The Qur'ân, Part I: Chapters I–XVI — SBE Vol. 6 (trans. E. H. Palmer, 1880)

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They swore by God with their most strenuous oath, that if there come to them a sign they will indeed believe therein. Say, ‘Signs are only in God's hands; — but what will make you understand that even when one has come, they will not believe ?’

[110] We will overturn their hearts and their eyesights, even as they believed not at first; and we will leave them, in their rebellion, blindly wandering on.

And had we sent down unto them the angels, or the dead had spoken to them, or we had gathered everything unto them in hosts}, they would not have believed unless that God pleased—but most of them are ignorant.

So have we made for every prophet an enemy,— devils of men and ginns; some of them inspire others with specious speech to lead astray; but had your Lord pleased they would not have done it; so leave them with what they do devise.

And let the hearts of those who believe not in the hereafter listen to it; and let them be well pleased with it; and let them gain what they may gain!

Of other than God shall I crave a decree, when it is He who has sent down to you the Book in detail, and those to whom we gave the Book know that it is sent down from your Lord, in truth? be you not then of those who doubt.

[115] The words of your Lord are fulfilled in truth and justice; there is none to change His words, for He both hears and knows.

But if you followest most of those who are in the

1 This word may also be rendered ‘before them’ or ‘a surety '
(for the truth of the revelation).

[6] Kp. 124 land, they will lead you astray from the path of God; they only follow suspicion and they only (rest on) conjecture.

Your Lord, He knows best who errs from His path, and He knows best the guided.

Eat then of what God’s name has been pronounced over, if you believe in His signs. What ails you that you do not eat from what God’s name ispronounced over, when He has detailed to you what is unlawful for you? Save what you are forced to; but, verily, many will lead you astray by their fancies, without knowledge. Verily, your Lord knows best the transgressors.

[120] Leave alone the outside of sin and the inside thereof; verily, those who earn sin shall be recompensed for what they have gained.

But eat not of what the name of God has not been pronounced over, for, verily, it is an abomination. Verily, the devils inspire their friends that they may wrangle with you; but if you obey them, verily, you are idolaters.

Is he who was dead and we have quickened him, and made for him a light, that he might walk therein amongst men, like him whose likeness is in the darkness whence he cannot come forth ? Thus is made seemly to the misbelievers what they have done.

And thus have we placed in every town the great sinners thereof, that they may use craft therein; but they use not craft except against themselves, although they do not understand.

Thus is made seemly to the misbelievers what they have done.

And thus have we placed in every town the great sinners thereof, that they may use craft therein; but they use not craft except against themselves, although they do not understand.

And when there comes to them a sign, they say, ‘We will not believe until we are brought like what the apostles were brought ;’ God knows best wherep. 131 to put His message. There shall befall those who sin, meanness in God’s eyes, and grievous torment for the craft they used.

[125] Whomsoever God wishes to guide, He expands His breast to Islam; but whomsoever He wishes to lead astray, He makes his breast tight and straight, as though he would mount up into heaven!; thus does God set His horror on those who do not believe.

This is the way of your Lord—straight. We have detailed the signs unto a mindful people; for them is an abode of peace; and their Lord, He is their patron for what they have done.

And on the day when He shall gather them all together, ‘O assembly of the ginns! you have got much out of mankind.’ And their clients from among mankind shall say, ‘O our Lord! much advantage had we one from another;’ but we reached our appointed time which you had appointed for us. Says He, ‘The fire is your resort, to dwell therein for aye! save what God pleases; verily, your Lord is wise and knowing.’ .

Thus do we make some of the unjust patrons of the others, for that which they have earned.

[130] O assembly of ginns and men! did there not come to you apostles from among yourselves, relating to you our signs, and warning you of the meeting of this very day of yours? They say, ‘We bear witness against ourselves.’ The life of this world deceived them, ard they bear witness against themselves that they were unbelievers. .

1 That is, makes him appear as one who would attempt some great but impossible thing and fails therein,

K2

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That is because your Lord would never destroy towns unjustly while their people are careless; but for every one are degrees of what they have done ; and your Lord is not careless of that which they do.

Your Lord is rich, merciful ; if He pleases He will take you off, and will cause what He pleases to succeed you; even as He raised you up from the seed of other people.

Verily, what you are promised will surely come, nor can you frustrate it.

[135] Say, ‘O my people! act according to your power, verily, I am acting too; and soon shall you know whose is the future of the abode!’ verily, the unjust shall not prosper.

They set apart for God, from what He raises of tilth and of cattle, a portion, and they say, ‘ This is God’s ;’—as they pretend—‘and this is for our associates!;’ but that which is for their associates reaches not to God, and that which was for God does reach to their associates ;—evil is it what they judge”.

Thus too have their associates made seemly to many of the idolaters the killing of their children 8,

1 Tie. the idols.

* The pagan Arabs used to set apart certain of the produce of their fields to Allah the chief God, and other portions to minor deities of their pantheon. The fruits of the portion of the latter were reserved for the priests, who were careful to restore to their lot anything that might have fallen into that of Allah, but seldom troubled themselves to do the converse. This custom survives to a certain extent in the desert to the present day, where one tree in every district is devoted to patron saints, and allowed to grow untouched, although the others in the neighbourhood are hacked to pieces as food for camels,

8 Alluding both to human sacrifices to idols and the cruel custom of burying female children alive. See Introduction,p. 133 to destroy them, and to obscure for them their religion!; but had God pleased they would not have done it, leave them alone and that which they have forged.

And they say, ‘These cattle and tilth are inviolable; none shall taste thereof, save such as we please’— as they pretend—and there are cattle whose backs are prohibited, and cattle over whom God’s name is not pronounced,—forging a lie against Him! He shall reward them for what they have forged.

{t40] And they say, ‘What is in the wombs of these cattle is unlawful for our wives, but if it be (born) dead, then are they partners therein.’ He will reward them for their attribution; verily, He is wise and knowing.

Losers are they who kill their children foolishly, without knowledge, and who prohibit what God has bestowed upon them, forging a lie against God; they have erred and are not guided.

He it is who brought forth gardens with trailed? and untrailed vines, and the palms and corn land, with various food, and olives, and pomegranates, alike and unlike. Eat from the fruit thereof whene’er it fruits, and bring the dues thereof on the day of harvest, and be not extravagant; verily, He loves not the extravagant.

Of cattle are there some to ride on and to spread®.
Eat of what God has bestowed upon you, and follow

1 That is, to obscure what little trace it had of the original faith of Abraham the ‘Hanff.

* Trailed over an ‘Arfsh, that is, a sort of hut made of boughs.

5 That is, spread out when slaughtered, or from the hides and wool, &c., of which a bed (farsh) is made.

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not the footsteps of Satan; verily, he is to you an open foe.