we found not in him a firm resolution. And remember when we said unto the angels, Worship ye Adam; and they worshipped him: but Eblis refused. And we said, O Adam, verily this is an enemy unto thee, and thy wife: wherefore beware lest he turn you out of paradise; for then shalt thou be miserable. Verily we have made a provision for thee, that thou shalt not hunger therein, neither shalt thou be naked: and there is also a provision made for thee, that thou shalt not thirst therein, neither shalt thou be incommoded by heat. But Satan whispered evil suggestions unto him, saying, O Adam, shall I guide thee to the tree of eternity, and a kingdom which faileth not*? And they both ate thereof: and their nakedness appeared unto them; and they began to sew together the leaves of paradise, to cover themselves". And thus Adam became disobedient unto his LORD, and was seduced. Afterwards his LORD accepted him, on his repentance, and was turned unto him, and directed him. And God said, Get ye down hence, all of you: the one of you shall be an enemy unto the other. But hereafter shall a direction come unto you from me: and whosoever shall follow my direction shall not err, neither shall he be unhappy; but whosoever shall turn aside from my admonition, verily he shall lead a miserable life, and we will cause him to appear before us, on the day of resurrection, blind. And he shall say, O LORD, why hast thou brought me before thee blind, whereas before I saw clearly? God shall answer, Thus have we done, because our signs came unto thee, and thou didst forget them; and in the same manner shalt thou be forgotten this day. And thus will we reward him who shall be negligent, and shall not believe in the signs of his LORD: and the punishment of the life to come given rise to the following proverbial saying, Awwalo násin awwalo'nnâsi, that is, The first forgetful person was the first of men; alluding to the like sound of the

words.

a See chap. 2, p. 6, &c. Vol. I. Chap. 7, p. 169, &c. ib. "The tree which giveth endless sovereignty."-Savary. b See chap. 7, pp. 170, 171, Vol. I.

See chap. 2, Vol. I.

See the Prelim. Disc. § IV. p. 117.

shall be more severe, and more lasting, than the punishment of this life. Are not the Meccans therefore acquainted how many generations we have destroyed before them; in whose dwellings they walk? Verily herein are signs unto those who are endued with understanding. And unless a decree had previously gone forth from thy LORD for their respite, verily their destruction had necessarily followed: but there is a certain time determined by God for their punishment. Wherefore do thou, O Mohammed, patiently bear that which they say; and celebrate the praise of thy LORD before the rising of the sun, and before the setting thereof, and praise him in the hours of the night, and in the extremities of the day, that thou mayest be wellpleased with the prospect of receiving favour from God. And cast not thine eyes on that which we have granted divers of the unbelievers to enjoy, namely, the splendour of this present life, that we may prove them thereby for the provision of thy LORD is better, and more permanent. Command thy family to observe prayer; and do thou persevere therein. We require not of thee that thou labour to gain necessary provisions for thyself and family we will provide for thee; for the prosperous issue shall attend on piety. The unbelievers say, Unless he come unto us with a sign from his LORD, we will not believe on him. Hath not a plain declaration come unto them, of that which is contained in the former volumes of scripture, by the revelation of the Koran*? If we had destroyed them by a judgment before the same had been revealed, they

Seeing the footsteps of their destruction; as of the tribes of Ad and Thamûd. bi. e. Evening and morning; which times are repeated as the principal hours of prayer. But some suppose these words intend the prayer of noon; the first half of the day ending, and the second half beginning at that time1.

That is, Do not envy or covet their pomp and prosperity in this world 2.

d viz. The reward laid up for thee in the next life: or the gift of prophecy, and the revelations with which God has favoured thee.

e

It is said that when Mohammed's family were in any strait or affliction, he used to order them to go to prayers, and to repeat this verse 3.

The unbelievers have said, We will not believe on him, unless he work miracles. Have they not heard the history of the nations which came before them ?”— Savary.

1 Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin. 2 See chap. 15, p. 93, Vol. II.

3 Al Beidawi.

would have said, at the resurrection, O LORD, how could we believe since thou didst not send unto us an apostle, that we might follow thy signs, before we were humbled and covered with shame? Say, Each of us wait the issue: wait therefore; for ye shall surely know hereafter who have been the followers of the even way, and who hath been rightly directed.

CHAPTER XXI.

Intitled, The Prophets; revealed at Mecca.

In the name of the most merciful GOD.

* THE time of giving up their account drawXVII. eth nigh unto the people of Mecca; while they are sunk in negligence, turning aside from the consideration thereof. No admonition cometh unto them from their LORD, being lately revealed in the Korán, but when they hear it, they turn it to sport: their hearts are taken up with delights. And they. who act unjustly discourse privately together, saying, Is this Mohammed any more than a man like yourselves? Will ye therefore come to hear a piece of sorcery, when ye plainly perceive it to be so* ? Say, My LORD knoweth whatever is spoken in heaven and on earth it is he who heareth and knoweth. But they say, The Korán is a confused heap of dreams: nay, he hath forged it; nay, he is a poet: let him come unto us therefore with some miracle, in like manner as the former prophets were sent. None of

a The chapter bears this title, because some particulars relating to several of the ancient prophets are here recited.

Savary adds, after the word prophets, "Peace be with them."

(He who shall read this chapter, says Zamakhshari, shall be favourably judged on the day of resurrection. The prophets who are mentioned in the Korân shall stretch out their hands to him, and salute him.-Savary.)

* "Will you listen unto an impostor? You will know him soon."-Savary.

the cities which we have destroyed believed the miracles which they saw performed, before them: will these therefore believe, if they see a miracle? We sent none as our apostles before thee, other than men, unto whom we revealed our will. Ask those who are acquainted with the scripture, if ye know not this. We gave them not a body which could be supported without their eating food; neither were they immortal. But we made good our promise unto them: wherefore we delivered them, and those whom we pleased; but we destroyed the exorbitant transgressors. Now have we sent down unto you, O Koreish, the book of the Korán; wherein there is honourable mention of you: will ye not therefore understand? And how many cities have we overthrown, which were ungodly; and caused other nations to rise up after them? And when they felt our severe vengeance, behold, they fled swiftly from those cities. And the angels said, scoffingly, unto them, Do not fly; but return to that wherein ye delighted, and to your habitations: peradventure ye will be asked**. They answered, Alas for us! verily we have been unjust. And this their lamentation ceased not, until we had rendered them like corn which is mowen down, and utterly extinct. We created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them, by way of sport +. If we had pleased to take diversion, verily we had taken it with that which beseemeth us; if we

i. e. Concerning the present posture of affairs, by way of consultation: or, that ye may be examined as to your deeds, that ye may receive the reward thereof1.

"Whither fly you? the angels will exclaim. Return to enjoy your pleasures. Return to the abode in which you dwelt. You are about to be questioned."-Savary.

It is related that a prophet was sent to the inhabitants of certain towns in Yaman, but instead of hearkening to his remonstrances, they killed him: upon which God delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, who put them to the sword; a voice at the same time crying from heaven, Vengeance for the blood of the prophets! Upon which they repented, and used the words of this passage.

But for the manifestation of our power and wisdom to people of understanding, that they may seriously consider the wonders of the creation, and direct their actions to the attainment of future happiness, neglecting the vain pomp and fleeting pleasures of this world.

"If we had formed the universe for a sport, we should have been the first objects of mockery."-Savary.

viz. We had sought our pleasure in our own perfections; or, in the spiritual be

Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakh, `

4

had resolved to have done this. But we will oppose truth to vanity, and it shall confound the same; and behold, it shall vanish away. Wo be unto you, for that which ye impiously utter concerning God! since whoever is in heaven and on earth, is subject unto him; and the angels who are in his presence do not insolently disdain his service, neither are they tired therewith. They praise him night and day: they faint not. Have they taken gods from the earth? Shall they raise the dead to life? If there were either in heaven or on earth gods besides GOD, verily both would be corrupted. But far be that which they utter, from GOD, the LORD of the throne! No account shall be demanded of him for what he shall do; but an account shall be demanded of them. Have they taken other gods besides him? Say, Produce your proof thereof. This is the admonition of those who are contemporary with me, and the admonition of those who have been before me' but the greater part of them know not the truth, and turn aside from the same. We have sent no apostle before thee, but we revealed unto him that there is no god beside myself: wherefore serve me. They say, the Merciful hath begotten issue; and the angels are his daughters 4t. GOD forbid! They are his honoured servants: they prevent him not in any thing which they say; and they execute his command. He knoweth

ings which are in our immediate presence; and not in raising of material buildings, with painted roofs, and fine floors, which is the diversion of man.

Some think the original word, translated diversion, signifies in this place, a wife, or a child; and that the passage is particularly levelled against the Christians'.

That is, the whole creation would necessarily fall into confusion and be overturned, by the competition of such mighty antagonists.

• "Do the angels worship any other divinities than God? Produce your proof.” Savary.

bi.e. This is the constant doctrine of all the sacred books; not only of the Korân, but of those which were revealed in former ages; all of them bearing witness to the great and fundamental truth of the unity of God.

This passage was revealed on account of the Khozâites, who held the angels to be the daughters of God.

"The unbelievers have said, God has had a son by intercourse with the angels. Far from him be this blasphemy! The angels are his honoured servants."-Savary. i. e. They presume not to say any thing, until he hath spoken it; behaving as servants who know their duty.

1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakh.