The Qur'an

And such of those whom your right hands possess as crave a writing *, write it for them, if ye know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of God which He has given you. And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire to keep continent, in order to crave the goods of the life of this world; but he who does compel them, then, verily, God after they are compelled is forgiving, compassionate *, Now have we sent down to you manifest signs, and the like of those who have passed away before you °, and as an admonition to those who fear. * Or, according to some, of deficient intellect. * J.e. they are not to tinkle their bangles or ankle-rings. ° T.e. a document allowing them to redeem themselves on payment of a certain sum. * Abdallah ibn Ubbai, mentioned in Part II, p. 74, note 2, had six slave girls whom he compelled to live by prostitution. One of them complained to Mohammed, whence this passage. > I.e. like the stories of Joseph, Part I, p. 221, and the Virgin (35] God is the light of the heavens and the earth; His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, and the lamp is in a glass, the glass is as though it were a glittering star; it is lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, the oil of which would well-nigh give light though no fire touched it,—light upon light!—God guides to His light whom He pleases; and God strikes out parables for men, and God all things doth know.

In the houses God has permitted to be reared and His name to be mentioned therein—His praises are celebrated therein mornings and evenings. Men whom neither merchandize nor selling divert from the remembrance of God and _ steadfastness in prayer and giving alms, who fear a day when hearts and eyes shall be upset ;—that God may recompense them for the best that they have done, and give them increase of His grace; for God provides whom He pleases without count. But those who misbelieve, their works are like the mirage in a plain, the thirsty counts it water till when he comes to it he finds nothing, but he finds that God is with him; and He will pay him his account, for God is quick to take account. [40] Or like darkness on a deep sea, there covers it a wave above which is a wave, above which is a cloud,—darknesses one above the other,—when one puts out his hand he can scarcely see it; for he to whom God has given no light, he has no light. Mary, Part II, p. 29, both of whom, like Ayesha, were accused of incontinence, and miraculously proved innocent. Hast thou not seen that God,—all who are in the heavens and the earth celebrate His praises, and the birds too spreading out their wings; each one knows its prayer and its praise, and God knows what they do? .

Hast thou not seen that God drives the clouds, and then re-unites them, and then accumulates them, and thou mayest see the rain coming forth from their midst; and He sends down from the sky mountains! with hail therein, and He makes it fall on whom He pleases, and He turns it from whom He pleases; the flashing of His lightning wellnigh goes off with their sight ? God interchanges the night and the day; verily, in that is a lesson to those endowed with sight. And God created every beast from water, and of them is one that walks upon its belly, and of them one that walks upon two feet, and of them one that walks upon four. God creates what He pleases; verily, God is mighty over all! [45] Now have we sent down manifest signs, and God guides whom He pleases unto the right way. They will say, ‘We believe in God and in the Apostle, and we obey. Then a sect of them turned their backs after that, and they are not believers. And when they are called to God and His Apostle to judge between them, lo! a sect of them do turn aside. But had the right been on their side they would have come to him submissively enough.

Is there a sickness in their hearts, or do they doubt, or do they fear lest God and His Apostle 1 T.e. masses of cloud as large as mountains. should deal unfairly by them ?—Nay, it is they who are unjust. [50] The speech of the believers, when they are called to God and His Apostle to judge between them, is only to say, ‘We hear and we obey;’ and these it is who are the prosperous, for whoso obeys God and His Apostle and dreads God and fears Him, these it is who are the happy. They swear by God with their most strenuous oath that hadst Thou ordered them they would surely go forth. Say, ‘Do not swear—reasonable obedience}; verily, God knows what ye do.’ Say, ‘Obey God and obey the Apostle; but if ye turn your backs he has only his burden to bear, and ye have only your burden to bear. But if ye obey him, ye are guided; but the Apostle has only his plain message to deliver.’ | God promises those of you who believe and do right that He will give them the succession in the earth as He gave the succession to those before them, and He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and to give them, after their fear, safety in exchange ;—they shall worship me, they shall not associate aught with me: but whoso disbelieves after that, those it is who are the sinners.

[55] And be steadfast in prayer and give alms and obey the Apostle, haply ye may obtain mercy. Do not reckon that those who misbelieve can 1 The construction of the original is vague, and the commentators themselves make but little of it. The most approved rendering, however, seems to be either that obedience is the reasonable course to pursue, and not the mere swearing to obey. frustrate (God) in the earth, for their resort is the Fire, and an ill journey shall it be. O ye who believe! let those whom your right hands possess, and those amongst you who have not reached puberty, ask leave of you three times: before the prayer of dawn, and when ye put off your clothes at noon, and after the evening prayer ; —three times of privacy for you!: there is no crime on either you or them after these while ye are continually going one about the other. Thus does God explain to you His signs, for God is knowing, wise. And when your children reach puberty let them ask leave as those before them asked leave. Thus does God explain to you His signs, for God is knowing, wise. And those women who have stopped (child-bearing), who do not hope for a match, it is no crime on them that they put off their clothes so as not to display their ornaments; but that they abstain is better for them, for God both hears and knows.

[60] There is no hindrance to the blind, and no hindrance to the lame, and no hindrance to the sick, and none upon yourselves that you eat from your houses, or the houses of your fathers, or the houses of your mothers, or the houses of your brothers, or the houses of your sisters, or the houses of your paternal uncles, or the houses of your paternal aunts, or the houses of your maternal uncles, * Ie. at the times when persons are undressed, namely, to rise in the morning, to sleep at noon, and to retire for the night, their attendants and children must not come in without first asking permission. or the houses of your maternal aunts, or what ye possess the keys of, or of your friend, there is no crime on you that ye eat all together or separately!. And when ye enter houses then greet each other with a salutation from God, blessed and good. Thus does God explain to you His signs, haply ye may understand. Only those are believers who believe in God and His Apostle, and when they are with Him upon public business go not away until they have asked his leave; verily, those who ask thy leave they it is who believe in God and His Apostle.

But when they ask thy leave for any of their own concerns, then give leave to whomsoever thou wilt of them, and ask pardon for them of God; verily, God is forgiving and merciful. Make not the calling of the Apostle amongst yourselves like your calling one to the other?; God knows those of you who withdraw themselves covertly. And let those who disobey his order beware lest there befall them some trial or there befall them grievous woe. Ay, God’s is what is in the heavens and the earth, He knows what ye are at; and the day ye shall be sent back to Him then He will inform you of what ye have done, for God all things doth know. 1 The Arabs in Mohammed’s time were superstitiously scrupulous about eating in any one’s house but their own. * That is, do not address the prophet without some respectful title. ,

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. Blessed be He who sent down the Discrimination to His servant that he might be unto the world a warner; whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and who has not taken to Himself a son, and who has no partner in His kingdom, and created everything, and then decreed it determinately! And they take beside Him gods who create not aught, but are themselves created, and cannot control for themselves harm or profit, and cannot control death, or life, or resurrection. [5] And those who misbelieve say, ‘This is nothing but a lie which he has forged, and another people hath helped him at it;’ but they have wrought an injustice and a falsehood. And they say, ‘Old folks’ tales, which he has got written down while they are dictated to him morning and evening.’ Say, ‘He sent it down who knows the secret in the heavens and the earth; verily, He is ever forgiving, merciful!’ | And they say, ‘What ails this prophet that he eats food and walks in the markets ?—unless there be sent down to him an angel and be a warner with him.... Or there be thrown to him a treasury,

* In Arabic Al Furq4n, which is one of the names of the Qur'an. G2 or he have a garden to eat therefrom....!’ and the unjust say,‘ Ye only follow an infatuated man, [10] See how they strike out for thee parables, and err, and cannot find a way. Blessed be He who, if He please, can make for thee better than that, gardens beneath which rivers flow, and can make for thee castles! Nay, but they call the Hour a lie; but we have prepared for those who call the Hour a lie a blaze: when it seizes them from a far-off place they shall hear its raging and roaring; and when they are thrown into a narrow place thereof, fastened together, they shall call there for destruction. [15] Call not to-day for one destruction, but call for many destructions! Say, ‘Is that better or the garden of eternity which was promised to those who fear—which is ever for them a recompense and a retreat ?? They. shall have therein what they please, to dwell therein for aye: that is of thy Lord a promise to be demanded. And the day He shall gather them and what they served beside God, and He shall say, ‘Was it ye who led my servants here astray, or did they err from the way ?’ |

They shall say, ‘Celebrated be Thy praise, it was not befitting for us to take any patrons but Thee; but Thou didst give them and their fathers enjoyment until they forgot the Reminder and were a lost people!’ [20] And now have they proved you liars for what ye say, and they! cannot ward off or help. * Another reading of the text is, ‘ ye cannot,’ And he of you who does wrong we will make him taste great torment. We have not sent before thee any messengers but that they ate food and walked in the markets; but we have made some of you a trial to others: will ye be patient? thy Lord doth ever look. And those who do not hope to meet us say, ‘ Unless the angels be sent down to us, or we see our Lord.....!' They are too. big with pride in their souls and they have exceeded with a great excess! The day they shall see the angels,—no glad tidings on that day for the sinners, and they shall say, ‘ It is rigorously forbidden?!’ [25] And we will go on to the works which they have done, and make them like motes in a sunbeam scattered! The fellows of Paradise on that day shall be in a better abiding-place and a better noonday rest.

The day the heavens shall be cleft asunder with the clouds, and the angels shall be sent down descending. The true kingdom on that day shall belong to the Merciful, and it shall. be a hard day for the misbelievers. And the day when the unjust shall bite his hands? and say, ‘O, would that I had taken a way with the Apostle?! [30] O, woe is me! would that I had 1 The ancient Arabs used this formula when they met an enemy during a sacred month, and the person addressed would then abstain from hostilities. The sinners in this passage are supposed to use it to the angels, but without effect. Some commentators take it to mean that the ‘glad tidings’ are ‘rigorously forbidden,’ and that the angels are the speakers. * See Chapter III, verse 115. ° That is, followed him. not taken such a one for a friend now, for he did lead me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me, for Satan leaves man in the lurch!’ The Apostle said, ‘O my Lord! verily, my people have taken this Qur’dn to be obsolete!’ Thus have we made for every prophet an enemy from among the sinners ; but thy Lord is good guide and helper enough.

Those who misbelieve said, ‘Unless the Qur’An be sent down to him all at once?....!’—thus—that we may stablish thy heart therewith, did we reveal it plecemeal*. [35] Nor shall they come to thee with a parable without our bringing thee the truth and the best interpretation. They who shall be gathered upon their faces to hell,—these are in the worst place, and err most from the path. And we did give to Moses the Book, and place with him his brother Aaron as a minister; and we said, ‘Go ye to the people who say our signs are lies, for we will destroy them with utter destruction.’ And the people of Noah, when they said the apostles were liars, we drowned them, and we made them a sign for men; and we prepared for the unjust a grievous woe. [40] And‘Ad and Thamid and the people of ar Rass *, and many generations between them. 1 Like the Pentateuch and Gospels, which were revealed all at once, according to the Mohammedan tradition. * Or it may be rendered, ‘slowly and distinctly ;’ the whole revelation of the Qur’an extends over a period of twenty-three years. * The commentators do not know where to place ar Rass; some say it was a city in Yamamah, others that it was a well near Midian, and others again that it was in ‘HadZramaut.

