CHAPTER XLIII. ENTITLED, THE ORNAMENTS OF GOLD; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. BY the perspicuous book; verily we have ordained the same an Arabic Koran that ye may understand: and it is certainly written in the original book, kept with us, being sublime and full of wisdom. Shall we therefore turn away from you the admonition, and deprive you thereof, because ye are a people who transgress? And how many prophets have we sent among those of old? and no prophet came unto them, out they laughed him to scorn: wherefore we destroyed nations who were more mighty than these in strength; and the example of those who were of old hath been already set before them. If thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly answer, The mighty, the wise God created them: who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and hath made you paths therein, that ye may be directed: and who sendeth down rain from heaven by measure, whereby we quicken a dead country; (so shall ye be brought forth from your graves:) and who hath created all the various species of things, and hath given you ships and cattle, whereon ye are carried; that ye may sit firmly on the backs thereof, and may remember the favor of your LORD, when ye sit thereon, and may say, Praise be unto him, who hath subjected these unto our service! for we could not have mastered them by our own power: and unto our LORD shall we surely return. Yet have they attributed unto him some of his servants as his offspring: verily man is openly ungrateful. Hath God taken daughters out of those beings which he hath created; and hath he chosen sons for you? But when one of them hath the news brought of the birth of a child of that sex which they attribute unto the Merciful, as his similitude, his face becometh black, and he is oppressed with sorrow. Do they therefore attribute unto God female issue, which are brought up among ornaments, and are contentious without cause? And do they make the angels, who are the servants of the Merciful, females? Were they present at their creation? Their testimony shall be written down, and they shall be examined concerning the same, on the day of judgment. And they say, If the Merciful had pleased, we had not worshipped them. They have no knowledge herein: they only utter a vain lie. Have we given them a book of revelations before this; and do they keep the same in their custody? But they say, Verily we found our fathers practising a religion; and we are guided in their footsteps. Thus we sent no preacher before thee, unto any city, but the inhabitants thereof who lived in affluence, said, Verily we found our fathers practising a religion: and we tread in their footsteps. And the preacher answered, What, although I bring you a more right religion than that which ye found your fathers to practise? And they replied, Verily we believe not that which ye are sent to preach. Wherefore we took vengeance on them: and behold what hath been the end of those who accused our apostles of imposture. Remember when Abraham said unto his father, and his people, Verily I am clear of the gods which ye worship, except him who hath created me; for he will direct me aright. And he ordained this to be a constant doctrine among his posterity; that they should be turned from idolatry to the worship of the only true God. Verily I have permitted these Meccans and their fathers to live in prosperity, until the truth should come unto them, and a manifest apostle: but now the truth is come unto them, they say, This is a piece of sorcery; and we believe not therein. And they say, Had this Koran been sent down unto some great man of either of the two cities, we would have received it. Do they distribute the mercy of thy LORD? We distribute the necessary provision among them, in this present life, and we raise some of them several degrees above the others, that the one of them may take the other to serve him: and the mercy of thy LORD is more valuable than the riches which they gather together. If it were not that mankind would have become one sect of infidels, verily we had given unto those who believe not in the Merciful, roofs of silver to their houses, and stairs of silver, by which they might ascend thereto, and doors of silver to their houses, and couches of silver, for them to lean on; and ornaments of gold: for all this is the provision of the present life; but the next life with thy LORD shall be for those who fear him. Whoever shall withdraw from the admonition of the Merciful, we will chain a devil unto him; and he shall be his inseparable companion: (and the devils shall turn them aside from the way of truth; yet they shall imagine themselves to be rightly directed:) until, when he shall appear before us at the last day, he shall say unto the devil, Would to GOD that between me and thee there was the distance of the east from the west! Oh how wretched a companion art thou! But wishes shall not avail you on this day, since ye have been unjust; for ye shall be partakers of the same punishment. Canst thou, O prophet, make the deaf to hear, or canst thou direct the blind, and him who is in a manifest error? Whether we take thee away, we will surely take vengeance on them; or whether we cause thee to see the punishment with which we have threatened them executed, we will certainly prevail over them. Wherefore hold fast the doctrine which hath been revealed unto thee; for thou art in a right way: and it is a memorial unto thee and thy people, and hereafter shall ye be examined concerning your observance thereof. And ask our apostles whom we have sent before thee, whether we have appointed gods for them to worship, besides the Merciful. We formerly sent Moses with our signs unto Pharaoh and his princes, and he said, Verily I am the apostle of the LORD of all creatures. And when he came unto them with our signs, behold, they laughed him to scorn; although we showed them no sign, but it was greater than the other: and we inflicted a punishment on them, that peradventure they might be converted. And they said unto Moses, O magician, pray unto thy LORD for us, according to the covenant which he hath made with thee; for we will certainly be directed. But when we took the plague from off them, behold, they brake their promise. And Pharaoh made proclamation among his people, saying, O my people, is not the kingdom of Egypt mine, and these rivers, which flow beneath me? Do ye not see? Am not I better than this Moses, who is a contemptible person, and can scarce express himself intelligibly? Have bracelets of gold, therefore, been put upon him; or do the angels attend him in orderly procession? And Pharaoh persuaded his people to light behavior; and they obeyed him: for they were a wicked people. And when they had provoked us to wrath, we took vengeance on them: and we drowned them all: and we made them a precedent, and an example unto others. And when the son of Mary was proposed for an example, behold, thy people cried out through excess of joy thereat; and they said, Are our gods better, or he? They have proposed this instance unto thee no otherwise than for an occasion of dispute: yea, they are contentious men. Jesus is no other than a servant, whom we favored with the gift of prophecy; and we appointed him for an example unto the children of Israel: (if we pleased, verily we could from ourselves produce angels, to succeed you in the earth): and he shall be a sign of the approach of the last hour; wherefore doubt not thereof. And follow me: this is the right way. And let not Satan cause you to turn aside: for he is your open enemy. And when Jesus came with evident miracles, he said, Now am I come unto you with wisdom, and to explain unto you part of those things concerning which ye disagree; wherefore fear GOD, and obey me. Verily GOD is my LORD, and your LORD; wherefore worship him: this is the right way. And the confederated sects among them fell to variance: but woe unto those who have acted unjustly, because of the punishment of a grievous day. Do the unbelievers wait for any other than the hour of judgment; that it may come upon them suddenly, while they foresee it not? The intimate friends, on that day, shall be enemies unto one another; except the pious. O my servants, there shall no fear come on you this day, neither shall ye be grieved: who have believed in our signs, and have been Moslems: enter ye into paradise, ye and your wives, with great joy. Dishes of gold shall be carried round unto them, and cups without handles: and therein shall they enjoy whatever their souls shall desire, and whatever their eyes shall delight in: and ye shall remain therein forever. This is paradise, which ye have inherited as a reward for that which ye have wrought. Therein shall ye have fruits in abundance, of which ye shall eat. But the wicked shall remain forever in the torment of hell: it shall not be made lighter unto them; and they shall despair therein. We deal not unjustly with them, but they deal unjustly with their own souls. And they shall call aloud, saying, O Malec, intercede for us that thy LORD would end us by annihilation. He shall answer, Verily ye shall remain here forever. We brought you the truth heretofore, but the greater part of you abhorred the truth. Have the infidels fixed on a method to circumvent our apostle? Verily we will fix on a method to circumvent them. Do they imagine that we hear not their secrets, and their private discourse? Yea; and our messengers who attend them write down the same. Say, If the Merciful had a son, verily I would be the first of those who should worship him. Far be the LORD of heaven and earth, the LORD of the throne, from that which they affirm of him! Wherefore let them wade in their vanity, and divert themselves until they arrive at their day with which they have been threatened. He who is GOD in heaven, is GOD on earth also: and he is the wise, the knowing. And blessed be he unto whom appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of whatever is between them; with whom is the knowledge of the last hour; and before whom ye shall be assembled. They whom they invoke besides him have not the privilege to intercede for others; except those who bear witness to the truth, and know the same. If thou ask them who hath created them, they will surely answer, GOD. How therefore are they turned away to the worship of others? God also heareth the saying of the prophet, O LORD, verily these are people who believe not: and he answereth, Therefore turn aside from them; and say, Peace: hereafter shall they know their folly.
CHAPTER XLIV. ENTITLED, SMOKE; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. BY the perspicuous book of the Koran; verily we have sent down the same on a blessed night (for we had engaged so to do), on the night wherein is distinctly sent down the decree of every determined thing, as a command from us. Verily we have ever used to send apostles with revelations, at proper intervals, as a mercy from thy LORD; for it is he who heareth and knoweth: the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatever is between them; if ye are men of sure knowledge. There is no GOD but he: he giveth life, and he causeth to die; he is your LORD, and the LORD of your forefathers. Yet do they amuse themselves with doubt. But observe them, on the day whereon the heaven shall produce a visible smoke, which shall cover mankind: this will be a tormenting plague. They shall say, O LORD, take this plague from off us: verily we will become true believers. How should an admonition be of avail to them in this condition; when a manifest apostle came unto them, but they retired from him, saying, This man is instructed by others, or is a distracted person? We will take the plague from off you, a little: but ye will certainly return to your infidelity. On the day whereon we shall fiercely assault them with great power, verily we will take vengeance on them. We made trial of the people of Pharaoh before them, and an honourable messenger came unto them, saying, Send unto me the servants of GOD; verily I am a faithful messenger unto you: and lift not yourselves up against GOD; for I come unto you with manifest power. And I fly for protection unto my LORD, and your LORD, that ye stone me not. If ye do not believe me, at least depart from me. And when they accused him of imposture, he called upon his LORD, saying, These are a wicked people. And God said unto him, March forth with my servants by night; for ye will be pursued: and leave the sea divided, that the Egyptians may enter the same; for they are a host doomed to be drowned. How many gardens, and fountains, and fields of corn, and fair dwellings, and advantages which they enjoyed, did they leave behind them! Thus we dispossessed them thereof; and we gave the same for an inheritance unto another people. Neither heaven nor earth wept for them; neither were they respited any longer. And we delivered the children of Israel from a shameful affliction; from Pharaoh; for he was haughty, and a transgressor: and we chose them, knowingly, above all people; and we showed them several signs, wherein was an evident trial. Verily these Meccans say, Assuredly our final end will be no other than our first natural death; neither shall we be raised again: bring now our forefathers back to life, if ye speak truth. Are they better, or the people of Tobba, and those who were before them? we destroyed them, because they wrought wickedness. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, by way of sport: we have created them no otherwise than in truth; but the greater part of them do not understand. Verily the day of separation shall be the appointed term of them all: a day, whereon the master and the servant shall be of no advantage to one another, neither shall they be helped; excepting those on whom GOD shall have mercy; for he is the mighty, the merciful. Verily, the fruit of the tree of al Zakkum shall be the food of the impious: as the dregs of oil shall it boil in the bellies of the damned, like the boiling of the hottest water. And it shall be said to the tormentors, Take him, and drag him into the midst of hell: and pour on his head the torture of boiling water, saying, Taste this; for thou art that mighty and honourable person. Verily this is the punishment of which ye doubted. But the pious shall be lodged in a place of security, among gardens and fountains: they shall be clothed in fine silk, and in satin; and they shall sit facing one another. Thus shall it be: and we will espouse them to fair damsels, having large black eyes. In that place shall they call for all kinds of fruits, in full security: they shall not taste death therein, after the first death; and God shall deliver from the pains of hell: through the gracious bounty of thy LORD. This will be great felicity. Moreover we have rendered the Koran easy for thee, by revealing it in thine own tongue; to the end that they may be admonished: wherefore do thou wait the event; for they wait to see some misfortune befall thee.
CHAPTER XLV. ENTITLED, THE KNEELING; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. THE revelation of this book is from the mighty, the wise GOD. Verily both in heaven and earth are signs of the divine power unto the true believers: and in the creation of yourselves, and of the beasts which are scattered over the face of the earth, are signs unto people of sound judgment; and also in the vicissitude of night and day, and the rain which GOD sendeth down from heaven, whereby he quickeneth the earth after it hath been dead: in the change of the winds also are signs unto people of understanding. These are the signs of GOD; we rehearse them unto thee with truth. In what revelation therefore will they believe, after they have rejected GOD and his signs? Woe unto every lying and impious person; who heareth the signs of GOD, which are read unto him, and afterwards proudly persisteth in infidelity, as though he heard them not: (denounce unto him a painful punishment:) and who, when he cometh to the knowledge of any of our signs, receiveth the same with scorn. For these is prepared a shameful punishment: before them lieth hell; and whatever they shall have gained shall not avail them at all, neither shall the idols which they have taken for their patrons, besides GOD; and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. This is a true direction: and for those who disbelieve the signs of their LORD, is prepared the punishment of a painful torment. It is GOD who hath subjected the sea unto you, that the ships may sail therein, at his command; and that ye may seek advantage unto yourselves by commerce; of his bounty; and that ye may give thanks: and he obligeth whatever is in heaven and on earth to serve you; the whole being from him. Verily herein are signs unto people who consider. Speak unto the true believers, that they forgive those who hope not for the days of GOD, that he may reward people according to what they shall have wrought. Whoso doeth that which is right doth it to the advantage of his own soul; and whoso doeth evil doth it against the same: hereafter shall ye return unto your LORD. We gave unto the children of Israel the book of the law, and wisdom, and prophecy; and we fed them with good things, and preferred them above all nations: and we gave them plain ordinances concerning the business of religion; neither do they fall to variance, except after that knowledge had come unto them, through envy among themselves: but thy LORD will decide the controversy between them, on the day of resurrection, concerning that wherein they disagree. Afterwards we appointed thee, O Mohammed, to promulgate a law concerning the business of religion: wherefore follow the same, and follow not the desires of those who are ignorant. Verily they shall not avail thee against GOD at all; the unjust are the patrons of one another; but GOD is the patron of the pious. This Koran delivereth evident precepts unto mankind; and is a direction, and a mercy, unto people who judge aright. Do the workers of iniquity imagine that we will deal with them as with those who believe and do good works; so that their life and their death shall be equal? An ill judgment do they make. GOD hath created the heavens and the earth in truth; that he may recompense every soul according to that which it shall have wrought: and they shall not be treated unjustly. What thinkest thou? He who taketh his own lust for his GOD, and whom GOD causeth knowingly to err, and whose ears and whose heart he hath sealed up, and over whose eyes he hath cast a veil; who shall direct him, after GOD shall have forsaken him? Will ye therefore not be admonished? They say, There is no other life, except our present life: we die, and we live; and nothing but time destroyeth us. But they have no knowledge in this matter; they only follow a vain opinion. And when our evident signs are rehearsed unto them, their argument which they offer against the same is no other than that they say, Bring to life our fathers who have been dead; if ye speak truth. Say, GOD giveth you life; and afterwards causeth you to die: hereafter will he assemble you together on the day of resurrection; there is no doubt thereof; but the greater part of men do not understand. Unto GOD appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth; and the day whereon the hour shall be fixed, on that day shall those who charge the Koran with vanity perish. And thou shalt see every nation kneeling: every nation shall be called unto its book of account; and it shall be said unto them, This day shall ye be rewarded according to that which ye have wrought. This our book will speak concerning you with truth; therein have we written down whatever ye have done. As to those who shall have believed and done good works, their LORD shall lead them into his mercy: this shall be manifest felicity. But as to the infidels, it shall be said unto them, Were not my signs rehearsed unto you? but ye proudly rejected them, and became a wicked people! And when it was said unto you, Verily the promise of GOD is true: and as to the hour of judgment, there is no doubt thereof: ye answered, We know not what the hour of judgment is: we hold an uncertain opinion only; and we are not well assured of this matter. But on that day the evils of that which they have wrought shall appear unto them; and that which they mocked at shall encompass them: and it shall be said unto them, This day will we forget you, as ye did forget the meeting of this your day: and your abode shall be hell fire; and ye shall have none to deliver you. This shall ye suffer, because ye turned the signs of GOD to ridicule; and the life of the world deceived you. On this day, therefore, they shall not be taken forth from thence, neither shall they be asked any more to render themselves well-pleasing unto God. Wherefore praise be unto GOD, the LORD of the heavens, and the LORD of the earth; the LORD of all creatures: and unto him be glory in heaven and earth; for he is the mighty, the wise God.
