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They wonder that a warner from among themselves hath come unto them. And the unbelievers said, This man is a sorcerer, and a liar: doth he affirm the gods to be but one God. Surely this is a wonderful thing. And the chief men among them departed, saying to one another, Go, and persevere in the worship of your gods: verily this is the thing which is designed." We have not heard any thing like this in the last religion:" this is no other than a false contrivance. Hath an admonition been sent unto him preferable to any other among us? Verily they are in a doubt concerning my admonition; but they have not yet tasted my vengeance. Are the treasures of the mercy of thy LORD, the mighty, the munificent God, in their hands? Is the kingdom of the heavens, and the earth, and of whatever is between them, in their possession? If it be so, let them ascend by steps unto heaven. But any army of the confederates shall even here be put to flight. The people of Noah, and the tribe of Ad, and Pharaoh the contriver of the stakes, and the tribe of Thamud, and the people of Lot, and the inhabitants of the wood near Madian, accused the prophets of imposture before them; these were the confederates against the messengers of God. All of them did no other than accuse their apostles of falsehood: wherefore my vengeance hath been justly executed upon them. And these wait only for one sounding of the trumpet; which there shall be no deferring. And they scoffingly say, O LORD, hasten our sentence unto us, before the day of account. Do thou patiently bear that which they utter: and remind them of our servant David, endued with strength; for he was one who seriously turned himself unto God. We compelled the mountains to

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On the conversion of Omar, the Koreish being greatly irritated, the most considerable of them went in a body to Abu Taleb to complain to him of his nephew Mohammed's proceedings; but being confounded and put to silence by the prophet's arguments, they left the assembly, and encouraged one another in their obstinacy.

Namely, To draw us from their worship.

"Their chiefs arose and said, Keep your religion; be faithful to your God. We know his designs."-Savary.

i. e. In the religion which we received from our fathers; or, in the religion of Jesus, which was the last before the mission of Mohammed.'

"Let them essay to ascend into the heavens. Their armies, how numerous soever they be, shall be put to flight."-Savary.

↑ “Pharaoh, environed by his courtiers.”— Savary.

For they say Pharaoh used to tie those he had a mind to punish by the hands and feet to four stakes fixed in the ground, and so tormented them. Some interpret the words, which may also be translated the lord or master of the stakes, figuratively, of the firm establishment of Pharaoh's kingdom; because the Arabs fix their tents with stakes: but they may possibly intend that prince's obstinacy and hardness of heart.

See chap. 15, p. 213.

The commentators suppose that ability to undergo the frequent practice of religious exercises is here meant. They say David used to fast every other day, and to spend one half of the night in prayer.'

'Al Beidâwi.

• Idem.

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• Pharaoh is mentioned, in several parts of the Korân, with the epithet zou elaoutad, contriver of the stakes. So the phrase has hitherto been translated. Zou signifies possessor. Aoutad does not merely mean stakes. It means also, the chief men of a city. It has, there fore, appeared to me to be more natural to translate the Arabic words by Pharaoh, envi. roned by his courtiers," than by "Pharaoh, contriver of the stakes." Besides, Mohammed uniformly represents that prince surrounded by his courtiers.)-Savary. • Al Beidâwi. 1 lidem, Interp.

Jallalo'ddin.

celebrate our praise with him, in the evening and at sunrise, and also the birds, which gathered themselves together unto him: all of them returned frequently unto him for this purpose. And we established his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and eloquence of speech. Hath the story of the two adversaries come to thy knowledge;* when they ascended over the wall into the upper apartment, when they went in unto David, and he was afraid of them. They said, Fear not we are two adversaries who have a controversy to be decided. The one of us hath wronged the other: wherefore judge between us with truth, and be not unjust; and direct us into the even way. This my brother had ninety and nine sheep and I had only one ewe: and he said, Give her me to keep; and he prevailed against me in the discourse which we had together. David answered, Verily he hath wronged thee in demanding thine ewe as an addition to his own sheep: and many of them who are concerned together in business wrong one another, except those who believe and do that which is right; but how few are they! And David perceived that we had tried him by this parable, and he asked pardon of his LORD: and he fell down and bowed himself, and repented. Wherefore we forgave him this fault; and he shall be admitted to approach near unto us, and shall have an excellent place of abode in paradise. O David, verily we have appointed thee a sovereign prince in the earth judge therefore between men with truth; and follow not thy own lust, lest it cause thee to err from the way of GoD: for those who err from the way of GoD shall suffer a severe punishment, because they have forgotten the day of account. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, in vain. This is the opinion of the unbelievers: but woe unto those who believe not, because of the fire of hell Shall we deal with those who believe and do good works, as with those who act corruptly in the earth? Shall we deal with the pious as with the wicked? A blessed book have we sent down unto thee, O Mohammed, that they may attentively meditate on the signs thereof, and

See chap. 21, p. 270.

These were two angels, who came unto David in the shape of men, to demand judg. ment in the feigned controversy after-mentioned. It is no other than Nathan's parable to David, a little disguised.