For each one have we struck out parables, and each one have we ruined with utter ruin. Why, they? have come past the cities which were rained on with an evil rain; have they not seen them ?—nay, they do not hope to be raised up again. And when they saw thee they only took thee for a jest, ‘Is this he whom God has sent as an apostle? he well-nigh leads us astray from our gods, had we not been patient about them.’ But they shall know, when they see the torment, who errs most from the path. [45] Dost thou consider him who takes his lusts for his god? wilt thou then be in charge over him? or dost thou reckon that most of them will hear or understand? they are only like the cattle, nay, they err more from the way. Hast thou not looked to thy Lord how He prolongs the shadow? but had He willed He would have made it stationary; then we make the sun a guide thereto, then we contract 1t towards us with an easy contraction. And He it is who made the night for a garment ; and sleep for repose, and made the day for men to rise up again. [50] And He it is who sent the winds with glad tidings before His mercy; and we send down from the heavens pure water, to quicken therewith the dead country, and to give it for drink to what we have created,—the cattle and many folk.

We have turned it? in various ways amongst them that they may remember; though most men 1 That is, the idolatrous Meccans; see Part I, p. 249, note 2. 2 That is, either the Qur’an, cf. Part II, p. 5, line 25; or the words may be rendered, ‘ We distribute it’ (the rain), &c. refuse aught but to misbelieve. But, had we pleased, we would have sent in every city a warner. So obey not the unbelievers and fight strenuously with them in many a strenuous fight. [55] He it is who has let loose the two seas, this one sweet and fresh, that one bitter and pungent, and has made between them a rigorous prohibition. And He it is who has created man from water, and has made for him blood relationship and marriage relationship ; for thy Lord is mighty. Yet they worship beside God what can neither profit them nor harm them; but he who misbelieves in his Lord backs up (the devil). | We have only sent thee to give glad tidings and to warn. Say,‘I ask you not for it a hire unless one please to take unto his Lord away!” [60] And rely thou upon the Living One who dies not; and celebrate His praise, for He knows well enough about the thoughts of His servants. He who created the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, in six days, and then made for the throne; the Merciful One, ask concerning Him of One who is aware.

And when it is said, ‘Adore ye the Merciful!’ they say, ‘What is the Merciful? shall we adore what thou dost order us?’ and it only increases their aversion. Blessed be He who placed in the heavens zodiacal signs, and placed therein the lamp and an illuminating moon! And He it is who made the night and the day * That is, that if a man chose to expend anything for the cause of God he can do so. alternating for him who desires to remember or who wishes to be thankful. And the servants of the Merciful are those who walk upon the earth lowly, and when the ignorant address them, say, ‘Peace!’ [65] And those who pass the night adoring their Lord and standing! ; and those who say, ‘O our Lord! turn from us the torment of hell; verily, its torments are persistent ; verily, they are evil as an abode and a station.’ And those who when they spend are neither extravagant nor miserly, but who ever take their stand between the two; and who call not upon another god with God; and kill not the soul which God has prohibited save deservedly?; and do not commit fornication: for he who does that shall meet with a penalty; doubled for him shall be the torment on the resurrection day, and he shall be therein for aye despised. [70] Save he who turns again and believes and does a righteous work ; for, as to those, God will change their evil deeds to good, for God is ever forgiving, merciful.

And he who turns again and does right, verily, he turns again to God repentant. And those who do not testify falsely; and when they pass by frivolous discourse, pass by it honour_ ably; and those who when they are reminded of the signs of their Lord do not fall down thereat deaf and blind; and those who say, ‘Our Lord! grant us from our wives and seed that which may cheer our eyes, and make us models to the pious!’ [75] These shall be rewarded with a high place? for that they were patient: and they shall meet * For prayer. ? See Part I, p. 135, notes. ° In Paradise. gO THE QURAN. XXV, 75-XXVI, 12. therein with salutation and peace,—to dwell therein for aye; a good abode and station shall it be! Say, ‘My Lord cares not for you though you should not call (on Him); and ye have called (the Apostle) a liar, but it shall be (a punishment) which ye cannot shake off.’ THE CHAPTER OF THE POoETs. (X XVI. Mecca.) In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. Z.S. M. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book; haply thou art vexing thyself to death that they will not be believers!

If we please we will send down upon them from the heaven a sign, and their necks shall be humbled thereto. But there comes not to them any recent Reminder from the Merciful One that they do not turn away from. [5] They have called (thee) liar! but there shall come to them a message of that at which they mocked. Have they not looked to the earth, how we caused to grow therein of every noble kind ? verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers! but, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful. And when thy Lord called Moses (saying), ‘Come to the unjust people, [10] to the people of Pharaoh, will they not fear?’ Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I fear that they will call me liar; and my breast is straitened, and my. tongue is not fluent; send then

unto Aaron}, for they have a crime against me, and I fear that they may kill me.’ Said He, ‘ Not so; but go with our signs, verily, we are with you listening. [15] ‘And go to Pharaoh and say, “ Verily, we are the apostles of the Lord of the worlds (to tell thee to) send with us the children of Israel.” ’ And he said, ‘ Did we not bring thee up amongst us asa child? and thou didst dwell amongst us for years of thy life; and thou didst do thy deed which thou hast done, and thou art of the ungrateful!’ Said he, ‘I did commit this, and I was of those who erred. [20] ‘And I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord granted me judgment, and made me one of His messengers ; and this is the favour thou hast obliged me with, that thou hast enslaved the children of Israel!’ Said Pharaoh, ‘ Who is the Lord of the worlds ?’ Said he, ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between the two, if ye are but sure. Said he to those about him, ‘Do ye not listen ?’ [25] Said he, ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore!’

Said he, ‘ Verily, your apostle who is sent to you is surely mad!’ Said he, ‘The Lord of the east and of the west, and of what is between the two, if ye had but sense!’ Said he, ‘If thou dost take a god besides Me I will surely make thee one of the imprisoned !’ Said he, ‘ What, if I come to thee with something obvious ?’ 1 That he may be my minister. * The slaying of the Egyptian. [30] Said he, ‘ Bring it, if thou art of those who tell the truth !’ | And he threw down his rod, and, behold, it was an obvious serpent! and he plucked out his hand, and, behold, it was white to the spectators! He! said to the chiefs around him, ‘ Verily, this is a knowing sorcerer, he desires to turn you out of your land! what is it then ye bid ?” [25] They said, ‘Give him and his brother some hope, and send into the cities to collect and bring to thee every knowing sorcerer.’ And the sorcerers assembled at the appointed time on a stated day, and it was said to the people, ‘Are ye assembled ? haply we may follow the sorcerers 1f we gain the upper hand.’ |

[40] And when the sorcerers came they said to Pharaoh, ‘Shall we, verily, have a hire if we gain the upper hand?’ Said he, ‘ Yes; and, verily, ye shall then be of those who are nigh (my throne). And Moses said to them, ‘ Throw down what ye have to throw down.’ So they threw down their ropes and their rods and said, ‘ By Pharaoh’s might, verily, we it is who shall gain the upper hand!’ And Moses threw down his rod, and, lo, it swallowed up what they falsely devised! [45] And the sorcerers threw themselves down, adoring. Said they, ‘We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron!’ Said he, ‘Do ye believe in Him ere I give you leave? Verily, he is your chief who has taught you sorcery, but soon ye shall know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you all together !’ [50] They said, ‘No harm; verily, unto our Lord do we return! verily, we hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, for we are the first of believers!’ And we inspired Moses, ‘Journey by night with my servants; verily, ye are pursued.’

And Pharaoh sent into the cities to collect; ‘Verily, these are a small company. [55] And, verily, they are enraged with us; but we are a multitude, wary! ‘Turn them out of gardens and springs, and treasuries, and a noble station!’—thus,—and we made the children of Israel to inherit them. [60] And they followed them at dawn; and when the two hosts saw each other, Moses’ companions said, ‘Verily, we are overtaken!’ Said he, ‘Not so; verily, with me is my Lord, He will guide me.’ And we inspired Moses, ‘ Strike with thy rod the sea; and it was cleft asunder, and each part was like a mighty mountain. And then we brought the others. [65] And we saved Moses and those with him all together; then we drowned the others; and that is a sign: but most of them will never be believers!| And, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful. And recite to them the story of Abraham; [70] when he said to his father and his people, ‘ What do ye serve?’ They said, ‘ We serve idols, and we are still devoted to them.’ He said, ‘Can they hear you when ye call, or profit you, or harm ?’

They said, ‘No; but we found our fathers doing thus.’ [75] He said, ‘Have ye considered what ye have been serving, ye and your fathers before you ? Verily, they are foes to me, save only the Lord of the worlds, who created me and guides me, and who - 94 THE QuR’AN. XXVI, 79-11r. gives me food and drink. [80] And when I am sick He heals me; He who will kill me, and then bring me to life; and who I hope will forgive me my sins on the day of judgment! Lord, grant me judgment, and let me reach the righteous; and give me a tongue of good report amongst posterity; [85] and make me of the heirs of the paradise of pleasure ; and pardon my father, verily, he is of those who err; and disgrace me not on the day when they are raised up again; the day when wealth shall profit not, nor sons, but only he who comes to God with a sound heart. [90] And paradise shall be brought near to the pious; and hell shall be brought forth to those who go astray, and it shall be said to them, “Where is what ye used to worship beside God ? can they help you, or get help themselves?” And they shall fall headlong into it, they and those who have gone astray, [95] and the hosts of Iblis all together !

‘They shall say, while they quarrel therein, “ By God! we were surely in an obvious error, when we made you equal to the Lord of the worlds! but it was only sinners who led us astray. [100] But we have no intercessors and no warm friend; but had we a turn we would be of the believers.” ’—Verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful. [105] The people of Noah said the apostles were liars, when their brother Noah said to them, ‘ Will ye not fear ? verily, I am a faithful apostle to you; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. [110] So fear God and obey me.’ They said, ‘Shall we believe in thee, when the reprobates follow thee?’ He said, ‘I did not know what they were doing; their account is only with my Lord, if ye but perceive. And I am not one to drive away the believers, [115] 1 am only a plain warner.’ They said, ‘ Verily, if thou desist not, O Noah! thou shalt surely be of those who are stoned!’ Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, my people call me liar ; open between me and between them an opening, and save me and those of the believers who are with me!’

