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Sale, 1734

CHAP. II.
Intitled, The Cow [a] ; revealed partly at Mecca, and partly at Medina.


In the name of the most merciful God.
A. L. M. [b] There is no doubt in this book; it is a direction to the pious, who believe in the mysteries [c] of faith, who observe the appointed times of prayer, and distribute alms out of what we have bestowed on them, and who believe in that revelation, which hath been sent down unto thee and that which hath been sent down unto the prophets before thee [d] , and have firm assurance of the life to come [e] : these are directed by their Lord, and they shall prosper. As for the unbelievers, it will be equal to them whether thou admonish them, or do not admonish them; they will not believe. God hath sealed up their hearts and their hearing; a dimness covereth their sight, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. There are some who say, We believe in God, and the last day; but are not really believers: they seek to deceive God, and those who do believe, but they deceive themselves only, and are not sensible thereof. There is an infirmity in their hearts, and God hath increased that infirmity [f] ; and they shall suffer a most painful punishment, because they have disbelieved. When one saith unto them, Act not corruptly [g] in the earth; they reply, Verily we are men of integrity [h] . Are not they themselves [3] corrupt doers? but they are not sensible thereof. And when one saith unto them, Believe ye as others [a] believe; they answer, Shall we believe as fools believe? Are not they themselves fools? but they know it not. When they meet those who believe, they say, We do believe: but when they retire privately to their devils [b] , they say, We really hold with you, and only mock at those people: God shall mock at them, and continue them in their impiety; they shall wander in confusion. There are the men who have purchased error at the price of true direction: but their traffic hath not been gainful, neither have they been rightly directed. They are like unto one who kindleth a fire [c] , and when it hath enlightened all around him [d] , God taketh away their light [e] and leaveth them in darkness, they shall not see; they are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore will they not repent. Or like a stormy cloud from heaven, fraught with darkness, thunder, and lightning [f] , they put their fingers in their ears because of the noise of the thunder, for fear of death; God encompasseth the infidels: the lightning wanteth but little of taking away their sight; so often as it enlighteneth them, they walk therein, but when darkness cometh on them, they stand still; and if God so pleased, he would certainly deprive them of their hearing and their sight, for God is almighty. O men of Mecca, serve your Lord who hath created you, and those who have been before you: peradventure ye will fear him; who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and the heaven as a covering, and hath caused water to descend from heaven, and thereby produced fruits for your sustenance. Set not up therefore any equals unto God, against your own knowledge. If ye be in doubt concerning that revelation which we have sent down unto our servant, produce a chapter like unto it, and call upon your witnesses besides God [g] , if ye say truth. But if ye do it not, nor shall ever be able to do it; justly fear the [4] fire whose fewel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers. But bear good tidings unto those who believe, and do good works, that they shall have gardens watered by rivers; so often as they eat of the fruit thereof for sustenance, they shall say, this is what we have formerly eaten of; and they shall be supplied with several sorts of fruit having a mutual resemblance to one another [a] . There shall they enjoy wives subject to no impurity, and there shall they continue for ever. Moreover, God will not be ashamed to propound in a parable a gnat, or even a more despicable thing [b] : for they who believe will know it to be the truth from their Lord; but the unbelievers will say, What meaneth God by this parable? he will thereby mislead many, and will direct many thereby: but he will not mislead any thereby, except the transgressors, who make void the covenant of God after the establishing thereof, and cut in sunder that which God hath commanded to be joined, and act corruptly in the earth; they shall perish. How is it that ye believe not in God? Since ye were dead, and he gave you life [c] ; he will hereafter cause you to die, and will again restore you to life; then shall ye return unto him. It is he who hath created for you whatsoever is on earth, and then set his mind to the creation of heaven, and formed it into seven heavens; he knoweth all things. When thy Lord said unto the angels, I am going to place a substitute on earth [d] ; they said, Wilt thou place there one who will do evil therein, and shed blood? but we celebrate thy praise, and sanctify thee. God answered, Verily I know that which ye know not; and he taught Adam the names [5] of all things, and then proposed them to the angels, and said, Declare unto me the names of these things if ye say truth. They answered, Praise be unto thee; we have no knowledge but what thou teachest us, for thou art knowing and wise. God said, O Adam, tell them their names. And when he had told them their names, God said, Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and know that which ye discover, and that which ye conceal [a] ? And when we said unto the angels, Worship [b] Adam, they all worshipped him, except Eblis who refused, and was puffed up with pride, and became of the number of unbelievers [c] . And we said, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden [d] , and eat of the fruit thereof plentifully wherever ye will; but approach not this tree [e] , lest ye become of the number of the transgressors. But Satan caused them to forfeit paradise [f] , and turned them out of the state of happiness wherein they had been; whereupon we said, Get ye down [g] , the one of you an enemy unto the other; and there shall be a [6] dwelling-place for you on earth, and a provision for a season. And Adam learned words of prayer from his Lord, and God turned unto him, for he is easy to be reconciled and merciful. We said, Get ye all down from hence; hereafter shall there come unto you a direction from me [a] , and whoever shall follow my direction, on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved; but they who shall be unbelievers, and accuse our signs [b] of falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell fire, therein shall they remain forever. O children of Israel [c] , remember my favour wherewith I have favoured you; and perform your covenant with me, and I will perform my covenant with you; and revere me: and believe in the revelation which I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first who believe not therein, neither exchange my signs for a small price; and fear me. Clothe not the truth with vanity, neither conceal the truth against your own knowledge; observe the stated times of prayer, and pay your legal alms, and bow down yourselves with those who bow down. Will ye command men to do justice, and forget your own souls? yet ye read the book of the law: do ye not therefore understand? Ask help with perseverance and prayer; this indeed is grievous unless to the humble, who seriously think they shall meet their Lord and that to him they shall return. O children of Israel, remember my favour wherewith I have favoured you, and that I have preferred you above all nations; dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any intercession be accepted from them, nor shall any compensation be received, neither shall they be helped. Remember when we delivered you from the people of Pharaoh, who grievously oppressed you, they slew your male children, and let your females live: therein was a great trial from your Lord. And when we divided the sea for you and delivered you, and drowned Pharaoh’s people while ye looked on [d] . And when we treated with Moses forty nights; then ye took the calf [e] for your God, and did evil; yet afterwards we forgave [7] you, that peradventure ye might give thanks. And when we gave Moses the book of the law, and the distinction between good and evil, that peradventure ye might be directed. And when Moses said unto his people, O my people, verily ye have injured your own souls, by your taking the calf for your God ; therefore be turned unto your Creator, and slay those among you who have been guilty of that crime [a] ; this will be better for you in the sight of your Creator: and thereupon he turned unto you, for he is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. And when ye said, O Moses, we will not believe thee, until we see God manifestly; therefore a punishment came upon you, while ye looked on; then we raised you to life after ye had been dead, that peradventure ye might give thanks [b] . And we caused clouds to overshadow you, and manna and quails [c] to descend upon you, saying, Eat of the good things which we have given you for food: and they injured not us, but injured their own souls. And when we said, Enter into this city [d] , and eat of the provisions thereof plentifully as ye will; and enter the gate worshipping, and say, Forgiveness [e] ! we will pardon you your sins, and give increase unto the well- doers. But the ungodly changed the expression into another [f] , different from what had been spoken unto them; and we sent down upon the ungodly indignation from heaven [g] , because they had transgressed. And when Moses asked [8] drink for his people, we said, Strike the rock [a] with thy rod; and there gushed thereout twelve fountains [b] according to the number of the tribes, and all men knew their respective drinking-place. Eat and drink of the bounty of God, and commit not evil on the earth, acting unjustly. And when ye said, O Moses, we will by no means be satisfied with one kind of food; pray unto thy Lord therefore for us, that he would produce for us of that which the earth bringeth forth, herbs and cucumbers, and garlic, and lentils, and onions [c] ; Moses answered, Will ye exchange that which is better, for that which is worse? Get ye down into Egypt, for there shall ye find what ye desire: and they were smitten with vileness and misery, and drew on themselves indignation from God. This they suffered, because they believed not in the signs of God, and killed the prophets unjustly; this, because they rebelled and transgressed. Surely those who believe, and those who Judaize, and Christians, and Sabians [d] , whoever believeth in God, and the last day, and doth that which is right, they shall have their reward with their Lord; there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. Call to mind also when [9] we accepted your covenant, and lifted up the mountain of Sinai over you [a] , saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to keep it, and remember that which is contained therein, that ye may beware. After this ye again turned back, so that if it had not been for God’s indulgence and mercy towards you, ye had certainly been destroyed. Moreover ye know what befell those of your nation who transgressed on the sabbath day [b] ; We said unto them, Be ye changed into apes, driven away from the society of men. And we made them an example unto those who were contemporary with them, and unto those who came after them, and a warning to the pious. And when Moses said unto his people, Verily God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow [c] ; they answered, Dost thou make a jest of us! Moses said, God forbid that I should be one of the foolish. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would show us what cow it is. Moses [10] answered, He saith, She is neither an old cow, nor a young heifer, but of a middle age between both: do ye therefore that which ye are commanded. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would shew us what colour she is of. Moses answered, He saith, She is a red cow [a] , intensely red, her colour rejoiceth the beholders. They said, Pray for us unto thy Lord, that he would further shew us what cow it is, for several cows with us are like one another, and we, if God please, will be directed. Moses answered, He saith, She is a cow not broken to plough the earth, or water the field, a sound one, there is no blemish in her. They said, Now hast thou brought the truth. Then they sacrificed her; yet they wanted but little of leaving it undone [b] . And when ye slew a man, and contended among yourselves concerning him, God brought forth to light that which ye concealed. For we said, Strike the dead body with part of the sacrificed cow [c] : so God raiseth the dead to life, and showeth you his signs, that peradventure ye may understand. Then were your hearts hardened after this, even as stones, or exceeding them in hardness: for from some stones have rivers bursted forth, others have been rent in sunder, and water hath issued from them, and others have fallen down for fear of God. But God is not regardless of that which ye do. Do ye therefore desire that the Jews should believe you? yet a part of them heard the word of God, and then perverted it, after they had understood it, against their own conscience. And when they meet the true believers, they say, We believe: but when they are privately assembled together, they say, Will ye acquaint them with what God hath revealed unto you, that they may dispute with you concerning it in the presence of your Lord? Do ye not [11] therefore understand? Do not they know that God knoweth that which they conceal as well as that which they publish? But there are illiterate men among them, who know not the book of the law, but only lying stories, although they think otherwise. And wo unto them, who transcribe corruptly the book of the law [a] with their hands, and then say, This is from God: that they may sell it for a small price. Therefore wo unto them because of that which their hands have written; and wo unto them for that which they have gained. They say, The fire of hell shall not touch us but for a certain number of days [b] . Answer, Have ye received any promise from God to that purpose? for God will not act contrary to his promise: or do ye speak concerning God that which ye know not? Verily whoso doth evil [c] , and is encompassed by his iniquity, they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever: but they who believe and do good works, they shall be the companions of paradise, they shall continue therein forever. Remember also, when we accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall not worship any other except God, and ye shall shew kindness to your parents and kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and speak that which is good unto men, and be constant at prayer, and give alms. Afterwards ye turned back, except a few of you, and retired afar off. And when we accepted your covenant, saying, Ye shall not shed your brother’s blood nor dispossess one another of your habitations; then ye confirmed it, and were witnesses thereto. Afterwards ye were they who slew one another [d] , and turned several of your brethren out of their houses, mutually assisting each other against them with injustice and enmity; but if they come captives unto you, ye redeem them: yet it is equally unlawful for you to dispossess them. Do ye therefore believe in part of the book of the law, and reject other part thereof? But whoso among you doth this, shall have no other reward than shame in this life, and on the day of resurrection they shall be sent to a most grievous punishment; for God is not regardless of that which ye do. These are they who have purchased this present life, at the price of that which is [12] to come; wherefore their punishment shall not be mitigated, neither shall they be helped. We formerly delivered the book of the law unto Moses, and caused apostles to succeed him, and gave evident miracles to Jesus the son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit [a] . Do ye therefore, whenever an apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse some of imposture, and slay others? The Jews say, Our hearts are uncircumcised: but God hath cursed them with their infidelity; therefore few shall believe. And when a book came unto them from God, confirming the scriptures which were with them, although they had before prayed for assistance against those who believed not [b] , yet when that came unto them which they knew to be from God, they would not believe therein: therefore the curse of God shall be on the infidels. For a vile price have they sold their souls, that they should not believe in that which God hath sent down [c] ; out of envy, because God sendeth down his favours to such of his servants as he pleaseth: therefore they brought on themselves indignation on indignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment. When one saith unto them, Believe in that which God hath sent down; they answer, We believe in that which hath been sent down unto us [d] : and they reject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth, confirming that which is with them. Say, Why therefore have ye slain the prophets of God in times past, if ye be true believers? Moses formerly came unto you with evident signs, but ye afterwards took the calf for your god and did wickedly. And when we accepted your covenant, and lifted the mountain of Sinai over you [e] , saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to perform it, and hear; they said, We have heard, and have rebelled: and they were made to drink down the calf into their hearts [f] for their unbelief. Say, A grievous thing hath your faith commanded you, if ye be true believers [g] ? Say, if the future mansion with God be prepared peculariarly for you, exclusive of the rest of mankind, wish for death, if ye say truth; but they will never wish for it, because of that which their hands have sent before them [h] ;God knoweth the wicked-doers; and thou shalt surely find them [13] of all men the most covetous of life, even more than the idolaters: one of them would desire his life to be prolonged a thousand years, but none shall reprieve himself from punishment, that his life may be prolonged: God seeth that which they do. Say, Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel [a] (for he hath caused the Koran to descend on thy heart, by the permission of God, confirming that which was before revealed, a direction, and good tidings to the faithful;) whosoever is an enemy to God, or his angels, or his apostles, or to Gabriel, or Michael, verily God is an enemy to the unbelievers. And now we have sent down unto thee evident signs [b] , and none will disbelieve them but the evil-doers. Whenever they make a covenant, will some of them reject it? yea, the greater part of them do not believe. And when there came unto them an apostle from God, confirming that scripture which was with them, some of those to whom the scriptures were given cast the book of God behind their backs, as if they knew it not: and they followed the device which the devils devised against the kingdom of Solomon [c] ; and Solomon was not an unbeliever; but the devils believed not, they taught men sorcery, and that which was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harût and Marût [d] : yet those two taught no man until they had said, Verily we are a temptation, therefore be not an unbeliever. So men learned from those two a charm by which they might cause division between a man and his wife; but they hurt [14] none thereby, unless by God’s permission, and they learned that which would hurt them, and not profit them; and yet they knew that he who bought that art should have no part in the life to come, and woful is the price for which they have sold their souls, if they knew it. But if they had believed, and feared God, verily the reward they would have had from God would have been better, if they had known it. O true believers, say not to our apostle, Raïna; but say Ondhorna [a] ; and hearken: the infidels shall suffer a grievous punishment. It is not the desire of the unbelievers, either among those unto whom the scriptures have been given, or among the idolaters, that any good should be sent down unto you from your Lord: but God will appropriate his mercy unto whom he pleaseth; for God is exceeding beneficent. Whatever verse we shall abrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, or one like unto it. Dost thou not know that God is almighty? Dost thou not know that unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth? neither have ye any protector or helper except God. Will ye require of your apostle according to that which was formerly required of Moses [b] ? but he that hath exchanged faith for infidelity, hath already erred from the straight way. Many of those unto whom the scriptures have been given, desire to render you again unbelievers, after ye have believed; out of envy from their souls, even after the truth is become manifest unto them; but forgive them, and avoid them, till God shall send his command; for God is omnipotent. Be constant in prayer, and give alms; and what good ye have sent before for your souls, ye shall find it with God; surely God seeth that which ye do. They say, Verily none shall enter paradise, except they who are Jews or Christians [c] : this is their wish. Say, Produce your proof of this, if ye speak truth. Nay, but he who resigneth himself [d] to God, and doth that which is right [e] , he shall have his reward with his Lord; there shall come [15] no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on nothing [a] ; and the Christians say, The Jews are grounded on nothing; yet they both read the scriptures. So likewise say they who know not the scripture, according to their saying. But God shall judge between them on the day of the resurrection, concerning that about which they now disagree. Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth the temples of God [b] , that his name should be remembered therein, and who hasteth to destroy them? Those men cannot enter therein, but with fear: they shall have shame in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment. To God belongeth the east and the west; therefore whithersoever ye turn yourselves to pray, there is the face of God; for God is omnipresent and omniscient. They say, God hath begotten children [c] : God forbid! To him belongeth whatever is in heaven, and on earth; all is possessed by him, the Creator of heaven and earth; and when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be, and it is. And they who know not the scriptures say, Unless God speak unto us, or thou shew us a sign, we will not believe. So said those before them, according to their saying: their hearts resemble each other. We have already shown manifest signs unto people who firmly believe; we have sent thee in truth, a bearer of good tidings and a preacher; and thou shalt not be questioned concerning the companions of hell. But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of God is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against God. They to whom we have given the book of the Koran, and who read it with its true reading, they believe therein; and whoever believeth not therein, they shall perish. O children of Israel, remember my favour wherewith I have favoured you, and that I have preferred you before all nations; and dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any compensation be accepted from them, nor shall any intercession avail, neither shall they be helped. Remember when the Lord tried Abraham by certain words [d] , which he fulfilled: God said, Verily I will constitute thee [16] a model of religion [a] unto mankind; he answered, And also of my posterity; God said, My covenant doth not comprehend the ungodly. And when we appointed the holy house [b] of Mecca to be a place of resort for mankind, and a place of security; and said, Take the station of Abraham [c] for a place of prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismael, that they should cleanse my house for those who should compass it, and those who should be devoutly assiduous there, and those who should bow down and worship. And when Abraham said, Lord make this a territory of security, and bounteously bestow fruits on its inhabitants, such of them as believe in God and the last day; God answered, And whoever believeth not, I will bestow on him little; after wards I will drive him to the punishment of hell fire; an ill journey shall it be! And when Abraham and Ismael raised the foundations of the house, saying, Lord, accept it from us, for thou art he who heareth and knoweth: Lord, make us also resigned [d] unto thee, and of our posterity a people resigned unto thee, and shew us our holy ceremonies, and be turned unto us, for thou art easy to be reconciled, and merciful: Lord, send them likewise an apostle from among them, who may declare thy signs unto them, and teach them the book of the Koran and wisdom, and may purify them; for thou art mighty and wise. Who will be averse to the religion of Abraham, but he whose mind is infatuated? Surely we have chosen him in this world, and in that which is to come he shall be one of the righteous. When his Lord said unto him, Resign thy self unto me; he answered, I have resigned myself unto the Lord of all creatures. And Abraham bequeathed this religion to his children, and Jacob did the same, saying, My children, verily God hath chosen this religion for you, therefore die not, unless ye also be resigned. Were ye present when Jacob was at the point of death? when he said to his sons, Whom will ye worship after me? They answered, We will worship thy God, and the God of thy fathers Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, one God, and to him will we be resigned. That people are now passed away, they have what they have gained [e] , and ye shall have what ye gain; and ye shall not be questioned concerning that which they have done. They say, Become Jews or Christians that ye may be directed. Say, Nay we follow the religion of Abraham the orthodox, who was no idolater. Say, We believe [17] in God, and that which hath been sent down unto us, and that which hath been sent down unto Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was delivered unto Moses, and Jesus, and that which was delivered unto the prophets from their Lord: We make no distinction between any of them, and to God are we resigned. Now if they believe according to what ye believe, they are surely directed, but if they turn back, they are in schism. God shall support thee against them, for he is in the hearer, the wise. The baptism of God [a] have we received, and who is better than God to baptize? him do we worship. Say, Will ye dispute with us concerning God [b] , who is our Lord, and your Lord? we have our works, and ye have your works, and unto him are we sincerely devoted. Will ye say, truly Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, are ye wiser, or God? And who is more unjust than he who hideth the testimony which he hath received from God [c] ? But God is not regardless of that which ye do. That people are passed away, they have what they have gained, and ye shall have what ye gain, nor shall ye be questioned concerning that which they have done. IIThe foolish men will say, What hath turned them from their Keblah, towards which they formerly prayed [d] ? Say unto God belongeth the east and the west: he directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. Thus have we placed you, O Arabians, an intermediate nation [e] , that ye may be witness against the rest of mankind, and that the apostle may be a witness against you. We appointed the Keblah, towards which thou didst formerly pray, only that we might know him who followeth the apostle, from him who turneth back on the heels [f] ; though this change seem a great matter, unless unto those whom [18] God hath directed. But God will not render your faith of none effect [a] ; for God is gracious and merciful unto man. We have seen thee turn about thy face towards heaven with uncertainty, but we will cause thee to turn thyself towards a Keblah that will please thee. Turn, therefore, thy face towards the holy temple of Mecca ; and wherever ye be, turn your faces towards that place. They to whom the scripture hath been given, know this to be truth from their Lord. God is not regardless of that which ye do. Verily although thou shouldest shew unto those to whom the scripture hath been given all kinds of signs, yet they will not follow thy Keblah, neither shalt thou follow their Keblah; nor will one part of them follow the Keblah of the other. And if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, verily thou wilt become one of the ungodly. They to whom we have given the scripture know our apostle, even as they know their own children, but some of them hide the truth, against their own knowledge. Truth is from thy Lord, therefore thou shalt not doubt. Every sect hath a certain tract of heaven to which they turn themselves in prayer; but do ye strive to run after good things; wherever ye be, God will bring you all back at the resurrection, for God is almighty. And from what place soever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple, for this is truth from thy Lord; neither is God regardless of that which ye do. From what place soever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple; and wherever ye be, thitherward turn your faces, lest men have matter of dispute against you; but as for those among them who are unjust doers, fear them not, but fear me, that I may accomplish my grace upon you, and that ye may be directed. As we have sent unto you an apostle from among you [b] , to rehearse our signs unto you, and to purify you, and to teach you the book of the Koran and wisdom, and to teach you that which ye knew not: therefore remember me, and I will remember you, and give thanks unto me, and be not unbelievers. O true believers, beg assistance with patience and prayer, for God is with the patient. And say not of those who are slain in fight for the religion of God [c] , that they are dead; yea, they are living [d] : but ye do not understand. We will surely prove you by afflicting you in some measure with fear, and hunger, and decrease of wealth, and loss of lives, and scarcity of fruits: but bear good tidings unto the patient, who, when a misfortune befalleth them, say, We are God’s and unto him shall we surely return [e] . Upon them shall be blessings from their Lord and mercy, and they are the rightly directed. Moreover Safa and Merwah are two of the monuments of [19] God: whoever therefore goeth on pilgrimage to the temple of Mecca or visiteth it, it shall be no crime in him, if he compass them both [a] . And as for him who voluntarily performeth a good work; verily God is grateful and knowing. They who conceal any of the evident signs, or the direction which we have sent down, after what we have manifested unto men in the scripture, God shall curse them; and they who curse shall curse them [b] . But as for those who repent and amend, and make known what they concealed, I will be turned unto them, for I am easy to be reconciled and merciful. Surely they who believe not, and die in their unbelief, upon them shall be the curse of God, and of the angels, and of all men; they shall remain under it forever, their punishment shall not be alleviated, neither shall they be regarded [c] . Your God is one God; there is no God but He, the most merciful. Now in the creation of heaven and earth, and the vicissitude of night and day, and in the ship which saileth in the sea, loaden with what is profitable for mankind, and in the rain water which God sendeth from heaven, quickening thereby the dead earth, and replenishing the same with all sorts of cattle, and in the change of winds, and the clouds that are compelled to do service [d] between heaven and earth, are signs to people of understanding: yet some men take idols beside God, and love them as with the love due to God; but the true believers are more fervent in love towards God. Oh that they who act unjustly did perceive [e] , when they behold their punishment, that all power belongeth unto God, and that he is severe in punishing! When those who have been followed shall separate themselves from their followers [f] , and shall see the punishment, and the cords of relation between them shall be cut in [20] sunder; the followers shall say, If we could return to life, we would separate ourselves from them, as they have now separated themselves from us. So God will shew them their works; they shall sigh grievously, and shall not come forth from the fire of hell. O men, eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth; and tread not in the steps of the devil, for he is your open enemy. Verily he commandeth you evil and wickedness, and that ye should say that of God which ye know not. And when it is said unto them who believe not, Follow that which God hath sent down; they answer, Nay, but we will follow that which we found our fathers practise. What? though their fathers knew nothing, and were not rightly directed? The unbelievers are like unto one who crieth aloud to that which heareth not so much as his calling, or the sound of his voice. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore do they not understand. O true believers, eat of the good things which we have bestowed on you for food, and return thanks unto God, if ye serve him. Verily he hath forbidden you to eat that which dieth of itself, and blood and swine’s flesh, and that on which any other name but God’s hath been invocated [a] . But he who is forced by necessity, not lusting, nor returning to transgress, it shall be no crime in him if he eat of those things, for God is gracious and merciful. Moreover they who conceal any part of the scripture which God hath sent down unto them, and sell it for a small price, they shall swallow into their bellies nothing but fire; God shall not speak unto them on the day of resurrection, neither shall he purify them, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment. These are they who have sold direction for error, and pardon for punishment: but how great will their suffering be in the fire! This they shall endure, because God sent down the book of the Koran with truth, and they who disagree concerning that book are certainly in a wide mistake. It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces in prayer towards the east and the west, but righteousness is of him who believeth in God and the last day, and the angels, and the scriptures, and the prophets; who giveth money for God ’s sake unto his kindred, and unto orphans, and the needy, and the stranger, and those who ask, and for redemption of captives; who is constant at prayer, and giveth alms; and of those who perform their covenant, when they have covenanted, and who behave themselves patiently in adversity, and hardships, and in time of violence; these are they who are true, and these are they who fear God. O true believers, the law of retaliation is ordained you for the slain: the free shall die for the free, and the servant for the servant, and a woman for a woman [b] : but he whom his brother shall forgive may be prosecuted, and obliged to make satisfaction according to what is just, and a [21] fine shall be set on him [a] with humanity. This is indulgence from your Lord, and mercy. And he who shall transgress after this, by killing the murderer, shall suffer a grievous punishment. And in this law or retaliation ye have life, O ye of understanding, that peradventure ye may fear. It is ordained you, when any of you is at the point of death, if he leave any goods, that he bequeath a legacy to his parents, and kindred, according to what shall be reasonable [b] . This is a duty incumbent on those who fear God. But he who shall change the legacy, after he hath heard it bequeathed by the dying person, surely the sin thereof shall be on those who change it, for God is he who heareth and knoweth. Howbeit he who apprehendeth from the testator any mistake or injustice, and shall compose the matter between them, that shall be no crime in him, for God is gracious and merciful. O true believers, a fast is ordained you, as it was ordained unto those before you, that ye may fear God. A certain number of days shall ye fast: but he among you who shall be sick, or on a journey, shall fast an equal number of other days. And those who can [c] keep it, and do not, must redeem their neglect by maintaining of a poor man [d] . And he who voluntarily dealeth better with the poor man than he is obliged, this shall be better for him. But if ye fast, it will be better for you, if ye knew it. The month of Ramadan shall ye fast, in which the Koran was sent down from heaven [e] , a direction unto men, and declarations of direction, and the distinction between good and evil. Therefore, let him among you who shall be present [f] in this month, fast the same month; but he who shall be sick, or on a journey, shall fast the like number of other days. God would make this an ease unto you, and would not make it a difficulty unto you; that ye may fulfil the number of days, and glorify God, for [22] that he hath directed you, and that ye may give thanks. When my servants ask thee concerning me, Verily I am near; I will hear the prayer of him that prayeth, when he prayeth unto me: but let them hearken unto me, and believe in me, that they may be rightly directed. It is lawful for you, on the night of the fast, to go in unto your wives [a] ; they are a garment [b] unto you, and ye are a garment unto them. God knoweth that ye defraud your selves therein, wherefore he turneth unto you, and forgiveth you. Now, therefore, go in unto them; and earnestly desire that which God ordaineth you, and eat and drink, until ye can plainly distinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daybreak: then keep the fast until night, and go not in unto them, but be constantly present in the places of worship. These are the prescribed bounds of God, therefore draw not near them to transgress them. Thus God declareth his signs unto men, that ye may fear him. Consume not your wealth among yourselves in vain; nor present it unto judges, that ye may devour part of men’s substance unjustly, against your own consciences. They will ask thee concerning the phases of the moon: Answer, They are times appointed unto men, and to shew the season of the pilgrimage to Mecca. It is not righteousness that ye enter your houses by the back parts thereof [c] , but righteousness is of him who feareth God. Therefore enter your houses by their doors; and fear God, that ye may be happy. And fight for the religion of God against those who fight against you; but transgress not by attacking them first, for God loveth not the transgressors. And kill them wherever ye find them, and turn them out of that whereof they have dispossessed you; for temptation to idolatry is more grievous than slaughter; yet fight not against them in the holy temple, until they attack you therein; but if they attack you, slay them there. This shall be the reward of infidels. But if they desist, God is gracious and merciful. Fight therefore against them, until there be no temptation to idolatry, and the religion be God’s; but if they desist, then let there be no hostility, except against the ungodly. A sacred month for a sacred month [d] , and the holy limits of Mecca, if they attack you therein, do ye also attack them therein in retaliation; and whoever transgresseth against you by so doing, do ye transgress against him in like manner as he hath transgressed against you, and fear God, and know that God is with those who fear him. Contribute out of your substance toward the defence of the religion of God, and throw not your selves with your own hands into perdition [e] ; and do [23] good, for God loveth those who do good. Perform the pilgrimage of Mecca, and the visitation of God; and, if ye be besieged, send that offering which shall be the easiest; and shave not your heads [a] , until your offering reacheth the place of sacrifice. But, whoever among you is sick, or is troubled with any distemper of the head, must redeem the shaving his head, by fasting, or alms, or some offering [b] . When ye are secure from enemies, he who tarrieth in the visitation of the temple of Mecca [c] until the pilgrimage, shall bring that offering which shall be the easiest. But he who findeth not anything to offer, shall fast three days in the pilgrimage, and seven when ye are returned: they shall be ten days complete. This is incumbent on him whose family shall not be present at the holy temple. And fear God, and know that God is severe in punishing. The pilgrimage must be performed in the known months [d] : whosoever therefore purposeth to go on pilgrimage therein, let him not know a woman, nor transgress, nor quarrel in the pilgrimage. The good which ye do, God knoweth it. Make provision for your journey; but the best provision is piety and fear me, O ye of understanding. It shall be no crime in you, if ye seek an increase from your Lord, by trading during the pilgrimage. And when ye go in procession [e] from Arafat [f] , remember God near the holy monument [g] ; and remember him for that he hath directed you, although ye were before this of the number of those who go astray. Therefore go in procession from whence the people go in procession, and ask pardon of God, for God is gracious and merciful. And when ye have finished your holy ceremonies, remember God, according as ye remember your fathers, or with a more reverent commemoration. There are some men who say, O Lord, give us our portion in this world; but such shall have no portion in the next life: and there are others who say, O Lord, give us good in this world and also good in the next world, and deliver us from the torment of hell fire. They shall have a portion of that which they have gained: God is swift in taking an account [h] . [24] Remember God the appointed number of days [a] : but if any haste to depart from the valley of Mina in two days, it shall be no crime in him. And if any tarry longer, it shall be no crime in him, in him who feareth God. Therefore fear God, and know that unto him ye shall be gathered. There is a man who causeth thee to marvel [b] by his speech concerning this present life, and calleth God to witness that which is in his heart, yet he is most intent in opposing thee; and when he turneth away from thee, he hasteth to act corruptly in the earth, and to destroy that which is sown, and springeth up [c] : but God loveth not corrupt doing. And if one say unto him, Fear God; pride seizeth him, together with wickedness; but hell shall be his reward, and an unhappy couch shall it be. There is also a man who selleth his soul for the sake of those things which are pleasing unto God [d] ; and God is gracious unto his servants. O true believers, enter into the true religion wholly, and follow not the steps of Satan, for he is your open enemy. If ye have slipped after the declarations of our will have come unto you, know that God is mighty and wise. Do the infidels expect less than that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds, and the angels also? but the thing is decreed, and to God shall all things return. Ask the children of Israel how many evident signs we have shewed them; and whoever shall change the grace of God after it shall have come unto him, verily God will be severe in punishing him. The present life was ordained for those who believe not, and they laugh the faithful to scorn; but they who fear God shall be above them, on the day of the resurrection: for God is bountiful unto whom he pleaseth without measure. Mankind was of one faith, and God sent prophets bearing good tidings, and denouncing threats and sent down with them the scripture in truth, that it might judge between men of that concerning which they disagreed: and none disagreed concerning it, except those to whom the same scriptures were delivered, after the declarations of God’s will had come unto them, out of envy among themselves. And God directed those who believed, to that truth concerning which they disagreed, by his will: for God directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. Did ye think ye should enter paradise, when as yet no such thing had happened unto you, as hath happened unto those who have been before you? They suffered calamity, and tribulation, and were afflicted; so that the apostle, and they who believed with him, said: When will the help of God come? Is not the help of God nigh? They will ask thee what they shall bestow in alms: Answer, The good which ye bestow, let it be given to parents, and kindred, and orphans, and the poor and the stranger. [25] Whatsoever good ye do, God knoweth it. War is enjoined you against the Infidels; but this is hateful unto you: yet perchance ye hate a thing which is better for you, and perchance ye love a thing which is worse for you: but God knoweth and ye know not. They will ask thee concerning the sacred month, whether they may war therein: Answer, To war therein is grievous; but to obstruct the way of God, and infidelity towards him, and to keep men from the holy temple, and to drive out his people from thence, is more grievous in the sight of God, and the temptation to idolatry is more grievous than to kill in the sacred months. They will not cease to war against you, until they turn you from your religion, if they be able: but whoever among you shall turn back from his religion, and die an infidel, their works shall be vain in this world, and the next; they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein for ever. But they who believe, and who fly for the sake of religion, and fight in God’s cause, they shall hope for the mercy of God; for God is gracious and merciful. They will ask thee concerning wine [a] and lots [b] : Answer, In both there is great sin, and also some things of use unto men [c] ; but their sinfulness is greater than their use. They will ask thee also what they shall bestow in alms: Answer, What ye have to spare. Thus God showeth his signs unto you, that peradventure ye might seriously think of this present world, and of the next. They will also ask thee concerning orphans: Answer, To deal righteously with them is best; and if ye intermeddle with the management of what belongs to them, do them no wrong; they are your brethren: God knoweth the corrupt dealer from the righteous; and if God please, he will surely distress you [d] , for God is mighty and wise. Marry not women who are idolaters, until they believe: verily a maid- servant who believeth, is better than an idolatress, although she please you more. And give not women who believe in marriage to the idolaters, until they believe: for verily a servant who is a true believer, is better than an idolater, though he please you more. They invite unto hell fire, but God inviteth unto paradise and pardon through his will, and declareth his signs unto men, that they may remember. They will ask thee also concerning the courses of women: Answer, They are a pollution: therefore separate your selves from women in their courses, and go not near them, until they be cleansed. But when they are cleansed, go in unto them as God hath [26] commanded you [a] , for God loveth those who repent, and loveth those who are clean. Your wives are your tillage, go in therefore unto your tillage in what manner soever ye will [b] : and do first some act that may be profitable unto your souls [c] ; and fear God, and know that ye must meet him; and bear good tidings unto the faithful. Make not God the object of your oaths [d] , that ye will deal justly, and be devout, and make peace among men [e] ; for God is he who heareth and knoweth. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate word [f] in your oaths; but he will punish you for that which your hearts have assented unto: God is merciful and gracious. They who vow to abstain from their wives, are allowed to wait four months [g] : but if they go back from their vow, verily God is gracious and merciful [h] ; and if they resolve on a divorce, God is he who heareth and knoweth. The women who are divorced shall wait concerning themselves until they have their courses thrice [i] , and it shall not be lawful for them to conceal that which God hath created in their wombs [k] , if they believe in God and the last day; and their husbands will act more justly to bring them back at this time, if they desire a reconciliation. The women ought also to behave towards their husbands in like manner as their husbands should behave towards them, according to what is just: [27] but the men ought to have a superiority over them. God is mighty and wise. Ye may divorce your wives twice; and then either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them with kindness. But it is not lawful for you to take away anything of what ye have given them, unless both fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God [a] . And if ye fear that they cannot observe the ordinance of God, it shall be no crime in either of them on account of that for which the wife shall redeem her self [b] . These are the ordinances of God; therefore transgress them not; for whoever transgresseth the ordinances of God, they are unjust doers. But if the husband divorce her a third time, she shall not be lawful for him again, until she marry another husband. But if he also divorce her, it shall be no crime in them if they return to each other, if they think they can observe the ordinances of God, and these are the ordinances of God, he declareth them to people of understanding. But when ye divorce women, and they have fulfilled their pre-scribed time, either retain them with humanity, or dismiss them with kindness; and retain them not by violence, so that ye transgress [c] ; for he who doth this surely injureth his own soul. And make not the signs of God a jest: but remember God’s favour towards you, and that he hath sent down unto you the book of the Koran, and wisdom admonishing you thereby; and fear God, and know that God is omniscient. But when ye have divorced your wives, and they have fulfilled their prescribed time, hinder them not from marrying their husbands, when they have agreed among themselves according to what is honourable. This is given in admonition unto him among you who believeth in God, and the last day. This is most righteous for you, and most pure. God knoweth, but ye know not. Mothers after they are divorced shall give suck unto their children two full years, to him who desireth the time of giving suck to be completed; and the father shall be obliged to maintain them and clothe them in the mean time, according to that which shall be reasonable. No