Thus is made seemly to the misbelievers what they have done.
And thus have we placed in every town the great sinners thereof, that they may use craft therein; but they use not craft except against themselves, although they do not understand.
And when there comes to them a sign, they say, ‘We will not believe until we are brought like what the apostles were brought ;’ God knows best wherep. 131 to put His message. There shall befall those who sin, meanness in God’s eyes, and grievous torment for the craft they used.
[125] Whomsoever God wishes to guide, He expands His breast to Islam; but whomsoever He wishes to lead astray, He makes his breast tight and straight, as though he would mount up into heaven!; thus does God set His horror on those who do not believe.
This is the way of thy Lord—straight. We have detailed the signs unto a mindful people; for them is an abode of peace; and their Lord, He is their patron for what they have done.
And on the day when He shall gather them all together, ‘O assembly of the ginns! ye have got much out of mankind.’ And their clients from among mankind shall say, ‘O our Lord! much advantage had we one from another;’ but we reached our appointed time which thou hadst appointed for us. Says He, ‘The fire is your resort, to dwell therein for aye! save what God pleases; verily, thy Lord is wise and knowing.’ .
Thus do we make some of the unjust patrons of the others, for that which they have earned.
[130] O assembly of ginns and men! did there not come to you apostles from among yourselves, relating to you our signs, and warning you of the meeting of this very day of yours? They say, ‘We bear witness against ourselves.’ The life of this world deceived them, ard they bear witness against themselves that they were unbelievers. .
1 That is, makes him appear as one who would attempt some great but impossible thing and fails therein,
K2
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That is because thy Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while their people are careless; but for every one are degrees of what they have done ; and thy Lord is not careless of that which they do.
Thy Lord is rich, merciful ; if He pleases He will take you off, and will cause what He pleases to succeed you; even as He raised you up from the seed of other people.
Verily, what ye are promised will surely come, nor can ye frustrate it.
[135] Say, ‘O my people! act according to your power, verily, I am acting too; and soon shall ye know whose is the future of the abode!’ verily, the unjust shall not prosper.
They set apart for God, from what He raises of tilth and of cattle, a portion, and they say, ‘ This is God’s ;’—as they pretend—‘and this is for our associates!;’ but that which is for their associates reaches not to God, and that which was for God does reach to their associates ;—evil is it what they judge”.
Thus too have their associates made seemly to many of the idolaters the killing of their children 8,
1 Tie. the idols.
* The pagan Arabs used to set apart certain of the produce of their fields to Allah the chief God, and other portions to minor deities of their pantheon. The fruits of the portion of the latter were reserved for the priests, who were careful to restore to their lot anything that might have fallen into that of Allah, but seldom troubled themselves to do the converse. This custom survives to a certain extent in the desert to the present day, where one tree in every district is devoted to patron saints, and allowed to grow untouched, although the others in the neighbourhood are hacked to pieces as food for camels,
8 Alluding both to human sacrifices to idols and the cruel custom of burying female children alive. See Introduction,p. 133 to destroy them, and to obscure for them their religion!; but had God pleased they would not have done it, leave them alone and that which they have forged.
And they say, ‘These cattle and tilth are inviolable; none shall taste thereof, save such as we please’— as they pretend—and there are cattle whose backs are prohibited, and cattle over whom God’s name is not pronounced,—forging a lie against Him! He shall reward them for what they have forged.
{t40] And they say, ‘What is in the wombs of these cattle is unlawful for our wives, but if it be (born) dead, then are they partners therein.’ He will reward them for their attribution; verily, He is wise and knowing.
Losers are they who kill their children foolishly, without knowledge, and who prohibit what God has bestowed upon them, forging a lie against God; they have erred and are not guided.
He it is who brought forth gardens with trailed? and untrailed vines, and the palms and corn land, with various food, and olives, and pomegranates, alike and unlike. Eat from the fruit thereof whene’er it fruits, and bring the dues thereof on the day of harvest, and be not extravagant; verily, He loves not the extravagant.
Of cattle are there some to ride on and to spread®. Eat of what God has bestowed upon you, and follow
1 That is, to obscure what little trace it had of the original faith of Abraham the ‘Hanff.
* Trailed over an ‘Arfsh, that is, a sort of hut made of boughs.
5 That is, spread out when slaughtered, or from the hides and wool, &c., of which a bed (farsh) is made.
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not the footsteps of Satan; verily, he is to you an open foe.
* Trailed over an ‘Arfsh, that is, a sort of hut made of boughs.
5 That is, spread out when slaughtered, or from the hides and wool, &c., of which a bed (farsh) is made.
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not the footsteps of Satan; verily, he is to you an open foe.
Eight pairs,—of sheep two, and of goats two; say, ‘Are the two males unlawful, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain ? inform me with knowledge if ye tell the truth.’ [145] And of camels two, and cows two; say, ‘Are the two males unlawful, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Were ye witnesses when God ordained for you these >—Then who is more unjust than he who devises a lie against God, to lead men astray without knowledge? verily, God guides not the unjust people?.’
Say, ‘I cannot find in what I am inspired with anything unlawful for the taster to taste; unless it be dead (of itself), or blood that has been shed, or the flesh of swine,—for that is a horror—or an abomination that is consecrated to other than God. But he who is forced, not wilfully nor transgressing,—then, verily, thy Lord is forgiving and merciful” >
To those who were Jews did we prohibit everything that hath a solid hoof; and of oxen and sheep did we prohibit to them the fat, save what the backs of both do bear, or the inwards, or what is mixed with bone; with that did we recompense them for their rebellion, for, verily, we are true.
And if they give thee the lie, say, ‘Your Lord is of ample mercy, nor shall His violence be turned back from the sinful people.’
1 The Arabs alternately made it unlawful to eat the males, and then the young of these four kinds of cattle. Mohammed in this passage shows the absurdity of their custom by pointing out the difficulty of deciding which is lawful and unlawful in the case of eight pairs.
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Those who associate others with God will say, ‘Had God pleased, we had not so associated, nor our fathers; nor should we have forbidden aught.’ Thus did they give the lie to those who came before them, until they tasted of our violence! Say, ‘Have ye any knowledge? if so, bring it forth to us: ye only follow suspicion, and ye do but conjecture.’
