Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

He has let loose the two seas that meet together; between them is a barrier they cannot pass!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

He brings forth from each pearls both large and small!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

His are the ships which rear aloft in the sea like mountains.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Every one upon it 2 is transient, but the face of thy Lord endowed with majesty and honour shall endure.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Of Him whosoever is in the heaven and the earth does beg; every day He is in (some fresh) business!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

We shall be at leisure for you, O ye two weighty ones! 3

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

O assembly of ginns and mankind! if ye are able to pass through the confines of heaven and earth then pass through them!—ye cannot pass through save by authority!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

There shall be sent against you a flash of fire, and molten copper, and ye shall not be helped!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

And when the heaven is rent asunder and become rosy red 4—(melting) like grease!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

On that day neither man nor ginn shall be asked about his crime!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

The sinners shall be known by their marks, and shall be seized by the forelock and the feet!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

‘This is hell, which the sinners did call a lie! they shall circulate between it and water boiling quite!’

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

But for him who fears the station of his Lord are gardens twain!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Both furnished with branching trees.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties willye twain deny—

In each are flowing springs.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

In each are, of every fruit, two kinds.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Reclining on beds the linings of which are of brocade, and the fruit of the two gardens within reach to cull.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Therein are maids of modest glances whom no man nor ginn has deflowered before.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

As though they were rubies and pearls.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Is the reward of goodness aught but goodness—

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

And besides these are gardens twain, 5

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

With dark green foliage.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

In each two gushing springs.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

In each fruit and palms and pomegranates.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

In them maidens best and fairest!

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Bright and large-eyed maids kept in their tents.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Whom no man nor ginn has deflowered before them.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Reclining on green cushions and beautiful carpets.

Then which of your Lord’s bounties will ye twain deny—

Blessed be the name of thy Lord possessed of majesty and honour!

Note 1. I. e. the east and west, though some understand it of the two solstices.

Note 2. The earth.

Note 3. I. e. mankind and the ginn; the meaning is, that God will have leisure to judge them both.

Note 4. The word is also said to mean red leather.

Note 5. For the inferior inhabitants of Paradise.

The Chapter of the Poets

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

T. S. M. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book; haply thou art vexing thyself to death that they will not be believers!

If we please we will send down upon them from the heaven a sign, and their necks shall be humbled thereto. But there comes not to them any recent Reminder from the Merciful One that they do not turn away from. They have called (thee) liar! but there shall come to them a message of that at which they mocked.

Have they not looked to the earth, how we caused to grow therein of every noble kind— verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers! but, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful.

And when thy Lord called Moses (saying), ‘Come to the unjust people, to the people of Pharaoh, will they not fear—’ Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I fear that they will call me liar; and my breast is straitened, and my tongue is not fluent; send then unto Aaron, 1 for they have a crime against me, and I fear that they may kill me.’ 2 Said He, ‘Not so; but go with our signs, verily, we are with you listening.

‘And go to Pharaoh and say, “Verily, we are the apostles of the Lord of the worlds (to tell thee to) send with us the children of Israel.”’

And he said, ‘Did we not bring thee up amongst us as a child— and thou didst dwell amongst us for years of thy life; and thou didst do thy deed which thou hast done, and thou art of the ungrateful!’

Said he, ‘I did commit this, and I was of those who erred.

‘And I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord granted me judgment, and made me one of His messengers; and this is the favour thou hast obliged me with, that thou hast enslaved the children of Israel!’

Said Pharaoh, ‘Who is the Lord of the worlds—’ Said he, ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between the two, if ye are but sure.’

Said he to those about him, ‘Do ye not listen—’ Said he, ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore!’

Said he, ‘Verily, your apostle who is sent to you is surely mad!’

Said he, ‘The Lord of the east and of the west, and of what is between the two, if ye had but sense!’

Said he, ‘If thou dost take a god besides Me I will surely make thee one of the imprisoned!’

Said he, ‘What, if I come to thee with something obvious—’

Said he, ‘Bring it, if thou art of those who tell the truth!’

And he threw down his rod, and, behold, it was an obvious serpent! and he plucked out his hand, and, behold, it was white to the spectators!

He 3 said to the chiefs around him, ‘Verily, this is a knowing sorcerer, he desires to turn you out of your land! what is it then ye bid—’

They said, ‘Give him and his brother some hope, and send into the cities to collect and bring to thee every knowing sorcerer.’

And the sorcerers assembled at the appointed time on a stated day, and it was said to the people, ‘Are ye assembled— haply we may follow the sorcerers if we gain the upper hand.’

And when the sorcerers came they said to Pharaoh, ‘Shall we, verily, have a hire if we gain the upper hand—’ Said he, ‘Yes; and, verily, ye shall then be of those who are nigh (my throne).’ And Moses said to them, ‘Throw down what ye have to throw down.’ So they threw down their ropes and their rods and said, ‘By Pharaoh’s might, verily, we it is who shall gain the upper hand!’

And Moses threw down his rod, and, lo, it swallowed up what they falsely devised!

And the sorcerers threw themselves down, adoring. Said they, ‘We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron!’ Said he, ‘Do ye believe in Him ere I give you leave— Verily, he is your chief who has taught you sorcery, but soon ye shall know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you all together!’

They said, ‘No harm; verily, unto our Lord do we return! verily, we hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, for we are the first of believers!’

And we inspired Moses, ‘Journey by night with my servants; verily, ye are pursued.’

And Pharaoh sent into the cities to collect; ‘Verily, these are a small company. And, verily, they are enraged with us; but we are a multitude, wary!

‘Turn them out of gardens and springs, and treasuries, and a noble station!’—thus,—and we made the children of Israel to inherit them.

And they followed them at dawn; and when the two hosts saw each other, Moses’ companions said, ‘Verily, we are overtaken!’ Said he, ‘Not so; verily, with me is my Lord, He will guide me.’

And we inspired Moses, ‘Strike with thy rod the sea;’ and it was cleft asunder, and each part was like a mighty mountain. And then we brought the others. And we saved Moses and those with him all together; then we drowned the others; and that is a sign: but most of them will never be believers! And, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful.

And recite to them the story of Abraham; when he said to his father and his people, ‘What do ye serve—’ They said, ‘We serve idols, and we are still devoted to them. He said, ‘Can they hear you when ye call, or profit you, or harm—’

They said, ‘No; but we found our fathers doing thus.’ He said, ‘Have ye considered what ye have been serving, ye and your fathers before you— Verily, they are foes to me, save only the Lord of the worlds, who created me and guides me, and who gives me food and drink. And when I am sick He heals me; He who will kill me, and then bring me to life; and who I hope will forgive me my sins on the day of judgment! Lord, grant me judgment, and let me reach the righteous; and give me a tongue of good report amongst posterity; and make me of the heirs of the paradise of pleasure; and pardon my father, verily, he is of those who err; and disgrace me not on the day when they are raised up again; the day when wealth shall profit not, nor sons, but only he who comes to God with a sound heart. And paradise shall be brought near to the pious; and hell shall be brought forth to those who go astray, and it shall be said to them,

“Where is what ye used to worship beside God— can they help you, or get help themselves—” And they shall fall headlong into it, they and those who have gone astray, and the hosts of Iblîs all together!

‘They shall say, while they quarrel therein, “By God! we were surely in an obvious error, when we made you equal to the Lord of the worlds! but it was only sinners who led us astray. But we have no intercessors and no warm friend; but had we a turn we would be of the believers.”’—Verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful.

The people of Noah said the apostles were liars, when their brother Noah said to them, ‘Will ye not fear— verily, I am a faithful apostle to you; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. So fear God and obey me.’ They said, ‘Shall we believe in thee, when the reprobates follow thee—’ He said, ‘I did not know what they were doing; their account is only with my Lord, if ye but perceive. And I am not one to drive away the believers, I am only a plain warner.’

They said, ‘Verily, if thou desist not, O Noah! thou shalt surely be of those who are stoned!’ Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, my people call me liar; open between me and between them an opening, and save me and those of the believers who are with me!’

So we saved him and those with him in the laden ark, then we drowned the rest; verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful.

And ‘Ad called the apostles liars; when their brother Hûd said to them, ‘Will ye not fear— Verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye build on every height a landmark in sport, and take to works that haply ye may be immortal—

‘And when ye assault ye assault like tyrants; but fear God and obey me; and fear Him who hath given you an extent of cattle and sons, and gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for you the torment of a mighty day!’

They said, ‘It is the same to us if thou admonish or art not of those who do admonish; this is nothing but old folks’ fictions, for we shall not be tormented!’

And they called him liar! but we destroyed them. Verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers. And, verily, thy Lord is mighty, merciful.

Thamûd called the apostles liars; when their brother Zâli‘h said to them, ‘Do ye not fear— verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; so fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Shall ye be left here in safety with gardens and springs, and corn-fields and palms, the spathes whereof are fine— and ye hew out of the mountains houses skilfully. But fear God and obey me; and obey not the bidding of the extravagant, who do evil in the earth and do not act aright!’

They said, ‘Thou art only of the infatuated; thou art but mortal like ourselves; so bring us a sign, if thou be of those who speak the truth!’

He said, ‘This she-camel shall have her drink and you your drink on a certain day; but touch her not with evil, or there will seize you the torment of a mighty day!’

But they hamstrung her, and on the morrow they repented; and the torment seized them; verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers: but verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful.

The people of Lot called the apostles liars; when their brother Lot said to them, ‘Do ye not fear— verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye approach males of all the world and leave what God your Lord has created for you of your wives— nay, but ye are people who transgress!’

They said, ‘Surely, if thou dost not desist, O Lot! thou shalt be of those who are expelled!’

Said he, ‘Verily, I am of those who hate your deed; my Lord! save me and my people from what they do.’

And we saved him and his people all together, except an old woman amongst those who lingered. Then we destroyed the others; and we rained down upon them a rain; and evil was the rain of those who were warned. Verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers. And, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful, compassionate.

