and unless we had confirmed thee, thou hadst certainly been very near inclining unto them a little. Then would we surely have caused thee to taste the punishment of life, and the punishment of death; and thou shouldest not have found any to protect thee against us. The unbelievers had likewise almost caused thee to depart the land, that they might have expelled thee thence: but then should they not have tarried therein after thee, except a little while. This is the method of dealing which we have prescribed ourselves in respect to our apostles, whom we have already sent before thee: and thou shalt not find any change in our prescribed method. Regularly perform thy prayer at the declension of the sun,d at the first darkness of the night, and the prayer of daybreak; for the prayer of daybreak is borne witness unto by the angels. And watch some part of the night in the same exercise, as a work of supererogation for thee: peradventure thy LORD will raise thee to an honourable station. And say, O LORD, cause me to enter with a favourable entry, and cause me to come forth with a favourable coming forth; and grant me from thee an assisting power. And say, Truth is sion of the Koreish, who told Mohammed they would not suffer him to kiss the black stone in the wall of the Caaba, unless he also visited their idols, and touched them with his hand, to show his respect. • Viz., both of this life and the next. Some interpret the first of the punishment in the next world, and the latter of the torture of the sepulchre.* b The commentators differ as to the place where this passage was delivered, and the occasion of it. Some think it was revealed at Mecca, and that it refers to the violent enmity which the Koreish bore Mohammed, and their restless endeavours to make him leave Mecca; as he was at length obliged to do. But as the persons here spoken of seem not to have prevailed in their project, others suppose that the verse was revealed at Medina, on the following occasion. The Jews, envious of Mohammed's good reception and stay there, told him, by way of counsel, that Syria was the land of the prophets, and that if he was a prophet, he ought to go thither. Mohammed seriously reflecting on what they had said, began to think they had advised him well; and actually set out, and proceeded a day's journey in his way to Syria; whereupon God acquainted him with their design by the revelation of this verse; and he returned to Medina. This was fulfilled, according to the former of the above-mentioned explications, by the loss of the Koreish at Bedr; and according to the latter, by the great slaughter of the Jews of Koreidha and al Nadîr.7 di. e. At the time of noon prayer, when the sun declines from the meridian; or, as some choose to translate the words, at the setting of the sun, which is the time of the first evening prayer. The time of the last evening prayer. Literally, the reading of the daybreak; whence some suppose the reading of the Korân at that time is here meant. Viz., the guardian angels, who, according to some, are relieved at that time: or else the angels appointed to make the change of night into day, &c.8 According to a tradition of Abu Horeira, the honourable station here intended is that of intercessor for others.1 That is, Grant that I may enter my grave with peace, and come forth from it, at the resurrection, with honour and satisfaction. In which sense this petition is the same with that of Balaam, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.2 But as the person here spoken to is generally supposed to be Mohammed, the commentators say he was commanded to pray in these words for a safe departure from Mecca, and a good reception at Medina; or for a sure refuge in the cave, where he hid himself when he fled from Mecca: or (which is the more common opinion) for a victorious entrance into Mecca, and a safe return thence.* Idem. 4 Al Beidâwi. 1 Idem. Numb. xxiii. 10. Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. Idem, Jallalo'ddin. m come, and falsehood is vanished :* for falsehood is of short continuance.k We send down of the Korân that which is a medicine and mercy unto the true believers; but it shall only increase the perdition of the unjust. When we bestow favours on man, he retireth and withdraweth himself ungratefully from us: but when evil toucheth him, he despaireth of our mercy. Say, Every one acteth after his own manner: but your LORD best knoweth who is most truly directed in his way. They will ask thee concerning the spirit: answer, The spirit was created at the command of my LORD: but ye have no knowledge given unto you, except a little. If we pleased, we should certainly take away that which we have revealed unto thee ;P in such case thou couldst not find any to assist thee therein against us, unless through mercy from thy LORD; for his favour towards thee hath been great. Say, Verily if men and genii were purposely assembled, that they might produce a book like this Korân, they could not produce one like unto it, although the one of them assisted the other. And we have variously propounded unto men in this Korân, every kind of figurative argument;† but the greater part of men refuse to receive it merely out of infidelity. And they say, We will by no means believe on thee, until thou cause a spring of water to gush forth for us out of the earth; or thou have a garden of palm-trees and vines, and thou cause "Say, Lord, cause the truth to preside over my entering in; cause it to preside over my going out; cover me with the shield of thy power."