[35] So, verily, I am going to send to them a gift, and will wait to see with what the messengers return.’
And when he came to Solomon, he said, ‘ Do ye proffer me wealth, when what God has given me is better than what He has given you? nay, ye in your gifts rejoice! return to them, for we will surely come to them with hosts which they cannot confront; and we will surely drive them out therefrom mean and made small!’
Said he, ‘O ye chiefs! which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me resigned ?’
Said a demon of the ginns, ‘I will bring’ thee it before thou canst rise up from thy place, for I therein am strong and faithful.’
[40] He who had the knowledge of the Book! said, ‘I will bring it to thee before thy glance can
1 The commentators are uncertain as to whether this was ’Azaf, Solomon’s prime minister, or whether it was the prophet ‘/idhr, or the angel Gabriel, or, indeed, Solomon himself.
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turn. And when he saw it settled down beside him, he said, ‘This is of my Lord’s grace, that He may try me whether I am grateful or ungrateful, and he who is grateful is only grateful for his own soul, and he who is ungrateful,—verily, my Lord is rich and generous.’
Said he, ‘ Disguise for her her throne; let us see whether she is guided, or whether she is of those who are not guided.’ And when she came it was said, ‘Was thy throne like this?’ She said, ‘It might be it;’ and we were given knowledge before her, but we were resigned 1.
But that which she served beside God turned her away ; verily, she was of the unbelieving people. And it was said to her, ‘ Enter the court ;’ and when she saw it, she reckoned it to be an abyss of water, and she uncovered her legs. Said he, ‘ Verily, it is a court paved with glass!’ [45] Said she, ‘My Lord! verily, I have wronged myself, but I am resigned with Solomon to God the Lord of the worlds!’
And we sent unto Thamfd their brother Zali‘h, ‘Serve God;’ but behold, they were two parties who contended !
Said he, ‘O my people! why do ye hasten on evil acts before good deeds? why do ye not ask forgiveness of God? haply ye may obtain mercy.’ They said, ‘We have taken an augury concerning thee and those who are with thee.’ Said he, ‘ Your augury is in God’s hands; nay, but ye are a people who are tried!’
1 Commentators differ as to whether the last words are to be taken as the conclusion of the Queen of Sheba’s speech, or as Solomon’s comment upon it.
104 THE QuR’AN. XXVII, 49-61.
And there were in the city nine persons who despoiled the land and did not right. [50] Said they, ‘Swear to each other by God, we will surely fall on him by night and on his people; then we will surely say unto his next of kin, “We witnessed not the destruction of his. people, and we do surely tell the truth!”’ And they plotted a plot, and we plotted a plot, but they did not perceive. Behold, how was the end of their plot, that we destroyed them and their people all together!
people, and we do surely tell the truth!”’ And they plotted a plot, and we plotted a plot, but they did not perceive. Behold, how was the end of their plot, that we destroyed them and their people all together!
Thus are their houses overturned, for that they were unjust; verily, in that is a sign to people who do know!
But we saved those who believed and who did fear.
[55] And Lot when he said to his people, ‘Do ye approach an abominable sin while ye can see? do ye indeed approach men lustfully rather than ‘ women? nay! ye are a people who are ignorant.’ But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘Drive out Lot’s family from your city! verily, they are a folk who would keep pure,
But we saved him and his family except his wife, her we destined to be of those who lingered ; and we rained down upon them rain, and evil was the rain of those who were warned.
[60] Say, ‘ Praise belongs to God; and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen! Is God best, or what they associate with Him ?? He who created the heavens and the earth; and sends down upon'you from the heaven water; and we cause to grow therewith gardens fraught with beauty; ye could not cause the trees thereof to grow! Is there a god with God? nay, but they are a peoplep. 105 who make peers with Him! He who made the earth, settled, and placed amongst it rivers; and placed upon it firm mountains; and placed between the two seas a barrier; is there a god with God? nay, but most of them know not! He who answers the distressed when he calls upon Him and removes the evil; and makes you successors in the earth; is there a god with God ? little is it that ye are mindful. He who guides you in the darkness, of the land and of the sea; and who sends winds as glad tidings before His mercy; is there a god with God? exalted be God above what they associate with Him! [65] He who began the creation and then will make it return again; and who provides you from the heaven and the earth; is there a god with God? so bring your proofs if ye do speak the truth!
Say, ‘ None in the heavens or the earth know the unseen save only God; but they perceive not when they shall be raised!’—nay, but their knowledge attains to somewhat of the hereafter; nay, but they _ are in doubt concerning it! nay, but they are blind!
And those who disbelieved said, ‘What! when we have become dust and our fathers too, shall we indeed be brought forth? [70] We were promised this, we and our fathers before us, this is nothing but old folks’ tales!’ :
Say, ‘Journey on through the land and see how was the end of the sinners! and grieve not for them, and be not straitened at what they plot.’
They say, ‘When shall this threat be if ye do tell the truth?’ Say, ‘It may be that there is pressing close behind you a part of what ye would hasten on!’ [75] But, verily, thy Lord is full of
106 THE Qur’AN, XXVII, 75-89.
and grieve not for them, and be not straitened at what they plot.’
They say, ‘When shall this threat be if ye do tell the truth?’ Say, ‘It may be that there is pressing close behind you a part of what ye would hasten on!’ [75] But, verily, thy Lord is full of
106 THE Qur’AN, XXVII, 75-89.
grace to men, but most of them will not be thankful ; and, verily, thy Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they manifest; and there is no secret thing in the heaven or the earth, save that it is in the perspicuous Book!
Verily, this Qur’4n relates to the people of Israel most of that whereon they do dispute; and, verily, it is a guidance and a mercy to the believers. [80] Verily, thy Lord decides between them by His judgment, for He is mighty, knowing. Rely thou then upon God, verily, thou art: standing on obvious truth. Verily, thou canst not make the dead to hear, and thou canst not make the deaf to hear the call when they turn their backs on thee ; nor art thou a guide to the blind, out of their error : thou canst only make to hear such as believe in our signs, and such as are resigned.
