But as to those who believe and work righteousness, they shall receive an everlasting reward.

Say, Do ye indeed disbelieve in him who created the earth in two days; and do ye set up equals unto him? He is the LORD of all creatures.

10 And he placed in the earth mountains firmly rooted, rising above the same: and he blessed it; and provided therein the food of the creatures designed to be the inhabitants thereof, in four days; equally, for those who ask.

Then he set his mind to the creation of heaven, and it was smoke; and he said unto it, and to the earth, Come, either obediently, or against your will. They answered, We come, obedient to thy command.

And he formed them into seven heavens, in two days; and revealed unto every heaven its office. And we adorned the lower heaven with lights, and placed therein, a guard of angels. This is the disposition of the mighty, the wise G.o.d.

If the Meccans withdraw from these instructions, say, I denounce unto you a sudden destruction, like the destruction of Ad and Thamud.

When the apostles came unto them before them and behind them, saying, Worship G.o.d alone; they answered, If our LORD had been pleased to send messengers, he had surely sent angels; and we believe not the message with which ye are sent.

As to the tribe of Ad, they behaved insolently in the earth, without reason, and said, Who is more mighty than we in strength? Did they not see that G.o.d, who had created them, was more mighty than they in strength?

And they knowingly rejected our signs.

Wherefore we sent against them a piercing wind, on days of ill luck, that we might make them taste the punishment of shame in this world: but the punishment of the life to come will be more shameful; and they shall not be protected therefrom.

And as to Thamud, we directed them; but they loved blindness better than the true direction: wherefore the terrible noise of an ignominious punishment a.s.sailed them, for that which they had deserved; but we delivered those who believed, and feared G.o.d.

And warn them of the day, on which the enemies of G.o.d shall be gathered together unto h.e.l.l fire, and shall march in distinct bands; 20 until, when they shall arrive thereat, their ears, and their eyes, and their skins, shall bear witness against them of that which they shall have wrought.

And they shall say unto their skins, Wherefore do ye bear witness against us? They shall answer, G.o.d hath caused us to speak, who giveth speech unto all things: he created you the first time; and unto him are ye returned.

Ye did not hide yourselves, while ye sinned, so that your ears, and your eyes, and your skins could not bear witness against you: but ye thought that G.o.d was ignorant of many things which ye did.

This was your opinion, which ye imagined of your LORD: it hath ruined you; and ye are become lost people.

Whether they bear their torment, h.e.l.l fire shall be their abode; or whether they beg for favor, they shall not obtain favor.

And we will give them the devils to be their companions; for they dressed up for them the false notions which they entertained of this present world, and of that which is to come; and the sentence justly fitteth them, which was formerly p.r.o.nounced on the nations of genii and men who were before them; for they perished.

The unbelievers say, Hearken not unto this Koran: but use vain discourse during the reading thereof; that ye may overcome the voice of the reader by your scoffs and laughter.

Wherefore we will surely cause the unbelievers to taste a grievous punishment, and we will certainly reward them for the evils which they shall have wrought.

This shall be the reward of the enemies of G.o.d, namely, h.e.l.l fire; therein is prepared for them an everlasting abode, as a reward for that they have wittingly rejected our signs.

And the infidels shall say in h.e.l.l, O LORD, show us the two that seduced us, of the genii and men, and we will cast them under our feet, that they may become most base and despicable.

30 As for those who say, Our LORD is G.o.d, and who behave uprightly; the angels shall descend unto them, and shall say, Fear not, neither be ye grieved; but rejoice in the hopes of paradise which ye have been promised.

We are your friends in this life, and in that which is to come: therein shall ye have that which your souls shall desire, and therein shall ye obtain whatever ye shall ask for; as a gift from a gracious and merciful G.o.d.

Who speaketh better than he who inviteth unto G.o.d, and worketh righteousness, and saith, I am a Moslem?

Good and evil shall not be held equal. Turn away evil with that which is better; and behold, the man between whom and thyself there was enmity shall become, as it were, thy warmest friend: but none shall attain to this perfection, except they who are patient; nor shall any attain thereto, except he who is endued with a great happiness of temper.