person shall be obliged beyond his ability. A mother shall not be compelled to what is unreasonable on account of her child nor a father on account of his child. And the heir of the father shall be obliged to do in like manner. But if they chuse to wean the child before the end of two years, by common consent, and on mutual consideration, it shall be no crime in them. And if ye have a mind to provide a nurse for your children, it shall be no crime in you, in case ye fully pay what ye offer her, according to that which is just. And fear God, and know that God seeth whatsoever ye do. Such of you as die, and leave wives, their wives must wait concerning themselves four months and ten days [d] , and when they shall have fulfilled their term, it shall be no crime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves [e] , according to what is [28] reasonable. God well knoweth that which ye do. And it shall be no crime in you, whether ye make public overtures of marriage unto such women, within the said four months and ten days, or whether ye conceal such your designs in your minds: God knoweth that ye will remember them. But make no promises unto them privately, unless ye speak honourable words; and resolve not on the knot of marriage until the prescribed time be accomplished; and know that God knoweth that which is in your minds, therefore beware of him and know that God is gracious and merciful. It shall be no crime in you, if ye divorce your wives, so long as ye have not touched them, nor settled any dowry on them. And provide for them (he who is at his ease must provide according to his circumstances) necessaries, according to what shall be reasonable. This is a duty incumbent on the righteous. But if ye divorce them before ye have touched them, and have already settled a dowry on them, ye shall give them half of what ye have settled, unless they release any part, or he release part in whose hand the knot of marriage is [a] ; and if ye release the whole, it will approach nearer unto piety. And not forget liberality among you, for God seeth that which ye do. Carefully observe the appointed prayers, and the middle prayer [b] , and be assiduous therein, with devotion towards God. But if ye fear any danger, pray on foot or on horseback; and when ye are safe remember God, how he hath taught you what as yet ye knew not. And such of you as shall die and leave wives ought to bequeath their wives a year’s maintenance, without putting them out of their houses: but if they go out voluntarily, it shall be no crime in you, for that which they shall do with themselves, according to what shall be reasonable; God is mighty and wise. And unto those who are divorced, a reasonable provision is also due; this is a duty incumbent on those who fear God. Thus God declareth his signs unto you, that ye may understand. Hast thou not considered those, who left their habitations, (and they were thousands,) for fear of death [c] ? And God [29] said unto them, Die; then he restored them to life, for God is gracious towards mankind; but the greater part of men do not give thanks. Fight for the religion of God, and know that God is he who heareth and knoweth. Who is he that will lend unto God on good usury [a] ? verily he will double it unto him manifold; for God contracteth and extendeth his hand as he pleaseth, and to him shall ye return. Hast thou not considered the assembly of the children of Israel, after the time of Moses; when they said unto their prophet Samuel, Set a king over us, that we may fight for the religion of God. The prophet answered, If ye are enjoined to go to war, will ye be near refusing to fight? They answered, And what should ail us that we should not fight for the religion of God, seeing we are dispossessed of our habitations, and deprived of our children? But when they were enjoined to go to war, they turned back, except a few of them: and God knew the ungodly. And their prophet said unto them, Verily God hath set Talût [b] , king over you: they answered, How shall he reign over us, seeing we are more worthy of the kingdom than he, neither is he possessed of great riches? Samuel said, Verily God hath chosen him before you, and hath caused him to increase in knowledge and stature, for God giveth his kingdom unto whom he pleaseth; God is bounteous and wise. And their prophet said unto them, Verily the sign of his kingdom shall be, that the ark shall come unto you [c] : therein shall be tranquility from your Lord [d] , and the relicks [e] which have been left by the family of Moses and the family of Aaron; the angels shall bring it. Verily this shall be a sign unto you, if ye believe. And when Talut departed with his soldiers he said, Verily God will prove you by the river: for he who drinketh thereof, shall not be on my side (but he who shall not taste thereof he shall be on my side), except he who drinketh a draught out of his hand. [30] And they drank thereof, except a few of them [a] . And when they had passed the river, he and those who believed with him, they said, We have no strength to-day, against Jalut [b] and his forces. But they who considered that they should meet God at the resurrection, said, How often hath a small army discomfited a great one, by the will of God! and God is with those who patiently persevere. And when they went forth to battle against Jalut and his forces, they said, O Lord, pour on us patience, and confirm our feet, and help us against the unbelieving people. Therefore they discomfited them, by the will of God, and David slew Jalut. And God gave him the kingdom and wisdom, and taught him his will [c] ; and if God had not prevented men, the one by the other, verily the earth had been corrupted: but God is beneficent towards his creatures. These are the signs of God: we rehearse them unto thee with truth, and thou art surely one of those who have been sent by God. III These are the apostles; we have preferred some of them before others; some of them hath God spoken unto, and hath exalted the degree of others of them. And we gave unto Jesus the son of Mary manifest signs, and strengthened him with the holy spirit [d] . And if God had pleased, they who came after those apostles, would not have contended among themselves, after manifest signs had been shown unto them. But they fell to variance; therefore some of them believed, and some of them believed not; and if God had so pleased, they would not have contended among themselves; but God doth what he will. O true believers, give alms of that which we have bestowed unto you, before the day cometh wherein there shall be no merchandizing, nor friendship, nor intercession. The infidels are unjust doers. God! there is no God but he [e] ; the living, the self-subsisting: neither slumber nor sleep seizeth him; to him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven, and on earth. Who is he than can intercede with him, but through his good pleasure? He knoweth that which is past, and that which is to come unto them, and they shall not comprehend anything of his knowledge, but so far as he pleaseth. His throne is extended over heaven and earth [f] , and the preservation of both [31] is no burthen unto him. He is the high, the mighty. Let there be no violence in religion [a] . Now is right direction manifestly distinguished from deceit: whoever therefore shall deny Tagut [b] , and believe in God, he shall surely take hold on a strong handle, which shall not be broken; God is he who heareth and seeth. God is the patron of those who believe; he shall lead them out of darkness into light: but as to those who believe not, their patrons are Tagut; they shall lead them from the light into darkness; they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein forever. Hast thou not considered him who disputed with Abraham concerning his Lord [c] , because God had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said, My Lord is he who giveth life, and killeth: he answered, I give life, and I kill. Abraham said, Verily God bringeth the sun from the east, now do thou bring it from the west. Whereupon the infidel was confounded; for God directeth not the ungodly people. Or hast thou not considered how he behaved who passed by a city which had been destroyed, even to her foundations [d] ? He said, How shall God quicken this city, after she hath been dead? And God caused him to die for an hundred years, and afterwards raised him to life. And God said, how long hast thou tarried here? He answered, A day, or part of a day. God said, Nay, thou hast tarried here a hundred years. Now look on thy food and thy drink, they are not yet corrupted; and look on thine ass: and this have we done that we might make thee a sign unto men. And look on the bones of thine ass, how we raise them, and afterwards clothe them with flesh. And when this was shown unto him, he said, I know that God is able to do all things. And when Abraham said, O Lord, shew me how thou wilt raise the dead [e] ; God said, Dost thou not yet believe? He [32] answered, Yea, but I ask this that my heart may rest at ease. God said, take therefore four birds, and divide them [a] ; then lay a part of them on every mountain; then call them, and they shall come swiftly unto thee: and know that God is mighty and wise. The similitude of those who lay out their substance, for advancing the religion of God, is as a grain of corn which produceth seven ears, and in every ear an hundred grains; for God giveth twofold unto whom he pleaseth: God is bounteous and wise. They who lay out their substance for the religion of God, and afterwards follow not what they have so laid out by reproaches or mischief [b] , they shall have their reward with their Lord; upon them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved. A fair speech and to forgive, is better than alms followed by mischief. God is rich and merciful. O true believers, make not your alms of none effect by reproaching, or mischief, as he who layeth out what he hath to appear unto men to give alms, and believeth not in God and the last day. The likeness of such a one is as a flint covered with earth, on which a violent rain falleth, and leaveth it hard. They cannot prosper in anything which they have gained, for God directeth not the unbelieving people. And the likeness of those who lay out their substance from a desire to please God, and for an establishment for their souls, is as a garden on a hill, on which a violent rain falleth, and it bringeth forth its fruits twofold; and if a violent rain falleth not on it, yet the dew falleth thereon: and God seeth that which ye do. Doth any of you desire to have a garden of palm-trees and vines [c] , through which rivers flow, wherein ye may have all kinds of fruits, and that he may attain to old age, and have a weak offspring? then a violent fiery wind shall strike it, so that it shall be burned. Thus God declareth his signs unto you, that ye may consider. O true believers, bestow alms of the good things which ye have gained, and of that which we have produced for you out of the earth, and chuse not the bad thereof, to give it in alms, such as ye would not accept yourselves, otherwise than by connivance [d] : and know that God is rich and worthy to be praised. The devil threateneth you with poverty, and commandeth you filthy covetousness; but God promiseth you pardon from himself and abundance: God is bounteous and wise. He giveth wisdom [33] unto whom he pleaseth; and he unto whom wisdom is given hath received much good: but none will consider, except the wise of heart. And whatever alms ye shall give, or whatever vow ye shall vow, verily God knoweth it; but the ungodly shall have none to help them. If ye make your alms to appear, it is well; but if ye conceal them, and give them unto the poor, this will be better for you, and will atone for your sins; and God is well informed of that which ye do. The direction of them belongeth not unto thee; but God directeth whom he pleaseth. The good that ye shall give in alms shall redound unto yourselves; and ye shall not give unless out of desire of seeing the face of God [a] . And what good thing ye shall give in alms, it shall be repaid you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly; unto the poor who are wholly employed in fighting for the religion of God, and cannot go to and fro on the earth; whom the ignorant man thinketh rich, because of their modesty: thou shalt know them by this mark, they ask not men with importunity; and what good ye shall give in alms, verily God knoweth it. They who distribute alms of their substance night and day, in private and in public, shall have their reward with the Lord; on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved. They who devour usury shall not arise from the dead, but as he ariseth whom Satan hath infected by a touch [b] : this shall happen to them because they say, Truly selling is but as usury: and yet God hath permitted selling and forbidden usury. He therefore who when there cometh unto him an admonition from his Lord abstaineth from usury for the future, shall have what is past forgiven him, and his affair belongeth unto God. But whoever returneth to usury, they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall continue therein forever. God shall take his blessing from usury, and shall increase alms: for God loveth no infidel, or ungodly person. But they who believe and do that which is right, and observe the stated times of prayer, and pay their legal alms, they shall have their reward with their Lord: there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. O true believers, fear God, and remit that which remaineth of usury [c] , if ye really believe; but if ye do it not, hearken unto war, which is declared against you from God and his apostle: yet if ye repent, ye shall have the capital of your money. Deal not unjustly with others, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly. If there be any debtor under a difficulty of paying his debt, let his creditor wait till it be easy for him to do it; but if ye remit it as alms, it will be better for you, if ye knew it. And fear the day wherein ye shall return unto God; then shall every soul be paid what it hath gained, and they shall not be treated unjustly. O true believers, when ye bind yourselves one to the [34] other in a debt for a certain time, write it down; and let a writer write between you according to justice, and let not the writer refuse writing according to what God hath taught him; but let him write, and let him who oweth the debt dictate, and let him fear God his Lord, and not diminish ought thereof. But if he who oweth the debt be foolish, or weak, or be not able to dictate himself, let his agent [a] dictate according to equity; and call to witness two witnesses of your neighboring men; but if there be not two men, let there be a man and two women of those whom ye shall choose for witnesses: if one of those women should mistake, the other of them will cause her to recollect. And the witnesses shall not refuse, whensoever they shall be called. And disdain not to write it down, be it a large debt, or be it a small one, until its time of payment: this will be more just in the sight of God, and more right for bearing witness, and more easy, that ye may not doubt. But if it be a present bargain which ye transact between yourselves, it shall be no crime in you, if ye write it not down. And take witnesses when ye sell one to the other, and let no harm be done to the writer, nor to the witness; which if ye do, it will surely be injustice in you: and fear God, and God will instruct you, for God knoweth all things. And if ye be on a journey, and find no writer, let pledges be taken: but if one of you trust the other, let him who is trusted return what he is trusted with, and fear God his Lord. And conceal not the testimony, for he who concealeth it hath surely a wicked heart: God knoweth that which ye do. Whatever is in heaven and on earth is God’s: and whether ye manifest that which is in your minds, or conceal it, God will call you to account for it, and will forgive whom he pleaseth, and will punish whom he pleaseth, for God is almighty. The apostle believeth in that which hath been sent down unto him from his Lord, and the faithful also. Every one of them believeth in God, and his angels, and his scriptures, and his apostles: we make no distinction at all between his apostles [b] . And they say, We have heard, and do obey: we implore thy mercy, O Lord, for unto thee must we return. God will not force any one beyond its capacity: it shall have the good which it gaineth, and it shall suffer the evil which it gaineth. O Lord, punish us not, if we forget, or act sinfully: O Lord, lay not on us a burthen like that which thou hast laid on those who have been before us [c] ; neither make us, O Lord, to bear what we have not strength to bear, but be favorable unto us, and spare us, and be merciful unto us. Thou art our patron, help us therefore against the unbelieving nations.