And when the sentence falls upon them we will bring forth a beast out of the earth that shall speak to them, (and say) that, ‘Men of our signs would not be sure.’
[85] And the day when we will gather from every nation a troop of those who said our signs were lies; and they shall be marshalled; until they come, and He will say, ‘Did ye say my signs were lies, when ye had compassed no knowledge thereof? or what is it that ye were doing?’ and the sentence shall fall upon them for that they did wrong, and they shall not have speech.
Did they not see that we have made the night for them to rest in, and the day to see by ? verily, in that are signs to people who believe.
And the day when the trumpet shall be blown and all who are in the heavens and the earth shallp. 107 be startled, save whom God pleases! and all shall come abjectly to Him. [90] And thou shalt see the mountains, which thou dost deem solid, pass away like the passing of the clouds ;—the work of God who orders all things; verily, He is well aware of what ye do!
He who brings a good deed shall have better than it; and from the alarm of that day they shall be safe: but those who bring an evil deed shall be thrown down upon their faces in the fire. Shall ye be rewarded save for what ye have done ?
I am bidden to serve the Lord of this country who has made it sacred, and whose are all things; and I am bidden to be of those who are resigned, and to recite the Qur’4n; and he who is guided he is only guided for himself; and he who errs,— say, ‘I am only of those who warn!’
[95] And say, ‘Praise be to God, He will show you His signs, and ye shall recognise them; for thy Lord is not heedless of what ye do!’
THE CHAPTER OF THE STORY.
(XXVIII. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
(XXVIII. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
T. S. M. Those are the signs of the perspicuous _ Book; we recite to thee from the history of Moses and Pharaoh in truth unto a people who believe.
Verily, Pharaoh was lofty in the land and made the people thereof sects; one party of them he weakened, slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. Verily, he was of the despoilers.
T08 THE QUR'AN. XXVIII, 4-11.
And we wished to be gracious to those who were weakened in the earth, and to make them models, and to make them the heirs; [5] and to establish for them in the earth; and to show Pharaoh and Haman? and their hosts what they had to beware of from them. ,
And we inspired the mother of Moses, ‘Suckle him ; and when thou art afraid for him then throw him into the river, and fear not and grieve not; verily, we are going to restore him to thee, and to make him of the apostles!’
And Pharaoh’s family picked him up that he might be for them a foe and a grief; verily, Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts were sinners.
- And Pharaoh’s wife said, ‘He is a cheering of the eye to me, and to thee. Kill him not; it may be that he will profit us, or that we may take him for a son ;’ for they did not perceive.
And the heart of Moses’ mother was void on the morrow”; she well-nigh disclosed him, had it not been that we bound up her heart that she might be of the believers.
[10] And she said to his sister, ‘Follow him up.’ And she looked after him from afar, and they did not perceive. And we made unlawful for him the wet-nurses*. And she said, ‘Shall I guide you to
1 Haman, according to the Qur’an, is made out to be the prime minister of Pharaoh.
3 Either devoid of patience, according to some, or of anxiety, according to others, or it may be to everything but the thought of Moses.
5 That is, Moses was made to refuse the breast of the Egyptian woman before his sister came to offer her services, and point out a nurse who would rear him.
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the people of a house who will take care of him for you, and who will be sincere respecting him ?’
So we restored him to his mother that her eye might be cheered, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of God is true, though most of them know not.
And when he reached puberty, and was settled, we gave him judgment and knowledge; for thus do we reward those who do well. And he entered into the city at the time the people thereof were heedless, and he found therein two men fighting; the one of his sect and the other of his foes. And he who was of his sect asked his aid against him who was of his foes; and Moses smote him with his fist and finished him. Said he, ‘This is of the work of Satan, verily, he is a misleading obvious foe.’
[15] Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I have wronged my soul, but forgive me. So He forgave him; for He is forgiving and merciful.
Said he, ‘This is of the work of Satan, verily, he is a misleading obvious foe.’
[15] Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I have wronged my soul, but forgive me. So He forgave him; for He is forgiving and merciful.
Said he, ‘My Lord! for that Thou hast been gracious to me, I will surely not back up the sinners.’
And on the morrow he was afraid in the city, expectant. And behold, he whom he had helped the day before cried (again) to him for aid. Said Moses to him, ‘ Verily, thou art obviously quarrelsome. And when he wished to assault him who was the enemy to them both, he said, ‘O Moses! dost thou desire to kill me as thou didst kill a person yesterday ? thou dost only desire to be a tyrant in the earth; and thou dost not desire to be of those who do right!’ And a man came from the remote parts of the city running, said he, ‘O Moses! verily, the chiefs are deliberating concerning thee to killp. 28 thee; go then forth ; verily, I am to you a sincere adviser !”
[20] So he went forth therefrom, afraid and expectant. Said he, ‘Lord, save me from the unjust people !’
And when he turned his face in the direction of Midian, he said, ‘It may be that my Lord will guide me to a level path!’ And when he went down to the water of Midian he found thereat a nation of people watering their flocks.
And he found beside them two women keeping back their flocks. Said he, ‘What is your design ?’ They said, ‘We cannot water our flocks until the herdsmen have finished ; for our father is a very old man.’ So he watered for them; then he turned back towards the shade and said, ‘My Lord! verily, I stand in need of what Thou sendest down to me of good.’
[25] And one of the two came to him walking modestly; said she, ‘Verily, my father calls thee, to reward thee with hire for having watered our flocks for us. And when he came to him and related to him the’ story, said he, ‘Fear not, thou art safe from the unjust people.’ Said one of them, ‘O my sire! hire him; verily, the best of those whom thou canst hire is the strong and faithful.’
