Part 27
How many animals are there which provide not15 their own food! God feedeth them and you. He Heareth, Knoweth all things.
If thou ask them who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, and hath imposed laws on the sun and on the moon, they will certainly say, "God." How then can they devise lies?
God lavisheth supplies on such of his servants as He pleaseth or giveth to them by measure. God knoweth all things.
If thou ask them who sendeth rain from heaven, and by it quickeneth the earth, after it hath been dead, they will certainly answer, "God." SAY: Praise be to God! Yet most of them do not understand.
This present life is no other than a pastime and a disport: but truly the future mansion is life indeed! Would that they knew this!
Lo! when they embark on shipboard, they call upon God, vowing him sincere worship, but when He bringeth them safe to land, behold they join partners with Him.
In our revelation they believe not, yet take their fill of good things. But in the end they shall know their folly.
Do they not see that we have established a safe precinct16 while all around them men are being spoiled? Will they then believe in vain idols, and not own the goodness of God?
But who acteth more wrongly than he who deviseth a lie against God, or calls the truth when it hath come to him, a lie? Is there not an abode for the infidels in Hell?
And whoso maketh efforts for us, in our ways will we guide them: for God is assuredly with those who do righteous deeds.
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1 See Sura lxviii. p. 32. The first ten verses of this Sura were revealed at Medina, after the battles of Bedr and Ohod. Nöld. p. 115.
2 Deities for whose worship thou canst shew no authority. Comp. Tr. Jebhamoth, fol. 6. If a father saith to his son, "Defile thyself," or saith, "Make not restitution," shall he obey him? It is said (Lev. xix. 3), Let every man reverence his father and mother, but keep my Sabbaths all of you: ye are all bound to honour me. Thus also Midr. Jalkut, 604. Comp. next Sura, v. 13.
3 The word SAY-the usual address of God or Gabriel to Muhammad-must either be considered as spoken by God to Abraham, in which case we have a curious instance of the manner in which Muhammad identifies himself with Abraham, and makes Abraham speak in words which he constantly elsewhere uses himself; or, with Wahl, we must suppose that from v. 17 to v. 22 are misplaced.
4 Comp. Ps. cxxxix. 7.
5 Lit. for love among yourselves, or as an object of love, i.e. devout worship.
6 Thus Sura [lxv.] xxi. 71. The Midr. Rabbah on Gen. Par. 18, says that Haran, the father of Lot, was brought by Abraham's deliverance from the furnace to the adoption of his doctrines. Muhammad may have transferred this idea to Lot.
7 The following passages deserve to be compared, as shewing the loose way in which Muhammad could speak of the relationship subsisting between Abraham and the other Patriarchs. See 38 below. Sura [xci.] ii. 127; [lxxxix.] vi. 84; [lviii.] xix. 50; [lxv.] xxi. 72; [lxxvii.] xii. 6. It is a curious coincidence that in the Sonna 398, 400, Joseph is said to be the Grandson, and Jacob the Son, of Abraham.
8 Lit. was straitened in regard to them.
9 See [lxxv.] xi. 83.
10 So as to fly from our vengeance.
11 Lit. in truth.
12 With the Jews. This passage is quoted by modern Muslims in justification of their indifference with respect to the propagation of their religion. "The number of the faithful," said one of them to Mr. Lane, "is decreed by God, and no act of man can increase or diminish it." Mod. Egypt. i. p. 364. Nöldeke supposes this verse to have been revealed at Medina, and renders, Contend not except in the best way, i.e. not by words but by force.
13 Idols.
14 That is, you may find places of refuge where you may worship the true God in some other parts of the earth, if driven forth from your native city. This verse is very indicative of a late Meccan origin. Flight from Mecca must have been imminent when Muhammad could thus write.
15 Lit. carry not. Comp. Matth. vi. 26; Luke xii. 24.
16 At Mecca.
SURA XXXI.-LOKMAN1 [LXXXII.]
MECCA.-34 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ELIF. LAM. MIM.2 These are the verses (signs) of the wise Book,
A guidance and a mercy to the righteous,
Who observe prayer, and pay the impost,3 and believe firmly in the life to come:-
These rest on guidance from their Lord, and with these it shall be well.
But a man there is4 who buyeth an idle tale, that in his lack of knowledge he may mislead others from the way of God, and turn it to scorn. For such is prepared a shameful punishment!
And when our signs are rehearsed to him, he turneth away disdainfully, as though he heard them not,-as though his ears were heavy with deafness. Announce to him therefore tidings of an afflictive punishment!
But they who shall have believed and wrought good works, shall enjoy the gardens of delight:
For ever shall they dwell therein: it is God's true promise! and He is the Mighty, the Wise.
