Our people, obey G.o.d'S preacher: and believe in him; that he may forgive you your sins, and may deliver you from a painful punishment.

And whoever obeyeth not G.o.d'S preacher shall by no means frustrate G.o.d's vengeance on earth: neither shall he have any protectors besides him. These will be in a manifest error.

Do they not know that G.o.d, who hath created the heavens and the earth, and was not fatigued with the creation thereof, is able to raise the dead to life? Yea verily; for he is almighty.

On a certain day the unbelievers shall be exposed unto h.e.l.l fire; and it shall be said unto them, Is not this really come to pa.s.s? They shall answer, Yea, by our LORD. G.o.d shall reply, Taste, therefore, the punishment of h.e.l.l, for that ye have been unbelievers.

Do thou, O prophet, bear the insults of thy people with patience, as our apostles, who were endued with constancy, bear the injuries of their people: and require not their punishment to be hastened unto them. On the day whereon they shall see the punishment wherewith they have been threatened, it shall seem as though they had tarried in the world but an hour of a day.

This is a fair warning. Shall they perish except the people who transgress?

CHAPTER XLVII.

ENt.i.tLED, MOHAMMED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

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

G.o.d will render of none effect the works of those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of G.o.d: but as to those who believe, and work righteousness, and believe the revelation which hath been sent down unto Mohammed (for it is the truth from their LORD), he will expiate their evil deeds from them, and will dispose their heart aright.

This will he do, because those who believe not follow vanity, and because those who believe follow the truth from their LORD. Thus G.o.d propoundeth unto men their examples.

When ye encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads, until ye have made a great slaughter among them; and bind them in bonds; and either give them a free dismission afterwards, or exact a ransom; until the war shall have laid down its arms. This shall ye do. Verily if G.o.d pleased he could take vengeance on them, without your a.s.sistance; but he commandeth you to fight his battles, that he may prove the one of you by the other. And as to those who fight in defence of G.o.d'S true religion, G.o.d will not suffer their works to perish: he will guide them, and will dispose their heart aright; and he will lead them into paradise, of which he hath told them.

O true believers, if ye a.s.sist G.o.d, by fighting for his religion, he will a.s.sist you against your enemies; and will set your feet fast: but as for the infidels, let them perish; and their works shall G.o.d render vain.

This shall befall them, because they have rejected with abhorrence that which G.o.d hath revealed: wherefore their works shall become of no avail.

10 Do they not travel through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who were before them? G.o.d utterly destroyed them: and the like catastrophe awaiteth the unbelievers.

This shall come to pa.s.s, for that G.o.d is the patron of the true believers, and for that the infidels have no protector.

Verily G.o.d will introduce those who believe, and do good works, into gardens beneath which rivers flow: but the unbelievers indulge themselves in pleasures, and eat as beasts eat; and their abode shall be h.e.l.l fire.

How many cities were more mighty in strength than thy city which hath expelled thee; yet have we destroyed them, and there was none to help them?

Shall he therefore, who followeth the plain declaration of his LORD, be as he whose evil works have been dressed up for him by the devil; and who follow their own l.u.s.ts?

The description of paradise, which is promised unto the pious: therein are rivers of incorruptible water; and rivers of milk, the taste whereof changeth not; and rivers of wine, pleasant unto those who drink; and rivers of clarified honey: and therein shall they have plenty of all kinds of fruits; and pardon from their LORD. Shall the man for whom these things are prepared be as he who must dwell forever in h.e.l.l fire; and will have the boiling water given him to drink, which shall burst their bowels?

Of the unbelievers there are some who give ear unto thee, until, when they go out from thee, they say, by way of derision, unto those to whom knowledge hath been given, What hath he said now? These are they whose hearts G.o.d hath sealed up, and who follow their own l.u.s.ts: but as to those who are directed, G.o.d will grant them a more ample direction, and he will instruct them what to avoid.

Do the infidels wait for any other than the last hour, that it may come upon them suddenly? Some signs thereof are already come: and when it shall actually overtake them, how can they then receive admonition?

Know therefore, that there is no G.o.d but G.o.d: and ask pardon for thy sin, and for the true believers, both men and women. G.o.d knoweth your busy employment in the world, and the place of your abode hereafter.

20 The true believers say, Hath not a Sura been revealed commanding war against the infidels? But when a Sura without any ambiguity is revealed, and war is mentioned therein, thou mayest see those in whose hearts is an infirmity, look towards thee with the look of one whom death overshadoweth.