CHAPTER XLVI. ENTITLED, AL AHKAF; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. THE revelation of this book is from the mighty, the wise GOD. We have not created the heavens, and the earth, and whatever is between them, otherwise than in truth, and for a determined period: but the unbelievers turn away from the warning which is given them. Say, What think ye? Show me what part of the earth the idols which ye invoke, besides GOD, have created? Or, had they any share in the creation of the heavens? Bring me a book of scripture revealed before this, or some footstep of ancient knowledge, to countenance your idolatrous practices; if ye are men of veracity. Who is in a wider error than he who invoketh, besides GOD, that which cannot return him an answer, to the day of resurrection; and idols which regard not their calling on them: and which, when men shall be gathered together to judgment, will become their enemies, and will ungratefully deny their worship? When our evident signs are rehearsed unto them, the unbelievers say of the truth, when it cometh unto them, This is a manifest piece of sorcery. Will they say, Mohammed hath forged it? Answer, If I have forged it, verily ye shall not obtain for me any favor from GOD: he well knoweth the injurious language which ye utter concerning it: he is a sufficient witness between me and you; and he is gracious and merciful. Say, I am not singular among the apostles; neither do I know what will be done with me or with you hereafter: I follow no other than what is revealed unto me; neither am I any more than a public warner. Say, What is your opinion? If this book be from GOD, and ye believe not therein; and a witness of the children of Israel bear witness to its consonancy with the law, and believeth therein; and ye proudly reject the same: are ye not unjust doers? Verily GOD directeth not unjust people. But those who believe not say of the true believers, If the doctrine of the Koran had been good, they had not embraced the same before us. And when they are not guided thereby, they say, This is an antiquated lie. Whereas the book of Moses was revealed before the Koran, to be a guide and a mercy: and this is a book confirming the same, delivered in the Arabic tongue; to denounce threats unto those who act unjustly, and to bear good tidings unto the righteous doers. As to those who say, Our LORD is GOD; and who behave uprightly: on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved. These shall be the inhabitants of paradise, they shall remain therein forever: in recompense for that which they have wrought. We have commanded man to show kindness to his parents: his mother beareth him in her womb with pain, and bringeth him forth with pain: and the space of his being carried in her womb, and of his weaning, is thirty months; until, when he attaineth his age of strength, and attaineth the age of forty years, he saith, O LORD, excite me, by the inspiration, that I may be grateful for their favors, wherewith thou hast favored me and my parents; and that I may work righteousness, which may please thee: and be gracious unto me in my issue; for I am turned unto thee, and am a Moslem. These are they from whom we accept the good work which they have wrought, and whose evil works we pass by; and they shall be among the inhabitants of paradise: this is a true promise, which they are promised in this world. He who saith unto his parents, Fie on you! Do ye promise me that I shall be taken forth from the grave, and restored to life; when many generations have passed away before me, and none of them have returned back? And his parents implore GOD'S assistance, and say to their son, Alas for thee! Believe: for the promise of GOD is true. But he answereth, This is no other than silly fables of the ancients. These are they whom the sentence passed on the nations which have been before them, of genii and of men, justly fitteth: they shall surely perish. For every one is prepared a certain degree of happiness or misery, according to that which they shall have wrought: that God may recompense them for their works: and they shall not be treated unjustly. On a certain day, the unbelievers shall be exposed before the fire of hell; and it shall be said unto them, Ye received your good things in your lifetime, while ye were in the world; and ye enjoyed yourselves therein: wherefore this day ye shall be rewarded with the punishment of ignominy; for that ye behaved insolently in the earth, without justice, and for that ye transgressed. Remember the brother of Ad, when he preached unto his people in Al Ahkaf (and there were preachers before him, and after him), saying, Worship none but GOD: verily I fear for you the punishment of a great day. They answered, Art thou come unto us that thou mayest turn us aside from the worship of our gods? Bring on us now the punishment with which thou threatenest us, if thou art a man of veracity. He said, Verily the knowledge of the time when your punishment will be inflicted is with GOD; and I only declare unto you that which I am sent to preach; but I see ye are an ignorant people. And when they saw the preparation made for their punishment, namely, a cloud traversing the sky, and tending towards their valleys, they said, This is a traversing cloud, which bringeth us rain. Hud answered, Nay; it is what ye demanded to be hastened: a wind, wherein is a severe vengeance: it will destroy everything, at the command of its LORD. And in the morning nothing was to be seen, besides their empty dwellings. Thus do we reward wicked people. We had established them in the like flourishing condition wherein we have established you, O men of Mecca; and we had given them ears, and eyes, and hearts: yet neither their ears, nor their eyes, nor their hearts profited them at all, when they rejected the signs of GOD; but the vengeance which they mocked at fell upon them. We heretofore destroyed the cities which were round about you; and we variously proposed our signs unto them, that they might repent. Did those protect them, whom they took for gods, besides GOD, and imagined to be honoured with his familiarity? Nay; they withdrew from them: yet this was their false opinion which seduced them, and the blasphemy which they had devised. Remember when we caused certain of the genii to turn aside unto thee, that they might hear the Koran: and when they were present at the reading of the same, they said to one another, Give ear: and when it was ended, they returned back unto their people, preaching what they had heard. They said, Our people, verily we have heard a book read unto us, which hath been revealed since Moses, confirming the scripture which was delivered before it; and directing unto the truth, and the right way. Our people, obey GOD'S preacher: and believe in him; that he may forgive you your sins, and may deliver you from a painful punishment. And whoever obeyeth not GOD'S preacher shall by no means frustrate GOD's vengeance on earth: neither shall he have any protectors besides him. These will be in a manifest error. Do they not know that GOD, who hath created the heavens and the earth, and was not fatigued with the creation thereof, is able to raise the dead to life? Yea verily; for he is almighty. On a certain day the unbelievers shall be exposed unto hell fire; and it shall be said unto them, Is not this really come to pass? They shall answer, Yea, by our LORD. God shall reply, Taste, therefore, the punishment of hell, for that ye have been unbelievers. Do thou, O prophet, bear the insults of thy people with patience, as our apostles, who were endued with constancy, bear the injuries of their people: and require not their punishment to be hastened unto them. On the day whereon they shall see the punishment wherewith they have been threatened, it shall seem as though they had tarried in the world but an hour of a day. This is a fair warning. Shall they perish except the people who transgress?
CHAPTER XLVII. ENTITLED, MOHAMMED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
GOD will render of none effect the works of those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of GOD: but as to those who believe, and work righteousness, and believe the revelation which hath been sent down unto Mohammed (for it is the truth from their LORD), he will expiate their evil deeds from them, and will dispose their heart aright. This will he do, because those who believe not follow vanity, and because those who believe follow the truth from their LORD. Thus GOD propoundeth unto men their examples. When ye encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them; and bind them in bonds; and either give them a free dismission afterwards, or exact a ransom; until the war shall have laid down its arms. This shall ye do. Verily if GOD pleased he could take vengeance on them, without your assistance; but he commandeth you to fight his battles, that he may prove the one of you by the other. And as to those who fight in defence of GOD'S true religion, God will not suffer their works to perish: he will guide them, and will dispose their heart aright; and he will lead them into paradise, of which he hath told them. O true believers, if ye assist GOD, by fighting for his religion, he will assist you against your enemies; and will set your feet fast: but as for the infidels, let them perish; and their works shall God render vain. This shall befall them, because they have rejected with abhorrence that which GOD hath revealed: wherefore their works shall become of no avail. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? GOD utterly destroyed them: and the like catastrophe awaiteth the unbelievers. This shall come to pass, for that GOD is the patron of the true believers, and for that the infidels have no protector. Verily GOD will introduce those who believe, and do good works, into gardens beneath which rivers flow: but the unbelievers indulge themselves in pleasures, and eat as beasts eat; and their abode shall be hell fire. How many cities were more mighty in strength than thy city which hath expelled thee; yet have we destroyed them, and there was none to help them? Shall he therefore, who followeth the plain declaration of his LORD, be as he whose evil works have been dressed up for him by the devil; and who follow their own lusts? The description of paradise, which is promised unto the pious: therein are rivers of incorruptible water; and rivers of milk, the taste whereof changeth not; and rivers of wine, pleasant unto those who drink; and rivers of clarified honey: and therein shall they have plenty of all kinds of fruits; and pardon from their LORD. Shall the man for whom these things are prepared be as he who must dwell forever in hell fire; and will have the boiling water given him to drink, which shall burst their bowels? Of the unbelievers there are some who give ear unto thee, until, when they go out from thee, they say, by way of derision, unto those to whom knowledge hath been given, What hath he said now? These are they whose hearts GOD hath sealed up, and who follow their own lusts: but as to those who are directed, God will grant them a more ample direction, and he will instruct them what to avoid. Do the infidels wait for any other than the last hour, that it may come upon them suddenly? Some signs thereof are already come: and when it shall actually overtake them, how can they then receive admonition? Know therefore, that there is no god but GOD: and ask pardon for thy sin, and for the true believers, both men and women. GOD knoweth your busy employment in the world, and the place of your abode hereafter. The true believers say, Hath not a Sura been revealed commanding war against the infidels? But when a Sura without any ambiguity is revealed, and war is mentioned therein, thou mayest see those in whose hearts is an infirmity, look towards thee with the look of one whom death overshadoweth. But obedience would be more eligible for them, and to speak that which is convenient. And when the command is firmly established, if they give credit unto GOD, it will be better for them. Were ye ready, therefore, if ye had been put in authority, to commit outrages in the earth, and to violate the ties of blood? These are they whom GOD hath cursed, and hath rendered deaf, and whose eyes he hath blinded. Do they not therefore attentively meditate on the Koran? Are there locks upon their hearts? Verily they who turn their backs, after the true direction is made manifest unto them, Satan shall prepare their wickedness for them, and God shall bear with them for a time. This shall befall them, because they say privately unto those who detest what GOD hath revealed, We will obey you in part of the matter. But GOD knoweth their secrets. How therefore will it be with them, when the angels shall cause them to die, and shall strike their faces, and their backs? This shall they suffer, because they follow that which provoketh GOD to wrath, and are averse to what is well pleasing unto him: and he will render their works vain. Do they in whose hearts is an infirmity imagine that GOD will not bring their malice to light? If we pleased, we could surely show them unto thee, and thou shouldest know them by their marks; but thou shalt certainly know them by their perverse pronunciation of their words. GOD knoweth your actions: and we will try you, until we know those among you who fight valiantly, and who persevere with constancy: and we will try the reports of your behavior. Verily those who believe not, and turn away men from the way of GOD, and make opposition against the apostle, after the divine direction hath been manifested unto them, shall not hurt GOD at all; but he shall make their works to perish. O true believers, obey GOD; and obey the apostle: and render not your works of no effect. Verily those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of GOD, and then die, being unbelievers, GOD will by no means forgive. Faint not therefore, neither invite your enemies to peace, while ye are the superior: for GOD is with you, and will not defraud you of the merit of your works. Verily this present life is only a play and a vain amusement; but if ye believe, and fear God, he will give you your rewards. He doth not require of you your whole substance: if he should require the whole of you, and earnestly press you, ye would become niggardly, and it would raise your hatred against his apostle. Behold, ye are those who are invited to expend part of your substance for the support of GOD'S true religion; and there are some of you who are niggardly. But whoever shall be niggardly shall be niggardly towards his own soul: for GOD wanteth nothing, but ye are needy: and if ye turn back, he will substitute another people in your stead, who shall not be like unto you.
