  ENTITLED, THE TRUE BELIEVER;g REVEALED AT MECCA. IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.H. M.h THE revelation of this book is from the mighty, the wise GOD; the forgiver of sin and the accepter of repentance; severe in punishing; long suffering. There is no GOD but he: before him shall be the general assembly at the last day. None disputeth against the signs of GOD, except the unbelievers: but let not their prosperous dealing in the landi deceive thee with vain allurement. The people of Noah, and the confederated infidels which were after them, accused their respective prophets of imposture before these; and each nation hatched ill designs against their apostle, that they might get him into their power; and they disputed with vain reasoning, that they might thereby invalidate the truth: wherefore I chastised them; and how severe was my punishment! Thus hath the sentence of thy LORD justly passed on the unbelievers; and they shall be the inhabitants of hell fire. The angels who bear the throne of God, and those who stand about it,k celebrate the praise of their LORD, and believe in him; and they ask pardon for the true believers, saying, O LORD, thou encompassest all things by thy mercy and knowledge; wherefore forgive those who repent, and follow thy path, and deliver them from the pains of hell: O LORD, lead them also into gardens of eternal abode, which thou hast promised unto them, and unto every one who shall do right, of their fathers, and their wives, and their children; for thou art the mighty, the wise God. And deliver them from evil; for whomsoever thou shalt deliver from evil on that day, on him wilt thou show mercy; and this will be great salvation. 10But the infidels at the day of judgment, shall hear a voice crying unto them, Verily the hatred of GOD towards you is more grievous than your hatred towards yourselves: since ye were called unto the faith, and would not believe. They shall say, O LORD, thou hast given us death twice, and thou hast twice given us life;l and we confess our sins: is there therefore no way to get forth from this fire? And it shall be answered them, This hath befallen you, for that when one GOD was preached unto you, ye believed not; but if a plurality of gods had been associated with him, ye had believed: and judgment belongeth unto the high, the great GOD. g This title is taken from the passage wherein mention is made of one of Pharaoh's family who believed in Moses. h See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 46, &c. i By trading into Syria and Yaman. See chapter 3, p. 52, note m. k These are the Cherubim, the highest order of angels, who approach nearest to GOD'S presence.1 l Having first created us in a state of death, or void of life and sensation, and then given life to the inanimate body;2 and afterwards caused us to die a natural death, and raised us again at the resurrection. Some understand the first death to be a natural death, and the second that in the sepulchre, after the body shall have been there raised to life in order to be examined;3 and consequently suppose the two revivals to be those of the sepulchre and the resurrection.4 1 Al BeidÂwi.2 See c p. 2, p. 4.3 See Prelim Disc. Sect. IV. p. 60, &c. 4 Al BeidÂwi. Jallal. It is he who showeth you his signs, and sendeth down food unto you from heaven: but none will be admonished, except he who turneth himself unto God. Call therefore upon GOD, exhibiting your religion pure unto him, although the infidels be averse thereto. He is the Being of exalted degree, the possessor of the throne; who sendeth down the spirit, at his command, on such of his servants as he pleaseth: that he may warn mankind of the day of meeting,m the day whereon they shall come forth out of their graves, and nothing of what concerneth them shall be hidden from GOD. Unto whom will the kingdom belong, on that day? Unto the only, the almighty GOD. On that day shall every soul be rewarded according to its merits: there shall be no injustice done on that day. Verily GOD will be swift in taking an account. Wherefore warn them, O prophet, of the day which shall suddenly approach; when men's hearts shall come up to their throats, and strangle them. The ungodly shall have no friend or intercessor who shall be heard. 