notes originales réduire la fenêtre

[a] This title was occasioned by the story of the red heifer, mentioned p. 9.

[b] A. L. M.] As to the meaning of these letters, see the Preliminary Discourse, Sect. 3.

[c] Mysteries.] The Arabic word is gheib, which properly signifies a thing that is absent, at a great distance, or invisible, such as the resurrection, paradise, and hell. And this is agreeable to the language of scripture, which defines faith to be the evidence of things not seen [1]

[1] Hab. x. i. See also Rom. xxiv. 25. 2 Corinth. iv. 18. & v. 7.

[d] The prophets before thee] The Mohammedans believe that God gave written revelations not only to Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed, but to several other prophets [2] ; tho’ they acknowledge none of those which preceded the Korân to be now extant, except the Pentateuch of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus; which yet they say were even before Mohammed’s time altered and corrupted by the Jews and Christians; and therefore will not allow our present copies to be genuine.

[2] V. Reland. De relig. Moham. p.34. & Differt. de Samaritains, p.34, &c.

[e] The life to come] The original word al-âkherat properly signifies the latter part of anything, and by way of excellence the next life, the latter or future state after death; and is opposed to al-donya, this world; and al-oula, the former or present life. The Hebrew word ahharith, from the same root, is used by Moses in this sense, and is translated latter end. [3]

[3] Numb. xxiv. 20. Deut. viii. 16.

[f] Mohammed here, and elsewhere frequently, imitates the truly inspired writers, in making God by operation on the minds of reprobates to prevent their conversion. This fatality or predestination, as believed by the Mohammedans, hath been sufficiently treated of in the Preliminary Discourse.

[g] Act not corruptly] Literally corrupt not in the earth, by which some expositors understand the sowing of false doctrine, and corrupting people’s principles.

[h] Men of integrity] According to the explication in the preceding note, this word must be translated reformers, who promote true piety by their doctrine and example.

[a] Others] The first companions and followers of Mohammed [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Devils;] The prophet, making use of the liberty zealots of all religions have, by prescription, of giving ill language, bestows this name on the Jewish rabbins and Christian priests; tho’ he seems chiefly to mean the former, against whom he had by much the greater spleen.

[c] In this passage, Mohammed compares those who believed not on him, to a man who wants to kindle a fire, but as soon as it burns up, and the flames give a light, shuts his eyes, lest he should see. As if he had said, You, O Arabians, have long desired a prophet of your own nation, and now I am sent unto you, and have plainly proved my mission by the excellence of my doctrine and revelation, you resist conviction, and refuse to believe in me; therefore shall God leave you in your ignorance.

[d] The sense seems to be here imperfect, and may be completed by adding the words, he turns from it, shuts his eyes, or the like.

[e] Their light] That is of the unbelievers, to whom the word their being in the plural, seems to refer; tho’ it is not unusual for Mohammed, in affectation of the prophetic style, suddenly to change the number against all rules of grammar.

[f] Here he compares the unbelieving Arabs to people caught in a violent storm. To perceive the beauty of this comparison, it must be observed, that the Mohammedan doctors say, this tempest is a type or image of the Korân itself: the thunder signifying the threats therein contained; the lightning, the promises; and the darkness, the mysteries. The terror of the threats makes them stop their ears, unwilling to hear truths so disagreeable; when the promises are read to them, they attend with pleasure; but when anything mysterious or difficult of belief occurs, they stand stock still, and will not submit to be directed.

[g] Your witnesses besides God] i.e. Your false gods and idols.

[a] Some commentators [1] approve of this sense, supposing the fruits of paradise, tho’ of various tastes, are alike in colour and outward appearance: but others [2] think the meaning to be, that the inhabitants of that place will find there fruits of the same or the like kinds as they used to eat while on earth.

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[2] Al Zamakhshari.

[b] This was revealed to take off an objection made to the Korân by the infidels, for condescending to speak of such insignificant insects as the spider, the pismire, the bee, &c [3] .

[3] Yahya.

[c] Ye were dead, and he gave you life, &c.] i.e. Ye were dead while in the loins of your fathers, and he gave you life in your mothers wombs; and after death ye shall be again raised at the resurrection [4] .

[4] Jallalo’ddin.

[d] Concerning the creation of Adam, here intimated, the Mohammedans have several peculiar traditions. They say the angels, Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil, were sent by God, one after another, to fetch for that purpose seven handfuls of earth from different depths, and of different colours (whence some account for the various complexion of mankind [5] ); but the earth being apprehensive of the consequence, and desiring them to represent her fear to God that the creature he designed to form would rebel against him, and draw down his curse upon her, they returned without performing God’s command; whereupon he sent Azraïl on the same errand, who executed his commission without remorse, for which reason God appointed that angel to separate the souls from the bodies, being therefore called the angel of death. The earth he had taken was carried into Arabia, to a place between Mecca and Tayef, where, being first kneaded by the angels, it was afterwards fashioned by God himself into a human form, and left to dry [6] for the space of forty days, or, as others say, as many years, the angels in the meantime often visiting it, and Eblis (then one of the angels who are nearest to God’s presence, afterwards the devil) among the rest; but he, not contented with looking on it, kicked it with his foot till it rung and knowing God designed that creature to be his superior, took a secret resolution never to acknowledge him as such. After this, God animated the figure of clay and indued it with an intelligent soul, and when he had placed him in paradise, formed Eve out of his left side [7] .

[5] Al Termedi, from a tradition of Abu Musa al Ashari

[6] Korân. c. 55.

[7] Khond Amir. Jallalo’ddin. Comment. in Korân, &. V. D’Herbelot, Biblioth. Orient. p. 55.

[a] This story Mohammed borrowed from the Jewish traditions, which say that the angels having spoken of man with some contempt when God consulted them about his creation, God made answer that the man was wiser than they; and to convince them of it, he brought all kinds of animals to them, and asked them their names; which they not being able to tell, he put the same question to the man, who named them one after another; and being asked his own name and God’s name, he answered very justly, and gave God the name of JEHOVAH [1] . The angels’ adoring of Adam is also mentioned in the Talmud [2] .

[1] V. Rivin. Serpent. seduct. p. 56.

[2] R. Moses Haddarshan, in Bereshit rabbah.

[b] Worship.] The original word signifies properly to prostrate one’s self till the forehead touches the ground, which is the humblest posture of adoration, and strictly due to God only; but it is sometimes, as in this place, used to express that civil worship or homage, which may be paid to creatures [3] .

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[c] This occasion of the devil’s fall has some affinity with an opinion which has been pretty much entertained among Christians [4] , viz., that the angels being informed of God’s intention to create man after his own image, and to dignify human nature by Christ’s assuming it, some of them, thinking their glory to be eclipsed thereby, envied man’s happiness, and so revolted.

[4] Irenæus, Lact. Greg. Nyssen. &c.

[d] Mohammed, as appears by what presently follows, does not place this garden or paradise on earth, but in the seventh heaven [5] .

[5] Vid. Marracc. in Alc. p. 24.

[e] Concerning this tree or the forbidden fruit, the Mohammedans, as well as the Christians, have various opinions. Some say it was an ear of wheat; some will have it to have been a fig-tree, and others a vine [6] . The story of the Fall is told, with some further circumstances, in the beginning of the seventh chapter.

[6] V. ibid. p. 22.

[f] Satan caused them to forfeit paradise] They have a tradition that the devil offering to get into paradise to tempt Adam, was not admitted by the guard; whereupon he begged of the animals, one after another, to carry him in, that he might speak to Adam and his wife; but they all refused him except the serpent, who took him between two of his teeth, and so introduced him. They add that the serpent was then of a beautiful form, and not in the shape he now bears [7] .

[7] V. ib.

[g] Get ye down] The Mohammedans say that when they were cast down from paradise, Adam fell on the isle of Ceylon or Serendib, and Eve near Joddah (the port of Mecca) in Arabia; and that after a separation of 200 years, Adam was, on his repentance, conducted by the angel Gabriel to a mountain near Mecca, where he found and knew his wife, the mountain being thence named Arafat; and that he afterwards retired with her to Ceylon, where they continued to propagate their species [8] .
It may not be improper here to mention another tradition concerning the gigantic stature of our first parents. Their prophet, they say, affirmed Adam to have been as tall as a high palm-tree [9] ; but this would be too much in proportion, if that were really the print of his foot, which is pretended to be such, on the top of a mountain in the isle of Ceylon, thence named Pico de Adam, and by the Arab writers Rahûn, being somewhat above two spans long [10] (tho’ others say it is seventy cubits long, and that when Adam set one foot here, he had the other in the sea [11] ) ; and too little, if Eve were of so enormous a size, as is said, when her head lay on one hill near Mecca, her knees rested on two others in the plain, about two musket-shots asunder [12] .

[8] D’Herbelot, Bib. Orient. p. 55.

[9] Yahya

[10] Monconys Voyage, part. i. p. 372, &c. See Knox’s Account of Ceylon.

[11] Anciennes Relations des Indes, &c. p. 3.

[12] Monconys, ubi sup.

[a] A direction from me] God here promises Adam that his will should be revealed to him and his posterity; which promise the Mohammedans believe was fulfilled at several times by the ministry of several prophets, from Adam himself, who was the first, to Mohammed, who was the last. The number of books revealed unto Adam they say was ten [1] .

[1] V. Hottinger Hist. Orient. p. 11. Reland. de Relig. Mohammed. p. 21.

[b] Signs.] This word has various significations in the Korân; sometimes, as in this passage, it signifies divine revelation, or scripture in general; sometimes the verses of the Korân in particular, and at other times visible miracles. But the sense is easily distinguished by the context.

[c] The Jews are here called upon to receive the Korân, as verifying and confirming the Pentateuch, particularly with respect to the unity of God and the mission of Mohammed [2] . And they are exhorted not to conceal the passages of their law which bear witness to those truths, nor to corrupt them by publishing false copies of the Pentateuch, for which the writers were but poorly paid [3] .

[2] Yahya

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[d] See the story of Moses and Pharaoh more particularly related, chap. vii. & xx. &c.

[e] The calf.] The person who cast this calf, the Mohammedans say, was (not Aaron but) al Sâmeri, one of the principal men among the children of Israel, some of whose descendants it is pretended still inhabit an island of that name in the Arabian Gulf [4] . It was made of the rings [5] and bracelets of gold, silver, and other materials, which the Israelites had borrowed of the Egyptians; for Aaron, who commanded in his brother’s absence, having ordered al Sâmeri to collect those ornaments from the people, who carried on a wicked commerce with them, and to keep them together till the return of Moses; al Sâmeri, understanding the founder’s art, put them altogether into a furnace to melt them down into one mass, which came out in the form of a calf [1] . The Israelites, accustomed to the Egyptian idolatry, paying a religious worship to this image, al Sâmeri went farther, and took some dust from the footsteps of the horse of the angel Gabriel, who marched at the head of the people, and threw it into the mouth of the calf, which immediately began to low, and became animated [2] ; for such was the virtue of that dust [3] . One writer says that all the Israelites adored this calf, except only 12000 [4] .

[4] Geogr. Nubiens. p. 45.

[5] Korân. c. 7.

[1] See Exod. xxxii. 24.

[2] Korân. c. 7.

[3] Jallalo’ddin, V. D’Herbelot, Bibl. orient. p. 650.

[4] Abu’lfeda.

[a] And slay the guilty] In this particular, the narration agrees with that of Moses, who ordered the Levites to slay every man his brother [5] : but the scripture says, there fell of the people that day about 3000 (the Vulgate says 23000) men [6] ; whereas the commentators of the Korân make the number of the slain to amount to 70000; and add, that God sent a dark cloud which hindered them from seeing one another, lest the sight should move those who executed the sentence to compassion [7] .

[5] Exod. xxxii. 26, 27.

[6] Ibid. 28.

[7] Jallalo’ddin, &c.

[b] The persons here meant are said to have been seventy men, who were made choice of by Moses and heard the voice of God talking with him. But not being satisfied with that, they demanded to see God; whereupon they were all struck dead by lightning, and on Moses’s intercession restored to life [8] .

[8] Ismael Ebn Ali

[c] The eastern writers say these quails were of a peculiar kind, to be found nowhere but in Yaman, from whence they were brought by a south wind in great numbers to the Israelites’ camp in the desart [9] . The Arabs call these birds Salwâ, which is plainly the same with the Hebrew Salwim, and say they have no bones, but are eaten whole [10] .

[9] See Psalm lxxviii. 26.

[10]

[d] This city] Some commentators suppose it to be Jericho, others Jerusalem.

[e] Forgiveness!] The Arabic word is Hittaton, which some take to signify that profession of the unity of God, so frequently used by the Mohammedans, La ilâha illa ’llaho, There is no god but God.

[f] Changed the expression into another] According to Jallalo’ddin, instead of Hittaton, they cried Habbat fi shaïrat, i.e. a grain in an ear of barley; and in ridicule of the divine command to enter the city in an humble posture, they indecently crept in upon their breech.

[g] Indignation from heaven] A pestilence which carried off near 70,000 of them [11] .