-Savary. *These words Mohammed repeated, when he entered the temple of Mecca, after the taking of that city, and cleansed it of the idols; a great number of which are said to have fallen down on his touching them with the end of the stick he held in his hand.5 1i. e. According to his judgment or opinion, be it true or false: or according to the bent of his mind, and the natural constitution of his body. Or, the soul of man. Some interpret it of the angel Gabriel, or of the divine revelation.7 8 Viz., by the word Kun, i. e. Be; consisting of an immaterial substance, and not generated, like the body. But, according to a different opinion, this passage should be translated, The spirit is of those things, the knowledge of which thy Lord hath reserved to himself. For it is said that the Jews bid the Koreish ask Mohammed to relate the history of those who slept in the cave, and of Dhu'lkarnein, and to give them an account of the soul of man; adding, that if he pretended to answer all the three questions, or could answer none of them, they might be sure he was no prophet; but if he gave an answer to one or two of the questions, and was silent as to the other, he was really a prophet. Accordingly, when they propounded the questions to him, he told them the two histories, but acknowledged his ignorance as to the origin of the human soul.1 • All your knowledge being acquired from the information of your senses, which must necessarily fail you in spiritual speculations, without the assistance of divine revelation.2 P Viz., the Korân: by razing it both from the written copies, and the memories of men. "In it we have given instructions to man concerning all his duties; but, obstinate in his unbelier, he rejects the light."-Savary. This and the following miracles were demanded of Mohammed by the Koreish, as proofs of his mission. "When Mohammed entered Mecca in triumph, the temple was surrounded by three hundred and sixty idols. He struck them with a wand which he had in his hand, exclaiming, till they were overthrown, Truth has appeared; falsehood is about to vanish."-Savary. • lidem. * Idem. Vide Gagnier, Vie de Mohammed, tom. 2, • Al Beidawi. P 127. i Al Beidâwi. * Idem. r rivers to spring forth from the midst thereof in abundance; or thou cause the heavens to fall down upon us, as thou hast given out, in pieces; or thou bring down GOD and the angels to vouch for thee; or thou have a house of gold; or thou ascend by a ladder to heaven: neither will we believe thy ascending thither alone, until thou cause a book to descend unto us, bearing witness of thee, which we may read. Answer, My LORD be praised! Am I other than a man, sent as an apostle? And nothing hindereth men from believing, when a direction is come unto them, except that they say, Hath GOD sent a man for his apostle? Answer, if the angels had walked on earth as familiar inhabitants thereof, we had surely sent down unto them from heaven an angel for our apostle. Say, GOD is a sufficient witness between me and you for he knoweth and regardeth his servants. Whom GOD shall direct, shall be the rightly directed; and whom he shall cause to err, thou shalt find none to assist, besides him. And we will gather them together on the day of resurrection, creeping on their faces, blind, and dumb, and deaf: their abode shall be hell; so often as the fire thereof shall be extinguished, we will rekindle a burning flame to torment them. This shall be their reward, because they disbelieve in our signs, and say, When we shall have been reduced to bones and dust, shall we surely be raised new creatures? Do they not perceive that GOD, who created the heavens and the earth, is able to create other bodies, like their present? And he hath appointed th. m a limited term ;" there is no doubt thereof : but the ungodly reject the truth, merely out of unbelief. Say, If ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my LORD, ye would surely refrain from using them, for fear of spending them; for man is covetous. We heretofore gave unto Moses the power of working nine evident signs. And do thou ask the children of Israel, as to the story of Moses; when he came unto them, and Pharaoh said unto him, Verily I esteemed thee, O Moses, to be deluded by sorcery. Ꮓ As thou pretendest to have done in thy night-journey; but of which no man was witness. See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iv. pp. 60, 61. i. e. When the fire shall go out or abate for want of fuel, after the consumption of the skins and flesh of the damned, we will add fresh vigour to the flames by giving them new bodies.3 " Of life, or resurrection. That is, lest they should be exhausted. "We gave to Moses the power of working seven miracles."-Savary. y These were, the changing his rod into a serpent, the making his hand white and shining, the producing locusts, lice, frogs, and blood, the dividing of the Red Sea, the bringing water out of the rock, and the shaking of Mount Sinai over the children of Israel. In lieu of the three last, some reckon the inundation of the Nile, the blasting of the corn, and scarcity of the fruits of the earth. These words, however, are interpreted by others, not of nine miracles, but of nine commandments, which Moses gave his people, and were thus numbered up by Mohammed himself to a Jew, who asked him the question, viz. That they should not be guilty of idolatry, nor steal, nor commit adultery or murder, nor practise sorcery or usury, nor accuse an innocent man to take away his life, or a modest woman of whoredom, nor desert the army; to which he added the observing of the sabbath, as a tenth commandment, but which peculiarly regarded the Jews; upon which answer, it is said, the Jew kissed the prophet's hands and feet." Some think these words are directed to Moses, who is hereby commanded to demand the children of Israel of Pharaoh, that he might let them go with him. Al Beidâwi. See chap. 4, p. 67. 