Seest thou not how he assembleth the clouds how he placeth them one upon another Considerest thou not how the rain falleth through their pores and that God causeth fresh water to descend from the mountains He hath given it to whom seemeth good to him he causeth the brightness of lightning to approach men which blindeth their sight and over whelmeth the day with night These things are signs of his omnipotency to them that consider them He created of a little water all sorts of living Creatures some creep upon the Earth others walk upon two feet and others upon four he created what pleased him he is omnipotent Certainly he hath senâ—… a Law clear and intelligible to conduct into the right way whom it shall seem good to him The Infidels say We believe in God and his Prophet nevertheless a party among them abandon his Law and believe not in his divine Majesty When they are called before God and before the Prophet to judge their differences many among them refuse to come if they come it is with contempt They are greatly afflicted at heart do they fear that God and his Prophet will do them injustice On the contrary they themselves are unjust When the True believers are called before God and the Prophet to be judged they say We have heard and obeyed they are not ignorant Those that shall obey God and his Prophet shall be blessed Many swear to fight gallantly for the Faith when they shall be commanded to march against the enemy say unto them Swear not your obedience to the Prophet shall be preferred to your oaths God knoweth whatsoever ye do say unto them Obey God and his Prophet if they be disobedient they shall bear their burden and ye shall bear your own if ye obey ye shall follow the right way The Prophet is obliged onely to preach intelligibly God promiseth to the True believers that shall do good works that they shall live long upon Earth as he promised to them that were before them that they might establish the Law that he gave them he shall change their fear into assurance he shall deliver them from terror that they may adore him alone without Companion He that is wicked will depart from the obedience which he oweth to God Make your prayers at the time appointed pay Tithes and obey the Prophet God shall give you his mercy Believe not that the Infidels are more powerful on Earth than we they shall be precipitated into the fire of Hell. O ye that are True believers your Slaves and your Servants of free-condition shall require leave of you to enter where ye shall be thrice viz. Before the Prayer at break of Day after Noon and after Supper they shall not offend in entring without leave where ye shall be at another time they enter there to serve you In this manner doth God teach you his Commandments he knoweth the humor of his Creatures and is most prudent in all that he ordaineth It is ordained to your Children when they shall be at age of discretion to demand of you permission to do what they shall desire as did your Predecessors Thus doth God teach you his Commandments he is gracious and merciful The old and decrepit Women shall not offend God to quit their vails and discover their faces provided it be without vanity and design to shew their Ornaments If they abstain they shall do well God heareth whatsoever ye say and knoweth all that is in your hearts The Blind the Lame the Sick and you also shall not sin to eat in the House of your Children at the House of your Father and Mother Brothers Sisters Uncles Aunts Friends and in the House of your Servants ye shall not offend God if ye eat together or apart When ye shall enter into any House salute each other from God with blessing and affection Thus doth God teach you his Commandments peradventure you will learn them When those that believed in God and his Prophet repaired to the Prophet they retired not without his permission Such as required leave to depart believe in God and his Prophet if they require leave of thee for any business licence whom shall seem good to thee and pray to God for them he is gracious and merciful Call not the Prophet as ye call one another among you God knoweth such as shamefully depart out of the Temple and the Trench Such as disobey his Commandments ought to take heed lest some mischief befal them and that they suffer not great torments Whatsoever is in the Heavens or on Earth is Gods he knoweth if ye are zealous in your faith or be hypocrites he knoweth the Day wherein all the World shall be assembled before him to be judged In that day shall men see what they have done he knoweth all things CHAP. XXV The Chapter of the Alcoran containing Seventy and seven Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praised be he that sent the Alcoran to his Servant to instruct the World he is King of the Heavens and Earth he hath no Son nor Companion in his Reign he created and ordained every thing The Infidels worship Gods that can create nothing and are things created they can neither do them good nor evil they can give neither Life nor Death neither cause them to rise again They say that the Alcoran is but a fable of thine invention invented with the assistance of some other Person but they lye and blaspheme They say that it is but an old Song and a fable of the Ancients that thou writest and that thou studiest Morning and Evening Say unto them It was sent by him that knoweth all things in Heaven and Earth altogether gracious and merciful They said Who is this Prophet He eateth Bread and Meat and walketh through the streets we will not believe him unless that an Angel descend from Heaven to preach to us with him unless that Angel enrich him and that he have a Garden full of good and savory fruits he is but a Wizard or one possessed of the Devil Consider to what they compare thee certainly they are in error and cannot find the right way Praise and bless him that is able to bestow on thee a greater good when it shall seem good to thee to wit Gardens wherein flow many Rivers and Houses of pleasure They have denyed the certainty of Universal Judgment and we have prepared the Fire of Hell to punish them wrath shall carry them away with terrible crys when they shall behold the place of the assembly of Judgment when they shall there appear they shall be desperate and shall cry O misery Cry not O misery cry O miseries in the Plural Ask of them which is better and more advantageous that or Paradise which is prepared for the recompence of the righteous where they shall dwell eternally with all manner of felicity this is it that God hath promised and that which was impetrated of
of God gracious and merciful What do the wicked enquire of each other touching the great news of which they are in different Opinion They shall learn it they shall learn it Have not I created and extended the Earth Have not I raised the Mountains to establish it Have not we created you Male and Female Have not we created Sleep and the Night for repose and the Day of Labour Have we not built over you Seven heavens and the Sun full of light Have we not caused Rain to descend from the Clouds to cause the Earth to produce its Plants and Gardens of divers fashions The day of Judgment shall be a day of Joy and Sorrow When the Angel shall sound the Trumpet all the World shall come in Troops to Universal Judgment Heaven shall open its Gates the Mountains shall walk and Hell is the place prepared for the seduced there shall they remain eternally They shall find there no rest neither drink but of boyling and most stinking Water a reward conformed to their works the Infidels believe not that they must render an account of their actions and blaspheme but we keep account and write exactly what they do It will be said to them at the Day of Judgment Taste this day the punishment that ye have merited your pains shall be augmented and pains upon pains They who shall have had the fear of God before their eyes shall be in a place of felicity in the Gardens of a most fertile Land enriched with Grapes and Pomegranats they shall drink in Cups full of a delicious Liquor and shall hear no vain speeches nor lying such is the recompence of them that obey the Commandments of God He is Lord of the Heavens and Earth none shall dare to speak when the Spirits and Angels shall be assembled before him none shall be able to speak or pray for another without his permission This day shall be the day of truth they that shall be acceptable to him shall retire towards his Divine Majesty We have preached unto you that the punishment of God shall speedily come upon you every one shall see all that he shall have done and the wicked shall say at the Day of Judgment Would to God that I had been earth and dust CHAP. LXXXIX The Chapter of Them that take away containing Forty six Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Angels that take away the Souls from the Bodies of Infidels and the wicked by the Angels that accompany the Souls of Believers by the Angels that exalt the glory of God By the Angels that guide the Souls of the Righteous when they go into Paradise and by the Angels that are appointed for the affairs of the World That all People shall rise again at the Day of Judgment that Day the Earth shall tremble and the hearts of men shall tremble at the first time that the Trumpet shall sound at the second their sight shall be troubled with fear and they shall say Behold we we are returned upon Earth to the place whence we departed our bones were rotten and our return to the World shall bring upon us only misery this second sound of the Trumpet is a sign of the wrath of God then shall they be out of their Sepulchres revived upon the Earth Hast thou learned the History of Moses and how God his Lord called him in the Holy Valley called Toi and how he said Go towards Pharaoh he is seduced from the right way and is in a great error say unto him I called thee to the way of Salvation I will purifie and guide thee into the way of the Law of God to the end thou maist have his fear before thine eyes Moses made Pharaoh to see one of his great Miracles nevertheless he contemned Moses disobeyed him and departed from the right way he caused his People to assemble and made Proclamation that he was their God but God rigorously chastised him because of his Blasphemies this is an example of his Omnipotency to them that are Righteous Oh ye wicked were ye more difficult to create than Heaven God hath raised the roof thereof and proportioned it he hath made the Night obscure and the day full of splendor he hath stretched forth the Earth hath made Fountains to spring forth to water the Plants and to give drink to Beasts he hath elevated and established the Mountains for you and for your Flocks Men shall call to mind the good and the evil that they have done at the second sound of the Trumpet and Hell shall appear open before their eyes The wicked that have followed their own appetites on Earth shall be precipitated into Hell and such as have had the fear of God before their eyes and have subdued their passions in this World shall go into Paradise The wicked will ask of thee when the Day of Judgment shall be None knoweth it but thy â—…ord Thou art not sent but to preach the pains of Hell to them that fear that day as if they saw it present before their eyes they shall imagine that they have not remained in the Tomb but from Evening until Morning when they rise again CHAP. LXXX The Chapter of the Blind containing Forty two Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful The Prophet frowned had a surly countenance and withdrew himself when the blind came towards him He will not tell thee if he will believe in God and if he will profess thy preaching depart thou from him that shall depart from the Law of God thou art obliged only to preach to him and not to make him to believe but forsake not them that shall come to see thee to be instructed and shall fear God. The Alcoran is sent for the instruction of men it was copied upon the Book that is kept in Heaven to which Honour and praise is due eternally Wherefore is man impious 〈◊〉 because he is created of a little Water retaâ—…d in tâ—… womb of his Mother until the timâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because he found the way to come forth Is it for that God caused him to dye and to revive when it seems good to him He performeth not what God commandeth neither considereth the good things that nourish him We have sent rain we opened the treasures of the earth we have made all sorts of grain to spring forth Blites Olives Dates Gardens and fields full of Fruits and herbs to nourish you and your flocks When the Angel shall sound the Trumpet the second time Man shall fly his brother his mother wife and children every one shall take thought for himself that day shall the wicked have countenances covered with affliction the countenance of the good shall be joyful and such as have sought the way between faith and impiety shall have their countenance covered with earth and dust CHAP. LXXXI The Chapter of Roundness containing Twenty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of
Theodosius his Favorite his Army was twice overthrown the General slain and the Mahometans pursuing their victories took from the Greeks the Countries of Egypt Syria and other Provinces of Africa where Mahomet encreased his Triumphs and erected his Trophies Being now grown impotent rather through his inordinate life than burthen of years he retired full of glory as a King and Prophet to Mecca where he resolved to end his days having affirmed it in the Alcoran to be the most holy City of the World as that wherein stood the Temple of Abraham built miraculously by Angels to be the Sanctuary of all that repair thither in Pilgrimage And therefore it was that when he had by his Armies taken the City of Antioch he durst not enter into it in person lest by the delightful and fertile situation of it he should have been enticed to desert Mecca and contradict his own Prophecy His life now drawing to a period a Pleuriâ—…ie surprized him On the seventh day for Crisis of his disease he became frantick Haly one of his successors astonisht at his distemper and frenzy not esteeming it one of the rare qualities of a Prophet and Redeemer as he stiled himself of so much People derided him yet willing to continue his Law that he might inherit his Power carefully concealed it and according to his commands yet living watched his Body after his decease For he told his followers that he should rise again the third day and ascend to Heaven They observed this and guarding his Corps four days entire with impatient expectation of his Resurrection were at length compelled by reason of its putrefaction to take him up and bury him at Medina where his Reliques are annually visited by the superstitious Pilgrims of his Religion Earth to crow This Angel recommended him to another he to a third and so one to another until he came to the Heaven where God kept his residence God courteously received him asked him how his People did how they entertained his Law and familiarly laid his Hand upon his Shoulder which was so cold that it pierced to the marrow of his Back-bone God had soon done with him only telling him how often his People should make their Prayers which were so many that as he was returning in the fourth Heaven Moses advised him to go back to God and entreat him that fewer Prayers might serve his turn for his People were not able to make so many which he did and after many returns brought the number to five This done he went back to his Elborach which in a moment brought him to his House in Mecca where he went to bed again to his Wife she not once dreaming her Husband would leave Heaven for her company or thinking he had been there all this he performed in the tenth part of a Night The Turks at this day fondly believe this as a Truth but the Arabians of his time requiring him to do as much in their view he unwilling to take again so long a Journy replied Praised be God I am Man and an Apostle He had other slights which in sight of the People by Art or Sorcery he performed and they stupidly believed and entertained as Miracles as a Pigeon being by him taught to come and pick a Pease out of his Ear he told them it was the Holy Ghost that came to tell him what God would have him do so an Ox brought him a Chapter of the Alcoran upon his Horns in a full Assembly He likewise perswaded them that being at dinner at the House of one that pretended to be his Friend who had an intent to poyson him or he at least was so informed a shoulder of Mutton served in to the Table forewarned him that he should not eat of it and though many were present none but he heard or understood the Language of the Mutton and yet he permitted one of his dearest Friends to eat of it and die impoysoned Such and many of the like nature were his Miracles As the bowing of Trees shaken by some sudden gust of Wind the howling of Wolves and braying of Asses which is their Language desiring Mahomet to pray for them and he Prophetically understanding as religiously performed His custom was often to inculcate into the Ears of his Auditors that God gave him commission to fulfil his own desires in all things and to that purpose introduceth God speaking to him To thee O Prophet It is permitted to lie with all Women that are given thee or thou dost purchase thy Aunts and Kindred and all good Women that freely desire thy company and this is lawful for thee alone His Issue was one onely Son called Cassim who died before him and many Daughters Fatione the eldest in high esteem at this day among the Arabians and honoured as the royal root of Aben Alabecy was Wife to Haly. Zeineb the second was married to Osmen after Son to Mahuvias and perhaps to both successively for they both succeeded in the Empire of Arabia to her is attributed the original of the other Family of Aben Humeia Imiaultim and Naphisse are diversly mentioned by the most faithful Historians some delivering them as his Daughters others as his near Kindred On the Seal which he used were engraven these words Mahomet Messenger of God. Heaven ordained him to be a scourge for the punishment of Christians who in multitudes at that time had forsaken the Truth to follow the Sects and Heresies of the Arrians Donatists Nestorians and others The day of his death was no less prodigious than the course of his life a Comet resembling a Sword appearing at high noon pointing from South to North when it was beheld the space of thirty days which that age interpreted to portend the fatal rising and splendor of the Arabian Empire A needful Caveat or Admonition for them who desire to know what use may be made of or if there be danger in reading the Alcoran By Alexander Ross. GOod Reader the great Arabian Impostor now at last after a thousand years is by the way of France arrived in England and his Alcoran or gallimaufry of Errors a Brat as deformed as the Parent and as full of Heresies as his scald head was of scurf hath learned to speak English. I suppose this piece is exposed by the Translator to the publick view no otherwise than some Monster brought out of Africa for people to gaze not to dote upon and as the sight of a Monster or mishapen creature should induce the beholder to praise God who hath not made him such so should the reading of this Alcoran excite us both to bless God's goodness towards us in this Land who enjoy the glorious light of the Gospel and behold the truth in the beauty of holiness as also to admire God's Judgments who suffers so many Countreys to be blinded and inslaved with this mishapen issue of Mahomet's brain being brought forth by the help of no other Midwifry than of a Iew and a Nestorian
