Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

whatsoever cometh out of the same, and whatsoever descendeth from heaven, and whatsoever ascendeth thereto : and he is merciful and ready to forgive. The unbelievers say, The hour of judgment will not come unto us. Answer, Yea, by my LORD, it will surely come unto you; it is he who knoweth the hidden secret: the weight of an ant, cither in heaven or in earth, is not absent from him, nor any thing lesser than this or greater, but the same is written in the perspicuous book of his decrees; that he may recompense those who shall have believed, and wrought righteousness: they shall receive pardon, and an honourable provision. But they who endeavour to render our signs of none effect shall receive a punishment of painful torment. Those unto whom knowledge hatl, beɩn given, see that the book which hath been revealed unto thee from thy LORD is the truth, and directeth into the glorious and laudable way. The unbelievers say to one another, Shall we show you a man who shall prophesy unto you, that when ye shall have been dispersed with a total dispersion, ye shall be raised a new creature? He hath forged a lie concerning God, or rather he is distracted. But they who believe not in the life to come shall fall into punishment and a wide error. Have they not therefore considered what is before them, and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth? If we please, we wil' cause the earth to open and swallow them up, or will cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them: verily herein is a sign unto every servant, who turneth unto God. We heretofore bestowed on David excellence from us: and we said, O mountains, sing alternate praises with him; and we obliged the birds also to join therein." And we softened the iron for him, saying, Make thereof complete coats of mail,† and rightly dispose the small plates which compose the same: and work ye righteousness, O family of David; for I sec that which ye do. And we made the wind subject unto Solomon: it biew in the morning for a month, and in the evening for a month. And we made a fountain of molten brass to flow for him. And some of the genii were obliged to work in his presence, by the will of his LORD; and whoever of them turned aside from cur command, we will cause him to taste the pain of hell fire. They made for him whatever he pleased of palaces, and statues, and large dishes like fish-ponds, and caldrons standing firm on

As animals, plants, metals, spring water, &c.

As the angels, scriptures, decrees of God, rain, thunder and lightning, &c.

As the angels, men's works, vapours, smoke, &c.'

"Have they raised their looks towards the firmament? Have they cast them down upon the earth? Who can prevent us from opening an abyss under their feet, or from causing a part of heaven to fall upon their heads?"-Savary.

See chap. 21, p. 270.

See ibid. p. 270.

t We taught unto him the art of softening iron, and of making coats of mail thereof."

-Savary.

See chap. 21, and chap. 27, p. 310.

This fountain they say was in Yaman, and flowed three days in a month."

• Or, as some expound the words, We caused him to taste the pain of burning; by which they understand the correction the disobedient genii received at the hands of the angel set over ther, who whipped them with a whip of fire.

Some suppose these were images of the angels and prophets, ar. that the making

[blocks in formation]

their trevets; and we said, Work righteousness, O family of David, with thanksgiving; for few of my servants are thankful. And when we had decreed that Solomon should die, nothing discovered his death unto them, except the creeping thing of the earth, which gnawed his staff. And when his body fell down, the genii plainly perceived that if they had known that which is secret, they had not continned in a vile punishment. The descendants of Saba had heretofore a sign in their dwelling; namely, two gardens on the right hand and on the left, and it was said unto them, Eat ye of the provision of your LORD, and give thanks unto him; ye have a good country, and a gracious LORD. But they turned aside from what we had commanded them; wherefore we sent against them the inundation of al Arem," and we changed their two gardens for them into two gardens

*

of them was not then forbidden; or else that they were not such images as were forbidden by the law. Some say these spirits made him two lions, which were placed at the foot of his throne, and two eagles, which were set above it; and that when he mounted it the lions stretched out their paws, and when he sat down the eagles shaded him with their wings.

• Being so monstrously large that a thousand men might eat out of each of them at

once.

These caldrons, they say, were cut out of the mountains of Yaman, and were so vastly big that they could not be moved; and the people went up to them by steps.'

The commentators, to explain this passage, tell us, That David having laid the foundations of the temple of Jerusalem, which was to be in lieu of the tabernacle of Moses, when he died, left it to be finished by his son Solomon; who employed the genii in the work: that Solomon, before the edifice was quite completed, perceiving his end drew nigh, begged of God that his death might be concealed from the genii till they had entirely finished it: that God therefore so ordered it, that Solomon died as he stood at his prayers, leaning on his staff, which supported the body in that posture a full year; and the genii, supposing him to be alive, continued their work during that term, at the expiration whereof the temple being perfectly completed, a worm, which had gotten into the staff, eat it through, and the corpse fell to the ground and discovered the king's death."

Possibly this fable of the temple's being built by genii, and not by men, might take its rise from what is mentioned in scripture, that the house was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither; so that there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was building: the Rabbins indeed tell us of a worm, which might assist the workmen, its virtue being such as to cause the rocks and stones to fly in sunder.' Whether the worm which gnawed Solomon's staff were of the same breed with this other, I know not; but the story has perfectly the air of a Jewish invention.

i. e. They had not continued in servile subjection to the command of Solomon, nor had gone on with the work of the temple.

