NISF. was condemned: (142) and the fish swallowed him; for he was worthy of reprehension. (143) And if he had not been one of those who praised GOD, (144) verily he had remained in the belly thereof until the day of resurrection. || (145) And we cast him on the naked shore, and he was sick; (146) and we caused a plant of a gourd to grow up over him; (147) and we sent him to an hundred thousand persons, or they were a greater number, (148) and they believed: wherefore we granted them to enjoy this life for a season. (149) Inquire of the Makkans whether thy LORD hath daughters, and they sons. (150) Have we created the angels of the female sex? and were wherefore they concluded that they had a fugitive servant on board, and cast lots to find him out."-Sale. Condemned, i.e., "he was taken by the lot."-Sale. (142) "When the lot fell on Jonas he cried out, 'I am the fugitive!' and immediately threw himself into the sea."-Sale, Jaláluddin. Comp. Jonah i. 11-17. (143) Who praised God. "The words seem to relate particularly to Jona's supplication while in the whale's belly (Jonah chap. ii.)” -Sale. (145) He was sick. "By reason of what he had suffered, his body becoming like that of a new-born child. It is said that the fish, after it had swallowed Jonas, swam after the ship with its head above water, that the prophet might breathe, who continued to praise God till the fish came to land and vomited him out. "The opinions of the Muhammadan writers as to the time Jonas continued in the fish's belly differ very much; some suppose it was a part of a day, others three days, others seven, others twenty, and others forty."-Sale, Jalaluddin, Baidhawi. (146) A gourd. "The original word properly signifies a plant which spreads itself upon the ground, having no erect stalk or stem to support it, and particularly a gourd; though some imagine Jonas's plant to have been a fig, and others the small tree or shrub called Mauz, which bears very large leaves and excellent fruit. The commentators add, that this plant withered the next morning, and that Jonas being much concerned at it, God made a remonstrance to him on behalf of the Ninevites, agreeable to what is recorded in Scripture."-Sale, Baidhawi. This account of Jonah, so meagre and so indefinite in statement, illustrates the manner in which Muhammad acquired his knowledge of Jewish history, and also how he incorporated such materials in the body of his Qurán. Is it possible for him to have been unconscious of any deception in this work? (149) See Prelim. Disc., p. 38 seq., and notes on chap. iv. 116. they witnesses thereof? (151) Do they not say of their own false invention, (152) God hath begotten issue? and are they not really liars? (153) Hath he chosen daughters preferably to sons? (154) Ye have no reason to judge thus. (155) Will ye therefore not be admonished? (156) Or have ye a manifest proof of what ye say? (157) Produce now your book of revelations, if ye speak truth. (158) And they make him to be of kin unto the genii; whereas the genii know that they who affirm such things shall be delivered up to eternal punishment; (159) (far be that from GOD which they affirm of him!), (160) except the sincere servants of GOD. (161) Moreover, ye and that which ye worship (162) shall not seduce any concerning God, (163) except him who is destined to be burned in hell. (164) There is none of us but hath an appointed place: (165) we range ourselves in order, attending the commands of God; (166) and we celebrate the divine praise. (167) The infidels said, (168) If we had been favoured with a book of divine revelations, of those which were delivered to the ancients, (169) we had surely been sincere servants of GOD! (170) yet now the Qurán is revealed, they believe not therein; but hereafter shall they (152) See note on chap. ii. 116. (158) The genii. "That is, the angels, who are also comprehended under the name of genii, being a species of them. Some say that the infidels went so far as to assert that God and the devil were brothers, which blasphemous expression may have been occasioned by the Magian notions."-Sale, Baidhawi. See also note on chap. vi. 101. (163) See note on chap. vii. 179, 180. (164-166) "These words are supposed to be spoken by the angels, disclaiming the worship paid to them by the idolaters, and declaring that they have each their station and office appointed them by God, whose commands they are at all times ready to execute, and whose praises they continually sing. There are some expositors, however, who think they are the words of Muhammad and his followers; the meaning being, that each of them has a place destined for him in Paradise, and that they are the men who range themselves in order before God to worship and pray to him, and who celebrate his praise by rejecting every false notion derogatory to the divine wisdom and power." -Sale. This last is by far the best interpretation. know the consequence of their unbelief. (171) Our word hath