them and they shall not erre Safa and Meroa are Tokens of his power He that shall go on Pilgrimage to Mecca shall not do amiss to visit those two places he that obeyeth shall do well God rewardeth them that do good works and knoweth all things I will lay my Curse upon such as conceal my Commandments they shall be accursed above whatever is in this world except them that shall be converted that shall do good works and bring to light what they concealed I will give them my Grace I am gracious and merciful The wicked that died in their impiety shall be eternally accursed of God of Angels and of all the World they shall never be eased in their torments and shall be without end deprived of protection Your God is one sole God there is none other God but God gracious and merciful The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth the difference of the day and the night the Ship that saileth on the Sea for the advantage of Commerce the Rain that falleth from Heaven to give Life to the Earth after it's death the diversity of Winds and the Clouds that move between Heaven and Earth are Signs of the Unity of God to those that can understand it There be that adore Idols and love them the True believers love but one sole God. When thou shalt see the wicked know they shall one day see the punishment of other Crimes All strength and Vertue proceedeth from God most severe in his Chastisements When that a part of them that had embraced the true Law separated themselves from the Company of True believers and that any mischief befel them they could not re-unite themselves Then they said in their affliction If we another time meet our Companions we will separate our selves from them as they have separated themselves from us Thus shall God give them to understand their Errour with exceeding sorrow and they shall be eternally confined in the fire of Hell. O ye people eat what is good and savoury in the Earth and follow not the steps of the Devil he is your open enemy he will command you that which is evil and filthy and to speak of God what you know not When it was said to the Infidels obey the Commandments of God they said We will follow the steps of our Fathers we will observe what they observed surely their Fathers were unwise and mis led they are like to him that cryeth and understandeth nothing of what is spoken but the voice they are deaf dumb blind and without judgment O ye that believe in God eat the good things that he hath given you and give him thanks if it be him that you worship He forbiddeth you to eat Carrion Blood Swines flesh and whatever is not killed in pronouncing the name of his Divine Majesty except it be in extreme necessity and in this case it shall not be reputed disobedience nor sin God is benigne and merciful what they eat that conceal the Word of God for any profit or advantage shall be nothing but matter of fire in their bowels God shall not speak to them at the day of judgment but with fury he will not purifie them and they shall suffer rigorous torments They that have purchased Errour for the right way and punishment for pardon shall burn in the fire of Hell for that God hath sent the most true Book that containeth his Commandments they that impugne what is contained in that Book are in an exceeding great Errour far from the truth It is not justification to turn the Face making your Prayers towards the East or West he shall be justified that shall believe in God the day of judgment the Angels the Scriptures and the Prophets and that in Charity shall impart some part of his Goods to his Parents to Orphans to the Poor to Pilgrims and to Slaves Such as believe in God and have his fear before their Eyes persevere in their Prayers pay Tithes they satisfie their Promises and are patient in their adversities O ye that believe the Talio is commanded you in murther the free for the free the Slave for the Slave the Woman for the Woman But if any one pardon the blood of his Brother he shall prosecute the Malefactor according to what he shall see most advantagious through damages and interests It is a facility which God hath given you through his mercy He that shall do injury to the Malefactor having received satisfaction of him shall suffer grievous torments at the day of Judgment you shall find life in the Talio O you that are wise it may be you will fear God He commandeth you to make your Testament when you approach unto death give Legacies of your substance to your Father and Mother your near Kindred and bestow Alms on the poor If any man alter your Testament the sin shall be upon him and upon all them that shall alter it God understandeth and knoweth all things If any one feareth that there is an Errour in the Testament that opposeth Reason he shall do well to reconcile the parties with affection God is gracious and bountiful O ye that believe Fasting is commanded you as it was them that were before you you shall fear God and Fast particularly a certain number of days but if any one among you is sick or in travel at the time of Fasting he shall count the days that he fasted not and shall fulfil them at another time Such as are not of strength to Fast shall satisfie for Fasting through Alms he that shall obey shall do well If you Fast you shall do well Fast the month of Ramazan in which the Alcoran descended from Heaven to guide men into the right way it containeth Precepts of Divine Right and distinguisheth good from evil all those that live to this Month ought to Fast. He that is sick or in a Voyage shall accomplish the days that he Fasted not another time at his Conveniency God willeth that his Law should be light unto you and not a Burthen his Will is that you observe the days of Fasting and that you return him thanks for that he hath guided you in the right way perhaps you will give him thanks I will be near unto my Servants when they shall enquire of thee concerning the Mysteries of my Law I will hear their Supplications when they invoke me that they may persevere in obedience to my Commandments peradventure they will follow the right way It is lawful for you to know your Wives the night of Fasting they are necessary to you as your Cloaths and you are to them as necessary as their Garments God knoweth that otherwise you should have betrayed your Souls he is bountiful to you and hath pardoned you know them and perform what God hath appointed you Eat and drink until you may distinguish a white thread from a black by the light of the morning then begin to fast until night Know not your wives
it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures and teacheth True believers the way of Salvation CHAP. XIII The Chapter of Thunder containing forty three Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the most wise and merciful God. These Precepts are the Precepts of the Book sent to thee from thy Lord it is a thing most true but few Men incline to believe it It is sent from God who raised Heaven without a Prop and with a Column that appeareth and sitteth on his Throne disposing all things He causeth the Sun and Moon to move until the day appointed he disposeth all things at his will and manifesteth to Men the signs of his Omnipotency Peradventure you will believe in the Resurrection of the flesh He it is that hath extended the Earth raised the Mountains caused the Rivers to flow who created of all sorts of Fruits the Male and Female and covereth the Day with the obscurity of the Night These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them He hath created many Fields of divers sorts and Gardens filled with Grapes and many different Fruits he created Date Trees thick as Groves and Forests and others that are scattered through the Fields some are moistened with Waters and others have a more pleasing taste These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them Thou art amazed at the lies of Infidels be astonished at their discourses when they deny the Resurrection and say What shall God yet once again create us of the dust of the Earth When we shall be Earth shall we be a new people They are impious they shall have Oaks upon their Necks and shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell they precipitate themselves into eternal pains and contemn the mercy of God so did their predecessors but God is gracious to such as convert Chastise severely the obstinate Infidels They have said We will not believe in the Prophet unless we see some miracle to appear Say unto them I am not sent but to preach the word of God. He hath sent persons to every Nation to teach them the right way nothing is hid from him in the World he knoweth what Women bear in their Womb he knoweth the time and period of every thing the present past and future he is great and Omnipotent He understandeth what you keep secret and what ye make manifest he knoweth where they be who cover themselves with the obscurity of Night and them that travel in the clearness of Day every one hath his guardian by his commandment who observeth what he doth and depriveth none of grace that hath not offended his Divine Majesty and none can hinder him to punish whom it seemeth good to him He it is who giveth you to see the lightning which terrifieth Men and nourisheth his Creatures by the Rain which he causeth to fall he created the Clouds charged with moysture causeth Thunder to make a noise darteth the Thunderbolt and striketh whom it pleaseth him the Angels tremble in his Presence yet do the wicked dispute his Omnipotency He it is who ought to be implored the prayers of them who implore another God are ineffectual they are like to such as are very thirsty and stretch forth the hand towards a Fountain to which they cannot reach the prayers of the wicked are impiety Whatsoever is in Heaven and in the Earth the shadow of the Morning the obscurity of the Evening humble themselves before God through force or affection Say unto them Who is the Lord of Heaven and Earth but God Who except God shall protect you your Idols can neither benefit nor hurt you Is the blind like unto him that seeth clearly Is darkness like unto light Shall they adore the Creatures instead of the Creator God hath created all things and is Omnipotent he causeth Rain to descend from Heaven and Rivers covered with Foam to flow in the Valleys The Gold the Silver and Metals which ye melt to adorn and enrich your selves are like unto Froth Thus doth God teach what is profitable and what unprofitable Froth suddenly vanisheth and is of no utility to Men So falshood vanisheth before Truth Thus doth God speak through a Parable to them that obey him and giveth them Paradise All the riches of the Earth and as much again cannot ransom the Infidels they shall be eternally tormented in the fire of Hell. Who knoweth that the truth contained in this Book was not sent to thee from God He that doubteth is blind Men of Spirit do not doubt They who satisfie what they promise to God who transgress not his Commandments who have his fear before their eyes who apprehend the Day of Judgment who are patient in their afflictions for love of his Divine Majesty who make their prayers at the time appointed who give alms privately and publickly and blot out their offences with good works shall be blessed They shall enter into the Garden of Eden with their Father their Wives and Families the Angels shall visit them shall salute them and say Behold the recompence of your perseverance behold eternal grace Such as shall swerve from their promise and disobey the Commandments of God and pollute the Earth shall be accursed of God and severely chastised he giveth and depriveth of wealth as seemeth good to him The unbelievers rejoyce in the riches of the Earth but those riches are of little value if they consider them of the other World. They say If Mahomet doth not make some miracle to appear from God we will not believe him Say unto them God guideth and mis-leadeth whom it pleaseth him he confirmeth the hearts of them that have faith in his Law the remembrance of God confirmeth the hearts of True Believers Such as shall do good works shall be happy We have sent thee as we did send other Prophets to them that preceded thee Teach the people what we have inspired into thee When they shall disobey thee say unto them God is my Lord there is but one God alone I am wholly resigned to his Divine Will my refuge is in his goodness If the Alcoran should make Mountains to go should it cause the Earth to open and the Dead to arise all would proceed from God. True Believers ought not to despair of any thing God shall guide all the World into the right way when it shall please him and unbelievers shall not escape the punishment of their crimes Thou shalt dwell with them until the word of God be fulfilled He swerveth not from what he promiseth they derided the Prophets that came before thee I prolonged the time of their punishment and in the end rigorously chastised them and with what afflictions Doth not God behold the actions of every Man They have said God hath Companions to whom they have given names after their fancy will you instruct God in any thing The wicked take delight in their wickedness and are gone astray from the right way He whom
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
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
shall the fifth time call for the curse of God to be upon them if they be lyars The wife shall be exempt from punishment if she swear four times that her husband is a lyar and if the fifth time she pray that the wrath and indignation of God may be upon her if what her husband hath said be true in this manner doth God gratifie you that ye may understand the truth he is most gracious and most wise That Troup that made defection from the True believers with a lye and false testimony did you no harm on the contrary they did advantage you every one shall bear the burden of his sins the most malicious among them shall be thrown headlong into the torments of Hell It was an happiness that ye heard the sense of the Believers from their own mouth when they said that those men lyed impudently if they had not presented those four witnesses they had found none other they are lyars without the grace and mercy of God they should have already felt great torments in this world and in the other because of that imposture When they spake of what they were ignorant ye deemed it to be nothing but it is an exceeding great sin before God if when ye heard it ye said that to speak of those things did not concern you ye knew it to be an imposture God forbiddeth you to relapse if ye believe in his Law he thus declareth to you his pleasure he is Omniscient and most Prudent such as desire to cast obloquy among the True-believers shall be rigorously chastised in this World and in the other God knoweth that of which ye are ignorant Had not God been favourable to you he had chastised you in burning fury he is gracious and merciful Oh ye that are True-believers follow not the foot-steps of the Devil he will enjoyn you vice and sin had not God gratified you with his Mercy not any among you should have been purged from that imposture but God purifieth whom he seeth good he heareth all and knoweth all your intentions The most rich and powerful among you have not sworn to do no good to their Parents the Poor or to them that fight for the Law of God nevertheless they do it not to them and flie them desire they not that God should pardon them He is neither gentle nor pitiful but towards True-believers They that accuse of immodesty Women chaste innocent and faithful shall be accursed in this World and shall suffer great torments at the day when their Tongues their Hands and their Feet shall testifie against them at the same time shall God pay to them what shall be due unto them without injustice and they shall know that God is truth it self The wicked Women shall speak as the wicked men and the wicked men as the wicked Women The good Women shall speak as the good men and the good men as the good Women the good are innocent of the imposture of the wicked they shall enjoy the Grace of God and the Treasures of Paradise Oh ye that are True-believers enter not into anothers House without permission if ye salute them that dwell there ye shall do well peradventure ye will be mindful it ye find none of the House enter not without permission if they speak to you to return ye shall return it is better than to stay at the door God beholdeth all that ye do ye shall not offend God to enter into houses inhabited if ye have affairs there God knoweth all your intentions Speak unto the True-believers that they contain their sight that they be chaste that they do good and that God knoweth all their actions Speak unto the True-believing Women that they contain their sight and that they be chaste that they suffer nothing of their beauty to be seen but what ought to be seen that they cover their bosom and their visage that they permit them not to be be seen but by their Husbands their Children the Children of their Husbands their Brothers their Nephews their Sisters their Women and their Daughters Maid-servants and Slaves by their Domestiques that are not capable of Marriage by Children that regard not the beauty of Women and that they move not their feet to shew they are well shod Implore pardon of God peradventure ye shall be happy many Maidens of your own Religion the Daughters of the Righteous or your Slaves if they be poor God shall enrich them with his Grace he is most liberal and Omniscient Such as have not Means to Marry shall live chastly until God hath given them means Such as have desire to marry their Slaves shall have power to pass a Contract of Marriage if they know them to be wise and shall give them part of the wealth that God hath bestowed on them Despise not your Wives that are chaste to commit Whoredom if ye desire good in this World if ye contemn them God shall be to them propitious and merciful we have sent to you these Precepts clear and intelligible like to them that were taught your Predecessors to be preached to the Righteous God illuminateth the Heaven and the Earth as the Lamp that is in the Lanthorn of Chrystal fed with Oyl of the blessed Olive it seemeth to be a Star full of Light which goeth neither to the West nor to the East and yeildeth brightness upon brightness God guideth by his light whom it pleaseth him he teacheth his People Parables and is Omniscient he permitteth you to praise him in your Houses there to be mindful of his name and to exalt him evening and morning Oh ye men your affairs ought not to hinder your remembrance of his divine Majesty to make your prayers at the time appointed neither to pay Tithes Fear the day when the hearts of men shall be perplexed and their sight troubled when God shall reward and chastise every one after his works and shall augment his grace upon the good he enricheth with his innumerable benefits whom to him seemeth good The good works of the wicked are like to mists in a spacious plain they seem to be water when afar off and being approached nothing is to be there found They shall find before God the Book wherein is written whatsoever they have done he shall punish them according to their demerits he is exact to keep account Their actions are moreover like to the darkness that is in the bottom of the sea that is covered with wave upon wave obscurity and darkness upon one another he that is in this darkness cannot see his hand he that shall not be illuminated by God shall not see a jot Seest thou not that whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth exalteth the glory of God the Birds extend their wings before him to praise him he heareth the prayers of all his creatures and understandeth the praises that they give him he knoweth all that they do he is King of Heaven and earth the refuge of all the world
