a certain sum, write one, if ye know good in them; and give them of the riches of GOD, which he hath given you. And compel not your maid-servants to prostitute themselves, if they be willing to live chastely; that ye may seek the casual advantage of this present life; but whoever shall compel them thereto, verily GOD will be gracious and merciful unto such women after their compul

sumably those who have become Muslims-and in this verse it is declared to be a meritorious act to "give them of the riches of God," in order to enable them to purchase their liberty. There is, however, something to be said on the other side of this question :(1) Slave-holding is not a sin according to the teaching of Islám. It knows nothing of the royal law, "Love thy neighbour as thyself." (2) Captives taken in war are lawful property for the Muslim; both the example and precept of the Prophet establish this point. (3) Slave concubinage, which is everywhere allowed in the Qurân (see note on chap. iv. 3), is perhaps the strongest reason why the curse of slavery will be perpetuated so long as Islám has power to act on its own principles; (4) and, finally, while it is certainly allowed to be meritorious to free slaves, and while Muhammad set an example to his followers on this point, there is nothing in the Qurán which can fairly be interpreted as teaching that slavery should be abolished in toto, as an evil inconsistent with the principles of true religion. There is, then, such inconsistency in the teaching of the Qurán on the subject of slavery as to render futile any attempt at removing this evil from Muslim practice by moral suasion.

A written instrument. "Whereby the master obliges himself to set his slave at liberty, on receiving a certain sum of money, which the slave undertakes to pay."-Sale.

The slave may secure the money either by agreeing to produce so much for his master by his labour within a fixed period, or get it as alms from rich Muslims. See Tafsir-i-Abdul Qadir.

If ye know good in them. and have reason to believe Sale.

"That is, if ye have found them faithful, they will perform their engagement."

Give them of the riches, &c. "Either by bestowing something on them of your own substance, or by abating them a part of their ransom. Some suppose these words are directed, not to the masters only, but to all Muslims in general; recommending it to them to assist those who have obtained their freedom and paid their ransom, either out of their own stock or by admitting them to have a share in the public alms."-Sale, Baidhawi.

Compel not, &c. "It seems Abdullah Ibn Ubbai had six womenslaves, on whom he laid a certain tax, which he obliged them to earn by the prostitution of their bodies; and one of them made her complaint to Muhammad, which occasioned the revelation of this passage."

sion. (34) And now have we revealed unto you evident signs, and a history like unto some of the histories of those who have gone before you, and an admonition unto the pious.

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|| (35) GOD is the light of heaven and earth, the simili- RIT tude of his light is as a niche in a wall wherein a lamp is placed, and the lamp enclosed in a case of glass; the glass appears as it were a shining star. It is lighted with the oil of a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west: it wanteth little but that the oil thereof would give light, although no fire touched it. This is light added unto light. GOD will direct unto his light whom he pleaseth. GOD propoundeth parables unto men, for GOD knoweth all things. (36) In the houses which God hath permitted to be raised, and that his name be commemorated therein! men celebrate his praise in the same morning and evening, (37) whom neither merchandising nor selling diverteth

God will be gracious, i.e., "he will find no fault with the slave-girls thus compelled to immorality."-Tafsir-i-Raufi.

(34) A history like, &c., i.e., "the story of the false accusation of Ayesha, which resembles those of Joseph and the Virgin Mary."Sale.

(35) God is the light. Comp. 1 John i. 5 and 1 Tim. vi. 16.

I

An olive, &c. "But of a more excellent kind. Some think the meaning to be that the tree grows neither in the eastern nor the western parts, but in the midst of the world, namely, in Syria, where the best olives grow."-Sale, Baidháwi.

Light unto light. "Or a light whose brightness is doubly increased by the circumstances above mentioned.

"The commentators explain this allegory and every particular of it with great subtlety, interpreting the light here described to be the light revealed in the Qurán, or God's enlightening grace in the heart of man, and in divers other manners."-Sale.

(36) The houses. "The connection of these words is not very obvious. Some suppose they ought to be joined with the preceding words, ‘Like a niche,' or 'It is lighted in the houses,' &c., and that the comparison is more strong and just by being made to the lamps in mosques, which are larger than those in private houses. Some think they are rather to be connected with the following words, Men praise,' &c. And others are of opinion they are an imperfect beginning of a sentence, and that the words, 'Praise ye God,' or the like, are to be understood. However, the houses here intended are those set apart for divine worship, or particularly the three principal temples of Makkah, Madina, and Jerusalem."-Sale, Baidhawi.

from the remembering of GOD, and the observance of prayer and the giving of alms, fearing the day whereon men's hearts and eyes shall be troubled; (38) that GOD may recompense them according to the utmost merit of what they shall have wrought, and may add unto them of his abundance a more excellent reward, for GOD bestoweth on whom he pleaseth without measure. (39) But as to the unbelievers, their works are like the vapour in a plain, which the thirsty traveller thinketh to be water, until, when he cometh thereto, he findeth it to be nothing; but he findeth GOD with him, and he will fully pay him his account; and GOD is swift in taking an account; (40) or as the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves riding on waves, above which are clouds, being additions of darkness one over the other; when one stretcheth forth his hand, he is far from seeing it. And unto whomsoever God shall not grant his light, he shall enjoy no light at all.

(41) Dost thou not perceive that all creatures both in heaven and earth praise God, and the birds also extending their wings? Every one knoweth his prayer and his praise, and GOD knoweth that which they do. (42) Unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and unto GOD shall be the return at the last day. (43) Dost thou not see that GOD gently driveth forward the clouds, and

(39, 40) "These verses, in which infidelity is compared to a tempestuous sea, of which the crested waves below mingle with the lowering clouds above-a scene of impenetrable darkness and despair -are to my apprehension amongst the grandest and most powerful in the whole Coran."-Muir in Life of Mahomet, vol. iii. p. 309.

The vapour in a plain. "The Arabic word Sarab signifies that false appearance which, in the Eastern countries, is often seen in sandy plains about noon, resembling a large lake of water in motion. . It sometimes tempts thirsty travellers out of their way, but deceives them when they come nearer, either going forward (for it always appears at the same distance) or quite vanishing."-Sale.

He findeth God. "That is, he will not escape the notice or vengeance of God."-Sale.

(41) All creatures

praise God. "By exhibiting the proofs of

his being and attributes."-Tafsir-i-Raufi.

gathereth them together, and then layeth them on heaps? Thou also seest the rain which falleth from the midst thereof, and God sendeth down from heaven as it were mountains, wherein there is hail; he striketh therewith whom he pleaseth, and turneth the same away from whom he pleaseth: the brightness of his lightning wanteth but little of taking away the sight. (44) GOD shifteth the night and the day: verily herein is an instruction unto those who have sight. And GOD hath created every animal of water; one of them goeth on his belly, and another of them walketh upon two feet, and another of them walketh upon four feet: GOD createth that which he pleaseth, for GOD is almighty. (45) Now have we sent down evident signs, and GOD directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. (46) The hypocrites say, We believe in GOD and on his Apostle, and we obey them, yet a part of them turneth back after this; but these are not really believers. (47) And when they are summoned before GOD and his Apostle that he may judge between them, behold a part of them retire.

|| (48) But if the right had been on their side, they would have come and submitted themselves unto him. (49) Is there an infirmity in their hearts? Do they doubt? Or do they fear lest GOD and his Apostle act unjustly towards them? But themselves are the unjust doers.

(44) God hath created every animal of water. "This assertion, which has already occurred in another place (chap. xxi. 31), being not true in strictness, the commentators suppose that by water is meant seed, or else that water is mentioned only as the chief cause of the growth of animals, and a considerable and necessary constituent part of their bodies."-Sale.

(46-49) Noeldeke thinks the passage beginning with ver. 46 and ending with ver. 56 belongs to a period between Ohod and the Battle of the Ditch-a time when it went hard with Muhammad.

(49) The unjust doers. "This passage was occasioned by Bashir the hypocrite, who, having a controversy with a Jew, appealed to Qáb Ibn al Ashraf, whereas the Jew appealed to Muhammad (see note, chap. iv. 58), or, as others tell us, by Mughaira Ibn Wáil, who refused to submit a dispute he had with Ali to the Prophet's decision."-Sale.

ULS

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|| (50) The saying of the true believers, when they are summoned before GOD and his Apostle that he may judge between them, is no other than that they say, We have heard and do obey, and these are they who shall prosper. (51) Whoever shall obey GOD and his Apostle, and shall fear GOD, and shall be devout towards him, these shall enjoy great felicity. (52) They swear by GOD, with a most solemn oath, that if thou commandest them they will go forth from their houses and possessions. Say, Swear not to a falsehood, obedience is more requisite, and GOD is well acquainted with that which ye do. (53) Say, Obey GÒD and obey the Apostle; but if ye turn back, verily it is expected of him that he perform his duty, and of you that ye perform your duty, and if ye obey him ye shall be directed; but the duty of our Apostle is only public preaching. (54) GOD promiseth unto such of you as believe and do good works that he will cause them to succeed the unbelievers in the earth, as he caused those who were before you to succeed the infidels of their time, and that he will establish for them their religion which pleaseth them, and will change their fear into security. They shall worship me, and shall not associate any other with me. But whoever

shall disbelieve after this, they will be the wicked doers. (55) Observe prayer and give alms and obey the Apostle, that ye may obtain mercy. (56) Think not that the unbelievers shall frustrate the designs of God on earth, and their abode hereafter shall be hell-fire; a miserable journey shall it be thither!

R 14 (57) O true believers, let your slaves and those among you who shall not have attained the age of puberty ask

(54) Those... before you, &c. The allusion is to the Israelites, who dispossessed the Canaanites. Some authors regard this as a prophecy. The meaning seems to be, that as God had in the past destroyed the infidels who persecuted his prophets, so now he would destroy the enemies of the Muslims.

(57) Let your slaves, &c. . . . ask leave. "Because there are certain times when it is not convenient even for a domestic or a child