So we saved him and those with him in the laden ark, [120] then we drowned the rest; verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful. ~ And ‘Ad called the apostles liars; when their brother Hid said to them, ‘Will ye not fear? [125] Verily, I am to you a faithful apostle ; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye build on every height a landmark in sport, and take to works that haply ye may be immortal ? [130] ‘And when ye assault ye assault like tyrants; but fear God and obey me; and fear Him who hath given you an extent of cattle and sons, and gardens and springs. [135] Verily, I fear for you the torment of a mighty day !’ They said, ‘It is the same to us if thou admonish or art not of those who do admonish; this is nothing but old folks’ fictions, for we shall not be tormented!’ And they called him liar! but we destroyed them. Verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never

be believers. [140] And, verily, thy Lord is mighty, merciful. Thamtid called the apostles liars; when their brother Zali‘h said to them, ‘Do ye not fear ? verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; so fear God and obey me. [145] I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Shall ye be left here in safety with gardens and springs, and corn-fields and palms, the spathes whereof are fine? and ye hew out of the mountains houses skilfully. [150] But fear God and obey me; and obey not the bidding of the extravagant, who do evil in the earth and do not act aright!’ They said, ‘ Thou art only of the infatuated; thou art but mortal like ourselves; so bring us a sign, if thou be of those who speak the truth!’ [155] He said, ‘This she-camel shall have her drink and you your drink on a certain day; but touch her not with evil, or there will seize you the torment of a mighty day!’ But they hamstrung her, and on the morrow they repented; and the torment seized them; verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers: but verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful. |

[160] The people of Lot called the apostles liars ; when their brother Lot said to them, ‘Do ye not fear ? verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. [165] Do ye approach males of all the world and leave what God your Lord has created for you of your wives? nay, but ye are people who transgress |’ They said, ‘Surely, if thou dost not desist, O Lot! thou shalt be of those who are expelled !’ Said he, ‘ Verily, I am of those who hate your deed; my Lord! save me and my people from what they do.’ [170] And we saved him and his people all together, except an old woman amongst those who lingered. Then we destroyed the others ; and we rained down upon them a rain; and evil was the rain of those who were warned. Verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers. [175] And, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful, compassionate. The fellows of the Grove! called the apostles liars; Sho'haib said to them, ‘Will ye not fear? verily, I am to you a faithful apostle, then fear God and obey me. [180] I de not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds.

Give good measure, and be not of those who diminish; and weigh with a fair balance, and do not cheat men of their goods ; and waste not the land, despoiling it ; and fear Him who created you and the races of yore!’ [185] Said they, ‘Thou art only of the infatuated; and thou art only a mortal like ourselves; and, verily, we think that thou art surely of the liars; so make a portion of the heaven to fall down upon us, if thou art of those who tell the truth!’

Said he, ‘ My Lord knows best what ye do!’ but they called him liar, and the torment of the day of the shadow seized them; for it was the torment of a mighty day: [190] verily, in that is a sign; but * See Part I, p. 249, note:3. [9] iH most of them will never be believers; but, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful ! And, verily, it! is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds; the Faithful Spirit. came down with it? upon thy heart, that thou shouldst be of those who warn ;—{195] in plain Arabic language, and, verily, it is (foretold) in the scriptures of yore! Have they not a sign, that the learned men of the children of Israel recognise it?? Had we sent it down to any barbarian, and he had read it to them, they would not have believed therein. [200] Thus have we made for it* a way into the hearts of the sinners; they will not believe therein until they see the grievous woe! and it shall come to them suddenly while they do not perceive! They will say, ‘Shall we be respited ?>—What! do they wish to hasten on our torment ?’

[205] What thinkest thou? if we let them enjoy themselves for years, and then there come to them what they are threatened, that will not avail them which they had to enjoy! But we do not destroy any city without its having warners as a reminder, for we are never unjust. [210] The devils did not descend therewith ; it is not fit work for them; nor are they able to do it. Verily, they are deposed from listening®; call not then with God upon other gods, or thou wilt be of the tormented; but warn thy clansmen who are near of kin. [215] And lower® thy wing to those of the believers who follow thee; but if they rebel against thee, say. ‘Verily, I am clear of what ye © 1 The Qur'an, 2 The angel Gabriel. | > The Qur'an. * Infidelity. ® See Part I, p. go. 6 See Part I, p. 250, note 2, XXVIi, 216_XXVII, 4. THE CHAPTER OF THE ANT. 99 do,’ and rely thou upon the mighty, merciful One, who sees thee when thou dost stand up, and thy posturing amongst those who adore. [220] Verily, He both hears and knows! Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend ? they descend upon every sinful liar, and impart what they have heard?; but most of them are liars. _ And the poets do those follow who go astray! [225] Dost thou not see that they wander distraught in every vale ? and that they say that which they do not do? save those who believe, and do right, and remember God much, and defend themselves after they are wronged; but those who do wrong shall know with what a turn they shall be turned ®.

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. | Z.S. Those are the signs of the Qur’An and the perspicuous Book; a guidance and glad tidings to the believers, who are steadfast at prayer, and give alms, and of the hereafter are sure; verily, those who believe not in the hereafter we have made seemly for them their works, and they shall wander * Or, it may be thy going to and fro amongst believers, as Mohammed is reported to have done one night, to see what they were about, and he found the whole settlement ‘buzzing like a hornet’s nest with the sound of the recitation of the Qur’4n and of their prayers.’ * That is, by listening at the door of heaven; see Part I, Pp. 50, note 2. * That is, in what condition they shall be brought before God. blindly on! [5] These are they who shall have an evil torment, and they in the hereafter shall be those who most lose! Verily, thou dost meet with this Qur'an from the wise, the knowing One! When Moses said to his people, ‘ Verily, I perceive a fire, I will bring you therefrom news; or I will bring you a burning brand; haply ye may be warmed. But when he came to it he was called to, ‘Blessed be He who is in the fire, and he who is about it! and celebrated be the praises of God, the Lord of the worlds!

O Moses! verily, I am God, the mighty, wise; [10] throw down thy staff!’ and when he saw it quivering, as though it were a snake, he turned back fleeing, and did not return. ‘O Moses! fear not; verily, as for me—apostles fear not with me; save only those who have done wrong and then substitute good for evil; for, verily, I] am forgiving, merciful! but put thy hand in thy bosom, it shall come forth white without hurt ;—one of nine signs to Pharaoh and his people; verily, they are a people who act abominably.’

And when our signs came to them visibly, they said, ‘ This is obvious sorcery!’ and they gainsaid them—though their souls made sure of them— unjustly, haughtily; but, behold what was the end of the evildoers! [15] And we gave David and Solomon knowledge ; and they both said, ‘ Praise belongs to God, who hath preferred us over many of His servants who believe !’ And Solomon was David’s heir; and said, ‘O ye folk! we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given are verily, this is an obvious grace!’ XXVIT, 17-28. THE CHAPTER OF THE ANT. Tort And assembled for Solomon were his hosts of the ginns, and men, and birds, and they were marshalled ; until they came upon the valley of the ants. Said an ant, ‘O ye ants! go into your dwellings, that Solomon and his hosts crush you not while they do not perceive.’ And he smiled, laughing at her speech, and said, ‘O Lord! excite me to be thankful for Thy favour, wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do righteousness which may please Thee ; and make me enter into Thy mercy amongst Thy righteous servants !’ |

[20] And he reviewed the birds, and said, ‘ How is it I see not the hoopoe ? is he then amongst the absent? I will surely torment him with a severe torment; or I will surely slaughter him; or he shall bring me obvious authority.’ And he tarried not long, and said, ‘I have compassed what ye compassed not; for I bring you from Seba! a sure information: verily, I found a woman ruling over them, and she was given all things, and she had a mighty throne; and I found her and her people adoring the sun instead of God, for Satan had made seemly to them their works, and turned them from the path, so that they are not guided. [25] Will they not adore God who brings forth the secrets in the heavens, and knows what they hide and what they manifest >—God, there is no god but He, the Lord of the mighty throne!’ Said he, ‘We will see whether thou hast told the truth, or whether thou art of those who lie. Go with this my letter and throw it before them, * The Sheba of the Bible, in the south of the Arabian peninsula.

then turn back away from them, and see what they ‘return.’ Said she, ‘O ye chiefs! verily, a noble letter has been thrown before me. [30] It is from Solomon, and, verily, it is, “In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. Do not rise up against me, but come to me resigned!”’ She said, ‘O ye chiefs! pronounce sentence for me in my affair. I never decide an affair until ye testify for me.’ They said, ‘We are endowed with strength, and endowed with keen violence; but the bidding is thine, see then what it is that thou wilt bid,’ She said, ‘Verily, kings when they enter a city despoil it, and make the mighty ones of its people the meanest; thus it is they do! [35] So, verily, Iam going to send to them a gift, and will wait to see with what the messengers return.’ And when he came to Solomon, he said, ‘ Do ye proffer me wealth, when what God has given me is better than what He has given you? nay, ye in your gifts rejoice! return to them, for we will surely come to them with hosts which they cannot confront; and we will surely drive them out therefrom mean and made small!’

Said he, ‘O ye chiefs! which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me resigned ?’ Said a demon of the ginns, ‘I will bring thee it before thou canst rise up from thy place, for I therein am strong and faithful.’ [40] He who had the knowledge of the Book! said, ‘I will bring it to thee before thy glance can * The commentators are uncertain as to whether this was >Azaf, Solomon’s prime minister, or whether it was the prophet ‘Hidsr, or the angel Gabriel, or, indeed, Solomon himself. turn. And when he saw it settled down beside him, he said, ‘This is of my Lord’s grace, that He may try me whether | am grateful or ungrateful, and he who is grateful is only grateful for his own soul, and he who is ungrateful,—verily, my Lord is rich and generous.’ Said he, ‘ Disguise for her her throne; let us see whether she is guided, or whether she is of those who are not guided.’ And when she came it was said, ‘Was thy throne like this?’ She said, mae might be it;’ and we were given knowledge betore her, but we were resigned’.

But that which she served beside God turned her away; verily, she was of the unbelieving people. And it was said to her, ‘ Enter the court ;’ and when she saw it, she reckoned it to be an abyss of water, and she uncovered her legs. Said he, ‘ Verily, it is a court paved with glass!’ [45] Said she, ‘My Lord! verily, I have wronged myself, but I am resigned with Solomon to God the Lord of the worlds!’ And we sent unto Thamdd their brother Zalrh, ‘Serve God;’ but behold, they were two parties who contended ! Said he, ‘O my people! why do ye hasten on evil acts before good deeds? why do ye not ask forgiveness of God? haply ye may obtain mercy.’ They said, ‘We have taken an augury concerning thee and those who are with thee.’ Said he, ‘ Your augury is in God’s hands; nay, but ye are a people who are tried!’ 1 Commentators differ as to whether the last words are to be taken as the conclusion of the Queen of Sheba’s speech, or as Solomon's comment upon it. 104 | THE QUR'AN. ~ — - XXVII, 49-61. And there were in the city nine persons who despoiled the land and did not right. [50] Said they, ‘Swear to each other by God, we will surely fall on him by night and on his people; then we will surely say unto his next of kin, “We witnessed not the destruction of his people, and we do surely tell the truth!”’ And they plotted a plot, and we plotted a plot, but they did not perceive. Behold, how was the end of their plot, that we destroyed them and their people all together!

