they dig through it. (97) And Dhu-'l-Qarnain said, This is a mercy from my LORD: (98) but when the prediction of my LORD shall come to be fulfilled, he shall reduce the wall to dust; and the prediction of my LORD is true. (99) On that day we will suffer some of them to press tumultuously like waves on others: and the trumpet shall be sounded, and we will gather them in a body together. (100) And we will set hell on that day before the unbelievers; (101) whose eyes have been veiled from my remembrance, and who could not hear my words.

|| (102) Do the unbelievers think that I will not punish them, for that they take my servants for their protectors besides me? Verily we have prepared hell for the abode

(96) Neither could they dig through it. "The commentators say the wall was built in this manner: They dug till they found water, and having laid the foundation of stone and melted brass, they built the superstructure of large pieces of iron, between which they laid wood and coals till they equalled the height of the mountains; and then setting fire to the combustibles, by the help of large bellows they made the iron red-hot, and over it poured melted brass, which filling up the vacancies between the pieces of iron, rendered the whole work as firm as a rock. Some tell us that the whole was built of stones joined by cramps of iron, on which they poured melted brass to fasten them."-Sale, Baidhawi.

This wall has been identified with fortifications which extended from the Caspian to the Pontus Euxinus, said to have been constructed by Alexander the Great. See Rodwell in loco. The author of the Notes on the Roman Urdu Qurán conjectures that the text is based upon the sayings of Syrian Jews and Christians, who, having heard of Alexander's fortifications against the incursions of the northern barbarians, naturally identified these people with the Gog and Magog of prophecy. May not this fancied conflict of Alexander with the enemies of God, Gog and Magog, have led Muhammad to count the great conqueror among the prophets who were zealous for the worship of the one true God?

(98) When the prediction, &c. "That is, when the time shall come for Gog and Magog to break forth from their confinement; which shall happen some time before the resurrection."-Sale.

See the Prelim. Disc., p. 133.

(99) To press tumultuously, &c. "These words represent either the violent irruption of Gog and Magog, or the tumultuous assembly of all creatures, men, genii, and brutes, at the resurrection."-Sale. See the Prelim. Disc., pp. 145, 146.

(102) We have prepared hell, &c. Other passages of the Qurán declare that God made many men and genii for hell; see chap. xi.

VOL. III.

G

of the infidels. (103) Say, Shall we declare unto you those whose works are vain, (104) whose endeavour in the present life hath been wrongly directed, and who think they do the work which is right? (105) These are they who believe not in the signs of their LORD, or that they shall be assembled before him; wherefore their works are vain, and we will not allow them any weight on the day of resurrection. (106) This shall be their reward, namely, hell for that they have disbelieved, and have held my signs and apostles in derision. (107) But as for those who believe and do good works, they shall have the gardens of Paradise for their abode: (108) they shall remain therein for ever; they shall wish for no change therein. (109) Say, If the sea were ink to write the words of my LORD, verily the sea would fail, before the words of my LORD would fail; although we added another sea like unto it as a further supply. (110) Say, Verily I am only a man as ye are. It is revealed unto me that your GOD is one only GOD: let him therefore who hopeth to meet his LORD work a righteous work; and let him not make any other to partake in the worship of his LORD.

119, xxxii. 13, 14, and 1. 29. The Scripture statement is that God prepared hell for the devil and his angels; see Matt. xxv. 41; 2 Pet. ii. 4; and Jude 6.

(109) Compare John xxi. 25.

(110) Compare with Christ's teaching as to himself, John x. 31-38, XV. 1-7, &c.

CHAPTER XIX.

ENTITLED SURAT AL MARYAM (MARY).

Revealed at Makkah.

INTRODUCTION.

"SEVERAL circumstances," says Sale, "relating to the Virgin Mary being mentioned in this chapter, her name was pitched upon for the title." It contains the fullest and earliest accounts of gospel history found in the Qurán. According to Muslim authorities, it was recited by Jáfir, Muhammad's uncle, before the Najáshi or king of Ethiopia, in the presence of the Quraishite envoys, sent from Makkah to secure the expulsion of Muslim refugees; whereupon "the king wept until his beard became moist, and the bishops also wept, so that their tears ran down upon their books, saying, 'Verily this revelation and that of Moses proceed from one and the same source (Muir's Life of Mohamet, vol. ii. pp. 172, 173, note).