[11] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] The rock] The commentators say this was a stone which Moses brought from mount Sinai, and the same that fled away with his garments which he laid upon it one day while he washed; they add that Moses ran after the stone naked, till he found himself, ere he was aware, in the midst of the people, who, on this accident, were convinced of the falsehood of a report which had been raised of their prophet, that he was bursten, or, as others write, an hermaphrodite [1] .
They describe it to be a square piece of white marble, shaped like a man’s head; wherein they differ not much from the accounts of European travellers, who say this rock stands among several lesser ones, about 100 paces from mount Horeb, and appears to have been loosened from the neighbouring mountains, having no coherence with the others; that it is a huge mass of red granite, almost round on one side, and flat on the other, twelve feet high, and as many thick, but broader than it is high, and about fifty feet in circumference [2] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin, Yahya.

[2] Breydenbach, Itinerar. Chartâ m. p. 1. Sicard, dans les Mémoires des Missions, vol. 7. p. 14.

[b] Twelve fountains] Marracci thinks this circumstance looks like a Rabbinical fiction, or else that Mohammed confounds the water of the rock at Horeb with the 12 wells at Elim [3] ; for he says several who have been on the spot affirm there are but three orifices whence the water issued [4] . But it is to be presumed that Mohammed had better means of information in this respect than to fall into such a mistake; for the rock stands within the borders of Arabia, and some of his countrymen must needs have seen it, if he himself did not, as it is most probable he did. And in effect he seems to be in the right. For one who went into those parts in the end of the 15 century tells us expressly that the water issued from twelve places of the rock, according to the number of the tribes of Israel; egressæ sunt aquæ largissimæ in duodecim locis petræ, juxta numerum duodecim tribuum Israel [5] . A late curious traveller [6] observes that there are 24 holes in the stone, which may be easily counted- that is to say, 12 on the flat side, and as many on the opposite round side, every one being a foot deep, and an inch wide; and he adds, that the holes on one side do not communicate with those on the other, which a less accurate spectator not perceiving (for they are placed horizontally, within two feet of the top of the rock), might conclude they pierced quite through the stone, and so reckon them to be but 12.

[3] Exod. xv. 27; Numb. xxxiii. 9.

[4] Marracc. Prodr. part 4. p. 80.

[5] Breydenbach, ubi sup.

[6] Sicard, ubi sup.

[c] See Numb. xi. 5, &c.

[d] Jews, Christians, and Sabians, whoever believeth, &c.] From these words, which are repeated in the 5th chapter, several writers [7] have wrongly concluded that the Mohammedans hold it to be the doctrine of their prophet that every man may be saved in his own religion, provided he be sincere and lead a good life. It is true, some of their doctors do agree this to be the purport of the words [1] ; but then they say the latitude hereby granted was soon revoked, for that this passage is abrogated by several others in the Korân, which expressly declare that none can be saved who is not of the Mohammedan faith, and particularly by those words of the third chapter, Whoever followeth any other religion than Islâm (i.e. the Mohammedan,) it shall not be accepted of him, and at the last day he shall be of those who perish [2] . However, others are of opinion that this passage is not abrogated, but interpret it differently, taking the meaning of it to be that no man, whether he be a Jew, a Christian, or a Sabian, shall be excluded from salvation, provided he quit his erroneous religion and become a Moslem, which they say is intended by the following words, Whoever believeth in God and the last day, and doth that which is right. And this interpretation is approved by Mr. Reland, who thinks the words here import no more than those of the apostle, In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him [3] ; from which it must not be inferred that the religion of nature, or any other, is sufficient to save, without faith in Christ [4] .

[7] Selden, de Jure Nat. & gentinum sec. Hebr. l. 6, c. 12. Angel, a S. Joseph. Gazophylac. Persic. p. 365. Nic. Cusanus in Cribratione Alcorani, l. 3, c. 2, &c.

[1] See Chardin’s Voyages, vol. 2. p. 326, 331.

[2] Abu’lkasem Hebatallah de abrogante & abrogato

[3] Acts x. 35

[4] V. Reland. de rel. Moham. p. 128, &c.

[a] When we lifted up mount Sinai over you.] The Mohammedan tradition is, that the Israelites refusing to receive the law of Moses, God tore up the mountain by the roots, and shook it over their heads, to terrify them into a compliance [5] .

[5] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Those who transgressed on the sabbath day, &.] The story to which this passage refers, is as follows. In the days of David some Israelites dwelt at Ailah, or Elath, on the Red Sea, where on the night of the sabbath the fish used to come in great numbers to the shore, and stay there all the sabbath, to tempt them; but the night following they returned into the sea again. At length some of the inhabitants, neglecting God’s command, catched fish on the sabbath, and dressed and ate them; and afterward cut canals from the sea, for the fish to enter, with sluices, which they shut on the sabbath, to prevent their return to the sea. The other part of the inhabitants, who strictly observed the sabbath, used both persuasion and force to stop this impiety, but to no purpose, the offenders growing only more and more obstinate; whereupon David cursed the sabbath-breakers, and God transformed them into apes. It is said that one going to see a friend of his that was among them, found him in the shape of an ape, moving his eyes about wildly; and asking him whether he was not such a one, the ape made a sign with his head that it was he; whereupon the friend said to him, Did not I advise you to desist? at which the ape wept. They add that these unhappy people remained three days in this condition, and were afterwards destroyed by a wind which swept them all into the sea [6] .

[6] Abu’lfeda.

[c] God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow, &c.] The occasion of this sacrifice is thus related. A certain man at his death left his son, then a child, a cow-calf, which wandered in the desart till he came to age; at which time his mother told him the heifer was his, and bid him fetch her, and sell her for three pieces of gold. When the young man came to the market with his heifer, an angel in the shape of a man accosted him, and bid him six pieces of gold for her; but he would not take the money till he had asked his mother’s consent; which when he had obtained, he returned to the market-place, and met the angel, who now offered him twice as much for the heifer, provided he would say nothing of it to his mother; but the young man refusing, went and acquainted her with the additional offer. The woman perceiving it was an angel, bid her son go back and ask him what must be done with the heifer; whereupon the angel told the young man that in a little time the children of Israel would buy that heifer of him at any price. And soon after it happened that an Israelite, named Hammiel, was killed by a relation of his, who, to prevent discovery, conveyed the body to a place considerably distant from that where the fact was committed. The friends of the slain man accused some other persons of the murder before Moses; but they denying the fact, and there being no evidence to convict them, God commanded a cow, of such and such particular marks, to be killed; but there being no other which answered the description except the orphan’s heifer, they were obliged to buy her for as much gold as her hide would hold; according to some, for her full weight in gold, and as others say, for ten times as much. This heifer they sacrificed, and the dead body being, by divine direction, struck with a part of it, revived, and standing up, named the person who had killed him; after which it immediately fell down dead again [1] . The whole story seems to be borrowed from the red heifer, which was ordered by the Jewish law to be burnt, and the ashes kept for purifying those who happened to touch a dead corpse [2] .

[1] Abu’lfeda.

[2] Numb. xix.

[a] A red cow.] The epithet in the original is yellow; but this word we do not use in speaking of the colour or cattle.

[b] And they wanted but little of leaving it undone,] Because of the exorbitant price which they were obliged to pay for the heifer.

[c] With part of the cow,] i.e. Her tongue, or the end of her tail [3] .

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] Mohammed again accuses the Jews of corrupting their scripture.

[b] The fire of hell shall not touch us but for a certain number of days;] That is, says Jallalo’ddin, forty; being the number of days that their forefathers worshipped the golden calf; after which they gave out that their punishment should cease. It is a received opinion among the Jews at present, that no person, be he ever so wicked, or of whatever sect, shall remain in hell above eleven months, or at most a year; except Dathan and Abiram, and atheists, who will be tormented there to all eternity [1] .

[1] V. Bartoloccii Biblioth. Rabbinic. Tom. 2 p. 128, & T. 3. p. 421.

[c] Whoso doth evil, &.] By evil in this place the commentators generally understand polytheism or idolatry; which sin the Mohammedans believe, unless repented of in this life, is unpardonable and will be punished by eternal damnation; but all other sins they hold will at length be forgiven. This therefore is that irremissible impiety, in their opinion, which in the New Testament is called the sin against the holy Ghost.

[d] Ye slew one another, &c.] This passage was revealed on occasion of some quarrels which arose between the Jews of the tribes of Koreidha, and those of al Aws, al Nadhîr, and al Khazraj, and came to that height that they took arms and destroyed one another’s habitations, and turned one another out of their houses; but when any were taken captive, they redeemed them. When they were asked the reason of their acting in this manner, they answered, That they were commanded by their law to redeem the captives, but that they fought out of shame, lest their chiefs should be despised [2] .

[2] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] The holy spirit.] We must not imagine Mohammed here means the Holy Ghost in the Christian acceptation. The commentators says this spirit was the angel Gabriel, who sanctified Jesus and constantly attended on him [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Although they had before prayed, &c.] The Jews in expectation of the coming of Mohammed (according to the tradition of his followers) used this prayer, O God, help us against the unbelievers by the prophet who is to be sent in the last times [2] .

[2] Idem.

[c] The Korân.

[d] The Pentateuch.

[e] See before p. 8.

[f] They were made to drink down the calf, &c.] Moses took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water (of the brook that descended from the mount), and made the children of Israel drink of it [3] .

[3] Exod. xxxii. 20. Deut. ix. 21.

[g] A grievous thing; &c.] Mohammed here infers from their forefathers’ disobedience in worshipping the calf, at the same time that they pretended to believe in the law of Moses, that the faith of the Jews in his time was as vain and hypocritical, since they rejected him, who was foretold therein, as an impostor [4] .

[4] Jallalo’ddin. Yahya, al Beidawi.

[h] Which their hands have sent before them,] That is, by reason of the wicked forgeries which they have been guilty of in respect to the scriptures. An expression much like that of St. Paul, where he says, that some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment [5] .

[5] 1 Tim. v. 24.

[a] Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel, &c.] The commentators say that the Jews asked what angel it was that brought the divine revelations to Mohammed; and being told that it was Gabriel, they replied that he was their enemy, and the messenger of wrath and punishment; but if it had been Michael, they would ave believed on him, because that angel was their friend, and the messenger of peace and plenty. And on this occasion, they say, this passage was revealed [1] .
That Michael was really the protector or guardian angel of the Jews, we know from scripture [2] ; and it seems that Gabriel was, as the Persians call him, the angel of revelations, being frequently sent on messages of that kind [3] ; for which reason it is probable Mohammed pretended he was the angel from whom he received the Korân.

[1] Jallalo’ddin. al Zamakh. Yahya.

[2] Dan. xii. I.

[3] Ibid. ch. viii. 16, and ix. 21; Luke i. 19, 26. See Hyde de rel. vet. Persar. p. 263.

[b] Evident signs, ] i.e. the revelations of this book.

[c] They followed the device which the devils devised against Solomon, &c.] The devils having, by God’s permission, tempted Solomon without success, they made use of a trick to blast his character. For they wrote several books of magic, and hid them under that prince’s throne, and after his death, told the chief men that if they wanted to know by what means Solomon had obtained his absolute power over men, genii, and the winds, they should dig under his throne; which having done, they found the aforesaid books, which contained impious superstitions. The better sort refused to learn the evil arts therein delivered, but the common people did; and the priests published this scandalous story of Solomon, which obtained credit among the Jews, till God, say the Mohammedans, cleared that king by the mouth of their prophet, declaring that Solomon was no idolater [4] .

[4] Yahya. Jallalo’ddin.

[d] The devils taught sorcery, and that which was sent down to Harût and Marût, &c.] Some say only that these were two magicians, or angels sent by God to teach men magic, and to tempt them [5] . But others tell a longer fable; that the angels expressing their surprise at the wickedness of the sons of Adam, after prophets had been sent to them with divine commissions, God bid them choose two out of their own number to be sent down to be judges on earth. Whereupon they pitched upon Harût and Marût, who executed their office with integrity for some time, till Zohara, or the planet Venus, descended and appeared before them in the shape of a beautiful woman, bringing a complaint against her husband (tho’ others say she was a real woman). As soon as they saw her, they fell in love with her, and endeavoured to prevail on her to satisfy their desires; but she flew up again to heaven, whither the two angels also returned, but were not admitted. However, on the intercession of a certain pious man, they were allowed to choose whether they would be punished in this life, or in the other; whereupon they chose the former, and now suffer punishment accordingly in Babel, where they are to remain till the day of judgment. They add that if a man has a fancy to learn magic, he may go to them, and hear their voice, but cannot see them [1] .
This story Mohammed took directly from the Persian Magi, who mention two rebellious angels of the same names, now hung up by the feet, with their heads downwards, in the territory of Babel [2] . And the Jews have something like this, of the angel Shamhozai, who, having debauched himself with women, repented, and by way of penance hung himself up between heaven and earth [3] .

[5] Jallalo’ddin.

[1] Yahya, &c.

[2] V. Hyde, ubi sup. cap. 12.

[3]

[a] >Say not to our apostle, Raïna; but Ondhorna.] Those two Arabic words have both the same signification, viz., Look on us; and are a kind of salutation. Mohammed had a great aversion to the first, because the Jews frequently used it in derision, it being a word of reproach in their tongue [4] . They alluded, it seems, to the Hebrew verb [Hebrew Text] ruá, which signifies to be bad or mischievous.

