers.  ever;  the  expression  being  only  used  by 

107  There  shall  they  wail  and  bemoan  way  of  image  or  comparison,  which  needs 
themselves.']  The  two  w^ords  in  the  original  not  agree  in  every  point  with  the  thing 
signify  properly,  the  vehement  drawing  in  signified.  Some,  however,  think  the  fu- 
and  expiration  of  one's  breath,  which  is  ture  heavens  and  earth,  into  which  the 
usual  to  persons  in  great  pain  and  anguish  ;  present  shall  be  changed,  are  here 
and   particularly  the  reciprocation   of  the  meant  ^. 

voice  of  an  ass,  when  he  brays.  —  Remit,  &c,}     See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 

108  So  long  as  the  heavens  and  the  earth    §  iv. 

'  Al  Beiddwi. 


28  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  heavens  and  the  earth  endure ;  besides  what  thy  Lord 
shall  please  to  add  unto  their  bliss ;  a  bounty  which  shall 
not  be  interrupted.  ^^^  Be  not  therefore  in  doubt  con- 
cerning that  which  these  men  worship :  they  worship  no 
other  than  what  their  fathers  worshipped  before  them ; 
and  we  will  surely  give  them  their  full  portion,  not  in  the 
least  diminished.  ^^^  We  formerly  gave  unto  Moses  the 
book  of  the  law ;  and  disputes  arose  among  his  people 
concerning  it :  and  unless  a  previous  decree  had  proceeded 
from  thy  Lord,  to  bear  with  him  during  this  life,  the 
matter  had  been  surely  decided  between  them.  And  thy 
people  are  also  jealous  and  in  doubt  concerning  the 
Koran.  ^^^  But  unto  every  one  of  them  will  thy  Lord 
render  the  reward  of  their  works !  for  he  well  knoweth 
that  which  they  do.  ^^^  Be  thou  stedfast,  therefore,  as 
thou  hast  been  commanded ;  and  let  him  also  be  steadfast 
who  shall  be  converted  with  thee,  and  transgress  not :  for 
he  seeth  that  which  ye  do.  ^^^  And  incline  not  unto  those 
who  act  unjustly,  lest  the  fire  of  hell  touch  you  :  for  ye 
have  no  protectors,  except  God  ;  neither  shall  ye  be  as- 
sisted against  him.  ^^^  Pray  regularly  morning  and  even- 
ing, and  in  the  former  part  of  the  night,  for  good  works 
drive  away  evils.  This  is  an  admonition  unto  those  who 
consider :  ^^^  wherefore  persevere  with  patience  ;  for  God 
suifereth  not  the  reward  of  the  righteous  to  perish. 
117  "W^CTe  such  of  the  generations  before  you  endued  with 
understanding  and  virtue,  who  forbad  the  acting  corruptly 
in  the  earth,  any  more  than  a  few  only  of  those  whom  we 
delivered  ?  But  they  who  were  unjust  followed  the  delights 
which  they  enjoyed  in  this  world,  and  were  wicked  doers : 
"^  and  thy  Lord  was  not  of  such  a  disposition  as  to  de- 
stroy the  cities  unjustly,  while  their  inhabitants  behaved 

115  Morning  and  evening.']     Literally,  sires  and  appetites,  and  placing  their  whole 

i7i  the  two  extremities  of  the  day.  felicity  therein. 

—  And  in  the  former  part  of  the  night.']  —   Wicked   doers.]     Al   Beidawi   says, 

That  is,  after  sunset,  and  before  supper  ;  that  this  passage  gives  the  reason  why  the 

when  the  Mohammedans  say  their  fourth  nations  were  destroyed  of  old  ;  viz.  for  their 

prayer,   called  by  them  Saldt  al  moghreb,  violence  and  injustice,  their  following  their 

or  the  evening  prayer  ^.  own  lusts,  and  for  their  idolatry  and  unbelief. 

117  Followed  the    delights  which    they  118    Unjustly.]    Or  as  the  commentator 

enjoyed  in  this  world.]     Making  it  their  just  named  explains  it,for  their  idolatry  only, 

sole  business  to  please  their  luxurious  de-  when  they  observedjustice  in  other  respects. 

*  Al  Beidawi. 


XII.]  AL     KORAN.  29 

themselves  uprightly.  ^^^  And  if  thy  Lord  pleased,  he 
would  have  made  all  men  of  one  religion ;  but  they  shall 
not  cease  to  differ  among  themselves,  unless  those  on 
v^hom  thy  Lord  shall  have  mercy :  and  unto  this  hath 
he  created  them ;  for  the  word  of  thy  Lord  shall  be 
fulfilled,  when  he  said.  Verily  I  will  fill  hell  altogether 
with  genii  and  men.  ^^^  The  whole  which  we  have  related 
of  the  histories  of  our  apostles  do  we  relate  unto  thee, 
that  we  may  confirm  thy  heart  thereby ;  and  herein  is  the 
truth  come  unto  thee,  and  an  admonition,  and  a  warning 
unto  the  true  believers.  ^^^  Say  unto  those  who  believe 
not,  Act  ye  according  to  your  condition  ;  we  surely  will 
act  according  to  our  duty :  ^^^  and  wait  the  issue  ;  for  we 
certainly  wait  it  also.  ^^^  Unto  God  is  known  that  which 
is  secret  in  heaven  and  earth ;  and  unto  him  shall  the 
whole  matter  be  referred.  Therefore  worship  him,  and  put 
thy  trust  in  him  ;  for  thy  Lord  is  not  regardless  of  that 
which  ye  do. 

121   DutyJ]     See  chap.  vi. 


CHAPTER   XIL 

INTITLED,    JOSEPH;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

'  A.  L.  R.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  perspicuous  book  ; 
^  which  we  have  sent  down  in  the  Arabic  tongue,  that 
peradventure  ye  might  understand.  ^  We  relate  unto 
thee  a  most  excellent  history,  by  revealing  unto  thee  this 
Koran,  whereas  thou  wast  before  one  of  the  negligent. 

Title.']     The  Koreish,  thinking  to  puz-  the  Ajaredites    and    the   Maimunians,  as 

zle  Mohammed,  at  the  instigation,  and  by  apocryphal  and  spurious, 

the  direction,  of  certain  Jewish  Rabbins,  1  A.  L.  R.]     See  the  Prelim.  Disc, 

demanded  of  him  how  Jacob's  family  hap-  4  This  Koran.]   Or  this  particular  chap- 

pened  to  go  down  into  Egypt ;  and  that  ter.     For  the  word  Koran,   as   has  been 

he  would   relate  to   them  the  history  of  elsewhere  observed  2,   properly  signifying 

Joseph,  with  all  its  circumstances :  where-  no  more  than  a  reading,  or  lecture,  is  often 

upon  he  pretended  to   have  received   this  used  to  denote,  not  only  the  whole  volume, 

chapter  from  heaven,  containing  the  story  but  any    distinct   chapter,    or   section  of 

of  that  patriarch  ^.     It  is  said,  however,  it. 

to  have  been  rejected  by  two  Mohamme-  —  One  of  the  negligent.]  i  e.    So  far 

dan  sects,  branches  of  the  Kharejites,  called  from  being  acquainted  with  the  story,  that 

1  Jl  Beiddwi.  2  Prclim.  Disc.  §  iii.  p.  66. 


30  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

^  When  Joseph  said  unto  his  father,  O  my  father,  verily 
I  saw  in  my  dream  eleven  stars,  and  the  sun  and  the 
moon ;  I  saw  them  make  obeisance  unto  me.  ^  Jacob 
said,  O  my  child,  tell  not  thy  vision  to  thy  brethren,  lest 
they  devise  some  plot  against  thee  ;  for  the  devil  is  a 
professed  enemy  unto  man :  ^  and  thus,  according  to  thy 
dream,  shall  thy  Lord  choose  thee,  and  teach  thee  the 
interpretation  of  dark  sayings,  and  he  shall  accomplish 
his  favour  upon  thee  and  upon  the  family  of  Jacob,  as  he 
hath  formerly  accomplished  it  upon  thy  fathers  Abraham 
and  Isaac  ;  for  thy  Lord  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^  Surely 
in  the  history  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren  there  are  signs 
of  God's  providence  to  the  inquisitive ;  ^  when  they  said 
to  one  another,  Joseph  and  his  brother  are  dearer  to  our 
father  than  we,  who  are  the  greater  number :  our  father 
certainly  maketh  a  wrong  judgment.  ^^  Wherefore  slay 
Joseph,  or  drive  him  into  some  distant  or  desert  part  of 
the  earth,  and  the  face  of  your  father  shall  be  cleared 
towards  you;  and  ye  shall  afterwards  be  people  of  in- 
tegrity. "  One  of  them  spoke  and  said.  Slay  not  Joseph, 
but  throw  him  to  the  bottom  of  the  well  ;  and  some 
travellers  will  take  him  up,  if  ye  do  this.  ^^  They  said 
unto  Jacob,  O  father,  why  dost  thou  not  intrust  Joseph 
with  us,  since  we  are   sincere  well-wishers  unto  him? 

it   never   so   much  as    entered  into   thy  all  difficulties  respecting  either  religion  or 

thoughts  :    a   certain   argument,    says   al  justice. 

Beidawi,  that  it  must  have  been  revealed  9  His   brother.']     Viz.   Benjamin  ;    his 

to  him  from  heaven.  brother  by  the  same  mother. 

5  His  father.']      Who  was  Jacob,   the  10    The  face  of  your  father   shall   be 

son  of  Isaac,  the  son  of  Abraham  ^.  cleared  towards  you.]     Or,  he  will  settle 

—  Eleven  stars.]      The  commentators  his   love  wholly  upon   you,  and   ye  will 

give  us  the  names  of  these  stars,  (which  1  have  no  rival  in  his  favour, 

think  it   needless  to   trouble    the  reader  11    One  of  them,  &:c.]     This  person,  as 

with,)  as   Mohammed  repeated   them  at  some   say,  was  Judah,  the  most  prudent 

the   request  of  a   Jew,   who   thought   to  and   noble-minded  of  them  all ;    or,  ac- 

entrap  him  by  the  question  ^.  cording   to    others,    Reuben,    whom    the 

6  Lest  they  devise  some  plot  against  Mohammedan  writers  call  Rubil  ^.  And 
thee.]  For  they  say,  Jacob,  judging  that  both  these  opinions  are  supported  by  the 
Joseph's  dream  portended  his  advance-  account  of  Moses,  who  tells  us,  that  Reuben 
ment  above  the  rest  of  the  family,  justly  advised  them  not  to  kill  Joseph,  but  to 
apprehended  his  brethren's  envy  might  throw  him  into  a  pit,  privately  intending 
tempt  them  to  do  him  some  mischief.  to  release  him*,  and  that  afterwards  Judah, 

7  The  interpretation  of  dark  sayings.]  in  Reuben's  absence,  persuaded  them  not 
That  is,  of  dreams  ;  or,  as  others  suppose,  to  let  him  die  in  the  pit,  but  to  sell  him  to 
of  the  profound  passages  of  scripture,  and     the  Ishmaelites  ^. 


^   A I  Beidawi,  &c.  ^  Idem.     Al  Zamakhshari,  ^  Al  Beidawi. 

*  Gen.  xxxvii.  21,  22.  ^  Ibid.  v.  26,  27. 

1 


XII.] 


AL   KORAN, 


31 


^"  Send  him  with  us  to-morrow,  into  the  field,  that  he  may 
divert  himself,  and  sport,  and  we  will  be  his  guardians. 
^*  Jacob  answered.  It  grieveth  me  that  ye  take  him  away  ; 
and  I  fear  lest  the  wolf  devour  him  while  ye  are  negligent 
of  him.  ^^  They  said,  Surely  if  the  wolf  devour  him, 
when  there  are  so  many  of  us,  we  shall  be  weak  indeed. 
^^  And  when  they  had  carried  him  with  them,  and  agreed 
to  set  him  at  the  bottom  of  the  well,  they  executed  their 
design :  and  we  sent  a  revelation  unto  him,  saying,  Thou 
shalt  hereafter  declare  this  their  action  unto  them  ;  and 
they  shall  not  perceive  thee  to  be  Joseph.  ^^  And  they  came 
to  their  father  at  even,  weeping,  and  said,  ^^  Father,  we 
went  and  ran  races  with  one  another,  and  we  left  Joseph 
with  our  baggage,  and  the  wolf  hath  devoured  him  ;  but 
thou  wilt  not  believe  us,  although  we  speak  the  truth. 
^^  And  they  produced  his  inner  garment  stained  with  false 


13  That  he  may  divert  himself ,  &c.] 
Some  copies  read,  in  the  first  person,  plural. 
That  we  may  divert  ourselves,  &c. 

14  Lest  the  ivolf  devour  him*']  The 
reason  why  Jacob  feared  this  beast  in  par 
ticular,  as  the  commentators  say,  was 
either  because  the  land  was  full  of  wolves  ; 
or  else  because  Jacob  had  dreamed  he  saw 
Joseph  devoured  by  one  of  those  creatures  ^. 

15  We  shall  he  weak  indeed.]  i.  e.  It 
will  be  an  instance  of  extreme  weakness 
and  folly  in  us,  and  we  shall  be  justly 
blamed  for  his  loss. 

16  At  the  bottom  of  the  well.']  This 
well,  say  some,  was  a  certain  well  near 
Jerusalem,  or  not  far  from  the  river  Jor- 
dan ;  but  others  call  it  the  well  of  Egypt, 
or  Midian.  The  commentators  tell  us,  that 
when  the  sons  of  Jacob  had  gotten  Joseph 
with  them  in  the  field,  they  began  to 
abuse  and  beat  him  so  unmercifully,  that 
they  had  killed  him,  had  not  Judah,  on 
his  crying  out  for  help,  insisted  on  the 
promise  they  had  made,  not*  to  kill  him, 
but  to  cast  him  into  the  well.  Whereupon 
they  let  him  down  a  little  way  ;  but  as  he 
held  by  the  sides  of  the  well,  they  bound 
him,  and  took  off  his  inner  garment, 
designing  to  stain  it  with  blood,  to  deceive 
their  father.  Joseph  begged  hard  to  have 
his  garment  returned  him,  but  to  no  pur- 
pose, his  brothers  telling  him,  with  a  sneer, 


that  the  eleven  stars  and  the  sun  and  the 
moon  might  clothe  him  and  keep  him 
company.  When  they  had  let  him  down 
half-way,  they  let  him  fall  thence  to  the 
bottom ;  and  there  being  water  in  the 
well,  (though  the  scripture  says  the  con- 
trary,) he  was  obliged  to  get  upon  a  stone, 
on  which  as  he  stood  weeping,  the  angel 
Gabriel  came  to  him  with  the  revelation 
mentioned  immediately  2. 

—  We  sent  a  revelation  unto  him.] 
Joseph  being  then  but  seventeen  years  old, 
al  Beidawi  observes,  that  herein  he  re- 
sembled John  the  Baptist  and  Jesus,  who 
were  also  favoured  with  the  divine  com- 
munication very  early.  The  commenta- 
tors pretend  that  Gabriel  also  clothed  him 
in  the  well  with  a  garment  of  silk  of 
paradise.  For  they  say,  that  when  Abra- 
ham was  thrown  into  the  fire  by  Nimrod  ^, 
he  was  stripped  ;  and  that  Gabriel  brought 
this  garment,  and  put  it  on  him  ;  and  that 
from  Abraham  it  descended  to  Jacob,  who 
folded  it  up,  and  put  it  into  an  amulet, 
which  he  hung  about  Joseph's  neck,  whence 
Gabriel  drew  it  out*. 

18  And  ran  races,  &c.]  These  races 
they  used  by  way  of  exercise ;  and  the 
commentators  generally  understand  here 
that  kind  of  race  wherein  they  also  showed 
their  dexterity  in  throwing  darts,  which 
is  still  used  in  the  east. 


^  A I  Beidawi,  Jallalo*  ddirt,  Al  Zamakhshari. 
*  Al  Beiddwi,  Al  Zamakhshari. 


2  lidem. 


3  See  chap.  xxi. 


32 


AL  KORAN. 


[chap. 


blood.  Jacob  answered,  Nay,  but  ye  yourselves  have 
contrived  the  thing  for  your  own  sakes  ;  however,  patience 
is  most  becoming,  and  God's  assistance  is  to  be  implored 
to  enable  me  to  support  the  misfortune  which  ye  relate. 
^^  And  certain  travellers  came,  and  sent  one  to  draw 
water  for  them :  and  he  let  down  his  bucket,  and  said. 
Good  news  !  this  is  a  youth.  And  they  concealed  him, 
that  they  might  sell  him  as  a  piece  of  merchandise  :  but 
God  knew  that  which  they  did.  ^^  And  they  sold  him  for 
a  mean  price,  for  a  few  pence,  and  valued  him  lightly. 
^^  And  the  Egyptian  who  bought  him,  said  to  his  wife. 
Use  him  honourably  ;  peradventure  he  may  be  serviceable 
to  us,  or  we  may  adopt  him  for  our  son.     Thus  did  we 


19  Ye  yourselves  have  contrived  the 
thing,  &c.]  This  Jacob  had  reason  to 
suspect,  because,  when  the  garment  was 
brought  to  him,  he  observed,  that  though 
it  was  bloody,  yet  it  was  not  torn  ^. 

20  Certain  travellers.']  Viz.  a  caravan 
or  company  travelling  from  Midian  to 
Egypt,  who  rested  near  the  well  three  days 
after  Joseph  had  been  thrown  into  it. 

—  They  sent  one  to  draw  water,  &c.] 
The  commentators  are  so  exact  as  to  give 
us  the  name  of  this  man,  who,  as  they  pre- 
tend, was  Malec  Ebn  Dhor,  of  the  tribe 
of  Khozaah  2. 

—  He  let  down  his  bucket.]  And  Jo- 
seph, making  use  of  the  opportunity,  took 
hold  of  the  cord,  and  was  drawn  up  by 
the  man. 

—  Good  news.]  The  original  words 
are,  Ya  hoshra :  the  latter  of  which  some 
take  for  the  proper  name  of  the  water- 
drawer's  companion,  whom  he  called  to 
his  assistance :  and  then  they  must  be 
translated,  O  Boshra. 

—  They  concealed  him,  &c.]  The  ex- 
positors are  not  agreed  whether  the  pro- 
noun, they,  relates  to  Malec  and  his  com- 
panions, or  to  Joseph's  brethren.  They 
who  espouse  the  former  opinion  say,  that 
those  who  came  to  draw  water,  concealed 
the  manner  of  their  coming  by  him  from 
the  rest  of  the  caravan,  that  they  might 
keep  him  to  themselves ;  pretending  that 
some  people  of  the  place  had  given  him  to 
them  to  sell  for  them  in  Egypt.  And  they 
who  prefer  the  latter  opinion,  tell  us,  that 
Judah  carried  victuals  to  Joseph  every  day 
while  he  was  in  the  well,  but  not  finding 
him  there  on  the  fourth  day,  he  acquainted 


his  brothers  with  it :  whereupon  they  all 
went  to  the  caravan,  and  claimed  Joseph 
as  their  slave,  he  not  daring  to  discover 
that  he  was  their  brother,  lest  something 
worse  should  befal  him ;  and  at  length 
they  agreed  to  sell  him  to  them  ^. 

21  They  sold  him  for  a  mean  price,  &c.] 
Namel}'^,  twenty  or  twenty-two  dirhems, 
and  those  not  of  full  weight  neither  ;  for 
having  weighed  one  ounce  of  silver  only, 
the  remainder  was  paid  by  tale,  which  is 
the  most  unfair  way.  of  payment  ^. 

22  The  Egyptian  who  bought  him.]  His 
name  was  Kitfir,  or  Itfir,  (a  corruption 
of  Potiphar;)  and  he  was  a  man  of  great 
consideration,  being  superintendent  of  the 
royal  treasury  ^. 

The  commentators  say,  that  Joseph 
came  into  his  service  at  seventeen,  and 
lived  with  him  thirteen  years  j  and  that 
he  was  made  prime  minister  in  the  thirty- 
third  year  of  his  age,  and  died  at  an  hun- 
dred and  twenty. 

They  who  suppose  Joseph  was  twice 
sold,  differ  as  to  the  price  the  Egyptian 
paid  for  him  :  some  saying  it  was  twenty 
dinars  of  gold,  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  two 
white  garments ;  and  others,  that  it  was  a 
large  quantity  of  silver,  or  of  gold. 

—  His  wife.]  Some  call  her  Rail; 
but  the  name  she  is  best  known  by,  is  that 
of  Zuleikha. 

—  Or  we  may  adopt  him.]  Kitfir  hav- 
ing no  children.  It  is  said  that  Joseph 
gained  his  master's  good  opinion  so  sud- 
denly by  his  countenance;  which  Kitfir, 
who,  they  pretend,  had  great  skill  in  phy- 
siognomy, judged  to  indicate  his  prudence 
and  other  good  qualities. 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 


2  Idem. 


'  Idem. 


Idem. 


Idem. 


XII.]  AL    KORAN.  33 

prepare  an  establishment  for  Joseph  in  the  earth,  and  we 
tanght  him  the  interpretation  of  dark  sayings  :  for  God  is 
well  able  to  effect  his  purpose ;  but  the  greater  part  of 
men  do  not  understand.  ^^  And  when  he  had  attained 
the  age  of  strength,  we  bestowed  on  him  wisdom,  and 
knowledge ;  for  thus  do  we  recompense  the  righteous. 
^^  And  she,  in  whose  house  he  was,  desired  him  to  lie 
with  her ;  and  she  shut  the  doors,  and  said.  Come  hither. 
He  answered,  God  forbid  !  Verily  my  lord  hath  made  my 
dwelling  with  him  easy ;  and  the  ungrateful  shall  not 
prosper.  ^^  But  she  resolved  within  herself  to  enjoy  him, 
and  he  would  have  resolved  to  enjoy  her,  had  he  not  seen 
the  evident  demonstration  of  his  Lord.  So  we  turned 
away  evil  and  filthiness  from  him,  because  he  was  one  of 
our  sincere  servants.  ^^  And  they  ran  to  get  one  before 
the  other  to  the  door :  and  she  rent  his  inner  garment 
behind.  And  they  met  her  lord  at  the  door.  She  said. 
What  shall  be  the  reward  of  him  who  seeketh  to  commit 
evil  in  thy  family,  but  imprisonment,  and  a  painful  punish- 
ment? ^^  And  Joseph  said.  She  asked  me  to  lie  with 
her.  And  a  witness  of  her  family  bore  witness,  saying, 
If  his  garment  be  rent  before,  she  speaketh  truth,  and  he 
is  a  liar :  ^^  but  if  his  garment  be  rent  behind,  she  lieth, 
and  he  is  a  speaker  of  truth.  ^^  And  when  her  husband 
saw  that  his  garment  was  torn  behind,  he  said,  This  is  a 

24  My  lord.']    Viz.  Kitfir.     But  others  master,   appeared  to  him:  but   the  more 
understand  it  to  be  spoken  of  God.  general   opinion  is,  that  it  was  the  appa- 

25  Had  he  not  seen  the  evident  deinon-  rition  of  his  father  Jacob,  who  bit  his  fin- 
st  ration  of  his  Lord.'\  That  is,  had  he  not  gers'  ends;  or,  as  some  write,  struck  him 
seriously  considered  the  filthiness  of  whore-  on  the  breast;  whereupon  his  lubricity 
dom,  and  the  great  guilt  thereof.  Some,  passed  out  at  the  ends  of  his  fingers  ^. 
however,  suppose  that  the  words  mean  For  this  fable,  so  injurious  to  the  cha- 
some  miraculous  voice  or  apparition,  sent  racter  of  Joseph,  the  Mohammedans  are 
by  God  to  divert  Joseph  from  executing  obliged  to  their  old  friends  the  Jews  2, 
the  criminal  thoughts  which  began  to  who  imagine  that  he  had  a  design  to  lie 
possess  him.  For  they  say,  that  he  was  with  his  mistress,  from  these  words  of 
so  far  tempted  with  his  mistress's  beauty  Moses  ^,  And  it  came  to  pass — that  Joseph 
and  enticing  behaviour,  that  he  sat  in  her  went  into  the  house  to  do  his  business,  &c. 
lap,  and  even  began  to  undress  himself,  26  They  ran  to  the  door."]  He  flying 
when  a  voice  called  to  him,  and  bid  him  from  her,  and  she  running  after  to  detain 
beware  of  her;  but  he  taking  no  notice  of  him. 

this  admonition,  though  it  was  repeated  27  A  witness  of  her  family.']  Viz.  A 
three  times,  at  length  the  angel  Gabriel,  cousin  of  hers,  who  was  then  a  child  in 
or,  as  others  will  have  it,  the  figure  of  his     the  cradle^. 

^  Al  jBeiddwiy  al  Zamakhsharif  Jallalo' ddi7i,  Yahya.  ^  Talm.  Babyl.  Sed. 

Nashim,  p.  36.     V.  Bartolocc.  Bibl.  Rabb.  part.  iii.  p.  509.  ^  Qenes.  xxxix.  11. 

^  Supra  citati  interpretes. 

VOL.  II.  D  • 


34  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

cunning  contrivance  of  your  sex  :  for  surely  your  cunning 
is  great.  ^^  O  Joseph,  take  no  farther  notice  of  this  affair : 
and  thou,  O  woman,  ask  pardon  for  thy  crime ;  for  thou 
art  a  guilty  person.  ^^  And  certain  women  said  publicly 
in  the  city.  The  nobleman's  wife  asked  her  servant  to  lie 
with  her ;  he  hath  inflamed  her  breast  with  his  love,  and 
we  perceive  her  to  be  in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  And  when 
she  heard  of  their  subtle  behaviour,  she  sent  unto  them, 
and  prepared  a  banquet  for  them,  and  she  gave  to  each  of 
them  a  knife ;  and  she  said  unto  Joseph,  Come  forth  unto 
them.  And  when  they  saw  him,  they  praised  him 
greatly ;  and  they  cut  their  own  hands,  and  said,  O  God  ! 
this  is  not  a  mortal ;  he  is  no  other  than  an  angel, 
deserving  the  highest  respect.  ^^  And  his  mistress  said. 
This  is  he,  for  whose  sake  ye  blamed  me :  I  asked  him  to 
lie  with  me,  but  he  hath  constantly  refused.  But  if  he 
do  not  perform  that  which  I  command  him,  he  shall 
surely  be  cast  into  prison,  and  he  shall  be  made  one  of  the 
contemptible.  ^*  Joseph  said,  O  Lord,  a  prison  is  more 
eligible  unto  me  than  the  crime  to  which  they  invite  me ; 
but  unless  thou  turn  aside  their  snares  from  me,  I  shall 
youthfully  incline  unto  them,  and  I  shall  become  one 
of  the  foolish.  ^^  Wherefore  his  Lord  heard  him,  and 
turned  aside  their  snare  from  him ;  for  he  both  heareth 
and  knoweth.     ^^  And  it  seemed  good  unto  them,  even 

31  Certain  women^  &c.]  These  women,  the  pronoun  to  it  here  (which  possibly  the 
whose  tongues  were  so  free  with  Zuleikha's  Latin  translators  did  not  observe)  abso- 
character  on  this  occasion,  were  five  in  lutely  overthrows  that  interpretation, 
number,  and  the  wives  of  so  many  of  the  —  They  cut  their  own  handsJ]  Through 
king's  chief  officers,  viz.  his  chamberlain,  extreme  surprise  at  the  wonderful  beauty 
his  butler,  his  baker,  his  jailer,  and  his  of  Joseph ;  which  surprise  Zuleikha  fore- 
herdsman  *.  seeing,  put  knives  into  their  hands,  on 

32  She  sent  unto  them.']  The  number  purpose  that  this  accident  might  happen, 
of  all  the  women  invited  was  forty,  and  Some  writers  have  observed,  on  occasion 
among  them  were  the  five  ladies  above-  of  this  passage,  that  it  is  customary  in  the 
mentioned  2.  east  for  lovers  to  testify  the  violence  of 

—  They  praised  him  greatly.']    The  old  their  passion  by  cutting  themselves,  as  a 

Latin  translators  have  strangely  mistaken  sign  that  they  would  spend  their  blood  in 

the  sense  of  the  original  word  Acbarnaho,  the  service  of  the  person  beloved  ;  which 

which  they  render  Menstruates  sunt  /  and  is  true  enough  ;  but  I  do  not  find  that  any 

then  rebuke  Mohammed  for  the  indecency,  of  the  commentators  suppose  these  Egyp- 

crying   out    demurely  in   the    margin,    O  tian  ladies  had  any  such  design. 

foedum  Sf  obscoenum prophetam  !  Erpenius^  36  It  seemed  good  unto  them,]     That  is, 

thinks   that   there  is  not  the  least    trace  to  Kitfir  and  his  friends.     The  occasion  of 

of  such  a  meaning  in  the  word  :  but  he  is  Joseph's  imprisonment  is  said  to  be,  either 

mistaken ;    for    the    verb    Cabara,  in  the  that  they  suspected  him  to  be  guilty,  not- 

fourth    conjugation,   which  is  here  used,  withstanding  the  proofs  which  had  been 

has  that  import ;  though  the  subjoining  of  given  of  his  innocence;  or  else  that  Zu- 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem.  3  jj^  ^q^^  ^^  Ylhi,  Josephi. 


XII.]  AL  KORAN.  35 

after  they  had  seen  the  signs  of  his  innocency,  to  imprison 
him  for  a  time.  ^^  And  there  entered  into  the  prison  with 
him  two  of  the  king's  servants.  One  of  them  said,  It 
seemed  to  me  in  my  dream  that  1  pressed  wine  out  of 
grapes.  And  the  other  said,  It  seemed  unto  me  in  my 
dream  that  I  carried  bread  on  my  head,  whereof  the 
birds  did  eat.  Declare  unto  us  the  interpretation  of  our 
dreams,  for  we  perceive  that  thou  art  a  beneficent  per- 
son. ^^  Joseph  answered.  No  food  wherewith  ye  may  be 
nourished  shall  come  unto  you,  but  I  will  declare  unto 
you  the  interpretation  thereof,  before  it  come  unto  you. 
This  knowledge  is  a  part  of  that  which  my  Lord  hath 
taught  me :  for  I  have  left  the  religion  of  people  who 
believe  not  in  God,  and  who  deny  the  life  to  come ;  ^^  and 
I  follow  the  religion  of  my  fathers,  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob.  It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  associate  any  thing 
with  God.  This  knowledge  of  the  divine  unity  hath  been 
given  us  of  the  bounty  of  God  towards  us,  and  towards 
mankind ;  but  the  greater  part  of  men  are  not  thankful. 
^^  O  my  fellow-prisoners,  are  sundry  lords  better,  or  the 
only  true  and  mighty  God  ?  ^^  Ye  worship  not,  besides  him, 
other  than  the  names  which  ye  have  named,  ye  and  your 
fathers,  concerning  which  God  hath  sent  down  no  autho- 
ritative proof:  yet  judgment  belongeth  unto  God  alone; 
who  hath  commanded  that  ye  worship  none  besides  him. 
This  is  the  right  religion  :  but  the  greater  part  of  men 
know  it  not.  ^^  O  my  fellow-prisoners,  verily  the  one  of 
you  shall  serve  wine  unto  his  lord,  as  formerly;  but  the 
other  shall  be  crucified,  and  the  birds  shall  eat  from  off 
his  head.  The  matter  is  decreed  concerning  which  ye 
seek  to  be  informed.  And  Joseph  said  unto  him,  whom 
he  judged  to  be  the  person  who  should  escape  of  the  two, 

leikha  desired  it,  feigning  to  deceive  her  dare   unto  you  the   interpretation  thereof 

husband,  that  she  wanted  to  have  Joseph  before  it  come  unto  you.']     The  meaning  of 

removed  from  her  sight,  till  she  could  con-  this  passage   seems  to  be,  either  that  Jo- 

quer  her   passion  by    time  ;    though  her  seph,  to  show  he  used  no  arts  of  divination 

real    design   was,    to   force    him   to  com-  or   astrology,  promises  to  interpret  their 

pliance.  dreams  to  them  immediately  even  before 

37  Two  of  the  king's  servants.]  Viz.  they  should  eat  a  single  meal :  or  else,  he 
His  chief  butler  and  baker;  who  were  ac-  here  offers  to  prophesy  to  them  before- 
cused  of  a  design  to  poison  him.  hand,  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  vic- 

—  One  of  them.]     Namely,  the  butler,      tuals  which  should  be  brought  them,  as  a 

38  No  food  wherewith  ye  may   be  nour-     test  of  his  skill. 

ished,  shall  come  unto  you,  but  I  will  de-  41   Names.]      See  chap.  vii. 

D  2 


36  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

Remember  me  in  the  presence  of  thy  lord.  But  the  devil 
caused  him  to  forget  to  make  mention  of  Joseph  unto 
his  lord,  wherefore  he  remained  in  the  prison  some  years. 
^^  And  the  king  of  Egypt  said.  Verily  I  saw  in  my  dream 
seven  fat  kine,  which  seven  lean  kine  devoured ;  and 
seven  green  ears  of  corn,  and  other  seven  withered  ears. 
O  nobles,  expound  my  vision  unto  me,  if  ye  be  able  to 
interpret  a  vision.  ^^  They  answered,  they  are  confused 
dreams :  neither  are  we  skilled  in  the  interpretation  of 
such  kind  of  dreams.  ^^  And  Joseph's  fellow-prisoner, 
who  had  been  delivered,  said,  (for  he  remembered  Joseph 
after  a  certain  space  of  time,)  I  will  declare  unto  you  the 
interpretation  thereof;  wherefore  let  me  go  unto  the 
person  who  will  interpret  it  unto  me.  And  he  went  to 
the  prison,  and  said,  ^^  O  Joseph,  thou  man  of  veracity, 
teach  us  the  interpretation  of  seven  fat  kine,  which  seven 
lean  kine  devoured ;  and  of  seven  green  ears  of  corn, 
and  other  seven  withered  ears,  which  the  king  saw  in 
his  dream ;  that  I  mav  return  unto  the  men  who  have 
sent  me,  that  peradventure  they  may  understand  the 
same.  ^^  Joseph  answered.  Ye  shall  sow  seven  years  as 
usual :  and  the  corn  which  ye  shall  reap,  do  ye  leave  in 
its  ear,  except  a  little  whereof  ye  may  eat.  ^^  Then  shall 
there  come,  after  this,  seven  grievous  years  of  famine, 
which  shall  consume  what  ye  shall  have  laid  up  as  a 
provision  for  the  same,  except  a  little  which  ye  shall  have 
kept.  ^^  Then  shall  there  come,  after  this,  a  year  wherein 
men  shall  have  plenty  of  rain,  and  wherein  they  shall 

42  But  the  devil  caused  him  to  forget  to  43   The  Icing  of  Egypt.  ^     This   prince, 

mention  Joseph  unto  his  lord.']     According  as  the  oriental  writers  generally  agree,  was 

to  the  explication  of  some,  who  take  the  Riydn,  the  son   of  al   Walid  the  Amale- 

pronoun,   him^    to  relate   to   Joseph,  this  kite^,  who   was  converted  by  Joseph  to 

passage  may  be  rendered,   But  the  devil  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  and  died  in 

caused    him    (i.  e.   Joseph)    to   forget    to  the  lifetime  of  that  prophet.     But  some 

make  his  application  unto  his  lord  ;  and  pretend  that  the  Pharaoh  of  Joseph  and 

to  beg  the  good  offices  of  his  fellow~pri-  of  Moses,  were  one  and  the  same  person, 

soner  for  his  deliverance,  instead  of  rely-  and  that  he  lived  (or  rather  reigned)  four 

ing  on  God  alone,  as  it  became  a  prophet,  hundred  years  *. 

especially,  to  have  done  ^.  47   Ye  shall  leave  the   corn  in  the  ear, 

—  Some   years.~\      The    original    word  &c.]     To  preserve  it  from  the  weevil  ^. 

signifying  any  number,  from  three  to  nine,  49    Wherein  men   shall  have  plenty  of 

or  ten  ;  the  common   opinion  is,  that  Jo-  rain.~\     Notwithstanding   what    some  an- 

seph   remained    in    prison    seven    years  ;  cient   authors   write  to  the   contrary  ^,  it 

though  some   say  he  was  confined  no  less  often  rains  in  winter  in  the  Lower  Egypt ; 

than  twelve  years  2.  and  even   snow  has  been  observed  to  fall 

^  Al  Belddwi.  ^  Idem,  JallaWddin.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  9,  10. 

*  Al  Beicldwi.     See  chap.  vii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.         ^  PlatOy  in  Timaeo.  Pomp.  Mela, 


XII.]  AL   KORAN.  37 

press  wine  and  oil.  ^^  And  when  the  chief  butler  had 
reported  this,  the  king  said.  Bring  him  unto  me.  And 
when  the  messenger  came  unto  Joseph,  he  said.  Return 
unto  thy  lord,  and  ask  of  him,  what  was  the  intent  of  the 
women  who  cut  their  hands,  for  my  Lord  well  knoweth 
the  snare  which  they  laid  for  me.  ^^  And  when  the 
women  were  assembled  before  the  king,  he  said  unto 
them,  What  was  your  design,  when  ye  solicited  Joseph 
to  unlawful  love  ?  They  answ^ered,  God  be  praised  !  we 
know  not  any  ill  of  him.  The  nobleman's  wife  said.  Now 
is  the  truth  become  manifest :  I  solicited  him  to  lie  with 
me ;  and  he  is  one  of  those  who  speak  truth.  ^^  And 
when  Joseph  was  acquainted  therewith,  he  said.  This 
discovery  hath  been  made  that  my  lord  might  know  that 
I  was  not  unfaithful  unto  him  in  his  absence,  and  that 
God  directeth  not  the  plot  of  the  deceivers.  [*XIII.] 
^^  Neither  do  I  absolutely  justify  myself:  since  every  soul 
is  prone  unto  evil,  except  those  on  whom  my  Lord  shall 
shew  mercy ;  for  my  Lord  is  gracious  and  merciful. 
^^  And  the  king  said.  Bring  him  unto  me :  I  will  take 
him  into  my  own  peculiar  service.  And  when  Joseph 
was  brought  unto  the  king,  and  he  had  discoursed  with 

at    Alexandria,   contrary    to   the   express  —  The  snare  which  they  had  laid  for 

assertion  of  Seneca  ^  In  the  upper  Egypt,  me.']      Endeavouring,  both  by  threats  and 

indeed,  towards  the  cataracts  of  Nile,  it  persuasions,  to  entice  me  to  commit  folly 

rains  very  seldom  2.    Some,  however,  sup-  with  my  mistress. 

pose  I  hat  the  rains   here   mentioned,  are  53  Neither  do  I  absolutely  justify  my-^ 

intended    of  those  which    should   fall   in  self]      According    to    a  tradition  of  Ebn 

Ethiopia,  and  occasion  the  swelling  of  the  Abbas,  Joseph  had  no  sooner  spoken  the 

Nile,    the   great   cause   of  the   fertility  of  foregoing  words,  asserting  his  innocency, 

Egypt;  or  else  of  those  which  should  fall  than    Gabriel   said    to    him.    What!    not 

in  the  neighbouring  countries,  which  were  when  thou  wast  deliberating  to  lie  with 

also  afflicted  with  famine  during  the  same  her  ?     Upon  which  Joseph  confessed  his 

time.  frailty*. 

50  Return    unto  thy   lord,    and   ask  of  54  And  when  Joseph  ivas  brought  unto 

him,  &c.]     Joseph,  it  seems,  cared  not  to  the  king,    &c.]     The    commentators  say, 

get  out  of  prison,  till  his  innocence  was  that  Joseph    being  taken   out   of  prison, 

publicly  known  and  declared.     It  is  ob-  after   he    had   washed  and    changed   his 

served  by  the  commentators,  that  Joseph  clothes,  w-as  introduced  to  the  king,  whom 

does  not  bid  the  messenger  move  the  king  he  saluted  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  ;  and  on 

to  inform  himself  of  the  truth  of  the  affair,  the  king's  asking  what  language  that  was, 

but  bids  him  directly  to  ask  the  king,  to  he  answered,  that  it  was  the  language  of 

incite   him   to   make  the  ^proper  inquiry  his  fathers.      This  prince,    they  say,  un- 

with  the  greater  earnestness.     They  also  derstood  no  less  than  seventy  languages, 

observe  that  Joseph  takes  care  not  to  men-  in  every  one  of  which  he  discoursed  with 

tion  his  mistress,   out  of  respect  and  gra-  Joseph,  who  answered  him  in  the  same ; 

titude  for  the  favours  he  had  received  while  at  which  the  king  greatly  marvelling,  de- 

in  her  house  ^.  sired  him   to  relate  his  dream,  which  he 

^  Nat.  qusest.  1.  4.  2  ggg  Greaves'  Descr.  of  the  Pyramids,  p.  74,  &c.     Rai/s 

Collection  of  Travels,  t.  ii.  p.  92.  ^  ^i  Beiddwi,  &c.  ■*  Idem. 


38 


AL     KORAN. 


[chap. 


him,  he  said,  Thou  art  this  day  firmly  established  with  us, 
and  shalt  be  intrusted  with  our  affairs.  ^^  Joseph  an- 
swered. Set  me  over  the  store-houses  of  the  land ;  for  I 
will  be  a  skilful  keeper  thereof.  ^^  Thus  did  we  establish 
Joseph  in  the  land,  that  he  might  provide  himself  a 
dwelling  therein,  where  he  pleased.  We  bestow  our 
mercy  on  whom  we  please,  and  we  suffer  not  the  reward 
of  the  righteous  to  perish  :  ^'^  and  certainly  the  reward  of 
the  next  life  is  better,  for  those  who  believe,  and  fear 
God.  ^^  Moreover,  Joseph's  brethren  came,  and  went  in 
unto  him ;  and  he  knew  them,  but  they  knew  not  him. 
^^  And  when  he  had  furnished  them  with  their  provisions, 
he  said.  Bring  unto  me  your  brother,   the  son  of  your 


did,  describing  the  most  minute  circum- 
stances ;  whereupon  the  king  placed  Jo- 
seph by  him  on  his  throne,  and  made  him 
his  Wazir,  or  chief  minister.  Some  say 
that  his  master  Kitfir  dying  about  this 
time,  he  not  only  succeeded  him  in  his 
place,  but,  by  the  king's  command,  mar- 
ried the  widow,  his  late  mistress,  whom  he 
found  to  be  a  virgin,  and  who  bare  him 
Ephrahim  and  Manasses^.  So  that,  ac- 
cording to  this  tradition,  she  is  the  same 
woman  who  is  called  Asenath  by  Moses. 
This  supposed  marriage,  which  authorized 
their  amours,  probably  encouraged  the 
Mohammedan  divines  to  make  use  of  the 
loves  of  Joseph  and  Zuleikha,  as  an  alle- 
gorical emblem  of  the  spiritual  love  be- 
tween tbe  Creator  and  the  creature,  God 
and  the  soul ;  just  as  the  Christians  apply 
the  song  of  Solomon  to  the  same  mystical 
purpose  2. 

58  Moreover^  Joseph's  brethren  earner 
&c.]  Joseph,  being  made  Wazir,  governed 
with  great  wisdom  ;  for  he  not  only  caused 
justice  to  be  impartially  administered,  and 
encouraged  the  people  to  industry  and  the 
improvement  of  agriculture  during  the 
seven  years  of  plenty,  but  began  and  per- 
fected several  works  of  great  benefit ;  the 
natives  at  this  day  ascribing  to  the  patri- 
arch Joseph  almost  all  the  ancient  works  of 
public  utility  throughout  the  kingdom; 
particularly  the  rendering  the  province  of 
al  Feyyum,  from  a  standing  pool  or  marsh, 
the  most  fertile  and  best  cultivated  land  in 
all  Egypt  ^  When  the  years  of  famine 
came,  the  effects  of  which  were  felt  not 
only  in  Egypt,  but  in  Syria  and  the  neigh- 
bouring countries,  the  inhabitants  were 
obliged  to  apply  to  Joseph  for  corn,  which 


he  sold  to  them  ;  first  for  their  money, 
jewels,  and  ornaments,  then  for  their  cattle 
and  lands,  and  at  length  for  their  persons; 
so  that  all  the  Egyptians,  in  general,  be- 
came slaves  to  the  king;  though  Joseph, 
by  his  consent,  soon  released  them,  and 
returned  them  their  substance.  The  dearth 
being  felt  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  Jacob 
sent  all  his  sons,  except  only  Benjamin,  into 
Egypt  for  corn.  On  their  arrival,  Joseph 
(who  well  knew  them)  asked  them  who 
they  were,  saying  he  suspected  them  to  be 
spies ;  but  they  told  him  they  came  only 
to  buy  provisions,  and  that  they  were  all 
the  sons  of  an  ancient  man  named  Jacob, 
who  was  also  a  prophet.  Joseph  then  asked 
how  many  brothers  there  were  of  them  ; 
and  they  answered,  Twelve  ;  but  that  one 
of  them  had  been  lost  in  a  desert.  Upon 
which  he  inquired  for  the  eleventh  brother, 
there  being  no  more  than  ten  of  them  pre- 
sent. They  said,  he  was  a  lad,  and  with 
their  father,  whose  fondness  for  him  would 
not  suffer  him  to  accompany  them  in  their 
journey.  At  length  Joseph  asked  them, 
who  they  had  to  vouch  for  their  veracity  ; 
but  they  told  him  they  knew  no  man 
who  could  vouch  for  them  in  Egypt. 
Then,  replied  he,  one  of  you  shall  stay  be- 
hind with  me  as  a  pledge,  and  the  others 
may  return  home  with  their  provisions ; 
and  when  ye  come  again,  ye  shall  bring 
your  younger  brother  with  you,  that  I  may 
know  ye  have  told  me  the  truth.  Where- 
upon, it  being  in  vain  to  dispute  the  mat- 
ter, they  cast  lots  who  should  stay  behind, 
and  the  lot  fell  upon  Simeon.  When 
they  departed,  Joseph  gave  each  of  them 
a  camel,  and  another  for  their  bro- 
ther 4. 


1  Al  Beiddwi,  Kitah  Tafasir,  &c. 
^  V.  Golii  not.  in  Alfragan.  p.  175,   &c, 
Voy,  torn,  ii   p.  205,  &  tom.  iii,  p.  53. 


2  V.  D'Herbeloi,  Bibl.  Orient,  art.  Jousouf. 
Klrcher.  (Edip.  /Egypt,  vol.  i.  p.  8.     Lucas 
^  xil  Beiddwi, 


XII.]  AL    KORAN.  39 

father :  do  ye  not  see  that  I  give  full  measure,  and  that 
I  am  the  most  hospitable  receiver  of  guests  ?     ^^  But  if  ye 
bring  him  not  unto  me,  there  shall  be  no  corn  measured 
unto  you  from  me,   neither  shall  ye  approach  my  pre- 
sence.    ^^  They  answered,  We  will  endeavour  to  obtain 
him  of  his  father,  and  we  will  certainly  perform  what  thou 
requirest.     ^^  And  Joseph  said  to  his  servants.  Put  their 
money,  which  they  have  paid  for  their  corn,  into  their 
sacks,  that  they  may  perceive  it,  when  they  shall  be  re- 
turned to  their  family  :  peradventure  they  will  come  back 
unto  us.     ^^And  when  they  were  returned    unto  their 
father,  they  said,  O  father,  it  is  forbidden  to  measure  out 
corn  unto  us  any  more,  unless  we  carry  our  brother  Ben- 
jamin with  us :  wherefore  send  our  brother ^with  us,  and 
we  shall  have  corn  measured  unto  us ;  and  we  will  cer- 
tainly guard  him  from  any  mischance.    ^^  Jacob  answered, 
Shall  I  trust  him  with  you  with  any  better  success  than 
I  trusted  your  brother  Joseph  with  you  heretofore  ?    But 
God  is  the  best  guardian ;  and  he  is  the  most  merciful  of 
those  who  shew  mercy.     ^^  And  when  they  opened  their 
provisions,  they  found  their  money  had  been  returned  unto 
them ;  and  they  said,  O  father,  what  do  we  desire  further  ? 
This  our  money  hath  been  returned  unto  us;  we  will  there- 
fore return,  and  provide  corn  for  our  family  :  we  will  take 
care^  of  our  brother;  and  we  shall  receive  a  camel's  bur- 
then  more  than  we  did  the  last  time.     This  is  a  small 
quantity.     ^^  Jacob  said,  I  will  by  no  means   send  him 
with  you,  until  ye  give  me  a  solemn  promise,  and  swear 
by  God,  that  ye  will  certainly  bring  him  back  unto  me, 
unless  ye  be  encompassed  by  some  inevitable  impediment. 
And  when  they  had  given  him  their  solemn  promise,  he 
said,  God  is  witness  of  what  we  say.     ^^  And  he  said.  My 
sons,  enter  not  into  the  city  by  one  and  the  same  gate ; 
but  enter  by  diiferent  gates.     But  this  precaution  will  be 

62  Their  money. ^  The  original  word  now  brought  was  not  sufficient  for  the  sup- 
signifying  not  only  money,  but  also  goods  port  of  their  families,  so  that  it  was  neces- 
bartered  or  given  in  exchange  for  other  sary  for  them  to  take  another  journey ;  or 
merchandise  ;  some  commentators  tell  us,  else  that  a  camel's  load  more  or  less  was 
they  paid  for  their  corn,  not  in  money,  but  but  a  trifle  to  the  king  of  Egypt.  Some 
in  shoes  and  dressed  skins  i.  suppose  these  to  be   the  words  of  Jacob, 

65  Thisisasmallqumitity.']   The  mean-  declaring  it  was  too  mean  a  consideration 

ing  may  be,  either  that  the  corn  they  had  to  induce  him  to  part  with  his  son. 

^  Al  BeiddwL 


40  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 

of  no  advantage  unto  you  against  the  decree  of  God  ;  for 
judgment  belongeth  unto  God  alone :  in  him  do  I  put  my 
trust,  and  in  him  let  those  confide  who  seek  in  whom  to 
put   their  trust.     ^^  And  when  they  entered  the  city,  as 
their  father  had  commanded  them,  it  was  of  no  advantage 
unto    them  against  the  decree  of  God  ;  and  the   same 
served  only  to  satisfy  the  desire  of  Jacob's  soul,  which 
he  had  charged  them  to  perform :  for  he  was  endued  with 
knowledge  of  that  which  we  had  taught  him ;  but   the 
greater  part  of  men  do   not  understand.     ^^  And  when 
they  entered  into  the  presence  of  Joseph,  he  received  his 
brother  Benjamin  as  his  guest,  and  said.  Verily  I  am  thy 
brother:  be  not  therefore  afflicted  for  that  which  they 
have  committed  against  us.     ^^  And  when  he  had  furnished 
them  with  their  provisions,  he  put  his  cup  in  his  brother 
Benjamin's  sack.     Then  a  crier  cried  after  them,  saying, 
O  company  of  travellers,  ye  are  surely  thieves.     ^^  They 
said,   (and  turned  back  unto  them,)  What  is  it  that  ye 
miss  ?     ^^  They  answered,  We  miss  the  prince's  cup  :  and 
unto  him.  who  shall  produce  it,  shall  be  given  a  camel's 
load  of  corn ;  and  I  will  be  surety  for  the  same.     ^^  Jo- 
seph's brethren  replied,  By  God,  ye  do  well  know,  that 
we  came  not  to  act  corruptly  in  the  land,  neither  are  we 
thieves.     ^^  The  Egyptians  said.  What  shall  be  the  re- 
ward of  him  who  shall  appear  to  have  stolen  the  cup,  if 
ye  be  found  liars  ?     ^^  Joseph's  brethren  answered.  As  to 
the  reward  of  him,  in  whose  sack  it  shall  be  found,  let 
him  become  a  bondman  in  satisfaction  for  the  same :  thus 

69  He  received  Ms  brother  Benjamin  as  of  him  whom  he  had  lost ;  to  which  Ben- 
Ms  guest,  &c.]  It  is  related  that  Joseph,  jamin  replied,  Who  can  find  a  brother 
having  invited  his  brethren  to  an  enter-  comparable  unto  thee  ?  yet  thou  art  not 
tainment,  ordered  them  to  be  placed  two  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Rachel.  And  upon 
and  two  together  ;  by  which  means,  Ben-  this  Joseph  discovered  himself  to  him  ^ 
j^min,  the  eleventh,  was  obliged  to  sit  7^  His  cup.l  Some  imagine  this  to  be 
alone,  and,  bursting  into  tears,  said,  If  my  a  measure  holding  a  Sad,  (or  about  a  gal- 
brother  Joseph  were  alive,  he  would  have  Ion,)  wherein  they  used  to  measure  corn, 
sat  with  me.  Whereupon  Joseph  ordered  or  give  water  to  the  beasts.  But  others 
him  to  be  seated  at  the  same  table  with  take  it  to  be  a  drinking-cup  of  silver  or 
himself;  and  when  the  entertainment  was  gold. 

over,  dismissed  the  rest,  ordering  that  they  73   Ye  well  know  thai  we  came  not  to  act 

should  be  lodged  two  and  two  in  a  house  ;  corruptly,  &c.]      Both   by  our  behaviour 

but  kept  Benjamin  in  his  own  apartment,  among  you  ;  and  our  bringing  again  our 

where  he  passed  the  night.     The  next  day  money,  which  was  returned  unto  us  with-. 

Joseph  asked  him,  whether  he  would  ac-  out  our  knowledge, 

cept  of  himself  for  his  brother,  in  the  room  Tb   Thus  do  ive   reward  those   who  are 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


XII.]  AL   KORAN.  41 

do  we  reward  the  unjust,  who  are  guilty  of  theft.  '^^  Then 
he  began  by  their  sacks,  before  he  searched  the  sack  of 
his  brother ;  and  he  drew  out  the  cup  from  his  brother's 
sack.  Thus  did  we  furnish  Joseph  with  a  stratagem.  It 
was  not  lawful  for  him  to  take  his  brother  for  a  bondman, 
by  the  law  of  the  king  of  Egypt,  had  not  God  pleased  to 
allow  it,  according  to  the  offer  of  his  brethren.  We  exalt 
to  degrees  of  knowledge  and  honour  whom  we  please : 
and  there  is  one  who  is  knowing  above  all  those  who  are 
endued  with  knowledge.  ^^  His  brethren  said.  If  Benja- 
min be  guilty  of  theft,  his  brother  Joseph  hath  been  also 
guilty  of  theft  heretofore.  But  Joseph  concealed  these 
things  in  his  mind,  and  did  not  discover  them  unto  them : 
and  he  ^aid  within  himself.  Ye  are  in  a  worse  condition 
than  us  two ;  and  God  best  knoweth  what  ye  discourse 
about.  ^^  They  said  unto  Joseph,  Noble  lord,  verily  this 
lad  hath  an  aged  father :  wherefore  take  one  of  us  in  his 
stead ;  for  we  perceive  that  thou  art  a  beneficent  person. 
^^  Joseph  answered,  God  forbid  that  we  should  take  any 
other  than  him  with  whom  we  found  our  goods ;  for  then 
should  we  certainly  be  unjust.  And  when  they  despaired 
of  obtaining  Benjamin,  they  retired  to  confer  privately 
together.  ^^  And  the  elder  of  them  said.  Do  ye  not 
know  that  your  father  hath  received  a  solemn  promise 
from  you,  in  the  name  of  God  ;  and  how  perfidiously  ye 
behaved  heretofore  towards  Joseph  ?     Wherefore  I  will 

guilty  of  theft.  ~\     This  was   the  method  of  take  him  from  her,  she  contrived  the  fol- 

punishing  theft,   used  by   Jacob  and   his  lowing  stratagem  to  keep  him.     Having  a 

family  :  for  among  the   Egyptians  it  was  girdle  which  had  once  belonged  to  Abra- 

punished  in  another  manner.  ham,  she  girt  it  about  the  child,  and  then 

76  He  began  by  their  sacks,  &c.]  Some  pretending  she  had  lost  it,  caused  strict 
suppose  this  search  was  made  by  the  per-  search  to  be  made  for  it :  and  it  being  at 
son  whom  Joseph  sent  after  them  ;  others,  length  found  on  Joseph,  he  was  adjudged, 
by  Joseph  himself,  when  they  were  brought  according  to  the  above-mentioned  law  of 
back  to  the  city.  the   family,  to  be  delivered  to  her  as  her 

—  It  was  not  lawful  for  him  to  take  his  property.     Some,  however,  say,  that  Jo- 

br  other  for  a  bondman,  by  the  law  of  Egypt. ^  seph  actually  stole  an  idol  of  gold,  which 

For  there  the  thief  was  not  reduced  to  ser-  belonged  to  his  mother's  father,  and  de- 

vitude,   but  was  scourged,  and  obliged  to  stroyed  it ;  a  story  probably   taken  from 

restore  the  double  of  what  he  had  stolen  ^.  Rachel's  stealing  the  images  of  Laban :  and 

77  His  brother  Joseph  hath  been  guilty  others  tell  us  that  he  once  stole  a  goat,  or 
of  theft  heretofore.^  The  occasion  of  this  a  hen,  to  give  to  a  poor  man  2. 
suspicion,  it  is  said,  was,  that  Joseph  80  The  elder  of  them.~\  Viz.  Reuben, 
having  been  brought  up  by  his  father's  But  some  think  Simeon  or  Judah  to  be 
sister,  she  became  so  fond  of  him,  that  here  meant ;  and  instead  of  the  elder,  in- 
when  he  grew  up,  and   Jacob  designed  to  terpret  it,  the  most  prudent  of  them. 

'  Jl  Beiddwif   Jallalo'ddin.  -  Jallalo'ddin, 


42  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

by  no  means  depart  the  land  of  Egypt,  until  my  father 
give  me  leave  to  return  unto  him,  or  God  maketh  known 
his  will  to  me ;  for  he  is  the  best  judge.  ^^  Return  ye  to 
your  father,  and  say,  O  father,  verily  thy  son  hath  com- 
mitted theft ;  we  bear  witness  of  no  more  than  what  we 
know,  and  we  could  not  guard  against  what  we  did  not 
foresee  :  ^^  and  do  thou  inquire  in  the  city,  where  we  have 
been,  and  of  the  company  of  merchants  with  whom  we 
are  arrived,  and  thou  wilt  find  that  we  speak  the  truth. 
^^  And  when  they  were  returned,  and  had  spoken  thus  to 
their  father,  he  said.  Nay,  but  rather  ye  yourselves  have 
contrived  the  thing  for  your  own  sakes ;  but  patience  is 
most  proper  for  me  ;  peradventure  God  will  restore  them 
all  unto  me ;  for  he  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^*  And  he 
turned  from  them  and  said,  O  how  I  am  grieved  for 
Joseph  !  And  his  eyes  became  white  with  mourning,  he 
being  oppressed  with  deep  sorrow.  ^^  His  sons  said.  By 
God,  thou  wilt  not  cease  to  remember  Joseph,  until  thou  be 
brought  to  death's  door,  or  thou  be  actually  destroyed  by 
excessive  affliction.  ^^  He  answered,  I  only  represent  my 
grief,  which  I  am  not  able  to  contain,  and  my  sorrow  unto 
God  ;  but  I  know,  by  revelation  from  God,  that  which  ye 
know  not.  ^^  O  my  sons,  go  and  make  inquiry  after 
Joseph  and  his  brother ;  and  despair  not  of  the  mercy  of 
God  ;  for  none  despaireth  of  God's  mercy,  except  the 
unbelieving  people.  ^^  Wherefore  Joseph's  brethren  re- 
turned into  Egypt:  and  when  they  came  into  his  presence, 
they  said.  Noble  lord,  the  famine  is  felt  by  us  and  our 
family,  and  we  are  come  with  a  small  sum  of  money  :  yet 
give  unto  us  full  measure,  and  bestow  corn  upon  us  as 
alms ;    for  God   rewardeth    the   alms-givers.     ^^  Joseph 

83  Peradventure  God  will  restore  them  yet  alive  ;  of  which  some  tell  us  he  was 
alii  &c.]  i.  e.  Joseph,  Benjamin,  and  Si-  assured  by  the  angel  of  death  in  a  dream  ; 
meon.  though  others  suppose  he  depended  on  the 

84  His  eyes  became  white.']  That  is,  completion  of  Joseph's  dream,  which  must 
the  pupils  lost  their  deep  blackness,  and  have  been  frustrated  had  he  died  before 
became  of  a  pearl  colour,  (as  happens  in  his  brethren  had  bowed  down  before  him  2. 
suffusions,)  by  his  continual  weeping;  S^  A  small  sum  of  money .]  Their  money 
which  very  much  weakened  his  sight,  being  clipped  and  adulterated.  Some, 
or,  as  some  pretend,  made  him  quite  however,  imagine  they  did  not  bring  mo- 
blind  ^  ney,  but  goods  to  barter,  such  as  wool  and 

86  /  know  by  revelation  from  God,  that  butter,  or  other  commodities  of  small 
ivhich  ye  know  not.]      Viz.  That  Joseph  is     value  3. 

'  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


XII.]  AL   KORAN.  43 

said  unto  them.  Do  ye  know  what  ye  did  unto  Joseph 
and  his  brother,  when  ye  were  ignorant  of  the  conse- 
quences thereof?  ^^  They  answered,  Art  thou  really  Jo- 
seph ?  He  replied,  I  am  Joseph ;  and  this  is  my  brother. 
Now  hath  God  been  gracious  unto  us.  For  whoso  feareth 
God,  and  persevereth  with  patience,  shall  at  length  find 
relief;  since  God  will  not  suffer  the  reward  of  the  right- 
eous to  perish.  ^^  They  said,  By  God,  now  hath  God 
chosen  thee  above  us ;  and  we  have  surely  been  sinners. 
^^  Joseph  answered,  Let  there  be  no  reproach  cast  on 
you  this  day.  God  forgiveth  you;  for  he  is  the  most 
merciful  of  those  who  shew  mercy.  ^^  Depart  ye  with 
this  my  inner  garment,  and  throw  it  on  my  father's 
face ;  and  he  shall  recover  his  sight :  and  then  come 
unto  me  with  all  your  family.  ^^And  when  the  com- 
pany of  travellers  was  departed  from  Egypt,  on  their 
journey  towards  Canaan,  their  father  said  unto  those 
who  were  about  him,  -Verily  I  perceive  the  smell  of 
Joseph  ;  although  ye  think  that  I  dote.  ^^  They  answer- 
ed. By  God,  thou  art  in  thy  old  mistake.  ^^  But  when 
the  messenger  of  good  tidings  was  come  with  Joseph's 
inner  garment,  he  threw  it  over  his  face ;  and  he  reco- 
vered his  eye-sight.     And  Jacob  said,  Did  I  not  tell  you 

89  Do  ye  know  what  ye  did  unto  Joseph  93  My  inner  garment.~\  Which  the 
and  his  brother,  &c.]  The  injury  they  did  commentators  generally  suppose  to  be  the 
Benjamin^  was  the  separating  him  from  same  garment  with  which  Gabriel  invested 
his  brother ;  after  which  they  kept  him  him  in  the  well ;  which  having  originally 
in  so  great  subjection,  that  he  durst  not  come  from  paradise,  had  preserved  the 
speak  to  them,  but  with  the  utmost  submis-  odour  of  that  place,  and  was  of  so  great 
sion.  Some  say  that  these  words  were  virtue  as  to  cure  any  distemper  in  the 
occasioned  by  a  letter  which  Joseph's  bre-  person  who  was  touched  with  it  ^. 

thren  delivered  to  him  from  their  father,  94  I  perceive  the  smell  of  Joseph.~\  This 

requesting  the   releasement  of  Benjamin,  was    the    odour    of   the  garment    above- 

and   by  their   representing  his    extreme  mentioned,  brought   by  the  wind  to   Ja- 

affliction  at  the  loss  of  him  and  his  brother,  cob,  who  smelt  it,  as  is  pretended,  at  the 

The  commentators   observe   that  Joseph,  distance    of   eighty   parasangs  * ;    or,    as 

to  excuse  his  brethren's  behaviour  towards  others  will  have,  three  or  eight  days'  jour- 

him,  attributes  it  to  their  ignorance,  and  ney  ofF^. 

the  heat  of  youth  ^  95  Thou  art  in  thy  old  mistake,^    Being 

90  Art  thou  really  Joseph  ?]  They  say  led  into  this  imagination  by  thy  excessive 
that  this  question  was  not  the  effect  of  a  love  of  Joseph. 

bare  suspicion  that  he  was  Joseph,  but  that         96  The  messenger  of  good  tidings.^    viz. 

they  actually   knew    him,    either   by   his  Judah,  who,  as  he   had  formerly  grieved 

face  and  behaviour;  or  by  his  fore-teeth,  his  father,  by  bringing  him  Joseph's  coat 

which  he   shewed  in  smiling;  or  else   by  stained  with   blood,  now   rejoiced   him  as 

putting  off  his  tiara,    and    discovering   a  much,  by  being  the  bearer  of  this  vest,  and 

whitish  mole  on  his  forehead  -.  the  news  of  Joseph's  prosperity  ^. 

^  Al  BeiddwL  ^  Idem.  ^  Xdem,  Jallalo' ddin.  *  Idem. 

''  Jidlalo'ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


44  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

that  I  knew  from  God  that  which  ye  knew  not  ?  ^^  They 
answered,  O  father,  ask  pardon  of  our  sins  for  us,  for  we 
have  surely  been  sinners.  ^^  He  replied,  I  will  surely  ask 
pardon  for  you  of  my  Lord  ;  for  he  is  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful. ^^And  when  Jacob  and  his  family  arrived  in 
Egypt,  and  were  introduced  unto  Joseph,  he  received 
his  parents  unto  him,  and  said,  Enter  ye  into  Egypt,  by 
God's  favour,  in  full  security.  ^^^And  he  raised  his 
parents  to  the  seat  of  state,  and  they,  together  with  his 
brethren,  fell  down  and  did  obeisance  unto  him.  And  he 
said,  O  my  father,  this  is  the  interpretation  of  my  vision, 
which  I  saw  heretofore  ;  now  hath  my  Lord  rendered  it 
true.  And  he  hath  surely  been  gracious  unto  me,  since 
he  took  me  forth  from  the  prison,  and  hath  brought  you 
hither  from  the  desert ;  after  that  the  devil  had  sown 
discord  between  me  and  my  brethren ;  for  my  Lord  is 
gracious  unto  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  he  is  the  knowing, 
the  wise  God.  ^^^  O  Lord,  thou  hast  given  me  a  part  of 
the  kingdom,  and  hast  taught  me  the  interpretation  of 
dark  sayings.  The  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth !  thou 
art  my  protector  in  this  world,  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come :  make  me  to  die  a  Moslem,  and  join  me  with  the 
righteous.  ^^^This  is  a  secret  history  which  we  reveal 
unto  thee,  O  Mohammed,  although  thou  wast  not  present 
with  the  brethren  of  Joseph  when  they  concerted  their 

98  I  will  ask  pardon  for  you,  ^c.'\    De-  father  and  mother,  after  they  had  bowed 

ferring  it,  as  some   fancy,  till  he  should  down  to  him,  and  not  before  2. 

see  Joseph,  and  have  his  consent.  101  Make  me  to  die,  &c.]     The   Mo- 

—  His  parents."]     Viz.  His  father,  and  hammedan  authors  write,  that  Jacob  dwelt 

Leah,  his  mother's  sister,  whom  he  looked  in  Egypt   twenty-four  years,   and  at  his 

on  as  his  mother  after  Rachel's  death  ^.  death    ordered   his  body  to  be   buried  in 

Al  Beidawi  tells   us,   that  Joseph  sent  Palestine   by    his   father ;    which    Joseph 

carriages  and  provisions  for  his  father,  and  took  care  to  perform  ;  and  then   returning 

his  family;  and  that  he  and  the  king  of  into  Egypt,  died  twenty- three  years  after. 

Egypt  went  forth  to  meet  them.    He  adds,  They  add,  that  such  high   disputes  arose 

that  the  number  of  the  children  of  Israel  among  the  Egyptians  concerning  his  bu- 

who  entered  Egypt  with  him,  was  seventy-  rial,  that  they  had  like  to  have  come  to 

two;   and  that  when   they   were  led  out  blows;  but  at  length  they  agreed  to  put 

thence  by  Moses,  they  were  increased  to  his  body  into  a  marble  coffin,  and  to  sink 

six   hundred   thousand   five   hundred  and  it  in  the  Nile ;   out  of  a  superstitious  ima- 

seventy  men,  and  upwards,  besides  the  old  gination,  that  it  might  help  the   regular 

people  and  children.  increase   of  the   river,   and    deliver  them 

\{){i  And  he  raised  his  parents  to  the  seat  from    famine,    for  the    future:   but  when 

of  state,  and  they,  together  with  his  bre-  Moses  led  the   Israelites  out  of  Egypt,  he 

threiif  fell  down,  and  did   obeisance    unto  took  up  the   coffin,   and  carried  Joseph's 

him.]     A   transposition  is  supposed  to  be  bones  with    him    into    Canaan,  where  he 

in   these   words,    and    that   he  seated    his  buried  them  by  his  ancestors^. 

*  Al  Bciddwi.     See  Gen.  xxxvii.  10.  -  Idem.  ^  Al  Beiddivi. 


xii.]  AL    KORAN.  45 

design,  and  contrived  a  plot  against  him.  ^^^But  the 
greater  part  of  men,  although  thou  earnestly  desire  it, 
will  not  believe.  ^^^  Thou  shalt  not  demand  of  them  any 
reward  for  thy  publishing  the  Koran  ;  it  is  no  other  than 
an  admonition  unto  all  creatures.  ^^^  And  how  many  signs 
soever  there  be  of  the  being,  unity,  and  providence  of 
God,  in  the  heavens  and  the  earth ;  they  will  pass  by 
them,  and  will  retire  afar  off  from  them.  ^^^And  the 
greater  part  of  them  believe  not  in  God,  without  being 
also  guilty  of  idolatry.  ^^^  Do  they  not  believe  that  some 
overwhelming  affliction  shall  fall  on  them  as  a  punish- 
ment from  God  ;  or  that  the  hour  of  judgment  shall  over- 
take them  suddenly,  while  they  consider  not  its  approach  ? 
^^^  Say  unto  those  of  Mecca,  This  is  my  way :  I  invite 
you  unto  God,  by  an  evident  demonstration ;  both  I  and 
he  who  followeth  me ;  and  praise  be  unto  God  !  I  am 
not  an  idolater.  ^^^  We  sent  not  any  apostles  before  thee, 
except  men  unto  whom  we  revealed  our  will,  and  whom 
we  chose  out  of  those  who  dwelt  in  cities.  Will  they 
not  go  through  the  earth,  and  see  what  hath  been  the 
end  of  those  who  have  preceded  them  ?  But  the  dwelling 
of  the  next  life  shall  surely  be  better  for  those  who  fear 
God.  Will  they  not  therefore  understand?  ^^^ Their 
predecessors  were  borne  with  for  a  time,  until,  when  our 
apostles  despaired  of  their  conversion,  and  they  thought 
that  they  were  liars,  our  help  came  unto  them,  and  we 
delivered  whom  we  pleased ;  but  our  vengeance  was  not 
turned  away  from  the  wicked  people.  ^^^  Verily,  in  the 
histories  of  the  prophets  and  their  people,  there  is  an 
instructive  example  unto  those  who  are  endued  with  un- 
derstanding. The  Koran  is  not  a  new-invented  fiction ; 
but  a  confirmation  of  those  scriptures  which  have  been 
revealed  before  it,  and  a  distinct  explication  of  every  thing 
necessary,  in  respect  either  to  faith  or  practice,  and  a 
direction  and  mercy  unto  people  who  believe. 

106  Without  being  also  guilty  of  ido-  109  Of  those  wJw  dwelt  in  cities.^  And 
latry.~\  For  this  crime  Mohammed  charges  not  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  deserts:  be- 
not  only  on  the  idolatrous  Meccans,  but  cause  the  former  are  more  knowing  and 
also  the  Jews  and  Christians;  as  has  been  compassionate,  and  the  latter  more  igno- 
already  observed  more  than  once.  rant  and  hardhearted  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  3G. 


46  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

INTITLED    THUNDER  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  R.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  book  of  the 
Koran  :  and  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  thee 
from  thy  Lord  is  the  truth ;  but  the  greater  part  of  men 
will  not  believe.  ^  It  is  God  who  hath  raised  the  heavens 
without  visible  pillars;  and  then  ascended  his  throne, 
and  compelled  the  sun  and  the  moon  to  perform  their 
services  :  every  of  the  heavenly  bodies  runneth  an  ap- 
pointed course.  He  ordereth  all  things.  He  sheweth  his 
signs  distinctly,  that  ye  may  be  assured  ye  must  meet 
your  Lord  at  the  last  day.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  stretched 
forth  the  earth,  and  placed  therein  stedfast  mountains 
and  rivers  ;  and  hath  ordained  therein  of  every  fruit  two 
different  kinds.  He  causeth  the  night  to  cover  the  day. 
Herein  are  certain  signs  unto  people  who  consider.  ^  And 
in  the  earth  are  tracts  of  land  of  different  natures,  though 
bordering  on  each  other ;  and  also  vineyards,  and  seeds, 
and  palm-trees  springing  several  from  the  same  root,  and 
singly  from  distinct  roots.  They  are  watered  with  the 
same  water,  yet  we  render  some  of  them  more  excellent 
than  others  to  eat.  Herein  are  surely  signs  unto  people 
who  understand.  ^  If  thou  dost  wonder  at  the  infidels' 
denying  the  resurrection,  surely  wonderful  is  their  say- 
ing. After  we  shall  have  been  reduced  to  dust,  shall  we 
be  restored  in  a  new  creature  ?  ^  These  are  they  who 
believe  not  in  their  Lord ;  these  shall  have  collars  on 
their  necks,  and  these  shall  be  the  inhabitants  of  hell- 

Title — Thunder,]      This  word  occurs  in  sour,  black  and   white,  small  and  large, 

the  fifteenth  verse.  &c.  ^ 

Title — Mecca,']     Or,  according  to  some  5  Lands   of  different    nature.]      Some 

copies,  at  Medina.  tracts   being  fruitful,   and  others  barren  ; 

1   A,  L.  M.  R.]     The  meaning  of  these  some  plain,  and  others  mountainous  ;  some 

letters  is    unknown.     Of  several    conjee-  proper  for  corn,  and  others  for  trees,  &c,  ^ 

tural  explications  which  are  given  of  them,  7   These  shall  have  collars  on  their  necks.] 

the  following  is  one  :  1  am  the  most  wise  The  collar  here  mentioned  is   an  engine 

and  knowing  God.  something  like  a  pillory,  but  light  enough 

4   Two  different  kinds.]     As    sweet  and  for  the  criminal  to  walk  about  with.     Bc- 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Idem. 


XIII.]  AL   KORAN.  47 

fire  :  therein  shall  they  abide  for  ever.  ^  They  will  ask 
of  thee  to  hasten  evil  rather  than  good ;  although  there 
have  already  been  examples  of  the  divine  vengeance  be- 
fore them.  Thy  Lord  is  surely  endued  with  indulgence 
towards  men,  notwithstanding  their  iniquity;  but  thy 
Lord  is  also  severe  in  punishing.  ^The  infidels  say, 
Unless  a  sign  be  sent  down  unto  him  from  his  Lord,  we 
will  not  believe.  Thou  art  commissioned  to  be  a  preacher 
only,  and  not  a  worker  of  miracles :  and  unto  every  peo- 
ple hath  a  director  been  appointed.  ^^  God  knoweth  what 
every  female  beareth  in  her  womb ;  and  what  the  wombs 
want  or  exceed  of  their  due  time,  or  number  of  young. 
With  him  is  every  thing  regulated  according  to  a  deter- 
mined measure.  ^^  He  knoweth  that  which  is  hidden, 
and  that  which  is  revealed.  He  is  the  great,  the  most 
high.  ^^  He  among  you  who  concealeth  his  words,  and 
he  who  proclaimeth  them  in  public ;  he  also  who  seeketh 
to  hide  himself  in  the  night,  and  he  who  goeth  forth 
openly  in  the  day ;  is  equal  in  respiect  to  the  knowledge 
of  God.  ^^  Each  of  them  hath  angels  mutually  succeed- 
ing each  other,  before  him,  and  behind  him ;  they  watch 
him  by  the  command  of  God.  Verily  God  will  not  change 
his  grace  which  is  in  men,  until  they  change  the  disposi- 
tion in  their  souls  by  sin.  When  God  willeth  evil  on  a 
people,  there  shall  be  none  to  avert  it ;  neither  shall  they 
have  any  protector  beside  him.  ^^  It  is  he  who  causeth 
the  lightning  to  appear  unto  you,  to  strike  fear  and  to 
raise  hope,  and  who  formeth  the  pregnant  clouds.  ^^  The 
THUNDER  celebrateth  his  praise,  and  the  angels  also,  for 
fear  of  him.     He  sendeth  his  thunderbolts,  and  striketh 

sides  the  hole  to  fix  it  on  the  neck,  there  13   Waich  him.']     See  the  Prelim.  Disc, 

is  another  for  one  of  the  hands,  which  is  §  iv. 

thereby  fastened  to  the  neck  i.     And  in  14   To  raise  hope.']     Thunder  and  light- 

this  manner  the  Mohammedans   suppose  ning  being  the  sign  of  approaching  rain  : 

the  reprobates  will  appear  at  the  day  of  a  great  blessing,  in   the  eastern  countries 

judgment  2.      Some  understand  this  pas-  more  especially. 

sage    figuratively,   of  the   infidels'   being  15   The  thunder  celebrateth  ?iis  praise.] 

bound  in  the  chains  of  error  and  obsti-  Or  causeth  those  who  hear  it  to  praise  him, 

nacy  ^  Some  commentators  tell  us,    that  by  the 

8   They  will  ask  of  thee  to  hasten  evil  word  thunder,  in  this  place,  is  meant  the 

rather  than  good.]     Provoking  and  daring  angel  who  presides   over  the  clouds,  and 

thee  to  call  down  the  divine  vengeance  on  drives  them  forwards  with  twisted  sheets 

them  for  their  impertinency.  of  fire  *. 

1  V.  Char  din,  Voy.  de  Perse,  t.  ii.  p.  229.  2  gge  chap.  v.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

*   Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


48  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

therewith  whom  he  pleaseth,  while  they  dispute  concern- 
ing God,  for  he  is  mighty  in  power.  ^^  It  is  he  who  ought 
of  right  to  be  invoked ;  and  the  idols  which  they  invoke 
besides  him,  shall  not  hear  them  at  all ;  otherwise  than 
as  he  is  heard,  who  stretched  forth  his  hands  to  the 
water,  that  it  may  ascend  to  his  mouth,  when  it  can- 
not ascend  thither :  the  supplication  of  the  unbelievers 
is  utterly  erroneous.  ^'^  Whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on 
earth,  w^orshippeth  God  voluntarily  or  of  force :  and 
their  shadows  also,  morning  and  evening.  ^^  Say,  Who 
is  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth  ?  Answer,  God.  Say, 
Have  ye  therefore  taken  unto  yourselves  protectors  be- 
beside  him,  who  are  unable  either  to  help  or  to  defend 
themselves  from  hurt  ?  Say,  Shall  the  blind  and  the  see- 
ing be  esteemed  equal  ?  or  shall  darkness  and  light  be 
accounted  the  same  ?  or  have  they  attributed  companions 
unto  God  who  have  created  as  he  hath  created,  so  that 
their  creation  bear  any  resemblance  unto  his  ?  Say,  God 
is  the  creator  of  all  things !  he  is  the  one,  the  victorious 
God.  ^^  He  causeth  water  to  descend  from  heaven,  and 
the  brooks  flow  according  to  their  respective  measure,  and 
the  floods  bear  the  floating  froth :  and  from  the  metals 
which  they  melt  in  the  fire,  seeking  to  cast  ornaments  or 
vessels  for  use,  there  ariseth  a  scum  like  unto  it.  Thus 
God  setteth  forth  truth  and  vanity.  But  the  scum  is 
thrown  oiF,  and  that  which  is  useful  to  mankind  remaineth 
on  the  earth.    Thus  doth  God  put  forth  parables.    ^^  Unto 

15   While  they  dispute  concerning  God.]  the  missionary,  Who  is  this  apostle;  and 

This  passage  was  revealed  on  the  follow-  what  is  God  ?     Is  he  of  gold,  or  of  silver, 

ing  occasion.     Amer   Ebn  al  Tofail,   and  or  of  brass?     Upon  which  a  thunderbolt 

Arbad  Ebn  Rabiah,  the  brother  of  Labid,  struck  off  his  skull  and  killed  him. 
went  to  Mohammed  with  an  intent  to  kill  17  Whatsoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth, 

him;   and    Amer    began   to    dispute    with  worshippeth   God  voluntarily  or  of  force. ^ 

him   concerning   the   chief  points   of   his  The  infidels  and   devils  themselves  being 

doctrine,  while  Arbad,  taking  a  compass,  constrained  to    humble  themselves  before 

went  behind  him  to  despatch  him  with  his  him,  though  against  their  will,  when  they 

sword  :  but  the    prophet,    perceiving   his  are  delivered  up  to  punishment, 
design,  implored  God's  protection;  where-  —  And  their  shadows  also,  morning  and 

upon  Arbad  was  immediately  struck  dead  evening.~\     This  is   an  allusion  to  the   in- 

by  thunder,   and  Amer  was  struck  with  a  creasing  and  diminishing   of  the   shadows 

pestilential  boil,   of  which  he  died   in  a  according  to  the  height  of  the  sun  ;  so  that 

short  time,  in  a  miserable  condition  ^  when  they  are  the  longest,  which  is  in  the 

Jallalo'ddin,     however,    tells     another  morning    and   the    evening,    they   appear 

story,  saying,  that  Mohammed  having  sent  prostrate  on  the  ground,  in  the  posture  of 

one  to  invite  a  certain  man  to  embrace  his  adoration, 
religion,   the  person  put  this  question  to 

*  Jl  Beiddwi.     V.  Golii  not.  in  Adagia  Arab,  adject,  ap.  Gram.  Erpenii,  p.  99. 


XIII.]  A  L     KORAN.  49 

those  who  obey  their  Lord  shall  be  given  the  most  ex- 
cellent reward :  but  those  who  obey  him  not,  although 
they  were  possessed  of  whatever  is  in  the  whole  earth, 
and  as  much  more,  they  would  give  it  all  for  their  ransom. 
These  will  be  brought  to  a  terrible  account :  their  abode 
shall  be  in  hell ;  an  unhappy  couch  shall  it  be  !  ^^  Shall  he, 
therefore,  who  knoweth  that  what  hath  been  sent  down 
unto  thee  from  thy  Lord  is  truth,  be  rewarded  as  he  who 
is  blind  ?  ^^  The  prudent  only  will  consider ;  who  fulfil 
the  covenant  of  God,  and  break  not  their  contract ;  ^^  and 
who  join  that  which  God  hath  commanded  to  be  joined, 
and  who  fear  their  Lord,  and  dread  an  ill  account ;  ^^  and 
who  persevere  out  of  a  sincere  desire  to  please  their 
Lord,  and  observe  the  stated  times  of  prayer,  and  give 
alms  out  of  what  we  have  bestowed  on  them,  in  secret 
and  openly,  and  who  turn  away  evil  with  good:  ^^  the 
reward  of  these  shall  be  paradise,  gardens  of  eternal  abode, 
which  they  shall  enter ;  and  also  whoever  shall  have 
acted  uprightly,  of  their  fathers,  and  their  wives,  and  their 
posterity :  and  the  angels  shall  go  in  unto  them  by  every 
gate,  saying,  ^^  Peace  be  upon  you,  because  ye  have  en- 
dured with  patience  :  how  excellent  a  reward  is  paradise ! 
^^  But  as  for  those  who  violate  the  covenant  of  God,  after 
the  establishment  thereof,  and  who  cut  in  sunder  that 
which  God  hath  commanded  to  be  joined,  and  act  cor- 
ruptly in  the  earth,  on  them  shall  a  curse  fall,  and  they 
shall  have  a  miserable  dwelling  in  hell.  ^^  God  giveth 
provision  in  abundance  unto  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  is 
sparing  unto  whom  he  pleaseth.  Those  of  Mecca  re- 
joice in  the  present  life ;  although  the  present  life, 
in  respect  of  the  future,  is  but  a  precarious  provi- 
sion. ^^  The  infidels  say,  Unless  a  sign  be  sent  down 
unto  him  from  his  Lord,  we  will  not  believe.  Answer, 
Verily  God  will  lead  into  error  whom  he  pleaseth,  and 
will  direct  unto  himself  him  who  repenteth,  and  those 
who  believe,  and  whose  hearts  rest  securely  in  the  medi- 
tation of  God.     ^^  Shall  not  men's  hearts  rest  securely  in 

23     JVho  join    that    which    God    hath  tice  of  their  duty,  both  towards  God  and 

commanded  to    be  joined.']     By   believing  man  i. 

in    all    the    prophets    without    exception,  25   Gardens  of  eternal  abode.]   Literally, 

and  joining    thereto  the   continual    prac-  gardens  of  Eden,     See  chap.  ix. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,    Yahya. 
VOL.  II.  E 


50  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  meditation  of  God  ?  ^^  They  who  believe,  and  do 
that  which  is  right,  shall  enjoy  blessedness,  and  partake  of 
a  happy  resurrection.  ^^  Thus  have  we  sent  thee  to  a 
nation  which  other  nations  have  preceded,  unto  whom 
prophets  have  likewise  been  sent,  that  thou  mayest  re- 
hearse unto  them  that  which  we  have  revealed  unto  thee, 
even  while  they  believe  not  in  the  merciful  God.  ^^  Say 
unto  them,  He  is  my  Lord  ;  there  is  no  God  but  he :  in 
him  do  I  trust,  and  unto  him  must  I  return.  ^^  Though 
a  Koran  were  revealed,  by  which  mountains  should  be 
removed,  or  the  earth  cleaved  in  sunder,  or  the  dead  be 
caused  to  speak,  it  would  be  in  vain.  But  the  matter 
belongeth  wholly  unto  God.  Do  not,  therefore,  the  be- 
lievers know,  that  if  God  pleased,  he  would  certainly 
direct  all  men  ?  Adversity  shall  not  cease  to  afflict  the 
unbelievers  for  that  which  they  have  committed,  or  to  sit 
down  near  their  habitations,  until  God's  promise  come  : 
for  God  is  not  contrary  to  the  promise.  ^^  Apostles  be- 
fore thee  have  been  laughed  to  scorn ;  and  I  permitted 
the  infidels  to  enjoy  a  long  and  happy  life :  but  afterwards 
I  punished  them ;  and  how  severe  was  the  punishment 
which  I  inflicted  on  them  !  ^^  Who  is  it  therefore  that 
standeth  over  every  soul,  to  observe  that  which  it  com- 
mitteth?  They  attribute  companions  unto  God.  Say, 
Name  them:  will  ye  declare  unto  him  that  which  he 
knoweth  not  in  the  earth  ?  or  will  ye  name  them  in  out- 
ward speech  only  ?     But  the  deceitful  procedure  of  the 

34  Though  a  Kordn  were  revealed^  by  are  spoken  to  Mohammed,  and  then  they 

which   mountains  should  be  removed,  &c.]  must  be  translated  in  the  second  person, 

These  are  miracles  which  the  Koreish  re-  Nor  shalt  thou  cease  to  sit  down,  &c.    For 

quired  of  Mohammed  ;  demanding  that  he  they  say  this  verse  relates  to  the  idolaters 

would,  by  the  power  of  his  Koran,  either  of  Mecca,  who  were  afflicted  with  a  series 

remove  the  mountains  from  about  Mecca,  ofmisfortunes  for  their  ill  usage  of  their  pro- 

that  they  might  have  delicious  gardens  in  phet,  and  were  also  continually  annoyed 

their  room ;  or,  that  he  would  oblige  the  and  harassed   by   his  parties,  which  fre- 

wind   to  transport  them  with  their  mer-  quently    plundered    their    caravans,    and 

chandize   to   Syria;  (according  to    which  drove  off  their  cattle  ;  himself  sitting  down 

tradition  the  words  here  translated,  or  the  with  his  whole  army  near  the  city  in  the 

earth    cleaved  in  sunder,  should  be  ren-  expedition  of  al  Hodeibiya 2. 

dered,  or  the  earth  be  travelled  over  in  an  —   Until  God's  promise  come.~\     i.  e.  Till 

instant;)  or  else  raise  to  life  Kosai  Ebn  death  and  the  day  of  judgment   overtake 

Kelab  ^  and  others  of  their  ancestors,  to  them;  or,  according  to  the  exposition  in 

bear  witness  to  him;  whereupon  this  pas-  the   preceding   note,   until  the  taking  of 

sage  was  revealed.  Mecca  ^. 

—  Or  to  sit  down  near  their  habitations.']  36  In  outward  speech  only.]     That  is, 

It  is  supposed  by  some,  that  these  words  calling  them  the  companions  of  God,  with- 


>  See  chap.  viii.  ^  ji  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XIII.]  A L  KORAN,  51 

infidels  was  prepared  for  them ;  and  they  are  turned  aside 
from  the  right  path  :  for  he  whom  God  shall  cause  to  err, 
shall  have  no  director.  ^^  They  shall  suffer  punishment  in 
this  life ;  but  the  punishment  of  the  next  shall  be  more 
grievous  :  and  there  shall  be  none  to  protect  them  against 
God.  ^^  This  is  the  description  of  paradise,  which  is  pro- 
mised to  the  pious.  It  is  watered  by  rivers  ;  its  food  is 
perpetual,  and  its  shade  also :  this  shall  be  the  reward  of 
those  who  fear  God.  But  the  reward  of  the  infidels  shall 
be  hell-fire.  ^^  Those  to  whom  we  have  given  the  scrip- 
tures, rejoice  at  what  hath  been  revealed  unto  thee.  Yet 
there  are  some  of  the  confederates  who  deny  part  thereof. 
Say  unto  them.  Verily  I  am  commanded  to  worship  God 
alone ;  and  to  give  him  no  companion :  upon  him  do  I 
call,  and  unto  him  shall  I  return.  ^^  To  this  purpose  have 
we  sent  down  the  Koran,  a  rule  of  judgment,  in  the 
Arabic  language.  And  verily  if  thou  follow  their  desires, 
after  the  knowledge  which  hath  been  given  thee,  there 
shall  be  none  to  defend  or  protect  thee  against  God. 
^^  We  have  formerly  sent  apostles  before  thee,  and  bestowed 
on  them  wives  and  children;  and  no  apostle  had  the 
power  to  come  with  a  sign,  unless  by  the  permission  of 
God.  Every  a^e  hath  its  book  of  revelation  :  God  shall 
abolish  and  shall  confirm  what  hjB^leaseth.  With  him  is  the 
original  of  the  book.  ^^  Moreover,  whether  we  cause  thee 
to  see  any  part  of  that  punishment  wherewith  we  have 

out   being  able   to  assign  any  reason,  or         41   And   bestowed  on   them   wives    and 

give  any  proof,  why  they  deserve   to  be  children.^     As   we   have    on    thee.     This 

sharers   in  the  honour  and   worship  due  passage  was  revealed  in  answer  to  the  re- 

from  mankind  to  him  ^.  preaches  which  were  cast  on  Mohammed 

39  2%ose   to   whom  we  have  given  the  on  account  of   the  great  number   of  his 

scriptureSf  &c.]     Viz.  The  first  proselytes  wives.     For  the  Jews  said,  That  if  he  was 

to  Mohammedism  from  Judaism  and  Chris-  a  true  prophet,  his  care  and  attention  would 

tianity,    or    the   Jews   and    Christians   in  be    employed  about  something  else   than 

general,  who  were  pleased  to  find  the  Ko-  women,  and  the  getting  of  children  *.     It 

ran  so  consonant  to  their  own  scriptures  2.  may  be  observed,  that  it  is  a  maxim  with 

—  Some  of  the  confederates,  ^c,'\  That  the  Jews,  that  nothing  is  more  repugnant 
is,  such  of  them  as  had  entered  into  a  con-  to  prophecy  than  carnality  ^. 
federacy  to  oppose  Mohammed:  as  did  —  The  original  of  the  hook. ']  Literally, 
Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf,  and  the  Jews  who  the  mother  of  the  book ;  by  which  is  meant 
followed  him  ;  and  al  Seyid  al  Najrani,  al  the  preserved  table,  from  which  all  the 
Akib,  and  several  other  Christians ;  who  written  revelations  which  have  been  from 
denied  such  parts  of  the  Koran  as  contra-  time  to  time  published  to  mankind,  accord- 
dieted  their  corrupt  doctrines  and  tradi-  ing  to  the  several  dispensations,  are  tran- 
tions  ^  scripts. 

^AlBeiddwi.  2  ggg  ^y^ap.  iii.  ^  Idem.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,   Yahya. 

^  V.  Maimon,  More  Nev.  part.  2.  c.  36,   &c. 

E    2 


5^  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

threatened  them,  or  whether  we  cause  thee  to  die  before 
it  be  inflicted  on  them,  verily  unto  thee  belongeth  preach- 
ing only,  but  unto  us  inquisition.  ^^  Do  they  not  see  that 
we  come  into  their  land,  and  straiten  the  borders  thereof, 
by  the  conquests  of  the  true  believers  ?  When  God 
judgeth,  there  is  none  to  reverse  his  judgment :  and  he 
will  be  swift  in  taking  an  account.  ^^  Their  predecessors 
formerly  devised  subtle  plots  against  their  prophets ;  but 
God  is  master  of  every  subtle  device.  He  knoweth  that 
which  every  soul  deserveth  :  and  the  infidels  shall  surely 
know  whose  will  be  the  reward  of  paradise.  ^^  The  un- 
believers will  say.  Thou  art  not  sent  of  God.  Answer, 
God  is  a  suflScient  witness  between  me  and  you,  and  he 
who  understandeth  the  scriptures. 

45  The  unbelievers,^     The  persons  intended  in  this  passage,  it  is  said,  were  the 
Jewish  doctors  ^. 

*  Al  BeiddwL 


CHAPTER     XIV. 

INTITLED,    ABRAHAM  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  R.  ^  This  book  have  we  sent  down  unto  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  lead  men  forth  from  darkness  into  light,  by 
the  permission  of  their  Lord,  into  the  glorious  and  laud- 
able way.  ^  God  is  he  unto  whom  belongeth  whatsoever 
is  in  heaven  and  on  earth :  and  woe  be  to  the  infidels, 
because  a  grievous  punishment  waiteth  them ;  ^  who  love 
the  present  life  above  that  which  is  to  come,  and  turn 
men  aside  from  the  way  of  God,  and  seek  to  render  it 
crooked :  these  are  in  an  error  far  distant  from  the  truth. 
^  We  have  sent  no  apostle  but  with  the  language  of  his 
people,  that  he  might  declare   their   duty  plainly  unto 

Title — Abraham.']     Mention  is  made  of  plainly  unto  them.~\     That  so  they  might 

this   patriarch   towards    the    end    of   the  not  only  perfectly  and  readily  understand 

chapter.  those    revelations   themselves,    but  might 

1   See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  also  be  able  to  translate  and  interpret  rhem 

5   That   he  might    declare    their    duty  unto  others  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


XIV.]  A  L     KORAN.  53 

them ;  for  God  causeth  to  err  whom  he  pleaseth,  and 
directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the 
wise.  ^  We  formerly  sent  Moses  with  our  signs,  and 
commanded  him,  saying,  Lead  forth  thy  people  from 
darkness  into  light,  and  remind  them  of  the  favours  of 
God  :  Verily  therein  are  signs  unto  every  patient  and 
grateful  person.  ^  And  call  to  mind  when  Moses  said 
unto  his  people.  Remember  the  favour  of  God  towards 
you,  when  he  delivered  you  from  the  people  of  Pharaoh  : 
they  grievously  oppressed  you ;  and  they  slew  your  male 
children,  but  let  your  females  live  :  therein  was  a  great 
trial  from  your  Lord.  ^  And  when  your  Lord  declared, 
by  the  mouth  of  Moses,  saying.  If  ye  be  thankful,  I  will 
surely  increase  my  favours  towards  you;  but  if  ye  be 
ungrateful,  verily  my  punishment  shall  be  severe.  ^  And 
MosES  said.  If  ye  be  ungrateful,  and  all  who  are  in  the 
earth  likewise  ;  verily  God  needeth  not  your  thanks, 
though  he  deserveth  the  highest  praise.  ^^Hath  not  the 
history  of  the  nations  your  predecessors  reached  you; 
namely,  of  the  people  of  Noah,  and  of  Ad,  and  of 
Thamud,  and  of  those  who  succeeded  them,  whose  num- 
ber none  knoweth  except  God  ?  Their  apostles  came 
unto  them  with  evident  miracles  ;  but  they  clapped  their 
hands  to  their  mouths  out  of  indignation,  and  said.  We 
do  not  believe  the  message  with  which  ye  pretend  to  be 
sent ;  and  we  are  in  a  doubt  concerning  the  religion  to 
which  ye  invite  us,  as  justly  to  be  suspected.  ^^  Their 
apostles  answered.  Is  there  any  doubt  concerning  God, 
the  creator  of  heaven  and  earth  ?  He  inviteth  you  to  the 
true  faith,  that  he  may  forgive  you  part  of  your  sins,  and 
may  respite  your  punishment,  by  granting  you  space  to 
repent,  until  an  appointed  time.     They  answered,  Ye  are 

6  The  favours  of  God.^  Literally,  the  11  Part  of  your  sins.^  That  is,  such  of 
days  of  God;  which  ma}^  also  be  trans-  them  as  were  committed  directly  against 
lated,  the  battles  of  God,  (the  Arabs  using  God,  which  are  immediately  cancelled  by 
the  word  day  to  signify  a  remarkable  en-  faith,  or  embracing  Islam ;  but  not  the 
gagement,  as  the  Italians  do  Giornata,  and  crimes  of  injustice  and  oppression,  which 
the  French  Journee,)  or  his  wonderful  acts  were  committed  against  man  ^  :  for,  to 
manifested  in  the  various  success  of  former  obtain  remission  of  these  last,  besides 
nations  in  their  wars  ^.  faith,  repentance,  and  restitution  accord- 

7  Females  live,']    See  chap.  7-  ing   to   a  man's   ability,    are   also    neces- 
10   Thamud.]     See  ibid.  sary. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  »  Idem. 


54  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

but  men  like  unto  us:  ye  seek  to  turn  us  aside  from  the  gods 
which  our  fathers  worshipped ;  wherefore  bring  us  an  evi- 
dent demonstration,  by  some  miracle,  that  ye  speak  truth. 
^^  Their  apostles  replied  unto  them.  We  are  no  other  than 
men  like  unto  you ;  but  God  is  bountiful  unto  such  of  his 
servants  as  he  pleaseth ;  ^^  and  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  give 
you  a  miraculous  demonstration  of  our  mission,  unless  by  the 
permission  of  God  ;  in  God  therefore  let  the  faithful  trust. 
And  what  excuse  have  we  to  allege,  that  we  should  not 
put  our  trust  in  God,  since  he  hath  directed  us  our  paths  ? 
Wherefore  we  will  certainly  suffer  with  patience  the  per- 
secution wherewith  ye  shall  afflict  us :  in  God  therefore 
let  those  put  their  confidence  who  seek  in  whom  to  put 
their  trust.  ^*And  those  who  believed  not,  said  unto 
their  apostles.  We  will  surely  expel  you  out  of  our  land, 
or  ye  shall  return  unto  our  religion.  And  their  Lord 
spake  unto  them  by  revelation,  saying.  We  will  surely 
destroy  the  wicked  doers ;  ^^  and  we  will  cause  you  to 
dwell  in  the  earth  after  them.  This  shall  be  granted  unto 
him  who  shall  dread  the  appearance  at  my  tribunal,  and 
shall  fear  my  threatening.  ^^  And  they  asked  assistance 
of  God,  and  every  rebellious  perverse  person  failed  of 
success.  ^^  Hell  lieth  unseen  before  him,  and  he  shall 
have  filthy  water  given  him  to  drink :  ^^  he  shall  sup  it 
up  by  little  and  little,  and  he  shall  not  easily  let  it  pass 
his  throat,  because  of  its  nauseousness.  Death  also  shall 
come  upon  him  from  every  quarter,  yet  he  shall  not  die ; 
and  before  him  shall  there  stand  prepared  a  grievous 
torment.  *^  This  is  the  likeness  of  those  who  believe  not 
in  their  Lord.  Their  works  are  as  ashes,  which  the  wind 
violently  scattereth  in  a  stormy  day ;  they  shall  not  be 
able  to  obtain  any  solid  advantage  from  that  which  they 
have  wrought.  This  is  an  error  most  distant  from  truth. 
^"  Dost  thou  not  see  that  God  hath  created  the  heavens 

16   They  asked  assistance  of  God.'\    The  the  preceding,  but  is  spoken  of  the  people  of 

commentators  are  uncertain  whether  these  Mecca,  who  begged  rain  in  a  great  drought 

were  the  prophets  who  begged  assistance  with  which  they  were  afflicted  at  the  prayer 

against  their  enemies,  or  the  infidels,  who  of  their  prophet,  but  could  not  obtain  it^. 

called  for  God's  decision  between  them-  17  Filthy   water."]      Which   will  issue 

selves  and    them;    or  both.      And  some  from  the  bodies  of  the  damned,  mixed  with 

suppose  this  verse  hath  no  connexion  with  purulent  matter  and  blood. 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


XIV.]  A L    KORAN.  55 

and  the  earth  in  wisdom  ?  If  he  please,  he  can  destroy 
you,  and  produce  a  new  creature  in  your  stead :  neither 
will  that  be  difficult  with  God.  ^*And  they  shall  all 
come  forth  into  the  presence  of  God  at  the  last  day :  and 
the  weak  among  them  shall  say  unto  those  who  behaved 
themselves  arrogantly,  Verily  we  were  your  followers  on 
earth  ;  will  ye  not  therefore  avert  from  us  some  part  of 
the  divine  vengeance  ?  They  shall  answer.  If  God  had 
directed  us  aright,  we  had  certainly  directed  you.  It  is 
equal  unto  us  whether  we  bear  our  torments  impatiently, 
or  whether  we  endure  them  with  patience  ;  for  we  have 
no  way  to  escape.  ^^  And  Satan  shall  say,  after  judgment 
shall  have  been  given.  Verily  God  promised  you  a  promise 
of  truth ;  and  I  also  made  you  a  promise  ;  but  I  deceived 
you.  Yet  I  had  not  any  power  over  you  to  compel  you ; 
but  I  called  you  only,  and  ye  answered  me :  wherefore 
accuse  not  me,  but  accuse  yourselves.  I  cannot  assist 
you :  neither  can  ye  assist  me.  Verily  I  do  now  renounce 
your  having  associated  me  with  God  heretofore.  A 
grievous  punishment  is  prepared  for  the  unjust.  ^^  But 
they  who  shall  have  believed,  and  wrought  righteousness, 
shall  be  introduced  into  gardens  wherein  rivers  flow ;  they 
shall  remain  therein  for  ever,  by  the  permission  of  their 
Lord  ;  and  their  salutation  therein  shall  be.  Peace  ! 
^'^  Dost  thou  not  see  how  God  putteth  forth  a  parable, 
representing  a  good  word  as  a  good  tree,  whose  root  is 
firmly  fixed  in  the  earth,  and  whose  branches  reach  unto 
heaven ;  which  bringeth  forth  its  fruit  in  all  seasons,  by 
the  will  of  its  Lord  ?  God  propoundeth  parables  unto 
men,  that  they  may  be  instructed.     ^^  And  the  likeness 

21  The  weak  shall  say  unto  those  who  blame  your  own  folly  in  obeying  and  trust- 
hehave  arrogantly.^  i.e.  The  more  simple  ing  to  me,  who  had  openly  professed  my- 
and  inferior  people  shall  say  to  their  teach-     self  your  irreconcilable  enemy. 

ers  and  princes  who  seduced  them  to  idol-  —  I  do  now  renounce  your  having  asso- 

atry,  and  confirmed  them  in  their  obstinate  dated  me  with  God  heretofore.^     Or,  I  do 

infidelity.  now  declare  myself  clear  of  your  having 

—  If  God  had  directed  us  aright,   we  obeyed  me  preferably  to  God,  and  wor- 

had  certainly  directed  you."]     That  is,  We  shipped  idols  at  my  instigation.     Or  the 

made  the  same  choice  for  you  as  we  did  words  may  be  translated,   I  believed  not 

for  ourselves  ;  and  had  not  God  permitted  heretofore  in  that  being  with  whom  ye  did 

us  to  fall  into  error,  we  had  not  seduced  associate  me ;   intimating  his  first  disobe- 

you.  dience   in  refusing   to  worship  Adam  at 

22  Wherefore  accuse  not  me,  &c.]     Lay  God's  command  ^ 

not   the  blame   on    my   temptations,    but         23  Peace.^     See  chap.  x. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


56  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

of  an  evil  word  is  as  an  evil  tree  ;  which  is  torn  up  from 
the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  no  stability.  ^^  God  shall 
confirm  them  Avho  believe,  by  the  steadfast  word  of  faith, 
both  in  this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come :  but  God 
shall  lead  the  wicked  into  error ;  for  God  doth  that  which 
he  pleaseth.  ^'^  Hast  thou  not  considered  those  who  have 
changed  the  grace  of  God  to  infidelity,  and  cause  their 
people  to  descend  into  the  house  of  perdition,  namely, 
into  hell  ?  ^^  They  shall  be  thrown  to  burn  therein ;  and 
an  unhappy  dwelling  shall  it  be.  ^^  They  also  set  up 
idols  as  co-partners  with  God,  that  they  might  cause  men 
to  stray  from  his  path.  Say  unto  them.  Enjoy  the  plea- 
sures of  this  life  for  a  time ;  but  your  departure  hence 
shall  be  into  hell-fire.  ^^  Speak  unto  my  servants  who 
have  believed,  that  they  be  assiduous  at  prayer,  and  give 
alms  out  of  that  which  we  have  bestowed  on  them,  both 
privately  and  in  public,  before  the  day  cometh  wherein 
there  shall  be  no  buying  or  selling,  neither  any  friendship. 
^^  It  is  God  who  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ; 
and  causeth  water  to  descend  from  heaven,  and  by  means 
thereof  produceth  fruits  for  your  sustenance :  and  by  his 
command  he  obligeth  the  ships  to  sail  in  the  sea  for  your 
service  :  and  he  also  forceth  the  rivers  to  supply  your 

25  Evil  word.~\     What   is    particularly  them  ;  as  he  did  the  Meccans,  who,  though 

intended  in  this  passage  by  the  good  word,  God  had  placed  them  in  the  sacred  terri- 

and  the  evil   word,  the  expositors  differ,  tory,  and  given  them  the  custody  of  the 

But  the  first  seems  to  mean  the  profession  Caaba,  and  abundant  provision  of  all  ne- 

of  God's  unity,  the  inviting  others  to  the  cessaries  and  conveniences  of  life,  and  had 

true  religion,  or  the  Koran  itself ;  and  the  also  honoured    them    by   the   mission    of 

latter,   the   acknowledging  a   plurality  of  Mohammed,    yet,   in    return   for    all  this, 

gods,  the  seducing  of  others  to  idolatry,  became  obstinate  unbelievers,   and  perse- 

or  the  obstinate  opposition  of  God's  pro-  cuted  his  apostle  ;  for  which  they  were  not 

phets  ^.  only  punished  by  a  famine  of  seven  years, 

2f>  And  in  that  which  is  to  come.']     Jal-  but  also   by  the  loss    and  disgrace  they 

lalo'ddin  supposes  the  sepulchre  to  be  here  sustained  at  Bedr  ;    so  that  they  who  had 

understood  ;  in  which  place  when  the  true  before  been  celebrated  for  their  prosperity, 

believers  come  to  be  examined  by  the  two  were   now    stripped   of  that,  and   become 

angels    concerning    their  faith,   they   will  conspicuous  only  for  their  infidelity  3.     If 

answer  properly,  and  without  hesitation  ;  this  be  the  drift  of  the  passage,  it  could  not 

which    the  infidels  will    not    be   able    to  have  been  revealed  at  Mecca,  as  the  rest 

do  2.  of  the  chapter  is  agreed  to  be  ;  wherefore 

27  Hast  thou  not  considered  those  who  some  suppose  this  verse  and  the  next  to 

have  changed  the  grace  of  God  to  infidelity ^  have  been  revealed  at  Medina. 
&c.]     That   is,   who   requite   his  favours         31   He  ohligeth.']     The  word  used  here, 

with  disobedience   and  incredulity.      Or,  and  in  the  following  sentences,  is  Sakhk- 

whose  ingratitude  obliged  God  to  deprive  hara,  which  signifies  forcibly  to  press  into 

them  of  the  blessings  he  had  betowed  on  any  service  *. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  §  iv.  p.  90. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  *  See  chap.  ii.  p.  25,  note  166. 


XIV.]  AL     KORAN.  57 

uses  ;  ^^  he  likewise  compelleth  the  sun  and  the  moon, 
which  diligently  perform  their  courses,  to  serve  you ;  and 
hath  subjected  the  day  and  the  night  to  your  service. 
33  jj^  giveth  you  of  every  thing  which  ye  ask  him ;  and 
if  ye  attempt  to  reckon  up  the  favours  of  God,  ye  shall 
not  be  able  to  compute  the  same.  Surely  man  is  unjust 
and  ungrateful.  ^*  Remember  when  Abraham  said,  O 
Lord,  make  this  land  a  place  of  security ;  and  grant  that 
I  and  my  children  may  avoid  the  worship  of  idols  ;  ^^  for 
they,  O  Lord,  have  seduced  a  great  number  of  men. 
^^  Whoever  therefore  shall  follow  me,  he  shall  be  of  me  ; 
and  whosoever  shall  disobey  me;  verily  thou  wilt  be 
gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  O  Lord,  I  have  caused  some  of 
my  offspring  to  settle  in  an  unfruitful  valley,  near  thy 
holy  house,  O  Lord,  that  they  may  be  constant  at  prayer. 
Grant,  therefore,  that  the  hearts  of  some  men  may  be 
affected  with  kindness  toward  them  ;  and  do  thou 
bestow  on  them  all  sorts  of  fruits,  that  they  may  give 
thanks.  ^^  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  whatsoever  we  conceal, 
and  whatsoever  we  publish :  for  nothing  is  hidden  from 
God,  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  Praise  be  unto  God, 
who  hath  given  me,  in  my  old  age,  Ismael  and  Isaac  : 
for  my  Lord  is  the  hearer  of  supplication.  ^^  O  Lord, 
grant  that  I  may  be  an  observer  of  prayer,  and  a  part  of 
my  posterity  also,  O  Lord  ;    and  receive  my  supplication. 

34  This  land.']     Viz.    The  territory  of  out  of  doors  ;  whereupon  he  sent  them  to 

Mecca.    See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  the  territory  of  Mecca,  where  God  caused 

—  And  my  children.']     This  prayer,  it  the  fountain  of  Zemzem  to   spring  forth 

seems,  was  not  heard  as  to  all  his  pos-  for  their  relief,  in  consideration  of  which, 

terity,  particularly  as  to  the  descendants  of  the  Jorhamites,  who  were  the  masters  of 

Ismael ;  though  some  pretend  that  these  the    country,    permitted    them    to    settle 

latter  did  not  worship  images,   but  only  among  them  2. 

paid  a  superstitious  veneration  to  certain         —  The  hearts  of  some  men^  &c.]     Had 

stones,  which  they  set  up,  and  compassed,  he  said  the  hearts  of  men  absolutely,  the 

as  representations  of  the  Caaba  ^  Persians   and    Romans   would    also   have 

36  Thou  wilt  he  gracious  and  merciful.]  treated  them  as  friends;  and  both  the 
That  is,  by  disposing  him  to  repentance.  Jews  and  Christians  would  have  made 
But  Jallalo'ddin  supposes  these  words  were  their  pilgrimages  to  Mecca  ^. 

spoken  by  Abraham  before  he  knew  that  —    Bestow     on     them   fruits.]       This 

God  would  not  pardon  idolatry.  part    of  the  prayer  was  granted ;  Mecca 

37  Some  of  my  offspring.]  i.e.  Ismael  being  so  plentifully  supplied,  that  the 
and  his  posterity.  The  Mohammedans  fruits  of  spring,  summer,  and  autumn, 
say,  that  Hagar,  his  mother,  belonged  to  are  to  be  found  there  at  one  and  the 
Sarah,  who    gave   her   to   Abraham  ;  and  same  time  '*. 

that  on  her  bearing  him  this  son,  Sarah  39  And  a  part  of  my  posterity.]  For 
became  so  jealous  of  her,  that  she  pre-  he  knew  by  revelation  that  some  of  them 
vailed  on  her  husband  to  turn  them  both     would  be  infidels. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  p.  23,  24.  2  ^/  BeiddwL 

3  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin.  *  lidem. 


58  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

O  Lord,  forgive  me  and  my  parents,  and  the  faithful  on 
the  day  whereon  an  account  shall  be  taken.  *^  Think 
not,  O  prophet,  that  God  is  regardless  of  what  the 
ungodly  do.  *^  He  only  deferreth  their  punishment  unto 
the  day  whereon  men's  eyes  shall  be  fixed :  ^^  they  shall 
hasten  forward  at  the  voice  of  the  angel  calling  to  judg- 
ment, and  shall  lift  up  their  heads ;  they  shall  not  be  able 
to  turn  their  sight  from  the  object  whereon  it  shall  be 
fixed,  and  their  hearts  shall  be  void  of  sense  through 
excessive  terror.  ^^  Wherefore  do  thou  threaten  men 
with  the  day  whereon  their  punishment  shall  be  inflicted 
on  them,  and  whereon  those  who  have  acted  unjustly 
shall  say,  O  Lord,  give  us  respite  unto  a  term  near  at 
hand ;  ^^  and  we  will  obey  thy  call,  and  we  will  follow  thy 
apostles.  But  it  shall  be  answered  unto  them.  Did  ye 
not  swear  heretofore,  that  no  reverse  should  befal  you  ? 
^^  yet  ye  dwelt  in  the  dwellings  of  those  who  had  treated 
their  own  souls  unjustly ;  and  it  appeared  plainly  unto 
you  how  we  had  dealt  with  them ;  and  we  propounded 
their  destruction  as  examples  unto  you.  ^^  They  employ 
their  utmost  subtilty  to  oppose  the  truth ;  but  their 
subtilty  is  apparent  unto  God,  who  is  able  to  frustrate 
their  designs  ;  although  their  subtilty  were  so  great,  that 
the  mountains  might  be  moved  thereby.  ^^  Think  not 
therefore,  O  prophet,  that  God  will  be  contrary  to  his 
promise  of  assistance,  made  unto  his  apostles ;  for  God  is 
mighty,  able  to  avenge.  •^^  ThejdayjwilL.ci3inB^.„.w^ 
earth  shall  be  chai^ 
into  other  heavens  ;  and  men  shall^come  forth  from  their 

39  Forgive  me  and  my  parents.']     Abra-  —  And   it   appeared  plainly   unto  you 

ham  put  up  this  petition  to  God  before  he  how  we  had  dealt  with  them."]     Not  only 

knew  that  his  parents  were  the  enemies  of  by  the  histories  of  those  people  revealed  in 

God  ^     Some  suppose  his  mother  was  a  the  Koran,   but  also  by  the   monuments 

true  believer,  and  therefore  read  it  in  the  remaining  of  them  (as  the  houses  of  the 

singular.   And   my  father.     Others  fancy  Thamudites),  and  the  traditions  preserved 

that  by    his   parents   the    patriarch   here  among  you  of  the  terriblejudgments  which 

means  Adam  and  Eve  2.  befel  them. 

44  That  no  reverse  should  befal  you,]  i.  e.  48  When  the  earth  shall  be  changed  into 
That  ye  should  not  taste  of  death,  but  con-  another  earth,  and  the  heavens  into  other 
tinue  in  this  world  for  ever;  or  that  ye  should  heavens.]  This  the  Mohammedans  sup- 
not  after  death  be  raised  to  judgment  ^.  pose  will  come  to  pass  at  the  last  day ;  the 

Ab  The  dwellings  of  those  who  had  treated  earth  becoming    white   and   even,  or,  as 

their  own  souls  unjustly.]  Wz.Oiihe  k6\ies  some   will   have    it,    of  silver;    and   the 

and  Thamudites.  heavens  of  gold*. 


^  See  chap.  ix.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  J allalo' ddin , 

Al  Zamahhsharij  Yahya.  ^  lidem.     V.  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  101. 


XV.]  AL    KORAN.  69 

graves  to  appear  before  the  only,  the  mighty  God.     ^^  And 
thoiLiEi]OS3^ 
Mtfixa^^^Jitheir^m^ 

shall  cover  their  faces:  ^Hhat  GoD  may  reward  every 
soul  according  to  what  it  shall  have  deserved ;  for  God  is 
swift  in  taking  an  account.  ^^  This  is  a  sufficient  admo- 
nition unto  men,  that  they  may  be  warned  thereby,  and 
that  they  may  know  that  there  is  but  one  God  ;  and  that 
those  who  are  endued  with  understanding  may  con- 
sider. 


CHAPTER     XV. 

INTITLED,    HEJR;    REVEALED   AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  A.  L.  R.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  book,  and  of  the 
perspicuous  Koran.  [*XIV.]  ^The  time  may  come 
when  the  unbelievers  shall  wish  that  they  had  been 
Moslems.  ^  Suffer  them  to  eat,  and  to  enjoy  themselves 
in  this  world;  and  let  hope  entertain  them:  but  they 
shall  hereafter  know  their  folly.  ^  We  have  not  destroyed 
any  city,  but  a  fixed  term  of  repentance  was  appointed 
them.  ^  No  nation  shall  be  punished  before  their  time 
shall  be  come ;  neither  shall  they  be  respited  after.  ^  The 
Meccans  say,  O  thou  to  whom  the  admonition  hath  been 
sent  down,  thou  art  certainly  possessed  with  a  devil: 
^  wouldest  thou  not  have  come  unto  us  with  an  attendance 
of  angels,  if  thou  hadst  spoken  truth  ?  ^  Answer,  We  send 
not  down  the  angels  unless  on  a  just  occasion :  nor  should 

Title — HejrJ]     Al  Hcjr  is  a  territory  in         7    The   admonition,']  i.  e.    The   revela- 

the   province  of  Hejaz,  between  Medina  tions  which  compose  the  Koran, 
and  Syria,  where    the   tribe   of   ThamCid         9  A  just  occasion,]      When  the  Divine 

dwelt  ^ ;  and  is  mentioned  towards  the  end  Wisdom  shall  judge  it  proper  to  use  their 

of  the  chapter.  ministry,  as  in  bearing  his  revelations  to 

1    A,  L,   R.]      See  the   Prelim.    Disc,  the  prophets,  and  the  executing  his  sen- 

§  iii.  tence  on  wicked  people ;  but  not  to  humour 

3  When  the  unbelievers  shall  wish  that  you  with  their  appearance  in  visible 
they  had  been  Moslems.]  Viz.  When  they  shapes,  which,  should  your  demand  be  corn- 
shall  see  the  success  and  prosperity  of  the  plied  with,  would  only  increase  your  con- 
true  believers;  or  when  they  shall  come  to  fusion,  and  bring  God's  vengeance  on  you 
die  ;  or  at  the  resurrection.  the  vsooiier. 


1  See  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  8. 


60  A L    KORAN.  [cijap. 

they  be  then  respited  any  longer.  ^^  We  have  surely 
sent  down  the  Koran  ;  and  we  will  certainly  preserve 
the  same  from  corruption.  ^^  We  have  heretofore  sent 
apostles  before  thee,  among  the  ancient  sects :  ^^  and 
there  came  no  apostle  unto  them,  but  they  laughed  him 
to  scorn.  ^^  In  the  same  manner  will  we  put  it  into  the 
hearts  of  the  wicked  Meccans  to  scoff  at  their  prophet : 
^^  they  shall  not  believe  on  him  ;  and  the  sentence  of  the 
nations  of  old  hath  been  executed  heretofore.  ^^  If  we 
should  open  a  gate  in  the  heaven  above  them,  and  they 
should  ascend  thereto  all  the  day  long,  they  would  surely 
say.  Our  eyes  are  only  dazzled  :  or  rather  we  are  a  people 
deluded  by  enchantments.  ^^  We  have  placed  the  twelve 
signs  in  the  heaven,  and  have  set  them  out  in  various 
figures  for  the  observation  of  spectators  :  ^^  and  w^e  guard 
them  from  every  devil  driven  away  with  stones ;  ^^  except 
him  who  listeneth  by  stealth,  at  whom  a  visible  flame  is 
darted.  ^^  We  have  also  spread  forth  the  earth,  and 
thrown  thereon  stable  mountains ;  and  we  have  caused 
every  kind  of  vegetable  to  spring  forth  in  the  same, 
according  to  a  determinate  weight :  ^^  and  we  have  pro- 
vided therein  necessaries  of  life  for  you,  and  for  him  whom 
ye  do  not  sustain.  ^^  There  is  no  one  thing  but  the 
storehouses  thereof  are  in  our  hands :  and  we  distribute 
not  the  same  otherwise  than  in  a  determinate  measure. 
^^  We  also  send  the  winds  driving  the  pregnant  clouds, 
and  we  send  down  from  heaven  water,  whereof  we  give 
you  to  drink,  and  which  ye  keep  not  in  store.     ^^  Verily 

10  From  corruption,']     See  the  Prelim,  birth  of  Mohammed  they  were  forbidden 

Disc.  §  iv.  the  other  four  *. 

15    Jnd  they    should   ascend   thereto.']         —  Stones,]     See  chap.  iii. 
i.e.  The  incredulous  Meccans  themselves ;  18  At  whom  a  visible  flame  is  darted,] 

or,  as  others  rather  think,  the  angels  in  For  when  a  star  seems  to  fall  or  shoot, 

visible  forms.  the    Mohammedans    suppose  the   angels, 

17  We  guard  them  from  every  devil,  8ic,]  who    keep  guard    in    the   constellations, 

For  the  Mohammedans  imagine  that  the  dart. them  at  the  devils  who  approach  too 

devils  endeavour  to  ascend  to  the  constel-  near. 

lations,  to  pry  into  the  actions,  and  over-  20  And  for  him  whom  ye  do  not  sustain,'] 
hear  the  discourse,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Viz.  Your  family,  servants,  and  slaves, 
heaven,  and  to  tempt  them.  They  also  whom  ye  wrongly  imagine  that  ye  feed 
pretend  that  these  evil  spirits  had  the  yourselves ;  though  it  is  God  who  pro- 
liberty  of  entering  any  of  the  heavens  till  vides  for  them  as  well  as  you  2 :  or,  as 
the  birth  of  Jesus,  when  they  were  ex-  some  rather  think,  the  animals,  of  whom 
eluded   three   of  them  ;    but  that  on   the  men  take  no  care  ^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Jallalo' ddin. 


XV.]  A  L     KORAN.  61 

\v^^ive Jlfej^  M^  w^^^  and  we  are  the  heirs  of 

all  things.  ^^  We  know  those  among  you  who  go  before ; 
and  we  know  those  who  stay  behind.  ^^  And  thy  Lord 
shall  gather  them  together  at  the  last  day ;  for  he  is 
knowing  and  wise.  ^^  We^creatjei^  of  dried  clay^^^^^  of 
black  mud  forme^^jnto  shape  :  ^^  and  we  had  before 
created  the  devil,  of  subtile  fire.  ^^  And  remember  when 
thy  Lord  said  unto  the  angels,  Verily  I  am  about  to 
create  man  of  dried  clay,  of  black  mud.  wrought  into 
shape :  ^^  when  therefore  I  shall  have  completely  formed 
him,  and  shall  have  breathed  of  my  spirit  into  him,  do  ye 
fall  down  and  worship  him.  ^^  And  all  the  angels  wor- 
shipped Adam  together,  ^^  except  Eblis,  who  refused  to 
be  with  those  who  worshipped  him.  ^^  And  God  said 
unto  him,  O  Eblis,  what  hindered  thee  from  being  with 
those  who  wm^shippe"d"AbTM?  answered,  llTp  not 

fit  that  I  should  worship  man,  whom  thou  hast  created  of 
dried  clayroT  Hack  mud,  wrought  into  shape.  ^^  God 
said.  Get  thM'^Tnierefi)re  liencej  fo  thou  shalt  be  driven 
away  with  stones  :  ^''^  and  a  curse  shall  be  on  thee,  until  the 
day  of  judgment.  ^^^  The  devil  said,  O  Lord,  give  me 
respite  until  the  day  of  resurrection.  ^^  God  answered, 
Verily  thou  shalt  be  one  of  those  who  are  respited  until 
the  day  of  the  appointed  time.  ^^  The  devil  replied, 
O  Lord,  because  thou  hast  seduced  me,  I  will  surely 
tempt  them  to  disobedience  in  the  earth ;  and  I  will 
seduce  them  all ;  ^^  except  such  of  them  as  shall  be  thy 
chosen  servants.  ^^  God  said.  This  is  the  right  way  with 
me.  ^^  Verily  as  to  my  servants,  thou  shalt  have  no 
power  over  them ;  but  over  those  only  who  shall  be 
seduced,  and  who  shall  follow  thee.  ^^  And  hell  is  surely 
denounced  unto  them  all :    "^^  it  hath  seven  gates :  unto 

23  The  heirs  of  all  things.']  i.  e.  x\lone  Mohammed's  followers,  on  seeing  a  very 
surviving,  w^hen  all  creatures  shall  be  dead  beautiful  woman  at  prayers  behind  the 
and  annihilated.  prophet ;  some  of  them  going  out  of  the 

24  We  know  those  among  you  who  go  mosque  before  her,  to  avoid  looking  on  her 
before,  and  those  who  stay  behind.]  What  more  nearly ;  and  others  staying  behind, 
these  words  particularly  drive  at,  is  uncer-  on  purpose  to  view  her  ^. 

tain.      Some   think    them  spoken  of  the  26  Created,  &c.]     See  chap.  ii. 

different  times  of  men's  several  entrance  31  Eblis.]     See  ibid,  and  chap.  7. 

into  this  world,  and  their  departure  out  of  40  This  is  the  right  way  with  me.]  Viz. 

it  ;    others  of  the  respective  forwardness  The  saving   of  the    elect,    and   the   utter 

and  backwardness  of  Mohammed's  men  in  reprobation  of  the  wicked,  according  to  my 

battle  ;  and  a  third  says,  the  passage  was  eternal  decree, 

occasioned  by  the  different  behaviour  of  43  Gates,  Bzc]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


At  Beiddwi. 


62  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

every  gate  a  distinct  company  of  them  shall  be  assigned. 
^*  But  those  who  fear  God  shall  dwell  in  gardens,  amidst 
fountains.  ^^  The  angels  shall  say  unto  them,  Enter  ye 
therein  in  peace  and  security.  *^  And  we  will  remove  all 
grudges  from  their  breasts  ;  they  shall  be  as  brethren, 
sitting  over-against  one  another  on  couches  :  *^  weariness 
shall  not  affect  them  therein,  neither  shall  they  be  cast 
out  thence  for  ever.  ^^  Declare  unto  my  servants  that  I 
am  the  gracious,  the  merciful  God  ;  ^^  and  that  my 
punishment  is  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^  And  relate  unto 
them  the  history  of  Abraham's  guests.  ^^  When  they 
went  in  unto  him,  and  said.  Peace  be  unto  thee ;  he 
answered,  Verily  we  are  afraid  of  you ;  ^^  and  they  replied, 
Fear  not ;  we  bring  thee  the  promise  of  a  wise  son.  ^^  He 
said,  Do  ye  bring  me  the  promise  of  a  son  now  old  age 
hath  overtaken  me  ?  what  is  it  therefore  that  ye  tell  me  ? 
^*  They  said.  We  have  told  thee  the  truth  ;  be  not  there- 
fore one  of  those  who  despair.  ^^  He  answered.  And 
who  despaireth  of  the  mercy  of  God,  except  those  who 
err  ?  ^^  And  he  said,  What  is  your  errand  therefore,  O 
messengers  of  God  ?  ^^  They  answered.  Verily  we  are 
sent  to  destroy  a  wicked  people :  ^^  but  as  for  the  family 
of  Lot,  we  will  save  them  all,  except  his  wife ;  ^^  we  have 
decreed  that  she  shall  be  one  of  those  who  remain  be- 
hind to  be  destroyed  with  the  infidels.  ^^  And  when  the 
messengers  came  to  the  family  of  Lot,  ^^  he  said  unto  them. 
Verily  ye  are  people  who  are  unknown  to  me.  ^^  They 
answered.  But  we  are  come  unto  thee  to  execute  that 
sentence,  concerning  which  your  fellow-citizens  doubted : 
^^  we  tell  thee  a  certain  truth ;  and  we  are  messengers  of 
veracity.  ^^  Therefore  lead  forth  thy  family  in  some  time 
of  the  night ;  and  do  thou  follow  behind  them ;  and  let 
none  of  you  turn  back ;  but  go  whither  ye  are  commanded. 

46  We  will  remove  all  grudges  from  their  which  might  be  construed  a  sign  of  con- 

breasts.l     That  is,  all  hatred  and  ill-will  tempt. 

which  they  bore  each  other  in  their  life-         50  Abraham's  guests.']     See  chap.  xi. 
time  ^ ;  or,  as  some  choose  to  expound  it,         51    We  are  afraid  of  you.]     What  occa- 

all  envy  or  heartburning  on  account  of  the  sioned  Abraham's  apprehension  was,  either 

different  degrees  of  honour  and  happiness  their    sudden  entering  without  leave,  or 

to  which   the   blessed  will  be   promoted,  their  coming  at  an  unseasonable  time ;  or 

according  to  their  respective  merits.  else  their  not  eating  with  him. 

—  Sitting   over-against    one    another.]         64   Whither  ye  are  commanded.]    Wbich 

Never  turning  their  backs  to  one  another  2;  was  into  Syria,  or  into  Egypt  ^. 


^  See  chap.  vii.  ^  JallaWddin.  ^  At  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


XV.]  AL    KORAN.  63 

^^  And  we  gave  him  this  command,  because  the  utmost 
remnant  of  those  people  was  to  be  cut  off  in  the  morning : 
^^  And  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  came  unto  Lot,  rejoicing 
at  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  some  strangers.  ^^  And  he 
said  unto  them,  Verily  these  are  my  guests  :  wherefore  do 
not  disgrace  me  by  abusing  them ;  ^^  but  fear  God,  and 
put  me  not  to  shame.  ^^  They  answered,  Have  we  not 
forbidden  thee  from  entertaining  or  protecting  any  man  ? 
^^  Lot  replied.  These  are  my  daughters :  therefore  rather 
make  use  of  them,  if  ye  be  resolved  to  do  what  ye 
purpose.  ^^  As  thou  livest  they  wander  in  their  folly. 
^^  Wherefore  a  terrible  storm  from  heaven  assailed  them 
at  sun-rise ;  ^^  and  we  turned  the  city  upside  down  ;  and 
we  rained  on  them  stones  of  baked  clay.  ^^  Verily  herein 
are  signs  unto  men  of  sagacity :  ^^  and  those  cities  were 
punished,  to  point  out  a  right  way  for  men  to  walk  in. 
^^  Verily  herein  is  a  sign  unto  the  true  believers.  ^^  The 
inhabitants  of  the  wood  near  Midian  were  also  ungodly ; 
'^^  wherefore  we  took  vengeance  on  them.  And  both  of 
them  were  destroyed,  to  serve  as  a  manifest  rule  for  men 
to  direct  their  actions  by.  ^^  And  the  inhabitants  of  Al 
Hejr  likewise  heretofore  accused  the  messengers  of  God 
of  imposture :  ^^  and  we  produced  our  signs  unto  them, 
but  they  retired  afar  off  from  the  same.  ^\  And  they 
hewed  houses  out  of  the  mountains  to  secure  themselves. 
^^  But  a  terrible  noise  from  heaven  assailed  them  in  the 
morning :  ^^  neither  was  what  they  had  wrought  of  any 
advantage  unto  them.  ^^  We  have  not  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  and  whatever  is  contained  between  them, 
otherwise  than  injustice:  and  the  hour  of  judgment  shall 
surely  come.  Wherefore,  O  Mohammed,  forgive  thy 
people  with  a  gracious  forgiveness.  ^^  Verily  thy  Lord 
is  the  creator  of  thee  and  of  them,  and  knoweth  what  is 

71   They  wander,  &c.]     Some  will  have  78    We  took  vengeance  on  them.']     De- 

these  words  spoken  by  the  angels  to  Lot;  stroying  them  for    their  incredulity   and 

others  by  God  to  Mohammed.  disobedience,  by  a  hot,  suffocating  wind  2. 

'JT  The  inhabitants  of  the  wood.]  To  whom  79  The  inhabitants  of  al  Hejr.']     Who 

Shoaib  was  also  sent ;  as  well  as  to  the  in-  were  the  tribe  of  Thamud  ^. 

habitants  of  Midian.     Abu'lfeda  says  these  84  Forgive,  &c.]     This  verse,  it  is  said, 

people   dwelt  near  Tabuc,  and  that  they  was  abrogated  by  that  of  the  Sword, 
were  not  of  the  same  tribe  with  Shoaib  \ 

^  See  also  Geogr.  Nub.  p.  110.  *  ji  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  See  chap.  vii. 

and  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  8. 


64 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


most  expedient.  ^^  We  have  already  brought  unto  thee 
seven  verses  which  are  frequently  to  be  repeated,  and  the 
glorious  Koran.  ^^  Cast  not  thine  eyes  on  the  good 
things  which  we  have  bestowed  on  several  of  the  unbe- 
lievers, so  as  to  covet  the  same ;  neither  be  thou  grieved 
on  their  account.  ^^  Behave  thyself  with  meekness  to- 
wards the  true  believers ;  and  say,  I  am  a  public  preacher. 
^^  If  they  believe  not,  we  will  inflict  a  like  punishment  on 
them,  as  we  have  inflicted  on  the  dividers,  ^^  who  distin- 
guished the  Koran  into  different  parts ;  ^^  for  by  thy 
Lord,  we  will  demand  an  account  from  them  all,  ^^  of 
that  which  they  have  wrought.  ^^  Wherefore  publish  that 
which  thou  hast  been  commanded,  and  withdraw  from  the 
idolaters.  ^^  We  will  surely  take  thy  part  against  the 
scoflers,  ^^  who  associate  with  God  another  god ;  they 
shall  surely  know  their  folly.     ^^  And  now  we  well  know 


86  Seven  verses^  8fc.']  That  is,  the  first 
chapter  of  the  Koran,  which  consists  of  so 
many  verses :  though  some  suppose  the 
seven  long  chapters  ^  are  here  intended. 

87  Cast  not  thine  eyes  on  the  good  things 
which  we  have  bestowed  on  several  of  the 
unbelievers  J  &c.]  That  is,  Do  not  envy 
or  covet  their  worldly  prosperity,  since 
thou  hast  received  in  the  Koran  a  blessing, 
in  comparison  whereof,  all  that  we  have 
bestowed  on  them,  ought  to  be  contemned 
as  of  no  value.  Al  Beidawi  mentions  a 
tradition,  that  Mohammed  meeting  at 
Adhriat  (a  town  of  Syria)  seven  caravans 
very  richly  laden,  belonging  to  some  Jews 
of  the  tribes  of  Koreidha  and  al  Nadir, 
his  men  had  a  great  mind  to  plunder  them, 
saying.  That  those  riches  would  be  of 
great  service  for  the  propagation  of  God's 
true  religion.  But  the  prophet  represented 
to  them,  by  this  passage,  that  they  had 
no  reason  to  repine,  God  having  given 
them  the  seven  verses,  which  were  infi- 
nitely more  valuable  than  those  seven 
caravans  ^. 

89  The  dividers.']  Some  interpret  the 
original  word,  the  obstructors^  who  hin- 
dered men  from  entering  Mecca,  to  visit 
the  temple,  lest  they  should  be  persuaded 
to  embrace  Islam  ;  and  this,  it  is  said,  was 
done  by  ten  men  who  were  all  slain  at 
Bedr.  Others  translate  the  word,  Who 
hound  themselves  by  oath ;  and  suppose 
certain  Thamudites,  who  swore  to  kill 
Saleh  by  night,  are  here  meant.  But  the 
sentence  more  probably  relates  to  the  Jews 


and  Christians,  who  (say  the  Mohamme- 
dans) receive  some  part  of  the  scriptures, 
and  reject  others  ;  and  also  approved  of 
some  passages  of  the  Koran,  and  disap- 
proved of  others,  according  to  their  preju- 
dices ;  or  else  to  the  unbelieving  Meccans, 
some  of  whom  called  the  Koran,  a  piece  of 
witchcraft ;  others,  flights  of  divination  ; 
others,  old  stories  ;  and  others,  a  poetical 
composition  ^. 

94  We  will  take  thy  part  against  the 
scoffers.]  This  passage,  it  is  said,  was  re- 
vealed on  account  of  five  noble  Koreish, 
whose  names  were  al  Walid  Ebn  al  Mog- 
heira,  al  As  Ebn  Wayel,  Oda  Ebn  Kais, 
al  Aswad  Ebn  Abd  Yaghuth,  and  al  Aswad 
Ebn  al  Motalleb.  These  were  inveterate 
enemies  of  Mohammed,  continually  perse- 
cuting him,  and  turning  him  into  ridicule  : 
wherefore  at  length  Gabriel  came,  and  told 
him  that  he  was  commanded  to  take  his 
part  against  them  ;  and  on  the  angel's 
making  a  sign  towards  them  one  after 
another,  al  Walid  passing  by  some  arrows, 
one  of  them  hitched  in  his  garment,  and 
he,  out  of  pride,  not  stooping  to  take  it 
off,  but  walking  forward,  the  head  of  it 
cut  a  vein  in  his  heel,  and  he  bled  to 
death.  Al  As  was  killed  with  a  thorn, 
which  struck  him  into  the  sole  of  his  foot, 
and  caused  his  leg  to  swell  to  a  monstrous 
size.  Oda  died  with  violent  and  perpetual 
sneezing.  Al  Aswad  Ebn  Abd  Yaguth 
run  his  head  against  a  thorny  tree,  and 
killed  himself,  and  al  Aswad  Ebn  al  Mo- 
talleb was  struck  blind  *. 


^  See  chap.  ix. 


2  Al  Beidawi. 


^  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin. 


*  Al  Beiddwi. 


XVI.]  AL    KORAN.  65 

that  thou  art  deeply  concerned  on  account  of  that  which 
they  say  :  ^^  but  do  thou  celebrate  the  praise  of  thy  Lord; 
and  be  one  of  those  who  worship :  ^^  and  serve  thy  Lord, 
until  death  shall  overtake  thee. 

98  Death.]      Literally,  That  which  is  certain. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

INTITLED,  THE  BEE  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  THE  sentence  of  God  will  surely  come  to  be  executed ; 
wherefore  do  not  hasten  it.  Praise  be  unto  him  !  and  far 
be  that  from  him  which  they  associate  with  him !  ^  He 
shall  cause  the  angels  to  descend  with  a  revelation  by  his 
command,  unto  such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth,  saying, 
preach  that  there  is  no  God,  except  myself;  therefore  fear 
me.  ^  He  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  to 
manifest  his  justice ;  far  be  that  from  him  which  they 
associate  with  him  !  ^  He  hath  created  man  of  seed ;  and 
yet  behold  he  is  a  professed  disputer  against  the  resurrec- 
tion. ^  He  hath  likewise  created  the  cattle  for  you :  from 
them  ye  have  wherewith  to  keep  yourselves  warm,  and 
other  advantages ;  and  of  them  do  ye  also  eat.  ^  And 
they  are  likewise  a  credit  unto  you,  when  ye  drive  them 
home  in  the  evening,  and  when  ye  lead  them  forth  to 
feed  in  the  morning :  ^  arid  they  carry  your  burdens  to  a 
distant  country,  at  which  ye  could  not  otherwise  arrive, 
unless  with  great  difficulty  to  yourselves:  for  your  Lord 
is  compassionate  and  merciful.  ^  And  he  hath  also  created 
horses,  and  mules,  and  asses,  that  ye  may  ride  thereon, 
and  for  an  ornament  unto  you  ;  and  he  likewise  createth 

Title— Bee.~\     This  insect  is  mentioned  with  a  rotten  bone,  and  asked  him  whether 

about  the  middle  of  the  chapter.  it  was  possible  for  God  to  restore  it  to  life  ^, 

Title — Mecca.^     Except  the   three  last  5   Ye  have  wherewith  to  keep  yourselves 

verses.  warm.']     Viz.  Their  skins,  wool,  and  hair, 

4  Behold  he    is    a  professed    disputer  which  serve  you  for  clothing. 

against    the    resurrection.]     The    person  6*  J   credit  unto  you.]     Being  a  grace 

particula  ly  intended    in    this   place,  was  to  your  court-yards,  and  a  credit  to  you  in 

Obba  Ebn  Khalf,  who  came  to  Mohammed  the  eyes  of  your  neighbours  ^. 

*  ^l  Beiddwi.  -  ^  Idem. 

VOL.  II.  F 


66  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

other  things  which  ye  know  not.  ^  It  appertaineth  unto 
God,  to  instruct  men  in  the  right  way ;  and  there  is  who 
turneth  aside  from  the  same  :  but  if  he  had  pleased,  he 
would  certainly  have  directed  you  all.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
sendeth  down  from  heaven  rain-water,  whereof  ye  have  to 
drink,  and  from  which  plants,  whereof  ye  feed  your  cattle, 
receive  their  nourishment.  ^^  And  by  means  thereof  he 
causeth  corn,  and  olives,  and  palm-trees,  and  grapes,  and 
all  kinds  of  fruits,  to  spring  forth  for  you.  Surely  herein 
is  a  sign  of  the  divine  power  and  wisdom  unto  people  who 
consider.  ^^  And  he  hath  subjected  the  night  and  the 
day  to  your  service  ;  and  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  the 
stars,  which  are  compelled  to  serve  by  his  command. 
Verily  herein  are  signs  unto  people  of  understanding. 
^^  And  he  hath  also  given  you  dominion  over  whatever  he 
hath  created  for  you  in  the  earth,  distinguished  by  its 
different  colour.  Surely  herein  is  a  sign  unto  people  who 
reflect.  ^*  It  is  he  who  hath  subjected  the  sea  unto  you, 
that  ye  might  eat  fish  thereout,  and  take  from  thence 
ornaments  for  you  to  wear:  and  thou  seest  the  ships 
ploughing  the  waves  thereof,  that  ye  may  seek  to  enrich 
yourselves  of  his  abundance,  by  commerce ;  and  that  ye 
might  give  thanks.  ^^  And  he  hath  thrown  upon  the 
earth  mountains  firmly  rooted,  lest  it  should  move  with 
you,  and  also  rivers,  and  paths,  that  ye  might  be  directed : 
^^  and  he  hath  likewise  ordained  marks  whereby  men  may 
know  their  way;  and  they  are  directed  by  the  stars. 
^^  Shall  God  therefore,  who  createth,  be  as  he  who 
createth  not?  Do  ye  not  therefore  consider?  ^^If  ye 
attempt  to  reckon  up  the  favours  of  God,  ye  shall  not  be 

13  Distinguished  by  its  different  co-  Mohammedans  suppose  that  the  earth, 
lour.']  That  is,  of  every  kind ;  the  va-  when  first  created,  was  smooth  and  equal, 
rious  colour  of  things  being  one  of  their  and-  thereby  liable  to  a  circular  motion  as 
chief  distinctions  ^  well  as  the  celestial  orbs :  and   that  the 

14  Fish.]  Literally  /res^i  flesh;  by  angels  asking,  who  could  be  able  to  stand 
which  fish  is  meant,  as  being  naturally  on  so  tottering  a  frame,  God  fixed  it  the 
more  fresh,  and  sooner  liable  to  corrup-  next  morning  by  throwing  the  mountains 
lion,  than  the  flesh  of  birds  and  beasts,  on  il. 

The  expression  is  thought  to  have  been         16  And  they  are  directed  by  the  stars.] 

made  use  of  here  the  rather,  because  the  Which  are  their  guides  not  only  at  sea, 

production   of  such  fresh   food   from  salt  but  also   on  land,   when    they  travel  by 

water  is  an  instance  of  God's  power  2.  night  through  the  deserts.  The  stars  which 

—  Ornaments.]     As  pearls  and  coral.  they  observe  for  this  purpose  are  either  the 

15  Lest  it  should  move  with  you.]     The  Pleiades,  or  some  of  those  near  the  pole. 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XVI.]  AL    KORAN.  67 

able  to  compute  their  number.  God  is  surely  gracious 
and  merciful ;  ^^  and  God  knowetli  that  which  ye  conceal, 
and  that  which  ye  publish.  ^^  But  the  idols  which  ye 
invoke,  besides  God,  create  nothing,  but  are  themselves 
created.  ^^  They  are  dead,  and  not  living ;  neither  do 
they  understand  when  they  shall  be  raised.  ^^  Your  God 
is  one  God.  As  to  those  who  believe  not  in  the  life  to 
come,  their  hearts  deny  the  plainest  evidence,  and  they 
proudly  reject  the  truth.  ^^  There  is  no  doubt  but  God 
knoweth  that  which  they  conceal,  and  that  which  they 
discover ;  verily  he  lovetli  not  the  proud.  ^^  And  when 
it  is  said  unto  them,  What  hath  your  Lord  sent  down 
unto  Mohammed  ?  they  answer.  Fables,  of  ancient  times. 
^^  Thus  are  they  given  up  to  error,  that  they  may  bear 
their  own  burthens  without  diminution  on  the  day  of  re- 
surrection, and  also  a  part  of  the  burthens  of  those  whom 
they  caused  to  err,  without  knowledge.  Will  it  not  be 
an  evil  burthen  which  they  shall  bear  ?  ^^  Their  prede- 
cessors devised  plots  heretofore ;  but  God  came  unto 
their  building,  to  overthrow  it  from  the  foundations ;  and 
the  roof  fell  on  them  from  above,  and  a  punishment  came 
upon  them,  from  whence  they  did  not  expect.  ^^  Also 
on  the  day  of  resurrection  he  will  cover  them  with  shame ; 
and  will  say,  Where  are  my  companions,  concerning 
whom  ye  disputed  ?  Those  unto  whom  knowledge  shall 
have  been«  given,  shall  answer,  This  day  shall  shame  and 
misery  fall  upon  the  unbelievers.  ^^  They  whom  the 
angels  shall  cause  to  die,  having  dealt  unjustly  with  their 
own  souls,  shall  offer  to  make  their  peace  in  the  article  of 
death,  saying,  We  have  done  no  evil.     But  the  angels 

21    When  they  shall  be  raised.']     i.  e.  At  heaven,  and  wage  war  with  the  inhabitants 

what  time  they  or  their  worshippers  shall  of  that  place  ;  but  God  frustrated  his  at- 

he  raised  to  receive  judgment.  tempt,  utterly  overthrowing  the  tower  by 

26   God  overthrew  their  building,  &c.]  a  violent  wind  and  earthquake  *. 

Some  understand  this  passage  figuratively,  27  Those  unto  whom  knoivledge  shall  have 

of  God's  disappointing  their  wicked  de-  been  given.]     Viz.  The  prophets,  and  the 

signs:  but  others  suppose  the  words  lite-  teachers  and  professors  of  God's  unity  or 

rally  relate  to   the   tower  which   Nimrod  the  angels. 

(whom  the  Mohammedans  will  have  to  be  28    Shall   offer    to   make    their    peace.] 

the  son  of  Canaan,   the  son  of  Ham,  and  Making  their  submission,  and  humbly  ex- 

so  the  nephew  of  Cush,  and  not  his  son)  cusing   their  evil   actions,    as  proceeding 

built  in  Babel,  and  carried  to  an  immense  from  ignorance,  and  not  from  obstinacy  or 

height  (five  thousand  cubits,   say  some),  malice^, 
foolishly  purposing  thereby   to  ascend  to 

.    1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddiru  V.  D'Herbelot,  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Nimrod.  2  lidem 

Interp. 

F    2 


68  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

shall  reply,  Yea !  verily  God  well  knowetli  that  which  ye 
have  wrought :  ^^  wherefore  enter  the  gates  of  hell,  therein 
to  remain  for  ever ;  and  miserable  shall  be  the  abode  of 
the  proud.  ^^  And  it  shall  be  said  unto  those  who  shall 
fear  God,  What  hath  your  Lord  sent  down  ?  They  shall 
answer,  Good :  unto  those  who  do  right,  shall  be  given 
an  excellent  reward  in  this  world ;  but  the  dwelling  of 
the  next  life  shall  be  better;  and  happy  shall  be  the 
dwelling  of  the  pious  !  ^^  namely,  gardens  of  eternal  abode, 
into  which  they  shall  enter ;  rivers  shall  flow  beneath  the 
same  ;  therein  shall  they  enjoy  whatever  they  wish.  Thus 
will  God  recompense  the  pious.  ^^Unto  the  righteous 
whom  the  angels  shall  cause  to  die,  they  shall  say,  Peace 
be  unto  you ;  enter  ye  into  paradise,  as  a  reward  for  that 
which  ye  have  wrought.  ^^  Do  the  unbelievers  expect 
any  other  than  that  the  angels  come  unto  them,  to  part 
their  souls  from  their  bodies ;  or  that  the  sentence  of  thy 
Lord  come  to  be  executed  on  them  ?  So  did  they  act 
who  were  before  them :  and  God  was  not  unjust  towards 
them  in  that  he  destroyed  them ;  but  they  dealt  unjustly 
with  their  own  souls  :  ^^  the  evils  of  that  which  they  com- 
mitted reached  them ;  and  the  divine  judgment,  which 
they  scoffed  at,  fell  upon  them.  ^^  The  idolaters  say.  If 
God  had  pleased,  we  had  not  worshipped  any  thing  be- 
sides him,  neither  had  our  fathers :  neither  had  we  for- 
bidden any  thing  without  him.  So  did  they  who  were 
before  them.  But  is  the  duty  of  the  apostles  any  other 
than  public  preaching  ?  ^^  We  have  heretofore  raised  up 
in  every  nation  an  apostle  to  admonish  them,  saying, 
Worship  God,  and  avoid  Taghut.  And  of  them  there 
were  some  whom  God  directed,  and  there  were  others  of 
them  who  were  decreed  to  go  astray.  Wherefore  go 
through  the  earth,  O  tribe  of  Koreish,  and  see  what 
hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  accused  their  apostles  of 
imposture.  ^^  If  thou,  O  prophet,  dost  earnestly  wish  for 
their  direction ;  verily  God  will  not  direct  him  whom  he 

31    Gardens   of  eternal  abode.]     Lite-  idolatry,  and  superstitious  abstaining  from 

Yd\\y  f  gardens  of  Eden.     See  chap.  ix.  certain    cattle^,   by   pretending   that    had 

35  If  God  had  pleased  we  had  not  wor-  these  things  been  disagreeable  to  God,  he 

shipped  any  beside  him,  &c.]  This  they  would  not  have  suffered  theni  to  bepractised. 
spoke  in  a  scoffing  manner,  justifying  their         36   Taghut.']     See  chap.  ii. 

1  See  chap.  vi. 


XVI.]  AL    KORAN.  69 

hath  resolved  to  lead  into  error ;  neither  shall  they  have 
any  helpers.  ^^  And  they  swear  most  solemnly  by  God, 
saying  God  will  not  raise  the  dead.  ^^  Yea,  the  promise 
thereof  is  true :  but  the  greater  part  of  them  know  it 
not.  He  will  raise  them,  that  he  may  clearly  shew  them 
the  truth  concerning  which  they  now  disagree,  and  that 
the  unbelievers  may  know  that  they  are  liars.  ^^  Verily 
our  speech  unto  any  thing,  when  we  will  the  same,  is, 
that  we  only  say  unto  it.  Be ;  and  it  is.  *^  As  for  those 
who  have  fled  their  country  for  the  sake  of  God,  after 
they  had  been  unjustly  persecuted,  we  will  surely  provide 
them  an  excellent  habitation  in  this  world ;  but  the  re- 
ward of  the  next  life  shall  be  greater ;  if  they  knew  it. 
^^They  who  persevere  patiently,  and  put  their  trust  in 
their  Lord,  shall  not  fail  of  happiness  in  this  life,  and 
in  that  which  is  to  come.  ^^  We  have  not  sent  any  be-" 
fore  thee,  as  our  apostles,  other  than  men,  unto  whom  we 
spake  by  revelation.  Inquire  therefore  of  those  who 
have  the  custody  of  the  scriptures,  if  ye  know  not  this 
to  be  truth.  ^^We  sent  them  with  evident  miracles, 
and  written  revelations;  and  we  have  sent  down  unto 
thee  this  Koran,  that  thou  mayest  declare  unto  mankind 
that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  them,  and  that  they 
may  consider.  ^^  Are  they  who  have  plotted  evil  against 
their  prophet  secure  that  God  will  not  cause  the  earth  to 
cleave  under  them,  or  that  a  punishment  will  not  come 
upon  them  from  whence  they  do  not  expect ;  ^^  or  that  he 
will  not  chastise  them  while  they  are  busied  in  travelling 
from  one  place  to  another,  and  in  traffick ;  (for  they  shall 
not  be  able  to  elude  the  power  of  God  ;)  ^^  or  that  he  will 
not  chastise  them  by  a  gradual  destruction  ?  But  your 
Lord  is  truly  gracious  and  merciful  in  granting  you  re- 

41  Who  had  fled  their  country  after  they  —  If  they  knew  it.']  It  is  uncertain 
had  been  unjustly  persecuted.']  Some  sup-  whether  the  pronoun  they  relates  to  the 
pose  the  prophet,  and  the  companions  of  infidels,  or  to  the  true  believers.  If  to  the 
his  flight  in  general,  are  here  intended :  former,  the  consequence  would  be,  that 
others  suppose  that  those  are  particularly  they  would  be  desirous  of  attaining  to  the 
meant  in  this  place,  who  after  Moham-  happiness  of  the  Mohajerin,  by  professing 
med'sdeparture,wereimprisoned  at  Mecca,  the  same  faith;  if  to  the  latter,  the  know- 
on  account  of  their  having  embraced  his  ledge  of  this  is  urged  as  a  motive  to  pa- 
religion,  and  suffered  great  persecution  tience  and  perseverance  ^. 
from  the  Koreish  ;  as  Belal,  Soheib,  Khab-  43  Men.^  See  chap.  vii.  and  chap.  xii. 
bab,  Ammar,  Abes,  Abu'l  Jandal,  and  44  This  Koran.]  Literally,  this  admo- 
SohaiU.  nition^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  idem.  ^  g^e  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  p.  67. 


70  ^        AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

spite.     *^  Do  they  not   consider  the  things  which   God 
hath  created ;  whose  shadows  are  cast  on  the  right  hand 
and  on  the  left,  worshipping  God,  and  become  contracted  ? 
^^  Whatever  nioveth,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  wor- 
shippeth  God,   and  the  angels   also;  and  they  are  not 
elated  with  pride,  so  as  to  disdain  his  service :  ^^  they  fear 
their  Lord,  who  is  exalted  above  them,  and  perform  that 
which  they  are  commanded.     ^^  God  said,  Take  not  unto 
yourselves  two  gods ;  for  there  is  but  one  God  :  and  re- 
vere me.     ^^  Unto  him  belongeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven 
and  on  earth ;  and  unto  him  is  obedience  eternally  due. 
Will  ye  therefore  fear  any  besides  God  ?     ^^  Whatever 
favours  ye  have  received,  are  certainly  from  God  ;  and 
when  evil  afflicteth  you,  unto  him  do  ye  make  your  sup- 
plication ;  ^^  yet,  when  he  taketh  the  evil  from  off  you, 
behold,  a  part  of  you  give  a  companion  unto  their  Lord, 
to  shew  their  ingratitude  for  the  favours  we  have  be- 
stowed on  them.     ^^  Delight  yourselves  in  the  enjoyments 
of  this  life :  but  hereafter  shall  ye  know  that  ye  cannot 
escape  the  divine  vengeance.     ^^  And  they  set  apart  unto 
idols  which  have  no  knowledge,  a  part  of  the  food  which 
we  have  provided  for  them.     By  God,  ye  shall  surely  be 
called  to  account  for  that  which  ye  have  falsely  devised. 
^^  They  attribute   daughters  unto   God  ;  (far  be  it  from 
him  !)  but  unto  themselves  children  of  the  sex  which  they 
desire.     ^^  And  when  any  of  them  is  told  the  news  of  the 
birth  of  a  female,  his  face  becometh  black,   and  he  is 
deeply  afflicted:  ^^he   hideth  himself  from   the  people, 
because    of  the  ill    tidings  which  have  been  told  him; 
considering  within  himself  whether  he  shall  keep  it  with 
disgrace,  or  whether  he  shall  bury  it  in  the  dust.     Do 
they  not  make  an  ill  judgment  ?     ^^  Unto  those  who  be- 

48  God.']     See  chap.  xiii.  57  Daughters,]     See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 

56  Idols  which  have  no  knowledge.]  Or,  p,  20.      Al  Beidawi  says,  that  the  tribes 

which  they  know  not ;  foolishly  imagining  of   Khozaah   and   Kenana,    in    particalar, 

that  they   have  power  to  help  them,  or  used   to  call  the  angels  the  daughters  of 

interest     with     God     to     intercede     for  God. 

them.  —  Of  the  sex  which  they  desire.]     Viz. 

As  to  the  ancient  Arabs  setting  apart  a  Sons  ;  for   the   birth   of  a   daughter  was 

certain   portion   of  the   produce   of   their  looked  upon  as  a  kind  of  misfortune  among 

lands  for  their  idols,  and  their  superstitious  the   Arabs ;  and    they  often   used  to  put 

abstaining  from  the  use  of  certain  cattle,  them  to  death  by  burying  them  alive  ^ 

in  honour  to  the  same,  see  chap,  v  and  vi,  58    His  face    becometh    black.]      Viz. 

and  the  notes  there.  Clouded  with  confusion  and  sorrow. 

^  See  chap.  Ixxxi. 


XVI.]  AL   KORAN.  71 

lieve  not  in  the  next  life,  the  similitude  of  evil  ought  to 
be  applied,  and  unto  God  the  most  sublime  similitude  : 
for  he  is  mighty  and  wise.      ^^  If  God  should  punish  men 
for  their  iniquity,  he  would  not  leave  on  the  earth  any 
moving  thing :  but  he  giveth  them  respite  unto  an  ap- 
pointed time ;  and  when  their  time  shall  come,  they  shall 
not  be  respited  an  hour,  neither  shall  their  punishment 
be  anticipated.     ^^  They  attribute  unto  God  that  which 
they  dislike  themselves,  and  their  tongues  utter  a  lie  ; 
namely,  that  the  reward  of  paradise  is  for  them.     There 
is  no  doubt  but  that  the  fire  of  hell  is  prepared  for  them, 
and  that  they  shall  be  sent  thither  before  the  rest  of  the 
wicked.     ^^  By  God,  we  have  heretofore  sent  messengers 
unto  the  nations  before  thee :  but  Satan  prepared  their 
works  for  them ;  he  was  their  patron  in  this  world ;  and 
in  that  which  is  to  come  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  tor- 
ment.    ^^  We  have  not  sent  down  the  book  of  the  Koran 
unto  thee,  for  any  other  purpose,  than  that  thou  shouldest 
declare  unto  them  that  truth  concerning  which  they  dis- 
agree and  for  a  direction  and  mercy  unto  people  who  be- 
lieve.     ^^  God  sendeth    down  water  from   heaven,    and 
causeth  the  earth  to  revive   after  it   hath   been   dead. 
Verily  herein  is  a  sign  of  the  resurrection  unto  people 
who  hearken.     ^^  Ye  have  also  in  cattle  an  example  of 
instruction:  we  give  you  to  drink  of  that  which  is  in 
their  bellies,  a  liquor  between  digested  dregs,  and  blood, 
namely,   pure  milk,  which  is  swallowed  with  pleasure  by 
those  who  drink  it.     ^^  And  of  the  fruit  of  palm-trees, 
and  of  grapes,  ye  obtain  an  inebriating  liquor,  and  also 

60  Similitude,']  This  passage  condemns  Or,   He  is  the  patron  of  them  (viz.   the 

the  Meccans'  injudicious  and  blasphemous  Koreish)  this  day,  &c. 

application  of  such  circumstances  to  God  66  A  liquor  between  digested  dregSy  and 

as  were  unworthy  of  him,  and  not  only  blood.']     The    milk    consisting  of  certain 

derogatory  to  the  perfections  of  the  Deity,  particles  of  the  blood,  supplied  from  the 

but  even   disgraceful  to  man  ;  while  they  finer  parts  of  the    aliment.     Ebn    Abbas 

arrogantly  applied   the  more  honourable  says,  that   the  grosser   parts  of  the  food 

circumstances  to  themselves.  subside  into  excrement,  and  that  the  finer 

62  They  attribute  unto  God  that  which  parts    are   converted   into  milk,   and  the 
they  dislike  themselves.]     By  giving  him  finest  of  all  into  blood. 

daughters,    and   associates   in  power  and  —  Pure  milk.]      Having    neither    the 

honour  ;  by  disregarding  his  messengers ;  colour  of  the  blood,  nor  the  smell  of  the 

and  by  setting  apart  the  better  share  of  excrements. 

the  presents  and  offerings  for  their  idols,  67  And  of  the  fruits  of  palm -trees)  and 

and  the  worse  for  him  i.  of  grapes^  ye  obtain  an  inebriating  liquor, 

63  He  was  their  patron  in  this  world.]  and  also  good    nourishment,]     Not    only 

1  Al  Beiddwi, 


72  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

good  nourishment.  Verily  herein  is  a  sign  unto  people 
who  understand.  ^^  Thy  Lord  spake  by  inspiration  unto 
THE  BEE,  saying,  Provide  thee  houses  in  the  mountains, 
and  in  the  trees,  and  of  those  materials  wherewith  men 
build  hives  for  thee :  ^^  then  eat  of  every  kind  of  fruit, 
and  walk  in  the  beaten  paths  of  thy  Lord.  There  pro- 
ceedeth  from  their  bellies  a  liquor  of  various  colour; 
wherein  is  a  medicine  for  men.  Verily  herein  is  a  sign 
unto  people  who  consider.  ^^  God  hath  created  you,  and 
he  will  hereafter  cause  you  to  die  :  and  some  of  you  shall 
have  his  life  prolonged  to  a  decrepit  age,  so  that  he  shall 
forget  whatever  he  knew ;  for  God  is  wise  and  powerful. 
^^  God  causeth  some  of  you  to  excel  others  in  worldly 
possessions ;  yet  they  who  are  caused  to  excel,  do  not 
give  their  wealth  unto  the  slaves  whom  their  right  hands 
possess,  that  they  may  become  equal  sharers  therein. 
Do  they  therefore  deny  the  beneficence  of  God  ?  ^^  God 
hath  ordained  you  wives  from  among  yourselves,  and  of  your 
wives  hath  granted  you  children  and  grand-children ;  and 
hath  bestowed  on  you  good  things  for  food.  Will  they 
therefore  believe  in  that  which  is  vain,  and  ungratefully 
deny  the  goodness  of  God  ?     ^^  They  worship,   besides 

wine,  which  is  forbidden,  but  also  lawful  useful  remedy  in  several  distempers,  par- 
food,  as  dates,  raisins,  a  kind  of  honey  ticularly  those  occasioned  by  phlegm, 
flowing  from  the  dates,  and  vinegar.  There  is  a  story  that  a  man  came  once  to 
Some  have  supposed  that  these  words  Mohammed,  and  told  him  that  his  brother 
allow  the  moderate  use  of  wine ;  but  the  was  afflicted  with  a  violent  pain  in  his 
contrary  is  the  received  opinion  ^  belly  :  upon  which  the  prophet  bade  him 

68  Houses.^  So  the  apartments  which  give  him  some  honey.  The  fellow  took 
the  bee  builds  are  here  called,  because  of  his  advice;  but  soon  after  coming  again, 
their  beautiful  workmanship,  and  the  ad-  told  him  that  the  medicine  had  done  his 
mirable  contrivance,  which  no  geometri-  brother  no  manner  of  service.  Moham- 
cian  can  excel  ^.  nied   answered.  Go    and  give  him   more 

69  And  walk  in  the  beaten  paths  of  thy  honey,  for  God  speaks  truth,  and  thy  bro- 
Lord.^  I.  e.  The  ways  through  which,  by  ther's  belly  lies.  And  the  dose  being  re- 
Goo's  power,  the  bitter  flowers  passing  peated,  the  man,  by  God's  mercy,  was 
the  bee's  stomach  become  honey  ;  or,  the  immediately  cured  ^ 

methods  of  making  honey,  which  he  has  71  They  give  not  their  wealth  unto  their 
taught  her  by  instinct;  or  else  the  ready  slaves y  &c.^  These  words  reprove  the  idol- 
way  home  from  the  distant  places  to  which  atrous  Meccans,  who  could  admit  created 
that  insect  flies  ^,  beings  to  a  share  of  the  divine  honour, 

—  A  liquor  of  various  colour,']  Viz.  though  they  suffered  not  their  slaves  to 
Honey  ;  the  colour  of  which  is  very  dif-  share  with  themselves  in  what  God  had 
ferent,  occasioned  by  the  different  plants  bestowed  on  them  ^ 

on  which  the  bees  feed :  some  being  white,         ^2  From  among  yourselves.']     That  is, 

some  yellow,  some  red,  and  some  black  *.  of  your  own    nations  and   tribes.     Some 

—  Wherein  is  a  medicine  for  men.]  think  ihe  formation  of  Eve  from  Adam  is 
The  same  being  not  only  good  food,  but  a  here  intended. 


*  See  chap.  ii.  2  ji  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem.  *  Idem.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


XVI 


.]  ^  AL    KORAN.  73 


God,  idols  which  possess  nothing  wherewith  to  sustain 
them,  either  in  heaven  or  on  earth ;  and  have  no  power. 
^^  Wherefore  liken  not  any  thing  unto  God  :  for  God 
knoweth,  but  ye  know  not.  ^^God  propoundeth  as  a 
parable  a  possessed  slave,  who  hath  power  over  nothing, 
and  him  on  whom  we  have  bestowed  a  good  provision 
from  us,  and  who  giveth  alms  thereout  both  secretly  and 
openly :  shall  these  two  be  esteemed  equal  ?  God  forbid ! 
But  the  greater  part  of  them  know  it  not.  ^^  God  also 
propoundeth  as  a  parable  two  men;  one  of  them  born 
dumb,  who  is  unable  to  do  or  understand  any  thing,  but 
is  a  burthen  unto  his  master ;  whithersoever  he  shall  send 
him,  he  shall  not  return  with  any  good  success  ;  shall  this 
man,  and  he  who  hath  his  speech  and  understanding,  and 
who  commandeth  that  which  is  just,  and  followeth  the 
right  way,  be  esteemed  equal  ?  ^^  Unto  God  alone  is  the 
secret  of  heaven  and  earth  known.  And  the  business  of 
the  last  hour  shall  be  only  as  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  or 
even  more  quick :  for  God  is  almighty.  ^^  God  hath 
brought  you  forth  from  the  wombs  of  your  mothers  ;  ye 
knew  nothing,  and  he  gave  you  the  senses  of  hearing  and 
seeing,  and  understandings,  that  ye  might  give  thanks. 
^^  Do  they  not  behold  the  fowls  which  are  enabled  to  fly 
in  the  open  firmament  of  heaven  ?  none  supporteth  them 
except  God.  Verily  herein  are  signs  unto  people  wlio^ 
believe.  ^^  God  hath  also  provided  your  houses  for  habit- 
ations for  you ;  and  hath  also  provided  you  tents  of  the 
skins  of  cattle,  which  ye  find  light  to  be  removed  on  the 
day  of  your  departure  to  new  quarters,  and  easy  to  be 

74  Liken  7iot  any  thing  unto  God.']  Or  family  abundantly,  and  also  assisteth  others 
propound  no  similitudes  or  comparisons  who  have  need,  both  in  public  and  in 
between  him  and  his  creatures.    One  argu-     private  2. 

ment  the  Meccans  employed  in  defence  of  76  God  also  propoundeth  as  a  parable 
their  idolatry,  it  seems,  was,  that  the  wor-  two  metif  &c.]  The  idol  is  here  again  re- 
ship  of  inferior  deities  did  honour  to  God;  presented  under  the  image  of  one  who,  by 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  respect  shown  a  defect  in  his  senses,  is  a  useless  burthen 
to  the  servants  of  a  prince,  does  honour  to  to  the  man  who  maintains  him ;  and  God, 
the  prince  himself^.  under  that  of  a  person  completely  quali- 

75  God  propoundeth  as  a  parable  a  pos-  fied  either  to  direct  or  execute  any  useful 
sessed  slave,  &c.]  The  idols  are  here  undertaking.  Some  suppose  the  compari- 
likened  to  a  slave,  who  is  so  far  from  having  son  is  intended  of  a  true  believer  and  an 
any  thing  of  his  own,  that  he  is  himself  in  infidel. 

the  possession  of  another  ;  whereas  God  is  77  The  hisiness  of  the  last  hour.]  That 
as  a  rich  free  man,  who  provideth  for  his     is.  The  resurrection  of  the  dead. 

*  At  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem,  JallaWddin, 


74  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

pitched  on  the  day  of  your  sitting  down  therein :  and  of 
their  wool,  and  their  fur,  and  their  hair,  hath  he  supplied 
you  with  furniture  and  household  stuff  for  a  season. 
®^  And  God  hath  provided  for  you,  of  that  which  he  hath 
created,  conveniences  to  shade  you  from  the  sun,  and  he 
hath  also  provided  you  places  of  retreat  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  he  hath  given  you  garments  to  defend  you  from 
the  heat,  and  coats  of  mail  to  defend  you  in  your  wars. 
Thus  doth  he  accomplish  his  favour  towards  you,  that  ye 
may  resign  yourselves  unto  him.  ^^  But  if  they  turn  back; 
verily  thy  duty  is  public  preaching  only.  ^^  They  acknow- 
ledge the  goodness  of  God,  and  afterwards  they  deny  the 
same,  but  the  greater  part  of  them  are  unbelievers.  ^*  On 
a  certain  day  we  will  raise  a  witness  out  of  every  nation : 
then  they  who  shall  have  been  unbelievers  shall  not  be 
suffered  to  excuse  themselves,  neither  shall  they  be  re- 
ceived into  favour.  ^^  And  when  they  who  shall  have 
acted  unjustly,  shall  see  the  torment  prepared  for  them 
(it  shall  not  be  mitigated  unto  them,  neither  shall  they 
be  respited) ;  ^^  and  when  those  who  shall  have  been 
guilty  of  idolatry  shall  see  their  false  gods;  they  shall 
say,  O  Lord,  these  are  our  idols  which  we  invoked, 
besides  thee.  But  they  shall  return  an  answer  unto 
them,  saying.  Verily  ye  are  liars.  ^^And  on  that  day 
shall  the  wicked  offer  submission  unto  God;  and  the 
false  deities  which  they  imagined  shall  abandon  them. 
^^As  for  those  who  shall  have  been  infidels,  and  shall 
have  turned  aside  others  from  the  way  of  God,  we  will 

81   Conveniences  to  shade  you  from  the  their  worship  and  thanks  to  their  idols,  by 

sun.']     As  trees,  houses,  tents,  mountains,  whose  intercession  they  imagine  blessings 

&c.  are  obtained. 

—  Places  of  retreat  in  the  mountains.']  —  But  the  greater  part  of  them  are  un- 
Viz.  Caves  and  grottoes,  both  natural  and  believers.]  Absolutely  denying  God's  pro- 
artificial,  vidence,  either  through  ignorance,  or  per- 

—  To  defend  you  from  the  heat.]     Al  verseness. 

Beidawi  says,  that  one  extreme,  and  that  84  A  witness.]     See  chap.  iv. 

the  most  insupportable  in  Arabia,  is  here  86  Their  false  gods.]     Literally,  their 

put   for   both ;  but   Jallalo'ddin   supposes  companions. 

that  by  heat,  we  are  in  this  place  to  under-  —   Ye  are  liars.]     For  that  we  are  not 

stand  cold.  the  companions  of  God,  as  ye  imagined  ; 

83  They   acltnowledge    the  goodness   of  neither  did  ye  really  serve  us,  but  your 

God.  and  afterwards  deny  the  same.]    Con-  own  corrupt  affections  and  lusts  ;  nor  yet 

fessing  God  to  be  the  author  of  all  the  were  ye  led  into  idolatry  by  us,  but  ye 

blessings   they   enjoy  ;  and    yet  directing  fell  into  it  of  your  own  accord  ^ 


Al  Beiddwi, 


XVI.]  AL    KORAN.  75 

add  unto  them  punishment  upon  punishment,  because 
they  have  corrupted  others.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  we  will 
raise  up  in  every  nation  a  witness  against  them  from 
among  themselves ;  and  we  will  bring  thee,  O  Moham- 
med, as  a  witness  against  these  Arabians.  We  have  sent  ^ 
down  unto  thee  the  book  of  the  Koran,  for  an  explica- 
tion of  every  thing  necessary  both  as  to  faith  and  prac- 
tice, and  a  direction,  and  mercy,  and  good  tidings  unto 
the  Moslems.  ^^  Verily  God  commandeth  justice,  and 
the  doing  of  good,  and  the  giving  unto  kindred  what  shall 
be  necessary ;  and  he  forbiddeth  wickedness,  and  iniquity, 
and  oppression :  he  admonisheth  you  that  ye  may  remem- 
ber. ^^  Perform  your  covenant  with  God,  when  ye  enter 
into  covenant  with  him  ;  and  violate  not  your  oaths,  after 
the  ratification  thereof;  since  ye  have  made  God  a  wit- 
ness over  you.  Verily  God  knoweth  that  which  ye  do. 
^^  And  be  not  like  unto  her  who  undoeth  that  which  she 
hath  spun,  untwisting  it  after  she  hath  twisted  it  strongly ; 
taking  your  oaths  between  you  deceitfully,  because  one 
party  is  more  numerous  than  another  party.  Verily  God 
only  tempteth  you  therein ;  and  he  will  make  that  mani- 
fest unto  you,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  concerning 
which  ye  now  disagree.  ^^  If  God  had  pleased,  he  would 
surely  have  made  you  one  people :  but  he  will  lead  into 
error  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  he  will  direct  whom  he 
pleaseth;  and  ye  shall    surely  give  an  account  of  that 

90  Remember,  &c.]     This  verse,  which     Mohammed  by  his  followers,  is  chiefly  in-' 
was  the  occasion  of  the  conversion  of  0th-     tended  here. 

man  Ebn  Matun,  the  commentators  say,         92  Be  not  like   her  who   undoeth    that 

containeth  the  whole  which  it  is  a  man's  which  she  hath  spun,  &c.]     Some  suppose 

duty  either  to  perform  or  to  avoid  ;  and  is  that  a  particular  woman  is  meant  in   this 

alone  a  sufficient  demonstration  of  what  is  passage,  who  used  (like  Penelope)  to  undo 

said  in   the  foregoing  verse.     Under  the  at  night  the  work  which  she  had  done  in 

three  things  here  commanded,  they  under-  the  day.     Her  name,  they  say,  was  Reita 

stand   the  belief  of  God's  unity,  without  Bint  Saad  Ebn  Teym,  of  the  tribe  of  Ko- 

inclining  to  atheism,  on  the  one  hand,  or  reish  2. 

polytheism,    on    the   other ;  obedience    to         —  Taking  your  oaths   deceitfully,   he- 

the    commands  of  God;  and   charity  to-  cause   one  party   is   more  numerous   than 

wards   those  in  distress.     And  under  the  another,']     Of  this   insincerity  in  their  al- 

three  things  forbidden,   they  comprehend  liances  the  Koreish  are  accused  ;  it  being 

all  corrupt  and  carnal  affections  ;   all  false  usual  with  them,  when  they  saw  the  ene- 

doctrines  and  heretical  opinions ;  and  all  mies  of  their  confederates  to  be  superior 

injustice  towards  man  ^.  in  force,  to  renounce  their  league  with  their 

91  Perform  your  covenant  with   God.]  old  friends,   and   strike  up  one  with  the 
By  persevering  in  his  true  religion. ,  Some  others  ^. 

think  that  the  oath  of  fidelity  taken   to         93  One  people.]     Or,  of  one  religion. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  *  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


76  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

which  ye  have  done.  ^^  Therefore  take  not  your  oaths  be- 
tween you  deceitfully,  lest  your  foot  slip,  after  it  hath  been 
stedfastly  fixed,  and  ye  taste  evil  in  this  life,  for  that  ye 
have  turned  aside  from  the  way  of  God  ;  and  ye  suffer  a 
grievous  punishment  in  the  life  to  come.  ^^  And  sell  not 
the  covenant  of  God  for  a  small  price  ;  for  with  God  is  a 
better  recompense  prepared  for  you,  if  ye  be  men  of 
understanding.  ^^  That  which  is  with  you  will  fail ;  but 
that  which  is  with  God  is  permanent ;  and  we  will  surely 
reward  those  who  shall  persevere  according  to  the  utmost 
merit  of  their  actions.  ^^  Whoso  worketh  righteousness, 
whether  he  be  male  or  female,  and  is  a  true  believer,  we 
will  surely  raise  him  to  a  happy  life ;  and  we  will  give 
them  their  reward  according  to  the  utmost  merit  of  their 
actions.  \When  thou  readest  the  Koran,  have  recourse 
unto  God,  that  he  may  preserve  thee  from  Satan  driven 
away  with  stones :  ^^  he  hath  no  power  over  those  who 
believe,  and  who  put  their  confidence  in  their  Lord  ; 
^^^  but  his  power  is  over  those  only  who  take  Jiini  for 
their  patron,  and  who  give  companions  unto  God.V^^  When 
we  substitute  in  the  Koran  an  abrogating  verse  in  lieu 
of  a  verse  abrogated,  (and  God  best  knoweth  the  fitness 
of  that  which  he  revealeth,)  the  infidels  say.  Thou  art 
only  a  forger  of  these  verses :  but  the  greater  part  of 
them  know  not  truth  from  falsehood.  ^^^  Say,  The  holy 
spirit  hath  brought  the  same  down  from  thy  Lord  with 
truth ;  that  he  may  confirm  those  who  believe,  and  for  a 
direction  and  good  tidings  unto  the  Moslems.  ^^^  We 
also  know  that  they  say,  Verily,  a  certain  man  teacheth 
him  to  compose  the  Koran.     The  tongue  of  the  person 

95  Sell  not  the   covenant  of  God  for  a  sured  them  that  those  words  were  put  into 

small  price, ~\     That  is,  Be  not  prevailed  on  his  mouth  by  the  devil  ;  and  to  prevent  any 

to  renounce  your  religion,  or  your  engage-  such  accident  for  the  future,  he  is  here 

ments  with  your  prophet,  by  any  promises  taught  to  beg  God's  protection  before  he 

or  gifts  of  the  infidels.     For  it  seems  the  entered  on  that  duty  ^,     Hence  the  Mo- 

Koreish,  to  tempt  the  poorer  Moslems  to  hammedans,  before  they  begin  to  read  any 

apostatize,  made  them  offers,  not  very  con-  part  of  this  book,  repeat  these   words,  I 

siderable  indeed,  but  such  as  they  ima-  have   recourse   unto    God    for   assistance 

gined  might  be  worth  their  acceptance  '.  against  Satan  driven  away  with  stones. 

98   When  thou  readest  the  Koran,  have         102  The  holy  spirit,']  Viz.  Gabriel.  See 

recourse  unto  God,  &c.]     Mohammed  one  chap.  ii. 

day  reading  in  the  Koran,  uttered  a  horrid  103  A  certain  man  teacheth  him,  &c.] 

blasphemy,   to  the  great  scandal  of  those  This  was  a  great  objection  made  by  the 

who  were  present,  as  will  be  observed  in  Meccans  to  the  authority  of  the  Koran : 

another  place  ^  ;  to  excuse  which,  he  as-  for  when   Mohammed  insisted,  as  a  proof 

*  Al  Beiddwi.         ^  In  not.  ad  cap.  xxii.  ^  Jallalo' ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,  Yahya,  &c. 


XVI.] 


AL    KORAN. 


77 


unto  whom  they  incline,  is  a  foreign  tongue  ;  but  this, 
wherein  the  Koran  is  written,  is  the  perspicuous  Arabic 


of  its  divine  original,  that  it  was  impos- 
sible a  man  so  utterly  unacquainted  with 
learning  as  himself,  could  compose  such  a 
book,  they  replied,  that  he  had  one  or 
more  assistants  in  the  forgery ;  but  as  to 
the  particular  person  or  persons,  suspected 
of  this  confederacy,  the  traditions  differ. 
One  says  it  was  Jabar,  a  Greek  servant 
to  Amer  Ebn  al  Hadrami,  who  could  read 
and  write  welU;  another,  that  they  were 
Jabar  and  Yesar,  two  slaves,  who  followed 
the  trade  of  sword-cutlers  at  Mecca,  and 
used  to  read  the  pentateuch  and  gospel, 
and  had  often  Mohammed  for  their  audi- 
tor, when  he  passed  that  way  ^.  Another 
tells  us,  it  was  one  A'lsh,  or  Yai'sh,  a  do- 
mestic of  Haweiteb  Ebn  Abd  al  Uzza, 
who  was  a  man  of  some  learning,  and  had 
embraced  Mohammedism  ^.  Another  sup- 
poses it  was  one  Kais,  a  Christian,  whose 
house  Mohammed  frequented  *;  another, 
that  it  was  Addas,  a  servant  of  Otba  Ebn 
Rabia  ^  ;  and  another,  that  it  was  Salman 
the  Persian  ^. 

According  to  some  Christian  writers  '^, 
Abdallah  Ebn  Salam,  the  Jew,  who  was 
so  intimate  with  Mohammed,  (named  by 
one,  according  to  the  Hebrew  dialect,  Ab- 
dias  Ben  Salon,  and  by  another,  Abdala 
Celen)  was  assisting  to  him  in  the  com- 
piling his  pretended  revelations.  This 
Jew  Dr.  Prideaux  confounds  with  Salman 
the  Persian,  who  was  a  very  ditferent 
man,  as  a  late  author  ^  has  observed  be- 
fore me ;  wherefore,  and  for  that  we  may 
have  occasion  to  speak  of  Salman  here- 
after, it  may  be  proper  to  add  a  brief  ex- 
tract of  his  story,  as  told  by  himself.  He 
was  of  a  good  family  of  Ispahan,  and  in 
his  younger  years  left  the  religion  of  his 
country  to  embrace  Christianity  ;  and  tra- 
velling into  Syria,  was  advised,  by  a  cer- 
tain monk  of  Amuria,  to  go  into  Arabia ; 
where  a  prophet  was  expected  to  arise 
about  that  time,  who  should  establish  the 
religion  of  Abraham,  arid  whom  he  should 
know,  among  other  things,  by  the  seal  of 
prophecy  between  his  shoulders.  Salman 
performed  the  journey,  and  meeting  with 
Mohammed  at  Koba,  where  he  rested  in 
his  flight  to  Medina,  soon  found  him  to  be 


the  person  he  sought,  and  professed  Is- 
lam 9. 

The  general  opinion  of  the  Christians 
however  is,  that  the  chief  help  Mohammed 
had  in  the  contriving  his  Koran,  was  from 
a  Nestorian  monk  named  Sergius,  sup- 
posed to  be  the  same  person  with  the 
monk  Boheira,  with  whom  Mohammed  in 
his  younger  years  had  some  conference  at 
Bosra,  a  city  of  Syria  Damascena,  where 
that  monk  resided  '^.  To  confirm  which 
supposition,  a  passage  has  been  produced 
from  an  Arab  writer  ^*,  who  says  that  Bo- 
heira's  name  in  the  books  of  the  Chris- 
tians is  Sergius :  but  this  is  only  a  con- 
jecture :  and  another  ^^  tells  us,  his  true 
name  was  Said,  or  Felix,  and  his  surname 
Boheira.  But  be  that  as  it  will,  if  Bo- 
heira and  Sergius  were  the  same  man,  I 
find  not  the  least  intimation  in  the  Mo- 
hammedan writers,  that  he  ever  quitted 
his  monastery  to  go  into  Arabia  (as  is  sup- 
posed by  the  Christians)  ;  and  his  ac- 
quaintance with  Mohammed  at  Bosra  was 
too  early  to  favour  the  surmise  of  his  as- 
sisting him  in  the  Koran,  which  was  com- 
posed long  after  ;  though  Mohammed 
might,  from  his  discourse,  gain  some  know- 
ledge of  Christianity,  and  of  the  scriptures, 
which  might  be  of  use  to  him  therein. 

From  the  answer  given  in  this  passage 
of  the  Koran,  to  the  objection  of  the  in- 
fidels, viz.  that  the  person  suspected  by 
them  to  have  a  hand  in  the  Koran,  spoke 
a  foreign  language,  and  therefore  could 
not,  with  any  face  of  probability,  be  sup- 
posed to  assist  in  a  composition  written  in 
the  Arabic  tongue,  and  with  so  great  ele- 
gance, it  is  plain  this  person  was  no  Ara- 
bian. The  word  Ajami,  which  is  here 
used,  signifies  any  foreign  or  barbarous 
language  in  general ;  but  the  Arabs  ap- 
plying it  more  particularly  to  the  Persian, 
it  has  been  thence  concluded  by  some, 
that  Salman  was  the  person ;  however,  if 
it  be  true,  that  he  came  not  to  Mohammed 
till  after  the  Hejra,  either  he  could  not  be 
the  man  here  intended,  or  else  this  verse 
must  have  been  revealed  at  Medina,  con- 
trary to  the  common  opinion. 


^  Jl  Zamakhshari,  Al  BeiddwU  Yahya. 
Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  32.  ^  ijdem. 


2  A I  Zamakhshariy  Al  Beiddwi,     See 
*  JallaWddin.  ^  Al  Zamak.  Yahya, 

^  Al  Zamakh.  Al  BeiddwL  ^  Ricardi  Confut.  legis  Saracenicae,  c.  13.     Joh. 

Andreas,  de  confus.  sectae   Mahometanse,   c.  2.     See  Prid.   Life   of  Mah.   p.  33,  34. 
^   Gagnier,  not.  in  Abulf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  74.  ^  Ex  Ebn  Ishak.   V.  Gagnier,  ibid. 

'°  See   Prid.   ubi  sup.   p.  35,  &c.      Gagnier,   ubi   sup.   p.  10,    II.     J/arracc.  de  Alcor. 
p.  37.  ^^  At  Masudi.  ^-  Ahul  Hasan  al  Becrl  in  Koran. 


78 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


tongue.  ^^*  Moreover,  as  for  those  who  believe  not  in 
the  signs  of  God,  God  will  not  direct  them,  and  they 
shall  suffer  a  painful  torment :  ^^^  verily  they  imagine  a 
falsehood  who  believe  not  in  the  signs  of  God,  and  they 
are  really  the  liars.  ^^^  Whoever  denieth  God,  after  he 
hath  believed,  except  him  who  shall  be  compelled  against 
his  will,  and  whose  heart  continueth  stedfast  in  the  faith, 
shall  be  severely  chastised  :  but  whoever  shall  voluntarily 
profess  infidelity,  on  those  shall  the  indignation  of  God 
fall,  and  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment.  ««^^^^  This 
shall  be  their  sentence,  because  they  have  loved  the  pre- 
sent life  above  that  which  is  to  come,  and  for  that  God 
directeth  not  the  unbelieving  people.  ^^^  These  are  they 
whose  hearts,  and  hearing,  and  sight,  God  hath  sealed 
up ;  and  these  are  the  negligent :  ^^^  there  is  no  doubt,  but 
that  in  the  next  life  they  shall  perish.  "^  Moreover  thy 
Lord  will  be  favourable  unto  those  who  have  fled  their 


106  Except  him  who  shall  he  compelled 
against  his  willy  &c.J  These  words  were 
added  for  the  sake  of  Ammar  Ebn  Yaser, 
and  some  others,  who,  being  taken  and 
tortured  by  the  Koreish,  renounced  their 
faith  out  of  fear,  though  their  hearts  agreed 
not  with  their  mouths  ^  It  seems,  Am- 
mar wanted  the  constancy  of  his  father 
and  mother,  Yaser,  and  Sommeya,  who 
underwent  the  like  trial,  at  the  same  time, 
with  their  son,  and  resolutely  refusing  to 
recant,  were  both  put  to  death  ;  the  in- 
fidels tying  Sommeya  between  two  camels, 
and  striking  a  lance  through  her  privy 
parts  2.  When  the  news  was  brought  to 
Mohammed,  that  Ammar  had  denied  the 
faith,  he  said,  it  could  not  be,  for  that 
Ammar  was  full  of  faith  from  the  crown 
of  his  head  to  the  sole  of  his  foot,  faith 
being  mixed  and  incorporated  with  his 
very  flesh  and  blood ;  and  when  Ammar 
himself  came  weeping  to  the  prophet,  he 
wiped  his  eyes,  saying.  What  fault  was  it 
of  thine,  if  they  forced  thee  ? 

But  though  it  be  here  said,  that  those 
who  apostatize  in  appearance  only,  to 
avoid  death  or  torments,  may  hope  for 
pardon  from  God,  yet  it  is  unanimously 
agreed  by  the  Mohammedan  doctors,  to 
be  much  more  meritorious  and  pleasing 
in  the  sight  of  God,  courageously  and 
nobly  to  persist  in  the  true  faith,  and 
rather  to  suffer  death  itself  than  renounce 
it,  even  in  words.  Nor  did  the  Moham- 
medan religion  want  its  martyrs,  in  the 


strict  sense  of  the  word  :  of  which  I  will 
here  give  two  instances,  besides  the  above- 
mentioned.  One  is  that  of  Khobaib  Ebn 
Ada,  who  being  perfidiously  sold  to  the 
Koreish,  was  by  them  put  to  death  in  a 
cruel  manner,  by  mutilation,  and  cutting 
off  his  flesh  piecemeal ;  and  being  asked, 
in  the  midst  of  his  tortures,  whether  he 
did  not  wish  Mohammed  was  in  his  place, 
answered,  I  would  not  wish  to  be  with  my 
family,  my  substance,  and  my  children, 
on  condition  that  Mohammed  was  only  to 
be  pricked  with  a  thorn  ^.  The  other  is 
that  of  a  man  who  was  put  to  death  by 
Moseilama,  on  the  following  occasion. 
That  false  prophet  having  taken  two  of 
Mohammed's  followers,  asked  one  of  them 
what  he  said  of  Mohammed.  The  man 
answered,  That  he  was  the  apostle  of  God. 
And  what  sayest  thou  of  me  ?  added  Mosei- 
lama; to  which  he  replied.  Thou  also  art  the 
apostle  of  God  ;  whereupon  he  was  imme- 
diately dismissed  in  safety.  But  the  other, 
having  returned  the  same  answer  to  the  for- 
mer question,  refused  to  give  any  to  the  last, 
though  required  to  do  it  three  several 
times,  but  pretended  to  be  deaf,  and  was 
therefore  slain.  It  is  related  that  Mo- 
hammed, when  the  story  of  these  two  men 
was  told  him,  said.  The  first  of  them  threw 
himself  on  God's  mercy;  but  the  latter 
professed  the  truth  ;  and  he  shall  find  his 
account  in  it  *. 

110  Those  who  have  fled  their  country, 
after  having  suffered  persecution  ^  &c.]     As 


1  Al  Beiddwij  Al  Zamakh.  Yahya. 
*  Al  Beiddwi. 


2  Al  Beiddwi, 


^  Ebn  Shohnah, 


XVI.]  AL   KORAN.  79 

country,  after  having  suffered  persecution,  and  been  com- 
pelled to  deny  the  faith  by  violence,  and  who  have  since 
fought  in  defence  of  the  true  religion,  and  have  persevered 
with  patience ;  verily  unto  these  will  thy  Lord  be  gracious 
and  merciful,  after  they  shall  have  shewn  their  sincerity. 
^^^  On  a  certain  day  shall  every  soul  come  to  plead  for 
itself,  and  every  soul  shall  be  repaid  that  which  it  shall 
have  wrought ;  and  they  shall  not  be  treated  unjustly. 
"^  God  propoundeth  as  a  parable  a  city  which  was  secure 
and  quiet,  unto  which  her  provisions  came  in  abundance 
from  every  side ;  but  she  ungratefully  denied  the  favours 
of  God  ;  wherefore  God  caused  her  to  taste  the  extreme 
famine,  and  fear,  because  of  that  which  they  had  done. 
^^^Andnowis  an  apostle  come  unto  the  inhabitants  of 
Mecca  from  among  themselves ;  and  they  accuse  him  of 
imposture :  wherefore  a  punishment  shall  be  inflicted  on 
them,  while  they  are  acting  unjustly.  ^^*  Eat  of  what 
God  hath  given  you  for  food,  that  which  is  lawful  and 
good ;  and  be  thankful  for  the  favours  of  God,  if  ye  serve 
him.  ^^^  He  hath  only  forbidden  you  that  which  dieth  of 
itself,  and  blood,  and  swine's  flesh,  and  that  which  hath 
been  slain  in  the  name  of  any,  besides  God.  But  unto 
him  who  shall  be  compelled  by  necessity  to  eat  of  these 
things,  not  lusting,  nor  wilfully  transgressing,  God  will 
surely  be  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^^  And  say  not  that 
wherein  your  tongues  utter  a  lie :  This  is  lawful,  and  this 
is  unlawful ;  that  ye  may  devise  a  lie  concerning  God  : 
for  they  who  devise  a  lie  concerning  God,  shall  not 
prosper.     ^^^  They    shall   have  small   enjoyment   in  this 

did  Ammar,  who  made  one  in  both   the  112  God  propoundeth   as   a  parable   a 

flights.     Some,  reading  the  verb  with  dif-  city,    &c.]      This  example   is   applied   to 

ferent  vowels,  render  the  last  words.  After  every  city  which,  having  received  great 

having  persecuted  the  true  believers  ;  and  blessings  from  God,  becometh  insolent  and 

instance  in    al    Hadrami,   who  obliged  a  unthankful,  and  is  therefore  chastised  by 

servant  of  his  to  renounce  Mohammedism  some  signal  judgment ;  or  rather  to  Meccaj 

by  force,  but  afterwards  together  with  that  in   particular,    on   which    the    calamities 

servant,  professed  the  same  faith,  and  fled  threatened  in  this  passage,  viz.  both  with 

for  it  ^.  famine  and  sword,  were  inflicted  ^. 

111  Every  soul  shall  come  to  plead  for  115  Besides  God.']    See  chap.  v. 

itself,']     That   is.  Every  person  shall  be  116  And  say  not — This  is  lawful,  and 

solicitous  for  his  own  salvation,  not  con-  this  is  unlauful.]      Allowing  what   God 

cerning   himself   with    the    condition    of  hath    forbidden,  and    superstitiously   ab- 

another,  but  crying  out.  My  own  soul,  my  staining  from  what  he  hath  allowed.     See 

own  soul  2.  chap.  vi. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


80  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

world,  and  in  that  which  is  to  come  they  shall  suffer  a 
grievous  torment.  ^^^  Unto  the  Jews  did  we  forbid  that 
which  we  have  told  thee  formerly :  and  we  did  them  no 
injury  in  that  respect ;  but  they  injured  their  own  souls. 
^^^  Moreover  thy  Lord  will  be  favourable  unto  those  who 
do  evil  through  ignorance  ;  and  afterwards  repent  and 
amend  :  verily  unto  these  will  thy  Lord  be  gracious  and 
merciful  after  their  repentance.  ^^^  Abraham  was  a  model 
of  true  religion,  obedient  unto  God,  orthodox,  and  was 
not  an  idolater :  ^^^  he  was  also  grateful  for  his  benefits : 
wherefore  God  chose  him,  and  directed  him  into  the 
right  way.  ^^^  And  we  bestowed  on  him  good  in  this 
world;  and  in  the  next  he  shall  surely  be  one  of  the 
righteous.  ^^^  We  have  also  spoken  unto  thee,  O  Mo- 
hammed, by  revelation,  saying.  Follow  the  religion  of 
Abraham,  who  was  orthodox,  and  was  no  idolater.  ^^^  The 
sabbath  was  only  appointed  unto  those  who  differed  with 
their  prophet  concerning  it ;  and  thy  Lord  will  surely 
judge  between  them,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  as  to 
that  concerning  which  they  differed.  ^^^  Invite  men  unto 
the  way  of  thy  Lord  by  wisdom  and  mild  exhortation ; 
and  dispute  with  them  in  the  most  condescending  man- 
ner :  for  thy  Lord  well  knoweth  him  who  strayeth  from 
his  path,  and  he  well  knoweth  those  who  are  rightly 
directed.     ^^^  If  ye  take  vengeance  on  any,  take  a  ven- 

118  Formerly.']  Viz.  In  the  6th  chapter,  hammed's  uncle,  being  slain  at  the  battle 

—  They  injured  their  own  souls.]  i.  e.  of  Ohod.     For  the  infidels  having  abused 

They  were  forbidden  things  which  were  his  dead  body,  by  taking  out  his  bowels, 

in  themselves  indifferent,  as  a  punishment  and  cutting  off  his  ears  and  his  nose,  when 

for  their  wickedness  and  rebellion.  Mohammed  saw  it,  he  swore  that  if  God 

123  And  was  not  an  idolater.]  This  was  granted  him  success,  he  would  retaliate 
to  reprehend  the  idolatrous  Koreish,  who  those  cruelties  on  seventy  of  the  Koreish ; 
pretended  that  they  professed  the  religion  but  he  was  by  these  words  forbidden  to 
of  Abraham.  execute  what  he  had  sworn,  and  accord- 

124  Who  differed  with  their  prophet  con-  ingly  made  void  his  oath  2.  Abu'lfeda 
cerning  it.]  These  were  the  Jews  ;  who  makes  the  number  on  which  Mohammed 
being  ordered  by  Moses  to  set  apart  Friday  swore  to  wreak  his  vengeance,  to  be  but 
(the  day  now  observed  by  tl^e  Mohamme-  thirty  ^  ;  but  it  may  be  observed  by  the 
dans)  for  the  exercise  of  divine  worship,  way,  that  the  translator  renders  the  pas- 
refused  it,  and  chose  the  sabbath-day,  be-  sage  in  that  author,  God  hath  revealed 
cause  on  that  day  God  rested  from  his  unto  me  that  I  shall  retaliate,  &c.  instead 
works  of  creation  :  for  which  reason  they  of,  If  God  grant  me  victory  over  the  Ko- 
were  commanded  to  keep  the  day  they  had  reish,  I  will  retaliate,  &c.  reading  Lain 
chosen  in  the  strictest  manner  *.  adhharni,    for  adhfarni  ;    God,  far  from 

126  If  ye  take  vengeance^  &c.]  This  putting  this  design  into  the  prophet's  head 
passage  is  supposed  to  have  been  revealed  by  a  revelation,  expressly  forbidding  him 
at  Medina,  on  occasion   of  Hamza,   Mo-     to  put  it  in  execution. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  2  Hdem.  3  Abirif.  Vit.  Moham.  p,  68. 


