Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

unto the children of Israel; (24) and we appointed teachers from among them, who should direct the people at our command, when they had persevered with patience, and had firmly believed in our signs. (25) Verily thy LORD will judge between them on the day of resurrection concerning that wherein they have disagreed. (26) Is it not known unto them how many generations we have destroyed before them, through whose dwellings they walk? Verily herein are signs: will they not therefore hearken? (27) Do they not see that we drive rain unto a land bare of grass and parched up, and thereby produce corn, of which their cattle eat, and themselves also? Will they not therefore regard? (28) The infidels say to the true believers, When will this decision be made between us, if ye speak truth? (29) Answer, On the day of that decision, the faith of those who shall have disbelieved - shall not avail them; neither shall they be respited any longer. (30) Wherefore avoid them and expect the issue: verily they expect to obtain some advantage over thee.

first instance of the kind. Others think the words should be translated thus: Be thou not in doubt as to thy meeting of that prophet;' supposing that the interview between Moses and Muhammad in the sixth heaven, when the latter took his night journey thither, is here intended (Prelim. Disc., p. 80).”—Sale.

Noëldeke understands the word translated here revelation, but which should be translated meeting, as in Sale's note, to have the same meaning as it has in ver. 10. He, however, is probably mistaken in supposing the clause does not belong here; for, understood as a parenthesis, the clause would refer to the doctrine of the resurrection taught in ver. 10 and understood in all that intervenes between that verse and the one under consideration, the meaning being that this doctrine is confirmed by the book of Moses.

(26) Through whose dwellings they walk. "The Makkans frequently passing by the place where the Adites, Thamúdites, Midianites, Sodomites, &c., once dwelt."-Sale.

(28) This decision. "That is, on the day of judgment; though some suppose the day here intended to be that of the victory at Badr, or else that of the taking of Makkah, when several of those who had been proscribed were put to death without remission (Prelim. Disc., p. 92)."-Sale.

(30) Avoid them, and expect the issue; i.e., await God's judgment on the infidels, as they expect your downfall.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

ENTITLED SURAT UL AHZÁB (THE CONFEDERATES).

Revealed at Madína.

INTRODUCTION.

THIS chapter takes its name from the confederated tribes, which, at the instigation of the exiled Bani Nadhír, attacked Madína, and were repulsed at the memorable battle of the Ditch.

A portion of the chapter deals with the conduct of the disaffected inhabitants of Madina at the time of the siege, and the subsequent destruction of the Bani Qainuqáa. The principal interest of the chapter surrounds those passages relating to Muhammad's marriage with the divorced wife of his adopted son, Zaid Ibn Hárith. The question of the character of these revelations is discussed in the notes. Suffice it to say here, that in all the range of the Quran there is no chapter affording such decisive evidence of Muhammad's imposture as this one does, and nowhere does the sensuality and carnal jealousy of the Arabian prophet receive such a clear exposure.

Probable Date of the Revelations.

According to Noëldeke, the passages relating to the battle of the Ditch, the conduct of the disaffected, and the destruction of the Qainuqáa (vers. 9-29), certainly belong to A.H. 5. Those referring to Muhammad's marriage with Zainab (vers. 1-5 and 35-40), and those which relate to the guests who stayed too long at Zainab's wedding (vers. 53-58), belong to about the same, though a somewhat later, date, yet to a time previous to the war with the Bani Mustaliq, as is evident from the part played by Zainab in the affair of Ayesha (see introduction to chap. xxiv.) To about the same date may be referred vers. 6-8; vers. 30-34 relating to a disagreement between Muhammad and his wives, probably due to the introduction of Zainab into the harem; and vers. 49–51, which give permission to Muhammad to

marry slaves, he having taken to himself Raihana after the defeat and slaughter of the Bani Qainuqáa. The remaining verses (41-48, 52, and 69-73), excepting vers. 52 and 59, perhaps belong to the same period as does the greater part of the chapter. Ver. 52, however, must be referred to a period later than A.H. 7, when Muhammad's harem was completed by his marriage with Maimúna (see Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. iv. p. 89). Ver. 59 also must be placed as late as A.H. 8, if not later, inasmuch as Muhammad's daughter, Umm Kulthúm, died at this time, leaving Fátima alone, who would be spoken of in the singular number, whereas here the plural is used. It therefore appears that, excepting these two verses, the whole chapter may be referred to the year A.H. 5.

Principal Subjects.

Muhammad to obey God rather than the unbelievers
Adopted sons not to be regarded as real sons by Muslims
Muhammad's wives the mothers of the faithful

The covenant of the prophets with God.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

God's favour to the Muslims at the Ditch

[ocr errors][merged small]

The disaffected people of Madína rebuked

None can flee from God's anger

The treachery of the hypocrites of Madína exposed
Muhammad an example to the faithful .

Patient endurance of the believers at the Ditch

The triumph at the Ditch attributed to God's favour
Reference to the slaughter of the Bani Qainuqáa
Muhammad's wives rebuked .

