NAS;r REVEAL

OF THE MOST

his throne, to take on himself the government of all things. There is no intercessor, but by his permission.x This is GOD, your LORD; therefore serve him. Will ye not consider? Unto him shall ye all return according to the certain promise of GOD; for he produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return again; that he may reward those who believe and do that which is right, with equity. But as for the unbelievers, they shall drink boiling water, and they shall suffer

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t when we deliver him from his affliction, he continueth his former course of life, as though he had not called upon us to defend him against the evil which had befallen him. Thus was that which the transgressors committed prepared for them. We have formerly destroyed the generations who were before you, O men of Mecca, when they had acted unjustly, and our apostles had come unto them with evident miracles and they would not believe. Thus do we reward the wicked people. Afterwards did we cause you to succeed them in the earth; that we might see how ye would act. When our evident signs are recited unto them, they who hope not to meet us at the resurrection, say, Bring a different Koran from this; or make some change therein. Answer, It is not fit for me, that I should change it at my pleasure: I follow that only which is revealed unto me. Verily I fear if I should be disobedient unto my LORD,

r exercised himself in composing verses or orations whereby he might acquire the art of rhetoric, or elegance of speech.2 A flagrant proof, says al Beidawi, that this book could be taught him by none but God. b See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. I. p. 12, &c. c viz., That he hath equals or companions either in heaven or on earth; since he acknowledgeth none. d

Abulfeda, Vit. Moh. c. 7. 2

they call upon GOD, exhibiting the pure religion unto him,g and saying, Verily if thou deliver us from this peril, we will be of those who give thanks. But when he hath delivered them, behold, they behave themselves insolently in the earth, without justice. O men, verily the violence which ye commit against your own souls, is for the enjoyment of this present life only; afterwards unto us shall ye return, and we will declare unto you that which ye have done. Verily the likeness of this present life is no other than as water, which we send down from heaven, and wherewith the productions of the earth are mixed, of which men eat, and cattle also, until the earth receive its vesture, and be adorned with various plants: the inhabitants thereof imagine that they have power over the same; but our command cometh

guardian angels. g That is, applying themselves to GOD only, and neglecting their idols; their fears directing them in such an extremity to ask help of him only who could give it. h viz., Paradise. i For their reward will vastly exceed the merit of their good works.

4 See the Pre

xcept error? How therefore are ye turned aside from the truth? Thus is the word of thy LORD verified upon them who do wickedly; that they believe not. Say, Is there any of your companions who produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return unto himself? Say, GOD produceth a creature, and then causeth it to return unto himself. How therefore are ye turned aside from his worship? Say, Is there any of your companions who directeth unto the truth. Say, GOD directeth unto the truth. Whether is he, therefore, who directeth unto the truth, more worthy to be followed; or he who directeth not, unless he be directed? What aileth you therefore, that ye judge as ye do? And the greater part of them follow an uncertain opinion only; but a mere opinion attaineth not unto any truth. Verily GOD knoweth that which they do. This Koran could not have been composed by any except GOD; but it is a confirmation of that which was revealed before it, and an e

ad of interceding for them, as they hoped. Some suppose the angels, who were also objects of the worship of the pagan Arabs, are particularly intended in this place. o Some copies instead of tablu, read tatiu , i.e., shall follow, or meditate upon. p See chapter 2, p. 11, note r. q i.e., There are some of them who are inwar

Al Be

od, if ye speak truth? 50 Answer, I am able neither to procure advantage unto myself, nor to avert mischief from me, but as GOD pleaseth. Unto every nation is a fixed term decreed; when their term therefore is expired, they shall not have respite for an hour, neither shall their punishment be anticipated. Say, Tell me, if the punishment of GOD overtake you by night, or by day, what part thereof will the ungodly wish to be hastened? When it falleth on you, do ye then believe it? Now do ye believe, and wish it far from you, when as ye formerly desired it should be hastened? Then shall it be said unto the wicked, Taste the punishment of eternity; would ye receive other than the reward of that which ye have wrought? They will desire to know of thee, whether this be true. Answer, Yea, by my LORD, it is certainly true; neither shall ye weaken God's power so

use of them. t Either in the world or in the grave. u As if it were but a little while since they parted. But this will happen during the first moments only of the resurrection; for afterwards the terror of the day will disturb and take from them all knowledge of one another.3 x By delivering the prophet and those who believed on him, and destroyi

