shall be answered, Return back into the world, and seek light. And a high wall shall be set betwixt them, wherein shall be a gate, within which shall be mercy; and without it, over against the same, the torment of hell. The hypocrites shall call out unto the true believers, saying, Were we not with you? They shall answer, Yea; but ye seduced your own souls by your hypocrisy: and ye waited our ruin; and ye doubted concerning the faith; and your wishes deceived you, until the decree of God came, and ye died; and the deceiver deceived you concerning God. This day, therefore, a ransom shall not be accepted of you, nor of those who have been unbelievers. Your abode shall be hell fire: this is what ye have deserved; and an unhappy journey shall it be thither! Is not the time yet come unto those who believe, that their hearts should humbly submit to the admonition of God, and to that truth which hath been revealed; and that they be not as those unto whom the scripture was given heretofore, and to whom the time of forbearance was prolonged, but their hearts were hardened, and many of them were wicked doers? Know that God quickeneth the earth, after it hath been dead. Now have we distinctly declared our sigus unto you, that ye may understand. Verily as to the almsgivers, both men and women, and those who lend unto God an acceptable loan, he will double the same unto them; and they shall moreover receive an honourable reward. And they who believe in God and his apostles, these are the men of veracity, and the witnesses in the presence of their Lord: they shall have their reward and their light. But as to those who believe not, and accuse our signs of falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. Know that this present life is only a toy and a vain amusement: and worldly pomp, and the affectation of glory among you, and the multiplying of riches and children, are as the plants nourished by the rain, the springing up whereof delighteth the husbandman; afterwards they wither, so that thou seest the same turn yellow, and at length they become dry stubble. And in the life to come will be a severe punishment for those who covet worldly grandeur; and pardon from God, and favour for those who renounce it: for this present life is no other than a deceitful provision. Hasten with emulation to obtain pardon from your Lord, and paradise, the extent whereof equalleth the extent of heaven and earth, prepared for those who believe in God and his apostles. This is the bounty of God; he will give the same unto whom he pleas eth; and God is endued with great bounty. No accident happeneth in the earth, nor in your persons, but the same was entered in the book of our decrees, before we created it: verily this is easy with God: and this is written lest ye immoderately grieve for the good which escapeth you, or rejoice for that which happeneth unto you; for God loveth no proud or vain-glorious person, or those who are covetous, and command men covetousness. And whoso turneth aside from giving alms; verily God is self-sufficient, worthy to be praised. We formerly sent our apostles with evident miracles and

arguments; and we sent down with them the scriptures and the balance, that men might observe justice; and we sent down iron, wherein is mighty strength for war, and various advantages unto mankind: that God may know who assisteth him and his apostles in secret; for God is strong and mighty. We formerly sent Noah and Abraham, and we established in their posterity the gift of prophecy, and the scripture: and of them some were directed, but many of them were evil-doers. Afterwards we caused our apostles to succeed in their footsteps; and we caused Jesus the son of Mary to succeed them, and we gave him the gospel: and we put in the hearts of those who followed him, compassion and mercy but as to the monastic state, they instituted the same (we did not prescribe it to them) only out of a desire to please God; yet they observed not the same as it ought truly to be observed. And we gave unto such of them as believed, their reward: but many of them were wicked doers. O ye who believe in the former prophets, fear God, and believe in his apostle Mohammed: he will give you two portions of his mercy, and he will ordain you a light wherein ye may walk, and he will forgive you, for God is ready to forgive and merciful: that those who have received the scriptures may know that they have not power over any of the favours of God, and that good is in the hand of God; he bestoweth the same on whom he pleaseth, for God is endued with great benefi

cence.

CHAPTER LVIII.

ENTITLED, SHE WHO DISPUTED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

(XXVIII.) Now hath God heard the speech of her who disputed with thee concerning her husband, and made her complaint unto God; and God hath heard your mutual discourse; for God both heareth and seeth. As to those among you who divorce their wives by declaring that they will thereafter regard them as their mothers; let them know that they are not their mothers. They only are their mothers who brought them forth; and they certainly utter an unjustifiable saying, and a falsehood: but God is gracious and ready to forgive Those who divorce their wives by declaring that they will for the future regard them as their mothers, and afterwards would repair what they have said, shall be obliged to free a captive, before they touch one another. This is what ye are warned to perform and God is well apprised of that which ye do. And whoso findeth not a captive to redeem, shall observe a fast of two consecutive months, before they touch one another. whoso shall not be able to fast that time, shall feed threesco poor men. This is ordained you, that ye may believe in Go