CHAPTER XLVIII. ENTITLED, THE VICTORY; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
VERILY we have granted thee a manifest victory: that GOD may forgive thee thy preceding and thy subsequent sin, and may complete his favour on thee, and direct thee in the right way; and that GOD may assist thee with a glorious assistance. It is he who sendeth down secure tranquility into the hearts of the true believers, that they may increase in faith, beyond their former faith; (the hosts of heaven and earth are GOD'S; and GOD is knowing and wise) that he may lead the true believers of both sexes into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever; and may expiate their evil deeds from them: (this will be great felicity with GOD): and that he may punish the hypocritical men, and the hypocritical women, and the idolaters, and the idolatresses, who conceive an ill opinion of GOD. They shall experience a turn of evil fortune: and GOD shall be angry with them, and shall curse them, and hath prepared hell for them; and ill journey shall it be thither! Unto GOD belong the hosts of heaven and earth; and GOD is mighty and wise. Verily we have sent thee to be a witness, and a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats; that ye may believe in GOD, and his apostle; and may assist him, and revere him, and praise him morning and evening. Verily they who swear fealty unto thee, swear fealty unto GOD: the hand of GOD is over their hands. Whoever shall violate his oath, will violate the same to the hurt only of his own soul: but whoever shall perform that which he hath covenanted with GOD, he will surely give him a great reward. The Arabs of the desert who were left behind will say unto thee, Our substance and our families employed us, so that we went not forth with thee to war; wherefore, ask pardon for us. They speak that with their tongues, which is not in their hearts. Answer, Who shall be able to obtain for you anything from GOD to the contrary, if he is pleased to afflict you, or is pleased to be gracious unto you? Yea, verily, GOD is well acquainted with that which ye do. Truly ye imagined that the apostle and the true believers would never return to their families: and this was prepared in your hearts: but ye imagined an evil imagination; and ye are a corrupt people. Whoso believeth not in GOD and his apostle, verily we have prepared burning fire for the unbelievers. Unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth: he forgiveth whom he pleaseth: and he punisheth whom he pleaseth: and GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. Those who were left behind will say, when ye go forth to take the spoil, Suffer us to follow you. They seek to change the word of GOD. Say, Ye shall by no means follow us: thus hath GOD said heretofore. They will reply, Nay: ye envy us a share of the booty. But they are men of small understanding. Say unto the Arabs of the desert who were left behind, Ye shall be called forth against a mighty and a warlike nation; ye shall fight against them, or they shall profess Islâm. If ye obey, GOD will give you a glorious reward: but if ye turn back, as ye turned back heretofore, he will chastise you with a grievous chastisement. It shall be no crime in the blind, neither shall it be a crime in the lame, neither shall it be a crime in the sick, if they go not forth to war: and whoso shall obey GOD and his apostle, he shall lead them into gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoso shall turn back, he will chastise him with a grievous chastisement. Now GOD was well pleased with the true believers, when they sware fidelity to thee under the tree; and he knew that which was in their hearts; wherefore he sent down on them tranquility of mind, and rewarded them with a speedy victory, and many spoils which they took: for GOD is mighty and wise. GOD promised you many spoils which ye should take; but he have you these by way of earnest; and he restrained the hands of men from you: that the same may be a sign unto the true believers; and that he may guide you into the right way. And he also promiseth you other spoils, which ye have not yet been able to take: but now hath GOD encompassed them for you; and GOD is almighty. If the unbelieving Meccans had fought against you, verily they had turned their backs; and they would not have found a patron or protector: according to the ordinance of GOD, which hath been put in execution heretofore against opposers of the prophets; for thou shalt not find any change in the ordinance of GOD. It was he who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the valley of Mecca; after that he had given you the victory over them: and GOD saw that which ye did. These are they who believed not, and hindered you from visiting the holy temple, and also hindered the offering being detained, that it should not arrive at the place where it ought to be sacrificed. Had it not been that ye might have trampled on divers true believers, both men and women, whom ye know not, being promiscuously assembled with the infidels, and that a crime might therefore have lighted on you on their account, without your knowledge, he had not restrained your hands from them: but this was done, that GOD might lead whom he pleased into his mercy. If they had been distinguished from one another, we had surely chastised such of them as believed not, with a severe chastisement. When the unbelievers had put in their hearts an affected preciseness, the preciseness of ignorance, and GOD sent down his tranquility on his apostle and on the true believers; and firmly fixed in them the word of piety, and they were the most worthy of the same, and the most deserving thereof: for GOD knoweth all things. Now hath GOD in truth verified unto his apostle the vision, wherein he said, Ye shall surely enter the holy temple of Mecca, if GOD please, in full security; having your heads shaved, and your hair cut: ye shall not fear: for God knoweth that which ye know not; and he hath appointed you, besides this, a speedy victory. It is he who hath sent his apostle with the direction, and the religion of truth; that he may exalt the same above every religion: and GOD is a sufficient witness hereof. Mohammed is the apostle of GOD: and those who are with him are fierce against the unbelievers, but compassionate towards one another. Thou mayest see them bowing down, prostrate, seeking a recompense from GOD, and his good- will. Their signs are in their faces, being marks of frequent prostration. This is their description in the pentateuch, and their description in the gospel: they are as seed which putteth forth its stalk and strengtheneth it, and swelleth in the ear, and riseth upon its stem; giving delight unto the sower. Such are the Moslems described to be: that the infidels may swell with indignation at them. GOD hath promised unto such of them as believe, and do good works, pardon and a great reward.
CHAPTER XLIX. ENTITLED, THE INNER APARTMENTS; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
O TRUE believers, anticipate not any matter in the sight of GOD and his apostle: and fear GOD; for GOD both heareth and knoweth. O true believers, raise not your voices above the voice of the prophet; neither speak loud unto him in discourse, as ye speak loud unto one another, lest your works become vain, and ye perceive it not. Verily they who lower their voices in the presence of the apostle of GOD are those whose hearts GOD hath disposed unto piety: they shall obtain pardon, and a great reward. As to those who call unto thee from without the inner apartments; the greater part of them do not understand the respect due to thee. If they wait with patience, until thou come forth unto them, it will certainly be better for them: but GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. O true believers, if a wicked man come unto you with a tale, inquire strictly into the truth thereof; lest ye hurt people through ignorance, and afterwards repent of what ye have done; and know that the apostle of GOD is among you: if he should obey you in many things, ye would certainly be guilty of a crime, in leading him into a mistake. But GOD hath made the faith amiable unto you, and hath prepared the same in your hearts; and hath rendered infidelity, and iniquity, and disobedience hateful unto you. These are they who walk in the right way; through mercy from GOD, and grace: and GOD is knowing, and wise. If two parties of the believers contend with one another, do ye endeavour to compose the matter between them: and if the one of them offer an insult unto the other, fight against that party which offered the insult, until they return unto the judgment of GOD; and if they do return, make peace between them with equity: and act with justice; for GOD loveth those who act justly. Verily the true believers are brethren; wherefore reconcile your brethren; and fear GOD, that ye may obtain mercy. O true believers, let not men laugh other men to scorn; who peradventure may be better than themselves: neither let women laugh other women to scorn; who may possibly be better than themselves. Neither defame one another; nor call one another by opprobrious appellations. An ill name it is to be charged with wickedness, after having embraced the faith: and whoso repenteth not, they will be the unjust doers. O true believers, carefully avoid entertaining a suspicion of another: for some suspicions are a crime. Inquire not too curiously into other men's failings: neither let the one of you speak ill of another in his absence. Would any of you desire to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Surely ye would abhor it. And fear GOD; for GOD is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. O men, verily we have created you of a male and a female; and we have distributed you into nations and tribes, that ye might know one another. Verily the most honourable of you, in the sight of GOD, is the most pious of you: and GOD is wise and knowing. The Arabs of the desert say, We believe. Answer, Ye do by no means believe; but say, We have embraced Islâm: for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. If ye obey GOD and his apostle, he will not defraud you of any part of the merit of your works: for GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. Verily the true believers are those only who believe in GOD and his apostle, and afterwards doubt not; and who employ their substance and their persons in the defence of GOD'S true religion: these are they who speak sincerely. Say, Will ye inform GOD concerning your religion? But GOD knoweth whatever is in heaven and in earth: for GOD is omniscient. They upbraid thee that they have embraced Islâm. Answer, Upbraid me not with your having embraced Islâm: rather GOD upbraideth you, that he hath directed you to the faith; if ye speak sincerely. Verily GOD knoweth the secrets of heaven and earth: and GOD beholdeth that which ye do.
CHAPTER L. ENTITLED, K; REVEALED AT MECCA.
K. BY the glorious Koran: verily they wonder that a preacher from among themselves is come unto them; and the unbelievers say, This is a wonderful thing: after we shall be dead, and become dust, shall we return to life? This is a return remote from thought. Now we know what the earth consumeth of them; and with us is a book which keepeth an account thereof. But they charge falsehood on the truth, after it hath come unto them: wherefore they are plunged in a confused business. Do they not look up to the heaven above them, and consider how we have raised it and adorned it; and that there are no flaws therein? We have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon mountains firmly rooted: and we caused every beautiful kind of vegetables to spring up therein; for a subject of meditation, and an admonition unto every man who turneth unto us. And we send down rain as a blessing from heaven, whereby we cause gardens to spring forth, and the grain of harvest, and tall palm-trees having branches laden with dates hanging one above another, as a provision for mankind; and we thereby quicken a dead country: so shall be the coming forth of the dead from their graves. The people of Noah, and those who dwelt at Al Rass, and Thamud, and Ad, and Pharaoh, accused the prophets of imposture before the Meccans; and also the brethren of Lot, and the inhabitants of the wood near Midian, and the people of Tobba: all these accused the apostles of imposture; wherefore the judgments which I threatened were justly inflicted on them. Is our power exhausted by the first creation? Yea; they are in a perplexity, because of a new creation which is foretold them, namely the raising of the dead. We created man, and we know what his soul whispereth within him; and we are nearer unto him than his jugular vein. When the two angels deputed to take account of a man's behavior, take an account thereof; one sitting on the right hand, and the other on the left: he uttereth not a word, but there is with him a watcher, ready to note it. And the agony of death shall come in truth: this, O man, is what thou soughtest to avoid. And the trumpet shall sound: this will be the day which hath been threatened. And every soul shall come; and therewith shall be a driver and a witness. And the former shall say unto the unbeliever, Thou wast negligent heretofore of this day: but we have removed thy veil from off thee; and thy sight is become piercing this day. And his companions shall say, This is what is ready with me to be attested. And God shall say, Cast into hell every unbeliever, and perverse person, and every one who forbade good, and every transgressor, and doubter of the faith, who set up another god with the true GOD; and cast him into a grievous torment. His companion shall say, O LORD, I did not seduce him; but he was in a wide error. God shall say, Wrangle not in my presence: since I threatened you beforehand with the torments which ye now see prepared for you. The sentence is not changed with me: neither do I treat my servants unjustly. On that day we will say unto hell, Art thou full? and it shall answer, Is there yet any addition? And paradise shall be brought near unto the pious; and it shall be said unto them, This is what ye have been promised; unto every one who turned himself unto God, and kept his commandments; who feared the Merciful in secret, and came unto him with a converted heart: enter the same in peace: this is the day of eternity. Therein shall they have whatever they shall desire; and there will be a superabundant addition of bliss with us. How many generations have we destroyed before the Meccans, which were more mighty than they in strength? Pass, therefore, through the regions of the earth, and see whether there be any refuge from our vengeance. Verily herein is an admonition unto him who hath a heart to understand, or giveth ear, and is present with an attentive mind. We created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, in six days, and no weariness affected us. Wherefore patiently suffer what they say; and celebrate the praise of thy LORD before sunrise, and before sunset, and praise him in some part of the night: and perform the additional parts of worship. And hearken unto the day whereon the crier shall call men to judgment from a near place: the day whereon they shall hear the voice of the trumpet in truth: this will be the day of men's coming forth from their graves: we give life, and we cause to die; and unto us shall be the return of all creatures: the day whereon the earth shall suddenly cleave in sunder over them. This will be an assembly easy for us to assemble. We well know what the unbelievers say; and thou art not sent to compel them forcibly to the faith. Wherefore warn, by the Koran, him who feareth my threatening.
CHAPTER LI. ENTITLED, THE DISPERSING; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the winds dispersing and scattering the dust; and by the clouds bearing a load of rain; by the ships running swiftly in the sea; and by the angels who distribute things necessary for the support of all creatures; verily that wherewith ye are threatened is certainly true; and the last judgment will surely come. By the heaven furnished with paths; ye widely differ in what ye say. He will be turned aside from the faith, who shall be turned aside by the divine decree. Cursed be the liars; who wade in deep waters of ignorance, neglecting their salvation. They ask, When will the day of judgment come? On that day shall they be burned in hell fire; and it shall be said unto them, Taste your punishment; this is what ye demanded to be hastened. But the pious shall dwell among gardens and fountains, receiving that which their LORD shall give them; because they were righteous doers before this day. They slept but a small part of the night; and early in the morning they asked pardon of God: and a due portion of their wealth was given unto him who asked, and unto him who was forbidden by shame to ask. There are signs of the divine power and goodness in the earth, unto men of sound understanding; and also in your own selves: will ye not therefore consider? Your sustenance is in the heaven; and also that which ye are promised. Wherefore by the LORD of heaven and earth I swear that this is certainly the truth; according to what ye yourselves speak. Hath not the story of Abraham's honoured guests come to thy knowledge? When they went in unto him, and said, Peace: he answered Peace; saying within himself, These are unknown people. And he went privately unto his family, and brought a fatted calf. And he set it before them, and when he saw they touched it not, he said, Do ye not eat? And he began to entertain a fear of them. They said, Fear not: and they declared unto him the promise of a wise youth. And his wife drew near with exclamation, and she smote her face, and said, I am an old woman, and barren. The angels answered, Thus saith thy LORD: verily he is the wise, the knowing. And Abraham said unto them, What is your errand, therefore, O messengers of God? They answered, Verily we are sent unto a wicked people: that we may send down upon them stones of baked clay, marked from thy LORD, for the destruction of transgressors. And we brought forth the true believers who were in the city: but we found not therein more than one family of Moslems. And we overthrew the same, and left a sign therein unto those who dread the severe chastisement of God. In Moses also was a sign: when we sent him unto Pharaoh with manifest power. But he turned back, with his princes, saying, This man is a sorceror, or a madman. Wherefore we took him and his forces, and cast them into the sea: and he was one worthy of reprehension. And in the tribe of Ad also was a sign: when we sent against them a destroying wind; it touched not aught whereon it came, but it rendered the same as a thing rotten, and reduced to dust. In Thamud likewise was a sign: when it was said unto them, Enjoy yourselves for a time. But they insolently transgressed the command of their LORD: wherefore a terrible noise from heaven assailed them, while they looked on; and they were not able to stand on their feet, neither did they save themselves from destruction. And the people of Noah did we destroy before these: for they were a people who enormously transgressed. We have built the heaven with might; and we have given it a large extent: and we have stretched forth the earth beneath; and how evenly have we spread the same! And of everything have we created two kinds, that peradventure ye may consider. Fly, therefore, unto GOD; verily I am a public warner unto you, from him. And set not up another god with the true GOD: verily I am a public warner unto you, from him. In like manner there came no apostle unto their predecessors, but they said, This man is a magician, or a madman. Have they bequeathed this behavior successively the one to the other? Yea; they are a people who enormously transgress. Wherefore withdraw from them; and thou shalt not be blameworthy in so doing. Yet continue to admonish: for admonition profiteth the true believers. I have not created genii and men for any other end than that they should serve me. I require not any sustenance from them; neither will I that they feed me. Verily GOD is he who provideth for all creatures; possessed of mighty power. Unto those who shall injure our apostle shall be given a portion like unto the portion of those who behaved like them in times past; and they shall not wish the same to be hastened. Woe, therefore, to the unbelievers, because of their day with which they are threatened!