Thus are their houses overturned, for that they were unjust; verily, in that is a sign to people who do know! But we saved those who believed and who did fear. [55] And Lot when he said to his people, ‘ Do ye approach an abominable sin while ye can see ? do ye indeed approach men lustfully rather than women? nay! ye are a people who are ignorant.’ But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘Drive out Lot's family from your city! verily, they are a folk who would keep pure?’ But we saved him and _ his family except his wife, her we destined to be of those who lingered ; and we rained down upon them rain, and evil was the rain of those who were warned. [60] Say, ‘ Praise belongs to God: and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen! Is God best, or what they associate with Him?’ He who created the heavens and the earth ; and sends down upon you from the heaven water; and we cause to grow therewith gardens fraught with beauty ; ye could not cause the trees thereof to grow! Is there a god with God? nay, but they are a people

who make peers with Him! He who made the earth, settled, and placed amongst it rivers; and placed upon it firm mountains; and placed between the two seas a barrier; is there a god with God? nay, but most of them know not! He who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him and removes the evil; and makes you successors in the earth; is there a god with God? little is it that ye are mindful. He who guides you in the darkness, of the land and of the sea; and who sends winds as glad tidings before His mercy; is there a god with God? exalted be God above what they associate with Him! [65] He who began the creation and then will make it return again; and who provides you from the heaven and the earth; is there a god with God? so bring your proofs if ye do speak the truth! Say, ‘None in the heavens or the earth know the unseen save only God; but they perceive not when they shall be raised!’ —nay, but their knowledge attains to somewhat of the hereafter; nay, but they are in doubt concerning it! nay, but they are blind!

And those who disbelieved said, ‘What! when we have become dust and our fathers too, shall we indeed be brought forth? [70] We were promised this, we and our fathers before us, this is nothing but old folks’ tales!’ Say, ‘Journey on through the land and see how was the end of the sinners! and grieve not for them, and be not straitened at what they plot.’ They say, ‘When shall this threat be if ye do tell the truth?’ Say, ‘It may be that there is pressing close behind you a part of what ye would hasten on!’ [75] But, verily, thy Lord is full of grace to men, but most of them will not be thankful : and, verily, thy Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they manifest; and there is no secret thing in the heaven or the earth, save that it is in the perspicuous Book! Verily, this Qur’4n relates to the people of Israel most of that whereon they do dispute ; and, verily, it is a guidance and a mercy to the believers. [80] Verily, thy Lord decides between them by His judgment, for He is mighty, knowing. Rely thou then upon God, verily, thou art standing on obvious truth. Verily, thou canst not make the dead to hear, and thou canst not make the deaf to hear the call when they turn their backs on thee; nor art thou a guide to the blind, out of their error: thou canst only make to hear such as believe in our signs, and such as are resigned.

And when the sentence falls upon them we will bring forth a beast out of the earth that shall speak to them, (and say) that, ‘Men of our signs would not be sure.’ [85] And the day when we will gather from every nation a troop of those who said our signs were lies; and they shall be marshalled; until they come, and He will say, ‘Did ye say my signs were lies, when ye had compassed no knowledge thereof? or what is it that ye were doing?’ and the sentence shall fall upon them for that they did wrong, and they shall not have speech. Did they not see that we have made the night for them to rest in, and the day to see by ? verily, in that are signs to people who believe. And the day when the trumpet shall be blown and all who are in the heavens and the earth shall be startled, save whom God pleases! and all shall come abjectly to Him. [90] And thou shalt see the mountains, which thou dost deem solid, pass away like the passing of the clouds ;—the work of God who orders all things; verily, He is well aware of what ye do!

He who brings a good deed shall have better than it; and from the alarm of that day they shall be safe: but those who bring an evil deed shall be thrown down upon their faces in the fire. Shall ye be rewarded save for what ye have done ? I am bidden to serve the Lord of this country who has made it sacred, and whose are all things ; and I am bidden to be of those who are resigned, and to recite the Qur'an; and he who is guided he is only guided for himself; and he who errs,— say, ‘I am only of those who warn!’ [95] And say, ‘Praise be to God, He will show you His signs, and ye shall recognise them; for thy Lord is not heedless of what ye do!’ due GHAPTER OF THE STORY.

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. T. S. M. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book; we recite to thee from the history of Moses and Pharaoh in truth unto a people who believe. Verily, Pharaoh was lofty in the land and made the people thereof sects; one party of them he weakened, slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. Verily, he was of the despoilers. And we wished to be gracious to those who were weakened in the earth, and to make them models, and to make them the heirs; [5] and to establish for them in the earth; and to show Pharaoh and Haman? and their hosts what they had to beware of from them. And we inspired the mother of Moses, ‘Suckle him ; and when thou art afraid for him then throw him into the river, and fear not and grieve not; verily, we are going to restore him to thee, and to make him of the apostles!’ And Pharaoh’s family picked him up that he might be for them a foe and a grief; verily, Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were sinners. And Pharaoh’s wife said, ‘He is a cheering of the eye to me, and to thee. Kill him not; it may be that he will profit us, or that we may take him for a son; for they did not perceive.

And the heart of Moses’ mother was void on the morrow’; she well-nigh disclosed him, had it not been that we bound up her heart that she might be of the believers. [10] And she said to his sister, ‘Follow him up.’ And she looked after him from afar, and they did not perceive. And we made unlawful for him the wet-nurses*. And she said, ‘Shall I guide you to * Haman, according to the Qur’an, is made out to be the prime minister of Pharaoh. * Either devoid of patience, according to some, or of anxiety, according to others, or it may be to everything but the thought of Moses. , * That is, Moses was made to refuse the breast of the Egyptian woman before his sister came to offer her services, and point out a nurse who would rear him. the people of a house who will take care of him for you, and who will be sincere respecting him ?’ So we restored him to his mother that her eye might be cheered, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of God is true, though most of them know not.

And when he reached puberty, and was settled, we gave him judgment and knowledge; for thus do we reward those who do well. And he entered into the city at the time the people thereof were heedless, and he found therein two men fighting; the one of his sect and the other of his foes. And he who was of his sect asked his aid against him who was of his foes; and Moses smote him with his fist and finished him. Said he, ‘This is of the work of Satan, verily, he is a misleading obvious foe.’ [15] Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I have wronged my soul, but forgive me. So He forgave him; for He is forgiving and merciful. Said he, ‘My Lord! for that Thou hast been gracious to me, I will surely not back up the sinners.’ And on the morrow he was afraid in the city, expectant. And behold, he whom he had helped the day before cried (again) to him for aid. Said Moses to him, ‘ Verily, thou art obviously quarrelsome. And when he wished to assault him who was the enemy to them both, he said, ‘O Moses! dost thou desire to kill me as thou didst kill a person yesterday ? thou dost only desire to be a tyrant in the earth; and thou dost not desire to be of those who do right!’ And a man came from the remote parts of the city running, said he, ‘O Moses! verily, the chiefs are deliberating concerning thee to kill

thee; go then forth ; verily, I am to you a sincere adviser !’ [20] So he went forth therefrom, afraid and expectant. Said he, ‘Lord, save me from the unjust people !’ And when he turned his face in the direction of Midian, he said, ‘It may be that my Lord will guide me to a level path!’ And when he went down to the water of Midian he found thereat a nation of people watering their flocks. And he found beside them two women keeping back their flocks. Said he, ‘What is your design ?’ They said, ‘We cannot water our flocks until the herdsmen have finished; for our father is a very old man. So he watered for them; then he turned back towards the shade and said, ‘My Lord! verily, I stand in need of what Thou sendest down to me of good.’ [25] And one of the two came to him walking modestly; said she, ‘ Verily, my father calls thee, to reward thee with hire for having watered our flocks for us.. And when he came to him and related to him the story, said he, ‘Fear not, thou art safe from the unjust people.’ Said one of them, “O my site! lire him; verily, the best of those whom thou canst hire is the strong and faithful.’

Said he, ‘Verily, I desire to marry thee to one of these daughters of mine, on condition that thou dost serve me for hire eight years; and if thou shalt fulfil ten it is of thyself; for I do not wish to make it wretched for thee; thou wilt find me, if it please God, of the righteous!’ Said he, ‘That is between you and me; whichever of the two terms I fulfil, let there be no enmity against me, for God over what we say keeps guard.’ And when Moses had fulfilled the appointed time, and was journeying with his people, he perceived from the side of the mountain a fire; said he to his people, ‘Tarry ye here; verily, I have perceived a fire, haply I may bring you good news therefrom, or a brand of fire that haply ye may be warmed 1.’ [30] And when he came to it he was called to, from the right side of the wady, in the blessed valley, out of the tree, ‘O Moses! verily, I am God the Lord of the worlds; so throw down thy rod;’ and when he saw it quivering as though it were a snake, he turned away and fled and did not return. ‘O Moses! approach and fear not, verily, thou art amongst the safe. Thrust thy hand into thy bosom, it shall come out white, without hurt; and then fold again thy wing, that thou dost now stretch out through dread; for those are two signs from thy Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs; verily, they are a people who work abomination !’

Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I have killed a person amongst them, and I fear that they will kill me: and my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent of tongue than I; send him then with me as a support, to verify me;-verily, I fear that they will call me liar!’ [35] Said He, ‘We will strengthen thine arm with thy brother; and we will make for you both authority, and they shall not reach you in our signs ; ye two and those who follow you shall gain the upper hand.’ And when Moses came to them with our manifest signs, they said, ‘This is only sorcery devised ; 1 See Part II, p. 35, note 1. and we have not heard of this amongst our fathers of yore.’ Moses said, ‘My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and whose shall be the issue of the abode. Verily, the unjust shall not prosper !’ And Pharaoh said, ‘O ye chiefs! I do not know any god for you except me; then set fire, O Haman! to some clay and make for me a tower, haply I may mount up to the God of Moses; for, verily, I think he is of those who lie!’

And he grew big with pride, he and his armies in the land, without right; and they thought that they to us should not return. [40] And we overtook him and his army, and we flung them into the sea; behold, then, how was the end of the unjust! But we made them models calling to the fire; and on the resurrection day they shall not be helped; and we followed them up in this world with a curse; and on the resurrection day they shall be abhorred! And we gave Moses the Book, after that we had destroyed the former generations, as an insight to men and a guidance and a mercy; haply they may be mindful! Thou wast not upon the western side when we decided for Moses, but afar off; nor wast thou of the witnesses. [45] But we raised up (other) generations, and life was prolonged for them; and thou wast not staying amidst the people of Midian, reciting to them our signs; but we were sending our apostles. Nor wast thou by the side of the mountain when we called; but it is a mercy from thy Lord, that thou mayest warn a people to whom no warner has come before thee; haply they may be mindful! And lest there should befall them a mishap for what their hands have sent before, and they should say, ‘Our Lord! why didst thou not send to us an apostle ? for we would have followed thy signs and been of the believers.’

