1 Al Beidâwi.
Now hath an apostle come unto you of our own nation,q an excellent person: it is grievous unto him that ye commit wickedness; he is careful over you, and compassionate and merciful towards the believers. 130 If they turn back, say, GOD is my support: there is no GOD but he. On him do I trust; and he is the LORD of the magnificent throne.
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ENTITLED, JONAS;r REVEALED AT MECCA.
AL. R.s These are the signs of the wise book. Is it a strange thing unto the men of Mecca, that we have revealed our will unto a man from among them,t saying, Denounce threats unto men if they believe not; and bear good tidings unto those who believe, that on the merit of their sincerity they have an interest with their LORD? The unbelievers say, This is manifest sorcery.u Verily your LORD is GOD, who hath created the heavens and the earth in six days; and then ascended his throne, to take on himself the government of all things. There is no intercessor, but by his permission.x This is GOD, your LORD; therefore serve him. Will ye not consider? Unto him shall ye all return according to the certain promise of GOD; for he produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return again; that he may reward those who believe and do that which is right, with equity. But as for the unbelievers, they shall drink boiling water, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment, for that they have disbelieved. It is he who hath ordained the sun to shine by day, and the moon for a light by night; and had appointed her stations, that ye might know the number of years, and the computation of time. GOD hath not created this, but with truth. He explaineth his signs unto people who understand. Moreover in the vicissitudes of night and day, and whatever GOD hath created in heaven and earth, are surely signs unto men who fear him.
q See chapter 3, p. 49, note nr This prophet is mentioned towards the end of the chapter.s See the Prelim. Disc. Sec. III. p. 46, 47.t And not one of the most powerful among them neither; so that theKoreish said it was a wonder GOD could find out no other messenger than theorphan pupil of Abu Taleb.2u Meaning the Korân. According to the reading of some copies, thewords may be rendered, This man (i.e., Mohammed) is no other than a manifestsorcerer.x These words were revealed to refute the foolish opinion of theidolatrous Meccans, who imagined their idols were intercessors with GOD forthem.
2 Idem.
Verily they who hope not to meet us at the last day, and delight in this present life, and rest securely in the same, and who are negligent of our signs; their dwelling shall be hell fire, for that which they have deserved. But as to those who believe, and work righteousness, their LORD will direct them because of their faith; they shall have rivers flowing through gardens of pleasure. 10 Their prayer therein shall be Praise be unto thee O GOD! and their salutationy therein shall be Peace! and the end of their prayer shall be, Praise be unto GOD, the LORD of all creatures! If GOD should cause evil to hasten unto men, according to their desire of hastening good, verily their end had been decreed. Wherefore we suffer those who hope not to meet us at the resurrection, to wander amazedly in their error. When evil befalleth a man, he prayeth unto us lying on his side, or sitting, or standing:z but when we deliver him from his affliction, he continueth his former course of life, as though he had not called upon us to defend him against the evil which had befallen him. Thus was that which the transgressors committed prepared for them. We have formerly destroyed the generations who were before you, O men of Mecca, when they had acted unjustly, and our apostles had come unto them with evident miracles and they would not believe. Thus do we reward the wicked people. Afterwards did we cause you to succeed them in the earth; that we might see how ye would act. When our evident signs are recited unto them, they who hope not to meet us at the resurrection, say, Bring a different Koran from this; or make some change therein. Answer, It is not fit for me, that I should change it at my pleasure: I follow that only which is revealed unto me. Verily I fear if I should be disobedient unto my LORD, the punishment of the great day. Say, If GOD had so pleased, I had not read it unto you, neither had I taught you the same. I have already dwelt among you to the age of forty years,a before I received it. Do ye not therefore understand? And who is more unjust than he who deviseth a lie against GOD, or accuseth his signs of falsehood? Surely the wicked shall not prosper. They worship besides GOD, that which can neither hurt them or profit them, and they say, These are our intercessors with GOD.b Answer, Will ye tell GOD that which he knoweth not, neither in heaven nor in earth?c Praise be unto him! and far be that from him, which they associate with him! 20 Men were professors of one religion only,d but they dissented therefrom; and if a decree had not previously issued from thy LORD, deferring their punishment, verily the matter had been decided between them, concerning which they disagreed.
y Either the mutual salutation of the blessed to one another, or that of the angels to the blessed. z i.e., In all postures, and at all times. a For so old was Mohammed before he took upon him to be a prophet;1 during which time his fellow-citizens well knew that he had not applied himself to learning of any sort, nor frequented learned men, nor had ever exercised himself in composing verses or orations whereby he might acquire the art of rhetoric, or elegance of speech.2 A flagrant proof, says al Beidâwi, that this book could be taught him by none but God. b See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. I. p. 12, &c. c viz., That he hath equals or companions either in heaven or on earth; since he acknowledgeth none. d That is to say, the true religion, or Islâm, which was generally professed, as some say, till Abel was murdered, or, as others, till the days of Noah. Some suppose the first ages after the Flood are here intended: others, the state of religion in Arabia, from the time of Abraham to that of Amru Ebn Lohai, the great introducer of idolatry into that country.
1 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 33. Abulfeda, Vit. Moh. c. 7. 2 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 21, &c.
They say, Unless a sign be sent down unto him from his LORD, we will not believe. Answer, Verily that which is hidden is known only unto GOD: wait, therefore, the pleasure of God; and I also will wait with you. And when we caused the men of Mecca to taste mercy, after an affliction which had befallen them, behold, they devised a stratagem against our signs.e Say unto them, GOD is more swift in executing a stratagem, than ye. Verily our messengersf write down that which ye deceitfully devise. It is he who hath given you conveniences for travelling by land and by sea; so that ye be in ships, which sail with them, with a favorable wind, and they rejoice therein. And when a tempestuous wind overtaketh them, and waves come upon them from every side, and they think themselves encompassed with inevitable dangers; they call upon GOD, exhibiting the pure religion unto him,g and saying, Verily if thou deliver us from this peril, we will be of those who give thanks. But when he hath delivered them, behold, they behave themselves insolently in the earth, without justice. O men, verily the violence which ye commit against your own souls, is for the enjoyment of this present life only; afterwards unto us shall ye return, and we will declare unto you that which ye have done. Verily the likeness of this present life is no other than as water, which we send down from heaven, and wherewith the productions of the earth are mixed, of which men eat, and cattle also, until the earth receive its vesture, and be adorned with various plants: the inhabitants thereof imagine that they have power over the same; but our command cometh unto it by night, or by day, and we render it as though it had been mowen, as though it had not yesterday abounded with fruits. Thus do we explain our signs unto people who consider. GOD inviteth unto the dwelling of peace,h and directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. They who do right shall receive a most excellent reward, and a superabundant addition;i neither blacknessk nor shame shall cover their faces. These shall be the inhabitants of paradise; they shall continue therein forever. But they who commit evil shall receive the reward of evil, equal thereunto,l and they shall be covered with shame, (for they shall have no protector against GOD); as though their faces were covered with the profound darkness of the night. These shall be the inhabitants of hell fire: they shall remain therein forever.
e For it is said that they were afflicted with a dearth for seven years, so that they were very near perishing; but no sooner relieved by GOD'S sending them plenty, than they began again to charge Mohammed with imposture, and to ridicule his revelations.3 f i.e., The guardian angels. g That is, applying themselves to GOD only, and neglecting their idols; their fears directing them in such an extremity to ask help of him only who could give it. h viz., Paradise. i For their reward will vastly exceed the merit of their good works. Al Ghazâli supposes this additional recompense will be the beatific vision.4 k See the Prelim. Disc. p. 67, &c. l i.e., Though the blessed will be rewarded beyond their deserts, yet GOD will not punish any beyond their demerits, but treat them with the exactest justice.