Said he, ‘Verily, I desire to marry thee to one of these: daughters of mine, on condition that thou dost serve me for hire eight years; and if thou shalt fulfil ten it is of thyself; for I do not wish to make it wretched for thee; thou wilt find me, - if it please God, of the righteous!’
Said he,‘ That is between you and me; whichever of the two terms I fulfil, let there be no enmity against me, for God over what we say keeps guard.’
XXVIII, 29-36. THE CHAPTER OF THE STORY. IIt
And when Moses had fulfilled the appointed time, and was journeying with his people, he perceived from the side of the mountain a fire; said he to his people, ‘Tarry ye here; verily, I have perceived a fire, haply I may bring you good news therefrom, or a brand of fire that haply ye may be warmed 1,’
[30] And when he came to it he was called to, from.the right side of the wady, in the blessed valley, out of the tree, ‘O Moses! verily, I am God the Lord of the worlds; so throw down thy rod;’ and when he saw it quivering as though it were a snake, he turned away and fled and did not return. ‘O Moses! approach and fear not, verily, thou art amongst the safe. Thrust thy hand into thy bosom, it shall come out white, without hurt; and then fold again thy wing, that thou dost now _ Stretch out through dread; for those are two signs from thy Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs; verily, they are a people who work abomination !’
Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I h&ve killed a person amongst them, and I fear that they will kill me: and my brother Aaron, he is more eloquent of tongue than I; send him then with me as a support, to verify me; verily, I fear that they will call me liar !’
[35] Said He, ‘We will strengthen thine arm with thy brother; and we will make for you both authority, and they shall not reach you in our signs ; ye two and those who follow you shall gain the upper hand.’
And when Moses came to them with our manifest signs, they said, ‘This is only sorcery devised ;
1 See Part II, p. 35, note 1.
p. 46
and we have not heard of this amongst our fathers of yore.’
Moses said, ‘My Lord knows best who comes with guidance from Him, and whose shall be the issue of the abode. Verily, the unjust shall not prosper !’ ’ And Pharaoh said, ‘ Oo ye chiefs! I do not know any god for you except me; then set fire, O Haman! to some clay and make for me a tower, haply I may mount up to the God of Moses ; for, verily, I think he is of those who lie!’
And he grew big with pride, he and his armies in the land, without right; and they thought that they to us should not return. [40] And we overtook him and his army, and we flung them into the sea; behold, then, how was the end of the unjust!
- But we made them models calling to the fire; and on the resurrection day they shall not be helped; and we followed them up in this world with a curse; and on®*the resurrection day they shall be abhorred!
And we gave Moses the Book, after that we had destroyed the former generations, as an insight to men and a guidance and a mercy; haply they may be mindful!
Thou wast not upon the western side when we decided for Moses, but afar off; nor wast thou of the witnesses. [45] But we raised up (other) generations, and life was prolonged for them; and thou wast not staying amidst the people of Midian, reciting to them our signs; but we were sending our apostles.
Nor wast thou by the side of the mountain when we called; but it is a mercy from thy Lord, that
p. 113
Nor wast thou by the side of the mountain when we called; but it is a mercy from thy Lord, thatp. 113 thou mayest warn a people to whom no warner has come before thee; haply they may be mindful! And lest there should befall them a mishap for what their hands-have sent before, and they should say, ‘Our Lord! why didst thou not send to us an apostle ? for we would have followed thy signs and been of the believers.’
And when the truth comes to them from us they say, ‘We are given the like of what Moses was given. Did they not disbelieve in what Moses was given before ?—they say, ‘Two works of sorcery? back up each other;’ and they say, ‘Verily, we do disbelieve in all.’
Say, ‘Bring, then, a book from God which shall be a better guide than both, and I will follow it, if ye do tell the truth!’
[50] And if they cannot answer thee, then know that they follow their own lusts; and who is more in error than he who follows his own lust without guidance from God? verily, God guides not an unjust people !
And we caused the word to reach them, haply they may be mindful!
Those to whom we gave the Book before it, they believe therein; and when it is recited to them they say, ‘We believe in it as truth from our Lord ; verily, we were resigned before it came!’ These shall be given their hire twice over, for that they were patient, and repelled evil with good, and of what we have bestowed upon them give alms.
[55] And when they hear vain talk, they turn away from it and say, ‘We have our works, and ye
1 That is, the Pentateuch and Qur’an. [9] I
p. 63
have your works. Peace be upon you! we do not seek the ignorant!’.
Verily, thou canst not guide whom thou dost like, but God guides whom He pleases; for He knows best who are to be guided.
And they say, ‘ If we follow the guidance we shall be snatched away from the land.’ Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary, to which are imported the fruits of everything as a provision from us? but most of them do not know.
How many a city have we destroyed that exulted in its means of subsistence? These are their dwellings, never dwelt in after them, except a little; for we were the heirs.
But thy Lord would never destroy cities until He sent to the metropolis thereof an apostle, to recite to them our signs; nor would we destroy cities unless their people were unjust. [60] Whatever thing ye may be given, it is a provision for this world’s life and the adornment thereof; but what is with God is better and more enduring ; have ye then no sense?
im Is He to whom we have promised a goodly promise, which he shall meet with, like him to whom we have given the enjoyment of the life of this world, and who upon the resurrection day shall be of the arraigned ?
im Is He to whom we have promised a goodly promise, which he shall meet with, like him to whom we have given the enjoyment of the life of this world, and who upon the resurrection day shall be of the arraigned ?
And on the day when He will call them and will say, ‘Where are those associates which ye did pretend?’ And those against whom the sentence is due shall say, ‘Our Lord! these are those whom we have seduced; we seduced them as we were seduced ourselves: but we clear ourselves to thee ;—they did not worship us!’
p. 115
And it will be said, ‘Call upon your partners ;’ and they will call upon them, but they will not answer them, and they shall see the torment ; would that they had been guided.
[65] And the day when Heshall call them and shall say, ‘ What was it ye answered the apostles ?’ and the history shall be blindly confusing to them on that day, and they shall not ask each other.