CHAPTER LII. ENTITLED, THE MOUNTAIN; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the mountain of Sinai; and by the book written in an expanded scroll; and by the visited house; and by the elevated roof of heaven; and by the swelling ocean: verily the punishment of thy LORD will surely descend; there shall be none to withhold it. On that day the heaven shall be shaken, and shall reel; and the mountains shall walk and pass away. And on that day woe be unto those who accused GOD's apostles of imposture; who amused themselves in wading in vain disputes! On that day shall they be driven and thrust into the fire of hell; and it shall be said unto them, This is the fire which ye denied as a fiction. Is this a magic illusion? Or do ye not see? Enter the same to be scorched: whether ye bear your torments patiently, or impatiently, it will be equal unto you: ye shall surely receive the reward of that which ye have wrought. But the pious shall dwell amidst gardens and pleasures; delighting themselves in what their LORD shall have given them: and their LORD shall deliver them from the pains of hell. And it shall be said unto them, Eat and drink with easy digestion; because of that which ye have wrought: leaning on couches disposed in order: and we will espouse them unto virgins having large black eyes. And unto those who believe, and whose offspring follow them in the faith, we will join their offspring in paradise: and we will not diminish unto them aught of the merit of their works. (Every man is given in pledge for that which he shall have wrought.) And we will give them fruits in abundance, and flesh of the kinds which they shall desire. They shall present unto one another therein a cup of wine, wherein there shall be no vain discourse, nor any incitement unto wickedness. And youths appointed to attend them shall go round them: beautiful as pearls hidden in their shell. And they shall approach unto one another, and shall ask mutual questions. And they shall say, Verily we were heretofore amidst our family, in great dread with regard to our state after death: but GOD hath been gracious unto us, and hath delivered us from the pain of burning fire: for we called on him heretofore; and he is the beneficent, the merciful. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, admonish thy people. Thou art not, by the grace of thy LORD, a soothsayer, or a madman. Do they say, He is a poet; we wait, concerning him, some adverse turn of fortune? Say, Wait ye my ruin: verily I wait, with you, the time of your destruction. Do their mature understandings bid them say this; or are they people who perversely transgress? Do they say, He hath forged the Koran? Verily they believe not. Let them produce a discourse like unto it, if they speak truth. Were they created by nothing; or were they creators of themselves? Did they create the heavens and the earth? Verily they are not firmly persuaded that God hath created them. Are the stores of thy LORD in their hands? Are they the supreme dispensers of all things? Have they a ladder whereby they may ascend to heaven, and hear the discourses of angels? Let one, therefore, who hath heard them, produce an evident proof thereof. Hath God daughters, and have ye sons? Dost thou ask them a reward for thy preaching? but they are laden with debts. Are the secrets of futurity with them; and do they transcribe the same from the table of GOD's degrees? Do they seek to lay a plot against thee? But the unbelievers are they who shall be circumvented. Have they any god, besides GOD? Far be GOD exalted above the idols which they associate with him! If they should see a fragment of the heaven falling down upon them, they would say, It is only a thick cloud. Wherefore leave them, until they arrive at their day wherein they shall swoon for fear: a day, in which their subtle contrivances shall not avail them at all, neither shall they be protected. And those who act unjustly shall surely suffer another punishment besides this: but the greater part of them do not understand. And wait thou patiently the judgment of thy LORD concerning them; for thou art in our eye: and celebrate the praise of thy LORD, when thou risest up; and praise him in the night-season, and when the stars begin to disappear.
CHAPTER LIII. ENTITLED, THE STAR; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the star, when it setteth; your companion Mohammed erreth not; nor is he led astray: neither doth he speak of his own will. It is no other than a revelation, which hath been revealed unto him. One mighty in power, endued with understanding, taught it him: and he appeared in the highest part of the horizon. Afterwards he approached the prophet, and near unto him; until he was at the distance of two bows' length from him, or yet nearer; and he revealed unto his servant that which he revealed. The heart of Mohammed did not falsely represent that which he saw. Will ye therefore dispute with him concerning that which he saw? He also saw him another time, by the lote-tree beyond which there is no passing: near it is the garden of eternal abode. When the lote-tree covered that which it covered, his eyesight turned not aside, neither did it wander: and he really beheld some of the greatest signs of his LORD. What think ye of Allat, and Al Uzza, and Manah, that other third goddess? Have ye male children, and God female? This, therefore, is an unjust partition. They are no other than empty names, which ye and your fathers have named goddesses. GOD hath not revealed concerning them anything to authorize their worship. They follow no other than a vain opinion, and what their souls desire: yet hath the true direction come unto them from their LORD. Shall man have whatever he wisheth for? The life to come and the present life are GOD'S: and how many angels soever there be in the heavens, their intercession shall be of no avail, until after GOD shall have granted permission unto whom he shall please and shall accept. Verily they who believe not in the life to come give unto the angels a female appellation. But they have no knowledge herein: they follow no other than a bare opinion; and a bare opinion attaineth not anything of truth. Wherefore withdraw from him who turneth away from our admonition, and seeketh only the present life. This is their highest pitch of knowledge. Verily thy LORD well knoweth him who erreth from his way; and he well knoweth him who is rightly directed. Unto GOD belongeth whatever is in heaven and earth: that he may reward those who do evil, according to that which they shall have wrought; and may reward those who do well, with the most excellent reward. As to those who avoid great crimes, and heinous sins, and are guilty only of lighter faults; verily thy LORD will be extensive in mercy towards them. He well knew you when he produced you out of the earth, and when ye were embryos in your mothers' wombs: wherefore justify not yourselves: he best knoweth the man who feareth him. What thinkest thou of him who turneth aside from following the truth, and giveth little, and covetously stoppeth his hand? Is the knowledge of futurity with him, so that he seeth the same? Hath he not been informed of that which is contained in the books of Moses, and of Abraham who faithfully performed his engagements? To wit: that a burdened soul shall not bear the burden of another; and that nothing shall be imputed to a man for righteousness, except his own labor; and that his labor shall surely be made manifest hereafter, and that he shall be rewarded for the same with a most abundant reward; and that unto thy LORD will be the end of all things; and that he causeth to laugh, and causeth to weep; and that he putteth to death, and giveth life: and that he createth the two sexes, the male and the female, of seed when it is emitted; and that unto him appertaineth another production, namely, the raising of the dead again to life hereafter; and that he enricheth, and causeth to acquire possessions; and that he is the LORD of the dog-star; and that he destroyed the ancient tribe of Ad, and Thamud, and left not any of them alive; and also the people of Noah, before them; for they were most unjust and wicked: and he overthrew the cities which were turned upside down; and that which covered them, covered them. Which, therefore, of thy LORD'S benefits, O man, wilt thou call in question? This our apostle is a preacher like the preachers who preceded him. The approaching day of judgment draweth near: there is none who can reveal the exact time of the same, besides GOD. Do ye, therefore, wonder at this new revelation, and do ye laugh, and not weep, spending your time in idle diversions? But rather worship GOD, and serve him.
CHAPTER LIV. ENTITLED, THE MOON; REVEALED AT MECCA.
THE hour of judgment approacheth; and the moon hath been split in sunder: but if the unbelievers see a sign, they turn aside, saying, This is a powerful charm. And they accuse thee, O Mohammed, of imposture, and follow their own lusts: but everything will be immutably fixed. And now hath a message come unto them, wherein is a determent from obstinate infidelity; the same being consummate wisdom: but warners profit them not; wherefore do thou withdraw from them. The day whereon the summoner shall summon mankind to an ungrateful business, they shall come forth from their graves with downcast looks: numerous as locusts scattered far abroad; hastening with terror unto the summoner. The unbelievers shall say, This is a day of distress. The people of Noah accused that prophet of imposture, before thy people rejected thee: they accused our servant of imposture, saying, He is a madman; and he was rejected with reproach. He called, therefore, upon his LORD, saying, Verily I am overpowered; wherefore avenge me. So we opened the gates of heaven, with water pouring down, and we caused the earth to break forth into springs; so that the water of heaven and earth met, according to the decree which had been established. And we bare him on a vessel composed of planks and nails; which moved forward under our eyes: as a recompense unto him who had been ungratefully rejected. And we left the said vessel for a sign: but is any one warned thereby? And how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? Ad charged their prophet with imposture: but how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! Verily we sent against them a roaring wind, on a day of continued ill luck; it carried men away, as though they had been roots of palm-trees forcibly torn up. And how severe was my vengeance and my threatening! Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? Thamud charged the admonitions of their prophet with falsehood, and said, Shall we follow a single man among us? verily we should then be guilty of error, and preposterous madness: is the office of admonition committed unto him preferably to the rest of us? Nay; he is a liar, and an insolent fellow. But God said to Saleh, to-morrow shall they know who is the liar, and the insolent person: for we will surely send the she-camel for a trial of them: and do thou observe them, and bear their insults with patience: and prophesy unto them that the water shall be divided between them, and each portion shall be sat down to alternately. And they called their companion: and he took a sword, and slew her. But how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! For we sent against them one cry of the angel Gabriel; and they became like the dry sticks used by him who buildeth a fold for cattle. And now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? The people of Lot charged his preaching with falsehood: but we sent against them a wind driving a shower of stones, which destroyed them all except the family of Lot; whom we delivered early in the morning, through favor from us. Thus do we reward those who are thankful. And Lot had warned them of our severity in chastising; but they doubted of that warning. And they demanded his guests of him, that they might abuse them: but we put out their eyes, saying, Taste my vengeance, and my threatening. And early in the morning a lasting punishment surprised them. Taste, therefore, my vengeance, and my threatening. Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? The warning of Moses also came unto the people of Pharaoh; but they charged every one of our signs with imposture: wherefore we chastised them with a mighty and irresistible chastisement. Are your unbelievers, O Meccans, better than these? Is immunity from punishment promised unto you in the scriptures? Do they say, We are a body of men able to prevail against our enemies? The multitude shall surely be put to flight, and shall turn their back. But the hour of judgment is their threatened time of punishment: and that hour shall be more grievous and more bitter than their afflictions in this life. Verily the wicked wander in error, and shall be tormented hereafter in burning flames. On that day they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces; and it shall be said unto them, Taste ye the touch of hell. All things have we created bound by a fixed decree: and our command is no more than a single word, like the twinkling of an eye. We have formerly destroyed nations like unto you; but is any of you warned by their example? Everything which they do is recorded in the books kept by the guardian angels: and every action both small and great, is written down in the preserved table. Moreover the pious shall dwell among gardens and rivers, in the assembly of truth, in the presence of a most potent king.
CHAPTER LV. ENTITLED, THE MERCIFUL; REVEALED AT MECCA.
THE Merciful hath taught his servant the Koran. He created man: he hath taught him distinct speech. The sun and the moon run their courses according to a certain rule: and the vegetables which creep on the ground, and the trees submit to his disposition. He also raised the heaven; and he appointed the balance, that ye should not transgress in respect to the balance: wherefore observe a just weight; and diminish not the balance. And the earth hath he prepared for living creatures: therein are various fruits, and palm-trees bearing sheaths of flowers; and grain having chaff, and leaves. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He created man of dried clay like an earthen vessel: but he created the genii of fire clear from smoke. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He is the LORD of the east, and the LORD of the west. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He hath let loose the two seas, that they meet each another: between them is placed a bar which they cannot pass. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? From them are taken forth unions and lesser pearls. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? His also are the ships, carrying their sails aloft in the sea like mountains. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Every creature which liveth on the earth is subject to decay: but the glorious and honourable countenance of thy LORD shall remain forever. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Unto him do all creatures which are in heaven and earth make petition: every day is he employed in some new work. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? We will surely attend to judge you, O men and genii, at the last day. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? O ye collective body of genii and men, if ye be able to pass out of the confines of heaven and earth, pass forth: ye shall not pass forth but by absolute power. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? A flame of fire without smoke, and a smoke without flame shall be sent down upon you; and ye shall not be able to defend yourselves therefrom. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? And when the heaven shall be rent in sunder, and shall become red as a rose, and shall melt like ointment. (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) On that day neither man nor genius shall be asked concerning his sin. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? The wicked shall be known by their marks; and they shall be taken by the forelocks, and the feet, and shall be cast into hell. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? This is hell, which the wicked deny as a falsehood: they shall pass to and fro between the same and hot boiling water. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? But for him who dreadeth the tribunal of his LORD are prepared two gardens: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) planted with shady trees. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be two fountains flowing. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall there be of every fruit two kinds. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? They shall repose on couches, the linings whereof shall be of thick silk interwoven with gold: and the fruit of the two gardens shall be near at hand together. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall receive them beauteous damsels, refraining their eyes from beholding any besides their spouses: whom no man shall have deflowered before them, neither any genius: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) Having complexions like rubies and pearls. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Shall the reward of good works be any other good? Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? And besides these there shall be two other gardens: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) Of a dark green. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be two fountains pouring forth plenty of water. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be fruits, and palm-trees, and pomegranates. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall be agreeable and beauteous damsels: Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Having fine black eyes, and kept in pavilions from public view: Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Whom no man shall have deflowered before their destined spouses, nor any genius. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall they delight themselves, lying on green cushions and beautiful carpets. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Blessed be the name of thy LORD, possessed of glory and honour!