3 Al Beidâwi. 4 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 78.
On the day of the resurrection we will gather them altogether; then will we say unto the idolaters, Get ye to your place, ye and your companions:m and we will separate them from one another; and their companions will say unto them, Ye do not worship us;n 30 and GOD is a sufficient witness between us and you; neither did we mind your worshipping of us. There shall every soul experienceo that which it shall have sent before it;p and they shall be brought before GOD their true LORD; and the false deities which they vainly imagined, shall disappear from before them. Say, Who provideth you food from heaven and earth? or who hath the absolute power over the hearing and the sight? and who bringeth forth the living from the dead, and bringeth forth the dead from the living? and who governeth all things? They will surely answer, GOD. Say, Will ye not therefore fear him? This is therefore GOD your true LORD: and what remaineth there after truth, except error? How therefore are ye turned aside from the truth? Thus is the word of thy LORD verified upon them who do wickedly; that they believe not. Say, Is there any of your companions who produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return unto himself? Say, GOD produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return unto himself. How therefore are ye turned aside from his worship? Say, Is there any of your companions who directeth unto the truth. Say, GOD directeth unto the truth. Whether is he, therefore, who directeth unto the truth, more worthy to be followed; or he who directeth not, unless he be directed? What aileth you therefore, that ye judge as ye do? And the greater part of them follow an uncertain opinion only; but a mere opinion attaineth not unto any truth. Verily GOD knoweth that which they do. This Koran could not have been composed by any except GOD; but it is a confirmation of that which was revealed before it, and an explanation of the scripture; there is no doubt thereof; sent down from the LORD of all creatures. Will they say, Mohammed hath forged it? Answer, Bring therefore a chapter like unto it; and call whom you may to your assistance, besides GOD, if ye speak truth. 40 But they have charged that with falsehood, the knowledge whereof they do not comprehend, neither hath the interpretation thereof come unto them. In the same manner did those who were before them accuse their prophets of imposture; but behold, what was the end of the unjust! There are some of them who believe therein; and there are some of them who believe not therein:q and thy LORD well knoweth the corrupt doers. If they accuse thee of imposture, say, I have my work, and ye have your work; ye shall be clear of that which I do, and I will be clear of that which ye do. There are some of them who hearken unto thee; but wilt thou make the deaf to hear, although they do not understand?
m That is, your idols, or the companions which ye attributed unto GOD. n But ye really worshipped your own lusts, and were seduced to idolatry, not by us, but by your own superstitious fancies. It is pretended that GOD will, at the last day, enable the idols to speak, and that they will thus reproach their worshippers, instead of interceding for them, as they hoped. Some suppose the angels, who were also objects of the worship of the pagan Arabs, are particularly intended in this place. o Some copies instead of tablu, read tatiu , i.e., shall follow, or meditate upon. p See chapter 2, p. 11, note r. q i.e., There are some of them who are inwardly well satisfied of the truth of thy doctrine, though they are so wicked as to oppose it; and there are others of them who believe it not, through prejudice and want of consideration. Or the passage may be understood in the future tense, of some who should afterwards believe, and repent, and of others who should die infidels.1
1 Al Beidâwi.
And there are some of them who look at thee; but wilt thou direct the blind, although they see not?r Verily GOD will not deal unjustly with men in any respect: but men deal unjustly with their own souls.s On a certain day he will gather them together, as though they had not tarriedt above an hour of a day: they shall know one another.u Then shall they perish who have denied the meeting of GOD; and were not rightly directed. Whether we cause thee to see a part of the punishment wherewith we have threatened them, or whether we cause thee to die before thou see it; unto us shall they return: then shall GOD be witness of that which they do. Unto every nation hath an apostle been sent; and when their apostle came, the matter was decided between them with equity;x and they were not treated unjustly. The unbelievers say, When will this threatening be made good, if ye speak truth? 50 Answer, I am able neither to procure advantage unto myself, nor to avert mischief from me, but as GOD pleaseth. Unto every nation is a fixed term decreed; when their term therefore is expired, they shall not have respite for an hour, neither shall their punishment be anticipated. Say, Tell me, if the punishment of GOD overtake you by night, or by day, what part thereof will the ungodly wish to be hastened? When it falleth on you, do ye then believe it? Now do ye believe, and wish it far from you, when as ye formerly desired it should be hastened? Then shall it be said unto the wicked, Taste the punishment of eternity; would ye receive other than the reward of that which ye have wrought? They will desire to know of thee, whether this be true. Answer, Yea, by my LORD, it is certainly true; neither shall ye weaken God's power so as to escape it. Verily, if every soul which hath acted wickedly had whatever is on the earth, it would willingly redeem itself therewith at the last day. Yet they will conceal their repentance,y after they shall have seen the punishment; and the matter shall be decided between them with equity, and they shall not be unjustly treated. Doth not whatsoever is in heaven and on earth belong unto GOD? Is not the promise of GOD true? But the greater part of them know it not. He giveth life, and he causeth to die: and unto him shall ye all return. O men, now hath an admonition come unto you from your LORD, and a remedy for the doubts which are in your breasts; and a direction, and mercy unto the true believers. Say, Through the grace of GOD, and his mercy; therein therefore let them rejoice; this will be better than what they heap together of worldly riches.
r These words were revealed on account of certain Meccans, who seemed to attend while Mohammed read the Korân to them, or instructed them in any point of religion, but yet were as far from being convinced or edified, as if they had not heard him at all.2 s For GOD deprives them not of their senses or understanding; but they corrupt and make an ill use of them. t Either in the world or in the grave. u As if it were but a little while since they parted. But this will happen during the first moments only of the resurrection; for afterwards the terror of the day will disturb and take from them all knowledge of one another.3 x By delivering the prophet and those who believed on him, and destroying the obstinate infidels. y To hide their shame and regret;4 or because their surprise and astonishment will deprive them of the use of speech.5 Some, however, understand the verb which is here rendered will conceal, in the contrary signification, which it sometimes bears; and then it must be translated-They will openly declare their repentance, &c.
2 Idem. See cap. 6, p. 90. 3 Idem. 4 Jallalo'ddin. 5 Al Beidâwi.
60 Say, Tell me; of that which GOD hath sent down unto you for food, have ye declared part to be lawful,z and other part to be unlawful? Say, Hath GOD permitted you to make this distinction? or do ye devise a lie concerning GOD? But what will be the opinion of those who devise a lie concerning GOD, on the day of the resurrection? Verily GOD is endued with beneficence towards mankind; but the greater part of them do not give thanks. Thou shalt be engaged in no business, neither shalt thou be employed in meditating on any passage of the Koran; nor shall ye do any action, but we will be witnesses over you, when ye are employed therein. Nor is so much as the weight of an anta hidden from thy LORD, in earth or in heaven: neither is there anything lesser than that, or greater, but it is written in the perspicuous book.b Are not the friends of GOD the persons on whom no fear shall come, and who shall not be grieved? They who believe and fear God shall receive good tidings in this life, and in that which is to come. There is no change in the words of GOD. This shall be great felicity. Let not their discoursec grieve thee; for all might belongeth unto GOD: he both heareth and knoweth. Is not whoever dwelleth in heaven and on earth subject unto GOD? What therefore do they follow, who invoke idols, besides GOD? They follow nothing but a vain opinion; and they only utter lies. It is he who hath ordained the night for you, that ye may take your rest therein, and the clear day for labor: verily herein are signs unto people who hearken. They say, GOD hath begotten children; GOD forbid! He is self-sufficient. Unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth: ye have no demonstrative proof of this. Do ye speak of GOD that which ye know not? 70 Say, Verily they who imagine a lie concerning GOD shall not prosper. They may enjoy a provision in this world; but afterwards unto us shall they return, and we will then cause them to taste a grievous punishment, for that they were unbelievers. Rehearse unto them the history of Noah:d when he said unto his people, O my people, if my standing forth among you, and my warning you of the signs of GOD, be grievous unto you; in GOD do I put my trust. Therefore lay your design against me, and assemble your false gods; but let not your design be carried on by you in the dark: then come forth against me, and delay not. And if ye turn aside from my admonitions, I ask not any reward of you for the same;e I expect my reward from GOD alone, and I am commanded to be one of those who are resigned unto him. But they accused him of imposture, wherefore we delivered him, and those who were with him in the ark, and we caused them to survive the flood, but we drowned those who charged our signs with falsehood. Behold therefore, what was the end of those who were warned by Noah. Then did we send, after him, apostles unto their respective people,f and they came unto them with evident demonstrations: yet they were not disposed to believe in that which they had before rejected as false. Thus do we seal up the hearts of the transgressors.