*Knowest thou the dispute of the two brothers?"'-Savary.

Because they came suddenly upon him, on a day of privacy; when the doors were guarded, and no person admitted to disturb his devotions. For David, they say, divided his time regularly, setting apart one day for the service of God, another day for rendering justice to his people, another day for preaching to them, and another day for his own affairs.

"I yielded unto his solicitations, and he hath wrested her from me."-Savary. The crime of which David had been guilty was the taking the wife of Uriah, and ordering her husband to be set in the front of the battle to be slain.*

Some suppose this story was told to serve as an admonition to Mohammed, who, it seems, was apt to covet what was another's.

So as to permit injustice to go unpunished, and righteousness unrewarded.

"The creation of the heavens, the earth, and the whole universe, is our work. It is not the sport of chance, as the unbelievers imagine. Woe be to the unbelievers. They shall be the prey of the flames."-Savary.

⚫ 2 Sam. xii.

'Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.

• Iidem.

that men of understanding may be warned. And we gave unto David Sol >mon; how excellent a servant! for he frequently turned himself unto God. When the horses standing on three feet, and touching the ground with the edge of the fourth foot, and swift in the course, were set in parade before him in the evening,' he said, Verily I have loved the love of earthly good above the remembrance of my LORD: and have spent the time in viewing these horses, until the sun is hidden by the veil of night . bring the horses back unto me. And when they were brought back, he began to cut off their legs and their necks. We also tried Solomon, and placed on his throne a counterfeit body: † afterwards he turned unto God, and said, O LORD, forgive me, and give me a kingdom which may not be obtained by any after me; for thou art the giver of kingdoms. And we made the wind subject to him; it ran gently at his command, whithersoever we directed. And we also put the devils in subjection under him ; and among them such as were every way skilled in building, and in diving for pearls and others we delivered to him bound in chains, saying, This is our gift therefore be bounteous, or be sparing unto whom thou shalt think

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# 46 They ran with such swiftness that hardly did their feet touch the ground.". Savary.

Some say that Solomon brought these horses, being a thousand in number, from Damascus and Nisibis, which cities he had taken; others say that they were left him by nis father, who took them from the Amalekites; while others, who prefer the marvellous, pretend that they came up out of the sea, and had wings. However, Solomon, having one day a mind to view these horses, ordered them to be brought before him, and was so taken up with them that he spent the remainder of the day, till after sunset, in looking on them; by which means he neglected the prayer, which ought to have been said at that time, till it was too late; but when he perceived his omission, he was so greatly concerned at it, that, ordering the horses to be brought back, he killed them all as an offering to God, except only a hundred of the best of them. But God made him ample amends for the loss of these horses, by giving him dominion over the winds."

The most received exposition of this passage is taken from the following Talmudic fable."

Solomon having taken Sidon, and slain the king of that city, brought away his daughter Jerâda, who became his favourite; and because she ceased not to lament her father's loss, he ordered the devils to make an image of him for her consolation; which being done, and placed in her chamber, she and her maids worshipped it morning and evening, according to their custom. At length Solomon being informed of this idolatry, which was practised under his roof, by his vizier Asâf, he broke the image, and having chastised the woman went out into the desert, where he wept and made supplications to God; who did not think fit, however, to let his negligence pass without some correction. It was Solomon's custom while he eased, or washed himself, to entrust his signet, on which his kingdom depended with a concubine of his named Amîna; one day, therefore, when she had the ring in her custody, a devil, named Sakhar, came to her in the shape of Solomon, and received the ring from her; by virtue of which he became possessed of the kingdom, and sat on the throne in the shape which he had borrowed, making what alterations in the law he pleased. Solomon, in the mean time, being changed in his outward appearance, and known to none of his subjects, was obliged to wander about and beg alms for his subsistence; till at length, after the space of forty days, which was the time the image had been worshipped in his house, the devil flew away, and threw the signet into the sea: the signet was immediately swallowed by a fish, which being taken and given to Solomon, he found the ring in its belly, and having by this means recovered the kingdom, took Sakhar, and tying a great stone to his neck, threw him into the lake of Tiberias."

"We tempted him, an we seated on his throne a devil in a human form.”—Savary. i. e. That I may surpass all future princes in magnificence and power.

'See chap. 21. p. 270; and chap. 27, p. 230, &c.

Vide Talm. En Jacob, part 2, et Yalkut in lih

Al Beidawi, Al Zamakh. Yahya.
Reg. p. 182. 'Al Beid. Jallal. Abu'lfeda.

