people if you follow Chaib you are damned not long after an Earthquake and Thunder surprized them and in the Morning they were found dead in their Houses such as belyed Chaib found no safety in their Habitations they were wretched he abandoned them and said O ye people I have preached to you the Will of God with fidelity I will no longer afflict my self with the Malice of the wicked We inflicted Sickness and Poverty on them that disobeyed the Prophets whom we sent to the Inhabitants of Madian peradventure they will be converted We proved them through Diseases and Health and gratified them in many Occurrences yet they said our Fathers were afflicted with Sickness and Poverty we shall be as they but we chastised them for their sin when they least considered it Had the Inhabitants of Mecca had our fear before their eyes and obeyed our Commandments we had opened to them the blessing of Heaven and Earth we will punish them because they are impious Some there be that shall be afflicted in the Night when they sleep and others that shall be toâ—…mented by day when they sport and recreate themselves they believed God to be a dâ—…ceiver and are damned God guideth into the right way true Believers and makes them Heirs of the Earth after their Parents had he so pleased he might have destroyed all the World he might have hardned the hearts of the people and no man had hearkned to his word I recount what things befel that City many Prophets have been sent to its Inhabitants and wrought many Miracles yet would they not relinquish their former impiety thus have we hardned the hearts of Infidels they violated their Promises and we found most of them to be wicked and disobedient We sent Moses to Pharaoh and his people he to them shewed Miracles which through their Malice they contemned but consider the end of those wicked men Moses said unto Pharaoh I am a Messenger sent from God the God of the Universe when I speak of God I deliver the Truth I am come through his Command to tell thee thou must dismiss with me the Children of Israel and no longer detain them in thy Dominions Pharaoh said if thou comest from God and art true in thy sayings let us see some Miracles then he cast upon the ground his Staffe which was changed into a Serpent shewed his hand that appeared exceeding white to the eyes of the Spectators The Doctors of Pharaoh said this Man is a Magician he would have us to abandon our Countrey what is your opinion detain him Prisoner and his Brother and send into your Cities to assemble Magicians The Magicians of Pharaoh appearing before him they said what shall be our reward if we shall be Victorious He replyed to them you shall be well rewarded and shall be of them that approach my Person They said O Moses wilt thou first cast down thy Staffe on the ground or shall we ours Moses bad them cast down theirs which they did enchanting the eyes of the Spectators and terrifying them with an extraordinary enchantment God inspired Moses to cast down his Rod which devoured the Staves of the other and the Truth appeared above falshood and above the Vanity of their Actions they were vanquished to their confusion forsook their Magick and prostrating themselves on the Earth uttered these words We believe in the Lord of the Universe the Lord of Moses and of Aaron Pharaoh said to them Ye believe in the God of Moses without my permission this is a deceit invented by you to drive the people out of my Dominions but you shall soon know the punishment that I will lay upon you I will cut off your feet and hands and command you to be crucified They answered We recommend our selves wholly to the Will of God whatsoever is thy revenge on us thou shalt not hinder us to believe in the Miracles that we see neither to obey the Commandments of his Divine Majesty Lord give us patience and to die in the number of true Believers Then said Pharaoh's Doctors dismiss Moses and his people that they may go whither they see good to pollute the Earth that they may leave thee in quiet with thy Gods He said I will cause their Children to be slain their Wives to be abused and I will inflict upon them a thousand torments Moses said to his people Implore succours of God with patience and Prayers the whole Earth is Gods he giveth it to inherit to whom he seeth good the other World is for the rightâ—…ous They said O Moses We before thy coming desired the death of our Enemies he replyed God will not destroy your Enemies to leave you alone upon the Earth he shall behold your Actions We afflicted Pharaoh and his Subjects with Famine perhaps unbelievers will consider it When any happiness befel them they said they well deserved it and when they fell into Misery they affirmed Moses and his people to be the cause of it It is God that punished them but of this most of them were ignorant They said unto Moses cease to shew us thy Miracles to inchant us we will not obey thee We sent upon them a Deluge Grass-hoppers Lice Frogs and Blood one after another nevertheless they were proud and in the number of the wicked When our wrath fell upon them they said O Moses call upon thy Lord that he give us what to thee he promised remove his displeasure from us we will believe thee and will dismiss with thee the Children of Israel When we delivered them from affliction they sharpned their Tongues murmured and violated their Promises we avenged our selves upon them and drowned them in the Sea for that they contemned our Miracles and we gave the West and East to the Children of Israel who were humble before us we gave them our blessing our word was accomplished upon them because of their perseverance and we destroyed the Armies of Pharaoh The Children of Israel having past the Sea met with Men that adored Idols and said O Moses make unto us Gods like to the Gods of this people he answered ye are ignorant these Men are wretched what they do is but ignorance and Vanity shall I desire that you worship other Gods than God that preferred you to all the World We have delivered you from Pharaoh's people who caused you to endure great torments they murthered your Children abused your Wives and you suffer heavy afflictions for the punishment of your sins We detained Moses on the Mountain thirty Nights and ten other Nights which is in all forty Nights when he went up he said to his Brother Aaron be thou my Lieutenant command this people in mine absence and follow not the path of the wicked When Moses at the time appointed arrived at the top of the Mountain and that his Lord spake to him he said Lord permit me to see thee he said thou shalt not see me behold this Mountain if it continue firm
his Divine Majesty for them that have his fear before their eyes I will one day assemble Idolaters with their Idols God shall say unto them you are they who have seduced my creatures from the right way they shall say praised be thy Name we ought to have worshipped none but thy Divine Majesty but the wealth that thou gavest to our Magistrates and their life which thou didst prolong caused them to forget thy Commandments they were pernicious men in that they abjured thy Law they cannot this day be exempt from the punishment of our crimes neither protect us against thy wrath The Idolaters shall be rigorously punished the Prophets that we sent before thee did eat Bread and Meat and walked through the streets we prove them one after another Persevere God beholdeth them that are patient Those that believe not in the Resurrection have said The Angels are not descended from Heaven we have not seen God they are become proud and are fallen into an exceeding great error but the wicked shall one day be without comfort when they see the Angels they shall cry help help We will set before their eyes all the sins that they have committed the good works which they shall think to have done shall be like to dust which the wind carryeth away and the blessed shall enjoy a most certain good they shall hear of nothing but what contenteth them When the Heaven and the Air shall divide themselves and the Angels shall descend then shall the truth appear and the merciful shall Reign that day shall be tedious to Infidels they shall bite their fingers and say would to God I had followed the Prophet and his Apostle Oh misery would to God I had not contracted amity with such an Infidel he seduced me from the right way he hindred me to believe in the Alcoran which God sent certainly the Devil hath tempted men Then shall the Prophet say Lord such as have followed me have obeyed what is written in the Alcoran and the Infidels have rejected it We have appointed an enemy among the wicked to every Prophet of them that were before thee but it sufficeth thee that God guideth and protecteth thee The Infidels have demanded if the Alcoran was sent all at once I have so done to confirm the truth in thy heart I have sent it piece by piece they shall not shew thee any thing like unto it I have instructed thee in the Truth clear and intelligible the incredulous shall be confined in the Fire of Hell and be most miserable Certainly We gave to Moses the Book of the Law we sent with him his Brother Aaron to assist him and said unto them Go both of you preach unto Infidels we will destroy them unless they be converted When the People of Noah despised our Commandment we drowned them and made them serve for example to Posterity and prepared great torments for the impious Remember Aad Temod and those that dwelt nigh unto the Well a long time after them we spake to them in Parables and destroyed them Oh ye wicked consider the misery of the City upon which fell that mischievous Rain that destroyed them because the Inhabitants believed not in the Resurrection When the Infidels saw thee appear they derided thee and said This Prophet would seduce us and make us to abandon our God we had patience and deferred our punishment They shall know at the Day of Judgment them that have been seduced Hast thou considered the action of him that spake of his God after his fantasie Wert thou his Tutor to hinder him to speak Dost thou believe that the greatest part of the wicked hear and understand what thou speakest to them They are like Beasts and worse Seest thou how thy Lord sheddeth the Rose Were it his will it should be permanent the Sun hath caused it to melt and attracteth it gently to himself He it is that created the Night for repose and the Day for labour He it is that sendeth the Winds by his special grace he maketh Rain to descend from Heaven to refresh the Earth to give it life to water the beasts and for the contentment of men we have divided it among them that they may be mindful of our grace nevertheless the greatest part of them are ungrateful Had we so pleased we had sent to every City a preacher to preach unto the Inhabitants the Torments of Hell obey not Infidels preach to them frequently what is written in the Alcoran It is God that hath sweetned the water of Euphrates that joyned the two Seas that made them Salt and put between them a separation to hinder them to mix He created Man and Woman of a little water to increase and multiply together thy Lord can do whatsoever him pleaseth yet do the Infidels adore what can neither benefit nor hurt them and assist the devil their master to tempt the world We sent thee only to preach the torments of hell and to proclaim the joys of Paradise Say unto them I require not of you reward for my preaching he that shall be acceptable to God will follow the way of his Law Praise and exalt thy Lord trust in him he knoweth all the sins of men he created the heavens and the â—…arth in six days and sitteth on his Throne learn this of him that knoweth it When it was said to the Infidels worship the merciful God they said what merciful shall we worship what ye appoint us and they added to their impiety Blessed be he that created the signs of heaven that created the Sun and the Moon full of Brightness and light and hath made the dayes to succeed each other to return him thanks for his graces The servants of the merciful that walk with humility that salute the ignorant when they speak to them Such as pray to and worship God day and night such as say Lord deliver us from the torments of hell those that fear God that are not prodigal nor covetous that follow the middle way betwixt prodigality and avarice those that worship one God that kill no man but with reason and following the Commandments of God and that are not luxurious shall enjoy eternally the grace of God such as do the contrary shall be chastised their punishment shall be augmented at the day of Judgment and they shall be damned for ever except him that shall be converted and shall have done good works God shall give him pardon of his sins he is gracious and merciful They who do good works and repent who make no false oath who are humble and are not wilfully deaf and dumb when they hear the Alcoran read and say Lord give us and our posterity children that may be the light of our eyes and be obedient to thee work in us a fear to disobey thy Commandments such persons shall enjoy eternally the delights of Paradise for reward of their perseverance they shall there find salutations and benedictions with immense graces Say unto the
fear the day wherein one Soul shall not be able to assist another when a Ransom shall not be accepted neither excuse and when the wicked shall not be protected Remember thou that Abraham requested of the Lord an accomplishment of his Word he said to him I will establish thee among the people to teach them the Mysteries of my Law and he said what shall become of my Linage He answered Paradise shall not be open to the unjust We have established the Temple of Mecca for a sure refuge of the people in Repentance he made his Oratory at Abraham's place and we have commanded Abraham and Ismael to keep clean my house for them that shall repair thither in Procession with humility and adoration When Abraham received this command he said Lord fortifie this City and enrich its people with all good things and all the inhabitants thereof that shall believe in thy Divine Majesty and the day of Judgment God said I will for a time enrich the Infidels also and precipitate them into the fire of Hell where they shall remain to all Eternity When Abraham and Ismael raised the Foundations of the Temple of Mecca Abraham said Lord accept our Vows thou understandest all and knowest all things Lord give us the grace to be obedient to thy Commandments and let a people issue from our Loyns that may observe thy Law Shew us the way we ought to follow and have mercy upon us thou art gracious and merciful Lord send to this thy people a Prophet of their Nation to preach to them thy Commandments to instruct them in Scripture and knowledge and to purifie them thou art Omnipotent and wise No man shall abandon the Law of Abraham but to his own damage I have chosen him in this World and he is in the other in the number of the just Remember thou that his Lord said to him Be thou obedient to thy Lord and trust thou in him he said I resign my self to God Lord of the Universe He commanded Iacob and his Children to follow the Law of God. My Children God hath taught you his Law trust you in him be obedient to him even unto death Were you present when Iacob was near unto death and when he said to his Sons Whom will ye adore after me They answered We will worship thy God the God of our Fathers Abraham Ismael and Isaac one sole God we resign our selves to his pleasure The good that those men gained remained to them and the evil that you shall commit shall be against you enquire not after what they did They have said Be ye either Iew or Christian you shall follow the right way Say unto them contrariwise The Law of Abraham is most just he was not of the number of them that believed in many Gods. Say ye We believe in God in what he inspired into Abraham Ismael Isaac Iacob and the Tribes in what was taught Moses Iesus and all the Prophets we rely upon God. If they believe as you do they shall not erre if they abandon your faith they will have a controversie with you but God shall protect you he understandeth whatever they say and what they do he hath purified his Law and what better Purification is there than that of his Divine Majesty Say unto them Will you dispute with us concerning God who is your and our Lord We will answer with our Actions and you shall answer with yours all our confidence is in his Divine Pleasure Will you say that Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Tribes were Iews or Christians Are you more knowing than God Who is more unjust than he that concealeth the Miracles that he hath seen to proceed from God He is not ignorant of all your Actions The good that those men have done remain to them and the evil that they shall commit shall be against you enquire not after what they did Some ignorant among the people will say Their Prophet doth not appoint them to turn the face to that side to which they turned heretofore when they made their Orisons Say unto them The East and West belong unto God he directeth in the right way whom he pleaseth As we have conducted you into the right way we have likewise commanded you to do that which is just that you be witnesses against the people at the day of judgment and the Prophet witness against you I have not ordained that you turn your face as heretofore when you made your Orisons to the end they may be known that follow the Prophet from them that return to their impiety It will be irksome to the people to turn to that side except to such as God hath guided into the right way God will not make vain your belief he is gracious and merciful to his people I see that thou liftest up thy face to Heaven turn which way shall please thee but turn thou towards Mecca wheresoever thou art They to whom heretofore the knowledge of Scripture was given knew that the Truth proceeded from their Lord what they do is not concealed from God when thou shalt meet them and that they will not turn themselves as thou in making their Prayers do not thou likewise turn as they they turn not all the same way follow not their Appetites having comprehended the knowledge that hath been inspired into thee left thou fall into the number of the unjust Many to whom we have given the knowledge of the written Law understand it perfectly as also do their Children nevertheless they conceal the Truth and are not ignorant that it proceedeth from thy Lord Be not thou of the number of them that doubt Turn thy self always towards Mecca Do good wheresoever thou art God will be with thee he is Omnipotent From what place soever thou goest forth turn thy face towards Mecca This is reasonable and ordained by thy Lord. Whatsoever you do is not hid from God wheresoever you are turn towards Mecca that none may find wherewith to reprove your actions but the unjust fear not them but fear me I will accomplish my Grace upon you and you shall be guided through the right way We have sent unto you a Prophet of your Nation that shall teach you my Commandments and purifie you He shall instruct you in the Scripture in knowledge and in what you understand not Remember me I will remember you praise me and be not in the number of the wicked O ye that are True believers implore succour with Patience and Prayers Certainly God is with such as are patient Say not that those that are slain for the defence of their Law are dead contrariwise they are alive but you know it not I will try you and afflict you through the loss of your Goods and disease of your Persons Paradise shall be for them that shall be patient and shall say in their affliction We are given up unto God and shall return before him to be judged his Grace shall be upon