But obedience would be more eligible for them, and to speak that which is convenient.

And when the command is firmly established, if they give credit unto G.o.d, it will be better for them.

Were ye ready, therefore, if ye had been put in authority, to commit outrages in the earth, and to violate the ties of blood?

These are they whom G.o.d hath cursed, and hath rendered deaf, and whose eyes he hath blinded.

Do they not therefore attentively meditate on the Koran? Are there locks upon their hearts?

Verily they who turn their backs, after the true direction is made manifest unto them, Satan shall prepare their wickedness for them, and G.o.d shall bear with them for a time.

This shall befall them, because they say privately unto those who detest what G.o.d hath revealed, We will obey you in part of the matter. But G.o.d knoweth their secrets.

How therefore will it be with them, when the angels shall cause them to die, and shall strike their faces, and their backs?

This shall they suffer, because they follow that which provoketh G.o.d to wrath, and are averse to what is well pleasing unto him: and he will render their works vain.

Do they in whose hearts is an infirmity imagine that G.o.d will not bring their malice to light?

30 If we pleased, we could surely show them unto thee, and thou shouldest know them by their marks; but thou shalt certainly know them by their perverse p.r.o.nunciation of their words. G.o.d knoweth your actions: and we will try you, until we know those among you who fight valiantly, and who persevere with constancy: and we will try the reports of your behavior.

Verily those who believe not, and turn away men from the way of G.o.d, and make opposition against the apostle, after the divine direction hath been manifested unto them, shall not hurt G.o.d at all; but he shall make their works to perish.

O true believers, obey G.o.d; and obey the apostle: and render not your works of no effect.

Verily those who believe not, and who turn away men from the way of G.o.d, and then die, being unbelievers, G.o.d will by no means forgive.

Faint not therefore, neither invite your enemies to peace, while ye are the superior: for G.o.d is with you, and will not defraud you of the merit of your works.

Verily this present life is only a play and a vain amus.e.m.e.nt; but if ye believe, and fear G.o.d, he will give you your rewards. He doth not require of you your whole substance: if he should require the whole of you, and earnestly press you, ye would become n.i.g.g.ardly, and it would raise your hatred against his apostle.

Behold, ye are those who are invited to expend part of your substance for the support of G.o.d'S true religion; and there are some of you who are n.i.g.g.ardly. But whoever shall be n.i.g.g.ardly shall be n.i.g.g.ardly towards his own soul: for G.o.d wanteth nothing, but ye are needy: and if ye turn back, he will subst.i.tute another people in your stead, who shall not be like unto you.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

ENt.i.tLED, THE VICTORY; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

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

VERILY we have granted thee a manifest victory: that G.o.d may forgive thee thy preceding and thy subsequent sin, and may complete his favour on thee, and direct thee in the right way; and that G.o.d may a.s.sist thee with a glorious a.s.sistance.

It is he who sendeth down secure tranquility into the hearts of the true believers, that they may increase in faith, beyond their former faith; (the hosts of heaven and earth are G.o.d'S; and G.o.d is knowing and wise) that he may lead the true believers of both s.e.xes into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever; and may expiate their evil deeds from them: (this will be great felicity with G.o.d): and that he may punish the hypocritical men, and the hypocritical women, and the idolaters, and the idolatresses, who conceive an ill opinion of G.o.d.

They shall experience a turn of evil fortune: and G.o.d shall be angry with them, and shall curse them, and hath prepared h.e.l.l for them; and ill journey shall it be thither!

Unto G.o.d belong the hosts of heaven and earth; and G.o.d is mighty and wise.

Verily we have sent thee to be a witness, and a bearer of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats; that ye may believe in G.o.d, and his apostle; and may a.s.sist him, and revere him, and praise him morning and evening.

10 Verily they who swear fealty unto thee, swear fealty unto G.o.d: the hand of G.o.d is over their hands. Whoever shall violate his oath, will violate the same to the hurt only of his own soul: but whoever shall perform that which he hath covenanted with G.o.d, he will surely give him a great reward.

The Arabs of the desert who were left behind will say unto thee, Our substance and our families employed us, so that we went not forth with thee to war; wherefore, ask pardon for us. They speak that with their tongues, which is not in their hearts. Answer, Who shall be able to obtain for you anything from G.o.d to the contrary, if he is pleased to afflict you, or is pleased to be gracious unto you? Yea, verily, G.o.d is well acquainted with that which ye do.