But, as for him who turns again and believes and does right, it may be that he will be among the ‘prosperous. For thy Lord creates what He pleases and chooses ; they have not the choice! Celebrated be the praise of God! and exalted be He above what they associate with Him!
Thy Lord knows what they conceal in their breasts and what they manifest.
[70] He is God, there is no god but He; to Him belongs praise, in the first and the last; and His is the judgment ; and unto Him shall ye return!
Have ye considered, if God were to make for you the night endless until the resurrection day, who is the god, but God, to bring you light? can ye not then hear ?
Say, ‘Have ye considered, if God were to make for you the day endless until the day of judgment, who is the god, except God, to bring you the night to rest therein ? can ye not then see?’ But of His mercy He has made for you the night and the day, that ye may rest therein, and crave of His grace, haply ye may give thanks.
And the day when He shall call them and shall say, ‘Where are my partners whom ye did pretend ?’ [75] And we will pluck from every nation a witness ; and we will say, ‘Bring your proof and know thatp. 12p. 82 the truth is God's ;’ and that which they had devised shall stray away from them.
Verily, Korah! was of the people of Moses, and he was outrageous against them; and we gave him treasuries of which the keys would bear down a band of men endowed with strength. When his people said to him, ‘ Exult not; verily, God loves not those who exult! but crave, through what God has given thee, the future-abode; and forget not thy portion in this world, and do good, as God has done good to thee ; and seek not evil doing in the earth; verily, God loves not the evildoers !’ |
Said he, ‘I have only been given it for knowledge which I have!’ did he not know that God had destroyed before him many generations of those who were stronger than he, and had amassed more ? But the sinners need not to be asked concerning their crimes.
But the sinners need not to be asked concerning their crimes.
And he went out amongst the people in his ornaments; those who desired the life of this world said, *O would that we had the like of what Korah has been given! verily, he is endowed with mighty fortune !’
[80] But those who had been given knowledge said, ‘Woe to you! the reward of God is better for him who believes and does right; but none shall meet with it except the patient. And we clave the earth with him and with his house; and he had no troop to help him against God, nor was he of those who were helped!’
And on the morrow those who had yearned for
1 In Arabic Qarfin. The legend based upon Talmudic tradition of Korah’s immense wealth appears to be also confused with that of Croesus.
XXVIII, 82—XX1IX,1. THE CHAPTER OF THE SPIDER. II7
his place the day before said, ‘Ah, ah! God extends provision to whom He pleases of His servants, or He doles it out; had not God been gracious to us, the earth would have cleft open with us! Ah, ah! the unbelievers shall not prosper !’
That is the future abode; we make it for those who do not wish to be haughty in the earth, nor to do evil, and the end is for the pious.
He who brings a good deed shall have better than it; and he who brings an evil deed—those who do evil deeds shall only be rewarded for that which they have done. [85] Verily, He who hath ordained the Qur’an for thee will restore thee to thy returning place. Say, ‘My Lord knows best who brings guidance, and who is in obvious error; nor couldst thou hope that the Book would be thrown to thee, save as a mercy from thy Lord! be not then a backer up of those who misbelieve ; and let them not turn thee from the signs of God, after they have been sent down to thee; but call unto thy Lord and be not of the idolaters; and call not with God upon any other god; there is no god but He! everything is perishable, except His face ; His is the judgment, and unto Him shall ye return!
Tue CHAPTER OF THE SPIDER. (X XIX. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
A. L. M. Do men then reckon that they will be left alone to say, ‘We believe, and not be tried ?
118 THE QuR’AN. XXIX, 2-12.
we did try those who were before them, and God will surely know those who are truthful, and He will surely know the liars. Do those who do evil reckon that they can outstrip us ? evil is it that they judge.
He who hopes for the meeting of God,—verily, God’s appointed time will come ; and He both hears and knows! [5] And he who fights strenuously, fights strenuously only for his own soul; verily, God is independent of the worlds.
Those who believe and do right, we will surely cover for them their offences; and we will surely reward them with better than that which they have done.
[5] And he who fights strenuously, fights strenuously only for his own soul; verily, God is independent of the worlds.
Those who believe and do right, we will surely cover for them their offences; and we will surely reward them with better than that which they have done.
And we have enjoined on man kindness to his parents; and if they strive with thee that thou mayest join with me, what thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not; to me is your return, and I will inform you of that which ye have done.
But those who believe and do right, we will make them enter amongst the righteous.
_ And there are those among men who say, ‘We believe in God!’ but when they are hurt in God’s cause, they deem the trials of men like the torment of God; but if help come from thy Lord they will say, ‘Verily, we were with you!’ does not God know best what is in the breasts of the worlds? [10] God will surely know those who believe, and will surely know the hypocrites.
And those who misbelieved said to those who believed, ‘ Follow our path, we will bear your sins ;’ but they could not bear their sins at all; verily, they are liars! But they shall surely bear their own burdens, and burdens with their burdens; andp. 119 they shall surely be asked upon the resurrection day concerning what they did devise.
And we sent Noah to his people, and he dwelt among them for a thousand years save fifty years ; and the deluge overtook them while they were unjust: but we saved him and the fellows of the ark, and we made it a sign unto the worlds.
And Abraham when he said to his people, ‘Serve God and fear Him, that is better for you if ye did but know. [15] Ye only serve beside God idols and do create a lie; verily, those whom ye serve beside God cannot control for themselves provision; then crave provision with God, and serve Him, and give thanks to Him; unto Him shall ye return! And if ye say it is a lie, nations before you called (the apostles) liars too; but an apostle has only his plain message to preach!’
Have they not seen how God produces the creation, and then turns it back? verily, that to God is easy.
Say, ‘Journey ye on in the land, and behold how the creation appeared; then God produces another production: verily, God is mighty over all!’
[20] He torments whom He will, and has mercy on whom He will; and unto Him shall ye be returned.