[150] Say, ‘God’s is the searching argument; and had He pleased He would have guided you all.’ « Say, ‘Come on then with your witnesses, who bear witness that God has prohibited these!’ but if they do bear witness, bear thou not witness with them; nor follow the lust of those who say our ‘signs are lies, and those who do not believe in the last day, or those who for their Lord make peers.
Say, ‘Come! I will recite what your Lord has forbidden you, that ye may not associate aught with -Him, and (may show) kindness to your parents, and not kill your children through poverty ;—we will provide for you and them ;—and draw not nigh to flagrant sins, either apparent or concealed, and kill not the soul, which God hath forbidden save by right?; that is what God ordains you, haply ye may -understand.’
And draw not nigh unto the wealth of the orphan, ‘save so as to better it, until he reaches full age; and give weight and measure with justice. We do not compel the soul save what it can compass ; and when ye pronounce, then be just, though it be in the case of a relative.
And God’s compact fulfil ye; that is what He
1 That is, commit no homicide unless it be by legal execution or the slaying of infidels in war.
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ordained you, haply ye may be mindful. Verily, this is my right way; follow it then, and follow not various paths, to separate yourselves from His way ; that is what He has ordained you, haply ye may fear !
[155] Then we gave Moses the Book, complete for him who acts aright, and a decision and a guidance and a mercy; haply in the meeting of their Lord they will believe.
This is the Book which we have sent down; it is a blessing; follow it then and fear; haply ye may obtain mercy. Lest ye say, ‘The Book was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we, for what they read, care naught.’ Or, lest ye should say, ‘Had we had a book revealed to us we should surely have been more guided than they;’ but there is come to them a manifest sign from their Lord, and a guidance and a mercy; who then is more unjust than he who calls God's signs lies, and turns from them? we will reward those who turn from our signs with an evil punishment for that they turned away.
What do they expect but that the angels should come for them, or that thy Lord should come, or that some signs? of thy Lord should come? On the day when some signs do come, its faith shall profit no soul which did not believe before, unless it has earned some good by its faith. Say, ‘Wait ye expectant, then we wait expectant too.’
[160] Verily, those who divided their religion and became sects, thou hast not to do with them, their
1 Signs of the approach of the day of judgment.
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matter is in God’s hands, He will yet inform them of that which they have done.
He who brings a good work shall have ten like it; but he who brings a bad work shall be recompensed only with the like thereof, for they shall not be wronged.
Say, ‘As for me, my Lord has guided me to the right way, a right religion,—the faith of Abraham the ‘Hanif, for he was not of the idolaters.’
Say, ‘ Verily, my prayers and my devotion and my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner; that is what I am bidden ; for I am first of those who are resigned.’
He has no partner; that is what I am bidden ; for I am first of those who are resigned.’
Say, ‘Other than God shall I crave for a Lord when He is Lord of all?’ but no soul shall earn aught save against itself!; nor shall one bearing a burden bear the burden of another; and then unto your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that whereon ye do dispute.
[165] Heit is who made you vicegerents, and raised some of you above others in degree, to try you by that which he has brought you ;—verily, thy Lord is swift to punish, but, verily, He is forgiving and merciful.
1 Not receive the recompense of other than persons’ evil actions.
138 THE QUR'AN. VIL, rrr.
THe CHAPTER OF AL AARAF}. (VII. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
A.L.M.S. A book revealed to thee,—so let there be no straitness in thy breast, that thou mayest warn thereby,—and a reminder to the believers.
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and follow not beside Him patrons; little is it that ye mind.
Yet how many a town have we destroyed, and our violence came upon it by night,.or while they slept at noon; and their cry, when our violence came upon them, was only to say, ‘Verily, we were unjust!’ [5] But we will of a surety question those to whom the prophets were sent, and we will narrate to them with knowledge, for we were not absent. The balance on that day is true, and whosesoever scales are heavy, they are prosperous; but whosesoever scales are light, they it is who lose themselves, for that they did act unjustly by our signs.
We have established you in the earth, and we have made for you therein livelihoods; little is it that ye thank; [10] and we created you, then we fashioned you, then we said unto the angels, ‘Adore Adam,’ and they adored, save Iblis, who was not of those who did adore.
Said He, ‘What hinders thee from adoring when
1 The name of the bridge between heaven and hell described in this chapter.
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I order thee?’ he said, ‘I am better than he; Thou hast created me from fire, and him Thou hast created out of clay.’
Said He, ‘Then go down therefrom; what ails thee that thou shouldst be big with pride therein? go forth! verily, thou art of the little ones.’
He said, ‘Respite me until the day when they shall be raised.’ He said, ‘Verily, thou art of the respited ;’ [15] said he, ‘For that Thou hast led me into error, I will lie in wait for them in Thy straight path ; then I will surely come to them, from before them and from behind them; and most of them Thou shalt not find thankful.’ He said, ‘Go forth therefrom, despised, expelled; whoso follows thee, I will surely fill hell with you altogether. But, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in Paradise and eat from whence ye will, but draw not nigh unto this tree or ye will be of the unjust.’
But, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in Paradise and eat from whence ye will, but draw not nigh unto this tree or ye will be of the unjust.’
But Satan whispered to them to display to them what was kept back from them of their shame, and he said, ‘Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree lest ye should be twain angels, or should become of. the immortals ;’ [20] and he swore to them both, ‘Verily, I am unto you a sincere adviser ;’ and he beguiled them by deceit, and when they twain tasted ‘of the tree, their shame was shown them, and they began to stitch upon themselves the leaves of the garden. And their Lord called unto them, ‘ Did I not forbid you from that tree there, and say to you, Verily, Satan is to you an open foe?’ They said, ‘O our Lord! we have wronged ourselves—and if Thou dost not forgive us and have mercy on us, we shall surely be of those who are lost!’ He said, ‘Go ye down, one of you to the other a foe; but for you inp. 30 the earth there is an abode, and a provision for a season.’ He said, ‘ Therein shall ye live and therein shall ye die, from it shall ye be brought forth.’
