he hath created you of dust; and behold, ye are become men, spread over the face of the earth. And of his signs another is, that he hath. created for you, out of yourselves, wives, that ye may cohabit with them; and hath put love and compassion between you: verily herein are signs unto people who consider. And of his signs are also the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variety of your languages, and of your complexions: verily herein are signs unto men of understanding. And of his signs are your sleeping by night and by day, and your seeking to provide for yourselves of his abundance: verily herein are signs unto people who hearken. Of his signs others are, that he showeth you the lightning, to strike terror, and to give hope of rain, and that he sendeth down water from heaven, and quickeneth thereby the earth, after it hath been dead: verily herein are signs unto people who understand. And of his signs this also is one, namely, that the heaven and the earth stand firm at his command: hereafter, when he shall call you out of the earth at one summons, behold, ye shall come forth. Unto him are subject whosoever are in the heavens and on earth: all are obedient unto him. It is he who originally produceth a creature, and afterwards restoreth the same to life: and this is most easy with him. He justly challengeth the most exalted comparison, in heaven and earth; and he is the mighty, the wise. He propoundeth unto you a comparison taken from yourselves. Have ye, among the slaves whom your right hands possess, any partner in the substance which we have bestowed on you, so that ye become equal sharers therein with them, or that ye fear them as ye fear one another? Thus do we distinctly explain our signs, unto people who understand. But those who act unjustly by attributing companions unto God, follow their own lusts, without knowledge: and who shall direct him whom God shall cause to err? They shall have none to help them. Wherefore be thou orthodox, and set thy face towards the true religion, the institution of God, to which he hath created mankind disposed: there is no change in what God hath created. This is the right religion; but the greater part of men know it not. And be ye turned unto him, and fear him, and be constant at prayer, and be not idolaters. Of those who have made a schism in their religion and are divided into various sects; every sect rejoice in their own opinion. When adversity befalleth men they call upon their Lord, turning unto him: afterwards, when he hath caused them to taste of his mercy, behold, a part of them associate other deities with their Lord; to show themselves ungrateful for the favours which we have bestowed on them. Enjoy therefore the vain pleasures of this life; but hereafter shall ye know the consequence. Have we sent down unto them any authority, which speaketh of the false gods which they associate with him? When we cause men to taste mercy, they rejoice therein; but if evil befalleth them, for that which their hands have before committed, behold, they despair. Do they not see that God bestoweth provision abundantly on whom he pleaseth, and is sparing

unto whom he pleaseth? Verily herein are signs unto people who believe. Give unto him who is of kin to thee his reasonable due; and also to the poor and the stranger: this is better for those who seek the face of God; and they shall prosper. Whatever ye shall give in usury, to be an increase of men's substance, shall not be increased by the blessing of God: but whatever ye shall give in alms, for God's sake, they shall receive a twofold reward. It is God who hath created you, and hath provided food for you: hereafter will he cause you to die; and after that will he raise you again to life. Is there any of your false gods, who is able to do the least of these things? Praise be unto him; and far be he removed from what they associate with him! Corruption hath appeared by land and by sea, for the crimes which men's hands have committed; that it might make them to taste a part of the fruits of that which they had wrought, that perad venture they might turn from their evil ways. Say, Go through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who have been before you: the greater part of them were idolaters. Set thy face therefore towards the right religion, before the day cometh, which none can put back from God. On that day shall they be separated into two companies: whoever shall have been an unbeliever, on him shall his unbelief be charged; and whoever shall have done that which is right, shall spread themselves couches of repose in paradise; that he may reward those who shall believe and work righteousness, of his abundant liberality; for he loveth not the unbelievers. Of his signs one is, that he sendeth the winds, bearing welcome tidings of rain, that he may cause you to taste of his mercy; and that ships may sail at his command, that ye may seek to enrich yourselves of his abundance by commerce; and that ye may give thanks. We sent apostles, before thee, unto their respective people, and they came unto them with evident proofs: and we took vengeance on those who did wickedly; and it was incumbent on us to assist the true believers. It is God who sendeth the winds, and raiseth the clouds, and spreadeth the same in the heaven, as he pleaseth; and afterwards disperseth the same: and thou mayest see the rain issuing from the midst thereof; and when he poureth the same down on such of his servants as he pleaseth, behold, they are filled with joy; although before it was sent down unto them, before such relief, they were despairing. Consider therefore the traces of God's mercy; how he quickeneth the earth, after its state of death: verily the same will raise the dead; for he is almighty. Yet if we should send a blasting wind, and they should see their corn yellow and burnt up, they would surely become ungrateful, after our former favours. Thou canst not make the dead to hear, neither canst thou make the deaf to hear thy call, when they retire and turn their backs; neither canst thou direct the blind out of their error: thou shalt make none to hear, except him who shall believe in our signs; for they are resigned unto us. It is God who created you in weakness, and after weakness hath given you strength;