H.M. BY the perspicuous book; verily we have ordained the same an Arabic Koran that ye may understand: and it is certainly written in the original book, kept with us, being sublime and full of wisdom. Shall we therefore turn away from you the admonition, and deprive you thereof, because ye are a people who transgress? And how many prophets have we sent among those of old? and no prophet came unto them, out they laughed him to scorn: wherefore we destroyed nations who were more mighty than these in strength; and the example of those who were of old hath been already set before them. If thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly answer, The mighty, the wise God created them: who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and hath made you paths therein, that ye may be directed: and who sendeth down rain from heaven by measure, whereby we quicken a dead country; (so shall ye be brought forth from your graves:) and who hath created all the various species of things, and hath given you ships and cattle, whereon ye are carried; that ye may sit firmly on the backs thereof, and may remember the favor of your LORD, when ye sit thereon, and may say, Praise be unto him, who hath subjected these unto our service! for we could not have mastered them by our own power: and unto our LORD shall we surely return. Yet have they attributed unto him some of his servants as his offspring: verily man is openly ungrateful. Hath God taken daughters out of those beings which he hath created; and hath he chosen sons for you? But when one of them hath the news brought of the birth of a child of that sex which they attribute unto the Merciful, as his similitude, his face becometh black, and he is oppressed with sorrow. Do they therefore attribute unto God female issue, which are brought up among ornaments, and are contentious without cause? And do they make the angels, who are the servants of the Merciful, females? Were they present at their creation? Their testimony shall be written down, and they shall be examined concerning the same, on the day of judgment. And they say, If the Merciful had pleased, we had not worshipped them. They have no knowledge herein: they only utter a vain lie. Have we given them a book of revelations before this; and do they keep the same in their custody? But they say, Verily we found our fathers practising a religion; and we are guided in their footsteps. Thus we sent no preacher before thee, unto any city, but the inhabitants thereof who lived in affluence, said, Verily we found our fathers practising a religion: and we tread in their footsteps. And the preacher answered, What, although I bring you a more right religion than that which ye found your fathers to practise? And they replied, Verily we believe not that which ye are sent to preach. Wherefore we took vengeance on them: and behold what hath been the end of those who accused our apostles of imposture. Remember when Abraham said unto his father, and his people, Verily I am clear of the gods which ye worship, except him who hath created me; for he will direct me aright. And he ordained this to be a constant doctrine among his posterity; that they should be turned from idolatry to the worship of the only true God. Verily I have permitted these Meccans and their fathers to live in prosperity, until the truth should come unto them, and a manifest apostle: but now the truth is come unto them, they say, This is a piece of sorcery; and we believe not therein. And they say, Had this Koran been sent down unto some great man of either of the two cities, we would have received it. Do they distribute the mercy of thy LORD? We distribute the necessary provision among them, in this present life, and we raise some of them several degrees above the others, that the one of them may take the other to serve him: and the mercy of thy LORD is more valuable than the riches which they gather together. If it were not that mankind would have become one sect of infidels, verily we had given unto those who believe not in the Merciful, roofs of silver to their houses, and stairs of silver, by which they might ascend thereto, and doors of silver to their houses, and couches of silver, for them to lean on; and ornaments of gold: for all this is the provision of the present life; but the next life with thy LORD shall be for those who fear him. Whoever shall withdraw from the admonition of the Merciful, we will chain a devil unto him; and he shall be his inseparable companion: (and the devils shall turn them aside from the way of truth; yet they shall imagine themselves to be rightly directed:) until, when he shall appear before us at the last day, he shall say unto the devil, Would to GOD that between me and thee there was the distance of the east from the west! Oh how wretched a companion art thou! But wishes shall not avail you on this day, since ye have been unjust; for ye shall be partakers of the same punishment. Canst thou, O prophet, make the deaf to hear, or canst thou direct the blind, and him who is in a manifest error? Whether we take thee away, we will surely take vengeance on them; or whether we cause thee to see the punishment with which we have threatened them executed, we will certainly prevail over them. Wherefore hold fast the doctrine which hath been revealed unto thee; for thou art in a right way: and it is a memorial unto thee and thy people, and hereafter shall ye be examined concerning your observance thereof. And ask our apostles whom we have sent before thee, whether we have appointed gods for them to worship, besides the Merciful. We formerly sent Moses with our signs unto Pharaoh and his princes, and he said, Verily I am the apostle of the LORD of all creatures. And when he came unto them with our signs, behold, they laughed him to scorn; although we showed them no sign, but it was greater than the other: and we inflicted a punishment on them, that peradventure they might be converted. And they said unto Moses, O magician, pray unto thy LORD for us, according to the covenant which he hath made with thee; for we will certainly be directed. But when we took the plague from off them, behold, they brake their promise. And Pharaoh made proclamation among his people, saying, O my people, is not the kingdom of Egypt mine, and these rivers, which flow beneath me? Do ye not see? Am not I better than this Moses, who is a contemptible person, and can scarce express himself intelligibly? Have bracelets of gold, therefore, been put upon him; or do the angels attend him in orderly procession? And Pharaoh persuaded his people to light behavior; and they obeyed him: for they were a wicked people. And when they had provoked us to wrath, we took vengeance on them: and we drowned them all: and we made them a precedent, and an example unto others. And when the son of Mary was proposed for an example, behold, thy people cried out through excess of joy thereat; and they said, Are our gods better, or he? They have proposed this instance unto thee no otherwise than for an occasion of dispute: yea, they are contentious men. Jesus is no other than a servant, whom we favored with the gift of prophecy; and we appointed him for an example unto the children of Israel: (if we pleased, verily we could from ourselves produce angels, to succeed you in the earth): and he shall be a sign of the approach of the last hour; wherefore doubt not thereof. And follow me: this is the right way. And let not Satan cause you to turn aside: for he is your open enemy. And when Jesus came with evident miracles, he said, Now am I come unto you with wisdom, and to explain unto you part of those things concerning which ye disagree; wherefore fear GOD, and obey me. Verily GOD is my LORD, and your LORD; wherefore worship him: this is the right way. And the confederated sects among them fell to variance: but woe unto those who have acted unjustly, because of the punishment of a grievous day. Do the unbelievers wait for any other than the hour of judgment; that it may come upon them suddenly, while they foresee it not? The intimate friends, on that day, shall be enemies unto one another; except the pious. O my servants, there shall no fear come on you this day, neither shall ye be grieved: who have believed in our signs, and have been Moslems: enter ye into paradise, ye and your wives, with great joy. Dishes of gold shall be carried round unto them, and cups without handles: and therein shall they enjoy whatever their souls shall desire, and whatever their eyes shall delight in: and ye shall remain therein forever. This is paradise, which ye have inherited as a reward for that which ye have wrought. Therein shall ye have fruits in abundance, of which ye shall eat. But the wicked shall remain forever in the torment of hell: it shall not be made lighter unto them; and they shall despair therein. We deal not unjustly with them, but they deal unjustly with their own souls. And they shall call aloud, saying, O Malec, intercede for us that thy LORD would end us by annihilation. He shall answer, Verily ye shall remain here forever. We brought you the truth heretofore, but the greater part of you abhorred the truth. Have the infidels fixed on a method to circumvent our apostle? Verily we will fix on a method to circumvent them. Do they imagine that we hear not their secrets, and their private discourse? Yea; and our messengers who attend them write down the same. Say, If the Merciful had a son, verily I would be the first of those who should worship him. Far be the LORD of heaven and earth, the LORD of the throne, from that which they affirm of him! Wherefore let them wade in their vanity, and divert themselves until they arrive at their day with which they have been threatened. He who is GOD in heaven, is GOD on earth also: and he is the wise, the knowing. And blessed be he unto whom appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of whatever is between them; with whom is the knowledge of the last hour; and before whom ye shall be assembled. They whom they invoke besides him have not the privilege to intercede for others; except those who bear witness to the truth, and know the same. If thou ask them who hath created them, they will surely answer, GOD. How therefore are they turned away to the worship of others? God also heareth the saying of the prophet, O LORD, verily these are people who believe not: and he answereth, Therefore turn aside from them; and say, Peace: hereafter shall they know their folly.
CHAPTER XLIV. ENTITLED, SMOKE; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. BY the perspicuous book of the Koran; verily we have sent down the same on a blessed night (for we had engaged so to do), on the night wherein is distinctly sent down the decree of every determined thing, as a command from us. Verily we have ever used to send apostles with revelations, at proper intervals, as a mercy from thy LORD; for it is he who heareth and knoweth: the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatever is between them; if ye are men of sure knowledge. There is no GOD but he: he giveth life, and he causeth to die; he is your LORD, and the LORD of your forefathers. Yet do they amuse themselves with doubt. But observe them, on the day whereon the heaven shall produce a visible smoke, which shall cover mankind: this will be a tormenting plague. They shall say, O LORD, take this plague from off us: verily we will become true believers. How should an admonition be of avail to them in this condition; when a manifest apostle came unto them, but they retired from him, saying, This man is instructed by others, or is a distracted person? We will take the plague from off you, a little: but ye will certainly return to your infidelity. On the day whereon we shall fiercely assault them with great power, verily we will take vengeance on them. We made trial of the people of Pharaoh before them, and an honourable messenger came unto them, saying, Send unto me the servants of GOD; verily I am a faithful messenger unto you: and lift not yourselves up against GOD; for I come unto you with manifest power. And I fly for protection unto my LORD, and your LORD, that ye stone me not. If ye do not believe me, at least depart from me. And when they accused him of imposture, he called upon his LORD, saying, These are a wicked people. And God said unto him, March forth with my servants by night; for ye will be pursued: and leave the sea divided, that the Egyptians may enter the same; for they are a host doomed to be drowned. How many gardens, and fountains, and fields of corn, and fair dwellings, and advantages which they enjoyed, did they leave behind them! Thus we dispossessed them thereof; and we gave the same for an inheritance unto another people. Neither heaven nor earth wept for them; neither were they respited any longer. And we delivered the children of Israel from a shameful affliction; from Pharaoh; for he was haughty, and a transgressor: and we chose them, knowingly, above all people; and we showed them several signs, wherein was an evident trial. Verily these Meccans say, Assuredly our final end will be no other than our first natural death; neither shall we be raised again: bring now our forefathers back to life, if ye speak truth. Are they better, or the people of Tobba, and those who were before them? we destroyed them, because they wrought wickedness. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, by way of sport: we have created them no otherwise than in truth; but the greater part of them do not understand. Verily the day of separation shall be the appointed term of them all: a day, whereon the master and the servant shall be of no advantage to one another, neither shall they be helped; excepting those on whom GOD shall have mercy; for he is the mighty, the merciful. Verily, the fruit of the tree of al Zakkum shall be the food of the impious: as the dregs of oil shall it boil in the bellies of the damned, like the boiling of the hottest water. And it shall be said to the tormentors, Take him, and drag him into the midst of hell: and pour on his head the torture of boiling water, saying, Taste this; for thou art that mighty and honourable person. Verily this is the punishment of which ye doubted. But the pious shall be lodged in a place of security, among gardens and fountains: they shall be clothed in fine silk, and in satin; and they shall sit facing one another. Thus shall it be: and we will espouse them to fair damsels, having large black eyes. In that place shall they call for all kinds of fruits, in full security: they shall not taste death therein, after the first death; and God shall deliver from the pains of hell: through the gracious bounty of thy LORD. This will be great felicity. Moreover we have rendered the Koran easy for thee, by revealing it in thine own tongue; to the end that they may be admonished: wherefore do thou wait the event; for they wait to see some misfortune befall thee.
CHAPTER XLV. ENTITLED, THE KNEELING; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. THE revelation of this book is from the mighty, the wise GOD. Verily both in heaven and earth are signs of the divine power unto the true believers: and in the creation of yourselves, and of the beasts which are scattered over the face of the earth, are signs unto people of sound judgment; and also in the vicissitude of night and day, and the rain which GOD sendeth down from heaven, whereby he quickeneth the earth after it hath been dead: in the change of the winds also are signs unto people of understanding. These are the signs of GOD; we rehearse them unto thee with truth. In what revelation therefore will they believe, after they have rejected GOD and his signs? Woe unto every lying and impious person; who heareth the signs of GOD, which are read unto him, and afterwards proudly persisteth in infidelity, as though he heard them not: (denounce unto him a painful punishment:) and who, when he cometh to the knowledge of any of our signs, receiveth the same with scorn. For these is prepared a shameful punishment: before them lieth hell; and whatever they shall have gained shall not avail them at all, neither shall the idols which they have taken for their patrons, besides GOD; and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. This is a true direction: and for those who disbelieve the signs of their LORD, is prepared the punishment of a painful torment. It is GOD who hath subjected the sea unto you, that the ships may sail therein, at his command; and that ye may seek advantage unto yourselves by commerce; of his bounty; and that ye may give thanks: and he obligeth whatever is in heaven and on earth to serve you; the whole being from him. Verily herein are signs unto people who consider. Speak unto the true believers, that they forgive those who hope not for the days of GOD, that he may reward people according to what they shall have wrought. Whoso doeth that which is right doth it to the advantage of his own soul; and whoso doeth evil doth it against the same: hereafter shall ye return unto your LORD. We gave unto the children of Israel the book of the law, and wisdom, and prophecy; and we fed them with good things, and preferred them above all nations: and we gave them plain ordinances concerning the business of religion; neither do they fall to variance, except after that knowledge had come unto them, through envy among themselves: but thy LORD will decide the controversy between them, on the day of resurrection, concerning that wherein they disagree. Afterwards we appointed thee, O Mohammed, to promulgate a law concerning the business of religion: wherefore follow the same, and follow not the desires of those who are ignorant. Verily they shall not avail thee against GOD at all; the unjust are the patrons of one another; but GOD is the patron of the pious. This Koran delivereth evident precepts unto mankind; and is a direction, and a mercy, unto people who judge aright. Do the workers of iniquity imagine that we will deal with them as with those who believe and do good works; so that their life and their death shall be equal? An ill judgment do they make. GOD hath created the heavens and the earth in truth; that he may recompense every soul according to that which it shall have wrought: and they shall not be treated unjustly. What thinkest thou? He who taketh his own lust for his GOD, and whom GOD causeth knowingly to err, and whose ears and whose heart he hath sealed up, and over whose eyes he hath cast a veil; who shall direct him, after GOD shall have forsaken him? Will ye therefore not be admonished? They say, There is no other life, except our present life: we die, and we live; and nothing but time destroyeth us. But they have no knowledge in this matter; they only follow a vain opinion. And when our evident signs are rehearsed unto them, their argument which they offer against the same is no other than that they say, Bring to life our fathers who have been dead; if ye speak truth. Say, GOD giveth you life; and afterwards causeth you to die: hereafter will he assemble you together on the day of resurrection; there is no doubt thereof; but the greater part of men do not understand. Unto GOD appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth; and the day whereon the hour shall be fixed, on that day shall those who charge the Koran with vanity perish. And thou shalt see every nation kneeling: every nation shall be called unto its book of account; and it shall be said unto them, This day shall ye be rewarded according to that which ye have wrought. This our book will speak concerning you with truth; therein have we written down whatever ye have done. As to those who shall have believed and done good works, their LORD shall lead them into his mercy: this shall be manifest felicity. But as to the infidels, it shall be said unto them, Were not my signs rehearsed unto you? but ye proudly rejected them, and became a wicked people! And when it was said unto you, Verily the promise of GOD is true: and as to the hour of judgment, there is no doubt thereof: ye answered, We know not what the hour of judgment is: we hold an uncertain opinion only; and we are not well assured of this matter. But on that day the evils of that which they have wrought shall appear unto them; and that which they mocked at shall encompass them: and it shall be said unto them, This day will we forget you, as ye did forget the meeting of this your day: and your abode shall be hell fire; and ye shall have none to deliver you. This shall ye suffer, because ye turned the signs of GOD to ridicule; and the life of the world deceived you. On this day, therefore, they shall not be taken forth from thence, neither shall they be asked any more to render themselves well-pleasing unto God. Wherefore praise be unto GOD, the LORD of the heavens, and the LORD of the earth; the LORD of all creatures: and unto him be glory in heaven and earth; for he is the mighty, the wise God.
