Part 39
And the infidels shall be gathered together into Hell,
That God may separate the bad from the good, and put the bad one upon the other, and heap them all up and put them into Hell! These are they who shall be lost.
SAY to the infidels: If they desist from their unbelief, what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return to it, they have already before them11 the doom of the ancients!
Fight then against them till strife be at an end, and the religion be all of it God's. If they desist, verily God beholdeth what they do:
But if they turn their back, know ye that God is your protector: Excellent protector! excellent helper!
And know ye, that when ye have taken any booty, a fifth12 part belongeth to God and to the Apostle, and to the near of kin, and to orphans, and to the poor, and to the wayfarer, if ye believe in God, and in that which we have sent down to our servant on the day of the victory,13 the day of the meeting of the Hosts. Over all things is God potent.
When ye were encamped on the near side of the valley, and they were on the further side, and the caravan was below you, if ye had made an engagement to attack ye would have failed the engagement; but ye were led into action notwithstanding, that God might accomplish the thing destined to be done:
That he who should perish might perish with a clear token14 before him, and that he who liveth might live with it. And verily, God Heareth, Knoweth.
Remember when God shewed them to thee in thy dream, as few: Had he shown them numerous, ye would certainly have become fainthearted, and would certainly have disputed about the matter-But from this God kept you-He knoweth the very secrets of the breast-
And when, on your meeting, he made them to appear to your eyes as few, and diminished you in their eyes, that God might carry out the thing that was to be done.15 To God do all things return.
Believers! when ye confront a troop, stand firm and make frequent mention of the name of God, that it may fare well with you:
And obey God and his Apostle; and dispute not, lest ye become fainthearted and your success go from you; but endure with steadfastness, for God is with the steadfastly enduring.
And be not like those Meccans who came out of their houses insolently and to be seen of men, and who turn others from the way of God: God is round about their actions.
When Satan prepared their works for them, and said, "No man shall conquer you this day; and verily I will be near to help you:" But when the two armies came in sight, he turned on his heel and said, "Ay, I am clear of you: ay, I see what ye see not:16 ay, I fear God; for God is severe in punishing."
When the hypocrites and the diseased of heart said, "Their Religion hath misled the Muslims:17 But whoso putteth his trust in God. , , , Yes, verily God is Mighty, Wise!
If thou didst see, when the angels cause the infidels to die! They smite their faces and their backs, and-"Taste ye the torture of the burning:
This, for what your hands have sent on before you:"-and God is not unjust to his servants.
Their state is like that of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them who believed not in the signs of God: therefore God seized upon them in their sin! God is Mighty, severe in punishing.
This, because God changeth not the favour with which he favoureth a people, so long as they change not what is in their hearts; and for that God Heareth, Knoweth.
Their state is like that of the people of Pharaoh, and of those before them who treated their Lord's signs as lies. We therefore destroyed them in their sins, and we drowned the people of Pharaoh; for they were all doers of wrong.
The worst beasts truly in the sight of God are the thankless who will not believe;
They with whom thou hast leagued, and who are ever breaking their league, and who fear not God!
If thou take them in war, then, by the example of their fate, scatter those who shall follow them-that they may be warned:
Or if thou fear treachery from any people, throw back their treaty to them as thou fairly mayest,18 for God loveth not the treacherous.
And think not that the infidels shall escape Us! They shall not weaken God.
Make ready then against them what force ye can, and strong squadrons whereby ye may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy, and into others beside them whom ye know not, but whom God knoweth. All that you shall expend for the cause of God shall be repaid you; and ye shall not be wronged.
And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it; and put thy trust in God: for He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
But if they seek to betray thee, God will be all-sufficient for thee. He it is who hath strengthened thee with His help, and with the faithful, and hath made their hearts one. Hadst thou spent all the riches of the earth, thou couldst not have united their hearts; but God hath united them, for He is Mighty, Wise.
O prophet! God, and such of the faithful as follow thee, will be all- sufficient for thee.
O prophet! stir up the faithful to the fight. Twenty of you who stand firm shall vanquish two hundred: and if there be a hundred of you they shall vanquish a thousand of the infidels, for they are a people devoid of understanding.
Now hath God made your work easy, for he knoweth how weak ye are. If there be an hundred of you who endure resolutely, they shall vanquish two hundred; and if there be a thousand of you, they shall vanquish two thousand19 by God's permission; for God is with those who are resolute to endure.
No prophet hath been enabled to take captives until he had made great slaughter in the earth. Ye desire the passing fruitions of this world, but God desireth the next life for you. And God is Mighty, Wise.
