they shall hasten forward, at the voice of the angel calling to judgment, and shall lift up their heads; they shall not be able to turn their sight from the object whereon it shall be fixed, and their nearts shall be void of sense, through excessive terror. Wherefore do thou threaten men with the day whereon their punishment shall be inflicted on them, and whereon those who have acted unjustly shall say, O LORD, give us respite unto a term near at hand; and we will obey thy call, and we will follow thy apostles. But it shall be answered unto them, Did ye not swear heretofore, that no reverse should befall you?" yet ye dwelt in the dwellings of those who had treated their own souls unjustly;" and it appeared plainly unto you how we had dealt with them:° and we propounded their destruction as examples unto you. They employ their utmost subtlety to oppose the truth; but their subtlety is apparent unto GOD, who is able to frustrate their designs; although their subtlety were so great, that the mountains might be moved thereby. Think not, therefore, O prophet, that GOD will be contrary to his promise of assistance, made unto his apostles; for GOD is mighty, able to avenge. The day will come, when the earth shall be changed into another earth, and the heavens into other heavens; P and men shall come forth from their graves to appear before the only, the mighty GoD. And thou shalt see the wicked on that day bound together in fetters: their inner garments shall be of pitch, and fire shall cover their faces; that GOD may reward every soul according to what it shall have deserved; for GOD is swift in taking an account. This is a sufficient admonition unto men, that they may be warned thereby, and that they may know that there is but one GOD; and that those who are endued with understanding may consider. CHAPTER XV. INTITLED, AL HEJR; REVEALED AT MECCA. IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. AL R. These are the signs of the book, and of the perspicuous Korân. [*XIV.] The time may come when the unbelievers shall wish that That is, that ye should not taste of death, but continue in this world for ever; or that ye should not after death be raised to judgment.7 Viz., of the Adites and the Thamudites. Not only by the histories of those people revealed in the Korân, but also by the monuments remaining of them (as those of Thamudites), and the traditions preserved among you of the terrible judgments which befel them." This the Mohammedans suppose will come to pass at the last day; the earth becoming white and even, or, as some will have it, of silver; and the heavens of gold.8 Al Hejr is a territory in the province of Hejaz, between Medina and Syria, where the tribe of Thamûd dwelt; and is mentioned towards the end of the chapter. See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iii. p. 42, &c. Jallalo'ddin, Al Beidâwi, Al Zamakhshari, Yahya. Disc. sect. iv. p. 61. See the Prelim. Disc. p. 4. 8 Iidem Vide Prelim. 8 they had been Moslems. Suffer them to eat, and to enjoy themselves in this world; and let hope entertain them, but they shall hereafter know their folly. We have not destroyed any city, but a fixed term of repentance was appointed them. No nation shall be punished before their time shall be come; neither shall they be respited after. The Meccans say, O thou to whom the admonition hath been sent down, thou art certainly possessed with a devil: wouldest thou not have come unto us with an attendance of angels, if thou hadst spoken truth? Answer, we send not down the angels, unless on a just occasion; nor should they be then respited any longer. We have surely sent down the Korân; and we will certainly preserve the same from corruption." We have heretofore sent apostles before thee among the ancient sects: and there came no apostle unto them, but they laughed him to scorn. In the same manner will we put it into the hearts of the wicked Meccans to scoff at their prophet: they shall not believe on him; and the sentence of the nations of old hath been executed heretofore. If we should open a gate in the heaven above them, and they should ascend thereto all the day long, they should rather say, Our eyes are only dazzled; or rather we are a people deluded by enchantments. We have placed the twelve signs in the heaven, and have set them out in various figures, for the observation of spectators: and we guard them from every devil" driven away with stones,+ except him who listeneth by stealth, at whom a visible flame is darted. We have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon stable mountains; and we have caused every kind of vegetable to spring forth in the same, according to a determinate weight: ‡ and we have provided therein necessaries of life for you, and for him whom ye do not sustain.* * Viz., when they shall see the success and the prosperity of the true believers; or when they shall come to die; or at the resurrection. i. e. The revelations which compose the Korân. When the divine wisdom shall judge it proper to use their ministry, as in bearing his revelations to the prophets, and the executing his sentence on wicked people; but not to humour you with their appearance in visible shapes, which, should your demand be complied with, would only increase your confusion, and bring God's vengeance on you the sooner. u See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iv. p. 53. i. e. The incredulous Meccans themselves; or, as others rather think, the angels in visible forms. "Were we to open the gate of heaven, and they were about to enter therein, they would exclaim, Our eyes are clouded by intoxication, or we labour under an illusion."