z See chapter 6, p. 101, &c.a See chapter 4, p. 58, note y.b The preserved table, wherein GOD'S decrees are recorded.c The impious and rebellious talk of the infidels.d See chapter 7, p. 110, &c.e Therefore ye cannot excuse yourselves by saying that I am burdensometo you.f As Hûd, Sâleh, Abraham, Lot, and Shoaib, to those of Ad, Thamûd,Babel, Sodom, and Midian.
Then did we send, after them, Moses and Aaron unto Pharaoh and his princes with our signs:g but they behaved proudly, and were a wicked people. And when the truth from us had come unto them, they said, Verily this is manifest sorcery. Moses said unto them, Do ye speak this of the truth, after it hath come unto you? Is this sorcery? but sorcerers shall not prosper. They said, Art thou come unto us to turn us aside from that religion, which we found our fathers practise; and that ye two may have the command in the land? But we do not believe you. 80 And Pharaoh said, Bring unto me every expert magician. And when the magicians were come, Moses said unto them, Cast down that which ye are about to cast down. And when they had cast down their rods and cords, Moses said unto them, The enchantment which ye have performed shall GOD surely render vain; for GOD prospereth not the work of the wicked doers, and GOD will verify the truth of his words, although the wicked be adverse thereto. And there believed not any on Moses, except a generation of his people,h for fear of Pharaoh and of his princes, lest he should afflict them. And Pharaoh was lifted up with pride in the earth, and was surely one of the transgressors. And Moses said, O my people, if ye believe in GOD, put your trust in him, if ye be resigned to his will. They answered, We put our trust in GOD: O LORD, suffer us not to be afflicted by unjust people; but deliver us, through thy mercy, from the unbelieving people. And we spake by inspiration unto Moses and his brother, saying, Provide habitations for your people in Egypt, and make your houses a place of worship,i and be constant at prayer: and bear good news unto the true believers. And Moses said, O LORD, verily thou hast given unto Pharaoh and his people pompous ornaments,k and riches in this present life, O LORD, that they may be seduced from thy way: O LORD, bring their riches to nought, and harden their hearts; that they may not believe, until they see their grievous punishment. God said, Your petition is hear;l be ye upright therefore,m and follow not the way of those who are ignorant.
g See chapter 7, p. 115, &c. h For when he first began to preach, a few of the younger Israelites only believed on him; the others not giving ear to him, for fear of the king. But some suppose the pronoun his refers to Pharaoh, and that these were certain Egyptians, who, together with his wife Asia, believed on Moses.1 i So Jallalo'ddin expounds the original word Kebla, which properly signifies that place or quarter toward which one prays. Wherefore al Zamakhshari supposes that the Israelites are here ordered to dispose their oratories in such a manner that, when they prayed, their faces might be turned towards Mecca; which he imagines was the Kebla of Moses, as it is that of the Mohammedans. The former commentator adds that Pharaoh had forbidden the Israelites to pray to GOD; for which reason they were obliged to perform that duty privately in their houses. k As magnificent apparel, chariots, and the like. l The pronoun is in the dual number; the antecedent being Moses and Aaron. The commentators say that, in consequence of this prayer, all the treasures of Egypt were turned into stones.2 m Or, as al Beidâwi interprets it, Be ye constant and steady in preaching to the people. The Mohammedans pretend that Moses continued in Egypt no less than forty years after he had first published his mission: which cannot be reconciled to scripture.
1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Jallalo'ddin.
90 And we caused the children of Israel to pass through the sea; and Pharaoh and his army followed them in a violent and hostile manner; until, when he was drowning, he said, I believe that there is no GOD but he, on whom the children of Israel believe; and I am one of the resigned.n Now dost thou believe; when thou hast been hitherto rebellious, and one of the wicked doers? This day will we raise thy bodyo from the bottom of the sea, that thou mayest be a sign unto those who shall be after thee; and verily a great number of men are negligent of our signs. And we prepared for the children of Israel an established dwelling in the land of Canaan, and we provided good things for their sustenance; and they differed not in point of religion, until knowledge had come unto them;p verily thy LORD will judge between them on the day of resurrection, concerning that wherein they disagreed. If thou art in a doubt concerning any part of that which we have sent down unto thee,q ask them who have read the book of the law before thee. Now hath the truth come unto thee from thy LORD; be not therefore one of those who doubt; neither be thou one of those who charge the signs of GOD with falsehood, lest thou become one of those who perish. Verily those against whom the word of thy LORD is decreed, shall not believe, although there come unto them every kind of miracle, until they see the grievous punishment prepared for them. And if it were not so, some city, among the many which have been destroyed, would have believed; and the faith of its inhabitants would have been of advantage unto them; but none of them believed, before the execution of their sentence, except the people of Jonas.r When they believed, we delivered them from the punishment of shame in this world, and suffered them to enjoy their lives and possessions for a time.s But if thy LORD had pleased, verily all who are in the earth would have believed in general. Wilt thou therefore forcibly compel men to be true believers? 100 No soul can believe, but by the permission of GOD: and he shall pour out his indignation on those who will not understand. Say, Consider whatever is in heaven and on earth: but signs are of no avail, neither preachers, unto people who will not believe.
n These words, it is said, Pharaoh repeated often in his extremity, that he might be heard. But his repentance came too late; for Gabriel soon stopped his mouth with mud, lest he should obtain mercy; reproaching him at the same time in the words which follow. o Some of the children of Israel doubting whether Pharaoh was really drowned. Gabriel, by GOD'S command, caused his naked corpse to swim to shore, that they might see it.3 The word here translated body, signifying also a coat of mail, some imagine the meaning to be, that his corpse floated armed with his coat of mail, which they tell us was of gold, by which they knew that it was he. p i.e., After the law had been revealed, and published by Moses. q That is, concerning the truth of the histories which are here related. The commentators doubt whether the person here spoken to be Mohammed himself or his auditor. r viz., The inhabitants of Ninive, which stood on or near the place where al Mawsel now stands. This people having corrupted themselves with idolatry, Jonas the son of Mattai (or Amittai, which the Mohammedans suppose to be the name of his mother), an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, was sent by God to preach to and reclaim them. When he first began to exhort them to repentance, instead of hearkening to him, they used him very ill, so that he was obliged to leave the city; threatening them, at his departure, that they should be destroyed within three days, or, as others say, within forty.1 But when the time drew near, and they saw the heavens overcast with a black cloud, which shot forth fire, and filled the air with smoke, and hung directly over their city, they were in a terrible consternation, and getting into the fields with their families and cattle, they put on sackcloth, and humbled themselves before God, calling aloud for pardon, and sincerely repenting of their past wickedness. Whereupon God was pleased to forgive them, and the storm blew over.2 s i.e., Until they died according to the ordinary course of nature.
3 See Exod. xiv. 30. 1 See Jonah iii. 4. 2 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, Abulfeda. See cap. 21 and 37.
