have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon. stable mountains, and we have caused every kind of vegetable to spring forth in the same, according to a determinate weight: (20) and we have provided therein necessaries of life for you, and for him whom ye do not sustain. (21) There is no one thing but the storehouses thereof are in our hands; and we distribute not the same otherwise than in a determinate measure. (22) We also send the winds driving the pregnant clouds, and we send down from heaven water, whereof we give you to drink, and which ye keep not in store. (23) Verily we give life, and we put to death: and we are the heirs of all things. (24) We know those among you who go before; and we know those who stay behind. (25) And thy LORD shall gather

the constellations, dart them at the devils who approach too near." -Sale.

The Qurán is responsible for this superstition, and Muslims must believe it so long as they believe the Qurán to be the word of God. (19) Thrown thereon stable mountains. It must not be imagined that the Quran may be vindicated from the charge of astronomical and geological error on the ground that the sacred writer uses the language of men, which is necessarily imperfect. For the words of the Quran claim to be the very words of God. God is the speaker, and the language he uses is the language of the Preserved Table, and therefore a perfect language. The earth is represented as a vast plain, and the mountains have been placed on it to balance it. See chap. xvi. 15.

(20) Him whom ye do not sustain, viz., "your family, servants, and slaves, whom ye wrongly imagine that ye feed yourselves: though it is God who provides for them as well as you: or, as some rather think, the animals, of whom men take no care."-Sale, Baidhawi, Jalaluddin.

(23) See Rodwell's note here.

The heirs, i.e., "alone surviving when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated."-Sale. Muslims believe that every living thing, angels included, shall die. The last to die will be the angel of death, and the first to rise will be Israfil, who will sound the resurrection trumpet.

(24) "What these words particularly drive at is uncertain. Some think them spoken of the different times of men's several entrance into this world, and their departure out of it; others of the respective forwardness and backwardness of Muhammad's men in battle; and a third says the passage was occasioned by the different behaviour of Muhammad's followers on seeing a very beautiful woman at prayers behind the Prophet, some of them going out of the mosque

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them together at the last day: for he is knowing and wise.

devil of subtle fire.

(26) We created man of dried clay, of black mud, formed into shape: (27) and we had before created the (28) And remember when thy LORD said unto the angels, Verily I am about to create man of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape; (29) when, therefore, I shall have completely formed him, and shall have breathed of my spirit into him, do ye fall down and worship him. (30) And all the angels worshipped Adam together, (31) except Iblis, who refused to be with those who worshipped him. (32) And God said unto him, O Iblis, what hindered thee from being with those who worshipped Adam? (33) He answered, It is not fit that I should worship man, whom thou hast created of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape. (34) God said, Get thee therefore hence: for thou shalt be driven away with stones (35) and a curse shall be on thee, until the day of judgment. (36) The devil said, O LORD, Give me respite until the day of resurrection. (37) God answered, Verily thou shalt be one of those who are respited (38) until the day of the appointed time. (39) The devil replied, O LORD, because thou hast seduced me, I will surely tempt them to disobedience in the earth; (40) and I will seduce such of them as shall be thy chosen servants. (41) God said, This is the right way with me. (42) Verily as to my servants, thou shalt have no power over them; but over those only who shall be seduced, and who shall

before her, to avoid looking on her more nearly, and others staying behind on purpose to view her."-Sale, Baidhawi.

In addition to these conjectures, the Tafsir-i-Raufi gives another, which is more probable than the rest: "Those who have died, or gone before to judgment, and those who live, or remain behind." (26) See note on chap. ii. 30.

(28-40) On this passage see notes on chap. ii. 30-34, and vii,

II-19.

(41) This is the right way, viz., "the saving of the elect, and the utter reprobation of the wicked, according to my eternal decree."Sale.

follow thee. (43) And hell is surely denounced unto them all: (44) it hath seven gates; unto every gate a distinct company of them shall be assigned.

|| (45) But those who fear God shall dwell in gardens, R amidst fountains. (46) The angels shall say unto them, Enter ye therein in peace and security, (47) and we will remove all grudges from their breasts; they shall be as brethren, sitting over against one another on couches; (48) weariness shall not affect them therein, neither shall they be cast out thence for ever. (49) Declare unto my servants that I am the gracious, the merciful God; (50) and that my punishment is a grievous punishment. (51) And relate unto them the history of Abraham's guests. (52) When they went in unto him, and said, Peace be unto thee, he answered, Verily we are afraid of you: (53) and they replied, Fear not; we bring thee the promise of a wise son. (54) He said, Do you bring me the promise of a son now old age hath overtaken me? what is it therefore that ye tell me? (55) They said, We have told thee the truth; be not therefore one of those who despair. (56) He answered, And who despaireth of the mercy of GOD, except those who err? (57) And he said, What is your errand, therefore, O messengers of God? (58) They answered, Verily we are sent to destroy a wicked people; (59) but as for the family of Lot, we will save them all, (60) ex

(44) Seven gates. See Prelim. Disc., p. 148.