XVII,]  AL   KORAN.  81 

geance  proportionable  to  the  wrong  which  hath  been 
done  you  ;  but  if  ye  suffer  wrong  patiently,  verily  this 
will  be  better  for  the  patient.  ^^^  Wherefore  do  thou 
bear  opposition  with  patience ;  but  thy  patience  shall  not 
be  practicable,  unless  with  God's  assistance.  And  be  not 
thou  grieved  on  account  of  the  unbelievers ;  neither  be 
thou  troubled  for  that  which  they  subtilely  devise ;  ^^^  for 
God  is  with  those  who  fear  him,  and  are  upright. 

126   The  patient.']     Here,  says  al  Bei-     Mohammed,  who  was  of  all  men  the  most 
dawi,    the    Koran    principally    points    at     conspicuous  for  meekness  and  clemency. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

INTITLED,    THE    NIGHT    JOURNEY  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XV.]/\  ^  Praise  be  unto  him  who  transported  his 
servant  by  night  from  the  sacred  temple  of  Mecca  to  the 
farther  temple  of  Jerusalem,  the  circuit  of  which  we 
have  blessed,  that  we  might  shew  him  some  of  our  signs  ; 
for  God  is  he  who  heareth,  and  seeth.  ^  And  we  gave 
unto  Moses  the  book  of  the  law,  and  appointed  the  same 
to  be  a  direction  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  commanding 

Title — Night  journey, — The  reason  of  ral  mistakes  in  the  relation  of  Dr.  Prideaux, 

this  inscription  appears  in  the  first  words ;  and  in  other  writers. 

some  intitle  the  chapter,  the  children  of  It  is  a  dispute  among  the  Mohammedan 

Israel.  divines,  whether    their    prophet's    night- 

Title  —  Mecca.']      Some    except    eight  journey  was  really  performed  by  him  cor- 

verses,beginning at  these  words:  It  wanted  porally,  or  whether  it  was  only  a  dream 

little  but   that   the    infidels   had  seduced  or  vision.     Some  think  the  whole  was  no 

thee,  &c.  more  than  a  vision  ;  and  allege  an  express 

1    Who  transported  his  servant  by  night  tradition  of  Moawiyah  3,  one  of  Moham# 

from  the  sacred  temple  of  Mecca  to  the  farther  med's  successors,  to  that  purpose.     Others 

temple  of  Jerusalem.]     From   whence  he  suppose  he  was  carried  bodily  to  Jerusa- 

was  carried  through  the  seven  heavens  to  lem,  but  no  farther  :   and  that  he  ascended 

the  presence  of  God,  and  brought  back  thence  to  heaven  in  spirit  only.     But  the 

again  to  Mecca  the  same  night.  received  opinion  is,  that  it  was  no  vision, 

This  journey  of  Mohammed  to  heaven  but  that  he  was  actually  transported  in  the 

is  so  well  known,  that  I  may  be  pardoned  body  to  his  journey's  end;  and  if  any  im- 

if  I  omit  the  description  of  it.     The  Eng-  possibility  be   objected,    they   think   it  a 

lish  reader  may  find  it  in  Dr.  Prideaux's  sufficient   answer   to    say,    that  it   might 

life  of  Mahomet  ^  and  the  leariied  in  Abu'l-  easily    be     effected     by    an     omnipotent 

feda  2,  whose  annotator  has  corrected  seve-  agent  *. 


*  Page  43,  &c.      See  also  Morgan's  Mahometism  explained,  vol.  2.  ^  vit. 

Moham.  cap.  19.  ^  V.  ibid.  c.  18.  *  Al  BeiddwL 

VOL.  II.  G 


82 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


them,  saying,  Beware  that  ye  take  not  any  other  patron 
besides  me.  ^  O  posterity  of  those  whom  we  carried  in 
the  ark  with  Noah  ;  verily  he  was  a  grateful  servant. 
^  And  we  expressly  declared  unto  the  children  of  Israel 
in  the  book  of  the  law,  saying,  Ye  will  surely  commit  evil 
in  the  earth  twice,  and  ye  will  be  elated  with  great  inso- 
lence. ^  And  when  the  punishment  threatened  for  the 
first  of  those  transgressions  came  to  be  executed,  we  sent 
against  you  our  servants,  endued  with  exceeding  strength 
in  war,  and  they  searched  the  inner  apartments  of  your 
houses :  and  the  prediction  became  accomplished.  ^  After- 
wards we  gave  you  the  victory  over  them,  in  your  turn, 
and  we  granted  you  increase  of  wealth  and  children,  and 
we  made  you  a  more  numerous  people,  saying,  ^  If  ye  do 
well,  ye  will  do  well  to  your  own  souls ;  and  if  ye  do 
evil,  ye  will  do  it  unto  the  same.  And  when  the  punish- 
ment threatened  for  your  latter  transgression  came  to  be 
executed,   we  sent  enemies  against  you,  to  afflict  you, 


3  O  posterity  of  those,  &c.]  The  com- 
mentators are  put  to  it  to  find  out  the 
connexion  of  these  words  with  the  fore- 
going. Some  think  the  accusative  case 
is  here  put  for  the  vocative,  as  I  have 
translated  it  :  and  others  interpret  the 
words  thus,  Take  not  for  your  patrons, 
besides  me,  the  posterity  of  those,  &c. 
meaning  mortal  men. 

4  Ye  will  surely  commit  evil  in  the  earth 
twice.~\  Their  first  transgression  was  their 
rejecting  the  decisions  of  the  law,  their 
putting  Isaiah  to  death  i,  and  their  im- 
prisoning of  Jeremiah  2  :  and  the  second, 
was  their  slaying  of  Zachariah,  and  John 
the  Baptist,  and  their  imagining  the  death 
of  Jesus  3. 

5  We  sent  against  you  our  servants,  &c.] 
These  were  Jalut,  or  Goliath,  and  his 
forces  * ;  or  Sennacherib  the  Assyrian  ;  or 
else  Nebuchadnezzar,  whom  the  eastern 
writers  call  Bakhtnasr,  (which  was  how- 
ever only  his  surname,  his  true  name  being 
Gudarz,  or  Raham,)  the  governor  of  Baby- 
lon under  Lohorasp,  king  of  Persia^,  who 
took  Jerusalem,  and  destroyed  the  tem- 
ple. 

6  Afterwards  we  gave  you  the  victory 
over  them,  &c.]  By  permitting  David  to 
kill  Goliath;    or  by  the  miraculous  defeat 


of  Sennacherib's  army;  or  for  that  God 
put  it  into  the  heart  of  Bahman,  the  son 
of  Isfandiyar,  when  he  succeeded  his 
grandfather  Lohorasp,  to  order  Kiresh,  or 
Cyrus,  then  governor  of  Babylon,  to  send 
home  the  Jews  from  their  captivity,  under 
the  conduct  of  Daniel ;  which  he  accord- 
ingly did,  and  they  prevailed  against 
those  whom  Bakhtnasr  had  left  in  the 
land  6. 

7  We  sent  enemies  against  you,  to  afflict 
2/OM.]  Some  imagine  the  army  meant  in 
this  place  was  that  of  Bakhtnasr  ^ ;  but 
others  say  the  Persians  conquered  the 
Jews  this  second  time  by  the  arms  of 
Gudarz,  (by  whom  they  seem  to  intend 
Antiochus  Epiphanes,)  one  of  the  succes- 
sors of  Alexander  at  Babylon.  It  is  related 
that  the  general  in  this  expedition,  enter- 
ing the  temple,  saw  blood  bubbling  up  on 
the  great  altar,  and  asking  the  reason  of 
it,  the  Jews  told  him  it  was  the  blood  of  a 
sacrifice,  which  had  not  been  accepted  of 
God  ;  to  which  he  replied,  that  they  had 
not  told  him  the  truth,  and  ordered  a 
thousand  of  them  to  be  slain  on  the  altar; 
but  the  blood  not  ceasing,  he  told  them, 
that  if  they  would  not  confess  the  truth, 
he  would  not  spare  one  of  them  ;  where- 
upon they  acknowledged  it  was  the  blood 


^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo^ ddin. 

Yahya.  ^  Al  Zamakhshari,  Al  Beiddwi 

^   Yahya,  Jallalo^ddin, 


^  I  idem  ^  Jallalo'ddin, 

^  lidem. 


XVII.] 


AL   KORAN. 


83 


.  and  to  enter  the  temple,  as  they  entered  it  the  first  time, 
and  utterly  to  destroy  that  which  they  had  conquered. 
^  Peradventure  your  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  you  here- 
after: but  if  ye  return  to  transgress  a  third  time,  we 
also  will  return  to  chastise  you ;  and  we  have  appointed 
hell  to  be  the  prison  of  the  unbelievers.  ^  Verily  this 
Koran  directeth  unto  the  way  which  is  most  right,  and 
declareth  unto  the  faithful,  who  do  good  works,  that  they 
shall  receive  a  great  reward ;  ^^  and  that  for  those  who 
believe  not  in  the  life  to  come,  we  have  prepared  a 
grievous  punishment.  ^^  Man  prayeth  for  evil,  as  he 
prayeth  for  good ;  for  man  is  hasty.  ^^  We  have  ordained 
the  night  and  the  day  for  two  signs  of  our  power :  after- 
wards we  blot  out  the  sign  of  the  night,  and  we  cause 
the  sign  of  the  day  to  shine  forth,  that  ye  may  endeavour 
to  obtain  plenty  from  your  Lord,  by  doing  your  business 
therein,  and  that  ye  may  know  the  number  of  years,  and 
the  computation  of  time ;  and  every  thing  necessary  have 
we  explained  by  a  perspicuous  explication.     ^^The  fate 


of  John  :  and  the  general  said,  Thus  hath 
your  Lord  taken  vengeance  on  you  ;  and 
then  cried  out,  O  John,  my  Lord  and  thy 
Lord  knoweth  what  hath  befallen  thy 
people  for  thy  sake ;  wherefore  let  thy 
blood  stop,  by  God's  permission,  lest  I 
leave  not  one  of  them  alive ;  upon  which 
the  blood  immediately  stopped  ^. 

These  are  the  explications  of  the  com- 
mentators, wherein  their  ignorance  in  an- 
cient history  is  sufficiently  manifest;  though 
perhaps  Mohammed  himself,  in  this  latter 
passage,  intended  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem by  the  Romans. 

8  But  if  ye  return  to  transgress  a  third 
timef  we  also  will  return  to  chastise  you.'] 
And  this  came  accordingly  to  pass :  for 
the  Jews  being  again  so  wicked  as  to  reject 
Mohammed,  and  conspire  against  his  life, 
God  delivered  them  into  his  hands ;  and 
he  exterminated  the  tribe  of  Koreidha, 
and  slew  the  chiefs  of  that  of  al  Nadir, 
and  obliged  the  rest  of  the  Jewish  tribes 
to  pay  tribute  ^. 

1 1  Man  prayeth  for  evil,  as  he  prayeth 
for  good.]  Out  of  ignorance,  mistaking 
evil  for  good  ;  or  making  wicked  impreca- 
tions on  himself,  and  others,  out  of  passion 
and  impatience. 

—    Man  is  hasty.]     Or  inconsiderate, 


not  weighing  the  consequence  of  what  he 
asks. 

It  is  said  that  the  person  here  meant  is 
Adam,  who,  when  the  breath  of  life  was 
breathed  into  his  nostrils,  and  had  reached 
so  far  as  his  navel,  though  the  lower  part 
of  his  body  was,  as  yet,  but  a  piece  of  clay, 
must  needs  try  to  rise  up,  and  got  an  ugly 
fall  by  the  bargain.  But  others  pretend 
the  passage  was  revealed  on  the  following 
occasion.  Mohammed  committed  a  certain 
captive  to  the  charge  of  his  wife,  Sawda 
bint  Zamaa,  who,  moved  with  compassion 
at  the  man's  groans,  unbound  him,  and  let 
him  escape  :  upon  which  the  prophet,  in 
the  first  emotions  of  his  anger,  wished  her 
hand  might  fall  off;  but  immediately  com- 
posing himself,  said  aloud,  O  God,  I  am 
but  a  man,  therefore  turn  my  curse  into  a 
blessing  ^ 

13  The  fate.]  Literally,  the  bird,  which 
is  here  used  to  signify  a  man's  fortune  or 
success  :  the  Arabs,  as  well  as  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  taking  omens  from  the  flight 
of  birds,  which  they  supposed  to  portend 
good  luck,  if  they  flew  from  the  left  to  the 
right ;  but  if  from  the  right  to  the  left,  the 
contrary.  The  like  judgment  they  also 
made  when  certain  beasts  passed  before 
them. 


1   A I  Beiddwl. 


2  Idem. 


Jallalo^ddin, 


g2 


84  AL   KORAN.  [chap 

of  every  man  have  we  bound  about  his  neck ;  and  we 
will  produce  unto  him  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  a  book 
wherein  his  actions  shall  be  recorded ;  it  shall  be  offered 
him  open,  and  the  angels  shall  say  unto  him,  ^^  Read  thy 
book ;  thine  own  soul  will  be  a  sufficient  accomptant 
against  thee  this  day.  ^^  He  who  shall  be  rightly  directed, 
shall  be  directed  to  the  advantage  only  of  his  own  soul ; 
and  he  who  shall  err,  shall  err  only  against  the  same  : 
neither  shall  any  laden  soul  be  charged  with  the  burthen 
of  another.  We  did  not  punish  any  people,  until  we  had 
first  sent  an  apostle  to  warn  them.  ^^  And  when  we 
resolved  to  destroy  a  city,  we  commanded  the  inhabitants 
thereof,  who  lived  in  affluence,  to  obey  our  apostle ;  but 
they  acted  corruptly  therein  :  wherefore  the  sentence  was 
justly  pronounced  against  that  city ;  and  we  destroyed  it 
with  an  utter  destruction.  ^^  And  how  many  generations 
have  we  consumed  since  Noah  ?  ^^  for  thy  Lord  sufficiently 
knoweth  and  seeth  the  sins  of  his  servants.  ^^  Whosoever 
chooseth  this  transitory  life,  we  will  bestow  on  him  therein 
beforehand  that  which  we  please ;  on  him,  namely,  whom 
we  please :  afterwards  will  we  appoint  him  hell  for  his 
abode ;  he  shall  be  thrown  into  the  same  to  be  scorched, 
covered  with  ignominy,  and  utterly  rejected  from  mercy. 
^^  But  whosoever  chooseth  the  life  to  come,  and  directeth 
his  endeavour  towards  the  same,  being  also  a  true  be- 
liever ;  the  endeavour  of  these  shall  be  acceptable  unto 
God.  On  all  will  we  bestow  the  blessings  of  this  life, 
both  on  these  and  on  those,  of  the  gift  of  thy  Lord  ;  for 
the  gift  of  thy  Lord  shall  not  be  denied  unto  any. 
^^  Behold,  how  we  have  caused  some  of  them  to  surpass 
others  in  wealth  and  dignity :  but  the  next  life  shall  be 
more  considerable  in  degrees  of  honour,  and  greater  in 
excellence.  ^^  Set  not  up  another  god  with  the  true 
God,  lest  thou  sit  down  in  disgrace,  and  destitute. 
^^  Thy  Lord  hath  commanded  that  ye  worship  none 
besides  him  ;  and  that  ye  shew  kindness  unto  your 
parents,  whether  the  one  of  them,  or  both  of  them,  attain 
to  old  age  with  thee.  Wherefore  say  not  unto  them. 
Fie  on  you !  neither  reproach  them,  but  speak  respect- 
is  Have  we  hound  about  his  neck.~\  23  With  thee.~\  That  is,  receiving 
Like  a  collar,  which  he  cannot  by  any  their  support  and  maintenance  from 
means  get  off.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.      thee. 


xvji.]  A  L    KORAN.  85 

fully  unto  them ;  ^^  and  submit  to  behave  humbly  towards 
them,  out  of  tender  affection,  and  say,  O  Lord,  have 
mercy  on  them  both,  as  they  nursed  me  when  I  was  little. 
^^  Your  Lord  well  knoweth  that  which  is  in  your  souls ;' 
whether  ye  be  men  of  integrity :  and  he  will  be  gracious 
unto  those  who  sincerely  return  unto  him.  ^^  And  give 
unto  him  who  is  of  kin  to  you  his  due,  and  also  unto 
the  poor,  and  the  traveller.  ^^  And  waste  not  thy  sub- 
stance profusely:  for  the  profuse  are  brethren  of  the 
devils  ;  and  the  devil  was  ungrateful  unto  his  Lord. 
^^  But  if  thou  turn  from  them  in  expectation  of  the  mercy* 
which  thou  hopest  from  thy  Lord  ;  at  least,  speak  kindly 
unto  them.  ^^  And  let  not  thy  hand  be  tied  up  to  thy 
neck ;  neither  open  it  with  an  unbounded  expansion,  lest 
thou  become  worthy  of  reprehension,  and  be  reduced  to 
poverty.  ^^  Verily  thy  Lord  will  enlarge  the  store  of 
whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  will  be  sparing  unto  whom  he 
pleaseth  ;  for  he  knoweth  and  regardeth  his  servants. 
^^  Kill  not  your  children  for  fear  of  being  brought  to 
want ;  we  will  provide  for  them  and  for  you :  verily  the 
killing  them  is  a  great  sin.  ^^  Draw  not  near  unto  forni- 
cation ;  for  it  is  wickedness,  and  an  evil  way.  ^^  Neither 
slay  the  soul  which  God  hath  forbidden  you  to  slay, 
unless  for  a  just  cause;  and  whosoever  shall  be  slain 
unjustly,  we  have  given  his  heir  power  to  demand  satis- 
faction ;  but  let  him  not  exceed  the  bounds  of  moderation 
in  putting  to  death  the  murderer  in  too  cruel  a  manner, 

24  Submit  to  behave  humbly ^  &c.]  Liter-  defer  thy  charity  till  God  shall  grant  thee 

ally,  Lower  the  wing  of  humility,  &c.  hetter  ability. 

26  His  due.~\  That  is,  friendship  and  29  Let  not  thy  hand  be  tied  up,  neither 
affection,  and  assistance  in  time  of  need.  open  it  with  an  unbounded  expansion."]  i.  e. 

27  For  the  profuse  are  brethren  of  the  Be   neither    niggardly   nor    profuse,    but 
devils.']      Prodigality,     and    squandering  observe   the  mean  between   the    two  ex- 
away  one's  substance  in  folly  or  luxury,  tremes,  wherein  consists  true  liberality  2. 
being  a  very  great  sin.     The  Arabs  were         31  Kill  not  your   children,  &c.]      See 
particularly  guilty  of  extravagance  in  kill-  chap.  vi.  and  chap.  Ixxxi. 

ing  camels,  and  distributing  them  by  lot,         33   Urdessfor  a  just  cause,]  The  crimes 

merely   out  of   vanity    and    ostentation;  for  which  a  man  may  justly  be    put  to 

which  they  are  forbidden  by  this  passage,  death  are   these :  apostacy,  adultery,  and 

and  commanded  to  bestow  what  they  could  murder  ^. 

spare  on  their  poor  relations,  and  other  —   We  have  given   his  heir  power   to 

indigent  people  ^.  demand  satisfaction.]      It  being    at    the 

28  If  thou  turn  from  them  in  expecta-  option  of  the  heir,  or  next  of  kin,  either 
tion,  &c.]  That  is,  if  thy  present  circum-  to  take  the  life  of  the  murderer,  or  to  ac- 
stances  will  not  permit  thee  to  assist  others,  cept  of  a  line  in  lieu  of  it*. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  Idem.  3  Idem,  *  See  chap,  ii. 


86  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

or  by  revenging  his  friend's  blood  on  any  other  than  the 
person  who  killed  him  ;  since  he  is  assisted  by  this  law. 
^^And  meddle  not  with  the  substance  of  the  orphan, 
unless  it  be  to  improve  it  until  he  attain  his  age  of 
strength :  and  perform  your  covenant ;  for  the  perform- 
ance of  your  covenant  shall  be  inquired  into  hereafter. 
^^  And  give  full  measure,  when  you  measure  aught :  and 
weigh  with  a  just  balance.  This  will  be  better,  and  more 
easy  for  determining  every  man's  due.  ^^  And  follow  not 
that  whereof  thou  hast  no  knowledge ;  for  the  hearing, 
and  the  sight,  and  the  heart,  every  of  these  shall  be 
examined  at  the  last  day.  ^^  Walk  not  proudly  in  the 
land,  for  thou  canst  not  cleave  the  earth,  neither  shalt 
thou  equal  the  mountains  in  stature.  ^^  All  this  is  evil, 
and  abominable  in  the  sight  of  thy  Lord.  ^^  These 
precepts  are  a  part  of  the  wisdom  which  thy  Lord  hath 
revealed  unto  thee.  Set  not  up  any  other  god  as  equal 
unto  God,  lest  thou  be  cast  into  hell,  reproved  and 
rejected.  ^^  Hath  your  Lord  preferably  granted  unto  you 
sons,  and  taken  for  himself  daughters  from  among  the 
angels  ?  Verily,  in  asserting  this,  ye  utter  a  grievous 
saying.  ^^  And  now  have  we  used  various  arguments  and 
repetitions  in  this  Koran,  that  they  may  be  warned ;  yet 
it  only  rendereth  them  more  disposed  to  fly  from  the 
truth.  ^^  Say  unto  the  idolaters.  If  there  were  other 
gods  with  him,  as  ye  say,  they  would  surely  seek  an 
occasion  of  making  some  attempt  against  the  possessor  of 
the  throne.  God  forbid  !  and  far,  very  far,  be  that  from 
him  which  they  utter  !  ^^  The  seven  heavens  praise  him, 
and    the  earth,  and   all   who   are  therein :   **  neither  is 

33  Since  he  is  assisted,  &c.]  Some  believe  true,  or  at  least  probable.  Some 
refer  the  pronoun,  he,  to  the  person  slain,  interpret  the  words,  Accuse  not  another  of 
for  the  avenging  whose  death  this  law  was  a  crime  whereof  thou  hast  no  knowledge  ; 
made  ;  some  to  the  heir,  who  has  a  right  supposing  they  forbid  the  bearing  false 
granted  him  to  demand  satisfaction  for  his  witness,  or  the  spreading  or  giving  credit 
friend's  blood  ^ ;  and  others,  to   him  who  to  idle  reports  of  others^. 

shall  be  slain  by  the  heir,  if  he  carry  his         40  Daughters^]     See  chap.  xvi. 
vengeance  too  far  2.  42    They    would    make    some    attempt 

34  Jge,  &c.]     See  chap.  iv.  against  the  possessor  of  the  throne.^    i.  e. 

35  More  easy  for  determinifig,  &c.]  Or  They  would  in  all  probability  contend 
more  advantageous  in  the  end  ^.  with  God  for  superiority,  and  endeavour 

36  Follow  not  that  whereof  thou  hast  no  to  dethrone  him,  in  the  same  manner 
knowledge.']  i.  e.  Vain  and  uncertain  opi-  as  princes  act  with  one  another  on 
nions,  which  thou  hast  not  good  reason  to  earth. 

*  Yahya.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  al  Zamakhshari,  "*  lidem. 


XVII.]  A  L   KORAN.  87 

there  any  thing  which  doth  not  celebrate  his  praise ;  but 
ye  understand  not  their  celebration  thereof:  he  is  gra- 
cious and  merciful.  ^^  When  thou  readest  the  Koran, 
we  place  between  thee  and  those  who  believe  not  in  the 
life  to  come,  a  dark  veil ;  ^^  and  we  put  coverings  over 
their  hearts,  lest  they  should  understand  it,  and  in  their 
ears  thickness  of  hearing.  ^^  And  when  thou  makest 
mention,  in  repeating  the  Koran,  of  thy  Lord  only,  they 
turn  their  backs,  flying  the  doctrine  of  his  unity.  ^^  We 
well  know  with  what  design  they  hearken,  when  they 
hearken  unto  thee,  and  when  they  privately  discourse 
together :  when  the  ungodly  say.  Ye  follow  no  other 
than  a  madman.  ^^  Behold  !  what  epithets  they  bestow 
on  thee.  But  they  are  deceived :  neither  can  they  find 
any  just  occasion  to  reproach  thee.  ^^  They  also  say. 
After  we  shall  have  become  bones  and  dust,  shall  we 
surely  be  raised  a  new  creature  ?  ^^  Answer,  Be  ye  stones, 
or  iron,  or  some  creature  more  improbable  in  your 
opinions  to  be  raised  to  life.  But  they  will  say.  Who 
shall  restore  us  to  life  ?  Answer,  He  who  created  you  the 
first  time  :  and  they  will  wag  their  heads  at  thee,  saying. 
When  shall  this  be?  Answer,  Perad venture  it  is  nigh. 
^^  On  that  day  shall  God  call  you  forth  from  your  sepul- 
chres, and  ye  shall  obey,  with  celebration  of  his  praise ; 
and  ye  shall  think  that  ye  tarried  but  a  little  while. 
^^  Speak  unto  my  servants,  that  they  speak  mildly 
unto  the  unbelievers,  lest  ye  exasperate  them  ;  for 
Satan  soweth  discord  among  them,  and  Satan  is 
a  declared  enemy  unto  man.  ^^  Your  Lord  well 
knoweth  you :  if  he  pleaseth,  he  will  have  mercy  on 
you  ;  or,  if  he  pleaseth,  he  will  punish  you  :  and 
we   have   not   sent   thee   to   be  a  steward   over  them. 

47  Of  thy  Lord  only.^      Not  allowing         54  Your  Lord  well  knoweth  you^   &c.] 

their  gods  to  be  his  associates,  nor  praying  These  words  are  designed  as  a  pattern  for 

their  intercession  with  him.  the  Moslems  to  follow,  in  discoursing  with 

52   Ye  shall  obey  with  celeh-ation  of  his  the  idolaters;  by  which  they  are  taught  to 

praise.']     The  dead,  says  al  Beidawi,  at  use  soft  and  dubious  expressions,   and  not 

his  call,  shall  immediately  rise,  and  shak-  to  tell  them  directly  that  they  are  doomed 

ing  the    dust  off  their   heads,  shall  say,  to  hell-fire ;  which,  besides  the  presump- 

Praise  be  unto  thee,  O  God.  tion  in  offering  to  determine  the  sentence 

—    That  ye   tarried.]      Viz.    In    your  of  others,  would   only   make  them  more 

graves,  or  in  the  world.  irreconcilable  enemies  ^. 

1  AlBeiddwL 


88  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  Thy  Lord  well  knoweth  all  persons  in  heaven  and 
on  earth.  We  have  bestowed  peculiar  favours  on 
some  of  the  prophets,  preferably  to  others  ;  and  we 
gave  unto  David  the  psalms.  ^^  Say,  Call  upon  those 
whom  ye  imagine  to  be  gods  besides  him ;  yet  they  will 
not  be  able  to  free  you  from  harm,  or  to  turn  it  on  others. 
^^  Those  whom  ye  invoke,  do  themselves  desire  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  a  near  conjunction  with  their  Lord  ;  striving 
which  of  them  shall  approach  nearest  unto  him :  they 
also  hope  for  his  mercy,  and  dread  his  punishment ;  for 
the  punishment  of  thy  Lord  is  terrible.  ^^  There  is  no 
city,  but  we  will  destroy  the  same  before  the  day  of  resur- 
rection, or  we  will  punish  it  with  a  grievous  punishment. 
^^  This  is  written  in  the  book  of  our  eternal  decrees. 
^^  Nothing  hindered  us  from  sending  thee  with  miracles, 
except  that  the  former  nations  have  charged  them  with 
imposture.  We  gave  unto  the  tribe  of  Thamud,  at  their 
demand,  the  she-camel  visible  to  their  sight ;  yet  they 
dealt  unjustly  with  her :  and  we  sent  not  a  prophet  with 
miracles,  but  to  strike  terror.  ^^  Remember  when  we  said 
unto  thee.  Verily  thy  Lord  encompasseth  men  by  his 
knowledge  and  power.  We  have  appointed  the  vision 
which  we  shewed  thee,  and  also  the  tree  cursed  in  the 

55  The  Lord  well  knoweth  all  persons^  by  Abu  Becr*s  bearing  testimony  to  the 

&c.]     And  may  choose  whom  he  pleases  truth  of  it  ^,     The  word  vision,  here  used, 

for  his  ambassador.     This  is  an  answer  to  is  urged  by  those  who  take  this  journey  to 

the  objections  of  the    Koreish,  that  Mo-  have  been   no  more  than  a  dream,  as  a 

hammed   was    the   orphan   pupil  of  Abu  plain  confirmation  of  their  opinion.   Some, 

Taleb,  and  followed  by  a  parcel  of  naked  however,  suppose  the  vision  meant  in  this 

and  hungry  fellows  ^  passage  was  not  the  night  journey,  but  the 

—  The  psalms.']    Which  were  a  greater  dream  Mohammed  saw  at  al   Hodeibiya, 

honour   to   him   than   his  kingdom :  and  wherein  he  seemed  to  make  his  entrance 

wherein  Mohammed   and  his  people  are  into  Mecca  ^ ;  or  that  at  Bedr  ^  ;    or  else  a 

foretold  by  these  words  among  others  2;  vision  he  had  relating  to  the   family  of 

The  righteous  shall  inherit  the  earth  ^.  Ommeya,  whom  he  saw  mount  his  pulpit, 

57  Those  whom  ye  invoke.]     Viz.  The  and  jump  about  in  it  like  monkeys  ;  upon 

angels  and  prophets,  who  are  the  servants  which  he  said,  This  is  their  portion  in  this 

of  God  as  well  as  yourselves.  world,  which  they  have  gained  by  their 

60  Thamud.]     See  chap.  vii.  profession  of  Islam  ^     But  if  any  of  these 

61  The  vision  which  we  shewed  thee,  he]  latter  expositions  be  true,  the  verse  must 
Mohammed's  journey  to  heaven  is  gene-  have  been  revealed  at  Medina. 

rally  agreed  to  be  intended  in  this  place,  —  The  cursed  tree.]  Called  al  Zak^ 
which  occasioned  great  heats  and  debates  kum^  which  springs  from  the  bottom  of 
among  his  followers,  till  they  were  quieted     hell  ^ 

1  AlBeiddtvi.  ^  V.  Marrac.  in  Ale.  p.  28,  &c.     Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  122. 

3  Psal.  xxxvii.  28.     Al  Beiddwi.  *  V.  Abulf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  39,  &  not.  ibid. 

Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  50.  and  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.         ^  See  Kor.  chap,  xlviii.  ^  gee 

chap.  viii.  7  At  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap,  xxxvii. 


XVII.]  AL    KORAN.  89 

Koran,  only  for  an  occasion  of  dispute  unto  men,  and  to 
strike  them  with  terror ;  but  it  shall  cause  them  to  trans- 
gress only  the  more  enormously.  ^^  And  remember  when 
we  said  unto  the  angels,  Worship  Adam,  and  they  all 
worshipped  him,  except  Eblis,  who  said,  Shall  I  worship 
him  whom  thou  hast  created  of  clay  ?  ^^  And  he  said. 
What  thinkest  thou,  as  to  this  man  whom  thou  hast 
honoured  above  me?  Verily,  if  thou  grant  me  respite 
until  the  day  of  resurrection,  I  will  extirpate  his  offspring, 
except  a  few.  ^^  God  answered.  Be  gone ;  I  grant  thee 
respite:  but  whosoever  of  them  shall  follow  thee,  hell 
shall  surely  be  your  reward ;  an  ample  reward  for  your 
demerits !  ^^  And  entice  to  vanity  such  of  them  as  thou 
canst,  by  thy  voice ;  and  assault  them  on  all  sides,  with 
thy  horsemen  and  thy  footmen ;  and  partake  with  them 
in  their  riches  and  their  children ;  and  make  them  promises 
(but  the  devil  shall  make  them  no  other  than  deceitful 
promises) :  ^^  as  to  my  servants,  thou  shalt  have  no  power 
over  them ;  for  thy  Lord  is  a  sufficient  protector  of  those 
who  trust  in  him.  ^^  It  is  your  Lord  who  driveth  forward 
the  ships  for  you  in  the  sea,  that  ye  may  seek  to  enrich 
yourselves  of  his  abundance  by  commerce ;  for  he  is  mer- 
ciful towards  you.  ^^  When  a  misfortune  befalleth  you  at 
sea,  the  false  deities  whom  ye  invoke  are  forgotten  by 
you,  except  him  alone :  yet  when  he  bringeth  you  safe  to 
dry  land,  ye  retire  afar  off  from  him,  and  return  to  your 
idols ;  for  man  is  ungrateful.  ^^  Are  ye  therefore  secure 
that  he  will  not  cause  the  dry  land  to  swallow  you  up,  or 
that  he  will  not  send  against  you  a  whirlwind,  driving  the 
sands  to  overwhelm  you?  Then  shall  ye  find  none  to 
protect  you.  ^®  Or  are  ye  secure  that  he  will  not  cause 
you  again  to  commit  yourselves  to  the  sea  another  time, 
and  send  against  you  a  tempestuous  wind,  and  drown  you; 
for  that  ye  have  been  ungrateful?  Then  shall  je  find 
none  to  defend  you  against  us  in  that  distress.     ^*  And 

64  Demerits.^    See  chap.  ii.  and  vii.  and  to   spend  it  in  supporting  vice   and 

65  With    thy   horsemen    and   with   thy     superstition  ;  and  tempting  them  to  inces- 
footmen.~\    i.  e.  With  all  thy  forces.  tuous  mixtures,  and  to  give  their  children 

—  And   partake    with    them    in    their     names  in  honour  of  their  idols,  as  Abd 
riches,   and   their   children.']      Instigating     Yaghuth,  Abd'  al  Uzza,  &c.  ^ 
them   to  get  wealth  by  unlawful   means,         68   Ungrateful,']     See  chap.  x. 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 


90  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

now  have  we  honoured  the  children  of  Adam  by  sundry 
pecuh'ar  privileges  and  endowments ;  and  we  have  given 
them  conveniences  of  carriage  by  land  and  by  sea,  and 
have  provided  food  for  them  of  good  things ;  and  we  have 
preferred  them  before  many  of  our  creatures  which  we 
have  created,  by  granting  them  great  prerogatives.  ^^  On 
a  certain  day  we  will  call  all  men  to  judgment  with  their 
respective  leader :  and  whosoever  shall  have  his  book  given 
him  into  his  right  hand,  they  shall  read  their  book  with  joy 
and  satisfaction :  and  they  shall  not  be  wronged  a  hair. 
'^^  And  whoever  hath  been  blind  in  this  life,  shall  be  also 
blind  in  the  next,  and  shall  wander  more  widely  from  the 
path  of  salvation.  ^*  It  wanted  little  but  the  unbelievers 
had  tempted  thee  to  swerve  from  the  instructions  which 
we  had  revealed  unto  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  devise 
concerning  us  a  different  thing ;  and  then  would  they  have 
taken  thee  for  their  friend :  ^^  and  unless  we  had  con- 
firmed thee,  thou  hadst  certainly  been  very  near  inclining 
unto  them  a  little.  ^^  Then  would  we  surely  have  caused 
thee  to  taste  the  punishment  of  life,  and  the  punishment  of 
death ;  and  thou  shouldest  not  have  found  any  to  protect 
thee  against  us.  ^^  The  unbelievers  had  likewise  almost 
caused  thee  to  depart  the  land,  that  they  might  have  ex- 

72  Their  respective  leader,"]     Some  in-  that  if  the   other  Arabs  asked   him   the 

terpret  this  of  the  prophets  sent  to  every  reason  of  tliese  concessions,  he  should  say, 

people ;   others,   of  the  various   religions  that  God  had  commanded  him  so  to  do  \ 

professed   in   the   world ;    others,   of  the  According  to  which  explication  it  is  plain 

books  which  shall  be  given  to  every  man  this  verse  must  have  been  revealed  long 

at  the  resurrection,  containing  a  register  after  the  Hejra. 

of  their  good  and  bad  actions  ^,  Some,  however,  will  have  the  passage 

—  Book,]     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  to  have  been  revealed  at  Mecca,  on  occa- 

—  A  hair,]     See  chap.  iv.  sion  of  the  Koreish  ;  who  told  Mohammed 
74  It  wanted  little  but  the  unbelievers  they  would  not  suffer  him  to  kiss  the  black 

had  seduced  theCf   &c.]     These  are  gene-  stone  in  the  wall  of  the  Caaba,  unless  he 

rally  supposed  to  have  been  the  tribe  of  also  visited  their  idols,  and  touched  them 

Thakif,  the  inhabitants  of  al  Tayef,  who  with  his  hand,  to  show  his  respect, 
insisted  on    Mohammed's  granting  them         76  The  punishment  of  life  and  the  punish- 

^overal  very  extraordinary  privileges,  as  ment  of  death.]     i.e.  Both  of  this  life  and 

the  terms  of  their  submission  to  him ;  for  the  next.     Some  interpret  the  first  of  the 

they  demanded   that  they  might  be  free  punishment  in    the  next   world,  and  the 

from  the  legal  contribution  of  alms,  and  latter  of  the  torture  of  the  sepulchre  *. 
from   observing   the   appointed    times   of         77  Th^  unbelievers  had  likewise  almost 

prayer ;  that  they  might  be   allowed   to  caused  thee  to  depart  the  land,  &c.]     The 

keep  their  idol  AUat  for  a  certain  time  2,  commentators  differ  as  to  the  place  where 

and  that  their  territory  might  be  declared  this  passage  was  delivered,  and  the  occa- 

a  place  of  security,  and  not  be  violated,  sion  of  it.     Some  think  it  was  revealed  at 

like  that  of  Mecca,  &c.     And  they  added,  Mecca,  and  that  it  refers  to  the  violent 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  2  gge  the  Prelim.  Disc.  p.  21.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallald' ddin. 

V.  Abulf,  vit.  Moham.  p.  126,  &c.  ^  ^/  Beiddwi, 


XVII.] 


AL    KORAN. 


91 


pelled  thee  thence :  but  then  should  they  not  have  tarried 
therein  after  thee,  except  a  little  while.  ^^  This  is  the 
method  of  dealing  which  we  have  prescribed  ourselves  in 
respect  to  our  apostles,  whom  we  have  already  sent  before 
thee :  and  thou  shalt  not  find  any  change  in  our  prescribed 
method.  ^^  Regularly  perform  thy  prayer  at  the  declen- 
sion of  the  sun,  at  the  first  darkness  of  the  night,  and 
the  prayer  of  day-break ;  for  the  prayer  of  day-break  is 
borne  witness  unto  by  the  angels.  ^^  And  watch  some 
part  of  the  night  in  the  same  exercise,  as  a  work  of  supe- 
rerogation for  thee;  peradventure  thy  Lord  will  raise 
thee  to  an  honourable  station.  ^^  And  say,  O  Lord, 
cause  me  to  enter  with  a  favourable  entry ;  and  cause  me 
to  come  forth  with  a  favourable  coming  forth  ;  and  grant 
me  from  thee  an  assisting  power.  ^^  And  say.  Truth  is 
come,  and  falsehood  is  vanished :  for  falsehood  is  of  short 


enmity  which  the  Koreish  bore  Moham- 
med, and  their  restless  endeavours  to  make 
him  leave  Mecca  ^ ;  as  he  was  at  length 
obliged  to  do.  But  as  the  persons  here 
spoken  of  seem  not  to  have  prevailed  in 
their  project,  others  suppose  that  the  verse 
was  revealed  at  Medina,  on  the  following 
occasion.  The  Jews,  envious  of  Moham- 
med's good  reception  and  stay  there,  told 
him,  by  way  of  counsel,  that  Syria  was  the 
land  of  the  prophets,  and  that  if  he  was 
really  a  prophet,  he  ought  to  go  thither. 
Mohammed  seriously  reflecting  on  what 
they  had  said,  began  to  think  they  had 
advised  him  well ;  and  actually  set  out  and 
proceeded  a  day's  journey  in  his  way  to 
jSyria ;  whereupon  God  acquainted  him 
with  their  design  by  the  revelation  of  this 
verse,  and  he  returned  to  Medina  2, 

—  Then  should  they  not  have  tarried 
therein  after  thee,  except  a  little  whileJ] 
This  was  fulfilled  according  to  the  former 
of  the  above-mentioned  explications,  by 
the  loss  of  the  Koreish  at  Bedr ;  and 
according  to  the  latter,  by  the  great 
slaughter  of  the  Jews  of  Koreidha  and  al 
Nadir  ^. 

79  At  the  declension  of  the  sun,'\  i.  e. 
At  the  time  of  noon  prayer,  when  the  sun 
declines  from  the  meridian  ;  or,  as  some 
choose  to  translate  the  words,  at  the  setting 
of  the  sun,  which  is  the  time  of  the  first 
evening  prayer. 

—  At  the  first  darkness  of  the  night,"] 
The  time  of  the  last  evening  prayer. 


—  The  prayer  of  day-break,]  Lite- 
rally the  reading  of  the  day -break ;  whence 
some  suppose  the  reading  of  the  Koran  at 
that  time  is  here  meant. 

—  By  the  angels.]  Viz.  The  guardian- 
angels,  who,  according  to  some,  are  relieved 
at  that  time ;  or  else  the  angels  appointed 
to  make  the  change  of  night  into  day,  &c.  *. 

80  An  honourable  station.]  According 
to  a  tradition  of  Abu  Horeira,  the  honour- 
able station  here  intended  is,  that  of  inter- 
cessor for  others  ^ 

81  Cause  me  to  enter  with  a  favourable 
entry,  and  cause  me  to  come  forth  with  a 
favourable  coming  forth,]  That  is.  Grant 
that  I  may  enter  my  grave  with  peace, 
and  come  forth  from  it,  at  the  resurrection, 
with  honour  and  satisfaction.  In  which 
sense  this  petition  is  the  same  with  that  of 
Balaam,  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his  ^. 

But  as  the  person  here  spoken  to  is  ge- 
nerally supposed  to  be  Mohammed,  the 
commentators  say  he  was  commanded  to 
pray  in  these  words  for  a  safe  departure 
from  Mecca,  and  a  good  reception  at  Me- 
dina ;  or  for  a  sure  refuge  in  the  cave, 
where  he  hid  himself  when  he  fled  from 
Mecca  ^;  or  (which  is  the  more  common 
opinion)  for  a  victorious  entrance  into 
Mecca,  and  a  safe  return  thence  ^ 

82  Say,  Truth  is  come,  and  falsehood  is 
vanished,  &c.]  These  words  Mohammed 
repeated  when  he  entered  the  temple  of 
Mecca,  after  the  taking  of  that  city,  and 


*  Al  Beiddwi. 
^  Numb,  xxiii.  10. 


^  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  lidem.  '^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo*ddin, 


92  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

continuance.  ^^  We  send  down  of  the  Koran  that  which 
is  a  medicine  and  mercv  unto  the  true  beh* overs,  but  it 
shall  only  increase  the  perdition  of  the  unjust.  ^^  When 
we  bestow  favours  on  man,  he  retireth  and  withdraweth 
himself  ungratefully  from  us ;  but  when  evil  toucheth  him, 
he  despaireth  of  our  mercy.  ^^  Say,  Every  one  acteth 
after  his  own  manner :  but  your  Lord  best  knoweth  who 
is  most  truly  directed  in  his  way.  ^^  They  will  ask  thee 
concerning  the  spirit :  answer ;  The  spirit  was  created  at 
the  command  of  my  Lord  :  but  ye  have  no  knowledge 
given  unto  you,  except  a  little.  ^^  If  we  pleased,  we 
should  certainly  take  away  that  which  we  have  revealed 
unto  thee  :  in  such  case  thou  couldest  not  find  any  to 
assist  thee  therein  against  us,  ^^  unless  through  mercy 
from  thy  Lord  ;  for  his  favour  towards  thee  hath  been 
great.  ^^  Say,  Verily,  if  men  and  genii  were  purposely 
assembled,  that  they  might  produce  a  book  like  this 
Koran,  they  could  not  produce  one  like  unto  it,  although 
the  one  of  them  assisted  the  other.  ^®  And  we  have 
variously  propounded  unto  men  in  this  Koran,  every  kind 
of  figurative  argument;  but  the  greater  part  of  men 
refuse  to  receive  it,  merely  out  of  infidelity.  ^^  And  they 
say.  We  will  by  no  means  believe  on  thee,  until  thou 
cause  a  spring  of  water  to  gash  forth  for  us  out  of  the 

cleansed  it  of  the  idols  ;  a  great  number  of  nein  ^,  and  to  give  them  an  account  of  the 

which  are  said  to  have  fallen  down  on  his  soul  of  man  ;  adding,  that  if  he  pretended 

touching  them  with  the  end  of  the  stick  he  to  answer  all  the  three  questions,  or  could 

held  in  his  hand  ^.  answer  none  of  them,  they  might  be  sure 

85  Every  one  acleth  after  his  own  man-  he  was  no  prophet ;  but  if  he  gave  an  an- 
ner.~\  i.  e.  According  to  his  judgment  or  swer  to  one  or  two  of  the  questions,  and 
opinion,  be  it  true  or  false  ;  or  according  to  was  silent  as  to  the  other,  he  was  really  a 
the  bent  of  his  mind,  and  the  natural  con-  prophet.  Accordingly,  when  they  pro- 
stitution of  his  body  *.  pounded  the    questions   to   him,    he  told 

86  Concerning  the  spirit.']  Or  the  soul  them  the  two  histories,  but  acknowledged 
of  man.  Some  interpret  it  of  the  angel  his  ignorance  as  to  the  origin  of  the  human 
Gabriel,  or  of  the  divine  revelation  ^,  soul  ^. 

—  The  spirit  was  created  at  the  com-  —  Ye  have  no  knowledge  given  unto  youy 

mand  of  my  Lord.]    Viz.  By  the  word  Kun,  except  a  little.]     All  your  knowledge  being 

i.  e.  Be ;  consisting  of  an  immaterial  sub-  acquired    from   the   information   of  your 

stance,  and  not  generated,  like  the  body,  senses,  which  must  necessarily  fail  you  in 

But,  according  to  a  different  opinion,  this  spiritual  speculations,  without  the  assist- 

passage  should  be  translated.   The  spirit  is  ance  of  divine  revelation  7, 

of  those  things,  the  knowledge  of  which  87   We  should  certaiiily  take  away  that 

thy  Lord  hath  reserved  to  himself.     For  which  we  have  revealed.]    Viz.  The  Koran; 

it  is  said  that  the  Jews  bid  the  Koreish  ask  by  razing  it  both  from  the  written  copies, 

Mohammed  to  relate  the  history  of  those  and  the  memories  of  men. 

who  slept  in  the  cave  *,  and  of  Dhu'lkar-  91    Until  thou  cause  a  spring  of  water  to 

*  At  Beiddwif  JallaW ddin.     V.  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Mahomet,  torn.  ii.  p.  127.  ^  -^^ 

Beiddwi.       ^  Idem.       ^  See  the  next  chapter.      ^  See  ibid.       ^  AlBeiddwi.      ^  Idem. 


XVII.]  AL     KORAN.  93 

earth ;  ^^  or  thou  have  a  garden  of  palm-trees  and  vines, 
and   thou   cause  rivers   to   spring  forth  from  the  midst 
thereof  in  abundance  ;  ^^  or  thou  cause  the  heaven  to  fall 
down  upon  us,  as  thou  hast  given  out,  in  pieces ;  or  thou 
bring  down  God  and  the  angels  to  vouch  for  thee  ;  ^^  or 
thou  have  a  house  of  gold  ;  or  thou  ascend  by  a  ladder 
to  heaven :  neither  will  we  believe  thy  ascending  thither 
alone,  until  thou  cause  a  book  to  descend  unto  us,  bearing 
witness  of  thee,  which  we  may  read.     Answer,  My  Lord 
be  praised !     Am  I  other  than  a  man,  sent  as  an  apostle? 
'^^  And  nothing  hindereth  men  from   believing,  when  a 
direction  is  come  unto  them,  except  that  they  say,  Hath 
God  sent  a  man  for  his  apostle  ?     ^^  Answer,  if  the  angels 
had  walked  on  earth  as  familiar  inhabitants  thereof,  we 
had  surely  sent  down  unto  them  from  heaven  an  angel 
for  our  apostle.     ^^  Say,  God  is  a  sufficient  witness  be- 
tween me  and  you :  for  he  knoweth  and  regardeth  his 
servants.     ^^  Whom  God  shall  direct,  he  shall  be  rightly 
directed ;  and  whom  he  shall  cause  to  err,  thou  shalt  find 
none  to  assist,  besides  him.     And  we  will  gather  them 
together  on  the  day  of  resurrection,   creeping  on  their 
faces,  blind,   and   dumb,  and  deaf:  their  abode  shall  be 
hell ;  so  often  as  the  fire  thereof  shall  be  extinguished, 
we  will  rekindle  a  burning  flame  to  torment  them.     ^^  This 
shall  be  their  reward,  because  they  disbelieve  in  our  signs, 
and  say.  When  we  shall  have  been  reduced  to  bones  and 
dust,  shall  we  surely  be  raised  new  creatures  ?     ^^^  Do 
they  not  perceive  that  God,  who  created  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  is  able  to  create  other  bodies  like  their  present  ? 
And  he  hath  appointed  them  a  limited  term,  there  is 
no    doubt    thereof:  but    the    ungodly  reject   the    truth, 
merely  out  of  unbelief.     ^^^  Say,  If  ye  possessed  the  trea- 
sures of  the  mercy  of  my  Lord,  ye  would  surely  refrain 

gush  forth^  &:c.]     This  and  the  following  98  So   often  as  the  fire  shall  he  extin- 

miracles    were     demanded     of     Moham-  guished,  we  will  rekindle  it  to  torment  them.^ 

med  by  the  Koreish,  as  proofs  of  his  mis-  i.  e.  When  the  fire  shall  go  out  or  abate  for 

bion.  want  of  fuel,  after  the  consumption  of  the 

94   Thy   ascending  thither   alone.~\     As  skins  and  flesh  of  the  damned,  we  will  add 

thou  pretendest  to  have  done  in  thy  night-  fresh  vigour  to  the  flames  by  giving  them 

journey;  but  of  which   no  man  was  wit-  new  bodies  •. 

ness.  100  ^  limited  term."]     Of  life  or  resur- 

98  ^/iwr/,  &c.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §iv.  rection. 

*  Al  Bciddwi.     See  chap.  iv.  p.  88. 


94  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

from  using  them,  for  fear  of  spending  them:  for  man 
is  covetous.  ^^^  We  heretofore  gave  unto  Moses  the 
power  of  working  nine  evident  signs.  And  do  thou 
ask  the  children  of  Israf:l  as  to  the  story  of  Moses; 
when  he  came  unto  them,  and  Pharaoh  said  unto  him, 
Verily  I  esteem  thee,  O  Moses,  to  be  deluded  by  sor- 
cery. ^^^  Moses  answered,  Thou  well  knowest  that  none 
hath  sent  down  these  evident  signs,  except  the  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth ;  and  I  surely  esteem  thee,  O  Pharaoh, 
a  lost  man.  ^^^  Wherefore  Pharaoh  sought  to  drive  them 
out  of  the  land ;  but  we  drowned  him,  and  all  those  who 
were  with  him.  ^^^And  we  said  unto  the  children  of 
Israel,  after  his  destruction.  Dwell  ye  in  the  land :  and 
when  the  promise  of  the  next  life  shall  come  to  be  ful- 
filled, we  will  bring  you  both  promiscuously  to  judgment. 
106 -yy-^  have  sent  down  the  Koran,  with  truth,  and  it 
hath  descended  with  truth :  and  we  have  not  sent  thee 
otherwise  than  to  be  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  de- 
nouncer of  threats.  ^^^  And  we  have  divided  the  Koran, 
revealing  it  by  parcels,  that  thou  mightest  read  it  unto 
men  with  deliberation ;  and  we  have  sent  it  down,  caus- 
ing it  to  descend  as  occasion  required.  ^^^  Say,  Whether 
ye  believe  therein,  or  do  not  believe,  verily  those  who 
have  been  favoured  with  the  knowledge  of  the  scriptures 
which  were  revealed  before  it,  when  the  same  is  rehearsed 
unto  them,  fall  down  on  their  faces,  worshipping,  and 
say.  Our  Lord  be  praised,  for  that  the  promise  of  our 

101  For  fear  of  spending  them.']  That  or  murder,  nor  practise  sorcery  or  usury, 
is,  lest  they  should  be  exhausted.  nor  accuse  an  innocent  man  to  take  away 

102  Nine  signs.^  These  were  the  his  life,  or  a  modest  woman  of  whoredom, 
changing  his  rod  into  a  serpent,  the  making  nor  desert  the  army  ;  to  which  he  added 
his  hand  white  and  shining,  the  producing  the  observing  of  the  sabbath,  as  a  tenth 
locusts,  lice,  frogs,  and  blood,  the  dividing  commandment,  but  which  peculiarly  re- 
of  the  Red  Sea,  the  bringing  water  out  of  garded  the  Jews  :  upon  which  answer,  it 
the  rock,  and  the  shaking  of  mount  Sinai  is  said,  the  Jew  kissed  the  prophet's  hands 
over   the  children  of  Israel.     In  lieu  of  and  feet  2. 

the  three  last  some  reckon  the  inundation  —  Do  you  ask  the  children  of  Israel,  &c.] 
of  the  Nile,  the  blasting  of  the  corn,  and  Some  think  these  words  are  directed  to 
scarcity  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth  ^  These  Moses,  who  is  hereby  commanded  to  de- 
words,  however,  are  interpreted  by  others,  mand  the  children  of  Israel  of  Pharaoh, 
not  of  nine  miracles,  but  of  nine  command-  that  he  might  let  them  go  with  him. 
ments,  which  Moses  gave  his  people,  and  107  By  parcels,  &c.]  See  the  Prelim, 
were   thus  numbered   up  by  Mohammed  Disc.  §  iii. 

himself  to  a  Jew,  who  asked  him  the  ques-         108  On  their  faces,~\    Literally,  on  their 

tion,  viz.  That  they  should  not  be  guilty  chins, 
of  idolatry,  nor  steal,  nor  commit  adultery 

*  41  Beiddwiy  Jallaloddnu  2  jj  Beiddwi. 


xviii.]  AL  KORAN.  95 

Lord  is  surely  fulfilled  !  And  they  fall  down  on  their 
faces,  weeping ;  and  the  hearing  thereof  increaseth  their 
humility.  ^^^  Say,  Call  upon  God,  or  call  on  the  Merci- 
ful :  by  whichsoever  of  the  two  names  ye  invoke  him,  it 
is  equal ;  for  he  hath  most  excellent  names.  Pronounce 
not  thy  prayer  aloud,  neither  pronounce  it  with  too  low  a 
voice,  but  follow  a  middle  way  between  these :  ^^^  and 
say.  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  not  begotten  any 
child ;  who  hath  no  partner  in  the  kingdom,  nor  hath  any 
to  protect  him  from  contempt :  and  magnify  him  by  pro- 
claiming his  greatness. 

109  Call  on  God  or  the  Merciful,  &c.]  with  too  low  a  voice,  &c.]    Neither  so  loud 

The  infidels  hearing   Mohammed  say,  O  that  the  infidels  may  overhear  thee,  and 

God,  and  O  Merciful,  imagined  the  Mer-  thence    take   occasion  to  blaspheme    and 

ciful   was    the    name  of  a  deity  different  scoff;  nor  so  softly  as  not  to  be  heard  by 

from  God,  and  that  he  preached  the  wor-  the  assistants.     Some  suppose  that  by  the 

ship  of  two;  which  occasioned  this  passage,  word  prayer,  in  this  place,  is  meant  the 

See  chap.  vii.  reading  of  the  Koran. 

109  Pronounce  not  thy  prayer  aloud,  nor 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

INTITLED,  THE  CAVE  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  sent  down  unto  his  ser- 
vant the  book  of  the  Koran,  and  hath  not  inserted  there- 
in any  crookedness,  but  hath  made  it  a  straight  rule  : 
^  that  he  should  threaten  a  grievous  punishment  unto  the 
unbelievers,  from  his  presence ;  and  should  bear  good 
tidings  unto  the  faithful,  who  work  righteousness,  that 
they  shall  receive  an  excellent  reward,  namely,  paradise, 
^  wherein  they  shall  remain  for  ever  :  ^  and  that  he  should 
warn  those  who  say,  God  hath  begotten  issue ;  of  which 
matter  they  have  no  knowledge,  neither  had  their  fathers. 
A  grievous  saying  it  is,  which  proceedeth  from  their 
mouths :  they  speak  no  other  than  a  lie.  ^  Perad venture 
thou  wilt  kill  thyself  with  grief  after  them,  out  of  thy 
earnest  zeal  for  their  conversion,  if  they  believe  not  in 

Title — Cave,']    The  chapter  is  thus  in-         Title — Mecca.']    Some  except  one  verse, 

scribed  because  it  makes  mention  of  the  which    begins  thus,    Behave   thyself  with 

cave  wherein  the  seven  sleepers  concealed  constancy,  &c, 
themselves. 


96  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

this  new  revelation  of  the  Koran.  ^Verily  we  have 
ordained  whatsoever  is  on  the  earth  for  the  ornament 
thereof,  that  we  might  make  trial  of  men,  and  see  which 
of  them  excelleth  in  works :  ^  and  we  will  surely  reduce 
whatever  is  thereon  to  dry  dust.  ^  Dost  thou  consider 
that  the  companions  of  the  cave,  and  Al  Rakim,  were 
one  of  our  signs,  and  a  great  miracle  ?  ^  When  the  young 
men  took  refuge  in  the  cave,  they  said,  O  Lord,  grant  us 
mercy  from  before  thee,  and  dispose  our  business  for  us 
to  a  right  issue.  ^^  Wherefore  we  struck  their  ears  with 
deafness,  so  that  they  slept  without  disturbance  in  the 
cave  for  a  great  number  of  years :  "  then  we  awaked  them, 
that  w^e  might  know  which  of  the  two  parties  was  more 
exact  in  computing  the  space  which  they  had  remained 
there.  ^^  We  will  relate  unto  thee  their  history  with 
truth.  Verily  they  were  young  men  who  had  believed  in 
their  Lord  ;  and  we  had  abundantly  directed  them ; 
*^  and  we  fortified  their  hearts  with  constancy  when  they 
stood  before  the  tyrant :  and  they  said,  Our  Lord  is  the 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth :  we  will  by  no  means  call  on 
any  god  besides  him ;  for  then  should  we  surely  utter  an 
extravagance.  ^^  These  our  fellow-people  have  taken 
other  gods,  besides  him ;  although  they  bring  no  demon- 

8  The  companions  of  the  cave.^     These  and  others  (who  seem  to  come  nearer  the 

were  certain  Christian  youths,  of  a  good  true  signification)  that  it  was  a  brass  plate, 

family  in  Ephesus,  who,  to  avoid  the  per-  or  stone  table,  placed  near  the  mouth  of 

secution   of  the   emperor  Decius,   by  the  the  cave,  on  which  the  names  of  the  young 

Arab  writers  called  Decianus,   hid  them-  men  were  written. 

selves  in  a  cave,  where  they  slept  for  a  There  are  some,  however,  who  take  the 

great  number  of  years  ^.  companions  of  Al  Rakim   to  be  different 

This  apocryphal  story — for  Baronius  ^  from  the  seven  sleepers :  for  they  say  the 
treats  it  as  no  better ;  and  Father  Mar-  former  were  three  men,  who  were  driven 
racci  ^  acknowledges  it  to  be  partly  false,  by  ill  weather  into  a  cave  for  shelter,  and 
or  at  least  doubtful,  though  he  calls  Hot-  were  shut  in  there  by  the  falling  down  of 
tinger  a  monster  of  impiety,  and  the  off-  a  vast  stone,  which  stopped  up  the  cave's 
scum  of  heretics,  for  terming  it  a  fable  *, —  mouth  ;  but  on  their  begging  God's  mercy, 
was  borrowed  by  Mohammed  from  the  and  their  relating  each  of  them  a  meri  - 
Christian  traditions  ^,  but  has  been  em-  torious  action  which  they  hoped  might 
bellished  by  him  and  his  followers  with  entitle  them  to  it,  were  miraculously  de- 
several  additional  circumstances^.  livered  by  the  rock's  rending  in  sunder  to 

—  Al  RakimJ]     What  is  meant  by  this  give  them  passage  ^. 

word  the  commentators  cannot  agree.  Some  11    The  two  parties.']  Viz.  of  the  sleepers 

will  have  it  to  be  the  name  of  the  moun-  themselves,  or  others,  who  were  divided  in 

tain,  or  the  valley,  wherein  the  cave  was ;  opinion  as  to  the  length  of  their  stay  in 

some  say  it  was  the  name  of  their  dog  ;  the  cave. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.                   ^  ifj  Martyrol.  ad  27  Julii.                   ^  j^ 

Alcor.  p.  425.  &  in  Prodr.  part  iv.  p.  103.  *  Hotting.  Hist.  Orient,  p.  40. 

*  Greg.  Turon.  &  Simeon.  Metaphrast.  «  V.  D'Herh.  Bibl.  Q/ient.  p.  189. 
^  Al  Beiddtuif  ex  trad.  Nooman  Ebn  Bashir. 


XVIII.]  AL   KORAiNT.  97 

strative  argument  for  them :  and  who  is  more  unjust  than 
he  who  deviseth  a  lie  concerning  God  ?  ^^  And  they  said 
the  one  to  the  other,  When  ye  shall  separate  yourselves 
from  them,  and  from  the  deities  which  they  worship, 
except  God,  fly  into  the  cave :  your  Lord  will  pour  his 
mercy  on  you  abundantly,  and  will  dispose  your  business 
for  you  to  advantage.  ^^  And  thou  mightest  have  seen 
the  sun,  when  it  had  risen,  to  decline  from  their  cave 
towards  the  right  hand ;  and  when  it  went  down,  to  leave 
them  on  the  left  hand :  and  they  were  in  the  spacious 
part  of  the  cave.  This  was  one  of  the  signs  of  God. 
Whomsoever  God  shall  direct,  he  shall  be  rightly  di- 
rected; and  whomsoever  he  shall  cause  to  err,  thou  shalt 
not  find  any  to  defend  or  to  direct.  ^^  And  thou  wouldest 
have  judged  them  to  have  been  awake,  while  they  were 
sleeping ;  and  w^e  caused  them  to  turn  themselves  to  the 
right  hand,  and  to  the  left.  And  their  dog  stretched 
forth  his  fore  legs  in  the  mouth  of  the  cave.  ^^  If  thou 
hadst  come  suddenly  upon  them,  verily  thou  wouldest 
have  turned  thy  back  and  fled  from  them,  and  thou 
wouldest  have  been  filled  with  fear  at  the  sight  of  them. 

15  Except  God.'\  For  they,  like  other  which  opinion  is  supported  by  reading,  as 
idolaters,  worshipped  the  true  God  and  some  do,  Calebohom,  their  dog's  master, 
idols  also  ^,  instead  of  Calbohom,  their  dog  ^.     Jalla- 

16  The  sun  declined  from  their  cave,  &c.]  lo'ddin  adds,  that  the  dog  behaved  as  his 
Lest  it  should  be  offensive  to  them,  the  masters  did,  in  turning  himself,  in  sleep- 
cave  opening  towards  the  south  2.  ing,  and  in  waking. 

—  In  the  spacious  part  of  the  cave.']  i.  e.  The  Mohammedans  have  a  great  respect 
In  the  midst  of  it,  where  they  were  in-  for  this  dog,  and  allow  him  a  place  in  para- 
commoded  neither  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  dise  with  some  other  favourite  brutes  : 
nor  the  closeness  of  the  cave  ^.  and  they  have  a   sort  of  proverb,   which 

17  Thou  wouldest  have  judged  them  to  they  use  in  speaking  of  a  covetous  person, 
have  been  awake.]  Because  of  their  hav-  that  he  would  not  throw  a  bone  to  the  dog 
ing  their  eyes  open,  or  their  frequent  of  the  seven  sleepers:  nay,  it  is  said  that 
turning  themselves  from  one  side  to  the  they  have  the  superstition  to  write  his 
other  *.  name,  which  they  suppose   to  be  Katmir 

—  And  they  turned  themselves,  &c.]  (though  some,  as  is  observed  above,  think 
Lest  their  lying  so  long  on  the  ground  he  was  called  al  Rakim),  on  their  letters 
should  consume  their  flesh  5.  which  go  far,   or  which  pass  the  sea,  as  a 

—  Their  dog.]  This  dog  had  followed  protection,  or  kind  of  talisman,  to  preserve 
them  as   they  passed  by  him,  when  they    them  from  miscarriage  '^. 

fled  to  the  cave,  and  they  drove  him  away ;  18  Thou  wouldest  have  been  filled  with 
whereupon  God  caused  him  to  speak,  and  fear  at  the  sight  of  them.]  For  that  God 
he  said,  I  love  those  who  are  dear  unto  had  given  them  terrible  countenances,  or 
God  ;  go  to  sleep,  therefore,  and  I  will  else  because  of  the  largeness  of  their  bo- 
guard  you.  But  some  say  it  was  a  dog  dies,  or  the  horror  of  the  place, 
belonging  to  a  shepherd  who  followed  them.  It  is  related  that  the  Khalif  Moawiyah, 
and  that  the  dog  followed  the  shepherd  ;  in  an  expedition  he  made  against  Natolia, 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem.  ^  idem.  *  Idem.  ^  Idem,  JaU 

laWddin.  ^  Idem.  ^  /.^  Roque,  Voy.  de  I'Arabie  heur.  p.  74.     V.  D'Her- 

hel.  ubi  sup. 

VOL.  II.  H 


98  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

And  so  we  awaked  them  from  their  sleep,  that  they  might 
ask  questions  of  one  another.     ^^  One  of  them  spake,  and 
said,  How  long  have  ye  tarried  here  ?     They  answered. 
We  have  tarried  a  day,  or  part  of  a  day.     The  others 
said.  Your  Lord  best  knoweth  the  time  ye  have  tarried : 
and  now  send  one  of  you  with  this  your  money  into  the 
city,  and  let  him  see  which  of  its  inhabitants  hath  the 
best  and  cheapest  food,  and  let  him  bring  you  provision 
from  him  ;  and  let  him  behave  circumspectly,  and  not 
discover  you   to  any  one.      ^^  Verily,  if  they  come  up 
against  you,  they  will  stone  you,  or  force  you  to  return 
to  their  religion ;  and  then  shall  ye  not  prosper  for  ever. 
^^  And  so  we  made  their  people  acquainted  with  what  had 
happened  to  them ;  that  they  might  know  that  the  pro- 
mise of  God  is  true,  and  that  there  is  no  doubt  of  the 
last  hour;  when  they  disputed  among  themselves  con- 
cerning their  matter.     ^^  And  they  said.  Erect  a  building 
over   them:  their  Lord  best  knoweth  their  condition. 
Those  who  prevailed  in  their  affair  answered.  We  will 
surely  build  a  chapel  over  them.  ^^  Some  say.  The  sleepers 
were  three;  and  their  dog  was  the  fourth:  and  others 
say.  They  were  five ;  and  their  dog  was  the  sixth  ;  guess- 
passed  by  the  cave  of  the  seven  sleepers,    the  souls  only  should  be  raised;  others, 
and  would  needs  send  somebody  into  it,    that  they  should  be  raised  v^rith  the  body : 
notwithstanding   Ebn  Abbas  remonstrated    or,  concerning  the  sleepers,  after  they  were 
to  him  the  danger   of  it,  saying,  That  a    really  dead ;  one  saying,  that  they  were 
better  man   than  him  (meaning  the  pro-    dead ;  and  another,  that  they  were  only 
phet)  had  been  forbidden  to  enter  it,  and    asleep  ;  or  else  concerning  the  erecting  a 
repeated  this  verse  ;  but  the  men  the  Kha-    building  over  them,  as  it  follows  in   the 
lif  sent  in,  had  no  sooner  entered  the  cave,    next    words  ;   some   advising   a    dwelling- 
than  they  were  struck  dead  by  a  burning    housetobebuilt  there,  and  others  a  temple  3. 
wind  ^.  22  Those  who  prevailed  said,    We  will 

19  Your  Lord  best  knoweth  the  time  ye  build  a  chapel  over  them.']  When  the 
have  tarried.]  As  they  entered  the  cave  young  man,  who  was  sent  into  the  city, 
in  the  morning,  and  waked  about  noon,  went  to  pay  for  the  provision  he  had 
they  at  first  imagined  they  had  slept  half  bought,  his  money  was  so  old,  being  the 
a  day,  or  a  day  and  a  half  at  most ;  but  coin  of  Decianus,  that  they  imagined  he 
when  they  found  their  nails  and  their  hair  had  found  a  treasure,  and  carried  him  be- 
grown  very  long,  they  used  these  words  ^.     fore  the  prince,  who  was  a  Christian,  and 

—  Ttito  the  city.]  Which  some  com-  having  heard  his  story,  sent  some  with 
mentators  suppose  was  Tarsus.  him  to  the  cave,  who  saw  and  spoke  to  the 

21    That   there   is  no  doubt  of  the  last  others :  after  which  they  fell  asleep  again, 

hour.]      The    long   sleep   of  these   young  and  died;  and  the  prince  ordered  them  to 

men,  and  their  waking  after  so  many  years,  be  buried  in  the  same  place,  and  built  a 

being  a  representation  of  the  state  of  those  chapel  over  them. 

who    die,   and   are    afterwards   raised   to  23  Some   say,    They   were    three,    &c.] 

li^e.  This  was  the  opinion  of  al   Seyid,  a  Ja- 

—  Concerning  their  matter.]     i.  e.  Con-  cobite  Christian  of  Najran. 

cerning  the  resurrection ;  some  saying  that        —    Others   say,    They   ivere   five,   &c.] 

1   Al  Beiddwi.  2   [dem.  3  i^em. 


xviii.]  AL    KORAN.  99 

ing  at  a  secret  matter  :  and  others  say,  They  were  seven ; 
and  their  dog  was  the  eighth.  Say,  My  Lord  best 
knoweth  their  number :  none  shall  know  them,  except  a 
few.  ^^  Wherefore  dispute  not  concerning  them,  unless 
with  a  clear  disputation,  according  to  what  hath  been 
revealed  unto  thee :  and  ask  not  any  of  the  Christians 
concerning  them.  ^^  Say  not  of  any  matter,  I  will  surely 
do  this  to-morrow ;  unless  thou  add,  If  God  please.  And 
remember  thy  Lord,  when  thou  forgettest,  and  say.  My 
Lord  is  able  to  direct  me  with  ease,  that  I  may  draw 
near  unto  the  truth  of  this  matter  rightly.  ^^  And  they 
remained  in  their  cave  three  hundred  years,  and  nine 
years  over.  ^^  Say,  God  best  knoweth  how  long  they 
continued  there  :  unto  him  are  the  secrets  of  heaven  and 
earth  known ;  do  thou  make  him  to  see,  and  to  hear. 
The  inhabitants  thereof  have  no  protector  besides  him  ; 
neither  doth  he  suffer  any  one  to  have  a  share  in  the 
establishment  or  knowledge  of  his  decree.  ^^  Read  that 
which  hath  been  revealed  unto  thee,  of  the  book  of  thy 
Lord,  without  presuming  to  make  any  change  therein  : 
there  is  none  who  hath  power  to  change  his  words ;  and 
thou  shalt  not  find  any  to  fly  to,  besides  him,  if  thou 

Which  was  the  opinion  of  certain  Chris-  26  Three  hundred  and  nine  years.']  Jal- 

tians,  and  particularly  of  a  Nestorian  pre-  lalo'ddin    supposes    the  whole    space  was 

late.  three  hundred  solar  years,  and  that  the 

—  Others  say,  They  were  seven,  &c.]  odd  nine  are  added  to  reduce  them  to 
And  this  is  the  true  opinion  ^.  lunar  years. 

25  Say  not  of  any  matter,  I  will  do  this  Some  think  these  words  are  introduced 

to-morrow ;  unless  thou  add,  If  God  please.]  as  spoken  by  the  Christians,  who  differed 

It  is  said,  that  when  the  Koreish,  by  the  among    themselves  about   the   time ;    one 

direction  of  the  Jews,  put  the  three  ques-  saying  it  was   three  hundred   years,  and 

tions  above-mentioned  to  Mohammed,  he  another,  three  hundred  and  nine  years  ^. 

bid  them  come  to  him  the  next  day,  and  The  interval  between  the  reign  of  Decius, 

he  would  give  them  an  answer ;  but  added  and  that  of  Theodosius   the  younger,  in 

not,  If  it  please  God;  for  which  reason  he  whose  time  the  sleepers  are  said  to  have 

had  the  mortification   to  wait  above  ten  awaked,  will  not  allow  them  to  have  slept 

days,   before   any  revelation  was   vouch-  quite    two  hundred   years ;    though    Mo- 

safed    him   concerning   those  matters,   so  hammed  is  somewhat  excusable,  since  the 

that  the   Koreish  triumphed,  and  bitterly  number  assigned  by  Simeon  Metaphrastes* 

reproached   him  as  a  liar  ;  but  at  length  is  three  hundred  and  seventy-two  years. 

Gabriel  brought  him   directions  what  he  27  Do   thou  make   him    to  see,  and   to 

should  say  ;  with  this  admonition,  how-  hear.]     This  is  an  ironical  expression,  in- 

ever,  that  he  should  not  be  so  confident  timating  the  folly  and  madness  of  man's 

for  the  future  ^.  presuming  to  instruct  God  ^. 

—  Remember  thy  Lord,  &c.]  i.  e.  Give  28  Read  that  which  hath  been  revealed 
the  glory  to  him,  and  ask  pardon  for  thy  unto  thee,  without  malnng  any  cha?ige 
omission,  in  case  thou  forget  to  say.  If  it  therein.]  As  the  unbelievers  would  per- 
please  God.  suade  thee  to  do  ^. 


1  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^   Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem,  *  Ubi  sup, 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  Idem. 

H    2 


100  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

attempt  it.  ^^  Behave  thyself  with  constancy  towards 
those  who  call  upon  their  Lord  morning  and  evening, 
and  who  seek  his  favour ;  and  let  not  thine  eyes  be  turned 
away  from  them,  seeking  the  pomp  of  this  life;  neither 
obey  him  whose  heart  we  have  caused  to  neglect  the 
remembrance  of  us,  and  who  followeth  his  lusts,  and 
leaveth  the  truth  behind  him.  ^^  And  say.  The  truth  is 
from  your  Lord  ;  wherefore  let  him  who  will,  believe, 
and  let  him  who  will,  be  incredulous.  We  have  surely 
prepared  for  the  unjust  hell-fire,  the  flame  and  smoke 
w^hereof  shall  surround  them  like  a  pavilion  :  and  if  they 
beg  relief,  they  shall  be  relieved  with  water  like  molten 
brass,  w^hich  shall  scald  their  faces  :  O  how  miserable  a 
potion,  and  how  unhappy  a  couch  !  ^^  As  to  those  who 
believe,  and  do  good  works,  we  will  not  sufter  the  reward 
of  him  who  shall  work  righteousness  to  perish :  ^^  for 
them  are  prepared  gardens  of  eternal  abode,  which  shall 
be  watered  by  rivers ;  they  shall  be  adorned  therein  with 
bracelets  of  gold,  and  shall  be  clothed  in  green  garments 
of  fine  silk  and  brocades ;  reposing  themselves  therein  on 
thrones.  O  how  happy  a  reward,  and  how  easy  a  couch  ! 
^^  And  propound  unto  them  as  a  parable  two  men :  on  the 
one  of  whom  we  had  bestowed  two  vineyards,  and  had 
surrounded  them  with  palm-trees,  and  had  caused  corn  to 
grow  between  them.  ^*  Each  of  the  gardens  brought 
forth  its  fruit  every  season,  and  failed  not  at  all :  and  we 
caused  a  river  to  flow  in  the  midst  thereof :  and  he  had 


29  Let  not  thine  eyes   be  turned  away  that  two  particular  persons  are  here  meant. 

from  them,  &c.]     That  is,  Despise  not  the  One  says  that  they  were  two  Israelites,  and 

poor  believers,  because  of  their  meanness  ;  brothers,  who  had  a  considerable  sura  left 

nor  honour    the   rich,    because    of    their  them  by  their  father,  which  they  divided 

wealth  and  grandeur.  between    them  ;    and   that    one   of  them, 

—   Whose  heart  we  have  caused  to  neg-  being  an  unbeliever,   bought  large  fields 

led  the  remembrance  of  m5.]     The  person  and  possessions   with   his  portion ;  while 

more  particularly  intended  here,  it  is  said,  the  other,  who  was  a  true  believer,  dis- 

was    Ommeya    Ebn    Khalf,    who  desired  posed  of  his  to  pious  uses  ;  but  that,  in  the 

Mohammed  to  discard  his  indigent  com-  end,  the  former  was  ruined,  and  the  latter 

panions,    out  of  respect   to  the   Koreish.  prospered.     Another  thinks  they  were  two 

See  chap.  vi>  men  of  the  tribe  of  Makhzum :  the  one 

32  Gardens  of  eternal  abode.~\  Lite-  named  al  Aswad  Ebn  Abd'al  Ashadd,  an 
YdWy^  of  Eden.     See  chap.  ix.  infidel:  and  the  other,   Abu  Salma  Ebn 

33  Two  men.']  Though  these  seem  to  be  Abd'allah,  the  husband  of  Omm  Salma, 
general  characters  only,  designed  to  repre-  (whom  the  prophet  married  after  his 
sent  the  different  end  of  the  wicked,  and  death,)  and  a  true  believer^. 

of  the  good ;  yet  it  is  supposed,  by  some, 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


XVIII.]  AL    KORAN.  101 

great  abundance.  ^^  And  he  said  unto  his  companion,  by 
way  of  debate,  I  am  superior  to  thee  in  wealth,  and  have 
a  more  powerful  family.  ^^  And  he  went  into  his  garden, 
being  guilty  of  injustice  against  his  own  soul,  and  said,  I 
do  not  think  that  this  garden  will  decay  for  ever; 
^^  neither  do  I  think  that  the  last  hour  will  come :  and 
although  I  should  return  unto  my  Lord,  verily  I  shall 
find  a  better  garden  than  this  in  exchange.  ^^  And  his 
companion  said  unto  him,  by  way  of  debate,  Dost  thou 
not  believe  in  him  who  created  thee  of  the  dust,  and 
afterwards  of  seed  ;  and  then  fashioned  thee  into  a  perfect 
man  ?  ^^  But  as  for  me,  God  is  my  Lord  ;  and  I  will 
not  associate  any  other  deity  with  my  Lord.  ^^  And 
when  thou  enterest  thy  garden,  wilt  thou  not  say.  What 
God  pleaseth  shall  come  to  pass ;  there  is  no  power  but 
in  God  alone  ?  ^^  Although  thou  seest  me  to  be  inferior 
to  thee  in  wealth  and  number  of  children,  my  Lord  is 
well  able  to  bestow  on  me  a  better  gift  than  thy  garden, 
and  to  shoot  his  arrows  against  the  same  from  heaven,  so 
that  it  shall  become  barren  dust :  ^^  or  its  water  may  sink 
deep  into  the  earth,  that  thou  canst  not  draw  thereof. 
^^  And  his  possessions  were  encompassed  with  destruction, 
as  his  companion  had  forewarned  him  :  wherefore  he  began 
to  turn  down  the  palms  of  his  hands,  out  of  sorrow  and 
regret  for  that  which  he  had  expended  thereon  ;  for  the 
vines  thereof  were  fallen  down  on  their  trails :  and  he 
said.  Would  to  God  that  I  had  not  associated  any  other 
deity  with  my  Lord  !  ^*  And  he  had  no  party  to  assist 
him  besides  God,  neither  was  he  able  to  defend  himself 
against  his  vengeance.  ^^  In  such  case  protection  be- 
longeth  of  right  unto  God  alone ;  he  is  the  best  rewarder, 
and  the  best  giver  of  success.  ^^  And  propound  to  them  a 
similitude  of  the  present  life.  It  is  like  water  which  we 
send  down  from  heaven ;  and  the  herb  of  the  earth  is 
mixed  therewith ;  and  after  it  hath  been  green  and 
flourishing,  in  the  morning  it  becometh  dry  stubble,  which 

36  And  he  weyit  into  Ms  garden."]  Car-  37  /  shall  find  a  better  garden  in  ex-' 
rying  his  companion  with  him,  out  of  change.']  Vainly  imagining  that  his  pros- 
ostentation,  and  to  mortify  him  with  the  parity  was  not  so  much  the  free  gift  of  God, 
view  of  his  large  possessions  ^.  as  due  to  his  merit  2. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  i(|em. 


102  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

the  winds  scatter  abroad;  and  God  is  able  to  do  all 
things.  ^^  Wealth  and  children  are  the  ornament  of  this 
present  life  ;  but^ood  works,  which  are  permanent,  are 
better  in  the  sight  of  tt^TjORD,  with  respect  to  the  re-^ 
warJ,  and  better^ith  respect  ton5ope7"~~^^^~0ira^^ 
day  \ve^ill  causeHtlie^  mountains  to  pass  away,  and  thou 
shalt  see  the  earth  appearing  plain  and  even ;  and  we  will 
gather  mankind  together,  and  we  will  not  leave  any  one 
of  them  behind.  ^^  And  they  shall  be  set  before  thy 
Lord  in  distinct  order,  and  he  shall  say  unto  them.  Now 
are  ye  come  unto  us  naked,  as  we  created  you  the  first 
time  ;  but  ye  thought  that  we  should  not  perform  our 
promise  anto  you.  ^^  And  the  book  wherein  every  one's 
actions  are  recorded  shall  be  put  into  his  hand ;  and  thou 
shalt  see  the  wicked  in  great  terror,  because  of  that  which 
is  written  therein,  and  they  shall  say,  Alas  for  us !  what 
meaneth  this  book  ?  It  omitteth  neither  a  small  action 
nor  a  great  one,  but  it  compriseth  the  same ;  and  they 
shall  find  that  which  they  have  wrought  present  before 
their  eyes :  and  thy  Lord  will  not  deal  unjustly  with  any 
one.  ^^  Remember  when  we  said  unto  the  angels.  Wor- 
ship ye  Adam  :  and  they  all  worshipped  him,  except  Eblis, 
who  was  one  of  the  genii,  and  departed  from  the  com- 
mand of  his  Lord.  Will  ye  therefore  take  him  and  his 
offspring  for  your  patrons  besides  me,  notwithstanding  they 
are  your  enemies  ?  Miserable  shall  such  a  change  be  to 
the  ungodly  !  ^^  I  called  not  them  to  be  present  at  the 
creation  of  the  heavens  and  of  the  earth,  nor  at  the  crea- 
tion of  themselves,  neither  did  I  take  those  seducers  for 
my  assistants.  ^^  On  a  certain  day,  God  shall  say  unto 
the  idolaters.  Call  those  whom  ye  imagined  to  be  my 
companions  to  protect  you  :  and  they  shall  call  them,  but 
they  shall  not  answer  them  ;  and  we  will  place  a  valley  of 

48   The   mountains    shall  pass    away,~\  occasion  of  his  rebellion,  and  call  him  the 

For,    being    torn    up    by  the   roots,  they  father  of  the  genii,  whom  he  begat  after 

shall  fly    in   the   air,  and   be   reduced  to  his   fall  ^ ;  it   being    a    constant    opinion 

atoms  1.  among  the  Mohammedans,  that  the  angels 

51  Eblis.']     See  chap.  ii.  and  chap.  vii.  are  impeccable,  and  do  not  propagate  their 

—   Who  was  one  of  the  genii.]     Hence  species  ^. 

some  imagine   the  genii  are  a  species  of  53  A  valley  of  destruction  between  them.] 

angels.     Others  suppose  the  devil  to  have  i.  e.  Between  the  idolaters  and  their  false 

been  originally  a  genius,  which  was  the  gods.     Some  suppose  the  meaning  is  no 

*  A I  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.  ^  See  the 

Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


xviii.]  AL   KORAN.  103 

destruction  between  them ;  ^^  and  the  wicked  shall  see 
hell-fire  ;  and  they  shall  know  that  they  shall  be  thrown 
into  the  same,  and  they  shall  find  no  way  to  avoid  it. 
^^  And  now  have  we  variously  propounded  unto  men,  in 
this  Koran,  a  parable  of  every  kind ;  but  man  cavilleth 
at  most  things  therein.  ^^  Yet  nothing  hindereth  men 
from  believing,  now  a  direction  is  come  unto  them,  and 
from  asking  pardon  of  their  Lord,  excepting  that  they 
wait  until  the  punishment  of  their  predecessors  come  to 
be  inflicted  on  them,  or  that  the  chastisement  of  the  next 
life  come  upon  them  publicly.  ^^  We  send  not  our  mes- 
sengers but  to  bear  good  tidings,  and  to  denounce  threats. 
Those  who  believe  not,  dispute  with  vain  arguments,  that 
they  may  thereby  render  the  truth  of  no  effect :  and  they 
hold  my  signs,  and  the  admonitions  which  have  been 
made  them,  in  derision.  ^^  And  who  is  more  unjust  than 
he  who  hath  been  acquainted  with  the  signs  of  his  Lord, 
and  retireth  afar  off*  from  the  same,  and  forgetteth  that 
which  his  hands  have  formerly  committed  ?  ^^  Verily  we 
have  cast  veils  over  their  hearts,  lest  they  should  under- 
stand the  Koran,  and  into  their  ears  thickness  of  hearing: 
if  thou  invite  them  to  the  true  direction,  yet  will  they 
not  therefore  be  directed  for  ever.  ^^  Thy  Lord  is  gra- 
cious, endued  with  mercy;  if  he  would  have  punished 
them  for  that  which  they  have  committed,  he  would 
doubtless  have  hastened  their  punishment :  but  a  threat 
hath  been  denounced  against  them,  and  they  shall  find  no 
refuge,  besides  him.  ^^  And  those  former  cities  did  we 
destroy  when  they  acted  unjustly ;  and  we  gave  them 
previous  warning  of  their  destruction.  ^^  And  remember 
when  MosES  said  unto  his  servant  Joshua,  the  son  of 
Nun,  I  will  not  cease  to  go  forward,  until  I  come  to 
the  place  where  the  two  seas  meet ;  or  I  will  travel  for  a 
long  space  of  time.     ^^  But  when  they  were  arrived  at 

more,  than  that  God  will  set  them  at  towns  of  the  Adites,  Thamudites,  Sodom- 
variance  and  division.  ites,  &c. 

60  A  threat  hath  been  denounced  against  62  For  a  long  space  of  time.']  The  ori- 
them.']  Viz.  of  their  calamity  at  Bedr,  ginal  word  properly  signifies  the  space  of 
(for  the  Koreish  are  the  infidels  here  in-  eighty  years  and  upwards.]  To  explain 
tended,)  or  their  punishment  at  the  resur-  this  long  passage,  the  commentators  tell 
rection  ^  the  following  story.     They  say  that  Moses 

61  Those  former   cities.]     That  is,  the  once  preaching  to  the  people,  they  admired 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 


104  -        AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

the  meeting  of  the  two  seas,  they  forgot  their  fish,  which 
they  had  taken  with  them ;  and  the  fish  took  its  way 
freely  in  the  sea.  ^^  And  when  they  had  passed  beyond 
that  place,  Moses  said  unto  his  servant,  Bring  us  our 
dinner ;  for  now  are  we  fatigued  with  this  our  journey. 
^^  His  servant  answered,  Dost  thou  know  what  has  be- 
fallen me  ?  When  we  took  up  our  lodging  at  the  rock, 
verily  1  forgot  the  fish  :  and  none  made  me  to  forget 
it,  except  Satan,  that  I  should  not  remind  thee  of  it. 
And  the  fish  took  its  way  in  the  sea  in  a  wonderful 
manner.  ^^  Moses  said.  This  is  what  we  sought  after. 
And  they  both  went  back,  returning  by  the  way  they 
came.  ^^  And  coming  to  the  rock  they  found  one  of 
our  servants,  unto  whom  we  had  granted  mercy  from 
us,  and  whom  we  had  taught  wisdom  from  before  us. 
^^  And  Moses  said  unto  him.  Shall  I  follow  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  teach  me  part  of  that  which  thou  hast  been 
taught,  for  a  direction  unto  me  ?     ^^  He  answered,  Verily 

his  knowledge  and   eloquence    so   much,  ablution  at  the  fountain  of  life  (of  which 

that  they  asked  him  whether  he  knew  any  immediately),  some  of  the  water  happened 

man  in  the  world  who  was  wiser  than  him-  to  be  sprinkled  on  the  fish,  which  imme- 

self;  to  which  he  answered  in  the  nega-  diately  restored  it  to  life^. 

tive  ;  whereupon    God,    in   a   revelation,  —  The  fish  took  its  way  freely  in  the 

having   reprehended   him    for  his   vanity  seaJ]     The   word   here  translated  freely, 

(though  some  pretend  that  Moses  asked  signifying  also  a  pipe  ox  arched  canal  iox 

God  the  question  of  his  own  accord),  ac-  conveyance  of  water,  some  have  imagined 

quainted  him  that  his  servant  al  Kedr  was  that  the  water  of  the  sea  was  miraculously 

more  knowing  than  he  ;  and  at  Moses's  kept  from  touching  the  body  of  the   fish, 

request  told  him  he  might  find  that  person  which  passed  through  it  as  under  an  arch*. 

at  a  certain  rock,  where  the  two  seas  met;  67   One  of  our  servants.^     This  person, 

directing  him  to  take  a  fish  with  him  in  a  according  to  the  general  opinion,  was  the 

basket,  and  that  where  he  missed  the  fish,  prophet  al  Kedr ;  whom  the   Mohamme- 

that  was    the  place.     Accordingly   Moses  dans  usually  confound  with  Phineas,  Elias, 

set  out,  with  his  servant  Joshua,  in  search  and  St.  George,  saying  that  his  soul  passed 

of  al  Kedr  ;  which  expedition  is  here  de-  by  a  metempsychosis  successively  through 

scribed  ^.  all   three.     Some,  however,  say  his  true 

63  The  meeting  of  the  two  seasJ]     Viz.  name  was  Balya  Ebn  Malcan,  and  that  he 

Those  of  Persia  and  Greece.     Some  fancy  lived  in  the  time  of  Afridun,  one  of  the 

that  the  meeting  of  Moses  and  al  Kedr  is  ancient  kings  of  Persia,  and  that  he  pre- 

here  intended,   as  of  two   seas  of  know-  ceded  Dhu'lkarnein,  and  lived  to  the  time 

ledge  2.  of  Moses.    'J'hey  suppose  al  Khedr,  having 

—  They  forgot  their  fish,  &c.]  Moses  found  out  the  fountain  of  life,  and  drunk 
forgot  to  inquire  concerning  it,  and  Joshua  thereof,  became  immortal;  and  that  he 
forgot  to  tell  him  when  he  missed  it.  It  is  had  therefore  this  name,  from  his  flourish- 
said,  that  when  they  came  to  the  rock,  ing  and  continual  youth  ^. 
Moses  falling  asleep,  the  fish,  which  was  Part  of  these  fictions  they  took  from  the 
roasted,  leaped  out  of  the  basket  into  the  Jews,  some  of  whom  also  fancy  Phineas 
sea.     Some  add,  that  Joshua,  making  the  was  Elias  ^. 

^   Al  Beiddwi,  Al  Zamakhshari,  Al  Bokhari,  in  Sonna,  &c.         ^  lidem.         ^  lidem. 
*  lidem.  ^  lidem.     V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Khedher.  Septemcastrens.  de 

Turcar.  moribus.  Busbeq.  Epist.  1.  p.  93,  &c.  Hotting.  Hist.  Orient,  p.  58,  &c.  99,  &c. 
292,  &c.  6  R.  Levi  Ben  Gerson  in  append.  1.  1.  Reg.  1.  27- 


xviii.]  AL   KORAN.  105 

thou  canst  not  bear  with  me :  ^^  for  how  canst  thou 
patiently  suffer  those  things,  the  knowledge  whereof  thou 
dost  not  comprehend  ?  ^^  Moses  replied.  Thou  shalt  find 
me  patient,  if  God  please ;  neither  will  I  be  disobedient 
unto  thee  in  any  thing.  ^^  He  said,  If  thou  follow  me, 
therefore,  ask  me  not  concerning  any  thing,  until  I  shall 
declare  the  meaning  thereof  unto  thee.  ^^  So  they  both 
went  on  by  the  sea-shore,  until  they  went  up  into  a  ship : 
and  he  made  a  hole  therein.  And  Moses  said  unto  him, 
Hast  thou  made  a  hole  therein,  that  thou  mightest  drown 
those  who  are  on  board  ?  Now  hast  thou  done  a  strange 
thing.  ^^He  answered.  Did  I  not  tell  thee  that  thou 
couldest  not  bear  with  me  ?  ^^  Moses  said.  Rebuke  me 
not,  because  I  did  forget ;  and  impose  not  on  me  a  diffi- 
culty in  what  I  am  commanded.  ^^  Wherefore  they  left 
the  ship,  and  proceeded,  until  they  met  with  a  youth  ; 
and  he  slew  him.  Moses  said.  Hast  thou  slain  an  inno- 
cent person,  without  his  having  killed  another?  Now 
hast  thou  committed  an  unjust  action.  [*XVI.]  ^^  He 
answered.  Did  I  not  tell  thee  that  thou  couldest  not  bear 
with  me?  ^^  Moses  said,  If  I  ask  thee  concerning  any 
thing  hereafter,  suffer  me  not  to  accompany  thee :  now 
hast  thou  received  an  excuse  from  me.  ^^  They  went  for- 
ward, therefore,  until  they  came  to  the  inhabitants  of  a 
certain  city,  and  they  asked  food  of  the  inhabitants  there- 
of; but  they  refused  to  receive  them.  And  they  found 
therein  a  wall,  which  was  ready  to  fall  down ;  and  he  set 
it  upright.  Whereupon  Moses  said  unto  him.  If  thou 
wouldest,  thou  mightest  doubtless  have  received  a  reward 
for  it.  ^^  He  answered,  This  shall  be  a  separation  between 
me  and  thee :  but  I  will  first  declare  unto  thee  the  signi- 
fication of  that  which  thou  couldest  not  bear  with  pa- 
tience. ^^  The  vessel  belonged  to  certain  poor  men,  who 
did  their  business  in  the  sea :  and  I  was  minded  to  render 

73  He  made  a  hole  in  the  ship.']     For  tioch  ;  or,   as  some  rather  think,  Obollah, 

al  Khedr  took  an  ax,  and  knocked  out  two  near  Basra  ;  or  else  Bajirwan,  in  Armenia^, 

of  her  planks  ^.  —  He  set  it  upright.]    By  only  stroking 

76  He  slew  him.]     By  twisting  his  neck  it  with   his   hand:  though  others  say  he 

round,  or  dashing  his  head  against  a  wall,  threw  it  down  and  rebuilt  it*, 

or  else  by  throwing  him  down,  and  cutting  81    Certain  poor  7nen.]      They  were  ten 

his  throat  ^.  brothers,  five   of  whom   were   past    their 

79  A  certain  city.]     This  city  was  An-  labour  by  reason  of  their  age  ^. 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem.  *  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


106  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

it  unserviceable,  because  there  was  a  king  behind  them, 
who  took  every  sound  ship  by  force.  ^^  As  to  the  youth, 
his  parents  were  true  believers ;  and  we  feared  lest  he, 
being  an  unbeliever,  should  oblige  them  to  suffer  his  per- 
verseness  and  ingratitude:  ^^ wherefore  we  desired  that 
their  Lord  might  give  them  a  more  righteous  child  in 
exchange  for  him,  and  one  more  affectionate  towards 
them.  ^^  And  the  wall  belonged  to  two  orphan  youths  in 
the  city,  and  under  it  was  a  treasure  hidden  which  be- 
longed to  them ;  and  their  father  was  a  righteous  man  : 
and  thy  Lord  was  pleased  that  they  should  attain  their 
full  age,  and  take  forth  their  treasure,  through  the  mercy 
of.  thy  Lord.  And  I  did  not  what  thou  hast  seen  of 
mine  own  will,  but  of  God's  direction.  This  is  the  in- 
terpretation by  that  which  thou  couldest  not  bear  with 
patience.  ^^  The  Jews  will  ask  thee  concerning  Dhu'l- 
KARNEiN.  Answer,  I  will  rehearse  unto  you  an  account 
of  him.  ^^  We  made  him  powerful  in  the  earth,  and  we 
gave  liim  means  to  accomplish  every  thing  he  pleased. 
^^  And  he  followed  his  way,  until  he  came  to  the  place 
where  the  sun  setteth  ;  and  he  found  it  to  set  in  a  spring 
of  black  mud:  and  he  found  near  the  same  a  certain 

81  A  'king.'\     Named  Jaland  Ebn  Kar-  which  is  most  probable,  by  reason  of  his 

kar,  or  Minwar  Ebn  Jaland  al  Azdi  1,  who  great   valour.     Several   modern    writers^ 

reigned  in  Oman.     See  Poc.  Spec.  p.  42.  rather  suppose  the  surname  was  occasioned 

83  That  their  Lord  might  give  them  a  by  his  being  represented  in  his  coins  and 
more  righteous  child,  &c.]  It  is  said  that  statues  with  horns,  as  the  son  of  Jupiter 
they  had  afterwards  a  daughter,  who  was  Ammon  ;  or  else  by  his  being  compared 
the  wife  and  the  mother  of  a  prophet ;  by  the  prophet  Daniel  to  a  he-goat  ^ ; 
and  that  her  son  converted  a  whole  na-  though  he  is  there  represented  with  but 
tion  2.  one  horn  ''. 

84  Two  orphans.']  Their  names  were,  There  are  some  good  writers,  however, 
Asram  and  Sarim  ^.  who  believe  the  prince  intended  in  this 

85  Dhu' Ikarnein.']  or,  The  two-horned,  passage  of  the  Koran,  was  not  Alexander 
The  generality  of  the  commentators '*  sup-  the  Grecian,  but  another  great  conqueror 
pose  the  person  here  meant  to  be  Alex-  who  bore  the  same  name  and  surname, 
ander  the  Great,  or,  as  they  call  him.  Is-  and  was  much  more  ancient  than  he,  being 
cander  at  Rumi,  king  of  Persia  and  Greece :  contemporary  with  Abraham,  and  one  of 
but  there  are  very  different  opinions  as  to  the  kings  of  Persia  of  the  first  race  ^  ;  or 
the  reason  of  this  surname.  Some  think  as  others  suppose,  a  king  of  Yaman,  named 
it  was  given  him  because  he  was  king  of  Asaab  Ebn  al  Rayesh  ^. 

the  East  and  of  the  West,  or  because  he  had  They  all  agree  he  was  a  true  believer ; 

made  expeditions  to  both  those  extreme  but  whether  he  was  a  prophet  or  not,  is  a 

parts  of  the  earth  ;  or  else  because  he  had  disputed  point. 

two   horns  on    his  diadem,  or  two  curls  87  He  found  the  sun   to  set  in  a  spring 

of  hair,  like   horns  on  his  forehead  ;  or,  of  black  mud.~\     That  is,  it  seemed  so  to 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem.  *  Idem,  Zamakhshari,  Jallalo' ddin, 

Yahya.  ^  Scaliger,  de  Emend,  temp.     L' Empereur,  not.  in  Jachiad.  Dan.  viii.  5. 

Got.  in  Alfrag.  p.  58,  &c.         ^  Schickard.  Tarikh  reg.  Pers.  p.  73.  ^  See  Dan.  viii. 

^  Abu'lfeda.  Khondernir,    Tarikh  Montakhab,  &c.     V.  D'Herbel.   Bibl.   Orient.  Art. 
Escander.  ^  Ex  trad.  Ebn  Abbas.    V.  Poc.  Spec.  p.  58. 

1 


XVIII.] 


AL  KORAN. 


10^ 


people.  ^^And  we  said,  O  Dhu'lkarnein,  either  punish 
this  people,  or  use  gentleness  towards  them.  ^^  He  an- 
swered, Whosoever  of  them  shall  commit  injustice,  we 
will  surely  punish  him  in  this  world ;  afterwards  shall  he 
return  unto  his  Lord,  and  he  shall  punish  him  with  a 
severe  punishment.  ^^  But  whosoever  believeth,  and  doth 
that  which  is  right,  shall  receive  the  most  excellent  re- 
ward, and  we  will  give  him  in  command  that  which  is 
easy.  ^^  Then  he  continued  his  way,  until  he  came  to 
the  place  where  the  sun  riseth ;  and  he  found  it  to  rise 
on  certain  people,  unto  whom  we  had  not  given  any 
thing  wherewith  to  shelter  themselves  therefrom.  ^^  Thus 
it  was  ;  and  we  comprehended  with  our  knowledge  the 
forces  which  were  with  him.  ^^  And  he  prosecuted  his 
journey  from  south  to  north,  until  he  came  between  the 
two  mountains,  beneath  which  he  found  certain  people, 
who  could  scarce  understand  what  was  said.  ^^  And  they 
said,  O  Dhu'lkarnein,  verily  Gog  and  Magog  waste 
the  land;  shall  we  therefore  pay  thee  tribute,  on  con- 


him,  when  he  came  to  the  ocean,  and  saw 
nothing  but  water  ^. 

—  A  certain  people.~\  An  unbelieving 
nation,  who  were  clothed  in  the  skins  of 
wild  beasts,  and  lived  upon  what  the  sea 
cast  on  shore  2, 

88  Either  punish  them  or  use  them  with 
gentleness.']  For  God  gave  Dhu'lkarnein 
his  choice,  either  to  destroy  them  for  their 
infidelity,  or  to  instruct  them  in  the  true 
faith ;  or,  according  to  others,  either  to 
put  them  to  the  sword,  or  to  take  them 
captives  ;  but  the  words  which  follow  con- 
firm the  former  interpretation,  by  which 
it  appears,  he  chose  to  invite  them  to  the 
true  religion,  and  to  punish  only  the  dis- 
obedient and  incredulous. 

91  The  place  where  the  sun  riseth.~\  i.  e. 
That  part  of  the  habitable  world  on  which 
the  sun  first  rises. 

—  And  he  found  it  to  rise  on  a  certain 
people,  &c.]  Who  had  neither  clothes  nor 
houses,  their  country  not  bearing  any 
buildings,  but  dwelt  in  holes  underground, 
into  which  they  retreated  from  the  heat  of 
the  sun^.  Jallalo'ddin  says  they  were 
the  Zenj,  a  black  nation  lying  south-west 
of  Ethiopia.  They  seem  to  be  the  Tro- 
glodytes of  the  ancients. 


93  The  two  mountains."]  Between  which 
Dhu'lkarnein  built  the  famous  rampart 
mentioned  immediately,  against  the  irrup- 
tions of  Gog  and  Magog-  These  moun- 
tains are  situate  in  Armenia  and  Adher- 
bijan,  or  according  to  others,  much  more 
northwards,  on  the  confines  of  Turkestau*. 
The  relation  of  a  journey  taken  to  this 
rampart,  by  one  who  was  sent  on  purpose 
to  view  it  by  the  Khalif  al  Walthec,  may 
be  seen  in  D'Herbelot  ^. 

—  Who  could  scarce  understand  what 
was  said.]  By  reason  of  the  strangeness 
of  their  speech,  and  their  slowness  of  ap- 
prehension ;  wherefore  they  were  obliged 
to  make  use  of  an  interpreter  ^. 

94  Gog  and  Magog  waste  the  land.] 
The  Arabs  call  them  Yajuj  and  Majuj, 
and  say  they  are  two  nations  or  tribes 
descended  from  Japhet,  the  son  of  Noah, 
or  as  others  write,  Gog  is  a  tribe  of  the 
Turks,  and  Magog  of  those  of  Gilan  ^,  the 
Geli  and  Gelse  of  Ptolemy  and  Strabo  ^. 

It  is  said  these  barbarous  people  made 
their  irruptions  into  the  neighbouring 
countries  in  the  spring,  and  destroyed  and 
carried  off  all  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and 
some  pretend  they  were  man-eaters^. 


^   A I  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 
^  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Jagiouge. 
supra. 


2  lidem. 

6  Al  Beiddwi. 


^   lidem. 
^  Idem, 


4   A I  Beiddwi. 
V.  D'Herhel.  ubi 


V.  Gol,  in  Alfrag.  p.  207- 


^  Al  Beiddwi. 


108  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 


dition  that  thou  build  a  rampart  between  us  and  them  ? 
^^  He  answered,  The  power  wherewith  my  Lord  hath 
strengthened  me,  is  better  than  your  tribute :  but  assist 
me  strenuously,  and  I  will  set  a  strong  wall  between  you 
and  them.  ^^  Bring  me  iron  in  large  pieces,  until  it  fill 
up  the  space  between  the  two  sides  of  these  mountains. 
And  he  said  to  the  workmen.  Blow  with  your  bellows, 
until  it  make  the  iron  red  hot  as  fire.  ^^  And  he  said 
further.  Bring  me  molten  brass,  that  I  may  pour  upon  it. 
^^  Wherefore,  when  this  w^all  was  finished,  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog could  not  scale  it,  neither  could  they  dig  through  it. 
^^And  Dhu'lkarnein  said.  This  is  a  mercy  from  my 
Lord  :  but  when  the  prediction  of  my  Lord  shall  come 
to  be  fulfilled,  he  shall  reduce  the  wall  to  dust ;  and  the 
prediction  of  my  Lord  is  true.  ^^^  On  that  day  we  will 
suffer  some  of  them  to  press  tumultuously  like  waves  on 
others ;  and  the  trumpet  shall  be  sounded,  and  we  will 
gather  them  in  a  body  together.  ^^^  And  we  will  set  hell 
on  that  day,  before  the  unbelievers ;  ^^^  whose  eyes  have 
been  veiled  from  my  remembrance,  and  who  could  not 
hear  my  words.  ^^^  Do  the  unbelievers  think  that  I  will 
not  punish  them,  for  that  they  take  my  servants  for  their 
protectors  besides  me?  Verily  we  have  prepared  hell 
for  the  abode  of  the  infidels.  ^^^  Say,  Shall  we  declare 
unto  you  those  whose  works  are  vain,  whose  endeavour, 
in  the  present  life  hath  been  wrongly  directed,  and  who 
think  they  do  the  work  which  is  right  ?  ^^^  These  are 
they  who  believe  not  in  the  signs  of  the  Lord,  or  that 
they  shall  be  assembled  before  him  :  wherefore  their  works 
are  vain ;  and  we  will  not  allow  them  any  weight  on  the 

98  This  wallf  &c.]     The  commentators  was  built  of  stones  joined  by  cramps  of 

say  the   wall  was  built  in  this    manner,  iron,  on  which  they  poured  melted  brass 

They  dug  till  they  found  water  ;  and  hav-  to  fasten  them  ^ 

ing  laid  the  foundation  of  stone  and  melted         99    When  the  prediction  of  my  Lord  shall 

brass,    they    built    the   superstructure    of  come  to   be  fulfilled,  &c.]      That  is,  When 

large  pieces  of  iron,  between  which  they  the  time  shall  come  for  Gog  and  Magog  to 

laid  wood  and  coals,  till  they  equalled  the  break  forth  from  their  confinement ;  which 

height  of  the  mountains;  and  then,  setting  shall  happen  some  time  before  the  resur- 

fire   to  the  combustibles,   by  the   help  of  rection  ^. 

large  bellows,  they  made  the  iron  red-hot,  100   To  press   tumultuously  like  waves, 

and  over  it   poured  melted  brass,   which  &c.]     These   words    represent    either  the 

filling  up  the  vacancies  between  the  pieces  violent  irruption   of  Gog  and   Magog,  or 

of  iron,  rendered  the  whole  work  as  firm  the  tumultuous  assembly  of  all  creatures, 

as  a  rock.     Some  tell  us  that  the  whole  men,  genii,  and  brutes,  at  the  resurrection. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.  ^  gee  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


XIX.]  AL   KORAN.  109 

clay  of  resurrection.  ^^^  This  shall  be  their  reward,  namely, 
hell ;  for  that  they  have  disbelieved,  and  have  held  my 
signs  and  my  apostles  in  derision.  ^^^  But  as  for  those 
who  believe,  and  do  good  works,  they  shall  have  the  gar- 
dens of  paradise  for  their  abode ;  ^^^  they  shall  remain 
therein  for  ever ;  they  shall  wish  for  no  change  therein. 
^^^  Say,  If  the  sea  were  ink,  to  write  the  words  of  my 
Lord,  verily  the  sea  would  fail,  before  the  words  of  my 
Lord  would  fail ;  although  we  added  another  sea  like 
unto  it  as  a  farther  supply.  ^^^  Say,  Verily  I  am  only  a 
man  as  ye  are.  It  is  revealed  unto  me  that  your  God  is 
one  only  God  :  let  him  therefore  who  hopeth  to  meet  his 
Lord,  work  a  righteous  work ;  and  let  him  not  make  any 
other  to  partake  in  the  worship  of  his  Lord. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

INTITLED,    MARY  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  C.  H.  Y.  A.  S.  ^  A  commemoration  of  the  mercy  of 
thy  Lord  towards  his  servant  Zacharias.  ^  When  he 
called  upon  his  Lord,  invoking  him  in  secret,  and 
said,  ^  O  Lord,  verily  my  bones  are  weakened,  and 
my  head  is  become  white  with  hoariness,  and  I  have 
never  been  unsuccessful  in  my  prayers,  to  thee,  O  Lord. 
^  But  now  I  fear  my  nephews,  who  are  to  succeed  after 
me,  for  my  wife  is  barren :  ^  wherefore  give  me  a  suc- 
cessor of  my  own  body  from  before  thee,  who  may  be  my 
heir,  and  may  be  an  heir  of  the  family  of  Jacob  ;  and 

Title — Mary.']      Several    circumstances  people   in   the  true  religion,  they  should 

relating  to  the   Virgin  Mary  being  men-  seduce  them  to  idolatry  ^     And  some  com- 

tioned  in  this  chapter,  her  name  was  pitch-  mentators  imagine  that  he  made  this  prayer 

ed  upon  for  the  title.  in  private,  lest  his  nephews  should  over- 

Title — Mecca,']      Except   the   verse    of  hear  him. 
Adoration.  6  And  may  he  an  heir  of  the  family  of 

1  C,  H.   Y.A.S.]       See   the   Prelim.  Jacob.]     Viz.  In  holiness  and  knowledge ; 
Disc.  §  iii.  or  in  the  government  and  superintendence 

2  Zacharias.]     See  chap.  iii.  of  the  Israelites.      There  are  some   who 
5  1  fear  my  nephews^  &c.]     These  were     suppose  it  is  not  the  patriarch  who  is  here 

his  brother's  sons,  who  were  very  wicked  meant,  but  another  Jacob,  the  brother  of 
men  ;  and  Zacharias  was  apprehensive  lest,  Zacharias;  or  of  Imran  Ebn  Mathan,  of 
after  his  death,  instead  of  confirming  the     the  race  of  Solomon  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Jallalo' ddin.  2  Udem. 


110  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

grant,  O  Lord,  that  he  may  be  acceptable  unto  thee. 
^  And  the  angel  answered  him,  O  Zacharias,  verily  we 
bring  thee  tidings  of  a  son,  whose  name  shall  be  John  : 
we  have  not  caused  any  to  bear  the  same  name  before 
him.  ^  Zacharias  said.  Lord,  how  shall  I  have  a  son, 
seeing  my  wife  is  barren,  and  I  am  now  arrived  at  a 
great  age,  and  am  decrepit  ?  ^  The  angel  said,  So  shall 
it  be :  thy  Lord  saith.  This  is  easy  with  me ;  since  I 
created  thee  heretofore,  when  thou  wast  nothing.  ^^  Za- 
charias answered,  O  Lord,  give  me  a  sign.  The  angel 
replied.  Thy  sign  shall  be,  that  thou  shalt  not  speak  to 
men  for  three  nights,  although  thou  be  in  perfect  health. 
^^  And  he  went  forth  unto  his  people,  from  the  chamber, 
and  he  made  signs  unto  them,  as  if  he  should  say.  Praise 
ye  God  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening.  ^^  And  we 
said  unto  his  son,  O  John,  receive  the  book  of  the  law, 
with  a  resolution  to  study  and  observe  it.  ^^  And  we 
bestowed  on  him  wisdom,  when  he  w^as  yet  a  child,  and 
mercy  from  us,  and  purity  of  life ;  ^^  and  he  was  a  devout 
person,  and  dutiful  towards  his  parents,  and  was  not 
proud  or  rebellious.  ^^  Peace  be  on  him  the  day  whereon 
he  was  born,  and  the  day  whereon  he  shall  die,  and  the 
day  whereon  he  shall  be  raised  to  life.  ^^  And  remember 
in  the  book  of  the  Koran  the  story  of  Mary  ;  when  she 
retired  from  her  family  to  a  place  towards3EiI^stX2I^ 

7    We  have  not  caused  any  to  bear  that  11  He  made  signs  unto  themJ]     Some 

name  before  him,']     For  he  was  the  first  say  he  wrote  the  following  words  on  the 

who  bore  the  name  of  John,  or  Yahya,  (as  ground, 

the    Arabs   pronounce  it;)    which    fancy  13  And  purity  of  life,']    Or,  as  the  word 

seems  to  be  occasioned  by  the  words  of  St.  also  signifies,  the  love  of  alms-deeds. 

Luke  misunderstood,  that  none  of  Zacha-  16  To  a  place  towards  the  east.]     Viz. 

rias's  kindred  was  called  by  that  name  ^ :  To  the  eastern  part  of  the  temple ;  or  to 

for  otherwise  John,  or,  as  it  is  written  in  a  private  chamber   in    the   house,  which 

Hebrew,  Johanan,  was  a   common  name  opened  to  the  east;  whence,  says  al  Bei- 

among  the  Jews.  dawi,    the    Christians   pray  towards   that 

Some  expositors  avoid  this  objection,  by  quarter, 

observing,  that  the  original  word  Samiyyan  There  is  a  tradition,  that  when  the  Vir- 

signifies,   not  only    one    who    is    actually  gin  was  grown  to  years  of  puberty,   she 

called   by  the  same  name,  but  also   one  used  to  leave  her  apartment  in  the  temple, 

who,  by  reason  of  his  possessing  the  like  and  retire  to  Zacharias's  house  to  her  aunt, 

qualities  and  privileges,   deserves,  or  may  when  her  courses  came  upon  her ;  and  so 

pretend  to,  the  same  name.  soon  as  she  was  clean,  she  returned  again 

S  I  am  arrived  at  a  great  age,  &c.]    The  to  the  temple  ;  and  that  at  the  tim^  of  the 

Mohammedan  traditions  greatly  differ  as  angel's  visiting  her,  she  was  at  her  aunt's 

to  the  age  of  Zacharias  at  this  time :  we  on  the  like   occasion,  and  was  sitting  to 

have  mentioned  one  already  ^  :  Jallalo'ddin  wash  herself,  in  an  open  place,  behind  a 

says,  he  was  an  hundred  and  twenty,  and  veil,   to  prevent   her  being   seen  ^.     But 

his  wife  ninety-eight;  and  the  Sonna  takes  others  more  prudently  suppose  the  design 

notice  of  several  other  opinions.  of  her  retirement  was  to  pray  *. 


1  Luke  i.  61.  ^  Chap.  ii.  note.  ^  Yahya,  Al  Beiddwi.  *  Al  Zamakh, 


XIX.] 


AL    KORAN. 


Ill 


took  a  veij_to_cmiceal^^  h^^  and  we  sent 

our  spirit  Gabriel  unto  her,  and  he  appeared  unto  her 
nTlTie"  shape  of  a  perfect  man.  ^^  She  said,  I  fly  for 
refuge  unto  the  merciful  God,  that  he  may  defend  me 
from  thee :  if  thou  fearest  him,  thou  wilt  not  approach 
me.  ^^  He  answered.  Verily  I  am  the  messenger  of  thy 
Cord,  aSd~am  sent  to  give  thee  a  holy  son.  ^^  She  said, 
How  shall  I  have  a  son,  seeing  a  man  hath  not  touched 
me,  and  I  am  no  harlot  ?  ^^  Gabriel  replied.  So  shall  it 
be :  thy  Lord  saith.  This  is  easy  with  me ;  and  we  will 
perform  it,  that  we  may  ordain  him  for  a  sign  unto  men, 
and  a  mercy  from  us  :  for  it  is  a  thing  which  is  decreed. 
^^  Whejrefore  she  conceived  him  :  and^she  retired  aside 
with  him  in  her  womb  to  a  distant  place;  ^^and  the 
pains  of  child-birth  came  upon  her  near  the  trunk  of  a 
paTm-tree.  She  said.  Would  to  God  I  had  died  before 
this,  and  had  become  a  thing  forgotten,  and  lost  in 
oblivion  !  And  he  who  was  beneath  her  called  to  her, 
saying.  Be  not  grieved ;  now  hath  God  provided  a  rivulet 


IT  In  the  shape  of  a  man.']  Like  a  full- 
grown  but  beardless  youth.  Al  Beidawi, 
not  contented  with  having  given  one  good 
reason  why  he  appeared  in  that  form,  viz. 
to  moderate  her  surprise,  that  she  might 
hear  his  message  with  less  shyness,  adds, 
that  perhaps  it  might  be  to  raise  an  emo- 
tion in  her,  and  assist  her  conception. 

22  She  conceived.]  For  Gabriel  blew 
into  the  bosom  of  her  shift,  which  he 
opened  with  his  fingers  ^,  and  his  breath 
reaching  her  womb,  caused  the  concep- 
tion 2.  The  age  of  the  Virgin  Mary  at 
the  time  of  her  conception  was  thirteen, 
or,  as  others  say,  ten  ;  and  she  went  six, 
seven,  eight,  or  nine  months  with  him, 
according  to  different  traditions  :  though 
some  say  the  child  was  conceived  at  its 
full  growth  of  nine  months,  and  that  she 
was  delivered  of  him  within  an  hour 
after  ^. 

—  To  a  distant  place.]  To  conceal  her 
delivery,  she  went  out  of  the  city  by  night 
to  a  certain  mountain. 

23  Her  pains  came  upon  her  near  the 
trunk  of  a  palm-tree.]  The  palm  to  which 
she   fled,   that   she    might   lean  on   it  in 


travail,  was  a  withered  trunk,  without  any 
head  or  verdure,  and  this  happened  in  the 
winter  season  ;  notwithstanding  which,  it 
miraculously  supplied  her  with  fruits  for 
her  refreshment*;  as  is  mentioned  imme- 
diately. 

It  has  been  observed,  that  the  Moham- 
medan account  of  the  delivery  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  very  much  resembles  that  of 
Latona,  as  described  by  the  poets  ^,  not 
only  in  this  circumstance  of  their  laying 
hold  on  a  palm-tree  ^,  (though  some  say 
Latona  embraced  an  olive-tree,  or  an  olive 
and  a  palm,  or  else  two  laurels,)  but  also 
in  that  of  their  infants'  speaking  ;  which 
Apollo  is  fabled  to  have  done  in  the 
womb  '^. 

—  He  who  was  beneath  her.]  This 
some  imagine  to  have  been  the  child  him- 
self; but  others  suppose  it  was  Gabriel, 
who  stood  somewhat  lower  than  she  did  ^. 
According  to  a  different  reading,  this  pas- 
sage may  be  rendered.  And  he  called  to 
her  from  beneath  her,  &c.  And  some 
refer  the  pronoun,  translated  Jier,  to  the 
palm-tree ;  and  then  it  should  be  beneath 
it,  &c. 


^   Yahya.  2  JallaWddin^  Jl  Beidawi.  3  ^/  Beidawi,  Yahya* 

4  lidem,  Al  ZamaJch.  ^  V.  Sikii  not.  in  Evang.  Infant,  p.  9.  21,  &c. 

^  Homer.  Hymn,  in  Apoll.      CalUmach.  Hymn,  in  Delum.  '^  CaUimach.  ibid. 

See  Kor.  chap.  3.  ^  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


112  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

under  thee ;  ^^  and  do  thou  shake  the  body  of  the  palm- 
tree,  and  it  s|iall  let  fall  ripe  dates  upon  thee,  ready 
gathered.  ^^  And  eat,  and  drink,  and  calm  thy  mind. 
Moreover,  if  thou  see  any  man,  and  he  question  thee, 
say,  Verily  I  have  vowed  a  fast  unto  the  Merciful ; 
wherefore  I  will  by  no  means  speak  to  a  man  this  day. 
^^  So  she  brought  the  child  to  her  people,  carrying  him  in 
her  arms.  And  they  said  unto  her,  O  Mary,  now  hast 
thou  done  a  strange  thing.  ^^O  sister  of  Aaron,  thy 
father  was  not  a  bad  man,  neither  was  thy  mother  a 
harlot.  ^^  But  she  made  signs  unto  the  child  to  answer 
them ;  and  they  said.  How  shall  we  speak  to  him  who  is 
an  infant  in  the  cradle  ?  ^^  Whereupon  the  child  said, 
,  Verily  I  am  the  servant  of  God  ;  he  hath  given  me  the 
-book  of  the  gospel,  and  hath  appointed  me  a  prophet. 
^^  And  he  hath  made  me  blessed,  wheresoever  I  shall  be ; 
and  hath  commanded  me  to  observe  prayer,  and  to  give 
alms,  so  long  as  I  shall  live  ;  and  he  hath  made  me 
dutiful  towards  my  mother,  and  hath  not  made  me  proud, 
or  unhappy.  ^^  And  peace  be  on  me  the  day  whereon  1 
was  born,  and  the  day  whereon  I  shall  die,  and  the  day 
whereon  I  shall  be  raised  to  life.  ^^  This  was  Jesus  the 
son  of  Mary  ;  the  Word  of  truth,  concerning  whom  they 
doubt.     ^^It  is  not  meet  for  Gop,  that  he   should  have 

24  Shake  the  palm-tree^  and  it  shall  let  his  sister,  either  because  she  was  of  the 
fall  ripe  dates,  &c.]  And  accordingly  she  Levitical  race  (as  by  her  being  related  to 
had  no  sooner  spoken  it,  than  the  dry  Elizabeth  it  should  seem  she  was),  or  by 
trunk  revived,  and  shot  forth  green  leaves,  way  of  comparison.  Others  say  that  it 
and  a  head  loaded  with  ripe  fruit.  was  a  different  person  of  that  name  who 

25  Calm  thy  mind»~\  Literally,  thine  was  contemporary  with  her,  and  conspi- 
eye»  cuous  for  his  good  or  bad  qualities,  and 

—  /  have  vowed  a  fast,  &c.]     During  that  they  likened  her  to  him   either  by 

which  she  was  not  to  speak  to  any  body,  way  of  commendation,  or   of  reproach  2, 

unless  to  acquaint  them  with   the  reason  8rc. 

of  her  silence  ;  and  some  suppose  she  did  29   Whereupon  the  child  said,  !  am  the 

that  by  signs.  servant  of  God.~\      These  were    the    first 

27  O  sister  ofAaronJ]  Several  Christian  words  which  were  put  into  the  mouth  of 

writers  think  the  Koran  stands  convicted  Jesus,  to  obviate   the   imagination  of  his 

of  a  manifest  falsehood  in  this  particular,  partaking  of  the  divine  nature,  or  having 

but  I  am  afraid  the  Mohammedans  may  a  right   to    the   worship   of  mankind,   on 

avoid  the  charge  ^  ;  as  they  do  by  several  account  of  his  miraculous  speaking  so  soon 

answers.     Some  say  the  Virgin  Mary  had  after  his  birth  3. 

really  a  brother,  named  Aaron,  who  had  32  The  word  of  truth.']     This  expres- 

the   same   father  but  a  different  mother,  sion  may  either  be  referred  to  Jesus,  as 

Others  suppose  Aaron,  the  brother  of  Mo-  the  V/ord  of  God  ;  or  to  the  account  just 

ses,  is  here  meant;  but  say  Mary  is  called  given  of  him. 

*  See  chap.  iii.  ^  Al  Zamakh.  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo* ddin,  Yahya,  &c. 

3  Al  Beiddwi,  &c. 


XIX.]  AL   KORAN.  113 

any  son :  God  forbid !  When  he  clecreeth  a  thing,  he 
only  saith  unto  it.  Be ;  and  it  is.  ^*  And  verily  God  is 
my  Lord,  and  your  Lord  ;  wherefore  serve  him  :  this  is 
the  right  way.  ^^  Yet  the  sectaries  differ  among  them- 
selves concerning  Jesus  ;  but  woe  be  unto  those  who  are 
unbelievers,  because  of  their  appearance  at  the  great  day. 
^^  Do  thou  cause  them  to  hear,  and  do  thou  cause  them  to 
see,  on  the  day  whereon  they  shall  come  unto  us  to  be 
judged ;  but  the  ungodly  are  this  day  in  a  manifest  error. 
And  do  thou  forewarn  them  of  the  day  of  sighing,  when 
the  matter  shall  be  determined  while  they  are  now  sunk 
in  negligence,  and  do  not  believe.  ^^  Verily  we  will 
inherit  the  earth,  and  whatever  creatures  are  therein  ; 
and  unto  us  shall  they  all  return.  ^^  And  remember 
Abraham  in  the  book  of  the  Koran  ;  for  he  was  one  of 
great  veracity,  and  a  prophet.  ^^  When  he  said  unto  his 
father,  O  my  father,  why  dost  thou  M^orship  that  which 
heareth  not,  neither  seeth,  nor  profiteth  thee  at  all  ? 
^^  O  my  father,  verily  a  degree  of  knowledge  hath  been 
bestowed  on  me  which  hath  not  been  bestowed  on 
thee :  wherefore  follow  me ;  I  will  lead  thee  into  an 
even  way.  ^^  O  my  father,  serve  not  Satan  ;  for  Satan 
was  rebellious  unto  the  Merciful.  ^^  O  my  father,  verily 
I  fear,  lest  a  punishment  be  inflicted  on  thee  from 
the  Merciful,  and  thou  become  a  companion  of  Satan. 
^^  His  father  answered.  Dost  thou  reject  my  gods,  O 
Abraham  ?  If  thou  forbear  not,  I  will  surely  stone  thee  : 
wherefore  leave  me  for  a  long  time.  ^^  Abraham  rej)lied, 
Peace  be  on  thee  :  I  will  ask  pardon  for  thee  of  my 
Lord  :  for  he  is  gracious  unto  me.  ^^  And  I  will  separate 
myself  from  you,  and  from  the  idols  which  ye  invoke 
besides  God  ;  and  I  will  call  upon  my  Lord  :  it  may  be 
that  I  shall  not  be  unsuccessful  in  calling  on  my  Lord, 

36  Do  thou  cause  them  to  ?iear,  and  to  to  the  unbelievers,  of  what  they  shall  then 
see,  &c.]  These  words  are  variously  ex-  liear  and  see ;  or  else  a  command  to  Mo- 
pounded  :  some  taking  them  to  express  hammed  to  lay  before  them  the  terrors  of 
admiration  ^    at    the    quickness    of  those  that  day  2. 

senses  in  the  wicked,  at  the  day  of  judg-         37    f^e   will    inherit   the     earth,    &c.] 

ment,  when  they  shall  plainly  perceive  the  i.  e.    Alone  surviving,  when  all  creatures 

torments  prepared  for  them,  though  they  shall    be    dead    and      annihilated.      See 

have  been  deaf  and  blind  in  this  life;  and  chap.  xv. 
others  suppose  the  words  contain  a  threat         39  His  father,  8lc.'\     See  chap.  vi. 

^  See  chap,  xviii.  ^  AlBeiddwi. 

VOL.  II.  I 


114  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

as  ye  are  in  calling  upon  them.  ^^And  when  he  had 
separated  himself  from  them,  and  from  the  idols  which 
they  worshipped  besides  God,  we  gave  him  Isaac  and 
Jacob  ;  and  we  made  each  of  them  a  prophet ;  ^^  and 
we  bestowed  on  them,  through  our  mercy,  the  gift 
of  prophecy,  and  children,  and  wealth ;  and  we  caused 
them  to  deserve  the  highest  commendations.  ^^  And 
remember  Moses  in  the  book  of  the  Koran  :  for  he  was 
sincerely  upright,  and  was  an  apostle  and  a  prophet. 
^^  And  we  called  unto  him  from  the  right  side  of  mount 
Sinai,  and  caused  him  to  draw  near,  and  to  discourse 
privately  with  us.  ^^  And  we  gave  him,  through  our 
mercy,  his  brother  Aaron,  a  prophet,  for  his  assistant. 
^^  Remember  also  Ismael  in  the  same  book :  for  he  was 
true  to  his  promise  ;  and  was  an  apostle,  and  a  prophet. 
^^  And  he  commanded  his  family  to  observe  prayer,  and  to 
give  alms ;  and  he  was  acceptable  unto  his  Lord.  ^^  And 
remember  Edris  in  the  same  book  ;  for  he  was  a  just 
person,  and  a  prophet :  ^^  and  we  exalted  him  to  a  high 
place.  ^^  These  are  they  unto  whom  God  hath  been 
bounteous,  of  the  prophets  of  the  posterity  of  Adam, 
and  of  those  whom  we  carried  in  the  ark  with  Noah  ; 
and  of  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  and  of  Israel,  arid  of 
those  whom  we  have  directed  and  chosen.     When  the 


46  When  he  had  separated  himself  from  father  of  Noah,  who  had  that  surname 
them."]  By  flying  to  Harran,  and  thence  from  his  great  knowledge  ;  for  he  was 
to  Palestine.  favoured  with  no  less  than  thirty  books  of 

47  We  caused  them  to  deserve  the  highest  divine  revelations,  and  was  the  first  who 
commendations,']  Literally,  we  granted  wrote  with  a  pen,  and  studied  the  sciences 
them  a  lofty  tongue  of  truth.  of  astronomy  and  arithmetic,  &c.  ^ 

49  And  to  discourse  privately  with  us.]         The  learned    Bartolocci  endeavours   to 

Or,  as  some  expound  it.  And  we  raised  him  shew,  from  the  testimonies  of  the  ancient 

on  high ;    for,  say  they,  he  was  raised  to  Jews,  that  Enoch,  surnamed  Edris,  was  a 

so  great  an  elevation,  that  he  heard  the  very  different  person  from*^the  Enoch  of 

creaking  of  the  pen  writing  on  the  table  of  Moses,  and  many  ages  younger*. 
God's  decrees^.  54  And  we  exalted  him.  to  a  high  place.] 

51  He  was  true  to  his  promise.]     Being  Some  understand   by  this  the  honour  of 

celebrated  on  that  account;  and  particu-  the  prophetic   office,   and  his    familiarity 

larly  for  his  behaving  with  that  resignation  with  God  :  but  others  suppose  his  transla- 

and  constancy  which  he  had  promised  his  tion  is  here  meant,  for  they  say  that  he  was 

father,    on  his  receiving  God's  command  taken  up  by  God  into  heaven  at  the  age 

to  sacrifice  him  2  :  for  the  Mohammedans  of  three  hundred  and  fifty,   having  first 

say  it  was  Ishmael,  and  not  Isaac,  whom  suffered  death,  and  been  restored  to  life ; 

he  was  commanded  to  offer.  and  that  he  is  now  alive  in  one  of  the 

53  Edris.]   Or  Enoch,  the  great- grand-  seven  heavens,  or  in  paradise  ^ 


^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddiny  &c. 

4  Barfol.  Bibl.  Rabb.  part  2.  p.  845.  ^  lidem,  Abu'lfeda, 


XIX.]  A  L    KORAN.  115 

signs  of  the  Merciful  were  read  unto  them,  they  fell 
down  worshipping,  and  wept :  ^^  but  a  succeeding  gene- 
ration have  come  after  them,  who  neglect  prayer,  and 
follow  their  lusts ;  and  they  shall  surely  fall  into  evil : 
^^  except  him  who  repenteth,  and  believeth,  and  doth 
that  which  is  right :  these  shall  enter  paradise,  and  they 
shall  not  in  the  least  be  wronged:  ^^  gardens  of  perpetual 
abode  shall  be  their  reward,  which  the  Merciful  hath 
promised  unto  his  servants,  as  an  object  of  faith ;  for  his 
promise  will  surely  come  to  be  fulfilled.  ^^  Therein  shall 
they  hear  no  vain  discourse,  but  peace  ;  and  their  pro- 
vision shall  be  prepared  for  them  therein  morning  and 
evening,  ^^  This  is  paradise,  which  we  will  give  for  an 
inheritance  unto  such  of  our  servants  as  shall  be  pious. 
^^  We  descend  not  from  heaven,  unless  by  the  command 
of  thy  Lord  :  unto  him  belongeth  whatsoever  is  before 
us,  and  whatsoever  is  behind  us,  and  whatsoever  is  in  the 
intermediate  space  ;  neither  is  thy  Lord  forgetful  of  thee. 
^^  He  is  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  what- 
soever is  between  them :  wherefore  worship  him,  and  be 
constant  in  his  worship.  Dost  thou  know  any  named  like 
him  ?  ^^  Man  saith.  After  I  shall  have  been  dead,  shall  I 
really  be  brought  forth  alive  from  the  grave  ?  ^^  Doth  not 
man  remember  that  we  created  him  heretofore,  when  he 
w^as  nothing  ?  ^^  But  by  the  Lord  we  will  surely  assemble 
them  and  the  devils  to  judgment ;  then  will  we  set 
them   round    about  hell    on  their  knees :     ^^  afterwards 


59  Peace.']    i.  e.    Words  of  peace   and  at  their  entrance  into  paradise  :    and  that 

comfort  ;    or,  the   salutations  of  the    an-  their  meaning  is,  We  take  up  our  abode 

gels  ^,  &c.  here    at    the    command  and  through  the 

61  We  descend  not  from  heaven,  unless  mercy  of  God  alone,  who  ruleth  all  things, 
by  the  command  of  thy  Lord,  &c.]  These  past,  future,  and  present;  and  who  is  not 
are  generally  supposed  to  have  been  the  forgetful  of  the  works  of  his  servants  ^. 
words  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  in  answer  to  62  Dost  thou  know  any  named  like  him  ?] 
Mohammed's  complaint  for  his  long  delay  That  is.  Deserving,  or  having  a  right  to 
of  fifteen,  or,  according  to  another  tradi-  the  name  and  attributes  of  God. 
tion,  of  forty  days,  before  he  brought  him  63  Man  saith.]  Some  suppose  a  par- 
instructions  what  solution  he  should  give  ticular  person  is  here  meant,  namely,  Obba 
to  the  questions  which  had   been    asked  Ebn  Khalf  *. 

him   concerning   the   sleepers,   Dhu'lkar-  65     We    will  assemble   them    and    the 

nein,  and  the  spirit  2.  devils.]     It  is  said  that  every  infidel  will 

Others,  however,  are   of   opinion,  that  appear  at  the  day  of  judgment,  chained  to 

they  are  the  words  which  the  godly  will  use  the  devil  who  seduced  him  ^. 


^  See  chap.  x.  2  ggg  before,  chap,  xviii.  *  Al  Beiddwi, 

*  See  chap.  xvi.  s  ji  Beiddwi. 

I  2 


116  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

we  will  draw  forth  from  every  sect  such  of  them  as  shall 
have  been  a  more  obstinate  rebel  against  the  Merciful; 
^^  and  we  best  know  which  of  them  are  more  worthy  to  be 
burned  therein.  ^^  There  shall  be  none  of  you  but  shall 
approach  near  the  same  :  this  is  an  established  decree 
with  thy  Lord.  ^^  Afterwards  we  will  deliver  those  who 
shall  have  been  pious,  but  we  will  leave  the  ungodly 
therein  on  their  knees.  ^^  When  our  manifest  signs  are 
read  unto  them,  the  infidels  say  unto  the  true  believers, 
Which  of  the  two  parties  is  in  the  more  eligible  con- 
dition, and  formeth  the  more  excellent  assembly?  ^^  But 
how  many  generations  have  we  destroyed  before  them, 
which  excelled  them  in  wealth,  and  in  outward  appear- 
ance ?  ^^  Say,  Whosoever  is  in  error,  the  Merciful  will 
grant  him  a  long  and  prosperous  life ;  ^^  until  they  see 
that  with  which  they  are  threatened,  whether  it  be  the 
punishment  of  this  life,  or  that  of  the  last  hour;  and 
hereafter  they  shall  know  who  is  in  the  worse  condition, 
and  the  weaker  in  forces.  ^*  God  shall  more  fully  direct 
those  who  receive  direction  ;  ^^  and  the  good  works  which 
remain  for  ever,  are  better  in  the  sight  of  thy  Lord  than 
worldly  possessions,  in  respect  to  the  reward,  and  more 
eligible  in  respect  to  the  future  recompense.  ^^  Hast 
thou  seen  him  who  believeth  not  in  our  signs,  and  saith, 
I  shall  surely  have  riches  and  children  bestowed  on  me  ? 

66  We  will  separate  from  every  sect  Mm  the  passage  over  the  narrow  bridge  which 
who  shall  have  heen  a  more  obstinate  rebel     is  laid  over  helH. 

against   the    Merciful.']       Hence,    says    al  70    Which  of  the  two  parties,  &c.]     Viz. 

Beidawi,  it  appears,  that  God  will  pardon  Of  us,  or  of  you.     When  the  Koreish  were 

some  of  the  rebellious  people.     But  per-  unable  to  produce  a  composition  to  equal 

haps    the    distinguishing    the    unbelievers  the  Koran,   they  began  to  glory   in   their 

into  different  classes,  in  order  to   consign  wealth    and    nobility,    valuing  themselves 

them  to  different   places  and  degeees  of  highly  on  that  account,  and  despising  the 

torment,  is  here  meant.  followers  of  Mohammed. 

67  We  best  know  which  are  more  worthy  76  Hast  thou  seen  him  who  believeth 
to  be  burned  in  hell.']  Viz.  The  more  not,  &c.]  This  passage  was  revealed  on 
obstinate  and  perverse,  and  especially  the  account  of  al  As  Ebn  Wayel,  who  being- 
heads  of  sects,  who  will  suffer  a  double  indebted  to  Khabbab,  when  he  demanded 
punishment  from  their  own  errors,  and  the  money,  refused  to  pay  it,  unless  he 
their  seducing  of  others.  would  deny    Mohammed  ;    to  which  pro- 

68  There  is  none  of  you  but  shall  ap-  posal  Khabbab  answered,  that  he  would 
proach  the  same.]  For  the  true  believers  never  deny  that  prophet,  neither  alive  nor 
must  also  pass  by  or  through  hell,  but  the  dead,  nor  when  he  should  be  raised  to  life 
fire  will  be  damped,  and  the  flames  abated,  at  the  last  day.  Therefore  (replied  al  As), 
so  as  not  to  hurt  them,  though  it  will  lay  when  thou  art  raised  again,  come  to  me, 
hold  on  the  others.  Some,  however,  sup-  for  T  shall  then  have  abundance  of  riches, 
pose,  that  the  words  intend  no  more  than  and  children,  and  I  will  pay  you  2. 


1  /It  Beidawi.    See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  p.  107.  ^  ^l  Beidawi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


XIX.]  AL   KORAN.  117 

^"^  Is  he  acquainted  with  the  secrets  of  futurity  ;  or  hath 
he  received  a  covenant  from  the  Merciful  that  it  shall  be 
so  ?  ^^  By  no  means.  We  will  surely  write  down  that 
which  he  saith  ;  and  increasing  we  will  increase  his 
punishment :  ^^  and  we  wdll  be  his  heir  as  to  that  which 
he  speaketh  of,  and  on  the  last  day  he  shall  appear  before 
us  alone  and  naked.  ^^  They  have  taken  other  gods, 
besides  God,  that  they  may  be  a  glory  unto  them. 
^^  By  no  means.  Hereafter  shall  they  deny  their  worship ; 
and  they  shall  become  adversaries  unto  them.  ^^  Dost 
thou  not  see  that  we  send  the  devils  against  the  infidels 
to  incite  them  to  sin  by  their  instigations  ?  ^^  Wherefore 
be  not  in  haste  to  call  down  destruction  upon  them  ;  for 
we  number  unto  them  a  determined  number  of  days  of 
respite.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  we  will  assemble  the  pious 
before  the  Merciful  in  an  honourable  manner,  as  am- 
bassadors come  into  the  presence  of  a  prince ;  ^^  but  we 
will  drive  the  wicked  into  hell,  as  cattle  are  driven  to 
water :  ^^  they  shall  obtain  no  intercession,  except  he 
only  who  hath  received  a  covenant  from  the  Merciful. 
^^  They  say.  The  Merciful  hath  begotten  issue.  ^^  Now 
have  ye  uttered  an  impious  thing  :  ^^  it  wanteth  little 
but  that  on  occasion  thereof  the  heavens  be  rent,  and  the 
earth  cleave  in  sunder,  and  the  mountains  be  overthrown 
and  fall,  ^^  for  that  they  attribute  children  unto  the 
Merciful  ;  ^^  whereas  it  becometh  not  God  to  beget 
children.  ^^  Verily  there  is  none  in  heaven  or  on  earth, 
but  shall  approach  the  Merciful  as  his  servant.  ^^  He 
encompasseth  them  by  his  knowledge  and  power,  and 
numbereth  them  with  an  exact  computation :  ^^  and  they 

79  We  will  inherit  what  he  speaketh  o/.]  who  shall  be  a  subject  properly  disposed 
i.  e.  He  shall  be  obliged  to  leave  all  his  to  receive  that  favour,  by  having  professed 
wealth  and  his  children  behind  him  at  his  Islam.  Or  the  words  may  also  be  trans- 
death,  lated,    according    to    another    exposition, 

81  Hereafter  shall  they  deny  their  wor-  They  shall  not  obtain  the  intercession  of 

shipf  &c.]    Viz.  At  the  resurrection  ;  when  any,  except  the  intercession  of  him,  &c. 

the  idolaters  shall  disclaim  their  idols,  and  Or  else,  None  shall  be  able  to  make  inter- 

the  idols  their  worshippers,  and  shall  mu-  cession  for   others,    except  he   who    shall 

tually  accuse  one  another  i.  have  received  a  covenant  (or  permission) 

—  Adversaries.^    Or,  the  contrary ;  that  from  God  ;  i.  e.  who  shall  be  qualified  for 

is  to  say,  a  disgrace  instead  of  an  honour.  that  office  by  faith    and  good  works,  ac- 

86    They  shall  obtain   no   intercession,  cording  to  God's  promise  ;  or  shall   have 

except  he  oyily  who  hath  received  a  covetiant  special  leave  given   him  by  God  for  that 

from  the  Merciful.']     That  is,  except  he  purpose  2. 


See  chap,  vi,  and  chap.  x.  '^  At  Beiddwi.     See  chap.  ii. 


118  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

shall  all  come  unto  him  on  the  day  of  resurrection, 
destitute  both  of  helpers  and  followers.  ^^  But  as  for 
those  who  believe,  and  do  good  works,  the  Merciful  will 
bestow  on  them  love.  ^^  Verily  we  have  rendered  the 
Koran  easy  for  thy  tongue,  that  thou  mayest  thereby 
declare  our  promises  unto  the  pious,  and  mayest  thereby 
denounce  threats  unto  contentious  people.  ^^  And  how 
many  generations  have  we  destroyed  before  them  ?  Dost 
thou  find  one  of  them  remaining  ?  ^^  Or  dost  thou  hear  so 
much  as  a  whisper  concerning  them  ? 

95  Love.']  Viz.  The  love  of  God,  and  pised  at  Mecca,  on  account  of  their  faith, 

all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven.     Some  sup-  by    the    promise    of    their    gaining    the 

pose   this  verse  was  revealed  to  comfort  love  and  esteem  of  mankind  in  a  short 

the   Moslems,   who  were   hated  and  des-  time. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

INTITLED    T.  H.  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^T.H.  ^  We  have  not  sent  down  the  Koran  unto  thee,  that 
thou  shouldest  be  unhappy ;  ^  but  for  an  admonition  unto 
him  who  feareth  God  :  ^  being  sent  down  from  him  who 
created  the  earth,  and  the  lofty  heavens.  ^  The  Merciful 
sitteth  on  his  throne  :  ^  unto  him  belongeth  whatsoever  is 
in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  whatsoever  is  between  them, 
and  whatsoever  is  under  the  earth.  ^  If  thou  pronounce  thy 
prayers  with  a  loud  voice,  know  that  it  is  not  necessary  in 

Title — T.  H."]   The  signification  of  these  Beatitude  ;   and  the  latter  for    Haiwiyat, 

letters,  which,  being  prefixed  to  the  chap-  the  name  of  the  lower  apartment  of  hell, 

ter,  are   therefore   taken  for   the   title,  is  Tah  is  also  an   interjection,  commanding 

uncertain  ^     Some,  however,  imagine  they  silence,  and  may  properly  enough  be  used 

stand  for  Ya  rajol,  i.  e.   O  man  !    which  in  this  place. 

interpretation,  seeming  not  easily  to  be  2  We  have  not  sent  down  the  Koran  unto 
accounted  for  from  the  Arabic,  is  by  a  thee  that  thou  shouldest  be  unhappy.]  Either 
certain  tradition  deduced  from  the  Ethio-  by  reason  of  thy  zealous  solicitude  for 
pic  2;  or  for  Ta,  i.e.  Tread;  telling  us  the  conversion  of  the  infidels,  or  thy 
that  Mohammed,  being  employed  in  watch-  fatiguing  thyself  by  watching  and  other 
ing  and  prayer  the  night  this  passage  was  religious  exercises  :  for  it  seems  the 
revealed,  stood  on  one  foot  only,  but  was  Koreish  urged  the  extraordinary  fatigues 
hereby  commanded  to  ease  himself  by  he  underwent  in  those  respects  as  the 
setting  both  feet  to  the  ground.  Others  consequences  of  his  having  left  their  re- 
fancy    the   first   letter    stands    for    Tuba,  ligion  ^. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  2  Moham.' Ebn  Abd.  at  Baki,  ex  trad.  Acremae 

Ebn  i^bi  Sofian.  -^  Al  Beiddwi. 


XX.]  AL     KORAN.  119 

respect  to  God  ;  for  he  knowetli  that  which  is  secret,  and 
what  is  yet  more  hidden.  ^  God  !  there  is  no  god  but  he  : 
he  hath  most  excellent  names.  ^  Hast  thou  been  informed 
of  the  history  of  Moses  ?  ^^  When  he  saw  fire,  and  said 
unto  his  family,  Tarry  ye  here  ;  for  I  perceive  fire : 
peradventure  I  may  bring  you  a  brand  thereout,  or  may 
find  a  direction  in  our  way  by  the  fire.  ^^  And  when  he 
was  come  near  unto  it,  a  voice  called  unto  him,  saying, 
O  Moses  !  ^^  verily  I  am  thy  Lord  :  wherefore  put  off 
thy  shoes  ;  for  thou  art  in  the  sacred  valley  Towa. 
^^  And  I  have  chosen  thee  ;  therefore  hearken  with  atten- 
tion unto  that  which  is  revealed  unto  thee.  ^^  Verily  I 
am  God  ;  there  is  no  god  beside  me :  wherefore  worship 
me,  and  perform  thy  prayer  in  remembrance  of  me. 
^^  Verily  the  hour  cometh  :  I  will  surely  manifest  the 
same,  that  every  soul  may  receive  its  reward  for  that 
which  it  hath  deliberately  done.  ^^  Let  not  him  who 
believeth  not  therein,  and  who  folio weth  his  lust,  prevent 
thee  from  believing  in  the  same,  lest  thou  perish.  ^^  Now 
what  is  that  in  thy  right  hand,  O  Moses  ?  ^^  He  answered. 
It  is  my  rod  whereon  I  lean,  and  with  which  I  beat  down 
leaves  for  my  flock ;  and  I  have  other  uses  for  it.  ^^  God 
said  unto  him.  Cast  it  down,  O  Moses.  ^^  And  he  cast  it 
down,  and  behold  it  became  a  serpent,  which  ran  about. 
^^  God  said.  Take  hold  on  it,  and  fear  not :  we  will  reduce 

8  Names.']  See  chap.  vii.  and  chap,  nearer  approach,  he  found  burning  in  a 
xvii.  green  bush  2. 

9  Moses.']  The  relation  of  the  story  of  12  Put  off  thy  shoes.]  This  was  a  mark 
Moses,  which  takes  up  the  greatest  part  of  of  humility  and  respect  :  though  some 
this  chapter,  was  designed  to  encourage  fancy  there  was  some  uncleanness  in  the 
Mohammed,  by  his  example,  to  discharge  shoes  themselves,  because  they  were  made 
the  prophetic  office  with  firmness  of  mind,  of  the  skin  of  an  ass  not  dressed  ^. 

as  being  assured  of  receiving  the  like  as-  18  And  I  have  other  uses  for  it.]     As 

sistance  from  God  :  for  it  is  said  this  chap-  to  drive  away  wild  beasts  from  my  flock, 

ter  was    one    of  the    first    that  was   re-  to  carry  my  bottle  of  water  on,  to  stick  up 

vealed  '.  and  hang  my  upper  garment  on  to  shade 

10  Whe7i  he  saw  fire,  &c.]  The  com-  me  from  the  sun ;  and  several  other  uses 
mentators  say,  that  Moses,  having  obtained  enumerated  by  the  commentators. 

leave  of  Shoaib,  or  Jethro,  his  father-in-  20  It  became  a  serpent.]     Which  was  at 

law,  to  visit  his  mother,  departed  with  his  first  no  bigger  than  the  rod,  but  afterwards 

family  from  Midian  towards  Egypt ;  but  swelled  to  a  prodigious  size  *. 

coming  to   the  valley   of  Towa,  wherein  21    Takeholdonit,  andfearnot.^  When 

mount  Sinai  stands,  his  wife  fell  in  labour,  Moses  saw  the  serpent  move  about  with 

and  was  delivered  of  a  son,  in  a  very  dark  great  nimbleness,  and  swallow  stones  and 

and  snowy  night:    he  had  also  lost   his  trees,  he    was  greatly  terrified  and   fled 

way,   and  his   cattle  were  scattered  from  from   it;  but   recovering   his    courage    at 

him ;  when  on  a  sudden  he  saw  a  fire  by  these  words  of  God,  he  had  the  boldness 

the  side   of   a  mountain,   which,   on    his  to  take  the  serpent  by  the  jaws  ^. 

^  Jl  Beiddivi.         ^  idem.  ^  idem.  *  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


120  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

it  to  its  former  condition.  ^^  And  put  thy  right  hand 
under  thy  left  arm:  it  shall  come  forth  white,  without 
any  hurt.  ^^  This  shall  be  another  sign  :  that  we  may 
shew  thee  some  of  our  great  signs.  ^^  Go  unto  Pharaoh  ; 
for  he  is  exceedingly  impious.  ^^  Moses  answered,  Lord, 
enlarge  my  breast,  and  make  what  thou  hast  commanded 
me  easy  unto  me  ;  ^^  and  loose  the  knot  of  my  tongue 
that  they  may  understand  my  speech.  ^^  And  give  me  a 
counsellor  of  my  family;  namely,  Aaron,  my  brother. 
^^  Gird  up  my  loins  by  him,  and  make  him  my  colleague 
in  the  business  ;  ^^  that  we  may  praise  thee  greatly,  and 
may  remember  thee  often :  ^^  for  thou  regardest  us. 
^^  God  replied.  Now  hast  thou  obtained  thy  request,  O 
MosES :  ^^  and  we  have  heretofore  been  gracious  unto 
thee,  another  time  ;  ^^  when  we  revealed  unto  thy  mother, 
that  which  was  revealed  unto  her ;  saying,  ^^  Put  him 
into  the  ark,  and  cast  him  into  the  river,  and  the  river 
shall  throw  him  on  the  shore ;  and  my  enemy  and  his 
enemy  shall  take  him  and  bring  him  up  :  and  I  bestowed 
on  thee  love  from  me ;  that  thou  mightest  be  bred  up 
under  my  eye.     ^^  When  thy  sister  went  and  said.  Shall 

22   White,  &c.]     See  chap.  vii.  34  Put  him   into    the  ark^   &c.]     The 

2b*  Loose  the  knot  of  my   tongue,  Sec]  commentators  say  that  his  mother  accord- 

For    Moses    had   an  impediment   in  his  ingly  made  an   ark   of  the  papyrus,  and 

speech,  which  was  occasioned  by  the  fol-  pitched   it,  and  put  in  some  cotton  ;  and 

lowing  accident.     Pharaoh  one  day  carry-  having  laid  the  child  therein,  committed  it 

ing   him    in   his  arms,   when  a  child,  he  to  the  river,  a  branch  of  which  went  into 

suddenly    laid    hold    of    his    beard,    and  Pharaoh's  garden  ;  that  the  stream  carried 

plucked  it  in  a  very  rough  manner,  which  the  ark  thither  into  a  fishpond,  at  the  head 

put  Pharaoh  into  such  a  passion,  that  he  of  which  Pharaoh   was   sitting,   with  his 

ordered  him  to  be  put  to  death  :  but  Asia,  wife  Asia,  the  daughter  of  Mozahem  ;  and 

his  wife,  representing  to  him  that  he  was  that  the  king,  having  commanded  it  to  be 

but  a  child,  who  could  not  distinguish  be-  taken   up  and  opened,  and  finding  in  it  a 

tween   a  burning    coal   and   a   ruby,    he  beautiful   child,  took  a   fancy  to  it,  and 

ordered  the  experiment  to  be  made  ;  and  a  ordered  it  to  be  brought  up  ^. 

live  coal  and  a  ruby  being  set  before  Mo-  Some  writers  mention  a  miraculous  pre- 

ses,  he  took  the  coal,  and  put  it  into  his  servation  of  Moses  before  he  was  put  into 

mouth,  and  burnt  his  tongue  ;  and  there-  the    ark ;  and   tell    us,    that   his   mother 

upon  he  was  pardoned.     This  is  a  Jewish  having  hid  him  from  Pharaoh's  officers  in 

story  a  little  altered  ^  an  oven,  his  sister,   in  her  mother's   ab- 

27  A  counsellor.^     The  Arabic  word  is  sence,   kindled  a  large  fire   in   the   oven 

Wazir,  which   signifies  one  who  has  the  to  heat  it,    not   knowing   the   child  was 

chief  administration    of  affairs    under   a  there,  but  that  he  was  afterwards  taken 

prince.  out  unhurt  ^. 

33   When  we  revealed  unto  thy  mother,  —  /  bestowed  on  thee  love  from  me.^ 

&c.]     The  commentators  are  not  agreed  That  is,  I  inspired  the  love  of  thee  into 

by  what  means  this  revelation  was  made;  the  hearts  of  those  who  saw  thee,  and  par- 

whether   by  a   private   inspiration,   by  a  ticularly  into  the  heart  of  Pharaoh, 

dream,  by  a  prophet,  or  by  an  angel.  35   When  thy  sister  went,  &c.]    The  Mo- 

1  v.  Shalsh.  Hakkab.  p.  11.  2  ji  BeiddwL  3  Abu'lfeda,  &c. 


XX.]  AL    KORAN.  121 

I  bring  you  unto  one  who  will  nurse  the  child  ?  So  we 
returned  thee  unto  thy  mother,  that  her  mind  might 
be  set  at  ease,  and  that  she  might  not  be  afflicted.  ^^  And 
thou  slowest  a  soul,  and  we  delivered  thee  from  trouble  ; 
and  we  proved  thee  by  several  trials :  and  afterwards  thou 
didst  dwell  some  years  among  the  inhabitants  of  Madian. 
Then  thou  camest  hither  according  to  our  decree,  O  Mo- 
ses ;  ^^  and  I  have  chosen  thee  for  myself ;  ^^  wherefore  go 
thou  and  thy  brother  with  my  signs  ;  and  be  not  negli- 
gent in  remembering  me.  ^^  Go  ye  unto  Pharaoh,  for 
he  is  exceedingly  impious  :  ^^  and  speak  mildly  unto  him ; 
perad venture  he  will  consider,  or  will  fear  our  threats. 
^'  They  answered,  O  Lord,  verily  we  fear  lest  he  be  pre- 
cipitately violent  against  us,  or  lest  he  transgress  more 
exorbitantly.  ^^  God  replied.  Fear  not ;  for  I  am  with 
you :  I  will  hear  and  will  see.  ^^  Go  ye  therefore  unto 
him,  and  say.  Verily  we  are  the  messengers  of  thy  Lord  ; 
wherefore  send  the  children  of  Israel  with  us,  and  do 
not  afflict  them.  Now  are  we  come  unto  thee  with  a 
sign  from  thy  Lord  :  and  peace  be  upon  him  who  shall 
follow  the  true  direction.  ^"^  Verily  it  hath  been  revealed 
unto  us,  that  a  punishment  shall  be  inflicted  on  him  who 
shall  charge  us  with  imposture,  and  shall  turn  back. 
^^  And  when  they  had  delivered  their  message,  Pharaoh 
said,  Who  is  your  Lord,  O  Moses  ?  ^^  He  answered. 
Our  Lord  is  he  who  giveth  all  things  ;  he  hath  created 
them,  and  directeth  them  by  his  providence.  ^"^  Pha- 
raoh said,  What  therefore  is  the  condition  of  the  former 
generations  ?     ^^  Moses  answered.  The  knowledge  thereof 

hammedans  pretend  that  several  nurses  —  We  proved  thee  by  various  trials.~\ 
were  brought,  but  the  child  refused  to  take  For  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  his  country 
the  breast  of  any,  till  his  sister  Miriam,  who  and  his  friends,  and  to  travel  several  days^ 
went  to  learn  news  of  him,  told  them  she  in  great  terror  and  want  of  necessary  pro- 
would  find  a  nurse,  and  broughthis  mother  ^  visions,  to  seek  a  refuge  among  strangers; 

36  Thou  slewest  a  soul,  and  we  delivered  and  was  afterwards  forced  to  serve  for  hire 

thee  from  trouble.^     Moses  killed  an  Egyp-  to  gain  a  livelihood, 

tian,  in  defence  of  an  Israelite,  and  escaped  —  Some  years.^     i.  e.  Ten  *. 

the   danger   of  being  punished  for  it,  by  38   Go  thou  and  thy   brother.']     Aaron 

flying   to  Midian,  which  was   eight  days'  being  by  this  time  come  out  to  meet  his 

journey  distant  from  Mesr  2.  brother,  either   by  divine    inspiration,  or 

The  Jews  pretend  he  was  actually  im-  having  notice  of  his  design  to  return  to 

prisoned  for  the  fact,  and  condemned  to  be  Egypt  ^. 

beheaded;  but  that  when  he  should  have  47   What  is  the  condition  of  the  former 

suffered,  his  neck  became  as  hard  as  ivory,  generations  ?]     Viz.   As  to    happiness   or 

and  the  sword  rebounded  on  the  execu-  misery  after  death, 
tioner  3. 

2  Idem.         3  Shalsh.  Hakkab.  p.  11.         ^  Al  Beiddwi.         s  i^^^^ 


122  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

is  with  my  Lord,  in  the  book  of  his  decrees :  my  Lord 
erreth  not,  neither  doth  he  forget.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath 
spread  the  earth  as  a  bed  for  you,  and  hath  made  you 
paths  therein ;  and  who  sendeth  down  rain  from  heaven, 
whereby  we  cause  various  kinds  of  vegetables  to  spring 
forth ;  saying,  ^^  Eat  of  part,  and  feed  your  cattle  with 
other  part  thereof.  Verily  herein  are  signs  linto  those 
who  are  endued  with  understanding.  ^^  Out  of  the  ground 
have  we  created  you ;  and  to  the  same  will  we  cause  you 
to  return,  and  we  will  bring  you  forth  from  thence  another 
time.  ^^  And  we  showed  Pharaoh  all  our  signs  which 
we  had  empowered  Moses  to  perform :  but  he  accused 
him  of  imposture,  and  refused  to  believe  ;  ^^  and  he  said. 
Art  thou  come  unto  us,  that  thou  mayest  dispossess  us  of 
our  land  by  thy  enchantments,  O  Moses  ?  ^^  Verily  we 
will  meet  thee  with  the  like  enchantments :  wherefore 
fix  an  appointment  between  us  and  thee  ;  we  will  not  fail 
it,  neither  shalt  thou,  in  an  equal  place.  ^^  Moses  an- 
swered. Let  your  appointment  be  on  the  day  of  your 
solemn  feast ;  and  let  the  people  be  assembled  in  open 
day.  ^^  And  Pharaoh  turned  away  from  Moses,  and 
gathered  together  the  most  expert  magicians,  to  execute 
his  stratagem ;  and  then  came  to  the  appointment.  ^^  Mo- 
ses said  unto  them.  Woe  be  unto  you !  Do  not  devise  a 
lie  against  God,  lest  he  utterly  destroy  you  by  some 
judgment :  for  he  shall  not  prosper  who  deviseth  lies. 
^^  And  the  magicians  disputed  concerning  their  aifair 
among  themselves,  and  discoursed  in  private  :  ^^  and  they 
said.  These  two  are  certainly  magicians :  they  seek  to 
dispossess  you  of  your  land  by  their  sorcery ;  and  to  lead 
away  with  them  your  chiefest  and  most  considerable  men. 
^^  Wherefore  collect  all  your  cunning,  and  then  come  in 
order :  for  he  shall  prosper  this  day  who  shall  be  superior. 
^^  They  said,  O  Moses,  whether  wilt  thou  cast  down  thy 
rod  first,  or  shall  we  be  the  first  who  cast  down  our  rods  ? 
^^  He  answered.  Do  ye  cast  down  your  rods  first.  And 
behold,  their  cords  and  their  rods  appeared  unto  him,  by 

bK>  The  day  of  your  solemn  feast. ^  Which         62   Their  cords  and  their   rods  seemed 

was   probably  the   first  day  of  their  new  unto  him,   by    their  enchantments,  to   run 

year.  about   like  serpents.']     They  rubbed  them 

57  Do   not  devise  a  lie  against   God.]  over  with  quicksilver,  which,  being  wrought 

By  saying  the  miracles  performed  in  his  upon  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  caused  them 

name  are  the  effects  of  magic.  to  move  ^     See  chap.  vii. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi. 


XX.]  A  L    KORAN.  123 

their  enchantment,  to  run  about  like  serpents :  ^^  where- 
fore Moses  conceived  fear  in  his  heart.  ^*  But  we  said 
unto  him.  Fear  not ;  for  thou  shalt  be  superior  ?  ^^  there- 
fore cast  down  the  rod  which  is  in  thy  right  hand  ;  and  it 
shall  swallow  up  the  seeming  serpents  which  they  have 
made  :  for  what  they  have  made  is  only  the  deceit  of  an 
enchanter ;  and  an  enchanter  shall  not  prosper  whither- 
soever he  cometh.  ^^  And  the  magicians,  when  they  saw 
the  miracle  which  Moses  performed,  fell  down  and  wor- 
shipped, saying.  We  believe  in  the  Lord  of  Aaron  and  of 
Moses.  ^^  Pharaoh  said  unto  them.  Do  ye  believe  in 
him  before  I  give  you  permission  ?  Verily  this  is  your 
master,  who  hath  taught  you  magic.  ^^  But  I  will  surely 
cut  off  your  hands  and  your  feet  on  the  opposite  sides  ; 
and  I  will  crucify  you  on  trunks  of  palm-trees :  and  ye 
shall  know  which  of  us  is  more  severe  in  punishing,  and 
can  longer  protract  your  pains.  ^^  They  answered,  We 
will  by  no  means  have  greater  regard  unto  thee,  than  unto 
those  evident  miracles  which  have  been  shown  us,  or  than 
unto  him  who  hath  created  us.  Pronounce  therefore  that 
sentence  against  us  which  thou  art  about  to  pronounce : 
for  thou  canst  only  give  sentence  as  to  this  present  life. 
Verily  we  believe  in  our  Lord,  that  he  may  forgive  us 
our  sins,  and  the  sorcery  which  thou  hast  forced  us  to 
exercise  :  for  God  is  better  to  reward,  and  more  able  to 
prolong  punishment,  than  thou.  ^^  Verily  whosoever  shall 
appear  before  his  Lord  on  the  day  of  judgment,  polluted 
with  crimes,  shall  have  hell  for  his  reward ;  he  shall  not 
die  therein,  neither  shall  he  live.  '^^  But  whoever  shall 
appear  before  him,  having  been  a  true  believer,  and 
shall  have  worked  righteousness ;  for  these  are  prepared 
the  highest  degrees  of  happiness ;  ^^  namely,  gardens  of 
perpetual  abode,  which  shall  be  watered  by  rivers  ;  they 
shall  remain  therein  for  ever :  and  this  shall  be  the  re- 
ward of  him  who  shall  be  pure.  ^^  And  we  spake  by 
revelation  unto  Moses,  saying.  Go  forth  with  my  servants 
out  of  Egypt  by  night ;  and  smite  the  waters  with  thy 
rod,  and  make  them  a  dry  path  through  the  sea :  be  not 

72  Gardens  of  perpetual  ahode.~\     Lite-     expositors  add,  that  the  sea  was  divided 
ra]\y,  gardens  of  Eden.  into  twelve  separate  paths,  one  for  each 

73  //  dry  path  through  the  seaJ]      Tlie     tribe  ^  :  a  fable  borrowed  from  the  Jews  2. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  Abulfed.  in  Hist.  2  y.  /j,  Ellezer,  Pirke,  c.  42. 


124  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

apprehensive  of  Pharaoh's  overtaking  thee ;  neither  be 
thou  afraid.  ^^  And  when  Moses  had  done  so,  Pharaoh 
followed  them  with  his  forces ;  and  the  waters  of  the  sea 
which  overwhelmed  them,  overwhelmed  them.  And 
Pharaoh  caused  his  people  to  err,  neither  did  he  direct 
them  aright.  ^^  Thus,  O  children  of  Israel,  we  delivered 
you  from  your  enemy ;  and  we  appointed  you  the  right 
side  of  mount  Sinai  to  discourse  with  Moses,  and  to  give 
him  the  law:  and  we  caused  manna  and  quails  to  descend 
upon  you,  ^^  saying.  Eat  of  the  good  things  which  we 
have  given  you  for  food  ;  and  transgress  not  therein,  lest 
my  indignation  fall  on  you  :  ^^  and  on  whomsoever  my 
indignation  shall  fall,  he  shall  go  down  headlong  into 
perdition.  ^^  But  I  will  be  gracious  unto  him  who 
shall  repent  and  believe,  and  shall  do  that  which  is 
right ;  and  who  shall  be  rightly  directed.  ^^  What  hath 
caused  thee  to  hasten  from  thy  people,  O  Moses,  to 
receive  the  law?  ^^  He  answered.  These  follow  close  on 
my  footsteps ;  but  I  have  hastened  unto  thee,  O  Lord, 
that  thou  mightest  be  well  pleased  with  me.  ^^  God 
said,  We  have  already  made  a  trial  of  thy  people, 
since  thy  departure ;  and  al  Sameri  hath  seduced  them 
to  idolatry.     ^^  Wherefore  Moses  returned  unto  his  people 

76   Transgress  not  therein.']      By  ingra-  a  proselyte,  but  a  hypocritical  one,  and 

titude,  excess,  or  insolent  behaviour.  originally  of  Kirman,  or  some  other  coun- 

79    What  hath  caused  thee  to  hasten  from  try.     His  true  name  was  Moses,  or  Musa, 

thy  people t   8z;c.]  •   For    Moses,    it  seems,  Ebn  Dhafar  ^, 

outwent  the  seventy  elders,  who  had  been         Selden    is    of  opinion    that  this  person 

chosen,   in   obedience   to  the  divine  com-  was  no  other  than  Aaron  himself  (who  was 

mand,   to  accompany  him  to  the  mount  ^;  really  the  maker  of  the  calf),  and  that  he 

and  appeared  before  God,  while  they  were  is  here  called  al  Sameri,  from  the  Hebrew 

at  some,  though  no  great  distance  behind  verb   Shamar,  to  keep  *  ;  because   he  was 

him.  the  keeper  or  guardian  of  the  children  of 

81   Since  thy  departure.']     They  conti-  Israel  during  his  brother's  absence  in  the 

nued  in   the   worship  of  the  true  God  for  mount;  which  is  a  very  ingenious  conjec- 

the  first  twenty  days  of  Moses'   absence,  ture,  not  absolutely  inconsistent  with   the 

which,  by  taking  the  nights  also  into  their  text    of  the   Koran   (though    Mohammed 

reckoning,  they  computed  to  be  forty,  and  seems   to   have    mistaken    al    Sameri    for 

at   their    expiration    concluded    they  had  the    name    of  a   different    person) ;    and 

stayed  the  full  time  which  Moses  had  com-  offers  a  much  more  probable  origin  of  that 

manded  them,  and  so  fell  into  the  worship  appellation,  than  to  derive  it,  as  the  Mo- 

of  the  golden  calf  2.  hammedans  do,  from  the  Samaritans,  who 

—  Al  Sameri.]  This  was  not  his  proper  were  not  formed  into  a  people,  nor  bore 

name  ;  but  he  had  this   appellation,  be-  that  name,  till  many  ages  after, 
cause  he  was  of  a  certain  tribe  among  the         82  Moses  returned  unto  his  people.]  Viz. 

Jews  called  Samaritans,  (wherein  the  Mo-  After  he  had  completed   his  forty  days' 

hammedans  strangely  betray  their  igno-  stay  in  the  mount,   and  had  received  the 

ranee  in  history  ;)  though  some  say  he  was  law  5. 


1  See  chap,  ii.,  chap,  vii.,  &c.  ^  Al  BeiddwL  ^  Idem. 

•*  Selden  de  Diis,  Syris,  Synt.  1.  c.  4.  ^  Al  BeiddwL 


XX.]  AL    KORAN.  125 

in  greatli  wrath,  and  exceedingly  afflicted.  ^^  And  he 
said,  O  my  people,  had  not  your  Lord  promised  you  a 
most  excellent  promise?  Did  the  time  of  my  absence 
seem  long  unto  you  ?  Or  did  ye  desire  that  indignation 
from  your  Lord  should  fall  on  you,  and  therefore  failed 
to  keep  the  promise  which  ye  had  made  me  ?  ^^  They 
answered,  We  have  not  failed  in  what  we  promised  thee 
of  our  own  authority  :  but  we  were  made  to  carry  in 
several  loads  of  gold  and  silver,  of  the  ornaments  of  the 
people,  and  we  cast  them  into  the  fire ;  and  in  like  man- 
ner AL  Sameri  also  cast  in  what  he  had  collected ;  ^^  and 
he  produced  unto  them  a  corporeal  calf,  which  lowed. 
^^  And  AL  Sameri  and  his  companions  said,  This  is  your 
god,  and  the  god  of  Moses  ;  but  he  hath  forgotten  him, 
and  is  gone  to  seek  some  other.  ^^  Did  they  not  there- 
fore see  that  their  idol  returned  them  no  answer,  and  was 
not  able  to  cause  them  either  hurt  or  profit  ?  ^^  And 
Aaron  had  said  unto  them  before,  O  my  people,  verily 
ye  are  only  proved  by  this  calf;  for  your  Lord  is  the 
Merciful :  wherefore  follow  me,  and  obey  my  command. 
^^  They  answered.  We  will  by  no  means  cease  to  be  de- 
voted to  its  worship,  until  Moses  return  unto  us.  ^^  And 
when  MosES  was  returned,  he  said,  O  Aaron,  what 
hindered  thee,  when  thou  sawest  that  they  went  astray, 
that  thou  didst  not  follow  me  ?  Hast  thou  therefore  been 
disobedient  to  my  command  ?  ^^  Aaron  answered,  O 
son  of  my  mother,  drag  me  not  by  my  beard,  nor  by  the 

83  A  most  excellent  promised]  i.  e.  The  It  is  observable  that  the  Mohammedans 
law,  containing  a  light  and  certain  direc-  generally  suppose  the  cast  metal's  coming 
tion  to  guide  you  in  the  right  way.  forth  in  the  shape  of  a  calf,  was  beside  the 

84  The  orfiaments  of  the  people,^  These  expectation  of  al  Sameri,  who  had  not 
ornaments  were  rings,  bracelets,  and  the  made  a  mould  of  that  figure  ;  and  that 
like,  which  the  Israelites  had  borrowed  of  when  Aaron  excuses  himself  to  his  brother, 
the  Egyptians,  under  pretence  of  decking  in  the  Pentateuch,  he  seems  as  if  he  would 
themselves  out  for  some   feast,    and  had  persuade  him  it  was  an  accident  2. 

not  returned  to  them;  or,  as  some  think,  85   Which  lowed.~\     See   verse  94,  and 

what   they  had    stripped  from   the   dead  also    the    account    given    of  the    calf  in 

bodies  of  the  Egyptians,  casj:  on  shore  by  chap.  ii. 

the  sea  ;  and  al  Sameri,  conceiving  them  90  That  thou  didst  not  follow  me.']     By 

unlawful  to  be   kept,  and  the  occasion  of  these  words  Moses  reprehends  Aaron  for 

much  wickedness,  persuaded  Aaron  to  let  not    seconding   his   zeal   in    taking   arms 

him  collect  them  from  the  people  ;  which  against  the  idolaters  ;  or,  for  not  coming 

being   done,  he  threw  them  all  into   the  after  him  to  the  mountain,  to  acquaint  him 

fire,  to  melt  them  down  into  one  mass  ^.  with  their  rebellion. 

1  Jl  Beiddwi.     V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  650.  and  Kor.  chap.  ii.  2  gge 

Exod.  xxxii.  24. 


126  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

hair  of  my  head.  ^^  Verily  I  feared  lest  thou  shouldest 
say,  Thou  hast  made  a  division  among  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  thou  hast  not  observed  my  saying.  ^^  Moses 
said  unto  al  Sameki,  What  was  thy  design,  O  Sameri  ? 
^^  He  answered,  I  saw  that  which  they  saw  not ;  wherefore 
I  took  a  handful  of  dust  from  the  footsteps  of  the  mes- 
senger of  God  and  I  cast  it  into  the  molten  calf ;  for  so  did 
my  mind  direct  me.  ^^  Moses  said,  Get  thee  gone  ;  for 
thy  punishment  in  this  life  shall  be,  that  thou  shalt  say 
unto  those  who  shall  meet  thee.  Touch  me  not :  and  a 
threat  is  denounced  against  thee  of  more  terrible  pains  in 
the  life  to  come,  which  thou  shalt  by  no  means  escape. 
And  behold  now  thy  god,  to  whose  worship  thou  hast 
continued  assiduously  devoted :  verily  we  will  burn  it ; 
and  we  will  reduce  it  to  powder,  and  scatter  it  in  the  sea. 
^^  Your  God  is  the  true  God,  besides  whom  there  is  no 
other  god :  he  comprehended  all  things  by  his  knowledge. 
^^  Thus  do  we  recite  unto  thee,  O  Mohammed,  relations 
of  what  hath  passed  heretofore  ;  and  we  have  given  thee 
an  admonition  from  us.  ^^  He  who  shall  turn  aside  from 
it,  shall  surely  carry  a  load  of  guilt  on  the  day  of  resurrec- 
tion ;  ^^  they  shall  continue  thereunder  for  ever ;  and  a 

92  Lest   thou  shouldest  say.  Thou  hast  95  Thou   shalt  say  to  those  who  shall 

made  a  division  among  the  children  of  Israel,  meet  'thee,   Touch  me  not,'\      Lest  they  in- 

and  hast  not  kept  my  saying.']     i.  e.  Lest,  feet  thee  with  a  burning  fever :  for  that 

if  I  had  taken  arms  against  the  worship-  was  the  consequence  of  any  man's  touch- 

pers  of  the  calf,  thou  shouldest  say  that  I  ing  him,  and  the  same  happened  to  the 

had  raised  a  sedition  ;  or,  if  I   had  gone  persons  he  touched  ;  for  which  reason  he 

after  thee,   thou  shouldest  blame  me   for  was  obliged  to   avoid  all  communication 

abandoning  my  charge,  and  not  waiting  with  others,  and  was  also  shunned  by  them, 

thy  return  to  rectify  what  was  amiss.  wandering  in  the  desert  like  a  wild  beast  2. 

94  I  saw  that  which  they  saw  not.]     Or,  Hence  it  is  concluded  that  a  tribe  of 

I    knew  that  which  they  knew  not,  viz.  Samaritan  Jews,  said  to  inhabit  a  certain 

that  the  messenger  sent  to  thee  from  God,  isle  in  the  Red  Sea,  are  the  descendants 

was   a  pure  spirit,  and  that  his  footsteps  of  our  al  Sameri ;  because  it  is  their  pecu- 

gave  life  to  whatever  they  touched  ;  being  liar  mark  of  distinction,  at  this  day,  to  use 

no  other  than  the  angel  Gabriel,  mounted  the    same  words,    viz.    Lamesas,   that  is, 

on  the  horse  of  life ;  and  therefore  I  made  Touch  me  not,  to  those  they  meet  ^.     It  is 

use  of  the  dust  of  his  feet  to  animate  the  not  improbable  that  this  story  may  owe  its 

molten  calf.     It  is  said,  al   Sameri  knew  rise  to  the  known  hatred  borne  by  the  Sa- 

the  angel,  because  he  had  saved  and  taken  maritans  to  the  Jews,  and  their  supersti- 

care  of  him  when  a  child,  and  exposed  by  tious  avoiding  to  have  any  commerce  with 

his  mother  for  fear  of  Pharaoh  1.  them,  or  any  other  strangers  *. 

—  A  handful  of  dust.]     Taken  from  the  —   We  will  burn  it.]     Or,  as  the  word 

track  of  the  horse  that  the  angel  Gabriel  may    also   be  translated.   We   will  file  it 

rode :  this   dust  made   the  calf  low  as  if  down  ;  but  the  other  is  the  more  received 

alive.     See  verse  85.  interpretation. 


1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  lidem.  ^  V.  Geogr.  Nub.  p.  45. 

*  V.  Selden,  ubi  sup. 


XX.]  A  L    KORAN.  127 

grievous  burthen  shall  it  be  unto  them  on  the  clay  of 
resurrection.  ^^^  On  that  day  the  trumpet  shall  be  sounded ; 
and  we  will  gather  the  wicked  together  on  that  day, 
having  grey  eyes.  ^^^  They  shall  speak  with  a  low  voice 
to  one  another,  saying,  Ye  have  not  tarried  above  ten 
days.  ^^^  We  well  know  what  they  will  say ;  when  the 
most  conspicuous  among  them  for  behaviour  shall  say, 
Ye  have  not  tarried  above  one  day.  ^^^  They  will  ask 
thee  concerning  the  mountains  :  Answer,  My  Lord  will 
reduce  them  to  dust,  and  scatter  them  abroad  ;  ^^^  and  he 
will  leave  them  a  plain  equally  extended :  ^^^  thou  shalt 
see  no  part  of  them  higher  or  lower  than  another.  ^^^  On 
that  day  mankind  shall  follow  the  angel,  who  will  call 
them  to  judgment,  none  shall  have  power  to  turn  aside 
from  him ;  and  their  voices  shall  be  low  before  the  Mer- 
ciful, neither  shalt  thou  hear  any  more  than  the  hollow 
sound  of  their  feet.  ^^^  On  that  day  the  intercession  of 
none  shall  be  of  advantage  unto  another,  except  the 
intercession  of  him  to  whom  the  Merciful  shall  grant 
permission,  and  who  shall  be  acceptable  unto  him  in  what 
he  saith.  ^^^  God  knoweth  that  which  is  before  them, 
and  that  which  is  behind  them;  but  they  comprehend 
not  the  same  by  their  knowledge  :  ^^^  and  their  faces  shall 
be  humbled  before  the  living,  the  self-subsisting  God, 
and  he  shall  be  wretched  who  shall  bear  his  iniquity. 
^^^  But  whosoever  shall  do  good  works,  being  a  true  be- 
liever, shall  not  fear  any  injustice,  or  any  diminution  of 
his  reward  from  God.  ^^^  And  thus  have  we  sent  down 
this  book,  being  a  Koran  in  the  Arabic  tongue ;  and  we 
have  inserted  various  threats  and  promises  therein,  that 
men  may  fear  God,  or  that  it  may  awaken  some  consider- 

100  Having  grey  eyes.^     For  this,  with  101    Ye  have  not  tarried.'}     Viz.  In  the 

the  Arabs,  is  one  mark  of  an  enemy,  or  a  world  ;  or  in  the  grave, 

person  they  abominate  ;  to  say  a  man  has  103  Scatter  them  abroad.']  See  the  Pre- 

a  black  liver,  (though  I  think  we  express  lim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

our  aversion  by  the  term  white-livered,)  106  Judgment.]     See  ibid, 

reddish  whiskers,  and  grey  eyes,  being  a  107  Except    the    intercession    of  him.] 

periphrasis  for   a  foe,  and  particularly  a  Or,    except   unto  him,   &c.      See    chapter 

Greek,  which  nation  were  the  most  invete-  xix. 

rate  enemies  of  the  Arabs,  and  have  usually  109   Their  faces  shall  he  humbled.]    The 

hair  and  eyes  of  those  colours '.  The  original  original  word  properly  expresses  the  humi- 

word,  however,  signifies,  also,  those  who  are  lity  and   dejected  looks  of  captives  in  the 

squint-eyed,  or  even  blind  of  a  suffusion.  presence  of  their  conqueror. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jawhari,  in  Lex. 


128  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

ation  in  them  :  ^^^  wherefore  let  God  be  highly  exalted, 
the  King,  the  Truth.  Be  not  over-hasty  in  receiving  or 
repeating  the  Koran,  before  the  revelation  thereof  be 
completed  unto  thee  ;  and  say.  Lord,  increase  my  know- 
ledge. ^^^  We  heretofore  gave  a  command  unto  Adam  ; 
but  he  forgot  the  same,  and  eat  of  the  forbidden  fruit ; 
and  we  found  not  in  him  a  firm  resolution.  ^^^  And 
remember  when  we  said  unto  the  angels.  Worship  ye 
Adam;  and  they  worshipped  him:  but  Eblis  refused. 
"^  And  we  said,  O  Adam,  verily  this  is  an  enemy  unto 
thee  and  thy  wife ;  wherefore  beware  lest  he  turn  you  out 
of  paradise;  for  then  shalt  thou  be  miserable.  ^^^  Verily 
we  have  made  a  provision  for  thee,  that  thou  shalt  not 
hunger  therein,  neither  shalt  thou  be  naked ;  ^^'^  and  there 
is  also  a  provision  made  for  thee,  that  thou  shalt  not  thirst 
therein,  neither  shalt  thou  be  incommoded  by  heat.  ^^^  But 
Satan  whispered  evil  suggestions  unto  him,  saying,  O 
Adam,  shall  I  guide  thee  to  the  tree  of  eternity,  and  a 
kingdom  which  faileth  not  ?  ^^^  And  they  both  eat  thereof; 
and  their  nakedness  appeared  unto  them  ;  and  they  began 
to  sew  together  the  leaves  of  paradise,  to  cover  them- 
selves. And  thus  Adam  became  disobedient  unto  his 
Lord,  and  was  seduced.  ^^^  Afterwards  his  Lord  accepted 
him,  on  his  repentance,  and  was  turned  unto  him,  and 
directed  him.  ^^^  And  God  said.  Get  ye  down  hence,  all 
of  you  ;  the  one  of  you  shall  be  an  enemy  unto  the  other. 
^^^  But  hereafter  shall  a  direction  come  unto  you  from 
me :  and  whoever  shall  follow  my  direction,  shall  not  err, 
neither  shall  he  be  unhappy  ;  ^^^  but  whosoever  shall  turn 
aside  from  my  admonition,  verily  he  shall  lead  a  miserable 
life,  and  we  will  cause  him  to  appear  before  us  on  the  day 

112  Be  not  over-hasty  in  receiving  or  some  Arab  etymologists  to  derive  the  word 

repeating  the  Koran,  &c.]     Mohammed  is  Insdn,   i.  e.  man,  from  Nasiya,  to  forget  ; 

here  commanded  not  to  be  impatient  at  and  has  also  given  rise  to  the  following 

any  delay  in  Gabriel's  bringing  the  divine  proverbial  saying,  Awwalo  ndsin  awwalo^n- 

revelations,  or  not  to  repeat  it  too  fast  after  nasi ;  that  is,    The   first  forgetful  person 

the  angel,  so  as  to  overtake  him  before  he  was  the  first  of  men  :  alluding  to  the  like 

had  finished  the  passage.     But  some  sup-  sound  of  the  words. 

pose  the  prohibition  relates  to  the  publish-  114    Eblis.']      See    chap,    ii.,    &c.    and 

ing  any  verse  before  the  same  was  perfectly  chap,  vii.,  &c. 

explained  to  him  ^  119  To   cover  themselves,']     S©e   chap. 

\\^  He  forgot.]     x\dam  so  soon  forget-  vii. 
ting  the  divine  command,  has  occasioned 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Jallalo' ddin. 


XX.]  AL    KORAN.  129 

of  resurrection   blind.     ^^^  And    he    shall    say,  O   Lord, 
why  hast  thou  brought  me  before  thee  blind,   whereas 
before  I  saw  clearly?     ^^^  God  shall  answer,  Thus  have 
we  done,  because  our  signs  came  unto  thee,  and  thou 
didst  forget  them ;  and  in  the  same  manner  shalt  thou  be 
forgotten  this  day.     ^^^  And  thus  will  we  reward  him  who 
shall  be  negligent,  and  shall  not  believe  in  the  signs  of 
his  Lord  :  and  the  punishment  of  the  life  to  come  shall 
be  more  severe,  and  more  lasting,  than  the  punishment  of 
this  life.     ^^^  Are  not  the  Meccans  therefore  acquainted 
how  many  generations  we  have  destroyed  before  them  ; 
in  whose  dwellings  they  walk  ?     Verily  herein  are  signs 
unto  those  who  are  endued  with  understanding.     ^^^  And 
unless  a  decree  had  previously  gone  forth  from  thy  Lord 
for  their  respite,  verily  their  destruction  had  necessarily 
followed  ;  but  there  is  a  certain  time  determined  by  God 
for  their  punishment.     ^^^  Wherefore  do  thou,  O  Moham- 
med, patiently  bear  that  which  they  say ;  and  celebrate 
the  praise  of  thy  Lord  before  the  rising  of  the  sun,  and 
before  the  setting  thereof,  and  praise  him  in  the  hours  of 
the  night,  and  in  the  extremities  of  the  day :  that  thou 
mayest  be  well  pleased  with  the  prospect  of  receiving 
favour  from  God.     ^^^  And  cast  not  thine  eyes  on  that 
which  we  have  granted  divers  of  the  unbelievers  to  enjoy, 
namely,  the  splendour  of  this  present  life,  that  we  may 
prove  them  thereby :  for  the  provision  of  thy  Lord  is 
better  and  more  permanent.     ^^^  Command  thy  family  to 
observe  prayer ;  and    do   thou  persevere    therein.     We 
require  not  of  thee  that  thou  labour  to  gain  necessary 
provisions  for  thyself  and  family :  we  will  provide  for  thee; 
for  the  prosperous  issue  shall  attend  on  piety.     ^^^  The 

123  Blind.']  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  we  have  granted  divers  of  them  to  enjoys  Szc^ 

127  In    whose    dwellings    they   walk.']  That  is,  Do  not  envy  or  covet  their  pomp 

Seeing  the  footsteps  of  their  destruction  ;  and  prosperity  in  this  world  2. 

as  of  the  tribes  of  Ad  and  Thamud.  —  The    provision  of  thy    Lord.]     Viz. 

129  The  extremities  of  the  day.]  i.  e.  The  reward  laid  up  for  thee  in  the  next 
Evening  and  morning;  which  times  are  life;  or  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  the  reve- 
repeated  as  the  principal  hours  of  prayer,  lations  with  which  God  has  favoured  thee. 
But  some  suppose  these  words  intend  the  131  We  will  provide^  &c.]  It  is  said 
prayer  of  noon ;  the  first  half  of  the  day  that  when  Mohammed's  family  were  in 
ending,  and  the  second  half  beginning,  at  any  strait  or  affliction,  he  used  to  order 
that  time  ^  them  to  go  to  prayers,  and  to  repeat  this 

130  Cast  not  thine  eyes  on  that  which  verse  3. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.  2  ^qq  chap.  xv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

VOL.  II.  K 


130  A  L   K  O  R  A  N.  [chap. 

unbelievers  say,  Unless  he  come  unto  us  with  a  sign  from 
his  Lord,  we  will  not  believe  on  him.  ^^^  Hath  not  a 
plain  declaration  come  unto  them,  of  that  which  is  con- 
tained in  the  former  volumes  of  scripture,  by  the  revela- 
tion of  the  Koran  ?  ^^*  If  we  had  destroyed  them  by  a 
judgment  before  the  same  had  been  revealed,  they  would 
have  said,  at  the  resurrection,  O  Lord,  how  could  we 
believe  since  thou  didst  not  send  unto  us  an  apostle,  that 
we  might  follow  thy  signs,  before  we  were  humbled  and 
covered  with  shame  ?  ^^^  Say,  Each  of  us  wait  the  issue : 
wait  therefore ;  for  ye  shall  surely  know  hereafter  who 
have  been  the  followers  of  the  even  way,  and  who  hath 
been  rightly  directed. 


CHAPTER    XXL 

INTITLED,    THE    PROPHETS;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XVII.]  ^  THE  time  of  giving  up  their  account  draweth 
nigh  unto  the  people  of  Mecca  ;  while  they  are  sunk  in 
negligence,  turning  aside  from  the  consideration  thereof. 
^  No  admonition  cometh  unto  them  from  their  Lord, 
being  lately  revealed  in  the  Koran,  but,  when  they  hear 
it,  they  turn  it  to  sport :  their  hearts  are  taken  up  with 
delights.  ^  And  they  who  act  unjustly,  discourse  pri- 
vately together,  saying.  Is  this  Mohammed  any  more 
than  a  man  like  yourselves  ?  Will  ye  therefore  come  to 
hear  a  piece  of  sorcery,  when  ye  plainly  perceive  it  to  be 
so  ?  *  Say,  My  Lord  knoweth  whatever  is  spoken  in 
heaven  and  on  earth :  it  is  he  who  heareth  and  knoweth. 
^  But  they  say.  The  Koran  is  a  confused  heap  of  dreams : 
nay,  he  hath  forged  it ;  nay,  he  is  a  poet :  let  him  come 
unto  us  therefore  with  some  miracle,  in  like  manner  as 
the  former  prophets  were  sent.  ^  None  of  the  cities  which 
we  have  destroyed,  believed  the  miracles  which  they  saw 
performed  before  them:    will  these  therefore  believe  if 

Title  —  Prophets.']     The  chapter  bears   this  title,  because  some  particulars  relating 
to  several  of  the  ancient  prophets  are  here  recited. 