And when the truth comes to them from us they say, ‘We are given the like of what Moses was given. Did they not disbelieve in what Moses was given before ?—they say, ‘Two works of sor_ cery' back up each other ;’ and they say, ‘ Verily, we do disbelieve in all.’ " Say, ‘Bring, then, a book from God which shall be a better guide than both, and I will follow it, if ye do tell the truth!’ [50] And if they cannot answer thee, then know that they follow their own lusts ; and who is more in error than he who follows his own lust without guidance from God? verily, God guides not an unjust people! And we caused the word to reach them, haply they may be mindful! Those to whom we gave the Book before it, they believe therein; and when it is recited to them they say, ‘ We believe in it as truth from our Lord; verily, we were resigned before it came!’ These shall be given their hire twice over, for that they were patient, and repelled evil with good, and of what we have bestowed upon them give alms. [55] And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say, ‘We have our works, and ye

1 That is, the Pentateuch and Qur’4n. have your works. Peace be upon you! we do not seek the ignorant!’ Verily, thou canst not guide whom thou dost like, but God guides whom He pleases; for He knows best who are to be guided. And they say, ‘If we follow the guidance we shall be snatched away from the land.’ Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary, to which are imported the fruits of everything as a provision from us? but most of them do not know. How many a city have we destroyed that exulted in its means of subsistence? These are their dwellings, never dwelt in after them, except a little ; for we were the heirs. But thy Lord would never destroy cities until He sent to the metropolis thereof an apostle, to recite to them our signs; nor would we destroy cities unless their people were unjust. [60] Whatever thing ye may be given, it is a provision for this world’s life and the adornment thereof; but what is with God is better and more enduring; have ye then no sense? Is He to whom we have promised a goodly promise, which he shall meet with, like him to whom we have given the enjoyment of the life of this world, and who upon the resurrection day shall be of the arraigned ?

And on the day when He will call them and will say, ‘Where are those associates which ye did pretend?’ And those against whom the sentence is due shall say, ‘Our Lord! these are those whom we have seduced; we seduced them as we were seduced ourselves: but we clear ourselves to thee ;—they did not worship us!’ And it will be said, ‘Call upon your partners;’ and they will call upon them, but they will not answer them, and they shall see the torment ; would that they had been guided. [65] And the day when Heshall call them and shall say, ‘ What was it ye answered the apostles ?’ and the history shall be blindly confusing to them on that day, and they shall not ask each other. But, as for him who turns again and believes and does right, it may be that he will be among the prosperous. For thy Lord creates what He pleases and chooses ; they have not the choice! Celebrated be the praise of God! and exalted be He above what they associate with Him ! Thy Lord knows what they conceal in their breasts and what they manifest. [70] He is God, there is no god but He; to Him belongs praise, in the first and the last; and His is the judgment ; and unto Him shall ye return!

Have ye considered, if God were to make for you the night endless until the resurrection day, who is the god, but God, to bring you light ? can ye not then hear ? Say, ‘Have ye considered, if God were to make for you the day endless until the day of judgment, who is the god, except God, to bring you the night to rest therein can ye not tien see «+ “but of 111s mercy He has made for you the night and the day, that ye may rest therein, and crave of His grace, haply ye may give thanks. And the day when He shall call them and shall say, ‘Where are my partners whom ye did pretend ?’ [75] And we will pluck from every nation a witness ; and we will say, ‘Bring your proof and know that the truth is God’s ;’ and that which they had devised shall stray away from them. Verily, Korah! was of the people of Moses, and he was outrageous against them; and we gave him treasuries of which the keys would bear down a band of men endowed with strength. When his people said to him, ‘Exult not; verily, God loves not those who exult! but crave, through what God has given thee, the future abode; and forget not thy portion in this world, and do good, as God has done good to thee; and seek not evil doing in the earth; verily, God loves not the evildoers !'

Said he, ‘I have only been given it for knowledge which I have!’ did he not know that God had destroyed before him many generations of those who were stronger than he, and had amassed more ? But the sinners need not to be asked concerning their crimes. And he went out amongst the people in his ornaments; those who desired the life of this world said, ‘O would that we had the like of what Korah has been given! verily, he is endowed with mighty fortune !’ [80] But those who had been given knowledge said, ‘Woe to you! the reward of God is better for him who believes and does right; but none shall meet with it except the patient. And we clave the earth with him and with his house; and he had no troop to help him against God, nor was he of those who were helped!’ And on the morrow those who had yearned for 1 In Arabic Qarfin. The legend based upon Talmudic tradition | of Korah’s immense wealth appears to be also confused with that of Croesus. SXVIIT, 8o—-XXIX. 1. THE CHAPTER OF THE SPIDER. EL7 his place the day before said, ‘Ah, ah! God extends provision to whom He pleases of His servants, or He doles it out; had not God been gracious to us, the earth would have cleft open with us! Ah, ah! the unbelievers shall not prosper !’

That is the future abode; we make it for those who do not wish to be haughty in the earth, nor to do evil, and the end is for the pious. He who brings a good deed shall have better than it; and he who brings an evil deed—those who do evil deeds shall only be rewarded for that which they have done. [85] Verily, He who hath ordained the Qur’an for thee will restore thee to thy returning place. Say, ‘My Lord knows best who brings guidance, and who is in obvious error; nor couldst thou hope that the Book would be thrown to thee, save as a mercy from thy Lord! be not then a backer up of those who misbelieve ; and let them not turn thee from the signs of God, after they have been sent down to thee; but call unto thy Lord and be not of the idolaters; and call not with God upon any other god; there is no god but He! everything is perishable, except His face ; His is the judgment, and unto Him shall ye return! THe CHAPTER OF THE SPIDER. (X XIX. Mecca.) In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

A. L. M. Do men then reckon that they will be left alone to say, ‘We believe, and not be tried? we did try those who were before them, and God will surely know those who are truthful, and He will surely know the liars. Do those who do evil reckon that they can outstrip us ? evil is it that they judge. He who hopes for the meeting of God,—verily, God’s appointed time will come ; and He both hears and knows! [5] And he who fights strenuously, fights strenuously only for his own soul; verily, God is independent of the worlds. Those who believe and do right, we will surely cover for them their offences; and we will surely reward them with better than that which they have done. And we have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; and if they strive with thee that thou mayest join with me, what thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not; to me is your return, and I will inform you of that which ye have done. But those who believe and do right, we will make them enter amongst the righteous. And there are those among men who say, ‘ We believe in God!’ but when they are hurt in God's cause, they deem the trials of men like the torment of God; but if help come from thy Lord they will say, ‘Verily, we were with you!’ does not God know best what is in the breasts of the worlds? [10] God will surely know those who believe, and will surely know the hypocrites.

And those who misbelieved said to those who believed, ‘ Follow our path, we will bear your sins ;’ but they could not bear their sins at all; verily, they are liars! But they shall surely bear their own burdens, and burdens with their burdens ; and

they shall surely be asked upon the resurrection day concerning what they did devise. _ And we sent Noah to his people, and he dwelt among them for a thousand years save fifty years ; and the deluge overtook them while they were unjust: but we saved him and the fellows of the ark, and we made it a sign unto the worlds. And Abraham when he said to his people, ‘Serve God and fear Him, that is better for you if ye did but know. [15] Ye only serve beside God idols and do create a lie; verily, those whom ye serve beside God cannot control for themselves provision; then crave provision with God, and serve Him, and give thanks to Him; unto Him shall ye return! And if ye say it is a lie, nations before you called (the apostles) liars too; but an apostle has only his plain message to preach !’ Have they not seen how God produces the creation, and then turns it back ? verily, that to God is easy. Say, ‘Journey ye on in the land, and behold how the creation appeared; then God produces another production: verily, God is mighty over all!’

[20] He torments whom He will, and has mercy on whom He will; and unto Him shall ye be returned. Nor can ye make Him helpless in the earth, nor in the heavens; nor have ye beside God a patron or a helper. And those who disbelieve in God's signs and in meeting with Him, these shall despair of my mercy; and these, for them is grievous woe. But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘Kill him or burn him!’ But God saved him from the fire; verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe. | He said, ‘ Verily, ye take beside God _ idols, through mutual friendship in the life of this world ; then on the day of judgment ye shall deny each other, and shall curse each other, and your resort shall be the fire, and ye shall have none to help.’ [25] And Lot believed him. And (Abraham) said, ‘Verily, I flee unto my Lord! Verily, He is mighty, wise! and we granted him Isaac and Jacob; and we placed in his seed prophecy and the Book ; and we gave him his hire in this world; and, verily, he in the next shall be among the righteous.’

And Lot when he said to his people, ‘ Verily, ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in! What! do ye approach men ? and stop folks on the highway ? and approach in your assembly sin ?’ but the answer of his people was only to say, ‘ Bring us God’s torment, if thou art of those who speak the truth!’ Said he, ‘My Lord! help me against a people who do evil!’ 30| And when our messengers came to Abraham with the glad tidings, they said, ‘We are about to destroy the people of this city. Verily, the people thereof are wrong-doers.’ Said he, ‘Verily, in it is Lot ;’ they said, ‘We know best who is therein; we shall of a surety save him and his people, except his wife, who is of those who linger. And when our messengers came to Lot, he was vexed for them, and his arm was straitened for them; and they said, ‘ Fear not, neither grieve ; we are about to save thee and thy people, except thy wife, who is of those who linger. Verily, we are about to send down upon the people of this city a horror from heaven, for that they have sinned ; and we have left therefrom a manifest sign unto a people who have sense.’

[35] And unto Midian we sent their brother Sho’hdib, and he said, ‘My people, serve God, and hope for the last day ; and waste not the land, despoiling it.’ But they called him liar; and the convulsion seized them, and on the morrow they lay in their dwellings prone. And ‘Ad and Thamid—but it is plain to you from their habitations; for Satan made seemly to them their works, and turned them from the way, sagacious though they were! And Korah and Pharaoh and Haman—Moses did come to them with manifest signs, but they were too big with pride in the earth, although they could not outstrip us ! And each of them we seized in his sin; and of them were some against whom we sent a sandstorm; and of them were some whom the noise seized; and of them were some with whom we cleaved the earth open; and of them were some we drowned: God would not have wronged them, but it was themselves they wronged. [40] The likeness of those who take, beside God, patrons is as the likeness of a spider, that takes to himself a house; and, verily, the weakest of houses is a spider’s house, if they did but know !

Verily, God knows whatever thing they call upon beside Him; for He is the mighty, wise. These are parables which we have struck out 122 , THE QUR'AN. XXIX, 42-z2. for men; but none will understand them, save those who know. God created the heavens and the earth in truth ; verily, in this is a sign unto believers. Recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book; and be steadfast in prayer; verily, prayer forbids sin and wrong; and surely the mention of God is greater; for God knows what ye do. [45] And do not wrangle with the people of the Book, except for what is better; save with those who have been unjust amongst them and who say, ‘We believe in what is sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one, and we are unto Him resigned.’ Thus did we send down to thee the Book; and every one to whom we have given the Book believes therein. But these will not believe therein; though none gainsay our signs except the misbelievers. Thou couldst not recite before this any book, nor write it with thy right hand, for in that case those who deem it vain would have doubted. Nay, but it is evident signs in the breasts of those who are endued with knowledge, and none but the unjust would gainsay our signs!