And if a malicious suggestion be offered unto thee from Satan, have recourse unto G.o.d; for it is he who heareth and knoweth.

Among the signs of his power are the night, and the day, and the sun, and the moon. Worship not the sun, neither the moon: but worship G.o.d, who hath created them; if ye serve him.

But if they proudly disdain his service; verily the angels, who are with thy LORD, praise him night and day, and are not wearied.

And among his signs another is, that thou seest the land waste; but when we send down rain thereon, it is stirred and fermenteth. And he who quickeneth the earth will surely quicken the dead; for he is almighty.

40 Verily those who impiously wrong our signs are not concealed from us.

Is he, therefore, better, who shall be cast into h.e.l.l fire, or he who shall appear secure on the day of resurrection? Work that which ye will: he certainly beholdeth whatever ye do.

Verily they who believe not in the admonition of the Koran, after it hath come unto them, shall one day be discovered. It is certainly a book of infinite value: vanity shall not approach it, either from before it, or from behind it: it is a revelation from a wise G.o.d, whose praise is justly to be celebrated.

No other is said unto thee by the infidels of Mecca than what hath been formerly said unto the apostles before thee: verily thy LORD is inclined to forgiveness, and is also able to chastise severely.

If we had revealed the Koran in a foreign language, they had surely said, Unless the signs thereof be distinctly explained, we will not receive the same: is the book written in a foreign tongue, and the person unto whom it is directed an Arabian? Answer, It is, unto those who believe, a sure guide, and a remedy for doubt unto those who believe, a sure guide, and a remedy for doubt and uncertainty: but unto those who believe not, it is a thickness of hearing in their ears, and it is a darkness which covereth them; these are as they who are called unto from a distant place.

We heretofore gave the book of the law unto Moses; and a dispute arose concerning the same: and if a previous decree had not proceeded from thy LORD, to respite the opposers of that revelation, verily the matter had been decided between them, by the destruction of the infidels; for they were in a very great doubt as to the same.

He who doth right, doth it to the advantage of his own soul; and he who doth evil, doth it against the same: for thy LORD is not unjust towards his servants.

Unto him is reserved the knowledge of the hour of judgment: and no fruit cometh forth from the knops which involve it; neither doth any female conceive in her womb, nor is she delivered of her burden, but with his knowledge. On the day whereon he shall call them to him, saying, Where are my companions which ye ascribed unto me? they shall answer, We a.s.sure thee there is no witness of this matter among us: and the idols which they called on before shall withdraw themselves from them; and they shall perceive that there will be no way to escape.

Man is not wearied with asking good; but if evil befall him, he despondeth, and despaireth.

50 And if we cause him to taste mercy from us, after affliction hath touched him, he surely saith, This is due to me on account of my deserts: I do not think the hour of judgment will ever come: and if I be brought before my LORD, I shall surely attain, with him, the most excellent condition. But we will then declare unto those who shall not have believed, that which they have wrought; and we will surely cause them to taste a most severe punishment.

When we confer favors on man, he turneth aside, and departeth without returning thanks: but when evil toucheth him, he is frequent at prayer.

Say, What think ye? if the Koran be from G.o.d, and ye believe not therein; who will lie under a greater error, than he who dissenteth widely therefrom?

Hereafter we will show them our signs in the regions in the regions of the earth, and in themselves; until it become manifest unto them that this book is the truth. Is it not sufficient for thee that thy LORD is witness of all things?

Are they not in a doubt as to the meeting of their LORD at the resurrection? Doth not he encompa.s.s all things?

CHAPTER XLII.

ENt.i.tLED, CONSULTATION; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL G.o.d.

H.M.

A.S.K.

THUS doth the mighty, the wise G.o.d reveal his will unto thee; and in like manner did he reveal it unto the prophets who were before thee.

Unto him belongeth whatever is in heaven, and in earth; and he is the high, the great G.o.d.

It wanteth little but that the heavens be rent in sunder from above, at the awfulness of his majesty: the angels celebrate the praise of their LORD, and ask pardon for those who dwell in the earth. Is not G.o.d the forgiver of sins, the merciful?

