Part 42
Most hateful is it to God that ye say that which ye do not.
Verily God loveth those who, as though they were a solid wall, do battle for his cause in serried lines!
And bear in mind when Moses said to his people, "Why grieve ye me, O my people, when ye know that I am God's apostle unto you?" And when they went astray, God led their hearts astray; for God guideth not a perverse people:
And remember when Jesus the son of Mary said, "O children of Israel! of a truth I am God's apostle to you to confirm the law which was given before me, and to announce an apostle that shall come after me whose name shall be Ahmad!"2 But when he (Ahmad) presented himself with clear proofs of his mission, they said, "This is manifest sorcery!"
But who more impious than he who when called to Islam deviseth a falsehood concerning God? God guideth not the wicked!
Fain would they put out the light of God with their mouths! but though the Infidels hate it, God will perfect his light.
He it is who hath sent his apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that, though they hate it who join other gods with God, He may make it victorious over every other religion.
O ye who believe! shall I shew you a merchandise that shall deliver you from the sore torment?
Believe in God and his apostle, and do valiantly in the cause of God with your wealth and with your persons! This, did ye but know it, will be best for you.
Your sins will He forgive you, and He will bring you into gardens beneath whose shades the rivers flow-into charming abodes in the gardens of Eden: This shall be the great bliss.-
And other things which ye desire will he bestow, Help from God and speedy conquest!3 Bear thou these tidings to the faithful.
O ye who believe! be helpers (ansars) of God; as said Jesus the son of Mary to his apostles, "Who will come to the help of God?" "We," said the apostles, "will be helpers of God." And a part of the children of Israel believed, and a part believed not. But to those who believed gave we the upperhand over their foes, and soon did they prove victorious.
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1 Addressed to the Muslims who had turned their backs to the enemy at Ohod.
2 Muhammad had no doubt heard that Jesus had promised a Paracletos, John xvi. 7. This title, understood by him, probably from the similarity of sound, as equivalent to Periclytos, he applied to himself with reference to his own name Muhammad (i.e. praised, glorified) from the same root and of the same meaning as Ahmad, also one of the Prophet's names. It may be here remarked that the name Muhammad, if pronounced Muhammed, "might be understood by an Arab in an active instead of a passive sense." (Lane, Kor. p. 52.) Other passages of Scripture understood by Muslims of their Prophet are Deut. xxxiii. 2, where Paran is said to mean Islam; Isai. xxi. 6, where the "rider on the ass" is Jesus, the "rider on the camel" Muhammad; Matt. xx. 1-16, where the morning, noon, and even are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; John iv. 21; 1 John iv. 2, 3, where Muhammad is said to be "the spirit that is of God," because he proclaimed that Jesus was a true man and not God.
3 If this allude to a meditated attack on the Banu Nadir (see Sura [cii.] lix.) we have a clue to the probable date of the Sura. The promise, however, may be general. But the tone of verse 9 evidently points to a period when, as at Medina, the prospects of Islam were becoming hopeful.
SURA LVII.-IRON [XCIX.]
MEDINA.1-29 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
ALL that is in the Heavens and in the Earth praiseth God, and He is the Mighty, the Wise!
His the Kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth; He maketh alive and killeth; and He hath power over all things!
He is the first and the last; the Seen and the Hidden;2 and He knoweth all things!
It is He who in six days created the Heavens and the Earth, then ascended His throne. He knoweth that which entereth the earth, and that which goeth forth from it, and what cometh down from Heaven, and what mounteth up to it; and wherever ye are, He is with you; and God beholdeth all your actions!
His the kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth; and to God shall all things return!
He causeth the night to pass into the day, and He causeth the day to pass into the night: and He knoweth the very secrets of the bosom!
Believe in God and his apostle, and bestow in alms of that whereof God hath made you heirs: for whoever among you believe and give alms-their's shall be a great recompense.
What hath come to you that ye believe not in God, although the apostle exhorteth you to believe in your Lord, and He hath accepted your alliance-if ye are true believers?
He it is who hath sent down clear tokens upon His servant, that He may bring you out of darkness into light; and truly, Kind, Merciful to you is God.
And what hath come to you that ye expend not for the cause of God? since the heritage of the Heavens and of the Earth is God's only! Those among you who contributed before the victory, and fought, shall be differently treated from certain others among you! Such shall have a nobler grade than those who contributed and fought after it. But a goodly recompense hath God promised to all; and God is fully informed of your actions.
