signs unto the child to answer them; and they said, How shall we speak to nim, who is an infant in the cradle? Whereupon the child said, Verily I am the servant of God; he hath given me the book of the gospel, and hath appointed me a prophet. And he hath made me blessed, wheresoever shall be; and hath commanded me to observe prayer, and to give alms, so long as I shall live; and he hath made me dutiful towards my mother, and hath not made me proud or unhappy. And peace be on me the day whereon I was born, and the day whereon I shall die, and the day whereon I shall be raised to life. This was Jesus the son of Mary; the Word of truth, concerning whom they doubt. It is not meet for God, that he should have any son: God forbid! When he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be; and it is. And verily GoD is my LORD, and your LORD; wherefore, serve him: this is the right way. Yet the sectaries differ among themselves concerning Jesus; but woe be unto those who are unbelievers, because of their appearance at the great day. Do thou cause them to hear, and do thou cause them to see, on the day whereon they shall come unto us to be judged: but the ungodly are this day in a manifest error. And do thou forewarn them of the day of sighing, when the matter shall be determined, while they are now sunk in negligence, and do not believe. Verily we will inherit the earth, and whatever creatures are therein; and unto us shall they all return. And remember Abraham in the book of the Korân; for he was one of great veracity, and a prophet. When he said unto his father, O my father, why dost thou worship that which heareth not, neither seeth, nor profiteth thee at all? O my father, verily a degree of knowledge hath been bestowed on me, which hath not been bestowed on thee: wherefore follow me; here meant, but say Mary is called his sister, either because she was of the Levitical race (as by her being related to Elizabeth it should seem she was), or by way of comparison: others say that it was a different person of that name who was contemporary with her, and conspicuous for his good or bad qualities, and that they likened her to him, either by way of commendation, or of reproach, &c.' P These were the first words which were put into the mouth of Jesus, to obviate the imagination of his partaking of the divine nature, or having a right to the worship of mankind, on account of his miraculous speaking so soon after his birth.2 "He hath implanted filial piety in my heart, and has delivered me from pride, which is the companion of misery."--Savary. This expression may be either referred to Jesus, as the Word of God; or to the account just given of him. ↑ "God cannot have a son. Praise be unto his name! He commands, and that which existed not starts into life at his voice."-Savary. These words are variously expounded: some taking them to express admiration at the quickness of those senses in the wicked at the day of judgment, when they shall plainly perceive the torments prepared for them, though they have been deaf and blind in this life; and others supposing the words contain a threat to the unbelievers, of what they shall then Dear and see; or else a command to Mohammed to lay before them the terrors of that day.' "What will they not hear, what will they not see, when they appear before our tribunal! Now they are in utter blindness."-Savary. i. e. Alone surviving, when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated.-See chap. 15, p. 211. See chap. 6, p. 105, &c. Al Zamakh. Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, Yahya, &c. chap. 18, p. 241. Al Beidâwi. Al Beidâwi, &c. • See I will lead thee into an even way. O my father, serve not Satan; for Satan was rebellious unto the Merciful. O my father, verily I fear lest a punishment be inflicted on thee from the Merciful, and thou become a companion of Satan. His father answered, Dost thou reject my gods, C Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will surely stone thee: wherefore leave me for a long time. Abraham replied, Peace be on thee: I will ask pardon for thee of my LORD; for he is gracious unto me. And I will separate myself from you, and from the idols which ye invoke besides God; and I will call upon my LORD: it may be that I shall not be unsuccessful in calling on my LORD, as ye are in calling upon them. And when he had separated himself from them, and from the idols which they wor shipped besides GOD," we gave him Isaac and Jacob; and we made each of them a prophet; and we bestowed on them, through our mercy, the gift of prophecy, and children, and wealth; and we caused them to deserve the highest commendations. And remember Moses in the book of the Korán : for he was sincerely upright, and was an apostle and a prophet. And we called unto him from the right side of mount Sinai, and caused him to draw near, and to discourse privately with us. And we gave him, through our mercy, his brother Aaron a prophet, for his assistant. Remem. ber also Ismael in the same book; for he was true to his promise, and was an apostle, and a prophet. And he commanded his family to observe prayer,. and to give alms; and he was acceptable unto his LORD. And remember Edris in the same book; for he was a just person, and a prophet: and we exalted him to a high place. These are they unto whom God hath been bounteous, of the prophets of the posterity of Adam, and of those whom we carried in the ark with Noah; and of the posterity of Abraham, and of Israel, and of those whom we have directed and chosen. When the signs of the Merciful were read unto them, they fell down, worshipping, and wept but a succeeding generation have come after them, who neglect "By flying to Harrân, and thence to Palestine. Literally, We granted them a lofty tongue of truth. * Or, as some expound it, And we raised him on high; for, say they, he was raised to so great an elevation, that he heard the creaking of the pen writing on the table of God's decrees." Being celebrated on that account; and particularly for his behaving with that resignation and constancy which he had promised his