houses lying dead and prostrate, as though they had never dwelt therein. Was not MADIAN removed from off the earth, as THAMUD had been removed? And we formerly sent MOSES with our signs, and manifest power, unto PHARAOH and his princes*: but they followed the command of PHARAOH; although the command of PHARAOH did not direct them aright. PHARAOH shall precede his people on the day of resurrection, and he shall lead them into hell-fire; an unhappy way shall it be which they shall be led. They were followed in this life by a curse, and on the day of resurrection miserable shall be the gift which shall be given them. This is a part of the histories of the cities, which we rehearse unto thee. Of them there are some standing; and others which are utterly demolished. And we treated them not unjustly, but they dealt unjustly with their own souls and their gods which they invoked, besides GOD, were of no advantage unto them at all, when the decree of thy LORD came to be executed on them, neither were they any other than a detriment unto them. And thus was the punishment of thy LORD inflicted, when he punished the cities which were unjust; for his punishment is grievous and severe. Verily herein is a sign unto him who feareth the punishment of the last day: that shall be a day whereon all men shall be assembled, and that shall be a day whereon witness shall be borne: we defer it not, but to a determined time. When that day shall come, no soul shall speak to excuse itself, or to intercede for another, but by the permission of GOD. Of them one shall be miserable, and another shall be happy. And they who shall be miserable, shall be thrown into hell-fire; there shall they wail and bemoan themselves: they shall remain therein * See chap. 7. y Demolished.] Literally, mowen down: the sentence presenting the different images of corn standing and cut down, which is also often used by the sacred writers. z There shall they wail and bemoan themselves.] The two words in the original signify properly, the vehement drawing in and expiration of one's breath, which is usual to persons in great pain and anguish; and so long as the heavens and the earth shall endure; except what thy LORD shall please to remit of their sentence; for thy LORD effecteth that which he pleaseth. But they who shall be happy, shall be admitted into paradise; they shall remain therein so long as the heavens and the earth endure; besides what thy LORD shall please to add unto their bliss ; a bounty which shall not be interrupted. Be not therefore in doubt concerning that which these men worship: they worship no other than what their fathers worshipped before them; and we will surely give them their full portion, not in the least diminished. We formerly gave unto MOSES the book of the law; and disputes arose among his people concerning it and unless a previous decree had proceeded from thy LORD, to bear with him during this life, the matter had been surely decided between them. And thy people are also jealous and in doubt concerning the KORAN. But unto every one of them will thy LORD render the reward of their works; for he well knoweth that which they do. Be thou steadfast therefore, as thou hast been commanded; and let him also be steadfast who shall be converted with thee, and transgress not: for he seeth that which ye do. And incline not unto those who act unjustly, lest the fire of hell touch you: for ye have no protectors, except GOD; neither shall ye be assisted against him. Pray regularly morning and evening, and in the former part of the night, for good works drive particularly the reciprocation of the voice of an ass, when he brays. a So long as the heavens and the earth shall endure.] This is not to be strictly understood, as if either the punishment of the damned should have an end, or the heavens and the earth should endure for ever; the expression being only used by way of image or comparison, which needs not agree in every point with the thing signified. Some, however, think the future heavens and earth, into which (1) Al BEIDAWI. away evils. This is an admonition unto those who consider wherefore persevere with patience; for GOD suffereth not the reward of the righteous to perish. Were such of the generations before you endued with understanding and virtue, who forbad the acting corruptly in the earth, any more than a few only of those whom we delivered? But they who were unjust followed the delights which they enjoyed in this world, and were wicked doers: and thy LORD was not of such a disposition as to destroy the cities unjustly, while their inhabitants behaved themselves uprightly. And if thy LORD pleased, he would have made all men of one religion; but they shall not cease to differ among themselves, unless those on whom thy LORD shall have mercy and unto this hath he created them; for the word of thy LORD shall be fulfilled, when he said, Verily I will fill hell altogether with genii and men. The whole which we have related of the histories of our apostles do we relate unto thee, that we may confirm thy heart thereby; and herein is the truth come unto thee, and an admonition, and a warning unto the true believers. Say unto those who believe not, Act ye according to your condition; we surely will act according to our duty": and wait the issue; for we certainly wait it also. Unto GOD is known that which is secret in heaven and earth; and unto him shall the whole matter be referred. Therefore worship him, and put thy trust in him; for thy LORD is not regardless of that which ye do. Followed the delights which they enjoyed in this world.] Making it their sole business to please their luxurious desires and appetites, and placing their whole felicity therein. fAl Beidawi says, that this passage gives the reason why the nations were destroyed of old; viz. for their vio lence and injustice, their following their own lusts, and for their idolatry and unbelief. 