[25] O sons of Adam! we have sent down to you garments wherewith to cover your shame, and plumage!; but the garment of piety, that is better. That is one of the signs of God, haply ye may remember.
O sons of Adam! let not Satan infatuate you as he drove your parents out of Paradise, stripping from them their garments, and showing them their shame; verily, he sees you—he and his tribe, from whence ye cannot see them. Verily, we have made the devils patrons of those who do not believe, and when they commit an abomination they say, ‘We found our fathers at this, and God bade us do it.’
Say, ‘God bids you not to do abomination ; do ye say against God that which ye do not know ?’
Say, ‘My Lord bids only justice :—set steadfastly you faces at every mosque and pray to Him, being sincere in your religion. As He brought you forth in the beginning, shall ye return. A sect He guides, and for a sect of them was error due; verily, they did take the devils for their patrons instead of God, and they did count that they were guided.’
O sons of Adam! take your ornaments to every mosque ?; and eat and drink, but do not be extravagant, for He loves not the extravagant.
[30] Say, ‘Who has prohibited the ornaments of God which He brought forth for His servants, and the good things of His providing ?’ say, ‘On the day of
1 Te. fine dresses. 2 That is, wear your best apparel in the mosque.
VII, 30-36. THE CHAPTER OF AL AARAF. 14]
judgment they shall only be for those who believed when in the life of this world’’ Thus do we detail the signs unto a people that do know.
Say, ‘My Lord has only prohibited abominable deeds, the apparent thereof and the concealed’ thereof, and sin, and greed for that which is not right, and associating with God what He has sent down no power for, and saying against God that which ye do not know.’
Say, ‘My Lord has only prohibited abominable deeds, the apparent thereof and the concealed’ thereof, and sin, and greed for that which is not right, and associating with God what He has sent down no power for, and saying against God that which ye do not know.’
Every nation has its appointed time, and when their appointed time comes they cannot keep it back an hour, nor can they bring it on.
O sons of Adam! verily, there will come to you apostles from amongst you, narrating unto you my signs ; then whoso fears God and does what is right, there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve. But those who say my signs are lies, and who are too. big with pride for them, these are the fellows of the Fire, they shall dwell therein for aye!
[35] Who is more unjust than he who devises against God a lie, or says His signs are lies ? These, their portion of the Book shall reach them %, until when our messengers come to take their souls away, and say, ‘Where is what ye used to call upon instead of God?’ they say, ‘They have strayed away from us ;’ and they shall bear witness against themselves that they have been misbelievers.
He will say, ‘Enter ye—amongst the nations who
1 Whereas now idolaters share in the good things of this world ; but on the day of judgment those only shall enjoy them who were believers here.
* That is, they shall have whatever portion of good or evil is written for them in the book of their fate.
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have passed away before you, both of ginns? and men —into the fire ;) whenever a nation enters therein, it curses its mate?; until, when they have all reached it, the last of them will say unto the first, ‘O our Lord! these it was who led us astray, give them double torment of the fire!’ He will say, ‘ To each of you double! but ye do not know.’ And the first of them will say unto the last, ‘Ye have no preference over us, so taste ye the torment for that which ye have earned !’
Verily, those who say our signs are lies and are too big with pride for them; for these the doors of heaven shall not be opened, and they shall not enter into Paradise until a camel shall pass into a needle’s eye. _ It is thus that we reward the sinners; for them is a couch of hell-fire, with an awning above them! thus do we reward the unjust!
[40] But those who believe and do what is right— we will not oblige a soul more than its capacity —they are the fellows of Paradise, they shall dwell therein for aye.
thus do we reward the unjust!
[40] But those who believe and do what is right— we will not oblige a soul more than its capacity —they are the fellows of Paradise, they shall dwell therein for aye.
We will strip away what ill feeling is in their breasts—there shall flow beneath them rivers, and they shall say, ‘ Praise belongs to God who guided us to this! for we should not have been guided had not God guided us!—the apostles of our Lord did come to us with truth!’ And it shall be cried out to them, ‘This is Paradise which ye have as an inheritance for that which ye have done!’ And the fellows of Paradise will call out to the fellows of the Fire, ‘We have now found that what our Lord promised us is true; have ye found that what your
1 See p. 127, note 2. 3 Literally, his sister.
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Lord promised you is true?’ They will say, ‘Yea!’ And a crier from amongst them will cry out, ‘ The curse of God is on the unjust who turn from the way of God and crave to make it crooked, while in the hereafter they do disbelieve!’
And betwixt the two there is a veil, and on al AarAf are men who know each by marks; and they shall cry out to the fellows of Paradise, ‘Peace be upon you!’ they cannot enter it although they so desire. [45] But when their sight is turned towards the fellows of the Fire, they say, ‘O our Lord! place us not with the unjust people.’ And the fellows on al AarAf will cry out to the men whom they know by their marks, and say, ‘ Of no avail to you were your collections, and what ye were so big with pride about ; are these those ye swore that God would not extend mercy to? Enter ye Paradise; there is no fear for you, nor shall ye be grieved.’
But the fellows of the Fire shall cry out to the fellows of Paradise, ‘Pour out upon us water, or something of what God has provided you with?.’ They will say, ‘God has prohibited them both to those who misbelieve; who took their religion for a sport and a play; whom the life of the world beguiled.—To-day do we forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day, and for that they did deny our signs |
[50] Now we have brought them a book explaining it in knowledge, a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe.
Do they wait now for aught but its interpretation ?—on the day when its interpretation shall come,
1 The fruits of Paradise.
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those who forgot it before will say, ‘There did come to us the apostles of our Lord in truth, have we intercessors to intercede for us? or, could we return, we would do otherwise than we did.’ They have lost themselves, and that which they devised has strayed away from them. .
Verily, your Lord is God who created the heavens and the earth in six days; then He made for the Throne!. He covers night with the day—it pursues it incessantly—and the sun and the moon and the stars are subject to His bidding. Aye!—His is the creation and the bidding,—blessed be God the Lord of the worlds!
