him from the right side of the mountain; and we made him draw nigh unto us to commune with him, and we granted him, of our mercy, his brother Aaron as a prophet.
[55] And mention, in the Book, Ishmael ; verily, he was true to his promise, and was an apostle,— a prophet; and he used to bid his people prayers and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord.
And mention, in the Book, Idris!; verily, he was a confessor,—a prophet; and we raised him to a lofty place.
These are those to whom God has been gracious, of the prophets of the seed of Adam, and of those whom we bore with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel, and of those we guided and elected; when the signs of the Merciful are read to them, they fall down adoring and weeping.
[60] And successors succeeded them, who lost sight of prayer and followed lusts, but they shall at length find themselves going wrong, except such as repent and believe and act aright; for these shall enter Paradise, and shall not be wronged at all,— gardens of Eden, which the Merciful has promised to His servants in the unseen; verily, His promise _ ever comes to pass!
They shall hear no empty talk therein, but only ‘peace ;’ and they shall have their provision therein, morning and evening; that is Paradise which we will give for an inheritance to those of our servants who are pious! ; [65] We do not descend? save at the bidding
1 Generally identified with Enoch. 2 Amongst various conjectures the one most usually accepted
32 THE Qur’AN. XIX, 65-75.
of thy Lord; His is what is before us, and what is behind us, and what is between those; for thy Lord is never forgetful_—the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what is between the two; then serve Him and persevere in His service. Dost thou know a namesake of His ?
Man will say, ‘What! when I have died shall I then come forth alive? Does not man then remember that we created him before when he was naught?’
And by thy Lord! we will surely gather them together, and the devils too; then we will surely bring them forward around hell, on their knees!
[70] Then we will drag off from every sect whichever of them has been most bold against the Merciful.
Then we know best which of them deserves most to be broiled therein.
There is not one of you who will not go down to it,—that is settled and decided by thy Lord?.
Then we will save those who fear us; but we will leave the evildoers therein on their knees.
And when our signs are recited to them manifest, those who misbelieve say to those who believe, ‘Which of the two parties is best placed and in the best company ?’
[75] And how many generations before them by the Mohammedan commentators is, that these are the words of the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mohammed’s complaint of long intervals elapsing between the periods of revelation.
1 This is interpreted by some to mean that all souls, good and bad, must pass through hell, but that the good will not be harmed.
Others think it merely refers to the passage of the bridge of el AarAf.
p. 33
have we destroyed who were better off in property and appearance ?
Say, ‘Whosoever is in error, let the Merciful extend to him length of days!—until they see what they are threatened with, whether it be the torment or whether it be the Hour, then they shall know who is worse placed and weakest in forces!’
And those who are guided God will increase in guidance.
And enduring good works are best with thy Lord for a reward, and best for restoration.
[80] Hast thou seen him who disbelieves in our signs, and says, ‘I shall surely be given wealth and children ! ?’
Has he become acquainted with the unseen, or has he taken a compact with the Merciful? Not so! We will write down what he says, and we will extend to him a length of torment, and we will make him inherit what he says, and he shall come to us alone. They take other gods besides God to be their glory. [85] Not so! They? shall deny their worship and shall be opponents of theirs!
Dost thou not see that we have sent the devils against the misbelievers, to drive them on to sin? but, be not thou hasty with them. Verily, we will number them a number (of days),—the day when we will gather the pious to the Merciful as ambassadors, and we will drive the sinners to hell like
1 ’Hasiy ibn Wail, being indebted to ‘H/abbab, refused to pay him unless he renounced Mohammed. This ‘Habbab said he would never do alive or dead, or when raised again at the last day. El ’Hasiy told him to call for his money on the last day, as he should have wealth and children then.
2 That is, the false gods.
[9] D
p. 5
(herds) to water! [90] They shall not possess intercession, save he who has taken a compact with the Merciful.
They say, ‘The Merciful has taken to Himself a son :’—ye have brought a monstrous thing! The heavens well-nigh burst asunder thereat, and the earth is riven, and the mountains fall down broken, that they attribute to the Merciful a son! but it becomes not the Merciful to take to Himself a son! there is none in the heavens or the earth but comes to the Merciful as a servant; He counts them and numbers them by number, [95] and they are all coming to Him on the resurrection day singly.
Verily, those who believe and act aright, to them the Merciful will give love.
We have only made it easy for thy tongue that thou mayest thereby give glad tidings to the pious, and warn thereby a contentious people.
How many a generation before them have we destroyed? Canst thou find any one of them, or hear a whisper of them ?
Tue Cuapter or 7. H. (XX. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
How many a generation before them have we destroyed? Canst thou find any one of them, or hear a whisper of them ?
Tue Cuapter or 7. H. (XX. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
Z. H. We have not sent down this Qur’An to thee that thou shouldst be wretched; only as a reminder to him who fears—descending from Him who created the earth and the high heavens, the Merciful settled on the throne! [5] His are whatp. 35 is in the heavens, and what is in the earth, and what is between the two, and what is beneath the ground! And if thou art public in thy speech— yet, verily, he knows the secret, and more hidden still.
God, there is no god but He! His are the excellent names.
Has the story of Moses come to thee? When he saw the fire and said to his family, ‘ Tarry ye; verily, I perceive a fire! [10] Haply I may bring you therefrom a brand, or may find guidance by the fire’ And when he came to it he was called to, ‘O Moses! verily, I am thy Lord, so take off thy sandals; verily, thou art in the holy valley Zuvé, and I have chosen thee. So listen to what is inspired thee; verily, I am God, there is no god but Me! then serve Me, and be steadfast in prayer to remember Me.
[15] ‘Verily, the hour is coming, I almost make it appear ?, that every soul may be recompensed for its efforts.
‘Let not then him who believes not therein and follows his lusts ever turn thee away therefrom, and thou be ruined.
‘What is that in thy right hand, O Moses ?’
Said he, ‘It is my staff on which I lean, and
1 The Arabs used to light fires to guide travellers to shelter and entertainment. These fires, ‘the fire of hospitality,’ ‘the fire of war,’ &c. are constantly referred to in the ancient Arabic poetry. No less than thirteen fires are enumerated by them.