up the Mountains upon the Earth to fasten and hinder it to move he hath thereon dispersed many Beasts and sent Rain from Heaven which causeth Plants to spring forth and Herbs of divers sorts Behold here what God hath created shew me what your Idols have created assuredly Idolaters are manifestly seduced from the right way We inspired knowledg into Locman and spake unto him to give God thanks he that returneth thanks to God for his Graces doth good for his Soul. God rejecteth the ingrateful and praise is due to him in all places Remember thou that Locman said unto his Son O my Son believe not thou that God hath a companion it is an exceeding great Sin We have commanded man to honour his Father and Mother his Mother beareth him with grief upon grief and weaneth him at the age of Two years be thou not ingrateful for God's benefits honour Father and Mother thou shalt be one day before God to be judged If thy Parents press thee to believe that God hath companions obey them not follow the way of them that obey him all men shall be one day assembled before him to be rewarded according to their works O my Son if thou dost evil of the weight of a Grâ—…n of Mustardseed or of the weight of a Rock or of the greatness of Heaven and Earth God will know it and put it in account he is exact and Omniscient O my Son make thy prayers at the time appointed do what is honest and civil fly what is not approved and be patient in thy adversities regard not the World disordered through pride converse not with the proud God detesteth the haughty observe thy steps walk with modesty speak gently they be persons that bray like Asses when they speak seest thou not that God hath created for men all that is in Heaven and Earth and conferreth on them his Graces in general and particular There be ignorant persons that dispute of the Deity without reason when it is said unto them Do what God hath appointed they answer We will do what we saw done by our Fathers They consider not that the Devil calleth them and their Fathers to the pains of Hell. He that obeyeth God and doth good works fastneth him to the strongest Knot and will have a care of him at the Hour of his end The impiety of the wicked ought not to afflict thee they shall be one day assembled in our presence to be chastised I will shew them all that they have done I know what is in the hearts of men I will prolong awhile their punishment upon Earth and precipitate them in the other World into the Fire of Hell. Hast thou not demanded of them who created Heaven and Earth They said It is God say unto them therefore praised be God nevertheless the greatest part of them are ignorant Whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is Gods he hath no want of the World praise is due unto him in all that he doth if all the Trees of the World were Pens and the Sea Ink they could not comprehend the effect of his Omnipotency he is Omnipotent and knoweth all things He created and shall make you to rise again with one word he understandeth and seeth all things Consider they not that God causeth the Night to enter into the Day and the Day into the Night that he created the Sun and the Moon that move in the Heaven until the day appointed he knoweth whatsoever ye do because he is truly God they that invoke other than him invoke things vain and unprofitable God alone is most high and most mighty Seest thou not how the Ship runneth upon the Water for a token of his Omnipotency to such as acknowledg his Graces When the Wars arose against the Infidels many called upon God with resolution to follow his Law when he saved them on the Land some persevered to do well and others returned to their impiety none but deceivers and ingrateful persons despise his Commandments O People fear God and the day when the Father shall not be able to succour his Child neither the Child serve his Father God's promises are infallible be not proud of your Riches neither that God tolerateth and suffereth you he knoweth the time when ye shall be chastised the hour that the Rain shall fall upon the Earth he knoweth what is in the wombs of women whether it be Male or Female none but God knoweth what thou wilt do to morrow none but he knoweth the place where thou shalt die he knoweth all he knoweth all CHAP. XXXII The Chapter of Worship containing an Hundred and Thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am the most Wise God. Doubtless this Book was sent by the Lord of the Universe will the wicked say that thou hast invented it On the contrary it is the truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord to preach to them that heretofore had none to instruct them peradventure they will follow the right way God created Heaven and Earth and all that is between them in Six days and sitteth on his Throne Who shall protect you Who shall hear your prayers but he Will you never consider it He disposeth all things in Heaven and Earth all men shall one day be assembled before him to be judged a Thousand years are but one day before his Divine Majesty he knoweth what is past present and future he is Omnipotent and Merciful he hath created every thing for his People he formed man of the Dirt and Dust of the Earth he inspired the Soul into his Body he giveth you hearing sight and sense but few men return him thanks for his Graces They say What shall we die and return to be a new People Certainly they believe not in the Resurrection Say unto them The Angel of Death shall cause you to die and ye shall return before God to be judged Thou shalt then see how the Infidel will hang down the Head before their Lord and say Lord we now see the certainty of the Resurrection we this day know the truth of thy words permit us to return into the World we will be Righteous we now understand what is profitable and necessary for us we could have given a guide to every Person my word is most true I will fill Hell with the wicked and Paradise with the Righteous thus shall men be rewarded and chastised according to their works Taste O ye wicked the pains that ye have deserved in refusing to believe in this day which ye have found we leave you in the miseries due to your incredulity taste the eternal torments that ye have merited through your impiety Such as believe in the mysteries of my Law are humble they worship me alone and praise me when they hear mention of me they are not proud rebel not against my Commandments They arise from their Bed to make their prayers with fear and hope and imploy in pious works some part of
〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 they shall say Lord we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Superiors they seduced us 〈◊〉 the right way Lord chastise them douâ—… and give them thy curse O ye that believe be not like them that displeased Moses he was innnocent of the crimes that they laid upon him he was inspired of God fear God and speak with civility your works shall be acceptable to him and he shall pardon your sins he that shall obey God and his Apostle shall be happy fidelity and obedience are pleasing to him in Heaven and in Earth and upon the Mountains Such as depart far from him as did Adam do injury to themselves and are ignorant he shall chastise those men and women that shall be disobedient and impious he will give his grace to those men and women that shall believe in his Law he is gracious and merciful to them that obey him CHAP. XXXIV The Chapter of †Saba containing Fifty four Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praised be God whatsoever is in Heaven and in the Earth appertaineth to him praise is due unto him he is most Wise and Omniscient he knoweth whatsoever entreth into the Earth and cometh out of it whatsoever ascendeth to Heaven and descendeth he is gracious and merciful to his creatures The wicked demand if they shall see the Day of Judgment say unto them yes and that thy Lord knoweth the time he knoweth what is past present and future and all that is in Heaven and in the Earth even to the weight of an Atome what is yet less and what is yet greater than an Atome is written in a Book that discovereth every thing he shall reward the True believers that have done good works he shall give them his Mercy and enrich them with precious treasures Such as have endeavoured to suppress his Law shall feel the effects of his indignation They that understand the Scripture know that God hath taught thee the very truth to guide the People into the right way into the path of honour and vertue but the wicked said among them will ye believe a man who affirmeth that after your death ye shall rise again and be new creatures He lyeth impudently he is possessed of the Devil Certainly they that believe not in the Resurrection are in an exceeding great error and shall suffer most grievous pains see they not what is above and what is below them Consider they not the Heaven and the Earth If I will I can render it barren and cause a piece of the Heaven to fall upon them for a sign of my Omnipotency We gave our grace to David and spake to the Mountains Birds and Metals with him to praise me we commanded him to make Cuirasses and Iron was soft in his hand as Wax O Lineage of David be not ingrateful I see whatsoever ye do We made the Winds subject to Solomon he commanded them Evening and Morning from the East to the West we gave him a Fountain and a Brook of dissolved Brass the Devils through our permission wrought it to his mind and we punished in the Fire of Hell such as refused to obey him They built for him lofty Palaces and spacious houses they formed Basons for Water Channels and Pools We said unto him O Lineage of David be not ingrateful for my graces for that few persons do acknowledge them When he dyed through our Commandment nothing discovered his death to the Devils but the worms that had eaten the end of his staff whereon he leaned when the Devils saw him fall they perceived that had they known the future and what was hid from them they should not have laboured so long a time in his Service The Inhabitants of Saba have a mark of my Omnipotency in their Countrey viz. two Gardens the one on the North side and the other towards the South it was said unto them eat of the good things that your Lord hath given you and return him thanks their Country is delicious God hath been merciful towards them nevertheless they are ingrateful and impious we sent the River of Arem that overflowed their Gardens we changed them into two Gardens of Thorns of Cyprus and a little Tamarinde thus did we punish them because of their impiety We established a way with many Cities for facility of commerce among them and the City which we blessed and spake unto the People to follow that way Night and Day with safety and withou fear They said God destroyeth us through the length of this way they returned to their impiety and we dispersed them upon the Earth to serve for example to Posterity and instruction to such as persevere in my Law and acknowledg my graces The Devil caused them to believe his Opinion they followed him except some of the True believers that were among them he had no power over them but to know them that believed in the Resurrection and such as doubt Thy Lord observeth and regardeth all Say unto them invoke your Idols they have not power of the bigness of an Atome neither in Heaven nor Earth God hath no Companion they shall find none to protect them at the Day of Judgment none shall intercede for them without the permission of his Divine Majesty if they receive any relaxation in their â—…ear they enquire of each other what God spaâ—…e and anâ—…wer that he spake 〈◊〉 truth that he is most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most mighty say unto them who enricheth you with the good things of Heaven and Earth They will say that it is God. Say unto them Who of you or of us followeth the right way Or who of you or of us is seduced Enquire not after our sins we are not curious to know what ye do God shall assemble us at the Day of Judgment and shall judg our differences with equity he is an exceeding great Judg say unto them Let us see the Idols that ye have worshipped certainly there is but One God Omnipotent and Wise. We have not sent thee but to declare to men the joys of Paradise and to preach to them the pains of Hell but the greatest part knoweth it not they ask in what time they shall see the punishment that is preached to them and if thou speakest the truth say unto them when the time thereof is come ye shall not be able to retard or advance an hour They have said That they will not believe in the Alcoran but thou shalt see them one day assembled in the presence of thy Lord thou shalt see that they shall accuse one another the Poor shall say unto the Rich you have hindred us to obey the Commandments of God they shall answer have we seduced you from the way that was taught you On the contrary you were wicked and malicious They shall say on the contrary you employed Night and Day your Artifices to render us ingrateful for the graces of God and to induce us to believe that he hath
Apostles of God obey them that require no reward from you for the pains which they take in teaching you and who are in the right way Wherefore shall not I worship him that created me and before whom ye all shall be assembled to be judged Will ye worship another beside him If it be his will to chastise me your Idols cannot save me I should be extremely erroneous should I believe in your Gods hear and understand what I say unto you Nevertheless they slew him and said unto him Go enter into Paradise He said in dying would to God this people knew the graces that his Divine Majesty hath conferred on me he placed me in the number of the blessed After his death we did not send Angels from Heaven to chastise the wicked I will send them but once to destroy them they shall one day be dumb for shame that they have not followed the True-believers and of being mocked by them that I sent to preach unto them my Commandments Will they not consider how much people we have destroyed in times past who are not returned and that shall be one day assembled before me to be judged The Earth dry dead and barren as a sign of my omnipotency for the wicked we made it revive and become green again and to bring forth fruits with which they were satiate we there created Gardens Date-trees and Vines we caused Fountains to flow they eat of the fruits which are not the works of their hands will they not acknowledg the works of their Lord Praise is due to him that created the male and the female of all Plants that the Earth produceth who created man and woman and many other things of which they have no knowledg It is a sign of my omnipotency to separate the day from the night and to make the Sun to run to his appointed place We have appointed to the Moon her Signs she goeth and cometh always through her old way the Sun neither hastneth nor retardeth his course at any time neither doth joyn himself by night to the Moon the night cometh not until the end of the day And all to wit the Moon the Sun and the Stars exalt my glory in the Heaven It is a mark of mine omnipotency to have born their fathers upon the waters in the Ark and to have given them vessels like the Ark to bear them had it pleased me I had caused them to be drowned without succor and salvation I saved them through my special grace until the time appointed The wicked despise the signs of Gods omnipotency and scoffed when they were required to fear the wrath of his Divine Majesty present and to come and that their iniquities shall be forgiven them When it was said unto them Give alms of the wealth that God hath given you they answered shall I give him to eat to whom God shall give bread when it shall please him They are in a very great error They will enquire of you when the day of Judgment shall be and if ye believe it tell them that they must expect but one sole voice that shall surprize them they shall quarrel they shall not be able to make their Testament neither return to see their Parents in the end they shall go out of their Sepulchres and present themselves before God when the Trumpet shall sound Then shall they say we are most miserable to have departed from our graves behold what God hath promised us The Prophets spake to us the Truth viz. That the world ought to expect but one voice This day shall all men be assembled before their Lord no injustice shall be done to any person and every one shall be rewarded and chastised after his works Such as shall go into Paradise shall be in exceeding great repose with all manner of contentment they and their wives shall be safe from all evils lying on delicious beds they shall have all sorts of fruits and whatsoever they shall desire they shall be saluted on the behalf of the Lord gracious and merciful God shall say to the wicked at the day of Judgment Depart ye this day from the company of the good did I not forbid you to worship the Devil your open enemy but to worship me alone and that it was the right way Did I not tell you that the Devil seduced a multitude of the people Ye would not believe it behold Hell that is prepared for you through your incredulity I will shut their mouth their hand shall speak and their feet shall be witnesses of their crimes If we will we can make the Infidels blind they shall find no way they shall not be able to go or come and shall be succoured of none had it been our pleasure we could have transformed them in their houses and they had not been able to go forth I will cast their head against the ground and will render them infamous whose life I shall prolong and they shall not know their errors We have not made them to understand the Mysteries of the Alcoran but that was not necessary it is but to preach to the living who comprehend what is spoken to them it is most true that the wicked shall be punished See they not that we alone have created all the Beasts of the Earth over which they command We have made them subject to them Some serve them to ride on and others for their nourishment will they be ingrateful Nevertheless they have worshipped Idols they adored what could not deliver them from the pains of Hell. Afflict not thy self at their discourse I know whatsoever they say and all that they keep secret in their souls Doth not man consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him of dust And that he is too arrogant God hath taught us how he formed his Creatures nevertheless the wicked have said who is he that can give life to bones that are rotten Say unto them he it is that created you at first and that knoweth what he created he maketh fire to come out of the green woods which ye burn and created the Heaven and the Earth cannot he create other creatures like unto you Yes without doubt he createth what pleaseth him he knoweth all things when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is praised be he to whom all things appertain and before whom you all shall return to be judged CHAP. XXXVII The Chapter of Orders containing Fourscore Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Orders of Angels that worship God and attend his commands by them that hinder men to obey the Devil and by them that read and meditate on the Alcoran that your God is one sole God Lord of the Heaven and the Earth and of all that is between them he is Lord of the West and of the East We adorned the Heaven and the Earth with Planets and have kept them safe from the malice of the Devils they cannot hear what is