20God will know the deceitful eye, and that which their breasts conceal; and GOD will judge with truth: but the false gods which they invoke, besides him, shall not judge at all: for GOD is he who heareth and seeth. Have they not gone through the earth, and seen what hath been the end of those who were before them? They were more mighty than these in strength, and left more considerable footsteps of their power in the earth: yet GOD chastised them for their sins, and there was none to protect them from GOD. This they suffered, because their apostles had come unto them with evident signs, and they disbelieved: wherefore GOD chastised them; for he is strong, and severe in punishing. We heretofore sent Moses with our signs and manifest power, unto Pharaoh, and Haman, and KarÛn; and they said, He is a sorcerer, and a liar. And when he came unto them with the truth from us, they said, Slay the sons of those who have believed with him, and save their daughters alive:n but the stratagem of the infidels was no other than vain. And Pharaoh said, Let me alone, that I may kill Moses;o and let him call upon his LORD: verily I fear lest he change your religion, or cause violence to appear in the earth.p And Moses said unto his people, Verily I have recourse unto my LORD and your LORD, to defend me against every proud person, who believeth not in the day of account. And a man who was a true believer, of the family of Pharaoh,q and concealed in his faith, said, Will ye put a man to death, because he saith, GOD is my LORD; seeing he is come unto you with evident signs from your LORD? If he be a liar, on him will the punishment of his falsehood light; but if he speaketh the truth, some of those judgments with which he threateneth you will fall upon you: verily GOD directeth not him who is a transgressor, or a liar: m When the Creator and his creatures,5 the inhabitants of heaven and of earth, the false deities and their worshippers, the oppressor and the oppressed, the labourer and his works, shall meet each other.6 n i.e., Pursue the resolution which has been formerly taken, and execute it more strictly for the future. See chapter 7, p. 117, note r. o For they advised him not to put Moses to death, lest it should be thought he was not able to oppose him by dint of argument.1 p By raising of commotions and seditions, in order to introduce his new religion. q This seems to be the same person who is mentioned, chapter 28, p. 291. 5 See cap. 6, p. 916 Al BeidÂwi, Jallal1 Al BeidÂwi 32 30O my people, the kingdom is yours this day; and ye are conspicuous in the earth; but who shall defend us from the scourge of GOD, if it come unto us?r Pharaoh said, I only propose to you what I think to be most expedient; and I guide you only into the right path. And he who had believed said, O my people, Verily I fear for you a day like that of the confederates against the prophets in former times; a condition like that of the people of Noah, and the tribes of Ad and Thamud, and of those who have lived after them; for GOD willeth not that any injustice be done unto his servants. O my people, verily I fear for you the day whereon men shall call unto one another;s the day whereon ye shall be turned back from the tribunal, and driven to hell: then shall ye have none to protect you against GOD. And he whom GOD shall cause to err shall have no director. Joseph came unto you, before Moses, with evident signs; but ye ceased not to doubt of the religion which he preached unto you, until, when he died, ye said, GOD will by no means send another apostle after him. Thus doth GOD cause him to err, who is a transgressor, and a sceptic. They who dispute against the signs of GOD, without any authority which hath come unto them, are in great abomination with GOD, and with those who believe. Thus doth GOD seal up every proud and stubborn heart. And Pharaoh said, O Haman, build me a tower, that I may reach the tracts, the tracts of heaven, and may view the GOD of Moses;t for verily I think him to be a liar. 40And thus the evil of his work was prepared for Pharaoh, and he turned aside from the right path: and the stratagems of Pharaoh ended only in loss. And he who had believed said, O my people, follow me: I will guide you into the right way. O my people, verily this present life is but a temporary enjoyment; but the life to come is the mansion of firm continuance. Whoever worketh evil shall only be rewarded in equal proportion to the same: but whoever worketh good, whether male or female, and is a true believer, they shall enter paradise: they shall be provided for therein superabundantly. And, O my people, as for me, I invite you to salvation; but ye invite me to hell fire: ye invite me to deny GOD, and to associate with him that whereof I have no knowledge; but I invite you to the most mighty, the forgiver of sins. There is no doubt but that the false gods to which ye invite me deserve not to be invoked, either in this world or in the next; and that we must return unto GOD; and that the transgressors shall be the inhabitants of hell fire: and ye shall then remember what I now say unto you. And I commit my affair unto GOD; for GOD regardeth his servants. Wherefore GOD delivered him from the evils which they had devised; and a grievous punishment encompassed the people of Pharaoh.u r See the speech of Gamaliel to the Jewish Sanhedrim, when the apostles were brought before them.2 s i.e., The day of judgment, when the inhabitants of paradise and of hell shall enter into mutual discourse: when the latter shall call for help, and the seducers and the seduced shall cast the blame upon each other.3 t See chapter 28, p. 293. u Some are of opinion that those who were sent by Pharaoh to seize the true believer, his kinsman, are the persons more particularly meant in this place: for they tell us that the said believer fled to a mountain, where they found him at prayers, guarded by the wild beasts, which ranged themselves in order about him, and that his pursuers thereupon returned in a great fright to their master, who put them to death for not performing his command.1 2 Acts v. 38, 393 Al BeidÂwi, Jallalo'ddin1 Al BeidÂwi. They shall be exposed to the fire of hell morning and evening:x and the day whereon the hour of judgment shall come, it shall be said unto them, Enter, O people of Pharaoh, into a most severe torment. 