Nor can ye make Him helpless in the earth, nor in the heavens; nor have ye beside God a patron or a helper.
And those who disbelieve in God’s signs and in meeting with Him, these shall despair of my mercy; and these, for them is grievous woe.
But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘Kill him or burn him!’ But God saved him from
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the fire ; verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe.
But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘Kill him or burn him!’ But God saved him from
p. 33
the fire ; verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe.
He said, ‘ Verily, ye take beside God _ idols, through mutual friendship in the life of this world ; then on the day of judgment ye shall deny each . other, and shall curse each other, and your resort shall be the fire, and ye shall have none to help.’
[25] And Lot believed him. And (Abraham) said, ‘Verily, I flee unto my Lord! Verily, He is mighty, wise! and we granted him Isaac and Jacob; and we placed in his seed prophecy and the Book ; and we gave him his hire in this world ; and, verily, he in the next shall be among the righteous.’
And Lot when he said to his people, ‘ Verily, ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in! What! do ye approach men ? and stop folks on the highway ? and approach in your assembly sin ?’ but the answer of his people was only to say, ‘ Bring us God’s torment, if thou art of those who speak the truth!’
Said he, ‘My Lord! help me against a people who do evil!’
[30] And when our messengers came to Abraham with the glad tidings, they said, ‘We are about to destroy the people of this city. Verily, the people thereof are wrong-doers.’
Said he, ‘Verily, in it is Lot ;’ they said, ‘We know best who is therein; we shall of a surety save him and his people, except his wife, who is of those who linger. And when our messengers came to Lot, he was vexed for them, and his arm was straitened for them; and they said, ‘ Fear not, neither grieve ; we are about to save thee and thy people, except thy wife, who is of those who linger. Verily, we
XXIX, 33-42. THE CHAPTER OF THE SPIDER. 12!
are about to send down upon the people of this city a horror from heaven, for that they have sinned ; and we have left therefrom a manifest sign unto a people who have sense.’
[35] And unto Midian ‘we sent their brother Sho’haib, and he said, ‘My people, serve God, and hope for the last day ; and waste not the land, despoiling it.’
But they called him liar; and the convulsion seized them, and on the morrow they lay in their dwellings prone.
And ‘Ad and Thamdd—but it is plain to you from their habitations; for Satan made seemly to them their works, and turned them from the way, sagacious though they were!
And Korah and Pharaoh and Haém&an—Moses did come to them with manifest signs, but they were too big with pride in the earth, although they could not outstrip us!
And each of them we seized in his sin; and of them were some against whom we sent a sandstorm; and of them were some whom the noise seized; and of them were some with whom we cleaved the earth open; and of them were some we drowned: God would not have wronged them, but it was themselves they wronged.
[40] The likeness of those who take, beside God, patrons is as the likeness of a spider, that takes to himself a house; and, verily, the weakest of houses is a spider’s house, if they did but know !
Verily, God knows whatever thing they call upon beside Him; for He is the mighty, wise.
These are parables which we have struck outp. 52 for men; but none will understand them, save those who know.
God created the heavens and the earth in truth ; verily, in this is a sign unto believers.
Recite what has beén revealed to thee of the Book; and be steadfast in prayer; verily, prayer forbids sin and wrong; and surely the mention of God is greater; for God knows what ye do. [45] And do not wrangle with the people of the Book, except for what is better; save with those who have been unjust amongst them and who say, ‘We believe in what is sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one, and we are unto Him resigned.’
Thus did we send down to thee the Book; and every one to whom we have given the Book believes therein. But these will not believe therein; though none gainsay our signs except the misbelievers.
Thou couldst not recite before this any book, nor write it with thy right hand, for in that case those who deem it vain would have doubted. Nay, but it is evident signs in the breasts of those who are endued with knowledge, and none but the unjust would gainsay our signs!
They say, ‘ Unless there be sent.down upon him signs from his Lord —;’ say, ‘Verily, signs are with God, and, verily, I am an obvious warner !’
[50] Is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which thou dost recite to them ? verily, in that is a mercy and a reminder to a people who believe.
Say, ‘God is witness enough between me and you; He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; and those who believe in falsehood andp. 123 misbelieve in God, they shall be the losers.’ They will wish thee to hasten on the torment; but were it not for a stated and appointed time, the torment would have come upon them suddenly, while yet they did not perceive.
They will wish thee to hurry on the torment, but, verily, hell encompasses the misbelievers !
[55] On the day when the torment shall cover them from above them and from beneath their feet, and He shall say, ‘Taste that which ye have done!’
O my servants who believe! verily, my land is spacious enough?; me therefore do ye worship.
Every soul must taste of death, then unto us shall ye return; and those who believe and act aright, we will surely inform them of upper chambers in Paradise, beneath which rivers flow; to dwell therein for aye—pleasant is the hire of those who work! those who are patient and rely upon their Lord!
[60] How many a beast cannot carry its own provision! God provides for it and for you; He both hears and knows!
those who are patient and rely upon their Lord!
[60] How many a beast cannot carry its own provision! God provides for it and for you; He both hears and knows!
And if thou shouldst ask them, ‘Who created the heavens and the earth, and subjected the sun and the moon ?’ they will surely say, ‘God!’ how then can they lie?
God extends provision to whomsoever He will of His servants, or doles it out to him ; verily, God all things doth know.
And if thou shouldst ask them, ‘Who sends down from the heavens water and quickens therewith the
1 T.e. if you are pressed in Mecca, there are plenty of places where you can take shelter, as Mohammed himself and a few of his followers did at Medinah.
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earth in its death ?’ they will surely say, ‘God!’ say, ‘And praise be to God!’ nay, most of them have no sense.
This life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play; but, verily, the abode of the next world, that is life-—if they did but know!