conspired against them think they that I know not their secrets and whatsoever they utter The Angels our Messengers keep account say unto them If God have a Son who shall we first adore Praised be God King of the Heavens and of the Earth the matter is not as the Infidels deliever it Leave them implunged in their impiety let them laugh and rejoyce until the day of their punishment arrive One God alone ought to be worshipped in Heaven and Earth he is most wise and Omniscient Praised be he to whom appertaineth the Kingdom of the Heavens and Earth and whatsoever is between them He knoweth the hour and the day that all the World shall be assembled before him to be judged The Idols that the Infidels adore shall not be able to intercede for them the good intercede for them that have knowledge of the truth if thou ask of men Who created them They will say It is God How can they then depart from his Commandments Lord this People is incredulous Depart thou far from their company they shall in the end too late acknowledg their errors CHAP. XLIV The Chapter of Smoke containing Fifty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful God is Prudent and Wise. I swear by the Book that distinguisheth good from evil that we sent it the Night of blessing to teach the People the torments of Hell this Book explaineth our Commandments and all that we heretofore commanded the Prophets this is a special grace of thy Lord he heareth and knoweth all things he is Lord of Heaven and Earth and of all that is between them believe in his Omnipotency There is no God but he he giveth life and death to whom he listeth he is your Lord the Lord of your fathers and predecessors the wicked deride this discourse but the Day of Judgment attends them that day the Heaven shall resemble Smoak that shall cover the World that day shall the People say Behold here grievous torments Lord deliver us from this misery we will believe in thy Law Their conversion shall be in vain because when the Prophet preached to them they scorned his words and said That he was a foolish Teacher and when they were comforted on Earth they returned to their impiety Remember thou the day when they were vanquished and taken by force and that we were revenged on their impiety We heretofore tryed the People of Pharoah my beloved Prophet preached to them my Commandments and said Come follow me Oh ye servants of God! I am a faithful â—…essenger of his divine Majesty resist not his law will teach you his Commandments he shall defend me from your malice he shall preserve me from being stoned but if he will not believe me depart far from me He prayed to his Lord when he knew that that people was unbelieving â—…nd impious God said unto him Go forth by night out of the City with my servants if the men of Pharoah pursue thee enter into the Sea through a path large and spacious thine enemies that shall follow thee shall be drowned How many Gardens Fountains and places of Pleasure wherein they took delight did â—…hey forsake They fell into the power of anoâ—…her with all their treasures and none lamented â—…hem either in Heaven or Earth they expected â—…ot that punishment We delivered the Children of Israel from Pharoahs tyranny he was â—…owerful and a great sinner We elected them through our certain knowledg among all the world â—…nd tryed them through our Miracles and Commandments The wicked say we shall dye and not rise again if the Resurrection be true cause our fathers to revive to evidence the truth of thy words Are they more powerful than their predecessors whom we destroyed because of their â—…mpiety We have not created in vain the Heaven and the Earth and whatsoever is between them we created them for certain signs of our â—…nity the greatest part of the world understand â—…t not the day of Judgment is the time appointed for their punishment that day none shall be able to save his neighbour or parent or friend nor shall any be saved but those to whom God shall give his mercy he is omnipotent and merciful The fruit of the Tree of Hell called Zacon shall serve for food to the wicked it shall boyl in their bellies like pitch or water They shall cry Take the wicked drag them into the fire of Hell pour upon their heads all manner of torments It shall be said unto them taste the pains oâ—… Hell ye believed your selves to be thâ—… omnipotent and precious on Earth behold thâ—… punishment of which ye doubted The righteouâ—… shall be in delicious places in Gardens adorneâ—… with Fountains they shall be clothed with purple they shall behold each other face to face wâ—… will assemble them with women pure and cleaâ—… who shall have most beautiful eyes they shall havâ—… fruits savoury and delicious of all seasons the shall never dye and shall be delivered from thâ—… torments of Hell through the special grace 〈◊〉 thy Lord behold supreme felicity Certainly we have sent the Alcoran in thy tongue peradveâ—… ture the Arabians will learn it they covet thy 〈◊〉 ine but persevere thou and expect the time of 〈◊〉 punishment of their crimes CHAP. XLV The Chapter of Genuflexion or Knee-bowinâ—… containing fifty nine Verses 〈◊〉 at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifâ—… God is most prudent and Wise. This Book sent by the Omnipotent and Wise. The Heaveâ—… and the Earth are most certain signs of his Uniâ—… to such as believe in his Law your Creation aâ—… â—…he Creation of all Creatures are markâ—… of his greatness to them that have his fear before their eyes the difference of the night and the day the rain that he sendeth from Heaven to cause fruits to spring out of the Earth and to revive it after its death and the diversity of winds are signs of his Omnipotency to them that have knowledg to comprehend it I relate to thee the wonders of God with truth in what will 〈◊〉 believe if they believe not in the word of his divine Majesty Misery is upon them that hear the Commandments of God and become proud as if they had not heard them Preach unto such men that they shall suffer the rigors of infinite pains They deride the Faith when they are spoken to Certainly they shall be punished in the fire of Hell their riches shall not be able to save them neither the Idols which they adore they shall be eternally damned This Book guideth men into the way of salvation they that shall not believe in the Law of God shall feel the effects of his fury He created the Seas that bear the Ships for the advantage of your commerce peradventure ye will acknowlged this grace He hath created for you all that is in Heaven and on Earth it is a sign of his goodness to such as consider it Speak unto them that believe
God in the beginning and the end How many Angels be there in Heaven whose prayers are unprofitable if God doth not accept them They that believe not in the day of Judgment say that Angels are Maidens they understand not what they say they speak through opinion and that opinion is not conformed to truth Depart thou far from them that reject our Law and desire only the goods of the Earth and are ignorant of all other things Thy Lord knoweth them that go astray from the right way and such as follow the path of Salvation all that is in the Heavens and Earth is Gods he shall chastise the wicked and reward the just He pardoneth their venial sins who flie sins mortal he is exceeding merciful He knoweth that he hath created you of Earth and that he formed you in your Mothers womb Extol not your selves he knoweth such as have his fear before their eyes Hast thou seen him that abandoneth the faith A little wealth was given him and nothing more doth he know what must befal him Hath he knowledg of what is to come Will he not learn what is written in the books of Moses and Abraham To wit that none shall bear the burden of another man shall have but what he shall have gained he shall in the end see his labour be rewarded after his works and all shall appear in the presence of thy Lord. He it is that causeth to laugh and mourn to live and to die he created the Male and Female of every thing he giveth and taketh away mans soul when he listeth he is most Rich and hath no want of any person He is the Lord of the Planet which men adored He destroyed Aad and Temod drowned the People of Noab who were most erroneous and unjust overthrew the City of Lot and covered it with burning stone In whom will they believe if they believe not in thy Lord This Prophet is sent to preach to you the pains of Hell as did the other Prophets that were before you the Day of Judgment approacheth and none but God knoweth when it will come wonder ye at this discourse Ye scoff and lament not when ye are spoken to but ye shall be surprized in your sin if ye humble not your selves before God neither worship him CHAP. LIV. The Chapter of the Moon containing Fifty five Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful The Day of Judgment approacheth the Moon was divided into two parts nevertheless Infidels believe not Miracles when they see them they say that this is Magick they lye and follow but their passion but all is written The History of past Ages full of salutary Counsels was preached to them nevertheless Preachers were to them unprofitable depart thou far from them when they shall be called to the Universal Judgment which they will not believe that Day shall their eyes be troubled with fear they shall come out of the Earth dispersed like frighted Grass-hoppers they shall flock to him that shall summon them to Judgment and shall say Behold here a Day unhappy for the wicked The People heretofore belyed Noah and said That he was possessed of the Devil Noah exhorted them and invoked his Lord in the end he said That his strength was gone and that he was overcome through the malice of men then was he powerfully succoured we opened the gates of the Heavens and caused an extraordinary Rain to fall we caused Fountains to issue forth from under the Earth the water of Heaven and Earth were gathered together and overwhelmed the Infidels because of their sins We saved Noah in the Ark well pinned and chaulked it floated upon the waters through our permission to serve for a token of our Omnipotency will any of the unbelievers of this time consider this Will they consider the punishment of their crimes and the pains of Hell We have made the Alcoran easie to be understood will there be any that study it The wicked that traduced Aad were chastised but with what chastisement We sent against them an impetuous wind in a day to them unfortunate that caused men to fall like Palms rooted up consider what was their punishment we have rendred the Alcoran intelligible will there be any one that will study it Temod and his People traduced the Prophets and contemned their exhortations they said There is a man among us who would seduce us from the right way if ye follow him he will lead you into Hell was he alone elected among us to receive the inspirations of God No he is an Impostor but in the end they knew them that were wicked and lyars We sent the Camel to prove the Infidels their Prophet observed what they did and was patient the water was divided for them and for the Camel and each at his day found to drink nevertheless they called their companions and slew the Camel of Salhe but in what manner were they chastised I darted Thunder against them which made them dry as Chaff we have made the Alcoran easie to be understood Will there be any to study it Lot's Citizens traduced him and despised his instructions we sent against them an hot wind with burning stones that destroyed them and we in the Morning saved Lot with his Family through our special grace thus do I recompence them that acknowledge my benefits Lot had preached to them the pains of Hell we surprized them when they disputed against his exhortations they saw his guests enter into the City in the figure of men we blinded their sight and said Taste oh ye wicked the punishment of your crimes in the Morning they were chastised with a perpetual chastisement because they despised the words of Lot. We have made the Alcoran intelligible will there be any that will study it Certainly the men of Pharaoh were preached unto they would not obey my Law and despised my Miracles but we surprized them in their sins Are the Infidels that are among you of more value than those that preceded them Find ye any Salvation for them in the Scripture Will they say they shall obtain victory over the believers On the contrary they are vanquished and turn the back Certainly the hour of their punishment shall speedily come their time approacheth and their pain in Hell shall be greater than that of the Earth they are wholly seduced from the way of Salvation and shall be dragged and cast headlong into Eternal flames We have created all things by our sole power we spake but one word and in the twinkling of an eye the thing was we heretofore destroyed a great number of Infidels like unto them will there be any that considereth it All the good and the evil that they have done is exactly written The Righteous shall dwell in pleasant Gardens they shall drink in Eternal Rivers they shall not speak a Lye in their Assemblies and shall dwell eternally near to the most Majestique and Omnipotent God. CHAP LV. The Chapter
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
will put upon their noses a mark of shame and igâ—…ominy we have tried them as Gardeners when â—…hey have resolved in the evening to cut off the morâ—…ing followng some fruits of their garden for â—…heir refection and have not said if it please God By night while they slept God sent fire â—…nto their gardens that consumed them in the morning they called each other and said Come â—…o put order to your garden if ye desire to gaâ—…her the fruits they believed the poor would enâ—…er they ran to drive them away and found their â—…ruits black and their gardens blasted Then they â—…aid We are seduced we are sinners one of them â—…aid that it was requisite to praise God then they â—…aid Praised be God we are great sinners they â—…pproached each other and complained among â—…hemselves they said misery is upon us we were â—…n a great error peradventure God will give us â—…ereafter more than the value of what we have lost we must beg his grace thus God chastiseth on earth whom he pleaseth but the torments of the other world are much more grievous They that have â—…his fear before their eyes shall dwell in gardens full of delights Shall I entreat the good like the wicked How can ye judg it have ye a book wherein you read what pleaseth you have we promised to you any content at the day of Judgment Shall you have that day what ye have promised to your selves Ask of them who will be surety for their belief will their Idols and companions be their surety Let them cause them to come if they be true Be thou mindful of the day when sins shall be detected and the wicked shall be commanded to worship God but they shall not be able to behold him their eyes shall be troubled with fear and their sight covered with shame They are enjoyned in the world to worship his divine Majesty but they refuse to perform it I will punish them by little and little when they shall least think of it I will defer the punishments of their crimes because my wrath is strong Dosâ—… thou demand of men any reeompence for thy preaching are they charged with any expence Have they in their power the book wherein is the future to write therein what they affirm Attend the Judgment of thy Lord and be not like him that was swallowed of the Whale He invoked his Lord in his affliction if his Lord had not sent him his grace he should never have come upon earth when he repented of his sin his Lord pardoned and placed him in the number of the righteous The unbelievers labour to shake thee througâ—… their looks and that through envy they affirm that thou art possessed of the Devil when the hear thee read the Alcoran It was not sent but tâ—… instruct the world CHAP. LXIX The Chapter of Verification containing Fifty two Verses written at Mecca Exteri intituleth this The Chapter of Iudgment because that day all shall be verified IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Verification approacheth Verification approacheth God hath not told thee in what time shall be the day of Verification Temod and Aad would not believe him that preached to them the day of affliction and