and after strength, he will again reduce you to weakness, and grey hairs. he createth that which he pleaseth; and he is the wise, the powerful. On the day whereon the last hour shall come, the wicked will swear that they have not tarried above an hour: in like manner did they utter lies in their lifetime. But those on whom knowledge hath been bestowed, and faith, will say, Ye have tarried, according to the book of God, until the day of resurrection: for this is the day of resurrection; but ye knew it not. On that day their excuse. shall not avail those who have acted unjustly; neither shall they be invited any more to make themselves acceptable unto God. And now have we propounded unto men, in this Korân, parables of every kind: yet if thou bring them a verse thereof, the unbelievers will surely say, Ye are no other than publishers of vain falsehoods. Thus hath God sealed up the hearts of those who believe not. But do thou, O Mohammed, persevere with constancy, for the promise of God is true; and let not those induce thee to waver, who have no certain knowledge.

CHAPTER XXXI.

ENTITLED, LOKMAN; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

A. L. M. These are the signs of the wise book, a direction, and a mercy unto the righteous; who observe the appointed times of prayer, and give alms, and have firm assurance in the life to come: these are directed by their Lord, and they shall prosper. There is a man who purchaseth a ludicrous story, that he may seduce men from the way of God, without knowledge, and may laugh the same to scorn: these shall suffer a shameful punishment. And when our signs are rehearsed unto him, he disdainfuily turneth his back, as though he heard them not, as though there were a deafness in his ears: wherefore denounce unto him a grievous punishment. But they who shall believe and work righteousness, shall enjoy gardens of pleasure; they shall continue therein for ever: this is the certain promise of God; and he is the mighty, the wise. He hath created the heavens without visible pillars to sustain them, and hath thrown on the earth mountains firmly rooted, lest it should move with you; and he hath replenished the same with all kinds of beasts: and we send down rain from heaven, and cause every kind of noble vegetable to spring forth therein. This is the creation of God: show me now what they have created, who are worshipped besides him? verily the ungodly are in a manifest error. We heretofore bestowed wisdom on Lokmân, and commanded him, saying, Be thou thankful unto God: for whoever is thankful, shall be thankful to the advantage of his own soul; and if any shall be unthankful, verily God is self-sufficient, and worthy to be praised.