XXI,]  A  L   KORAN.  131 

they  see  a  miracle  ?  ^  We  sent  none  as  our  apostles 
before  thee,  other  than  men,  unto  whom  we  revealed 
our  will.  Ask  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  scrip- 
ture, if  ye  know  not  this.  ^  We  gave  them  not  a  body 
which  could  be  supported  without  their  eating  food; 
neither  were  they  immortal.  ^  But  we  made  good  our 
promise  unto  them:  wherefore  we  delivered  them,  and 
those  whom  we  pleased ;  but  we  destroyed  the  exorbi- 
tant transgressors.  ^^  Now  have  we  sent  down  unto  you, 
O  KoREiSH,  the  book  of  the  Koran  ;  wherein  there  is 
honourable  mention  of  you :  will  ye  not  therefore  under- 
stand ?  ^^  And  how  many  cities  have  we  overthrown, 
which  were  ungodly;  and  caused  other  nations  to  rise 
up  after  them  ?  ^^  And  when  they  felt  our  severe  ven- 
geance, behold,  they  fled  swiftly  from  those  cities.  ^^  And 
the  angels  said,  scoffingly,  unto  them,  Do  not  fly ;  but 
return  to  that  wherein  ye  delighted,  and  to  your  habita- 
tions :  peradventure  ye  will  be  asked.  ^^  They  answered, 
Alas  for  us !  Verily  we  have  been  unjust.  ^^  And  this 
their  lamentation  ceased  not,  until  we  had  rendered  them 
like  corn  which  is  mowed  down,  and  utterly  extinct.  ^^  We 
created  not  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  that  which  is 
between  them,  by  way  of  sport.  ^^  If  we  had  pleased  to 
take  diversion,  verily  we  had  taken  it  with  that  which 
beseemeth  us  ;  if  we  had  resolved  to  have  done  this. 
^^  But  we  will  oppose  truth  to  vanity,  and  it  shall  con- 
found the  same ;  and  behold,  it  shall  vanish  away.    ^^  Woe 

13  Peradventure  ye  will  he  asked.']  \,  e.  festation  of  our  power  and  wisdom  to 
Concerning  the  present  posture  of  affairs,  people  of  understanding,  that  they  may 
by  way  of  consultation  ;  or,  that  ye  may  seriously  consider  the  wonders  of  the  crea- 
be  examined  as  to  your  deeds,  that  ye  may  tion,  and  direct  their  actions  to  the  attain- 
receive  the  reward  thereof  ^  ment  of  future  happiness,  neglecting  the 

14  They  answer ed.  Woe  unto  us,  &c.]  vain  pomp  and  fleeting  pleasures  of  this 
It  is  related  that  a  prophet  was  sent  to  the  world. 

inhabitants   of  certain  towns  in   Yaman,         17   With  that  which  beseemeth  us,"]  Viz. 

but,  instead  of  hearkening  to  his  remon-  We  had  sought  our  pleasure  in  our  own 

strances,  they  killed  him  :  upon  which  God  perfections  ;    or,  in   the   spiritual  beings 

delivered  them  into  the  hands  of  Nebu-  which  are  in  our  immediate  presence  ;  and 

chadnezzar,  who  put  them  to  the  sword ;  not  in  raising  of  material  buildings,  with 

a   voice   at   the    same   time   crying   from  painted  roofs,  and  fine  floors,  which  is  the 

heaven,   Vengeance  for  the  blood  of  the  diversion  of  man. 

prophets  \  Upon  which  they  repented,  and         Some  think  the  original  word  translated 

used  the  words  of  this  passage.  diversion,  signifies,  in  this  place,  a  wife, 

16   We  have  not  created  the  heavens  and  or  a  child ;  and  that  the  passage  is  parti- 

earth  by  way  of  sport.']     But  for  the  mani-  cularly  levelled  against  the  Christians  2. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Zamakhshari.  ^  At  Beiddwi,  &c» 

k2 


132  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

be  unto  you,  for  that  which  ye  impiously  utter  concerning 
God  !  since  whoever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is  subject 
unto  him ;  and  the  angels  who  are  in  his  presence  do  not 
insolently  disdain  his  service,  neither  are  they  tired 
therewith.  ^^  They  praise  him  night  and  day :  they  faint 
not.  ^^  Have  they  taken  gods  from  the  earth  ?  Shall  they 
raise  the  dead  to  life  ?  ^^  If  there  were  either  in  heaven 
or  on  earth  gods  besides  God,  verily  both  would  be 
corrupted.  But  far  be  that  which  they  utter  from  God, 
the  Lord  of  the  throne  !  ^^  No  account  shall  be  demanded 
of  him  for  what  he  shall  do;  but  an  account  shall  be 
demanded  of  them.  ^*  Have  they  taken  other  gods 
besides  him  ?  Say,  Produce  your  proof  thereof.  This  is 
the  admonition  of  those  who  are  contemporary  with  me, 
and  the  admonition  of  those  who  have  been  before  me : 
but  the  greater  part  of  them  know  not  the  truth,  and  turn 
aside  from  the  same.  ^^  We  have  sent  no  apostle  before 
thee,  but  we  revealed  unto  him  that  there  is  no  god 
besides  myself :  wherefore  serve  me.  ^^  They  say.  The 
Merciful  hath  begotten  issue ;  and  the  angels  are  his 
daughters.  God  forbid  !  They  are  his  honoured  servants  : 
^^  they  prevent  him  not  in  any  thing  which  they  say ; 
and  they  execute  his  command.  ^^  He  knoweth  that 
which  is  before  them,  and  that  which  is  behind  them : 
^^  they  shall  not  intercede  for  any,  except  for  whom  it 
shall  please  him ;  and  they  tremble  for  fear  of  him. 
^^  Whoever  of  them  shall  say,  I  am  a  god  besides  him ; 
that  angel  will  we  reward  with  hell :  for  so  will  we  reward 
the  unjust.  ^^  Do  not  the  unbelievers  therefore  know, 
that  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  solid,  and  we  clave 
the  same   in   sunder,    and  made  every  living   thing  of 

22  Both  would  be  corrupted.]     That  is,  held  the   angels  to   be   the  daughters  of 

the  whole  creation  would  necessarily  fall  God. 

into  confusion,  and  be  overturned,  by  the  27  They  prevent  him  not  in  any  thing 

competition  of  such  mighty  antagonists.  which  they  say,~\  i.  e.  They  presume  not  to 

24  This  is  the  admonition  of  those  who  say  any  thing  until  he  hath  spoken  it ; 
are  contemporary  with  me,  and  of  those  behaving  as  servants  who  know  their  duty. 
who  have  been  before  me.']  i.  e.  This  is  the  31  The  heavens  and  the  earth  were  solid, 
constant  doctrine  of  all  the  sacred  books ;  and  we  clave  the  same  in  sunder.]  That 
not  only  of  the  Koran,  but  of  those  which  is,  they  were  one  continued  mass  of  mat- 
were  revealed  in  former  ages  ;  all  of  them  ter,  till  we  separated  them,  and  divided  the 
bearing  witness  to  the  great  and  funda-  heaven  into  seven  heavens,  and  the  earth 
mental  truth  of  the  unity  of  God.  into  as  many  stories;    and  distinguished 

26  Daughters.]     This  passage  was  re-  the  various  orbs  of  the  one,  and  the  dif- 

vealed  on   account  of  the  Khozaites,  who  ferent  climates  of  the  other,  &c.     Or,  as 


XXI.]  A  L     KORAN.  133 

water  ?  Will  they  not  therefore  believe  ?  ^^  And  we 
placed  stable  mountains  on  the  earth,  lest  it  should  move 
with  them ;  and  we  made  broad  passages  between  them 
for  paths,  that  they  might  be  directed  in  their  journeys : 
^^  and  we  made  the  heaven  a  roof  well  supported.  Yet 
they  turn  aside  from  the  signs  thereof,  not  considering 
that  they  are  the  workmanship  of  God.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
hath  created  the  night,  and  the  day,  and  the  sun,  and 
the  moon ;  all  the  celestial  bodies  move  swiftly,  each  in 
its  respective  orb.  ^^  We  have  not  granted  unto  any 
man  before  thee,  eternal  permanency  in  this  world  ;  if 
thou  die  therefore,  will  they  be  immortal  ?  ^^  Every  soul 
shall  taste  of  death  :  and  we  will  prove  you  with  evil, 
and  -with  good,  for  a  trial  of  you ;  and  unto  us  shall  ye 
return.  ^^  When  the  unbelievers  see  thee,  they  receive 
thee  only  with  scoffing,  saying,  Is  this  he  who  men- 
tioneth  your  gods  with  contempt  ?  Yet  themselves  believe 
not  what  is  mentioned  to  them  of  the  Merciful.  ^^  Man 
is  created  of  precipitation.  Hereafter  will  I  shew  you 
my  signs,  so  that  ye  shall  not  wish  them  to  be  hastened. 
^^  They  say,  When  will  this  threat  be  accomplished,  if 
ye  speak  truth  ?  ^^  If  they  who  believe  not,  knew  that 
the  time  will  surely  come,  when  they  shall  not  be  able  to 
drive  back  the  fire  of  hell  from  their  faces,  nor  from  their 
backs,  neither  shall  they  be  helped,  they  would  not  hasten 
it.  ^^  But  the  day  of  vengeance  shall  come  upon  them 
suddenly,  and  shall  strike  them  with  astonishment :  they 
shall  not  be  able  to  avert  it  ;  neither  shall  they  be 
respited.  ^^  Other  apostles  have  been  mocked  before 
thee :  but  the  punishment  which  they  scoffed  at,  fell 
upon  such  of  them  as  mocked.     *^  Say  unto  the  scoffers, 

some  choose  to  translate  the  words,  The         37    Vet  they   believe  7iot  what  is  men- 

heavens  and  the  earth  were  shut  up,  and  tioned  to  them  of  the  Merciful.']     Denying 

we  opened  the  same  ;  their  meaning  being,  his  unity;    or  rejecting  his  apostles,  and 

that  the  heavens  did  not  rain,  nor  the  earth  the  scriptures,  which  were  given  for  their 

produce    vegetables,    till    God   interposed  instruction,  and  particularly  the  Koran, 
his  power  ^.  38    Man   is    created    of  precipitation.] 

32  Stable  mountains.]     See  chap.  xvi.  Being   hasty    and   inconsiderate  2.      It  is 

35  If  thou  die  therefore,  will   they    be  said  this  passage  was  revealed  on  account 

immortal  ?]      This  passage   was  revealed  of  al    Nodar    Ebn   al    Hareth,    when   he 

when  the  infidels  said.  We  expect  to  see  desired  Mohammed  to  hasten  the  divine 

Mohammed   die,   like    the    rest  of  man-  vengeance  with  which  he  threatened  the 

kind.  ^  unbelievers  ^, 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddiyi,  2  ggg  chap.  xvii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


134  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

Who  shall  save  you  by  night  and  by  day  from  the  Merci- 
ful ?  Yet  they  utterly  neglect  the  remembrance  of  their 
Lord.  ^*  Have  they  gods  who  will  defend  them,  besides 
us  ?  They  are  not  able  to  help  themselves ;  neither  shall 
they  be  assisted  against  us  by  their  companions.  ^^  But 
we  have  permitted  these  men  and  their  fathers  to  enjoy 
worldly  prosperity,  so  long  as  life  was  continued  unto 
them.  Do  they  not  perceive  that  we  come  unto  the  land 
of  the  unbelievers,  and  straiten  the  borders  thereof? 
Shall  they  therefore  be  the  conquerors  ?  ^^  Say,  I  only 
preach  unto  you  the  revelation  of  God  :  but  the  deaf  will 
not  hear  thy  call,  whenever  they  are  preached  unto. 
^^  Yet  if  the  least  breath  of  the  punishment  of  thy  Lord 
touch  them,  they  will  surely  say,  Alas  for  us  !  verily  we 
have  been  unjust.  ^^  We  will  appoint  just  balances  for 
the  day  of  resurrection ;  neither  shall  any  soul  be  injured 
at  all :  although  the  merit  or  guilt  of  an  action  be  of  the 
weight  of  a  grain  of  mustard-seed  only,  we  will  produce 
it  publicly ;  and  there  will  be  sufficient  accomptants  with 
us.  ^^  We  formerly  gave  unto  Moses  and  Aaron  the 
Law,  being  a  distinction  between  good  and  evil,  and  a 
light  and  admonition  unto  the  pious ;  ^^  who  fear  their 
Lord  in  secret,  and  who  dread  the  hour  of  judgment. 
^^  And  this  book  also  is  a  blessed  admonition,  which  we 

.     have  sent  down  from  heaven :  will  ye  therefore  deny  it  ? 

/  ^^  And  we  gave  unto  Abraham  his  direction  heretofore, 
and  we  knew  him  to  be  worthy  of  the  revelations  where- 
with he  was  favoured.  ^^  Remember  when  he  said  unto 
his  father,  and  his  people.  What  are  these  images  to 
which  ye  are  so  entirely  devoted  ?  ^^  They  answered.  We 
found  our  fathers  worshipping  them.  ^^  He  said.  Verily 
both  ye  and  your  fathers  have  been  in  a  manifest  error. 
^^  They  said.  Dost  thou  seriously  tell  us  the  truth  ;  or  art 
thou  one  who  jesteth  with  us  ?  ^^  He  replied.  Verily  your 
Lord  is  the  Lord  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth ;  it  is  he 
who  hath  created  them  :  and  I  am  one  of  those  who  bear 

49  The  distinction,']     Arab,  al  Forkdn.  of  divine    revelations   which  were   given 

A   name  sometimes  given  to  the  Koran,  him  ^ 
See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  53  Images.']     See  chap.  vi.  chap.  xix. 

52  His  direction.]  Viz.   The  Ten  books  and  chap.  ii. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


xxi.l  AL   KORAN.  135 

] 
witness  thereof,  ]  ^^  By  God,  I  will  surely  devise  a  plot 

against  your  idols,  after  ye  shall  have  retired  from  them, 

and  shall  have  turned  your  backs.     ^^  And  in  the  people's 

absence  he  went  into  the  temple  where  the  idols  stood, 

and  he  brake  them  all  in  pieces,  except  the  biggest  of 

them  ;  that  they  might  lay  the  blame  upon  that.     ^^  And 

when  they  were  returned,  and  saw  the  havoc  which  had 

been  made,  they  said.  Who  hath  done  this  to  our  gods  ? 

He  is  certainly  an  impious  person.     ^^  And  certain  of  them 

answered.  We  heard  a  young  man  speak  reproachfully  of 

them  ;    he  is  named  Abraham.     ^^  They  said  bring  him 

therefore  before  the  eyes  of  the  people,  that  they  may 

bear  witness  against  him.     ^^  And  when  he  was  brought 

before  the  assembly,  they  said  unto  him.  Hast  thou  done 

this  unto   our  gods,  O  Abraham  ?    ^^  He  answered.  Nay, 

that  biggest  of  them  hath  done  it :   but  ask  them,  if  they 

can  speak.     ^^  And  they  returned  unto  themselves,  and 

said  the  one  to  the  other.  Verily  ye  are  the  impious 

persons.     ^^  Afterwards  they  relapsed  into  their  former 

obstinacy,  and  said.  Verily  thou  knowest  that  these  speak 

not.      ^^  Abraham  answered.   Do  ye  therefore  worship, 

besides  God,  that  which  cannot  profit  you  at  all,  neither 

can  it  hurt  you  ?    Fie  on  you :   and  upon  that  which  ye 

worship  besides  God  !    Do  ye  not  understand  ?    ^^  They 

said.  Burn  him,  and  avenge  your  gods :  if  ye  do  this,  it 

59  And  he  brake  them  all  in  pieces  ex-  quarrelled,  and  fallen  together  by  the  ears, 

cept  the  biggest  of  them,   &c.]     Abraham  about  an  offering  of  fine  flour,  which  had 

took  his  opportunity  to  do  this  while  the  been    brought    them   by   an    old    woman  ; 

Chaldeans  were  abroad  in  the  fields,  cele-  and  that  the  father,  finding  he  could  not 

brating  a  great  festival:   and  some  say  he  insist  on  the  impossibility  of  what  Abra- 

hid  himself  in  the  temple  :  and  when  he  ham  pretended,  without  confessing  the  im- 

had  accomplished  his  design,  that  he  might  potence   of  his   gods,   fell    into  a  violent 

the  more  evidently  convince  them  of  their  passion,  and  carried  him  to  Nimrod,  that 

folly  in  worshipping  ihem,    he  hung  the  he  might  be  exemplarily  punished  for  his 

axe  with  which  he  had  hewn  and  broken  insolence  2. 

down  the  images  on  the  neck  of  the  chief  65  They  returned  unto  themselves.^  That 

idol,  named  by  some  writers,  Baal ;  as  if  is,  they  became  sensible  of  their  folly, 

he  had  been  the  author  of  all  the  mischief  ^.  QQ  Afterwards  they  relapsed  into  their 

For  this  story,  which,  though  it  be  false,  former  obstinacy.']      Literally,   they   were 

is  not  ill  invented,  Mohammed  stands  in-  turned  down  upon  their  heads, 

debted  to  the  Jews,  who  tell  it   with    a  68    They  said,    Burn  him,   &c.]     Per- 

little    variation  :    for   they    say  Abraham  ceiving   they    could    not   prevail   against 

performed  this  exploit  in  his  father's  shop,  Abraham   by  dint  of  argument,    says   al 

during   his  absence  ;    that  Terah,   on  his  Beidawi,  they  had  recourse  to  persecution 

return,  demanding  the  occasion  of  the  dis-  and  torments.      The    same    commentator 

order,  his  son  told  him  that  the  idols  had  tells  us,  the  person  who  gave  this  counsel, 

1  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo' ddin,  &c.     V.  Hyde,  de  rel.  vet.  Pers.  c.  ii.  ^  f^,  GedaL 

in  Shalshel.  hakkab.  p.  8.     V.  Maimon,  Yad.  hazzaka,  c.  1.  de  idol. 


136 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


will  be  well.  ^^  And  when  Abraham  was  cast  into  the 
burning  pile,  we  said,  O  fire,  be  thou  cold,  and  a  preserva- 
tion unto  Abraham.  ^^  And  they  sought  to  lay  a  plot 
against  him :    but  we  caused  them  to  be  the  sufferers. 


was  a  Persion  Curd  ^  named  Heyyun, 
and  that  the  earth  opened  and  swallowed 
him  up  alive.  Some,  however,  say  it  was 
Andeshan,  a  Magian  priest  2  ;  and  others, 
that  it  was  Nimrod  himself. 

69  We  said,  0  fire,  he  thou  cold,  &c.] 
The  commentators  relate  that,  by  Nimrod' s 
order,  a  large  space  was  enclosed  at  Cutha, 
and  filled  with  a  vast  quantity  of  wood, 
which,  being  set  on  fire,  burned  so  fiercely, 
that  none  dared  to  venture  near  it :  then 
they  bound  Abraham,  and  putting  him 
into  an  engine  (which  some  suppose  to 
have  been  of  the  devil's  invention),  shot 
him  into  the  midst  of  the  fire,  from  which 
he  was  preserved  by  the  angel  Gabriel, 
who  was  sent  to  his  assistance;  the  fire 
burning  only  the  cords  with  which  he  was 
bound  2.  They  add,  that  the  fire  having 
miraculously  lost  its  heat,  in  respect  to 
Abraham,  became  an  odoriferous  air,  and 
that  the  pile  changed  to  a  pleasant  mea- 
dow :  though  it  raged  so  furiously  other- 
wise, that,  according  to  some  writers,  about 
two  thousand  of  the  idolaters  were  con- 
sumed by  it*. 

This  story  seems  to  have  had  no  other 
foundation  than  that  passage  of  Moses, 
where  God  is  said  to  have  brought  Abra- 
ham out  of  Ur  of  the  Chaldees^  misun- 
derstood :  which  words  the  Jews,  the  most 
trifling  interpreters  of  scripture,  and  some 
moderns,  who  have  followed  them,  have 
translated.  Out  of  the  fire  of  the  Chal- 
dees  ;  taking  the  word  Ur,  not  for  the 
proper  name  of  a  city,  as  it  really  is,  but 
for  an  appellative,  signifying  fire  ^.  How- 
ever, it  is  a  fable  of  some  antiquity,  and 
credited  not  only  by  the  Jews,  but  by 
several  of  the  eastern  Christians ;  the 
twenty-fifth  of  the  second  Canun,  or  Janu- 
ary, being  set  apart  in  the  Syrian  calendar, 
for  the  commemoration  of  Abraham's  being 
cast  into  the  fire  ^. 

The  Jews  also  mention  some  other 
persecutions  which  Abraham  underwent  on 
account  of  his  religion,  particularly  a  ten 


years'  imprisonment  ^ :  some  saying  he 
was  imprisoned  by  Nimrod  ^  ;  and  others, 
by  his  father  Terah'o. 

70  We  caused  them  to  he  the  losers.^ 
Some  tell  us  that  Nimrod,  on  seeing  this 
miraculous  deliverance  from  his  palace, 
cried  out,  that  he  would  make  an  offering 
to  the  God  of  Abraham ;  and  that  he 
accordingly  sacrificed  four  thousandkine  ^^ 
But,  if  he  ever  relented,  he  soon  relapsed 
into  his  former  infidelity  ;  for  he  built  a 
tower,  that  he  might  ascend  to  heaven  to 
see  Abraham's  God  ;  which  being  over- 
thrown ^2,  still  persisting  in  his  design,  he 
would  be  carried  to  heaven  in  a  chest, 
borne  by  four  monstrous  birds ;  but,  after 
wandering  for  some  time  through  the  air, 
he  fell  down  on  a  mountain  with  such  a 
force,  that  he  made  it  shake,  whereto  (as 
some  fancy)  a  passage  in  the  Koran  ^^  al- 
ludes, which  may  be  translated.  Although 
their  contrivances  be  such  as  to  make  the 
mountains  tremble. 

Nimrod,  disappointed  in  his  design  of 
making  war  with  God,  turned  his  arms 
against  Abraham,  who,  being  a  great 
prince,  raised  forces  to  defend  himself; 
but  God  dividing  Nimrod's  subjects,  and 
confounding  their  language,  deprived  him 
of  the  greater  part  of  his  people,  and 
plagued  those  who  adhered  to  him  by 
swarms  of  gnats,  which  destroyed  alinost 
all  of  them  :  and  one  of  those  gnats  having 
entered  into  the  nostril,  or  ear,  of  Nimrod, 
penetrated  to  one  of  the  membranes  of  his 
brain,  where,  growing  bigger  every  day, 
it  gave  him  such  intolerable  pain,  that  he 
was  obliged  to  cause  his  head  to  be  beaten 
with  a  mallet,  in  order  to  procure  some 
ease,  which  torture  he  suffered  four  hun- 
dred years  ;  God  being  willing  to  punish, 
by  one  of  the  smallest  of  his  creatures, 
him  who  insolently  boasted  himself  to  be 
lord  of  all  1*.  A  Syrian  calendar  places  the 
death  of  Nimrod,  as  if  the  time  were  well 
known,  on  the  eighth  of  Thamuz,  or 
JulyJS. 


1  V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Dhokak.  &  Schultens,  Indie.  Georgr.  in  vit.  Saladini, 
voce  Curdi.  ^  V.  D'Herhel,  p.  15.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  &c. 

V.  Morgan's  Mahometism  expl.  v.  1.  chap,  iv,  *  The  MS.  Gospel  of  Barnabas, 

ch.  xxviii.  ^  Genes,  xv.  7*  ®  V.  Targ.  Jonath.  &  Hierosol.  in  Genes, 

c.  xi.  &  XV.  &  Hydcy  de  ReL  vet.  Pers.  p.  74,  &c.  "^  V.  Hyde,  ibid.  p.  73. 

*  R.  Eliez,  Pirke,  c.  xxvi.  &c.    V.  Maim.  More  Nev.  1.  iii.  c.  29.  ^  Glossa  Talmud, 

in  Gemar.  Bava  bathra,  91.  i.  ^^  In  Aggada.  "  Al  Beiddwi.  12  gge 

chap.  xvi.  13  Chap.  xiv.  1*  V.  D'Herbel.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art. 

Nemrod.     Hyde,  ubi  supra.  **  V.  Hyde,  ibid.  p.  74. 


XXI.]  AL   KORAN.  137 

^^  And  we  delivered  him  and  Lot,  by  bringing  them  into 
the  land  wherein  we  have  blessed  all  creatures.  ^^  And 
we  bestowed  on  him  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  as  an  additional 
gift :  and  we  made  all  of  them  righteous  persons.  ^^  We 
also  made  them  models  of  religion,  that  they  might  direct 
others  by  our  command ;  and  we  inspired  into  them  the 
doing  of  good  works,  and  the  observance  of  prayer,  and 
the  giving  of  alms ;  and  they  served  us.  ^^  And  unto 
Lot  we  gave  wisdom  and  knowledge,  and  we  delivered 
him  out  of  the  city  which  committed  filthy  crimes  ;  for 
they  were  a  wicked  and  insolent  people :  ^^  and  we  led 
him  into  our  mercy;  for  he  was  an  upright  person. 
^^  And  remember  Noah,  when  he  called  for  destruction 
on  his  people,  before  the  prophets  above-mentioned ;  and 
we  heard  him,  and  delivered  him  and  his  family  from  a 
great  strait :  ^^  and  we  protected  him  from  the  people 
who  accused  our  signs  of  falsehood ;  for  they  were  a 
wicked  people,  wherefore  we  drowned  them  all.  ^^  And 
remember  David,  and  Solomon,  when  they  pronounced 
judgment  concerning  a  field,  when  the  sheep  of  certain 
people  had  fed  therein  by  night,  having  no  shepherd  ; 
and  we  were  witnesses  of  their  judgment :  ^^  and  we  gave 
the  understanding  thereof  unto  Solomon.  And  on  all  of 
them  we  bestowed  wisdom  and  knowledge.  And  we 
compelled  the  mountains  to  praise  us  with  David  ;  and 
the  birds  also :   and  we  did  this.     ^^  And  we  taught  him 

71    The  land  wherein  we  have  blessed  all  Solomon,  who  was  then  but  eleven  years 

creatures.']  i.  e.  Palestine,  in  which  coun-  old,  was  of  opinion  that  it  would  be  more 

try  the  greater  part  of  the  prophets  ap-  just  for  the  owner  of  the  field  to  take  only 

peared.  the  profit  of  the  sheep,   viz.  their  milk, 

73  Models,  &c.]  According  to  Mo-  lambs,  and  wool,  till  the  shepherd  should, 
hammed  all  the  ancient  patriarchs  were  by  his  own  labour,  and  at  his  own  expense, 
true  Moslems.  put  the  field   into  as  good   condition  as 

74  An  insolent  people.]  The  Sodomites,  when  the  sheep  entered  it ;  after  which 
See  chap.  vii.  and  chap.  xi.  the    sheep    might    be    returned     to   their 

76  Noah.]     See  chap.  viii.  master.     And  this  judgment   of  Solomon 

78  When  they  pronounced  judgment  con-  was  approved  by  David  himself,  as  better 

cerning  afield,  &c.]     Some  sheep  in  their  than  his  own  ^ 

shepherd's  absence,  having  broken  into  79  We  compelled  the  motcntams  to  praise 
another  man's  field  (or  vineyard,  say  us  with  David,  and  the  birds  also.]  Mo- 
others),  by  night,  and  eat  up  the  corn,  a  hammed,  it  seems,  taking  the  visions  of  the 
dispute  arose  thereupon  ;  and  the  cause  Talmudists  for  truth,  believed  that  when 
being  brought  before  David  and  Solomon,  David  was  fatigued  with  singing  psalms, 
the  former  said,  that  the  owner  of  the  land  the  mountains,  birds,  and  other  parts  of 
should  take  the  sheep,  in  compensation  of  the  creation,  both  animate  and  inanimate, 
the  damage  which  he  had  sustained  ;  but  relieved  him  in  chanting  the  divine  praises. 


'  Jl  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,  &c. 


138 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


the  art  of  making  coats  of  mail  for  you,  that  they  may 
defend  you  in  your  wars  :  will  ye  therefore  be  thankful  ? 
^^  And  unto  Solomon  we  subjected  a  strong  wind ;  it  ran 
at  his  command  to  the  land  whereon  we  had  bestowed 
our  blessing :  and  we  knew  all  things.  ^^  And  we  also 
subjected  unto  his  command  divers  of  the  devils,  who 
might  dive  to  get  pearls  for  him,  and  perform  other  work 
besides  this ;  and  we  watched  over  them.  ^^  And  re- 
member Job  ;    when  he   cried   unto  his  Lord,    saying, 


This  consequence  the  Jews  draw  from  the 
words  of  the  Psalmist,  when  he  calls  on 
the  several  parts  of  nature  to  join  with 
him  in  celebrating  the  praise  of  God  * ; 
it  being  their  perverse  custom  to  expound 
passages  in  the  most  literal  manner,  which 
cannot  bear  a  literal  sense  without  a  mani- 
fest absurdity  ;  and,  on  the  contrary,  turn 
the  plainest  passages  into  allegorical  fan- 
cies, 

80  The  art  of  making  coats  of  mail.'] 
Men,  before  his  inventing  them,  using  to 
arm  themselves  with  broad  plates  of  metal. 
Lest  this  fable  should  want  something  of 
the  marvellous,  one  writer  tells  us,  that 
the  iron  which  David  used,  became  soft  in 
his  hands  like  wax  2. 

81  A  strong  wind.']  Which  transport- 
ed his  throne  with  prodigious  swiftness. 
Some  say,  this  wind  was  violent  or  gentle, 
just  as  Solomon  pleased^. 

—  To  the  land  whereon  we  had  bestowed 
our  blessing.]  Viz.  Palestine  ;  whither  the 
wind  brought  back  Solomon's  throne  in 
the  evening,  after  having  carried  it  to  a 
distant  country  in  the  morning. 

82  And  perform  other  work.]  Such  as 
the  building  of  cities  and  palaces,  the 
fetching  of  rare  pieces  of  art  from  foreign 
countries,  and  the  like. 

—  And  we  watched  over  them.]  Lest 
they  should  swerve  from  his  orders,  or  do 
mischief,  according  to  their  natural  incli- 
nations. Jallalo'ddin  says,  that  when 
they  had  finished  any  piece  of  building, 
they  pulled  it  down  before  night,  if  they 
were  not  employed  in  something  new. 

83  Job.]  The  Mohammedan  writers 
tell  us,  that  Job  was  of  the  race  of  Esau, 
and  was  blessed  with  a  numerous  family, 
and  abundant  riches  ;  but  that  God  proved 
him,  by  taking  away  all  that  he  had,  even 
his  children,  who  were  killed  by  the  fall 
of  a   house  ;    notwithstanding  which,  he 


continued  to  serve  God,  and  to  return  him 
thanks,  as  usual ;  that  he  was  then  struck 
with  a  filthy  disease,  his  body  being  full 
of  worms,  and  so  offensive,  that,  as  he  lay 
on  the  dunghill,  none  could  bear  to  come 
near  him  :  that  his  wife  however  (whom 
some  call  Rahmat,  the  daughter  of  Ephraim, 
the  son  of  Joseph ;  and  others,  Makhir, 
the  daughter  of  Menasses),  attended  him 
with  great  patience,  supporting  him  with 
what  she  earned  by  her  labour  ;  but  that 
the  devil  appearing  to  her  one  day,  after 
having  reminded  her  of  her  past  pros- 
perity, promised  her,  that  if  she  would 
worship  him,  he  would  restore  all  they 
had  lost ;  whereupon  she  asked  her  hus- 
band's consent,  who  was  so  angry  at  the 
proposal,  that  he  swore,  if  he  recovered, 
to  give  his  wife  an  hundred  stripes  :  that 
Job  having  pronounced  the  prayer  recorded 
in  this  passage,  God  sent  Gabriel,  who 
taking  him  by  the  hand  raised  him  up  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  a  fountain  sprang  up 
at  his  feet,  of  which  having  drunk,  the 
worms  fell  off  his  body,  and  washing 
therein,  he  recovered  his  former  health 
and  beauty:  that  God  then  restored  all 
to  him  double  ;  his  wife  also  becoming 
young  and  handsome  again,  and  bearing 
him  twenty-six  sons  :  and  that  Job,  to 
satisfy  his  oath,  was  directed  by  God  to 
strike  her  one  blow  with  a  palm-branch, 
having  a  hundred  leaves  *.  Some,  to  ex- 
press the  great  riches  which  were  bestowed 
on  Job  after  his  sufferings,  say  he  had  two 
threshing-floors,  one  for  wheat,  and  the 
other  for  barley ;  and  that  God  sent  two 
clouds,  which  rained  gold  on  the  one,  and 
silver  on  the  other,  till  they  ran  over^ 
The  traditions  differ  as  to  the  continuance 
of  Job's  calamities  :  one  will  have  it  to  be 
eighteen  years,  another  thirteen,  another 
three,  and  another  exactly  seven  years, 
seven  months,  and  seven  hours. 


1  See  Psalm  cxlviii.  2  Tarikh  Montakkab.     V.  D'HerbeL  p.  284.  3  gge 

chap,  xxvii.  ^  At  Beiddwi,  JallaWddin,  Abu'lfeda,  &c.     See  D'HerbeL  Bibl. 

Orient,  Art.  Aioub.  *  Jallalo'ddin, 


XXI.]  AL   KORAN.  139 

Verily  evil  hath  afflicted  me:  but  thou  art  the  most 
merciful  of  those  who  shew  mercy.  ^*  Wherefore  we 
heard  him,  and  relieved  him  from  the  evil  which  was 
upon  him :  and  we  restored  unto  him  his  family,  and  as 
many  more  with  them,  through  our  mercy,  and  for  an 
admonition  unto  those  who  serve  God.  ^^  And  remember 
IsMAEL,  and  Edris,  and  Dhu'lkefl.  ^^  All  these  were 
patient  persons  ;  wherefore  we  led  them  into  our  mercy ; 
for  they  were  righteous  doers.  ^^  And  remember  Dhu'l- 
NUN,  when  he  departed  in  wrath,  and  thought  that  we 
could  not  exercise  our  power  over  him.  And  he  cried 
out  in  the  darkness,  saying.  There  is  no  God,  besides 
thee :  praise  be  unto  thee  !  verily  I  have  been  one  of  the 
unjust.  ^^  Wherefore  we  heard  him,  and  delivered  him 
from  affliction :  for  so  do  we  deliver  the  true  believers. 
^^And  remember  Zacharias,  when  he  called  upon  his 
Lord,  saying,  O  Lord,  leave  me  not  childless :  yet  thou 
art  the  best  heir.  ^^  Wherefore  we  heard  him,  and  we 
gave  him  John  ;  and  we  rendered  his  wife  fit  for  bearing 
a  child  unto  him.  These  strove  to  excel  in  good  works, 
and  called  upon  us  with  love,  and  with  fear ;  and  humbled 
themselves  before  us.  ^^  And  remember  her  who  pre- 
served her  virginity,  and  into  whom  we  breathed  of  our 
spirit ;  ordaining  her  and  her  son  for  a  sign  unto  all 
creatures.     ^^  Verily  this  your  religion  is  one  religion,  and 

85  Edris.l     Enoch.  —   When  he  departed  in  wrath.']     Some 

—  Dhulkefl.]     Who  this  prophet  was  suppose   Jonas's    anger  was   against    the 

is  very  uncertain.     One  commentator  will  Ninevites,  being  tired  with  preaching  to 

have  him  to  be  Elias,  or  Joshua,  or  Zacha-  them  for  so  long  a  time,  and  greatly  dis- 

rias  * ;  another  supposes  him  to  have  been  gusted  at  their  obstinacy  and  ill  usage  of 

the  son  of  Job,  and  to  have  dwelt  in  Syria ;  him;  but  others,  more  agreeably  to  scrip- 

to   which  some  add,  that  he  was   first  a  ture,  say,  the  reason  of  his  ill  humour  was 

very  wicked  man,  but  afterwards  repent-  God's  pardoning  of  that  people  on  their 

ing  died  ;  upon  which  these  words  appeared  repentance,    and  averting    the  judgment 

miraculously  written  over  his  door,  Now  which  Jonas  had  threatened  them  with,  so 

hath  God  been  merciful  unto  Dhu'lkefl  ^ ;  that  he  thought  he  had  been  made  a  liar  *. 

and   a  third  tells  us  he  was  a  person  of  —  In  the  darkness.']    i.  e.   Out  of  the 

great  strictness  of  life,  and  one  who  used  belly  of  the  fish. 

to   decide  causes  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  88  Delivered  him.]     See  chap,  xxxvii. 

parties,  because  he  was  never  in  a  passion;  91  Her  who    preserved  her  virginity,] 

and  that  he  was  called  Dhu'lkefl  from  his  Namely,  the  Virgin  Mary, 

continual  fasting,  and  other  religious  ex-  92  This  your  religion  is  one  religion.] 

ercises  ^.  Being  the  same  which  was  professed  by  all 

87  Dhu'lnun.]     This  is  the  surname  of  the  prophets,   and  holy  men  and  women, 

Jonas ;  which  was  given  him  because  he  without   any   fundamental    difference    or 

was  swallowed  by  the  fish.     See  chap,  x,  variation. 


Jl  Beiddwi,  2  ^bu'lf.  »  Jallaloddin.  *  Jl  BeiddwL 

1 


140  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

I  am  your  Lord  ;  wherefore  serve  me.  ^^  But  the  Jews 
and  Christians  have  made  schisms  in  the  affair  of  their 
religion  among  themselves :  but  all  of  them  shall  appear 
before  us.  *^^  Whosoever  shall  do  good  works,  being  a 
true  believer,  there  shall  be  no  denial  of  the  reward  due 
to  his  endeavours ;  and  we  will  surely  write  it  down  unto 
him.  ^^  An  inviolable  prohibition  is  laid  on  every  city 
which  we  shall  have  destroyed,  for  that  they  shall  not 
return  any  more  into  the  world  :  ^^  until  Gog  and  Magog 
shall  have  a  passage  opened  for  them,  and  they  shall 
hasten  from  every  high  hill ;  and  the  certain  promise 
shall  draw  near  to  be  fulfilled  :  ^^  and  behold,  the  eyes  of 
the  infidels  shall  be  fixed  with  astonishment,  and  they 
shall  say,  Alas  for  us!  we  were  formerly  regardless  of 
this  day  ;  yea,  we  were  wicked  doers.  ^^  Verily  both  ye, 
O  men  of  Mecca,  and  the  idols  which  ye  worship  besides 
God,  shall  be  cast  as  fuel  into  hell-fire :  ye  shall  go  down 
into  the  same.  ^^  If  these  were  really  gods,  they  would 
not  go  down  into  the  same :  and  all  of  them  shall  remain 
therein  for  ever.  ^^^  In  that  place  shall  they  groan  for 
anguish :  and  they  shall  not  hear  aught  therein.  ^^^  As 
for  those  unto  whom  the  most  excellent  reward  of  para- 
dise hath  been  predestinated  by  us,  they  shall  be  trans- 
ported far  off  from  the  same ;  ^^^  they  shall  not  hear  the 
least  sound  thereof :  and  they  shall  continue  for  ever  in 
the  felicity  which  their  souls  desire.  ^^^  The  greatest 
terror  shall  not  trouble  them :  and  the  angels  shall  meet 
them  to  congratulate  them,  saying.  This  is  your  day  which 
ye  were  promised.     ^^^  On  that  day  we  will  roll  up  the 

96   Until  Gog  and  Magog  shall  have  a  shall  not  hear  therein  any  thing  which 

passage  opened  for  them.~\  i.  e.  Until  the  may  give  them  the  least  comfort, 
resurrection  ;    one   sign  of  the   approach  101  As  for  those  unto   whom  paradise 

whereof  will    be    the   irruption    of  those  hath  been  predestinated^  &c.]     One  Ebn 

barbarians  ^  al  Zabari  objected  to  the  preceding  words, 

—  They  shall  hasten  from  every  high  hill.~\  Both   ye,  and  that  which  ye  worship  be- 

In  this  passage  some    copies,   instead  of  sides  God,  shall  be  cast  into  hell ;  because, 

Hadabin,  i.  e.  an  elevated  part  of  the  earth f  being  general,  they  asserted  an  absolute 

have  Jadathin,  which    signifies  a  grave;  falsehood  ;  some  of  the  objects  of  idolatrous 

and  if  we   follow  the  latter  reading,  the  worship  being  so  far  from  any  danger  of 

pronoun  they,   must  not  refer  to  Gog  and  damnation,  that  they  were  in  the  highest 

Magog,  but  to  mankind  in  general.  favour  with  God,  as  Jesus,  Ezra,  and  the 

100  They  shall  not  hear  aught  therein.']  angels  :  wherefore    this   passage   was    re- 

Because    of  their    astonishment   and   the  vealed,  excepting  those  who  were  predes- 

insupportable  torments  they  shall  endure  ;  tinated  to  salvation  2, 
or,   as   others  expound   the  words.   They 

^  See,  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  '^  Al  Beiddtui,  Jallalo'ddin, 


XXI.]  AL    KORAN.  141 

heavens,  as  the  angel  al  Sijil  rolleth  up  the  book 
wherein  every  man's  actions  are  recorded.  As  we  made 
the  first  creature  out  of  nothing,  so  we  will  also  re- 
produce it  at  the  resurrection.  This  is  a  promise  which 
it  lieth  on  us  to  fulfil :  we  will  surely  perform  it.  ^^^  And 
now  have  we  written  in  the  psalms,  after  the  promulga- 
tion of  the  law,  that  my  servants,  the  righteous,  shall 
inherit  the  earth.  ^^^  Verily  in  this  book  are  contained 
sufficient  means  of  salvation,  unto  people  who  serve  God. 
107  ^^Q  Y^^^Q  j^^^  ggj^l^  ^j^g^^  Q  Mohammed,  but  as  a  mercy 

unto  all  creatures.  ^^^  Say,  No  other  hath  been  revealed 
unto  me,  than  that  your  God  is  one  God  :  will  ye  there- 
fore be  resigned  unto  him  ?  ^^^  But  if  they  turn  their  backs 
to  the  confession  of  God's  unity,  say,  I  proclaim  war 
against  you  all  equally:  but  I  know  not  whether  that 
which  ye  are  threatened  with  be  nigh,  or  whether  it  be 
far  distant.  ^^^  Verily  God  knoweth  the  discourse  which 
is  spoken  in  public ;  and  he  also  knoweth  that  which  ye 
hold  in  private.  ^^^  I  know  not  but  peradventure  the 
respite  granted  you  is  for  a  trial  of  you ;  and  that  ye  may 
enjoy  the  prosperity  of  this  world  for  a  time.  "^  Say, 
Lord,  judge  between  me  and  my  adversaries  with  truth. 
Our  Lord  is  the  Merciful ;  whose  assistance  is  to  be 
implored  against  the  blasphemies  and  calumnies  which 
ye  utter. 

104  The  angel  al  SijiL']     Whose  office  105  The  righteous,  &c.]     These  words 

it  is  to  write  down   the  actions  of  every  are  taken  from  Psalm  37,  v.  29. 

man's  life,  which,  at  his  death,  he  rolls  up,  109  /  proclaim  war  against  you,  &c.] 

as  completed.     Some  pretend  one  of  Mo-  Or,  I  have  publicly  declared  unto  you  what 

hammed's    scribes    is    here    meant;  and  I  was  commanded. 

others  take  the  word  Sijil,  or,  as  it  is  also  —  That  which  ye  are  threatened  with.~\ 

written,  Sijjill,  for  an  appellative,  signify-  Viz.   The  losses  and  disgraces  which  ye 

ing  a  book  or  written  scroll  ;  and  accord-  shall  suffer  by  the  future  successes  of  the 

ingly  render    the  passage.   As   a  written  Moslems;  or  the  day  of  judgment, 
scroll  is  rolled  up  ^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo^ddin,  &c. 


142  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

INTITLED,  THE  PILGRIMAGE  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  MEN  of  Mecca,  fear  your  Lord.  Verily  the  shock  of 
the  last  hour  will  be  a  terrible  thing.  ^  On  the  day 
whereon  ye  shall  see  it,  every  woman  who  giveth  suck 
shall  forget  the  infant  which  she  suckleth ;  and  every 
female  that  is  with  young,  shall  cast  her  burthen ;  and 
thou  shalt  see  men  seemingly  drunk,  yet  they  shall  not 
be  really  drunk:  but  the  punishment  of  God  will  be 
severe.  ^  There  is  a  man  who  disputeth  concerning  God 
without  knowledge,  and  followeth  every  rebellious  devil ; 
^  against  whom  it  is  written,  that  whoever  shall  take  him 
for  his  patron,  he  shall  surely  seduce  him,  and  shall  lead 
him  into  the  torment  of  hell.  ^  O  men,  if  ye  be  in  doubt 
concerning  the  resurrection,  consider  that  we  first  created 
you  of  the  dust  of  the  ground ;  afterwards,  of  seed ; 
afterwards,  of  a  little  coagulated  blood ;  afterwards,  of  a 
piece  of  flesh,  perfectly  formed  in  part,  and  in  part 
imperfectly  formed:  that  we  might  make  our  power 
manifest  unto  you :  and  we  cause  that  which  we  please 
to  rest  in  the  wombs  until  the  appointed  time  of  delivery. 
Then  we  bring  you  forth  infants ;  and  afterwards,  we 
permit  you  to  attain  your  age  of  full  strength ;  and  one 
of  you  dieth  in  his  youth,  and  another  of  you  is  postponed 
to  a  decrepit  age,  so  that  he  forgetteth  whatever  he 
knew.      Thou  seest  the  earth  sometimes  dried  up  and 

Title — The  pilgrimage.']    Some  ceremo-  one  sign  of  the  near  approach  of  the  day 

nies  used  at  the  pilgrimage  of  Mecca  being  of  judgment  ^. 

mentioned  in  this  chapter,  gave  occasion  2  Every  woman,  &c.]     See  the  Prelim, 

to  the  inscription.  Disc.  §  iv. 

Title — Mecca.']  Some^  except  two  verses,  3  There  is  a  man  who  disputeth  concern- 
beginning  at  these  words,  There  are  some  ing  God,  &c.]  This  passage  was  revealed 
men  who  serve  God  in  a  wavering  manner,  on  account  of  al  Nodar  Ebn  al  Hareth, 
&c.  And  others  ^  six  verses,  beginning  at,  who  maintained  that  the  angels  were  the 
These  are  two  opposite  parties,  &c.  daughters  of  God,  that  the  Koran  was  a 

1    The  shock  of  the  last  hour.]     Or,  the  fardel  of  old  fables,  and  denied  the  resur- 

earthquake  which,  some  say,  is  to  happen  rection  *. 

a  little  before  the  sun  rises  from  the  west ;  5  Blood,  &c.]     See  chap,  xcvi.,  ver.  11. 

*  Jallalo' ddin,         ^  Al  Beiddivi.         ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.         *  Al  Beiddwi, 


XXII.]  A  L    KORAN.  143 

barren :  but  when  we  send  down  rain  thereon,  it  is  put  in 
motion,  and  swelleth,  and  produceth  every  kind  of  luxu- 
riant vegetables.  ^  This  sheweth  that  God  is  the  truth, 
and  that  he  raiseth  the  dead  to  life,  and  that  he  is 
almighty ;  ^  and  that  the  hour  of  judgment  will  surely 
come,  there  is  no  doubt  thereof;  and  that  God  will  raise 
again  those  who  are  in  the  graves.  ^  There  is  a  man  who 
disputeth  concerning  God,  without  either  knowledge,  or 
a  direction,  or  an  enlightening  book ;  ^  proudly  turning 
his  side,  that  he  may  seduce  men  from  the  way  of  God. 
Ignominy  shall  attend  him  in  this  world  ;  and  on  the  day 
of  resurrection  we  will  make  him  taste  the  torment  of 
burning.  ^^  When  it  shall  be  said  unto  him.  This  thou 
sufFerest  because  of  that  which  thy  hands  have  formerly 
committed:  for  God  is  not  unjust  towards  mankind. 
^^  There  are  some  men  who  serve  God  in  a  wavering 
manner,  standing,  as  it  were,  on  the  verge  of  the  true 
religion.  If  good  befall  one  of  them,  he  resteth  satisfied 
therein  ;  but  if  any  tribulation  befall  him,  he  turneth 
himself  round,  with  the  loss  both  of  this  world,  and  of  the 
life  to  come.  This  is  manifest  perdition.  ^^  He  will  call 
upon  that,  besides  God,  which  can  neither  hurt  him,  nor 
profit  him.  This  is  an  error  remote  from  truth.  ^^  He 
will  invoke  him  who  will  sooner  be  of  hurt  to  his  wor- 
shipper than  of  advantage.  Such  is  surely  a  miserable 
patron,  and  a  miserable  companion.  ^^  But  God  will  in- 
troduce those  who  shall  believe,  and  do  righteous  works, 

8  There  is  a  man  who  disputeth  concern-         The  passage,  they  say,  was  revealed  on 

ing  God,  &c.]     The  person  here  meant,  it  account  of  certain  Arabs  of  the  desert,  who 

is  said,  was  Abu   Jabl  ^  a  principal  man  came    to    Medina,  and    having   professed 

among  the  Koreish,  and  a  most  inveterate  Mohammedism,  were  well  enough  pleased 

enemy    of   Mohammed   and  his   religion,  with  it  so  long  as  their  affairs   prospered  ; 

His  true  name  was   Amru  Ebn  Hesham,  but  if  they  met  with  any  adversity,  were 

of  the  family  of  Makhzum  ;  and  he  was  sure  to  lay  the  blame  on   their  new  reli- 

surnamed   Abu'lhocm,  i.  e.  the  Father  of  gion.     A  tradition  of  Abu  Said  mentions 

Wisdom,  which  was  afterwards   changed  another  accident  as  the   occasion  of  this 

into  Abu  Jabl,  or  the  Father  of  Folly.   He  passage,  viz.  that  a  certain   Jew  embraced 

was  slain  in  the  battle  of  Bedr  2.  Islam,  but  afterwards  taking  a  dislike  to 

11    There  are  some  men  who  serve  God  it,  on  account  of  some  misfortunes  which 

waveringly,   standing  on    the  verge,  &c.]  had  befallen  him,  went  to  Mohammed,  and 

This  expression  alludes  to  one  who  being  desired  he  might  renounce  it,  and  be  freed 

posted  in  the  skirts  of  an  army,  if  he  sees  from  the  obligations  to  it ;  but  the  prophet 

the  victory  inclining  to  his  own  side,  stands  told  him  that  no  such  thing  was  allowed  in 

his  ground  ;  but  if  the  enemy  is  likely  to  his  religion  ^. 
prevail,  takes  to  his  heels. 

^  Jallalo'ddin,  ^  See  chap.  viii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


144  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

into  gardens  through  which  rivers  flow :  for  God  doth 
that  which  he  pleaseth.  ^^  Whoso  thinketh  that  God 
will  not  assist  his  apostle  in  this  world,  and  in  the  world 
to  come,  let  him  strain  a  rope  towards  heaven,  then  let 
him  put  an  end  to  his  life,  and  see  whether  his  devices 
can  render  that  ineffectual  for  which  he  was  angry. 
\  ^^  Thus  do  we  send  down  the  Koran,  being  evident  signs ; 
for  God  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth.  ^^  As  to  the  true 
believers  and  those  who  judaize,  and  the  Sabians,  and  the 
Christians,  and  the  Magians,  and  the  idolaters  ;  verily 
God  shall  judge  between  them  on  the  day  of  resurrection: 
for  God  is  witness  of  all  things.  ^^  Dost  thou  not  per- 
ceive that  all  creatures,  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth, 
adore  God  ;  and  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  and  the  stars, 
and  the  mountains,  and  the  trees,  and  the  beasts,  and 
many  men  ?  '  But  many  are  worthy  of  chastisement ;  and 
whomsoever  God  shall  render  despicable,  there  shall  be 
none  to  honour ;  for  God  doth  that  which  he  pleaseth. 
^^  These  are  two  opposite  parties,  who  dispute  concerning 
their  Lord.  And  they  who  believe  not,  shall  have  gar- 
ments of  fire  fitted  unto  them :  boiling  water  shall  be 
poured  on  their  heads ;  ^^  their  bowels  shall  be  dissolved 
thereby,  and  also  their  skins ;  ^^  and  they  shall  be  beaten 
with  maces  of  iron.  ^-  ^.o  often  as  they  shall  endeavour 
to  get  out  of  hell,  because  of  the  anguish  of  their  tor- 
ments, they  shall  be  dragged  back  into  the  same  ;  and 
their  tormentors  shall  say  unto  them.  Taste  ye  the  pain  of 
burning.  ^^  God  will  introduce  those  who  shall  believe, 
and  act  righteously,  into  gardens  through  which  rivers 
flow ;  they  shall  be  adorned  therein  with  bracelets  of  gold, 
and   pearls ;   and   their   vestures   therein   shall   be   silk. 

15  Let  him  strain  a  rope  towards  heaven^  The  passage  is  said  to  have  been  revealed 

&c.]     Or,  let  him  tie  a  rope  to  the  roof  of  on  occasion  of  a  dispute  between  the  Jews 

his  house,  and  hang  himself:  that  is,  let  and  the  Mohammedans;  the  former  insist- 

him   carry  his   anger  and  resentment  to  ing  that  they  were  in  greater  favour  with 

ever  so  great  an  height,  even  to  be  driven  God,  their  prophet  and  revelations  being 

to  the  most  desperate  extremities,  and  see  prior  to  those  of  the  latter;  and  these  re- 

whether  with  all  his  endeavours  he  will  be  plying,   that  they    were   more  in    God's 

able  to  intercept  the  divine  assistance  ^.  favour,  for  that  they  believed  not  only  in 

18  Adore  GodJ]     Confessing  his  power,  Moses,  but  also  in  Mohammed,  and  in  all 
and  obeying  his  supreme  command.  the  scriptures  without  exception  ;  whereas 

19  These  are  two  opposite  par  ties  ^  &c.]  the  Jews  rejected  Mohammed,  though  they 
Viz.  The   true   believers,  and  the  infidels,  knew  him  to  be  a  prophet,  out  of  envy  2. 

1  At  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem. 


XXII.]  AL     KORAN.  145 

^^  They  are  directed  unto  a  good  saying ;  and  are  directed 
into  the  honourable  way.  ^^  But  they  who  shall  disbe- 
lieve, and  obstruct  the  way  of  God,  and  hinder  men  from 
visiting  the  holy  temple  of  Mecca,  which  we  have  ap- 
pointed for  a  place  of  worship  unto  all  men ;  the  inha- 
bitant thereof,  and  the  stranger,  have  an  equal  right  to 
visit  it :  ^^  and  whosoever  shall  seek  impiously  to  profane 
it,  we  will  cause  him  to  taste  a  grievous  torment.  ^^  Call 
to  mind  when  we  gave  the  site  of  the  house  of  the  Caaba 
for  an  abode  unto  Abraham,  saying.  Do  not  associate  any 
thing  with  me ;  and  cleanse  my  house  for  those  who  com- 
pass it,  and  who  stand  up,  and  who  bow  down  to  worship. 
^^  And  proclaim  unto  the  people  a  solemn  pilgrimage  :  let 
them  come  unto  thee  on  foot,  and  on  every  lean  camel, 
arriving  from  every  distant  road ;  ^^  that  they  may  be  wit- 
nesses of  the  advantages  which  accrue  to  them  from  the 
visiting  this  holy  place,  and  may  commemorate  the  name 
of  God  on  the  appointed  days,  in  gratitude  for  the  brute 
cattle  which  he  hath  bestowed  on  them.  ^^  Wherefore 
eat  thereof,  and  feed  the  needy  and  the  poor.  ^^  After- 
wards let  them  put  an  end  to  the  neglect  of  their  persons, 

24    IJyito  a  good  saying.']    Viz.  The  pro-  claim  the  pilgrimage  of  valediction  ^  ;  ac- 

fession  of  God's  vmity  ;  or  these  words,  cor(^irs{  to  which   exposition   the  passage 

which  they  shall  use  at  their  entrance  into  mif&I^iiave  been  revealed  at  Medina, 

paradise,  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  29  The  advantages  which  accrue  to  them 

fulfilled  his  promise  unto  us  *.  from    the   visiting  this  place. ~\     Viz.   The 

27  When  we  gave  unto  Abraham  the  site  temporal  advantage  made  by  the  great 
of  the  Caaba  for  an  abode.]  i.  e.  For  a  trade  driven  at  Mecca  during  the  pilgrim- 
place  of  religious  worship;  showing  him  age,  and  the  spiritual  advantage  of  having 
the  spot  where  it  had  stood,  and  also  the  performed  so  meritorious  a  work. 

model  of  the  old  building,  which  had  been  —  The  appointed  days.]     Namely,  The 

taken  up  to  heaven  at  the  flood  2.  ten  first  days  of  Dhu'lhajja  ;  or,  the  tenth 

28  Proclaim  unto  the  people  a  solemn  day  of  the  same  month  on  which  they  slay 
pilgrimage.]  It  is  related  that  Abraham,  the  sacrifices,  and  the  three  following 
in  obedience  to  this  command,  went  up  to  days*. 

mount  Abu  Kobeis,  near  Mecca,  and  cried         31   Let  them  put  an  end  to  the  neglect  of 

from  thence,  O  men,  perform  the  pilgrim-  their  persons.]     By   shaving  their  heads, 

age  to  the  house  of  your  Lord:  and  that  and  other  parts  of  their  bodies,  and  cutting 

God  caused  those  who  were  then  in  the  their  beards  and   nails  in   the   valley    of 

loins   of  their  fathers,  and  the  wombs  of  Mina ;  which  the  pilgrims  are  not  allowed 

their  mothers,  from  east  to  west,  and  who  to  do  from  the  time  they  become  Mohrims, 

he  knew  beforehand,   would  perform  the  and  have  solemnly  dedicated  themselves  to 

pilgrimage,  to  hear  his  voice.     Some  say,  the  performance  of  the  pilgrimage,  till  they 

however,  that  these   words  were  directed  have   finished    the   ceremonies,  and  slain 

to  Mohammed,  commanding  him  to  pro-  their  victims  ^. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  *  Idem, 

Jallalo'ddin.  ^  lidem.     See  chap,  ii.,  chap,  v.,  and  Bobov.  de  Peregr.  Meccana, 

p.  15,  &c. 

VOL.  II.  L 


146  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

and  let  them  pay  their  vows ;  and  compass  the  ancient 
house.  ^^  This  let  them  do.  And  whoever  shall  regard 
the  sacred  ordinances  of  God  ;  this  will  be  better  for  him 
in  the  sight  of  his  Lord.  All  sorts  of  cattle  are  allowed 
you  to  eat,  except  what  hath  been  read  unto  you,  in 
former  passages  of  the  Koran,  to  be  forbidden.  ^^  But 
depart  from  the  abomination  of  idols,  and  avoid  speaking 
that  which  is  false  ?  being  orthodox  in  respect  to  God, 
associating  no  other  god  with  him ;  for  whoever  associateth 
any  other  with  God,  is  like  that  which  falleth  from  heaven, 
and  which  the  birds  snatch  away,  or  the  wind  bloweth  to 
a  far  distant  place.  ^^This  is  so.  And  whoso  maketh 
valuable  offerings  unto  God  ;  verily  they  proceed  from  the 
piety  of  men's  hearts.  ^^  Ye  receive  various  advantages 
from  the  cattle  designed  for  sacrifices,  until  a  determined 
time  for  slaying  them  :  then  the  place  of  sacrificing  them 
is  at  the  ancient  house.  ^^  Unto  the  professors  of  every 
religion  have  we  appointed  certain  rites,  that  they  may 
commemorate  the  name  of  God,  on  slaying  the  brute 
cattle  which  he  hath  provided  for  them.     Your  God  is 

31  Let  them  pay  their  vows.']  By  doing  &c.]  Because  he  who  falls  into  idolatry, 
the  good  works  which  they  have  vowed  to  sinketh  from  the  height  of  faith  into  the 
do  in  their  pilgrimage.  Some  understand  depth  of  infidelity,  has  his  thoughts 
the  words  only  of  the  performance  of  the  distracted  by  wicked  lusts,  and  is  hur- 
requisite  ceremonies.  ried  by  the  devil  into  the  most   absurd 

—  And  compass  the  ancient  house.]  i.  e.     errors  ^. 

The    Caaba ;    which    the    Mohammedans         34    Whoso    maketh    valuable    offerings 

pretend  was  the  first  edifice  built  and  ap-  unto  God.~\     By  choosing  a  well-favoured 

pointed  for  the  worship  of  God  ^     The  and   costly  victim,  in  honour  of  him  to 

going  round  this  chapel  is  a  principal  cere-  whom  it  is  destined.     They  say  Moham- 

mony  of  the  pilgrimage,  and  is  often  re-  med  once  offered  a   hundred  fat  camels, 

peated  ;  but  the  last  time  of  their  doing  it,  and  among  them  one  which  had  belonged 

when  they  take  their  farewell  of  the  tem-  to  Abu  Jahl,  having  in  his  nose  a  ring  of 

pie,  seems  to  be  more  particularly  meant  gold:    and    that    Omar   offered   a   noble 

in  this  place.  camel,  for  which  he  had  been  bid  three 

32  Whoever  shall  regard  the  sacred  ordi-  hundred  dinars  ^, 

nances   of  God.]     By  observing  what  he  The   original  may   also    be    translated 

has  commanded,  and  avoiding  what  he  has  generally.  Whoso  regardeth   the   rites   of 

forbidden;  or,  as   the  words  also  signify,  the    pilgrimage,    &c.      But    the    victims 

Whoever   shall   honour  what    God   hath  seem  to  be  more  particularly  intended   in 

sanctified,  or  commanded  not  to  be  pro-  this  place. 

faned;    as   the   temple    and    territory    of  36  Unto  the  prof essors  of  every  religion.] 

Mecca,  and  the  sacred  months,  &c.  Jallalo'ddin  understands  this  passage  in  a 

33  Avoid  speaking  that  which  is  false.]  restrained  sense,  of  the  former  nations 
Either  by  asserting  wrong  and  impious  who  were  true  believers,  to  whom  God 
things  of  the  Deity ;  or  by  bearing  false  appointed  a  sacrifice,  and  a  fixed  place, 
witness  against  your  neighbours.  and   proper   ceremonies    for   the    offering 

—  Like  that  which  falleth  from  heaven,     of  it. 

^  See  chap,  iii.,  and  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XXII.]  A  L     KORAN.  147 

one  God  :  wherefore  resign  yourselves  wholly  unto  him. 
^^  And  do  thou  bear  good  tidings  unto  those  who  humble 
themselves ;  whose  hearts,  when  mention  is  made  of  God, 
are  struck  with  fear ;  and  unto  those  who  patiently  en- 
dure that  which  befalleth  them  ;  and  who  duly  perform 
their  prayers,  and  give  alms  out  of  what  we  have  bestowed 
on  them.  ^^  The  camels  slain  for  sacrifice  have  we 
appointed  for  you  as  symbols  of  your  obedience  unto  God  : 
ye  also  receive  other  advantages  from  them.  Wherefore 
commemorate  the  name  of  God  over  them,  when  ye  slay 
them,  standing  on  their  feet,  disposed  in  right  order :  and 
when  they  are  fallen  down  dead,  eat  of  them ;  and  give 
to  eat  thereof  both  unto  him  who  is  content  with  what  is 
given  him,  without  asking,  and  unto  him  who  asketh. 
Thus  have  we  given  you  dominion  over  them,  that  ye 
might  return  us  thanks.  ^^  Their  flesh  is  not  accepted  of 
God,  neither  their  blood ;  but  your  piety  is  accepted  of 
him.  Thus  have  we  given  you  dominion  over  them,  that 
ye  might  magnify  God,  for  the  revelations  whereby  he 
hath  directed  you.  ^^  And  bear  good  tidings  unto  the 
righteous,  that  God  will  repel  the  ill  designs  of  the  in- 
fidels from  the  true  believers ;  for  God  loveth  not  every 
perfidious  unbeliever.  ^^  Permission  is  granted  unto  those 
who  take  arms  against  the  unbelievers,  for  that  they  have 
been  unjustly  persecuted  by  them :  (and  God  is  certainly 
able  to  assist  them  :)  who  have  been  turned  out  of  their 
habitations  injuriously,  and  for  no  other  reason  than  be- 
cause they  say.  Our  Lord  is  God.  ^^  And  if  God  did  not 
repel  the  violence  of  some  men  by  others,  verily  monas- 
teries, and  churches,  and  synagogues,  and  the  temples  of 

38  Standing  on  their  feet,  disposed  in  and  unto  him  who  wanteth,  but  dareth  not 

right  order. ^     That  is,  as  some  expound  ask. 

the  word,  standing  on  three  feet,  having  41  Permission  is  granted  unto  those  who 
one  of  their  fore  feet  tied  up,  which  is  the  take  arms,  &c.]  This  was  the  first  pas- 
manner  of  tying  camels  to  prevent  their  sage  of  the  Koran  which  allowed  Moham- 
moving  from  the  place.  Some  copies,  in-  med  and  his  followers  to  defend  them- 
stead  of  Sawdffa,  read  Sawdffena,  from  selves  against  their  enemies  by  force,  and 
the  verb  safana,  which  properly  signifies  was  revealed  a  little  before  the  flight  to 
the  posture  of  a  horse  when  he  stands  on  Medina ;  till  which  time  the  prophet  had 
three  feet,  the  edge  of  the  fourth  only  exhorted  his  Moslems  to  sufler  the  injuries 
touching  the  ground.  offered  them  with  patience,  which  is  also 

—   Unto  him  who  is  content  without  ask-  commanded    in    above    seventy   different 

ing,  and  unto  him  who  asketh.']     Or,  as  the  places  of  the  Koran  ^. 

words   may  also   be  rendered.   Unto  him  42  If   God    did  not  repel  the  violence 

who  asketh  in  a  modest  and  humble  manner,  of   some    men    by    others,    verily   monas- 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.     V.  The  Prelim.  Disc.  §.  ii. 
L    2 


148  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

the  Moslems,  wherein  the  name  of  God  is  frequently 
commemorated,  would  be  utterly  demolished.  And  God 
will  certainly  assist  him  who  shall  be  on  his  side :  for 
God  is  strong  and  mighty.  ^^  And  he  will  assist  those 
who,  if  we  establish  them  in  the  earth,  will  observe 
prayer,  and  give  alms,  and  command  that  which  is  just, 
and  forbid  that  which  is  unjust.  And  unto  God  shall  be 
the  end  of  all  things.  ^^  If  they  accuse  thee,  O  Moham- 
med, of  imposture  ;  consider  that,  before  them,  the  people 
of  Noah,  and  the  tribes  of  Ad  and  Thamud,  ^^  and  the 
people  of  Abraham,  and  the  people  of  Lot,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  Madian,  accused  their  prophets  of  imposture : 
and  Moses  was  also  charged  with  falsehood.  And  I 
granted  a  long  respite  unto  the  unbelievers  :  but  after- 
wards I  chastised  them  ;  and  how  different  was  the  change 
I  made  in  their  condition  !  ^^  How  many  cities  have  we 
destroyed,  which  were  ungodly,  and  which  are  now  fallen 
to  ruin  on  their  roofs  !  And  how  many  wells  have  been 
abandoned,  and  lofty  castles  !  ^^  Do  they  not  therefore 
journey  through  the  land  ?  And  have  they  not  hearts  to 
understand  with,  or  ears  to  hear  with  ?  Surely  as  to  these 
things  their  eyes  are  not  blind,  but  the  hearts  are  blind 
which  are  in  their  breasts.  ^^  They  will  urge  thee  to 
hasten  the  threatened  punishment :  but  God  will  not  fail 
to  perform  what  he  hath  threatened :  and  verily  one  day 
with  thy  Lord  is  as  ajbhousan^^  of  those  which  ye 

SOTipater'^'^'Trnto  how  many  cities  have  I  granteH^^respffe, 
thou^^^'^they  were  wicked?  yet  afterwards  I  chastised 
them ;  and  unto  me  shall  they  come  to  be  judged  at  the 
last  day.  ^^  Say,  O  men,  verily  I  am  only  a  public 
preacher  unto  you.     ^^  And  they  who  believe,  and  do  good 

teries,  and  churches,  Sfc.  would  be  demo-  serted  dwelling  in  those  parts,  as  ruins  are 

HshedJ]     That  is,  The  public  exercise  of  of  a  demolished  town, 

any  religion,    whether    true    or    false,    is  Some  imagine  that  this  passage  intends 

supported    only   by  force ;   and   therefore,  more  particularly  a  well  at  the  foot  of  a 

as   Mohammed  would  argue,  the  true  re-  certain  hill  in  the  province  of  Hadramaut, 

ligion  must  be  establit;hed  by  the    same  and  a  castle  built  on  the  top  of  the  same 

means.                                       '  hill,  both  belonging  to  the  people  of  Hand- 

46  How   many  wells   have    been   ahan-  ha  Ebn  Safwan,  a  remnant  of  the  Thamu- 

doned,  &c.]     That   is.    How  many  spots  dites,  who,   having    killed   their  prophet, 

in  the  deserts,  which  were  formerly  inha-  were  utterly  destroyed  by  God,  and  their 

bited,    are  now  abandoned  I  a   neglected  dwelling  abandoned  ^. 

well  being  the  proper  sign  of  such  a  de-  48   Which  ije  compute.^     See2  Pet.  iii.  8. 


1  Jl  Beiddwi,  &c. 


XXII.]  A  L     KORAN.  149 

works,  shall  obtain  forgiveness  and  an  honourable  provi- 
sion.    ^^  But  those  who  endeavour  to  make  our  signs  of 
none  effect,  shall  be  the  inhabitants  of  hell.     ^^  We  have 
sent  no  apostle,  or  prophet,  before  thee,  but,  when  he  read, 
Satan  suggested  some  error  in  his  reading.     But  God 
shall  make  void  that  which  Satan  had  suggested :  then 
shall  God  confirm  his  signs ;  for  God  is  knowing  and  wise. 
^^  But  this  he  permitteth,  that  he  may  make  that  which 
Satan  hath  suggested,  a  temptation  unto  those  in  whose 
hearts  there  is  an  infirmity,  and  whose  hearts  are  hardened  : 
(for  the  ungodly  are    certainly  in  a  wide    disagreement 
from  the  truth:)  ^^  and  that   they  on  whom  knowledge 
hath  been  bestowed,  may  know  that  this  book  is  the  truth 
from  thy  Lord,  and  may  believe  therein  :  and  that  their 
hearts  may  acquiesce  in  the  same :  for  God  is  surely  the 
director  of  those  who  believe,  into  the  right  way.     ^^  But 
the  infidels  will  not  cease  to  doubt  concerning  it,  until  the 
hour  of  judgment  cometh  suddenly  upon  them;  or  until  the 
punishment  of  a  grievous  day  overtake  them.  ^^  On  that  day 
the  kingdom  shall  be  God's  :  he  shall  judge  between  them. 
And  they  who  shall  have  believed,  and  shall  have  wrought 
righteousness,  shall  be  in  gardens  of  pleasure  :  ^^  but  they 
who  shall  have  disbelieved,  and  shall  have  charged  our 
signs  with  falsehood,  those  shall  suffer  a  shameful  punish- 
ment.   ^^  And  as  to  those  who  shall  have  fled  their  country 
for  the  sake  of  God's  true  religion,  and  afterwards  shall  have 

53    IVe  have  sent  no  apostle  or  prophet,  quainted   by   the    angel   Gabriel  with  the 

but   when  he  read,  Satan  suggested  some  reason  of  their  compliance,  and  with  what 

error  in  his  reading,  &c.]      The   occasion  he   had  uttered,  was  deeply  concerned  at 

of  the  passage  is  thus  related.     Moham-  his  mistake,  till  this   verse  was    revealed 

med  one  day  reading  the  53rd  chapter  of  for  his  consolation  2. 

the  Koran,  when  he  came  to  this  verse,  Vfe  are  told  however,  by  al  Beidawi, 
What  think  ye  of  Allat,  and  al  Uzza,  and  that  the  more  intelligent  and  accurate  per- 
of  Manah,  the  other  third  goddess  ?  the  sons  reject  the  aforesaid  story  ;  and  the 
devil  put  the  following  words  into  his  verb,  here  translated  read,  signifying  also 
mouth,  which  he  pronounced  through  in-  to  wish  for  any  thing,  interpet  the  passage 
advertence,  or,  as  some  tell  us,  because  he  of  the  suggestions  of  tho  devil  to  debauch 
was  then  half  asleep  ^  :  These  are  the  most  the  affections  of  those  holy  persons,  or  to 
high  and  beauteous  damsels,  w^hose  inter-  employ  their  minds  in  vain  wishes  and  de- 
cession  is  to  be  hoped  for.     The  Koreish,  sires. 

who  were  sitting  near  Mohammed,  greatly  56  A  grievous  day.']     Or  a  day  which 

rejoiced  at  what  they  had  heard,  and  when  maketh   childless;  by  which    some    great 

he   had  finished  the   chapter,  joined  with  misfortune  in  war  is  expressed,  as  the  over- 

him  and   his   followers    in    making    their  throw  the  infidels  received  at  Bedr.    Some 

adoration :    but    the   prophet,    being    ac-  suppose  the  resurrection  is  here  intended. 

*  Yahya.  2  ^i  Beiddwi,  Jallalo" ddin,  Yahya,  &c.     See  chap.  xvi. 


150  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

been  slain,  or  shall  have  died  ;  on  them  will  God  bestow 
an  excellent  provision ;  and  God  is  the  best  provider. 
^^  He  will  surely  introduce  them  with  an  introduction 
with  which  they  shall  be  well  pleased :  for  God  is  know- 
ing and  gracious.  ^^  This  is  so.  Whoever  shall  take  a 
vengeance  equal  to  the  injury  which  hath  been  done 
him ;  and  shall  afterwards  be  unjustly  treated ;  verily 
God  will  assist  him :  for  God  is  merciful,  and  ready  to 
forgive.  ^^  This  shall  be  done,  for  that  God  causeth  the 
night  to  succeed  the  day,  and  he  causeth  the  day  to 
succeed  the  night ;  and  for  that  God  both  heareth  and 
seeth.  ^^  This,  because  God  is  truth,  and  because  what 
they  invoke  besides  him  is  vanity :  and  for  that  God  is 
the  high,  the  mighty.  ^*  Dost  thou  not  see  that  God 
sendeth  down  water  from  heaven,  and  the  earth  becometh 
green  ?  for  God  is  gracious  and  wise.  ^^  Unto  him  be- 
longeth  whatsoever  is  in  heaven,  and  on  earth  :  and  God 
is  self-sufficient,  worthy  to  be  praised.  ^^  Dost  thou  not 
see  that  God  hath  subjected  whatever  is  in  the  earth  to 
your  service,  and  also  the  ships  which  sail  in  the  sea,  by 
his  command  ?  And  he  withholdeth  the  heaven  that  it 
fall  not  on  the  earth,  unless  by  his  permission :  for  God 
is  gracious  unto  mankind,  and  merciful.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
hath  given  you  life,  and  will  hereafter  cause  you  to  die ; 
afterwards  he  will  again  raise  you  to  life,  at  the  resur- 
rection ;  but  man  is  surely  ungrateful.  ^^  Unto  the 
professors  of  every  religion  have  we  appointed  certain 
rites  which  they  observe.  Let  them  not  therefore  dispute 
with  thee  concerning  this  matter ;  but  invite  them  unto 
thy  Lord  :  for  thou  followest  the  right  direction.  ^^  But 
if  they  enter  into  debate  with  thee,  answer,  God  well 
knoweth  that  which  ye  do :  ^^  God  will  judge  between 
you,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  concerning  that  wherein 
ye  now  disagree.  '^^  Dost  thou  not  know  that  God  know- 
eth whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  ?  Verily  this  is 
written  in  the  book  of  his  decrees :  this  is  easy  with  God. 

61    Whoever    shall    take    a    vengeance  jured,  by  offering  him  some  further  vio- 

equal  to  the  injury.^     And  shall  not  take  lence. 

a   more   severe    revenge    than    the    fact  The  passage  seems  to  relate  to  the  ven- 

deserves.  geance  which  the  Moslems  should  take  of  the 

—    Jnd  shall    afterwards   be  unjustly  infidels,  for  their  unjust  persecution  of  them. 

treated.']     By   the  aggressor's  seeking  to  66  That  it  fall  not  ^  9ic.~\     Which  it  will 

"revenge  himself  again  of  the  person  in-  do  at  the  last  day. 


XXII.]  AL    KORAN.  151 

^^  They  worship,  besides  God,  that  concerning  which  he 
hath  sent  down  no  convincing  proof,  and  concerning 
w^hich  they  have  no  knowledge:  but  the  unjust  doers 
shall  have  none  to  assist  them.  ^^  And  when  our  evident 
signs  are  rehearsed  unto  them,  thou  mayest  perceive  in 
the  countenances  of  the  unbelievers,  a  disdain  thereof: 
it  wanteth  little  but  that  they  rush  with  violence  on  those 
who  rehearse  our  signs  unto  them.  Say,  Shall  I  declare 
unto  you  a  worse  thing  than  this  ?  The  fire  of  hell,  which 
God  hath  threatened  unto  those  who  believe  not,  is 
worse ;  and  an  unhappy  journey  shall  it  be  thither. 
^*  O  men,  a  parable  is  propounded  unto  you ;  wherefore 
hearken  unto  it.  Verily  the  idols  which  ye  invoke, 
besides  God,  can  never  create  a  single  fly,  although  they 
were  all  assembled  for  that  purpose ;  and  if  the  fly  snatch 
any  thing  from  them,  they  cannot  recover  the  same  from 
it.  Weak  is  the  petitioner,  and  the  petitioned.  ^^  They 
judge  not  of  God  according  to  his  due  estimation :  for 
God  is  powerful  and  mighty.  ^^  God  chooseth  messengers 
from  among  the  angels,  and  from  among  men  :  for  God 
is  who  heareth  and  seeth.  ^^  He  knoweth  that  which  is 
before  them,  and  that  which  is  behind  them ;  and  unto 
God  shall  all  things  return.  ^^  O  true  believers,  bow 
down,  and  prostrate  yourselves,  and  worship  your  Lord  ; 
and  work  righteousness,  that  ye  may  be  happy :  ^^  and 
fight  in  defence  of  God's  true  religion,  as  it  behoveth 
you  to  fight  for  the  same.  He  hath  chosen  you,  and 
hath  not  imposed  on  you  any  diflftculty  in  the  religion 
which  he  hath  given  you,  the  religion  of  your  father 
Abraham.  He  hath  named  you  Moslems  heretofore, 
and  in  this  book ;  that  our  apostle  may  be  a  witness 
against  you  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  that  ye  may  be 

74    If  the  fly   snatch   any   thing  from  temple    of  Jerusalem,  and  the   sacrifices 

them^  &c.]     The   commentators  say,   that  there  offered  to  the  true  God,  were  never 

the  Arabs   used  to  anoint  the  images  of  annoyed   by  flies  ^  ;    whereas   swarms   of 

their  gods  with  some  odoriferous  compo-  those  insects  infested  the  heathen  temples, 

sition,  and  with  honey,  which  the  fities  ate,  being  drawn   thither  by  the  steam  of  the 

though  the  doors  of  the  temple  were  care-  sacrifices  2. 

fully  shut,  getting  in  at  the  windows  or  76  God  chooseth  messengers  from  among 

crevices.  the  angels.^      Who  are  the  bearers  of  the 

Perhaps  Mohammed  took  this  argument  divine   revelations   to    the    prophets  ;  but 

from    the    Jews,    who   pretend  that    the  ought  not  to  be  the  objects  of  worship. 

*  Pirke  Aboth,  c.  5.  §  vi.  vii.  2  y.  Selden  de  Diis  Syris,  Synt.  2,  c.  6. 


152  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

witnesses  against  the  rest  of  mankind.     Whei^Bfore^be^je 

constant^tjrajerj^^d^^^ 

mTo^^GoD.^    He^Ja-^^xmiLj^  jand  Ji£LjL&,.JiiB .  Jbast 

ma^ter^^anj^^^ 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

INTITLED,  THE  TRUE  BELIEVERS  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[^XVIII.]  ^  Now  are  the  true  believers  happy ;  ^  who 
humble  themselves  in  their  prayer;  ^and  who  eschew 
all  vain  discourse ;  ^  and  who  are  doers  of  alms-deeds  ; 
^  and  whq^keep  thjgmselyes^^^^^f^^^^  of  any 

woman,  ^  except  their  wives,  or^he  captives  which  their 
right  Tiand  Jiosse^^ ;   for  as^  Jo  them  they  jh^ll  be 
lessl^^but  j^^ 

they  are  transgressors  :  ^  and  who  acquit  themselves  faith- 
fully of  their  trust,  and  justly  perform  thei^^^^^^^ 
^  and  who^„^  observe  their  appointed  times  ^f  pray er : 
^^  these  shall  be  the  heirs  :  ^^  who  shall  inherit  paradise  ; 
they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever.  ^^  We  formerly  created 
man  of  a  finer  sort  of  clay;  ^^  afterwards  we  placed  him 
in  the  form  of  a  seed  in  a  sure  receptacle ;  ^*  afterwards 
we  made  the  seed  coagulated  blood ;  and  we  formed  the 
coagulated  blood  into  a  piece  of  flesh  ;  then  we  formed 
the  piece  of  flesh  into  bones ;  and  we  clothed  those  bones 
with  flesh :  then  we  produced  the  same  by  another  crea- 
tion. Wherefore  blessed  be  God,  the  most  excellent 
Creator.     ^^  AfteiiJihis^shan 

shall  je  be  restored  to  life^  on  the  day  of  resurrection. 
^^  And  we  have  created  over  you  seven  heavens  :  and  we 
are  not  negligent  of  what  we  have  created.  ^^  And  we 
send  down  rain  from  heaven  by  measure,  and  we  cause  it 

13  A  sure  receptacle.^  Viz.  The  womb,  because,    according    to    some   expositors, 

14  By  another  creation.']  i.  e.  Pro-  they  are  the  paths  of  the  angels  and  of  the 
ducing  a  perfect  man,  composed  of  soul  celestial  bodies :  though  the  original  word 
and  body.  also   signifies   things  which  are   folded  or 

—  Creator.']     See  chap.  vi.  placed  like  stories  one  above  another,  as 

17  Seven  heavens.]  Literally,  seven  the  Mohammedans  suppose  the  heavens 
paths ;  by  which  the  heavens  are  meant,     to  be. 


XXIII.]  A L    KORAN.  153 

to  remain  on  the  earth :  we  are  also  certainly  able  to 
deprive  you  of  the  same.  ^^  And  we  cause  gardens  of 
palm-trees,  and  vineyards,  to  spring  forth  for  you  by 
means  thereof ;  ^^  wherein  ye  have  many  fruits  and 
whereof  ye  eat.  ^^  And  we  also  raise  for  you  a  tree 
springing  from  mount  Sinai  ;  which  produceth  oil,  and  a 
sauce  for  those  who  eat.  ^^  Ye  have  likewise  an  instruc- 
tion in  the  cattle:  we  give  you  to  drink  of  the  milk 
which  is  in  their  bellies,  and  ye  receive  many  advantages 
from  them  ;  and  of  them  do  ye  eat :  ^^  and  on  them, 
and  on  ships,  are  ye  carried.  ^*  We  sent  Noah  heretofore 
unto  his  people,  and  he  said,  O  my  people,  serve  God  : 
ye  have  no  God  besides  him ;  will  ye  not  therefore  fear 
the  consequence  of  your  worshipping  other  gods  ?  ^^  And 
the  chiefs  of  his  people,  who  believed  not,  said.  This  is  no 
other  than  a  man,  as  ye  are :  he  seeketh  to  raise  himself 
to  a  superiority  over  you.  ^^  If  God  had  pleased  to  have 
sent  a  messenger  unto  you,  he  would  surely  have  sent 
angels  :  we  have  not  heard  this  of  our  forefathers.. 
^^  Verily  he  is  no  other  than  a  man  disturbed  with 
frenzy :  wherefore  wait  concerning  him  for  a  time.  Noah 
said,  O  Lord,  do  thou  protect  me  ;  for  that  they  accuse 
me  of  falsehood.  ^^  And  we  revealed  our  orders  unto 
him,  saying,  Make  the  ark  in  our  sight ;  and  according  to 
our  revelation.  ^^  And  when  our  decree  coineth  to  be 
executefl,  and  the  oven  shall  boil  and  pour  forth  water, 
carry  into  it  of  every  species  of  animals  one  pair ;  and 
also  thy  family,  except  such  of  them  on  whom  a  previous 
sentence  of  destruction  hath  passed :  and  speak  not  unto 
me  in  behalf  of  those  who  have  been  unjust ;  for  they 
shall  be  drowned.  ^^  And  when  thou,  and  they  who  shall 
be  with  thee,  shall  go  up  into  the  ark,  say.  Praise  be 
unto  God  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  ungodly 
people.  ^^  And  say,  O  Lord,  cause  me  to  come  down 
from  this  ark  with  a  blessed  descent ;  for  thou  art  best 

21  A  tree  springing  from  mount  Sinai,^  The  beast  more  particularly  meant  in  this 

Viz.    The  olive.     The  gardens  near   this  place,  is  the  camel,  which  is  chiefly  used 

mountain  are  yet  famous  for  the  excellent  for  carriage  in  the  east ;  being  called,  by 

fruit-trees  of  almost  all  sorts  which  grow  the  Arabs,   the   land-ship,   on  which  they 

there  ^.  pass  those  seas  of  sand,  the  deserts. 

23  On  them,  and  on  ships,  are  ye  carried.']         29  One  pair.]     See  chap.  xi. 


V.  Voyages  de  Thevenot,  liv.  2.  ch.  ix. 


154  AL    KORAN.  [chap, 


able  to  bring  me  down  from  the  same  with  safety. 
^2  Verily  herein  were  signs  of  our  omnipotence,;  and  we 
proved  mankind  thereby.  ^^  Afterwards  we  raised  up 
another  generation  after  them  ;  ^^  and  we  sent  unto  them 
an  apostle  from  among  them,  who  said.  Worship  God  : 
ye  have  no  God  besides  him ;  will  ye  not  therefore  fear 
his  vengeance  ?  ^^  And  the  chiefs  of  his  people,  who 
believed  not,  and  who  denied  the  meeting  of  the  life  to 
come,  and  on  whom  we  had  bestowed  affluence  in  this 
present  life,  said.  This  is  no  other  than  a  man,  as  ye  are ; 
^^he  eateth  of  that  whereof  ye  eat,  and  he  drinketh  of 
that  whereof  ye  drink :  and  if  ye  obey  a  man  like  unto 
yourselves,  ye  will  surely  be  sufferers.  ^^  Doth  he  threaten 
you  that  after  ye  shall  be  dead  and  shall  become  dust 
and  bones,  ye  shall  be  brought  forth  alive  from  your 
graves  ?   ^^  Away,  away  with  that  ye  are  threat^ed^dth  ! 

^^  There  is^^noi;5IE(EI&^^  .^^^  di? 

and  we  live ;  and  we  shall  not  be  raised  again.  "^^  This  is 
no  other  than  a  man,  who  deviseth  a  lie  concerning  God  : 
but  we  will  not  believe  him.  ^^  Their  apostle  said,  O 
Lord,  defend  me  ;  for  that  they  have  accused  me  of 
imposture.  ^^  God  answered.  After  a  little  while  they 
shall  surely  repent  their  obstinacy.  ^^  Wherefore  a  severe 
punishment  was  justly  inflicted  on  them,  and  we  rendered 
them  like  the  refuse  which  is  carried  down  by  a  stream. 
Away  therefore  with  the  ungodly  people  !  ^*  Afterwards 
we  raised  up  other  generations  after  them.  ^^  No  nation 
shall  be  punished  before  their  determined  time :  neither 
shall  they  be  respited  after.  ^^  Afterwards  we  sent  our 
apostles,  one  after  another.  So  often  as  their  apostle 
came  unto  any  nation,  they  charged  him  with  imposture : 
and  we  caused  them  successively  to  follow  one  another  to 
destruction  ;  and  we  made  them  only  subjects  of  traditional 
stories.  Away  therefore  with  the  unbelieving  nations ! 
*'  Afterwards  we  sent  Moses,  and  Aaron  his  brother,  with 
our  signs  and  manifest  power,  unto  Pharaoh  and  his 
princes ;  ^^  but  they  proudly  refused  to  believe  on  him  ; 
for  they  were  a  haughty  people.     ^^  And  they  said.  Shall 

33  Another  generation.^     Namely,  the         44  Other  generations,']     As  the  Sodom- 
tribe  of  Ad,  or  of  Thamud.  ites,  Midianites,  &c. 

34  An  apostle.']       Viz.     The    prophet 
Hud,  or  Saleh. 


XXIII.]  A L  KORAN.  155 

we  believe  on  two  men  like  unto  ourselves  ;  whose  people 
are  our  servants  ?  ^^  And  they  accused  them  of  impos- 
ture :  wherefore  they  became  of  the  number  of  those  who 
were  destroyed.  ^^  And  we  heretofore  gave  the  book  of 
the  law  unto  Moses,  that  the  children  of  Israel  might 
be  directed  thereby.  ^^  And  we  appointed  the^son^^ 
Mary,  and  his  mother,  for  a^siOTT^aiiTwe  prepared  an 
a^^dejfor_tj^m3j3 .^an  elevated  part  of  the^jejirth^^being  a 
place   of  quiet  and  3 wuTiigT  anr^^^^  with  runninsf 

^]E^£^*  "^^^  apostles,  eat  of  those  things  wETcK^are^good  ; 
and  work  righteousness  :  for  I  well  know  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^  This  your  religion  is  one  religion  ;  and  I  am  your 
Lord,  wherefore  fear  me.  ^^  But  men  have  rent  the 
affair  of  their  religion  into  various  sects  :  every  party 
rejoiceth  in  that  which  they  follow.  ^^  Wherefore  leave 
them  in  their  confusion  until  a  certain  time.  ^^  Do 
they  think  that  we  hasten  unto  them  the  wealth  and 
children  which  we  have  abundantly  bestowed  on  them, 
for  their  good  ?  ^^  But  they  do  not  understand.  ^^  Verily 
they  who  stand  in  awe,  for  fear  of  their  Lord  ;  ^^  and 
who  believe  in  the  signs  of  their  Lord  ;  ^^  and  who 
attribute  not  companions  unto  their  Lord  ;  ^^  and  who 
give  that  which  they  give  in  alms,  their  hearts  being 
struck  with  dread,  for  that  they  must  return  unto  their 
Lord  :  ^^  these  hasten  unto  good,  and  are  foremost  to 
obtain  the  same.  ^^  We  will  not  impose  any  difficulty  on 
a  soul,  except  according  to  its  ability :  with  us  is  a  book, 
which  speaketh  the  truth  ;  and  they  shall  not  be  injured. 
^^  But  their  hearts  are  drowned  in  negligence,  as  to  this 
matter;  and  they  have  works   different  from  those  we 

52    An  elevated    'part    of   the    earth^  directed  particularly  to  the  Virgin  Mary 

The  commentators  tell  us  the  place  here  and    Jesus,    or  singly    to  the   latter    (in 

intended  is   Jerusalem,   or  Damascus,   or  which   case   the  plural  number   must  be 

Ramlah,  or  Palestine,  or  Egypt  ^  used  out  of  respect  only),  proposing  the 

But  perhaps  the  passage  means  the  hill  practice  of  the  prophets  for  their  imitation, 

to  which  the  Virgin  Mary  retired  to  be  Mohammed    probably    designed    in    this 

delivered,  according  to  the  Mohammedan  passage,  to  condemn   the   abstinence   ob- 

tradition  2.  served  by  the  Christian  monks  ^. 

63  0  apostles,  eat  of  those  things  which  54  One  religion.^    The  same   that  was 

are  good,  &c.]    These  words  are  addressed  professed  by  the  patriarchs  and  saints   of 

to  the  apostles  in  general,  to  whom  it  was  old  ;   Islam,  or  resignation  to  the  divine 

permitted  to  eat  of  all  clean  and  whole-  will. 

some  food  ;    and    were    spoken  to   them  56    Until   a   certain   time.]     i.   e.    Till 

severally  at  the   time   of  their  respective  they  shall  be  slain,  or  shall  die  a  natural 

missions.      Some,    however,    think    them  death. 

'  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'  ddin.  2  ggg  chap.  xix.  ^  A I  Beiddwi, 


156  AL  KORAN.  [chap, 

have  mentioned  :  ^^  which  they  will  continue  to  do,  until, 
when  we  chastise  such  of  them  as  enjoy  an  affluence  of 
fortune,  by  a  severe  punishment,  behold,  they  cry  aloud 
for  help :  ^^  but  it  shall  be  answered  them,  Cry  not  for 
help  to-day ;  for  ye  shall  not  be  assisted  by  us.  ^^  My 
signs  were  read  unto  you,  but  ye  turned  back  on  your 
heels ;  ^^  proudly  elating  yourselves  because  of  your  pos- 
sessing the  holy  temple ;  discoursing  together  by  night, 
and  talking  foolishly.  ^^  Do  they  not  therefore  atten- 
tively consider  that  which  is  spoken  unto  them,  whether 
a  revelation  is  come  unto  them  which  came  not  unto 
their  forefathers  ?  ^^  Or  do  they  not  know  their  apostle  ; 
and  therefore  reject  him  ?  ^^  Or  do  they  say,  He  is  a 
madman  ?  Nay,  he  hath  come  unto  them  with  the  truth; 
but  the  greater  part  of  them  detest  the  truth.  ^^  If  the 
truth  had  followed  their  desires,  verily  the  heavens  and 
the  earth,  and  whoever  therein  is,  had  been  corrupted. 
But  we  have  brought  them  their  admonition ;  and 
they  turn  aside  from  their  admonition.  ^^  Dost  thou 
ask  of  them  any  maintenance  for  thy  preaching  ?  since 
the  maintenance  of  thy  Lord  is  better ;  for  he  is  the 
most  bounteous  provider.  ^^  Thou  certainly  invitest 
them  to  the  right  way :  ^^  and  they  who  believe  not  in 
the  life  to  come,  do  surely  deviate  from  that  way.  ^^  If 
we  had  not  compassion  on  them,  and  had  taken  off  from 
them  the  calamity  which  had  befallen  them,  they  would 
surely  have  more  obstinately  persisted  in  their  error, 
wandering  in  confusion.  ^^  We  formerly  chastised  them 
with  a  punishment :  yet  they  did  not  humble  themselves 

66  A  severe  punishment.~\     By  which  is  Mohammed  had  been  agreeable   to  their 

intended    either   the   overthrow   at    Bedr,  inclinations,  &c. 

where  several  of  the  chief  Koreishites  lost         77   The    calamity    which    had    befallen 

their  lives  ;    or  the  famine  with  which  the  themJ]    Viz.  The  famine.     It  is  said  that 

Meccans   were    afflicted  at   the  prayer  of  the   Meccans  being  reduced  to   eat   ilJdz, 

the    prophet,    conceived    in    these    words,  which  is  a  sort  of  miserable  food,  made  of 

O   God,  set  thy  foot  strongly   on  Modar  blood  and  camels'  hair,  used  by  the  Arabs 

(an    ancestor    of  the   Koreish),   and  give  in  time  of  scarcity,  Abu  Sofian  came   to 

them   years    like    the    years   of   Joseph  ;  Mohammed,  and  said,   Tell  me,   I  adjure 

whereupon  so  great  a  dearth  ensued,  that  thee  by  God,    and   the   relation   that   is 

they  were  obliged  to  feed  on  dogs,  carrion,  between  us,  dost  thou  think  thou  art  sent 

and  burnt  bones  ^.  as  a  mercy  unto  all  creatures  ;  since  thou 

73  If  the  truth  had  followed  their  de-  hast  slain  the  fathers  with  the  sword,  and 

sires^  &c.]     That  is,   If  there  had  been  a  the  children  with  hunger  ^  ? 
plurality   of  gods,   as   the   idolaters    con-         78    We  formerly  chastised  them  with  a 

tended  2;    or,   if  the    doctrine   taught   by  /jz^ww/imew^.]  Namely,  the  slaughter  at  Bedr. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  See  chap.  xxi.  ~  '  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


xxiii.]  AL    KORAN.  157 

before  their  Lord,  neither  did  they  make  supplications 
nnto  him ;  ^^  until,  when  we  have  opened  upon  them  a 
door,  from  which  a  severe  punishment  hath  issued,  be- 
hold, they  are  driven  to  despair  thereat.  ^^  It  is  God  who 
hath  created  in  you  the  senses  of  hearing  and  of  sight, 
that  ye  may  perceive  our  judgments ;  and  hearts,  that  ye 
may  seriously  consider  them :  yet  how  few  of  you  give 
thanks !  ^^  It  is  he  w^ho  hath  produced  you  in  the  earth ; 
and  before  him  shall  ye  be  assembled.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
giveth  life,  and  putteth  to  death  ;  and  to  him  is  to  be 
attributed  the  vicissitude  of  night  and  day :  Do  ye  not 
therefore  understand  ?  ^^  But  the  unbelieving  Meccans 
say  as  their  predecessors  said  :  ^^  they  say,  When  we  shajl 
be  dead,  and  shall  have  become  dust  and  bones^  shall  w 
really  be  raised  t^Jife^^J^  WeJhayejaJx^^ 
enedvnlir^W^^ 

nolEmgTut  faWesjofJheja^^  ^^  Say,  Whose  is  the 

earEETSiSTvv^oever  therein  is  ;  if  ye  know  ?  ^^  They  will 
answer,  God's.  Say,  Will  ye  not  therefore  consider? 
^^  Say,  Who  is  the  Lord  of  the  seven  heavens,  and  the 
Lord  of  the  magnificent  throne  ?  ^^  They  will  answer, 
They  are  God's.  Say,  Will  ye  not  therefore  fear  him  ? 
^^  Say,  In  whose  hand  is  the  kingdom  of  all  things ;  who 
protecteth  whom  he  pleaseth,  but  is  himself  protected  of 
none;  if  ye  know?  ^^  They  will  answer,  In  God's.  Say, 
How  therefore  are  ye  bewitched  ?  ^^  Yea,  we  have  brought 
them  the  truth ;  and  they  are  certainly  liars  in  denying 
the  same.  ^^  God  hath  not  begotten  issue  ;  neither  is 
there  any  other  god  with  him :  otherwise  every  god  had 
surely  taken  away  that  which  he  had  created  ;  and  some 
of  them  had  exalted  themselves  above  the  others.  Far 
be  that  from  God,  which  they  affirm  of  him  !  ^^  He 
knoweth  that  which  is  concealed,  and  that  which  is  made 
public  :  wherefore  far  be  it  from  him  to  have  those  sharers 

79  A  severe  punishment.'}  Viz.  Famine,  93    Every  god    had    taken    away    that 

which  is  more  terrible  than  the  calamities  which    he    had    created.']      And    set    up 

of  war  ^  a   distinct   creation    and    kingdom   of  his 

According    to    these    explications,    the  own. 

passage  must  have  been  revealed  at  Me-  —  Above  the  others.}      The  idolatrous 

dina  ;  unless  it  be  taken  in  a  prophetical  Arabians     acknowledged     one     supreme 

sense.  Deity. 

At  Beiddwi. 


158  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

in  his  honour,  which  they  attribute  to  him !  ^^  Say,  O 
Lord,  if  thou  wilt  surely  cause  me  to  see  the  vengeance 
with  which  they  have  been  threatened ;  ^^  O  Lord,  set  me 
not  among  the  ungodly  people :  ^^  for  we  are  surely  able 
to  make  thee  to  see  that  with  which  we  have  threatened 
them.  ^^  Turn  aside  evil  with  that  which  is  better :  we 
well  know  the  calumnies  which  they  utter  against  thee. 
^^  And  say,  O  Lord,  I  fly  unto  thee  for  refuge,  against 
the  suggestions  of  the  devils ;  ^^^  and  1  have  recourse  unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  to  drive  them  away,  that  they  be  not  pre- 
sent with  me.  ^^^  The  gainsaying  of  the  unbelievers 
ceaseth  not  until,  when  death  overtaketh  any  of  them,  he 
saith,  O  Lord,  suffer  me  to  return  to  life,  ^^^  that  I  may 
do  that  which  is  right ;  in  professing  the  true  faith  which 
I  have  neglected.  By  no  means.  Verily  these  are  the 
words  which  he  shall  speak :  but  behind  them  there  shall 
be  a  bar,  until  the  day  of  resurrection.  ^^^  When  there- 
fore the  trumpet  shall  be  sounded,  there  shall  be  no  rela- 
tion between  them  which  shall  be  regarded  on  that  day ; 
neither  shall  they  ask  assistance  of  each  other.  ^^^  They 
whose  balances  shall  be  heavy  with  good  works,  shall  be 
happy :  ^^^  but  they  whose  balances  shall  be  light,  are  those 

98  Turn  aside  evil  with  that  which  is  place  of  the  dead,   another  while  for  the 

better.']      That   is   by  forgiving   injuries,  time  of  their  continuance  in  that  state,  and 

and  returning  of  good   for  them  ;  which  another  while  for   the  state  itself.     It  is 

rule  is  to  be  qualified,  however,  with  this  defined  by  their  critics  to  be  the  interval 

proviso ;    that    the    true    religion    receive  or  space  between  this  world  and  the  next, 

no    prejudice  by  such  mildness  and  cle-  or   between   death  and  the  resurrection  : 

mency  ^.  every  person  who  dies,  being  said  to  enter 

100  That  they  he  not  present  with  me>~\  into  al  Barzakh  ;  or,  as  the  Greek  expresses 

To  besiege   me  :    or,   as    it   may  also    be  it,  KaTa[5fjvai  elg  ^dov  ^.     One  lexicogra- 

translated,  That  they  hurt  me  not.  pher  *  tells  us  that  in  the  Koran  it  denotes 

102  In  professing  the  true  faith  which  I  the  grave ;  but  the  commentators  on  this 

have  neglected.']     Or,    as   the  words  may  passage   expound  it    a  bar,   or  invincible 

also  import,  in  the  world  which    I  have  obstacle,  cutting  off  all  possibility  of  return 

left;  that  is,  during  the  further  term  of  into  the  world  after  death.     See  chap.  xxv. 

life  which  shall  be  granted  me,  and  from  where  the  word  again  occurs, 
which  I  have  been  cut  off  2.  Some  interpreters  understand  the  words 

—  Behind  them  there  shall  be  a  bar.]  we  have  rendered,  Behind  them,  to  mean, 

The  original  w^ord,-Bari5;aM,  here  translated  Before  them,  (it  being  one  of  those  words, 

bar,  primarily   signifies  any  partition,  or  of  which  there  are  several  in  the  Arabic 

interstice,   which  divides  one  thing   from  tongue,  that  have  direct  contrary  significa- 

another  ;    but   is  used  by  the  Arabs  not  tions,)  considering  al  Barzakh  as  a  future 

always  in  the  same,  and  sometimes  in  an  space,  and  lying  before,   and   rjot  behind 

obscure  sense.     They   seem  generally   to  them. 

express  by  it  what  the  Greeks  did  by  the         105  Balances.]     See  the  Prelim.  Disc, 

word  Hades ;   one  while  using  it  for  the  §  iv. 

*  J I  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  V.  Pocock.  not.  in  Port.  Mosis,  p.  248,  &c.  and 

the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  *  Ebn  Maruf  apud  Gol.  Lex.  Arab.  col.  254. 

1 


XXIV.]  AL  KORAN.  159 

who  shall  lose  their  souls,  and  shall  remain  in  hell  for 
ever.  ^^^  The  fire  shall  scorch  their  faces,  and  they  shall 
vrrithe  their  mouths  therein  for  anguish  :  ^^^  and  it  shall 
be  said  unto  them,  Were  not  my  signs  rehearsed  unto 
you ;  and  did  ye  not  charge  them  w^ith  falsehood  ?  ^^^  They 
shall  answer,  O  Lord,  our  unhappiness  prevailed  over  us, 
and  we  were  people  who  went  astray.  ^^^  O  Lord,  take  us 
forth  from  this  fire  :  if  w^e  return  to  our  former  wickedness, 
we  shall  surely  be  unjust.  ^^^  God  will  say  unto  them, 
Be  ye  driven  away  with  ignominy  thereinto ;  and  speak 
not  unto  me  to  deliver  you.  "^  Verily  there  were  a  party 
of  my  servants,  who  said,  O  Lord,  we  believe  :  wherefore 
forgive  us,  and  be  merciful  unto  us ;  for  thou  art  the  best 
of  those  who  show  mercy.  ^^^  But  ye  received  them  with 
scoffs,  so  that  they  suffered  you  to  forget  my  admonition, 
and  ye  laughed  them  to  scorn.  ^^^  I  have  this  day  re- 
warded them,  for  that  they  suffered  the  injuries  ye  offered 
them  with  patience :  verily  they  enjoy  great  felicity. 
^^^  God  will  say,  What  number  of  years  have  ye  continued 
on  earth?  ^^^  They  will  answer,  We  have  continued 
there  a  day,  or  part  of  day:  but  ask  those  who  keep 
account.  ^^^  God  will  say.  Ye  have  tarried  but  a  little,  if 
ye  knew  it.  ^^^  Did  ye  think  that  we  had  created  you  in 
sport,  and  that  ye  should  not  be  brought  again  before  us? 
^^^  Wherefore  let  God  be  exalted,  the  King,  the  Truth  ! 
There  is  no  God  besides  him,  the  Lord  of  the  honourable 
throne.  ^^^  Whoever,  together  with  the  true  God,  shall 
invoke  another  god,  concerning  whom  he  hath  no  demon- 
strative proof,  shall  surely  be  brought  to  an  account  for 
the  same  before  his  Lord.  Verily  the  infidels  shall  not 
prosper.  ^^^  Say,  O  Lord,  pardon,  and  show  mercy ;  for 
thou  art  the  best  of  those  who  show  mercy. 

112  They  suffered  you  to  forget  my  ad-  Arabs  to   describe  what   they  like  as   of 

monition.']     Being   unable    to   prevail    on  short,  and  what  they  dislike,  as  of  long 

you  by  their  remonstrances,  because  of  the  continuance, 
contempt  wherein  ye  held  them.  —  Ask  those  who  keep  account,']     That 

115  ^  day,  or  part  of  a   day.]     The  is,  the   angels,  who  keep  account  of  the 

time  will  seem  thus  short  to  them  in  com-  length  of  men's  lives,  and  of  their  works: 

parison  to   the  eternal   duration   of  their  or  any  other,  who   may  have  leisure   to 

torments,   or  because    the  time   of  their  compute  ;  and  not  us,  whose  torments  dis- 

living  in  the  world  was  the  time  of  their  tract  our  thoughts  and  attention, 
joy  and  pleasure  ;  it  being  usual  for  the 


160 


AL   KORAN, 


[chap. 


CHAPTER     XXIV, 


INTITLED,    LIGHT  ;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  THIS  Sura  have  we  sent  down  from  heaven ;  and  have 
ratified  the  same :  and  we  have  revealed  therein  evident 
signs,  that  ye  may  be  warned.  ^  The  whore,  and  the 
whoremonger,  shall  ye  scourge  with  an  hundred  stripes. 
And  let  not  compassion  towards  them  prevent  you  from 
executing  the  judgment  of  God  ;  if  ye  believe  in  God 
and  the  last  day :  and  let  some  of  the  true  believers  be 
witnesses  of  their  punishment.  ^  The  whoremonger  shall 
not  marry  any  other  than  a  harlot,  or  an  idolatress.  And 
a  harlot  shall  no  man  take  in  marriage,  except  a  whore- 
monger or  an  idolater.  And  this  kind  of  marriage  is  for- 
bidden the  true  believers.  ^  But  as  to  those  who  accuse 
women  of  reputation  of  whoredom,  and  produce  not  four 


Title — Light. ~\  This  title  is  taken  from 
an  allegorical  comparison  made  between 
light  and  God,  or  faith  in  him,  about  the 
middle  of  the  chapter. 

2  The  whore  and  the  whoremonger  shall 
ye  scourge  with  an  hundred  stripes,  &c.] 
This  law  is  not  to  be  understood  to  relate 
to  married  people,  who  are  of  free  condi- 
tion ;  because  adultery  in  such,  accord- 
ing to  the  Sonna,  is  to  be  punished  by 
stoning  ^. 

—  Let  not  compassion  prevent  you,  &c.] 
i.  e.  Be  not  moved  by  pity,  either  to  for- 
give the  offenders,  or  to  mitigate  their 
punishment.  Mohammed  was  for  so  strict 
and  impartial  an  execution  of  the  laws, 
that  he  is  reported  to  have  said.  If  Fa- 
tema,  the  daughter  of  Mohammed,  steal, 
let  her  hand  be  struck  off  2. 

—  Let  some  of  the  true  believers  be  wit- 
nesses of  their  punishment,^  That  is,  Let 
the  punishment  be  inflicted  in  public,  and 
not  in  private  ;  because  the  ignominy  of 
it  is  more  intolerable  than  the  smart,  and 
more  likely  to  work  a  reformation  on  the 
offender.  Some  say  there  ought  to  be 
three  persons  present  at  the  least ;  but 
others  think  two,  or  even  one,  to  be  suffi- 
cient 3. 

3  And  this  kind  of  marriage  is  forbidden 
the  true    believers.^     The  preceding  pas- 


sage was  revealed  on  account  of  the  meaner 
and  more  indigent  Mohajerins,  or  refugees, 
who  sought  to  marry  the  whores  of  the 
infidels  taken  captive  in  war,  for  the  sake 
of  the  gain  which  they  made  by  prosti- 
tuting themselves.  Some  think  the  prohi- 
bition was  special,  and  regarded  only  the 
Mohajerins  before-mentioned  ;  and  others 
are  of  opinion  it  was  general ;  but  it  was 
agreed  to  have  been  abrogated  by  the 
words  which  follow  in  this  chapter.  Marry 
the  single  women  among  you  ;  harlots  be- 
ing comprised  under  the  appellation  of 
single  women  *. 

It  is  supposed  by  some,  that  not  mar- 
riage, but  unlawful  commerce,  with  such 
women  is  here  forbidden. 

4  Women  of  reputation.']  The  Arabic 
word,  Mohsindt,  properly  signifies  women 
of  unblamable  conduct ;  but  to  bring  the 
chastisement  after-mentioned  on  the  ca- 
lumniator, it  is  also  requisite  that  they  be 
free  women,  of  ripe  age,  having  their  un- 
derstandings perfect,  and  of  the  Moham- 
medan religion.  Though  the  word  be  of 
the  feminine  gender,  yet  men  are  also 
supposed  to  be  comprised  in  this  law. 

Abu  Hanifa  was  of  opinion,  that  the 
slanderer  ought  to  be  scourged  in  public, 
as  well  as  the  fornicator :  but  the  generality 
are  against  him  ^ 


*  See  chap,  iv.,  where  the  laws  of  marriage  are  fully  discussed. 
3  Idem.  *  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  Idem. 


2  Al  Beiddwi. 


XXIV.] 


AL    KORAN, 


161 


witnesses  of  the  fact,  scourge  them  with  fourscore  strijoes^ 
and  receive  not  their  testimony  for  ever ;  for  such  are  in- 
famous prevaricators :  ^  excepting  those  who  shall  after- 
wards repent,  and  amend ;  for  unto  such  will  God  be 
gracious  and  merciful.  ^  They  who  shall  accuse  their 
wives  of  adultery,  and  shall  have  no  witnesses  thereof 
besides  themselves ;  the  testimony  which  shall  be  re- 
quired of  one  of  them  shall  be,  that  he  swear  four  times 
by  God  that  he  speaketh  the  truth :  ^  and  the  fifth  time 
that  he  imprecate  the  curse  of  God  on  him,  if  he  be  a 
liar.  ^  And  it  shall  avert  the  punishment  from  the  wife, 
if  she  swear  four  times  by  God  that  he  is  a  liar ;  ^  and  if 
the  fifth  time  she  imprecate  the  wrath  of  God  on  her,  if 
he  speaketh  the  truth.  ^^  If  it  were  not  for  the  in- 
dulgence of  God  towards  you,  and  his  mercy,  and  that 
God  is  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and  wise ;  he  would  imme- 
diately discover  your  crimes.  ^'  As  to  the  party  among 
you  who  have  published  the  falsehood  concerning  Ayesha, 


8  It  shall  avert  the  punishment,  &c.] 
In  case  both  swear,  the  man's  oath  dis- 
charges hini  from  the  imputation  and 
penalty  of  slander,  and  the  woman's  oath 
frees  her  from  the  imputation  and  penalty 
of  adultery :  but  though  the  woman  do 
swear  to  her  innocence,  yet  the  marriage 
is  actually  void,  or  ought  to  be  declared 
void  by  the  judge;  because  it  is  not  fit 
they  should  continue  together  after  they 
have  come  to  these  extremities  i. 

11  ds  to  the  party  among  you  who  have 
published  the  falsehood  concerning  Ayesha, 
&c.]  For  the  understanding  of  this  pas- 
sage, it  is  necessary  to  relate  the  following 
story. 

Mohammed  having  undertaken  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  tribe  of  Mostalek  in 
the  sixth  year  of  the  Hejra,  took  his  wife 
Ayesha  with  him  to  accompany  him.  In 
their  return,  when  they  were  not  far  from 
Medina,  the  army  removing  by  night, 
Ayesha,  on  the  road,  alighted  from  her 
camel,  and  stepped  aside  on  a  private  oc- 
casion ;  but  on  her  return,  perceiving  she 
had  dropped  her  necklace,  which  was  of 
onyxes  of  Dhafar,  she  went  back  to  look 
for  it ;  and  in  the  mean  time  her  attend- 
ants, taking  it  for  granted  that  she  was 
got  into  her  pavilion  (or  little  tent,  sur- 
rounded with  curtains,  wherein  women  are 
carried  in  the  east),  set  it  again  on  the 


camel,  and  led  it  away.  When  she  came 
back  to  the  road,  and  saw  her  camel  was 
gone,  she  sat  down  there,  expecting  that 
when  she  was  missed,  some  would  be  sent 
back  to  fetch  her  ;  and  in  a  little  time  she 
fell  asleep.  Early  in  the  morning  Safwan 
Ebn  al  Moattel,  who  had  stayed  behind  to 
rest  himself,  coming  by,  and  perceiving 
somebody  asleep,  went  to  see  who  it  was, 
and  knew  her  to  be  Ayesha;  upon  which 
he  waked  her,  by  twice  pronouncing,  with 
a  low  voice,  these  words.  We  are  God's 
and  unto  him  we  must  return.  Then 
Ayesha  immediately  covered  herself  with 
her  veil ;  and  Safwan  set  her  on  his  own 
camel,  and  led  her  after  the  army,  which 
they  overtook  by  noon,  as  they  were  resting. 
This  accident  had  like  to  have  ruined 
Ayesha,  whose  reputation  was  publicly 
called  in  question,  as  if  she  had  been 
guilty  of  adultery  with  Safwan :  and  Mo- 
hammed himself  knew  not  what  to  think, 
when  he  reflected  on  the  circumstances  of 
the  affair,  which  were  improved  by  some 
malicious  people  very  much  to  Ayesha's 
dishonour  ;  and,  notwithstanding  his  wife's 
protestations  of  her  innocence,  he  could 
not  get  rid  of  his  perplexity,  nor  stop  the 
mouths  of  the  censorious,  till  about  a 
month  after,  when  this  passage  was  re^ 
vealed,  declaring  the  accusation  to  be  un^ 
just  2. 


1  Jl  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.         2  ji  Bokhari  in  Sonna,  Al  Beidduui,  Jallalo'ddin,  &c, 
V.  AhuHfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  82,  &c.  and  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Mahomet,  lib.  iv.  c,  vii, 
VOL.  II.  M 


162  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

think  it  not  to  be  an  evil  unto  you :  on  the  contrary,  it  is 
better  for  you.  Every  man  of  them  shall  be  punished 
according  to  the  injustice  of  which  he  hath  been  guilty ; 
and  he  among  them  who  hath  undertaken  to  aggravate 
the  same,  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^  Did  not 
the  faithful  men,  and  the  faithful  women,  when  ye  heard 
this,  judge  in  their  own  minds  for  the  best ;  and  say. 
This  is  a  manifest  falsehood?  ^^  Have  they  produced 
four  witnesses  thereof?  Wherefore  since  they  have  not 
produced  the  witnesses,  they  are  surely  liars  in  the  sight 
of  God.  ^^  Had  it  not  been  for  the  indulgence  of  God 
towards  you,  and  his  mercy,  in  this  world,  and  in  that 
which  is  to  come,  verily  a  grievous  punishment  had  been 
inflicted  on  you,  for  the  calumny  which  ye  have  spread : 
^^  when  ye  published  that  with  your  tongues,  and  spoke 
that  with  your  mouths,  of  which  ye  had  no  knowledge ; 
and  esteemed  it  to  be  light,  whereas  it  was  a  matter  of 
importance  in  the  sight  of  God.  ^^  When  ye  heard  it, 
did  ye  say.  It  belongeth  not  unto  us,  that  we  should  talk 
of  this  matter  :  God  forbid  !  this  is  a  grievous  calumny  ? 
^^  God  warneth  you,  that  ye  return  not  to  the  like  crime 
for  ever ;  if  ye  be  true  believers.  ^^  And  God  declared 
unto  you  his  signs  ;  for  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  Verily^ 
they  who  love  that  scandal  be  published  of  those  who 
believe,  shall  receive  a  severe  punishraent^^^  b  in  this 
world,  aiid  in  the  next.  GfoD  Knoweth,  but  ye  know  not. 
^^  Had  it  not  been  for  the  indulgence  of  God  towards  you, 
and  his  mercy,  and  that  God  is  gracious  and  merciful,  ye 

11  Think  it  not  to  be  an  evil  unto  you:  Mohammed),  Zeid  Ebn  Refaa,  Hassan 
on  the  contrary  f  it  is  better  for  you.']  The  Ebn  Thabet,  Mestah  Ebn  Othatha,  a  great- 
words  are  directed  to  the  prophet,  and  to  grandson  of  Abd'almotalleb's  and  Hamna 
Ebu  Beer,  Ayesha,  and  Safwan,  the  per-  Bint  Jahash  :  and  every  one  of  them  re- 
sons  concerned  in  this  false  report ;  since,  ceived  four  score  stripes,  pursuant  to  the 
besides  the  amends  they  might  expect  in  law  ordained  in  this  chapter,  except  only 
the  next  world,  God  had  done  them  the  Abd'allah,  who  was  exempted,  being  a 
honour  to  clear  their  reputations,  by  re-  man  of  great  consideration  2. — It  is  said, 
vealing  eighteen  verses  expressly  for  that  that,  as  a  farther  punishment,  Hassan  and 
purpose  ^  Mestah  became  blind,  and  that  the  former 

—  Every  man  of  them  shall  be  punished,  of   them    also    lost  the  use  of  both    his 

according  to  the  injustice  of  which  he  hath  hands  ^. 

been  guilty.]     The  persons   concerned  in         — He  who  hath  undertaken  to  aggravate 

spreading  the  scandal  were  Abd'allah  Ebn  the  same.]    Viz.  Abd'allah  Ebn  Obba,  who 

Obba,  (who  first  raised  it,  and  inflamed  the  had  not  the  grace  to  become  a  true  be- 

matter  to   the  utmost,    out    of  hatred    to  liever,  but  died  an  infidel  *. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jbu'lfeda.  vit.  Moham.  p.  83.       ,  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 

*  See  chap,  i  x. 


XXIV.]  AL    KORAN.  163 

had  felt  his  vengeance.  ^^  O  true  believers,  follow  not  the 
steps  of  the  devil :  for  v^hosoever  shall  follow  the  steps  of 
the  devil,  he  will  command  him  filthy  crimes,  and  that 
which  is  unlawful.  If  it  were  not  for  the  indulgence  of 
God,  and  his  mercy  towards  you,  there  had  not  been  so 
much  as  one  of  you  cleansed  from  his  guilt  for  ever :  but 
God  cleanseth  whom  he  pleaseth ;  for  God  both  heareth 
and  knoweth.  ^^  Let  not  those  among  you  who  possess 
abundance  of  wealth,  and  have  ability,  swear  that  they 
will  not  give  unto  their  kindred,  and  the  poor,  and  those 
who  have  fled  their  country  for  the  sake  of  God's  true 
religion  :  but  let  them  forgive,  and  act  with  benevolence 
towards  them.  Do  ye  not  desire  that  God  should  pardon 
you  ?  And  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  Moreover, 
they  who  falsely  accuse  modest  women,  who  behave  in  a 
negligent  manner,  and  are  true  believers,  shall  be  cursed 
in  this  world,  and  in  the  world  to  come  ;  and  they  shall 
suffer  a  severe  punishment.  ^^  One  day  their  own  tongues 
shall  bear  witness  against  them,  and  their  hands,  and 
their  feet,  concerning  that  which  they  have  done.  ^^  On 
that  day  shall  God  render  unto  them  their  just  due  ;  and 
they  shall  know  that  God  is  the  evident  truth.  ^^  The 
Backed  women  should  be  joined  to  the^wicke  and 

thewickeT^meiTli^^  :  but  the   2^oo3. 


women  should^ marfi^^  good 

men  to  the  good  wonien.     These  shall  be  cleared  from 
the  calumnies  which  slanderers  speak  of  them  :  they  shall 

23  Let  not  those  among  you  who  have  gard  those  who  should  calumniate  the 
ability,  swear  that  they  will  not  give  unto  prophet's  wives.  According  to  a  saying 
their  kindred,  &c.]  This  passage  was  re-  of  Ebn  Abbas,  if  the  threats  contained  in 
vealed  on  account  of  Abu  Beer ;  who  the  whole  Koran  be  examined,  there  are 
swore  that  he  would  not  for  the  future  be-  none  so  severe  as  those  occasioned  by  the 
stow  any  thing  on  Mestah,  though  he  was  false  accusation  of  Ayesha ;  wherefore  he 
his  mother's  sister's  son,  and  a  poor  Mo-  thought  even  repentance  would  stand  her 
hajer,  or  refugee,  because  he  had  joined  slanderers  in  no  stead  2. 

in  scandalizing  his  daughter  Ayesha.    But  27  These  shall  be  cleared,  &c.]    Al  Bei- 

on  Mohammed's  reading  this  verse  to  him,  dawi  observes,  on  this  passage,  that  God 

he  continued  Mestah's  pension  ^.  cleared  four  persons  by  four  extraordinary 

24  Who  behave  in  a  negligent  manner.^  testimonies:  for  he  cleared  Joseph  by  the 
i.  e.  Who  may  be  less  careful  in  their  con-  testimony  of  a  child  in  his  mistress's 
duct,  and  more  free  in  their  behaviour,  as  family  ^  ;  Moses,  by  means  of  the  stone 
being  conscious  of  no  ill.  which   fled    away   from    his    garments  *  ; 

—  Severe  punishment.^  Though  the  Mary,  by  the  testimony  of  her  infant  *  ; 
words  be  general,  yet  they  principally  re-     and  Ayesha,  by  these  verses  of  the  Koran. 

^  ^l  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  2  ^i  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap,  xii, 

*  See  chap.  ii.  and  chap,  xxxiii.  ^  See  chap.  xix. 

M   2 


164  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

obtain  pardon,  and  an  honourable  provision.  ^^  O  true  be- 
lievers, enter  not  any  houses,  besides  your  ovra  houses,  until 
ye  have  asked  leave,  and  have  saluted  the  family  thereof : 
this  is  better  for  you;  perad venture  ye  will  be  admonished. 
^^  And  if  ye  shall  find  no  person  in  the  houses,  yet  do  not 
enter  them  until  leave  be  granted  you:  and  if  it  be  said  unto 
you.  Return  back ;  do  you  return  back.  This  will  be  more 
decent  for  you ;  and  God  knoweth  that  which  ye  do. 
^^  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  you,  that  ye  enter  uninhabited 
houses,  wherein  ye  may  meet  with  a  convenience.  God 
knoweth  that  which  ye  discover,  and  that  which  ye  con- 
ceal. ^^  Speak  unto  the  true  believers,  that  they  restrain 
their  eyes,  and  keep  themselves  from  immodest  actions : 
this  will  be  more  pure  for  them  ;  for  God  is  well 
acquainted  with  that  which  they  do.  ^^  And  S£eak  nnto 
the  believing  women,  that  they  restm  aiid^ 

preserve  their  modesty,  and  ^^  d^^^  jornamen ts^ 

elTcept  what  necessarily  appeareth  thereof  ;^,^ailj^^  them 
throwlSieir  veils  over ^W  ^jid_mit_Bhiwj^^ 

oriiaments,  unlejs^  to  tb^^^ 

28  Enter  not  any  houses  besides  your  here  meant ;  and  others,  their  hands  and 
owuy  till  ye  have  asked  leave,  &c.]  To  faces.  It  is  generally  held,  however,  that 
enter  suddenly  or  abruptly  into  any  man's  a  free  woman  ought  not  to  discover  even 
house  or  apartment,  is  reckoned  a  great  those  parts,  unless  to  the  persons  after  ex- 
incivility  in  the  east ;  because  a  person  cepted,  or  on  some  unavoidable  occasion  ; 
may  possibly  be  surprised  in  an  indecent  as  their  giving  evidence  in  public,  taking 
action  or  posture,  or  may  have  something  advice  or  medicines  in  case  of  sickness, 
discovered  which  he  would  conceal.     It  is  &c. 

said  that  a  man  came  to  Mohammed,  and  —  Let  them  throw  their  veils  over  their 

wanted  to  know  whether  he  must  ask  leave  hosomsJ]   Taking  care  to  cover  their  heads, 

to  go  in  to  his   sister ;  which  being  an-  necks,  and  breasts. 

swered  in  the  affirmative,  he  told  the  pro-  • —     Unless   to    their   husbands."]       For 

phet  that  his  sister  had  nobody  else  to  at-  whose  sake  it  is  that  they  adorn  them- 

tend  upon  her,  and  it  would  be  trouble-  selves,  and  who  alone  have  the  privilege 

some  to  ask  leave  every  time  he  went  in  to  to  see  their  whole  body. 

her.  What!  replied  Mohammed  ;wouldesi  —  Or  their  fathers,  &c.]     These  near 

thou  see  her  naked/ ?  relations  are  also  excepted,  because  they 

29  This  will  be  more  decent.']  Than  to  cannot  avoid  seeing  them  frequently,  and 
be  importunate  for  admission,  or  to  wait  at  there  is  no  great  danger  to  be  apprehended 
the  door.  from  them.     They  are  allowed,  therefore, 

30  Uninhabited  houses.]  i.  e.  Which  are  to  see  what  cannot  be  well  concealed  in  so 
not  the  private  habitation  of  a  family ;  such  familiar  an  intercourse  ^ ;  but  no  other  part 
as  public  inns,' shops,  sheds,  &c.  of  their  body,  particularly  whatever  is  be- 

32  And  discover  not  their  ornaments.]  tween  the  navel  and  the  knees  ^. 
As  their  clothes,  jewels,  and  the  furniture  Uncles  not  being  here  particularly  men- 

of  their  toilet ;    much   less  such  parts   of  tioned,  it  is  a  doubt  whether  they  may  be 

their  bodies  as  ought  not  to  be  seen.  admitted  to  see  their  nieces.     Some  think 

—  Except  what  necessarily  appeareth.]  they  are  included  under  the  appellation  of 

Some   think  their   outward  garments  are  brothers :  but  others  are  of  opinion  that 

^  Jl  Beiddivi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Jallalo'ddin.. 


XXIV.] 


AL   KORAN 


165 


their  husbands'  fathers,  or  their  sons,  or  their  husbands' 
sons,  or  their  brothers,  or  their  brothers'  sons,  or  their 
sisters'  sons,  or  their  women,  or  the  captives  which  their 
right  hands  shall  possess,  or  unto  such  men  as  attend 
them,  and  have  no  need  of  women,  or  unto  children  who 
distinguish  not  the  nakedness  of  women.  And  let  them 
not  make  a  noise  with  their  feet,  that  their  ornaments 
which  they  hide  may  thereby  be  discovered.  And  be  ye 
all  turned  unto  God,  O  true  believers,  that  ye  may  be 
happy.  ^^  Marry  those  who  are  single  among  you,  and 
such  as  are  honest  of  your  men-servants,  and  your  maid- 
servants :  if  they  be  poor,  God  will  enrich  them  of  his 
abundance ;  for  God  is  bounteous  and  wise.  ^^  And  let 
those  who  find  not  a  match,  keep  themselves  from^omi- 
caHonr^untr'"n"or"^§h^^^ 

J^nH^nto^suc^  a  written  instru- 

ment, allowing  them  to  redeem  themselves  on  paying  a 
certain  sum,  write   one,   if  ye  know  good  in  them,  and 


they  are  not  comprised  in  this  exception  ; 
and  give  this  reason  for  it,  viz.  lest  they 
should  describe  the  persons  of  their  nieces 
to  their  sons  ^. 

—  Or  their  women. ~\  That  is,  such  as 
are  of  the  Mohammedan  religion  ;  it  being 
reckoned  by  some  unlawful,  or,  at  least, 
indecent,  for  a  woman,  who  is  a  true 
believer,  to  uncover  herself  before  one  who 
is  an  infidel,  because  she  wil'  hardly  re- 
frain describing  her  to  the  men  :  but  others 
suppose  all  women  in  general  are  here 
excepted  ;  for,  in  this  particular,  doctors 
differ  2. 

—  Or  the  captives,  &c.]  Slaves  of 
either  sex  are  included  in  this  exception, 
and,  as  some  think,  domestic  servants  who 
are  not  slaves ;  as  those  of  a  different 
nation.  It  is  related,  that  Mohammed 
once  made  a  present  of  a  man-slave  to  his 
daughter  Fatenia ;  and  when  he  brought 
him  to  her,  she  had  on  a  garment  which 
was  so  scanty,  that  she  was  obliged  to  leave 
either  her  head  or  her  feet  uncovered: 
and  that  the  prophet,  seeing  her  in  great 
confusion  on  that  account,  told  her,  she 
need  be  under  no  concern,  for  that  there 
was  none  present  besides  her  father  and 
her  slave  ^ 

—  And  have  no  need  of  wome7i.'\     Or 


have  no  desire  to  enjoy  them ;  such  as 
decrepit  old  men,  and  deformed  or  silly 
persons,  who  follow  people  as  hangers-on, 
for  their  spare  victuals,  being  too  despica- 
ble to  raise  either  a  woman's  passion,  or  a 
man's  jealousy.  Whether  eunuchs  are 
comprehended  under  this  general  designa- 
tion, is  a  question  among  the  learned  *. 

—  Let  them  not  make  a  noise  with  their 
feet,  &c.]     By  shaking   the  rings  which 

the  women  in  the  east  wear  about  their 
ankles,  and  are  usually  of  gold  or  silver  ^ 
The  pride  which  the  Jewish  ladies  of  old 
took  in  making  a  tinkling  with  these  orna- 
ments of  their  feet,  is  (among  other  things 
of  that  nature)  severely  reproved  by  the 
prophet  Isaiah  ^. 

33  Those  who  are  single.~\  i.  e.  Those 
who  are  unmarried  of  either  sex  ;  whether 
they  have  been  married  before  or  not. 

34  Your  slaves.']     Of  either  sex. 

—  A  writtefi  instrument,  &c.]  Where- 
by the  master  obliges  himself  to  set  his 
slave  at  liberty,  on  receiving  a  certain  sum 
of  money,  which  the  slave  undertakes  to 
pay. 

—  If  ye  know  good  iyi  them.]  That  is, 
If  ye  have  found  them  faithful,  and  have 
reason  to  believe  they  will  perform  their 
engagement. 


At  Beiddwi. 
Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya. 


2  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin. 
^  I  idem. 


3  Al  Beiddwi. 

^  Isaiah  iii,  16, 18. 


Idem, 


166 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


give  them  of  the  riches  of  God,  which  he  hath  given  you. 
And  compel  not  your  maid-servants  to  prostitute  them- 
selves, if  they  be  willing  to  live  chastely ;  that  ye  may 
seek  the  casual  advantage  of  this  present  life :  but  who- 
ever shall  compel  them  thereto,  verily  God  will  be 
gracious  and  merciful  unto  such  women  after  their  com- 
pulsion. ^^  And  now  have  we  revealed  unto  you  evident 
signs,  and  a  history  like  unto  some  of  the  histories  of 
those  who  have  gone  before  you,  and  an  admonition  unto 
the  pious.  ^^  God  is  the  light  of  heaven  and  earth  :  the 
similitude  of  his  light  is  as  a  niche  in  a  wall,  wherein  a 
lamp  is  placed,  and  the  lamp  enclosed  in  a  case  of  glass ; 
the  glass  appears  as  it  were  a  shining  star.  It  is  lighted 
with  the  oil  of  a  blessed  tree,  an  olive  neither  of  the  east 
nor  of  the  west :  it  wanteth  little  but  that  the  oil  thereof 
would  give  light,  although  no  fire  touched  it.  This  is 
light  added  unto  light:  God  will  direct  unto  his  light 
whom  he  pleaseth.  God  propoundeth  parables  unto  men  : 
for  God  knoweth  all  things.     ^^  In  the  houses  which  God 


34  Give  them  of  the  riches  which  God 
hath  given  you,']  Either  by  bestowing 
something  on  them  of  your  own  substance, 
or  by  abating  them  a  part  of  their  ransom. 
Some  suppose  these  words  are  directed, 
not  to  the  masters  only,  but  to  all  Moslems 
in  general ;  recommending  it  to  them  to 
assist  those  who  have  obtained  their  free- 
dom, and  paid  their  ransom,  either  out  of 
their  own  stock,  or  by  admitting  them  to 
have  a  share  in  the  public  alms  ^ 

—  Compel  not  your  maid-servants  to 
prostitute  themselves,  &c.]  It  seems 
Abda'llah  Ebn  Obba  had  six  women 
slaves,  on  whom  he  laid  a  certain  tax, 
which  he  obliged  them  to  earn  by  the 
prostitution  of  their  bodies:  and  one  of 
them  made  her  complaint  to  Mohammed, 
which  occasioned  the  revelation  of  this 
passage  2. 

35  A  history  like  unto  some  of  the  histories 
of  those  who  have  gone  before  you.]  i.  e. 
The  story  of  the  false  accusation  of  Ayesha, 
which  resembles  those  of  Joseph  and  the 
Virgin  Mary  3. 

36  Neither  of  the  east  nor  of  the  west.] 
But  of  a  more  excellent  kind.  Some  think 
the  meaning  to  be,  that  the  tree  grows 
neither  in  the  eastern  nor  the  western 
parts,    but   in    the    midst   of    the    world, 


namely,  in  Syria,  where  the  best  olives 
grow"*. 

—  This  is  light  added  unto  light.]  Or 
a  light  whose  brightness  is  doubly  in- 
creased by  the  circumstances  above-men- 
tioned. 

The  commentators  explain  this  allegory, 
and  every  particular  of  it,  with  great 
subtilty  ;  interpreting  the  light  here  de- 
scribed, to  be  the  light  revealed  in  the 
Koran,  or  God's  enlightening  grace  in  the 
heart  of  man  ;  and  in  divers  other  manners. 

37  In  the  houses.  &c.]  The  connexion 
of  these  words  is  not  very  obvious.  Some 
suppose  they  ought  to  be  joined  with  the 
preceding  words.  Like  a  niche,  or,  It  is 
lighted,  in  the  houses,  &c.  and  that  the 
comparison  is  more  strong  and  just,  by 
being  made  to  the  lamps  in  mosques, 
which  are  larger  than  those  in  private 
houses.  Some  think  they  are  rather  to  be 
connected  with  the  following  words,  Men 
praise,  &c.  And  others  are  of  opinion, 
they  are  an  imperfect  beginning  of  a  sen- 
tence ;  and  that  the  words.  Praise  ye  God, 
or  the  like,  are  to  be  understood.  How- 
ever, the  houses  here  intended,  are  those 
set  apart  for  divine  worship ;  or  particu- 
larly the  three  principal  temples  of  Mecca, 
Medina,  and  Jerusalem,^. 


Al  Beiddtvi. 


2  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin. 


lidem. 


lidem. 


5  lidem. 


XXIV.]  AL   KORAN.  167 

hath  permitted  to  be  raised,  and  that  his  name  be  com- 
memorated therein,  men  celebrate  his  praise  in  the  same 
morning  and  evening  :  ^^  Men  whom  neither  merchandis- 
ing, nor  selling,  diverteth  from  the  remembering  of  God, 
and  the  observance  of  prayer,  and  the  giving  of  alms ; 
fearing  the  day  whereon  men's  hearts  and  eyes  shall  be 
troubled  ;  ^^  that  God  may  recompense  them  according  to 
the  utmost  merit  of  what  they  shall  have  wrought,  and 
may  add  unto  them  of  his  abundance  a  more  excellent 
reward ;  for  God  bestoweth  on  whom  he  pleaseth  without 
measure.  ^^  But  as  to  the  unbelievers,  their  works  are  like 
the  vapour  in  a  plain,  which  the  thirsty  traveller  thinketh 
to  be  water,  until,  when  he  cometh  thereto,  he  findeth  it 
to  be  nothing ;  but  he  findeth  God  with  him,  and  he  will 
fully  pay  him  his  account ;  and  God  is  swift  in  taking  an 
account :  ^^  or  as  the  darkness  in  a  deep  sea,  covered  by 
waves  riding  on  waves,  above  which  are  clouds,  being 
additions  of  darkness  one  over  the  other ;  when  one 
stretcheth  forth  his  hand,  he  is  far  from  seeing  it.  And 
unto  whomsoever  God  shall  not  grant  his  light,  he  shall 
enjoy  no  light  at  all.  ^^  Dost  thou  not  perceive  that  all 
creatures  both  in  heaven  and  earth  praise  God  ;  and  the 
birds  also,  extending  their  wings  ?  Every  one  knoweth 
his  prayer,  and  his  praise  :  and  God  knoweth  that  which 
they  do.  ^^  Unto  God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
and  earth ;  and  unto  God  shall  be  the  return  at  the  last 
day.  ^^  Dost  thou  not  see  that  God  gently  driveth 
forward  the  clouds,  and  gathereth  them  together,  and 
then  layeth  them  on  heaps?  Thou  also  seest  the  rain, 
which  falleth  from  the  midst  thereof;  and  God  sendeth 
down  from  heaven  as  it  were  mountains,  wherein  there  is 
hail ;  he  striketh  therewith  whom  he  pleaseth,  and 
turneth  the  same  away  from  whom  he  pleaseth :  the 
brightness  of  his  lightning  wanteth  but  little  of  taking 

40  The  vapour  in  a  plain.]    The  Arabic  travellers  out  of  their  way,  but  deceives 

word  Serdb  signifies  that  false  appearance  them  when  they  come  near,  either  going 

which,  in  the  eastern  countries,  is  often  forward,  (for  it  always  appears  at  the  same 

seen  in  sandy  plains  about  noon,  resem-  distance,)  or  quite  vanishing  i. 
bling  a  large  lake  of  water  in  motion,  and         —  He  findeth  God  with  him.']     That  is, 

is  occasioned  by  the  reverberation  of  the  He  will  not  escape  the  notice  or  vengeance 

sun-beams.     It  sometimes  tempts  thirsty  of  God. 

^  V.  Q.  Curt,  de  rebus  Alex.  lib.  7-  &  Gol.  in  Alfrag.  p.  111.  &  in  Adag.  Arab,  ad 
calcem  Gram.  Erp.  p.  93. 


168  *  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

away  the  sight.  ^^  God  shifteth  the  night,  and  the  day ; 
verily  herein  is  an  instruction  unto  those  who  have  sight. 
^^  And  God  hath  created  every  animal  of  water ;  one  of 
them  goeth  on  his  belly,  another  of  them  walketh  upon 
two  feet,  and  another  of  them  walketh  upon  four  feet : 
God  createth  that  which  he  pleaseth ;  for  God  is  al- 
mighty. ^^  Now  have  we  sent  down  evident  signs ;  and 
God  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into  the  right  way. 
^^  The  hypocrites  say.  We  believe  in  God,  and  on  his 
apostle ;  and  we  obey  them :  yet  a  part  of  them  turneth 
back,  after  this  ;  but  these  are  not  really  believers.  * 
^^  And  when  they  are  summoned  before  God  and  his 
apostle,  that  he  may  judge  between  them ;  behold,  a  part 
of  them  retire  :  ^^  but  if  the  right  had  been  on  their  side, 
they  would  have  come  and  submit^d  themselves  unto 
him.  ^^  Is  there  an  infirmity  in  their  hearts  ?  Do  they 
doubt?  Or  do  they  fear  lest  God  and  his  apostle  act 
unjustly  towards  them?  But  themselves  are  the  unjust 
doers.  ^^  The  saying  of  the  true  believers,  when  they 
are  summoned  before  God  and  his  apostle,  that  he  may 
judge  between  them,  is  no  other  than  that  they  say.  We 
have  heard,  and  do  obey :  and  these  are  they  who  shall 
prosper.  ^^  Whoever  shall  obey  God  and  his  apostle,  and 
shall  fear  God,  and  shall  be  devout  towards  him  ;  these 
shall  enjoy  great  felicity.  ^^  They  swear  by  God,  with  a 
most  solemn  oath,  that  if  thou  commandest  them,  they 
will  go  forth  from  their  houses  and  possessions.  Say, 
Swear  not  to  a  falsehood :  obedience  is  more  requisite ; 
and  God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do. 
^^  Say,  Obey  God,  and  obey  the  apostle :  but  if  ye  turn 
back,  verily  it  is  expected  of  him  that  he  perform  his 
duty,  and  of  you  that  ye  perform  your  duty ;  and  if  ye 
obey  him,    ye  shall  be   directed:    but  the   duty  of  our 

46  Of  water,']     This  assertion,   which  God  and  his  apostles,  &c.]     This  passage 

has  already  occurred  in  another  place  ^,  was  occasioned  by  Bashir  the  hypocrite, 

being  not  true  in  strictness,  the  commenta-  who    having   a  controversy  with   a  Jew, 

tors  suppose,  that  by  water  is  meant  seed,  appealed  to  Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf,  whereas 

or  else  that  water  is  mentioned  only  as  the  the    Jew  appealed  to    Mohammed  ^  ;    or, 

chief  cause  of  the  growth  of  animals,  and  as    others    tell    us,     by    Magheira    Ebn 

a  considerable  and  necessary  constituent  Wayel,  who  refused  to  submit  a  dispute 

part  of  their  bodies.  he  had  with  Ali    to  the   prophet's    deci- 

48   The   hypocrites  say^    We  believe  in  sion  ^. 

^  Chap.  xxi.  ^  See  chap.  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


XXIV.]  AL   KORAN.  169 

apostle  is  only  ptrblic  preaching.  ^^  God  promiseth  unto 
such  of  you  as  believe,  and  do  good  works,  that  he  will 
cause  them  to  succeed  the  unbelievers  in  the  earth,  as  he 
caused  those  who  were  before  vou  to  succeed  the  infidels 
of  their  time,  and  that  he  will  establish  for  them  their 
religion  which  pleaseth  them,  and  will  change  their  fear 
into  security.  They  shall  worship  me ;  and  shall  not 
associate  any  other  with  me.  But  whoever  shall  disbe- 
lieve after  this,  they  will  be  the  wicked  doers.  ^^  Observe 
prayer,  and  give  alms,  and  obey  the  apostle  ;  that  ye  may 
obtain  mercy.  ''^  Think  not  that  the  unbelievers  shall 
frustrate  the  designs  of  God  on  earth :  and  their  abode 
hereafter  shall  be  hell-fire  ;  a  miserable  journey  shall  it 
be  thither  !  ^^  O  true  believers,  let  your  slaves,  and  those 
among  you  who  shall  not  have  attained  the  age  of 
puberty,  ask  leave  of  you,  before  they  come  into  your 
presence,  three  times  in  the  day,  namely,  before  the 
morning  prayer,  and  when  ye  lay  aside  your  garments  at 
noon,  and  after  the  evening  prayer.  These  are  the  three 
times  for  you  to  be  private  :  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you, 
or  in  them,  if  they  go  in  to  you  without  asking  permis- 
sion after  these  times,  while  ye  are  in  frequent  attend- 
ance the  one  of  you  on  the  other.  Thus  God  declareth 
his  signs  unto  you  ;  for  God  is  knowing  and  wise. 
^^  And  when  your  children  attain  the  age  of  puberty,  let 
them  ask  leave  to  come  into  your  presence  at  all  times, 
in  the  same  manner  as  those  who  have  attained  that  age 

56  As  he  caused  those  who  were  before  his  noon's  nap,    and  in   no  very   decent 

you^  to  succeed  the  infidels  of  their  time.~\  posture  ;  at  which   Omar  was  so   ruffled, 

i.  e.  As  he  caused  the   Israelites  to  dis-  that  he  wished   God   would   forbid  even 

possess  the  Canaanites,  &c.  their  fathers,  and  children,  to  come  in  to 

59  Let  your  slaves,  and  those  who  shall  them  abruptly,  at  such  times  ^. 

not  have  attained  the  age  of  puberty,  ask  —  Before  the  morning  prayer.~\    Which 

leave  before  they  come  into  your  presence,  is  the   time   of  people's  rising  from  their 

&c.]      Because    there    are    certain    times  beds,    and    dressing    themselves   for   the 

when    it   is    not    convenient,    even    for    a  day. 

domestic,  or  a  child,   to  come  in  to  one  —   When  ye  lay  aside  your  garments  at 

without   notice.     It  is   said   this  passage  noon.^     That    is  when  ye   take  off  your 

was   revealed    on    account  of  Asma   Bint  upper  garments  to  sleep  at  noon;  which 

Morthed,  whose  servant  entered  suddenly  is  a  common  custom  in  the  east,  and  all 

upon  her  at  an  improper  time  :   but  others  warm  countries. 

say,   it   was    occasioned    by   Modraj    Ebn  —  And  after  evenmg  prayer.']     When 

Amru,  when   a   boy,  who   being  sent    by  ye  undress  yourselves  to  prepare  for  bed. 

Mohammed    to    call   Omar  to   him,   went  Al    Beidawi  adds  a   fourth  season,  when 

directly  into  the  room  where  he  was,  with-  permission  to  enter  must  be  asked,  viz.  at 

out  giving  notice,   and  found  him  taking  night:  but  this  follows  of  course. 

^  Al  Beidawi. 


170  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

before  them,  ask  leave.  Thus  God  declareth  his  signs 
unto  you ;  and  God  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^^  And  to 
such  women  as  are  past  child-bearing,  who  hope  not  to 
marry  again,  because  of  their  advanced  age ;  it  shall  be 
no  crime  in  them,  if  they  lay  aside  their  outer  garments, 
not  shewing  their  ornaments  :  but  if  they  abstain  from 
this,  it  will  be  better  for  them.  God  both  heareth  and 
knoweth.  ^^  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  the  blind,  nor  shall 
it  be  any  crime  in  the  lame,  neither  shall  it  be  any  crime 
in  the  sick,  or  in  yourselves,  that  ye  eat  in  your  houses, 
or  in  the  houses  of  your  fathers,  or  the  houses  of  your 
mothers,  or  in  the  houses  of  your  brothers,  or  the  houses 
of  your  sisters,  or  the  houses  of  your  uncles  on  the 
father's  side,  or  the  houses  of  your  aunts  on  the  father's 
side,  or  the  houses  of  your  uncles  on  the  mother's  side, 
or  the  houses  of  your  aunts  on  the  mother's  side,  or  in 
those  houses  the  keys  whereof  ye  have  in  your  possession, 
or  in  the  house  of  your  friend.  It  shall  i^QtJ)e^n^ crime 
in  you  whether  ye  eat  togetherg.  jor  separately.  And  when 
ye~enter  any  houses,  salute  one  another  on  the  part  oT 
God,  with  a  blessed,  and  a  welcome  salutation.  Thus 
God  declare  til  his  signs  unto  you,  that  ye  may  imder- 
stand.  ^^  Ygrily  they  only  are  true  believers,  who  believe 
in  God  aiidJhLis^apostle,  and,  when  thej^^re  assgmbled 

62   That  ye   eat   in  your  houses.~\    i.  e.  old  Arabs,  in  the  infancy  of  Mphammed- 

Where  your  wives  or  families  are  ;  or  in  ism. 

the  houses  of  your  sons,  which   may  be  —  It  shall  he  no  crimen  whether  ye  eat 

looked  on  as  your  own.  together  or   separated]      As    the    tribe   of 

This  passage  was  designed  to  remove  Leith  thought  it  unlawful  for  a  man  to 

some    scruples     or    superstitions    of   the  eat   alone  ;    and  some   of  the   Ansars,  if 

Arabs   in    Mohammed's    time  ;     some    of  they  had  a  guest  with  them,  never  ate  but 

whom  thought  their  eating  with  maimed  in    his   company ;    so   there   were  others 

or    sick    people    defiled    them.       Others  who   refused  to  eat  with   any,    out  of  a 

imagined  they   ought  not  to  eat   in    the  superstitious    caution,    lest    they   should 

house  of  another,  though   ever  so  nearly  be  defiled,  or   out  of  a  hoggish  greedi- 

related  to  them,   or  though  they  were  in-  ness  2. 

trusted  with  the  key  and  care  of  the  house  —  Salute  one  another.^   Literally,  your- 

in  the  master's  absence,  and  might  there-  selves ;  that  is,  according  to  al  Beidawi, 

fore  conclude  it  would  be  no  offence  ;  and  the  people  of  the  house,  to  whom  ye  are 

others  declined  eating  with  their  friends,  united  by  the  ties  of  blood,  and  by  the 

though  invited,  lest  they  should  be  bur-  common  bond  of  religion.     And  if  there 

densome  ^.     The  whole  passage  seems  to  be  nobody  in  the  house,  says  Jallalo'ddin, 

be  no  more  than  a   declaration  that  the  salute  yourselves,  and  say.  Peace  on  us, 

things  scrupled,  were  perfectly  innocent:  and   on  the   righteous  servants  of  God: 

however,  the  commentators  say  it  is  now  for   the   angels    will  return    your  saluta- 

abrogated,  and  that  it  related  only  to  the  tion. 

*  Jl  Belddwif  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  lidem. 


XXV.]  AL    KORAN.  171 

with^_  him_  on  Jtnx  ^^^^Ih  J^^EH.^  J^9^  ^  ^B^^l  ^^^J  ^^^^ 
obtained  leave  of  him.  Verily  they  who  ask  leave  of 
tliee7^are^lKose  who  believe  in  God  and  his  apostle. 
When  therefore  they  ask  leave  of  thee  to  depart  on 
account  of  any  business  of  their  own,  grant  leave  unto 
such  of  them  as  thou  shalt  think  fit,  and  ask  pardon  for 
them  of  God,  for  God  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  Let 
not  the  calling  of  the  apostle  be  esteemed  among  you, 
as  your  calling  the  one  to  the  other.  God  knoweth  such 
of  you  as  privately  withdraw  themselves  from  the  assem- 
bly, taking  shelter  behind  one  another.  But  let  those 
who  withstand  his  command,  take  heed,  lest  some  calamity 
befall  them  in  this  world,  or  a  grievous  punishment  be 
inflicted  on  them  in  the  life  to  come.  ^^  Doth  not  what- 
ever is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  belong  unto  God  ?  He 
well  knoweth  what  ye  are  about :  and  on  a  certain  day 
they  shall  be  assembled  before  him ;  and  he  shall  declare 
unto  them  that  which  they  have  done ;  for  God  knoweth 
all  things. 

63  On  any  affair.'}  As  at  public  apostle's  summons,  as  ye  would  of  another 
prayers,  or  a  solemn  feast,  or  at  council,  person's  of  equal  condition  with  yourselves, 
or  on  a  military  expedition.  by  not  obeying  it,  or  by  departing  out  of, 

—  Ask  pardon  for  them  of  God.'}     Be-  or  coming  into,  his  presence  without  leave 

cause  such  departure,  though  with  leave,  first  obtained ;    or.  Think  not  that  when 

and  on  a  reasonable  excuse,  is  a  kind  of  the  apostle  calls  upon  God  in  prayer,  it  is 

failure  in  the  exact  performance  of  their  with  him,  as  with  you,  when  ye  prefer  a 

duty ;  seeing  they  prefer  their  temporal  petition    to    a    superior,    who    sometimes 

affairs    to  the   advancement   of  the    true  grants,  but  as  often  denies,  your  suit ;  or, 

religion  ^.  Call  not  to   the  apostle  as  ye  do  to  one 

64  Let  not  the  calling  of  the  apostle  of  another,  that  is,  by  name,  or  familiarly 
God  he  esteemed  among  you  as  your  calling  and  with  a  loud  voice ;  but  make  use  of 
the  one  to  the  other.']  These  words  are  some  honourable  compellation,  as,  O  apos- 
variously  interpreted :  for  their  meaning  tie  of  God,  or,  O  prophet  of  God  ;  and 
may  be,  either.    Make    not   light  of  the  speak  in  an  humble  modest  manner  2. 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem,  Jallalo'ddin. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

INTITLED,    AL    FORKAN  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Blessed  be  he  who  hath  revealed  the  Forkan  unto  his 

I    The  Forkan/]     That  is,   The  distinction.     One  of  the  names  of  the  Koran.     See 
the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 


172  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

servant,  that  he  may  be  a  preacher  unto  all  creatures : 
^  unto  whom  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  of 
earth :  who  hath  begotten  no  issue ;  and  hath  no  partner 
in  his  kingdom;  who  hath  created  all  things;  and  dis- 
posed the  same  according  to  his  determinate  will.  ^  Yet 
have  they  taken  other  gods  besides  him,  which  have 
created  nothing,  but  are  themselves  created ;  and  are  able 
neither  to  avert  evil  from,  nor  to  procure  good  unto, 
themselves  ;  and  have  not  the  power  of  death,  or  of  life, 
or  of  raising  the  dead.  ^  And  the  unbelievers  say.  This 
Koran  is  no  other  than  a  forgery  which  he  hath  con- 
trived ;  and  other  people  have  assisted  him  therein :  but 
they  utter  an  unjust  thing,  and  a  falsehood.  ^  They  also 
say.  These  are  fables  of  the  ancients,  which  he  hath 
caused  to  be  written  down  ;  and  they  are  dictated  unto 
him  morning  and  evening.  ^  Say,  he  hath  revealed  it, 
who  knoweth  the  secrets  in  heaven  and  earth  :  verily  he 
is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^  And  then  say.  What  kind  of 
apostle  is  this  ?  He  eateth  food,  and  walketh  in  the 
streets,  as  we  do :  unless  an  angel  be  sent  down  unto 
him,  and  become  a  fellow-preacher  with  him  ;  ^  or  unless 
a  treasure  be  cast  down  unto  him  ;  or  he  have  a  garden, 
of  the  fruit  whereof  he  may  eat ;  we  wall  not  believe. 
The  ungodly  also  say.  Ye  follow  no  other  than  a  man 
who  is  distracted.  ^  Behold,  what  they  liken  thee  unto. 
But  they  are  deceived ;  neither  can  they  find  a  just 
occasion  to  reproach  thee.  ^^  Blessed  be  he,  who,  if  he 
pleaseth,  will  make  for  thee  a  better  provision  than  this 
which  they  speak  of;  namely,  gardens  through  which 
rivers  flow :  and  he  will  provide  thee  palaces.  ^^  But 
they  reject  the  belief  of  the  hour  of  judgment  as  a 
falsehood ;  ^^  and  we  have  prepared  for  him,  who  shall 
reject  the  belief  of  that  hour,   burning  fire  ;   ^^  when  it 

3  But  are  themselves  created.']  Being  streets.]  Being  subject  to  the  same  wants 
either  the  heavenly  bodies,  or  idols,  the  and  infirmities  of  nature,  and  obliged  to 
works  of  men's  hands.  submit  to  the  same  low  means  of  support- 

4  Other  people  have  assisted  him  there-  ing  himself  and  his  family,  with  our- 
in.]  It  is  supposed  the  Jews  are  parti-  selves.  The  Meccans  were  acquainted 
cularly  intended  in  this  place ;  because  with  Mohammed,  and  with  his  circum- 
they  used  to  repeat  passages  of  ancient  stances  and  way  of  life,  too  well  to 
history  to  Mohammed,  on  which  he  used  change  their  old  familiarity  into  the  reve- 
to  discourse,  and  make  observations  ^  rence  due  to  the  messenger  of  God  ;   for  a 

7  He  eateth  food,    and  walketh  in  the     prophet  hath  no  honour  in  his  own  country. 

^  /il  Beiddwi, 


XXV.]  AL   KORAN.  173 

shall  see  them  from  a  distant  place,  they  shall  hear  it 
furiously  raging  and  roaring.  ^^  And  when  they  shall  be 
cast  bound  together  into  a  strait  place  thereof,  they  shall 
there  call  for  death :  ^^  but  it  shall  be  answered  them, 
Call  not  this  day  for  one  death,  but  call  for  many  deaths. 
^^  Say,  Is  this  better,  or  a  garden  of  eternal  duration, 
which  is  promised  unto  the  pious  ?  ^^  It  shall  be  given 
unto  them  for  a  reward,  and  a  retreat :  therein  shall  they 
have  whatever  they  please ;  continuing  in  the  same  for 
ever.  This  is  a  promise  to  be  demanded  at  the  hands  of 
thy  Lord.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  he  shall  assemble  them, 
and  whatever  they  worship,  besides  God  ;  and  shall  say 
unto  the  worshipped.  Did  ye  seduce  these  my  servants  ; 
or  did  they  wander  of  themselves  from  the  right  way  ? 
*^  They  shall  answer,  God  forbid  !  It  was  not  fitting  for 
us,  that  we  should  take  any  protectors  besides  thee  :  but 
thou  didst  permit  them  and  their  fathers  to  enjoy  abund- 
ance ;  so  that  they  forgat  thy  admonition,  and  became 
lost  people.  ^^  And  God  shall  say  unto  their  worshippers, 
Now  have  these  convinced  you  of  falsehood,  in  that 
which  ye  say :  they  can  neither  avert  your  punishment, 
nor  give  you  any  assistance.  And  whoever  of  you  shall 
be  guilty  of  injustice,  him  will  we  cause  to  taste  a 
grievous  torment.  ^^  We  have  sent  no  messengers  before 
thee,  but  they  ate  food,  and  walked  through  the  streets  : 
and  we  make  some  of  you  an  occasion  of  trial  unto 
others.  Will  ye  persevere  with  patience  ?  since  your 
Lord  regardeth  your  perseverance.  [*XIX.]  ^^  They 
who  hope  not  to  meet  us  at  the  resurrection,  say.  Unless 
the  angels  be  sent  down  unto  us,  or  we  see  our  Lord 
himself,  we  will  not  believe.  Verily  they  behave  them- 
selves arrogantly ;  and  have  transgressed  with  an  enor- 
mous transgression.  ^^  The  day  whereon  they  shall  see 
the  angels,  there  shall  be  no  glad  tidings  on  that  day  for 
the  wicked ;    and  they  shall  say,   Be  this  removed  far 

21    We  have  wade  some  of  you  an  occa-  are    in   health  :    and    trying    the    people 

sion  of  trial  unto  others,']     Giving  occasion  to    whom    prophets    are     sent,    by    those 

of  envy,  repining,  and  malice  ;  to  the  poor,  prophets  ^ 

mean,   and  sick,   for  example,  when  they         23  The  day  whereon  they  shall  see  the 

compare    their  own    condition    with   that  angels.']     Viz.   At  their  death,  or  at  the 

of    the    rich,  the    noble,   and   those    who  resurrection. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo^ddin. 


174  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

from  us  !  ^^  and  we  will  come  unto  the  work  which  they 
shall  have  wrought,  and  we  will  make  it  as  dust  scattered 
abroad.  ^^  On  that  day  shall  they  who  are  destined  to 
paradise  be  more  happy  in  an  abode,  and  have  a  prefera- 
ble place  of  repose  at  noon.  ^^  On  that  day  the  heaven 
shall  be  cloven  in  sunder  by  the  clouds,  and  the  angels 
shall  be  sent  down,  descending  visibly  therein.  ^^  On 
that  day  the  kingdom  shall  of  right  belong  wholly  unto 
the  Merciful ;  and  that  day  shall  be  grievous  for  the 
unbelievers.  ^^  On  that  day,  the  unjust  person  shall  bite 
his  hands  for  anguish  and  despair,  and  shall  say,  O  that 
I  had  taken  the  way  of  truth  with  the  apostle !  ^^  Alas 
for  me !  O  that  I  had  not  taken  such  a  one  for  my 
friend !  ^^  He  seduced  me  from  the  admonition  of  God, 
after  it  had  come  unto  me :  for  the  devil  is  the  betrayer 
of  man.  ^^  And  the  apostle  shall  say,  O  Lord,  verily  my 
people  esteemed  this  Koran  to  be  a  vain  composition. 
^^  In  like  manner  did  we  ordain  unto  every  prophet  an 
enemy  from  among  the  wicked ;  but  thy  Lord  is  a 
sufficient  director,  and  defender.  ^^  The  unbelievers  say, 
Unless  the  Koran  is  sent  down  unto  him  entire  at  once, 
we  will  not  believe.     But  in  this  manner  have  we  re- 

25  A  preferable  place  of  repose  at  noon.'\  eating.  However,  Obba  protested  that  he 
For  the  business  of  the  day  of  judgment  would  not  be  satisfied,  unless  he  went  to 
will  be  over  by  that  time  ;  and  the  blessed  Mohammed,  and  set  his  foot  on  his  neck, 
will  pass  their  noon  in  paradise,  and  the  and  spit  in  his  face :  which  Okba,  rather 
damned  in  hell  '.  than  break  with  his  friend,  performed  in 

26  The  heavens  shall  he  cloven  in  sun-  the  public  hall,  where  he  found  Moham- 
der,  &c.]  i.  e.  They  shall  part,  and  make  med  sitting;  whereupon  the  prophet  told 
way  for  the  clouds  which  shall  descend  him,  that  if  ever  he  met  him  out  of  Mecca, 
with  the  angels,  bearing  the  books  wherein  he  would  cut  off  his  head.  And  he  was 
every  man's  actions  are  recorded.  as  good  as   his  word  ;    for   Okba,   being 

28   The  unjust  person.~\     It  is  supposed  afterwards  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of 

by    some   that    these    words    particularly  Bedr,  had  his  head  struck  off  by  Ali,  at 

relate  to  Okba  Ebn  Adi  Moait,  who  used  Mohammed's   command.      As   for   Obba, 

to   be   much   in    Mohammed's   company,  he  received  a  wound  from  the  prophet's 

and  having  once  invited  him  to  an  enter-  own  hand,  at  the  battle  of  Ohod,  of  which 

tainment,   the  prophet  refused  to  taste  of  he  died  at  his  return  to  Mecca  ^, 

his  meatj  unless  he  would  profess  Islam  ;  29    Such   a   one.']      According   to   the 

which   accordingly   he    did.     Soon   after,  preceding    note,     this    was     Obba    Ebn 

Okba  meeting  Obba  Ebn  Khalf,  his  inti-  Khalf. 

mate  friend,  and  being  reproached  by  him  33    Unless  the   Kordn    he    revealed  at 

for  changing  his  religion,  assured  him  that  once,']     As  were  the  Pentateuch,  Psalms, 

he  had  not,  but  had  only  pronounced  the  and  Gospel,  according  to  the  Mohamme- 

profession   of  faith  to  engage  Mohammed  dan  notion ;  whereas  it  was  twenty-three 

to  eat  with  him,  because  he  could  not  for  years  before  the    Koran  was   completely 

shame  let  him  go  out  of  his  house  without  revealed  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Mahom. 

vol.  i.  p.  362.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 


XXV.]  AL   KORAN.  175 

vealed  it,  that  we  might  confirm  thy  heart  thereby,  and 
we  have  dictated  it  gradually,  by  distinct  parcels.  ^^  They 
shall  not  come  unto  thee  with  any  strange  question ;  but 
we  will  bring  thee  the  truth  in  answer,  and  a  most 
excellent  interpretation.  ^^  They  who  shall  be  dragged 
on  their  faces  into  hell,  shall  be  in  the  worse  condition, 
and  shall  stray  most  widely  from  the  way  of  salvation. 
^^  We  heretofore  delivered  unto  Moses  the  book  of  the 
law;  and  we  appointed  him  Aaron  his  brother  for  a 
counsellor.  ^^  And  we  said  unto  them.  Go  ye  to  the 
people  who  charge  our  signs  with  falsehood.  And  we 
destroyed  them  with  a  signal  destruction.  ^^  And  re- 
member the  people  of  Noah,  when  they  accused  our 
apostles  of  imposture :  we  drowned  them,  and  made  them 
a  sign  unto  mankind.  And  we  have  prepared  for  the 
unjust  a  painful  torment.  ^^  Remember  also  Ad,  and 
Thamud,  and  those  who  dwelt  at  al  Rass;  and  many 
other  generations,  within  this  period.  ^^  Unto  each  of 
them  did  we  propound  examples  for  their  admonition ; 
and  each  of  them  did  we  destroy  with  an  utter  destruc- 
tion. *^The  KoREiSH  have  passed  frequently  near  the 
city  which  was  rained  on  by  a  fatal  rain :  have  they  not 

—  That  we  might  confirm  thy  heart.'}  were  all  swallowed  up.  Another  sup- 
Both  to  infuse  courage  and  constancy  into  poses  it  to  have  been  a  town  in  Yamama, 
thy  mind,  and  to  strengthen  thy  memory  where  a  remnant  of  the  Thamudites  set- 
and  understanding.  For,  say  the  com-  tied,  to  whom  a  prophet  was  also  sent ; 
mentators,  the  prophet's  receiving  the  but  they,  slaying  him,  were  utterly  de- 
divine  direction,  from  time  to  time,  how  stroyed.  Another  thinks  it  was  a  well 
to  behave  and  to  speak  on  any  emergency,  near  Antioch,  where  Habib  al  Najjar 
and  the  frequent  visits  of  the  angel  Ga-  (whose  tomb  is  still  to  be  seen  here,  being 
briel,  greatly  encouraged  and  supported  frequently  visited  by  the  Mohammedans) 
him  under  all  his  difficulties :  and  the  was  martyred  ^.  And  a  fourth  takes  al 
revealing  of  the  Koran  by  degrees,  was  a  Rass  to  be  a  well  in  Hadramaut,  by  which 
great,  and,  to  him,  a  necessary,  help  for  dwelt  some  idolatrous  Thamudites,  whose 
his  retaining  and  understanding  it ;  which  prophet  was  Handha,  or  Khantala,  (for 
it  would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  I  find  the  name  writen  both  ways,)  Ebn 
have  done,  with  any  exactness,  had  it  been  Safwan  ^.  These  people  were  first  an- 
revealed  at  once  ;  Mohammed's  case  being  noyed  by  certain  monstrous  birds,  called 
entirely  different  from  that  of  Moses,  Anka,  which  lodged  in  the  mountain 
David,  and  Jesus,  who  could  all  read  and  above  them,  and  used  to  snatch  away  their 
write,  whereas  he  was  perfectly  illiterate  i.  children,  when  they  wanted  other  prey  : 

39  Those  who  dwelt  at  al  Rass.}     The  but  this  calamity  was  so  far  from  humbling 

commentators  are  at  a  loss  where  to  place  them,  that  on  their  prophet's  calling  down 

al  Rass.      According   to   one  opinion,    it  a  judgment  upon  them,  they  killed  him, 

was    the    name  of  a    well   (as  the    word  and  were  all  destroyed  *. 

signifies)  near  Midian,  about  which  some  41   The  city  which  was  rained  on  by  a 

idolaters  having    fixed   their   habitations,  fatal  rain.}    Viz.  Sodom  ;  for  the  Koreish 

the  prophet  Shoaib  was  sent  to   preach  to  often  passed  by  the  place  where   it  once 

them  ;  but  they  not  believing  on  him,  the  stood,  in  the  journeys  they  took  to  Syria 

well  fell  in,   and   they  and   their  houses  for  the  sake  of  trade. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.  2  ^^ulf.  Geog.  V.  Vit.  Saladini,  p.  86.  3  ^qq 

chap.  xxli.  *  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


176  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

seen  where  it  once  stood  ?  Yet  have  they  not  dreaded 
the  resurrection.  ^^  When  they  see  thee,  they  will  re- 
ceive thee  only  with  scoffing,  saying,  Is  this  he  whom 
God  hath  sent  as  his  apostle  ?  ^^  Verily  he  had  almost 
drawn  us  aside  from  the  w^orship  of  our  gods ;  if  we  had 
not  firmly  persevered  in  our  devotion  towards  them. 
But  they  shall  know  hereafter,  when  they  shall  see  the 
punishment  prepared  for  them,  who  hath  strayed  more 
widely  from  the  right  path.  ^^  What  thinkest  thou  ?  He 
who  taketh  his  lust  for  his  god ;  canst  thou  be  his 
guardian?  ^^  Dost  thou  imagine  that  the  greater  part  of 
them  hear  or  understand  ?  They  are  no  other  than  like 
the  brute  cattle ;  yea,  they  stray  more  widely  from  the 
true  path.  ^^  Dost  thou  not  consider  the  works  of  thy 
Lord,  how  he  stretcheth  forth  the  shadow  before  sun- 
rise ?  If  he  had  pleased,  he  would  have  made  it  immove- 
able for  ever.  Then  we  cause  the  sun  to  rise,  and  to 
shew  the  same ;  ^^  and  afterwards  we  contract  it  by  an 
easy  and  gradual  contraction.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath 
ordained  the  night  to  cover  you  as  a  garment ;  and 
sleep  to  give  you  rest;  and  hath  ordained  the  day  for 
waking.  ^^  It  is  he  who  sendeth  the  winds  driving 
abroad  the  pregnant  clouds,  as  the  forerunners  of  his 
mercy :  and  we  send  down  pure  water  from  heaven,  that 
we  may  thereby  revive  a  dead  country,  and  give  to  drink 
thereof  unto  what  we  have  created,  both  of  cattle  and 
men,  in  great  numbers  ;  ^^  and  we  distribute  the  same 
among  them  at  various  times,  that  they  may  consider ; 
but  the  greater  part  of  men  refuse  to  consider,  only  out 
of  ingratitude.  ^^  If  we  had  pleased,  we  had  sent  a 
preacher  unto  every  city  :  ^^  wherefore  do  not  thou  obey 
the  unbelievers  ;  but  oppose  them  herewith  with  a  strong 

44  Canst  thou  he  his  guardian  ?]  i.  e.  bers.']      That  is,  To  such  as  live  in  the  dry 

Dost  thou  expect  to  reclaim  such  a  one  deserts,  and  are    obliged   to    drink   rain- 

from  idolatry  and  infidelity  ?  water  ;  which  the  inhabitants  of  towns,  and 

49  Forerunners.^  See  chap.  vii.  ver.  58.  places  well  watered,  have  no  occasion  to  do. 
There  is   the  same  various  reading  here,         50   Out  of  ingratitude.']     Or,  out  of  in- 

as  is  mentioned  in  the  notes  to  that  pas-  fidelity  :  for  the  old  Arabs  used  to  think 

sage.  themselves  indebted  for  their  rains,  not  to 

—  Pure  water.]  Properly,  purifying  God,  but  to  the  influence  of  some  particu- 
water ;  which  epithet  may  perhaps  refer  lar  stars  i. 

to  the  cleansing  quality  of  that  element,  51  We  had  sent  a  preacher  unto  every 
of  so  great  use  both  on  religious  and  on  city.]  And  had  not  given  thee,  O  Mo- 
common  occasions.  hammed,  the  honour  and  trouble  of  being 

—  To  cattle  atid  to  men  in  great  num-  a  preacher  to  the  whole  world  in  general. 


1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i. 


XXV.]  AL   KORAN.  177 

opposition.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath  let  loose  the  two  seas ; 
this  fresh  and  sweet,  and  that  salt  and  bitter  :  and  hath 
placed  between  them  a  bar  and  a  bound  which  cannot  be 
passed.  ^*  It  is  he  who  hath  created  man  of  water  ;  and 
hath  made  him  to  bear  the  double  relation  of  consan- 
guinity and  affinity  ;  for  thy  Lord  is  powerful.  ^^  They 
worship,  besides  God,  that  which  can  neither  profit  them 
nor  hurt  them :  and  the  unbeliever  is  an  assistant  of  the 
devil  against  his  Lord.  ^^  We  have  sent  thee  to  be  no 
other  than  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  denouncer  of 
threats.  ^^  Say,  I  ask  not  of  you  any  reward  for  this  my 
preaching,  besides  the  conversion  of  him  who  shall  desire 
to  take  the  way  unto  his  Lord.  ^^  And  do  thou  trust  in 
him  who  liveth,  and  dieth  not ;  and  celebrate  his  praise : 
(he  is  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  faults  of  his  ser- 
vants :)  ^^  who  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
and  whatever  is  between  them,  in  six  days  :  and  then 
ascended  his  throne ;  the  Merciful.  Ask  now  the  know- 
ing concerning  him.  ^^  When  it  is  said  unto  the  unbe- 
lievers, Adore  the  Merciful ;  they  reply,  And  who  is  the 
Merciful  ?  Shall  we  adore  that  which  thou  commandest 
us  ?  And  this  precept  causeth  them  to  fly  the  faster  from 
the  faith.  ^^  Blessed  be  he  who  hath  placed  the  twelve 
signs  in  the  heavens  ;  and  hath  placed  therein  a  lamp  by 
dav,  and  the  moon  which  shineth  by  nisfht !  ^^  It  is  he 
who  hath  ordained  the  night  and  the  day  to  succeed  each 
other,  for  the  observation  of  him  who  will  consider,  or 
desireth  to  shew  his  gratitude.  ^^  The  servants  of  the 
Merciful  are  those  who  walk  meekly  on  the  earth  ;  and 
when  the   ignorant    speak   unto   them,    answer.    Peace : 

53  A  bar.']  To  keep  them  asunder,  57  Besides  the  conversion  of  him  who 
and  prevent  their  mixing  with  each  other,  shall  fake  the  way  unto  his  Lord.']  Seeking 
The  original  word  is  Barzakh ;  which  has  to  draw  near  unto  him,  hy  embracing  the 
been  already  explained  ^  religion  taught  by  me  his  apostle  ;  which 

54  Of  water.]  With  which  Adam's  is  the  best  return  I  expect  from  you  for 
primitive  clay  was  mixed ;  or,  of  seed,  my  labours  2.  The  passage,  however,  is 
See  chap.  xxiv.  note  to  ver.  26.  capable    of  another    meaning,    viz.    That 

55  An  assistant  of  the  devil  against  his  Mohammed  desires  none  to  give,  but  him 
Lord.]  Joining  with  him  in  his  rebellion  and  who  shall  contribute  freely,  and  volun- 
infidelity.  Some  think  Abu  Jabl  is  parti-  tarily,  towards  the  advancement  of  God's 
cularly  struck  at  in  this  passage.  The  words  true  religion. 

may  also  be  translated.  The  unbeliever  is         61  A  lamp]     i.  e.   The  sun. 
contemptible  in  the  sight  of  his  Lord.  63  Peace.]     This  is  intended  here  not 


^  See  chap,  xxiii.  note  to  verse  102.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

VOL.  II.  N 


178  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  and  who  pass  the  night  adoring  their  Lord,  and  stand- 
ing up  to  pray  unto  him  ;  ^^  and  who  say,  O  Lord,  avert 
from  us  the  torment  of  hell,  for  the  torment  thereof  is 
perpetual ;  ^^  verily  the  same  is  a  miserable  abode,  and  a 
wretched  station :  ^^  and  who,  when  they  bestow,  are 
neither  profuse,  nor  niggardly,  but  observe  a  just  medium 
between  these  ;  ^^  and  who  invoke  not  another  god  toge- 
ther with  the  true  God  ;  neither  slay  the  soul,  which  God 
hath  forbidden  to  be  slain,  unless  for  a  just  cause :  and 
who  are  not  guilty  of  fornication.  ^^  But  he  who  shall 
do  this,  shall  meet  the  reward  of  his  wickedness  :  his 
punishment  shall  be  doubled  unto  him  on  the  day  of 
resurrection ;  and  he  shall  remain  therein,  covered  with 
ignominy,  for  ever :  '^^  except  him  who  shall  repent,  and 
believe,  and  shall  work  a  righteous  work ;  unto  them  will 
God  change  their  former  evils  into  good ;  for  God  is 
ready  to  forgive,  and  merciful.  '^^  And  whoever  re- 
penteth,  and  doth  that  which  is  right ;  verily  he  turneth 
unto  God  with  an  acceptable  conversion.  ^^  And  they 
who  do  not  bear  false  witness ;  and  when  they  pass  by 
vain  discourse,  pass  by  the  same  with  decency :  ^^  and 
who,  when  they  are  admonished  by  the  signs  of  their 
Lord,  fall  not  down  as  if  they  were  deaf  and  blind,  but 
stand  up,  and  are  attentive  thereto :  ^^  and  who  say, 
O  Lord,  grant  us  of  our  wives  and  our  offspring  such  as 
may  be  the  satisfaction  of  our  eyes ;  and  make  us  patterns 
unto  those  who  fear  thee.  ^^  These  shall  be  rewarded 
with  the  highest  apartments  in  paradise,  because  they 
have  persevered  with  constancy;  and  they  shall  meet 
therein  with  greeting  and-  salutation  ;  ^^  they  shall  remain 
in  the  same  for  ever ;  it  shall  be  an  excellent  abode,  and 
a  delightful  station.  ^^  Say,  My  Lord  is  not  solicitous 
on  your  account,  if  ye  do  not  invoke  him :  ye  have 
already  charged  his  apostle  with  imposture :  but  hereafter 
shall  there  be  a  lasting  punishment  inflicted  on  you. 

as  a  salutation,  but  as  a  waving  all  farther  into  good.']     Blotting  out  their  former  re- 
discourse    and    communication  with    the  hellion,  on  their  repentance,  and  confirm- 
idolaters.  ing  and   increasing  their  faith  and  obe- 
70  God  will  change  their  former   evils  dience  ^ 

*  Al  Beiddwi. 


XXVI.]  AL    KORAN.  179 


CHAPTER  XXVL 

INTITLED,    THE    POETS  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  T.  S-  M.  2  These  are  the  signs  of  the  perspicuous 
book.  ^  Peradventure  thou  afflictest  thyself  unto  death, 
lest  the  Meccans  become  not  true  believers.  ^  If  we 
pleased,  we  could  send  down  unto  them  a  convincing 
sign  from  heaven,  unto  which  their  necks  would  humbly 
submit.  ^  But  there  cometh  unto  them  no  admonition 
from  the  Merciful,  being  newly  revealed  as  occasions 
require,  but  they  turn  aside  from  the  same ;  ^  and  they 
have  charged  it  with  falsehood  ;  but  a  message  shall  come 
unto  them,  which  they  shall  not  laugh  to  scorn.  ^  Do 
they  not  behold  the  earth,  how  many  vegetables  we  cause 
to  spring  up  therein,  of  every  noble  species?  ^Verily 
herein  is  a  sign :  but  the  greater  part  of  them  do  not 
believe.  ^  Verily  thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  the  merciful 
God.  ^^  Remember  when  thy  Lord  called  Moses,  say- 
ing, Go  to  the  unjust  people ;  ^^  the  people  of  Pharaoh  : 
will  they  not  dread  me?  ^^ Moses  answered,  O  Lord, 
verily  I  fear  lest  they  accuse  me  of  falsehood,  ^^  and  lest 
my  breast  become  straitened,  and  my  tongue  be  not  ready 
in  speaking  ;  send  therefore  unto  Aaron,  to  be  my 
assistant.  ^^  Also  they  have  a  crime  to  object  against 
me  ;  and  I  fear  they  will  put  me  to  death.  ^^  God  said. 
They  shall  by  no  means  put  thee  to  death  :  wherefore  go 
ye  with  our  signs :  for  we  will  be  with  you,  and  will 
hear  what  passes  between  you  and  them.  ^^  Go  ye  there- 
fore unto  Pharaoh,  and  say.  Verily  we  are  the  apostle  of 

Title — Poets.']     The  chapter  bears  this  13  Ready  in  speaking.']  According  to  the 

inscription,  because  at  the  conclusion  of  it,  Rabbinical  traditions,  Moses  had  an   im- 

the  Arabian  poets  are  severely  censured.  pediment  in  his  speech. 

Title — Mecca.]     The   five   last   verses,  14  ^  crime.]     Viz.   The  having  killed 

beginning  at  these  words,  And  those  who  an  Egyptian  ^. 

err  follow  the  poets,  &c.  some  take  to  have  16   The  Apostle,]     The  word  is  in  the 

been  revealed  at  Medina.  singular  number  in  the  original,  for  which 

1   T.  S.M.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  the  commentators  give  several  reasons. 

1  See  chap,  xxviii. 
N    2 


180  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  Lord  of  all  creatures :  ^'^  send  away  with  us  the 
children  of  Israel.  ^^  And  when  they  had  delivered 
their  message,  Pharaoh  answered,  Have  we  not  brought 
thee  up  among  us,  when  a  child  ;  and  hast  thou  not 
dwelt  among  us  for  several  years  of  thy  life  ?  ^^  Yet  hast 
thou  done  thy  deed  which  thou  hast  done :  and  thou  art 
an  ungrateful  person.  ^^  Moses  replied,  I  did  it  indeed, 
and  I  was  one  of  those  who  erred ;  ^^  wherefore  I  fled 
from  you,  because  I  feared  you ;  but  my  Lord  hath 
bestowed  on  me  wisdom,  and  hath  appointed  me  one  of 
his  apostles.  ^^  And  this  is  the  favour  which  thou  hast 
bestowed  on  me,  that  thou  hast  enslaved  the  children  of 
Israel.  ^^  Pharaoh  said,  And  who  is  the  Lord  of  all 
creatures  ?  ^^  Moses  answered.  The  Lord  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  of  whatever  is  between  them  :  if  ye  are  men  of 
sagacity.  ^^  Pharaoh  said  unto  those  who  were  about  him. 
Do  ye  not  hear?  ^^  Moses  said.  Your  Lord  and  the  Lord 
of  your  forefathers.  ^^  Pharaoh  said  unto  those  who  were 
present.  Your  apostle,  who  is  sent  unto  you,  is  certainly 
distracted.  ^^  Moses  said.  The  Lord  of  the  east,  and  of 
the  west,  and  of  whatever  is  between  them ;  if  ye  are 
men  of  understanding.  ^^  Pharaoh  said  unto  him.  Verily 
if  thou  take  any  god  besides  me,  I  will  make  thee  one  of 
those  who  are  imprisoned.  ^^  Moses  answered.  What, 
although  I  come  unto  you  with  a  convincing  miracle  ? 
^^  Pharaoh  replied.  Produce  it,  therefore,  if  thou  speakest 
truth.     ^^  And  he  cast  down  his  rod,  and  behold,  it  became 

18  For  several  years,"]     It  is  said  that  so   little    satisfaction    to  the   king,   he   is 

Moses  dwelt  among  the  Egyptians  thirty  therefore  supposed  by  some  to  have  been 

years,  and  then  went  to  Midian,  where  he  a  Dahrite,  or  one  who  believed  the  eternity 

stayed  ten  years  ;  after  which  he  returned  of  the  world  2. 

to   Egypt,  and  spent  thirty  years  in  en-         29  //  thou  take  any  god  besides  me.] 

deavouring  to  convert  them  :  and  that  he  From  this  and  a  parallel  expression  in  the 

lived  after  the  drowning  of  Pharaoh  fifty  28th  chapter,  it  is  inferred,  that  Pharaoh 

years  ^.  claimed  the  worship  of  his  subjects,  as  due 

20    /   ivas    one    of  those  who    erred.]  to  his  supreme  power. 
Having    killed    the    Egyptian   undesign-         —  I  will  malce  thee  one  of  those  who  are 

edly.  imprisoned.]      These  words,  says  al  Beid- 

27  Youmpostle  is  distracted.]  Pharaoh,  awi,  were  a  more  terrible  menace  than  if 

it  seems,   thought  Moses  had  given   but  he  had  said,   I  will  imprison  thee  ;    and 

wild    answers    to   his    question  ;    for   he  gave  Moses  to  understand,   that  he   must 

wanted    to   know    the    person   and    true  expecttokeepcompany  with  those  wretches 

nature  of  the  God  whose  messenger  Moses  whom  the  tyrant  had  thrown,  as  was  his 

pretended  to  be;    whereas  he  spoke  of  his  custom,  into  a  deep  dungeon,  where  they 

works  only.  And  because  this  answer  gave  remained  till  they  died. 


Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem. 


XXVI.]  AL    KORAN.  181 

a  visible  serpent ;  ^^  and  he  drew  forth  his  hand  out  of 
his  bosom ;  and  behold,  it  appeared  white  unto  the 
spectators.  ^*  Pharaoh  said  unto  the  princes  who  were 
about  him,  Verily  this  man  is  a  skilful  magician ;  ^^  he 
seeketh  to  dispossess  you  of  your  land  by  his  sorcery ; 
what  therefore  do  ye  direct  ?  ^^  They  answered,  Delay 
him,  and  his  brother,  by  good  words  for  a  time ;  ^^  and 
send  through  the  cities  men  to  assemble  and  bring  unto 
thee  every  skilful  magician.  ^^  So  the  magicians  were 
assembled  at  an  appointed  time,  on  a  solemn  day.  ^^  And 
it  was  said  unto  the  people,  Are  ye  assembled  together  ? 
^^  Perhaps  we  may  follow  the  magicians,  if  they  do  get 
the  victory.  ^^  And  when  the  magicians  were  come,  they 
said  unto  Pharaoh,  Shall  we  certainly  receive  a  reward, 
if  we  do  get  the  victory  ?  ^^  He  answered,  Yea ;  and  ye 
shall  surely  be  of  those  who  approach  my  person. 
*^  Moses  said  unto  them.  Cast  down  what  ye  are  about 
to  cast  down.  ^^  Wherefore  they  cast  down  their  ropes 
and  their  rods,  and  said.  By  the  might  of  Pharaoh, 
verily  we  shall  be  the  conquerors.  ^^  And  Moses  cast 
down  his  rod,  and  behold,  it  swallowed  up  that  which 
they  had  caused  falsely  to  appear  changed  into  serpents. 
*^  Whereupon  the  magicians  prostrated  themselves,  wor- 
shipping, ^^and  said,  We  believe  in  the  Lord  of  all 
creatures  ;  ^^  the  Lord  of  Moses  and  of  Aaron.  ^^  Pha- 
raoh said  unto  them,  Have  ye  believed  on  him,  before  I 
have  given  you  permission  ?  Verily  he  is  your  chief,  who 
hath  taught  you  magic ;  but  hereafter  ye  shall  surely 
know  my  power.  ^^  I  will  cut  off  your  hands  and  your 
feet,  on  the  opposite  sides,  and  I  will  crucify  you  all. 
^^  They  answered.  It  will  be  no  harm  unto  us;  for  we 
shall  return  unto  our  Lord.  ^^  We  hope  that  our  Lord 
will  forgive  us  our  sins  since  we  are  the  first  who  have 
believed.  ^^  And  we  spake  by  revelation  unto  MosES, 
saying,  March  forth  with  my  servants  by  night ;  for  ye 
will  be  pursued.  ^^  And  Pharaoh  sent  officers  through 
the  cities  to  assemble  forces,  saying,  ^^  Verily  these  are  a 
small  company ;    ^^  and    they   are   enraged  against  us  : 

49   Who  hath  taught  you  magic.^     But     himself^, 
has  reserved  the  most  efficacious  secrets  to         52  Forgive  u^.]     See  chap.  vii. 


Al  Beiddwi. 


182  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  but  we  are  a  multitude  well  provided.  ^^  So  we  caused 
them  to  quit  their  gardens,  and  fountains ;  ^^  and  trea- 
sures, and  fair  dwellings  :  thus  did  we  do ;  ^^  and  we  made 
the  children  of  Israel  to  inherit  the  same.  ^^  And  they 
pursued  them  at  sun-rise.  ^^  And  when  the  two  armies 
were  come  in  sight  of  each  other,  the  companions  of 
Moses  said,  We  shall  surely  be  overtaken.  ^^  Moses 
answered.  By  no  means ;  for  my  Lord  is  with  me,  who 
will  surely  direct  me.  ^^  And  we  commanded  Moses,  by 
revelation,  saying,  Smite  the  sea  with  thy  rod.  And 
when  he  had  smitten  it,  it  became  divided  into  twelve 
parts,  between  which  were  as  many  paths,  and  every  part 
was  like  a  vast  mountain.  ^^  And  we  drew  thither 
the  others ;  ^^  and  we  delivered  Moses  and  all  those 
who  were  with  him ;  ^'^  then  we  drowned  the  others. 
^^  Verily  herein  was  a  sign  ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them 
did  not  believe.  ^^  Verily  thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  and 
the  merciful.  ^^  And  rehearse  unto  them  the  story  of 
Abraham  :  ^^  when  he  said  unto  his  father,  and  his  people. 
What  do  ye  worship  ?  ^^  They  answered.  We  worship 
idols ;  and  we  constantly  serve  them  all  the  day  long. 
^^  Abraham  said.  Do  they  hear  you,  when  ye  invoke 
them  ?  Or  do  they  either  profit  you,  or  hurt  you  ?  ^^  They 
answered.  But  we  found  our  fathers  do  the  same.  ^^  He 
said.  What  think  ye  ?  ^^  The  gods  which  ye  worship,  and 
your  forefathers  worshipped,  '^'^  are  my  enemies  :  ^^  except 
only  the  Lord  of  all  creatures,  who  hath  created  me,  and 
directeth  me ;  ^^  and  who  giveth  me  to  eat,  and  to  drink ; 
^^  and  when  I  am  sick,  healeth  me ;  ^^  and  who  will  cause 
me  to  die,  and  will  afterwards  restore  me  to  life ;  ^^  and 
who,  I  hope,  will  forgive  my  sins  on  the  day  of  judgment. 
^^  O  Lord,  grant  me  wisdom ;  and  join  me  with  the  righte- 
ous :  ^^  and  grant  that  I  may  be  spoken  of  with  honour 
among  the  latest  posterity ;  ^^  and  make  me  an  heir  of  the 
garden  of  delight :  ®^  and  forgive  my  father,  for  that  he 

GO   We  made  the  children  of  Israel  to  God  gave  them  the  like  possessions  and 

inherit  the  same,'\     Hence  some  suppose  dwellings  in  another  country  2. 

the   Israelites,    after    the    destruction   of  84  Grant  that  I  may  be  spoken  of  with 

Pharaoh  and  his  host,  returned  to  Egypt,  honourJ^     Literally,  Grant  me  a  tongtie  of 

and  possessed  themselves  of  the  riches  of  truth ;  that  is,  a  high  encomium, 

that  country  ^     But  others  are  of  opinion,  86  And  forgive  my  father ,    &c.]     By 

that  the   meaning  is  no  more  than  that  disposing  him  to  repentance,  and  the  re- 

^  Jallalo^ddin^  Yahya,  ^  Al  Zamakh, 


XXVI.]  AL     KORAN.  183 

hath  been  one  of  those  who  go  astray.     ^^  And  cover  me 
not  with  shame  on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  ^^  on  the  day 
in  which  neither  riches  nor  children  shall  avail ;  ^^  unless 
unto  him  who  shall  come  unto  God  with  a  sincere  heart : 
^^  when  paradise  shall  be  brought  near  to  the  view  of  the 
pious ;  ^^  and  hell  shall  appear  plainly  to  those  who  shall 
have  erred ;  ^^  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  Where  are 
your  deities  which  ye  served  besides  God  ?  will  they  de- 
liver you  from  punishment,  or  will  they  deliver  them- 
selves ?     ^^  And  they  shall  be  cast  into  the  same,  both 
they,  and  those  who  have  been  seduced  to  their  worship ; 
^^  and  all  the  host  of  Eblis.     ^^  The  seduced  shall  dispute 
therein  with  their  false  gods,  ^^  saying.  By  God,  we  were 
in  a  manifest   error ;  ^'^  when  we   equalled  you  with  the 
Lord   of  all  creatures  :  ^^  and  none  seduced  us  but  the 
wicked.     ^^  We   have  now  no   intercessors,    ^^^  nor   any 
friend  who  careth  for  us.     ^^^  If  we  were  allowed  to  return 
once  more  into  the  world,  we  would  certainly  become  true 
believers.     ^^^  Verily  herein  was  a  sign :  but  the  greater 
part  of  them  believed  not.     ^^^  Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty, 
the  merciful.     ^^*  The   people    of  Noah   accused   God's 
messengers   of  imposture :   ^^^  when  their  brother  Noah 
said  unto  them.  Will  ye  not  fear  God  ?     ^^^  Verily  I  am  a 
faithful  messenger  unto  you  :  ^^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and 
obey  me.     ^^^  I  ask  no  reward  of  you   for  my  preaching 
unto  you ;  I  expect  my  reward  from  no  other  than  the 
Lord  of  all  creatures  :  ^^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and  obey 
me.     ^^^They  answered,  Shall  we  believe  on  thee,  when 
only  the  most  abject  persons  have  followed  thee  ?  "^  Noah 
said,  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that  which  they  did ;  ^^Mt 
appertaineth  unto  my  Lord  alone  to  bring  them  to  ac- 
count, if  ye    understand ;  "^  wherefore   1  will  not  drive 
away  the  believers  :  ^^*  I  am  no  more  than  a  public  preacher. 

ceiving  of  the  true  faith.  Some  suppose  111  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that  which 
Abraham  pronounced  this  prayer  after  his  they  did.~\  i.  e.  Whether  they  have  em- 
father's  death,  thinking  that  possibly  he  braced  the  faith  which  I  have  preached, 
might  have  been  inwardly  a  true  believer,  out  of  the  sincerity  of  their  hearts,  or  in 
but  have  concealed  his  conversion  for  fear  prospect  of  some  worldly  advantage, 
of  Nimrod,  and  before  he  was  forbidden  to  113  The  believers.^  His  wife,  his 
pray  for  him  '.  three   sons   and  their  wives.     See  chap- 

93    They.']       That  is,    the   idols ;    see  ter  xi. 
chap.  xxi. 

^  See  chap.  ix.  and  chap.  xiv. 


184  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

^^^  They  replied,  Assuredly,  unless  thou  desist,  O  Noah, 
thou  shalt  be  stoned.  ^^^  He  said,  O  Lord,  verily  my 
people  take  me  for  a  liar :  ^^^  wherefore  judge  publicly  be- 
tween me  and  them ;  and  deliver  me  and  the  true  believers 
who  are  with  me.  ^^^  Wherefore  we  delivered  him,  and 
those  who  were  with  him,  in  the  ark  filled  with  men  and 
animals ;  ^^^  and  afterwards  we  drowned  the  rest.  ^^^  Verily 
herein  was  a  sign  :  but  the  greater  part  of  them  believed 
not.  ^^^Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  the  merciful.  ^^^The 
tribe  of  Ad  charged  God's  messengers  with  falsehood ; 
^^^  when  their  brother  Hud  said  unto  them.  Will  ye  not 
fear  God  ?  ^^*  Verily  I  am  a  faithful  messenger  unto  you : 
*^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and  obey  me.  ^^^  I  demand  not  of 
you  any  reward  for  my  preaching  unto  you :  I  expect  my 
reward  from  no  other  than  the  Lord  of  all  creatures. 
^^^  Do  ye  build  a  land-mark  on  every  high  place,  to  divert 
yourselves  ?  ^^^  And  do  ye  erect  magnificent  works,  hoping 
that  ye  may  continue  in  their  possession  for  ever  ?  ^^^  And 
when  ye  exercise  your  power,  do,  ye  exercise  it  with 
cruelty  and  rigour  ?  ^^^  Fear  God,  by  leaving  these  things; 
and  obey  me.  ^^^  And  fear  him  who  hath  bestowed  on 
you  that  which  ye  know :  ^^^  he  hath  bestowed  on  you 
cattle  and  children,  ^^^  and  gardens,  and  springs  of  water. 
^^^  Verily  I  fear  for  you  the  punishment  of  a  grievous  day. 
135  They  answered.  It  is  equal  unto  us  whether  thou 
admonish  us,  or  dost  not  admonish  us :  ^^^  this  which  thou 
preachest  is  only  a  device  of  the  ancients  ;  ^^^  neither  shall 
we  be  punished  for  what  we  have  done.  ^^^  And  they 
accused  him  of  imposture :  wherefore  we  destroyed  them. 
Verily  herein  was  a  sign ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them 
believed  not.  ^^^  Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  the  merciful. 
^'^^  The  tribe  of  Thamud  also  charged  the  messengers  of 
God  with  falsehood.  ^*^  When  their  brother  Saleh  said 
unto  them.  Will  ye  not  fear  God  ?  ^^^  Verily  I  am  a 
faithful  messenger  unto  you ;  ^^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and 
obey  me.     ^*^  I  demand  no  reward  of  you  for  my  preach- 

127  Do  ye  build  a  land-mark  on  every  129  Do  ye  exercise  it  with  cruelty  and 
high  placCf  to  divert  yourselves  ?~\  Or,  to  rigour  ?]  Putting  to  death,  and  inflicting 
mock  the  passengers;  who  direct  them-  other  corporeal  punishments  withoutmercy, 
selves  in  their  journeys  by  the  stars,  and  and  rather  for  the  satisfaction  of  your  pas- 
have  no  need  of  such  buildings  ^  ?  sion,  than  the  amendment  of  the  sufferer  2. 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  2  idem. 


xxvr.]  A  L    KORAN.  185 

ing  unto  you;  I  expect  my  reward  from  no  other  than 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^^  Shall  ye  be  left  for  ever 
secure  m  the  possession  of  the  things  which  are  here  ; 
^^^  among  gardens,  and  fountains  ;  ^^^  and  corn,  and  palm- 
trees,  whose  branches  sheathe  their  flowers  ?  ^^^  And  will 
ye  continue  to  cut  habitations  for  yourselves  out  of  the 
mountains,  behaving  with  insolence  ?  ^^^  Fear  God,  and 
obey  me  ;  ^^^  and  obey  not  the  command  of  the  trans- 
gressors ;  ^^^  who  act  corruptly  in  the  earth,  and  reform 
not  the  same.  ^^^  They  answered.  Verily  thou  art  dis- 
tracted ;  thou  art  no  other  than  a  man  like  unto  us  : 
^^^  produce  now  some  sign,  if  thou  speakest  truth.  ^^^  Sa- 
LEH  said.  This  she-camel  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you  :  she 
shall  have  her  portion  of  water,  and  ye  shall  have  your 
portion  of  water  alternately,  on  a  several  day  appointed 
for  you ;  ^^^  and  do  her  no  hurt,  lest  the  punishment  of  a 
terrible  day  be  inflicted  on  you.  ^^^  But  they  slew  her  ; 
and  were  made  to  repent  of  their  impiety  :  ^^^  for  the 
punishment  which  had  been  threatened  overtook  them. 
Verily  herein  was  a  sign ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them 
did  not  believe.  ^^^  Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  the  merciful. 
^^^  The  people  of  Lot  likewise  accused  God's  messengers 
of  imposture.  ^^^  When  their  brother  Lot  said  unto 
them,  Will  ye  not  fear  God  ?  ^^^  Verily  I  am  a  faithful 
messenger  unto  you  :  ^^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and  obey  me. 
^^^  I  demand  no  reward  of  you  for  my  preaching :  I  expect 
my  reward  from  no  other  than  the  Lord  of  all  creatures. 
^^*  Do  ye  approach  unto  the  males  among  mankind  ? 
^^^  And  do  ye  leave  your  wives  which  your  Lord  hath 
created  for  you  ?  ^^^  Surely  ye  are  people  who  transgress. 
^^^  They  answered.  Unless  thou  desist,  O  Lot,  thou  shalt 
certainly  be  expelled  our  city.  ^^^  He  said.  Verily  I  am 
one  of  those  who  abhor  your  doings ;  O  Lord,  deliver  me, 
and  my  family,  from  that  which  they  act.  ^^^  Wherefore 
w^e  delivered  him,  and  all  his  family ;  ^^^  except  an  old 
woman,  his  wife,  who  perished  among  those  who  remained 

148  Behaving  with  insolence.^     Or,  as  you.'}     That  is,  they  were  to  have  the  use 

the    original    word    may    also    be    ren-  of  the  water  by  turns,  the  camel  drinking 

dered,  shewing  art  and  ingenuity  in  your  one  day,  and  the  Thamudites  drawing  the 

work.  other  day  ;  for   when   this   camel   drank, 

154  She  shall  have  her  portion  of  water,  she  emptied  the  wells  or  brooks  for  that 

and  ye  shall  have  your  portion  of  water  day.     See  chap.  vii.  for  the  histo  y  of  the 

alternately,  on  a  several  day  appointed  for  destruction  of  the  tribe  of  Thamud. 


