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escape it scorcheth men's flesh: over the same are nineteen angels appointed. We have appointed none but angels to preside over hell fire:' and we have expressed the number of them only for an occasion of discord to the unbelievers; that they to whom the scriptures have been given may be certain of the veracity of this book,' and the true believers may increase in faith; and that those to whom the scriptures have been given, and the true believers, may not doubt hereafter; and that those in whose hearts there is an infirmity, and the unbelievers, may say, What mystery doth God intend by this number? Thus doth GoD cause to err whom he pleaseth; and he directeth whom he pleaseth. None knoweth the armies of thy LORD besides him; and this is no other than a memento unto mankind. Assuredly. By the moon, and the night when it retreateth, and the morning when it reddeneth, I swear that this is one of the most terrible calamities, giving warning unto men, as well as unto him among you who desireth to go forward, as unto him who chooseth to remain behind. Every soul is given in pledge for that which it shall have wrought: except the companions of the right hand; who shall dwell in gardens, and shall ask one another questions concerning the wicked, and shall also ask the wicked themselves, saying, What hath brought you into hell? They shall answer, We were not of those who were constant at prayer, neither did we feed the poor; and we waded in vain disputes with the fallacious reasoners; and we denied the day of judgment, until death overtook us : and the intercession of the interceders shall not avail them. What aileth them, therefore, that they turn aside from the admonition of the Korân, as though they were timorous asses flying from a lion? But every man among them desireth that he may have expanded scrolls delivered to him from God. By no means. They fear not the life to come. By no means: verily this is a sufficient warning. Whoso is willing to be warned, him shall it warn: but they shall not be warned, un.ess GOD shall please. He is worthy to be feared; and he is inclined to forgiveness.

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The reason of which is said to be, that they might be of a different nature and species from those who are to be tormented, lest they should have a fellow feeling of, and compassionate their sufferings; or else, because of their great strength, and severity of temper.' Or, For a trial of them because they might say this was a particular borrowed by Mohammed of the Jews.

And especially the Jews; this being conformable to what is contained in their books. mi. e. All his creatures; or particularly the number and strength of the guards of hell. The antecedent seems to be hell.

*"I swear by the moon, by the night when she foldeth her veils, by the dawn when it advanceth, encompassed by light, that hell is a tremendous abyss; that it threateneth the human race; that it warneth him who walketh in the right path, and him who re traceth his footsteps."-Savary.

'See chap. 52, p. 425.

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i. e. The blessed; who shall redeem themselves by their good works. Some say these are the angels: and others, such as die infants."

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9 Literally, That which is certain.

For the infidels told Mohammed that they would never obey him as a prophet, til, he brought each man a writing from heaven to this effect, viz. From God to such a me: Follow Mohammed.'

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CHAPTER LXXV.

INTITLED, THE RESURRECTION; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

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VERILY I swear by the day of resurrection; and I swear by the soul which accuseth itself: doth man think that we will not gather his bones together? Yea: we are able to put together the smallest bones of his fingers. But man chooseth to be wicked, for the time which is before him. He asketh, When will the day of resurrection be? But when the sight shall be dazzled, and the moon shall be eclipsed, and the sun and the moon shall be in conjunction; on that day man shall say, Where is a place of refuge? By no means: there shall be no place to fly unto. With thy LORD shall be the sure mansion of rest on that day: on that day shall a man be told that which he hath done first and last. Yea; a man shall be an evidence against himself: and though he offer his excuses, they shall not be received. Move not thy tongue, O Mohammed, in repeating the revelations brought thee by Gabriel, before he shall have finished the same, that thou mayest quickly commit them to memory: for the collecting the Korân in thy mind, and the teaching thee the true reading thereof, are incumbent on us. But when we shall have read the same unto thee by the tongue of the angel, do thou follow the reading thereof: and afterwards it shall be our part to explain it unto thee. By no means shalt thou be thus hasty for the future. But ye love that which hasteneth away, and neglect the life to come. Some countenances on that day shall be bright, looking towards their LORD and some countenances, on that day, shall be dismal: they shall think that a crushing calamity shall be brought upon them. Assuredly. When a man's soul shall come up to his throat, in his last agony, and the standers by shall say, Who bringeth a charm to recover him? and shall think it to be his departure out of this world; and one leg shall be joined with the other leg on that day unto thy LORD shall he be driven. For

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• Or, I will not swear. See chap. 56, p. 437, note d. (Savary prefers this reading.) Being conscious of having offended, and of failing of perfection, notwithstanding its endeavours to do its duty; or, the pious soul which shall blame others at the last day, for having been remiss in their devotions, &c. Some understand the words of the soul of Adam, in particular, who is continually blaming himself for having lost paradise by his disobedience.'

