The Koran Part 156

And when our clear signs are rehea.r.s.ed to them, thou mayst perceive disdain in the countenances of the Infidels. Scarce can they refrain from rus.h.i.+ng to attack those who rehea.r.s.e our signs to them! SAY: Shall I tell you of worse than this? The fire which G.o.d hath threatened to those who believe not!

Wretched the pa.s.sage thither!

O men! a parable is set forth to you, wherefore hearken to it. Verily, they on whom ye call beside G.o.d, cannot create a fly, though they a.s.semble for it; and if the fly carry off aught from them, they cannot take it away from it!

Weak the suppliant and the supplicated!

Unworthy the estimate they form of G.o.d!14 for G.o.d is right Powerful, Mighty!

G.o.d chooseth messengers from among the angels and from among men: verily, G.o.d Heareth, Seeth.

He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them; and unto G.o.d shall all things return.

Believers! bow down and prostrate yourselves and wors.h.i.+p your Lord, and work righteousness that you may fare well.

And do valiantly in the cause of G.o.d as it behoveth you to do for Him. He hath elected you, and hath not laid on you any hards.h.i.+p in religion, the Faith of your father Abraham. He hath named you the Muslims

Heretofore and in this Book, that the Apostles may be a witness against you, and that ye may be witnesses against the rest of mankind. Therefore observe prayer, and pay the legal impost, and cleave fast to G.o.d. He is your liege Lord-a goodly Lord, and a goodly Helper!

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1 This Sura is generally said to have been revealed at Mecca,-but this is probably only the case with verses 1-24; 43-56; 60-65; 67-75. Mr. Muir places it at the close of the Meccan Suras of the fifth period. See Nold, p. 158.

2 Said to be Abu Jahl. See Sura xcvi. p. 20, n. 2.

3 Lit. so that after knowledge he knoweth not aught.

4 The teachings and progress of Islam.

5 See Sura [xci.] ii. 59. The Sabeites were probably Hanyfs. See Pref.

6 The Kaaba. Sharastani informs us that there was an opinion prevalent among the Arabs, that the walking round the Kaaba, and other ceremonies, were symbolic of the motion of the planets and of other astronomical facts.

Wat.w.a.t, Mabahij al Fikr., Lib. i., c. 2, says that "most Arabic tribes were originally star-wors.h.i.+ppers, Sabeans. The people of Saba wors.h.i.+pped the Sun, the tribes of Asad and Kaninah the Moon, etc. etc. At a later period they all sunk into idolatry, and in the time of Muhammad, the idols round the Kaaba amounted to 360."

7 Lit. thin, with the implied sense of fleet.

8 The ten first days of the Dhu'lhajja. For the ceremonies, see Freytag's Einleitung, p. 418; Burton's Pilgrimage, vol. iii.; Sale's Notes and Prelim.

Disc.

9 That is, the uncut beards, nails, etc.

10 Offerings of animals are by no means confined to Mecca and the Pilgrimage.

"It is not uncommon," says Mr. Lane, "without any definite view but that of obtaining general blessings, to make vows (of animals): and sometimes a peasant vows that he will sacrifice, for the sake of a saint, a calf which he possesses, as soon as it is grown and fatted. It is let loose, by consent of all his neighbours, to pasture where it will, even in fields of young wheat; and at last, after it has been sacrificed, a public feast is made of its meat. Many a large bull is thus given away." Modern Egyptians, i. 307.

Compare Dr. Gobat's Abyssinia, p. 294, 7, for similar customs among Christians of probably Arabian extraction. Five or six thousand animals are said to have been slain in the valley of Mina by the pilgrims of the year 1854. (See Lieut. Burton's Pilgrimage, iii. p. 313.) The victim is considered by the devout as an expression of their conviction that death is their desert at the hands of G.o.d.