The fellows of the Grove 4 called the apostles liars; Sho’hâib said to them, ‘Will ye not fear— verily, I am to you a faithful apostle, then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Give good measure, and be not of those who diminish; and weigh with a fair balance, and do not cheat men of their goods; and waste not the land, despoiling it; and fear Him who created you and the races of yore!’ Said they, ‘Thou art only of the infatuated; and thou art only a mortal like ourselves; and, verily, we think that thou art surely of the liars; so make a portion of the heaven to fall down upon us, if thou art of those who tell the truth!’

Said he, ‘My Lord knows best what ye do!’ but they called him liar, and the torment of the day of the shadow seized them; for it was the torment of a mighty day: verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers; but, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful!

And, verily, it 5 is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds; the Faithful Spirit came down with it 6 upon thy heart, that thou shouldst be of those who warn;—in plain Arabic language, and, verily, it is (foretold) in the scriptures of yore! Have they not a sign, that the learned men of the children of Israel recognize it 7— Had we sent it down to any barbarian, and he had read it to them, they would not have believed therein. Thus have we made for it 8 a way into the hearts of the sinners; they will not believe therein until they see the grievous woe! and it shall come to them suddenly while they do not perceive! They will say, ‘Shall we be respited——What! do they wish to hasten on our torment—’

What thinkest thou— if we let them enjoy themselves for years, and then there come to them what they are threatened, that will not avail them which they had to enjoy! But we do not destroy any city without its having warners as a reminder, for we are never unjust.

The devils did not descend therewith; it is not fit work for them; nor are they able to do it. Verily, they are deposed from listening 9; call not then with God upon other gods, or thou wilt be of the tormented; but warn thy clansmen who are near of kin. And lower 10 thy wing to those of the believers who follow thee; but if they rebel against thee, say, ‘Verily, I am clear of what ye do,’ and rely thou upon the mighty, merciful One, who sees thee when thou dost stand up, and thy posturing amongst those who adore. 11 Verily, He both hears and knows!

Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend— they descend upon every sinful liar, and impart what they have heard 12; but most of them are liars.

And the poets do those follow who go astray! Dost thou not see that they wander distraught in every vale— and that they say that which they do not do— save those who believe, and do right, and remember God much, and defend themselves after they are wronged; but those who do wrong shall know with what a turn they shall be turned. 13

Note 1. That he may be my minister.

Note 2. The slaying of the Egyptian.

Note 3. Pharaoh.

Note 4. The Midianites.

Note 5. The Qur’ân.

Note 6. The angel Gabriel.

Note 7. The Qur’ân.

Note 8. Infidelity.

Note 9. See note 5, Chapter of Imrân’s Family.

Note 10. Behave with humility and gentleness.

Note 11. Or, it may be thy going to and fro amongst believers, as Mohammed is reported to have done one night, to see what they were about, and he found the whole settlement ‘buzzing like a hornet’s nest with the sound of the recitation of the Qur’ân and of their prayers.’

Note 12. That is, by listening at the door of heaven.

Note 13. That is, in what condition they shall be brought before God.

The Chapter of Mary

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

K. H. Y. ‘H. Z. The mention of thy Lord’s mercy to His servant Zachariah, when he called on his Lord with a secret calling. Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, my bones are weak, and my head flares with hoariness;—and I never was unfortunate in my prayers to Thee, my Lord! But I fear my heirs after me, and my wife is barren; then grant me from Thee a successor, to be my heir and the heir of the family of Jacob, and make him, my Lord! acceptable.’

‘O Zachariah! verily, we give thee glad tidings of a son, whose name shall be John. We never made a namesake of his before.’ 1

Said he, ‘My Lord! how can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached through old age to decrepitude—’

He said, ‘Thus says thy Lord, It is easy for Me, for I created thee at first when yet thou wast nothing.’

Said he, ‘O my Lord! make for me a sign.’ He said, ‘Thy sign is that thou snait not speak to men for three nights (through) sound.’

Then he went forth unto his people from the chamber, and he made signs to them: ‘Celebrate (God’s) praises morning and evening!’

‘O John! take the Book with strength;’ and we gave him judgment when a boy, and grace from us, and purity; and he was pious and righteous to his parents, and was not a rebellious tyrant.

So peace upon him the day he was born, and the day he died, and the day he shall be raised up alive.

And mention, in the Book, Mary; when she retired from her family into an eastern place; and she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; and we sent unto her our spirit; and he took for her the semblance of a well-made man. Said she, ‘Verily, I take refuge in the Merciful One from thee, if thou art pious.’ Said he, ‘I am only a messenger of Thy Lord to bestow on thee a pure boy.’

Said she, ‘How can I have a boy when no man has touched me, and when I am no harlot—’ He said, ‘Thus says thy Lord, It is easy for Me! and we will make him a sign unto man, and a mercy from us; for it is a decided matter.’

So she conceived him, and she retired with him into a remote place. And the labour pains came upon her at the trunk of a palm tree, and she said ‘O that I had died before this, and been forgotten out of mind!’ and he called 2 to her from beneath her, ‘Grieve not, for thy Lord has placed a stream beneath thy feet; and shake towards thee the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop upon thee fresh dates fit to gather; so eat, and drink, and cheer thine eye; and if thou shouldst see any mortal say, “Verily, I have vowed to the Merciful One a fast, and I will not speak to-day with a human being.”’

Then she brought it to her people, carrying it; said they, ‘O Mary! thou hast done an extraordinary thing! O sister of Aaron! 3 thy father was not a bad man, nor was thy mother a harlot!’

And she pointed to him, and they said, ‘How are we to speak with one who is in the cradle a child—’ He said, ‘Verily, I am a servant of God; He has brought me the Book, and He has made me a prophet, and He has made me blessed wherever I be; and He has required of me prayer and almsgiving so long as I live, and piety towards my mother, and has not made me a miserable tyrant; and peace upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised up alive.’

That is, Jesus the son of Mary,—by the word of truth whereon ye do dispute!

God could not take to himself any son! celebrated be His praise! when He decrees a matter He only says to it ‘BE,’ and it is; and, verily, God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; this is the right way.

And the parties have disagreed amongst themselves, but woe to those who disbelieve, from the witnessing of the mighty day! they can hear and they can see, on the day when they shall come to us; but the evildoers are to-day in obvious error!

And warn them of the day of sighing, when the matter is decreed while they are heedless, and while they do not believe.

Verily, we will inherit the earth and all who are upon it, and unto us shall they return!

And mention, in the Book, Abraham; verily, he was a confessor,—a prophet. When he said to his father, ‘O my sire! why dost thou worship what can neither hear nor see nor avail thee aught— O my sire! verily, to me has come knowledge which has not come to thee; then follow me, and I will guide thee to a level way.

‘O my sire! serve not Satan; verily, Satan is ever a rebel against the Merciful. O my sire! verily, I fear that there may touch thee torment from the Merciful, and that thou mayest be a client of Satan.’

Said he, ‘What! art thou averse from my gods, O Abraham— verily, if thou dost not desist I will certainly stone thee; but get thee gone from me for a time!’

Said he, ‘Peace be upon thee! I will ask forgiveness for thee from my Lord; verily, He is very gracious to me: but I will part from you and what ye call on beside God, and will pray my Lord that I be not unfortunate in my prayer to my Lord.’

And when he had parted from them and what they served beside God, we granted him Isaac and Jacob, and each of them we made a prophet; and we granted them of our mercy, and we made the tongue of truth lofty for them. 4

And mention, in the Book, Moses; verily, he was sincere, and was an apostle,—a prophet. We called him from the right side of the mountain; and we made him draw nigh unto us to commune with him, and we granted him, of our mercy, his brother Aaron as a prophet.

And mention, in the Book, Ishmael; verily, he was true to his promise, and was an apostle,—a prophet; and he used to bid his people prayers and almsgiving, and was acceptable in the sight of his Lord.

And mention, in the Book, Idrîs 5; verily, he was a confessor,—a prophet; and we raised him to a lofty place.

These are those to whom God has been gracious, of the prophets of the seed of Adam, and of those whom we bore with Noah, and of the seed of Abraham and Israel, and of those we guided and elected; when the signs of the Merciful are read to them, they fall down adoring and weeping.

And successors succeeded them, who lost sight of prayer and followed lusts, but they shall at length find themselves going wrong, except such as repent and believe and act aright; for these shall enter Paradise, and shall not be wronged at all,—gardens of Eden, which the Merciful has promised to His servants in the unseen; verily, His promise ever comes to pass!

They shall hear no empty talk therein, but only ‘peace;’ and they shall have their provision therein, morning and evening; that is Paradise which we will give for an inheritance to those of our servants who are pious!

We do not descend 6 save at the bidding of thy Lord; His is what is before us, and what is behind us, and what is between those; for thy Lord is never forgetful,—the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what is between the two; then serve Him and persevere in His service. Dost thou know a namesake of His—

Man will say, ‘What! when I have died shall I then come forth alive— Does not man then remember that we created him before when he was naught—’

And by thy Lord! we will surely gather them together, and the devils too; then we will surely bring them forward around hell, on their knees!

Then we will drag off from every sect whichever of them has been most bold against the Merciful.

Then we know best which of them deserves most to be broiled therein.

There is not one of you who will not go down to it,—that is settled and decided by thy Lord. 7

Then we will save those who fear us; but we will leave the evildoers therein on their knees.

And when our signs are recited to them manifest, those who misbelieve say to those who believe, ‘Which of the two parties is best placed and in the best company—’

And how many generations before them have we destroyed who were better off in property and appearance—

Say, ‘Whosoever is in error, let the Merciful extend to him length of days!—until they see what they are threatened with, whether it be the torment or whether it be the Hour, then they shall know who is worse placed and weakest in forces!’

And those who are guided God will increase in guidance.

And enduring good works are best with thy Lord for a reward, and best for restoration.