Do they therefore expect any other than some terrible judgment, like unto the judgments which have fallen on those who have gone before them? Say, Wait ye the issue; and I also will wait with you; then will we deliver our apostles and those who believe. Thus is it a justice due from us, that we should deliver the true believers. Say, O men of Mecca, if ye be in doubt concerning my religion, verily I worship not the idols which ye worship, besides GOD; but I worship GOD, who will cause you to die: and I am commanded to be one of the true believers. And it was said unto me, Set thy face towards the true religion, and be orthodox; and by no means be one of those who attribute companions unto God; neither invoke, besides GOD, that which can neither profit thee nor hurt thee: for if thou do, thou wilt then certainly become one of the unjust. If GOD afflict thee with hurt, there is none who can relieve thee from it, except he; and if he willeth thee any good, there is none who can keep back his bounty: he will confer it on such of his servants as he pleaseth; and he is gracious and merciful. Say, O men, now hath the truth come unto you from your LORD. He therefore who shall be directed, will be directed to the advantage of his own soul: but he who shall err, will err only against the same. I am no guardian over you. Do thou, O prophet, follow that which is revealed unto thee: and persevere with patience, until GOD shall judge; for he is the best judge.
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ENTITLED, HUD;t REVEALED AT MECCA.
AL. R.u THIS book, the verses whereof are guarded against corruption, and are also distinctly explained,y is a revelation from the wise, the knowing God: that ye serve not any other GOD: (verily I am a denouncer of threats, and a bearer of good tidings unto you from him;)
t The story of which prophet is repeated in this chapter. u See the Prelim. Disc. p. 46, &c. x According to the various senses which the verb ohkimat, in the original, may bear, the commentators suggest as many different interpretations. Some suppose the meaning to be, according to our version, that the Korân is not liable to be corrupted,1 as the law and the gospel have been, in the opinion of the Mohammedans; others, that every verse in this particular chapter is in full force, and not one of them abrogated; others, that the verses of the Korân are disposed in a clear and perspicuous method, or contain evident and demonstrative arguments; and others, that they comprise judicial declarations, to regulate both faith and practice.2 y The signification of the verb fossilat, which is here used, being also ambiguous, the meaning of this passage is supposed to be, either that the verses are distinctly proposed or expressed in a clear manner; or that the subject matter of the whole may be distinguished or divided into laws, monitions, and examples; or else that the verses were revealed by parcels.
1 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 53. 2 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakhshari, &c.
and that ye ask pardon of your LORD, and then be turned unto him. He will cause you to enjoy a plentiful provision, until a prefixed time: and unto every one that hath merit by good works will he give his abundant reward. But if ye turn back, verily I fear for you the punishment of the great day: unto GOD shall ye return; and he is almighty. Do they not double the folds of their breasts,z that they may conceal their designs from him? When they cover themselves with their garments, doth not he know that which they conceal, and that which they discover? For he knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts of men.a There is no creature which creepeth on the earth, but GOD provideth its food; and he knoweth the place of its retreat, and where it is laid up.b The whole is written in the perspicuous book of his decrees. It is he who hath created the heavens and the earth in six days, (but his throne was above the waters before the creation thereof),c that he might prove you, and see which of you would excel in works. 10 If thou say, Ye shall surely be raised again, after death; the unbelievers will say, This is nothing but manifest sorcery. And verily if we defer their punishment unto a determined season, they will say, What hindereth it from falling on us? Will it not come upon them on a day, wherein there shall be none to avert it from them; and that which they scoffed at shall encompass them? Verily, if we cause man to taste mercy from us, and afterwards take it away from him; he will surely become desperate,d and ungrateful. And if we cause him to taste favor, after an affliction hath befallen him, he will surely say, The evils which I suffered are passed from me, and he will become joyful and insolent: except those who persevere with patience, and do that which is right; they shall receive pardon, and a great reward. Peradventure thou wilt omit to publish part of that which hath been revealed unto thee, and thy breast will become straitened, lest they say, Unless a treasure be sent down unto him, or an angel come with him, to bear witness unto him, we will not believe. Verily thou art a preacher only; and GOD is the governor of all things. Will they say, He hath forged the Koran? Answer, Bring therefore ten chapterse like unto it, forged by yourselves: and call on whomsoever ye may to assist you, except GOD, if ye speak truth.
z Or, as it may be translated, Do they not turn away their breasts, &c. a This passage was occasioned by the words of certain of the idolaters, who said to one another, When we let down our curtains (such as the women use in the east to screen themselves from the sight of the men when they happen to be in the room), and wrap ourselves up in our garments, and fold up our breasts, to conceal our malice against Mohammed, how should he come to the knowledge of it? Some suppose the passage relates to certain hypocritical Moslems; but this opinion is generally rejected, because the verse was revealed at Mecca, and the birth of hypocrisy among the Mohammedans happened not till after the Hejra. b i.e., Both during its life and after its death; or the repository of every animal, before its birth, in the loins and wombs of the parents. c For the Mohammedans suppose this throne, and the waters whereon it stands, which waters they imagine are supported by a spirit or wind, were, with some other things, created before the heavens and earth. This fancy they borrowed from the Jews, who also say that the throne of glory then stood in the air, and was borne on the face of the waters, by the breath of GOD'S mouth.1 d Casting aside all hopes of the divine favour, for want of patience and trust in GOD. e This was the number which he first challenged them to compose; but they not being able to do it, he made the matter still easier, challenging them to produce a single chapter only,2 comparable to the Korân in doctrine and eloquence.
1 Rashi, ad Gen. i. 2. Vide Reland. de Relig. Moh. p. 50, &c. 2 See c. 2, p. 3; c. 10, p. 153, &c.
But if they whom ye call to your assistance hear you not; know that this book hath been revealed by the knowledge of GOD only,f and that there is no GOD but he. Will ye therefore become Moslems? Whoso chooseth the present life, and the pomp thereof, unto them will we give the recompense of their works therein, and the same shall not be diminished unto them. These are they for whom no other reward is prepared in the next life, except the fire of hell: that which they have done in this life shall perish; and that which they have wrought shall be vain. 20 Shall he therefore be compared with them, who followeth the evident declaration of his LORD, and whom a witness from himg attendeth, preceded by the book of Moses,h which was revealed for a guide, and out of mercy to mankind? These believe in the Koran: but whosoever of the confederate infidels believeth not therein, is threatened the fire of hell, which threat shall certainly be executed: be not therefore in a doubt concerning it; for it is the truth from thy LORD: but the greater part of men will not believe. Who is more unjust than he who imagineth a lie concerning GOD? They shall be set before the LORD, at the day of judgment, and the witnessesi shall say, These are they who devised lies against their LORD. Shall not the curse of GOD fall on the unjust; who turn men aside from the way of GOD, and seek to render it crooked, and who believe not in the life to come? These were not able to prevail against God on earth, so as to escape punishment; neither had they any protectors besides GOD: their punishment shall be doubled unto them.k They could not hear, neither did they see These are they who have lost their souls; and the idols which they falsely imagined have abandoned them. There is no doubt but they shall be most miserable in the world to come. But as for those who believe and do good works, and humble themselves before their LORD, they shall be the inhabitants of paradise; they shall remain therein forever. The similitude of the two partiesl is as the blind and the deaf, and as he who seeth and heareth: shall they be compared as equal? Will ye not therefore consider? We formerly sent Noahm unto his people; and he said, Verily I am a public preacher unto you; that ye worship GOD alone; verily I fear for you the punishment of the terrible day. But the chiefs of the people, who believed not, answered, We see thee to be no other than a man, like unto us; and we do not see that any follow thee, except those who are the most abject among us, who have believed on thee by a rash judgment;n neither do we perceive any excellence in you above us: but we esteem you to be liars. 30 Noah said, O my people, tell me; if I have received an evident declaration from my LORD, and he hath bestowed on me mercy from himself, which is hidden from you, do we compel you to receive the same, in case ye be averse thereto?
f Or containing several passages wrapped up in dark and mysteriousexpressions, which can proceed from and are perfectly comprehended by none butGOD.3g The Korân; or, as others suppose, the angel Gabriel.h Which bears testimony thereto.i That is, the angels, and prophets, and their own members.k For they shall be punished both in this life and in the next.l i.e., The believers and the infidels.m See chapter 7, p. 110, &c.n For want of mature consideration, and moved by the first impulse oftheir fancy.