Without pillars that can be seen hath He created the heavens, and on the earth hath thrown mountains lest it should move with you;5 and He hath scattered over it animals of every sort: and from the Heaven we send down rain and cause every kind of noble plant to grow up therein.
This is the creation of God: Shew me now what others than He have created. Ah! the ungodly are in a manifest delusion.
Of old we bestowed wisdom upon LOKMAN, and taught him thus-"Be thankful to God: for whoever is thankful, is thankful to his own behoof; and if any shall be thankless . . . God truly is self-sufficient, worthy of all praise!"
And bear in mind when Lokman said to his son by way of warning, "O my son! join not other gods with God, for the joining gods with God is the great impiety."
(We have commanded6 man concerning his parents. His mother carrieth him with weakness upon weakness; nor until after two years is he weaned.7 Be grateful to me, and to thy parents. Unto me shall all come.
But if they importune thee to join that with Me of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not: comport thyself towards them in this world as is meet and right; but follow the way of him who turneth unto me. Unto me shall ye return at last, and then will I tell you of your doings;)
"O my son! verily God will bring everything to light, though it were but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and hidden in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth; for, God is subtile, informed of all.
O my son! observe prayer, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and be patient under whatever shall betide thee: for this is a bounden duty.
And distort not thy face at men; nor walk thou loftily on the earth; for God loveth no arrogant vain-glorious one.
But let thy pace be middling; and lower thy voice: for the least pleasing of voices is surely the voice of asses."
See ye not how that God hath put under you all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and hath been bounteous to you of his favours, both for soul and body.8 But some are there who dispute of God without knowledge, and have no guidance and no illuminating Book:
And when it is said to them, Follow ye what God hath sent down, they say, "Nay; that religion in which we found our fathers will we follow." What! though Satan bid them to the torment of the flame?
But whoso setteth his face toward God with self-surrender, and is a doer of that which is good, hath laid hold on a sure handle; for unto God is the issue of all things.
But let not the unbelief of the unbelieving grieve thee: unto us shall they return: then will we tell them of their doings; for God knoweth the very secrets of the breast.
Yet a little while will we provide for them: afterwards will we force them to a stern punishment.
If thou ask them who hath created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly reply, "God." SAY: God be praised! But most of them have no knowledge.
God's, whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth! for God, He is the Rich,9 the Praiseworthy.
If all the trees that are upon the earth were to become pens, and if God should after that swell the sea into seven seas of ink, His words would not be exhausted: for God is Mighty, Wise.10
Your creation and your quickening hereafter, are but as those of a single individual. Verily, God Heareth, Seeth!
Seest thou not that God causeth the night to come in upon the day, and the day to come in upon the night? and that he hath subjected the sun and the moon to laws by which each speedeth along to an appointed goal? and that God therefore is acquainted with that which ye do?
This, for that God is the truth; and that whatever ye call upon beside Him is a vain thing; and that God-He is the High, the Great.
Seest thou not how the ships speed on in the sea, through the favour of God, that he may shew you of his signs? for herein are signs to all patient, grateful ones.
When the waves cover them like dark shadows they call upon God as with sincere religion; but when He safely landeth them, some of them there are who halt between two opinions.11 Yet none reject our signs but all deceitful, ungrateful ones.
O men! fear ye your Lord, and dread the day whereon father shall not atone for son, neither shall a son in the least atone for his father.
Aye! the promise of God is a truth. Let not this present life then deceive you; neither let the deceiver deceive you concerning God.
Aye! God!-with Him is the knowledge of the Hour: and He sendeth down the rain-and He knoweth what is in the wombs-but no soul knoweth what it shall have gotten on the morrow: neither knoweth any soul in what land it shall die. But God is knowing, informed of all.
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1 Nothing certain is known concerning the history of this fabulist and philosopher. The opinion most generally received is that Lokman is the same person whom the Greeks, not knowing his real name, have called Æsop, i.e., Æthiops. This Sura shews the high degree of respect entertained for Lokman in Arabia at the time of Muhammad, who doubtless aimed to promote the interests of his new religion by connecting the Koran with so celebrated a name.
2 See Sura lxviii. 1, p. 32.
3 Beidh. and Itq. suppose this verse to have been revealed at Medina, on account of the precept to pay the impost, required by Muhammad of his followers as a religious duty, and different from the alms. The former is usually coupled with the duty of observing prayer. Mar. renders, sacrum censum in marg.
4 Nodhar Ibn El Hareth, who had purchased in Persia the romance of Roustem and Isfendiar, two of the most famous heroes of that land, which he recited to the Koreisch as superior to the Koran.