They say, ‘ Unless there be sent down upon him signs from his Lord —;’ say, ‘Verily, signs are with God, and, verily, I am an obvious warner !’ [50] Is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which thou dost recite to them ? verily, in that is a mercy and a reminder to a people who believe. Say, ‘God is witness enough between me and you; He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and those who believe in falsehood and misbelieve in God, they shall be the losers.’ They will wish thee to hasten on the torment; but were it not for a stated and appointed time, the torment would have come upon them suddenly, while yet they did not perceive. They will wish thee to hurry on the torment, but, verily, hell encompasses the misbelievers ! [55] On the day when the torment shall cover them from above them and from beneath their feet, and He shall say, ‘Taste that which ye have done!’ O my servants who believe! verily, my land is spacious enough?!; me therefore do ye worship. Every soul must taste of death, then unto us shall ye return; and those who believe and act aright, we will surely inform them of upper chambers in Paradise, beneath which rivers flow; to dwell therein for aye—pleasant is the hire of those who work! those who are patient and rely upon their Lord!

[60] How many a beast cannot carry its own provision! God provides for it and for you; He both hears and knows! | And if thou shouldst ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth, and subjected the sun and the moon ?’ they will surely say, ‘God!’ how then can they lie? God extends provision to whomsoever He will of His servants, or doles it out to him; verily, God all things doth know. And if thou shouldst ask them, ‘Who sends down from the heavens water and quickens therewith the * T.e. if you are pressed in Mecca, there are plenty of places where you can take shelter, as Mohammed himself and a few of his followers did at Medinah. Eo4 THE QUR'AN. XXIX, 63-XXX, 2. earth in its death ?’ they will surely say, ‘God!’ say, ‘And praise be to God!’ nay, most of them have no sense. | This life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play; but, verily, the abode of the next world, that is life-—if they did but know! [65] And when they ride in the ship they call upon God, making their religion seem sincere to Him; but when He saves them to the shore, behold, they associate others with Him; that they may disbelieve in our signs; and that they may have some enjoyment: but soon they shall know.

Have they not seen that we have made a safe sanctuary whilst people are being snatched away around them ? is it then in falsehood that they will believe, and for the favours of God be ungrateful ? But who is more unjust than he who devises against God a lie, or calls the truth a lie when it comes to him? Is there not in hell a resort for the misbelievers ? but those who fight strenuously for us we will surely guide them into our way, for, verily, God is with those who do well. THE CHAPTER OF THE GREEKS}. (XX Mecca) In the name of the merciful and compassionate The Greeks are overcome in the nighest parts of the land; but after being overcome they shall * In Arabic Rim, by which is meant the Byzantine or eastern Roman empire.

overcome’ in a few years; to God belongs the order before and after; and on that day the believers shall rejoice in the help of God ;—God helps whom He will, and He is mighty, merciful. [5]God’s promise !—God breaks not His promise, but most men do not know! They know the outside of this world’s life, but of the hereafter they are heedless. Have they not reflected in themselves, that God created not the heavens and the earth, and what is between the two except in truth, and for a stated and appointed time ? but, verily, many men in the meeting of their Lord do disbelieve. Have they not journeyed on in the land and seen how was the end of those before them who were stronger than they, and who turned up the ground and cultivated it more than they do cultivate it ? and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs; for God would never wrong them: it was themselves they wronged! Then evil was the end of those who did evil, in that they said the signs of God were lies and mocked thereat. * About the beginning of the sixth year before the Higrah the Persians conquered Syria, and made themselves masters also of Palestine, and took Jerusalem. The Greeks were so distressed by their defeat that there appeared little likelihood of their being able to retrieve their fortune, and in the following year the Persians proceeded to lay siege to Constantinople itself.

In the year 625 a.p., however, the fourth year before the Higrah, the Greeks gained a signal victory over the Persians, and not only drove them out of the borders of the Byzantine empire, but carried the war into Persian territory, and despoiled the city of Medayen. It is the defeat which is alluded to in this passage, and the subsequent victory that is prophesied, the date of the chapter being ascribed to the period -when the Persians took Jerusalem.

[to] God produces a creation, then He makes it go back again, then unto Him shall ye return. And on the day when the Hour shall rise, the sinners shall be confused ; and they shall not have amongst their partners intercessors; and their partners shall they deny. And on the day when the Hour shall rise, on that day shall they be scattered apart; and as for those who believe and do right, they in the garden shall be joyful; [15] and as for those who misbelieved and said our signs and the meeting of the hereafter were lies, they shall be in the torment arraigned. Celebrated be the praises of God, when ye are in the evening and when ye are in the morning! for to Him belongs praise in the heavens and the earth! and at the evening, and when ye are at noon. He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living; and He quickens the earth after its death, and thus shall ye too be brought forth. And of His signs is this, that He hath created you from dust; then, behold, ye are mortals who are spread abroad.

[20] And of His signs is this, that He hath created for you of yourselves wives with whom ye may cohabit; He has made between you affection and pity. Verily, in that are signs unto a people who reflect. And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours; verily, in that are signs unto the worlds?. 1 Or, according to another reading, ‘unto those who know;;’ cf. Part II, p. 122, line 2. And of His signs is your sleep by night and by day; and your craving after His grace. Verily, in that are signs unto a people who do hear. And of His signs is this, that He shows you lightning for fear and hope; and sends down from the sky water, and quickens therewith the earth after its death; verily, in that are signs unto a people who have sense. 3 And of His signs is this, that the heavens and the earth stand by His order; then when He calls you from the earth, lo! ye shall come forth. [25] His are those who are in the heavens and the earth, and all to Him are devoted. And He it is who produces a creation and then makes it to go back again; for it is very easy to Him; and His are the loftiest similitudes in the heavens and the earth; and He is the mighty, wise |

He has struck out for you a parable from yourselves ; have ye of what your right hand possess partners in what we have bestowed upon you, so that ye share alike therein? do ye fear them as ye fear each other ?—Thus do we detail the signs unto a people who have sense 1. Nay, when those who are unjust follow their lusts without knowledge,—and who shall guide him whom God has led astray? and they shall have none to help. Set thy face steadfast towards the religion as an. 1 I.e. as they, the Meccans, do not consider their slaves their equals, still less does God hold the false gods they associate with Him to be His equals, it being always remembered that these partners or false gods were not spoken of in the Qur’an as nonexistent, but as supernatural beings, to whom divinity has been wrongly ascribed. ‘Hanif, according to the constitution whereon God has constituted men; there is no altering the creation of God, that is the standard religion, though most men do not know. [30] Turn repentant towards Him; and fear Him, and be steadfast in prayer; and be not of the idolaters. Of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every party in what they have, rejoice.

And when distress touches men they call upon their Lord, repentant towards Him; then when He has made them taste mercy from Himself, behold! a party of them associate others with their Lord, that they may disbelieve in what we have brought them ;—but enjoy yourselves ; for hereafter ye shall know ! Or have we sent down to them authority which speaks of what they do associate with Him ? [35] And when we have made men taste of mercy, they rejoice therein; and if there befall them evil for what their hands have sent before, behold! they are in despair. Have they not seen that God extends provision to whom He pleases, or doles it out? verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe. Then give to the kinsman his due, and to the poor and to the wayfarer; that is better for those who desire the face of God, and these it is who are prosperous. And what ye put out to usury that it may increase with the wealth of men, it shall not increase with God; but what ye put out in alms, desiring the face of God—these it is who shall gain double.

It is God who created you and then provided for you; and then will make you die, and then will quicken you again; is there any of your partners who can do aught of that? Celebrated be His praises, and exalted be He above what they associate with Him! [40] Trouble hath appeared in the land and the sea, for what men’s hands have gained! to make them taste a part of that which they have done,— haply they may return! Say, ‘Journey on in the land, and behold what was the end of those before you,—most of them were idolaters!’ Set thy face steadfast to the standard religion, before there come a day from God which there its no averting; on that day shall they be parted into two bands. He who misbelieves, upon him is his misbelief; but whoso does right, for themselves they are spreading couches?: That He may reward those who believe and do right of His grace; verily, He loves not the misbelievers ! [45] And of His signs is this, that He sends forth the winds with glad tidings, to make you taste of -. His mercy, and to make the ships go on at His

bidding, and that ye may crave of His grace, and haply ye may give thanks. | We have sent before thee apostles unto their people, and they came to them with manifest signs : and we took vengeance upon those who sinned, but due from us it was to help the believers. God it is who sends forth the winds to stir up 1 In Paradise. [9] | K clouds ; then He spreads them forth over the sky as he pleases; and He breaks them up and ye see the rain come forth from amongst them; and when He causes it to fall upon whom He pleases of His servants, behold they hail it with joy, although before it was sent down upon them they were before then confused! Look then to the vestiges of God’s mercy, how He quickens the earth after its death ; verily, that is the quickener of the dead, and He is mighty over all! [50] But if we should send a wind and they should see it yellow!, they would after that become misbelievers. But, verily, thou canst not make the dead to hear, nor canst thou make the deaf to hear the call, when they turn their backs and flee; nor hast thou to guide the blind out of their error; thou canst only make those to hear who believe in our signs and who are resigned.

God it is who created you of weakness, then made for you after weakness strength ; then made for you after strength, weakness and grey hairs: He creates what He pleases, for He is the knowing, the powerful! And on the day when the Hour shall rise, the sinners shall swear [55] that they have not tarried save an hour; thus were they wont to lie! But those who are given knowledge and faith will say, ‘We have tarried according to the Book of God, until the day of resurrection;’ and this is the — day of resurrection, but ye—ye do not know. And on that day their excuse shall profit not ‘ Te. see the young corn parched. those who did wrong; nor shall they be asked to please God again. We have struck out to men in this Qur’an every kind of parable; but if thou shouldst bring them a sign’ then those who misbelieve will surely say, ‘Ye are but followers of vanity; thus does God set a stamp upon the hearts of those who do not know.’ [60] Be thou patient then; verily, God’s promise is true! and let them not flurry thee who are not sure.

THE CHAPTER OF LogmMAn?. In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. A.L.M. These are the signs of the wise Book, a guidance and a mercy to those who do well, who are steadfast in prayer and give alms and who of the hereafter are sure; these are in guidance from their Lord, and these are the prosperous. [5] And amongst men is one * who buys sportive legends, to lead astray from God’s path, without knowledge, and to make a jest of it; these, for ? Tie. a verse. * This sage is generally identified with the Aesop of the Greeks. The legends current in the East concerning him accord exactly with those of the Greek fabulist. * An Nadfr ibn al ‘Hareth had purchased in Persia some of the old legends of Rustam and Isfendiar, which were afterwards embodied in the Shah-ndmeh of Firdaust. These he read to the Qurais as being more wonderful than the Qur'an. them is shameful woe! And when our signs are recited to him, he turns his back, too big with pride, as though he heard them not,—as if in his two ears were dulness. But give to him glad tidings of grievous woe !