He covers night with the day—it pursues it incessantly—and the sun and the moon and the stars are subject to His bidding. Aye!—His is the creation and the bidding,—blessed be God the Lord of the worlds!
Call on your Lord humbly and secretly, verily, He loves not the transgressors. And do not evil in the earth after it has been righted; and call upon Him with fear and earnestness; verily, the mercy of God is nigh unto those who do well.
[55] He it is who sends forth the winds as heralds before His mercy; until when they lift the heavy cloud which we drive to a dead land, and send down thereon water, and bring forth therewith every kind of fruit ;—thus do we bring forth the dead; haply ye may remember.
And the good land brings forth its vegetation by the permission of its Lord; and that which is vile brings forth naught but scarcity. Thus do we turn about our signs for a people who are grateful.
We did send Noah unto his people, and he said, ‘O my people! serve God, ye have no god but Him; verily, I fear for you the torment of the mighty day.’ Said the chiefs of his people, ‘ Verily,
} The highest heaven is so called.
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we do surely see you in obvious error.’ Said he, ‘O my people! there is no error in me; but I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds. [60] I preach to you the messages of my Lord, and I give you sincere advice; and I know from God what ye know not. What! do ye wonder that there came to you a reminder from your Lord by a man from amongst yourselves, to warn you, and that ye may fear ? but haply ye may receive mercy.’
But they called him a liar, and we rescued him and those who were with him in the ark; and we drowned those who said our signs were lies, verily, they were a blind people.
And unto ‘Ad? (we sent) their brother Hfd?, who said, ‘O my people! serve God, ye have no god save Him; what! will ye not then fear?’ Said the chiefs of those who misbelieved amongst his people, ‘Verily, . we see thee in folly, and, verily, we certainly think thou art of the liars.’ [65] He said, ‘O my people! there is no folly in me; but I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds; I preach to you the’ messages of your Lord; and, verily, I am to you a faithful adviser. What! do ye then wonder that there comes to you a reminder from your Lord by a man from amongst yourselves, to warn you? remember when He made you vicegerents after Noah’s people and increased you in length of stature; remember, then, the benefits of God,—
1 An extinct tribe of the ancient Arabs,
2? Hfd and Thamfid, both mentioned in the works of Ptolemy, were two tribes of the ancient Arabs, extinct in Mohammed’s time, whose disappearance had been attributed, by popular tradition, to divine vengeance,
[6] L
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Hfd and Thamfid, both mentioned in the works of Ptolemy, were two tribes of the ancient Arabs, extinct in Mohammed’s time, whose disappearance had been attributed, by popular tradition, to divine vengeance,
[6] Lp. 74 haply ye may prosper!’ They said, ‘Hast thou come to us that we may worship God alone, and leave what our fathers used to worship? then bring us what thou dost threaten us with, if thou art of those who tell the truth!’ He said, ‘There shall fall upon you from your Lord horror and wrath; do ye wrangle with me about names, which ye and your fathers have named yourselves, for which God sent down no power; wait then expectant, and I with you will wait expectant too! [70] But we rescued him and those with him, by mercy from ourselves, and we cut off the hindermost parts of those who said our signs were lies and who were not believers.’ Unto Thamtd (we sent) their brother Zali‘h, who said, ‘O my people! worship God; ye have no god but Him: there has come to you a manifest: sign from your Lord. This she-camel of God’s is a sign for you ; leave her then to eat in the land of God, and touch her not with evil, or there will overtake you grievous woe. And remember how he made you vicegerents after ‘Ad and stablished you in the earth, so that ye took for yourselves castles on its plains and hewed out mountains into houses!; and remember the benefits of God, and waste not the land, despoiling it. Said the chiefs of those who were big with pride from amongst his people to those who were weak,—to those amongst them who believed, ‘Do ye know that Z4lith is sent from his Lord? They said, ‘We do believe in that with which: he is sent.’ Said those who were big with ptide, ‘Verily, in what ye do believe we disbelieve.’
1 Referring to the numerous. excavated rock-dwellings in Tdumaea.
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[75] Then they did hamstring the camel, and rebelled against the bidding of their Lord and said, ‘O Zalith! bring us what thou didst threaten us with, if thou art of those who are sent.’ Then the earthquake took them, and in the morning they lay prone in their dwellings; and he turned away from them and said, ‘O my people! I did preach to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice; but ye love not sincere advisers,’
I did preach to you the message of my Lord, and I gave you good advice; but ye love not sincere advisers,’
1 All that has been hitherto written about the legend Zélith and his camel is pure conjecture; the native commentators add nothing but a few marvellous details to the story as given in the Qur’4n, and the European annotators can only suggest possible identifications for Zali‘h himself, such as the Schelah of Gen. xi. 13. My own view of the matter is of course an hypothesis too, but it has at least some circumstantial evidence in its favour; it is embodied in the following extract from my ‘ Desert of the Exodus,’ p. so: ‘Near E] Watfyeh is situated the tomb of Nebi Sdleh, a wretched little building, but accounted by the Bedawin one of the most sacred spots on the Peninsula (of Sinai). Hither they resort in great numbers at certain seasons of the year to perform ceremonies and sacrificial rites. Who and what was Nebi Sdleh, “the Prophet Saleh,” or, as his name implies, “the Righteous Prophet?” A great saint with the Bedawin, perhaps the ancestor of the Saw4liheh tribe, who are named after him ; but this explanation is vague and unsatisfactory, and in the absence of any certain information on the subject I will venture to propound a theory. I must premise that near the summit of Jebel Musa is a peculiar mark in the stone which has a strong resemblance to the imprint of a camel’s foot. It is regarded by the Bedawin with great veneration, and the girls, when tending their flocks on the mountains, often milk their goats into it as a sure means of obtaining increase and prosperity. This mark is called Athar Nagat en Nebf, “the footprint of the Prophet’s She-camel.” It is generally taken for granted that the Prophet in question is Mohammed, but to my mind there are several circumstances which seem to connect the Nebi S4leh of the tomb with the prophet of the legend. A Bedawin’s notions of the separate identity of Moses, Elias, and Sdleh are of the vaguest
L2
148 THE QuR’AN, VII, 77-83
And Lot, when he said to his people, ‘Do ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in? verily, ye approach men with lust rather than women—nay, ye are a people who exceed.’ [80] But his people’s answer only was to say, ‘Turn them out of your village, verily, they are a people who pretend to purity.’ But we saved him and his people, except his wife, who was of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them a rain;—see then how was the end of the sinners |
And unto Midian did we send their brother