186  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

behind ;  ^"^^  then  we  destroyed  the  rest ;  ^^^  and  we  rained 
on  them  a  shower  of  stones ;  and  terrible  was  the  shower 
which  fell  on  those  who  had  been  warned  in  vain.  ^^^  Verily 
herein  was  a  sign ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them  did  not 
believe.  ^^*  Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty,  the  merciful.  ^^^  The 
inhabitants  of  the  wood  also  accused  God's  messengers  of 
imposture.  ^^^  When  Shoaib  said  unto  them,  will  ye  not 
fear  God  ?  ^^^  Verily  I  am  a  faithful  messenger  unto  you ; 
^"^^  wherefore  fear  God,  and  obey  me.  ^^^  I  ask  no  reward  of 
you  for  my  preaching :  I  expect  my  reward  from  no  other 
than  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^^  Give  just  measure,  and 
be  not  defrauders ;  ^^^  and  weigh  with  an  equal  balance' ; 
'^^and  diminish  not  unto  men  aught  of  their  matters; 
neither  commit  violence  in  the  earth,  acting  corruptly. 
^^^  And  fear  him  who  hath  created  you,  and  also  the 
former  generations.  ^^^  They  answered.  Certainly  thou 
art  distracted  :  ^^^  thou  art  no  more  than  a  man,  like  unto 
us ;  and  we  do  surely  esteem  thee  to  be  a  liar.  ^^^  Cause 
now  a  part  of  the  heaven  to  fall  upon  us,  if  thou  speakest 
truth.  ^^^  Shoaib  said,  Mv  Lord  best  knoweth  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^^  And  they  charged  him  with  falsehood  : 
wherefore  the  punishment  of  the  day  of  the  shadowing 
cloud  overtook  them ;  and  this  was  the  punishment  of  a 
grievous  day.  ^^^  Verily  herein  was  a  sign ;  but  the  greater 
part  of  them  did  not  believe.  ^^°  Thy  Lord  is  the  mighty, 
the  merciful.  ^^^  This  book  is  certainly  a  revelation  from 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures ;  ^^^  which  the  faithful  spirit 
hath  caused  to  descend  ^^^  upon  thy  heart,  that  thou 
mightest  be  a  preacher  to  thy  people,  ^^^  in  the  perspicu- 
ous Arabic  tongue  ;  ^^^  and  it  is  borne  witness  to  in  the 
scriptures  of  former  ages.  ^^^  Was  it  not  a  sign  unto 
them,  that  the  wise  men  among  the  children  of  Israel 
knew  it  ?  ^^^  Had  we  revealed  it  unto  any  of  the  foreigners, 

IT5  Thewood.l  That  is,  the  Midianites  ;  plagued  them  with  such  intolerable  heat 

Shoaib    being   not  called   the  brother   of  for  seven  days,  that  all  their  waters  were 

these    people,    which   would    have     pre-  dried  up  ;  and  then  brought  a  cloud  over 

served  the   conformity  between   this  pas-  them,   under  whose  shade  they  ran,  and 

sage  and  the  preceding,  it  has  been  thought  were  all  destroyed  by  a  hot  wind  and  fire 

they  were  not  Midianites,  but  of  another  which  proceeded  from  it  2. 
race;  however,  we  find  the  prophet  taxes         192  The  faithful  spirit. 1     i.  e.  Gabriel; 

them  with  the  same  crimes  as  he  did  those  who  is  intrusted  with  the  divine  secrets 

of  Midian  ^.  and  revelations. 

188   The  shadowing  cloud.'\     God  first 

^  See  chap.  vii.  *  Al  Beiddwi* 


XXVI.]  AL   KORAN.  187 

^^^  and  he  had  read  the  same  unto  them,  yet  they  would 
not  have  believed  therein.  ^^^  Thus  have  we  caused  obsti- 
nate infidelity  to  enter  the  hearts  of  the  wicked :  ^^^  they 
shall  not  believe  therein,  until  they  see  a  painful  punish- 
ment. ^^^  It  shall  come  suddenly  upon  them,  and  they 
shall  not  foresee  it ;  ^^^  and  they  shall  say,  Shall  we  be 
respited  ?  ^^^  Do  they  therefore  desire  our  punishment  to 
be  hastened?  ^04 -vvhat  thinkest  thou?  If  we  suffer 
them  to  enjoy  the  advantage  of  this  life  for  several  years  ? 
2^^  and  afterwards  shall  not  that  with  which  they  are 
threatened  come  upon  them?  ^^^Then  what  will  that 
which  they  have  enjoyed  profit  them  ?  ^^^  We  have  de- 
stroyed no  city,  but  preachers  were  first  sent  unto  it; 
^^Hhat  they  might  admonish  the  inhabitants  thereof; 
neither  did  we  treat  them  unjustly.  ^^^  The  devils  did 
not  descend  with  the  Koran,  as  the  infidels  give  out : 
^^^  it  is  not  for  their  purpose,  neither  are  they  able  to  pro- 
duce such  a  book  ;  ^^^  for  they  are  far  removed  from  hear- 
ing the  discourse  of  the  angels  in  heaven.  ^^^  Invoke  no 
other  god  with  the  true  God,  lest  thou  become  one  of 
those  who  are  doomed  to  punishment.  ^^^  And  admonish 
thy  more  near  relations.  ^^^  And  behave  thyself  with 
meekness  towards  the  true  believers  who  follow  thee ; 
^^^  and  if  they  be  disobedient  unto  thee,  say.  Verily  I  am 
clear  of  that  which  ye  do.  ^^^And  trust  in  the  most 
mighty,  the  merciful  God  ;  ^^^  who  seeth  thee  when  thou 
risest  up  ;  ^^^  and  thy  behaviour  among  those  who  worship; 

203  Do  they  desire  our  punishment  to  he  the  affirmative,  Verily,  says  he,  I  am  a 

hasteiied?^     The  infidels  were  continually  warner  sent   unto  you,    before   a   severe 

defying  Mohammed  to  bring  some  signal  chastisement  2. 

and  miraculous  destruction  on  them,  as  a         214  Behave  thyself  with  meekness.^  Li- 
shower  of  stones,  &c.  terally,  Lower  thy  wing, 

213  Preach  to  thy  near  relations.^    The         217,  218   Who  seeth  thee  when  thou  risest 

commentators  suppose  the  same  command  upf  and  thy  behaviour  among  those  who  wor- 

to  have  been   virtually  contained  in  the  ship.']  i.  e.  Who  seeth  thee  when  thou  risest 

seventy-fourth  chapter,  which  is  prior  to  up  to  watch  and  spend  the  night  in  religious 

this  in  point  of  time  ^     It  is   said   that  exercises,  and  observeth  thy  anxious  care 

Mohammed,  on  receiving  the  passage  be-  for   the    Moslems'    exact    performance   of 

fore  us,  went  up  immediately  to  mount  their  duty.     It  is  said  that  the  night  on 

Safa,  and  having  called  the  several  fami-  which  the  precept  of  watching  was  abro- 

lies  to  him,  one  by  one,  when  they  were  gated,    Mohammed    went   privately  from 

all  assembled,  asked  them,  whether,  if  he  one  house  to  another,  to  see  how  his  com- 

should    tell    them,   that   mountain  would  panions  spent  the  time  ;  and  that  he  found 

bring  forth  a  smaller  mountain,  they  would  them  so  intent  in  reading  the  Koran,  and 

believe  him  ;  to  which  they  answering  in  repeating  their  prayers,  that  their  houses, 

1  See  the  notes  thereon,  and  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


188 


AL    KORAN, 


[chap. 


^^^  for  he  both  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^^  Shall  I  declare 
unto  you  upon  whom  the  devils  descend  ?  ^^^  They  de- 
scend upon  every  lying  and  v^icked  person  ;  ^^^  they  learn 
what  is  heard ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them  are  liars. 
^^^  And  those  who  err  follow  the  steps  of  the  poets : 
^^*  dost  thou  not  see  that  they  rove  as  bereft  of  their 
senses  through  every  valley ;  ^^^  and  that  they  say  that 
which  they  do  not  ?  ^^^  except  those  who  believe,  and  do 
good  works,  and  remember  God  frequently ;  ^^^  and  who 
defend  themselves  after  they  have  been  unjustly  treated. 
And  they  who  act  unjustly,  shall  know  hereafter,  with 
what  treatment  they  shall  be  treated. 


by  reason  of  the  humming  noise  they 
made,  seemed  to  be  so  many  nests  of  hor- 
nets ^.  Some  commentators,  however,  sup- 
pose that  by  the  prophet's  behaviour,  in 
this  place,  are  meant  the  various  postures 
he  used  in  praying  at  the  head  of  his  com- 
panions; as  standing,  bowring,  prostration, 
and  sitting  2. 

221  T'he  devils  descend  upon  every  lying 
and  wicked  person.']  The  prophet  having 
vindicated  himself  from  the  charge  of  hav- 
ing communication  with  the  devils,  by  the 
opposition  between  his  doctrine  and  their 
designs,  and  their  inability  to  compose  so 
consistent  a  book  as  the  Koran,  proceeds 
to  shovs',  that  the  persons  most  likely  to 
hold  a  correspondence  with  those  evil 
spirits,  were  liars  and  slanderers ;  that  is, 
his  enemies  and  opposers. 

222  They  learn  what  is  heard.]  i.  e. 
They  are  taught  by  the  secret  inspiration 
of  the  devils,  and  receive  their  idle  and 
inconsistent  suggestions  for  truth.  It  be- 
ing uncertain  whether  the  slanderers  or 
the  devils  be  the  nominative  case  to  the 
verb,  the  words  may  also  be  rendered. 
They  impart  what  they  hear  ;  this  is,  That 
devils  acquaint  their  correspondents  on 
earth  with  such  incoherent  scraps  of  the  an- 
gels' discourse  as  they  can  hear  by  stealth  ^, 

224  They  rove  as  bereft  of  their  senses 
through  every  valley ^  &c.]     Their  compo- 


sitions being  as  wild  as  the  actions  of  a 
distracted  man :  for  most  of  the  ancient 
poetry  was  full  of  vain  imaginations  ;  as 
fabulous  stories  and  descriptions,  love- 
verses,  flattery,  excessive  commendations  of 
their  patrons,  and  as  excessive  reproaches 
of  their  enemies,  incitements  to  vicious 
actions,  vainglorious  vauntings,  and  the 
like  4. 

226  Except  those  who  believe^  &c.]  That 
is.  Such  poets  as  had  embraced  Moham- 
medism  ;  whose  works,  free  from  the  pro- 
faneness  of  the  former,  run  chiefly  on  the 
praises  of  God,  and  the  establishing  his 
unity,  and  contain  exhortations  to  obe- 
dience, and  other  religious  and  moral  vir- 
tues ;  without  any  satirical  invectives,  un- 
less against  such  as  have  given  just  provo- 
cations by  having  first  attacked  them,  or 
some  others  of  the  true  believers,  with  the 
same  weapons.  In  this  last  case,  Moham- 
med saw  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
borrow  assistance  from  the  poets  of  his 
party,  to  defend  himself  and  religion  from 
the  insults  and  ridicule  of  the  others :  for 
which  purpose  he  employed  the  pens  of 
Labid  Ebn  Rabia  ^,  Abd'allah  Ebn  Rawa- 
ha,  Hassan  Ebn  Thabet,  and  the  two  Caabs. 
It  is  related  that  Mohammed  once  said  to 
Caab  Ebn  Malec,  Ply  them  with  satires ; 
for,  by  him  in  whose  hand  my  soul  is,  they 
wound  more  deeply  than  arrows  ^. 


*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo^ ddin, 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  ^  Al  Beiddwi. 


3  lidem. 


*  lidem. 


XXVII.]  AL     KORAN.  189 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

INTITLED,    THE    ANT  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

Tn  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  T.  S.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  Koran,  and  of  the 
perspicuous  book :  ^  a  direction  and  good  tidings  unto  the 
true  believers ;  ^  who  regularly  perform  their  prayer,  and 
give  alms,  and  firmly  believe  in  the  life  to  come.  ^  As 
to  those  w^ho  believe  not  in  the  life  to  come,  we  have 
prepared  their  works  for  them ;  and  they  shall  be  struck 
with  astonishment  at  their  disappointment  when  they 
shall  be  raised  again :  ^  these  are  they  whom  an  evil 
punishment  awaiteth  in  this  life ;  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come  they  shall  be  the  greatest  losers.  ^  Thou  hast  cer- 
tainly received  the  Koran  from  the  presence  of  a  wise,  a 
knowing  God.  ^  Remember  when  Moses  said  unto  his 
family.  Verily  I  perceive  fire ;  I  will  bring  you  tidings 
thereof,  or  I  will  bring  you  a  lighted  brand,  that  ye  may 
be  warmed.  ^  And  when  he  was  come  near  unto  it,  a 
voice  cried  unto  him,  saying.  Blessed  be  he  who  is  in  the 
fire,  and  whoever  is  about  it ;  and  praise  be  unto  God, 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures  !  ^^  O  Moses,  verily  I  am  God, 
the  mighty,  the  wise ;  cast  down  now  thy  rod.  "  And 
when  he  saw  it,  that  it  moved,  as  though  it  had  been  a 
serpent,  he  retreated  and  fled,  and  returned  not.  And 
God  said,  O  Moses,  fear  not ;  for  my  messengers  are  not 
disturbed  with  fear  in  my  sight ;  ^^  except  he  who  shall 
have  done  amiss,   and  shall  have  afterwards  substituted 

Title — Ant,']    In  this  chapter  is  related,  tended    by   the    former   words  ;    and    by 

among  other  strange  things,  an  odd  story  the    latter,    the    angels    who    were    pre- 

of  the  ant,  which  has  therefore  been  pitched  sent^  :  others  think  Moses  and  the  angels 

on  for  the  title.  are  here  meant,  or  all  persons  in  general 

5   We    have   prepared   their   works  for  in  this  holy  plain,  and  the  country  round 

them.^     By  rendering  them  pleasing  and  it  ^. 

agreeable  to  their  corrupt  natures  and  in-  12  Except  he  who  shall  have  done  amiss, 

clinations.  &c.]      This    exception   was    designed    to 

8  Moses.]     See  chap.  xx.  qualify    the    preceding    assertion,    which 

9  Blessed  he  he  who  is  in  the  fire,  and  seemed  too  general:  for  several  of  the  pro- 
about  it.]     Some  suppose  God  to  be  in-  phets  have  been  subject  to  sins,  though  not 

*  Yahya.  2  JaJlalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi, 


190  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

good  in  lieu  of  evil;  for  I  am  gracious  and  merciful. 
^^  Moreover  put  thy  hand  into  thy  bosom ;  it  shall  come 
forth  white,  without  hurt :  this  shall  be  one  among  the 
nine  signs  unto  Pharaoh  and  his  people :  for  they  are  a 
wicked  people.  ^^  And  when  our  visible  signs  had  come 
unto  them,  they  said,  This  is  manifest  sorcery.  ^^  And 
they  denied  them,  although  their  souls  certainly  knew 
them  to  be  from  God,  out  of  iniquity  and  pride :  but  be- 
hold what  was  the  end  of  the  corrupt  doers.  ^^  We  here- 
tofore bestowed  knowledge  on  David  and  Solomon  ;  and 
they  said.  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  made  us  more 
excellent  than  many  of  his  faithful  servants !  ^^  And 
Solomon  was  David's  heir ;  and  he  said,  O  men,  we  have 
been  taught  the  speech  of  birds,  and  have  had  all  things 
bestowed  on  us :  that  is  manifest  excellence.  ^^  And  his 
armies  were  gathered  together  unto  Solomon,  consisting  of 
genii,  and  men,  and  birds ;  and  they  were  led  in  distinct 
bands,  until  they  came  into  the  valley  of  ants.  ^^  And  an 
ant,  seeing  the  hosts  approaching,  said,  O  ants,  enter  ye  into 
your  habitations,  lest  Solomon  and  his  army  tread  you 
under  foot,  and  perceive  it  not.  ^^  And  Solomon  smiled, 
laughing  at  her  words,  and  said,  O  Lord,  excite  me  that 
I  may  be  thankful  for  thy  favour,  wherewith'  thou  hast 
favoured  me,  and  my  parents ;  and  that  I  may  do  that 
which  is  right,  and  well-pleasing  unto  thee  ;  and  intro- 
duce me,  through  thy  mercy,  into  paradise,  among  thy 

great  ones,  before  their  mission  ;  for  which         1 8  His  army  consisting   of  genii,  &c.] 

they  had  reason  to  apprehend  God's  anger ;  For  this  fancy,  as  well  as  the  former,  Mo- 

though  they  are  here   assured  that  their  hammed  was  obliged  to  the  Talmudists  *, 

subsequent    merits    entitle    them    to   his  who,  according  to  their  manner,   have  in- 

pardon.     It  is  supposed  that  Moses'  kill-  terpreted  the  Hebrew  words  of  Solomon  *, 

ing  the   Egyptian  undesignedly  is  hinted  which  the  English  version  renders,  I  gat 

at  ^.  men-singers,   and   women-singers ;    as    if 

13  Nine  signs."]     See  chap.  xvii.  that  prince  had  forced  demons  or  spirits  to 

17  Solomon  was  David's  heir."]   Inherit-  serve  him  at  his  table,  and  in  other  capa- 

ing  not  only  his  kingdom,   but  also  the  cities ;    and   particularly  in  his  vast   and 

prophetical  office,  preferably  to  his  other  magnificent  buildings,   which    they  could 

sons,  who  were  no  less  than  nineteen  2.  not  conceive  he  could  otherwise  have  per- 

—   JVe  have  been  taught  the  speech  of  formed. 
birds.]     That   is,   the   meaning   of   their         —  2'he   valley   of  ants.]     The   valley 

several  voices,  though   not   articulate;  of  seems  to  be  so  called  from  the  great  num- 

Solomon's  interpretation  whereof  the  com-  hers  of  ants  which  are  found  there.     Some 

mentators  give  several  instances  ^  place  it  in  Syria,  and  others  in  Tayef  ^. 

^  Jallalo* ddin.  ^    Idem.  ^  See  Marracc.  not.  in  loc.  p.  51 1. 

*  V.  Midrash,  Yalkut  Shemuni,  p.  11,  f.  29,  and  Millium  de  Mohammedismo  ante  Mo- 
hammed, p.  232.  ^  Eccles.  ii.  8.  ^  At  Beiddwi^  Jallalo' ddin* 


XXVII.] 


AL    KORAN. 


191 


servants,  the  righteous.  ^^  And  he  viewed  the  birds,  and 
said,  What  is  the  reason  that  I  see  not  the  lapwing  ?  Is 
she  absent  ?  ^^  Verily  I  will  chastise  her  with  a  severe 
chastisement ;  or  I  will  put  her  to  death ;  unless  she  bring 
me  a  just  excuse.  ^^  And  she  tarried  not  long  before  she 
presented  herself  unto  Solomon,  and  said,  I  have  viewed 
a  country  which  thou  hast  not  viewed ;  and  I  come  unto 
thee  from  Saba,  with  a  certain  piece  of  news.  ^^  I  found 
a  woman  to  reign  over  them,  who  is  provided  with  every 
thing  requisite  for  a  prince,  and  hath  a  magnificent  throne. 
^^  I  found  her  and  her  people  to  worship  the  sun,  besides 
God  :  ^^  and  Satan  hath  prepared  their  works  for  them, 
and  hath  turned  them  aside  from  the  way  of  truth, 
(wherefore  they  are  not  rightly  directed,)  lest  they  should 
worship  God,  who  bringeth  to  light  that  which  is  in  heaven 
and  earth,  and  knoweth  whatever  they  conceal,  and  what- 
ever they  discover.  ^^  God  !  there  is  no  God  but  he ; 
the  Lord  of  the  magnificent  throne.     ^^  Solomon  said, 


21  And  he  viewed  the  birds,  &c.]  The 
Arab  historians  tell  us,  that  Solomon 
having  finished  the  temple  of  Jerusalem, 
went  in  pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  where  having 
stayed  as  long  as  he  pleased,  he  proceeded 
towards  Yaman ;  and  leaving  Mecca  in  the 
morning,  he  arrived  by  noon  at  Sanaa,  and 
being  extremely  delighted  with  the  coun- 
try, rested  there  ;  but  wanting  water  to 
make  the  ablution,  he  looked  among  the 
birds  for  the  lapwing,  called,  by  the  Arabs, 
al  Hudhud,  whose  business  it  was  to  find 
it ;  for  it  is  pretended  she  was  sagacious  or 
sharp-sighted  enough  to  discover  water 
under  ground,  which  the  devils  used  to 
draw,  after  she  had  marked  the  place  by 
digging  with  her  bill.  They  add,  that  this 
bird  was  then  taking  a  tour  in  the  air, 
whence,  seeing  one  of  her  companions 
alighting,  she  descended  also,  and  having 
had  a  description  given  her  by  the  other  of 
the  city  of  Saba,  whence  she  was  just  ar- 
rived, they  both  went  together  to  take  a 
view  of  the  place,  and  returned  soon  after 
Solomon  had  made  the  inquiry,  which 
occasioned  what  follows  ^ 

It  may  be  proper  to  mention  here  what 
the  eastern  writers  fable  of  the  manner  of 
Solomon's  travelling.  They  say  that  he  had 
a  carpet  of  green  silk,  on  which  his  throne 


was  placed,  being  of  a  prodigious  length 
and  breadth,  and  sufficient  for  all  his 
forces  to  stand  on,  the  men  placing  them- 
selves on  his  right  hand,  and  the  spirits  on 
his  left ;  and  that  when  all  were  in  order, 
the  wind,  at  his  command,  took  up  the 
carpet,  and  transported  it,  with  all  that 
were  upon  it,  wherever  he  pleased  ^  ;  the 
array  of  birds  at  the  same  time  flying  over 
their  heads,  and  forming  a  kind  of  canopy, 
to  shade  them  from  the  sun. 

22  /  will  chastise  her,  &c.]  By  pluck- 
ing off  her  feathers,  and  setting  her  in  the 
sun,  to  be  tormented  by  the  insects  ;  or  by 
shutting  her  up  in  a  cage  ^. 

24  I  found  a  woman  to  reign  over  them.] 
This  queen  the  Arabs  name  Balkis.  Some 
make  her  the  daughter  of  Hodhad  Ebn 
Sharhabil*,  and  others  of  Sharabil  Ebn 
Malec  5  ;  but  they  a)l  agree  she  was  a  de- 
scendant of  Yarab  Ebn  Kahtan.  She  is 
placed  the  twenty-second  in  Dr.  Pocock's 
list  of  the  kings  of  Yaman  ^. 

—  J  magnificent  throne.']  Which  the 
commentators  say  was  made  of  gold  and 
silver,  and  crowned  with  precious  stones. 
But  they  differ  as  to  the  size  of  it;  one 
making  it  fourscore  cubits  long,  forty  broad, 
and  thirty  high ;  while  some  say  it  was  four- 
score, and  others,  thirty,  cubits  every  way. 


*  lidem.  2  vid.  cap.  xxi.  and  not.  in  loc. 

*  V.  Pocock.  Spec.  p.  59.  ^  ji  Beiddwi,  &c. 

*  Ubi  sup. 

1 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 
V.  D'Herbel  Bibl.  Orient,  p.  182. 


192  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

We  shall  see  whether  thou  hast  spoken  the  truth,  or 
whether  thou  art  a  liar.  ^^  Go  with  this  my  letter,  and 
cast  it  down  unto  them ;  then  turn  aside  from  them,  and 
wait  to  know  what  answer  they  will  return.  ^^  And  when 
the  queen  of  Saba  had  received  the  letter,  she  said,  O 
nobles,  verily  an  honourable  letter  hath  been  delivered 
unto  me ;  ^^  it  is  from  Solomon,  and  this  is  the  tenor 
thereof:  ^^  In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God.  Rise 
not  up  against  me  :  but  come,  and  surrender  yourselves 
unto  me.  ^^  She  said,  O  nobles,  advise  me  in  my  busi- 
ness :  I  will  not  resolve  on  any  thing,  until  ye  be  witnesses, 
and  approve  thereof.  '^^The  nobles  answered.  We  are 
endued  with  strength,  and  are  endued  with  great  prow^ess 
in  war ;  but  the  command  appertaineth  unto  thee :  see 
therefore  what  thou  wilt  command.  ^^  She  said.  Verily 
kings,  when  they  enter  a  city  by  force,  waste  the  same, 
and  abase  the  most  powerful  of  the  inhabitants  thereof: 
and  so  will  these  do  with  us.  ^^  But  I  will  send  gifts  unto 
them ;  and  will  wait  for  what  farther  information  those  who 
shall  be  sent  bring  back.  ^^  And  when  the  queen's  am- 
bassador came  unto  Solomon,  that  prince  said.  Will  ye 
present  me  with  riches?     Verily  that  which  God  hath 

30  And  when  she  had  received  the  letter,  Solomon,  or  give  us  orders  to  make  head 

&c.]     Jallalo'ddin    says,    that   the   queen  against  him. 

was  surrounded  by  her  army  when  the  37  When  the  ambassador  came  unto 
lapwing  threw  the  letter  into  her  bosom ;  SolomonJ]  Bearing  the  presents,  which 
but  al  Beidawi  supposes  she  was  in  an  they  say  were  five  hundred  young  slaves 
apartment  of  her  palace,  the  doors  of  which  of  each  sex,  all  habited  in  the  same  man- 
were  shut,  and  that  the  bird  flew  in  at  the  ner,  five  hundred  bricks  of  gold,  a  crown 
window.  The  former  commentator  gives  enriched  with  precious  stones,  besides  a 
a  copy  of  the  epistle  somewhat  more  full  large  quantity  of  musk,  amber,  and  other 
than  that  in  the  text ;  viz.  From  the  ser-  things  of  value  ^  Some  add,  that  Balkis, 
vant  of  God,  Solomon,  the  son  of  David,  to  try  whether  Solomon  was  a  prophet  or 
unto  Balkis,  queen  of  Saba.  In  the  name  no,  dressed  the  boys  like  girls,  and  the 
of  the  most  merciful  God.  Peace  be  on  girls  like  boys,  and  sent  him,  in  a  casket, 
him  who  foUoweth  the  true  direction,  a  pearl  not  drilled,  and  an  onyx  drilled 
Rise  not  up  against  me,  but  come  with  a  crooked  hole;  and  that  Solomon 
and  surrender  yourselves  unto  me.  He  distinguished  the  boys  from  the  girls  by 
adds,  that  Solomon  perfumed  this  let-  the  different  manner  of  their  taking  water, 
ter  with  musk,  and  sealed  it  with  his  and  ordered  one  worm  to  bore  the  pearl, 
signet.  and  another  to  pass  a  thread  through  the 

32  Come  and  surrender  yourselves  unto  onyx  2.     They  also  tell  us,  that  Solomon 

me.']     or,    Come    unto    me,    and    resign  having  notice  of  this  embassy,  by  means  of 

yourselves     unto    the    divine    direction,  the    lapwing,    even   before    they  set  out, 

and   profess   the    true   religion,   which    I  ordered  a  large  square  to  be  enclosed  with 

preach.  a  wall  built  of  gold  and  silver  bricks,  wherein 

34   What    thou    wilt    command.']     i.  e.  he  ranged  his  forces  and  attendants  to  re- 

Whether  thou  wilt  obey  the  summons  of  ceive  them  ^. 

1  JaUah'ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo'ddin. 


XXVII.]  A  L   KORAN.  193 

given  me,  is  better  than  what  he  hath  given  you  :  but  ye 
do  glory  in  your  gifts.  ^^  Return  unto  the  people  of 
Saba.  We  will  surely  come  unto  them  with  forces, 
which  they  shall  not  be  able  to  withstand ;  and  we  will 
drive  them  out  from  their  city,  humbled  ;  and  they  shall 
become  contemptible.  ^^  And  Solomon  said,  O  nobles, 
which  of  you  will  bring  unto  me  her  throne,  before  they 
come  and  surrender  themselves  unto  me  ?  ^^  A  terri- 
ble genius  answered,  I  will  bring  it  unto  thee,  before 
thou  arise  from  thy  place :  for  I  am  able  to  perform 
it,  and  may  be  trusted.  ^^  And  one  with  whom  was 
the  knowledge  of  the  scriptures  said,  I  will  bring  it  unto 
thee  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  And  when  Solomon 
saw  the  throne  placed  before  him,  he  said.  This  is  a 
favour  of  my  Lord,  that  he  may  take  trial  of  me,  whether 
I  will  be  grateful,  or  whether  1  will  be  ungrateful :  and 
he  who  is  grateful,  is  grateful  to  his  own  advantage ;  but 
if  any  shall  be  ungrateful,  verily  my  Lord  is  self-sufficient 
and  munificent.  ^^  And  Solomon  said  unto  his  servants, 
Alter  her  throne,  that  she  may  not  know  it,  to  the  end 
we  may  see  whether  she  be  rightly  directed,  or  whether 
she  be  one  of  those  who  are  not  rightly  directed.  ^^  And 
when  she  was  come  unto  Solomon,  it  was  said  unto  her. 
Is  thy  throne  like  this  ?  She  answered,  As  though  it  were 
the  same.  And  we  have  had  knowledge  bestowed  on  us 
before  this,  and  have  been  resigned  unto  God.     ^^But 

40  A  terrible  genius.']  This  was  an  object,  and  take  thy  6)^6  off  it.  It  is  said 
Ifrit,  or  one  of  the  wicked  and  rebellious  that  Solomon,  at  Asaf  s  desire,  looked  up  to 
genii  ;  and  his  name,  says  al  Beidawi,  was  heaven,  and  before  he  cast  his  eye  down- 
Dhacwan,  or  Sakhr.  wards,    the   throne  made   its    way   under 

—  Before   thou   arise  from  thy  place.]     ground,  and  appeared  before  him. 

i.  e.   From  thy  seat  of  justice.     For  Solo-  43   When  she  was  come  unto  Solomon.] 

mon  used  to  sit  in  judgment  every  day  till  For,  on  the  return  of  her  ambassador,  she 

noon  1.  determined   to  go  and   submit  herself  to 

41  One  with  whom  was  the  knowledge  of  that  prince  ;  but,  before  her  departure, 
the  scriptures.]  This  person,  as  is  gene-  she  secured  her  throne,  as  she  thought,  by 
rally  supposed,  was  Asaf,  the  son  of  Bara-  locking  it  up  in  a  strong  castle,  and  setting 
chia,  Solomon's  wazir  (or  visir),  who  knew  a  guard  to  defend  it ;  after  which  she  set 
the  great  or  ineffable  name  of  God,  by  pro-  out,  attended  by  a  vast  army  *. 
nouncing  of  which  he  performed  this  won-  —  We  have  had  knowledge  hestoived  on 
derful  exploit  2.  Others,  suppose  it  was  us  before  this,  Scc]  It  is  uncertain  whether 
al  Khedr,  or  else  Gabriel,  or  some  other  these  be  the  words  of  Balkis,  acknowledg- 
angel  ;  and  some  imagine  it  to  have  been  ing  her  conviction  by  the  wonders  she 
Solomon  himself^.  had  already  seen;  or  of  Solomon  and  his 

—  In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.]  The  people,  acknowledging  the  favour  of  God, 
original  is,  Before  thou  canst  look  at  any     in  calling  them  to  the  true  faith  before  her, 

1  Jallalo'ddin,  2   i^em.  3  ^i  Beidawi,  *  Jallalo'ddin. 

VOL.  II.  O 


194  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

that  which  she  worshipped  besides  God,  had  turned  her 
aside  from  the  truth;  for  she  was  of  an  unbelieving 
people.  ^^  It  was  said  unto  her.  Enter  the  palace.  And 
when  she  saw  it,  she  imagined  it  to  be  a  great  water ; 
and  she  discovered  her  legs,  by  lifting  up  her  robe  to  pass 
through  it.  Whereupon  Solomon  said  unto  her.  Verily 
this  is  a  palace  evenly  floored  with  glass.  Then  said  the 
queen,  O  Lord,  verily  I  have  dealt  unjustly  with  my  own 
soul ;  and  I  resign  myself,  together  with  Solomon,  unto 
God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^Also  we  heretofore 
sent  unto  the  tribe  of  Thamud  their  brother  Saleh  ;  who 
said  unto  them.  Serve  ye  God.  ^^  And  behold,  they  were 
divided  into  two  parties,  who  disputed  among  themselves. 
^^  Saleh  said,  O  my  people,  why  do  ye  hasten  evil  rather 
than  good  ?  Unless  ye  ask  pardon  of  God,  that  ye  may 
obtain  mercy,  ye  are  lost.  They  answered.  We  presage 
evil  from  thee,  and  from  those  who  are  with  thee. 
Saleh  replied.  The  evil  which  ye  presage  is  with  God  : 
but  ye  are  a  people  who  are  proved  by  vicissitude  of 
prosperity  and  adversity.  ^^  And  there  were  nine  men  in 
the  city,  who  acted  corruptly  in  the  earth,  and  behaved 
not  with  integrity.  ^^  And  they  said  unto  one  another. 
Swear  ye  reciprocally  by  God,  that  we  will  fall  upon 
Saleh  and  his  family  by  night :  and  afterwards  we  will 
say  unto  him  who  hath  right  to  avenge  his  blood.  We 
were  not  so  much  as  present  at  the  destruction  of  his 

45  Enter  the  palace,']  Or,  as  some  Solomon  had  thoughts  of  making  her  his 
understand  the  word,  the  court  before  the  wife ;  but  could  not  resolve  to  do  it,  till 
palace,  which  Solomon  had  commanded  to  the  devils  had,  by  a  depilatory,  taken  off 
be  built  against  the  arrival  of  Balkis;  the  the  hair  from  her  legs  2.  Some  ^  however 
floor  or  pavement  being  of  transparent  will  have  it  that  she  did  not  marry  Solo- 
glass,  laid  over  running  water,  in  which  mon,  but  a  prince  of  the  tribe  of  Hamdan. 
fish  were  swimming.  Fronting  this  pave-  47  Who  disputed  among  themselves.'] 
ment  was  placed  the  royal  throne,  on  Concerning  the  doctrine  preached  by  Saleh; 
which  Solomon  sat  to  receive  the  queen  ^.  one  party  believing  on  him,  and  the  other 

—  She  discovered  her  legs,  &c.]     Some  treating  him  as  an  impostor. 

Arab  writers  tell  us,  Solomon  had  been  48  Why  do  ye  hasten  evil  rather  than 
informed  that  Balkis's  legs  and  feet  were  good?]  i.e.  Why  do  ye  urge  and  defy 
covered  with  hair,  like  those  of  an  ass,  of  the  divine  vengeance  with  which  ye  are 
the  truth  of  which  he  had  hereby  an  threatened,  instead  of  averting  it  by  re- 
opportunity  of  being  satisfied  by  ocular  pentance  ? 
demonstration.  —   We  presage  evil  from  thee,  &c.]     See 

—  /  resign  myself  unto  God.]  The  chap.  vii.  ver.  132,  where  the  Egyptians 
queen  of  Saba  having  by  these  words  pro-  in  the  same  manner  accuse  Moses  as  the 
fessed    Islam,    and    renounced    idolatry,  cause  of  their  calamities. 


Jallalo* ddin,  al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallald' ddin,  ^  Apud  Al  Beiddwi. 


XXVII.]  A  L    KORAN.  195 

family  ;    and  we  certainly  speak  the  truth.     ^^  And  they 
devised  a  plot  against  him  :  but  we  devised  a  plot  against 
them  ;   and  they  perceived  it  not.     ^^  And  see  what  was 
the  issue  of  their  plot :   we  utterly  destroyed  them  and 
their  whole  people ;    ^^  and  these  their  habitations  remain 
empty,   because  of  the  injustice  which  they  committed. 
Verily  herein  is   a  sign,   unto  people  who  understand. 
^*  And  we  delivered  those  who  believed,  and  feared  God. 
^^  And  remember  Lot  ;   when  he  said   unto  his  people, 
Do  ye  commit  a  wickedness,  though  ye  see  the  heinous- 
ness  thereof?    ^^  Do  ye  approach  lustfully  unto  men,  leav- 
ing  the    women  ?    Ye   are    surely   an   ignorant   people. 
[*XX.]     ^^  But  the  answer  of  his  people  was  no  other 
than  that  they  said.  Cast  the  family  of  Lot  out  of  your 
city ;    for  they  are  men  who  preserve  themselves  pure 
from  the  crimes  of  which  ye  are  guilty.     ^^  Wherefore  we 
delivered  him  and  his  family,  except  his  wife,  whom  we 
decreed  to  be  one  of  those  who  remained  behind  to  be 
destroyed.     ^^  And  we  rained  on  them  a  shower  of  stones : 
and  dreadful  was  the  shower  which  fell  on  those  who  had 
been  warned  in  vain.     ^^  Say,  Praise  be  unto  God  ;  and 
peace  be  upon  his  servants  whom  he  hath  chosen  !    Is 
God  more  worthy,  or  the  false  gods  which  they  associate 
with  him  ?    ^^  Is  not  he  to  be  preferred,  who  hath  created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  sendeth  down  rain  for  you 
from  heaven,  whereby  we  cause  delicious  groves  to  spring 
up  ?    It  is  not  in  your  power  to  cause  the  trees  thereof  to 
shoot  forth.     Is  there   any  other  god  partner  with  the 
true  God  ?  Verily  these  are  a  people  who  deviate  from 
the  truth.     ^^  Is  not  he  more  worthy  to  be  adored,  who 
hath  established  the  earth,  and  hath  caused  rivers  to  flow 
through  the  midst  thereof,  and  placed  thereon  immoveable 
mountains,  and  set  a  bar  between  the  two  seas  ?    Is  there 

52  See  what  was  the  issue  of  their  plot.']  pointed  ;    for,     instead    of    catching    the 

It  is  related  that  Saleh,  and  those   who  prophet,    they  were    caught    themselves, 

believed  on  him,  Cisually  meeting  to  pray  their  retreat  being  cut  off  by  a  large  piece 

in  a  certain   narrow    place   between   the  of  rock,  which  fell  down  at  the  mouth  of 

mountains,  the  infidels  said,  He  thinks  to  the  straits,  so  that  they  perished  there  in  a 

make  an  end  of  us  after  three  days  ^  but  miserable  manner. 

we  will   be    beforehand   with   him;    and  59  Shower  of  stones,]  Seech.  vii.&  ch.xi. 

that  a  party  of  them  went  directly  to  the  62  A  bar.]     See  chap.  xxv.  verse  53. 

straits  above-mentioned,  thinking  to  exe-  The  word  Barzakh  is  not  used  here,  but 

cute  their  design,  but  were  terribly  disap-  another  of  equivalent  import. 

1  See  chap.  vii. 

o  2 


196  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

any  god  equal  with  the  true  God  ?  Yet  the  greater  part 
of  them  know  it  not.  ^^  Is  not  he  more  worthy  who 
heareth  the  afflicted,  when  he  calleth  upon  him,  and 
taketh  off  the  evil  which  distressed  him ;  and  who  hath 
made  you  the  successors  of  your  forefathers  in  the  earth  ? 
Is  there  any  other  god  who  can  be  equalled  with  the  true 
God  ?  How  few  consider  these  things  !  ^^  Is  not  he  more 
worthy  who  directeth  you  in  the  dark  paths  of  the  land 
and  of  the  sea;  and  who  sendeth  the  winds  driving  abroad 
the  clouds,  as  the  forerunners  of  his  mercy  ?  Is  there  any 
other  god  who  can  be  equalled  with  the  true  God  ?  Far 
be  God  from  having  those  partners  in  his  power  which 
ye  associate  with  him  !  ^^  Is  not  he  more  worthy,  who 
produceth  a  creature,  and  after  it  hath  been  dead,  re- 
storeth  it  to  life  ;  and  who  giveth  you  food  from  heaven 
and  earth  ?  Is  there  any  other  god  with  the  true  God, 
who  doth  this  ?  ^^  Say,  Produce  your  proof  thereof,  if  ye 
speak  truth.  Say,  None  either  in  heaven  or  earth 
knoweth  that  which  is  hidden,  besides  God  :  neither  do 
they  understand  when  they  shall  be  raised.  ^^  However 
their  knowledge  attaineth  some  notion  of  the  life  to  come, 
yet  they  are  in  an  uncertainty  concerning  the  same ;  yea, 
they  are  blind  as  to  the  real  circumstances  thereof. 
^'^  And  the  unbelievers  say.  When  we  and  our  forefathers 
shall  have  been  reduced  to  dust,  shall  we  be  taken  forth 
from  the  grave  ?  ^^  Verily  we  have  been  threatened  with 
this,  both  we  and  our  fathers,  heretofore.  This  is  no 
other  than  fables  of  the  ancients.  ^^  Say  unto  them, 
Pass  through  the  earth,  and  see  what  hath  been  the  end 
of  the  wicked.  ^^  And  be  not  thou  grieved  for  them ; 
neither  be  thou  in  any  concern  on  account  of  the  plots 
which  they  are  contriving  against  thee.  '^^  And  they 
say,  When  will  this  threat  be  accomplished,  if  ye  speak 
true  ?  ^^  Answer,  Peradventure  some  part  of  that  punish- 
ment, which  ye  desire  to  be  hastened,  may  follow  close 
behind  you  :  ^^  verily  thy  Lord  is  endued  with  indulgence 
towards  mankind ;  but  the  greater  part  of  them  are  not 
thankful.      ^^  Verily    thy    Lord    knoweth   what    their 

63   The  afflicted.]     Literally,  Him  who  some  notion  of  the  life  to  come,  yet,  &c.] 

is  driven  by  distress  to  implore   God's  as-  Or    the   words   may  be    translated   thus : 

sistance.  Yea,  their  knowledge  faileth  as  to  the  life 

67  However   their  knowledge   attaineth  to  come :  yea,  &c. 


XXVII.]  AL    KORAN.  197 

breasts  conceal,  and  what  they  discover ;  '^^  and  there 
is  nothing  hidden  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  but  it  is  written 
in  a  clear  book.  ^^  Verilv  this  Koran  declareth  unto 
the  children  of  Israel  most  of  those  points  concerning 
which  they  disagree :  ^^  and  it  is  certainly  a  direction, 
and  a  mercy  unto  the  true  believers.  ^^  Thy  Lord  will 
decide  the  controversy  between  them^  by  his  definitive 
sentence :  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^^  Therefore 
put  thy  trust  in  God  ;  for  thou  art  in  the  manifest  truth. 
^^  Verily  thou  shalt  not  make  the  dead  to  hear  ;  ^^  neither 
shalt  thou  make  the  deaf  to  hear  thy  call  to  the  true 
faith,  when  they  retire  and  turn  their  backs ;  neither 
shalt  thou  direct  the  blind  to  extricate  themselves  out  of 
their  error.  Thou  shalt  make  none  to  hear  thee,  except 
him  who  shall  believe  in  our  signs ;  and  they  are  wholly 
resigned  unto  us.  ^^  When  the  sentence  shall  be  ready 
to  fall  upon  them,  we  will  cause  a.  beast  to  come  forth 
unto  them  from  out  of  the  earth,  which  shall  speak  unto 
them :  verily  men  do  not  firmly  believe  in  our  signs. 
^^  On  the  day  of  resurrection  we  will  assemble,  out  of 
every  nation,  a  company  of  those  who  shall  have  charged 
our  signs  with  falsehood  ;  and  they  shall  be  prevented 
from  mixing  together,  until  they  shall  arrive  at  the  place 
of  judgment.  ^^  And  God  shall  say  unto  them.  Have  ye 
charged  my  signs  with  falsehood,  although  ye  compre- 
hended them  not  with  your  knowledge  ?  Or  what  is  it 
that  ye  were  doing  ?  ^^  And  the  sentence  of  damnation 
shall  fall  on  them,  for  that  they  have  acted  unjustly: 
and  they  shall  not  speak  in  their  own  excuse.  ^^  Do 
they  not  see  that  we  have  ordained  the  night,  that  they 
may  rest  therein,  and  the  day  giving  open  light  ?  Verily 
herein  are  signs  unto  people  who  believe.     ^^  On  that  day 

77  Most  of  those  points  concerning  which  sign  of  the  approach  of  the   day  of  judg- 

they  disagree.^     Snch  as  the  comparing  of  ment,  al  Jassasa,  or  the  Spy.    I  have  given 

God    to   sensible    things,    or    to    created  the    description    of    her    elsewhere  '^ ;    to 

beings  ;    the   removing    all  imperfections  which  should  be  added,  that  she  is  to  have 

from  the  description  of  the  Divine  Being  ;  two  wings. 

the  state  of  paradise  and  Viell ;  the  stories  —   Which  shall  speak  u7ito  them.]     Or, 

of  Ezra  and  Jesus  Christ,  &c.  ^  according  to  a  different  reading  (viz.  Tac-* 

83  J  beast.']     The  Mohammedans  call  limohom    instead   of    Tocallimoho7n)y    who 

this  beast,  whose  appearance  will  be  one  shall  wound  them  ^. 


^  Jl  Beiddwi.  ^  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  V.  ibid. 


198  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  trumpet  shall  be  sounded ;  and  whoever  are  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,  shall  be  struck  with  terror,  except  those 
whom  God  shall  please  to  exempt  therefrom:  and  all 
shall  come  before  him  in  humble  guise.  ^^  And  thou 
shalt  see  the  mountains,  and  shalt  think  them  firmly- 
fixed  ;  but  they  shall  pass  away,  even  as  the  clouds  pass 
away.  This  will  be  the  work  of  God,  who  hath  rightly 
disposed  all  things ;  and  he  is  well  acquainted  with  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^  Whoever  shall  have  wrought  righteous- 
ness, shall  receive  a  reward  beyond  the  desert  thereof; 
and  they  shall  be  secure  from  the  terror  of  that  day; 
^^  but  whoever  shall  have  wrought  evil,  shall  be  thrown 
on  their  faces  into  hell-fire.  Shall  ye  receive  the  reward 
of  any  other  than  of  that  which  ye  shall  have  wrought  ? 
^^  Verily  I  am  commanded  to  worship  the  Lord  of  this 
territory  of  Mecca,  who  hath  sanctified  the  same :  unto 
him  belong  all  things.  ^^  And  I  am  commanded  to  be  a 
Moslem,  and  to  rehearse  the  Koran  :  he  who  shall  be 
directed  thereby,  will  be  directed  to  his  own  advantage ; 
and  to  him  who  shall  go  astray,  say.  Verily  I  am  a  warner 
only.  And  say,  Praise  be  unto  God  !  he  will  shew  you 
his  signs,  and  ye  shall  know  them  :  and  thy  Lord  is  not 
regardless  of  that  which  they  do. 

88    Whom   God  shall  please  to  exempt  90    They  shall  be  secure  from  the  terror 

^^ere/roTW.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §iv.  Some  of  that  day.']     That  is,   from  the  fear  of 

say  the  persons  exempted  from  this  gene-  damnation  and  the  other  terrors  which  will 

ral  consternation,  will  be  the  angels  Ga-  disturb  the  wicked  ;    not  from  the  general 

briel,  Michael,  Israfil,  and  Izrael  ^ :  others  terror  or  consternation  before-mentioned, 

suppose  them  to  be  the  virgins  of  paradise,  93  He  will  shew  you  his  signs.]     Viz. 

and  the  angels  who  guard  that  place,  and  The  successes  of  the  true  believers  against 

carry  God's  throne  2 ;  and  others  will  have  the  infidels  ;    and  particularly  the  victory 

them  to  be  the  martyrs  ^,  of  Bedr. 

^  Jallalo'ddirij  al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  ^i^y^  Abbas. 


XX VIII.]  A L  KORAN.  199 


CHAPTER     XXVIII. 

INTITLED,    THE   STORY;    REVEALED   AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  T.  S.  M.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  perspicuous 
book.  ^  We  will  dictate  unto  thee,  O  Mohammed,  some 
parts  of  the  history  of  Moses  and  Pharaoh,  with  truth  ; 
for  the  sake  of  people  who  believe.  ^  Now  Pharaoh 
lifted  himself  up  in  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  and  he  caused 
his  subjects  to  be  divided  into  parties :  he  weakened  one 
party  of  them,  by  slaying  their  male  children,  and  pre- 
serving their  females  alive ;  for  he  was  an  oppressor. 
^  And  we  were  minded  to  be  gracious  unto  those  who 
were  weakened  in  the  land,  and  to  make  them  models 
of  religion ;  and  to  make  them  the  heirs  of  the  wealth 
of  Pharaoh  and  his  people,  ^  and  to  establish  a  place  for 
them  in  the  earth ;  and  to  shew  Pharaoh,  and  Haman, 
and  their  forces,  that  destruction  of  their  kingdom  and 
nation  by  them  which  they  sought  to  avoid.  ^  And  we 
directed  the  mother  of  Moses  by  revelation,  saying,  Give 
him  suck :  and  if  thou  fearest  for  him,  cast  him  into  the 

Title — Story. 1     The  title  is  taken  from  is  generally  inferred  that  Mohammed  has 

the  26th  verse,  where  Moses  is   said   to  here  made  Haman,  the  favourite  of  Ahas- 

have  related  the  story  of  his  adventures  to  uerus,  king   of  Persia,    and   who,  indis- 

Shoaib.  putably,  lived  many  ages  after  Moses,  to 

Title — Mecca.^^     Some  except  a  verse,  be  that  prophet's  contemporary.     But  how 

towards   the   latter   end,   beginning  with  probable  soever  this  mistake  may  seem  to 

these  words,  He  who  hath  given  thee  the  us,  it  will  be  very  hard,  if  not  impossible, 

Koran  for  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  &c.  to  convince  a  Mohammedan  of  it ;  for,  as 

1   T.  S.  M.~\  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  has  been  observed  in  a  parallel  case  2,  two 

4  He  divided  his  subjects  into  parties.']  very  different  persons  may  bear  the  same 

i.   e.    Either   into   companies,    that   they  name  ^. 

might  the  better  attend  his  order,  and  per-  —  That  destruction  by  them,  which  they 

form  the  services  exacted  of  them  ;  or  into  sought  to  avoid.]     For  Pharaoh  had  either 

opposite  factions,  to  prevent  their  attempt-  dreamed,  or  been  told  by  some  diviners, 

ing  any  thing  against  him,  to  deliver  them-  that  one  of  the  Hebrew  nation  should  be 

selves  from  his  tyranny  ^  the  ruin  of  his  kingdom :  which  prophecy 

—    One    party    of  them.]      Viz.    The  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  occasion  of 

Israelites.  his  cruelty  to  them*.     This  circumstance 

6    Haman.]      This    name   is   given   to  is  owing  to  the  invention  of  the  Jews  ^. 

Pharaoh's  chief  minister ;  from  whence  it  7   Give  him  suc/c]     It   is   related   that 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  2  ^qq  chap.  iii.  ^  V.  Reland.  de  Rel.  Moham  p.  217- 

*  See  chap.  vii.  ^  V.  Shalshel.  hakkab.  p.  11,  &  B.  Eliez.  Pirke,  c.  48. 


200  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

river ;  and  fear  not,  neither  be  afflicted ;  for  we  will 
restore  him  unto  thee,  and  will  appoint  him  one  of  our 
apostles.  ^  And  when  she  had  put  the  child  in  the  ark, 
and  had  cast  it  into  the  river,  the  family  of  Pharaoh 
took  him  up  ;  Providence  designing  that  he  should  be- 
come an  enemy,  and  a  sorrow  unto  them.  Verily 
Pharaoh  and  Haman,  and  their  forces,  were  sinners. 
^  And  the  wife  of  Pharaoh  said,  This  child  is  a  delight 
of  the  eye  to  me,  and  to  thee  :  kill  him  not ;  peradven- 
ture  it  may  happen  that  he  may  be  serviceable  unto  us ; 
or  we  may  adopt  him  for  our  son.  And  they  perceived 
not  the  consequence  of  what  they  were  doing.  ^^  And 
the  heart  of  the  mother  of  Moses  became  oppressed  with 
fear;  and  she  had  almost  discovered  him,  had  we  not 
armed  her  heart  with  constancy,  that  she  might  be  one 
of  those  who  believe  the  promises  of  God.  ^^  And  she 
said  unto  his  sister.  Follow  him.  And  she  watched  him 
at  a  distance ;  and  they  perceived  it  not.  ^^  And  we 
suffered  him  not  to  take  the  breasts  of  the  nurses  who 
were  provided  before  his  sister  came  up  :  and  she  said, 
Shall  I  direct  you  unto  some  of  his  nation,  who  may 
nurse  him  for  you,  and  will  be  careful  of  him  ?  And,  at 
their  desire,  she  brought  his  mother  to  them.  ^^  So  we 
restored  him  to  his  mother,  that  her  mind  might  be  set  at 
ease,  and  that  she  might  not  be  afflicted ;  and  that  she 
might  know  that  the  promise  of  God  was  true ;  but  the 
greater  part  of  mankind  know  not  the  truth.  ^^  And 
when  Moses  had  attained  his  age  of  full  strength,  and 
was  become  a  perfect  man,  we  bestowed  on  him  wisdom 
and  knowledge :  and  thus  do  we  reward  the  upright. 
^^  And  he  went  into  the  city,  at  a  time  when  the  inhabit- 
ants thereof  observed  not  what  passed  in  the  streets ;  and 

the  midwife  appointed  to  attend  the  He-  This  sudden  affection  or  admiration  was 

brew  women,  terrified  by  a  light  which  raised   in   them  either  by  his  uncommon 

appeared  between  the  eyes  of  Moses  at  his  beauty,  or  by  the  light  which  shone  on  his 

birth,  and  touched  with  an  extraordinary  forehead  ;  or  because,  when  they  opened 

affection   for  the  child,  did  not   discover  the  ark,  they  found  him  sucking  his  thumb, 

him  to  the  officers,  so  his  mother  kept  him  which  supplied  him  with  milk  2. 
in  her  house,  and  nursed  him  three  months;  12  His  sister.']     See  chap.  xx. 

after  which  it  was  impossible  for  her  to         15   When  the  inhabitants  observed  not, 

conceal   him  any  longer,   the   king  then  &c.]     Viz.  At  noon ;   at  which  time  it  is 

giving  orders  to  make  the  searches  more  usual,  in  those  countries,  for  people  to  re- 

strictly  1.  tire  to  sleep  ;  or,  as  others  rather  suppose, 

9  This  child  is  a  delight  of  our  eye.]  a  little  within  night. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,     See  the  notes  to  chap.  xx.  2  i^em,  Jallalo'ddin. 


XXVIII.]  AL   KORAN.  201 

he  found  therein  two  men  fighting ;  the  one  being  of  his 
own  party,  and  the  other  of  his  enemies.  And  he  who 
was  of  his  party,  begged  his  assistance  against  him  who 
was  of  the  contrary  party :  and  Moses  struck  him  with 
his  fist,  and  slew  him :  but  being  sorry  for  what  had  hap- 
pened, he  said.  This  is  of  the  work  of  the  devil ;  for  he  is 
a  seducing  and  an  open  enemy.  ^^  And  he  said,  O  Lord, 
verily  I  have  injured  my  own  soul :  wherefore  forgive  me. 
So  God  forgave  him;  for  he  is  ready  to  forgive,  and 
merciful.  ^^  He  said,  O  Lord,  by  the  favours  with  which 
thou  hast  favoured  me,  I  will  not  be  an  assistant  to  the 
wicked  for  the  future.  ^^  And  the  next  morning  he  was 
afraid  in  the  city,  and  looked  about  him,  as  one  apprehen- 
sive of  danger  ;  and  behold,  he  whom  he  had  assisted  the 
day  before,  cried  out  unto  him  for  help  a  second  time. 
But  Moses  said  unto  him.  Thou  art  plainly  a  quarrelsome 
fellow.  ^^  And  when  he  sought  to  lay  hold  on  him  who 
was  an  enemy  unto  them  both,  he  said,  O  Moses,  dost 
thou  intend  to  kill  me,  as  thou  killedst  a  man  yesterday  ? 
Thou  seekest  only  to  be  an  oppressor  in  the  earth,  and 
seekest  not  to  be  a  reconciler  of  quarrels.  ^^  And  a  cer- 
tain man  came  from  the  farther  part  of  the  city,  running 
hastily,  and  said,  O  Moses,  verily  the  magistrates  are  de- 
liberating concerning  thee,  to  put  thee  to  death ;  depart 
therefore  ;  I  certainly  advise  thee  well.  ^^  Wherefore  he 
departed  out  of  the  city  in  great  fear,  looking  this  way, 
and  that,  lest  he  should  be  pursued.  And  he  said,  O  Lord, 
deliver  me  from  the  unjust  people.  ^^  And  when  he  was 
journeying  towards  Madian,  he  said,  Peradventure  my 
Lord  will  direct  me  in  the  right  way.     ^^  And  when  he 

—  The  one  being  of  his  own  party,  and  that  he  was  going  to  strike  him ;  and  others, 
the  other  of  his  enemies.']  i.  e.  The  one  by  the  Egyptian,  who  either  knew  or  sus- 
being  an  Israelite,  of  his  own  religion  and  pected  that  Moses  had  killed  his  country- 
nation,  and  the  other  an  idolatrous  Egyp-  man  the  day  before. 

tian.  20  A  certain  man,']     This  person,  says 

—  This  is  the  work  of  the  devil.]  Mo-  the  tradition,  was  an  Egyptian,  and  Pha- 
hammed  allows  that  Moses  killed  the  raoh's  uncle's  son,  but  a  true  believer; 
Egyptian  wrongfully ;  but,  to  excuse  it,  who  finding  that  the  king  had  been  in- 
supposes  that  he  struck  him  without  de-  formed  of  what  Moses  had  done,  and  de- 
signing to  kill  him.  signed    to   put   him  to    death,   gave  him 

19  He  said,  0  Moses,  wilt  thou  kill  me,  immediate  notice  to  provide  for  his  safety 

&c.]     Some   suppose  these  words  to  have  by  flight. 

been  spoken  by  the  Israelite,  who,  because  22  Peradventure  my  Lord  will  direct  me, 

Moses   had   reprimanded   him,   imagined  &c.]     For  Moses  knew  not  the  way ;  and 


Jl  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo'ddin. 


202  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

arrived  at  the  water  of  Madian,  he  found  about  the  well 
a  company  of  men,  who  were  watering  their  flocks.  ^*  And 
he  found,  besides  them,  two  women,  who  kept  off  their 
sheep  at  a  distance.  And  he  said  unto  them.  What  is 
the  matter  with  you?  They  answered,  We  shall  not 
water  our  flock,  until  the  shepherds  shall  have  driven 
away  theirs ;  for  our  father  is  an  old  man,  stricken  in 
years.  ^^  So  Moses  watered  their  sheep  for  them ;  and 
afterwards  retired  to  the  shade,  saying,  O  Lord,  verily  I 
stand  in  need  of  the  good  which  thou  shalt  send  down 
unto  me.  ^^  And  one  of  the  damsels  came  unto  him, 
walking  bashfully,  and  said.  My  father  calleth  thee,  that 
he  may  recompense  thee  for  the  trouble  which  thou  hast 
taken  in  watering  our  sheep  for  us.  And  when  he  was 
come  unto  Shoaib,  and  had  told  him  the  story  of  his 
adventures,  he  said  unto  him.  Fear  not ;  thou  hast  escaped 
from  unjust  people.  ^'^  And  one  of  the  damsels  said.  My 
father,  hire  him  for  certain  wages  :  the  best  servant  thou 
canst  hire,  is  an  able  and  trusty  person.  ^^  And  Shoaib 
said  unto  Moses,  Verily  I  will  give  thee  one  of  these  my 
two  daughters  in  marriage,  on  condition  that  thou  serve 
me  for  hire  eight  years:  and  if  thou  fulfil  ten  years,  it  is 
in  thine  own  breast ;  for  I  seek  not  to  impose  a  hardship 
on  thee :  and  thou  shalt  find  me,  if  God  please,  a  man  of 
probity.  ^^  Moses  answered.  Let  this  be  the  covenant 
between  me  and  thee:  whichsoever  of  the  two  terms  I  shall 
fulfil,  let  it  be  no  crime  in  me  if  I  then  quit  thy  service ; 
and  God  is  witness  of  that  which  we  say.  ^^  And  when 
Moses  had  fulfilled  the  term,  and  was  journeying  with  his 

coming  to  a  place  where  three  roads  met,  filra  (or  Zipporah)  the  elder,  or,  as  others 

committed  himself  to  the  guidance  of  God,  suppose  the  younger,  daughter  of  Shoaib, 

and  took  the  middle  road,  which  was  the  whom  Moses  afterwards  married, 

right;  Providence  likewise  so  ordering  it,  27  -^n  able  and  trusty  person.'\     The 

that  his  pursuers  took  the  other  two  roads,  girl,  being  asked  by  her  father  how  she 

and  missed  him  ^.     Some  say  that  he  was  knew  Moses  deserved  this  character,  told 

led  by  an  angel  in  the  appearance  of  a  him  that  he  had  removed  the  vast  stone 

traveller  2.  above-mentioned,  without  any  assistance  ; 

25  Moses  watered  their  sheep  for  them,']  and  that  he  looked  not  in  her  face,  but 
By  rolling  away  a  stone  of  prodigious  held  down  his  head  till  he  had  heard  her 
weight,  which  had  been  laid  over  the  message ;  and  desired  her  to  walk  behind 
mouth  of  the  well  by  the  shepherds,  and  him,  because  the  wind  ruffled  her  garments 
required  no  less  than  seven  men  (though  a  little,  and  discovered  some  part  of  her 
some  name  a  much  larger  number)  to  re-  legs  2. 

move  it  *.  30   When  Moses  had  fulfilled  the  term,"] 

26  One  of  the  damsels,]     This  was  Se-     Viz.  The  longest  term,  of  ten  years.     The 

^  Jallalo' ddiuy  Yahya,  ^  lidem. 


XXVIII.]  AL   KORAN.  203 

family  towards  Egypt,  he  saw  fire  on  the  side  of  mount 
Sinai.  And  he  said  unto  his  family.  Tarry  ye  here ;  for  I 
see  fire :  peradventure  I  may  bring  you  thence  some 
tidings  of  the  way,  or  at  least  a  brand  out  of  the  fire,  that 
ye  may  be  warmed.  ^^  And  when  he  was  come  thereto  a 
voice  cried  unto  him  from  the  right  side  of  the  valley,  in 
the  sacred  bottom,  from  the  tree,  saying,  O  Moses,  verily 
I  am  God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures ;  ^^  cast  down  now 
thy  rod.  And  when  he  saw  that  it  moved,  as  though  it 
had  been  a  serpent,  he  retreated  and  fled,  and  returned 
not.  And  God  said  unto  him,  O  Moses,  draw  near,  and 
fear  not ;  for  thou  art  safe.  '  ^^  Put  thy  hand  into  thy 
bosom,  and  it  shall  come  forth  white,  without  any  hurt : 
and  draw  back  thy  hand  unto  thee  which  thou  stretchest 
forth  for  fear.  These  shall  be  two  evident  signs  from  thy 
Lord,  unto  Pharaoh  and  his  princes;  for  they  are  a 
wicked  people.  ^^  Moses  said,  O  Lord,  verily  I  have 
slain  one  of  them,  and  I  fear  they  will  put  me  to  death : 
^^  but  my  brother  Aaron  is  of  a  more  eloquent  tongue 
than  I  am  ;  wherefore  send  him  with  me  for  an  assistant, 
that  he  may  gain  me  credit ;  for  I  fear  lest  they  accuse 
me  of  imposture.  ^^  God  said,  We  will  strengthen  thy 
arm  by  thy  brother,  and  we  will  give  each  of  you  extra- 
ordinary power,  so  that  they  shall  not  come  up  to  you  in 
our  signs.  Ye  two,  and  whoever  shall  follow  you,  shall 
be  the  conquerors.  ^'^  And  when  Moses  came  unto  them 
with  our  evident  signs,  they  said,  This  is  no  other  than  a 
deceitful  piece  of  sorcery :  neither  have  we  heard  of  any 
thing  like  this  among  our  forefathers.  ^^  And  Moses 
said,  My  Lord  best  knoweth  who  cometh  with  a  direction 
from  him  ;  and  who  shall  have  success  in  this  life,  as  well 
as  the  next :  but  the  unjust  shall  not  prosper.  ^^  And 
Pharaoh  said,  O  princes,  I  did  not  know  that  ye  had  any 
other  god  besides  me.     Wherefore  do  thou,  O  Haman, 

Mohammedans  say,  after  the  Jews  ^  that  —  I  see  fire.']     See  chap.  xx. 

Moses  received  from  Shoaib  the  rod  of  the  33  Draw    back   thy   hand.]     Literally, 

prophets  (which  was  a  branch  of  a  myrtle  thy  wing.     The  expression   alludes  to  the 

of  paradise,  and  had   descended  to   him  action  of  birds,  which  stretch  forth  their 

from  Adam)  to  keep  off  the  wild  beasts  wings  to  fly  away  when  they  are  frighted, 

from  his  sheep  ;  and   that   this  was    the  and  fold  them  together  again  when  they 

rod  with  which  he    performed  all    those  think  themselves  secure  ^. 

wonders  in  Egypt.  39  Any  other  god.]     See  chap.  xxvi. 

1  Shalsh.  hakkab.  p.  12.  R.  Eliez.  Pirke.  c.  40,  &'c.  2  ji  Beiddivi. 


204  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

burn  me  clay  into  bricks ;  and  build  me  a  high  tower,  that 
I  may  ascend  unto  the  God  of  Moses  :  for  I  verily  be- 
lieve him  to  be  a  liar.     ^^  And  both  he  and  his  forces 
behaved  themselves  insolently  and  unjustly  in  the  earth ; 
and  imagined  that  they  should  not  be  brought  before  us 
to  be  judged.     ^^  Wherefore  we  took  him  and  his  forces, 
and  cast  them  into  the  sea.     Behold,  therefore,  what  was 
the  end  of  the  unjust.     ^^  And  we  made  them  deceitful 
guides,  inviting  their  followers  to  hell-fire  ;  and  on  the 
day   of   resurrection   they  shall   not   be    screened  from 
punishment.     ^^  We  pursued  them  with  a  curse  in  this 
life  ;  and  on  the  day  of  resurrection  they  shall  be  shame- 
fully rejected.     ^^  And  we  gave  the  book  of  the  law  unto 
Moses,  after  we  had  destroyed  the  former  generations,  to 
enlighten  the  minds  of  men,  and  for  a  direction,  and  a 
mercy  ;  that  peradventure  they  might  consider.     ^^  Thou, 
O  prophet,  wast  not  on  the  west  side  of  mount  Sinai, 
when  we  delivered  Moses  his  commission :  neither  wast 
thou  o^e  of  those  who  were  present  at  his  receiving  it : 
^^  but  we  raised  up  several  generations  after  Moses  ;  and 
life  was  prolonged  unto  them.     Neither  didst  thou  dwell 
among  the  inhabitants  of  Madian,  rehearsing  unto  them 
our  signs ;  but  we  have  sent  thee  fully  instructed  in  every 
particular.     ^^  Nor  wast  thou  present  on  the  side  of  the 
mount,  when  we  called  unto  Moses  :  but  thou  art  sent  as 
a  mercy  from  thy  Lord,  that  thou  mightest  preach  unto  a 
people  to  whom  no  preacher  hath  come  before  thee,  that 
peradventure  they  may  be  warned  ;  ^^  and  lest,  if  a  cala- 
mity had  befallen  them,  for  that  which  their  hands  had 
previously  committed,  they  should  have  said,  O  Lord, 
since  thou  hast  not  sent  an  apostle  unto  us,  that  we  might 
follow  thy  signs,  and  become  true  believers,  are  we  not 

39  A  high  tower.']     It  is  said  that  Ha-  that  he  had  killed  the  God  of  Moses ;  but 

man,   having   prepared   bricks  and   other  at  sunset  God  sent  the  angel  Gabriel,  who 

materials,    employed    no    less    than     fifty  with  one    stroke   of  his  wing  demolished 

thousand  men,   besides  labourers,  in  the  the    tower,    a    part    whereof,   falling   on 

building;   which  they   carried  to  so  im-  the  king's  army,  destroyed  a  million  of 

mense  an  height,  that  the  workmen  could  men  ^. 

no  longer  stand  on  it :  that  Pharaoh,  as-  47    Unto  a  people  to  whom  no  preacher 

cending  this  tower,  threw  a  javelin  towards  hath  come   before  thee.]     That  is,  to  the 

heaven,  which  fell  back  again  stained  with  Arabians ;  to  whom  no  prophet  had  been 

blood,  whereupon   he   impiously   boasted  sent,  at  least  since  Ismael. 


^  Al  Zamahhshari. 


XXVIII.]  A  L    KORAN.  205 

excusable?  ^^Yet  when  the  truth  is  come  unto  them 
from  before  us,  they  say,  Unless  he  receive  the  same 
power  to  work  miracles  as  Moses  received,  we  will  not 
believe.  Have  they  not  likewise  rejected  the  revelation 
which  was  heretofore  given  unto  Moses  ?  They  say.  Two 
cunning  impostures  have  mutually  assisted  one  another : 
and  they  say,  Verily  we  reject  them  both.  ^^  Say,  Pro- 
duce therefore  a  book  from  God,  which  is  more  right  than 
these  two,  that  I  may  follow  it ;  if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^  But 
if  they  return  thee  no  answer,  know  that  they  only  fol- 
low their  own  desires :  and  who  erreth  more  widely  from 
the  truth  than  he  who  folio weth  his  own  desire,  without  a 
direction  from  God  ?  verily  God  directeth  not  the  unjust 
people.  ^^  And  now  have  we  caused  our  word  to  come 
unto  them,  that  they  may  be  admonished.  ^^  They  unto 
whom  we  have  given  the  scriptures  which  were  revealed 
before  it,  believe  in  the  same  ;  ^^  and  when  it  is  read  unto 
them,  say.  We  believe  therein  ;  it  is  certainly  the  truth 
from  our  Lord  :  verily  we  were  Moslems  before  this. 
^^  They  shall  receive  their  reward  twice,  because  they 
have  persevered,  and  repel  evil  by  good,  and  distribute 
alms  out  of  that  which  we  have  bestowed  on  them  ;  ^^  and 
when  they  hear  vain  discourse,  avoid  the  same,  saying, 
We  have  our  works,  and  ye  have  your  works  :  peace  be 
on  you ;  we  covet  not  the  acquaintance  of  the  ignorant. 
^^  Verily  thou  canst  not  direct  whom  thou  wilt :  but  God 
directeth  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  he  best  knoweth  those 
who  will  submit  to  be  directed.  ^^  The  Meccans  say.  If 
we  follow  the    same   direction  with    thee,  we   shall    be 

49  Two  cunning  imposturesJ]    Viz.  The         bQ  Peace   be  on  you.~\     This  phrase  is 

Pentateuch  and  the  Koran.     Some  copies  used   here   not   as   a   salutation,  but  as  a 

read,  Two  impostors,  meaning  Moses  and  gentle  mode  of  declining  further  conversa- 

Mohammed.  tion. 

54  We  were  Moslems  before  this. 1  Hold-  58  If  we  follow  thy  direction,  we  shall 
ing  the  same  faith  in  fundamentals,  before  be  forcibly  expelled  our  land.'\  This  objec- 
the  revelation  of  the  Koran,  which  we  re-  tion  was  made  by  Al  Hareth  Ebn  Othman 
ceived  because  it  is  consonant  to  the  scrip-  Ebn  Nawfal  Ebn  Abd  Menaf,  who  came 
tures,  and  attested  to  by  them.  The  pas-  to  Mohammed,  and  told  him  that  the  Ko- 
sage  intends  those  Jews  and  Christians  reish  believed  he  preached  the  truth,  but 
who  had  embraced  Mohammedism.  were  apprehensive,  that,  if  they  made  the 

55  These  shall  receive  their  reward  Arabs  their  enemies  by  quitting  their  reli- 
twice.l  Because  they  have  believed  both  gion,  they  would  be  obliged  likewise  to 
in  their  own  scriptures,  and  in  the  Ko-  quit  Mecca  ;  being  but  a  handful  of  men, 
ran.  in  comparison  to  the  whole  nation  *. 

^  A I  Beiddwi, 


206  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

forcibly  expelled  our  land.  Have  we  not  established  for 
them  a  secure  asylum  ?  to  which  fruits  of  every  sort  are 
brought,  as  a  provision  of  our  bounty ;  but  the  greater 
part  of  them  do  not  understand.  ^^  How  many  cities 
have  we  destroyed,  whose  inhabitants  lived  in  ease  and 
plenty  ?  and  these  their  dwellings  are  not  inhabited  after 
them,  unless  for  a  little  while :  and  we  were  the  inheritors 
of  their  wealth.  ^^  But  thy  Lord  did  not  destroy  those 
cities,  until  he  had  sent  unto  their  capital  an  apostle,  to 
rehearse  our  signs  unto  them:  neither  did  we  destroy 
those  cities,  unless  their  inhabitants  were  injurious  to  their 
apostle.  ^^  The  things  which  are  given  you,  are  the  pro- 
visions of  this  present  life,  and  the  pomp  thereof;  but 
that  which  is  with  God,  is  better  and  more  durable :  will 
ye  not  therefore  understand  ?  ^^  Shall  he  then,  unto 
whom  we  have  promised  an  excellent  promise  of  future 
happiness,  and  who  shall  attain  the  same,  be  as  he  on 
whom  we  have  bestowed  the  provision  of  this  present  life, 
and  who,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  shall  be  one  of  those 
who  are  delivered  up  to  eternal  punishment  ?  ^^  On  that 
day  God  shall  call  unto  them,  and  shall  say.  Where  are 
my  partners,  which  ye  imagined  to  be  so  ?  ^*  And  they 
upon  whom  the  sentence  of  damnation  shall  be  justly  pro- 
nounced, shall  answer.  These,  O  Lord,  are  those  whom 
we  seduced :  w^e  seduced  them  as  we  also  had  been  se- 
duced :  but  now  we  clearly  quit  them,  and  turn  unto  thee. 
They  did  not  worship  us,  but  their  own  lusts.  And  it 
shall  be  said  unto  the  idolaters.  Call  now  upon  those 
whom  ye  associated  with  God  :  and  they  shall  call  upon 
them,  but  they  shall  not  answer  them ;  and  they  shall  see 
the  punishment  prepared  for  them,  and  shall  wish  that 
they  had  submitted  to  be  directed.  ^^  On  that  day  God 
shall  call  unto  them,  and  shall  say,  What  answer  did  ye 

58  Have  we  not  established  for  them  a  of  those  ancient  cities  and  dwellings  being 
secure  asylum  ?]  By  giving  them  for  their  utterly  desolate,  and  others  thinly  inhabited, 
habitation  the  sacred  territory  of  Mecca,  a  —  We  were  the  inheritors  of  their 
place  protected  by  God,  and  reverenced  by  wealth.~\  There  being  none  left  to  enjoy 
man.  it  after  them. 

59  Unless  for  a  little  while.']  That  is,  64  They  did  not  worship  us.]  The  Mo- 
for  a  day,  or  a  few  hours  only,  while  hammedans  believe  that  on  the  day  of 
travellers  stay  there  to  rest  and  refresh  judgment  God  will  enable  the  idols  to 
themselves ;  or,  as  the  original  may  also  speak,  that  they  may  reprove  the  folly  of 
signify,  unless  by  a  few  inhabitants :  some  their  worshippers. 


XXVIII.]  AL   KORAN.  207 

return  to  our  messengers  ?  ^^  But  they  shall  not  be  able 
to  give  an  account  thereof  on  that  day  ;  neither  shall  they 
ask  one  another  for  information.  ^^  Howbeit  v^hoso  shall 
repent  and  believe,  and  shall  do  that  which  is  right,  may 
expect  to  be  happy.  ^^  Thy  Lord  createth  what  he 
pleaseth ;  and  chooseth  freely  :  but  they  have  no  free 
choice.  Praise  be  unto  God  ;  and  far  be  he  removed 
from  the  idols  which  they  associate  with  him  !  ^^  Thy 
Lord  knoweth  both  the  secret  malice  which  their  breasts 
conceal,  and  the  open  hatred  which  they  discover.  ^^  He 
is  God  ;  there  is  no  God  but  he.  Unto  him  is  the  praise 
due,  both  in  this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come  :  unto 
him  doth  judgment  belong ;  and  before  him  shall  ye  be 
assembled  at  the  last  day.  ^^  Say,  What  think  ye  ?  If 
God  should  cover  you  with  perpetual  night  until  the  day 
of  resurrection ;  what  god,  besides  God,  would  bring  you 
light  ?  Will  ye  not  therefore  hearken  ?  ^^  Say,  What 
think  ye  ?  If  God  should  give  you  continual  day,  until 
the  day  of  resurrection ;  what  god,  besides  God,  would 
bring  you  night,  that  ye  might  rest  therein?  Will  ye 
not  therefore  consider  ?  ^^  Of  his  mercy  he  hath  made 
for  you  the  night  and  the  day,  that  ye  may  rest  in  the 
one,  and  may  seek  to  obtain  provision  for  yourselves  of 
his  abundance,  by  your  industry,  in  the  other ;  and  that 
ye  may  give  thanks.  ^*  On  a  certain  day  God  shall  call 
unto  them,  and  shall  say.  Where  are  my  partners,  which 
ye  imagined  to  share  the  divine  power  with  me?  ^^  And 
we  will  produce  a  witness  out  of  every  nation,  and  will  say, 
Bring  hither  your  proof  of  what  ye  have  asserted.  And  they 
shall  know  that  the  right  is  God's  alone ;  and  the  deities 
which  they  have  devised  shall  abandon  them."  ^^  Karun  was 
of  the  people  of  Moses  ;  but  he  behaved  insolently  towards 

66*  They  shall  not  be  able  to  give  an  ac-  same  with   the    Korah   of  the  scriptures. 

cou7it    thereof,']     Literally,    The    account  This  person  is  represented  by  them  as  the 

thereof  shall  be  dark  unto  them ;  for  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Israelites,  and  so  far 

consternation   they  shall   then   be  under,  surpassing  them  all  in  opulency,  that  the 

will  render  them  stupid,  and  unable  to  re-  riches  of  Karun  have  become  a  proverb, 

turn  an  answer.  The    Mohammedans  are  indebted  to   the 

75  A  witness  out  of  every  nation.]  Viz.  Jews  for  this  last  circumstance,  to  which 
The  prophet  who  shall  have  been  sent  to  they  have  added  several  other  fables:  for 
each  nation.  they  tell  us  that  he  built  a  large  palace 

76  Karun  was  of  the  people  of  Moses.]  overlaid  with  gold,  the  doors  whereof  were 
The  commentators  say,  Karun  was  the  of  massy  gold  ;  that  he  became  so  insolent, 
son  of  Yeshar  (or  Izhar)  the  uncle  of  because  of  his  immense  riches,  as  to  raise 
Moses ;  and  consequently  make  him  the  a   sedition   against  Moses ;    though  some 

8 


208 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap, 


them :  for  we  had  given  him  so  much  treasure  that  his 
keys  would  have  loaded  several  strong  men.  AVhen  his 
people  said  unto  him,  Rejoice  not  immoderately ;  for 
God  loveth  not  those  who  rejoice  in  their  riches  immo- 
derately :  ^^  but  seek  to  attain,  by  means  of  the  wealth 
which  God  hath  given  thee,  the  future  mansion  of  para- 
dise. And  forget  not  thy  portion  in  this  world ;  but  be 
thou  bounteous  unto  others,  as  God  hath  been  bounteous 
unto  thee :  and  seek  not  to  act  corruptly  in  the  earth ; 
for  God  loveth  not  the  corrupt  doers.  ^^  He  answered, 
I  have  received  these  riches,  only  because  of  the  know- 
ledge which  is  with  me.  Did  he  not  know  that  God 
had  already  destroyed,  before  him,  several  generations, 
who  were  mightier  than  he  in  strength,  and  had  amassed 
more  abundance  of  riches  ?  And  the  wicked  shall  not  be 
asked  to  discover  their  crimes.  ^^  And  Karun  went 
forth  unto  his  people,  in  his  pomp.     And  they  who  loved 


pretend  the  occasion  of  his  rebellion  to 
have  been  his  unwillingness  to  give  alms, 
as  Moses  had  commanded :  that  one  day 
when  that  prophet  was  preaching  to  the 
people,  and,  among  other  laws  which  he 
published,  declared  that  adulterers  should 
be  stoned,  Karun  asked  him,  what  if  he 
should  be  found  guilty  of  the  same  crime  ? 
to  which  Moses  answered,  that  in  such 
case  he  would  suffer  the  same  punishment ; 
and  thereupon  Karun  produced  a  harlot, 
whom  he  had  hired  to  swear  that  Moses 
had  lain  with  her,  and  charged  him  pub- 
licly with  it;  but  on  Moses's  adjuring  the 
woman  to  speak  the  truth,  her  resolution 
failed  her,  and  she  confessed  that  she  was 
suborned  by  Karun  to  accuse  him  wrong- 
fully ;  that  then  God  directed  Moses,  who 
had  complained  to  him  of  this  usage,  to 
command  the  earth  what  he  pleased,  and 
it  should  obey  him ;  whereupon  he  said, 
O  earth,  swallow  them  up  !  and  that  im- 
mediately the  earth  opened  under  Karun 
and  his  confederates,  and  swallowed  them 
up,  with  his  palace  and  all  his  riches  ^. 
There  goes  a  tradition,  that  as  Karun  sunk 
gradually  into  the  ground,  first  to  his 
knees,  then  to  his  waist,  then  to  his  neck, 
he  cried  out  four  several  times,  O  Moses, 
have  mercy  on  fine  !  but  that  Moses  con- 
tinued to  say,  O  earth,  swallow  them  up, 
till  at  last  he  wholly  disappeared :  upon 


which  God  said  to  Moses,  Thou  hadst  no 
mercy  on  Karun,  though  he  asked  pardon 
of  thee  four  times  ;  but  I  would  have  had 
compassion  on  him  if  he  had  asked  pardon 
of  me  but  once  ^. 

76  Several  men.']  The  original  word 
properly  signifies  any  number  of  persons 
from  ten  to  forty.  Some  pretend  these 
keys  were  a  sufficient  load  for  seventy 
men  ;  and  Abu'lfeda  says  forty  mules  used 
to  be  employed  to  carry  them. 

77  ^y  means  of  the  wealthy  &c.]  This 
passage  is  parallel  to  that  in  the  New 
Testament,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of 
the  mammon  of  unrighteousness  ;  that 
when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into 
everlasting  habitations  ^. 

78  Because  of  the  knowledge  which  is 
with  me.'\  For  some  say  he  was  the  most 
learned  of  all  the  Israelites,  and  the  best 
versed  in  the  law,  after  Moses  and  Aaron. 
Others  pretend  he  was  skilled  in  chemistry, 
or  in  merchandising,  or  other  arts  of  gain ; 
and  others  suppose  (as  the  Jews  also  fable  *) 
that  he  found  out  the  treasures  of  Joseph 
in  Egypt^ 

79  In  his  pomp.]  It  is  said  he  rode 
on  a  white  mule,  adorned  with  trap- 
pings of  gold ;  and  that  he  was  clothed 
in  purple,  and  attended  by  four  thou- 
sand men,  all  well  mounted,  and  richly 
dressed. 


^  Abu'lfeda,  Jallalo^ddin,  al  Beiddwi,  &c. 
Orient.  Art.  Carun.  ^  Luke  xvi.  9. 

*  Jallald'  ddin,  al  Beiddwi. 


2  Al  Beiddwi.     V.  D'Herhel.  Bibl. 
*  V.  R.  Ghedal  Shalsh.  hakkab.  p.  13. 


XXVIII.]  AL    KORAN.  209 

this  present  life  said.  Oh  that  we  had  the  like  wealth  as 
had  been  given  unto  Karun  !  Verily  he  is  master  of  a 
great  fortune.  But  those  on  whom  knowledge  had  been 
bestowed,  answered,  Alas  for  you  !  The  reward  of  God  in 
the  next  life,  will  be  better  unto  him  who  shall  believe 
and  do  good  works :  but  none  shall  attain  the  same, 
except  those  who  persevere  with  constancy.  ^^  And  we 
caused  the  ground  to  cleave  in  sunder,  and  to  swallow  up 
him  and  his  palace :  and  he  had  no  forces  to  defend  him, 
besides  God  ;  neither  was  he  rescued  from  punishment. 
^^  And  the  next  morning,  those  who  had  coveted  his 
condition  the  day  before,  said.  Aha !  verily  God  bestoweth 
abundant  provision  on  such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth  ; 
and  he  is  sparing  unto  w^hom  he  pleaseth.  Unless  God 
had  been  gracious  unto  us,  certainly  the  earth  had  swal- 
lowed us  up  also.  Aha  !  the  unbelievers  shall  not  prosper. 
^^  As  to  this  future  mansion  of  paradise,  we  will  give  it 
unto  them  who  seek  not  to  exalt  themselves  in  the  earth, 
or  to  do  wrong;  for  the  happy  issue  shall  attend  the 
pious.  ^^  Whoso  doth  good,  shall  receive  a  reward  which 
shall  exceed  the  merit  thereof;  but  as  to  him  who  doth 
evil,  they  who  work  evil  shall  be  rewarded  according  to 
the  merit  only  of  that  which  they  shall  have  wrought. 
^^  Verily  he  who  hath  given  thee  the  Koean  for  a  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  will  certainly  bring  thee  back  home 
unto  Mecca.  Say,  My  Lord  best  knoweth  who  cometh 
with  a  true  direction,  and  who  is  in  a  manifest  error. 
^^  Thou  didst  not  expect  that  the  book  of  the  Koran 
should  be  delivered  unto  thee  :  but  thou  hast  received  it 
through  the  mercy  of  thy  Lord.  ^^  Be  not  therefore 
assisting  to  the  unbelievers  ;  neither  let  them  turn  thee 
aside  from  the  signs  of  God,  after  they  have  been  sent 
down  unto  thee  :  and  invite  men  unto  thy  Lord.  ^^  And 
be  not  thou  an  idolater ;  neither  invoke  any  other  god, 
together  with  the  true  God  :  th^§.  is  no  god  but  he. 
Every  thing  shall  perish,  except  iilnself :  unto  him  be- 
longeth  judgment ;  and  before  him  shall  ye  be  assembled 
at  the  last  day. 

84  He  who  hath  given  thee  the  Kordyi,  med  when  he  arrived  at  Johfa,  in  his 
will  bring  thee  hack  unto  Mecca.']  This  flight  from  Mecca  to  Medina,  to  comfort 
verse,  some  say,  was  revealed  to  Moham-     him,  and  still  his  complaints, 

VOL.  II.  P 


210  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

INTITLED,    THE    SPIDER;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  ^  Do  men  imagine  that  it  shall  be  sufficient 
for  them  to  say.  We  believe ;  while  they  be  not  proved  ? 
^  We  heretofore  proved  those  who  were  before  them ; 
for  God  will  surely  know  them  who  are  sincere,  and  he 
will  surely  know  the  liars.  *  Do  they  who  work  evil 
think  that  they  shall  prevent  us  from  taking  vengeance 
on  them?  An  ill  judgment  do  they  make.  ^  Whoso 
hopeth  to  meet  God,  verily  God's  appointed  time  will 
certainly  come  ;  and  he  both  heareth  and  knoAveth. 
^  Whoever  striveth  to  promote  the  true  religion,  striveth 
for  the  advantage  of  his  own  soul ;  for  God  needeth  not 
any  of  his  creatures :  ^  and  as  to  those  who  believe  and 
work  righteousness,  we  will  expiate  their  evil  deeds  from 
them  ;  and  we  will  give  them  a  reward  according  to  the 
utmost  merit  of  their  actions.  ^  We  have  commanded 
man  to  shew  kindness  towards  his  parents  :  but  if  they 
endeavour  to  prevail  with  thee  to  associate  with  me  that 
concerning  which  thou  hast  no  knowledge,  obey  them 

Title — Spider.']     Transient  mention  is  were  necessary  to  distinguish  the  sincere 

made  of  this  insect  towards  the  middle  of  person  from  the  hypocrite,  and  the  steady 

the  chapter.  from  the  wavering.     Some  suppose  it  to 

Title — Mecca.']     Some  think   the   first  have    been   occasioned   by   the   death   of 

ten  verses,  ending  with  these  words,  And  Mahja,  Omar's  slave,  killed  by  an  arrow 

he  well  knoweth  the  hypocrites,  were  re-  at  the  battle  of  Bedr,  which  was  deeply 

vealed  at  Medina,  and  the  rest  at  Mecca ;  lamented,  and  laid  to  heart,  by  his  wife 

and  others  believe  the  reverse.  and  parents  ^. 

1  A.L.  M.]   See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.         8  If  they  endeavour  to  prevail  with  thee 

2  That  it  shall  he  sufficient  for  them.]  to  associate  with  me  that  concerning  which 
Literally,  that  they  shall  he  let  alone,  thou  hast  no  knowledge.]  That  is,  if  they 
&c.  endeavour  to  pervert  thee  to  idolatry.    The 

—  While   they  he  not  proved.]     This  passage  is  said  to  have  been  revealed  on 

passage  reprehends  the  impatience  of  some  account  of  Saad  Ebn  Abi  Wakkas  and  his 

of  the   prophet's  companions,   under  the  mother  Hamna,  who,  when  she  heard  that 

hardships  which  they  sustained,  in  defence  her   son   had   embraced    Mohammedism, 

of  their  religion,  and  the  losses  which  they  swore  that  she  would  neither  eat  nor  drink 

suffered   from   the  infidels;    representing  till  he  returned  to  his  old  religion,  and 

to  them,  that  such  trials  and   afflictions  kept  her  oath  for  three  days  2. 


1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XXIX.]  A  L     KORAN.  211 

not.  Unto  me  shall  ye  return ;  and  I  will  declare  unto 
you  what  ye  have  done.  ^  Those  who  shall  believe,  and 
shall  work  righteousness,  we  will  surely  introduce  into 
paradise,  among  the  upright.  ^^  There  are  some  men  who 
say.  We  believe  in  God  ;  but  when  such  a  one  is  afflicted 
for  God's  sake,  he  esteemeth  the  persecution  of  men  to 
be  as  grievous  as  the  punishment  of  God.  Yet  if  success 
cometh  from  thy  Lord,  they  say.  Verily  we  are  with  you. 
Doth  not  God  well  know  that  which  is  in  the  breasts  of 
his  creatures  ?  ^^  Verily  God  well  knoweth  the  true 
believers,  and  he  well  knoweth  the  hypocrites.  ^^  The 
unbelievers  say  unto  those  who  believe.  Follow  our  way ; 
and  we  will  bear  your  sins.  Howbeit  they  shall  not  bear 
any  part  of  their  sins ;  for  they  are  liars  :  ^^  but  they  shall 
surely  bear  their  own  burdens,  and  other  burdens  besides 
their  own  burdens ;  and  they  shall  be  examined,  on  the 
day  of  resurrection,  concerning  that  which  they  have 
falsely  devised.  ^^  We  heretofore  sent  Noah  unto  his 
people  ;  and  he  tarried  among  them  one  thousand  years, 
save  fifty  years ;  and  the  deluge  took  them  away,  while 
they  were  acting  unjustly ;  ^^  but  we  delivered  him  and 
those  who  were  in  the  ark,  and  we  made  the  same  a  sign 
unto  all  creatures.  ^^  We  also  sent  Abraham  ;  when  he 
said  unto  his  people.  Serve  God,  and  fear  him  :  this  will 
be  better  for  you  ;  if  ye  understand.  ^^  Ye  only  worship 
idols  besides  God,  and  forge  a  lie.  Verily  those  which 
ye  worship  besides  God,  are  not  able  to  make  any  pro- 
vision for  you :  seek  therefore  your  provision  from  God  ; 

13  Other  burdens  besides  their  own.'\  length  of  his  life  was  a  thousand  and  fifty 
Viz.  The  guilt  of  seducing  others,  which  '  years  ;  that  his  mission  happened  in  the 
shall  be  added  to  the  guilt  of  their  own  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  and  that  he  lived 
obstinacy,  without  diminishing  the  guilt  after  the  flood  sixty  years  ^ :  and  others 
of  such  as  shall  be  seduced  by  them.  give  different  numbers  ;  one,  in  particular, 

14  Noah  tarried  among  his  people  nine  pretending  that  Noah  lived  near  sixteen 
hundred  and  fifty  years.']     This  is  true,  if    hundred  years  2. 

the  whole  life  of  Noah  be  reckoned ;  and         This  circumstance,  says  al  Beidawi,  was 

accordingly  Abu'lfeda  says  he  was  sent  to  mentioned  to  encourage  Mohammed,  and 

preach  in  his  two  hundred   and  fiftieth  to  assure  him   that  God,  who  supported 

year,  and  that  he  lived  in  all  nine  hundred  Noah  so  many  years  against  the  opposition 

and  fifty  :  but  the  text  seeming  to  speak  and    plots    of  the    antediluvian    infidels, 

of  those  years  only,  which   he  spent  in  would  not  fail  to  defend  him  against  all 

preaching   to    the    wicked  Antediluvians,  attempts   of  the  idolatrous   Meccans   and 

the  commentators   suppose  him   to    have  their  partisans, 
lived  much  longer.     Some  say  the  whole         15  The  same.']  i.  e.  The  aik. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Zamakh.  2  Caa&,  apud  Yahvam, 

p2 


2\2  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

and   serve  him,  and  give  thanks  unto  him ;    unto  him 
shall   ye   return.      ^^  If  ye    charge    me   v^ith   imposture, 
verily  sundry  nations  before  you  likewise  charged  their 
prophets  with  imposture  :    but  public  preaching  only  is 
incumbent  on  an  apostle.      ^^  Do  they  not  see  how^  God 
produceth    creatures,    and    afterwards    restoreth    them  ? 
Verily  this  is   easy  with  God.     ^^  Say,  Go  through  the 
earth,  and  see  how  he    originally  produceth   creatures; 
afterwards  will  God  re-produce  another  production ;   for 
God  is  almighty.     ^^  He  will  punish  whom  he  pleaseth, 
and  he  will  have  mercy  on  whom  he  pleaseth.      ^^  Before 
him  shall  ye  be  brought  at  the  day  of  judgment :  and  ye 
shall  not  escape  his  reach,  either  in  earth  or  in  heaven ; 
neither  shall  ye   have    any  patron    or   defender  besides 
God.     ^^  As  for  those  who  believe  not  in  the  signs  of 
God,   or  that  they  shall  meet  him  at  the  resurrection, 
they  shall  despair  of  my  mercy,  and  for  them  is  a  painful 
punishment  prepared.     ^^  And  the  answer  of  his  people 
was  no  other  than  that  they  said.  Slay  him,  or  burn  him. 
But  God  saved   him  from  the  fire.     Verily  herein  were 
signs  unto  people  who  believed.      ^^  And  Abraham  said, 
Ye  have  taken  idols,  besides  God,  to  cement  affection 
between  you  in  this  life :  but  on  the  day  of  resurrection, 
the  one  of  you  shall  deny  the  other,  and  the  one  of  you 
shall  curse  the  other ;  and  your  abode  shall  be  hell-fire, 
and  there   shall  be  none   to    deliver  you.      ^^  And  Lot 
believed  on  him.     And  Abraham  said,  Verily,  I  fly  from 
my  people,  unto  the  place  which  my  Lord  hath  com- 
manded me ;    for  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.      ^^  And  we 
gave  him  Isaac,  and  Jacob  ;    and  we  placed  among  his 
descendants   the   gift  of  prophecy  and    the    scriptures : 
and  we  gave  him  his  reward  in  this  world ;   and  in  the 

18  If  ye  charge  me  with  imposture f  &c.]  The  infidels  are  bid  to  consider  how  God 
This  seems  to  be  part  of  Abraham's  speech  causeth  the  fruits  of  the  earth  to  spring 
to  his  people  :  but  some  suppose  that  God  forth,  and  reneweth  them  every  year  as 
here  speaks  by  way  of  apostrophe,  first  to  in  the  preceding  ;  which  is  an  argument  of 
the  Koreish,  and  afterwards  to  Moham-  his  power  to  raise  man,  whom  he  created 
med  ;  and  that  the  parenthesis  is  continued  at  first,  to  life  again  after  death,  at  his  own 
to  these  words,   And  the    answer   of  his  appointed  time. 

people  was  no  other,  &c.     In  which  case  22    Escape    his    reach.^       See     Psalm 

we  should  have  said.  If  ye   charge   Mo-  cxxxix.  T,  &c. 

hammed    your    apostle    with    imposture,         24    From    the  Jire.'\      Into   which   the 

&c.  idolaters,  according  to  the  Rabbinical  tra- 

19  Do  they  7ioi  see  hoiv  God  produceth  ditions,  threw  Abraham  for  insulting  their 
creatures,  and  afterwards  restoreth  them  ?^  divinities. 


XXIX.]  AL   KORAN.  213 

next  he  shall  be  one  of  the  righteous,  ^^  We  also  sent 
Lot  ;  when  he  said  unto  his  people.  Do  ye  commit 
filthiness  which  no  creature  hath  committed  before  you? 
^^  Do  ye  approach  lustfully  unto  men,  and  lay  wait  in  the 
highways,  and  commit  wickedness  in  your  assembly  ? 
And  the  answer  of  his  people  was  no  other  than  that  they 
said,  Bring  down  the  vengeance  of  God  upon  us,  if  thou 
speakest  truth.  ^^  Lot  said,  O  Lord,  defend  me  against 
the  corrupt  people.  ^^  And  when  our  messengers  came 
unto  Abraham  with  good  tidings,  they  said.  We  will 
surely  destroy  the  inhabitants  of  this  city ;  for  the  inha- 
bitants thereof  are  unjust  doers.  ^^  Abraham  answered, 
Verily  Lot  dwelleth  there.  They  replied.  We  well 
know  who  dwelleth  therein  :  we  will  surely  deliver  him 
and  his  family,  except  his  wife ;  she  shall  be  one  of  those 
who  remain  behind.  ^^  And  when  our  messengers  came 
unto  Lot,  he  was  troubled  for  them,  and  his  arm  was 
straitened  concerning  them.  But  they  said,  Fear  not, 
neither  be  grieved ;  for  we  will  deliver  thee  and  thy 
family,  except  thy  wife ;  for  she  shall  be  one  of  those  who 
remain  behind.  ^^  We  will  surely  bring  down  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  this  city  vengeance  from  heaven,  for  that 
they  have  been  wicked  doers  :  '^^  and  we  have  left  thereof 
a  manifest  sign  unto  people  who  understand.  ^^  And 
unto  the  inhabitants  of  Madian  we  sent  their  brother 
Shoaib  ;  and  he  said  unto  them,  O  my  people,  serve 
God,  and  expect  the  last  day ;  and  transgress  not,  acting 
corruptly  in  the  earth.  ^^  But  they  accused  him  of 
imposture  :  wherefore  a  storm  from  heaven  assailed  them, 
and  in  the  morning  they  were  found  in  their  dwellings 
dead  and  prostrate.  ^^  And  we  also  destroyed  the  tribes 
of  Ad  and  Thamud  :  and  this  is  well  known  unto  you 
from  what  yet  remains  of  their  dwellings.  And  Satan 
prepared  their  works  for  them ;   and  turned  them  aside 

29    And   lay  wait   in    the   highways.^         35    We  have  left  thereof  a  sign.']     Viz. 

Some  suppose   the  Sodomites  robbed  and  The  story  of  its  destruction,  handed  down 

murdered  the  passengers;  others,  that  they  by  common  tradition  ;  or  else  its  ruins,  or 

unnaturally  abused  their  bodies.  some  other  footsteps  of  this   signal  judg- 

—  And  commit  wickedtiess  in  your  as-  ment :   it  being  pretended  that  several  of 

sembly.]     Their  meetings  being  scenes  of  the  stones,  which  fell  from  heaven  on  those 

obscenity  and  riot.  cities,  are  still   to   be  seen,  and  that  the 

31    Good  tidings.']  The  promise  of  Isaac,  ground   where   they  stood  appears   burnt 

33  His  arm  was  straitened]      That  is,  and  blackish. 
He  could  not  protect  them.  37  Storm.]      See  Shoaib  in  Index 


214  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

from  the  way  of  truth ;  although  they  were  sagacious 
people.       ^^  And    we    likewise    destroyed    Karun,    and 
Pharaoh,  and  Haman.      Moses  came  unto  them  with 
evident   miracles  ;    and  they  behaved  themselves   inso- 
lently  on   the    earth :    but   they  could   not    escape  our 
vengeance.     ^^  Every  one  of  them  did  we  destroy  in  his 
sin.     Against   some   of  them   we  sent    a  violent  wind: 
some  of  them  did  a  terrible  noise  from  heaven  destroy : 
some  of  them  did  we  cause  the   earth  to  swallow  up: 
and  some  of  them  we  drowned.     Neither  was  God  dis- 
posed to   treat  them  unjustly;    but  they  dealt  unjustly 
with  their  own  souls.     ^^  The  likeness  of  those  who  take 
other   patrons  besides  God,    is  as  the   likeness   of  the 
spider,  which  maketh  herself  a  house  :   but  the  weakest 
of  all  houses  surely  is  the  house   of  the  spider ;  if  they 
knew  this.     ^^  Moreover  God  knoweth  what  things  they 
invoke,  besides  him  ;    and  he  is   the  mighty,  the  wise. 
^^  These  similitudes  do  we  propound  unto  men  :  but  none 
understand  them,  except  the  wise.     ^^  God  hath  created 
the  heavens   and   the  earth  in  truth :   verily  herein  is  a 
sign  unto  the  true  believers.     [*XXI.]    ^^  Rehearse  that 
which  hath  been  revealed  unto  thee  of  the  book  of  the 
Koran  ;  and  be  constant  in  prayer ;  for  prayer  preserveth 
a  man  from  filthy  crimes,  and  from  that  which  is  blame- 
able  ;    and  the  remembering  of  God  is  surely  a  most 
important    duty.       God    knoweth    that    which    ye    do. 
^^  Dispute  not  against  those  who  have  received  the  scrip- 
tures, unless  in  the  mildest  manner  ;   except  against  such 
of  them  as  behave  injuriously  towards  you :  and  say.  We 
believe  in  the  revelation  which   hath  been  sent   down 
unto  us,  and  also  in  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto 
you:    our  God   and   your   God    is    one,    and  unto  him 
are  we  resigned.     ^^  Thus  have  we   sent  down  the  book 
of  the  Koran  unto  thee :  and  they  unto  whom  we  have 

40   Against   some   of  them   we   sent   a  earth  to  swallow   up.'\      As    it    did    Ka- 

violent  wind.']    The  original  word  properly  run. 

signifies  a  wind  that  drives  the  gravel  and  —  Some  of  them  we  drowned.']     As  the 

small  stones  before  it ;  by  which  the  storm,  unbelievers  in  Noah's  time,  and  Pharaoh 

or    shower    of  stones,    which  destroyed  and  his  army. 

Sodom   and  Gomorrah,   seems  to  be   in-  46  In  the  mildest  manner.]  i.  e.  Without 

tended.  ill  language,  or  passion.  This  verse  is  gene- 

—  Some  of  them   did  a  terrible  7ioise  rally  supposed  to  have  been  abrogated  by 
from  heaven  destroy.]    Which  was  the  end  that  of  the  sword ;  though  some  think  it 

of  Ad  and  Thamud.  relates  only  to  those  who  are  in  alliance 

—  Some   of    them    did  we   cause    the     with  the  Moslems. 


XXIX.]  AL    KORAN.  215 

given  the  former  scriptures,  believe  therein  ;  and  of 
these  Arabians  also  there  is  who  believeth  therein  ;  and 
none  reject  our  signs,  except  the  obstinate  infidels. 
*^  Thou  couldest  not  read  any  book  before  this ;  neither 
couldest  thou  write  it  with  thy  right  hand :  then  had  the 
gainsayers  justly  doubted  of  the  divine  original  thereof 
^^  But  the  same  is  evident  signs  in  the  breasts  of  those 
who  have  received  understanding ;  for  none  reject  our 
signs,  except  the  unjust.  ^^  They  say.  Unless  a  sign  be 
sent  down  unto  him  from  his  Lord,  we  will  not  believe. 
Answer,  Signs  are  in  the  power  of  God  alone ;  and  I  am 
no  more  than  a  public  preacher.  ^^  Is  it  not  sufficient  for 
them  that  we  have  sent  down  unto  thee  the  book  of  the 
Koran,  to  be  read  unto  them  ?  Verily  herein  is  a  mercy, 
and  an  admonition  unto  people  who  believe.  ^^  Say,  God 
is  a  suflficient  witness  between  me  and  you ;  he  knoweth 
whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth ;  and  those  who  believe 
in  vain  idols,  and  deny  God,  they  shall  perish.  ^^  They 
will  urge  thee  to  hasten  the  punishment  which  they  defy 
thee  to  bring  down  upon  them.  If  there  had  not  been  a 
determined  time  for  their  respite,  the  punishment  had 
come  upon  them  before  this ;  but  it  shall  surely  overtake 
them  suddenly,  and  they  shall  not  foresee  it.  ^^  They 
urge  thee  to  bring  down  vengeance  swiftly  upon  them : 
but  hell  shall  surely  encompass  the  unbelievers.  ^^  On  a 
certain  day  their  punishment  shall  suddenly  assail  them, 
both  from  above  them,  and  from  under  their  feet,  and 
God  shall  say.  Taste  ye  the  reward  of  that  which  ye  have 
wrought.  ^^  O  my  servants,  who  have  believed,  verily  my 
earth  is  spacious ;  wherefore  serve  me.  ^'^  Every  soul  shall 
taste  death  ;  afterwards  shall  ye  return  unto  us :  ^^  and  as 
for  those  who  shall  have  believed,  and  wrought  righteous- 
ness, we  shall  surely  lodge  them  in  the  higher  apartments 
of  paradise :  rivers  shall  flow  beneath  them,  and  they 
shall  continue  therein  for  ever.     ^^  How  excellent  will  be 

53  The  punishment,  &c.]     The  unbe-  safety;  for  the  earth  is  wide  enough,  and 

lieving  Koreish  taunted  Mohammed  for  his  ye  may  easily  find  places  of  refuge.     Mo- 

inability  to  punish  them  supernaturally.  hammed  is  said    to  have  declared,  That 

56  My  earth  is  spacious ;  wherefore  serve  whoever  flies  for  the  sake  of  his  religion, 

meJ^     That  is,  If  ye  cannot  serve  me  in  though  he  stir  but  the  distance  of  a  span, 

one   city   or   country,   fly    unto   another,  merits  paradise,  and  shall  be  the  compa- 

where  ye  may  profess  the  true  religion  in  nion  of  Abraham  and  of  himself  ^ 

^  At  Beiddwi. 


216  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

the  reward  of  the  workers  of  righteousness ;  who  persevere 
with  patience,  and  put  their  trust  in  their  Lord  !  ^^  How 
many  beasts  are  there  which  provide  not  their  food  ?  It 
is  God  who  provideth  food  for  them,  and  for  you ;  and  he 
both  heareth  and  knoweth.  ^^  Verily,  if  thou  ask  the 
Meccans,  who  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
and  hath  obliged  the  sun  and  the  moon  to  serve  in  their 
courses  ;  they  will  answer,  God.  How  therefore  do  they 
lie,  in  acknowledging  of  other  gods  ?  ^^  God  maketh 
abundant  provision  for  such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth; 
and  is  sparing  unto  him,  if  he  pleaseth :  for  God  knoweth 
all  things.  ^^  Verily  if  thou  ask  them,  who  sendeth  rain 
from  heaven,  and  thereby  quickeneth  the  earth,  after  it 
hath  been  dead ;  they  will  answer,  God.  Say,  God  be 
praised  !  But  the  greater  part  of  them  do  not  under- 
stand. ^^  This  present  life  is  no  other  than  a  toy,  and  a 
plaything ;  but  the  future  mansion  of  paradise  is  life  in- 
deed :  if  they  knew  this,  they  would  not  prefer  the  former 
to  the  latter.  ^^  When  they  sail  in  a  ship,  they  call  upon 
God,  sincerely  exhibiting  unto  him  the  true  religion ;  but 
when  he  bringeth  them  safe  to  land,  behold,  they  return 
to  their  idolatry ;  ^^  to  show  themselves  ungrateful  for 
that  which  we  have  bestowed  on  them,  and  that  they  may 
enjoy  the  delights  of  this  life  ;  but  they  shall  hereafter 
know  the  issue.  ^^  Do  they  not  see  that  we  have  made 
the  territory  of  Mecca  an  inviolable  and  secure  asylum, 
when  men  are  spoiled  in  the  countries  round  about  them? 
Do  they  therefore  believe  in  that  which  is  vain,  and 
acknowledge  not  the  goodness  of  God  ?  ^^  But  who  is 
more  unjust  than  he  who  deviseth  a  lie  against  God,  or 
denieth  the  truth,  when  it  hath  come  unto  him  ?  Is  there 
not  in  hell  an  abode  for  the  unbelievers  ?  Whoever  do 
their  utmost  endeavour  to  promote  our  true  religion,  we 
will  direct  them  in  our  ways :  for  God  is  with  the  righteous. 

62  God  knoweth  all  thhigs.]     And  particularly  who  will  make  a  good,  and  who 
will  make  a  bad,  use  of  their  riches. 


XXX.] 


AL   KORAN. 


217 


CHAPTER  XXX, 


INTITLED,  THE  GREEKS  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.     ^  The  Greeks  have  been  overcome  :   ^  they 
have  been  conquered  by  the  Persians,  in  the  nearest  part 


Title — Greeks.']  The  original  word  is 
al  Rum:  by  which  the  later  Greeks,  or 
subjects  of  the  Constantinopolitan  empire, 
are  here  meant:  though  the  Arabs  give 
the  same  name  also  to  the  Romans,  and 
other  Europeans. 

Title — Mecca.']  Some  except  the  verse 
beginning  at  these  words,  Praise  be  unto 
God. 

1  A.  L.  M,]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 

2  The  Greeks  have  been  overcome  hy  the 
Persia7is,  &c.]  Of  the  accomplishment  of 
the  prophecy  contained  in  this  passage, 
which  is  very  famous  among  the  Moham- 
medans, being  insisted  on  by  their  doctors 
as  a  convincing  proof  that  the  Koran  really 
came  down  from  heaven,  it  may  be  ex- 
cusable to  be  a  little  particular. 

The  passage  is  said  to  have  been  re- 
vealed on  occasion  of  a  great  victory 
obtained  by  the  Persians  over  the  Greeks, 
the  news  whereof  coming  to  Mecca,  the  in- 
fidels became  strangely  elated,  and  began 
to  abuse  Mohammed  and  his  followers, 
imagining  that  this  success  of  the  Persians, 
who,  like  themselves,  were  idolaters,  and 
supposed  to  have  no  scriptures,  against  the 
Christians,  who  pretended,  as  well  as  Mo- 
hammed, to  worship  one  God,  and  to  have 
divine  scriptures,  was  an  earnest  of  their 
own  future  successes  against  the  prophet 
and  those  of  his  religion :  to  check  which 
vain  hopes,  it  was  foretold,  in  the  words  of 
the  text,  that  how  improbable  soever  it 
might  seem,  yet  the  scale  should  be  turned 
in  a  few  years,  and  the  vanquished  Greeks 
prevail  as  remarkably  against  the  Persians. 

That  this  prophecy  was  exactly  fulfilled, 
the  commentators  fail  not  to  observe, 
though  they  do  not  exactly  agree  in  the 
accounts  they  give  of  its  accomplishment ; 
the  number  of  years  between  the  two 
actions  being  not  precisely  determined. 
Some  place  the  victory  gained  by  the  Per- 
sians in  the  fifth  year  before  the  Hejra, 
and  their  defeat  by  the  Greeks  in  the  se- 
cond year  after  it,  when  the  battle  of  Bedr 


was  fought  * :  others  place  the  former  in 
the  third  or  fourth  year  before  the  Hejra, 
and  the  latter  in  the  end  of  the  sixth,  or 
beginning  of  the  seventh  year  of  it,  when 
the  expedition  of  al  Hodeibiyah  was  un- 
dertaken 2. 

The  date  of  the  victory  gained  by  the 
Greeks,  in  the  first  of  these  accounts,  in- 
terferes with  a  story  which  the  commen- 
tators tell,  of  a  wager  laid  by  Abu  Beer 
with  Obba  Ebn  Khalf,  who  turned  this 
prophecy  into  ridicule.  Abu  Beer  at  first 
laid  ten  young  camels  that  the  Persians 
should  receive  an  overthrow  within  three 
years  ;  but  on  his  acquainting  Mohammed 
with  what  he  had  done,  that  prophet  told 
him  that  the  word  '  bed,*  made  use  of  in 
this  passage,  signified  no  determinate 
number  of  years,  but  any  number  from 
three  to  nine,  (though  some  suppose  the 
tenth  year  is  included,)  and  therefore  ad- 
vised him  to  prolong  the  time,  and  to  raise 
the  wager;  which  he  accordingly  proposed 
to  Obba,  and  they  agreed  that  the  time  as- 
signed should  be  nine  years,  and  the  wager 
an  hundred  camels.  Before  the  time  was 
elapsed,  Obba  died  of  a  wound  he  had  re- 
ceived at  Ohod,  in  the  third  year  of  the 
Hejra  ^  ;  but  the  event  afterwards  showing 
that  Abu  Beer  had  won,  he  received  the 
camels  of  Obba's  heirs,  and  brought  them 
in  triuxTQph  to  Mohammed  *. 

History  informs  us,  that  the  successes  of 
Khosru  Parviz,  king  of  Persia,  who  carried 
on  a  terrible  war  against  the  Greek  em- 
pire, to  revenge  the  death  of  Maurice,  his 
father-in-law,  slain  by  Phocas,  were  very 
great,  and  continued  in  an  uninterrupted 
course  for  two-and-twenty  years.  Parti- 
cularly in  the  year  of  Christ  615,  about 
the  beginning  of  the  sixth  year  before  the 
Hejra,  the  Persians  having  the  preceding 
year  conquered  Syria,  made  themselves 
masters  of  Palestine,  and  took  Jerusalem  ; 
which  seems  to  be  that  signal  advantage 
gained  over  the  Greeks  mentioned  in  this 
passage,  as  agreeing  best  with  the  terms 


^  Jallalo' ddin, 
note  28. 


&c.  '^  Al  Zamak 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin^ 


h.  Al  Beiddwi. 
&c. 


See  chap,  xxv. 


218  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

of  the  land ;  but  after  their  defeat,  they  shall  overcome  the 
others  in  their  turn,  within  a  few  years.  ^  Unto  God  be- 
longeth  the  disposal  of  this  matter,  both  for  what  is  past  and 
for  what  is  to  come :  and  on  that  day  shall  the  believers 
rejoice  in  the  success  granted  by  God  ;  ^  for  he  granteth 
success  unto  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the 
merciful.  ^  This  is  the  promise  of  God  :  God  will  not  act 
contrary  to  his  promise :  but  the  greater  part  of  men 
know  not  the  veracity  of  God.  ^  They  know  the  outward 
appearance  of  this  present  life ;  but  they  are  careless  as 
to  the  life  to  come.  ^  Do  they  not  consider  within  them- 
selves, that  God  hath  not  created  the  heavens  and  earth, 
and  whatever  is  between  them,  otherwise  than  in  truth, 
and  hath  set  them  a  determined  period  ?  Verily  a  great 
number  of  men  reject  the  belief  of  their  future  meeting 
their  Lord  at  the  resurrection.  ^  Do  they  not  pass 
through  the  earth,  and  see  what  hath  been  the  end  of 
those  who  were  before  them  ?  They  excelled  the  Mec- 
CANS  in  strength,  and  broke  up  the  earth,  and  inhabited  it 
in  greater  affluence  and  prosperity  than  they  inhabit  the 
same  :  and  their  apostles  came  unto  them  with  evident 
miracles ;  and  God  was  not  disposed  to  treat  them  unjustly, 
but  they  injured  their  own  souls  by  their  obstinate  infi- 
delity ;  ^^  and  the  end  of  those  who  had  done  evil,  was 

here  used,  and  most  likely  to  alarm  the  death  of  Khosru.     For  more  exact  inform- 

Arabs,  by  reason  of  their  vicinity  to  the  ation  in  these   matters,  and  more  nicely 

scene  of  action  :  and  there  was   so  little  fixing  the  dates,  either  so  as  to  correspond 

probability,  at  the  time,  of  the  Greeks  be-  with,   or  to  overturn,  this  pretended  pro- 

ing  able  to  retrieve  their  losses,  much  less  phecy,  (neither  of  which  is  my  business 

to  distress  the  Persians,  that  in  the  follow-  here,)  the  reader  may  have  recourse  to 

ing  years  the  arms  of  the  latter  made  still  the  historians  and  chronologers  ^ 
farther  and  more  considerable  progresses,         3  In  the  nearest 'part  of  the  land, ^  Some 

and  at  length  they  laid  siege  to  Constanti-  interpreters,  supposing  that  the  land  here 

nople  itself.     But  in  the  year  625,  in  which  meant  is  the  land  of  iVrabia,  or  else  that 

the  fourth  year  of  the  Hejra  began,  about  of  the  Greeks,  place  the  scene  of  action  in 

ten  years  after  the  taking  of  Jerusalem,  the  confines  of  Arabia  and  Syria,  near  Bos- 

the  Greeks,  when  it  was  least  expected,  tra  and  x\dhraat  ^  ;  others  imagine  the  land 

gained  a  remarkable  victory  over  the  Per-  of  Persia  is  intended,  and  lay  the  scene 

sians,  and  not  only  obliged  them  to  quit  in   Mesopotamia,  on  the  frontiers  of  that 

the  territories  of  the  empire,  by  carrying  kingdom^:  but    Ebn   Abbas,    with   more 

the  war  into  their  own  country,  but  drove  probability,    thinks     it    was     in     Pales- 

them  to  the  last  extremity,  and  spoiled  the  tine. 

capital  city  al   Madayen  ;  Heraclius    en-         9  And  broke  up  the  earth.~\     To  dig  for 

joying,  thenceforward,  a  continued  series  water  and  minerals,  and  to  till  the  ground 

of  good   fortune,    to   the    deposition   and  for  seed,  &c.  *. 

*  V.  etiam  Asseman.  Bibl.  Orient,  t.  3.  Part  i.   p.  411,  &c.  and  Boulainv.  Vie  de 
Mahom.  p.  333,  &c.  ^  Yahya,  al  Beiddwu  ^  Mojahedj  apud  Zamakh. 

Jallalo* ddin,  *  /4l  Beiddwi. 


XXX.]  AL   KORAN.  219 

evil ;  because  they  charged  the  signs  of  God  with  false-^ 
hood,  and  laughed  the  same  to  scorn.  ^^  God  produceth 
creatures,  and  will  hereafter  restore  them  to  life :  then 
shall  ye  return  unto  him.  ^^  And  on  the  day  whereon  the 
hour  shall  come,  the  wicked  shall  be  struck  dumb  for 
despair  :  ^^  and  they  shall  have  no  intercessors  from  among^ 
the  idols  which  they  associated  with  God  ;  and  they  shall 
deny  the  false  gods  which  they  associated  with  him. 
^^  On  the  day  whereon  the  hour  shall  come,  on  that  day 
shall  the  true  believers  and  the  infidels  be  separated : 
^^  and  they  who  shall  have  believed,  and  wrought  righte-^ 
ousness,  shall  take  their  pleasure  in  a  delightful  meadow ; 
^^  but  as  for  those  who  shall  have  disbelieved,  and  rejected 
our  signs,  and  the  meeting  of  the  next  life,  they  shall  be 
delivered  up  to  punishment.  ^^  Wherefore  glorify  God, 
when  the  evening  overtaketh  you,  and  when  ye  rise  in  the 
morning :  ^^  and  unto  him  be  praise  in  heaven  and  earth ; 
and  at  sunset,  and  when  ye  rest  at  noon.  ^^  He  bringeth 
forth  the  living  out  of  the  dead,  and  he  bringeth  forth  the 
dead  out  of  the  living  ;  and  he  quickeneth  the  earth  after 
it  hath  been  dead  :  and  in  like  manner  shall  ye  be  brought 
forth  from  your  graves.  ^^  Of  his  signs  one  is,  that  he 
hath  created  you  of  dust :  and  behold,  ye  are  become 
men,  spread  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  ^^  And  of  his 
signs  another  is,  that  he  hath  created  for  you,  out  of  your- 
selves wives,  that  ye  may  cohabit  with  them ;  and  hath 
put  love  and  compassion  between  you :  verily  herein  are 
signs  unto  people  who  consider.  ^^  And  of  his  signs  are 
also  the  creation  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  the 
variety  of  your  languages,  and  of  your  complexions : 
verily  herein  are  signs  unto  men  of  understanding.  ^^  And 
of  his  signs  are  your  sleeping  by  night  and  by  day,  and 
your  seeking  to  provide  for  yourselves  of  his  abundance  : 
verily  herein  are  signs  unto  people  who  hearken.     ^^  Of 

17  Glorify    God  in   the    evenings    &c.]  19  Living  from  the  dead,  &c.]     As  man 

Some  are  of  opinion,  that  the  five  times  of  from  seed,  and  birds  from  the  egg. 
prayer  are  intended  in  this  passage  ;  the         22  The  variety  of  your  languages  and 

evening  including  the  time    both   of  the  complexions. ~\     Which  are  certainly  most 

prayer  of  sunset,  and  of  the  evening  prayer  w^onderful,  and,  as  I  conceive,  very  hard  to 

properly  so  called;  and  the  word  I  have  be  accounted  for,  if  we  allow  the  several 

rendered  at  sunset,  marking  the  hour  of  nations  in  the  world  to  be  all  the  offspring 

afternoon    prayer,   since   it   may    be    ap-  of  one  man,  as  we  are  assured  by  scripture 

plied    also    to    the    time    a   little    before  they  are,  without  having  recourse  to  the 

sunset.  immediate  omnipotency  of  God. 


220  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

his  signs  others  are,  that  he  showeth  you  the  lightning, 
to  strike  terror,  and  to  give  hope  of  rain,  and  that  he 
sendeth  down  water  from  heaven,  and  quickeneth  thereby 
the  earth,  after  it  hath  been  dead :  verily  herein  are  signs 
unto  people  who  understand.  ^^  And  of  his  signs  this  also 
is  one,  namely,  that  the  heaven  and  the  earth  stand  firm 
at  his  command :  hereafter,  when  he  shall  call  vou  out  of 
the  earth  at  one  summons,  behold,  ye  shall  come  forth. 
^^  Unto  him  are  subject  whosoever  are  in  the  heavens  and 
on  earth :  all  are  obedient  unto  him.  ^^  It  is  he  who 
originally  produceth  a  creature,  and  afterwards  restoreth 
the  same  to  life :  and  this  is  most  easy  with  him.  He 
justly  challengeth  the  most  exalted  comparison  in  heaven 
and  earth ;  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^^  He  pro- 
poundeth  unto  you  a  comparison  taken  from  yourselves. 
Have  ye,  among  the  slaves  whom  your  right  hands  pos- 
sess, any  partner  in  the  substance  which  we  have  bestowed 
on  you,  so  that  ye  become  equal  sharers  therein  with 
them,  or  that  ye  fear  them  as  ye  fear  one  another  ?  Thus 
do  we  distinctly  explain  our  signs  unto  people  who  under- 
stand. ^^  But  those  who  act  unjustly,  by  attributing 
companions  unto  God,  follow  their  own  lusts,  wdthout 
knowledge  ;  and  who  shall  direct  him  whom  God  shall 
cause  to  err  ?  They  shall  have  none  to  help  them. 
^^  Wherefore  be  thou  orthodox,  and  set  thy  face  towards 
the  true  religion,  the  institution  of  God,  to  which  he  hath 
created  mankind  disposed :  there  is  no  change  in  what 
God  hath  created.  This  is  the  right  religion  :  but  the 
greater  part  of  men  know  it  not.  ^^  And  be  ye  turned 
unto  him,  and  fear  him,  and  be  constant  at  prayer,  and  be 
not  idolaters.  ^^  Of  those  who  have  made  a  schism  in 
their  religion,  and  are  divided  into  various  sects,  every 
sect  rejoice  in  their  own  opinion.  ^^  When  adversity  be- 
falleth  men,  they  call  upon  their  Lord,  turning  unto  him: 

27  He  justhj  challengeth  the  most  exalted  The  immutable  law,  or  rule,  to  which  man 
comparison^  &c.]  That  is,  In  speaking  of  is  naturally  disposed  to  conform,  and  which 
him,  we  ought  to  make  use  of  the  most  every  one  would  embrace,  as  most  fit  for  a 
noble  and  magnificent  expressions  we  can  rational  creature,  if  it  were  not  for  the 
possibly  devise.  prejudices  of  education.     The  Mohamme- 

28  The  slaves  you  possess.']  Idols  are  dans  have  a  tradition,  that  their  prophet 
compared  to  slaves,  because  they  cannot  used  to  say.  That  every  person  is  born 
act  independently.  naturally  disposed  to  become  a  Moslem  ; 

30  The  institution  of  God,  to  which  he  but  that  a  man's  parents  make  him  a  Jew, 
haih  created  mankind  disposed y  &c,]     i.  e.     a  Christian,  or  a  Magian. 


xxx.J  AL    KORAN.  221 

afterwards  when  he  hath    caused  them  to  taste  of  his 
mercy,  behold,  a  part  of  them  associate  other  deities  with 
their    Lord  ;  "^  to   shew  themselves   ungrateful   for    the 
favours  which  ye  have  bestowed  on  them.     Enjoy  there- 
fore the  vain  pleasures  of  this  life ;  but  hereafter  shall  ye 
know  the  consequence.     ^^  Have  we  sent  down  unto  them 
any  authority,  which  speaketh  of  the   false  gods  which 
they  associate  with  him?     ^^When  we    cause   men   to 
taste  mercy,  they  rejoice  therein ;  but  if  evil  befalleth 
them,  for  that  which  their  hands  have  before  committed, 
behold,  they  despair.     ^^  Do  they  not  see  that  God  be- 
stow^eth  provision  abundantly  on  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  is 
sparing  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ?     Verily  herein  are  signs 
unto  people  who  believe.     ^^  Give  unto  him  who  is  of  kin 
to  thee  his  reasonable  due  ;  and  also  to  the  poor,  and  the 
stranger :  this  is  better  for  those  who  seek  the  face  of 
God  ;  and  they  shall  prosper.     ^^  Whatever  ye  shall  give 
in  usury,  to  be  an  increase  of  men's  substance,  shall  not 
be  increased  by  the  blessing  of  God  :  but  for  whatever 
ye  shall  give  in  alms,  for  God's  sake,  ye  shall  receive  a 
twofold  reward.     ^^  It  is  God  who  hath  created  you,  and 
hath  provided  food  for  you  :  hereafter  will  he  cause  you 
to  die ;  and  after  that  will  he  raise  you  again  to  life.     Is 
there   any  of  your  false  gods,  who  is  able  to  do  the  least 
of  these  things  ?     Praise  be  unto  him  ;  and  far  be  he  re- 
moved from  what  they  associate  with  him  !     ^^  Corruption 
hath  appeared  by  land  and  by  sea,  for  the  crimes  which 
men's  hands  have  committed  ;  that  it  might  make  them  to 
taste  a  part  of  the  fruits  of  that  which  they  have  wrought, 
that  j)eradventure  they  might  turn  from  their  evil  ways. 
^^  Say,  Go  through  the  earth,  and  see  what  hath  been  the 
end  of  those  who  have  been  before  you :  the  greater  part 
of  them  were  idolaters.     ^^  Set  thy  face  therefore  towards 

35  Have  we  sent  down  unto  them  any  The  word  may  include  any  sort  of  extor- 
authority  speaking  of  the  false  gods,  &c.]      tion  or  illicit  gain. 

That  is,  Have  we,  either  by  the  mouth  of  41    Corruption.^  Viz.  Mischief  and  pub- 

any  prophet,  or  by  any  written  revelation,  lie  calamities  ;  such  as  famine,  pestilence, 

commanded  or  encouraged  the  worship  of  droughts,  shipwrecks,   &c.     Or  erroneous 

more  gods  than  one?  doctrines,  or  a  general  depravity  of  manners. 

36  They  despair.'^  And  seek  not  to  re-  —  That  it  might  make  them  to  taste,  &c.] 
gain  the  favour  of  God  by  timely  repent-  Some  copies  read,  in  the  first  person  plu- 
ance.  ral,    That  we  might  cause  them  to   taste^ 

39  In    usury. 1     Or,   by   way  of  bribe.     &c. 


^22  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

the  right  religion,  before  the  day  cometh  which  none  can 
put  back  from  God.  On  that  day  shall  they  be  sepa- 
rated into  two  companies  :  ^^  whoever  shall  have  been  an 
unbeliever,  on  him  shall  his  unbelief  be  charged;  and 
whoever  shall  have  done  that  which  is  right,  shall  spread 
themselves  couches  of  repose  in  paradise ;  ^^  that  he 
may  reward  those  who  shall  believe  and  work  righteous- 
ness, of  his  abundant  liberality :  for  he  lovetli  not  the 
unbelievers.  ^^  Of  his  signs,  one  is,  that  he  sendeth  the 
winds,  bearing  welcome  tidings  of  rain,  that  he  may 
cause  you  to  taste  of  his  mercy ;  and  that  ships  may  sail 
at  his  command,  that  ye  may  seek  to  enrich  yourselves 
of  his  abundance  by  commerce ;  and  that  ye  may  give 
thanks.  ^^  We  sent  apostles,  before  thee,  unto  their 
respective  people,  and  they  came  unto  them  with  evident 
proofs  :  and  we  took  vengeance  on  those  who  did 
wickedly  ;  and  it  was  incumbent  on  us  to  assist  the 
true  believers.  ^^  It  is  God  who  sendeth  the  winds, 
and  raiseth  the  clouds,  and  spreadeth  the  same  in  the 
heaven,  as  he  pleaseth;  and  afterwards  disperseth  the 
same:  and  thou  mayest  see  the  rain  issuing  from  the 
midst  thereof;  and  when  he  poureth  the  same  down  on 
such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth,  behold  they  are  filled 
with  joy ;  ^^  although  before  it  was  sent  down  unto  them, 
before  such  relief,  they  were  despairing.  ^^  Consider 
therefore  the  traces  of  God's  mercy ;  how  he  quickeneth 
the  earth,  after  its  state  of  death :  verily  the  same  will 
raise  the  dead;  for  he  is  almighty.  ^^  Yet  if  we  should 
send  a  blasting  wind,  and  they  should  see  their  corn 
yellow  and  burnt  up,  they  would  surely  become  ungrate- 
ful, after  our  former  favours.  ^^  Thou  canst  not  make 
the  dead  to  hear,  neither  canst  thou  make  the  deaf  to 
hear  thy  call,  when  they  retire  and  turn  their  backs; 
^^  neither  canst  thou  direct  the  blind  out  of  their  error : 
thou  shalt  make  none  to  hear,  except  him  who  shall 
believe  in  our  signs  ;  for  they  are  resigned  unto  us. 
^*  It  is  God  who  created  you  in  weakness,  and  after 
weakness  hath  given  you  strength ;  and  after  strength  he 
will  again  reduce  you  to  weakness,  and  gray  hairs :  he 
createth  that  which  he  pleaseth ;  and  he  is  the  wise,  the 

8 


XXXI.]  A  L    KORAN.  223 

powerful.  ^^  On  the  day  whereon  the  last  hour  shall 
come,  the  wicked  will  swear  that  they  have  not  tarried 
above  an  hour :  in  like  manner  did  they  utter  lies  in 
their  life-time.  ^^  But  those  on  whom  knowledge  hath 
been  bestowed,  and  faith,  will  say,  Ye  have  tarried, 
according  to  the  book  of  God,  until  the  day  of  resur- 
rection :  for  this  is  the  day  of  resurrection ;  but  ye  knew 
it  not.  ^'^  On  that  day  their  excuse  shall  not  avail  those 
who  have  acted  unjustly ;  neither  shall  they  be  invited 
any  more  to  make  themselves  acceptable  unto  God. 
^^  And  now  have  we  propounded  unto  men,  in  this 
Koran,  parables  of  every  kind  :  yet  if  thou  bring  them  a 
verse  thereof,  the  unbelievers  will  surely  say.  Ye  are  no 
other  than  publishers  of  vain  falsehoods.  ^^  Thus  hath 
God  sealed  up  the  hearts  of  those  who  believe  not. 
^^  But  do  thou,  O  Mohammed,  persevere  with  constancy, 
for  the  promise  of  God  is  true ;  and  let  not  those  induce 
thee  to  waver  who  have  no  certain  knowledge. 

55  That  they  have  not  tarried.']  Viz.  according  to  what  is  said  in  the  Koran, 
In  the  world,  or  in  their  graves.  where  the  state  of  the  dead  is  expressed 

56  According  to  the  hook  of  God.]  by  these  words  ^  Behind  them  there 
That  is,  According  to  his  fore-knowledge  shall  be  a  bar  until  the  day  of  resur- 
and   decree  in  the  preserved   Table ;    or  rection  2. 

^  Chap,  xxiii.  2  ^/  Beiddwi. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

INTITLED,    LOKMAN  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  nanie  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  the  v^^ise  book^ 
^  a  direction  and  a  mercy  unto  the  righteous ;  ^  who 
observe  the  appointed  times  of  prayer,  and  give  alms, 
and  have  firm  assurance  in  the  life  to  come :  ^  these  are 
directed  by  their  Lord,  and  they  shall  prosper.     ^  There 

Title  —  Lokman.]     The   chapter  is   so  observe  the  appointed  times  of  prayer,  and 

entitled  from  a  person  of  this  name  men-  give  alms,  &c.     And  others,  three  verses, 

lionedtherein,  of  whom  more  immediately,  beginning  at  these  words.  If  all  the  trees 

Title — Mecca.]    Some  except  the  fourth  in  the  earth  were  pens,  &c. 
verse,   beginning    at    these   words,   Who         1  J.  L,  M.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iiu 


224  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

is  a  man  who  purchaseth  a  ludicrous  story,  that  he  may 
seduce  men  from  the  way  of  God,  without  knowledge, 
and  may  laugh  the  same  to  scorn  :  these  shall  suffer  a 
shameful  punishment.  ^  And  when  our  signs  are  re- 
hearsed unto  him,  he  disdainfully  turneth  his  back,  as 
though  he  heard  them  not,  as  though  there  were  a 
deafness  in  his  ears  :  wherefore  denounce  unto  him  a 
grievous  punishment.  ^  But  they  who  shall  believe,  and 
work  righteousness,  shall  enjoy  gardens  of  pleasure  ; 
^  they  shall  continue  therein  for  ever :  this  is  the  certain 
promise  of  God  ;  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^^  He 
hath  created  the  heavens  without  visible  pillars  to  sustain 
them,  and  hath  thrown  on  the  earth  mountains  firmly 
rooted,  lest  it  should  move  with  you ;  and  he  hath 
replenished  the  same  with  all  kinds  of  beasts :  and  we 
send  down  rain  from  heaven,  and  cause  every  kind  of 
noble  vegetable  to  spring  forth  therein.  ^^  This  is  the 
creation  of  God  ;  shew  me  now  what  they  have  created, 
who  are  worshipped  besides  him :  verily  the  ungodly  are 
in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  We  heretofore  bestowed  wisdom 
on  LoKMAN,  and  commanded  him,  saying,  Be  thou  thank- 

6  A  ludicrous  story.']     i.  e.    Vain  and  Koran  has  here  translated  that  passage  of 

silly  fables.     The  passage  was  revealed,  it  the  Psalms,  He  laid  the  foundations  of  the 

is  said,  on  occasion  of  al  Nodar   Ebn  al  earth,   that   it  should  not  be   moved  for 

Hareth,  who  having  brought  from  Persia  ever  ^.      This    is    not    the  only   instance 

the  romance  of  Rostam  and  Isfandiar,  the  which  might  be  given,  that  the  Mohamme- 

two  heroes  of  that  country,  recited   it  in  dan  doctors  are  not  always  the  best  inter- 

the  assemblies  of  the  Koreish,  highly  ex-  prefers  of  their  own  scriptures, 
tolling  the   power  and  splendour   of  the         12  Lokmdn.']      The  Arab  writers  say, 

ancient  Persian  kings,  and  preferring  their  that  Lokman  was  the  son  of  Bailra,  who 

stories  to  those  of  Ad  and  Thamud,  David  was  the  son  or  grandson  of  a  sister  or  aunt 

and  Solomon,  and  the  rest  which  are  told  of  Job  ;    and  that   he  lived   several  cen- 

in  the  Koran.     Some  say  that  al   Nodar  tur'ies,   and   to    the  time   of  David,    with 

bought  singing  girls,  and  carried  them  to  whom    he    was    conversant   in    Palestine, 

those  who  were  inclined  to  become  Mos-  According  to  the  description  they  give  of 

lems,  to  divert  them  from  their  purpose  by  his  person,  he  must  have  been  deformed 

son^s  and  tales  ^.  enough  ;  for  they  say  he  was  of  a  black 

10  He  hath  thrown  on  the  earth  moun-  complexion,    (whence    some   call    him   an 

tains  firmly  rooted,  &c.]     The  Mohamme-  Ethiopian,)  with  thick  lips  and  splay  feet: 

dans   believe   that  God  placed  mountains  but    in   return,    he    received    from   God 

on  the  earth  to  prevent  it  from  revolving  wisdom  and  eloquence  in  a  great  degree  ; 

like  the  celestial  orbs.     A  learned  writer  2,  which  some  pretend  were  given  him  in  a 

in    his   notes    on    this    passage,    says    the  vision,   on   his  making  choice  of  wisdom 

original  word  Rawdsiva,  which   the  com-  preferably  to  the  gift  of  prophecy,  either 

mentators  in  general  will  have  to  signify  of  which  were   offered   him.     The   gene- 

stable  mountains,  seems  properly  to  express  rality  of  the  Mohammedans  therefore  liold 

the  Hebrew  word  Mechonim,  i.  e.  bases,  or  him  to  have  been  no  prophet,   but  only  a 

foundations ;  and  therefore  he  thinks  the  wise  man.     As  to  his  condition,  they  say 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Got,  in  Append,  ad  Erpenii  Gram. p.  187-  ^  Psal.  civ.  5. 


XXXI.] 


AL    KORAN. 


225 


fill  unto  God  :  for  whoever  is  thankful,  shall  be  thankful 
to  the  advantage  of  his  own  soul ;  and  if  any  shall  be 
unthankful,  verily  God  is  self-sufficient,  and  worthy  to  be 
praised.  ^^  And  remember  when  Lokman  said  unto  his 
son,  as  he  admonished  him,  O  my  son,  give  not  a  partner 
unto  God  ;  for  polytheism  is  a  great  impiety.  ^^  We 
have  commanded  man  concerning  his  parents,  (his  mother 
carrieth  him  in  her  womb  with  weakness  and  faintness, 
and  he  is  weaned  in  two  years,)  saying,  Be  grateful  unto 
me,  and  to  thy  parents.  Unto  me  shall  all  come  to  be 
judged.  ^^  But  if  thy  parents  endeavour  to  prevail  on 
thee  to  associate  with  me  that  concerning  which  thou 
hast  no  knowledge,  obey  them  not ;  bear  them  company 
in  this  world  in  what  shall  be  reasonable ;  but  follow  the 
way  of  him  who  sincerely  turneth  unto  me.  Hereafter 
unto  me  shall  ye  return,  and  then  will  I  declare  unto 
you  that  which  ye  have  done.      ^^  O  my  son,  verily  every 


he  was  a  slave,  but  obtained  his  liberty  on 
the  following  occasion.  His  master  having 
one  day  given  him  a  bitter  melon  to  eat, 
he  paid  him  such  exact  obedience  as  to 
eat  it  all ;  at  which  his  master  being  sur- 
prised, asked  him  how  he  could  eat  so 
nauseous  a  fruit?  To  which  he  replied,  It 
was  no  wonder  that  he  should  for  once 
accept  a  bitter  fruit  from  the  same  hand 
from  which  he  had  received  so  many 
favours  ^.  The  commentators  mention 
several  quick  repartees  of  Lokman,  which, 
together  with  the  circumstances  above- 
mentioned,  agree  so  well  with  what  Maxi- 
mus  Planudes  has  written  of  Esop,  that 
from  thence,  and  from  the  fables  attributed 
to  Lokman  by  the  orientals,  the  latter  has 
been  generally  thought  to  have  been  no 
other  than  the  Esop  of  the  Greeks.  How- 
ever that  be,  (for  I  think  the  matter  will 
bear  a  dispute,)  I  am  of  opinion  that 
Planudes  borrowed  great  part  of  his  life 
of  Esop  from  the  ti-aditions  he  met  with 
in  the  east  concerning  Lokman,  concluding 
them  to  have  been  the  same  person,  be- 
cause they  were  both  slaves,  and  supposed 
to  be  the  writers  of  those  fables  which  go 
under  their  respective  names,  and  bear  a 
great  resemblance  to  one  another  ;  for  it 
has  long  since  been  observed  by  learned 
men,  that  the  greater  part  of  that  monk's 


performance  is  an  absurd  romance,  and 
supported  by  no  evidence  of  the  ancient 
writers  ^. 

13  His  50W.]  Whom  some  name 
Anam,  (which  comes  pretty  near  the 
Ennus  of  Planudes,)  some  Ashcam,  and 
others  Mathan. 

1 4  IVe  have  commanded  man  concerning 
his  parents f  &c.]  The  two  verses  which 
begin  at  these  words,  and  end  with  the 
following,  viz.  And  then  will  I  declare 
unto  you  that  which  ye  have  done,  are  no 
part  of  Lokman's  advice  to  his  son,  but 
are  inserted  by  way  of  parenthesis,  as  very 
pertinent  and  proper  to  be  repeated  here, 
to  shew  the  heinousness  of  idolatry  :  they 
are  to  be  read  (excepting  some  additions) 
in  the  twenty-ninth  chapter,  and  were 
originally  revealed  on  account  of  Saad 
Ebn  Abi  Wakkas,  as  has  been  already 
observed  ^. 

15  Bear  them  company  in  what  shall 
be  reasonable.'}  That  is,  shew  them  all 
deference  and  obedience,  so  far  as  may 
be  consistent  with  thy  duty  towards 
God. 

—  Follow  the  way  of  him  who  is  sin- 
cerely turned  unto  me.'\  The  person  par- 
ticularly meant  here  was  Abu  Beer,  at 
whose  persuasion  Saad  had  become  a 
Moslem. 


^  Al  Zamakh,  Al  Beiddwi,  &c.     V.  D'Herbel.   Bibl.  Orient,  p.  516,  &  Marracc.  in 


Ale.  p.  547. 

Art.  Esope,  Rem.  B. 

VOL.  II. 


2  V.  la  vie  d'Esope,  par  M.  de  Mezeriac,  &  Bayle,  Diet.  Hist, 
3  See  chap.  xxix.  verse  8,  and  the  notes  thereon, 

Q 


226  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

matter,  whether  good  or  bad,  though  it  be  of  the  weight 
of  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  and  be  hidden  in  a  rock,  or  in 
the  heavens,  or  in  the  earth,  God  will  bring  the  same  to 
light :  for  God  is  clear-sighted  and  knowing.  ^^  O  my 
son,  be  constant  at  praj^er,  and  command  that  which  is 
just,  and  forbid  that  which  is  evil :  and  be  patient  under 
the  afflictions  which  shall  befall  thee  ;  for  this  is  a  duty 
absolutely  incumbent  on  all  men.  ^^  Distort  not  thy 
face  out  of  contempt  to  men,  neither  walk  in  the  earth 
with  insolence  ;  for  God  loveth  no  arrogant,  vain-glorious 
person.  ^^  And  be  moderate  in  thy  pace  :  and  lower  thy 
voice  ;  for  the  most  ungrateful  of  all  voices  surely  is  the 
voice  of  asses.  ^^  Do  ye  not  see  that  God  hath  subjected 
whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  to  your  service,  and 
hath  abundantly  poured  on  you  his  favours,  both  out- 
wardly and  inwardly  ?  There  are  some  men  who  dispute 
concerning  God  without  knowledge,  and  without  a  direc- 
tion, and  without  an  enlightening  book.  ^^  And  when  it 
is  said  unto  them.  Follow  that  which  God. hath  revealed, 
they  answer.  Nay,  we  will  follow  that  which  we  found 
our  fathers  to  practise.  What  though  the  devil  invite 
them  to  the  torment  of  hell  ?  ^^  Whoever  resigneth  him- 
self unto  God,  being  a  worker  of  righteousness,  taketh 
hold  on  a  strong  handle ;  and  unto  God  belongeth  the 
issue  of  all  things.  ^^  But  whoever  shall  be  an  unbeliever, 
let  not  his  unbelief  grieve  thee :  unto  us  shall  they 
return ;  then  will  we  declare  unto  them  that  which  they 
have  done,  for  God  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  the 
breasts  of  men.  ^^  We  will  suffer  them  to  enjoy  this 
world  for  a  little  while :  afterwards  we  will  drive  them  to 
a  severe  punishment.  ^^  If  thou  ask  them  who  hath 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  they  will  surely  answer, 
God.  Say,  God  be  praised  !  But  the  greater  part  of 
them  do  not  understand.  ^^  Unto  God  belongeth  what- 
ever is  in  heaven  and  earth  :  for  God  is  the  self-sufficient, 
the  praise-worthy.  ^^  If  whatever  trees  are  in  the  earth 
were  pens,  and  he  should  after  that  swell  the  sea  into 

19  The  voice  of  asses.']     To  the  braying     All  kinds  of  blessings,  regarding  as  well 
of  which  animal  the  Arabs  liken  a  loud     the  mind  as  the  body. 

and  disagreeable  voice.  27  If  whatever  trees   are   in  the  earth 

20  Both  outwardly  and  inwarcUy .]    i.e.     were  pens  ^  &c.]     This  passage  is  said  to 


XXXI.]  A  L     KORAN.  227 

seven  seas  of  ink,  the  words  of  God  would  not  be  ex- 
hausted ;  for  God  is  mighty,  and  wise.  ^^  Your  creation 
and  your  resuscitation  are  but  as  the  creation  and  resus- 
citation of  one  soul :  verily  God  both  heareth  and  seeth. 
^^  Dost  thou  not  see  that  God  causeth  the  night  to 
succeed  the  day,  and  causeth  the  day  to  succeed  the  night, 
and  compelleth  the  sun  and  the  moon  to  serve  you? 
Each  of  those  luminaries  hasteneth  in  its  course  to  a 
determined  period :  and  God  is  well  acquainted  with  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^  This  is  declared  concerning  the  divine 
knowledge  and  power :  for  that  God  is  the  true  Being, 
and  for  that  whatever  ye  invoke  besides  him,  is  vanity; 
and  for  that  God  is  the  high,  the  great  God.  ^^  Dost 
thou  not  see  that  the  ships  run  in  the  sea,  through  the 
favour  of  God,  that  he  may  shew  you  of  his  signs  ? 
Verily  herein  are  signs  unto  every  patient,  grateful 
person.  ^^  When  waves  cover  them  like  overshadowing 
clouds,  they  call  upon  God,  exhibiting  the  pure  religion 
unto  him ;  but  when  he  bringeth  them  safe  to  land, 
there  is  of  them  who  halteth  between  the  true  faith  and 
idolatry.  Howbeit,  none  rejecteth  our  signs,  except  every 
perfidious,  ungrateful  person.  ^^  O  men,  fear  your  Lord, 
and  dread  the  day  whereon  a  father  shall  not  make 
satisfaction  for  his  son,  neither  shall  a  son  make  satisfac- 
tion for  his  father  at  all :  the  promise  of  God  is  assuredly 
true.  Let  not  this  present  life,  therefore,  deceive  you ; 
neither  let  the  deceiver  deceive  you  concerning  God. 
^*  Verily  the  knowledge  of  the  hour  of  judgment  is  with 

have  been  revealed  in  answer  to  the  Jews,  keys  of  secret  knowledge.     The  passage, 

who  insisted  that  all  knowledge  was  con-  it  is  said,  was  occasioned  by  al  Hareth 

tained  in  the  Law  ^.  Ebn  Amru,  who  propounded  questions  of 

28  As  the  creation  and  resuscitation  of  this  nature  to  Mohammed. 

one  souL~\     God  being  able  to  produce  a  As  to   the   last  particular,   al  Beidawi 

million  of  worlds  by  the  single  word  Kun,  relates  the  following  story.     The  angel  of 

i.  e.  BE  ;  and  to  raise  the  dead  in  general  death  passing  once  by  Solomon  in  a  visible 

by  the  single  word  Xwm,  i.  e.  arise.  shape,  and  looking  at  one  who  was  sitting 

33  The  deceiver. ~\    i.  e.   The  devil.  with  him,   the  man  asked  who  he  was, 

34  Knowledge,  &c.]  In  this  verse  five  and,  upon  Solomon's  acquainting  him  that 
things  are  enumerated,  which  are  known  it  was  the  angel  of  death,  said,  He  seems 
to  God  alone,  viz.  The  time  of  the  day  of  to  want  me ;  wherefore  order  the  wind  to 
judgment ;  the  time  of  rain  ;  what  is  carry  me  from  hence  into  India ;  which 
forming  in  the  womb,  as  whether  it  be  being  accordingly  done,  the  angel  said  to 
male  or  female,  &c. ;  what  shall  happen  Solomon,  I  looked  so  earnestly  at  the  man 
on  the  morrow;  and  where  any  person  out  of  wonder ;  because  I  was  commanded 
shall  die.  These  the  Arabs,  according  to  to  take  his  soul  in  India,  and  found  him 
a  tradition  of  their  prophet,  call  the  five  with  thee  in  Palestine. 


Al  Beidawi. 

q2 


228  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

God:  and  he  causeth  the  rain  to  descend  at  his  own 
appointed  time ;  and  he  knoweth  what  is  in  the  wombs 
of  females.  No  soul  knoweth  what  it  shall  gain  on  the 
morrow;  neither  doth  any  soul  know  in  what  land  it 
shall  die :  but  God  is  knowing,  and  fully  acquainted  with 
all  things. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

INTITLED,    adoration;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  A.  L.  M.  ^The  revelation  of  this  book,  there  is  no 
doubt  thereof,  is  from  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^  Will 
they  say,  Mohammed  hath  forged  it  ?  Nay,  it  is  the  truth 
from  thy  Lord,  that  thou  mayest  preach  to  a  people,  unto 
whom  no  preacher  hath  come  before  thee  ;  peradventure 
they  will  be  directed.  ^  It  is  God  who  hath  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  whatever  is  between  them,  in 
six  days ;  and  then  ascended  his  throne.  Ye  have  no 
patron  or  intercessor  besides  him.  Will  ye  not  therefore 
consider  ?  ^  He  governeth  all  things  from  heaven  even 
to  the  earth :  hereafter  shall  they  return  unto  him,  on  the 
day  whose  length  shall  be  a  thousand  years,  of  those 
which  ye  compute.  ^  This  is  he  who  knoweth  the  future 
and  the  present ;  the  mighty,  the  merciful.'  ^  It  is  he  who 
hath  made  every  thing  which  he  hath  created  exceeding 

Title — Jdoration.']     The  title  is  taken  earth,  and  are  returned  (or  ascend,  as  the 

from  the  middle  of  the  chapter,  where  the  verb  properly  signifies)  back  to  him,  after 

believers  are  said  to  fall  down  adoring.  they  have  been  put  in  execution,  and  pre- 

1   A.  L.  ilf.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  sent  themselves,  as  it  were,  so  executed, 

3  No  preacherJ]     The   Arabs  had    no  to  his  knowledge,   in  the  space  of  a  day 

prophet    before    Mohammed    except    Is-  with  God,  but  with  man  of  a  thousand 

mael.  years.     Others  imagine   this  space  to  be 

5  A  thousand  years,"]     As  to  the  recon-  the  time  which  the  angels,  who  carry  the 

ciliation    of  this   passage  with    another  ^,  divine    decrees,     and    bring    them    back 

which  seems  contradictory,  see  the  Prelim,  executed,  take  in  ascending  and  re-ascend- 

Disc.  §  iv.  and  chap.  Ixx.  verse  5.  ing,  because  the  distance  from  heaven  to 

Some,  however,   do   not   interpret  the  earth  is  a  journey  of  five  hundred  years : 

passage  before  us  of  the  resurrection,  but  and   others   fancy   that  the   angels  bring 

suppose  that  the  words  here  describe  the  down  at  once  decrees  for  a  thousand  years 

making  and  executing  of  the  decrees  of  to  come,  which  being  expired  they  return 

God,  which  are  sent  down  from  heaven  to  back  for  fresh  orders,  &c.  ^ 

1  Chap.  70.  2  ji  Beiddwi. 


XXXII.]  A  L     KORAN.  229 

good ;  and  first  created  man  of  clay ;  ^  and  afterwards 
made  his  posterity  of  an  extract  of  despicable  water ; 
^  and  then  formed  him  into  proper  shape,  and  breathed  of 
his  spirit  into  him ;  and  hath  given  you  the  senses  of 
hearing  and  seeing,  and  hearts  to  understand.  How  small 
thanks  do  ye  return  !  ^^  And  they  say,  When  we  shall 
lie  hidden  in  the  earth,  shall  we  be  raised  thence  a  new 
creature  ?  "  Yea,  they  deny  the  meeting  of  their  Lord 
at  the  resurrection.  ^^  Say,  The  angel  of  death,  who  is 
set  over  you,  shall  cause  you  to  die  :  then  shall  ye  be 
brought  back  unto  your  Lord.  ^^  If  thou  couldest  see, 
when  the  wicked  shall  bow  down  their  heads  before  their 
Lord,  saying,  O  Lord,  we  have  seen,  and  have  heard  : 
suffer  us  therefore  to  return  into  the  world,  and  we  will 
work  that  which  is  right ;  since  we  are  now  certain  of  the 
truth  of  what  hath  been  preached  to  us :  thou  wouldst  see 
an  amazing  sight.  ^^  If  we  had  pleased,  we  had  certainly 
given  unto  every  soul  its  direction :  but  the  word  which 
hath  proceeded  from  me  must  necessarily  be  fulfilled, 
when  I  said.  Verily  I  will  fill  hell  with  genii  and  men 
altogether.  ^^  Taste  therefore  the  torment  prepared  for 
you,  because  ye  have  forgotten  the  coming  of  this  your 
day :  we  also  have  forgotten  you ;  taste  therefore  a 
punishment  of  eternal  duration,  for  that  which  ye  have 
wrought.  ^^  Verily  they  only  believe  in  our  signs,  who, 
when  they  are  warned  thereby,  fall  down  adoring,  and 
celebrate  the  praise  of  their  Lord,  and  are  not  elated 
with  pride :  ^^  their  sides  are  raised  from  their  beds,  call- 
ing on  their  Lord  with  fear  and  with  hope ;  and  they 
distribute  alms  out  of  what  we  have  bestowed  on  them. 
^^  No  soul  knoweth  the  complete  satisfaction  which  is 
secretly  prepared  for  them,  as  a  reward  for  that  which 
they  have  wrought.     ^^  Shall  he,  therefore,  who  is  a  true 

8  j^n  extract  of  despicable  water.']  i.  e.  —  The  complete  satisfaction^]  Liter- 
Seed,  ally,  the  joy  of  the  eyes.    The  commentators 

12  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  for  the  fail  not,  on  occasion  of  this   passage,  to 

description  of  death  and  resurrection.  produce  that  saying  of  their  prophet,  which 

14  Men  and  genii.]     That  is,  the  idol-  was  originally  none  of  his  own  :  God  saith, 

aters  and  the  daemons  they  worshipped.  I  have  prepared  for  my  righteous  servants, 

18  No  soul.]      Not   even  an  angel   of  what    eye  hath   not   seen,    nor  hath  ear 

those  who  approach  nearest  God's  throne,  heard,  nor  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of 

noranyprophetwhohathbeensentbyhim^  man  to  conceive. 

*  Al  Beiddwi. 


230  AL  KORAN.  [chap, 

believer,  be  as  he  who  is  an  impious  transgressor  ?  They 
shall  not  be  held  equal.  ^^  As  to  those  who  believe,  and 
do  that  which  is  right,  they  shall  have  gardens  of  per- 
petual abode,  an  ample  recompense  for  that  which  they 
shall  have  wrought :  ^^  but  as  for  those  who  impiously 
transgress,  their  abode  shall  be  hell-fire  ;  so  often  as  they 
shall  endeavour  to  get  thereout,  they  shall  be  dragged 
back  into  the  same:  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them, 
Taste  ye  the  torment  of  hell-fire  ;  which  ye  rejected  as  a 
falsehood.  ^^  And  we  will  cause  them  to  taste  the  nearer 
punishment  of  this  world,  besides  the  more  grievous 
punishment  of  the  next ;  peradventure  they  will  repent. 
^^  Who  is  more  unjust  than  he  who  is  warned  by  the 
signs  of  his  Lord,  and  then  turneth  aside  from  the  same? 
We  will  surely  take  vengeance  on  the  wicked.  ^^We 
heretofore  delivered  the  book  of  the  law  unto  Moses  ; 
wherefore  be  not  thou  in  doubt  as  to  the  revelation 
thereof:  and  we  ordained  the  same  to  be  a  direction  unto 
the  children  of  Israel  ;  and  we  appointed  teachers  from 
among  them,  who  should  direct  the  people  at  our  com- 
mand, when  they  had  persevered  with  patience,  and  had 
firmly  believed  in  our  signs.  ^^  Verily  thy  Lord  will 
judge  between  them,  on  the  day  of  resurrection,  concern- 
ing that  wherein  they  have  disagreed.  ^^  Is  it  not  known 
unto  them  how  many  generations  we  have  destroyed 
before  them,  through  whose  dwellings  they  walk  ?  Verily 
herein  are  signs :  will  they  not  therefore  hearken  ?  ^^  Do 
they  not  see  that  we  drive  rain  unto  a  land  bare  of  grass 
and  parched  up,  and  thereby  produce  corn,  of  which  their 
cattle  eat,  and  themselves  also  ?  Will  they  not  therefore 
regard  ?  ^^  The  infidels  say  to  the  true  believers.  When 
will  this  decision  be  made  between  us,  if  ye  speak  truth  ? 
^^  Answer,  On  the  day  of  that  decision,  the  faith  of  those 

24  Be  not  thou  in  douht  as  to  the  revela-  the  interview  between  Moses  and  Moham- 

tion  thereof. 1     Or,  as  some  interpret  it,  of  med  in  the  sixth  heaven,  when  the  latter 

the  revelation  of  the  Koran  to   thyself;  took  his  night  journey  thither,  is  here  in- 

since   the    delivery  of  the  Law  to  Moses  tended  i. 

proves  that  the  revelation  of  the  Koran  26  Through  whose  dwellings  they  walk.'] 

to  thee  is  not  the  first  instance  of  the  kind.  The    Meccans  frequently  passing  by  the 

Others  think  the  words  should  be  translated  places  where  the  Adites,  the  Thamudites, 

thus,  Be   not   thou    in   doubt,  as  to  thy  Midianites,  Sodomites,  &c.  once  dwelt, 

meeting  of  that  prophet;  supposing  that  29  On  the  daij  of  that  decision.]     That 

^  Jl  Beiddwi. 


XXXIII.] 


AL   KORAN, 


231 


who  shall  have  disbelieved  shall  not  avail  them ;  neither 
shall  they  be  respited  any  longer.  ^^  Wherefore  avoid 
them,  and  expect  the  issue  :  verily  they  expect  to  gain 
some  advantage  over  thee. 


is,  on  the  day  of  judgment ;  though  some 
suppose  the  day  here  intended,  to  be  that 
of  the  victory  at  Bedr;  or  else  that  of  the 


taking  of  Mecca,  when  several  of  those 
who  had  been  proscribed  were  put  to  death 
without  remission  i. 


*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii. 


CHAPTER     XXXIII, 


INTITLED,    THE    CONFEDERATES  ;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  PROPHET,  fear  God,  and  obey  not  the  unbelievers 
and  the  hypocrites :  verily  God  is  knowing  and  wise. 
^  But  follow  that  which  is  revealed  unto  thee  from  thy 
Lord  ;  for  God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do: 
^  and  put  thy  trust  in  God  ;  for  God  is  a  sufficient  pro- 
tector.    ^  God  hath  not  given  a  man  two  hearts  within 


Title — Confederates.']  Part  of  this  chap- 
ter was  revealed  on  occasion  of  the  war  of 
the  Ditch,  which  happened  in  the  fifth  year 
of  the  Hejra,  when  Medina  was  besieged, 
for  above  twenty  days,  by  the  joint  and 
confederate  forces  of  several  Jewish  tribes, 
and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Mecca,  Najd,  and 
Tehama,  at  the  instigation  of  the  Jews  of 
the  tribe  of  Nadhir,  who  had  been  driven 
out  of  their  settlement  near  Medina,  by 
Mohammed,  the  year  before  ^. 

1  Obey  not  the  unbelievers  and  hypo- 
crites.'] It  is  related  that  Abu  Sofian, 
Acrema  Ebn  Abi  Jahl,  and  Abu'l  A'war 
al  Salami,  having  an  amicable  interview 
with  Mohammed,  at  which  were  present 
also  Abdallah  Ebn  Obba,  Moatteb  Ebn 
Kosheir,  and  Jaad  Ebn  Kais,  they  pro- 
posed to  the  prophet,  that  if  he  would 
leave  off  preaching  against  the  worship  of 
their  gods,  and  acknowledge  them  to  be 
mediators,  they  would  give  him  and  his 
Lord  no  farther  disturbance  ;  upon  which 
these  words  were  revealed  2. 

4  God  hath  not  given  a  man  two  hearts.] 
This  passage  was  revealed  to  abolish  two 


customs  among  the  old  Arabs.  The  first 
was  their  manner  of  divorcing  their  wives, 
when  they  had  no  mind  to  let  them  go  out 
of  their  house,  or  to  marry  again  :  and 
this  the  husband  did  by  saying  to  the  wo- 
man. Thou  art  henceforw^ard  to  me  as  the 
back  of  my  mother;  after  which  words 
pronounced  he  abstained  from  her  bed, 
and  regarded  her  in  all  respects  as  his 
mother,  and  she  became  related  to  all  his 
kindred  in  the  same  degree  as  if  she  had 
been  really  so.  The  other  custom  was  the 
holding  their  adopted  sons  to  be  as  nearly 
related  to  them  as  their  natural  sons,  so 
that  the  same  impediments  of  marriage 
arose  from  that  supposed  relation,  in  the 
prohibited  degrees,  as  it  would  have  done 
in  the  case  of  a  genuine  son.  The  latter 
Mohammed  had  a  particular  reason  to 
abolish,  viz.  his  marrying  the  divorced 
wife  of  his  freedman  Zeid,  who  was  also 
his  adopted  son :  of  which  more  will  be 
said  by-and-by.  By  the  declaration  which 
introduces  this  passage,  that  God  has  not 
given  a  man  two  hearts,  is  meant,  that  a 
man   cannot  have  the  same  affection   for 


*  V.  Abu'lfeda  Vit.  Moh.  p.  73.  and  GagnieVj  Vie  de  Mahomet,  1.  4.  c.  1. 

2  Al  Beiddwi, 


232  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

him  :  neither  hath  he  made  your  wives  (some  of  whom  ye 
divorce,  regarding  them  after  as  your  mothers)  your  true 
mothers  ;  nor  hath  he  made  your  adopted  sons  your  true 
sons.  This  is  your  saying  in  your  mouths :  but  God 
speaketh  the  truth ;  and  he  directeth  the  right  way.  ^  Call 
such  as  are  adopted,  the  sons  of  their  natural  fathers :  this 
will  be  more  just  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  if  ye  know 
not  their  fathers,  let  them  be  as  your  brethren  in  religion, 
and  your  companions :  and  it  shall  be  no  crime  in  you, 
that  ye  err  in  this  matter ;  but  that  shall  be  criminal 
which  your  hearts  purposely  design ;  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.  ^  The  prophet  is  nigher  unto  the  true 
believers  than  their  own  souls ;  and  his  wives  are  their 
mothers.  Those  who  are  related  by  consanguinity,  are 
nigher  of  kin  the  one  of  them  unto  the  others,  according 
to  the  book  of  God,  than  the  other  true  believers,  and  the 
Mohajerun  :  unless  that  ye  do  what  is  fitting  and  reason- 
able to  your  relations  in  general.  This  is  written  in  the 
book  of  God.  ^  Remember  when  we  accepted  their 
covenant  from  the  prophets,  and  from  thee,  O  Moham- 

supposed  parents,  and  adopted  children,  as  —  His  wives  are  their  mothers.']  Though 

for  those  who  are  really  so.     They  tell  us  the  spiritual  relation  between  Mohammed 

the  Arabs  used  to  say,  of  a  prudent  and  and  his  people,  declared  in  the  preceding 

acute  person,   that   he   had    two   hearts  ;  words,  created  no  impediment  to  prevent 

whence   one   Abu  Mamer,   or,  as   others  his    taking    to   wife  such  women  among 

write,  Jemil   Ebn  Asad  al  Fihri,  was  sur-  them   as  he  thought  fit,  yet  the  commen- 

named  Dhu'lkalbein,  or  the  Man  with  two  tators  are  of  opinion,  that  they  are  here 

Hearts  ^.  forbidden  to  marry  any  of  his  wives  *. 

5  That  ye  err,]  Through  ignorance  or  —  Those  who  are  related  hy  consan- 
mistake ;  or,  That  ye  have  erred  for  the  guinity  are  nigher  of  kin  unto  one  another, 
time  past.  according  to  the  book  of  God,  than  the  true 

6  The  prophet  is  nigher  unto  the  true  believers  and  the  Mohajerun.]  These 
believers  than  their  own  souls.]  Command-  words,  which  also  occur,  excepting  the 
ing  them  nothing  but  what  is  for  their  in-  latter  part  of  the  sentence,  in  the  eighth 
terest  and  advantage,  and  being  more  chapter,  abrogate  that  law  concerning  in- 
solicitous  for  their  present  and  future  hap-  heritances,  published  in  the  same  chapter, 
piness  even  than  themselves;  for  which  whereby  the  Mohajerun  and  Ansars  were 
reason  he  ought  to  be  dear  to  them,  and  to  be  the  heirs  of  one  another,  exclusive  of 
deserves  their  utmost  love  and  respect.  In  their  nearer  relations  who  were  infidels  ^. 
some  copies  these  words  are  added.  And  —  In  the  book  of  God.]  i.  e.  In  the 
he  is  a  father  unto  them  ;  every  prophet  preserved  Table,  or  the  Koran  ;  or,  as 
being  the  spiritual   father   of  his  people,  others  suppose,  in  the  Pentateuch. 

who  are   therefore   brethren.     It   is   said  7   When  we  received  their  covenant  from 

that  this  passage  was  revealed  on  some  of  the  prophets.]     Jallalo'ddin  supposes  this 

Mohammed's  followers  telling  him,  when  covenant  was   made  when    Adam's   pos- 

he  summoned  them  to  attend  him  in  the  terity  were  drawn  forth  from  his  loins,  and 

expedition  of  Tabuc  2,  that  they  would  ask  appeared  before  God   like   small   ants^; 

leave  of  their  fathers  and  mothers  3.  but  Marracci  conjectures  that  the  covenant 

'^  Al  Beiddwii  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.  ^  gee  chap.  ix.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  vi.  ^  See  chajp.  viii.  ®  See  chap.  vii.  verse  173. 


XXXIII.] 


AL    KORAN. 


^33 


MED,  and  from  Noah,  and  Abraham,  and  Moses,  and 
Jesus  the  son  of  Mary,  and  received  from  them  a  firm 
covenant ;  *  that  God  may  examine  the  speakers  of  truth 
concerning  their  veracity :  and  he  hath  prepared  a  painful 
torment  for  the  unbelievers.  ^  O  true  believers,  remember 
the  favour  of  God  towards  you,  when  armies  of  infidels 
came  against  you,  and  we  sent  against  them  a  wind,  and 
hosts  of  angels  which  ye  saw  not :  and  God  beheld  that 
which  ye  did.  '»  When  they  came  against  you  from 
above  you,  and  from  below  you,  and  when  your  sight  be- 
came troubled,  and  your  hearts  came  even  to  your  throats 
for  fear,  and  ye  imagined  of  God  various  imaginations. 
"  There  were  the  faithful  tried,  and  made  to  tremble  with 
a  violent  trembling,  '^^nd  when  the  hypocrites,  and 
those  in  whose  heart  was  an  infirmity,  said,  God  and  his 
apostle  have  made  you  no  other  than  a  fallacious  promise. 


here  meant,  was  the  same  which  the  Tal- 
mudists  pretend  all  the  prophets  entered 
into  with  God  on  mount  Sinai,  where  they 
were  all  assembled  in  person  with  Moses  K 

—  A  firm  covenant.']  Whereby  they 
undertook  to  execute  their  several  com- 
missions, and  promised  to  preach  the  reli- 
gion commanded  them  by  God. 

8  That  God  may  examine  the  speakers 
of  truth  concerning  their  veracity.]  i.  e. 
That  he  may  at  the  day  of  judgment  de- 
mand of  the  prophets  in  what  manner  they 
executed  their  several  commissions,  and 
how  they  were  received  by  their  people : 
or,  as  the  words  may  also  import,  that  he 
may  examine  those  who  believed  on  them 
concerning  their  belief,  and  reward  them 
accordingly. 

9  When  armies  of  infidels  came  against 
you.]  These  were  the  forces  of  the  Ko- 
reish  and  the  tribe  of  Ghatfan,  confederated 
with  the  Jews  of  al  Nadhir  and  Koreidha, 
who  besieged  Medina  to  the  number  of 
twelve  thousand  men,  in  the  expedition 
called  the  war  of  the  Ditch. 

—  We  sent  against  them  a  wind  and 
hosts  of  angels,  &c.]  On  the  enemies'  ap- 
proach, Mohammed,  by  the  advice  of  Sal- 
man the  Persian,  ordered  a  deep  ditch  or 
entrenchment  to  be  dug  round  Medina, 
for  the  security  of  the  city,  and  went  out 
to  defend  it  with  three  thousand  men. 
Both  sides  remained  in  their  camps  near  a 
month,  without  any  other  acts  of  hostility 
than  shooting  of  arrows,  and  slinging  of 
stones;  till,  in  a  winter's  night,  God  sent 


a  piercing  cold  east  wind,  which  benumbed 
the  limbs  of  the  confederates,  blew  the 
dust  in  their  faces,  extinguished  their  fires^ 
overturned  their  tents,  and  put  their  horses 
in  disorder,  the  angels  at  the  same  time 
crying,  Allah  acbar,  round  about  their 
camp  ;  whereupon  Toleiha  Ebn  Khowailed, 
the  Asadite,  said  aloud,  Mohammed  is 
going  to  attack  you  with  enchantments, 
wherefore  provide  for  your  safety  by  flight  : 
and  accordingly  the  Koreish  first,  and 
afterwards  the  Ghatfanites,  broke  up  the 
siege,  and  returned  home ;  which  retreat 
was  also  not  a  little  owing  to  the  dissen- 
sions among  the  confederate  forces,  the 
raising  and  fomenting  whereof  the  Mo- 
hammedans also  ascribe  to  God.  It  is 
related,  that  when  Mohammed  heard  that 
his  enemies  were  retired,  he  said,  I  have 
obtained  success  by  means  of  the  east 
wind,  and  Ad  perished  by  the  west  wind^ 

10  When  they  came  against  you  from 
above  you,  and  from  below  you.]  The 
Ghatfanites  pitched  on  the  east  side  of  the 
town,  on  the  higher  part  of  the  valley  ;  and 
the  Koreish  on  the  west  side,  on  the  lower 
part  of  the  valley  3. 
^  —  Ye  imagined  of  God  various  imagina- 
tions.] The  sincere,  and  those  who  were 
more  firm  of  heart,  fearing  they  should 
not  be  able  to  stand  the  trial ;  and  the 
weaker-hearted,  and  hypocrites,  thinking 
themselves  delivered  up  to  slaughter  and 
destruction. 

12   When  the  hypocrites  said,   God  and 
his  apostle  have  made  you  no  other  than  a 


1  See  chap.  iii.  verse  80.  3  Al  Beiddu^ Abu'lf  vit.  Moh.  p.  77,  &c.         3  Idem 


234  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  And  when  a  party  of  them  said,  O  inhabitants  of  Ya- 
THREE,  there  is  no  place  of  security  for  you  here  ;  where- 
fore return  home.  And  a  part  of  them  asked  leave  of 
the  prophet  to  depart,  saying,  Verily  our  houses  are 
defenceless,  and  exposed  to  the  enemy :  but  they  were 
not  defenceless ;  and  their  intention  was  no  other  than  to 
fly.  ^^  If  the  city  had  been  entered  upon  them  by  the 
enemy  from  the  parts  adjacent,  and  they  had  been  asked 
to  desert  the  true  believers,  and  to  fight  against  them ; 
they  had  surely  consented  thereto  :  but  they  had  not,  in 
such  case,  remained  in  the  same  but  a  little  while.  ^^  They 
had  before  made  a  covenant  with  God,  that  they  would 
not  turn  their  backs  ;  and  the  performance  of  their  cove- 
nant with  God  shall  be  examined  into  hereafter.  ^^  Say, 
Flight  shall  not  profit  you,  if  ye  fly  from  death  or  from 
slaughter :  and  if  it  would,  yet  shall  ye  not  enjoy  this 
world  but  a  little.  ^'^  Say,  Who  is  he  who  shall  defend 
you  against  God,  if  he  is  pleased  to  bring  evil  on  you,  or 
is  pleased  to  show  mercy  towards  you  ?  They  shall  find 
none  to  patronize  or  protect  them,  besides  God.  ^^  God 
already  knoweth  those  among  you  who  hinder  others  from 
following  his  apostle,  and  who  say  unto  their  brethren, 
Come  hither  unto  us ;  and  who  come  not  to  battle,  except 
a  little ;  ^^  being  covetous  towards  you :  but  when  fear 
cometh  on  them,  thou  seest  them  look  unto  thee  for  assist- 
ance, their  eyes  rolling  about,  like  the  eyes  of  him  who 

fallacious  promise.']  The  person  who  ut-  15  They  had  made  a  covenant  with  God, 
tered  these  words,  it  is  said,  was  Moatteb  &c.]  The  persons  meant  here  were  Banu 
Ebn  Kosheir,  who  told  his  fellows  that  Haretha,  &c.  who  having  behaved  very  ill, 
Mohammed  had  promised  them  the  spoils  and  run  away  on  a  certain  occasion,  pro- 
of the  Persians  and  the  Greeks,  whereas  mised  they  would  do  so  no  more  ^, 
now  not  one  of  them  dared  to  stir  out  of  18  And  who  come  not  to  battle,  except  a 
their  entrenchment  ^.  Uttle.l     Either    coming   to   the   army  in 

13  When  a  party   of  them  said,  &c.]  small  numbers ;  or  staying  with  them  but  a 
Viz.  Aws  Ebn  Keidhi,  and  his  adherents.  little  while,  and  then  returning  on  some 

—  Yathreb.']  This  was  the  ancient  and  feigned  excuse ;  or  behaving  ill  in  time  of 

proper  name  of  Medina,  or  of  the  territory  action.     Some  expositors  take  these  words 

w^herein  it  stands.    Some  suppose  the  town  to  be  part  of  the  speech  of  the  hypocrites, 

was  so  named  from  its  founder,  Yathreb,  reflecting  on  Mohammed's  companions  for 

the  son  of  Kabiya,  the  son  of  Mahlayel,  lying  idle  in  the  trenches,  and  not  attack- 

the  son  of  Aram,  the  son  of  Sem,  the  son  ing  the  enemy. 

of   Noah ;  though  others  tell   us   it   was         19  Being  covetous  towards  you,]     i.  e. 

built  by  the  Amalekites  ^,  Sparing  of  their  assistance  either  in  person 

14  In  the  same.]     i.  e.  In  the  city  ;  or,  or  with  their  purse  ;  or  being  greedy  after 
in   their  apostasy  and  rebellion,  because  the  booty. 

the  Moslems  would  surely  succeed  at  last. 

1  At  Beiddwiy  AbiClf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  76.  2  Jh^ed  Ebn  Yusof  ^  At  Beiddwl 


XXXIII.]  AL    KORAN.  235 

fainteth  by  reason  of  the  agonies  of  death :  yet  when  their 
fear  is  past,  they  inveigh  against  you  with  sharp  tongues ; 
being  covetous  of  the  best  and  most  valuable  part  of  the 
spoils.  These  believe  not  sincerely ;  wherefore  God  hath 
rendered  their  works  of  no  avail :  and  this  is  easy  with 
God.  ^^  They  imagined  that  the  confederates  would  not 
depart  and  raise  the  siege :  and  if  the  confederates  should 
come  another  time,  they  would  wish  to  live  in  the  deserts 
among  the  Arabs  who  dwell  in  tents,  and  there  to  inquire 
after  news  concerning  you :  and  although  they  were  with 
you  this  time,  yet  they  fought  not,  except  a  little.  ^^  Ye 
have  in  the  apostle  of  God  an  excellent  example,  unto 
him  who  hopeth  in  God  and  the  last  day,  and  remem- 
bereth  God  frequently.  ^^  When  the  true  believers  saw 
the  confederates,  they  said.  This  is  what  God  and  his 
apostle  have  foretold  us ;  and  God  and  his  apostle  have 
spoken  the  truth :  and  it  only  increased  their  faith  and 
resignation.  ^^  Of  the  true  believers,  some  men  justly 
performed  what  they  had  promised  unto  God,  and  some 
of  them  have  finished  their  course,  and  some  of  them 
wait  the  same  advantage  ;  and  they  changed  not  their 
promise,  by  deviating  therefrom  in  the  least :  ^*  that  God 
may  reward  the  just  performers  of  their  covenant  for  their 
fidelity  ;  and  may  punish  the  hypocritical,  if  he  pleaseth, 
or  may  be  turned  unto  them  :  for  God  is  ready  to  forgive, 
and  merciful.  ^^  God  hath  driven  back  the  infidels  in 
their  wrath ;  they  obtained  no  advantage  :  and  God  was 
a  sufficient  protector  unto  the  faithful  in  battle ;  for  God 

20  They  would  wish  to  live  in  the  deserts f  had  promised  unto  God,~\  By  standing 
&c.]  That  they  might  be  absent,  and  not  firm  with  the  prophet,  and  strenuously 
obliged  to  go  to  war.  opposing  the  enemies  of  the  true  religion, 

21  Ye  have  in  the  apostle  of  God  an  ex-  according  to  their  engagement. 

cellent  example. '\  Viz.  Of  firmness  in  time  —  Some  of  them  have  finished  their 
of  danger,  of  confidence  in  the  divine  course.~\  Or,  as  the  words  may  be  trans- 
assistance,  and  of  piety  by  fervent  prayer  lated,  Have  fulfilled  their  vow,  or  paid  their 
for  the  same.  debt  to  nature,  by  falling  martyrs  in  bat- 

22  This  is  what  God  and  his  apostle  have  tie;  as  did  Hamza,  Mohammed's  uncle, 
foretold  m5.]  Namely,  That  we  must  not  Masab  Ebn  Omair,  and  Ans  Ebn  al  Nadr^, 
expect  to  enter  paradise,  without  under-  who  were  slain  at  the  battle  of  Ohod. 
going  some  trials  and  tribulations.  There  The  martyrs  at  the  war  of  the  Ditch  were 
is  a  tradition  that  Mohammed  actually  six,  including  Saad  Ebn  Moadh,  who  died 
foretold  this  expedition  of  the  confederates  of  his  wound  about  a  month  after  \ 

some  time  before,  and  the  success  of  it  ^.  —  And  some  wait  for  the  same  advan- 

23  Some  men  justly  performed  what  they     tage.^     As  Othman  and  Telha*. 

»  Jl  BeiddwL  2  jbid.  ^  Ahu'lf  vit.  Moh.  p.  79.  *  Al  Beiddwi. 


236 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


is  strong  and  mighty.  ^^  And  he  hath  caused  such  of 
those  who  have  received  the  scriptures,  as  assisted  the 
confederates  to  come  down  out  of  their  fortresses,  and  he 
cast  into  their  hearts  terror  and  dismay  ;  a  part  of  them 
ye  slew,  and  a  part  ye  made  captives;  and  God  hath 
caused  you  to  inherit  their  land,  and  their  houses,  and 
their  wealth,  and  a  land  on  which  ye  have  not  trodden, 
for  God  is  almighty.  ^^  O  prophet,  say  unto  thy  wives. 
If  ye  seek  this  present  life,  and  the  pomp  thereof,  come, 


26  Such  of  those  who  have  received  the 
scriptures^  as  assisted  the  confederates^] 
These  were  the  Jews  of  the  tribe  of 
Koreidha,  who,  though  they  were  in  league 
with  Mohammed,  had,  at  the  incessant 
persuasion  of  Caab  Ebn  Asad,  a  principal 
man  among  them,  perfidiously  gone  over 
to  his  enemies  in  this  war  of  the  Ditch, 
and  were  severely  punished  for  it.  For 
the  next  morning,  after  the  confederate 
forces  had  decamped,  Mohammed  and  his 
men  returned  to  Medina,  and,  laying  down 
their  arms,  began  to  refresh  themselves 
after  their  fatigue ;  upon  which  Gabriel 
came  to  the  prophet,  and  asked  him  whe- 
ther he  had  suffered  his  people  to  lay 
down  their  arms,  when  the  angels  had  not 
laid  down  theirs  ;  and  ordered  him  to  go 
immediately  against  the  Koradhites,  assur- 
ing him  that  himself  would  lead  the  way. 
Mohammed,  in  obedience  to  the  divine 
command,  having  caused  public  proclama- 
tion to  be  made,  that  every  one  should 
pray  that  afternoon  for  success  against  the 
sons  of  Koreidha,  set  forward  on  the  ex- 
pedition without  loss  of  time ;  and  being 
arrived  at  the  fortress  of  the  Koradhites, 
besieged  them  for  twenty-five  days,  at  the 
end  of  which,  those  people,  being  in  great 
terror  and  distress,  capitulated,  and  at 
length,  not  daring  to  trust  to  Mohammed's 
mercy,  surrendered  at  the  discretion  of 
Saad  Ebn  Moadh,  hoping  that  he,  being 
the  prince  of  the  tribe  of  Aws,  their  old 
friends  and  confederates,  would  have  some 
regard  for  them  :  but  they  were  deceived  ; 
for  Saad  being  greatly  incensed  at  their 
breach  of  faith,  had  begged  of  God  that 
he  might  not  die  of  the  wound  he  had 
received  at  the  Ditch,  till  he  saw  ven- 
geance taken  on  the  Koradhites  ;  and 
therefore  adjudged  that  the  men  should  be 
put  to  the  sword,  the  women  and  children 
made  slaves,  and  their  goods  be  divided 
among  the  Moslems  ;  which  sentence  Mo- 


hammed had  no  sooner  heard,  than  he 
cried  out.  That  Saad  had  pronounced  the 
sentence  of  God  :  and  the  same  was  ac- 
cordingly executed  :  the  number  of  men 
who  were  slain  amounting  to  six  hundred, 
or,  as  others  say,  to  seven  hundred,  or 
very  near  ;  among  wKom  were  Hoyai  Ebn 
Akhtab,  a  great  enemy  of  Mohammed's, 
and  Caab  Ebn  Asad,  who  had  been  the 
chief  occasion  of  the  revolt  of  their  tribe  : 
and  soon  after  Saad,  who  had  given  judg- 
ment against  them,  died,  his  wound,  which 
had  been  skinned  over,  opening  again  ^ 

—  And  cast  into  their  hearts  terrors  and 
dismay.]  This  was  the  work  of  Gabriel, 
who,  according  to  his  promise,  went  before 
the  army  of  Moslems.  It  is  said  that 
Mohammed,  a  little  before  he  came  to  the 
settlement  of  the  Koradhites,  asking  some 
of  his  men,  whether  any  body  had  passed 
them,  they  answered,  that  Dohya  Ebn 
Kholeifa,  the  Calbite,  had  just  passed  by 
them,  mounted  on  a  white  mule,  with 
housings  of  satin :  to  which  he  replied. 
That  person  was  the  angel  Gabriel,  who 
is  sent  to  the  sons  of  Koreidha,  to  shake 
their  castles,  and  to  strike  their  hearts 
with  fear  and  consternation  2. 

—  And  God  hath  caused  you  to  inherit 
their  land,  &c.]  Their  immoveable  pos- 
sessions Mohammed  gave  to  the  Mohajerin, 
saying,  that  the  Ansars  were  in  their  own 
houses,  but  that  the  others  were  destitute 
of  habitations.  The  moveables  were  di- 
vided among  his  followers;  but  he  remitted 
the  fifth  part,  which  was  usual  to  be  taken 
in  other  cases  ^. 

—  A  land  on  which  ye  have  not  trodden.] 
By  which  some  suppose  Persia  and  Greece 
are  meant ;  others,  Khaibar;  and  others, 
whatever  lands  the  Moslems  may  conquer 
till  the  day  of  judgment*. 

27  O  prophet y  say  unto  thy  wives.  If  ye 
seek  this  present  lifcy  &c.]  This  passage 
was  revealed  on  Mohammed's  wives'  ask- 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  AbuHf,     Vit.  Moh.  p.  77,  &c.      V.  Gagniery  Vie  de  Mah.  1.  4.  c.  2. 
2  Ebn  Ishak.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  *  Idem. 


XXXIII.]  AL     KORAN.  237 

I  will  make  a  handsome  provision  for  you,  and  I  will 
dismiss  you  with  an  honourable  dismission  :  ^^  but  if  ye 
seek  God  and  his  apostle,  and  the  life  to  come,  verily 
God  hath  prepared  for  such  of  you  as  work  righteousness, 
a  great  reward.  ^^  O  wives  of  the  prophet,  whosoever  of 
you  shall  commit  a  manifest  wickedness,  the  punishment 
thereof  shall  be  doubled  unto  her  twofold ;  and  this  is 
easy  with  God  :  [*XXII.]  ^^  but  whosoever  of  you  shall 
be  obedient  unto  God  and  his  apostle,  and  shall  do  that 
which  is  right,  we  will  give  her  her  reward  twice,  and  we 
have  prepared  for  her  an  honourable  provision  in  para- 
dise. ^^  O  wives  of  the  prophet,  ye  are  not  as  other 
women ;  if  ye  fear  God,  be  not  too  complaisant  in  speech, 
lest  he  should  covet,  in  whose  heart  is  a  disease  of  incon- 
tinence ;  but  speak  the  speech  which  is  convenient. 
^^  And  sit  still  in  your  houses ;  and  set  not  out  yourselves 
with  the  ostentation  of  the  former  time  of  ignorance : 
and  observe  the  appointed  times  of  prayer,  and  give 
alms  ;  and  obey  God,  and  his  apostle  ;  for  God  desireth 
only  to  remove  from  you  the  abomination  of  vanity,  since 
ye  are  the  household  of  the  prophet,  and  to  purify  you  by 
a  perfect  purification.  ^^And  remember  that  which  is 
read  in  your  houses,   of  the  signs  of  God,  and  of  the 

ing  for  more  sumptuous  clothes,  and  an  manded     for     their    faults     than    other 

additional  allowance    for  their  expenses;  men*. 

and  he  had  no  sooner  received  it,  than  he         30   We  will  give  her  her  reward  twice.^ 

gave  them  their  option,  either  to  continue  Viz.  Once  for  her  obedience,  and  a  second 

with  him,    or  to  be  divorced,   beginning  time  for  her  conjugal  affection  to  the  pro- 

with    Ayesha,    who  chose    God    and   his  phet,  and  handsome  behaviour  to  him. 
apostle,  and  the  rest  followed  her  exam-         32    With  the   ostentation  of  the  former 

pie  ;    upon    which    the   prophet    thanked  time  of  ignorance^]     That  is,   in   the   old 

them,   and  the  following  words  were  re-  time  of  idolatry.     Some  suppose  the  times 

vealed  ;  viz.  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  thee  before  the  flood,  or  the  time  of  Abraham, 

to  take  other  women  to  wife  hereafter  ^,  to  be  here  intended,  when  women  adorned 

&c.     From  hence  some  have   concluded,  themselves  with  all  their  finery,  and  went 

that  a  wife  who  has  her  option  given  her,  abroad  into  the  streets  to  shew  themselves 

and   chooses  to  stay  with   her    husband,  to  the  men  ^. 

shall  not  be  divorced ;  though  others  are         —  God  desireth  to  remove  from  you  the 

of  a  contrary  opinion  2.  abomination^  &c.]      The  pronouns  of  the 

29  Her  punishment  shall    he   doubled.']  second  person  in  this  part  of  the  passage 

For  the  crime  would  be  more  enormous  being  of  the  masculine  gender,  the  Shiites 

and  unpardonable  in  them,  because  of  their  pretend   the   sentence  has  no   connexion 

superior  condition,  and   the  grace  which  with  the  foregoing  or  the  following  words  ; 

they  have  received  from  God  :   whence  it  and  will  have  it,  that  by  the  household  of 

is  that  the  punishment  of  a  free  person  is  the  prophet  are  particularly  meant  Fatema 

ordained  to  be  double  that  of  a  slave  3,  and  Ali,   and  their  two  sons,   Hasan  and 

and  prophets    are    more   severely   repri-  Hosein,  to  whom  these  words  are  directed  ^ 

1  See  after  in  this  chap.  ver.  4?.  ^  ji  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap.  iv. 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  *  Idem.  ^  Idem, 


2S8 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


wisdom  revealed  in  the  Koran  ;  for  God  is  clear-sighted, 
and  well  acquainted  with  your  actions.  ^^  Verily  the 
Moslems  of  either  sex,  and  the  true  believers  of  either 
sex,  and  the  devout  men,  and  the  devout  women,  and  the 
men  of  veracity,  and  the  women  of  veracity,  and  the 
patient  men,  and  the  patient  women,  and  the  humble 
men,  and  the  humble  women,  and  the  alms-givers  of 
either  sex,  and  the  men  who  fast,  and  the  women  who 
fast,  and  the  chaste  men,  and  the  chaste  women,  and 
those  of  either  sex  who  remember  God  frequently ;  for 
them  hath  God  prepared  forgiveness,  and  a  great  reward. 
^^  It  is  not  fit  for  a  true  believer  of  either  sex,  when  God 
and  his  apostle  have  decreed  a  thing,  that  they  should 
have  the  liberty  of  choosing  a  different  matter  of  their 
own ;  and  whoever  is  disobedient  unto  God  and  his 
apostle,  surely  erreth  with  a  manifest  error.  ^^  And 
remember  when  thou  saidst  to  him  unto  whom  God  had 
been  gracious,  and  on  whom  thou  also  hadst  conferred 
favours :  Keep  thy  wife  to  thyself,  and  fear  God  :  and 
thou  didst  conceal  that  in  thy  mind  which  God  had 
determined  to  discover,  and  didst  fear  men ;  whereas  it 


35  It  is  not  fit  for  a  true  believer ,  when 
God  and  his  apostle  have  decreed  a  thing, 
that  they  should  have  the  liberty  of  choos- 
ingi  &c.]  This  verse  was  revealed  on 
account  of  Zeinab  (or  Zenobia)  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jahash,  and  wife  of  Zeid,  Moham- 
med's freed-man,  whom  the  prophet  sought 
in  marriage,  but  received  a  repulse  from 
the  lady  and  her  brother  Abdallah,  they 
being  at  first  averse  to  the  match ;  for 
which  they  are  here  reprehended.  The 
mother  of  Zeinab,  it  is  said,  was  Anima, 
the  daughter  of  Abd'almotalleb,  and  aunt 
to  Mohammed  ^. 

36  When  thou  saidst  to  him  unto  whom 
God  had  been  gracious."]  Viz.  Zeid  Ebn 
Haretha,  on  whom  God  had  bestowed  the 
grace  early  to  become  a  Moslem. 

—  And  on  whom  thou  hadst  conferred 
favours.]  By  giving  him  his  liberty,  and 
adopting  him  for  thy  son,  &c. 

Zeid  was  of  the  tribe  of  Calb,  a  branch 
of  the  Khodaites,  descended  from  Hamyar, 
the  son  of  Saba ;  and  being  taken  in  his 
childhood  by  a  party  of  freebooters,  was 
bought  by  Mohammed :  or,  as  others  say, 
by  his  wife  Khadijah,  before  she  married 


him.  Some  years  after,  Haretha,  hearing 
where  his  son  was,  took  a  journey  to 
Mecca,  and  offered  a  considerable  sum  for 
his  ransom  ;  whereupon  Mohammed  said. 
Let  Zeid  come  hither ;  and  if  he  chooses 
to  go  with  you,  take  him  without  ransom : 
but  if  it  be  his  choice  to  stay  with  me, 
why  should  I  not  keep  him  ?  And  Zeid 
being  come,  declared  that  he  would  stay 
with  his  master,  who  treated  him  as  if  he 
were  his  only  son.  Mohammed  no  sooner 
heard  this,  but  he  took  Zeid  by  the  hand, 
and  led  him  to  the  black  stone  of  the 
Caaba,  where  he  publicly  adopted  him  for 
his  son,  and  constituted  him  his  heir ;  with 
which  the  father  acquiesced,  and  returned 
home  well  satisfied.  From  this  time  Zeid 
was  called  the  son  of  Mohammed,  till  the 
publication  of  Islam ;  after  which  the  pro- 
phet gave  him  to  wife  Zeinab  2. 

—  And  thou  didst  conceal  that  in  thy 
mind  which  God  had  determined  to  dis- 
cover.] Namely,  thy  affection  to  Zeinab. 
The  whole  intrigue  is  artfully  enough 
unfolded  in  this  passage ;  the  story  is  as 
follows. 

Some  years  after  his  marriage,  Moham- 


Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin, 


8 


2  Al  Jannabi.   V.  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Moh.  1.  4.  c.3. 


XXXIII.] 


AL    KORAN. 


239 


was  more  just  that  thou  shouldst  fear  God.  But  when 
Zeid  had  determined  the  matter  concerning  her,  and  had 
resolved  to  divorce  her,  we  joined  her  in  marriage  unto 
thee,  lest  a  crime  should  *be  charged  on  the  true  believers, 
in  marrying  the  wives  of  their  adopted  sons,  when  they 
have  determined  the  matter  concerning  them  :  and  the 
command  of  God  is  to  be  performed.  ^'^  No  crime  is  to 
be  charged  on  the  prophet,  as  to  what  God  hath  allowed 
him,  conformable  to  the  ordinance  of  God  with  regard  to 
those  who  preceded  him,  (for  the  command  of  God  is  a 
determinate  decree,)  ^^  who  brought  the  messages  of  God, 
and  feared  him,  and  feared  none  besides  God  :  and  God  is 
a  sufficient  accomptant.  ^^  Mohammed  is  not  the  father 
of  any  man  among  you ;  but  the  apostle  of  God,  and  the 
seal  of  the  prophets :  and  God  knoweth  all  things.  ^^  O 
true  believers,  remember  God  with  a  frequent  remem- 
brance, and  celebrate  his  praise  morning  and  evening. 
^^  It  is  he  who  is  gracious  unto  you,  and  his  angels  inter- 
cede for  you,  that  he  may  lead  you  forth  from  darkness 
into  light ;  and  he  is  merciful  towards  the  true  believers. 
^^  Their  salutation,  on  the  day  whereon  they  shall  meet 
him,  shall  be,  Peace  !    and  he  hath  prepared  for  them  an 


med  going  to  Zeid's  house  on  some  affair, 
and  not  finding  him  at  home,  accidentally 
cast  his  eyes  on  Zeinab,  who  was  then  in 
a  dress  which  discovered  her  beauty  to 
advantage  ;  and  was  so  smitten  at  the 
sight,  that  he  could  not  forbear  crying  out, 
God  be  praised,  who  turneth  the  hearts  of 
men  as  he  pleaseth !  This  Zeinab  failed 
not  to  acquaint  her  husband  with,  on  his 
return  home ;  whereupon  Zeid,  after  ma- 
ture reflection,  thought  he  could  do  no  less 
than  part  with  his  wife,  in  favour  of  his 
benefactor  ;  and  therefore  resolved  to  di- 
vorce her,  and  acquainted  Mohammed  with 
his  resolution  :  but  he,  apprehending  the 
scandal  it  might  raise,  offered  to  dissuade 
him  from  it,  and  endeavoured  to  stifle  the 
flames  which  inwardly  consumed  him  ; 
but  at  length  his  love  for  her  being  au- 
thorized by  this  revelation,  he  acquiesced, 
and,  after  the  term  of  her  divorce  was 
expired,  married  her,  in  the  latter  end  of 
the  5th  year  of  the  Hejra  ^. 

—  Zeid.~\     It  is  observed  that  this  is 


the  only  person,  of  all  Mohammed's  com- 
panions, whose  name  is  mentioned  in  the 
Koran. 

—  We  joined  her  in  marriage  unto 
thee.']  Whence  Zeinab  used  to  vaunt 
herself  above  the  prophet's  other  wives, 
saying,  that  God  had  made  the  match 
between  Mohammed  and  herself,  whereas 
their  matches  were  made  by  their  rela- 
tions 2. 

—  Lest  a  crime  should  be  charged  on 
the  true  believers,  in  marrying  the  wives  of 
their  adopted  sons,  &c.]  For  this  feigned 
relation,  as  has  been  observed,  created  an 
impediment  of  marriage  among  the  old 
Arabs  within  the  prohibited  degrees,  in 
the  same  manner  as  if  it  had  been  real ; 
and  therefore  Mohammed's  marrying 
Zeinab,  who  had  been  his  adopted  son's 
wife,  occasioned  great  scandal  among  his 
followers,  which  was  much  heightened  by 
the  Jews  and  hypocrites:  but  the  custom  is 
here  declared  unreasonable,  and  abolished 
for  the  future. 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  Al  Jannabi,  &c. 