2 This may be also rendered, ‘I almost conceal it (from myself) ;’ i‘Af4’un having, like many words in Arabic, two meanings directly opposite to each other. This probably arose from words being adopted into the Qurais idiom from other dialects.
D2
36 THE QuR’AN. XX, 19-39.
wherewith I beat down leaves for my flocks, and for which I have other uses.’
[20] Said He, ‘Throw it down, O Moses!’ and he threw it down, and behold! it was a snake that moved about.
Said He, ‘Take hold of it and fear not; we will restore it to its first state.
‘But press thy hand to thy side, it shall come forth white without harm,—another sign! to show thee of our great signs!
[25] ‘Go unto Pharaoh, verily, he is outrageous!’
Said he, ‘My Lord! expand for me my breast; and make what I am bidden easy to me; and loose the knot from my tongue}, that they may understand my speech ; [30] and make for me a minister ? from my people,—Aaron my brother; gird up my loins through him’, and join him with me in the affair; that we may celebrate Thy praises much and remember Thee much.
[35] ‘Verily, Thou dost ever behold us!’
from my people,—Aaron my brother; gird up my loins through him’, and join him with me in the affair; that we may celebrate Thy praises much and remember Thee much.
[35] ‘Verily, Thou dost ever behold us!’
He said, ‘ Thou art granted thy request, O Moses! and we have already shown favours unto thee at another time. When we inspired thy mother with what we inspired her, “Hurl him into the ark, and hurl him into the sea; and the sea shall cast him on the shore, and an enemy of mine and of his shall take him ;’—for on thee have I cast my
1 The Muslim legend is that Moses burnt his tongue with a live coal when a child. This incident is related at length, together with other Mohammedan legends connected with Moses and the Exodus, in my ‘ Desert of the Exodus,’ Appendix C. p. 533. Transl.
2 Literally, viztr, ‘ vizier,” ‘one who bears the burden’ of office.
5 Ie. ‘strengthen me.’ The idiom is still in common use amongst the desert Arabs.
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love, [40] that thou mayest be formed under my eye. When thy sister walked on and said, “Shall I guide you to one who will take charge of him ?” And we restored thee to thy mother, that her eye might be cheered and that she should not grieve. And thou didst slay a person and we saved thee from the trouble, and we tried thee with various trials. And thou didst tarry for years amongst the people of Midian; then thou didst come (hither) at (our) decree, O Moses! And I have chosen thee for myself. Go, thou and thy brother, with my signs, and be not remiss in remembering me. [45] Go ye both to Pharaoh; verily, he is outrageous! and speak to him a gentle speech, haply he may be mindful or may fear.’
They two said, ‘Our Lord! verily, we fear that he may trespass against us, or that he may be outrageous,
He said, ‘ Fear not; verily, I am with you twain. I hear and see!
‘So come ye to him and say, “ Verily, we are the apostles of thy Lord; send then the children of Israel with us; and do not torment them. We have brought thee a sign from thy Lord, and peace be upon him who follows the guidance |!.
[50] ‘“ Verily, we are inspired that the torment will surely come upon him who calls us liars and turns his back.”’
Said he, ‘And who is your Lord, O Moses ?’
He said, ‘Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation, then guided it.’
Said he, ‘ And what of the former generations ?’
He said, ‘The knowledge of them is with my Lord in a book; my Lord misleads not, nor forgets !
p. 67
[55] Who made for you the earth a bed; and has traced for you paths therein; and has sent down from the sky water,—and we have brought forth thereby divers sorts of different vegetables. Eat and pasture your cattle therefrom; verily, in that are signs to those endued with intelligence. From it have we created you and into it will we send you back, and from it will we bring you forth another time.’
We did show him our signs, all of them, but he called them lies and did refuse.
Eat and pasture your cattle therefrom; verily, in that are signs to those endued with intelligence. From it have we created you and into it will we send you back, and from it will we bring you forth another time.’
We did show him our signs, all of them, but he called them lies and did refuse.
Said he, ‘Hast thou come to us, to turn us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses? [60] Then we will bring you magic like it; and we will make between us and thee an appointment; we will not break it, nor do thou either ;—a fair place.’
Said he, ‘Let your appointment be for the day of adornment!, and let the people assemble in the forenoon 2,’
But Pharaoh turned his back, and collected his tricks, and then he came.
Said Moses to them, ‘Woe to you! do not forge against God a lie; lest He destroy you by torment; for disappointed has ever been he who has forged.’
[65] And they argued their matter among themselves; and secretly talked it over.
Said they, ‘These twain are certainly two magicians, who wish to turn you out of your land by their magic, and to remove your most exemplary doctrine®. Collect therefore your tricks, and then
1 T.e. the festival.
2 In order that they might all see.
* Or, ‘your most eminent men,’ as some commentators interpret it, i.e. the children of Israel.
p. 39
form a row; for he is prosperous to-day who has the upper hand.’
Said they, ‘O Moses! either thou must throw, or we must be the first to throw.’
He said, ‘Nay, throw ye!’ and lo! their ropes and their staves appeared to move along. [70] And Moses felt a secret fear within his soul.
Said we, ‘Fear not! thou shalt have the upper hand. Throw down what is in thy right hand; and it shall devour what they have made. Verily, what they have made is but a magician’s trick; and no magician shall prosper wherever he comes.’
And the magicians were cast down in adoration ; said they, ‘We believe in the Lord of Aaron and of Moses!’
Said he?, ‘Do ye believe in Him before I give you leave? Verily, he is your master who taught you magic! Therefore will I surely cut off your hands and feet on alternate sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees; and ye shall surely know which of us is keenest at torment and more lasting.’
[75] Said they, ‘ We will never prefer thee to what has come to us of manifest signs, and to Him who originated us. Decide then what thou canst decide ; thou canst only decide in the life of this world! Verily, we believe in our Lord, that He may pardon us our sins, and the magic thou hast forced us to use ; and God is better and more lasting!’
Verily, he who comes to his Lord a sinner,— verily, for him is hell; he shall not die therein, and shall not live.
1 Pharaoh.
40 THE Qur’AN. XX, 77-88.
But he who comes to Him a believer who has done aright—these, for them are the highest ranks, —gardens of Eden beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye; for that is the reward of him who keeps pure.