But as to those who take other G.o.ds for their patrons, besides him, G.o.d observeth their actions: for thou art not a steward over them.

Thus have we revealed unto thee an Arabic Koran, that thou mayest warn the metropolis of Mecca, and the Arabs who dwell round about it; and mayest threaten them with the day of the general a.s.sembly, of which there is no doubt: one part shall then be placed in paradise, and another part in h.e.l.l.

If G.o.d had pleased, he had made them all of one religion; but he leadeth whom he pleaseth into his mercy; and the unjust shall have no patron or helper.

Do they take other patrons, besides him? whereas G.o.d is the only true patron: he quickeneth the dead; and he is almighty.

10 Whatever matter ye disagree about, the decision thereof appertaineth unto G.o.d. This is G.o.d, my LORD: in him do I trust, and unto him do I turn me: the Creator of heaven and earth: he hath given you wives of your own species, and cattle both male and female; by which means he multiplieth you: there is nothing like him; and it is he who heareth and seeth.

His are the keys of heaven and earth; he bestoweth provision abundantly on whom he pleaseth, and he is sparing unto whom he pleaseth; for he knoweth all things.

He hath ordained you the religion which he commanded Noah, and which we have revealed unto thee, O Mohammed, and which we commanded Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus: saying, Observe this religion, and be not divided therein.

The worship of one G.o.d, to which thou invitest them, is grievous unto the unbelievers: G.o.d will elect thereto whom he pleaseth, and will direct unto the same him who shall repent.

Those who lived in times past were not divided among themselves, until after that the knowledge of G.o.d's unity had come unto them; through their own perverseness: and unless a previous decree had pa.s.sed from thy LORD, to bear with them till a determined time, verily the matter had been decided between them, by the destruction of the gainsayers. They who have inherited the scriptures after them, are certainly in a perplexing doubt concerning the same.

Wherefore invite them to receive the sure faith, and be urgent with them, as thou hast been commanded; and follow not their vain desires: and say, I believe in all the scriptures which G.o.d hath sent down; and I am commanded to establish justice among you: G.o.d is our LORD and your LORD: unto us will our works be imputed, and unto you will your works be imputed: let there be no wrangling between us and you; for G.o.d will a.s.semble us all at the last day, and unto him shall we return.

As to those who dispute concerning G.o.d, after obedience hath been paid him by receiving his religion, their disputing shall be vain in the sight of their LORD; and wrath shall fall on them, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment.

It is G.o.d who hath sent down the scripture with truth; and the balance of true judgment: and what shall inform with truth; and the balance of true judgment: and what shall inform thee whether the hour be nigh at hand?

They who believe not therein wish it to be hastened by way of mockery: but they who believe dread the same, and know it to be the truth. Are not those who dispute concerning the last hour in a wide error?

G.o.d is bounteous unto his servants; he provideth for whom he pleaseth; and he is the strong, the mighty.

20 Whoso chooseth the tillage of the life to come, unto him will we give increase in his tillage: and whoso chooseth the tillage of this world, we will give him the fruit thereof; but he shall have no part in the life to come.

Have the idolaters deities which ordain them a religion which G.o.d hath not allowed? But had it not been for the decree of respiting their punishment to the day of separating the infidels from the true believers, judgment had been already given between them: for the unjust shall surely suffer a painful torment.

On that day thou shalt see the unjust in great terror, because of their demerits; and the penalty thereof shall fall upon them: but they who believe and do good works shall dwell in the delightful meadows of paradise; they shall obtain whatever they shall desire, with their LORD. This is the greatest acquisition.

This is what G.o.d promiseth unto his servants who believe and do good works. Say, I ask not of you, for this my preaching, any reward, except the love of my relations: and whoever shall have deserved well by one good action, unto him will we add the merit of another action thereto; for G.o.d is inclined to forgive, and ready to reward.

Do they say, Mohammed hath blasphemously forged a lie concerning G.o.d? If G.o.d pleaseth, he will seal up thy heart: and G.o.d will absolutely abolish vanity, and will establish the truth in his words; for he knoweth the innermost part of men's b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

It is he who accepteth repentance from his servants, and forgiveth sins, and knoweth that which ye do.