5 Comp. Ps. civ. 5.
6 This verse and the verse following would seem more naturally to follow verse 18, where Wahl has placed them. See preceding Sura, v. 7.
7 Comp. Talm. Kethuboth, 60, 1, "A woman is to suckle her child two years." Comp. Jos. Ant. ii. 9, 6.
8 Or, the seen and unseen, lit., outwardly and inwardly.
9 Or as rendered in verse 11, "the self-sufficient."
10 Wah. Omar ben Muhammad, Zam. and Beidh. suppose this and the three following verses to have been revealed at Medina, in answer to the Jews, who had affirmed that all knowledge was contained in their own Law. But the accuracy of this supposition is very doubtful, if considered with regard to the preceding and following context.
11 Between idolatry and Islam.
SURA XLII.-COUNSEL [LXXXIII.]
MECCA.-53 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
HA. MIM. AIN. SIN. KAF.1 Thus unto thee as unto those who preceded thee doth God, the Mighty, the Wise, reveal!
All that is in the Heavens and all that is in the Earth is His: and He is the High, the Great!
Ready are the Heavens to cleave asunder from above for very awe: and the angels celebrate the praise of their Lord, and ask forgiveness for the dwellers on earth: Is not God the Indulgent, the Merciful?
But whose take aught beside Him as lords-God watcheth them! but thou hast them not in thy charge.
It is thus moreover that we have revealed to thee an Arabic Koran, that thou mayest warn the mother city2 and all around it, and that thou mayest warn them of that day of the Gathering, of which there is no doubt-when part shall be in Paradise and part in the flame.
Had God so pleased, He had made them one people and of one creed: but He bringeth whom He will within His mercy; and as for the doers of evil, no patron, no helper shall there be for them.
Will they take other patrons than Him? But God is man's only Lord: He quickeneth the dead; and He is mighty over all things.
And whatever the subject of your disputes, with God doth its decision rest. This is God, my Lord: in Him do I put my trust, and to Him do I turn in penitence;
Creator of the Heavens and of the Earth! he hath given you wives from among your own selves, and cattle male and female-by this means to multiply you: Nought is there like Him! the Hearer, the Beholder He!
His, the keys of the Heavens and of the Earth! He giveth with open hand, or sparingly, to whom He will: He knoweth all things.
To you hath He prescribed the faith which He commanded unto Noah, and which we have revealed to thee, and which we commanded unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying, "Observe this faith, and be not divided into sects therein." Intolerable to those who worship idols jointly with God
Is that faith to which thou dost call them. Whom He pleaseth will God choose for it, and whosoever shall turn to Him in penitence will He guide to it.
Nor were they divided into sects through mutual jealousy, till after that "the knowledge" had come to them: and had not a decree from thy Lord gone forth respiting them to a fixed time, verily, there had at once been a decision between them.3 And they who have inherited "the Book" after them, are in perplexity of doubt concerning it.
For this cause summon thou them to the faith, and go straight on as thou hast been bidden, and follow not their desires: and SAY: In whatsoever Books God hath sent down do I believe: I am commanded to decide justly between you: God is your Lord and our Lord: we have our works and you have your works: between us and you let there be no strife: God will make us all one: and to Him shall we return.
And as to those who dispute about God, after pledges of obedience given to Him,4 their disputings shall be condemned by their Lord, and wrath shall be on them, and theirs shall be a sore torment.
It is God who hath sent down the Book with truth, and the Balance:5 but who shall inform thee whether haply "the Hour" be nigh?
They who believe not in it, challenge its speedy coming:6 but they who believe are afraid because of it, and know it to be a truth. Are not they who dispute of the Hour, in a vast error?
Benign is God towards his servants: for whom He will doth He provide: and He is the Strong, the Mighty.
Whoso will choose the harvest field of the life to come, to him will we give increase in this his harvest field: and whoso chooseth the harvest field of this life, thereof will we give him: but no portion shall there be for him in the life to come.7
Is it that they have gods who have sanctioned for them aught in the matter of religion which God hath not allowed? But had it not been for a decree of respite till the day of severance, judgment had ere now taken place among them; and assuredly the impious shall undergo a painful torment.
On that day thou shalt see the impious alarmed at their own works, and the consequence thereof shall fall upon them: but they who believe and do the things that are right, shall dwell in the meadows of paradise: whatever they shall desire awaiteth them with their Lord. This, the greatest boon.
This is what God announceth to his servants who believe and do the things that are right. SAY: For this ask I no wage of you, save the love of my kin. And whoever shall have won the merit of a good deed, we will increase good to him therewith; for God is forgiving, grateful.