[65] And when they ride in the ship they call upon God, making their religion seem sincere to Him; but when He saves them to the shore, behold, they associate others with Him; that they may disbelieve in our signs; and that they may have some enjoyment: but soon they shall know.
Have they not seen that we have made a safe sanctuary whilst people are being snatched away around them? is it then in falsehood that they — will believe, and for the favours of God be ungrateful ? .
But who is more unjust than he who devises against God a lie, or calls the truth a lie when it comes to him? Is there not in hell a resort for the misbelievers ? but those who fight strenuously for us we will surely guide them into our way, for, verily, God is with those who do well.
Tue CHAPTER OF THE GREEKS}. (XXX. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
The Greeks are overcome in the nighest parts of the land; but after being overcome they shall
1 In Arabic Rom, by which is meant the Byzantine or eastern Roman empire.
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overcome? in a few years; to God belongs the order before and after; and on that day the believers shall rejoice in the help of God ;—God helps whom He will, and He is mighty, merciful. [5]}God’s promise !—God breaks not His promise, but most men do not know !
They know the outside of this world’s life, but of the hereafter they are heedless. Have they not reflected in themselves, that God created not the heavens and the earth, and what is between the two except in truth, and for a stated and appointed time ? but, verily, many men in the meeting of their Lord do disbelieve.
Have they not journeyed on in the land and seen how was the end of those before them who were stronger than they, and who turned up the ground and cultivated it more than they do cultivate it ? and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs; for God would never wrong them: it was themselves they wronged !
and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs; for God would never wrong them: it was themselves they wronged !
Then evil was the end of those who did evil, in that they said the signs of God were lies and mocked thereat.
1 About the beginning of the sixth year before the Higrah the Persians conquered Syria, and made themselves masters also of Palestine, and took Jerusalem. The Greeks were so distressed by their defeat that there appeared little likelihood of their being able to retrieve their fortune, and in the following year the Persians proceeded to lay siege to Constantinople itself. In the year 625 a.p., however, the fourth year before the Higrah, the Greeks gained a signal victory over the Persians, and not only drove them out of the borders of the Byzantine empire, but carried the war into Persian territory, and despoiled the city of Medayen. It is the defeat which is alluded to in this passage, and the subsequent victory that is prophesied, the date of the chapter being ascribed to the period when the Persians took Jerusalem.
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[to] God produces a creation, then He makes it go back again, then unto Him shall ye return.
And on the day when the Hour shall rise, the sinners shall be confused; and they shall not have amongst their partners intercessors; and their partners shall they deny.
And on the day when the Hour shall rise, on that day shall they be scattered apart; and as for those who believe and do right, they in the garden shall be joyful; [15] and as for those who misbelieved and said our signs and the meeting of the hereafter were lies, they shall be in the torment arraigned. |
Celebrated be the praises of God, when ye are in the evening and when ye are in the morning! for to Him belongs praise in the heavens and the earth! and at the evening, and when ye are at noon.
He brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth the dead from the living; and He quickens the earth after its death, and thus shall ye too be brought forth.
And of His signs is this, that He hath created you from dust; then, behold, ye are mortals who are spread abroad.
[20] And of His signs is this, that He hath created for you of yourselves wives with whom ye may cohabit; He has made between you affection and pity. Verily, in that are signs unto a people who reflect.
And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colours; verily, in that are signs unto the worlds?.
? Or, according to another reading, ‘unto those who know;’ cf. Part II, p. 122, line 2.
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And of His signs is your sleep by night and by day; and your craving after His grace. Verily, in that are signs unto a people who do hear.
And of His signs is this, that He shows you lightning for fear and hope; and sends down from the sky water, and quickens therewith the earth after its death; verily, in that are signs unto a people who have sense.
Verily, in that are signs unto a people who do hear.
And of His signs is this, that He shows you lightning for fear and hope; and sends down from the sky water, and quickens therewith the earth after its death; verily, in that are signs unto a people who have sense.
And of His signs is this, that the heavens and the earth stand by His order; then when He calls you from the earth, lo! ye shall come forth. [25] His are those who are in the heavens and the earth, and all to Him are devoted. And He it is who produces a creation and then makes it to go back again; for it is very easy to Him; and His are the loftiest similitudes in the heavens and the earth; and He is the mighty, wise !
He has struck out for you a parable from yourselves ; have ye of what your right hand possess partners in what we have bestowed upon you, so that ye share alike therein? do ye fear them as ye fear each other ?—Thus do we detail the signs unto a people who have sense }.
Nay, when those who are unjust follow their lusts without knowledge,—and who shall guide him whom God has led astray? and they shall have none to help.
Set thy face steadfast towards the religion as an
1 Te. as they, the Meccans, do not consider their slaves their -equals, still less does God hold the false gods they associate with Him to be His equals, it being always remembered that these partexistent, but as supernatural beings, to whom divinity wrongly ascribed.
128 THE QuR’AN. XXX, 29-39.
‘Hantf, according to the constitution whereon God has constituted men; there is no altering the creation of God, that is the standard religion, though most men do not know.
[30] Turn repentant towards Him; and fear Him, and be steadfast in prayer; and be not of the idolaters.
Of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every party in what they have, rejoice.
And when distress touches men they call upon their Lord, repentant towards Him; then when He has made them taste mercy from Himself, behold! a party of them associate others with their Lord, that they may disbelieve in what we have brought them ;—but enjoy yourselves ; for hereafter ye shall know !
Or have we sent down to them authority which speaks of what they do associate with Him ?
[35] And when we have made men taste of mercy, they rejoice therein; and if there befall them evil for what their hands have sent before, behold! they are in despair.
Have they not seen that God extends provision to whom He pleases, or doles it out? verily, in that are signs unto a people who believe.
Then give to the kinsman his due, and to the poor and to the wayfarer; that is better for those who desire the face of God, and these it is who are prosperous.
And what ye put out to usury that it may increase with the wealth of men, it shall not increase with God; but what ye put out in alms, desiring the face of God—these it is who shall gain double.
