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Sale, 1734

CHAP. LXXIV

Intitled, The Covered; revealed at Mecca.


In the name of the most merciful God.
O Thou covered [a] , arise and preach [b] , and magnify thy Lord. And cleanse thy garments: and fly every abomination [c] : and be not liberal in hopes to receive more in return: and patiently wait for thy Lord. When the trumpet shall sound, verily that day shall be a day of distress and uneasiness [472] unto the unbelievers. Let me alone with him whom I have created [a] , on whom I have bestowed abundant riches, and children dwelling in his presence [b] , and for whom I have disposed affairs in a smooth and easy manner [c] , and who desireth that I will yet add other blessings unto him. By no means: because he is an adversary to our signs [d] . I will afflict him with grievous calamities [e] : for he hath devised and prepared contumelious expressions to ridicule the Koran. May he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! And again, may he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! Then he looked, and frowned, and put on an austere countenance: then he turned back, and was elated with pride; and he said, This is no other than a piece of magic, borrowed from others: these are only the words of a man. I will cast him to be burned in hell. And what shall make thee to understand what hell is? It leaveth not any thing unconsumed, neither doth it suffer any thing to escape: it scorcheth men’s flesh: over the same are nineteen angels appointed. We have appointed none but angels to preside over hell fire [f] : and we have expressed the number of them only for an occasion of discord to the unbelievers [g] ; that they to whom the scriptures have been given may be certain of the veracity of this book [h] , and the true believers may increase in faith; and that those to whom the scriptures have been given, and the true believers, may not doubt hereafter; and that those in whose hearts there is an infirmity, and the unbelievers, may say, What mystery doth God intend by this number? Thus doth God cause to err whom he pleaseth; and he directeth whom he pleaseth. None knoweth the armies of thy Lord [i] , besides him; and this [k] is no other than a memento unto mankind. Assuredly. [473] By the moon, and the night when it retreateth, and the morning when it reddeneth, I swear that this is one of the most terrible calamities, giving warning unto men, as well as unto him among you who desireth to go forward, as unto him who chooseth to remain behind. Every soul is given in pledge for that which it shall have wrought [a] : except the companions of the right hand [b] ; who shall dwell in gardens, and shall ask one another questions concerning the wicked, and shall also ask the wicked themselves, saying, What hath brought you into hell? They shall answer, We were not of those who were constant at prayer, neither did we feed the poor; and we waded in vain disputes with the fallacious reasoners; and we denied the day of judgment, until death [c] overtook us: and the intercession of the interceders shall not avail them. What aileth them, therefore, that they turn aside from the admonition of the Koran, as though they were timorous asses flying from a lion? But every man among them desireth that he may have expanded scrolls delivered to him from God [d] . By no means. They fear not the life to come. By no means: verily this is a sufficient warning. Whoso is willing to be warned, him shall it warn: but they shall not be warned, unless God shall please. He is worthy to be feared; and he is inclined to forgiveness.

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[a] O thou covered, &c.] It is related, from Mohammed’s own mouth, that being on mount Harâ, and hearing himself called, he looked on each hand, and saw nobody; but looking upwards, he saw the angel Gabriel on a throne, between heaven and earth; at which sight being much terrified, he returned to his wife Khadîjah, and bade her cover him up; and that then the angel descended, and addressed him in the words of the text. From hence some think this chapter to have been the first which was revealed: but the more received opinion is, that it was the 96th. Others say that the prophet, having been reviled by certain of the Koreish, was sitting in a melancholy and pensive posture, wrapped up in his mantle, when Gabriel accosted him: and some say he was sleeping. See the second note to the preceding chapter.

[b] Arise and preach;] It is generally supposed that Mohammed is here commanded more especially to warn his near relations, the Koreish; as he is expressly ordered to do in a subsequent revelation [1] .

[1] See chap. 26, p. 308, and the Prelim. Disc. §. II. p. 43.

[c] Fly every abomination;] By the word abomination the commentators generally agree idolatry to be principally intended.

[a] Let me alone with him whom I have created, &c.] The person here meant is generally supposed to have been al Walid Ebn al Mogheira [1] , a principal man among the Koreish.

[1] Al Zamakh. Al Beidawi.

[b] And children dwelling in his presence;] Being well provided for, and not obliged to go abroad to seek their livings, as most others of the Meccans were [2] .

[2] Al Beidawi.

[c] And for whom I have disposed affairs in a smooth and easy manner;] By facilitating his advancement to power and dignity; which were so considerable that he was surnamed Rihâna Koreish, or The sweet odour of the Koreish, and al Wahîd, i.e. The only one, or The incomparable [3] .

[3] Idem.

[d] By no means, &c.] On the revelation of this passage it is said that Walid’s prosperity began to decay, and continued daily so to do to the time of his death [4] .

[4] Idem.

[e] I will afflict him with grievous calamities;] Or, as the words may be strictly rendered, I will drive him up the crag of a mountain; which some understand of a mountain of fire, agreeably to a tradition of their prophet, importing that al Walid will be condemned to ascend this mountain, and then to be cast down from thence, alternately for ever; and that he will be seventy years in climbing up, and as many in falling down [5] .

[5] Idem.

[f] We have appointed none but angels to preside over hell fire;] The reason of which is said to be, that they might be of a different nature and species from those who are to be tormented, lest they should have a fellow-feeling of, and compassionate their sufferings; or else, because of their great strength and severity of temper [6] .

[6] Idem.

[g] For an occasion of discord to the unbelievers;] Or, for a trial of them: because they might say this was a particular borrowed by Mohammed of the Jews.

[h] They to whom the scriptures have been given;] And especially the Jews; this being conformable to what is contained in their books [7] .

[7] Jallal.

[i] The armies of thy Lord;] i.e. All his creatures; or particularly the number and strength of the guards of hell.

[k] This;] The antecedent seems to be hell

[a] See chap. 52. p. 424.

[b] Except the companions of the right hand;] i.e. The blessed [1] ; who shall redeem themselves by their good works. Some say these are the angels, and others, such as die infants [2] .

[1] See chap. 56. p. 434. not. b.

[2] Al Beidawi.

[c] Death;] Literally, That which is certain.

[d] That he may have expanded scrolls delivered to him from God;] For the infidels told Mohammed that they would never obey him as a prophet till he brought each man a writing from heaven, to this effect, viz. From God to such a one: Follow Mohammed [3] .

[3] Idem.