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Sale, 1734

CHAP. LXXXIII.

Intitled, Those who give short measure or weight; revealed at Mecca.


In the name of the most merciful God.
WO be unto those who give short measure or weight: who, when they receive by measure from other men, take the full; but when they [484] measure unto them, or weigh unto them, defraud! Do not these think they shall be raised again, at the great day, the day whereon mankind shall stand before the Lord of all creatures? By no means. Verily the register of the actions of the wicked is surely in Sejjîn [a] . And what shall make thee to understand what Sejjîn is? It is a book distinctly written. Wo be on that day, unto those who accused the prophets of imposture; who denied the day of judgment as a falsehood! And none denieth the same as a falsehood, except every unjust and flagitious person: who, when our signs are rehearsed unto him, saith, They are fables of the ancients. By no means: but rather their lusts have cast a veil over their hearts. By no means. Verily they shall be shut out from their Lord on that day; and they shall be sent into hell to be burned: then shall it be said unto them by the infernal guards, This is what ye denied as a falsehood. Assuredly. But the register of the actions of the righteous is in Illiyyûn [b] : and what shall cause thee to understand what Illiyyun is? It is a book distinctly written: those who approach near unto God are witnesses thereto [c] . Verily the righteous shall dwell among delights: seated on couches they shall behold objects of pleasure; thou shalt see in their faces the brightness of joy. They shall be given to drink of pure wine, sealed; the seal whereof shall be musk [d] : and to this let those aspire, who aspire to happiness: and the water mixed therewith shall be of Tasnim [e] , a fountain whereof those shall drink who approach near unto the divine presence [f] . They who act wickedly laugh the true believers to scorn: and when they pass by them, they wink at one another: and when they turn aside to their people, they turn aside making scurrilous jests; and when they see them, they say, Verily these are mistaken men. But they are not sent to be keepers over them [g] . Wherefore one day [485] the true believers, in their turn, shall laugh the infidels to scorn [a] : lying on couches they shall look down upon them in hell. Shall not the infidels be rewarded for that which they have done?

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[a] Sejjîn] Is the name of the general register, wherein the actions of all the wicked, both men and genii, are distinctly entered. Sejn signifies a prison; and this book, as some think, derives its name from thence, because it will occasion those whose deeds are there recorded to be imprisoned in hell. Sejjin, or Sajin, is also the name of the dungeon beneath the seventh earth, the residence of Eblis and his host, where, it is supposed by some, that this book is kept, and where the souls of the wicked will be detained till the resurrection [1] . If the latter explication be admitted, the words, And what shall make thee to understand what Sejjin is? should be enclosed within a parenthesis.

[1] Jallal. Al Beidawi. See the prelim. Disc. §. iv. p. 73.

[b] Illiyyûn;] The word is a plural, and signifies high places. Some say it is the general register wherein the actions of the righteous, whether angels, men, or genii, are distinctly recorded. Others will have it to be a place in the 7th heaven, under the throne of God, where this book is kept, and where the souls of the just, as many think, will remain till the last day [2] . If we prefer the latter opinion, the words, And what shall make thee to understand what Illiyyûn is? should likewise be enclosed in a parenthesis.

[2] Jallal. See the prelim. Disc. ubi sup.

[c] Are witnesses thereto;] Or, are present with, and keep the same.

[d] The seal whereof shall be musk;] i.e. The vessels containing the same shall be sealed with musk, instead of clay. Some understand by the seal of this wine its farewell, or the flavour it will leave in the mouth after it is drank.

[e] Tasnîm] Is the name of a fountain in paradise, so called from its being conveyed to the highest apartments.

[f] Whereof those shall drink who approach near unto the divine presence.] For they shall drink the water of Tasnîm pure and unmixed, being continually and wholly employed in the contemplation of God; but the other inhabitants of paradise shall drink it mixed with their wine. [3]

[3] Al Beidawi

[g] They are not sent to be keepers over them;] i.e. The infidels are not commissioned by God to call the believers to account, or to judge of their actions.

[a] The true believers, in their turn, shall laugh the infidels to scorn;] When they shall see them ignominiously driven into hell. It is also said, that a door shall be shown the damned, opening into paradise, and they shall be bidden to go in; but when they come near the door it shall be suddenly shut, and the believers within shall laugh at them [1] .

[1] Idem.