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Sale, 1734

CHAP. XV.

Intitled, Al Hejr [a] ; revealed at Mecca.


In the name of the most merciful God.
A. L. R [b] . These are the signs of the book, and of the perspicuous Koran. The time may come when the unbelievers shall wish that they had been Moslems [c] . Suffer them to eat, and to enjoy themselves in this world; and let hope entertain them, but they shall hereafter know their folly. We have not destroyed any city, but a fixed term of repentance was appointed them. No nation shall be punished before their time shall be come; neither shall they be respited after. The Meccans say, O thou to whom the admonition [d] hath been sent down, thou art certainly possessed with a devil: wouldest thou not have come unto us with an attendance of angels, if thou hadst spoken truth? Answer, We send not down the angels, unless on a just occasion [e] ; nor should they be then respited any longer. We have surely sent down the Koran; and we will certainly preserve the same from corruption [f] . have heretofore sent apostles before thee among the ancient sects: and there came no apostle unto them, but they laughed him to scorn. In the same manner will we put it into the hearts of the wicked Meccans to scoff at their prophet: they shall not believe on him; and the sentence of the nations of old hath been executed heretofore. If we should open a gate in the heaven above them, and they should ascend thereto [g] all the day long, they should surely say, Our [211] eyes are only dazzled; or rather we are a people deluded by enchantments. We have placed the twelve signs in the heaven, and have set them out in various figures, for the observation of spectators: and we guard them from every devil [a] driven away with stones [b] ; except him who listeneth by stealth, at whom a visible flame is darted [c] . We have also spread forth the earth, and thrown thereon stable mountains, and we have caused every kind of vegetable to spring forth in the same, according to a determinate weight: and we have provided therein necessaries of life for you, and for him whom ye do not sustain [d] . There is no one thing but the storehouses thereof are in our hands; and we distribute not the same otherwise than in a determinate measure. We also send the winds driving the pregnant clouds, and we send down from heaven water, whereof we give you to drink, and which ye keep not in store. Verily we give life, and we put to death: and we are the heirs of all things [e] . We know those among you who go before; and we know those who stay behind [f] . And thy Lord shall gather them together at the last day; for he is knowing and wise. We created man of dried clay, of black mud, formed into shape [g] : and we had before created the devil of subtle fire. And remember when thy Lord said unto the angels, Verily I am about to create man of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape; when, therefore, I shall have completely formed him, and shall have breathed of my spirit into him; do ye fall down and worship him. And all the angels worshipped Adam together, except Eblis, who refused to be with those who worshipped him. And God said unto him, O Eblis, what hindered thee from being with those who worshipped Adam? He answered, It is not fit that I should worship man, whom thou hast created of dried clay, of black mud, wrought into shape. God said, Get thee therefore hence: for thou shalt be driven away with stones: and a curse shall be on thee, until the day of judgment. The devil said, O Lord, Give me respite until the day of resurrection. God answered, Verily thou shalt be one of those [212] who are respited until the day of the appointed time [a] . The devil replied, O Lord, because thou hast seduced me, I will surely tempt them to disobedience in the earth; and I will seduce such of them as shall be thy chosen servants. God said, This is the right way with me [b] . Verily as to my servants, thou shalt have no power over them; but over those only who shall be seduced, and who shall follow thee. And hell is surely denounced unto them all: it hath seven gates; unto every gate a distinct company of them shall be assigned [c] . But those who fear God shall dwell in gardens, amidst fountains. The angels shall say unto them, Enter ye therein in peace and security, and we will remove all grudges from their breasts [d] ; they shall be as brethren, sitting over against one another [e] on couches; weariness shall not affect them therein, neither shall they be cast out thence for ever. Declare unto my servants that I am the gracious, the merciful God ; and that my punishment is a grievous punishment. And relate unto them the history of Abraham’s guests [f] . When they went in unto him, and said, Peace be unto thee, he answered, Verily we are afraid of you [g] : and they replied, Fear not; we bring thee the promise of a wise son. He said, Do ye bring me the promise of a son now old age hath overtaken me? what is it therefore that ye tell me? They said, We have told thee the truth; be not therefore one of those who despair. He answered, And who despaireth of the mercy of God, except those who err? And he said, What is your errand, therefore, O messengers of God? They answered, Verily we are sent to destroy a wicked people; but as for the family of Lot, we will save them all, except his wife; we have decreed that she shall be one of those who remain behind to be destroyed with the infidels. And when the messengers came to the family of Lot, he said unto them, Verily ye are a people who are unknown to me. They answered, But we are come unto thee to execute that sentence, concerning which your fellow citizens doubted: we tell thee a certain truth; and we are messengers of veracity. Therefore lead forth thy family, in some time of the night; and do thou follow behind them, and let none of you turn back; but go whither ye are commanded [h] . And we gave him this command; because the utmost remnant of those people was to be cut off in the morning. And the inhabitants of the city came unto Lot, rejoicing at the news of the arrival of some strangers. And he said unto them, Verily these [213] are my guests: wherefore do not disgrace me by abusing them; but fear God, and put me not to shame. They answered, Have we not forbidden thee from entertaining or protecting any man? Lot replied, These are my daughters; therefore rather make use of them, if ye be resolved to do what ye purpose. As thou livest they wander in their folly [a] . Wherefore a terrible storm from heaven assailed them at sun-rise, and we turned the city upside down: and we rained on them stones of baked clay. Verily herein are signs unto men of sagacity: and those cities were punished, to point out a right way for men to walk in. Verily herein is a sign unto the true believers. The inhabitants of the wood near Midian [b] were also ungodly. Wherefore we took vengeance on them [c] . And both of them were destroyed, to serve as a manifest rule for men to direct their actions by. And the inhabitants of Al Hejr [d] likewise heretofore accused the messengers of God of imposture: and we produced our signs unto them, but they retired afar off from the same. And they hewed houses out of the mountains, to secure themselves. But a terrible noise from heaven assailed them in the morning; neither was what they had wrought of any advantage unto them. We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is contained between them, otherwise than in justice: and the hour of judgment shall surely come. Wherefore O Mohammed, forgive thy people with a gracious forgiveness [e] . Verily thy Lord is the creator of thee and of them, and knoweth what is most expedient. We have already brought unto thee seven verses which are frequently to be repeated [f] , and the glorious Koran. Cast not thine eyes on the good things which we have bestowed on several of the unbelievers, so as to covet the same [g] : neither be thou grieved on their account. Behave thyself with meekness towards the true believers; and say, I am a public preacher. If they believe not, we will inflict a like punishment on them, as we have inflicted on the dividers [h] , who distinguished the Koran into different parts; for by thy Lord, [214] we will demand an account from them all of that which they have wrought. Wherefore publish that which thou hast been commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters. We will surely take thy part against the scoffers [a] , who associate with God another god; they shall surely know their folly. And now we well know that thou art deeply concerned on account of that which they say; but do thou celebrate the praise of thy Lord; and be one of those who worship; and serve thy Lord until death [b] shall overtake thee.