and are gone astray from the right way It is God who created the Gardens full of Fruits and herbs of divers colours with Olives Pomegranets and other fruits alike and different Eat of the fruits of the Earth Pay the dues appointed when you reap and dispense not your substance lightly God abhorreth prodigals Of clean beasts some there be that have born the burthen and others that are young and have not born it Eat what God hath given you and follow not the footsteps of the Devil he is your open Enemy Say unto them behold eight pair of Beasts viz. two pair of Wethers two of Ewes two of Camels and two pair of Cowes of which is it permitted or forbidden you to eat Is it lawful for you to eat the Males or Females Which are those that God hath forbidden you Who is more wicked than he that blasphemeth to seduce from the right way the People that are ignorant God guideth not the unjust Say unto them In all that God hath inspired into me I find not that it is prohibited to eat of those beasts except they die of some Disease and if they be slain without pronouncing the name of God. The Flesh of Swine is forbidden you if you eat of it you incur the wrath of God If any one be in necessity and eateth without design to provoke God he shall find God gracious and merciful We forbad the Iews to eat of Beasts whose Feet were cloven and of the fat of Beasts except of such as is interlarded in the flesh the Entrails and the Bones We enjoyned this prohibition by reason of their sin and we are veritable in our words and exact in our promises If they slander thee say unto them The mercy of God is great and the wicked shall not avoid the punishment of their crimes The Infidels have said Had it pleased God we had not been unbelievers neither our Fathers also and nothing had been prohibited Their predecessors spake as they until they felt the punishment of their sin Say unto them Are you assured that God is content with your proceeding Tell us whence ariseth this assurance You in this follow but your opinion you are but lyers Gods providence is great he had guided all of you in the right way had it so pleased him Cause them come before us who said It is unlawful to eat of clean Beasts were they present when God made the Prohibition If they say they were present say not as they neither follow the appetites of blasphemous Infidels who believe not in the end of the word and worship many Gods. Say unto them Come I will instruct you what is by God forbidden to be eaten there is but one sole God say not he hath Companions equal to him do good to your Father and Mother and slay not your Children in fear of dying with Famine God shall bestow on you and them also what shall be necessary commit not whoredom either privately or publickly kill no Man if justice do not command it God requireth you to observe what is above ordained perhaps you will consider it Take not the goods of Orphans but to succour them until they be of age of discretion measure and weight with good weight and just measure I enjoyn no Man any thing but what is in his power to perform Judge with equity although it be against your Parents and Allies satisfie what is above ordained God commandeth it peradventure you will consider it it is the right way which you ought to pursue go not aside God commandeth it perhaps you will fear his Divine Majesty We taught Moses our Commandments it is a peculiar grace to instruct the righteous and guide the People in the right way it may be you will believe in the Resurrection O ye Inhabitants of Mecca We have sent to you the Alcoran full of benediction perform what is ordained flie impiety your sins shall be forgiven you say not That God hath sent his Law to the two Nations that preceded you and that it is hid from you Will you say That had God taught you the Scripture you had been more obedient than they Certainly he hath taught you his Commandments it is a special grace to guide you into the right way Who is more unjust than he that blasphemeth against his Divine Majesty and departeth from his Commandments Such Men shall be rigorously chastised in the fire of Hell. Will they expect that the Angels came to visit them That God should punish and declare to them his miracles Will they look for the Day of Judgment wherein repentance and conversion shall be unprofitable Such as believe in one part of the Law and reject the other have no foundation in their belief God shall make them to know their errors and shall punish them after the enormity of their crimes He that shall do a good work shall have a reward tenfold Whosoever acteth any wickedness shall be punished in like manner neither shall he receive injustice Say unto them God hath guided me in the way of his Law such as profess the Law of Abraham profess the unity of God Abraham was not in the number of unbelievers my prayers my vows my life my death shall be consecrated to God he hath no Companion I wholly commend my self to his Divine pleasure Say unto them Do I desire to worship other Gods than the Lord of the Universe The good that a Man doth is for himself and the evil that he committeth is against them you all shall one day appear in the presence of God he shall resolve your disputes He it is that prolongeth your Posterity and exalteth some above others to prove you your Lord is exact to chastise the wicked and gracious and merciful to the righteous CHAP. VII The Chapter of Prisons containing an hundred and six Verses written at Mecca Reader Mahomet entituled this Chapter the Chapter of Aaraf which is a place between Paradise and Hell where Men suffer no punishment See Mokari Bedaoi and Kitab el tenoir IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am God the most wise the most true This Book was sent to thee to preach to the True believers doubt not the Contents of it Say unto them Believe in what was sent to you from your Lord and worship none other God but him few there be among you that consider it How many Cities have we destroyed How often have we inflicted our punishment on their Inhabitants by day and by night when they reposed Nevertheless they said nothing but that they were greatly afflicted We will examine the People to whom we have sent our Prophets and require account of what they have learned and of what they have done We will examine our Prophets and demand an account of such as have followed and obeyed them I will cause them to remember what they have done worthy of reward We forsook not our Prophets when they preached to them the Truth their
his people in this World they go astray from the way of thy Law confound their riches and harden your hearts they will not believe until they see thy judgments and feel the effect of thy wrath he said I have heard the prayers of you both be faithful in your Embassie and follow not the way of the ignorant We gave passage through the Sea to the Children of Israel Pharaoh pursued them with hatred and envy until his people were drowned Then said Pharaoh believe there is none other God but the God of the Children of Israel and I wholly recommend my self to his Will. Thou dost now believe in God O Pharaoh and wert before disobedient to his Commandments filling the Earth with they enormities I have delivered thee from this peril that thou maist be an example to posterity for many among the people are ignorant of my Omnipotency We gave the Children of Israel to dwell in places full of delights and enriched them with the good things of the Earth they knew the differences that arose among them touching Religion thy Lord shall judge them at the Day of Judgment If thou doubtest what we have taught thee repair to them that have read the Scripture before thee what thy Lord hath taught thee is most true be not thou of them that doubt neither of such as derogate from the Commandments of God thou shalt be in the number of the wretched Those whom God will chastise shall not believe in his Divine Majesty should they behold all the miracles of the World until they see the torments of Hell. The faith is exceeding profitable to the Cities that have received it when the Inhabitants of the City of Ionas embraced it we delivered them from our punishment we delivered them from ignominy and enriched them until the time appointed if it pleased thy Lord all the World should believe in him wilt thou abhor the People until they believe in God No Man can embrace the faith without his permission he sendeth his indignation against them that disobey his Commandments Say unto them Consider all that is in Heaven and Earth miracles and preaching are of no use to such as will not believe shall they expect what their Predecessors expected Say unto them expect I will expect with you I will deliver my Prophets and the true believers from the torments of Hell it is reasonable that I deliver them that obey my Commandments O People who causeth you to doubt of the Law which I teach you I will not worship the Idols that you adore I worship one God alone who shall cause you all to dye I will embrace his Law it commandeth to profess his Unity I am not of them that say he hath a Companion equal to him Adore not what can neither benefit nor hurt thee if thou do it thou shalt be in the number of the unjust If God will afflict thee none can deliver thee from affliction if God will do good to thee none can deprive thee of his grace he hath given it to whom seemeth good to himself he is gracious and merciful O people God teacheth you the truth whosoever shall follow the right way shall save his Soul and whosoever shall go astray shall destroy it I am not your Tutor I do but what is inspired into me I have patience in my perseverance I will expect the judgment of God there is no better Judge than he CHAP. XI The Chapter of Hod containing an hundred twenty and three Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am the merciful God. The signs contained in this Book are most true they proceed from the most wise who knoweth all things Worship ye but one God alone I preach to you from him the torments of Hell and declare the Joys of Paradise that ye may implore pardon of his Divine Majesty and be converted he shall give you an happy Life in the World until the time appointed and shall reward every one according to his works I fear lest you should be chastised at the Day of Judgment if you forsake the right way you all shall be assembled before God to be judged The heart of the impious inclined to hatred of the Prophet and they would have concealed themselves for some time from God they are covered with their garments that they may not be known but God knoweth what is in their Souls he understandeth whatsoever they conceal and whatsoever they make manifest All the Creatures of the World live of his grace he knoweth the place of their repair and the place where they must die all is written in an intelligible Book that explaineth all things He it is that created Heaven and Earth in six days his Throne was before upon the Waters the Alcoran exhorteth you to well-doing If thou saist to the wicked that they shall rise again after their Death they will say it is but Witchcraft and Sorcery if we retard some time to chastise them they say there is no punishment for their crimes but they shall not avoid it in the day when it shall appear and they shall feel the rigour of the pains which they contemn If we confer riches and health on the impious and deprive them of them they despair in their impiety if we give them good after their evil they say misery hath forsaken them they rejoyce and become arrogant Such as are humble and patient in their afflictions and do good works shall obtain pardon of their sins and a very great reward Perhaps thou wilt forget to teach something of what I have inspired into thee and be afflicted because they say that what thou speakest shall bring thee no profit Certainly thou art sent only to reprove them of their sin thy Lord is Omnipotent and shall chastise them after their demerits Assuredly they will say thou hast forged the Alcoran and that it is of thy invention Say unto them Come and bring with you ten Chapters of your invention like to the Alcoran in instruction and eloquence and call to your aid the Idols that ye adore if you be righteous if they hear not your prayers neither afford you succours know then that the Alcoran descended from Heaven through Gods permission and that there is but one sole God will ye not trust in him I will bestow the riches and honours of the Earth on many persons that affect them and in the end they shall be confined in the fire of Hell and the good works that they shall do in this World shall be unprofitable in the other They who observe what God hath ordained study the Alcoran and believe that it proceedeth from his Divine Majesty to teach the right way and to obtain his mercy as before it was the Book of Moses Such as shall believe in the Alcoran shall be happy doubtless the fire of Hell is prepared for the Infidels who will not believe therein but the greatest part of the World is incredulous