1 Pharaoh.
40 THE Qur’AN. XX, 77-88.
But he who comes to Him a believer who has done aright—these, for them are the highest ranks, —gardens of Eden beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for aye; for that is the reward of him who keeps pure.
And we inspired Moses, ‘Journey by night with my servants, and strike out for.them a dry road in the sea. [80] Fear not pursuit, nor be afraid!’ Then Pharaoh followed them with his armies, and there overwhelmed them of the sea that which overwhelmed them. And Pharaoh and his people went astray and were not guided.
O children of Israel! We have saved you from your enemy; and we made an appointment with you on the right side of the mount; and we sent down upon you the manna and the quails. ‘Eat of the good things we have provided you with, and do not exceed therein, lest my wrath light upon you; for whomsoever my wrath lights upon he falls!
‘Yet am I forgiving unto him who repents and believes and does right, and then is guided.
[85] ‘ But what has hastened thee on away from thy people, O Moses ?’
He said, ‘They were here upon my track and I hastened on to Thee, my Lord! that thou mightest be pleased.’
Said He, ‘Verily, we have tried thy people, since thou didst leave, and es SAmarty! has led them astray.’
And Moses returned to his people, wrathful, grieving !
* Te. the Samaritan; some take it to mean a proper name, in order to avoid the anachronism. a
p. 41
Said he, ‘O my people! did not your Lord promise you a good promise? Has the time seemed too long for you, or do you desire that wrath should light on you from your Lord, that ye have broken your promise to me?’
[90] They said, ‘We have not broken our promise to thee of our own accord. But we were made to carry loads of the ornaments of the people, and we hurled them down, and so did es Samarty cast ; and he brought forth for the people a corporeal calf which lowed.’ And they said, ‘This is your god and the god of Moses, but he has forgotten!’ What! do they not see that it does not return them any speech, and cannot control for them harm or profit? Aaron too told them before, ‘O my people! ye are only being tried thereby ; and, verily, your Lord is the Merciful, so follow me and obey my bidding.’
They said, ‘We will not cease to pay devotion to it until Moses come back to us.
Said he, ‘O Aaron! what prevented thee, when thou didst see them go astray, from following me ? Hast thou then rebelled against my bidding ?’
[95] Said he, ‘O son of my mother! seize me not by my beard, or my head! Verily, I feared lest thou shouldst say, “Thou hast made a division amongst the children of Israel, and hast not observed my word.”’
Said he, ‘What was thy design, O Samarty ?’ Said he, ‘I beheld what they beheld not, and I grasped a handful from the footprint of the messenger! and cast it; for thus my soul induced me.’
1 A handful of dust from the footprint of the angel Gabriel’s
p. 108
and cast it; for thus my soul induced me.’
1 A handful of dust from the footprint of the angel Gabriel’s
p. 108
Said he, ‘Then get thee gone; verily, it shall be thine in life to say, “Touch me not?!” and, verily, for thee there is a threat which thou shalt surely never alter. But look at thy god to which thou wert just now devout ; we will surely burn it, and then we
___-will scatter it in scattered pieces in the sea.
\
‘Your God is only God who,—there is no god but He,—He embraceth everything in His knowledge.’
Thus do we narrate to thee the history of what has gone before, and we have brought thee a reminder from us.
[100] Whoso turns therefrom, verily, he shall bear on the resurrection day a burden:—for them to bear for aye, and evil for them on the resurrection day will it be to bear. .
On the day when the trumpet shall be blown, and we will gather the sinners in that day blueeyed *,
They shall whisper to each other, ‘ Ye have only tarried ten days.’ We know best what they say, when the most exemplary of them in his way shall say, ‘ Ye have only tarried a day.’
[105] They will ask thee about the mountains;
horse, which, being cast into the calf, caused it to become animated and to low.
* The idea conveyed seems to be that he should be regarded as a leper, and obliged to warn people from coming near him. The reference is no doubt to the light in which the Samaritans (see Part II, p. 40, note 1) were regarded by the Jews.
* Because ‘blue eyes’ were especially detested by the Arabs as being characteristic of their greatest enemies, the Greeks. So they speak of an enemy as ‘black-livered,’ ‘red-whiskered,’ and ‘blueeyed.” The word in the text may also mean ‘blear-eyed,’ or ‘ blind.’
XX, rog-11g. THE CHAPTER OF 7. H. 43 say, ‘My Lord will scatter them in scattered pieces, and He will leave them a level plain, thou wilt see therein no crookedness or inequality.’
On that day they shall follow the caller in whom is no crookedness !; and the voices shall be hushed before the Merciful, and thou shalt hear naught but a shuffling.
On that day shall no intercession be of any avail, save from such as the Merciful permits, and who is acceptable to Him in speech.
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not comprehend knowledge of Him.
[110] Faces shall be humbled before the Living, the Self-subsistent; and he who bears injustice is ever lost.
But he who does righteous acts and is a believer, he shall fear neither wrong nor diminution.
Thus have we sent it down an Arabic “Our An ; and we have turned about in it the threat,— haply they may fear, or it may cause them to remember,
Exalted then be God, the king, the truth! Hasten not the Qur’4n before its inspiration is decided for thee; but say, ‘O Lord! increase me in knowledge 2%’
We did make a covenant with Adam of yore, but he forgot it, and we found no firm purpose in him.
[115] And when we said to the angels, ‘Adore
Hasten not the Qur’4n before its inspiration is decided for thee; but say, ‘O Lord! increase me in knowledge 2%’
We did make a covenant with Adam of yore, but he forgot it, and we found no firm purpose in him.
[115] And when we said to the angels, ‘Adore
1 That is, the angel who is to summon them to judgment, and from whom none can escape, or who marches straight on. * Cf. Part II, p. 16, note 2.
44 THE Qur’AN, XX, r1g-128.
Adam,’ they adored, save Iblis, who refused. And we said, ‘O Adam! verily, this is a foe to thee and to thy wife; never then let him drive you twain forth from the garden or thou wilt be wretched. Verily, thou hast not to be hungry there, nor naked! and, verily, thou shalt not thirst therein, nor feel the noonday heat !’
But the devil whispered to him. Said he, ‘O Adam! shall I guide thee to the tree of immortality, and a kingdom that shall not wane ?’
And they eat therefrom, and their shame became apparent to them; and they began to stitch upon themselves some leaves of the garden ; and Adam rebelled against his Lord, and went astray.
[120] Then his Lord chose him, and relented towards him, and guided him. Said he, ‘Go down, ye twain, therefrom altogether, some of you foes to the other. And if there should come to you from me a guidance; then whoso follows my guidance shall neither err nor be wretched. But he ‘who turns away from my reminder, verily, for him shall be a straitened livelihood ; and we will gather him on the resurrection day blind!’
[125] He shall say, ‘My Lord! wherefore hast Thou gathered me blind when I used to see?’ He shall say, ‘Our signs came to thee, and thou didst forget them ; thus to-day art thou forgotten!’
Thus do we recompense him who is extravagant and believes not in the signs of his Lord; and the torment of the hereafter is keener and more lasting !
Does it not occur to them! how many generationsp. 45 we have destroyed before them ?—they walk in their very dwelling-places ; verily, in that are signs to those endued with intelligence.
1 The Meccans,
And had it not been for thy Lord’s word already passed (the punishment) would have been inevitable and (at) an appointed time.
[130] Bear patiently then what they say, and celebrate the praises of thy Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting, and at times in the night celebrate them; and at the ends of the day ; haply thou mayest please (Him).
And do not strain after what we have provided a few! of them with—the flourish of the life of this world, to try them by; but the provision of thy Lord is better and more lasting.
Bid thy people prayer, and persevere in it; we do not ask thee to provide. We will provide, and the issue shall be to piety.
They say, ‘ Unless he bring us a sign from his Lord —What! has there not come to them the manifest sign of what was in the pages of yore ?’
Bid thy people prayer, and persevere in it; we do not ask thee to provide. We will provide, and the issue shall be to piety.
They say, ‘ Unless he bring us a sign from his Lord —What! has there not come to them the manifest sign of what was in the pages of yore ?’
But had we destroyed them with torment before it, they would have said, ‘Unless Thou hadst sent to us an apostle, that we might follow Thy signs before we were abased and put to shame.’
[135] Say, ‘Each one has to wait, so wait ye! but in the end ye shall know who are the fellows of the level way, and who are guided!’
1 Literally, ‘ pairs.’
p. 13
Tue CHAPTER OF THE PROPHETS. (XXI. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
Their reckoning draws nigh to men, yet in heedlessness they turn aside.
No reminder comes to them from their Lord of late, but they listen while they mock, and their hearts make sport thereof! And those who do wrong discourse secretly (saying), ‘Is this man aught but a mortal like yourselves? will ye accede to magic, while ye can see ?’
Say, ‘My Lord knows what is said in the heavens and the earth, He hears and knows!’
[5] ‘Nay!’ they say, ‘— a jumble of dreams; nay! he has forged it; nay! he is a poet; but let him bring us a sign as those of yore were sent.’
No city before them which we destroyed believed—how will they believe? Nor did we send before them any but men whom we inspired? Ask ye the people of the Scriptures if ye do not know. Nor did we make them bodies not to eat food, nor were they immortal. Yet we made our promise to them good, and we saved them and whom we pleased; but we destroyed those who committed excesses. .
[10] We have sent down to you a book in which is a reminder for you; have ye then no sense ?
How many a city which had done wrong have we broken up, and raised up after it another people! And when they perceived our violence they ran away from it. ‘Run not away, but return to whatp. 47 ye delighted in, and to your. dwellings! haply ye will be questioned.’ Said they, ‘O woe is us! verily, we were wrong-doers.’
[15] And that ceased not to be their cry until we made them mown down,—smouldering out!
We did not create the heaven and the earth and what is between the two in play. Had we wished to take to a sport, we would have taken to one from before ourselves; had we been bent on doing so. Nay, we hurl the truth against falsehood and it crashes into it, and lo! it vanishes, but woe to you for what ye attribute (to God)!
His are whosoever are in the heavens and the earth, and those who are with Him are not too big with pride for His service, nor do they weary. [20] They celebrate His praises by night and day without intermission. Or have they taken gods from the earth who can raise up (the dead) ?
His are whosoever are in the heavens and the earth, and those who are with Him are not too big with pride for His service, nor do they weary. [20] They celebrate His praises by night and day without intermission. Or have they taken gods from the earth who can raise up (the dead) ?
Were there in both (heaven and earth) gods beside God, both would surely have been corrupted. Celebrated then be the praise of God, the Lord of the throne, above what they ascribe!
He shall not be questioned concerning what He does, but they shall be questioned.
Have they taken gods beside Him? Say, ‘ Bring your proofs. This is the reminder of those who are with me, and of those who were before me.’ Nay, most of them know not the truth, and they do turn aside.
[25] We have not sent any prophet before thee, but we inspired him that, ‘There is no god but Me, so serve ye Me.’
And they say, ‘ The Merciful has taken a son’;
1 Or, child, since the passage refers both to the Christian
48 THE QuR’AN. XXI, 26-37.
celebrated be His praise!’—Nay, honoured servants ; they do not speak until He speaks; but at His bidding do they act. He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they shall not intercede except for him whom He is pleased with ; and they shrink through fear.
[30] And whoso of them should say, ‘Verily, I am god instead of Him,’ such a one we recompense with hell; thus do we recompense the wrong-doers.
Do not those who misbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were both solid, and we burst them asunder; and we made from water every living thing—will they then not believe ?
And we placed on the earth firm mountains lest it should move with them, and He made therein open roads for paths, haply they may be guided! and we made the heaven a guarded roof; yet from our signs they turn aside!
He it is who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each floating in a sky. ~ [35] We never made for any mortal before thee immortality; what, if thou shouldst die, will they live on for aye ?
Every soul shall taste of death! we will test them with evil and with good, as a trial; and unto us shall they return!
And when those who misbelieve see thee!, they only take thee for a jest, ‘Is this he who mentions your gods?’ Yet they at the mention of the Merciful do disbelieve.
doctrine and to the Arab notion that the angels are daughters of God.