But he denieth the evidence which striketh his sight."-Savary.

Rising both in the west: which conjunction is no contradiction to what is mentioned just before, of the moon's being eclipsed; because those words are not to be understood of regular eclipse, but metaphorically, of the moon's losing her light, at the last day in a preternatural manner. Some think the meaning rather to be, that the sun and the moon shall be joined in the loss of their light.

Or the good which he hath done, and that which he hath left undone, &c.

i. e. The fleeting pleasures of this life. The words intimate the natural hastiness and impatience of man, who takes up with a present enjoyment, though short, and bitter in its consequences, rather than wait for real happiness in futurity.

i. e. And when he shall stretch forth his legs together; as is usual with dying persons. The words may also be translated, And when one affliction shall be joined with another fiction.

Al Beidâwi.

See the Prelim. Disc. p. 57. * Al Beidâwi. Sce chap. 17, p. 228.

he believed not, neither did he pray; but he accused God's apostle of imposture, and turned back from obeying him: then he departed unto his family, walking with a haughty mien. Wherefore, woe be unto thee; woe! And again, woe be unto thee; woe! Doth man think that he shall be left

at full liberty, without control? Was he not a drop of seed, which was emitted? Afterwards he became a little coagulated blood, and God formed him, and fashioned him with just proportion; and made of him two sexes, the male and the female. Is not he who hath done this able ́p quicken the dead? *

CHAPTER LXXIV.

INTITLED, MAN; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

DID there not pass over man a long space of time; during which he was a thing not worthy of remembrance ? Verily we have created man of the mingled seed of both sexes, that we might prove him: and we have made him to hear and to see. We have surely directed him in the way; whether he be grateful, or ungrateful. Verily we have prepared for the unbelievers chains, and collars, and burning fire. But the just shall drink of a cup of wine, mixed with the water of Cafur, a fountain whereof the servants of God shall drink; they shall convey the same by channels whithersoever they please. These fulfil their vow, and dread the day, the evil whereof will disperse itself far abroad; and give food unto the poor, and the orphan, and the bondman, for his sake, saying, We feed you for God's sake only we desire no recompense from you, nor any thanks: verily we dread, from our LORD, a dismal and calamitous day. Wherefore God shall

Or, He did not give alms; or, He was not a man of veracity. Some suppose Abu Jahl, and others one Adi Ebn Rabîa, to be particularly inveighed against in this chapter. "Did not God form you from a little blood? Hath he not given just proportions to your bodies? Did he not bring from nothing the first pair? Can the creator of the na man race be deficient in power to revive the dead ?”—Savary.

It is somewhat doubtful, whether this chapter was revealed at Mecca, or at Medina. Some take these words to be spoken of Adam, whose body, according to the Mohammedan tradition, was at first a figure of clay, and was left forty years to dry, before God breathed life into it: others understand them of man in general, and of the time he lies in the womb.

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That he might be capable of receiving the rules and directions given by God for his guidance; and of meriting reward or punishment for his observance or neglect of them. Is the name of a fountain in paradise, so called from its resembling camphor (which the word signifies) in odour, and whiteness. Some take the word for an appellative, and think the wine of paradise will be mixed with camphor, because of its agreeable coolness and smell.'

It is related that Hasan and Hosein, Mohammed's grandchildren, on a certain time being both sick, the prophet, among others, visited them; and they wished Ali to make some vow to God for the recovery of his sons: whereupon Ali, and Fâtema, and Fidda. their maid servant, vowed a fast of three days in case they did well: as it happened they d. This vow was performed with so great strictness, that the first day, having no pro• Al Beidâwi. 1 'dem.

See the notes to chap, 2, pp. 4, 5.

deliver them from the evil of that day, and shall cast on them brightness of countenance, and joy; and shall reward them, for their patient persevering. with a garden and silk garments: therein shall they repose themselves on couches; they shall see therein neither sun nor moon;'* and the shades thereof shall be near spreading above them, and the fruits thereof shall hang low, so as to be easily gathered. And their attendants shall go round about unto them, with vessels of silver, and goblets: the bottles shall be bottles of silver shining like glass; they shall determine the measure thereof by their wish. And therein shall they be given to drink of a cup of wine, mixed with the water of Zenjebil,s a fountain in paradise named Salsabil: and youths, which shall continue for ever in their bloom, shall go round to attend them; when thou seest them, thou shalt think them to be scattered pearls: and when thou lookest, there shalt thou behold delights, and a great kingdom. Upon them shall be garments of fine green silk, and of brocades, and they shall be adorned with bracelets of silver: and their LORD shall give them to drink of a most pure liquor; and shall say unto them, Verily this is your reward: and your endeavour is gratefully accepted. Verily we have sent down unto thee the Korân, by a gradual revelation. Wherefore patiently wait the judgment of thy LoRD; and obey not any wicked person or unbeliever among them. And commemorate the name of thy LORD, in the morning, and in the evening: and during some part of the night worship him, and praise him a long part of the night. Verily these men love the transitory life, and leave behind them the heavy day of judgment. We have created them, and have strengthened their joints; and when we please, we will substitute others like unto them, in their stead. Verily this is an admonition: and whoso willeth, taketh the way unto his LORD but ye shall not will, unless GOD willeth; for GoD is knowing and wise. He leadeth whom he pleaseth into his mercy; but for the unjust hath he prepared a grievous punishment.