4 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. * Al Beidawi. Moses answered, Thou well knowest that none hath sent down these evident signs except the LORD of heaven and earth; and I surely esteem thee, O Pharaoh, a lost man. Wherefore Pharaoh sought to drive them out of the land; but we drowned him and all those who were with him. And we said unto the children of Israel, after his destruction, Dwell ye in the land: and when the promise of the next life shall come to be fulfilled, we will bring you both promiscuously to judgment. We have sent down the Koran with truth, and it hath descended with truth: and we have not sent thee otherwise than to be a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats. And we have divided the Korân, revealing it by parcels, that thou mightest read it unto men with deliberation; and we have sent it down, causing it to descend as occasion required. Say, whether ye believe therein, or do not believe, verily those who have been favoured with the knowledge of the scriptures which were revealed before it, when the same is rehearsed unto them, fall down on their faces, worshipping, and say, Our LORD be praised, for that the promise of our LORD is surely fulfilled! and they fall down on their faces, weeping; and the hearing thereof increaseth their humility. Say, Call upon GOD, or call on the Merciful: by whichsoever of the two names ye invoke him, it is equal; for he hath Most excellent names. Pronounce not thy prayer aloud, neither pronounce it with too low a voice,d but follow a middle way between these: and say, Praise be unto God, who hath not begotten any child; who hath no partner in the kingdom, nor hath any to protect him from contempt: and magnify him by proclaiming his greatness. b CHAPTER XVIII. INTITLED, THE CAVE;• REVEALED AT MECCA. IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. PRAISE be unto God, who hath sent down unto his servant the book of the Koran, and hath not inserted therein any crookedness,* but hath made it a straight rule: that he should threaten a grievous punishment unto the unbelievers, from his presence; and should bear good tidings unto the faithful, who work righteousness, that they should receive an excellent reward, namely, paradise, wherein they shall remain for ever: and that he See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iii. p. 46. b Literally, on their chins. The infidels hearing Mohammed say, O God, and O Merciful, imagined the Merciful was the name of a deity different from God, and that he preached the worship of two, which occasioned this passage. See chap. 7, p. 136. 4 Neither so loud, that the infidels may overhear thee, and thence take occasion to blaspheme and scoff; nor so softly as not to be heard by the assistants. Some suppose, that by the word prayer, in this place, is meant the reading of the Korân. The chapter is thus inscribed because it makes mention of the cave wherein the seven sleepers concealed themselves. Some except one verse, which begins thus, Behave thyself with constancy, &c. "The book which deceives not."-Savary. should warn those who say, God hath begotten issue; of which matter they have no knowledge, neither had their fathers. A grievous saying it is, which proceedeth from their mouths: they speak no other than a lie. Peradventure thou wilt kill thyself with grief after them, out of thy earnest zeal for their conversion,* if they believe not in this new revelation of the Koran. Verily we have ordained whatsoever is on earth for the ornament thereof, that we might make trial of men, and see which of them excelleth in works: and we will surely reduce whatever is thereon to dry dust. Dost thou consider that the companions of the cave, and Al Rakim, were one of our signs, and a great miracle? When the young men took refuge in the cave, they said, O LORD, grant us mercy from before thee, and dispose our business for us to a right issue.t Wherefore we struck their ears with deafness, so that they slept without disturbance in the cave for a great number of years: then we awaked them, that we might know which of the two parties was more exact in computing the space which they had remained there. We will relate unto thee their history with truth. Verily they were young men who had believed in their LORD: and we had abundantly directed them : and we fortified their hearts with constancy when they stood before the tyrant; and they said, Our LORD is the LORD of heaven and earth: we will by no means call on any god besides him; for then should we surely utter an extravagance. These our fellow people have taken other gods, besides him; although they bring no demonstrative argument for them and who is more unjust than he who deviseth a lie concerning GOD!§ : "If they believe not thy doctrine, thy efforts to lead them to it will be in vain, and thy grief will be fruitless."-Savary. These were certain Christian youths, of a good family in Ephesus, who, to avoid the persecution of the emperor Decius, by the Arab writers called Decianus, hid themselves in a cave, where they slept for a great number of years. This apocryphal story (for Baronius treats it as no better, and Father Marracci acknowledges it to be partly false, or at least doubtful, though he calls Hotsinger a monster of impiety, and the off-scum of heretics, for terming it a fable) was borrowed by Mohammed from the Christian traditions, but has been embellished by him and his followers with several additional circumstances.2 What is meant by this word the commentators cannot agree. Some will have it to be the name of the mountain or the valley wherein the cave was; some say it was the name of their dog; and others (who seem to come nearest the true signification) that it was a brass plate, or stone table, placed near the mouth of the cave, on which the names of the young men were written. There are some, however, who take the companions of Al Rakîm to be different from the seven sleepers: for they say the former were three men who were driven by ill weather into a cave for shelter, and were shut in there by the falling down of a vast stone, which stopped the cave's mouth; but on their begging God's mercy, and their relating each of them a meritorious action which they hoped might entitle them to it, were miraculously delivered by the rock's rending in sunder to give them passage.3 "Lord, cover us with the shade of thy mercy, and cause justice to preside over our enterprise."-Savary. Viz., of the sleepers themselves, or others, who are divided in opinion as to the length of their stay in the cave. "For we should be impious."-Savary. "People, worship your idols. We will refuse unto them our incense, as long Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin, &c. Alcor. 71n Martyrol. ad 27 Julii, 8 p. 425, et in Prodr. part 4, p. 103. |