(13) We have commanded man concerning his parents (his mother carrieth him in her womb with weakness and faintness, and he is weaned in two years), saying, Be grateful unto me and to thy parents. Unto me shall all come to be judged.

|| (14) But if thy parents endeavour to prevail on thee to associate with me that concerning which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; bear them company in this world in what shall be reasonable, but follow the way of him who sincerely turneth unto me. Hereafter unto me shall ye return, and then will I declare unto you that which ye have done. (15) O my son, verily every matter, whether good or bad, though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, GOD will bring the same to light; for GOD is clear-sighted and knowing. (16) O my son, be constant at prayer, and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil, and be patient under the afflictions which shall befall thee, for this is a duty absolutely incumbent on all men. (17) Distort not thy face out of contempt to men, neither walk in the earth with insolence, for GOD loveth no arrogant, vainglorious person. (18) And be moderate in thy pace, and lower thy voice, for the most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice of asses.

(13, 14) "These two verses are no part of Luqmán's advice to his son, but are inserted by way of parenthesis, as very pertinent and proper to be repeated here, to show the heinousness of idolatry; they are to be read (excepting some additions) in the twenty-ninth chapter (ver. 7; see also note there)."-Sale.

Wahl thinks these verses should follow ver. 18 of this chapter. (14) What shall be reasonable. "That is, show them all deference and obedience so far as may be consistent with thy duty towards God."-Sale.

This duty is enforced by the parenthesis in ver. 13.

The way of him, &c. The commentators understand Abu Baqr to be particularly meant here, at whose persuasion Saad Ibn Waqqas became a Muslim; but the meaning is general. It is better to obey any true Muslim than to obey parents who would lead their children away from Islám. See note on chap. xxix. 7.

(18) The voice of asses. "To the braying of which animal the Arabs liken a loud and disagreeable voice."-Sale.

NISF.

2

3

12

R2 (19) Do ye not see that God hath subjected whatever is in heaven and on earth to your service, and hath abundantly poured on you his favours, both outwardly and inwardly? There are some who dispute concerning GOD without knowledge, and without a direction, and without an enlightening book. (20) And when it is said unto them, Follow that which GOD hath revealed, they answer, Nay, we will follow that which we found our fathers to practise. What, though the devil invite them to the torment of hell? (21) Whosoever resigneth himself unto GOD, being a worker of righteousness, taketh hold on a strong handle, and unto GoD belongeth the issue of all things. (22) But whoever shall be an unbeliever, let not his unbelief grieve thee; unto us shall they return, then will we declare unto them that which they have done; for GOD knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts of men. (23) We will suffer them to enjoy this world for a little while, afterwards we will drive them to a severe punishment. (24) If thou ask them who hath created the heavens and the earth, they will surely answer GOD. Say, GOD be praised! but the greater part of them do not understand. (25) Unto GOD belongeth whatever is in heaven and earth, for GOD is the self-sufficient, the praiseworthy. (26) If whatever trees are in the earth were pens, and he should after that swell the sea into seven seas of ink, the words of GOD would not be exhausted; for GOD is mighty and wise. (27) Your creation and your resuscitation are but as the creation and resuscitation of one soul;

(19) A direction and ... enlightening book, i.e., an inspired book like the Qurán.

(24) Compare chap. xxix. 61-63.

(26) "This passage is said to have been revealed in answer to the Jews, who insisted that all knowledge was contained in the law."Sale, Baidhawi.