nominated Lord said the Devil I will tempt all the Creatures because thou hast tempted me I will cause them to disobey thy Commandments except such as shall trust in thee and recommend themselves to thy Divine Will. God said this is the right way thou hast no power over the righteous who follow my Law but only over the Infidels for whom Hell is prepared Hell hath seven Gates and every Gate hath its particular work the righteous shall dwell in Gardens adorned with fair Fountains we will free them from all rancour they shall repose upon Beds like Brethren with respect and affection and shall be in eternal felicity Declare to them that worship me that I am gracious and merciful and my chastisements are severe and rigorous Preach unto them the History of the Guests of Abraham they saluted him when they entred his House Abraham was terrified at their coming they said to him fear not us we are the Messengers of God we declare to thee that thou shalt have a Son who shall be a great personage Do you tell me said he that I shall have a Son in my old age why speak ye in that manner We tell thee the truth despair not of the grace of God none but the wicked despair O Messengers of God! said Abraham what do ye require We are sent to destroy the Infidels and to preserve the whole Family of Lot except his Wife she shall remain with them that shall be punished When these Messengers came to Lot's House he told them he knew them not they said to him we are come to thee to clear this people of their doubt of God's Omnipotency what we speak unto thee is most true cause thy Family this night to go out of the City and follow their steps that none among you look behind him and go whither you shall be commanded the wicked shall in the morning be destroyed The Inhabitants of the City came to Lot's House to see those strangers Lot said unto them I beseech you defile not your selves with my Guests fear God and dishonour not your selves behold my Daughters take them They said We do not hinder thee to lodge thy Guests and remained confounded in their drunkenness In the morning Thunder surprised them we overthrew the City upside down and caused it to rain Stones with Fire that utterly destroyed it This shall serve for example to Passengers that shall see those Ruines and for a mark of the Omnipotency of God to them that shall believe in his Divine Majesty They that inhabited the Wood near to Medina were impious but we avenged us on them they served for example to posterity as did the People of the City of Lot. They that dwell in the Vally of Hegir have defamed the Prophets we gave them to see our Miracles and taught them our Commandments they contemned them but they reposed in the morning in their Houses built upon the Mountains and in their Fortresses when Thunder surprised them their treasures did not save them and they were all destroyed We created the Heavens and the Earth to be signs of the Truth and of our Unity The hour of Judgment approacheth absent thy self from thy People with mildness thy Lord who created all things knoweth all We taught thee seven signs and the most precious Alcoran Tarry not to consider the divers sorts of riches which the wicked possess afflict not thy self if they persist in their impiety Say unto them I preach none other thing but the Word of God and the pains of Hell. We will chastise the wicked as we chastised them that divided the Alcoran who approved one part and rejected the other I am thy Lord I will require of them an account of their actions preach what hath been commanded thee and depart from Infidels we will preserve thee from them that shall scorn thee as likewise from such as adore Idols I know that thou wilt be grieved at their discourse but praise and adore the Lord until Death CHAP. XVI The Chapter of the Bee containing an hundred and eight Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful The chastisement of God is not far remote desire it not before its time praised be God he hath no Companion he causeth the Angels to descend and sendeth his inspirations to whom it pleaseth him preach his power and the pains of Hell to unbelievers there is no God but he fear him he created the Earth and the Heavens he is more powerful than your Idols and created Man of the Mire of the Earth nevertheless he is obstinate in his pride he created clean Beasts for your use you draw from them great emolument and advantage to cloth and nourish your selves ye see their beauty when they feed and when they lead them to pasture they bear the burthen and whatsoever ye will send into Cities what ye cannot carry without them but with exceeding great travel God is gracious and merciful towards you he created Horses and Mules and Asses to bear you he created many glorious things of which you have not knowledge He teacheth them the right way who observe his Commandments had it pleased him he had guided all into the way of his Law. He sendeth you water from Heaven to take away thirst and causeth plants to bring forth and Trees that nourish your flocks he maketh the Olive Trees to produce the Date Trees Vines and all sorts of Fruits These things are Arguments of his Unity to such as consider them he created the Night the Day the Sun the Moon and the Stars that move at his Pleasure these things are signs of his Omnipotency to them that are wise He created whatsoever is on Earth of divers Colours kind and Species he created the Sea which affordeth you Fish Pearls and other precious stones to adorn you thou seest how the Ships sail upon the Waters and divide the Waves for the advantage of Commerce peradventure you will give God thanks for his Favours He raised the mountains to make firm the Earth and to hinder it to move he created the Rivers and established ways to guide you he made the Stars to conduct you by Night upon the Sea and the mountains to direct you in your way by Day who but he could have created what he hath made will you never consider it It is not in your power to keep account of his Mercies he is altogether gracious and merciful and knoweth the secret of your Souls the Idols that ye adore can create nothing but are things dead without motion and know not in what time the World shall rise again your God is one sole God such as believe not the end of the World such as deny his Unity and boast of their false belief are abhorred of his Divine Majesty when they are interrogated concerning what God hath inspired into Mahomet they answered that he preacheth Fables of Antiquity but they shall bear their Burthen at the Day of Judgment who
Alms secretly and publickly as he seeth good are they both alike Ought they to be put in Parallel Praise be to God Certainly the greatest part of Men know not his Graces he teacheth you a Parable Behold two Men the one was born deaf and dumb and given in charge to his Guardian he knoweth not how to imploy him he is capable neither of doing nor speaking well is he like to him that speaketh that understandeth teacheth Men Justice and followeth the right way Whatsoever is in Heaven or on Earth appertaineth to God when he commandeth any thing it is performed in the twinkling of an eye yea sooner he is Omnipotent He it is that causeth you to come out of the Womb of your Mother that giveth you hearing sight and sense perhaps ye will return him thanks See ye not the Birds that fly in the Air who sustaineth them but God It is an evident sign of his Omnipotency for the true Believers he hath given you Houses to inhabit and the Skins and Furrs of Beasts to cover you he hath given you their Hair and Wooll to furnish your Houses and enrich you he created Trees and Clouds to oveâ—…shadow you made the Mountains and Caves to cover you from rain created Garments to defend you from the heat of the Sun and the rigour of Cold he hath accomplished his Grace upon you peradventure you will resign your selves to the Will of his Divine Majesty and possess his Unity If the Unbelievers depart from the way of the Law thou art obliged only to preach to them intelligibly they know the Grace of God and contemn it for that the greatest part of them are impious preach unto them the Day wherein I will raise again all the Nations of the World and the Prophets and Apostles who have preached to them my Commandments there shall be no excuse for Infidels neither shall they find protection or relaxation of their Miseries When they shall behold their Idols they shall confess that they were mis-led they shall understand the Unity of thy Lord and that their Idols are not able to intercede for them God hath added to the punishment of Infidels hath sent them evil upon evil because they hinder the World to follow his Law Preach unto them the Day wherein I will cause to rise again all the Nations of the World with the Prophet who pâ—…hed to them to be Witness of their Actions I will be Witness against them of thy Nation I have sent thee the Book that unfoldeth the Mysteries of my Law to guide the people into the right way and to declare the Joys of Paradise to such as profess my Unity God commandeth you to do only that which is reasonable he commandeth you to give Alms and to do good to your Parents he forbiddeth Whoredom disobedience and injustice enjoyneth you to do good perhaps you will consider it Perform what ye have Promised to God break not promised Faith ye call God to be Witness of your Promises he knoweth all your Actions Do not like the Woman who spun a Thread folded it and afterwards entangled and spoyled it believe not that there is deceit and errour in your Law If the Unbelievers be more in number than you God permitteth it to prove you he shall clear to you at the Day of Judgment the doubts that be among you had it so pleased him you all had observed one and the same Law he guideth mis-leadeth whom it pleaseth him and will exactly require of you an account of your Actions Believe not that there is deceit in your Law take heed of stumbling having once confirmed your steps ye shall be severely chastised if ye seduce the people from the right way do not violate what ye have promised to God for any price his Grace is of more advantage to you than the wealth of the Earth had ye knowledge to understand it your wealth is perishable and the riches of Heaven are eternal he shall recompence them that persevere in well-doing and whosoever shall do good works shall be blessed in this World and in the other When thou shalt read the Alcoran implore God to deliver thee from the Malice of the Devil abominable to all the Creatures he hath no power over them that trust in his Divine Majesty his power extendeth over such as go astray who obey not him and adore many Gods. When we alter any Precepts God well knoweth what he ordaineth they say thou art a Lyar but the greatest part of them are ignorant Say unto them that assuredly the Holy Ghost hath taught it from thy Lord to confirm Believers in their Faith and to guide into the right way them that profess his Unity and to announce to them the Joys of Paradise I know that they will say that a Man hath taught him the Alcoran He whom they presume to have taught him is a Persian by Nation and speaketh the Language of the Persians and the Alcoran is in the Arabick Tongue full of instruction and eloquence They who will not believe in God shall suffer great torments such as renounce his Commandments blaspheme against his Divine Majesty those that reject his Law after having professed it shall feel the effect of his wrath and be punished for preferring the wealth of the Earth to the riches of Heaven God guideth not unbelievers They in whose hearts he hath imprinted disobedience those whom he hath deprived of hearing and sight are ignorant they doubtless shall be at the end of the World in the number of the damned he is merciful to them that convert and repent to have mislead the People from the right way and persevere in obedience to his Commandments Be thou mindful of the day wherein man shall dispute against himself and every one shall be rewarded according to his works without injustice God teacheth you a Parable behold a free and priviledged City on the which God poureth his graces on all sides with abundance and is ingrateful for his benefits but he sent upon it misery famine and fear because of its ingratitude God hath sent to the Inhabitants thereof a Prophet of their Nation they have standered him and were chastised because of their sin Eat of what God hath given you and give him thanks for his grace if it be he whom ye worship he forbideth you to eat of Carrion of Bloud and Swines-flesh and whatsoever is not slain in pronouncing the Name of God he will be gracious and merciful to them who shall eat through necessity without design to offend him Lie not in saying Behold that which is permitted to be eaten blaspheme not against God such as blaspheme against him shall not prosper in this World and in the other shall suffer grievous torments We did heretofore prohibit the Iews to eat of what we have recounted to thee we did to them no injustice they drew mischief on themselves through their sin thy Lord is gracious and merciful to them that ignorantly offend him who
convert and do good works Abraham was obedient to God and professed his unity he adored 〈◊〉 Idols and gave thanks to God for his 〈◊〉 God elected and guided him into the right way he gave him wealth in this World and placed him in the other in the number of the blessed We have inspired thee to follow the Law of Abraham he professed the Unity of God and adored not Idols he established the Sabbath among the Iews of which they dispute God shall judge their difference at the Day of Judgment Call the People to the Law of God with prudence and preachings and dispute against them with good arguments God knoweth them that depart from the right way if they evilly intreat you intreat them as they shall inteat you if ye be patient patience is advantagious to them that take it willingly have patience for the love of God and afflict not your selves with the deportments and malice of the wicked God is with the Righteous who have his fear before their eyes CAAP. XVII The Chapter of the Voyage by Night containing an Hundred and eleven Verses written at Mecca Reader The Turks believe that this Night of the Voyage Mahomet ascended into Heaven with the Angel Gabriel He was mounted on a white Burac which is a beast partly Mule partly Ass and partly Horse He saw all the Prophets that preceded him all the wonders of Paradise and saw God who sate on his Throne See Kitab el tenoir Tefslir anf Giauhoir and the Exposition of Gelaldin The Bedaoi intituled this Chapter The Chapter of the Children of Israel IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise be to him that caused his servant to go in one night from the Temple of Mecca to the Temple of Ierusalem we have blessed that Temple and whatsoever is about it in token of our Omnipotency We gave to Moses the Old Testament to instruct the Children of Israel and to deter them from the worship of any other God but of me to forbid them to adore the Lineage of Noah or the Lineage of them that we preserved in his Ark. Noah is my creature and my servant acknowledging my benefits we prohibited in Scripture the Children of Israel to defile twice the Earth lest they kindled too great a fire when that befel you we stirred up our servants against you and they entred by force into the midst of your houses this was as soon executed as promised In the end we gave you advantage over your Enemies we gave you Wealth and Children to succour you and ye were more numerons than the Infidels the good and the evil that you shall do shall be for your souls We stirred up the wicked against you because of your sins to afflict you through the Murther and Boâ—…dage of your persons and they destroyed the Temple of Ierusalem as they had ruined it the first time Your Lord shall pardon you if you convert we have established Hell for a perpetual Prison of Infidels The Alcoran guideth the Righteous into the right way it declareth to them a great reward preacheth to the wicked the torments of Hell and exhorteth men to well-doing although they are inclining to evil and prompt to sin We created the Day and the Night they are two signs of our Omnipotency We caused the Night to pass away and the Day to appear for labour and to the end ye might know the number of Ages of Months and of Years we explained our Mysteries without obscurity and have enjoyned every one to bear the burden of his iniquities at the Day of Judgment that day will make men to see the account of their sins they shall be recompenced and chastised according to the good and the evil that they shall have committed and none shall bear the burden of his Neighbour We sent to the People Prophets and Apostles to preach to them our Commandments before they were chastised before the destruction of a City we advertised the Principal Inhabitants thereof when they disobeyed us we chastised them according to our word and destroyed them How many Cities have we ruined since Noah's 〈◊〉 The sins of the People are known to their Lord he giveth the riches of this world to them that desire them to cause them to fall headlong into Hell where they shall repent of their iniquites and be deprived of mercy He who shall labour to acquire the riches of Heaven shall be protected of thy Lord in this world and enriched with the Treasures of Heaven in the other Consider how we prefer our Creatures one to another the reward of Heaven is much greater than that of the Earth Believe not that there be two Gods otherwise you shall repent of it and be deprived of protection at the day of judgment Thy Lord hath ordained to worship him alone and to honour your father and mother especially in their old age and say nothing to them that may afflict them neither vex them speak to them with respect do not contemn them pray to God to compassionate them as they have pitied you when they brought you up in your infancy God knoweth whatsoever is in your souls he will be merciful to you if ye obey him Give to your parents what appertaineth to them do good to the poor and to pilgrims be not prodigal the prodigal are brethren of the Devil ingrateful for the favours of their Lord. Contemn not the poor if ye desire to obtain the mercy of God speak to them with mildness and endeavour to content them do not entirely shut your hands neither altogether extend them if ye do otherwise ye shall offend Thy Lord giveth and taketh away his graces as â—…meth good to him he knoweth his people and understandeth all their actions Slay not your children for fear of necessity I will give whatsoever shall be necessary for them the murther of children is an exceeding great sin flie whoredom it is a thing unclean kill no man without reason we have commanded to pursue him that shall have slain his neighbour but let not the heir sin maliciously prosecuting the innocent for the guilty The innocent is in Gods protection take not the goods of Orphans and be careful of them until they be in years of discretion satisfie your promises an account shall be required of you measure with good measure and weigh with just weights Busie your selves not with that which you ought not to know There shall be required of you an account of the sins ye have committed in seeing hearing and thinking Be not proud ye shall never be so long as the Earth neither so high as the Mountains such sins are exceeding great before thy Lord It is one part of what he hath inspired into thee to preach to his people Say not there be two Gods lest thou be confined to the fire of Hell. Your Lord hath elected you with all those men and women that obey his Commandments for his sons and daughters as the Angels yet say
