so much of the Koran as may be easy unto you. He knoweth that there will be some infirm among you; and others travel through the earth, that they may obtain a competency of the bounty of GOD: and others fight in the defence of God's faith. Read, therefore, so much of the same as may be easy. And observe the stated times of prayer, and pay the legal alms: and lend unto GOD an acceptable loan; for whatever good ye send before your souls, ye shall find the same with GOD. This will be better, and will merit a greater reward. And ask GOD forgiveness; for GOD is ready to forgive, and merciful. ·

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CHAPTER LXXIV

INTITLED, THE COVERED; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

O THOU Covered, arise and preach, and magnify thy LORD. And cleanse thy garments and fly every abomination: and be not liberal in hopes to receive more in return: and patiently wait for thy LORD. When the trumpet shall sound, verily that day shall be a day of distress and uneasiness unto the unbelievers. Let me alone with him whom I have created, on whom I have bestowed abundant riches, and children dwelling in his presence, and for whom I have disposed affairs in a smooth and easy manner, and who desireth that I will yet add other blessings unto him. By no means: because he is an adversary to our signs. I will afflict him with grievous calamities: for he hath devised and prepared contumelious expressions to ridicule the Koran. May he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! And again, may he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! Then he looked, and frowned, and put on an austere countenance then he turned back, and was elated with pride; and he said, This is no other than a piece of magic, borrowed from others: these are only the words of a man. I will cast him to be burned in hell. And what shall make thee to underIt leaveth not anything unconsumed,

stand what hell is?

neither doth it suffer anything to 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 Koran, 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, unless GOD shall please. He is worthy to be feared; and he is inclined to forgiveness.

CHAPTER LXXV.

INTITLED, THE RESURRECTION; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

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 Koran 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 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 to quicken the dead?

see.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

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 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 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, a fountain in paradise named Salsabil: and youths, which shall continue forever 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 endeavor is gratefully accepted. Verily we have sent down unto thee the Koran, 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.

CHAPTER LXXVII.

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 continual series; and those which move swiftly, with a