1 Mohammed.
p. 49
Man is created out of haste. I will show you my signs; but do not hurry Me.
And they say, ‘When will this threat (come to pass), if ye tell the truth ?’
[40] Did those who misbelieve but know when the fire shall not be warded off from their faces nor from their backs, and they shall not be helped! Nay, it shall come on them suddenly, and shall dumbfounder them, and they shall not be able to repel it, nor shall they be respited.
Prophets before thee have been mocked at, but that whereat they jested encompassed those who mocked.
Nay, it shall come on them suddenly, and shall dumbfounder them, and they shall not be able to repel it, nor shall they be respited.
Prophets before thee have been mocked at, but that whereat they jested encompassed those who mocked.
Say, ‘Who shall guard you by night and by day from the Merciful?’ Nay, but they from the mention of their Lord do turn aside.
Have they gods to defend them against us?
These cannot help themselves, nor shall they be abetted against us. - [45] Nay, but we have granted enjoyment to these men and to their fathers whilst life was prolonged. Do they not see that we come to the land and shorten its borders? Shall they then prevail ?
Say, ‘I only warn you by inspiration ;’ but the deaf hear not the call when they are warned. But if a blast of the torment of thy Lord touches them, they will-surely say, ‘O, woe is us! verily, we were wrong-doers!’
We will place just balances upon the resurrection day, and no soul shall be wronged at all, even though it be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, we will bring it;. for we are good enough at reckoning up.
[9] E
50 THE QuR’AN. XXI, 49-66.
We did give to Moses and Aaron the Discrimination, and a light and a reminder to those who fear; [50] who are afraid of their Lord in secret ; and who at the Hour do shrink.
This is a blessed reminder which we have sent down, will ye then deny it?
And we gave Abraham a right direction before ; for about him we knew. When he said to his father and to his people, ‘What are these images to which ye pay devotion ?? Said they, ‘We found our fathers serving them.’ [55] Said he, ‘ Both you and your fathers have been in obvious error.’ They said, ‘Dost thou come to us with the truth, or art thou but of those who play ?’
He said, ‘Nay, but your Lord is Lord of the heavens and the earth, which He originated; and I am of those who testify to this; and, by God! I will plot against your idols after ye have turned and shown me your backs!’
So he brake them all in pieces, except a large one they had; that haply they might refer it to that.
[60] Said they, ‘Who has done this with our gods? verily, he is of the wrong-doers!’ They said, ‘We heard a youth mention them who is called Abraham.’
Said they, ‘Then bring him before the eyes of men; haply they will bear witness.’
Said they, ‘Was it thou who did this to our gods, O Abraham?’ Said he, ‘Nay, it was this largest of them; but ask them, if they can speak.’
[65] Then they came to themselves and said, ‘Verily, ye are the wrong-doers.’ Then they turned
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upside down again': ‘Thou knewest that these cannot speak.’
Said he, ‘Will ye then serve, beside God, what cannot profit you at all, nor harm you? fie upon you, and what ye serve beside God! have ye then no sense ?’
Said they, ‘Burn him, and help your gods, if ye are going to do so!’
We said, ‘O fire! be thou cool and a safety for Abraham !’
fie upon you, and what ye serve beside God! have ye then no sense ?’
Said they, ‘Burn him, and help your gods, if ye are going to do so!’
We said, ‘O fire! be thou cool and a safety for Abraham !’
[7o] They desired to plot against him, but we made them the losers.
And we brought him and Lot safely to the land which we have blessed for the world, and we bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob as a fresh gift, and each of them we made righteous persons ; and we made them high priests? to guide (men) by our bidding, and we inspired them to do good works, and to be steadfast in prayer, and to give alms; and they did serve us.
And Lot, to him we gave judgment and knowledge, and we brought him safely out of the city which had done vile acts; verily, they were a people who wrought abominations! [75] And we made him enter into our mercy;-verily, he was of the righteous!
And Noah, when he cried aforetime, and we answered him and saved him and his people from the mighty trouble, and we helped him against the people who said our signs were lies; verily,
1 Literally, “they turned upside down upon their heads,’ the relapsed into belief in their idols. * See Part I, p. 17, note 1.
E2
52 THE QuR’AN. XXI, 76-84.
they were a bad people, so we drowned them all together.
And David and Solomon, when they gave judgment concerning the field, when some people’s sheep had strayed therein at night; and we testified to their judgment?; and this we gave Solomon to understand. To each of them we gave judgment and knowledge; and to David we subjected the mountains to celebrate our praises, and the birds too,—it was we who did it?
[80]. And we taught him the art of making coats of mail for you, to shield you from each other's violence; are ye then grateful ?
And to Solomon (we subjected) the wind blowing stormily, to run on at his bidding to the land * which we have blessed,—for all things did we know,—and some devils to dive for him, and to do other works beside that ; and we kept guard over them.
And Job, when he cried to his Lord, ‘ As for me, harm has touched me, but Thou art the most merciful of the merciful ones.’ And we answered
1 This case, say the commentators, being brought before David and Solomon, David said that the owner of the field should take the sheep in compensation for the damage; but Solomon, who was only eleven years old at the time, gave judgment that the owner of the field should enjoy the produce of the sheep—that is, their milk, wool, and lambs—until the shepherd had restored the field to its former state of cultivation, and this judgment was approved by David.
* This legend, adopted from the Talmud, arises from a too literal interpretation of Psalm cxlviii.
* This legend, adopted from the Talmud, arises from a too literal interpretation of Psalm cxlviii.
® The legend of Solomon, his seal inscribed with the holy name by which he could control all the powers of nature, his carpet or throne that used to be transported with him on the wind wherever he pleased, his power over the ginns, and his knowledge of the language of birds and beasts are commonplaces in Arabic writings.
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him, and removed from him the distress that was upon him; and we gave his family, and the like of them with them, as a mercy from us, and a remembrance to those who serve us.
[85] And Ishmael, and Idrts, and Duu ’1 Kifl}, all of these were of the patient: and we made them enter into our mercy; verily, they were among the righteous.
And Duu ’nnfin?, when he went away in wrath and thought that we had no power over him; and he cried out in the darkness, ‘There is no god but Thou, celebrated be Thy praise! Verily, I was of the evildoers!’ And we answered him, and saved him from the trouble. Thus do we save believers!