(47) Remove all grudges. "That is, all hatred and ill-will which they bore each other in their lifetime; or, as some choose to expound it, all envy or heart-burning on account of the different degrees of honour and happiness to which the blessed will be promoted according to their respective merits."-Sale.

Sitting over against, &c. "Never turning their backs to one another, which might be construed a sign of contempt."-Sale, Jalaluddin.

This represents the attitude of people at a feast, which is evidently intended. In other places the faithful are represented as drinking wine and eating luscious fruits, being waited on by beautiful boys. See chap. xxxvii. 44-45, &c.

(51-77) See chap. xi. 69-82, and notes.

cept his wife; we have decreed that she shall be one of those who remain behind to be destroyed with the infidels. (61) And when the messengers came to the family of Lot, (62) he said unto them, Verily ye are a people who are unknown to me.

(63) They answered, But we are come unto thee to execute that sentence, concerning which your fellow-citizens doubted: (64) we tell thee a certain truth; and we are messengers of veracity. (65) Therefore lead forth thy family, in some time of the night; and do thou follow behind them, and let none of you turn back; but go whither ye are commanded. (66) And we gave him this command; because the utmost remnant of those people was to be cut off in the morning. (67) And the inhabitants of the city came unto Lot, rejoicing at the news of the arrival of some strangers. (68) And he said unto them, Verily these are my guests: wherefore do not disgrace me by abusing them; (69) but fear GOD, and put me not to shame. (70) They answered, Have we not forbidden thee from entertaining or protecting any man? (71) Lot replied, These are my daughters: therefore rather make use of them, if ye be resolved to do what ye purpose. (72) As thou livest, they wander in their folly. (73) Wherefore a terrible storm from heaven assailed them at sunrise, (74) and we turned the city upside down: and we rained on them stones of baked clay. (75) Verily herein are signs. unto men of sagacity: (76) and those cities were punished, to point out a right way for men to walk in. (77) Verily herein is a sign unto the true believers. habitants of the wood near Madian were

(78) The inalso ungodly.

(60) We have decreed, &c. The destruction of Lot's wife is here distinctly attributed to the purpose of God.

(65) Go whither ye are commanded, i.e., "to Syria or into Egypt." -Sale.

(67) The news, which, says tradition, was given them by Lot's wife. (72) "Some will have these words spoken by the angels to Lot; others, by God to Muhammad."-Sale.

(78) The inhabitants of the wood. See notes on chap. vii. 86.

(79) Wherefore we took vengeance on them. And both of them were destroyed, to serve as a manifest rule for men to direct their actions by.

|| (80) And the inhabitants of Al Hajr likewise hereto- R . fore accused the messengers of God of imposture; (81) and we produced our signs unto them, but they retired afar off from the same. (82) And they hewed houses out of the mountains to secure themselves. (83) But a terrible noise from heaven assailed them in the morning; (84) neither was what they had wrought of any advantage unto them. (85) We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is contained between them, otherwise than in justice: and the hour of judgment shall surely come. Wherefore, O Muhammad, forgive thy people with a gracious forgiveness. (86) Verily thy LORD is the creator of thee and of them, and knoweth what is most expedient.

(87) We have already brought unto thee seven verses Ruba. which are frequently to be repeated, and the glorious Qurán.

"To whom Shuaib was also sent, as well as to the inhabitants of Madian. Abulfeda says these people dwelt near Tabúq, and that they were not of the same tribe with Shuaib."-Sale.

Noëldeke shows conclusively that "the inhabitants of the wood," or rather "the inhabitants of Al Aika," and the "Midianites" are one and the same people, and not two different tribes, as the commentators say. The reasons for this opinion are: (1.) the prophet is the same-Shuaib; every people has its own prophet; (2.) the sin attributed by the Qurán to both peoples is the same-using false weights and measures (see chap. vii. 86, xi. 83, xxvi. 181); and (3.) after the name Madian has once been introduced (chap. xi. 83), the name Al Aika never again occurs. The name Madian therefore reached Muhammad from Jewish sources.

(79) We took vengeance on them. Destroying them for their incredulity and disobedience by a hot suffocating wind."-Sale, Buidhawi, &c.

(80) Al Hajr. Whose inhabitants were the tribe of Thamúd. See chap. vii. 74-84, and notes. Also Prelim. Disc., p. 23.

(85) Wherefore. . . forgive, &c. This verse is said to be abrogated by that of the Sword, chap. ix. 5.

(87) Seven verses. "That is, the first chapter of the Quran, which consists of so many verses, though some suppose the seven long chapters are here intended."-Sale.

See introduction to chap. ix. and Rodwell's note in loco.