the similitude of those people who accuse our signs of falsehood, and injure their own souls. Whomsoever GoD shall direct, he will be rightly directed; and whomsoever he shall lead astray, they shall perish. Moreover we have created for hell many of the genii and of men; they have hearts by which they understand not, and they have eyes by which they see not; and they have ears by which they hear not. These are like the brute beasts; yea they go more astray: these are the negligent. God hath most excellent names: therefore call on him by the same; and withdraw from those who use his name perversely: they shall be rewarded for that which they shall have wrought. And of those whom we have created there are a people who direct others with truth, and act justly according thereto." But those who devise lies against our signs, we will suffer them to fall gradually into ruin, by a method which they knew not: and I will grant them to enjoy a long and prosperous life; for my stratagem is effectual. Do they not consider that there is no devil in their companion? He is no other than a public preacher. Or do they not contemplate the kingdom of heaven and earth, and the things which God hath created; and consider that peradventure it may be be that their end draweth nigh? And in what new declaration will they believe, after this? He whom GoD shall cause to err, shall have no director; and he shall leave them in their impiety, wandering in confusion. They will ask thee concerning the last hour; at what time its coming is fixed? Answer, Verily the knowledge thereof is with my LORD; none shall declare the fixed time thereof, except he. The expectation thereof is grievous in heaven and on earth: it shall come upon you no otherwise than suddenly. They will ask thee, as though thou wast well acquainted therewith. Answer, Verily the knowledge thereof is with God alone: but the greater part of men know it not. Say, I am able neither to procure advantage unto myself, nor to avert mischief from me, but as God pleaseth. If I knew the secrets of God, I should surely enjoy abundance of good, neither should evil befall me. Verily I am no other than a denouncer of threats, and a messenger of good tidings unto people • Expressing his glorious attributes. Of these the Mohammedan Arabs have no less than ninety-nine, which are reckoned up by Marracci.' As did Walid Ebn al Mogheira; who hearing Mohammed give God the title of al Rahmân, or the merciful, laughed aloud, saying that he knew none of that name, except a certain man who dwelt in Yamama: or as the idolatrous Meccans did, who deduced the names of their idols from those of the true God; deriving, for example, Allat from Allah; al Uzza from al Azîz, the mighty; and Manât from al Mannân, the bountiful.3 As it is said a little above, that God hath created many to eternal misery, so here he is said to have created others to eternal happiness." x By flattering them with prosperity in this life, and permitting them to sin in an unin. terrupted security; till they find themselves unexpectedly ruined. Though my vengeance be slow, it is only the more terrible."-Savary. viz. In Mohammed; whom they gave out to be possessed when he went up to mount Safâ, and from thence called to the several families of each respective tribe, in order to warn them of God's vengeance if they continued in their idolatry." i. e. After they have rejected the Korân. For what more evident revelation can they hereafter expect?* Not only to men and genii, but to the angels also. In Alc. p. 414. 2 Marracc. Vit. Moh. p. 19. the Prelim. Disc. sect i. Al Beidawi. • Idem. * Idem. Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. Se • Idem. who believe. It is he who hath created you from one person, and out of him produced his wife, that he might dwell with her and when he had known her, she carried a light burden for a time, wherefore she walked easily therewith. But when it became more heavy,' she called upon GoD their LORD, saying, If thou give us a child rightly shaped, we will surely be thankful. Yet when he had given them a child rightly shaped, they attributed companions unto him, for that which he had given them. But far be that from GOD, which they associated with him! Will they associate with him false gods which create nothing, but are themselves created; and can neither give them assistance, nor help themselves? And if ye invite them to the true direction, they will not follow you: it will be equal unto you, whether ye invite them, or whether ye hold your peace. Verily the false deities whom ye invoke besides GoD are servants like unto you." Call therefore upon them, and let them give you an answer, if ye speak truth. Have they feet, to walk