2  lidem. 


240  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

honourable  recompense.  ^^  O  prophet,  verily  we  have 
sent  thee  to  be  a  witness,  and  a  bearer  of  good  tidings, 
and  a  denouncer  of  threats,  and  an  inviter  unto  God 
through  his  good  pleasure,  and  a  shining  light.  ^^  Bear 
good  tidings  therefore  unto  the  true  believers,  that  they 
shall  receive  great  abundance  from  God.  ^^  And  obey 
not  the  unbelievers  and  the  hypocrites,  and  mind  not 
their  evil  treatment :  but  trust  in  God  ;  and  God  is  a 
sufficient  protector.  ^^  O  true  believers,  when  ye  marry 
women  who  are  believers,  and  afterwards  put  them  away, 
before  ye  have  touched  them,  there  is  no  term  prescribed 
you  to  fulfil  towards  them  after  their  divorce :  but  make 
them  a  present,  and  dismiss  them  freely,  with  an  honour- 
able dismission.  ^^  O  prophet,  we  have  allowed  thee  thy 
wives  unto  whom  thou  hast  given  their  dower,  and  also 
the  slaves  which  thy  right  hand  possesseth,  of  the  booty 
which  God  hath  granted  thee,  and  the  daughters  of  thy 
uncle,  and  the  daughters  of  thy  aunts,  both  on  thy  father's 
side,  and  on  thy  mother's  side,  who  have  fled  with  thee 
from  Mecca,  and  any  other  believing  woman,  if  she  give 
herself  unto  the  prophet ;   in  case  the  prophet  desireth  to 

46  There  is  no  term  prescribed  you  to  wards  this  verse  was  revealed ;  but  he  was 
fulfil  towards  them.'}  That  is,  ye  are  not  not  thereby  allowed  to  marry  me,  because 
obliged   to   keep  them    any  certain  time     I  fled  not  with  him  2. 

before  ye  dismiss  them,  as  ye  are  those  It  may  be  observed  that  Dr.  Prideaux 

with  whom  the  marriage  has  been   con-  is  much  mistaken,  when  he  asserts  that 

summated.     See  chap.  ii.  p.  39.  Mohammed,  in  this  chapter,  brings  in  God 

—  Make  them  a  present.'}  i.  e.  If  no  exempting  him  from  the  law  in  the  fourth 
dower  has  been  assigned  them;  for  if  a  chapter^,  whereby  the  Moslems  are  for- 
dower  has  been  assigned,  the  husband  is  bidden  to  marry  within  certain  degrees, 
obliged,  according  to  the  Sonna,  to  give  and  giving  him  an  especial  privilege  to 
the  woman  half  the  dower  agreed  on,  take  to  wife  the  daughter  of  his  brother, 
besides  a  present  ^.  This  is  still  to  be  or  the  daughter  of  his  sister  *. 
understood  of  such  women  with  whom  the  —  And  any  believing  woman,  if  she  give 
marriage  has  not  been  consummated.  herself  utito   the  prophet.}     Without   de- 

47  The  slaves  of  the  booty  which  God  manding  any  dower.  According  to  a 
hath  granted  thee.}  It  is  said,  therefore,  tradition  of  Ebn  Abbas,  the  prophet,  how- 
that  the  women  slaves  which  he  should  buy  ever,  married  no  woman  without  assigning 
are  not  included  in  this  grant.  her  a  dower.     The  commentators  are  not 

—  Who  have  fled  with  thee  from  Mecca.}  agreed  who  was  the  woman  particularly 
But  not  the  others.  It  is  related  of  Omm  meant  in  this  passage  ;  but  they  name 
Hani,  the  daughter  of  Abu  Taleb,  that  four,  who  are  supposed  to  have  thus  given 
she  should  say,  The  apostle  of  God  courted  themselves  to  the  prophet,  viz.  Maimuna 
me  for  his  wife  ;  but  I  excused  myself  to  Bint  al  Hareth,  Zelnab  Bint  Khozaima, 
him,  and  he  accepted  of  my  excuse  ;  after-  Ghozia  Bint  Jaber,  surnamed  Omm  Sho- 

i  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  3  pggg  82,  83.  *  See  Prid,      Life 

of  Mah.  p.  116. 


xxxin.]  AL    KORAN.  241 

take  her  to  wife.  This  is  a  peculiar  privilege  granted 
unto  thee,  above  the  rest  of  the  true  believers.  We 
know  what  we  have  ordained  them  concerning  their 
wives,  and  the  slaves  whom  their  right  hands  possess  : 
lest  it  should  be  deemed  a  crime  in  thee  to  make  use 
of  the  privilege  granted  thee  ;  for  God  is  gracious  and 
merciful.  ^^  Thou  mayest  postpone  the  turn  of  such  of 
thy  wives  as  thou  shalt  please,  in  being  called  to  thy 
bed;  and  thou  mayest  take  unto  thee  her  whom  thou 
shalt  please,  and  her  whom  thou  shalt  desire  of  those 
whom  thou  shalt  have  before  rejected  :  and  it  shall  be 
no  crime  in  thee.  This  will  be  more  easy,  that  they  may 
be  entirely  content,  and  may  not  be  grieved,  but  may  be 
well  pleased  with  what  thou  shalt  give  every  of  them  : 
God  knoweth  whatever  is  in  your  hearts  ;  and  God  is 
knowing  and  gracious.  ^^  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  thee 
to  take  other  women  to  wife  hereafter,  nor  to  exchange 
any  of  thy  wives  for  them,  although  their  beauty  please 
thee ;  except'  the  slaves  whom  thy  right  hand  shall  pos- 
sess :  and  God  observeth  all  things.      ^^  O  true  believers, 

raic,  (which   three   he  actually  married,)  other  women  to  wife  hereafter,  &c.]      The 

and    Khawla    Bint   Hakim,    whom,   as    il  commentators    differ    as     to    the    express 

seems,  he  rejected.  meaning    of  these    words.       Some    think 

—   This  is  a  peculiar  privilege  granted  Mohammed  was  thereby  forbidden  to  take 

thee,  above  the  rest  of  the  true  believers.^  any  more  wives  than  nine,  which  number 

For  no   Moslem  can  legally  marry  above  he  then  had,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been 

four  wives,  whether  free  women  or  slaves  ;  his  stint,  as  four  was  that  of  other  men  : 

whereas  Mohammed  is,  by  the  preceding  some  imagine  that  after  this  prohibition, 

passage,  left  at  liberty  to  take  as  many  as  though    any    of  the    wives    he    then    had 

he  pleased,  though  with  some  restrictions.  should  die,   or  be  divorced,  yet  he  could 

48  Thou  mayest  postpone  the  turn  of  not  marry  another  in  her  room  :  some 
such  of  thy  wives  as  thou  shalt  please,  &:c.~\  think  he  was  only  forbidden  from  this 
By  this  passage  some  farther  privileges  time  forward  to  marry  any  other  woman 
were  granted  unto  Mohammed  ;  for,  than  one  of  the  four  sorts  mentioned  in 
whereas  other  men  are  obliged  to  carry  the  preceding  passage:  and  others*  are 
themselves  equally  towards  their  wives  ',  of  opinion,  that  this  verse  is  abrogated  by 
in  case  they  had  more  than  one,  particu-  the  two  preceding  verses,  or  one  of  them, 
larly  as  to  the  duties  of  the  marriage-bed,  and  was  revealed  before  them,  though  it 
to  which  each  has  a  right  to  be  called  in  be  read  after  them  ^. 

her  turn  (which  right  was  acknowledged  —  Nor  to  exchange  any  of  thy  wives  for 
in  the  most  early  ages)  ^  ;  and  cannot  take  them.'\  By  divorcing  her,  and  marrying 
again  a  wife  whom  they  have  divorced  the  another.  Al  Zamakhshari  tells  us,  that 
third  time,  till  she  has  been  married  to  some  are  of  opinion,  this  prohibition  is  to 
another,  and  divorced  by  him  ^ ;  the  pro-  be  understood  of  a  particular  kind  of 
phet  was  left  absolutely  at  liberty  to  deal  exchange  used  among  the  idolatrous  Arabs, 
with  them  in  these  and  other  respects  as  whereby  two  men  made  a  mutual  ex- 
he  thought  fit.  change  of  their  wives  without  any  other 

49  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  thee  to  take  formality. 

1  See  Kor.  chap.  iv.  2  gge  Genes,  xxx.  14.  ^  See  chap.  ii. 

*  As  AbuH  Kasem  Hebatallah.  ^  Zamakhshari,  al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  &c, 

VOL.  II.  R 


242  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

enter  not  the  houses  of  the  prophet,  unless  it  be  permitted 
you  to  eat  meat  with  him,  without  waiting  his  convenient 
time :  but  when  ye  are  invited,  then  enter.  And  when 
ye  shall  have  eaten,  disperse  yourselves ;  and  stay  not  to 
enter  into  familiar  discourse ;  for  this  incommodeth  the 
prophet.  He  is  ashamed  to  bid  you  depart ;  but  God  is 
not  ashamed  of  the  truth.  And  when  ye  ask  of  the 
prophet's  wives  what  ye  may  have  occasion  for,  ask  it  of 
them  from  behind  a  curtain.  This  will  be  more  pure 
for  your  hearts  and  their  hearts.  Neither  is  it  fit  for 
you  to  give  any  uneasiness  to  the  apostle  of  God,  or  to 
marry  his  wives  after  him  for  ever ;  for  this  would  be  a 
grievous  thing  in  the  sight  of  God.  ^^  Whether  ye 
divulge  a  thing,  or  conceal  it,  verily  God  knoweth  all 
things.  ^^  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  them  as  to  their 
fathers,  or  their  sons,  or  their  brothers,  or  their  brothers' 
sons,  or  their  sisters'  sons,  or  their  women,  or  the  slaves 
which  their  right  hands  possess,  if  they  speak  to  them 
unveiled :  and  fear  ye  God  ;  for  God  is  witness  of  all 
things.  ^^  Verily  God  and  his  angels  bless  the  prophet. 
O  true  believers,  do  ye  also  bless  him,  and  salute  him 
with  a  respectful  salutation.  ^*  As  to  those  who  offend 
God  and  his  apostle,  God  shall  curse  them  in  this  world 
and  in  the  next ;  and  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a 
shameful  punishment.  ^^  And  they  who  shall  injure  the 
true  believers  of  either  sex,  without  their  deserving  it, 

50  Ask  it  of  them  from  behind  a  curtain.']  man    whom    Mohammed    had    dismissed 

That  is,  let  there  be  a  curtain  drawn  be-  without  consummating  his  marriage  with 

tween  you,  or  let  them  be  veiled,  while  ye  her;  upon  which  the  Khalif  at  first  was 

talk  with  them.  As  the  design  of  the  former  thinking    to    stone   her;    but   afterwards 

precept  was  to  prevent  the  impertinence  of  changed  his  mind,  on  its  being  represented 

troublesome   visitors,    the  design    of  this  to  him,  that  this  prohibition  related  only 

was  to  guard  against  too  near  an  inter-  to  such  women  to  whom  the  prophet  had 

course  of  familiarity  between    his  wives  gone  in  2, 

and  his  followers ;    and  was  occasioned,  it  52    No  crime,    &c.]     See  chap.    xxiv. 

is  said,  by  the  hand  of  one  of  his  com-  verse  32. 

panions    accidentally    touching     that    of  —  Fear  ye  God.l     The  words  are  di- 

Ayesha,   which   gave    the   prophet   some  rected  to  the  prophet's  wives, 

uneasiness  ^.  53  Bless  the  prophet,  and  salute   him.] 

—  Neither  is  it  fit  for  you  to  marry  his  Hence  the  Mohammedans  seldom  mention 
wives  after  him.]    i.  e.    Either  such  as  he  .  his   name   without  adding,    On  whom  be 

shall  divorce  in  his  life-time,  or  his  widows  the  blessing  of  God  and  peace  !  or  the  like 

after  his  death.  This  was  another  privilege  words. 

peculiar  to  the  prophet.  55  They  who  shall  injure  the  true  he- 
ll  is   related,  that   in   the    Khalift   of  lievers,   &c.]      This  verse   was   revealed, 
Omar,  Ashath  Ebn  Kais  married  the  wo-  according  to  some,  on  occasion  of  certain 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XXXIII.]  AL     KORAN.  243 

shall  surely  bear  the  guilt  of  calumny  and  a  manifest 
injustice.  ^^  O  prophet,  speak  unto  thy  wives,  and  thy 
daughters,  and  the  wives  of  the  true  believers,  that  they 
cast  their  outer  garments  over  them  when  they  walk 
abroad ;  this  will  be  more  proper,  that  they  may  be 
known  to  be  matrons  of  reputation,  and  may  not  be 
affronted  by  unseemly  words  or  actions.  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful.  ^^  Verily  if  the  hypocrites,  and  those  in 
whose  hearts  is  an  infirmity,  and  they  who  raise  disturb- 
ances in  Medina,  do  not  desist,  we  will  surely  stir  thee 
up  against  them,  to  chastise  them  :  henceforth  they  shall 
not  be  suffered  to  dwell  near  thee  therein,  except  for  a 
little  time ;  ^^  and  being  accursed,  wherever  they  are 
found  they  shall  be  taken,  and  killed  with  a  general 
slaughter  ;  ^^  according  to  the  sentence  of  God  concerning 
those  who  have  been  before  ;  and  thou  shalt  not  find  any 
change  in  the  sentence  of  God.  ^^  Men  will  ask  thee 
concerning  the  approach  of  the  last  hour :  answer.  Verily 
the  knowledge  thereof  is  with  God  alone  ;  and  he  will 
not  inform  thee  :  peradventure  the  hour  is  nigh  at  hand. 
^^  Verily  God  hath  cursed  the  infidels,  and  hath  prepared 
for  them  a  fierce  fire ;  ^^  wherein  they  shall  remain  for 
ever :  they  shall  find  no  patron  or  defender.  ^^  On  the 
day  whereon  their  faces  shall  be  rolled  in  hell-fire,  they 
shall  say,  O  that  we  had  obeyed  God,  and  had  obeyed  his 
apostle  !  ^^  And  they  shall  say,  O  Lord,  verily  we  have 
obeyed  our  lords,  and  our  great  men;  and  they  have 
seduced  us  from  the  right  way.  ^^  O  Lord,  give  them 
the  double  of  our  punishment ;  and  curse  them  with  a 
heavy  curse  !  ^^  O  true  believers,  be  nat  as  those  who 
injured  Moses  ;  but  God  cleared  him  from  the  scandal 

hypocrites   who   had   slandered    Ali  ;    or  malicious   people   gave   out   that  he   had 

according  to  others,  on  occasion  of  those  a  rupture,  (or,  say  others,  that  he  was  a 

who  falsely  accused  Ayesha  i,  &c.  leper,    or   hermaphrodite,)    and   for   that 

56   Their  outer  garments.']    The  original  reason  was  ashamed  to  wash  with  them  : 

word  properly  signifies  the  large  wrappers,  but  God  cleared  him  from  this  aspersion, 

usually    of  white  linen,    with   which    the  by  causing  the  stone  on  which  he  had  laid 

women  in  the  east  cover  themselves  from  his  clothes,  while  he  washed,  to  run  away 

head  to  foot  when  they  go  abroad.  with  them  into  the  camp,  whither  Moses 

66  Be  not  as  those  who  injured  Moses,  followed  it  naked;  and  by  that  means  the 

&c.]     The  commentators  are   not  agreed  Israelites,  in  the  midst  of  whom  he  was 

what   this   injury    was.      Some   say    that  gotten  ere  he  was  aware,  plainly  perceived 

Moses  using  to  wash  himself  apart,  certain  the  falsehood  of  the  report.     Others  sup* 

*  See  chap.  xxiv. 
R    2 


2U 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap 


which  they  had  spoken  concerning  him ;  and  he  was  of 
great  consideration  in  the  sight  of  God.  ^^  O  true 
believers,  fear  God,  and  speak  words  well-directed ;  that 
God  may  correct  your  works  for  you,  and  may  forgive  you 
your  sins :  ^^  and  whoever  shall  obey  God  and  his  apostle, 
shall  enjoy  great  felicity.  ^^  We  proposed  the  faith  unto 
the  heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  the  mountains ;  and  they 
refused  to  undertake  the  same,  and  were  afraid  thereof; 
but  man  undertook  it :  verily  he  was  unjust  to  himself, 
and  foolish  :  that  God  may  punish  the  hypocritical  men, 
and  the  hypocritical  women,  and  the  idolaters,  and  the 
idolatresses  ;  '^  and  that  God  may  be  turned  unto  the 
true  believers,  both  men  and  women  ;  for  God  is  gracious 
and  merciful. 


pose  Karun's  accusation  of  Moses  is  here 
intended  ^ ;  or  else  the  suspicion  of  Aaron's 
murder,  which  was  cast  on  Moses,  because 
he  was  with  him  when  he  died  on  mount 
Hor :  of  which  latter  he  was  justified  by 
the  angels  bringing  his  body,  and  exposing 
it  to  public  view ;  or,  say  some,  by  the 
testimony  of  Aaron  himself,  who  was  raised 
to  life  for  that  purpose  2. 

The  passage  is  said  to  have  been  occa- 
sioned by  some  reflections  which  were 
cast  on  Mohammed,  on  his  dividing  certain 
spoils  ;  and  that  when  they  came  to  his 
ear,  he  said,  God  be  merciful  unto  my 
brother  Moses  :  he  was  wronged  more  than 
this,  and  bore  it  with  patience  ^. 

66  He  was  of  great  consideration  in  the 
sight  of  God.^  Some  copies,  for  Indr,  read 
Abda,  according  to  which,  the  words  should 
be  translated,  And  he  was  an  illustrious 
servant  of  God. 

69  We  proposed  the  faith  unto  the 
heavens,  and  the  earth,  and  the  mountains, 
&c.]  By  faith  is  here  understood  entire 
obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  which  is 
represented  to  be  of  so  high  concern,  (no 
less  than  eternal  happiness  or  misery  de- 
pending on  the  observance  or  neglect 
thereof,)  and  so  difficult  in  the  perform- 
ance, that  if  God  should  propose  the  same, 
on  the  conditions  annexed,  to  the  vaster 
parts  of  the  creation,  and  they  had  under- 


standing to  comprehend  the  offer,  they 
would  decline  it,  and  not  dare  to  take  on 
them  a  duty,  the  failing  wherein  must  be 
attended  with  so  terrible  a  consequence  ; 
and  yet  man  is  said  to  have  undertaken  it, 
notwithstanding  his  weakness,  and  the 
infirmities  of  his  nature.  Some  imagine 
this  proposal  is  not  hypothetical,  but  was 
actually  made  to  the  heavens,  earth,  and 
mountains,  which,  at  their  first  creation, 
were  endued  with  reason  ;  and  that  God 
told  them  he  had  made  a  law,  and  had 
created  paradise  for  the  recompense  of  such 
as  were  obedient  to  it,  and  hell  for  the 
punishment  of  the  disobedient ;  to  which 
they  answered,  they  were  content  to  be 
obliged  to  perform  the  services  for  which 
they  were  created,  but  would  not  under- 
take to  fulfil  the  divine  law  on  those  con- 
ditions, and  therefore  desired  neither  re- 
ward nor  punishment.  They  add,  that 
when  Adam  was  created,  the  same  offer 
was  made  him,  and  he  accepted  if*.  The 
commentators  have  other  explications  of 
this  passage,  which  it  would  be  too  prolix 
to  transcribe. 

—  He  was  unjust  to  himself  and  foolish.'} 
Unjust  to  himself,  in  not  fulfilling  his 
engagements,  and  obeying  the  law  he  had 
accepted :  and  foolish,  in  not  considering 
the  consequence  of  his  disobedience  and 
neglect. 


See  chap,  xxviii. 


^  Jallalo'ddin,  al  Beiddwi, 
*  Jallalo'ddin,  al  Beiddwi, 


3  Al  Bolchari, 


xxxiv.]  AL   KORAN.  ^45 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

INTITLED,    SABA  ;     REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Praise  be  to  God,  unto  whom  belongeth  whatever  is  in 
the  heavens  and  on  earth :  and  unto  him  be  praise  in  the 
world  to  come  ;  for  he  is  wise  and  intelligent.  ^  He 
knoweth  whatsoever  entereth  into  the  earth,  and  what- 
soever cometh  out  of  the  same,  and  whatsoever  descendeth 
from  heaven,  and  whatsoever  ascendeth  thereto :  and  he 
is  merciful  and  ready  to  forgive.  ^  The  unbelievers  say, 
The  hour  of  judgment  will  not  come  unto  us.  Answer, 
Yea,  by  my  Lord,  it  will  surely  come  unto  you ;  it  is  he 
who  knoweth  the  hidden  secret :  the  weight  of  an  ant, 
either  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  is  not  absent  from  him,  nor 
any  thing  lesser  than  this  or  greater,  but  the  same  is 
written  in  the  perspicuous  book  of  his  decrees  ;  ^  that  he 
may  recompense  those  who  shall  have  believed,  and 
wrought  righteousness  :  they  shall  receive  pardon,  and  an 
honourable  provision.  ^  But  they  who  endeavour  to  ren- 
der our  signs  of  none  effect,  shall  receive  a  punishment  of 
painful  torment.  ^  Those  unto  whom  knowledge  hath 
been  given,  see  that  the  book  which  hath  been  revealed 
unto  thee  from  thy  Lord  is  the  truth,  and  directeth  into 
the  glorious  and  laudable  way.  ^  The  unbelievers  say  to 
one  another.  Shall  we  shew  you  a  man  who  shall  pro- 
phesy unto  you,  that  when  ye  shall  have  been  dispersed 
with  a  total  dispersion,  ye  shall  be  raised  a  new  creature  ? 

Title — Saba-I    Mention  is  made  of  the  —   Whatsoever  descendeth  from  heaven  ] 

people  of  Saba  in  the  fifteenth  verse.  As  the  angels,  scriptures,  decrees  of  God, 

2   Whatsoever  entereth  into  the  earth.~\  rain,  thunder  and  lightning,  &c. 

As  the  rain,  hidden  treasures,  the  dead,  &c.  —  And  whatsoever  ascendeth  thereto.~\ 

—    And  whatsoever  cometh  out  of  the  As    the   angels,    men's    works,     vapours, 

same.'\    As  animals,  plants,  metals,  spring-  smoke,  &c. 
water,  &c. 


1  Al  Beiddwi 


246  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

^  He  hath  forged  a  lie  concerning  God,  or  rather  he  is 
distracted.  But  they  who  believe  not  in  the  life  to  come, 
shall  fall  into  punishment  and  a  wide  error.  ^  Have  they 
not  therefore  considered  what  is  before  them,  and  what  is 
behind  them,  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth  ?  If  we  please, 
we  will  cause  the  earth  to  open  and  swallow  them  up,  or 
will  cause  a  piece  of  the  heaven  to  fall  upon  them  :  verily 
herein  is  a  sign  unto  every  servant,  who  turneth  unto  God. 
^^  We  heretofore  bestowed  on  David  excellence  from  us : 
and  we  said,  O  mountains,  sing  alternate  praises  with 
him ;  and  we  obliged  the  birds  also  to  join  therein. 
^^  And  we  softened  the  iron  for  him,  saying,  Make 
thereof  complete  coats  of  mail,  and  rightly  dispose  the 
small  plates  which  compose  the  same :  and  work  ye 
righteousness,  O  family  of  David  ;  for  I  see  that  which 
ye  do.  ^^  And  we  made  the  wind  subject  unto  Solo- 
mon :  it  blew  in  the  morning  for  a  month,  and  in 
the  evening  for  a  month.  And  we  made  a  fountain 
of  molten  brass  to  flow  for  him.  And  some  of  the 
genii  were  obliged  to  work  in  his  presence,  by  the  will 
of  his  Lord  ;  and  whoever  of  them  turned  aside  from 
our  command,  we  will  cause  him  to  taste  the  pain  of  hell- 
fire.  ^^  They  made  for  him  whatever  he  pleased,  of  palaces, 
and  statues,  and  large  dishes  like  fish-ponds,  and  caul- 
drons standing  firm  on  their  trevets ;  and  we  said.  Work 
righteousness,  O  family  of  David,  with  thanksgiving ;  for 

10  Mountains.']    See  chap.  xxi.  ver.  79.  forbidden  ;  or  else  that  they  were  not  such 

11  Coats  of  mail.]  See  chap.  xxi.  images  as  were  forbidden  by  the  law. 
verse  79*  Some  say  these  spirits  made  him  two  lions, 

12  Wind,  &c.]  See  ibid,  and  chap,  which  were  placed  at  the  foot  of  his 
xxvii.  verse  21.  throne,  and  two  eagles,  which    were  set 

—  A  fountain  of  molten  bi-ass.]  This  above  it ;  and  that  when  he  mounted  it, 
fountain  they  say  was  in  Yaman,  and  the  lions  stretched  out  their  paws ;  and 
flowed  three  days  in  a  month  ^.  when  he  sat  down,  the  eagles  shaded  him 

—  We  will  cause  him  to  taste   the  pain  with  their  wings  ^. 

of  hell-Jire.~\      Or,  as   some  expound   the         —  Dishes  like  fish-ponds.]    Being    so 

words.    We  caused  him  to  taste  the  pain  of  monstrously  large   that  a    thousand   men 

burning ;  by  which   they  understand  the  might  eat  out  of  each  of  them  at  once, 
correction   the   disobedient  genii  received         —  And  cauldrons  standing  firm  on  their 

at  the  hands  of  the  angel  set  over  them,  trevets,]   These  cauldrons,  they  say,  were 

who  whipped  them  with  a  whip  of  fire.  cut  out  of  the  mountains  of  Yaman,  and 

13  Statues.]  Some  suppose  these  were  were  so  vastly  big,  that  they  could  not  be 
images  of  the  angels  and  prophets,  and  moved  ;  and  people  went  up  to  them  by 
that  the  making   of  them  was  not  then  steps  ^. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Jnllalo'ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  JallaWddin. 


XXXIV.] 


AL   KORAN. 


247 


few  of  mv  servants  are  thankful.  "  And  when  we  had 
decreed  that  Solomon  should  die,  nothing  discovered  his 
death  unto  them,  except  the  creeping  thing  of  the  earth, 
which  gnawed  his  staff.  And  when  his  body  fell  down, 
the  genii  plainly  perceived,  that  if  they  had  known  that 
which  is  secret,  they  had  not  continued  in  a  vile  punish- 
ment. ^^  The  descendants  of  Saba  had  heretofore  a  sign 
in  their  dwellings  ;  namely,  two  gardens,  one  on  the  right 
hand  and  on  the  left :  and  it  was  said  unto  them.  Eat  ye 
of  the  provision  of  your  Lord,  and  give  thanks  unto  him; 
ye  have  a  good  country,  and  a  gracious  Lord.  ^^But 
they  turned  aside  from  what  we  had  commanded  them  : 
wherefore  we  sent  against  them  the  inundation  of  al 
Arem,  and  we  changed  their  two  gardens  for  them  into 


14  Nothing  discovered  Ids  death,  hut  the 
creeping  thing  of  the  earth,  which  gnawed 
his  staff.~\  The  commentators,  to  explain 
this  passage,  tell  us,  That  David  having 
laid  the  foundations  of  the  temple  of  Je- 
rusalem, which  was  to  be  in  lieu  of  the 
tabernacle  of  Moses,  when  he  died,  left  it 
to  be  finished  by  his  son  Solomon  ;  who 
employed  the  genii  in  the  work:  that  So- 
lomon, before  the  edifice  was  quite  com- 
pleted, perceiving  his  end  drew  nigh, 
begged  of  God  that  his  death  might  be 
concealed  from  the  genii  till  they  had 
entirely  finished  it :  that  God  therefore  so 
ordered  it,  that  Solomon  died  as  he  stood 
at  his  prayers,  leaning  on  his  staff,  which 
supported  the  body  in  that  posture  a  full 
year ;  and  the  genii  supposing  him  to  be 
alive  continued  their  work  during  that 
term — at  the  expiration  whereof  the  temple 
being  perfectly  completed,  a  worm,  which 
had  gotten  into  the  staff,  eat  it  through, 
and  the  corpse  fell  to  the  ground,  and 
discovered  the  king's  death  ^, 

Possibly  this  fable  of  the  temple's  being 
built  by  genii,  and  not  by  men,  might  take 
its  rise  from  what  is  mentioned  in  scrip- 
ture, that  the  house  was  built  of  stone 
made  ready  before  it  was  brought  thither, 
so  that  there  was  neither  hammer  nor  axe, 
nor  any  tool  of  iron,  heard  in  the  house 
while  it  was  building  ^;  the  Rabbins  in- 
deed tell  us  of  a  worm  which  might  assist 
the  workmen,  its  virtue  being  such  as  to 
cause  the  rocks  and  stones  to  fly  in  sun- 
der ^.     Whether  the  worm  which  gnawed 


Solomon's  staff  were  of  the  same  breed 
with  this  other,  I  know  not;  but  the  story 
has  perfectly  the  air  of  a  Jewish  in- 
vention. 

—  They  had  7iot  continued  in  a  vile 
punishment.^  i.  e.  They  had  not  continued 
in  servile  subjection  to  the  command  of 
Solomon,  nor  had  gone  on  with  the  work 
of  the  temple. 

15  The  descendants  of  Saba.'}  Saba  was 
the  son  of  Yashhab,  the  son  of  Yarab,  the 
son  of  Kahtan,  whose  posterity  dwelt  in 
Yaman,  in  the  city  of  Mareb,  called  also 
Saba,  about  three  days'  journey  from 
Sanaa. 

—  I'wo  gardens,  one  on  the  right  hand 
and  the  other  on  the  left.']  That  is,  two 
tracts  of  land,  one  on  this  side  of  their 
city,  and  the  other  on  that,  planted  with 
trees,  and  made  into  gardens,  which  lay  so 
thick  and  close  together  that  each  tract 
seemed  tojje  one  continued  garden  :  or,  it 
may  be,  every  house  had  a  garden  on  each 
hand  of  it*. 

16  The  inundation  of  al  Arem.}  The 
commentators  set  down  several  significa- 
tions of  the  word  al  Arem,  which  are 
scarcely  worth  mentioning:  it  most  pro- 
perly signifies  mounds  or  dams  for  the 
stopping  or  containing  of  water,  and  is 
here  used  for  that  stupendous  mound  or 
building  which  formed  the  vast  reservoir 
above  the  city  of  Saba,  described  in 
another  place  5,  and  which,  for  the  great 
impiety,  pride,  and  insolence,  of  the  in- 
habitants, was  broken  down  in  the  night, 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  2  \  Kings  vi.  7- 

Buxt.  Lex.  Talm.  p.  2456,  and  Schickardi  Tarich  reg.  Pers.  p.  62. 


*  Al  Beiddwi, 


^  V.  Kimhi,  in  loc, 
5  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  1. 


248 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


two  gardens  producing  bitter  fruit,  and  tamarisks,  and 
some  little  fruit  of  the  lote-tree.  ^^  This  we  gave  them  in 
reward,  because  they  were  ungrateful:  is  any  thus  rewarded, 
except  the  ungrateful?  ^^  And  we  placed  between  them 
and  the  cities  which  we  have  blessed,  cities  situate  near 
each  other  ;  ahd  we  made  the  journey  easy  between  them, 
saying,  Travel  through  the  same  by  night,  and  by  day,  in 
security.  ^^  But  they  said,  O  Lord,  put  a  greater  distance 
between  our  journey :  and  they  were  unjust  unto  them- 
selves ;  and  we  made  them  the  subject  of  discourse,  and 
dispersed  them  with  a  total  dispersion.  Verily  herein  are 
signs  unto  every  patient  grateful  person.  ^^  And  Eblis 
found  his  opinion  of  them  to  be  true :  and  they  followed 
him,  except  a  party  of  the  true  believers :  ^^  and  he  had 
no  power  over  them,  unless  to  tempt  them,  that  we  might 
know  him  who  believed  in  the  life  to  come,  from  him  who 


by  a  mighty  flood,  and  occasioned  a 
terrible  destruction  ^  Al  Beidawi  sup- 
poses this  mound  was  the  work  of  queen 
Balkis,  and  that  the  above-mentioned 
catastrophe  happened  after  the  time  of 
Jesus  Christ;  wherein  he  seems  to  be 
mistaken. 

—  Tamarisks.~\  A  low  shrub,  bearing 
no  fruit,  and  delighting  in  saltish  and 
barren  ground. 

18  The  cities  winch  we  have  blessed.^ 
viz.  The  cities  of  Syria. 

—  IVe  made  the  journey  easy  between 
them.~\  By  reason  of  their  near  distance, 
so  that  during  the  w^hole  journey  a  tra- 
veller might  rest  in  one  town  during  the 
heat  of  the  day,  and  in  another  at  night ; 
nor  was  he  obliged  to  carry  provisions 
with  him  2. 

19  Put  a  greater  distance  between  our 
journeys.^  This  petition  they  made  out 
of  covetousness,  that  the  poor  being  obliged 
to  be  longer  on  the  road,  they  might  make 
greater  advantage  in  letting  out  their 
cattle,  and  furnishing  the  travellers  with 
provision:  and  God  was  pleased  to  punish 
them,  by  granting  them  their  wish,  and 
permitting  most  of  the  cities,  which  were 
between  Saba  and  Syria,  to  be  ruined  and 
abandoned  ^. 

—  We  made  them   the  subject  of  dis- 


course, and  dispersed  them  with  a  total 
dispersion.l^  For  the  neighbouring  nations 
justly  wondered  at  so  sudden  and  unfore- 
seen a  revolution  in  the  affairs  of  this 
once  flourishing  people  :  w'hence  it  be- 
became  a  proverbial  saying,  to  express  a 
total  dispersion,  that  they  were  gone  and 
scattered  like  Saba*. 

Of  the  descendants  of  Saba,  who  quitted 
their  country,  and  sought  new  settlements 
on  this  inundation,  the  tribe  of  Gassan 
went  into  Syria,  and  the  tribe  of  Ammar 
to  Yathreb,  the  tribe  of  Jodham  to  Teha- 
mah,  the  tribe  of  al  Azd  to  Oman  ^,  the 
tribe  of  Tay  to  Najd,  the  tribe  of  Khozaah 
to  Batn  Mar  near  Mecca,  Banu  Amela  to  a 
mountain,  thence  called  the  mountain  of 
Amela,  near  Damascus,  and  others  went 
to  Hira  in  Irak  6,   &c. 

20  Eblis  found  his  opinion  of  them  to  be 
truer\  Either  his  opinion  of  the  Sabseans, 
when  he  saw  them  addicted  to  pride  and 
ingratitude,  and  the  satisfying  their  lusts  ; 
or  else  the  opinion  he  entertained  of  all 
mankind  at  the  fall  of  Adam,  or  at  his 
creation,  when  he  heard  the  angels  say, 
Wilt  thou  place  in  the  earth  one  who  will 
do  evil  therein,  and  shed  blood  ^  ? 

—  Except  a  party  of  the  true  believers.^ 
Who  were  saved  from  the  common  de- 
structio  t 


*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §.  1. 

^  lidem.  *  Al  Beiddwi. 

6  V.  Proc.  Spec.  p.  42.  45.  66. 


2  Jallalo' ddin,  al  Beiddwi. 
V.  Gol.  not.  in  Alfrag.  p.  87-         ^  Al  Beiddwi. 
^  The  History  of  Adam,  passim,  and  Index. 


4 


xxxiv.]  A L   KORAN.  249 

doubted  thereof.  Thy  Lord  observeth  all  things.  ^^Say 
unto  the  idolaters,  Call  upon  those  whom  ye  imagine  to  be 
gods,  besides  God  :  they  are  not  masters  of  the  weight  of 
an  ant  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  neither  have  they  any  share 
in  the  creation  or  government  of  the  same ;  nor  is  any  of 
them  assistant  to  him  therein.  ^^  No  intercession  will  be 
of  service  in  his  presence,  except  the  intercession  of  him 
to  whom  he  shall  grant  permission  to  intercede  for  others: 
and  they  shall  wait  in  suspense  until,  when  the  terror 
shall  be  taken  off  from  their  hearts,  they  shall  say  to 
one  another,  What  doth  your  Lord  say?  They  shall 
answer.  That  which  is  just :  and  he  is  the  high,  the  great 
God.  ^^  Say,  Who  provideth  food  for  you  from  heaven 
and  earth  ?  Answer,  God  :  and  either  we,  or  ye,  follow 
the  true  direction,  or  are  in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  Say,  Ye 
shall  not  be  examined  concerning  what  we  shall  have 
committed ;  neither  shall  we  be  examined  concerning 
what  ye  shall  have  done.  ^^  Say,  Our  Lord  will  assemble 
us  together  at  the  last  day :  then  will  he  judge  between 
us  with  truth  ;  and  he  is  the  judge,  the  knowing.  ^^  Say, 
Shew  me  those  whom  ye  have  joined  as  partners  with 
him  ?  Nay ;  rather,  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise  God.  ^^  We 
have  not  sent  thee  otherwise  than  unto  mankind  in 
general,  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  denouncer  of 
threats :  but  the  greater  part  of  men  do  not  understand. 
^^  And  they  say.  When  will  this  threat  be  fulfilled,  if  ye 
speak  truth  ?  ^^  Answer,  A  threat  is  denounced  unto 
you  of  a  day,  which  ye  shall  not  retard  one  hour,  neither 
shall  ye  hasten.  ^^  The  unbelievers  say.  We  will  by  no 
means  believe  in  this  Koran,  nor  in  that  which  hath  been 
revealed  before  it.  But  if  thou  couldest  see  when  the 
unjust  doers  shall  be  set  before  their  Lord  !     They  will 

23  Intercede,  &c.]    See  chap.  xix.  verse         31  Nor  in  that  which  hath  been  revealed 

86.  before   it.']     It  is  said  that  the  infidels  of 

—   When  the  terror  shall  be  taken  off  Mecca,   having  inquired  of  the  Jews  and 

from  their  hearts.]     i.  e.  From  the  hearts  Christians  concerning  the  mission  of  Mo- 

of  the  intercessors,  and  of  those  for  whom  hammed,  were  assured  by  them  that  they 

God  shall  allow  them  to  intercede,  by  the  found   him   described  as  the  prophet  who 

permission    which    he    shall    then    grant  should  come,  both  in  the   Pentateuch  and 

them  ;  for  no  angel  or  prophet  shall  dare  in  the  Gospel ;  at  which   they  were  very 

to  speak  at  the  last  day  without  the  divine  angry,  and  brake  out  into  the  words  here 

leave.  recorded  ^ 


^  Al  Beidnwi. 


250  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

iterate  discourse  with  one  another:  those  who  were 
esteemed  weak  shall  say  unto  those  who  behaved  them- 
selves arrogantly,  Had  it  not  been  for  you,  verily  we  had 
been  true  believers.  ^^They  who  behaved  themselves 
arrogantly  shall  say  unto  those  who  were  esteemed  weak, 
Did  we  turn  you  aside  from  the  true  direction,  after  it 
had  come  unto  you  ?  On  the  contrary,  ye  acted  wickedly 
of  your  own  free  choice.  ^^  And  they  who  were  esteemed 
weak  shall  say  unto  those  who  behaved  with  arrogance. 
Nay,  but  the  crafty  plot  which  ye  devised  by  night  and 
by  day,  occasioned  our  ruin ;  when  ye  commanded  us 
that  we  should  not  believe  in  God,  and  that  we  should 
set  up  other  gods  as  equals  unto  him.  And  they  shall 
conceal  their  repentance,  after  they  shall  have  seen  the 
punishment  prepared  for  them.  And  we  will  put  yokes 
on  the  necks  of  those  who  shall  have  disbelieved :  shall 
they  be  rewarded  any  otherwise  than  according  to  what 
they  shall  have  wrought  ?  ^^  We  have  sent  no  warner 
unto  any  city,  but  the  inhabitants  thereof  who  lived  in 
affluence  said,  Verily  we  believe  not  that  with  which  ye 
are  sent.  ^^  And  those  of  Mecca  also  say.  We  abound 
in  riches  and  children  more  than  ye ;  and  we  shall  not  be 
punished  hereafter.  ^^  Answer,  Verily  my  Lord  will 
bestow  provision  in  abundance  unto  whom  he  pleaseth, 
and  will  be  sparing  unto  whom  he  pleaseth:  but  the 
greater  part  of  men  know  not  this.  ^^  Neither  your 
riches  nor  your  children  are  the  things  which  shall  cause 
you  to  draw  nigh  unto  us  with  a  near  approach :  only 
whoever  believeth,  and  worketh  righteousness,  they  shall 
receive  a  double  reward  for  that  which  they  shall  have 
wrought ;  and  they  shall  dwell  in  security  in  the  upper 
apartments  of  paradise.  ^^  But  they  who  shall  endeavour 
to  render  our  signs  of  none  effect,  shall  be  delivered  up 
to  punishment.  ^^  Say,  Verily  my  Lord  will  bestow  pro- 
vision in  abundance  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  of  his  servants, 
and  will  be  sparing  unto  whom  he  pleaseth :  and  whatever 
thing  ye  shall  give  in  alms,  he  will  return  it ;  and  he  is 
the  best  provider  of  food.     ^^  On   a  certain  day  he  shall 

31    Weak,  &c.]  See  chap.  xiv.  verse  21.     posite  meaning  to  publish  or  reveal,  and  is 
33  Conceal  their  repentance,^    The  verb     so  understood  here  by  some   commenta- 
translated  conceal,  bears  also  the  very  op-     tors. 

8 


xxxiv]  AL    KORAN.  .  251 

gather  them  all  together:  then  shall  he  say  unto  the 
angels.  Did  these  worship  you  ?  *^  And  the  angels  shall 
answer,  God  forbid !  thou  art  our  friend,  and  not  these : 
but  they  worshipped  devils :  the  greater  part  of  them 
believed  in  them.  ^^  On  this  day  the  one  of  you  shall 
not  be  able  either  to  profit  or  to  hurt  the  other.  And  we 
will  say  unto  those  who  have  acted  unjustly.  Taste  ye 
the  pain  of  hell-fire,  which  ye  rejected  as  a  falsehood. 
^^  When  our  evident  signs  are  read  unto  them,  they  say  of 
thee,  O  Mohammed,  This  is  no  other  than  a  man  who 
seeketh  to  tm^n  you  aside  from  the  gods  which  your 
fathers  worshipped.  And  they  say  of  the  Koran,  This  is 
no  other  than  a  lie  blasphemously  forged.  And  the 
unbelievers  say  of  the  truth,  when  it  is  come  unto  them, 
^^ This  is  no  other  than  manifest  sorcery  :  yet  we  have 
given  them  no  books  of  scripture  wherein  to  exercise 
themselves,  nor  have  we  sent  unto  them  any  warner 
before  thee.  ^^They  who  were  before  them,  in  like 
manner  accused  their  prophets  of  imposture :  but  these 
have  not  arrived  unto  the  tenth  part  of  the  riches  and 
strength  which  we  had  bestowed  on  the  former,  and  they 
accused  my  apostles  of  imposture ;  and  how  severe  was 
my  vengeance  !  V  '^^  Say,  Verily  I  advise  you  unto  one 
thing,  namely,  that  ye  stand  before  God  by  two  and  two, 
and  singly,  and  then  consider  seriously,  and  you  will  find 
that  there  is  no  madness  in  your  companion  Mohammed  : 
he  is  no  other  than  a  warner  unto  you,  sent  before  a 
severe  punishment.  '*^  Say,  I  ask  not  of  you  any  reward 
for  my  preaching  ;  it  is  your  own,  either  to  give  or  not : 
my  rew^ard  is  to  be  expected  from  God  alone ;  and  he  is 
witness  over  all  things.  \  ^^  Say,  Verily  my  Lord  sendeth 

46  That  ye  stand  before  God  by  two  and  47  /  ask  not  of  you  aiiy  reward^  &c.] 

two^  or  singly.']     i.e.   That  ye  set  your-  Mohammed,  having  in  the  preceding  words 

selves  to  deliberate,  and  judge  of  me  and  answered  the  imputation  of  madness,  or 

my  pretensions  coolly  and  sincerely,  as  in  vain  enthusiasm,    by    appealing    to    their 

the  sight  of  God,  without  passion  or  pre-  cooler   thoughts  of  him   and  his  actions, 

judice.     The  reason  why  they  are  ordered  endeavours,  by  these,  to  clear  himself  of 

to   consider   either  alone,  or  by  two  and  the  suspicion  of  any  worldly  view  or  in- 

two,  at  most,  together,  is  because  that  in  terest,  declaring  that  he  desired  no  salary 

larger  assemblies,  where  noise,  passion,  or  or  support  from  them,  for  executing  his 

prejudice,  generally  prevail,  men  have  not  commission,  but  expected  his  wages  from 

that  freedom  of  judgment  which  they  have  God  alone, 

in  private  i.  —  2'ogive,  &c.]   See  chap.  xxv.  vers.  57. 

*  Jl  Beiddwi. 


252  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

down  the  truth  to  his  prophets:  he  is  the  knower  of 
secrets.  ^^  Say,  Truth  is  come,  and  falsehood  is  vanished, 
and  shall  not  return  any  more.  ^^  Say,  If  I  err,  verily  I 
shall  err  only  against  my  own  soul:  but  if  I  be  rightly 
directed,  it  will  be  by  that  which  my  Lord  reveal  eth 
unto  me ;  for  he  is  ready  to  hear,  and  nigh  unto  those 
who  call  upon  him.  ^^  If  thou  couldest  see  when  the 
unbelievers  shall  tremble,  and  shall  find  no  refuge,  and 
shall  be  taken  from  a  near  place,  and  shall  say.  We 
believe  in  him  !  ^^  But  how  shall  they  receive  the  faith 
from  a  distant  place ;  since  they  had  before  denied  him, 
and  reviled  the  mysteries  of  faith,  from  a  distant  place  ? 
^^  And  a  bar  shall  be  placed  between  them  and  that  which 
they  shall  desire  ;  ^^  as  it  hath  been  done  with  those  who 
behaved  like  them  heretofore :  because  they  have  been  in 
a  doubt  which  hath  caused  scandal. 

51    When  the  unbelievers  shall  tremble.^  tribunal  to  hell-fire  ;  or,  from  the  plain  of 

Viz.   At  their  death,   or  the  day  of  judg-  Bedr  to   the  well  into  which  the  dead  bo- 

ment,  or  the  battle  of  Bedr  ^  dies  of  the  slain  were  thrown  ^. 

—  And  shall  be  taken  from  a  near  place.]         52  From  a  distant  place.]     i.  e.  When 

That  is,  from  the  outside  of  the  earth  to  they  are  in  the  other  world ;  whereas  faith 

the  inside  thereof;  or,   from  before  God's  is  to  be  received  in  this. 

1  J I  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

INTITLED,    THE    CREATOR  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  Praise  be  unto  God,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth ; 
who  maketh  the  angels  his  messengers,  furnished  with 
two,  and  three,  and  four,  pair  of  wings  :  God  maketh 
what  addition  he  pleaseth  unto  his  creatures ;  for  God   is 

Title — Creator.]  Some  entitle  this  chap-  wings,  according  to  their  different  orders  ; 

ter,  The  Angels :  both  words  occur  in  the  the  words  not  being  designed   to  express 

first  verse.  the  particular  number.     Gabriel  is  said  to 

1   Furnished  with  tivo,  three,   and' four  have  appeared  to  Mohammed,  on  the  night 

pair  of  wings.]    That  is,  some  angels  have  he  made   his  journey  to  heaven,  with  no 

a  greater,  and  some. a  lesser  number  of  less  than  six  hundred  wings'. 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 


XXXV.]  A  L     KORAN. 

almighty.  ^  The  mercy  which  God  shall  freely  bestow  on 
mankind,  there  is  none  who  can  withhold ;  and  what  he 
shall  withhold,  there  is  none  who  can  bestow,  besides  him : 
and  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^  O  men,  remember  the 
favour  of  God  towards  you :  is  there  any  creator,  besides 
God,  who  provideth  food  for  you  from  heaven  and  earth? 
There  is  no  God  but  he :  how  therefore  are  ye  turned 
aside  from  acknowledging  his  unity  ?  ^  If  they  accuse 
thee  of  imposture,  apostles  before  thee  have  also  been 
accused  of  imposture :  and  unto  God  shall  all  things 
return.  ^  O  men,  verily  the  promise  of  God  is  true :  let 
not  therefore  the  present  life  deceive  you,  neither  let  the 
deceiver  deceive  you  concerning  God  :  ^  for  Satan  is  an 
enemy  unto  you  ;  wherefore  hold  him  for  an  enemy :  he 
only  inviteth  his  confederates  to  be  the  inhabitants  of 
hell.  ^  For  those  who  believe  not  there  is  prepared  a 
severe  torment :  but  for  those  who  shall  believe,  and  do 
that  which  is  right,  is  prepared  mercy  and  a  great  reward. 
^  Shall  he  therefore  for  whom  his  evil  work  hath  been  pre- 
pared, and  who  imagineth  it  to  be  good,  be  as  he  who  is 
rightly  disposed,  and  discerneth  the  truth  ?  Verily  God 
wdll  cause  to  err  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  will  direct  whom 
he  pleaseth.  Let  not  thy  soul  therefore  be  spent  in  sighs 
for  their  sakes,  on  account  of  their  obstinacy ;  for  God 
well  knoweth  that  which  they  do.  ^  It  is  God  who 
sendeth  the  winds,  and  raiseth  a  cloud ;  and  we  drive  the 
same  unto  a  dead  country,  and  thereby  quicken  the  earth 
after  it  hath  been  dead :  so  shall  the  resurrection  be. 
^^  Whoever  desireth  excellence  ;  unto  God  doth  all  excel- 
lence belong  :  unto  him  ascendeth  the  good  speech ;  and 
the  righteous  w^ork  will  he  exalt.  But  as  for  them  who 
devise  wicked  plots,  they  shall  suffer  a  severe  punishment ; 
and  the  device  of  those  men  shall  be  rendered  vain. 
"  God  created  you  first  of  the  dust,  and  afterwards  of  seed  : 
and  he  hath  made  you  man  and  wife.  No  female  con- 
ceiveth,  or  bringeth  forth,  but  with  his  knowledge.  Nor 
is  any  thing  added  unto  the  age  of  him  whose  life  is  pro- 
longed, neither  is  any  thing  diminished  from  his  age,  but 

9  Iiesu7'rection.'\     See  chap.  xxix.  verse     Koreish    did    against    Mohammed.      See 
19-  chap.  viii.  verse  29. 

10  Who  devise  wicked  pIots.~\     As   the  1 1    Seed.'}      See  chap.  xxii.  verse  5. 


254  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

the  same  is  written  in  the  book  of  God's  decrees.  Verily 
this  is  easy  with  God.  ^^  The  two  seas  are  not  to  be  held 
in  comparison  :  this  is  fresh  and  sweet,  pleasant  to  drink ; 
but  that  is  salt  and  bitter :  yet  out  of  each  of  them  ye  eat 
fish,  and  take  ornaments  for  vou  to  wear.  Thou  seest 
the  ships  also  ploughing  the  waves  thereof,  that  ye  may 
seek  to  enrich  yourselves  by  commerce,  of  the  abundance 
of  God  :  peradventure  ye  will  be  thankful.  ^^  He  causeth 
the  night  to  succeed  the  day,  and  he  causeth  the  day  to  suc- 
ceed the  night ;  and  he  obligeth  the  sun  and  the  moon  to 
perform  their  services :  each  of  them  runneth  an  appointed 
course.  This  is  God,  your  Lord  :  his  is  the  kingdom. 
^^  But  the  idols  which  ye  invoke  besides  him,  have  not  the 
power  even  over  the  skin  of  a  date-stone :  if  ye  invoke 
them,  they  will  not  hear  your  calling :  and  although  they 
should  hear,  yet  they  would  not  answer  you.  On  the  day 
of  resurrection  they  shall  disclaim  your  having  associated 
them  with  God  :  and  none  shall  declare  unto  thee  the 
truth,  like  one  who  is  well  acquainted  therewith.  ^^  O 
men,  ye  have  need  of  God  :  but  God  is  self-suflS^cient,  and 
to  be  praised.  ^^  If  he  pleaseth,  he  can  take  you  away, 
and  produce  a  new  creature  in  your  stead  :  ^^  neither  will 
this  be  difficult  with  God.  ^^  A  burdened  soul  shall  not 
bear  the  burden  of  another:  and  if  a  heavy-burdened 
soul  call  on  another  to  bear  part  of  its  burden,  no  part 
thereof  shall  be  borne  by  the  person  who  shall  be  called 
on,  although  he  be  ever  so  nearly  related.  Thou  shalt 
admonish  those  who  fear  their  Lord  in  secret,  and  are 
constant  at  prayer :  and  whoever  cleanseth  himself  from 
the  guilt  of  disobedience,  cleanseth  himself  to  the  advan- 
tage of  his  own  soul ;  for  all  shall  be  assembled  before 
God  at  the  last  day.  ^^  The  blind  and  the  seeing  shall 
not  be  held  equal :  ^^  neither  darkness  and  light :  ^^  nor 
the  cool  shade  and  the  scorching  wind  :  ^^  neither  shall  the 
living  and  the  dead  be  held  equal.  God  shall  cause  him 
to  hear,  whom  he  pleaseth :  but  thou  shalt  not  make  those 

12  The  two  seas,  &c.]     That  is,  the  two  19  The  blind  and  the  seeing  shall  not  he 

collective  bodies  of  salt  water  and  fresh,  held  equal,  &c.]     This  passage  expresses 

See  chap.  xxv.  verse  53.  the   great  difference  between   a  true   be- 

—  Fish.']     See  chap.  xvi.  verse  14.  liever  and  an  infidel,  truth  and  vanity,  and 

—  Ornaments.']     As  pearls  and   coral,  their  future  reward  and  punishment. 
See  chap.  xvi.  verse  14. 


XXXV.]  AL  KORAN.  255 

to  hear  who  are  in  their  graves.  ^^  Thou  art  no  other 
than  a  preacher :  ^*  verily  we  have  sent  thee  with  truth,  a 
bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  denouncer  of  threats. 
There  hath  been  no  nation,  but  a  preacher  hath  in  past 
times  been  conversant  among  them  :  ^^  if  they  charge  thee 
with  imposture,  they  who  were  before  them  likewise 
charged  their  apostles  with  imposture.  Their  aj)ostles 
came  unto  them  with  evident  miracles,  and  with  divine 
writings,  and  with  the  enlightening  book  :  ^^  afterwards  I 
chastised  those  who  were  unbelievers  ;  and  how  severe 
was  my  vengeance !  ^^  Dost  thou  not  see  that  God 
sendeth  down  rain  from  heaven:  and  that  we  thereby 
produce  fruits  of  various  colours  ?  ^^  In  the  mountains 
also  there  are  some  tracks  white  and  red,  of  various 
colours  ;  and  others  are  of  a  deep  black :  and  of  men,  and 
beasts,  and  cattle,  there  are  whose  colours  are  in  like 
manner  various.  Such  only  of  his  servants  fear  God,  as 
are  endued  with  understanding :  verily  God  is  mighty, 
and  ready  to  forgive.  ^^  Verily  they  who  read  the  book 
of  God,  and  are  constant  at  prayer,  and  give  alms  out  of 
what  we  have  bestowed  on  them,  both  in  secret  and  openly, 
hope  for  a  merchandize  which  shall  not  perish:  ^Hhat 
God  may  fully  pay  them  their  wages,  and  make  them  a 
superabundant  addition  of  his  liberality ;  for  he  is  ready 
to  forgive  the  faults  of  his  servants,  and  to  requite  their 
endeavours.  ^^  That  which  we  have  revealed  unto  thee 
of  the  book  of  the  Koran,  is  the  truth,  confirming  the 
scriptures  which  were  revealed  before  it :  for  God  knoweth 
and  regardeth  his  servants.  ^^  And  w^e  have  given  the 
book  of  the  Koran  in  heritage  unto  such  of  our  servants 
as  we  have  chosen :  of  them  there  is  one  who  injureth  his 
own  soul ;  and  there  is  another  of  them  who  keepeth  the 
middle  way;  and  there  is  another  of  them  who  outstrippeth 

22  TJiose    who    are    in    their   graves."]  different   kinds.     See   chapter  xvi.  verse 

i.   e.  Those    who    obstinately    persist    in  14. 

their  unbelief,  who  are   compared   to  the  28   Of  various  colours.]     Being  more  or 

dead.  less  intense  ^ 

25  Divine  writings.]     As  the  volumes  32   Who  injureth  his  own  soul.]    By  not 

delivered  to  Abraham,   and  to  other  pro-  practising  what    he   is    taught   and   com- 

phets  before  Moses.  manded  in  the  Koran. 

—  The  enlightening    book.]     Viz.  The  —   Who  keepeth  the  middle  way.]    That 

Law,  or  the  Gospel.  is,  who  meaneth  well,  and  performeth   his 

27  Of   various    colours.]     That   is,    of  duty  for  the  most  part,  but  not  perfectly. 

*  Jl  Beiddwi. 


256  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

others  in  good  works,  by  the  permission  of  God.  This  is 
the  great  excellence.  ^'^They  shall  be  introduced  into 
gardens  of  perpetual  abode ;  they  shall  be  adorned  therein 
with  bracelets  of  gold  and  pearls,  and  their  clothing  therein 
shall  be  of  silk :  ^^  and  they  shall  say.  Praise  be  unto  God, 
who,  hath  taken  away  sorrow  from  us :  verily  our  Lord  is 
ready  to  forgive  the  sinners,  and  to  rew^ard  the  obedient ; 
^^  who  hath  caused  us  to  take  up  our  rest  in  a  dwelling  of 
eternal  stability,  through  his  bounty,  wherein  no  labour 
shall  touch  us,  neither  shall  any  weariness  affect  us.  ^^  But 
for  the  unbelievers  is  prepared  the  fire  of  hell :  it  shall 
not  be  decreed  them  to  die  a  second  time ;  neither  shall 
any  part  of  the  punishment  thereof  be  made  lighter  unto 
them.  Thus  shall  every  infidel  be  rewarded.  ^'^  And  they 
shall  cry  out  aloud  in  hell,  saying.  Lord,  take  us  hence,  and 
we  will  work  righteousness,  and  not  what  we  have  for- 
merly wrought.  But  it  shall  be  answered  them,  Did  we 
not  grant  you  lives  of  length  sufficient,  that  whoever 
would  be  w^arned  might  be  w^arned  therein  ;  and  did  not 
the  preacher  come  unto  you  ?  taste  therefore  the  pains  of 
hell.  And  the  unjust  shall  have  no  protector.  ^^  Verily 
God  knoweth  the  secrets  both  of  heaven  and  earth,  for 
he  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  the  breasts  of  men. 
^^  It  is  he  who  hath  made  you  to  succeed  in  the  earth. 
Whoever  shall  disbelieve,  on  him  be  his  unbelief:  and 
their  unbelief  shall  only  gain  the  unbelievers  greater  indig- 
nation in  the  sight  of  their  Lord  ;  and  their  unbelief 
shall  only  increase  the  perdition  of  the  unbelievers.  ^^  Say, 
What  think  ye  of  your  deities  which  ye  invoke  besides 
God  ?  Shew  me  wdiat  part  of  the  earth  they  have  created. 
Or  had  they  any  share  in  the  creation  of  the  heavens  ? 
Have  we  given  unto  the  idolaters  any  book  of  revelations, 
so  that  they  may  rely  on  any  proof  therefrom  to  authorize 
their  practice?  Nay:  but  the  ungodly  make  unto  one 
another  only  deceitful  promises.  ^^  Verily  God  sustaineth 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  lest  they  fail ;  and  if  they  should 
fail,  none  could  support  the  same  besides  him:  he  is  gracious 
and  merciful.  ^^  The  Koreish  swore  by  God,  with  a  most 
solemn  oath,  that  if  a  preacher  had  come  unto  them,  they 
would  surely  have  been  more  willingly  directed  than  any 

37   The  preacher.']     Viz.  Mohammed. 


XXXVI.]  AL    KORAN.  257 

nation:  but  now  a  preacher  is  come  unto  them,  it  hath  only 
increased  in  them  their  aversion  from  the  truth,  ^^  on  ac- 
count of  their  arrogance  in  the  earth,  and  their  contriving 
of  evil;  but  the  contrivance  of  evil  shall  only  encompass  the 
authors  thereof.  Do  they  expect  any  other  than  the  punish- 
ment avrarded  against  the  unbelievers  of  former  times  ? 
^^  For  thou  shalt  not  find  any  change  in  the  ordinance  of 
God  ;  neither  shalt  thou  find  any  variation  in  the  ordi- 
nance of  God.  ^^  Have  they  not  gone  through  the  earth, 
and  seen  what  hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  were 
before  them ;  although  they  were  more  mighty  in  strength 
than  they?  God  is  not  to  be  frustrated  by  any  thing 
either  in  heaven  or  on  earth,  for  he  is  wise  and  powerful. 
^^  If  God  should  punish  men  according  to  what  they 
deserve,  he  would  not  leave  on  the  back  of  the  earth  so 
much  as  a  beast :  but  he  respiteth  them  to  a  determined 
time ;  and  when  their  time  shall  come,  verily  God  will 
regard  his  servants. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

INTITLED,  Y.  S.  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Y.  S.  ^  I  SWEAR  by  the  instructive  Koran,  ^  that  thou 
art  one  of  the  messengers  of  God,  ^  sent  to  shew  the 
right  way.  ^  This  is  a  revelation  of  the  most  mighty,  the 
merciful  God  ;  ^  that  thou  mayest  warn  a  people  whose 
fathers  were  not  warned,  and  who  live  in  negligence. 
^  Our  sentence  hath  justly  been  pronounced  against  the 
greater  part  of  them ;  wherefore  they  shall  not  believe. 

Title — Y,  aS*.]     The  meaning   of  these  The  Mohammedans  read  it  to  dying  per- 

letters  is  unknown  * :  some,  however,  from  sons  in  their  last  agony  2. 

a  tradition  of  Ehn   Abbas,  pretend   they  7   Our  sentence.^     Viz.  The  sentence  of 

stand  for  Ya  insan,   i.e.   O   man.      This  damnation,  which  God  pronounced  against 

chapter,  it  is  said,  had  several  other  titles  the  greater  part  of  genii  and  men,  at  the 

given  it  by  Mohammed  himself,  and  parti-  fall  of  Adam  ^ 
cularly  that  of  the  Heart   of  the  Koran. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  2  y.   Bobov.  de  Visit,  aegrot.  p.  I7. 

*  Index,  Divine  Decree. 

VOL.  II.  S 


258 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


^  We  have  put  yokes  on  their  necks,  which  come  up  to 
their  chins  ;  and  they  are  forced  to  hold  up  their  heads  : 
^  and  we  have  set  a  bar  before  them,  and  a  bar  behind 
them ;  and  we  have  covered  them  with  darkness  ;  where- 
fore they  shall  not  see.  ^^  It  shall  be  equal  unto  them, 
whether  thou  preach  unto  them,  or  do  not  preach  unto 
them  ;  they  shall  not  believe.  ^^  But  thou  shalt  preach 
with  effect  unto  him  only  who  followeth  the  admonition 
of  the  Koran,  and  feareth  the  Merciful  in  secret.  Where- 
fore bear  good  tidings  unto  him,  of  mercy,  and  an  honour- 
able reward.  ^^  Verily  we  will  restore  the  dead  to  life, 
and  will  write  down  their  works  which  they  shall  have 
sent  before  them,  and  their  footsteps  which  they  shall 
have  left  behind  them :  and  every  thing  do  we  set  down 
in  a  plain  register.  ^^  Propound  unto  them  as  an  example 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  Antioch,  when  the  apostles 


8  Yokes.']  Or  collars,  such  as  are  de- 
scribed in  chapter  xiii.  verse  7' 

9  We  have  set  a  bar  before  them,  and  a 
bar  behind  them.]  That  is,  we  have  placed 
obstacles  to  prevent  their  looking  either 
forwards  or  backwards.  The  whole  pas- 
sage represents  the  blindness  and  invinci- 
ble obstinacy  with  which  God  justly  curses 
perverse  and  reprobate  men. 

—  Shall  not  see.]  It  is  said,  that  when 
the  Koreish,  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution 
they  had  taken,  had  sent  a  select  number 
to  beset  Mohammed's  house,  and  to  kill 
him  ^,  the  prophet  having  caused  Ali  to 
lie  down  on  his  bed  to  deceive  the  assas- 
sins, went  out,  and  threw  a  handful  of  dust 
at  them,  repeating  the  nine  first  verses  of 
this  chapter,  which  end  here;  and  that 
they  were  thereupon  stricken  with  blind- 
ness, so  that  they  could  not  see  him  2. 

12  And  the  footsteps  which  they  shall 
have  left  behind  them.]  As  their  good  or 
evil  example,  doctrine,  &c. 

13  When  the  apostles  of  Jesus  came  to 
Antioch.]  To  explain  this  passage,  the 
commentators  tell  the  following  story. 

The  people  of  Antioch  being  idolaters, 
Jesus  sent  two  of  his  disciples  thither  to 
preach  to  them ;  and  when  they  drew  near 
the  city,  they  found  Habib,  surnamed  al 
Najjar,  or  the  Carpenter,  feeding  sheep, 
and  acquainted  him  with  their  errand ; 
whereupon  he  asked  them  what  proof 
they  had  of  their  veracity  ;  and  they  told 
him    they    could  cure    the    sick    and  the 


blind,  and  the  lepers:  and  to  demonstrate 
the  truth  of  what  they  said,  they  laid 
their  hands  on  a  child  of  his,  who  was 
sick,  and  immediately  restored  him  to 
health.  Habib  was  convinced  by  this  mi- 
racle, and  believed  ;  after  which  they  went 
into  the  city,  and  preached  the  worship  of 
one  true  God,  curing  a  great  number  of 
people  of  several  infirmities  :  but  at  length, 
the  affair  coming  to  the  prince's  ear,  he 
ordered  them  to  be  imprisoned  for  en- 
deavouring to  seduce  the  people.  When 
Jesus  heard  of  this,  he  sent  another  of  his 
disciples,  generally  supposed  to  have  been 
Simon  Peter  ;  who  coming  to  Antioch, 
and  appearing  as  a  zealous  idolater,  soon 
insinuated  himself  into  the  favour  of  the 
inhabitants,  and  of  their  prince,  and  at 
length  took  an  opportunity  to  desire  the 
prince  would  order  the  two  persons,  who, 
as  he  was  informed,  had  been  put  in 
prison  for  broaching  new  opinions,  to  be 
brought  before  him  to  be  examined  :  and 
accordingly  they  were  brought ;  when 
Peter,  having  previously  warned  them  to 
take  no  notice  that  they  knew  him,  asked 
them  who  sent  them ;  to  which  they  an- 
swered, God,  who  had  created  all  things, 
and  had  no  companion.  He  then  required 
some  convincing  proof  of  their  mission ; 
upon  which  they  restored  a  blind  person 
to  his  sight,  and  performed  some  other 
miracles,  with  which  Peter  seemed  not  to 
be  satisfied,  for  that,  according  to  some, 
he  did   the  very  same   miracles  himself. 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii. 


2  V.  Abu'lfed.  vit.  Moham.  p.  50. 


xxxvl]  a  L    KORAN.  259 

of  Jesus  came  thereto  :  ^^  when  we  sent  unto  them  two 
of  the  said  apostles ;  but  they  charged  them  with  impos- 
ture. Wherefore  we  strengthened  them  with  a  third. 
And  they  said,  Verily  we  are  sent  unto  you  by  God. 
^^  The  inhabitants  answered.  Ye  are  no  other  than  men, 
as  we  are,  neither  hath  the  Merciful  revealed  any  thing 
unto  you  :  ye  only  publish  a  lie.  ^^  The  apostles  replied. 
Our  Lord  knoweth  that  we  are  really  sent  unto  you : 
^^  and  our  duty  is  only  public  preaching.  ^^  Those  of 
Antioch  said.  Verily  we  presage  evil  from  you:  if  ye 
desist  not  from  preaching,  we  will  surely  stone  you,  and 
a  painful  punishment  shall  be  inflicted  on  you  by  us. 
^^  The  apostles  answered.  Your  evil  presage  is  with  your- 
selves; although  ye  be  warned,  will  ye  persist  in  your 
errors?  Verily  ye  are  a  people  who  transgress  exceed- 
ingly. ^^  And  a  certain  man  came  hastily  from  the  farther 
parts  of  the  city,  and  said,  O  my  people,  follow  the 
messengers  of  God  ;  ^^  follow  him  who  demandeth  not 
any  reward  of  you  ;  for  these  are  rightly  directed. 
[*XXIII.]  ''  What  reason  have  I  that  I  should  not 
worship  him  who  hath  created  me  ?  for  unto  him  shall  ye 
return.  ^^  Shall  I  take  other  gods  besides  him  ?  If  the 
Merciful  be  pleased  to  afflict  me,  their  intercession  will 
not  avail  me  at  all,  neither  can  they  deliver  me :  ^^  then 
should  I  be  in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  Verily  I  believe  in 
your  Lord  ;  wherefore  hearken  unto  me.  ^^  But  they 
stoned  him  ;  and  as  he  died,  it  was  said  unto  him.  Enter 
thou  into  paradise.  And  he  said,  O  that  my  people 
knew  how  merciful  God  hath  been  unto  me !  for  he  hath 
highly  honoured  me.     ^^  And  w^e  sent  not  down  against 

but  declared,  that  if  their  God  could  en-  Some  say  these  two  were  John  and  Paul ; 

able   them    to  raise  the  dead,    he  would  but  others  name  different  persons, 

believe   them  :    which  condition  the    two  —  A  third.']  Viz.   Simon  Peter, 

apostles  accepting,  a  lad  was  brought  who  18   Your  evil  presage  is  with  yourselves.'] 

had  been  dead  seven  days,  and  at   their  i.  e.  If  any  evil  befall  you,  it  will  be  the 

prayers  he  was  raised  to  life ;    and  there-  consequence  of  your  own  obstinacy  and 

upon   Peter   acknowledged    himself    con-  unbelief.        See      chapter      xxvii.     verse 

vinced,  and  ran  and  demolished  the  idols,  48. 

a  great  many  of  the  people  following  him,  20  A  certain  man.]     This  was  Habib 

and  embracing  the  true  faith  ;    but  those  al  Najjar,  whose  martyrdom  is  here   de- 

who  believed  not,  were  destroyed  by  the  scribed  :    his    tomb    is    still   shewn    near 

cry  of  the  angel  Gabriel  ^  Antioch,  and  is  much  visited  by  the  Mo- 

14    We  sent  unto   them   tivo    apostles.]  hammedans^. 

^  Al  Zamakh.  Al  Beiddwi^  &c.  V.  etiam  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  580.         ^  y.  Schultens. 
Indie.  Geogr.  ad.  calcem  Vitae  Saladini,  voce  Antiochia. 

s  2 


260  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

his  people,  after  they  had  slain  him,  an  army  from  heaven, 
nor  the  other  instruments  of  destruction  which  we  sent 
down  on  unbelievers  in  former  days ;  ^Hhere  was  only  one 
cry  of  Gabriel  from  heaven,  and  behold  they  became 
utterly  extinct.  ^^  O  the  misery  of  men !  No  apostle 
cometh  unto  them,  but  they  laugh  him  to  scorn.  ^^  Do 
they  not  consider  how  many  generations  we  have  destroyed 
before  them  ?  ^^  Verily  they  shall  not  return  unto  them  : 
but  all  of  them  in  general  shall  be  assembled  before  us. 
^^  One  sign  of  the  resurrection  unto  them  is  the  dead 
earth :  we  quicken  the  same  by  the  rain,  and  produce 
thereout  various  sorts  of  grain,  of  which  they  eat.  ^^  And 
we  make  therein  gardens  of  palm-trees,  and  vines ;  and 
we  cause  springs  to  gush  forth  in  the  same ;  ^*  that  they 
may  eat  of  the  fruits  thereof,  and  of  the  labour  of  their 
hands.  Will  they  not  therefore  give  thanks?  ^^  Praise 
be  unto  him  who  hath  created  all  the  different  kinds, 
both  of  vegetables,  which  the  earth  bringeth  forth,  and  of 
their  own  species,  by  forming  the  two  sexes,  and  also  the 
various  sorts  of  things  which  they  know  not.  ^^  The  night 
also  is  a  sign  unto  them :  we  withdraw  the  day  from  the 
same,  and  behold,  they  are  covered  with  darkness : 
^^  and  the  sun  hasteneth  to  his  place  of  rest.  This  is  the 
disposition  of  the  mighty,  the  wise  God.  ^^  And  for  the 
moon  have  we  appointed  certain  mansions,  until  she 
change,  and  return  to  be  like  the  old  branch  of  a  palm- 
tree.  ^^  It  is  not  expedient  that  the  sun  should  overtake 
the  moon  in  her  course ;  neither  doth  the  night  outstrip 
the  day :   but  each  of  these  luminaries  moveth  in  a  pecu- 

27  Nor  the  other  instruments  of  destruc-  laha  ;    according    to   which   the   sentence 

tiony  which  we  sent  down  on  unbelievers  in  should  be   rendered,   The  sun  runneth  his 

former  daysJ]     As  a  deluge,  or  shower  of  course  without   ceasing,  and    hath  not  .a 

stones,  or  a  suffocating  wind,  &c.     The  place  of  rest. 

words  may  also  be  translated,  Nor  did  we  38   Certain  mansions,"]     Viz.  These  are 

determine  to  send  down  such  executioners  twenty- eight  constellations,    through  one 

of  our  justice.  of  which   the    moon   passes  every   night, 

32  Dead  earth.']     See  ch.  xxix.  ver.  19.  thence  called  the  mansions  or  houses  of 

37  The  sun   hasteneth   to  his  place    of  the  moon  1. 

rest.]     That  is,   he  hasteneth  to  run  his  —   Until  she  return  to  he  like  the  branch 

daily  course  ;   the  setting  of  the  sun  re-  of  an  old  palm-tree.]     For  when  a  palm 

sembling  a  traveller's  going  to  rest.    Some  branch  grows  old,  it  shrinks,  and  becomes 

copies  vary  in  this  place,  and,  instead  of  crooked  and  yellow,  not  ill  representing 

Limostakarrin  laha,   read   la   Mostakarra  the  appearance  of  the  new  moon. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i. 


XXXVI.]  AL  KORAN.  261 

liar  orbit.      ^^  It  is  a  sign  also  unto  them,  that  we  carry 
their  offspring  in  the  ship  filled  with  merchandise ;    ^^  and 
that  we  have  made  for  them  other  conveniences  like  unto 
it,  whereon  they  ride.     ^^  If  we  please,  we  drown  them, 
and  there    is  none   to   help   them;    ^^  neither  are  they 
delivered  unless  through  our  mercy,  and  that  they  may 
enjoy  life  for  a   season.     ^^  When  it  is  said  unto  them. 
Fear  that  which  is  before  you,  and  that  which  is  behind 
you,  that  ye   may  obtain  mercy;    they  withdraw  from 
thee  :    ^^  and  thou  dost  not  bring  them  one  sign,  of  the 
signs  of  their  Lord,  but  they  turn  aside  from  the  same. 
^^And  when   it  is   said  unto   them,   Give  alms   of  that 
which  God  hath  bestowed  on  you;    the  unbelievers  say 
unto  those  who  believe,  by  way  of  mockery,   Shall  we 
feed  him  whom  God  can  feed,  if  he  pleaseth  ?    Verily  ye 
are  in  no  other  than  a  manifest  error.     ^^  And  they  say. 
When  will  this  promise  of  the  resurrection  be  fulfilled, 
if  ye  speak  truth  ?    ^^  They  only  wait  for  one  sounding  of 
the  trumpet,  which  shall  overtake  them  while  they  are 
disputing  together ;    ^^  and  they  shall  not  have  time  to 
make  any  disposition  of  their  effects,  neither  shall  they 
return]  to  Ftheir  family.      ^^  And  the    trumpet   shall  be 
sounded  again ;    and  behold  they  shall  come   forth  from 
their  graves,  and  hasten  unto  their  Lord.      ^^  They  shall 
say,  Alas  for  us !  who  hath  awakened  us  from  our  bed  ? 
This  is  what  the  Merciful  promised  us ;   and  his  apostles 
spoke  the  truth.     ^^  It  shall  be  but   one  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  and  behold  they  shall  be  all  assembled  before 
us.     ^^  On  this  day  no  soul  shall  be  unjustly  treated  in 

40  That  we  carry  their  offspring  in  the  Moslems  asked  alms  of  the  richer  Koreish, 
ship  filled  with  merchandise.']  Some  sup-  they  told  them,  that  if  God  could  provide 
pose  that  the  deliverance  of  Noah  and  his  for  them,  as  they  imagined,  and  did  not, 
companions  in  the  ark  is  here  intended:  it  was  an  argument  that  they  deserved  not 
and  then  the  words  should  be  translated,  his  favour  so  well  a-i  themselves :  whereas 
That  we  carried  their  progeny  in  the  ark,  God  permits  some  to  be  in  want,  to  try 
filled  with  living  creatures.  the  rich,  and  exercise  their  charity. 

41  Other  conveniences  like  unto  it.]  48  Trumpet.]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 
As  camels,  which  are  the  land-ships  ;  or  §  iv.  for  the  description  of  the  resurrection 
lesser  vessels  and  boats.  and  last  judgment;  and  the  notes  to  chap. 

44  Fear  that  which  is  before  you,  and  xxxix. 

that  which  is   behind  you.]      i.  e.      The  50   A  second  time.]     See  ibid, 

punishment    of    this    world    and  of  the  51    Who  hath  aw akeried  its  from  our  bed.] 

next.  For  they  shall  sleep   during   the  interval 

46  Shall  we  feed  him  whom   God   can  between  these  two  blasts  of  the  trumpet, 

feed,    if  he  pleases  ?]     When   the    poor  and  shall  feel  no  pain  ^, 

^  JaUalo'ddln. 


262  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

the  least ;  neither  shall  ye  be  rewarded,  but  according  to 
what  ye  shall  have  wrought.  ^*  On  this  day  the  inhabitants 
of  paradise  shall  be  wholly  taken  up  with  joy  :  ^^  they 
and  their  wives  shall  rest  in  shady  groves,  leaning  on 
magnificent  couches.  ^^  There  shall  they  have  fruit,  and 
they  shall  obtain  whatever  they  shall  desire.  ^^  Peace 
shall  be  the  word  spoken  unto  the  righteous,  by  a  merci- 
ful Lord  :  ^^  but  he  shall  say  unto  the  wicked,  Be  ye 
separated  this  day,  O  ye  wicked,  from  the  righteous. 
\  ^^  Did  I  not  command  you,  O  sons  of  Adam,  that  ye 
should  not  worship  Satan  ;  because  he  was  an  open 
enemy  unto  you  ?  ^^  And  did  I  not  say.  Worship  me ; 
this  is  the  right  way  ?  ^^  But  now  hath  he  seduced  a  great 
multitude  of  you  :  did  ye  not  therefore  understand  ? 
^^  This  is  hell  with  which  ye  were  threatened  :  ^^  be  ye 
cast  into  the  same  this  day,  to  be  burned ;  for  that  ye 
have  been  unbelievers.  ^^  On  this  day  we  will  seal  up 
their  mouths,  that  they  shall  not  open  them  in  their  own 
defence ;  and  their  hands  shall  speak  unto  us,  and  their 
feet  shall  bear  witness  of  that  which  they  have  committed. 
^^  If  we  pleased,  we  could  put  out  their  eyes,  and  they 
might  run  with  emulation  in  the  way  they  use  to  take ; 
and  how  should  they  see  their  error  ?  ^^  And  if  we 
pleased,  we  could  transform  them  into  other  shapes,  in 
their  places  where  they  should  be  found ;  and  they  should 
not  be  able  to  depart :  neither  should  they  repent. 
^^  Unto  whomsoever  we  grant  a  long  life,  him  do  w^e 
cause  to  bow  down  his  body  through  age.  Will  they  not 
therefore  understand  ?  ^^  We  have  not  taught  Mohammed 
the  art  of  poetry ;  nor  is  it  expedient  for  him  to  be  a 
poet.  This  book  is  no  other  than  an  admonition  from 
God,  and  a  perspicuous  Koran  ;  ^^  that  he  may  warn 
him  who  is  living :  and  the  sentence  of  condemnation  will 
be  justly  executed  on  the  unbelievers.     ^^  Do  they  not 

6*4  For  the  description  of  the  punishment  68   TVe  have  not  taught  Mohammed  the 

of  the  wicked,  see  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  art  of  poetry.']     This  is  in  answer  to  the 

65  If  we  pleased)  we  could  put  out  their  infidels,   who  pretended    the    Koran  was 
eyesy  &c.]     That  is,  they  deserve   to   be  only  a  poetical  composition, 
thus   treated  for  their  infidelity  and  dis-  69  Him  who   is  living.']    i.  e.    Endued 
obedience  ;  but  we  bear  with  them  out  of  with  understanding  ;  the  stupid  and  care- 
mercy,  and  grant  them  respite.  less  being  like  dead  persons  ^ 

'  At  Beiddwi. 


XXXVI.]  AL   KORAN.  263 

consider  that  we  have  created  for  them,  among  the  things 
which  our  hands  have  wrought,  cattle  of  several  kinds,  of 
which  they  are  possessors ;   ^^  and  that  we  have  put  the 
same  in  subjection  under  them  ?    Some  of  them  are  for 
their  riding  ;    ^^  and  on  some  of  them  do  they  feed  :    and 
they  receive  other  advantages  therefrom;    and  of  their 
milk  do  they  drink.     Will  they  not  therefore  be  thank- 
ful ?  ^^  They  have  taken  other  gods  besides  God,  in  hopes 
that  they  may  be  assisted  by  them  :    ^^  but  they  are  not 
able  to  give  them  any  assistance  ;  yet  are  they  a  party  of 
troops  ready  to  defend  them.      ^^  Let  not  their  speech, 
therefore,  grieve  thee  :  we  know  that  which  they  privately 
conceal ;  ^^  and  we  know  also  that  which  they  publicly 
discover.      ^^  Doth  not  man  know  that  we  have  created 
him  of  seed  ?  yet  behold,  he  is  an  open  disputer  against 
the  resurrection.     '^^  And  he  propoundeth  unto  us  a  com- 
parison,   and   forgetteth   his  creation.     He  saith,   Who 
shall  restore  bones  to  life,  when  they  are  rotten  ?    ^^  An- 
swer, he   shall  restore  them  to  life,  who  produced  them 
the  first  time :  for  he  is  skilled  in  every  kind  of  creation : 
^^  who  giveth  you  fire  out  of  the  green  tree ;  and  behold, 
ye  kindle  your  fuel  from  thence.     ^^  Is  not  he  who  hath 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  able  to  create  new 
creatures  like  unto  them  ?    Yea,  certainly  :   for  he  is  the 
wise  Creator.     ^^  His  command,  when  he  willeth  a  thing, 
is  only  that  he  saith  unto  it,  be  ;  and  it  is.     ^^  Where- 
fore praise  be  unto  him,  in  whose  hand  is  the  kingdom 
of  all  things,  and   unto  whom   ye  shall  return  at  the 
last  day. 

80   Who  giveth  you  fire  out  of  the  green  monly  of  the  tree  called  Markh,  and  the 

tree.']     The  usual  way  of  striking  fire  in  other    of  that   called  Afar  :    and   it   will 

the   east,    is    by  rubbing     together    two  succeed,   even  though  the  wood  be  green 

pieces  of  wood,    one    of   which    is    com-  and  wet  ^ 

1  V.  Hyde,  de  Rel.  Vet.  Pers.  xxv,  333,  &c. 


264  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER     XXXVII. 

INTITLED,    THOSE    WHO    RANK    THEMSELVES    IN    ORDER; 
REVEALED   AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  angels  who  rank  themselves  in  order ;  ^  and  by 
those  who  drive  forward  and  dispel  the  clouds  ;  ^  and  by 
those  who  read  the  Koran  for  an  admonition ;  *  verily 
your  God  is  one :  ^  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
of  whatever  is  between  them,  and  the  Lord  of  the  east. 
^  We  have  adorned  the  lower  heaven  with  the  ornament 
of  the  stars :  '^  and  we  have  placed  therein  a  guard  against 
every  rebellious  devil ;  ^  that  they  may  not  listen  to  the 
discourse  of  the  exalted  princes,  (for  they  are  darted  at 
from  every  side,  to  repel  them  :  ^  and  a  lasting  torment  is 
prepared  for  them  ;)  ^^  except  him  who  catcheth  a  word 
by  stealth,  and  is  pursued  by  a  shining  flame.  ^^  Ask  the 
Meccans,  therefore,  whether  they  be  stronger  by  nature, 
or  the  angels  whom  we  have  created  ?  We  have  surely 
created  them  of  stiff  clay.  ^^  Thou  wonderest  at  God's 
power  and  their  obstinacy :  but  they  mock  at  the  argu- 
ments urged  to  convince  them  :  ^^  when  they  are  warned, 
they  do  not  take  warning  ;  ^^  and  when  they  see  any  sign, 
they  scoff  thereat,  and  say,  ^^  This  is  no  other  than  mani- 

1  By  the  angels  who  rank  themselves  in  5  The  east.^  The  original  word,  being 
order,  &c.]  Some  understand  by  these  in  the  plural  number,  is  supposed  to  sig- 
words  the  souls  of  men  who  range  them-  nify  the  different  points  of  the  horizon 
selves  in  obedience  to  God's  laws,  and  put  from  whence  the  sun  rises  in  the  course  of 
away  from  them  all  infidelity  and  corrupt  the  year,  which  are  in  number  360,  (equal 
doings;  or  the  souls  of  those  who  rank  to  the  number  of  days  in  the  old  civil 
themselves  in  battle-array,  to  fight  for  the  year,)  and  have  as  many  corresponding 
true  religion,  and  push  on  their  horses  to  points  where  it  successively  sets  during 
charge  the  infidels,  &c.  ^  that  space  ^.     Marracci  groundlessly  ima- 

2  Who  drive  forward  the  clouds.']  Or,  gines  this  interpretation  to  be  built  on 
who  put  in  motion  all  bodies,  in  the  upper  what  he  calls  the  error  of  the  plurality  of 
and  lower  world,  according  to  the  divine  worlds*. 

command  ;    or,   who   keep  off  men  from         10  A  shining  flame. ^     The  Mohamme- 

disobedience   to   God,  by  inspiring  them  dans  believe  that  shooting  stars  are  fiery 

with  good  thoughts  and   inclinations ;  or,  darts   hurled    by    the   angels   against  the 

who   drive   away  the   devils    from  them,  devils,  when  they  approach  too  near  the 

&c.  2  planets  entrusted  to  their  charge. 

^  J I  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  ^  idem,  Yahya.  *  Marracc.  in  Ale.  p.  589. 


XXXVII.]  AL   KORAN.  265 

fest  sorcery :  ^^  after  we  shall  be  dead,  and  become  dust 
and  bones,  ^^  shall  we  really  be  raised  to  life,  ^^  and  our 
forefathers  also?  ^^ Answer,  Yea:  and  ye  shall  then  be 
despicable.  ^^  There  shall  be  but  one  blast  of  the  trumpet, 
and  they  shall  see  themselves  raised  :  ^^  and  they  shall  say, 
Alas  for  us  !  this  is  the  day  of  judgment :  ^^  this  is  the 
day  of  distinction  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
which  ye  rejected  as  a  falsehood.  ^^  Gather  together  those 
who  have  acted  unjustly,  and  their  comrades,  and  the 
idols  which  they  worshipped  besides  God,  and  direct 
them  in  the  way  to  hell :  ^*  and  set  them  before  God's 
tribunal ;  for  they  shall  be  called  to  account.  ^^  What 
aileth  you,  that  ye  defend  not  one  another?  ^^  But  on 
this  day  they  shall  submit  themselves  to  the  judgment  of 
God  :  ^^  and  they  shall  draw  nigh  unto  one  another,  and 
shall  dispute  among  themselves.  ^^  And  the  seduced 
shall  say  unto  those  who  seduced  them,  Verily  ye  came 
unto  us  with  presages  of  prosperity.  ^^  And  the  seducers 
shall  answer.  Nay,  rather  ye  were  not  true  believers  : 
^^  for  we  had  no  power  over  you  to  compel  you ;  ^^  but  ye 
were  people  who  voluntarily  transgressed :  ^^  wherefore  the 
sentence  of  our  Lord  hath  been  justly  pronounced  against 
us,  and  we  shall  surely  taste  his  vengeance.  ^^  We 
seduced  you  ;  but  we  also  erred  ourselves.  ^^  They  shall 
both  therefore  be  made  partakers  of  the  same  punishment 
on  that  day.  ^^  Thus  will  we  deal  with  the  wicked : 
^^  because,  when  it  is  said  unto  them.  There  is  no  god 
besides  the  true  God,  they  swell  with  arrogance.  ^^  And 
they  say.  Shall  we  abandon  our  gods  for  a  distracted  poet  ? 
^^  Nay  ;  he  cometh  with  the  truth,  and  beareth  witness  to 
the  former  apostles.  ^^  Ye  shall  surely  taste  the  painful 
torment  of  hell :  ^^  and  ye  shall  not  be  rewarded,  but 
according  to  your  works.  ^^  But  as  for  the  sincere  ser- 
vants of  God,  ^^  they  shall  have  a  certain  provision  in 
paradise,  namely,  ^^  delicious  fruits :  and  they  shall  be 
honoured :  ^^  they  shall  be  placed  in  gardens  of  pleasure, 
^^  leaning  on  couches,  opposite  to  one  another  :  ^^a  cup 
shall  be  carried  round  unto  them,  ^^  filled  from  a  limpid 

28  Presages  of  prosperity.']     Literally,         45  Opposite  to  one  another.']     Because 

from  the  right  hand.  The  words  nvdy  also  he  turning   their   backs  would   be    a  sign   of 

rendered, With  force  to  compel  us  ;  or, With  contempt, 
an  oath  ;  swearing  that  ye  were  in  the  right. 


266  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

fountain,  for  the  delight  of  those  who  drink :  ^^  it  shall 
not  oppress  the  understanding,  neither  shall  they  be 
inebriated  therewith.  ^^  And  near  them  shall  lie  the 
virgins  of  paradise,  refraining  their  looks  from  beholding 
any  besides  their  spouses,  having  large  black  eyes,  ^°  and 
resembling  the  eggs  of  an  ostrich,  covered  with  feathers 
from  the  dust.  ^'  And  they  shall  turn  the  one  unto  the 
other,  and  shall  ask  one  another  questions.  ^^  And  one 
of  them  shall  say,  Verily  I  had  an  intimate  friend  while 
I  lived  in  the  world ;  ^^  and  he  said  unto  me.  Art  thou 
one  of  those  who  assertest  the  truth  of  the  resurrection  ? 
•^^  After  we  shall  be  dead,  and  reduced  to  dust  and  bones, 
shall  we  surely  be  judged  ?  ^^  Then  he  shall  say  to  his 
companions,  Will  ye  look  down?  ^^  And  he  shall  look 
down,  and  shall  see  him  in  the  midst  of  hell :  ^^  and  he 
shall  say  unto  him.  By  God,  it  wanted  little  but  thou 
hadst  drawn  me  into  ruin ;  ^^  and  had  it  not  been  for  the 
grace  of  my  Lord,  I  had  surely  been  one  of  those  who 
have  been  delivered  up  to  eternal  torment.  ^^  Shall  we 
die  any  other  than  our  first  death  ;  ^^  or  do  we  suffer  any 
punishment  ?  ^^  Verily  this  is  great  felicity :  ^^  for  the 
obtaining  a  felicity  like  this  let  the  labourers  labour. 
^^  Is  this  a  better  entertainment,  or  the  tree  of  Al 
Zakkum  ?  ^*  Verily  we  have  designed  the  same  for  an 
occasion  of  dispute  unto  the  unjust.  ^^  It  is  a  tree  which 
issueth  from  the  bottom  of  hell :  ^^  the  fruit  thereof  re- 
sembleth  the  heads  of  devils ;  ^^  and  the  damned  shall 
eat  of  the  same,  and  shall  fill  their  bellies  therewith; 
^^  and  there  shall  be  given  them  thereon  a  mixture  of 
filthy  and  boiling  water  to  drink :  ^^  afterwards  shall  they 
return  into  hell.  ^^  They  found  their  fathers  going  astray ; 
^^  and  they  trod  hastily  in  their  footsteps ;  ^^  for  the  greater 

50  Resembling  the   eggs  of  an  ostrich,  dels  not  conceiving  how  a  tree  could  grow 

&;c.]     This  may  seem  an  odd  comparison  in  hell,  where  the  stones  themselves  serve 

to  an  European  ;    but  the  orientals  think  for  fuel. 

nothing  comes  so  near  the  colour  of  a  fine  66  Of  devils.']     Or  of  serpents,  ugly  to 

woman's  skin,  as  that  of  an  ostrich's  egg  behold :  the  original  word  signifies  both, 

when  kept  perfectly  clean.  69   Afterwards  shall   they   return    into 

63  Al  Zakkum.]     There   is  a    thorny  hell.]     Some  suppose  that  the  entertain- 

tree  so  called,  which  grows  in  Tehama,  ment  above-mentioned,  will  be  the   wel- 

and  bears  fruit  like  an  almond,  but  ex-  come  given  the  damned  before  they  enter 

tremely   bitter,   and   therefore    the    same  that  place ;  and  others,  that  they  will  be 

Jiame  is  given  to  this  infernal  tree.  suffered  to  come  out  of  hell  from  time  to 

61  An  occasion  of  dispute.]     The  infi-  time,  to  drink  their  scalding  liquor. 

2 


XXXVII.]  A L    KORAN.  267 

part  of  the  ancients  erred  before  them.  ^^  And  we  sent 
Warners  unto  them  heretofore  :  ^^  and  see  how  miserable 
was  the  end  of  those  w^ho  were  warned ;  ^^  except  the 
sincere  servants  of  God.  ^^  Noah  called  on  us  in  former 
days,  and  we  heard  him  graciously :  ^^  and  we  delivered 
him  and  his  family  out  of  the  great  distress  ;  ^^  and  we 
caused  his  offspring  to  be  those  who  survived  to  people 
the  earth :  ^^  and  we  left  the  following  salutation  to  be 
bestowed  on  him  by  the  latest  posterity,  namely,  ^^  Peace 
be  on  Noah  among  all  creatures !  ^^  Thus  do  we  reward 
the  righteous ;  ^^  for  he  was  one  of  our  servants  the  true 
believers.  ^^  Afterwards  we  drowned  the  others.  ^^  Abra- 
ham also  was  of  his  religion :  ^^  when  he  came  unto  his 
Lord  with  a  perfect  heart.  ^^  When  he  said  unto  his 
father  and  his  people,  What  do  ye  worship  ?  ^^  Do  ye 
choose  false  gods  preferably  to  the  true  God  ?  ^^  What 
therefore  is  your  opinion  of  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  ? 
^^  And  he  looked  and  observed  the  stars ;  ^^  and  said, 
Verily  I  shall  be  sick,  and  shall  not  assist  at  your  sacri- 
fices ;  ^^  and  they  turned  their  backs,  and  departed  from 
him.  ^^  And  Abraham  went  privately  to  their  gods,  and 
said  scoffingly  unto  them.  Do  ye  not  eat  of  the  meat 
which  is  set  before  you  ?  ^^  What  aileth  you  that  ye 
speak  not  ?  ^^  And  he  turned  upon  them,  and  struck 
them  with  his  right  hand,  and  demolished  them.  ^^  And 
the  people  came  hastily  unto  him :  ^^  and  he  said,  Do  ye 
worship  the  images  which  ye  carve  ?  ^^  whereas  God  hath 
created  you,  and  also  that  which  ye  make.  ^^  They  said, 
Build  a  pile  for  him,  and  cast  him  into  the  glowing  fire. 
^^And  they  devised  a  plot  against  him;  but  we  made 
them  the  inferior,  and  delivered  him.  ^^^  And  Abraham 
said,  Verily  I  am  going  unto  my  Lord,  who  will  direct 
me.     ^^^  O  Lord,  grant  me  a  righteous  issue.     ^^^  Where- 

84  Abraham  also  was  of  his  religion.']  to    the   superstitions    of  astrology,)   and 

For  Noah  and  he  agreed  in  the   funda-  made  it  his  excuse  for  being  absent  from 

mental  points  both  of  faith  and  practice;  their  festival,  to  which  they  had  invited  him. 

though  the  space  between  them  was   no  91  And  they  turned  their  backs,  &c.] 

less  than  2640  years  ^.  Fearing    he    had   some     contagious    dis- 

89,  90    And  he  observed  the  stars,  and  temper  2. 

said,  I  shall  be  sicJcl      He  made  as  if  he  99  Delivered  him.]    See  ch.  xxi.  ver.  59. 

gathered  so  much  from  the  aspect  of  the  100   Unto  my  Lord.]    i.  e.  Whither  he 

heavens,  (the  people  being  greatly  addicted  hath  commanded  me. 


1  Al  Beidawi,  •  ^  Idem. 


268 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


fore  we  acquainted  him  that  he  should  have  a  son,  who 
should  be  a  meek  youth.  ^^^  And  when  he  had  attained 
to  years  of  discretion,  and  could  join  in  acts  of  religion 
with  him ;  Abraham  said  unto  him,  O  my  son,  verily  I 
saw  in  a  dream  that  I  should  offer  thee  in  sacrifice  :  con- 
sider therefore  what  thou  art  of  opinion  I  should  do.  He 
answered,  O  my  father,  do  what  thou  art  commanded  : 
thou  shalt  find  me,  if  God  please,  a  patient  person. 
^^*  And  when  they  had  submitted  themselves  to  the  divine 
will,  and  Abraham  had  laid  his  son  prostrate  on  his  face, 
^^^  we  cried  unto  him,  O  Abraham,  now  hast  thou  verified 
the  vision.  '^^  Thus  do  we  reward  the  righteous.  ^^^  Verily 
this  was  a  manifest  trial.  ^^^  And  we  ransomed  him  with 
a  noble  victim.  ^^^  And  we  left  the  following  salutation 
to  be  bestowed  on  him  by  the  latest  posterity,  namely, 
^^^  Peace  be  on  Abraham  !     Thus  do  we  reward  the  riglit- 


103  To  years  of  discretion,~\  He  was 
then  thirteen  years  old  ^. 

—  /  dreamed  that  I  should  sacrifice 
thee,  &c.]  The  commentators  say,  that 
Abraham  was  ordered  in  a  vision,  which 
he  saw  on  the  eighth  night  of  the  month 
Dhu'lhajja,  to  sacrifice  his  son ;  and  to 
assure  him  that  this  was  not  from  the 
devil,  as  he  was  inclined  to  suspect,  the 
same  vision  was  repeated  a  second  time 
the  next  night,  when  he  knew  it  to  be 
from  God,  and  also  a  third  time  the  night 
following,  when  he  resolved  to  obey  it, 
and  to  sacrifice  his  son :  and  hence  some 
think  the  8th,  9th,  and  10th  days  of 
Dhu'lhajja  are  called  Yawm  aUerwiya, 
yawm  arafat,  and  yawm  alnehr ;  that  is, 
the  day  of  the  vision,  the  day  of  know- 
ledge, and  the  day  of  the  sacrifice. 

It  is  the  most  received  opinion  among 
the  Mohammedans,  that  the  son  whom 
Abraham  offered  was  Ismael,  and  not 
Isaac  ;  Ismael  being  his  only  son  at  that 
time :  for  the  promise  of  Isaac's  birth  is 
mentioned  lower,  as  subsequent  in  time  to 
this  transaction.  They  also  allege  the 
testimony  of  their  prophet,  who  is  reported 
to  have  said,  I  am  the  son  of  the  two  who 
were  offered  in  sacrifice ;  meaning  his 
great  ancestor  Ismael,  and  his  own  father 
Abd'allah  :  for  Abd'almotalleb  had  made 
a  vow,  that  if  God  would  permit  him  to 
find  out  and  open  the  well  Zemzem,  and 
should  give  him  ten  sons,  he  would  sacri- 


fice one  of  them ;  accordingly,  when  he 
had  obtained  his  desire  in  both  respects, 
he  cast  lots  on  his  sons,  and  the  lot  falling 
on  Abd'allah,  he  redeemed  him  by  offering 
an  hundred  camels,  which  was  therefore 
ordered  to  be  the  price  of  a  man's  blood 
in  the  Sonna^. 

104  And  had  laid  him  prostrate  on  his 
face.~\  The  commentators  add,  that  Abra- 
ham went  so  far  as  to  draw  the  knife  with 
all  his  strength  across  the  lad's  throat ; 
but  was  miraculously  hindered  from  hurt- 
ing him  2. 

105  A  noble  victim.']  The  epithet  of 
great  or  noble  is  here  added,  either  be- 
cause it  was  large  and  fat,  or  because  it 
was  accepted  as  the  ransom  of  a  prophet. 
Some  suppose  this  victim  was  a  ram  ;  and, 
if  we  may  believe  a  common  tradition,  the 
very  same  which  Abel  sacrificed ;  having 
been  brought  to  Abraham  out  of  para- 
dise. Others  fancy  it  was  a  wild  goat, 
which  came  down  from  mount  Thabir, 
near  Mecca ;  for  the  Mohammedans  lay 
the  scene  of  this  transaction  in  the  valley 
of  Mina ;  as  a  proof  of  which  they  tell  us, 
that  the  horns  of  the  victim  were  hung  up 
on  the  spout  of  the  Caaba,  where  they  re- 
mained until  they  were  burnt,  together 
with  that  building,  in  the  days  of  Abda'l- 
lah  Ebn  Zobeir*;  though  others  assure 
us,  that  they  had  been  taken  down  by  Mo- 
hammed himself,  to  remove  all  occasion  of 
idolatry  ^ 


^   dl  Beiddwi, 
JallaW  ddin. 


2  I  den),  Jallalo^ldin,  At  Zamakh.  ^  A I  Beiddwi, 

^  lidem.  ^  V.  lyilerbcl  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Ismail 


XXX VII.]  AL   KORAN.  269 

eous  :  ^^^  for  he  was  one  of  our  faithful  servants.  ^^^  And 
we  rejoiced  him  with  the  promise  of  Isaac,  a  righteous 
prophet ;  ^'^and  we  blessed  him  and  Isaac  ;  and  of  their 
offspring  were  some  righteous  doers,  and  others  who 
manifestly  injured  their  own  souls.  ^^^We  were  also 
gracious  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  heretofore ;  "^  and  we 
delivered  them  and  their  people  from  a  great  distress. 
™  And  we  assisted  them  against  the  Egyptians  ;  and 
they  became  the  conquerors.  ^^^  And  we  gave  them  the 
perspicuous  book  of  the  law,  ^^^  and  we  directed  them 
into  the  right  way :  ^^^  and  we  left  the  following  salutation, 
to  be  bestowed  on  them  by  the  latest  posterity,  namely, 
^^^  Peace  be  on  Moses  and  Aaron  !  ^^^  Thus  do  we  re- 
ward the  righteous  ;  for  they  were  two  of  our  faithful 
servants.  ^^^  And  Elias  was  also  one  of  those  who  were 
sent  by  us.  ^^^  When  he  said  unto  his  people.  Do  ye  not 
fear  God  ?  ^^^  Do  ye  invoke  Baal,  and  forsake  the  most 
excellent  Creator?  ^^^God  is  our  Lord,  and  the  Lord 
of  your  forefathers.  ^^^  But  they  accused  him  of  impos- 
ture :  ^^^  wherefore  they  shall  be  delivered  up  to  eternal 
punishment ;  ^^^  except  the  sincere  servants  of  God. 
^^^  And  we  left  the  following  salutation  to  be  bestowed  on 
him  by  the  last  posterity,  namely,  Peace  be  on  Ilyasin  ! 
^^^  Thus  do  we  rew^ard  the  righteous ;  ^^^  for  he  was  one  of 
our  faithful  servants.  ^^^  And  Lot  was  also  one  of  those 
who  were  sent  by  us.  ^^^  When  we  delivered  him  and 
his  whole  family,  ^^^  except  an  old  woman  his  wife,  who 
perished  among   those  that   remained   behind :  ^^^  after- 

122  Elias.~\  This  prophet  the  Moham-  the  Arabs  write  it,  Tlyas,  and  that  both 
medans  generally  suppose  to  be  the  same  that  prophet  and  his  followers,  or  those 
with  al  Khedr,  and  confound  him  with  who  resembled  them,  are  meant  thereby : 
Phineas  ^,  and  sometimes  with  Edris,  or  others  divide  the  word,  and  read  al  Yasin, 
Enoch.  Some  say  he  was  the  son  of  Ya-  i.  e.  the  family  of  Yasin,  who  was  the  father 
sin,  and  nearly  related  to  Aaron ;  and  of  Elias,  according  to  an  opinion  men- 
others  suppose  him  to  have  been  a  different  tioned  above  :  and  others  imagine  it  signi- 
person.  He  was  sent  to  the  inhabitants  of  fies  Mohammed,  or  the  Koran,  or  some 
Baalbeck,  in  Syria,  the  Heliopolis  of  the  other  book  of  Scripture.  But  the  most 
Greeks,  to  reclaim  them  from  the  worship  probable  conjecture  is,  that  Ilyas  and  Ily- 
of  their  idol  Baal,  or  the  sun,  whose  name  asin  are  the  same  name,  or  design  one  and 
makes  part  of  that  of  the  city,  which  was  the  same  person,  as  Sinai  and  Sinin  de- 
anciently  called  Becc  2.  note  one  and  the  same  mountain  ;  the  last 

129  Ilyasin.'}     The    commentators    do  syllable  being  added  here,  to  keep  up  the 

not  well  know  what  to  make  of  this  word,  rhyme,    or    cadence,  at  the   close  of  the 

Some  think  it  is  the  plural  of  Elias,  or  as  verse. 

1  See  chap,  xviii.  verse  67-  ^  Jallalo' ddin ,  Al  BeiddwL 


270  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

wards  we  destroyed  the  others.  ^^^  And  ye,  O  people  of 
Mecca,  pass  by  the  places  where  they  once  dwelt,  as  ye 
journey  in  the  morning,  and  by  night :  ^^^  will  ye  not 
therefore  understand  ?  ^^^  Jonas  was  also  one  of  those 
who  were  sent  by  us.  ^^^  When  he  fled  into  the  loaded 
ship  ;  ^^^  and  those  who  were  on  board  cast  lots  among 
themselves,  and  he  was  condemned  :  ^^^  and  the  fish  swal- 
lowed him  ;  for  he  was  worthy  of  reprehension.  ^^^  And 
if  he  had  not  been  one  of  those  who  praised  God,  ^^^  verily 
he  had  remained  in  the  belly  thereof  until  the  day  of  re- 
surrection. ^^^  And  we  cast  him  on  the  naked  shore,  and 
he  was  sick ;  ^^^  and  we  caused  a  plant  of  a  gourd  to  grow 
up  over  him ;  ^^^  and  we  sent  him  to  an  hundred  thousand 
persons,  or  they  were  a  greater  number,  and  they  be- 
lieved :  ^^^  wherefore  we  granted  them  to  enjoy  this  life 
for  a  season.  ^^^  Inquire  of  the  Meccans  whether  thy 
Lord  hath  daughters,  and  they  sons  ?  ^^^  Have  Ave  created 
the  angels  of  the  female  sex?  and  were  they  witnesses 
thereof?  ^^^Do  they  not  say  of  their  own  false  invention, 
God  hath  begotten  issue  ?  ^^^  and  are  they  not  really 
liars  ?     ^^^  Hath  he  chosen  daughters  preferably  to  sons  ? 

135  The   others.']     See   chap.  vii.  and         The  opinions  of  the  Mohammedan  wri- 

chap.  xi.  for  the  history  of  Sodom.  ters,  as  to  the  time  Jonas  continued  in  the 

138  Jonas.]     See  chap.  x.  for  the  his-  fish's  belly,  differ  very  much ;  some  sup- 

tory  of  Jonah,  pose  it  was  a  part  of  a  day,   others  three 

140  They  cast  lots.]-  Al  Beidawi  says  days,  others  seven,  others  twenty,  and 
the  ship  stood  stock  still ;  wherefore  they  others  forty  K 

concluded,  that  they  had  a  fugitive  servant         145  A  gourd.]     The  original  word  pro- 

on  board,  and  cast  lots  to  find  him  out.  perly  signifies  a  plant  which  spreads  itself 

—  He  was  condemned.]     i.  e.   He  was  upon  the  ground,  having  no  erect  stalk  or 

taken  by  the  lot.  stem    to    support   it ;    and   particularly   a 

141  The  fish  swallowed  him.]  When  gourd  :  though  some  imagine  Jonas's  plant 
the  lot  fell  on  Jonas,  he  cried  out,  I  am  to  have  been  a  fig ;  and  others  the  small 
the  fugitive ;  and  immediately  threw  him-  tree  or  shrub  called  Mauz  ^,  which  bears 
self  into  the  sea  ^.  very   large   leaves,   and    excellent   fruit  ^. 

142  One  of  those  who  praised  God.]  The  commentators  add,  that  this  plant 
The  words  seem  to  relate  particularly  to  withered  the  next  morning,  and  that  Jonas 
Jonas's  supplication  while  in  the  whale's  being  much  concerned  at  it,  God  made  a 
belly  2.  remonstrance  to  him  in  behalf  of  the  Nine- 

144  He  was  sick.]     By  reason  of  what  vites,    agreeable    to  what  is   recorded   in 

he  had  suffered  ;  his  body  becoming   like  scripture. 

that  of  a  new-born  child  3.     It  is  said  that         148  Daughters.]     The  passage  alludes 

the   fish,    after   it  had    swallowed   Jonas,  to  the  superstitious  belief  of  certain  tribes 

swam  after  the  ship  with  its  head  above  that  the  angels  were  the  daughters  of  God, 

water,    that   the  prophet  might  breathe ;  which  was  more  derogatory  to  the  divine 

who  continued  to  praise  God  till  the  fish  majesty,  as  the   birth  of  a  daughter  was 

came  to  land,  and  vomited  him  out.  deemed  a  misfortune  by  the  Arabs. 

^  Jallalo^ddin,  al  Beidawi.  ^  See  chap.  xxi.  verse  87*  ^  Al  Beidawi. 

*  Idem.  5  Idem.  ^  V.  /.  Leon  Descr.  Afric.  lib.  9.   Gab.  Sionit.  de  Urb. 

Orient,  ad  calcem  Geogr.  Nub.  p.  55.  and  Hottinger,  Hist.  Orient,  p.  7^>  &c. 


xxxvii.]  AL    KORAN.  271 

153  Ye  have  no  reason  to  judge  thus.  ^^^  Will  ye  not 
therefore  be  admonished  ?  ^^^  Or  have  ye  a  manifest 
proof  of  what  ye  say  ?  ^^^  Produce  novi^  your  book  of  reve- 
lations, if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^^  And  they  make  him  to  be 
of  kin  unto  the  genii ;  whereas  the  genii  know  that  they 
who  affirm  such  things,  shall  be  delivered  up  to  eternal 
punishment ;  ^^^  (far  be  that  from  God,  which  they  affirm 
of  him  !)  ^^^  except  the  sincere  servants  of  God.  ^^^  More- 
over ye,  and  that  which  ye  worship,  ^^^  shall  not  seduce 
any  concerning  God,  ^^^  except  him  who  is  destined  to  be 
burned  in  hell.  ^^^  There  is  none  of  us,  but  hath  an  ap- 
pointed place:  ^^^we  range  ourselves  in  order,  attending 
the  commands  of  God  ;  ^^^  and  we  celebrate  the  divine 
praise.  ^^^  The  infidels  said,  ^^^  If  we  had  been  favoured 
with  a  book  of  divine  revelations,  of  those  which  were 
delivered  to  the  ancients,  ^^^  we  had  surely  been  sincere 
servants  of  God  :  ^^^  yet  now  the  Koran  is  revealed,  they 
believe  not  therein  ;  ^^^  but  hereafter  shall  they  know  the 
consequences  of  their  unbelief.  ^^^  Our  word  hath  for- 
merly been  given  unto  our  servants  the  apostles ;  ^^^  that 
they  should  certainly  be  assisted  against  the  infidels, 
and  that  our  armies  should  surely  be  the  conquerors. 
^^^  Turn  aside  therefore  from  them  for  a  season ;  ^^*  and 
see  the  calamities  which  shall  afflict  them ;  for  they  shall 
see  thy  future  success  and  prosperity  ?  ^^^  Do  they  there- 
fore seek  to  hasten  our  vengeance  ?  ^^^  Verily,  when  it 
shall  descend  into  their  courts,  an  evil  morning  shall  it  be 
unto  those  who  were  warned  in  vain.  ^^^  Turn  aside  from 
them  therefore  for  a  season ;  ^^^  and  see :  hereafter  shall 
they  see  thy  success  and  their  punishment.     ^^^  Praise  be 

157  The  genii.^     That  is,  the  angels,  they  have  each  their  station  and  office  ap- 

who   are    also    comprehended    under   the  pointed  them  by  God,  whose  commands 

name  of  genii,  being  a  species  of  them,  they  are  at  all  times  ready  to  execute,  and 

Some  say  that  the  infidels  went  so  far  as  whose  praises  they  continually  sing.  There 

to  assert,   that  God    and  the  devil  were  are  some  expositors,  however,  who  think 

brothers  ^  ;  which  blasphemous  expression  they  are  the  words  of  Mohammed  and  his 

may  have  been  occasioned  by  the  Magian  followers  ;   the  meaning  being,  that  each  of 

notions.  them  has  a  place  destined  for  him  in  para- 

163  There  is  none  of  us,  hut  hath  mi  dise,  and  that  they  are  the  men  who  range 

appointed  place,  &c.]     These  words   are  themselves  in  order  before  God,  to  worship 

supposed    to    have   been    spoken    by    the  and   pray  to  him,   and  who   celebrate  his 

angels,    disclaiming    the    worship  paid  to  praise,  by  rejecting  every  false  notion  de- 

them  by  the  idolaters,  and  declaring  that  rogatory  to  the  divine  wisdom  and  power. 


1  Al  BeiddwL 


272  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

unto  thy  Lord,  the  Lord  who  is  far  exalted  above  what 
they  affirm  of  him  !  ^^^  And  peace  be  on  his  apostles ! 
^^^  And  praise  be  unto  God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  ! 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

INTITLED,    S;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  S.  ^  By  the  Koran  full  of  admonition.  ^  Verily  the 
unbelievers  are  addicted  to  pride  and  contention.  ^  How 
many  generations  have  we  destroyed  before  them  ?  and 
they  cried  for  mercy,  but  it  was  not  a  time  to  escape. 
^  They  wonder  that  a  warner  from  among  themselves  hath 
come  unto  them.  And  the  unbelievers  said.  This  man  is 
a  sorcerer,  and  a  liar.  ^  Doth  he  affirm  the  gods  to  be  but 
one  God  ?  Surely  this  is  a  wonderful  thing.  '^  And  the 
chief  men  among  them  departed,  saying  one  to  another, 
Go,  and  persevere  in  the  worship  of  your  gods  :  verily 
this  is  the  thing  which  is  designed.  ^  We  have  not  heard 
any  thing  like  this  in  the  last  religion:  this  is  no  other 
than  a  false  contrivance.  ^  Hath  an  admonition  been  sent 
unto  him  preferably  to  any  other  among  us  ?  ^^  Verily 
they  are  in  a  doubt  concerning  my  admonition  :  but  they 
have  not  yet  tasted  my  vengeance.  ^^  Are  the  treasuries 
of  the  mercy  of  thy  Lord,  the  mighty,  the  munificent 
God,  in  their  hands  ?     ^^  Is  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens 

Title — *S.]  The  meaning  of  this  letter  is  Abu    Taleb,   to   complain   to    him  of  his 

unknown  1  :  some  guess  it  stands  for  Sidk,  nephew    Mohammed's    proceedings:    but 

i.  e.  Truth  ;  or  for  Sadaka,  i.  e.  He  (viz,  being  confounded  and  put  to  silence  by  the 

Mohammed)    speaketh    the    truth :    and  prophet's  arguments,  they  left  the  assem- 

others   propose    different   conjectures,    all  bly ;  and  encouraged  one  another  in  their 

equally  uncertain.  obstinacy  ^, 

2  By  the  Koran,  &c.]     Something  must         7   This  is  the  thing  which  is  designed.'] 

be  understood  to  answer  this  oath,  which  Namely,  to  draw  us  from  their  worship, 
the  commentators  variously  supply.  8  In  the  last  religion.'}     i.  e.  In  the  re- 

7   The  chief  men  among  them  departed,  ligion  which  we  received  from  our  fathers  ; 

&c.]     On   the  conversion    of  Omar,    the  or,  in   the    religion  of  Jesus,  which  was 

Koreish  being  greatly  irritated,  the  most  the  last    before    the   mission  of  Moham- 

considerable  of  them  went  in   a  body  to  med  ^. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  ^  ji  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


xxxviii.]  A  L    KORAN.  273 

and  the  earth,  and  of  whatever  is  between  them,  in  their 
possession  ?  ^^  If  it  be  so,  let  them  ascend  by  steps  unto 
heaven.  But  any  army  of  the  confederates  shall  even 
here  be  put  to  flight.  ^^  The  people  of  Noah,  and  the 
tribe  of  Ad,  and  Pharaoh  the  contriver  of  the  stakes, 
^*and  the  tribe  of  Thamud,  and  the  people  of  Lot,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  the  wood  near  Madian,  accused  the 
prophets  of  imposture  before  them :  these  were  the  con- 
federates against  the  messengers  of  God.  ^^  All  of  them 
did  no  other  than  accuse  their  apostles  of  falsehood: 
wherefore  my  vengeance  hath  been  justly  executed  upon 
them.  ^^  And  these  wait  only  for  one  sounding  of  the 
trumpet ;  which  there  shall  be  no  deferring.  ^^  And  they 
scoffingly  say,  O  Lord,  hasten  our  sentence  unto  us,  be- 
fore the  day  of  account.  ^^  Do  thou  patiently  bear  that 
which  they  utter :  and  remind  them  of  our  servant  David, 
endued  with  strength ;  for  he  was  one  who  seriously 
turned  himself  unto  God.  ^^  We  compelled  the  moun- 
tains to  celebrate  our  praise  with  him,  in  the  evening  and 
at  sunrise ;  ^^  and  also  the  birds,  which  gathered  them- 
selves together  unto  him :  all  of  them  returned  frequently 
unto  him  for  this  purpose.  ^^  And  we  established  his 
kingdom,  and  gave  him  wisdom  and  eloquence  of  speech. 
^^Hath  the  story  of  the  two  adversaries  come  to  thy 
knowledge  ;  when  they  ascended  over  the  wall  into  the 
upper  apartment,  ^^  when  they  went  in  unto  David,  and 
he  was  afraid  of  them  ?     They  said,  Fear  not ;  we  are  two 

13  The  contriver  of  the  stakes.']  For  is  here  meant.  They  say  David  used  to 
they  say  Pharaoh  used  to  tie  those  he  had  fast  every  other  day,  and  to  spend  one  half 
a  mind  to  punish,  by  the  hands  and  feet  to     of  the  night  in  prayer  ^. 

four  stakes  fixed  in   the  ground,  and  so  20   The  birds.J  See  ch^p.  xxi.  verse  ^9. 

tormented    them  ^.     Some    interpret    the  22   The  tivo  adversaries.]     These   were 

words,  which  may  also  be  translated  The  two  angels,  who  came  unto  David  in  the 

lord  or  master  of  the  stakes,  figuratively,  shape  of  men,  to  demand  judgment  in  the 

of  the    firm    establishment    of    Pharaoh's  feigned   controversy  after-mentioned.     It 

kingdom  ;  because  the  Arabs  fix  their  tents  is   no    other    than    Nathan's    parable    to 

with   stakes  2  ;  but  they  may  possibly  in-  David*,  a  little  disguised, 

tend  that  prince's  obstinacy,  and  hardness  23  He   was  afraid  of  them.]     Because 

of  heart.  they  came  suddenly  upon  him,  on  a  day  of 

14  Of  the  wood.]  To  whom  Shoaib  was  privacy,  when  the  doors  were  guarded, 
sent.  and   no   person    admitted   to  disturb     his 

18  Endued  with  strength.]  The  com-  devotions.  For  David,  they  say,  divided 
mentators  suppose  that  ability  to  undergo  his  time  regularly,  setting  apart  one  day 
the  frequent  practice  of  religious  exercises     for  the  service  of  God,  another  day  for 

>  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ,      ^  lidem.  Interp. 

4  2  Sam.  xii. 

VOL.  II.  ,    ^  T 


274  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

adversaries  who  have  a  controversy  to  be  decided.  ^^  The 
one  of  us  hath  wronged  the  other :  wherefore  judge  be- 
tween us  with  truth,  and  be  not  unjust ;  and  direct  us 
into  the  even  way.  ^^  This  my  brother  had  ninety  and 
nine  sheep  ;  and  I  had  only  one  ewe :  and  he  said,  Give 
her  me  to  keep :  and  he  prevailed  against  me  in  the  dis- 
course which  we  had  together.  ^^  David  answered,  Verily 
he  hath  wronged  thee,  in  demanding  thine  ewe  as  an 
addition  to  his  own  sheep :  and  many  of  them  who  are 
concerned  together  in  business,  wrong  one  another,  except 
those  who  believe,  and  do  that  which  is  right ;  but  how 
few  are  they  !  ^^  And  David  perceived  that  we  had  tried 
him  by  this  parable,  and  he  asked  pardon  of  his  Lord  ; 
and  he  fell  down  and  bowed  himself,  and  repented. 
Wherefore  we  forgave  him  this  fault ;  and  he  shall  have 
an  excellent  place  of  abode  in  paradise.  ^^  O  David, 
verily  we  have  appointed  thee  a  sovereign  prince  in  the 
earth :  judge  therefore  between  men  with  truth ;  and 
follow  not  thy  own  lust,  lest  it  cause  thee  to  err  from  the 
Avay  of  God  :  for  those  who  err  from  the  way  of  God, 
shall  suffer  a  severe  punishment,  because  they  have  for- 
gotten the  day  of  account.  ^^  We  have  not  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  whatever  is  between  them,  in 
vain.  This  is  the  opinion  of  the  unbelievers  :  but.  woe 
unto  those  who  believe  not,  because  of  the  fire  of  hell. 
^^  Shall  we  deal  with  those  who  believe,  and  do  good 
works,  as  with  those  who  aot  corruptly  in  the  earth? 
Shall  we  deal  with  the  pious  as  with  the  wicked  ?  ^^  A 
blessed  book  have  we  sent  down  unto  thee,  O  Moham- 
med, that  they  may  attentively  meditate  on  the  signs 
thereof,  and  that  men  of  understanding  may  be  warned. 
^^  And  we  gave  unto  David,  Solomon  ;  how  excellent  a 
servant !  for   he   frequently  turned   himself  unto    God. 

rendering  justice   to   his   people,  another         Some   suppose   this  story    was  told  to 

day  for  preaching  to  them,  and  another  serve  as  an    admonition  to   Mohammed, 

day  for  his  own  aftairs  ^  who,  it  seems,  was  apt  to  covet  what  was 

27  -^nd  David  perceived    that   we  had  another's. 
tried  himy  &c.]     The  crime  of  which  Da-         29   We  have  not  created  the  heavens  and 

vid  had  been  guilty  was,  the  taking  the  the  earth  in  vain."]    So  as  to  permit  injus- 

wife  of  Uriah,  and  ordering  her  husband  tice  to  go  unpunished,  and  righteousness 

to  be  set  in  the  front  of  the  battle  to  be  unrewarded, 
slain  2. 


1  Al  Beiddwi,   JaUalo'ddi?i.  ^  lidem. 


XXXVIII.] 


AL    KORAN. 


275 


^^  When  the  horses  standing  on  three  feet,  and  touching 
the  ground  with  the  edge  of  the  fourth  foot,  and  swift  in 
the  course,  were  set  in  parade  before  him  in  the  evening ; 
^^  he  said,  Verily  I  have  loved  the  love  of  earthly  good 
above  the  remembrance  of  my  Lord  ;  and  have  spent  the 
time  in  viewing  these  horses,  until  the  sun  is  hidden  by 
the  veil  of  night :  bring  the  horses  back  unto  me.  ^^  And 
when  they  were  brought  back,  he  began  to  cut  off  their 
legs  and  their  necks.  ^^  We  also  tried  Solomon  ;  and 
placed  on  his  throne  a  counterfeit  body.  Afterwards  he 
turned  unto  God,  ^'^  and  said,  O  Lord,  forgive  me,  and 
give  me  a  kingdom  w^hich  may  not  be  obtained  by  any 
after  me  ;  for  thou  art  the  giver  of  kingdoms.     ^^  And  we 


33  PFhen  the  horses  were  set  in  parade 
before  him,  &c.]  Some  say  that  Solomon 
brought  these  horses,  being  a  thousand  in 
number,  from  Damascus  and  Nisibis,  which 
cities  he  had  taken  ;  others  say  that  they 
were  left  him  by  his  father,  who  took  them 
from  the  Amalekites;  while  others,  who 
prefer  the  marvellous,  pretend  that  they 
came  up  out  of  the  sea,  and  had  wings. 
However,  Solomon,  having  one  day  a 
mind  to  view  these  horses,  ordered  them 
to  be  brought  before  him,  and  was  so 
taken  up  with  them,  that  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day,  till  after  sun-set,  in 
looking  on  them ;  by  which  means  he  neg- 
lected the  prayer,  which  ought  to  have 
been  said  at  that  time,  till  it  was  too  late  ; 
but  when  he  perceived  his  omission,  he 
was  so  greatly  concerned  at  it,  that,  order- 
ing the  horses  to  be  brought  back,  he 
killed  them  all  as  an  offering  to  God,  ex- 
cept only  a  hundred  of  the  best  of  them. 
But  God  made  him  ample  amends  for  the 
loss  of  these  horses,  by  giving  him  domi- 
nion over  the  winds  ^. 

36  We  placed  on  his  throne  a  counter- 
feit body,  &c.]  The  most  received  exposi- 
tion of  this  passage  is  taken  from  the  fol- 
lowing Talmudic  fable  ^. 

Solomon,  having  taken  Sidon,  and  slain 
the  king  of  that  city,  brought  away  his 
daughter  Jerada,  who  became  his  favourite, 
and  because  she  ceased  not  to  lament  her 
father's  loss,  he  ordered  the  devils  to  make 
an  image  of  him  for  her  consolation  : 
which  being  done,  and  placed  in  her 
chamber,  she  and  her  maids  worshipped  it 
morning  and  evening,  according  to  their 
custom.     At   length    Solomon   being    in- 


formed of  this  idolatry,  which  was  prac- 
tised under  his  roof,  by  his  vizir  Asaf, 
he  broke  the  image,  and  having  chas- 
tised the  women,  went  out  into  the  desert, 
where  he  wept,  and  made  supplication  to 
God;  who  did  not  think  fit,  however,  to 
let  his  negligence  pass  without  some  cor- 
rection. It  was  Solomon's  custom,  while 
he  eased  or  washed  himself,  to  trust  his 
signet,  on  which  his  kingdom  depended, 
with  a  concubine  of  his  named  x\mina  :  one 
day,  therefore,  when  she  had  the  ring  in  her 
custody,  a  devil,  named  Sakhar,  came  to 
her  in  the  shape  of  Solomon,  and  received 
the  ring  from  her ;  by  virtue  of  which  he 
became  possessed  of  the  kingdom,  and  sat 
on  the  throne  in  the  shape  which  he  had 
borrowed,  making  what  alterations  in  the 
law  he  pleased.  Solomon,  in  the  mean 
time,  being  changed  in  his  outward  ap- 
pearance, and  known  to  none  of  his  sub- 
jects, was  obliged  to  wander  about,  and 
beg  alms  for  his  subsistence ;  till  at 
length,  after  the  space  of  forty  days, 
which  was  the  time  the  image  had  been 
worshipped  in  his  house,  the  devil  flew 
away,  and  threw  the  signet  into  the  sea  : 
the  signet  was  immediately  swallowed  by 
a  fish,  which  being  taken  and  given  to 
Solomon,  he  found  the  ring  in  its  belly: 
and  having  by  this  means  recovered  the 
kingdom,  took  Sakhar,  and  tying  a  great 
stone  to  his  neck,  threw  him  into  the  lake 
of  Tiberias  ^. 

37  A  kingdom,  which  may  not  be  ob- 
tained by  any  after  me.']  i.  e.  That  I  may 
surpass  all  future  princes  in  magnificence 
and  power. 


^  Jl  Beiddwi.  Al  Zamakh, 
Yalkutin  lib.  Reg.  p.  182. 


Yahya,  2  y.   Talm.  En  Jacob.  Yahya.  Part  2.  & 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  Abu'lfeda, 

T  2 


27G  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

made  the  wind  subject  to  him ;  it  ran  gently,  at  his  com- 
mand, whithersoever  he  directed.  ^^  And  we  also  put  the 
devils  in  subjection  under  him ;  and  among  them  such  as 
were  every  way  skilled  in  building,  and  in  diving  for  pearls: 
^^  and  others  we  delivered  to  him  bound  in  chains ; 
^^  saying,  This  is  our  gift :  therefore  be  bounteous,  or  be 
sparing  unto  whom  thou  shalt  think  fit,  without  rendering 
an  account.  ^^  And  he  shall  approach  near  unto  us,  and 
shall  have  an  excellent  abode  in  paradise.  ^^  And  remem- 
ber our  servant  Job,  when  he  cried  unto  his  Lord,  saying, 
Verily  Satan  hath  afflicted  me  with  calamity  and  pain. 
^*  And  it  was  said  unto  him.  Strike  the  earth  with  thy  foot ; 
which  when  he  had  done,  a  fountain  sprang  up  ;  and  it  was 
said  unto  him,  This  is  for  thee  to  wash  in,  to  refresh  thee, 
and  to  drink.  ^^  And  we  restored  unto  him  his  family,  and  as 
many  more  with  them,  through  our  mercy ;  and  for  an  ad- 
monition unto  those  who  are  endued  with  understanding. 
^^  And  we  said  unto  him.  Take  a  handful  of  rods  in  thy 
hand,  and  strike  thy  wife  therewith  :  and  break  not  thine 
oath.  Verily  we  found  him  a  patient  person  :  how  excel- 
lent a  servant  was  he !  for  he  was  one  who  frequently 
turned  himself  unto  us.  ^^  Remember  also  our  servants 
Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  who  were  men  strenuous 
and  prudent.  ^^  Verily  we  purified  them  with  a  perfect 
purification,  through  the  remembrance  of  the  life  to  come; 
^^and  they  were,  in  our  sight,  elect  and  good  men.  ^^And 
remember  Ishmael,  and  Elisha,  and  Dhu'lkefl  :  for  all 

39  Devils.']     See    chap.  xxi.  82.  chap,  mentators  are  not  agreed  what  fault  Job's 

xxvii.  18.  wife  had  committed  to  deserve  this  chas- 

41   Be    bounteous   or    be  sparing,  &c.]  tisement ;  we  have  mentioned  one  opinion 

Some  suppose   these  words    relate  to  the  already  ^;  some  think  it  was  only  because 

genii,  and  that   Solomon  is    thereby  em-  she  stayed  too  long  on  an  errand, 

powered  to  release  or  to  keep  in  chains  —  Break  not  thine  oath.~\   For  he  had 

such  of  them  as  he  pleased.  sworn  to  give  her  an  hundred  stripes  if  he 

43  JobJ]     See  chap.  xxi.  verse  83.  recovered. 

44  A  fountain.]  Some  say  there  were  48  We  purified  them  through  the  re- 
two  springs ;  one  of  hot  water,  wherein  membrance  of  the  life  to  come.]  Or,  as  the 
he  bathed  ;  and  the  other  of  cold,  of  words  may  be  interpreted,  according  to  al 
which  he  drank '.  Zamakhshari,     We    have    purified    them, 

46  A   handful  of  rods.]     The    original  or  peculiarly  destined  and  fitted  them  for 

not   expressing  what  this   handful  was  to  paradise. 

consist  of,  one  supposes  it  was  to  be  only         50  Elisha.]     The   successor   of  Elijah, 

a  handful    of  dry  grass,  or  of  rushes,  and  called  by  Mohammedans  the  son  of  Okh- 

another,  that  it  was  the  branch  of  a  palm  tub,  but  in  scripture,  the  son  of  Shaphat. 
tree  2.  —  Dhulkefl.]  See  chap.  xxi.  verse  85. 

—  Strike  thy  wife  therewith.]  The  com-  Al  Beidawi  here  takes  notice  of  another 

^  Al  Beidawi.  ^  See  tlie  notes  to  chap.  xxi.  verse  83.  ^  See  ibid. 


XXXVIII.]  AL   KORAN.  277 

these  were  good  men.     ^^  This  is  an  admonition.     Verily 
the  pious  shall  have  an  excellent  place  to  return  unto, 
namely ;  ^^  gardens  of  perpetual  abode,  the  gates  whereof 
shall  stand  open  unto  them.     ^^  As  they  lie  down  therein, 
they  shall  there  ask   for  many  sorts  of  fruits,   and    for 
drink;  and  near  them  shall  sit  the  virgins  of  paradise, 
refraining  their  looks  from  beholding  any  besides  their 
spouses,  and  of  equal  age  with  them.     ^^  This  is  what  ye 
are  promised  at  the  day  of  account.     ^^  This  is  our  provi- 
sion ;  which  shall  not  fail.     ^^  This  shall  be  the  reward  of 
the  righteous.     But  for  the  transgressors  is  prepared  an 
evil  receptacle,  namely,  hell :  ^^  they  shall  be  cast  into  the 
same   to  be  burned,  and   a  wretched  couch  shall  it  be. 
^^  This  let  them  taste,  to  wit,  scalding  water,  and  corruption 
flowing  from  the  bodies   of  the   damned,    ^^  and   divers 
other  things  of  the  same  kind.      ^^  And  it  shall  be  said 
to  the   seducers.  This  troop  which  was  guided  by  you, 
shall  be  thrown,  together  with  you,  headlong  into  hell : 
they  shall  not  be  bidden  welcome  ;   for  they  shall  enter 
the  fire  to  be  burned.     ^^  And  the  seduced  shall  say  to 
their  seducers.  Verily  ye  shall  not  be  bidden  w^elcome : 
ye  have  brought  it  upon  us  ;  and  a  wretched  abode  is  hell. 
^^  They  shall  say,  O  Lord,  doubly  increase  the  torment  of 
him  who  hath  brought  this  punishment  upon  us,  in   the 
fire  of  hell.     ^^  And  the  infidels  shall  say,  Why  do  we 
not  see  the  men  whom  we  numbered  among  the  wicked, 
and  whom  we  received  with  scorn  ?    ^*  Or   do   our  eyes 
miss  them  ?  ^^  Verily  this  is  a  truth  ;  to  wit,  the  disputing 
of  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire.      ^^  Say,    O   Mohammed, 
unto  the  idolaters.  Verily  I  am  no  other  than  a  warner : 
and  there  is  no  god,  except  the  one  only  God,   ^^  the 
Almighty,  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  what- 
soever is  between  them  ;   the  mighty,  the  forgiver  of  sins. 
Say,  It  is  a  weighty  message,   ^^  from  which  ye  turn 


68 


tradition  concerning  this  prophet;  viz.  care  of  another.  If  a  conjecture  might  be 
that  he  entertained  and  took  care  of  a  founded  on  this  tradition,  I  should  fancy 
hundred  Israelites,  who  fled  to  him  from  a  the  person  intended  was  Obadiah,  the  go- 
certain  slaughter  ;  from  which  action  he  vernor  of  Ahab's  house  ^ 
probably  had  the  surname  of  Dhu'lkefl  53  Of  equal  age  with  them.]  i.  e.  About 
given  him  ;  the  primary  signification  of  thirty  or  thirty-three  2. 
the  verb,  cafala,  being  to  maintain  or  take 


*  See  1  Kings  xviii.  4.  2  ggg  ^\^q  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


278  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

aside.  ^^  I  had  no  knowledge  of  the  exalted  princes, 
when  they  disputed  concerning  the  creation  of  man: 
^^  (it  hath  been  revealed  unto  me  only  as  a  proof  that  I 
am  a  public  preacher :)  ^^  when  thy  Lord  said  unto  the 
angels.  Verily  I  am  about  to  create  man  of  clay :  ^^  when 
I  shall  have  formed  him,  therefore,  and  shall  have  breathed 
my  spirit  into  him,  do  ye  fall  down  and  worship  him. 
^^  And  all  the  angels  worshipped  him,  in  general ;  ^^  ex- 
cept Eblis,  who  was  puffed  up  with  pride,  and  became 
an  unbeliever.  ^^  God  said  unto  him,  O  Eblis,  what 
hindereth  thee  from  worshipping  that  which  I  have 
created  with  my  hands  ?  Art  thou  elated  with  vain  pride  ? 
Or  art  thou  really  one  of  exalted  merit  ?  ^^  He  answered, 
I  am  more  excellent  than  he :  thou  hast  created  me  of 
fire,  and  hast  created  him  of  clay.  ^^  God  said  unto  him, 
Get  thee  hence  therefore,  for  thou  slialt  be  driven  away 
from  mercy :  ^^  and  my  curse  shall  be  upon  thee,  until  the 
day  of  judgment.  ^^  He  replied,  O  Lord,  respite  me, 
therefore,  until  the  day  of  resurrection.  ^^  God  said, 
Verily  thou  shalt  be  one  of  those  who  are  respited, 
^^  until  the  day  of  the  determined  time.  ^^  Eblis  said. 
By  thy  might  do  I  swear,  I  will  surely  seduce  them  all, 
^*  except  thy  servants  who  shall  be  peculiarly  chosen 
from  among  them.  ^^  God  said,  It  is  a  just  sentence ; 
and  I  speak  the  truth :  I  will  surely  fill  hell  with  thee, 
and  with  such  of  them  as  shall  follow  thee,  altogether. 
^^  Say  unto  the  Meccans,  I  ask  not  of  you  any  reward 
for  this  my  preaching :  neither  am  I  one  of  those  who 
assume  a  part  which  belongs  not  to  them.  ^^  The  Koran 
is  no  other  than  an  admonition  unto  all  creatures  :  ^^  and 
ye  shall  surely  know  what  is  delivered  therein  to  be  true, 
after  a  season. 

70  The  exalted  pr'mces.']     That  is,  the     the  account  of  the  circumstances  attending 
angels.  Adam's  creation,  and   the   references   to 

73   Worship  him.~\     See  chapter  ii.   for     Adam  in  the  Index. 


XXXIX.]  A  L    K  O  R  A  N.  279 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

INTITLED,  THE  TROOPS;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

The  revelation  of  this  book  is  from  the  mighty,  the 
wise  God.  ^  Verily  we  have  revealed  this  book  unto 
thee  with  truth  :  wherefore  serve  God,  exhibiting  the 
pure  religion  unto  him.  ^  Ought  not  the  pure  religion 
to  be  exhibited  unto  God  ?  But  as  to  those  who  take 
other  patrons  besides  him,  saying.  We  worship  them  only 
that  they  may  bring  us  nearer  unto  God  ;  verily  God 
will  judge  between  them  concerning  that  wherein  they 
disagree.  ^  Surely  God  will  not  direct  him  who  is  a  liar, 
or  ungrateful.  ^  If  God  had  been  minded  to  have  had  a 
son,  he  had  surely  chosen  what  he  pleased  out  of  that 
which  he  hath  created.  But  far  be  such  a  thing  from 
him  !  He  is  the  sole,  the  almighty  God.  ^  He  hath 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  with  truth :  he  causeth 
the  night  to  succeed  the  day,  and  he  causeth  the  day  to 
succeed  the  night ;  and  he  obligeth  the  sun  and  the  moon 
to  perform  their  services  ;  each  of  them  hasteneth  to  an 
appointed  period.  Is  not  he  the  mighty,  the  forgiver  of 
sins  ?  ^  He  created  you  of  one  man,  and  afterwards  out  of 
him  formed  his  wife :  and  he  hath  bestowed  on  you  four 
pair  of  cattle.     He  formeth  you  in  the  wombs  of  your 

Title — Troops.~\      This    title   is    taken  there   cannot  be  two  necessarily  existent 

from  the  latter  end  of  the  chapter,  where  beings ;  and  hence  appears  the  absurdity 

it  is  said  the  wicked  shall  be  sent  to  hell,  of  the  imagination   here  condemned,  be-, 

and  the  righteous  admitted  into  paradise  cause  no  creature  can  resemble  the  Crea- 

by  troops.  tor,  or  be  worthy  to  bear  the  relation  of  a 

Title — Mecca.~\     Except  the   verse  be-  son  to  him. 

ginning,  Say,  O  my  servants,  who  have  7    He  hath    bestowed.']     Literally,    He 

transgressed    against    your     own    souls,  hath  sent  down;    from  which  expression 

&:c.  1  some  have  imagined  that  these  four  kinds 

h  Ifhe  had  heen  minded  to  have  a  son^  of  beasts  were   created  in  paradise,   and 

he  had  chosen  what  he  pleased  out  of  that  thence  sent  down  to  earth  2. 

which  he  hath  created.']      Because,  says  Al  —    Four  pair^   &c.]      Literally,    eight 

Beidawi,  there  is  no  being  besides  himself,  males  and  females  paired  together;    four 

but  what  hath  been  created  by  him  ;  since  pair  of  each  kind. 

^  Jallalo'ddiny  al  Beidawi.  2  Al  Zamakhshari, 


280  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

mothers,  by  several  gradual  formations,  within  three  veils 
of  darkness.  This  is  God,  your  Lord  :  his  is  the  king- 
dom :  there  is  no  God  but  he.  Why  therefore  are  ye 
turned  aside  from  the  worship  of  him  to  idolatry  ?  ^  If  ye 
be  ungrateful,  verily  God  hath  no  need  of  you ;  yet  he 
liketh  not  ingratitude  in  his  servants  :  but  if  ye  be  thank- 
ful, he  will  be  well  pleased  with  you.  A  burdened  soul 
shall  not  bear  the  burden  of  another :  hereafter  shall  ye 
return  unto  your  Lord,  and  he  shall  declare  unto  you 
that  which  ye  have  wrought,  and  will  reward  you  accord- 
ingly ;  ^  for  he  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  your 
breasts.  ^^  When  harm  befalleth  a  man,  he  calleth  upon 
his  Lord,  and  turneth  unto  him  :  yet  afterwards,  when 
God  hath  bestowed  on  him  favour  from  himself,  he 
forgetteth  that  Being  which  he  invoked  before,  and 
setteth  up  equals  unto  God,  that  he  may  seduce  men 
from  his  way.  Say  unto  such  a  man.  Enjoy  this  life  in 
thy  infidelity  for  a  little  while  :  but  hereafter  shalt  thou 
surely  be  one  of  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire.  ^^  Shall  he 
who  giveth  himself  up  to  prayer  in  the  hours  of  the  night, 
prostrate  and  standing,  and  who  taketh  heed  as  to  the 
life  to  come,  and  hopeth  for  the  mercy  of  his  Lord,  be 
dealt  with  as  the  wicked  unbeliever?  Say,  Shall  they 
who  know  their  duty,  and  they  who  know  it  not,  be  held 
equal  ?  Verily  the  men  of  understanding  only  will  be 
warned.  ^^  Say,  O  my  servants  who  believe,  fear  your 
Lord.  They  who  do  good  in  this  world,  shall  obtain 
good  in  the  next ;  and  God's  earth  is  spacious :  verily 
those  who  persevere  with  patience,  shall  receive  their 
recompense  without  measure.  ^^  Say,  I  am  commanded 
to  worship  God,  and  to  exhibit  the  pure  religion  unto 
him  :    ^^  and  I  am  commanded  to  be  the  first  Moslem. 

7  Gradual  formations  J\     See  chap.  xxii.  who  do  good,  shall  obtain  good  even  in  this 

verse  5.  world. 

—   Within  three  veils  of  darkness. ~\    i.  e.         —  God^s  earth   is   spacious.^     Where- 

The  belly,  the  womb,  and  the  membranes  fore  let  him  who  cannot  safely  exercise  his 

which  enclose  the  embryo.  religion  where  he  was  born  or  resides,  fly 

10  He  forgetteth  that  Being  which  he  to  a  place  of  liberty  and  security  '. 
invoked  before.^     Or,  he  forgetteth  the  evil         14    The  first  Moslem.^    i.  e.    The   first 

which  he  before  prayed  against.  of  the    Koreish  who   professeth   the  true 

12  They  who   do  good  in   this   world,  religion  ;    or  the   leader   in  chief  of  the 

shall  obtain  good  in  the  next.]     Or,  they  Moslems. 

1  Al  Beiddivi. 


XXXIX.]  AL    KORAN.  281 

^^  Say,  Verily  I  fear,  if  I  be  disobedient  unto  my  Lord, 
the  punishment  of  the  great  day.  ^^  Say,  I  worship  God, 
exhibiting  my  religion  pure  unto  him :  but  do  ye  worship 
that  which  ye  will,  besides  him.  Say,  Verily  they  will 
be  the  losers,  who  shall  lose  their  own  souls,  and  their 
families,  on  the  day  of  resurrection :  is  not  this  manifest 
loss  ?  ^^  Over  them  shall  be  roofs  of  fire,  and  under  them 
shall  be  floors  of  fire.  With  this  doth  God  terrify  his 
servants :  wherefore,  O  my  servants,  fear  me.  ^^  But 
those  who  eschew  the  worship  of  idols,  and  are  turned 
unto  God,  shall  receive  good  tidings.  Bear  good  tidings 
therefore  unto  my  servants,  who  hearken  unto  my  word, 
and  follow  that  which  is  most  excellent  therein  :  these 
are  they  whom  God  directeth,  and  these  are  men  of 
understanding.  ^^  Him  therefore  on  whom  the  sentence 
of  eternal  punishment  shall  be  justly  pronounced,  canst 
thou,  O  Mohammed,  deliver  him  who  is  destined  to 
dwell  in  the  fire  of  hell  ?  ^^  But  for  those  who  fear  their 
Lord  will  be  prepared  high  apartments  in  paradise,  over 
which  shall  be  other  apartments  built ;  and  rivers  shall 
run  beneath  them :  this  is  the  promise  of  God  ;  and  God 
will  not  be  contrary  to  the  promise.  ^^  Dost  thou  not  see 
that  God  sendeth  down  water  from  heaven,  and  causeth 
the  same  to  enter  and  form  sources  in  the  earth ;  and 
produceth  thereby  corn  of  various  sorts  ?  Afterwards  he 
causeth  the  same  to  wither;  and  thou  seest  it  become 
yellow  :  afterwards  he  maketh  it  crumble  into  dust. 
Vei-ily  herein  is  an  instruction  to  men  of  understanding. 
^^  Shall  he,  therefore,  whose  breast  God  hath  enlarged  to 
receive  the  religion  of  Islam,  and  who  followeth  the  light 
from  his  Lord,  be  as  he  whose  heart  is  hardened  ?  But 
woe  unto  those  whose  hearts  are  hardened  against  the 
remembrance  of  God  !  they  are  in  a  manifest  error. 
^^  God  hath  revealed  a  most  excellent  discourse ;  a  book 
conformable  to  itself,  and  containing  repeated  admonitions. 
The  skins  of  those  who  fear  their  Lord  shrink  for  fear 
thereat :  afterwards  their  skins  grow  soft,  and  their  hearts 
also,  at  the  remembrance  of  their  Lord.  This  is  the 
direction  of  God  :  he  will  direct  thereby  whom  he 
pleaseth  ;  and  whomsoever  God  shall   cause  to  err,   he 


282  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

shall  have  no  director.  ^^  Shall  he  therefore  who  shall 
be  obliged  to  screen  himself  with  his  face  from  the 
severity  of  the  punishment  on  the  day  of  resurrection, 
be  as  he  who  is  secure  therefrom  ?  And  it  shall  be 
said  unto  the  ungodly,  Taste  that  which  ye  have  deserved. 
^^  Those  who  were  before  them,  accused  their  apostles  of 
imposture ;  wherefore  a  punishment  came  upon  them  from 
whence  they  expected  it  not :  ^^  and  God  caused  them  to 
taste  shame  in  this  present  life ;  but  the  punishment  of 
the  life  to  come  will  certainly  be  greater.  If  they  were 
men  of  understanding,  they  would  know  this.  '^^  Now 
have  we  proposed  unto  mankind,  in  this  Koran,  every 
kind  of  parable ;  that  they  may  be  warned  :  ^^  an  Arabic 
Koran,  wherein  there  is  no  crookedness ;  that  they  may 
fear  God.  ^^  God  propoundeth  as  a  parable  a  man  who  hath 
several  companions  which  are  at  mutual  variance,  and  a 
man  who  committeth  himself  wholly  to  one  person ;  shall 
these  be  held  in  equal  comparison  ?  God  forbid  !  But 
the  greater  part  of  them  do  not  understand.  ^^  Verily 
thou,  O  Mohammed,  shalt  die,  and  they  also  shall  die : 
^^  and  ye  shall  debate  the  matter  with  one  another  before 
your  Lord,  at  the  day  of  resurrection.  [*XXIV.]  ^^  Who 
is  more  unjust  than  he  who  uttereth  a  lie  concerning  God, 
and  denieth  the  truth,  when  it  cometh  unto  him?  Is 
there  not  a  dwelling  provided  in  hell  for  the  unbelievers  ? 
^^  But  he  who  bringeth  the  truth,  and  giveth  credit 
thereto,  these  are  they  who  fear  God  ;  ^^  they  shall  obtain 
whatever  they  shall  desire,  in  the  sight  of  their  Lord  : 
this  shall  be  the  recompense  of  the  righteous  :  ^^  that  God 

24   Who  shall  screen   himself  with   his  For  the  prophet  will  represent  his  endea- 

face^  &c.]     For  his  hands  shall  be  chained  vours  to  reclaim  them  from  idolatry,  and 

to  his  neck,  and  he  shall  not  be  able  to  op-  their   obstinacy  ;     and   'they    will    make 

pose  any  thing  but  his  face  to  the  fire  ^  frivolous   excuses  ;    as  that  they   obeyed 

28  Wherein  there  is  no  crookedness. 1  their  chiefs,  and  kept  to  the  religion  of 
i.  e.  No  contradiction,  defect,  or  doubt.  their  fathers,  &c.  ^ 

29  God  propoundeth  as  a  parable,  &c.]  33  He  who  hrijigeth  the  truth,  and 
This  passage  represents  the  uncertainty  of  giveth  credit  thereto.']  i.  e.  Mohammed 
the  idolater,  who  is  distracted  in  the  ser-  and  his  followers.  Some  suppose  that  by 
vice  of  different  masters,  and  the  satisfac-  the  latter  words  Abu  Beer  is  particularly 
tion  of  mind  which  attends  the  worshipper  intended,  because  he  asserted  the  prophet's 
of  the  only  true  God  ^  veracity    in    respect    to    his    journey    to 

31    Ye   shall   debate   the   matter,    &c.]     heaven. 

1  AlBeiddivi.  ^  Idem. 


XXXIX.]  A  L   K  O  R  A  N.  283 

may  expiate  from  them  the  very  worst  of  that  which  they 
have  wrought,  and  may  render  them  their  reward  accord- 
ing to  the  utmost  merit  of  the  good  which  they  have 
wrought.  ^^  Is  not  God  a  sufficient  protector  of  his  ser- 
vant ;  yet  they  will  attempt  to  make  thee  afraid  of  the 
false  deities  which  they  worship  besides  God.  ^^  But  he 
whom  God  shall  cause  to  err,  shall  have  none  to  direct, 
shall  have  none  to  mislead  him.  Is  not  God  most  mighty, 
able  to  avenge  ?  ^^  If  thou  ask  them  who  hath  created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  they  will  surely  answer,  God. 
Say,  Do  ye  think  therefore  that  the  deities  which  ye  in- 
voke besides  God,  if  God  be  pleased  to  afflict  me,  are  able 
to  relieve  me  from  his  affliction  ;  or  if  he  be  pleased  to 
shew  mercy  unto  me,  that  they  are  able  to  withhold  his 
mercy  ?  Say,  God  is  my  sufficient  support :  in  him  let 
those  put  their  trust,  who  seek  in  whom  to  confide.  ^^  Say, 
O  my  people,  do  ye  act  according  to  your  state ;  verily  I 
will  act  according  to  mine  :  ^^  hereafter  shall  ye  know  on 
which  of  us  will  be  inflicted  a  punishment  that  shall  cover 
him  with  shame,  and  on  whom  a  lasting  punishment  shall 
fall.  ^^  Verily  we  have  revealed  unto  thee  the  book  of 
the  Koran,  for  the  instruction  of  mankind,  with  truth. 
Whoso  shall  be  directed  thereby,  shall  be  directed  to  the 
advantage  of  his  own  soul ;  and  whoso  shall  err,  shall  only 
err  against  the  same  :  and  thou  art  not  a  guardian  over 
them.  ^^  God  taketh  unto  himself  the  souls  of  men  at 
the  time  of  their  death ;  and  those  which  die  not,  he  also 
taketh  in  their  sleep :  and  he  withholdeth  those  on  which 

37  They  will  attempt  to  make  thee  afraid  broke  her  nose.     To  support  the  latter  ex- 

of  their  false  deities.']      The  Koreish  used  plication,  they  say,  that  what  happened  to 

to  tell  Mohammed,  that  they  feared  their  Khaled  is  attributed  to  Mohammed,  be- 

gods  would  do  him  some  mischief,  and  de-  cause  the  former  was  then  executing  the 

prive  him  of  the  use  of  his  limbs,  or  of  his  prophet's   orders  i.     A    circumstance    not 

reason,  because  he  spoke  disgracefully  of  much  different  from  the  above-mentioned, 

them.     It  is  thought  by   some  that  this  is  told  of  the  demolishing  of  Allat  \ 
passage  was   verified  in  Khaled   Ebn  al         42  And  the  souls  which  die  not,  he  taketh 

Walid  ;  who  being  sent  by  Mohammed  to  in  their  sleep.']     That   is,  seemingly,   and 

demolish  the  idol  al  Uzza,  was  advised  by  to  outward  appearance  ;  sleep   being  the 

the  keeper  of  her  temple  to  take  heed  what  image  of  death. 

he  did,  because  the  goddess  was  able  to  —  He  withholdeth  those  on  which  he  hath 
avenge  herself  severely ;  but  he  was  so  passed  the  decree  of  death.]  Not  permit- 
little  moved  at  the  man's  warning,  that  he  ting  them  to  return  again  into  their 
immediately  stepped  up  to  the  idol,  and  bodies. 


dl  BeiddwL  ^  V.  Gagnier.  Not.  in  Abu'lf.  Vit.  Moham.  p.  127. 


284  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

he  hath  passed  the  decree  of  death,  but  sendeth  back  the 
others  till  a  determined  period.  Verily  herein  are  signs 
unto  people  who  consider.  ^^  Have  the  Koreish  taken 
idols  for  their  intercessors  with  God  ?  Say,  What  although 
they  have  not  dominion  over  any  thing,  neither  do  they 
understand  ?  '^^  Say,  Intercession  is  altogether  in  the  dis- 
posal of  God:  his  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth; 
and  hereafter  shall  ye  return  unto  him.  ^^  When  the  one 
sole  God  is  mentioned,  the  hearts  of  those  who  believe 
not  in  the  life  to  come,  shrink  with  horror :  but  when  the 
false  gods,  which  are  worshipped  besides  him,  are  men- 
tioned, behold,  they  are  filled  with  joy.  ^^  Say,  O  God, 
the  creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  who  knoweth  that  which 
is  secret,  and  that  which  is  manifest ;  thou  shalt  judge 
between  thy  servants  concerning  that  wherein  they  dis- 
agree. ^^  If  those  who  act  unjustly  were  masters  of  what- 
ever is  in  the  earth,  and  as  much  more  therewith,  verily 
they  would  give  it  to  ransom  themselves  from  the  evil  of 
the  punishment,  on  the  day  of  resurrection.  ^^  And  there 
shall  appear  unto  them,  from  God,  terrors  which  they 
never  imagined;  and  there  shall  appear  unto  them  the 
evils  of  that  which  they  shall  have  gained ;  and  that  which 
they  mocked  at  shall  encompass  them.  ^^  When  harm 
befalleth  man,  he  calleth  upon  us ;  yet  afterwards,  when 
we  have  bestowed  on  him  favour  from  us,  he  saith,  I  have 
received  it  merely  because  of  God's  knowledge  of  my 
deserts.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  a  trial ;  but  the  greater 
part  of  them  know  it  not.  ^^  Those  who  were  before  them 
said  the  same :  but  that  which  they  had  gained,  profited 
them  not;  and  the  evils  which  they  had  deserved  fell 
upon  them.  ^^  And  whoever  of  these  Meccans  shall  have 
acted  unjustly,  on  them  likewise  shall  fall  the  evils  which 
they  shall  have  deserved  ;  neither  shall  they  frustrate  the 

42  But  sendeth  back  the  othersJ]     Viz.         50  Those  who  were  before  them,  said  the 

Into  their  bodies,  when  they  awake  ^  same."]     As  did  Karun  in  particular  2. 

44  Intercession  is  altogether  in  the  dis-         51   On  them  shall  fall  the  evils  they  have 

posal  of  God.^     For  none  can  or  dare  pre-  deserved.]     As  it  happened  accordingly  : 

sume  to  intercede  with  him,  unless  by  his  for  they  were  punished  with  a  sore  famine 

permission.  for  seven  years,   and   had  the  bravest  of 

49  Because  of  God's  knowledge  of  my  their    warriors    cut    off  at   the  battle    of 

deserts,]  Or,  by  means  of  my  own  wisdom.  Bedr^. 

^  M  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap,  xxviii.  verse  76.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


XXXIX.]  A  L    K  O  R  A  N.  285 

divine  vengeance.  ^^Do  tliey  not  know  that  God  be- 
stovreth  provision  abundantly  on  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  is 
sparing  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ?  Verily  herein  are  signs 
unto  people  who  believe.  ^^  Say,  O  my  servants,  who 
have  transgressed  against  your  own  souls,  despair  not  of 
the  mercy  of  God  ;  seeing  that  God  forgiveth  all  sins ; 
for  he  is  gracious  and  merciful.  ^^  And  be  turned  unto 
your  Lord,  and  resign  yourselves  unto  him,  before  the 
threatened  punishment  overtake  you ;  for  then  ye  shall 
not  be  helped.  ^^  And  follow  the  most  excellent  instruc- 
tions which  have  been  sent  down  unto  you  from  your 
Lord,  before  the  punishment  come  suddenly  upon  you, 
and  ye  perceive  not  the  approach  thereof;  ^^  and  a  soul 
say,  Alas  !  for  that  I  have  been  negligent  in  my  duty  to 
God  ;  verily  I  have  been  one  of  the  scorners :  ^^  or  say, 
If  God  had  directed  me,  verily  I  had  been  one  of  the 
pious  :  ^^  or  say,  when  it  seeth  the  prepared  punishment, 
If  I  could  return  once  more  into  the  world,  I  would  be- 
come one  of  the  righteous.  ^^  But  God  shall  answer.  My 
signs  came  unto  thee  heretofore,  and  thou  didst  charge 
them  with  falsehood,  and  wast  puffed  up  with  pride ;  and 
thou  becamest  one  of  the  unbelievers.  ^^  On  the  day  of 
resurrection  thou  shalt  see  the  faces  of  those  who  have 
uttered  lies  concerning  GoD  become  black ;  is  there  not 
an  abode  prepared  in  hell  for  the  arrogant  ?  ^^  But  God 
shall  deliver  those  who  shall  fear  him,  and  shall  set  them 
in  their  place  of  safety  :  evil  shall  not  touch  them,  neither 
shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^  God  is  the  creator  of  all  things, 
and  he  is  the  governor  of  all  things.  ^^  His  are  the  keys 
of  heaven  and  earth:  and  they  who  believe  not  in  the 
signs  of  God,  they  shall  perish.  ^*  Say,  Do  ye  therefore 
bid  me  to  worship  other  than  God,  O  ye  fools  ?  ^^  since  it 
hath  been  spoken  by  revelation  unto  thee,  and  also  unto 
the  prophets  who  have  been  before  thee,  saying,  Verily  if 
thou  join  any  partners  with  God,  thy  work  will  be  alto- 
gether unprofitable,  and  thou  shalt  certainly  be  one  of 
those  who  perish  :  ^^  wherefore  rather  fear  God,  and  be 
one  of  those  who  give  thanks.     ^^  But  they  make  not  a 

53  God  forgiveth  all  sins.']  To  those  given,  as  is  declared  more  than  once  in 
who  sincerely  repent,  and  profess  his  unity:  the  Koran,  and  most  emphatically  in  chap, 
for   the  sins  of  idolaters  will  not  be  for-     ii.  verse  81. 


286  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

due  estimation  of  God  :  since  the  whole  earth  shall  be 
but  his  handful  on  the  day  of  resurrection ;  and  the 
heavens  shall  be  rolled  together  in  his  right  hand.  Praise 
be  unto  him !  and  far  be  he  exalted  above  the  idols  which 
they  associate  with  him  !  ^^  The  trumpet  shall  be  sounded, 
and  whoever  are  in  heaven,  and  whoever  are  on  earth, 
shall  expire ;  except  those  whom  God  shall  please  to 
exempt  from  the  common  fate.  Afterwards  it  shall  be 
sounded  again ;  and  behold  they  shall  rise  and  look  up. 
^^  And  the  earth  shall  shine  by  the  light  of  its  Lord  : 
and  the  book  shall  be  laid  open,  and  the  prophets  and  the 
martyrs  shall  be  brought  as  witnesses  ;  and  judgment  shall 
be  given  between  them  with  truth,  and  they  shall  not  be 
treated  unjustly.  ''^And  every  soul  shall  be  fully  re- 
warded, according  to  that  which  it  shall  have  wrought ; 
for  he  perfectly  knoweth  whatever  they  do.  ^^  And  the 
unbelievers  shall  be  driven  into  hell  by  troops,  until  when 
they  shall  arrive  at  the  same,  the  gates  thereof  shall  be 
opened;  and  the  keepers  thereof  shall  say  unto  them, 
Did  not  apostles  from  among  you  come  unto  you,  who  re- 
hearsed unto  you  the  signs  of  your  Lord,  and  warned  you 
of  the  meeting  of  this  your  day?  They  shall  answer, 
Yea :  but  the  sentence  of  eternal  punishment  hath  been 
justly  pronounced  on  the  unbelievers.     ^^  It  shall  be  said 

67  Due  estimation.~\  Some  commenta-  who  will  be  exempted,  are  the  angels 
tors  refer  this  passage  to  the  Jews,  others,  who  bear  the  throne  of  God*;  or  the 
with  more  probability,  to  the  idolaters.  black-eyed  damsels,  and  other  inhabitants 

68  The  trumpet  shall  be  sounded.^     The  of  paradise  ^. 

first  time,   says   Al  Beidawi ;  who  conse-  The  space  between  these  two  blasts  of 

quently  supposes  there   will  be  no  more  the  trumpet  will  be  forty  days,  according 

than  two  blasts,  (and  two  only  are  distinctly  to    Yahya   and    others:  there  are   some, 

mentioned  in  the    Koran,)  though  others  however,  who  suppose  it  will  be  as  many 

suppose  there  will  be  three  ^.  years  ^. 

—  Except  those  whom  God  shall  please  69  BooJc.^     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

to   exempt f  &c.]     These,  some  say,    will  for   a   full   description  of  the    last  judg- 

be  the   angels  Gabriel,  Michael,  and  Is-  ment. 

rafil,    and   the    angel  of  death,   who    yet  71   Keepers,  &c.]   See  chap.  Ixxiv.  and 

will    afterwards    all    die,     at    the    com-  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  as  before, 

mand    of  God  2;  it   being    the    constant  —  The  sentence   of  eternal  punishment 

opinion  of  the  Mohammedan  doctors,  that  hath  been  justly  pronounced  on  unbelievers.'] 

every  soul,  both  of  men   and  of  animals.  See  chap.  vii.  verses  1 — 20,  and  chap.  xi. 

which  live  either  on  land,  or  in  the  sea,  towards  the  end,  &c.     It  seems  as  if  the 

and  of  the  angels  also,  must  necessarily  damned,  by  these  words,  attributed  their 

taste    of    death  3;    others     suppose    those  ruin  to  God's  decree  of  predestination. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Yahya.  ^  V.  Pocock.  not. 

in  Port.  Mosis,   p.  266.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo' ddin. 

^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  ubi  sup. 


XXXIX.]  AL     KORAN.  287 

unto  them,  Enter  ye  the  gates  of  hell,  to  dwell  therein 
for  ever ;  and  miserable  shall  be  the  abode  of  the  proud ! 
^^  But  those  who  shall  have  feared  their  Lord,  shall 
be  conducted  by  troops  towards  paradise,  until  they  shall 
arrive  at  the  same :  and  the  gates  thereof  shall  be  ready 
set  open ;  and  the  guards  thereof  shall  say  unto  them, 
Peace  be  on  you !  ye  have  been  good :  wherefore  enter 
ye  into  paradise,  to  remain  therein  for  ever.  ^^  And  they 
shall  answer,  Praise  be  unto  God,  who  hath  performed 
his  promise  unto  us,  and  hath  made  us  to  inherit  the 
earth,  that  we  may  dwell  in  paradise  wherever  we  please ! 
How  excellent  is  the  reward  of  those  who  work  righte- 
ousness !  ^^  And  thou  shalt  see  the  angels  going  in 
procession  round  the  throne,  celebrating  the  praises  of 
their  Lord  :  and  judgment  shall  be  given  between  them 
with  truth ;  and  they  shall  say.  Praise  be  unto  God,  the 
Lord  of  all  creatures  ! 

74  And   hath  made  us    to  inherit  the     abundance  which  the  blessed  will  enjoy  in 
earth.']   This  is  a  metaphorical  expression,     paradise, 
representing    the    perfect    security    and 


CHAPTER     XL. 

INTITLED,    THE    TRUE    BELIEVER;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  H.  M.  ^  The  revelation  of  this  book  is  from  the  mighty, 
the  wise  God  :  ^  the  forgiver  of  sin,  and  the  acceptor  of 
repentance ;  severe  in  punishing  ;  *  long  suffering.  There 
is  no  God  but  he :  before  him  shall  be  the  general  assem- 
bly at  the  last  day.  ^  None  disputeth  against  the  signs 
of  God,  except  tjie  unbelievers :  but  let  not  their  pros- 
perous   dealing    in    the    land    deceive     thee    with    vain 

Title— Believer,']    This    title  is    taken         ^  H.  M,]  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 
from   the    passage   wherein    mention     is         ^  Their  prosperous  dealing  in  the  land.] 

made  of  one  of    Pharaoh's    family,  who  By  trading  into  Syria  and  Yaman.     See 

believed  in  Moses.  chap.  iii.  verse  197- 

8 


288  AL    KORAN.  [chap, 

allurement.  ^  The  people  of  Noah,  and  the  confederated 
infidels  which  were  after  them,  accused  their  respective 
prophets  of  imposture  before  these ;  and  each  nation 
hatched  ill  designs  against  their  apostle,  that  they  might 
get  him  into  their  power ;  and  they  disputed  with  vain 
reasoning,  that  they  might  thereby  invalidate  the  truth : 
wherefore  I  chastised  them  ;  and  how  severe  was  my 
punishment !  ^  Thus  hath  the  sentence  of  thy  Lord  justly 
passed  on  the  unbelievers ;  that  they  shall  be  the  inha- 
bitants of  hell-fire.  ^  The  angels  who  bear  the  throne  of 
God,  and  those  who  stand  about  it,  celebrate  the  praise 
of  their  Lord,  and  believe  in  him ;  and  they  ask  pardon 
for  the  true  believers,  ^  saying,  O  Lord,  thou  encom- 
passest  all  things  by  thy  mercy  and  knowledge ;  where- 
fore forgive  those  who  repent,  and  follow  thy  path,  and 
deliver  them  from  the  pains  of  hell.  O  Lord,  lead  them 
also  into  the  gardens  of  eternal  abode,  which  thou  hast 
promised  unto  them,  and  unto  every  one  who  shall  do 
right,  of  their  fathers,  and  their  wives,  and  their  children ; 
for  thou  art  the  mighty,  the  wise  God.  ^^And  deliver 
them  from  evil ;  for  whomsoever  thou  shalt  deliver  from 
evil  on  that  day,  on  him  wilt  thou  shew  mercy ;  and  this 
will  be  great  salvation.  ^^  But  the  infidels,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  shall  hear  a  voice  crying  unto  them.  Verily  the 
hatred  of  God  towards  you  is  more  grievous  than  your 
hatred  towards  yourselves ;  since  ye  were  called  unto  the 
faith  and  would  not  believe.  ^^  They  shall  say,  O  Lord, 
thou  hast  given  us  death  twice,  and  thou  hast  twice  given 
us  life  ;  and  we  confess  our  sins :  is  there  therefore  no 
way  to  get  forth  from  this  fire?  ^^And  it  shall  be 
answered  them,  This  hath  befallen  you,  for  that  when 
one  God  was  preached  unto  you,  ye  believed  not ;  but  if 

8  The  angels  who  hear  the  throne,  and  us    to  die  a  natural  death,  and  raised  us 

stand  about  it. '\     These  are  the  Cherubim,  again  at   the  resurrection.      Some  under- 

the  highest  order  of  angels,  who  approach  stand  the  first  death  to  be  a  natural  death, 

nearest  to  God's  presence  '.  and  the  second  that  in  the  sepulchre,  after 

12  Thou  hast  given  us  death  twice  and  the  body  shall  have  been   there  raised  to 

hast  twice  given  us  life.']    Having  first  ere-  life  in  order  to  be   examined  ^  ;  and  con- 

ated  us  in  a  state  of  death,  or  void  of  life  sequently  suppose  the  two  revivals   to  be 

and  sensation,  and   then  given  life  to  the  those  of  the  sepulchre  and   the  resurrec- 

inanimate  body2;  and  afterwards  caused  tion  *. 


Al  Biiddwi.  ^  Jallalo' ddin.  3  jggg  ^Yiq  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  JallaWddin, 


XL.]  AL    KORAN.  289 

a  plurality  of  gods  had  been  associated  with  him,  ye  had 
beheved :  and  judgment  belongeth  unto  the  high,  the 
great  God.  ^^  It  is  he  who  sheweth  you  his  signs,  and 
sendeth  down  food  unto  you  from  heaven :  but  none  will 
be  admonished,  except  he  who  turneth  himself  unto  God. 
^^  Call  therefore  upon  God,  exhibiting  your  religion  pure 
unto  him,  although  the  infidels  be  averse  thereto.  ^^  He 
is  the  Being  of  exalted  degree,  the  possessor  of  the 
throne ;  who  sendeth  down  the  spirit,  at  his  command,  on 
such  of  his  servants  as  he  pleaseth ;  that  he  may  warn 
mankind  of  the  day  of  meeting,  ^^  the  day  whereon  they 
shall  come  forth  out  of  their  graves,  and  nothing  of  what 
concerneth  them  shall  be  hidden  from  God.  Unto  whom 
will  the  kingdom  belong  on  that  day  ?  Unto  the  only,  the 
almighty  God.  ^^On  that  day  shall  every  soul  be  rewarded 
according  to  its  merits :  there  shall  be  no  injustice  done 
on  that  day.  Verily  God  will  be  swift  in  taking  an 
account.  ^^  Wherefore  warn  them,  O  prophet,  of  the 
day  which  shall  suddenly  approach ;  when  men's  hearts 
shall  come  up  to  their  throats,  and  strangle  them.  ^^The 
ungodly  shall  have  no  friend  or  intercessor  who  shall  be 
heard.  God  will  know  the  deceitful  eye,  and  that  which 
their  breasts  conceal.  ^^  And  God  will  judge  with  truth; 
but  the  false  gods  which  they  invoke,  besides  him,  shall 
not  judge  at  all ;  for  God  is  he  who  heareth  and  seeth. 
^^  Have  they  not  gone  through  the  earth,  and  seen  w^hat 
hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  were  before  them  ?  They 
were  more  mighty  than  these  in  strength,  and  left  more 
considerable  footsteps  of  their  power  in  the  earth :  yet 
God  chastised  them  for  their  sins,  and  there  was  none  to 
protect  them  from  God.  ^^  This  they  suffered,  because 
their  apostles  had  come  unto  them  with  evident  signs, 
and  they  disbelieved :  wherefore  God  chastised  them ; 
for  he  is  strong  and  severe  in  punishing.  ^^  We  hereto- 
fore sent  MosES  with  our  signs  and  manifest  power  ^^unto 
Pharaoh,  and  Haman,  and  Karun  :  and  they  said,  he  is 
a  sorcerer,  and  a  liar.     ^^  And  when  he  came  unto  them 

16  The  day  of  meeting.^  When  the  and  their  worshippers,  the  oppressor  and 
Creator  and  his  creatures,  the  inhabitants  the  oppressed,  the  labourer  and  his  works, 
of  heaven  and   of  earth,  the  false  deities     shall  meet  each  other  ^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi,    Jannabi. 
VOL.    II.  U 


290  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

with  the  truth  from  us,  they  said,  Slay  the  sons  of  those 
who  have  believed  with  him, and  save  their  daughters  alive: 
but  the  stratagem  of  the  infidels  was  no  other  than  vain. 
^^And  Pharaoh    said,  Let  me  alone,   that  I  may  kill 
Moses  ;  and  let  him  call  upon  his  Lord  :  verily  I  fear 
lest  he  change  your  religion,  ^or  cause  violence  to  appear 
in  the  earth.     ^^  And  Moses  said  unto  his  people.  Verily 
I  have  recourse  unto  my  Lord,  and  your  Lord,  to  defend 
me  against  every  proud  person,  who  belie veth  not  in  the 
day  of  account.     ^^  And  a  man  who  was  a  true  believer, 
of  the  family  of  Pharaoh,  and  concealed  his  faith,  said. 
Will  ye  put  a  man  to  death,  because  he  saith,  God  is  my 
Lord  ;  seeing  he  is  come  unto  you  with  evident  signs 
from  your   Lord?     If  he   be   a  liar,  on  him  will  the 
punishment    of  his  falsehood  light ;  but   if  he  speaketh 
the    truth,    some    of   those  judgments   with    which    he 
threateneth  you,  will  fall  upon  you  :  verily  God  directeth 
not  him  who  is  a  transgressor  or  a  liar.     ^^  O  my  people, 
the  kingdom  is  yours  this  day ;  and  ye  are  conspicuous  in 
the  earth :  but  who  shall  defend  us  from  the  scourge  of 
God,  if  it  come  unto  us  ?     Pharaoh  said,  1  only  propose 
to  you  what  I  think  to  be  most  expedient :  and  I  guide 
you  only  in  the  right  path.     ^^  And  he  who  had  believed, 
said,  O  my  people,  verily  I  fear  for  you  a  day  like  that  of 
the  confederates  against  the  prophets  in  former  times ; 
^^  a  condition  like  that  of  the  people  of  Noah,  and  the 
tribes  of  Ad  and  Thamud,  and  those  who  have  lived  after 
them:  for  God  willeth  not  that  any  injustice  be  done 
unto  his  servants.     ^^  O  my  people,  verily  I  fear  for  you 
the  day  whereon  men  shall  call  unto  one  another ;  ^^  the 

26  Slay  their  sons,  and  save  their  daugh-  earth.']  By  raising  of  commotions  and  sedi- 

ters   alive.']  i.  e.     Pursue  the  resolution  tions,  in  order  to  introduce  his  new  reli- 

which  has  been  formerly  taken,  and  exe-  gion. 

cute  it  more  strictly  for  the  future.     The  29  A  true   believer,  of  the  family    of 

commentators  say,  that  Pharaoh  came   to  Pharaoh,  &c.]  This  seems  to  be  the  same 

this   resolution,   because   his   soothsayers  person   who  is   mentioned   chap,   xxviii, 

had  predicted  that  an  Israelite  would  sub-  verse  20. 

vert  his  kingdom  ^  —  If  he  be  a  liar,  &c.]  See  the  speech 

2T  Let  me  alone,  that  I  may  kill  Moses.]  of    Gamaliel  to   the   Jewish    Sanhedrim, 

For  they  advised  him  not  to  put  Moses  to  when  the   apostles   were  brought   before 

death,  lest  it  should  be  thought  he  was  not  them  ^. 

able  to  oppose  him  by  dint  of  argument  2.  33  The  day  whereon  men  shall  call  unto 

—  Or  cause  violence  to  appear  in  the  one  another.]  i.e.    The  day  of  judgment; 

1  Jallalo'ddin,  ^  Al  BeiddwU  ^  Acts  v.  38,  39. 


XL.]  AL   KORAN.  291 

day  whereon  ye  shall  be  turned  back  from  the  tribunal, 
and  driven  to  hell :  then  shall  ye  have  none  to  protect 
you  against  God.  And  he  whom  God  shall  cause  to  err, 
shall  have  no  director.  ^^  Joseph  came  unto  you,  before 
Moses,  with  evident  signs ;  but  ye  ceased  not  to  doubt 
of  the  religion  which  he  preached  unto  you,  until,  when 
he  died,  ye  said,  God  will  by  no  means  send  another 
apostle  after  him.  ^^  Thus  doth  God  cause  him  to  err, 
who  is  a  transgressor,  and  a  sceptic.  ^^  They  who  dispute 
against  the  signs  of  God,  without  any  authority  which 
hath  come  unto  them,  are  in  great  abomination  with  God, 
and  with  those  who  believe.  Thus  doth  God  seal  up 
every  proud  and  stubborn  heart.  ^^  And  Pharaoh  said, 
O  Haman,  build  me  a  tower,  that  I  may  reach  the  tracts, 
the  tracts  of  heaven,  and  may  view  the  God  of  Moses  ; 
for  I  verily  think  him  to  be  a  liar.  And  thus  the 
evil  of  his  work  was  prepared  for  Pharaoh,  and  he  turned 
aside  from  the  right  path ;  and  the  stratagems  of  Pharaoh 
ended  only  in  loss.  ^^  And  he  who  had  believed,  said,  O 
my  people,  follow  me ;  I  will  guide  you  into  the  right 
way.  ^^0  my  people,  verily  this  present  life  is  but  a 
temporary  enjoyment ;  but  the  life  to  come  is  the  mansion 
of  firm  continuance.  ^^  Whoever  worketh  evil,  shall  only 
be  rewarded  in  equal  proportion  to  the  same:  but  whoever 
worketh  good,  whether  male  or  female,  and  is  a  true  be- 
liever, they  shall  enter  paradise ;  they  shall  be  provided 
for  therein  superabundantly.  ^^  And,  O  my  people,  as  for 
me,  I  invite  you  to  salvation ;  but  ye  invite  me  to  hell-fire. 
^^  Ye  invite  me  to  deny  God,  and  to  associate  with  him 
that  whereof  I  have  no  knowledge ;  but  I  invite  you  to 
the  most  Mighty,  the  Forgiver  of  sins.  ^*  There  is  no 
doubt  but  that  the  false  gods  to  which  ye  invite  me,  de- 
serve not  to  be  invoked,  either  in  this  world  or  in  the  next; 
and  that  we  must  return  unto  God  ;  and  that  the  trans- 
gressors shall    be  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire.      ^^  And 

when  the  inhabitants  of  paradise  and  of    the   seducers  and   the  seduced,  shall  cast 

hell,  shall   enter   into    mutual    discourse :     the  blame  upon  each  other  *. 

when   the  latter  shall  call  for  help ;  and         38  A  tower.']  See  chap,  xxviii.  v.  39. 

*  Al  Beiddwu  Jallalo'dd'm. 

u  2 


292  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

ye  shall  then  remember  v/hat  I  now  say  unto  you :  and 
I  commit  my  affair  unto  God  :  for  God  regardeth  his 
servants.  ^^  Wherefore  God  delivered  him  from  the  evils 
which  they  had  devised ;  and  a  grievous  punishment  en- 
compassed the  people  of  Pharaoh.  ^^  They  shall  be 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  hell  morning  and  evening :  and  the 
day  w^hereon  the  hour  of  judgment  shall  come,  it  shall  be 
said  unto  them.  Enter,  O  people  of  Pharaoh,  into  a  most 
severe  torment.  ^^  And  think  on  the  time  when  the 
infidels  shall  dispute  together  in  hell-fire ;  and  the  weak 
shall  say  unto  those  who  behaved  with  arrogance.  Verily 
we  were  your  followers  :  will  ye,  therefore,  relieve  us  from 
any  part  of  this  fire  ?  ^^  Those  who  behaved  with  arro- 
gance shall  answer,  Verily  we  are  all  doomed  to  suffer 
therein :  for  God  hath  now  judged  between  his  servants. 
^^  And  they  who  shall  be  in  the  fire,  shall  say  unto  the 
keepers  of  hell.  Call  ye  on  your  Lord,  that  he  would  ease 
us,  for  one  day,  from  this  punishment.  ^^  They  shall 
answer.  Did  not  your  apostles  come  unto  you  with  evident 
proofs  ?  They  shall  say.  Yea.  ^^  The  keepers  shall  reply. 
Do  ye  therefore  call  on  God  :  but  the  calling  of  the 
unbelievers  on  him  shall  be  only  in  vain.  ^^  We  will 
surely  assist  our  apostles,  and  those  who  believe  in  this 
present  life,  and  on  the  day  whereon  the  witnesses  shall 
stand  forth.  ^^  A  day  whereon  the  excuse  of  the  unbe- 
lievers shall  not  avail  them ;  but  a  curse  shall  attend 
them  and  a  wretched  abode.  ^^  We  heretofore  gave  unto 
Moses  a  direction:  and  we  left  as  an  inheritance  unto 
the  children  of  Israel,  the  book  of  the  law ;    ^^  a  direc- 

46  A  grievous  punishment  encompassed  47  They  shall  be  exposed  to  hell-fire 

the  people    of  Pharaoh.^       Some  are    of  morning    and  evening.']       Some   expound 

opinion,    that  those    who   were    sent    by  these  words  of  the  previous  punishment 

Pharaoh  to    seize   the  true   believer,   his  they  are  doomed  to  suffer,  according  to  a 

kinsman,  are  the  persons  more  particularly  tradition    of  Ebn  Masud  ;    which  informs 

meant  in  this  place  :  for  they  tell  us  that  us  that   their   souls    are  in   the   crops   of 

the  said  believer  fled  to  a  mountain,  where  black  birds,  which  are  exposed  to  hell-fire 

they  found  him    at  prayers,  guarded  by  every  morning  and  evening  until  the  day 

the  wild  beasts,  which  ranged  themselves  of  judgment  2. 

in  order  about  him  :  and  that  his  pursuers  48  The  weak.']     Those  who    were  se- 

thereupon  returned   in   a  great  fright  to  duced  shall  reproach  their  false  guides  for 

their  master,  who  put  them  to  death  for  having  led  them  astray, 

not  performing  his  command  ^.  50   The  keepers.]     See  chap.  Ixxiv. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


XL.]  AL     KORAN.  293 

tion,  and  an  admonition  to  men  of  understanding. 
^^  Wherefore  do  thou,  O  prophet,  bear  the  insults  of  the 
infidels  with  patience  ;  for  the  promise  of  God  is  true : 
and  ask  pardon  for  thy  fault ;  and  celebrate  the  praise  of 
thy  Lord,  in  the  evening  and  in  the  morning.  ^^  As  to 
those  who  impugn  the  signs  of  God,  without  any  con- 
vincing proof  which  hath  been  revealed  unto  them,  there 
is  nothing  but  pride  in  their  breasts ;  but  they  shall  not 
attain  their  desire :  wherefore  fly  for  refuge  unto  God  ; 
for  it  is  he  who  heareth  and  seeth.  ^^  Verily  the  creation 
of  heaven  and  earth  is  more  considerable  than  the  crea- 
tion of  man :  but  the  greater  part  of  men  do  not  under- 
stand. ^^  The  blind  and  the  seeing  shall  not  be  held 
equal ;  nor  they  who  believe  and  work  righteousness,  and 
the  evil-doer  :  how  few  revolve  these  things  in  their 
mind  !  ^^  The  last  hour  will  surely  come  ;  there  is  no 
doubt  thereof:  but  the  greater  part  of  men  believe  it 
not.  ^^  Your  Lord  saith.  Call  upon  me  ;  and  I  will  hear 
you :  but  they  who  proudly  disdain  my  service,  shall  enter 
with  ignominy  into  hell.  ^^  It  is  God  who  hath  appointed 
the  night  for  you  to  take  your  rest  therein,  and  the  day 
to  give  you  light :  verily  God  is  endued  with  beneficence 
towards  mankind  ;  but  the  greater  part  of  men  do  not 
give  thanks.  ^^  This  is  God,  your  Lord  ;  the  Creator  of 
all  things :  there  is  no  God  besides  him :  how  therefore 
are  ye  turned  aside  from  his  worship?  Thus  are  they 
turned  aside,  who  oppose  the  signs  of  God.  ^^  It  is  God 
who  hath  given  you  the  earth  for  a  stable  floor,  and  the 
heaven  for  a  ceiling;  and  who  hath  formed  you,  and 
made  your  forms  beautiful ;  and  feedeth  you  with  good 
things.  This  is  God,  your  Lord.  Wherefore  blessed  be 
God,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  !  ^^  He  is  the  living  God, 
there  is  no  God  but  he.  Wherefore  call  upon  him 
exhibiting  unto  him  the  pure  religion.  ^^  Praise  be  unto 
God,    the  Lord  of  all   creatures !    ^^  Say,  Verily  I  am 

57  Ash  pardon  for  thy  fault.']  In  being  stood  generally;  though  it  was  revealed 
too  backward  and  negligent  in  advancing  on  account  of  the  idolatrous  Meccans,  or 
the  true  religion,  for  fear  of  the  infi-  of  the  Jews,  who  said  of  Mohammed,  This 
dels  1.  man  is  not  our  lord,  but  the  Messias  the 

58  As  to  those  who  impugn  the  signs  of  son  of  David,  whose  kingdom  will  be  ex- 
Go^,  8f c]     This  sentence  may  be  under-  tended  over  sea  and  land  2. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem. 


294  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

forbidden  to  worship  the  deities  which  ye  invoke,  besides 
God,  after  that  evident  proofs  have  come  unto  me  from 
my  Lord  :  and  I  am  commanded  to  resign  myself  unto 
the  Lord  of  all  creatures.     ^^  It  is  he  who  first  created 
you  of  dust,  and  afterwards  of  seed,  and  afterwards  of 
coagulated  blood  ;   and  afterwards  brought  you  forth  in- 
fants out  of  your  mothers'  wombs :    then  he  permitteth 
you  to  attain  your  age  of  full  strength,  and  afterwards  to 
grow  old  men,  (but  some  of  you  die  before  that  age,)  and 
to  arrive    at  the   determined  period  of  your  life ;    that 
peradventure  ye  may  understand.     ^^  It  is  he  who  giveth 
life,  and  causeth  to  die :  and  when  he  decreeth  a  thing, 
he  only  saith  unto  it.    Be,  and  it  is.     ^^  Dost  thou  not 
observe  those  who  dispute  against  the  signs  of  God,  how 
they  are  turned  aside  from  the  true  faith  ?    ^^  They  who 
charge  with  falsehood  the  book  of  the  Koran,  and  the 
other  scriptures  and   revealed   doctrines  which  we  sent 
our  former  apostles  to  preach,  shall  hereafter  know  their 
folly ;  ^^  when  the  collars  shall  be  on  their  necks,  and  the 
chains  by  which  they  shall  be  dragged  into  hell :    ^^  then 
shall  they  be  burned  in  the  fire.     ^^  And  it  shall  be  said 
unto  them.   Where  are   the  gods  which  ye   associated, 
besides  God  ?    They  shall  answer.  They  have  withdrawn 
themselves  from  us :  yea,  we  called  on  nothing  heretofore. 
Thus  doth  God  lead  the  unbelievers  into  error.      ^^  This 
hath  befallen  you,  for  that  ye  rejoiced  insolently  on  earth, 
in  that  which  was  false  ;  and  for  that  ye  were  elated  with 
immoderate  joy.     ^^  Enter  ye  the  gates  of  hell,  to  remain 
therein  for  ever :  and  wretched  shall  be  the  abode  of  the 
haughty !    ^^  Wherefore  persevere  with  patience,  O  Mo- 
hammed ;  for  the  promise  of  God  is  true.     Whether  we 
cause  thee  to  see  any  part  of  the  punishment  with  which 
we  have  threatened  them,  or  whether  we  cause  thee  to 
die  before  thou  see  it ;  before  us  shall  they  be  assembled 
at  the  last  day.     ^^  We  have  sent  a  great  number  of 
apostles  before  thee  ;    the  histories  of  some  of  whom  we 

69  Determined  period,']    See  chap.  xxii.  79    Apostles."]      Viz.  Noah,   Abraham, 

verse  5.  Hud,   &c.      See   the   Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

75   We  called  on  nothing,]     Seeing  an  and   the   names  of  the  patriarchs  in    he 

idol  is  nothing  in  the  world  ^  index. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


XL.]  AL     KORAN.  295 

have  related  unto  thee,  and  the  histories  of  others  of 
them  we  have  not  related  unto  thee  :  but  no  apostle  had 
the  power  to  produce  a  sign,  unless  by  the  permission  of 
God.  When  the  command  of  God,  therefore,  shall 
come,  judgment  shall  be  given  with  truth ;  and  then 
shall  they,  perish  who  endeavour  to  render  the  signs  of 
God  of  no  effect.  ^^  It  is  God  who  hath  given  you  the 
cattle,  that  ye  may  ride  on  some  of  them,  and  may  eat  of 
others  of  them ;  (ye  also  receive  other  advantages  there- 
from ;)  and  that  on  them  ye  may  arrive  at  the  business 
proposed  in  your  mind :  and  on  them  are  ye  carried  by 
land,  and  on  ships  by  sea.  ^^  And  he  sheweth  you  his 
signs :  which,  therefore,  of  the  signs  of  God,  will  ye 
deny  ?  ^^  Do  they  not  pass  through  the  earth,  and  see 
what  hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  were  before  them  ? 
^^  They  were  more  numerous  than  these,  and  more  mighty 
in  strength,  and  left  more  considerable  monuments  of 
their  power  in  the  earth  ;  yet  that  which  they  had 
acquired,  profited  them  not.  ^^  And  when  their  apostles 
came  unto  them  with  evident  proofs  of  their  mission, 
they  rejoiced  in  the  knowledge  which  was  with  them: 
but  that  which  they  mocked  at,  encompassed  them. 
^^  And  when  they  beheld  our  vengeance,  they  said.  We 
believe  in  God  alone,  and  we  renounce  the  idols  which 
we  associated  with  him  :  but  their  faith  availed  them  not, 
after  they  had  beholden  our  vengeance.  ^^  This  was  the 
ordinance  of  God,  which  was  formerly  observed  in  respect 
to  his  servants :  and  then  did  the  unbelievers  perish. 

80    Other  advantages,']      Their   skin,  was  with   them.'}      Being    prejudiced    in 

wool,    and    hair,   which    serve    you    for  favour  of  their  own  erroneous  doctrines, 

clothing.  and  despising  the  instructions  of  the  pro- 

84  They  rejoiced  in  the  knowledge  which  phets. 


296  A L  KORAN,  [chap, 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

INTITLED,    ARE    DISTINCTLY    EXPLAINED ;      REVEALED  AT 

MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  H.  M.  ^  This  is  a  revelation  from  the  most  Merciful : 
^  a  book  the  verses  whereof  are  distinctly  explained,  an 
Arabic  Koran,  for  the  instruction  of  people  who  under- 
stand ;  ^  bearing  good  tidings,  and  denouncing  threats  : 
but  the  greater  part  of  them  turn  aside,  and  hearken  not 
thereto.  ^  And  they  say.  Our  hearts  are  veiled  from  the 
doctrine  to  which  thou  invitest  us :  and  there  is  a  deaf- 
ness in  our  ears,  and  a  curtain  between  us  and  thee: 
wherefore  act  thou  as  thou  shalt  think  fit ;  for  we  shall 
act  according  to  our  own  sentiments.  ^  Say,  Verily  I  am 
only  a  man  like  you.  It  is  revealed  unto  me  that  your 
God  is  one  God  :  wherefore  direct  your  way  strait  unto 
him ;  and  ask  pardon  of  him  for  what  is  past.  ^  And  woe 
be  to  the  idolaters,  who  give  not  the  appointed  alms, 
and  believe  not  in  the  life  to  come  !  ^  But  as  to  those 
who  believe,  and  work  righteousness ;  they  shall  receive 
an  everlasting  reward.  ^  Say,  Do  ye  indeed  disbelieve  in 
him  who  created  the  earth  in  two  days ;  and  do  ye  set  up 
equals  unto  him  ?  He  is  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  And 
he  placed  in  the  earth  mountains  firmly  rooted,  rising 
above  the  same  :  and  he  blessed  it ;  and  provided  therein 
the  food  of  the  creatures,  designed  to  be  the  inhabitants 

Title — Explained.']      Some  intitle   this  3  Distinctly  explained.']      See  chap.  xi. 

chapter   Worship   or   Adoration,   because  verse  2. 

the  infidels  are  herein  commanded  to  for-  9  In  two  days.]  Viz.  The  two  first  days 

sake  the  worship  of  idols,  and  to  worship  of  the  week  i. 

God  :  but   the   32d  chapter   bearing   the  10    Mountains.']      The    Mohammedans 

same     title,    that    which    we    have    here  believe  that  the  earth  was  at  first  liable  to 

prefixed  is,  for  distinction,  generally  used«  motion,  like  the  celestial   orbs,   but  that 

1  See  the  Prelim.   Disc.   §  iii.  p.   18,  God  rendered  it  stable  by  throwing  moun- 

&c.  tains  upon  it. 