Verily, those who believe and do right, for them are gardens of pleasure, to dwell therein for aye ;— God’s promise in truth, and He is mighty, wise. He created the heavens without pillars that ye can see, and He threw upon the earth firm mountains lest it should move with you; and He dispersed thereon every sort of beast ; and we send down from the heavens water, and we caused to grow therein of every noble kind. [10] This is God’s creation ; show me what others beside Him have created ;—nay, the unjust are in obvious error! We did give unto Loqman wisdom, saying, ‘Thank God; for he who thanks God is only thankful for his own soul; and he who is ungrateful——verily, God is independent, worthy of praise !’ And when Loqman said to his son while admonishing him, ‘O my boy! associate none with God, for, verily, such association is a mighty wrong. — For we have commended his parents to man ; his mother bore him with weakness upon weakness ; and his weaning is in two years ;—‘ Be thankful to me and to thy parents; for unto me shall your journey be. But if they strive with thee that thou shouldst associate with me that which thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not. But associate with them in the world with kindness, and follow the way of him who turns repentant unto

me; then unto me is your return, and I will inform you of that which ye have done |— [15] ‘O my son! verily, if there were the weight of a grain of mustard seed and it were (hidden) in - the rock, or in the heaven, or in the earth, God would bring it (to light). Verily, God is subtle, well aware ! ‘O my son! be steadfast in prayer, and bid what is reasonable and forbid what is wrong; be patient of what befalls thee, verily, that is one of the determined affairs. ‘And twist not thy cheek proudly, nor walk in the land haughtily; verily, God loves not every arrogant boaster: but be moderate in thy walk, and lower thy voice; verily, the most disagreeable of voices is the voice of asses!’ Have ye not seen that God has subjected to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and has poured down upon you His favours, outwardly and inwardly? but amongst men are those who wrangle about God, without knowledge, and without guidance, and without an illuminating book ! [20] And when it is said to them, ‘ Follow what God has sent down;’ they say, ‘ Nay! we will follow what we found our fathers agreed upon ;’—what ! though Satan calls them to the torment of the blaze?

But he who resigns his face unto God, and does good, he has grasped the firm handle; unto God is the issue of affairs. But he who misbelieves, let not his misbelief grieve thee; to us is their return, and we will inform them of what they do ;—for, verily, God knows the nature of men’s breasts! We will let them enjoy themselves a little; then we will force them to rigorous woe! And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘ God.’ Say, ‘Praise be to God!’ but most of them do not know. [25] God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; verily, God, He is the independent, worthy of praise. And were the trees that are in the earth pens, and the sea (ink) with seven more seas to swell its tide, the words of God would not be spent ; verily, God is mighty, wise! Your creation and your rising again are but as that of one soul ; verily, God both hears and sees! Dost thou not see that God joins on the night to the day, and joins on the day to the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon,—each of them runs on unto an appointed time ? and that God of what ye do is well aware ?

That is because God, He is true, and because what ye call on beside Him is falsehood, and because God, He is the high, the great! [30] Dost thou not see that the ship rides on in the sea by the favour of God, that He may show you of His signs? verily, in that are signs to every grateful person. And when a wave like shadows covers them, they call on God, being sincere in their religion; and when He saves them to the shore, then amongst them are some who halt between two opinions. But none gainsays our signs save every perfidious misbeliever. O ye folk! fear your Lord and dread the day when the father shall not atone for his son, nor shall the child atone aught for its parent. Verily, the promise of God is true! Say, ‘ Let not the life of this world beguile you; and let not the beguiler beguile you concerning God.’ Verily, God, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour; and He sends down the rain; and He knows what is in the wombs; and no soul knows what it is that it shall earn to-morrow ; and no soul knows in what land it shall die; verily, God is knowing, well aware !

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. A.L.M. The revelation of the Book, there is no doubt therein, from the Lord of the worlds. Do they say, ‘He has forged it ?’ Nay! it is the truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest warn a people, to whom no warner has come before thee, haply they may be guided. God it is who created the heavens and the earth and what is between the two in six days; then He made for the throne! ye have no patron beside Him and no intercessor; are ye not then mindful ? He governs the affair from the heaven unto the earth; then shall it ascend to him in a day, the measure of which is as a thousand years of what ye number. [5] That is He who knows the unseen and the visible ; the mighty, the merciful, who has made the best of the creation of everything, and produced the creation of man from clay; then He made his stock from an extract of despicable water; then He fashioned him and breathed into him of his spirit, and made for you hearing and eyesight and hearts ;— little is it that ye give thanks!

And they say, ‘When we are lost in the earth, shall we then become a new creation ?’ [10] Nay! in the meeting of their Lord they disbelieve. Say, ‘The angel of death shall take you away, he who is given charge of you; then unto your Lord shall ye be returned.’ And couldst thou see when the sinners hang down their heads before their Lord, ‘O Lord! we have seen and we have heard; send us back then and we will do right. Verily, we are sure!’ Had we pleased we would have given to everything its guidance ; but the sentence was due from me ;—TI will surely fill hell with the ginns and with men all together: ‘So taste ye, for that ye forgat the meeting of this day of yours,—verily, we have forgotten you! and taste ye the torment of eternity for that which ye have done!’ [15] They only believe in our signs who when they are reminded of them fall down adoring and celebrate the praises of their Lord, and are not too big with pride. As their sides forsake their beds, they call upon their Lord with fear and hope; and of what we have bestowed upon them do they give alms. No soul knows what is reserved for them of cheerfulness for eye, as a reward for that which they have done! Is he who is a believer like him who is a sinner? they shall not be held equal.

As for those who believe and do right, for them

are the gardens of resort, an entertainment for that which they have done! [20] But as for those who commit abomination there resort is the Fire. Every time that they desire to go forth therefrom, we will send them back therein, and it will be said to them, ‘ Taste ye the torment of the fire which ye did call a lie!’ and we will surely make them taste of the torment of the nearer torment beside the greater torment !,—haply they may yet return. Who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, and then turns away from them ? Verily, we will take vengeance on the sinners! And we did give Moses the Book; be not then in doubt concerning the meeting with him2; and we made it a guidance to the children of Israel. And we made amongst them high priests who guided by our bidding, since they were patient and were sure of our signs. [25] Verily, thy Lord, he shall decide between them on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they do dispute. Is it not conspicuous to them how many generations we have destroyed before them? they walk

1 T.e. the torment of this world as well as that of the next. ® This may refer to the alleged meeting of Mohammed and Moses in heaven during the ‘night journey ;’ or it may be translated, ‘the reception of it,’ i.e. the Qur'an, the expression in Chapter means ‘to meet.’ The native commentators are divided in opinion as to these two interpretations. It is quite possible, however, that it may mean, ‘be not in doubt as to a meeting with Him,’ and be a mere reiteration of the sentiment so often expressed, that Muslims are to be certain of a meeting with their Lord. over their dwellings! verily, in that are signs: do they not then hear? Have they not seen that we drive the water to the sterile land, and bring forth thereby corn from which their cattle and themselves do eat ? do they not then see? And they say, ‘When shall this decision come if ye do tell the truth?’ Say, ‘On the day of the decision their faith shall not profit those who misbelieved, nor shall they be respited ;’ [30] turn then from them and wait ; verily, they are waiting too! Tue CHAPTER OF THE CONFEDERATES}.

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. O thou prophet! fear God and obey not the misbelievers and hypocrites; verily, God is ever knowing, wise ! But follow what thou art inspired with from thy Lord; verily, God of what you do is ever well aware. And rely upon God, for God is guardian enough. God has not made for any man two hearts in his inside; nor has He made your wives,—whom you back away from,—your real mothers?; nor has He * When this stirah was written Medtnah was besieged by a confederation of the Jewish tribes with the Arabs of Mecca, Negd and Tehamah, at the instigation of the Jewish tribe of Nadfir, whom Mohammed had expelled from Mecca the year before. The event took place in the fifth year of the Higrah. * The Arabs were in the habit of divorcing their wives on | certain occasions with the words, ‘Thy back is to me as my

made your adopted sons your real sons. That ts what ye speak with your mouths; but God speaks the truth and He guides to the path! [5] Call them by their fathers’ names; that is more just in God’s sight; but if ye know not their fathers, then they are your brothers in religion and your clients. There is no crime against you for what mistakes ye make therein; but what your hearts do purposely—but God is ever forgiving and merciful. The prophet is nearer of kin to the believers than themselves, and his wives are their mothers. And blood relations are nearer in kin to each other by the Book of God than the believers and those who fled’; only your doing kindness to your kindred, that is traced in the Book. And when we took of the prophets their compact’, from thee and from Noah, and Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary, and took of them a rigid compact, that He might ask the truth-tellers of their truth. But He has prepared for those who misbelieve a grievous woe. O ye who believe! remember God’s favours towards you when hosts came to you and we sent against them a wind and hosts* that ye could not see ;—and God knew what ye were doing.

mother’s back,’ after which they considered it as unnatural to approach them as though they were their real mothers. This practice Mohammed here forbids. They used also to consider their adopted children in the same light as real children of their body ; in forbidding this practice also, Mohammed legalised his marriage with Zainab, the divorced wife of his freedman Zaid, who was also his adopted son. ' The Muhagerin. 3 See Part.I, p. 57, note r. IA4O THE QURAN. XXXIII, ro-rq. [10] When they came upon you from above you and from below! you, and when your eyesights were distracted and your hearts came-up into your throats, and ye suspected God with certain suspicions. There were the believers tried and were made to quake with a severe quaking. And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was sickness said, ‘God and His Apostle have only promised us deceitfully. And when a party of them said, ‘O people of Yathreb?; there is no place for you (here) *, return then (to the city).’ And a part of them asked leave of the prophet (to return), saying, ‘ Verily, our houses are defenceless ;’ but they were not defenceless, they only wished for flight.

But had they been entered upon from its environs and then been asked to show treason they would have done so; but they would only have tarried there a little while *. ‘ On the approach of the confederate army, to the number of 12,000, Mohammed, by the advice of Selman the Persian, ordered a deep trench to be dug round Medinah, and himself went out to defend it with 3,000 men. The two forces remained for nearly a month in their respective camps without coming to an actual conflict: until one night a piercing east wind blew so violently, and made such disorder in the camp of the besiegers, that a panic seized upon them, and they retired precipitately. Some of them had been encamped on the heights to the east of the town, the oe in the lower part of the valley. * The ancient name of the city; it was only called ’El Medinah, ‘the city,’ after it had become famous by giving shelter to Mohammed. * T.e. if the confederates had effected an entry, these half-hearted persons would have listened to their proposals, and have deserted the prophet. [15] They had covenanted with God before, that they would not turn their backs; and God's covenant shall be enquired of.

Say, ‘Flight shall avail you naught; if ye fly from death or slaughter, even then ye shall be granted enjoyment only for a little!’ Say, ‘Who is it that can save you from God, if He wish you evil, or wish you mercy?’ but they will not find beside God a patron or a helper. Say, ‘God knows the hinderers amongst you, and those who say to their brethren, “Come along unto us,” and show but little valour ;—-covetous towards you,’ When fear comes thou wilt see them looking - towards thee, their eyes rolling like one fainting with death; but when the fear has passed away they will assail you with sharp tongues, covetous of the best’. These have never believed, and God will make vain their works, for that is easy with God. [20] They reckoned that the confederates would never go away; and if the confederates should come they would fain be in the desert with the Arabs, asking for news of you! and if they were amongst you they would fight but little. Ye had in the Apostle of God a good example for him who hopes for God and the last day, and who remembers God much.

