1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. 2 Iidem. 3 Iidem. 4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Bibl. Orient. Art. Jagiouge. 6 Al Beidâwi. 7 Idem. Vide D'Herbel. ubi supra. 8 V. Gol. in Alfrag. p. 207. 9 Al Beidâwi.
Wherefore, when this wall was finished, Gog and Magog could not scale it, neither could they dig through it.c And Dhu'lkarnein said, This is a mercy from my LORD: but when the prediction of my LORD shall come to be fulfilled,d he shall reduce the wall to dust; and the prediction of my LORD is true. On that day we will suffer some of them to press tumultuously like waves on others:e and the trumpet shall be sounded, and we will gather them in a body together. 100 And we will set hell on that day before the unbelievers; whose eyes have been veiled from my remembrance, and who could not hear my words. Do the unbelievers think that I will not punish them, for that they take my servants for their protectors besides me? Verily we have prepared hell for the abode of the infidels. Say, Shall we declare unto you those whose works are vain, whose endeavor in the present life hath been wrongly directed, and who think they do the work which is right? These are they who believe not in the signs of their LORD, or that they shall be assembled before him; wherefore their works are vain, and we will not allow them any weight on the day of resurrection. This shall be their reward, namely, hell; for that they have disbelieved, and have held my signs and apostles in derision. But as for those who believe and do good works, they shall have the gardens of paradise for their abode: they shall remain therein forever; they shall wish for no change therein. Say, If the sea were ink to write the words of my LORD, verily the sea would fail, before the words of my LORD would fail; although we added another sea like unto it as a further supply. 110 Say, Verily I am only a man as ye are. It is revealed unto me that your GOD is one only GOD: let him therefore who hopeth to meet his LORD work a righteous work; and let him not make any other to partake in the worship of his LORD.
c The commentators say the wall was built in this manner. They dug till they found water, and having laid the foundation of stone and melted brass, they built the super-structure of large pieces of iron, between which they laid wood and coals, till they equalled the height of the mountains; and then setting fire to the combustibles, by the help of large bellows, they made the iron red hot, and over it poured melted brass, which filling up the vacancies between the pieces of iron, rendered the whole work as firm as a rock. Some tell us that the whole was built of stones joined by cramps of iron, on which they poured melted brass to fasten them.1 d That is, when the time shall come for Gog and Magog to break forth from their confinement; which shall happen sometime before the resurrection.2 e These words represent either the violent irruption of Gog and Magog, or the tumultuous assembly of all creatures, men, genii, and brutes, at the resurrection.3
1 Idem, &c. 2 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 63. 3 See ib. p. 67.
ENTITLED, MARY;g REVEALED AT MECCA.g
C. H. Y. A. S.h A COMMEMORATION of the mercy of thy LORD towards his servant Zacharias.i When he called upon his LORD, invoking him in secret, and said, O LORD, verily my bones are weakened, and my head is become white with hoariness, and I have never been unsuccessful in my prayers to thee, O LORD. But now I fear my nephews, who are to succeed after me, for my wife is barren: wherefore, give me a successor of my own body from before thee; who may be my heir, and may be an heir of the family of Jacob;k and grant, O LORD, that he may be acceptable unto thee. And the angel answered him, O Zacharias, verily we bring thee tidings of a son, whose name shall be John; we have not caused any to bear the same name before him.l Zacharias said, LORD, how shall I have a son, seeing my wife is barren, and I am now arrived at a great age,m and am decrepit? 10 The angel said, So shall it be: thy LORD saith, This is easy with me; since I created thee heretofore, when thou wast nothing. Zacharias answered, O LORD, give me a sign. The angel replied, Thy sign shall be that thou shalt not speak to men for three nights, although thou be in perfect health. And he went forth unto his people, from the chamber, and he made signs unto them,n as if he should say, Praise ye God in the morning and in the evening. And we said unto his son, O John, receive the book of the law, with a resolution to study and observe it. And we bestowed on him wisdom, when he was yet a child,
f Several circumstances relating to the Virgin Mary being mentioned in this chapter, her name was pitched upon for the title. g Except the verse of Adoration. h See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 46, 47. i See chapter 3. p. 36, &c. j These were his brother's sons, who were very wicked men, and Zacharias was apprehensive lest, after his death, instead of confirming the people in the true religion, they should seduce them to idolatry.1 And some commentators imagine that he made this prayer in private, lest his nephews should overhear him. k viz., In holiness and knowledge; or in the government and superintendence of the Israelites. There are some who suppose it is not the patriarch who is here meant, but another Jacob, the brother of Zacharias, or of Imrân Ebn Mâthân, of the race of Solomon.2 l For he was the first who bore the name of John, or Yahya (as the Arabs pronounce it); which fancy seems to be occasioned by the words of St. Luke misunderstood, that none of Zacharias's kindred was called by that name:3 for otherwise John, or, as it is written in Hebrew, Johanan, was a common name among the Jews. Some expositors avoid this objection, by observing that the original word samiyyan signifies, not only one who is actually called by the same name, but also one who by reason of his possessing the like qualities and privileges, deserves, or may pretend to the same name. m The Mohammedan traditions greatly differ as to the age of Zacharias at this time; we have mentioned one already:4 Jallalo'ddin says, he was an hundred and twenty, and his wife ninety-eight; and the Sonna takes notice of several other opinions. n Some say he wrote the following words on the ground.
1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. 2 Iidem. 3 Luke i. 61.
and mercy from us, and purity of life;o and he was a devout person, and dutiful towards his parents, and was not proud or rebellious. Peace be on him the day whereon he was born, and the day whereon he shall die, and the day whereon he shall be raised to life. And remember in the book of the Koran the story of Mary; when she retired from her family to a place towards the east,p and took a veil to conceal herself from them; and we sent our spirit Gabriel unto her, and he appeared unto her in the shape of a perfect man.q 20 She said, I fly for refuge unto the merciful God, that he may defend me from thee: if thou fearest him, thou wilt not approach me. He answered, Verily I am the messenger of thy LORD, and am sent to give thee a holy son. She said, How shall I have a son, seeing a man hath not touched me, and I am no harlot? Gabriel replied, So shall it be: thy LORD saith, This is easy with me; and we will perform it, that we may ordain him for a sign unto men, and a mercy from us: for it is a thing which is decreed. Wherefore she conceived him;r and she retired aside with him in her womb to a distant place;s and the pains of child-birth came upon her near the trunk of a palm- tree.t She said, Would to GOD I had died before this, and had become a thing forgotten, and lost in oblivion. And he who was beneath her called to her,u saying, be not grieved; now hath GOD provided a rivulet under thee;
o Or, as the word also signifies, The love of alms-deeds. p viz., To the eastern part of the temple; or to a private chamber in the house, which opened to the east: whence, says al Beidâwi, the Christians pray towards that quarter. There is a tradition, that when the virgin was grown to years of puberty, she used to leave her apartment in the temple, and retire to Zacharias's house to her aunt, when her courses came upon her; and so soon as she was clean, she returned again to the temple: and that at the time of the angel's visiting her, she was at her aunt's on the like occasion, and was sitting to wash herself, in an open place, behind a veil to prevent her being seen.1 But others more prudently suppose the design of her retirement was to pray.2 q Like a full-grown but beardless youth. Al Beidâwi, not contented with having given one good reason why he appeared in that form, viz., to moderate her surprise, that she might hear his message with less shyness, adds, that perhaps it might be to raise an emotion in her, and assist her conception. r For Gabriel blew into the bosom of her shift, which he opened with his fingers,3 and his breath reaching her womb, caused the conception.4 The age of the Virgin Mary at the time of her conception was thirteen, or, as others say, ten; and she went six, seven, eight, or nine months with him, according to different traditions; though some say the child was conceived at its full growth of nine months, and that she was delivered of him within an hour after.5 s To conceal her delivery, she went out of the city by night, to a certain mountain. t The palm to which she fled, that she might lean on it in her travail, was a withered trunk, without any head or verdure, and this happened in the winter season; notwithstanding which it miraculously supplied her with fruits for her refreshment;6 as is mentioned immediately. It has been observed, that the Mohammedan account of the delivery of the Virgin Mary very much resembles that of Latona, as described by the poets,7 not only in this circumstance of their laying hold on a palm-tree8 (though some say Latona embraced an olive-tree, or an olive and a palm, or else two laurels), but also in that of their infants speaking; which Apollo is fabled to have done in the womb.9 u This some imagine to have been the child himself; but others suppose it was Gabriel who stood somewhat lower than she did.10 According to a different reading this passage may be rendered, And he called to her from beneath her, &c. And some refer the pronoun, translated her, to the palm- tree; and then it should be beneath it, &c.