not that God hath children We made mention in the Alcoran of whatsoever is necessary to be preached to the people say unto them If there be a God with God as ye affirm invoke him that hath his Throne in Heaven praised be God he hath no Companion he is most high and great The seven Heavens praise him and all that is on Earth glorifie him but ye comprehend it not he is gracious and merciful We will separate thee from the wicked we will harden their hearts and stop their ears When thou shalt read the Alcoran and say There is but one God they will turn the back â—…d deride thee I know what they desire to hear they would have the people to hearken to the words of the unjust who say That thou art a Sorcerer and a Magician consider to whom they compare thee they certainly are in error and are not able to find the right way What! we are say they bones and flesh shall we rise again and become new Creatures who shall cause us to rise again Say unto them Although ye be stone iron bones and flesh he who first created you shall raise you again They shall shake the head at thee and ask of thee In what time they shall rise again say unto them Peradventure it shall be suddenly When ye shall be called out of the graves by the Commandment of God ye will believe that ye have remained but very little time in the world then shall the Infidels confess that the Devil hath deceived them and that he is their open enemy Your Lord knoweth you all he will pardon or chastise you as seemeth good to him We have not sent thee to be their guardian thy Lord knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth Certainly we gave graces to some Prophets which we gave not to others and we gave the Psalter to David Say unto the Infidels invoke the Idols which ye adore and see if they are of power to deliver you from affliction They that implore God desire to be nigh unto him who are they that shall nearest approach his divine Majesty they who hope in his mercy or such as fear his punishment Certainly his punishment ought most to be feared We will destroy all the Cities of the world before the day of Judgment and chastise the wicked with rigorous torments this is written upon the Tables kept in heaven nothing hath hindred us to manifest the miracles which the inhabitants of Mecca desire to see but the contempt shewed by their predecessors Temod saw the miracles of the Camel and contemned it I will no more shew miracles but to make the people to apprehend the torments of hell Remember thou that we have said to thee that thy Lord knoweth all that the world doth that which we gave thee to see in the voyage by night is to prove the people as the cursed tree which is spoken of in the Alcoran there be persons that will believe it others that will not believe but I will try them to augment their confusion Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to humble themselves before Adam and that they did humble themselves except the devil who said Shall I adore him whom thou hast created of the earth who is he whom thou hast preferred to me Certainly if thou tarry until the day of Judgment I will destroy his race except that small number that shall be under thy protection Thy Lord said unto him Get thee hence hell shall be thy punishment and the punishment of them that shall follow thee deceive by thy speeches them whom thou shalt be able to deceive seduce whom thou canst seduce with the wealth of the earth cause them to exercise Usury and commit the sin of whoredom tell them there is neither Resurrection nor Judgment whatsoever thou shalt promise them shall be but vanity and falshood thou shalt have no power over them that shall worship me I will protect them against thee It is your Lord who causeth the ship to travel upon the waters for the advantage of traffique when the tempest chargeth you your Idols forsake you he alone is able to protect you nevertheless when he hath caused you to arrive at the Port you deny his Unity and follow your impiety believe ye that he will another time make the sea calm to you and he will send you a favourable wind if ye do not acknowledg him your protector Believe you to return again to the sea He shall send you an impetuous wind that shall overwhelm you with your impiety and ye shall find none to protect you against him We have conferred on men many favours we have conducted them on the earth and sea enriched with all sorts of riches and gratified them above all creatures of the earth preach to them the day wherein I will assemble before me all the Nations of the World with the Prophet that shall have preached to them He to whom shall be given the Book of the Accompt of his works in his right hand shall read his accompt entirely no injustice shall be done to him and he shall be happy He that shall be blind in this world shall be so in the other and shall not see the right way They would divert thee from performing what we have inspired into thee to induce thee to blaspheme against me If thou do it thou shalt be of their friends were it not for the strength that we have given thee they would make thee to incline to their impiety hadst thou done it we had given thee to taste of great afflictions in this world and in the other thou hadst found none to protect thee against us it wanted not much but they had affrighted thee at Medina to cause thee to go out of it had they driven thee thence they had not continued there long after thee We heretofore sent our Prophets to instruct the people in our Law thou shalt find therein nothing to change make thy prayers when the Sun shall set at the beginning and at the end of the night and at the dawning of day the Angels shall be witnesses of thine orisons spend one part of the night in prayer this shall be an augmentation of merit thy Lord shall establish thee in the place of his glory Say Lord into whatsoever place I go make me to enter and go forth with truth give me thy protection Say that truth is come aâ—…d that vanity is vanished this Book shall heal the people of their error it shall bring them into the way of mercy and encreaâ—…e the misery of unbelievers We have exhorted men to abandon their impiety they have not done it and despaired when they were touched with affliction Say unto them Each of us doth after his will and God knoweth him that followeth the right way they shall demand of thee concerning the Soul Say unto them the soul is an effect of God he hath given you very little knowledge assuredly had it so
to follow their Religion in which we shall be eternally miserable Thus did we stir up the people against them to the end they might know that thy Lord is true when he said He will cause the dead to arise again the Resurrection is indubitable nevertheless unbelievers dispute among them concerning the History of the Sleepers and say That they built a secret place to retire themselves God knoweth the Truth The True believers believe that they made no building the Infidels say they were five and that their dog was the sixth they speak by opinion but the True believers affirm them to be seven and their dog to be the eighth Say unto them My Lord knoweth how many they were few persons except God know their number Doubt no more the History of the Sleepers the matter is averred and known dispute no more with the Jews and say not I will do this to morrow without saying If it pleaâ—…e God. Call God to mind after thou hast forgot him and say The Lord shall guide me and teach me the History of the Sleepers who remained in Cave three hundred years there be who affirm they continued there nine hundred years Say unto them God knoweth the time of their abode there he knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth he understandeth and seeth all things he alone disposeth every thing and hath no companion Preach what thy Lord hath inspired into thee his word admitteth of no alteration there is no safer refuge than in him dwell with those that invoke him morning and evening and desire to see his face depart not from their company if thou desirest to have content of life in this world obey not those whose heart we have hardned and are unmindful of us follow not their impiety whatsoever they do is but offence and sin Say unto them the truth proceedeth from your Lord who shall desire it shall be True believers and who shall not desire it shall be an Infidel we have prepared Hell to chastise the impious and prisons wherein to detain them They shall implore succors against the melting pit into which they shall be plunged as into waters it shall rost their faces and shall be their drink I will not frustrate of reward them that shall have done well they shall enjoy the delights of the gardens of Eden wherein flow many rivers they shall have bracelets of fine Gold they shall be cloathed with green with Scarlet with shining colours and shall sit on thrones with an eternal felicity Declare to them this parable there were two men I gave to the one of them gardens wherein are store of fruits he in contempt told his companion that he was more wealthy and powerful than he and entred into his gardens being an Infidel and an Idolater and said I do not think these shall ever have an end they shall endure a long time without withering His companion said to him If thou dost not ackowledge this to proceed from God and if thou be ingrateful towards him that created thee of dust and made thee a man thou shalt soon find thy gardens ruined this cometh from God my Lord who hath no companion all strength and truth proceedeth from his divine Majesty If I have less of substance than thou God can give me fruits more fair than those of thy gardens or send thunder that shall destroy them he shall fill them with water of rain that shall encompass them and hinder thee to approach them In the morning this Infidel found his gardens destroyed to the very roots he was extreamly perplexed by reason of the expence he had made to plant them evenly and he said Would to God I had not adored Idols He shall find none that is able to protect him at the day of Judgment but God all protection and grace issueth from his divine bounty and the end of the righteous shall be happy Speak unto them this parable The life of the world is like unto rain fallen from Heaven that refreshed and revived the herbs of the Earth and in the morning were dry as chaff carried away by the wind God is omnipotent Riches and Children are the ornaments of this life but good works are eternal they are acceptable to God and give us hope of his grace Be thou mindful of the day when the mountains shall walk and thou shalt see the Earth to be plain that day we assemble the good and the wicked and will not fail of my word to any person that day shall the Infidels beseech the Lord to save them he shall say unto them You came unto us naked as when we at first created you and ye believed on Earth that there was no resurrection Then shall he give to every one the Book wherein shall be written the accompt of their sins Thou shalt see the wicked trembling with fear saying behold here our destruction What is there in this Book It containeth their venial and mortal sins and detecteth their offences they shall find the number of their crimes before their eyes Thy Lord is unjust to none Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to prostrate themselves before Adam and that they humbled themselves except the Devil who was in the number of Angels he disobeyed his Lord nevertheless Adam and his posterity have obeyed him although he is their open enemy and particularly of the Infidels Consider ye not that God created Heaven and Earth and he made you and hath no need to be aided of you Be thou mindful of the day when it shall be said to Idolaters Call upon your Idols that ye have worshipped for remission of your sins they shall implore them but none shall hear their prayers we have ruined them the wicked shall behold the fire into which they shall fall and find none to save them We taught men in the Alcoran many parables yet do the wicked abound in question and dispute too much What hindreth men to believe since there is come to them a guide to conduct them into the right way If they beg not pardon of God what hapned to their predecessors and at Beder shall befall them they shall be visibly punished I send Prophets only to anounce the joys of Paradise and to preach the torments of Hell the unbelievers dispute vainly to obscure the truth they deride my Commandments and the fire of Hell who is more unjust than he who knoweth the Commandments of his Lord and disobeyeth him and forgetteth his past sins We have hardned their hearts they shall not understand the Scripture we have stopped their ears they shall hear nothing if thou callest them to the right way they shall not follow thee thy Lord is gracious and merciful should he chastise them after their demerits he should forthwith destroy them he tarrieth until the time that he hath promised to punish them and they shall find none of power to protect them We have destroyed Cities when their inhabitants have offended and we prefixed the day
shall tear them up and level them with the Earth thou shalt see them levelled and beaten down Then shall men without retardment follow him that shall summon them to universal Judgment they shall humble themselves before God thou shalt that Day hear low and humble voices that day shall prayers be ineffectual except of them that shall be pleasing to God whom he will permit to speak He knoweth whatsoever men do in this World and what must befull them in the other and they know it not they shall humble themselves and hang down the Head before the Living and Eternal Lord all Infidels shall be damned and the Righteous of True-believers that have done good works shall not fear injustice We have sent the Alcoran in the Arabique Tongue it teacheth men our Commandments peradventure they will fear impiety it teacheth them what they ought to know Exalt the glory of God King of the World he is truth it self press not thy self to read the Alcoran until thou hast well understood it Say Lord encrease my knowledge We heretofore prohibited Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit he was unmindful of our Commandment I found in him no perseverance Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to humble themselves before him they humbled themselves except the Devil who refused to do it Remember that we said Adam the Devil is thine enemy and the enemy of thy Wife he will endeavour to make you miserable to cause you both to go out of Paradise where thou sufferest neither hunger nor thirst nor cold nor heat the Devil tempted them and said oh Adam I will conduct thee to the Tree of Eternity a treasure that shall never perish they did both eat of the fruit of that Tree then knew they their filthiness and took the leaves of Trees to cover their nakedness Adam disobeyed his Lord and became miserable nevertheless he heard and pardoned him and shewed him the right he said descend from Paradice ye Enemies of each other I will hereafter send you a guide he that shall follow him shall not err and shall be blessed he that shall go astray and will not believe in me shall be miserable in the World and blind at the Day of Judgment that Day shall he say Lord wherefore hast thou made me blind I had good sight when I was in the World I did this day forget thee as thou didst forget my Commandments thus do I intreat Infidels The torments of the other World are more grievous than those of the Earth and of longer continuance do not unbelievers tremble when they consider how many men upon Earth we have destroyed in past Ages Their misery shall serve for example to them that are wise had not thy Lord said that he will defer the punishment of the wicked until the time appointed he had already destroyed them Be patient and endure their Discourse praise thy Lord before the Sun arise before it setteth an hour before Night and at the end of Day thou shalt do a thing acceptable to him The life of the World is sweet to tempt you but the Riches of thy Lord are better and Eternal Command the People to make their prayers at the time appointed and be not impatient towards them I require no Riches of thee I will enrich thee and in the end Paradise shall be for the Righteous The unbelievers have said if Mahomet