Who is he that will lend a generous loan to God? So will He double it to him, and he shall have a noble reward.
One day thou shalt see the believers, men and women, with their light running before them, and on their right hand.3 The angels shall say to them, "Good tidings for you this day of gardens beneath whose shades the rivers flow, in which ye shall abide for ever!" This the great bliss!
On that day the hypocrites, both men and women, shall say to those who believe, "Tarry for us, that we may kindle our light at yours." It shall be said, "Return ye back, and seek light for yourselves." But between them shall be set a wall with a gateway, within which shall be the Mercy, and in front, without it, the Torment. They shall cry to them, "Were we not with you?" They shall say, "Yes! but ye led yourselves into temptation, and ye delayed, and ye doubted, and the good things ye craved deceived you, till the doom of God arrived:-and the deceiver deceived you in regard to God."
On that day, therefore, no ransom shall be taken from you or from those who believe not:-your abode the fire!-This shall be your master!4 and wretched the journey thither!
Hath not the time come, for those who believe, to humble their hearts at the warning of God and at the truth which he hath sent down? and that they be not as those to whom the Scriptures were given heretofore, whose lifetime was prolonged, but whose hearts were hardened, and many of them were perverse?
Know that God quickeneth the earth after its death! Now have we made these signs clear to you, that ye may understand.
Verily, they who give alms, both men and women, and they who lend a generous loan to God,-doubled shall it be to them-and they shall have a noble recompense.
And they who believed in God and his apostle are the men of truth, and the witnesses in the presence of their Lord;5 They shall have their recompense and their light: But as for the infidels, and those who give the lie to our signs, these shall be the inmates of Hell.
Know ye that this world's life is only a sport, and pastime, and show, and a cause of vainglory among you! And the multiplying of riches and children is like the plants which spring up after rain-Their growth rejoiceth the husband-man; then they wither away, and thou seest them all yellow; then they become stubble. And in the next life is a severe chastisement,
Or else pardon from God and His satisfaction: and this world's life is but a cheating fruition.6
Vie in hasting after pardon from your Lord, and Paradise-whose outspread is as the outspread of the Heaven and of the Earth: Prepared is it for those who believe in God and His apostles: Such is the bounty of God: to whom He will He giveth it: and of immense bounty is God!
No mischance chanceth either on earth or in your own persons, but ere we created them, it was in the Book;7-for easy is this to God-
Lest ye distress yourselves if good things escape you, and be over joyous for what falleth to your share. God loveth not the presumptuous, the boaster,
Who are covetous themselves and incite others to covetousness. But whose turneth away from almsgiving-Ah! God is the Rich, the Praiseworthy.
We have sent our apostles with the clear tokens, and we have caused the Book and the balance8 to descend with them, that men might observe fairness. And we have sent down IRON. Dire evil9 resideth in it, as well as advantage, to mankind! God would know who will assist Him and his apostle in secret. Verily, God is Powerful, Strong.
And of old sent we Noah and Abraham, and on their seed conferred the gift of prophecy, and the Book; and some of them we guided aright; but many were evil doers.
Then we caused our apostles to follow in their footsteps; and we caused Jesus the son of Mary to follow them; and we gave him the Evangel,10 and we put into the hearts of those who followed him kindness and compassion: but as to the monastic life, they invented it themselves. The desire only of pleasing God did we prescribe to them, and this they observed not as it ought to have been observed: but to such of them as believed gave we their reward, though many of them were perverse.
O ye who believe! fear God and believe in his apostle: two portions of his mercy will He give you. He will bestow on you light to walk in, and He will forgive you: for God is Forgiving, Merciful;
That the people of the Book may know that they have no control over aught of the favours of God, and that these gifts of grace11 are in the hands of God, and that He vouchsafeth them to whom he will; for God is of immense bounty.
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1 The general tone of this Sura shews it to have been revealed at Medina, and from verse 22 it may be inferred that its true date lies between the battle of Ohod and the battle of the Ditch.
2 Lit. the exterior and the interior.
3 To guide them on their route to paradise.
4 Patronus. Mar. Beschutzer. Ullm. Or, what ye have deserved.
5 Against the infidels.
6 Supellex deceptionis. Mar.
7 Of our eternal decrees.
8 Brought by Gabriel to Noah, who imparted its use to his posterity. So say the commentators. But the expression seems rather to be figurative. Comp. Sura lv. 6, p. 74.