father, on his receiving God's command to sacrifice him: for the Mohammedans say it was Ismael, and not, Isaac, whom he was commanded to offer. Or Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, who had that surname from his great Knowledge; for he was favoured with no less than thirty books of divine revelations, and was the first who wrote with a pen, and studied the sciences of astronomy and arithmetic, &c. The learned Bartolocci endeavours to show, from the testimonies of the ancient Jews, that Enoch, surnamed Edris, was a very different person from the Enoch of Moses, and many ages younger." Some understand by this the honour of the prophetic office, and his familiarity with God; but others suppose his translation is here meant for they say that he was taken up by God into heaven at the age of three hundred and fifty, having first suffered death, and been restored to life; and that he is now alive in one of the seven heavens, or in paradise. Al Beidâwi. • Idem. 7 Idem, Jallalo'ddin, &c. Bartol. Bibl. Rab. part i p. 845. Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, Abu'lfeda. prayer, and follow their lusts; and they shall surely fall into evil :* except him who repenteth, and believeth, and doth that which is right; these skall enter paradise, and they shall not in the least be wronged: gardens of perpetual abode shall be their reward, which the Merciful hath promised unto his servants, as an object of faith; for his promise will surely come to be fulfilled. Therein shall they hear no vain discourse, but peace; and their provision shall be prepared for them therein morning and evening. This is paradise, which we will give for an inheritance unto such of our servants as shall be pious. We descend not from heaven, unless by the command of thy LORD: unto him belongeth whatsoever is before us, and whatsoever is behind us, and whatsoever is in the intermediate space; neither is thy LORD forgetful of thee. He is the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatsoever is between them: wherefore worship him, and be constant in his worship. Dost thou know any named like him? Man saith, After I shall have been dead, shall I really be brought forth alive from the grave? Doth not man remember that we created him heretofore, when he was nothing? But by thy LORD we will surely assemble them and the devils to judgment; then will we set them round about hell on their knees: afterwards we will draw forth from every sect such of them as shall have been a more obstinate rebel against the Merciful; and we best know which of them are more worthy to be burned therein. There shall be none of you but shall approach near the same: this is an established decree with thy LoRD. Afterwards we will deliver those who shall have been pious, but we will leave the ungodly therein on their knees. When our manifest signs are read unto them, the infidels say unto the true believers, Which of the two parties is in the more eligible condition, and d *"A corrupt generation has succeeded to them. It hath forsaken prayer, and followed the torrent of its passions. It shall be plunged into the stream of hell."- Savary. i. e. Words of peace and comfort; or the salutations of the angels,' &c. These are generally supposed to have been the words of the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mohammed's complaint for his long delay of fifteen, or according to another tradition, of forty days, before he brought him instructions what solution he should give to the questions which had been asked him concerning the sleepers, Dhu'lkarnein, and the spirit." Others, however, are of opinion that they are the words which the godly will use at their entrance into paradise; and that their meaning is, We take up our abode here at the command and through the mercy of God alone, who ruleth all things, past, future, and present; and who is not forgetful of the works of his servants.3 4 That is, Deserving, or having a right to the name and attributes of God. • Some suppose a particular person is here meant, namely, Obba Ebn Khalf. It is said that every infidel will appear, at the day of judgment, chained to the devil who seduced him.' B Hence, says al Beidâwi, it appears that God will pardon some of the rebellious people. But perhaps the distinguishing the unbelievers into different classes, in order to consign em to different places and degrees of torment, is here meant. viz. The more obstinate and perverse, and especially the heads of sects, who will suffer a double punishment for their own errors and their seducing of others. For the true believers must also pass by or through hell, but the fire will be damped, and the flames abated, so as not to hurt them, though it will lay hold on the others. Some, however, suppose that the words intend no more than the passage over the narrow bridge, which is laid over hell. P. 214. See chap. 10. p. 27. Al Beidawi. See before, p. 131. formeth the more excellent assembly? But how many generations have we destroyed before them, which excelled them in wealth, and in outward appearance? Say, Whosoever is in error, the Merciful will grant him a long and prosperous life, until they see that with which they are threatened, whether it be the punishment of this life, or that of the last hour; and hereafter they shall know who is in the worse condition, and the weaker in forces.