^  Jallal6*ddin. 


xLi.]  AL    KORAN.  297 

thereof,  in  four  days ;  equally  for  those  who  ask.  ^^  Then 
he  set  his  mind  to  the  creation  of  heaven ;  and  it  was 
smoke :  and  he  said  unto  it,  and  to  the  earth,  Come, 
either  obediently,  or  against  your  will.  They  answered, 
We  come  obedient  to  thy  command.  ^^  And  he  formed 
them  into  seven  heavens,  in  two  days  ;  and  revealed  unto 
every  heaven  its  office.  And  we  adorned  the  low^er 
heaven  with  lights,  and  placed  therein  a  guard  of  angels. 
This  is  the  disposition  of  the  mighty,  the  wise  God. 
^^  If  the  Meccans  withdraw  from  these  instructions,  say, 
I  denounce  unto  you  a  sudden  destruction,  like  the  de- 
struction of  Ad  and  Thamud.  ^^  When  the  apostles 
came  unto  them  before  them  and  behind  them,  saying, 
Worship  God  alone :  they  answered.  If  our  Lord  had 
been  pleased  to  send  messengers,  he  had  surely  sent 
angels ;  and  we  believe  not  the  message  with  which  ye 
are  sent.  ^^  As  to  the  tribe  of  Ad,  they  behaved  inso- 
lently in  the  earth,  without  reason,  and  said.  Who  is 
more  mighty  than  we  in  strength?  Did  they  not  see 
that  God,  who  had  created  them,  was  more  mighty  than 
they  in  strength  ?  And  they  knowingly  rejected  our 
signs.  ^^  Wherefore  we  sent  against  them  a  piercing 
wind,  on  days  of  ill  luck,  that  we  might  make  them 
taste  the  punishment  of  shame  in  this  world ;  but  the 

10  In  four  days.'}     That    is   including  sixth  days   of  the  week.     It  is  said  the 

the   two   former  days  wherein  the  earth  heavens  were  created  on  Thursday,  and 

was  created.  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  on  Friday ;  in 

—  Equally  for    those  who  ask.~\     i.  e.  the  evening  of  which  last  day  Adam  was 

For  all,  in  proportion  to  the  necessity  of  made  ^, 

each,  and  as  their  several  appetites  require.         —  A  guard  of  angels.']     The  Moham- 

Some  refer  the  word  Sawdan,  here  trans-  medans  believe  that  each  star  and  planet 

lated   equally^   and   which    also    signifies  is  entrusted  to  the  superintendence  of  a 

completely,    to   the   four  days ;  supposing  guardian     angel    who    prevents    the    evil 

the  meaning  to  be,  that  God  created  these  spirits   from  entering  among  the  celestial 

things  in  just  so  many  entire   and  com-  luminaries, 
plete  days  ^  14  Before  them  and  behind  them.']   That 

\\  It   was   smohe,]     Or  darkness.     Al  is,  on  every  side,  persuading  and  urging 

Zamakhshari  says,  this  smoke  proceeded  them  continually,  and  by  arguments  drawn 

from  the  waters  under  the  throne  of  God,  from  past  examples,  and  the  expectation 

(which    throne    was    one   of   the    things  of  future  rewards  or  punishment, 
created  before  the  heavens  and  the  earth,)         \Q  On  days  of  ill  luch.]     It  is  said  that 

and  rose  above  the  water  :  that  the  water  this  wind  continued  from  Wednesday  to 

being  dried  up,  the  earth  was  formed  out  Wednesday  inclusive,  being  the  latter  end 

of  it,  and  the  heavens  out  of  the  smoke  of  the  month  Shawdl :  and  that  a  Wed- 

which  had  mounted  aloft.  nesday  is  the  .  day   whereon    God   sends 

12  In  two  days.]   Viz.  On  the  fifth  and  down  his  judgments  on  a  wicked  people  •'^. 

*  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi,  2  Udem.  3  ^/  Beiddwi, 


298  A  L    KORAN.  [chap. 

punishment  of  the  life  to  come  will  be  more  shameful ; 
and  they  shall  not  be  protected  therefrom.  ^^  And  as  to 
Thamud,  we  directed  them :  but  they  loved  blindness 
better  than  the  true  direction ;  wherefore  the  terrible 
noise  of  an  ignominious  punishment  assailed  them,  for 
that  which  they  had  deserved  ;  ^^  but  we  delivered  those 
who  believed,  and  feared  God.  ^^  And  warn  them  of  the 
day,  on  which  the  enemies  of  God  shall  be  gathered 
together  unto  hell-fire,  and  shall  march  in  distinct  bands ; 
^^  until,  when  they  shall  arrive  thereat,  their  ears,  and 
their  eyes,  and  their  skins,  shall  bear  witness  against  them 
of  that  which  they  shall  have  wrought.  ^^  And  they  shall 
say  unto  their  skins,  Wherefore  do  ye  bear  witness  against 
us?  They  shall  answer,  God  hath  caused  us  to  speak, 
who  giveth  speech  unto  all  things :  he  created  you  the 
first  time :  and  unto  him  are  ye  returned.  ^^  Ye  did  not 
hide  yourselves,  while  ye  sinned,  so  that  your  ears,  and 
your  eyes,  and  your  skins,  could  not  bear  witness  against 
you :  but  ye  thought  that  God  was  ignorant  of  many 
things  which  ye  did.  ^^  This  was  your  opinion,  which  ye 
imagined  of  your  Lord  :  it  hath  ruined  you ;  and  ye  are 
become  lost  people.  ^^  Whether  they  bear  their  torment, 
hell-fire  shall  be  their  abode ;  or  whether  they  beg  for 
favour,  they  shall  not  obtain  favour.  ^^  And  we  will  give 
them  the  devils  to  be  their  companions :  for  they  dressed 
up  for  them  the  false  notions  which  they  entertained  of 
this  present  world,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come ;  and  the 
sentence  justly  fitteth  them,  which  was  formerly  pro- 
nounced on  the  nations  of  genii  and  men  who  were  before 
them ;  for  they  perished.  ^^  The  unbelievers  say.  Hearken 
not  unto  this  Koran  ;  but  use  vain  discourse  during  the 
reading  thereof,  that  ye  may  overcome  the  voice  of  the 
reader  by  your  scoffs  and  laughter.  '^^  Wherefore  we 
will  surely  cause  the  unbelievers  to  taste  a  grievous 
punishment,  and  we  will  certainly  reward  them  for  the 
evils  which  they  shall  have  wrought.     ^^  This  shall  be  the 

18  Delivered^  &c.]   See  the  Traditional  Ye  hid  your  crimes  from  men,  little  think- 

History  of  the  Arabians,  Prel.   Disc.  §  I.  ing  that  your  very  members,  from  which 

and  Thamud  in  Index.  ye  could  not  hide  them,  would  rise  up  as 

22   Ye  did  not  hide  yourselves  so  that  witnesses  against  you. 

your  ears,  and  your  eyes,  and  your  skins,  26     Use    vain    discourse.']      Or,     talk 

could  not   bear  witness  against  you.']  i.  e.  aloud. 


XLi.]  AL    KORAN.  299 

reward  of  the  enemies  of  God,  namely,  hell-fire ;  therein 
is  prepared  for  them  an  everlasting  abode,  as  a  reward  for 
that  they  have  wittingly  rejected  our  signs.  ^^  And  the 
infidels  shall  say  in  hell,  O  Lord,  shew  us  the  two  who 
seduced  us,  of  the  genii  and  men,  and  we  will  cast  them 
under  our  feet  that  they  may  become  most  base  and 
despicable.  ^^  As  for  those  who  say.  Our  Lord  is  God, 
and  who  behave  uprightly ;  the  angels  shall  descend  unto 
them,  and  shall  say.  Fear  not,  neither  be  ye  grieved ;  but 
rejoice  in  the  hopes  of  paradise,  which  ye  have  been 
promised.  ^^  We  are  your  friends  in  this  life,  and  in 
that  which  is  to  come  :  therein  shall  ye  have  that  which 
your  souls  shall  desire,  and  therein  shall  ye  obtain  what- 
ever ye  shall  ask  for ;  as  a  gift  from  a  gracious  and  mer- 
ciful God.  ^^  Who  speaketh  better  than  he  who  inviteth 
unto  God,  and  worketh  righteousness,  and  saith,  I  am  a 
Moslem  ?  ^^  Good  and  evil  shall  not  be  held  equal.  Turn 
away  evil  with  that  which  is  better ;  and  behold,  the  man 
between  whom  and  thyself  there  was  enmity,  shall  be- 
come, as  it  were,  thy  warmest  friend.  ^^  But  none  shall 
attain  to  this  perfection,  except  they  who  are  patient; 
nor  shall  any  attain  thereto,  except  he  who  is  endued 
with  a  great  happiness  of  temper.  ^^  And  if  a  mali- 
cious suggestion  be  offered  unto  thee  from  Satan,  have 
recourse  unto  God  ;  for  it  is  he  who  heareth  and 
knoweth.  ^^  Among  the  signs  of  his  power  are  the 
night,  and  the  day,  and  the  sun,  and  the  moon.  Wor- 
ship not  the  sun,  neither  the  moon:  but  worship  God, 
who  hath  created  them  ;  if  ye  serve  him.  ^^  But  if  they 
proudly  disdain  his  service ;  verily  the  angels,  who  are 
with  thy  Lord,  praise  him  night  and  day,  and  are  not 
wearied.  ^^  And  among  his  signs,  another  is,  that  thou 
seest  the  land  waste:  but  when  we  send  down  rain 
thereon,  it   is  stirred,    and   fermenteth.     And   he   who 

29  The  two  who  seduced  us,  of  the  genii  Either  while  they  are  living  on  earth,  to 
and  menJ]  i.  e.  Those  of  either  species,  dispose  their  minds  to  good,  to  preserve 
who  drew  us  into  sin  and  ruin.  Some  them  from  temptation,  and  to  comfort 
suppose  that  the  two  more  particularly  in-  them  ;  or  at  the  hour  of  death  to  support 
tended  here,  are  Eblis  and  Cain  ;  the  two  them  in  their  last  agony  ;  or  at  their  com- 
authors  of  infidelity  and  murder  ^.  ing  forth  from  their  graves,  at  the  resur- 

30  The  angels  shall  descend  unto  them.']  rection  2. 

1  Al  Beiddtvi,  JallaWddin,  2  lidem. 


300  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

quickeneth  the  earth,  will  surely  quicken  the  dead ;  for 
he  is  almighty.  ^^  Verily  those  who  impiously  wrong  our 
signs,  are  not  concealed  from  us.  Is  he,  therefore,  better, 
who  shall  be  cast  into  hell-fire,  or  he  who  shall  appear 
secure  on  the  day  of  resurrection  ?  Work  that  which  ye 
will:  he  certainly  beholdeth  whatever  ye  do.  ^^ Verily 
they  who  believe  not  in  the  admonition  of  the  Koran, 
after  it  hath  come  unto  them,  shall  one  day  be  discovered. 
It  is  certainly  a  book  of  infinite  value.  ^^  Vanity  shall 
not  approach  it,  either  from  before  it,  or  from  behind  it: 
it  is  a  revelation  from  a  wise  God,  w^hose  praise  is  justly 
to  be  celebrated.  ^^  No  other  is  said  unto  thee  by  the 
infidels  of  Mecca,  than  what  hath  been  formerly  said  unto 
the  apostles  before  thee :  verily  thy  Lord  is  inclined  to 
forgiveness,  and  is  also  able  to  chastise  severely,  ^^  If  we 
had  revealed  the  Koran  in  a  foreign  language,  they  had 
surely  said.  Unless  the  signs  thereof  be  distinctly  ex- 
plained, we  will  not  receive  the  same:  is  the  book  written 
in  a  foreign  tongue,  and  the  person  unto  whom  it  is 
directed,  an  Arabian  ?  Answer,  It  is,  unto  those  who 
believe,  a  sure  guide,  and  a  remedy  for  doubt  and  uncer- 
tainty. ^^  But  unto  those  who  believe  not,  it  is  a  thick- 
ness of  hearing  in  their  ears,  and  it  is  a  darkness  which 
covereth  them ;  these  are  as  they  who  are  called  unto 
from  a  distant  place.  ^^  We  heretofore  gave  the  book  of 
the  law  unto  Moses  ;  and  a  dispute  arose  concerning  the 
same  :  and  if  a  previous  decree  had  not  proceeded  from 
thy  Lord,  to  respite  the  opposers  of  that  revelation, 
verily  the  matter  had  been  decided  between  them,  by 
the  destruction  of  the  infidels ;  for  they  were  in  a  very 
great  doubt  as  to  the  same.  ^^  He  who  doth  right,  doth 
it  to  the  advantage  of  his  own  soul ;  and  he  who  doth 
evil,  doth  it  against  the  same :  for  thy  Lord  is  not  unjust 
towards  his  servants.  [*XXV.]  ^^  Unto  him  is  reserved 
the  knowledge  of  the  hour  of  judgment :  and  no  fruit 
Cometh  forth  from  the  knops  which  involve  it ;  neither 
doth  any  female  conceive  in  her  womb,  nor  is  she  de- 

41    Vanity  shall  not  approach  itj  either  43  Foreign  language.']  Seec.  xvi.  v.  103. 

from  before  it,  or  from  behind  it.]    That  is,  44   These  are  as  they  who  are  called  unto 

it  shall  not  be  prevailed  against,  or  frus-  from  a  distant  place.]  Being  so  far  off  that 

trated  by  any  means,  or  in  any  respect  they  hear  not,  or  understand  not  the  voice 

whatever,  of  him  who  calls  to  them. 


xLi.]  A  L    KORAN.  301 

livered  of  her  burden  ;  but  with  his  knowledge.  On  the 
day  whereon  he  shall  call  them  to  him,  saying,  Where 
are  my  companions  which  ye  ascribe  unto  me  ?  they  shall 
answer,  We  assure  thee  there  is  no  witness  of  this  matter 
among  us.  ^^  And  the  idols  which  they  called  on  before, 
shall  withdraw  themselves  from  them;  and  they  shall 
perceive  that  there  will  be  no  way  to  escape.  ^^  Man  is 
not  wearied  with  asking  good ;  but  if  evil  befall  him,  he 
despondeth,  and  despaireth.  ^^And  if  he  cause  him  to 
taste  mercy  from  us,  after  affliction  hath  touched  him,  he 
surely  saith.  This  is  due  to  me  on  account  of  my  deserts: 
I  do  not  think  the  hour  of  judgment  will  ever  come  ;  and 
if  I  be  brought  before  my  Lord,  I  shall  surely  attain, 
with  him,  the  most  excellent  condition.  But  we  will 
then  declare  unto  those  who  shall  not  have  believed,  that 
which  they  have  wrought :  and  we  will  surely  cause  them 
to  taste  a  most  severe  punishment.  ^^  When  we  confer 
favours  on  man,  he  turneth  aside,  and  departeth  without 
returning  thanks:  but  when  evil  toucheth  him,  he  is  fre- 
quent at  prayer.  ^'^  Say,  What  think  ye  ?  if  the  Koran 
be  from  God,  and  ye  believe  not  therein ;  who  will  lie 
under  a  greater  error,  than  he  who  dissenteth  widely 
therefrom?  ^^  Hereafter  M^e  will  shew  them  our  signs  in 
the  regions  of  the  earth,  and  in  themselves  ;  until  it 
become  manifest  unto  them  that  this  book  is  the  truth. 
Is  it  not  sufficient  for  thee  that  thy  Lord  is  witness  of  all 
things  ?  ^^  Are  they  not  in  doubt  as  to  the  meeting  of 
their  Lord  at  the  resurrection  ?  Doth  not  he  encompass 
all  things  ? 

47   They  shall  answer,  There  is  no  wit-         53   We  will  shew  them   our  signs  in  the 

ness  of  this  matter  among  ?/5.]   For   they  regions   of  the  earth,  and  in    themselves.^ 

shall   disclaim   their  idols    at    the   resur-  By  the  surprising  victories  and  conquests 

rection.  of  Mohamnaed.  and  his  successors  ^. 

^  Al  BeiddwL 


302  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAP.  XLIl. 

Intitled,  Consolation  ;  revealed  at  Mecca. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  H.  M.  A.  S.  K.  2  Thus  doth  the  mighty,  the  wise  God 
reveal  his  will  unto  thee;  and  in  like  manner  did  he 
reveal  it  unto  the  prophets  who  were  before  thee.  ^Unto 
him  belongeth  whatever  is  in  heaven,  and  in  earth ;  and 
he  is  the  high,  the  great  God.  ^  It  wanteth  little  but 
that  the  heavens  be  rent  in  sunder  from  above,  at  the 
awfulness  of  his  Majesty  :  the  angels  celebrate  the  praise 
of  their  Lord,  and  ask  pardon  for  those  who  dwell  in  the 
earth.  Is  not  God  the  forgiver  of  sins,  the  merciful  ? 
^  But  as  to  those  who  take  other  gods  for  their  patrons, 
besides  him,  God  observeth  their  actions  :  for  thou  art 
not  a  steward  over  them.  ^  Thus  have  we  revealed  unto 
thee  an  Arabic  Koran,  that  thou  mayest  warn  the  metro- 
polis of  Mecca,  and  the  Arabs  who  dwell  round  about  it ; 
and  mayest  threaten  them  with  the  day  of  the  general 
assembly,  of  which  there  is  no  doubt :  one  part  shall  then 
be  placed  in  paradise,  and  another  part  in  hell.  ^  If  God 
had  pleased,  he  had  made  them  all  of  one  religion :  but 
he  leadeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into  his  mercy ;  and  the 
unjust  shall  have  no  patron  or  helper.  ^  Do  they  take 
other  patrons  besides  him  ?  whereas  God  is  the  only  true 
patron :  he  quickeneth  the  dead ;  and  he  is  almighty. 
^  Whatever  matter  ye  disagree  about,  the  decision  thereof 
appertaineth   unto  God.     ^^  This  is  God,  my  Lord  :  in 

Title — Consultation.']     The  title  is  taken  2'itle — Mecca."}  Jallalo'ddin  excepts  three 

from  the  verse  wherein  the  believers  are  verses,  beginning  with  these  words,  Say,  I 

commended,  among  other  things,  for  using  ask  not  of  you,  for  this  my  preaching,  any 

deliberation  in  their  affairs,  and  consulting  reward,  &c. 

together,   in   order   to   act  for   the    best.  i  H.   M.  &c.]    See  the  Prelim.    Disc. 

Some,  instead  of  this  word,  prefix  the  five  §  3. 
single  letters  with  which  the  chapter  begins. 

8 


xLii.]  A  L     KORAN.  303 

him  do  I  trust,  and  unto  him  do  I  turn  me ;  the 
Creator  of  heaven  and  earth :  he  hath  given  you  wives  of 
your  own  species,  and  cattle  both  male  and  female ;  by 
which  means  he  multiplieth  you:  there  is  nothing  like 
him  ;  and  it  is  he  who  heareth  and  seeth.  ^^  His  are  the 
keys  of  heaven  and  earth ;  he  bestoweth  provision  abun- 
dantly on  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  he  is  sparing  unto 
whom  he  pleaseth ;  for  he  knoweth  all  things.  ^^  He 
hath  ordained  you  the  religion  which  he  commanded 
Noah,  and  which  we  have  revealed  unto  thee,  O  Moham- 
med, and  which  we  commanded  Abraham,  and  Moses, 
and  Jesus:  saying,  Observe  this  religion,  and  be  not 
divided  therein.  The  worship  of  one  God,  to  which  thou 
invitest  them,  is  grievous  unto  the  unbelievers.  ^^  God 
will  elect  thereto  whom  he  pleaseth,  and  will  direct  unto 
the  same  him  who  shall  repent.  ^^  Those  who  lived  in 
times  past,  were  not  divided  among  themselves  until  after 
that  the  knowledge  of  God's  unity  had  come  unto  them 
through  their  own  perverseness :  and  unless  a  previous 
decree  had  passed  from  thy  Lord,  to  bear  with  them  till 
a  determined  time,  verily  the  matter  had  been  decided 
between  them,  by  the  destruction  of  the  gainsayers. 
They  who  have  inherited  the  scriptures  after  them,  are 
certainly  in  a  perplexing  doubt  concerning  the  same. 
^^  Wherefore  invite  them  to  receive  the  sure  faith,  and  be 
urgent  with  them,  as  thou  hast  been  commanded ;  and 
follow  not  their  vain  desires :  and  say,  I  believe  in  all  the 
scriptures  which  God  hath  sent  down ;  and  I  am  com- 
manded to  establish  justice  among  you:  God  is  our  Lord, 
and  your  Lord  :  unto  us  will  our  works  be  imputed,  and 
unto  you  will  your  works  be  imputed :  let  there  be  no 
wrangling  between  us  and  you ;  for  God  will  assemble 
us  all  at  the  last  day,  and  unto  him  shall  we  return. 
^^  As  to  those  who  dispute  concerning  God,  after  obe- 
dience hath  been  paid  him  by  receiving  his  religion,  their 
disputing  shall  be  vain  in  the  sight  of  their  Lord  ;  and 
wrath  shall  fall  on  them,  and  they  shall  suffer  a  grievous 

12  Moses  and  Jesus,  &c.]  See  the  Pre-  tures  after  them.']  viz:  The  modern   Jews 

liminary  Disc.  §  4.  For  the  history  of  the  and  Christians. 

prophets  whom  Mohammed  claimed  as  his  —  Are  in  a  doiiht  concerning  the  same.'\ 

predecessors.  Not  understanding  the  true  meaning,  nor 

14  They  who  have  inherited  the  scrip-  believing  the  real  doctrines  thereof. 


304  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

punishment.  ^^  It  is  God  who  hath  sent  down  the  scrip-  \ 
ture  with  truth  ;  and  the  balance  of  true  judgment ;  and 
what  shall  inform  thee  whether  the  hour  be  nigh  at  hand? 
^^  They  who  believe  not  therein,  wish  it  to  be  hastened 
by  way  of  mockery :  but  they  who  believe,  dread  the 
same,  and  know  it  to  be  the  truth.  Are  not  those  who 
dispute  concerning  the  last  hour  in  a  wide  error  ?  ^^  God 
is  bounteous  unto  his  servants :  he  provideth  for  whom 
he  pleaseth ;  and  he  is  the  strong,  the  mighty.  ^^  Whoso 
chooseth  the  tillage  of  the  life  to  come,  unto  him  will  we 
give  increase  in  his  tillage :  and  whoso  chooseth  the 
tillage  of  this  world,  we  will  give  him  the  fruit  thereof; 
but  he  shall  have  no  part  in  the  life  to  come.  ^^  Have 
the  idolaters  deities  which  ordain  them  a  religion  which 
God  hath  not  allowed  ?  But  had  it  not  been  for  the  de- 
cree of  respiting  their  punishment  to  the  day  of  separa- 
ting the  infidels  from  the  true  believers,  judgment  had 
been  already  given  between  them :  for  the  unjust  shall 
surely  suffer  a  painful  torment.  ^^  On  that  day  thou 
shalt  see  the  unjust  in  great  terror,  because  of  their 
demerits  ;  and  the  penalty  thereof  shall  fall  upon  them  : 
but  they  who  believe,  and  do  good  works,  shall  dwell  in 
the  delightful  meadows  of  paradise ;  they  shall  obtain 
whatever  they  shall  desire,  with  their  Lord.  This  is  the 
greatest  acquisition  ^^  This  is  what  God  promiseth  unto 
his  servants  who  believe  and  do  good  works.  Say,  I  ask 
not  of  you,  for  this  my  preaching,  any  reward,  except  the 
love  of  my  relations :  and  whoever  shall  have  deserved 
well  by  one  good  action,  unto  him  will  we  add  the  merit 
of  another  action  thereto ;  for  God  is  inclined  to  forgive, 
and  ready  to  reward.  ^^  Do  they  say,  Mohammed  hath 
blasphemously   forged  a  lie  concerning  God?     If  God 

20  Whoso  chooseth  the  tillage  of  the  life  to  and  knew  not  his  Lord,  as  if  he  had  said, 

come.~\  Labouring  here,  to  obtain  a  reward  God  forbid  that  thou  shouldest  be  so  void 

hereafter :  for  what  is  sown  in  this  world,  of  grace,   or  have   so  little  sense  of  thy 

will  be  reaped  in  the  next.  duty  !  Others  think  the  signification  to  be, 

24  If  God  pleaseth  he  will  seal  up  thy  that  God  might  strike  all  the  revelations 

heart*']     The  meaning  of  these   words  is  which  had  been   vouchsafed   to    Moham- 

somewhat  obscure.     Some  imagine    they  med,  out  of  his  heart  at  once  ;  and  others, 

express  a  detestation  of  the  forgery  charged  that   God  would    strengthen     his    heart 

on  the  prophet  by  the   infidels  ;  because  with  patience   against  the  insults  of  the 

none   could  be  capable  of  so   wicked  an  unbelievers  ^ 
action,  but  one  whose  heart  was  close  shut, 

*  Al  Beiddwi. 


XLii.]  AL    KORAN.  HOB 

pleaseth,  he  will  seal  up  thy  heart :  and  God  will  abso- 
lutely abolish  vanity,  and  will  establish  the  truth  in  his 
words  ;  for  he  knoweth  the  innermost  parts  of  men's 
breasts.  ^^  It  is  he  who  accepteth  repentance  from  his 
servants,  and  forgiveth  sins,  and  knoweth  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^  He  will  incline  his  ear  unto  those  who  believe  and 
work  righteousness,  and  will  add  unto  them  above  what 
they  shall  ask  or  deserve  of  his  bounty ;  but  the  unbe- 
lievers shall  suffer  a  severe  punishment.  ^^  If  God  should 
bestow  abundance  upon  his  servants,  they  would  certainly 
behave  insolently  in  the  earth :  but  he  sendeth  down  by 
measure  unto  every  one  that  which  he  pleaseth ;  for  he 
well  knoweth  and  se^h  the  condition  of  his  servants. 
^^  It  is  he  who  sendeth  down  the  rain,  after  men  have 
despaired  thereof,  and  spreadeth  abroad  his  mercy ;  and 
he  is  the  patron,  justly  to  be  praised.  ^^  Among  his  signs 
is  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  the  living 
creatures  with  which  he  hath  replenished  them  both; 
and  he  is  able  to  gather  them  together  before  his  tribunal, 
whenever  he  pleaseth.  ^^  Whatever  misfortune  befalleth 
you,  is  sent  you  by  God,  for  that  which  your  hands  have 
deserved  ;  and  yet  he  forgiveth  many  things.  ^^  Ye  shall 
not  frustrate  the  divine  vengeance  in  the  earth ;  neither 
shall  ye  have  any  protector  or  helper  against  God. 
^^  Among  his  signs  also  are  the  ships  running  in  the  sea, 
like  high  mountains :  if  he  pleaseth,  he  causeth  the  wind 
to  cease,  and  they  lie  still  on  the  back  of  the  water : 
(verily  herein  are  signs  unto  every  patient  and  grateful 
person :)  ^^  or  he  destroyeth  them  by  shipwreck,  because 
of  that  which  their  crews  have  merited ;  though  he 
pardoneth  many  things.  ^^  And  they  who  dispute  against 
our  signs,  shall  know  that  there  will  be  no  way  for  them 
to  escape  our  vengeance.  ^^  Whatever  things  are  given 
you,  they  are  the  provision  of  this  present  life :  but  the 
reward  which  is  with  God  is  better,  and  more  durable, 
for  those  who  believe,  and  put  their  trust  in  their  Lord  ; 

24  God  will  abolish  vanity^  and  esta-  certainly  fail,  and  come  to  nothing;  but 
blish  the  truth.^  Wherefore  if  the  doctrine  if  it  be  of  God,  it  can  never  be  over- 
taught  in  this   book   be  of  man,   it  will     throvsm  ^ 

*  Al  Beiddwi, 
VOL.  II.  X 


306  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  and  who  avoid  heinous  and  filthy  crimes  ;  and  when  they 
are  angry,  forgive ;  ^^  and  who  hearken  unto  their 
Lord,  and  are  constant  at  prayer ;  and  whose  affairs  are 
directed  by  consultation  among  themselves,  and  who  give 
alms  out  of  what  we  have  bestowed  on  them.  ^^And 
who,  when  an  injury  is  done  them,  avenge  themselves : 
^^  (and  the  retaliation  of  evil  ought  to  be  an  evil  propor- 
tionate thereto  :)  but  he  who  forgiveth,  and  is  reconciled 
unto  his  enemy,  shall  receive  his  reward  from  God  ;  for 
he  loveth  not  the  unjust  doers.  ^^  And  whoso  shall  avenge 
himself,  after  he  hath  been  injured ;  as  to  these,  it  is  not 
lawful  to  punish  them  for  it:  ^^  but  it  is  only  lawful  to 
punish  those  who  wrong  men,  an(J  act  insolently  in  the 
earth,  against  justice ;  these  shall  suffer  a  grievous 
punishment.  '^^  And  whoso  beareth  injuries  patiently,  and 
forgiveth  ;  verily  this  is  a  necessary  work.  ^^  Whom  God 
shall  cause  to  err,  he  shall  afterwards  have  no  protector. 
*^  And  thou  shalt  see  the  ungodly,  who  shall  say,  when 
they  behold  the  punishment  prepared  for  them,  Is  there 
no  way  to  return  back  into  the  world  ?  And  thou  shalt 
see  them  exposed  unto  hell-fire  ;  dejected,  because  of  the 
ignominy  they  shall  undergo ;  they  shall  look  at  the  fire 
side-ways,  and  by  stealth :  and  the  true  believers  shall 
say.  Verily  the  losers  are  they  who  have  lost  their  own 
souls,  and  their  families,  on  the  day  of  resurrection ; 
shall  not  the  ungodly  continue  in  eternal  torment  ? 
^^  They  shall  have  no  protectors  to  defend  them  against 
God  :  and  whom  God  shall  cause  to  err,  he  shall  find  no 
way  to  the  truth.  ^^  Hearken  unto  your  Lord,  before 
the  day  come,  which  God  will  not  keep  back:  ye 
shall  have  no  place  of  refuge  on  that  day ;  neither  shall 
ye  be  able  to  deny  your  sins.  ^'^  But  if  those  to  whom 
thou  preachest  turn  aside  from  thy  admonitions,  verily 
we  have  not  sent  thee  to  be  a  guardian  over  them  : 
thy  duty  is  preaching  only.  When  we  cause  man  to 
taste  mercy  from  us,  he  rejoiceth  thereat :  but  if  evil 

38  And  who,  when  an  injury  is   done  complete   the  character  here    given ;    for 

tkeniy  avenge  themselves.^   Using  the  means  valour   and  courage  are   not  inconsistent 

vphich   God  has  put  into   their  hands  for  with  clemency  ' ;  the  rule  being, 
their  own   defence.      This   is    added    to       Parcere  subjectis,  et  debellare  superbos. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi, 


xLiii.]  A L  KORAN.  307 

befall  them,  for  that  which  their  hands  have  formerly 
committed,  verily  man  becometh  ungrateful.  ^^  Unto 
God  appertaineth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth : 
he  createth  that  v^hich  he  pleaseth;  and  he  giveth 
females  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  ^^  and  he  giveth  males 
unto  whom  he  pleaseth,  or  he  giveth  them  males  and 
females  jointly:  and  he  maketh  whom  he  pleaseth  to  be 
childless ;  for  he  is  wise  and  powerful.  ^^  It  is  not  fit  for 
man,  that  God  should  speak  unto  him  otherwise  than  by 
private  revelation,  or  from  behind  a  veil,  or  by  his  sending 
of  a  messenger  to  reveal,  by  his  permission,  that  which 
he  pleaseth  ;  for  he  is  high  and  wise.  ^^  Thus  have  we 
revealed  unto  thee  a  revelation,  by  our  command.  ^^  Thou 
didst  not  understand,  before  this,  what  the  book  of  the 
Koran  was,  nor  what  the  faith  was  :  but  we  have  or- 
dained the  same  for  a  light ;  we  will  thereby  direct  such 
of  our  servants  as  we  please:  ^^  and  thou  shalt  surely 
direct  them  into  the  right  way,  the  way  of  God,  unto 
whom  belongeth  whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
Shall  not  all  things  return  unto  God  ? 

51   Thus  have  we  revealed  unto  thee  a     translated,  Thus  have  we  sent  the  spirit 
revelatio'n.~\     Or,  as  the  words  may  also  be     Gabriel  unto  thee  with  a  revelation. 


CHAPTER    XLIII. 

INTITLED,    the    ornaments    OF    GOLD  ;      REVEALED    AT 

MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  H.  M.  ^  By  the  perspicuous  book ;  ^  verily  we  have 
ordained  the  same  an  Arabic  Koran,  that  ye  may  under- 
stand :  ^  and  it  is  certainly  written  in  the  original  book, 
kept  with  us,  being  sublime,  and  full  of  wisdom.  ^  Shall 
we  therefore  turn  away  from  you  the  admonition,  and 
deprive  you  thereof,  because  ye  are  a  people  who  trans- 

Title — Ornaments.']     The  word  chosen         L    H.    M.]       See    the    Prelim.     Disc, 

for  the  title  of  this  chapter,  occurs  ver.  52.  §  iii. 

Title — Mecca.^     Some  except  the  verse         4  In  the  original  hook.l   i.  e.  The  pre- 

beginning  with  these  words,  And  ask  our  served  Table;  which  is  the  original  of  all 

apostles  whom  we  have  sent  before  thee,  &c.  the  scriptures  in  general. 

X  2 


308  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

gress  ?  ^  And  how  many  prophets  have  we  sent  among 
those  of  old  ?  ^  and  no  prophet  came  unto  them,  but 
they  laughed  him  to  scorn :  ^  wherefore  we  destroyed 
nations  who  were  more  mighty  than  these  in  strength ; 
and  the  example  of  those  who  were  of  old,  hath  been 
already  set  before  them.  ^  If  thou  ask  them  who  created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  they  will  certainly  answer, 
The  mighty,  the  wise  God  created  them.  ^^  Who  hath 
spread  the  earth  as  a  bed  for  you,  and  hath  made  you 
paths  therein,  that  ye  may  be  directed.  ^^  And  who 
sendeth  down  rain  from  heaven  by  measure,  whereby  we 
quicken  a  dead  country;  (so  shall  ye  be  brought  forth 
from  your  graves :)  ^^  And  who  hath  created  all  the 
various  species  of  things,  and  hath  given  you  ships  and 
cattle,  whereon  ye  are  carried  ;  ^^  that  ye  may  sit  firmly 
on  the  backs  thereof,  and  may  remember  the  favour  of 
your  Lord,  when  ye  sit  thereon,  and  may  say.  Praise  be 
unto  him  who  hath  subjected  these  unto  our  service  !  for 
we  could  not  have  mastered  them  by  our  own  power : 
^^and  unto  our  Lord  shall  we  surely  return.  ^^  Yet 
have  they  attributed  unto  him  some  of  his  servants  as  his 
offspring  :  verily  man  is  openly  ungrateful.  ^^  Hath  God 
taken  daughters  out  of  those  beings  which  he  hath 
created ;  and  hath  he  chosen  sons  for  you  ?  ^^  But  when 
one  of  them  hath  the  news  brought  of  the  birth  of  a 
child  of  that  sex  which  they  attribute  unto  the  Merciful 
as  his  similitude,  his  face  becometh  black,  and  he  is 
oppressed  with  sorrow.  ^^  Do  they  therefore  attribute 
unto  God  female  issue,  which  are  brought  up  among 
ornaments,  and  are  contentious  without  cause  ?  And  do 
they  make  the  angels  who  are  the  servants  of  the  Mer- 
ciful, females  ?  Were  they  present  at  their  creation  ? 
Their  testimony  shall  be  written  down,  and  they  shall  be 
examined  concerning  the  same  on  the  day  of  judgment. 
^^  And  they  say.  If  the  Merciful  had  pleased,  we  had  not 
worshipped  them.  They  have  no  knowledge  herein  : 
they  only  utter  a  vain  lie.  ^^  Have  we  given  them  a 
book  of  revelations  before  this ;  and  do  they  keep  the 

17   W'ith  sorrow,  &c.]     The  continued     made  the    Arabs   regard   the   birth   of  a 
insults  to  which  fairilies  were  exposed  by     female  child  as  a  misfortune, 
the  predatory  habi*    of  the  nomad  tribes 


xLiii.]  A  L     KORAN.  309 

same  in  their  custody  ?  ^^  But  they  say,  Verily  we  found 
our  fathers  practising  a  religion ;  and  we  are  guided  in 
their  footsteps.  ^^  Thus  we  sent  no  preacher,  before 
thee,  unto  any  city,  but  the  inhabitants  thereof,  who 
lived  in  affluence,  said.  Verily  we  found  our  fathers 
practising  a  religion,  and  we  tread  in  their  footsteps. 
^^  And  the  preacher  answered.  What,  although  I  bring 
you  a  more  right  religion  than  that  which  ye  found  your 
fathers  to  practise  ?  And  they  replied.  Verily  we  believe 
not  that  which  ye  are  sent  to  preach.  ^*  Wherefore  we 
took  vengeance  on  them :  and  behold  what  hath  been  the 
end  of  those  who  accused  our  apostles  of  imposture. 
^^  Remember  when  Abraham  said  unto  his  father,  and 
his  people,  ^^  Verily  I  am  clear  of  the  gods  which  ye 
worship,  except  him  who  hath  created  me ;  for  he  will 
direct  me  aright.  ^^  And  he  ordained  this  to  be  a  con- 
stant doctrine  among  his  posterity  ;  that  they  should  be 
turned  from  idolatry  to  the  worship  of  the  only  true 
God.  ^^  Verily  I  have  permitted  these  Meccans  and 
their  fathers  to  live  in  prosperity,  until  the  truth  should 
come  unto  them,  and  a  manifest  apostle.  ^^  But  now  the 
truth  is  come  unto  them,  they  say.  This  is  a  piece  of 
sorcery ;  and  we  believe  not  therein.  ^^  And  they  say. 
Had  this  Koran  been  sent  down  unto  some  great  man  of 
either  of  the  two  cities,  we  would  have  received  it.  ^^  Do 
they  distribute  the  mercy  of  thy  Lord  ?  We  distribute 
their  necessary  provision  among  them  in  this  present 
life,  and  we  raise  some  of  them  several  degrees  above  the 
others,  that  the  one  of  them  may  take  the  other  to  serve 
him  :  and  the  mercy  of  thy  Lord  is  more  valuable  than 
the  riches  which  they  gather  together.  ^^  If  it  were  not 
that  mankind  would  have  become  one  sect  of  infidels, 
verily  we  had  given  unto  those  who  believe  not  in  the 
Merciful,  roofs  of  silver  to  their  houses,  and  stairs  of 
silver,  by  which  they  might  ascend  thereto,  and  doors  of 
silver  to  their  houses,  and  couches  of  silver  for  them  to 

30  Had  this  Koran  been  sent  down  unto  Mogheira,orOrwaEbnMasudtheThakifite^ 
some  great  man  of  either  of  the  two  cities.^  31  The  mercy  of  thy  Lord,~\  By  this 
i.  e.  To  one  of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  expression  the  prophetic  office  is  here  par- 
Mecca,  or  of  Tayef ;  such  as  al  Walid  Ebn  al  ticularly  intended. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


310  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

lean  on ;  and  ornaments  of  gold ;  ^^  for  all  this  is  the 
provision  of  the  present  life :  but  the  next  life  with  thy 
Lord  shall  be  for  those  who  fear  him.  ^^  Whoever  shall 
withdraw  from  the  admonition  of  the  Merciful,  we  will 
chain  a  devil  unto  him ;  and  he  shall  be  his  inseparable 
companion  :  ^^  (and  the  devils  shall  turn  them  aside  from 
the  way  of  truth ;  yet  they  shall  imagine  themselves  to 
be  rightly  directed :)  ^^  until,  when  he  shall  appear  before 
us  at  the  last  day,  he  shall  say  unto  the  devil,  Would  to 
God  that  betw^een  me  and  thee  there  was  the  distance  of 
the  east  from  the  west !  O  how  wretched  a  companion 
art  thou  !  ^^  But  wishes  shall  not  avail  you  on  this  day, 
since  ye  have  been  unjust:  for  ye  shall  be  partakers  of 
the  same  punishment.  ^^  Canst  thou,  O  prophet,  make 
the  deaf  to  hear,  or  canst  thou  direct  the  blind,  and  him 
who  is  in  a  manifest  error?  ^^  Whether  we  take  thee 
away,  we  will  surely  take  vengeance  on  them.  ^^  Or 
whether  we  cause  thee  to  see  the  punishment  with  which 
we  have  threatened  them  executed,  we  will  certainly 
prevail  over  them.  ^^  Wherefore  hold  fast  the  doctrine 
which  hath  been  revealed  unto  thee ;  for  thou  art  in  a 
right  way:  ^^and  it  is  a  memorial  unto  thee  and  thy 
people,  and  hereafter  shall  ye  be  examined  concerning 
your  observance  thereof.  ^^  And  ask  our  apostles  whom 
we  have  sent  before  thee,  whether  we  have  appointed 
gods  for  them  to  worship,  besides  the  Merciful.  '^^  We 
formerly  sent  Moses  with  our  signs  unto  Pharaoh  and 
his  princes,  and  he  said.  Verily  I  am  the  apostle  of  the 
Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  And  when  he  came  unto  them 
with  our  signs,  behold,  they  laughed  him  to  scorn: 
^^  although  we  shewed  them  no  sign,  but  it  was  greater 
than  the  other  :  and  we  inflicted  a  punishment  on  them, 
that  perad venture  they  might  be  converted.  ^^  And 
they  said  unto  Moses,  O  magician,  pray  unto  thy  Lord 
for  us,  according  to  the  covenant  which  he  hath  made 

35  Devils.~\     See  chap.  xix.  ver.  81,  &c.  is,  that   the  miracles  were  all  very  great 

43  Jsk  our  apostles  whom  we  have  sent  and  considerable,  or,  as  the  French  may 

before  theeJ]     That  is,  ask  those  who  pro-  express  it,  by  a  phrase  nearly  the  same, 

fess  the  religions  which  they  taught,  and  Les  uns  plus  grands  que  les  autres. 

tl)eir  learned  men  i.  —  A  punishment.']    Viz.  The  successive 

4(i  But  it  was  greater  than  the  other.]  plagues  which   they  suffered  previous  to 

Literally,    than  its  sister.     The  meaning  their  final  destruction  in  the  Red  Sea. 

*  Al  BeiddtVf  Jallah'ddinj  &c. 


xLiii.]  AL   KORAN.  311 

with  thee ;  for  we  will  certainly  be  directed.  ^^  But 
when  we  took  the  plague  from  off  them,  behold,  they 
brake  their  promise.  ^^  And  Pharaoh  made  procla- 
mation among  his  people,  saying,  O  my  people,  is  not 
the  kingdom  of  Egypt  mine,  and  these  rivers  which 
flow  beneath  me?  Do  ye  not  see?  ^^Am  not  I  better 
than  this  Moses  ;  ^^  who  is  a  contemptible  person,  and 
can  scarce  express  himself  intelligibly  ?  ^^  Have  brace- 
lets of  gold,  therefore,  been  put  upon  him,  or  do  the 
angels  attend  him  in  orderly  procession  ?  ^^  And  Pha- 
raoh persuaded  his  people  to  light  behaviour ;  and  they 
obeyed  him:  for  they  were  a  wicked  people.  ^^And 
when  they  had  provoked  us  to  wrath,  we  took  vengeance 
on  them,  and  we  drowned  them  all :  ^^  and  we  made  them 
a  precedent,  and  an  example  unto  others.  ^^  And  when 
the  son  of  Mary  was  proposed  for  an  example;  behold, 
the  people  cried  out  through  excess  of  joy  thereat ;  ^^  and 
they  said.  Are  our  gods  better,  or  he  ?  They  have  pro- 
posed this  instance  unto  thee  no  otherwise  than  for  an 
occasion  of  dispute ;  yea,  they  are  contentious  men. 
^^  Jesus  is  no  other  than  a  servant,  whom  we  favoured 
with  the  gift  of  prophecy ;  and  we  appointed  him  for  an 
example  unto  the  children  of  Israel  ^^  (if  we  pleased, 
verily  we  could  from  yourselves  produce  angels,  to  suc- 

49  These   rivers.']      To  wit,    the   Nile  gods  should  be  with  Jesus  ;  for  he  also  is 

and  its  branches  ^.  worshipped  as   God  ^.      Some,   however, 

51  Intelligihly,  &c.]  According  to  are  of  opinion, it  might  have  been  revealed 
the  Rabbins,  Moses  stuttered.  in  answer  to  certain   idolaters,  who  said 

52  Have  bracelets  of  gold  been  put  upon  that  the  Christians,  who  received  the  scrip- 
Am  ?]  Such  bracelets  were  some  of  the  tures,  worshipped  Jesus,  supposing  him 
insignia  of  royalty :  for  when  the  Egyp-  to  be  the  son  of  God  ;  whereas  the  angels 
tians  raised  a  person  to  the  dignity  of  a  were  more  worthy  of  that  honour  than 
prince,   they  put  a  collar  or  chain  of  gold  he  ^. 

about  his  neck  2,  and  bracelets  of  gold  on  58  An  example^]    Or  an  instance  of  our 

his  wrists  ^.  power,  by  his  miraculous  birth. 

56   When  the  son  of  Mary  was  proposed  59    We  could  from  yourselves  produce 

for   an  example ^    &c.]       This  passage   is  angels ^  &c.]     As  easily  as  we  produced 

generally  supposed  to  have  been  revealed  Jesus  without  a  father  ^     The  intent  of 

on  occasion  of  an  objection  made  by  one  the  word  is,  to  shew  how  just  and  reason- 

Ebn  al  Zabari  to  those  words  in  the  21st  able  it  is  to  think,  that  the  angels  should 

chapter  *,  by  which  all   in   general,  who  bear   the   relation   of    children    to    men, 

were  worshipped  as  deities,  besides  God,  rather  than  to  God  ;    they  being  his  crea- 

are  doomed  to  hell :  whereupon  the  infi-  tures,  as  well  as  men,  and  equally  in  his 

dels  cried  out,  We  are  contented  that  our  power. 


^  Al  Beiddwiy  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.  2  ggg  Genes,  xli.  42.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

JallaWddin.  *  Verse  98.  ^  Jallalo' ddin^  Al  Beiddwi. 

^   lidem.  ^  lidem. 


S12  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

ceed  you  in  the  earth:)  and  he  shall  be  a  sign  of  the 
approach  of  the  last  hour ;  wherefore  doubt  not  thereof. 
And  follow  me :  this  is  the  right  way.  ®^  And  let  not 
Satan  cause  you  to  turn  aside:  for  he  is  your  open 
enemy.  ^^  And  when  Jesus  came  with  evident  miracles, 
he  said,  Now  am  I  come  unto  you  with  wisdom,  and  to 
explain  unto  you  part  of  those  things  concerning  which 
ye  disagree :  wherefore  fear  God,  and  obey  me.  ^^  Verily 
God  is  my  Lord,  and  your  Lord;  wherefore  worship 
him:  this  is  the  right  way.  ^^And  the  confederated  sects 
among  them  fell  to  Tariance :  but  woe  unto  those  who 
have  acted  unjustly,  because  of  the  punishment  of  a 
grievous  day.  ^*  Do  the  unbelievers  wait  for  any  other 
than  the  hour  of  judgment ;  that  it  may  come  upon  them 
suddenly,  while  they  foresee  it  not?  ^^The  intimate 
friends,  on  that  day,  shall  be  enemies  unto  one  another ; 
except  the  pious.  ^^  O  my  servants,  there  shall  no  fear 
come  on  you  this  day,  neither  shall  ye  be  grieved ;  ^^  who 
have  believed  in  our  signs,  and  have  been  Moslems : 
^^  enter  ye  into  paradise,  ye  and  your  wives,  with  great 
joy.  ^^  Dishes  of  gold  shall  be  carried  round  unto  them, 
and  cups  without  handles :  and  therein  shall  they  enjoy 
whatever  their  souls  shall  desire,  and  whatever  their  eyes 
shall  delight  in :  and  ye  shall  remain  therein  for  ever. 
^^  This  is  paradise,  which  ye  have  inherited  as  a  reward  for 
that  which  ye  have  wrought.  ^^  Therein  shall  ye  have 
fruits  in  abundance,  of  which  ye  shall  eat.  '^^  But  the 
wicked  shall  remain  for  ever  in  the  torment  of  hell :  ^Mt 

59  He  shall  he  a  sign  of  the  approach  of  down  the  cross,  and  destroy  the  churches 
the  last  hour.']  For  some  time  before  the  of  the  Christians,  of  whom  he  will  also 
resurrection  Jesus  is  to  descend  on  earth,  make  a  general  slaughter,  excepting  only 
according  to  the  Mohammedans,  near  such  as  shall  profess  Islam,  &c.3 
Damascus  ^  or,  as  some  say,  near  a  rock  61  Now  am  I  come  unto  you  with  wis* 
in  the  Holy  Land,  named  Afik,  with  a  dom.']  That  is,  with  the  book  of  revela- 
lance  in  his  hand,  wherewith  he  is  to  kill  tions,  and  an  excellent  system  of  religion. 
Antichrist,  whom  he  will  encounter  at  63  The  confederated  sects  fell  to  vari- 
Ludd,  or  Lydda,  a  small  town  not  far  anceS]  This  may  be  understood  either  of 
from  Joppa^.  They  add,  that  he  will  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Jesus,  who  op- 
arrive  at  Jerusalem  at  the  time  of  morning  posed  his  doctrine,  or  of  the  Christians 
prayer,  that  he  shall  perform  his  devotions  since,  who  have  fallen  into  various  opinions 
after  the  Mohammedan  institution,  and  concerning  him ;  some  making  him  to  be 
officiate  instead  of  the  Imam,  who  shall  God,  others  the  son  of  God,  and  others 
give  place  to   him;    that   he    will   break  one  of  the  persons  of  the  Trinity,  &c.  ^. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  4.  ^  ggg  \\y\^^  3  ^i  Beiddwi, 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin, 


xLiii]  AL    KORAN.  313 

shall  not  be  made  lighter  unto  them ;  and  they  shall 
despair  therein.  ^^  We  deal  not  unjustly  with  them,  but 
they  deal  unjustly  with  their  own  souls.  ^^And  they 
shall  call  aloud,  saying,  O  Malec,  intercede  for  us,  that 
thy  Lord  would  end  us  by  annihilation.  He  shall  answer, 
Verily  ye  shall  remain  here  for  ever.  '^^  We  brought  you 
the  truth  heretofore,  but  the  greater  part  of  you  abhorred 
the  truth.  ^^  Have  the  infidels  fixed  on  a  method  to  circum- 
vent our  apostle  ?  Verily  w^e  will  fix  on  a  method  to 
circumvent  them.  ^^  Do  they  imagine  that  we  hear  not 
their  secrets,  and  their  private  discourse  ?  ^^  Yea ;  and 
our  messengers  who  attend  them  write  down  the  same. 
^^  Say,  If  the  Merciful  had  a  son,  verily  I  would  be  the 
first  of  those  who  should  worship  him.  ^*  Far  be  the 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  Lord  of  the  throne,  from 
that  which  they  aflSrm  of  him !  ^^  Wherefore  let  them 
wade  in  their  vanity,  and  divert  themselves  until  they 
arrive  at  their  day  with  which  they  have  been  threatened. 
^^  He  who  is  God  in  heaven,  is  God  in  earth  also  ;  and  he 
is  the  wise,  the  knowing.  ^^  And  blessed  be  he  unto 
whom  appertaineth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  of  whatever  is  between  them :  with  whom  is  the 
knowledge  of  the  last  hour ;  and  before  whom  ye  shall 
be  assembled.  ^^  They  whom  they  invoke  besides  him, 
have  not  the  privilege  to  intercede  for  others;  except 
those  who  bear  witness  to  the  truth  and  know  the  same. 
^^If  thou  ask  them  who  hath  created  them,  they  will 
surely  answer,  God.  How  therefore  are  they  turned  away 
to  the  worship  of  others  ?  God  also  heareth  the  saying 
of  the  prophet,  O  Lord,  verily  these  are  people  who  be- 
lieve not :  ^^  and  he  answereth,  Therefore  turn  aside  from 
them  ;  ^^  and  say,  Peace  :  hereafter  shall  they  know  their 
folly. 

75  0  Malec.~\    This  the  Mohammedans         85  Except  those  who  hear  witness  to  the 

suppose  to  be   the  name  of  the  principal  truth,  &c.]    That  is,  to    the   doctrine   of 

angel  who  has  the  charge  of  hell.  God's  unity.    The  exception  comprehends 

—  He  shall  answer^    Some    say   that  Jesus,    Ezra,   and   the    angels  ;  who   will 

this  answer  will  not  be  given  till  a  thou-  be  admitted  as  intercessors  though  they 

sand  years  after.  have  been  worshipped  as  gods  i. 

79  Our  messengers  who  attend  them.  ]         88  PeaceJ]  See  chap.  xxv.  verse  63. 
i.  e.  The  guardian  angels. 

1  Al  Beiddwij  Jallalo'ddin, 


314  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 

INTITLED,    smoke;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA, 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  H.  M.  ^  By  the  perspicuous  book  of  the  Koran  ; 
^  verily  we  have  sent  down  the  same  on  a  blessed  night, 
(for  we  had  engaged  so  to  do,)  ^  on  the  night  wherein  is 
distinctly  sent  down  the  decree  of  every  determined  thing, 
as  a  command  from  us.  ^  Verily  we  have  ever  used  to 
send  apostles  with  revelations,  at  proper  intervals  ;  ^  as  a 
mercy  from  thy  Lord  ;  for  it  is  he  who  heareth  and 
knoweth  :  ^  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  what- 
ever is  between  them ;  if  ye  are  men  of  sure  knowledge. 
^  There  is  no  God  but  he  :  he  giveth  life,  and  he  causeth 
to  die;  he  is  your  Lord,  and  the  Lord  of  your  fore- 
fathers. ^  Yet  do  they  amuse  themselves  with  doubt. 
^^  But  observe  them  on  the  day  whereon  the  heaven  shall 
produce  a  visible  smoke,    which   shall  cover  mankind : 

Title — smolce,^  This  word  occurs  in  this  the  divine  determinations  in  respect  to  re- 
page,  ligion  and   morality,    was    sent   down  ^ : 

Title — MeccaJ]  Some  except  the  verse  and  according  to  this  exposition  the  pas- 
beginning,  We  will  take  the  plague  off  you  sage  may  be  rendered,  The  night  whereon 
a  little,  &c.  every  determined  or  adjudged  matter  was 

1  H,  M,'\  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  3.  sent  down. 

3  A  blessed  night.j  Generally  supposed  10  When  the  heaven  shall  produce  a 
to  be  that  between  the  23rd  and  24th  of  visible  smoke,  &c.  The  commentators  dif- 
Ramadan.  See  chap,  xcvii.  and  the  notes  fer  in  their  expositions  of  this  passage, 
there.  Some  think  it  spoken  of  a  smoke  which 

4  The  night  wherein  is  distinctly  sent  seemed  to  fill  the  air  during  the  famine 
down  the  decree  of  every  determined  thing,  which  was  inflicted  on  the  Meccans  in  Mo- 
&c.]  For  annually  on  this  night,  as  the  hammed's  time  ^,  and  was  so  thick  that 
Mohammedans  are  taught,  all  the  events  though  they  could  hear,  yet  they  could 
of  the  ensuing  year,  with  respect  to  life  not  see  one  another  *.  But,  according  to 
and  death,  and  the  other  affairs  of  this  a  tradition  of  Ali,  the  smoke  here  meant  is 
world,  are  disposed  and  settled  ^  Some,  that  which  is  to  be  one  of  the  previous  signs 
howe\er,  suppose  that  these  words  refer  of  the  day  of  judgment^,  and  will  fill  the 
only  to  that  particular  night  on  which  the  whole  space  from  east  to  west,  and  last  for 
Koran,  wherein   are  completely  contained  forty  days.     This  smoke,  they  say,   will 

*  Jallald' ddin,  Al  Beiddtvi.  ^  lidem.  ^  See  chap,  xxiii.  verse  66. 

*  Al  Zamakh.    Al  Beiddwi,   Yahya,  Jallalo' ddin>  J*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 

8 


xLiv.]  AL  KORAN.  315 

^^  this  will  be  a  tormenting  plague.  ^^  They  shall  say,  O 
Lord  take  this  plague  from  off  us  :  verily  we  will  become 
true  believers.  ^^  How  should  an  admonition  be  of  avail 
to  them  in  this  condition  ?  ^^  when  a  manifest  apostle 
came  unto  them,  but  they  retired  from  him,  saying, 
This  man  is  instructed  by  others,  or  is  a  distracted  person. 
^^  We  will  take  the  plague  from  off  you  a  little  :  but  ye 
will  certainly  return  to  your  infidelity.  ^^On  the  day 
whereon  we  shall  fiercely  assault  them  with  great  powe  r, 
verily  we  will  take  vengeance  on  them.  ^^  We  made  trial 
of  the  people  of  Pharaoh  before  them,  and  an  honour- 
able messenger  came  unto  them,  ^^  saying,  Send  unto  me 
the  servants  of  God  ;  verily  I  am  a  faithful  messenger 
unto  you :  ^^  and  lift  not  yourselves  up  against  God  :  for  I 
come  unto  you  with  manifest  power.  ^^  And  I  fly  for 
protection  unto  my  Lord,  and  your  Lord,  that  ye  stone 
me  not.  ^^  If  ye  do  not  believe  me,  at  least  depart  from 
me.  ^^And  when  they  accused  him  of  imposture,  he 
called  upon  his  Lord,  saying,  These  are  a  wicked  people. 
^^  And  God  said  unto  him,  March  forth  with  my  servants 
by  night ;  for  ye  will  be  pursued  :  ^*  and  leave  the  sea 
divided,  that  the  Egyptians  may  enter  the  same ;  for 
they  are  a  host  doomed  to  be  drowned.  ^^  How  many 
gardens,  and  fountains ;  ^^  and  fields  of  corn,  and  fair 
dwellings,  ^^  and  advantages  which  they  enjoyed,  did  they 
leave  behind  them  !   ^^  Thus  we  dispossessed  them  thereof; 


intoxicate  the  infidels,  and  issue  at  their  days,  at  the  prayer  of  the  infidels,  and  on 

nose,    ears,  and   posteriors  ;  but  will  very  their  promise  of  receiving  the  true  faith  ; 

little  incommode  the  true  believers  ^  which  being  done,  they  will  immediately 

14  By  others.']  See  chap.  xvi.  verse  103.  return  to  their  wonted  obstinacy. 

15  We  will  take  the  plague  from  off  16  Ow  the  day  whereon  we  shall  fiercely 
you  a  little :  hut  ye  will  certainly  return  assaiilt  them  with  great  power.]  Some  ex- 
to  your  infidelity.']  If  we  follow  the  for-  pound  this  of  the  slaughter  at  Bedr ;  and 
mer  exposition,  the  words  are  to  be  un-  others  of  the  day  of  judgment, 
derstood  of  the  ceasing  of  the  famine,  18  Send  unto  me  the  servants  of  God.] 
upon  the  intercession  of  Mohammed,  at  i.  e.  Let  the  Israelites  go  with  me  to  wor- 
the   desire    of  the  Koreish,  and  on  their  ship  their  God, 

promise   of  believing  on   him  :    notwith-  20  That  ye  stone  me  not.]     Or  that  ye 

standing  which  they  fell  back  to  their  old  injure  me  not,  either  by  word  or  deed  2. 

incredulity;  but  if  we  follow  the    latter  21  Depart  from  me.]    Without  opposing 

exposition,  they  are  to  be   understood   of  me,   or  offering  me  any  injury,  which  I 

God's  taking    away    the   plague  of   the  have  not  deserved  from  you. 
smoke,  after  the  expiration  of  the  forty 


1    Al  ZamaJch.  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Beiddwiy 


S16  AL    KORAN.  [chaf. 

and  we  gavS'tli^  same  for  an  inheritance  unto  another 
people.  ^^  Neither  heaven  nor  earth  wept  for  them ; 
neither  were  they  respited  any  longer.  ^^  And  we  de- 
livered the  children  of  Israel  from  a  shameful  affliction ; 
^'  from  Pharaoh  ;  for  he  was  haughty,  and  a  transgres- 
sor :  ^^  and  we  chose  them  knowingly,  above  all  people ; 
^^  and  we  shewed  them  several  signs,  wherein  was  an 
evident  trial.  ^^  Verily  these  Meccans  say.  Assuredly 
our  final  end  will  be  no  other  than  our  first  natural  death; 
neither  shall  we  be  raised  again ;  ^^  bring  now  our  fore- 
fathers back  to  life,  if  ye  speak  truth :  ^^  Are  they  better, 
or  the  people  of  Tobba,  and  those  who  were  before  them? 
we  destroyed  them,  because  they  wrought  wickedness. 
^^We  have  not  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  what- 
ever is  between  them,  by  way  of  sport :  ^^  we  have  created 
them  no  otherwise  than  in  truth  ;  but  the  greater  part  of 
them  do  not  understand.  ^^  Verily  the  day  of  separation 
shall  be  the  appointed  term  of  them  all ;  ^^  a  day  whereon 
the  master  and  the  servant  shall  be  of  no  advantage  to 
one  another,  neither  shall  they  be  helped ;  ^^  excepting 
those  on  whom  God  shall  have  mercy :  for  he  is  the 
mighty,  the  merciful.  ^^  Verily  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
Al  Zakkum  shall  be  the  food  of  the  impious :  ^^  as  the 
dregs  of  oil  shall  it  boil  in  the  bellies  of  the  damned, 
^^  like  the  boiling  of  the  hottest  water.  ^"^  And  it  shall  be 
said  to  the  tormentors,  ^^  Take  him,  and  drag  him  into 

28  Another  peopled]     See    chap.  xxvi.     but  his  subjects  were  infidels  ^ 

verse  60.  This  prince  seems  to  have  been  Abu 

29  Neither  heaven  nor  earth  wept  for  Garb  Asaad,  who  flourished  about  seven 
them.']  That  is,  none  pitied  their  destruction,     hundred  years  before  Mohammed,  and  em- 

32  Knowingly.]  i.  e.  Knowing  that  they  braced  Judaism,  which  religion  he  first 
were  worthy  of  our  choice ;  or,  notwith-  introduced  into  Yaman,  (being  the  true 
standing  we  knew  they  would  in  time  to  religion  at  that  time,  inasmuch  as  Chris- 
come  fall  into  idolatry,  &c.  tianity  was   not  then   promulgated,)  and 

33  Several  signs.]  As  the  dividing  of  was  for  that  cause,  probably,  slain  by  his 
the    Red    Sea ;  the   cloud    which   shaded  own  people  *. 

them;  the  raining   on   them  manna  and  37  Sport,  &c.]  See  chap.  xxi.  verse  16, 

quails,  &c.  ^.  and  chap,  xxxviii.  verse  29. 

36  The   people   of   Tobba.]     Viz.    The  39  The  day  of  separation.]     i.  e.  The 

Hamyarites,  whose  kings  had  the  title  of  day  of  judgment,  when  the  wicked  shall 

Tobba  2.     The  commentators  tell  us  that  be  separated  from  the  righteous,  &c. 

the  Tobba  here  meant  was  very  potent,  and  42  The  impious.]    Jallalo'ddin  supposes 

built  Samarcand,  or  as  others  say,  demo-  this   passage   to   have    been    particularly 

iished  it;  and  that  he  was  a  true  believer,  levelled  against  Abu  Jabl. 


*  Jl  Beiddwi.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin- 

*  Al  Jannabi.  V.  Poc.  Spec.  p.  60. 


XLV.]  AL   KORAN.  317 

the  midst  of  hell :  ^^and  pour  on  his  head  the  torture  of 
boiling  water,  ^^  saying,  Taste  this;  for  thou  art  that  mighty 
and  honourable  person.  ^^  Verily  this  is  the  punishment  of 
which  ye  doubted.  ^^  But  the  pious  shall  be  lodged  in  a 
place  of  security,  ^^  among  gardens  and  fountains :  ^^  they 
shall  be  clothed  in  fine  silk,  and  in  satin  ;  and  they  shall 
sit  facing  one  another.  ^^  Thus  shall  it  be ;  and  we  will 
espouse  them  to  fair  damsels,  having  large  black  eyes. 
^^  In  that  place  shall  they  call  for  all  kinds  of  fruits,  in 
full  security ;  ^^  they  shall  not  taste  death  therein,  after 
the  first  death:  and  God  shall  deliver  them  from  the 
pains  of  hell :  ^^  through  the  gracious  bounty  of  thy  Lord. 
This  will  be  great  felicity.  ^^  Moreover  we  have  rendered 
the  Koran  easy  for  thee,  by  revealing  it  in  thine  own 
tongue:  to  the  end  that  they  may  be  admonished.  ^^  Where- 
fore do  thou  wait  the  event ;  for  they  wait  to  see  some 
misfortune  befall  thee. 


CHAPTER    XLV. 

INTITLED,    THE    KNEELING  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 


■■>«?"' 


^  H.  M.  ^  The  revelation  of  this  book  is  from  the  mighty, 
the  wise  God.  ^  Verily  both  in  heaven  and  earth  are 
signs  of  the  divine  power  unto  the  true  believers :  ^  and 
in  the  creation  of  yourselves,  and  of  the  beasts  which  are 
scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  are  signs  unto  people 
of  sound  judgment ;  ^  and  also  in  the  vicissitude  of  night 
and  day,  and  the  rain  which  God  sendeth  down  from 
heaven,  whereby  he  quickeneth  the  earth  after  it  hath 
been  dead :  in  the  change  of  the  winds  also  are  signs  unto 
people  of  understanding.  ^  These  are  the  signs  of  God  : 
we  rehearse  them  unto  thee  with  truth.  In  what  revela- 
tion therefore  will  they  believe,  after  they  have  rejected 
God  and  his  signs  ?     ^  Woe  unto  every  lying  and  impious 

Title — kneeling,']  The  word  from  which         1  H,   M,]     See  the   Preliminary  Dis^ 
this  chapter  is  denominated,  occurs  verse  27.     course  §  iii. 


318  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

person ;  ^  who  heareth  the  signs  of  God,  which  are  read 
unto  him,  and  afterwards  proudly  persisteth  in  infidelity, 
as  though  he  heard  them  not :  (denounce  unto  him  a  pain- 
ful punishment :)  ^  and  who,  when  he  cometh  to  the 
knowledge  of  any  of  our  signs,  receiveth  the  same  with 
scorn.  ^^  For  these  is  prepared  a  shameful  punishment : 
before  them  lieth  hell ;  and  whatever  they  shall  have 
gained  shall  not  avail  them  at  all ;  neither  shall  the  idols 
which  they  have  taken  for  their  patrons,  besides  God  :  and 
they  shall  suffer  a  grievous  punishment.  ^^  This  is  a  true 
direction :  and  for  those  who  disbelieve  the  signs  of  their 
Lord,  is  prepared  the  punishment  of  a  painful  torment. 
^^  It  is  God  who  hath  subjected  the  sea  unto  you,  that  the 
ships  may  sail  therein  at  his  command  ;  and  that  ye  may 
seek  advantage  unto  yourselves  by  commerce,  of  his 
bounty ;  and  that  ye  may  give  thanks  :  ^^  and  he  obligeth 
whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on  earth  to  serve  you;  the 
whole  being  from  him.  Verily  herein  are  signs  unto 
people  who  consider.  ^^  Speak  unto  the  true  believers, 
that  they  forgive  those  who  hope  not  for  the  days  of  God, 
that  he  may  reward  people  according  to  what  they  shall 
have  wrought.  ^^  Whoso  doth  that  which  is  right,  doth  it 
to  the  advantage  of  his  own  soul ;  and  whoso  doth  evil, 
doth  it  against  the  same :  hereafter  shall  ye  return  unto 
your  Lord.  ^^  We  gave  unto  the  children  of  Israel  the 
book  of  the  law,  and  wisdom,  and  prophecy ;  and  we  fed 
them  with  good  things,  and  preferred  them  above  all 
nations :  ^^  and  we  gave  them  plain  ordinances  concerning 
the  business  of  religion ;  neither  did  they  fall  to  variance, 
except  after  that  knowledge  had  come  unto  them,  through 
envy  amongst  themselves  :  but  thy  Lord  will  decide  the 
controversy  between  them  on  the  day  of  resurrection, 
concerning  that  wherein  they  disagree.  ^^  Afterwards  we 
appointed  thee,  O  Mohammed,  to  promulgate  a  law  con- 

14  Speak  unto  the  true  believers,  that  they  to  revenge  himself  by  force.     Some  are  of 

forgive  those  who  hope  not  for  the  days  of  opinion  that  this  verse  is  abrogated  by  that 

God,  &c.]     By  the  days  of  God,  in  this  of  War 2. 

place,  are  meant  the  prosperous  successes         18  Follow  not  the  desires  of  the  ignorant,"] 

of  his  people  in  battle  against  the  infidels  *.  That   is,   of  the  principal    Koreish,  who 

The  passage  is  said  to  have  been  revealed  were  urgent  with  Mohammed  to  return  to 

on  account  of  Omar,  who,  being  reviled  by  the  religion  of  his  forefathers  ^, 
one  of  the  tribe  of  Ghitfar,  was  thinking 

*  See  chap.  xiv.  verse  6.  ^  ^i  Beiddwi.  '  Idem. 


XLV.]  A  L    KORAN.  319 

cerning  the  business  of  religion ;  wherefore  follow  the 
same,  and  follow  not  the  desires  of  those  who  are  igno- 
rant. ^^  Verily  they  shall  not  avail  thee  against  God  at 
all :  the  unjust  are  the  patrons  of  one  another ;  but  God 
is  the  patron  of  the  pious.  ^^  This  Koran  delivereth 
evident  precepts  unto  mankind ;  and  is  a  direction,  and  a 
mercy,  unto  people  who  judge  aright.  ^^  Do  the  workers 
of  iniquity  imagine  that  we  will  deal  with  them  as  with 
those  who  believe  and  do  good  works ;  so  that  their  life  and 
their  death  shall  be  equal?  An  ill  judgment  do  they 
make.  ^^  God  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  in 
truth  ;  that  he  may  recompense  every  soul  according  to 
that  which  it  shall  have  wrought :  and  they  shall  not  be 
treated  unjustly.  ^^  What  thinkest  thou  ?  He  who  taketh 
his  own  lust  for  his  God,  and  whom  God  causeth  know- 
ingly to  err,  and  whose  ears  and  w^hose  heart  he  hath 
sealed  up,  and  over  whose  eyes  he  hath  cast  a  veil ;  who 
shall  direct  him,  after  God  shall  have  forsaken  him  ?  Will 
ye  not  therefore  be  admonished  ?  ^^  They  say.  There  is 
no  other  life,  except  our  present  life  :  we  die,  and  we  live ; 
and  nothing  but  time  destroyeth  us.  But  they  have  no 
knowledge  in  this  matter ;  they  only  follow  a  vain  opinion, 
^^  And  when  our  evident  signs  are  rehearsed  unto  them, 
their  argument  which  they  offer  against  the  same,  is  no 
other  than  that  they  say.  Bring  to  life  our  fathers  who 
have  been  dead  ;  if  ye  speak  truth.  ^^  Say,  God  giveth 
you  life  ;  and  afterwards  causeth  you  to  die :  hereafter 
will  he  assemble  you  together  on  the  day  of  resurrection ; 
there  is  no  doubt  thereof;  but  the  greater  part  of  men  do 
not  understand.  '^^  Unto  God  appertaineth  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  the  day  whereon  the  hour 
shall  be  fixed,  on  that  day  shall  those  who  charge  the 
Koran  with  vanity  perish.  ^^  And  thou  shalt  see  every 
nation  kneeling :  every  nation  shall  be  called  unto  its 
book  of  account;  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  This 
day  shall  ye  be  rewarded  according  to  that  which  ye  have 
wrought.  ^^  This  our  book  will  speak  concerning  you  with 
truth:  therein  have  we  written  down  whatever  ye  have 

28  Every  nation.']     The  original  word         29  See  the   Prelim.   Disc.  §  iv.  for  the 
Ommat  properly  signifies  a  jjeop/g  who  pro-     account  of  the  book  in  which  the  misdeedi 
fess  one  and  the  same  law  or  religion,  of  sinners  are  recorded. 


320  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

done.  ^^As  to  those  who  shall  have  believed,  and  done 
good  works,  their  Lord  shall  lead  them  into  his  mercy: 
this  shall  be  manifest  felicity.  ^^  But  as  to  the  infidels,  it 
shall  be  said  unto  them,  Were  not  my  signs  rehearsed 
unto  you  ?  but  ye  proudly  rejected  them,  and  became  a 
wicked  people.  ^^  And  when  it  was  said  unto  you.  Verily 
the  promise  of  God  is  true :  and  as  to  the  hour  of  judg- 
ment, there  is  no  doubt  thereof:  ye  answered.  We  know 
not  what  the  hour  of  judgment  is  :  we  hold  an  uncertain 
opinion  only ;  and  we  are  not  well  assured  of  this  matter. 
^^  But  on  that  day  the  evils  of  that  which  they  have 
wrought  shall  appear  unto  them ;  and  that  which  they 
mocked  at,  shall  encompass  them :  ^*  and  it  shall  be  said 
unto  them.  This  day  will  we  forget  you,  as  ye  did  forget 
the  meeting  of  this  your  day :  and  your  abode  shall  be 
hell-fire  ;  and  ye  shall  have  none  to  deliver  you.  ^^  This 
shall  ye  suffer,  because  ye  turned  the  signs  of  God  to 
ridicule ;  and  the  life  of  the  world  deceived  you.  On  this 
day,  therefore,  they  shall  not  be  taken  forth  from  thence ; 
neither  shall  they  be  asked  any  more  to  render  themselves 
well-pleasing  unto  God.  ^^  Wherefore  praise  be  unto 
God,  the  Lord  of  the  heavens,  and  the  Lord  of  the 
earth ;  the  Lord  of  all  creatures ;  ^'^  and  unto  him  be 
glory  in  heaven  and  earth  ;  for  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise 
Gop  ! 


CHAPTER    XLVL 

INTITLED,    AL    AHKAF  ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XXVI.]  ^  H.  M.  2  The  revelation  of  this  book  is 
from  the  mighty,  the  wise  God.  ^  We  have  not  created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  whatever  is  between  them, 

Title — Al  Jhlcdf.]     Al    Ahkaf  is    the  in  the  province  of  Hadramaut,  where  the 

plural  of  Hekf,  and  signifies  sands  which  Adites  dwelt.     It  is  mentioned  verse  2L 
lie  in  a  crooked   and  winding   manner ;         I  H.  M,]     See  the   Prelim.  Discourse, 

whence  it  became  the  name  of  a  territory  §  iii. 


xLVi.]  AL    KORAN.  321 

otherwise  than  in  truth,  and  for  a  determined  period : 
but  the  unbelievers  turn  away  from  the  warning  which  is 
given  them.     ^  Say,  What  think  ye  ?  Shew  me  what  part 
of  the  earth  the  idols  which  ye  invoke,  besides  God,  have 
created  ?    Or  had  they  any  share  in  the  creation  of  the 
heavens  ?    Bring  me  a  book  of  scripture  revealed  before 
this,   or  some  footstep  of  ancient  knowledge,  to  counte- 
nance your  idolatrous  practices  ;  if  ye  are  men  of  veracity. 
^  Who  is  in  a  wider  error  than  he  who  invoketh,  besides 
God,  that  which  cannot  return  him  an  answer,  to  the 
day  of  resurrection  ;  and  idols   w^hich  regard   not  their 
calling  on  them  ;  ^  and  which,  when  men  shall  be  gathered 
together  to  judgment,  will  become   their  enemies,  and 
will  ungratefully  deny  their  worship  ?    ^  When  our  evident 
signs  are  rehearsed  unto  them,  the  unbelievers  say  of  the 
truth,  when  it  cometh  unto  them.   This  is    a  manifest 
piece   of  sorcery.      ^  Will   they   say,    Mohammed    hath 
forged  it  ?    Answer,  If  I  have  forged  it,  verily  ye  shall 
not  obtain  for  me  any  favour  from  God  :  he  well  knoweth 
the  injurious  language  which  ye  utter  concerning  it :  ho 
is  a  sufficient  witness  between  me  and  you ;   and  he  is 
gracious  and  merciful.      ^  Say,  I  am  not  singular  among 
the  apostles  ;   neither  do  I  know  what  will  be  done  with 
me  or  with  you  hereafter :   I  follow  no  other  than  what  is 
revealed  unto  me  ;  neither  am  I  any  more  than  a  public 
Warner.     ^^  Say,  What  is  your  opinion  ?    If  this  book  be 
from  God,  and  ye  believe  not  therein ;   and  a  witness  of 
the  children  of  Israel  bear  witness  to  its  consonancy 
with   the    law,   and  believeth  therein :    and  ye  proudly 
reject  the  same :    are  ye  not  unjust  doers  ?    Verily  God 
directeth  not  unjust  people.     ^^  But  those  who  believe 

3    Truth.']        See    chapter    xxi.    verse  what  they  could  not:  particularly  to  shew 

16.  the  signs  which  every  one  shall  think  fit 

—  For  a  determined  period.]     Being  to  to  demand  ^. 
last  but  a  certain  space  of  time,  and  not  for         ^0  If  a  witness  of  the  children  of  Israel 

ever.  bear  witness  of  its  consonancy  with  the  law, 

7   The  truth.]     i:  e.  Any  part  of  the  &;c.]     This  witness  is  generally  supposed 

revelations  of  the  Koran.  to   have    been     the    Jew   Abd'allah    Ebn 

9  I  am  not  singular  among  the  apostles.]  Salam,  who  declared  that  Mohammed  was 

That  is,  I  do  not  teach  a  doctrine  different  the    prophet   foretold   by   Moses,     Some, 

from  what  the  former  apostles  and  pro-  however,  suppose  the  witness  here  meant 

phets  have  taught :  nor  am  I  able  to  do  to  have  been  Moses  himself  2. 


^  Al  Beiddwi.  2  l^lem,  Jallalo' ddin, 

VOL.  II.  Y 


322  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

not,  say  of  the  true  believers.  If  the  doctrine  of  the 
Koran  had  been  good,  they  had  not  embraced  the  same 
before  us.  And  when  they  are  not  guided  thereby,  they 
say.  This  is  an  antiquated  lie.  ^^  Whereas  the  book  of 
Moses  was  revealed  before  the  Koran,  to  be  a  guide  and 
a  mercy :  and  this  is  a  book  confirming  the  same,  delivered 
in  the  Arabic  tongue  ;  to  denounce  threats  unto  those 
who  act  unjustly,  and  to  bear  good  tidings  unto  the 
righteous  doers.  ^^  As  to  those  who  say.  Our  Lord  is 
God  ;  and  who  behave  uprightly :  on  them  shall  no  fear 
come ;  neither  shall  they  be  grieved.  ^^  These  shall  be 
the  inhabitants  of  paradise ;  they  shall  remain  therein  for 
ever :  in  recompense  for  that  which  they  have  wrought. 
^^  We  have  commanded  man  to  shew  kindness  to  his 
parents  :  his  mother  beareth  him  in  her  womb  with  pain, 
and  bringeth  him  forth  with  pain :  and  the  space  of  his 
being  carried  in  her  womb,  and  of  his  weaning,  is  thirty 
months ;  until,  when  he  attaineth  his  age  of  strength, 
and  attaineth  the  age  of  forty  years,  he  saith,  O  Lord, 
excite  me,  by  thy  inspiration,  that  I  may  be  grateful  for 
thy  favours,  wherewith  thou  hast  favoured  me  and  my 
parents :  and  that  I  may  work  righteousness,  which  may 
please  thee :  and  be  gracious  unto  me  in  my  issue ;  for  I 
am  turned  unto  thee,  and  am  a  Moslem.  ^^  These  are 
they  from  whom  we  accept  the  good  work  which  they 
have  wrought,  and  whose  evil  works  we  pass  by ;  and 
they  shall  be  among  the  inhabitants  of  paradise :  this  is  a 
true  promise,  which  they  are   promised   in  this  world. 

1 1  If  the  doctrine  of  the  Koran  had  been  remain  but  six  months  for  the  space  of  his 
good^  they  had  not  embraced  the  same  being  carried  in  the  womb  ;  which  is  the 
before  us  J]  These  w^ords  were  spoken,  as  least  that  can  be  allowed^, 
some  think,  by  the  Jews,  when  Abd'allah  —  He  saith,  &c.]  These  words,  it  is 
professed  Islam ;  or,  according  to  others,  said,  were  revealed  on  account  of  Abu 
by  the  Koreish  ;  because  the  first  followers  Beer,  who  professed  Islam  in  the  fortieth 
of  Mohammed  were  for  the  most  part  poor  year  of  his  age,  two  years  after  Moham- 
and  mean  people ;  or  else  by  the  tribes  of  med's  mission  ;  and  was  the  only  person, 
Amer,  Ghatfan,  and  Asad,  on  the  conver-  either  of  the  Mohajerin,  or  the  Ansars, 
sion  of  those  of  Joheinah,  Mozeinah,  As--  whose  father  and  mother  were  also  con- 
lam,  and  Ghifar  ^.  verted  :   his   son   Abd'alrahman,    and  his 

15  Thirty  months.']     At  the  least.     For  grandson  Abu  Atik,   likewise   embracing 

if  the  full  time  of  suckling  an  infant  be  the  same  faith  *. 
two  years  ^,  or  twenty-four  months,  there 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  See  chap.  ii.  verse  234.  *  Al  Beiddwi. 

,  ^  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin  ,  &c. 

1 


xLvi.]  AL   KORAN.  Sg; 


^^  He  who  saitli  unto  his  parents,  Fie  on  you!  Do  ye 
promise  me  that  I  shall  be  taken  forth  from  the  grave, 
and  restored  to  life ;  when  many  generations  have  passed 
away  before  me,  and  none  of  them  have  returned  back  ? 
And  his  parents  implore  God's  assistance,  and  sa}^  to 
their  son,  Alas  for  thee !  Believe :  for  the  promise  of 
God  is  true.  But  he  answereth,  This  is  no  other  than 
silly  fables  of  the  ancients.  ^^  These  are  they  whom  the 
sentence  passed  on  the  nations  which  have  been  before 
them,  of  genii  and  of  men,  justly  fitteth  :  they  shall 
surely  perish.  ^^  For  every  one  is  prepared  a  certain 
degree  of  happiness  or  misery  according  to  that  which 
they  shall  have  wrought ;  that  God  may  recompense 
them  for  their  works :  and  they  shall  not  be  treated 
unjustly.  ^^  On  a  certain  day,  the  unbelievers  shall  be 
exposed  before  the  fire  of  hell ;  and  it  shall  be  said  unto 
them,  Ye  received  your  good  things  in  your  lifetime, 
while  ye  were  in  the  world ;  and  ye  enjoyed  yourselves 
therein:  wherefore  this  day  ye  shall  be  rewarded  with 
the  punishment  of  ignominy ;  for  that  ye  behaved  inso- 
lently in  the  earth,  without  justice,  and  for  that  ye 
transgressed.  ^^  Remember  the  brother  of  Ad,  when  he 
preached  unto  his  people  in  al  Ahkaf,  (and  there  were 
preachers  before  him,  and  after  him,)  saying.  Worship 
none  but  God  :  verily  I  fear  for  you  the  punishment  of  a 
great  day.  ^^  They  answered,  Art  thou  come  unto  us 
that  thou  mayest  turn  us  aside  from  the  worship  of  our 
gods  ?  Bring  on  us  now  the  punishment  with  which  thou 
threatenest  us,  if  thou  art  a  man  of  veracity.  ^^  He  said. 
Verily  the  knowledge  of  the  time  when  your  punishment 
will  be  inflicted  is  with  God  ;  and  I  only  declare  unto 
you  that  which  I  am  sent  to  preach  ;  but  I  see  ye  are  an 
ignorant  people.  ^*  And  when  they  saw  the  preparation 
made  for  their  punishment,  namely,  a  cloud  traversing 

17  He  who  saith  to  his  parents,  Fie  on         18  They  shall  surely  perish."]     Unless 

yoUf  &c.]     The  words  seem  to  be  gene-  they   redeem    their   fault  by  repentance, 

ral :  but  it  is  said  they  were  revealed  par-  and   embracing    the    true  faith  ;    as    did 

ticularly    on    occasion   of    Abd'alrahman,  Abd'alrahman. 

the   son    of   Abu  Beer;    who  used   these         21   The  brother  of  J  d,]     i.e.  The  pro- 
expressions  to  his  father  and  mother  before  phet  Hud. 
he  professed  Islam  1. 


»  A I  Beiddwi. 


y  2 


324  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

the  sky,  and  tending  towards  their  valleys,  they  said,  This 
,tl  a  traversing  cloud,  which  bringeth  us  rain.  Hud 
answered,  Nay  ;  it  is  what  ye  demanded  to  be  hastened  : 
a  wind,  wherein  is  a  severe  vengeance:  ^Mt  will  destroy 
evety  thing,  at  the  command  of  its  Lord.  And  in  the 
morning  nothing  was  to  be  seen,  besides  their  empty 
dwellings.  Thus  do  we  reward  wicked  people.  ^^  We 
had  established  them  in  the  like  flourishing  condition 
wherein  we  have  established  you,  O  men  of  Mecca  ;  and 
we  had  given  them  ears,  and  eyes,  and  hearts :  yet 
neither  their  ears,  nor  their  eyes,  nor  their  hearts,  profited 
them  at  all,  when  they  rejected  the  signs  of  God  ;  but 
the  vengeance  which  they  mocked  at  fell  upon  them. 
^^  We  heretofore  destroved  the  cities  which  were  round 
about  you;  and  we  variously  proposed  our  signs  unto 
them,  that  they  might  repent.  ^^  Did  those  protect  them 
whom  they  took  for  gods,  besides  God,  and  imagined  to 
be  honoured  with  his  familiarity?  Nay;  they  withdrew 
from  them :  yet  this  was  their  false  opinion  w^hich 
seduced  them,  and  the  blasphemy  which  they  had  devised. 
^^  Remember  when  we  caused  certain  of  the  genii  to 
turn  aside  unto  thee,  that  they  might  hear  the  Koran  : 
and  when  they  were  present  at  the  reading  of  the 
same,  they  said  to  one  another.  Give  ear:  and  when 
it  was  ended,  they  returned  back  unto  their  people, 
preaching  what  they  had  heard.  ^^  They  said.  Our 
people,  verily  we  have  heard  a  book  read  uiito  us, 
which  hath  been  revealed  since  Moses,  confirming 
the  scripture  which  was  delivered  before  it ;  and  direct- 
ing unto  the  truth,  and  the  right  way.     ^^  Our   people, 

25    It  will  destroy   every   thing,   filcc]  according  to    different   opinions,  were  of 

Which  came  to  pass  accordingly :  for  this  Nisibin,  or  of  Yaman,   or  of  Ninive  ;  and 

pestilential  and  violent  wind  killed  all  who  in  number  nine,    or  seven.     They  heard 

believed  not  in  the  doctrine  of  Hud,  with-  Mohammed  reading  the  Koran  by  night, 

out  distinction  of  sex,  age,  or  degree  ;  and  or  after  the  morning  prayer,  in  the  valley 

entirely  destroyed  their  possessions.     See  of  al   Nakhlah,  during   the  time    of  his 

the  Prelim.  Disc.    §  i.  and  the  notes  to  retreat    to    al    Tayef,    and    believed   on 

chap.  vii.  verse  7^.  him  ^. 
II"  27   The  cities  which  were  round  about         30    A    book  which   hath    been  revealed 

,  you,']     As  the  settlements  of  the  Thamud-  since   Moses.]     Hence  the   commentators 

ites,  Midianites,  and  the  cities  of  Sodom  suppose  those  genii,  before  their  conver- 

and  Gomorrah,  &c.  sion  to  Mohammedism,  to  have  been   of 

29  Certain  of  the  genii.]     These  genii,  the  Jewish  religion. 

'■  .tiUhi  mir m  ''Hii  ^r.,  ' ~~~^nmW 

"^di    98ocfqii.     ,.,iv.^.      lmsh%\^i}M.'BeiddwifJallalor4dif^f     ,,     ri'jiiu?       t^V    ^ji;~iiii^ 


xLvii.]  AL    KORAN.  325 

obey  God's  preacher :  and  believe  in  him  ;  that  he  may 
forgive  you  your  sins,  and  may  deliver  you  from  a  painful 
punishment.  ^^  And  whoever  obeyeth  not  God's  preacher, 
shall  by  no  means  frustrate  God's  vengeance  on  earth : 
neither  shall  he  have  any  protectors  besides  him.  These 
will  be  in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  Do  they  not  know  that  God, 
who  hath  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  was  not 
fatigued  with  the  creation  thereof,  is  able  to  raise  the 
dead  to  life  ?  Yea  verily :  for  he  is  almighty.  ^^  On  a 
certain  day  the  unbelievers  shall  be  exposed  unto  hell-fire ; 
and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  Is  not  this  really  come  to 
pass  ?  They  shall  answer.  Yea,  by  our  Lord.  God  shall 
reply,  Taste,  therefore,  the  punishment  of  hell,  for  that 
ye  have  been  unbelievers.  ^^  Do  thou,  O  prophet,  bear 
the  insults  of  thy  people  with  patience,  as  our  apostles, 
who  were  endued  with  constancy,  bare  the  injuries  of  their 
people  :  and  require  not  their  punishment  to  be  hastened 
unto  them.  On  the  day  whereon  they  shall  see  the 
punishment  wherewith  they  have  been  threatened,  it  shall 
seem  as  though  they  had  tarried  in  the  world  but  an  hour 
of  a  day.  This  is  a  fair  warning.  Shall  any  perish  ex- 
cept the  people  who  transgress  ? 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

INTITLED,    MOHAMMED  ;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  GOD  will  render  of  none  effect  the  works  of  those  who 
believe  not,  and  who  turn  away  men  from  the  way  of 
God  :  ^  but  as  to  those  who  believe,  and  work  righteous- 
ness, and  believe  in  the  revelation  which  hath  been  sent 
down  unto  Mohammed,  (for  it  is  the  truth  from  their 
Lord,)  he  will  expiate  their  evil  deeds  from  them,  and 
'will  dispose  their  heart  aright.     ^  This  will  he  do,  because 

Title — Mohammed.~\     Some   intitle   this     the  enemies  of  the  Mohammedan  faith, 
chapter   War;     which     is    therein     com-  Title  —  Medi?ia.~\      Some    suppose    the 

manded  to  be  vigorously  carried  on  against     whole  to  have  been  revealed  at  Mecca. 


326  AL  KORAN.  [chap, 

those  who  believe  not  follow  vanity,  and  because  those 
who  believe  follow  the  truth  from  their  Lord.  Thus  God 
propoundeth  unto  men  their  examples.  ^  When  ye  en- 
counter the  unbelievers,  strike  off  their  heads,  until 
ye  have  made  a  great  slaughter  among  them ;  and  bind 
them  in  bonds  :  and  either  give  them  a  free  dismission 
afterwards,  or  exact  a  ransom ;  until  the  war  shall  have 
laid  down  its  arms.  ^  This  shall  ye  do.  Verily  if  God 
pleased,  he  could  take  vengeance  on  them  without  your 
assistance ;  but  he  commandeth  you  to  fight  his  battles, 
that  he  may  prove  the  one  of  you  by  the  other.  And  as 
to  those  who  fight  in  defence  of  God's  true  religion,  God 
will  not  suffer  their  works  to  perish  :  ^  he  will  guide  them, 
and  will  dispose  their  heart  aright ;  ^  and  he  will  lead 
them  into  paradise,  of  which  he  hath  told  them.  ^  O  true 
believers,  if  ye  assist  God,  by  fighting  for  his  religion,  he 
will  assist  you  against  your  enemies  ;  and  will  set  your 
feet  fast :  ^  but  as  for  the  infidels,  let  them  perish ;  and 
their  works  shall  God  render  vain.  ^^This  shall  befall 
them,  because  they  have  rejected  with  abhorrence  that 
which  God  hath  revealed:  wherefore  their  works  shall 
become  of  no  avail.  ^^  Do  they  not  travel  through  the 
earth,  and  see  what  hath  been  the  end  of  those  who  were 
before  them  ?  God  utterly  destroyed  them :  and  the 
like  catastrophe  awaiteth  the  unbelievers.  ^^This  shall 
come  to  pass,  for  that  God  is  the  patron  of  the  true  be- 
lievers, and  for  that  the  infidels  have  no  protector. 
^^  Verilv  God  will  introduce  those  who  believe,  and  do 
good  works,  into  gardens  beneath  which  rivers  flow :  but 
the  unbelievers  indulge  themselves  in  pleasures,  and  eat 

4    When  ye   encounter  the  unbelievers^  unless    they   embrace    the    Mohammedan 

strike  off  their  heads,  &c.]     This  law  the  faith  ;  and  those  who  fall  into  the  hands 

Hanifites  judge   to  be    abrogated,    or  to  of  the  Moslems  after  the  battle,  are  not  to 

relate  particularly    to  the  war    of   Bedr;  be  slain,  but  may  either  be  set  at  liberty 

for   the  severity  here  commanded,  which  gratis,  or  on  payment  of  a  certain  ransom, 

was   necessary  in   the  beginning  of  Mo-  or   may  be  exchanged  for  Mohammedan 

hammedismS  they  think  too   rigorous  to  prisoners,  or  condemned  to  slavery,  at  the 

he  put  in  practice  in  its  flourishing  state,  pleasure  of  the  Imam  or  prince  2. 
Eut  the   Persians,  and  some  others,   hold         5   Who  fight,  &c.]     Some  copies,  instead 

t\\e  command  to  be  still  in  full  force  :  for,  of  Kdtilu,  read  KUtilu;  according  to  which 

according  to  them,  all  the  men  of  full  age,  latter  reading  it  should  be  rendered,  Who 

who  are   taken  in  battle,  are  to  be  slain,  are  slain,  ox  suffer  martyrdom,  8zc. 


VSee  chap.  viii.  verse  12.  ^  41  Beiddwi.     Y.  Re  land.  Dissert,  de  Jure  miliiiui 

Mohammedanor.  p.  32. 


xLvii.]  AL    KORAN.  3^7 

as  beasts  eat ;  and  their  abode  shall  be  hell-fire.  ^^  How 
many  cities  were  more  mighty  in  strength  than  thy  city 
which  hath  expelled  thee  !  yet  have  we  destroyed  them, 
and  there  was  none  to  help  them.  ^^  Shall  he  therefore, 
who  followeth  the  plain  declaration  of  his  Lord,  be  as  he 
whose  evil  works  have  been  dressed  up  for  him  by  the 
devil ;  and  who  follows  his  own  lust  ?  ^^  The  description 
of  paradise  which  is  promised  unto  the  pious :  Therein 
are  rivers  of  incorruptible  water ;  the  rivers  of  milk,  the 
taste  whereof  changeth  not ;  and  rivers  of  wine  plea- 
sant unto  those  who  drink ;  and  rivers  of  clarified  honey : 
and  therein  shall  they  have  plenty  of  all  kinds  of  fruits  ; 
and  pardon  from  their  Lord.  ^^  Shall  the  men  for 
whom  these  things  are  prepared,  be  as  they  who  must 
dwell  for  ever  in  hell-fire  ;  and  will  have  the  boiling 
water  given  them  to  drink,  which  shall  burst  their 
bowels  ?  Of  the  unbelievers,  there  are  some  who  give 
ear  unto  thee,  until,  when  they  go  out  from  thee,  they 
say,  by  way  of  derision,  unto  those  to  whom  knowledge 
hath  been  given.  What  hath  he  said  now?  These  are 
they  whose  hearts  God  hath  sealed  up,  and  who  follow 
their  own  lusts  :  ^^  but  as  to  those  who  are  directed,  God 
will  grant  them  a  more  ample  direction,  and  he  will  in- 
struct them  what  to  avoid.  ^^  Do  the  infidels  wait  for 
any  other  than  the  last  hour,  that  it  may  come  upon  them 
suddenly  ?  Some  signs  thereof  are  already  come :  and 
when  it  shall  actually  overtake  them,  how  can  they  then 
receive  admonition  ?  ^^  Know,  therefore,  that  there  is  no 
god  but  God  :  and  ask  pardon  for  thy  sin,  and  for  the  true 
believers,  both  men  and  women.  God  knoweth  your 
busy  employment  in  the  world,  and  the  place   of  your 

17  Those  to  whom  knowledge  hath  been  20  Ask  pardon  for  thy  sin.~\  Though 
given.']  i.  e.  The  more  learned  of  Mo-  Mohammed,  here  and  elsewhere^,  acknow- 
hammed's  companions,  such  as  Ebn  Masud,  ledges  himself  to  be  a  sinner,  yet  several 
and  Ebn  Abbas  ^  Mohammedan    doctors    pretend    he   was 

18  And  he  will  instruct  them  what  to  wholly  free  from  sin,  and  supposes  he  is 
avoid.']  Or,  as  the  words  may  also  be  here  commanded  to  ask  forgiveness,  not 
translated,  And  he  will  reward  them  for  that  he  wanted  it,  but  that  he  might  set 
their  piety,  an  example  to  his  followers  :  wherefore  he 

19  Some  signs  thereof  are  already  come.]  used  to  say  of  himself,  if  the  tradition  be 
As  the  mission  of  Mohammed,  the  splitting  true,  I  ask  pardon  of  God  a  hundred 
of  the  moon,  and  the  smoke  ^  mentioned  times  a  day  ^. 

in  chap.  xliv. 

^  JallaWddin,  2  i^iem,  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap,  xlviii.  ^  Jatlalo'ddin. 

on^boftjffiiiiioK 


328  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

abode  hereafter.  ^^  The  true  believers  say,  Hath  not  a 
Sura  been  revealed,  commanding  war  against  the  infidels  ? 
But  when  a  Sura  without  any  ambiguity  is  revealed,  and 
war  is  mentioned  therein,  thou  mayest  see  those  in  whose 
hearts  is  an  infirmity,  look  towards  thee  with  the  look  of 
one  whom  death  overshadoweth.  But  obedience  would 
be  more  eligible  for  them,  and  to  speak  that  which'  is 
convenient.  And  when  the  command  is  firmly  established, 
if  they  give  credit  unto  God,  it  will  be  better  for  them. 
^^  Were  ye  ready  therefore,  if  ye  had  been  put  in  autho- 
rity, to  commit  outrages  in  the  earth,  and  to  violate  your 
ties  of  blood  ?  ^^  These  are  they  whom  God  hath  cursed, 
and  hath  rendered  deaf,  and  whose  eyes  he  hath  blinded. 
^  Do  they  not  therefore  attentively  meditate  on  the  Ko- 
ran ?  Are  their  locks  upon  their  hearts  ?  ^^  Verily  they 
who  turn  their  backs,  after  the  true  direction  is  made 
manifest  unto  them ;  Satan  shall  prepare  their  wicked- 
ness for  them,  and  God  shall  bear  with  them  for  a  time. 
^^  This  shall  befall  them,  because  they  say  privately  unto 
those  who  detest  what  God  hath  revealed.  We  will  obey 
you  in  part  of  the  matter.  But  God  knoweth  their 
secrets.  ^^  How  therefore  will  it  be  with  them,  when  the 
angels  shall  cause  them  to  die,  and  shall  strike  their 
faces,  and  their  backs  ?  ^^  This  shall  they  suffer,  because 
they  follow  that  which  provoketh  God  to  wrath,  and  are 
averse  to  what  is  well-pleasing  unto  him ;  and  he  will 
render  their  works  vain.  ^^Do  they  in  whose  hearts  is 
an  infirmity,  imagine  that  God  will  not  bring  their 
malice  to  light  ?  ^^  If  we  pleased,  we  could  surely  shew 
them  unto  thee,  and  thou  shouldest  know  them  by  their 
marks  ;  but  thou  shalt  certainly  know  them  by  their  per- 
verse pronunciation  of  their  words.  ^^  God  knoweth  your 
actions :  and  we  will  try  you,  until  we  know  those  among 
you  who   fight  valiantly,   and  who  persevere  with  con- 

21  All  hifinnity,']     As  hypocrisy,  cow-  ter.']     i.  e.   In   part  of  what  ye  desire  of 
ardice,  or  instability  in  their  religion.  us  ;  by  staying  at  home,   and  not  going 

22  If  ye   had  been  put    in   authority.]  forth  with  Mohammed  to  war,  and  by  pri- 
Or,   as   the  words  may  also  be  translated,  vate  combination  against  him  ^ 

If  ye  had  turned  back  and  apostatized  from         27   When  the  angels  shall  cause  them  to 

yourfaith^  die,  &c.]     These  words  are  supposed  to 

26    We  will  obey  you  in  part  of  the  mat-     allude  to  the  examination  of  the  sepulchre. 


*  Al  Beiddwi, 


xLVii.]  AL    KORAN.  329 

staiicy ;  and  we  will  try  the  reports  of  your  behaviour. 
^^  Verily  those  who  believe  not,  and  turn  away  men 
from  the  way  of  God,  and  make  opposition  against 
the  apostle,  after  the  divine  direction  hath  been  mani- 
fested unto  them,  shall  not  hurt  God  at  all ;  but  he 
shall  make  their  works  to  perish.  ^^  O  true  believers, 
obey  God  ;  and  obey  the  apostle ;  and  render  not  your 
works  of  no  effect.  ^^  Verily  those  who  believe  not,  and 
who  turn  away  men  from  the  way  of  God,  and  then  die, 
being  unbelievers,  God  will  by  no  means  forgive.  ^^  Faint 
not  therefore,  neither  invite  your  enemies  to  peace,  while 
ye  are  the  superior :  for  God  is  with  you,  and  will  not 
defraud  you  of  the  merit  of  your  works.  ^^  Verily  this 
present  life  is  only  a  play  and  a  vain  amusement :  but  if 
ye  believe  and  fear  God,  he  will  give  you  your  rewards. 
^^  He  doth  not  require  of  you  your  whole  substance :  if 
he  should  require  the  whole  of  you,  and  earnestly  press 
you,  ye  would  become  niggardly,  and  it  would  raise  your 
hatred  against  his  apostle.  ^^  Behold,  ye  are  those  who 
are  invited  to  expend  part  of  your  substance  for  the  sup- 
port of  God's  true  religion :  and  there  are  some  of  you 
who  are  niggardly.  But  whoever  shall  be  niggardly,  shall 
be  niggardly  towards  his  own  soul :  for  God  wanteth 
nothing ;  but  ye  are  needy  :  and  if  ye  turn  back,  he  will 
substitute  another  people  in  your  stead,  who  shall  not  be 
like  unto  you. 

32   Who  make    opposition    against    the  lukewarm    Moslems,    are   generally    sup- 

apostle.]      These  were   the  tribes  of  Ko  ■  posed  to   be  the  Persians ;  there  being  a 

reidha  and  Nadir ;  or  those  who  distri-  tradition    that    Mohammed,   being    asked 

buted  provision  to  the  army  of  the  Koreish  what   people  they  were,  at  a  time  when 

atBedr'.  Salman  was  sitting   by  him,  clapped  his 

38  He  will  substitute  another  people  in  hand  on  his  thigh,  and  said.  This  man  and 

your  stead,  who  shall  not  be  like  unto  you-l  his  nation.  Others,  however,  are  of  opinion, 

i.  e.  In  backwardness  and  aversion  to  the  the  Ansars,  or  the  angels,  are  intended  iu 

propagation  of  the  faith.    The  people  here  this  place  2. 
designed  to  be   put  in  the  place  of  these 

^  See  Bedr  in  Index.  2  ^i  Beiddwi, 


330 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII, 


INTITLED,    THE    VICTORY;    REVEALED   AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Verily  we  have  granted  thee  a  manifest  victory  ;  ^  that 
God  may  forgive  thee  thy  preceding  and  thy  subsequent 
sin,  and  may  complete  his  favour  on  thee,  and  direct  thee 
in  the  right  way ;  ^  and  that  God  may  assist  thee  with  a 
glorious  assistance.  ^  It  is  he  who  sendeth  down  secure 
tranquillity  into  the  hearts  of  the  true  believers,  that  they 
may  increase  in  faith,  beyond  their  former  faith?  (the 
hosts  of  heaven  and  earth  are  God's  ;  and  God  is  know- 
ing and  wise :)  ^  that  he  may  lead  the  true  believers  of 
both  sexes  into  gardens  beneath  which  rivers  flow,  to 
dwell  therein  for  ever ;  and  may  expiate  their  evil  deeds 
from  them  :  (this  will  be  great  felicity  with  God  ;)  ^  and 
that  he  may  punish  the  hypocritical  men,  and  the  hypo- 
critical women,  and  the  idolaters,  and  the  idolatresses, 
who  conceive  an  ill  opinion  of  God.  They  shall  ex- 
perience a  turn  of  evil  fortune ;  and  God  shall  be  angry 


1  We  have  granted  thee  a  manifest  vic- 
tory.'] This  victory,  from  which  the  chap- 
ter takes  its  title,  according  to  the  most 
received  interpretation,  was  the  taking  of 
the  city  of  Mecca.  The  passage  is  said 
to  have  been  revealed  on  Mohammed's  re- 
turn from  the  expedition  of  al  Hodeibiya, 
and  contains  a  promise  or  prediction  of 
this  signal  success,  which  happened  not 
till  two  years  after  ;  the  preterit  tense  be- 
ing therein  used,  according  to  the  pro- 
phetic style,  for  the  future  ^ 

There  are  some,  notwithstanding,  who 
suppose  the  advantage  here  intended,  was 
the  pacification  of  al  Hodeibiya,  which  is 
here  called  a  victory,  because  the  Meccans 
sued  for  peace,  and  made  a  truce  there 
with  Mohammed,  their  breaking  of  which 
occasioned  the  taking  of  Mecca.     Others 


think  the  conquest  of  Khaibar,  or  the  vic- 
tory over  the  Greeks  at  Muta,  &c.  to  be 
meant  in  this  place. 

2  That  God  may  forgive  thee.]  That  is 
to  say,  that  God  may  give  thee  an  oppor- 
tunity of  deserving  forgiveness  by  eradi- 
cating of  idolatry,  and  exalting  his  true 
religion,  and  the  delivering  of  the  weak 
from  the  hands  of  the  ungodly,  &c. 

—  Thy  preceding  and  thy  subsequent 
sin.]  i.  e.  Whatever  thou  hast  done  wor- 
thy of  reprehension;  or,  thy  sins  com- 
mitted as  well  in  the  time  of  ignorance,  as 
since.  Some  expound  the  words  more 
particularly,  and  say,  the  preceding  or 
former  fault,  was  his  lying  with  his  hand- 
maid Mary  2,  contrary  to  his  oath  ;  and 
the  latter,  his  marrying  of  Zeinab  •'*,  the 
wife  of  Zeid,  his  adopted  son  *. 


^  Al  Zamakhshari,  al  Beiddtvi,  &c.  ^  See  chap.  Ixvi.  and  the  notes  thereon. 

*See  chap,  xxxiii.  and  the  notes  thereon.  *  Al  Zamakh. 


xLviii.]  AL     KORAN.  331 

with  them,  and  shall  curse  them,  and  hath  prepared  hell 
for  them ;  an  ill  journey  shall  it  be  thither !  ^  Unto 
God  belong  the  hosts  of  heaven  and  earth ;  and  God  is 
mighty  and  wise.  ^  Verily  we  have  sent  thee  to  be  a 
witness,  and  a  bearer  of  good  tidings,  and  a  denouncer  of 
threats ;  ^  that  ye  may  believe  in  God  and  his  apostle ; 
and  may  assist  him,  and  revere  him,  and  praise  him  morn- 
ing and  evening.  ^^  Verily  they  who  swear  fealty  unto 
thee,  swear  fealty  unto  God  :  the  hand  of  God  is  over 
their  hands.  Whoever  shall  violate  his  oath,  will  violate 
the  same  to  the  hurt  onlv  of  his  own  soul :  but  whoever 
shall  perform  that  which  he  hath  covenanted  with  God, 
he  will  surely  give  him  a  great  reward,  ^^The  Arabs  of 
the  desert,  who  were  left  behind,  will  say  unto  thee.  Our 
substance  and  our  families  employed  us,  so  that  we  went 
not  forth  with  thee  to  war ;  wherefore  ask  pardon  for  us. 
They  speak  that  with  their  tongues  which  is  not  in  their 
hearts.  Answer,  Who  shall  be  able  to  obtain  for  you  any 
thing  from  God  to  the  contrary,  if  he  is  pleased  to  afflict 
you,  or  is  pleased  to  be  gracious  unto  you?  Yea  verily, 
God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do.  ^^  Truly 
ye  imagined  that  the  apostle  and  the  true  believers  would 
never  return  to  their  families ;  and  this  was  prepared  in 
your  hearts  ;  but  ye  imagined  an  evil  imagination  ;  and 
ye  are  a  corrupt  people.  ^^  Whoso  belie veth  not  in  God 
and  his  apostle,  verily  we  have  prepared  burning  fire  for 
the  unbelievers.  ^^  Unto  God  belongeth  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  and  earth :  he  forgiveth  whom  he  pleaseth,  and 
he  punisheth  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  God  is  inclined  to 

10  Swear  fealty.]  The  original  word  left  behind.']  These  were  the  tribes  of 
signifies,  publicly  to  acknowledge  or  inau-  Aslam,  Joheinah,  Mozeinah,  and  Ghifar, 
gurate  a  prince,  by  swearing  fidelity  and  who  being  summoned  to  attend  Moham- 
obedience  to  him,  med   in   the   expedition  of  al   Hodeibiya, 

-^  The  hand  of  God  is  over  their  hands.]  stayed  behind,  and  excused  themselves,  by 

That  is,  he  beholdeth  from  above,  and  is  saying,  their  families  must  suffer  in  their 

witness  to,  the   solemnity  of  your  giving  absence,  and  would  be  robbed  of  the  little 

your  faith  to  his  apostle  ;  and  will  reward  they  had ;  (for  these  tribes   were  of  the 

you   for  it  i.     The    expression   alludes  to  poorer  Arabs  ;)  whereas,   in  reality,  they 

the  manner  of  their  plighting  their  faith  wanted  firmness  in  the  faith,  and  courage 

on  these  occasions.  to  face  the  Koreish  2. 

11  The  Arabs  of  the  desert^   who  were 


JallaWddin,  2  idem,  nl  Beiddwi. 


3S2  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

forgive,  and  merciful.  ^^  Those  who  were  left  behind  will 
say,  when  ye  go  forth  to  take  the  spoil,  Suffer  us  to 
follow  you.  They  seek  to  change  the  word  of  God. 
^^  Say,  Ye  shall  by  no  means  follow  us :  thus  hath  God 
said  heretofore.  They  will  reply.  Nay;  ye  envy  us  a 
share  of  the  booty.  But  they  are  men  of  small  under- 
standing. Say  unto  the  Arabs  of  the  desert  who  were 
left  behind.  Ye  shall  be  called  forth  against  a  mighty  and 
a  warlike  nation:  ye  shall  fight  against  them,  or  they 
shall  profess  Islam.  If  ye  obey,  God  will  give  you  a 
glorious  reward :  but  if  ye  turn  back,  as  ye  turned  back 
heretofore,  he  will  chastise  you  with  a  grievous  chastise- 
ment. ^^  It  shall  be  no  crime  in  the  blind,  neither  shall 
it  be  a  crime  in  the  lame,  neither  shall  it  be  a  crime  in 
the  sick,  if  they  go  not  forth  to  war :  and  whoso  shall  obey 
God  and  his  apostle,  he  shall  lead  him  into  gardens 
beneath  which  rivers  flow ;  but  whoso  shall  turn  back,  he 
will  chastise  him  with  a  grievous  chastisement.  ^^  Now 
God  was  well  pleased  with  the  true  believers,  when  they 
sware  fidelity  unto  thee  under  the  tree;  and  he  knew 
that  which  was  in  their  hearts  :  wherefore  he  sent  down 

15   When  ye  go  forth  to  take  the  spoilJ]  taking  of  Khaibar,  on  occasion  of  the  ex- 

Viz.  In  the  expedition  of  Khaibar.     The  pedition  of  Tabuc  *. 

prophet   returned   from  al    Hodeibiya  in  \Q  A  mighty i  warlike   nation,^     These 

Dhu'lh^ja,  in  the  sixth  year  of  the  Hejra,  were    Banu    Honeifa,   who   inhabited   al 

and   stayed  at  Medina  the  remainder  of  Yamama,  and  were  the  followers  of  Mo- 

that  month,  and  the  beginning  of  Mohar-  seilama,  Mohammed's  competitor ;  or  any 

ram,  and   then   set   forward   against   the  other   of  those  tribes  which    apostatized 

Jews  of  Khaibar,  with  those  only  who  had  from   Mohammedism  ^  :  or,  as  others   ra- 

attended  him  to  al  Hodeibiya  ;  and  having  ther  suppose,  the  Persians,  or  the  Greeks  ^. 

made  himself  master  of  the  place,  and  all  18   When  they  sware  fidelity  unto  thee 

the  castles  and  strong  holds  in  that  ter-  under  the  tree.']     Mohammed,  when  at  al 

ritory  *,    took    spoils    to    a    great  value,  Hodeibiya,  sent  Jawwas  Ebn  Omeyya,  the 

which  he  divided  among  them  who  were  Khozaite,  to  acquaint  the  Meccans,that  he 

present    at   that    expedition,    and     none  was  come  with  a  peaceable  intention   to 

else  2.  visit  the  temple  ;  but  they,  on  some  jea- 

—  The  word  of  God. ~\     Which  was  his  lousy  conceived,  refusing  to  admit  him, 

promise  to  those  who  attended  the  prophet  the   prophet    sent   Othman    Ebn    AfFan, 

to  al  Hodeibiya,  that  he  would  make  them  whom  they  imprisoned,  and  a  report  ran 

amends  for  their  missing  of  the  plunder  that  he  was  slain  ;  whereupon  Mohammed 

of  Mecca  at  that  time,  by  giving  them  that  called  his  men  about  him,  and  they  took 

of  Khaibar  in  lieu  thereof.     Some   think  an  oath   to   be  faithful   to  him,  even  to 

the  word  here  intended,  to  be  that  passage  death  :    during  which   ceremony   he    sat 

in   the   ninth  chapter  ^,  Ye  shall    not  go  under  a  tree,  supposed  by  some  to  have 

forth  with  me  for  the  future,   &c.  which  been  an  Egyptian  thorn,  and  by  others,  a 

yet  was  plainly  revealed   long  after   the  kind  of  lote-tree  ^. 

1  Ahulf.  vit.  Mob.  p.  87,  &'c.  2  ji  Beiddwi.  ^  Verse  83. 

*  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Uiey^,_  6  Jallalo'ddin. 

^  Jallalo'ddin,   al  Bcidawi.      V.  Abu'/fe.  Vit.  Mob.  p.  86. 


xLviir.]  A L    KORAN.  333 

on  them  tranquillity  of  mind,  and  rewarded  them  with  a 
speedy  victory,  ^^  and  many  spoils  which  they  took ;  for 
God  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^^God  promised  you  many 
spoils  which  ye  should  take ;  but  he  gave  you  these  by 
way  of  earnest :  and  he  restrained  the  hands  of  men  from 
you ;  that  the  same  may  be  a  sign  unto  the  true  believers, 
and  that  he  may  guide  you  into  the  right  way.  ^^  And  he 
also  promiseth  you  other  spoils,  which  ye  have  not  yet  been 
able  to  take :  but  now  hath  God  encompassed  them  for 
you ;  and  God  is  almighty.  ^^  If  the  unbelieving  Mec- 
CANS  had  fought  against  you,  verily  they  had  turned  their 
backs ;  and  they  would  not  have  found  a  patron  or  pro- 
tector ;  ^^  according  to  the  ordinance  of  God,  which  hath 
been  put  in  execution  heretofore  against  opposers  of  the 
prophets  ;  for  thou  shalt  not  find  any  change  in  the  ordi- 
nance of  God,  ^^  It  was  he  who  restrained  their  hands 
from  you,  and  your  hands  from  them,  in  the  valley  of 
Mecca  ;  after  that  he  had  given  you  the  victory  over  them: 
and  God  saw  that  which  ye  did.  ^^  These  are  they  who 
believed  not,  and  hindered  you  from  visiting  the  holy 
temple,  and  also  hindered  the  offering;  being  detained, 
that  it  should  not  arrive  at  the  place  where  it  ought  to  be 

18  Tranquillity  of  mind. 1     The  original  said,  by  mistake,   in  another  place  ^  ;  for 

word  is  Sakinat,  of  which  notice  has  been  his  errand   was  an    actual   defiance,)    to 

taken  elsewhere  ^,  treat  of  peace. 

—  A   speedy    victory.']      Namely,    the  Al    Beidawi    explains    the    passage  by 

success  at  Khaibar ;  or,    as    some    rather  another   story :    telling  us,    that    Acrema 

imagine,  the  taking  of  Mecca,  &c.  Ebn    Abi   Jahl  marching  from  Mecca,  at 

20  And  he  restrained  the  hands  of  men  the  head  of  five  hundred  men,  to  al  Ho- 
from  you.]  i.  e.  The  hands  of  those  of  deibiya,  Mohammed  sent  against  him 
Khaibar,  or  of  their  successors  of  the  Khaled  Ebn  al  Walid,  with  a  detachment, 
tribes  of  x^sad  and  Ghatfan  ;  or  of  the  who  drove  the  infidels  back  to  the  inner- 
inhabitants  of  Mecca,  by  the  pacification  most  part  of  Mecca,  (as  the  word  here 
of  al  Hodeibiya  2.  translated  valley  properly  signifies,)   and 

24  He  restrained  their  hands  from  you,  then    left    them    out    of    respect   to    the 

and  your    hands  from  them,  &c.]    Jalla-  place. 

lo'ddin  says,  that  fourscore  of  the  infidels  25  And  hindered  the  offering;  being 
came  privately  to  Mohammed's  camp,  at  detained,  that  it  should  not  arrive  at  the 
al  Hodeibya,  with  an  intent  to  surprise  place  where  it  ought  to  be  sacrificed.]  Mo- 
some  of  his  men,  but  were  taken  and  hammed's  intent,  in  the  expedition  of  al 
brought  before  the  prophet ;  who  par-  Hodeibiya,  being  only  to  visit  the  temple 
doned  them,  and  ordered  them  to  be  set  of  Mecca  in  a  peaceable  manner,  and  to 
at  liberty  :  and  this  generous  action  was  offer  a  sacrifice  in  the  valley  of  Mina,  ac- 
the  occasion  of  the  truce  struck  up  by  the  cording  to  the  established  rites,  he  carried 
Koreish  with  Mohammed  ;  for  thereupon  beasts  with  him  for  that  purpose  ;  but  was 
they  sent  Sohail  Ebn  Amru,  and  some  not  permitted  by  the  Koreish  either  to 
others,  (and  not  Arwa  Ebn  Masud,  as  is  enter  the  temple,  or  to  go  to  Mina. 

*  In  not.  ad  cap.  ii.  v.  249.  ^  A I  Beiddwi, 

'  See  the  Prelim,,  Disc.  §.  ii. 


334 


AL    KORAN, 


[chap, 


sacrificed.  Had  it  not  been  that  ye  might  have  trampled 
on  divers  true  believers,  both  men  and  women,  whom  ye 
knew  not,  being  promiscuously  assembled  with  the  infidels, 
and  that  a  crime  might  therefore  have  lighted  on  you  on 
their  account,  without  your  knowledge,  he  had  not  re- 
strained your  hands  from  them :  but  this  was  done,  that 
God  might  lead  whom  he  pleaseth  into  his  mercy.  If 
they  had  been  distinguished  from  one  another,  we  had 
surely  chastised  such  of  them  as  believed  not,  with  a 
severe  chastisement.  ^^  When  the  unbelievers  had  put  in 
their  hearts  an  affected  preciseness,  the  preciseness  of 
ignorance,  and  God  sent  down  his  tranquillity  on  his 
apostle,  and  on  the  true  believers ;  and  firmly  fixed  in 
them  the  word  of  piety,  and  they  were  the  most  worthy 
of  the  same,  and  the  most  deserving  thereof :  for  God 
knoweth  all  things.  ^^Now  hath  God  in  truth  verified 
unto  his  apostle  the  vision,  wherein  he  said.  Ye  shall 
surely  enter  the  holy  temple  of  Mecca,  if  God  please  in 


26  When  the  unbelievers  had  put  in 
their  hearts  an  affected  preciseness,  &c.] 
This  passage  was  occasioned  by  the  stiff- 
ness of  Sohail  and  his  companions,  in 
wording  the  treaty  concluded  with  Mo- 
hammed ;  for  when  the  prophet  ordered 
Ali  to  begin  with  the  form,  In  the  name 
of  the  most  merciful  God,  they  objected 
to  it,  and  insisted  that  he  should  begin 
with  this.  In  thy  name,  O  God  :  which 
Mohammed  submitted  to,  and  proceeded 
to  dictate,  These  are  the  conditions  on 
which  Mohammed  the  apostle  of  God  has 
made  peace  with  those  of  Mecca.  To 
this  Sohail  again  objected,  saying.  If  we 
had  acknowledged  thee  to  be  the  apostle 
of  God,  we  had  not  given  thee  any  oppo- 
sition :  whereupon  Mohammed  ordered 
Ali  to  write  as  Sohail  desired.  These  are 
the  conditions  which  Mohammed,  the  son 
of  Abda'llah,  &c.  But  the  Moslems  were 
so  disgusted  thereat,  that  they  were  on 
the  point  of  breaking  off  the  treaty,  and 
had  fallen  on  the  Meccans,  had  not  God 
appeased  and  calmed  their  minds  ;  as  it 
follows  in  the  text^. 

The  terms  of  this  pacification  were, 
that  there  should  be  a  truce  for  ten  years ; 
that  any  person  might  enter  into  league 
either  with  Mohammed,  or  with  the 
Koreish,  as  he  should  think  fit  ;  and   that 


Mohammed  should  have  the  liberty  to 
visit  the  temple  of  Mecca  the  next  year 
for  three  days  ^. 

—  The  word  of  piety."]  i.  e.  The  Mo- 
hammedan profession  of  faith ;  or  the 
Bismillahf  and  the  words,  Mohammed  the 
apostle  of  God,  which  were  rejected  by 
the  infidels. 

27  The  vision.]  Or  dream  which  Mo- 
hammed had  at  Medina,  before  he  set  out 
for  al  Hodeibiya;  wherein  he  dreamed, 
that  he  and  his  companions  entered  Mecca 
in  security,  with  their  heads  shaven,  and 
their  hair  cut.  This  dream,  being  im- 
parted by  the  prophet  to  his  followers, 
occasioned  a  great  deal  of  joy  among 
them ;  and  they  supposed  it  would  be 
fulfilled  that  same  year  :  but  when  they 
saw  the  truce  concluded,  which  frustrated 
their  expectation  for  that  time,  they  were 
deeply  concerned ;  whereupon  this  pas- 
sage was  revealed  for  their  consolation, 
confirming  the  vision,  which  was  not  to  be 
fulfilled  till  the  year  after,  when  Mo- 
hammed performed  the  visitation  distin- 
guished by  the  addition  of  al  Kada,  or 
Completion,  because  he  then  completed 
the  visitation  of  the  former  year,  when, 
the  Koreish  not  permitting  him  to  enter 
Mecca,  he  was  obliged  to  kill  his  victims, 
and  to  shave  himself,  at  al  Hodeibiya  ^. 


1  Jl  Beiddwi.     V.  Abu'lf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  87- 

3  Al  Beidawi,  Jallal&ddin.      V.  Jbiilf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  84.  87. 


Idem. 


xLix.]  A  L    KORAN.  335 

full  security;  having  your  heads  shaved,  and  your  hair 
cut :  ye  shall  not  fear :  for  God  knoweth  that  which  ye 
know  not;  and  he  hath  appointed  you,  besides  this,  a 
speedy  victory.  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath  sent  his  apostle  with 
the  direction,  and  the  religion  of  truth;  that  he  may 
exalt  the  same  above  every  religion :  and  God  is  a  suffi- 
cient witness  hereof.  ^^  Mohammed  is  the  apostle  of 
God  :  and  those  who  are  with  him  are  fierce  against  the 
unbelievers,  but  compassionate  towards  one  another. 
Thou  mayest  see  them  bowing  down,  prostrate,  seeking  a 
recompense  from  God,  and  his  good  will.  Their  signs 
are  in  their  faces,  being  marks  of  frequent  prostration. 
This  is  their  description  in  the  Pentateuch,  and  their  de- 
scription in  the  Gospel :  they  are  as  seed  which  putteth 
forth  its  stalk,  and  strengtheneth  it,  and  swelleth  in  the 
ear,  and  riseth  upon  its  stem ;  giving  delight  unto  the 
sower.  Such  are  the  Moslems  described  to  be ;  that  the 
infidels  may  swell  with  indignation  at  them.  God  hath 
promised  unto  such  of  them  as  believe,  and  do  good 
works^  pardon  and  a  great  reward. 

27  Having  your  heads  shaved,  and  your  — A  speedy  victory  J]    viz.  The  taking 

haircut,]    i.e.  Some  being  shaved,    and      of  Khaibar. 
others  having  only  their  hair  cut. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

INTITLED,  THE  INNER  APARTMENTS  ;  REVEALED  AT  MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  TRU'E  believers,  anticipate  not  any  matter  in  the  sight 
of  God  and  his  apostle :  and  fear  God  ;  for  God  both 
heareth  and  knoweth.     ^  O  true  believers,  raise  not  your 

^  Anticipate  not  any  matter,  &c.]  That  Abu  Beer  and  Omar,  concerning  the  ap- 
is, Do  not  presume  to  give  your  own  de-  pointing  of  a  governor  of  a  certain  place  ; 
cision  in  any  case,  before  ye  have  received  in  which  they  raised  their  voices  so  high, 
the  judgment  of  God  and  his  apostle.  in  the  presence  of  the  apostle,  that  it  was 

2  Raise  not  your  voices  above  the  voice  thought  proper  to  forbid  such  indecencies 

of  the  prophet.']    This  verse  is  said  to  have  for  the  future  ^ 
been  occasioned  by    a    dispute    between 

^  Jallalo' ddin. 


336  AL  KORAN.  [chap, m 

voices  above  the  voice  of  the  prophet ;  neither  speak  loud 
unto  him  in  discourse,  as  ye  speak  loud  unto  one  another, 
lest  your  works  become  vain,  and  ye  perceive  it  not. 
^  Verily  they  who  lower  their  voices  in  the  presence  of 
the  apostle  of  God,  are  those  whose  hearts  God  hath 
disposed  unto  piety  :  they  shall  obtain  pardon  and  a  great 
reward.  ^  As  to  those  who  call  unto  thee  from  without 
the  inner  apartments ;  the  greater  part  of  them  do  not 
understand  the  respect  due  to  thee.  ^  If  they  wait  with 
patience  until  thou  come  forth  unto  them,  it  will  certainly 
be  better  for  them :  but  God  is  inclined  to  forgive,  and 
merciful.  ^  O  true  believers,  if  a  wicked  man  come  unto 
you  with  a  tale,  inquire  strictly  into  the  truth  thereof ; 
lest  ye  hurt  people  through  ignorance,  and  afterwards  re- 
pent of  what  ye  have  done :  ^  and  know  that  the  apostle 
of  God  is  among  you :  if  he  should  obey  you  in  many 
things,  ye  would  certainly  be  guilty  of  a  crime,  in  leading 
him  into  a  mistake.  But  God  hath  made  the  faith 
amiable  unto  you,  and  hath  prepared  the  same  in  your 
hearts;  and  hath  rendered  infidelity,  and  iniquity,  and 
disobedience,  hateful  unto  you.  ^  These  are  they  who 
walk  in  the  right  way ;  through  mercy  from  God,  and 
grace :  and  God  is  knowing,  and  wise.  ^  If  two  parties 
of  the  believers  contend  with  one  another,  do  ye  endea- 
vour to  compose  the  matter  between  them :  and  if  the 

4   Those  who  call  unto  thee  from  without  hammed  was  thinking  to  reduce  them  by 

the   inner  apartments^  &c.]     These,  they  force :    but   on    sending    Khaled    Ebn   al 

say,  were    Oyeyna   Ebn   Hosein,   and  al  Walid  to  them,  he  found  his  former  mes- 

Akra  Ebn  Habes  ;  who  wanting  to  speak  senger  had  wronged  them,  and  that  they 

with  Mohammed,  when  he  was  sleeping  at  continued  in  their  obedience  2. 

noon  in  his  women's  apartment,  had  the  9  If  two  parties  of  the  believers  contend, 

rudeness   to  call  out  several  times,    Mo-  &c.]   This  verse  is  supposed  to  have  been 

hammed,  come  forth  to  us  ^.  occasioned  by  a  fray,  which  happened  be- 

Q  If  a  wicked  man  come  unto  you  with  a  tween  the  tribes  of  al  Aws   and  al   Kha- 

tale,  &c.]  This  passage  was  occasioned,  it  zaraj.     Some  relate,  that  the  prophet  one 

is    said,    by  the    following   accident.     Al  day  riding  on  an  ass,  as  he  passed   near 

Walid  Ebn  Okba  being  sent  by  Moham-  Abdallah  Ebn   Obba,  the  ass  chanced  to 

med  to  collect  the  alms  from  the  tribe  of  stale,    at  which   Ebn    Obba  stopped    his 

al  Mostalek,  when  he  saw  them  come  out  nose ;  and  Ebn   Rawaha  said  to  him.  By 

to  meet  him   in  great  numbers,  grew  ap-  God,  the  piss  of  his  ass  smells  sweeter  than 

prehensive  they  designed  him   some  mis-  thy  musk ;  whereupon    a   quarrel  ensued 

chief,  because  of  past  enmity  between  him  between  their  followers,  and  they  came  to 

and  them  in  the  time  of  ignorance ;  and  blows ;  though   they   struck    one    another 

immediately  turned  back,  and  told  the  pro-  only  with  their  hands  and  slippers,  or  with 

phet  they  refused  to  pay  their  alms,  and  palm-branches  ^ 
attempted  to  kill  him ;  upon  which   Mo- 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  lidem. 


xLixJ  AL    KORAN.  337 

one  of  them  offer  an  insult  unto  the  other,  fight  against 
that  patty  which  offer  the  insult,  until  they  return  unto 
the  judgment  of  God  ;  and  if  they  do  return,  make  peace 
between  them  with  equity :  and  act  with  justice ;  for 
God  loveth  those  who  act  justly.  ^^  Verily  the  true  be- 
lievers are  brethren :  wherefore  reconcile  your  brethren ; 
and  fear  God,  that  ye  may  obtain  mercy.  ^^  O  true  be- 
lievers, let  not  men  laugh  other  men  to  scorn  ;  who  per- 
ad venture  may  be  better  than  themselves :  neither  let 
women  laugh  other  women  to  scorn :  who  may  possibly  be 
better  than  themselves.  Neither  defame  one  another : 
nor  call  one  another  by  opprobrious  appellations.  An  ill 
name  it  is,  to  be  charged  with  wickedness,  after  having 
embraced  the  faith:  and  whoso  repenteth  not,  they  will 
be  the  unjust  doers.  ^^  O  true  believers,  carefully  avoid 
entertaining  a  suspicion  of  another :  for  some  suspicions 
are  a  crime.  Inquire  not  too  curiously  into  other  men's 
failings :  neither  let  the  one  of  you  speak  ill  of  another 
in  his  absence.  Would  any  of  you  desire  to  eat  the  flesh 
of  his  dead  brother  ?  Surely  ye  would  abhor  it.  And 
fear  God  :  for  God  is  easy  to  be  reconciled,  and  merciful. 
^^  O  men,  verily  we  have  created  you  of  a  male  and  a 
female  ;  and  w^e  have  distributed  you  into  nations,  and 
tribes,  that  ye  might  know  one  another.  Verily  the  most 
honourable  of  you,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  the  most  pious 
of  you :  and  God  is  wise  and  knowing.  ^^  The  Arabs  of 
the  desert  say.  We  believe.  Answer,  Ye  do  by  no 
means  believe  ;  but  say.  We  have  embraced  Islam  :  for  the 
faith  hath  not  yet  entered  into  your  hearts.  If  ye  obey  God 
and  his  apostle,  he  will  not  defraud  you  of  any  part  of  the 
merit  of  your  works :  for  God  is  inclined  to  forgive,  and 

1 1   Neither  let  women  laugh  other  women  came  to  Medina  in  a  year  of  scarcity,  and 

to  scorn,  8z;c.]   It  is  said,  that  this  verse  was  having  professed  Mohammedism,  told  the 

revealed  on  account  of  Safiya  Bint  Hoyai,  prophet  that  they  had  brought   all  their 

one  of  the  prophet's  wives ;  who  came   to  goods   and  their  families,  and  would   not 

her  husband,    and   complained    that    the  oppose   him,    as    some  other    tribes   had 

women  said   to  her,  O  thou   Jewess,  the  done  ;  and  this  they  said  to  obtain  a  part 

daughter  of  a  Jew   and  of  a   Jewess  ;  to  of  the  alms,  and  to  upbraid  him  with  their 

which  he  answered.  Canst   thou  not  say,  having  embraced  his  religion  and  party  2. 

Aaron   is   my  father,  and    Moses    is    my  —  Answer,   Ye  do  by  no  means  believe ; 

uncle,  and  Mohammed  is  my  husband  ^  ?  but  say,  We  have  embraced  IslamJ]   That  is, 

14  The  Arabs  of  the  desert,  &c.]    These  Ye  are  not  sincere  believers,  but  outward 

were   certain    of  the   tribe  of  Asad,   who  professors  only  of  the  true  religion. 


1  Jineiddwi.      See  Prid.  Life  of  Mabom.  p.  Ill,  cS:c.  2  j^jem. 

VOL.  II.  Z 


338  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

merciful.  ^^  Verily  the  true  believers  are  those  only  who 
believe  in  God  and  his  apostle,  and  afterwards  doubt  not; 
and  who  employ  their  substance  and  their  persons  in  the 
defence  of  God's  true  religion :  these  are  they  who  speak 
sincerely.  ^^  Say  will  ye  inform  God  concerning  your  re- 
ligion ?  But  God  knoweth  whatever  is  in  heaven  and  on 
earth :  for  God  is  omniscient.  ^^  They  upbraid  thee  that 
they  have  embraced  Islam.  Answer,  Upbraid  me  not 
with  your  having  embraced  Islam  :  rather  God  upbraideth 
you,  that  he  hath  directed  you  to  the  faith ;  if  ye  speak 
sincerely.  ^^  Verily  God  knoweth  the  secrets  of  heaven 
and  earth  :  and  God  beholdeth  that  which  ye  do. 

16  Will  ye  inform  God  concerning  your  being  not  on  God's  side,  but  on  yours, 
religion?^  i.e.  Will  ye  pretend  to  deceive  for  tbat  he  has  favoured  you  so  far  as  to 
him,  by  saying  ye  are  true  believers?  guide   you  into  the  true  faith,  if  ye  are 

17  God  upbraideth  you,   that  he    hath  sincere  believers. 
directed  you  to  the  faith.']     The  obligation 


CHAPTER   L. 

INTITLED,    K ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God- 

^  K.  ^By  the  glorious  Koran:  ^  verily  they  wonder  that  a 
preacher  from  among  themselves  is  come  unto  them  ;  and 
the  unbelievers  say,  This  is  a  wonderful  thing :  ^  after  we 
shall  be  dead,  and  become  dust,  shall  we  return  to  life  ? 
This  is  a  return  remote  from  thought.  ^  Now  we  know 
what  the  earth  consumeth  of  them  ;  and  with  us  is  a  book 
which  keepeth  an  account  thereof.  ^But  they  charge 
falsehood  on  the  truth,  after  it  hath  come  unto  them : 
wherefore  they  are  plunged  in  a  confused  business.  ^  Do 
they  not  look  up  to  the  heaven  above  them,  and  consider 

Title — K.]     Some   imagine     that    this         6  They  are  plunged  in  a  confused  bust- 

letter  is  designed  to  express  the  mountain  ness.]      Not  knowing   what   certainly  to 

Kaf,  which  several   eastern   writers  fancy  affirm  of  the  Koran ;  calling  it  sometimes 

encompasses    the   whole  world  ^      Others  a  piece  of  poetry,  at  other  times  a  piece  of 

say  it  stands  for  Kada  al  amr,    i.e.    The  sorcery,  and  at  other  times  a  piece  of  di- 

matter  is  decreed,    viz.   the  chastisement  vination,  &c.  2 
of  the  infidels.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 


'  F,  D'Herhel.  Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Caf.  2  ji  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


L.]  AL   KORAN.  339 

how  we  have  raised  it,  and  adorned  it ;  and  that  there  are 
no  flaws  therein  ?  We  have  also  spread  forth  the  earth,  and 
thrown  thereon  mountains  firmly  rooted  :  and  we  cause 
every  beautiful  kind  of  vegetables  to  spring  up  therein ; 
^  for  a  subject  of  meditation,  and  an  admonition  unto  every 
man  who  turneth  unto  us.  ^  And  we  send  down  rain  as 
a  blessing  from  heaven,  whereby  we  cause  gardens  to 
spring  forth,  and  the  grain  of  harvest,  and  tall  palm-trees, 
having  branches  laden  with  dates  hanging  one  above 
another,  as  a  provision  for  mankind ;  ^^  and  we  thereby 
quicken  a  dead  country :  so  shall  be  the  coming  forth  of 
the  dead  from  their  graves.  ^^  The  people  of  Noah,  and 
those  who  dwelt  at  al  Rass,  and  Thamud  ;  ^^  and  Ad,  and 
Pharaoh,  accused  the  prophets  of  imposture  before  the 
Meccans  ;  and  also  the  brethren  of  Lot,  ^^  and  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  wood  near  Midian,  and  the  people  of 
ToBBA :  all  these  accused  the  apostles  of  imposture ; 
wherefore  the  judgments  which  I  threatened  were  justly 
inflicted  on  them.  ^^Is  our  power  exhausted  by  the 
first  creation  ?  Yea ;  they  are  in  a  perplexity,  because 
of  a  new  creation  which  is  foretold  them,  namely,  the 
raising  of  the  dead,  ^^  We  created  man,  and  we  know 
what  his  soul  whispereth  within  him ;  and  we  are  nearer 
unto  him  than  his  jugular  vein.  ^^  When  the  two  angels 
deputed  to  take  account  of  a  man's  behaviour,  take  an 
account  thereof;  one  sitting  on  the  right  hand,  and  the 
other  on  the  left ;  ^^  he  uttereth  not  a  word,  but  there  is 
with  him  a  watcher,  ready  to  note  it :  ^^  and  the  agony  of 
death  shall  come  in  truth.  This,  O  man,  is  what  thou 
soughtest  to  avoid.     ^^  And  the  trumpet  shall  sound  :  this 

7  i/oww^«2W5.]  See  chap.  xxxi.  verse  10.  vation    of     him    who    sees   our    inmost 

11   Al  Rass.l  See  chap.  XXV.   verse  39.  thoughts? — The  Mohammedans    have  a 

J  3  Tobba.']  See  chap.  xliv.  verse  36.  tradition,  that  the  angel  who  notes  a  man's 

16   When  the  two  angels  deputed  to  take  good  actions,  has  the  command  over  him 

account  of  a  ma7i's  behaviour,  &c.]     The  who  notes  his  evil  actions  :  and  that  when 

intent  of  the  passage  is  to  exalt  the  om-  a  man  does  a  good  action,  the  angel  of  the 

niscience  of  God;  who  wants  not  the  in-  right  hand  writes  it  down  ten  times;  and 

formation  of  the  guardian  angels,  though  when  he  commits  an  ill    action,  the  same 

he    has    thought  fit,   in    his    wisdom,  to  angel  says  to  the  angel  of  the  left  hand, 

give  them  that  employment:  for  if  they  Forbear  setting  it  down  for  seven  hours ; 

are    so    exact   as    to  write    down   every  peradventure  he  may  pray,  or  may  ask 

word   which   falls  from   a  man's    mouth,  pardon  ^ 

how    can    we  hope  to  escape  the  obser- 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 

z2 


340  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

will  be  the  day  which  hath  been  threatened.     ^^  And  every 
soul  shall  come ;  and  therewith  shall  be  a  driver  and  a  wit- 
ness,    ^^  And  the  former  shall  say  unto  the  unbeliever, 
Thou  wast  negligent  heretofore  of  this  day :  but  we  have 
removed  thy  veil  from  off  thee ;  and  thy  sight  is  becoming 
piercing  this  day.     ^^  And  his  companion  shall  say,  This  is 
what  is  ready  with  me  to  be  attested.     ^^  And  God  shall 
say.  Cast  into  hell  every  unbeliever,  and  perverse  person, 
.^^and  every  one  who  forbade  good,  and  every  transgres- 
sor, and  doubter  of  the  faith ;  ^^  who  set  up  another  god 
with  the  true  God  ;  and  cast  him  into  a  grievous  torment. 
His  companion  shall  say,  O  Lord,  I  did  not  seduce  him ; 
but  he  was  in  a  wide  error.     ^^  God   shall  say,   Wrangle 
not  in  my  presence,  since  I  threatened  you  beforehand 
with  the  torments  which  ye  now  see  prepared  for  you. 
^^  The  sentence  is  not  changed  with  me :  neither  do  I 
treat  my  servants  unjustly.     ^^  On  that  day  we  will  say 
unto  hell.  Art  thou  full?  and  it  shall  answer.  Is  there  yet 
any  addition  ?     ^^  And  paradise  shall  be  brought  near  unto 
the  pious  ;  ^^  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  This  is  what 
ye  have  been  promised  ;  unto  every  one  who  turned  him- 
self unto  God,    and   kept    his    commandments ;    ^^  who 
feared  the  Merciful  in  secret,  and  came  unto  him  with  a 
converted  heart :  ^^  enter  the  same  in  peace  ;  this  is  the 
day  of  eternity.      ^^  Therein  shall   they   have  whatever 
they  shall  desire;    and  there   will  be  a  superabundant 
addition  of  bliss  with  us.     ^^  How  many  generations  have 
we  destroyed  before  the  Meccans,  which  were  more  mighty 
than  they  in  strength  ?     Pass,  therefore,  through  the  re- 

20  A  driver  and  a  witness.']  i.  e.  Two  man,  to  cause  him  to  do  evil ;  any  other- 
angels  ;  one  acting  as  a  serjeant,  to  bring  wise  than  by  suggesting  what  is  agreeable 
every  person  before  the  tribunal ;  and  the  to  his  corrupt  inclinations, 
other  prepared  as  a  witness,  to  testify  28  Is  there  yet  any  addition  ?~\  i.e.  Are 
either  for  or  against  him.  Some  say  the  there  yet  any  more  condemned  to  this 
former  will  be  the  guardian  angel  who  took  place  ;  or  is  my  space  to  be  enlarged,  and 
down  his  evil  actions,  and  the  other  the  rendered  more  capacious  to  receive  them  ? 
angel  who  took  down  his  good  actions  i.  The  commentators  suppose  hell   will  be 

25  His  companion,]    viz.       The   devil,  quite  filled  at  the  day  of  judgment;  ac- 

which  shall  be  chained  to  him.  cording  to  that  often  repeated  expression 

—  /  did  not  seduce  Mm,    &c.]     This  in  the  Koran,  Verily  I  will  fill    hell   with 

will   be  the  answer  of  the    devil,    whom  you,  &c. 

the  wicked  person  will  accuse   as  his   se-  33  Bliss]  See  the    Prelim.    Disc.  §    4. 

ducer,  for  the  devil  has  no  power  over  a  for  the  description  of  heaven. 


^  Al  Beiddwi, 


L.]  AL  KORAN.  341 

gions  of  the  earth^and  see  whether  there  be  any  refuge  from 
our  vengeance.  ^^  Verily  herein  is  an  admonition  unto 
him  who  hath  a  heart  to  understand,  or  giveth  ear,  and  is 
present  with  an  attentive  mind.  ^^  We  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  whatever  is  between  them,  in 
six  days  ;  and  no  weariness  affected  us.  ^^  Wherefore 
patiently  suffer  what  they  say ;  ^^  and  celebrate  the  praise 
of  thv  Lord  before  sun-rise  and  before  sun-set;  ^^and 
praise  him  in  some  part  of  the  night :  and  perform  the 
additional  parts  of  worship.  ^^  And  hearken  unto  the  day 
whereon  the  crier  shall  call  men  to  judgment  from  a  near 
place  ;  ^^  the  day  whereon  they  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
trumpet  in  truth :  this  will  be  the  day  of  men's  coming 
forth  from  their  graves  :  ^^  we  give  life,  and  we  cause  to 
die ;  and  unto  us  shall  be  the  return  of  all  creatures : 
^Hhe  day  whereon  the  earth  shall  suddenly  cleave  in 
sunder  over  them.  This  will  be  an  assembly  easy  for  us 
to  assemble.  ^*  We  well  know  what  the  unbelievers 
say ;  and  thou  art  not  sent  to  compel  them  forcibly  to 
the  faith.  ^^  Wherefore,  warn,  by  the  Koran,  him  who 
feareth  my  threatening. 

36  And  no  weariness  affected  usJ]  This  40  When  the  crier  shall  call  men  tojudg- 
was  revealed  in  answer  to  the  Jews,  who  mentfrom  a  near  placed]  That  is,  from  a 
said  that  God  rested  from  his  work  of  place  whence  every  creature  may  equally 
creation  on  the  seventh  day,  and  reposed  hear  the  call.  This  place  it  is  supposed, 
himself  on  his  throne,  as  one  fatigued  ^  will  be  the  mountain  of  the  temple  of  Je- 

37  Wherefore  patiently  suffer  what  they  rusalem,  which  some  fancy  to  be  nigher 
sayJ]  viz.  Either  what  the  idolaters  say,  heaven  than  any  other  part  of  the  earth  ; 
in  denying  the  resurrection  ;  or  the  Jews,  whence  Israfil  will  sound  the  trumpet,  and 
in  speaking  indecently  of  God.  Gabriel  will  make  the   following  procla- 

39  The  additional  parts   of   worship^]  mation :     O    ye    rotten  bones,    and    torn 

These  are  the  two  inclinations  used  after  flesh,  and  dispersed  hairs,  God  command- 

the  evening  prayer  :  which  are  not  neces-  eth  you  to  be  gathered  together  to  judg- 

sary,  or  of  precept,  but  voluntary,  and  of  ment^. 
supererogation ;    and   may    therefore    be 
added,  or  omitted,  indifferently. 


^  Al  Beiddwij  Jallalo' ddin,  2  lidem. 


342  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER    LI. 

INTITLED,  THE  DISPERSING  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  winds  dispersing  and  scattering  the  dust;  ^and  by 
the  clouds  bearing  a  load  of  rain ;  ^  by  the  ships  running 
swiftly  in  the  sea ;  *  and  by  the  angels  who  distribute 
things  necessary  for  the  support  of  all  creatures ;  ^  verily 
that  wherewith  ye  are  threatened  is  certainly  true ;  ^  and 
the  last  judgment  will  surely  come.  ^  By  the  heaven 
furnished  with  paths ;  ^  ye  widely  differ  in  what  ye  say. 
^  He  will  be  turned  aside  from  the  faith,  who  shall  be 
turned  aside  by  the  divine  decree.  ^^  Cursed  be  the 
liars  ;  ^^  who  wade  in  deep  waters  of  ignorance,  neglecting 
their  salvation.  ^''^They  ask,  When  will  the  day  of 
judgment  come?  ^^ On  that  day  shall  they  be  burned 
in  hell-fire ;  ^^  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  Taste 
your  punishment ;  this  is  what  ye  demanded  to  be 
hastened.  ^^  But  the  pious  shall  dwell  among  gardens 
and  fountains  ;  ^^  receiving  that  which  their  Lord  shall 
give  them  ;  because  they  were  righteous  doers  before  this 
day.  ^^  They  slept  but  a  small  part  of  the  night ;  ^^  and 
early  in  the  morning  they  asked  pardon  of  God  :  ^^  and  a 
due  portion  of  their  wealth  was  given  unto  him  who 
asked,  and  unto  him  who  was  forbidden  by  shame  to  ask. 
^^  There  are  signs  of  the  divine  power  and  goodness  in  the 
earth,  unto  men  of  sound  understanding ;  ^^  and  also  in 

1  By  the  winds  dispersing  the  dust,']  Or,  7  By  the  heaven  furnished  with  paths.'] 
by  the  women  who  bring  forth  or  scatter  i.  e.  The  paths  or  orbs  of  the  stars  ;  or  the 
children,  &c.  streaks  which  appear  in  the  sky  like  paths, 

2  By  the  clouds  bearing  a  load  of  rain.]  being  thin  and  extended  clouds. 

Or,  by  the  women  bearing  a  burden  in  the  8   Ye   widely  differ   in  what   ye   say.] 

womb,  or  the  winds  bearing  the  clouds,  &c.  Concerning  Mohammed,  or  the  Koran,  or 

3  By  the  ships  running  swiftly  in  the  the  resurrection  and  day  of  judgment ; 
sea.]  Or,  by  the  winds  passing  swiftly  in  speaking  variously  and  inconsistently  of 
the  air,  or  the  stars  moving  swiftly  in  their  them. 

courses,  &c.  17  They  slept  hut  a  small  part  of  the 

4  By  the  angels  who  distribute  things,  night.]  Spending  the  greater  part  in  prayer 
&c.]      Or,  by  the  winds  which  distribute     and  religious  meditation. 

the  rain,  &c. 


LI.]  AL    KORAN.  348 

jour  own  selves  :  will  ye  not  therefore  consider  ?  ^^  Your 
sustenance  is  in  the  heaven ;  and  also  that  which  ye  are 
promised.  ^^  Wherefore  by  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth 
I  swear  that  this  is  certainly  the  truth ;  according  to  what 
yourselves  speak.  ^*  Hath  not  the  story  of  Abraham's 
honoured  guests  come  to  thy  knowledge  ?  ^^  When  they 
went  in  unto  him,  and  said,  Peace :  he  answered,  Peace  ; 
saying  within  himself.  These  are  unknown  people.  ^^  And 
he  went  privately  unto  his  family,  and  brought  a  fatted 
calf.  ^^  And  he  set  it  before  them ;  and  when  he  saw 
they  touched  it  not,  he  said.  Do  ye  not  eat  ?  ^^  And  he 
began  to  entertain  a  fear  of  them.  They  said.  Fear  not : 
and  they  declared  unto  him  the  promise  of  a  wise  youth. 
^^  And  his  wife  drew  near  with  exclamation,  and  she 
smote  her  face  :  and  said,  I  am  an  old  woman,  and  barren. 
^^The  angels  answered.  Thus  saith  thy  Lord  :  verily  he 
is  the  wise,  the  knowing.  [*XXVIL]  And  ^^  Abraham 
said  unto  them.  What  is  your  errand,  therefore,  O  mes- 
sengers of  God  ?  ^^  They  answered.  Verily  we  are  sent 
unto  a  wicked  people ;  ^^  that  we  may  send  down  upon 
them  stones  of  baked  clay;  ^^ marked  from  thy  Lord,  for 
the  destruction  of  transgressors.  ^^  And  we  brought 
forth  the  true  believers  who  were  in  the  city :  ^^  but  we 
found  not  therein  more  than  one  family  of  Moslems- 
^^  And  we  overthrew  the  same,  and  left  a  sign  therein 
unto  those  who  dread  the  severe  chastisement  of  God. 
^^  In  Moses  also  was  a  sign  when  we  sent  him  unto  Pha- 
raoh with  manifest  power.  ^^  But  we  turned  back,  with 
his  princes,  saying.  This  man  is  a  sorcerer,  or  a  madman. 
^^-  Wherefore  we  took  him  and  his  forces,  and  cast  them 
into  the  sea :  and  he  was  one  worthy  of  reprehension. 

22  Your  sustenance  is  in  the  heaven  ;  24  Abraham,']  See  Abraham  in  Index. 
and  also  that  which  ye  are  promised. ~\  i.e.  28  They  said.  Fear  7iot.'\  Some  add, 
Your  food  cometh  from  above,  whence  that,  to  remove  Abraham's  fear,  Gabriel, 
proceedeth  the  change  of  seasons  and  who  was  one  of  these  strangers,  touched 
rain  :  and  your  future  reward  is  also  there ;  the  calf  with  his  wing,  and  it  immediately 
that  is  to  say,  in  paradise,  which  is  situate  rose  up,  and  walked  to  its  dam;  upon 
above  the  seven  heavens.  which  Abraham  knew  them  to  be  the  mes- 

23  According  to  what  yourselves  speak.]  sengers  of  God  ^. 

That  is.  Without  any  doubt  or  reserved  29  And  she  smote  her  face.]  This  some 
meaning  meaning,  as  ye  affirm  a  truth  pretend  she  did  for  shame,  because  she 
unto  one  another.  felt  her  courses  come  upon  her. 

^  At  LeiddwL 


344  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  And  in  the  tribe  of  Ad  also  was  a  sign :  "^^  when  we 
sent  against  them  a  destroying  wind;  it  touched  not 
aught  whereon  it  came,  but  it  rendered  the  same  as  a 
thing  rotten  and  reduced  to  dust.  ^^  In  Thamud  likewise 
was  a  sign :  when  it  was  said  unto  them,  Enjoy  yourselves 
for  a  time.  ^^  But  they  insolently  transgressed  the  com- 
mand of  their  Lord  :  wherefore  a  terrible  noise  from 
heaven  assailed  them,  while  they  looked  on  ;  ^^  and  they 
were  not  able  to  stand  on  their  feet,  neither  did  they  save 
themselves  from  destruction.  ^^  And  the  people  of  Noah 
did  we  destroy  before  these  ;  for  they  were  a  people  who 
enormously  transgressed.  ^'^  We  have  built  the  heaven 
with  might :  and  we  have  given  it  a  large  extent :  ^^  and 
we  have  stretched  forth  the  earth  beneath;  and  how 
evenly  have  we  spread  the  same  !  ^^  And  of  every  thing 
have  we  created  two  kinds ;  that  peradventure  ye  may 
consider.  ^^  Fly,  therefore,  unto  God  :  verily  I  am  a  pub- 
lic Warner  unto  you  from  him.  ^^  And  set  not  up  another 
god  with  the  true  God  :  verily  I  am  a  public  warner  unto 
you  from  him.  ^^  In  like  manner  there  came  no  apostle 
unto  their  predecessors,  but  they  said.  This  man  is  a 
magician,  or  a  madman.  ^^  Have  they  bequeathed  this 
behaviour  successively  the  one  to  the  other  ?  Yea  ;  they 
are  a  people  who  enormously  transgress.  ^^  Wherefore 
withdraw  from  them ;  and  thou  shalt  not  be  blameworthy 
in  so  doing.  ^^  Yet  continue  to  admonish  :  for  admonition 
profiteth  the  true  believers.  ^^  I  have  not  created  genii 
and  men  for  any  other  end  than  that  they  should  serve 
me.  ^^  I  require  not  any  sustenance  from  them  ;  neither 
will  I  that  they  feed  me.  ^^  Verily  God  is  he  who  pro- 
videth  for  all  creatures ;  possessed  of  mighty  power. 
^^  Unto  those  who  shall  injure  our  apostle,  shall  be  given 
a  portion  like  unto  the  portion  of  those  who  behaved  like 
them  in  times  past ;  and  they  shall  not  wish  the  same  to 
be  hastened.  ^^  Woe,  therefore,  to  the  unbelievers,  be- 
cause of  their  day  with  which  they  are  threatened  ! 

41  Ad.']     See  Ad  in  Index.  49  Two  kinds.]     As  for  example,  male 

43  For  a  time.]     i.e.  For  three  days,  and   female;  the  heaven  and  the  earth; 
See  Thamud  in  Index.  the  sun  and  the  moon  ;  light  and  darkness; 

44  While   they   looked   on.]      For    this  plains  and  mountains  ;  winter  and   sum- 
calamity  happened  in  the  day-time.  mer ;  sweet  and  bitter,  &c.  ^ 

^  Jallalo'ddin, 


Lii.]  AL    KORAN.  345 

CHAPTER  LII. 

INTITLED,    THE    MOUNTAIN;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  mountain  of  Sinai  ;  ^  and  by  the  book  ^  written 
in  an  expanded  scroll ;  ^  and  by  the  visited  house ;  ^  and 
by  the  elevated  roof  of  heaven  ;  ^  and  by  the  sw^elling 
ocean ;  ^  verily  the  punishment  of  thy  Lord  will  surely  de- 
scend ;  ^  there  shall  be  none  to  withhold  it.  ^  On  that 
day  the  heaven  shall  be  shaken,  and  shall  reel ;  ^^  and  the 
mountains  shall  walk  and  pass  away.  ^^  And  on  that  day 
woe  be  unto  those  who  accused  God's  apostles  of  impos- 
ture ;  ^"  who  amused  themselves  in  wading  in  vain  dis- 
putes !  ^^  On  that  day  shall  they  be  driven  and  thrust 
into  the  fire  of  hell;  ^^and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them, 
This  is  the  fire  which  ye  denied  as  a  fiction.  ^^  Is  this  a 
magic  illusion  ?  Or  do  ye  not  see  ?  ^^  Enter  the  same 
to  be  scorched.  Whether  ye  bear  your  torments  patiently, 
or  impatiently,  it  will  be  equal  unto  you  :  ye  shall  surely 
receive  the  reward  of  that  which  ye  have  wrought.  ^^  But 
the  pious  shall  dwell  amidst  gardens  and  pleasures ;  ^^  de- 
lighting themselves  in  what  their  Lord  shall  have  given 
them :  and  their  Lord  shall  deliver  them  from  the  pains 
of  hell.  ^^  And  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  Eat  and  drink 
with  easy  digestion ;  because  of  that  which  ye  have 
wrought :  ^^  leaning  on  couches  disposed  in  order :  and  we 
will  espouse  them  unto  virgins  having  large  black  eyes* 
^^  And  unto  those  who  believe,  and  whose  offspring  follow 
them  in  the  faith,  we  will  join  their  offspring  in  paradise  : 
and  we  will  not  diminish  unto  them  aught  of  the  merit  of 

2  B7J   the  book,   &c.]     The  book  here         4  The  visited  house.']    i.e.  The  Caaba, 

intended,  according  to  different  opinions,  so  much  visited  by  pilgrims ;  or,  as  some 

is    either   the   book  or    register   wherein  rather   think,  the  original  model  of  that 

every  man's  actions  are  recorded  ;  or  the  house  in  heaven,  called  al  Dordh,  which  is 

preserved  table,  containing  God's  decrees ;  visited  and  compassed  by  the  angels,  as  the 

or  the  book  of  the  law,  which  was  written  other  is  by  men  2. 
by  God,  Moses,  hearing  the  creaking  of 
the  pen  ;  or  else  the  Koran  ^. 


1  Al  Zamakh.  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  the  Prelim,  Disc.  §  iv.,  and  Caaba  in  Index. 


346  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

their  works.     (Every  man  is  given  in  pledge   for   that 
which  he  shall  have  wrought.)     ^^  And  we  will  give  them 
fruits  in  abundance,  and  flesh  of  the  kinds  which  they 
shall    desire.     ^^They    shall   present   unto    one    another 
therein  a  cup  of  wine,  wherein  there  shall  be  no  vain 
discourse,  nor  any  incitement  unto  wickedness.     ^^And 
youths  appointed  to  attend  them,  shall  go  round  them : 
beautiful  as  pearls  hidden  in  their  shell.     ^^  And  they 
shall  approach  unto  one  another,   and  shall  ask  mutual 
questions.     ^^  And  they  shall  say,  Verily  we  were  hereto- 
fore amidst  our  family,  in  great  dread  with  regard  to  our 
state  after  death :  ^^  but  God  hath  been  gracious  unto  us, 
and  hath   delivered  us  from  the   pain   of  burning  fire : 
^^  for  we  called  on  him  heretofore ;  and  he  is  the  bene- 
ficent, the  merciful.     ^^  Wherefore   do  thou,  O  prophet, 
admonish  thy  people.     Thou  art  hot,  by  the  grace  of  thy 
Lord,  a  soothsayer,  or  a  madman.     ^^  Do  they  say.  He  is 
a  poet :  we  wait,  concerning  him,   some  adverse  turn  of 
fortune?     ^^  Say,  Wait  ye  my  ruin:  Verily  I  wait,  with 
you,  the  time  of  your  destruction.     ^^  Do  their  mature 
understandings  bid  them  say  this ;  or  are  they  people  who 
perversely  transgress  ?     ^^  Do  they  say.  He  hath  forged 
the  Koran  ?     Verily  they  believe  not.     ^*  Let  them  pro- 
duce a  discourse  like  unto  it,  if  they  speak  truth.     ^^  Were 
they  created  by  nothing ;  or  were  they  the  creators  of 
themselves  ?    ^^  Did  they  create  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ? 
Verily  they  are  not  firmly  persuaded  that  God  hath  created 
them.     ^^  Are  the  stores  of  thy  Lord  in  their  hands  ? 
Are  they  the  supreme  dispensers  of  all  things  ?     ^^  Have 
they  a  ladder,  whereby  they  may  ascend  to  heaven,  and 
hear  the  discourses  of  the  angels  ?     Let  one,  therefore, 
who  hath  heard  them,  produce  an  evident  proof  thereof. 
^^  Hath  God  daughters,  and  have  ye  sons  ?     ^^  Dost  thou 
ask  them  a  reward  for  thy  preaching  ?  but  they  are  laden 
with  debts.     ^^  Are  the  secrets  of  futurity  with  them ;  and 
do  they  transcribe  the  same  from  the  table  of  God's  de- 

21  Every  man  is  given  in  pledge  fo?-  that  God  hath  created  them.']     For  though  they 

which  he  shall  have  wrought,]     i.  e.  Every  confess  this  with  their  tongues,  yet   they 

man   is  pledged  unto  God  for  his  beha-  deny  it  by  their  averseness  to  render  him 

viour:  and  if  he   does   well,    he   redeems  his  due  worship, 

his  pledge  ;  but  if  evil,  he  forfeits  it.  39  Daughters.}     See    chap.    xvi.  verse 

36  They  are  not  firmly  persuaded  that  57. 

1 


Liii.]  AL  KORAN.  347 

crees  ?  ^^  Do  they  seek  to  lay  a  plot  against  thee  ?  But 
the  unbelievers  are  they  who  shall  be  circumvented. 
^^  Have  they  any  god,  besides  God  ?  Far  be  God  exalted 
above  the  idols  which  they  associate  with  him  ?  ^^  If 
they  should  see  a  fragment  of  the  heaven  falling  down 
upon  them,  they  would  say.  It  is  only  a  thick  cloud. 
^^  Wherefore  leave  them,  until  they  arrive  at  the  day 
wherein  they  shall  swoon  for  fear  ;  ^^  a  day,  in  which  their 
subtle  contrivances  shall  not  avail  them  at  all,  neither 
shall  they  be  protected.  *^  And  those  who  act  unjustly 
shall  surely  suffer  another  punishment  besides  this  :  but 
the  greater  part  of  them  do  not  understand.  ^^  And 
wait  thou  patiently  the  judgment  of  thy  Lord  concerning 
them ;  for  thou  art  in  our  eye  ;  and  celebrate  the  praise 
of  thy  Lord  when  thou  risest  up ;  ^^  and  praise  him  in 
the  night-season,  and  when  the  stars  begin  to  disappear. 

42  Circumvented,^  See  chap.  viii.  verse  fear.']     i.e.  At  the  first  sound  of  the  trum- 

29.  pet  2. 

44  If  they  should  see  a  fragment  of  the  47  Another  punishment  besides  thisS] 
heaven  falling  down  on  them,  8z:c.]  This  That  is,  besides  the  punishment  to  which 
was  one  of  the  judgments  which  the  idola-  they  shall  be  doomed  at  the  day  of  judg- 
trous  Meccans  defied  Mohammed  to  bring  ment,  they  shall  be  previously  chastised 
down  upon  them  ;  and  yet,  says  the  text,  by  calamities  in  this  life,  as  the  slaughter 
if  they  should  see  a  part  of  the  heaven  fall-  at  Bedr,  and  the  seven  years'  famine  ;  and 
ing  on  th'em,  they  would  not  believe  it  till  also  after  their  death,  by  the  examination 
they  were  crushed  to  death  by  it  ^  of  the  sepulchre  •^. 

45  The  day  wherein  they  shall  swoon  for 


1  /4l  Beiddwi.  2  ggg  ^\^q  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  and  Monkir  and  NeMr  in  Index. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

INTITLED,    THE   STAR  ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  star,  when  it  setteth ;  ^  your  companion  Moham- 
med erreth  not,  nor  is  he  led  astray  :  ^  neither  doth  he 
speak  of  his  own  will.     ^  It  is  no  other  than  a  revelation, 

1  By  the  siarJ]  Some  suppose  the  stars  —  When  it  setteth.']  Or,  according  to 
in  general,  and  others  the  Pleiades  in  par-  a  contrary  signification  of  the  verb  here 
ticular  to  be  meant  in  this  place.  used.  When  it  riseth. 


348  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

which  hath  been  revealed  unto  him.  ^  One  mighty  in 
power,  ®  endued  with  understanding,  taught  it  him :  ^  and 
he  appeared  in  the  highest  part  of  the  horizon.  ^  After- 
wards he  approached  the  prophet,  and  drew  near  unto  him; 
^  until  he  was  at  the  distance  of  two  bows'  length  from 
him,  or  yet  nearer :  ^^  and  he  revealed  unto  his  servant 
that  which  he  revealed.  ^^  The  heart  of  Mohammed  did 
not  falsely  represent  that  which  he  saw  ?  ^^  Will  ye  there- 
fore dispute  with  him  concerning  that  which  he  saw  ?  ^^  He 
also  saw  him  another  time ;  ^^by  the  lote-tree  beyond  which 
there  is  no  passing :  ^^  near  it  is  the  garden  of  eternal  abode. 
^^  When  the  lote-tree  covered  that  which  it  covered,  ^^  his 
eye-sight  turned  not  aside,  neither  did  it  wander :  ^^  and 
he  really  beheld  some  of  the  greatest  signs  of  his  Lord. 
^^  What  think  ye  of  Allat,  and  Al  Uzza,  ^^  and  Manah, 
that  other  third  goddess  ?  ^^  Have  ye  male  children,  and 
God  female  ?  ^^  This,  therefore,  is  an  unjust  partition. 
^^  They  are  no  other  than  empty  names ;  which  ye  and 
your  fathers  have  named  goddesses.  ^^  God  hath  not  re- 
vealed concerning  them  any  thing  to  authorize  their  wor- 
ship. ^^  They  follow  no  other  than  a  vain  opinion,  and 
what  their  souls  desire :  yet  hath  the  true  direction  come 
unto  them  from  their  Lord.  ^^  Shall  man  have  whatever 
he  wisheth  for  ?     ^^  The  life  to  come,  and  the  present  life, 

5  One  mighty  in  jjower,  &:c.'i     Namely,     angels  themselves  must  not  pass;  or,  as 
the  angel  Gabriel.  some   rather   imagine,  beyond  which    no 

7  He  appeared.']     In  his  natural  form,    Creature's  knowledge  can  extend. 

in  which    God    created  him,    and  in  the  16   When  the  lote-tree  covered  that  which 

eastern  part  of  the  sky.     It  is  said  that  it  covered.]     The  words  seem  to  signify, 

this  angel  appeared  in  his  proper  shape  to  that  what  was  under  this  tree  exceeded 

none  of  the  prophets,  except  Mohammed  ;  all  description  and  number.     Some  sup- 

and  to  him  only  twice:  once  when  he  re-  pose  the  whole  host  of  angels  worshipping 

ceived  the  first  revelation  of  the  Koran,  beneath  it  *,  are  intended  ;  and  others,  the 

and  a  second  time  when  he  took  his  night-  birds  which  sit  on  its  branches  ^. 

journey  to  heaven  ;  as  it  follows  in  the  next.  18  And  he  beheld  some  of  the  greatest 

8  Afterwards    he    approached.]     In    a  signs  of  his  Lord.]     Seeing  the  wonders 
human  shape.  both  of  the  sensible  and  intellectual  worlds 

—  Two  hows'  length.]     Or,  as  the  word  19   What  think  ye  of  Allat,  andAl  Uzza, 

also  signifies,  two  cubits^  length.  and  Manah  ?]     Those  were  three  idols  of 

11   The   heart   of  Mohammed  did    not^  the  ancient  Arabs,  of  which  we  have  spoken 

falsely  represent  that  which  he  saw.]     But  in  the  Preliminary  Discourse  *. 

he  saw  it  in  reality.  As  to  the  blasphemy  which  some  pre- 

14  The  lote-tree,  beyond  which  there  is  tend  Mohammed  once  uttered,  through  in- 

no  passing.]     This  tree,  say  the  commen-  advertence,  as  he  was  reading  this  passage, 

tators,  stands  in   the  seventh  heaven,  on  see  chap.  xxii.  verse  53. 

the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God  ;  and  21  Male  children.]  See  chap,  xvi.ver.  57- 

is  the  utmost  bounds  beyond  which   the  26  Shall  man  have  whatever  he  wisheth 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Sect.  i.  in  the  account 

of  the  ancient  superstitions  of  Arabia. 


Liii.]  A L   KORAN.  349 

are  God's  :  ^^  and  how  many  angels  soever  there  be  in  the 
heavens,  their  intercession  shall  be  of  no  avail,  until  after 
God  shall  have  granted  permission  unto  whom  he  shall 
please  and  shall  accept.  ^^  Verily  they  who  believe  not 
in  the  life  to  come,  give  unto  the  angels  a  female  appel- 
lation. ^^  But  they  have  no  knowledge  herein  :  they  fol- 
low no  other  than  a  bare  opinion ;  and  a  bare  opinion 
attaineth  not  any  thing  of  truth.  Wherefore  withdraw 
from  him  who  turneth  away  from  our  admonition,  and 
seeketh  only  the  present  life.  This  is  their  highest  pitch 
of  knowledge.  Verily  thy  Lord  well  knoweth  him  who 
erreth  from  his  way;  and  he  well  knoweth  him  who  is  rightly 
directed.  ^^  Unto  God  belongeth  whatever  is  in  heaven 
and  earth :  that  he  may  reward  those  who  do  evil,  accord- 
ing to  that  which  they  shall  have  wrought ;  and  may 
reward  those  who  do  well,  with  the  most  excellent  reward. 
^^  As  to  those  who  avoid  great  crimes,  and  heinous  sins, 
and  are  guilty  only  of  lighter  faults  ;  verily  thy  Lord  will 
be  extensive  in  mercy  towards  them.  He  well  knew  you 
when  he  produced  you  out  of  the  earth,  and  when  you 
were  embryos  in  your  mothers'  wombs :  wherefore  justify 
not  yourselves ;  he  best  knoweth  the  man  who  feareth 
him.  ^^  What  thinkest  thou  of  him  who  turneth  aside 
from  following  the  truth  ?  ^^  and  who  giveth  little,  and 
covetously  stoppeth  his  hand  ?  ^^  Is  the  knowledge  of 
futurity  with  him,  so  that  he  seeth  the  same  ?  ^^  Hath  he 
not  been  informed  of  that  which  is  contained  in  the  books 
of  MoSES ;  ^^  and  of  Abraham  who  faithfully  performed 
his  engagements  ?     ^^  to  wit :  that  a  burdened  soul  shall 

for  ?]     i.  e.  Shall  he  dictate  to  God,  and  what  he   did  was  out  of  apprehension  of 

name  whom  he  pleases  for  his  intercessors,  the    divine    vengeance  :    whereupon    the 

or    for   his    prophet ;  or    shall  he   choose  man  offered,  for  a  certain  sum,  to  take  the 

a  religion   according    to    his    own    fancy,  guilt  of  his  apostacy  on  himself;  and  the 

and   prescribe   the    terms    on   which    he  bargain  being  made,  al  Walid  returned  to 

may  claim  the  reward  of  this  life  and  the  his  idolatry,  and   paid  the  man   part   of 

next^  ?  what  had  been  agreed  on  ;  but  afterwards, 

33    What    thinkest    thou    of    him,  &c.]  on  further  consideration,  he  thought  it  too 

This  passage,  it   is  said,  was  revealed  on  much,  and  kept  back  the  remainder  2. 
account   of  al  Walid    Ebn    al    Mogheira,         35  Is   the    knowledge   of  futurity  with 

who  following  the  prophet  one  day,  was  htm?']     That  is,   is  he   assured   that  the 

reviled  by  an  idolater  for  leaving  the  reli-  person   with  whom  he  made  the  above- 

gion  of  the  Koreish,  and  giving  occasion  mentioned  agreement,  will  be  allowed  to 

of  scandal ;  to  which    he   answered,  that  suffer  in  his  stead  hereafter^? 

1  Al  Beidmvi,  Jallalo'ddin,  2  ^/  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


g50  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

not  beat-  the  burden  of  another ;  ^^  and  that  nothing  shall 
be  imputed  to  a  man  for  righteousness,  except  his  own 
labour ;  ^^  and  that  his  labour  shall  surely  be  made  mani- 
fest hereafter ;  ^^  and  that  he  shall  be  rewarded  for  the 
same  with  the  most  abundant  reward  ;  ^^  and  that  unto 
thy  Lord  will  be  the  end  of  all  things ;  ^^  and  that  he 
oauseth  to  laugh,  and  causeth  to  weep  ;  ^^  and  that  he 
putteth  to  death,  and  giveth  life  ;  ^^  and  that  he  createth 
the  two  sexes,  the  male  and  the  female,  ^^  of  seed  when 
it  is  emitted ;  ^^  and  that  unto  him  appertaineth  another 
production,  namely,  the  raising  of  the  dead  again  to  life 
hereafter  ;  ^^  and  that  he  enricheth,  and  causeth  to  acquire 
possessions ;  ^^  and  that  he  is  the  Lord  of  the  dog-star ; 
^^  and  that  he  destroyed  the  ancient  tribe  of  Ad  ;  ^^  and 
Thamud,  and  left  not  any  of  them  alive  :  ^^  and  also  the 
people  of  Noah,  before  them ;  for  they  were  most  unjust 
and  wicked :  ^^  and  he  overthrew  the  cities  which  were 
turned  upside  down ;  ^^  and  that  which  covered  them, 
covered  them.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  thy  Lord's  bene- 
fits, O  man,  wilt  thou  call  in  question?  ^^This  our 
apostle  is  a  preacher  like  the  preachers  who  preceded  him. 
^^  The  approaching  day  of  judgment  draweth  near :  ^^  there 
is  none  who  can  reveal  the  exact  time  of  the  same,  besides 
God.  ^^  Do  ye,  therefore,  wonder  at  this  new  revelation ; 
^^  and  do  ye  laugh  ?  ^^  and  do  ye  not  rather  weep  ?  ^^  Do  ye 
spend  your  time  in  idle  diversions  ?  But  rather  worship 
God,  and  serve  him. 

49  He   is   the   Lord  of  the  dog-star.']  down.]     Viz.  Sodom,  and  the  other  cities 

Sirius,  or  the  greater  dog-star,  was  wor-  involved  in  her  ruin.  See  chap.  xi.  ver.  81. 
shipped  by  some  of  the  old  Arabs  i.  54   That  which  covered,  &c.]     Showers 

53  The  cities  which  were  turned  upside  of  ignited  stones. 

1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  and  Hyd.  not.  in  Ulug  Beig-Tab.  Stell.  fix.  p.  53. 


Liv.]  AL   KORAN.  351 

CHAPTER    LIV. 

INTITLED,    THE    MOON  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  hour  of  judgment  approacheth ;  and  the  moon 
hath  been  spht  in  sunder :  ^  but  if  the  unbeHevers  see  a 
sign,  they  turn  aside,  saying,  This  is  a  powerful  charm. 
^  And  they  accuse  thee,  O  Mohammed,  of  imposture,  and 
follow  their  own  lusts :  but  every  thing  will  be  immutably 
fixed.  *And  now  hath  a  message  come  unto  them, 
wherein  is  a  determent  from  obstinate  infidelity :  ^  the 
same  being  consummate  wisdom :  ^  but  warners  profit 
them  not ;  wherefore  do  thou  withdraw  from  them.  ^  The 
day  whereon  the  summoner  shall  summon  mankind  to  an 
ungrateful  business,  they  shall  come  forth  from  their 
graves  with  downcast  looks  :  ^  numerous  as  locusts  scat- 
tered far  abroad ;  hastening  with  terror  unto  the  sum- 
moner. The  unbelievers  shall  say.  This  is  a  day  of  distress. 
^  The  people  of  Noah  accused  that  prophet  of  imposture, 
before  thy  people  rejected  thee  :  they  accused  our  servant 
of  imposture,  saying.  He  is  a  madman ;  and  he  was  re- 
jected with  reproach.     ^^  He  called,   therefore,  upon  his 

1  The  moon  hath  been  split  in  sunder, '\  reckoned  by  some  to  be  one  of  the  previ- 
This  passage  is  expounded  two  different  ous  signs  of  the  last  day  2. 
ways.  Some  imagine  the  words  refer  to  a  2  A  powerful  charm.']  Or,  as  the  par- 
famous  miracle  supposed  to  have  been  per-  ticiple  here  used  may  also  signify,  A  con- 
formed by  Mohammed ;  for  it  is  said  that,  tinued  series  of  magic,  or,  A  transient 
on  the  infidels  demanding  a  sign  of  him,  magic  illusion. 

the  moon  appeared  cloven  in  two*,  one  3  Every  thing  will  be  immutably  fixed.] 
part  vanishing,  and  the  other  remaining ;  Or,  will  teach  a  final  period  of  ruin  or 
and  Ebn  Masild  aflSrmed,  that  he  saw  success  in  this  world,  and  of  misery  and 
mount  Kara  interpose  between  the  two  happiness  in  the  next,  which  will  be  con- 
sections.  Others  think  the  preter  tense  is  elusive  and  unchangeable  thenceforward 
here  used,  in  the  prophetic  style,  for  the  for  ever  ^. 

future,  and  that   the   passage    should  be         4  A  7nessage.'\  i.  e.  The  Koran,  contain- 

rendered,   The  moon  shall  be  split  in  sun-  ing stories  offormer  nations  which  have  been 

der  :  for  this,  they  say,  is  to  happen  at  the  chastised  for  their  incredulity,  and  threats 

resurrection.     The  former  opinion  is  sup-  of  a  more  dreadful  punishment  hereafter, 
ported    by    reading,    according    to    some  7   The  day  whereon  the  summorier  shall 

copies,   Wakad   inshakka  'Ikamaro,  i.    e.  stimmon  mankind  to  an  ungrateful  business.] 

Since  the  moon  hath  already  been  split  in  That  is,  when  the  angel  Israfil  shall   call 

sunder;  the  splitting  of  the  moon  being  men  to  judgment. 

*  See  a  long  and  fabulous  account  of  this  pretended  miracle  in  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Mah. 
ch.  xix.  2  A I  Zamakh.  Al  Belddwi.  ^  A I  Beiddwi. 


353  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

Lord,  saying,  Verily  I  am  overpowered ;  wherefore  avenge 
me.  ^^  So  w^e  opened  the  gates  of  heaven,  with  water 
pouring  down ;  ^^  and  we  caused  the  earth  to  break  forth 
into  springs ;  so  that  the  water  of  heaven  and  earth  met 
according  to  the  decree  which  had  been  established. 
^^And  we  bare  him  on  a  vessel  composed  of  planks  and 
nails ;  ^*  which  moved  forward  under  our  eyes :  as  a 
recompense  unto  him  who  had  been  ungratefully  rejected. 
^^  And  we  left  the  said  vessel  for  a  sign :  but  is  any  one 
warned  thereby  ?  ^^  And  how  severe  was  my  vengeance, 
and  my  threatening  !  ^^  Now  have  we  made  the  Koran 
easy  for  admonition  :  but  is  any  one  admonished  thereby? 
^^  Ad  charged  their  prophet  with  imposture  :  but  how 
severe  was  my  vengeance,  and  my  threatening !  ^^  Verily 
we  sent  against  them  a  roaring  wind,  on  a  day  of  continued 
ill-luck  :  ^^  it  carried  men  away,  as  though  they  had  been 
roots  of  palm-trees  forcibly  torn  up.  ^^  And  how  severe 
w^as  my  vengeance,  and  my  threatening !  ^^  Now  have 
we  made  the  Koran  easy  for  admonition  :  but  is  any  one 
admonished  thereby  ?  ^^  Thamud  charged  the  admoni- 
tions of  their  prophet  with  falsehood ;  ^^  and  said,  Shall 
we  follow  a  single  man  among  us  ?  verily  we  should  then 
be  guilty  of  error,  and  preposterous  madness  :  ^^  is  the 
office  of  admonition  committed  unto  him  preferably  to  the 
rest  of  us  ?  Nay ;  he  is  a  liar,  and  an  insolent  fellow. 
^^  But  God  said  to  Saleh,  To-morrow  shall  they  know 
who  is  the  liar,  and  the  insolent  person  :  ^^  for  we  will 
surely  send  the  she-camel  for  a  trial  of  them :  and  do 
thou  observe  them,  and  bear  their  insults  with  patience : 
^^  and  prophesy  unto  them,  that  the  water  shall  be  divided 
between  them,  and  each  portion  shall  be  sat  down  to 

10  /  am  overpowered ;  wherefore  avenge  20  //  carried  men  away,   as  they  had 

me.']     This  petition  was   not  preferred  by  been  roots  of  palm-trees,  &c.]     It  is  related 

Noah  till  after  he  had  suffered  repeated  that  they  sought  shelter  in   the  clefts  of 

violence  from  his  people  :  for  it  is  related,  rocks,    and   in  pits,  holding  fast  by  one 

that  one  of  them  having  fallen  upon  him,  another ;  but  that  the  wind   impetuously 

and  almost  strangled  him,  when  he  came  tore  them   away,  and  threw  them  down 

to  himself  he  said,  O  Lord,  forgive  them,  dead  ^. 

for  they  know  not  what  they  do  ^  27   Camel.]     See  chap.  vii.  verse  74. 

14    Lfnder  our  eyes.]     i.  e.   Under  our  28   The  water  shall  be  divided  between 

special  regard  and  keeping.  them.]      That  is,  between  the  Thamudites 

19  A  roaring.]     Or,  a  cold  wind.  and    the    camel.     See   chap.   xxvi.   verse 

—   On  a  day  of  a  continued  ill-lucJc.]  Viz.  154. 
on  a  Wednesday.     See  chap.  xli.  verse  10. 


Jl  Beiddivi.  ^  Idem. 


Liv.]  AL    KORAN.  353 

alternately.  ^^  And  they  called  their  companion  :  and  he 
took  a  sword,  and  slew  her.  "^  But  how  severe  was  my 
vengeance,  and  my  threatening !  For  we  sent  against 
them  one  cry  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  and  they  became  like 
the  dry  sticks  used  by  him  who  buildeth  a  fold  for  cattle. 
^^  And  now  have  we  made  the  Koran  easy  for  admonition: 
but  is  any  one  admonished  thereby  ?  ^^  The  people  of 
Lot  charged  his  preaching  with  falsehood  :  ^^  but  we  sent 
against  them  a  wind  driving  a  shower  of  stones,  which 
destroyed  them  all,  except  the  family  of  Lot  ;  ^^  whom 
we  delivered  early  in  the  morning,  through  favour  from 
us.  Thus  do  we  reward  those  who  are  thankful.  ^^  And 
Lot  had  warned  them  of  our  severity  in  chastising :  but 
they  doubted  of  that  warning.  ^^  And  they  demanded 
his  guests  of  him,  that  they  might  abuse  them :  but  we 
put  out  their  eyes,  saying,  Taste  my  vengeance,  and  my 
threatening.  ^^  And  early  in  the  morning  a  lasting  punish- 
ment surprised  them.  ^^  Taste,  therefore  my  vengeance, 
and  my  threatening.  ^^  Now  have  we  made  the  Koran 
easy  for  admonition :  but  is  any  one  admonished  thereby  ? 
^^  The  warning  of  Moses  also  came  unto  the  people  of 
Pharaoh  ;  ^^  but  they  charged  every  one  of  our  signs  with 
imposture  :  wherefore  we  chastised  them  with  a  mighty 
and  irresistible  chastisement.  ^^  Are  your  unbelievers,  O 
Meccans,  better  than  these  ?  Is  immunity  from  punish- 
ment promised  unto  you  in  the  scriptures  ?  ^^  Do  they 
say.  We  are  a  body  of  men  able  to  prevail  against  our 
enemies?     ^^The  multitude  shall  surely  be  put  to  flight, 

29  Their  companion.~\  Namely,  Kodar  their  sockets  became  filled  up  even  with 
Ebn  Salef;  who  was  not  an  Arab,  but  a  the  other  parts  of  their  faces.  This,  it  is 
stranger  dwelling  among  the  Thamudites.  said,  was  done  by  one  stroke  of  the  wing  of 
See  chap.  vii.  p.  verse  74,  &c.  the  angel  Gabriel.     See  chap,  xi.  verse  80. 

—  He  took  a  sword.']     Or,  as  the  word  37  ^  lasting  punishment.']  Under  which 

also    imports,    He    became    resolute   and  they  shall  continue  till  they  receive  their 

daring.  full  punishment  in  hell. 

30  Like  the  dry  sticks  used  by  him  who  44  The  multitude  shall  surely  be  put  to 
buildeth  a  fold  for  cattle.]  The  words  flight.]  This  prophecy  was  fulfilled  by 
may  signify  either  the  dry  boughs  with  the  overthrow  of  the  Koreish  at  Bedr.  It 
which,  in  the  east,  they  make  folds  or  en-  is  related,  from  a  tradition  of  Omar,  that 
closures,  to  fence  their  cattle  from  wind  when  this  passage  was  revealed,  Moham- 
and  cold  ;  or  the  stubble  and  other  stuff  med  professed  himself  to  be  ignorant  of  its 
with  which  they  litter  them  in  those  folds  true  meaning  ;  but  on  the  day  of  the 
during  the  winter  season.  battle  of  Bedr,  he  repeated  these  words  as 

36   We  put  out    their   eyes.]     So    that     he  was  putting  on  his  coat  of  mail  ^ 

'  Al  Beiddwi. 
VOL.  II.  A  a 


354  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

and  shall  turn  their  back.  ^^  But  the  hour  of  judgment 
is  their  threatened  time  of  punishment :  and  that  hour 
shall  be  more  grievous  and  more  bitter  than  their  afflic- 
tions in  this  life.  ^^  Verily  the  wicked  wander  in  error, 
and  shall  be  tormented  hereafter  in  burning  flames.  ^^  On 
that  day  they  shall  be  dragged  into  the  fire  on  their  faces ; 
and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  Taste  ye  the  touch  of  hell. 
*^A11  things  have  we  created  bound  by  a  fixed  decree. 
^^  And  our  command  is  no  more  than  a  single  word,  like 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  ^^  We  have  formerly  destroyed 
nations  like  unto  you ;  but  is  any  of  you  warned  by  their 
example  ?  ^^  Every  thing  which  they  do  is  recorded  in 
the  books  kept  by  the  guardian  angels:  ^^  and  every  action, 
both  small  and  great,  is  written  down  in  the  preserved 
table.  ^^  Moreover  the  pious  shall  dwell  among  gardens 
and  rivers ;  ^^  in  the  assembly  of  truth,  ^^  in  the  presence 
of  a  most  potent  king. 

45   The  hour  of  judgment  is  their  threat-         49  Our  command  is  no  more  than  a  single 

ened  time  of  punishment. ~\     i.e.  The  time  word.^      Viz.  Kun,  i.   e.  Be.     The    pas- 

when  they  shall  receive  their  full  punish-  sage  may  also  be  rendered,   The  execution 

ment ;  what  they  suffer  in  this  world  being  of  our  purpose  is  but  ok  single  acty  exerted 

only   the  forerunner  or  earnest   of  what  in  a  moment.     Some  suppose  it  refers  to 

they  shall  feel  in  the  next*  the  business  of  the  day  of  judgment^. 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


CHAPTER     LV. 

INTITLED,    THE    MERCIFUL;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  The  Merciful  ^  hath  taught  his  servant  the  Koran. 
^  He  created  man :  ^  he  hath  taught  him  distinct  speech. 
^  The  sun  and  the  moon  run  their  courses  according  to  a 
certain  rule  :  ^  and  the  vegetables  which  creep  on  the 
ground,  and  the  trees,  submit  to  his  disposition.  ^  He 
also  raised  the  heaven  ;  and  he  appointed  the  balance ; 
^  that  ye  should  not  transgress  in  respect  to  the  balance : 

Title — Mecca.']     Most  of  the  commen-     at  the  one  place,  and  partly  at  the  other, 
tators  doubt  whether  this  chapter  was  re-         7  The  balance.^     Or,  justice  and  equity 
vealed  at  Mecca,    r  at  Medina  ;  or  partly     in  mutual  dealings. 


Lv.]  AL    KORAN.  355 

^  wherefore  observe  a  just  weight ;  and  diminish  not  the 
balance.  ^^And  the  earth  hath  he  prepared  for  living 
creatures:  ^^  therein  are  various  fruits;  ^^  and  palm-trees 
bearing  sheaths  of  flowers ;  and  grain  having  chaff  and 
leaves.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will 
ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  He  created  man  of  dried  clay 
like  an  earthen  vessel :  ^^  but  he  created  the  genii  of  fire 
clear  from  smoke.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's 
benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  *^  He  is  the  Lord  of 
the  east,  and  the  Lord  of  the  west.  ^^  Which,  therefore, 
of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  He 
hath  let  loose  the  two  seas,  that  they  meet  each  another: 
^^  between  them  is  placed  a  bar  which  they  cannot  pass. 
^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungrate- 
fully deny  ?  ^^  From  them  are  taken  forth  unions  and  lesser 
pearls.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will 
ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  His  also  are  the  ships,  carrying 
their  sails  aloft  in  the  sea,  like  mountains.  ^^  Which, 
therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny? 
^^  Every  creature  which  liveth  on  the  earth  is  subject  to 
decay  :  ^^  but  the  glorious  and  honourable  countenance  of 
thy  Lord  shall  remain  for  ever.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of 
your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  Unto 
him  do  all  creatures  which  are  in  heaven  and  earth  make 
petition :  every  day  is  he  employed  in  some  new  work. 
^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny?  ^^  We  will  surely  attend  to  judge  you, 
O  men  and  genii,  at  the  last  day.  ^^  Which,  therefore, 
of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  O 
ye  collective  body  of  genii  and  men,  if  ye  be  able  to  pass 

13   Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord^s  he-  rizon  at  which  the  sun  rises  and  sets  at 

nefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny?']     The  the    summer    and  winter    solstice.     See 

words  are  directed  to  the  two  species  of  ra-  chap,  xxxvii.  p.  296,  note, 
tional  creatures,  men  and  genii ;  the  verb         1 9  The  two  seas.]     Of  salt  water  and 

and  the  pronoun  being  in  the  dual  number,  fresh  2  :  or  the  Persian  and  Mediterranean 

This  verse  is  intercalated,  or  repeated  seas  ^. 
by  way   of  burden,  throughout  the  whole         29  Every  day  is  he  employed  in  some 

chapter,    no   less    than    thirty-one   times,  new  work.]     In  executing    those    things 

which  was  done,  as  Majtracci  guesses,  in  which  he  hath  decreed  from  eternity  ;  by 

imitation  of  David  ^.  giving  life    and  death,    raising   one    and 

17  The  east  and  the  west.]     The  origi-  abasing  another,  hearing  prayers  and  grant- 

nal  words  are  both  in  the  dual  number,  ing  petitions,  &c.  * 
and  signify  the  different  points  of  the  ho-         33  7/  ye    be   able    to    pass   out  of  the 

^  See  Psalm  cxxvi.  ^  ggg  chap.  xxv.  verse  5.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 

A  a  2 


356  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

out  of  the  confines  of  heaven  and  earth,  pass  forth ;  ye 
shall  not  pass  forth  by  absolute  power.  ^"^  Which,  there- 
fore, of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ? 
^^  A  flame  of  fire  without  smoke,  and  a  smoke  without 
flame,  shall  be  sent  down  upon  you ;  and  ye  shall  not  be 
able  to  -  defend  yourselves  therefrom.  ^^  Which,  there- 
fore of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ? 
•^^  And  when  the  heaven  shall  be  rent  in  sunder,  and 
shall  become  red  as  a  rose,  and  shall  melt  like  ointment : 
38  (Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye 
ungratefully  deny  ?)  ^^  on  that  day  neither  man  nor  genius 
shall  be  asked  concerning  his  sin.  ^^  Which,  therefore, 
of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  The 
wicked  shall  be  known  by  their  marks ;  and  they  shall 
be  taken  by  the  forelocks,  and  the  feet,  and  shall  be 
cast  into  hell.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's 
benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  This  is  hell,  which 
the  wicked  deny  as  a  falsehood :  they  shall  pass  to 
and  fro  between  the  same  and  hot  boiling  water. 
^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungrate- 
fully deny  ?  ^^But  for  him  who  dreadeth  the  tribunal  of  his 
Lord,  are  prepared  two  gardens :  ^^  (Which,  therefore,  of 
your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?)  ^^  planted 
with  shady  trees.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's 
benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  In  each  of  them  shall 
be  two  fountains  flowing.  ^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your 
Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny?  ^^  In  each  of 
them  shall  there  be  of  every  fruit  two  kinds.     ^^  Which, 

confines  of  heaven  and  earth.'}    To  fly  from  41  Marks.']  See  the  Prelim.  Discom-se, 

the  power,  and  to  avoid  the  decree  of  God.  §  iv.  for  the  description  of  the  last  judg- 

35  A  smoke  without  flame.]     Or,  as  the  ment. 

word  also  signifies,   molten  brass,  which  43  They  shall  pass  to  and  fro  between 

shall    be    poured    on    the    heads   of  the  the  same  and  hot  boiling  water. "]     For  the 

damned.  only   respite    they  shall    have    from    the 

37  And  shall  melt  like  ointment.]  Or,  flames  of  hell,    will   be   when   they   are 

shall  appear  like  red  leather ;  according  to  a  suffered  to  go  to  drink  this  scalding  liquor, 

different  signification  of  the  original  word.  See  chap,  xxxvii.  verse  (19. 

39  Neither  man    nor  genius   shall    be  45    Two  gardens.]     i.  e.    One  distmct 

asked  concerning  his  sin.]   For  their  crimes  paradise  for  men,  and  another  for  genii : 

will  be  known   by  their  different  marks  ;  or,  as  some  imagine,  two  gardens  for  each 

as  it  follows  in   the  text.     This,  says  al  person  ;  one  as  a  reward  due  to  his  works, 

Beidawi,  is   to   be  understood  of  the  time  and  the  other  as  a  free  and  superabundant 

when   they   shall  be  raised   to    life,   and  gift,  &c. 

shall  be    led   towards   the  tribunal  ;    for  51   Two  sorts  of  fruits.]     Some   being 

when  they  come   to  trial,  they  will  then  known,  and  like  the  fruits  of  the  earth  ; 

undergo  an  examination,  as  is  declared  in  and  others  of  new  and  unknown  species  ; 

several  places  of  the  Koran.  or,  fruits  both  green  and  ripe. 


Lv.]  AL  KORAN.  357 

therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits    will    ye  imgratefully 
deny  ?    ^^  They  shall  repose  on  couches,  the  linings  whereof 
shall  be  of  thick  silk,  interwoven  with  gold  :  and  the  fruit 
of  the    two  gardens   shall   be   near  at  hand   to    gather. 
^*  Which,  therefore,   of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny  ?     ^^  Therein  shall  receive  them  beauteous 
damsels,  refraining  their  eyes  from  beholding  any  besides 
their  spouses ;  whom  no  man  shall  have  deflowered  be- 
fore them,  neither  any  genius:  ^^ (Which,   therefore,  of 
your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny?)  ^^  having 
complexions  like  rubies  and  pearls.     ^^  Which,  therefore, 
of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?    ^^  Shall 
the  reward   of   good    works   be   any  other    than    good  ? 
^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny  ?  ^^  And  besides  these  there  shall  be  two 
other    gardens :    ^^  (Which,    therefore,    of    your    Lord's 
benefits   will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?)  ^^  of  a  dark  green. 
^^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny  ?  ^^  In  each  of  them  shall  be  two  fountains, 
^^  pouring  forth  plenty  of  water.     ^^  Which,  therefore,  of 
your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  In  each 
of  them  shall  be  fruits,  and  palm-trees,  and  pomegranates. 
6^  Which,  therefore,  of  your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  un- 
gratefully deny  ?     ^^  Therein  shall  be  agreeable  and  beau- 
teous   damsels :    ^^  (Which,    therefore,    of   your    Lord's 
benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?)  ^^  having  fine   black 
eyes ;  and  kept  in  pavilions  from  public  view  :  ^^  (Which, 
therefore,  of  your   Lord's  benefits    will  ye  ungratefully 
deny?)  ^*whom  no  man    shall  have    deflowered,  before 
their  destined  spouses,  nor  any  genius.     ^^  Which,  there- 
fore, of  your  Lord's  benefits   will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ? 
^^  Therein  shall  they  delight  themselves,  lying  on  green 
cushions  and  beautiful  carpets.     ^^  Which,   therefore,  of 
your  Lord's  benefits  will  ye  ungratefully  deny  ?  ^^  Blessed 
be  the  name  of  thy  Lord,  possessed  of  glory  and  honour  ! 

53  Near  at  hand  to  gather. '^     So  that  these  gardens  will  chiefly  produce  herbs, 

a   man   may  reach  them  as  he  sits  or  lies  or  the  inferior  sorts  of  vegetables  :  whereas 

down.  the   former  will  be   planted    chiefly  with 

61    Two  other  gardens.']     For  the    in-  fruit-trees.     The   following   part   of   this 

ferior  classes  of  the  inhabitants  of  paradise.  description  also  falls  short  of  that  of  the 

63  Of  a  dark  gree?i.~\      From  hence,  other  gardens,  prepared  for  the   superior 

says  al  Beidawi,  it  may  be  inferred,  that  classes. 


358  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER   LVL 

INTITLED,    THE    INEVITABLE;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  inevitable  day  of  judgment  shall  suddenly 
come,  ^  no  soul  shall  charge  the  prediction  of  its  coming 
with  falsehood :  ^  it  will  abase  some,  and  exalt  others. 
^  When  the  earth  shall  be  shaken  with  a  violent  shock ; 
^  and  the  mountains  shall  be  dashed  in  pieces,  ^  and  shall 
become  as  dust  scattered  abroad ;  '^  and  ye  shall  be  sepa- 
rated into  three  distinct  classes :  ^  the  companions  of  the 
right  hand ;  ^  (how  happy  shall  the  companions  of  the 
right  hand  be  !)  ^^  and  the  companions  of  the  left  hand ; 
^^  (how  miserable  shall  the  companions  of  the  left  hand  be!) 
^^  and  those  who  have  preceded  others  in  the  faith,  shall 
precede  them  to  paradise.  ^^  These  are  they  who  shall 
approach  near  unto  God  :  ^^  they  shall  dwell  in  gardens 
of  delight :  ^^  (There  shall  be  many  of  the  former  re- 
ligions: ^^and  few  of  the  last.)  ^^  Reposing  on  couches 
adorned  with  gold  and  precious  stones :  ^^  sitting  opposite 
to  one  another  thereon^     ^^  Youths  which  shall  continue 

1    The  inevitable.']     The  original  word,  dism,  or  the  prophets,  who  were  the  re- 

the   force   whereof    cannot     well    be    ex-  spective  leaders  of  their  people,  or   any 

pressed  by   a  single  one  in   English,  sig-  persons  who  have  been  enainent  examples 

nifies   a   calamitous    accident    which  falls  of  piety  and  virtue,  may  be  here  intended. 

surely f  and  with  sudden  violence  ;  and   is  The  original  words  literally  rendered  are, 

therefore  made  use  of  here  to  design   the  The  leaders,  the  leaders :  which  repeti- 

day  of  judgment.  tion,  as   some  suppose,  was  designed  to 

8 — 10  The  companions  of  the  right  hand,  express  the  dignity  of  these  persons,  and 

and  of  the  left.']   That  is,   the  blessed  and  the  certainty  of  their  future   glory    and 

the    damned;   who    may   be   thus  distin-  happiness^. 

guished  here,  because  the  books  wherein  15,  16  There  shall  be  many  of  the  former 

their  actions  are    registered,  will  be  de-  religions,  and  few  of  the  last.]    i.e.  There 

livered  into  the  right  hands  of  the  former,  shall  be  more  leaders,  who  have  preceded 

and   into   the  left  hands   of  the  latter^;  others  in  faith  and  good  works,  among  the 

though   the   words  translated  right  hand  followers   of  the    several    prophets,    from 

and  left  hand  do  also  signify  happiness  Adam  down  to   Mohammed,  than  of  the 

and  misery.  followers  of  Mohammed  himself^. 