1 Yahya, Al Beidâwi. 2 Al Zamakh. 3 Yahya. 4 Jallalo'ddin, Al Beidâwi. 5 Al Beidâwi, Yahya. 6 Iidem, Al Zamakh. 7 Vide Sikii not. in Evang. Infant. p. 9, 21, &c. 8 Homer. Hymn. in Apoll. Callimach. Hymn. in Delum. 9 Callimach. ibid. See Kor. chapter 3, p. 57. 10 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.
and do thou shake the body of the palm-tree, and it shall let fall ripe dates upon thee ready gathered.x And eat, and drink, and calm thy mind.y Moreover, if thou see any man, and he question thee, say, Verily I have vowed a fast unto the Merciful: wherefore I will by no means speak to a man this day.z So she brought the child to her people, carrying him in her arms. And they said unto her, O Mary, now hast thou done a strange thing: O sister of Aaron,a thy father was not a bad man, neither was thy mother a harlot. 30 But she made signs unto the child to answer them; and they said, How shall we speak to him, who is an infant in the cradle? Whereupon the child said, Verily I am the servant of GOD;b he hath given me the book of the gospel, and hath appointed me a prophet. And he hath made me blessed, wheresoever I shall be; and hath commanded me to observe prayer, and to give alms, so long as I shall live; and he hath made me dutiful towards my mother, and hath not made me proud or unhappy. And peace be on me the day whereon I was born, and the day whereon I shall die, and the day whereon I shall be raised to life. This was JESUS, the son of Mary; the Word of truth,c concerning whom they doubt. It is not meet for GOD, that he should have any son; GOD forbid! When he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be; and it is. And verily GOD is my LORD and your LORD; wherefore, serve him: this is the right way. Yet the sectaries differ among themselves concerning Jesus; but woe be unto those who are unbelievers, because of their appearance at the great day. Do thou cause them to hear, and do thou cause them to see,d on the day whereon they shall come unto us to be judged: but the ungodly are this day in a manifest error. 40 And do thou forewarn them of the day of sighing, when the matter shall be determined, while they are now sunk in negligence, and do not believe. Verily we will inherit the earth, and whatever creatures are therein;e and unto us shall they all return.
x And accordingly she had no sooner spoken it than the dry trunk revived, and shot forth green leaves, and a head loaded with ripe fruit. y Literally, thine eye. z During which she was not to speak to anybody, unless to acquaint them with the reason of her silence: and some suppose she did that by signs. a Several Christian writers think the Korân stands convicted of a manifest falsehood in this particular, but I am afraid the Mohammedans may avoid the charge;1 as they do by several answers. Some say the Virgin Mary had really a brother named Aaron, who had the same father, but a different mother; others suppose Aaron the brother of Moses is here meant, but say Mary is called his sister, either because she was of the Levitical race (as by her being related to Elizabeth, it should seem she was), or by way of comparison; others say that it was a different person of that name who was contemporary with her, and conspicuous for his good or bad qualities, and that they likened her to him either by way of commendation of of reproach,2 &c. b These were the first words which were put into the mouth of JESUS, to obviate the imagination of his partaking of the divine nature, or having a right to the worship of mankind, on account of his miraculous speaking so soon after his birth.3 c This expression may either be referred to JESUS, as the Word of GOD; or to the account just given of him. d These words are variously expounded; some taking them to express admiration4 at the quickness of those senses in the wicked, at the day of judgment, when they shall plainly perceive the torments prepared for them, though they have been deaf and blind in this life; and others supposing the words contain a threat to the unbelievers, of what they shall then hear and see; or else a command to Mohammed to lay before them the terrors of that day.5 e i.e., Alone surviving, when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated. See chapter 15, p. 192.
1 See chapter 3, p. 34, 35. 2 Al Zamakh., Al Beidâwi. Jallalo'ddin, Yahya, &c. 3 Al Beidâwi, &c. 4 See chapter 18, p. 220. 5 Al Beidâwi.
And remember Abraham in the book of the Koran; for he was one of great veracity, and a prophet. When he said unto his father, O my father,f why dost thou worship that which heareth not, neither seeth, nor profiteth thee at all? O my father, verily a degree of knowledge hath been bestowed on me, which hath not been bestowed on thee: wherefore follow me; I will lead thee into an even way. O my father, serve not Satan; for Satan was rebellious unto the Merciful. O my father, verily I fear lest a punishment be inflicted on thee from the Merciful, and thou become a companion of Satan. His father answered, Dost thou reject my gods, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will surely stone thee: wherefore leave me for a long time. Abraham replied, Peace be on thee: I will ask pardon for thee of my LORD; for he is gracious unto me. And I will separate myself from you, and from the idols which ye invoke besides GOD; and I will call upon my LORD; it may be that I shall not be unsuccessful in calling on my LORD, as ye are in calling upon them. 50 And when he had separated himself from them, and from the idols which they worshipped besides GOD,g we gave him Isaac and jacob; and we made each of them a prophet, and we bestowed on them, through our mercy, the gift of prophecy, and children and wealth; and we caused them to deserve the highest commendations.h And remember Moses in the book of the Koran: for he was sincerely upright, and was an apostle and a prophet. And we called unto him from the right side of Mount Sinai, and caused him to draw near, and to discourse privately with us.i And we gave him, through our mercy, his brother Aaron a prophet, for his assistant. Remember also Ismael in the same book; for he was true to his promise,j and was an apostle, and a prophet. And he commanded his family to observe prayer, and to give alms; and he was acceptable unto his LORD. And remember Edrisk in the same book; for he was a just person, and a prophet: and we exalted him to a high place.l These are they unto whom GOD hath been bounteous, of the prophets of the posterity of Adam, and of those whom we carried in the ark with Noah; and of the posterity of Abraham, and of Israel, and of those whom we have directed and chosen. When the signs of the Merciful were read unto them, they fell down, worshipping, and wept:
f See chapter 6, p. 95, &c. g By flying to Harrân, and thence to Palestine. h Literally, We granted them a lofty tongue of truth. i Or, as some expound it, And we raise him on high; for, say they, he was raised to so great an elevation, that he heard the creaking of the pen writing on the table of GOD'S decrees.1 j Being celebrated on that account; and particularly for his behaving with that resignation and constancy which he had promised his father, on his receiving GOD'S command to sacrifice him;2 for the Mohammedans say it was Ismael, and not Isaac, whom he was commanded to offer. k Or Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, who had that surname from his great knowledge; for he was favoured with no less than thirty books of divine revelations, and was the first who wrote with a pen, and studied the sciences of astronomy and arithmetic, &c.3 The learned Bartolocci endeavours to show, from the testimonies of the ancient Jews, that Enoch, surnamed Edris, was a very different person from the Enoch of Moses, and many ages younger.4 l Some understand by this the honour of the prophetic office, and his familiarity with GOD; but others suppose his translation is here meant: for they say that he was taken up by GOD into heaven at the age of three hundred and fifty, having first suffered death, and been restored to life; and that he is now alive in one of the seven heavens, or in paradise.5
1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem, Jallalo'ddin, &c. 4 Bartol. Bibl. Rabb. part 2, p. 845. 5 Iidem, Abulfeda.