He will incline his ear unto those who believe and work righteousness, and will add unto them above what they shall ask or deserve, of his bounty: but the unbelievers shall suffer a severe punishment.

If G.o.d should bestow abundance upon his servants they would certainly behave insolently in the earth: but he sendeth down by measure unto every one that which he pleaseth; for he well knoweth and seeth the condition of his servants.

It is he who sendeth down the rain, after men have despaired thereof, and spreadeth abroad his mercy; and he is the patron, justly to be praised.

Among his signs is the creation of heaven and earth, and of the living creatures with which he hath replenished them both; and he is able to gather them together before his tribunal, whenever he pleaseth.

30 Whatever misfortune befalleth you is sent unto you by G.o.d, for that which your hands have deserved; and yet he forgiveth many things: ye shall not frustrate the divine vengeance in the earth; neither shall ye have any protector or helper, against G.o.d.

Among his signs also are the ships running in the sea, like high mountains: if he pleaseth, he causeth the wind to cease, and they lie still on the back of the water: (verily herein are signs unto every patient and grateful person): or he destroyeth them by shipwreck, be cause of that which their crews have merited; though he pardoneth many things.

And they who dispute against our signs shall know that there will be no way for them to escape our vengeance.

Whatever things are given you, they are the provision of this present life: but the reward which is with G.o.d is better, and more durable, for those who believe, and put their trust in their LORD; and who avoid heinous and filthy crimes, and when they are angry, forgive; and who hearken unto their LORD, and are constant at prayer, and whose affairs are directed by consultation among themselves, and who give alms out of what we have bestowed on them; and who, when an injury is done them, avenge themselves 40 (and the retaliation of evil ought to be an evil proportionate thereto): but he who forgiveth and is reconciled unto his enemy, shall receive his reward from G.o.d; for he loveth not the unjust doers.

And whoso shall avenge himself, after he hath been injured; as to these, it is not lawful to punish them for it: but it is only lawful to punish those who wrong men, and act insolently in the earth, against justice; these shall suffer a grievous punishment.

And whoso beareth injuries patiently, and forgiveth; verily this is a necessary work.

Whom G.o.d shall cause to err, he shall afterwards have no protector.

And thou shalt see the unG.o.dly, who shall say, when they behold the punishment prepared for them, Is there no way to return back into the world?

And thou shalt see them exposed unto h.e.l.l fire; dejected, because of the ignominy they shall undergo: they shall look at the fire sideways, and by stealth; and the true believers shall say, Verily the losers are they who have lost their own souls, and their families, on the day of resurrection: shall not the unG.o.dly continue in eternal torment?

They shall have no protectors to defend them against G.o.d: and whom G.o.d shall cause to err, he shall find no way to the truth.

Hearken unto your LORD, before the day come, which G.o.d will not keep back: ye shall have no place of refuge on that day; neither shall ye be able to deny your sins.

But if those to whom thou preachest turn aside from thy admonitions, verily we have not sent thee to be a guardian over them: thy duty is preaching only. When we cause man to taste mercy from us, he rejoiceth thereat: but if evil befall them, for that which their hands have formerly committed, verily man becometh ungrateful.

Unto G.o.d appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth: he createth that which he pleaseth; he giveth females unto whom he pleaseth, and he giveth males unto whom he pleaseth; 50 or he giveth them males and females jointly: and he maketh whom he pleaseth to be childless; for he is wise and powerful.

It is not fit for man that G.o.d should speak unto him otherwise than by private revelation, or from behind a veil, or by his sending of a messenger to reveal, by his permission, that which he pleaseth; for he is high and wise.

Thus have we revealed unto thee a revelation, by our command. Thou didst not understand, before this, what the book of the Koran was, nor what the faith was: but we have ordained the same for a light; we will thereby direct such of our servants as we please: and thou shalt surely direct them into the right way, the way of G.o.d, unto whom belongeth whatever is in heaven and in earth.

Shall not all things return unto G.o.d?