Hast thou seen him who disbelieves in our signs, and says, ‘I shall surely be given wealth and children 8—’

Has he become acquainted with the unseen, or has he taken a compact with the Merciful— Not so! We will write down what he says, and we will extend to him a length of torment, and we will make him inherit what he says, and he shall come to us alone. They take other gods besides God to be their glory! Not so! They 9 shall deny their worship and shall be opponents of theirs!

Dost thou not see that we have sent the devils against the misbelievers, to drive them on to sin— but, be not thou hasty with them.

Verily, we will number them a number (of days),—the day when we will gather the pious to the Merciful as ambassadors, and we will drive the sinners to hell like (herds) to water! They shall not possess intercession, save he who has taken a compact with the Merciful.

They say, ‘The Merciful has taken to Himself a son:’—ye have brought a monstrous thing! The heavens well-nigh burst asunder thereat, and the earth is riven, and the mountains fall down broken, that they attribute to the Merciful a son! but it becomes not the Merciful to take to Himself a son! there is none in the heavens or the earth but comes to the Merciful as a servant; He counts them and numbers them by number, and they are all coming to Him on the resurrection day singly.

Verily, those who believe and act aright, to them the Merciful will give love.

We have only made it easy for thy tongue that thou mayest thereby give glad tidings to the pious, and warn thereby a contentious people.

How many a generation before them have we destroyed— Canst thou find any one of them, or hear a whisper of them—

Note 1. Cf. Luke i. 61, where, however, it is said that none of Zachariah’s kindred was ever before called by that name. Some commentators avoid the difficulty by interpreting the word samîyyun to mean ‘deserving of the name.’

Note 2. Either the infant himself or the angel Gabriel; or the expression ‘beneath her’ may be rendered ‘beneath it,’ and may refer to the palm tree.

Note 3. See note 4, Chapter of Imrân’s Family.

Note 4. That is, ‘gave them great renown.’

Note 5. Generally identified with Enoch.

Note 6. Amongst various conjectures the one most usually accepted by the Mohammedan commentators is, that these are the words of the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mohammed’s complaint of long intervals elapsing between the periods of revelation.

Note 7. This is interpreted by some to mean that all souls, good and bad, must pass through hell, but that the good will not be harmed. Others think it merely refers to the passage of the bridge of el Aarâaf.

Note 8. ’Hâsîy ibn Wâil, being indebted to ‘Habbâb, refused to pay him unless he renounced Mohammed. This ‘Habbâb said he would never do alive or dead, or when raised again at the last day. El ’Hâsîy told him to call for his money on the last day, as he should have wealth and children then.

Note 9. That is, the false gods.

The Chapter of the Night Journey

IN 1 the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

Celebrated be the praises of Him who took His servant a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque 2 to the Remote Mosque, 3 the precinct of which we have blessed, to show him of our signs! verily, He both hears and looks.

And we gave Moses the Book and made it a guidance to the children of Israel: ‘Take ye to no guardian but me.’

Seed of those we bore with Noah (in the ark)! verily, he was a thankful servant!

And we decreed to the children of Israel in the Book, ‘Ye shall verily do evil in the earth twice, 4 and ye shall rise to a great height (of pride).’

And when the threat for the first (sin) of the two came, we sent over them servants of ours, endued with violence, and they searched inside your houses; and it was an accomplished threat.

Then we rallied you once more against them, and aided you with wealth and sons, and made you a numerous band.

‘If ye do well, ye will do well to your own souls; and if ye do ill, it is against them!

‘And when the threat for the last came 5—to harm your faces and to enter the mosque as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had got the upper-hand over with utter destruction.’

It may be that thy Lord will have mercy on you;—but if ye return we will return, and we have made hell a prison for the misbelievers.

Verily, this Qur’ân guides to the straightest path, and gives the glad tidings to the believers who do aright that for them is a great hire; and that for those who believe not in the hereafter, we have prepared a mighty woe.

Man prays for evil as he prays for good; and man was ever hasty.

We made the night and the day two signs; and we blot out the sign of the night and make the sign of the day visible, that ye may seek after plenty from your Lord, and that ye may number the years and the reckoning; and we have detailed everything in detail.

And every man’s augury 6 have we fastened on his neck; and we will bring forth for him on the resurrection day a book offered to him wide open.

‘Read thy book, thou art accountant enough against thyself to-day!’

He who accepts guidance, accepts it only for his own soul: and he who errs, errs only against it; nor shall one burdened soul bear the burden of another.

Nor would we punish until we had sent an apostle. And when we desired to destroy a city we bade 7 the opulent ones thereof; and they wrought abomination therein; and its due sentence was pronounced; and we destroyed it with utter destruction.

How many generations have we destroyed after Noah! but thy Lord of the sins of his servant is well aware, and sees enough.

Whoso is desirous of this life that hastens away, we will hasten on for him therein what we please,—for whom we please. Then we will make hell for him to broil in—despised and outcast.

But whoso desires the next life, and strives for it and is a believer—these, their striving shall be gratefully received.

To all—these and those—will we extend the gifts of thy Lord; for the gifts of thy Lord are not restricted.

See how we have preferred some of them over others, but in the next life are greater degrees and greater preference.

Put not with God other gods, or thou wilt sit despised and forsaken.

Thy Lord has decreed that ye shall not serve other than Him; and kindness to one’s parents, whether one or both of them reach old age with thee; and say not to them, ‘Fie!’ and do not grumble at them, but speak to them a generous speech. And lower to them the wing of humility out of compassion, and say, ‘O Lord! have compassion on them as they brought me up when I was little!’ Your Lord knows best what is in your souls if ye be righteous, and, verily, He is forgiving unto those who come back penitent.

And give thy kinsman his due and the poor and the son of the road; and waste not wastefully, for the wasteful were ever the devil’s brothers; and the devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.

But if thou dost turn away from them to seek after mercy from thy Lord, 8 which thou hopest for, then speak to them an easy speech.

Make not thy hand fettered to thy neck, nor yet spread it out quite open, lest thou shouldst have to sit down blamed and straitened in means. Verily, thy Lord spreads out provision to whomsoever He will or He doles it out. Verily, He is ever well aware of and sees His servants.

And slay not your children for fear of poverty; we will provide for them; beware! for to slay them is ever a great sin!

And draw not near to fornication; verily, it is ever an abomination, and evil is the way thereof.

And slay not the soul that God has forbidden you, except for just cause; for he who is slain unjustly we have given his next of kin authority; yet let him not exceed in slaying; verily, he is ever helped.

And draw not near to the wealth of the orphan, save to improve it, until he reaches the age of puberty, and fulfil your compacts; verily, a compact is ever enquired of.

And give full measure when ye measure out, and weigh with a right balance; that is better and a fairer determination.

And do not pursue that of which thou hast no knowledge; verily, the hearing, the sight, and the heart, all of these shall be enquired of.

And walk not on the earth proudly; verily, thou canst not cleave the earth, and thou shalt not reach the mountains in height.

All this is ever evil in the sight of your Lord and abhorred.

That is something of what thy Lord has inspired thee with of wisdom; do not then put with God other gods, or thou wilt be thrown into hell reproached and outcast. What! has your Lord chosen to give you sons, and shall He take for Himself females from among the angels— verily, ye are speaking a mighty speech.

Now have we turned it in various ways in this Qur’ân, so let them bear in mind; but it will only increase them in aversion.

Say, ‘Were there with Him other gods, as ye say, then would they seek a way against the Lord of the throne.’

Celebrated be His praises, and exalted be He above what they say with a great exaltation!

The seven heavens and the earth celebrate His praises, and all who therein are; nor is there aught but what celebrates His praise: but ye cannot understand their celebration;—verily, He is clement and forgiving.

And when thou readest the Qur’ân we place between thee and those who believe not in the hereafter a covering veil. And we place covers upon their hearts, lest they should understand, and dulness in their ears.

And when thou dost mention in the Qur’ân thy Lord by Himself they turn their backs in aversion.

We know best for what they listen when they listen to thee; and when they whisper apart—when the wrong-doers say, ‘Ye only follow a man enchanted.’

Behold, how they strike out for you parables, and err, and cannot find the way!

They say, ‘What! when we have become bones and rubbish are we to be raised up a new creature—’ Say, ‘Be ye stones, or iron, or a creature, the greatest your breasts can conceive—!’ Then they shall say, ‘Who is to restore us—’ Say, ‘He who originated you at first;’ and they will wag their heads and say, ‘When will that be—’ Say, ‘It may, perhaps, be nigh.’

The day when He shall call on you and ye shall answer with praise to Him, and they will think that they have tarried but a little.

And say to my servants that they speak in a kind way 9; verily, Satan makes ill-will between them; verily, Satan was ever unto man an open foe.

Your Lord knows you best; if He please He will have mercy upon you, or if He please He will torment you: but we have not sent thee to take charge of them.

And thy Lord best knows who is in the heavens and the earth; we did prefer some of the prophets over the others, and to David did we give the Psalms.

Say, ‘Call on those whom ye pretend other than God’; but they shall not have the power to remove distress from you, nor to turn it off.

Those on whom they call, 10 seek themselves for a means of approaching their Lord, (to see) which of them is nearest: and they hope for His mercy and they fear His torment; verily, the torment of thy Lord is a thing to beware of.

There is no city but we will destroy it before the day of judgment, or torment it with keen torment;—that is in the Book inscribed.

Naught hindered us from sending thee with signs, save that those of yore said they were lies; so we gave Thamûd the visible she-camel, but they treated her unjustly! for we do not send (any one) with signs save to make men fear.

And when we said to thee, ‘Verily, thy Lord encompasses men!’ and we made the vision which we showed thee only a cause of sedition unto men, and the cursed tree 11 as well; for we will frighten them, but it will only increase them in great rebellion.

And when we said to the angels, ‘Adore Adam’; and they adored, save Iblîs, who said, ‘Am I to adore one whom Thou hast created out of clay—’

Said he, ‘Dost thou see now— this one whom Thou hast honoured above me, verily, if Thou shouldst respite me until the resurrection day, I will of a surety utterly destroy his seed except a few.’