It is God who created you and then provided for
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And what ye put out to usury that it may increase with the wealth of men, it shall not increase with God; but what ye put out in alms, desiring the face of God—these it is who shall gain double.
It is God who created you and then provided forp. 129 you; and then will make you die, and then will quicken you again; is there any of your partners who can do aught of that? Celebrated be His praises, and exalted be He above what they associate with Him!
[40] Trouble hath appeared in the land and the sea, for what men’s hands have gained! to make them taste a part of that which they have done,— haply they may return!
Say, ‘Journey on in the land, and behold what was the end of those before you,—most of them were idolaters!’
Set thy face steadfast to the standard religion, before there come a day from God which there is no averting ; on that day shall they be parted into two bands.
He who misbelieves, upon him is his misbelief; but whoso does right, for themselves they are spreading couches?:
That He may reward those who believe and do right of His grace; verily, He loves not the misbelievers !
[45] And of His signs is this, that He sends forth the winds with glad tidings, to make you taste of His mercy, and to make the ships go on at His bidding, and that ye may crave of His grace, and haply ye may give thanks.
We have sent before thee apostles unto their people, and they came to them with manifest signs : and we took vengeance upon those who sinned, but due from us it was to help the believers.
_ God it is who sends forth the winds to stir up
1 [In Paradise. [9] K
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clouds ; then He spreads them forth over the sky as he pleases ; and He breaks them up and ye see the rain come forth from amongst them; and when He causes it to fall upon whom He pleases of His servants, behold they hail it with joy, although before it was sent down upon them they were before then confused !
Look then to the vestiges of God's mercy, how He quickens the earth after its death ; verily, that is the quickener of the dead, and He is mighty over all !
[50] But if we should send a wind and they should see it yellow!, they would after that become misbelievers.
But, verily, thou canst not make the dead to hear, nor canst thou make the deaf to hear the call, when they turn their backs and flee; nor hast thou to guide the blind out of their error; thou canst only make those to hear who believe in our signs and who are resigned.
God it is who created you of weakness, then made for you after weakness strength ; then made for you after strength, weakness and grey hairs: He creates what He pleases, for He is the knowing, the powerful!
And on the day when the Hour shall rise, the sinners shall swear [55] that they have not tarried save an hour ; thus were they wont to lie!
And on the day when the Hour shall rise, the sinners shall swear [55] that they have not tarried save an hour ; thus were they wont to lie!
But those who are given knowledge and faith will say, ‘We have tarried according to the Book of God, until the day of -resurrection;’ and thisfis the day of resurrection, but ye—ye do not kn
And on that day their excuse shall profit not
1 T.e. see the young corn parched.
XXX, s7-XXXI,s. THE CHAPTER OF LOQMAN. 131 those who did wrong; nor. shall they be asked to please God again.
We have struck out to men in this Qur’4n every kind of parable; but if thou shouldst bring them a sign! then those who misbelieve will surely say, ‘Ye are but followers of vanity; thus does God set a stamp upon the hearts of those who do not know.’ .
[60] Be thou patient then; verily, God’s promise is true! and let them not flurry thee who are not sure.
THE CyHapTeR OF LogmAn?.
(XXXI. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
A.L.M. These are the signs of the wise Book, a guidance and a mercy to those who do well, who are steadfast in prayer and give alms and who of the hereafter are sure; these are in guidance from their Lord, and these are the prosperous.
[5] And amongst men is one *® who buys sportive legends, to lead astray from God’s path, without knowledge, and to make a jest of it; these, for
1 Te. a verse.
® This sage is generally identified with the Aesop of the Greeks. The legends current in the East concerning him accord exactly with those of the Greek fabulist.
8 An Nadhr ibn al ‘Hareth had purchased in Persia some of the old legends of Rustam and Isfendiar, which were afterwards embodied in the Sh&h-naémeh of Firdausf. These he read to the Qurfis as being more wonderful than the Qur'an.
K2
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them is shameful woe! And when our signs are recited to him, he turns his back, too big with pride, as though he heard them not,—as if in his two ears’ were dulness. But give to him glad tidings of grievous woe!
Verily, those who believe and do right, for them are gardens of pleasure, to dwell therein for aye ;— God’s promise in truth, and He is mighty, wise.
He created the heavens without pillars that ye can see, and He threw upon the earth firm mountains lest it should move with you; and He dispersed thereon every sort of beast; and we send down from the heavens water, and we caused to grow therein of every noble kind.
[10] This is God's creation; show me what others beside Him have created ;—nay, the unjust are in obvious error! .
We did give unto Loqman wisdom, saying, ‘Thank God; for he who thanks God is only thankful for his own soul; and he who is ungrateful—verily, God is independent, worthy of praise!’
And when Loqméan said to his son while admonishing him, ‘O my boy! associate none with God, for, verily, such association is a mighty wrong. —
associate none with God, for, verily, such association is a mighty wrong. —
_ For we have commended his parents to man; his mother bore him with weakness upon weakness ; and his weaning is in two years ;—‘ Be thankful to me and to thy parents; for unto me shall your journey be. But if they strive with thee that thou shouldst associate with me that which thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not. But associate with them in the world with kindness, and follow the way of him.who turns repentant untop. 133 me; then unto me is your return, and I will inform you of that which ye have done !—
[15] ‘O my son! verily, if there were the weight of a grain of mustard seed and it were (hidden) in the rock, or in the heaven, or in the earth, God would bring it (to light). Verily, God is subtle, well aware !
‘O my son! be steadfast in prayer, and bid what is reasonable and forbid what is wrong; be patient of what befalls thee, verily, that is one of the determined affairs.
‘And twist not thy cheek proudly, nor walk in the land haughtily; verily, God loves not every arrogant boaster: but be moderate in thy walk, and lower thy voice; verily, the most disagreeable ¢ of voices is the voice of asses!’