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[a] Al Hejr is a territory in the province of Hejaz, between Medina and Syria, where the tribe of Thamûd dwelt [1] ; and is mentioned towards the end of the chapter.

[1] See the Prelim. Disc. p. 7.

[b] See the Prelim. Disc. §. III. p. 59, &c.

[c] When the unbelievers shall wish that they had been Moslems;] viz. When they shall see the success and prosperity of the true believers; or when they shall come to die; or at the resurrection.

[d] The admonition;] i.e. The revelations which compose the Korân.

[e] A just occasion;] When the divine wisdom shall judge it proper to use their ministry, as in bearing his revelations to the prophets, and the executing his sentence on wicked people; but not to humour you with their appearance in visible shapes, which, should your demand be complied with, would only increase your confusion, and bring God’s vengeance on you the sooner.

[f] See the Prelim. Disc. IV. p. 75.

[g] And they should ascend thereto;] i.e. The incredulous Meccans themselves; or, as others rather think, the angels in visible forms.

[a] We guard them from every devil, &c.] For the Mohammedans imagine that the devils endeavour to ascend to the constellations, to pry into the actions and overhear the discourse of the inhabitants of heaven, and to tempt them. They also pretend that these evil spirits had the liberty of entering any of the heavens till the birth of JESUS, when they were excluded three of them; but that on the birth of Mohammed they were forbidden the other four [1] .

[1] Al Beidawi.

[b] See chap. 3. p. 39. not. d.

[c] At whom a visible flame is darted;] For when a star seems to fall or shoot, the Mohammedans suppose the angels, who keep guard in the constellations, dart them at the devils who approach too near.

[d] And for him whom ye do not sustain;] viz. Your family, servants, and slaves, whom ye wrongly imagine that ye feed yourselves; tho’ it is God who provides for them as well as you [2] : or, as some rather think, the animals, of whom men take no care [3] .

[2] Idem.

[3] Jallalo’ddin.

[e] The heirs of all things;] i.e. Alone surviving, when all creatures shall be dead and annihilated.