Had there not been a previous ordinance20 from God, a severe chastisement had befallen you, for the ransom which ye took.
Eat therefore of the spoils ye have taken what is lawful and good; and fear God: God is Gracious, Merciful.
O prophet! say to the captives who are in your hands, "If God shall know good21 to be in your hearts, He will give you good beyond all that hath been taken from you, and will forgive you: for God is Forgiving, Merciful."
But if they seek to deal treacherously with you-they have already dealt treacherously22 with God before! Therefore hath He given you power over them. God is Knowing, Wise.
Verily, they who have believed and fled their homes and spent their substance for the cause of God, and they who have taken in the prophet and been helpful to him, shall be near of kin the one to the other. And they who have believed, but have not fled their homes, shall have no rights of kindred with you at all, until they too fly their country. Yet if they seek aid from you on account of the faith, your part it is to give them aid, except against a people between whom and yourselves there shall be a treaty. And God beholdeth your actions.
The infidels lend one another mutual help. Unless ye do the same, there will be discord in the land and great corruption.
But as for those who have believed and fled their country, and fought on the path of God, and given the prophet an asylum, and been helpful to him, these are the faithful; Mercy is their due and a noble provision.
And they who have believed and fled their country since, and have fought at your side, these also are of you. Those who are united by ties of blood23 are the nearest of kin to each other. This is in the Book of God. Verily, God knoweth all things.
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1 On this Sura, which relates mainly to the battle of Bedr, see Weil's M. der Prophet, p. 268.
2 At Medina.
3 The necessity for the combat and its probable result.
4 Muhammad had conceived the design of attacking an unarmed caravan belonging to the Koreisch on its way from Syria to Mecca. Abu Sofian, who had charge of it, sent to Mecca for succour, whence a body of nearly 1000 armed men at once set out to his assistance. Some of the Muslims were anxious to attack the caravan: others, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, proposed to throw themselves upon the succours.
5 Idolatry.
6 In Sura [xcvii.] iii. the angels are said to be 3000.
7 Lit. thou didst not cast when thou didst cast, but God cast. This is explained of the miracle of the gravelstones and sand cast by God into the eyes of the Meccans at Bedr.
8 That is, by our victory over you.
9 Muhammad specially addresses the Mohadjers in this verse, i.e. those who had fled with him to Medin.
10 Twelve of the Koreisch had given camels and a large sum of money in aid of the Meccan succours.
11 Lit. hath preceded.
12 Before Islam it had been the custom among the Arabians to assign a fourth part of the booty to the leader of an expedition. See Freyt. Einl. p. 266.
13 That is, on the day of the battle of Bedr. See Sura xxi. 49, p. 154.
14 The mission of Gabriel to Muhammad with the promise of victory.
15 Compare the different account in Sura [xcvii.] iii. II. The commentators, however, get over the discropancy by explaining the apparent diminution of the Muslims at the commencement only of the battle, which had the effect of drawing on the enemy in self-confidence.
16 The angels fighting for the Muslims.
17 By inducing them to attack so greatly superior a force.
18 Thus Beidh. Or, more simply, render them the like.
19 Comp. Lev. xxvi. 8; Josh. xxiii. 10.
20 Authorising the ransom of captives.
21 That is, a disposition to become Muslims.
22 That is, on account of their infidelity.
23 See Weil. Life of M. p. 84, n.
SURA1 XLVII.-MUHAMMAD [XCVI.]
MEDINA.-40 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
WHOSO believe not, and prevent others from the way of God-their works will He cause to miscarry;2
But whoso believe, and do things that are right, and believe in what hath been sent down to MUHAMMAD-for it is the truth from their Lord-their sins will He cancel, and dispose their hearts aright.
This-because the infidels followed vanity, while those who believe, followed the truth from their Lord. Thus to men doth God set forth their likenesses.
When ye encounter the infidels,3 strike off their heads till ye have made a great slaughter among them, and of the rest make fast the fetters.
And afterwards let there either be free dismissals or ransomings, till the war hath laid down its burdens. Thus do. Were such the pleasure of God, he could himself take vengeance upon them: but He would rather prove the one of you by the other. And whoso fight for the cause of God, their works he will not suffer to miscarry;
He will vouchsafe them guidance, and dispose their hearts aright;
And he will bring them into the Paradise, of which he hath told them.