with? Or have they hands, to lay hold with? Or have they eyes, to see with? Or have they cars, to hear with? Say, Call upon your companions, and then lay a snare for me, and defer it not; for God is my protector, who sent down the book of the Korân; and he protecteth the righteous. But they whom ye invoke besides him cannot assist you, neither do they help themselves; and if ye call on them to direct you, they will not hear. Thou seest them look towards thee, but they see not. Use indulgence, and command that which is just, and withdraw far from the ignorant. And if an evil suggestion from Satan be suggested unto thee, to divert thee from thy duty, have recourse unto God: That is, when the child grew bigger in her womb. For the explaining of this whole passage, the commentators tell the following story. They say that when Eve was big with her first child, the devil came to her and asked her whether she knew what she carried within her, and which way she should be delivered of it; suggesting that possibly it might be a beast. She, being unable to give an answer to this question, went in a fright to Adam, and acquainted him with the matter, who not knowing what to think of it, grew sad and pensive. Whereupon the devil appeared to her again (or, as others say, to Adam), and pretended that he by his prayers would obtain of God that she might be safely delivered of a son in Adam's likeness, provided they would promise to name him Abd'alhareth, or the servant of Al Hareth (which was the devil's name among the angels,) instead of Abd'allah, or the servant of God, as Adam had designed. This proposal was agreed to, and accordingly, when the child was born, they gave it that name: upon which it immediately died. And with this Adam and Eve are here taxed, as an act of idolatry. The story looks like a rabbinical fiction, and seems to have no other foundation than Cain's being called by Moses Obed adamah, that is, a tiller of the ground, which might be translated into Arabic by Abd'alhareth. But al Beidawi, thinking it unlikely that a prophet (as Adam is by the Mohammedans supposed to have been) should be guilty of such an action, imagines the Koran in this place means Kosai, one of Mohammed's ancestors, and his wife; who begged issue of God. and having four sons granted them, called their names Abd Menâf, Abd Shams, Abd' al Uzza, and Abd' al Dâr, after the names of four principal idols of the Koreish. And the following words also he supposes to relate to their idolatrous posterity. Being subject to the absolute command of God. For the chief idols of the Arabs were the sun, moon, and stars. Or, as the words may also be translated, Take the superabundant overplus; meaning that Mohammed should accept such voluntary alms from the people as they could spare. But the passage, if taken in this sense, was abrogated by the precept of legal alms, which was given at Medina. • Al Beidâwi, Yahya. Vide D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. p. 438, et Selden. de Jure Nat. Sec. Hebr. lib. 5, c. 8. See the Prelim. Disc. p. 11, &c. T for he heareth and knoweth. Verily they who fear God, when a temptation From Satan assaileth them, remember the divine commands, and behold, they clearly see the danger of sin, and the wiles of the devil. But as for the brethren of the devils, they shall continue them in error; and afterwards they shall not preserve themselves therefrom. And when thou bringest not a verse of the Korán unto them they say, Hast thou not put it together?? Answer, I follow that only which is revealed unto me from my LORD. This book containeth evident proofs from your LORD, and is a direction and mercy unto people who believe. And when the Korân is read, attend thereto, and keep silence; that ye may obtain mercy. And meditate on thy LORD in thine own mind, with humility and fear, and without loud speaking, evening and morning; and be not one of the negligent. Moreover, the angels who are with my LORD do not proudly disdain his service, but they celebrate his praise and worship him CHAPTER VIII. TITLED, THE SPOILS; REVEALED AT MEDINA IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. THEY will ask thee concerning the spoils: Answer, The division of the spoils belongeth unto God and the apostle. Therefore fear GoD, and compose the matter amicably among you: and obey GoD and his apostle, if ye are true believers. Verily the true believers are those whose hearts fear when God is mentioned, and whose faith increaseth when his signs are rehearsed unto them, and who trust in their LORD; who observe the stated i. e. Hast thou not yet contrived what to say; or canst thou obtain no revelation from God? This chapter was occasioned by the high