-Savary. w For the Mohammedans imagine that the devils endeavour to ascend to the constellations, to pry into the actions, and overhear the discourse of the inhabitants of heaven, and to tempt them. They also pretend that these evil spirits had the liberty of entering any of the heavens till the birth of Jesus, when they were excluded three of them; but that on the birth of Mohammed they were forbidden the other four. See chap. 3, p. 39. note ". "We defend them against the attacks of the devils, who are pierced with shafts."-Savary. For when a star seems to fall or shoot, the Mohammedans suppose the angels, who keep guard in the constellations, dart them at the devils who approach too near. "We have caused all the plants to spring therefrom in an admirable order."Savary. * Vie, Your family, servants, and slaves, whom ye wrongly imagine that ye feed 1 Al Beidâwi 3 There is no one thing but the storehouses thereof are in our hands; and we distribute not the same otherwise than in a determinate measure. We also send the winds driving the pregnant clouds, and we send down from heaven water, whereof we give you to drink, and which ye keep not in store. Verily, we give life, and we put to death: and we are the heirs of all things. We know those among you who go before; and we know those who stay behind.b* And thy LORD shall gather them together at the last day: for he is knowing and wise. We created man of dried clay, of black mud, formed into shape: and we had before created the devil of subtle fire. And remember when thy LORD said unto the angels, Verily I am about to create man of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape; when, therefore, I shall have completely formed him, and shall have breathed of my spirit into him; do ye fall down and worship him. And all the angels worshipped Adam together, except Eblis, who refused to be with those who worshipped him. And God said unto him, O Eblis, what hindered thee from being with those who worshipped Adam? He answered, It is not fit that I should worship man, whom thou hast created of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape. God said, Get thee therefore hence: for thou shalt be driven away with stones: and a curse shall be on thee, until the day of judgment. The devil said, O LORD, give me respite until the day of resurrection. God answered, Verily, thou shalt be one of those who are respited until the day of the appointed time. The devil replied, O LORD, because thou hast seduced me,† I will surely tempt them to disobedience in the earth; and I will seduce such of them as shall be thy chosen servants. Goa said, This is the right way with me. Verily, as to my servants, thou shalt have no power over them; but over those only who shall be seduced, and who shall follow thee. And hell is surely denounced unto them all it hath seven gates; unto every gate a distinct company of them shall be assigned. But those who fear Gud shall dwell in gardens, amidst fountains. The angels shall say unto them, Enter ye therein in peace yourselves; though it is God who provides for them as well as you:2 or, as some rather think, the animals, of whom men take no care.3 i. e. Alone surviving, when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated. What these words particularly drive at is uncertain. Some think them spoken of the different times of men's several entrance into this world, and their departure out of it; others of the respective forwardness and backwardness of Mohammed's men in battle; and a third says, the passage was occasioned by the different behaviour of Mohammed's followers, on seeing a very beautiful woman at prayers behind the prophet; some of them going out of the Mosque before her, to avoid looking on her more nearly, and others staying behind, on purpose to view her. "We know those who have gone before you, as we do those who will come after you."-Savary. See chap. 2. p. 4, &c. See ibid. and chap. 7, p. 117. "Because thou hast cast me down, added the rebel spirit, I will render evil pleasing unto man, and will seduce them all. Thy sincere servants alone shall be spared. God said, I am the way of salvation."-Savary. Viz., the saving of the elect, and the utter reprobation of the wicked, according to my eternal decree. See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iv. p. 65. Al Beidâwi. * Jallalo'ddin. • Al Beidawi. and security, and we will remove all grudges from their breasts; they shall be as brethren, sitting over against one another on couches; weariness shall uot affect them therein, neither shall they be cast out thence for ever. Declare unto my servants that I am the gracious, the merciful God; and that my punishment is a grievous puni hment. And relate unto them the history of Abraham's guests. When they went in unto him, and said, Peace be unto thee, he answered, Verily we are afraid of you : and they replied, Fear not; we bring thee the promise of a wise son. He said, Do ye bring me the promise of a son now old age hath overtaken me? what is it therefore that ye tell me? They said, We have told thee the truth; be not therefore one of those who despair. He answered, And who despaireth of the mercy of GOD, except those who err ! And he said, What is your errand, therefore, O messengers of God? They answered, Verily, we are sent to destroy a wicked people; but as for the family of Lot, we will save them all, except his wife; we have decreed that she shall be one of those who remain behind to be destroyed with the infidels. And when the mes sengers came to the family of Lot, he said unto them, Verily, ye are a people who are unknown to me. They answered, But we are come unto thee to execute that sentence, concerning which your fellow-citizens doubted: we tell thee a certain truth; and we are messengers of veracity. Therefore lead forth thy family, in