50And think on the time when the infidels shall dispute together in hell fire; and the weak shall say unto those who behaved with arrogance,y Verily we were your followers: will ye therefore relieve us from any part of this fire? Those who behaved with arrogance shall answer, Verily we are all doomed to suffer therein: for GOD hath now judged between his servants. And they who shall be in the fire shall say unto the keepers of hell,z Call ye on your LORD, that he would ease us, for one day, from this punishment. They shall answer, Did not your apostles come unto you with evident proofs? They shall say, Yea. The keepers shall reply, Do ye therefore call on God: but the calling of the unbelievers on him shall be only in vain. We will surely assist our apostles, and those who believe, in this present life, and on the day whereon the witnesses shall stand forth: a day, whereon the excuse of the unbelievers shall not avail them; but a curse shall attend them, and a wretched abode. We heretofore gave unto Moses a direction; and we left as an inheritance unto the children of Israel the book of the law; a direction, and an admonition to men of understanding. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, bear the insults of the infidels with patience; for the promise of GOD is true; and ask pardon for thy fault;a and celebrate the praise of thy LORD, in the evening and in the morning. As to those who impugn the signs of GOD, without any convincing proof which hath been revealed unto them, there is nothing but pride in their breasts;b but they shall not attain their desire: wherefore fly for refuge unto GOD; for it is he who heareth and seeth. Verily the creation of heaven and earth is more considerable than the creation of man: but the greater part of men do not understand. 60The blind and the seeing shall not be held equal; nor they who believe and work righteousness, and the evil doer: how few revolve these things in their mind! The last hour will surely come; there is no doubt thereof: but the greater part of men believe it not. Your LORD said, Call upon me, and I will hear you: but they who proudly disdain my service shall enter with ignominy into hell. It is GOD who hath appointed the night for you to take your rest therein, and the day to give you light: verily GOD is endued with beneficence towards mankind: but the greater part of men do not give thanks. This is GOD, your LORD, the Creator of all things; there is no GOD besides him: how therefore are ye turned aside from his worship? Thus are they turned aside, who oppose the signs of GOD. x Some expound these words of the previous punishment they are doomed to suffer according to a tradition of Ebn MasÚd, which informs us that their souls are in the crops of black birds, which are exposed to hell fire every morning and evening until the day of judgment.2 y See chapter 14, p. 187, note z See chapter 74. a In being too backward and negligent in advancing the true religion, for fear of the infidels.3 b This sentence may be understood generally, though it was revealed on account of the idolatrous Meccans or of the Jews, who said of Mohammed, This man is not our lord, but the Messias, the Son of David, whose kingdom will be extended over sea and land.4 2 Idem.3 Idem.4 Idem. It is GOD who hath given you the earth for a stable floor, and the heaven for a ceiling; and who hath formed you, and made your forms beautiful, and feedeth you with good things. This is GOD, your LORD. Wherefore blessed be GOD, the LORD of all creatures! He is the living God: there is no GOD but he. Wherefore call upon him, exhibiting unto him the pure religion. Praise be unto GOD, the LORD of all creatures! Say, Verily I am forbidden to worship the deities which ye invoke, besides GOD, after that evident proofs have come unto me from my LORD; and I am commanded to resign myself unto the LORD of all creatures. It is he who first created you of dust, and afterwards of seed, and afterwards of coagulated blood; and afterwards brought you forth infants out of your mothers' wombs: then he permitteth you to attain your age of full strength, and afterwards to grow old men (but some of you die before that age), and to arrive at the determined period of your life;c that peradventure ye may understand. 