60 but a succeeding generation have come after them, who neglect prayer, and follow their lusts; and they shall surely fall into evil: except him who repenteth, and believeth, and doth that which is right; these shall enter paradise, and they shall not in the least be wronged: gardens of perpetual abode shall be their reward, which the Merciful hath promised unto his servants, as an object of faith; for his promise will surely come to be fulfilled. Therein shall they hear no vain discourse, but peace;m and their provision shall be prepared for them therein morning and evening. This is paradise, which we will give for an inheritance unto such of our servants as shall be pious. We descend not from heaven, unless by the command of thy LORD: unto him belongeth whatsoever is before us, and whatsoever is behind us, and whatsoever is in the intermediate space; neither is thy LORD forgetful of thee.n He is the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatsoever is between them: wherefore worship him, and be constant in his worship. Dost thou know any named like him?o Man saith,p After I shall have been dead, shall I really be brought forth alive from the grave? Doth not man remember that we created him heretofore, when he was nothing? But by thy LORD we will surely assemble them and the devils to judgment;q then will we set them round about hell on their knees: 70 afterwards we will draw forth from every sect such of them as shall have been a more obstinate rebel against the Merciful;r and we best know which of them are more worthy to be burned therein.s There shall be none of you but shall approach near the same:t this is an established decree with thy LORD. Afterwards we will deliver those who shall have been pious, but we will leave the ungodly therein on their knees.
m i.e., Words of peace and comfort; or the salutations of the angels,1 &c. n These are generally supposed to have been the words of the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mohammed's complaint for his long delay of fifteen, or, according to another tradition, of forty days, before he brought him instructions what solution he should give to the questions which had been asked him concerning the sleepers, Dhu'lkarnein, and the spirit.2 Others, however, are of opinion that they are the words which the godly will use at their entrance into paradise; and that their meaning is, We take up our abode here at the command and through the mercy of God alone, who ruleth all things, past, future, and present; and who is not forgetful of the works of his servants.3 o That is, Deserving, or having a right to the name and attributes of GOD. p Some suppose a particular person is here meant, namely, Obba Ebn Khalf.4 q It is said that every infidel will appear, at the day judgment, chained to the devil who seduced him.5 r Hence, says al Beidâwi, it appears that GOD will pardon some of the rebellious people. But perhaps the distinguishing the unbelievers into different classes, in order to consign them to different places and degrees of torment, is here meant. s viz., The more obstinate and perverse, and especially the heads of sects, who will suffer double punishment for their own errors and their seducing of others. t For the true believers must also pass by or through hell, but the fire will be damped and the flames abated, so as not to hurt them, though it will lay hold on the others. Some, however, suppose that the words intend no more than the passage over the narrow bridge, which is laid over hell.6
1 See chapter 10, p. 151. 2 See before, p. 118, 119.3 Al Beidâwi. 4 See chapter 16, p. 195. 5 AlBeidâwi. 6 Idem. See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 71.
When our manifest signs are read unto them, the infidels say unto the true believers, Which of the two parties is in the more eligible condition, and formeth the more excellent assembly?u But how many generations have we destroyed before them, which excelled them in wealth, and in outward appearance? Say, Whosoever is in error, the Merciful will grant him a long and prosperous life, until they see that with which they are threatened, whether it be the punishment of this life, or that of the last hour; and hereafter they shall know who is in the worse condition, and the weaker in forces. GOD shall more fully direct those who receive direction; and the good works which remain forever are better in the sight of thy LORD than worldly possessions, in respect to the reward, and more eligible in respect to the future recompense. 80 Hast thou seen him who believeth not in our signs, and saith, I shall surely have riches and children bestowed on me?x Is he acquainted with the secrets of futurity; or hath he received a covenant from the Merciful that it shall be so? By no means. We will surely write down that which he saith; and increasing we will increase his punishment; and we will be his heir as to that which he speaketh of,y and on the last day he shall appear before us alone and naked. They have taken other gods, besides GOD, that they may be a glory unto them. By no means. Hereafter shall they deny their worship;z and they shall become adversariesa unto them. Dost thou not see that we send the devils against the infidels, to incite them to sin by their instigations? Wherefore be not in haste to call down destruction upon them; for we number unto them a determined number of days of respite. On a certain day we will assemble the pious before the Merciful in an honourable manner, as ambassadors come into the presence of a prince: but we will drive the wicked into hell, as cattle are driven to water: 90 they shall obtain no intercession, except he only who hath received a covenant from the Merciful.b They say, The Merciful hath begotten issue. Now have ye uttered an impious thing: it wanteth little but that on occasion thereof the heavens be rent, and the earth cleave in sunder, and the mountains be overthrown and fall, for that they attribute children unto the Merciful; whereas it becometh not GOD to beget children.
u viz., Of us, or of you. When the Koreish were unable to produce a composition to equal the Korân, they began to glory in their wealth and nobility, valuing themselves highly on that account, and despising the followers of Mohammed. x This passage was revealed on account of al As Ebn Wayel, who being indebted to Khabbâb, when he demanded the money, refused to pay it, unless he would deny Mohammed; to which proposal Khabbâb answered, that he would never deny that prophet, neither alive, nor dead, nor when he should be raised to life at the last day; therefore replied al As, when thou art raised again, come to me, for I shall then have abundance of riches, and children, and I will pay you.1 y i.e., He shall be obliged to leave all his wealth and his children behind him at his death. z viz., At the resurrection; when the idolaters shall disclaim their idols, and the idols their worshippers, and shall mutually accuse one another.2 a Or, the contrary; that is to say, a disgrace instead of an honour. b That is, except he who shall be a subject properly disposed to receive that favour, by having possessed Islâm. Or, the words may also be translated, according to another exposition, They shall not obtain the intercession of any, except the intercession of him, &c. Or else, None shall be able to make intercession for others, except he who shall have received a covenant (or permission) from God; i.e., who shall be qualified for that office by faith, and good works, according to GOD's promise, or shall have special leave given him by GOD for that purpose.3
1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 2 See chapter 6, p. 90; chapter 10, p. 152, 153, &c. 3 Al Beidâwi. See chapter 2, p. 28, &c.
Verily there is none in heaven or on earth but shall approach the Merciful as his servant. He encompasseth them by his knowledge and power, and numbereth them with an exact computation: and they shall all come unto him on the day of resurrection, destitute both of helpers and followers. But as for those who believe and do good works, the Merciful will bestow on them love.c Verily we have rendered the Koran easy for thy tongue, that thou mayest thereby declare our promises unto the pious, and mayest thereby denounce threats unto contentious people. And how many generations have we destroyed before them? Dost thou find one of them remaining? Or dost thou hear so much as a whisper concerning them?
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ENTITLED, T. H.;d REVEALED AT MECCA.