Believers! if ye help God, God will help you, and will set your feet firm:
But as for the infidels, let them perish: and their works shall God bring to nought:
This-because they were averse from the command which God sent down; Fruitless, therefore, shall their works become!
Have they not journeyed through the land, and seen what hath been the end of those who flourished before them? God brought destruction on them: and the like of this doth await the infidels.
This-because God is the protector of those who believe, and because the infidels have no protector.
Verily God will bring those who believe, and do the things that are right, into the Gardens, beneath whose shades the rivers flow: but they who believe not, take their fill, and eat as the beasts eat! And their dwelling-place the fire!
And how many cities were mightier in strength than thy city, which hath thrust thee forth!4 We destroyed them, and there was none to help them.
Shall he who followeth the clear teaching of his Lord be as he, the evil of whose doings hath been made to seem good to him, or like those who follow their own lusts?
A picture of the Paradise which is promised to the God-fearing! Therein are rivers of water, which corrupt not: rivers of milk, whose taste changeth not: and rivers of wine, delicious to those who quaff it;
And rivers of honey clarified: and therein are all kinds of fruit for them from their Lord! Is this like the lot of those who must dwell for ever in the fire? and shall have draughts of boiling water forced on them which will rend their bowels asunder?
Some of them indeed hearken to thee, until when they go out from thee, they say with sneers to those to whom "the knowledge" hath been given, "What is this he said?" These are they whose hearts God hath sealed up, and who follow their own lusts.
But as to those who have the guidance, He will increase their guidance, and He will teach them what to fear.
For what do the infidels wait, but that the Hour come suddenly on them? Already are its signs come,5 and when it hath come on them indeed, how can they be warned then?
Know, then, that there is no god but God: and ask pardon for thy sin, and for believers, both men and women. God knoweth your busy movements, and your final resting-places.
The believers say, "Oh, would that a Sura were sent down!"6 but when a peremptory Sura is revealed, whose burden is war, thou mayest see the diseased of heart look toward thee, with a look of one on whom the shadows of death have fallen! But better in them would be obedience and becoming language.
And if, when the command for war is issued, they are true to God, it will be assuredly best for them.
Were ye not ready, if ye had turned back from Him, to spread disorder in the land, and violate the ties of blood?
These are they whom God hath cursed, and made deaf, and blinded their eyes!
Will they not then meditate on the Koran? Are locks upon their hearts?
But as to those who return to their errors after "the guidance" hath been made plain to them, Satan shall beguile them, and fill them with his suggestions.
This-because they say to those who abhor what God hath sent down, "We will comply with you in part of what ye enjoin." But God knoweth their secret reservations.
But how? When the angels, in causing them to die, shall smite them on the face and back!
This because they follow that which angereth God, and abhor what pleaseth Him: therefore will He make their works fruitless.
Think these men of diseased hearts, that God will not bring out their malice to light?
If such were our pleasure, we could point them out to thee, and thou surely know them by their tokens: and know them thou shalt, by the strangeness of their words.7 God knoweth your doings.
And we will surely test you, until we know the valiant and the steadfast among you: and we will test the reports of your conduct.
Verily they who believe not, and turn others from the way of God, and separate from the Apostle after that "the guidance" hath been clearly shewn them, shall in no way injure God: but their works shall he bring to nought.
Believers! obey God and the Apostle: and render not your works vain.
Verily those who believe not, and who pervert others from the way of God, and then die in unbelief, God will not forgive.
Be not fainthearted then; and invite not the infidels to peace when ye have the upper hand: for God is with you, and will not defraud you of the recompense of your works.
Surely this present life is only a play, and pastime! but if ye believe, fear God; He will give you your rewards: but He will not ask all your riches of you.
Should He ask them of you, and urge you, ye would shew yourself niggards: and He would bring your grudges to light.
Lo! ye are they, who are called to expend for the cause of God: and some of you are niggards: but whoso is niggardly shall be niggard only to his own loss; for God is the Rich, and ye are the poor: and if ye turn back, He will change you for another people,8 and they shall not be your like!
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1 This Sura was revealed at a period after the victory at Bedr, when there was still some hesitation on the part of Muhammad's followers to take decided steps for securing their position. See 37.
2 Lit. will He cause to wander, that is, from their proper aim and end, the rewards of Paradise. See verse 5 ad f.
3 The Meccans and other unbelievers of Muhammad's time. The Hanefites suppose this law to apply only to the battle of Bedr. The Shiites take it as of universal obligation.
4 This verse is said (by Omar b. Muhammad, and Itq. 43) to be the expression of Muhammad's feelings at the injuries inflicted on Mecca. He is reported to have wept over it.
5 The first sign being the mission of Muhammad; the second, the splitting of the moon; the third, the smoke mentioned in Sura xliv. p. 89.
6 That is, commanding war against the infidels.
7 Unintelligible or affected words, applied to the new religion in contempt. See Sura [xci.] ii. 56, p. 343.
8 Matt. xxi. 43.
SURA III.-THE FAMILY OF IMRAN1 [XCVII.]
MEDINA.-200 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ELIF. LAM. MIM.2 God! there is no god but He, the Living, the Merciful!
In truth hath He sent down to thee "the Book," which confirmeth those which precede it: For He had sent down the Law, and the Evangel aforetime, as man's Guidance; and now hath He sent down the "Illumination."3 (Furkan.)
Verily for those who believe not in the signs of God, is a severe chastisement! And God is Mighty, the Avenger!
God! nought that is in Earth or that is in Heaven, is hidden unto Him. He it is who formeth you in your mothers' wombs. There is no god but He; the Mighty, the Wise!
He it is who hath sent down to thee "the Book." Some of its signs are of themselves perspicuous;-these are the basis4 of the Book-and others are figurative. But they whose hearts are given to err, follow its figures, craving discord, craving an interpretation; yet none knoweth its interpretation but God. And the stable in knowledge say, "We believe in it: it is all from our Lord." But none will bear this in mind, save men endued with understanding.
O our Lord! suffer not our hearts to go astray after that thou hast once guided us, and give us mercy from before thee; for verily thou art He who giveth.
O our Lord! For the day of whose coming there is not a doubt, thou wilt surely gather mankind together. Verily, God will not fail the promise.
As for the infidels, their wealth, and their children, shall avail them nothing against God. They shall be fuel for the fire.
After the wont of the people of Pharaoh, and of those who went before them, they treated our signs as falsehoods. Therefore God laid hold of them in their sins; and God is severe in punishing!
Say to the infidels: ye shall be worsted, and to Hell shall ye be gathered together; and wretched the couch!
Ye have already had a sign5 in the meeting of the two hosts. The one host fought in the cause of God, and the other was infidel. To their own eyesight, the infidels saw you twice as many as themselves: And God aided with his succour whom He would: And in this truly was a lesson for men endued with discernment.
Fair-seeming to men is the love of pleasures from women and children, and the treasured treasures of gold and silver, and horses of mark, and flocks, and cornfields! Such the enjoyment of this world's life. But God! goodly the home with Him.
SAY: Shall I tell you of better things than these, prepared for those who fear God, in His presence? Theirs shall be gardens, beneath whose pavilions the rivers flow, and in which shall they abide for aye: and wives of stainless purity, and acceptance with God: for God regardeth his servants-
Who say, "O our Lord! we have indeed believed; pardon us our sins, and keep us from the torment of the fire;"-
The patient, and the truthful, the lowly, and the charitable, and they who seek pardon at each daybreak.
God witnesseth that there is no god but He: and the angels, and men endued with knowledge, stablished in righteousness, proclaim "There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise!"
The true religion with God is Islam: and they to whom the Scriptures had been given, differed not till after "the knowledge"6 had come to them, and through mutual jealousy. But as for him who shall not believe in the signs of God-God will be prompt to reckon with him!
If they shall dispute with thee, then SAY: I have surrendered myself to God, as have they who follow me.
SAY to those who have received the Book, and to the common folk, Do ye surrender yourselves unto God?7 If they become Muslims, then are they guided aright: but if they turn away-thy duty is only preaching; and God's eye is on His servants.
But to those who believe not in the signs of God, and unjustly slay the prophets, and slay those men who enjoin uprightness,-announce an afflictive chastisement.
These are they whose works come to nought in this world, and in the next; and none shall they have to help them!
Hast thou not marked those who have received a portion of the Scriptures, when they are summoned to the Book of God, that it may settle their differences? Then did a part of them turn back, and withdrew far off.
This-because they said, "The fire shall by no means touch us, but for certain days:"-Their own devices have deceived them in their religion.
But how, when we shall assemble them together for the day of (which) whose coming there is no doubt, and when every soul shall be paid what it hath earned, and they shall not be wronged?
SAY: O God, possessor of all power,8 thou givest power to whom thou wilt, and from whom thou wilt, thou takest it away! Thou raisest up whom thou wilt, and whom thou wilt thou dost abase! In thy hand is good; for thou art over all things potent.