CHAPTER XLVI. ENTITLED, AL AHKAF; REVEALED AT MECCA.
H.M. THE revelation of this book is from the mighty, the wise GOD. We have not created the heavens, and the earth, and whatever is between them, otherwise than in truth, and for a determined period: but the unbelievers turn away from the warning which is given them. Say, What think ye? Show me what part of the earth the idols which ye invoke, besides GOD, have created? Or, had they any share in the creation of the heavens? Bring me a book of scripture revealed before this, or some footstep of ancient knowledge, to countenance your idolatrous practices; if ye are men of veracity. Who is in a wider error than he who invoketh, besides GOD, that which cannot return him an answer, to the day of resurrection; and idols which regard not their calling on them: and which, when men shall be gathered together to judgment, will become their enemies, and will ungratefully deny their worship? When our evident signs are rehearsed unto them, the unbelievers say of the truth, when it cometh unto them, This is a manifest piece of sorcery. Will they say, Mohammed hath forged it? Answer, If I have forged it, verily ye shall not obtain for me any favor from GOD: he well knoweth the injurious language which ye utter concerning it: he is a sufficient witness between me and you; and he is gracious and merciful. Say, I am not singular among the apostles; neither do I know what will be done with me or with you hereafter: I follow no other than what is revealed unto me; neither am I any more than a public warner. Say, What is your opinion? If this book be from GOD, and ye believe not therein; and a witness of the children of Israel bear witness to its consonancy with the law, and believeth therein; and ye proudly reject the same: are ye not unjust doers? Verily GOD directeth not unjust people. But those who believe not say of the true believers, If the doctrine of the Koran had been good, they had not embraced the same before us. And when they are not guided thereby, they say, This is an antiquated lie. Whereas the book of Moses was revealed before the Koran, to be a guide and a mercy: and this is a book confirming the same, delivered in the Arabic tongue; to denounce threats unto those who act unjustly, and to bear good tidings unto the righteous doers. As to those who say, Our LORD is GOD; and who behave uprightly: on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved. These shall be the inhabitants of paradise, they shall remain therein forever: in recompense for that which they have wrought. We have commanded man to show kindness to his parents: his mother beareth him in her womb with pain, and bringeth him forth with pain: and the space of his being carried in her womb, and of his weaning, is thirty months; until, when he attaineth his age of strength, and attaineth the age of forty years, he saith, O LORD, excite me, by the inspiration, that I may be grateful for their favors, wherewith thou hast favored me and my parents; and that I may work righteousness, which may please thee: and be gracious unto me in my issue; for I am turned unto thee, and am a Moslem. These are they from whom we accept the good work which they have wrought, and whose evil works we pass by; and they shall be among the inhabitants of paradise: this is a true promise, which they are promised in this world. He who saith unto his parents, Fie on you! Do ye promise me that I shall be taken forth from the grave, and restored to life; when many generations have passed away before me, and none of them have returned back? And his parents implore GOD'S assistance, and say to their son, Alas for thee! Believe: for the promise of GOD is true. But he answereth, This is no other than silly fables of the ancients. These are they whom the sentence passed on the nations which have been before them, of genii and of men, justly fitteth: they shall surely perish. For every one is prepared a certain degree of happiness or misery, according to that which they shall have wrought: that God may recompense them for their works: and they shall not be treated unjustly. On a certain day, the unbelievers shall be exposed before the fire of hell; and it shall be said unto them, Ye received your good things in your lifetime, while ye were in the world; and ye enjoyed yourselves therein: wherefore this day ye shall be rewarded with the punishment of ignominy; for that ye behaved insolently in the earth, without justice, and for that ye transgressed. Remember the brother of Ad, when he preached unto his people in Al Ahkaf (and there were preachers before him, and after him), saying, Worship none but GOD: verily I fear for you the punishment of a great day. They answered, Art thou come unto us that thou mayest turn us aside from the worship of our gods? Bring on us now the punishment with which thou threatenest us, if thou art a man of veracity. He said, Verily the knowledge of the time when your punishment will be inflicted is with GOD; and I only declare unto you that which I am sent to preach; but I see ye are an ignorant people. And when they saw the preparation made for their punishment, namely, a cloud traversing the sky, and tending towards their valleys, they said, This is a traversing cloud, which bringeth us rain. Hud answered, Nay; it is what ye demanded to be hastened: a wind, wherein is a severe vengeance: it will destroy everything, at the command of its LORD. And in the morning nothing was to be seen, besides their empty dwellings. Thus do we reward wicked people. We had established them in the like flourishing condition wherein we have established you, O men of Mecca; and we had given them ears, and eyes, and hearts: yet neither their ears, nor their eyes, nor their hearts profited them at all, when they rejected the signs of GOD; but the vengeance which they mocked at fell upon them. We heretofore destroyed the cities which were round about you; and we variously proposed our signs unto them, that they might repent. Did those protect them, whom they took for gods, besides GOD, and imagined to be honoured with his familiarity? Nay; they withdrew from them: yet this was their false opinion which seduced them, and the blasphemy which they had devised. Remember when we caused certain of the genii to turn aside unto thee, that they might hear the Koran: and when they were present at the reading of the same, they said to one another, Give ear: and when it was ended, they returned back unto their people, preaching what they had heard. They said, Our people, verily we have heard a book read unto us, which hath been revealed since Moses, confirming the scripture which was delivered before it; and directing unto the truth, and the right way. Our people, obey GOD'S preacher: and believe in him; that he may forgive you your sins, and may deliver you from a painful punishment. And whoever obeyeth not GOD'S preacher shall by no means frustrate GOD's vengeance on earth: neither shall he have any protectors besides him. These will be in a manifest error. Do they not know that GOD, who hath created the heavens and the earth, and was not fatigued with the creation thereof, is able to raise the dead to life? Yea verily; for he is almighty. On a certain day the unbelievers shall be exposed unto hell fire; and it shall be said unto them, Is not this really come to pass? They shall answer, Yea, by our LORD. God shall reply, Taste, therefore, the punishment of hell, for that ye have been unbelievers. Do thou, O prophet, bear the insults of thy people with patience, as our apostles, who were endued with constancy, bear the injuries of their people: and require not their punishment to be hastened unto them. On the day whereon they shall see the punishment wherewith they have been threatened, it shall seem as though they had tarried in the world but an hour of a day. This is a fair warning. Shall they perish except the people who transgress?
CHAPTER XLVII. ENTITLED, MOHAMMED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
GOD will render of none effect the works of those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of GOD: but as to those who believe, and work righteousness, and believe the revelation which hath been sent down unto Mohammed (for it is the truth from their LORD), he will expiate their evil deeds from them, and will dispose their heart aright. This will he do, because those who believe not follow vanity, and because those who believe follow the truth from their LORD. Thus GOD propoundeth unto men their examples. When ye encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them; and bind them in bonds; and either give them a free dismission afterwards, or exact a ransom; until the war shall have laid down its arms. This shall ye do. Verily if GOD pleased he could take vengeance on them, without your assistance; but he commandeth you to fight his battles, that he may prove the one of you by the other. And as to those who fight in defence of GOD'S true religion, God will not suffer their works to perish: he will guide them, and will dispose their heart aright; and he will lead them into paradise, of which he hath told them. O true believers, if ye assist GOD, by fighting for his religion, he will assist you against your enemies; and will set your feet fast: but as for the infidels, let them perish; and their works shall God render vain. This shall befall them, because they have rejected with abhorrence that which GOD hath revealed: wherefore their works shall become of no avail. Do they not travel through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? GOD utterly destroyed them: and the like catastrophe awaiteth the unbelievers. This shall come to pass, for that GOD is the patron of the true believers, and for that the infidels have no protector. Verily GOD will introduce those who believe, and do good works, into gardens beneath which rivers flow: but the unbelievers indulge themselves in pleasures, and eat as beasts eat; and their abode shall be hell fire. How many cities were more mighty in strength than thy city which hath expelled thee; yet have we destroyed them, and there was none to help them? Shall he therefore, who followeth the plain declaration of his LORD, be as he whose evil works have been dressed up for him by the devil; and who follow their own lusts? The description of paradise, which is promised unto the pious: therein are rivers of incorruptible water; and rivers of milk, the taste whereof changeth not; and rivers of wine, pleasant unto those who drink; and rivers of clarified honey: and therein shall they have plenty of all kinds of fruits; and pardon from their LORD. Shall the man for whom these things are prepared be as he who must dwell forever in hell fire; and will have the boiling water given him to drink, which shall burst their bowels? Of the unbelievers there are some who give ear unto thee, until, when they go out from thee, they say, by way of derision, unto those to whom knowledge hath been given, What hath he said now? These are they whose hearts GOD hath sealed up, and who follow their own lusts: but as to those who are directed, God will grant them a more ample direction, and he will instruct them what to avoid. Do the infidels wait for any other than the last hour, that it may come upon them suddenly? Some signs thereof are already come: and when it shall actually overtake them, how can they then receive admonition? Know therefore, that there is no god but GOD: and ask pardon for thy sin, and for the true believers, both men and women. GOD knoweth your busy employment in the world, and the place of your abode hereafter. The true believers say, Hath not a Sura been revealed commanding war against the infidels? But when a Sura without any ambiguity is revealed, and war is mentioned therein, thou mayest see those in whose hearts is an infirmity, look towards thee with the look of one whom death overshadoweth. But obedience would be more eligible for them, and to speak that which is convenient. And when the command is firmly established, if they give credit unto GOD, it will be better for them. Were ye ready, therefore, if ye had been put in authority, to commit outrages in the earth, and to violate the ties of blood? These are they whom GOD hath cursed, and hath rendered deaf, and whose eyes he hath blinded. Do they not therefore attentively meditate on the Koran? Are there locks upon their hearts? Verily they who turn their backs, after the true direction is made manifest unto them, Satan shall prepare their wickedness for them, and God shall bear with them for a time. This shall befall them, because they say privately unto those who detest what GOD hath revealed, We will obey you in part of the matter. But GOD knoweth their secrets. How therefore will it be with them, when the angels shall cause them to die, and shall strike their faces, and their backs? This shall they suffer, because they follow that which provoketh GOD to wrath, and are averse to what is well pleasing unto him: and he will render their works vain. Do they in whose hearts is an infirmity imagine that GOD will not bring their malice to light? If we pleased, we could surely show them unto thee, and thou shouldest know them by their marks; but thou shalt certainly know them by their perverse pronunciation of their words. GOD knoweth your actions: and we will try you, until we know those among you who fight valiantly, and who persevere with constancy: and we will try the reports of your behavior. Verily those who believe not, and turn away men from the way of GOD, and make opposition against the apostle, after the divine direction hath been manifested unto them, shall not hurt GOD at all; but he shall make their works to perish. O true believers, obey GOD; and obey the apostle: and render not your works of no effect. Verily those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of GOD, and then die, being unbelievers, GOD will by no means forgive. Faint not therefore, neither invite your enemies to peace, while ye are the superior: for GOD is with you, and will not defraud you of the merit of your works. Verily this present life is only a play and a vain amusement; but if ye believe, and fear God, he will give you your rewards. He doth not require of you your whole substance: if he should require the whole of you, and earnestly press you, ye would become niggardly, and it would raise your hatred against his apostle. Behold, ye are those who are invited to expend part of your substance for the support of GOD'S true religion; and there are some of you who are niggardly. But whoever shall be niggardly shall be niggardly towards his own soul: for GOD wanteth nothing, but ye are needy: and if ye turn back, he will substitute another people in your stead, who shall not be like unto you.