The preceding context would make the purport of this verse to be a description of God's infinite wisdom. Comp. John xxi. 24. (27) One soul. "God being able to produce a million of worlds by the single word kun, i.e., 'be,' and to raise the dead in general by the single word kum, i.e., ‘arise.'”—Sale.

verily GOD both heareth and seeth. (28) Dost thou not.
see that GOD causeth the night to succeed the day, and
causeth the day to succeed the night, and compelleth the
sun and the moon to serve you? Each of those luminaries
hasteneth in its course to a determined period; and GOD
is well acquainted with that which ye do. (29) This is
declared concerning the divine knowledge and power, for
that GOD is the true Being, and for that whatever ye
invoke besides him is vanity, and for that GOD is the
high, the great God.

|| (30) Dost thou not see that the ships run in the sea, through the favour of GOD, that he may show you of his signs? Verily herein are signs unto every patient, grateful person. (31) When waves cover them like overshadowing clouds, they call upon GOD, exhibiting the pure religion unto him; but when he bringeth them safe to land, there is of them who halteth between the true faith and idolatry. Howbeit, none rejecteth our signs, except every perfidious, ungrateful person. (32) O men, fear your LORD, and dread the day whereon a father shall not make satisfaction for his son, neither shall a son make satisfaction for his father at all: (33) the promise of GoD is assuredly true. Let not this present life, therefore, deceive you; neither let the deceiver deceive you concerning GOD. (34) Verily the knowledge of the hour of judgment is with GOD; and he causeth the rain to descend

(29) True Being. This verse indicates the object for which the statements of vers. 25-28 and other similar statements in the Makkan chapters are made. It is to prove the being and attributes of the true God, especially his attributes of power and goodness, against both of which the idolaters had sinned.

(30, 31) These verses illustrate the way in which the idolaters ignore God's goodness and power as illustrated in their own deliverances from danger in answer to prayer.

(32) This verse may be connected with vers. 13 and 14; or the meaning may simply be that in the judgment-day there shall be no intercessor. See notes on chap. ii. 47, 123, and vi. 50.

(33) The deceiver, i.e., the devil.

(34) "In this passage five things are enumerated which are known

R 13.

at his own appointed time; and he knoweth what is in the wombs of females. No soul knoweth what it shall gain on the morrow; neither doth any soul know in what land it shall die; but GOD is knowing and fully acquainted with all things.

to God alone, viz., the time of the day of judgment; the time of rain; what is forming in the womb, as whether it be male or female, &c.; what shall happen on the morrow; and where any person shall die. These the Arabs, according to a tradition of their Prophet, call 'the five keys of secret knowledge.' The passage, it is said, was occasioned by al Hárith Ibn Ámru, who propounded questions of this nature to Muhammad. As to the last particular al Baidhawi relates the following story :-The angel of death passing once by Solomon in a visible shape, and looking at one who was sitting with him, the man asked who he was, and upon Solomon's acquainting him that it was the angel of death, said, 'He seems to want me ; wherefore order the wind to carry me from hence into India :) which being accordingly done, the angel said to Solomon, 'I looked so earnestly at the man out of wonder; because I was commanded to take his soul in India, and found him with thee in Palestine.'" -Sale.

CHAPTER XXXII.

ENTITLED SURAT US SIJDA (ADORATION).

Revealed at Makkah.

INTRODUCTION.

THE object for which this chapter was written seems to have been to rebuke and warn the Quraish of Makkah on account of their obstinate unbelief in the Qurán. They had boldly declared it to be a forgery, and had challenged Muhammad to hurry on the judgments of God he had threatened against their unbelief.

In reply to this accusation, Muhammad reasserts the inspired character of his revelations, and denounces the impiety of his townspeople, assuring them that God who created them would bring them out of their graves and have them before him, and pass condemnation upon them. He tells them they will then repent, but all in vain. The declaration of God must be fulfilled, "Verily I will fill hell with genii and men together!" There they shall abide for ever; and so often as they shall endeavour to escape, they shall be dragged back again into torments.

The chapter ends with words indicating the mutual defiance of Muhammad and his people.

The Probable Date of the Revelations.

The interpretation which would make ver. 16 refer to the poor emigrants at Madína, and vers. 18-21 to an incident at the battle of Badr, being erroneous, the whole chapter must be regarded as Makkan. Guided by the style and spirit of the contents, the date may be fixed approximately at about the middle of the third stage of Muhammad's ministry. If, however, the temporal punishment alluded to in ver. 21 be the great famine, as suggested in note there, the date would be much later.