70It is he who giveth life, and causeth to die: and when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be, and it is. Dost thou not observe those who dispute against the signs of GOD, how they are turned aside from the true faith? They who charge with falsehood the book of the Koran, and the other scriptures and revealed doctrines which we have sent our former apostles to preach, shall hereafter know their folly, when the collars shall be on their necks, and the chains by which they shall be dragged into hell; then shall they be burned in the fire. And it shall be said unto them, Where are the gods which ye associated, besides GOD? They shall answer, They have withdrawn themselves from us: yea, we called on nothingd heretofore. Thus doth GOD lead the unbelievers into error. This hath befallen you, for that ye rejoiced insolently on earth, in that which was false; and for that ye were elated with immoderate joy. Enter the gates of hell, to remain therein forever: and wretched shall be the abode of the haughty! Wherefore persevere with patience, O Mohammed; for the promise of GOD is true. Whether we cause thee to see any part of the punishment with which we have threatened them, or whether we cause thee to die before thou see it; before us shall they be assembled at the last day. We have sent a great number of apostles before thee;e the histories of some of whom we have related unto thee, and the histories of others of them we have not related unto thee: but no apostle had the power to produce a sign, unless by the permission of GOD. When the command of GOD, therefore, shall come, judgment shall be given with truth; and then shall they perish who endeavor to render the signs of God of no effect. It is GOD who hath given you the cattle, that ye may ride on some of them, and may eat of others of them; 80(ye also receive other advantages therefrom;)f and that on them ye may arrive at the business proposed in your mind: and on them are ye carried by land, and on ships by sea. And he showeth you his signs; which, therefore, of the signs of GOD, will ye deny? Do they not pass through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? They were more numerous than these, and more mighty in strength, and left more considerable monuments of their power in the earth: yet that which they had acquired profited them not. c See chapter 22, p. 250. d Seeing an idol is nothing in the world.1 e See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 59. f See chapter 16, p. 195 1 Idem And when their apostles came unto them with evident proofs of their mission, they rejoiced in the knowledge which was with them:g but that which they mocked at encompassed them. And when they beheld our vengeance, they said, We believe in GOD alone, and we renounce the idols which we associated with him: but their faith availed them not, after they had beholden our vengeance. This was the ordinance of GOD, which was formerly observed in respect to his servants and then did the unbelievers perish. _______ CHAPTER XLI.ENTITLED, ARE DISTINCTLY EXPLAINED;h REVEALED AT MECCA. IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.H. M.i This is a revelation from the most Merciful; a book, the verses whereof are distinctly explained,k an Arabic Koran, for the instruction of people who understand; bearing good tidings, and denouncing threats: but the greater part of them turn aside, and hearken not thereto. And they say, Our hearts are veiled from the doctrine to which thou invitest us; and there is a deafness in our ears, and a curtain between us and thee: wherefore act thou as thou shalt think fit; for we shall act according to our own sentiments. Say, Verily I am only a man like you. It is revealed unto me, that your GOD is one GOD: wherefore direct your way straight unto him; and ask pardon of him for what is past. And woe be to the idolaters: who give not the appointed alms, and believe not in the life to come! But as to those who believe and work righteousness, they shall receive an everlasting reward. Say, Do ye indeed disbelieve in him who created the earth in two days;l and do ye set up equals unto him? He is the LORD of all creatures. And he placed in the earth mountains firmly rooted,m rising above the same: and he blessed it; and provided therein the food of the creatures designed to be the inhabitants thereof, in four days;n equally, for those who ask.o g Being prejudiced in favour of their own erroneous doctrines, and 1 Jallalo'ddin.2 Idem, al BeidÂwi. 