CHAPTER XLVIII. ENTITLED, THE VICTORY; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
VERILY we have granted thee a manifest victory: that GOD may forgive thee thy preceding and thy subsequent sin, and may complete his favour on thee, and direct thee in the right way; and that GOD may assist thee with a glorious assistance. It is he who sendeth down secure tranquility into the hearts of the true believers, that they may increase in faith, beyond their former faith; (the hosts of heaven and earth are GOD'S; and GOD is knowing and wise) that he may lead the true believers of both sexes into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever; and may expiate their evil deeds from them: (this will be great felicity with GOD): and that he may punish the hypocritical men, and the hypocritical women, and the idolaters, and the idolatresses, who conceive an ill opinion of GOD. They shall experience a turn of evil fortune: and GOD shall be angry with them, and shall curse them, and hath prepared hell for them; and ill journey shall it be thither! Unto GOD belong the hosts of heaven and earth; and GOD is mighty and wise. Verily we have sent thee to be a witness, and a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats; that ye may believe in GOD, and his apostle; and may assist him, and revere him, and praise him morning and evening. Verily they who swear fealty unto thee, swear fealty unto GOD: the hand of GOD is over their hands. Whoever shall violate his oath, will violate the same to the hurt only of his own soul: but whoever shall perform that which he hath covenanted with GOD, he will surely give him a great reward. The Arabs of the desert who were left behind will say unto thee, Our substance and our families employed us, so that we went not forth with thee to war; wherefore, ask pardon for us. They speak that with their tongues, which is not in their hearts. Answer, Who shall be able to obtain for you anything from GOD to the contrary, if he is pleased to afflict you, or is pleased to be gracious unto you? Yea, verily, GOD is well acquainted with that which ye do. Truly ye imagined that the apostle and the true believers would never return to their families: and this was prepared in your hearts: but ye imagined an evil imagination; and ye are a corrupt people. Whoso believeth not in GOD and his apostle, verily we have prepared burning fire for the unbelievers. Unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth: he forgiveth whom he pleaseth: and he punisheth whom he pleaseth: and GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. Those who were left behind will say, when ye go forth to take the spoil, Suffer us to follow you. They seek to change the word of GOD. Say, Ye shall by no means follow us: thus hath GOD said heretofore. They will reply, Nay: ye envy us a share of the booty. But they are men of small understanding. Say unto the Arabs of the desert who were left behind, Ye shall be called forth against a mighty and a warlike nation; ye shall fight against them, or they shall profess Islâm. If ye obey, GOD will give you a glorious reward: but if ye turn back, as ye turned back heretofore, he will chastise you with a grievous chastisement. It shall be no crime in the blind, neither shall it be a crime in the lame, neither shall it be a crime in the sick, if they go not forth to war: and whoso shall obey GOD and his apostle, he shall lead them into gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoso shall turn back, he will chastise him with a grievous chastisement. Now GOD was well pleased with the true believers, when they sware fidelity to thee under the tree; and he knew that which was in their hearts; wherefore he sent down on them tranquility of mind, and rewarded them with a speedy victory, and many spoils which they took: for GOD is mighty and wise. GOD promised you many spoils which ye should take; but he have you these by way of earnest; and he restrained the hands of men from you: that the same may be a sign unto the true believers; and that he may guide you into the right way. And he also promiseth you other spoils, which ye have not yet been able to take: but now hath GOD encompassed them for you; and GOD is almighty. If the unbelieving Meccans had fought against you, verily they had turned their backs; and they would not have found a patron or protector: according to the ordinance of GOD, which hath been put in execution heretofore against opposers of the prophets; for thou shalt not find any change in the ordinance of GOD. It was he who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the valley of Mecca; after that he had given you the victory over them: and GOD saw that which ye did. These are they who believed not, and hindered you from visiting the holy temple, and also hindered the offering being detained, that it should not arrive at the place where it ought to be sacrificed. Had it not been that ye might have trampled on divers true believers, both men and women, whom ye know not, being promiscuously assembled with the infidels, and that a crime might therefore have lighted on you on their account, without your knowledge, he had not restrained your hands from them: but this was done, that GOD might lead whom he pleased into his mercy. If they had been distinguished from one another, we had surely chastised such of them as believed not, with a severe chastisement. When the unbelievers had put in their hearts an affected preciseness, the preciseness of ignorance, and GOD sent down his tranquility on his apostle and on the true believers; and firmly fixed in them the word of piety, and they were the most worthy of the same, and the most deserving thereof: for GOD knoweth all things. Now hath GOD in truth verified unto his apostle the vision, wherein he said, Ye shall surely enter the holy temple of Mecca, if GOD please, in full security; having your heads shaved, and your hair cut: ye shall not fear: for God knoweth that which ye know not; and he hath appointed you, besides this, a speedy victory. It is he who hath sent his apostle with the direction, and the religion of truth; that he may exalt the same above every religion: and GOD is a sufficient witness hereof. Mohammed is the apostle of GOD: and those who are with him are fierce against the unbelievers, but compassionate towards one another. Thou mayest see them bowing down, prostrate, seeking a recompense from GOD, and his good- will. Their signs are in their faces, being marks of frequent prostration. This is their description in the pentateuch, and their description in the gospel: they are as seed which putteth forth its stalk and strengtheneth it, and swelleth in the ear, and riseth upon its stem; giving delight unto the sower. Such are the Moslems described to be: that the infidels may swell with indignation at them. GOD hath promised unto such of them as believe, and do good works, pardon and a great reward.
CHAPTER XLIX. ENTITLED, THE INNER APARTMENTS; REVEALED AT MEDINA.
O TRUE believers, anticipate not any matter in the sight of GOD and his apostle: and fear GOD; for GOD both heareth and knoweth. O true believers, raise not your voices above the voice of the prophet; neither speak loud unto him in discourse, as ye speak loud unto one another, lest your works become vain, and ye perceive it not. Verily they who lower their voices in the presence of the apostle of GOD are those whose hearts GOD hath disposed unto piety: they shall obtain pardon, and a great reward. As to those who call unto thee from without the inner apartments; the greater part of them do not understand the respect due to thee. If they wait with patience, until thou come forth unto them, it will certainly be better for them: but GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. O true believers, if a wicked man come unto you with a tale, inquire strictly into the truth thereof; lest ye hurt people through ignorance, and afterwards repent of what ye have done; and know that the apostle of GOD is among you: if he should obey you in many things, ye would certainly be guilty of a crime, in leading him into a mistake. But GOD hath made the faith amiable unto you, and hath prepared the same in your hearts; and hath rendered infidelity, and iniquity, and disobedience hateful unto you. These are they who walk in the right way; through mercy from GOD, and grace: and GOD is knowing, and wise. If two parties of the believers contend with one another, do ye endeavour to compose the matter between them: and if the one of them offer an insult unto the other, fight against that party which offered the insult, until they return unto the judgment of GOD; and if they do return, make peace between them with equity: and act with justice; for GOD loveth those who act justly. Verily the true believers are brethren; wherefore reconcile your brethren; and fear GOD, that ye may obtain mercy. O true believers, let not men laugh other men to scorn; who peradventure may be better than themselves: neither let women laugh other women to scorn; who may possibly be better than themselves. Neither defame one another; nor call one another by opprobrious appellations. An ill name it is to be charged with wickedness, after having embraced the faith: and whoso repenteth not, they will be the unjust doers. O true believers, carefully avoid entertaining a suspicion of another: for some suspicions are a crime. Inquire not too curiously into other men's failings: neither let the one of you speak ill of another in his absence. Would any of you desire to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Surely ye would abhor it. And fear GOD; for GOD is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. O men, verily we have created you of a male and a female; and we have distributed you into nations and tribes, that ye might know one another. Verily the most honourable of you, in the sight of GOD, is the most pious of you: and GOD is wise and knowing. The Arabs of the desert say, We believe. Answer, Ye do by no means believe; but say, We have embraced Islâm: for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. If ye obey GOD and his apostle, he will not defraud you of any part of the merit of your works: for GOD is inclined to forgive, and merciful. Verily the true believers are those only who believe in GOD and his apostle, and afterwards doubt not; and who employ their substance and their persons in the defence of GOD'S true religion: these are they who speak sincerely. Say, Will ye inform GOD concerning your religion? But GOD knoweth whatever is in heaven and in earth: for GOD is omniscient. They upbraid thee that they have embraced Islâm. Answer, Upbraid me not with your having embraced Islâm: rather GOD upbraideth you, that he hath directed you to the faith; if ye speak sincerely. Verily GOD knoweth the secrets of heaven and earth: and GOD beholdeth that which ye do.
CHAPTER L. ENTITLED, K; REVEALED AT MECCA.
K. BY the glorious Koran: verily they wonder that a preacher from among themselves is come unto them; and the unbelievers say, This is a wonderful thing: after we shall be dead, and become dust, shall we return to life? This is a return remote from thought. Now we know what the earth consumeth of them; and with us is a book which keepeth an account thereof. But they charge falsehood on the truth, after it hath come unto them: wherefore they are plunged in a confused business. Do they not look up to the heaven above them, and consider how we have raised it and adorned it; and that there are no flaws therein? We have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon mountains firmly rooted: and we caused every beautiful kind of vegetables to spring up therein; for a subject of meditation, and an admonition unto every man who turneth unto us. And we send down rain as a blessing from heaven, whereby we cause gardens to spring forth, and the grain of harvest, and tall palm-trees having branches laden with dates hanging one above another, as a provision for mankind; and we thereby quicken a dead country: so shall be the coming forth of the dead from their graves. The people of Noah, and those who dwelt at Al Rass, and Thamud, and Ad, and Pharaoh, accused the prophets of imposture before the Meccans; and also the brethren of Lot, and the inhabitants of the wood near Midian, and the people of Tobba: all these accused the apostles of imposture; wherefore the judgments which I threatened were justly inflicted on them. Is our power exhausted by the first creation? Yea; they are in a perplexity, because of a new creation which is foretold them, namely the raising of the dead. We created man, and we know what his soul whispereth within him; and we are nearer unto him than his jugular vein. When the two angels deputed to take account of a man's behavior, take an account thereof; one sitting on the right hand, and the other on the left: he uttereth not a word, but there is with him a watcher, ready to note it. And the agony of death shall come in truth: this, O man, is what thou soughtest to avoid. And the trumpet shall sound: this will be the day which hath been threatened. And every soul shall come; and therewith shall be a driver and a witness. And the former shall say unto the unbeliever, Thou wast negligent heretofore of this day: but we have removed thy veil from off thee; and thy sight is become piercing this day. And his companions shall say, This is what is ready with me to be attested. And God shall say, Cast into hell every unbeliever, and perverse person, and every one who forbade good, and every transgressor, and doubter of the faith, who set up another god with the true GOD; and cast him into a grievous torment. His companion shall say, O LORD, I did not seduce him; but he was in a wide error. God shall say, Wrangle not in my presence: since I threatened you beforehand with the torments which ye now see prepared for you. The sentence is not changed with me: neither do I treat my servants unjustly. On that day we will say unto hell, Art thou full? and it shall answer, Is there yet any addition? And paradise shall be brought near unto the pious; and it shall be said unto them, This is what ye have been promised; unto every one who turned himself unto God, and kept his commandments; who feared the Merciful in secret, and came unto him with a converted heart: enter the same in peace: this is the day of eternity. Therein shall they have whatever they shall desire; and there will be a superabundant addition of bliss with us. How many generations have we destroyed before the Meccans, which were more mighty than they in strength? Pass, therefore, through the regions of the earth, and see whether there be any refuge from our vengeance. Verily herein is an admonition unto him who hath a heart to understand, or giveth ear, and is present with an attentive mind. We created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, in six days, and no weariness affected us. Wherefore patiently suffer what they say; and celebrate the praise of thy LORD before sunrise, and before sunset, and praise him in some part of the night: and perform the additional parts of worship. And hearken unto the day whereon the crier shall call men to judgment from a near place: the day whereon they shall hear the voice of the trumpet in truth: this will be the day of men's coming forth from their graves: we give life, and we cause to die; and unto us shall be the return of all creatures: the day whereon the earth shall suddenly cleave in sunder over them. This will be an assembly easy for us to assemble. We well know what the unbelievers say; and thou art not sent to compel them forcibly to the faith. Wherefore warn, by the Koran, him who feareth my threatening.
CHAPTER LI. ENTITLED, THE DISPERSING; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the winds dispersing and scattering the dust; and by the clouds bearing a load of rain; by the ships running swiftly in the sea; and by the angels who distribute things necessary for the support of all creatures; verily that wherewith ye are threatened is certainly true; and the last judgment will surely come. By the heaven furnished with paths; ye widely differ in what ye say. He will be turned aside from the faith, who shall be turned aside by the divine decree. Cursed be the liars; who wade in deep waters of ignorance, neglecting their salvation. They ask, When will the day of judgment come? On that day shall they be burned in hell fire; and it shall be said unto them, Taste your punishment; this is what ye demanded to be hastened. But the pious shall dwell among gardens and fountains, receiving that which their LORD shall give them; because they were righteous doers before this day. They slept but a small part of the night; and early in the morning they asked pardon of God: and a due portion of their wealth was given unto him who asked, and unto him who was forbidden by shame to ask. There are signs of the divine power and goodness in the earth, unto men of sound understanding; and also in your own selves: will ye not therefore consider? Your sustenance is in the heaven; and also that which ye are promised. Wherefore by the LORD of heaven and earth I swear that this is certainly the truth; according to what ye yourselves speak. Hath not the story of Abraham's honoured guests come to thy knowledge? When they went in unto him, and said, Peace: he answered Peace; saying within himself, These are unknown people. And he went privately unto his family, and brought a fatted calf. And he set it before them, and when he saw they touched it not, he said, Do ye not eat? And he began to entertain a fear of them. They said, Fear not: and they declared unto him the promise of a wise youth. And his wife drew near with exclamation, and she smote her face, and said, I am an old woman, and barren. The angels answered, Thus saith thy LORD: verily he is the wise, the knowing. And Abraham said unto them, What is your errand, therefore, O messengers of God? They answered, Verily we are sent unto a wicked people: that we may send down upon them stones of baked clay, marked from thy LORD, for the destruction of transgressors. And we brought forth the true believers who were in the city: but we found not therein more than one family of Moslems. And we overthrew the same, and left a sign therein unto those who dread the severe chastisement of God. In Moses also was a sign: when we sent him unto Pharaoh with manifest power. But he turned back, with his princes, saying, This man is a sorceror, or a madman. Wherefore we took him and his forces, and cast them into the sea: and he was one worthy of reprehension. And in the tribe of Ad also was a sign: when we sent against them a destroying wind; it touched not aught whereon it came, but it rendered the same as a thing rotten, and reduced to dust. In Thamud likewise was a sign: when it was said unto them, Enjoy yourselves for a time. But they insolently transgressed the command of their LORD: wherefore a terrible noise from heaven assailed them, while they looked on; and they were not able to stand on their feet, neither did they save themselves from destruction. And the people of Noah did we destroy before these: for they were a people who enormously transgressed. We have built the heaven with might; and we have given it a large extent: and we have stretched forth the earth beneath; and how evenly have we spread the same! And of everything have we created two kinds, that peradventure ye may consider. Fly, therefore, unto GOD; verily I am a public warner unto you, from him. And set not up another god with the true GOD: verily I am a public warner unto you, from him. In like manner there came no apostle unto their predecessors, but they said, This man is a magician, or a madman. Have they bequeathed this behavior successively the one to the other? Yea; they are a people who enormously transgress. Wherefore withdraw from them; and thou shalt not be blameworthy in so doing. Yet continue to admonish: for admonition profiteth the true believers. I have not created genii and men for any other end than that they should serve me. I require not any sustenance from them; neither will I that they feed me. Verily GOD is he who provideth for all creatures; possessed of mighty power. Unto those who shall injure our apostle shall be given a portion like unto the portion of those who behaved like them in times past; and they shall not wish the same to be hastened. Woe, therefore, to the unbelievers, because of their day with which they are threatened!