3 See c. 3, p. 32.
O my people, I ask not of you riches, for my preaching unto you: my reward is with GOD alone. I will not drive away those who have believed:o verily they shall meet their LORD, at the resurrection; but I perceive that ye are ignorant men. O my people, who shall assist me against GOD, if I drive them away? Will ye not therefore consider? I say not unto you, The treasures of GOD are in my power; neither do I say, I know the secrets of God: neither do I say, Verily I am an angel;p neither do I say of those whom your eyes do contemn, GOD will by no means bestow good on them: (GOD best knoweth that which is in their souls;) for then should I certainly be one of the unjust. They answered, O Noah, thou hast already disputed with us, and hast multiplied disputes with us; now therefore do thou bring that punishment upon us wherewith thou hast threatened us, if thou speakest truth. Noah said, Verily GOD alone shall bring it upon you, if he pleaseth; and ye shall not prevail against him, so as to escape the same. Neither shall my counsel profit you, although I endeavor to counsel you aright, if GOD shall please to lead you into error. He is your LORD, and unto him shall ye return. Will the Meccans say, Mohammed hath forged the Koran? Answer, If I have forged it, on me be my guilt: and let me be clear of that which ye are guilty of. And it was revealed unto Noah, saying, Verily none of thy people shall believe, except he who hath already believed: be not therefore grieved, for that which they are doing. But make an ark in our presence, according to the form and dimensions which we have revealed unto thee: and speak not unto me in behalf of those who have acted unjustly; for they are doomed to be drowned. 40 And he built the ark; and so often as a company of his people passed by him, they derided him:q but he said, Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter, as ye scoff at us; and ye shall surely know on whom a punishment shall be inflicted, which shall cover him with shame, and on whom a lasting punishment shall fall.
o For this they asked him to do, because they were poor mean people.The same thing the Koreish demanded of Mohammed, but he was forbidden tocomply with their request.1p See chapter 6, p. 93.q For building a vessel in an inland country, and so far from the sea;and for that he was turned carpenter after he had set up for a prophet.2
1 See cap. 6, p. 93. 2 Al Beidâwi. 3 Idem.4 Jallalo'ddin, &c. 5 Vide D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. Art.Noah. 6 Vide Hyde, de Rel. Vet. Persar, and Lord's Account of theRelig. of the Persees, p. 9.
Thus were they employed until our sentence was put in execution, and the oven poured forth water.r And we said unto Noah, Carry into the ark of every species of animals one pair;s and thy family,t (except him on whom a previous sentence of destruction hath passed),u and those who believe.x But there believed not with him except a few.y And Noah said, Embark thereon, in the name of GOD; while it moveth forward, and while it standeth still;z for my LORD is gracious and merciful. And the ark swam with them between waves like mountains:a and Noah called unto his son,b who was separated from him, saying, Embark with us, my son, and stay not with the unbelievers. He answered, I will get on a mountain, which will secure me from the water. Noah replied, There is no security this day from the decree of GOD, except for him on whom he shall have mercy. And a wave passed between them, and he became one of those who were drowned.
r Or, as the original literally signifies, boiled over; which is consonant to what the Rabbins say, that the waters of the Deluge were boiling hot. This oven was, as some say, at Cûfa, in a spot whereon a mosque now stands; or, as others rather think, in a certain place in India, or else at Ain warda in Mesopotamia;3 and its exundation was the sign by which Noah knew the flood was coming.4 Some pretend that it was the same oven which Eve made use of to bake her bread in, being of a form different from those we use, having the mouth in the upper part, and that it descended from patriarch to patriarch, till it came to Noah.5 It is remarkable that Mohammed, in all probability, borrowed this circumstance from the Persian Magi, who also fancied that the first waters of the Deluge gushed out of the oven of a certain old woman named Zala Cûfa.6 But the word tannûr, which is here translated oven, also signifying the superficies of the earth, or a place whence waters spring forth, or where they are collected, some suppose it means no more in this passage than the spot or fissure whence the first eruption of waters brake forth. s Or, as the words may also be rendered, and some commentators think they ought, two pair, that is, two males and two females of each species; wherein they partly agree with divers Jewish and Christian writers,1 who from the Hebrew expression, seven and seven and two and two, the male and his female,2 suppose there went into the ark fourteen pair of every clean, and two pair of every unclean species. There is a tradition that GOD gathered together unto Noah all sorts of beasts, birds, and other animals (it being indeed difficult to conceive how he should come by them all without some supernatural assistance), and that as he laid hold on them, his right hand constantly fell on the male, and his left on the female.3 t Namely, thy wife, and thy sons and their wives.4 u This was an unbelieving son of Noah,5 named Canaan,6 or Yam;7 though others say he was not the son of Noah, but his grandson by his son Ham, or his wife's son by another husband; nay, some pretend he was related to him no farther than by having been educated and brought up in his house.8 The best commentators add, that Noah's wife, named Wâïla, who was n infidel, was also comprehended in this exception, and perished with her son.9 x Noah's family being mentioned before, it is supposed that by these words are intended the other believers, who were his proselytes, but not of his family: whence the common opinion among the Mohammedans, of a greater number than eight being saved in the ark, seems to have taken its rise.10 y viz., His other wife, who was a true believer, his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, and their wives, and seventy-two persons more.11 z That is, omit no opportunity of getting on board. According to a different reading, the latter words may be rendered, Who shall cause it to move forward, and to stop, as there shall be occasion. The commentators tell us that the ark moved forwards, or stood still, as Noah would have it, on his pronouncing only the words, In the name of GOD.12 It is to be observed that the more judicious commentators make the dimensions of the ark to be the same with those assigned by Moses:13 Notwithstanding, others have enlarged them most extravagantly,14 as some Christian writers15 have also done. They likewise tell us that Noah was two years in building the ark, which was framed of Indian plane-tree,16 that it was divided into three stories, of which the lower was designed for the beasts, the middle one for the men and women, and the upper for the birds;17 and that the men were separated from the women by the body of Adam, which Noah had taken into the ark.18 This last is a tradition of the eastern Christians,19 some of whom pretend that the matrimonial duty was superseded and suspended during the time Noah and his family were in the ark;20 though Ham has been accused of not observing continency on that occasion, his wife, it seems, bringing forth Caanan in the very ark.21 a The waters prevailing fifteen cubits above the mountains.22 b See above, note u.
1 Aben Ezra, Justin Martyr, Origen, &c. 2 Gen. vii. 2. 3 Jallalo'ddin. 4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Yahya. 6 Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi. 7 Ebn Shohnah. 8 Al Zamakhshari. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 676. 9 Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakhshari, al Beidâwi. 10 See c. 7, p. 111. 11 See ibid. note x. 12 Al Beidâwi, &c. 13 Idem, &c. 14 Yahya. Vide Marracc. in Alcor. p. 340. 15 Origen. Contr. Cels. l. 4. Vide Kircher. de Arca Noe, c. 8. 16 Al Beidâwi. Vide D'Herbel. p. 675, and Eutych. p. 34. 17 Al Beidâwi. Vide Eutych. Annal. p. 34. 18 Yahya. 19 Jacob, Edessenus, apud Barcepham de Parad. part i. c. 14. Eutych. ubi sup. Vide etiam Eliezer. pirke c. 23. 20 Ambros. de Noa et Arca, c. 21. 21 Vide Heidegger. Hist. Patriarchar. vol. i. p. 409. 22 Al Beidâwi.