Will they say he hath forged a lie of God? If God pleased,
He could then seal up thy very heart.8 But God will bring untruth to nought, and will make good the truth by his word: for He knoweth the very secrets of the breast.
He it is who accepteth repentance from his servants, and forgiveth their sins and knoweth your actions:
And to those who believe and do the things that are right will he hearken, and augment his bounties to them:9 but the unbelievers doth a terrible punishment await.
Should God bestow abundance upon his servants, they might act wantonly on the earth: but He sendeth down what He will by measure; for he knoweth, beholdeth his servants.
He it is who after that men have despaired of it, sendeth down the rain, and spreadeth abroad his mercy: He is the Protector, the Praiseworthy.
Among his signs is the creation of the Heavens and of the Earth, and the creatures which he hath scattered over both: and, for their gathering together when he will, He is allpowerful!
Nor happeneth to you any mishap, but it is for your own handy-work: and yet he forgiveth many things.
Ye cannot weaken him on the earth: neither, beside God, patron or helper shall ye have.
Among his signs also are the sea-traversing ships like mountains: if such be his will, He lulleth the wind, and they lie motionless on the back of the waves:-truly herein are signs to all the constant, the grateful;-
Or if, for their ill deserts, He cause them to founder, still He forgiveth much:
But they who gainsay our signs shall know that there will be no escape for them.
All that you receive is but for enjoyment in this life present: but better and more enduring is a portion with God, for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord;
And who avoid the heinous things of crime, and filthiness, and when they are angered, forgive;
And who hearken to their Lord, and observe prayer, and whose affairs are guided by mutual COUNSEL, and who give alms of that with which we have enriched them;
And who, when a wrong is done them, redress themselves:
-Yet let the recompense of evil be only a like evil but he who forgiveth and is reconciled, shall be rewarded by God himself; for He loveth not those who act unjustly.
And there shall be no way open against those who, after being wronged, avenge themselves;
But there shall be a way open against those who unjustly wrong others, and act insolently on the earth in disregard of justice. These! a grievous punishment doth await them.
And whoso beareth wrongs with patience and forgiveth;-this verily is a bounden duty;
But he whom God shall cause to err, shall thenceforth have no protector. And thou shalt behold the perpetrators of injustice,
Exclaiming, when they see the torment, "Is there no way to return?"
And thou shalt see them when set before it, downcast for the shame: they shall look at it with stealthy glances: and the believers shall say, "Truly are the losers they who have lost themselves and their families on the day of Resurrection! Shall not the perpetrators of injustice be in lasting torment?"
And no other protectors shall there be to succour them than God; and no pathway for him whom God shall cause to err.
Hearken then to your Lord ere the day come, which none can put back when God doth ordain its coming. No place of refuge for you on that day! no denying your own works!
But if they turn aside from thee, yet we have not sent thee to be their guardian. 'Tis thine but to preach. When we cause man to taste our gifts of mercy, he rejoiceth in it; but if for their by-gone handy-work evil betide them, then lo! is man ungrateful.
God's, the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! He createth what He will! and he giveth daughters to whom He will, and sons to whom He will:
Or He giveth them children of both sexes, and He maketh whom He will to be childless; for He is Wise, Powerful!
It is not for man that God should speak with him but by vision, or from behind a veil:
Or, He sendeth a messenger to reveal, by his permission, what He will: for He is Exalted, Wise!
Thus have we sent the Spirit (Gabriel10) to thee with a revelation, by our command. Thou knewest not, ere this, what "the Book" was, or what the faith. But we have ordained it for a light: by it will we guide whom we please of our servants. And thou shalt surely guide into the right way,
The way of God, whose is all that the Heaven and the Earth contain. Shall not all things return to God?
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1 See Sura lxviii. 1, p. 32.
2 Mecca.
3 Jews and Christians.
4 Or, nachdem ihm (Mohamed) die Lehre geworden. Ullm. Postquam responsum fuit illi (id est, Mahumeto de Religione manifestanda). Mar.
5 The law contained in the Koran.
6 Isai. v. 19.
7 Comp. Gal. vi. 7, 8.
8 That is, deprive thee of the Prophetic mission; or, fortify thee with patience against the calumny of forging lies of God. Thus Mar. If this latter interpretation be adopted, the remainder of the verse must be rendered: And God will abolish the lie and, etc.
9 Lit. he will increase them. Comp. Ps. cxv. 14.
10 Thus Beidhawi.
SURA X.-JONAH, PEACE BE ON HIM! [LXXXIV.]
MECCA.-109 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ELIF. LAM. RA.1 These are the signs of the wise Book!