8 Unjustly.] Or, as the commentator just named explains it, for their idolatry only, when they observed justice in other respects. See chap. 6. CHAP. XII. Intitled, JOSEPH'; revealed at MECCA. In the name of the most merciful GOD. A. L. R. These are the signs of the perspicuous book; which we have sent down in the Arabic tongue, that peradventure ye might understand. We relate unto thee a most excellent history, by revealing unto thee this KORAN', whereas thou wast before one of the negligent". When JOSEPH said unto his father", O my father, verily I saw in my dream eleven stars, and the sun and the moon; I saw them make obeisance unto me. JACOB said, O my child, tell not thy vision to thy brethren, lest they devise some plot against thee; for the devil is a professed enemy unto man: and thus, according to i The Koreish, thinking to puzzle Mohammed, at the instigation, and by the direction, of certain Jewish Rabbins, demanded of him how Jacob's family happened to go down into Egypt; and that he would relate to them the history of Joseph, with all its circumstances: whereupon he pretended to have received this chapter from heaven, containing the story of that patriarch (1). It is said, however, to have been rejected by two Mohammedan sects, branches of the Khârejites, called the Ajâredites and the Maimûnians, as apocryphal and spurious. * See the Prelim. Disc. p. 78, &c. This KORAN.] Or this particular chapter. For the word Korân, as has been elsewhere observed (2), properly signifying no more than a reading, or lecture, is often used to denote, not only the whole volume, but any distinct chapter, or section of it. m One of the negligent.] i. e. So far from being acquainted with the story, that it never so much as entered. into thy thoughts: a certain argument, says al Beidâwi, that it must have been revealed to him from heaven. His father.] Who was Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham (3`. ⚫ Eleven stars.] The commentators give us the names of these stars, (which I think it needless to trouble the reader with,) as Mohammed repeated them, at the request of a Jew, who thought to entrap him by the question (4). P Lest they devise some plot against thee.] For they say, Jacob, judging that Joseph's dream portended his advancement above the rest of the family, justly apprehended his brethren's envy might tempt them to do him some mischief. (2) Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 74. D (3) Al BEI thy dream, shall thy LORD choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of dark sayings, and he shall accomplish his favour upon thee and upon the family of JACOB, as he hath formerly accomplished it upon thy fathers ABRAHAM and ISAAC; for thy LORD is knowing and wise. Surely in the history of JOSEPH and his brethren there are signs of God's providence to the inquisitive; when they said to one another, JOSEPH and his brother' are dearer to our father than we, who are the greater number: our father certainly maketh a wrong judgment. Wherefore slay JOSEPH, or drive him into some distant or desert part of the earth, and the face of your father shall be cleared toward you,; and ye shall afterwards be people of integrity. One of them spoke and said, Slay not JOSEPH, but throw him to the bottom of the well; and some travellers will take him up, if ye do this. They said unto JACOB, O father, why dost thou not intrust JOSEPH with us, since we are sincere well-wishers unto him? Send him with us to-morrow, into the field, that he may divert himself, and sport", and we will be his guardians. JACOB answered, It grieveth me that ye take him away; and I fear lest the wolf devour him" while ye are negligent of him. They said, Surely if the wolf The interpretation of dark sayings.] That is, of dreams; or, as others suppose, of the profound passages of scripture, and all difficulties respecting either religion or justice. His brother.] viz. Benjamin; his brother by the same mother. The face of your father shall be cleared towards you.] Or, he will settle his love wholly upon you, and ye will have no rival in his favour. One of them, &c.] This person, as some say, was Judah, the most prudent and noble-minded of them all; or, according to others, Reuben, whom the Mohammedan writers call Rubil (1). And both these opinions are supported by the account of Moses, who t (1) Al BEIDAWI. (2) Gen. xxxvii. 21, 22. (4) Al BEIDAWI, JALLALO'DDIN, Al ZAMAKHSHARI. (3) Ibid. v. 26. 27. |