some time of the night; and do thou follow behind them, and let none of you turn back; but go whither ye are commanded.' And we gave him this command; because the utmost remnant of those people was to be cut off in the morning. And the inhabitants of the city came unto Lot, rejoicing at the news of the arrival of some strangers. And he said unto them, Verily, these are my guests: wherefore do not disgrace me by abusing them; but fear GOD, and put me not to shame. They answered, Have we not forbidden thee from entertaining or protecting any man? Lot replied, These are my daughters: therefore rather make use of them, if ye be resolved to do what ye purpose. As thou livest they wander in their folly." Wherefore a terrible storm from heaven assailed them at sunrise,* and we turned the city upside down: and we rained on m That is, all hatred and ill-will which they bore each other in their lifetime;" or, as some choose to expound it, all envy or heart-burning on account of the different degrees of honour and happiness to which the blessed will be promoted, according to their respective merits. Never turning their backs to one another; which might be construed a sign of contempt. See chap. 11, p. 182, &c. What occasioned Abraham's apprehension was, either their sudden entering without leave, or their coming at an unseasonable time, or else their not eating with him. I Which was into Syria; or into Egypt.? m Some will have these words spoken by the angels to Lot; others, by God to Mohammed. "At the rising of the sun, the cry of the angel precipitated upon them our Scourges. We buried Sodom under its ruins, and caused a shower of stones to fall upon its inhabitants. These are signs to those who can discern. Sodom was situated on the high road. This example serves as a warning to the believers."— Savary. See chap. 7. D. 119, note ". • Jallalo'ddin. Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin them stones of baked clay. Verily herein are signs unto men of sagacity: and those cities were punished, to point out a right way for men to walk in. Verily herein is a sign unto the true believers. The inhabitants of the wood* near Midian" were also ungodly. Wherefore we took vengeance on them. And both of them were destroyed, to serve as a manifest rule for men to direct their actions by. And the inhabitants of Al Hejr? likewise heretofore accused the messengers of God of imposture; and we produced our signs unto them, but they retired afar off from the same. And they hewed houses out of the mountains, to secure themselves. But a terrible noise from heaven assailed them in the morning; † neither was what they had wrought of any advantage unto them. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is contained between them, otherwise than in justice and the hour of judgment shall surely come. Wherefore, O Mohammed, forgive thy people with a gracious forgiveness. Verily thy LORD is the creator of thee and of them, and knoweth what is most expedient. We have already brought unto thee seven verses which are frequently to be repeated, and the glorious Korân. Cast not thine eyes on the good things which we have bestowed on several of the unbelievers, so as to covet the same: neither be thou grieved on their account. Behave thyself with meekness towards the true believers; and say I am a public preacher.* If they believe not, we will inflict a like punishment on them, as we have inflicted on the dividers, who distinguished the Korân into different parts; for by thy LORD, we will demand an account from them all of that which "The inhabitants of Aleica* were corrupted. We inflicted on them our chastisements. These two cities were in the public road."-Savary. "To whom Shoaib was also sent, as well as to the inhabitants of Midian. Abulfeda says these people dwelt near Tabûc, and that they were not of the same tribe with Shoaib. See also Geogr. Nub. 110. Destroying them, for their incredulity and disobedience, by a hot suffocating wind.s Who were the tribe of Thamûd." "The cry of the angel annihilated them at the dawn of day."-Savary. This verse, it is said, was abrogated by that of the sword. "Certainly the hour will come, O Mohammed, make a glorious retreat."— Savary. That is, the first chapter of the Korân, which consists of so many verses: though some suppose the seven long chapters 1 are here intended. That is, Do not envy or covet their worldly prosperity, since thou hast received in the Koran a blessing, in comparison whereof all that we have bestowed on them ought to be contemned as of no value. Al Beidâwi mentions a tradition, that Mohammed meeting at Adhriât (a town of Syria) seven caravans, very richly laden, belonging to some Jews of the tribes of Koreidha and al Nadîr, his men had a great mind to plunder them, saying, That those riches would be of great service for the propagation of God's true religion. But the prophet represented to them, by this passage, that they had no reason to repine, God having given them the seven verses, which were infinitely more valuable than those seven caravans.2 Cast not thy looks on the good which we have bestowed upon the unbelievers. Grieve not for their fate. Spread thy wings over the faithful. Say unto them, I am truly your apostle."-Savary. * Some interpret the original word, the obstructers, who hindered men from entering into Mecca, to visit the temple, lest they should be persuaded to embrace Islam; and this, it is said, was done by ten men, who were all slain at Bedr. Others * The city of Aleica was situated in the desert near Midian, on the border of the Red Sea. Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin. 1 1 See chap. 9, p. 148, note. See chap. 7, p. 124, &c. and Prelim. Disc. p. 5. 2 Al Beidawi. |