Truly ye imagined that the apostle and the true believers would never return to their families: and this was prepared in your hearts: but ye imagined an evil imagination; and ye are a corrupt people.

Whoso believeth not in G.o.d and his apostle, verily we have prepared burning fire for the unbelievers.

Unto G.o.d belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth: he forgiveth whom he pleaseth: and he punisheth whom he pleaseth: and G.o.d is inclined to forgive, and merciful.

Those who were left behind will say, when ye go forth to take the spoil, Suffer us to follow you. They seek to change the word of G.o.d. Say, Ye shall by no means follow us: thus hath G.o.d said heretofore. They will reply, Nay: ye envy us a share of the booty. But they are men of small understanding.

Say unto the Arabs of the desert who were left behind, Ye shall be called forth against a mighty and a warlike nation; ye shall fight against them, or they shall profess Islam. If ye obey, G.o.d will give you a glorious reward: but if ye turn back, as ye turned back heretofore, he will chastise you with a grievous chastis.e.m.e.nt.

It shall be no crime in the blind, neither shall it be a crime in the lame, neither shall it be a crime in the sick, if they go not forth to war: and whoso shall obey G.o.d and his apostle, he shall lead them into gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoso shall turn back, he will chastise him with a grievous chastis.e.m.e.nt.

Now G.o.d was well pleased with the true believers, when they sware fidelity to thee under the tree; and he knew that which was in their hearts; wherefore he sent down on them tranquility of mind, and rewarded them with a speedy victory, and many spoils which they took: for G.o.d is mighty and wise.

20 G.o.d promised you many spoils which ye should take; but he have you these by way of earnest; and he restrained the hands of men from you: that the same may be a sign unto the true believers; and that he may guide you into the right way.

And he also promiseth you other spoils, which ye have not yet been able to take: but now hath G.o.d encompa.s.sed them for you; and G.o.d is almighty.

If the unbelieving Meccans had fought against you, verily they had turned their backs; and they would not have found a patron or protector: according to the ordinance of G.o.d, which hath been put in execution heretofore against opposers of the prophets; for thou shalt not find any change in the ordinance of G.o.d.

It was he who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the valley of Mecca; after that he had given you the victory over them: and G.o.d saw that which ye did.

These are they who believed not, and hindered you from visiting the holy temple, and also hindered the offering being detained, that it should not arrive at the place where it ought to be sacrificed. Had it not been that ye might have trampled on divers true believers, both men and women, whom ye know not, being promiscuously a.s.sembled with the infidels, and that a crime might therefore have lighted on you on their account, without your knowledge, he had not restrained your hands from them: but this was done, that G.o.d might lead whom he pleased into his mercy. If they had been distinguished from one another, we had surely chastised such of them as believed not, with a severe chastis.e.m.e.nt.

When the unbelievers had put in their hearts an affected preciseness, the preciseness of ignorance, and G.o.d sent down his tranquility on his apostle and on the true believers; and firmly fixed in them the word of piety, and they were the most worthy of the same, and the most deserving thereof: for G.o.d knoweth all things.

Now hath G.o.d in truth verified unto his apostle the vision, wherein he said, Ye shall surely enter the holy temple of Mecca, if G.o.d please, in full security; having your heads shaved, and your hair cut: ye shall not fear: for G.o.d knoweth that which ye know not; and he hath appointed you, besides this, a speedy victory.

It is he who hath sent his apostle with the direction, and the religion of truth; that he may exalt the same above every religion: and G.o.d is a sufficient witness hereof.

Mohammed is the apostle of G.o.d: and those who are with him are fierce against the unbelievers, but compa.s.sionate towards one another. Thou mayest see them bowing down, prostrate, seeking a recompense from G.o.d, and his good- will. Their signs are in their faces, being marks of frequent prostration.

This is their description in the pentateuch, and their description in the gospel: they are as seed which putteth forth its stalk and strengtheneth it, and swelleth in the ear, and riseth upon its stem; giving delight unto the sower. Such are the Moslems described to be: that the infidels may swell with indignation at them. G.o.d hath promised unto such of them as believe, and do good works, pardon and a great reward.

CHAPTER XLIX.

ENt.i.tLED, THE INNER APARTMENTS; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

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

O TRUE believers, antic.i.p.ate not any matter in the sight of G.o.d and his apostle: and fear G.o.d; for G.o.d both heareth and knoweth.

O true believers, raise not your voices above the voice of the prophet; neither speak loud unto him in discourse, as ye speak loud unto one another, lest your works become vain, and ye perceive it not.