Muhammad's wives, if incontinent, to be doubly punished,

but if faithful, to be doubly rewarded

They are exhorted to modest behaviour and piety.
Blessings promised to faithful men and women
Revelations touching the Zainab scandal

The blessedness of true believers

Muhammad a witness and preacher of good tidings
The law of divorce modified.

[ocr errors]

Special privileges of Muhammad in respect to women
Muhammad limited in respect to wives.

Conduct to be observed by believers at the Prophet's house
God and the angels bless Muhammad, who should be treated

with respect by believers

[ocr errors]

12-15

. 16, 17

[ocr errors]

18-20

[ocr errors]

21

22-24

[ocr errors]

25

.

26,27

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

49-51

52

53-55

56

The curse of those who offend Muhammad or the Muslims
Command respecting the veiling of Muslim women
Threatened punishment of Madína hypocrites

57,58

59 60-62

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Believers exhorted to respectful treatment of their Prophet
The responsibilities of the faithful.

[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

|| (1) O Prophet, fear GOD, and obey not the unbelievers R 17 and the hypocrites: verily GOD is knowing and wise. (2) But follow that which is revealed unto thee from thy LORD; for GOD is well acquainted with that which ye do; (3) and put thy trust in GOD; for GOD is a sufficient protector. (4) GOD hath not given a man two hearts within him; neither hath he made your wives (some of whom ye divorce, regarding them thereafter as your mothers) your true mothers; nor hath he made your adopted sons your This is your saying in your mouths: but GOD

true sons.

(1) Obey not, &c. "It is related that Abu Sufián, Akramah Ibn Abi Jahl, and Abul A'war al Salamí, having an amicable interview with Muhammad, at which were present also Abdullah Ibn Ubbai, Muattib Ibn Kushair, and Jadd Ibn Qais, they proposed to the Prophet, that if he would leave off preaching against the worship of their gods, and acknowledge them to be mediators, they would give him and his Lord no further disturbance; upon which these words were revealed."-Sale, Baidhawi.

This story looks very like an invention of the commentators to explain the passage. A more probable interpretation is, that these words counsel the Prophet not to be guided by the opinions of infidels in the matter of Zainab, mentioned farther on.

(4) "This passage was revealed to abolish two customs among the old Arabs. The first was their manner of divorcing their wives when they had no mind to let them go out of the house or to marry again; and this the husband did by saying to the woman, 'Thou art henceforward to me as the back of my mother;' after which words pronounced he abstained from her bed, and regarded her in all respects as his mother, and she became related to all his kindred in the same degree as if she had been really so. The other custom was the holding their adopted sons to be as nearly related to them as their natural sons, so that the same impediments of marriage arose from that supposed relation in the prohibited degrees as it would have done in the case of a genuine son. The latter Muhaminad had a peculiar reason to abolish, viz., his marrying the divorced

speaketh the truth; and he directeth the right way. (5) Call such as are adopted the sons of their natural fathers: this will be more just in the sight of GOD. And if ye know not their fathers, let them be as your brethren in religion, and your companions: and it shall be no crime in you that ye err in this matter; but that shall be criminal which your hearts purposely design; for GOD is gracious and merciful. (6) The Prophet is nigher unto the true believers than their own souls; and his wives are

wife of his freedman Zaid, who was also his adopted son; of which more will be said by and by. By the declaration which introduces this passage, that God has not given a man two hearts, is meant that a man cannot have the same affection for supposed parents and adopted children as for those who are really so. They tell us the Arabs used to say of a prudent and acute person that he had two hearts; whence one Abu Mámir, or, as others write, Jamil Ibn Asad al Fihrí, was surnamed Dhul qalbain, or the man with two hearts.”— Sale, Baidhawi, Jaláluddín.

One would think this argument effective against polygamy.

(5) That ye err, i.e., if ye err in the manner of addressing adopted sons through ignorance or mistake.

(6) The Prophet is nigher, &c. "Commanding them nothing but what is for their interest and advantage, and being more solicitous for their present and future happiness even than themselves; for which reason he ought to be dear to them, and deserves their utmost love and respect. In some copies these words are added, And he is a father unto them;' every prophet being the spiritual father of his people, who are therefore brethren. It is said that this passage was revealed on some of Muhammad's followers telling him, when he summoned them to attend him in the expedition of Tabúq, that they would ask leave of their fathers and mothers."-Sale, Baidhawi.

The object of these words is the same as that of the next clause, viz., to prevent any one from marrying any of the Prophet's wives, which piece of legislation no doubt increased his influence over his wives not a little.

His wives are their mothers. "Though the spiritual relation between Muhammad and his people, declared in the preceding words, created no impediment to prevent his taking to wife such women among them as he thought fit; yet the commentators are of opinion that they are here forbidden to marry any of his wives."-Sale, Baidhawi.

Nothing could better illustrate the selfishness of Muhammad than this. The manifest purpose of this revelation was to prevent any of his wives ever marrying again. Let it not be forgotten that this is all represented as coming from God. We should like to see how the apologists would reconcile this, and a good deal more of the same

« PoprzedniaDalej »