sorrow but Temod was destroyed by an extraordinary noise and Aad by an impetuous wind that God sent against them Seven nights and eight days together they were overthrown stretched out like Palms faln upon the Earth Did any one among them save himself Pharaoh and his predecessors with the Inhabitants of the Cities that were overthrown because of their sins disobeyed the Prophets and Apostles of God and were rudely chastised We preserved you in Noah's Ark when the waters swelled to serve for example of our Omnipotency to them that saw it and to such as shall hear it mentioned Be thou mindful of the day when the Angel shall sound the Trumpet when the Earth shall lift it self up and the Mountains tremble then what must come to pass shall come to pass Heaven with Weakness shall open and the Angel that shall bear the Throne of God shall be upon the border of the Heaven Then shall Eight Angels present the books wherein shall be written the sins of Men and nothing shall be concealed Such as shall take in the right hand the Book of the account of their actions shall say We find what we believed to be true we know with certain knowledg the coming of this day and the felicity of Life is in Paradise It shall be said to them Eat and drink of the good things of Paradise at your pleasure They that shall take the Book of account of their actions in their left Hand shall say Would to God that this Book had been lost I know not what is this account would to God that I had been eternally buried in the Earth the Riches Authority and Treasures of the World are to me unprofitable It shall be said to the Devils Take them bind them and throw them headlong in to Hell put Chains seventy Cubits long upon their arms and cast them into fire they would not believe in the Unity of God the Omnipotent they have eaten the Bread of the Poor they are this day without protection and want Bread and shall find nothing but the pains of Hell prepared for the wicked I swear Although ye see and although ye do not see the Alcoran it is the word of the Prophet the Apostle of God it is not the word of a Poet but few persons will believe it It is not the word of one that is wicked but few men remember it it is sent from God Lord of the Universe The Infidels say Oh Prophet if thou speak we will not hear thee thy speech shall not enter into our hearts Say unto them There is none among you able to deliver you from the punishment of your crimes the Alcoran instructeth in the way of Salvation them that believe in his Divine Majesty I know that there are Lyars among you whom God shall put into the number of Infidels The Alcoran is truth it self Praised be the Name of God Omnipotent and Majestick CHAP. LXX The Chapter of the Ascent containing Forty four Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Some persons have demanded when shall be the Day of Judgment and in what time the wicked shall be chastised None but God is able to deliver men from the torments of Hell he is Lord of the way that ascendeth to Heaven the Angels and Spirits shall ascend towards him at the Day of Judgment that day shall seem to the wicked to endure Fifty thousand years expect with patience the wicked imagine they are far from that day but thou shalt see it speedily that day shall the Heaven resemble dissolved Metal the Mountains shall be like to carded Wool which bendeth downwards none shall ask his Neighbour who he is and they shall look one upon another the unbelievers shall desire to redeem
It shall be said to them that have black visages Have you followed impiety after you made profession of the Faith Taste this day the torment due to your sin Such as shall have white visages shall be in the favour of God in which they shall eternally continue See there the Mysteries of the Law of God which instructeth thee with Truth God willeth that no injustice be done to his People whatever is in Heaven or in Earth appertaineth to him he disposeth all things There hath appeared no Nation on the Earth that hath followed a better way than you forbid ye to do that which is not reasonable and believe in one only God If those that heretofore had knowledge of the written Law had believed in God they had done very well there be among them that believe what is veritable but the greatest part are impious They shall not hurt you but with their tongue and shall find no protection against you if they fight you they shall turn their backs they were beaten with shame and ignominy where they made a stand except when they embraced the Law of God and observed the precepts that were taught the faithful When they returned in the wrath of God they were beaten with poverty because they believed not the word of his Divine Majesty but slew his Prophets without reason and disobeyed his Commandments They that heretofore had knowledge of the written Law are not all alike there be among them that persevered in obedience and in the night meditate on the miracles of God worship him and believe in his Divine Majesty and the Day of Judgment preach honesty prohibit to do things dishonest and apply themselves to good works certainly they are good Men. Hide not the good works which you perform God knoweth such as have his fear before their eyes Riches and Children shall be unprofitable to Infidels with God they shall eternally dwell in the fire of Hell The Alms that they give in this World are like to a Wind exceeding hot or extreamly cold that fell upon the Tillage of them that did injury to their own Souls and wholly destroyed it God did no injustice to them they were mischievous to themselves through their sins O ye that believe in God esteem no man to be elected of God that is not of your Religion The wicked endeavoured to bring you into their disorders malice appeared in their mouth and that which their heart cherisheth is yet greater We have taught you the Commandments of God if you observe them you shall protect your selves from the malice of Infidels O ye you love them and they love not you you believe generally in the Scriptures and they believe not what you believe When they met you they said We believe in God and when they were gone from you they bit for anger their Fingers ends Say to them Die with your Choler God knoweth what is in your hearts If good happen to you they are displeased and when evil befalleth you they rejoyce If you have patience and fear God their malice shall not hurt you God knoweth all their Actions Remember the morning when some of thy people deserted the true Believers in the Field of battel and when two of thy Companions forsook the fight God was their Protector All true Believers ought to trust in him He protected you at Beder where you were a few Men ill armed perhaps you will fear him and give him thanks for that favour Say to the true Believers sufficeth it not that God succoureth you with three thousand of his Angels Truly if you have patience and fear God he will come to succour you at need and your Lord will assist you with five thousand of his Angels sent from Heaven he will not send you this assistance but to declare to you his Protection and to confirm your hearts Victory proceedeth from his Divine Majesty He is Omnipotent and prudent in all his works he will extirpate in this World one part of the wicked or will so sharply reprehend them that they shall become desperate Thou hast nothing to do whether he shall pardon or chastise them because they are wicked Whatever is in the Earth and in Heaven is his he pardoneth as he seeth good he is gracious and merciful to the righteous O ye that believe be not Usurers and fear God peradventure you will obey his Commandments Fear the fire of Hell prepared for Infidels Obey God and the Prophets his Apostles your sins shall be forgiven you beg pardon speedily of your Lord. The extent of Paradise containeth Heaven and Earth it is prepared for the good God loveth them that give Alms in joy and in affliction that subdue their Passion and forgive such as offend them he loveth them that do good and that after the Commission of any sin remember his Divine Majesty and implore his Pardon Who but God forgiveth sins Such as persist not in their Errours and acknowledge their sins shall be recompensed with the mercy of God and enjoy his favour in Paradise There were heretofore Laws and Means to conduct men into the right way but consider what hath been the end of Infidels The Alcoran was sent to instruct the World to guide men in the right way and to preach to the good Dishearten not neither afflict your selves in fighting you shall be Victorious if you believe in God if you have been wounded the like hurts have befaln the impious God so diversifieth days among men to the end he may know them that are truly zealous in his Law and that among you Witnesses be taken against the malice of Infidels God loveth not the unjust he forgiveth sins to those that believe and extirpate Infidels Do you believe to enter Paradise and that God knoweth not them that fought gallantly He knoweth them that were patient in adveâ—…sity and persevered in obedience to his Commandments You expected death before you met it you saw it with your Eyes and were Victorious Certainly Mahomet is the Prophet and Apostle of God there were many Prophets before him when they died or were slain you returned upon your steps to impiety They that return upon their steps do no harm to God he will reward only such as acknowledge his favours and men cannot die without his permission and that in a time prescribed and predestinate I will give the good things of this World to whom it pleaseth me and will abundantly recompence them that praise me How many Prophets and men with them that were not dejected through their afflictions that befel them in fighting for the Law of God They were not weakned neither humbled to the Infidels God affecteth them that are patient in their adversities and such as persevere in his Law. They said in their afflictions Lord pardon our sins confirm our steps and protect us against the Infidels God giveth them the Riches of the Earth and the Treasures of Heaven he loveth them that do good O ye
he ratifieth the Truth and destroyeth falshood although it be contrary to the will of the impious Remember that your Lord heard you when you of him implored succours and that he assisted you with a thousand of his Angels sent from Heaven God sent you this aid only to let you know his grace and to confirm your hearts Victory proceedeth from God he is Omnipotent and most prudent Remember that God covered you with a secure sleep and caused Water to descend from Heaven to wash purifie and deliver you from the malice of the Devil Plant in your heart generosity and patience and go on with assurance God hath said to his Angels I will be with you confirm the steps of the true believers I will cast fear into the heart of the wicked strike them on the head smite them on the fingers and feet because they have contradicted my will and that of the Prophet God severely chastiseth such as disobey his Commandments and oppose the will of his Prophet the unbelievers have heretofore tasted of his punishments in this World and shall in the end feel the pains of the fire of Hell. O ye who believe in God! turn not the back to the wicked as vanquished when they approach to fight you he that shall turn the back shall return in the wrath of God and be thrown headlong into the fire of Hell. You slew not the Infidels at the sight of Beder God himself slew them Thou didst not cast Stones against them God did cast them to advantage the true believers he understandeth whatsoever they say and knoweth all their actions certainly he will augment the affliction of the wicked When ye required victory it was given you if you relinquish your impiety you shall do well if you return to fight against the Prophet know that he will protect him against you your Men of War shall advantage you in nothing notwithstanding they be numerous for that God is with the true believers O ye that believe obey God and his Prophet depart not from him since ye have heard the Commandments of his Divine Majesty be not as those that say We have heard and were deaf and dumb The ignominy and misery that God layeth on beasts is to be deaf and dumb and to want the use of reason Had God seen any good inclinations in the Infidels he had not left them in their deafness but although they had heard clearly they should have always departed from his Law and have been obstinate O ye that believe in God! obey God and the Prophet demand life eternal in your prayers and know that God will separate the Gall from the Liver he will separate the Infidel from the True believer and you all shall appear before him to be recompensed and chastised for your works fear the punishment that shall be inflicted especially on the seditious and ingrateful God is severe in his chastisements Remember that in the territory of Mecca ye were but an handful of weak Men and with fear of being taken and destroyed by the unbelievers God saved protected and enriched you with all manner of good things peradventure ye will give him thanks O ye that believe betray not God nor the Prophet neither such as confide in you and have entrusted their wealth in your hands otherwise your riches and Children shall torment you in the other World. There is with God great reward for the righteous O ye that believe if ye fear God he shall remove your enemies far from you and pardon your sins his goodness is infinite The wicked have conspired against thee to punish and slay thee or drive thee from Mecca but God hath rendred their conspiracy ineffectual he knoweth all the designs of conspirators When his miracles were related to them and his Commandments taught them they said we have heard them we had said the like things had we so inclined it is but a Song and a Fable of old Men Remember thou how they said my God if what Mahomet declareth be true cause a shower of Flint-Stones to fall upon us and rigorously chastise us He shall not chastise them when thou art with them neither when they beg pardon of him Who is he that is able to hinder God to punish them They are not in his grace when they hinder True believers to enter the Temple of Mecca he protecteth only such as have his fear before his eyes but most of them understand it not Their prayers are very light they go hand in hand in the Temple but shall one day feel the punishment of God because of their impiety The unbelievers that expend their wealth to turn the People from the Law of God shall have sorrow for their expence they shall be infamous and precipitated into the fire of Hell. God shall separate the good from the wicked he shall cast the wicked headlong into Hell fire and they shall be in the number of the damned if they repent he will remit what is past and if they return to fight against the Prophet they shall be entreated as the first kill them to avoid sedition that there may be no Law in the World but the Law of God If they forsake their impiety God shall behold their actions if they depart from the faith know that God alone is your Lord and Protector The fifth part of the spoil that you shall gain from your Enemies appertaineth to God the Prophet his Parents Orphans the Poor and to Pilgrims that are in want observe what is above ordained if ye believe in God in what we have inspired into our Servant and in the day wherein the distinction of the good and the bad was known at the encounter of the two Camps God is Omnipotent ye were in an high place the nearest to Medina your enemies were afar off by the Vally and the enemies Cavalry below you had ye promised to give Battel ye had transgressed your promise by reason of the great number of Infidels but what God will is speedily executed he shall destroy such as are wicked having seen that Battel an evident sign of the true mission of the Prophet and shall give life to True believers he understandeth and knoweth all things he caused you to see in a Dream your enemies in a small number had he made them to appear numerous ye had feared to fight but he delivered you from fear he knoweth what is in the hearts of Men When he caused you to appear in their view he made you seem few in number to accomplish his will all things depend on God. O ye that believe make an Halt when you are in view of your enemies Troops and pray to God with affection perhaps you shall be happy obey God and the Prophet his Apostle if disorder and terror surprise you you shall lose your reputation persevere God is with them that continue to do well Be not like them that went out of their Houses with dissembled joy