Have ye not seen that God has subjected to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and has poured down upon you His favours, outwardly and inwardly? but amongst men are those who wrangle about God, without knowledge, and without guidance, and without an illuminating book !
[20] And when it is said to them, ‘ Follow what God has sent down;’ they say, ‘ Nay! we will follow what we found our fathers agreed upon ;’—what! though Satan calls them to the torment of the blaze?
But he who resigns his face unto God, and does good, he has grasped the firm handle; unto God is the issue of affairs. But he who misbelieves, let not his misbelief grieve thee; to us is their return, and we will inform them of what they do ;—for, verily, God knows the nature of men’s breasts !
We will let them enjoy themselves a little ; then we will force them to rigorous woe!
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And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘ God.’ Say, ‘Praise be to God!’ but most of them do not know.
[25] God’s is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; verily, God, He is the independent, worthy of praise.
And were the trees that are in the earth pens, and the sea (ink) with seven more seas to swell its tide, the words of God would not be spent ; verily, God is mighty, wise !
Your creation and your rising again are but as that of one soul ; verily, God both hears and sees !
Dost thou not see that God joins on the night to the day, and joins on the day to the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon,—each of them runs on unto an appointed time? and that God of what ye do is well aware ?
Dost thou not see that God joins on the night to the day, and joins on the day to the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon,—each of them runs on unto an appointed time? and that God of what ye do is well aware ?
That is because God, He is true, and because what ye call on beside Him is falsehood, and because God, He is the high, the great!
[30] Dost thou not see that the ship rides on in the sea by the favour of God, that He may show you of His signs? verily, in that are signs to every grateful person.
And when a wave like shadows covers them, they call on God, being sincere in their religion; and when He saves them to the shore, then amongst them are some who halt between two opinions. But none gainsays our signs save every perfidious misbeliever.
O ye folk! fear your Lord and dread the day when the father shall not atone for his son, nor shall the child atone aught for its parent.
XXXI,33-XXXII,g. THE CHAPTER OF ADORATION. 135
Verily, the promise of God is true! Say, ‘ Let not the life of this world beguile you; and let not the beguiler beguile you concerning God.’
Verily, God, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour; and He sends down the rain; and He knows what is in the wombs; and no soul knows what it is that it shall earn to-morrow ; and no soul knows in what land it shall die; verily, God is knowing, well aware !
Tue CHAPTER OF ADORATION. (XXXII. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
A.L.M. The revelation of the Book, there is no doubt therein, from the Lord of the worlds.
Do they say, ‘ He has forged it?’ Nay! it is the truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest warn a people, to whom no warner has come before thee, haply they may be guided.
God it is who created the heavens and the earth and what is between the two in six days; then He made for the throne! ye have no patron beside Him and no intercessor; are ye not then mindful ?
He governs the affair from the heaven unto the earth; then shall it ascend to him in a day, the measure of which is as a thousand years of what ye number.
[5] That is He who knows the unseen and the visible ; the mighty, the merciful, who has made the best of the creation of everything, and produced thep. 19 creation of man from clay; then He made his stock from an extract of despicable water; then He fashioned him and breathed into him of his spirit, and made for you hearing and eyesight and hearts ;— little is it that ye give thanks!
And they say, ‘When we are lost in the earth, shall we then become a new creation ?’ [10] Nay! in the meeting of their Lord they disbelieve.
Say, ‘The angel of death shall take you away, he who is given charge of you; then unto your Lord shall ye be returned,’
And couldst thou see when the sinners hang down their heads before their Lord, ‘O Lord! we have seen and we have heard; send us back then and we will do right. Verily, we are sure!’
we have seen and we have heard; send us back then and we will do right. Verily, we are sure!’
Had we pleased we would have given to everything its guidance; but the sentence was due from me ;—I will surely fill hell with the ginns and with men all together: ‘So taste ye, for that ye forgat the meeting of this day of yours,—verily, we have forgotten you! and taste ye the torment of eternity for that which ye have done!’
[15] They only believe in our signs who when they are reminded of them fall down adoring and celebrate the praises of their Lord, and are not too big with pride. As their sides forsake their beds, they call upon their Lord with fear and hope; and of what we have bestowed upon them do they give alms. No soul knows what is reserved for them of cheerfulness for eye, as a reward for that which they have done! Is he who is a believer like him who is a sinner? they shall not be held equal.
As for those who believe and do right, for themp. 137 are the gardens of resort, an entertainment for that which they have done!
[20] But as for those who commit abomination there resort is the Fire. Every time that they desire to go forth therefrom, we will send them back therein, and it will be said to them, ‘ Taste ye the torment of the fire which ye did call a lie!’ and we will surely make them taste of the torment of the nearer torment beside the greater torment 1,—haply they may yet return.
Who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, and then turns away from them ? Verily, we will take vengeance on the sinners!
And we did give Moses the Book; be not then in doubt concerning the meeting with him ? ; and we made it a guidance to the children of Israel.
And we made amongst them high priests who guided by our bidding, since they were patient and were sure of our signs.
[25] Verily, thy Lord, he shall decide between them on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they do dispute.
Is it not conspicuous to them how many generations we have destroyed before them? they walk
1 Te. the torment of this world as well as that of the next.
? This may refer to the alleged meeting of Mohammed and Moses in heaven during the ‘night journey;’ or it may be translated, ‘the reception of it,’ i.e. the Qur’4n, the expression in Chapter XXVII, 6, being derived from the same root in Arabic, which means ‘to meet.’ The native commentators are divided in opinion as to these two interpretations, It is quite possible, however, that it may mean, ‘be not in doubt as to a meeting with Him,’ and be a mere reiteration of the sentiment so often expressed, that Muslims are to be certain of a meeting with their Lord.
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over their dwellings! verily, in that are signs: do they not then hear?
Have they not seen that we drive the water to the sterile land, and bring forth thereby corn from which their cattle and themselves do eat ? do they not then see?