kind, and if asked to which of his national saints the camel belonged you will find that he has never even thought of the question at all. There is no point in attributing the mysterious footprint to the camel of Mohammed, for the celebrated “ night journey ” to heaven, the Prophet's only recorded aeronautic trip, was performed on Bordk, a creature with the feet of a mule. But Mohammed has a legend in the Qur'an of a certain “ Nebi Saleh,” who was sent as a prophet to the people of Thamfd, and whose divine mission was attested by the production of a she-camel from the rock. The author of “ El Isl4m ” certainly did visit the Sinaitic mountains, and may in all probability have taken the story from the national traditions of the Peninsula. The origin and history of Nebi Saleh is quite unknown to the present Bedawin inhabitants, but they nevertheless regard him with more national veneration than even, Moses himself. I should therefore conclude that the Nebi Sdéleh of the tomb in Wady es Sheikl, the prophet of the camel’s footprint, and the Sdleh of the Qur’4n are identical, and that the “people of Thamfid” are the Saracen inhabitants of Sinai, who preceded the Mohammedan invasion. Who then was Nebi S4leh? Looking at the veneration in which his memory is held, and at the character of the miracle attributed to him—the rock smitten with a rod, and a live camel, the greatest of Bedawin blessings, miraculously produced therefrom—with the subsequent rebellion of the people for whom the Prophet worked the sign, I fancy we may recognise in the tradition a distorted reminiscence of the Israelitish lawgiver himself.’
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Sho’haib’, who said, ‘O my people! serve God, ye have no god save Him. There has come to you a manifest sign from your Lord; then give good weight and measure, and be not niggardly of your gifts to men, and do not evil in the earth after it has been righted. That is better for you if ye are believers; and sit not down in every path, threatening and turning from the path of God those who believe in Him, and craving to make it crooked. Remember when ye were few and He multiplied you; and see what was the end of the evildoers! [85] And if there be a party of you who believe in what I am sent with, and a party who believe not, then wait patiently until God judges between us, for He is the best of judges.’ Said the crowd of those who were big with pride amongst His people, ‘We will of a surety turn thee out, O Sho’haib! and those who believe with thee, from our village; or else thou shalt return unto our faith.’ Said he, ‘What even if we be averse therefrom? We shall have devised a lie against God if we return unto your faith, after God has saved us from it; and what should ail us that we should return thereto, unless that God our Lord should please ? our Lord embraces everything in His knowledge ;—on God do we rely. O our Lord! open between us and between our people in truth, for Thou art the best of those who open?’ And the chiefs of those who disbelieved amongst
} The Jethro of the Bible.
* That is, ‘give us a chance,’ the idiom is still current in modern parlance. A shopkeeper, for instance, who has not sold anything all day, or who refuses a bargain, always says yefta‘h’allah, ‘never
- mind ! God will give me a chance of selling it.’
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his people said, ‘If ye follow Sho’hdib, verily, ye shall be the losers;’ then there took them the earthquake, and in the morning they lay in their dwellings prone. [90] Those who called Sho’hdib a liar, (were) as though they had not dwelt therein !—Those who called Sho’haib a liar, they were the losers then! And he turned away from them and said, ‘O my people! I preached to you the messages of my Lord, and I gave you good advice; how should I be vexed for a people who do misbelieve ?’
We have not sent unto a city any prophet except we overtook the people thereof with trouble and distress, that haply they might humble themselves; and then did we give them, in exchange for evil, good, until they increased and said, ‘ Distress and joy both touched our fathers ;’ then we overtook them suddenly ere they could perceive-—Had the people of the town but believed and feared, we would have opened up for them blessings from the heavens and from the earth; but they said it was a lie, so we overtook them for that which they had earned.
[95] Were the people of these cities then secure that our violence would not come on them by night, while they slept? were the people of these cities secure that our violence would not come on them in the morning whilst they played ? were they secure from the craft of God? none feel secure from the craft of God except a people that shall lose.
Is it not shown to those who inherit the earth after its (former) people, that, did we please, we would smite? them in their sins, and would set a stamp upon their hearts, and then they should not hear ?
1 The word is used of an arrow that hits a mark, and hence of any sudden calamity that falls on a man,
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These cities, we do relate to thee their stories. There came to them our apostles with manifest signs; but they did not at all believe in what they called a lie before——Thus doth God set a stamp upon the hearts of those who misbelieve.
[100] Nor did we find in most of them a covenant; but we did find most of them workers of abomination.
Then we raised up after them Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs; but they dealt unjustly therewith, and see what was the end of the evildoers !
Moses said, ‘O Pharaoh ! verily, I am an apostle from the Lord of the worlds ; it is not right for me to speak against God aught but the truth. I have come to you with a manifest sign from my Lord; send then the children of Israel‘with me.’ Said ‘he, ‘If thou hast come with a sign, then bring it, if thou art of those who speak the truth.’ Then he threw his rod down, and lo! it was an obvious snake; [105] and he drew out his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders. Said the chiefs of Pharaoh’s people, ‘Verily, this is surely a knowing magician ; he desires to turn you out of your land ;—what is it then ye bid?’ They said, ‘Give him and his brother some hope ; and send into the cities to collect and bring you every knowing magician.’ [110] And the magician came to Pharaoh and said, ‘Is there indeed a reward for us if we are conquerors?’ He said, ‘ Yea! and ye shall be of those who draw nigh unto me.’ They said, ‘O Moses! wilt thou cast down (thy rod) or shall we be (first) to throw?’ Said he, ‘Throw down;’ and when they threw down, they did enchant the people’s eyes, and made them dread, and brought a
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and ye shall be of those who draw nigh unto me.’ They said, ‘O Moses! wilt thou cast down (thy rod) or shall we be (first) to throw?’ Said he, ‘Throw down;’ and when they threw down, they did enchant the people’s eyes, and made them dread, and brought ap. 126 mighty magic. But we inspired Moses (saying), ‘Throw down thy rod, and it will gulp down that which they devise;’ [115]and the truth stood fast, and vain was that which they had done; and they were conquered there, and turned back feeling small! and the magicians threw themselves down adoring. Said they, ‘We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron!’ [120] Said Pharaoh, ‘Do. ye believe in him ere I give you leave ? This is craft which ye have devised in the land, to turn its people out therefrom, but soon shall ye know! I will cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, then I will crucify you altogether!’ They said, ‘Verily, we unto our Lord return! nor dost thou take vengeance on us, save for that we believe in the signs of our Lord, when they come to us..