And it was said, O earth, swallow up thy waters, and thou, O heaven, withhold thy rain. And immediately the water abated, and the decree was fulfilled, and the ark rested on the mountain Al Judi;c and it was said, Away with the ungodly people! And Noah called upon his LORD, and said, O LORD, verily my son is of my family, and thy promise is true;d for thou art the most just of those who exercise judgment. God answered, O Noah, verily he is not of thy family;e this intercession of thine for him is not a righteous work.f Ask not of me therefore that wherein thou hast no knowledge: I admonish thee that thou become not one of the ignorant. Noah said, O LORD, I have recourse unto thee for the assistance of thy grace, that I ask not of thee that wherein I have no knowledge; and unless thou forgive me, and be merciful unto me, I shall be one of those who perish. 50 It was said unto him, O Noah, come down from the ark,g with peace from us, and blessings upon thee, and upon part of those who are with thee:h but as for a part of them,i we will suffer them to enjoy the provision of this world; and afterwards shall a grievous punishment from us be inflicted on them, in the life to come. This is a secret history, which we reveal unto thee: thou didst not know it, neither did thy people, before this. Wherefore persevere with patience: for the prosperous issue shall attend the pious. And unto the tribe of Ad we sent their brother Hud.k He said, O my people, worship GOD; ye have no GOD besides him: ye only imagine falsehood, in setting up idols and intercessors of your own making.
c This mountain is one of those which divide Armenia, on the south, from Mesopotamia, and that part of Assyria which is inhabited by the Curds, from whom the mountains took the name of Cardu, or Gardu, by the Greeks turned into Gordyæi, and other names.1 Mount al Jûdi (which name seems to be a corruption, though it be constantly so written by the Arabs, for Jordi, or Giordi) is also called Thamanin,2 probably from a town at the foot of it,3 so named from the number of persons saved in the ark, the word thamanin signifying eighty, and overlooks the country of Diyâr Rabîah, near the cities of Mawsel, Forda, and Jazîrat Ebn Omar, which last place one affirms to be but four miles from the place of the ark, and says that a Mohammedan temple was built there with the remains of that vessel, by the Khalif Omar Ebn Abd'alaziz, whom he by mistake calls Omar Ebn al Khattâb.4 The tradition which affirms the ark to have rested on these mountains, must have been very ancient, since it is the tradition of the Chaldeans themselves:5 the Chaldee paraphrasts consent to their opinion,6 which obtained very much formerly, especially among the eastern Christians.7 To confirm it, we are told that the remainders of the ark were to be seen on the Gordyæan mountains: Berosus and Abydenus both declare there was such a report in their time;8 the first observing that several of the inhabitants thereabouts scraped the pitch off the planks as a rarity, and carried it about them for an amulet: and the latter saying that they used the wood of the vessel against many diseases with wonderful success. The relics of the ark were also to be seen here in the time of Epiphanius, if we may believe him;9 and we are told the emperor Heraclius went from the town of Thamanin up to the mountain al Jûdi, and saw the place of the ark.10 There was also formerly a famous monastery, called the monastery of the ark, upon some of these mountains, where the Nestorians used to celebrate a feast day on the spot where they supposed the ark rested; but in the year of Christ 776, that monastery was destroyed by lightning, with the church, and a numerous congregation in it.11 Since which time it seems the credit of this tradition hath declined, and given place to another, which obtains at present, and according to which the ark rested on Mount Masis, in Armenia, called by the Turks Aghir dagh, or the heavy or great mountain, and situate about twelve leagues south-east of Erivan.12 d Noah here challenges GOD'S promise that he would save his family. e Being cut off from it on account of his infidelity. f According to a different reading, this passage may be rendered, For he hath acted unrighteously. g The Mohammedans say that Noah went into the ark on the tenth of Rajeb, and came out of it the tenth of al Moharram, which therefore became a fast. So that the whole time of Noah's being in the ark, according to them, was six months.1 h viz., Such of them as continued in their belief. i That is, such of his posterity as should depart from the true faith, and fall into idolatry. k See chapter 7, p. 111.
1 See Bochart. Phaleg. l. I, c. 3. 2 Geogr. Nub. p. 202.3 Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 404 and 676, and Agathiam, l. 14, p.135. 4 Benjamin. Itiner. p. 61. 5 Berosus, apud Joseph.Antiq. l. I, c. 4. 6 Onkelos et Jonathan, in Gen. viii. 4.7 Vide Eutych. Annal. p. 41. 8 Berosus, apud Joseph. ubi sup.Abydenus, apud Euseb. Præp. Ev. l. 9, c.4. 9 Epiph. Hæres. 18.10 Elmacin. l. I, c. I. 11 Vide Chronic. Dionysii Patriarch.Jacobitar. apud Asseman. Bibl. Orient. t. 2, p. 113. 12 Al Beidâwi.1 Idem. See D'Herbel. ubi sup.
O my people, I ask not of you for this my preaching, any recompense: my recompense do I expect from him only who hath created me. Will ye not therefore understand? O my people, ask pardon of your LORD; and be turned unto him: he will send the heaven to pour forth rain plentifully upon you,l and he will increase your strength by giving unto you farther strength:m therefore turn not aside, to commit evil. They answered, O Hud, thou hast brought us no proof of what thou sayest; therefore we will not leave our gods for thy saying, neither do we believe thee We say no other than that some of our gods have afflicted thee with evil.n He replied, Verily I call GOD to witness, and do ye also bear witness that I am clear of that which ye associate with God, besides him. Do ye all therefore join to devise a plot against me, and tarry not; for I put my confidence in GOD, my LORD and your LORD. There is no beast, but he holdeth it by its forelock:o verily my LORD proceedeth in the right way. 60 But if ye turn back, I have already declared unto you that with which I was sent unto you: and my LORD shall substitute another nation in your stead; and ye shall not hurt him at all: for my LORD is guardian over all things. And when our sentence came to be put in execution, we delivered Hud, and those who had believed with him,p through our mercy; and we delivered them from a grievous punishment. And this tribe of Ad wittingly rejected the signs of their LORD, and were disobedient unto his messengers, and they followed the command of every rebellious perverse person. Wherefore they were followed in this world by a curse, and they shall be followed by the same on the day of resurrection. Did not Ad disbelieve in their LORD? Was it not said, Away with Ad, the people of Hud? And unto the tribe of Thamud we sent their brother Saleh.q He said unto them, O my people, worship GOD; ye have no GOD besides him. It is he who hath produced you out of the earth, and hath given you an habitation therein. Ask pardon of him therefore, and be turned unto him; for my LORD is near, and ready to answer. They answered, O Saleh, thou wast a person on whom we placed our hopes before this.r Dost thou forbid us to worship that which our fathers worshipped? But we are certainly in doubt concerning the religion to which thou dost invite us, as justly to be suspected. Saleh said, O my people, tell me; if I have received an evident declaration from my LORD, and he hath bestowed on me mercy from himself; who will protect me from the vengeance of GOD, if I be disobedient unto him? For ye shall not add unto me, other than loss. And he said, O my people, this she-camel of GOD is a sign unto you; therefore dismiss her freely, that she may feed in GOD'S earth, and do her no harm, lest a swift punishment seize you.