T. H. WE have not sent down the Koran unto thee, that thou shouldest beunhappy;ebut for an admonition unto him who feareth God:being sent down from him who created the earth, and the lofty heavens.The Merciful sitteth on his throne:unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth, and whatsoeveris between them, and whatsoever is under the earth.If thou pronounce thy prayers with a loud voice, know that it is notnecessary in respect to God; for he knoweth that which is secret, and what isyet more hidden.GOD! there is no GOD but he, he hath most excellent names.fHast thou been informed of the history of Moses?g
c viz., The love of GOD and all the inhabitants of heaven. Some suppose this verse was revealed to comfort the Moslems who were hated and despised at Mecca, on account of their faith, by the promise of their gaining the love and esteem of mankind in a short time. d The signification of these letters, which being prefixed to the chapter are therefore taken for the title, is uncertain.1 Some, however, imagine they stand for Ya rajol, i.e. O man! which interpretation, seeming not easily to be accounted for from the Arabic, is by a certain tradition deduced from the Ethiopic:2 or for Ta, i.e. tread; telling us that Mohammed, being employed in watching and prayer the night this passage was revealed, stood on one foot only, but was hereby commanded to ease himself by setting both feet to the ground. Others fancy the first letter stands for Tûba, beatitude; and the latter for Hawiyat, the name of the lower apartment of hell. Tah is also an interjection commanding silence, and may properly enough be used in this place. e Either by reason of thy zealous solicitude for the conversion of the infidels, or thy fatiguing thyself by watching and other religious exercises; for, it seems, the Koreish urged the extraordinary fatigues he underwent in those respects, as the consequence of his having left their religion.3 f See chapter 7, p. 123, and chapter 17, p. 216. g The relation of the story of Moses, which takes up the greatest part of this chapter, was designed to encourage Mohammed, by his example, to discharge the prophetic office with firmness of mind, as being assured of receiving the like assistance from GOD: for it is said this chapter was one of the first that were revealed.4
1 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 46, &c. 2 Moham. Ebn Abd al Baki, ex trad. Acremæ Ebn Abi Sofian. 3 Al Beidâwi. 4 Idem.
When he saw fire, and said unto his family, Tarry ye here; for I perceivefire:10 peradventure I may bring you a brand thereout, or may find a directionin our way by the fire.hAnd when he was come near unto it, a voice called unto him, saying, OMoses,verily I am thy LORD: wherefore put off thy shoes;i for thou art in thesacred valley Towa.And I have chosen thee; therefore hearken with attention unto that whichis revealed unto thee.Verily I am GOD; there is no god besides me; wherefore worship me, andperform thy prayer in remembrance of me.Verily the hour cometh: I will surely manifest the same,that every soul may receive its reward for that which it hathdeliberately done.Let not him who believeth not therein, and who followeth his lust,prevent thee from believing in the same, lest thou perish.Now what is that in thy right hand, O Moses?He answered, It is my rod whereon I lean, and with which I beat downleaves for my flock; and I have other uses for it.j20 God said unto him, Cast it down, O Moses.And he cast it down, and behold, it became a serpent,k which ran about.God said, Take hold on it, and fear not:l we will reduce it to its formercondition.And put thy right hand under thy left arm: it shall come forth white,mwithout any hurt. This shall be another sign:that we may show thee some of our greatest signs.Go unto Pharaoh: for he is exceedingly impious.Moses answered, LORD, enlarge my breast,and make what thou hast commanded me easy unto me:and loose the knot of my tongue,that they may understand my speech.n30 And give me a counselloro of my family,namely, Aaron my brother.Gird up my loins by him,and make him my colleague in the business:that we may praise thee greatly, and may remember thee often;for thou regardest us.God replied, Now hast thou obtained thy request, O Moses:and we have heretofore been gracious unto thee, another time;
h The commentators say, that Moses having obtained leave of Shoaib, or Jethro, his father-in-law, to visit his mother, departed with his family from Midian towards Egypt; but coming to the valley of Towa, wherein Mount Sinai stands, his wife fell in labour, and was delivered of a son, in a very dark and snowy night; he had also lost his way, and his cattle were scattered from him; when on a sudden he saw a fire by the side of a mountain, which on his nearer approaching he found burning in a green bush.1 i This was a mark of humility and respect: though some fancy there was some uncleanness in the shoes themselves, because they were made of the skin of an ass not dressed.2 j As to drive away wild beasts from my flock, to carry my bottle of water on, to stick up and hang my upper garment on to shade me from the sun; and several other uses enumerated by the commentators. k Which was at first no bigger than the rod, but afterwards swelled to a prodigious size.3 l When Moses saw the serpent move about with great nimbleness, and swallow stones and trees, he was greatly terrified, and fled from it; but recovering his courage at these words of GOD, he had the boldness to take the serpent by the jaws.4 m See chapter 7, p. 116. n For Moses had an impediment in his speech, which was occasioned by the following accident. Pharaoh one day carrying him in his arms, when a child, he suddenly laid hold of his bear, and plucked it in a very rough manner, which put Pharaoh into such a passion, that he ordered him to be put to death: but Asia, his wife, representing to him that he was but a child, who could not distinguish between a burning coal and a ruby, he ordered the experiment to be made; and a live coal and a ruby being set before Moses, he took the coal and put it into his mouth, and burnt his tongue; and thereupon he was pardoned. This is a Jewish story a little altered.5 o The Arabic word is Wazîr, which signifies one who has the chief administration of affairs under a prince.
1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Idem. 5 Vide Shalsh. Hakkab, p. 11.
when we revealed unto thy mother that which was revealed unto her,p saying, Put him into the ark, and cast him into the river and the river shall throw him on the shore; and my enemy and his enemy shall take him and bring him up;q and I bestowed on thee love from me,r 40 that thou mightest be bred up under my eye. When thy sister went and said, Shall I bring you unto one who will nurse the child?s So we returned thee unto thy mother, that her mind might be set at ease, and that she might not be afflicted. And thou slewest a soul, and we delivered thee from trouble;t and we proved thee by several trials:u and afterwards thou didst dwell some yearsx among the inhabitants of Madian. Then thou camest hither according to our decree, O Moses; and I have chosen thee for myself; wherefore go thou and thy brothery with my signs; and be not negligent in remembering me. Go ye unto Pharaoh, for he is excessively impious: and speak mildly unto him; peradventure he will consider, or will fear our threats. They answered, O LORD, verily we fear lest he be precipitately violent against us, or lest he transgress more exorbitantly. God replied, Fear not; for I am with you: I will hear and will see. Go ye therefore unto him, and say, Verily we are the messengers of thy LORD: wherefore send the children of Israel with us, and do not afflict them. Now are we come unto thee with a sign from thy LORD: and peace be upon him who shall follow the true direction. 50 Verily it hath been revealed unto us, that a punishment shall be inflicted on him who shall charge us with imposture, and shall turn back. And when they had delivered their message, Pharaoh said, Who is your LORD, O Moses? He answered, Our LORD is he who giveth all things: he hath created them, and directeth them by his providence.
p The commentators are not agreed by what means this revelation was made; whether by private inspiration, by a dream, by a prophet, or by an angel. q The commentators say, that his mother accordingly made an ark of the papyrus, and pitched it, and put in some cotton; and having laid the child therein, committed it to the river, a branch of which went into Pharaoh's garden: that the stream carried the ark thither into a fishpond, at the head of which Pharaoh was then sitting, with his wife Asia, the daughter of Mozahem; and that the king, having commanded it to be taken up and opened, and finding in it a beautiful child, took a fancy to it, and ordered it to be brought up.1 Some writers mention a miraculous preservation of Moses before he was put into the ark; and tell us, that his mother having hid him from Pharaoh's officers in an oven, his sister, in her mother's absence, kindled a large fire in the oven to heat it, not knowing the child was there, but that he was afterwards taken out unhurt.2 r That is, I inspired the love of thee into the hearts of those who saw thee, and particularly into the heart of Pharaoh. s The Mohammedans pretend that several nurses were brought, but the child refused to take the breast of any, till his sister Miriam, who went to learn news of him, told them she would find a nurse, and brought his mother.3 t Moses killed an Egyptian, in defence of an Israelite, and escaped the danger of being punished for it, by flying to Midian, which was eight days' journey distant from Mesr.4 The Jews pretend he was actually imprisoned for the fact, and condemned to be beheaded, but that, when he should have suffered, his neck became as hard as ivory, and the sword rebounded on the executioner.5 u For he was obliged to abandon his country and his friends, and to travel several days, in great terror and want of necessary provisions, to seek a refuge among strangers; and was afterwards forced to serve for hire, to gain a livelihood. x i.e., Ten.6 y Aaron being by this time come out to meet his brother, either by divine inspiration, or having notice of his design to return to Egypt.7
1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Abulfeda, &c. 3 Al Beidâwi.4 Idem.5 Shalsh Hakkab. p. 11. 6 Al Beidâwi. 7 Idem.