‘O our Lord! pour out upon us patience, and take us to Thyself resigned? And the chiefs of Pharaoh's ‘people said, ‘ Will ye leave Moses and his people to do evil in the land, and to leave thee and thy gods ?’ Said he, ‘We will have their sons slain and their women we will let live, for, verily, we are triumphant over them.’
[125] Said Moses unto his people, ‘Ask for aid from God and be patient; verily, the earth is God’s! He gives it for an inheritance to whom He pleases of His servants, and the future is for those who fear.’ They said, ‘We have been hurt before thou didst come to us, and since thou hast come to us.’ Said he, ‘It may be that your Lord will destroy your foe, and will make you succeed him in the earth; and He will see how ye act.’
2 Or, cause us to die Moslems.
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We had overtaken Pharaoh’s people with the years (of dearth) and scarcity of fruits, that haply they might remember ; but when there came to them a good thing they said, ‘This is ours;’ and if there befel them an evil, they took the augury from Moses and those with him ;—is not their augury only in God’s hands ?>—but most of them know not.
And they said, ‘Whatever thou dost bring us as a sign to enchant us therewith, yet will we not believe in thee.’
[130] Then we sent upon them the flood and the locusts and the lice and the frogs and the blood, —signs detailed; but they were big with pride and were a people who did sin.
And they said, ‘Whatever thou dost bring us as a sign to enchant us therewith, yet will we not believe in thee.’
[130] Then we sent upon them the flood and the locusts and the lice and the frogs and the blood, —signs detailed; but they were big with pride and were a people who did sin.
And when there fell upon them the plague, they said, ‘O Moses! call upon thy Lord for us, as He has covenanted with thee; verily, if thou dost remove the plague from us, we will believe in thee; and we will assuredly send with thee the children of Israel.” But when we removed from them the plague until the appointed time which they should reach, lo! then they broke their promise. But we took vengeance on them, and we drowned them in the sea, for that they said our signs were lies and were careless thereof. And we gave as an inheritance unto the people who had been weak, the eastern quarters of the earth and the western quarters thereof, which we had blest; and the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled on the children of Israel, for that they were patient; and we destroyed that which Pharaoh and his people had made and that. which they had piled'. And with the children of Israel
} The word y‘arishfin is properly used of making wooden huts,p. 141 we passed across the sea; and they came unto a people devoted to their idols, and said, ‘O Moses! make for us a god as they have gods.’ Said he, ‘Verily, ye are ignorant people.’ [135] Verily, these —destroyed shall be that which they are given to; and vain is that which they have done.
He said, ‘Other than God then do ye crave for a god, when He has preferred you above the worlds ?’
And when we saved you from Pharaoh’s people who wrought you evil woe, killing your sons, and letting your women live; and in that was a mighty trial from your Lord.
And we appointed for Moses thirty nights, and completed them with ten (more), so that the time appointed by his Lord was completed to forty nights. And Moses said unto his brother Aaron, ‘ Be thou my vicegerent amongst my people, and do what is right, and follow not the path of the evildoers.’
And when Moses came to our appointment, and his Lord spake unto him, he said, ‘O my Lord! show me, —that I may look on thee!’ He said, ‘ Thou canst not see me; but look upon the mountain, and if it remain steady in its place, thou shalt see me;’ but when his Lord appeared unto the mountain He made it dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon!
[140] And when he came to himself, he said, ‘Celebrated be thy praise! I turn repentant unto Thee, and I am the first of those who are resigned.’
He said, ‘O Moses! verily, I have chosen thee over the people with my messages and my words, take then what I have brought thee, and be of those but is here applied to any structures, especially the massive temples and other piles of Egyptian buildings,
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verily, I have chosen thee over the people with my messages and my words, take then what I have brought thee, and be of those but is here applied to any structures, especially the massive temples and other piles of Egyptian buildings,p. 155 who thank.’ And we wrote for him upon tablets an admonition concerning everything, and a detailing of everything: ‘Take them then with firmness, and bid thy people take them for what is best thereof. I will show you the abode of those who work abominations; I will turn from my signs those who are big with pride in the earth without right ; and if they see every sign they shall not believe therein, and if they see the path of rectitude they shall not take it for a path; but if they see the path of error they shall take it for a path ;—that is because they have said our signs are lies and have been careless of them.’
[145] But those who say our signs and the meeting of the last day are lies,—vain are their works : shall they be rewarded save for that which they have done?
And Moses’ people after him took to themselves of their ornaments a corporeal calf that lowed’; did they not see that it could not speak with them, nor could it guide them in the path? They took it and they were unjust; but when they bit their hands with fruitless rage and saw that they had gone astray, they said, ‘ Verily, if our Lord have not compassion on us and forgive us we shall surely be of those who lose!’
And when Moses returned unto his people angry and grieved, he said, ‘ Evil is it that ye have done after me! Would ye hasten on the bidding of your Lord ?’ and he threw down the tablets and took his brother by the head to drag him towards him, but he said, ‘O son of my mother! verily, the people
1 This is also a Talmudic legend.
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weakened me and well-nigh killed me; make not then mine enemies glad about me, and put me not with the unjust people.’ [150] He said, ‘O Lord! pardon me and my brother, and let us enter into Thy mercy; for Thou art the most merciful of the merciful. Verily, these have taken to themselves a calf; there shall reach them wrath from their Lord, and abasement in the life of this world; for thus do we reward those who forge a lie. But those who have done bad works, and then turn again after them and believe,—verily, thy Lord, after that, is forgiving and merciful.’