11 See Ibn Batoutah, iv. 106. (Par. ed.)

12 Comp. Sur. x.x.xii. 4, p. 190.

13 The ayats, signs or verses of the Koran. It is said by tradition that Muhammad was consoled by this revelation for the Satanic suggestion mentioned Sur. liii. 20, p. 70 (n.). But in this view of the text, for among whose desires, or affections, we should render when he recited.

14 Lit. they measure not G.o.d with truth of His measurement.

SURA XLVIII.-THE VICTORY [CVIII.]

MEDINA.-29 Verses

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

Verily, We have won for thee an undoubted VICTORY1-

In token that G.o.d forgiveth thy earlier and later faults, and fulfilleth His goodness to thee, and guideth thee on the right way,

And that G.o.d succoureth thee with a mighty succour.

He it is who sendeth down a spirit of secure repose into the hearts of the faithful that they might add faith to their faith; (for G.o.d's are the armies of the Heavens and of the Earth: and G.o.d is Knowing, Wise:)

And that He may bring the believing men and the believing women into gardens 'neath whose trees the rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever, and that He may cancel their evil deeds: for this is the great bliss with G.o.d:

And that He may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women, and the men and women who join other G.o.ds with G.o.d, and think evil thoughts of Him. Theirs shall be a round of evil; and G.o.d is angry with them and curseth them, and hath prepared h.e.l.l for them: and, an evil journey thither!

The armies of the Heavens and of the Earth are G.o.d's, and G.o.d is Mighty, Wise!

Verily, we have sent thee to be a witness and a herald of good (an announcer), and a warner,

That ye may believe on G.o.d and on His Apostle; and may a.s.sist Him, and honour Him, and praise him, morning and evening.

In truth, they who plighted fealty to thee, really plighted that fealty to G.o.d: the hand of G.o.d was over their hands! Whoever, therefore, shall break his oath shall only break it to his own hurt; but whoever shall be true to his engagement with G.o.d, He will give him a great reward.

The Arabs who took not the field with you,2 will say to thee,3 "We were engaged with our property and our families; therefore ask thou pardon for us." They speak with their tongues what is not in their hearts. SAY: And who can have any power over G.o.d in your behalf, whether he will you some loss, or whether he will you an advantage? Yes, G.o.d is acquainted with your doings.

But ye thought that the Apostle and the faithful could never more come back to their families; and your hearts were pleased at this; and ye thought an evil thought of this expedition, and ye became an undone people:

For, whoso believeth not in G.o.d, and His Apostle... . Verily, we have got ready the flame for the Infidels!

And G.o.d's is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth: Whom He will He forgiveth, and whom He will He punisheth: and G.o.d is Gracious, Merciful!

They who took not the field with you will say, when ye go forth to the spoil to take it, "Let us follow you." Fain would they change the word of G.o.d.4 SAY: Ye shall by no means follow us: thus hath G.o.d said already. They will say, "Nay, ye are jealous of us." Nay! they are men of little understanding.

SAY to those Arabs of the desert, who took not the field, ye shall be called forth against a people of mighty valour. Ye shall do battle with them, or they shall profess Islam. If ye obey, a goodly recompense will G.o.d give you; but if ye turn back, as ye turned back aforetime, He will chastise you with a sore chastis.e.m.e.nt.

It shall be no crime on the part of the blind, the lame, or the sick, if they go not to the fight. But whoso shall obey G.o.d and His Apostle, he shall bring him into the gardens 'neath which the rivers flow: but whoso shall turn back, He will punish him with a sore punishment.

Well pleased now hath G.o.d been with the believers when they plighted fealty to thee under the tree;5 and He knew what was in their hearts: therefore did He send down upon them a spirit of secure repose, and rewarded them with a speedy victory,

And with the rich booty which they took: for G.o.d is Mighty, Wise!

G.o.d promised you the taking of a rich booty6 and sped it to you; and He withheld men's hands from you, for a sign to the faithful, and that He might guide you along the right way:-