A

and his apostle. These are the statutes of God: and for the unbelievers is prepared a grievous torment. Verily those who oppose God and his apostle, shall be brought low, as the unbelievers who preceded them were brought low. And now have we sent down manifest signs and an ignominious punishment åwaiteth the unbelievers. On a certain day God shall raise them all to life, and shall declare unto them that which they have wrought. God hath taken an exact account thereof; but they have forgotten the same: and God is witness over all things. Dost thou not perceive that God knoweth whatever is in heaven and in earth? There is no private discourse among three persons, but he is the fourth of them; nor among five, but he is the sixth of them; neither among a smaller number than this, nor a larger, but he is with them, wheresoever they be: and he will declare unto them that which they have done, on the day of resurrection; for God knoweth all things. Hast thou not observed those who have been forbidden to use clandestine discourse, but afterwards return to what they have been forbidden, and discourse privily among themselves of wickedness, and enmity, and disobedience towards the apostle? And when they come unto thee, they salute thee with that form of salutation wherewith God doth not salute thee: and they say among themselves, by way of derision,' Would not God punish us for what we say, if this man were a proph et? Hell shall be their sufficient punishment: they shall go down into the same to be burned; and an unhappy journey shall it be! O true believers, when ye discourse privily together, discourse not of wickedness, and enmity, and disobedience towards the apostle; but discourse of justice and piety: and fear God, before whom ye shall be assembled. Verily the clandestine discourse of the infidels proceedeth from Satan, that he may grieve the true believers: but there shall be none to hurt them in the least, unless by the permission of God; wherefore in God let the faithful trust. O true believers, when it is said unto you, Make room in the assembly; make room: God will grant you ample room in paradise. And when it is said unto you, Rise up; rise up: God will raise those of you who believe, and those to whom knowledge is given, to superior degrees of honour: and God is fully apprised of that which ye do. O true believers, when ye go to speak with the apostle, give alms previously to your discoursing with him: this will be better for you and more pure. But if ye find not what to give, verily God will be gracious and merciful unto you. Do ye fear to give alms previously to your discoursing with the prophet, lest ye should impoverish yourselves? Therefore if ye do it not, and God is gracious unto you, by dispensing with the said precept for the future, be constant at prayer, and pay the legal alms; and obey God and his apostle in all other matters: for God well knoweth that which ye do. Hast thou not observed those who have taken for their friends a people against whom God is incensed? They are neither of you nor of them: and they swear to a

lie knowingly. God hath prepared for them a grievous punishment; for it is evil which they do. They have taken their oaths for a cloak, and they have turned men aside from the way of God: wherefore a shameful punishment awaiteth them; neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them at all against God. These shall be the inhabitants of hell fire; they shall abide therein for ever. On a certain day God shall raise them all: then will they swear unto him, as they swear now unto you, imagining that it will be of service to them. Are they not liars? Satan hath prevailed against them, and hath caused them to forget the remembrance of God. These are the party of the devil; and shall not the party of the devil be doomed to perdition? Verily they who oppose God and his apostle, shall be placed among the most vile. God hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for God is strong and mighty. Thou shalt not find people who believe in God and the last day, to love him who opposetli God and his apostle; although they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brethren, or their nearest relations. In the hearts of these hath God written faith; and he hath strengthened them with his spirit: and he will lead them into gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to remain therein for ever. God is well pleased in them, and they are well pleased in him. These are the party of God: and shall not the party of God prosper?

CHAPTER LIX.

ENTITLED, THE EMIGRATION; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

WHATEVER is in heaven and earth celebrateth the praise of God: and he is the mighty, the wise. It was he who caused those who believed not, of the people who receive the scripture, to depart from their habitations at the first emigration. Ye did not think that they would go forth: and they thought that their fortresses would protect them against God. But the chastisement of God came upon them, from whence they did not expect; and he cast terror into their hearts. They pulled down their houses with their own hands, and the hands of the true believers. Wherefore take example from them, O ye who have eyes. And if God had not doomed them to banishment, he had surely punished them in this world; and in the world to come they shall suffer the torment of hell fire. This because they opposed God and his apostle: and whoso opposeth God, verily God will be severe in punishing him. What palm-trees ye cut down, or left standing on their roots, were so cut down or left by the will of God; and that he might disgrace the wicked doers. And as to the spoils of these people which God hath granted wholly to his apostle, ye did not push forward any horses or camels against the same; but God giveth unto

his apostles dominion over whom he pleaseth: for God is almighty. The spoils of the inhabitants of the towns which God hath granted to his apostle, are due unto God and to the apostle, and him who is of kin to the apostle, and the orphans, and the poor, and the traveller; that they may not be for ever divided in a circle among such of you as are rich. What the apostle shall give you, that accept; and what he shall forbid you, that abstain from: and fear God; for God is severe in chastising. A part also belongeth to the poor Mohâjerîn, who have been dispossessed of their houses and their substance, secking favour from God, and his goodwill, and assisting God and his apostle. These are the men of veracity. And they who quietly possessed the town of Medina, and professed the faith without molestation, before them, love him who hath fled unto them, and find in their breasts no want of that which is given the Mohâjerîn, but prefer them before themselves, although there be indigence among them. And whoso is preserved from the covetousness of his own soul, those shall surely prosper. And they who have come after them say, O Lord, forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in the faith, and put not into our hearts ill-will against those who have believed: O Lord, verily thou art compassionate and merciful. Hast thou not observed them who play the hypocrites? They say unto their brethren who believe not, of those who have received the scriptures, Verily if ye be expelled your habitations, we will surely go forth with you; and we will not pay obedience, in your respect, unto any one for ever: and if ye be attacked, we will certainly assist you. But God is witness that they are liars. Verily if they be expelled, they will not go forth with them; and if they be attacked, they will not assist them; and if they do not assist them, they will surely turn their backs: and they shall not be protected. Verily ye are stronger than they, by reason of the terror cast into their breasts from God. This, because they are not people of prudence. They will not fight against you in a body, except in fenced towns, or from behind walls. Their strength in war among themselves is great; thou thinkest them to be. united; but their hearts are divided. This, because they are people who do not understand. Like those who lately preceded them, they have tasted the evil consequence of their deed; and a painful torment is prepared for them hereafter. Thus have the hypocrites deceived the Jews; like the devil, when he saith unto a man, Be thou an infidel; and when he is become an infidel, he saith, Verily I am clear of thee; for I fear God, the Lord of all creatures. Wherefore the end of them both shall be that they shall dwell in hell fire, abiding therein for ever; and this shall be the recompense of the unjust. Ο true believers, fear God; and let a soul look what it sendeth before for the morrow; and fear God, for God is well acquainted with that which ye do. And be not as those who have forgotten God, and whom he hath caused to forget their own souls: these are the wicked doers. The inhabitants of hell fire and the inhabitants of paradise