9 Or, mighty warlike strength, but the antithesis requires the rendering given in the text. Comp. Gen. iv. 22, and Michna Tr. Aboth, 5, 9.
10 We are not to understand by the word Evangel the actual volume of the New Testament, or any one of its component parts, but rather the revelation made to Jesus by God himself, which Muhammad may have imagined to have been committed to writing subsequently, in the same way as his own Koran.
11 The word in the original is the same for favours, gifts of grace, bounty. The reference is to the gift of prophecy (Beidh.) mentioned verse 27.
SURA IV.-WOMEN1 [C.]
MEDINA.-175 Verses
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
O MEN! fear your Lord, who hath created you of one man (nafs, soul), and of him created his wife, and from these twain hath spread abroad so many men and WOMEN. And fear ye God, in whose name ye ask mutual favours,-and reverence the wombs that bare you. Verily is God watching over you!
And give to the orphans their property; substitute not worthless things of your own for their valuable ones, and devour not their property after adding it to your own; for this is a great crime.
And if ye are apprehensive that ye shall not deal fairly with orphans, then, of other women who seem good in your eyes, marry but two, or three, or four;2 and if ye still fear that ye shall not act equitably, then one only; or the slaves whom ye have acquired: this will make justice on your part easier. Give women their dowry freely; but if of themselves they give up aught thereof to you, then enjoy it as convenient, and profitable:
And entrust not to the incapable the substance which God hath placed with you for their support; but maintain them therewith, and clothe them, and speak to them with kindly speech.
And make trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage; and if ye perceive in them a sound judgment, then hand over their substance to them; but consume ye it not wastefully, or by hastily entrusting it to them;
Because they are growing up. And let the rich guardian not even touch it; and let him who is poor use it for his support (eat of it) with discretion.
And when ye make over their substance to them, then take witnesses in their presence: God also maketh a sufficient account.
Men ought to have a part of what their parents and kindred leave; and women3 a part of what their parents and kindred leave: whether it be little or much, let them have a stated portion.
And when they who are of kin are present at the division, and the orphans and the poor, let them too have a share; and speak to them with kindly speech.
And let those be afraid to wrong the orphans, who, should they leave behind them weakly offspring, would be solicitous on their account. Let them, therefore, fear God, and let them propose what is right.
Verily they who swallow the substance of the orphan wrongfully, shall swallow down only fire into their bellies, and shall burn in the flame!
With regard to your children, God commandeth you to give the male the portion of two females; and if they be females more than two, then they shall have two-thirds of that which their father hath left: but if she be an only daughter, she shall have the half; and the father and mother of the deceased shall each of them have a sixth part of what he hath left, if he have a child; but if he have no child, and his parents be his heirs, then his mother shall have the third: and if he have brethren, his mother shall have the sixth, after paying the bequests he shall have bequeathed, and his debts. As to your fathers, or your children, ye know not which of them is the most advantageous to you. This is the law of God. Verily, God is Knowing, Wise!
Half of what your wives leave shall be your's, if they have no issue; but if they have issue, then a fourth of what they leave shall be your's, after paying the bequests they shall bequeath, and debts.
And your wives shall have a fourth part of what ye leave, if ye have no issue; but if ye have issue, then they shall have an eighth part of what ye leave, after paying the bequests ye shall bequeath, and debts.
If a man or a woman make a distant relation their heir, and he or she have a brother or a sister, each of these two shall have a sixth; but if there are more than this, then shall they be sharers in a third, after payment of the bequests he shall have bequeathed, and debts,
Without loss to any one. This is the ordinance of God, and God is Knowing, Gracious!
These are the precepts of God; and whoso obeyeth God and his prophet, him shall God bring into gardens beneath whose shades the rivers flow, therein to abide for ever: and this, the great blessedness!
And whoso shall rebel against God and his apostle, and shall break His bounds, him shall God place in the fire to abide therein for ever; and his shall be a shameful torment.
If any of your women be guilty of whoredom, then bring four witnesses against them from among yourselves; and if they bear witness to the fact, shut them up within their houses till death release them,4 or God make some way for them.
And if two men among you commit the same crime, then punish them both; but if they turn and amend, then let them be: for God is He who turneth, Merciful!
With God himself will the repentance of those who have done evil ignorantly, and then turn speedily unto Him, be accepted. These! God will turn unto them:for God is Knowing, Wise!