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fit, without rendering an account. And he shall approach near unto us, and shall have an excellent abode in paradise. And remember our servant Job,' when he cried unto his LORD, saying, Verily Satan hath afflicted me with calamity and pain. And it was said unto him, Strike the earth with thy foot; which when he had done, a fountainTM sprang up, and it was said to him, This is for thee to wash in, to refresh thee, and to drink. And restored unto him his family, and as many more with them, through our mercy; and for an admonition unto those who are endued with understanding. And we said unto him, Take a handful of rods" in thy hand, and strike thy wife therewith; and break not thine oath. Verily we found him a patient person: how excellent a servant was he! for he was one who frequently turned himself unto us. Remember also our servants Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, who were men strenuous and prudent. Verily we purified them with a perfect purification, through the remembrance of the life to come; and they were, in our sight, elect and good men. And remember Ismael, and Elisha, and Dhu'lkefl: for all these were good men. This is an admonition. Verily the pious shall have an excellent place to return unto, namely, gardens of perpetual abode, the gates whereof shall stand open unto them. As they lie down therein, they shall there ask for many sorts of fruits, and for drink; and near them shall sit the virgins of paradise, refraining their looks from beholding any besides their spouses, and of equal age with them. This is what yo are promised, at the day of account. This is our provision, which shall not fail. This shall be the reward of the righteous. But for the transgressors is prepared an evil receptacle, namely, hell: they shall be cast into the same to be burned, and a wretched couch shall it be. This let them taste, to wit, scalding water,

Some suppose these words relate to the genii, and that Solomon is thereby empowered to release or to keep in chains such of them as he pleased.

'See chap. 21, p. 271.

Some say there were two springs, one of hot water, wherein he bathed, and the other of cold, of which he drank."

The original not expressing what this handful was to consist of, one supposes it was to be only a handful of dry grass, or of rushes; and another that it was a branch of a palm-tree."

The commentators are not agreed what fault Job's wife had committed, to deserve this chastisement: we have mentioned one opinion already. Some think it was only because she staid too long on an errand.

For he had sworn to give her a hundred stripes if he recovered.

Or, as the words may be interpreted, according to al Zamakhshari, We have purified them, or peculiarly destined und fitted them for paradise.

See chap. 6, p. 107.

See chap. 21, p. 271. Al Beidâwi here takes notice of another tradition concerning this prophet; viz. that he entertained and took care of a hundred Israelites, who fled to him from a certain slaughter: from which action he probably had the surname of Dhu'lkefl given him; the primary signification of the verb cafala being to maintain or take care of another. If a conjecture might be founded on this tradition, I should fancy the person intended was Obadiah, the governor of Ahab's house.'

"The earth cherisheth the memory of them. Those who fear the Lord shall enj▾ elicity The gates of the garden of Eden shall open before them."-Savary.

i. e. About thirty or thirty-three."

⚫ Al Beidâwi. See the notes to chap. 21, p. 271. viii. 4.

See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iv. p. 71.

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and corruption flowing from the bodies of the damned, and divers other things of the same kind. And it shall be said to the seducers, This troop which was guided by you shall be thrown, together with you, headlong into hel": they shall not be bidden welcome; for they shall enter the fire to be burned. And the seduced shall say to their seducers, Verily ye shall not be bidden welcome: ye have brought it upon us; and a wretched abode is hell.* They shall say, O LORD, doubly increase the torment of him who hath brought this punishment upon us, in the fire of hell. And the infidels shall say, Why do we not see the men whom we numbered among the wicked, and whom we received with scorn? Or do our eyes miss them? Verily this is a truth; to wit, the disputing of the inhabitants of hell fire. Say, O Mohammed, unto the idolaters, Verily I am no other than a warner: and there is no god, except the one only GoD, the Almighty, the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatsoever is between them; the mighty, the forgiver of sins. Say, it is a weighty message, from which ye turn aside. I had no knowledge of the exalted princes, when they disputed concerning the creation of man: (it hath been revealed unto me only as a proof that I am a public preacher :) when thy LORD said unto the angels, Verily I am about to create man of clay: when I shall have formed him, therefore, and shall have breathed my spirit into him, do ye fall down and worship him.' And all the angels worshipped him, in general, except Eblis, who was puffed up with pride and became an unbeliever. God said unto him, O Eblis, what hindereth thee from worshipping that which I have created with my hands? Art thou elated with vain pride? Or art thou really one of exalted merit? He answered, I am more excellent than he: thou hast created me of fire, and thou hast created him of clay. God said unto him, Get thee hence therefore; for thou shalt be driven away from mercy; and my curse shall be upon thee, until the day of judgment. O LORD, respite me, therefore, until the day of resurrection. Verily thou shalt be one of those who are respited until the day of the determined time. Eblis said, By thy might do I swear, I will surely seduce them all, except thy servants who shall be peculiarly chosen from among them. God said, It is a just sentence; and I speak the truth: I will surely fill hell with thee, and with such of them as shall follow thee, altogether. Say unto the Meccans, I ask not of you any reward for this my preaching: neither am I one of those who assume a part which belongs not to them. The Koran is no other than an admonition unto all creatures and ye shall surely know what is delivered therein to be true, after

a season.

He replied,
God said,

"The unbelievers shall say unto their seducers, You are not deserving of any pardon: you have outgone us in error. Horrible will be our mutual habitation."-Savary. That is, The angels.

See chap. 2, p. 5.

"Art thou instigated by pride? Does thy greatness consider itself humiliated Savary.

'See chap. 7, p. 117; and chap. 15, p. 211, &c.

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