The Koran Part 103

11 By becoming apostates from Islam. Comp. Sura [lxxiii.] xvi. 108. This and the two following verses are said to have originated at Medina. His 230, Wah.

Omar ben Muhammad. Beidh. Itq. 19.

12 Lit. they have not esteemed G.o.d according to the truth of His estimation.

13 Adventum diei hujus. Mar.

SURA XXIX.-THE SPIDER [Lx.x.xI.]

MECCA-69 Verses

In the Name of G.o.d, the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful

ELIF. LAM. MIM.1 Think men that when they say, "We believe," they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?

We put to proof those who lived before them; for G.o.d will surely take knowledge of those who are sincere, and will surely take knowledge of the liars.

Think they who work evil that they shall escape Us? Ill do they judge.

To him who hopeth to meet G.o.d, the set time of G.o.d will surely come. The Hearer, the Knower, He!

Whoso maketh efforts for the faith, maketh them for his own good only. Verily G.o.d is rich enough to dispense with all creatures.

And as to those who shall have believed and done the things that are right, their evil deeds will we surely blot out from them, and according to their best actions will we surely reward them.

Moreover we have enjoined on man to shew kindness to parents: but if they strive with thee that thou join that with Me of which thou hast no knowledge,2 obey them not. To me do ye return, and then will I tell you of your doings:

And those who shall have believed and done the things that are right, we will surely give them an entering in among the just.

But some men say, "We believe in G.o.d," yet when they meet with sufferings in the cause of G.o.d, they regard trouble from man as chastis.e.m.e.nt from G.o.d. Yet if a success come from thy Lord they are sure to say, "We were on your side!"

Doth not G.o.d well know what is in the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of his creatures?

Yes, and G.o.d well knoweth those who believe, and He well knoweth the Hypocrites.

The unbelievers say to the faithful, "Follow ye our way, and we will surely bear your sins." But not aught of their sins will they bear-verily they are liars!

But their own burdens, and burdens beside their own burdens shall they surely bear: and inquisition shall be made of them on the day of Resurrection as to their false devices.

Of old sent we Noah to his people: a thousand years save fifty did he tarry among them; and the flood overtook them in their wrongful doings:

But we rescued him and those who were in the vessel; and we made it a sign to all men:

And Abraham; when he said to his people, "Wors.h.i.+p G.o.d and fear Him. This will be best for you, if ye have knowledge;"

Ye only wors.h.i.+p idols beside G.o.d, and are the authors of a lie. Those whom ye wors.h.i.+p beside G.o.d can give you no supplies: seek, then, your supplies from G.o.d; and serve Him and give Him thanks. To Him shall ye return.

Suppose that ye treat me as a liar! nations before you have treated G.o.d's messenger as a liar; but open preaching is his only duty.

See they not how G.o.d bringeth forth creation? and then causeth it to return again? This truly is easy for G.o.d.

SAY,3 Go through the earth, and see how he hath brought forth created beings.

Hereafter, with a second birth will G.o.d cause them to be born again; for G.o.d is Almighty.

Whom He pleaseth will He chastise, and on whom He pleaseth will He have mercy, and to Him shall ye be taken back.

And ye shall not invalidate his power either in the Earth or in the Heaven:4 and, save G.o.d, ye shall have neither patron nor helper.

As for those who believe not in the signs of G.o.d, or that they shall ever meet him, these of my mercy shall despair, and these doth a grievous chastis.e.m.e.nt await."

And the only answer of his people was to say, "Slay him or burn him." But from the fire did G.o.d save him! Verily, herein are signs to those who believe.

And Abraham said, "Of a truth ye have taken idols along with G.o.d as your bond of union5 in this life present;

But on the day of resurrection some of you shall deny the others, and some of you shall curse the others; and your abode shall be the fire, and ye shall have none to help."

But Lot believed on him,6 and said, "I betake me to my Lord, for He truly is the Mighty, the Wise."

And we bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob,7 and placed the gift of prophecy and the Scripture among his posterity; And we gave him his reward in this world, and in the next he shall be among the just.

We sent also Lot: when he said to his people, "Proceed ye to a filthiness in which no people in the world hath ever gone before you?

Proceed ye even to men? attack ye them on the highway? and proceed ye to the crime in your a.s.semblies?" But the only answer of his people was to say, "Bring G.o.d's chastis.e.m.e.nt upon us, if thou art a man of truth."

He cried: My Lord! help me against this polluted people.

And when our messengers came to Abraham with the tidings of a son, they said, "Of a truth we will destroy the in-dwellers in this city, for its in-dwellers are evil doers."

He said, "Lot is therein." They said, "We know full well who therein is. Him and his family will we save, except his wife; she will be of those who linger.

And when our messengers came to Lot, he was troubled for them, and his arm was too weak8 to protect them; and they said, "Fear not, and distress not thyself, for thee and thy family will we save, except thy wife; she will be of those who linger.9

We will surely bring down upon the dwellers in this city vengeance from Heaven for the excesses they have committed."

And in what we have left of it is a clear sign to men of understanding.

And to Madian we sent their brother Shoaib. And he said, "Oh! my people!

wors.h.i.+p G.o.d, and expect the latter day, and enact not in the land deeds of harmful excess."

But they treated him as an impostor: so an earthquake a.s.sailed them; and at morn they were found prostrate and dead in their dwellings.

And we destroyed Ad and Themoud. Already is this made plain to you in the ruins of their dwellings. For Satan had made their own works fair seeming to them, and drew them from the right path, keen-sighted though they were.

And Corah and Pharaoh and Haman. With proofs of his mission did Moses come to them, and they behaved proudly on the earth; but us they could not outstrip;10

For, every one of them did we seize in his sin. Against some of them did wesend a stone-charged wind: Some of them did the terrible cry of Gabriel surprise: for some of them we cleaved the earth; and some of them we drowned.

And it was not G.o.d who would deal wrongly by them, but they wronged themselves.

The likeness for those who take to themselves guardians instead of G.o.d is the likeness of the SPIDER who buildeth her a house: But verily, frailest of all houses surely is the house of the spider. Did they but know this!