l For the Adites were grievously distressed by a drought for threeyears.2m By giving you children; the wombs of their wives being also renderedbarren during the time of the drought, as well as their lands.3n Or madness; having deprived thee of thy reason for the indignitiesthou hast offered them.o That is, he exerciseth an absolute power over it. A creature held inthis manner being supposed to be reduced to the lowest subjection.p Who were in number four thousand.4q See chapter 7, p. 112.r Designing to have made thee our prince, because of the singularprudence and other good qualities which we observed in thee; but thydissenting from us in point of religious worship has frustrated those hopes.5
2 See the notes to cap. 7, p. 111. 3 Al Beidâwi. 4Idem. 5 Idem.
Yet they killed her; and Saleh said, Enjoy yourselves in your dwellings for three days:s after which ye shall be destroyed. This is an infallible prediction. And when our decree came to be executed, we delivered Saleh and those who believed with him, through our mercy, from the disgrace of that day; for thy LORD is the strong, the mighty God. 70 But a terrible noise from heaven assailed those who had acted unjustly; and in the morning they were found in their houses, lying dead and prostrate: as though they had never dwelt therein. Did not Thamud disbelieve in their LORD? Was not Thamud cast far away? Our messengerst also came formerly unto Abraham, with good tidings: they said, Peace be upon thee. And he answered, and on you be Peace! And he tarried not, but brought a roasted calf. And when he saw that their hands did not touch the meat, he misliked them, and entertained a fear of them.u But they said, Fear not: for we are sent unto the people of Lot.x And his wife Sarah was standing by,y and she laughed;z and we promised her Isaac, and after Isaac, Jacob. She said, Alas! shall I bear a son, who am old; this my husband also being advanced in years?a Verily this would be a wonderful thing. The angels answered, Dost thou wonder at the effect of the command of GOD? The mercy of God and his blessings be upon you, the family of the house:b for he is praiseworthy, and to be glorified. And when his apprehension had departed from Abraham, and the good tidings of Isaac's birth had come unto him, he disputed with us concerning the people of Lot;c for Abraham was a pitiful, compassionate, and devout person. The angels said unto him, O Abraham, abstain from this; for now is the command of thy LORD come, to put their sentence in execution, and an inevitable punishment is ready to fall upon them.
s viz., Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.1 See chapter 7, p. 113, note m. t These were the angels who were sent to acquaint Abraham with the promise of Isaac, and to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Some of the commentators pretend they were twelve, or nine, or ten in number; but others, agreeably to scripture, say they were but three, viz., Gabriel, Michael and Israfîl.2 u Apprehending they had some ill design against him, because they would not eat with him. x Being angels, whose nature needs not the support of food.3 y Either behind the curtain, or door of the tent; or else waiting upon them. z The commentators are so little acquainted with scripture, that, not knowing the true occasion of Sarah's laughter, they strain their invention to give some reason for it. One says that she laughed at the angels discovering themselves, and ridding Abraham and herself of their apprehensions; and another, that it was at the approaching destruction of the Sodomites (a very probable motive in one of her sex). Some, however, interpret the original word differently, and will have it that she did not laugh, but that her courses, which had stopped for several years, came upon her at this time, as a previous sign of her future conception.4 a Al Beidâwi writes that Sarah was then ninety or ninety-nine years old, and Abraham a hundred and twenty. b Or the stock whence all the prophets were to proceed for the future. Or the expression may perhaps refer to Abraham and Ismael's building the Caaba, which is often called, by way of excellence, the house. c That is, he interceded with us for them.5 Jallalo'ddin, instead of the numbers mentioned by Moses, says that Abraham first asked whether GOD would destroy those cities if three hundred righteous persons were found therein, and so fell successively to two hundred, forty, fourteen, and at last came to one: but there was not one righteous person to be found among them, except only Lot and his family.
1 Idem. 2 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. See Gen. xviii. 3 Idem. 4 Idem, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakhshari. 5 Vide Gen. xviii. 23, &c.
And when our messengers came unto Lot, he was troubled for them,d and his arm was straightened concerning them;e and he said, This is a grievous day. 80 And his people came unto him, rushing upon him, and they had formerly been guilty of wickedness. Lot said unto them, O my people, these my daughters are more lawful for you: therefore fear GOD, and put me not to shame by wronging my guests. Is there not a man of prudence among you? They answered, Thou knowest that we have no need of thy daughters; and thou well knowest what we would have. He said, If I had strength sufficient to oppose you, or I could have recourse unto a powerful support, I would certainly do it. The angels said, O Lot, verily we are the messengers of thy LORD; they shall by no means come in unto thee.f Go forth, therefore, with thy family, in some part of the night, and let not any of you turn back: but as for thy wife,g that shall happen unto her, which shall happen unto them. Verily the prediction of their punishment shall be fulfilled in the morning: is not the morning near? And when our command came, we turned those cities upside down,h and we rained upon them stones of baked clay,i one following another, and being markedk from thy LORD; and they are not far distant from those who act unjustly.l And unto Madian we sent their brother Shoaib:m he said, O people, worship GOD: ye have no GOD but him: and diminish not measure and weight. Verily I see you to be in a happy condition:n but I fear for you the punishment of the day which will encompass the ungodly. O my people, give full measure and just weight; and diminish not unto men aught of their matters; neither commit injustice in the earth, acting corruptly. The residue which shall remain unto you as the gift of GOD, after ye shall have done justice to others, will be better for you, than wealth gotten by fraud, if ye be true believers. I am no guardian over you.
d Because they appeared in the shape of beautiful young men, which must needs tempt those of Sodom to abuse them.6 e i.e., He knew himself unable to protect them against the insults of his townsmen. f Al Beidâwi says that Lot shut his door, and argued the matter with the riotous assembly from behind it; but at length they endeavoured to get over the wall: whereupon Gabriel, seeing his distress, struck them on the face with one of his wings, and blinded them; so that they moved off, crying out for help, and saying that Lot had magicians in his house. g This seems to be the true sense of the passage; but according to a different reading of the vowel, some interpret it, Except thy wife; the meaning being that Lot is here commanded to take his family with him except his wife. Wherefore the commentators cannot agree whether Lot's wife went forth with him or not; some denying it, and pretending that she was left behind and perished in the common destruction; and others affirming it, and saying that when she heard the noise of the storm and overthrow of the cities, she turned back lamenting their fate, and was immediately struck down and killed by one of the stones mentioned a little lower.1 A punishment she justly merited for her infidelity and disobedience to her husband.2 h For they tell us that Gabriel thrust his wing under them, and lifted them up so high, that the inhabitants of the lower heaven heard the barking of the dogs and the crowing of the cocks; and then, inverting them, threw them down to the earth.3 i The kiln wherein they were burned some imagine to have been hell. k That is, as some suppose, streaked with white and red, or having some other peculiar mark to distinguish them from ordinary stones. But the common opinion is that each stone had the name of the person who was to be killed by it written thereon.4 The army of Abraha al Ashram was also destroyed by the same kind of stones. l This is a kind of threat to other wicked persons, and particularly to the infidels of Mecca, who deserved and might justly apprehend the same punishment. m See chap. 7, p. 113, &c. n That is, enjoying plenty of all things; and therefore having the less occasion to defraud one another, and being the more strongly bound to be thankful and obedient unto GOD.
6 Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi. Vide Joseph. Ant. l. I, c. II.1 Idem interpretes. 2 See cap. 66.3 Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi. 4 Idem.