12  u^nd  those  who  have  preceded  others  18  Sitting  opposite.]  Not  turning  their 
in  t?ie  faith,  shall  precede  them  to  paradise.]  backs,  which  would  be  a  mark  of  con- 
Either   the   first    converts   to    Mohamme-  tempt. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jalldlo'ddin,  ^  lidem.  ^  Jidem. 


Lvi.]  AL     KORAN.  359 

in  their  bloom  for  ever,  shall  go  round  about  to  attend 
them,  ^^  with  goblets,  and  beakers,  and  a  cup  of  flowing 
wine:  ^'  their  heads  shall  not  ache  by  drinking  the  same, 
neither  shall  their  reason  be  disturbed:  ^^and  with  fruits 
of  the  sorts  'which  they  shall  choose,  ^'^  and  the  flesh  of 
birds  of  the  kind  which  they  shall  desire.  ^*  And  there 
shall  accompany  them  fair  damsels  having  large  black 
eyes ;  ^^  resembling  pearls  hidden  in  their  shells :  ^^  as  a 
reward  for  that  which  they  shall  have  wrought.  ^^  They 
shall  not  hear  therein  any  vain  discourse,  or  any  charge  of 
sin ;  ^^  but  only  the  salutation.  Peace  !  Peace  !  ^^  And  the 
companions  of  the  right  hand  ^^  (how  happy  shall  the 
companions  of  the  right  hand  be  !)  ^^  shall  have  their  abode 
among  lote-trees  free  from  thorns,  ^^  and  trees  of  mauz 
loaded  regularly  with  their  produce  from  top  to  bottom  : 
^^  under  an  extended  shade,  ^^  near  a  flowing  water,  ^^  and 
amidst  fruits  in  abundance,  which  shall  not  fail ;  nor  shall 
be  forbidden  to  be  gathered  :  ^^  and  they  shall  repose 
themselves  on  lofty  beds.  ^^  Verily  we  have  created  the 
damsels  of  paradise  by  a  peculiar  creation  :  ^^  and  we  have 
made  them  virgins,  beloved  by  their  husbands,  of  equal 
age  with  them  :  ^^  for  the  delight  of  the  companions  of  the 
right  hand.    ^^  There  shall  be  many  of  the  former  religions ; 

32   Trees  of  mauz.'\     The  original  word  wives   or    concubines;    and   if  the    latter 

jTa//^  is  the  name  not  only  of  the  mauz  ^,  sense    be   preferred,   the  passage  may  be 

but   also  of  a  very  tall  and  thorny   tree,  rendered  thus,    And     they     shall    enjoy 

which  bears  abundance    of  flowers  of  an  damsels  raised  on  lofty  couches,  whom  we 

agreeable   smell  2,    and  seems   to  be    the  have  created,  &c. 

Acacia.  37   JVe  have  created  damsels  of  paradise 

34  Near  a  flowing  water.']   Which  shall  by   a  peculiar  creation.]     Having  created 

be   conveyed   in  channels    to  such  places,  them  purposely  of  finer  materials  than  the 

and  in   such  manner,  as   every  one  shall  females  of  this  world,  and  subject  to  none 

desire^.     Al    Beidawi  observes,  that  the  of  those  inconveniences  which  are  natural 

condition  of  the  few  who   have  preceded  to   the   sex  *.      Some    understand  this   of 

others  in  faith  and  good  works,  is  repre-  the   beatified  women  ;  who,  though  they 

sented  by  whatever  may  render  a  city  life  die  old  and  ugly,  shall  yet  be   restored  to 

agreeable  ;  and     that    the     condition    of  their  youth  and  beauty  in  paradise  ^. 

the  companions  of  the  right  hand,  or  the  38   Virgins,]      For    how     often    soever 

generality  of  the    blessed,  is  represented  their   husbands    shall    go  in    unto  them, 

by  those  things  which  make  the  principal  they  shall  always  find  them  virgins, 

pleasure  of  a  country  life;  and  that  this  40 — 41      There  shall  be  many   of  the 

is  done  to  shew  the  difference  of  the  two  former  religions  ;   and  many  of  the  latter.] 

conditions.  Father  Marracci  thinks  this  to  be  a  mani- 

36  Lofty  beds.]     The  word   translated  fest  contradiction  to   what    is  said  above, 

beds,  signifies  also,  by  way  of  metaphor.  There  shall  be  many  of  the   former  and 

1  See  chap,  xxxvii.  ^   V.  J.  Leon.  Descript,  Africse,  lib   9. 

3  Al  Beidawi.  *   See  the  Prelijn.  Disc.  §  iv.  5  Jallalo'ddin. 


360  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  and  many  of  the  latter.     ^^  And  the  companions  of  the 
left  hand  ^^  (how  miserable  shall  the  companions  of  the  left 
hand  be  !)  ^^  shall  dwell  amidst  burning  winds,  and  scald- 
ing water,  ^^  under  the  shade  of  a  black  smoke,  ^^  neither 
cool  nor  agreeable.     ^^  For  they  enjoyed  the  pleasures  of 
life  before  this,  while  on  earth  ;  ^^  and   obstinately  per- 
sisted in  a  heinous  wickedness  :  ^^  and  they  said,  After  we 
shall   have  died,  and  become  dust  and  bones,  shall  we 
surely  be  raised  to  life  ?     ^^  Shall  our  forefathers  also  be 
raised  with  us  ?     ^^  Say,  Verily  both  the  first  and  the  last. 
^^  They  shall  surely  be  gathered  together  to  judgment,  at 
the  prefixed  time  of  a  known   day.     ^^  Then  ye,  O  men, 
who  have  erred,  and  denied  the  resurrection  as  a  false- 
hood, ^^  shall  surely    eat  of  the  fruit   of  the   tree  of  al 
Zakkum,  ^^  and  shall  fill  your  bellies  therewith :  ^^  and  ye 
shall  drink  thereon  boiling  water  ;  ^^  and  ye  shall  drink  as 
a  thirsty  camel  drink eth.     ^^  This  shall  be  their  entertain- 
ment on  the  day  of  judgment.     ^^  We  have  created  you  : 
will  ye  not  therefore  believe  that  we  can  raise  you  from 
the   dead  ?     ''  What  think  ye  ?     ^'  The   seed    which    ye 
emit,  do  ye  create  the  same,  or  are  Ave  the  creators  thereof? 
^^  We  have  decreed  death  unto  you  all :  and  we  shall  not 
be  prevented.     ^^  We   are   able  to  substitute  others  like 
unto  you  in  your  stead,  and  to  produce  you  again  in  the 
condition  or  form  which  ye  know  not.     ^^  Ye  know  the 
original  production    by  creation ;  will  ye  not  therefore 
consider  that  we  are  able  to  reproduce  you  by  resuscita- 
tion ?     ^^  What  think  ye  ?  ^^  The  grain  which  ye  sow,  do 
ye   cause   the  same  to  spring  foith,  or  do  we  cause  it  to 
spring  forth  ?     ^^  If  we  pleased,  verily  we   could  render 
the  same  dry  and  fruitless,  so  that  ye  would  not  cease  to 
wonder ;  ^^  saying,  Verily  we  have  contracted  debts  for 
seed  and  labour ;  ^^  but  we  are  not  permitted  to  reap  the 
fruit   thereof.     ^^  What  think  ye  of  the  water  which  ye 

few    of  the  latter  :  but   al  Beidawi  obvi-  44  Burning  winds.'}  Which  shall  pene- 

ates  such  an  objection,  by  observing,  that  trate  into  the  passages  of  their  bodies. 

the  preceding  passage  speaks  of  the  leaders  67   To  wonder. ~\  Or  to  repent  of  your 

only,  and  those  who  have  preceded  others  time  and  labour  bestowed  to  little  pur- 

in  faith  and  good  works  ;  and  the  passage  pose,  &c. 

before  us  speaks  of  the  righteous  of  infe-  68    We  have  contracted  debts ^  Src]    Or, 

rior   merit  and   degree  ;    so    that  though  V/e  are  undone. 

there  be  many  of  both  sorts,  yet  there  may  69    We  are  not  permitted,  &c.]    Or,  We 

be  few  of  one  sort,  comparatively  speaking,  are  unfortunate  wretches,  who  are  denied 

in  respect  to  the  other.  the  nece.ssarles  of  life. 


Lvi.]  A  L    KORAN.  361 

drink  ?  ^^  Do  ye  send  down  the  same  from  the  clouds,  or 
are  we  the  senders  thereof?  ^^  If  we  pleased,  we  could 
render  the  same  brackish :  will  ye  not  therefore  give 
thanks?  ^^  What  think  ye  of  the  fire  which  ye  strike? 
^^  Do  ye  produce  the  tree  whence  ye  obtain  the  same,  or 
are  we  the  producers  thereof?  ^^  We  have  ordained  the 
same  for  an  admonition,  and  an  advantage  unto  those 
who  travel  through  the  deserts.  ^^  Wherefore  praise  the 
name  of  thy  Lord,  the  great  God.  ^^  Moreover  I  swear 
by  the  setting  of  the  stars ;  ^^  (and  it  is  surely  a  great  oath, 
if  ye  knew  it;)  ^Hhat  this  is  the  excellent  Koran  ;  the 
original  whereof  is  written  in  the  preserved  book  :  ^^  none 
shall  touch  the  same,  except  those  who  are  clean.  ^^  It 
is  a  revelation  from  the  Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  Will 
ye,  therefore,  despise  this  new  revelation  ?  ^^  And  do  ye 
make  this  return  for  your  food  which  ye  receive  from  God, 
that  ye  deny  yourselves  to  be  obliged  to  him  for  the 
same  ?  ^^  When  the  soul  of  a  dying  person  cometh  up 
to  his  throat,  and  ye  at  the  same  time  are  looking  on, 
^^  (and  we  are  nigher  unto  him  than  ye,  but  ye  see  not 
his  true  condition  :)  ^^  would  ye  not,  if  ye  are  not  to  be 
rewarded  for  your  actions  hereafter,  ^^  cause  the  same  to 
return  into  the  body,  if  ye  speak  truth  ?  ^^  And  whether 
he  be  of  those  who  shall  approach  near  unto  God,   ^^  his 

74  The  tree,^c.'\  Seech,  xxxvi.  v.  80.      to  him  for  the  same.^     By  ascribing  the 

75  An    admonition,^     To   put   men    in      rains,  which  fertilize   your  lands,   to   the 
mind  of  the  resurrection  ^ ;  which  the  pro-      influence  of  the  stars  ^. 

duction  of  fire  in  some  sort  resembles;  or,  Some  copies,  instead  of  RizJcacomy  i.  e. 

of  the  fire  of  hell  '^.  your  food,  read  Shocracom,  i.  e.  ycur  grati- 

77  I  swear.l     The  particle  la\s  gene-  tude ;  and  then  the  passage  may  be  ren- 

rally  supposed  to  be  intensive  in  this  place;  dered  thus,  And  do  ye  make  this  return  of 

but  if  it  be  taken  for  a  negative,  the  words  gratitude  for  God's  revealing  the    Koran, 

must  be   translated,  I  will  not  or  do  not  that  ye  reject  the  same  as  a  fiction  ? 

swear ;  because  what  is  here   asserted   is  84   When  the   soul  of  a   dyiyig  person 

too  manifest  to  need  the  confirmation  of  cometh  up  to  his  throat,  &c.]     The  mean- 

an  oath  ^.                            '  ing  of  this  obscure  passage,  is,   If  ye  shall 

80  None   shall   touch  the  same,  except  not  be  obliged  to  give  an  account  of  your 

those  who  are  clean,']     Or,  Let  7ione  touch  actions  at  the  last  day,  as  by  your  denying 

the  same,  &c.     Purity  both  of  body  and  the  resurrection  ye  seem  to  believe,  cause 

mind  being  requisite  in   him  who  would  the  soul  of  the  dying  person  to  return  into 

use  this  book  with  the  respect  he  ought,  his  body  ;  for  ye  may  as  easily  do  that,  as 

and  hopes  to  edify  by  it;  for  which  reason  avoid  the  general  judgment  ^. 

these  words  are   usually  written   on   the  88  Of  those   who  shall   approach   near 

cover  ^.  unto  God.]     That  is,  of  the  leaders,  or  first 

83  That  ye  deny  yourselves  to  he  obliged  professors  of  the  faith. 

1   See  chap,  xxxvi.  verse  80,  &c,  2  Al  Beiddwi.  •"*  Idem. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  3.  ^  <^qq  \}q\^^  ^i  6  Jallalo'ddin,  al  Beiddwi, 


S62  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

reward  shall  be  rest,  and  mercy,  and  a  garden  of  delights  ; 
^^  or  whether  he  be  of  the  companions  of  the  right  hand, 
^^he  shall  be  saluted  with  the  salutation,  Peace  be  unto  thee! 
by  the  companions  of*  the  right  hand  his  brethren:  ^^or 
whether  he  be  of  those  who  have  rejected  the  true  faith, 
and  gone  astray,  ^^  his  entertainment  shall  consist  of  boil- 
ing water  ^*  and  the  burning  of  hell-fire.  ^^  Verily,  this  is 
certain  truth.  ^^  Wherefore  praise  the  name  of  thy  Lord, 
the  great  God. 


CHAPTER    LVII. 

INTITLED,  iron;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA,  OR  AT  MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth  singeth  praise 
unto  God  ;  and  he  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^  His  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  and  earth;  he  giveth  life,  and  he  putteth 
to  death  ;  and  he  is  almighty.  ^  He  is  the  first  and  the 
last ;  the  manifest,  and  the  hidden  :  and  he  kiioweth  all 
things.  ^  It  is  he  who  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
in  six  days ;  and  then  ascended  his  throne.  He  knoweth 
that  which  entereth  into  the  earth,  and  that  which  issueth 
out  of  the  same ;  and  that  which  descendeth  from 
heaven,  and  that  which  ascendeth  thereto :  and  he  is 
with  you,  wheresoever  ye  be :  for  God  seeth  that 
which  ye  do.  ^  His  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  earth  ; 
and  unto  God  shall  all  things  return.  ^He  causeththe  night 
to  succeed  the  day,  and  he  causeth  the  day  to  succeed  the 
night;  and  he  knoweth  the  innermost  part  of  men's 
breasts.  ^  Believe  in  God  and  his  apostle,  and  lay  out  in 
alms  a  part  of  the  wealth  whereof  God  hath  made  you 
inheritors :  for  unto  such  of  you  as  believe,  and  bestow 
alms,  shall  be  given  a  great  reward.  ^  And  what  aileth 
you,  that  ye  believe  not  in  God,  when  the  apostle  inviteth 
you  to  believe  in  your  Lord  ;  and  he  hath  received  your 

Title — Iron.^    The  word  occurs  toward      the  two  places  was  the  scene  of  revelation 
the  end  of  the  chapter,  verse  25.  of  this  chapter. 

—  Mecca,  &:c.']    It  is  uncertain  which  of  8  He    hath    received  your    covenant.'] 


Lvii.]  AL  KORAN.  36 


cy 


covenant  concerning  this  matter,  if  ye  believe  any  pro- 
position ?  ^  It  is  he  v^ho  hath  sent  down  unto  his  servant 
evident  signs,  that  he  may  lead  you  out  of  darkness 
into  light ;  for  God  is  compassionate  and  merciful  unto 
you.  ^^  And  what  aileth  you,  that  ye  contribute  not  of 
your  substance  for  the  defence  of  God's  true  religion? 
Since  unto  God  appertaineth  the  inheritance  of  heaven 
and  earth.  Those  among  you  who  shall  have  contributed 
and  fought  in  defence  of  the  faith,  before  the  taking  of 
Mecca,  shall  not  be  held  equal  Avith  those  who  shall  con- 
tribute and  fight  for  the  same  afterwards.  These  shall 
be  superior  in  degree  unto  those  who  shall  contribute  and 
fight  for  the  propagation  of  the  faith  after  the  above-men- 
tioned success :  but  unto  all  hath  God  promised  a  most 
excellent  reward ;  and  God  well  knoweth  that  which  ye 
do.  ^^  Who  is  he  that  will  lend  unto  God  an  acceptable 
loan?  for  he  will  double  the  same  unto  him  and  he 
shall  receive  moreover  an  honourable  reward.  ^^  On 
a  certain  day,  thou  shalt  see  the  true  believers  of  both 
sexes:  their  light  shall  run  before  them,  and  on  their 
right  hands ;  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  Good 
tidings  unto  you  this  day  :  gardens  through  which  rivers 
flow ;  ye  shall  remain  therein  for  ever.  This  will 
be  great  felicity.  ^^  On  that  day  the  hypocritical  men 
and  the  hypocritical  women  shall  say  unto  those  who 
believe.  Stay  for  us,  that  we  may  borrow  some  of  your 
light.  It  shall  be  answered.  Return  back  into  the  world, 
and  seek  light.  And  a  high  wall  shall  be  set  betwixt 
them,  wherein  shall  be  a  gate,  within  which  shall  be 
mercy ;  and  without  it,  over-against  the  same,  the  tor- 
ment of  hell.  The  hypocrites  shall  call  out  unto  the 
true  believers,  saying.  Were  we  not  with  you?  They 
shall  answer.  Yea;  but  ye  seduced  your  own  souls  by 
your  hypocrisy ;  and  ye  waited  our  ruin  ;  and  ye  doubted 

That  is,  ye  are  obliged  to  believe  in  him  great  success. 

by  the  strongest  arguments  and  motives.  12  Their  light  shall  run  before  them, 
10  Those  who  shall  have  contributed  and  on  their  right  hands.']  One  light  lead- 
awe?  fought  in  defence  of  the  faith,  before  ing  them  the  right  way  to  paradise,  and 
the  taking  of  Mecca,  shall  not  be  held  the  other  proceeding  from  the  book 
equal  with  those  who  shall  contribute  after.]  wherein  their  actions  are  recorded,  which 
Because  afterwards  there  was  not  so  great  they  will  hold  in  their  right  hand, 
necessity  for  either,  the  Mohammedan  re-  13  Stay  for  us.]  For  the  righteous  will 
ligion  being  firmly  established    by    that  hasten  to  paradise  swift  as  lightning. 

1 


364  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

concerning  the  faith ;  and  your  wishes  deceived  you, 
until  the  decree  of  God  came,  and  ye  died :  and  the  de- 
ceiver deceived  you  concerning  God.  ^^  This  day,  there- 
fore, a  ransom  shall  not  be  accepted  of  you,  nor  of  those 
who  have  been  unbelievers.  Your  abode  shall  be  hell- 
fire  :  that  is  what  ye  have  deserved  :  and  an  unhappy 
journey  shall  it  be  thither  !  ^^  Is  not  the  time  yet  come 
unto  those  who  believe,  that  their  hearts  should  humbly 
submit  to  the  admonition  of  God,  and  to  that  truth  which 
hath  been  revealed ;  and  that  they  be  not  as  those  unto 
whom  the  scripture  was  given  heretofore,  and  to  whom 
the  time  of  forbearance  was  prolonged,  but  their  hearts 
were  hardened,  and  many  of  them  were  wicked  doers  ? 
^^  Know  that  God  quickeneth  the  earth,  after  it  hath 
been  dead.  Now  have  we  distinctly  declared  our  signs 
unto  you,  that  ye  may  understand.  ^^  Verily  as  to  the 
alms-givers,  both  men  and  women,  and  those  who  lend 
unto  God  an  acceptable  loan,  he  will  double  the  same 
unto  them ;  and  they  shall  moreover  receive  an  honour- 
able reward.  ^^  And  they  who  believe  in  God  and  his 
apostles,  these  are  the  men  of  veracity,  and  the  witnesses 
in  the  presence  of  their  Lord  :  they  shall  have  their 
reward,  and  their  light.  But  as  to  those  who  believe  not, 
and  accuse  our  signs  of  falsehood,  they  shall  be  the  com- 
panions of  hell.  ^^  Know  that  this  present  life  is  only  a 
toy  and  a  vain  amusement :  and  worldly  pomp,  and  the 
affectation  of  glory  among  you,  and  the  multiplying  of 
riches  and  children,  are  as  the  plants  nourished  by  the 
rain,  the  springing  up  whereof  delighteth  the  husband- 
men ;  afterwards  they  wither,  so  that  thou  seest  the  same 
turned  yellow,  and  at  length  they  become  dry  stubble. 
^^  And  in  the  life  to  come  will  be  a  severe  punishment 
for  those  who  covet  worldly  grandeur ;  and  pardon  from 
God,  and  favour  for  those  who  renounce  it :  for  this  pre- 
sent life  is  no  other  than  a  deceitful  provision.  ^^  Hasten 
with  emulation  to  obtain  pardon  from  your  Lord,  and 
paradise,  the  extent  whereof  equalleth  the  extent  of 
heaven  and  earth,  prepared  for  those  who  believe  in  God 
and  his  apostles.  This  is  the  bounty  of  God  :  he  will 
give  the  same  unto  whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  God  is  en- 
dued with  great  bounty.     ^^No   accident  happeneth  in 


Lvii.]  A L    KORAN.  365 

the  earth,  nor  in  your  persons,  but  the  same  was  entered 
in  the  book  of  our  decrees,  before  we  created  it :  verily 
this  is  easy  with  God.  ^^  And  this  is  written  lest  ye 
immoderately  grieve  for  the  good  which  escapeth  you,  or 
rejoice  for  that  which  happeneth  unto  you ;  for  God 
loveth  no  proud  or  vain-glorious  person,  or  those  who  are 
covetous,  and  command  men  covetousness.  ^*  And  whoso 
turneth  aside  from  giving  alms ;  verily  God  is  self-suffi- 
cient, worthy  to  be  praised.  ^^  We  formerly  sent  our 
apostles  with  evident  miracles  and  arguments ;  and  we 
sent  down  with  them  the  scriptures,  and  the  balance, 
that  men  might  observe  justice  :  and  we  sent  them  down 
iron,  wherein  is  mighty  strength  for  war,  and  various 
advantages  unto  mankind :  that  God  may  know  who 
assisteth  him  and  his  apostles  in  secret ;  for  God  is  strong 
and  mighty.  ^^  We  formerly  sent  Noah  and  Abraham, 
and  we  established  in  their  posterity  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
and  the  scripture  :  and  of  them  some  were  directed,  but 
many  of  them  were  evil-doers.  '^'^  Afterwards  we  caused 
our  apostles  to  succeed  in  their  footsteps :  and  we  caused 
Jesus  the  son  of  Mary,  to  succeed  them,  and  we  gave 
him  the  gospel ;  and  we  put  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 
followed  him,  compassion  and  mercy :  but  as  to  the  mo- 
nastic state,  they  instituted  the  same  (we  did  not  prescribe 
it  to  them)  only  out  of  a  desire  to  please  God  :  yet  they 
observed  not  the  same  as  it  ought  truly  to  have  been 
observed.  And  we  gave  unto  such  of  them  as  believed, 
their  reward :  but  many  of  them  were  wicked  doers. 
^^  O  ye  who  believe  in  the  former  prophets,  fear  God, 
and  believe  in  his  apostle  Mohammed  :  he  will  give  you 
two  portions  of  his  mercy  ;  and  he  will  ordain  you  a  light 

25  And   the   balance.^     i.e.  A   rule  of  —   Wherein  is  mighty  strength  for  wai','] 

justice.     Some  think  that  a  balance  was  Warlike  instruments   and  weapons  being 

actually   brought    down   from    heaven  by  generally  made  of  iron, 

the    angel    Gabriel   to   Noah,   the  use  of  —  In  secretJ]     That  is,  sincerely  and 

which  he  was  ordered  to  introduce  among  heartily, 

his  people.  28  O  ye  who  believe,  &c.]    These  words 

—  And  we  sent  them  down  iron.^   That  are  directed   to  the  Jews  and   Christians, 

is.  We  taught  them  how  to  dig  the  same  or  rather  to  the  latter  only, 

from  mines.     Al  Zamakhshari  adds,  that  —   Two  portions  of  his  mercy.']     One  as 

Adam  is  said  to  have  brought  down  with  a  recompense  for  their  believing  in   Mo- 

him    from   paradise    five   things  made  of  hammed,  and  the  other  as  a  recompense 

iron,  viz.  an  anvil,  a  pair  of  tongs,   two  for  their  believing  in   the  prophets  who 

hammers,  (a  greater  and  a  lesser,)  and  a  preceded  him  ;  for  they  will  not  lose  the 

needle.                   "  reward  of  their  former  religion,  though  it 


366 


AL  KORAN. 


[chap. 


wherein  ye  may  walk,  and  he  will  forgive  you ;  for  God 
is  ready  to  forgive  and  merciful.  ^^  That  those  who  have 
received  the  scriptures,  may  know  that  they  have  not 
power  over  any  of  the  favours  of  God,  and  that  good  is 
in  the  hand  of  God  ;  he  bestoweth  the  same  on  whom  he 
pleaseth,  for  God  is  endued  with  great  beneficence. 


be  now  abrogated  by  the  promulgation  of 
Islam  1. 

29  That  they  have  not  power  over  any 
of  the  favoiirs  of  God.']  i.  e.  That  they 
cannot  expect  to  receive  any  of  the  fa- 
vours above-mentioned,  because  they  be- 


lieve not  in  his  apostle,  and  those  favours 
are  annexed  to  faith  in  him  :  or,  That 
they  have  not  power  to  dispose  of  God's 
favours,  particularly  of  the  greatest  of 
them,  the  gift  of  prophecy,  so  as  to  appro- 
priate the  same  to  whom  they  please  ^. 


^  Al  BeiddwL 


2  Idem. 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 


INTITLED,    SHE    WHO    DISPUTED  ;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XXVIII.]  '  Now  hath  God  heard  the  speech  of  her 
w^ho  disputed  with  thee  concerning  her  husband,  and 
made  her  complaint  unto  God  ;  and  God  hath  heard 
your  mutual  discourse  :  for  God  both  heareth  and  seeth. 
^  As  to  those  among  you  who  divorce  their  wives,  by  de- 
claring that  they  will  thereafter  regard  them  as  their 
mothers ;  let  them  know  that  they  are  not  their  mothers. 


Title — Medina,']  Some  are  of  opinion 
that  the  first  ten  verses  of  this  chapter, 
ending  with  these  words.  And  fear  God, 
before  whom  ye  shall  be  assembled,  were 
revealed  at  Mecca,  and  the  rest  at  Medina  ^. 

1  Her  who  disputed  with  thee  concern- 
ing her  husband,  &c.]  This  was  Khawla 
Bint  Thalaba,  the  wife  of  Aws  Ebn  al 
Samat,  who  being  divorced  by  her  hus- 
band by  a  form  in  use  among  the  Arabs 
in  the  time  of  ignorance,  viz.  by  saying 
to  her,  Thou  art  to  me  as  the  back  of  my 
mother  2,  came  to  ask  Mohammed's  opi- 
nion whether  they  were  necessarily  ob- 
liged to  a  separation ;  and  he  told  her 
that  it  was  not  lawful  for  her  to  cohabit 


with  her  husband  any  more  :  to  which 
she  replying,  that  her  husband  had  not 
put  her  away,  the  prophet  repeated  his 
former  decision,  adding  that  such  form  of 
speaking  was  by  general  consent  under- 
stood to  imply  a  perpetual  separation. 
Upon  this  the  woman  being  greatly  con- 
cerned, because  of  the  smallness  of  her 
children,  went  home  and  uttered  her 
complaint  to  God  in  prayer  :  and  there- 
upon this  passage  was  revealed^,  allowing 
a  man  to  take  his  wife  again  notwith- 
standing his  having  pronounced  the  above- 
mentioned  form  of  divorce,  on  doing  cer- 
tain acts  of  charity,  or  mortification,  by 
way  of  penance. 


^  Al  Beiddwi, 
lalo'ddin,  &c. 


2  See  chap,  xxxiii.  verse  4, 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jal- 


Lviii.]  AL     KORAN.  367 

They  only  are  their  mothers  who  brought  them  forth  ; 
and  they  certainly  utter  an  unjustifiable  saying,  and  a 
falsehood :  but  God  is  gracious,  and  ready  to  forgive. 
^  Those  who  divorce  their  wives,  by  declaring  that  they 
will  for  the  future  regard  them  as  their  mothers,  and 
afterwards  would  repair  what  they  have  said,  shall  be 
obliged  to  free  a  captive  before  they  touch  one  another. 
This  is  what  ye  are  warned  to  perform :  and  God  is  well 
apprized  of  that  which  ye  do.  ^  And  whoso  findeth  not  a 
captive  to  redeem,  shall  observe  a  fast  of  two  consecutive 
months,  before  they  touch  one  another.  And  whoso  shall 
not  be  able  to  fast  that  time,  shall  feed  threescore  poor 
men.  This  is  ordained  you,  that  ye  may  believe  in  God 
and  his  apostle.  These  are  the  statutes  of  God  :  and  for 
the  unbelievers  is  prepared  a  grievous  torment.  ^  Verily 
they  who  oppose  God  and  his  apostle,  shall  be  brought 
low,  as  the  unbelievers  who  preceded  them  were  brought 
low.  And  now  have  we  sent  down  manifest  signs  :  and 
an  ignominious  punishment  awaiteth  the  unbelievers. 
^  On  a  certain  day  God  shall  raise  them  all  to  life,  and 
shall  declare  unto  them  that  which  they  have  wrought. 
God  hath  taken  an  exact  account  thereof:  but  they  have 
forgotten  the  same :  and  God  is  witness  over  all  things. 
'^  Dost  thou  not  perceive  that  God  knoweth  whatever  is 
in  heaven  and  in  earth  ?  There  is  no  private  discourse 
among  three  persons,  but  he  is  the  fourth  of  them  ;  nor 
among  five,  but  he  is  the  sixth  of  them  ;  neither  among 
a  smaller  number  than  this,  nor  a  larger,  but  he  is  with 
them,  wheresoever  they  be  :  and  he  will  declare  unto 
them  that  which  they  have  done,  on  the  day  of  resurrec- 
tion ;  for  God  knoweth  all  things.  ^  Hast  thou  not  ob- 
served those  who  have  been  forbidden  to  use  clandestine 

2  They  only  are  their  mothers  who  and  is  variously  expounded  by  the  Mo- 
hrought  them  forthJ]     And  therefore  no       hammedan  doctors. 

woman  ought  to  be  placed  in  the  same  —  A  captive.^    Which  captive,  accord- 
degree  of  prohibition,  except  those  whom  ing  to  the  most  received  decision,  ought 
God   has    joined  with    them,   as    nurs-  to  be  a  true  believer  ;  as  is  ordered  for 
ing-mothers,  and  the   wives  of  the  pro-  the  expiation  of  manslaughter  2. 
phet  ^.  8   Those  who  have  been  forbidden  to  use 

3  Would  repair,  &c.]  This  seems  to  clandestine  discourse,  &c.]  That  is,  the 
be  here  the  true  meaning  of  the  original  Jews  and  hypocritical  Moslems,  who  ca- 
word,  which  properly  signifies  to  return,  balled  privately  together  against  Moham- 

•  Al  Beiddwi.     See  chap,  xxxiii.  verse  50.  ^  See  chap.  iv.  verse  91. 


368  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

discourse,  but  afterwards  return  to  what  they  have  been 
forbidden,  and  discourse  privately  among  themselves  of 
wickedness  and  enmity,  and  disobedience  towards  the 
apostle  ?  And  when  they  come  unto  thee,  they  salute 
thee  with  that  form  of  salutation  wherewith  God  doth 
not  salute  thee :  and  they  say  among  themselves,  by  way 
of  derision.  Would  not  God  punish  us  for  what  we  say, 
if  this  man  were  a  prophet  ?  Hell  shall  be  their  sufficient 
punishment :  they  shall  go  down  into  the  same  to  be 
burned ;  and  an  unhappy  journey  shall  it  be  !  ^  O  true 
believers,  when  ye  discourse  privily  together,  discourse 
not  of  wickedness,  and  enmity,  and  disobedience  towards 
the  apostle ;  but  discourse  of  justice  and  piety ;  and  fear 
God,  before  whom  ye  shall  be  assembled.  ^^  Verily  the 
clandestine  discourse  of  the  infidels  proceedeth  from 
Satan,  that  he  may  grieve  the  true  believers  ;  but  there 
shall  be  none  to  hurt  them  in  the  least,  unless  by  the 
permission  of  God  ;  wherefore  in  God  let  the  faithful 
trust.  ^^  O  true  believers,  when  it  is  said  unto  you.  Make 
room  in  the  assembly  ;  make  room ;  God  will  grant  you 
ample  room  in  paradise.  And  when  it  is  said  unto  you. 
Rise  up  ;  rise  up :  God  will  raise  those  of  you  who  be- 
lieve, and  those  to  whom  knowledge  is  given,  to  superior 
degrees  of  honour ;  and  God  is  fully  apprized  of  that 
which  ye  do.  ^^  O  true  believers,  when  ye  go  to  speak 
with  the  apostle,  give  alms  previously  to  your  discoursing 
with  him :  this  will  be  better  for  you,  and  more  pure. 
But  if  ye  find  not  what  to  give,  verily  God  will  be  gra- 
cious and  merciful  unto  you.  ^^  Do  ye  fear  to  give  alms 
previously  to  your  discoursing  with  the  prophet,  lest  ye 
should  imjDOverish  yourselves  ?     Therefore  if  ye  do  it  not, 

med,  and  made  signs  to  one  another  when  the  prophet,  and  the  more  honourable  of 

they  saw  the  true  believers :  and  this  they  his    companions  ;    and    not  to    press  and 

continued    to    do,    notwithstanding    they  crowd  upon  him,  as  they  used  to  do,  out 

were  forbidden.  of  a  desire  of  being  near  him,  and  hearing 

8  They  salute  thee  with  that  form  of  salu-  his  discourse. 
tation  wherewith  God  doth  not  salute  thee.~\  12   When  ye  go  to  speak  with  the  apos- 

It  seems  they  used,  instead  of  Al  saldm  tie,  give  alms,  &c.]      To  show  your  sin- 

aleica,  i.  e.  Peace  be  upon  thee,  to  say,  Jl  cerity,  and  to  honour  the  apostle.     It  is 

sdm  aleica,  i.  e.  Mischief  on  thee,  &c.  ^  doubted  whether  this  be  a  counsel  or  a 

11    When    it    is  said  unto  you.    Make  precept;  but  however  it  continued  a  very 

room  in  the  assembly  ;  make  room,']     In  little  while  in  force,  being  agreed  on  all 

this  passage  the  Moslems  are  commanded  hands   to  be  abrogated  by  the  following 

to  give  place  in  the  public  assemblies   to  passage,  Do  ye  fear  to  give  alms,  &c.  ^ 

*  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallald' ddiu.  ^  lidem. 


Lviii.]  AL   KORAN.  369 

and  God  is  gracious  unto  you,  by  dispensing  with  the 
said  precept  for  the  future,  be  constant  at  prayer,  and 
pay  the  legal  alms  ;  and  obey  God  and  his  apostle  in  all 
other  matters :  for  God  well  knoweth  that  which  ye  do. 
^^  Hast  thou  not  observed  those  who  have  taken  for  their 
friends  a  people  against  whom  God  is  incensed  ?  They 
are  neither  of  you,  nor  of  them  :  and  they  swear  to  a  lie 
knowingly.  ^^  God  hath  prepared  for  them  a  grievous 
punishment ;  for  it  is  evil  which  they  do.  ^^  They  have 
taken  their  oaths  for  a  cloak,  and  they  have  turned  men 
aside  from  the  way  of  God  :  ^'^  wherefore  a  shameful 
punishment  awaiteth  them ;  neither  their  wealth  nor 
their  children  shall  avail  them  at  all  against  God.  These 
shall  be  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire ;  they  shall  abide 
therein  for  ever.  ^^On  a  certain  day  God  shall  raise 
them  all :  then  will  they  swear  unto  him,  as  they  swear 
now  unto  you,  imagining  that  it  will  be  of  service  to 
them.  ^^Are  they  not  liars?  Satan  hath  prevailed 
against  them,  and  hath  caused  them  to  forget  the  remem- 
brance of  God.  These  are  the  party  of  the  devil ;  and 
shall  not  the  party  of  the  devil  be  doomed  to  perdition  ? 
^^  Verily  they  who  oppose  God  and  his  apostle,  shall  be 
placed  among  the  most  vile.  ^^  God  hath  written ;  Verily 
I  will  prevail,  and  my  apostles :  for  God  is  strong  and 
mighty.  ^^Thou  shalt  not  find  people  who  believe  in 
God  and  the  last  day,  to  love  him  who  opposeth  God 
and  his  apostle ;  although  they  be  their  fathers,  or  their 
sons,  or  their  brethren,  or  their  nearest- relations.  In  the 
hearts  of  these  hath  God  written  faith ;  and  he  hath 
strengthened  them  with  his  spirit :  and  he  will  lead  them 
into  gardens,  beneath  which  rivers  flow,  to  remain  therein 
for  ever.  God  is  well  pleased  in  them ;  and  they  are 
well  pleased  in  him.  These  are  the  party  of  God  :  and 
shall  not  the  party  of  God  prosper  ? 

\4  A  people  against  whom  God  is  in-  —  They  swear  to  a   lie.']     i.  e.  They 

censed?']     i.e.  The  Jews.  have  solemnly  professed  Islam,  which  they 

—  They  are  neither  qfyou^  nor  of  them.]      believe  not  in  their  hearts. 
Being  hypocrites,  and  wavering  between 
the  two  parties. 


VOL.  II.  B  b 


370 


AL    KORAN, 


[chap, 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

INTITLED,    THE    EMIGRATION;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth  celebrateth  the  praise 
of  God  :  and  he  is  the  mighty,  the  wise.  ^  It  was  he  who 
caused  those  who  believed  not,  of  the  people  who  receive 
the  scripture,  to  depart  from  their  habitations  at  the  first 
emigration.  Ye  did  not  think  that  they  would  go  forth : 
and  they  thought  that  their  fortresses  would  protect  them 
against  God.  But  the  chastisement  of  God  came  upon 
them,  from  whence  they  did  not  expect ;  and  he  cast 
terror  into  their  hearts.  They  pulled  down  their  houses 
with  their  own  hands,  and  the  hands  of  the  true  believers. 


Title — Emigration,']  The  original  word 
signifies  the  quitting  or  removing  from 
one's  native  country,  or  settlement,  to 
dwell  elsewhere,  whether  it  be  by  choice 
or  compulsion. 

2  It  was  God  who  caused  the  unbe- 
lievers of  those  who  receive  the  scripture, 
to  depart  from  their  habitations  at  the  first 
emigration.']  The  people  here  intended 
were  the  Jews  of  the  tribe  of  al  Nadir, 
who  dwelt  in  Medina,  and  when  Mo- 
hammed fled  thither  from  Mecca,  pro- 
mised him  to  stand  neuter  between  him 
and  his  opponents,  and  made  a  treaty  with 
him  to  that  purpose.  When  he  had  gained 
the  battle  of  Bedr,  they  confessed  that  he 
was  the  prophet  described  in  the  law  :  but 
upon  his  receiving  that  disgrace  at  Ohod, 
they  changed  their  note ;  and  Caab  Ebn 
al  Ashraf,  with  forty  horse,  went  and  made 
a  league  with  Abu  Sofian,  which  they 
confirmed  by  oath.  Upon  this,  Mohammed 
got  Caab  despatched,  and,  in  the  fourth 
year  of  the  Hejra,  set  forward  against  al 
Nadir,  and  besieged  them  in  their  fortress, 
which  stood  about  three  miles  from  Me- 
dina, for  six  days,  at  the  end  of  which 
they  capitulated,  and  were  allowed  to  de- 
part, on  condition  that  they  should  en- 
tirely quit  that  place :  and  accordingly 
some  of  them  went  into  Syria,  and  others 
to  Khaibar  and  Hira  ^ 


This  was  the  first  emigration,  men- 
tioned in  the  passage  before  us.  The 
other  happened  several  years  after,  in  the 
reign  of  Omar,  when  that  Khalif  banished 
those  who  had  settled  at  Khaibar,  and 
obliged  them  to  depart  out  of  Arabia  2. 

Dr.  Prideaux,  speaking  of  Mohammed's 
obliging  those  of  al  Nadir  to  quit  their 
settlements,  says,  that  a  party  of  his  men 
pursued  those  who  fled  into  Syria,  and 
having  overtaken  them,  put  them  all  to 
the  sword,  excepting  only  one  man  that 
escaped.  With  such  cruelty,  continues  he, 
did  those  barbarians  first  set  tip  to  fight 
for  that  imposture  they  had  been  deluded 
into  ^.  But  a  learned  gentleman  has  al- 
ready observed,  that  this  is  all  grounded 
on  a  mistake,  which  the  doctor  was  led 
into  by  an  imperfection  in  the  printed 
edition  of  Elmacinus ;  where,  after  men- 
tioning the  expulsion  of  the  Nadirites,  are 
inserted  some  incoherent  words  relating 
to  another  action,  which  happened  the 
month  before,  and  wherein  seventy  Mos- 
lems, instead  of  putting  others  to  the 
sword,  were  surprised  and  put  to  the 
sword  themselves,  together  with  their 
leader,  al  Mondar  Ebn  Omar,  Caab  Ebn 
Zeid  alone  escaping  *. 

—  They  pulled  down  their  houses  with 
their  own  hands.]  Doing  what  damage 
they  could,  that  Moslems  might  make  the 


Al  Beiddwiy  Jallalo'ddin,  &c.     V.  Abu' If .  vit.  Moh.  cap.  35 


2  Idem.  In- 


terp.  * 

Vit.  Moh.  p.  72. 


Prideaux* s  Life  of  Mah.  p.  82. 


1 


*  V.  Gagnier.  not.  in  Abu'lf. 


Lix.]  AL    KORAN.  371 

Wherefore  take  example  from  them,  O  ye  who  have 
eyes.  ^And  if  God  had  not  doomed  them  to  banish- 
ment, he  had  surely  punished  them  in  this  world :  and  in 
the  world  to  come  they  shall  suffer  the  torment  of  hell- 
fire.  ^  This,  because  they  opposed  God  and  his  apostle : 
and  whoso  opposeth  God,  verily  God  will  be  severe  in 
punishing  him.  ^  What  palm-trees  ye  cut  down,  or  left 
standing  on  their  roots,  were  so  cut  down  or  left  by  the 
will  of  God  ;  and  that  he  might  disgrace  the  wicked 
doers.  ^  And  as  to  the  spoils  of  these  people  which  God 
hath  granted  wholly  to  his  apostle,  ye  did  not  push  for- 
ward any  horses  or  camels  against  the  same ;  but  God 
giveth  unto  his  apostles  dominion  over  whom  he  pleaseth  : 
for  God  is  almighty.  ^  The  spoils  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  towns  which  God  hath  granted  to  his  apostle,  are  due 
unto  God  and  to  the  apostle,  and  him  who  is  of  kin  to 
the  apostle,  and  the  orphans,  and  the  poor,  and  the  tra- 
veller ;  that  they  may  not  be  for  ever  divided  in  a  circle 
among  such  of  you  as  are  rich.  What  the  apostle  shall 
give  you,  that  accept ;  and  what  he  shall  forbid  you,  that 
abstain  from  :  and  fear  God;  for  God  is  severe  in  chas- 
tising. ^  A  part  also  belongeth  to  the  poor  Mohajerin, 
who  have  been  dispossessed  of  their  houses  and  their  sub- 
stance, seeking  favour  from  God,  and  his  good-will,  and 
assisting  God  and  his  apostle.  These  are  the  men  of 
veracity.  ^  And  they  who  quietly  possessed  the  town  of 
Medina,  and   professed  the  faith  without  molestation, 

less  advantage  of  what  they  were  obliged  or  camels  against  the  sameJ]     For  the  set- 
to  leave  behind  them.  tlement  of  al  Nadir  being  so  near  Medina, 

3  He  had  surely  punished  them  in  this  the  Moslems  went  all  on  foot  thither,  ex- 

world.^    By  delivering  them  up  to  slaugh-  cept  only  the  prophet  himself  3. 

ter  and  captivity,  as  he  did  those  of  Ko-  8  To  the  poor  Mohajerin.']     Wherefore 

reidha.  Mohammed  distributed  those  spoils  among 

6  As  to  the  spoils  which  God  hath  the  Mohajerin,  or  those  who  had  fled 
granted  wholly  to  his  apostle^  &c.]  It  is  from  Mecca  only :  and  gave  no  part  there- 
remarkable,  that  in  this  expedition  the  of  to  the  Ansars,  or  those  of  Medina,  ex- 
spoils  were  not  divided  according  to  the  cept  only  to  three  of  them,  who  were  in 
law  given  for  that  purpose  in  the  Koran  ',  necessitous  circumstances*, 
but  were  granted  to  the  apostle,  and  de-  9  They  who  quietly  possessed  Medina^ 
clared  to  be  entirely  in  his  disposition:  and  professed  the  faith  without  molestationy 
and  the  reason  was,  because  the  place  was  before  them.~\  That  is,  the  Ansars  ;  who 
taken  without  the  assistance  of  horse  ;  enjoyed  their  houses,  and  the  free  exer- 
which  became  a  rule  for  the  future  2.  cise  of  their  religion,  before   the   Hejra, 

—   Ye  did  not  push  forward  any  horses  while    the   converts   of  Mecca   were  per- 

1  Chap.  viii.  verse  41.  2  Aiu'lf.  vit.  Moh.  p.  91.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 

*  Idem.  V.  Ahu'lf  ubi  sup.  p.  72. 

B    b    2 


372  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

before  them,  love  him  who  hath  fled  unto  them,  and  find 
in  their  breasts  no  want  of  that  which  is  given  the  Mo-  ^ 
HAJERiN,  but  prefer  them  before  themselves,  although 
there  be  indigence  among  them.  And  whoso  is  pre- 
served from  the  covetousness  of  his  own  soul,  those  shall 
surely  prosper.  ^^  And  they  who  have  come  after  them, 
say,  O  Lord,  forgive  us  and  our  brethren  who  have  pre- 
ceded us  in  the  faith,  and  put  not  into  our  hearts  ill-will 
against  those  who  have  believed :  O  Lord,  verily  thou 
art  compassionate  and  merciful.  ^^  Hast  thou  not  ob- 
served them  who  play  the  hypocrites  ?  They  say  unto 
their  brethren  who  believe  not,  of  those  who  have  re- 
ceived the  scriptures,  Verily  if  ye  be  expelled  your  habi- 
tations, we  will  surely  go  forth  with  you ;  and  we  will 
not  pay  obedience,  in  your  respect,  unto  any  one  for  ever : 
and  if  ye  be  attacked,  we  will  certainly  assist  you.  But 
God  is  witness  that  they  are  liars.  ^^  Verily  if  they  be 
expelled,  they  will  not  go  forth  with  them ;  and  if  they 
be  attacked,  they  will  not  assist  them ;  and  if  they  do 
assist  them,  they  will  surely  turn  their  backs :  and  they 
shall  not  be  protected.  ^^  Verily  ye  are  stronger  than 
they,  by  reason  of  the  terror  cast  into  their  breasts  from 
God.  This,  because  they  are  not  people  of  prudence. 
^^  They  will  not  fight  against  you  in  a  body,  except  in 
fenced  towns,  or  from  behind  walls.  Their  strength  in 
war  among  themselves  is  great :  thou  thinkest  them  to 
be  united ;  but  their  hearts  are  divided.  This,  because 
they  are  people  who  do  not  understand.  ^^  Like  those 
who  lately  preceded  them,  they  have  tasted  the  evil  con- 

secuted     and    harassed     by    the    idola-  they  will  not  assist  them.']     And  it  hap- 

ters.  pened   accordingly  ;  for   Ebn    Obba,    and 

9  And  find  in  their  breasts  no  want  of  his  confederates,  wrote  to  the  Nadirites  to 
that  which  is  given  the  Mohdjerin.]  i.  e.  this  purpose,  but  never  performed  their 
And  bear  them  no  grudge  or  envy  on  that  promise  ^. 

account.  14  Their  strength  in  war  among  them- 

10  They  who  have  come  after  them,]  selves  is  great."]  i.e.  It  is  not  their  weak- 
The  persons  here  meant  seem  to  be  those  ness  or  cowardice  which  makes  them 
who  fled  from  Mecca  after  Mohammed  decline  a  field-battle  with  you,  since  they 
began  to  gain  strength,  and  his  religion  show  strength  and  valour  enough  in  their 
had  made  a  considerable  progress.  wars  with  one  another  ;  but  both  fail  them 

1 1  Their  brethren  who  believe  not,  of  when  they  enter  into  the  lists  with  God 
those  who   have  received  the  scriptures.]  and  his  apostle. 

That  is,  the  Jews  of  the  tribe  of  al  Nadir.  J  5  Like  those  who  lately  preceded  them.] 

12  If  they  be  expelled^  they  will  not  go  Viz.  The  idolaters  who  were  slain  at  Bedr  ; 
forth  with  them ;  and  if  they  be  attacked,     or  the  Jews  of  Kainoka,  who  were  plun- 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 


Lix.]  A L    KORAN.  373 

sequence  of  their  deed ;  and  a  painful  torment  is  prepared 
for  them  hereafter.  ^^  Thus  have  the  hypocrites  deceived 
the  Jews ;  like  the  devil,  when  he  saith  unto  a  man.  Be 
thou  an  infidel ;  and  when  he  is  become  an  infidel,  he 
saith,  Verily  I  am  clear  of  thee;  for  I  fear  God,  the 
Lord  of  all  creatures.  ^^  Wherefore  the  end  of  them 
both  shall  be  that  they  shall  dwell  in  hell-fire,  abiding 
therein  for  ever :  and  this  shall  be  the  recompense  of  the 
unjust.  ^^  O  true  believers,  fear  God  ;  and  let  a  soul 
look  what  it  sendeth  before  for  the  morrow :  and  fear 
God,  for  God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do. 
^^And  be  not  as  those  who  have  forgotten  God,  and 
whom  he  hath  caused  to  forget  their  own  souls :  these  are 
the  wicked  doers.  ^^  The  inhabitants  of  hell-fire,  and  the 
inhabitants  of  paradise,  shall  not  be  held  equal.  The  in- 
habitants of  paradise  are  they  who  shall  enjoy  felicity. 
^^  If  we  had  sent  down  this  Koran  on  a  mountain,  thou 
wouldest  certainly  have  seen  the  same  humble  itself,  and 
cleave  in  sunder  for  fear  of  God.  These  similitudes  do 
we  propose  unto  men,  that  they  may  consider.  ^^  He  is 
God,  besides  whom  there  is  no  God  ;  who  knoweth  that 
which  is  future,  and  that  which  is  present :  he  is  the  most 
Merciful.  ^'^  He  is  God,  besides  whom  there  is  no  God  : 
the  King,  the  Holy,  the  Giver  of  peace,  the  Faithful,  the 
Guardian,  the  Powerful,  the  Strong,  the  Most  High.  Far 
be  God  exalted  above  the  idols  which  they  associate  with 
him !  2*  He  is  God,  the  Creator,  the  Maker,  the  Former. 
He  hath  most  excellent  names.  Whatever  is  in  heaven 
and  earth  praiseth  him :  and  he  is  the  Mighty,  the  Wise. 

dered  and  sent  into  exile  before  those  of  row,  as  this  present  life  may  be  called  to- 

Nadir.  day. 

18  For  the  morrow.']     That  is,  for  the  24    NamesJ]     The  ninety-nine   names 

next  life,  which  may  be  called  the  mor-  of  God  form  the  Mohammedan  rosary. 


374  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER  LX. 

INTITLED,  SHE  WHO  IS  TRIED  ;    REVEALED  AT  MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  O  TRUE  believers,  take  not  my  enemy  and  your  enemy 
for  your  friends,  shewing  kindness  toward  them ;  since 
they  believe  not  in  the  truth  which  hath  come  unto  you, 
having  expelled  the  apostle  and  yourselves  from  your 
native  city,  because  ye  believe  in  God,  your  Lord.  If 
ye  go  forth  to  fight  in  defence  of  my  religion,  and  out  of 
a  desire  to  please  me,  and  privately  shew  friendship  unto 
them ;  verily  I  well  know  that  which  ye  conceal,  and 
that  which  ye  discover :  and  whoever  of  you  doth  this, 
hath  already  erred  from  the  straight  path.  ^  If  they  get 
the  better  of  you,  they  will  be  enemies  unto  you,  and 
they  will  stretch  forth  their  hands  and  their  tongues 
against  you  with  evil :  and  they  earnestly  desire  that  ye 
should  become  unbelievers.  ^  Neither  your  kindred  nor 
your  children  will  avail  you  at  all  on  the  day  of  resur- 
rection, which  will  separate  you  from  one  another :  and 
God  seeth  that  which  ye  do.  ^  Ye  have  an  excellent 
pattern  in  Abraham,  and  those  who  were  with  him, 
when  they  said  unto  their  people.  Verily  we  are  clear  of 
you,  and  of  the  idols  which  ye  worship  besides  God  :  we 

Title— She  who,  &c.]  The  chapter  bears  having  intercepted  the  letter,  asked  Hateb 

this  title,  because  it  directs  the  women,  how  he  came  to  be  guilty  of  such  an  ac- 

who  desert  and  come  over  from  the  infi-  tion :  to  which  he  replied,  that  it  was  not 

dels  to  the  Moslems,  to  be  examined,  and  out  of  infidelity,  or  a  desire  to  return  to 

tried  whether  they  be  sincere  in  their  pro-  idolatry,  but  merely  to  induce  the  Koreish 

fession  of  the  faith.  to   treat   his  family,   which  was   still   at 

1   Take  not  my  enemy  and  your  enemy  Mecca,  with  some  kindness  ;  adding,  that 

for  your  friends,  &c.]     This  passage  was  he  was  well  assured  his  intelligence  would 

revealed  on  account  of  Hateb  Ebn   Abi  be  of  no  service  at  all  to  the  Meccans,  be- 

Baltaa,  who  understanding  that  Moham-  cause  he  was   satisfied   God  would  take 

med  had  a  design  to  surprise  Mecca,  wrote  vengeance    on    them.      Whereupon    Mo- 

a  letter  to  the  Koreish,  giving  them  notice  hammed  received  his  excuse,  and  pardoned 

of  the  intended  expedition,  and  advised  him:  but  it  was  thought  proper  to  forbid 

them  to  be  on  their  guard  :  which  letter  any  such  practices  for  the  future  *. 
he  sent  by  Sarah,  a  maid-servant  belong-         —  And  privately  shew  friendship  unto 

ing  to  the  family  of  Hashem.     The  mes-  them.']     The    verb  here  used  has  also  a 

senger  had  not   been  gone   long,    before  contrary  signification,  according  to  which 

Gabriel  discovered  the  affair  to  the  pro-  the    words    may    be    rendered.    And    yet 

phet,  who  immediately  sent  after  her,  and  openly  shew  friendship  unto  them. 


Al  Beidawi.     V.  Ahulf  Vit,  Moh.  p.  103. 


Lx.]  AL    KORAN.  375 

have  renounced  you ;  and  enmity  and  hatred  is  begun 
between  us  and  you  for  ever,  until  ye  believe  in  God 
alone :  except  Abraham's  saying  unto  his  father,  Verily 
I  will  beg  pardon  for  thee ;  but  I  cannot  obtain  aught  of 
God  in  thy  behalf.  O  Lord,  in  thee  do  we  trust,  and 
unto  thee  are  we  turned ;  and  before  thee  shall  we  be 
assembled  hereafter.  ^  O  Lord,  suffer  us  not  to  be  put 
to  trial  by  the  unbelievers  :  and  forgive  us,  O  Lord  ;  for 
thou  art  mighty  and  wise.  ^  Verily  ye  have  in  them  an 
excellent  example,  unto  him  who  hopeth  in  God  and  the 
last  day :  and  whoso  turneth  back ;  verily  God  is  self- 
sufficient,  and  praise-worthy.  ^  Peradventure  God  will 
establish  friendship  between  yourselves  and  such  of  them 
as  ye  now  hold  for  enemies :  ^  for  God  is  powerful ;  and 
God  is  inclined  to  forgive,  and  merciful.  ^  As  to  those 
who  have  not  borne  arms  against  you  on  account  of  re- 
ligion, nor  turned  you  out  of  your  dwellings,  God  for- 
biddeth  you  not  to  deal  kindly  with  them,  and  to  behave 
justly  towards  them ;  for  God  loveth  those  who  act  justly. 
But  as  to  those  who  have  borne  arms  against  you  on 
account  of  religion,  and  have  dispossessed  you  of  your 
habitations,  and  have  assisted  in  dispossessing  you,  God 
forbiddeth  you  to  enter  into  friendship  with  them :  and 
whosoever  of  you  entereth  into  friendship  with  them, 
those  are  unjust  doers.  ^^  O  true  believers,  when  believ- 
ing women  come  unto  you  as  refugees,  try  them  :  God 
well  knoweth  their  faith.  And  if  ye  know  them  to  be 
true  believers,  send  them  not  back  to  the  infidels :  they 
are  not  lawful  for  the  unbelievers  to  have  in  marriage ; 

4  Except  AhraharrCs  saying  unto   Ms     enemies   to  the  Moslems,   embraced   the 
father.  Verily  I  will  beg  pardon  for  ihee.^     same  faith,  and  became  their  friends  and 

For  in  this   Abraham's  example  is  not  to  brethren.     Some  suppose  the  marriage  of 

be  followed.     See  chap.  ix.  verse  )  16.  Mohammed  with  0mm  Habiba,  the  daugh 

5  Suffer  us  not  to  be  put  to  trial  by  the  ter  of  Abu  Sofian,  which  was  celebrated 
unbelievers.']  i.  e.  Suffer  them  not  to  the  year  before,  to  be  here  intended^, 
prevail  against  us,  lest  they  thence  con-  9  As  to  those  who  have  not  borne  arms 
elude  themselves  to  be  in  the  right,  and  against  you,  &c.]  This  passage,  it  is  said, 
endeavour  to  make  us  deny  our  faith  by  was  revealed  on  account  of  Koteila  Bint 
the  terror  of  persecution  ^  Abd'al  Uzza,  who  having,  while  she  was 

T  Peradventure  God  will  establish  friend-  an  idolatress,  brought  some   presents  to 

ship   between  you,  &c.]     And  this  hap-  her  daughter,   Asmi   Bint  Abi   Beer,  the 

pened  accordingly  on  the  taking  of  Mecca ;  latter  not  only  refused  to  accept  them,  but 

when  Abu  Sofian,  and  others  of  the  Ko-  even  denied  her  admittance  ^ 
reish,  who  had  till  then  been  inveterate 

1  Al  Beiddivi.         ^  V.   Gagnier.  not.  in  Abu'lf.  Vit.  Moh.  p.  91.  •*  Al  Beiddwi, 


376  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

neither  are  the  unbelievers  lawful  for  them.  But  give 
their  unbelieving  husbands  what  they  shall  have  ex- 
pended for  their  dowers.  Nor  shall  it  be  any  crime  in 
you,  if  ye  marry  them,  provided  ye  give  them  their 
dowries.  And  retain  not  the  patronage  of  the  unbeliev- 
ing women :  but  demand  back  that  which  ye  have  ex- 
pended for  the  dowry  of  such  of  your  wives  as  go  over 
to  the  unbelievers ;  and  let  them  demand  back  that 
which  they  have  expended  for  the  dowry  of  those  who 
come  over  to  you.  This  is  the  judgment  of  God,  which 
he  establisheth  among  you:  and  God  is  knowing  and 
wise.  ^^  If  any  of  your  wives  escape  from  you  to  the 
unbelievers,  and  ye  have  your  turn  by  the  coming  over  of 
any  of  the  unbelievers'  wives  to  you ;  give  unto  those 
believers  whose  wives  shall  have  gone  away,  out  of  the 
dowries  of  the  latter,  so  much  as  they  shall  have  ex- 
pended for  the  dowers  of  the  former :  and  fear  God,  in 
whom  ye  believe.  ^^  O  prophet,  when  believing  women 
come  unto  thee,  and  plight  their  faith  unto  thee,  that 
they  will  not  associate  any  thing  with  God,  nor  steal,  nor 
commit  fornication,  nor  kill  their  children,  nor  come  with 

10  But  give  their  unbelieving  husbands  thing  of  your  wives  ;  which  some  inter- 
what  they  shall  have  expended  for  their  pret  any  part  of  their  dowry. 
dowers.~\  For,  according  to  the  terms  of  —  And  ye  have  your  turn,  &c.]  Or, 
the  pacification  of  al  Hodeibiya  ^  each  as  the  original  verb  may  also  be  trans- 
side  was  to  return  whatever  came  into  lated,  And  ye  take  spoils :  in  which  case 
their  power  belonging  to  the  other;  where-  the  meaning  will  be,  that  those  Moslems, 
fore  when  the  Moslems  were,  by  this  pas-  whose  wives  shall  have  gone  over  to  the 
sage  forbidden  to  restore  the  married  wo-  infidels,  shall  have  a  satisfaction  for  their 
men  who  should  come  over  to  them,  they  dower  out  of  the  next  booty.  This  law, 
were  at  the  same  time  commanded  to  they  say,  was  given  because  the  idolaters, 
make  some  sort  of  satisfaction  by  return-  after  the  preceding  verse  had  been  re- 
ing  their  dowry.  vealed,  refused  to  comply  therewith,  or  to 

It  is    related,   that  after    the  aforesaid  make  any  return  of  the  dower  of  those 

pacification,  while  Mohammed  was  yet  at  women  who  went  over  to  them  from  the 

al  Hodeibiya,    Sobeia  Bint  al  Hareth,  of  Moslems  ^  ;  so  that  the  latter  were  obliged 

the  tribe  of  Aslam,  having  embraced  Mo-  to  indemnify  themselves  as  they  could, 
hammedism,    her  husband,    Mosafer,  the         12  Plight  their  faith.~\     See  the  Life  of 

Makhzumite,   came    and    demanded    her  Mohammed,  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  for  the  wo- 

back  ;  upon   which  this  passage  was  re-  man's  oath.     Some  are   of  opinion,   that 

vealed :  and  Mohammed,  pursuant  there-  this  passage  was  not  revealed  till  the  day 

to,  administered  to  her  the  oath  thereafter  of  the  taking  of  Mecca;  when,  after  having 

directed,   and   returned  her  husband  her  received  the  solemn  submission  of  the  men, 

dower  ;  and  then  Omar  married  her  ^.  he  proceeded  to  receive  that  of  the  women*. 

—  Provided  ye  give  them  their  dowries.^         —   Children,^     See  chap.  Ixxxi. 
For  what  is  returned  to  their  former  hus-  —  Nor  come  with  a  calumny,  &c.]    Jal- 

bands    is   not   to   be    considered    as   their  lalo'ddin  understands  these  words  of  their 

dower.  laying  their  spurious  children  to  their  hus- 

11  Any  of  your  wives.']     Literally,  any  bands, 

^  See  chap,  xlviii.  verse  18.  ^  ji  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  *  Idem. 


Lxi.]  AL    KORAN.  377 

a  calumny  which  they  have  forged  between  their  hands 
and  their  feet,  nor  be  disobedient  to  thee  in  that  which 
shall  be  reasonable ;  then  do  thou  plight  thy  faith  unto 
them,  and  ask  pardon  for  them  of  God  :  for  God  is  in- 
clined to  forgive,  and  merciful.  ^^  O  true  believers,  enter 
not  into  friendship  with  a  people  against  whom  God  is 
incensed ;  they  despair  of  the  life  to  come,  as  the  infidels 
despair  of  the  resurrection  of  those  who  dwell  in  the 
graves. 

13  A  people  against  whom  God  is  in^  they  well  know  they  cannot  expect  to  be 

censed.l     i.  e.  The  infidels  in  general ;  or  made   partakers  of  the  happiness  of  the 

the  Jews  in  particular  i.  next  life,  by  reason  of  their  rejecting  of 

—  They  despair  of  the  life   to   come.']  the  prophet  foretold  in  the  law,  and  whose 

By  reason  of  their  infidelity  ;  or  because  mission  is  confirmed  by  miracles  2. 

1  See  chap.  i.  verse  7.  2  ^i  Beiddwi, 


CHAPTER   LXI. 

INTITLED,    BATTLE    ARRAY  ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  in  earth  celebrateth  the 
praise  of  God  ;  for  he  is  mighty  and  wise.  ^  O  true  be- 
lievers, why  do  ye  say  that  which  ye  do  not.  ^  It  is  most 
odious  in  the  sight  of  God,  that  ye  say  that  which  ye  do 
not.  ^  Verily  God  loveth  those  who  fight  for  his  religion 
in  battle-array,  as  though  they  were  a  well-compacted 
building.     ^  Remember  when  Moses  said  unto  his  people, 

0  my  people,  why  do  ye  injure  me ;  since  ye  know  that 

1  am  the  apostle  of  God  sent  unto  you  ?  And  when 
they  had  deviated  from  the  truth,  God  made  their  hearts 
to  deviate  from  the  right  way;  for  God  directeth  not 
wicked  people.  ^  And  when  Jesus,  the  son  of  Mary,  said, 

Title— Mecca.']      Or,    as    some    rather  defence   of  their    faith,    yet    shamefully 

judge,  at  Medina  ;  which  opinion  is  con-  turned  their  backs  at  the  battle  of  Ohod  K 

firmed  by  the  explication  in  the  next  note.  They  may,  however,  be  applied  to  hypo- 

2   Why  do  ye  say  that  which  ye  do  not  ?]  crites  of  all  sorts,  whose  actions  contradict 

The  commentators  generally  suppose  these  their  words. 

words  to  be  directed  to  the  Moslems,  who,  5   Why  do  ye  injure  me  ?']   Viz.  by  your 

notwithstanding  they  had   solemnly   en-  disobedience ;  or  by  maliciously  aspersing 

gaged  to  spend  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  me  2. 

1   See  chap.  iii.  verse  121.  2  See  chap,  xxxiii.  verse  66. 


Q 


78  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 


O  children  of  Israel,  verily  I  am  the  apostle  of  God  sent 
unto  you,  confirming  the  law  which  was  delivered  before 
me,  and  bringeth  good  tidings  of  an  apostle  who  shall 
come  after  me,  and  whose  name  shall  be  Ahmed.  And 
when  he  produced  unto  them  evident  miracles,  they  said, 
This  is  manifest  sorcery.  ^  But  who  is  more  unjust  than 
he  who  forgeth  a  lie  against  God,  when  he  is  invited 
unto  Islam?  And  God  directeth  not  the  unjust  people. 
^  They  seek  to  extinguish  God's  light  with  their  mouths  : 
but  God  will  perfect  his  light,  though  the  infidels  be 
averse  thereto.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  sent  his  apostle  with 
the  direction,  and  the  religion  of  truth,  that  he  may  exalt 
the  same  above  every  religion,  although  the  idolaters  be 
averse  thereto.  ^®  O  true  believers,  shall  I  shew  you  a 
merchandise  which  will  deliver  you  from  a  painful  tor- 
ment hereafter?  ^^  Believe  in  God  and  his  apostle;  and 
defend  God's  true  religion  with  your  substance,  and  in 
your  own  persons.  This  will  be  better  for  you,  if  ye  knew 
it.  ^^  He  will  forgive  you  your  sins,  and  will  introduce 
you  into  gardens  through  which  rivers  flow,  and  agreeable 
habitations  in  gardens  of  perpetual  abode.  This  will  be 
great  felicity.  ^^  And  ye  shall  obtain  other  things  which 
ye  desire,  namely,  assistance  from  God,  and  a  speedy  vic- 
tory. And  do  thou  bear  good  tidings  to  the  true  believers. 
^*  O  true  believers,  be  ye  the  assistants  of  God  ;  as  Jesus, 
the  son  of  Mary,  said  to  the  apostles,  who  will  be  my 
assistants  with  respect  to  God  ?  The  apostles  answered. 
We  will  be  the  assistants  of  God.  So  a  part  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  believed,  and  a  part  believed  not :  but  we 
strengthened  those  who  believed,  above  their  enemy ; 
wherefore  they  became  victorious  over  them. 

6   Whose  name  shall  be  Ahmed,~\     For  doctors  unanimously  teaching,  that  by  the 

Mohammed  also  bore  the  name  of  Ahmed ;  Paraclete  (or,    as  they  choose  to  read  it, 

both  names  being  derived  from  the  same  the  Periclyte,  or  Illustrious)  their  prophet 

root,  and  nearly  of  the  same  signification,  is  intended,  and  no  other  ^, 
The  Persian  paraphrast,  to  support  what         14  Apostles.^     See  chap.  iii.  verse  5L 
is  here  alleged,  quotes  the  following  words         —  And  a  part  believed  not.']     Either 

of  Christ,    I  go  to  my  father,  and  the  by  rejecting  him  ;  or  by  affirming  him  to 

Paraclete  shall  come*:  the  Mohammedan  be  God,  and  the  son  of  God  ^. 

'  See  John  xvi.  7>  &c.  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Jallalo'ddin. 


Lxii.]  AL   KORAN,  379 

CHAPTER    LXII. 

INTITLED,    THE    ASSEMBLY;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth  praiseth  God  ;  the 
King,  the  Holy,  the  Mighty,  the  Wise.  ^  It  is  he  who 
hath  raised  np  amidst  the  illiterate  Arabians  an  apostle 
from  among  themselves,  to  rehearse  his  signs  unto  them, 
and  to  purify  them,  and  to  teach  them  the  scriptures  and 
wisdom  ;  whereas  before  they  were  certainly  in  a  manifest 
error :  ^  and  others  of  them  have  not  yet  attained  unto 
them,  by  embracing  the  faith ;  though  they  also  shall  be 
converted  in  God's  good  time,  for  he  is  mighty  and  wise. 
^  This  is  the  free  grace  of  God  :  he  bestoweth  the  same 
on  whom  he  pleaseth :  and  God  is  endued  with  great  be- 
neficence. ^  The  likeness  of  those  who  were  charged  with 
the  observance  of  the  law,  and  then  observed  it  not,  is  as 
the  likeness  of  an  ass  laden  with  books.  How  wretched  is 
the  likeness  of  the  people  who  charge  the  signs  of  God 
with  falsehood !  and  God  directeth  not  the  unjust  people. 
^  Say,  O  ye  who  follow  the  Jewish  religion,  if  ye  say  that 
ye  are  the  friends  of  God  above  other  men,  wish  for 
death,  if  ye  speak  truth.  ^  But  they  will  never  wish  for 
it,  because  of  that  which  their  hands  have  sent  before 
them  :  and  God  well  knoweth  the  unjust.  ^  Say,  verily 
death,  from  which  ye  fly,  will  surely  meet  you :  then  shall 
ye  be  brought  before  him  who  knoweth  as  well  what  is 
concealed  as  what  is  discovered ;  and  he  will  declare  unto 
you  that  which  ye  have  done.  ^  O  true  believers,  when 
ye  are  called  to  prayer  on  the  day  of  the  assembly,  hasten 

2  Jmong  themselves.']  See  Life  of  Mo-  wicked  forgeries  and  perversions  of  Scrip- 
hammed  in  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  ture. 

5  As  the  likeness  of  an  ass  laden  with  9  The  day  of  assembly.']  That  is,  Friday, 
hooks.]  Because  they  understand  not  the  which  being  more  peculiarly  set  apart  by 
prophecies  contained  in  the  law,  which  Mohammed  for  the  public  worship  of  God, 
bear  witness  to  Mohammed,  no  more  than  is  therefore  called  Yawm  al  joma,  i.  e.  The 
the  ass  does  the  books  he  carries.  day   of  the   assembly,    or   congregation  ; 

6  Wish  for  death.]  i.  e.  Make  it  your  whereas  it  was  before  called  al  Aruba. 
request  to  God,  that  he  would  translate  The  first  time  this  day  was  particularly 
you  from  this  troublesome  world  to  a  state  observed,  as  some  say,  was  on  the  prophet's 
of  never-fading  bliss.  arrival   at    Medina;  into    which    city    he 

7  Their   hands,    &c.J     That    is,   their  made    his   first   entry  on   a   Friday:  but 


380  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

to  the  commemoration  of  God,  and  leave  merchandising. 
This  will  be  better  for  you,  if  ye  knew  it.  ^^  And  when 
prayer  is  ended,  then  disperse  yourselves  through  the  land 
as  ye  list,  and  seek  gain  of  the  liberality  of  God  :  and 
remember  God  frequently,  that  ye  may  prosper.  "  But 
when  they  see  any  merchandising,  or  sport,  they  flock 
thereto,  and  leave  thee  standing  up  in  thy  pulpit.  Say, 
The  reward  which  is  with  God  is  better  than  any  sport  or 
merchandise  :  and  God  is  the  best  provider. 

others  tell  us,  that  Caab  Ebn  Lowa,  one  bath  ;  or  particularly  to  abstain  from  work, 
of  Mohammed's  ancestors,  gave  the  day  after  they  have  performed  their  devotions, 
its  present  name,  because  on  that  day  the  Some,  however,  from  a  tradition  of  their 
people  used  to  be  assembled  before  him  ^.  prophet,  are  of  opinion,  that  works  of 
One  reason  given  for  the  observation  of  charity,  and  religious  exercises,  which  may 
Friday,  preferably  to  any  other  day  of  the  draw  down  the  blessing  of  God,  are  re- 
week,  is,  because  on  that  day  God  finished  commended  in  this  passage, 
the  creation  2.  H  When  they  see  miy  merchandising  or 
10  And  seek  gain  of  the  liberality  of  sport,  &c.]  It  is  related  that  one  Friday, 
God.']  By  returning  to  your  commerce  while  Mohammed  was  preaching,  a  cara- 
and  worldly  occupations,  if  ye  think  fit :  van  of  merchants  happened  to  arrive  with 
for  the  Mohammedans  do  not  hold  them-  their  drums  beating,  according  to  custom ; 
selves  obliged  to  observe  the  day  of  their  which  the  congregation  hearing,  they  all 
public  assembly  with  the  same  strictness  ran  out  of  the  mosque  to  see  them,  except 
as  the  Christians  and  Jews  do  their  Sab-  twelve  only  3. 

1  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  V.  GoL  in  Alfrag.  p.  15.  ^  ^n  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin, 


CHAPTER   LXIII. 

INTITLED,  THE  HYPOCRITES ;    REVEALED    AT   MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  When  the  hypocrites  come  unto  thee,  they  say,  We  bear 
witness  that  thou  art  indeed  the  apostle  of  God.  And 
God  knoweth  that  thou  art  indeed  his  apostle :  but  God 
beareth  vritness  that  the  hypocrites  are  certainly  liars. 
^  They  have  taken  their  oaths  for  a  protection,  and  they 
turn  others  aside  from  the  way  of  God  :  it  is  surely  evil 
which  they  do.  ^  This  is  testified  of  them,  because  they 
believed,  and  afterwards  became  unbelievers :  wherefore  a 
seal  is  set  on  their  hearts,  and  they  shall  not  understand. 
*  When  thou  beholdest  them,  their  persons  please  thee : 

4  When  thou  beholdest  them,  their  per-  hypocrite,  was  a  tall  man,  of  a  very  grace- 
sons  please  thee,  &c.]  The  commentators  ful  presence,  and  of  a  ready  and  eloquent 
tell  us,  that   Abdallah  Ebn  Obba,  a  chief    tongue  ;  and  used  to  frequent  the  prophet's 


Lxiii.]  AL    KORAN.  381 

and  if  they  speak,  thou  hearest  their  discourse  with  de- 
light. They  resemble  pieces  of  timber  set  up  against  a  wall. 
They  imagine  every  shout  to  be  against  them.  They  are 
enemies;  wherefore  beware  of  them.  God  curse  them :  how 
are  they  turned  aside  from  the  truth !  ^  And  when  it  is  said 
unto  them,  Come,  that  the  apostle  of  God  may  ask  par- 
don for  you  ;  they  turn  away  their  heads,  and  thou  seest 
them  retire  big  with  disdain.  ^  It  will  be  equal  unto 
them,  whether  thou  ask  pardon  for  them,  or  do  not  ask 
pardon  for  them :  God  will  by  no  means  forgive  them : 
for  God  directeth  not  the  prevaricating  people.  ^  These 
are  the  men  who  say  to  the  inhabitants  of  Medina,  Do 
not  bestow  any  thing  on  the  refugees  who  are  with  the 
apostle  of  God,  that  they  may  be  obliged  to  separate  from 
him.  Whereas  unto  God  belong  the  stores  of  heaven 
and  earth :  but  the  hypocrites  do  not  understand.  ^  They 
say.  Verily,  if  we  return  to  Medina,  the  worthier  shall 
expel  thence  the  meaner.  Whereas  superior  worth  be- 
longeth  unto  God,  and  his  apostle,  and  the  true  believers  : 
but  the  hypocrites  know  it  not.  ^  O  true  believers,  let 
not  your  riches  or  your  children  divert  you  from  the  re- 
membrance of  God  :  for  whosoever  doth  this,  they  will 
surely  be  losers.  ^^  And  give  alms  out  of  that  which  we 
have  bestowed \  on  you:  before  death  come  unto  one  of 
you,  and  he  say,  O  Lord,  wilt  thou  not  grant  me  respite 
for  a  short  term ;  that  I  may  give  alms,  and  become  one 
of  the  righteous  ?  ^^  For  God  will  by  no  means  grant 
further  respite  to  a  soul  when  its  determined  time  is  come : 
and  God  is  fully  apprized  of  that  which  ye  do. 

assembly,  attended  by  several  like  himself:  hypocrisy  towards  God,  and  their  insin- 

and  that  these  men  were  greatly  admired  cerity  towards  the  Moslems, 
by  Mohammed,  who  was  taken  with  their         8  They  say,  Verily^  if  we  return  to  Me- 

handsome  appearance,  and  listened  to  their  dinay   the  worthier  shall  expel  thence  the 

discourse  with  pleasure  ^,  meanerr\     These,  as  well  as  the  preceding, 

4  They  resemble  pieces  of  timber  set  up  were   the  words  of  Ebn  Obba  to  one  of 

against  a  walL'\     Being  tall  and  big,  but  Medina,   who,    in    a   certain    expedition, 

void  of  knowledge  and  consideration  2.  quarrelling  with  an   Arab    of  the   desert 

—  They  imagine  every  shout  to  be  against  about  water,  received  a  blow  on  the  head 

them,~\     Living  under  continual  apprehen-  with  a  stick,  and  made  his  complaint  there- 

sions;  because  they  are  conscious  of  their  of  to  him  3. 

1  AlBeiddwi,  2  idem.  3  Idem. 


382  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER   LXIV. 

INTITLED,    MUTUAL    DECEIT  ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth  celebrateth  the  praises 
of  God  :  his  is  the  kingdom,  and  unto  him  is  the  praise 
due  ;  for  he  is  almighty.  ^  It  is  he  who  hath  created  you ; 
and  one  of  you  is  predestined  to  be  an  unbeliever,  and 
another  of  you  is  predestined  to  be  a  believer :  and  God 
beholdeth  that  which  ye  do.  ^  He  hath  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  with  truth ;  and  he  hath  fashioned 
you,  and  given  you  beautiful  forms :  and  unto  him  must 
ye  all  go.  ^  He  knoweth  whatever  is  in  heaven  and  earth : 
and  he  knoweth  that  which  ye  conceal,  and  that  which  ye 
discover ;  ^  for  God  knoweth  the  innermost  part  of  men's 
breasts.  ^  Have  ye  not  been  acquainted  with  the  story  of 
those  who  disbelieved  heretofore,  and  tasted  the  evil  con- 
sequence of  their  behaviour  ?  And  for  them  is  prepared, 
in  the  life  to  come,  a  tormenting  punishment.  ^  This 
shall  they  suffer,  because  their  apostles  came  unto  them 
with  evident  proofs  of  their  mission,  and  they  said.  Shall 
men  direct  us  ?  Wherefore  they  believed  not,  and  turned 
their  backs.  But  God  standeth  in  need  of  no  person ; 
for  God  is  self-sufficient,  and  worthy  to  be  praised.  ^  The 
unbelievers  imagine  that  they  shall  not  be  raised  again. 
Say,  Yea,  by  my  Lord,  ye  shall  surely  be  raised  again : 
then  shall  ye  be  told  that  which  ye  have  wrought ;  and 
this  is  easy  with  God.  ^  Wherefore  believe  in  God  and 
his  apostle,  and  the  light  which  we  have  sent  down ;  for 
God  is  well  acquainted  with  that  which  ye  do.  ^^  On  a 
certain  day  he  shall  assemble  you,  at  the  day  of  the  general 
assembly :  that  will  be  the  day  of  mutual  deceit.     And 

Title — Mecca.']  The  commentators  are  the  blessed  will  deceive  the  damned,  by 
not  agreed  whether  this  chapter  was  re-  taking  the  places  which  they  would  have 
vealed  at  Mecca,  or  at  Medina ;  or  partly  had  in  paradise,  had  they  been  true  be- 
at the  one  place,  and  partly  at  the  other.  lievers ;  and  contrariwise  ^ 

10  The  day  of  mutual  deceit.']     When 

^  Al  Beiddwiy  Jallalo' ddin,  Yahya, 


Lxiv.]  A  L    KORAN.  383 

whoso  shall  believe  in  God,  and  shall  do  that  which  is 
right,  from  him  will  he  expiate  his  evil  deeds ;  and  he 
will  lead  him  into  gardens  beneath  which  rivers  flow,  to 
remain  therein  for  ever.  This  will  be  great  felicity.  ^^  But 
they  who  shall  not  believe,  and  shall  accuse  our  signs  of 
falsehood,  those  shall  be  the  inhabitants  of  hell-fire,  wherein 
they  shall  remain  for  ever ;  and  a  wretched  journey  shall 
it  be  thither  !  ^^  No  misfortune  happeneth  but  by  the 
permission  of  God  ;  and  whoso  believeth  in  God,  he  will 
direct  his  heart :  and  God  knoweth  all  things.  ^^  Where- 
fore obey  God,  and  obey  the  apostle :  but  if  ye  turn  back, 
verily  the  duty  incumbent  on  our  apostle,  is  only  public 
preaching.  ^^  God  !  there  is  no  God  but  he :  wherefore 
in  God  let  the  faithful  put  their  trust.  ^^  O  true  believers, 
verily  of  your  wives  and  your  children  you  have  an 
enemy :  wherefore  beware  of  them.  But  if  ye  pass  over 
their  offences,  and  pardon,  and  forgive  them ;  God  is 
likewise  inclined  to  forgive,  and  merciful.  ^^  Your  wealth 
and  your  children  are  only  a  temptation :  but  with  God 
is  a  great  reward.  ^^  Wherefore  fear  God,  as  much  as  ye 
are  able ;  and  hear,  and  obey :  and  give  alms,  for  the 
good  of  your  souls ;  for  whoso  is  preserved  from  the 
covetousness  of  his  own  soul,  they  shall  prosper.  ^^  If  he 
lend  unto  God  an  acceptable  loan,  he  will  double  the 
same  unto  you,  and  will  forgive  you  :  for  God  is  grateful 
and  long-suffering,  knowing  both  what  is  hidden,  and  what 
is  divulged ;  the  Mighty,  the  Wise. 

15  0/*  your  wives  and  your  children  ye  —  ^f  V^  P^^^  over  their  offences ^  &c,] 

have  an  enemy. ~\     For  these  are  apt  to  dis-  Considering  that  the  hindrance  they  may 

tract  a  man  from  his  duty,  especially  in  occasion  you  proceeds  from  their  affection, 

time  of  distress  ^  :  a  married  man  caring  and  their  ill  bearing  your  absence  in  time 

for  the  things  that  are  of  this  world,  while  of  war,  &c. 
the  unmarried  careth  for   the  things  that 
belong  to  the  Lord  2. 

1  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin,   Yahya,  ^  See  1  Corinth,  vii.  25,  &c. 


384  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER    LXV. 

INTITLED,    DIVORCE  ;    REVEALED    AT    MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  Prophet,  when  ye  divorce  women,  put  them  away  at 
their  appointed  term ;  and  compute  the  term  exactly : 
and  fear  God,  your  Lord.  Oblige  them  not  to  go  out  of 
their  apartments,  neither  let  them  go  out  until  the  term 
be  expired,  unless  they  be  guilty  of  manifest  uncleanness. 
These  are  the  statutes  of  God  :  and  whoever  transgresseth 
the  statutes  of  God,  assuredly  injureth  his  own  soul. 
Thou  knowest  not  whether  God  will  bring  something  new 
to  pass,  which  may  reconcile  them,  after  this.  ^And 
when  they  shall  have  fulfilled  their  term,  either  retain 
them  with  kindness,  or  part  from  them  honourably  :  and 
take  witnesses  from  among  you,  men  of  integrity ;  and 
give  your  testimony  as  in  the  presence  of  God.  ^  This 
admonition  is  given  unto  him  who  believeth  in  God  and 
the  last  day :  and  whoso  feareth  God,  unto  him  will  he 
grant  a  happy  issue  out  of  all  his  afflictions,  and  he  will 
bestow  on  him  an  ample  provision  from  whence  he  ex- 
pecteth  it  not :  and  whoso  trusteth  in  God,  he  will  be  his 
sufficient  support ;  for  God  will  surely  attain  his  purpose. 
Now  hath  God  appointed  unto  every  thing  a  determined 
period.  ^  As  to  such  of  your  wives  as  shall  despair  having 
their  courses,  by  reason  of  their  age ;  if  ye  be  in  doubt 
thereof,  let  their  term  be  three  months :  and  let  the 
same  be  the  term  of  those  who  have  not  yet  had  their 
courses.  But  as  to  those  who  are  pregnant,  their  term 
shall  be,  until  they  be  delivered  of  their  burden.  And 
whoso  feareth  God,  unto  him  will  he  make  his  command 
easy.     ^  This  is  the  command  of  God,  which  he  hath  sent 

1  At  their  appointed  term.']     That  is,  to  divorce  their  wives  while  they  are  clean  : 

when   they  shall  have  had  their  courses  and  says,  that  the  passage  was  revealed  on 

thrice,  after  the  time  of  their  divorce,  if  account  of  Ebn   Omar,  who  divorced  his 

they   prove  not  to  be  with  child,  or,  if  wife  when  she  had  her  courses  upon  her, 

they  prove  with  child,  when  they    shall  and  was  therefore  obliged  to  take  her  again, 
have  been  delivered  ^     Al  Beidawi  sup-         4  Term.]     See  chapter   ii.  verse   229, 

poses  husbands    are   hereby  commanded  &c. 

^  See  chap.  ii.  verse  229,  &c. 


Lxv.]  AL   KORAN.  3*^^^ 

clown  unto  you.     And  whoso  fearetli  God,  he  will  expiate 
his  evil    deeds  from  him,  and   will  increase  his  reward. 
^  Suffer  the  women  whom  ye  divorce  to   dwell  in  some 
part  of  the  houses  wherein   ye  dwell ;  according  to  the 
room    and    conveniences    of   the   habitations    which    ye 
possess :  and  make  them  not  uneasy,  that  ye  may  reduce 
them  to  straits.     And  if  they  be  with  child,  expend   on 
them  what  shall  be  needful,  until  they  be  delivered   of 
their  burden.     And  if  they  suckle  their  children  for  you, 
give  them  their  hire ;  and  consult  among  yourselves,  ac- 
cording to  what  shall  be  just  and  reasonable.     And  if  ye 
be  put  to  a  difficulty  herein,  and  another  woman  shall 
suckle  the  child  for  him,  let  him  who  hath  plenty  expend 
proportionably,  in  the  maintenance  of  the  mother  and  the 
nurse,  out  of  his  plenty:  and  let  him  whose  income  is 
scanty,  expend  in  proportion  out  of  that  which  God  hath 
given  him.     God  obligeth  no  man  to  more  than  he  hath 
given  him  ability  to  perform:  God  will  cause  ease  to 
succeed    hardship.     ^  How    many    cities    have     turned 
aside  from  the  command  of  their  Lord  and  his  apostles ! 
Wherefore  we  brought  them  to  a  severe  account ;  and  we 
chastised  them  with  a  grievous  chastisement :  ^  and  they 
tasted  the  evil  consequence  of  their  business ;  ^  and  the 
end  of  their  business  was  perdition.     ^^God  hath  prepared 
for  them  a  severe  punishment :  ^^  wherefore  fear  God,  O  ye 
who  are  endued  with  understanding.  ^^  True  believers,  now 
hath  God  sent  down  unto  you  an  admonition,  an  apostle 
who  may  rehearse  unto  you  the  perspicuous  signs  of  God  ; 
that  he  may  bring  forth  those  who  believe  and  do  good 
works,  from  darkness  into  light.     And  whoso  believeth 
in  God,  and  doth  that  which  is  right,  him  will  he  lead  into 
gardens  beneath  which  rivers  flow,  to  remain  therein  for 
ever :  now  hath  God  made  an  excellent  provision  for  him. 
^^  It  is  God  who  hath  created  seven  heavens,  and  as  many 
different  stories  of  the  earth:  the  divine  command   de- 
scendeth  between  them ;  that  ye  may  know  that  God  is 
omnipotent,  and  that  God  comprehendeth  all  things  by 
his  knowledge. 

6  Their  hire.]     Which  ought  at  least  to         13  The  divine  command  descendeth  he- 
he  sufficient  to  maintain  and  clothe  them  tween  them.']     Penetrating  and  pervading 
during  the  time  of  suckling.     See  chap.  ii.  them  all  with  absolute  efficacy, 
verse  230,  &c. 

VOL.   II.  C  C 


386 


AL    KORAN, 


[chap 


CHAPTER    LXVI. 

INTITLED,    prohibition;    REVEALED    AT   MEDINA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  Prophet,  why  boldest  thou  that  to  be   prohibited 
which  God   hath  allowed  thee,    seeking  to   please  thy 


I  Why  holdest  thou  that  to  he  prohibited 
which  God  hath  allowed  thee,  &c.]  There 
are  some  who  suppose  this  passage  to  have 
been  occasioned  by  Mohammed's  protest- 
ing never  to  eat  honey  any  more  ;  because, 
having  once  eaten  some  in  the  apartments 
of  Hafsa,  or  of  Zeinab,  three  others  of  his 
wives,  namely,  Ayesha,  Sawda,  and  Safia, 
all  told  him  they  smelt  he  had  been  eat- 
ing of  the  juice  which  distils  from  certain 
shrubs  in  those  parts,  and  resembles  honey 
in  taste  and  consistency,  but  is  of  a  very 
strong  savour,  and  which  the  prophet  had 
a  great  aversion  to  ^  But  the  more  re- 
ceived opinion  is,  that  the  chapter  was  re- 
vealed on  the  following  occasion.  Mo- 
hammed having  lain  with  a  slave  of  his 
named  Mary,  of  Coptic  extract,  (who  had 
been  sent  him  as  a  present  by  al  Mokaw- 
kas,  governor  of  Egypt,)  on  the  day 
which  was  due  to  Ayesha,  or  to  Hafsa, 
and,  as  some  say,  on  Hafsa's  own  bed, 
while  she  was  absent :  and  this  coming  to 
Hafsa's  knowledge,  she  took  it  extremely 
ill,  and  reproached  her  husband  so  sharply, 
that,  to  pacify  her,  he  promised  with  an 
oath,  never  to  touch  the  maid  again  ^  ;  and 
to  free  him  from  the  obligation  of  this 
promise,  was  the  design  of  the  chapter. 

I  cannot  here  avoid  observing,  as  a 
learned  writer  ^  has  done  before  me,  that 
Dr.  Prideaux  has  strangely  misrepresented 
this  passage.  For  having  given  the  story 
of  the  prophet's  amour  with  his  maid 
Mary,  a  little  embellished,  he  proceeds  to 
tell  us,  that  in  this  chapter  Mohammed 
brings  in  God  allowing  him,  and  all  his 
Moslems,  to  lie  with  their  maids  when 
they  will,  notwithstanding  their  wives : 
(whereas  the  words  relate  to  the  prophet 
only,  who  wanted  not  any  new  permission 
for  that  purpose,  because  it  was  a  privilege 
already   granted   him  4,    though   to  none 


else  ;)  and  then,  to  show  what  ground  he 
had  for  his  assertion,  adds,  that  the  first 
words  of  the  chapter  are,  O  prophet,  why 
dost  thou  forbid  what  God  hath  allowed 
thee,  that  thou  mayest  please  thy  wives  ? 
God  hath  granted  unto  you  to  lie  with 
your  maid-servants^.  Which  last  words 
are  not  to  be  found  here,  or  elsewhere  in 
the  Koran,  and  contain  an  allowance  of 
what  is  expressly  forbidden  therein  ^  ; 
though  the  doctor  has  thence  taken  occa- 
sion to  make  some  reflections  which  might 
as  well  have  been  spared.  I  shall  say 
nothing  to  aggravate  the  matter  ;  but  leave 
the  reader  to  imagine  what  this  reverend 
divine  would  have  said  of  a  Mohammedan, 
if  he  had  caught  him  tripping  in  the  like 
manner. 

Having  digressed  so  far,  I  w^ill  venture 
to  add  a  word  or  two,  in  order  to  account 
for  one  circumstance  which  Dr.  Prideaux 
relates  concerning  Mohammed's  concubine 
Mary;  viz.  that  after  her  master's  death, 
no  account  was  had  of  her,   or  the  son 
which  she  had  borne  him,  but  both  were 
sent  away  into   Egypt,  and   n6  mention 
made  of  either   ever  after  among  them  ; 
and  then  he  supposes  (for  he  is  seldom  at 
a  loss  for  a  supposition)  that  Ayesha,  out 
of  the   hatred  which   she  bore  her,  pro- 
cured of  her  father,   who   succeeded  the 
impostor  in  the  government,  to  have  her 
thus  disposed  of  ^.     But  it  being  certain 
by  the  general   consent  of  all  the  eastern 
writers,  that  Mary  continued  in  Arabia  till 
her  death,   which    happened   at  Medina, 
about  five  years  after  that  of  her  master, 
and   was  buried    in  the   usual   burying- 
place  there,  called  al  Baki,  and  that  her 
son    died  before  his   father,  it  has  been 
asked,  whence  the  doctor  had  this  ^  ?     I 
answer.  That   I  guess   he   had   it  partly 
from  Abu'lfaragius,  according  to  the  print- 


1  Al  Zamakh.  Al  Beidawi.  ^  ji  Zamakh.  Al  JBeidawi,  Jallalo'ddin,  Yahya, 

3   Gagnier.  not.  ad  Ahu'lf,  vit.  Moh,  p.  150.  *  See  chap,  xxxiii.  verse  47- 

5  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  113.  ^  See  chap.  xvii.  verse  33.  and  chap.  xxiv. 

verse  2.  ^  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  114.  ^  Gagnier,  ubi  sup. 


LXVI.] 


AL    KORAN, 


38' 


wives;  since  God  is  inclined  to  forgive,  and  merciful? 
^GoD  hath  allowed  you  the  dissolution  of  your  oaths  :  and 
God  is  your  master ;  and  he  is  knowing  and  wise.  ^When 
the  prophet  intrusted  as  a  secret  unto  one  of  his  wives  a 
certain  accident ;  and  when  she  disclosed  the  same,  and 
God  made  it  known  unto  him ;  he  acquainted  her  with 
part  of  what  she  had  done,  and  forebore  to  upbraid  her 
with  the  other  part  thereof.  And  when  he  had  acquainted 
her  therewith,  she  said.  Who  hath  discovered  this  unto 
thee?  He  answered.  The  knowing,  the  sagacious  God 
hath  discovered  it  unto  me.  ^  If  ye  both  be  turned  unto 
God  (for  your  hearts  have  swerved)  it  is  well :  but  if  ye 
join  against  him,  verily  God  is  his  patron ;  and  Gabriel, 
and  the  good  man  among  the  faithful,  and  the  angels  also 
are  his  assistants.  ^  If  he  divorce  you,  his  Lord  can 
easily  give  him  in  exchange  other  wives  better  than  you, 
women  resigned  unto  God,  true  believers,  devout  peni- 


ed  edition  of  whose  work,  the  Mary  we 
are  speaking  of,  is  said  to  have  been  sent 
with  her  sistir  Shirin  (not  with  her  son) 
to  Alexandria  by  al  Mokawkas  ^ :  though 
I  make  no  doubt  but  we  ought  in  that 
passage  to  read  min,  from,  instead  of  ina, 
to  ;  (notwithstanding  the  manuscript  copies 
of  this  author  used  by  Dr.  Pocock,  the 
editor,  and  also  a  very  fair  one  in  my  own 
possession,  agree  in  the  latter  reading  :) 
and  that  the  sentence  ought  to  run  thus 
Quara  (viz.  Mariam)  una  cum  sorore 
Shirina  ab  Alexandria  miserat  al  Mokaw- 
kas. 

2  God  hath  allowed  you  the  dissolution  of 
your  oaths.~\  By  having  appointed  an  ex- 
piation for  that  purpose  ^  :  or,  as  the  words 
may  be  translated,  God  hath  allowed  you 
to  use  an  exception  in  your  oaths,  that  is, 
to  add  the  words,  If  it  please  God;  in 
which  case  a  man  is  excused  from  guilt  if 
he  perform  not  his  oath  3.  The  passage, 
though  directed  to  all  the  Moslems  in  ge- 
neral, seems  to  be  particularly  designed 
for  quieting  the  prophet's  conscience  in 
regard  to  the  oath  above-mentioned:  but 
al  Beidawi  approves  not  this  opinion,  be- 
cause such  an  oath  was  to  be  looked  upon 
as  an  inconsiderate  one,  and  required  no 
expiation. 

3  When  the  prophet  intrusted  as  a  secret 
unto  one  of  his  wives  a  certain  accident, 


&c.]  When  Mohammed  found  that  Hafsa 
knew  of  his  having  injured  her,  or  Ayesha, 
by  lying  with  his  concubine  Mary  on  the 
day  due  to  one  of  them,  he  desired  her  to 
keep  the  affair  secret,  promising,  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  would  not  meddle  with 
Mary  any  more  ;  and  foretold  her,  as  a 
piece  of  news  which  might  soothe  her  vanity, 
that  Abu  Beer  and  Omar  should  succeed 
him  in  the  government  of  his  people. 
Hafsa,  however,  could  not  conceal  this 
from  Ayesha,  with  whom  she  lived  in 
strict  friendship,  but  acquainted  her  with 
the  whole  matter;  whereupon  the  prophet 
perceiving,  probably  by  Ayesha's  beha- 
viour, that  this  secret  had  been  discovered, 
upbraided  Hafsa  with  her  betraying  him  ; 
telling  her  that  God  had  revealed  it  to 
him  ;  and  not  only  divorced  her,  but  sepa- 
rated himself  from  all  his  other  wives  for  a 
whole  month,  which  time  he  spent  in  the 
apartment  of  Mary.  In  a  short  time, 
notwithstanding,  he  took  Hafsa  again,  by 
the  direction,  as  he  gave  out,  of  the  angel 
Gabriel :  who  commended  her  for  fre- 
quent fasting,  and  other  exercises  of  devo- 
tion, assuring  him  likewise,  that  she  should 
be  one  of  his  wives  in  paradise  ^. 

A  If  ye  both,  &c.]  This  sentence  is 
directed  to  Hafsa  and  Ayesha ;  the  pro- 
nouns and  verbs  of  the  second  person 
being  in  the  dual  number. 


Abu'lf  Hist.  Dyn.  p. 


165. 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


^  See  chap.  v. 
Al  Zamakh,.  &c. 

c  c2 


^  Al  Beidawi, 


388       •  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

tent,  obedient,  given  to  fasting,  both  such  as  have  been 
known  by  other  men,  and  virgins.  ^  O  true  believers, 
save  your  souls,  and  those  of  your  families,  from  the  fire 
whose  fuel  is  men  and  stones,  over  which  are  set  angels 
fierce  and  terrible ;  who  disobey  not  God  in  what  he  hath 
commanded  them,  but  perform  what  they  are  commanded. 
^  O  unbelievers,  excuse  not  yourselves  this  day ;  ye  shall 
surely  be  rewarded  for  what  ye  have  done.  ^  O  true  be- 
lievers, turn  unto  God  with  a  sincere  repentance :  perad- 
venture  your  Lord  will  do  away  from  you  your  evil  deeds, 
and  will  admit  you  into  gardens,  through  which  rivers 
flow  ;  on  the  day  whereon  God  will  not  put  to  shame  the 
prophet,  or  those  who  believe  with  him :  their  light  shall 
run  before  them,  and  on  their  right  hands ;  and  they  shall 
say.  Lord,  make  our  light  perfect,  and  forgive  us;  for 
thou  art  almighty.  ^  O  prophet,  attack  the  infidels  with 
arms,  and  the  hypocrites  with  arguments  ;  and  treat  them 
with  severity  :  their  abode  shall  be  hell,  and  an  ill  journey 
shall  it  be  thither.  ^^  God  propoundeth  as  a  similitude 
unto  the  unbelievers,  the  wife  of  Noah,  and  the  wife  of 
Lot  :  they  were  under  two  of  our  righteous  servants,  and 
they  deceived  them  both ;  ^^  wherefore  their  husbands 
were  of  no  advantage  unto  them  at  all  in  the  sight  of 
God  :  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  at  the  last  day, 
Enter  ye  into  hell-fire,  with  those  who  enter  therein. 
^^  God  also  propoundeth  as  a  similitude  unto  those  who 
believe,  the  wife  of  Pharaoh;  when  she   said,    Lord, 

6  Fire,  &c.]    See  chap.  Ixxiv.  and  the         11    Wherefore  their  husbands  were  of  no 
Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  advantage  unto  them  in  the  sight  of  God»~\ 

7  0  unbelievers^  &c.]    These  words  will  For  they  both  met  with  a  disastrous  end  in 
be  spoken  to  the  infidels  at  the  last  day.  this  world  2,  and  will  be  doomed  to  eternal 

8  Light f  &c.]  See  chap.  Ivii.  verse  12.       misery  in  the  next.     In  like  manner,  as 
10  The  wife  of  Noah,  and  the  wife  of  Lot,     Mohammed  would  insinuate,  the  infidels  of 

&c.]    Who  were  both  unbelieving  women,  his  time  had  no  reason  to  expect  any  miti- 

but    deceived    their    respective    husbands  gation  of  their  punishment,  on  account  of 

by  their  hypocrisy.     Noah's^  wife,   named  their  relation  to  himself  and  the  rest  of  the 

Waila,  endeavoured  to  persuade   the  peo-  true  believers. 

pie  her  husband  was  distracted  ;  and  Lot's         12  The  wife  of  Pharaoh.']      viz.  Asia, 

wife,  whose   name   was   Wahela,  (though  the    daughter    of    Mozahem.     The   com- 

some  writers  give  this  name  to  the  other,  mentators  relate,  that  because  she  believed 

and  that  of  Waila  to  the  latter,)   was  in  in  Moses,  her   husband  cruelly  tormented 

confederacy  with  the  men  of  Sodom,  and  her,  fastening  her  hands  and  feet  to  four 

used  to  give  them  notice  when  any  stran-  stakes,  and  laying  a  large  mill-stone  on 

gers  came  to  lodge  with  him,  by  a  sign  of  her  breast,  her   face,  at  the  same   time, 

smoke  by  day,  and  of  fire  by  night  \  being  exposed  to  the  scorching  beams  of 


Jalialo'ddin,  Al  Zamakh.  ^  See  chap.  xi.  and  Lot  in  index. 


Lxvii.]  AL    KORAN.  389 

build  me  an  house  with  thee  in  paradise ;  and  deliver  me 
from  Pharaoh  and  his  doings,  and  deliver  me  from 
the  unjust  people  ;  ^^  and  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Imran, 
who  preserved  her  chastity,  and  into  whose  womb  we 
breathed  of  our  spirit,  and  who  believed  in  the  words  of 
her  Lord*  and  his  scriptures,  and  was  a  devout  and  obe- 
dient person. 

the  sun.  These  pains,  however,  were  al-  here  made  of  these  two  extraordinary 
leviated  by  the  angels  shading  her  with  women,  the  commentators  introduce  a 
their  wings,  and  the  view  of  the  mansion  saying  of  their  prophet,  That  among  men 
prepared  for  her  in  paradise,  which  was  there  had  been  many  perfect,  but  no  more 
exhibited  to  her  on  her  pronouncing  the  than  four  of  the  other  sex  had  attained 
prayer  in  the  text.  At  length  God  re-  perfection,  to  wit,  Asia  the  wife  of  Pha- 
ceived  her  soul ;  or,  as  some  say,  she  was  raoh,  Mary  the  daughter  of  Imran,  Kadi- 
taken  up  alive  into  paradise,  where  she  jah  the  daughter  of  Khowailed,  (the  pro- 
eats  and  drinks  ^  phet's  first  wife,)  and  Fatema  the  daughter 

13  Mary.'\  See  chap.  xix.  verse  22,  &c.  of  Mohammed. 
On  occasion  of  the    honourable   mention 

^  Jallalo' ddin,  Al  Zamdkh. 


CHAPTER    LXVII. 

INTITLED,    THE    KINGDOM  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XXIX.]  ^  Blessed  be  he  in  whose  hand  is  the  king- 
dom :  for  he  is  almighty  !  ^  Who  hath  created  death  and 
life,  that  he  might  prove  you,  which  of  you  is  most  righ- 
teous in  his  actions  :  and  he  is  mighty,  and  ready  to 
forgive.  ^  Who  hath  created  seven  heavens,  one  above 
another :  thou  canst  not  see  in  a  creature  of  the  most 
Merciful  any  unfitness  or  disproportion.  ^  Lift  up  thine 
eyes  again  to  heaven,  and  look  whether  thou  seest  any 
flaw :  then  take  two  other  views ;  and  thy  sight  shall  re- 
turn unto  thee  dull  and  fatigued.  ^  Moreover  we  have 
adorned  the  lowest  heaven  with  lamps,  and  have  ap- 
pointed them  to  be  darted  at  the  devils,  for  whom  we 
have  prepared  the  torment  of  burning  fire :  ^  and  for  those 
who  believe  not  in  the  Lord,  is  also  prepared  the  torment 

Title — Kingdom,']  It  is  also  intitled  by  5  Lamps,  &c.]  Shooting  stars  are  sup- 
some,  The  Saving,  or.  The  Delivering ;  posed  by  the  Mohammedans  to  be  fiery 
because,  say  they,  it  will  save  him  who  darts  hurled  by  the  guardian  angels  of  the 
reads  it,  from  the  torture  of  the  sepul-  celestial  orbs  against  the  devils  who  in- 
chre.  trude  upon  their  charge. 


S90  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

of  hell ;  an  ill  journey  shall  it  be  thither !  ^  When  they 
shall  be  thrown  thereinto,  they  shall  hear  it  bray  like  an 
ass ;  and  it  shall  boil,  and  almost  burst  for  fury.  ^  So 
often  as  a  company  of  them  shall  be  thrown  therein,  the 
keepers  thereof  shall  ask  them,  saying,  Did  not  a  warner 
come  unto  you?  ^They  shall  answer,  Yea,  a  warner 
came  unto  us :  but  we  accused  him  of  imposture,  and  said, 
God  hath  not  revealed  any  thing ;  ye  are  in  no  other  than 
a  great  error :  ^^  and  they  shall  say,  If  we  had  hearkened, 
or  had  rightly  considered,  we  should  not  have  been  among 
the  inhabitants  of  burning  fire :  "and  they  shall  confess 
their  sins :  but  far  be  the  inhabitants  of  burning  fire  from 
obtaining  mercy !  ^^  Verily  they  who  fear  their  Lord  in 
secret,  shall  receive  pardon  and  a  great  reward.  ^^ Either 
conceal  your  discourse,  or  make  it  public ;  he  knoweth 
the  innermost  parts  of  your  breasts :  ^^  shall  not  he  know 
all  things  who  hath  created  them ;  since  he  is  the  saga- 
cious, the  knowing  ?  ^^  It  is  he  who  hath  levelled  the 
earth  for  you :  therefore  walk  through  the  regions  thereof, 
and  eat  of  his  provision ;  unto  him  shall  be  the  resurrec- 
tion. ^^  Are  ye  secure  that  he  who  dwelleth  in  heaven 
will  not  cause  the  earth  to  swallow  you  up  ?  and  behold, 
it  shall  shake.  ^^  Or  are  ye  secure  that  he  who  dwelleth 
in  heaven  will  not  send  against  you  an  impetuous  w^hirl- 
wind,  driving  the  sands  to  overwhelm  you  ?  then  shall  ye 
know  how  important  my  warning  was.  ^^  Those  also  who 
were  before  you  disbelieved ;  and  how  grievous  was  my 
displeasure  !  ^^  Do  they  not  behold  the  birds  above  them, 
extending  and  drawing  back  their  wings  ?  None  sus- 
taineth  them,  except  the  Merciful ;  for  he  regardeth  all 
things.  ^^  Or  who  is  he  that  will  be  as  an  army  unto  you, 
to  defend  you  against  the  Merciful  ?  Verily  the  unbe- 
lievers are  in  no  other  than  a  mistake.  ^^  Or  who  is  he 
that  will  give  you  food,  if  he  withholdeth  his  provision  ? 
yet  they  persist  in  perverseness,  and  flying  from  the  truth. 
^^  Is  he,  therefore,  who  goeth  grovelling  upon  his  face, 
better  directed  than  he  who  walketh  upright  in  a  straight 
way?     ^^Say,  It  is  he  who  hath  given  you  being,  and 

7  Bray  like  an   ass.'\      See  chap.  xxxi.    face,   &c-]      This    comparison   is  applied 
verse  19.  by  the  expositors  to   the   infidel  and   the 

22  h  he  who  gocth  grovelling  upon  his     true  believer. 


Lxviii.]  AL    KORAN.  391 

endued  you  with  hearing,  and  sight,  and  understanding : 
yet  how  little  gratitude  have  ye  !  ^^  Say,  It  is  he  who  hath 
sown  you  in  the  earth,  and  unto  him  shall  ye  be  gathered 
together.  ^^  Then  say.  When  shall  this  menace  be 
put  in  execution,  if  ye  speak  truth  I  ^^  Answer,  The 
knowledge  of  this  matter  is  with  God  alone :  for  I  am 
only  a  public  warner.  ^^  But  when  they  shall  see  the 
same  nigh  at  hand,  the  countenance  of  the  infidels  shall 
grow  sad :  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them.  This  is  what  ye 
have  been  demanding.  ^^  Say,  What  think  ye  ?  Whether 
God  destroy  me,  and  those  who  are  with  me,  or  have 
mercy  on  us;  who  will  protect  the  unbelievers  from  a 
painful  punishment?  ^^Say,  He  is  the  Merciful;  in 
him  do  we  believe,  and  in  him  do  we  put  our  trust.  Ye 
shall  hereafter  know  who  is  in  a  manifest  error.  ^^  Say, 
What  think  ye  ?  If  your  water  be  in  the  morning  swal- 
lowed up  by  the  earth,  who  will  give  you  clear  and  running 
water. 


CHAPTER     LXVIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    PEN;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  N.  ^  By  the  pen,  and  what  they  write,  ^  thou,  O  Mo- 
hammed, through  the  grace  of  thy  Lord,  art  not  dis- 
tracted.    ^  Verily  there  is  prepared  for  thee  an  everlast- 

l  N.  This  letter  is  sometimes  made  the  species  of  fish  in  general  is  thereby    in- 

title  of  the   chapter,   but   its   meaning  is  tended,  or  the  fish  which  swallowed  Jonas, 

confessedly  uncertain.     They  who  suppose  (who  is  mentioned   in  this  chapter  ;)   or 

it  stands  for  the  word  Nun,  are  agreed  as  else  that  vast  one  called  Behemoth,  fancied 

to   its  signification  in  this  place  ;  for  it  is  to  support  the  earth,  in  particular.    Those 

not  only    the    name    of  the   letter    N    in  who  acquiesce  in  none   of  the  foregoing 

Arabic,  but  signifies  also  an  ink-horn,  and  explications,  have  invented  others  of  their 

a  fish.     Some  are  of  opinion   the  former  own,  and  imagine  this  character  stands  for 

signification  is  the  most  proper  here,  as  the  table  of  God's  decrees,  or  one. of  the 

consonant  to  what  is  immediately  men-  rivers  in  paradise,  &c.  ^ 
tioned  of  the  pen,  and  writing ;  and,  con-         2  By  the  pen,    and  what    they   write.'] 

sidering  that  the  blood  of  certain  fish  is  Some  understand  these  words  generally, 

good  ink,  not  inconsistent  with  the  latter  and  others  of  the  pen  with  which  God's 

signification;  which  is,  however,  preferred  decrees  are  written  on  the  preserved  table, 

by  others,   saying,  that  either  the  whole  and  of  the  angels  who  register  the  same. 

1  Al  ZamakJi,  Al  Beidawi,  Yahya. 


392 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


irig  reward  :  ^  for  thou  art  of  a  noble  disposition.  ^  Thou 
shalt  see,  and  the  infidels  shall  see,  ^  which  of  you  are 
bereaved  of  your  senses.  ^  Verily  thy  Lord  well  know- 
eth  him  who  wandereth  from  his  path;  and  he  well 
knoweth  those  who  are  rightly  directed :  ^  wherefore  obey 
not  those  who  charge  thee  with  imposture.  ^^  They  desire 
that  thou  shouldest  be  easy  with  them,  and  they  will  be 
easy  with  thee.  "  But  obey  not  any  who  is  a  common 
swearer,  a  despicable  fellow,  ^^a  defamer,  going  about 
with  slander,  ^^  who  forbiddeth  that  which  is  good,  ^^  who  is 
also  a  transgressor,  a  wicked  person,  cruel,  and  besides 
this,  of  spurious  birth ;  ^^  although  he  be  possessed  of 
wealth  and  many  children :  ^^  when  our  signs  are  re- 
hearsed unto  him,  he  saith,  they  are  fables  of  the  ancients. 
^^  We  will  stigmatize  him  on  the  nose.  ^^  Verily  we  have 
tried  the  Meccans,  as  we  formerly  tried  the  owners  of  the 
garden,  when  they  swore  that  they  would  gather  the  fruit 
thereof  in  the  morning ;  ^^  and  added  not  the  exception, 


5  Of  a  nolle  disposition. ~\  In  that  thou 
hast  borne  with  so  much  patience  and  re- 
signation the  wrongs  and  insults  of  thy 
people,  which  have  been  greater  than 
those  offered  to  any  apostle  before  thee  ^ 

10  They  desire  that  thou  shouldest  be 
easy  with  them,  and  they  will  be  easy  with 
thee.']  i.  e.  If  thou  wilt  let  them  alone  in 
their  idolatry,  and  other  wicked  practices, 
they  will  cease  to  revile  and  persecute  thee. 

11 — 15  Obey  not  any  common  swearer^ 
&c.]  The  person  at  whom  this  passage 
was  particularly  levelled,  is  generally  sup- 
posed to  have  been  Mohammed's  invete- 
rate enemy  al  Walid  Ebn  al  Mogheira, 
whom,  to  complete  his  character,  he  calls 
bastard,  because  al  Mogheira  did  not  own 
him  for  his  son  till  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age  2.  Some,  however,  think  it  was  al 
Akhnas  Ebn  Shoraik,  who  was  really  of 
the  tribe  of  Thakif,  though  reputed  to  be 
of  that  of  Zahra  3. 

17  We  will  stigmatize  him  on  the  nose."] 
Which  being  the  most  conspicuous  part  of 
the  face,  a  mark  set  thereon  is  attended 
with  the  utmost  ignominy.  It  is  said  that 
this  prophetical  menace  was  actually  made 
good,  al  Walid  having  his  nose  slit  by  a 
sword  at  the  battle  of  Bedr,  the  mark  of 
which  wound  he  carried  with  him  to  his 
grave  *. 


18  We  have  tried  the  Meccans.']  By  af- 
flicting them  with  a  grievous  famine.  See 
chap,  xxiii.  verse  78. 

—  The  owners  of  the  garden,  &c.]  This 
garden  was  a  plantation  of  palm-trees, 
about  two  parasangs  from  Sanaa,  belong- 
ing to  a  certain  charitable  man,  who, 
when  he  gathered  his  dates,  used  to  give 
public  notice  to  the  poor,  and  to  leave 
them  such  of  the  fruit  as  the  knife  missed, 
or  was  blown  down  by  the  wind,  or  fell 
beside  the  cloth  spread  under  the  tree  to 
receive  it.  After  his  death,  his  sons,  who 
were  then  become  masters  of  the  garden, 
apprehending  they  should  come  to  want 
if  they  followed  their  father's  example, 
agreed  to  gather  the  fruit  early  in  the 
morning,  when  the  poor  could  have  no 
notice  of  the  matter;  but  when  they  came 
to  execute  their  purpose,  they  found,  to 
their  great  grief  and  surprise,  that  their 
plantation  had  been  destroyed  in  the 
night  ^. 

—  That  they  would  gather  the  fruit 
thereof]  Literally,  that  they  would  cut 
it ;  the  manner  of  gathering  dates  being 
to  cut  the  clusters  off  with  a  knife.  Mar- 
racci  supposes  they  intended  to  cut  down 
the  trees,  and  destroy  the  plantation  ; 
which,  as  he  observes,  renders  the  story 
ridiculous  and  absurd. 


^  Jl  Beiddtvi.      ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.     ^  Idem.     ^  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin.    ^lidem. 


Lxviii.]  AL   KORAN.  393 

If  it  please  God  :  ^^  wherefore  a  surrounding  destruction 
from  thy  Lord  encompassed  it  while  they  slept ;  ^^  and  in 
the  morning  it  became  like  a  garden  whose  fruits  had 
been  gathered.  ^^  And  they  called  the  one  to  the  other, 
as  they  rose  in  the  morning,  ^^  saying,  Go  out  early  to 
your  plantation,  if  ye  intend  to  gather  the  fruit  thereof : 
^^so  they  went  on,  whispering  to  one  another,  ^^  No  poor 
man  shall  enter  the  garden  upon  you  this  day.  ^^  And 
they  went  forth  early,  with  a  determined  purpose.  ^^  And 
when  they  saw  the  garden  blasted  and  destroyed,  they 
said.  We  have  certainly  mistaken  our  way  :  ^^  but  when 
they  found  it  to  be  their  own  garden,  they  cried.  Verily 
we  are  not  permitted  to  reap  the  fruit  thereof.  ^^  The 
worthier  of  them  said.  Did  I  not  say  unto  you.  Will  ye 
not  give  praise  unto  God  ?  ^^  They  answered.  Praise  be 
unto  our  Lomo !  Verily  we  have  been  unjust  doers. 
^*  And  they  began  to  blame  one  another ;  ^^  and  they  said, 
Woe  be  unto  us !  verily  we  have  been  transgressors : 
^^  perad venture  our  Lord  will  give  us  in  exchange  a  better 
garden  than  this  ;  and  we  earnestly  beseech  our  Lord  to 
pardon  us.  ^^  Thus  is  the  chastisement  of  this  life  :  but 
the  chastisement  of  the  next  shall  be  more  grievous ;  if 
they  had  known  it,  they  would  have  taken  heed.  ^^  Verily 
for  the  pious  are  prepared,  with  their  Lord,  gardens  of 
delight.  ^^  Shall  we  deal  with  the  Moslems  as  with  the 
wicked  ?  ^^  What  aileth  you  that  ye  judge  thus  ?  ^^Have 
ye  a  book  from  heaven,  ^^  wherein  ye  read  that  ye  are 
therein  promised  that  which  ye  shall  choose  ?  ^^  Or  have 
ye  received  oaths  w^hich  shall  be  binding  upon  us  to  the 
day  of  resurrection,  that  ye  shall  enjoy  what  ye  imagine  ? 
^^  Ask  them,  which  of  them  will  be  the  voucher  of  this. 
^^  Or  have  they  companions  who  will  vouch  for   them  ? 

21  Like  a  garden  whose  fruits  had  been  with  the  wicked  ?^     This  passage  was  re- 

gatheredJ]     Or,  as  the  original  may  also  vealed  in  answer  to  the  infidels,  who  said, 

be  rendered,  like  a  dark  night ;  it  being  If  we  shall  be  raised  again,  as   Moham- 

burnt  up  and  black.  med  and  his  followers  imagine,  they  will 

28  Permitted.']   The  same  expression  is  not  excel  us ;  but  we  shall  certainly  be  in 

used,  chap.  Ivi.  verse  69.  abetter  condition  than  they  in   the  next 

31    They   began  to  blame  one  another.]  world,  as  we  are  in  this  ^. 
For  one  advised  this  expedition,  another         42  Have    they     companions  ?]     Or,    as 

approved  of  it,  a  third  gave  consent  by  some  interpret  the  word,   idols,  which  can 

his  silence,  but  the  fourth  was  absolutely  make  their    condition,    in   the   next  life, 

against  it  ^.  equal  to  that  of  the  Moslems  ? 

36  Shall  we  deal  with  the   Moslems  as 

*   A I  Beiddivi.  2   idem. 


394  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

Let  them  produce  their  companions,  therefore,  if  they 
speak  truth.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  the  leg  shall  be  made 
bare ;  and  they  shall  be  called  upon  to  worship,  but  they 
shall  not  be  able.  ^^  Their  looks  shall  be  cast  down : 
ignominy  shall  attend  them  :  for  that  they  were  invited  to 
the  worship  of  God,  while  they  were  in  safety,  but  would 
not  hear.  ^^  Let  me  alone,  therefore,  with  him  who  ac- 
cuseth  this  new  revelation  of  imposture.  ^^  We  will  lead 
them  gradually  to  destruction,  by  ways  which  they  know 
not :  and  I  will  bear  with  them  for  a  long  time ;  for  my 
stratagem  is  effectual.  ^^  Dost  thou  ask  them  any  reward 
for  thy  preaching  ?  But  they  are  laden  with  debts.  ^^  Are 
the  secrets  of  futurity  with  them  ;  and  do  they  transcribe 
the  same  from  the  table  of  God's  decrees  ?  ^^  Wherefore 
patiently  wait  the  judgment  of  thy  Lord  :  and  be  not 
like  him  who  was  swallowed  by  the  fish,  when  he  cried 
unto  God,  being  inwardly  vexed.  ^^  Had  not  grace  from 
his  Lord  reached  him,  he  had  surely  been  cast  forth  on 
the  naked  shore,  covered  with  shame :  ^^  but  his  Lord 
chose  him,  and  made  him  one  of  the  righteous.  ^^  It 
wanteth  little  but  that  the  unbelievers  strike  thee  down 
with  their  malicious  looks,  when  they  hear  the  admonition 
of  the  Koran  ;  and  they  say.  He  is  certainly  distracted : 
but  it  is  no  other  than  an  admonition  unto  all  creatures. 

43  The  leg  shall  he  made  bare,~\     This  the  infidels  shall  not  be  able  to   perform 

expression  is  used  to   signify  a  grievous  the  act  of  adoration,  because   their  backs 

and   terrible    calamity.     Thus     they  say,  shall  become  stiff  and  inflexible. 
War  has  made  bare  the   leg,  when  they         46  By  ways  which  they  know  not.'\  i.  e. 

would  express  the  fury  and  rage  of  battle  ^,  By  granting  them  long  life  and  prosperity 

—  They  shall  be  called  upon  to  worship,  in   this  world  ;  which  will  deceive  them  to 

but  they  shall  not  be  able.']     Because    the  their  ruin. 

time  of  acceptance  shall  be  past.     Al  Bei-         48   The  table.]  See  chap.  52,  verse  2. 
dawi  is  uncertain  whether  the  words  re-         49  Be  not  like  him  who  was  swallowed  by 

spect  the  day  of  judgment,  or  the  article  the  fish.]   That  is,  be   not  impatient  and 

of  death  :  but  Jallalo'ddin  supposes  them  pettish,    as  Jonas   was.      See   chap.   xxi. 

to  relate  to   the   former,  and  adds,  that  verse  87,  &c. 

1  Idem,  Jallalo'ddin* 


Lxix.]  AL  KORAN.  395 

CHAPTER     LXIX. 

INTITLED,  THE  INFALLIBLE  ;    REVEALED    AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  Infallible ;  'what  is  the  Infallible?  'And  what 
shall  cause  thee  to  understand  what  the  Infallible  is  ?  ^The 
tribes  of  Thamud  and  Ad  denied  as  a  falsehood  the  day 
which  shall  strike  men's  hearts  with  terror.  ^  But  Tha- 
mud were  destroyed  by  a  terrible  noise :  ^  and  Ad  were 
destroyed  by  a  roaring  and  furious  wind ;  '^  which  God 
caused  to  assail  them  for  seven  nights  and  eight  days 
successively :  thou  mightest  have  seen  people,  during  the 
same,  lying  prostrate,  as  though  they  had  been  the  roots 
of  hollow  palm-trees ;  ^  and  couldest  thou  have  seen  any 
of  them  remaining  ?  ^  Pharaoh  also,  and  those  who  were 
before  him,  and  the  cities  which  were  overthrown,  were 
guilty  of  sin ;  ^^  and  they  severally  were  disobedient  to 
the  apostle  of  their  Lord  ;  wherefore  he  chastised  them 
with  an  abundant  chastisement.  ^^  When  the  water  of 
the  deluge  arose,  w^e  carried  you  in  the  ark  which  swam 
thereon ;  ^^  that  we  might  make  the  same  a  memorial 
unto  you,  and  the  retaining  ear  might  retain  it.  ^^  And 
when  one  blast  shall  sound  the  trumpet,  ^^  and  the  earth 
shall  be  moved  from  its  place,  and  the  mountains  also,  and 
shall  be  dashed  in  pieces  at  one  stroke  :  ^^  on  that  day  the 
inevitable  hour  of  judgment  shall  suddenly  come ;  ^^  and 
the  heavens  shall  cleave  in  sunder,  and  shall  fall  in  pieces, 
on   that  day ;  ^^  and  the  angels   shall   be  on  the    sides 

1   The  Infallible,']     The  original  word,  4  The  day  which  shall  strike.]    Arab. 

al  Hdkkaty  is  one  of  the  names  or  epithets  Al    Kdriat,   or    the  Striking ;    which    is 

of  the  day  of  judgment.     As  the  root  from  another    name    or    epithet    of    the    last 

which  it  is  derived,  signifies  not  only  to  he,  day. 

or  come   to  pass   of  necessity,  but  also  to  7  Palm-trees.]  See  chap.  liv.   verse  20. 

verify,  some  rather  think  that  day   to  be  9  The  cities  which  were  overthrown.]  viz. 

so  called,  because  it  will  verify,  and  shew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.     See  their   names 

the   truth  of  what  men  doubt  of  in   this  in  Index. 

life  ;    viz.  the   resurrection  of  the    dead,  17  The    angels  shall  he    on    the    sides 

their  being  brought  to   account,  and  the  thereof]     These  words  seem  to  intimate 

consequent  rewards  and  punishments  ^.  the  death    of  the  angels  at  the  demolition 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,^ 


396  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

thereof;  and  eight  shall  bear  the  throne  of  thy  Lord 
above  them,  on  that  day.  ^^  On  that  day  ye  shall  be  pre- 
sented before  the  judgment-seat  of  God  ;  and  none  of 
your  secret  actions  shall  be  hidden.  ^^  And  he  who  shall 
have  his  book  delivered  into  his  right  hand,  shall  say, 
Take  ye,  read  this  my  book;  ^^ verily  I  thought  that  I 
should  be  brought  to  this  my  account :  ^^  he  shall  lead  a 
pleasing  life,  ^^  in  a  lofty  garden,  ^^  the  fruits  whereof  shall 
be  near  to  gather.  ^^  Eat  and  drink  with  easy  digestion ; 
because  of  the  good  works  which  ye  sent  before  you,  in 
the  days  which  are  past.  ^^  But  he  who  shall  have  his 
book  delivered  into  his  left  hand,  shall  say,  O  that  I  had 
not  received  this  my  book  :  ^^  and  that  I  had  not  known 
what  this  my  account  was  !  ^^  O  that  death  had  made  an 
end  of  me  !  ^^  My  riches  have  not  profited  me ;  ^^  and  my 
power  is  passed  from  me.  ^^  And  God  shall  say  to  the 
keepers  of  hell.  Take  him,  and  bind  him,  ^^  and  cast  him 
into  hell  to  be  burned  ;  ^^  then  put  him  into  a  chain  of  the 
length  of  seventy  cubits :  ^^  because  he  believed  not  in 
the  great  God  ;  ^^  and  was  not  solicitous  to  feed  the  poor : 
^^  wherefore  this  day  he  shall  have  no  friend  here ;  ^^  nor 
any  food,  but  the  filthy  corruption  flowing  from  the  bodies 
of  the  damned ;  ^^  which  none  shall  eat  but  the  sinners. 
^^  I  swear  by  that  which  ye  see,  ^^  and  that  which  ye  see 
not,  *^  that  this  is  the  discourse  of  an  honourable  apostle, 
and  not  the  discourse  of  a  poet :  how  little  do  ye  believe  ! 
^^  Neither  is  it  the  discourse  of  a  soothsayer :  ^^  how  little 
are  ye  admonished  !  ^^  It  is  a  revelation  from  the  Lord  of 
all  creatures.  ^^If  Mohammed  had  forged  any  part  of 
these  discourses  concerning  us ;  ^^  verily  we  had  taken 
him  by  the  right  hand,  ^^  and  had  cut  in  sunder  the  vein 
of  his  heart ;  ^'^  neither  would  we  have  withheld  any  of  you 
from  chastising  him.  ^^  And  verily  this  book  is  an  admoni- 
tion unto  the  pious ;  ^^  and  we  well  know  that  there  are 

of   their     habitation  ;    beside    the    ruins  for  the  grandeur  of  the  occasion  ^ 
whereof  they  shall  lie  like  dead  bodies.  32  Put  him   into   a   chain,    &c.]    i.  e. 

17  Eight   shall  bear  the  throne  of  thy  Wrap  him  round  with  it,  so  that  he  may 

Lord,   on     that   da2/.~\      The    number    of  not  be  able  to  stir. 

those  who  bear  it  at  present  being  gene-         38  /  swear.]  Or,  I  will  not  swear.     See 

rally  supposed  to  be  but  four  ;  to  whom  chap.  Ivi.  verse  77' 
four  more  will  be   added   at   the  last  day, 

^  /II  Beiddivi,  Jallalo' ddln» 


Lxx.]  AL   KORAN.  397 

some  of  you  who  charge  the  same  with  imposture  :  ^^  but  it 
shall  surely  be  an  occasion  of  grievous  sighing  unto  the  in- 
fidels ;  ^^  for  it  is  the  truth  of  a  certainty.  ^^  Wherefore 
praise  the  name  of  thy  Lord,  the  great  God. 


CHAPTER     LXX. 

INTITLED,  THE  STEPS  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  One  demanded  and  called,  ^  for  vengeance  to  fall  on  the 
unbelievers :  ^  there  shall  be  none  to  avert  the  same  from 
being  inflicted  by  God,  ^the  possessor  of  the  steps ;  ^  by 
which  the  angels  ascend  unto  him,  and  the  spirit  of 
Gabriel  also,  in  a  day,  whose  space  is  fifty  thousand  years; 
wherefore  bear  the  insults  of  the  Meccans  with  becom- 
ing patience ;  ^  for  they  see  their  punishment  afar  oif ; 
^  but  we  see  it  nigh  at  hand.  ^  On  a  certain  day  the  heaven 
shall  become  like  molten  brass,  ^  and  the  mountains  like 
wool  of  various  colours,  scattered  abroad  by  the  wind : 


1    One  called  for  vengeance  to  fall  on  contradictory  to  what  is  said  elsewhere  ^, 

the  unbelievers.']     The  person  here  meant  (if  it  be  to  be  interpreted  of  the  ascent  of 

is    generally   supposed    to   have  been    al  the   angels)  that    the  length  of    the  day 

Nodar   Ebn  al  Hareth,  who  said,  O  God,  whereon  they  ascend  is  1000  years  ;  be- 

if  what  Mohammed  preaches  be  the  truth  cause    that  is  meant  only  of  their  ascent 

from  thee,  rain  down  upon  us  a  shower  of  from  earth  to  the  lower  heaven,  including 

stones,  or  send  some  dreadful  judgment  also  the  time  of  their  descent. 
to  punish  us  ^.     Others,  however,    think         But  the  commentators  generally  taking 

it  was   x\bu    Jahl,    who   challenged   Mo-  the  day  spoken  of  in  both  these  passages, 

hammed  to  cause  a  fragment  of  heaven  to  to  be  the  day  of  judgment,  have  recourse 

fall  on  them 2.  to   several  expedients   to  reconcile  them, 

4  The  steps.']  By  which  prayers  and  some  of  which  we  have  mentioned  in  ano- 
righteous  actions  ascend  to  heaven  ;  or  by  ther  place  ^  :  and  as  both  passages  seem  to 
which  the  angels  ascend  to  receive  the  contradict  what  the  Mohammedan  doctors 
divine  commands,  or  the  believers  will  teach,  that  God  will  judge  all  creatures  in 
ascend  to  paradise.  Some  understand  the  space  of  half  a  day  ^,  they  suppose 
thereby  the  different  orders  of  angels  ;  or  those  large  number  of  years  are  designed 
the  heathens  which  rise  gradually  one  above  to  express  the  time  of  the  previous  attend- 
another.  ance  of  those  who  are  to  be  judged^  ;  or 

5  A  day,  whose  space  is  fifty  thousand  else  to  the  space  wherein  God  will  judge 
years.]  This  is  supposed  to  be  the  space  the  unbelieving  nations,  of  which,  they 
which  would  be  required  for  their  ascent  say,  there  will  be  fifty,  the  trial  of  each 
from  the  lowest  part  of  the  creation  to  the  nation  taking  up  1000  years,  though  that 
throne  of  God,  if  it  were  to  be  measured  ;  of  the  true  believers  will  be  over  in  the 
or  the  time  which  it  would  take  a  man  up  short  space  above-mentioned  '^. 

to  perform  that  journey  ;  and  this  is  not 

^  Jl  Zamakh.   Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap,  xxxii.  verse  5. 

*  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  See  ibid.  ^  See  ibid.  ^  ji  Zamahh. 


398  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

^^  and  a  friend  shall  not  ask  a  friend  concerning  his  condi- 
tion, although  they  see  one  another.  ^^  The  wicked  shall 
wish  to  redeem  himself  from  the  punishment  of  that  day, 
^^  by  giving  up  his  children,  and  his  wife,  and  his  brother, 
^^  and  his  kindred  who  shewed  kindness  unto  him,  ^*  and 
all  who  are  in  the  earth;  ^^and  that  this  might  deliver 
him  :  ^^  by  no  means ;  for  hell-fire,  ^^  dragging  them  by 
their  scalps,  ^^  shall  call  him  who  shall  have  turned  his 
back,  and  fled  from  the  faith,  ^^  and  shall  have  amassed 
riches,  and  covetously  hoarded  them.  ^^  Verily  man  is 
created  extremely  impatient :  ^^  when  evil  toucheth  him, 
he  is  full  of  complaint ;  ^^  but  when  good  befalleth  him, 
he  becometh  niggardly  :  ^^  except  those  who  are  devoutly 
given,  and  who  persevere  in  their  prayers ;  ^*  and  those  of 
whose  substance  a  due  and  certain  portion  is  ready  to  be 
given,  ^^  unto  him  who  asketh,  and  him  who  is  forbidden 
by  shame  to  ask  :  ^^  and  those  who  sincerely  believe  the 
day  of  judgment,  ^^  and  who  dread  the  punishment  of 
their  Lord  ;  ^^  (for  there  is  none  secure  from  the 
punishment  of  their  Lord  ;)  ^^  and  who  abstain  from 
the  carnal  knowledge  of  women,  ^^  other  than  their 
wives,  or  the  slaves  which  their  right  hands  possess  : 
^^  (for  as  to  them  they  shall  be  blameless ;  but  whoever 
coveteth  any  woman  besides  these,  they  are  transgressors ;) 
^^  and  those  who  faithfully  keep  what  they  are  intrusted 
with,  and  their  covenant ;  ^^  and  who  are  upright  in  their 
testimonies,  ^*  and  who  carefully  observe  the  requisite 
rites  in  their  prayers  :  ^^  these  shall  dwell  amidst  gardens 
highly  honoured.  ^^  What  aileth  the  unbelievers,  that 
they  run  before  thee  in  companies,  ^'^  on  the  right  hand 
and  on  the  left  ?  ^^  Doth  every  man  of  them  wish  to 
enter  into  a  garden  of  delight  ?  By  no  means :  ^^  verily 
we  have  created  them  of  that  which  they  know.  ^^  I 
swear  by  the  Lord  of  the  east  and  of  the  west ;  ^^  that 

20  Impatient.']  See  chap.  xvii.  verse  11.  40  I  swear.']     Or,  I  will  not  swear,  &c. 

39   Verily  we  have  created  them  of  that  See  chap.  Ivi.  verse  77* 

which  they   know.]     Viz.  Of  filthy  seed,  —  Of  the  east  and  of  the  west,]     The 

which  bears  no  relation  or  resemblance  to  original  words  are  in  the  plural  number, 

holy  beings  :  wherefore  it  is  necessary  for  and  signify  the  different  points  of  the  ho- 

him  who  would  hope  to  be  an  inhabitant  rizon  at  which  the  sun  rises  and  sets  in 

of  paradise,  to  perfect  himself  in  faith  and  the  course  of  the  year.     See  chap,  xxxvii. 

spiritual  virtues,  to  fit  himself  for  that  place^.  verse  5. 

*  Al  Beiddivi. 


Lxxi.]  AL    KORAN.  399 

we  are  able  to  destroy  them,  and  to  substitute  better  than 
them  in  their  room  ;  ^^  neither  are  we  to  be  prevented,  if 
we  shall  please  so  to  do.  Wherefore  suffer  them  to  wade  in 
vain  disputes,  and  to  amuse  themselves  with  sport :  until 
they  meet  their  day  with  which  they  have  been  threatened; 
^^  the  day  whereon  they  shall  come  forth  hastily  from 
their  graves,  as  though  they  were  troops  hastening  to  their 
standard  :  ^^  their  looks  shall  be  downcast :  ignominy  shall 
attend  them.  This  is  the  day  with  which  they  have  been 
threatened. 


CHAPTER    LXXI. 

INTITLED,    NOAH;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God* 

^  Verily  we  sent  Noah  unto  his  people,  saying,  Warn 
thy  people  before  a  grievous  punishment  overtake  them. 
^  Noah  said,  O  my  people,  verily  I  am  a  public  warner 
unto  you ;  ^  wherefore  serve  God,  and  fear  him,  and  obey 
me  :  ^  he  will  forgive  you  part  of  your  sins,  and  will  grant 
you  respite  until  a  determined  time  :  for  God's  determined 
time,  when  it  cometh,  shall  not  be  deferred :  if  ye  were 
men  of  understanding,   ye  would  know  this.     ^  He  said, 
Lord,  verily  I  have  called  my  people  night  and  day ; 
^  but  my  calling   only  increaseth    their   aversion :  ^  and 
whensoever  I  call  them  to  the  true  faith,  that  thou  mayest 
forgive  them,  they  put  their  fingers  in  their  ears,  and 
cover  themselves  with  their  garments,  and  persist  in  their 
infidelity  and  proudly  disdain  my  counsel.     ^  Moreover  I 
invited  them  openly,  ^  and  I  spake  to  them  again  in  public ; 
and  I  also  secretly  admonished  them  in  private  :  ^^  and  I 
said.  Beg  pardon  of  your  Lord  ;  for  he  is  inclined  to  for- 
give :  ^^  and  he  will  cause  the  heaven  to  pour  down  rain 
plentifully  upon   you,  ^^and  will  give    you   increase    of 

4  Part  of  your  sins.~\     i.  e.  Your  past  crease  of  wealth  and  of  children,']     It  is 

sins  ;  which  are  done  away  by  the  profes-  said,   that  after  Noah  had  for  a  long  time 

sion  of  the  true  faith.  preached  to  them  in  vain,  God  shut  up  the 

11  And  he  will  cause  the  heaven  to  rain  heaven  for  forty  years,  and  rendered  their 

plentifully  upon  you,  and  will  give  you  in-  women  barren  ^. 


*  Al  Beiddwi. 


400  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

wealth  and  of  children ;  and  he  will  provide  you  gardens, 
and  furnish  you  with  rivers.     ^^  What  aileth  you,  that  ye 
hope  not  for  benevolence  in  God  :  ^^  since  he  hath  created 
you  variously  ?     ^^  Do  ye  not  see  how  God  hath  created 
the  seven  heavens,  one  above  another  ;  ^^  and  hath  placed 
the  moon  therein  for  a  light,  and  hath  appointed  the  sun 
for  a  taper  ?     ^^  God  hath  also  produced  and  caused  you 
to  spring  forth  from  the  earth :  hereafter  he  will  cause 
you  to  return  into  the  same  ;  ^^  and  he  will  again  take  you 
thence  by  bringing  you  forth  from  your  graves.     ^^  And 
God  hath  spread  the  earth  as  a  carpet  for  you,  ^^  that  ye 
may  walk  therein  through  spacious  paths.     ^^  Noah  said. 
Lord,  verily  they  are   disobedient   unto   me ;  and   they 
follow  him  whose  riches  and  children  do  no  other  than 
increase  his  perdition.     ^^  And  they  devised  a  dangerous 
plot  against   Noah  :  ^^  and  the    chief  men   said  to  the 
others,  Ye  shall  by  no  means  leave  your  gods  ;  neither 
shall  ye  forsake  Wadd,  nor   Sowa  ;  nor  Yaghuth,  and 
Yauk,  and  Nesr.     ^^  And  they  seduced  many  ;  (for  thou 
shalt  only  increase  error  in  the  wicked :)  ^^  because  of 
their  sins  they  were  drowned,  and  cast  into  the  fire  of 
hell ;  ^^  and  they  found  none  to  protect  them  against  God. 
^^  And  Noah  said.  Lord,  leave  not  any  families  of  the 
unbelievers  on  the  earth  :  ^^  for  if  thou  leave  them,  they 
will  seduce  thy  servants,  and  will  beget  none  but  a  wicked 
and  unbelieving  offspring.     ^^  Lord,  forgive  me  and  my 
parents,  and  every  one  who  shall  enter  my  house,  being  a 
true   believer,  and  the  true  believers  of  both  sexes ;  and 
add  unto  the  unjust  doers  nothing  but  destruction. 

13  What  aileth  you,  that  ye  hope  not  for  afterwards  by  the  ancient  Arabs.  See  the 
benevolence  in  God.1     i.  e.  That  God  will     Prelim.  Disc.  §  i. 

accept  and  amply  reward  those  who  serve         27  Lord,  leave  not  any  families  of  the 

him  ?     For  some  suppose   Noah's  people  unbelievers,   &c.]     They  say,    Noah  pre- 

made  him  this  answer,  If  what  we  now  ferred  not  this  prayer  for  the  destruction 

follow  be  the  truth,  we  ought  not  to  for-  of  his  people,  till  after  he  had  tried  them 

sake  it ;  but  if  it  be  false,  how  will  God  for  nine  hundred  and  fifty  years,  and  found 

accept,  or  be  favourable  unto  us,  who  have  them  incorrigible  reprobates, 
rebelled  against  him  ^.  29  My  parents.']     His  father  Lamech, 

14  Hath  created  you  variously.]  That  and  his  mother,  whose  name  was  Sham- 
is,  as  the  commentators  expound  it,  by  kha,  the  daughter  of  Enosh,  being  true 
various    steps    or  changes,  from  the  ori-  believers. 

ginal    matter,     till     ye    became    perfect  —  My  house.]     The  commentators  are 

men  2.  uncertain  whether  Noah's  dwelling-house 

23   Wadd,  &c.]     These  were  five  idols  be  here  meant,  or  the  temple  he  had  built 

worshipped   by    the    Antediluvians,    and  for  the  worship  of  God,  or  the  ark. 

^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  See  chap.  xxii.  verse  5. 


Lxxii.]  AL     KORAN.  401 

CHAPTER    LXXII. 

INTITLED,    THE    GENII  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Say,  It  hath  been  revealed  unto  me,  that  a  company 
of  genii  attentively  heard  me  reading  the  Koran,  and 
said,  Verily  we  have  heard  an  admirable  discourse  ;  ^  which 
directeth  unto  the  right  institution :  wherefore  we  believe 
therein,  and  we  will  by  no  means  associate  any  other  with 
our  Lord.  ^  He  (may  the  majesty  of  our  Lord  be  ex- 
alted !)  hath  taken  no  wife,  nor  hath  he  begotten  any 
issue.  ^  Yet  the  foolish  among  us  hath  spoken  that  which 
is  extremely  false  of  God  :  ^  But  we  verily  thought  that 
neither  man  nor  genius  would  by  any  means  have  uttered 
a  lie  concerning  God.  ^  And  there  are  certain  men  who 
fly  for  refuge  unto  certain  of  the  genii ;  but  they  increase 
their  folly  and  transgression  :  ^  and  they  also  thought,  as 
ye  thought,  that  God  would  not  raise  any  one  to  life. 
^  And  we  formerly  attempted  to  pry  into  what  was  trans- 
acting in  heaven ;  but  we  found  the  same  filled  with  a 
strong  guard  of  angels,  and  with  flaming  darts :  ^  and  we 
sat  on  some  of  the  seats  thereof  to  hear  the  discourse  of 
its  inhabitants  ;  but  whoever  listeneth  now,  findeth  a  flame 
laid  in  ambush  for  him,  to  guard  the  celestial  confines. 
^^And  we  know  not  whether  evil  be  hereby  intended 
against  those  who  are  on  the  earth,  or  whether  their  Lord 
intendeth  to  direct  them  aright.  ^^  There  are  some 
among  us  who  are  upright ;  and  there  are  some  among  us 

]    Genii.']     See  chap.  xlvi.  verse  29.  7   They  also  thought,  as  ye  thought,  &c.] 

4   The  foolish  ainongus.]     Viz.  Eblis,  or  It  is  uncertain  which  of  these  pronouns  is 

the  rebellious  genii.  to  be  referred  to  mankind,  and  which  to 

6  There  are   certain   men  who  fly  for  the  genii  :  some  expositors  taking  that  of 

refuge  unto  certain  of  the  genii.']     For  the  the  third  person  to  relate  to  the  former, 

Arabs,  when   they  found  themselves  in  a  and    that   of  the    second  person    to   the 

desert  in  the  evening,  (the  genii  being  sup-  latter  ;  and  others  being  of  the  contrary 

posed  to  haunt  such  places  about  that  time,)  opinion. 

used  to  say,  I  fly  for  refuge  unto  the  Lord         9  A  flame,    &c.]     See    chapter    Ixvii. 

of  this  valley,  that  he  may  defend  me  from  verse  5. 

the  foolish  among  his  people  ^. 

1  Al  Beiddwi. 
VOL.  II.  D  d 


402  AL     KORAN.  [chap. 

who  are  otherwise :  we  are  of  different  ways.  ^^  And  we 
verily  thought  that  we  could  by  no  means  frustrate  God 
in  the  earth,  neither  could  we  escape  him  by  flight : 
^^  wherefore,  when  we  had  heard  the  direction  contained 
in  the  Koran,  we  believed  therein.  And  whoever  be- 
lieveth  in  his  Lord,  need  not  fear  any  diminution  of  his 
reward,  nor  any  injustice.  ^^  There  are  some  Moslems 
among  us ;  and  there  are  others  of  us  who  swerve  from 
righteousness.  ^^  And  whoso  embraceth  Islam,  they  ear- 
nestly seek  true  direction :  but  those  who  swerve  from 
righteousness,  shall  be  fuel  for  hell.  ^^  If  they  tread  in 
the  way  of  truth,  we  will  surely  water  them  with  abundant 
rain ;  ^^  that  we  may  prove  them  thereby :  but  whoso 
turneth  aside  from  the  admonition  of  his  Lord,  him  will 
he  send  into  a  severe  torment.  ^^  Verily  the  places  of 
worship  are  set  apart  unto  God  :  wherefore  invoke  not 
any  other  therein  together  with  God.  ^^  When  the  ser- 
vant of  God  stood  up  to  invoke  him,  it  wanted  little  bat 
that  the  genii  had  pressed  on  him  in  crowds,  to  hear  him 
rehearse  the  Koran.  ^^'  Say,  Verily  I  call  upon  my  Lord 
only,  and  I  associate  no  other  god  with  him.  ^^  Say, 
Verily  I  am  not  able  of  myself  to  procure  you  either  hurt, 
or  a  right  institution.  ^^  Say,  Verily  none  can  protect  me 
against  God  ;  neither  shall  I  find  any  refuge  besides  him. 
^■'^I  can  do  no  more  than  publish  what  hath  been  re- 
vealed unto  me  from  God,  and  his  messages.  And  who- 
soever shall  be  disobedient  unto  God  and  his  apostle,  for 
him  is  the  fire  of  hell  prepared ;  they  shall  remain  therein 
for  ever.  ^^  Until  they  see  the  vengeance  with  which  they 
are  threatened,  they  will  not  cease  their  opposition  :  but 
then  shall  they  know  who  were  the  weaker  in  a  protector, 
and  the  fewer  in  number.  ^^  Say,  I  know  not  whether 
the  punishment  with  which  ye  are  threatened  be  nigh,  or 
whether  my  Lord  will  appoint  for  it  a  distinct  term. 
2^  He  knoweth  the  secrets  of  futurity ;  ^^  and  he  doth  not 
communicate  his  secrets  unto  any,  except  an  apostle  in 
whom  he  is  well  pleased  :  and  he  causeth  a  guard  of 

14  Moslems,']     See    the    Prelim.    Disc,  all  good  things.     Some   think   by   these 

§   iv.  for  the   Mohammedan  doctrine  re-  words  rain  is  promised  to  the  Meccans, 

specting  angels.  after  their  seven  years'  drought,  on  their 

16   fVe  will  water  them  with  abundant  embracing  Islam. 
rainJ]     i.  e.  We  will  grant  them  plenty  of         19  The  servant  of  God.]  Viz.  Mohammed. 


Lxxiii.]  A  L    KORAN.  403 

angels  to  march  before  liini,  and  behind  him ;  ^^  that  he 
may  know  that  they  have  executed  the  commissions  of 
their  Lord  :  he  comprehendeth  whatever  is  with  them ; 
and  counteth  all  things  by  number. 

28  That  he   may  know  that  they  have  have  communicated  it  to  him  pure,  and  free 
executed  the  commissions  of  their   Lo7'd.~\  from   any  diabolical  suggestions,   or  that 
That  is   to  say,   Either  that  the  prophet  God  may  know  that  the  prophet  has  pub- 
may  know  that    Gabriel,  and  the   other  lished  the  same  to  mankind  ^. 
angels,    who   bring  down   the  revelation, 

^  Al  Beiddwi* 


CHAPTER    LXXIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    WRAPPED    UP  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  O  THOU  wrapped  up,  arise  to  prayer,  and  continue 
therein  during  the  night,  except  a  small  part ;  ^  that  is  to 
say,  during  one  half  thereof:  ^  or  do  thou  lessen  the 
same  a  little,  or  add  thereto.  And  repeat  the  Koran 
with  a  distinct  and  sonorous  voice :  ^  for  we  will  lay  on 
thee  a  w^eighty  word.     ^  Verily  the  rising  by  night  is  more 

Title — Mecca.'\  Some  will  have  the  last  such,  with  respect  to  the  whole.  Or,  as  the 

verse,  beginning  at  these  words,  Verily  thy  sentence  may  be  rendered.  Pray  half  the 

Lord  knoweth,  &c.  to  have  been  revealed  night,  within  a  small  matter,  &c.     Some 

at  Medina.     See  verse  19,  note.  expound  these  words  as  an  exception   to 

1    0  thou  wrapped  up.~\     When  this  re-  nights  in  general  ;  according  to  whom  the 

velation    was  brought  to  Mohammed,  he  sense  will  be.    Spend   one   half  of  every 

was  wrapped   up  in  his  garments,  being  night  in  prayer,  except  some  few  nights 

affrighted  at  the  appearance   of  Gabriel ;  in  the  year,  &c.  ^ 

or,  as   some  say,  he  lay  sleeping  uncon-         ^  Or  do  thou  lessen  the  same,  or  add  there- 

cernedly  ;  or,  according  to  others,  praying,  toJ]     i.  e.  Set  apart  either  less  than  half 

wrapped  up  in  one  part  of  a  large  mantle,  the    night,  as   one-third,  for  example,  or 

or  rug,  with  the  other  part  of  which  Aye-  more,    as    two-thirds.     Or    the   meaning 

sha  had  covered  herself  to  sleep  ^  may  be,   Either  take  a  small  matter  from 

This  eY>\thQi  0^  wrapped  up,  and  another  a  lesser  part  of  the  night  than  one  half, 

of  the  same  import,  given  to  Mohammed  e.  g.  from  one-third,   and  so  reduce  it  to  a 

in  the  next  chapter,  have  been  imagined,  fourth;  or  add   to  such   lesser  part,  and 

by  several  learned  men  2,  pretty  plainly  to  make  it  a  full  half  ^. 

intimate  his   being  subject  to  the  falling         4  A  weighty  word.]     Viz.  the  precepts 

sickness;  a  malady  generally  attributed  to  contained  in  the  Koran,  which  are  heavy 

him  by  the  Christians  3,  but  mentioned  by  and   difficult  to  those  who  are  obliged  to 

no    Mohammedan   writer.     Though  such  observe  them  ;  and  especially  to  the  pro- 

an  inference  may  be  made,  yet  I  think  it  phet,   whose  care  it  was  to  see  that  his 

scarce  probable,  much  less  necessary  *.  people  observed  them  also  ^. 

—  Except  a  small  part.~\     For  a  half  is         5  The  rising  hy  night.^     Or,  the  person 

1  Al  Zamalch,  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Hciiing.  Hist.  Orient.  1.  10.  c.  2.     Marrac.  in  Ale. 

p.  763.  V.  Gagnier.  not.  ad  Abu  If  vit.  Mob.  p.  9.  ^  ggg  Prid  Life  of  Mah.  p.  16. 
and  the  authors  there  cited.  *  See  Oc/c/c^?/',?  Hist,  of  the  Saracens,  vol.  1.  p.  300,  &c. 

*  41  Beiddivi.  ^  Idem.  ^  Idem,   JaUalo^ddin. 

D  (1  2 


404  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

efficacious  for  stedfast  continuance  in  devotion,  and  more 
conducive  to  decent  pronunciation  :  ^  for  in  the  day-time 
thou  hast  long  employment.  ^  And  commemorate  the 
name  of  thy  Lord  :  and  separate  thyself  unto  him,  re- 
nouncing worldly  vanities.  ^  He  is  the  Lord  of  the  east, 
and  of  the  west ;  there  is  no  God  but  he.  ^  Wherefore 
take  him  for  thy  patron  :  and  patiently  suffer  the  con- 
tumelies which  the  infidels  utter  against  thee  ;  and  depart 
from  them  with  a  decent  departure.  ^^  And  let  me  alone 
with  those  who  charge  the  Koran  with  falsehood,  who 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  this  life ;  and  bear  with  them  for  a 
while :  ^^  verily  with  us  are  heavy  fetters,  and  a  burning 
fire ;  ^^  and  food  ready  to  choak  him  who  swalloweth  it, 
and  painful  torment.  ^^  On  a  certain  day  the  earth  shall 
be  shaken,  and  the  mountains  also,  and  the  mountains 
shall  become  a  heap  of  sand  poured  forth.  ^^  Verily  we 
have  sent  unto  you  an  apostle,  to  bear  witness  against 
you ;  as  we  sent  an  apostle  unto  Pharaoh  :  ^^  but  Pha- 
raoh was  disobedient  unto  the  apostle  ;  wherefore  we 
chastised  him  with  a  heavy  chastisement.  ^^  How,  there- 
fore, will  ye  escape,  if  ye  believe  not,  the  day  which  shall 
make  children  become  grey-headed  through  terror  ?  ^^  The 
heaven  shall  be  rent  in  sunder  thereby :  the  promise 
thereof  shall  surely  be  performed.  ^^  Verily  this  is  an  admo- 
nition ;  and  whoever  is  willing  to  be  admonished,  will  take 
the  way  unto  his  Lord.  ^^  Thy  Lord  knoweth  that  thou 
continuest  in  prayer  and  meditation  sometimes  near  two- 
third  parts  of  the  night,  and  sometimes  one  half  thereof, 
and  at  other  times  one-third  part  thereof:  and  a  part  of 

who  riseth  by  night ;  or  the  hours,  or  greater  exactness  be  expounded  of  the  fit- 
particularly  the  first  hours,  of  the  night,  ness  of  the  night-season  for  amorous  di- 
&c.  versions  and  discourse  ;  and  he  paraphrases 

5  The  rising  by  night  is  more  efficacious  it  in  Latin  thus  :  Certe  in  principio  noctis 

for  stedfast  continuance  in  devotion,   and  majus  robur  et  vim  habet  homo,  ad  foemi- 

more  conducive  to   decent  pronunciation.^  nas  premendas  et  subagitandas,  et  ad  clari- 

For  the  night-  time  is  most  proper  for  me*  oribus  verbis  amores  suos  propalandos  ^. 

ditation  and  prayer,  and  also  for   reading  A  most  effectual  way  this,  to  turn  a  book 

God's  word  distinctly  and  with  attention  ;  into  ridicule ! 

by  reason  of  the  absence  of  every  noise         12  Choaking  food.']  As  thorns  and  this- 

and  object  which  may  distract  the  mind.  ties,  the  fruit  of  the  infernal  tree  al  Zak- 

Marracci  having  mentioned  this  natural  kum,  and  the  corruption  flowing  from  the 

explication  of  the  Mohammedan  commen-  bodies  of  the  damned, 
tators,  because  he  finds  one  word  in  the  19  Thy  Lord  knoweth.]  The  remainder 

verse  which  may  be  taken  in  a  sense  tend-  of  this  chapter  is  sometimes  marked  as  a 

ing  that  way,  says  the   whole  may  with  single  verse. 

1  Mar  race,  in  Ale.  p.  7^9. 


LXXIV.] 


AL    KORAN. 


405 


thy  companions  who  are  with  thee  do  the  same.  ^^  But 
God  measureth  the  night  and  the  day ;  he  knoweth  that 
ye  cannot  exactly  compute  the  same  :  wherefore  he  turn- 
eth  favourably  unto  you.  ^^  Read,  therefore,  so  much 
of  the  Koran  as  may  be  easy  unto  you.  He  knoweth 
that  there  will  be  some  infirm  among  you  ;  and  others 
travel  through  the  earth,  that  they  may  obtain  a  compe- 
tency of  the  bounty  of  God  ;  and  others  fight  in  the 
defence  of  God's  faith.  Read,  therefore,  so  much  of  the 
same  as  may  be  easy,  ^^  And  observe  the  stated  times  of 
prayer,  and  pay  the  legal  alms  ;  and  lend  unto  God  an 
acceptable  loan ;  for  whatever  good  ye  send  before  your 
souls,  ye  shall  find  the  .same  with  God.  This  will  be 
better,  and  will  merit  a  greater  reward.  And  ask  God 
forgiveness ;  for  God  is  ready  to  forgive  and  merciful. 


20  Wherefore  he  turneth  favourably  unto 
you,^  By  making  the  matter  easy  to  you, 
and  dispensing  with  your  scrupulous  count- 
ing of  the  hours  of  the  night,  which  ye 
are  directed  to  spend  in  reading  and  pray- 
ing: for  some  of  the  Moslems,  not  knowing 
how  the  time  passed,  used  to  watch  the 
whole  night,  standing  and  walking  about 
till  their  legs  and  feet  swelled  in  a  sad 

^  Al  Beiddwi. 


manner.  The  commentators  add,  that  this 
precept  of  dedicating  a  part  of  the  night 
to  devotion,  is  abrogated  by  the  institution 
of  the  five  hours  of  prayer  '. 

22  This  will  merit  a  greater  reward. ~\ 
i.  e.  The  good  which  ye  shall  do  in  your 
lifetime,  will  be  much  more  meritorious 
in  the  sight  of  God,  than  what  ye  shall 
defer  till  death,  and  order  by  will  2. 

2  Idem. 


CHAPTER    LXXIV. 

INTITLED,    THE    COVERED;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  O  THOU  covered,  ^  arise  and  preach,  ^  and  magnify  thy 
Lord.     *  And  cleanse  thy  garments  :  ^  and  fly  every  abo- 


1  O  thou  covered,  &c.  It  is  related, 
from  Mohammed's  own  mouth,  that  being 
on  mount  Kara,  and  hearing  himself  called, 
he  looked  on  each  hand,  and  saw  nobody  ; 
but  looking  upwards,  he  saw  the  angel 
Gabriel  on  a  throne,  between  heaven  and 
earth  ;  at  which  sight  being  much  terrified, 
he  returned  to  his  wife  Khadija,  and  bid 
her  cover  him  up  ;  and  that  then  the 
angel  descended,  and  addressed  him  in  the 
words  of  the  text.  From  hence  some  think 
this  chapter  to  have  been  the  first  which 
was  revealed:  but  the  more  received 
opinion  is,   that  it  was  the  ninety-sixth. 


Others  say,  that  the  prophet,  having  been 
reviled  by  certain  of  the  Koreish,  was  sit- 
ting in  a  melancholy  and  pensive  posture^ 
wrapped  up  in  his  mantle,  when  Gabriel 
accosted  him :  and  some  say,  he  was  sleep- 
ing. See  the  second  note  to  the  preceding 
chapter. 

2  Arise  and  preach.~\  It  is  generally 
supposed  that  Mohammed  is  here  com- 
manded more  especially  to  warn  his  near 
relations,  the  Koreish  ;  as  he  is  expressly 
ordered  to  do  in  a  subsequent  revelation i, 

5  Fly  every  abomination.}  By  the 
word  abomination  the  commentators  gene- 


}  See  chap.  xxvi.  verse  213,  and  the  PreUm.  Disc.  §  ii. 


406  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

miiiation :  ^and  be  not  liberal,  in  hopes  to  receive  more 
in  return  :  ^  and  patiently  wait  for  thy  Lord.  ^  When 
the  trumpet  shall  sound,  ^  verily  that  day  shall  be  a  day 
of  distress  ^^  and  uneasiness  unto  the  unbelievers.  ^^  Let 
me  alone,  with  him  whom  I  have  created,  ^^  on  whom  I 
have  bestowed  abundant  riches,  ^^  and  children  dwelling 
in  his  presence,  ^^  and  for  whom  I  have  disposed  affairs  in 
a  smooth  and  easy  manner,  ^^  and  who  desireth  that  I  will 
yet  add  other  blessings  unto  him.  ^^  By  no  means  :  be- 
cause he  is  an  adversary  to  our  signs.  ^^  I  will  afflict  him 
with  grievous  calamities  :  ^^  for  he  hath  devised  and  pre- 
pared contumelious  expressions  to  ridicule  the  Koran. 
^^  May  he  be  cursed  :  how  maliciously  hath  he  prepared 
the  same  !  ^^  And  again,  may  he  be  cursed  :  how  mali- 
ciously hath  he  prepared  the  same  !  ^^  Then  he  looked, 
and  frowned,  ^^  and  put  on  an  austere  countenance  ;  ^^  then 
he  turned  back,  and  was  elated  with  pride  ;  ^^  and  he  said, 
This  is  no  other  than  a  piece  of  magic,  borrowed  from 
others  :  ^^  these  are  only  the  words  of  a  man.  ^^  I  will 
cast  him  to  be  burned  in  hell.  ^^  And  what  shall  make 
thee  to  understand  what  hell  is  ?  ^^  It  leaveth  not  any 
thing  unconsumed,  neither  doth  it  suffer  any  thing  to 
escape  :  ^^  it  scorcheth  men's  flesh  :  ^^  over  the  same  are 
nineteen  angels  appointed.  ^^  We  have  appointed  none 
but  angels  to  preside  over  hell-fire :  and  we  have  ex- 
pressed the  number  of  them  only  for  an  occasion  of  dis- 

raily  agree  idolatry   to  be  principally  in-  nued   daily  so  to  do  to  the  time  of  his 

tended.  death*. 

11   Let  me  alone^  with  him  whom  I  have  17  I  will  afflict  him  with  grievous  cala- 

created,   &c.]      The  person  here  meant  is  mitiesJ]     Or,  as  the  words  may  be  strictly 

generally  supposed  to  have  been  al  Walid  rendered,  /  will  drive  him  up  the  crag  of  a 

Ebn  al  Mogheira  ^  a  principal  man  among  mountain;  which  some  understand   of  a 

the  Koreish.  mountain  of  fire,  agreeably  to  a  tradition 

13  And  children  dwelling  in  his  pre-  of  their  prophet,  importing,  that  al  Walid 
sence.^  Being  well  provided  for,  and  not  will  be  condemned  to  ascend  this  moun- 
obliged  to  go  abroad  to  seek  their  livings,  tain,  and  then  to  be  cast  down  from  thence 
as  most  others  of  the  Meccans  were  2.  alternately  for  ever  ;  and   that  he  will  be 

14  And  for  whom  I  have  disposed  affairs  seventy  years  in  climbing  up,  and  as  many 
in  an  easy  mannerJ]     By  facilitating   his  in  falling  down  ^ 

advancement  to  power  and  dignity  ;  which         31    We  have  appointed  none  hut  angels 

were  so  considerable,  that  he  was  surnamed  to  preside  over  hell-fire.']     The  reason  of 

Rihana  Koreish,  or,  The  sweet  Odour  of  which  is  said  to  be,  that  they  might  be  of 

the  Koreish  ;  and  al  Wahid,  i.  e.  The  only  a  different  nature  and  species  from  those 

one,  or  The  incomparable  *.  who  are  to  be  tormented,  lest  they  should 

16  By  no  means^  &c.]     On  the  revela-  have  a  fellow-feeling  for,  and  compassionate, 

tion  of  this  passage,  it  is  said  that  Walid's  their  sufferings  :  or  else,  because  of  their 

prosperity    began   to   decay,    and    conti-  great  strength,  and  severity  of  temper^. 

^}^/illZa?nakh.     Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin.  '^  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem.  *  Idem. 

^  Idem.  ^  Idem. 


Lxxiv.]  AL   KORAN.  407 

cord  to  the  unbelievers  :  that  they  to  whom  the  scriptures 
have  been  given  may  be  certain  of  the  veracity  of  this 
book,  and  the  true  believers  may  increase  in  faith ; 
and  that  those  to  whom  the  scriptures  have  been  given, 
and  the  true  believers,  may  not  doubt  hereafter:  and 
that  those  in  whose  hearts  there  is  an  infirmity,  and 
the  unbelievers,  may  say.  What  mystery  doth  God  in- 
tend by  this  number?  Thus  doth  God  cause  to  err 
whom  he  pleaseth  ;  and  he  directeth  whom  he  pleaseth. 
None  knoweth  the  armies  of  thy  Lord,  besides  him :  and 
this  is  no  other  than  a  memento  unto  mankind.  ^^  As- 
suredly. By  the  moon,  ^^  and  the  night  when  it  retreateth, 
^^  and  the  morning  when  it  reddeneth,  ^^  I  swear  that  this 
is  one  of  the  most  terrible  calamities,  ^^  giving  warning 
unto  men,  ^^  as  well  unto  him  among  you  who  desire th  to 
go  forward,  as  unto  him  who  chooseth  to  remain  behind. 
^^  Every  soul  is  given  in  pledge  for  that  which  it  shall 
have  wrought ;  ^^  except  the  companions  of  the  right 
hand ;  ^^  who  shall  dwell  in  gardens,  and  shall  ask  one 
another  questions  concerning  the  wicked,  ^^  and  shall  also 
ask  the  wicked  themselves,  saying,  What  hath  brought 
you  into  hell  ?  ^^  They  shall  answer,  We  were  not  of 
those  who  were  constant  at  prayer  ;  ^^  neither  did  we  feed 
the  poor;  ^^and  we  waded  in  vain  disputes,  with  the 
fallacious  reasoners ;  ^^  and  we  denied  the  day  of  judgment, 
^^  until  death  overtook  us :  ^^  and  the  intercession  of  the 
interceders  shall  not  avail  them.  ^^^  What  aileth  them,'^ 
therefore,  that  they  turn  aside  from  the  admonition  of 
the  Koran,  ^^  as  though  they  were  timorous  asses  ^^  flying 
from  a  lion  ?  ^^  But  every  man  among  them  desireth  that 
he  may  have  expanded  scrolls  delivered  to  him  from  GoD^^ 

—  For  an  occasion  of  discord  to  the  un-  39  Except  the  companions  of  the  right 
believers.']  Or,  for  a  trial  of  them:  be-  hand.]  i.e.  The  blessed  ^ ;  who  shall  re-^ 
cause  they  might  say  this  was  a  particular  deem  themselves  by  their  good  works, 
borrowed  by  Mohammed  of  the  Jews.  Some  say  these  are  the  angels ;  and  others, 

—  They  to  whom  the  scriptures    have  such  as  die  infants  2. 

been  given.]     And   especially  the   Jews ;  46  Death.]      Literally,    That   which    is 

this  being  conformable  to  what  is  contained  certain. 

in  their  books'.  51    That  he  may  have    expanded  scrolls 

—  The  armies  of  thy  Lord.]  i.e.  All  delivered  to  him  from  God.]  For  the  in- 
his  creatures  ;  or  particularly  the  number  fidels  told  Mohammed,  that  they  would 
and  strength  of  the  guards  of  hell.  never  obey  him  as  a  prophet,  till  he  brought 

—  This.]  The  antecedent  seems  to  be  each  man  a  writing  from  heaven,  to  this 
hell.  effect,  viz.  From  God  to  such  a  one  :  Fol- 

38  Pledge.]     See  chapter  lii.  verse  12.       low  Mohammed  *.  { fnaq^otq 


1  Jallalo'ddin.  ^  gge  chap.  Ivi.  verses  8—10.  ^  ^i  Beiddwi.  *  Idem. 


408  AL    KORAN,  [chap. 

^^By  no  means.  They  fear  not  the  life  to  come.  ^^By 
no  means :  verily  this  is  a  sufficient  warning.  ^^  Whoso 
is  willing  to  be  warned,  him  shall  it  warn :  but  they  shall 
not  be  warned,  unless  God  shall  please.  ''^  He  is  worthy 
to  be  feared ;  and  he  is  inclined  to  forgiveness. 


CHAPTER     LXXV. 

INTITLED,    THE    RESURRECTION;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Verily  I  swear  by  the  day  of  resurrection ;  ^  and  I 
swear  by  the  soul  which  accuseth  itself :  ^  doth  man  think 
that  we  will  not  gather  his  bones  together?  ^Yea:  we 
are  able  to  put  together  the  smallest  bones  of  his  fingers. 
^  But  man  chooseth  to  be  wicked,  for  the  time  which  is 
before  him.  ^  He  asketh,  When  will  the  day  of  resur- 
rection be  ?  ^  But  when  the  sight  shall  be  dazzled,  ^  and 
the  moon  shall  be  eclipsed,  ^  and  the  sun  and  the  moon 
shall  be  in  conjunction ;  ^^  on  that  day  man  shall  say, 
Where  is  a  place  of  refuge  ?  ^^  By  no  means  :  there 
shall  be  no  place  to  fly  unto.  ^^  With  thy  Lord  shall  be 
the  sure  mansion  of  rest  on  that  day :  ^^  on  that  day  shall 
a  man  be  told  that  which  he  hath  done  first ;  and  ^^  that 
which  he  hath  done  last.  ^^  Yea ;  a  man  shall  be  an 
evidence  against  himself :  ^^  and  though  he  offer  his  ex- 

1  /  swear.]  Or,  I  will  not  swear.  See  which  conjunction  is  no  contradiction  to 
chap.  Ivi.  verse  77-  what    is   mentioned  just   before,    of   the 

2  The  soul  which  accuseth  itself, "]  Being  moon's  being  eclipsed ;  because  those 
conscious  of  having  offended,  and  of  fail-  words  are  not  to  be  understood  of  a  regu- 
ing  of  perfection,  notwithstanding  its  en-  lar  eclipse,  but  metaphorically,  of  the 
deavours  to  do  its  duty  :  or,  the  pious  moon's  losing  her  light,  at  the  last  day,  in 
soul  which  shall  blame  others,  at  the  last  a  preternatural  manner.  Some  think  the 
day,  for  having  been  remiss  in  their  devo-  meaning  rather  to  be,  that  the  sun  and  the 
tions,  &c.  Some  understand  the  words  of  moon  shall  be  joined  in  the  loss  of  their 
the  soul  of  Adam,   in  particular ;  who  is  light  3. 

continually    blaming  himself  for   having         13  That  ivhich  he  hath  done  first  and 

lost  paradise  by  his  disobedience  ^  last.'\       Or,    the    good     which    he   hath 

9  A7id  the  sun  and  the  moon  shall  be  in  done,  and  that  which  he  hath  left  undone, 

conjunction.~\     Rising  both  in   the  west  ^  :  &c. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi,  ^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  for  signs  of  the  approach  of 

the  day  of  judgment.  3  ^/  Beiddwi 


Lxxv.]  AL     KORAN.  409 

cuses,  they  shall  not  be  received.  ^^  Move  not  thy 
tongue,  O  Mohammed,  in  repeating  the  revelations  brought 
thee  by  Gabriel,  before  he  shall  have  finished  the  same, 
that  thou  mayest  quickly  commit  them  to  memory :  for 
the  collecting  the  Koran  in  thy  mind,  and  the  teaching 
thee  the  true  reading  thereof,  are  incumbent  on  us. 
^^  But  when  we  shall  have  read  the  same  unto  thee  by  the 
tongue  of  the  angel,  do  thou  follow  the  reading  thereof : 
^^  and  afterwards  it  shall  be  our  part  to  explain  it  unto 
thee.  ^^  By  no  means  shalt  thou  be  thus  hasty  for  the 
future.  ^^  But  ye  love  that  which  hasteneth  away  ;  and 
neglect  the  life  to  come.  ^^  Some  countenances,  on  that 
day,  shall  be  bright,  ^^  looking  towards  their  Lord  ;  ^^  and 
some  countenances,  on  that  day,  shall  be  dismal ;  ^^  they 
shall  think  that  a  crushing  calamity  shall  be  brought  upon 
them.  ^^  Assuredly.  When  a  man's  soul  shall  come  up 
to  his  throat,  in  his  last  agony ;  ^^  and  the  standers-by  shall 
say,  Who  bringeth  a  charm  to  recover  him  ?  ^^  and  shall 
think  it  to  be  his  departure  out  of  this  world ;  ^^  and  one 
leg  shall  be  joined  with  the  other  leg  :  ^^  on  that  day  unto 
thy  Lord  shall  he  be  driven.  ^^  For  he  believed  not, 
neither  did  he  pray,  ^^but  he  accused  God's  apostle  of 
imposture,  and  turned  back  from  obeying  him  :  ^^  then  he 
departed  unto  his  family,  walking  with  a  haughty  mien. 
^^  Wherefore,  wo  be  unto  thee  :  wo  !  ^^  And  again.  Wo  be 
unto  thee  :  wo  !  ^^  Doth  man  think  that  he  shall  be  left  at 
full  liberty,  without  control  ?  ^^  Was  he  not  a  drop  of  seed, 
which  was  emitted  ?  ^^  Afterwards  he  became  a  little 
coagulated  blood  ;  ^^  and  God  formed  him,  and  fashioned 
him  with  just  proportion  :  and  made  him  of  two  sexes,  the 
male  and  the  female.  ^^  Is  not  he  who  hath  done  this  able 
to  quicken  the  dead  ? 

21    Ye  love  that  which  hasteneth  away.~\  stretch   forth  his  legs  together,  as  is  usual 

i.  e.     The  fleeting   pleasures    of  this   life,  with  dying  persons.     The  words  may  also 

The  words  intimate  the  natural  hastiness  be    translated.      And   when  one    affliction 

and  impatience  of  man  ^,   who   takes  up  shall  he  joined  with  another  affliction. 
with   a  present  enjoyment,  though  short,         31  He  believed  not.']     Or,    he  did  not 

and  bitter  in  its  consequences,  rather  than  give  alms.     Or,  He  was  not  a  man  of  vera- 

to  wait  for  real  happiness  in  futurity.  city.     Some  suppose  Abu  Jabl,  and  others, 

29  And  one  leg  shall  be  joined  with  the  one  Abi  Ebn  Rabia,  to  be  particularly  in- 

other  leg.~\    i.  e.        And    when    he    shall  veighed  against  in  this  chapter. 

^  See  chap.  xvii.  vert^c  11. 

13 


410 


AL    KORAK 


[chap. 


CHAPTER     LXXVI. 

INTITLED,    MAN  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 


^  Did  there  not  pass  over  man  a  long  space  of  time ; 
during  which  he  was  a  thing  not  worthy  of  remembrance? 
^  Verily  we  have  created  man  of  the  mingled  seed  of  both 
sexes,  that  we  might  prove  him :  and  we  have  made  him 
to  hear  and  to  see.  ^  We  have  surely  directed  him  in  the 
way ;  whether  he  be  grateful,  or  ungrateful.  ^  Verily  we 
have  prepared  for  the  unbelievers  chains,  and  collars,  and 
burning  fire.  ^  But  the  just  shall  drink  of  a  cup  of  wine, 
mixed  with  the  water  of  Cafur  ;  ^  a  fountain  whereof  the 
servants  of  God  shall  drink ;  they  shall  convey  the  same 
by  channels  whithersoever  they  please.  '^  These  fulfil 
their  vow,    and   dread    the    day,    the    evil   whereof  will 


Title — Mecca.~\  It  is  somewhat  doubt- 
ful, whether  this  chapter  was  revealed  at 
Mecca,  or  at  Medina. 

1  Did  there  not  pass  over  man  a  long 
space  of  time,  &c.]  Some  take  these  words 
to  be  spoken  of  Adam,  whose  body,  ac- 
cording to  the  Mohammedan  tradition, 
was  at  first  a  figure  of  clay,  and  was  left 
forty  years  to  dry,  before  God  breathed 
life  into  it  ^.  Others  understand  them  of 
man  in  general,  and  of  the  time  he  lies  in 
the  womb. 

2  We  have  made  him  to  hear  and  to  see.'] 
That  he  might  be  capable  of  receiving  the 
rules  and  directions  given  by  God  for  his 
guidance  ^ ;  and  of  meriting  reward  or 
punishment  for  his  observance  or  neglect 
of  them. 

5  Cdfur.']  Is  the  name  of  a  fountain  in 
paradise,  so  called  from  its  resembling 
camphor  (which  the  word  signifies)  in 
odour  and  whiteness.  Some  take  the 
word  for  an  appellative,  and  think  the 
wine  of  paradise  will  be  mixed  with 
camphor,  because  of  its  agreeable  coolness 
and  smell  ^. 

7  These  fulfil  their  vow,  &c.]  It  is  re- 
lated that  Hasan  and  Hosein,  Mohammed's 
grand-children,  on   a  certain   time    being 


both  sick,  the  prophet,  among  others,  vi- 
sited them  ;  ai^d  they  wished  Ali  to  make 
some  vow  to  God  for  the  recovery  of  his 
sons  :  whereupon  Ali,  and  Fatema,  and 
Fidda,  their  maid-servant,  vowed  a  fast  of 
three  days,  in  case  they  did  well;  as  it 
happened  they  did.  This  vow  was  per- 
formed with  so  great  strictness,  that  the 
first  days,  having  no  provisions  in  the 
house,  Ali  was  obliged  to  borrow  three 
measures  of  barley  of  one  Simeon,  a  Jew 
of  Khaibar;  one  measure  of  which  Fa- 
tema ground  the  same  day,  and  baked 
five  cakes  of  the  meal :  and  they  were  set 
before  them  to  break  their  fast  with,  after 
sun-set;  but  a  poor  man  coming  to  them, 
they  gave  all  their  bread  to  him,  and 
passed  the  night  without  tasting  any  thing, 
except  water.  The  next  day  Fatema 
made  another  measure  into  bread,  for  the 
same  purpose;  but  an  orphan  begging 
some  food,  they  chose  to  let  him  have  it, 
and  passed  that  night  as  the  first :  and  the 
third  day  they  likewise  gave  their  whole 
provision  to  a  famished  captive.  Upon 
this  occasion  Gabriel  descended  with  the 
chapter  before  us,  and  told  Mohammed 
that  God  congratulated  him  on  the  virtues 
of  his  family  *. 


See  Adam,  in  Index. 


^  Al  BeiddwL 


^  Idem. 


Idem. 


lxxvl]  a  L    KORAN.  411 

disperse  itself  far  abroad  ;  ^  and  give  food  unto  the  poor, 
and  the  orphan,  and  the  bondman,  for  his  sake.     ^  Saying, 
We  feed  you  for  God's  sake  only :  we  desire  no  recom- 
pense from  you,  nor  any  thanks :  ^^  verily  we  dread,  from 
our  Lord,  a  dismal  and   calamitous   day.     ^^  Wherefore 
God  shall  deliver  them  from  the  evil  of  that   day,  and 
shall  cast  on  them  brightness  of  countenance,  and  joy ; 
^^  and  shall  reward  them,   for  their   patient  persevering, 
with  a  garden,  and  silk  garments ;  ^^  therein  shall  they  re- 
pose themselves  on  couches ;  they  shall  see  therein  neither 
sun  nor  moon ;  ^*  and  the  shades  thereof  shall  be  near 
spreading  above  them,  and  the  fruits  thereof  shall  hang 
low,  so  as  to  be  easily  gathered.     ^^  And  their  attendants 
shall  go  round  about  unto  them,  with  vessels  of  silve  J  and 
goblets  :  ^^  the  bottles  shall   be  bottles   of  silver  shining 
like  glass ;    they  shall    determine    the    measure  thereof 
by    their  wish.      ^^And  therein  shall   they  be  given  to 
drink  of  a  cup  of  wine,  mixed  with  the  wine    of  Zen- 
jebil;  ^^a  fountain    in  paradise  name   Salsabil:  ^^  and 
youths,   which   shall    continue    for  ever  in  their  bloom, 
shall  go  round  to  attend  them :  ^^  when  thou  seest   them 
thou  shalt  think  them  to  be  scattered  pleasures :   ^^  and 
when  thou  lookest,  there  shalt  thou  behold  delights,  and 
a  great  kingdom.     ^^  Upon  them  shall  be   garments  of 
fine  green  silk,  and  of  brocades,  and  they  shall  be  adorned 
with  bracelets  of  silver :  and  their  Lord  shall  give  them 
to  drink   of  a  most  pure  liquor;  ^^and  shall   say   unto 
them.  Verily  this  is  your  reward :  and  your  endeavour  is 
gratefully  accepted.     ^^  Verily  we  have  sent  down   unto 
thee  the  Koran,  by  a  gradual  revelation.     Wherefore 
patiently  wait  the  judgment  of  thy  Lord  ;  and  obey  not 
any  wicked  person  or  unbeliever  among  them.    ^^  And, 
commemorate  the  name  of  thy  Lord,  in  the  morning, 

13  Thei/  shall  see  therein  neither  sun  nor         17  ZenjeUL']     The  word  signifies  gin- 

7noon.~\     Because  they  shall  not  need  the  ger,  which  the  Arabs  delight  to  mix  with 

light  of  either  ^.     The   word    Zamharirj  the  water  they  drink ;  and  therefore  the 

here  translated  moon,   properly    signifies  water  of  this  fountain  is  supposed  to  have 

extreme  cold  :  for  which  reason  some  un-  the  taste  of  that  spice  2. 
derstand  the  meaning  of  the  passage  to  be,  18  Salsabil.']  Signifies  water  which  flows 

that  in  paradise  there  shall  be  felt  no  ex-  gently  and  pleasantly  down  the  throat, 
cess  either  of  heat  or  cold. 

*  See  Revel,  xxi.  23.  2  J I  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin, 


412  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

and  in  the  evening :  ^^  and  during  some  part  of  the  night 
worship  him,  and  praise  him  a  long  part  of  the  night. 
^^  Verily  these  men  love  the  transitory  life,  and  leave 
behind  them  the  heavy  day  of  judgment.  ^^  We  have 
created  them,  and  have  strengthened  their  joints ;  and 
when  we  please,  we  will  substitute  others  like  unto  them 
in  their  stead.  ^^ Verily  this  is  an  admonition;  and 
whoso  willeth,  taketh  the  way  unto  his  Lord.  ^^  But  ye 
shall  not  will  unless  God  willeth ;  for  God  is  knowing 
and  wise.  ^^  He  leadeth  whom  he  pleaseth  into  his 
mercy ;  but  for  the  unjust  hath  he  prepared  a  grievous 
punishment. 


CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

INTITLED,  THOSE  WHICH   ARE   SENT  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  By  the  angels  which  are  sent  by  God,  following  one 
another  in  a  continual  series  ;  ^  and  those  which  move 
swiftly,  with  a  rapid  motion ;  ^  and  by  those  which  dis- 
perse his  commands,  by  divulging  them  through  the 
earth  ;  ^  and  by  those  which  separate  truth  from  false- 
hood, by  distinguishing  the  same ;  ^  and  by  those  which 
communicate  the  divine  admonitions,  ^  to  excuse,  or  to 
threaten  :  ^  verily  that  which  ye  are  promised  is  inevit- 
able. ^When  the  stars,  therefore,  shall  be  put  out; 
^  and  when  the  heaven  shall  be  cloven  in  sunder  ;  ^^  and 
when  the  mountains  shall  be  winnowed  ;  ^^  and  when  the 
apostles  shall  have  a  time  assigned  them  to  appear  and 
bear  testimony  against  their  respective  people  ;  ^^  to  what 
a  day  shall  that  appointment  be  deferred ;  ^^  to  the  day 
of  separation  :  ^^  and  what  shall  cause  thee  to  understand 

-  1  By  the  angels  which  are  sent,  &c.]  from  falsehood,  and  communicating  ad- 
Some  understand  the  whole  passage  of  monition,  &c.  Some  interpret  the  first 
the  verses  of  the  Koran,  which  continued  three  verses  of  the  winds,  sent  in  a  con- 
to  be  sent  down,  parcel  after  parcel,  dur-  tinual  succession,  blowing  with  a  violent 
ing  the  space  of  several  years,  and  which  gust,  and  dispersing  rain  over  the  earth : 
rescind  (for  so  the  verb  dsafa  may  also  and  others  give  different  explications, 
be  translated)  and  abolish  all  former  dis-  7  That  which  ye  are  promised.']  Viz. 
pensations,  divulging  and  making  known  The  day  of  judgment, 
the  ways  of  salvation,  distinguishing  truth 


Lxxvii.]  AL  KORAN.  413 

what  the  clay  of  separation  is?  ^^On  that  day,  wo  be 
unto  them  who  accused  the  prophets  of  imposture  ! 
^^Have  we  not  destroyed  the  obstinate  unbelievers  of 
old  ?  ^^  We  will  also  cause  those  of  the  latter  times  to 
follow  them.  ^^  Thus  do  we  deal  with  the  wicked.  ^^  Wo 
be,  on  that  day,  unto  them  who  accused  the  prophets  of 
imposture !  ^^  Have  w^e  not  created  you  of  a  contemp- 
tible drop  of  seed;  ^^  which  we  placed  in  a  sure  reposi- 
tory ;  ^^  until  the  fixed  term  of  delivery  ?  ^^  And  we 
were  able  to  do  this :  for  we  are  most  powerful.  ^^  On 
that  day,  w^o  be  unto  those  who  accused  the  prophets  of 
imposture  !  ^^  Have  we  not  made  the  earth  :  ^^  to  con- 
tain the  living  and  the  dead  ?  ^^  and  have  we  not  placed 
therein  stable  and  lofty  mountains,  and  given  you  fresh 
water  to  drink  ?  ^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who 
accused  the  prophets  of  imposture !  ^^  It  shall  be  said 
unto  them.  Go  ye  to  the  punishment  which  ye  denied  as 
a  falsehood :  ^^  go  ye  into  the  shadow  of  the  smoke  of 
hell,  which  shall  ascend  in  three  columns  ;  ^^  and  it  shall 
not  shade  you  from  the  heat,  neither  shall  it  be  of  service 
against  the  flame ;  ^^but  it  shall  cast  forth  sparks,  ^^  as 
big  as  towers,  ^^  resembling  yellow  camels  in  colour. 
^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who  accused  the  pro- 
phets of  imposture  !  ^^  This  shall  be  a  day  whereon  they 
shall  not  speak  to  any  purpose ;  neither  shall  they  be 
permitted  to  excuse  themselves.  ^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day, 
unto  those  who  accused  the  prophets  of  imposture  ! 
^^  This  shall  be  the  day  of  separation :  we  will  assemble 
both  you  and  your  predecessors.  ^^  Wherefore,  if  ye  have 
any  cunning  stratagem,  employ  stratagems  against  me. 
^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who  accused  the  pro- 
phets of  imposture  !  ^^  But  the  pious  shall  dwell  amidst 
shades  and  fountains ;  ^^  and  fruits  of  the  kinds  which 
they  shall  desire  :  ^^  and  it  shall  be  said  unto  them,  Eat 
and  drink  with  easy  digestion,  in  recompense  for  that 
which  ye  have  wrought ;  ^^  for  thus  do  we  reward  the 
righteous  doers.  ^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who 
accused  the  prophets  of  imposture  !  ^^  Eat,  O  unbelievers, 

34  Resembling  yellow  camels.']     Being  inclines  a  little  to  the  yellow  ;  the  word 

of  a  fiery  colour.     Others,  however,  sup-  translated     yellow    signifying    sometimes 

pose  these  sparks  will  be  of  a  dusky  hue,  black.     Some  copies,  by  the  variation  of  a 

like  that  of  black  camels,  which  always  vowel,  have  cables,  instead  of  camels. 


414  AL  KORAN.  [chap. 

and  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  this  life,  for  a  little  while : 
verily  ye  are  wicked  men.  ^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto 
those  who  accused  the  prophets  of  imposture !  ^^  And 
when  it  is  said  unto  them.  Bow  down ;  they  do  not  bow 
down.  ^^  Wo  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who  accused 
the  prophets  of  imposture  !  ^^  In  what  new  revelation 
will  they  believe  after  this  ? 


CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    NEWS  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

[*XXX.]  ^  Concerning  what  do  the  unbelievers  ask 
questions  of  one  another  ?  ^  Concerning  the  great  news 
of  the  resurrection,  about  which  they  disagree.  ^  As- 
suredly they  shall  hereafter  know  the  truth  thereof. 
^  Again,  Assuredly  they  shall  hereafter  know  the  truth 
thereof.  ^  Have  we  not  made  the  earth  for  a  bed ;  ^  and 
the  mountains  for  stakes  to  fix  the  same  ?  ^  And  have 
we  not  created  you  of  two  sexes :  ^  and  appointed  your 
sleep  for  rest ;  ^  and  made  the  night  a  garment  to  cover 
you ;  ^^  and  destined  the  day  to  the  gaining  your  live- 
lihood ;  ^^  and  built  over  you  seven  solid  heavens  ;  ^^  and 
placed  therein  a  burning  lamp?  ^^  And  do  we  not  send 
down  from  the  clouds  pressing  forth  rain,  water  pouring 
down  in  abundance  ;  ^^  that  we  may  thereby  produce  corn, 
and  herbs,  ^^  and  gardens  planted  thick  with  trees  ?  ^^  Ve- 
rily the  day  of  separation  is  a  fixed  period :  ^^  the  day 
whereon  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  ye  shall  come  in 
troops  to  judgment ;  ^^  and  the  heaven  shall  be  opened, 
and  shall  be  full  of  gates  for  the  angels  to  pass  through ; 
^^  and  the  mountains  shall  pass  away,  and  become  as  a 
vapour :  ^^  verily  hell  shall  be  a  place  of  ambush,  ^^  a  re- 
ceptacle for  the  transgressors,  ^^  who  shall  remain  therein 
for  ages  :  ^^  they  shall  not  taste  any  refreshment  therein, 
or  any  drink,  ^^  except  boiling  water,  and  filthy  corrup- 

6  MouvtainsJ]    See  chap.  xxxi.  ver.   10. 


Lxxix.]  AL    KORAN.  415 

tion  :  ^^  a  fit  recompense  for  their  deeds  !  ^^  For  they 
hoped  that  they  should  not  be  brought  to  an  account ; 
^^  and  they  disbelieved  our  signs,  accusing  them  of  false- 
hood, ^^  But  every  thing  have  we  computed  and  written 
down.  ^^  Taste,  therefore ;  we  will  not  add  unto  you  any 
other  than  torment.  ^^  But  for  the  pious  is  prepared  a 
place  of  bliss  :  ^^  gardens  planted  with  trees,  and  vine- 
yards ;  ^^  and  damsels  with  swelling  breasts,  of  equal  age 
with  themselves  ;  ^^  and  a  full  cup.  ^^  They  shall  hear  no 
vain  discourse  there,  nor  any  falsehood.  ^^  This  shall  be 
their  recompense  from  thy  Lord  ;  a  gift  fully  sufficient ; 
^^  from  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  whatever  is 
between  them  ;  the  Merciful.  ^^  The  inhabitants  of  hea- 
ven or  of  earth  shall  not  dare  to  demand  audience  of 
him  :  the  day  whereon  the  spirit  Gabriel,  and  the  other 
angels  shall  stand  in  order,  they  shall  not  speak  in  behalf 
of  themselves  or  others,  except  he  only  to  M^hom  the 
Merciful  shall  grant  permission,  and  who  shall  say  that 
which  is  right.  ^^This  is  the  infallible  day.  Whoso, 
therefore,  willeth,  let  him  return  unto  his  Lord.  ^^  Verily 
we  threaten  you  with  a  punishment  nigh  at  hand  :  ^^  the 
day  whereon  a  man  shall  behold  the  good  or  evil  deeds 
which  his  hands  have  sent  before  him  ;  and  the  unbe- 
liever shall  say.  Would  to  God  I  were  dust ! 

29    We  will  not  add  unto  you  any  other  against  the  inhabitants  of  hell  ;  they  being 

than  torment.']     This,  say  the  commenta-  hereby  assured,  that  every  change  in  their 

tors,  is  the  most  severe  and  terrible  sen-  torments  will  be  for  the  worse, 
tence    in    the  whole   Koran,    pronounced 


CHAPTER  LXXIX. 

INTTTLED,  THOSE  WHO  TEAR  FORTH  ;    REVEALED  AT   MECCA. 

In  the  Dame  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  By  the  angels  who  tear  forth  the  souls  of  some  with 
violence ;  ^  and  by   those   who   draw  forth   the  souls  of 

I — 3  By  the  angels  who  tear  forth  the  a  rough  and  cruel  manner,  from  the  in- 

souls  of  some  with  violence,  &c.]     These  most  part  of  their  bodies,  as  a  man  drags 

are  the  angel  of  death,  and  his  assistants;  up  a  thing  from  the   bottom  of  the   sea; 

who  will  take  the  souls  of  the  wicked  in  but  will  take  the  souls  of  the  good  in  a 


41G  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

others  with  gentlenesKS ;  "^  by  those  who  glide  swimmingly 
through  the  air  with  the  commands  of  God  ;  ^  and  those 
who  precede  and  usher  the  righteous  to  paradise  ;  ^  and 
those  who  subordinately  govern  the  affairs  of  this  world : 
^  on  a  certain  day,  the  disturbing  blast  of  the  trumpet 
shall  disturb  the  universe;  ^and  the  subsequent  blast 
shall  follow  it.  ^  On  that  day  men's  hearts  shall  tremble  : 
Hheir  looks  shall  be  cast  down.  ^^The  infidels  say, 
Shall  we  surely  be  made  to  return  whence  we  came  ? 
^^  After  we  shall  have  become  rotten  bones,  shall  we  be 
again  raised  to  life  ?  ^^  They  say,  This  then  will  be  a 
return  to  loss.  ^^  Verily  it  will  be  but  one  sounding  of 
the  trumpet,  ^*  and  behold,  they  shall  appear  alive  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  ^^  Hath  not  the  story  of  Moses  reached 
thee?  ^^  When  his  Lord  called  unto  him  in  the  holy 
valley  Tow  a,  ^^  saying,  Go  unto  Pharaoh  ;  for  he  is  in- 
solently wicked  :  ^^  and  say,  Hast  thou  a  desire  to  become 
just  and  holy  ?  ^^  and  I  will  direct  thee  unto  thy  Lord, 
that  thou  mayest  fear  to  transgress.  ^^  And  he  shewed 
him  the  very  great  sign  of  the  rod  turned  into  a  serpent : 
^^but  he  charged  Moses  with  imposture,  and  rebelled 
against  God.  ^^  Then  he  turned  back  hastily  ;  ^^  and  he 
assembled  the  magicians ;  ^^  and  cried  aloud,  saying,  I  am 
your  supreme  Lord.  ^^  Wherefore  God  chastised  him 
with  the  punishment  of  the  life  to  come,  and  also  of  th  s 
present  life.  ^^  Verily  herein  is  an  example  unto  him 
who  feareth  to  rebel.  ^^  Are  ye  more  difficult  to  create, 
or  the  heaven  which  God  hath  built  ?  ^^  He  hath  raised 
the  height  thereof,  and  hath  perfectly  formed  the  same  : 
^^and  he  hath  made  the  night  thereof  dark,  and  hath 
produced  the  light   thereof.     ^^  After   this  he  stretched 

gentle  and  easy  manner,  frona  their  lips  ;  13   One  sounding  of  the  trumpet.']     Viz. 

as  when  a  man  draws  a  bucket  of  water  The  second   or   third  blast,   according  to 

at  one  pull  ^.  different  opinions. 