Saba was the son of Yashhab, the son of Yárab, the son of Khatan, whose posterity dwelt in Yaman, in the city of Mâreb, called also Saba, about three days' journey from Sanaa.

That is, two tracts of land, one on this side their city, and the other on that, planted with trees, and made into gardens, which lay so thick and close together, that each tract seemed to be one continued garden: or, it may be, every house had a garden on each hand of it.'

"The inhabitants of Saba possessed two gardens, which were traversed by a brook." -Savary.

[ocr errors]

The commentators set down several significations of the word al Arem, which are scarce worth mentioning: it most properly signifies mounds or dams for the stopping or containing of water, and is here used for that stupendous mound or building which formed the vast reservoir above the city of Saba, described in another place,' and which, for the great impiety, pride, and insolence of the inhabitants, was broken down in the night by a mighty flood, and occasioned a terrible destruction. Al Beidâwi supposes this mound was the work of queen Balkîs, and that the above-mentioned catastrophe happened after the time of Jesus Christ; wherein he seems to be mistaken.

Al Bidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. 'Jallalo'ddin. 6 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin. 11 King. • Vide Kimchi, in loc. Buxt. Lex. Tilm. p. 2456, et Schickardi Tarich Reg. 'Al Beidâwi. See the Prel m. Disc. sect. i. p. 7. * See ibid.

vi. 7.
Feis. p 62

producing bitter fruit, and tamarisks, and some little fruit of the 'ote-tree. This we gave them in reward, because they were ungrateful: is any thus rewarded except the ungrateful? And we placed between then and the cities which we have blessed, cities situated near each other; and we made the journey easy between them, saying, Travel through the same by night and by day, in security. But they said, O LORD, put a greater distance between our journey: and they were unjust unto themselves; and we made them the subject of discourse, and dispersed them with a total dispersion. Verily, herein are signs unto every patient, grateful person. And Eblis found his opinion of them to be true: and they followed him, except a party of the true believers: and he had no power over them, unless to tempt them, that we might know him who believed in the life to come, from him who doubted thereof. Thy LORD observeth all things. Say unto the idolaters, Call upon those whom ye imagine to be gods, besides GOD they are not masters of the weight of an ant in heaven or on earth, neither have they any share in the creation or government of the same; nor is any of them assistant to him therein. No intercession will be of service in his presence, except the intercession of him to whom he shall grant permission to intercede for others: and they shall wait in suspense until, when the terror shall be taken off from their hearts, they shall say to one another, What doth your LORD say? They shall answer, That which is just: and he is the high, the great God. Say, Who provideth food for you from

[ocr errors]

• A low shrub bearing no fruit, and delighting in saltish and barren ground.

P viz. The cities of Syria.

By reason of their near distance, so that during the whole journey a traveller might rest in one town during the heat of the day, and in another at night; nor was he obliged to carry provisions with him."

This petition they made out of covetousness, that the poor being obliged to be longer on the road, they might make greater advantage in letting out their cattle, and furnishing the travellers with provision: and God was pleased to punish them by granting them their wish, and permitting most of the cities which were between Saba and Syria, to be ruined and abandoned.'

For the neighbouring nations justly wondered at so sudden and unforeseen a revolution in the affairs of this once flourishing people: whence it became a proverbial saying, to express a total dispersion, that they were gone and scattered like Saba.

Of the descendants of Saba who quitted their country, and sought new settlements on this inundation, the tribe of Ghassân went into Syria, the tribe of Anmar to Yathreb, the tribe of Jodhâm to Tehâmah, the tribe of al Azd to Omân," the tribe of Tay to Najd, the tribe of Khozâah to Batn Marr, near Mecca. Banu Amela to a mountain, thence called the mountain of Amela, near Damascus, and others went to Hira in Irab,' &c.

They gave themselves up unto ungodliness, and we made them the laughingstock of the nations. They were scattered like the dust."-Savary.

Either his opinion of the Sabæans when he saw them addicted to pride and ingratitude, and the satisfying their lusts; or else the opinion he entertained of all mankind at the fall of Adam, or at his creation, when he heard the angels say, Wilt thou place in the earth one who will do evil therein, and shed blood?

Who were saved from the common destruction.

See chap. 19, p. 255.

i. e. From the hearts of the intercessors, and of those for whom God shall allow them to intercede, by the permission which he shall then grant them; for no angel or prophe shall dare to speak at the last day without the divine leave.