10Then he set his mind to the creation of heaven, and it was smoke;p and he said unto it, and to the earth, Come, either obediently, or against your will. They answered, We come, obedient to thy command. And he formed them into seven heavens, in two days;q and revealed unto every heaven its office. And we adorned the lower heaven with lights, and placed therein, a guard of angels.r This is the disposition of the mighty, the wise God. If the Meccans withdraw from these instructions, say, I denounce unto you a sudden destruction, like the destruction of Ad and Thamud. When the apostles came unto them before them and behind them,s saying, Worship GOD alone; they answered, If our LORD had been pleased to send messengers, he had surely sent angels; and we believe not the message with which ye are sent. As to the tribe of Ad, they behaved insolently in the earth, without reason, and said, Who is more mighty than we in strength? Did they not see that GOD, who had created them, was more mighty than they in strength? And they knowingly rejected our signs. Wherefore we sent against them a piercing wind, on days of ill luck,t that we might make them taste the punishment of shame in this world: but the punishment of the life to come will be more shameful; and they shall not be protected therefrom. And as to Thamud, we directed them; but they loved blindness better than the true direction: wherefore the terrible noise of an ignominious punishment assailed them, for that which they had deserved; but we delivered those who believed, and feared God.u And warn them of the day, on which the enemies of GOD shall be gathered together unto hell fire, and shall march in distinct bands; until, when they shall arrive thereat, their ears, and their eyes, and their skins, shall bear witness against them of that which they shall have wrought. 20And they shall say unto their skins, Wherefore do ye bear witness against us? They shall answer, GOD hath caused us to speak, who giveth speech unto all things: he created you the first time; and unto him are ye returned. Ye did not hide yourselves, while ye sinned, so that your ears, and your eyes, and your skins could not bear witness against you:x but ye thought that GOD was ignorant of many things which ye did. This was your opinion, which ye imagined of your LORD: it hath ruined you; and ye are become lost people. p Or darkness. Al Zamakhshari says this smoke proceeded from the waters under the throne of GOD (which throne was one of the things created before the heavens and the earth), and rose above the water; that the water being dried up, the earth was formed out of it, and the heavens out of the smoke which had mounted aloft. q viz., On the fifth and sixth days of the week. It is said the heavens were created on Thursday, and the sun, moon, and stars on Friday; in the evening of which last day Adam was made.3 r See chapter 15. s That is, on every side; persuading and urging them continually, and by arguments drawn from past examples, and the expectation of future rewards or punishments. t It is said that this wind continued from Wednesday to Wednesday inclusive, being the latter end of the month ShawÂl; and that a Wednesday is the day whereon GOD sends down his judgments on a wicked people.4 u See chapter 7, p. 112, &c. x i.e., Ye hid your crimes from men, little thinking that your very members, from which ye could not hide them, would rise up as witnesses against you. 3 Idem.4 Idem. Whether they bear their torment, hell fire shall be their abode; or whether they beg for favor, they shall not obtain favor. And we will give them the devils to be their companions; for they dressed up for them the false notions which they entertained of this present world, and of that which is to come; and the sentence justly fitteth them, which was formerly pronounced on the nations of genii and men who were before them; for they perished. The unbelievers say, Hearken not unto this Koran: but use vain discoursey during the reading thereof; that ye may overcome the voice of the reader by your scoffs and laughter. Wherefore we will surely cause the unbelievers to taste a grievous punishment, and we will certainly reward them for the evils which they shall have wrought. This shall be the reward of the enemies of GOD, namely, hell fire; therein is prepared for them an everlasting abode, as a reward for that they have wittingly rejected our signs. And the infidels shall say in hell, O LORD, show us the two that seduced us, of the genii and men,z and we will cast them under our feet, that they may become most base and despicable. 30As for those who say, Our LORD is GOD, and who behave uprightly; the angels shall descend unto them,a and shall say, Fear not, neither be ye grieved; but rejoice in the hopes of paradise which ye have been promised. We are your friends in this life, and in that which is to come: therein shall ye have that which your souls shall desire, and therein shall ye obtain whatever ye shall ask for; as a gift from a gracious and merciful God. Who speaketh better than he who inviteth unto GOD, and worketh righteousness, and saith, I am a Moslem? Good and evil shall not be held equal. Turn away evil with that which is better; and behold, the man between whom and thyself there was enmity shall become, as it were, thy warmest friend: but none shall attain to this perfection, except they who