formerly been given unto our servants the apostles; (172) that they shall certainly be assisted against the infidels, (173) and that our armies should surely be the conquerors. (174) Turn aside therefore from them for a season, (175) and see the calamities which shall afflict them; for they shall see thy future success and prosperity. (176) Do they therefore seek to hasten our vengeance? (177) Verily when it shall descend into their courts, an evil morning shall it be unto those who were warned in vain. (178) Turn aside from them therefore for a season, (179) and see: hereafter shall they see thy success and their punishment. (180) Praise be unto thy LORD, the LORD who is far exalted above what they affirm of him! (181) And peace be on his apostles! (182) And praise be unto GOD, the LORD of all creatures! (173) These words are applied by some of the commentators to the success of Islám in its struggle with idolatry and infidelity. Others regard it as a prophecy of the fall of Makkah. See Tafsir-i-Raufi, in loco. The passage looks like a Madina revelation, some declaring that the words of ver. 177 were uttered by Muhammad on his appearing before Khaibar. The best authorities, however, regard it as Makkan. The passage therefore expresses the strong confidence of Muhammad in the triumph of his cause, based upon the success of all the former prophets. CHAPTER XXXVIII. ENTITLED SURAT AL SWÁD (S.) Revealed at Makkah. INTRODUCTION. THIS chapter owes its title to the letter of the Arabic alphabet with which it begins. It seems to have been written while the storm was brewing which resulted in the Muslims being shut up in the Sheb of Abu Talib. The drift of the earlier verses, as well as that of the stories related (vers. 16-48), points to a decided conflict between the Muslims and their enemies. The title confederates, applied to the latter, leaves no doubt that the confederation of the Quraish against the Háshimites is referred to. The stories related here are puerile in the extreme. They do not encourage a belief in Muhammad's prophetic claim. They seem to be connected with the first verses of the chapter, and were probably intended to encourage the Muslims under persecution and trial. If so, we must suppose Muhammad to have looked upon his adverse circumstances as a chastisement and a trial of his faith—a chastisement, however, from which he confidently expected to be delivered. The allusion to the Book of Psalms in ver. 28 shows that Muhammad recognised that portion of the Old Testament Scriptures as the Word of God. Here, as elsewhere (chaps. vi., xi., xxi., &c.), we find Muhammad likening himself to the former prophets. Confederates had arrayed themselves against them, as the Quraish had confederated against him. They had been defeated and destroyed, and in like manner these should taste the Divine vengeance (vers. 10-15). In ver. 70 we have a remarkable claim of Muhammad to inspiration, based upon the fact that he relates the story of the fall of Iblís. This story, he says, he received by revelation from God, and is a proof of his inspiration, because it would not have been revealed to him but for the fact that he was a prophet! Now, who can doubt that he learned the story from Jewish informants, either directly or indirectly? If so, how reconcile the language of vers. 69, 70, with the sincerity and honesty claimed for him by his Christian apologists? Probable Date of the Revelations. That this chapter is Makkan in its origin is evident from the style of its language, from the attitude the Prophet and his townsmen manifest throughout, and from the general opinion of Muslim commentators. It is true Jalaluddín as Syuti (Itqán, 27) mentions a commentator who held the opinion that it was Madínic; but for such a view no good reason can be given. Noëldeke regards the whole chapter, as far as ver. 67, as connected, but thinks vers. 67-88 to be in no way connected with what precedes them. According to tradition, vers. 1-10 were revealed at the time when the Quraish endeavoured to persuade Abú Tálib to no longer give Muhammad his protection. This would be a.D. 615, or B.H. 8. Other traditions refer these verses, or at least ver. 5, to the time when Abú Tálib was on his deathbed (A.D. 620, or B.H. 3). But all these traditions are no more than so many inferences from the first part of ver. 5. Muir, following the latter tradition, assigns this chapter to the fifth stage of Muhammad's mission, i.e., A.D. 620-622. I think the mildness of the opposition and persecution apparent in this chapter, coupled with the general style of composition-notably the crudity of the stories narrated (vers. 16-48`, the description of heaven and hell (vers. 49 seq.), the titles "warner" and "public preacher," applied to the Prophet (vers. 3 and 70), point to the earlier date given above. Principal Subjects. Unbelievers are addicted to pride and contention. The Divine unity is denied by the infidels as a marvellous VERSES I 2 3 |