his Parables perhaps they will be mindful An evil word is like to a bad Tree that hath been torn from the Earth there is nothing to sustain it and it is without Root or Fruit God fortifieth the true believers through his word in this World and in the other and causeth the unjust to err he doth what to him seemeth good Seest thou not them that have changed his grace into impiety and have made such as have followed them to dwell in the House of perdition They shall abide eternally in the fire of Hell. They say that God hath a Companion equal to him and err from the way of his Law Say unto them ye shall have wealth in this World but Hell is your Rendezvous Say to the true believers who make their prayers at the time appointed and give alms in private or publick that the day shall come wherein they shall neither buy nor sell and where every one shall be recompensed for his works Say unto them God hath created the Earth and the Heavens he maketh the Rain to descend from Heaven which causeth to spring sorth all sorts of Fruits to enrich you he created the Ship that through his permission saileth on the Sea he created the Rivers the Sun and the Moon which move continually he created the Day and the Night and bestoweth on you whatsoever ye desire his favours towards you can neither be numbred nor recounted nevertheless the inhabitants of Mecca are always impious and wicked Abraham said Lord protect this City and make it to be the refuge of the World Keep me and my Children from the worship of Idols they have seduced a part of the People he that shall follow me and profess thy unity shall be mine if any one disobey me thou art gracious and merciful Lord one part of my Lineage inhabiteth Mecca in a place unfruitful give them the grace to persevere in thy service incline the hearts of Men to affect them enrich them with the Fruits of the Earth peradventure they will thank thee thou knowest whatsoever is in the World I know it not nothing that is in Heaven or in Earth is hid from thee praised be God who hath given me Ismael and Isaac in mine old age he heareth prayers when it pleaseth him Lord give me and my Posterity the grace to persevere in well doing hear my prayers pardon me and pardon my Father and all true believers at the Day of Judgment Think not that God is ignorant of the actions of Infidels he deferreth the punishment of their crimes until the day that all Men shall have their eyes opened that day shall they behold their sins before their eyes and their hearts shall be full of desolation If thou preachest to the people the Day of Judgment hath God will the wicked say preserved us to this present time to do what thou dost appoint us Say unto them have ye not sworn heretofore that there is no Resurrection Ye have dwelt with the unjust ye have seen how they have been chastised and how we have spoken to you in Parables Certainly they conspire but God knoweth their conspiracy their policy is to tempt the prophet to see if he will make the Mountains to move Think not that God will violate what he hath promised to the Prophets he is Omnipotent and avengeful Consider the day wherein the Earth and Heavens shall change their face and all people shall rise again that Day shall one sole God Omnipotent command Men to come out of their Monuments Thou shalt that day see the wicked bound in their Chains their Garments shall be full of Pitch and Guitran their Faces shall be covered with Fire that Day shall he recompence and chastise every one according to his works he is exact to keep account This Book was sent to instruct the People and teach them that there is but one God the wise will remember CHAP. XV. The Chapter of Hegir containing seventy and seven Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am the merciful God. The signs are the signs of the Alcoran which distinguish eth good from evil How may the Infidels hope what the True Believers hope for depart from them let them eat the substance of the poor let them become rich and content themselves in their hopes they shall see one day what their end shall be We have destroyed no City until the time destined to its ruine was expired there is no Nation that can advance or retard its destiny The wicked have said O Man who believest that the Alcoran was sent to thee we will affirm that thou art a Sorcerer until the Angels do assure us that thou art true The Angels shall not descend to the Earth unless to chastise them and they shall not be able to retard the time of their punishment we certainly have sent the Alcoran upon Earth and will preserve it without alteration we heretofore sent Prophets one after another the wicked scorned and contemned them thus I imprint impiety in the hearts of the wicked they shall not believe in the Prophet and shall incur the punishment of their predecessors should we open the entrance of Heaven and should they behold the Angels go in and go out at the shadow of the gate they would yet say their eyes were inchanted and that they were bewitched we created signs in Heaven and adorned them with Stars to content the minds of them that consider them we sheltered them from the assaults of the Devil but the Butterfly followeth every thing that shineth and believeth it to be a Star we extended the Earth and raised the Mountains with proportion we have made it to produce all sorts of Fruits to sustain and enrich you we have reserved in our power the Keys of the treasures thereof to distribute to them by measure what shall be necessary we caused a fresh wind to arise and sent Rain to water them it is not you that caused the fruits thereof to spring forth it is we who give life and death and dispose of all things in the World. We know who they were that did precede you and who they shall be that shall succeed you I will assemble all at the end of the World to be judged we created Man of the slime of the Earth and before him the Devil of fire without smoak Remember thou that God said to his Angels I will create Man of the slime of the Earth I will breath upon him to give him life prostrate your selves before him the Angels adored him except the Devil God said unto him Wherefore dost thou not adore Man He replied I will not adore him thou hast created me of fire and him of the mire of the Earth He said get thee out of Paradise thou shalt be banished and accursed until the Day of Judgment Lord said the Devil lay not thy curse upon me until the Day of Judgment he said thou shalt be accursed until the Day
pleased him he could have deprived you of the knowledge he hath given you you shall find nothing that is able to protect you but his mercy Say unto them If the devils and men were all assembled against me they should not be able to compose a Book like the Alcoran We have taught in the Alcoran whatsoever is necessary for the salvation of men nevertheless the greatest part of the people depart from the Truth and say We will not believe thee unless thou cause fountains to spring out of the Earth and make in this place a garden beautified with Date Trees and Vines with rivers flowing in the midst or unless we see descend from Heaven a part of the pains which thou preachest we will not believe thee unless God and the Angels come to thy assistance unless thy house be of fine gold and that we see the Book of Truth sent from heaven we will not believe in thy Parchment unless we see descend from heaven a Book which we may be able to read Say unto them Praised be my Lord am I any thing but a man sent from him what hindereth men to believe since there hath been sent to them a Pilot to conduct them into the way of salvation They say that thou art a man and not an Angel Say unto them should the Angels have inhabited the earth God would have sent an Angel to instruct them it sufficeth that he is the witness of mine actions between you and me he knoweth and seeth all things he whom God guideth is well guided and such as God shall cause to err shall find none to put them into the right way he will assemble all of them at the day of Judgment they shall be infamous deaf mute and blind and condemned to the flames of hell because they are wicked and have said through derision that they are bones and flesh and that they shall rise again as new creatures see they not that God hath created heaven and earth that he can create yet more and hath established a destiny indubitabe and infallible The unbelievers are exceedingly too blame Say unto them should you possess all the treasures of the world yet would ye fear to make expence for the service of God man is too avaricious We gave to Moses nine marks of our Omnipotency known to the children of Israel Pharaoh told him that he was a Magician Assuredly said Moses the signs and miracles that thou seest proceed from God Lord of heaven and earth I believe O Pharaoh that thou forsakest the truth Then would Pharaoh have driven him out of Egypt but we drowned all those that were with him and commanded the children of Israel to inhabit the land we will assemble them at the end of the world to reward them after their works We have indeed sent thee the Alcoran from heaven to proclaim the joys of Paradise and to preach the torments of hell we have sent it to the end thou maist teach it to the people we have sent it clear and intelligible that it may be understood according to occurrences Say unto them Believe or believe it not when those that have knowledge in the written Law heard it read they prostrated themselves on the ground with humility and said Praised be God what be promiseth is infallible and incontinently is his command executed they wept prostrating the face towards the earth and the reading of the Alcoran augmented their devotion Say unto them Implore God call God merciful all his Attributes are most glorious Make it not appear to the world how often thou shalt pray neither how often thou shalt read the Alcoran and fear not to pray to God and to read the Alcoran follow in this the middle path and say Praised be God he hath no Son he hath no companion neither protector to preserve him from contempt his greatness is perfect and compleat CHAP. XVIII The Chapter of the Cave containing an hundred and ten Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise be to God who hath sent the Alcoran to his servant There is no contradiction in this Book it teacheth the right way it preacheth to the wicked that they shall suffer great torments and proclaimeth to the righteous that they shall enjoy an eternal felicity he preacheth the torments of Hell principally to such as affirm That God hath a Son they are ignorant like to their predecessors they are ignorant in their discourse and utter nothing but blasphemies Wilt thou destroy thy self in following their footsteps If they believe not in the Alcoran they shall one day have sorrow and shall repent it We adorned the Earth with whatsoever is upon it for the advantage of men One part thereof is happy and plentiful and the other unfruitful and desart Do ye not believe that the sleepers that entred the Cave and the Paper wherein their names were written be our miracles When those men entred the Cave they said Lord give us thy mercy and guide us into the right way Then did we cause them to sleep for the space of some years and awaked them having continued some time in that Cave to make it appear which of the two Religions was the most just I will relate to thee their History with truth they were young men who had the fear of their Lord before their eyes we strengthned them and encreased their faith when they were with the Infidels they said Our God is Lord of heaven and Earth we will never worship but one God otherwise we shall separate our selves from the truth This people have adored Idols without reason who is more unjust than he who blasphemeth against God When they deserted the Infidels they worshipped one God alone Enter into the Cave God shall make his mercy towards you to appear and shall guide you through a path smooth and pleasant When the Sun arose he cast his rayes on the right side of their Cave and on the left at his going down they in the mean time were in the most spacious place of this Cave This is one of Gods miracles he whom he guideth is well guided and whom he misleadeth shall find none to give him succor or to guide him Believe ye that they should be awake Assuredly they slept and turned themselves sometimes to one side sometimes to another Consider how their Dog extended his feet before that old habitation of stone if any one had entred towards them he would have caused them to fly and had affrighted them In the end we awaked them and they mutually enquired of each other in what place they were and how long they had there continued one of them replyed That they had been there a day or two then they all said God knoweth the time that we have abode here send one of us to the City with money to buy bread and meat let him not be fearful neither make himself known to any if we be known they will murther or constrain us
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
unto thee it is easie to thy Lord who created thee he said Lord give me some sign of the Conception of my Wife he said to him Thou shalt not speak for Three nights Then went he out of his Oratory and made signs to the People to make their prayers Evening and Morning Oh Iohn learn the Scripture with affection we from his Infancy gave him knowledg clemency charity piety affection towards his Father and Mother and not violence and disobedience We blessed the day of his Nativity the day that he shall die and the day that he shall rise again Remember thou what is written of Mary she retired towards the East into a place far remote from her Kindâ—…ed and took a Vail to cover her we sent her our Spirit in form of a man she was afraid and said God will preserve me from thee if thou have his fear before thine eyes he said Oh Mary I am the Messenger of God thy Lord who shall give thee a Son active and prudent She answered How shall I have a Son without the touch of man I desire not to be unchaste he said The thing shall be as I have told thee it is facile to thy Lord thy Son shall be a token of the Omnipotency of God and of his special grace towards such as shall believe in his Divine Majesty she became with Child and retired some time into a place remote from People where she sustained the dolours of Child-birth at the foot of a Date-tree and said Why am I not dead Wherefore am I not in the number of persons forgotten The Angel said to her Afflict not thy self God hath placed a brook under thee shake the foot of this Palm and the Dates shall fall gather them up eat and drink and wash thine eyes say unto them that thou shall meet that thou fastest and hast made a Vow not to speak to any one until the fast be accomplished Her Parents met her while she bare her Infant and said unto her Oh Mary behold a strange thing Oh Sister of Aaron thy Father did not command thee to do evil neither was thy Mother unchaste she made signs to her Infant to answer them they said How shall the Infant in the Cradle speak Then her infant spake and said I am the Servant of God he hath taught me the Scripture hath made me a Prophet blessed me in all places and commanded me to pray unto him he hath recommended to me purity through the whole course of my life and to honour my Father and Mother he hath not made me either violent or malicious praised shall be the day of my birth the day that I shall die and the day of my resurrection Thus spake Jesus the Son of Mary with truth of which ye doubt God approveth not the discourse of them that say he hath a Son praised be God when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is he is mine and your Lord worship him this is the right way there be persons who in this regard have been of different opinion but misery is upon the incredulous They shall be miserable at the Day of Judgment The Infidels are manifestly erroneous from the right way if thou preach to them the â—…orments of Hell and their ignorance they will not hear thee We are Lords of whatsoever is on Earth and dispose of every thing at our pleasure they shall be one day assembled before us to be judged Remember thou what is written of Abraham he was a Righteous man and a Prophet he said to his Father Adore not what neither seeth nor understandeth any thing and that cannot be profitable I know what ye know not follow me and I will conduct you into the right way worship not the Devil he is disobedient unto God otherwise I fear that God may chastise you and you may be in the number of the damned He answered Oh Abraham dost thou abhor my Gods Unless thou change thy discourse I will stone thee depart from me for a long time he said May God inspire you I will pray for yoâ—… he is exceeding good and will hear my prayers Whom will ye adore when I shall be gone from you Worship God my Lord and your prayers shall be heard he departed from them and worshipped one God We gave him two Sons Isaac and Iacob both Prophets we conferred our grace upon him with an eloquent and true Tongue Remember thou what is written of Moses he was a Righteous man our Prophet and Messenger we called him on the right side of the Mount Sinai drew him near unto us and taught him our secrets we through special grace gave him a Brother named Aaron Remember thou what is written of Ismael he exactly observed what he promised was a Prophet and an Apostle of the Lord preached Purity and recommended to men to make their prayers often and was pleasing to his Lord. Remember thou what is written of Enoch he was a just man and a Prophet and we took him up to an exceeding high place God gave his grace to these men among the Prophets of the Lineage of Adam among them whom we caused to embark with Noah among those of the Lineage of Abraham and Israel and among those that we assembled and guided into the right way When the miracles of the merciful were related to them they fell prostrate and adored him with tears in their eyes their Posterity forsook their footsteps abandoned the Law and followed their own Appetites but they shall be precipitated into Hell except such as shall be converted and do good works they shall enter into Paradise and no injustice shall be done to them they shall enter into the Garden of Eden what the merciful God doth promise is infallible they shall hear nothing spoken in Paradise that shall displease them they shall hear the salutation of Angels and Morning and Evening shall have what they desire such is Paradise which God giveth to his Creatures that have his fear before their eyes I descend not from Heaven but by the permission of thy Lord he is master of our actions in Heaven and Earth and of whatsoever is between them he hath not forgot thee worship him and pâ—…rsevere in thy adoâ—…ation knowest thou any person that is named like him Man saith What shall I dye and rise again He considereth not that God hath created him of nothing I will one day assemble the Infidels and Devils I will cause them to appear at the Gate of Hell upon their Knees and will cast upon them all manner of misery because they have encreased their impiety towards their Lord. I know such as deserve to burn in Hell they shall be thrown thither headlong this is a most just Sentence pronounced by the Lord. I will save the Righteous and forbid Infidels to fall on their Knees before Idols when the unbelievers and many of the Faithful heard my Commandments preached they said among themselves that they were in
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
ye do your Law is one Law and I alone am your Lord take heed to your selves follow not the Law of the Infidels every one liketh what he doth depart from the wicked and leave them in their errors an account shall be required of them of the riches and of the Children that we have given them but they know it not Such as fear the punishment of their Lord that obey his Commandments profess his Unity give Alms of the substance that he hath given them and fear in their Heart that they are not acceptable to them shall appear in his presence such as shall obey him shall enjoy his grace he requireth not of any man what he is unable to perform We have a Book that declareth the truth no injustice shall be done to him that shall do what he is able certainly the Infidels are in ignorance of the Alcoran they act what is quite contrary to that which is commanded True believers but we have punished the chief among them in their prosperity Be not this Day resolute ye shall not be protected of us Our Commandments are taught you nevertheless ye are returned upon your steps and are risen against the Faith and in discoursing by Night withdrew your selves from the Righteous Consider they not the words of the Alcoran Doth it contain any thing that hath not been ordained to their Predecessors Know they not the Prophet that God hath sent to them Wherefore will they not acknowledg him Will they say that he is possessed of the Devil On the contrary he teacheth them the truth nevertheless the greatest part of them detest him if their will had place Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is betwixt them should be confounded we have instructed them in the Law which they ought to observe but they have renounced it Dost thou require of them any recompence for thy instructions Thy Lord shall reward thee there is none that is of power to recompence thee better than He. Call them to the right way such as shall not believe the Resurrection shall err If we pardon and deliver them from affliction they will still continue in their errors to their confusion we heretofore chastised them nevertheless they humble not themselves neither implored their Lord and when we opened upon them the gate of our Judgments they became desperate God hath given you sight hearing and sense but few among you return him thanks he it is that hath created you of earth ye shall one day be assembled before him to be judged he it is that giveth life and death and maketh the difference of day and night will you not honor him neither consider On the contrary they have said as did their predecessors wherefore shall we die our bones shall be dust and shall we rise again This was heretofore promised to our fathers and to us certainly it is but an old song Say unto them to whom appertaineth the earth and whatsoever is in the earth if ye know its Creator and King They will say it is God's Say unto them know ye not then that he that created you can raise you again Who is Lord of the seven heavens who possesseth the throne of heaven They will say it is God say unto them will ye not fear then to worship any other God but him Say unto them who is King of all things who sustaineth them and is sustained of none They will say that it is God Say unto them why then do ye deceive your selves we have taught them the truth but they have rejected it and said that God had a son were there another God with God the one would undo what the other hath done and they would rise the one against the other Praised be God what they affirm is not true God knoweth that is past the present and the future he hath no companion Say Lord give me to see the effect of all that thou hast promised to them and put me not among the unjust deliver us from evil and do good to us I know their impiety Lord deliver me from the temptations of the devil deliver me from their malice when any one among them dieth he saith Lord permit me to return into the world I will do better than I have done there is no return it is to speak in vain there is an obstacle behind them that detaineth them until the day of Judgment when the Trumpet shall sound nothing shall retard them they shall not glory nor discourse with each other the ballance of the blessed shall be heavy with good works and the ballance of the cursed shall be light of good works Have not my Commandments been preached unto you wherefore did ye contemn them They shall say Lord our misery prevailed over us we are mislead Lord deliver us from this misery the contrary was promised to us truly we are exceedingly too blame It shall be said unto them depart into the fire and never speak to come out Many of them that worship me say Lord we believe in thee pardon our sins thou art merciful Ye have derided them O ye wicked and have despised my Commandments but I will reward them for their perseverance and they shall be blessed It shall be said to those that rise again how many years have ye remained in the earth they shall answer we have been there a day or some days ask of the Angels appointed to keep the account ye have been there but a litte time did ye know it do ye believe that I have created and assembled you before me in vain Praise and exalt God King of Truth there is no God but he he is King of heaven he is void of reason that invoketh another god with Him he shall give account of his actions and the Infidels shall be miserable Say Lord pardon the sins of the righteous thou art the great merciful CHAP. XXIV The Chapter of Light containing Seventy and four Verses written at MEDINA IN the name of God gracious and merciful We have sent this Chapter containing our Commandments clear and intelligible peradventure ye will learn them The Catamite and the Concubine shall be whipt with an hundred stripes take heed left clemency cause you to forget the precepts of the Law of God believe in his divine Majesty and the day of Judgment Some of the True believers shall be witnesses of their punishment The Catamite lying with a Concubine or an Infidel the Concubine lying with a Catamite or Infidel these things are forbidden the True believers He that shall accuse an honest woman of adultery shall be whipt with twenty four stripes unless he prove his accusation by four witnesses and shall never be credited in testimony They that do such things are without the obedience of God except those that repent and satisfie what they owe God shall be to them gracious and merciful They that shall accuse their wives of adultery and have no witnesses shall swear four times that they speak the truth and
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
At her arrival they shewed it her and asked if it resembled her own she replyed It resembleth it as if it were the same She had knowledg of the right way but that which the People and the 〈◊〉 instead of God had seduced them from the obedience of his divine Majesty They spake to her to enter into a gallery when she beheld the pavement she believed it to be Water and in lifting up her Robe fearing to wet it discovered her Leg. Solomon told her that the pavement was of pollished glass and exhorted her to embrace the Law of God. Then she said Lord I am too blame in having offended thee I am obedient with Solomon to the Commandments of the God of the Universe We sent Salhe to Temod and his People to exhort them to worship one God He said unto them O People flie to the Mercy of God if ye implore pardon of him ye shall be pardoned They said Wouldst thou draw us into thine error And into the error of them that are with thee He said God shall chastise you ye are Seditious They were Nine persons in the City that defiled the Earth and did no good they said among them Let us this Night kill the Prophet and his adherents We will say to them that seek him That we saw him not neither them that slew him and will swear that we speak truth They were cunning but we were more subtil than they and they knew it not Consider what was the issue of their stratagems we destroyed them with their followers and their Houses are become desart because of their impiety This shall serve for example to them that have knowledg of our Omnipotency We served the Prophet and all the True believers that were with him Remember thou the History of Lot who said to his Citizens Will ye alway defile your selves in uncleanness in each others view Will ye love men more than women Ye are ignorant They replyed Let us drive Lot and his Family out of our City they defile not themselves like us We preserved him with all his Family except his Wife she remained among them that were chastised We caused it to Rain upon them a Rain that gave them to know the severity of our chastisements Say unto them Praised be God that destroyeth the wicked and Salvation to all those who he hath chosen are they not more happy than such as believe there are many Gods Who created the Heavens and the Earth Who caused Rain to fall from Heaven Who hath made many delicious Gardens to bring forth You have not the power to cause the plants to spring forth without the assistance of God. Certainly unbelievers do err from the right way Who hath established the Earth and made the Rivers to flow Who hath made heavy the Mountains Who but God hath put separation that is between Seas The greatest part of the World know it not Who rendreth men miserable Who delivereth them from affliction when they invoke him Who hath caused you to multiply and leave your Posterity on Earth but God Nevertheless few men give him thanks Who guideth in the darkness of the Earth and Sea Who but God sendeth the Winds the forerunners of Rain He is most high and most powerful but the wicked will not consider the effects of his Omnipotency Who formeth men Who maketh them to live die and rise again Who enricheth them with the Wealth of Heaven and of Earth but God Say unto them produce your reasons bring your arguments if what ye alledg be true say unto them None but God knoweth what is in Heaven and Earth no man knoweth the future present and past do men know the day of the Resurrection Contrariwise they doubt and are blind The wicked have said What we shall be dust as are our Fathers and shall come forth out of our Graves This was heretofore promised to our Fathers and to us this is but a Fable of old men Tell them that they consider not what was heretofore the end of the wicked afflict not thy self for that they conspire against thee and that they demand at what time they shall see the punishment that is foretold them Say unto them it is not far from you ye throw your selves headlong into it but God is pitiful towards his People nevertheless the greatest part give him no thanks for his Grace thy Lord knoweth what is in their Heart and whatsoever they speak there is nothing in Heaven or Earth that is not written in a most intelligible Book the Alcoran explaineth to the Children of Israel the greatest part of their difficulties it will guide them in the right way and deliver from Hell them that shall believe thee thy Lord shall judge them at the day of Judgment he is Omnipotent and wise trust thou in God thou art in the way of truth the Dead and Deaf shall not hear thee and unbelievers shall depart from thee pensive and astonished thou oughtest not to guide the blind neither to make the deaf to hear except such as shall believe in the Alcoran and be obedient when the time of the punishment that is denounced against them shall be come we will cause a Beast to come from under the Earth that shall speak unto them and shall say The People believe not in the Law of God they know not his wondrous works Be thou mindful of the Day when I will assemble a Multitude of all Nations that have disobeyed my Commandments to give account of their actions I will say unto them Ye have traduced my Prophets ye know â—…ot what ye said What have ye done Then shall they be punished for their sins and be inexcusable they shall not speak a word Do not Infidels see that we have created the Night for rest and the Day for travel This is a sign of my Omnipotency be thou mindful of the Day wherein the Angel shall sound the Trumpet and whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth shall tremble with fear except such as shall be in the favour of God that Day shalt thou see the Mountains suspended to move like the Clouds this shall be a work of God who created all things and knoweth their end he that shall have done good works shall be rewarded he shall be without fear and they that had done evil shall remain in the Fire of Hell it shall be said unto them Are ye not chastised according to your demerits Say unto the People I command you to worship the Lord of this priviledged City all things appertain to him I command you to believe in the Unity of his Divinâ—… Majesty and to study the Alcoran who so doth good shall find good Say unto them that shall be seduced I am sent only to preach the Torments of Hell say to True believers Praised be God that hath given you to see his Miracles and hath given you knowledg of the right way thy Lord is not ignorant of what they do CHAP. XXVIII The Chapter of
Companions equal to him they shall repent of their sins when they shall see their punishment we will lay Chains upon their Necks and they shall be chastised after their demerits The chief Inhahitants of the Cities said to the Prophets that we sent to them to preach the torments of Hell that they believe not their words We have said they more riches and more Children than those that believe in their discourse we shall not be damned as they affirm say unto them my Lord giveth and taketh away Riches as seemeth good to him but the greatest part of the People know it not your wealth and your children shall not give you access to God such as shall perform good works shall be rewarded and shall live eternally in the delights of Paradise they that shall endeavour to suppress our Law shall be cast headlong into the Fire of Hell Say unto them My Lord giveth and taketh away Wealth as to him seemeth good he maketh vain the alms which ye shall give if ye observe not his Law he is the Rich of the Rich Be thou mindful of the day when I shall assemble the Idolaters and shall say to the Angels Behold them who have adored you they shall say praised be God thou alone art our master and protector they adored not us they worshipped the Devil the greatest part of them believed in his word this day they are not able to benefit or hurt one another they will say to the unjust taste the torments of Hell Fire which ye would not believe They said when thou didst preach unto them our Commandments this man would hinder us to worship the gods of our fathers he is a Blasphemer They have said That the Alcoran is but Sorcery and Magick and read not the books that we have sent unto them Their predecessors did like them they traduced our Apostles and hindred them to preach the tenth part of what we had inspired into them they traduced them but how were they chastised Say unto them I preach to you to pray to God two by two or alone or in company ye shall know one day that your friend Mahomet is not possessed of the Devil and that he preacheth to you the pains of Hell I require no reward of you for mine exhortations God shall reward me he seeth all Say unto them God teacheth his Prophet the Truth and what is to come the truth appeared and falshood was discovered and the lyars were deprived of his mercy if I wilfully go astray or if I act what God hath enjoyned me this shall be for my Soul God heareth and is present at all things Thou shalt see the Infidels filled with fear and affrighted when they shall come out of their sepulchres they shall not escape the punishment of their incredulity they shall then say That they believe in the Alcoran but I will shew to them from far the Law which they have despised in the World they shall be precipitated with their ignorance into a place remote from mercy and pardon They shall be separated from the True believers because they have doubted the Commandments of the Law of God. CHAP. XXXV The Chapter of the Creator containing Forty and five Verses written at Mecca This Chapter is intituled the Chapter of Angels in the Book Tefsir anf Joahir which treateth of the Exposition of the Alcoran in Turkish IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise be to God Creator of Heaven and Earth who created the Angels the Messengers of his Commandments they have wings two three and four he maketh of his Creature what seemeth good to him he is Omnipotent none can comprehend the Grace that he hath given to his People it is incomprehensible he is Omnipotent and most Wise. Oh People remember the grace of God Is there a Creator beside him He enricheth you with the riches of Heaven and Earth there is no God beside him How can the wicked Blaspheme against his Divine Majesty If they traduce thee certainly they traduced the Prophets that were sent before thee they shall be one day assembled before God to be judged Oh ye People what God hath promised is infallible glory not in the wealth of the Earth beware lest the Devil seduce you and render you proud because that God doth a while defer the punishment of your crimes The Devil is your Enemy be ye his Enemies he leadeth them that follow him into the Fire of Hell where they shall suffer the rigors of infinite pains their sins shall be remitted that believe in God and do good works Oftentimes he that delighteth â—…o what he doth doth believeth he doth well God misleadeth and guideth whom it pleaseth him be not unwilling to depart from the wicked God knoweth all their actions He sendeth the Winds that drive the Clâ—…uds unto barren and drie places to refreâ—…h thâ—… 〈◊〉 and cause it to revive after its death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner will he raise again the Dead He thaâ—… 〈◊〉 greatness shall find in God all manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good speeches ascend even to his 〈◊〉 Majesty and our good works are â—…ptable to him Such as conspire against the 〈◊〉 shall endure great torments and their 〈◊〉 become vain and unprofitable God hath created you of dust and mire he created 〈◊〉 men and women the Woman neither conceiveth nor bringeth forth but through his permission no man can either prolong or shorten his life but following what is written in the Book kept in Heaven these things are easie to God. Those two Seas are not like to Euphrates whose water is sweet and pleasant to drink the Water of the Sea is cold and salt nevertheless ye eat of the Fish of the one and the other Ye Fish out of the Sea Gems to adom you you see the Ship to run upon the Waters and cleave the waves for the advantage of your commerce peradventure you will return thanks to God for his graces He causeth the Night to enter into the Day and the Day into the Night he created the Sun and the Moon that run in the Heaven till the Day appointed That God who created these things is your Lord the Empire of the World is his the Idols that ye worship have no more power than the skin of an Almand if ye invoke them they shall not hear you they shall deny you at the Day of Judgment and are not of power to let you know either the joys of Paradise or the torments of Hell. Oh ye People ye are poor and necessitous ye have need of Gods assistance and God hath no want of you praise is due to him in every place he will destroy you if it seem good to him and create another new People in your place none shall bear the burden of another be it never so light or heavy no not when they are near of kin Preach thou the torments of Hell to such as fear their Lord without seeing him and make their prayers at the time appoâ—…d He that