And remember when Lokmân said unto his son, as he admonished him, O my son, Give not a partner unto God; for polytheism is a great impiety. We have commanded man concerning his parents, (his mother carrieth him in her womb with weakness and faintness, and he is weaned in two years), saying, Be grateful unto me and to thy parents. Unto me shall all come to be judged. But if thy parents endeavour to prevail on thee to associate with me that concerning which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not: bear them company in this world in what shall be reasonable; but follow the way of him who sincerely turneth unto me. Hereafter unto me shall ye return, and then will I declare unto you that which ye have done. O my son, verily every matter, whether good or bad, though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring the same to light; for God is clearsighted and knowing. O my son, be constant at prayer, and command that which is just, and forbid that which is evil: and be patient under the afflictions which shall befall thee; for this is a duty absolutely incumbent on all men. Distort not thy face out of contempt to men, neither walk in the earth with insolence; for God loveth no arrogant, vainglorious person. And be moderate in thy pace: and lower thy voice; for the most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice of asses. Do you not see that God hath subjected whatever is in heaven and on earth to your service, and hath abundantly poured on you his favours, both outwardly and inwardly ? There are some men who dispute concerning God without knowledge, and without a direction, and without an enlightening book. And when it is said unto them, Follow that which God hath revealed; they answer, Nay, we will follow that which we found our fathers to practise. What, though the devil invite them to the torment of hell? Whoever resigneth himself unto God, being a worker of righteousness, taketh hold on a strong handle; and unto God belongeth the issue of all things. But whoever shall be an unbeliever, let not his unbelief grieve thec: unto us shall they return; then will we declare unto them that which they have done, for God knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts of men. We will suffer them to enjoy this world for a little while: afterwards we will drive them to a severe punishment. If thou ask them who hath created the heavens and the earth, they will surely answer, God. Say, God be praised! But the greater part of them do not understand. Unto God belongeth whatever is in heaven and earth: for God is the self-sufficient, the praiseworthy. If whatever trees are in the earth were pens, and he should after that swell the sea into seven seas of ink, the words of God would not be exhausted; for God is mighty and wise. Your creation and your resuscitation are but as the creation and resuscitation of one soul: verily God both heareth and seeth. Dost thou not see that God causeth the night to succeed the day, and causeth the day to succeed the night, and compelleth the sun and the moon to serve you? Each of those luminaries hasteneth in its course to a de

termined period: and God is well acquainted with that which ye do. This is declared concerning the divine knowledge and power, for that God is the true Being, and for that whatever ye invoke, besides him, is vanity; and for that God is the high, the great God. Dost thou not see that the ships run in the sea, through the favour of God, that he may show you of his signs? Verily herein are signs, unto every patient, grateful person. When waves cover them, like overshadowing clouds, they call upon God, exhibiting the pure religion unto him; but when he bringeth them safe to land, there is of them who halteth between the true faith and idolatry. Howbeit, none rejecteth our signs, except every perfidious, ungrateful person. O men, fear your Lord, and dread the day whereon a father shall not make satisfaction for his son, neither shall a son make satisfaction for his father at all: the promise of God is assuredly true. Let not this present life, therefore, deceive you; neither let the deceiver deceive you concerning God. Verily the knowledge of the hour of judgment is with God: and he causeth the rain to descend, at his own appointed time; and he knoweth what is in the wombs of females. No soul knoweth what it shall gain on the morrow; neither doth any soul know in what land it shall die: but God is knowing and fully acquainted with all things.

CHAPTER XXXII.

ENTITLED, ADORATION; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

A. L. M. The revelation of this book, there is no doubt thereof, is from the Lord of all creatures. Will they say, Mohammed hath forged it? Nay, it is the truth from thy Lord, that thou mayest preach to a people, unto whom no preacher hath come before thee; peradventure they will be directed. It is God who hath created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them, in six days; and then ascended his throne. Ye have no patron or intercessor besides him. Will ye not therefore consider? He governeth all things from heaven even to the earth: hereafter shall they return unto him, on the day whose length shall be a thousand years, of those which ye compute. This is he who knoweth the future and the present; the mighty, the merciful. It is he who hath made everything which he hath created exceeding good: and first created man of clay, and afterwards made his posterity of an extract of despicable water; and then formed him into proper shape, and breathed of his spirit into him; and hath given you the senses of hearing and seeing, and hearts to understand. How small thanks do ye return! And they say, When we shall lie hidden in the earth, shall we be raised thence a new creature? Yea, they deny the meeting of their Lord at the resurrection. Say, The angel of death, who is set over you, shall