Rodwell calls attention to the change of style of this chapter, vers. 1-37, and that of chap. iii. vers. 35-57, and suggests that it was due to a desire to avoid the imputation "of being merely a poet, a sorcerer, or person possessed." This does not seem very likely; as these charges were peculiarly Makkan, he would hardly have waited until his arrival in Madína before making the change in his style, if indeed desirous of avoiding these particular charges against his prophetic character. It seems to me the cause of this change of style is to be sought in the change of his surroundings, his habits, and aspirations. The prophet had given place in some measure to the general of armies and the ruler of a people.

The numerous historical errors contained in this chapter prove that Muhammad had no personal acquaintance with Jewish or Christian records. He seems to have been indebted to Jewish or Christian informants, who were themselves very ignorant of their own traditions.

Probable Date of the Revelations.

Excepting vers. 35-41, the revelations of this chapter belong to an early period of Muhammad's prophetic career at Makkah. Muir (Life of Moh., vol. ii. p. 278) assigns it to a period shortly succeeding Muhammad's return from Tayif, but this period seems to me to be too late to accord with the general spirit of the chapter. The exhortations to the Quraish are earnest and the threatenings against unbelievers are solemn, but there is not a sign of that violent imprecation and bitter enmity against the people of Makkah which characterise the later Makkan chapters. I would therefore fix the date as early as the beginning of the second period of Muhammad's ministry at Makkah.

Vers. 35-41 are more polemic in style than the rest of the chapter, and for this reason should be assigned to a later date, say the end of the second or the beginning of the third Makkan period.

Ver. 74 seq. have been thought to be Madínic, but on insufficient grounds. The change in rhyme belongs to vers. 35-41, though these are confessedly Makkan, while the words "two parties" may refer to infidels and unbelievers in general, and therefore may apply to Makkah as aptly as to Madína.

Mary brings her child to her people, who reproach her
Jesus (speaking in infancy) vindicates his mother and de-
scribes his own prophetic character

28, 29

30-34

35

36

37

38-41

The story of Abraham :

He reproaches his father for idolatry

42-46

His father threatens to stone him

Abraham prays for his father, but separates himself from

47

God gives him Isaac and Jacob, who were notable prophets 50, 51

God alone to be worshipped

The miserable fate of Jewish and Christian sectaries

Moses-an apostle and prophet

VERSES

52

Discourses with God privately

Aaron given him for an assistant.

Ismail was a prophet acceptable to his Lord

Idris was taken up to heaven

God is bounteous to all true prophets

The followers of former prophets compared with those of

Muhammad .

The reward of the faithful in Paradise

Gabriel comes down from heaven only when commanded
God is the only Lord-no name like his

The prosperity of infidels a sign of God's reprobation
Good works better than riches

The doom of the wicked certain

53

54

55, 56

57, 58

59

59, 60
61-64

65

66

67, 68

Even the false gods will desert idolaters in the judgment
God sends devils to incite infidels to sin

The pious to be honoured before God.

88

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

|| (1) K. H. Y. A. S. A commemoration of the mercy R 4. of thy LORD towards his servant Zacharias. (2) When he called upon his LORD, invoking him in secret, (3) and

The conjec

=

(1) K. H. Y. A. S. See Prelim. Disc., pp. 100–102. ture of Golius, that these letters represent Koh Y'as thus he counselled, or that of Sprenger (Journal As. Soc. Bengal, xx. 280) that they signify, Jesus of the Nazarenes, king of the Jews, may be placed in the same category with that of the commentators, that each letter is the initial of one of the Divine attributes-Ali having sometimes addressed God in prayer, Yá Káhy'as.

Zacharias. See chap. iii. 38, 39, and xxi. 89, 90.

(2) Invoking him in secret, or in a low tone of voice, through fear of ridicule. See chap. iii. 38, note.