true believers They shall say had God guided me into the right way I had had his fear before mine eyes When they shall see hell they shall say could I return into the world I would be in the number of the righteous on the contrary my Commandments were taught you but ye became proud and despised them Thou shalt see that day how the visages of Infidels shall be blackned is there not a place in hell prepared for the proud God loveth and putteth into a place of felicitie them that fear him they shall not be touched either with displeasure or affliction God hath created all things and disposeth all at his pleasure he hath in his power the keyes of heaven and earth such as disobey him are damned Say unto them oh ignorant men will ye enjoyn me to worship another god besides God It hath been preached to you and your predecessors that all your good works shall be unprofitable if ye adore many gods and that you shall be in the number of the damned there is but one God worship him and be mindful of his graces The Infidels have not praised God as he ought to be praised they have no knowledg of his power he shall make the earth to tremble and gather together the heavens by rhe strength of his right hand at the day of Judgment praised be God he hath no companion When the Trumpet shall sound the first time he shall cause to die whom he will have to die in the heavens and earth the second time all the world shall rise again and attend his Commandments the earth shall be full of the light of the Lord thereof he shall bring his book wherein shall be written what the Prophets and Martyrs have taught he shall judge the world with equity and shall not do injustice to any every one shall be rewarded and chastised for his works he knoweth all that they have done he shall send the Infidels into the fire of hell in troops when they shall be arrived at the gate it shall open before their eyes it shall be said unto them behold Hell which ye have merited were there not Prophets and Apostles to teach you the Commandments of God and to preach unto you on Earth the coming of this rigorous day They shall say yes but the word of God shall be accomplished against the wicked It shall be said unto them go enter into Hell ye shall abide there eternally it is the habitation of the proud Such as shall have the fear of God before their eyes shall be conducted in troops to the gate of Paradise the gate shall open before their eyes it shall be said unto them behold what ye have gained the peace of God is with you ye have not been ignorant enter into Paradise ye shall dwell therein eternally They shall say praised be God for that we believed in his Law and because we are heirs of his grace we will go into Paradise into what place shall seem good to us God giveth his blessing to the righteous Thou shalt see the Angels about the Throne of thy Lord who shall praise and exalt his glory they shall say God hath judged his creatures with equity praise is due to the Lord of the Universe CHAP. XL. The Chapter of the True believer containing Eighty five Verses written at Mecca Reader Gelaldin entituleth this Chapter Of the Pitiful IN the Name of God Gracious and Merciful God is prudent and wise This Book is sent by the Omnipotent who knoweth all things who pardoneth sins and accepteth the conversion of his creatures he is severe in his chastisements and indulgent to his People there is no God but he and all the World shall one day be assembled before his Divine Majesty to be judged No man disputeth against the Precepts of the Alcoran but the wicked be not thou discontented if they live on Earth with some felicity the People of Noah's time contemned his instructions their Posterity did like them and every Nation hath conspired the death of them whom God sent to instruct them they disputed to obscure the truth through their lyes but they were punished and after what manner So is the Word of God accomplished against the wicked they all shall be damned The Angels that are about the Throne of God and those that bear him praise and exalt his Divine Majesty they believe in his Unity and beg pardon of him for the True believers Lord thy mercy extendeth through the whole World nothing is hid from thee either in Heaven or Earth pardon their sins that convert and embrace thy holy Law deliver them from the Fire of Hell open to them the gate of the Gardens of Eden which thou hast prepared for them their Fathers Wives and Children and them of their Lineage that shall do good works thou art Omnipotent and wise Depart from sin he that shall depart from it shall resent the effect of God's mercy at the Day of Judgment and shall enjoy eternal felicity the Infidels shall be hated of God his hatred is infinitely more dangerous than yours will ye be Infidels after being called to the observation of the Law of Salvation They said Lord wilt thou cause us to die twice And shall we twice rise again But they shall say at the day of Judgment Lord we confess we have offended thee we acknowledg our sin in having renounced the belief of thine Unity shall we never go out of Hell to observe thy Law and follow the way of Salvation No ye shall suffer in the Fire of Hell because that ye have believed them that adored Idols and because ye have said that God hath companions equal to him All things obey one sole God Omnipotent he it is that made you to see his Miracles and sendeth you the riches of Heaven and Earth none consider it but such as are converted Pray to God and observe his Law although it be against the will of the wicked he elevateth his Creatures to what degree he listeth he hath created his Throne and sent his inspirations to whom he seeth good to preach the Day of Judgment that Day shall the People come out of their Monuments and none shall be able to hide himself from his Divine Majesty Who shall command that day It shall be God alone victorious that day shall he recompence every one after his works without injustice he is exact to make account If thou preach to the wicked the Day of Judgment their heart will lift them up and they shall be full of affliction their prayers shall not be heard and none shall intercede for them God knoweth them that have eyes of treachery and seeth all that is in the hearts of men he judgeth of every thing with truth the Idols which they worship are without power God alone understandeth all things and is Omnipotent Consider they not what was the end of their predecessors Who were more powerful and more wealthy than they God surprised them in
impetuous Wind against those wicked people that destroyed them Temod is an example of our Omnipotency with his Nation they waxed proud and resisted the Commandments of their Lord when it was said to them that the punishment of the wicked was deferred to another time but Thunder surprised them they saw it they had not the power to stand on their feet and were deprived of protection The People of Noah's time are an example of our Omnipotency we destroyed them because they were impious We built Heaven with strength and virtue I am he that giveth power and strength we extended the Earth and created of every thing Male and Female perhaps ye will consider it Say unto them Turn ye to God I am sent from him to preach to you the pains of Hell Believe not that God hath another God with him the wicked said heretofore that the Prophets and Apostles whom he sent were Magicians and possessed of the Devil Have they recommended to their Posterity to do the like Certainly they are in a great error Separate thy self far from their company and be not troubled at what they say preach the Alcoran it is profitable to the Righteous I did not create the Devils and men but to worship me Say unto them I require nothing of unbelievers for instructing them I require not that they nourish me God enricheth whom he pleaseth he is omnipotent the wicked shall be chastised as heretofore have been their predecessors in their malice their time shall come and misery shall befal them at the day of Judgment CHAP. LII The Chapter of the Mountain containing thirty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Mountain upon which God spake to Moses by what is contained in the book written in parchment by the first Temple of Mecca by the arches of the heavens and by the sea full of water that God is one sole God and the punishment promised to unbelievers is infallible they shall not be able to escape it in the day when the heaven shall tremble and the mountains shall walk that day shall be unhappy to the incredulous they shall be precipitated in the fire of hell it shall be said to them behold the flames that ye despised is this Magick See ye it not enter have patience or ye will despair ye shall be chastised after your demerits They that shall have the fear of God before their eyes shall be in delicious gardens which God hath prepared for them and shall be delivered from the pains of hell It shall be said unto them Drink and eat at your pleasure for recompence of your good works they shall repose upon beds well ordered we will marry them to wives that shall have fair eyes they shall be attended of their family and be largely rewarded for their good works every good action shall be to them a degree of happiness We will give them such fruits and Vines as they shall desire they shall present to each other the cup to drink they shall not speak an evil word and shall not sin they shall have Pages about them for their service beautiful as polished pearls they shall discourse among them concerning what they did before on Earth and say We were in the world we and our families with a great apprehension of the pains of hell but God hath gratified us he hath delivered us from eternal flames They shall say moreover we worshipped in the world but one God most just and most merciful Remember thou to preach the Alcoran thou art not ingrateful for the grace of God thou art not possessed of the Devil will they say that thou art a Poet a Rimer that nothing must be expected from thee but fables of past Ages Say unto them ye expect the time of my destruction but I with you expect the time of your ruine Do their Superiors command them to speak in this manner Will they be obstinate in their errors Will they say that Mahomet hath invented the Alcoran Certainly they are incredulous let them bring any discourse like to this book in Doctrine and Eloquence if what they affirm be true Were they created of any thing have they created any thing have they created themselves have they created the Heavens and the Earth Certainly they are incredulous Have they in their power the treasures of thy Lord are they Giants Have they a ladder that may raise them to hear what is spoken in Heaven let them produce some reason of their opinion Believe ye that God hath daughters and that ye have sons Will ye require of him a Salary for obeying his Law Is he your debtor The wicked are lyars do they know what shall be do they write it Desire they to conspire against thee The wicked often conspire against the righteous that worship but one God Praised be God he hath no companion If the Infidels should see a piece of the heaven to fall they would say It is a cloud driven by the winds leave them in their obstinacy until they come to the day of their death that day shall their conspiracy be vain and they deprived of protection They likewise shall be punished before their death but the greatest part know it not Have patience and expect the Judgment of God thou shalt soon see it I will protect thee and thou shalt not want help Praise thy Lord exalt his glory when thou shalt rise praise him in the night and before the Stars disappear CHAP. LIII The Chapter of the Star containing sixty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I sweat by the Star that disappeareth that your friend Mahomet erreth not he speaketh nothing of his own he speaketh but what hath been inspired into him by the omnipotent and most bountiful God. The Angel approached him in the highest place of Heaven within the length of two bowes and somewhat nearer God hath inspired into him what he hath inspired into his servant who altered nothing of what hath been inspired into him He hath spoken what he hath seen and in what form the Angel was Dispute not against him concerning what he saw he another time saw the Angel in heaven near to the Tree that is at the right side of Gods throne and although that tree was covered with that which covered him his sight was not dazled and he is not in error Certainly he hath seen the great wonders of his Lord Have ye considered Alat Az and Menat those three Idols Will ye swear that God hath daughters and that ye have sons Ye will make a false oath and shall be in a manifest error Those Idols have nothing but the names which your fathers and you have given them God hath not commanded you to worship them Ye follow only your passions remote from the truth God teacheth you the way of Salvation by the mouth of his Prophet doth man obtain from Idols what he required of them God is
himself Speak not then in a word if he will excuse himself be not thou impatient I know all that is in his heart I know what thou hast taught him I did read with him that read to thee the Alcoran and made thee to understand it Man presseth himself to go to his dishonour and considereth not his end he shall raise the head with a countenance content to see God but at the same instant shall have the face covered with affliction and shall know that he is in the height of all miseries His soul shall be conducted towards God when it shall be separate from his body if it renounce the Law of God it shall go towards the damned towards them that extend their arms through dispair It shall be said to him God alone whom thou wouldst not obey was thy Lord and Protector Doth man think to be forsaken and that no account shall be required of his actions Was not he created through our special Grace of mire and of congealed Blood Did we not create him Male and Female He that hath done this cannot he revive the dead CHAP. LXXVI The Chapter of Man containing Thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Man continued a while without having in him any thing memorable we created his Posterity of his Seed mingled with that of the Woman we gave him sight and hearing and taught him the way of Salvation Some have embraced the Faith and others have been Infidels we have prepared for them Chains and Bonds to drag them into the Fire of Hell. The just shall drink of Wine that shall issue out of a fair Fountain all the servants of God shall drink thereof and shall cause it to flow as shall seem good to them God will deliver from the pains of Hell such as shall satisfie their Vows as shall apprehend the Day of Judgment as shall give alms to the Poor to Orphans and Prisoners without hope of thanks or recompence but only for the love of his Divine Majesty because of the fear they have of the torments of the day grievous and irksom to behold God shall rejoice and reward them for their good works he shall open to them the gate of Paradise they shall be cloathed with silk reposed on stately Beds and shall not be troubled either with the heat of the Sun or the cold of the Moon they shall be under the shadow of the Trees of Paradise there shall they gather fruits as they stand sit and lie down Vessels of Silver shall be brought about them and round Cups full of a delicious drink as much as they shall desire mingled with Ginger that shall issue out of a clear Fountain and shall be encompassed with young Pages to serve them who shall resemble polished Pearls when thou shalt behold them thou shalt see a grace that cannot be exprest they shall be cloathed with Purple and Green shining silk and shall have Bracelets of Silver God shall give them a Drink clear and most pure these delights shall be the reward of their perseverance We have sent thee the Alcoran to instruct the People attend the Judgment of thy Lord against them that scoff and obey not the wicked Remember thou the Name of God Morning and Evening worship him by Night praise him a long time the Infidels affect the World and think not on their end neither the Day of Judgment we created them we have given them strength to walk and if it be our pleasure we will establish other Persons in their place He that shall desire to follow the Law of God shall follow it but none shall follow it if it please his Divine Majesty he knoweth all and is most wise he giveth his grace to whom he pleaseth and hath prepared grievous torments for the unjust CHAP. LXXVII The Chapter of them that are Sent containing Fifty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Angels that followed each other â—…hick as the hair of the foretop of Horses when God sendeth them to execute his commands by â—…he Angels which he sendeth to punish them whom he will destroy by the Winds which he â—…endeth to make the Rain to fall where he listeth â—…y the Alcoran that distinguisheth good from evil â—…nd by the Angels that inspire into men the â—…ear of the pains of Hell and implore pardon â—…f his Divine Majesty that the punishment promised to the wicked is infallible Then shall â—…ot the Stars appear any more the Heaven shall â—…pen the Mountains shall walk the Prophets â—…nd Apostles of God shall assemble to bear â—…estimony against them that have despised their â—…nstructions the good and the wicked and beâ—…ievers and unbelievers shall be separated I will â—…ot tell thee when this day shall be it shall be unhappy for the wicked Have not I heretofore destroyed the impious with their Blasphemies Have not they left a Posterity wicked as they whom I likewise have destroyed Thus will I â—…ereafter destroy the Infidels and misery shall be upon them eternally Have we not created you of weak Seed retained in the womb of your Mothers until the time appointed This is a grace that we have conferred on you Misery shall be upon the Infidels at the day of Judgment Have we not created the Earth to assemble the Living and the Dead Have we not raised the Mountains Have we not given you fresh Water to drink Misery shall be upon the wicked at the Day of Judgment it shall be said unto them Go into the Fire of Hell which ye would not believe go into the Smoak divided into three parts nothing shall free you from the heat thereof and flight shall not deliver you from that Fire it shall cast forth black flames that shall rise higher than the highest buildings of the Earth and like to large Coverlets of Beds extreamly black The Day of Judgment shall be unhappy to Infidels It shall be said to them Behold the Day of the Separation of the good from the bad exercise your slights if ye can to deliver you from the pains of Hell the Day of Judgment shall be unhappy to Infidels The good who shall have had the fear of God before their eyes shall be under the shadow of the Trees of Paradise nigh to delicious Fountains with all sort of fruits that they shall desire It shall be said to them Eat and drink at your pleasure in reward of your good works thus are the Righteous rewarded The Day of Judgment shall be unhappy for Infidels Oh ye Infidels live in the World ye shall be there suffered some time ye are wicked but ye shall be miserable at the Day of Judgment The wicked deride them that exhort them to pray to God they shall be miserable at the Day of Judgment In what will they believe if they believe not in the Alcoran CHAP. LXXVIII The Chapter of News containing Forty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name
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