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visions in the house, Ali was obliged to borrow three measures of barley of one Simeon, a Jew of Khaibar; one measure of which Fâtema ground the same day, and baked five cakes of the meal; and they were set before them, to break their fast with after sunset: but a poor man coming to them, they gave all their bread to him, and passed the night without tasting any thing, except water. The next day, Fâtema made another measure into bread, for the same purpose; but an orphan begging some food, they chose to let him have it, and passed that night, as the first: and the third day they likewise gave their whole provision to a famished captive. Upon this occasion Gabriel descended with the chapter before us, and told Mohammed that God congratulated him on the virtues of his family."

Because they shall not need the light of either. The word Zamharîr, here translated moon, properly signifies extreme cold: for which reason some understand the meaning of the passage to be, that in paradise there shall be felt no excess either of heat, or of cold.

"They repose on the nuptial couch; they shall not be incommoded by the splendour of the sun or of the moon."-Savary.

The word signifies ginger, which the Arabs delight to mix with the water they drink and therefore the water of this fountain is supposed to have the taste of that spice.10 Signifies water which flows gently and pleasantly down the throat.

↑ "Adore him during the night. Make known his praise in the midst of the darkness. -Savary.

• Al Beidawi.

'See Rev. xxi. 23.

"Al Beidâwi, Jallalo' idin

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INTITLED, THOSE WHICH ARE SENT; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

By the angels which are sent by God, following one another in a contrual series; and those which move swiftly, with a rapid motion; and by those which disperse his commands, by divulging them through the earth; and by those which separate trute from falsehood, by distinguishing the same; and by those which communicate the divine admonitions, to excuse, or to threaten: verily that which ye are promised * is inevitable.* When the stars, therefore, shall be put out, and when the heaven shall be cloven in sunder, and when the mountains shall be winnowed, and when the apostles shall have a time assigned to them to appear and bear testimony against their respective people; to what a day shall that appointment be deferred to the day of separation: and what shall cause thee to understand what the day of separation is? On that day, woe be unto them who accused the prophets of imposture! Have we not destroyed the obstinate unbelievers of old? We will also cause those of the latter times to follow them. Thus do we deal with the wicked. who accused the prophets of imposture! contemptible drop of seed, which we placed in a sure repository, until the fixed term of delivery? And we were able to do this: for we are most powerful. On that day, woe be unto those who accused the prophets of imposture Have we not made the earth to contain the living and the dead, and placed therein stable and lofty mountains, and given you fresh water to drink ? Woe be, on that day, unto those who accused the prophets of imposture! It shall be said unto them, Go ye to the punishment which ye denied as a falsehood: go ye into the shadow of the smoke of hell, which shall ascend in three columns, and shall not shade you from the heat, neither shall it be of service against the flame; but it shall cast forth sparks as big as towers, resembling yellow camels in colour.'† Woe be, on that day,

Woe be, on that day, unto them
Have we not created you of a

'Some understand the whole passage of the verses of the Korân, which continued to be sent down, parcel after parcel, during the space of several years, and which rescind (for so the verb ásafa may also be translated) and abolish all former dispensations, divulging and making known the ways of salvation, distinguishing truth from falsehood, and communicat ing admonition. &c. Some interpret the first three verses of the winds sent in a continual succession, blowing with a violent gust, and dispersing rain over the earth: and others give different explications.

*

viz. The day of judgment.

By the messengers which follow each other, by the frightful tempests, by the winds which bring fruitfulness, by the verses of the Korân, by the angels who bear warnings, the punishments which are announced to you will come."-Savary.

} Being of a fiery colour. Others, however, suppose these sparks will be of a dusky hue, like that of black camels, which always inclines a little to the yellow; the word translated yellow signifying sometimes black. Some copies, by the variation of a vowel, have cables instead of camels.

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Go ye under the trees which have only three branches to cover you. That shade shall bring unto you no coolness, neither shall it afford unto you a refuge from the flames. They shall dart up on all sides in pyramids lofty as the roofs of palaces. Their colour shall be like unto that of red camels"-Savary.

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