disputes which happened about the division of the spoils taken at the battle of Bedr, between the young men, who had fought, and the old men, who had stayed under the ensigns; the former insisting they ought to have the whole, and the latter, that they deserved a share. To end the contention, Mohammed pretended to have received orders from heaven to divide the booty among them equally, having first taken thereout a fifth part for the purposes which will be men tioned hereafter. Except seven verses, beginning at these words, And call to mind when the unbelievers plotted against thee, &c. Which some think were revealed at Mecca. It is related that Saad Ebn Abi Wakkâs, one of the companions, whose brother Omair was slain in this battle, having killed Said Ebn al As, took his sword, and carrying it to Mohammed, desired that he might be permitted to keep it; but the prophet told him that it was not his to give away, and ordered him to lay it with the other spoils. At this repulse, and the loss of his brother, Saad was greatly disturbed; but in a very little while this chapter was revealed, and thereupon Mohammed gave him the sword, saying, You asked this sword of me when I had no power to dispose of it, but now I have received authority from God to distribute the spoils, you may take it. k times of prayer, and give alms out of that which we have bestowed on them. These are really believers: they shall have superior degrees of felicity with their LORD, and forgiveness, and an honourable provision. As thy LORD brought thee forth from thy house, with truth; and part of the believers were averse to thy directions: they disputed with thee concerning the truth, after it had been made known unto them; no otherwise than as if they had been led forth to death, and had seen it with their eyes." And call to mind when GoD promised you one of the two parties, that it should be delivered unto you, and ye desired that the party which was not furnished with arms should be delivered unto you: but GoD purposed to make known the truth in his words, and to cut off the uttermost part of the 0 i. e. From Medina. The particle as having nothing in the following words to answer it, al Beidâwi supposes the connection to be, that the division of the spoils belonged to the prophet, notwithstanding his followers were averse to it, as they had been averse to the expedition itself. 1 For the better understanding of this passage, it will be necessary to mention some farther particulars relating to the expedition of Bedr. Mohammed having received private information (for which he pretended he was obliged to the angel Gabriel) of the approach of a caravan belonging to the Koreish, which was on its return from Syria with a large quantity of valuable merchandize, and was guarded by no more than thirty, or, as others say, forty men, set out with a party to intercept it. Abu Sofiân, who commanded the little convoy, having notice of Mohammed's motions, sent to Mecca for succours: upon which Abu Jahl, and all the principal men of the city, except only Abu Laheb, marched to his assistance with a body of nine hundred and fifty men. Mohammed had no sooner received advice of this, than Gabriel descended with a promise that he should either take the caravan, or beat the succours, whereupon he consulted with his companions which of the two he should attack. Some of them were for setting upon the caravan, saying that they were not prepared to fight such a body of troops as were coming with Abu Jahl: but this proposal Mohammed rejected, telling them that the caravan was at a considerable distance by the sea-side, whereas Abu Jahl was just upon them. The others, however, insisted so obstinately on pursuing the first design of falling on the caravan, that the prophet grew angry, but by the interposition of Abu Beer, Omar, Saad Ebn Obadah, and Mokdad Ebn Amru, they at length acquiesced to his opinion. Mokdad, in particular, assured him they were all ready to obey his orders, and would not say to him, as the children of Israel did to Moses, Go thou and thy Lord to fight, for we will sit here; but Go thou and thy Lord to fight, and we will fight with you. At this Mohammed smiled, and again sat down to consult with them, applying himself chiefly to the Ansârs, or helpers; because they were the greater part of his forces, and he had some apprehension lest they should not think themselves obliged by the oath they had taken to him at al Akaba, to assist him against any other than such as should attack him in Medina. But Saad Ebn Moâdh, in the name of the rest, told him that they had received him as the apostle of God, and had promised him obedience, and were therefore all to a man ready to follow him where he pleased, though it were into the sea. Upon which the prophet ordered them in God's name to attack the succours, assuring them of the victory." That is, concerning their success against Abu Jahl and the Koreish; notwithstand. ing they had God's promise to encourage them. The reason of this great backwardness was the smallness of their number, in com parison of the enemy, and their being unprepared; for they were all foot, having but two horses among them, whereas the Koreish had no less than a hundred horse. That is, either the caravan, or the succours from Mecca. Father Marracci, mistaking al îr and al nafir, which are appellatives, and signify the caravan and the troop or body of succours, for proper names, has thence coined two families of the Koreish never heard of before, which he calls Airenses and Naphirenses." P viz. The caravan, which was guarded by no more than forty horse; whereas the other party was strong and well appointed. t unbelievers; that he might verify the truth, and destroy falsehood, although the wicked were averse thereto. When ye asked assistance of your LORD, and he answered you, Verily I will assist you with a thousand⚫ angels, following one another in order. And this GOD designed only as good tidings for you, and that your hearts might thereby rest secure for victory is from GoD alone; and GoD is mighty and wise. When a sleep fell on you as a security from him, and he sent down upon you water from heaven, that he might thereby purify you, and take from you the abomination of Satan," and that he might confirm your hearts, and establish your feet thereby. Also when thy LORD spake unto the angels, saying, Verily I am with you; wherefore confirm those who believe. I will cast a dread into the hearts of the unbelievers. Therefore strike off their heads, and strike off all the ends of their fingers. because they have resisted GoD and his apostle oppose God and his apostle, verily GoD will be severe in punishing him. This shall be your punishment; taste it therefore: and the infidels shall also suffer the torment of hell fire. O true believers, when ye meet the unbelievers marching in great numbers against you, turn not your backs unto them for whoso shall turn his back unto them in that day, unless he turneth aside to fight, or retreateth to another party of the faithful," shall draw on himself the indignation of GoD, and his abode shall be in hell; an ill journey shall it be thither! And ye slew not those who were slain al Bedr yourselves, but God slew them. Neither didst thou, O Mohammed cast the gravel into their eyes, when thou didst seem to cast it; but God cast This shall they suffer, and whosoever shall As if he had said, Your view was only to gain the spoils of the caravan, and to avoid danger; but God designed to exalt his true religion by extirpating its adversaries.1 When Mohammed's men saw they could not avoid fighting, they recommended them. selves to God's protection; and their prophet prayed with great earnestness, crying out, O God, fulfil that which thou hast promised me: O God, if this party be cut off, thou wilt be no more worshipped on earth. And he continued to repeat these words till his cloak fell from off his back.2 Which were afterwards reinforced with three thousand more. Wherefore some copies, instead of a thousand, read thousands, in the plural. See chap. 3, p. 52. "It is related, that the spot where Mohammed's little army lay was a dry and deep sand, into which their feet sank as they walked, the enemy having the command of the water; and that having fallen asleep, the greater part of them were disturbed with dreams, wherein the devil suggested to them that they could never expect God's assistance in the battle, since they were cut from the water, and besides suffering the inconveniency of thirst, must be obliged to pray without washing, though they imagined themselves to be the favourites of God, and that they had his apostle among them. But in the night rain fell so plentifully, that it formed a little brook, and not only supplied them with water for all their uses, but made the sand between them and the infidel army firm enough to bear them; whereupon the diabolical suggestions ceased.' This is the punishment expressly assigned the enemies of the Mohammedan religion; though the Moslems did not inflict it on the prisoners they took at Bedr, for which they are reprehended in this chapter. That is, if it be not downright running away, but done either with design to rally and attack the enemy again, or by way of feint or stratagem, or to succour a party which is hard pressed, &c. See chap. 3, p. 36, note m. Al Beidâwi. 3, p. 36, 52. 2 Idem. Vide Abulfed. Vit. Moh. p. 58. See chap |