* GoD shall more fully direct those who receive direction; and the good works which remain for ever are better in the sight of thy LORD than worldly possessions, in respect to the reward, and more eligible in respect to the future recompense. Hast thou seen him who believeth not in our signs, and saith, I shall surely have riches and children bestowed or me? Is he acquainted with the secrets of futurity; or hath he received a covenant from the Merciful that it shall be so? By no means. We wil! surely write down that which he saith; and increasing we will increase his punishment; and we will be his heir as to that which he speaketh of; and on the last day he shall appear before us alone and naked. They have taken other gods, besides God, that they may be a glory unto them. By no means. Hereafter shall they deny their worship;" and they shall become adversaries unto them. Dost thou not see that we send the devils against the infidels, to incite them to sin by their instigations? Wherefore be not in haste to call down destruction upon them; for we number unto them a determined number of days of respite. On a certain day we will assemble the pious before the Merciful in an honourable manner, as ambassadors come into the presence of a prince: but we will drive the wicked into hell, as cattle are driven to water: they shall obtain no intercession, except he only who hath received a covenant from the Merciful. They say, The viz. Of us, or of you. When the Koreish were unable to produce a composition to equal the Koran, they began to glory in their wealth and nobility, valuing themselves highly on that account, and despising the followers of Mohammed. * May the Merciful lengthen the days of those who are plunged into error! to the end that they may see the fulfilment of our threats, whether in this world or in the other. Then will they know who are the most unhappy, and the most devoid of succour."-Savary. This passage was revealed on account of al As Ebn Wayel, who being indebted to Khabbâb, when he demanded the money, refused to pay it, unless he would deny Mohammed; to which proposal Khabbâb answered, that he would never deny that prophet, neither alive, nor dead, nor when he should be raised to life at the last day; therefore replied al As, When thou art raised again, come to me, for I shall then have abundance of riches, and children, and I will pay you." "He flattered himself vainly. We will write down his ostentation, and will increase his punishment.”—Savary. i. e. He shall be obliged to leave all his wealth and his children behind him at his death. "viz. At the resurrection, when the idolaters shall disclaim their idols, and the idols their worshippers, and shall mutually accuse one another. • Or, the contrary; that is to say, a disgrace instead of an honour. That is, except he who shall be a subject properly disposed to receive that favour, by having professed Islam. Or, the words may also be translated, according to another exposition, They shall not obtain the intercession of any, except the intercession of him, &c. Or else, None shall be able to make intercession for other, except they who shall have received a covenant (or permission) from God; i. e. whe shall be qualified for that office by faith, and good works, according to God's promise, or shall have special leave given him by God for that purpose." Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin. See chap. 2, pp. 30, 31, &c. See chap. 6, p. 100, chap. 10, p. 169. Al Beidâwi Merciful hath begotten issue. Now have ye uttered an impious thing: it wanteth little but that on occasion thereof the heavens be rent, and the earth cleave in sunder, and the mountains be overthrown and fall, for tha. they attribute children unto the Merciful; whereas it becometh not God to beget children. Verily there is none in heaven or on earth but shall approach the Merciful as his servant. He encompasseth them by his knowledge and power, and numbereth them with an exact computation: and they shall all come unto him on the day of resurrection, destitute both of helpers and followers. But as for those who believe and do good works, the Merciful will bestow on them love. Verily we have rendered the Koran easy for thy tongue, that thou mayest thereby declare our promises unto the pious, and mayest thereby denounce threats unto contentious people. And how many generations have we destroyed before them? Dost thou find one of them remaining? Or dost thou hear so much as a whisper concerning them?* CHAPTER XX. INTITLED, T. H.;' REVEALED AT MECCA. IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. T. H. WE have not sent down the Koran unto thee, that thou shouldest be unhappy; but for an admonition unto him who feareth God: being sent down from him who created the earth, and the lofty heavens. The Merciful sitteth on his throne: unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth, and whatsoever is between them, and whatsoever is under the earth. If thou pronounce thy prayers with a loud voice, know that it is not necessary in respect to God; for ne knoweth that which is secret, and what is yet more hidden.† GOD! viz. The love of God and all the inhabitants of heaven. Some suppose this verse was revealed to comfort the Moslems who were despised and hated at Mecca, on account of their faith, by the promise of their gaining the love and esteem of mankind in a short time. *"Of so many generations which we have annihilated, canst thou call back even one man? Do they make the slightest murmur heard?"-Savary. The signification of these letters, which being prefixed to the chapter are therefore taken for the title, is uncertain. Some, however, imagine they stand for Ya rajol, i. e. O man! which interpretation, seeming not easily to be accounted for from the Arabic, is by a certain tradition deduced from the Ethiopic:2 or for Ta, i. e. tread; telling us that Mohammed, being employed in watching and prayer the night this passage was revealed, stood on one foot only, but was hereby commanded to ease himself by setting both feet to the ground. Others fancy the first letter stands for Tuba, beatitude; and the latter for Hawiyat, the name of the lower apartment of hell. Tah is also an interjection commanding silence, and may properly enough be used in this place. Either by reason of thy zealous solicitude for the conversion of the infidels, or thy fatiguing thyself by watching and other religious exercises; for it seems the Koreish urged the extraordinary fatigues he underwent in those respects, as the consequence of his having left their religion. "The deed which thou dost in open day, and that which thou veilest in the shades of mystery, are equally known to him."-Savary. See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iii. p. 42, &c. Acrema Ebn Abi Sofian. Moham. Ebn Abd al Baki, ex trad |