But no place of repentance shall there be for those who do evil, until, when death is close to one of them, he saith, "Now verily am I turned to God;" nor to those who die unbelievers. These! we have made ready for them a grievous torment!
O believers! it is not allowed you to be heirs of your wives against their will; nor to hinder them from marrying, in order to take from them part of the dowry you had given them, unless they have been guilty of undoubted lewdness; but associate kindly with them: for if ye are estranged from them, haply ye are estranged from that in which God hath placed abundant good.
And if ye be desirous to exchange one wife for another, and have given one of them a talent, make no deduction from it. Would ye take it by slandering her, and with manifest wrong?
How, moreover, could ye take it, when one of you hath gone in unto the other, and they have received from you a strict bond of union?
And marry not women whom your fathers have married: for this is a shame, and hateful, and an evil way: though what is past5 may be allowed.
Forbidden to you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters, and your aunts, both on the father and mother's side, and your nieces on the brother and sister's side, and your foster-mothers, and your foster-sisters, and the mothers of your wives, and your step-daughters who are your wards, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in: (but if ye have not gone in unto them, it shall be no sin in you to marry them;) and the wives of your sons who proceed out of your loins; and ye may not have two sisters; except where it is already done. Verily, God is Indulgent, Merciful!
Forbidden to you also are married women, except those who are in your hands as slaves: This is the law of God for you. And it is allowed you, beside this, to seek out wives by means of your wealth, with modest conduct, and without fornication. And give those with whom ye have cohabited their dowry. This is the law. But it shall be no crime in you to make agreements over and above the law. Verily, God is Knowing, Wise!
And whoever of you is not rich enough to marry free believing women, then let him marry such of your believing maidens as have fallen into your hands as slaves; God well knoweth your faith. Ye are sprung the one from the other. Marry them, then, with the leave of their masters, and give them a fair dower: but let them be chaste and free from fornication, and not entertainers of lovers.
If after marriage they commit adultery, then inflict upon them half the penalty enacted for free married women. This law is for him among you who is afraid of doing wrong:6 but if ye abstain,7 it will be better for you. And God is Lenient, Merciful.
God desireth to make this known to you, and to guide you into the ways of those who have been before you, and to turn Him unto you in mercy. And God is Knowing, Wise!
God desireth thus to turn him unto you: but they who follow their own lusts, desire that with great swerving should ye swerve! God desireth to make your burden light: for man hath been created weak.
O believers! devour not each other's substance in mutual frivolities;8 unless there be a trafficking among you by your own consent: and commit not suicide:-of a truth God is merciful to you.
And whoever shall do this maliciously and wrongfully, we will in the end cast him into the fire; for this is easy with God.
If ye avoid the great sins which ye are forbidden, we will blot out your faults, and we will cause you to enter Paradise with honourable entry.
Covet not the gifts by which God hath raised some of you above others. The men shall have a portion according to their deserts, and the women a portion according to their deserts. Of God, therefore, ask his gifts. Verily, God hath knowledge of all things.
To every one have we appointed kindred, as heirs of what parents and relatives, and those with whom ye have joined right hands in contract, leave. Give therefore, to each their portion. Verily, God witnesseth all things.
Men are superior to women on account of the qualities with which God hath gifted the one above the other, and on account of the outlay they make from their substance for them. Virtuous women are obedient, careful, during the husband's absence, because God hath of them been careful.9 But chide those for whose refractoriness ye have cause to fear; remove them into beds apart, and scourage them: but if they are obedient to you, then seek not occasion against them: verily, God is High, Great!
And if ye fear a breach between man and wife, then send a judge chosen from his family, and a judge chosen from her family: if they are desirous of agreement, God will effect a reconciliation between them; verily, God is knowing, apprised of all!
Worship God, and join not aught with Him in worship. Be good to parents,10 and to kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and to a neighbour, whether kinsman or new-comer, and to a fellow traveller, and to the wayfarer, and to the slaves whom your right hands hold; verily, God loveth not the proud, the vain boaster,
Who are niggardly themselves, and bid others be niggards, and hide away what God of his bounty hath given them. We have made ready a shameful chastisement for the unbelievers,
And for those who bestow their substance in alms to be seen of men, and believe not in God and in the last day. Whoever hath Satan for his companion, an evil companion hath he!
But what blessedness would be theirs, if they should believe in God and in the last day, and bestow alms out of what God hath vouchsafed them; for God taketh knowledge of them!