sheweth not some Miracle from God and knoweth not the exposition of the Books of our Predecessors we will not believe in him we before his coming destroyed many wicked persons who said Lord hadst thou sent us a Prophet we had observed thy Commandments before we became infamous and laden with ignominy Say unto them every one expecteth his end expect ye and ye shall one day know them that follow the right way and have not erred CHAP. XXI The Chapter of the Prophets containing an Hundred and Twelve Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God Gracious and merciful The Day approacheth wherein the People shall render an account of their actions but they consider it not and depart from the Commandments of God if they hear them they laugh they understand them not and keep secret their evil intentions Is not Mahomet a man like to you Will ye say that he is a Magician You see the contrary God heareth whatsoever is spoken both in Heaven and Earth and knoweth all things They say certainly Mahomet hath dreamed what he speaketh he hath invented it and is a Poet we will not believe him unless he shew some Miracle as did the Prophets that were before him We have layed waste many Cities because their inhabitants were incredulous we sent before thee but men who were inspired of us Enquire of them to whom heretofore was given the knowledge of the written Law if ye know it not they were men that did eat and drink and were mortal we effected what we promised to them we preserved them with such as believed and destroyed the incredulous we have sent you a Book to instruct you will ye understand it How many Infidel Cities have we made desolate How many new People have we established in their place When they felt our punishment they fled fly not and return to what hath delighted you return into your houses peradventure ye will yet covet the Riches of the Earth they said Misery is upon us we are too blame thus did they talk until they were destroyed We have not created Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is between them to sport with had it been our will that they should have scoffed on Earth they should scoff likewise in Heaven On the contrary I oppose the truth to falsehood to confound it and in effect it doth confound it Misery shall be upon you because of your blasphemies whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is Gods the Angels are not ashamed to worship him they praise him Day and Night and exalt his glory without blasphemy The Infidels worship Gods made of Earth have they power to create any thing Were there in Heaven and on Earth another God they would not accord praised be God Lord of the Universe what the Infidels relate is untrue He asketh no counsel when he will do any thing as do men will they worship any other God but him Say unto them produce your arguments behold what we have to speak unto you behold our reasons and those of our predecessors Certainly the greatest part of them are ignorant of the Truth and go astray We inspired into all the Prophets which we sent that there was but one God that ought to be worshipped They said believe ye that the Angels are the Sons of God Praised be God on the contrary they are his Creatures he loveth them they speak not but after him and obey what he commandeth them he knoweth all their actions past and future they pray for no man but through his permission and fear to displease him Who among them will say I am God
the torments of Hell. Remember Mary whose womb I blessed we inspired into her our Spirit and gave her a Son a Miracle in the VVorld Your Law is one onely Law and I am one onely God worship me and be not impious ye all shall appear before me to be judged I will protect the True believers that shall have done good works and will write what they shall do for their reward Misery is upon the Cities that we have ruined their inhabitants shall not return into the World until the passage be opened to Iagog and Magog and they come running from the eminent places of the Earth then shall the Day of Judgment approach the promised Truth shall not be far off it shall trouble the sight of the wicked who shall say O misery We are miserable we did not foresee this disaster we have been exceeding too blame for having offended God. It shall be said unto them Ye worshipped instead of God the firebrands of Hell into which ye shall be cast headlong Had your Idols been Gods as ye believed they should not have entred Hell they and those that have adored them shall be eternally damned they shall groan complain and shall not be heard Such as shall be in Paradise shall be far remote from them they shall not hear their howlings and shall enjoy eternally what they shall desire the crys of the Damned shall not afflict them the Angels shall meet them when they come out of their graves and shall say Behold now the day that was foretold you in the World a Day wherein we will open the Heavens and the Book of the account of all men as we promised to your predecessors We exactly perform what we promise we have written in the Old Testament and afterwards in the Alcoran That the Righteous shall inherit the Earth This Book shall teach the way of Paradise to them that shall worship me We had not sent thee but in favour of men say unto them God hath always inspired into me that your God is one God will ye not obey him If they go astray I have taught you how they must be intreated Say unto them I know not whether the punishment denounced to you shall be speedy or tardy God knoweth what is known and unknown in the World I know not whether he will try you or defer his punishment until the time appointed He is a most just Judg and most merciful he is not such as ye speak him CHAP. XXII The Chapter of Pilgrimage containing Seventy and Seven Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God Gracious and Merciful O ye People fear God. The Earthquake that shall happen at the Day of Judgment shall be wonderful ye shall that day see Mothers forget their Children and every one shall bear his own burden ye shall see men drunk not with Wine but amazed and astonished at the great judgments of God. There be who dispute of the Deity with ignorance and follow the will of the Devil voluntary and obstinate It is written he shall seduce them that obey him and shall conduct them into Hell. O ye People if ye doubt of the Resurrection consider how we created you of the dust of the Earth with a little Water sprinkled upon the Dust of the Earth with congealed blood and a little flesh intirely and not intirely formed I form in the wombs of Women what seemeth good to me at the time appointed I cause you to come forth Children then I give you life and make you to arrive to the Age of Virility some die young and others live to extremiry of Age to the end they may learn to live well Consider the Earth dry dead and barren when we shall cause Rain to fall it shall change the face shall produce and nourish its fruits of all sorts fair and pleasing Because God is truth it self he raiseth again the dead and is Omnipotent There is no doubt but the Day of Judgment approacheth and that God will cause the dead to rise again There be men that dispute of God without knowledg without reason without authority and go astray from the way of his Law they shall be full of ignominy and shame in this World and shall feel in the other the pains of Hell. God doth no injustice to his People There be who who adore him with scruple if good befal them they persevere to adore him if evil they return to their impiety and lose the riches of Earth and the riches of Heaven These two losses are exceeding great they invoke Idols instead of God they invoke what can neither benefit nor hurt them Such prayers are by-ways far remote from the Commandments of God they worship that which doth rather mischief nor advantage them Certainly God shall make the True-believers that do good works to enter into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers he doth what seemeth good to him He that is angry that God giveth succor and protection to Mahomet in this World and in the other let him tye a Cord to a Beam of his House and hang himself he shall see if his choller will be allayed God hath sent the Alcoran as heretofore he sent the other Scriptures it containeth his Commandments clear and intelligible it guideth into the right way whom it pleaseth him He at the Day of Judgment shall judg the differences that are between the Faithful and Infidels between the Samaritans the Christians and Idolaters he is Omniscient Seest thou not that all that is in Heaven and on Earth the Sun the Moon the Stars the Mountains Trees and Beasts adore him Many worship him with zeal but many likewise merit to be punished None shall esteem him whom God shall despise he doth as seemeth good to him These two contrary parties the Believers and the Infidels have disputed of the Deity but the Infidels shall be encompassed with flames of Hell they shall have Shirts of Fire boyling Water shall flow in upon their Heads the Fire shall burn what is in their Bellies and shall roast their Skin they shall be beaten with Clubs of Iron when they think to go out of this Fire they shall enter further into it and be eternally tormented God shall cause the True-believers that have done good works to go into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers they shall be adorned with Bracelets of Gold and Pearls they shall be clothed with Silk and enjoy Eternal felicity because they have professed his Unity and the Infidels shall suffer great torments for that they have hindred the People to imbrace the Faith and visit the Temple of Mecca which God hath established to be therein adored of all the World He that shall be sollicited to visit it and shall enter it with design to return to his impiety shall be severely punished Remember that we shewed to Abraham the place to build the Temple of Mecca that we commanded him to adore me alone and to purge my Temple from Idols for the satisfaction of them
that should there make processions Men shall come thither to visit thee from all parts on foot and on Horse-back they shall receive profit they shall there make their prayers at the times appointed and the days nominated they shall thank the Lord for his benefits towards them and the Riches which he hath given them and shall make likewise processions at the old Temple He that shall reverence it shall do exceeding well and shall be recompenced of his Lord. It is lawful for you to eat of all clean Beasts except of such as have been heretofore prohibited Depart from the pollution of Idols beware of bearing false witness and be obedient to God. He that saith God hath a Companion is like to him that fell headlong from Heaven whom the Birds devoured and the wind cast into a remote place full of miseries He that shall reverence the signs of the power of God will not doubt of his Law and shall be rewarded for his good works at the time appointed if he visit the old Temple of Mecca We have given to all Nations of the World a Law to offer their Sacrifices and to return thanks to their Lord for having given them advantage above all sorts of Beasts Your God is one God obey his Commandments proclaim a great reward to them that are obedient to him to them that tremble with fear when they hear mention of his name that are patient in their adversity that pray at the time appointed and dispence in alms some part of the wealth that we have given them We have created the female Camel for a sign of our unity she shall be profitable to you in this World. Remember to pronounce the Name of God when ye shall sacrifice her standing on her feet when she shall fall dead on the ground eat of her flesh if it like you and give to eat to such as shall require it We have made her subject to you peradventure ye will be thankful to me for this grace God promoteth before him neither the flesh of this Beast nor the blood but onely the good works that ye perform He hath thus subjected it That ye may exalt it and give him thanks for having guided you into the right way Proclaim to the righteous That God will remove far from them the malice of the wicked he abhorreth Traytors and the ingrateful Declare to such as fight against Infidels to repair the injury they have done them that God is sufficiently powerful to protect them When they were driven from their houses without reason they said God is our Lord Had not God stirred up the people against each other the Covents of the Religious the Churches of the Christians the Synagogues of the Jews and the Temples of the Believers had been ruined through the multitude of the wicked and their malice The name of God is exalted in the Temples of believers and therein is his Law defended and protected God is most strong he hath all power over his people Those whom God hath established on Earth with victory over their enemies make their prayers in the manner ordained pay Tithes and enjoin to do what is honest and civil forbid to do what is prohibited of God who knoweth the end of all things If the Infidels traduce thee their predecessors traduced Noah Aad Chaib Abraham and Lot they also slandered Moses God for a time deferred their punishment but in the end most severely chastised them How many Cities have we destroyed because of their impiety We have overthrown and made them desart through the death of their inhabitants Shall those of Mecca walk for ever upon Earth with an hard heart without reflecting upon what hath heretofore befaln the Infidels Their eyes are not blind but their hearts are blind and hardned They will require thee to cause the wicked to be speedily chastised God will not go against what he hath promised One day before thy Lord is as a thousand years before men How often hath the punishments of impâ—…ous Cities been deferred that in the end were destroyed The whole world shall one day be assembled before me to be recompenced after their merits Say unto them O people I preach unto you publickly the torments of Hell such as shall believe and do good works shall receive pardon of their sins and a precious treasure they that shall endeavour to make void the faith shall be damned We sent our Prophet to read only our Commandments to the people the unbelievers read many things that are not in the Alcoran but God hath made vain what the Devil had there inserted and confirmed the precepts of his Law What the Devil there inserted serveth for sâ—…dition to them that are weak in their faith and have an hard heart The Infidels are in an exceeding great error and are far from the Truth Such as have the knowledge of Scripture know that the Alcoran is truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord They believe in it and humble their heart in reading it God guideth into the right way such as believe in the truth The Infidels shall be in doubt until they be surprized of the day of Judgment That day shall they be rigorously chastised that day shall God command and judg the good and the bad the righteous that shall have believed and done good works shall enter into delicious Gardens and the Infidels that shall have disobeyed his Commandments shall suffer exceeding great torments They that departed from Mecca and went to Medina to abandon the society of unbelievers and were slain or died of sickness shall be rewarded of his divine Majesty God is the greatest benefactor in the world he shall give them to enter where they shall desire he is omniscient and most merciful The believers that shall take revenge of the injury that the unbelievers have done them shall be protected of God He is gracious and merciful towards his people he maketh day to enter into night and night into day he heareth the prayers of True believers and seeth whatsoever they do and will protect them because he is truth it self Idols are but vanity and God is most high and omnipotent Dost thou not consider that God sendeth the rain from Heaven and that the Earth becometh green He is benign to his people and knoweth all things whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is his he hath no need of his people and ought to be exalted Seest thou not that God hath subjected to you all the beasts that are upon the earth Seest thou not that the ship runneth upon the sea through his command to transport you and your substance Seest thou not that he hindreth Heaven to fall upon the Earth certainly he is benign and merciful He it is that hath given you life and death he shall make you to die and shall raise you again nevertheless man is ingrateful for his favours We have given a law to all the Nations of the World to guide them into the right
