The Koran Part 89

Yet should we send a blast, and should they see their harvest turn yellow, they would afterwards shew themselves ungrateful.

Thou canst not make the dead to hear, neither canst thou make the deaf to hear the call, when they withdraw and turn their backs:

Neither canst thou guide the blind out of their error: in sooth, none shalt thou make to hear, save him who shall believe in our signs: for they are resigned to our will (Muslims).

It is G.o.d who hath created you in weakness, then after weakness hath given you strength: then after strength, weakness and grey hairs: He createth what He will; and He is the Wise, the Powerful.

And on the day whereon the Hour shall arrive, the wicked will swear

That not above an hour have they waited: Even so did they utter lies on earth:

But they to whom knowledge and faith have been given will say, "Ye have waited, in accordance with the book of G.o.d, till the day of Resurrection: for this is the day of the Resurrection-but ye knew it not."

On that day their plea shall not avail the wicked, neither shall they again be bidden to seek acceptance with G.o.d.

And now have we set before men, in this Koran, every kind of parable: yet if thou bring them a single verse of it, the infidels will surely say, "Ye are only utterers of vain things."

It is thus that G.o.d hath sealed up the hearts of those who are devoid of knowledge.

But do thou, Muhammad, bear with patience, for true is the promise of G.o.d; and let not those who have no firm belief, unsettle thee.

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1 See Sura lxviii. 1, p. 32.

2 By the Persians; probably in Palestine in the 6th year before the Hejira, under Khosrou Parviz. (Ann. 615. See Gibbon's Decline and Fall, ch. xlvi.) The sympathies of Muhammad would naturally be enlisted on the side of the Christians rather than on that of the idolatrous fire-wors.h.i.+ppers, with whom Islam had nothing in common.

3 This alludes to the defeat of the Persians by Heraclius, ann. 625. The Muhammadans appeal to this pa.s.sage as a clear proof of the inspiration of their prophet. But it should be borne in mind that the vowel points of the consonants of the Arabic word for defeated in verse 1, not being originally written, and depending entirely on the speaker or reader, would make the prophecy true in either event, according as the verb received an active or pa.s.sive sense in p.r.o.nunciation. The whole pa.s.sage was probably constructed with the view of its proving true in any event.

4 Comp. Psalm xc. 30, in the Arabic version.

5 The Talmudists apply the description of G.o.d of the sender of the rain to the divine command which shall cause the dead to arise. Taanith (init.).

6 Lit. from yourselves, i.e. either from the side of Adam or of human, and of no other kind of being. Beidh.

7 By wors.h.i.+pping idols conjointly with G.o.d.

8 Lit. as a Hanyf. See note on the preceding Sura, 121, p. 209.

9 Peculiar to and distinctive of themselves. Muhammad had a just appreciation of that narrowness of mind which is the characteristic of sectarians in every age, who seize upon some one point of truth, through inability to grasp the whole in its due proportions and bearing, and glory in it, as if the fragment were the whole.

10 Comp. Ps. xv. 5.

11 Lit. which none can put back from G.o.d.

SURA XI.-HOUD [LXXV.]

MECCA.-123 Verses

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

ELIF. LAM. RA.1 A book whose verses are stablished in wisdom and then set forth with clearness from the Wise, the All-informed-

That ye wors.h.i.+p none other than G.o.d-Verily I come to you from Him charged with warnings, announcements;

And that ye seek pardon of your Lord, and then be turned unto Him! Goodly enjoyments will He give you to enjoy until a destined time, and His favours will He bestow on every one who deserves his favours.2 But if ye turn away, then verily I fear for you the chastis.e.m.e.nt of the great day.

Unto G.o.d shall ye return, and over all things is he Potent.

Do they not doubly fold up their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, that they may hide themselves from Him?

But when they enshroud themselves in their garments, doth He not know alike what they conceal and what they shew?

For He knoweth the very inmost of their breast.

There is no moving thing on earth whose nourishment dependeth not on G.o.d; he knoweth its haunts and final resting place: all is in the clear Book.

And He it is who hath made the Heavens and the Earth in six days: His throne had stood ere this upon the waters,3 that He might make proof which of you4 would excel in works.

And if thou say, "After death ye shall surely be raised again," the infidels will certainly exclaim, "This is nothing but pure sorcery."

And if we defer their chastis.e.m.e.nt to some definite time, they will exclaim, "What keepeth it back?" What! will it not come upon them on a day when there shall be none to avert it from them? And that at which they scoffed shall enclose them in on every side.

And if we cause man to taste our mercy, and then deprive him of it, verily, he is despairing, ungrateful.

And if after trouble hath befallen him we cause him to taste our favour, he will surely exclaim, "The evils are pa.s.sed away from me." Verily, he is joyous, boastful.

Except those who endure with patience and do the things that are right: these doth pardon await and a great reward.

Perhaps thou wilt suppress a part of what hath been revealed to thee, and wilt be distress at heart lest they say, "If a treasure be not sent down to him, or an angel come with him... ." But thou art only a warner, and G.o.d hath all things in his charge.

If they shall say, "The Koran is his own device," SAY: Then bring ten Suras like it5 of your devising, and call whom ye can to your aid beside G.o.d, if ye are men of truth.

But if they answer you not, then know that it hath been sent down to you in the wisdom of G.o.d only, and that there is no G.o.d but He. Are ye then Muslims?

Those who choose this present life and its braveries, we will recompense for their works therein: they shall have nothing less therein than their deserts.

These are they for whom there is nothing in the next world but the Fire: all that they have wrought in this life shall come to nought, and vain shall be all their doings.

With such can they be compared who rest upon clear proofs from their Lord? to whom a witness from him reciteth the Koran, and who is preceded by the Book of Moses, a guide and mercy? These have faith in it: but the partisans of idolatry, who believe not in it, are menaced with the fire! Have thou no doubts about that Book, for it is the very truth from thy Lord. But most men will not believe.

Who is guilty of a greater injustice than he who inventeth a lie concerning G.o.d? They shall be set before their Lord, and the witnesses shall say, "These are they who made their Lord a liar." Shall not the malison of G.o.d be on these unjust doers,

Who pervert others from the way of G.o.d, and seek to make it crooked, and believe not in a life to come? G.o.d's power on earth they shall not weaken; and beside G.o.d they have no protector! Doubled shall be their punishment!

They were not able to hearken, and they could not see.

These are they who have lost their own souls, and the deities of their own devising have vanished from them: