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producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks, and some little fruit of the lote-tree. This we gave them in reward, because they were ungrateful: is any thus rewarded except the ungrateful? And we placed between them and the cities which we have blessed, cities situated near each other; and we made the journey easy between them,1 saying, Travel through the same by nigh and by day, in security. But they said, O LORD, put a greater distance between our journey and they were unjust unto themselves; and we made them the subject of discourse, and dispersed them with a total dispersion. Verily, herein are signs unto every patient, grateful person. And Eblis found his opinion of them to be true: and they followed him, except a party of the true believers: " and he had no power over them, unless to tempt them, that we might know him who believed in the life to come, from him who doubted thereof. Thy LORD observeth all things. Say unto the idolaters, Call upon those whom ye imagine to be gods, besides GOD: they are not masters of the weight of an ant in heaven or on earth, neither have they any share in the creation or government of the same; nor is any of them assistant to him therein. No intercession will be of service in his presence, except the intercession of him to whom he shall grant permission to intercede for others:▾ and they shall wait in suspense until, when the terror shall be taken off from their hearts, they shall say to one another, What doth your LORD say? They shall answer, That which is just and he is the high, the great God. Say, Who provideth food for you from

• A low shrub bearing no fruit, and delighting in saltish and barren ground.

P viz. The cities of Syria.

By reason of their near distance, so that during the whole journey a traveller might rest in one town during the heat of the day, and in another at night; nor was he obliged to carry provisions with him."

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This petition they made out of covetousness, that the poor being obliged to be longer on the road, they might make greater advantage in letting out their cattle, and furnishing the travellers with provision: and God was pleased to punish them by granting them their wish, and permitting most of the cities which were between Saba and Syria, to be ruined and abandoned.'

For the neighbouring nations justly wondered at so sudden and unforeseen a revolution in the affairs of this once flourishing people: whence it became a proverbial saying, to express a total dispersion, that they were gone and scattered like Saba.s

Of the descendants of Saba who quitted their country, and sought new settlements on this inundation, the tribe of Ghassân went into Syria, the tribe of Anmar to Yathreb, the tribe of Jodhâm to Tehâmah, the tribe of al Azd to Omân,' the tribe of Tay to Najd, the tribe of Khozâah to Batn Marr, near Mecca, Banu Amela to a mountain, thence called the mountain of Amela, near Damascus, and others went to Hira in Irâb,' &c.

"They gave themselves up unto ungodliness, and we made them the laughingstock of the nations. They were scattered like the dust."-Savary.

Either his opinion of the Sabæans when he saw them addicted to pride and ingratitude, and the satisfying their lusts; or else the opinion he entertained of all mankind at the fall of Adam, or at his creation, when he heard the angels say, Wilt thou place in the earth one who will do evil therein, and shed blood?

"Who were saved from the common destruction.

See chap. 19, p. 255.

i. e. From the hearts of the intercessors, and of those for whom God shall allow them to intercede, by the permission which he shall then grant them; for no angel or prophet shall dare to speak at the last day without the divine leave.

Jallalo'ddin, al Beidâwi.

Al Beidâwi.

• Iidem.

Al Beidâwi. Vide Gol. note in Alfrag Vide Poc. Spec. p. 42, 45, and 66. See chap. 2, p. 4, chap. 7, v. 117, and chap. 15, p. 211, &c.

p. 87.

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heaven and earth ?* Answer, GoD and either we, or ye, follow the true direction, or are in a manifest error. Say, Ye shall not be examined concerning what we shall have committed: neither shall we be examined concerning what ye shall have done. Say, Our LORD will assemble us together at the last day: then he will judge between us with truth; and he is the judge, the knowing. Say, Show me those whom ye have joined as partners with him? Nay; rather he is the mighty, the wise GOD. We have not sent thee otherwise than unto mankind in general, a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats; but the greater part of men do not understand. And they say, When will this threat be fulfilled, if ye speak truth? Answer, A threat is denounced unto you of a day which ye shall not retard one hour, neither shall ye hasten. The unbelievers say, We will by no means believe in this Korân, nor in that which hath been revealed before it. But if thou couldest see when the unjust doers shall be set before their LORD! They will iterate discourse with one another: those who were esteemed weak shall say unto those who behaved themselves arrogantly, Had it not been for you, verily we had been true believers. They who behaved themselves arrogantly shall say unto those who were esteemed weak, Did we turn you aside from the true direction, after it had come unto you? On the contrary, ye acted wickedly of your own free choice. And they who were esteemed weak shall say unto those who behaved with arrogance, Nay, but the crafty plot which ye devised by night and by day, occasioned our ruin: when ye commanded us that we should not believe in GoD, and that we should set up other gods as equals unto him. And they shall conceal their repentance," after they shall have seen the punishment prepared for them. And we will put yokes on the necks of those who shall have disbelieved: shall they be rewarded any otherwise than according to what they shall have wrought? We have sent 10 warner unto any city, but the inhabitants thereof who lived in affluence said, Verily we believe not that with which ye are sent. And those of Mecca also say, We abound in riches and children, more than ye; and we shall not be punished hereafter. Answer, Verily my LORD will bestow provision in abundance unto whom he pleaseth, and will be sparing unto whom he pleaseth: but the greater part of men know not this. Neither your riches nor your children are the things which shall cause you to draw nigh unto us with a near approach: only whoever believeth, and worketh

"Who dispenseth unto you the treasures of heaven and of earth?”—Savary. It is said that the infidels of Mecca, having inquired of the Jews and Christians concerning the mission of Mohammed, were assured by them, that they found him described as the prophet who should come, both in the Pentateuch and in the Gospel; at which they were very angry, and brake out into the words here recorded.'

See chap. 14, p. 206, note t.

+ Those who had weakness as their portion shall say unto those who were rendered haughty by power, Had it not been for you, we should have embraced the faith."-Savary. • See chap. 10, p. 170, note t.

+ Proud of their riches, flattered by the number of their children, they imagine themselves to be secure from vengeance."-Savary.

Al Beidâwi.

righteousness, they shall receive a double reward for that which they sha. have wrought and they shall dwell in security, in the upper apartments of paradise." But they who shall endeavour to render our signs of none effect shall be delivered up to punishment. Say, Verily my LORD will bestow provision in abundance unto whom he pleaseth of his servants, and will be sparing unto whom he pleaseth: and whatever thing ye shall give in alms, he will return it; and he is the best provider of food. On a certain day he shall gather them altogether: then shall he say unto the angels, Did these worship you? And the angels shall answer, God forbid! thou art our friend, and not these: but they worshipped devils; the greater part of them believed in them. On this day the one of you shall not be able either to profit or to hurt the other. And we will say unto those who have acted unjustly, Taste ye the pain of hell fire, which ye rejected as a falsehood. When our evident signs are read unto them, they say of thee, O Mohammed, This is no other than a man who seeketh to turn you aside from the gods which your fathers worshipped. And they say of the Korán, This is no other than a lie blasphemously forged. And the unbelievers say of the truth, when it is come unto them, This is no other than manifest sorcery yet we have given them no books of scripture wherein to exercise themselves, nor have we sent unto them any warner before thee. They who were before them in like manner accused their prophets of imposture: but these have not arrived unto the tenth part of the riches and strength which we had bestowed on the former: and they accused my apostles of imposture; and how severe was my vengeance!† Say, Verily I advise you unto one thing, namely, that ye stand before GoD by two and two, and singly; and then consider seriously and you will find that there is no madness in your companion Mohammed: he is no other than a warner unto you, sent before a severe punishment. Say, I ask not of you any reward for my preaching; it is your own, § either to give or not :a my reward is to be expected from GoD alone; and he is witness over all things. Say, Verily my LORD sendeth down the truth to his prophets: he is the knower of secrets. Say, Truth is come, and falsehood is vanished, and shall not

The virtuous believer shall repose in the bosom of peace in the abode of delights." -Savary.

"Those who went before them accused the messengers of faith of being impostors, and prevented them from fulfilling their mission."-Savary.

i. e. That ye set yourselves to deliberate and judge of me and my pretensions coolly and sincerely, as in the sight of God, without passion or prejudice. The reason why they are ordered to consider either alone, or by two and two, at most, together, is, because in larger assemblies, where noise, passion, and prejudice, generally prevail, men have not that freedom of judgment which they have in private."

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"I exhort you to pray unto the Lord, together or separately."-Savary.

Mohammed, having in the preceding words answered the imputation of madness or vain enthusiasm, by appealing to their cooler thoughts of him and his actions, endeavours by these to clear himself of the suspicion of any worldly view or interest, declaring that he desired no salary or support from them for executing his commission, but he expected his wages from God alone.

"Keep your gifts."-Savary. See chap. 25, p. 301.

2 A: Beidâwi.

return any more. Say, If I err, verily I shall err only against my own soul: but if I be rightly directed, it will be by that which my LORD revealeth unto me; for he is ready to hear, and nigh unto those who call upon him. If thou couldest see, when the unbelievers shall tremble, and shall find no refuge, and shall be taken from a near place, and shall say, We believe in him! But how shall they receive the faith from a distant place: since they had before denied him, and reviled the mysteries of faith, from a distant place? And a bar shall be placed between them and that which they shall desire; as it hath been done with those who behaved like them heretofore because they have been in a doubt which hath caused scandal.

CHAPTER XXXV.

INTITLED, THE CREATOR; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

PRAISE be unto God, the Creator of heaven and earth; who maketh the angels his messengers, furnished with two, and three, and four pair of wings GOD maketh what addition he pleaseth unto his creatures; for God is almighty. The mercy which God shall freely bestow on mankind, there is none who can withhold; and what he shall withhold, there is none who can bestow, besides him: and he is the mighty, the wise. O men, remember the favour of GOD towards you: is there any creator, besides God, who provideth food for you from heaven and earth? There is no God but he how therefore are ye turned aside from acknowledging his unity? If they accuse thee of imposture, apostles before thee have also been accused of imposture and unto God shall all things return. 0 men, verily the promise of GoD is true: let not therefore the present life deceive you, neither let the deceiver deceive you concerning GoD: for Satan is an enemy unto you; wherefore hold him for an enemy: he only

viz. At their death, or the day of judgment, or the battle of Bedr.3

That is, from the outside of the earth to the inside thereof; or, from before God's tribunal to hell fire; or, from the plain of Bedr to the well into which the dead bodies of the slain were thrown."

i. e. When they are in the other world; whereas faith is to be received in this.

"What a spectacle, when the wicked shall quit their tombs trembling, and be unable to find a refuge! They will say, We believe: but what merit will there be in their faith? They had it not on earth. There they lived in ungodliness, and scoffed at our divine doctrine"-Savary.

Some intitle this chapter The Angels: both words occur in the first verse. (This is the title which Savary gives to it. He, says Zamakhshari, who shall read the chapter of Angels, shall one day see the eight gates of paradise opened before him, and shall enter by whichever he pleases.-Savary.)

That is, some angels have a greater, and some a lesser number of wings, according to their different orders; the words not being designed to express the particular number. Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mohammed, on the night he made his journey to heaven, with no less than six hundred wings.

"Doth any other dispense unto you the treasures of heaven and earth?"-Savary.

Al Beidâwi.

• Idem.

• Idem.

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inviteth his confederates to be the inhabitants of hell. For those who believe not there is prepared a severe torment: but for those who shall believe and do that which is right, is prepared mercy and a great reward. Shall he therefore for whom his evil work hath been prepared, and who imagineth it to be good, be as he who is rightly disposed, and discerneth the truth? Verily GoD will cause to err whom he pleaseth, and will direct whom he pleaseth. Let not thy soul therefore be spent in sighs for their sakes, on account of their obstinacy; for GoD well knoweth that which they do. It is God who sendeth the winds, and raiseth a cloud; and we drive the same unto a dead country, and thereby quicken the earth after it hath been dead; so shall the resurrection be. Whoever desireth excellence; unto God doth all excellence belong unto him ascendeth the good speech; and the righteous work will be exalt. But as for them who devise wicked plots,' they shall suffer a severe punishment; and the device of those men shall be rendered vain. GOD created you first of the dust, and afterwards of seed; and he hath made you man and wife. No female conceiveth, or bringeth forth, but with his knowledge. Nor is any thing added unto the age of him whose life is prolonged, neither is any thing diminished from his age, but the same is written in the book of God's decrees. Verily this is easy with GOD. The two seas are not to be held in comparison: this is fresh and sweet, pleasant to drink; but that is salt and bitter: " yet out of each of them ye eat fish," and take ornaments P for you to wear. Thou seest the ships also ploughing the waves thereof, that ye may seek to enrich yourselves by commerce, of the abundance of God: peradventure ye will be thankful. He causeth the night to succeed the day, and he causeth the day to succeed the night; and he obligeth the sun and the moon to perform their services: each of them runneth an appointed course. This is God, your LORD his is the kingdom. But the idols which ye invoke besides him have not the power even over the skin of a date-stone: if ye invoke them, they will not hear your calling; and although they should hear, yet they would not answer you. On the day of resurrection they shall disclaim your having associated them with God: and none shall declare unto thee the truth, like one who is well acquainted therewith. O men, ye have need of God; but GOD is self-sufficient, and to be praised. If he pleaseth, he can take you away, and produce a new creature in your stead: neither will this be difficult with GOD. A burdened soul shall not bear the burden of another: and if a heavy-burdened soul call on another to bear part of its burden, no part

*He who findeth charms in ungodliness, believeth he that he is in the right way? God diffuseth error or knowledge as he pleaseth."-Savary

See chap. 29, p. 326, note m.

'As the Koreish did against Mohammed. See chap. 8, p. 293, note z.

See chap. 22, p. 274.

+ "God formed you of earth and of water. He gave unto you the sexes.”—Savary. That is, The two collective bodies of salt water and fresh. See chap. 25, p. 299. See chap. 16, p. 215, note e.

As pearls and coral.

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