And Zachariah, when he cried unto his Lord, ‘O Lord! leave me not alone; for thou art the best of heirs*” [90] And we answered him, and bestowed upon him John; and we made his wife right for him; verily, these vied in good works, and called on us with longing and dread, and were humble before us.
And she who guarded her private parts, and we breathed into her of our Spirit, and we made her and her son a sign unto the worlds. Verily, this your nation* is one natioi; and I am your Lord, so serve me.
1 That is, Elias, or, as some say, Joshua, and some say Zachatiah, so called because he had a portion from God Most High, and guaranteed his people, or because he had double the work of the prophets of his time and their reward; the word Kifl being used in the various senses of ‘portion,’ ‘sponsorship,’ and ‘double.’ —Baidhavi.
2 Literally, ‘he of the fish,’ that is, Jonah.
5 See Part II, p. 27.
‘ The word ‘ummatun’ is here used in the sense rather of
54 THE QuR’AN. XXI, 93-103.
But they cut up their affair amongst themselves; they all shall return to us; and he who acts aright, and he who is a believer, there is no denial of his efforts, for, verily, we will write them down for him. [95] There is a ban upon a city which we have destroyed that they shall not return, until Yagdg and Magtg are let out!, and they from every hummock ? shall glide forth.
And the true promise draws nigh, and lo! they are staring—the eyes of those who misbelieve! O, woe is us! we were heedless of this, nay, we were wrong-doers !
Verily, ye, and what ye serve beside God, shall be the pebbles of hell, to it shall ye go down!
Had these been God’s they would not have gone down thereto: but all shall dwell therein for aye; [100] for them therein is groaning, but they therein shall not be heard.
Verily, ye, and what ye serve beside God, shall be the pebbles of hell, to it shall ye go down!
Had these been God’s they would not have gone down thereto: but all shall dwell therein for aye; [100] for them therein is groaning, but they therein shall not be heard.
Verily, those for whom the good (reward) from us was fore-ordained, they from it shall be kept far away; they shall not hear the slightest sound thereof, and they in what their souls desire shall dwell for aye. The greatest terror shall not grieve them ; and the angels shall meet them, (saying), ‘This is your day which ye were promised !’
‘religion,’ regarding the various nations and generations as each professing and representing a particular faith, and means that the religion preached to the Meccans was the same as that preached to their followers by the various prophets who are mentioned in this chapter.
1 See Part II, p. 25.
* “Hadab, some read gadath, ‘ grave.’
> See Part I, p. 4, 1.1.
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The day when we will roll up the heavens as es-Sigill rolls up the books?; as we produced it at-its first creation will we bring it back again— a promise binding upon us; verily, we are going to do it. And already have we written in the Psalms [105] after the reminder that ‘the earth shall my righteous servants inherit ®’
Verily, in this is preaching for a’ people who serve me!
We have only sent thee as a mercy to the worlds.
Say, ‘I am only inspired that your God is one God; are ye then resigned?’ But if they turn their backs say, ‘I have proclaimed (war) against all alike, but I know not if what ye are threatened with be near or far!’
[110] Verily, He knows what is spoken openly, and He knows what ye hide.
I know not, haply it is a trial for you and a provision for a season.
Say, ‘My Lord! judge thou with truth! and our Lord is the Merciful whom we ask for aid against what they ascribe!’
1 Es-Sigill is the name of the angel who has charge of the book on which each human being’s fate is written, which book he rolls up at a person’s death. The word, however, may mean a scroll or register, and the passage may be rendered, ‘like the rolling up of a scroll for writings.’
2 Psalm xxxvii. 29.
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Tue CHAPTER OF THE PILGRIMAGE.
(XXII. Mecca.)
Jas the name of the merciful and compassionate God. .
O ye folk! fear your Lord. Verily, the earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing.
On the day ye shall see it, every suckling woman shall be scared away from that to which she gave suck; and every pregnant woman shall lay down her load; and thou shalt see men drunken, though they be not drunken: but the torment of God is severe. ,
And amongst men is one who wrangles about God without knowledge, and follows every rebellious devil; against whom it is written down that whoso takes him for a patron, verily, he will lead him astray, and will guide him towards the torment of the blaze!
,
And amongst men is one who wrangles about God without knowledge, and follows every rebellious devil; against whom it is written down that whoso takes him for a patron, verily, he will lead him astray, and will guide him towards the torment of the blaze!
[5] Oye folk! if ye are in doubt about the raising (of the dead),—verily,.we created you from earth, then from a clot, then from congealed blood, then from a morsel, shaped or shapeless, that we may explain to you. And we make what we please rest in the womb until an appointed time; then we bring you forth babes; then let you reach your full age; and of you are some who die; and of you are some who are kept back till the most decrepit age, till he knows no longer aught of knowledge. And ye see the earth parched, and when we send down water on it, it stirs and swells, and brings forth herbs of every beauteous kind.
That is because God, He is the truth, and because
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He quickens the dead, and because He is mighty over all; and because the Hour is coming, there is no doubt therein, and because God raises up those who are in the tombs.
And amongst men is one who wrangles about God without knowledge or guidance or an illuminating book; twisting his neck from the way of God; for him is disgrace in this world, and we will make him taste, upon the resurrection day, the torment of burning. Lao] That is for what thy hands have done before, and for that God is not unjust unto His servants.
And amongst men is one who serves God (wavering) on a brink; and if there befall him good, he is comforted ; but if there befall him a trial, he turns round again, and loses this world and the next—that isan obvious loss. He calls, besides God, on what can neither harm him nor profit him;—that is a wide error.
He calls on him whose harm is nigher than his profit,— a bad lord and a bad comrade.
Verily, God makes those who believe and do aright enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow ; verily, God does what He will.
(15] He who thinks that God will never help him in this world or the next—let him stretch a cord to the roof and put an end to himself; and let him cut it and see if his stratagem will remove what he is enraged at.
Thus have we sent down manifest signs; for, verily, God guides whom He will.
Verily, those who believe, and those who are
1 The word may also be rendered ‘sky.’
58 THE QuR’AN. XXII, 17-26.
Jews, and the Sabzans, and the Christians, and the Magians, and those who join other gods with God, verily, God will decide between them on the resurrection day; verily, God is witness over all.
Do they not see that God, whosoever is in the heavens adores Him, and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the beasts, and many among men, though many a one deserves the torments ?
Whomsoever God abases there is none to honour him ; verily, God does what He pleases.
Whomsoever God abases there is none to honour him ; verily, God does what He pleases.
[20] These are two disputants! who dispute about their Lord, but those who: misbelieve, for them are cut out garments of fire, there shall be poured over their heads boiling water, wherewith what is in their bellies shall be dissolved and their skins too, and for them are maces of iron. Whenever they desire to come forth therefrom through pain, they are sent back into it: ‘And taste ye the torment of the burning!’
Verily, God will make those who believe and do right enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow; - they shall be bedecked therein with bracelets of gold and with pearls, and their garments therein shall be of silk, and they shall be guided to the goodly speech, and they shall be guided to the laudable way.
[25] Verily, those who misbelieve and who turn men away from God’s path and the Sacred Mosque, which we have made for all men alike, the dweller therein, and the stranger, and he who desires therein profanation with injustice, we will make him taste grievous woe.
1 Namely, the believers and the misbelievers.
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And when we established for Abraham the place of the House, (saying), ‘Associate naught with me, but cleanse my House for those who make the circuits, for those who stand to pray, for those who bow, and for those too who adore.
‘And proclaim amongst men the Pilgrimage ; let them come to you on foot and on every slim camel, from every deep pass, that they may witness advantages for them, and may mention the name of God for the stated days! over what God has provided them with of brute beasts, then eat thereof and feed the badly off, the poor.
[30] ‘Then let them finish the neglect of their persons”, and Jet them pay their vows and make the circuit round the old House.
‘That do. And whoso magnifies the sacred things of God it is better for him with his Lord.
‘Cattle are lawful for you, except what is recited to you; and avoid the abomination of idols, and avoid speaking falsely, being ‘Hantfs to God, not associating aught with Him; for he who associates aught with God, it is as though he had fallen from heaven, and the birds snatch him up, or the wind blows him away into a far distant place.
‘ That—and he who makes grand the symbols? of God, they come from piety of heart.
1 The first ten days of Dxu ’l ‘Higgeh, or the tenth day of that month, when the sacrifices were offered in the vale of Mina, and the three following days.
2 Such as not shaving their heads and other parts of their bodies, or cutting their beards and nails, which are forbidden the pilgrim from the moment he has put on the I‘hram, or pilgrim _ garb, until the offering of the sacrifice at Mina.
’ This means by presenting fine and comely offerings.
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‘Therein have ye advantages for an appointed time, then the place for sacrificing them is at the old House.’ ,
’ This means by presenting fine and comely offerings.
p. 41
‘Therein have ye advantages for an appointed time, then the place for sacrificing them is at the old House.’ ,
[35] To every nation have we appointed rites, to mention the name of God over what He has provided them with of brute beasts; and your God is one God, to Him then be resigned, and give glad tidings to the lowly, whose hearts when God is mentioned are afraid, and to those who are patient of what befalls them, and to those who are steadfast in prayer and of what we have given them expend in alms.
The bulky (camels) we have made for you one of the symbols of God, therein have ye good; so mention the name of God over them as they stand in a row}, and when they fall down (dead) eat of them, and feed the easily contented and him who begs.
Thus have we subjected them to you; haply, ye may give thanks!
Their meat will never reach to God, nor yet their blood, but the piety from you will reach to Him.
Thus hath He subjected them to you that ye may magnify God for guiding you: and give thou glad tidings to those who do good.
Verily, God will defend those who believe; verily, God loves not any misbelieving traitor.
[40] Permission is given to those who fight because they have been wronged,—and, verily, God to help them has the might,—who have been driven forth from their homes undeservedly, only for that they said, ‘Our Lord is God;’ and were it not for God’s repelling some men with others, cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein God’s name is
1 Waiting to be sacrificed.
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mentioned much, would be destroyed. But God will surely help him who helps Him; verily, God i is powerful, mighty.
Who, if we stablish them in the earth, are steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and bid what is right, and forbid what is wrong; and God’s is the future of affairs.
But if they call thee liar, the people of Noah called him liar before them, as did ‘Ad and Thamdd, and the people of Abraham, and the people of Lot, and the fellows of Midian; and Moses was called a liar too: but I let the misbelievers range at large, and then I seized on them, and how great was the change!
And how many a city have we destroyed while it yet did wrong, and it was turned over on its roofs, and (how many) a deserted well and lofty palace!
[45] Have they not travelled on through the land ? and have they not hearts to understand with, or ears to hear with ? for it is not their eyes which are blind, but blind are the hearts which are within their breasts, _
They will bid thee hasten on the torment, but God will never fail in his promise; for, verily, a day with thy Lord is as a thousand years of what ye number.
And to how many a city have I given full range while it yet did wrong! then I seized on it, and unto me was the return.
And to how many a city have I given full range while it yet did wrong! then I seized on it, and unto me was the return.
Say, ‘O ye folk! I am naught but a plain warner to you, but those who believe and do right, for them is forgiveness and a generous provision; [50] but those who strive to discredit our signs, they are the fellows of hell!’
62 THE QurR’AN. XXII, sr-ge.
We have not sent before thee any apostle or prophet, but that when he wished, Satan threw not something into his wish!; but God annuls what Satan throws ; then does God confirm his signs, and God is knowing, wise—to make what Satan throws a trial unto those in whose hearts is sickness, and those whose hearts are hard; and, verily, the wrongdoers are in a wide schism—and that those who have been given ‘the knowledge’ may know that it is the truth from thy Lord, and may believe therein, and that their hearts may be’ lowly; for, verily, God surely will guide those who believe into a right way.
But those who misbelieve will not cease to be in doubt thereof until the Hour comes on them suddenly, or there comes on them the torment of the barren day *.