Said He, ‘Begone! and whoso of them follows thee—verily, hell is your recompense, an ample recompense. Entice away whomsoever of them thou canst with thy voice; and bear down upon them with thy horse and with thy foot; and share with them in their wealth and their children; and promise them,—but Satan promises them naught but deceit. Verily, my servants, thou hast no authority over them; thy Lord is guardian enough over them!’

It is your Lord who drives the ships for you in the sea that ye may seek after plenty from Him; verily, He is ever merciful to you. And when distress touches you in the sea, those whom ye call on, except Him, stray away from you; but when He has brought you safe to shore, ye turn away; for man is ever ungrateful.

Are ye sure that He will not cleave with you the side of the shore, or send against you a heavy sand-storm— then ye will find no guardian for yourselves.

Or are ye sure that He will not send you back therein another time, and send against you a violent wind, and drown you for your misbelief— then ye will find for yourselves no protector against us.

But we have been gracious to the children of Adam, and we have borne them by land and sea, and have provided them with good things, and have preferred them over many that we have created.

The day when we will call all men by their high priest; and he whose book is given in his right hand—these shall read their book, nor shall they be wronged a straw. But he who in this life is blind shall be blind in the next too, and err farther from the way.

They had well-nigh beguiled thee from what we inspired thee with, that thou shouldst forge against us something else, and then they would have taken thee for a friend; and had it not been that we stablished thee, thou wouldst have well-nigh leant towards them a little: then would we have made thee taste of torment both of life and death, then thou wouldst not have found against us any helper. 12

And they well-nigh enticed thee away from the land, to turn thee out therefrom; but then—they should not have tarried after thee except a little.

[This is] the course of those of our prophets whom we have sent before thee; and thou shalt find no change in our course.

Be thou steadfast in prayer from the declining of the sun until the dusk of the night, and the reading of the dawn; verily, the reading of the dawn is ever testified to.

And for the night, watch thou therein as an extra service. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to a laudable station.

And say, ‘O my Lord! make me enter with a just entry; and make me come forth with a just coming forth; and grant me from Thee authority to aid.’

And say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished! verily, falsehood is transient.’

And we will send down of the Qur’ân that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, but it will only increase the wrong-doers in loss.

And when we favour man he turns away and retires aside, but when evil touches him he is ever in despair. Say, ‘Every one acts after his own manner, but your Lord knows best who is most guided in the way.

They will ask thee of the spirit. 13 Say, ‘The spirit comes at the bidding of my Lord, and ye are given but a little knowledge thereof.’

If we had wished we would have taken away that with which we have inspired thee; then thou wouldst have found no guardian against us, unless by a mercy from thy Lord; verily, His grace towards thee is great!

Say, ‘If mankind and ginns united together to bring the like of this Qur’ân, they could not bring the like, though they should back each other up!’

We have turned about for men in this Qur’ân every parable; but most men refuse to accept it, save ungratefully.

And they say, ‘We will by no means believe in thee, until there gush forth for thee a fountain from the earth; or there be made for thee a garden of palms and grapes, and rivers come gushing out amidst them; or thou make the sky to fall down upon us in pieces; or thou bring us God and the angels before us; or there be made for thee a house of gold; or thou climb up into the heaven; and even then we will not believe in thy climbing there, until thou send down on us a book that we may read!’

Say, ‘Celebrated be the praises of my Lord! was I aught but a mortal apostle—’

Naught prohibited men from believing when the guidance came to them, save their saying, ‘God has sent a mortal for an apostle.’

Say, ‘Were there angels on the earth walking in quiet, we had surely sent them an angel as an apostle.’

Say, ‘God is witness enough between me and you; verily, He is ever of His servants well aware, and sees.’

He whom God guides, he is guided indeed; and he whom God leads astray, thou shalt never find patrons for them beside Him; and we will gather them upon the resurrection day upon their faces, blind, and dumb, and deaf; their resort is hell; whenever it grows dull we will give them another blaze!

That is their reward for that they disbelieved in our signs, and said, ‘What! when we are bones and rubbish, shall we then be raised up a new creation—’

Could they not see that God who created the heavens and the earth is able to create the like of them, and to set for them an appointed time; there is no doubt therein, yet the wrong-doers refuse to accept it, save ungratefully!

Say, ‘Did ye control the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then ye would hold them through fear of expending; for man is ever niggardly!’

And we did bring Moses nine manifest signs; then ask the children of Israel (about) when he came to them, and Pharaoh said to him, ‘Verily, I think thee, O Moses! enchanted.’

He said, ‘Well didst thou know that none sent down these save the Lord of the heavens and the earth as visible signs; and, verily, I think thee, O Pharaoh! ruined.’

And he desired to drive them out of the land; but we drowned him and those with him, one and all.

And after him we said to the children of Israel, ‘Dwell ye in the land; and when the promise of the hereafter comes to pass, we will bring you in a mixed crowd (to judgment).

‘In truth have we sent it down, and in truth has it come down; and we have not sent thee as aught but a herald of glad tidings and a warner.

‘And a Qur’ân which we have divided, that thou mayst read it to mankind leisurely, and we sent it down, sending it down. 14

Say, ‘Believe ye therein, or believe not; verily, those who were given the knowledge before it, when it is read to them fall down upon their beards adoring! and they say, “Celebrated be the praises of our Lord! verily, the promise of our Lord is ever fulfilled”—they fall down upon their beards weeping, and it increases their humility.’

Say, ‘Call on God, or call on the Merciful One, whichever ye may call on Him by; for His are the best of names.’

And do not say thy prayers openly, nor yet murmur them, but seek a way between these.

And say, ‘Praise belongs to God, who has not taken to Himself a son, and has not had a partner in His kingdom, nor had a patron against (such) abasement.’ And magnify Him greatly!

Note 1. Also called ‘The Children of Israel.’

Note 2. The Kaabah at Mecca.

Note 3. The Temple at Jerusalem.

Note 4. The Mohammedan commentators interpret this as referring the first to either Goliath, Sennacherib, or Nebuchadnezzar, and the latter to a second Persian invasion. The two sins committed by the Jews, and for which these punishments were threatened and executed, were, first, the murder of Isaiah and the imprisonment of Jeremiah, and the second the murder of John the Baptist. Mohammedan views of ancient history are, however, vague.

Note 5. Supply, ‘we sent foes.’

Note 6. I. e. ‘fortune’ or ‘fate,’ literally, ‘bird;’ the Arabs, like the ancient Romans, having been used to practise divination from the flight of birds.

Note 7. Bade them obey the Apostle.

Note 8. I. e. if you are compelled to leave them in order to seek your livelihood; or if your present means are insufficient to enable you to relieve others.

Note 9. I. e. they are not to provoke the idolaters by speaking too roughly to them so as to exasperate them.

Note 10. Sale interprets this to mean ‘the angels and prophets.’ Rodwell remarks that it is an ‘obvious allusion to the saint worship of the Christians.’ As, however, precisely the same expression is used elsewhere in the Qur’ân for the false gods of the Arabs, and the existence of those ginns and angels whom they associated with God is constantly recognised, their divinity only being denied, I prefer to follow the Moslem commentators, and refer the passage to the gods of the Arabian pantheon at Mecca.

Note 11. The Zaqqûm. The vision referred to is the night journey to heaven, although those commentators who believe this to have been an actual fact suppose another vision to account for this passage.

Note 12. The commentators say that this refers to a treaty proposed by the tribe of THaqîf, who insisted, as a condition of their submission, that they should be exempt from the more irksome duties of Muslims, and should be allowed to retain their idol Allât for a certain time, and that their territory should be considered sacred, like that of Mecca.

Note 13. According to some, the soul generally; but according to others, and more probably, the angel Gabriel as the agent of revelation.

Note 14. As occasion required.

The Chapter of Joseph (peace be on him!)

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

A. L. R. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book. Verily, we have revealed it, an Arabic Qur’ân; haply ye may understand.

We tell thee the best of stories, in inspiring thee with this Qur’ân, though thou wert before it among the heedless.

When Joseph said to his father, ‘O my sire! verily, I saw eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon,—I saw them adoring me!’

He said, ‘O my boy! tell not thy vision to thy brethren, for they will plot a plot against thee; verily, the devil is to man an open foe.’

Thus does thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of sayings, and fulfil His favour upon thee, and upon Jacob’s people, as He fulfilled it upon thy two forefathers before thee, Abraham and Isaac,—verily, thy Lord is knowing, wise!

In Joseph and his brethren were signs to those who enquire!

When they said, ‘Surely, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, a band 1 although we be; verily, our father is in obvious error.

‘Slay Joseph, or cast him in some land; that your father’s face may be free for you, and ye may be, after he is gone, a people who do right.’

A speaker from amongst them spake, ‘Slay not Joseph, but throw him into the bottom of the pit; some of the travellers may pick him up, if so ye do.’

Said they, ‘O our father! what ails thee that thou wilt not trust us with Joseph while we are unto him sincere— Send him with us to-morrow to revel and to play, and, verily, we over him will keep good guard.’

Said he, ‘Verily, it grieves me that ye should go off with him, for I fear lest the wolf devour him while ye of him do take no heed.’

Said they, ‘Why, if the wolf should devour him while we are (such) a band, verily, we then should deserve to lose!’

And when they had gone off with him and agreed to put him in the depths of the pit, and we inspired him, ‘Thou shalt surely inform them of this affair of theirs and they shall not perceive.’ 2

And they came to their father at eve and weeping said, ‘O our father! verily, we went forth to race and left Joseph by our goods, and the wolf devoured him,—but thou wilt not believe us, truth tellers though we be.’

And they brought his shirt with lying blood upon it. Said he, ‘Nay, but your souls have induced you to do this; but patience is fair! and God is He whom I ask for aid against that which ye describe.’

And travellers came and sent their water-drawer; and he let down his bucket. Said he, ‘O glad tidings! this is a youth.’ And they kept him secret, as a chattel; but God knew what they were doing.

And they sold him for a mean price,—drachmæ counted out,—and they parted with him cheaply.

And the man from Egypt who had bought him said to his wife, ‘Honour his abiding here; it may be he will be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son.’

Thus did we stablish Joseph in the land; and we did surely teach him the interpretation of sayings; for God can overcome His affairs, though most men do not know.

And when he had reached his strength 3 we brought him judgment and knowledge, for thus do we reward those who do good.

And she in whose house he was desired him for his person; and she locked the doors and said, ‘Come along with thee!’ Said he, ‘Refuge in God! verily, my Lord has made good my abiding here; verily, the wrong-doers shall not prosper.’

And she was anxious for him, and he would have been anxious for her, had it not been that he saw the demonstration 4 of his Lord; thus did we turn evil and fornication from him; verily, he was of our sincere servants.

And they raced to the door and she rent his shirt from behind; and they met her master at the door. Said she, ‘What is the recompense of him who wishes evil for thy family, but that imprisonment or a grievous torment—’

Said he, ‘She desired me for my person.’ And a witness from among her family bore witness: ‘If his shirt be rent from in front, then she speaks the truth and he is of the liars; but if his shirt be rent from behind, then she lies and he is of the truth tellers.’

And when he saw his shirt rent from behind he said, ‘This is one of your tricks; verily, your tricks are mighty! Joseph! turn aside from this. And do thou, woman, ask pardon for thy fault; verily, thou wert of the sinners.’

And women in the city said, ‘The wife of the prince desires her young man for his person; he has infatuated her with love: verily, we see her in obvious error.’ And when she heard of their craftiness, she sent to them and prepared for them a banquet, and gave each of them a knife; and she said, ‘Come forth to them!’ And when they saw him they said, ‘Great God!’ and cut their hands 5 and said, ‘God forbid! This is no mortal, this is nothing but an honourable angel.’ Said she, ‘This is he concerning whom ye blamed me. I did desire him for his person, but he was too continent. But if he do not what I bid him he shall surely be imprisoned and shall surely be among the small!’ Said he, ‘My lord! Prison is dearer to me than what they call on me to do; and unless Thou turn from me their craftiness I shall feel a passion for them and shall be among the ignorant!’ And his Lord answered him and turned from him their craftiness; verily, He both hears and knows!

Then it appeared good to them, even after they had seen the signs, 6 to imprison him until a time.

And there entered the prison with him two young men. Said one of them, ‘Verily, I see myself 7 pressing wine.’ And the other said, ‘Verily, I see myself bearing on my head loaves from which the birds do eat; inform us of the interpretation thereof; verily, we see that thou art of those who do good.’

He said, ‘There shall not come to you any food with which ye are provided, but I will inform you both of its interpretation before it comes to you. That is (some) of what my Lord has taught me; verily, I have left the faith of a people who do not believe in God, while in the future too they disbelieve. And I have followed the faith of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob; we could not associate aught with God; that is from God’s grace upon us and upon men: but most men give not thanks. O ye twain fellow-prisoners! Are manifold lords better, or God, the one, the dominant— What ye worship beside Him are naught but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which God has sent down no authority. Judgment is only God’s; He bids you worship only Him. That is the standard of religion,—but most men do not know. O ye twain fellow-prisoners! as for one of you, he shall pour out wine for his lord: and as for the other, he shall be crucified, and the birds shall eat of his head. The matter is decreed whereon ye asked me for a decision!’

And he said to him whom he thought would escape of those two, ‘Remember me with thy lord!’ But Satan made him 8 forget the remembrance of his lord, so he tarried in prison a few years.

Then said the king, ‘Verily, I see seven fat kine which seven lean kine devoured; and seven green ears of corn and others dry. O ye chiefs! Explain to me my vision, if a vision ye can expound!’

Said they, ‘Confused dreams, and naught of the exposition of such dreams know we!’

Then he who had escaped of those twain said,—remembering after a while,—‘Verily, I will inform you of the interpretation thereof, so send me.’

‘Joseph! O thou truth teller! explain to us the seven fat kine which seven lean devoured; and the seven green ears of corn and others dry. Haply I may go back to the men, haply they then may know!’

He said, ‘Ye shall sow for seven years, as is your wont; but what ye reap, let it remain in the ear, except a little whereof ye shall eat. Then there shall come after that seven severe (years) which shall devour what ye have put by before for them, save a little of what ye shall preserve. Then there will come after that a year in which men shall have rain and in which they shall press.’ 9

Then said the king, ‘Bring him to me.’

And when the messenger came to him, he said, ‘Go back to thy lord, and ask him, “What meant the women who cut their hands— Verily, my lord knows their craftiness!”’

He said, ‘What was your design when ye desired Joseph for his person—’ They said, ‘God forbid! we know no bad of him.’ Said the wife of the prince, ‘Now does the truth appear! I desired him for his person and, verily, he is of those who tell the truth.’

‘That’ (said Joseph) ‘was that he might know that I did not betray him in his absence, and that God guides not the craft of those who do betray! Yet I do not clear myself, for the soul is very urgent to evil, save what my Lord has had mercy on; verily, my Lord is forgiving and merciful!’

And the king said, ‘Bring him to me. I will take him specially for myself.’ And when he had spoken with him he said, ‘Verily, to-day thou art with us in a permanent place of trust.’

He said, ‘Place me over the treasures of the land; verily, I will be a knowing keeper.’

Thus did we stablish Joseph in the land that he might settle in what part thereof he pleased—we overtake with our mercy whom we will, nor do we waste the hire of those who do good; and surely the hire of the future life is better for those who believe and who have feared.

And his brethren came to Joseph, and they entered in unto him and he knew them, but they recognised not him.

And when he had equipped them with their equipment he said, ‘Bring me a brother that ye have from your father; do ye not see that I give good measure, and that I am the best of entertainers— But if ye bring him not to me, no measure shall ye have with me, nor shall ye come nigh me.’

They said, ‘We will desire him of our father, and we will surely do it.’

Then he said to his young men, ‘Put their chattels 10 in their packs, haply they may know it when they are come back to their family; haply they may return.’

And when they returned to their father, they said, ‘O our father! Measure is withheld from us; so send with us our brother that we may get measure, and, verily, him we will keep!’

He said, ‘Shall I entrust you with him, save as I entrusted you with his brother before— but God is the best of keepers, and He is the most merciful of the merciful.’

And when they opened their goods they found their chattels restored to them. Said they, ‘O our father! What more can we crave— Here are our chattels restored to us, and we shall guard our brother, and shall have an additional measure beside that—a small measure.’ 11

He said, ‘I will by no means send him with you until you give me a compact from God that ye will surely bring him to me, unless ye be encompassed.’ 12

So when they had given him their compact he said, ‘God over what ye say has charge.’

And he said, ‘O my sons! enter not by one gate, but enter by several gates; but I cannot avail you aught against God. Judgment is only God’s; upon Him do I rely, and on Him do the reliant rely.’

And when they had entered as their father bade them, it availed them nothing against God, save for a want in Jacob’s soul which it fulfilled; for, verily, he was possessed of knowledge, for that we had taught him;—but most men do not know.

And when they entered in unto Joseph, he took his brother to stay with him, and said, ‘Verily, I am thy brother—then take not ill that which they have been doing.’

And when he had equipped them with their equipment he placed the drinking cup in his brother’s pack; then a crier cried out, ‘O ye caravan! verily, ye are thieves!’

They said, approaching them, ‘What is it that ye miss—’

Said they, ‘We miss the goblet of the king, and whoso brings it shall have a camel-load, and I am guarantee thereof.’

They said, ‘By God! Ye knew we came not to do evil in the land, and that we were not thieves.’

They said, ‘And what shall be the recompense thereof if ye be liars—’

They said, ‘The recompense thereof is he in whose pack it is found—he shall be the recompense thereof; thus do we recompense the unjust.’

And he began with their sacks before the sacks of his brother; then he drew it forth from his brother’s sack. Thus did we devise a stratagem for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the king’s religion 13 except God pleased;—we raise the degrees of whomsoever we please, and over every possessor of knowledge is one who knows.

They said, ‘If he has stolen, a brother of his has stolen before him.’

But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and disclosed it not to them. Said he, ‘Ye are in a bad case, and God knows best about what ye describe.’

They said, ‘O prince! Verily, he has a father, a very old man; take then one of us instead of him; verily, we can see that thou art of those who do good.’

Said he, ‘(I seek) refuge in God from taking any save him with whom we found our property; verily, we should then be certainly unjust.’

And when they despaired of him they retired to consult privately. Said the eldest of them, ‘Do ye not know that your father has taken a compact from God against you— Aforetime ye exceeded in the matter of Joseph—I will surely not quit the land until my father give me leave, or God judge for me, for He is the best of judges.

‘Return ye to your father and say, “O our father! verily, thy son has committed theft, and we bore testimony to naught but what we knew; for of the unforeseen we were not keepers!”

‘Ask then in the city where we were, and of the caravan in which we approached it, for, verily, we tell the truth.’

Said he, ‘Nay, your souls have induced you to do this thing. But patience is fair. It may be that God will give me them all together;—verily, He is knowing, wise.’

And he turned away from them and said, ‘O my lament for Joseph!’ and his eyes grew white with grief, for he repressed (his woe).

They said, ‘By God! thou wilt not cease to remember Joseph till thou art at the point of death, or art of those who perish!’

Said he, ‘I only complain of my emotion and my grief to God, for I know that from God which ye know nothing of.

‘O my sons! go and enquire concerning Joseph and his brother, and despair not of God’s comfort; for, verily, none need despair of God’s comfort save a misbelieving people!’

And when they entered in unto him they said, ‘O prince! distress has touched both us and our families, and we have brought trifling chattels. So give us full measure and bestow upon us in charity; verily, God rewards the charitable.’

He said, ‘Do ye know what ye did with Joseph and his brother, while ye were ignorant—’

They said, ‘Art thou then indeed Joseph—’ He said, ‘I am Joseph, and this is my brother; God has been gracious towards us. Verily, whoso fears God and is patient,—verily, God wastes not the hire of those who do good!’

They said, ‘By God! God has chosen thee over us; and we indeed were sinners.’

He said, ‘No reproach against you to-day! God will pardon you, for He is the most merciful of the merciful. Take this my shirt, and throw it over the face of my father, he will become able to see; and bring me your families all together.’

And when the caravan departed, their father said, ‘Verily, I find the smell of Joseph, unless ye think I dote!’

They said, ‘By God! thou art in thy old error.’ And when the herald of glad tidings came he threw it on his face, and he was restored to sight.

Said he, ‘Did I not tell you that I know from God that of which ye know not—’

They said, ‘O our father! ask pardon for us of our sins;—verily, we were sinners!’

He said, ‘I will ask pardon for you from my Lord; verily, He is the pardoning and merciful.’

And when they entered in unto Joseph, he took his father to stay with him, and said, ‘Enter ye into Egypt, if it please God, safe.’ And he raised his father upon the throne, and they fell down before him adoring.

And he said, ‘O my sire! This is the interpretation of my vision aforetime; my Lord has made it come true, and He has been good to me, in bringing me forth out of prison, and bringing you from the desert, after Satan had made a breach between me and my brethren;—verily, my Lord is kind to whomsoever He will;—verily, He is the knowing, the wise!

‘O my Lord! thou hast given me dominion, and hast taught me the interpretation of sayings; O originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my patron in this world and the next; take me to Thyself resigned, and let me reach the righteous!’

That is one of the stories of the unseen which we inspire thee with, though thou wert not with them when they agreed in their affair, when they were so crafty.—And yet most men, though thou shouldst be urgent, will not believe.

Thou dost not ask them for it a hire; it is naught but a reminder to the world.

How many a sign in the heavens and the earth do they pass by and turn away there from!

Nor do most of them believe in God without associating (other gods) with Him.

Are they safe, then, from overwhelming vengeance coming on them from the torment of God— or from the Hour coming upon them suddenly while they do not perceive—

Say, ‘This is my way; I call now unto God on clear proof, I and those who follow me; and celebrated be God’s praises, for I am not of the idolaters.’

Nor did we ever send before thee any save men whom we inspired, of the people of the cities. Have they not journeyed on in the earth, and beheld how was the end of those before them— But the abode of the future is surely better for those who believe;—what! have they then no sense—

Until when the apostles despaired and they thought that they were proved liars, our help came to them, and whosoever we pleased was saved; but our violence is not averted from the sinful people.

Their stories were a lesson to those endowed with minds. It was not a tale forged, but a verification of what was before it, and a detailing of everything, and a guide and a mercy to a people who believe.

Note 1. The word means a band of between twenty and forty persons.

Note 2. This is a prophetic intimation to Joseph of his future interview with his brethren in Egypt.

Note 3. The age of puberty.

Note 4. The angel Gabriel in the form of his father appeared with a warning gesture, according to the Muslim commentators.

Note 5. In their sudden emotion at his beauty.

Note 6. Of his innocence.

Note 7. In a dream.

Note 8. The application of the pronoun is vague in the text of this passage, which is variously interpreted, either that Satan made the butler forget to mention Joseph to his lord Pharaoh, or that Satan made Joseph forget for the moment his Lord God, and place his trust on the man rather than on Him.

Note 9. I. e. press wine and oil.

Note 10. The goods which they had brought to barter, or the money they had paid for the corn.

Note 11. Commentators differ as to whether this means that what they had brought was insufficient, or whether the additional measure was a small quantity for Pharaoh to bestow, or whether Jacob utters the words meaning that it is not enough to induce him to part with his son.

Note 12. By some unavoidable hindrance.

Note 13. I. e. by the law of Egypt it was not lawful for Joseph to take his brother for a bondsman as a punishment for theft.

The Chapter of the Believer

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

‘H. M. The sending down of the Book from God, the mighty, the knowing, the forgiver of sin and accepter of repentance, keen at punishment, long-suffering! there is no good but He! to whom the journey is!

None wrangle concerning the signs of God but those who misbelieve; then let not their going to and fro in the cities deceive thee.

The people of Noah before them called the prophets liars; and the confederates after them; and every nation schemed against their Apostle to catch him. And they wrangled with falsehood that they might refute the truth thereby, but I seized them, and how was my punishment!

Thus was the sentence of thy Lord due against those who misbelieved, that they are the fellows of the Fire!

Those who bear the throne and those around it celebrate the praise of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask pardon for those who believe: ‘Our Lord! thou dost embrace all things in mercy and knowledge, then pardon those who turn repentant and follow thy way, and guard them from the torment of hell! Our Lord! make them enter into gardens of Eden which thou hast promised to them, and to those who do well of their fathers, and their wives, and their seed; verily, thou art the mighty, the wise! and guard them from evil deeds, for he whom thou shalt guard from evil deeds on that day, thou wilt have had mercy on, and that is mighty bliss!’

Verily, those who misbelieve shall be cried out to, ‘Surely, God’s hatred is greater than your hatred of each other when ye were called unto the faith and misbelieved!’ They shall say, ‘Our Lord! Thou hast killed us twice, and Thou hast quickened us twice; 1 and we do confess our sins: is there then a way for getting out—’

That is because when God alone was proclaimed ye did disbelieve; but when partners were joined to Him ye did believe; but judgment belongs to God, the high, the great! He it is who shows you His signs, and sends down to you from heaven provision; but none is mindful except him who turns repentant; then call on God, being sincere in your religion to Him, averse although the misbelievers be! Exalted of degrees! The Lord of the throne! He throws the spirit by His bidding upon whom He will of His servants, to give warning of the day of meeting. The day when they shall be issuing forth, naught concerning them shall be hidden from God. Whose is the kingdom on that day——God’s, the one, the dominant! to-day shall every soul be recompensed for that which it has earned. There is no wrong to-day; verily, God is quick at reckoning up!

And warn them of the day that approaches, when hearts are choking in the gullets; those who do wrong shall have no warm friend, and no intercessor who shall be obeyed. He knows the deceitful of eye and what men’s breasts conceal, and God decides with truth; but those they call on beside Him do not decide at all: verily, God, He both hears and looks.

Have they not journeyed on in the earth and seen how was the end of those who journeyed on before them— They were stronger than them in might, and their vestiges are in the land; but God caught them up in their sins, and they had none to guard them against God.

That is for that their apostles did come to them with manifest signs, and they misbelieved, and God caught them up; verily, He is mighty, keen to punish!

And we did send Moses with our signs, and with obvious authority, unto Pharaoh and Hâmân and Qarûn. They said, ‘A lying sorcerer!’ and when they came to them with truth from us, they said, ‘Kill the sons of those who believe with him, and let their women live!’ but the stratagem of the misbelievers is only in error!

And Pharaoh said, ‘Let me kill Moses; and then let him call upon his Lord! verily, I fear that he will change your religion, or that he will cause evil doing to appear in the land.’

And Moses said, ‘Verily, I take refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every one who is big with pride and believes not on the day of reckoning.’

And a believing man of Pharaoh’s people, who concealed his faith, said, ‘Will ye kill a man for saying, My Lord is God, when he has come to you with manifest signs from your Lord— and if he be a liar, against him is his lie; and if he be truthful, there will befall you somewhat of that which he threatens you; verily, God guides not him who is an extravagant liar. O my people! yours is the kingdom to-day, ye are eminent in the land, but who will help us against the violence of God, if it comes upon us—’

Said Pharaoh, ‘I will only show you what I see, and I will only guide you into the way of right direction.’

And he who believed said, ‘O my people! verily, I fear for you the like of the day of the confederates, the like of the wont of the people of Noah and ‘Ad and Hâmân, and of those after them; for God desires not injustice for His servants. O my people! verily, I fear for you the day of crying out,—the day when ye shall turn your backs, fleeing, with no defender for you against God; for he whom God leads astray, for him there is no guide!

‘And Joseph came to you before with manifest signs, but ye ceased not to doubt concerning what he brought you, until, when he perished, ye said, “God will not send after him an apostle;” thus does God lead astray him who is extravagant, a doubter.

‘Those who wrangle concerning the signs of God without authority having come to them are greatly hated by God and by those who believe; thus does God set a stamp upon the heart of every tyrant too big with pride!’

And Pharaoh said, ‘O Hâmân! build for me a tower, haply I may reach the tracts,—the tracts of heaven, and may mount up to the God of Moses, for, verily, I think him a liar.’

And thus was his evil deed made seemly to Pharaoh, and he was turned from the way; but Pharaoh’s stratagem ended only in ruin, and he who believed said, ‘O my people! follow me, I will guide you to the way of the right direction. O my people! verily, the life of this world is but a provision, but, verily, the hereafter, that is the abode of stability! Whoso does evil, he shall only be recompensed with the like thereof; and whoso does right, be it male or female and a believer, these shall enter into Paradise; they shall be provided therein without count. O my people! why should I call you to salvation, and you call me to the fire— Ye call on me to disbelieve in God, and to join with Him what I have no knowledge of; but I call you to the mighty forgiving One! no doubt that what ye call me to, ought not to be called on in this world or in the hereafter, and that we shall be sent back to God, and that the extravagant, they are the fellows of the Fire!

‘But ye shall remember what I say to you; and I entrust my affair to God, verily, God looks upon His servants!’

And God guarded him from the evils of what they plotted, and there closed in upon Pharaoh evil woe.

The fire—they shall be exposed to it morning and evening; and ‘on the day the Hour shall arise,’ enter, O people of Pharaoh! into the keenest torment.

And when they argue together in the fire, and the weak say to those who were big with pride, ‘Verily, we were followers of yours, can ye then avail us against a portion of the fire—’

Those who were big with pride shall say, ‘Verily, we are all in it; verily, God has judged between His servants.’

And those who are in the fire shall say unto the keepers of hell, ‘Call upon your Lord to lighten from us one day of the torment.’ They shall say, ‘Did not your apostles come to you with manifest signs—’ They shall say, ‘Yea!’ They shall say, ‘Then, call!’—but the call of the misbelievers is only in error.

Verily, we will help our apostles, and those who believe, in the life of this world and on the day when the witnesses shall stand up: the day when their excuse shall not avail the unjust; but for them is the curse, and for them is an evil abode.

And we did give Moses the guidance; and we made the children of Israel to inherit the Book, as a guidance and a reminder to those endowed with minds.

Be thou patient, then; verily, God’s promise is true: and ask thou forgiveness for thy sins, and celebrate the praise of thy Lord in the evening and in the morn.

Verily, those who wrangle concerning the signs of God without authority having come to them, there is naught in their breasts but pride; but they shall not attain it: do thou then seek refuge in God: verily, He both hears and looks!

Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of man: but most men know it not.

The blind and the seeing shall not be deemed alike, nor those who believe and do right and the evildoer; little is it that they remember.

Verily, the Hour will surely come; there is no doubt therein; but most men do not believe!

And your Lord said, ‘Call upon me, I will answer you; verily, those who are too big with pride to worship shall enter into hell, shrinking up.’

God it is who has made for you the night to repose therein, and the day to see by; verily, God is Lord of grace to men, but most men give no thanks!

There is God for you! your Lord! the creator of everything! there is no god but He, how then can ye lie— 2 Thus did those lie who gainsaid the signs of God.

God it is who has made for you the earth as a restingplace, and a heaven as building, and has formed you and made excellent your forms; and has provided you with good things! there is God for you!—your Lord! then blessed be God, the Lord of the worlds!

He is the living One, there is no god but He! then call on Him, being sincere in your religion to Him; praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

Say, ‘Verily, I am forbidden to serve those whom ye call on beside God, since there have come to me manifest signs from my Lord, and I am bidden to be resigned unto the Lord of the worlds.’

He it is who created you from the earth, then from a clot, then from congealed blood, then He brings you forth a child;—then ye reach to puberty; then do ye become old men,—though of you there are some who are taken away before,—that ye may reach an appointed time, and haply ye may have some sense.

He it is who quickens and kills, and when He decrees a matter, then He only says to it, ‘BE,’ and it is.

Hast thou not seen those who wrangle concerning the signs of God how they are turned away— Those who call the Book, and what we have sent our apostles with, a lie, soon shall they know—when the fetters are on their necks and the chains, as they are dragged into hell!—then in the fire shall they be baked.

Then it shall be said to them, ‘Where is what ye did associate beside God—’ They shall say, ‘They have strayed away from us; nay, we did not call before upon anything!’—thus does God lead the misbelievers astray.

There! for that ye did rejoice in the land without right; and for that ye did exult; enter ye the gates of hell, to dwell therein for aye; for evil is the resort of those who are too big with pride!

But be thou patient; verily, the promise of God is true; and whether we show thee a part of what we promised them, or whether we surely take thee to ourself, unto us shall they be returned.

And we did send apostles before thee: of them are some whose stories we have related to thee, and of them are some whose stories we have not related to thee; and no apostle might ever bring a sign except by the permission of God; but when God’s bidding came it was decided with truth, and there were those lost who deemed it vain!

God it is who has made for you cattle, that ye may ride on some of them;—and of them ye eat, and ye have in them advantages;—and that ye may attain thereon a want which is in your breasts; upon them and upon ships are ye borne.

He shows you His signs; which sign then of your Lord do ye deny—

Have they not journeyed on in the land and seen how was the end of those before them, who were more numerous than they and stronger in might, and in their vestiges which are still in the land— but of no avail to them was that which they had earned.

And when there came to them their apostles with manifest signs they rejoiced in what knowledge they had; but there closed in upon them that whereat they had mocked.

And when they saw our violence they said, ‘We believe in God alone, and we disbelieve in what we once associated with Him.’

But their faith was of no avail to them when they saw our violence—the course of God with His servants in time past, and there the misbelievers lose!

Note 1. Referring to the absence of life before birth and the deprivation of it at death, and to the being quickened at birth and raised again after death.

Note 2. Or ‘turn away.’

The Chapter of Thunder

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

A. L. M. R. Those are the signs of the Book, and that which is sent down to thee from thy Lord is the truth; but most people will not believe. God it is who has raised the heavens without columns that ye can see; then He made for the throne, and subjected the sun and the moon; each one runs on to a stated and appointed time; He governs the affair, details the signs;—haply of the meeting with your Lord ye will be sure.

And He it is who has stretched out the earth and placed therein firm mountains and rivers, and of every fruit has He placed therein two kinds. He makes the night cover the day;—verily, in that are signs unto a people who reflect.

And on the earth are neighbouring portions, and gardens of grapes and corn and palms growing together (from one root) and not growing together; they are watered with one water, yet we distinguish one over the other as food;—verily, in that are signs unto a people who have sense.

And if thou shouldst wonder, wondrous is their speech: ‘What! when we have become dust, shall we really then be created anew—’

These are they who disbelieve in their Lord, and these are they with fetters round their necks, and these are the fellows of the Fire; they shall dwell therein for aye!

They will wish thee to hasten on the evil rather than the good; examples have passed away before them: but thy Lord is possessor of forgiveness unto men, notwithstanding their injustice; but, verily, thy Lord is keen to punish.

Those who misbelieve say, ‘Unless a sign be sent down upon him from his Lord…’—Thou art only a warner, and every people has its guide.

God knows what each female bears, and what the wombs fall short of or add; for dimensions of everything are with Him.

He who knows the unseen and the visible,—the great, the lofty one.

Alike among you is he who keeps secret his speech and he who displays it; and he who hides by night and he who stalks abroad by day. Each of them has pursuers 1 before him and behind him, to keep guard over him at the command of God; verily, God changes not what a people has until they change it for themselves. And when God wishes evil to a people there is no averting it, nor have they a protector beside Him.

He it is who shows you the lightning for fear and hope; 2 and He brings up the heavy clouds.

And the thunder celebrates His praise, and the angels too for fear of Him; and He sends the thunder-clap and overtakes therewith whom He will;—yet they wrangle about God! But He is strong in might.

On Him is the call of truth, and those who call on others than Him shall not be answered at all, save as one who stretches out his hand to the water that it may reach his mouth, but it reaches it not! The call of the misbelievers is only in error.

And God do those who are in the heavens and the earth adore, whether they will or no! as do their shadows also morn and eve.

Say, ‘Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth—’ say, ‘God’; say, ‘Do ye take beside God patrons who cannot control profit or harm for themselves—’ say, ‘Shall the blind and the seeing be held equal— or shall the darkness and the light be held equal— or have they made associates with God who can create as He creates, so that the creation seem familiar to them—’ say, ‘God is the creator of everything, and He is the one, the dominant.’

He sends down from the sky water, and the watercourses flow according to their bulk, and the torrent bears along the floating scum: and from what they set fire to, craving ornaments or utensils, comes a scum like that;—thus does God hit the truth and the falsehood;—and as for the scum it is thrown off, and as for what profits man it stays on the earth. Thus does God strike out parables!

For those who respond to their Lord is good; but those who respond not to Him, had they all that is in the earth and the like thereof as well, they would give it for a ransom; these shall have an evil reckoning up! and their resort is hell,—an evil couch shall it be!

Is he who knows that naught but the truth is sent down upon thee from thy Lord like him who is blind— Only those possessed of minds will remember!

Those who fulfil God’s covenant and break not the compact, and those who attain what God has bidden to be attained, and dread their Lord and fear the evil reckoning up; and those who are patient, craving their Lord’s face, and are steadfast in prayer, and expend in alms of what we have bestowed upon them secretly and openly, and ward off evil with good,—these shall have the recompense of the abode, gardens of Eden, into which they shall enter with the righteous amongst their fathers and their wives and their seed; and the angels shall enter in unto them from every gate:—‘Peace be upon you! for that ye were patient; and goodly is the recompense of the abode.’

And those who break God’s covenant after compacting for it, and who cut asunder what God hath bidden to be joined, and who do evil in the earth, these—upon them is the curse of God, and for them is an evil abode.

God extends his bounty freely to whomsoever He will, or He metes it out; and they rejoice in the life of this world, but the life of this world is naught but a (temporary) provision compared with the next.

Those who misbelieve say, ‘Unless a sign is sent down upon him from his Lord…’ Say, ‘God leads whom He will astray, but guides unto Him those who turn again.

‘Those who believe and whose hearts are comforted by the mention of God,—aye! by the mention of God shall their hearts be comforted, who believe and do what is right. Good cheer for them and an excellent resort.’

Thus have we sent thee to a nation before which other nations have passed away, to recite to them that which we have inspired thee with; yet they misbelieve in the merciful! Say, ‘He is my Lord; there is no god but He; upon Him do I rely, and unto Him is my repentance.’

And though it were a Qur’ân by which the mountains were moved, or by which the earth were cut up, or the dead made to speak 3—nay, God’s is the command altogether! Did not those who believed know 4 that if God had pleased He would have guided men altogether—

And a striking calamity shall not cease to overtake those who misbelieve for what they have wrought, or to alight close by their dwelling; until God’s promise comes—verily, God fails not in His promise.

Before thee have apostles been mocked at; and those who misbelieved have I allowed to range at large; and then it caught them up! How then was my punishment—

Shall He who is standing over every soul (to note) what it has earned——— And they join partners with God! Say, ‘Name them; can ye inform Him of what He does not know in the earth— or is it for name’s sake only (that ye call upon them)—

‘Nay, then, stratagem is made seemly to those who misbelieve, and they turn folks from the path of God! But whomsoever God doth lead astray no guide has he.’

For them is torment in this world’s life; but surely the torment of the next is more wretched still—nor have they against God a keeper.

The likeness of the Paradise which those who fear God are promised, beneath it rivers flow, its food is enduring, and likewise its shade! That is the recompense of those who fear; but the recompense of misbelievers is the Fire!