with you their adherents and the devils thrown headlong into the fire of hell the Idolaters shall dispute in hell with them whom they have worshipped and shall say By God we were abused when we adored you the wicked seduced us we have none this day to intercede for us neither friend to protect us could we return into the world we would believe in the Law of God this discourse shall be for example to the wicked that believe not that thy Lord is the Omnipotent and merciful The people of Noahs time slandered the Apostles and Prophets that were sent to them Noah their brother said unto them Fear God I am his Messenger sent to preach unto you fear God and obey him I require no recompence for my instructions God the sole Lord of the world shall reward my labours fear and obey him They said shall we believe in thee and thy followers who are infamous He said I know not what they do my Lord keepeth accompt of their actions if ye knew the right way ye would not worship Idols I drive not true believers from my society I am sent only to preach the torments of Hell. They said O Noah if thou quit not this discourse thou shalt be stoned Noah said Lord this people is impious judge our difference deliver me from their malice and all true believers that are with me We preserved him and those that were with him in the Ark and destroyed them that remained on the earth This is an evidence of our Omnipotency yet the greatest part of Infidels believe not that God is omnipotent and merciful The people of Aads time traduced the Apostles and Prophets that were sent unto them Hod his brother said unto them fear God I am his Messenger sent to preach unto you with fidelity Fear God and obey him I require of you no recompence of my preaching the Lord of the Universe shall abundantly reward me Will ye Build sowers and lofty Palaces as if ye would dwell eternally in the world Will ye be cruel without compassion on your selves Fear God and obey him fear him who giveth you his grace bestoweth on you wealth children gardens and fountains I fear that ye shall suffer grievous pains at the day of Judgment They said unto him Art thou come to be preached unto or to preach to us Thou relatest to us old mens Fables They slandered him and we destroyed them this is a token of our Omnipotency nevertheless the greatest part of Infidels believe not thy Lord to be Omnipotent and merciful The people of Temod belyed the Prophets that were sent unto them his brother Salhe said unto them fear God I am a messenger sent from God to preach to you fear God and obey him I require of you no recompence for my preaching the Lord of the Universe shall recompence my labours will ye forsake eternal riches to cleave to the wealth of this world to put your trust in your gardens your fountains your tillages your dates and fruits shall ye be esteemed prudent if ye build houses of pleasure in the mountains fear God obey his Commandments and obey not the wicked that defile the earth and do no good They said unto him thou art a Magician and an Inchanter thou art but a man like unto us shew us some miracle if thou be indeed a Prophet sent from God he said behold there a Camel he hath a place to drink at a day appointed ye likewise have it to drink as he do him no harm otherwise shall ye be punished at the day of Judgment They did hurt this Camel through contempt but had cause to repent it and were severely punished This is an example for posterity nevertheless the greatest part of Infidels believe not that thy Lord is altogether gracious and merciful The Citizens of Lot traduced the Prophets that were sent unto them Lot their brother said fear God I am a faithful Messenger sent from him to preach to you fear God and obey him I require of you no reward for my pains God will reward me will ye cleave to the world to reject that glory that he hath created for you ye forsake good to embrace evil They said O Lot if thou change not this discourse we will banish thee from our City he said perhaps I am one of those whom ye abhor Lord deliver me with my family from their hands We saved him with all his family except his wife who remained with the inhabitants of the City we caused to fall upon them a rain that destroyed them This is an example for posterity nevertheless the greatest part of Infidels believe not that thy Lord is Omnipotent and merciful They that inhabit the Forest slandered the Prophets that were sent unto them Chaib said to them fear God I am a faithful messenger sent from him to preach unto you the torments of hell fear God and obey him I require no reward of you for my preaching the Lord of the Universe shall recompence me Measure with good measure and weigh with good weights detain nothing from your neighbour defile not the earth fear him that created you and all those that were before you They said unto him thou art a Sorcerer thou art but a man like us we believe thee to be a lyar if thou art indeed sent from God cause a part of heaven to fall upon us he answered God knoweth that of which ye are ignorant they traduced him but were chastised being covered with a cloud that rained upon them a shewer of fire and they were burned as if it had been the day of Judgment this is a token of my Power but the greatest part of Infidels believe not that thy Lord is Omnipotent and merciful Certainly the Alcoran was sent by the Lord of the world the faithful Spirit inspired it into thine heart that thou mayst preach to the people the pains of Hell in the Arabique tongue the Scriptures heretofore made mention of it if the Infidels of Mecca are ignorant of it the Doctors of the children of Israel have knowledg to understand it although that we have not sent it in the language of the Persians yet cease not to instruct them in that which they know not we have imprinted a lye in the hearts of the wicked they shall not believe what is written in the Alcoran until they see the punishment prepared for Infidels at the day of Judgment that day shall come at unawares of which they are ignorant They say let us tarry and not believe as yet in what is contained in that book are they impatient until they see their punishment Hast thou seen how they have some years deferred it and how in the end that which we promised befel them their riches were to them unprofitatable We have not destroyed Cities without having forewarned them of their destruction we are unjust to none The devils did not bring the Alcoran it was to them of none advantage they could not compose
it they are remote from the Angels and cannot hear their speech say not there is another God with God if thou say it thou shalt be chastised preach the torments of Hell to them that shall follow thee be humble and civil to True believers if they disobey thee say unto them I am innocent of what ye do and am resigned to the Will of God 〈◊〉 potent and merciful He beholdeth thee when thou dost pray and worship him he heareth and knoweth all things Shall I tell ye to whom the Devils address themselves They apply themselves to Lyars they tell to them what they have heard spoken but they all lye The erronous imitate the Poets they are confuted in their Discourse and say they have done what they have not except those that believe in God that do good works who often think of his Divine Majesty and that have been protected against the injustice of Infidels the unjust shall know that they shall one day rise again CHAP. XXVII The Chapter of the Pismire containing Fourscore and thirteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God Gracious and Merciful God is most pure he understandeth all These mysteries are the mysteries of the Alcoran which distinguisheth the Truth from a Lye it conducteth men into the right way and proclaimeth the Joys of Paradise to such as believe in the Law of God who make their prayers at the time appointed pay Tithes and have knowledg of their end They that believe not in the Day of Judgment like well of what they do and are in confusion they shall in the end be in the number of the damned The Alcoran was conveyed to thee from the most prudent that knoweth all things Remember thou that Moses said to his Family I see a Fire I go to it I will bring you tidings I will bring you a spark peradventure you shall be warmed when he drew near to the Fire he heard a voice that said to him oh Moses that which is in this Fire and whatsoever is about it is blessed praise is due to God Lord of the Universe I am God Omnipotent and Eternal Cast thy staff on the ground When Moses beheld his staff to move as it had been alive he went back very sorrowful and returned no more Fear not that staff my Messenger and my Prophets have no fear in my presence he that shall be converted shall find me gracious and merciful Put thine Hand into thy Pocket it shall come forth white without harm it shall be one of the Nine marks of my Omnipotency Pharoah and his Ministers were altogether erroneous when they saw my Miracles they said that they were but Sorcery they despised them and encreased their impiety Consider what is the end of the wicked and how they have been destroyed We gave knowledg to David and to Solomon they said God hath gratified us above many of his Servants that have believed in his Omnipotency Solomon was David's Hâ—…ir and and said to the People we understand the Language of Birds we know whatsoever can be known it is an exceeding great Grace Solomon's Army being one day assembled before him composed of Men Devils and Birds â—…e lead them to the Valleâ—… of Pismires a 〈◊〉 their Queen cryed out Oh Pismires â—… enter into your Houses leâ—…t Solomon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trample you under foot withâ—… knowledg 〈◊〉 it Solomon hearing these words 〈◊〉 some time without speaking and 〈◊〉 end began to laugh saying Lord assist me that I may give thee thanks for the benefits and graces which thou didst confer upon my Father if I do well thou wilt accept it place me through thy Mercy in number of them that exalt thy glory he called for the Whoop and said Wherefore see I not the Whoop Is she in the number of the absent I will punish and put her to death if she have not a lawful excuse not long after she humbled her self before Solomon who asked her whence she came She answered I come from seeing what thou seest not I come from the Kingdom of Saba whence I bring certain tidings I have found a woman their Queen who hath whatsoever is necessary for a King she hath a great and magnificent Throne I have found that she with her Subjects adore the Sun the Devil caused them to delight in this their action he hath seduced them from the right way and they shall be in error until they worship one God who sendeth Rain from Heaven and maketh the Earth to produce Plants and Fruits who knoweth whatsoever is in the hearts of men and what they utter God! There is but one God Lord of the Universe Solomon said I shall soon see if thou speak truth or whether thou be in the number of the Lyars Go bear to her this Letter and observe what she and her People shall answer at her arrival the Queen said to her Ministers Oh ye that are raised to dignity in my dominions a Letter is given me from Solomon of this tenour In the Name of God gracious and merciful rise not up against me and obey me Give me counsel what I ought to do I will do nothing without your advice and what you see not with your eyes They answered Our welfare and misery depend on thee command whatsoever shall seem good to thee and we will obey thee She said When Kings enter a City they introduce many disorders they abase and humble the chief of the Inhabitants and the most eminent if Solomon and his People come hither they will use us in the like manner I think it requisite to send to him an Ambassador with some presents perhaps he will take a resolution to return When the Ambassador arrived in Solomon's presence he said unto him Do ye bring me presents God hath bestowed on me more riches then on you presents rejoyce you because ye love them Return to them that sent you I will go visit them with Forces so great that they shall not be able to resist I will drive them out of their Dominions and they shall be miserable if they obey me not Then he said to his People Sirs who will bring to me the Royal Seat of that Woman before she and her subjects obey me One of the Devils said unto him I I will bring it before thou arise from thy place I am strong enough to bear it I will carry it carefully One of them that attended Solomon who knew the Scriptures said I will bring it to thee in the twinkling of an eye When Solomon beheld this Throne before him he said Behold here a favour of God to try if I would acknowledg his benefits He that returneth thanks to God for his graces performeth his duty he rejecteth him that is ungrateful I will try if she followeth the right way or whether she be in the number of the seduced They changed something in her Royal seat to try if she would know it when she arrived in Solomon's presence
most miserable Pharoah said to his Ministers do ye know any other God but me O Hâ—…min let me offer sacrifices and build a Temple shall I deceive my self with the God of Mâ—…ses I believe him to be in the number of lyars He became proud on earth with his Ministers and they believed that they should never be assembled 〈◊〉 me to be judged we surprized him with his people and caused him to perish in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of unbelievers we abandoned them and they are in the number of the condemned to the fire of hell They shall find none to protect them at the day of Judgment we cursed them on earth and at the day of the Resurrection they shall be abominable to all the world We taught Moses our Commandments after the destruction of many Infidels before his coming We gave him the Book to be a light to the people to conduct them into the right way and acquire our grace peradventure they will remember Thou wert not with Moses when we spake to him to him we created another age after him thou didst not at that time dwell with the Inhabitants of Madian neither didst thou teach them our Commandments it is we that have instructed thee in the History of past ages thou wert not on the mountain when we spake to Moses we sent thee through our special grace to preach to men the torments of hell they have not yet had a preacher like unto thee perhaps they will consider it when they felt any punishment for their sins they said Lord hadst thou sent us an Apostle to instruct us we should have obeyed thy Commandments and have believed in thy Law and when on our part they were instructed in the Truth they said doth Mahomet work miracles like Moses Do they not traduce what Moses did when they say that Moses and Mahomet are two apparent Sorcerers and when they said that they believed neither Prophet nor Scripture Say unto them bring any book from God that better teacheth the right way than the Old Testament and more savingly than the Alcoran I will follow it if ye speak the truth If they be not heard when they shall require this book know that they follow only their own appetites and their impiety who is more erroneous than he that followeth but his own passion and is not guided of God He guideth not Infidels Certainly we have sent them the Alcoran peradventure they will believe in it they to whom we heretofore sent this Book believe in the contents thereof when they hear it read they say we believe in those words it is the very Truth that proceedeth from God we believe in the Unity of his Divine Majesty they shall be doubly rewarded because they have persevered in well-doing they have overcome evil through their good deeds and have expended in good works part of the Wealth that we gave them When they heard the Faith evil spoken of they withdrew themselves took leave of the company and said Ye shall answer for your selves and we for our actions Regard not the ignorant thou shalt not convert all them that thou shalt desire to convert God converteth and guideth into the right way whom he pleaseth and knoweth such as serve him They said if I follow with thee the right way I must forsake my Country Shall not I establish them in a place of safety where they shall find all sorts of fruits to enrich them But the greatest part of the People know it not How many Cities have we destroyed that took pleasure in their evil life No man inhabited them any more except very few and we became heirs of their riches God shall not destroy Mecca until he have sent an Apostle to instruct the Inhabitants thereof in the right way God destroyeth not a City if the Inhabitants be not unjust and disobey not his Commandments the Wealth of this World which ye possess pleaseth you but the Riches of Heaven are much better and eternal will ye not understand it Have we not kept promise with them to whom we promised Paradise And with them to whom we promised the Riches of this World and in the end were in the number of the damned Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them where are your Idols which ye believed to be my Companions The chief of them shall say Lord behold those that were seduced like us we are innocent of their Idolatry they adored not us they shall speak that day to the Idolaters to invoke their Idols but they shall not hear them they shall be visibly chastised on Earth Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them Wherefore have ye not believed my Apostles and my Prophets They shall be confounded and remain dumb He that shall be converted and do good works shall be happy Thy Lord createth what pleaseth him and maketh choice of what seemeth to him good Praised be God he hath no Companion he knoweth what is in the hearts of men and what they make manifest he is God there is no God but he praise is due to him in the beginning and in the end he commandeth over all things and all People shall one day be assembled before him to be judged say unto them Had God given a continual Night even until the Day of Judgment what other God is there that is able to give you light Will ye not hear me Had God given you a continual Day until the Day of Judgment what other God could have given the Night to refresh you Will ye not consider his benefits and his grace He hath created the Night for repose and the Day for Labour peradventure ye will give him thanks Be thou mindful of the Day when thy Lord shall call the Infidels and shall say unto them where are the Idols that ye worshipped We will call a witness of every Nation and will say to the Idolaters Bring your arguments that may prove the Plurality of Gods Ye shall this day know your Blasphemies and that there is but one God. Caron was of the People of Moses he was proud because of his riches we gave so great treasures that many men were burthened when they conveyed away the Keyes Remember how his People said unto him Rejoyce not above measure in thy great wealth God abhorreth them that rejoyce without reason beg of him Paradise with thy Riches forget not to do good in this World give alms of the substance which God hath given thee be not disobedient to him on Earth he abhorreth those that disobey him these Riches were given thee because thou didst instruct the People in the Old Testament knowest thou not that God destroyed in times past many rich and opulent persons Who is more strong more powerful more rich than God He will not enquire of the wicked the number of their sins he knoweth all and the accompt Caron one daâ—… went forth