Pharaoh said, What therefore is the condition of the former generations?z Moses answered, The knowledge thereof is with my LORD, in the book of his decrees: my LORD erreth not, neither doth he forget. It is he who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and hath made you paths therein; and who sendeth down rain from heaven, whereby we cause various kinds of vegetables to spring forth: saying, Eat of part, and feed your cattle with other part thereof. Verily herein are signs unto those who are endued with understanding. Out of the ground have we created you; and to the same will we cause you to return, and we will bring you forth from thence another time. And we showed Pharaoh all our signs which we had empowered Moses to perform: but he accused him of imposture, and refused to believe; and he said, Art thou come unto us that thou mayest dispossess us of our land by the enchantments, O Moses? 60 Verily we will meet thee with the like enchantments; wherefore fix an appointment between us and thee; we will not fail it, neither shalt thou, in an equal place. Moses answered, Let your appointment be on the day of your solemn feast;a and let the people be assembled in open day. And Pharaoh turned away from Moses, and gathered together the most expert magicians to execute his stratagem; and then came to the appointment. Moses said unto them, Woe be unto you! do not devise a lie against GOD,b lest he utterly destroy you by some judgment: for he shall not prosper who deviseth lies. And the magicians disputed concerning their affair among themselves, and discoursed in private: and they said, These two are certainly magicians: they seek to dispossess you of your land by their sorcery; and to lead away with them your chiefest and most considerable men. Wherefore collect all your cunning, and then come in order: for he shall prosper this day, who shall be superior. They said, O Moses, whether wilt thou cast down thy rod first, or shall we be the first who cast down our rods? He answered, Do ye cast down your rods first. And behold, their cords and their rods appeared unto him, by their enchantment, to run about like serpents;c 70 wherefore Moses conceived fear in his heart. But we said unto him, Fear not; for thou shalt be superior: therefore cast down the rod which is in thy right hand; and it shall swallow up the seeming serpents which they have made: for what they have made is only the deceit of an enchanter; and an enchanter shall not prosper, withersoever he cometh. And the magicians, when they saw the miracle which Moses performed, fell down and worshipped, saying, We believe in the LORD of Aaron and of Moses. Pharaoh said unto them, Do ye believe in him before I give you permission? Verily this is your master, who hath taught you magic. But I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on the opposite sides; and I will crucify you on trunks of palm-trees:d and ye shall know which of us is more severe in punishing, and can longer protract your pains.
z viz., As to happiness or misery after death.a Which was probably the first day of their new year.b By saying the miracles performed in his name are the effects ofmagic.c They rubbed them over with quicksilver, which being wrought upon bythe heat of the sun, caused them to move.1 See chapter 7, p. 116.d See Ibid.
1 Idem.
They answered, We will by no means have greater regard unto thee than unto those evident miracles which have been shown us, or than unto him who hath created us. Pronounce therefore that sentence against us which thou art about to pronounce: for thou canst only give sentence as to this present life. Verily we believe in our LORD, that he may forgive us our sins, and the sorcery which thou hast forced us to exercise: for GOD is better to reward, and more able to prolong punishment than thou. Verily whosoever shall appear before his LORD on the day of judgment, polluted with crimes, shall have hell for his reward; he shall not die therein, neither shall he live. But whoever shall appear before him, having been a true believer, and shall have worked righteousness, for these are prepared the highest degrees of happiness; namely, gardens of perpetual abode,e which shall be watered by rivers; they shall remain therein forever: and this shall be the reward of him who shall be pure. And we spake by revelation unto Moses, saying, Go forth with my servants out of Egypt by night; and smite the waters with thy rod, and make them a dry path through the sea:f 80 be not apprehensive of Pharaoh's overtaking thee; neither be thou afraid. And when Moses had done so, Pharaoh followed them with his forces; and the waters of the sea overwhelmed them. And Pharaoh caused his people to err, neither did he direct them aright. Thus, O children of Israel, we delivered you from your enemy; and we appointed you the right side of Mount Sinai to discourse with Moses and to give him the law; and we caused manna and quails to descend upon you,g saying, Eat of the good things which we have given you for food; and transgress not therein,h lest my indignation fall on you; and on whomsoever my indignation shall fall, he shall go down headlong into perdition. But I will be gracious unto him who shall repent and believe, and shall do that which is right; and who shall be rightly directed. What hath caused thee to hasten from thy people, O Moses, to receive the law?i He answered, These follow close on my footsteps; but I have hastened unto thee, O LORD, that thou mightest be well pleased with me. God said, We have already made a trial of thy people, since thy departure;j and al Sâmerik hath seduced them to idolatry.
e Literally, gardens of Eden; see chapter 9, p. 142, 143. f The expositors add, that the sea was divided into twelve separate paths, one for each tribe:1 a fable borrowed from the Jews.2 g See chapter 2, p. 7. h By ingratitude, excess, or insolent behaviour. i For Moses, it seems, outwent the seventy elders, who had been chosen, in obedience to the divine command, to accompany him to the mount,3 and appeared before GOD while they were at some, though no great, distance behind him. j They continued in the worship of the true GOD for the first twenty days of Moses's absence, which, by taking the nights also into their reckoning, they computed to be forty, and at their expiration concluded they had stayed the full time which Moses had commanded them, and so fell into the worship of the golden calf.4 k This was not his proper name, but he had this appellation because he was of a certain tribe among the Jews called Samaritans (wherein the Mohammedans strangely betray their ignorance in history); though some say he was a proselyte, but a hypocritical one, and originally of Kirmân, or some other country. His true name was Moses, or Mûsa, Ebn Dhafar.5 Selden is of opinion that this person was no other than Aaron himself, (who was really the maker of the calf), and that he is here called al Sâmeri, from the Hebrew verb shamar, to keep;1 because he was the Keeper or Guardian of the children of Israel during his brother's absence in the mount; which is a very ingenious conjecture, not absolutely inconsistent with the text of the Korân (though Mohammed seems to have mistaken al Sâmeri for the name of a different person), and offers a much more probable origin of that appellation, than to derive it, as the Mohammedans do, from the Samaritans, who were not formed into a people, nor bore that name till many ages after.
1 Idem, Abulfed. in Hist. 2 Vide R. Eliezer, Pirke, chapter 42. 3 See chapter 2, p. 6, 7; chapter 7, p. 120, &c. 4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Idem.