And those to whom we brought the Book rejoice in that which we have sent down to thee; but of the confederates are some who deny a part thereof.

Say, ‘I am only bidden to serve God and not to associate any with Him; on Him I call and to Him is my recourse.’

Thus have we sent it down, an Arabic judgment, but hadst thou followed their lusts, after the knowledge that has come to thee, thou hadst not had against God a patron or a keeper.

And we sent apostles before thee, and we made for them wives and seed; and no apostle could bring a sign save by God’s permission;—for every period there is a book.

God blots out what He will, or He confirms; and with Him is the Mother of the Book.

Either we will let thee see a part of what we threaten them with, or we will take thee to Ourself; but thy duty is only to deliver thy message, and ours to reckon up.

Did they not see that we come to the land and diminish the borders thereof 5— God judges, and there is none to reverse His judgment, and He is swift at reckoning up!

And those who were before them were crafty too; but God’s is the craft altogether! He knows what every soul earns; and the misbelievers shall know whose is the recompense of the abode.

And those who misbelieve say, ‘Thou art not sent!’ Say, ‘God is witness enough between me and you; and so is he who has the knowledge of the Book!’

Note 1. Guardian angels.

Note 2. I. e. hope of rain; lightning is always hailed with joy by the Arabs as a precursor of rain.

Note 3. They would not believe.

Note 4. The word used in the original, yâi’as, means ‘despair,’ but in the patois of the Na’ha‘h tribe signifies ‘know,’ and is so interpreted by the native commentators on this passage.

Note 5. Alluding to the conquests of Islâm.

Medina Suras

The Chapter of the Congregation

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God. What is in the heavens and what is in the earth celebrates the praises of God the King, the holy, the mighty, the wise!

He it is who sent unto the Gentiles a prophet amongst themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the wisdom, although they were before in obvious error.

And others of them have not yet overtaken them 1; but He is the mighty, the wise!

That is God’s grace, He gives it to whomsoever He will; for God is Lord of mighty grace.

The likeness of those who were charged with the law and then bore it not is as the likeness of an ass bearing books: sorry is the likeness of the people who say God’s signs are lies! but God guides not an unjust people.

Say, ‘O ye who are Jews! if ye pretend that ye are the clients of God, beyond other people; then wish for death if ye do speak the truth!’

But they never wish for it, through what their hands have sent before! but God knows the unjust.

Say, ‘Verily, the death from which ye flee will surely meet you; then shall ye be sent back to Him who knows the unseen and the visible, and He will inform you of that which ye have done!’

O ye who believe! when the call to prayer is made upon the Congregation Day, 2 then hasten to the remembrance of God, and leave off traffic; that is better for you, if ye did but know!

And when prayer is performed, then disperse abroad in the land, and crave of God’s grace; and remember God much; haply ye may prosper!

But when they see merchandise or sport they flock to it and leave thee standing! 3 Say, ‘What is with God is better than sport and than merchandise, for God is the best of providers!’

Note 1. I. e. by embracing Islâm.

Note 2. Friday, called before this ’Harûbah. It was the day on which Mohammed entered Medînah for the first time.

Note 3. It is said that one Friday a caravan entered the town while Mohammed was conducting the public prayers, and the congregation hearing the drums beat rushed out to see the sight, with the exception of about twelve of them.

The Chapter of the Spoils

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

They will ask thee about the spoils. Say, ‘The spoils are God’s and the Apostle’s; fear God and settle it amongst yourselves; obey God and the Apostle if ye do believe.’

Verily, the believers are those who, when God’s name is mentioned, their hearts sink with fear; and when His signs are rehearsed to them they increase them in faith; and on their Lord do they rely; who are steadfast in prayer, and of what we have bestowed upon them give in alms; these are in truth believers; to them are degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.

As thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house 1 with the truth, although a sect of the believers were averse therefrom. They wrangled with thee about the truth after it was made plain, as though they were being driven on to death and looked thereon; and when God promised you that one of the two troops should be yours, and ye would fain have had those who had no arms. God wished to prove the truth true by His words, and to cut off the hindermost parts of those who misbelieve—to prove the truth true, and to make vain the vain, although the sinners are averse. 2

When ye asked for succour from your Lord, and He answered you, ‘I will assist you with a thousand angels, with others in reserve.’

God made it only glad tidings to quiet your hearts therewith; for victory is only from God! verily, God is mighty and wise.

When drowsiness covered you as a security from Him, and He sent down upon you from the heavens water to purify you withal, and to take away from you the plague of Satan, and to tie up your hearts and to make firm your footsteps. 3

When your Lord inspired the angels—‘Verily, I am with you; make ye firm then those who believe; I will cast dread into the hearts of those who misbelieve,—strike off their necks then, and strike off from them every finger tip.’

That is, because they went into opposition against God and His Apostle; for he who goes into opposition against God and His Apostle—verily, God is keen to punish.

There, taste it! since for the misbelievers is the torment of the Fire.

O ye who believe! when ye meet those who misbelieve in swarms, turn not to them your hinder parts; for he who turns to them that day his hinder parts, save turning to fight or rallying to a troop, brings down upon himself wrath from God, and his resort is hell, and an ill journey shall it be!

Ye did not slay them, but it was God who slew them; nor didst thou shoot when thou didst shoot, but God did shoot, 4 to try the believers from Himself with a goodly trial; verily, God both hears and knows. There! verily, God weakens the stratagem of the misbelievers.

If ye wish 5 the matter to be decided, a decision has now come to you; but if ye desist, it is better for you; and if ye turn back we will turn too, and your troop shall avail nothing, great in number though it be, since God is with the believers!

O ye who believe! obey God and His Apostle, and turn not from Him while ye hear, and be not like those who say, ‘We hear,’ and yet they hear not.

Verily, the worst of beasts in God’s sight are the deaf, the dumb who do not understand. Had God known any good in them, He would have made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned back and have swerved aside.

O ye who believe! answer God and His Apostle when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know that God steps in between man and his heart; and that to Him ye shall be gathered. And fear temptation, which will not light especially on those of you who have done wrong; but know that God is keen to punish.

Remember when ye were few in number and weak in the land, fearing lest people should snatch you away; then He sheltered you and aided you with victory, and provided you with good things; haply ye may give thanks.

O ye who believe! be not treacherous to God and His Apostle; nor be treacherous to your engagement while ye know!

Know that your wealth and your children are but a temptation, and that God—with Him is mighty hire!

O ye who believe! if ye fear God He will make for you a discrimination, 6 and will cover for you your offences, and will forgive you; for God is Lord of mighty grace.

And when those who misbelieve were crafty with thee to detain thee a prisoner, or kill thee, or drive thee forth; they were crafty, but God was crafty too, for God is best of crafty ones!

But when our verses were rehearsed to them they said, ‘We have already heard.—If we pleased we could speak like this; verily, this is nothing but tales of those of yore.’

When they said, ‘O God! if this be truth, and from Thee, then rain upon us stones from heaven or bring us grievous woe!’

But God would not torment them while thou art amongst them; nor was God going to torment them while they asked Him to forgive. But what ails them that God should not torment them while they turn folk away from the Holy Mosque, though they are not the guardians thereof—its guardians are only the pious——but most of them know not.

Their prayer at the House was naught but whistling and clapping hands!—taste then the torment for that ye misbelieved!

Verily, those who misbelieve expend their wealth to turn folk from the path of God; but they shall spend it, and then it shall be for them sighing, and then they shall be overcome! Those who misbelieve, into hell shall they be gathered!—that God may distinguish the vile from the good, and may put the vile, some on the top of the other, and heap all up together, and put it into hell!—These are those who lose!

Say to those who misbelieve, if they desist they will be forgiven what is past; but if they return,—the course of those of former days has passed away. 7

Fight them then that there should be no sedition, and that the religion may be wholly God’s; but if they desist then God on what they do doth look. But if they turn their backs, then know that God is your Lord; a good Lord is He, and a good help; and know that whenever ye seize anything as a spoil, to God belongs a fifth thereof, and to His Apostle, and to kindred and orphans, and the poor and the wayfarer; if ye believe in God and what we have revealed unto our servants on the day of the discrimination,—the day when the two parties met; and God is mighty over all. When ye were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the far side, and the camels were below you; had ye made an appointment then 8 ye would have failed to keep your appointment—but it was that God might accomplish a thing that was as good as done! that he who was to perish might perish with a manifest sign; and that he who was to live might live with a manifest sign; for, verily, God hears and knows!

When God showed thee them in thy dream as though they were but few; but had He shown thee them as though they were many, ye would have been timid, and ye would have quarrelled about the matter;—but God preserved you; verily, He knows the nature of men’s breasts!

And when he showed them to you, as ye encountered them, as few in your eyes; and made you seem few in their eyes; that God might accomplish a thing that was as good as done; for unto God do things return!

O ye who believe! when ye encounter a troop, then stand firm and remember God; and haply ye may prosper! and fear God and His Apostle, and do not quarrel or be timid, so that your turn of luck go from you; but be ye patient, verily, God is with the patient. And be not like those who went forth from their homes with insolence, and for appearance sake before men, and to turn folks off God’s way; for all they do God comprehends.

And when Satan made their works appear seemly to them, and said, ‘There is none amongst mankind to conquer you to-day, for, verily, I am your neighbour!’ and when the two troops came in sight of each other, he turned upon his heels and said, ‘Verily, I am clear of you! verily, I see what you see not! 9 verily, I fear God, for God is keen to punish!’

And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was sickness said, ‘Their religion hath beguiled these men, 10 but he who relies upon God, verily, God is mighty and wise.’

Couldst thou see when the angels take away the souls of those who misbelieve; they smite them on their faces and hinder parts.—

‘Taste ye the torment of burning! that is for what your hands have sent on before; and for that God is no unjust one towards his servants.’

As was the wont of Pharaoh’s people and those before them! they disbelieved in the signs of God, and God overtook them in their sins; verily, God is strong and keen to punish.