There  are  several  other  interpretations  14   They  shall  appear  alive  on  the  face 

of  this  whole  passage  :   some  expounding  of  the  earth,']     Or,   They  shall  appear  at 

all  the  five  parts  of  the  oath,  of  the  stars  ;  the  place  of  judgment.    The  original  word 

others  of  the  souls  of  men ;   others  of  the  al   Sdhira,   is  also   one   of  the  names   of 

souls  of  warriors  in  particular  ;  and  others  hell. 

of  war  horses  ;  a  detail  of  which  I  appre-  16   Towd.']     See  chap.  xx.  verse  10. 

hend,  would  rather  tire  than  please.  30  Jfter  this  he  stretched  out  the  earth.'} 

10  Shall  we  surely   he  made  to  return  Which  had  been  created  before   the  hea- 

whence  we  came  ?]     i.  e.  Shall  we  be  re-  vens,  but  without  expansion  " 
stored  to  our  former  condition  ? 


2 


1  Jl  Beiddm.  ^  Jallaloddin. 


Lxxx.]  A L    KORAN.  417 

out  the  earth ;  ^^  and  from  it  he  caused  to  spring  forth 
the  water  thereof,  and  tlie  pasture  thereof;  ^^and  he 
established  the  mountains,  for  the  use  of  yourselves,  and 
of  your  cattle.  ^^  When  the  prevailing,  the  great  day 
shall  come,  ^^  on  that  day  shall  a  man  call  to  remem- 
brance what  he  hath  purposely  done  :  ^^  and  hell  shall  be 
exposed  to  the  view  of  the  spectator.  ^^  And  whoso  shall 
have  transgressed,  ^^  and  shall  have  chosen  this  present 
life  ;  ^^  verily  hell  shall  be  his  abode :  ^^  but  whoso  shall 
have  dreaded  the  appearing  before  his  Lord  ;  ^^  and  shall 
have  refrained  his  soul  from  lust ;  ^^  verily  paradise  shall 
be  his  abode.  ^^  They  will  ask  thee  concerning  the  last 
hour,  when  will  be  the  fixed  time  thereof.  ^^  By  what 
means  canst  thou  give  any  information  of  the  same  ? 
'^^  Unto  thy  Lord  belongeth  the  knowledge  of  the  period 
thereof;  ^^and  thou  art  only  a  warner,  who  fearest  the 
same.  ^^  The  day  whereon  they  shall  see  the  same,  it 
shall  seem  to  them  as  though  they  had  not  tarried  in  the 
world  longer  than  an  evening,  or  a  morning  thereof. 


CHAPTER  LXXX. 

INTITLED,    HE    FROWNED ;    REVEALED   AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  prophet  frowned,  and  turned  aside,  ^  because  the 
blind  man  came  unto  him :  ^  and  how  dost  thou  know 
whether  he  shall  peradventure  be  cleansed  from  his  sins ; 
^  or  whether  he  shall  be  admonished,  and  the  admonition 
shall  profit  him  ?     ^  The  man  who  is  wealthy,  ^  thou  re- 

1 — 3  The  prophet  frowned^  and  turned  raised  his  voice,  and  said,  O  apostle  of 
aside,  because  the  blind  man  came  unto  God,  teach  me  some  part  of  what  God 
him,  &c.]  This  passage  was  revealed  on  hath  taught  thee  :  but  Mohammed,  vexed 
the  following  occasion.  A  certain  blind  at  this  interruption,  frowned,  and  turned 
man,  named  Abdallah  Ebn  0mm  Mactum,  away  from  him  ;  for  which  he  is  here  re- 
came  and  interrupted  Mohammed  while  prehended.  After  this,  whenever  the  pro- 
he  was  engaged  in  earnest  discourse  with  phet  saw  Ebn  0mm  Mactum,  he  shewed 
some  of  the  principal  Koreish,  whose  con-  him  great  respect,  saying,  The  man  is 
version  he  had  hopes  of;  but  the  prophet  welcome  on  whose  account  my  Lord  hath 
taking  no  notice  of  him,  the  blind  man  reprimanded  me ;  and  he  made  him  twice 
not    knowing   he   was   otherwise    busied,  governor  of  Medina  ^ 


1  Jallalo'ddin,   Al  Beiddwi. 
VOL.  II.  E    e 


418  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

ceivest  respectfully ;  '^  whereas  it  is  not  to  be  charged  on 
thee,  that  he  is  not  cleansed  :  ^  but  him  who  cometh  unto 
thee  earnestly  seeking  his  salvation ;  ^  and  who  feareth 
God,  dost  thou  neglect.  ^^  By  no  means  shouldest  thou 
act  thus.  ^^  Verily  the  Koran  is  an  admonition,  ^^  (and 
he  who  is  willing  retaineth  the  same ;)  ^^  written  in  vo- 
lumes honourable,  exalted,  and  pure  ;  ^^  by  the  hands  of 
scribes  honoured,  and  just.  ^^  May  man  be  cursed ! 
^^  What  hath  seduced  him  to  infidelity  ?  ^'^  Of  what  thing 
doth  God  create  him.  ^^  Of  a  drop  of  seed  doth  he 
create  him ;  ^^  and  he  formeth  him  with  proportion ; 
^^and  then  facilitateth  his  passage  out  of  the  womb: 
^^  afterwards  he  causeth  him  to  die,  ^^  and  layeth  him  in 
the  grave  ;  ^^  hereafter  when  it  shall  please  him,  he  shall 
raise  him  to  life.  ^^  Assuredly.  He  hath  not  hitherto 
fully  performed  what  God  hath  commanded  him.  ^^  Let 
man  consider  his  food ;  in  what  manner  it  is  provided. 
^^  We  pour  down  water  by  showers ;  ^^  afterwards  we 
cleave  the  earth  in  clefts,  ^^  and  we  cause  corn  to  spring 
forth  therein;  ^^and  grapes,  and  clover,  and  the  olive, 
and  the  palm,  ^^  and  gardens  planted  thick  with  trees ; 
^^  and  fruits,  and  grass ;  ^^  for  the  use  of  yourselves  and  of 
your  cattle.  ^^  When  the  stunning  sound  of  the  trumpet 
shall  be  heard ;  ^  ^  on  that  day  shall  a  man  fly  from  his 
brother  ;  ^^  and  his  mother,  and  his  father,  ^^  and  his  wife, 
and  his  children.  ^^  Every  man  of  them,  on  that  day, 
shall  have  business  of  his  own  sufficient  to  employ  his 
thoughts.  ^^  On  that  day  the  faces  of  some  shall  be 
bright,  ^Haughing,  and  joyful:  ^^and  upon  the  face  of 
others,  on  that  day,  shall  there  be  dust ;  *^  darkness  shall 
cover  them.     ^^  These  are  the  unbelievers,  the  wicked. 

13   Written  in  volumes  honourable,  ex-  and  touched   only  by  the  angels.     Some 

altedf  and  pure,  &c.]     Being  transcribed  understand  hereby  the  books  of  the  pro- 

from  the  preserved  table,  highly  honoured  phets,   with  which  the  Koran  agrees  in 

in  the  sight  of  God,  kept  pure  and  un-  substance  '. 
corrupted  from  the  hands  of  evil  spirits, 

1  Al  Zamakh, 


Lxxxi.]  A L  KORAN.  419 

CHAPTER  LXXXI. 

INTITLED,  THE  FOLDING  UP  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  sun  shall  be  folded  up ;  ^  and  when  the  stars 
shall  fall ;  ^  and  when  the  mountains  shall  be  made  to 
pass  away ;  ^  and  when  the  camels  ten  months  gone  with 
young  shall  be  neglected ;  ^  and  when  the  wild  beasts 
shall  be  gathered  together ;  ^  and  when  the  seas  shall 
boil ;  ^  and  when  the  souls  shall  be  joined  again  to  their 
bodies ;  ^  and  when  the  girl  who  hath  been  buried  alive 
shall  be  asked  ^  for  what  crime  she  was  put  to  death  ; 
^^  and  when  the  books  shall  be  laid  open ;  ^^  and  when 
the  heaven  shall  be  removed ;  ^^  and  when  hell  shall  burn 
fiercely ;  ^^  and  when  paradise  shall  be  brought  near : 
^^  every  soul  shall  know  what  it  hath  wrought.  ^^  Verily 
I  swear  by  the  stars  which  are  retrograde,  which  move 
swiftly,  and  which  hide  themselves ;  ^^  and  by  the  night, 
when  it  cometh  on  ;  ^^  and  by  the  morning,  when  it  ap- 
peareth ;  ^^  that  these  are  the  words  of  an  honourable 
messenger ;  ^^  endued  with  strength,  of  established  dignity 
in  the  sight  of  the  possessor  of  the  throne,  ^^  obeyed  by 
the  angels  under  his  authority,  and  faithful :  ^^  and  your 
companion   Mohammed   is   not   distracted.     ^^  He   hath 

I  When  the  sun  shall  be  folded  up.^  where,  according  to  the  versions  of  the 
As  a  garment  that  is  to  be  laid  by.  Septuagint  and  the  Vulgate,  God  is  said 

4 — 7     Whe7if    &c.]     See    the    Prelim,  to  have   stretched  out  the  heaven  like  a 

Disc.  §  iv.  for  a  description  of  the  day  of  skin, 
judgment.  15  I  swear."]     Or,  I  will  not  swear,  &c. 

8,  9    The    girl  who    hath  been  buried  See  chap.  Ivi.  verse  77* 
alive. '\     For  it  was  customary  among  the         — -  By  the  stars  which  are  retrograde, 

ancient   Arabs    to   bury  their    daughters  &c.]     Some  understand  hereby  the  stars 

alive,  as  soon  as  they  were  born,  for  fear  in  general ;  but  the  more  exact  commen- 

they  should  be  impoverished  by  providing  tators,   five   of  the  planets,  viz.  the  two 

for  them,  or  should  suffer  disgrace  on  their  which  accompany  the  sun,  and  the  three 

account.  superior  planets  ;  which  have  both  a  retro- 

II  When  the  heaven  shall  be  removed.']  gsade  and  a  direct  motion,  and  hide  them- 
Or  plucked  away  from  its  place,  as  the  selves  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  or  when 
skin  is  plucked  off  from  a  camel  which  is  they  set. 

flaying:  for  that  is  the  proper  signification         18  An  honourable  messenger.]    i. e.  Ga- 
of  the  verb   here  used.     Maracci  fancies     briel. 
the  passage  alludes  to  that  in  the  Psalms  ^, 

^   Psalm  civ.  2. 

e  e  2 


420  A  L   KORAN.  [chap. 

already  seen  him  in  the  clear  horizon :  ^^  and  he  suspected 
not  the  secrets  revealed  unto  him.  ^^  Neither  are  these 
the  words  of  an  accursed  devil.  ^^  Whither,  therefore, 
are  ye  going?  ^^This  is  no  other  than  an  admonition 
unto  all  creatures ;  ^^  unto  him  among  you  who  shall  be 
willing  to  walk  uprightly :  ^^  but  ye  shall  not  will,  unless 
God  willeth,  the  Lord  of  all  creatures. 

.    22  SeeUi  &c.]     See  chap.  liii.  verse  7-  stealth  the  discourse  of  the  angels.     The 

23  He  suspected  not.^  Some  copies,  by  verse  is  an  answer  to  a  calumny  of  the 
a  change  of  one  letter  only,  instead  of  infidels,  who  said  the  Koran  was  only  a 
Dha7iinin  Daninin;  and  then  the  words  piece  of  divination,  or  magic:  for  the 
should  be  rendered,  He  is  not  tenacious  of,  Arabs  suppose  the  soothsayer,  or  magi- 
or  gnidges  not  to  communicate  to  you  the  clan,  receives  his  intelligence  from  those 
secret  revelations  which  he  has  received.  evil  spirits,  who  are  continually  listening 

24  Neither  are  these  the  words  of  an  to  learn  what  they  can  from  the  inha- 
accursed  devil.~\     Who  has  overheard  by  bitants  of  heaven. 


CHAPTER  LXXXII. 

INTITLED,    THE    CLEAVING    IN    SUNDER  ;    REVEALED    AT 

MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  heaven  shall  be  cloven  in  sunder ;  ^  and  when 
the  stars  shall  be  scattered ;  ^  and  when  the  seas  shall  be 
suffered  to  join  their  waters ;  ^  and  when  the  graves  shall 
be  turned  upside  down :  ^  every  soul  shall  know  what  it 
hath  committed,  and  what  it  hath  omitted.  ^  O  man, 
what  hath  seduced  thee  against  thy  gracious  Lord,  who 
hath  created  thee,  ^  and  who  hath  put  thee  together,  and 
rightly  disposed  thee  ?  ^  In  what  form  he  pleased  hath 
he  fashioned  thee.  ^  Assuredly.  But  ye  deny  the  last 
judgment  as  a  falsehood.  ^^  Verily  there  are  appointed 
over  you  guardian  angels,  ^Uionourable  in  the  sight  of 
God,  writing  down  your  actions ;  ^^  who  know  that  which 
ye  do.  ^^  The  just  shall  surely  be  in  a  place  of  delight : 
^^  but  the  wicked  shall  surely  be  in  hell ;  ^^  they  shall  be 
cast  therein  to  be  burned  on  the  day  of  judgment ;  ^^  and 
they  shall  not  be  absent  therefrom  for  ever.     ^^What 

10  Guardian  angels.']     See  chap.  1.  verse  17,  and  the  Prelim.  Disc.   §  iv.  for  the 
account  of  the  last  judgment. 


Lxxxiii.]  AL   KORAN.  421 

shall  cause  thee  to  understand  what  the  day  of  judgment 
is  ?  ^^  Again,  What  shall  cause  thee  to  understand  what 
the  day  of  judgment  is?  ^^It  is  a  day  whereon  one  soul 
shall  not  be  able  to  obtain  any  thing  in  behalf  of  another 
soul ;  and  the  command,  on  that  day,  shall  be  God's. 


CHAPTER  LXXXIII. 

INTITLED,  THOSE  WHO   GIVE  SHORT   MEASURE  OR   WEIGHT  ; 

REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

*  Woe  be  unto  those  who  give  short  measure  or  weight ; 
^  who,  when  they  receive  by  measure  from  other  men, 
take  the  full ;  ^  but  when  they  measure  unto  them,  or 
weigh  unto  them,  defraud  !  ^  Do  not  these  think  they 
shall  be  raised  again,  ^  at  the  great  day ;  ^  the  day  whereon 
mankind  shall  stand  before  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  ? 
By  no  means.  ^  Verily  the  register  of  the  actions  of  the 
wicked  is  surely  in  Sejjin.  ^  And  what  shall  make  thee 
to  understand  what  Sejjin  is  ?  ^  It  is  a  book  distinctly 
written.  ^^  Woe  be,  on  that  day,  unto  those  who  accused 
the  prophets  of  imposture  ;  ^^  who  denied  the  day  of  judg- 
ment as  a  falsehood  !  ^^  And  none  denieth  the  same  as  a 
falsehood,  except  every  unjust  and  flagitious  person : 
^^who,  when  our  signs  are  rehearsed  unto  him,  saith, 
They  are  fables  of  the  ancients.  ^^  By  no  means :  but 
rather  their  lusts  have  cast  a  veil  over  their  hearts.  ^^  By 
no  means.  Verily  they  shall  be  shut  out  from  their 
Lord  on  that  day ;  ^^  and  they  shall  be  sent  into  hell  to 
be  burned:  ^Hhen  shall  it  be  said  unto  them,  by  the 

7  Sejjin.']  Is  the  name  of  the  general  residence  of  Eblis  and  his  host ;  where  i 
register,  where  the  actions  of  all  the  wicked,  is  supposed  by  some,  that  this  book  is 
both  men  and  genii,  are  distinctly  entered,  kept,  and  where  the  souls  of  the  wicked 
Sejn  signifies  a  prison  ;  and  this  book,  as  will  be  detained  till  the  resurrection  ^  If 
some  think,  derives  its  name  from  thence,  the  latter  explication  be  admitted,  the 
because  it  will  occasion  those  whose  deeds  words.  And  what  shall  make  thee  to  un- 
are  there  recorded,  to  be  imprisoned  in  derstand  what  Sejjin  is?  should  be  en- 
hell.  Sejjin,  or  Sajin,  is  also  the  name  of  closed  within  parentheses, 
the  dungeon  beneath  the  seventh  earth,  the 

^  Jallalo'ddin,  Al  Belddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


422  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

infernal  guards.  This  is  what  ye  denied  as  a  falsehood. 
Assuredly.  ^^But  the  register  of  the  actions  of  the  righ- 
teous is  in  Illiyyun  :  ^^  and  what  shall  cause  thee  to 
understand  what  Illiyyun  is  ?  ^^  It  is  a  book  distinctly 
written :  ^^  those  who  approach  near  unto  God,  are  wit- 
nesses thereto.  ^^  Verily  the  righteous  shall  dwell  among 
delights :  ^^  seated  on  couches,  they  shall  behold  objects 
of  pleasure ;  ^^  thou  shalt  see  in  their  faces  the  brightness 
of  joy.  ^^  They  shall  be  given  to  drink  of  pure  wine, 
sealed ;  the  seal  whereof  shall  be  musk :  ^^  and  to  this 
let  those  aspire,  who  aspire  to  happiness :  ^^  and  the  water 
mixed  therewith  shall  be  of  Tasnim,  ^^  a  fountain  whereof 
those  shall  drink  who  approach  near  unto  the  Divine 
Presence.  ^^They  who  act  wickedly  laugh  the  true 
believers  to  scorn ;  ^^  and  when  they  pass  by  them  they 
wink  at  one  another:  ^^  and  when  they  turn  aside  to 
their  people,  they  turn  aside  making  scurrilous  jests : 
^^  and  when  they  see  them,  they  say.  Verily  these  are 
mistaken  men.  ^^  But  they  are  not  sent  to  be  keepers 
over  them.  ^^  Wherefore  one  day  the  true  believers  in 
their  turn,  shall  laugh  the  infidels  to  scorn :  ^^  lying  on 
couches,  they  shall  look  down  upon  them  in  hell.  ^^  Shall 
not  the  infidels  be  rewarded  for  that  which  they  have 
done  ? 

18  Illiyyun,']  The  word  is  a  plural,  in  paradise,  so  called  from  its  being  con- 
and  signifies  high  places.  Some  say  it  is  veyed  to  the  highest  apartments, 
the  general  register  wherein  the  actions  of  28  Whereof  those  shall  drink  who  ap- 
the  righteous,  whether  angels,  men,  or  proach  near  unto  the  Divine  Presence.] 
genii,  are  distinctly  recorded.  Others  will  For  they  shall  drink  the  water  of  Tasnim 
have  it  to  be  a  place  in  the  seventh  hea-  pure  and  unmixed,  being  continually  and 
ven,  under  the  throne  of  God,  where  this  wholly  employed  in  the  contemplation  of 
book  is  kept,  and  where  the  souls  of  the  God  ;  but  the  other  inhabitants  of  para- 
just,  as  many  think,  will  remain  till  the  dise  shall  drink  it  mixed  with  their  wine  2. 
last  day  *.  If  we  prefer  the  latter  opinion,  33  They  are  not  sent  to  he  keepers  over 
the  words,  And  what  shall  make  thee  to  them.]  i.  e.  The  infidels  are  not  commis- 
understand  what  Illiyyun  is  ?  should  like-  sioned  by  God  to  call  the  believers  to  ac- 
wise  be  enclosed  within  parentheses.  count,  or  to  judge  of  their  actions. 

21  Are  witness  thereto.]     Or,  are  pre-         34  The  believers  shall  laugh  the  infidels 

sent  with,  and  keep  the  same.  to   scorn.]      When    they   shall   see  them 

25   The   seal  whereof  shall   he   musk,]  driven  ignominiously  into  hell.     It  is  also 

i.  e.  The  vessels  containing  the  same  shall  said,    that    a   door   shall   be    shewn   the 

be   sealed    with   musk,    instead   of    clay,  damned,  opening  into  paradise,  and  they 

Some  understand  by  the  seal  of  this  wine,  shall  be  bidden  to  go  in  ?  but  when  they 

its  farewell,  or  the  flavour  it  will  leave  in  come  near  the  door,  it  shall  be  suddenly 

the  mouth  after  it  is  drunk.  shut;  and  the  believers  within  shall  laugh 

27  Tas7iini.]    Is  the  name  of  a  fountain  at  them  ^. 

^  JaUalo'ddin.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc,  ubi  sup.  2  ^^i  Beiddwi,  ^  Idem. 


Lxxxiv.]  AL    KORAN.  423 


CHAPTER    LXXXIV. 

INTITLED,    THE    RENDING    IN    SUNDER  ;    REVEALED    AT 

MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  heaven  shall  be  rent  in  sunder,  ^  and  shall 
obey  its  Lord,  and  shall  be  capable  thereof ;  ^  and  when 
the  earth  shall  be  stretched  out,  ^  and  shall  cast  forth  that 
which  is  therein,  and  shall  remain  empty,  ^  and  shall  obey 
its  Lord,  and  shall  be  capable  thereof.  ^  O  man,  verily 
labouring  thou  labourest  to  meet  thy  Lord,  and  thou 
shalt  meet  him.  ^  And  he  who  shall  have  his  book  given 
into  his  right  hand,  ^  shall  be  called  to  an  easy  account, 
^  and  shall  turn  unto  his  family  with  joy  :  ^^  but  he  who 
shall  have  his  book  given  him  behind  his  back,  shall  in- 
voke destruction  to  fall  upon  him,  ^^  and  he  shall  be  sent 
into  hell  to  be  burned  ;  ^^  because  he  rejoiced  insolently 
amidst  his  family  on  earth.  ^^  Verily  he  thought  that  he 
should  never  return  unto  God  :  yea  verily ;  but  his  Lord 
beheld  him.  ^^  Wherefore  I  swear  by  the  redness  of  the 
sky  after  sun-set,  and  ^^  by  the  night,  and  the  animals 
which  it  driveth  together,  ^^  and  by  the  moDn  when  she 
is  at  the  full ;  ^^  ye  shall  surely  be  transferred  successively 
from  state  to  state.  ^^  What  aileth  them,  therefore,  that 
they  believe  not  the  resurrection ;  ^^  and  that,  when  the 

Title — Mecca,"]  There  are  some  who  to  his  wives  and  servants,  of  the  damsels 
take  this  chapter  to  have  been  revealed  at  and  youths  of  paradise,  who  wait  to  re- 
Medina,  ceive  him  ^. 

3  When  the  earth  shall  be  stretched  out.]  10  Behind  his  back.]  Theit  is,  into  his 
Like  a  skin ;  every  mountain  and  hill  left  hand ;  for  the  wicked  will  have  that 
being  levelled.  hand  bound  behind  their  back,  and  their 

4  And  shall  cast  forth  that   which  is  right  hand  to  their  neck. 

therein.]     As  the  treasures  hidden  in  its  14  I  swear.]     Or,  I  will  not  swear,  &c. 

bowels,  and  the  dead  bodies  which  lie  in  See  chap.  Ivi.  verse  77' 

their  graves.  1^   Ye  shall  surely  be  transferred  from 

6  And  thou  shalt  meet  him.]     Or,  And  one  state  to  another.]    i.  e.  From  the  state 

thou  shalt  meet  thy  labour ;  whether  thy  of  the  living,  to  that  of  the   dead  ;  and 

works  be  good,  or  whether  they  be  evil.  from  the  state  of  the  dead,  to  a  new  state 

9  His  family.]     i.e.  His   relations   or  of  life  in  another  world, 
friends  who  are  true  believers ;  or  rather, 

*  Al  Beiddwi. 


424  A L   KORAN.  [chap. 

Koran  is  read  unto  them,  they  worship  not  ?  ^^  Yea : 
the  unbelievers  accuse  the  same  of  imposture :  ^^  but 
God  well  knoweth  the  malice  which  they  keep  hidden 
in  their  breasts.  ^^  Wherefore  denounce  unto  them  a 
grievous  punishment,  ^^  except  those  who  believe  and  do 
good  works :  for  them  is  prepared  a  never-failing  reward. 

]9  They  worship  not.']     Or,  humble  not  themselves. 


CHAPTER    LXXXV. 

INTITLED,  THE  CELESTIAL  SIGNS  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  heaven  adorned  with  signs ;  ^  by  the  pro- 
mised day  of  judgment ;  ^  by  the  witness,  and  the 
witnessed ;  "^  cursed  were  the  contrivers  of  the  pit  ^  of 
fire  supplied  with  fuel;  ^  when  they  sat  round  the 
same,  ^  and  were  witnesses  of  what  they  did  against  the 

1  Signs,']  The  original  word  properly  victims,  which  is  the  day  following ;  or 
signifies  towers  :  which  some  interpret  of  else  of  Friday,  the  day  of  the  weekly  as- 
real  towers  *,  wherein  it  is  supposed  the  sembling  of  the  Mohammedans  at  their 
angels  keep  guard  2  ;  and  others,  of  the  mosques,  and  of  the  people  who  are  as- 
stars  of  the  first  magnitude  :  but  the  gene-  sembled  on  those  days,  &c.  * 
rality  of  expositors  understand  thereby  the  4  The  contrivers  of  the  pit,]  Literally, 
twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac,  wherein  the  the  Lords  of  the  pit.  These  were  the 
planets  make  their  several  stations  ^.  ministers  of  the  persecution  raised  by  Dhu 

3  By  the  witness,  and  the  witnessed.]  Nowas,  king  of  Yaman,  who  was  of  the 

The  meaning  of  these  words  is  very  un-  Jewish  religion,  against  the  inhabitants  of 

certain,  and  the  explications  of  the  com-  Najran :  for  they  having  embraced  Chris- 

mentators  consequently  vary.    One  thinks  tianity  (at  that  time  the  true  religion,  by 

the  witness  to  be  Mohammed ;  and  that  the  confession  of  Mohammed  himself),  the 

which  is  borne  witness  of,  to  be  the  resur-  bigoted  tyrant  commanded  all  those,  who 

rection,  or  the  professors  of  the  Moham-  would  not  renounce  their  faith,  to  be  cast 

medan  faith  ;  or  else  that  these  latter  are  into   a  pit  or  trench,  filled  with  fire,  and 

the  witness,  and  the  professors  of  every  there  burnt  to  ashes  ^     Others,  however, 

other   religion,    those  who   will   be    wit-  tell  the  story  with  different  circumstances  6. 
nessed    against  by  them.     Another  sup-         7  ^nd  were  witnesses  of  what  they  did 

poses   the   witness    to    be   the   guardian-  against  the  true   believers.]     Or,  as  some 

angel,   and    his   charge   the   person   wit-  choose  to  understand  the  words,  And  shall 

nessed   against.     Another    expounds    the  be  witnesses  against  themselves,  at  the  day 

words   of  the  day  of  Arafat,  the  9th  of  of  judgment,  of  their  unjust  treatment  of 

Dhu'llhajja,  and  of  the  day  of  slaying  the  the  true  believers. 

*   Yahya.  ^  See  chap.  xv.  verse  16.  ^  JaUalo'ddin,  Al  Beiddwi, 

Yahya.  ^  lidem.  ^   lidem.  V.  Poc.  Spec,  p.  62.     Ecchellens.  Hist. 

Arab.  Part.  1.  c.  10.  and  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  6L  ^  V.  D'Herbel.  BibL 

Orient.  Art.  Abou  Navas. 


Lxxxvi.]  A  L     KORAN.  425 

true  believers ;  ^  and  they  afflicted  them  for  no  other 
reason,  but  because  they  believed  in  the  mighty,  the  glo- 
rious God,  ^unto  whom  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
and  earth  :  and  God  is  witness  of  all  things.  ^^  Verily 
for  those  who  persecute  the  true  believers  of  either  sex, 
and  afterwards  repent  not,  is  prepared  the  torment  of 
hell ;  and  they  shall  suffer  the  pain  of  burning.  ^^  But 
for  those  who  believe,  and  do  that  which  is  right,  are 
destined  gardens  beneath  which  rivers  flow :  this  shall  be 
great  felicity.  ^^  Verily  the  vengeance  of  thy  Lord  is 
severe.  ^^  He  createth,  and  he  restoreth  to  life  :  ^^  he  is 
inclined  to  forgive,  and  gracious :  ^^  the  possessor  of  the 
glorious  throne :  ^^  who  effecteth  that  which  he  pleaseth. 
*^  Hath  not  the  story  of  the  hosts,  ^^  of  Pharaoh,  and  of 
Thamud,  reached  thee  ?  ^^  Yet  the  unbelievers  cease  not 
to  accuse  the  divine  revelations  of  falsehood :  ^^  but  God 
encompasseth  them  behind,  that  they  cannot  escape. 
^^  Verily  that  which  they  reject  is  a  glorious  Koran  ;  the 
original  whereof  is  written  in  a  table  kept  in  heaven. 

10  They  shall  suffer  the  pain  of  burning,']  18  Pharaoh.]     See  chap.  vii.  verse  104. 

Which  pain,  it  is  said,  the  persecutors  of  —  Thamud.]     See  ibid,  verse  74. 

the    Christian    martyrs    above-mentioned  21   Kept   in    heaven.]     And    preserved 

felt  in  this  life ;  the   fire    bursting  forth  from  the  least  change  or  corruption.     See 

upon  them  from  the  pit,  and  consuming  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii.  and  iv.,  and  Table 

them  ^  in  Index. 

^  Al  Beiddwif  Yahya, 


CHAPTER    LXXXVI. 

INTITLED,    THE    STAR    WHICH    APPEARED    BY    NIGHT; 
REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  heaven,  and  that  which  appeareth  by  night ;  ^  but 
what  shall  cause  thee  to  understand  what  that  which 
appeareth  by  night  is  ?     ^  It  is  the  star  of  piercing  bright- 

3  The  star  of  piercing  brightness.]  Some  or  the  appearing  by  night ;)  another  Sa- 
take  the  words  to  signify  any  bright  star,  turn,  (that  planet  being  by  the  Arabs  sur- 
without  restriction :  but  others  think  some  named  al  Thakeb,  or  the  Piercing,  as  it 
particular  star  or  stars  to  be  thereby  in-  was  by  the  Greeks,  Phaenon,  or  the  shin- 
tended ;  which  one  supposes  to  be  the  ing;)  and  a  third,  the  Pleiades, 
morning  star,  (peculiarly  called  al  Tarek, 


4m  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

ness.  ^  every  soul  hath  a  guardian  set  over  it.  ^  Let  a 
man  consider,  therefore,  of  what  he  is  created.  ^  He  is 
created  of  seed  poured  forth,  ^  issuing  from  the  loins,  and 
the  breast-bones.  ^  Verily  God  is  able  to  restore  him  to 
life,  ^  the  day  whereon  all  secret  thoughts  and  actions 
shall  be  examined  into  ;  ^^  and  he  shall  have  no  power  to 
defend  himself,  nor  any  protector.  ^^  By  the  heaven, 
which  returneth  the  rain;  ^^and  by  the  earth,  which 
openeth  to  let  forth  vegetables  and  springs :  ^^  verily  this 
is  a  discourse  distinguishing  good  from  evil ;  ^*  and  it  is 
not  composed  with  lightness.  ^^  Verily  the  infidels  are 
laying  a  plot  to  frustrate  my  designs :  ^^  but  I  will  lay  a 
plot  for  their  ruin.  ^^  Wherefore,  O  prophet,  bear  with  the 
unbelievers ;  let  them  alone  awhile. 

7  From  the  loinSf  and  the  breast'bones.l  periodic  motion,  returning   to   the  point 

i.  e.  From  the  loins  of  the  man,  and  the  from   whence   it   began   the   same.     The 

breast-bones  of  the  woman  ^.  words  seem  designed  to  express  the  alter- 

1 1    Which  returneth  the  rain.l     Or,  as  nate    returns   of  the    different  seasons  of 

some    expound  it.  Which  performeth  its  the  year. 

"^  Al  Beiddwi,  Yahya, 


CHAPTER   LXXXVII. 

INTITLED,    THE   MOST  HIGH ;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  ipRAiSE  the  name  of  thy  Lord,  the  most  High;  ^  who 
hath  created  and  completely  formed  his  creatures ;  ^  and 
who  determineth  them  to  various  ends,  and  directeth  them 
to  attain  the  same ;  *  and  who  produceth  the  pasture  for 
cattle,  ^  and  afterwards  rendereth  the  same  dry  stubble  of 
a  dusky  hue.  ^We  will  enable  thee  to  rehearse  our 
revelations ;  ^  and  thou  shalt  not  forget  any  part  thereof. 

Title — Most    High.']     Some    take    the         —  And  directeth  them,  &c.]     Guiding 

first  word  of  this  chapter,  viz.  Praise,  for  the  rational   by  their  reason,  and  also  by 

its  title.  revelation,  and  the  irrational  by  instinct  2, 

3  Who  determineth  them  to  various  ends.]  &c. 
Determining   their   various   species,  pro-         6  Revelations.]     See  chap.  Ixxv.  verse 

perties,  ways  of  life,  &c.  ^  31. 


1  AlBeiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


Lxxxviii.]  AL     KORAN.  421. 

except  what  God  shall  please ;  for  he  knoweth  that  which 
is  manifest,  and  that  which  is  hidden.  ^And  we  will 
facilitate  unto  thee  the  most  easy  way.  ^  Wherefore 
admonish  thy  people,  if  thy  admonition  shall  be  profitable 
unto  them.  ^^  Whoso  feareth  God,  he  will  be  admonished : 
^^  but  the  most  wretched  unbeliever  will  turn  away  there- 
from ;  ^^  who  shall  be  cast  to  be  broiled  in  the  greater  fire 
of  hell,  ^^  wherein  he  shall  not  die,  neither  shall  he  live. 
^^  Now  hath  he  attained  felicity  who  is  purified  by  faith, 
^^  and  who  remembereth  the  name  of  his  Lord,  and 
prayeth.  ^^  But  ye  prefer  this  present  life  :  ^^  yet  the  life 
to  come  is  better,  and  more  durable.  ^^  Verily  this  is 
written  in  the  ancient  books,  the  books  of  Abraham  and 

MoSES. 

7  Except  what  God  shall  please."]  i.e.  easy  way.]  To  retain  the  relations  com- 
Exceptsuch  revelations  as  God  shall  think  municated  to  thee  by  Gabriel;  or,  as  some 
fit  to  abrogate,  and  blot  out  of  thy  me-  understand  the  words,  We  will  dispose 
mory.     See  chap.  Ixxv.  verse  31.  thee  to  the  profession  and  strict  observance 

8  We  will  facilitate  mito  thee  the  most  of  the  most  easy  religion,  that  is,  of  Islam. 


CHAPTER  LXXXVIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    OVERWHELMING;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

*  Hath  the  news  of  the  overwhelming  day  of  judgment 
reached  thee  ?  ^  The  countenances  of  some,  on  that  day, 
shall  be  cast  down ;  ^  labouring  and  toiling  :  ^  they  shall 
be  cast  into  scorching  fire  to  be  broiled  :  ^  they  shall  be 
given  to  drink  of  a  boiling  fountain :  ^  they  shall  have  no 
food,  but  of  dry  thorns  and  thistles ;  ^  which  shall  not 
fatten,  neither  shall  they  satisfy  hunger.     ^  But  the  coun- 

Title — The  overwhelming.]     This  is   a  hell-fire,  as  camels  labour  through  mud, 

name  or  epithet  of  the  last  day ;  because  &c.     Or,  employing  and  fatiguing  them- 

it  will  suddenly  overwhelm  all  creatures  selves  in  what  shall  not  avail  them  ^. 
with  fear  and  astonishment.     It  is  also  a         6  Dry   thorns   and  thistles.]     Such   as 

name,  or  epithet,  of  hell-fire.  the   camels  eat  when  green   and    tender. 

2  Labouring  and  toiling.]     i.  e.  Drag-  Some  take  the  original  word,  al  Darif  for 
ging  their  chains,  and  labouring  through  the  name  of  a  thorny  tree. 
^— . — _ •■  :i^ 

^  Al  Beiddwi, 


428 


AL  KORAN, 


[chap. 


tenances  of  others,  on  that  day,  shall  be  joyful ;  ^  well 
pleased  with  their  past  endeavour :  ^^  they  shall  be  placed 
in  a  lofty  garden  :  ^^  wherein  thou  shalt  hear  no  vain  dis- 
course :  ^^  therein  shall  be  a  running  fountain  :  ^^  therein 
shall  be  raised  beds ;  ^^  and  goblets  placed  before  them, 
^^  and  cushions  laid  in  order,  ^^  and  carpets  ready  spread. 
^'^  Do  they  not  consider  the  camels,  how  they  are  created; 
^^  and  the  heaven,  how  it  is  raised  ;  ^^  and  the  mountains, 
how  they  are  fixed  ;  ^^  and  the  earth,  how  it  is  extended  ? 
^^  Wherefore  warn  thy  people :  for  thou  art  a  warner  only ; 
^^  thou  art  not  empowered  to  act  with  authority  over  them. 
^^But  whoever  shall  turn  back,  and  disbelieve,  ^^God 
shall  punish  him  with  the  greater  punishment  of  the  life 
to  come.  ^^  Verily  unto  us  shall  they  return :  ^^  then  shall 
it  be  our  part  to  bring  them  to  account. 


17  2)o  they  not  consider  the  camels,  &c.] 
These  animals  are  of  such  use,  or  rather 
necessity,  in  the  east,  that  the  creation  of 
a  species  so  wonderfully  adapted  to  those 
countries,  is  a  very  proper  instance,  to  an 
Arabian,  of  the  power  and  wisdom  of 
God. 

Some,  however,  think  the  clouds  (which 
the  original  word  Ibl  also  signifies)  are 


here   intended  ;  the   heaven   being   men- 
tioned immediately  after. 

23  But  whoever  shall  turn  hack,  &c.J 
Or,  except  him  who  shall  turn  back,  and 
be  an  infidel :  and  God  shall  also  punish 
him,  &c.  By  which  exception  some  sup- 
pose that  power  is  here  given  to  Moham- 
med to  chastise  obstinate  infidels  and  apos- 
tates. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIX. 

INTITLED,    THE    DAY-BREAK;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA, 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 


*  By  the  day-break,  ^  and  ten  nights  ;  ^  by  that  which  is 
double,  and  that  which  is  single ;  *  and  by  the  night  when 


Title — Mecca.']  Some  are  of  opinion 
this  chapter  was  revealed  at  Medina. 

2  And  ten  nights.~\  That  is,  the  ten 
nights  of  Dhu'lhajja,  or  the  tenth  of  that 
month,  (whence  some  understand  the  day- 
break mentioned  just  before,  or  the  morn- 
ing of  that  day,  or  of  the  preceding  ;)  or 
the  night  of  the  10th  of  Moharram ;  or, 
as  others  rather  think,  the  10th,  11th,  and 
12th  of  Dhu'lhajja.  All  which  are  days 
peculiarly  sacred  among  the  Mohamme- 
dans. 

3  By  that  which  is  double,  a.nd  that  ivhich 


is  single.^  These  words  are  variously  in- 
terpreted. Some  understand  thereby  all 
things  in  general;  some,  all  created  beings, 
(which  are  said  to  have  been  created  by 
pairs,  or  of  two  kinds)  ^,  and  the  Creator, 
who  is  single  ;  some,  of  the  primum  mo- 
bile, and  the  other  orbs  ;  some  of  the  con- 
stellations, and  the  planets ;  some  of  the 
nights  before-mentioned,  taken  either  to- 
gether or  singly  :  and  some,  of  the  day  of 
slaying  the  victims,  (the  10th  of  Dhu'l- 
hajja,) and  of  the  day  of  Arafat,  which  is 
the  dav  before,  &c.  ^ 


See  chap.  li.  verse  49. 


2  Al  Zamakh, 


LXXXIX.] 


AL  KORAN. 


429 


it  Cometh  on  :  ^  is  there  not  in  this  an  oath  formed  with 
understanding?  ^Hast  thou  not  considered  how  thy 
Lord  dealt  with  Ad,  ^  the  people  of  Irem,  adorned  with 
lofty  buildings,  ^  the  like  whereof  hath  not  been  erected 
in  the  land  ?  ^  and  with  Thamud,  ^^  who  hewed  the  rocks 
in  the  valley  into  houses ;  ^^  and  with  Pharaoh,  the  con- 
triver of  the  stakes,  who  had  behaved  insolently  in  the 
earth,  ^^  and  multiplied  corruption  therein  ?  ^^  Where- 
fore thy  Lord  poured  on  them  various  kinds  of  chastise- 
ment :  ^^  for  thy  Lord  is  surely  in  a  watch-tower,  whence 
he  observeth  the  actions  of  men.  ^^  Moreover  man,  when 
his  Lord  trieth  him  by  prosperity,  ^^  and  honoureth  him. 


7  Irem.^  Was  the  name  of  the  terri- 
tory or  city  of  the  Adites,  and  of  the  gar- 
den mentioned  in  the  next  note,  which 
were  so  called  from  Irem,  or  Aram,  the 
grandfather  of  Ad,  their  progenitor.  Some 
think  Aram  himself  to  be  here  meant,  and 
his  name  to  be  added  to  signify  the  ancient 
Adites,  his  immediate  descendants,  and  to 
distinguish  them  from  the  latter  tribe  of 
that  name  '  :  but  the  adjective  and  rela- 
tive joined  to  the  word,  are,  in  the  original, 
of  the  feminine  gender,  which  seems  to 
contradict  this  opinion. 

—  Adorned  with  lofty  buildings.']  Or, 
pillars.  Some  imagine  these  words  are 
used  to  express  the  great  size  and  strength 
of  the  old  Adites  ^  ;  and  then  they  should 
be  translated,  Who  were  of  enormous  sta- 
ture. But  the  more  exact  commentators 
take  the  passage  to  relate  to  the  sumptu- 
ous palace  and  delightful  gardens  built 
and  made  by  Sheddad,  the  son  of  Ad. 
For  they  say  Ad  left  two  sons,  Sheddad 
and  Sheddid,  who  reigned  jointly  after  his 
decease,  and  extended  their  power  over 
the  greater  part  of  the  world  :  but  Sheddid 
dying,  his  brother  became  sole  monarch ; 
who,  having  heard  of  the  celestial  paradise, 
made  a  garden  in  imitation  thereof,  in  the 
deserts  of  Aden,  and  called  it  Irem,  after 
the  name  of  his  great  grandfather.  When 
it  was  finished,  he  set  out,  with  a  great  at- 
tendance, to  take  a  view  of  it ;  but  when 
they  were  come  within  a  day's  journey  of 
the  place,  they  were  all  destroyed  by  a 
terrible  noise  from  heaven.  Al  Beidawi 
adds,   that   one    Abda'Uah   Ebn  Kelabah 


(whom,  after  D'Herbelot,  I  have  elsewhere 
named  Colabah)  3,  accidentally  hit  on  this 
wonderful  place  as  he  was  seeking  a 
camel. 

8  The  like  whereof  hath  not  been  erected 
in  the  land.^  If  we  suppose  the  preceding 
words  to  relate  to  the  vast  stature  of  the 
Adites,  these  must  be  translated.  The  like 
of  whom  have  not  been  created,  &c. 

10  fVho  hewed  the  rocks  in  the  valley.] 
The  learned  Greaves,  in  his  translation  of 
Abu'lfeda's  description  of  Arabia  *,  has 
falsely  rendered  these  words,  which  are 
there  quoted,  Quibus  petrae  vallis  respon- 
sum  dederunt,  i.  e.  To  whom  the  rocks  of 
the  valley  returned  answer :  which  slip 
being  made  by  so  great  a  man,  I  do  not  at 
all  wonder  that  la  Roque,  and  Petis  de  la 
Croix,  from  whose  Latin  version,  and  with 
whose  assistance,  la  Roque  made  his 
French  translation  of  the  aforesaid  trea- 
tise, have  been  led  into  the  same  mistake, 
and  rendered  those  words,  A  qui  les  pier- 
res  de  la  valee  rendirent  reponse  ^.  The 
valley  here  meant,  say  the  commentators  ^, 
is  Wadi'lkora,  lying  about  one  day's  jour- 
ney ^,  (not  five  and  upwards,  as  Abu'lfeda 
will  have  it)  from  al  Hejr. 

11  Stakes,  &c.]  See  chap,  xxxviii. 
verse  13. 

13  Various  kinds.]  The  original  word 
signifies  a  mixture,  and  also  a  scourge  of 
platted  thongs  :  whence  some  suppose  the 
chastisement  of  this  life  is  here  repre- 
sented by  a  scourge,  and  intimated  to  be 
as  much  lighter  than  that  of  the  next  life, 
as  scourging  is  lighter  than  death  ^. 


^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin.  ^  lidem.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  i.  ^  jbid. 

p.  12.  ^  Page  43.     It  was   published  by  Dr.  Hudson,  in   the  third  vol.  of  the 

Geographise  veteris  Scriptor.  Gr.  minor.  ^  Descr.  de  1' Arabic,  mise  a  la  suite  du 

Voyage  de  la  Palestine,  par  La  Roque,  p.  35.  ^  Jallalo' ddin,  Al  Beidawi, 

'^  Ebn  Hawkal,  apud  Abu'lf.  ubi  supr.  Geogr.  Nub.  p.  110.  ^  Al  Beidawi. 


430  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 

and  is  bounteous  unto  him,  ^^  saith,  my  Lord  honoureth 
me :  ^^  but  when  he  proveth  him  by  afflictions,  and  with- 
holdeth  his  provisions  from  him,  ^^  he  saith,  my  Lord 
despiseth  me.  ^^  By  no  means :  but  ye  honour  not  the 
orphan,  ^^  neither  do  ye  excite  one  another  to  feed  the 
poor :  ^^  and  ye  devour  the  inheritance  of  the  weak,  with 
undistinguishing  greediness ;  ^^  and  ye  love  riches  with 
much  affection.  ^^  By  no  means  should  ye  do  thus.  When 
the  earth  shall  be  minutely  ground  to  dust ;  ^^  and  thy 
Lord  shall  come,  and  the  angels  rank  by  rank ;  ^^  and 
hell  on  that  day  shall  be  brought  nigh :  on  that  day  shall 
man  call  to  remembrance  his  evil  deeds  ;  ^^  but  how  shall 
remembrance  avail  him?  ^^He  shall  say.  Would  to  God 
that  I  had  heretofore  done  good  works  in  my  life-time ! 
On  that  day  none  shall  punish  with  his  punishment ;  nor 
shall  any  bind  with  his  bonds.  ^^  O  thou  soul  which  art 
at  rest,  return  unto  thy  Lord,  well  pleased  with  thy  re- 
ward, and  well  pleasing  unto  God  :  ^^  enter  among  my 
servants  :  and  enter  my  paradise. 

20  By  no  means.~\     For  worldly  pros-  or  to  bind,  as  God  shall  then  punish  and 

perity  or  adversity  is  not  a  certain  mark  bind  the  wicked  ^. 
either  of  the  favour  or  disfavour  of  God.  29   0  thou  soul  which  art  at  rest.~\  Some 

22  Ye  devour  the  inheritance  of  the  weak. ^  expound  this  of  the  soul,  which  having, 

Not  suffering  women  or  young  children  to  by  pursuing  the  concatenation  of  natural 

have  any  share  in  the  inheritance  of  their  causes,   raised  itself  to  the  knowledge  of 

husbands    or    parents.     See    chapter    iv.  that    Being  which    produced  them,   and 

verse  6.  exists  of  necessity,  rests  fully  contented,  or 

26  Jnd  hell  shall  he  brought  nigh."]  acquiesces  in  the  knowledge  of  him,  and 
There  is  a  tradition,  that  at  the  last  day  the  contemplation  of  his  perfections.  By 
hell  will  be  dragged  towards  the  tribunal  this  the  reader  will  observe,  that  the  Mo- 
by 70,000  halters,  each  halter  being  hauled  hammedans  are  no  strangers  to  Quietism, 
by  70,000  angels  ;  and  that  it  will  come  Others,  however,  understand  the  words  of 
with  great  roaring  and  fury  ^.  the  soul,  which  having  attained  the  know- 

28  In  my  life-time.^     Or,   For  this  my  ledge  of  the  truth,  rests  satisfied,  and  relies 

latter  life.  securely  thereon,  undisturbed   by  doubts; 

—  None  shall  punish  with  his  punish-  or  of  the  soul  which  is  secure  of  its  salva- 

menty  &c.]  i.  e.  None  shall  be  able  to  punish  tion,  and  free  from  fear  or  sorrow^. 

*  Al  Beidawif  Jallalo' ddin,  ^  lidem.  ^  Al  Beidawi. 


xc]  AL    KORAN.  431 


CHAPTER  XC. 

INTITLED,    THE    TERRITORY  ;    REVEALED  AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  I  SWEAR  by  this  territory  ^  (and  thou,  O  prophet,  residest 
in  this  territory,)  ^  and  by  the  begetter,  and  that  which  he 
hath  begotten  ;  ^  verily  we  have  created  man  in  misery. 
^  Doth  he  think  that  none  shall  prevail  over  him  ?  ^  He 
saith,  I  have  wasted  plenty  of  riches.  '^  Doth  he  think 
that  none  seeth  him  ?  ^  Have  we  not  made  him  two 
eyes,  ^  and  a  tongue,  and  two  lips ;  ^^  and  shewn  him 
the  two  highways  of  good  and  evil  ?  ^^  Yet  he  attempteth 
not  the  cliff.  ^^  What  shall  make  thee  to  understand 
what  the  cliff  is  ?  ^^  It  is  to  free  the  captive ;  ^^  or  to 
feed,  in  the  day  of  famine,  ^^  the  orphan  who  is  of  kin, 
^^  or  the  poor  man  who  lieth  on  the  ground.  ^^  Whoso 
doth  this,  and  is  one  of  those  who  believe,  and  recom- 
mend perseverance  unto  each  other,  ^^  and  recommend 
mercy  unto  each  other ;  ^^  these  shall  be  the  companions 
of  the  right  hand.  ^^  But  they  who  shall  disbelieve  our 
signs,  shall  be  the  companions  of  the  left  hand:  above 
them  shall  be  arched  with  fire. 

1  /  swear.']     Or,  I  will  not  swear,  &c.     of  the  Koreish  ^. 

See  chap.  Ivi.  verse  77^  5  Doth  he  think  that  none  shall  prevail 
—  This  territory.']     Viz.    This  sacred  over  him  ?]     Some  expositors  take  a  par- 
territory  of  Mecca,  ticular  person  to  be  here   intended,  who 

2  And  thou  residest  in  this  territory.]  was  one  of  Mohammed's  most  inveterate 
Or,  Thou  shalt  be  allowed  to  do  what  thou  adversaries;  as  al  Walid  Ebn  al  Mog- 
pleasest  in  this  territory;  the  words  in  this  heira*.  Others  suppose  Abu'I  Ashadd 
sense,  importing  a  promise  of  that  absolute  Ebn  Calda  to  be  the  man  ;  who  was  so 
power  which  Mohammed  attained  on  the  very  strong,  that  a  large  skin  being  spread 
taking  of  Mecca  ^.  under  his  feet,  and  ten  men  pulling  at  it, 

3  By  the  begetter,  and  that  which  he  they  could  not  make  him  fall,  though  they 
hath   begotten.]     Some    understood   these  tore  the  skin  to  pieces  ^ 

words  generally  ;  others  of  Adam,  or  Abra-         6  I  have  wasted  plenty  of  riches.]     In  a 

ham,  and  of  their  offspring,  and  of  Moham-  vain  and  ostentatious  manner  ;  or,  in  op- 

med  in  particular  2.  posing  of  Mohammed  ^. 

4  We  have  created  man  in  misery.]  Or,  19,  20  Right  and  left  hands.]  See 
to  trouble.     This  passage  was  revealed  to  chap.  Ivi.  verses  8 — 10. 

comfort  the  prophet  under  the  persecutions 

^  Al  Beiddwi.         2  jjigi^,,         *  Idem.         ^  Al  Zamakh.         ^  Al  Beidawi.         ^  Idem. 


433  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER  XCI. 

INTITLED,  THE  SUN  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  sun,  and  its  rising  brightness  :  ^  by  the  moon, 
when  she  followeth  him  ;  ^  by  the  day,  when  it  sheweth 
his  splendour ;  *  by  the  night,  when  it  covereth  him  with 
darkness ;  ^  by  the  heaven,  and  him  who  built  it ;  ^  by 
the  earth,  and  him  who  spread  it  forth ;  ^  by  the  soul, 
and  him  who  completely  formed  it,  ^and  inspired  into 
the  same  its  faculty  of  distinguishing,  and  power  of 
choosing,  wickedness  and  piety :  ^  now  is  he  who  hath 
purified  the  same  happy,  *^but  he  who  hath  corrupted 
the  same  is  miserable.  ^^  Thamud  accused  their  prophet 
Saleh  of  imposture,  through  the  excess  of  their  wicked- 
ness :  '^  when  the  wretch  among  them  was  sent  to  slay 
the  camel ;  ^^  and  the  apostle  of  God  said  unto  them,  Let 
alone  the  camel  of  God  ;  and  hinder  not  her  drinking. 
^*  But  they  charged  him  with  imposture  ;  and  they  slew 
her.  ^^  Wherefore  their  Lord  destroyed  them  for  their 
crime,  and  made  their  punishment  equal  unto  them  all : 
and  he  feareth  not  the  issue  thereof. 

2   When  she  followeth  Mm.^    i.  e.  When  past  the  full  ^. 
she  rises  just  after  him,  as  she  does  at  the         12  The  wretch.^     Viz.  Kedar  Ebn  Sa- 

beginning  of  the  month  :  or  when  she  sets  lef.     See   chap.  vii.   verse  78,  and  chap, 

after  him,  as  happens  when  she  is  a  little  liv.  verse  27. 

^  Jl  Beiddwi. 


CHAPTER   XCII. 

INTITLED,  the  night  ;  revealed  at  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  By  the  night,  when  it  covereth  all  things  with  dark- 
ness ;  ^  by  the  day,  when  it  shineth  forth  ;  ^  by  him  who 
hath   created  the   male   and    the   female :   ^  verily  your 


xciii.]  A  L    KORAN.  433 

endeavour  is  different.  ^  Now,  whoso  is  obedient,  and 
feareth  God,  ^  and  professeth  the  truth  of  that  faith 
which  is  most  excellent ;  ^  unto  him  will  we  facilitate  the 
way  to  happiness  :  ^  but  whoso  shall  be  covetous,  and 
shall  be  wholly  taken  up  with  this  world,  ^  and  shall  deny 
the  truth  of  that  which  is  most  excellent ;  ^^  unto  him 
will  we  facilitate  the  way  to  misery ;  "  and  his  riches 
shall  not  profit  him,  when  he  shall  fall  headlong  into  hell. 
'^  Verily  unto  us  appertaineth  the  direction  of  mankind : 
^^  and  ours  is  the  life  to  come,  and  the  present  life. 
^^  Wherefore  I  threaten  you  with  fire  which  burneth 
fiercely ;  ^^  which  none  shall  enter  to  be  burned,  except 
the  most  wretched ;  ^^  who  shall  have  disbelieved,  and 
turned  back.  ^^  But  he  who  strictly  bewareth  idolatry 
and  rebellion,  shall  be  removed  far  from  the  same  ;  ^^  who 
giveth  his  substance  in  alms  ;  ^^  and  by  whom  no  benefit 
is  bestowed  on  any,  that  it  may  be  recompensed ;  ^^  but 
who  bestoweth  the  same  for  the  sake  of  his  Lord,  the 
most  High :  ^^  and  hereafter  he  shall  be  well  satisfied 
with  his  reward. 

19  By  whom  no  henefit  is  bestowed  on  crier  to  prayers,)  who  had  been  put  to  the 
any,  that  it  may  be  recompensed,  &c.]  Jal-  rack  on  account  of  his  faith,  the  infidels 
lalo'ddin  thinks  this  whole  description  said  he  did  it  only  out  of  a  view  of  in- 
belongs  peculiarly  to  Abu  Beer  :  for  when  terest ;  upon  which  this  passage  was  re- 
he  had  purchased  Belal,  the  Ethiopian,  vealed. 
(afterwards  the  prophet's  Muedhdhin,  or 


CHAPTER  XCIII. 

INTITLED,  THE  BRIGHTNESS  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  brightness  of  the  morning ;  ^  and  by  the  night, 
when  it   groweth  dark:  Hhy  Lord  hath  not  forsaken 

1  The  brightness  of  the  morning,~\  The  been  vouchsafed  to  Mohammed  for  several 
original  word  properly  signifies  the  bright  days,  in  answer  to  some  questions  put  to 
part  of  the  day,  when  the  sun  shines  full  him  by  the  Koreish,  because  he  had  con- 
out,  three  or  four  hours  after  it  is  risen.  fidently  promised  to  resolve  them  the  next 

3  Thy  Lord  hath  not  forsaken  thee,  &:c.]  day,  without  adding  the  exception,   If  it 

It   is    related   that  no  revelation    having  please  God  ^,  or  because  he  had  repulsed 

1  See  chap,  xviii.  verse  25. 
VOL.  II.  F    f 


434  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

thee,  neither  doth  he  hate  thee.  '^  Verily  the  life  to 
come  shall  be  better  for  thee  than  this  present  life :  ^  and 
thy  Lord  shall  give  thee  a  reward  wherewith  thou  shalt 
be  well  pleased.  ^  Did  he  not  find  thee  an  orphan,  and 
hath  he  not  taken  care  of  thee  ?  ^  And  did  he  not  find 
thee  wandering  in  error,  and  hath  he  not  guided  thee 
into  the  truth  ?  ^  And  did  he  not  find  thee  needy,  and 
hath  he  not  enriched  thee  ?  ^  Wherefore  oppress  not 
the  orphan ;  ^^  neither  repulse  the  beggar  :  ^^  but  declare 
the  goodness  of  thy  Lord. 

an  importunate  beggar,  or  else  because  a     had  left  him  ;  whereupon  this  chapter  was 
dead  puppy  lay  under  his  seat,  or  for  some     sent  down  for  his  consolation  *. 
other  reason  ;  his  enemies  said  that  God 

*  Al  Beiddwif  Jallald' ddin. 


CHAPTER  XCIV. 

INTITLED,  HAVE  WE  NOT  OPENED  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  Have  we  not  opened  thy  breast ;  ^  and  eased  thee  of 
thy  burden,  ^  which  galled  thy  back ;  ^  and  raised  thy 
reputation  for  thee  ?  ^  Verily  a  difficulty  shall  be  at- 
tended with  ease.  ®  Verily  a  difficulty  shall  be  at- 
tended with  ease.  ^  When  thou  shalt  have  ended  thy 
preaching,  labour  to  serve  God  in  return  for  his  favours : 
^  and  make  thy  supplication  unto  thy  Lord. 


1  Have  we  not  opened  thy  breast  J]     By  same,  and  filled  it  with  wisdom  and  faith  ^ : 

disposing  and  enlarging  it  to  receive  the  but  some  think  it  relates  to  the  occasion  of 

truth,  and  wisdom,  and  prophecy  ;  or,  by  the  preceding  chapter  2. 
freeing  thee  from  uneasiness  and  ignor-         2  And  eased  thee  of  thy  hurdenJ]     i.  e. 

ance  ?     This  passage  is  thought  to  inti-  Of  thy  sins  committed  before  thy  mission  ; 

mate  the  opening  of  Mohammed's  heart  or  of  thy  ignorance,  or  trouble  of  mind, 
in  his  infancy,  or  when  he  took  his  jour-         7    When   thou    shalt   have    ended    thy 

ney  to  heaven,  by  the  angel  Gabriel ;  who  preaching,  labour  to  serve  God,  &c.]     Or, 

having  wrung  out  the  black  drop,  or  seed  when  thou  shalt  have  finished  thy  prayer, 

of  original  sin,  washed  and  cleansed  the  labour  in  preaching  the  faith  ^. 

1  Al  Beiddwiy    Yahya.     V.  Abu'lf,  vit.  Moh.   p.  9.  and  33.    Prid.   Life  of  Mah. 
p.  105,  &c.                              2  Al  Beiddwi.  ^  Idem. 


xcv.]  A L    KORAN.  4<r{5 


CHAPTER  XCV. 

INTITLED,    THE    FIG;    WHERE   IT   WAS   REVEALED   IS   DIS- 
PUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  fig,  and  the  olive ;  ^  and  by  mount  Sinai,  ^  and 
this  territory  of  security ;  ^  verily  we  created  man  of  a 
most  excellent  fabric  ;  ^  afterwards  we  rendered  him  the 
vilest  of  the  vile :  ^  except  those  who  believe,  and  work 
righteousness  ;  for  they  shall  receive  an  endless  reward. 
^  What  therefore  shall  cause  thee  to  deny  the  day  of 
judgment  after  this  ?     ^  Is  not  God  the  most  wise  judge  ? 

1  Bythefigi  and  the  olive. '\     God,  say  seem  to  argue  the  chapter  to  have  been 

the    commentators,   swears   by  these  two  revealed  there. 

fruits,  because  of  their  great  uses  and  vir-         4   We  created  man  of  a  most  excellent 

tues :    for   the   fig  is  wholesome,  and    of  fahric ;  afterwards  zue   rendered   him  the 

easy   digestion,    and   physically   good   to  vilest  of  the  vile,']     i.e.  As  the  commenta^ 

carry  off  phlegm,  and  gravel  m  the  kid-  tors  generally  expound  this  passage.  We 

neys  or  bladder,  and  to  remove  obstruc-  created  man  of  comely  proportion  of  body, 

tions   of  the  liver   and   spleen,   and   also  and  great  perfection  of  mind  ;  and  yet  we 

cures  the  piles,  and  the  gout,  &c.     The  have  doomed  him,  in  case  of  disobedience, 

olive  produces  oil,  which  is  not  only  ex-  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  hell.     Some,  how- 

cellent  to  eat,  but  otherwise  useful  for  the  ever,  understand  the  words  of  the  vigorous 

compounding  of  ointments  ^.     The  wood  constitution    of  man   in    the    prime    and 

of  the    olive    tree  moreover   is   good  for  strength  of  his  age,  and  of  his  miserable 

cleansing  the  teeth,  preventing  their  grow-  decay  when  he  becomes  old  and  decrepit ; 

ing  rotten,   and  giving  a  good  odour  to  but  they  seem  rather  to  intimate  the  per- 

the  mouth  ;  for  which  reason  the  prophets,  feet  state  of  happiness  wherein  man  was 

and  Mohammed  in  particular,  made  use  of  originally  created,  and  his  fall  from  thence, 

no  other  for  toothpicks  2.  in  consequence  of  Adam's  disobedience,  to 

Some,    however,    suppose    that    these  a  state  of  misery  in  this  world,  and  be- 

words   do   not  mean    the  fruits   or   trees  coming  liable  to  one  infinitely  more  mise- 

above-mentioned,  but  two   mountains   in  rable  in  the  next  ^ 

the  holy  land,  where  they  grow  in  plenty;         7   What  shall  cause  thee  to  deny  the  day 

or  else  the  temple  of  Damascus  and  that  of  judgment  after  this?]     Some  suppose 

at  Jerusalem  ^.  these  words  directed  to  Mohammed,  and 

3     This    territory   of   security.]       Viz.  others  to  man  in  general,  by  way  of  apos- 

The   territory  of  Mecca*.     These   words  trophe. 

^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jl  Zamakh,  ^  Al  Zamakh.  ^  Idem,  Yahya,  Al 

Beiddwif  Jallalo'ddin,  *  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  V.  Marracc,  in 

loc.  p.  809. 


F    f  2 


4m  AL    KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER  XCVI. 

INTITLED,  CONGEALED  BLOOD  ;  REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

'  Read,  in  the  name  of  thy  Lord,  who  hath  created  all 
things  ;  ^  who  hath  created  man  of  congealed  blood. 
^  Read,  by  thy  most  beneficent  Lord  ;  ^  who  taught  the 
use  of  the  pen  ;  ^  who  teacheth  man  that  which  he  know- 
eth  not.  ^  Assuredly.  Verily  man  becometh  insolent, 
^  because  he  seeth  himself  abound  in  riches.  ^  Verily 
unto  thy  Lord  shall  be  the  return  of  all.  ^  What  thinkest 
thou  as  to  him  who  forbiddeth  our  servant,  ^^  when  he 
prayeth  ?  ^^  What  thinkest  thou ;  if  he  follow  the  right 
direction,  ^^  or  command  piety  ?  ^^  What  thinkest  thou  ; 
if  he  accuse  the  divine  revelations  of  falsehood,  and  turn 
his  back  ?  ^^  Doth  he  not  know  that  God  seeth  ?  ^^  As- 
suredly. ^^  Verily,  if  he  forbear  not,  we  will  drag  him 
by  the  forelock,  the  lying,  sinful  forelock.  ^^  And  let  him 
call  his  council  to  his  assistance :  ^^  we  also  will  call  the 

Title — Mecca.']  The  first  five  verses  of  part  of  the  chapter  to  have  been  revealed 
this  chapter,  ending  v^ith  the  words,  Who  against  Abu  Jabl,  Mohammed's  great  ad- 
taught  man  that  which  he  knew  not,  are  versary. 

generally  allowed  to  be  the  first  passage         9  Him  who  forbiddeth  our  servant,  when 

of  the  Koran  which  was  revealed ;   though  he  prayeth.]     For   Abu  Jabl  threatened, 

some  give  this  honour  to  the  74th  chapter,  that  if  he  catched   Mohammed  in  the  act 

and  others  to  the  first,  the  next,  they  say,  of  adoration,  he  would  set  his  foot  on  his 

being  the  68th.  neck :  but  when  he   came,   and  saw  him 

2  Of  congealed  blood.]  All  men  being  in  that  posture,  he  suddenly  turned  back 
created  of  thick  or  concreted  blood  ^,  ex-  as  in  a  fright ;  and  being  asked  what  was 
cept  only  Adam,  Eve,  and  Jesus  2.  the  matter,  said,  There  was  a  ditch  of  fire 

3  Read,  by  thy  most  beneficent  Lord.]  between  himself  and  Mohammed,  and  a 
These  words,  containing  a  repetition  of  terrible  appearance  of  troops,  to  defend 
the  command,  are  supposed  to  be  a  reply  him  *. 

to  Mohammed,  who,  in  answer  to  the  16  Forelock,  &c.]  A  metaphorical  ex- 
former  words  spoken  by  the  angel,  had  pression  for  exercising  absolute  power ;  a 
declared  that  he  could  not  read,  being  creature  held  by  the  forelock  being  sup- 
perfectly  illiterate ;  and  intimate  a  pro-  posed  to  be  reduced  to  the  lowest  subjec- 
mise   that  God,   who   had   inspired  man  tion. 

with  the  art  of  writing,  would  graciously  17  Let  him  call  his  council.]     i.e.  The 

remedy  this  defect  in  him  ^.  council  or  assembly  of  the  principal  Mec- 

6   Verily  man    becometh   insolent,   &c.]  cans,    the   far  greater  part  of  whom  ad~ 

The  commentators   agree    the   remaining  hered  to  Abu  Jabl. 

1  See  chap.  xxii.  ^   Yahya.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.  *  Idem. 


xcvii.j  A  L    KORAN.  437 

infernal  guards  to  cast  him  into  hell.  ^^  Assuredly.  Obey 
him  not :  but  continue  to  adore  God  ;  and  draw  nigh 
unto  him. 


CHAPTER  XCVII. 

INTITLED,   AL  KADR  ;    WHERE    IT    WAS    REVEALED    IS    DIS- 
PUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Verily  we  sent  down  the  Koran  in  the  night  of  al 
Kadr.  ^And  what  shall  make  thee  understand  how 
excellent  the  night  of  al  Kadr  is  ?  ^  The  night  of  al 
Kadr  is  better  than  a  thousand  months.  ^  Therein  do 
the  angels  descend,  and  the  spirit  Gabriel  also,  by  the 
permission  of  their  Lord,  with  his  decrees  concerning 
every  matter.  ^  It  is  peace  until  the  rising  of  the 
morn. 

1  The  night  of  al  Kadr,']  The  word  al  in  one  volume,  to  the  lowest  heaven,  from 
Kadr  signifies  power,  and  honour  or  dig-  whence  Gabriel  revealed  it  to  Mohammed 
nity,  and  also  the  divine  decree  ;  and  the  by  parcels,  as  occasion  required, 
night  is  so  named  either  from  its  excel-  The  Moslem  doctors  are  not  agreed 
lence  above  all  other  nights  in  the  year,  or  where  to  fix  the  night  of  al  Kadr  :  the 
because,  as  the  Mohammedans  believe,  greater  part  are  of  opinion  that  it  is  one 
the  divine  decrees  for  the  ensuing  year  of  the  ten  last  nights  of  Ramadan,  and,  as 
are  annually  on  this  night  fixed  and  set-  is  commonly  believed,  the  seventh  of  those 
tied,  or  taken  from  the  preserved  table  by  nights,  reckoning  backwards  ;  by  which 
God's  throne,  and  given  to  the  angels  to  means  it  will  fall  between  the  twenty- 
be  executed  ^  On  this  night  Mohammed  third  and  twenty-fourth  days  of  that 
received  his  first  revelations ;   when  the  month  2. 

Koran,   say  the  commentators,   was  sent         4  Angels  descend^]     See  the  preceding 

down  from  the  aforesaid  table,  entire  and  note,  and  chap.  xliv.  verse  3. 

1  See  chap.  xliv.  verses  3,  4.  ^  Al  Zamakh.,  Al  Beiddwi^  JallaWddm, 


418  A L    KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER  XCVIII. 

INTITLED,    THE    EVIDENCE  ;    WHERE    IT    WAS    REVEALED    IS 

DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  unbelievers  among  those  to  whom  the  scriptures 
were  given,  and  among  the  idolaters,  did  not  stagger, 
until  the  clear  evidence  had  come  unto  them :  ^  an  apos- 
tle from  God,  rehearsing  unto  them  pure  books  of  reve- 
lations ;  wherein  are  contained  right  discourses.  ^  Neither 
were  they  unto  whom  the  scriptures  were  given  divided 
among  themselves,  until  after  the  clear  evidence  had 
come  unto  them.  ^  And  they  were  commanded  no  other 
in  the  scriptures  than  to  worship  God,  exhibiting  unto 
him  the  pure  religion,  and  being  orthodox  ;  and  to  be  con- 
stant at  prayer,  and  to  give  alms :  and  this  is  the  right 
religion.  ^  Verily  those  who  believe  not,  among  those 
who  have  received  the  scriptures,  and  among  the  idolaters, 
shall  be  cast  into  the  fire  of  hell,  to  remain  therein  for  ever. 
These  are  the  worst  of  creatures.  ^  But  they  who  believe, 
and  do  good  works ;  these  are  the  best  of  creatures : 
'^  their  reward  with  their  Lord  shall  be  gardens  of  per- 
petual abode,  through  which  rivers  flow ;  they  shall  re- 

Title  —  Evidence.']      Some    intitle    this         —  The  clear  evidence.'\     Viz.  Moham- 

chapter,     from     the    first      words,     Did  med,  or  the  Koran, 
not.  3   Were  not   divided  among  themselves^ 

1  Bid  not  stagger.]  i.  e.  Did  not  waver  until  after  the  clear  evidence  had  come 
in  their  religion,  or  in  their  promises  to  unto  them.]  But  when  the  promised  apos- 
foilow  the  truth,  when  an  apostle  should  tie  was  sent,  and  the  truth  became  mani- 
come  unto  them.  For  the  commentators  fest  to  them,  they  withstood  the  clearest 
pretend  that  before  the  appearance  of  Mo-  conviction,  differing  from  one  another  in 
hammed,  the  Jews  and  Christians,  as  well  their  opinions ;  some  believing  and  ac- 
as  the  worshippers  of  idols,  unanimously  knowledging  Mohammed  to  be  the  pro- 
believed  and  expected  the  coming  of  that  phet  foretold  in  the  scriptures,  and  others 
prophet,  until  which   time   they  declared  denying  it  2. 

they  would  persevere  in  their  respective         4   They  were  commanded  no  other  than 

religions,  and  then  would  follow  him  ;  but  to  worship   God,   &c.]      But  these   divine 

when  he  came   they  rejected  him  through  precepts  in  the  law  and  the  gospel  have 

envy  ^  they  corrupted,  changed,  and  violated  2. 

J  Jl  Zamakh.  At  Beiddwi,  Jallaloddin.  ^  lidem.  ^  lidem. 


xcix.]  AL    KORAN.  439 

main  therein  for  ever.  ^God  will  be  well  pleased  in 
them ;  and  they  shall  be  well  pleased  in  him.  This  is 
prepared  for  him  who  shall  fear  his  Lord. 


CHAPTER     XCIX. 

INTITLED,    THE    EARTHQUAKE  ;    WHERE  IT  WAS  REVEALED 

IS   DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  earth  shall  be  shaken  by  an  earthquake ; 
^  and  the  earth  shall  cast  forth  her  burdens  ;  ^  and  a  man 
shall  say,  What  aileth  her  ?  ^  On  that  day  the  earth  shall 
declare  her  tidings  ;  ^  for  that  thy  Lord  will  inspire  her. 
^  On  that  day  men  shall  go  forward  in  distinct  classes, 
that  they  may  behold  their  works.  '^  And  whoever  shall 
have  wrought  good  of  the  weight  of  an  ant,  shall  behold 
the  same.  ^  And  whoever  shall  have  wrought  evil  of  the 
weight  of  an  ant,  shall  behold  the  same  ^. 

1  When  the  earth  shall  be  shaken,  &c.]  circumstances  which  shall  immediately 
This  earthquake  will  happen  at  the  first,  attend  them.  Some  say  the  earth  will,  at 
or,  as  others  say,  at  the  second  blast  of  the  the  last  day,  be  miraculously  enabled  to 
trumpet  ^.  speak,  and  will  give  evidence  of  the   ac- 

2  Her  burdens.^  viz.   The  treasures  and  tions  of  her  inhabitants  3. 

dead  bodies  within  it  2.  7  Jn   ant.]   The    Arabic  word  dharra 

4  The  earth  shall  declare  her  tidings,  signifies  a  very  small  species  of  that  insect, 

&c.]  i.  e.  Will  inform  all  creatures  of  the  and  is  used  proverbially  for  any  thing  very 

occasion    of  her  trembling,    and    casting  minute,  as  we  use  the  word  mite, 
forth  her  treasures  and  her    dead,  by  the 

^  At  Zamakh.     Al  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  2  gee  chap.  Ixxxiii. 

verse  4.  ^  Al  Beiddwi.     See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv. 


*  This  chapter  may  be  translated  nearly  in  the  rhythmical  style  of  the   original 
Arabic;  thus — 

1  When  the  earth  with  shaking  is  quaking  : 

2  When  from  her  burdens  she  off  is  breaking: 

3  And  man  demands  what  aileth  her  ? 

4  On  that  day  her  tidings  she  shall  be  unfolding, 

5  Which  then  the  Lord  revealeth  her. 

6  On  that  day  men  are  coming  in  throngs  their  works  showing, 

7  And  who  one  grain  of  good  has  done,  shows  it  them, 

8  And  who  one  grain  of  ill  has  done,  shows  it  then. 


440  A  L     KORAN.  [chap. 


CHAPTER     C. 

INTITLED,    THE    WAR-HORSES,    WHICH    RUN    SWIFTLY  ; 
WHERE    IT    WAS    REVEALED    IS    DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  By  the  war-horses  which  run  swiftly  to  the  battle,  with 
a  panting  noise ;  ^  and  by  those  which  strike  fire,  by  dash- 
ing their  hoofs  against  the  stones  ;  ^  and  by  those  which 
make  a  sudden  incursion  on  the  enemy  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, ^  and  therein  raise  the  dust,  ^  and  therein  pass  through 
the  midst  of  the  adverse  troops :  ^  verily  man  is  ungrate- 
ful unto  his  Lord  ;  ^and  he  is  witness  thereof:  ^and  he 
is  immoderate  in  the  love  of  worldly  good.  ^  Doth  he 
not  know,  therefore,  when  that  which  is  in  the  graves 
shall  be  taken  forth ;  ^^  and  that  which  is  in  men's  breasts 
shall  be  brought  to  light ;  ^^  that  their  Lord  will,  on  that 
day,  be  fully  informed  concerning  them. 

1   By  the  war-horses  which  run  swiftly,  interpret  all  the   parts  of  the  oath,  of  the 

&c.]    Some  will  have  it  that  not  horses,  human  soul  ^ ;  but  their  explications  seem 

but  the  camels  which  went  to  the  battle  of  a  little  forced,  and  therefore   I   choose  to 

Bedr,  are  meant  in  this  passage  ^     Others  omit  them. 

^   Yahya,  ex  trad.  AH  Ebn  Abi  Taleb.  ^  ji  Beiddwi, 


CHAPTER     CI. 

INTITLED,    THE    STRIKING;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  striking  !  What  is  the  striking  ?  ^  And  what  shall 
make  thee  to  understand  how  terrible  the  striking  will 
be?     ^On  that  day  men  shall  be  like  moths  scattered 

1    The  striking !']     This  is  one   of  the     because    it   will  strike  the   hearts   of  all 
names  or  epithets  given  to  the  last  day,     creatures  with  terror  '. 

^  A I  Beiddwi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


cii.]  AL    KORAN.  441 

abroad,  ^and  the  mountains  shall  become  like  carded 
wool  of  various  colours  driven  by  the  wind.  ^  Moreover 
he  whose  balance  shall  be  heavy  with  good  works,  shall 
lead  a  pleasing  life :  ^  but  as  to  him  whose  balance  shall 
be  light,  his  dwelling  shall  be  the  pit  of  hell.  ^  What 
shall  make  thee  to  understand  how  frightful  the  pit  of  hell 
is  ?     ^  It  is  a  burning  fire. 

6   The  pit  of  }ielL~\     The  original  word     geon  of  hell,  and  properly  signifies  a  deep 
Ildwivat  is  the  name  of  the  lowest  dun-     pit  or  gulf. 


t         CHAPTER     CII. 

INTITLED,    THE    EMULOUS    DESIRE    OF   MULTIPLYING  ; 
WHERE    IT    WAS    REVEALED    IS    DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  emulous  desire  of  multiplying  riches  and  children 
employeth  you,  ^  until  ye  visit  the  graves.  ^  By  no  means 
should  ye  thus  employ  your  time :  hereafter  shall  ye 
know  your  folly.  ^  Again,  By  no  means  :  hereafter  shall 
ye  know  your  folly.  ^  By  no  means :  if  ye  knew  the 
consequence  hereof  with  certainty  of  knowledge,  ye  would 
not  act  thus.  ^  Verily  ye  shall  see  hell :  ^  again,  ye  shall 
surely  see  it  with  the  eye  of  certainty.  ^  Then  shall  ye 
be  examined  on  that  day,  concerning  the  pleasures  with 
which  ye  have  amused  yourselves  in  this  life. 

1,  2  The  emulous  desire  of  multiplying  scendants  of  Sahm,  which  of  the  two  fa- 
ncies and  children  employeth  youy  until  ye  milies  were  the  more  numerous ;  and  it 
visit  the  gravesJ]  i.  e.  Until  ye  die.  Ac-  being  found  on  calculation,  that  the  chil- 
cording  to  the  exposition  of  some  com-  dren  of  Abd  Menaf  exceeded  those  of 
mentators,  the  words  should  be  rendered  Sahm,  the  Sahmites  said  that  their  num- 
thus  ;  The  contending  or  vying  in  num-  bers  had  been  much  diminished  by  wars  in 
bers  wholly  employeth  you,  so  that  ye  the  time  of  ignorance,  and  insisted  that 
visit  even  the  graves,  to  number  the  dead  ;  the  dead,  as  well  as  the  living,  should  be 
to  explain  which,  they  relate  that  there  taken  into  the  account  ;  and  by  this  way  of 
was  a  great  dispute  or  contention  between  reckoning  they  were  found  to  be  more 
the  descendants  of  Abd  Menaf  and  the  de-  than  the  descendants  of  Abd  Menaf  ^ 


^  xll  Zamakh.,  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 


442  AL   KORAN.  [chap. 

CHAPTER    cm. 

INTITLED,    THE   AFTERNOON;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^By  the  afternoon;  ^verily  man  employeth  himself  in 
that  which  will  prove  of  loss :  ^  except  those  who  believe, 
and  do  that  which  is  right ;  and  who  mutually  recommend 
the  truth,  and  mutually  recommend  perseverance  to  each 
other. 

1   By  the    afternoon.']       Or    the   time     prayer.     The  original;  word  also  signifies, 
from  the  sun's  declination  to  his  setting ;     The  age,  or  time  in  general, 
which  is  one  of  the  five  appointed  times  of 


CHAPTER  CIV. 

INTITLED,    THE    SLANDERER;    REVEALED    AT   MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

^  Wo  unto  every  slanderer,  and  backbiter  :  ^  who  heapeth 
up  riches,  and  prepareth  the  same  for  the  time  to  come  ! 
^  He  thinketh  that  his  riches  will  render  him  immortal. 
^  By  no  means.  He  shall  surely  be  cast  into  al  Hotama. 
^  And  what  shall  cause  thee  to  understand  what  al  Ho- 
tama is  ?  ^  It  is  the  kindled  fire  of  God  ;  ^  which  shall 
mount  above  the  hearts  of  those  who  shall  be  cast  therein. 
^  Verily  it  shall  be  as  an  arched  vault  above  them,  on 
columns  of  vast  extent. 

1  Wo  unto  every  slanderer,  and  backbiter f  bell,  or  the  name  of  one  of  its  apart- 
Sec]  This  passage  is  said  to  have  been  re-  ments  ^  ;  which  is  so  called,  because  it  will 
vealed  against  al  Akhnas  Ebn  Shoreik,  or  break  in  pieces  whatever  shall  be  thrown 
al  Walid   Ebn  al  Mogheira,  or  Ommeyya  into  it. 

Ebn  Khalf,  who  were  all  guilty  of  slander-  6  It  is  the  kindled  fire  of  God.~\     And 

ing  others,  and  especially  the  prophet  i.  therefore    shall    not   be    extinguished  by 

4  Al  Hotama.']  Is  one  of  the  names  of  any  3. 

1  Al  Zamakh  ,  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin. 
2  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi, 


cv.] 


AL    KORAN. 


443 


CHAPTER  CV. 

INTITLED,    THE   ELEPHANT;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 


^  Hast  thou  not  seen  how  thy  Lord  dealt  with  the  mas- 


1  How  thy  Lord  dealt  with  the  masters 
of  the  elephant.']    This   chapter  relates  to 
the    following   piece  of  history,  which  is 
famous  among  the  Arabs.     Abraha  Ebn  al 
Sabah,  surnamed  al  Ashram,   i.  e.     The 
Slit-nosed  king  or  viceroy  of  Yaman,  who 
was  an  Ethiopian  i,  and  of  the   Christian 
religion,  having  built  a  magnificent  church 
at  Sanaa,  with  a  design  to  draw  the  Arabs 
to  go  in  pilgrimage  thither,  instead  of  vi- 
siting the  temple  of  Mecca,  the  Koreish, 
observing  the  devotion  and   concourse  of 
the  pilgrims  at  the  Caaba  began  consider- 
ably to  diminish,  sent  one  Nofail,  as  he  is 
named  by  some,  of  the  tribe  Kenanah,  who 
getting  into  the  aforesaid  church  by  night, 
defiled  the  altar  and  walls  thereof  with  his 
excrements.       At  this  profanation  Abraha 
being  highly  incensed,  vowed  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Caaba  ;  and  accordingly  set  out 
against  Mecca  at  the  head  of  a  consider- 
able army,  wherein  were  several  elephants, 
which    he    had    obtained  of  the   king   of 
Ethiopia,  their   number  being,   as    some 
say,  thirteen,  though  others  mention   but 
one.     The  Meccans,  at  the  approach  of  so 
considerable  a  host,  retired  to  the  neigh- 
bouring mountains,    being    unable  to   de- 
fend their  city  or  temple :  but  God  him- 
self undertook  the  protection  of  both.  For 
when  Abraha  drew  near  to  Mecca,    and 
would  have  entered  it,    the  elephant    on 
which  he  rode,    which  was  a  very  large 
one,  and  named  Mahmud,  refused  to  ad- 
vance  any  nigher  to  the  town,  but  knelt 
down  whenever  they  endeavoured  to  force 
him  that  way,  though  he  would  rise  and 
march  briskly  enough  if  they  turned  him 
towards  any  other  quarter  :  and,  while  mat- 
ters were  in  this  posture,  on  a  sudden  a  large 
flock  of  birds,  like  swallows,  came  flying 
from    the  sea  coast,    every  one  of  which 
carried  three  stones,  one  in  each  foot,  and 
one  in  its  bill ;  and  these  stones  they  threw 


down  upon  the  heads  of  Abrahams  men, 
certainly  killing  every  one  they  struck. 
Then  God  sent  a  flood,  which  swept  the 
dead  bodies,  and  some  of  those  who  had 
not  been  struck  by  the  stones,  into  the 
sea :  the  rest  fled  towards  Yaman,  but 
perished  by  the  way  ;  none  of  them  reach- 
ing Sanaa,  except  only  Abraha  himself, 
who  died  soon  after  his  arrival  there,  being 
struck  with  a  sort  of  plague  or  putrefac- 
tion, so  that  his  body  opened,  and  his 
limbs  rotted  off  by  piecemeal.  It  is  said 
that  one  of  Abraha's  army,  named  Abu 
Yascum,  escaped  over  the  Red  Sea  into 
Ethiopia,  and  going  directly  to  the  king, 
told  him  the  tragical  story ;  and  upon  that 
prince's  asking  him  what  sort  of  birds 
they  were,  that  had  occasioned  such  a 
destruction,  the  man  pointed  to  one  of 
them,  which  had  followed  him  all  the  way, 
and  was  at  that  time  hovering  directly 
over  his  head,  when  immediately  the  bird 
let  fall  the  stone,  and  struck  him  dead  at 
the  king's  feet  2. 

This  remarkable  defeat  of  Abraha  hap- 
pened the  very  year  Mohammed  was  born  ; 
and  as  this  chapter  was  revealed  before  the 
Hejra,  and  within  fifty-four  years  at  least, 
after  it  came  to  pass,  when  several  persons, 
who  could  have  detected  the  lie,  had  Mo- 
hammed forged  this  story  out  of  his  own 
head,  were  alive,  it  seems  as  if  there  was 
really  something  extraordinary  in  the 
matter,  which  might,  by  adding  some  cir- 
cumstances, have  been  worked  up  into  a 
miracle  to  his  hands.  Marracci  ^  judges 
the  whole  to  be  either  a  fable  or  else 
a  feat  of  some  evil  spirits,  of  which  he 
gives  a  parallel  instance,  as  he  thinks, 
in  the  strange  defeat  of  Brennus,  when 
he  was  marching  to  attack  the  temple  of 
Apollo  at  Delphi.  Dr.  Prideaux  *  directly 
charges  Mohammed  with  coining  this  mi- 
racle, notwithstanding  he  might  have  been 


1  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii.  for  the  History  of  the  Arabs.  ^  JlZamakh.,  Al  Beiddwiy 
Jallalo'ddin,  Ahu'lf.  Hist.  Gen.  &c.  See  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  61,  &c.  and  D'HerbeL 
Bibl.  Orient.  Art.  Abiahah.  ^  Refut.  in  Alcor.  p.  823.  *  See  Prid.  Connec- 

tion, Part  IL  Book  I.  p.  25,  and  the  authors  there  quoted. 


1 


444 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


ters  of  the  elephant  ?  ^  Did  he  not  make  their  treacher- 
ous design  an  occasion  of  drawing  them  into  error  ;  ^  and 
send  against  them  flocks  of  birds,  ^  which  cast  down  upon 
them  stones  of  baked  clay ;  ^  and  render  them  like  the 
leaves  of  corn  eaten  by  cattle  ? 


so  easily  disproved,  and  supposes,  without 
any  foundation,  that  this  chapter  might 
not  have  been  published  till  Othman's 
edition  of  the  Koran  ^,  which  was  many 
years  after,  when  all  might  be  dead  who 
could  remember  any  thing  of  the  above- 
mentioned  war  2.  But  Mohammed  had  no 
occasion  to  coin  such  a  miracle  himself,  to 
gain  the  temple  of  Mecca  any  greater 
veneration :  the  Meccans  were  but  too 
superstitiously  fond  of  it,  and  obliged  him, 
against  his  inclination,  and  original  design, 
to  make  it  the  chief  place  of  his  new  in- 
vented worship.  I  cannot,  however,  but 
observe  Dr.  Prideaux's  partiality  on  this 
occasion,  compared  with  the  favourable  re- 
ception he  gives  to  the  story  of  the  mira- 
culous overthrow  of  Brennus  and  his  army, 
which  he  concludes  in  the  following  words  : 
"  Thus  was  God  pleased  in  a  very  extra- 
"  ordinary  manner  to  execute  his  ven- 
"  geance  upon  those  sacrilegious  wretches 
**  for  the  sake  of  religion  in  general,  how 
"  false  and  idolatrous  soever  that  particu- 
"  lar  religion  was,  for  which  that  temple 
"  at  Delphos  was  erected  3."  If  it  be 
answered  that  the  Gauls  believed  the  reli- 
gion to  the  devotions  of  which  that  temple 
was  consecrated  to  be  true,  (though  that 
be  not  certain^)  and  therefore  it  was  an 
impiety  in  tffem  to  offer  violence  to  it; 
whereas    Abraha   acknowledged    not   the 


holiness  of  the  Caaba,  or  the  worship 
there  practised ;  I  reply  that  the  doctor, 
on  occasion  of  Cambyses  being  killed  by  a 
wound  he  accidentally  received  in  the  same 
part  of  the  body  where  he  had  before 
mortally  wounded  the  Apis,  or  bull,  wor- 
shipped by  the  Egyptians,  whose  religion 
and  worship  that  prince  most  certainly  be- 
lieved to  be  false  and  superstitious,  makes 
the  same  reflection ;  "  The  Egyptians 
"  (says  he)  reckoned  this  as  an  especial 
"judgment  from  heaven  upon  him  for 
"  that  fact,  and  perchance  they  were  not 
"  much  out  in  it:  for  it  seldom  happening 
"  in  an  affront  given  to  any  mode  of  wor- 
'*  ship,  how  erroneous  soever  it  may  be, 
"  but  that  religion  is  in  general  wounded 
"  hereby,  there  are  many  instances  in  his- 
"  tory,  wherein  God  hath  very  signally 
*'  punished  the  profanations  of  religion  in 
"  the  worst  of  times,  and  ujader  the  worst 
"  modes  of  heathen  idolatry*." 

4  Stones  of  baked  clay.']  These  stones 
were  of  the  same  kind  with  those  by  which 
the  Sodomites  were  destroyed^,  and  were 
no  bigger  than  vetches,  though  they  fell 
with  such  force  as  to  pierce  the  helmet 
and  the  man  through,  passing  out  at  his 
fundament.  It  is  said,  also,  that  on  each 
stone  was  written  the  name  of  him  who 
was  to  be  slain  by  it. 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iii. 
Connection,  in  the  place  above  cited. 
^  See  chap.  xi.  verses  81  and  82. 


2  Prid.  Life  of  Mah.  p.  63,  64.  s  p^i^^ 

*  Prid.  Connection,  Part  I.  Book  III.  p.  173. 


CVI.] 


AL    KORAN, 


445 


CHAPTER    CVI. 

INTITLED,    KOREISH  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  For  the  uniting  of  the  tribe  of  Koreish  :  ^  their  uniting 
in  sending  forth  the  caravan  of  merchants  and  purveyors 
in  winter  and  summer  :  ^  let  them  serve  the  Lord  of  the 
house  ;  ^  who  supplieth  them  with  food  against  hunger, 
and  hath  rendered  them  secure  from  fear. 


1  For  the  uniting  of  the  Koreish.~\  Some 
connect  these  words  with  the  following, 
and  suppose  the  natural  order  to  be,  Let 
them  serve  the  Lord  of  this  house,  for  the 
uniting,  &c.  Others  connect  them  with 
the  last  words  of  the  preceding  chapter, 
and  take  the  meaning  to  be,  that  God  had 
so  destroyed  the  army  of  Abraha,  for  the 
uniting  of  the  Koreish,  &c.  And  the  last 
opinion  is  confirmed  by  one  copy,  men- 
tioned by  al  Beidawi,  wherein  this  and 
the  preceding  make  but  one  chapter.  It 
may  not  be  amiss  to  observe,  that  the  tribe 
of  Koreish,  the  most  noble  among  all  the 
Arabians,  and  of  which  was  Mohammed 
himself,  were  the  posterity  of  Fehr,  sur- 
named  Koreish,  the  son  of  Malec,  the  son 
of  al  Nadr,  who  was  descended  in  a  right 
line  from  Ismael.  Some  writers  say  that 
al  Nadr  bore  the  surname  of  Koreish  ;  but 
the  more  received  opinion  is,  that  it  was 
his  grandson  Fehr,  who  was  so  called  be- 


cause of  his  intrepid  boldness,  the  word 
being  a  diminutive  of  Karsh,  which  is  the 
name  of  a  sea-monster,  very  strong  and 
daring ;  though  there  be  other  reasons 
given  for  its  imposition  ^. 

2  Their  uniting  in  sending  forth  the  ca- 
ravan, &c.]  It  was  Hashem,  the  great 
grandfather  of  Mohammed,  who  first  ap- 
pointed the  two  yearly  caravans  here 
mentioned  ^ ;  one  of  which  set  out  in  the 
winter  for  Yaman,  and  the  other  in  sum- 
mer for  Syria  2. 

4  Who  supplieth  them  with  food  against 
hunger.^  By  means  of  the  aforesaid  ca- 
ravans of  purveyors  ;  or.  Who  supplied 
them  with  food  in  time  of  a  famine,  which 
those  of  Mecca  had  suffered  *. 

—  And  hath  rendered  them  secure  from 
fear.~\  By  delivering  them  from  Abraha 
and  his  troops  ;  or  by  making  the  territory 
of  Mecca  a  place  of  security. 


1  V.  Gagnier,  Vie  de  Mah.  t.  1.  p.  44  and  46. 
^  Al  Zamakh.,  Jallalo^ddin,  Al  Beidawi* 


2  See  the  Prelim.  Disc. 
*  lidem. 


§i. 


446 


AL   KORAN. 


[chap. 


CHAPTER    CVII, 


INTITLED,    necessaries;    WHERE    IT   WAS   REVEALED    IS 

DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God, 

*  What  thinkest  thou  of  him  who  denieth  the  future 
judgment  as  a  falsehood  ?  ^  It  is  he  who  pusheth  away 
the  orphan ;  ^  and  stirreth  not  up  others  to  feed  the  poor. 

*  Wo  be  unto  those  who  pray,  ^  and  who  are  negligent  at 
their  prayer ;  ^  who  play  the  hypocrites^  ^  and  deny  neces- 
saries to  the  needy. 


2  Who  pusheth  away  the  orphan.']  The 
person  here  intended,  according  to  some, 
was  Abu  Jabl,  who  turned  away  an  orphan, 
to  whom  he  was  guardian,  and  who  came 
to  him  naked,  and  asked  for  some  relief 
out  of  his  own  money.  Some  say  it  was 
Abu  Sofian,  who  having  killed  a  camel, 
when  an  orphan  begged  a  piece  of  the  flesh, 
beat  him  away  with  his  staff;  and  others 
think  it  was  al  Walid  Ebn  al  Mogheira,  &c. 

7  Necessaries.]     The   original  word  al 


MaicUj  properly  signifies  utensils,  or  what- 
ever is  of  necessary  use,  as  a  hatchet,  a 
pot,  a  dish,  and  a  needle  ;  to  which  some 
add  a  bucket,  and  a  hand-mill ;  or,  accord- 
ing to  a  tradition  of  Ayesha,  fire,  water, 
and  salt ;  and  this  signification  it  bore  in 
the  time  of  ignorance :  but  since  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Mohammedan  religion, 
the  word  has  been  used  to  denote  alms, 
either  legal  or  voluntary,  which  seems  to 
be  the  true  meaning  in  this  place. 


CHAPTER    CVIII. 


INTITLED,    AL    CAWTHAR  ;    REVEALED    AT    MECCA. 

Ill  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

Verily  we  have  given  thee  al  Cawthar.     ^  Wherefore 


Title — Mecca.]  There  are  some,  how- 
ever, who  think  it  to  have  been  revealed 
at  Medina. 

1  Al  Cawthar.]  This  word  signifies 
abundance,  especially  of  good,  and  thence 
the  gift  of  wisdom  and  prophecy,  the  Ko- 
ran, the  office  of  intercessor,  &c.  Or,  it 
may  imply  abundance  of  children,  fol- 
lowers, and  the  like.  It  is  generally, 
however,  expounded  of  a  river  in  paradise 
of  that  name,  whence  the  water  is  derived 
into  Mohammed's  pond,  of  which  the 
blessed  are  to  drink  before  their  admission 
into  that  place  ^.  According  to  a  tradition 
of  the  prophet's,  this  river,  wherein  his 
Lord  promised  him   abundant    good,   is 


sweeter  than  honey,  whiter  than  milk, 
cooler  than  snow,  and  smoother  than  cream; 
its  banks  are  of  chrysolites,  and  the  vessels 
to  drink  thereout,  of  silver ;  and  those 
who  drink  of  it  shall  never  thirst  \ 

Euthymius  Zigabenus  ^,  instead  of  Cau- 
thar,  reading  Canthar,  supposes  the  word 
to  have  the  same  signification  in  Arabic  as 
in  Greek,  and  translates  the  two  first  ver- 
ses of  the  chapter  thus  :  'Hfielg  SedwKafisv 
(JOL  Tov  KOLvOapov  Kal  ev^ai  TTpbg  rbv 
Kvpiov  (TOV,  Kal  (j(pa^ov.  i.  e.  We  have 
given  thee  the  beetle  ;  wherefore  pray 
unto  thy  Lord,  and  slay  it ;  and  then  he 
cries  out,  O  wonderful  and  magnificent 
sacrifice,  worthy  of  the  legislature ! 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  iv.  ^  Al  Beiddwi,  Jallalo'ddin,  &c. 

dogmat.  inter  Stjlhurgii  Saracenic,  p.  29. 


In  Panoplia 


cix.]  AL    KORAN.  447 

pray  unto  thy  Lord  ;  and  slay  the  victims.     ^  Verily  he 
who  hateth  thee  shall  be  childless. 

2  Pray  unto  thy  Lord;  and  slay  the  ing  to  those  virtues  which  are  opposite  to 
victims.']  Which  are  to  be  sacrificed,  at  the  vices  there  condemned, 
the  pilgrimage,  in  the  valley  of  Mina.  Al  3  He  who  hateth  thee  shall  he  childless.'] 
Beidawi  explains  the  vv^ords  thus ;  Pray  These  words  were  revealed  against  al  As 
with  fervency  and  intense  devotion,  not  Ebn  Wayel,  who,  on  the  death  of  al 
out  of  hypocrisy ;  and  slay  the  fatted  Kasem,  Mohammed's  son,  called  that  pro- 
camels  and  oxen,  and  distribute  the  flesh  phet  Abtar,  which  signifies  one  who  has 
among  the  poor :  for  he  says  this  chapter  no  children,  or  posterity  *. 
is  the  counterpart  of  the  preceding,  exhort- 

^  Jallalo'ddin. 


CHAPTER  CIX. 

INTITLED,  THE  UNBELIEVERS  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Say  :  O  unbelievers,  ^  I  will  not  worship  that  which  ye 
worship ;  ^  nor  will  ye  worship  that  which  I  worship. 
^  Neither  do  I  worship  that  which  ye  worship  ;  ^  neither 
do  ye  worship  that  which  I  worship.  ^  Ye  have  your  re- 
ligion, and  I  my  religion. 

1  O  unbelievers,  &c.]  It  is  said  that  gods  for  a  year,  they  would  worship  his 
certain  of  the  Koreish  once  proposed  to  God  for  the  same  space  of  time ;  upon 
Mohammed,  that  if  he  would  worship  their     which  this  chapter  was  revealed  ^. 

^  Jallalo' ddiny  Al  Beidawi,  - 


448 


AL    KORAN- 


[chap. 


CHAPTER  CX, 


INTITLED,  ASSISTANCE  ;   REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  When  the  assistance  of  God  shall  come,  and  the  vic- 
tory, ^  and  thou  shalt  see  the  people  enter  into  the  re- 
ligion of  God  by  troops  :  ^  celebrate  the  praise  of  thy 
Lord,  and  ask  pardon  of  him ;  for  he  is  inclined  to  for- 
give. 


1  When  the  assistance  of  God  shall  come, 
and  the  victory. ~\  i.e.  When  God  shall 
cause  thee  to  prevail  over  thy  enemies, 
and  thou  shalt  take  the  city  of  Mecca. 

2  And  thou  shalt  see  the  people  enter 
into  the  religion  of  God  by  troops.^  Which 
happened  in  the  ninth  year  of  the  Hejra, 
w^hen  Mohammed,  having  made  himself 
master  of  Mecca,  and  obliged  the  Koreish 
to  submit  to  him,  the  rest  of  the  Arabs 
came  in  to  him  in  great  numbers,  and 
professed  Islam  ^. 

3  Celebrate  the  praise  of  thy  Lord,  &c.] 
Most  of  the  commentators  agree  this  chap- 
ter to  have  been  revealed  before  the  taking 


of  Mecca,  and  suppose  it  gave  Mohammed 
vi^arning  of  his  death ;  for  they  say  that 
when  he  read  it,  al  Abbas  wept ;  and 
being  asked  by  the  prophet,  what  was  the 
reason  of  his  weeping,  answered.  Because 
it  biddeth  thee  to  prepare  for  death :  to 
which  Mohammed  replied,  It  is  as  thou 
sayest^.  And  hence,  adds  Jallalo'ddin, 
after  the  revelation  of  this  chapter,  the 
prophet  was  more  frequent  in  praising  and 
asking  pardon  of  God  ;  because  he  thereby 
knew  that  his  end  approached  :  for  Mecca 
was  taken  in  the  eighth  year  of  the  Hejra, 
and  he  died  in  the  beginning  of  the 
tenth. 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii. 


2  Al  Beiddwi, 


CHAPTER  CXI. 

INTITLED,  ABU  LAHEB  ;    REVEALED  AT  MECCA. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  The  hands  of  Abu  Laheb  shall  perish,  and  he  shall 


1  The  hands  of  Abu  Laheb  shall  perish.^ 
Abu  Laheb  was  the  surname  of  Abd'al 
Uzza,  one  of  the  sons  of  Abd'almotalleb, 
and  uncle  to  Mohammed.  He  was  a  most 
bitter  enemy  to  his  nephew,  and  opposed 
the  establishment  of  his  new   religion  to 


the  utmost  of  his  power.  When  that 
prophet,  in  obedience  to  the  command  he 
had  received  to  admonish  his  near  rela- 
tions ^  had  called  them  all  together,  and 
told  them  that  he  was  a  warner  sent  unto 
them  before  a  grievous  chastisement,  Abu 


^  See  the  Prelim.  Disc.  §  ii. 


CXII.] 


AL   KORAN 


449 


perish.  ^  His  riches  shall  not  profit  him,  neither  that 
which  he  hath  gained.  ^  He  shall  go  down  to  be  burned 
into  flaming  fire :  *  and  his  wife  also,  bearing  wood, 
^  having  on  her  neck  a  cord  of  twisted  fibres  of  a  palm- 
tree. 


Laheb  cried  out,  Mayest  thou  perish  !  hast 
thou  called  us  together  for  this  ?  and  took 
up  a  stone  to  cast  at  him.  Whereupon 
this  passage  was  revealed  ^ 

By  the  hands  of  Abu  Laheb,  some  com- 
mentators, by  a  synecdoche,  understand 
his  person  ;  others,  by  a  metonymy,  his 
affairs  in  general,  they  being  transacted 
with  those  members ;  or  his  hopes  in  this 
world,  and  the  next. 

1  Jnd  he  shall  perish.']  He  died  of 
grief  and  vcA^tion  at  the  defeat  his  friends 
had  received  at  Bedr,  surviving  that  mis- 
fortune but  seven  days  2.  They  add,  that 
his  corpse  was  left  above  ground  three 
days,  till  it  stank,  and  then  some  negroes 
were  hired  to  bury  him  ^. 

2  His  riches  shall  not  profit  /«*w,  &c.] 
And  accordingly  his  great  possessions,  and 


the  rank  and  esteem  in  which  he  lived  at 
Mecca,  were  of  no  service  to  him,  nor 
could  protect  him  against  the  vengeance 
of  God.  A1  Beidawi  mentions  also  the 
loss  of  his  son  Otha,  who  was  torn  to 
pieces  by  a  lion,  in  the  way  to  Syria, 
though  surrounded  by  the  whole  caravan. 

3  Flaming  fire.]  Arab,  ndr  dhdt  laheb  ; 
alluding  to  the  surname  of  Abu  Laheb, 
which  signifies  the  Father  of  flames. 

4  His  wife-]  Her  name  was  Omm 
Jemil ;  she  was  the  daughter  of  Harb, 
and  sister  of  x\bu  Sofian. 

—  Bearing  wood.]  For  fuel  in  hell ; 
because  she  fomented  the  hatred  which 
her  husband  bore  to  Mohammed ;  *m\ 
bearing  a  bundle  of  thorns  and  brambles, 
because  she  carried  such,  and  strewed 
them  by  night  in  the  prophet's  way  *- 


^  Al  Beidawi,  Jallalo' ddin,  &^c. 
*  Idem,  Jallalo' ddin. 


2  Abu'lf,  Vit.  Moh.  p.  57. 


3  AlBeiddwi. 


CHAPTER  CXII. 

INTITLED^  THE  DECLARATION  OF  GOD'S  UNITY  ;    WHERE  IT 
WAS  REVEALED  IS  DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 


^  Say,  G0D5  is  one  God  ;  ^  the  eternal  God  :  ^  he  begetteth 
not,  ^  neither  is  he  begotten  :  ^  and  there  is  not  any  one 
liice  unto  him. 


Chap.  112.]  This  chapter  is  held  in 
particular  veneration  by  the  Mohamme- 
dans, and  declared,  by  a  tradition  of  their 
prophet,  to  be  equal  in  value  to  a  third 
part  of  the  whole  Koran.  It  is  said  to 
have  been  revealed  in  answer  to  the  Ko- 
reish,  who  asked  Mohammed  concerning 
the  distinguishing  attributes  of  the  God 


he  invited  them  to  worship  1.  It  may  be 
thus  translated  nearly  in  the  rhythmical 
measure  of  the  original. 

1  Say,  God  is  one  God. 

2  He  is  the  eternal. 

3  He  hatl^  nought  begotten. 

4  He  is  not  begotten. 

5  Like  him  there  is  none. 


Al  Beiddivi,  Jallalo' ddin. 


VOL.  II. 


G   g 


450 


AL    KORAN. 


[chap. 


CHAPTER  CXIII, 


INTITLED,  THE  DAY-BREAK  ;    WHERE  IT  WAS  REVEALED 

IS  DISPUTED. 


r't-' 


In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 


^  Say,  I  fly  for  refuge  unto  the  Lord  of  the  day-break  ; 
^  that  he  may  deliver  me  from  the  mischief  of  those 
things  which  he  hath  created  ;  ^  and  from  the  mischief  of 
the  night,  when  it  cometh  on,  ^  and  from  the  mischief  of 
women  blowing  on  knots  ;  ^  and  from  the  mischief  of  the 
envious,  when  he  envieth. 


1  The  day-break.']  The  original  word 
properly  signifies  a  cleaving,  and  denotes, 
says  al  Beidawi,  the  production  of  all 
things  in  general,  from  the  darkness  of 
privation  to  the  light  of  existence,  and 
especially  of  those  things  which  proceed 
from  others,  as  springs,  rain,  plants,  chil- 
dren, &c.  and  hence  it  is  used  more  par- 
ticularly to  signify  the  breaking  forth  of 
the  light  from  darkness,  which  is  a  most 
wonderful  instance  of  the  divine  power. 

2  From  the  mischief  of  those  things 
which  he  hath  created.]  i.  e.  From  the 
mischiefs  proceeding  either  from  the  per- 
verseness  and  evil  choice  of  those  beings 
which  have  a  power  to  choose,  or  the 
natural  effects  of  necessary  agents,  as  fire, 
poison,  &c.  the  world  being  good  in  the 
whole,  though  evils  may  follow  from  those 
two  causes  ^. 

3  From  the  mischief  of  the  night,  when 
it  cometh  on.]  Or,  as  the  words  may  be 
rendered.  From  the  mischief  of  the  moon, 
when  she  is  eclipsed. 

4  From  the  mischief  of  women  blowing 
on  knots.]  That  is,  of  witches,  who  used 
to  tie   knots  in  a  cord,  and  to  blow  on 


them,  uttering  at  the  same  time  certain 
magical  words  over  them,  in  order  to 
work  on,  or  debilitate  the  person  they  had 
a  mind  to  injure.  This  was  a  common 
practice  in  former  days  ^.  What  they 
call  in  France  Nouer  I'aiguillette,  and  the 
knots  which  the  wizards  in  the  northern 
parts  tie,  when  they  sell  mariners  a  wind, 
(if  the  stories  told  of  them  be  true,)  are 
also  relics  of  the  same  superstition. 

The  commentators  relate,  that  Lobeid, 
a  Jew,  with  the  assistance  of  his  daughters, 
bewitched  Mohammed,  by  tying  eleven 
knots  on  a  cord,  which  they  hid  in  a 
wtll ;  whereupon  Mohammed  falling  ill, 
God  revealed  this  chapter  and  the  fol- 
lowing, and  Gabriel  acquainted  him  with 
the  use  he  was  to  make  of  them,  and  of 
the  place  where  the  cord  was  hidden ; 
according  to  whose  directions  the  prophet 
sent  Ali  to  fetch  the  cord,  and  the  same 
being  brought,  he  repeated  the  two  chap- 
ters over  it,  and  at  every  verse  (for  they 
consist  of  eleven)  a  knot  was  loosed,  till, 
on  finishing  the  last  words,  he  was  entirely 
freed  from  the  charm  ^. 


1  Al  Beiddwi' 
lalo'ddin. 


2  V.  Virgil,  in  Pharmaceutria. 


^  Al  Beiddwif  Jal-^ 


cxiv.]  AL    KORAN.  451 


CHAPTER  CXIV. 


INTITLED,  MEN  ;    WHERE  IT  WAS  REVEALED  IS  DISPUTED. 

In  the  name  of  the  most  merciful  God. 

^  Say,  I  fly  for  refuge  unto  the  Lord  of  men,  ^  the  king 
of  men,  ^  the  God  of  men,  that  he  may  deliver  me  *  from 
the  mischief  of  the  whisperer  who  slyly  withdraweth, 
^  who  whispereth  evil  suggestions  into  the  breasts  of  men ; 
f  from  genii  and  men. 

Title — Men.']    This  chapter  was  reveal-  i.  e.   The  devil,  who  withdraweth  when  a 

ed  on  the  same  occasion,  and  at  the  same  man  mentioneth  GoD,  or  hath  recourse  to 

time,  with  the  former.  his  protection. 

4  The  wldsperer  who  slyly  withdraweth,] 


iSV,  ,l'j£ii^. 


Gg2 


1  J.  a  A  T 


HHT  aMA  ,M.AE03  SHT 


AimHia^ 


g'bemmisffoM 

^bsiiqeni  lllegmm  89^i^b»i{^ 

-oicq    ei    bfiB     ^sm^\ 
^ujsabM  nil 


nohaaoQ  srft 
gill  ni  loJfilol)!  0a 

,0S  J  ^Bafensmmoa  noi^gilsi  gin  -^^  ^  -.. 


,4  flBI 


dis^ili^ifim 


op 


:t  — 

JOB  0O21[9q 


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TABLE 


OF    THE 

PRINCIPAL  MATTERS  CONTAINED  IN  THE  KORAN,  AND  THE 

NOTES   THEREON. 


Aaron,  vid.  Moses. 

Al  Abbas,  one  of  Mohammed's  uncles, 
taken  at  Bedr,  and  obliged  to  ransom 
himself,  VoL  i.  194,  n. 

professes  Islam,  i.  195,  n. 

confesses  a  passage  of  the  Ko- 
ran to  be  fulfilled  in  respect  to  himself, 
ibid. 

remarkable  for  his  loud  voice. 


i.  200,  n. 
Abda'lhareth,  a  son  of  Adam,  surnamed 

Abda'llah    Dhu'lbajadin,    i.     182,  n. ; 

213,  n. 
Abda'llah  Ebn  Obba  Soliil  endeavours  to 

debauch  Mohammed's  men  at   Ohod, 

i.  65,  n. 
' excused  from  going  on  the  ex- 
pedition to  Tabuc,  i.  205,  n. 
■ desires  Mohammed's  prayers  in 

his  last  sickness,  i.  210,  211,  n. 
'  and  to  be  buried  in  the  pro- 


phet's shirt,  ibid. 

the  hypocrite,  admired  for  his 


person  and  eloquence,  ii.  380,  n. 

threatens  to  drive  Mohammed 

from  Medina,  ii.  381,  n. 

raises  and  inflames  a  scandal- 
ous story  of  Ayesha,  ii.  162,  n. 

is  present  at  an  interview  be- 


tween Mohammed  and  his  adversaries, 
ii.  231,  n. 

occasions  a  quarrel,  ii.  336,  n. 

promises   to  assist  the   Nadi- 

rites,  but  fails  them,  ii.  372,  n. 
0mm  Mactum,  a  blind    man. 


occasions  a  passage  of  the  Koran,  ii. 

417,  n. 
Abda'llah   Ebn    Rawaha,   rebukes     Ebn 

Obba,  ii.  336,  n. 
« —  Saad,  one  of  Mohammed's 

amanuenses,  imagines  himself  inspired, 

and  corrupts  the  Koran,  i.  143.  n. 

apostatizes,     and    is    pro- 


scribed ;  but  escapes  with  life,  ibid. 

Salam,  a  Jew,  intimate  with 

Mohammed,  his  honesty,  i.  59,  n. 

commended  for  his  knowledge 

and  faith,  i.  104,  n. 

supposed  to  have  assisted  in 

composing  the  Koran,  ii.  77*  «•>  321. 

confounded  by  Dr.  Prideaux 


of 


with  Salman  the  Persian,  ii.  77?  i^* 

Abda'lrahman  Ebn   Awf,  an  instance 
his  charity,  i.  210,  n. 

Abd  Menaf,  a  dispute  between  his  descen- 
dants and  the  Sahmites,  ii.  441,  n. 

Abel,  vid,  Cain. 

his  ram  sacrificed  by  Abraham,  ii. 

268,  n. 

Abraha  al  Ashram,  king  of  Yaman,  his 
expedition  against  Mecca,  the  occasion 
and  success  thereof,  ii.  443,  n.,  445,  n. 

Abraham,  the  patriarch,  an  idolater  in  his 
youth,  i.  140,  n. 

how  he  came  to  the  knowledge 


of  the  true  God,  ibid* 

his  religion  commended,  i 

21.  61.  154. 

disputes  with  Nimrod,  i.  41. 

his  praying  for  his  father, 


20, 


217. 

desires  to  be  convinced  of  the 

resurrection,  i.  42. 


454 


INDEX. 


Abraham,  his  sacrifice  of  birds,  i.  42, 

• called  the  friend  of  God,  i.  99. 

—  is  miraculously  supplied  by  the 


changing  of  sand  into  meal,  ibid.,  n. 

commanded,  together  with  Is- 


mael,  to  build  and  cleanse  the  Caaba 
i.  20. 

prays  to  God  to  raise  up  a  pro- 


phet of  their  seed,  and  for  the  plenty 
and  security  of  Mecca,  i.  20. 

bequeaths  the  religion  of  Islam 


to  his  children,  i.  21. 

demolishes    the    idols    of  the 


Chaldeans,  ii.  135. 

preaches  to  his  people,  ii.  211 

escapes  the  fire  into  which  he 


was  thrown  by  Nimrod's  order,  ii.  135, 
&c. 

his  praying  for  his  father,  ii. 


375. 


343 


ibid. 


entertains  the   angels,   ii.  23, 

receives  the  promise  of  Isaac, 

his  sacrifice  of  his  son,  ii.  268. 
— praises    God    for    Ismael   and 

Isaac,  ii.  57- 
Abu  Amer,  vid,  Amer,  &c. 
Ad,  vid.  Hud. 
a  potent  tribe  of  Arabs,  destroyed 

for   their  infidelity,  ii.  154.  184.  297- 

323,  324.  352.  429. 
Adam,  traditions  concerning  his  creation, 

i.  5,  n. ;  ii.  83,  n.,  410,  n. 
• worshipped  by  the  angels,  i.  0. 1 55  ; 

ii.  61.  89.  102.  278. 

his  fall,  i.  6.  156. 

. — repents  and  prays,  i.  7» 

— meets  Eve  at  Mount   Arafat,   i. 


7,n. 


retires  with  her  to  Ceylon,  ibid. 

and  Eve,  their  stature,  ibid, 

his  posterity  extracted  from  his 

loins  by  God,  to  acknowledge   him  for 

their  Lord,  i.  1 79,  n. 

names  his  eldest  son  as  directed 


by  the  devil,  i.  182,  n. 

Adoption  creates  no  matrimonial  impedi- 
ment, ii.  232. 

Adversaries,  the  dispute  of  two  terminated 
by  David,  ii.  273. 

Adulterers,  Mohammed's  sentence  against 
them,  i.  42,  n.,  115,  n. 

Adultery,  its  punishment,  i.  49,  n.,  83. 

—  what  evidence  required  to  con- 
vict a  woman  of  it,  i.  80. 

Ahmed,  the  name  under  which  Moham- 
med was  foretold  by  Christ,  ii.  378. 

Ailah,  or  Elath,  the  sabbath-breakers 
there  changed  into  apes,  i.  11.  178. 

Al  Ahkaf,  the  haj^it^tion^  of  the^  Aditps, 
j,j^.,;230,  n.,  320^3.^j^,j-,3  siiiq?lb  n  Jhi 


Al  Akhnas,  a  hypocrite,  i.  31,  n. ;  ii.  392. 

Alexander,  vid.  Dhu'lkarnein. 

Ali  is  sent  to  Mecca  to  publish  part  of  the 
Koran,  i.  197,  n. 

the  abstinence  and  charity  of  him 

and  his  family,  ii.  410,  n. 

Allat,  an  idol  of  the  Koreish,  i.  98,  n. ; 
ii.  348. 

Alms  recommended,  i.  8,  14.  18.  32.  141. 
209  ;  ii.  362.  368. 

the  punishment  of  not  giving  alms, 

in  the  next  life,  i.  74,  n, 

Amena,  Mohammed's  mother,  he  is  not 
permitted  to  pray  for  her,  i.  216,  n. 

Amer  (Abu)  a  Christian  monk,  and  vio- 
lent enemy  to  Mohammed,  i.  215,  n. 

and  Arbad,  attempt  to  kill  Moham- 
med, and  their  punishment,  ii.  48,  n. 

(Banu)  their  abstinence  on  the  pil- 
grimage, i.  157,  "• 

Ammar  Ebn  Yaser,  tortured  by  the  Ko- 
reish on  account  of  his  faith,  ii.  78,  n. 

Amru  (Banu)  builds  a  mosque  at  Koba, 
i.  215,  n. 

Ebn  Lohai,  the  great  introducer  of 

idolatry  among  the  Arabs,  i.  151,  n, ; 
ii.  3,  n. 

Anam,  the  name  of  Lokman's  son,  ii.  225. 

Angel  of  death,  vid,  Azrail. 

fAngd^  their  original,  i.  155;  ii.  278.—^ 

'  worship  Adam,  vid.  Adam. 

ought  not  to  be  hated,  i.  16. 

assist  the  Moslems  at  Bedr,  i.  48, 

n.,  192,  n. 


believed    by  the    Arabs    to    be 

daughters  of  God,  i.  19,  n. 

impeccable,  ii.  102,  n. 

of  different  forms  and  orders,  ii. 


252. 


note. 


not  the  objects  of  worship,  ii.  151, 

the  number  of  them  which  sup- 
port God's  throne,  ii.  396. 

are  deputed  to  take  an  account  of 


men's  actions,  ii.  339. 

some  of  them  appainted  to  take 


the  souls  of  men,  ii.  415. 

to  preside  over  hell,  and  to  keep 


guard  against  the  devils,  ii.  406. 

believed  by  the  Arabs  to  be  daugh- 


ters of  God,  ii.  70,  &c. 

appear  to  Abraham  and  Lot,  ii. 


23,  24.  343. 

Animals,  irrational,  will  be  raised  at  the 

resurrection,  and  judged,  i.  135,  n. 

created  of  water,  ii.  168. 

Ans  Ebn  al  Nadar,  his  behaviour  at  Ohod, 

i.  68,  n. 
Ansars,  or  helpers,  who,  i.  215,  216,  nj' 
• three   of  them    excommunicated 

for   refusing  to   attend  Mohammed  to 

Tabuc,  i.  217,  n. 


INDEX, 


45 


Antioch,  city  of,  ii.  258,  &c. 

Ants,  the  valley  of,  ii.  190. 

their  queen's  speech  to  them  on  the 

approach  of  Solomon's  army,  ibiid. 
Apostles  were  not  believed,  who  wrought 

miracles,  i.  T5. 
those  before  Mohammed  accused 

likewise  of  imposture,  i.  75.  134. 

of  Christ,  i.  56. 

two   of  them  sent   to   preach  at 


Antioch,  ii.  258. 

Apparel,  what  kind  ought  to  be  worn  by 
those  who  approach  the  divine  pre- 
sence, i.  157. 

Arabians,  their  acuteness,  i.  153,  n. 

their  custom  in  burying  their 

daughters  alive,  i.  149,  n. ;  ii.  419. 

their   chief  idols,   i.  181,  182, 


note. 


their  superstitions  in  relation  to 

eating,  i.  150,  151  ;  ii.  170,  n. 

and  in  relation  to  cattle,  &c.. 


i.  98.  126. 

used   to  worship    naked,    and 

why,  i.  157,  n. 

their  injustice  to  orphans  and 


women,  i.  100,  n. 

the  reconciliation  of  their  tribes 


deemed  miraculous,  i.  193,  194. 

quit  their  new  religion  in  great 


numbers  on  Mohammed's  death,  i.  118, 

note. 

their  customs  in  relation  to  di- 


vorce, ii.  231,  n. 

to  adoption,  ibid, 

deem  the  birth  of  a  daughter  a 


misfortune,  ii.  70. 
Arabs  of  the  desert,  i.  213  ;  ii.  331,  &c. 
Al  Araf,  what,  i.  154,  n. 
Arbad,  vid.  Amer. 
Arafat  (mount,)  why  so  called,  i.  7>  «• 

the  procession  thereto,  i.  30, 

Al  Arem,  (the  inundation  of)  ii.  247- 
Ark  of  Israel  taken  by  the  Amalekites, 

i.  39,  n. 

Arrow  for  divination  forbidden,  i.  124. 

Al  As  Ebn  Wayel,  an  enemy  of  Moham- 
med, ii.  64,  n.,  116,  n. 

Asaf,  Solomon's  vizir,  ii.  193,  n. 

Asem,  his  charity, i.  210,  n. 

Ashadd  ( Abu'l)  his  extraordinary  strength, 
ii.  431,  n. 

Ashama,  king  of  Ethiopia,  embraces  Mo- 
hammedism,  i.  123,  n. 

prayed  for,    after  his  death,  by 

Mohammed,  i.  77?  n. 

Asia,  the  wife  of  Pharaoh,  martyred  by 
her  husband  for  believing  in  Moses,  ii. 

388,  n. 

is  taken  alive  into  paradise,  ibid. 

• one  of  the  four  perfect  women,  ii. 

389,  n.  n  .U^   »  ,oii6k 


f 


x\slam,  tribe  of,  ii.331,  \\.  \ 

Astrology,  hinted  at,  i.  76. 
A!  Aswad  al  Ansi,  the  false  prophet,  i. 
118,  n. 

Ebn   Abd  Yaghuth,  al   Aswad 

Ebn  al  Motalleb,  two  of  Mohammed's 
enemies,  ii.  64,  n. 

Aws  and  Khazraj,   their  enmity,  i.  62,  n. 

64,  n. 
Ayesha,   Mohammed's  wife  ;  the  story  of 

her  accusation,  ii.  161,  n. 
Azra'il,  the  angel  of  death,  why  appointed 

to  that  office,  i.  5,  n. 

a  story  of  him  and  Solomon,  ii. 

277,  n. 

Azer,  the  name  given   to   Terah,   Abra- 
ham's father,  i.  139,  140,  n. 


B. 


jm 


Babel,  the  tower  of,  destroyed,  ii.  67,  n. 
Backbiting,  vid.  Slander.  ^'^"  .^..^».-^^ 
Bahira.  i.  126.  -^'^^'^ 

Bakhtnasr,  vid.  Nebuchadnezzar.  "'"''*"' """ 
Balaam,  his  punishment  for  curfifffTttF" 

Israelites,  i.  180,  n.  -    ''  :'^f^ 

Balkis,   queen   of  Saba,    visits  l^otombn,^ 

and  her  reception,  ii.  193. 

her  legs  hairy,  ii.  194,  nV;.   -'     '"" 

— — •  marries  Solomon,  ibid;^  ti'-jiil   fot 
Barnabas,    his   apocryphal   gospel,   some 

extracts  thence,  i.  55,  n   156,  n. 
Al  Barzakh,  what,  ii.  158,  n.  ,^-  "=  "^  '^'  "''■ 
Becca,  the  same  with  Mecca;  \^i^-~--=^ 
Beer  (Abu)  attends   Mohammed    in    his 

flight  from  Mecca,  i.  204,  n.  -— 
strikes  a  Jew  on  the  face  for  speak-^ 

ing  irreverently  of  God,  i.  74,  n.         ^  °" 
gives  all  he  has  towards  the  expe- 


dition to  Tabac,  i.  210,  n. 

—  compared  to  Abraham,  i.  194,  n. 

—  bears   testimony    to    the     truth    of 
Mohammed's  journey    to    heaven,   ii. 
S^,  n.  '^^^ 

—  his  wager  with  Obba  Ebn  Khalf, 


li.  217,  n. 

purchases  Belal,  ii.  433,  n. 


Bedr,  Mohammed's  victory  there,  i.  47-  n. 
67,  n. ;  ii.  353,  n.  ^ 

Bees,  made  use  of  as  a  similitude,  ii.  72. 
Believers,  their  reward,  i.  88.  ''" 

their  sentence,  i.  159. 

the  sincere  ones,  described,  ii. '- 

151, 152.  ;—" 

Benjamin,  son  of  Jacob,  ii.  38,  &c.        ' 
Birds,  omens  taken  from  them  ;  ii.  83,  n. 
Blessed,  their  future  happiness  described, 

ii.  262,312. 
Blood  forbidden,  i.  26.  S"^^^^^  T*'^^  a 

Boath,  the  battle  of,  i.  62,  n.  »^  '^^\^  ,      ^ 
Bodeil,  a   dispute   concerning  fiis  'effects 


456 


INDEX, 


occasions  a   passage  in  the   Koran,   i. 
t      '27,  n. 

.Boheira,  the  monk,  ii.  77?  n. 
Burden,  every  soul  to  bear  its   own,  ii. 


C. 


Caab  Ebn  al  Ashraf,  a  Jew,  Mohammed's 
inveterate  enemy,  i.  59,  n. ;  ii.  51,  n. 


slain  by  his  means,   i.  59,   n. 


370,  n. 

mistaken  by  Dr.  Prideaux  for  an- 
other person,  i.  59,  n, ;  ii.  370,  n. 

Asad  persuades  the  Jews  in  league 

with    Mohammed   to    desert   him,    ii. 
236,  n. 

Al  Caaba,  appointed  for  a  place  of  wor- 
ship, i.  20;  ii.  146. 

built  and  cleansed  by  Abraham  and 

Ismael,  i.  20. 

the  keys  of  it  returned  to  Othman 

Ebn  Telha,  i.  88,  n. 

Cafur,  a  fountain  in  paradise,  ii.  410. 
Cain  and  Abel,  their   sacrifices,   i.   112, 
113. 

kills  his  brother,!.  113. 

' instructed  by  a  raven  to  bury  him, 

ibid. 
Caleb,  vid.  Joshua. 
Calf,  the  golden,   of  what,  and  by  whom 

made,  i.  8,  n. 

-r animated,  ibid, 

— worshipped  by  the  Israelites,  ibid, 

.Calumny  forbidden,  i.  102. 

Camels,   Jacob  abstains  from  their  flesh 

and  milk,  i.  61,  n. 
— — an  instance  of  God's  wisdom,  ii. 


428. 


appointed  for  sacrifice,  ii.  147. 


the 


Canaan,  an  unbelieving  son  of  Noah,  ii. 
18,  n. 

Caravans   of  purveyors  sent   out  by 
Koreish,  ii.  445. 

Carrion  forbidden  to  be  eaten,  i.  26. 

Cattle,  their  use,  i.  149;  ii.  65,  146. 

superstitions  of  the  old  Arabs  con- 
cerning them,  i.  126,  n.  149,  150. 

Al  Cawthar,  a  river  in  paradise,  ii.  446. 

Ceylon,  isle  of,  vid.  Serendib. 

Charity  recommended,  i.  84,  85  ;  ii.  41 1. 

Children  to   inherit   their  parents'   sub- 

'    stance,  i,  ^9. 

Christ,  vid.  Jesus. 

Christians  declared  infidels;  i.  111. 

and  enemies  of  the  Moslems, 


ibid. 


vid.  Jews. 


Cellars' to  be  worn  by  the  unbelievers  in 

the  life  to  come,  ii.  46,  59. 
Commandments  given  the  Jews,  ii.  94,  n. 


^i:i  M. 


[j9bDscnoi  311 


Companions  of  God,  what,  i.  149 ;  ii. 
74,  n. 

of  the  right  hand,  and  those 

of  the  left ;  ii.  358. 

Congealed  blood,  the  matter  of  which  man 
is  created,  ii.  436. 

Contracts  to  be  performed,  i.  107. 

Cow  ordered  to  be  sacrificed  by  the  Is- 
raelites, i.  12,  13, 

Creation,  some  account  of  it,  ii.  297- 

Crimes  to  be  punished  with  death,  ii.  85. 


D. 


David  kills  Goliah,  i.  40  ;  ii.  82,  n. 

makes  breast-plates,  i.  40,  n.,  ii. 

138. 

• his  extraordinary  devotion,  ii.  273. 

the   birds   and    mountains    sing 

praises  with  him,  ii.  246.  273. 

his  repentance  for  taking  the  wife 


of  Uriah,  ii.  274. 

his  and  Solomon's  judgment,  ii. 


137. 


Days,  appointed  to   commemorate  God, 

ii.  148. 
Dead  body  raised  to  life  by  a  part  of  the 

sacrificed  cow,  i.  13.  -^i 

Debtors,  to  be  mercifully  dealt  with,  i. 

44. 
Devil,  vid.  Eblis  and  Satan. 

the  occasion  of  his  fall ;  i.  6,  155. 

Devils,  included    under    the    name    of 

Genii,  i.  148,  n. 

the  patrons  of  unbelievers,  i.  41, 

73;ii.  188. 

their  plot   to   defame    Solomon, 


i.  17. 

were  permitted    to   enter   all    the 

seven  heavens  till  the  birth  of  Christy 
ii.  60.  n. 

Dhu'lkarnein,  who  he  was,  ii.  106,  n. 

builds  a  wall  to  prevent  the 

incursions  of  Gog  and  Magog,  ii.  107. 

Dhu'lkefl,  the  prophet,  opinions  concern- 
ing him,  ii.  139,  n. 

saves  a  hundred  Israelites  from 

slaughter,  ii.  276,  n. 

Dhu'lnun,  vid.  Jonas. 

Dhu  Nowas,  king  of  Yaman,  a  Jew,  per- 
secutes the  Christians,  ii.  424,  n. 

Disputes  to  be  carried  on  with  mildness, 
ii.  214. 

Ditch,  (War  of  the)  ii.  233,  235,  &c. 

Divorce,  laws  concerning  it,  i.  35,  36,  37» 
82 ;  ii.  240,  366,  &c.  384. 

Al  Dorah,  the  celestial  model  of  the 
Caaba,  ii.  345,  n. 

Dogs,  &c,  allowed  to  be  trained  .^p.for 
hunting,  i.  109.  -■rmE'l 

Drink  p,fthe,43mned,  i.  139. 


INDEX. 


457 


Dying  persons,  what  part  of  the  Koran  is 
usually  read  to  them,  ii.  257,  n. 


E. 


Earth  remonstrates   against   the   crea- 
tion of  man,  i.  5,  n. 

its  creation,  ii.  296. 

is  kept  steady  by  the  mountains, 

ii.  66,  224. 
Earthquake,  a   sign  of  the    approach    of 

the  last  day,  ii.  439. 
Eblis  refuses  to  worship  Adam  at  God's 

command,   and  why,  i.  6,  155;  ii.  6.1. 

89,  102,  &c.  128,  278. 

his  sentence,  i.  155. 

occasions  the   fall   of  Adam.   i.   6, 

156. 
Eden,  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  Arabic, 

i.  209,  n. 
Edris,  supposed  to  be  the  same  with  Enoch, 

ii.  114. 
Education  makes  a  man  an  infidel ;  ii. 

220,  n. 
Elephant,  (War  of  the)  ii.  443,  &c. 
Elias,  vid.  al  Khedr. 
Elisha,  the  prophet,  i.  142;  ii.  276. 
Enoch,  vid,  Edris. 

Entering  into  houses  and  apartments  ab- 
ruptly, forbidden,  ii.  164,  170. 
Envy  forbidden,  i.  84. 
Esop,  vid.  Lokman. 
Eucharist,  seems  to   have    occasioned  a 

fable  in  the  Koran  ;  i.  128,  n. 
Eve,  vid.  Adam. 
Evidence,  vid.  Witnesses. 
Evil,  vid.  Good. 
Examination  of  the  sepulchre,  i.  192,  n., 

ii.  328,  n. 
Exhortation    to  the  worship   of  God,  ii. 

289. 

to  a  good  life,  ii.  28. 

Ezekiel  raises  the  dry  bones,  i.  38,  n. 
(  Ezra    and  his   ass  restored   to  life   after 

they  had  been  dead  a  hundred   years, 

i.  41,n. 

called  by  the   Jews   the  Son   of 

God,  and  why,  i.  202. 


F. 


Faith,  the  reward  of  those  who  fight  for 
it,  i.  90,  187,  199,  204 ;  ii.  326,  377 

&c. 

partial     faith    not    sufficient,    i. 

101,  n. 

must    accompany    good    works, 


Fast  of  Ramadan  instituted,  i.  28. 
Fatema,  Mohammed's  daughter,  favoured 

of  God  like   the  Virgin   Mary,  i.   52, 

note. 
one  of  the  four  perfect  women, 

ii.  389,  n. 

—  her  charity,  ii.  411,  n. 


ii.  16. 

Famine  afflicts  the  Meccahs,  ii.  TSBi'ii. 

ceases     1    Mohammed's  interces- 
sion, ii.  315. 


Al  Fatihat,  the  first  chapter  of  the  Koran, 
often  repeated  by  the  Mohammedans  in 
their  prayers,  i.  1.  n. 

Fidelity  recommended,  i.  199. 

Figs,  their  virtues,  ii.  435,  n. 

Fire,  the  manner  of  striking  it  in  the 
East,  ii.  263,  n. 

Fishing  allowed  during  the  pilgrimage, 
i.  125. 

Flood,  vid.  Noah. 

Food,  what  kinds  are  forbidden,  i.  26, 
107,  146,  149,  151;  ii.  79,  170. 

Forbidden  fruit,  what,  i.  6,  n. 

Forgiveness,  to  whom  it  belongs,  ii.  233. 

x\l  Forkan,  one  of  the  names  of  the 
Koran,  ii.  I7I,  n. 

Fornication  forbidden,  i.  80  ;  ii.  85. 

its  punishment,  i.  80,   83 ;  ii. 

160. 

Fountain  of  molten  brass  flows  for  Solo- 
mon, ii.  246. 

Fountains  of  paradise,  ii.  410,  411,  422. 

Friday,  set  apart  by  Mohammed  for  pub- 
lic worship,  and  why,  ii.  379,  n. 

Friendship  with  unbelievers  forbidden, 
i.  117. 

Fruits  of  the  earth,  their  production  an 
instance  of  God's  power,  i.  144. 

Fugitives  for  the  sake  of  religion,  shall  be 
provided  for,  and  rewarded,  i.  96 ; 
ii.  149,  150. 

G.  M&Bn&O 

M  Si 

Gabriel  revealed  the  Koran  to  Mofiam- 
med,  i.  16. 

assists  the  Moslems  at  Bedr,  i. 

48,  n. 

appears  to  Zacharias,  i.  52,  n. 

the  angel  of  revelations,  i.  16,  n. 

the  enemy  of  the  Jews,  ihid. 

generally  appeared  to  Moham- 
med in  a  human  form,  i.  131,  n. 

appears  twice  to  Mohamnaed  in 

his  proper  form,  ii.  348. 

appears  to    the  Virgin  Mary, 


and  causes  her  to  conceive,  ii.  Ill 

the  dust  of  his  horse's  feet  ani- 
mate the  golden  calf,  ii.  126. 

commanded  to  assist  Moham- 
med against  the  Koreish,  ii.  64,  n. 

orders  Mohammed  togpagain&t 


the  Koradites,  ii.  236,  n 
Gaming  forbidden,  i.  33,  124 


458 


INDEX. 


Ganem  (Banu)  builds  a  mosque  with  an 
ill  design,  which  is  burned,  i.  215,  n. 

Garden  (story  of  the),  ii.  392,  393. 

Genii,  what,  i.  144,  n. ;  ii.  271. 

some  of  them  converted  on  hear- 
ing the  Koran,  ii.  401. 

God,  his  omnipotence,  i.  40 ;  ii.  360. 

power  and  providence   conspicuous 

in  his  works,  i.  25  ;  ii.  14,  319,  413. 

his  omniscience  asserted,  i.  96,  97 ; 

ii.  245,  300. 

his  goodness  set  forth,  i.  33 ;  ii.  2, 


65,  &c.  349,  354,  &c. 

■ —  in  sending  the  scriptures  and  pro- 
phets, i.  33, 146. 
—  his  word,  laws,  and  sentence,  unal- 


terable, i.  146  ;  ii.  220,  239. 

his  mercy  set  forth,  i.  66,  68,  70  ; 


ii.  177,  304. 
the  only  giver  of  victory,  i.  68 ;  ii. 

218. 
who  acceptable  to  him,  i.  199,  200, 

214. 

ruleth  the  heart  of  man,  i.  188. 

his  tribunal,  i.  40,  n. 

his  attributes,  i.  181,  n. 

ought  not  to  be  frequently  sworn  by, 

i.  34. 
hath  no  issue,  i.  19  ;  ii.  9,  95,  132, 

270. 
— r—  nor  similitude,  ii.  225,  279,  &c. 
— -,~  proofs  of  his  existence,  ii.  219. 

his  omnipresence  asserted,  ii.  367. 

knoweth     the     secrets     of    men's 

hearts,  ii.  196. 

and  of  futurity,  ii.  402. 

— > —  five  things  known  to  him  alone,  ii. 

227,  n. 

his  promise    to    the  righteous,   ii. 


223. 


his  throne,  ii.  14. 


praise-worthy,  ii.  426. 

rested  not,  the  seventh  day,  through 

weariness,  ii.  341. 

his  worship  recommended,  ibid. 

his  fear  recommended,  ii.  7,  62. 

Gog  and  Magog,  ii.  107.  140. 

Goliah,  vid,  Jalut. 

Good  and  evil,  both  from  God,  i.  91,  92. 

Gospel,  vid.  Jesus. 

Greaves  (Mr.),  a  mistake  of  his,  ii.  429, 

note. 
Greeks  overcome  by  the  Persians,  ii.  217. 
Gudarz,  the  name  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  ii. 

82,  n.      . 

Hahib,  his  martyrdom,  ii.  259,  n. 
Hafedha,  an  idol  of  Ad,  i.  163,  n. 
Haman,  Pharaoh's  chief  minister,  ii.  199. 

.        n      ^^  ^^  bsjoajoiq  ad  oJ 

Hami,  i.  126.  fOS  A    •^irfd 


Hamza,  Mohammed's  uncle,  killed  at 
Ohod,i.  65,  n.  _.  _. 

his  body  abused,  ii.  80,  n. 

Handha  Ebn  Safwan,  a  prophet,  ii.  148, 
n.,   175,  n. 

Hareth  (Abu),  a  Christian  bishop,  disputes 
with  Mohammed,  i.  57,  n. 

Haretha  (Banu),  reproached  by  Moham- 
med for  flying  in  battle,  ii.  234,  n. 

Harut  and  Marut,  two  angels,  their  story 
and  punishment,  i.  I7. 

Hasan,  the  son  of  Hali,  an  instance  of  his 
moderation  and  generosity,  i.  66,  n. 

Hateb  Ebn  Abi  Baltaa  sends  a  letter,  dis- 
covering Mohammed's  design  against 
Mecca,  which  is  intercepted,  ii.  374,  n. 

Al  Hawivat,  the  name  of  an  apartment  in 
hell,  ii.  441,  n. 

Heathens,  justice  not  to  be  observed  with 
regard  to  them,  according  to  the  Jews, 
i.  59. 

Heavens,  the  Mohammedan  belief  con- 
cerning them,  ii.  152,  n. 

guarded  by  angels,  ii.  401. 

heaven    and    earth    manifest 

God's  wisdom,  ii.  131. 

' will  fall  at  the  last  day,  ii.  150, 


note. 
Hejr  (Al),  the  habitation  of  the   Thamu- 

dites,  ii.  63,  n. 
Hell,  the  portion  of  unbelievers,  i.  64.      .  y 
prepared  for   those    who   hoard  up 

money,  i.  203. 
will  be  dragged  towards  God's  tris^ 

bunal  at  the  last  day,  ii.  430,  n. 

and  will  then  be  filled,  ii.  340,  n. 

Hell-torments  described,  ii.  144.  345iu360.- 

413.  i  :»a 
'  the   portion   of  unbeliever^i,! 

ii.  15,  16. 
prepared  for  those  who  choose 

the  pomp  of  this  life,  ii.  15. 

shall  not  hurt  the  believers. 


ii.  116,  n. 

Hodeibiya  (Al),  the  trial  there,  i.  124,  n. .  i 
the  expedition  thither,  ii.   50,  I 

330,  &c. 
Holy  Spirit,  who  is  meant  thereby,  i.  15,  n. 
Honein,  the  battle  of,  i.  200.  215,  n. 
Honey,  an  excellent  medicine,  ii.  72. 
Hospitality  recommended,  i.  85. 
Hotama  (Al),  the  name  of  an  apartment 

in  hell,  ii.  442. 
Houris,  or  damsels  of  Paradise,  ii.  359.   j 
Hud.     See  Ad.  _,, 

Hud,  the  prophet,  his  story,  i.  163,  164i,_ 

ii.  324.  _. 

Hunting    and  fowling  forbidden   during  ^„ 

the  pilgrimage,  i.  107-  125. 
Husband,   §s, ,ftupe^pf^fty,  over  .  tha,)yife^ 

1.  35.     /f '^^Tos  b9m99b  ^Rsfo^f  [gi  aid  — ^— 

.-— —his  duty  to  her,  i.  34.  lOQ^^  ___ 

See  Divorce,  Wives,  Marriage,  ^q^^^j^gfj 


INDEX. 


459 


Hypocrites,  their  sentence,  i.  208. 
— described,  ii.  380,  &c. 


?.r»li' 


Jacob  bequeaths  the  religion  of  Islam  to 

his  children,  i.  21. 
'  grows  blind  by  weeping  for  the  loss 

of  Joseph,  ii.  42. 

recovers  his  sight  by  means  of  Jo- 


seph's garment,  and  goes  into  Egypt, 
ii.  43. 

Jadd  Ebn  Kais,  i.  206,  n. 

Jahl  (Abu)  his  advice  concerning  Moham- 
med, i.  189,  n. 

slain  at  Bedr,  i.  192,  n. 

■  a  great  enemy  of  Mohammed, 

ii.  143,  n. 

his  injustice  to  an  orphan,  ii. 


446,  n. 
' terrified,  seeing  Mohammed  at 

prayers,  ii.  436,  n. 
Jallas  (Al),  Ebn  Soweid,  i.  209,  n. 
Jalut,  or  Goliah,  slain  by  David,  i.  39,  40. 
sent  against  the  Israelites,  ii. 

82,  n. 
Jassasa  (Al),  the  beast  which  will  appear 

at  the  approach  of  the  last  day,  ii.  197> 

note. 
Jawwas  Ebn  Omeyya,  ii.  332,  n. 
Idolaters,  not  to  be  prayed  for  while  such, 

i.  217. 

their  sentence,  i.  158. 

compared  to  brutes,  ii.  176. 

Idolatry,  the  heinousness  of  it,  i.  33. 

. unpardonable,  if  not  repented 

of,  i.  87. 
Idols,  their  insignificancy,   i.  25  ;  ii.  221, 

249. 
will  appear  as  witnesses  against  their 

worshippers,  ii.  5.  206,  n, 
worshipped    by   the    antediluvians, 

ii.  400. 
Jesus  promised  to  Mary,  i.  53. 

his  miraculous  birth,  ibid. 

speaks  in  his  mother's  womb,  ibid., 

note. 

and  in  his  cradle,  ibid. 

' an  apostle  of  the  Jews,  i.  54,  55. 

animates  a  bird  of  clay  when  a  child, 

ibid. 
■I         performs  several  miracles,  but  not 

by  his  own  power,  ibid. 

raises  three  persons  to  life,  ibid.,  n. 

compared  to  Adam,  i.  57. 

rejected  by  the  Jews,  i.  55. 

who  lay  a  plot  for  his  life,  but  are 


disappointed,  ibid.,  n. 

—  not  really  crucified,  i.  55,  n.  104. 

—  his  miracles,  deemed  sorcery,  i.  128. 

—  causes  a  table,  with  provisions,  to 
descend  from  heaven,  i.  129. 


Jesus,  a  curse  denounced  against  those  wjbo 
believe  not  on  him,  i.  56.        ':^'"";''/^,^„  .^ 

whether  he  died  or  not,  i.  55,  ri."''" 

the  Word  of  God,  i.  52;  ii.  365. 

not  God,  nor  equal  to  God,  i.  111. 

202. 

but  an  apostle  only,  i.  40.  121  ;  ii. 

303.  311,  &c. 

sends  two  of  his  disciples  to  Antioch 

to  work  miracles,  ii.  259,  260. 

various    opinions   concerning    him, 

ii.  112.  312. 

will  descend  on  earth  before  the  re- 
surrection, and  kill  antichrist,  &c.,  i. 
104,  n.  ;  ii.  312,  n. 

Jethro,  vid.  Shoaib. 

Jews,  vid.  Israelites, 

particularly  addressed,  i.  7j  8.  20. 

accused   of    having    corrupted    the 

scriptures,  and  of  stifling  passages,  i. 
7,  n.,  58,  n.,  87- 

accuse  the  Virgin  Mary  of  fornica- 
tion, i.  103,  104. 

plot  against  Jesus,  i.  55. 

their  unbelief,  i.  16.  101,  n, 

covetous  of  life,  i.  16.  .     " 

reproved  for  warring   against    one 

another,  i.  14. 

' proof  required  by  them  of  a  pro- 
phet's mission,  i.  74. 

their  punishments  at  different  times 

for  neglect  of  their  religion,  i.  119, 
120. 


jia 


—  metamorphosed  into  apes  and  swine 
for  their  infidelity,  i.  11,  n.,  119.  129, 
note. 

—  pretend  their  punishment  in  hell 
shall  be  short,  i.  13.  49. 

—  their  law  confirmed  by  Jesus,  and 
the  Koran,  i.  116,  117. 

—  Mohammed  refuses  to  decide  a  con- 
troversy between  them,  i.  117,  n. 

—  league  with  the  Koreish  against 
Mohammed,  i.  87,  n.  '■ 

—  a  controversy  between  a  Jew  and  a 
Mohammedan,  i.  89,  n. 

—  demand    that    Mohammed    should 


cause  a  book  to  descend  from  heaven, 
i.  103. 

—  dispute    with     the    Mohammedans 
concerning  God's  favour,  ii.  144,  n.   ^^'' 

—  and  Christians  accused  of  condeniti- 
ing  one  another,  i.  19. 

—  and  of  corrupting  the  scriptures,  i. 
58. 


—  none  of  them  shall    die    before   he 
believes  in  Christ,  i.  104. 

—  guilty  of  two   extremes  as  to  their 


opinion  of  Christ,  i.  105. 
—  their  different  behaviour  to  the  Mos- 
lems, i.  122. 

to  be  protected  on  payment  of  tri- 


bute, i.  201. 


H 


460 


INDEX. 


niivvun;!   the"  meaning   of  the  word,  ii. 

422,  n. 
Ilyasin,  who,  ii.  269,  u. 
Imam,  the  meaning  of  the  word,  i.  20,  n. 
Immodesty  condemned,  ii.  164. 
Immunity   declared    to   the  idolaters   for 

four  months,  i.  196,  197. 
Imposture  chars:ed  on  all  the  prophets,  ii. 

153,   154.  345.413. 
Imran,  tather  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  i.  50,  n. 

whether    Mohammed    confounded 

him  with  the  father  of  Moses  and  Mi- 
riam, i.  51,  n. 

Infidels,  how  they  will  appear  at  the  last 

day,  i.  133. 
will  drink  boiling  water,  i.  139. 

if  not  convinced  by  the  Koran  will 

not  be  convinced  by  miracles,  i.  145,  n. 

to  be  made  war  upon,  i.  29.  32. 

. forbidden  to  approach   Mecca,   i. 

201. 
those  who    die  such,   not    to    be 

prayed  for,  i.  211.  216. 
would  have  believed,  had  the  Ko- 


ran been  revealed  to  some  great  man, 

ii.  309. 

have    some    notion    of  a    future 

^'    state,  ii.  196. 

' their  blasphemy,  ii.  270. 

Inheritances,  laws  relating  thereto,  i.  79. 

106. 
Injury,  to  forgive  the  same  is  meritorious, 

ii.  306. 
Intercalation  of  a  month  forbidden,  i.  203. 
Job,  his  story,  ii.  138.  276. 
John,  the  son  of  Zacharias,  his  character, 

i.  51. 
his  murder  revenged  on  the  Jews  by 

Nebuchadnezzar,  ii.  82,  n. 

the  miracle  of  his  blood ;  ibid.,  n. 

Jonada  first  practises  the  intercalation  of 

a  month  among  the  Arabs,  i.  203,  n. 
Jonas,  his  storv,  ii.  12.  270.  394. 

called  Dhu'lniln,  ii.  139. 

Joseph,  his  story,  ii.  30,  &'c« 

Jothua  and  Caleb  sent  as  spies  into  the 

land  of  Canaan;   i.  110,  n. 
Journey,  Mohammed's,  to  heaven,  ii.  81. 
Jowadli  (Abu'l),  the  hypocrite,  finds  fault 

with   Mohammed's  distribution  of  the 

spoils  at  Honein,  i.  206,  n. 
Irem,  the  city  of  Ad,  ii.  429. 
Iron,  its  usefulness,  ii.  365. 
some  utensils  of  that  metal  brought 

by  Adam  from  paradise,  ibid.,  n. 
Isaac  promised,  ii.  23. 

his  birth,  ibid, 

Islam,   the  proper  name  of  the  Moham- 
medan religion,  i.  48,  n. 

the  only  true  religion,  i.  63. 

the   only  religion  till  the  death  of 

Abel,  ii.  3,  n. 
Ismael,  vid.  Abraham. 


Israelites,  their  males  slam  by  Pharaoh, 

i.  8. 
worship   the  golden  calf,  i.  8. 

16. 

their  punishment,  i.  9.  17- 

change  the  word  put  into  their 

mouth  at  Jericho,  i.  9.  178. 

pass  the  Red  Sea,  i.  173. 

miraculously  fed  in  the  wilder- 


ness, i.  177' 

commanded  to  sacrifice   a  red 


cow,  i.  12,  &c. 

desire  a  king,  i.  38. 

demand  to  see  God,  and  their 


punishment,  i.  103. 

refuse  to  enter  into  the   holy 


L;nd,  and  their  punishment,  i.  112. 

cursed  by  David  and  Jesus,  i, 


122,  vid.  Jews. 

God's  goodness  to  them,  ii.  318. 

their  transgression,  ii.  82.     V. 


Jew 
Judgment    (day   of),    the   Mohammedan 

tradition  concerning  it,  i.  49,  50. 

called  the  hour,  i.  133. 

unknown  to  any  besides  God, 

i.  181. 

will  come  suddenly,  i.  182. 

described,   ii.    173.   223.    345. 

351.  358.  395,  418,  &c. 

the   signs  of  its   approach,   ii. 


142,  n.,  197.  327.  419. 

will  come  inevitably,  ii.  358. 


Judi  (Al)  the  mountain  whereon   Noah's 

ark  rested,  ii.  19. 
Just  and  unjust,   the  difference  between 

them.  ii.  302.  304. 


K. 


Kadr    (Al),  the  name  of  the  night  on 

which    the    Koran    came    down    from 

heaven,  ii.  437. 
Kail  sent  to  Mecca  to  obtain  rain  for  Ad, 

i.  164,  n. 
Kariln   (or  Corah),   his  story  and  fearful 

end,  ii.  207,  S:c. 
Keblah,  the  part  towards  which  the   Mo- 
hammedans turn  in  prayer,  i.  22.  62,  n. 

ii.  10.  n.  ,^„^ 

indifferent,  i.  22. 

changed  from  Jerusalem  to  Mecca, 

i.  22,  23. 
Kendah,  a  tribe  who  used  to  bury  their 

daughters  alive,  i.  149,  n. 
Keys  of  knowledge  (the  five),  ii.  227,  "• 
Khadijah,  Mohammed's  wife,  one  of  the 

four  perfect  women,  ii.  389,  n. 
Khaibar,  the  expedition  thither,  ii.  332.  n. 
Khaithama(4^i|),  A  story  of  him,  i.  218, 

note.        ,     --  ., 
Khaled  Ebn  al  Walid  puts  Mohammed's 


I^D 


EX. 


461 


horse  to  flight  at  the  battle  of  Ohod,  i. 

69,  n. 
Khaled  Ebn  al  Walid  demolishes  the  idol 

al  Uzza,  ii.  283,  n. 
drives  Acrema  and  his 

men  into  Mecca,  ii.  333,  n. 
Khantala,  vide  Handha. 
Khawla  bint  Thalaba,  her  case  occasions 

a  passage  of  the  Koran,  ii.  366,  n. 
Khazraj,  vide  Aws. 
Khedr  (Al),  the  prophet,  his  adventures 

with  Moses,  ii.  104,  &c. 
Khobaib,  his  martyrdom,  ii.  78,  n.    . 
Khozaa  (the  tribe  of),  held  the  angels  to 

be  the  daughters  of  God,  ii.  132,  n. 
Kitfir,  Joseph's  master,  ii.  33,  n.  38  n. 
Koba,  Mohammed  founds  a  mosque  there, 

i.  215,  n. 
Kobeis  (Abu),  a  mountain  near  Mecca, 

whence   Abraham  proclaimed  the  pil- 
grimage, ii.  145,  n. 
Koran,  sent  down  by  God  himself,  i.  146. 
• its  excellency,   i.  63,  n. ;  ii.   45. 

197,  300. 

no  revelation  more  evident,  i.  181, 


n.;  ii.  361. 

contains   all    things  necessary,  i. 


135,  n.  ;  ii.  75. 

all  differences  to  be  decided  by  it. 


i.  89. 

its    contents    partly  literal,    and 

partly  figurative,  i.  47- 

the  signification  of  the  word,  ii. 


29,  n. 

by  whom  composed,  ii.  77?  n. 

twenty-three  years  in  completing, 


ii.  174,  n. 

could  not  be    composed    by  any 


a  chapter  like  it,  ii.  6.  92. 

—  no  forgery,  ii.  15.  228. 

consonant  to  scripture,  ii.  15.  51. 


205. 


172. 
321. 


traduced    by    the  unbelievers,  ii. 

as  a   piece   of  socery,  ii.   1.  309. 

as  a  poetical  composition,  ii.  262. 

as  a  pack  of  fables,  ii.  172.  196. 

the  sentence  of  those  who  believe 

not  in  it,  ii.  312. 

when  revealed,  ii.  314. 

not  liable  to  corruption,  ii,  15. 

ought  not  to  be  touched  by  the 


unclean,  ii.  361. 
Koreidha  (tribe  of),  their  destruction,  ii. 
236,  n. 
'^  Koreish  (tribe  of),  thefr  enmity  to  Mo- 
hammed, i.  147,  n.     "      '■•-•: 

• lose    seventy    of    their    principal 

men  at  Bcdr,  i.  47,  n.,  191,  192,  n. 
,u'~„,,,„.,-, their  manner  of  prayii)^-  j.  I89. 


besides  God,  ii.  6. 

men  and  genii  defied  to  produce 


Koreish,  their  nobility,  ii.  83,  n.,  445,  n. 

demand  miracles  of  Mohammed, 

ii.  50,  n.,  93. 

threaten    him    for  abusing   their 


gods,  ii.  283. 

propound  three  questions  to  him, 


ii.  92. 

—  some  of  them  attempt  to  kill  him, 


but  are  struck  blind,  ii.  258,  n. 

persecute  Mohammed's  followers, 


ii.  69. 

plagued  with  famine,  ii.  156,  n. 

make  a  truce  with  Mohammed,  ii. 

333,  n. 

violate  the  truce,  and  lose  Mecca, 


ii.  330. 

Kosai  names  his  sons  from  idols,  i.  182,  n, 
the  Koreish    demand  him  to  be 

raised  to  life  by  Mohammed,  i.  187,  "^ 


L. 


Laheb  (Abu),  Mohammed's  uncle,  and 

bitter  enemy,  ii.  448,  n. 
his  and  his  wife's  punishment, 

ii.  449. 
Lapwing,  a,  gives  Solomon  an  account  of 

the  city  of  Saba,  ii.  191. 
carries  a  letter  from  him  to  the 

queen,  ii.  192. 

her  sagacity  in  finding  water. 


111  /Jo  I 


ii.  191,  n. 
Last  Day,  vid.  Judgment. 
Law,  given  to  Moses,  i.  8. 

confirmed  by  Jesus,  i.  54. 

and  the  Koran,  i.  7. 

Laws  relating  to  inheritances,  i.  79,  80. 

106. 

legacies,  i.  27-  126. 

divorce,  vid.  Divorce.  ^ 

murder,  vid.  Murder,  &c. 

of  Moses  and  Jesus,  set  aside  by  the 

Koran,  i.  116,  n.  j-^:J{.bo  - 

of  God,   the  punishment    of  those 

who  conceal  them,  i.  75,  n. 
Lazarus  raised,  i.  54,  n. 
Leg  made  bare,  the  meaning  of  that  ex- 
pression, ii.  394,  n. 
Leith  (Eanu)  thought  it  unl?L.wf^l  0  eat 

alone,  ii.  170,  n.  ^^u  u  ^Jb.,  - 

Letters  (inital)  explained,  i,  154,  n. 
Life  to   come,  how  expressed  in  Arabic, 

i.  2,  n. 
Lobabu  (Abu),  his  treachery,  i.  188,  n. 
Lokman,  his  history,  ii.  224,  &c. 
whether  the  same  with  iEsop, 

"•  225,  n.  .,,,,.  ^fij     ^^^|g| 

Lot,  his  story,  i,  1,6^;  Ji^f24.j62,]li6^a95. 

269. -r;8  J  .noiaifsi  sin:  v  :«-■  5-\j 

Lote-tree  in  heaven,  ii,  348,,.   gj^^ . 

Lots  forbidden,  i.  33.  124.  ,^  .if  JgdA 


^m 


INDEX, 


■■:'■■"  """' "  "  ^h-moii 
Madian,  a  city  of  Hejaz,  i.  167r-™' 
its  inhabitants  destroyed,  ii.  25, 

26.  186. 
Magog,  vid.  Gog.  ,'gnid'jr 

Malec,  the  principal  angel  who  has  the 

charge  of  hell,  ii.  313. 

Ebn  al  Seif,  a  Jew,  i.  58,  n. 

Man  shall  be   rewarded   according  to  his 

deserts,  i.  84,  85. 

his  wonderful  formation,  ii.  61. 

" created  various  ways,  ii.  141,  142. 

ought  to  be  thankful  for  the  good 

things  of  this  life  ;  ii.  263. 

his  ingratitude  to  God,  ii.  221. 

his  presumption  in  undertaking  to 


fulfil  the  laws  of  God,  ii.  244. 

why  destroyed,  ii.  29. 

Manna  given  to  the  Israelites,  i.  9. 
Marriage,  laws  relating  thereto,  i.  82,  83. 
• Mohammed's  privileges  as   to 

marriage,  ii.  240,  &c. 

apt  to  distract  a  man  from  his 


duty,  ii.  374,  &c. 
Martyrs,  not  dead,  but  living,  i.  24. 
—^ the  sufferings  of  two  Moham- 
medan, ii.  78,  n. 
Marut,  vide  Harut. 
Mary  (the  Virgin)  free  from  original  sin, 

i.  52,  n. 

miraculously  fed,  i.  52,  n. 

— calumniated  by  the  Jews,  i.  104. 

a  woman  of  veracity,  i.  122. 

her  story,  ii.  109,  &c. 

one  of  the  four  perfect   women,  ii. 

389,  n. 
Masher  (Al)  al  Haram,  i.  30,  n. 
Masud  (Ebn),  a  tradition  of  his  in  relation 

to  Pharaoh,  ii.  292,  n. 
Maturity  of  age,  i.  78,  n. 
Measure  ought  to  be  just,  i.  167  ;  ii«  421. 
Mecca,  the   security  and   plenty  of  that 

city,  i.  62. 
Fide  Caaba. 
Meccans,   their  idolatry  and  superstitions 

condemned,  i.  149 ;  ii.  215,  216. 
■  ■  require  Mohammed    to    show 

them  the  angels,  i.  145,  n. 

send  their  poor  out  of  the  city 


to  Mohammed,  i.  136,  n. 

hold    a   council,    and  conspire 


Mohammed's  destruction,  i.  188,  n. 

—  imagined  their  idols  interceded 


for  them  with  God,  ii.  1 

reproached  for  their  ingratitude, 

U.  60.     ii^SYvgftSiq    Bl^ 

threatened  with  destruction,  ii. 


297. 

applied  indecent  circumstances 

to  God,  ii.  71  >  n. 

chastised     with     famine    and 


sWord,  ii.  156,  n.,  284,  n. 


Meccans,  promised  rain  on  their  em- 
bracing Islam,  ii.  402,  n. 

Medina,  its  inhabitants  reproved  for  de- 
clining the  expedition  to  Tabuc,  i. 
218. 

Menat,  or  Manah,  an  idol  of  the  Meccans, 
i.  98,  n.;  ii.  348. 

Merwa,  vid.  Safa. 

Mestah,  one  of  the  accusers  of  Ayesha,  ii. 
163,  n. 

Midian,  vid.  Madian. 

Michael,  the  friend  of  the  Jews,  i.  16,  n. 

Milk,  its  production  wonderful,  ii.  71.  — ^ 

Miracles  required  of  Mohammed,  ii.  50,  n., 
93. 

Mohajerin,  or  refugees,  who,  i.  188.  213. 

Months,  sacred,  to  be  observed,  i.  30. 107- 
125.  203. 

Moon  split  in  sunder,  ii.  351. 

Mohammed  promised  to  Adam,  i.  7. 

— enters  into  a  league  wdth  those 

of  Medina,  i.  188,  n. 

discovers  the  conspiracy  of  the 


Meccans  against  his  life,  i.  189,  n. 

the  illiterate  prophet,  i.  177. 

excuses  his  inability  to  work 


miracles,  i.  145  ;  ii.  50.  54. 

accused  of  injustice  in  dividing 


the  spoils,  i.  71)  n.,  207,  n. 

flies  to  Medina,  i.  215. 

an  account  of   the   victory   at 


Bedr,  i.  47.  185. 

loses  the  battle  of  Ohod,  where 


he  is  in  danger  of  his  life,  i.  65,  66. 

reported  to  be  slain,  i.  67,  n. 

lays  the  fault  on  his  men  for 


disobeying  his  orders,  i.  69. 

endeavours  to  quiet  their  mur- 


murs for  that  misfortune,  i.  68,  n. 

goes  to  meet   the   Koreish   at 


Bedr,  according  to  their  challenge,  i. 
72,  n. 

expostulates  with  his  followers 


on  their  unwillingness  to  go  on  the  ex- 
pedition to  Tabuc,  i.  205,  &c. 

some  account  of  that  expedition, 


i.  166,  n. 


note. 


a  conspiracy  to  kill  him,  i.  189, 

another  attempt  upon  his  life, 
from  which  he  is  miraculously  pre- 
served, i.  109,  n. 

reproves  the  hypocritical  Mos- 


lems, i.  89. 

his  mercy  to  the  disobedient. 


i.  70. 


i.  49,  n. 


disputes  in  a  Jewish  synagogue, 

decides  a  controversy  in  favour 
of  a  Jew  against  a  Mahommedan,  i. 
89,  n. 

reprehended  for  a  rash  j«dg- 


ment,  i.  97,  n. 


INDEX. 


4m 


Mohammed  not  allowed  to  pray  for  repro- 
bate idolaters,  i.  216. 

challenges   his    opponents    to 

produce  a  chapter  like  the  Koran,  i.  4. 

refuses   the   adoration    of   two 


Jews,  i.  60,  n. 

reprehends  his  companions  for 

imitating  the  Christians,  i.  123,  n. 

his  dream  at  Bedr,  i.  191. 

foretold  by  Christ,  ii.  378. 

expected  by  Jews  and  Chris- 


tians, ii.  438,  n. 

sent  at  forty  years  of  age,  ii. 


3,  n. 

complained  of  by  the    Koreish 

to  his  uncle  Abu  Taleb,  ii.  272,  n. 

his  revelations  ridiculed  by  the 


Meccans,  ii.  3,  4,  n. 

his  journey  to  heaven,  ii.  81. 

gains    some  proselytes  of  the 


genii  by  reading  the  Koran,  ii.  324,  n. 
sent  as  a  mercy  to  all  creatures, 


ii.  141. 


his  promise  to  those  who  fly  for 

religion,  ii.  215,  n. 

foretels  the  victory  at  Bedr ;  ii. 


353,  n. 


foretels  the  battle  of  the  Ditch, 
ii.  235,  n. 
the  fear   of  his    men   at   that 


battle,  ii.  235. 


his  men  swear   fidelity  to  him 

at  al  Hodeibiya,  ii.  332,  n. 

his  generosity,  ibid.  n. 

makes  a  truce  with  the  Koreish 


for  ten  years,  ii.  334,  n. 

a  conspiracy  to   kill    him,  ii. 


258,  n. 


is  almost  prevailed  on  by  the 


Jews  to  go  into  Syria,  ii.  91,  n. 
his  wives  demand  a  better 


lowance,  on  which  he  offers  them  a  di- 
vorce, ii.  236,  n. 

they  choose  to  stay  with  him. 


and  he  lays  down  some  rules  for  their 
behaviour,  ibid. 

The  Jews  reproach  him  on  ac- 


count of  the  number  of  his  wives,  ii, 
51,  n. 

his  privileges  in  that  and  some 


other  respects,  ii.  240,  &c. 

his  divorced  wives  or  widows 


an 


not  to  marry  again,  ii.  242. 

his    amour    with    Mary, 

Egyptian  slave,  ii.  386,  &c.  n. 

utters  blasphemy  through  in- 


advertence, ii.  149,  n. 

no  revelation  vouchsafed   him 


for  several  days,  ii.  99,  n.  433,  n. 

enjoined  to  admonish  his  peo- 


ple; ii.  346. 

his    near  relation    to  4b€t  -be- 


lievers, ii.  232. 


Mohammed  demands  respect  and  obedience 

from  them,  ii.  172,  368,  n. 
put  out  of  conceit  with  honey, 

ii.  386,  n. 

desires  nothing  for  his  pains  in 


preaching,  ii.  177' 

acknowledges  himself  a  sinner, 


ii.  327. 


ii.  403. 


commanded  to  pray  by  night. 


refuses  to  eat  with  an  infidel. 


ii.  174,  n. 


prophesies  the   defeat   of  the 

Persians  by  the  Romans,  ii.  217,  218. 
reprehends     his     companions' 


impatience,  ii.  209. 

speaks  by  revelation,  ii.  347. 

his  dream  at  Medina,  ii.334. 

his  doctrine  compared  with  that 


of  the  other  prophets,  ii.  322. 

is  terrified  at  the  approach  of 


Gabriel,  ii.  405,  n. 

—  is  reprehended  for  his  neglect 


of  a  poor  blind  man,  ii.  417,  n. 

demolishes  the  idols  of  Mecca, 


ii.  92,  n. 


warned   to   prepare  for  death, 
ii.  448. 
Mohammedans  believe  in  all  the  scriptures 
and  prophets  without  distinction,  i.  21. 

forbidden    to    hold  friendship 

with  infidels,  i.  65, 1J9. 

the  hypocritical  threatened,  i. 


219. 


the    lukewarm    deceive   their 

own  souls,  ii.  329. 

the  sincere,  their   reward,   ii. 


205. 


their  description,  ii,  335. 


Moseilama,  the  false  prophet,  i.  118,  n. 
Moses,   his  story,    i.    169,   &c. ;  ii.   119, 

&c   180,  &c.  189,  &c.  199,  &c.  269. 
his  transactions  in   Egypt,    i.  169, 

&c. ;  ii.  9,  &c.  53,  289,  &c. 
brings  water   from   the   rock,  i.  9, 

177,  n. 
treats  with  God,  and  receives  the 

tables  of  the  law  from  him,  i.  8,  174. 
breaks  the  tables,  and  is  wroth  with 

Aaron,  on  account  of  the  golden  calf,  i. 

176. 

threatens  the  people,  ibid. 

part  of  his  law  rehearsed,  i.  151. 

his  and  Aaron's  relics  in  the  ark, 

i.  39.  oi 

his  law  not  corrupted,  i.  49,  n.     — - 

his  miraculous  preservation  in  his 

infancy,  ii.  120. 
the  impediment  in  his  speech,  how 

occasioned,  ibid.  n. 
kills  an   Egyptian^   afid^rflfe^Ointo 

Midian,  ii.  101. 
is  entertained  by  Shoaib  ;  ii.  202. 


464 


INDEX. 


Moses  receives  his  rod  from  him,  ii.  203. 
sees  the  fire  in   the  bush,  ii.  119. 

189. 
is  sent  to  Pharaoh,  and  receives  the 

power  of  working  miracles,  ii.   26,  94, 

122. 
cleared  from  an  unjust  aspersion  by 

a  stone's  running  away  with  his  clothes, 

ii.  243,  n. 

reproved  for  his  vanity,  ii.  104.  n. 

his  expedition  in  search  of  al  Khedr, 

ii.  104,  n. 
Moslems,  vld.  Mohammedans. 
Murder,   laws   concerning   it,    i.  27,    94, 

113;  ii.  85,  86. 
Musulman,  whence    the    word   comes;  i, 

20,  n. 
Mysteries,  how  expressed  in  Arabic,  i.  2,  n. 


N. 


Al  Nadir  (the  tribe  of)   expelled  Ara- 
bia, ii.  83.  370,  n. 

Nebuchadnezzar  takes  Jerusalem,  ii.  82.  n. 

Night,  part  of  it  to  be  spent  in  prayer,  ii. 
403. 

Nimrod  disputes  with  Abraham,  i.  41. 

his  tower,  ii.  67,  n. 

attempts  to  ascend  to  heaven,   ii. 

136,  n. 

his  persecution  of  Abraham,  and 


his  punishment,  ibid. 

Nineveh,  its  inhabitants,  ii.  12,  n. 

Noah,  his  story,  i.  162,  &c.  ;  ii.  16,  &c. 
153,  183,211,259,267,400. 

his  prayer ;  ii.  352. 

his  wife's  infidelity,  ii.  388. 

Nodar  (Al)  one  of  Mohammed's  adver- 
saries, his  opinion  of  the  Koran,  i.  132, 
133,  n. ;  ii.  133,  n. 

introduces   a   Persian    romance   as 

preferable  to  the  Koran,  ii.  224. 


O. 


Oath,  an  inconsiderate  one,  how  to  be 
expiated,  i.  123. 

an  extraordinary  one,  ii.  428. 

cautions  concerning  them,  i.  34. 

Obba  Ebn  Khalf  disputes  against  the  re- 
surrection, ii.  65,  n. 

his  wager  with  Abu  Beer,  ii.  217,  n. 

is  wounded  by  Mohammed,  ii.  174, 

note. 

Oda  Ebn  Kais,  an  enemy  of  Mohammed, 
ii.  64,  n. 

Offerings  to  God  recommended,  ii.  146. 

a  large  one  made  by  Moham- 
med, ibid,  n. 

Og,  fables  concerning  him,  i.  1 12,  n. 

Ohod,  the  battle  fought  there,  i.  65,  n. 
69,  71. 


Okail  (Abu)  his  charity,  i.  2 JO,  n. 

Okba  Ebn  Abi  Moait,  professes  Islam  and 

apostatizes,  ii.  174,  n. 

publicly  abuses  Mohammed,  ibid.  n. 

taken  and  beheaded  at  Bedr,  ibid. 

Olive  trees  grow  on  mount  Sinai,  ii.  153,  n. 
Olivet  (mount),  Christ  taken  thence  by  a 

whirlwind,  i.  56,  n. 
Omar,  his  deciding  a  dispute  between  a 

Jew  and  a  Mohammedan,  i.  89,  n. 

compared  to  Noah,  i.  194,  n. 

0mm  Salma,  one  of  Mohammed's   wives, 

ii.  100,  n. 
Ommeyya  Ebn  Abi'lsalt ;  i.  180,  n. 
Opprobrious  language  forbidden,  ii.  336. 
Orphans  not  to  be  injured,  i.  77  ;    ii.  434. 
a  curse  on   those  who  defraud 

them,  i.  33. 

to  be  instructed  in  religion,  i.  78. 


Ostrich's  eggy  a  woman's   skin  compared 

to  it,  ii.  266. 
Othman  Ebn  Aff  an  contributes  largely  to 

the  expedition  of  Tabuc,  i.  2i0,  n. 
sent  by  Mohammed  to  the 

Koreish,  is  imprisoned,  ii.  332,  n. 

Matun,  his  conversion  occa- 


sioned by  a  passage  of  the   Koran,  ii. 
75,  n. 

Telha  has   the  keys  of  the 


Caaba  returned   to    him  by    Moham- 
med, i.  88,  n. 
embraces  Mohammedism,  ibid. 


Oven,   whence    the   first    waters    of   the 

deluge  poured  forth,  ii.  18,  n. 
Ozair,  vid,  Ezra. 


P. 


Parables,  i.  42,  43.  ;  ii.  55,  71,  101, 
166,  273,  282. 

Paraclete,  the  Mohammedan  opinion  con- 
cerning the  person  thereby  meant,  ii. 
378,  n. 

Paradise,  its  fruits,  i.  4. 

where  situate,  i.  6,  n. 

the  portion  of  the  distressed, 

i.  32. 

described,  ii.  51,  326,  356,  &c. 

Pardon  will  be  granted  to  the  penitent, 

i.  198. 
Parents  to  be  honoured,  ii.  84,  322. 

make   their  children  infidels,  ii. 

220,  n. 

Patience  recommended,  i.  77  ;  ii.  293. 
^ the  sign  of  a  true  believer,  i.  217, 

n. ;  ii.  300,  325. 
Patriarchs  before  Moses,  neither  Jews  nor 

Christians,  i.  22. 
Pen  with  which  God's  decrees  are  written, 

ii.  391. 
Penitents,  their  reward,  i.  218. 
Pentateuch,  vid.  Law. 
Persecutors,  their  sentence,  li.  425. 


I  N  P  E  X. 


4m. 


Persians  overcome  the  Greeks,  ii.  217. 
Peter  (St.),  his  stratagem  to  convert  those 

of  Antioch,  ii.  258,  n. 
Pharaoh,  his  story,  i.  169,  &c. ;  ii.  9,  &c. 

26,  122,  180,  199,  &c.  290,  &c. 
the  common  title  of  the  kings  of 

Egypt,  i.  169.  n. 

a  punishment  used   by  him,  ii. 


273. 


his  presumption,  ii.  311. 


Phineas  Ebn  Azura,a  Jevsr,  his  dishonesty, 
i.  59,  n. 

his  indecent  expressions  concern- 
ing God;  i.  74,  n.  120,  n. 

Pico  de  Adam,  vid.  Serendib. 

Pilgrimage  to  Mecca  commanded,  i.  30. 

directions  concerning  it,  i.  30  ; 

ii.  145,  &c. 

Pledges  to  be  given,  where  no  contract  in 
writing,  i.  45. 

Plurality  of  worlds,  the  belief  thereof  im- 
puted to  Mohammed,  i.  1,  n. 

Poets  censured,  ii.  188. 

Polygamy,  vid.  Marriage. 

Pomp  of  this  life  of  no  value,  ii.  206. 

Prayer  commanded  and  enforced,  i.  7?  18; 
ii.  129,  214,  220. 

directions  concerning  it,  i.  76,  96, 

97,  110;  ii.  91,  95. 

not  to  be  entered  on  by  him  who  is 


drunk,  i.  86. 
—  before  reading  the  Koran,  ii.  76. 
for  the  penitent,  ii.  288. 


Predestination,  ii.  83,  84. 

Pre-existence  of  souls,  a  doctrine  not  un- 
known to  the  Mohammedans,  i.  179,  n. 

Pride  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
ii.  86. 

Prideaux  (Dr.)  confounds  Caab  Ebn  al 
Ashraf,  the  Jew,  with  Caab  Ebn  Zo- 
hair,  the  poet,  i.  59,  n. 

charges     the     Mohammedans 

with  cruelty,   without   foundation,    ii. 
370,  n. 

confounds  Salman  with  Abd'- 


allah  Ebn  Salam,  ii.  77j  n. 

his  partiality  as  to  the  story  of 


Abraha's  overthrow,  ii.  444,  n. 

misled  by  Elmacinus,  ii   370,  n. 

—  misquotes   a    passage    of    the 


Koran,  ii.  386,  n. 

mistaken  in  asserting  Moham- 


med might  marry  his  nieces,  ii.  240,  n. 
Prodigality,  a  crime,  ii.  85. 
Prophets,  their  enemy  will  have  God  for 

his,  i.  16. 
rejected   and   persecuted   before 

Mohammed,  i.  131 ;  ii.  6. 

not  chosen  for  their  nobility  or 


riches,  i.  147,  n. 
Fid.  Sinai. 
Prosperity  or  adversity,  no  mark  of  Gt^d'^; 
favour  or  disfavour,  ii.  429,  430.     ,o?{7«^| 
VOL.  II. 


Punishments  and   blessingpg^i^j^  m^M 
life,  i.  158,  &c.         ,    y^h  srii  asaa  — — 

.681 

*    auri^  03  iasz  ti  — — » 

.SSI 

Quails  given  the  Israelite^vi*^^'     '  -—  - 
■  what  kind  of  birds  they    were, 

ibid.  n. 
Quarrels  to  be  avoided  on  the  pilgrimage, 

i.  30. 
. between  the  true  believers  to  be 

composed,  ii.  336. 
Quietism,  Mohammedans  no  strangers  to 

it,  ii.  430,  n. 

....  ;  'J  1  i 

ff  .OS 

R.  ^^     " 


Rape  (Abu),  a  Jew,  offers  to  worship  Mo- 
hammed, i.  60,  n. 

Rabun,  vid.  Serendib. 

Raina,  a  word  used  by  the  Jews  to  Mo- 
hammed by  way  of  derision,  i.  18. 

Al  Rakim,  what,  ii.  96. 

Ramadan  (the  month)    appointed  fbr^a 
fast,  i.  28.  ^  4M 

Ransom  of  captives  disapproved,  i.  201. 

Al  Rass,  various  opinions  concerning  it, 
ii.  175. 

Razeka,  an  idol  of  Ad,  i.  163,  n. 

Religion,  no  violence  to  be  used  in  it,  |i. 
41. 

' fighting  for  it  commanded  and 

encouraged,  i.    29,  70,  92,  187,  199, 
204;  ii.  147,377. 

harmony  therein  recommended, 


i.  63. 

whether  those  of  any  religion 

may  be  saved,  i.  10,  n. 

what  is  the  right,  ii.  438.         _ 

divided   into  various  sects,  ii. 


155. 
Resurrection    asserted,   ii.  87,    98,    312, 

339,  414,  421,  423. 

described,  ii.  158,  339. 

• the  signs  of  its  approach,  ii.408. 

Retaliation  (the  law  of),  i.  27. 
Revelations  in    writing  given  to  several 

prophets,  i.  2,  n. 
which  are   now   extant,  ac- 
cording to  the  Mohammedans,  i.  2.  n. 
Revenge  allowed,  ii.  150. 
Riches  will  not  gain  a  man  admission  into 

paradise,  ii.  250. 
employ   a  man's   whole   life,  ii. 

442. 
Right  way,  what  the  Mohammedans  jo 

call,  i.  1,  n. 
Righteous,  their  reward,  ii.  4,  178;  209, 

230. 
Righteousness,  wherein  it  consists,  i.  26. 

H  h. 


466 


INDEX. 


Rites,  appointed  in  every  religion,  ii.  150. 
Rock,  whence  Moses  produced  water,  i.  1>. 


Saad  Ebn  x\bi  Wakkas,  i.    184,  n.  ;  ii. 
210,  n.  225. 

Moadh,  his  severity,  i.  195,  n, 

dooms  the  Koradhites   to  destruc- 
tion, ii.  235,  236,  n. 
Saba,  queen  of,  vid.  Balkis. 
Saba,  the  wickedness  of  his  posterity,  and 

their  punishment,  ii.  248. 
Sabbath,   the   transgression  thereof  pun- 
ished, i.  1/8. 
Sofa  and   Merwah,    (mountains   of)    two 

monuments  of  God,  i.  24. 
Safiya  bint  Hoyai,   one  of  Mohammed's 

wives,  ii.  337?  n. 
Al  Sahira,  one  of  the   names  of  hell,  ii. 

416,  n. 
Saiba,  i.  126. 

Sakhar,  a  devil,  gets  Solomon's  signet  and 
reigns  in  his  stead,  ii.  275,  n. 

his  punishment,  ibid. 

Sakia,  an  idol  of  Ad,  i.  163,  n. 
Saleh,  the  prophet,  his  story,  i.  164,  &c. ; 
ii.  22,  184,  &c.  194,  352. 
Vid.  Thamud. 
Salema,  an  idol  of  Ad,  i.  163,  n. 
Salsabil,  a  fountain  in  paradise,  ii.  411. 
Salutation,  mutual  recommended,  i.  93. 
Sameri  (Al)  the  maker  of  the  golden  calf, 

who,  i.  8,  n.;  ii.  124,  n.,  125,  n. 
Sarah,  wife   of  Abraham,   her   laughing, 

ii.  23. 
Satan,  his  punishment  for  seducing   our 
first  parents,  1.  156,  n. 

believed   to    assist  the    Koreish,  i. 

192,  n. 
Saul,  his  story,  i.  38. 
Sects,  and  their  leaders,  shall  quarrel  at 

the  resurrection,  i.  25,  n. 
Sejaj,  the  prophetess,  i.  118,  n. 
Sejjin,  what,  ii.  421,  n. 
Sennacherib,  ii.  82,  n. 
Separation  (the  day  of),   a  name   of  the 

day  of  judgment,  ii.  316. 
Serab,  what,  ii.  167,  n. 
Serendib  the  isle  of),  Adam  cast  down 
thereon  from  paradise,  i.  7>  n. 

the  print  of  Adam's  foot  shewn 

on  a  mountain  there,  i.  T,  n. 
Sergius,  the  monk,  ii.  77?  »• 
Serpent,  his  sentence  for  assisting  in  the 

seduction  of  man,  i.  156,  n. 
Seventy  Israelites  demand   to   see   God ; 
are  killed  by  lightning,  and  restored  to 
life  at  the  prayer  of  Moses,  i.  9,  n. 
Al  Seyid  al  Najrami,  a  Jew,  offers  to  wor- 
ship Mohammed,  i.  60,  n. 
Shamhozai,  a  debauched  angel,  his  pen- 
ance, i.  17}  n. 


Shas  Ebn  Kais,  a  Jew,  promotes  a  quar- 
rel between  Aws  and  Khazraj,  i.  62,  n. 

Sheddad,  son  of  Ad,  makes  a  garden  in 
imitation  of  paradise,  ii.  429,  n. 

is  destroyed  in  going  to  view  it, 

ibid. 

Shechinah  misinterpreted  by  the  commen- 
tators, i.  39,  n. 

Sheep,  the  prodigious  weight  of  their  tails 
in  the  east,  i.  151,  n. 

Sliem  raised  to  life  by  Jesus,  i.  54,  n.     * 

Shoaib,  the  prophet,  his  story,  i.  167,  &c. ; 
ii.  25,  26,  186. 

Signs,  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  the 
Koran,  i.  7,  n. 

Al  Sijil,  the  angel  who  takes  an  account 
of  men's  actions,  ii.  141. 

Simon  the  Cyrenean,  supposed  to  be  cru- 
cified instead  of  Jesus  ;  i.  55,  n. 

Sin,  the  irremissible  one,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  Mohammedans,  i.  14,  n. 

-  the  seven  deadly  sins,  i.  84,  n. 
Sinai  (mount)  lifted  over  the  Israelites,  i. 

11,  15. 

the  souls  of  all  the  prophets  pre- 
sent at  the  delivery  of  the  law  to  Moses 
thereon,  i.  60,  n, 

Sirius,  or  the  great  dog-star,  worshipped 

by  the  old  Arabs,  ii.  350. 
Slaves,  how  to  be  treated,  ii.  165. 

(women)  not  to   be   compelled   to 

prostitute  themselves,  ii.  166. 

Slander  forbidden,  ii.  336. 

the    punishment    of  those    who 

slander  the  prophet,  ii.  442. 

Sleepers  (the  seven),  their  story,  ii.  96, 

&c. 
Smoke   which   will   precede  the  day   of 

judgment,  ii.  314. 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  destroyed,  ii.  24, 

25. 
Sodomy,  i.  81,  n. 
Sofian  (Abu)  commands  the  army  of  the 

Koreish  at  Ohod,  i.  65,  n. 

challenges  Mohammed  to  meet  him 

at  Bedr  a  second  time,  i.  68,  n. 

but  fails,  i.  73,  ri. 


commands  the  convoy  of  the  cara- 
van at  Bedr.  i,  185,  n. 

—  embraces    Mohammedism    on 

the  taking  of  Mecca,  ii.  375,  n. 

expostulates   with    Mohammed,   ii. 


156,  n. 

Sohail  Ebn  Amru  treats  with  Mohammed 
on  behalf  of  the  Koreish,  ii.  333,  n. 

Soheib  flies  to  Medina,  i.  31,  n. 

Solomon,  a  trick  of  the  devils  to  blast  his 
character,  i.  17. 

— cleared  by  the  mouth  of  Mo- 
hammed, ibid. 

succeeds  David,  ii.  190. 

.^ his  power  over   the   winds,  ii. 


138.  276. 


1 


INDEX 


467 


Solomon,  his  and  David's  judgment,  ii. 
137. 

his    manner    of  travelling   ii. 

191,  n. 
wrhat  passed  between  him  and 

the  queen  of  Saba,  ii.  191,  &c. 
orders  several  of  his  horses  to 


be  killed,   because  they  had   diverted 
him  from  his  prayers,  ii.  275. 

is  deprived   of  his  signet  and 


his  kingdom  for  some  days,  ibid.,  n, 
— his  death  concealed  for  a  v*jar, 


and  in  what  manner,  ii.  247* 
Soul,  the  origin  of  it,  ii.  92,  n. 
Soraka  Ebn   Malec,  the  devil  appears  in 

his  form,  i.  192,  n. 
Spoils,  laws  concerning  their  division,  i. 

184.  190;  ii.  371 
Stars,  darted  at  the  devils,  ii.  60. 
Stoning  of  adulterers,  i.  49,  n. 
Striking,  an  epithet  of  the  last  day,  ii.  440. 
Supererogation,  ii.  91. 
Sun  and   moon  are  subject  to  God,  and 

the  use   of  man,   i.    161.    183,   n.  ;  ii. 

260. 
not  to  be  worshipped,  ii. 

299. 
Sura,  or  chapter  of  the  Koran,  i.  207,  n. 
Swearer  (a  common)  not  to  be  obeyed, 

ii.  392. 
Swine's  flesh,  vid.  Food. 


T. 


Table  caused  to  descend  from  heaven  by 
Jesus,  i.  107. 

of  God's  decrees,  i.  135, 

Tables  of  the  law,  i.  174,  &c. 

Tabuc,  the  expedition  of,  i.  204,  205. 

Tagut,  the  meaning  of  the  word,  i.  41,  n. 

Taleb  (Abu),  Mohammed's  uncle,  i.  216, 
note. 

refuses   to  pray  for  him,  on 

his  dying  an  infidel,  ibid. 

Talut,  vid.  Saul. 

Tasnim,  a  fountain  in  paradise,  ii.  422. 

Tebala  and  Jorash,  their  inhabitants  em- 
brace Mohammedism,  i.  201,  n. 

Temple  of  Mecca,  vid.  Caaba. 

of  Jerusalem,  built  by  genii,  ii. 

246,  247. 

Thakif,  (the  tribe  of),  demand  terms  of 
Mohammed,  which  are  denied  them, 
ii.  90,  n. 

Thalaba  grows  suddenly  rich  on  Moham- 
med's prayer  for  him,  i.  210,  n. 

refusing  to  pay  alms,  is  again 

reduced  to  poverty,  ibid. 

Thamud  (the  tribe  of)  their  story  and 
destruction,  i.  164  ;  ii.  22.  148.  154. 
297.  344.      Fid.  Sakh. 

Theft,  its  punishment,  i.  114, 


Throne  of  God,  i.  40. 

will   be  borne   by    eight 

angels  on  the  day  of  judgment,  ii.  396. 
Thunder  celebrates    the  praise   of  God, 

ii.  47. 
Tima  Ebn  Obeirak,  his  theft,  i.  97,  n. 
Time,   computed  by  the   sun  and  moon, 

i.  144. 
Titian,  the  name  of  a  person  supposed  to 

be  crucified  in  Christ's  stead,  i.  55,  n. 
Tobba,  (the  people  of),  destroyed,  ii.  316. 
Toleihah,  the  false  prophet,  i.  118,  n  ;  ii. 

233,  n. 
Towa,   the   valley  where  Moses  saw   the 

burning  bush,  ii.  416. 
Tribute,  its  imposition,  i.  201. 
Trinity,  the   belief  thereof  forbidden,  i. 

105;  121. 
True  believers,  who  are  such,  ii.  151,  152. 
Trumpet  will  sound  at  the  last  day,  ii. 

198.  286.  339. 


Variety  of  languages  and  complexions 

hard  to  be  accounted  for,  ii.  219,  n. 
Visitation  olthe  Caaba,  i.  30,  31. 
Unbelievers,  their  sentence,  i.  24,  25.  S8; 

ii.  50.  256.  286.  318. 
described,  ii.   59.  177-  249, 

265. 
Unity  of  God  asserted,  ii.  449. 
Unrighteousness  punished,  ii.  5. 
Usury  forbidden,  i.  44  ;  ii.  221. 
Uzza  (Al),  an  idol  of  the  Meccans,  i.  98, 

n. ;  ii.  283.  348. 


W. 


Al  Walid  Ebn  al  Mogheira  derides 
Mohammed  for  calling  God  al  Rahman, 
i.  181,  n. 

a  great  enemy  of  Moham- 
med, was  a  bastard,  ii.  392,  n. 

has  his  nose  siit,  ibid. 

-  his  prosperity  and  decay, 


ii.  406. 


hires  another        bear  the 


guilt  of  his  apostacy,  ii.  349,  n. 

—  his  death,  ii.  64,  n. 

Ebn  Okba,  ii.  336,  n. 


War  against  infidels,  commanded  and  re- 
commended, i.  193,  194;  ii.  326,  329. 

Waraka  Ebn  Nawfal  acknowledged  one 
God  before  the  mission  of  Mohammed, 
i.  92,  n. 

VVasila,  i.  126. 

Water  produced  from  the  rock  by  Moses, 
i.  9. 

Weight  to  be  just,  i,  167  ;  ii.  421. 


468 


INDEX. 


Whoredom,    laws   concerning   it,  i.    80  ; 

ii.  160. 
Wicked,  their  sentence  ;  ii.  7,  59,  41 4. 

See  Unbelievers. 
Widows  to  be  provided  for,  i.  37. 

laws  relating  to  them  ;  i.  3g.  37. 

Wife  ought  to  be  used  justly,  i.  100. 

may  be  chastised,  i.  85. 

the  number  of  wives  allowed  by  the 

Koran,  i.  78. 

their  duty  to  their  husbands,  i.  35, 


See  Adultery,  Divorce,  and  Marriage. 
Wills,  laws  relating  to  them,  i.  126. 
Winds,  their  use,  ii.  222. 
■  subject  to  Solomon,  ii.  138,  276. 

Wine  forbidden,  i.  33. 
Witchcraft  used  against  Mohammed,  ii. 

450. 
Witnesses,  laws  relating  to  them,  i.  101, 

109. 
'  necessary  in  bargains,   and  to 

secure  debts,  i.  45. 
Women  ought  to  be  respected,  i.  78. 

to  have  a  part  of  their  relations' 

inheritance,  i.  79. 

not  to  be  inherited  against  their 

will  i.  81. 

to  be  subject  to  the  men,  i.  85. 

unclean   while    they  have   their 


courses,  i.  34. 


— ,  some   directio       for    their  con- 
duct, ii.  164,  243,337. 

the  punishment  of   those    who 


falsely  accuse  them  of  incontinence,  ii. 
160,  161. 

those  who  come  over  from  the 


enemy,  how  to  be  dealt  with,  ii,  376. 


Works  of  an  infidel  will  appear  at  the  last 
day,  i.  133,  n. 


Y. 


Al  Yamama,  its  inhabitants  a  warlike 
people,  ii.  332,  n. 

Al  Yaman,  the  inhabitants  thereof  slay 
their  prophet,  ii.  131,  n. 

; —  they  are  destroyed  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, ihid. 

Yathreb,  the  ancient  name  of  Medina,  ii. 
234. 


Z. 


Al  Zabir,  (mount),  i.  174,  n. 

Zacat  (Al),z;«c?.  Alms. 

Zacharias,  praying  for  a  son,  is  promised 

John,  i.  52  ;  ii.  109. 

educates  the  Virgin  Mary,  i.  52. 

Al   Zakkum,  the  tree  of  hell,  ii.  88,  n. 

266,  316,  360. 
Zamharir  (Al),  what,  i.  148,  n. 
Zeib  Ebn  Amru  acknowledged  one   God 

before  the  mission  of  Mohammed,  i.  92. 
Zeid,  the  husband  of  Zeinab,  his  story,  ii. 

231,  238. 
the    only  person   of    Mohammed's 

companions  named  in  the  Koran,    ii. 

239,  n.  330. 
Zeinab,  her  marriage  with   Mohammed, 

ihid. 
Zenjebil,  a  stream  in  paradise,  ii.  41 1. 
Zuleikha,  Joseph's  mistress,  ii.  32,  &c. 


THE  END. 


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