Wherefore Moses returned unto his peoplel in great wrath, and exceedingly afflicted. And he said, O my people, had not your LORD promised you a most excellent promise?m Did the time of my absence seem long unto you? Or did ye desire that indignation from your LORD should fall on you, and therefore failed to keep the promise which ye made me? 90 They answered, We have not failed in what we promised thee of our own authority; but we were made to carry in several loads of gold and silver, of the ornaments of the people,n and we cast them into the fire; and in like manner al Sâmeri also cast in what he had collected, and he produced unto them a corporeal calf,o which lowed. And al Sâmeri and his companions said, This is your god, and the god of Moses; but he hath forgotten him, and is gone to seek some other. Did they not therefore see that their idol returned them no answer, and was not able to cause them either hurt or profit? And Aaron had said unto them before, O my people, verily ye are only proved by this calf; for your LORD is the Merciful: wherefore, follow me, and obey my command. They answered, We will by no means cease to be devoted to its worship, until Moses return unto us. And when Moses was returned, he said, O Aaron, what hindered thee, when thou sawest that they went astray, that thou didst not follow me?p Hast thou, therefore, been disobedient to my command? Aaron answered, O son of my mother, drag me not by the beard, nor by the hair of my head. Verily I feared lest thou shouldest say, Thou hast made a division among the children of Israel, and thou hast not observed my saying.q Moses said unto al Sâmeri, What was thy design, O Sâmeri? He answered, I saw that which they saw not;r wherefore I took a handful of dust from the footsteps of the messenger of God, and I cast it into the molten calf;s for so did my mind direct me.
l viz., After he had completed his forty days' stay in the mount, and had received the law.2 m i.e., The law, containing a light and certain direction to guide you in the right way. n These ornaments were rings, bracelets, and the like, which the Israelities had borrowed of the Egyptians, under pretence of decking themselves out for some feast, and had not returned to them; or, as some think, what they had stripped from the dead bodies of the Egyptians, cast on shore by the sea: and al Sameri, conceiving them unlawful to be kept, and the occasion of much wickedness, persuaded Aaron to let him collect them from the people; which being done, he threw them all into the fire, to melt them down into one mass.3 It is observable, that the Mohammedans generally suppose the cast metal's coming forth in the shape of a calf, was beside the expectation of al Sameri, who had not made a mould of that figure: and that when Aaron excuses himself to his brother, in the pentateuch, he seems as if he would persuade him it was an accident.4 o See chapter 7, p. 119, note n. p By these words Moses reprehends Aaron for not seconding his zeal in taking arms against the idolaters; or for not coming after him to the mountain, to acquaint him with their rebellion. q i.e., Lest if I had taken arms against the worshippers of the calf, thou shouldest say that I had raised a sedition; or if I had gone after thee, thou shouldest blame me for abandoning my charge, and not waiting thy return to rectify what was amiss. r Or, I knew that which they knew not; viz., That the messenger sent to thee from GOD was a pure spirit, and that his footsteps gave life to whatever they touched; being no other than the angel Gabriel, mounted on the horse of life: and therefore I made use of the dust of his feet to animate the molten calf. It is said al Sâmeri knew the angel, because he had saved and taken care of him when a child and exposed by his mother for fear of Pharaoh.1 s See chapter 2, p. 6.
1 Selden, de Diis Syris, Synt. I, chapter 4. 2 Al Beidâwi.3 Idem. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 650, and Kor. chapter 2, p. 6,&c. 4 See Exod. xxxii. 24. 1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.
Moses said, Get thee gone; for thy punishment in this life shall be, that thou shalt say unto those who shall meet thee, Touch me not;t and a threat is denounced against thee of more terrible pains, in the life to come, which thou shalt by no means escape. And behold now thy god, to whose worship thou hast continued assiduously devoted; verily we will burn it;u and we will reduce it to powder, and scatter it in the sea. Your GOD is the true GOD, besides whom there is no other god: he comprehendeth all things by his knowledge. 100 Thus do we recite unto thee, O Mohammed, relations of what hath passed heretofore; and we have given thee an admonition from us. He who shall turn aside from it shall surely carry a load of guilt on the day of resurrection: they shall continue thereunder forever; and a grievous burden shall it be unto them on the day of resurrection;x On that day the trumpet shall be sounded; and we will gather the wicked together on that day, having grey eyes.y They shall speak with a low voice to one another, saying, Ye have not tarriedz above ten days. We well know what they will say; when the most conspicuous among them for behavior shall say, Ye have not tarried above one day. They will ask thee concerning the mountains: Answer, My LORD will reduce them to dust, and scatter them abroad;a and he will leave them a plain equally extended: thou shalt see no part of them higher or lower than another. On that day mankind shall follow the angel who will call them to judgment,b none shall have power to turn aside from him; and their voices shall be low before the Merciful, neither shalt thou hear any more than the hollow sound of their feet.
t Lest they infect thee with a burning fever: for that was the consequence of any man's touching him, and the same happened to the persons he touched; for which reason he was obliged to avoid all communication with others, and was also shunned by them, wandering in the desert like a wild beast.2 Hence, it is concluded that a tribe of Samaritan Jews, said to inhabit a certain isle in the Red Sea, are the descendants of our al Sâmeri; because it is their peculiar mark of distinction, at this day, to use the same words, viz., La mesâs, i.e., Touch me not, to those they meet.3 It is not improbable that this story may owe its rise to the known hatred borne by the Samaritans to the Jews, and their superstitiously avoiding to have any commerce with them, or any other strangers.4 u Or, as the word may also be translated, We will file it down; but the other is the more received interpretation. x See chapter 6, p. 91. y For this, with the Arabs, is one mark of an enemy, or a person they abominate; to say a man has a black liver (though I think we express our aversion by the term white-livered), reddish whiskers and grey eyes, being a periphrasis for a foe, and particularly a Greek, which nation were the most inveterate enemies of the Arabs, and have usually hair and eyes of those colours.5 The original word, however, signifies also those who are squint- eyed, or even blind of a suffusion. z viz., In the world; or, in the grave. a See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 64. b See ibid. p. 56.
2 Iidem. 3 Vide Geogr. Nub. p. 45. 4 Vide Selden,ubi sup. 5 Al Beidâwi, Jawhari, in Lex.25
On that day, the intercession of none shall be of advantage unto another, except the intercession of him to whom the Merciful shall grant permission,c and who shall be acceptable unto him in what he saith. 110 God knoweth that which is before them, and that which is behind them; but they comprehend not the same by their knowledge: and their faces shall be humbledd before the living, the self-subsisting God; and he shall be wretched who shall bear his iniquity. But whosoever shall do good works, being a true believer, shall not fear any injustice, or any diminution of his reward from God. And thus have we sent down this book, being a Koran in the Arabic tongue; and we have inserted various threats and promises therein, that men may fear God, or that it may awaken some consideration in them: wherefore, let GOD be highly exalted, the King, the Truth! Be not over- hasty in receiving or repeating the Koran before the revelation thereof be completed unto thee;e and say, LORD, increase my knowledge. We heretofore gave a command unto Adam; but he forgot the same,f and ate of the forbidden fruit; and we found not in him a firm resolution. And remember when we said unto the angels, Worship ye Adam; and they worshipped him: but Eblis refused.g And we said, O Adam, verily this is an enemy unto thee, and thy wife: wherefore, beware lest he turn you out of paradise; for then shalt thou be miserable. Verily we have made a provision for thee, that thou shalt not hunger therein, neither shalt thou be naked: and there is also a provision made for thee, that thou shalt not thirst therein, neither shalt thou be incommoded by heat. But Satan whispered evil suggestions unto him, saying, O Adam, shall I guide thee to the tree of eternity, and a kingdom which faileth not? And they both ate thereof: and their nakedness appeared unto them; and they began to sew together the leaves of paradise, to cover themselves.h And thus Adam became disobedient unto his LORD, and was seduced. 120 Afterwards his LORD accepted him, on his repentance, and was turned unto him, and directed him. And God said, Get ye down hence, all of you: the one of you shall be an enemy unto the other. But hereafter shall a direction come unto you from me:i and whosoever shall follow my direction shall not err, neither shall he be unhappy; but whosoever shall turn aside from my admonition, verily he shall lead a miserable life, and we will cause him to appear before us on the day of resurrection, blind.j And he shall say, O LORD, why hast thou brought me before thee blind, whereas before I saw clearly?
c Or, Except unto him, &c. See chapter 19, p. 232. d The original word properly expresses the humility and dejected looks of captives in the presence of their conqueror. e Mohammed is here commanded not to be impatient at any delay in Gabriel's bringing the divine revelations, or not to repeat it too fast after the angel, so as to overtake him before he had finished the passage. But some suppose the prohibition relates to the publishing any verse before the same was perfectly explained to him.1 f Adam's so soon forgetting the divine command, has occasioned some Arab etymologists to derive the word Insân, i.e., man, from nasiya, to forget; and has also given rise to the following proverbial saying, Awwalo nâsin awwalo 'nnâsi, that is, The first forgetful person was the first of men; alluding to the like sound of the words g See chapter 2, p. 4, &c.; chapter 7, p. 105, &c. h See chapter 7, p. 106. i See chapter 2, p. 5. j See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 66.