[55] The kingdom on that day shall be God’s, He shall judge between them; and those who believe
1 Some say that the word tamann4 means ‘reading,’ and the passage should then be translated, ‘but that when he read Satan threw something into his reading;’ the occasion on which the verse was produced being that when Mohammed was reciting the words of the Qur’4n, Chapter LIII, verses 19, 20, ‘Have ye considered Allat and Al ’Huzz4 and Manat the other third?’ Satan put it into his mouth to add, ‘ they are the two high-soaring cranes, and, verily, their intercession may be hoped for;’ at this praise of their favourite idols the Qurais were much pleased, and at the end of the recitation joined the prophet and his followers in adoration. Mohammed, being informed by the angel Gabriel of the reason for their doing so, was much concerned until this verse was revealed for his consolation. The objectionable passage was of course annulled, and the verse made to read as it now stands.
8 Either ‘the day of resurrection,’ as giving birth to no day after it, or, ‘a day of battle and defeat,’ that makes mothers childless, such as the infidels experienced at Bedr.
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and do aright shall be in gardens of pleasure, but those who misbelieve and say our signs are lies, these—for them is shameful woe.
And those who flee in God’s way, and then are slain or die, God will provide them with a goodly provision ; for, verily, God is the best of providers.
He shall surely make them enter by an entrance that they like ; for, verily, God is knowing, clement.
That (is so). Whoever punishes with the like of what he has been injured with, and shall then be outraged again, God shall surely help him; verily, God pardons, forgives.
He shall surely make them enter by an entrance that they like ; for, verily, God is knowing, clement.
That (is so). Whoever punishes with the like of what he has been injured with, and shall then be outraged again, God shall surely help him; verily, God pardons, forgives.
[60] That for that God joins on the night to the day, and joins on the day to the night, and that God is hearing, seeing; that is for that God is the truth, and for that what ye call on beside Him is falsehood, and that God is the high, the great.
Hast thou not seen that God sends down from the sky water, and on the morrow the earth is green? verily, God is kind and well aware.
His is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth ; and, verily, God is rich and to be praised.
Hast thou not seen that God has subjected for you what is in the earth, and the ship that runs on in the sea at His bidding, and He holds back the sky from falling on the earth save at His bidding !? verily, God to men is gracious, merciful.
[65] He it is who quickens you, then makes you
1 As it will do at the last day. The words of the text might also be rendered ‘withholds the rain,’ though the commentators do not seem to notice this sense.
64 THE QuR’AN. ' XXII, 6g-78.
die, then will He quicken you again—verily, man is indeed ungrateful.
For every nation have we made rites which they observe ; let them not then dispute about the matter, but call upon thy Lord; verily, thou art surely in a right guidance !
But if they wrangle with thee, say, ‘God best knows what ye do.’
God shall judge between them on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they disagreed.
Didst thou not know that God knows what is in the heavens and the earth? verily, that is in a book ; verily, that for God is easy.
[70] And they serve beside God what He has sent down no power for, and what they have no knowledge of; but the wrong-doers shall have none to help them.
When our signs are read to them manifest, thou mayest recognise in the faces of those who misbelieve disdain; they well-nigh rush at those who recite to them our signs. Say, ‘Shall I inform you of something worse than that for you, the Fire which God has promised to those who misbelieve ?
an evil journey shall it be!’ ~ O ye folk! a parable is struck out for you, so listen to it. Verily, those on whom ye call beside God could never create a fly if they all united together to do it, and if the fly should despoil them of aught they could not snatch it away from it—weak is both the seeker and the sought.
They do not value God at His true value; verily, God is powerful, mighty.
God chooses apostles of the angels and of men; verily, God hears and sees. [75] He knows what is
XXII, 7g-XXIII, 14. THE CHAPTER OF BELIEVERS. 65 before them and what is behind them; and unto God affairs return.
They do not value God at His true value; verily, God is powerful, mighty.
God chooses apostles of the angels and of men; verily, God hears and sees. [75] He knows what is
XXII, 7g-XXIII, 14. THE CHAPTER OF BELIEVERS. 65 before them and what is behind them; and unto God affairs return.
O ye who believe! bow down and adore, and serve your Lord, and do well, haply ye may prosper ; and fight strenuously for God, as is His due. He has elected you, and has not put upon you any hindrance by your religion—the faith of your father Abraham. He has named you Muslims before and in this (book), that the Apostle may be a witness against you, and that ye may be witnesses against men.
Be ye then steadfast in prayer, and give alms, and hold fast by God; He is your sovereign, and an excellent sovereign, and an excellent help!
Tue CHAPTER OF BELIEVERS. (XXIII. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
Prosperous are the believers who in their prayers are humble, and who from vain talk turn aside, and who in almsgiving are active. [5] And who guard their private parts—except for their wives or what their right hands possess for then, verily, they are not to be blamed ;—but whoso craves aught beyond that, they are the transgressors—and who observe their trusts and covenants, and who guard well their prayers: [10] these are the heirs who shall inherit Paradise ; they shall dwell therein for aye!
We have created man from an extract of clay;
_ then we made him a clot in a sure depository; then [9] F
66 THE Qur’AN. XXIM, 14-27.
we created the clot congealed blood, and we created the congealed blood a morsel; then we created the morsel bone, and we clothed the bone with flesh ; then we produced it another creation; and blessed be God, the best of creators !!
[15] Then shall ye after that surely die; then shall ye on the day of resurrection be raise
And we have created above you seven roads?; nor are we heedless of the creation.
And we send down from the heaven water by measure, and we make it rest in the earth; but, verily, we are able to take it away; and we produce for you thereby gardens of palms and grapes wherein ye have many fruits, and whence ye eat.
[20] And a tree growing out of Mount Sinai which produces oil, and a condiment for those who eat.
And, verily, ye have a lesson in the cattle; we give you to drink of what is in their bellies; and ye have therein many advantages, and of them ye eat, and on them and on ships ye are borne!
We sent Noah unto his people, and he said, ‘O my people! worship God, ye have no god but Him ; do ye then not fear ?’
Said the chiefs of those who misbelieved among his people, ‘This is nothing but a mortal like yourselves who wishes to. have preference over you, and had God pleased He would have sent angels ; we have not heard of this amongst our fathers of yore: [25] he is nothing but a man possessed; let him bide then for a season.’ |