into publick with all his 〈◊〉 they that affected the wealth of this World said Would to God we had as much wealth as 〈◊〉 he is happy but the more knowing among them said Ye are unhappy the grace of God is more advantageous to them that believe in his Law and do good works than all the Treasures of â—…ron none shall receive his grace but such as shall obey him and persevere in 〈◊〉 to his Commandments We deprived Caron of all his Treasures and none was able to 〈◊〉 him against us then they that had 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 said oh Miracle God giveth to and 〈◊〉 of wealth whom to him seemeth good 〈◊〉 not God given us his Grace we had been 〈◊〉 cerâ—… the wicked shall be miserable I will bestow Paradise on them that hate Vanity and disorder upon the Earth and shall have my fear before their eyes whosoever shall do good shall find good who doth evil shall be chastised after his demerits He that hath taught thee the Alcoran shall cause thee to return to the place that thou desirest Tell the inhabitants of that place that God knoweth them that teach the right way and such as go astray Thou didst not expect the Alcoran it is a special grace of thy Lord assist not the Infidels and take heed lest they seduce thee after having learnt what hath been taught thee preach to the People the Unity of God be not in the number of them that believe many Deities adore God alone there is no God but he all things shall have an end except his Face he commandeth over every thing and all men shall one day appear before him to be judged CHAP. XXIX The Chapter of the Spider containing Sixty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am God most Wise. Men have believed that it is sufficient to say We believe in God and that they be not proved Certainly God proved their Predecessors and knew such as were zealous in his Law and them that were Infidels Do they who have done evil think to escape the punishment of their Crimes and not to be judged Such as hope to see God shall behold him at the time appointed by his divine Majesty he understandeth and knoweth all things He that fighteth for the faith fighteth for his soul certainly God hath no need of men their sins shall be pardoned who shall believe in his divine Majesty and shall do good works We enjoyned the children of Israel to honour their father and mother and to do good to them if they press thee to worship many Gods thou shalt be damned if thou give ear to them obey them not in this matter ye shall be assembled before me I will set before you all that ye have done I will reward you according to your works and place such as shall have observed my Law in the number of the blessed There be men who affirm that they believe in God and are impatient when evil befalleth them from God to prove them If God give victory to the True believers they say that they are on their side but doth not God know what is in their heart He knoweth them that believe in his Law and those that are impious The Infidels said to the True believers do like us follow our way we will bear your sins They will not bear them they are lyars they shall bear their own burdens shall not an account of their sins be required of them at the day of Judgment We sent Noah to instruct men he lived upon the Earth nine hundred and fifty years The Flood surprized and destroyed the people of his time because they were unjust and we saved Noah and those that were with him in the Ark this ought to serve for example to all the world Remember Abraham who said to his people Adore one God and fear him ye shall do well if ye have knowledge to comprehend it ye worship but Idols and are but lyars those whom ye worship cannot benefit you implore succor of God worship him and give him thanks for his graces ye shall one day appear before him if ye traduce me those that were before you traduced the Prophets Gods Messengers Messengers are obliged only to discharge their message are ye ignorant that God causeth men to dye and shall raise them again it is a thing easie to God Walk through the Earth and consider how God hath extirpated your predecessors and created after them another people certainly he is omnipotent He punisheth and pardoneth as he seeth good you all shall one day be assembled before him to be judged you shall not render him impotent either in Earth or in the Heavens ye shall find none of power to protect or defend you against his divine Majesty such as obey not his Commandments who believe not the resurrection and despair of his mercy shall suffer great torments The people answered kill Abraham and burn him but God delivered him from the fire that they had kindled which shall serve for example to True believers He said unto them ye adore only Idols because of your love to the wealth of the world ye shall despise and curse each other at the day of Judgment Hell shall be your habitation and ye shall be deprived of protection Lot believed in his words and said I will retire to the place which my Lord shall appoint me he alone is omnipotent and most wise We gave to Abraham two sons Isaac and Iacob we caused Prophets to be be born of his race and taught his progeny the Scripture we rewarded him in this world and he shall be at the day of judgment in the number of the blessed Remember Lot who said to his people Ye defile your selves with filthiness unknown to any before you ye incline to the love of men ye rob upon the high ways and defile one another This people answered Let us see the judgments of God if what thou speakest be true Then he said Lord protect me against unbelievers When our Messengers came towards Abraham to declare to him that he should have children they said unto him We will ruine Lots City and destroy all the inhabitants thereof because they are impious Abraham answered Lot dwelleth in that City they said We know all that is within it and we will preserve him with all his family except his wife she shall be in the number of them that shall be punished When our Messengers arived at Lots house he was troubled in that he had not strength sufficient to defend them from the malice of the people they said unto him Fear nothing neither afflict thy self We will preserve thee and all thy family except thy wife she shall abide among them that shall be destroyed we will cause the indignation of God to fall upon this City because of their impiety it shall serve for example to posterity We sent Chaib ro his brethren the inhabitants of Madian he said unto them Worship
taketh heed of offending him laboureth for himself all the World shall be one day assembled before him to be judged the blind are not like to such as see clear darkness is not like to light the shade and coolness are not like to the heat of the Sun the Living are not like the Dead God causeth himself to be understood of whom he pleaseth thou canst not make the Commandments of God to be understood by them that are in their Sepulchers we have sent only to preach the pains of Hell and the joys of Paradise there is no place in the World where they have not been preached if the Infidels traduce thee their predecessors likewise traduced them whom we sent heretofore to preach to them the Mysteries of Faith and the Scriptures they were surprised in their sins were rigorusly chastised Seest thou not how thy Lord caused Rain to fall from Heaven to make the Earth produce many fruits of sundry sorts and to nourish in the Mountains the Goats the Stags and Hinds To nourish the Crows and Ravens the men and beasts of divers kinds and form God gratifieth his Creatures that acknowledg his benefits he is Omnipotent and merciful They who devoutly read the Book of God who make their prayers at the time appointed and bestow in pious works secretly or publickly part of the wealth that we have given them have hope of a recompence that shall never perish God shall recompence and augment his graces upon them he is merciful towards the good and accepteth the acknowledgment of his graces The Book that we have sent thee containeth the Truth it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures God knoweth and seeth all things We have given the understanding of the Alcoran to such as we have chosen among our creatures there be some who have ill discharged what we have taught them some have perfromed what was enjoyned them and others have taught it with affection and diligence through Gods permission This is a great grace they shall enter into the Garden of Eden where they shall remain eternally they shall be adorned with Collars of Gold enriched with precious stones they shall be cloathed with fine silk and shall say praised be God who hath delivered us from affliction he is most merciful and accepteth the thanks of his creatures such as through his special grace shall enjoy the house of eternity shall be free from all pain and the Infidels shall be cast headlong into the fire of Hell. They shall not die in those torments and their torture shall never be asswaged thus shall the wicked be chastised they shall in vain implore succour of God and say Lord deliver us from these pains we will do better than we have done heretofore I will no more prolong your life on Earth I have sent you my Prophets and Apostles They preached unto you my Commandments you would not hear them taste now the pains of Hell which ye have merited the wicked shall this day be deprived of protection Certainly God knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth he knoweth all that is in the hearts of men He it is that hath made you to multiply on Earth impiety shall rise against the impious it shall render them abominable before God and put them into the number of the damned Say unto them have ye well considered the Idols that ye have worshipped Tell me What have they created on Earth Were they Gods companions in the Creation of the Heavens Hath God sent to them a Book and reasons to authorize their impiety Certainly the wicked instruct one another only in pride and arrogancy God sustaineth the Heavens and the Earth he alone is able to sustain them he is gracious and merciful The wicked swore to fight for the encrease of the faith if there should come to them a Preacher to instruct them and when he came they augmented their wickedness became proud in the Earth and conspired against the true believers their conspiracy fell upon themselves and they can expect none other things than what was ordained against their predecessors the Law of God admitteth none alteration Consider they not what was the end of their Predecessors who were more wealthy and powerful than they Nothing is impossible to God he knoweth all things and is omnipotent Should God punish the people when they offend him he should leave no living creature on the Earth he deferreth the chastisement of the wicked until the time appointed when their time shall be come he will punish them according to their demerits he seeth all CHAP. XXXVI The Chapter intituled O Man containing fourscore and eight Verses written at Mecca Reader the Mahometans have entituled this Chapter with two Letters of the Arabique Alphabet i. s. The Bedaoi saith that i signifieth ia that is to say O particula voâ—…ativa and s is an abreviation that signifieth insan i. e. Man and that the Angel speaking to Mahomet began this Chapter in this manner O man I swear by the Alcoran c. See Tefsir Kitab el tenoir IN the name of God gracious and merciful Oh man I swear by the Alcoran full of Doctrine that thou art a Prophet sent to teach the people the right way This Book was sent by the Omnipotent and merciful that thou maist instruct men in that which was not taught their Predecessors Certainly what was said is true viz. That the greatest part of them is incredulous We will put a chain upon their neck and bind their hands to the very chin they shall lift up the head to complain but we will place before and behind them a great obstacle we will cover their sight with darkness and they shall not see a jot Misery is upon them whether thou dost reprove or not reprove them they shall not be converted If thou preachest to them that believe in the Alcoran and to such as believe in what they have seen proclaim to them a general pardon of their sins and a very great reward I make the dead to arise again and write exactly in a Book the good and the evil that men commit Relate to them the â—…ble of those of the City whither thy Lord sent his Prophets we sent unto them two Prophets â—… they slandered both of them we succored them by 〈◊〉 third they all three said to the Inhabitants of this City we are sent from God to preach to you his Commandments They answered ye are but men like us God hath not sent us a sign to make you known ye are lyars They said certainly God knoweth that he sent us to you we are obliged only to preach to you his Commandments They answered would ye make us Infidels like your selves If ye end not this discourse we will â—…one you and make you to suffer heavy torments They said be your evil with you Who hath heretofore so ill instructed you Certainly you are wicked Then a man came running from the utmost part of the City who said unto them Oh people obey the