[4] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] What was formerly required of Moses.] Namely, to see God manifestly [5] .

[5] See before p. 7.

[c] None shall enter paradise, except they who are Jews or Christians.] This passage was revealed on occasion of a dispute which Mohammed had with the Jews of Medina, and the Christians of Najrân, each of them asserting that those of their religion only should be saved [6] .

[6] Jallalo’ddin.

[d] Resigneth himself, &c.] Literally, resigneth his face, &c.

[e] And doth that which is right, &c.] That is, asserteth the unity of God [7] .

[7] Idem.

[a] The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on nothing, &c.] The Jews and Christians are here accused of denying the truth of each other’s religion, notwithstanding they read the scriptures. Whereas the Pentateuch bears testimony to Jesus, and the Gospel bears testimony to Moses [1] .

[1] Idem.

[b] Who prohibiteth the temples of God, &c.] Or hindereth men from paying their adorations to God in those sacred places. This passage, says Jallalo’ddin, was revealed on news being brought that the Romans had spoiled the temple of Jerusalem; or else when the idolatrous Arabs obstructed Mohammed’s visiting the temple of Mecca, in the expedition of al Hodeibiya, which happened in the 6th year of the Hejra [2] .

[2] V. Abul’feda vit. Moham. p. 84, &c.

[c] They say God hath begotten children.] This is spoken not only of the Christians and of the Jews (for they are accused of holding Ozair, or Ezra, to be the Son of God), but also the pagan Arabs, who imagined the angels to be the daughters of God.

[d] When the Lord tried Abraham, &c.] God tried Abraham chiefly by commanding him to leave his native country, and to offer his son. But the commentators suppose the trial here meant related only to some particular ceremonies, such as circumcision, pilgrimage to the Caaba, several rites of purification, and the like [3] .

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] A model of religion.] I have rather expressed the meaning, than truly translated the Arabic word Imâm, which answers to the Latin Antistes. This title the Mohammedans give to their priests, who begin the prayers in their Mosques, and whom all the congregation follow.

[b] The holy house, &c.] That is, the Caaba, which is usually called, by way of eminence, the House. Of the sanctity of this building, and other particulars relating to it, see the Preliminary Discourse, §. IV.

[c] The station of Abraham, &c.] A place so called within the inner enclosure of the Caaba, where they pretend to shew the print of his foot in a stone [1] .

[1] See the Prelim. Disc., §. IV.

[d] Resigned.] The Arabic word is Moslemûna, in the singular Moslem, which the Mohammedans take as a title peculiar to themselves. The Europeans generally write and pronounce it Musulman.

[e] What they have gained,] Or deserved. The Mohammedan notion, as to the imputation of moral actions to man, which they call gain, or acquisition, is sufficiently explained in the Preliminary Discourse.

[a] The baptism of God.] By baptism is to be understood the religion which God instituted in the beginning; because the signs of it appear in the person who professes it, as the signs of water appear in the clothes of him that is baptized [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Will ye dispute with us concerning God?] These words were revealed because the Jews insisted that they first received the scriptures, that their Keblah was more ancient, and that no prophets could arise among the Arabs; and therefore if Mohammed was a prophet, he must have been of their nation [2] .

[2] Idem.

[c] Who hideth the testimony, &c.] The Jews are again accused of corrupting and suppressing the prophecies in the Pentateuch relating to Mohammed.

[d] What hath turned them from their Keblah, &c.] At first, Mohammed and his followers observed no particular rite in turning their faces towards any certain place, or quarter of the world, when they prayed; it being declared to be perfectly indifferent [3] . Afterwards, when the prophet fled to Medina, he directed them to turn towards the temple of Jerusalem (probably to ingratiate himself with the Jews), which continued to be their Keblah for six or seven months; but either finding the Jews too intractable, or despairing otherwise to gain the pagan Arabs, who could not forget their respect to the temple of Mecca, he ordered that prayers for the future should be towards the last. This change was made in the second year of the Hejra [4] , and occasioned many to fall from him, taking offence at his inconstancy [5] .

[3] See before p. 15.

[4] V. Abulf, vit. Moham. p. 54.

[5] Jallalo’ddin.

[e] An intermediate nation, &c.] This seems to be the sense of the words; tho’ the commentators [6] will have the meaning to be that the Arabians are here declared to be a most just and good nation.

[6] Idem. Yahya, &c.

[f] Who turneth back on the heels;] i.e. Returneth to Judaism.

[a] God will not render your faith of none effect;] Or will not suffer it to go without its reward, while ye prayed towards Jerusalem.

[b] An apostle from among you;] That is, of your own nation.

[c] Who are slain in fight for the religion of God.] The original words are literally, who are slain in the way of God; by which expression, frequently occurring in the Korân, is always meant war undertaken against unbelievers for the propagation of the Mohammedan faith.

[d] They are living.] The souls of martyrs (for such they esteem those who die in battle against infidels), says Jallalo’ddin, are in the crops of green birds, which have liberty to fly wherever they please in paradise, and feed on the fruits thereof.

[e] We are Gods and unto him shall we surely return.] An expression frequently in the mouths of the Mohammedans, when under any great affliction, or in any imminent danger.

[a] Whoever goeth on pilgrimage to the Mecca, it shall be no crime in him, if he compass them both.] Safâ and Merwâ are two mountains near Mecca, whereon were anciently two idols, to which the pagan Arabs used to pay a superstitious veneration [1] . Jallalo’ddin says this passage was revealed because the followers of Mohammed made a scruple of going round these mountains, as the idolaters did. But the true reason of his allowing this relic of ancient superstition seems to be the difficulty he found in preventing it. Abul Kâsem Hebato’llah thinks these last words are abrogated by those other, Who will reject the religion of Abraham, except he who hath infatuated his souls [2] ? So that he will have the meaning to be quite contrary to the letter, as if it had been, it shall be no crime in him if he do not compass them. However, the expositors are all against him [3] , and the ceremony of running between these two hills is still observed at the pilgrimage [4] .

[1] See the Prelim. Disc. p. 20.

[2] See before p. 16.

[3] V. Marracc. in Alc. p. 69, &c.

[4] See the Prelim. Disc. §. IV.

[b] They who curse shall curse them.] That is, the angels, the believers, and all things in general [5] . But Yahya interprets it of the curses which will be given to the wicked, when they cry out because of the punishment of the sepulchre [6] , by all who hear them, that is, by all creatures except men and genii.

[5] Jallalo’ddin.

[6] See the Prelim. Disc. §. IV.

[c] Regarded.] Or, as Jallalo’ddin expounds it, God will not wait for their repentance.

[d] Compelled.] The original word signifies properly that are pressed or compelled to do personal service without hire; which kind of service is often exacted by the eastern princes of their subjects, and is called by the Greek and Latin writers, Angaria. The scripture often mentions this sort of compulsion by force [7] .

[7] Matt. v. 41; xxvii. 32, &c.

[e] Oh that they who act unjustly did perceive, &c.] Or it may be translated, Although the ungodly will perceive, &c. But some copies instead of yara, in the third person, read tara, in the second; and then it must be rendered, Oh if thou didst see when the ungodly behold their punishment, &c.

[f] When those who have been followed shall separate themselves from their followers, &c.] That is, when the broachers or heads of new sects shall at the last day forsake or wash their hands of their disciples, as if they were not accomplices in their superstitions.

[a] For this reason, whenever the Mohammedans kill any animal for food, they always say, Bismi ’llah, or In the name of God; which, if it be neglected, they think it not lawful to eat of it.

[b] A woman for a woman.] This is not to be strictly taken; for according to the Sonna, a man also is to be put to death for the murder of a woman. Regard is also to be had to difference in religion, so that a Mohammedan, tho’ a slave, is not to be put to death for an infidel, tho’ a freeman [1] . But the civil magistrates do not think themselves always obliged to conform to this last determination of the Sonna.

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] This is the common practice in Mohammedan countries, particularly in Persia [1] , where the relations of the deceased may take their choice, either to have the murderer put into their hands to be put to death, or else to accept of a pecuniary satisfaction.

[1] V. Chardin, Voyage de Perse, T. ii. p. 299, &c.

[b] That he bequeath a legacy to his parents and kindred, according to what shall be reasonable, &c.] That is, the legacy was not to exceed a third part of the testator’s substance, nor to be given where there was no necessity. But this injunction is abrogated by the law concerning inheritances.

[c] Those who can keep it, and do not, &c.] The expositors differ much about the meaning of this passage, thinking it very improbable that people should be left entirely at liberty either to fast or not, on compounding for it in this manner. Jallalo’ddin, therefore, supposes the negative particle not to be understood, and that this is allowed only to those who are not able to fast, by reason of age or dangerous sickness; but afterwards he says, that i the beginning of Mohammedism it was free for them to choose whether they would fast or maintain a poor man, which liberty was soon after taken away, and this passage abrogated by the following, Therefore let him who shall be present in this month, fast the same month. Yet this abrogation, he says, does not extend to women with child or that give suck, lest the infant suffer.
Al Zamakhshari, having first given an explanation of Ebn Abbâs, who, by a different interpretation of the Arabic word Yotikûnaho, which signifies can or are able to fast, renders it, Those who find great difficulty therein, &c., adds an exposition of his own, by supposing something to be understood, according to which the sense will be, Those who can fast and yet have a legal excuse to break it, must redeem it, &c.

[d] By maintaining of a poor man.] According to the usual quantity which a man eats in a day and the custom of the country [2] .

[2] Jallalo’ddin.

[e] See the Prelim. Disc. §. ii.

[f] Who shall be present] i.e. at home, and not in a strange country, where the fact cannot be performed, or on a journey.

[a] It is lawful for you on fast to go in unto your wives by night.] In the beginning of Mohammedism, during the fast, they neither lay with their wives, nor ate nor drank after supper. But both are permitted by this passage [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] They are a garment unto you, &c.] A metaphorical expression, to signify the mutual comfort a man and his wife find in each other.

[c] Some of the Arabs had a superstitious custom after they had been at Mecca (in pilgrimage, as it seems), on their return home, not to enter their house by the old door, but to make a hole through the back part for a passage, which practice is here reprehended.

[d] As to these sacred months, wherein it was unlawful for the ancient Arabs to attack one another, see the Prelim. Disc. §. VII.

[e] And throw not your selves away, &c.] i.e. Be not accessory to your own destruction, by neglecting your contributions towards the wars against infidels, and thereby suffering them to gather strength.

[a] Shave not your heads, &c.] For this was a sign they had completed their vow, and performed all the ceremonies of the pilgrimage [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Shall redeem the shaving his head by fasting, &c.] That is, either by fasting three days, or feeding six poor people, or sacrificing a sheep.

[c] He who tarrieth.] This passage is somewhat obscure. Yahya interprets it of him who marries a wife during the visitation, and performs the pilgrimage the year following. But Jallalo’ddin expounds it of him who stays within the sacred enclosures, in order to complete the ceremonies which (as it should seem) he had not been able to do within the prescribed time.

[d] The known months,] i.e. Shawâl, Dhu’lkaada, and Dhu’lhajja. See the Preliminary Discourse, §. IV.

[e] When ye go in procession.] The original word signifies to rush forward impetuously; as the pilgrims do when they proceed from Arafât to Mozdalifa.

[f] Arafât,] A mountain near Mecca, so called because Adam there met and knew his wife, after a long separation [2] . Yet others say that Gabriel, after he had instructed Abraham in all the sacred ceremonies, coming to Arafât, there asked him if he knew the ceremonies which had been shown him; to which Abraham answering in the affirmative, the mountain had thence its name [3] .

[2] See before p. 5. not. g.

[3] Al Hasan

[g] The holy monument;] In Arabic, al Masher al harâm. It is a mountain in the farther part of Mozdalifa, where it is said Mohammed stood praying and praising God, till his face became extremely shining [4] . Bobovious calls it Farkh [5] , but the true name seems to be Kazah; the variation being occasioned only by the different pointing of the Arabic letters.

[4] Jallalo’ddin.

[5] Bobov. de peregr. Meccana, p. 15.

[h] God is swift in taking an account.] For he will judge all creatures, says Jallalo’ddin, in the space of half a day.

[a] The appointed number of days,] i.e. Three days after slaying the sacrifices.

[b] There is a man who causeth thee to marvel, &c.] This person was al Akhnas Ebn Shoraik, a fair-spoken dissembler, who swore that he believed in Mohammed, and pretended to be one of his friends, and to contemn this world. But God here reveals to the prophet his hypocrisy and wickedness [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[c] He hasteth to act corruptly, and to destroy that which is sown, &c.] Setting fire to his neighbour’s corn, and killing his asses by night [2] .

[2] Idem.

[d] There is a man who selleth his soul, &c.] The person here meant was one Soheib, who being persecuted by the idolaters of Mecca, forsook all he had, and fled to Medina [3] .