And when Moses’ wrath calmed down he took the tables, in the inscription of which was guidance and mercy for those who dread their Lord.
But those who have done bad works, and then turn again after them and believe,—verily, thy Lord, after that, is forgiving and merciful.’
And when Moses’ wrath calmed down he took the tables, in the inscription of which was guidance and mercy for those who dread their Lord.
And Moses chose from his people seventy men for our appointment; and when the earthquake took them he said, ‘O my Lord! hadst Thou willed, Thou hadst destroyed them before and me. Wilt Thou destroy us for what the fools amongst us have done? This is naught but Thy trial, wherewith Thou dost lead astray whom Thou pleasest and guidest whom Thou pleasest; Thou art our patron! forgive us and have mercy on us, for Thou art the best of those who do forgive !
[155] ‘And write down for us in this world good, and in the future too; verily, we are guided unto Thee.’ He said, ‘My punishment—with it I fall on whom I will; and my mercy embraceth everything ; and I will write it down for those who fear, and who give alms, and those who in our signs believe,—who follow the Apostle—the illiterate prophet?, whom
1 Or, the apostle of the Gerttiles,p. 157 they find written down with them in the law and the gospel, bidding them what is reasonable and forbidding them what is wrong, and making lawful for them what is good, and making unlawful evil things ; and setting down for them their burdens and the yokes which were upon them ;—to those who believe in him and aid him and help him and follow the law which has been sent down with him—they shall be the prosperous.’
Say, ‘O ye folk! verily, I am the Apostle of God unto you all,’—of Him whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, there is no god but He! He quickens and He kills! believe then in God and His Apostle, the illiterate prophet,—who believes in God and in His words—then follow him that haply ye may be guided.
Amongst Moses’ people is a nation guided in truth, and thereby act they justly.
[160] And we cut them up into twelve tribes, each a nation; and we revealed unto Moses, when his people asked him for drink, ‘Strike with thy staff the rock!’ and there gushed forth from it twelve springs, each folk knew their drinking place. And we overshadowed them with the cloud; and sent down upon them the manna and the quails, ‘ Eat of the good things we have provided you with !’—Yet they did not wrong us, but it was themselves they wronged. .
And when it was said unto them, ‘ Dwell in this city and eat therefrom as ye will, and say ‘hi¢¢éatun and enter the gate adoring; so will we pardon you your sins ;—we will increase those who do well.’ But those amongst them who did wrong changed it for another word than which was said to them ; and wep. 158 sent upon them a plague from heaven for that they were unjust.
VI, 162-168:
sent upon them a plague from heaven for that they were unjust.
Ask them too about the city which stood by the sea, when they transgressed upon the Sabbath ; when their fish came to them on the Sabbath day sailing straight up to them; but on the days when they kept not the Sabbath, they came not to them, thus did we try them for the abominations that they wrought’.
And when a nation from amongst them said, ‘Why do ye warn a people whom God would destroy, or punish with severe torment?’ they said, ‘As an excuse to your Lord, that haply they may fear.’ [165] But when they forgot what they had been reminded of, we saved those who forbade evil, but we overtook those who did wrong with punishment ;—evil was the abomination that they did, but when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, we said to them, ‘Become ye apes, despised and spurned!’ and then thy Lord proclaimed that He would surely send against them till the resurrection day, those who should wreak them evil torment; verily, thy Lord is quick at following up, but, verily, He is forgiving, merciful.
We cut them up in the earth into nations. Of them are the righteous, and of them are the reverse of that; we have tried them with good things and with bad things; haply they may return.
But there succeeded them successors who inherited the Book! They take the goods of this lower world and say, ‘It will be forgiven us.’ But if the like goods came to them they would take them too! Was there not taken from them a covenant by
1 Cf. Chapter II, 61.
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the Book, that they should not say against God aught but the truth? Yet they study therein! But the abode of the future life is better for those who fear—do ye not then understand? But those who hold fast by the Book and are steadfast in prayer— verily, we will not waste the hire of those who do right.
[170] And when we shook the mountain over them, as though it were a shadow, and they thought it would fall upon them (saying), ‘Take ye what we have given you with firmness, and remember what is therein; haply ye may fear.’
And when thy Lord took from the children of Adam out of their loins their seed, and made them bear witness against themselves, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yea! we do bear witness’— lest ye should say on the day of resurrection, ‘Verily, for this we did not care;’ or say, ‘ Verily, our fathers associated others with God before us, and we were but their seed after them: wilt Thou then destroy us for what vaindoers did ?’—-Thus do we detail the signs.; haply they may return.
Read to them the declaration of him to whom we brought our signs, and who stepped away therefrom, and Satan followed him, and he was of those who were beguiled'. [175] Had we pleased we would have exalted him thereby, but he crouched upon. the earth and followed his lust, and his likeness was as the likeness of a dog, whom if thou shouldst attack
[175] Had we pleased we would have exalted him thereby, but he crouched upon. the earth and followed his lust, and his likeness was as the likeness of a dog, whom if thou shouldst attack
1 Said to refer to Balaam, but also to several pretenders of prophecy amongst the Arabians. By some it is referred to ’Omiaiyyat ibn Abi Zalt, or to a certain Jewish Rabbi, who had prophesied the coming of a prophet about Mohammed’s time, but would not acknowledge the latter as such.
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he hangs out his tongue, or if thou should leave him, hangs out his tongue too. That is the likeness of the people who say our signs are lies. Tell them then these tales—haply they may reflect.
Evil is the likeness of a people who say our signs are lies; themselves it is they wrong!
We have created for hell many of the ginn and of mankind; they have hearts and they discern not therewith ; they have eyes and they see not therewith ; they have ears and they hear not therewith ; they are like cattle, nay, they go more astray! these it is who care not.