Earth and return into the World Behold a very strong return we know assuredly what the Earth will do with us we have a Book wherein all is written they impugn the known truth and are in a great confusion See they not Heaven above them how we have built it how we have adorned it and how there is no defect We have extended the Earth raised the Mountains and caused all sorts of fruits to spring forth for a sign of our Omnipotency We have sent the blessed Rain from Heaven made Gardens to produce Grain pleasing to the Reapers and Date-trees exceeding each other in height to enrich our creatures We have given life to the dead dry and barren Earth so shall the dead come out of their sepulchres The People of Noah's time those that inhabited near the Well Temod Pharaoh the fellow-citizens of Lot they that dwelt in the Forest and People of King Teba did heretofore traduce our Prophets and felt the punishment denounced against Infidels Was it a trouble to us to create men at first Nevertheless they are in doubt if they shall rise again We created man without difficulty we know the motions of his Soul and penetrate into his heart as the blood into the veins of his Body O man think upon the day that thou shalt see thy good and evil Angel near thee at the right hand and on thy left they have observed and written all that thou hast done represent to thy self death before thine eyes it is inevitable Think on the Angel that shall sound the Trumpet at the Day of the Resurrection that day shall the wicked behold what was promised them and all men shall come before God to be judged Their guardian Angels shall conduct them and be the witnesses of their deportments It shall be said to the Infidels Behold the day of which ye would have no thoughts we have now opened your eyes ye shall see this day more hard than Iron their guardian Angels shall say unto them Behold here before your eyes all that ye have done cast into Hell those obstinate Infidels that have hindred their Neighbour to do good that have offended in doubting of God's Law and have affirmed there was another God with God cast them into the most grievous torments Then shall the Devil say to them Lord I did not seduce them they seduced themselves God shall say Dispute not before me what was heretofore promised you is infallible my Word admitteth no alteration and I will do injustice to none God shall ask at the Day of Judgment If Hell be full It shall answer Is there any more Paradise is prepared for the Righteous who shall have the fear of God before their eyes it is promised to them that shall be converted that shall obey the Commandments of his Divine Majesty and persevere in their obedience It shall be said to them Enter ye into Paradise exempt from all evil behold the eternal day ye shall have all that ye shall desire and more How rich and powerful Cities have we in times past destroyed Their inhabitants sought in their Countries places of retreat and escaped not the puishment of their crimes this ought to serve for example to them that comprehend it to them that hear it and to such that saw it Certainly we created in Six days without difficulty the Heaven and Earth and all that is betweem them Persevere be not impatient for the words of unbelievers exalt the glory of thy Lord before the Sun go down and before it rise pray to thy Lord at the entrance of the Night the last of all shall be worship Hearken when the Angel shall call thee to general Judgment that day shall all the World hear the Trumpet the people shall come out of their sepulchres and Earth shall open before the eyes of men I give life and death and all the World shall be assembled before me to be judged This assembly is easie for me to accomplish I know what the wicked say thou shalt not cause them by force to embrace my Law Teach it those that fear the torments prepared for Infidels CHAP. LI. The Chapter of Things dispersed containing Sixty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Winds that disperse the dust by the Clouds charged with Rain by the Ship that runneth upon the Waters and by them that divide the Wealth of the Earth that what hath been promised to you is true and that the Day of Judgment is infallible I swear by Heaven and the Stars thereof that ye are in an exceeding great error God expelleth lyars far from him he curseth them that blaspheme and such as believe not in the Resurrection They ask When shall be the Day of Judgment That day shall they be punished in the Fire of Hell. It shall be said unto them Taste the torments that ye have with impatience demanded They who had the fear of God before their eyes shall be in Gardens adorned with Fountains they shall enjoy the pleasures prepared for them by God because they are Righteous they sleep very little by Night implore pardon of God at the dawning of the Day and give alms to the poor that beg and the poor that are bashful God manifesteth on the Earth and in your persons the signs of his Omnipotency consider ye not that what is promised to you is written in Heaven God is Lord of Heaven and Earth he is truth it self will ye not confess him Did the Angels convey to thee the books of Abraham When they entred into his House they saluted him he likewise saluted them made signs to his servants to bring a fat Calf roasted which he presented to them he said unto them Wherefore do ye not eat And was afraid in his mind of their coming They said Fear not we are the Messengers of God they declared to him that he should have a Son that should be a great personage Then his wife drew near crying with a loud voice and smiting her Face said One that is barren beareth no Child they said The thing shall come to pass as we have spoken thy Lord ordaineth what pleaseth him and knoweth all Abraham said unto them O ye Messengers of God! what is your design They replied We are sent from God to destroy the Cities inhabited by the wicked and cast upon them stones of Fire whereon are inscribed the names of them that they shall strike We will cause all the Righteous to depart from among them if we find there but one Family of Righteous we will there leave an example to Posterity for them that fear the torments of Hell. Moses is a sign of our omnipotency we sent him to Pharaoh with reasons clear and intelligible he despised my Commandments and said That Moses was a Magician and possessed of the Devil but we surprised him and drowned his People to his great displeasure Aad is an example of our Omnipotency We sent an
sin in espousing them marry them not after the laws of unbelievers demand of them what dowry they require they shall demand of you what ye are willing to bestow on them continue in accord God so commandeth he shall be your judg at the day of Judgment he knoweth all your actions and is most wise If your wives revolt to the party of unbelievers and ye suffer any damage ye shall repair that damage to him that suffereth out of the booty that ye shall conquer fear God and believe in the Law of his divine Majesty O Prophet when women shall desire to embrace thy Religion with firm purpose to believe in one only God not to steal neither to commit adultery neither to murther their children to lye blaspheme or be disobedient receive them implore pardon of God for them he is gracious and merciful O ye that believe obey not them against whom God is angry they despair of their salvation as the wicked despaired that died heretofore in their impiety CHAP LXI The Chapter of Array containng fourteen Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Praise God all that is in heaven and earth he is omnipotent and wise O ye that believe say not that ye do that which ye do not God abhorreth them that say they do what they do not and loveth them that fight in rank and file for his Law like to a strong wall Remember thou that Mâ—…ses said to his people Ye shall do me no harm ye shall know in the end that I am the Messenger of God but God seduced them from the right way when they departed from obedience to his Commandments he guideth not the wicked Remember thou that Iesus the son of Mary said to the children of Israel I am the Messenger of God he hath sent me to confirm the old Testament and to declare to you that there shall come a Prophet after me whose name shall be Mahomet When he came with miracles reasons most intelligible and arguments infallible they said that he was a Magician who is more impious than he that blasphemeth against God The Infidels would extinguish with their mouth the light of faith but God shall make it manifest against their will he hath sent his Prophet to guide the people into the way of salvation to teach them the truth of his Law and make it more evident than all other Laws of the world against the will of Infidels O ye that believe Will ye that I teach you one thing that shall deliver you from the pains of hell Believe in God and in his Prophet imploy your wealth and persons in fighting for his Law ye shall do exceeding well if ye have knowledg to understand it God shall pardon your offences he shall cause you to enter into gardens wherein flow many rivers he shall cause you to go into the beautiful Palaces of Eden where is supreme felicity he shall confer upon you yet another grace which ye desire viz. victory over your enemies Oh ye that believâ—… maintain the Law of God Jesus the Son of Mary said to his Apostles Who will maintain the Law of God with me he shall be supported and protected of God. The Apostles answered We will maintain it One part of the Children of Israel believed in Jesus and another rejected his Law we gave succor to them that believed against their enemies and they were victorious CHAP. LXII The Chapter of the Assembly containing eleven Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise God all that is in heaven and earth praise the King holy majestique and omnipotent who hath sent his Prophet an Arabian by Nation to preach his Commandments to the Arabians to purifie them to teach them the Scriptures and mysteries of faith they were before seduced from the right way They that shall come after them shall not see a Prophet equal to him this is a special grace of God the omnipotent and wise he conferreth it on whom he listeth and his graces are immense They that preach the old Testament and perform not what it enjoyneth are like to an Ass charged with books Such are they that disobey the Commandments of God he guideth not the impious Oh ye Jews believe not your selves to be the beloved of God expect death ye shall understand your error they believe not that they shall be chastised for their sins but God beholdeth all the unjust Say unto them Ye shall find one day the death that ye flie ye be sent back before God who knoweth what is present past and to come he shall set before you all that ye have done to be judged Oh ye that believe when ye are called to the assembly of Friday to make your prayers pray and quit your trade this shall be a good act if ye understand it when you shall have finished your Prayers separate your selves go whither you please and beg of God his grace call frequently to mind his divine Majesty and ye shall be happy When the Infidels saw any thing of profit or any divertisement they forsook thee and went out from the Sermon Say unto them how great riches and delights are there with God He is the Rich of the Rich. CHAP. LXIII The Chapter of the Wicked containing Twelve Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful When the wicked shall come to visit thee they will say That they are witnesses that thou art a Prophet sent from God he well knoweth that thou art his Prophet he seeth that they dissemble and sell their Faith to enjoy wealth in the World wherein they commit evil they say with the mouth We believe in the Law of God and are impious in their Souls impiety is imprinted in their hearts and they will not learn the Mysteries of Faith the beauty of their bodies shall not displease thee when thou shalt see them they erect themselves when they speak and resemble a piece of wood set up against a wall they fear all rumors that fly abroad and are your enemies Beware of them doubtless God will destroy them how can they blaspheme against his Law When it was said to them Come to the Prophet he shall beg pardon of God for your sins they shook the head and withdrew with pride misery is upon them whether thou implore pardon for them or dost not implore it God will not pardon them he abhorreth the wicked They say Do no good to them that follow that Prophet of God until they abandon him the treasures of Heaven and Earth are Gods but they comprehend it not they say If we return to the City of Medina we will drive thence shame and infamy and will there establish Greatness and Honour on the contrary Greatness Power and Victory proceed from God his Prophet and them that believe in his Law but Infidels understand it not Oh ye that believe in God! your Riches and your Children ought not to seduce you
from his Service such as shall forsake it shall be in the number of the damned give alms of the Wealth that he hath given you before the Hour of your Death arrive then shall the wicked say Lord if thou hadst not so soon caused me to die I had embraced thy Law God retardeth not the day of any one when the Hour is come he knoweth all that ye do CHAP. LXIV The Chapter of Deceit containing Eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise God whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth he is King of all things Praise is due to him he is Omnipotent he it is that hath created you some observe his Commandments and others are unbelievers he beholdeth all your actions He created the Heavens and the Earth he formed you and ye shall be one day assembled before him to be judged he knoweth all that is in Heaven and Earth he understandeth your secrets and what ye publish he is not ignorant of what is in the hearts of men Have ye not heard what did heretofore befal the wicked They were punished they died in their misery and in the end shall suffer grievous torments because God hath sent them Prophets to instruct them and they said What! shall a man like our selves teach us the right way They despised them and forsook the Law of God he hath not to do with them neither hath he need of the World praise is due to him in all places do the wicked believe that they shall not rise again Contrariwise God shall make them to revive and shall declare to them all that they have done this thing is easie to his Divine Majesty Believe in God his Prophet and the light that he hath sent you he knoweth all your actions Remember thou the day when he shall Summon all to Judgment this shall be the Day of Deceit they shall be known that have deceived themselves and those that have deluded their Neighbours That day their sins shall be pardoned that shall have believed in his unity and have done good works they shall dwell eternally in Gardens wherein flow many Rivers the Infidels that despise his Commandments shall be precipitated into Hell where they shall burn eternally No evil befalleth you but through God's permission he giveth patience to him that believeth in his Divine Majesty and knoweth all Obey God and his Prophet if ye obey him not know that the Prophet of God is obliged only to preach the truth of Faith there is but one God all True believers resign themselves to his Divine Will. O ye that believe ye have Children and Wives that are your enemies beware of their malice if ye pardon them if ye depart from them God shall be to you gracious and merciful Wealth and Children do often hinder you to obey God but know that he rewardeth abundantly the Righteous fear him with all your power hearken to his Commandments obey him give alms he that is not avaricious shall be blessed if ye lend any thing to God he shall cause it to multiply he shall pardon your sins he accepteth the acknowledgment of his benefits and is most merciful He knoweth what is present past and future he is Omnipotent and Wise. CHAP. LXV The Chapter of Divorce containing Eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Oh Prophet when you repudiate them following the Ordinances and Laws and reckon the time that they ought to tarry before they marry again Fear God your Lord cause them not to depart their houses neither expel them before the time appointed if they be not taken in Adultery such are the Ordinances of God he that shall trangress them shall do injury to himself peradventure God will enjoyn something concerning them of which ye are ignorant When the time that they ought to tarry shall be finished retain or dismiss them with civility ye shall take persons of your Religion honest men that shall be witnesses of your Actions depose with truth what ye have seen it is so appointed to them that believe in God and the day of Judgment God shall deliver from affliction him that shall have his fear before his eyes and shall enrich him when he least thinks of it he that shall trust in him shall not be deceived he doth what he pleaseth and hath appointed a prefixed time to every thing If the Women hope no more to have their three months and doubt that they are misreckoned they shall tarry three months before they marry again if they be not Nurses if they be with Child ye shall abstain till their delivery whosoever feareth God rejoiceth in the observance of his Commandments What is above is ordained of God he shall pardon their sins that have his fear before their eyes and give them an exceeding great reward Cause them that ye repudiate to dwell in your houses or near to you abuse them not if they be with Child allow them what shall be necessary for them until they shall be delivered if they desire to nurse their Children ye shall give them an honest salary and entreat them with civility and curtesie if ye like not this ye shall cause them to be nursed by another whose pains ye shall reward If ye be not wealthy you shall allow according to your power God doth not enjoyn any one to expend more than his ability permitteth he shall give you good after evil how many have been the Cities that have heretofore disobeyed the Commandments of God and of his Prophets We have kept an exact account of their sins their Inhabitants have been chastised and shall be in the end in the number of the damned God hath prepared for them grievous torments Oh ye that are wise fear God he hath sent you the Alcoran he hath sent you a Prophet to teach you the mysteries of his Law to lead you out of darkness and to guide into light them that shall believe in him and do good works He shall open to them the Gate of Paradise wherein flow many Rivers where they shall dwell eternally with all manner of content God! He it is that created the seven Heavens and as much of Earth and ordaineth among them what pleaseth him to the end ye may know that he is Omnipotent and knoweth all things CHAP. LXVI The Chapter of Prohibition containing Twelve Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Oh Prophet prohibit not for the contentment of thy wives to do that which God hath permitted thee he is gracions and merciful he hath appointed to do what is permitted by your Law he is your Lord is Omniscient and most Wise. When the Prophet went to visit one of his wives God revealed to him what she desired to say to him he approved one part and rejected the other when he told his Wife what was in her will to speak to him she demanded of him who had revealed it to him he that