[f] We know those among you who go before; and we know those who stay behind;] What these words particularly drive at is uncertain. Some think them spoken of the different times of men’s several entrance into this world, and their departure out of it; others of the respective forwardness and backwardness of Mohammed’s men in battle; and a third says, the passage was occasioned by the different behaviour of Mohammed’s followers, on seeing a very beautiful woman at prayers behind the prophet; some of them going out of the Mosque before her, to avoid looking on her more nearly, and others staying behind, on purpose to view her [4] .

[4] Al Beidawi.

[g] See chap. 2. p. 4, &c.

[a] See ibid. and chap. 7. p. 117.

[b] This is the right way with me;] viz. The saving of the elect, and the utter reprobation of the wicked, according to my eternal decree.

[c] See the Prelim. Disc. §. IV. p. 92.

[d] We will remove all grudges from their breasts;] That is, all hatred and ill-will which they bore each other in their life time [1] ; or, as some choose to expound it, all envy or heart-burning on account of the different degrees of honour and happiness to which the blessed will be promoted according to their respective merits.

[1] See chap. 7. p. 120. not. c.

[e] Sitting over against one another;] Never turning their backs to one another [2] ; which might be construed a sign of contempt.

[2] Jallalo’ddin.

[f] See chap. 11. p. 182, &c.

[g] We are afraid of you;] What occasioned Abraham’s apprehension was, either their sudden entering without leave or their coming at an unseasonable time; or else their not eating with him.

[h] Whither ye are commanded;] Which was into Syria; or into Egypt [3] .

[3] Al Beidawi, Jallalo’ddin.

[a] Some will have these words spoken by the angels to Lot; others, by God to Mohammed.

[b] The inhabitants of the wood;] To whom Shoaib was also sent, as well as to the inhabitants of Midian; they being of the same tribe.

[c] We took vengeance on them;] Destroying them, for their incredulity and disobedience, by a hot suffocating wind [1] .

[1] Iidem.

[d] The inhabitants of Al Hejr;] Who were the tribe of Thamûd [2] .

[2] See chap. 7. p. 124, &c. and Prel. Disc. p. 7.

[e] This verse, it is said, was abrogated by that of the sword.

[f] Seven verses, &c.] That is, the first chapter of the Korân, which consists of so many verses: tho’ some suppose the seven long chapters [3] are here intended.

[3] See chap. 9. p. not. a.

[g] Cast not thine eyes on the good things which we have bestowed on several of the unbelievers, &c.] That is, Do not envy or covet their worldly prosperity, since thou hast received, in the Korân, a blessing, in comparison whereof all that we have bestowed on them ought to be contemned as of no value. Al Beidâwi mentions a tradition, that Mohammed meeting at Adhriât (a town of Syria) seven caravans, very richly laden, belonging to some Jews of the tribes of Koreidha and al Nadîr, his men had a great mind to plunder them, saying, That those riches would be of great service for the propagation of God’s true religion. But the prophet represented to them, by this passage, that they had no reason to repine, God having given them the seven verses, which were infinitely more valuable than those seven caravans [4] .

[4] Al Beidawi.

[h] The dividers;] Some interpret the original word, the obstructers, who hindered men from entering Mecca, to visit the temple, lest they should be persuaded to embrace Islâm: and this, it is said, was done by ten men, who were all slain at Bedr. Others translate the word, who bound themselves by oath; and suppose certain Thamûdites, who swore to kill Saleh by night, are here meant. But the sentence more probably relates to the Jews and Christians, who (say the Mohammedans) receive some part of the scriptures, and reject others; and also approved of some passages of the Korân, and disapproved of others, according to their prejudices; or else to the unbelieving Meccans, some of whom called the Korân a piece of witchcraft; others, flights of divination; others, old stories; and others, a poetical composition [1] .

[1] Idem, Jallalo’ddin.

[a] We will surely take thy part against the scoffers;] This passage, it is said, was revealed on account of five noble Koreish, whose names were al Walîd Ebn al Mogheira, al As Ebn Wayel, Oda Ebn Kais, al Aswad Ebn Abd Yaghûth, and al Aswad Ebn al Motalleb. These were inveterate enemies of Mohammed, continually persecuting him, and turning him into ridicule; wherefore at length Gabriel came and told him that he was commanded to take his part against them; and on the angel’s making a sign towards them one after another, al Walîd passing by some arrows, one of them hitched in his garment, and he, out of pride, not stooping to take it off, but walking forward, the head of it cut a vein in his heel, and he bled to death; al As was killed with a thorn, which stuck into the sole of his foot, and caused his leg to swell to a monstrous size; Oda died with violent and perpetual sneezing; al Aswad Ebn Abd Yaghûth ran his head against a thorny tree and killed himself; and al Aswad Ebn al Motalleb was struck blind [2] .

[2] Al Beidawi.

[b] Death;] Literally, That which is certain.