They answered, O Shoaib, do thy prayers enjoin thee, that we should leave the gods which our fathers worshipped; or that we should not do what we please with our substance?o Thou only, it seems, art the wise person, and fit to direct. 90 He said, O my people, tell me: if I have received an evident declaration from my LORD, and he hath bestowed on me an excellent provision, and I will not consent unto you in that which I forbid you; do I seek any other than your reformation, to the utmost of my power? My support is from GOD alone: on him do I trust, and unto him do I turn me. O my people, let not your opposing of me draw on you a vengeance like unto that which fell on the people of Noah, or the people of Hud, or the people of Saleh: neither was the people of Lot far distant from you.p Ask pardon, therefore, of your LORD; and be turned unto him: for my LORD is merciful and loving. They answered, O Shoaib, we understand not much of what thou sayest; and we see thee to be a man of no powerq among us: if it had not been for the sake of thy family,r we had surely stoned thee, neither couldst thou have prevailed against us. Shoaib said, O my people, is my family more worthy in your opinion than GOD? and do ye cast him behind you with neglect? Verily my LORD comprehendeth that which ye do. O my people, do ye work according to your condition; I will surely work according to my duty.s And ye shall certainly know on whom will be inflicted a punishment which shall cover him with shame, and who is a liar. Wait, therefore, the event; for I also will wait it with you. Wherefore, when our decree came to be executed, we delivered Shoaib and those who believed with him, through our mercy: and a terrible noise from Heaven assailed those who had acted unjustly; and in the morning they were found in their houses lying dead and prostrate, as though they had never dwelt therein. Was not Madian removed from off the earth, as Thamud had been removed? And we formerly sent Moses with our signs, and manifest power unto Pharaoh and his princes;t but they followed the command of Pharaoh; although the command of Pharaoh did not direct them aright. 100 Pharaoh shall precede his on the day of resurrection, and he shall lead them into hell fire; an unhappy way shall it be which they shall be led. They were followed in this life by a curse, and on the day of resurrection miserable shall be the gift which shall be given them. This is a part of the histories of the cities, which we rehearse unto thee. Of them there are some standing; and others which are utterly demolished.u
o For this liberty they imagined was taken from them, by his prohibition of false weights and measures, or to diminish or adulterate their coin.5 p For Sodom and Gomorrah were situate not a great way from you, and their destruction happened not many ages ago; neither did they deserve it, on account of their obstinacy and wickedness, much more than yourselves. q The Arabic word daîf, weak, signifying also, in the Hamyaritic dialect, blind, some suppose that Shoaib was so, and that the Midianites objected that to him as a defect which disqualified him for the prophetic office. r i.e., For the respect we bear to thy family and relations, whom we honour as being of our religion, and not for any apprehension we have of their power to assist you against us. The original word, here translated family, signifies any number from three to seven or ten, but not more.6 s See chapter 6, p. 101, note o. t See chapter 7, p. 115, &c. u Literally, mown down; the sentence presenting the different images of corn standing, and cut down, which is also often used by the sacred writers.
5 Al Beidâwi. 6 Idem.
And we treated them not unjustly, but they dealt unjustly with their own souls: and their gods which they invoked, besides GOD, were of no advantage unto them at all, when the decree of thy LORD came to be executed on them, neither were they any other than a detriment unto them. And thus was the punishment of thy LORD inflicted, when he punished the cities which were unjust; for his punishment is grievous and severe. Verily herein is a sign unto him who feareth the punishment of the last day: that shall be a day, whereon all men shall be assembled, and that shall be a day whereon witness shall be borne; we defer it not, but to a determined time. When that day shall come, no soul shall speak to excuse itself, or to intercede for another, but by the permission of God. Of them, one shall be miserable, and another shall be happy. And they who shall be miserable, shall be thrown into hell fire; there shall they wail and bemoan themselves:x they shall remain therein so long as the heavens and the earth shall endure;y except what thy LORD shall please to remit of their sentence;z for thy LORD effecteth that which he pleaseth. 110 But they who shall be happy, shall be admitted into paradise; they shall remain therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure: besides what thy LORD shall please to add unto their bliss; a bounty which shall not be interrupted. Be not therefore in doubt concerning that which these men worship: they worship no other than what their fathers worshipped before them; and we will surely give them their full portion, not in the least diminished. We formerly gave unto Moses the book of the law; and disputes arose among his people concerning it: and unless a previous decree had proceeded from thy LORD, to bear with them during this life, the matter had been surely decided between them. And thy people are also jealous and in doubt concerning the Koran. But unto every one of them will thy LORD render the reward of their works; for he well knoweth that which they do. Be thou steadfast, therefore, as thou hast been commanded; and let him also be steadfast who shall be converted with thee; and transgress not; for he seeth that which ye do. And incline not unto those who act unjustly, lest the fire of hell touch you: for ye have no protectors, except GOD; neither shall ye be assisted against him. Pray regularly morning and evening;a and in the former part of the night,b for good works drive away evils. This is an admonition unto those who consider: wherefore persevere with patience; for GOD suffereth not the reward of the righteous to perish.
x The two words in the original signify properly the vehement drawing in and expiration of one's breath, which is usual to persons in great pain and anguish; and particularly the reciprocation of the voice of an ass when he brays. y This is not to be strictly understood as if either the punishment of the damned should have an end, or the heavens and the earth should endure for ever; the expression being only used by way of image or comparison, which need not agree in every point with the thing signified. Some, however, think the future heavens and earth, into which the present shall be changed, are here meant.1 z See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 72, 73. a Literally, in the two extremities of the day. b That is, after sunset and before supper, when the Mohammedans say their fourth prayer, called by them Salât al moghreb, or the evening prayer.2
1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem.
Were such of the generations before you, endued with understanding and virtue, who forbade the acting corruptly in the earth, any more than a few only of those whom we delivered; but they who were unjust followed the delights which they enjoyed in this world,c and were wicked doers:d and thy LORD was not of such a disposition as to destroy the cities unjustly,e while their inhabitants behaved themselves uprightly. 120 And if thy LORD pleased, he would have made all men of one religion: but they shall not cease to differ among themselves, unless those on whom thy LORD shall have mercy: and unto this hath he created them; for the word of thy LORD shall be fulfilled, when he said, Verily I will fill hell altogether with genii and men. The whole which we have related of the histories of our apostles do we relate unto thee, that we may confirm thy heart thereby; and herein is the truth come unto thee, and an admonition, and a warning unto the true believers. Say unto those who believe not, Act ye according to your condition; we surely will act according to our duty:f and wait the issue; for we certainly wait it also. Unto GOD is known that which is secret in heaven and earth; and unto him shall the whole matter be referred. Therefore worship him, and put thy trust in him; for thy LORD is not regardless of that which ye do.
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ENTITLED, JOSEPH;g REVEALED AT MECCA.
AL. R.h These are the signs of the perspicuous book;which we have sent down in the Arabic tongue, that, peradventure, yemight understand.We relate unto thee a most excellent history, by revealing unto thee thisKorân,i whereas thou wast before one of thek negligent.
c Making it their sole business to please their luxurious desires and appetites, and placing their whole felicity therein. d Al Beidâwi says that this passage gives the reason why the nations were destroyed of old; viz., for their violence and injustice, their following their own lusts, and for their idolatry and unbelief. e Or, as the commentator just named explains it, for their idolatry only, when they observed justice in other respects. f See chapter 6, p. 110, note o. g The Koreish, thinking to puzzle Mohammed, at the instigation and by the direction of certain Jewish Rabbins, demanded of him how Jacob's family happened to go down into Egypt, and that he would relate to them the history of Joseph, with all its circumstances: whereupon he pretended to have received this chapter from heaven, containing the story of that patriarch.1 It is said, however, to have been rejected by two Mohammedan sects, branches of the Khârejites, called the Ajâredites and the Maimûnians, as apocryphal and spurious. h See the Prelim. Disc. p. 46, &c. i Or this particular chapter. For the word Korân, as has been elsewhere observed,2 properly signifying no more than a reading or lecture, is often used to denote, not only the whole volume, but any distinct chapter or section of it. k i.e., So far from being acquainted with the story, that it never so much as entered into thy thoughts; a certain argument, says al Beidâwi, that it must have been revealed to him from heaven.