[blocks in formation]

heaven and earth?* Answer, GoD and either we, or ye, follow the true direction, or are in a manifest error. Say, Ye shall not be examined con cerning what we shall have committed: neither shall we be examined concerning what ye shall have done. Say, Our LORD will assemble us together at the last day: then he will judge between us with truth; and he is the judge, the knowing. Say, Show me those whom ye have joined as partners with him? Nay; rather he is the mighty, the wise GOD. We have not sent thee otherwise than unto mankind in general, a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats; but the greater part of men do not understand. And they say, When will this threat be fulfilled, if ye speak truth? Answer, A threat is denounced unto you of a day which ye shall not retard one hour, neither shall ye hasten. The unbelievers say, We will by no means believe in this Korân, nor in that which hath been revealed before it. But if thou couldest see when the unjust doers shall be set before their LORD! They will iterate discourse with one another: those who were esteemed weak shall say unto those who behaved themselves arrogantly, Had it not been for you, verily we had been true believers. They who behaved themselves arrogantly shall say unto those who were esteemed weak, Did we turn you aside from the true direction, after it had come unto you? On the contrary, ye acted wickedly of your own free choice. And they who were esteemed weak shail say unto those who behaved with arrogance, Nay, but the crafty plot which ye devised by night and by day, occasioned our ruin: when ye commanded us that we should not believe in GoD, and that we should set up other gods as equals unto him. And they shall conceal their repentance," after they shall have seen the punishment prepared for them. And we will put yokes on the necks of those who shall have disbelieved: shall they be rewarded any otherwise than according to what they shall have wrought? We have sent 10 warner unto any city, but the inhabitants thereof who lived in affluence said, Verily we believe not that with which ye are sent. And those of Mecca also say, We abound in riches and children, more than ye; and we shall not be punished hereafter. Answer, Verily my LORD will bestow provision in abundance unto whom he pleaseth, and will be sparing unto whom he pleaseth: but the greater part of men know not this. Neither your riches nor your children are the things which shall cause you to draw nigh unto us with a near approach: only whoever believeth, and worketh

"Who dispenseth unto you the treasures of heaven and of earth ?"—Savary.

It is said that the infidels of Mecca, having inquired of the Jews and Christians concerning the mission of Mohammed, were assured by them, that they found him described as the prophet who should come, both in the Pentateuch and in the Gospel; at which they were very angry, and brake out into the words here recorded.1

See chap. 14, p. 206, note t.

1 Those who had weakness as their portion shall say unto those who were rendered haughty by power, Had it not been for you, we should have embraced the faith.”—Savary, See chap. 10, p. 170, note t.

"Proud of their riches, flattered by the number of their children, they imagine them. selves to be secure from vengeance."-Savary.

'Al Beidâwi.

righteousness, they shall receive a double reward for that which they sha. have wrought and they shall dwell in security, in the upper apartments of paradise. But they who shall endeavour to render our signs of nove effect shall be delivered up to punishment. Say, Verily my LORD will bestow provision in abundance unto whom he pleaseth of his servants, and will be sparing unto whom he pleaseth: and whatever thing ye shall give in alms, he will return it; and he is the best provider of food. On a certain day he shall gather them altogether: then shall he say unto the angels, Did these worship you? And the angels shall answer, God forbid! thou art our friend, and not these: but they worshipped devils; the greater part of them believed in them. On this day the one of you shall not be able either to profit or to hurt the other. And we will say unto those who have acted unjustly, Taste ye the pain of hell fire, which ye rejected as a falsehood. When our evident signs are read unto them, they say of thee, O Mohammed, This is no other than a man who seeketh to turn you aside from the gods which your fathers worshipped. And they say of the Korán, This is no other than a lie blasphemously forged. And the unbelievers say of the truth, when it is come unto them, This is no other than manifest sorcery yet we have given them no books of scripture wherein to exercise themselves, nor have we sent unto them any warner before thee. They who were before them in like manner accused their prophets of imposture: but these have not arrived unto the tenth part of the rickes and strength which we had bestowed on the former: and they accused my apostles of imposture; and how severe was my vengeance!† Say, Verily I advise you unto one thing, namely, that ye stand before GoD by two and two, and singly; and then consider seriously and you will find that there is no madness in your companion Mohammed: he is no other than a warner unto you, sent before a severe punishment. Say, I ask not of you any reward for my preaching; it is your own, either to give or not: my reward is to be expected from God alone; and he is witness over all things. Say, Verily my LORD sendeth down the truth to his prophets: he is the knower of secrets. Say, Truth is come, and falsehood is vanished, and shall not

b

C

“The virtuous believer shall repose in the bosom of peace in the abode of delights.” Savary.

"Those who went before them accused the messengers of faith of being impostors, and prevented them from fulfilling their mission."-Savary.

i. e. That ye set yourselves to deliberate and judge of me and my pretensions coolly and sincerely, as in the sight of God, without passion or prejudice. The reason why they are ordered to consider either alone, or by two and two, at most, together, is, because in larger assemblies, where noise, passion, and prejudice, generally prevail, men have not that freedom of judgment which they have in private."

"I exhort you to pray unto the Lord, together or separately."-Savary.

• Mohammed, having in the preceding words answered the imputation of madness or vain enthusiasm, by appealing to their cooler thoughts of him and his actions, endeavours cy these to clear himself of the suspicion of any worldly view or interest, declaring that he desired no salary or support from them for executing his commission, but he expected his wages from God alone.

"Keep your gifts."-Savary.

See chap. 25, p. 301.

A: Reidâwi

« PoprzedniaDalej »