. 90. 3 Idem. 4 Jall

no change in the words of GOD. This shall be great felicity. Let not their discoursec grieve thee; for all might belongeth unto GOD: he both heareth and knoweth. Is not whoever dwelleth in heaven and on earth subject unto GOD? What therefore do they follow, who invoke idols, besides GOD? They follow nothing but a vain opinion; and they only utter lies. It is he who hath ordained the night for you, that ye may take your rest therein, and the clear day for labor: verily herein are signs unto people who hearken. They say, GOD hath begotten children; GOD forbid! He is self-sufficient. Unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth: ye have no demonstrative proof of this. Do ye speak of GOD that which ye know not? 70 Say, Verily they who imagine a lie concerning GOD shall not prosper. They may enjoy a provision in this world; but afterwards unto us shall they return, and we will then cause them to taste a grievous punishment, for that they were unbelievers. Rehearse unto them the history of Noah:d when he said unt

pter 6, p

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xcuse yourselves by say

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am, Lot, and Shoaib, t

odom, an

n. And when they had cast down their rods and cords, Moses said unto them, The enchantment which ye have performed shall GOD surely render vain; for GOD prospereth not the work of the wicked doers, and GOD will verify the truth of his words, although the wicked be adverse thereto. And there believed not any on Moses, except a generation of his people,h for fear of Pharaoh and of his princes, lest he should afflict them. And Pharaoh was lifted up with pride in the earth, and was surely one of the transgressors. And Moses said, O my people, if ye believe in GOD, put your trust in him, if ye be resigned to his will. They answered, We put our trust in GOD: O LORD, suffer us not to be afflicted by unjust p

re al Zamakhshari supposes that the Israelites are here ordered to dispose their oratories in such a manner that, when they prayed, their faces might be turned towards Mecca; which he imagines was the Kebla of Moses, as it is that of the Mohammedans. The former commentator adds that Pharaoh had forbidden the Israelites to pray to GOD; for which reason they were obliged to perform that duty privately in their houses. k As magnificent apparel, chariot

idawi. 2 J

knowledge had come unto them;p verily thy LORD will judge between them on the day of resurrection, concerning that wherein they disagreed. If thou art in a doubt concerning any part of that which we have sent down unto thee,q ask them who have read the book of the law before thee. Now hath the truth come unto thee from thy LORD; be not therefore one of those who doubt; neither be thou one of those who charge the signs of GOD with falsehood, lest thou become one of those who perish. Verily those against whom the word of thy LORD is decreed, shall not believe, although there come unto them every kind of miracle, until they see the grievous punishment prepared for them. And if it were not so, some city, among the many which have been destroyed,

been revealed, and published by Moses. q That is, concerning the truth of the histories which are here related. The commentators doubt whether the person here spoken to be Mohammed himself or his auditor. r viz., The inhabitants of Ninive, which stood on or near the place where al Mawsel now stands. This people having corrupted themselves with idolatry, Jonas the son of Mattai (or Amittai, which the Mohammedans suppose to be the name of his mother), an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, was sent by God to preach to and reclaim them. When he first began to exhort them to repentance, instead of hearkening to him, they used him very ill, so that he was obliged to le

h iii. 4. 2 Al Beidawi, Jallalo'

you to die: and I am commanded to be one of the true believers. And it was said unto me, Set thy face towards the true religion, and be orthodox; and by no means be one of those who attribute companions unto God; neither invoke, besides GOD, that which can neither profit thee nor hurt thee: for if thou do, thou wilt then certainly become one of the unjust. If GOD afflict thee with hurt, there is none who can relieve thee from it, except he; and if he willeth thee any good, there is non

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