CHAPTER LII. ENTITLED, THE MOUNTAIN; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the mountain of Sinai; and by the book written in an expanded scroll; and by the visited house; and by the elevated roof of heaven; and by the swelling ocean: verily the punishment of thy LORD will surely descend; there shall be none to withhold it. On that day the heaven shall be shaken, and shall reel; and the mountains shall walk and pass away. And on that day woe be unto those who accused GOD's apostles of imposture; who amused themselves in wading in vain disputes! On that day shall they be driven and thrust into the fire of hell; and it shall be said unto them, This is the fire which ye denied as a fiction. Is this a magic illusion? Or do ye not see? Enter the same to be scorched: whether ye bear your torments patiently, or impatiently, it will be equal unto you: ye shall surely receive the reward of that which ye have wrought. But the pious shall dwell amidst gardens and pleasures; delighting themselves in what their LORD shall have given them: and their LORD shall deliver them from the pains of hell. And it shall be said unto them, Eat and drink with easy digestion; because of that which ye have wrought: leaning on couches disposed in order: and we will espouse them unto virgins having large black eyes. And unto those who believe, and whose offspring follow them in the faith, we will join their offspring in paradise: and we will not diminish unto them aught of the merit of their works. (Every man is given in pledge for that which he shall have wrought.) And we will give them fruits in abundance, and flesh of the kinds which they shall desire. They shall present unto one another therein a cup of wine, wherein there shall be no vain discourse, nor any incitement unto wickedness. And youths appointed to attend them shall go round them: beautiful as pearls hidden in their shell. And they shall approach unto one another, and shall ask mutual questions. And they shall say, Verily we were heretofore amidst our family, in great dread with regard to our state after death: but GOD hath been gracious unto us, and hath delivered us from the pain of burning fire: for we called on him heretofore; and he is the beneficent, the merciful. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, admonish thy people. Thou art not, by the grace of thy LORD, a soothsayer, or a madman. Do they say, He is a poet; we wait, concerning him, some adverse turn of fortune? Say, Wait ye my ruin: verily I wait, with you, the time of your destruction. Do their mature understandings bid them say this; or are they people who perversely transgress? Do they say, He hath forged the Koran? Verily they believe not. Let them produce a discourse like unto it, if they speak truth. Were they created by nothing; or were they creators of themselves? Did they create the heavens and the earth? Verily they are not firmly persuaded that God hath created them. Are the stores of thy LORD in their hands? Are they the supreme dispensers of all things? Have they a ladder whereby they may ascend to heaven, and hear the discourses of angels? Let one, therefore, who hath heard them, produce an evident proof thereof. Hath God daughters, and have ye sons? Dost thou ask them a reward for thy preaching? but they are laden with debts. Are the secrets of futurity with them; and do they transcribe the same from the table of GOD's degrees? Do they seek to lay a plot against thee? But the unbelievers are they who shall be circumvented. Have they any god, besides GOD? Far be GOD exalted above the idols which they associate with him! If they should see a fragment of the heaven falling down upon them, they would say, It is only a thick cloud. Wherefore leave them, until they arrive at their day wherein they shall swoon for fear: a day, in which their subtle contrivances shall not avail them at all, neither shall they be protected. And those who act unjustly shall surely suffer another punishment besides this: but the greater part of them do not understand. And wait thou patiently the judgment of thy LORD concerning them; for thou art in our eye: and celebrate the praise of thy LORD, when thou risest up; and praise him in the night-season, and when the stars begin to disappear.
CHAPTER LIII. ENTITLED, THE STAR; REVEALED AT MECCA.
BY the star, when it setteth; your companion Mohammed erreth not; nor is he led astray: neither doth he speak of his own will. It is no other than a revelation, which hath been revealed unto him. One mighty in power, endued with understanding, taught it him: and he appeared in the highest part of the horizon. Afterwards he approached the prophet, and near unto him; until he was at the distance of two bows' length from him, or yet nearer; and he revealed unto his servant that which he revealed. The heart of Mohammed did not falsely represent that which he saw. Will ye therefore dispute with him concerning that which he saw? He also saw him another time, by the lote-tree beyond which there is no passing: near it is the garden of eternal abode. When the lote-tree covered that which it covered, his eyesight turned not aside, neither did it wander: and he really beheld some of the greatest signs of his LORD. What think ye of Allat, and Al Uzza, and Manah, that other third goddess? Have ye male children, and God female? This, therefore, is an unjust partition. They are no other than empty names, which ye and your fathers have named goddesses. GOD hath not revealed concerning them anything to authorize their worship. They follow no other than a vain opinion, and what their souls desire: yet hath the true direction come unto them from their LORD. Shall man have whatever he wisheth for? The life to come and the present life are GOD'S: and how many angels soever there be in the heavens, their intercession shall be of no avail, until after GOD shall have granted permission unto whom he shall please and shall accept. Verily they who believe not in the life to come give unto the angels a female appellation. But they have no knowledge herein: they follow no other than a bare opinion; and a bare opinion attaineth not anything of truth. Wherefore withdraw from him who turneth away from our admonition, and seeketh only the present life. This is their highest pitch of knowledge. Verily thy LORD well knoweth him who erreth from his way; and he well knoweth him who is rightly directed. Unto GOD belongeth whatever is in heaven and earth: that he may reward those who do evil, according to that which they shall have wrought; and may reward those who do well, with the most excellent reward. As to those who avoid great crimes, and heinous sins, and are guilty only of lighter faults; verily thy LORD will be extensive in mercy towards them. He well knew you when he produced you out of the earth, and when ye were embryos in your mothers' wombs: wherefore justify not yourselves: he best knoweth the man who feareth him. What thinkest thou of him who turneth aside from following the truth, and giveth little, and covetously stoppeth his hand? Is the knowledge of futurity with him, so that he seeth the same? Hath he not been informed of that which is contained in the books of Moses, and of Abraham who faithfully performed his engagements? To wit: that a burdened soul shall not bear the burden of another; and that nothing shall be imputed to a man for righteousness, except his own labor; and that his labor shall surely be made manifest hereafter, and that he shall be rewarded for the same with a most abundant reward; and that unto thy LORD will be the end of all things; and that he causeth to laugh, and causeth to weep; and that he putteth to death, and giveth life: and that he createth the two sexes, the male and the female, of seed when it is emitted; and that unto him appertaineth another production, namely, the raising of the dead again to life hereafter; and that he enricheth, and causeth to acquire possessions; and that he is the LORD of the dog-star; and that he destroyed the ancient tribe of Ad, and Thamud, and left not any of them alive; and also the people of Noah, before them; for they were most unjust and wicked: and he overthrew the cities which were turned upside down; and that which covered them, covered them. Which, therefore, of thy LORD'S benefits, O man, wilt thou call in question? This our apostle is a preacher like the preachers who preceded him. The approaching day of judgment draweth near: there is none who can reveal the exact time of the same, besides GOD. Do ye, therefore, wonder at this new revelation, and do ye laugh, and not weep, spending your time in idle diversions? But rather worship GOD, and serve him.
CHAPTER LIV. ENTITLED, THE MOON; REVEALED AT MECCA.
THE hour of judgment approacheth; and the moon hath been split in sunder: but if the unbelievers see a sign, they turn aside, saying, This is a powerful charm. And they accuse thee, O Mohammed, of imposture, and follow their own lusts: but everything will be immutably fixed. And now hath a message come unto them, wherein is a determent from obstinate infidelity; the same being consummate wisdom: but warners profit them not; wherefore do thou withdraw from them. The day whereon the summoner shall summon mankind to an ungrateful business, they shall come forth from their graves with downcast looks: numerous as locusts scattered far abroad; hastening with terror unto the summoner. The unbelievers shall say, This is a day of distress. The people of Noah accused that prophet of imposture, before thy people rejected thee: they accused our servant of imposture, saying, He is a madman; and he was rejected with reproach. He called, therefore, upon his LORD, saying, Verily I am overpowered; wherefore avenge me. So we opened the gates of heaven, with water pouring down, and we caused the earth to break forth into springs; so that the water of heaven and earth met, according to the decree which had been established. And we bare him on a vessel composed of planks and nails; which moved forward under our eyes: as a recompense unto him who had been ungratefully rejected. And we left the said vessel for a sign: but is any one warned thereby? And how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? Ad charged their prophet with imposture: but how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! Verily we sent against them a roaring wind, on a day of continued ill luck; it carried men away, as though they had been roots of palm-trees forcibly torn up. And how severe was my vengeance and my threatening! Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? Thamud charged the admonitions of their prophet with falsehood, and said, Shall we follow a single man among us? verily we should then be guilty of error, and preposterous madness: is the office of admonition committed unto him preferably to the rest of us? Nay; he is a liar, and an insolent fellow. But God said to Saleh, to-morrow shall they know who is the liar, and the insolent person: for we will surely send the she-camel for a trial of them: and do thou observe them, and bear their insults with patience: and prophesy unto them that the water shall be divided between them, and each portion shall be sat down to alternately. And they called their companion: and he took a sword, and slew her. But how severe was my vengeance, and my threatening! For we sent against them one cry of the angel Gabriel; and they became like the dry sticks used by him who buildeth a fold for cattle. And now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? The people of Lot charged his preaching with falsehood: but we sent against them a wind driving a shower of stones, which destroyed them all except the family of Lot; whom we delivered early in the morning, through favor from us. Thus do we reward those who are thankful. And Lot had warned them of our severity in chastising; but they doubted of that warning. And they demanded his guests of him, that they might abuse them: but we put out their eyes, saying, Taste my vengeance, and my threatening. And early in the morning a lasting punishment surprised them. Taste, therefore, my vengeance, and my threatening. Now have we made the Koran easy for admonition: but is any one admonished thereby? The warning of Moses also came unto the people of Pharaoh; but they charged every one of our signs with imposture: wherefore we chastised them with a mighty and irresistible chastisement. Are your unbelievers, O Meccans, better than these? Is immunity from punishment promised unto you in the scriptures? Do they say, We are a body of men able to prevail against our enemies? The multitude shall surely be put to flight, and shall turn their back. But the hour of judgment is their threatened time of punishment: and that hour shall be more grievous and more bitter than their afflictions in this life. Verily the wicked wander in error, and shall be tormented hereafter in burning flames. On that day they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces; and it shall be said unto them, Taste ye the touch of hell. All things have we created bound by a fixed decree: and our command is no more than a single word, like the twinkling of an eye. We have formerly destroyed nations like unto you; but is any of you warned by their example? Everything which they do is recorded in the books kept by the guardian angels: and every action both small and great, is written down in the preserved table. Moreover the pious shall dwell among gardens and rivers, in the assembly of truth, in the presence of a most potent king.
CHAPTER LV. ENTITLED, THE MERCIFUL; REVEALED AT MECCA.
THE Merciful hath taught his servant the Koran. He created man: he hath taught him distinct speech. The sun and the moon run their courses according to a certain rule: and the vegetables which creep on the ground, and the trees submit to his disposition. He also raised the heaven; and he appointed the balance, that ye should not transgress in respect to the balance: wherefore observe a just weight; and diminish not the balance. And the earth hath he prepared for living creatures: therein are various fruits, and palm-trees bearing sheaths of flowers; and grain having chaff, and leaves. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He created man of dried clay like an earthen vessel: but he created the genii of fire clear from smoke. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He is the LORD of the east, and the LORD of the west. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? He hath let loose the two seas, that they meet each another: between them is placed a bar which they cannot pass. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? From them are taken forth unions and lesser pearls. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? His also are the ships, carrying their sails aloft in the sea like mountains. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Every creature which liveth on the earth is subject to decay: but the glorious and honourable countenance of thy LORD shall remain forever. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Unto him do all creatures which are in heaven and earth make petition: every day is he employed in some new work. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? We will surely attend to judge you, O men and genii, at the last day. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? O ye collective body of genii and men, if ye be able to pass out of the confines of heaven and earth, pass forth: ye shall not pass forth but by absolute power. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? A flame of fire without smoke, and a smoke without flame shall be sent down upon you; and ye shall not be able to defend yourselves therefrom. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? And when the heaven shall be rent in sunder, and shall become red as a rose, and shall melt like ointment. (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) On that day neither man nor genius shall be asked concerning his sin. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? The wicked shall be known by their marks; and they shall be taken by the forelocks, and the feet, and shall be cast into hell. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? This is hell, which the wicked deny as a falsehood: they shall pass to and fro between the same and hot boiling water. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? But for him who dreadeth the tribunal of his LORD are prepared two gardens: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) planted with shady trees. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be two fountains flowing. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall there be of every fruit two kinds. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? They shall repose on couches, the linings whereof shall be of thick silk interwoven with gold: and the fruit of the two gardens shall be near at hand together. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall receive them beauteous damsels, refraining their eyes from beholding any besides their spouses: whom no man shall have deflowered before them, neither any genius: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) Having complexions like rubies and pearls. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Shall the reward of good works be any other good? Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? And besides these there shall be two other gardens: (Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny?) Of a dark green. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be two fountains pouring forth plenty of water. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? In each of them shall be fruits, and palm-trees, and pomegranates. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall be agreeable and beauteous damsels: Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Having fine black eyes, and kept in pavilions from public view: Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Whom no man shall have deflowered before their destined spouses, nor any genius. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Therein shall they delight themselves, lying on green cushions and beautiful carpets. Which, therefore, of your LORD'S benefits will ye ungratefully deny? Blessed be the name of thy LORD, possessed of glory and honour!
