CHAPTER LXXXVII.

INTITLED, THE MOST HIGH; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

PRAISE the name of thy LORD, the most high; who hath created, and completely formed his creatures: and who determineth them to various ends, and directeth them to attain the same; and who produceth the pasture for cattle, and afterwards rendereth the same dry stubble of a dusky hue. We will enable thee to rehearse our revelations; and thou shalt not forget any part thereof, except what GOD shall please; for he knoweth that which is manifest, and that which is hidden. And we will facilitate unto thee the most easy way. Wherefore admonish thy people, if thy admonition shall be profitable unto them. Whoso feareth God, he will be admonished but the most wretched unbeliever will turn away therefrom; who shall be cast to be broiled in the greater fire of hell, wherein he shall not die, neither shall he live. Now hath he attained felicity, who is purified by faith, and who remembereth the name of his LORD, and prayeth. But ye prefer this present life: yet the life to come is better, and more durable. Verily this is written in the ancient books,

the books of Abraham and Moses.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

INTITLED, THE OVERWHELMING; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

HATH the news of the overwhelming day of judgment reached thee? The countenances of some, on that day, shall be cast down; laboring and toiling: they shall be cast into scorching fire to be broiled: they shall be given to drink of a

boiling fountain: they shall have no food, but of dry thorns and thistles: which shall not fatten, neither shall they satisfy hunger. But the countenances of others, on that day, shall be joyful; well pleased with their past endeavor: they shall be placed in a lofty garden, wherein thou shalt hear no vain discourse therein shall be a running fountain; therein shall be raised beds, and goblets placed before them, and cushions laid in order, and carpets ready spread. Do they not consider the camels, how they are created; and the heaven, how it is raised; and the mountains, how they are fixed; and the earth, how it is extended? Wherefore warn thy people; for thou art a warner only: thou art not impowered to act with authority over them. But whoever shall turn back, and disbelieve, GOD shall punish him with the greater punishment of the life to come. Verily unto us shall they return: then shall it be our part to bring them to account.

CHAPTER LXXXIX.

INTITLED, THE DAYBREAK; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCiful god.

By the daybreak, and ten nights; by that which is double, and that which is single; and by the night when it cometh on: is there not in this an oath formed with understanding? Hast thou not considered how thy LORD dealt with Ad, the people of Irem, adorned with lofty buildings, the like whereof hath not been erected in the land; and with Thamud, who hewed the rocks in the valley into houses; and with Pharaoh, the contriver of the stakes: who had behaved insolently in the earth, and multiplied corruption therein? Wherefore thy LORD poured on them various kinds of chastisement: for thy LORD is surely in a watch-tower, whence he observeth the actions of men. Moreover man, when his LORD trieth him by prosperity, and honoreth him, and is bounteous unto him, saith, My LORD honoreth me; but when he proveth him by afflictions, and withholdeth his provisions from him, he

saith, My LORD despiseth me. By no means: but ye honor not the orphan, neither do ye excite one another to feed the poor; and ye devour the inheritance of the weak, with undistinguishing greediness, and ye love riches with much affection. By no means should ye do thus. When the earth shall be minutely ground to dust; and thy LORD shall come, and the angels rank by rank; and hell, on that day, shall be brought nigh: on that day shall man call to remembrance his evil deeds; but how shall remembrance avail him? He shall say, Would to GOD that I had heretofore done good works in my lifetime! On that day none shall punish with his punishment; nor shall any bind with his bonds. O thou soul which art at rest, return unto thy LORD, well pleased with thy reward, and well pleasing unto God: enter among my servants; and enter my paradise.

CHAPTER XC.

INTITLED, THE TERRITORY; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

I SWEAR by this territory, (and thou, O prophet, residest in this territory,) and by the begetter, and that which he hath begotten; verily we have created man in misery. Doth he think that none shall prevail over him? He saith, I have wasted plenty of riches. Doth he think that none seeth him? Have we not made him two eyes, and a tongue, and two lips; and shown him the two highways of good and evil? Yet he attempteth not the cliff. What shall make thee to understand what the cliff is? It is to free the captive; or to feed, in the day of famine, the orphan who is of kin, or the poor man who lieth on the ground. Whoso doth this, and is one of those who believe, and recommend perseverance unto each other, and recommend mercy unto each other; these shall be the companions of the right hand. But they who shall disbelieve our signs shall be the companions of the left hand: above them shall be arched fire.

CHAPTER XCI.

INTITLED, THE SUN; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

By the Sun, and its rising brightness; by the moon, when she followeth him; by the day, when it showeth his splendor; by the night, when it covereth him with darkness; by the heaven, and him who built it; by the earth, and him who spread it forth; by the soul, and him who completely formed it, and inspired into the same its faculty of distinguishing, and power of choosing, wickedness and piety: now is he who hath purified the same, happy; but he who hath corrupted the same, is miserable. Thamud accused their prophet Saleh of imposture, through the excess of their wickedness: when the wretch among them was sent to slay the camel; and the apostle of GOD said unto them, Let alone the camel of GOD; and hinder not her drinking. But they charged him with imposture; and they slew her. Wherefore their LORD destroyed them, for their crime, and made their punishment equal unto them all and he feareth not the issue thereof.

CHAPTER XCII.

INTITLED, THE NIGHT; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

By the night, when it covereth all things with darkness; by the day, when it shineth forth; by his who hath created the male, and the female: verily your endeavor is different. Now whoso is obedient, and feareth God, and professeth the truth of that faith which is most excellent; unto him will we facilitate the way to happiness: but whoso shall be covetous, and shall be wholly taken up with this world, and shall deny

the truth of that which is most excellent; unto him will we facilitate the way to misery; and his riches shall not profit him, when he shall fall headlong into hell. Verily unto us appertaineth the direction of mankind: and ours is the life to come, and the present life. Wherefore I threaten you with fire which burneth fiercely, which none shall enter to be burned except the most wretched; who shall have disbelieved, and turned back. But he who strictly bewareth idolatry and rebellion shall be removed far from the same; who giveth his substance in alms, and by whom no benefit is bestowed on any, that it may be recompensed, but who bestoweth the same for the sake of his LORD, the most High, and hereafter he shall be well satisfied with his reward.

CHAPTER XCIII.

INTITLED, THE BRIGHTNESS; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

By the brightness of the morning; and by the night, when it groweth dark: thy LORD hath not forsaken thee, neither doth he hate thee. Verily the life to come shall be better for thee than this present life: and thy LORD shall give thee a reward wherewith thou shalt be well pleased. Did he not find thee an orphan, and hath he not taken care of thee? And did he not find thee wandering in error, and hath he not guided thee into the truth? And did he not find thee needy, and hath he not enriched thee? Wherefore oppress not the orphan neither repulse the beggar: but declare the goodness of thy Lord.