And when the believers saw the confederates they said, ‘This is what God and His Apostle _ promised us; God and His Apostle are true!’ and it only increased them in faith and resignation. Amongst the believers are men who have been 1 T.e. chary of helping you, but greedy of the spoils. ® T.e. the best share of the spoils. true to their covenant with God, and there are some who have fulfilled their vow!, and some who wait and have not changed ? with fickleness. That God might reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He please, or turn again towards them ;—verily, God is forgiving, merciful ! [25] And God drove back the misbelievers in their rage; they gat no advantage ;—God was enough for the believers in the fight, for God is strong, mighty! And He drove down those of the people of the Book who had helped them? from their fortresses * and hurled dread into their hearts; a part ye slew and ye took captive a part: and He gave you their land, and their dwellings, and their property for an inheritance, and a land ye had not trodden, for God is ever mighty over all.

O thou prophet! say to thy wives, ‘If ye be desirous of the life of this world and its adornments, come, I will give you them to enjoy and I will let you range handsomely at large! But if ye be desirous of God and His Apostle and of the abode of the hereafter, verily, God has prepared for those of you who do good a mighty hire *!’ 1 T.e. their vow to fight till they obtained martyrdom. 2 T.e. changed their mind. ® J.e. who had helped the confederates. * The Qurai‘zah Jews, whom Mohammed attacked after the siege of Medinah had been raised, and punished for their treachery in having joined the confederates although in league with him at the time. 6 Mohammed being annoyed by the demands made by his wives for costly dresses and the like, offered them the choice of divorce or of being content with their usual mode of living. ‘They chose the latter. [30] O ye women of the prophet! whosoever of you commits manifest fornication, doubled shall be her torment twice; and that is easy unto God! But that one of you who is devoted to God and His Apostle and does right we will give her her hire twice over, and we have prepared for her a noble provision.

O ye women of the prophet! ye are not like any other women; if ye fear God then be not too complaisant in speech, or he in whose heart is sickness will lust after you; but speak a reasonable speech. And stay still in your houses and show not yourselves with the ostentation of the ignorance of yore ; and be steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and obey God and his Apostle ;—God only wishes to take away from you! the horror as people of His House and to purify you thoroughly. And remember what is recited in your houses of the signs of God and of wisdom; verily, God is subtle and aware! [35] Verily, men resigned and women resigned 2, and believing men and believing women, and devout men and devout women, and truthful men and truthful women, and patient men and patient women, and humble men and humble women, and almsgiving men and almsgiving women, and fasting men and fasting women, and men who guard their private parts and women who guard their private parts, and * Here the pronoun is changed from feminine to masculine, and the passage is appealed to by the Shiahs as showing the intimate relations that existed between Mohammed and ‘Alt, for they say that by ‘his household’ are particularly meant Fa/imah and ‘Ali. In the next paragraph the feminine is again used.

* T.e. Muslims; see Part I, p. 15, note 1, men who remember God much, and women who remember Him,—God has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty hire. It is not for a believing man or for a believing woman, when God and His Apostle have decided an affair, to have the choice in that affair; and whoso rebels against God and His Apostle has erred with an obvious error. And when thou didst say to him God had shown favour to and thou hadst shown favour to, ‘ Keep thy wife to thyself and fear God;’ and thou didst conceal in thy soul what God was about to display; and didst fear men, though God is more deserving that thou shouldst fear Him; and when Zaid had fulfilled his desire of her! we did wed thee to her that there should be no hindrance to the believers in the matter of the wives of their adopted sons when they have fulfilled their desire of them: and so God's bidding to be done?. There is no hindrance to the prophet about what God has ordained for him ;—(such was) the course of God with those who have passed away before,— and God's bidding is a decreed decree! Those who

1 T.e. divorced her. 2 Zaid was Mohammed’s freedman and adopted son. Mohammed had seen and admired Zaid’s wife Zainab, and her husband at once offered to divorce her: this Mohammed dissuaded him from until the transaction was sanctioned by the verse. ‘The relations of the Arabs to their adopted children were, as has been remarked before, p. 138, note 2, very strict; and Mohammed’s marriage with Zainab occasioned much scandal among his contemporaries. This passage and those at the commencement of the chapter abrogate all these inconvenient restrictions. Zaid and Abu Laheb, Sfrah CXI, are the only two persons of Mohammed’s acquaintance who are mentioned in the Qur’an by name. preach God’s messages and fear Him and fear not any one except God,—but God is good enough at reckoning up. [40] Mohammed is not the father of any of your men, but the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets; for God all things doth know! O ye who believe! remember God with frequent remembrance, and celebrate His praises morning and evening. He it is who prays! for you and His angels too, to bring you forth out of the darkness into the light, for He is merciful to the believers.

Their salutation on the day they meet Him shall be ‘ Peace!’ and He has prepared for them a noble hire. O thou prophet! verily, we have sent thee as a witness and a herald of glad tidings and a warner, [45] and to call (men) unto God by His permission, and as an illuminating lamp. Give glad tidings then to the believers, that for them is great grace from God. And follow not the unbelievers and the hypocrites; but let alone their illtreatment *, and rely upon God, for God is guardian enough. O ye who believe! when ye wed believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them, * The same word is used as is rendered ‘pray’ in all the other passages in the Qur'an, though the commentators interpret it here as meaning ‘bless.’ So, too, in the formula which is always used after Mohammed’s name, zalla ‘llahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, ‘may God bless and preserve him!’ is literally, ‘may God Oey for him and salute him !’ * Either, ‘do not ill-treat them,’ or, ‘take no notice of their illtreating thee.’ ye have no term that ye need observe; so make them some provision, and let them go handsomely at large.

O thou prophet! verily, we make lawful for thee thy wives to whom thou hast given their hire’, and what thy right hand possesses? out of the booty that God has granted thee, and the daughters of thy paternal uncle and the daughters of thy paternal aunts, and the daughters of thy maternal uncle and the daughters of thy maternal aunts, provided they have fled with thee, and any believing woman if she give herself to the prophet, if the prophet desire to marry her ;—a special privilege this for thee, above the other believers. [50] We knew what we ordained for them concerning their wives and what their right hands possess, that there should be no hindrance to thee; and God is forgiving, merciful. Put off* whomsoever thou wilt of them and take to thyself whomsoever thou wilt, or whomsoever thou cravest of those whom thou hast deposed‘, and it shall be no crime against thee. That is nigher to cheering their eyes and that they should not grieve, and should be satisfied with what thou dost bring them all; but God knows best what is in their hearts; and God is knowing, clement. It is not lawful to thee to take women after (this), nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty please thee; except what thy right hand possesses, for God is ever watchful over all.

1 T.e. dowry. 2 Slave girls. > J. e. from her turn of conjugal rights. «7 es -divorced, O ye who believe! do not enter the houses of the prophet, unless leave be given you, for a meal,—not watching till it is cooked! But when ye are invited, then enter; and when ye have fed, disperse, not engaging in familiar discourse. Verily, that would annoy the prophet and he would be ashamed for your sake’, but God is not ashamed of the truth ?. And when ye ask them ® for an article, ask them from behind a curtain‘; that is purer for your hearts and for theirs. It is not right for you to annoy the prophet of God, nor to wed his wives after him ever; verily, that is with God a serious thing. If ye display a thing or conceal it, verily, God all things doth know. [55] There is no crime against them® (if they * He would be reluctantly obliged to ask you to leave. * The tent of an Arab chief is looked upon as a place of general entertainment, and is always besieged by visitors. The advent of a stranger, or indeed any occasion that demands the preparation of food or any form of entertainment, is the signal for every adult male of the encampment to sit round it, and wait for an invitation to partake of the meal. This becomes a very serious tax upon the sheikh, as the laws of Arab hospitality imperatively require every person present to be invited to join in the repast. The translator has often witnessed scenes—especially among the Arabs of Edom and Moab—which gave a very living significance to these words of the Qur'an. Mohammed’s exceptionally prominent position exposed him in a peculiar manner to these irruptions of unbidden guests. Another saying bearing upon the point is traditionally ascribed to him, zur ghibban tazdad ‘hubban, ‘visit seldom and you will get more love.’

®* The prophet’s wives. * The women to the present day always remain behind a curtain which screens off their part of the tent from the rest, but freely converse with their husband and his guests, and hand over the dishes and any other articles that may be required by the company. ° The prophet’s wives. speak unveiled) to their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or what their right hands possess; but let them fear God,—verily, God is witness over all. Verily, God and His angels pray for the prophet. O ye who believe! pray for him and salute him with a salutation?! Verily, those who annoy God and His Apostle, God will curse them in this world and the next, and prepare for them shameful woe! And those who annoy the believers for what they have not earned, such have to bear (the guilt of) calumny and obvious sin. O thou prophet ! tell thy wives and thy daughters, and the women of the believers, to let down over them their outer wrappers; that is nearer for them to be known and that they should not be annoyed; but God is forgiving, merciful.

[60] Surely if the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a sickness and the insurrectionists in Medinah do not desist, we will surely incite thee against them. Then they shall not dwell near thee therein save for a little while. Cursed wherever they are found,—taken and slain with slaughter! God’s course with those who have passed away before: and thou shalt never find 10 God’s course any alteration. The folk will ask thee about the Hour; say, ‘The knowledge thereof is only with God, and what is to make thee perceive that the Hour is haply nigh ?’ 1 See p. 145, note 2. Verily, God has cursed the misbelievers and has prepared for them a blaze! [65] To dwell therein for ever and for aye; they shall not find a patron or a helper! On the day when their faces shall writhe in the fire they shall say, ‘O, would that we had obeyed God and obeyed the Apostle!’ And they shall say, ‘Our Lord! verily, we obeyed our chiefs and our great men and they led us astray from the path! Our Lord! give them double torment and curse them with a great curse!’ O ye who believe! be not like those who annoyed Moses; but God cleared him of what they said, and he was regarded in the sight of God’.

[70] O ye who believe! fear God and speak a straightforward speech. He will correct for you your works, and pardon you your sins; for he who obeys God and His Apostle has attained a mighty happiness. Verily, we offered the trust? to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and shrank from it; but man bore it: verily, he is ever unjust and ignorant. That God may torment the hypocritical men and hypocritical women, and the idolaters and idolatresses; and that God may turn relenting towards the believing men and believing women; verily, God is ever forgiving, merciful. 1 The occasion of the revelation of this verse is said to have been that Mohammed being accused of unfairly dividing certain spoils, said, ‘God, have mercy on my brother Moses; he was wronged more than this, and bore it patiently.’ 2 That is, ‘the faith.’ THe CHAPTER OF SEBA},

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. Praise belongs to God, whose is whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; His is the praise in the next world, and He is the wise and well aware! He knows what goes into the earth, and what comes forth therefrom, and what comes down from the sky, and what ascends thereto; for He is the merciful, forgiving. Those who misbelieve say, ‘The Hour shall not come to us;’ say, ‘ Yea, by my Lord it shall surely come to you! by Him who knows the unseen! nor shall there escape from it the weight of an atom, in the heavens or in the earth, or even less than that, or greater, save in the perspicuous Book;’ and that He may reward those who believe and do right; these,—for them is forgiveness and a noble provision. [5] But those who strive concerning our signs to frustrate them ; these,—for them is the torment of a grievous plague. And those to whom knowledge has been given see that what is sent down to thee from thy Lord is the truth, and guides unto the way of the — the praiseworthy.