[3] Idem.

[a] Wine.] Under the name of wine all sorts of strong and inebriating liquors are comprehended [1] .

[1] See the Prelim. Disc. §. V.

[b] Lots.] The original word, al Meiser, properly signifies a particular game performed with arrows, and much in use with the pagan Arabs. But by lots we are here to understand all games whatsoever, which are subject to chance or hazard, as dice, cards, &c [2] .

[2] See ibid.

[c] In both there is great sin, and also some things of use.] From these words some suppose that only drinking to excess and too frequent gaming are prohibited [3] . And the moderate use of wine they also think is allowed by these words of the 16th chapter, And of the fruits of palm-trees and grapes ye obtain inebriating drink, and also good nourishment. But the more received opinion is, that both drinking wine or other strong liquors in any quantity, and playing at any game of chance, are absolutely forbidden [4] .

[3] V. Jallalo’ddin & al Zamakhshari.

[4] See the Prelim. Disc. ubi sup.

[d] God will surely distress you.] viz. By his curse, which shall certainly bring to nothing what ye shall wrong the orphans of.

[a] As God hath commanded you;] But not while they have their courses, nor by using preposterous venery [1] .

[1] Ebn Abbas, Jallalo’ddin.

[b] In what manner soever ye will;] That is in any posture; either standing, sitting, lying, forwards, or backwards. And this passage, it is said, was revealed to answer the Jews, who pretended that if a man lay with his wife backwards, he would get a more witty child [2] . It has been imagined that these words allow that preposterous lust, which the commentators say is forbidden by the preceding; but I question whether this can be proved.

[2] Jallalo’ddin, Yahya, AL Zamakhshari. Vid. Lucret. de rer. nat. l. iv, v. 1258, &c.

[c] Do first some act that may be profit unto your souls;] i.e. Perform some act of devotion or charity.

[d] Make not God the object of your oaths;] So as to swear frequently by him. The word translated object, properly signifies a butt to shoot at with arrows [3] .

[3] Jallalo’ddin

[e] That ye will deal justly, &c.] Some commentators [4] expound this negatively, That ye will not deal justly, nor be devout, &c. For such wicked oaths, they say, were customary among the idolatrous inhabitants of Mecca; which gave occasion to the following saying of Mohammed: When your swear to do a thing, and afterwards find it better to do otherwise, do that which is better, and make void your oath.

[4] Idem. Yahya.

[f] An inconsiderate word;] When a man swears inadvertently, and without design.

[g] They who vow to abstain from their wives, are allowed to wait four months;] That is, they may take so much time to consider; and shall not, by a rash oath, be obliged actually to divorce them.

[h] If they go back from their vows, &c.] i.e. If they be reconciled to their wives within four months, or after, they may retain them, and God will dispense with their oath.

[i] This is to be understood of those only with whom the marriage has been consummated; for as to the others there is no time limited. Those who are not quite past childbearing (which a woman is reckoned to be after her courses cease, and she is fifty-five lunar years, or about fifty-three solar years old), and those who are too young to have children, are allowed three months only; but they who are with child must wait till they be delivered [5] .

[5] Jallalo’ddin.

[k] They shall not conceal what God hath created in their wombs;] That is, they shall tell the real truth, whether they have their courses, or be with child, or not; and shall not, by deceiving their husband, obtain a separation from him before the term be accomplished: lest the first husband’s child should, by that means, go to the second; or the wife, in case of the first husband’s death, should set up her child as his heir, or demand her maintenance during the time she went with such child, and the expenses of her lying-in, under pretence that she waited not her full prescribed time [6] .

[6] Yahya

[a] Unless both fear that they cannot observe the ordinances of God.] For if there be a settled aversion on either side, their continuing together may have very ill, and perhaps fatal consequences.

[b] It shall be no crime if she redeem herself;] i.e. If she prevail on her husband to dismiss her, by releasing part of her dowry.

[c] And retain them not by violence, so that ye transgress;] viz. By obliging them to purchase their liberty with part of their dowry.

[d] The wives of such as die, must wait four months and ten days;] That is to say, before they marry again; and this, not only for decency sake, but that it may be known whether they be with child by the deceased or not.

[e] For that which they shall do with themselves;] That is, if they leave off their mourning weeds, and look out for new husbands.

[a] Unless they, or be in whose hand the knot of marriage is, release it, &c.] i.e. Unless the wife agree to take less than half her dowry, or unless the husband be so generous as to give her more than half, or the whole, which is here approved of as most commendable.

[b] The middle prayer.] Yahya interprets this from a tradition of Mohammed, who, being asked which was the middle prayer, answered, The evening prayer, which was instituted by the prophet Solomon. But Jallalo’ddin allows a greater latitude, and supposes it may be the afternoon prayer, the morning prayer, the noon prayer, or any other.

[c] Hast thou not considered those, who left their habitations for fear of death, &c.] These were some of the children of Israel, who abandoned their dwellings because of a pestilence, or, as others say, to avoid serving in a religious war; but, as they fled, God struck them all dead in a certain valley. About eight days or more after, when their bodies were corrupted, the prophet Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, happening to pass that way, at the sight of their bones wept; whereupon God said to him, Call to them, O Ezekiel, and I will restore them to life. And accordingly on the prophet’s call they all arose, and lived several years after; but they retained the colour and stench of dead corpses as long as they lived, and the clothes they wore changed as black as pitch, which qualities they transmitted to their posterity [1] . As to the number of these Israelites the commentators are not agreed; they who reckon least say they were 3000, and they who reckon most, 70,000. This story seems to have been taken from Ezekiel’s vision of the resurrection of dry bones [1] .
Some of the Mohammedan writers will have Ezekiel to have been one of the judges of Israel, and to have succeeded Othoniel the son of Caleb. They also call this prophet Ebn al ajûz, or the son of the old woman; because they say his mother obtained him by her prayers in her old age [2] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin, Yahya, Abulfeda, &c.

[1] Ezek. xxxvii. 1-10

[2] Al Thalabi, Abu Ishak, &c.

[a] Who will lend unto God> on good usury?] viz. By contributing towards the establishment of his true religion.

[b] Talût.] So the Mohammedans name Saul.

[c] The ark shall come unto you, &c.] This ark, says Jallalo’ddin, contained the images of the prophets, and was sent down from heaven to Adam, and at length came to the Israelites, who put great confidence therein, and continually carried it in the front of their army, till it was taken by the Amalekites. But on this occasion the angels brought it back, in the sight of all the people, and placed it at the feet of Talût; who was thereupon unanimously acknowledged for their king.
This relation seems to have arisen from some imperfect tradition of the taking and sending back the ark by the Philistines [3] .

[3] I Sam. iv. v. and vi.

[d] Therein shall be tranquility from your Lord;] That is, because of the great confidence the Israelites placed in it, having won several battles by its miraculous assistance. I imagine, however, that the Arabic word Sakînat, which signifies tranquillity or security of mind, and is so understood by the commentators, may not improbably mean the divine presence or glory, which used to appear on the ark, and which the Jews express by the same word Shechinah.

[e] The relicks, &c.] These were the shoes and rod of Moses, the mitre of Aaron, a pot of Manna, and the broken pieces of the two tables of the law [4] .

[4] Jallalo’ddin.

[a] And they drank thereof except a few, &c.] The number of those who drank out of their hands was about 313 [1] . It seems that Mohammed has here confounded Saul with Gideon, who by the divine direction took with him against the Midianites such of his army only as lapped water out of their hands, which were 300 men [2] .

[1] Idem, Yahya.

[2] Judges vii.

[b] Jâlût] Or Goliath.

[c] His will;] Or what he pleased to teach him. Yahya most rationally understands hereby the divine revelations which David received from God; but Jallalo’ddin the art of making coats of mail (which the Mohammedans believe was that prophet’s peculiar trade), and the knowledge of the language of birds.

[d] See before p. 12. Note a.

[e] God! there is no God but he, &c.] The following seven lines contain a magnificent description of the divine majesty and providence; but it must not be supposed the translation comes up to the dignity of the original. This passage is justly admired by the Mohammedans, who recite it in their prayers; and some of them wear it about them, engraved on an agate or other precious stone [3] .

[3] V. Bobov. de prec. Moham. p. 5. & Reland. Dissert. de gemmis Arab p. 235, 239.

[f] His throne is extended over heaven and earth, &c.] This throne, in Arabic called Corsi, is by the Mohammedans supposed to be God’s tribunal, or seat of justice; being placed under that other called al Arsh, which they say is his imperial throne. The Corsi allegorically signifies the divine providence, which sustains and governs the heaven and the earth, and is infinitely above human comprehension [4] .

[4] V. D’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. Art. Corsi.

[a] Let there be no violence in religion.] This passage was particularly directed to some of Mohammed’s first proselytes, who, having sons that had been brought up in idolatry or Judaism, would oblige them to embrace Mohammedism by force [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] Tagût.] This word properly signifies an idol, or whatever is worshipped besides God; particularly the two idols of the Meccans, Allât and al Uzza; and also the devil, or any seducer.

[c] Him who disputed with Abraham, &c.] This was Nimrod; who, as the commentators say, to prove his power of life and death by ocular demonstration, caused two men to be brought before him at the same time, one of whom he slew, and saved the other alive. As to this tyrant’s persecution of Abraham, see chap. 21, and the notes thereon.

[d] Hast thou not considered him who passed by a city which had been destroyed, &c.;] The person here meant was Ozair or Ezra, who riding on an ass by the ruins of Jerusalem, after it had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, doubted in his mind by what means God could raise the city and its inhabitants again; whereupon God caused him to die, and he remained in that condition 100 years; at the end of which God restored him to life, and he found a basket of figs and a cruse of wine he had with him not in the least spoiled or corrupted; but his ass was dead, the bones only remaining, and these, while the prophet looked on, were raised and clothed with flesh, becoming an ass again, which being inspired with life, began immediately to bray [2] .
This apocryphal story may perhaps have taken its rise from Nehemiah’s viewing of the ruins of Jerusalem [3] .

[2] Jallalo’ddin, Yahya, &c. See D’Herbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Ozair.

[3] Nehem. ii. 12. &c.

[e] When Abraham said, Lord, shew me how thou wilt raise the dead.] The occasion of this request of Abraham is said to have been on a doubt proposed to him by the devil, in human form, how it was possible for the several parts of the corpse of a man which lay on the sea-shore, and had been partly devoured by the wild beasts, the birds, and the fish, to be brought together at the resurrection [4] .

[4] See D’Herbelot, p. 13.

[a] Take therefore four birds and divide them.] These birds, according to the commentators, were an eagle (a dove, say others), a peacock, a raven and a cock, which Abraham cut to pieces, and mingled their flesh and feathers together, or, as some tell us, pounded all in a mortar, and dividing the mass into four parts, laid them on so many mountains, but kept the heads, which he had preserved whole, in his hand. Then he called them each by their name, and immediately one part flew to the other, till they all recovered their first shape, and then came to be joined to their respective heads [1] .
This seems to be taken from Abraham’s sacrifice of birds mentioned by Moses [2] , with some additional circumstances.

[1] Jallalo’ddin. See D’Herbelot. ubi supra.

[2] Gen. xv.

[b] And follow not alms by reproaches or mischief, &c.] i.e. Either by reproaching the person whom they have relieved with what they have done for him, or by exposing his poverty to his prejudice [3] .

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[c] Doth any of you desire to have a garden, &c.] This garden is an emblem of alms given out of hypocrisy, or attended with reproaches, which perish, and will be of no service hereafter to the giver [4] .

[4] Idem.

[d] By connivence.] That is, on having some amends made by the seller of such goods, either by abatement of the price, or giving something else to the buyer to make up the value.

[a] Out of desire of seeing the face of God;] i.e. For the sake of a reward hereafter, and not for any worldly consideration [1] .

[1] Idem.

[b] As he ariseth whom Satan hath infected, &c.] viz. Like demoniacs or possessed persons, that is, in great horror and distraction of mind and convulsive agitation of body.

[c] Remit that which remaineth of usury,] Or the interest due before usury was prohibited. For this some of Mohammed’s followers exacted of their debtors, supposing they lawfully might [2] .

[2] Idem.

[a] His agent.] Whoever manages his affairs, whether his father, heir, guardian, or interpreter [1] .

[1] Jallalo’ddin.

[b] We make no distinction at all between his apostles.] But this, say the Mohammedans, the Jews do, who receive Moses but reject Jesus; and the Christians, who receive both those prophets, but reject Mohammed [2] .

[2] Idem.

[c] Lay not on us a burthen, as thou didst lay on those who have been before us;] That is, on the Jews, who, as the commentators tell us, were ordered to kill a man by way of atonement, to give one-fourth of their substance in alms, and to cut off an unclean ulcerous part [3] , and were forbidden to eat fat, or animals that divided the hoof, and were obliged to observe the sabbath, and other particulars wherein the Mohammedans are at liberty [4] .

[3] Idem.

[4] Yahya.