1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin
God shall answer, Thus have we done, because our signs came unto thee, and thou didst forget them; and in the same manner shalt thou be forgotten this day. And thus will we reward him who shall be negligent, and shall not believe in the signs of his LORD: and the punishment of the life to come shall be more severe, and more lasting, than the punishment of this life. Are not the Meccans, therefore, acquainted how many generations we have destroyed before them; in whose dwellings they walk?k Verily herein are signs unto those who are endued with understanding. And unless a decree had previously gone forth from thy LORD for their respite, verily their destruction had necessarily followed: but there is a certain time determined by God for their punishment. 130 Wherefore, do thou, O Mohammed, patiently bear that which they say; and celebrate the praise of thy LORD before the rising of the sun, and before the setting thereof, and praise him in the hours of the night, and in the extremities of the day,l that thou mayest be well-pleased with the prospect of receiving favor from God. And cast not thine eyes on that which we have granted divers of the unbelievers to enjoy, namely, the splendor of this present life,m that we may prove them thereby; for the provision of thy LORDn is better, and more permanent. Command thy family to observe prayer; and do thou persevere therein. We require not of thee that thou labor to gain necessary provisions for thyself and family; we will provide for thee; for the prosperous issue shall attend on piety.o The unbelievers say, Unless he come unto us with a sign from his LORD, we will not believe on him. Hath not a plain declaration come unto them, of that which is contained in the former volumes of scripture, by the revelation of the Koran? if we had destroyed them by a judgment before the same had been revealed, they would have said, at the resurrection, O LORD, how could we believe since thou didst not send unto us an apostle, that we might follow thy signs, before we were humbled and covered with shame? Say, Each of us wait the issue: wait, therefore; for ye shall surely know hereafter who have been the followers of the even way, and who hath been rightly directed.
k Seeing the footsteps of their destruction; as of the tribes of Al, and Thamûd. l i.e., Evening and morning; which times are repeated as the principal hours of prayer. But some suppose these words intend the prayer of noon; the first half of the day ending, and the second half beginning at that time.1 m That is, do not envy or covet their pomp and prosperity in this world.2 n viz., The reward laid up for thee in the next life: or the gift of prophecy, and the revelations with which GOD had favoured thee. o It is said that when Mahommed's family were in any strait or affliction, he used to order them to go to prayers, and to repeat this verse.3
1 Iidem. 2 See chapter 15, p. 194. 3 Al Beidâwi.
ENTITLED, THE PROPHETS;p REVEALED AT MECCA.
THE time of giving up their account draweth nigh unto the people of Mecca; while they are sunk in negligence, turning aside from the consideration thereof. No admonition cometh unto them from their LORD, being lately revealed in the Koran, but when they hear it, they turn it to sport: their hearts are taken up with delights. And they who act unjustly discourse privately together, saying, Is this Mohammed any more than a man like yourselves? Will ye therefore come to hear a piece of sorcery, when ye plainly perceive it to be so? Say, My LORD knoweth whatever is spoken in heaven and on earth: it is he who heareth and knoweth. But they say, The Koran is a confused heap of dreams: nay, he hath forged it; nay, he is a poet: let him come unto us therefore with some miracle, in like manner as the former prophets were sent. None of the cities which we have destroyed believed the miracles which they saw performed before them: will these therefore believe, if they see a miracle? We sent none as our apostles before them, other than men, unto whom we revealed our will. Ask those who are acquainted with the scripture, if ye know not this. We gave them not a body which could be supported without their eating food; neither were they immortal. But we made good our promise unto them: wherefore we delivered them, and those whom we pleased; but we destroyed the exorbitant transgressors. 10 Now have we sent down unto you, O Koreish, the book of the Koran; wherein there is honourable mention of you: will ye not therefore understand? And how many cities have we overthrown, which were ungodly; and caused other nations to rise up after them? And when they felt our severe vengeance, behold, they fled swiftly from those cities. And the angels said scoffingly unto them, Do not fly; but return to that wherein ye delighted, and to your habitations; peradventure ye will be asked.q They answered, Alas for us! verily we have been unjust.r And this their lamentation ceased not, until we had rendered them like corn which is mown down and utterly extinct.
p The chapter bears this title, because some particular relating to several of the ancient prophets are here recited. q i.e., Concerning the present posture of affairs, by way of consultation: or, that ye may be examined as to your deeds, that ye may receive the reward thereof.1 r It is related that a prophet was sent to the inhabitants of certain towns in Yaman, but instead of hearkening to his remonstrances, they killed him: upon which GOD delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, who put them to the sword: a voice at the same time crying from heaven, Vengeance for the blood of the prophets! Upon which they repented, and used the words of this passage.
1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakh.
We created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, by way of sport.s If we had pleased to take diversion, verily we had taken it with that which beseemeth us;t if we had resolved to have done this. But we will oppose truth to vanity, and it shall confound the same; and behold, it shall vanish away. Woe be unto you, for that which ye impiously utter concerning God! since whoever is in heaven and on earth is subject unto him; and the angels who are in his presence do not insolently disdain his service, neither are they tired therewith. 20 They praise him night and day; they faint not. Have they taken gods from the earth? Shall they raise the dead to life? If there were either in heaven or on earth gods besides GOD, verily both would be corrupted.u But far be that which they utter from GOD, the LORD of the throne! No account shall be demanded of him for what he shall do; but an account shall be demanded of them. Have they taken other gods besides him! Say, Produce your proof thereof. This is the admonition of those who are contemporary with me, and the admonition of those who have been before me:x but the greater part of them know not the truth, and turn aside from the same. We have sent no apostle before thee, but we revealed unto him that there is no god beside myself, wherefore serve me. They say, The Merciful hath begotten issue; and the angels are his daughters.y GOD forbid! They are his honoured servants, they prevent him not in anything which they say;z and they execute his command. He knoweth that which is before them, and that which is behind them; they shall not intercede for any, except for whom it shall please him; and they tremble for fear of him. 30 Whoever of them shall say, I am a god besides him; that angel will we reward with hell: for so will we reward the unjust. Do not the unbelievers therefore know, that the heavens and the earth were solid, and we clave the same in sunder;a and made every living thing of water? Will they not therefore believe? And we placed stable mountains on the earth, lest it should move with them;b and we made broad passages between them for paths, that they might be directed in their journeys:
s But for the manifestation of our power and wisdom to people of understanding, that they may seriously consider the wonders of the creation, and direct their actions to the attainment of future happiness, neglecting the vain pomp and fleeting pleasures of this world. t viz., We had sought our pleasure in our own perfections; or, in the spiritual beings which are in our immediate presence; and not in raising of material buildings, with painted roofs, and fine floors, which is the diversion of man. Some think the original word, translated diversion, signifies in this place a wife, or a child; and that the passage is particularly levelled against the Christians.1 u That is, the whole creation would necessarily fall into confusion and be overturned, by the competition of such mighty antagonists. x i.e., This is the constant doctrine of all the sacred books; not only of the Korân, but of those which were revealed in former ages; all of them bearing witness to the great and fundamental truth of the unity of God. y This passage was revealed on account of the Khozâites, who held the angels to be the daughters of GOD. z i.e., They presume not to say anything, until he hath spoken it; behaving as servants who know their duty. a That is, They were one continued mass of matter, till we separated them, and divided the heaven into seven heavens, and the earth into as many stories; and distinguished the various orbs of the one, and the different climates of the other, &c. Or, as some choose to translate the words, The heavens and the earth were shut up, and we opened the same; their meaning being, that the heavens did not rain, nor the earth produce vegetables, till GOD interposed his power.2 b See chapter 16, p. 196.