But God’s are the good names; call on Him then thereby, and leave those who pervert His names}; they shall be rewarded for that which they have done.
[180] And of those whom we have created is a nation who are guided in truth and thereby act with equity; but they who say our signs are lies, we will bring them down by degrees from whence they know not. I will let them range ;—verily, my stratagem is efficacious !
Do they not then reflect that their companion ? is not possessed?? he is but an obvious warner! Do they not behold the kingdoms of the heavens and of the earth, and what things God has created, and (see that), it may be, their time is already drawing nigh ? in what relation then will they believe? [185] He
1 The word yul‘hidfina is used in the later Arabic for any form of atheism. The expression in the text means the perversion, as Mohammed called it, of the name Allah in the names of the other gods, such as A1lat, the feminine form of the same word.
2 Mohammed.
5 Literally, under the influence of the ginn,p. 161 whom God leads astray there is no guide for him! He leaves them in their rebellion, blindly wandering on.
They will ask you about the Hour, for what time it is fixed ?—say, ‘The knowledge thereof is only with my Lord; none shall manifest it at its time but He; it is heavy in the heavens and the earth, it will not come to you save on a sudden.’
They will ask as though thou wert privy to it, say, ‘ The knowledge thereof is only with God, —but most folk do not know.
Say, ‘I cannot control profit or harm for myself, save what God will. If I knew the unseen I should surely have much that is good, nor would evil touch me; I am but a warner and a herald of good tidings unto a people who believe.’
Say, ‘I cannot control profit or harm for myself, save what God will. If I knew the unseen I should surely have much that is good, nor would evil touch me; I am but a warner and a herald of good tidings unto a people who believe.’
He it is who created you from one soul, and made therefrom its mate to dwell therewith; and when he covered her she bore a light burden and went about therewith ; but when it grew heavy they called on God, Lord of them both, ‘Surely if thou givest us a rightly-shaped child we shall of a surety be of those who thank.’ [190] And when He gave them both a rightly-shaped child they joined partners with Him for that which He had given them, but exalted be God above that which they associate with Him’. Will they associate with Him those who cannot create aught,
1 This story is said to refer to Adam and Eve; the act of idolatry mentioned being the naming of their first son, at the instigation of Satan, ‘Abd el ‘Hareth, ‘servant of ‘Hareth,’ instead of ‘servant of God,’ ‘Hareth being Satan’s name among the angels. The legend arose probably from a misunderstanding of the title given to Cain in the Bible, ‘Obed AdAma, ‘a tiller of the ground,’ which would read word for word in Arabic ‘Abd el ‘Hareth.
[6] Mp. 202 but are themselves created, which have no power to help them, and cannot even help themselves ?
But if ye call them unto guidance they will not follow you. It is the same to them if Thou dost call them or if Thou dost hold thy tongue.
Those whom ye call on other than God are servants like yourselves. Call on them then, and let them answer you, if so be ye tell the truth! Have they feet to walk with ? or have they hands to hold with ? or have they eyes to see with ? or have they ears to hear with? Call upon your partners; then plot against me, and do not wait.
[195] Verily, my patron is God, who hath sent down the Book, and He is the patron of the righteous. But those whom ye call on beside Him cannot help you, nor can they even help themselves. But if ye call them unto the guidance they will not hear, thou mayest see them looking towards thee, yet they do not see. Take to pardon, and order what is kind, and shun the ignorant; and if an incitement from the devil incites you, then seek refuge in God: verily, He both hears and knows.
[200] Verily, those who fear God, if a wraith from the devil touch, mention Him, and lo! they see!,
And their brethren he shall increase in error, then they shall not desist.
Shouldst Thou not bring them a sign? they say, ‘Hast Thou not yet made choice of one?’ Say, ‘I only follow what is inspired to me by my Lord.
1 Te. if an evil suggestion occurs to them, they mention God’s name and immediately see the folly and wickedness thereof. 2 That is, a verse in the Qur’4n.
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These are perceptions from my Lord, and a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe.’
1 Te. if an evil suggestion occurs to them, they mention God’s name and immediately see the folly and wickedness thereof. 2 That is, a verse in the Qur’4n.
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These are perceptions from my Lord, and a guidance and a mercy to a people who believe.’
And when the Qur'an is read, then listen thereto and keep silence; haply ye may obtain mercy.
And remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with fear, not openly in words, in the morning and in the evening; and be not of those who do not care. [205] Verily, they who are with my Lord are not too big with pride for His service, but they do celebrate His praise, and Him they do adore.
THE CHAPTER OF THE SPOILS. (VIII. Medinah.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
They will ask thee about the spoils. Say, ‘The spoils are God’s and the Apostle’s; fear God and settle it amongst yourselves; obey God and the Apostle if ye do believe.’
Verily, the believers are those who, when God’s name is mentioned, their hearts sink with fear; and when His signs are rehearsed to them they increase them in faith; and on their Lord do they rely; who are steadfast in prayer, and of what we have bestowed upon them give in alms; these are in truth believers; to them are degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.
[5] As thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house’ with the truth, although a sect of the believers were averse therefrom. They wrangled with thee about the truth after it was made plain, as
1 At Medinah. M 2
164 THE QuR’AN. VIII, 6-12.
though they were being driven on to death and looked thereon ; and when God promised you that one of the two troops should be yours, and ye would fain have had those who had no arms. God wished to prove the truth true by His words, and to cut off the hindermost parts of those who misbelieve—to prove the truth true, and to make vain the vain, ‘although the sinners are averse !.
When ye asked for succour from your Lord, and He answered you, ‘I will assist you with a thousand angels, with others in reserve.’
[10] God made it only glad tidings to quiet your hearts therewith; for victory is only from God! verily, God is mighty and wise.
When drowsiness covered you as a security from Him, and He sent down upon you from the heavens water to purify you withal, and to take away from you the plague of Satan, and to tie up your hearts and to make firm your footsteps 2.
When your Lord inspired the angels—‘ Verily, I am with you; make ye firm then those who believe; I will cast dread into the hearts of those who misbelieve,—strike off their necks then, and strike off from them every finger tip.’