are patient; nor shall any attain thereto, except he who is endued with a great happiness of temper. And if a malicious suggestion be offered unto thee from Satan, have recourse unto GOD; for it is he who heareth and knoweth. Among the signs of his power are the night, and the day, and the sun, and the moon. Worship not the sun, neither the moon: but worship GOD, who hath created them; if ye serve him. But if they proudly disdain his service; verily the angels, who are with thy LORD, praise him night and day, and are not wearied. And among his signs another is, that thou seest the land waste; but when we send down rain thereon, it is stirred and fermenteth. And he who quickeneth the earth will surely quicken the dead; for he is almighty. 40Verily those who impiously wrong our signs are not concealed from us. Is he, therefore, better, who shall be cast into hell fire, or he who shall appear secure on the day of resurrection? Work that which ye will: he certainly beholdeth whatever ye do. Verily they who believe not in the admonition of the Koran, after it hath come unto them, shall one day be discovered. It is certainly a book of infinite value: y Or, talk aloud. z i.e., Those of either species, who drew us into sin and ruin. Some suppose that the two more particularly intended here are Eblis and Cain, the two authors of infidelity and murder.1 a Either while they are living on earth to dispose their minds to good, to preserve them from temptations, and to comfort them; or at the hour of death to support them in their last agony; or at their coming forth from their graves at the resurrection.2 1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin.2 Idem. vanity shall not approach it, either from before it, or from behind it:b it is a revelation from a wise God, whose praise is justly to be celebrated. No other is said unto thee by the infidels of Mecca than what hath been formerly said unto the apostles before thee: verily thy LORD is inclined to forgiveness, and is also able to chastise severely. If we had revealed the Koran in a foreign language,c they had surely said, Unless the signs thereof be distinctly explained, we will not receive the same: is the book written in a foreign tongue, and the person unto whom it is directed an Arabian? Answer, It is, unto those who believe, a sure guide, and a remedy for doubt unto those who believe, a sure guide, and a remedy for doubt and uncertainty: but unto those who believe not, it is a thickness of hearing in their ears, and it is a darkness which covereth them; these are as they who are called unto from a distant place.d We heretofore gave the book of the law unto Moses; and a dispute arose concerning the same: and if a previous decree had not proceeded from thy LORD, to respite the opposers of that revelation, verily the matter had been decided between them, by the destruction of the infidels; for they were in a very great doubt as to the same. He who doth right, doth it to the advantage of his own soul; and he who doth evil, doth it against the same: for thy LORD is not unjust towards his servants. Unto him is reserved the knowledge of the hour of judgment: and no fruit cometh forth from the knops which involve it; neither doth any female conceive in her womb, nor is she delivered of her burden, but with his knowledge. On the day whereon he shall call them to him, saying, Where are my companions which ye ascribed unto me? they shall answer, We assure thee there is no witness of this matter among us:e and the idols which they called on before shall withdraw themselves from them; and they shall perceive that there will be no way to escape. Man is not wearied with asking good; but if evil befall him, he despondeth, and despaireth. 50And if we cause him to taste mercy from us, after affliction hath touched him, he surely saith, This is due to me on account of my deserts: I do not think the hour of judgment will ever come: and if I be brought before my LORD, I shall surely attain, with him, the most excellent condition. But we will then declare unto those who shall not have believed, that which they have wrought; and we will surely cause them to taste a most severe punishment. When we confer favors on man, he turneth aside, and departeth without returning thanks: but when evil toucheth him, he is frequent at prayer. Say, What think ye? if the Koran be from GOD, and ye believe not therein; who will lie under a greater error, than he who dissenteth widely therefrom? Hereafter we will show them our signs in the regions in the regions of the earth, and in themselves;f until it become manifest unto them that this book is the truth. Is it not sufficient for thee that thy LORD is witness of all things? Are they not in a doubt as to the meeting of their LORD at the resurrection? Doth not he encompass all things? b That is, it shall not be prevailed against, or frustrated by any 1 Al BeidÂwi. |
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