1 Iidem. 2 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.
and we made the heaven a roof well supported. Yet they turn aside from the signs thereof, not considering that they are the workmanship of God. It is he who hath created the night, and the day, and the sun, and the moon; all the celestial bodies move swiftly, each in its respective orb. We have not granted unto any man before thee eternal permanency in this world; if thou die, therefore, will they be immortal?c Every soul shall taste of death: and we will prove you with evil, and with good, for a trial of you; and unto us shall ye return. When the unbelievers see thee, they receive thee only with scoffing, saying, Is this he who mentioneth your gods with contempt? Yet themselves believe not what is mentioned to them of the Merciful.d Man is created of precipitation.e Hereafter will I show you my signs, so that ye shall not wish them to be hastened. They say, When will this threat be accomplished, if ye speak truth? 40 If they who believe not knew that the time will surely come, when they shall not be able to drive back the fire of hell from their faces, nor from their backs, neither shall they be helped, they would not hasten it. But the day of vengeance shall come upon them suddenly, and shall strike them with astonishment: they shall not be able to avert it, neither shall they be respited. Other apostles have been mocked before thee; but the punishment which they scoffed at fell upon such of them as mocked. Say unto the scoffers, Who shall save you by night and by day from the Merciful? Yet they utterly neglect the remembrance of their LORD. Have they gods who will defend them, besides us? They are not able to help themselves; neither shall they be assisted against us by their companions, But we have permitted these men and their fathers to enjoy worldly prosperity, so long as life was continued unto them. Do they not perceive that we come unto the land of the unbelievers, and straiten the borders thereof? Shall they therefore be the conquerors? Say, I only preach unto you the revelation of God: but the deaf will not hear thy call, whenever they are preached unto. Yet if the least breath of the punishment of thy LORD touch them, they will surely say, Alas for us! verily we have been unjust. We will appoint just balances for the day of resurrection; neither shall any soul be injured at all: although the merit or guilt of an action be of the weight of a grain of mustard-seed only, we will produce it publicly; and there will be sufficient accountants with us. We formerly gave unto Moses and Aaron the law, being a distinctionf between good and evil, and a light and admonition unto the pious; 50 who fear their LORD in secret, and who dread the hour of judgment. And this book also is a blessed admonition, which we have sent down from heaven: will ye therefore deny it?
c This passage was revealed when the infidels said, We expect to seeMohammed die, like the rest of mankind.d Denying his unity; or rejecting his apostles and the scriptures whichwere given for their instruction, and particularly the Korân.e Being hasty and inconsiderate.1 It is said this passage was revealedon account of al Nodar Ebn al Hareth, when he desired Mohammed to hasten thedivine vengeance with which he threatened the unbelievers.2f Arab. 'al Forkân. See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 44.
1 See chapter 17, p. 208, &c. 2 Al Beidâwi.
And we gave unto Abraham his directiong heretofore, and we knew him to be worthy of the revelations wherewith he was favored. Remember when he said unto his father, and his people, What are these images, to which ye are so entirely devoted?h They answered, We found our fathers worshipping them. He said, Verily both ye and your fathers have been in a manifest error. They said, Dost thou seriously tell us the truth, or art thou one who jestest with us? He replied, Verily your LORD is the LORD of the heavens and the earth; it is he who hath created them: and I am one of those who bear witness thereof. By GOD, I will surely devise a plot against your idols, after ye shall have retired from them, and shall have turned your backs. And in the people's absence he went into the temple where the idols stood, and he brake them all in pieces, except the biggest of them; that they might lay the blame upon that.i And when they were returned, and saw the havoc which had been made, 60 they said, Who hath done this to our gods? He is certainly an impious person. And certain of them answered, We heard a young man speak reproachfully of them: he is named Abraham. They said, Bring him therefore before the people, that they may bear witness against him. And when he was brought before the assembly, they said unto him, Hast thou done this unto our gods, O Abraham? He answered, Nay, that biggest of them hath done it: but ask them, if they can speak. And they returned unto themselves,j and said the one to the other, Verily ye are the impious persons. Afterwards they relapsed into their former obstinacy,k and said, Verily thou knowest that these speak not. Abraham answered, Do ye therefore worship, besides GOD, that which cannot profit you at all, neither can it hurt you? Fie on you: and upon that which ye worship besides GOD! Do ye not understand? They said, Burn him, and avenge your gods: if ye do this it will be well.l
g viz., The ten books of divine revelations which were given him.1 h See chapter 6, p. 95, &c., chapter 19, p. 230, and chapter 2, p. 28. i Abraham took his opportunity to do this while the Chaldeans were abroad in the fields, celebrating a great festival; and some say he hid himself in the temple: and when he had accomplished his design, that he might the more evidently convince them of their folly in worshipping them, he hung the axe, with which he had hewn and broken down the images, on the neck of the chief idol, named by some writers, Baal; as if he had been the author of all the mischief.2 For this story, which, though it be false, is not ill invented, Mohammed stands indebted to the Jews; who tell it with a little variation: for they say Abraham performed this exploit in his father's shop, during his absence; that Terah, on his return, demanding the occasion of the disorder, his son told him that the idols had quarrelled and fallen together by the ears about an offering of fine flour, which had been brought them by an old woman; and that the father, finding he could not insist on the impossibility of what Abraham pretended, without confessing the impotence of his gods, fell into a violent passion and carried him to Nimrod that he might be exemplarily punished for his insolence.3 j That is, They became sensible of their folly. k Literally, They were turned down upon their heads. l Perceiving they could not prevail against Abraham by dint of argument, says al Beidâwi, they had recourse to persecution and torments. The same commentator tells us the person who gave this counsel was a Persian Curd,4 named Heyyûn, and that the earth opened and swallowed him up alive: some, however, say it was Andeshân, a Magian priest;5 and others, that it was Nimrod himself.
1 See the Prel. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 57. 2 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, &c. Vide Hyde, de Rel. vet. Pers. c. 2. 3 R. Gedal. in Shalshel. hakkab. p. 8 Vide Maimon. Yad hazzaka, c. I, de idol. 4 Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Dhokak. et Schultens, Indic. Geogr. in Vit. Saladini, voce Curdi. 5 Vide D'Herbel. p. 115.
And when Abraham was cast into the burning pile, we said, O fire, be thou cold, and a preservation unto Abraham.m 70 And they sought to lay a plot against him: but we caused them to be the sufferers.n And we delivered him, and Lot, by bringing them into the land wherein we have blessed all creatures.o And we bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob, as an additional gift: and we made all of them righteous persons. We also made them models of religion,p that they might direct others by our command: and we inspired into them the doing of good works, and the observance of prayer, and the giving of alms; and they served us. And unto Lot we gave wisdom and knowledge, and we delivered him out of the city which committed filthy crimes; for they were a wicked and insolent people;q and we led him into our mercy; for he was an upright person. And remember Noah, when he called for destruction on his people,r before the prophets above mentioned: and we heard him, and delivered him and his family from a great strait: